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1
Kulkarni, Hrishikesh. "Mobile food ordering system (MFOS)." abstract and full text PDF (UNR users only), 2009. http://0-gateway.proquest.com.innopac.library.unr.edu/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:1464421.
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Neradová, Alena. "Performance of private MFIs and financial cooperatives." Doctoral thesis, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, 2015. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-260285.
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Developing countries have a long-term deal with a financial and economic instability in the current economic environment. Besides others, one of discussed solutions on that scheme is dedicated to microfinance where are evident efforts at delivering inclusive socio-economic development. Thus, the dissertation is focused on the analysis of the relative performance of private MFIs and financial cooperatives in Mediterranean region on selected socio-economic indicators, such as women's employment, education or level of material well-being. The impact of the offered products, such as credit and savings in the attempt to express what types of institutions are providing higher added value to clientele and in what intensity they change selected socio-economic indicator is also significant. Primary data of selected institutions will be inspected on the background of global data structured in the major regions of the world trying to understand the logics, risks and potentials of the development of the microfinance and cooperative sector and their intersections. The output will be a recommendation for the support of the microfinance and cooperative sector.
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Forcellese, Pietro. "Strategie per aumentare la risposta in potenza delle MFCs." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2020.
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Nell’ambito della risoluzione dei problemi legati al consumo dell’acqua come risorsa e dello smaltimento di reflui contenenti carichi organici, è di grande importanza prendere in considerazione tecnologie in grado di garantire un approccio risolutivo che rispecchi i principi dell’economia circolare. L’aumento della domanda di energia legata ai processi di gestione dell’acqua è tra le tematiche più rilevanti. Un’alternativa tecnologica emergente è la cella a combustibile microbica (MFC), un dispositivo bio-elettrochimico che trasforma direttamente l’energia chimica dei composti organici presenti nelle acque reflue in energia elettrica. Il limite della MFC è la bassa potenza erogata, pertanto una possibile soluzione è di integrare la cella microbica con supercondenstaori (SC), cioè sono sistemi elettrochimici di accumulo dell’energia di elevata potenza. L’obiettivo di questa tesi è la realizzazione di un “bio-based SC” attraverso materiali e processi sostenbili che possa essere integrato in una MFC.
In particolare, sono stati realizzati elettrodi di SC utilizzando un legante processabile in acqua, l’alginato, e antracite con lo scopo di dimostrare la valorizzazione di tale risorsa nel settore energy storage. Le prestazioni di questi elettrodi sono state confrontate con quelle di un carbone commerciale di riferimento. Gli elettrodi sono stati utilizzati per assemblare un bio-based SC che utilizza acque reflue come elettrolita. L’effetto della presenza dei batteri sulle prestazioni del SC è stato studiato mediante tecniche elettrochimiche. Lo studio ha dimostrato che la presenza dei batteri e l’utilizzo di acque reflue come elettrolita hanno un effetto positivo sulla risposta capacitiva dei SC che risulta confrontabile con quella di SC commerciali. I risultati ottenuti in questa tesi sono particolarmente innovativi e rappresentano uno spunto per la realizzazione di un nuovo concetto di living-bio-SC.
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Nyamsogoro, Ganka Daniel. "Financial sustainability of rural microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Tanzania." Thesis, University of Greenwich, 2010. http://gala.gre.ac.uk/6366/.
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An enduring problem facing microfinance institutions is how to attain financial sustainability. Several studies have been conducted to determine the factors affecting financial sustainability of microfinance institutions using large and well developed MFIs in various countries. However, no such study has been conducted in rural Tanzania where majority of MFIs are small, most of which are member-based (cooperatives). Consequently, the factors affecting their financial sustainability are not known. This study, therefore, was set to bridge this knowledge gap. This study followed a quantitative research approach using panel data regression as the main data analysis technique. The study was based on four years primary and secondary data obtained from 98 sampled rural MFIs in Tanzania. We found that microfinance capital structure, interest rates charged, differences in lending type, cost per borrower, product type, MFI size, number of borrowers, yield on gross loan portfolio, level of portfolio at risk, liquidity level, staff productivity, and the operating efficiency affect the financial sustainability of rural microfinance institutions in Tanzania. The study makes the following key contributions to knowledge in addition to determining factors affecting financial sustainability of rural microfinance institutions in Tanzania: First, the study reveals that there exists simultaneous causality relationship between financial sustainability and breadth of outreach. When this relationship is not considered in determining factors affecting financial sustainability there may be inconsistent evidence on the existence of mission drift. Second, it unveils the trade-off between financial sustainability and breadth of outreach with regards to the minimum loan size when group lending is used. That is, larger loan size, while improves profitability, reduces the breadth of outreach. Third, the study provides empirical evidence that the impact of a particular lending type on microfinance institution‟s profitability will depend on the term to maturity and number of instalments reflected in its lending terms. Fourth, consistent with the institutionists‟ view, the study provides empirical evidence that financial sustainability of microfinance institutions improves their breadth of outreach. Lastly, the study documents the applicability and limitations of previous studies to rural microfinance institutions in Tanzania.
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Lee, Joanna. "MFS transporter superfamily : modelling and dynamics." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c1b28272-c35f-46a3-beee-92bb560933d8.
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The aims for this thesis were threefold. First, is it possible to develop a numbering protocol to aid homology modelling, despite the diversity of MFS sequences? Given these methods, apply these to improve the homology model of a putative MFS protein, SV2A. Finally, can Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations be used to elucidate the transport mechanism in an MFS protein? There are several solved X-ray crystal structures of secondary active transporter MFS proteins, all of which have a core 12 transmembrane (TM) helix fold. Despite this highly conserved fold, the sequence identity between the transporters is low (15-25 % identity between structures) and so this provides difficulties when exploring homology modelling of target proteins based on known structures of MFS transporters. To overcome this, exploration of both conservation of amino acid type in multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) and conservation of contacts between helices elucidate 'anchor points' in the structure. This analysis can be used to aid alignment between template and target in homology modelling, such as for SV2A, which is the binding site for an anti-epileptic drug, levetiracetam. The binding site was thought to be in the central cavity of the TM region of the MFS protein and so drug-protein interactions were explored using MD simulations. Finally, MD simulations were conducted on FucP, the X-ray crystal structure of which is solved in an outward open conformation (open to the perplasmic cavity). The aim for this work was to investigate the movement from the outward open state to the occluded state and determine whether there is any effect on placing static hydrogen atoms on two key titrable residues in the central TM cavity, D46 and E135.
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Zhang, Chaoqi. "Mechanically flexible interconnects (MFIs) for large scale heterogeneous system integration." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/53637.
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In this research, wafer-level flexible input/output interconnection technologies,
Mechanically Flexible Interconnects (MFIs), have been developed. First, Au-NiW MFIs
with 65 µm vertical elastic range of motion are designed and fabricated. The gold
passivation layer is experimentally verified to not only lower the electrical resistance
but also significantly extend the life-time of the MFIs. In addition, a photoresist
spray-coating based fabrication process is developed to scale the in-line pitch of MFIs
from 150 µm to 50 µm. By adding a contact-tip, Au-NiW MFI could realize a rematable assembly on a substrate with uniform pads and a robust assembly on a
substrate with 45 µm surface variation. Last but not least, multi-pitch multi-height
MFIs (MPMH MFIs) are formed using double-lithography and double-reflow processes,
which can realize an MFI array containing MFIs with various heights and various
pitches. Using these advanced MFIs, large scale heterogeneous systems which can provide
high performance system-level interconnections are demonstrated. For example,
the demonstrated 3D interposer stacking enabled by MPMH MFIs is promising to
realize a low profile and cavity-free robust stacking system. Moreover, bridged multiinterposer
system is developed to address the reticle and yield limitations of realizing
a large scale system using current 2.5D integration technologies. The high-bandwidth
interconnection available within interposer can be extended by using a silicon chip
to bridge adjacent interposers. MFIs assisted thermal isolation is also developed to
alleviate thermal coupling in a high-performance 3D stacking system.
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MASSAGLIA, GIULIA. "Development of new nanostructured electrodes in Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)." Doctoral thesis, Politecnico di Torino, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2676549.
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The aim of my thesis work is to investigate new nanostructured materials, obtained by the electrospinning technique, in order to design 3D arrangement of the electrodes, leading thus to improve the energy efficiency of energy production devices, such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The carbon nanofibers reveal to be the most promising material in the field of bio electrochemistry; in fact, up to now the best performing microbial fuel cells are fabricated using carbon and carbon based material electrodes. To further enhance the performances of bio anodes and bio cathodes, a set of properties are then required to be overcome, such as a proper surface morphology and chemistry, good biofilm adhesion and electron transfer, and a good electrical conductivity.
This work aims to demonstrate that the electrospun nanofibers own all the necessary properties, revealing themselves as the most innovative and promising structures for anodes and cathodes for microbial fuel cells. The nanofibers ensure all the properties listed above; in particular, during my Ph.D. I have investigated and studied the carbon based nanofibers to be applied as cathode and as anode in these kind of the devices. In this thesis, it will be demonstrated that the nanostructured electrodes improve the efficiency devices thanks both to the low impedance and to the interaction with the microorganisms.
The high micrometric porosity characteristics of the realized anodic material create the ideal habitat for the microorganism’s proliferation.
Moreover, different solution for the cathode material have been developed using ceramic nanofibers, such as MnxOy nanofibers and carbon nanofibers, in order to improve the performance of the devices. The layer made of these nanofibers, in fact, catalyzes the oxygen reduction reaction if the oxygen is used as terminal electron acceptor in the devices; thus these catalysts can substitute the platinum layer, which is the most used today, granting a cheaper and eco friendlier material.
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Ahmed, Juber. "Client Information Needs of MFIs : A Case Study of ASA Bangladesh." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för management, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-1117.
