Thèses sur le sujet « EUlaw »

La presente ricerca si propone di approfondire lo studio della trasparenza nel diritto alimentare europeo. La ricerca è di particolare interesse nell’ambito del recente regolamento (EU) 1381/2019 sulla trasparenza e sostenibilità della food chain entrato in vigore il 27 Marzo 2021. Il nuovo regolamento sulla trasparenza ha apportato cambiamenti innovativi alla General Food Law (Regolamento (EU) 178/2002) che, com’è noto, stabilisce i principi e i requisiti generali della legislazione alimentare, e fissa misure comuni per la protezione della salute, sicurezza e protezione dei consumatori. Il valore della trasparenza è strumentale agli scopi della legislazione alimentare europea e alla partecipazione dei cittadini all’ordine democratico, soprattutto alla luce delle relazioni tra i diversi attori del food system. Inoltre, la recente introduzione della Farm to Fork Strategy sottolinea che l’obiettivo del Green Deal europeo nella transizione a un food system più sostenibile richiede un approccio che coinvolga autorità pubbliche, attori privati, ONG, accademici e cittadini. Lo studio quindi, considera gli attori coinvolti e ne sottolinea gli interessi rilevanti. Tra gli stakeholders, la ricerca approfondisce in particolare la posizione degli attori privati, poiché gli obblighi di trasparenza previsti dal nuovo Regolamento possono entrare in contrasto con la protezione dei segreti commerciali. Per quanto riguarda l'impatto della disclosure sulle strategie di regolamentazione, l’obiettivo dello studio è indagare se le nuove regole sulla trasparenza pongono le basi per risolvere le carenze della General Food Law e quali possono essere gli effetti delle nuove regole sugli interessi delle imprese.
The main purpose of this study is to investigate how the topic of transparency has been addressed in the European food law domain. This research clue is particularly important in the wake of the recent Regulation (EU) No 1381/2019 on transparency and sustainability of the food chain entered in force on 27 March 2021. The Regulation on transparency brings innovative changes to the General food law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), which, as known, sets common measures for the protection of human health, safety, and consumer protection through fundamental principles and legitimate purposes relating to food law. The value of transparency is instrumental for the European Food Law’s credibility and the citizens’ participation in the democratic order. The latter is even more emphasised in the relationships among the actors of the food system. Moreover, the recent introduction of the Farm to Fork Strategy underlines that the aim of the European Green Deal to transit to a more sustainable food system requires a collective approach involving public authorities, private-sector actors, NGOs, social partners, academic and citizens. The research, therefore, considers the actors involved and highlights the corresponding relevant interests. Among the stakeholders, the private sector is one of particular interest. Significantly, transparency obligations under the new Regulation 1381/2019 could jeopardize the protection of competitive information and trade secrets. Regarding the disclosure rules’ impact on study design and regulatory strategies, our aim is to investigate whether the new rules on transparency could pose the grounds to solve the shortcomings of General Food Law and what can be the effects of the new rules on the businesses’ interests.

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Introdução: O EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) é um índice composto para avaliar a atividade sistêmica da Síndrome de Sjögren primária (SSP), criado em 2009 na língua inglesa, ainda sem adaptação cultural para a língua portuguesa. Objetivo: Realizar a adaptação transcultural do ESSDAI para a língua portuguesa brasileira. Método: Estudo observacional transversal de pacientes com SSP classificados de acordo com o consenso europeu-americano de 2002. No processo de adaptação transcultural, foram realizadas seis etapas: equivalência conceitual, de item, semântica, operacional, de mensuração e funcional. A equivalência semântica incluiu a tradução, a retrotradução (back translation), avaliação da semântica entre as retrotraduções e o original, a discussão com especialistas para ajustes finais e o pré-teste da versão consensual em vinte pacientes. Na equivalência de mensuração, as propriedades psicométricas de consistência interna, reprodutibilidade