Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'EEN CORDIS'

A morphing aircraft can be defined as an aircraft that changes configuration to maximize its performance at radically different flight conditions. Morphing structures require a large aspect ratio and area change during flight in order to optimise operational performance. Morphing wings are being developed to mimic bird’s wing movements. Birds have different wing profiles at different points in their flight, where swept wings reduce the drag at higher speeds at flight lift-off and long straight wing profile is better for performance at low loitering speed. Hyper-extensible braided cords have been developed to be used within morphing ‘skin’ materials. The cords use a low-modulus elastomeric core braided around with high-modulus yarns. These cords can be produced with various braid angles, which influence the extensibility of the cords. The higher the braid angle, the greater the extension The braid angle is controlled by the precision pre-tension of the elastomeric component. A computational model for predicting the load-strain behaviour of these hyper-extensible cords has been developed. Opposite to hyper-extensible cords are inextensible cord reinforcement composites, such as toothed timing belts used in car engines, which utilise a combination of reinforcement techniques to guarantee a high quality high strength product. Braiding is an alternate technology for producing cords with potentially superior performance in terms of improved ability to resist unravelling as well as superior interface due to ‘Chinese finger-trap effect.’ Carbon core with varying glass fibre braid have been developed. This led to various braid patterns being formed. A system for mapping braid pattern/topology has been developed. Aswel as the braid pattern, the braid colour patterns can also be produced. This mathematical model involves basic matrix manipulations, which have been proved using the MatLab program. The predicted braid patterns have been compared with actual samples. Being able to model braid patterns is a time and cost effective compared to previous trial and error methods.

This study examined the occurrence of Lophelia pertusa on North Sea oil infrastructure and its environmental sensitivity to oil and gas activities. Underwater videos from industry platform surveys were examined to identify L. pertusa, detail its occurrence at two sites (Heather and North Alwyn A (NAA)), and to look for evidence of exposure to drilling muds and cuttings (discharges). In addition, live corals were exposed to 4-h sedimentation events of increasing rates and polyp behaviour analysed. Sediment removal mechanisms were also examined. Finally, skeletal characteristics and trace metal concentrations were measured in skeletons sampled from platform sites exposed to drilling discharges and control sites. The results showed a newly established sub-population of L. pertusa in the northern North Sea. L. pertusa was identified on 14 platforms and 947 colonies were recorded on Heather and NAA between 59 to 132 m depth coinciding with the presence of year round Atlantic water. Original recruits were likely from the northeast Atlantic and are now annually self-recruiting to the platforms. Additional video from Tern in 1993, 1994, 1998, and 2002 provided the first in situ colony growth rate (26 ± 5 mm yr-1) for L. pertusa. Visual evidence of contamination from drilling discharges was limited to colonies close to drilling discharge points where partial and complete colonies were dead. Polyp behaviour was negatively affected only at the highest sedimentation rates (12-19 mg cm-2 min-1), which are likely to be significantly higher than in situ rates, and polyps cleared sediment with ciliary currents and ingestion, which may be an indiscriminate feeding response. Corals exposed to discharges had shorter and narrower corallites compared to controls but other causal factors merit consideration such as genetics and hydrography. Further results showed that polyps bud annually and reach their maximum height in their first year, while the theca thickens at a constant rate, thus implying that the innermost growth band likely represents the first year of growth. Relatively depleted δ13C and δ18O along the inner growth band, which indicates fast calcification, supported this result. Copper and barium in coral skeletons including visible detrital inclusions were significantly higher in exposed versus control colonies. Chromium and barium along the growth axis, avoiding detrital inclusions, showed one exposed polyp from a colony living two meters above the cuttings pile on North West Hutton (NWH) with higher barium compared to control colonies. Short-lived barium spikes were observed in two polyps from a control colony sampled from North Cormorant. It is hypothesised that the NWH coral may have been exposed to dissolved barium released during cuttings resuspension, while barium spikes in the control colony may result from natural fluctuations in seawater barium, thus advocating that L. pertusa can act as an archive of the marine environment.

Ultrasound, applied in combination with microbubbles, has potential as a means to enhance the uptake of therapeutic agents, which could include drugs and nucleic acids, into biological cells. This process is commonly referred to as 'sonoporation', and the enhanced uptake can be caused through the incident ultrasonic pressure fi eld causing radial oscillations (cavitation) in the microbubbles, amongst other possibilities. However, the mechanisms responsible for any resultant increase in cell membrane permeability are not yet fully understood. This project focussed on achieving a more fundamental understanding of these salient processes by building on a platform of previous work within the group. One strand of the project involved a complete characterisation of the performance of a rotating mirror high speed camera (Cordin 550-62) that was previously used by our group [and others] to investigate microbubble cavitation phenomena and interactions with proximal cell membranes. Speci cally, I present herein an investigation into the image formation process with this type of camera, the essence of which stymied previous data interpretations. I demonstrate that an inherent asynchrony in the exposure of pixels within individual image frames leads to a temporal anomaly. This was achieved using low cost, flashing LED lights and resulted in the extraction of an algorithm to correct for the temporal anomaly. In a slightly diff erent context, the delivery of suitable ultrasonic fields is necessary to achieve a uniform treatment across a therapeutic target. This thesis also reports on a study on the design of ultrasonic lenses to alter the focal region of a focussed ultrasound transducer with the aim of producing focal regions that can enable sonoporation of tumours of varying sizes. We show that the use of lenses can be an inexpensive alternative to more complex systems such as phased array transducers. Design modelling and experimental testing of lens prototypes are presented along with preliminary results with tissue mimicking polyacrylamide gel phantoms. The target environment in which the process of sonoporation will be clinically useful (i.e. in the physiological circulation) can be simpli ed as a microfluidic system. One strategy for bubble mediated therapy involves the use of a pro-drug approach, that is, when two otherwise benign ingredients are loaded onto separate microbubble populations, but can become mixed at the anatomical target site by the action of focussed ultrasound whereupon a potent drug is produced. The required mixing can be achieved by the violent coalescence of nearby cavitating bubbles, their reaction product then being released and di ffused into the interiour of nearby cells through sonoporation. A study related to this field is presented here where laser induced thermocapillary flows are shown to cause mixing of the content of a drop in a microfluidic channel in a bid to understand the mixing process at a level that may assist future microbubble engineering strategy. To summarise then, the work presented in this thesis has consolidated earlier unpublished data sets achieved by the group, providing new and exacting experimental evidence and an accurate algorithm that will facilitate post-processing of that earlier data (Chapters 2-3). Moreover, group aspirations to translate earlier in-vitro work on sonoporation towards next phase medical-phantom exposures have been boosted through the provision of a new direction involving acoustic lensing, the experimental data from which was used to completely validate existing models for our own design scenarios (Chapter 4). Finally, previous unpublished observations on microbubble coalescence undertaken by the group suggested a means to implement pro-drug delivery with direct in-situ mixing. Such suggestions were explored within microfluidic contexts using lasers to control and visualise the mixing processes that might arise in such situations (Chapter 5). All of these new insights have served to consolidate the group's previous and as yet unpublished data, opening the way for dissemination with confidence in the integrity of that data, and have also extended group capability and expertise in the areas of MHz-rate high speed framing cameras, the fabrication of acoustic lenses, and with microfluidic mixing.