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Abstract Title: Client Information Needs of MFIs: A Case Study of ASA Bangladesh Author: Juber Ahmed Academic Advisor: Dr. Klaus Solberg Søilen Department: School of Management, Blekinge Institute of Technology Course: Master Thesis in Business Administration Purpose: To enrich the knowledge base of client’s needs of financial services and assessing the tools MFIs used to collect clients’ information and how they utilized the information for developing new products and services or modifying existing products and services or their terms and conditions to meet the needs of financial services of their clientele. Also how MFIs organized and managed the information and how they categorized their clients using that information. Method: The investigation conducted from both a theoretical and an empirical point of view. The deductive approach used for the study and the case study method deployed. I studied ASA which is an MFI renowned in Bangladesh and beyond. At first, I had gone through a secondary research for collecting a number of successful methods and standard types of information used by successful MFIs from existing literature. In primary research, I interviewed 10 Managers (Assistant Directors) for ASA to determine which of the methods found in the literature were more effective for collecting clients’ information for them and also asked them to add their ideas to the list. At last I asked interviewees to rate the methods and results presented in this paper. Theory: This study was an exploratory one where I discussed the related aspects for the study - Microfinance, Client Assessment, Clients of Microfinance, Information needs and Management Information System. Findings: The study showed that ASA utilized client information for developing their credit products and services and based on number of loans taken by the clients they categorized their clients and modified or developed new products and services for each category of clients. Although ASA executed several tools for collecting client information but the managers think that their staffs’ collection of information from regular meeting with clients was more effective than others for modifying products’ terms and conditions and modifying or developing new products and services to their women and small enterprise clients. The conducted study also revealed that in ASA impact study was necessary to know clients’ overall level of satisfaction but management needed specific information on what aspects of ASA and its credit products and services clients preferred and did not prefer and the reasons of the preferences. Also they needed action plan to address clients’ specific concerns, so they needed the information on a continual basis and they were successful to achieve this continuous flow of information. For ASA, the best way to get this type of information would be through client satisfaction Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), although they utilized several tools but not often as discussed in part 3 in chapter 5. ASA owned an MIS (AMMS) for monitoring and managing clients’ information and they utilized this to categorize their clients based on the collected information about their number of loans. Conclusion: This study revealed that ASA served only women and small enterprise clientele that included the vulnerable non-poor and could contribute to the profitability of ASA. There was no attempt to diversify the products to include all poor that should be the goal of microfinance to alleviate poverty. Moreover client treated as individual client but the loans used to fulfill household or family needs of the clients. There were tools for collecting information on household about impact of credit programs participation but they took seldom effort for collecting information of the household money management or in other words how they utilized the loans for variety of household needs. There is lack of access to a variety of financial services for poor clients, even though MFIs are mostly serving vulnerable non-poor instead of taking consideration of all categories of poor. It revealed from the study that MFIs could gain long term success by serving specific market segment but it should not be only focus of MFIs, their initiative should be to include all poor in their clients profile with a priority to a specific market segment. This could help them to become sustainable and to minimize risks by spreading it in different market segments. The study found that ASA considered FGDs as an effective tool for collecting clients’ information as their staffs and managers were familiar with this tool, moreover it was cost effective for them. It observed that they seldom followed Tool Selection Process and it was the top management that decided over the tools, the decision might influence by internal and external interest groups and the competition. MFIs should organize client information in a way so that they could be able to manipulate the specific client information to serve client better and to take effective decision, although it is imperative to argue that they may like to serve the wealthier clients. This research paper is also presenting some important findings from existing literature of microfinance and a number of recommendations based on the study experience and scholars opinions from existing microfinance study that may help MFIs to prepare themselves to adopt client-oriented approach by utilizing client assessment tools to fulfill the needs of financial services of their clients that may hopefully include all poor irrespective of their categories.
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Volschenk, Jako. "Problems experienced by South African microfinance institutions (MFIs) : priorities and trends." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53021.
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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The efficiency and availability of financial services for the poor is a global problem, and has only recently started to enjoy attention in South Africa. This dissertation aims to study the problems experienced by the South African microfinance industry, which includes a vast range of financial products. The survey conducted of the South African industry indicates that its makeup is significantly different from the industries in Latin America and Asia. The problems in the industry are prioritised and show the high cost structure to be the most pressing issue. A number of these issues show agreement as expressed by Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Clear trends exist between distinct market-segments in the industry. Tests for differences in location of specific populations indicate significant differences in perceptions regarding these segments. The government's recent suggestion to unify the financial service regulators into a mega-regulator is based on the assumption that the microcredit and commercial credit industries share the same priorities and problems. The very low Spearman rank correlation coefficient found in this study, on the other hand, seems to indicate that no reason exists to assume the priorities are the same at the two levels. Finally, it is shown by means of a "best practice matrix", that solutions to most problems can be found, but that the fit is dependent on a large number of variables.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beskikbaarheid van finansiële dienste vir armes is 'n wêreldwye probleem, en het eers onlangs meer aandag in Suid Afrika begin geniet. Hierdie studie fokus op die probleme wat ervaar word in die mikrokrediet (mikrolenings) industrie. Die opname toon dat die Suid-Afrikaanse industrie beduidend verskil in samestelling van die ooreenstemmende industrieë in Suid-Amerika en Asië. Die probleme in die industrie is geprioritiseer en toon dat die hoë koste-struktuur die grootste probleem is. Sekere kwelpunte toon ooreenstemming, uitgedruk by wyse van Spearman se rangkorrelasie-koëffesiënt. Duidelike tendense bestaan tussen onderskeie mark-segmente in die industrie. Toetse vir ooreenstemming in die ligging van sekere populasies toon beduidende verskille in persepsies rakende hierdie segmente. Die regering se onlangse voorstel om die beheer-liggame van finansiële dienste saam te snoer in een liggaam is gebaseer op die aanname dat die mikrokrediet en kommersiële krediet industrië dieselfde probleme en prioriteite deel. Die baie lae Spearman rangkorrelasie-koëffisiënt impliseer egter dat daar geen grondige rede bestaan om aan te neem dat die prioriteite dieselfde is vir die twee vlakke nie. Laastens word beste praktyke aangedui in die vorm van 'n "beste praktyk matriks". Oplossings vir byna alle probleme kan gevind word, maar die toepaslikheid is afhanklik van 'n wye verskeidenheid veranderlikes.
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Speicher, Thorsten, Maik Berger, Katharina Hauschild, Andreas Fricke, and Thomas Heske. "MFBD – Simulation des Nadeleindringens in ein Gewebephantom am Beispiel der Stanzbiopsie." Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz, 2017. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:ch1-qucosa-226179.
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Die Stanzbiopsie ist ein etabliertes minimalinvasives Verfahren im Rahmen der interventionellen Diagnostik, bei der Proben menschlichen Gewebes für histologische Untersuchungen zur Erkennung bzw. zum Nachweis u. a. karzinogener Gewebe entnommen werden. Zur Gewebeentnahme wird ein zweiteilig aufgebautes Nadelsystem in das Zielgewebe eingeschossen. Bei der Beobachtung dieses Prozesses sind auffällige Nadelablenkungen des Systems erkennbar. Ursächlich dafür sind die an der Nadelspitze unsymmetrisch angreifenden Kräfte in Verbindung mit der geringen Biegesteifigkeit des Nadelsystems. Im Rahmen eines öffentlich geförderten Projektes konnten an realitätsnahen Gewebephantomen experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Quantifizierung der Nadelablenkungen durchgeführt sowie ein mathematischer Ansatz zur Simulation dieses Effekts entwickelt werden. Darauf aufbauend wurde ein neuer Nadelschliff entwickelt, der eine wesentliche Verbesserung des aktuellen Status bringtBiopsy is an established method of the minimally invasive medicine to take human tissue samples for examination determining the presence or extent of a disease. Frequently applied method to detect a prostate or breast cancer is the punch biopsy. The components of the used devices include an inner needle with a notch sampling the tissue and an outer cannula to cut the tissue. During the biopsy, the doctor inserts the needle system into the human tissue under supervision by sonography to support the needle steering. After pushing the trigger, the components of the needle system move successively and penetrate the desired area. The device consists of a two-part spring mechanism to generate the needle movement. Observations of the needle movement by a highspeed camera shows a considerable deflection of the needle tip which makes tapping and tissue sampling more difficult. This is caused by unbalanced forces acting on the needle tip and the low bending stiffness of the needle. Publicly financed experimental studies in the quantification of the needle deflection were undertaken and a mathematical approach for the simulation of these effects was developed. The model, which consists of a flexible needle and a parameterized tissue model, is implemented in the multibody simulation software Recurdyn
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Schultz, Heath. "Becoming-professional: notes on the university and the production of MFAs." Thesis, University of Iowa, 2011. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2767.
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This paper begins by looking at the MFA as a worker within the context of the contemporary university and from there attempts to situate that position in relationship to capitalism by charting out how the university uses workers for its own ends much like any capitalist business would, which results in the over-producing MFAs. From here, we can look toward the broader consequences of this large production of cultural producers and their becoming-professional. The consequences of this becoming-professional, I argue, are much more problematic than they initially appear, which further destabilizes our ability to act as anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian cultural producers without further strengthening the forces we seek to oppose. Finally, I'll try and develop Stefano Harney and Fred Moten's concept of the criminal as well as Deleuze & Guattari's thinking on smooth spaces and a socio-political shifting toward that of the control society. Last I look at the various ways of thinking about fleeing or evacuating to help us chart escape routes by moving past traditional artistic notions of institutional critique and other professionalizing discourses learned within the spaces of MFA production.
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Zhang, XiaoNan. "Dairy farm waste treatment by using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and pyrolysis." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.662212.
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There is an estimated 20 million tonnes of slurry produced by 2 million dairy cows each year in the UK. The suitable treatment of dairy farm waste could address both environmental concerns and energy security. In this study, dairy farm waste was separated into liquid slurry and solid residues, and treated by Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) and pyrolysis to minimise the environmental impact and produce bio-energy products. The effective treatment efficiencies were achieved by using incubated slurry mixed with fresh slurry as the anodic solution in MFC reactors. Comparing MFCs with anaerobic digestion (AD) under anaerobic conditions, the highest COD removal efficiency (71 %) and total nitrogen removal efficiency (17%) were obtained in MFCs operated at 25°C and 30°C for 30 days, respectively. A higher working temperature (35°C) was found to benefit the degradation of total suspended solids (78%). The MFCs were also found to be effective for nutrient-rich solution treatment. Furthermore, the anodic solutions were pre-treated by BI-CHEM manure degrader, which could significantly benefit the bio-degradation of the TSS, COD and nitrogen removal and enhance power generation. The dairy farm solid waste was treated by pyrolysis to produce bio-oil and biochar. The highest oil yield of 51 % was obtained at 500°C. For a mixed feedstock of solid waste and bone chips (up to 15%), results suggested that co-pyrolysis could improve the biochar production yield and bio-oil quality. The optimal concentration of bone chips for oil yield was found to be 1 O~ and the optimal temperature was 500°C. The conversion technologies for dairy farm waste are discussed based on the results of the experiments in this study. The potential energy recovery of the whole treatment was 61%.
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Couperthwaite, Jennifer. "Integrating Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) into the treatment of sulphate-rich wastewater." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20536.
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The use of laboratory scale Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) for the combined generation of electricity and the treatment of wastewater has been well documented in literature. In addition to this the integration of MFCs into wastewater treatment reactors has also been shown to have several benefits. These include the improved treatment of wastewater, reduced solid waste and the potential to offset the energy costs of the process through the generation of electricity (Du et al., 2007). The treatment of sulphate-rich wastewater, and in particular Acid Rock Drainage (ARD), has become of increasing importance in water sparse countries like South Africa where mining is currently and has taken place. A semi-passive method of continuous ARD waste treatment is currently being investigated within the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) (van Hille et al., 2015). This research involves the use of a Linear Flow Channel Reactor (LFCR) designed for combined biological sulphide reduction and sulphide oxidation to yield a sulphur product. Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) mediate the biological sulphide reduction. Chemical and biological sulphide oxidation takes place in a Floating Sulphur Biofilm (FSB) on the surface of the reactor and is mediated by Sulphide Oxidising Bacteria (SOB). Sulphate-rich wastewater can therefore be remediated through total sulphur species removal.