interobservador e validade de constructo foram avaliadas em 62 indivíduos. Para a validade de constructo, o ESSDAI foi comparado com a avaliação global do médico (PhGA), o Sjögrens Syndrome Disease Activity Index (SSDAI), o Sjögren's Systemic Clinical Activity Index (SCAI), entre grupos ativo e inativo definidos por um especiatista e segundo a intenção de tratar nos grupos aumento de terapia e sem aumento de terapia. Os testes estatísticos utilizados foram o α de Cronbach para consistência interna, o coeficiente de correlação intraclasse e o método de Bland Altman para a reprodutibilidade interobservador, e o coeficiente de Spearman e teste de Mann-Whitney para a validade (p <0,05 e IC: 95%). Resultados: Não houve diferenças nas versões nas duas línguas, obtendo-se a versão consensual brasileira. A amostra foi constituída por mulheres, com idade de 49,4 ± 11,6 anos. O início dos sintomas foi de 7,2 ± 5,4 anos, e o tempo de diagnóstico foi de 3,0 ± 3,3 anos. A pontuação média do escore total do ESSDAI foi de 4,95 ± 6,73. Frequência de domínios foi de 40,3% biológico, 40,3% hematológico, 27,4% articular, 14,5% respiratório, 11,3% sistema nervoso periférico, 9,7% constitucional, 8,1% renal, 8,1% glandular, 4,8% pele e 1,6% linfadenopatia. Domínios do sistema nervoso central e os músculos foram zero em todos os pacientes. A consistência interna foi baixa, e a reprodutibilidade interobservador do ESSDAI obteve um forte coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,89 e boa concordância pelo método de Bland Altman. Na validade de constructo, apresentou forte coeficiente de Spearman de 0,83 (p <0,000) com o PhGA, moderado com o SSDAI, com valor de 0,658 (p<0,000), e fraco com o SCAI, com valor de 0,411 (p=0,001). O Teste de Mann-Whitney mostrou que o grupo ativo e o grupo com aumento de terapia obtiveram maiores valores de ESSDAI (p = 0,000). Conclusão: A versão em português do ESSDAI mostrou ser um instrumento adaptável, reprodutível e válido para a língua portuguesa e pode ser usada no contexto brasileiro.

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Introduction: The EULAR Sjögren s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) is a composite index to assess systemic activity of primary Sjögren s Syndrome (SSP) created in 2009 and it does not have any cultural adaptation to Portuguese language. Objective: To perform the cultural adaptation of ESSDAI for Brazilian Portuguese. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study with patients with SSP according to the European American Consensus 2002. In the adaptation process, there were six steps: conceptual equivalence, item, semantic, operational, measurement and functional. Semantic equivalence included translation, back translation, evaluation of semantics between the original and back translations, discussion with experts for final adjustments and pre-test of consensual version in twenty patients. In measurement equivalence, the psychometric properties of internal consistency, interobserver reproducibility and construct validity were assessed in 62 subjects. For the construct validity, the ESSDAI was compared with the Physician s Global Assessment (PhGA), the Sjögren s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (SSDAI), the Sjögren s Systemic Clinical Activity Index (SCAI), between groups "active" and "inactive" defined by expert and according to intention to treat, the groups "increase therapy" and "no increase in therapy." Statistical tests used were Cronbach s α for internal consistency, the intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland Altman analysis for interobserver reproducibility, and the Spearman coefficient and Mann-Whitney test for validity (p <0.05 and CI: 95%). Results: There were no differences in the versions in both languages, giving the Brazilian consensual version. The sample consisted of women, aged 49.4 ± 11.6 years. The onset of symptoms was 7.2 ± 5.4 years and the time of diagnosis was 3.0 ± 3.3 years. The average score of the total score ESSDAI was 4.95 ± 6.73. Frequency domain was: 40.3% biological, 40.3% hematological, 27.4% articular, 14.5% respiratory, 11.3% peripheral nervous system, 9.7% constitutional, 8.1% renal, 8.1% glandular, 4.8% skin and 1.6% lymphadenopathy. Domains of the central nervous system and the muscles scored zero in all patients. Internal consistency was low and interobserver reproducibility of ESSDAI had a high intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 and good agreement by Bland Altman. In construct validity, the correlation with PhGA was 0.83 (p <0.000, Spearman coefficient), with SSDAI was 0.658 (p <0.000), and with SCAI was 0.411 (p = 0.001). Mann-Whitney test showed that the group "active" and the group "needed increased therapy" obtained the higher values in ESSDAI (p = 0.000). Conclusion: The Portuguese version of ESSDAI proved to be an adaptable instrument, reproducible and valid for Portuguese and can be used in the Brazilian context