Coral bleaching is the major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Coral reefs, as an essential part of the marine ecosystem, are under severe threat from many sources, including high sea water temperatures, solar irradiance and anthropogenic impacts such as nutrient enrichment, sewage disturbance and others. Malaysian corals were affected during the global mass bleaching events in 1998 and 2010 which caused bleaching and some mortality, but coral reef degradation is also due to other causes. Mostly Peninsular Malaysia coral reefs are affected by agricultural activities and human development causing sedimentation and nutrient runoff. To date, the photosynthetic performance of Malaysian corals under such stresses is unknown, and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess how some commonly occurring corals of that region respond to stress factors. The objectives of this study were: (1) To record maximum quantum yield of chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) of coral species; Stylophora pistillata, Montipora digitata and Seriatopora hystrix in treatments of stressors of high/ambient temperature-light levels and high/ambient temperature-nitrate levels, (2) To record maximum quantum yield of chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) of coral species in stress treatments of combinations of high/ambient temperature-light levels and high/ambient temperature-nitrate levels, (3) To differentiate changes in quantum yield fluorescence among the three corals species before stress, after stress and after 24-h recovery stage. Colours and paling were also being examined by using CoralWatch Coral Health Chart. To achieve this, S. pistillata, M. digitata and S. hystrix were exposed to: a) ambient (27°C, 200 μmol quanta m−2s−1), (b) high light (27oC, 520 μmol quanta m−2s−1), (c) high temperature (30°C, 200 μmol quanta m−2s−1) and (d) high temperature + high light (30°C, 520 μmol quanta m−2s−1). In a further investigation, the overnutrification factor was introduced: (a) ambient control (27oC, 2 μM NO3−), (b) high nitrate (27oC, 15 μM NO3−), (c) high temperature (30oC, 2 μM NO3−), (d) high temperature + high nitrate (30oC, 15 μM NO3). 20 minutes of dark-adapted photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) was measured using a pulse-amplitude-modulation (PAM) chlorophyll fluorometer (WATERPAM, Walz, Germany). Besides, here it includes the study of Reef Check data and relates it with 50-km monitoring product of Degree Heating Week Coral Reef Watch for 2009 until 2011 in Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia to predict bleaching behaviours within Malaysian waters. For the temperature-light stress treatments, there were significant decreases in maximum quantum yield for all species, due to photoinhibition. The results show that S. hystrix is susceptible to thermal stress. In temperature-nitrate stress experiments, it is suggested that nutrient enrichment may not have a synergistic effect, and that high temperatures alone significantly impact Fv/Fm values (three-way ANOVA, p > 0.05) for all coral species. Slow growing corals (S. pistillata) appear to cope better with the environmental changes than the fast-growing corals (M. digitata and S. hystrix). This research helps understand the effects of coral bleaching and nitrate stress and may be of value to researchers and managers of marine parks in the Malaysian region to better understand coral health.

In the rubber hand illusion (RHI), watching a rubber hand being stroked synchronously to one's own, unseen hand, creates the compelling experience of ownership over the artificial hand. I induced the RHI in participants watching an egocentrically placed rubber hand that was stroked in synchrony or asynchrony with the biological hand. Two further conditions examined the illusory effect a) when the rubber hand was placed allocentrically (rotated 180°; 'Allocentric') to the participant, and b) when the rubber hand was placed egocentrically but seen only through a mirror (‘Mirror'), resulting in a identical visual input as the directly-viewed, allocentric condition. I replicated previous results on the 'classical' RHI: participants showed significantly greater introspective and behavioural responses in the Synchronous compared to the Asynchronous and Allocentric conditions. In addition, my preliminary findings show that a mirror-view of the rubber hand elicits a greater illusory effect than the 'no-ownership' effect evident in the Allocentric orientation, suggesting that background knowledge of the hand's true position plays a role in the induction of the RHI. The implications of these results for the current models of bodily ownership are discussed.

Increasing the power density of the DC-DC converters requires the size and weight of the magnetic components, such as inductors and transformers, to be reduced. In this thesis, the losses in nanocrystalline inductor cores are characterised and analysed, including the traditional core loss and the gap loss caused by the air gap fringing flux. The loss calculations will form a basis for the design and optimisation of high power inductors for DC-DC converters for EV applications. This thesis first characterises experimentally the core losses in four nanocrystalline cores over a range of operating conditions that are representative of those encontered in typical high power converter applications, including non-sinusoidal waveforms and DC bias conditions. The core losses are assessed by the measured B-H loops and are characterised as a function of DC flux density, showing that for a fixed AC induction level, the losses can vary by almost an order of magnitude as the DC bias increases and the duty ratio moves away from 0.5. The results provide a more complete picture of the core loss variations with both DC and AC magnetisations than is available in manufactures’ data sheets. An electromagnetic finite element (FE) model is used to examine the gap loss that occurs in finely laminated nanocrystalline cores under high frequency operation. The loss is significant in the design example, contributing to almost half of the total inductor loss, and the gap loss is highly concentrated in the region of the air gap. The dependence of the gap loss on key inductor design parameters and operating condtions is also explored. An empirical equation is derived to provide a design-oriented basis for estimating gap losses. Thermal finite element analysis is used to estimate the temperature rise and identify the hot spot in a nanocrystalline inductor encapsulated in an alumimium case. The temperature distribution in the core largely corresponds to the non-uniform distribution of the gap loss. The thermal FEA can also be used to evaluate different thermal management methods to optimise the design for a more compact component. The FE modelling of gap loss and the thermal predictions are validated experimentally on a foil-wound Finemet inductor, showing good agreement between the predictions and measurements under various operating conditions.