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Gudjonsson, Sigurdur <1976>. "The Road to Poverty Reduction: Corporate Governance and Female Participation in MFIs." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2015. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/6838/1/Gudjonsson_Sigurdur_tesi.pdf.
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1.Microfinance Industry – Context of Analysis. This paper is an introduction to the microfinance industry. It serves as a context of analysis, for the empirical settings and basis for building the theoretical argument for the thesis.
2.Women in Microfinance Institutions: The Road to Poverty Reduction and Gender Equality? One of the unique aspects of microfinance institutions is their focus on outreach, i.e. their ability to reach the poor. This paper explores whether the presence of women in microfinance institutions is associated with improved outreach. Building on prior research that shows that women tend to improve financial performance and social responsibility, we examine an original dataset of 226 microfinance institutions. The empirical results suggest that the presence of a female CEO, female managers and female loan officers is directly related to improved outreach, while the presence of women board members is not.
3. Women in Microfinance Institutions: Is There a Trade-Off Between Outreach and Sustainability? Abstract This paper’s contribution to the understanding of microfinance is two-fold. First, while it has been shown that female CEOs in MFIs increase financial performance, it will be argued that female managers, female loan officers and female board members will do the same. Secondly, having previously shown that having a female presence in management in MFIs improves social performance the outreach, it will be argued that having females in the MFIs’ management will not lead to a trade-off between outreach and sustainability. These findings are based on an original data set of 226 MFIs. Statistical analysis demonstrates that a weak relationship between female managers and female loan officers vis-à-vis financial performance, but female board members do not. The trade-off between outreach and sustainability can be avoided with the appointment of females to the MFIs’ management positions, but the same cannot be concluded for female board members.
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Gudjonsson, Sigurdur <1976>. "The Road to Poverty Reduction: Corporate Governance and Female Participation in MFIs." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2015. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/6838/.
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1.Microfinance Industry – Context of Analysis. This paper is an introduction to the microfinance industry. It serves as a context of analysis, for the empirical settings and basis for building the theoretical argument for the thesis.
2.Women in Microfinance Institutions: The Road to Poverty Reduction and Gender Equality? One of the unique aspects of microfinance institutions is their focus on outreach, i.e. their ability to reach the poor. This paper explores whether the presence of women in microfinance institutions is associated with improved outreach. Building on prior research that shows that women tend to improve financial performance and social responsibility, we examine an original dataset of 226 microfinance institutions. The empirical results suggest that the presence of a female CEO, female managers and female loan officers is directly related to improved outreach, while the presence of women board members is not.
3. Women in Microfinance Institutions: Is There a Trade-Off Between Outreach and Sustainability? Abstract This paper’s contribution to the understanding of microfinance is two-fold. First, while it has been shown that female CEOs in MFIs increase financial performance, it will be argued that female managers, female loan officers and female board members will do the same. Secondly, having previously shown that having a female presence in management in MFIs improves social performance the outreach, it will be argued that having females in the MFIs’ management will not lead to a trade-off between outreach and sustainability. These findings are based on an original data set of 226 MFIs. Statistical analysis demonstrates that a weak relationship between female managers and female loan officers vis-à-vis financial performance, but female board members do not. The trade-off between outreach and sustainability can be avoided with the appointment of females to the MFIs’ management positions, but the same cannot be concluded for female board members.
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Santillana, Larraona Irene [Verfasser], and Andreas [Akademischer Betreuer] Bechthold. "Investigations on ABC and MFS transporters of Streptomyces spp." Freiburg : Universität, 2015. http://d-nb.info/1119327512/34.
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Re, Michaela. "The global-local nexus of Western male sex tourism in the south : a case study of Thailand /." Lund, Sweden : Department of Economic History at Lund University, 2003. http://www.ekh.lu.se/publ/mfs/7.pdf.
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Pettersson, Maria. "Whose Islam is the right Islam? :." Lund, Sweden : Department of Economic History at Lund University, 2002. http://www.ekh.lu.se/publ/mfs/6.pdf.
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Kateshumbwa, Mwesigye Edgar. "A comparative Case Assessment of the development Roles of MFIs in Uganda and Bangladesh." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2007. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=gen8Srv25Nme4_1393_1256910745.
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The overall objectives of this thesis were to assess the theory and evaluate the development roles of MFIs in Uganda and Bangladesh. The study in particular focussed on MFIs impact on poverty reduction, empowering women, promoting health, as well as promoting children's education in Uganda and Bangladesh. The study preferred the selected countries because Bangladesh is internationally considered as the best practice for microfinance, whilst Uganda is assumed to be well-positioned in terms of microfinance as compared to other developing countries in Africa. The question that guided this empirical investigation was whether MFIs empower women, reduce poverrty, promote children's education as well as health among its beneficiaries in Uganda and whether Bangladesh has important lessons of experience for Uganda.
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Ma, Qijun [Verfasser]. "Protein interactions in living cells studied by multiparameter fluorescence imaging spectroscopy (MFIS) / Qijun Ma." Düsseldorf : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 2016. http://d-nb.info/108283713X/34.
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Pemberton, Sonya Rachel. "Toughening ceramics : optimising the fracture behaviour of metallic fibre reinforced ceramic matrix composites (MFCs)." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.607820.
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Sha'ven, Widin Bongasu. "A study of accounting and accountability practices in microfinance institutions (MFIs) : case evidence from Cameroon." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2015. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/6008/.
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Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) play important roles in socio-economic development and poverty alleviation particularly in developing countries. It has however been argued that the focus of MFIs is changing from the traditional purely social to commercial (mission drift) and has been criticised for neglecting the welfare of citizens and grassroots accountability in favour of commercialisation and accountability to donors/shareholders. This mission drift has resulted in changes in the structure and practices of MFIs. The study has been designed to examine how the accounting and accountability practices of a MFI can change in response to changes in its mission. The study presents case evidence from a large MFI operating in Cameroon with data collected through semi-structured interviews, informal discussions and documents. The study traces the evolution of the organisation and its accounting and accountability practices. A theoretical framework of an interpretive nature is used which draws on institutional entrepreneurship theory in order to highlight the importance of actors in the change process. The findings suggest a mission drift and transformations over the years from a social to a commercial organisation with the change impacting significantly on its structure and accounting and accountability practices.
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D'Aniello, Carissa. "A Common-Factors Informed Mixed Methods Investigation of Clients of MFTs’ Perception of Therapy Productiveness." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77697.
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Many clients drop out of therapy before reaching their goals, (Bohart & Wade, 2013) though research shows that being in therapy is more effective in producing change than not being in therapy, (Lambert, 1992). Little is known about what makes therapy effective (Davis & Piercy, 2007a, b; Pinsof & Wynne, 2000). The purpose of the present study was to understand what clients believe is productive about therapy, and how clients’ assessment of therapy productiveness impacts their decision to remain in therapy or to drop out of therapy. For the qualitative strand of this simultaneous convergent mixed methods study, grounded theory was used to inductively develop a common-factors informed model describing how productive change processes influence intended retention. The convenience sample consisted of 19 current clients in therapy with a marriage and family therapist. For the quantitative strand, participation involved completing a semi-structured interview and quantitative survey. Direct, binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether perceived productiveness, goal attainment and therapeutic alliance, predicted intended treatment retention or intended dropout. The convenience sample for quantitative analysis included the 19 qualitative participants, and continued sampling until adequate statistical power was reached with 72 participants. Mixed analysis strategy was data comparison for the purpose of triangulation. Qualitative results span three categories emerged from qualitative: client factors, therapy process factors and evaluation of progress. Client factors, including presenting problem factors, expectations and motivation were considered when participants made decisions about staying in therapy or dropping out of iii therapy. Therapy process factors, including therapists’ understanding of the presenting problem, therapeutic alliance, therapists interventions and the pacing and timing of those interventions were also considered when participants made decisions about staying in therapy or dropping out of therapy. When participants evaluated the progress made because of therapy, they evaluated changes in the presenting problem, symptom reduction, and noticed this progress took place outside of therapy. Quantitative results showed that goal attainment, therapeutic alliance and productiveness significantly predicted intended retention when each was tested as an individual predictor. When tested in a full model, containing goal attainment, therapeutic alliance and productiveness; only the task domain of therapeutic alliance emerged as significant. Results confirm the importance of therapeutic tasks to clients’ decision to stay in therapy or to drop out of therapy. Results contribute to the importance of common factors in keeping clients in therapy until they reach their goals. Further, results inform research, clinical practice and training in the MFT field.Ph. D.
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Ngatia, Ndiritu. "The influence of Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs) on Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Kenya." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009436.
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In Kenya, like in many developing countries, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) have become the main focus for achieving the much-needed social and economic development and alleviating poverty. However, their development has been hampered by lack of access to appropriate financial and related services. Micro financing has been seen as a viable alternative to providing financial services to entrepreneurs in the MSE sector. The focus of this study was to explore the role of MFIs in the development of MSEs and to see if there are ways in which this role can be enhanced to better support the growth of MSEs. Such enhancement would contribute greatly towards government efforts to foster social-economic development. The results of the research indicate that generally, MFIs appear to have positively influenced the growth of MSE in Kenya and have potential to further influence MSE growth. There were however a number areas that if paid attention to could enhance this influence. These include the need for MFIs to offer supportive services as opposed to merely credit facilities to MSEs and the need for government intervention by putting in place a suitable Act to regulate the operations of MFIs.
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Gerber, Stefan. "Zur Ausbildung von Diplomjuristen an der Hochschule des MfS (Juristische Hochschule Potsdam) /." Berlin [u.a.] : Berlin-Verl. Spitz [u.a.], 2000. http://www.gbv.de/dms/spk/sbb/recht/toc/322847311.pdf.
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Chikaza, Zakaria. "Analysis of financial sustainability and outreach of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Zimbabwe : case study of Harare." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97465.
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Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The debate as to whether there is a trade–off between financial sustainability and outreach remains inconclusive among many researchers, therefore this research was conducted to bridge this knowledge gap. The study was conducted in Harare using longitudinal research design and analysed using panel data regression model. The study was conducted for the period of 3 years from 2011 to 2013 on 60 sampled MFIs in Harare. The findings were that MFIs in Harare are very sustainable but their outreach is low as shown by large loan sizes offered to clients. It was further revealed that staff cost per dollar and proportion of female clients are the only variables that affect sustainability of MFIs in Harare. Finally the research revealed that sustainability goals be achieved simultaneously and therefore are compatible. The key contributions to knowledge revealed by the study are as follows: there is a positive relationship between sustainability and outreach. Two variables affect sustainability on MFIs in Harare namely staff cost per dollar and proportion of female clients. The study recommends that Microfinance institutions in Harare should focus on financial sustainability in order to reduce their subsidy dependence, to ensure survival and growth in the future. To the policy makers the study recommends that sustainability does not compromise the outreach to the poor.
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Jardini, Evandro de Araújo. "MFIS: algoritmo de reconhecimento e indexação em base de dados de impressões digitais em espaço métrico." Universidade de São Paulo, 2007. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/18/18152/tde-04042008-143239/.