Introdução: O EULAR Sjögren s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) é um índice composto para avaliar a atividade sistêmica da Síndrome de Sjögren primária (SSP), criado em 2009 na língua inglesa, ainda sem adaptação cultural para a língua portuguesa. Objetivo: Realizar a adaptação transcultural do ESSDAI para a língua portuguesa brasileira. Método: Estudo observacional transversal de pacientes com SSP classificados de acordo com o consenso europeu-americano de 2002. No processo de adaptação transcultural, foram realizadas seis etapas: equivalência conceitual, de item, semântica, operacional, de mensuração e funcional. A equivalência semântica incluiu a tradução, a retrotradução (back translation), avaliação da semântica entre as retrotraduções e o original, a discussão com especialistas para ajustes finais e o pré-teste da versão consensual em vinte pacientes. Na equivalência de mensuração, as propriedades psicométricas de consistência interna, reprodutibilidade interobservador e validade de constructo foram avaliadas em 62 indivíduos. Para a validade de constructo, o ESSDAI foi comparado com a avaliação global do médico (PhGA), o Sjögren s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (SSDAI), o Sjögren s Systemic Clinical Activity Index (SCAI), entre grupos ativo e inativo definidos por um especiatista e segundo a intenção de tratar nos grupos aumento de terapia e sem aumento de terapia . Os testes estatísticos utilizados foram o α de Cronbach para consistência interna, o coeficiente de correlação intraclasse e o método de Bland Altman para a reprodutibilidade interobservador, e o coeficiente de Spearman e teste de Mann-Whitney para a validade (p <0,05 e IC: 95%). Resultados: Não houve diferenças nas versões nas duas línguas, obtendo-se a versão consensual brasileira. A amostra foi constituída por mulheres, com idade de 49,4 ± 11,6 anos. O início dos sintomas foi de 7,2 ± 5,4 anos, e o tempo de diagnóstico foi de 3,0 ± 3,3 anos. A pontuação média do escore total do ESSDAI foi de 4,95 ± 6,73. Frequência de domínios foi de 40,3% biológico, 40,3% hematológico, 27,4% articular, 14,5% respiratório, 11,3% sistema nervoso periférico, 9,7% constitucional, 8,1% renal, 8,1% glandular, 4,8% pele e 1,6% linfadenopatia. Domínios do sistema nervoso central e os músculos foram zero em todos os pacientes. A consistência interna foi baixa, e a reprodutibilidade interobservador do ESSDAI obteve um forte coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,89 e boa concordância pelo método de Bland Altman. Na validade de constructo, apresentou forte coeficiente de Spearman de 0,83 (p <0,000) com o PhGA, moderado com o SSDAI, com valor de 0,658 (p<0,000), e fraco com o SCAI, com valor de 0,411 (p=0,001). O Teste de Mann-Whitney mostrou que o grupo ativo e o grupo com aumento de terapia obtiveram maiores valores de ESSDAI (p = 0,000). Conclusão: A versão em português do ESSDAI mostrou ser um instrumento adaptável, reprodutível e válido para a língua portuguesa e pode ser usada no contexto brasileiro

Introduction. The high cost and concern of adverse events, particularly infections, limit the use of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic (bDMARD) therapies. We undertook this retrospective study to document their use for immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) and explore the efficacy, safety, adherence and screening practices prior to initiating bDMARDs in a tertiary referral hospital. Methods. A folder review of all adult and paediatric patients treated for IMDs with bDMARDs at Groote Schuur and Red Cross Hospitals between January 2013 and December 2019. Clinico-demographic particulars, details of bDMARD therapy, and adverse events were collated. Changes in disease activity were measured by diseasespecific tools at 6, 12, 24-months and at the last available visit, and patient adherence to bDMARDs was explored by folder and pharmacy record review. Results. We studied 151 folders, with 182 bDMARDs uses (29 patients used more than 1 bDMARD). Patients were from rheumatology (n= 38: 13 rheumatoid arthritis; 10 spondyloarthritis, 