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of up to 14 inherited progressive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders affecting children and young adults. Together, they are the most common pediatric neurodegenerative storage disorders. Symptoms include loss of vision, epileptic seizures and the loss of cognitive and motor function. A lack of any effective therapies means that all forms are fatal. CLN1 disease or Infantile NCL is one of the most rapidly progressing forms of the disease and is caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme palmitoyl protein thioesterase – 1 (PPT1). Ppt1 deficient (Ppt1-/-) mice recapitulate features of the human disease and have proved to be a useful tool in characterizing disease progression and pathology in the brain. However, these pathological changes fail to fully explain the sensorimotor deficits seen in this mouse model as well as in human CLN1 disease. Along with the limited success of various brain directed therapies, this led us to analyze the spinal cord. Our analysis revealed unexpectedly profound and rapidly progressing disease pathology in the spinal cords of these mice, which occurs earlier than similar events in the brain. This included regional atrophy, neuroinflammation, and significant neuron loss at all levels of the cord as well as novel phenotypes indicating a postnatal developmental delay and significant white matter pathology. Automated gait analysis also showed novel early phenotypes in these mice including an increased dependence on the forelimbs for locomotion. Similar spinal cord pathology was also demonstrated in human INCL autopsy samples as well as in mouse models of the other major forms of NCL. Targeting the spinal cords of Ppt1-/-mice with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and gene therapy significantly improved disease pathology, motor function and lifespan in these mice, demonstrating the clinical significance of spinal cord pathology in these mice. Furthermore, combining intracranial and intrathecal gene therapy showed a synergistic effect, showing the greatest improvements for any CLN1 disease therapy to date. Taken together, these findings highlight the spinal cord as not only being significantly affected in CLN1 disease, but also as a novel and effective therapeutic target.

Говор представља врло сложену људску делатност. За његову успешну реализацију потребно је ускладити правилну артикулацију, исправан акустички сигнал, несметану перцепцију и одговарајућу когнитивну спознају. Као најзначајнији модалитет реализације језика у процесу комуникације у великој мери зависи од квалитетагласа који је његов неодвојиви део. Патолошке карактеристике гласа и говора особа са бенигним и малигним израштајима на гласницама перципирају се као различите варијације висине, интензитета и квалитета говорног гласа. Циљеви истраживања: Утврдити говорни капацитет особа са малигним, бенигним и псеудотуморима, на гласницама пре и после оперативног лечења, разлику између њиховог говорног капацитета и утврдити како оперативно лечење утиче на разумљивост и временске одреднице говора. Истраживање је спроведено током 2016. и 2017. годинена Клиници за болести ува, грла и носа Клиничког центра Војводине. Узорак је чинило 67 испитаника подељених у 2 групе према врсти израштаја на оне који су имали бенигне и псеудотуморе и испитанике са малигним туморима на гласницама старости од 23 до 74 године (AS 55,43 године; SD 11,95 година). Методе примењене у истраживању: Општи упитник, Тестови за искључивање из узорка (Мини-Ментал тест - Mini mental State Examination, Упитник о анксиозности-GAD-7 Anxiety, Тријажни артикулациони тест), Индекс говорног хендикепа -Speech Handicap Index,Акустичка анализа гласа, Максимално фонацијско време вокала /а/, Анализа временске организације говора, Разумљивост говора, Анализа мелодије реченице. Према нашим резултатима, пре операције у обе групе испитаника говорни капацитет је био готово уједначен са малом разликом јер су ипак нешто бољи говорни капацитет имале особе са малигним израштајима на гласницама али без статистичке значајности у поређеним групама. После оперативног лечења бенигних и псеудотумора на гласницама дошло је до статистички значајног побољшања говорног капацитета (p=0,005). После операције постојалаје статистички значајна разлика између говорног капацитета испитиваних група, при чему су бољи говорни капацитет имали испитаници групе I – са бенигним и псеудотуморима (t=-3,807, p<0,001). Разумљивост говора је код испитаника са малигним туморима гласнице била статистички значајно повезана са вредностима говорног капацитета пре операције (p=0,008). У погледу временске организације говора, код испитаника са малигним туморима на гласницама после операције дошло је до статистички значајног погоршања (p=0,025). У истраживању није добијен изоловани ефекат времена или врсте израштаја на говорни капацитет, али постоји њихов удружени ефекат (f = 10,079, p = 0,002). Препорука је да се сви пацијенти после оперативног лечења израштаја на гласницама укључе у поступак рехабилитације гласа и говора.
Govor predstavlja vrlo složenu ljudsku delatnost. Za njegovu uspešnu realizaciju potrebno je uskladiti pravilnu artikulaciju, ispravan akustički signal, nesmetanu percepciju i odgovarajuću kognitivnu spoznaju. Kao najznačajniji modalitet realizacije jezika u procesu komunikacije u velikoj meri zavisi od kvalitetaglasa koji je njegov neodvojivi deo. Patološke karakteristike glasa i govora osoba sa benignim i malignim izraštajima na glasnicama percipiraju se kao različite varijacije visine, intenziteta i kvaliteta govornog glasa. Ciljevi istraživanja: Utvrditi govorni kapacitet osoba sa malignim, benignim i pseudotumorima, na glasnicama pre i posle operativnog lečenja, razliku između njihovog govornog kapaciteta i utvrditi kako operativno lečenje utiče na razumljivost i vremenske odrednice govora. Istraživanje je sprovedeno tokom 2016. i 2017. godinena Klinici za bolesti uva, grla i nosa Kliničkog centra Vojvodine. Uzorak je činilo 67 ispitanika podeljenih u 2 grupe prema vrsti izraštaja na one koji su imali benigne i pseudotumore i ispitanike sa malignim tumorima na glasnicama starosti od 23 do 74 godine (AS 55,43 godine; SD 11,95 godina). Metode primenjene u istraživanju: Opšti upitnik, Testovi za isključivanje iz uzorka (Mini-Mental test - Mini mental State Examination, Upitnik o anksioznosti-GAD-7 Anxiety, Trijažni artikulacioni test), Indeks govornog hendikepa -Speech Handicap Index,Akustička analiza glasa, Maksimalno fonacijsko vreme vokala /a/, Analiza vremenske organizacije govora, Razumljivost govora, Analiza melodije rečenice. Prema našim rezultatima, pre operacije u obe grupe ispitanika govorni kapacitet je bio gotovo ujednačen sa malom razlikom jer su ipak nešto bolji govorni kapacitet imale osobe sa malignim izraštajima na glasnicama ali bez statističke značajnosti u poređenim grupama. Posle operativnog lečenja benignih i pseudotumora na glasnicama došlo je do statistički značajnog poboljšanja govornog kapaciteta (p=0,005). Posle operacije postojalaje statistički značajna razlika između govornog kapaciteta ispitivanih grupa, pri čemu su bolji govorni kapacitet imali ispitanici grupe I – sa benignim i pseudotumorima (t=-3,807, p<0,001). Razumljivost govora je kod ispitanika sa malignim tumorima glasnice bila statistički značajno povezana sa vrednostima govornog kapaciteta pre operacije (p=0,008). U pogledu vremenske organizacije govora, kod ispitanika sa malignim tumorima na glasnicama posle operacije došlo je do statistički značajnog pogoršanja (p=0,025). U istraživanju nije dobijen izolovani efekat vremena ili vrste izraštaja na govorni kapacitet, ali postoji njihov udruženi efekat (f = 10,079, p = 0,002). Preporuka je da se svi pacijenti posle operativnog lečenja izraštaja na glasnicama uključe u postupak rehabilitacije glasa i govora.
Speech represents a very complicated human ability. For its successful realization, it’s necessary to coordinate proper articulation, correct acoustical signal, unobstructed perception and adequate cognitive recognition. The most significant modality of language realization in the process of communication greatly depends on vocal quality, which is its inseparable element. Pathological vocal and speech characteristics in people with benign and malign growths on the vocal cords are perceived as different variations of pitch, intensity and quality of the speaking voice. Aims of the research: Determining the vocal capacity of people with malign, benign tumors and pseudo-tumors on the vocal cords, before and after surgical treatment, determining the difference between their vocal capacity and how surgical treatment affects comprehensibility and time determinants of speech. The research was conducted during 2016 and 2017 on the Otorhinolaryngology clinic of Vojvodina Clinical Centre. The sample consisted of 67 participants divided into 2 groups based on the type of growth present, into participants with benign and pseudo tumors and participants with malign tumors of the vocal chords, aged 23 – 74 (M=55,43; SD=11,95). Methods used in the research: General Questionnaire, Tests for exclusion from the sample (Mini mental State Examination), Anxiety Questionnaire – GAD-7 Anxiety, Triage Articulatory Test, Speech Handicap Index, Acoustic Vocal Analysis, Maximum phonation time vowel /a/, Time organization of speech analysis, Speech comprehensibility, Sentence melody analysis. According to the results of the research, before surgical treatment, the vocal capacity of both participant groups was nearly equable with a small difference of a somewhat higher vocal capacity in participants with malign growths on the vocal cords, but with no statistical significance between the compared groups. After surgical treatment of benign and pseudo tumors on the vocal cords, a statistically significant improvement of vocal capacity was observed (p=0,005). Post surgically, a statistically significant difference between the vocal capacity of tested groups was observed, with a higher vocal capacity present in the first group of participants with benign and pseudo tumors (t=-3,807, p<0,001). Speech comprehensibility in participants with malign tumors of the vocal cords was significantly correlated with the values of speech capacity prior to the surgical treatment (p=0,008). In regards to time organization of speech, there was a statistically significant deterioration in patients with malign vocal cord tumors (p=0,025). The research showed no isolated effect of time or type of growth on speech capacity, but a combined effect was observed (f=10,079, p=0,002). The recommendation is that all patients are included in the procedure of speech and vocal rehabilitation after surgical treatment.