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O problema dos métodos tradicionais de identificação de pessoas é que são baseados em senhas e assim podem ser esquecidas, roubadas, perdidas, copiadas, armazenadas de maneira insegura e até utilizadas por uma pessoa que não tenha autorização. Os sistemas biométricos automáticos surgiram para oferecer uma alternativa para o reconhecimento de pessoas com maior segurança e eficiência. Uma das técnicas biométricas mais utilizadas é o reconhecimento de impressões digitais. Com o aumento do uso de impressões digitais nestes sistemas, houve o surgimento de grandes bancos de dados de impressões digitais, tornado-se um desafio encontrar a melhor e mais rápida maneira de recuperar informações. De acordo com os desafios apresentados, este trabalho tem duas propostas: i) desenvolver um novo algoritmo métrico para identificação de impressões digitais e ii) usá-lo para indexar um banco de dados de impressões digitais através de uma árvore de busca métrica. Para comprovar a eficiência do algoritmo desenvolvido foram realizados testes sobre duas bases de imagens de impressões digitais, disponibilizadas no evento Fingerprint Verification Competition dos anos de 2000 e 2002. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com os resultados do algoritmo proposto por Bozorth. A avaliação dos resultados foi feita pela curva Receiver Operating Characteristic juntamente com a taxa de Equal Error Rate, sendo que, o método proposto, obteve a taxa de 4,9% contra 7,2% do método de Bozorth e de 2,0% contra 2,7% do Bozorth nos banco de dados dos anos de 2000 e 2002 respectivamente. Nos testes de robustez, o algoritmo proposto conseguiu identificar uma impressão digital com uma parte da imagem de apenas 30% do tamanho original e por se utilizar uma base de dados indexada, o mesmo obteve vantagens de tempo na recuperação de pequenas quantidades de impressões digitais de uma mesma classe.The problem of the traditional methods of people identification is that they are based on passwords which may to be forgotten, stolen, lost, copied, stored in an insecure way and be used by unauthorized person. Automatic biometric systems appeared to provide an alternative for the recognition of people in a more safe and efficienty way. One most biometrics techniques used is the fingerprint recognition. With the increasing use of fingerprints in biometric systems, large fingerprint databases emerged, and with them, the challenge to find the best and fastest way to recover informations. According to the challenges previously mentioned, this work presents two proposals: i) to develop a newmetric algorithm for the identification of fingerprints and ii) to use it to index a fingerprint database using a metric search tree. To prove the efficiency of the developed algorithm tests were performed on two fingerprint images databases from Fingerprint Verification Competition of years 2000 and 2002. The obtained results were compared to the results of the algorithm proposed by Bozorth and was evaluated by the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve and the Equal Error Rate, where the proposed method is of 4.9% against 7.2% of Bozorth and 2.0% of the algorithm proposed against 2.7% of the Bozorth in the databases of the yearsof 2000 and 2002. In the robustness tests, the proposed algorithm as able to identify a fingerprint with only 30% of the original size and when using an a indexed database, it obtained better performance in the recovery of small amounts of fingerprints of a single class.
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Li, Ke. "Analysis of Energy losses of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) and Design of an Innovative Constructed Wetlands-MFC." The Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1500604673955179.
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Grinonneau-Denton, Ashley N. "MFTS’ COMFORT AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY DISCUSS SEXUAL ISSUES WITH THE COUPLES WITH WHOM THEY WORK." University of Akron / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1555718690874639.
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Falkenström, Madelene. "A bridge between people : Librarians' perspective on a Chinesepublic library." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för bibliotek, information, pedagogik och IT, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-494.
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This Bachelor’s thesis is the result of participation in a minorfield study at Hangzhou Public Library in China. The functionand role of the public library and its librarians are discussedthrough the views and perspectives of the librarians. Sevenlibrarians were interviewed using a semi-structured interviewguide. The results were analyzed with the help of The four-spacesmodel, which was developed to advocate and strengthen the roleof the public library and culture as a sustainable and socialdevelopment. The results are also of interest as there is a lack ofnon-western perspectives in Swedish LIS research and education.The results reveal varied uses of the library in terms of thefour spaces model. Hangzhou public library is similar in manyways to the Swedish and the Anglo-Scandinavian library sector.However, there are also distinct differences, for instance there isgreater emphasis on the librarian’s role as tutor and on the libraryas an educational institution. The informants expressed mixedfeelings towards the future. On the one hand, they believe that therole of the traditional librarian will continue. On the other hand,this belief clashes somewhat with their belief that the publiclibrary will become more of a performative and inspirationalspace. In general, it can be said that the librarians’ views of theirrole and of the functions of the public library are complex and, insome cases, in collision with each other.
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Åker, Zeander Jonas. "Från Bomull till Byxor Livscykel Inventering och Ansvarsfullt Företagande En MFS i Södra Indien." Thesis, Linköping University, Department of Thematic Studies, 2002. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-1634.
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A growing number of companies realise that to achieve their environmental goals and satisfy stakeholder expectations, they need to look beyond their own facilities and to involve their suppliers in environmental initiatives. A life cycle approach means that the production system should be optimised as whole, across national boarders and individual organisations taking part all the way from extraction to disposal. This study is a Life Cycle Inventory of resources used when producing a piece of cotton garment and the method is based on the standardisation series of ISO 14040-43. The area of study, Tamil Nadu the most southern state of India, accounts for more than 90% of India’s knitwear exports to Western Europe. The main conclusion is that the Life Cycle Inventory could bean appropriate method to be used within the textile industry but the main advantage may not be in solving problems but instead framing them in a distinctive way and making people aware of them. An approach that combines life cycle and sustainability concepts could be a way towards enhanced corporate responsibility.
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Alghamdi, Faisal. "Mathematical modeling of mean flow stress (MFS) during hot strip rolling for HSLA steels." Thesis, McGill University, 2014. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=123280.
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Based on experimental results using hot torsion, the effect of 'time gap', i.e. the time between roughing and finishing in a hot rolling schedule simulation, on mean flow stress (MFS) behavior for high-strength-low-alloyed (HSLA) steels was investigated. Two types of hot deformation were studied: an 'average' schedule with constant interpass time, in which each pass is identical but the temperature is decreasing at a constant rate throughout the rolling schedule simulation. In this type of schedule, two different interpass times of 5 and 30 seconds were used to study the influence of precipitation hardening on the MFS behavior. For the 5 seconds interpass time, where solute drag is main mechanism responsible for preventing recrystallization, a new method was proposed to determine the temperature of no recrystallization (Tnr). The second type is based on an average schedule of 5 seconds interpass time but with incorporating time gaps of 10, 20 and 45 seconds at two different temperature ranges, i.e. above and below the temperature of no recrystallization (Tnr). Through the analysis of MFS vs. 1000/T diagrams, the results indicated phenomena such as static recrystallization and/or precipitation hardening take place during this time gap. A mathematical model for MFS prediction was developed and validated with hot torsion data. The evolution of grain size, precipitate weight fraction and the effect of fractional softening on strain accumulation were also predicted by the model. The model is able to predict the critical strain per pass and therefore the fractional softening associated to dynamic recrystallization. Generally, there is a good agreement between the experimental and predicted mean flow stress over the whole deformation schedule. However, some discrepancy on the MFS values was observed for the first few passes of finishing stage especially when precipitation hardening is more likely to occur. Finally, several points are suggested to accommodate this discrepancy for future work.A l'aide des résultats d'expériences qui utilisent la torsion à chaud, l'effet causé par «l'écart chronologique » est analysé (ex. le délai entre l'ébauchage et le finissage du schéma de laminage à chaud et le comportement de la contrainte d'écoulement moyenne des aciers à haute résistance mécanique). Deux types de déformation à chaud ont été étudiés : un schéma moyen au temps d'interpasse constante, dans lequel chaque passe est identique, dont la température diminue à un rythme régulier au cours du programme de laminage. Dans ce type de schéma, un intervalle de 5 et de 30 secondes sont utilisés afin d'étudier l'influence du durcissement structural sur le comportement de la contrainte d'écoulement moyenne. Aux 5 secondes d'interpasse, où le dragage est le mécanisme responsable qui empêche la recristallisation, une nouvelle méthode est proposée pour déterminer la température à laquelle la recristallisation n'est plus complète (Tnr). Pour ce qui est du 30 secondes d'interpasse, l'expérience s'inspire du schéma aux 5 secondes d'interpasse, en y ajoutant des intervalles de 10, 20 et 45 secondes à deux niveaux de température (ex. Au-dessus et en dessous de la température à laquelle la recristallisation n'est plus complète (Tnr). Selon les résultats d'analyse de la contrainte d'écoulement moyenne dans les diagrammes de 1000/T, des phénomènes tels que la recristallisation posttectonique et/ou le durcissement structural ont eu lieu durant ce temps d'attente. Un modèle mathématique servant à prédire la contrainte d'écoulement moyenne est développé et validé avec les données des expériences qui utilisent la torsion à chaud. L'évolution de la taille de grain, la fraction massive de précipité et l'effet d'adoucissement sur la déformation accumulée peuvent tous être calculés par le modèle. Ce dernier est capable de mesurer la déformation critique au cours d'une passe et ainsi, déduire l'adoucissement associé à la recristallisation syntectonique. En général, au niveau de la contrainte d'écoulement moyenne, l'hypothèse et le résultat d'expérience du schéma de déformation se rejoignent en grande partie. Toutefois, quelques divergences sur celle-ci sont observées durant les premières passes du finissage surtout lorsqu'un durcissement structural est plus susceptible à se produire. Finalement, plusieurs points sont suggérés dans le but de combler ces lacunes dans les expériences à venir.
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Pereira, Monalessa Fábia. "Estudo funcional do gene que codifica um transportador de membrana MFS em Colletotrichum lindemuthianum." Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2011. http://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/5341.
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Previous issue date: 2011-02-18Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is the causal agent of common bean antracnose. This fungus, like other phytopatogens, is constantly exposed to several toxic compounds from many sources, what makes indispensable the development of protection strategies against these products. One of these strategies is related to membrane transporters proteins like the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), that could provide protection against toxic compounds or minimizing its action, being essential for the fungal cellular viability maintenance. In this context, this work aimed to inactivate the mfs1 gene encoding a MFS membrane transporter and investigate the phenotypic alterations entailed in an isolate C. lindemuthianum mutant LV49 (race 89) for this gene. To obtain the mutant, it was necessary to confirm if mfs1 gene was organized as a single copy in the C. lindemuthianum genome. The mfs1 gene can be organized in a cluster in view that a second open reading frame, which corresponds to a transcription factor superfamily containing a Zn2-Cys6 domain, identified as clft1, was observed in 3` downstream region of this gene. The mfs1 promoter analysis revealed a putative mfs1 element that is recognized by proteins of this family, what suggests that this protein could be related to the mfs1 expression regulation. The Split-Marker technique proved to be efficient in C. lindemuthianum mfs1 gene inactivation enabling the study of mfs1 function in a mutant by specific integrations without ectopic integrations. The Δmfs1 mutant showed no differences in drug sensibility profile when commonly drugs employed in antracnose control was used and in relation to pathogenicity, the mutant symptoms started earlier on susceptible bean leaves, showing a stress situation due to the genic product absence. It was also observed that mfs1 presents a primordial role in C. lindemuthianum cellular viability maintenance, what was confirmed by the altered conidiation observed, confirming that this gene encodes for a specific hexose membrane transporter, specifically carbon sources like glucose, mannose and fructose. The protein Mfs1 phylogenetic analysis allow us to conclude that this transporter is a SP family member and the MFS proteins are strongly related with the transported substance. Studies conducted with MFS transporters are important to broaden the knowledge of these proteins and to understand the cell viability in C. lindemuthianum.