5 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) , 5 inflammatory myositis and 5 other conditions); gastroenterology (n=31; 26 Crohn`s and 5 Ulcerative Colitis), dermatology (n=9; psoriasis), neurology (n=4, ophthalmology (n= 25; 6 scleritis, 18 uveitis, 1 optic neuritis), and paediatrics (n= 45, 26 juvenile idiopathic arthritis , 12 SLE, 7 other conditions). The bDMARDs used were TNF inhibitors (112), rituximab (55), tocilizumab (10), anakinra (3), abatacept (1), and tofacitinib (1). The vast majority of patients had an excellent response and were in low disease activity or remission at their last available visit. Adverse events included severe infection (4), tuberculosis (TB) (2), mild infection (4), severe allergic reaction (3), mild skin reaction (14), elevated liver enzymes (2), and worsening interstitial lung disease ILD (1). bDMARD Therapy was discontinued in 18 patients, most commonly due to adverse reaction (9), lack of response (3), poor adherence (2), or remission (1). bDMARD Therapy was changed to alternative therapy in 29 patients, most commonly because of poor response (14), or adverse effects (9) or poor adherence (3). Poor adherence or patients lost to follow-up was noted in 18/182 (9.9%). Complete latent TB infection screening with chest x-ray and TB skin test was performed in only 55 (36.4 %) but INH prophylaxis was given to 51/88 (57.9%) of patients prescribed TNFi therapy. Hepatitis B screening performed in 93 (61.6 %) patients, but most patients (72.2 %) were not tested for Hepatitis B core ab. Hepatitis C screening was performed in 81 (53.6 %) patients. Only 88 (58.3%) patients had a recent HIV test. The majority (17.2%) received the influenza vaccine, but only 24 (15.8 %) received pneumococcal vaccination. Discussion and Conclusion. bDMARD therapy was an effective treatment, and the most common adverse effect was infection (7.2%), with 2 TB infections. Vaccination and screening for TB, viral hepatitis and HIV was suboptimal. Of concern, poor adherence to bDMARDs was frequently encountered.

In our thesis we use a preventive approach to stop privacy-invasive software (PIS) from entering the system. We aim at increasing the user awareness about the background activities of the software. These activities are implicitly written in End User License Agreement (EULA). We are using a multi-layer user notification approach to increase the user awareness and help him make a good decision, which is in accordance with the European legal framework. A proof of concept tool is developed that will use the user preferences to present the EULA in a compact and understandable form thereby helping the user in deciding with the installation of a software.

Spyware is a threat to Internet users because it may obtain valuable information from the users’ machines without their consent. The existing anti- spyware techniques are not found to be accurate enough in the prevention or detection of spyware. According to the law in many countries, vendors are bound to mention any inclusion of spyware in the End User License Agreement (EULA) of the associated software. Moreover, this agreement must be accepted by the user to have the software installed on the user machine. Thus, if the user accepts the agreement without reading it, he or she will unknowingly accept all the regulations mentioned in the EULA. Consequently, this study emphasizes that the EULA can be used to classify the software as spyware or legitimate by using data mining algorithms. We validate our approach by implementing an application and compare it with existing EULA analysis tools.
Spionprogram är ett hot mot Internet-användare, eftersom det kan få värdefull information från användarens maskiner utan deras samtycke. Den befintliga anti - spionprogram tekniker inte visat sig vara korrekta tillräckligt för att förebygga eller upptäcka spionprogram. Enligt lag i många länder, säljare är skyldiga att nämna något införande av spyware i slutanvändarens licensavtal (EULA) för tillhörande programvara. Dessutom är detta avtal måste godkännas av användaren att ha program installeras på användarens dator. Således, om användaren godkänner avtalet utan att läsa den, han eller hon kommer ovetande acceptera alla regler nämns i EULA. Följaktligen har denna studie betonar att licensavtalet kan användas för att klassificera den programvara som spionprogram eller legitima genom att använda data mining algoritmer. Vi validera vår inställning genom genomföra ett program och sedan jämföra det med befintliga EULA analysverktyg.