Human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) derived from regions surrounding the umbilical cord vessels represent an attractive cell source for cellular therapies, given their proliferative potential and the accessibility of donor material compared with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). However, these cells remain poorly characterised. Using flow cytometry, HUCPVCs were shown to express conventional MSC markers CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD146, CD166 and integrins alpha1 to -5, alphaV, alphaVβ3, alphaVβ5, β1 and β3, but not CD14, CD34, CD45, STRO-1 or integrin alphaVβ6. HUCPVC marker profiles were consistent between three donors and at different passage numbers. Immunostaining for smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers; alpha-SMA, SM22alpha and smoothelin revealed that HUCPVCs shared expression of these markers with SMCs. However, in comparison with SMCs, HUCPVCs deposited more extensive fibronectin-rich matrices. When compared with hBM-MSCs, HUCPVCs differentiated along adipogenic and osteogenic lineages more slowly and did not progress to terminal phenotypes. mRNA expression of recently identified mesenchymal progenitor cell markers, ROR2, EPHA2, PLXNA2, CDH13 and CD9, was confirmed in HUCPVCs from two donors. In addition, all these markers (except EPHA2) were detected in the umbilical cord vessel wall cells of three donors, confirming their expression in both cultured HUCPVCs and cells of the primary tissue. To determine the roles of these markers in HUCPVCs, they were depleted individually using siRNA. Knockdown (KD) efficiencies of 90-97% were achieved. CD9 KD cells appeared elongated compared to cells treated with control siRNA, and these cells along with ROR2, EPHA2 and PLXNA2 KD cells exhibited larger cell areas than controls. All KD cells also showed decreased proliferative potential by day 6 compared with control siRNA or lipofectamine treated cells. A decrease in total β1 integrins was detected in the CD9 KD cells. Up-regulation of ROR2 and PLXNA2 mRNA expression was detected in HUCPVCs from two donors, when they underwent osteogenic differentiation. ROR2 and PLXNA2 knockdown resulted in increases in PLXNA2 and ROR2 mRNAs respectively, when cells were cultured in osteogenic medium compared with basal conditions. In addition, each individual knockdown revealed that the KD cells showed trends in increasing RUNX2 mRNA expression after 13-16 days in osteogenic medium. These data suggest that ROR2 and PLXNA2 may co-operate in promoting an osteogenic phenotype. Culturing HUCPVCs on non-mineralised BVSMC-derived matrices had very little impact on their differentiation status. In contrast, when HUCPVCs were cultured on mineralised BVSMC-derived matrices in osteogenic medium, their ability to further deposit mineralised matrix was enhanced by 7 days; no accompanying changes in RUNX2, ROR2 or PLXNA2 mRNA expression were detected. Taken together, early up-regulation of RUNX2, ROR2 and PLXNA2 appears to be important in driving osteogenic differentiation in HUPCVCs, whilst subsequent down-regulation of these markers may be required for mineralisation to occur. HUCPVCs express ROR2, PLXNA2, CDH13 and CD9 in vitro and in situ; these markers have distinct roles in regulating cell proliferation, shape and differentiation which may be regulated via changes in β1 integrins. It is not known why HUCPVCs might differentiate along adipogenic and osteogenic lineages more incompletely than hBM-MSCs. Further comparative characterisation of HUCPVCs and hBM-MSCs is a prerequisite for exploiting their vast clinical potential.

Periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) is the most common brain injury in bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (BSCP). Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that affect the development of the motor system, that are attributed to non-progressive lesions in the developing brain. In PVL, damage is caused by a primary arterial ischemic injury to the white matter in the posterior limb of the internal capsule, although other regions of the brain can also be affected including the spinal cord. Alterations in spinal cord development may lead to many of the clinical problems observed in BSCP, including altered motor control, co-contraction of agonist and antagonist muscle groups, progressive musculoskeletal deformities and weakness. Further to this, a heightened fracture risk of the long bones of the skeleton may be related to poor muscle development subsequent to the original brain injury. In the work contributing to this thesis, the fat content of five muscles and the volume of nine major muscles of the lower limbs of ambulant adolescents and young adults with and without BSCP are investigated using MRI. The relationship between bony geometry and muscle volume are also studied. Studies of spinal cord white matter organisation are also performed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) MRI techniques to investigate whether there are associations between spinal cord organisation and gross functional development in BSCP. Lower limb muscle volumes in BSCP were found to be smaller with increased intramuscular fat compared to their typically developing peers. Bone strength estimated from bony geometry was found to be significantly dependent on muscle volume independent of diagnosis. No differences were observed in spinal cord white matter microstructure between the subject groups, although a reduced white matter crosssectional area was observed in the BSCP group. The clinical implications of this work are discussed in detail.

Tissue engineered vascular grafts with long term patency are in great need in the clinics. An accessible source of human smooth muscle cell (SMC) is important for constructing functional vascular grafts. Human mesenchymal stem cells from the umbilical cord (UCMSCs) exhibit multi-lineage differentiation abilities, including the potential to differentiate towards vascular lineages such as SMCs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding regulatory RNAs. They widely participate in regulation of stem cell differentiation and may play an important role in SMC differentiation. Understanding how to generate SMCs from UCMSCs as well as its underlying mechanism might greatly contribute to our knowledge of manufacturing functional vascular grafts. We hypothesise that vascular grafts could be generated with SMCs differentiated from human UCMSCs, and further explore the role of miRNAs in the differentiation process. We utilised transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ1) to stimulate the UCMSCs differentiation towards SMCs. A panel of SMC markers including αSMA, SM22, Calponin and SMMHC were highly upregulated both at the gene expression and the protein level at day 5 of TGFβ1 treatment. Micro-RNA (miR) array analysis showed that miR-503 was increased at early time points (6 h and 24 h) after TGFβ1 treatment, which was confirmed by TaqMan microRNA assay. We further demonstrated that miR-503 mimics promoted SMC differentiation both at the gene expression and the protein level and miR-503 inhibitors downregulated SMC markers at the protein level. Smad7, which is a negative regulator of TGFβ1-related signalling pathways, was identified to be a direct target of miR-503 by luciferase reporter experiments. The expression level of miR-503 was Smad4-dependent as shown by the Smad4 knockdown experiments. Also, Smad4 was demonstrated to be enriched at the promoter region of miR-503 as shown by Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments. In addition to miR-503, miR-222-5p was also downregulated in the differentiation process. The gain-of-function study with the treatment of miR-222-5p mimics significantly inhibited the induction of SMC markers Calponin and αSMA both at the gene expression and protein level during differentiation. αSMA was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-222-5p. Moreover, ROCK2, which could mediate SMC differentiation through RhoA/ROCK pathway, was downregulated by miR-222-5p mimics both at the gene expression and protein level. The 3’-UTR segment of ROCK2 was identified to be a direct target of miR-222-5p. Finally, SMCs differentiated from UCMSCs exhibited the ability to migrate into decellularised mouse aorta grafts. Seeding of the cells onto the decellularised scaffold gave rise to vascular graft with smooth muscle layer that is comparable to its analog of the native vessel. In conclusion, we demonstrated the potential of using hUCMSCs-derived SMCs to generate vascular grafts which are in critical need in the clinics.