O fungo Colletotrichum lindemuthianum é o agente causal da antracnose do feijoeiro comum. Este fungo, assim como outros fungos fitopatógenos estão constantemente expostos a uma grande variedade de compostos tóxicos provenientes de várias fontes, o que torna imprescindível para estes o desenvolvimento de mecanismos de proteção contra estes produtos. Uma dessas estratégias está relacionada com a presença de proteínas transportadoras de membrana, como as pertencentes à Principal Superfamília Facilitadora (MFS), que podem fornecer aos fungos proteção contra compostos tóxicos evitando ou minimizando a ação destes, sendo em sua maioria essenciais para a manutenção da viabilidade celular. Este trabalho teve como objetivo inativar o gene mfs1 que codifica para um transportador de membrana da família MFS e investigar as alterações fenotípicas ocasionadas em um mutante C. lindemuthianum isolado LV49 (raça 89) para este gene. Para a obtenção do mutante foi necessário confirmar que o gene mfs1 encontrava-se presente em cópia única no genoma de C. lindemuthianum. O gene mfs1 pode estar organizado em um conjunto de genes com funções relacionadas, uma vez que downstream à região 3’ deste foi identificada uma segunda janela aberta de leitura correspondente a uma proteína da superfamília de fatores de transcrição contendo o domínio Zn2-Cys6, identificado como clft1. A análise do promotor do gene mfs1 revelou um putativo cis elemento de reconhecimento por proteínas desta família, o que sugere que esta proteína possa estar relacionada à regulação da expressão de mfs1. A técnica de Split- Marker mostrou-se eficiente na inativação do gene mfs1 de C. lindemuthianum, possibilitando o estudo da função do gene mfs1, em um mutante com integração específica e livre de integrações ectópicas. O mutante Δmfs1 não mostrou diferenças no perfil de sensibilidade a drogas comumente empregadas no controle da antracnose e em relação à patogenicidade, o mutante induziu mais precocemente os sintomas em folhas de feijoeiro susceptível, evidenciando uma situação de estresse decorrente da ausência do produto gênico. Foi observado também que o gene mfs1 exerce um papel primordial na manutenção da viabilidade celular de C. lindemuthianum, fato este confirmado pela conidiação alterada e pela confirmação de que este gene codifica para um transportador de membrana específico no transporte de hexoses, especificamente glicose, manose e frutose, uma vez que o mutante Δmfs1 mostrou crescimento reduzido quando cultivado em meios contendo apenas glicose, manose e frutose como fontes de carbono. A análise filogenética da proteína Mfs1 associada aos outros resultados obtidos nos sugere que este transportador é um membro da família SP, e que as proteínas MFS estão fortemente relacionadas com o tipo de substância que é transportada. Estudos de natureza básica sobre transportadores MFS são importantes para ampliar os conhecimentos sobre estas proteínas e a viabilidade celular em C. lindemuthianum.
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Hammel, Christian, Annelies Flemming, Karsten Peters, and Frank Schulze. "Anwendung von Methoden aus der Theorie Komplexer Netzwerke für die Optimierung der Layouts von MFS." Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2018. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-233319.
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Durch die Anwendung der Theorie Komplexer Netzwerke auf die Topologie komplexer Materialflusssysteme (MFS), im Speziellen auf Gepäckförderanlagen (GFA) in Flughäfen, wurden Erkenntnisse für die Generierung und Optimierung der Layouts gewonnen. Zunächst wird die einfache Anwendbarkeit von Netzwerkanalysemethoden auf komplexe MFS gezeigt. Dadurch können generische Eigenschaften der Systeme untersucht werden, die mit anderen Methoden nicht zugänglich sind. Des Weiteren wird dargelegt, dass alle untersuchten GFA ähnliche Charakteristiken aufweisen, was zukünftig für die Generierung der Topologien genutzt werden kann. Durch diese Analysemethodik werden wichtige Einblicke in Materialflüsse in GFA ohne aufwändige Simulationen möglich.
Bereits einfache Analysen lassen neue Schlüsse auf Eigenschaften wie die Robustheit und Leistung eines MFS zu. Die Algorithmen sind leicht in der frühen Planungsphase einsetzbar und versprechen ein ausgereifteres System, welches in späteren (Simulations-) Phasen mit geringeren Änderungen auskommt.
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Kedzierski, Mateusz Kacper. "Study of the relative domain stability of a two-domain E. coli MFS transporter, GlpT." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2018. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/study-of-the-relative-domain-stability-of-a-twodomain-ecoli-mfs-transporter-glpt(616a8bbb-e141-4339-87b2-200a5f5475be).html.
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Members of the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) make up the largest family of secondary active transporters, they mediate a diverse set of functions by controlling the movement of ions and small molecules across cell membranes. Members of the MFS share a set of common structural motifs consisting of transmembrane ɑ-helical segments. The glycerol-3-phosphate transporter (GlpT), is an example of an MFS transporter with 12 α-helices ordered into two domains. Recent study on MFS transporter LacY, has implied an increased stability localized to the vicinity of the first helices of the protein. If this observation is found in other MFS proteins it could suggest a folding principle for other MFS transporters, whereby the first helix of the protein is acting as a stable unit that supports the process of folding. The inherent magnified stability of the helix 1 may also aid in other cellular events, where transporters or receptors are integrated into the membrane by anchoring to the membrane as well as becoming part of the unit that first penetrates the membrane leaflet. This work is focused on the stability analysis via alanine substitutions along the first alpha helix of the first domain of GlpT, compared to similar and corresponding mutations along the first helix of its second domain. The transporters stability is estimated by unfolding assays coupled with the decrease of secondary structure as measured by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Additional methods such as fluorescence spectroscopy, temperature denaturation and ligand binding assays have also been used in order to gain deeper understanding of the nature of the GlpT unfolding and its helical stability.
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Hammel, Christian, Annelies Flemming, Karsten Peters, and Frank Schulze. "Anwendung von Methoden aus der Theorie Komplexer Netzwerke für die Optimierung der Layouts von MFS." Technische Universität Chemnitz, 2008. https://tud.qucosa.de/id/qucosa%3A30809.
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Durch die Anwendung der Theorie Komplexer Netzwerke auf die Topologie komplexer Materialflusssysteme (MFS), im Speziellen auf Gepäckförderanlagen (GFA) in Flughäfen, wurden Erkenntnisse für die Generierung und Optimierung der Layouts gewonnen. Zunächst wird die einfache Anwendbarkeit von Netzwerkanalysemethoden auf komplexe MFS gezeigt. Dadurch können generische Eigenschaften der Systeme untersucht werden, die mit anderen Methoden nicht zugänglich sind. Des Weiteren wird dargelegt, dass alle untersuchten GFA ähnliche Charakteristiken aufweisen, was zukünftig für die Generierung der Topologien genutzt werden kann. Durch diese Analysemethodik werden wichtige Einblicke in Materialflüsse in GFA ohne aufwändige Simulationen möglich.
Bereits einfache Analysen lassen neue Schlüsse auf Eigenschaften wie die Robustheit und Leistung eines MFS zu. Die Algorithmen sind leicht in der frühen Planungsphase einsetzbar und versprechen ein ausgereifteres System, welches in späteren (Simulations-) Phasen mit geringeren Änderungen auskommt.
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Aulin, Beatrice, and Henriksson Linnea. "The water balance in Graminha Basin." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Luft-, vatten och landskapslära, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-226430.
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Today, only 7 % of the Atlantic Rainforest, that once covered Brazil, remains scattered across the southern parts of the country. As the forest is rapidly disappearing, the government of Brazil has emerging interest of preservation. Thus more and more areas are turned into national parks and reserves. At the outskirts of one of these reserves, the Iracambi research station is situated. The center makes an effort to carry out applied research to find methods of preserving and learning about the forest. It is within that context the project described in this report has been performed. The project aimed to establish a water balance over Graminha Basin, the main river in the Iracambi research area. By doing this the understanding of the fluctuations of the amount of water in the ecosystem could increase. An important part of the objective was also to assess which methods can be used practically at Iracambi.The project was carried out during the rainy season from February 13th to April 12, 2012. During this time the water flow was measured at five stations along the river, using a current meter and instant slug-injection. Between six and fifteen flow measurements were made at each station. Slug- injection was generally the most suitable gauging method to use in the area. Precipitation was measured at two points. Evaporation was measured using an evaporation pan, and also calculated using the Penman-Monteith equation. Even though, the parameterization of the Penman-Monteith needs to be improved it was deemed to be the more suitable method for the area.The results give a rough estimate of the water balance during the period. It was concluded that the storage decreased during the project period. Based on the flow measurements and observations it was concluded that the areas covered by forest were less affected by the floods that occurred during heavy rainfalls than the areas covered by grass. Further on, the result of this report indicates that the Iracambi research station can continue to carry out assessments for changes in water flow, rainfall and evaporation with the simple equipment used in this project. However, more expensive and advanced equipment would be beneficial to establish a more accurate water balance.Idag återstår endast 7% av den atlantiska regnskogen som en gång täckte Brasilien södra kust. Regnskogen försvinner snabbt vilket har lett till att Brasiliens regering de senaste åren visat ett ökat intresse att bevara regnskogen. Fler och fler områden har förvandlats till nationalparker och reservat. I utkanten till ett av dessa reservat ligger forskningsstationen Iracambi. Iracambi bedriver forskning i och runt området för att hitta metoder för att bevara regnskogen och öka kunskapen om området. Detta projekt är ett litet bidrag till detta arbete. Det övergripande syftet med projektet var att upprätta en vattenbalans över floden Graminhas avrinningsområde. Detta är huvudfloden i området och genom upprätta en vattenbalans kan förståelsen för förändringarna av vattentillgången i ekosystemet öka. Ett viktigt mål med projektet var också att finna verktyg som forskningsstationen Iracambi kan använda för kontinuerliga mätningar av de parametrar som ingår i vattenbalansen.Projektets genomfördes under regnperioden mellan den 13 februari och den 12 april, 2012. Flödesmätningarna utfördes vid fem mätstationer längs floden Graminha. Två typer av utrustning användes: flygel och konduktivitetsmätare. Rekommendationen för Iracambi var att fortsätta mätningarna med framförallt konduktivitetsmätaren. Uppskattningarna av avdunstningen genomfördes på två sätt: dels genom upprättandet av en evaporationspanna, dels genom beräkningar. Beräkningarna genomfördes med Penman-Monteith ekvationen och det kunde konstateras att även om de ingående parametrarna innehåller en del osäkerheter, så var detta den mest passande metoden för att beräkna avdunstningen. Nederbörd mättes på två platser med hjälp av enkla regnmätare konstruerade av pet-flaskor.Slutligen upprättades en vattenbalans för området. Utifrån denna kunde det konstateras att vattenmagasinet för hela orådet minskade under mätperioden. Utifrån flödesmätningar samt observationer kunde slutsatsen dras att skogsområdena drabbades mindre än de gräsbevuxna områdena av de kraftiga översvämningarna som uppstod under intensiva regn. Vidare visar resultaten att forskningsstationen Iracambi kan få en bra uppskattning av flödesförändringar, nederbörd och avdunstning med hjälp av den enkla utrustning som användes i detta projekt.