Muhammad Usman Rashid - 0046738958867 Balakrishna Garapati - 0046762327735

L’artirite reumatoide (AR) è la più diffusa patologia autoimmune in Italia con elevati costi terapeutici e previdenziali associati. Questa patologia colpisce circa lo 0.5-1% della popolazione adulta, prevalentemente di genere femminile. Essendo una patologia degenerativa, i cui danni sono frequentemente irreversibili, una diagnosi precoce così come un adeguato trattamento ed un elevato livello di compliance del paziente allo stesso, potrebbero rallentare il peggioramento della malattia. Inoltre sono poco noti i possibili effetti della malattia e del suo trattamento sulle gravidanze e i successivi outcome gravidici. I principali obiettivi della tesi quindi sono: i) valutare l’aderenza alle linee guida per il trattamento dell’ AR da parte dei clinici, ii) valutare l’aderenza al trattamento per AR da parte del paziente, iii) stimare costo ed efficacia delle cure erogate nelle cliniche specializzate per il trattamento di pazienti con AR, iv) analizzare gli esiti gravidici e il raggiungimento della gravidanza in donne con AR trattate con metotrexate (MTX). La prima tematica ha riguardato la valutazione di come sono state implementate le linee guida della European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) per il trattamento dell’AR e l’impatto dell’aderenza a queste linee guida sulla probabilità di ospedalizzazione. I principali risultati di questo studio hanno mostrato come i pazienti con un’ottima aderenza alle linee guida, se confrontati con quelli con bassa aderenza, abbiano un rischio del 24% inferiore di incorrere in ospedalizzazione. La seconda tematica ha riguardato la valutazione dell’impatto dell’aderenza al trattamento con Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs), terapia suggerita dall’EULAR, sul raggiungimento della remissione clinica di malattia. I dati provengono dal database ELECTRA (con informazioni cliniche e provenienti da database amministrativi) di pazienti con AR trattati presso l’IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia). Si è osservato che un incremento percentuale di 10 unità nella copertura al trattamento comporta un aumento della probabilità di remissione clinica del 10%. Da questi risultati sembra emergere l’importanza di riuscire a monitorare i pazienti nella pratica clinica per mantenere elevati standard di compliance. L’obiettivo della terza tematica si è focalizzato su una valutazione costo-efficacia del trattamento dei pazienti con AR erogato da cliniche specializzate (EAC), confrontandolo con quello dei pazienti trattati in cliniche non specializzate. Sono state quindi reclutate due coorti, la prima di pazienti trattati in una EAC e l’altra estratta dai database amministrativi di regione lombardia tra i soli soggetti con AR. I risultati principali di questa terza fase hanno mostrato come ad un incremento moderato dei costi si associ un incremento molto elevato dell’efficacia, specialmente se calcolata come durata di degenza e come aderenza alle linee guida EULAR. La quarta ed ultima tematica riguarda l’analisi dell’impatto del trattamento con MTX (DMARD suggerito dall’EULAR come prima linea di trattamento) nelle pazienti con AR sulla possibilità di raggiungere una gravidanza e sugli outcome gravidici conseguenti. Sono state definite tre coorti: donne con AR con esposizione incidente di MTX, donne con AR senza trattamento con MTX e donne senza AR. I risultati principali di questa analisi hanno mostrato che le donne con AR, specialmente se trattate con MTX, hanno una minor frequenza di gravidanze rispetto alle donne senza AR. Inoltre, le donne trattate con MTX sembrano avere un rischio più elevato di aborto spontaneo (circa due volte superiore) rispetto alle altre due coorti.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is, in Italy, the most widespread autoimmune disease with high associated costs for the National Health Service. This disease affects about 0.5-1% of the adult population, mainly of the female gender. Being a degenerative disease, whose damages are frequently irreversible, an early diagnosis as well as an adequate treatment and a high level treatment compliance of the patient, could slow down the worsening of the disease. Furthermore, the possible effects of RA and its treatment on pregnancies and subsequent pregnancy outcomes are not well known. The main objectives of the thesis are therefore: i) to evaluate the adherence to guidelines for the treatment of RA, ii) to evaluate the patient's adherence to RA treatment, iii) to estimate the cost and effectiveness of care provided in specialized clinics for the treatment of RA patients, iv) to analyze pregnancy outcomes and the likelihood of achieving pregnancy in women with RA treated with methotrexate (MTX). The first issue concerned the assessment of how the guidelines of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) for the treatment of RA have been implemented, and the impact of adherence to these guidelines on the probability of hospitalization. The main results of this study showed that patients with excellent adherence to guidelines, when compared with those with low adherence, have a 24% lower risk of hospitalization. The second topic concerned the evaluation of the impact of adherence to treatment with Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs), the therapy suggested by EULAR, on the achievement of disease clinical remission (defined as a substantial decrease or absence of symptoms). The ELECTRA database, which contains clinical information and information from administrative databases of RA patients treated at the IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia), was considered for the analysis. The main finding showed that a 10-unit percentage increase in proportion of days covered by DMARDs is associated with a 10% increase in the likelihood of clinical remission. These results show the importance of monitoring patients in clinical practice to maintain high levels of treatment compliance. The objective of the third theme focused on a cost-effectiveness evaluation, comparing RA patients treated in specialized clinics ("Early Arthritis Clinic" - EAC), with RA patients treated in non-specialized clinics. Two cohorts were recruited, the first one included patients treated in the EAC of the IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo and the other one with patients with RA extracted from the administrative databases of Lombardy region. The main results of this third phase showed that a moderate increase in costs is associated with a very high increase in effectiveness, especially if calculated as length of hospitalizations and as adherence to the EULAR guidelines. These findings could open up new scenarios in RA patient management. The fourth and final topic concerned the impact of treatment with MTX (DMARD suggested by EULAR as the first line of treatment) in RA women, on the likelihood of achieving pregnancy and on pregnancy outcomes. Three cohorts were recruited: women with RA with incident MTX exposure, women with RA without MTX treatment, and women without RA. The main results of this analysis showed that women with RA, especially when treated with MTX, have a lower frequency of pregnancies than women without RA. Furthermore, women treated with MTX have a higher risk of spontaneous abortion (about twice as high) than the other two cohorts.