This study explores potential therapeutic needs of people who have recently incurred a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and consequently live with an acquired disability. There are currently more people living with SCI than ever, yet there is still apparently little awareness or understanding of the complexity of the many potential psychological challenges caused by the injury. Despite disability being an inevitable part of existence, it is not consistently theoretically conceptualized other than to involve issues of power and vulnerability, and therapeutic literature relating to physical disability is scant. An inductive approach to the study was taken in order to focus on personal experiences of SCI, and more than one epistemological framework is mobilized in order to more comprehensively understand issues relating to disability and SCI. Using the (apparently conflicting) works of Foucault and Merleau-Ponty to inform a discourse analysis, both the cultural and historical social constructions, and the phenomenologically embodied aspects of disability are balanced to create a more holistic understanding of the experiences of acquired disability as a result of SCI. Seven participants were recruited for the study from an NHS specialist Spinal Injury Unit. Semi-structured interviews were conducted twice - once whilst participants were in-patients of the Unit, and once soon after they had been discharged. The main body of analysis is divided into three thematic sections: the Ecological - focusing on the roles of power relationships, institutions and culture through language and behavior, The Phenomenological - identifying the body as the primary site of 'knowing-in-the-world' and the implications to the sense of self of altered bodily experiences as a result of a new physicality, and The Existential - exploring how SCI can force a reconsideration of the possible significance or purpose(meaning) to be found in living. Trauma is acknowledged but not addressed as a primary focus, while the temporal element to the experience of SCI is identified. Focusing on the recently injured person's perspective at two significant points post-injury, this study aims to challenge the static concept of disability, and reconceptualise it as something experienced as fluid and context-dependent. The importance and affect of reflexivity in the study is also explored, as well as issues/implications of researcher positioning. The inter-relatedness of identified dominant themes is discussed in an attempt to illustrate the complex fluid interactions between SCI/acquired disability and individual life contexts. Identified themes are developed using critical disability theory, feminist literature, disability studies and Buddhist thought in order to advance understanding and conceptualisation of disability and the psychological experience of SCI. Education and reflexive awareness particularly regarding the machinations of widespread and embedded power relations relating to disability, as well as their consequences, are indicated as ethically necessary requirements (as an issue of social justice) for counselling psychologists to be able to practice appropriately, Ultimately, it is hoped that by investigating accounts of what affected individuals feel the dominant psychological challenges and difficulties are within their first year of injury, it may be possible for therapeutic services to become more effectively tailored to their specific needs.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that primarily affects the optic nerves and spinal cord. Despite similarities with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), NMOSD was recently recognized as a separate disease entity with different pathophysiological mechanisms and prognosis, and its clinical and imaging features are still being described. This project aims to explore brain and cervical spinal cord pathology in NMOSD by employing myelin water imaging, a magnetic resonance imaging method that has seen several applications in MS research. mcDESPOT is a novel technique based on multicomponent relaxometry that yields several quantitative tissue parameters, including the myelin water fraction, an index of myelin content, and T1 and T2 relaxation times, as well as structural volumetric measures. In this work, a mcDESPOT brain protocol was first acquired across three time points in healthy older adults on a single 3 Tesla scanner. Data on the test-retest reliability of mcDESPOT-derived indices are reported. Brain and cord mcDESPOT datasets were used to characterise focal and diffuse pathology in NMOSD in contrast with healthy controls. Results revealed abnormal parameters in several white matter regions, raising questions about the nature of non-lesional damage in the brain. Investigation of the thalamus showed normal volume, preserved microstructural integrity, and a link with a measure of information processing speed. Finally, cross-sectional and longitudinal measures of myelin content and atrophy in the cervical cord showed differences between NMOSD, MS and control groups. This work brings further evidence to address outstanding questions in NMOSD research regarding the nature and extent of brain involvement, the correlates of cognitive impairment, and the existence of subclinical disease progression between clinical relapses, and supports the use of mcDESPOT as an informative technique in the study of this rare disease in particular, and neurological disorders involving white matter in general.

Despite theoretical and policy advancements in global human and gendered approaches to development, youth in mainstream development policy discourse remains subsumed. The ratification of global best practice models of human development in Nigeria, without contextualizing the probable dividends of youth capability strength in shaping national development realities, will present challenges that are likely to threaten the sustainable future of country. Perhaps if this is sustained, this thesis argues that the capabilities of Nigerian youths will continue to remain trapped or mismatched in areas that they fail to contribute positively to Nigeria's national development. In this regard, this thesis evaluated the extent to which youth capabilities are enhanced in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for national development in Nigeria. Firstly, this thesis contributes conceptually to understanding, broadly, the social constructions of youth in mainstream policy discourse and their positioning in both global and national development practice in Nigeria. It also critically examines through literature how western epistemological interpretations of development theorizing are reproduced in youth discourse. Succinctly, the theoretical contribution of youth in development explains how development-underdevelopment dualism in mainstream development reproduces similar youth-adult dualisms in conceptualizing how youths are recognized, represented and constituted within policy discourses. Based on this, the theoretical gaps that this thesis bridges, operationalizes the Sen's capability approach (SCA) through the utilization of Narayan-Parker's empowerment framework in order to contextualize how the intersections of youth agency and structural contributions of the NYSC could aid the effective utilization of youth capabilities for national development in Nigeria. Secondly, this thesis contributes methodologically to development practice as it adapts a mixed-method approach (MMA) to researching youth lives, especially from a developing country's context. The application of a qualitative dominant mixed method approach (qual-MMA), suggests how through social constructivist ontology and through poststructuralist epistemology, the understanding of how youths socially construct their identity and the roles they play in national development becomes clearer. Thirdly, the germane and empirical contribution of this thesis especially to mainstream development theorizing is that, youth voices captured through narratives and quantitative data helped explore the experiences of Nigerian youth's transition pathways from education to the NYSC pathway. This further allowed for critical examination of how youths are: absorbed through mobilization into the NYSC; developed through the activities in the scheme; deployed and utilized in addressing national development challenges in Nigeria. This thesis suggests that dominant social constructions based on age and transition patterns, undermine the impact/effective functioning of youth capabilities for addressing national development challenges. It concludes that limited support structures during the youth educational pathways and lack of opportunity structures while youths are in the NYSC pathways continue to limit the functioning of their capabilities in sectors of national development needs. It recommends a need to rethink the current deployment strategy of the NYSC so that youth capabilities fit the national development narrative.