Minor Field Study
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Mamutse, Zivai Tapfumanei. "Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and rural poverty reduction in the Eastern Cape Province South Africa: a case of Amathole Rural District." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007231.
Full textAbstract:
The government of South Africa has seen many financial reforms in the finance industry since the attainment of freedom in 1994. Many microfinance institutions (MFIs) have emerged in the name of poverty reduction, however the impact of MFIs on poverty reduction in rural areas has not been significantly high. Poverty has been reduced but still the inequality gap has even widened (HSRC, 2004). The study is concerned with analysing the impact of MFIs in poverty reduction among the rural poor. Empirical evidence from many developing nations around the world has shown that microfinance is a tool that is relevant in reducing poverty within rural areas. This study investigates the impact of microfinance institutions on household income levels, education and business skills. The study followed a qualitative approach in terms of the research methodology and a survey research design. Data was collected using questionnaires, scheduled interviews, focus group discussions and key informants. Two sample techniques were used for the selection of the MFIs and the household respondents, that is purposive sampling and cluster sampling. In total, 150 households, 15 MFIs and five key informants were interviewed. Descriptive analysis methods were employed and the study showed that only 10 percent of the total households have been able to access microfinance. The number of people who gained business skills was also low (10 percent). The MFIs who provide financial services excluding the other services like business training programmes were 80 percent of the total number of MFIs interviewed. This data showed that only a few (20 percent) MFIs are willing to go an extra mile rendering business skills to their clients. Overally the major finding of the study was that although, MFIs are reaching out to the rural communities, their levels of outreach is still very low within the rural areas. However this does not mean that the impact of MFIs funding is not felt among the rural poor. The levels of income and educational benefits have been increased and felt by the 10 percent of the rural poor clients. This study advocates for an entrepreneurship development pathway to poverty reduction. Microfinance should be used as a source of finance to initiate entrepreneurial activities among the poor in order to generate income. In this study, the use of microfinance finance for consumption by the poor is discouraged because it depletes the funds that can be channeled for selfhelp projects within the rural communities. The study findings motivated the recommendations that encourage an inclusive financial system that is capable of reaching out to the rural poor.
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Petersson, Julia. "Maasai-folkets sång- och dansinlärning : En MFS-studie om hur barn i maasaifolket lär sig musiktraditionerna." Thesis, Kungl. Musikhögskolan, Institutionen för musik, pedagogik och samhälle, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kmh:diva-1746.
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The purpose of this study is to examine how the children in the Maasai villages in Tanzania are learning the Maasai’s musictraditions and ngoma. What is the importance of the school compared with the family? Tanzania has an old tradition of ngoma of many different cultures. The Maasai’s are a nomadic people and have traditions of their own. To get answers for the purpose of this study, these questions have been formed: How do the children learn the Maasai’s musictraditions? When do the children learn the Maasai’s musictraditions and start to practise them? What role and significance do the school have when it comes to teaching the Maasai’s musictraditions? For this study I have interviewed three informants who have good knowledge about the Maasai’s and their traditions. I have also been visiting some Maasai villages to get to know more about the traditions and see them in real life. I have also visited a primary school and questioned about the music education in the school. This study will show that for the Maasai’s the family is the most important part to get to know the musictraditions and ngoma. The school has almost no part in educating the pupils in different cultures and traditions. Music education in school is brief and the school that I visited had almost all music education theoretical and none practical.
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Lindström, Ann Sofie, and Anna Nilsson. "Det är bättre att finnas, än att inte finnas. En MFS-studie om chilenska småföretags IT-mognad." Thesis, Linköping University, Department of Management and Economics, 2003. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-1631.
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Bakgrund: IT och Internet har under de senaste åren fått en alltmer ökande betydelse och påverkar idag samhället i stor utsträckning. Chile har anammat den nya teknologin men det finns idag problem för småföretagen att identifiera sig med IT och integrera det i sina företag. Då småföretagen utgör en stor del av den chilenska ekonomin är det viktigt att dessa företag inser vilken potential IT har och på vilket sätt IT kan gynna deras verksamhet.
Syfte: Syftet med vår studie är att beskriva chilenska småföretags IT-mognad och belysa småföretagens möjligheter och begränsningar att använda sig av IT.
Genomförande: Studien genomfördes i Chile i november och december år 2002. Vi gjorde ett totalt 14 intervjuer med småföretagare och sakkunniga inom området.
Resultat: Vi har funnit att chilenska småföretag befinner sig i en initialfas i användandet av IT och Internet. De har en mycket positivt inställning till den nya tekniken och använder IT och Internet främst för att kommunicera. Vidare har vi identifierat ett antal möjligheter och hinder som påverkar småföretagens IT-utveckling. Några av de viktigaste faktorerna är företagarnas inställning, politik och samhällsekonomi.
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Schissau, Roland. "Strafverfahren wegen MfS-Unrechts : die Strafprozesse bundesdeutscher Gerichte gegen ehemalige Mitarbeiter des Ministeriums für Staatssicherheit der DDR /." Berlin : BWV, Berliner Wiss.-Verl, 2006. http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/F?func=service&doc_library=BVB01&doc_number=015637442&line_number=0001&func_code=DB_RECORDS&service_type=MEDIA.
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Hellerud, Emil. "The power of expectations : News media confidence among social audiences in Dar es Salaam: An Mfs-study." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-21599.
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In Tanzania, an ongoing private media boom operates within the frameworks of media laws dating back to the 1970s, restricting media freedom and enabling the government to keep some control of what is written on certain topics. This is widely acknowledged and makes Tanzania an interesting subject for studies of news media confidence from an audience perspective. Confidence is viewed as an attitude consisting of three components: the cognitive, the emotive and the behavioral component. The cognitive component consists of expectations and sought gratifications, the emotive component is the feeling of confidence or the disappointment of a failed expectation and the behavioral component includes what media an individual intends to use, which should not be mistaken for what media an individual is actually using. A quantitative questionnaire in Swahili was distributed to 84 randomly selected inhabitants of Dar es Salaam, almost equally distributed between three areas: the lower class area Mwanayamala, the middle class area Kimara and the upper class area Mikocheni. After finishing the quantitative study, 9 qualitative interviews were conducted with a representative selection of those answering the questionnaire. The interviews and questionnaires were conducted during November and December 2013 and all participants were guaranteed anonymity. Finding truthful information, getting education and entertainment was the most frequent sought gratifications from media usage. Media type, language and ownership were the medium characteristics most evidently affecting confidence. Religion, social status and interests were the individual characteristics most evidently affecting confidence. News media confidence turns out to be more about mutual understanding between the individual receiver and the sending medium, than perceived accuracy and independent monitoring of power.
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Yousefian, Narek. "The three-component multidrug MFS-type efflux pump EmrAB-TolC from Escherichia coli : from cloning to structural analysis." Thesis, Bordeaux, 2020. http://www.theses.fr/2020BORD0065.
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A l’heure actuelle, suite à une mauvaise utilisation des antibiotiques, nous faisons face à un problème majeur de santé publique. En effet la résistance aux antibiotiques de certaines souches bactériennes rend le traitement des infections très complexe. Dans ce contexte, le présent projet de thèse concerne l'étude d'un complexe d'efflux bactérien capable de transporter des antibiotiques du cytoplasme vers l'extérieur de la cellule. Ce complexe est composé d'un transporteur de la membrane interne appartenant à la Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) (EmrB, E. coli multidrug resistance), d'un canal de la membrane externe TolC (Tolerance to Colicin E1) et d'un adaptateur périplasmique (EmrA, E. coli multidrug resistance). Contrairement aux systèmes d'efflux de type RND (tels que AcrAB-TolC), peu de choses sont connues sur le système EmrAB-TolC de type MFS. Il est donc important d'étudier l'ensemble du complexe sur le plan structurale et fonctionnel afin d'identifier les différences entre ces deux types de systèmes d’efflux. L'objectif de mon projet de thèse était d'étudier au moins un complexe EmrAB-TolC d'un point de vue structurale. Ainsi durant mes études, le but était d'isoler le complexe directement des bactéries surexprimant les trois partenaires protéiques. Dans un premier temps, 15 systèmes homologues EmrAB-TolC ont été identifiés et leurs gènes correspondants amplifiés à partir de l'ADN génomique de différentes bactéries à Gram négatif. Parmi les gènes des 15 systèmes, les gènes codant pour les systèmes d’E. coli et de V. cholerae ont été étudiés plus en détail. Les vecteurs d'expression codaient pour des marqueurs fluorescents pour la mesure des niveaux d'expression de différentes protéines et pour l'étude de la formation des complexes. Dans un premier temps, les différents niveaux d'expression des protéines (EmrB-mRFP1 et EmrA-sfGFP) ont été étudiés pour plusieurs souches d'expression d'E. coli en mesurant les niveaux de fluorescence rouge et verte et par Western blot (anti-His, Myc et Strep pour EmrB, EmrA et TolC). La souche d'E. coli C41(DE3) était la mieux adaptée pour la co-expression d’EmrAB-TolC. Dans un deuxième temps, la méthodologie FSEC (Fluorescence detection Size Exclusion Chromatography) a été utilisée pour identifier un complexe adapté à l'étude structurale. Ainsi, cette méthode a permis d'observer que le complexe EmrAB-TolC d'E. coli était produit en plus grande quantité que celui de V. cholerae. Le protocole final de co-purification consiste à effectuer une lyse douce des bactéries à l'aide du lysozyme, puis après solubilisation avec le DDM, la purification est débutée par une étape de chromatographie d'affinité Ni2+-NTA suivie d'une étape de chromatographie d'exclusion stérique. Enfin, les fractions contenant les trois partenaires protéiques sont utilisées pour l'échange de détergent par l'amphipol A8-35 avant l'étude structurale par microscopie électronique. Les images de microscopie électronique en coloration négative montrent des objets allongés d'une longueur de 33 nm en vue de côté. Une image moyenne d'EmrAB-TolC montre des similitudes avec celle du complexe AcrAB-TolC observé dans des conditions similaires. Les