SEM and CT X-ray imaging were used to quantify the surface geometries of sandstone pore and throat networks of the oil-bearing Stanley Sandstone of the Eutaw Formation of Jasper County, Mississippi, both in dry samples and in samples that had undergone laboratory simulations of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification (MPPM) oil-recovery technology. The goal of the study was to acquire some quantified understanding of the way induced bacterial activity affected the surface geometries and impacted the porosity and permeability of the oil-bearing Stanley Sandstone. Visible porosity remained high, but significant permeability modification occurred ubiquitously with pore and throat spaces of 10 ìm 20 μm diameter. Based upon quantitative analysis of photomicrographs, biofilm did not completely fill porosity but did clog pore throats, thus significantly impacting permeability.

An Airborne Mobile Aerosol Lidar (AMALi) was constructed and built at Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Potsdam, Germany for the lower tropospheric aerosol and cloud research under tough arctic conditions. The system was successfully used during two AWI airborne field campaigns, ASTAR 2004 and SVALEX 2005, performed in vicinity of Spitsbergen in the Arctic. The novel evaluation schemes, the Two-Stream Inversion and the Iterative Airborne Inversion, were applied to the obtained lidar data. Thereby, calculation of the particle extinction and backscatter coefficient profiles with corresponding lidar ratio profiles characteristic for the arctic air was possible. The comparison of these lidar results with the results of other in-situ and remote instrumentation (ground based Koldewey Aerosol Raman Lidar (KARL), sunphotometer, radiosounding, satellite imagery) allowed to provided clean contra polluted (Arctic Haze) characteristics of the arctic aerosols. Moreover, the data interpretation by means of the ECMWF Operational Analyses and small-scale dispersion model EULAG allowed studying the effects of the Spitsbergens orography on the aerosol load in the Planetary Boundary Layer. With respect to the cloud studies a new methodology of alternated remote AMALi measurements with the airborne in-situ cloud optical and microphysical parameters measurements was proved feasible for the low density mixed-phase cloud studies. An example of such approach during observation of the natural cloud seeding (feeder-seeder phenomenon) with ice crystals precipitating into the lower supercooled stratocumulus deck were discussed in terms of the lidar signal intensity profiles and corresponding depolarisation ratio profiles. For parts of the cloud system characterised by almost negligible multiple scattering the calculation of the particle backscatter coefficient profiles was possible using the lidar ratio information obtained from the in-situ measurements in ice-crystal cloud and water cloud.