Spinal cord injury results in debilitating permanent deficits in motor, sensory and autonomic function, for which there is no adequate treatment: there is a pressing need for the development of novel therapeutics. The adult central nervous system (CNS) has a poor capacity for neuronal repair following injury. The CNS extracellular matrix has a unique and specialised composition, rich in glycoproteins and proteoglycans. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are inhibitory to neuroplasticity and their presence within the matrix is increased within a scar at the site of injury. Thus, CSPGs are a key therapeutic target following spinal cord injury. This thesis extends a large body of work to target inhibitory CSPGs to promote functional recovery in a clinically-relevant contusion model of experimental spinal cord injury in the adult rat. Lentiviral-vector mediated ChABC gene therapy has emerged as an effective means by which to promote functional repair. In order to increase translational feasibility of ChABC gene therapy this thesis first considers the use of adeno-associated viral vector systems to deliver ChABC, in which promotor choice was found to be a crucial determinant of efficacy. Furthermore, for any gene therapy treatment for spinal cord injury it would be advantageous to achieve temporal control over gene expression. A doxycycline-inducible vector system with an immune-evasive transactivator was used in a novel approach to switch on ChABC expression and modulate the time for which it was delivered. This recapitulated the beneficial functional effects of the permanent system and revealed an additional functional benefit of long-term administration over that conferred in the short-term. Furthermore, there is evidence that a particular CSPG sulfation epitope, CS-E, is a potent mediator of inhibition. Here, two approaches are considered to target CS-E upregulated following spinal contusion injury: an anti-CS-E antibody and a small molecule inhibitor of its synthesis. Short-term intrathecal delivery of anti-CS-E did not promote functional recovery and alternative treatment paradigms will be explored. A small molecule inhibitor may reduce synthesis of CS-E on small proteoglycans or proteoglycan fragments following injury which may enable assessment as to the therapeutic efficacy of preventing CS-E biosynthesis. Approaches to promote neuroplasticity, such as those targeting CSPGs, aim to generate new functional connectivity. Use of functional probes would represent a novel method to gain insight into the functional status of new connections. Neural populations of interest were transduced to express such reporters and an ex-vivo spinal cord slice preparation was developed, which was stimulated electrophysiologically and changes in florescence were imaged in real time using 2- photon microscopy. Only a small number of cells underwent response to physiologically relevant stimuli which precluded the use of this ex vivo preparation from use in further experiments.

Over recent years the bacterial enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) has emerged as a promising experimental therapeutic for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). In pre-clinical studies ChABC has repeatedly been shown to enhance functional recovery in a number of SCI models in both rodents and larger animals through its enzymatic degradation of inhibitory chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs). However, ChABC treatment has met with limited success in more traumatic, translational models of SCI, such as contusive or compressive injuries. As such injury models mimic the most common form of SCI in humans, it is important to show efficacy of experimental therapeutics in these models. The key aims of this thesis therefore, are to improve upon current methods of ChABC delivery and to assess the efficacy of optimised ChABC in a clinically relevant contusion injury model. The first series of experiments involved a detailed characterisation of the temporal pattern of functional and anatomical changes that occur following a moderate thoracic contusion injury. Changes in dorsal column sensory axon conduction were associated with early demyelination in the perilesional area and subsequent remyelination mediated primarily by Schwann cells. Further electrophysiological analysis revealed a population of viable dorsal column sensory fibres that remained unable to conduct at chronic post-injury time points, in which conduction could be restored following cooling of the lesion site. This established a reproducible and clinically relevant model, with multiple outcome measures and parameters with which to assess the efficacy of optimised ChABC. A gene delivery approach was applied to optimise the administration of ChABC. Sustained and widespread CSPG degradation was achieved using a lentiviral vector containing genetically engineered ChABC (LV-ChABC). This treatment resulted in significant improvements in injury pathology and functional recovery in the moderate thoracic confusion injury model. LV-ChABC treatment resulted in neuroprotection, improved behavioural function, increased spinal conduction through the contusion injury and enhanced plasticity below the level of the injury. Additionally, ChABC gene therapy was associated with modulation of the early post-injury immune response which may have contributed to its effects on neuroprotection, whilst the effect of long-term CSPG degradation were more likely to be responsible for the observed effects on plasticity and spinal conduction. Since recovery of upper limb function is a top priority for SCI patients, further assessments of LV-ChABC were carried out in a moderate contusion injury performed at the cervical level. This resulted in similar neuroprotective effects and functional recovery. In addition, electrophysiological assessments revealed some improved corticospinal tract function below the level of the injury. Finally, LV-ChABC also resulted in neuroprotection and improved spinal conduction in a more severe model of thoracic contusion injury, illustrating the robust effects of ChABC gene therapy in clinically relevant SCI models of varying severity and at different spinal levels. Thus, ChABC gene therapy achieves sustained and widespread degradation of growth inhibitory CSPG molecules following a single administration, resulting in significantly improved injury pathology and functional repair of the spinal cord in traumatic, clinically relevant models of spinal contusion injury. If safety issues associated with gene therapy can be addressed and efficacy can be demonstrated in experimental SCI models in larger animals, then ChABC gene therapy represents a promising candidate for clinical translation.

Yeung, Ling Chun.
Thesis M.Phil. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2014.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-222).
Abstracts also in Chinese.
Title from PDF title page (viewed on 01, December, 2016).