similitudes concernent les densités caractéristiques de TolC. Des différences ont été trouvées pour la partie inférieure d'EmrAB qui est plus fine que la partie inférieure d'AcrAB. Les densités visibles au-dessus de l'anneau d'amphipol correspondent à EmrA, qui présente une structure en forme de canal comme observé avec AcrA. Le canal semble cependant s'étendre plus loin vers la ceinture d'amphipol. Comme EmrB n'a pas de domaine périplasmique étendu présent dans le cas des protéines RND, ces densités sont donc uniquement attribuées à EmrA. EmrA, de l'autre côté, contacte TolC de manière similaire à l'interaction d'AcrA/MexA avec leurs canaux de la membrane externe respectifs (TolC/OprM) de façon «tip-to-tip»Currently, due to the misuse of antibiotics, we are facing a major public health problem. The resistance to antibiotics of certain bacterial strains makes the treatment of infections very complex. In this context, the present thesis project concerns the study of a bacterial efflux complex capable of transporting antibiotics from the cytoplasm to the outside of the cell. This complex is composed of an inner-membrane Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporter (EmrB, E. coli multidrug resistance), a channel of the outer membrane TolC (Tolerance to Colicin E1) and a periplasmic adapter (EmrA, E. coli multidrug resistance). Unlike RND-type efflux systems (such as AcrAB-TolC), little is known about the MFS-type EmrAB-TolC system. It is therefore important to study the entire complex on a structural and functional level, to analyse the marked differences between these two types of transport systems. The goal of my thesis project was to study at least one EmrAB-TolC complex from a structural point of view. For my studies the aim was to isolate the complex directly from bacteria overexpressing the three protein partners. In a first step, 15 homologous EmrAB-TolC systems were identified and their corresponding genes amplified from genomic DNA of different Gram-negative bacteria. Among the genes of the 15 systems, the genes coding for the E. coli and V. cholerae systems were further studied. The expression vectors encoded fluorescent markers for the monitoring of the expression levels of different proteins and for studying the formation of complexes. In a first step, the different protein expression levels (EmrB-mRFP1 and EmrA-sfGFP) were studied for several expression strains of E. coli by measuring the red and green fluorescence levels and by Western blot (anti-His, Myc, and Strep for EmrB, EmrA, and TolC). The E. coli strain C41(DE3) was best suited for co-expression of EmrAB-TolC. In a second step, the FSEC (Fluorescence detection Size Exclusion Chromatography) methodology was used to identify a complex suitable for structural study. Thus this method enabled the observation that the EmrAB-TolC complex of E. coli was produced in higher amount than that of V. cholerae. The final co-purification protocol consists in perfoming a gentle lysis of the bacteria using lysozyme, then after solubilization with DDM, the purification is started by a Ni2+-NTA affinity chromatography step followed by a size exclusion chromatography step. Finally, the fractions containing the three protein partners are used for the detergent-exchange by amphipol A8-35 before the structural study by electron microscopy. Negative stain EM-micrographs displayed elongated objects with a length of 33 nm in side view. An average image of EmrAB-TolC shows similarities to that of the AcrAB-TolC complex observed under similar conditions. Similarities included the characteristic densities of TolC. Whereas differences were found in the lower part of EmrAB which is thinner than the lower part of AcrAB. The densities visible above the amphipol-ring correspond to EmrA, which displays a channel-like structure as in AcrA. The channel however seems to extend further towards the amphipol belt. Since EmrB does not have an extended periplasmic domain as the RND proteins have, these densities are therefore solely assigned to EmrA. EmrA, on the other side, contacts TolC akin to the interaction of AcrA/MexA to their cognate outer membrane channels (TolC/OprM) in a ‘tip-to-tip’ fashion
Aufgrund des Missbrauchs von Antibiotika stehen wir derzeit vor einem großen Problem deröffentlichen Gesundheit. Die Antibiotikaresistenz bestimmter Bakterienstämme macht die Behandlungvon Infektionen sehr komplex.In diesem Zusammenhang befasst sich diese Arbeit mit der Untersuchung eines bakteriellenEffluxkomplexes, der Antibiotika vom Zytoplasma zur Außenseite der Zelle transportieren kann. DieserKomplex besteht aus einem Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) Transporter der inneren Membran(EmrB, E. coli multidrug resistance), einem Kanal der äußeren Membran TolC (Tolerance to Colicin E1)und einem periplasmatischen Adapter (EmrA, E. coli multidrug resistance).Im Gegensatz zu Effluxsystemen vom RND-Typ (wie AcrAB-TolC) ist über das EmrAB-TolCSystemvom MFS-Typ wenig bekannt. Es ist daher wichtig, den gesamten Komplex auf struktureller undfunktioneller Sicht zu untersuchen, um die deutlichen Unterschiede zwischen diesen beiden Arten vonEffluxsystemen zu analysieren.Ziel meiner Doktorarbeit war es, mindestens einen EmrAB-TolC-Komplex aus struktureller Sichtzu untersuchen. Ziel meiner Studien war es, den Komplex direkt aus Bakterien, die die dreiProteinpartner überexprimieren, zu isolieren. In einem ersten Schritt wurden 15 homologe EmrAB-TolCSystemeidentifiziert und ihre entsprechenden Gene aus der genomischen DNA verschiedenergramnegativer Bakterien amplifiziert. Unter den Genen der 15 Systeme wurden die Gene, die für die E.coli und V. cholerae Systeme kodieren, weiter untersucht. Die Expressionsvektoren codiertenfluoreszierende Marker zur Untersuchung der Expression verschiedener Proteine und zur Untersuchungder Komplexbildung. In einem ersten Schritt wurden die verschiedenen Niveaus der Proteinexpression(EmrB-mRFP1 und EmrA-sfGFP) für mehrere E. coli Expressionsstämme untersucht durch Messen derroten und grünen Fluoreszenzniveaus und durch Western Blot (Anti-His, Myc und Strep für EmrB, EmrAund TolC). Der Stamm von E. coli C41(DE3) war am besten für die Koexpression von EmrAB-TolC14 geeignet. In einem zweiten Schritt wurde die FSEC-Methode (Fluorescence Detection Size ExclusionChromatography) verwendet, um einen für Strukturuntersuchungen geeigneten Komplex zuidentifizieren. Somit konnte mit dieser Methode festgestellt werden, dass der EmrAB-TolC-Komplex vonE. coli in größerer Menge als der von V. cholerae produziert wurde.Das endgültige Ko-Reinigungsprotokoll besteht darin, eine sanfte Lyse der Bakterien unterVerwendung von Lysozym durchzuführen. Nach der Solubilisierung mit DDM wird die Reinigung durcheinen Ni2+-NTA Affinitätschromatographieschritt gefolgt von einemGrößenausschlusschromatographieschritt gestartet. Schließlich werden die Fraktionen, die die dreiProteinpartner enthalten, für den Detergensaustausch durch Amphipol A8-35 vor derStrukturuntersuchung durch Elektronenmikroskopie verwendet.EM-Aufnahmen mit negativer Kontrastierung zeigten längliche Objekte mit einer Länge von 33nm in Seitenansicht. Ein durch Mittlung der Partikel erhaltenes Bild von EmrAB-TolC zeigt Ähnlichkeitenmit dem des AcrAB-TolC-Komplexes, der unter ähnlichen Bedingungen beobachtet wurde.Ähnlichkeiten schlossen die charakteristischen Dichten von TolC ein. Während im unteren Teil vonEmrAB Unterschiede festgestellt wurden, der dünner ist als der untere Teil von AcrAB. Die über demAmphipolring sichtbaren Dichten entsprechen EmrA, das wie bei AcrA eine kanalartige Strukturaufweist. Der Kanal scheint sich jedoch weiter in Richtung des Amphipolgürtels zu erstrecken. Da EmrBkeine erweiterte periplasmatische Domäne aufweist wie die RND-Proteine, werden diese Dichten daherausschließlich EmrA zugeordnet. Auf der anderen Seite kontaktiert EmrA TolC, ähnlich der Interaktionvon AcrA/MexA mit ihren jeweiligen Außenmembrankanälen (TolC/OprM), von “tip-to-tip”
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Evelyn. "Mediator combined gaseous substrate for electricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and potential integration of a MFC into an anaerobic biofiltration system." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Department of Chemical ad Process Engineering, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/10733.
Full textAbstract:
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are emerging energy production technology which converts the chemical energy stored in biologically degradable compounds to electricity at high
efficiencies. Microbial fuel cells have some advantages such as use of an inexpensive catalyst, operate under mild reaction conditions (i.e. ambient temperature, normal pressure
and neutral pH), and generate power from a wide range and cheap raw materials. These make microbial fuel cell as an attractive alternative over other electricity generating
devices. However, so far the major problem posses by this technology is the low power outputs of the microbial fuel cells that hinder its commercialization. Restriction in the
electron transfer from bacteria to the anode electrode of a MFC is thought to be one cause for the low power output.
Most recent MFC research is focused on using contaminants present in industrial, agricultural, and municipal wastewater as the energy source, with very few studies utilising gaseous substrates. Mediators can be added to MFCs to enhance the electron transfer from the microbe to the anode, but have limited practical applicability in wastewater applications because of the difficulty in recovering the expensive and potentially toxic compound. This thesis describes an investigation of electricity generation in a microbial fuel cell by combining a gaseous substrate with a mediator in the anode compartment. The emphasis being placed on the selection of a mediator to improve the electron transfer process for electricity production in an MFC. Subsequently, methods to improve the performance of a mediator MFC in respect of power and current density were discussed. This type of MFC is purposely aimed to be applied for treating gaseous contaminants in an anaerobic biofilter while simultaneously produce electricity.
In this study, ethanol was the first gaseous substrate tested for the possibility to generate electricity in the MFC. Various mediators were previously compared in their reversibility
of redox reactions and in the current production, and three best mediators were then
selected for the power production. The highest electrical current production i.e. 12 μA/cm2 was obtained and sustained for 24 hrs with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,4-
phenylendiamine TMPD (N-TMPD) as the mediator using glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The maximum power density reached 0.16 mW/cm2 by using carbon cloth (CC) anode.
The absorption of these mediators by the bacterial cells was shown to correlate with the obtained energy production, with no N-TMPD was absorbed by the bacterial cells. The 24 hr current production was shown to be accompanied by the decrease in the ethanol concentration (i.e. 1.82 g/L), however ethanol crossover through the proton exchange
membrane and ethanol evaporation around the electrodes were most likely to be the major cause of the decrease in the ethanol concentration. A theoretical coulombic efficiency of
0.005% was calculated for this system.
The electrokinetics of microbial reduced mediator in the ethanol-mediator MFCs was also examined. Two methods i.e. linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to obtained the kinetic parameters. CV method gave a better estimation of
the kinetic parameters than LSV method due to the low concentration of the mediators used, affecting the Tafel behaviors. All CVs showed quasi-reversible behaviors compared
to the CVs in the absence of the bacteria, which is thought due to the bacteria decreased the amount of the reduced and the oxidised mediator available at the surface of GC
electrode. The highest exchange current density (i o ) was obtained by using N-TMPD as the mediator with the same concentration of the mediator used i.e. 0.13±0.01 mA/cm
2. The power output achieved also the highest (0.008 mW/cm
2) with N-TMPD as the mediator. The power density was improved to 0.03 mW/cm2 by using CC electrode.