近年，香港的非礁珊瑚群落因為氣候變化，經歷了極端的高温和低温。加上其他的人為壓力，如在過去的幾十年裡長時間排放未經處理的污水，以致海水富營養化。因此，本研究以探討極端溫度和增加無機養分對造礁石珊瑚尖邊扁腦珊瑚(Platygyra acuta)和隆起鹿角珊瑚(Acropora valida)的配子，幼蟲及成年群體的影響。
在氨氮（NH3/NH4+）和磷酸鹽（PO43-）的劑量反應實驗中，研究主要是針對無機養分對於配子及幼蟲在受精過程，胚胎發育和浮游幼蟲的存活、運動以及附著的影響。是次實驗證明高劑量(50–200μM)的NH3/NH4+會影響卵子存活力（或同時影響精子存活力和多精入卵中阻斷機制），而PO43-則影響多精入卵中的阻斷機制。 對於胚胎發育方面，暴露在25 – 200μM NH3/NH4+的P. acuta幼蟲，細胞分裂的速度在2小時後出現明顯延遲。暴露在25 – 200μM NH3/NH4+及100 – 200μM PO43- 2小時的A. valida幼蟲均出現細胞分裂延遲。
然而，浮游幼蟲在流動性以及浮游幼蟲和已附著幼蟲的存活率方面並沒有觀察到在不同濃度的NH3/NH4+或PO43-下有顯著的差異。但是，附著P. acuta幼蟲的比例在100μMNH3/NH4+和PO43-的共同作用之下顯著下降〜30％。而附著的A.valida幼蟲在100μMNH3/NH4+和PO43-的影響下則下降了>50％。實驗結果還發現P.acuta的配子和幼蟲比A.valida對無機營養物有較高的忍受能力。而另外，P. acuta和A. valida的配子和幼蟲對無機營養物的忍受力亦比同的屬/科的其他珊瑚為高。
實驗亦對A. valida卵子受精和幼蟲附著期受高溫和無機營養物的結合影響進行了研究。在30℃高溫下，卵子存活力受到影響（或精子存活力和多精入卵中阻斷機制同時受到影響）；以及幼蟲附著率也同樣減少~10%。無機營養物和溫度對配子或幼蟲的影響一般為附加作用。目前這個研究發現A. valida對高溫的影響是十分敏感的。無機營養物雖然對珊瑚的早期生命階段影響甚小，但是當珊瑚配子或幼蟲同時暴露於多重環境壓力下，結合的影響會非常顯著。
無機營養物（氮N和/或磷P）優養化對成年P.acuta群體的影響亦進行研究。在實驗進行4週至6週後，P富集珊瑚提高了光合產量（Fv/Fm），降低了非光化學淬滅（NPQ），增加顏色強度（即增加蟲黃藻密度和葉綠素含量），降低了蟲黃藻的碳水化合物含量和增加飽和長鏈不飽和脂肪酸的比例。實驗結果亦證實P優養化的珊瑚可以在低温（13℃）和高温（33℃）情況下維持Fv/Fm和蟲黃藻密度，防止白化。另一方面，N富集珊瑚只降低了NPQ和增加蟲黃藻的含氮分子（如葉綠素和蛋白質）和多不飽和脂肪酸。然而，蟲黃藻密度卻不受Ｎ優養化所影響。
本研究結果為在未來人為富營養化和極端溫度所造成對石珊瑚的早期和成年階段的影響提供了深入了解。比較世界其他地區的石珊瑚品種，富營養化似乎對香港的石珊瑚配子，幼蟲及成年群體的影響甚小。然而，他們亦受到溫度和營養物質的組合效應所影響。長時間暴露在不平衡的富營養化環境可能顯著影響珊瑚中的蟲黃藻，珊瑚和蟲黃藻共生關係和增加珊瑚在低温和高温的白化情況。是次研究證實，人為富營養化和溫度應力對亞熱帶珊瑚是會構成不良的影響。因此，制定珊瑚管理策略是有迫切需要的，以加強珊瑚礁和珊瑚群落在不斷升溫和水體富營養化的環境下
Non-reefal coral communities in Hong Kong are experiencing extreme hot and cold temperature episodes in recent years due to climate change. They are also exposed to other anthropogenic stresses, including high levels of nutrients over the last few decades because of prolonged local discharge of untreated sewage. This research therefore aimed at investigating the combined effects of extreme temperature and inorganic nutrient enrichment on the gametes, larvae and adult colonies of reef building scleractinian corals Platygyra acuta and Acropora valida, two of the most common coral species found in Hong Kong.
Dose-response experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of ammonia nitrogen (NH3/NH4+) and orthophosphate (PO43-) on gametes and larval development of P. acuta and A. valida, including fertilization, embryonic development and survival, motility and settlement of planula larvae. Fertilization success of both coral species was affected by 50 – 200µM of NH3/NH4+ and PO43-. High dose of NH3/NH4+ and PO43- affected egg viability (or sperm viability and polyspermic block simultaneously) and polyspermic block respectively. For embryonic development, 2-hr exposure of 25 – 200µM NH3/NH4+ caused delay in cell division for larvae of P. acuta and A. valida while 2-hr exposure of 100 – 200µM PO43- only caused delay in cell division for larvae of A. valida. However, no significant differences were observed in the mobility and survivorship of planula and competent larvae under different levels of NH3/NH4+ or PO43-. There was significant ~30% drop in the settlement of competent larvae of P. acuta under the combined effects of 100µM NH3/NH4+ and PO43- and >50% drop in the settlement of competent larvae of A. valida under 100µM NH3/NH4+ and PO43-. This result indicated that the nutrient tolerance threshold of gametes and larvae of P. acuta is higher than that of A. valida; whilst the threshold of P. acuta and A. valida was higher when compared to other species in the same Genus/ Family in other places.
The effect of elevated temperature and its combined effect with nutrients were also investigated in the fertilization and settlement of A. valida. The elevated temperature (30°C) negatively impacted the fertilization success through affecting egg viability (or simultaneous effect on polyspermic mechanism and fertilization efficiency) and reduced ~10% of the settlement rate of planula larvae. Combined effects between nutrients (NH3/NH4+ or NH3/NH4+ and PO43- together) and temperature are generally additive. This present study highlighted that the gametes of A. valida were sensitive to heat stresses.
Nutrients (N and/or P) starvation and enrichment experiments were performed on adult colonies of P. acuta. After 4-weeks to 6-weeks of experiments, P enrichment to coral improved photosynthetic yield (Fv/Fm), reduced non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), increased colour intensity (i.e. increased zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll content), lowered carbohydrate content per zooxanthellae and increased the percentage of long chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acid. It is also confirmed that coral enriched with P could prevent bleaching under cold (13°C) and heat (33°C) stresses by maintaining photosynthetic efficiency and zooxanthellae density inside coral. On the other hand, N enrichment to coral only caused reduction in NPQ, increase in the amount of N-containing molecules, such as chlorophyll and protein, and abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acid in the zooxanthellae. However, the zooxanthellae population was unaffected with or without N enrichment.
Experiments on the early life and adult stages of scleractinian corals from the present studies provided insight on the role of inorganic nutrients and temperature in affecting coral species, hence their potential survival and dominance in the coral communities. These coral gametes and larvae from Hong Kong, a marginal environment for coral growth, appeared to be generally more tolerant to nutrient enrichments than other species elsewhere around the world. However, they were not completely free from the combined effects of temperature and nutrients. Prolonged exposure to unbalanced nutrient enrichment could significantly affect the physiology of zooxanthellae in hospite, coral-zooxanthellae symbiosis and the susceptibility of adult colonies to bleaching under heat and cold stresses. Results from the present studies confirmed the negative effects of anthropogenic eutrophication and temperature stresses on the subtropical corals. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop management strategies to tackle the eutrophication problems in order to increase the resilience of the coral communities and reefs, especially under the continuous threat from a warming environment.
Lam, Ka Yiu Eric.
Thesis M.Phil. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2016.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves ).
Abstracts also in Chinese.
Title from PDF title page (viewed on …).
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

Kwok, Chun Kit.
Thesis Ph.D. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2015.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-238).
Abstracts also in Chinese.
Title from PDF title page (viewed on 29, September, 2016).