Another main objective of this thesis is to prove anoxic methane oxidation which was believed to occur only in marine sediments, and applies this for power generation in microbial fuel cells. Ferricyanide looked promising when it was used as the electron acceptor (thus as the mediator for the MFC). It was shown that ferricyanide was fully reduced by methanotrophs bacteria with methane as the substrate (versus abiotic and
nitrogen control). The highest reduction rate achieved was 3 x10-3 mM/min.g. This finding was supported by ferricyanide peak heights disappearance (spectrophotometry at 420 nm),
CO 2 production (sensor readings), ferrocyanide formation (cyclic voltammetry), and no other alternate electron acceptor was present. The total CO 2 produced was equal to 0.015 mmoles of CO 2 from starting concentration ferricyanide of 0.2 mmoles (after substraction with an offset value). CV results show 2.4 mM of ferrocyanide was produced after a total addition of 3 mM ferricyanide into the anoxic methanotrophic suspension. The current and voltage generation in microbial fuel cell reactor from the reduced ferricyanide confirmed that ferricyanide received electrons from the bacterial metabolism. The maximum power
density of 0.02 mW/cm2 and OCV of 0.6 V were obtained with 3 mM ferricyanide using LSV method.
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Gaitzsch, Uwe. "Struktureinstellung und magnetische Dehnung in polykristallinen magnetischen Ni-Mn-Ga – Formgedächtnislegierungen." Doctoral thesis, Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2008. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-ds-1221130637463-67426.
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Magnetische Formgedächtnsilegierungen haben die besondere Fähigkeit, sich im äußeren Magnetfeld zu verformen. Dies geschieht aufgrund von Zwillingsgrenzenbewegung in der martensitischen Tieftemperaturphase. Da der Effekt bislang an Einkristallen untersucht wurde, ist es das Ziel dieser Arbeit, den Effekt an polykristallinen Proben nachzuweisen. Dafür wurden Proben nach dem Prinzip der gerichteten Erstarrung präpariert. Deren Kristallstruktur wurde durch geeignete Zusammensetzung und Wärmebehandlung einphasig eingestellt. Mechanisches Training und weitere Wärmebehandlungen ermöglichten schließlich die Demonstration der magnetischen Dehnung von ca. 1 % an polykristallinen Proben. Durch zusätzliche Einkopplung akustischer Wellen konnte die Dehnung auf 2,2 % gesteigert werden.
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Rafalzik, Sascha. "Wirtschaftsspionage der DDR exemplarisch untersucht anhand der DDR-Reisekader unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Schriften der "Juristischen Hochschule" des MfS." Berlin Münster Lit, 2009. http://d-nb.info/998065919/04.
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Johansson, Sandra. "The informal sector and the potential role of microfinance institutions in Ethiopia." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper, SV, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-11165.
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In Ethiopia, the economic dilemmas facing the country have had various effects on the society at large. Given this situation, the high rates of urbanization and uneployment has resulted in that more and more people end up in small-scale activities within the informal economy. Although the informal sector has become increasingly noticeable in Addis Ababa, it is commonly neglected and separated from the formal economy. In light of the contemporary Ethiopian society, this study has nonetheless argued that the wide range of economic activities found within the informal sector is indispensable and should be integrated with the formal economy. Instead of perceiving the informal economy as an economic malfunction, this study has aimed to explore its future potential through the help of microfinance institutions. It has also looked into how the informal sector can be defined and its main characteristics. To gain an increased understanding of how informal workers perceive their own life situation, semi-structured interviews have been carried out with informal workers from the Meklit Microfinance Institution. The theoretical framework of Friedmann's 'Whole Economy Model' and 'Disempowerment Model' was moreover applied in recognizing the role of the household as well as to which extent MFIs could be said to have increased the social power of the informal sector. The main conclusions of this essay are that there are highly diverse features of informal workers and their businesses, which accordingly implies that MFIs need to reflect this diversity in their general operations. Although MFIs were recognized as carrying a strong potential for the development of informal activities, there were some identified obstacles in for example their organizational structure which consequently affected the profitability of their clients' businesses. The role of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) was also recognized as having the possibility to develop into a new type of labout union as to empower the informal sector and gradually lead to a natural continuation of the formal economy.
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Landro, Federica. "Studio sedimentologico e micropaleontologico di una carota prelevata nel Delta del Po (Olocene della Pianura Padana)." Bachelor's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2016. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/10823/.
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L'integrazione di dati micropaleontologici a dati sedimentologici ha permesso la ricostruzione paleoambientale di una porzione di carota prelevata nel Delta del Po.
Sono state riconosciute 5 associazioni di facies riconducibili ad altrettanti ambienti deposizionali: retrobarriera, barriera trasgressiva, piattaforma, transizione fra piattaforma e prodelta e prodelta. Lo studio delle associazioni a foraminiferi bentonici ha consentito la caratterizzazione micropaleontologica delle facies riconosciute. E' stato cosi possibile definire la superficie di massima ingressione marina (MFS) al tetto della associazione di facies di piattaforma al passaggio ai depositi di transizione al prodelta.
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Lundström, Hannah, and Emil Hagström. "A field study in Kenya of insolation parameters to make water drinkable in the household water treatment unit SOLVATTEN." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för teknikvetenskaper, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-176986.
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SOLVATTEN is a household water cleaning device that cleans water with solar energy using filtration, pasteurization and UV sterilization. A field study of the necessary amount of solar insolation that is required to make water drinkable has been carried out in Kenya using a new type of indicator developed by Solvatten AB. This new indicator will complement the old one, which only registers the temperature, with new features to store information about temperature and insolation. The indicators have been calibrated for energy and temperature and a Matlab program has been developed to analyze the information registered by the indicators. The program handles the time shifting that occurs since the indicator only saves the data at some point during a quarter of an hour. It also handles temperature correction and does a suitable curve fitting using polyfit and spline. The experiments have been divided into two parts, one where the relationship between UV and total solar insolation has been studied and one where we have taken water samples and studied the limiting factors of temperature, UV and total insolation for drinkable water. Previous studies have showed that the water in SOLVATTEN gets clean at 55 C. To reach this temperature the required UV245-400 and UV190-570 insolation is 83.0 Wh/m2 and 307 Wh/m2 according to our tests. The required total insolation is 2680 Wh/m2. From our measurement it can be seen that it is possible for water to be clean at 53 °C. During our artificial tests where we pre-heated the water and thus decreased the total insolation, we never got below 8.2 Wh/indicator which correspond to 1940 Wh/m2 of total insolation at 55 °C. The limit for clean water shown from earlier tests by Solvatten AB is 8 Wh/indicator. Even when the temperature was lower than 55 °C and we got clean water, the insolation was never below this value. This means that it is the temperature that is the limiting factor; however the synergy effect with the insolation is essential for the cleaning process. When it is cloudy the amount of UV that SOLVATTEN receives will be lower compared to the total insolation. With more clouds the temperature will drop and rise many times, while the insolation continues to increase. This means that more clouds will give more total insolation. The shortest time it took to reach 55 °C was 1 hours and 45 minutes at an optimal angle to the sun.SOLVATTEN är en vattenreningslösning för hushåll som kombinerar filtrering, uppvärmning samt UV-strålning för att döda bakterier. Det är en 11 liters plastdunk, där ena sidan är genomskinlig, och efter att den har exponerats i solen mellan 2- 6 timmar är vattnet rent. En fältstudie har genomförts i Kenya för att undersöka exakt hur mycket solinstrålning som krävs för att vattnet ska bli rent. Idag finns det en väl fungerande indikator som mäter vattnets temperatur men en ny indikator har tagits fram av Solvatten AB som även mäter solinstrålningen och kan lagra den tillsammans med vattentemperaturen. Indikatorerna har kalibrerats för att få rätt energi och temperatur och ett Matlab-program har utvecklats för att kunna analysera informationen. För att kunna ta fram exakta värden används funktionerna polyfit och spline för att kurvanpassa datan. Programmet tar även hänsyn och korrigerar för de fel som kan uppkomma då tiden sparas. Dessa tidsfel uppkommer då indikatorerna endast skriver informationen någon gång under en kvart. Fältstudien är uppdelad i två delar, en där relationen mellan UV och total instrålning har studerats och en där vattenprover har tagits för att undersöka vilken som är den begränsande faktorn för rent vatten; temperatur, UV eller total instrålning. Tidigare studier har visat att SOLVATTEN blir rent vid 55 C. För att lyckas uppnå denna temperatur har det i vår studie krävts 83.0 Wh/m2 av UV245-400 och 307 Wh/m2 av UV190-570. När det gäller den totala instrålningen har det behövts 2680 Wh/m2. Vi har sett att det är möjligt för vattnet att bli rent vid 53 °C. Under våra tester då vi förvärmde vattnet och på sätt fick mindre instrålning, lyckades vi aldrig få under 8.2 Wh/indikator vilket motsvarar 1940 Wh/m2 av totala instrålningen, detta vid 55 °C. Tidigare tester av Solvatten AB visar att det behövs 8 Wh/indikator för att uppnå rent vatten och då vi aldrig lyckades få in mindre instrålning än så tyder det på att det är temperaturen som är den begränsande faktorn. Dock är instrålningen nödvändig då det är synergieffekten mellan värme och instrålningen som uppnår rent vatten vid så låga temperaturer. Om det är mycket moln på himlen sjunker och ökar temperaturen många gånger medan solinstrålningen fortsätter att ackumuleras. Detta betyder att den instrålade energin som når SOLVATTEN blir högre då det krävs längre exponeringstid för att nå 55 °C. Dock har vi sett att mängden UV inte ökar lika mycket som den totala instrålningen men ett generellt förhållande av hur UV och total instrålning förändras vid molnigt väder är dock svårt att kunna få fram. Den kortaste tiden för att uppnå rent vatten är 1 timme och 45 minuter då SOLVATTEN har haft en optimal vinkel mot solen.
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Appelquist, Hanna, and Therése Björkman. "Getting one step ahead in life. A study of an adult literacy programme in Northern Malawi." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap / Bibliotekshögskolan, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-19973.
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The aim of this Bachelor thesis is to study the connection between literacy and development and poverty reduction in a third world country. The study is based on Mothers’ Union Literacy and Development Programme (MULDP) in Malawi, where it examines what difference literacy makes in the learners of MULDPs lives and what meaning literacy has for them. The results found in the study are analysed with a theoretical framework that is built on Freire’s theory of ‘conscientization’ and the concepts of functional literacy and functional illiteracy. The method chosen is unstructured focus group interviews with the learners of MULDP and the findings were classified into themes through meanings condensation and thereafter compared with the theoretical framework. The results show that the effects of literacy are visual in both the personal and public sphere, changing the lives of the individual, the family and the community. The findings illustrate that literacy is both a tool and a social practice. Literacy itself does not develop the learners; it is the knowledge that comes with the social practice that is the trigger to development. This study concludes that literacy is developing the learners as human beings. A connection can, however, not be made between literacy and poverty reduction; literacy cannot on its own take the learners out of poverty because other means are also needed.