Das Airborne Mobile Aerosol Lidar (AMALi) wurde am Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung in Potsdam für die Untersuchung arktischer Aerosole und Wolken der unteren Troposphäre entwickelt und gebaut. Das AMALi wurde erfolgreich in zwei AWI Flugzeugmesskampagnen, der ASTAR 2004 und der SvalEx 2005, die in Spitzbergen in der Arktis durchgeführt wurden, eingesetzt. Zwei neue Lidar Datenauswertungsmethoden wurden implementiert: die Two-Stream Inversion und die Iterative Airborne Inversion. Damit erwies sich die Berechnung der Profile der Teilchen Rückstreu- und Extinktionskoeffizienten mit einem entsprechenden Lidar Verhältnis, das charakteristisch für arktische Luft ist, als möglich. Der Vergleich dieser Auswertungen mit den Resultaten, die mit verschiedenen Fernerkundungs- und In-situ Instrumenten gewonnen worden waren (stationäres Koldewey Aerosol Raman Lidar KARL, Sonnenphotometer, Radiosondierung und Satellitenbilder) ermöglichten die Interpretation der Lidar-Resultate und eine Charakterisierung sowohl der reinen als auch der verschmutzten Luft. Außerdem konnten die Lidardaten mit operationellen ECMWF Daten und dem kleinskaligen Dispersionsmodel EULAG verglichen werden. Dadurch konnte der Einfluss der Spitzbergener Orographie auf die Aerosolladung der Planetaren Grenzschicht untersucht werden. Für Wolkenmessungen wurde eine neue Methode der alternativen Fernerkundung mit dem AMALi und flugzeuggetragenen In-situ Messgeräten verwendet, um optische und mikrophysikalische Eigenschaften der Wolken zu bestimmen. Diese Methode wurde erfolgreich implementiert und auf Mixed-Phase Wolken geringer optischen Dicke angewendet. Ein Beispiel hier stellt das Besamen der Wolken (sogenannte Feeder-Seeder Effekt) dar, bei dem Eiskristalle in eine niedrige unterkühlte Stratokumulus fallen. Dabei konnten Lidarsignale, Intensitätsprofile und die Volumendepolarisation gemessen werden. Zusätzlich konnten in den weniger dichten Bereichen der Wolken, in denen Vielfachstreuung vernachlässigbar ist, auch Profile des Teilchen Rückstreukoeffizienten berechnet werden, wobei Lidarverhältnisse genommen wurden, die aus In-situ Messungen für Wasser- und Eiswolken ermittelt wurden.

This thesis explores how massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), as an exemplary new media form, disrupt practices associated with more conventional media. These intensely social games exploit the interactivity and networks afforded by new media technologies in ways that generate new challenges for the organisation, control and regulation of media. The involvement of players in constituting these games - through their production of game-play, derivative works and strong social networks that drive the profitability of the games - disrupts some of the key foundations that underlie other publication media. MMOGs represent a new and hybrid form of media - part publication and part service. As such they sit within a number of sometimes contradictory organising and regulatory regimes. This thesis examines the negotiations and struggles for control between players, developers and publishers as issues of ownership, governance and access arise out of the new configurations. Using an ethnographic approach to gather information and insights into the practices of players, developers and publishers, this project identifies the characteristics of the distributed production network in this experiential medium. It explores structural components of successful interactive applications and analyses how the advent of player agency and the shift in authorship has meant a shift in control of the text and the relations that surround it. The integration of social networks into the textual environment, and into the business model of the media publishers has meant commerce has become entwined with affect in a new way in this medium. Publishers have moved into the role of both property managers, of the intellectual property associated with the game content, and community managers. Intellectual property management is usually associated with the reproduction and distribution of finished media products, and this sits uneasily with the performative and mutable form of this medium. Service provision consists of maintaining the game world environment, community management, providing access for players to other players and to the content generated both by the developers and the other players. Content in an MMOG is identified in this project as both the 'tangible' assets of code and artwork, rules and text, and the 'intangible' or immaterial assets of affective networks. Players are no longer just consumers of media, or even just active interpreters of media. They are co-producing the media as it is developed. This thesis frames that productiveness as unpaid labour, in an attempt to denaturalise the dominant discourse which casts players as consumers. The regulation of this medium is contentious. Conventional forms of media regulation - such as copyright, or content regulation regimes are inadequate for regulating the hybrid service/publication medium. This thesis explores how the use of contracts as the mechanism which constitutes the formal relations between players, publishers and developers creates challenges to some of the regimes of juridical and political rights held by citizens more generally. This thesis examines the productive practices of players and how the discourses of intellectual property and the discourses of the consumer are mobilised to erase the significance of those productive contributions. It also shows, using a Foucauldian analysis of the power negotiations, that players employ many counter-strategies to circumvent the more formal legal structures of the publishers. The dialogic relationship between players, developers and publishers is shown to mobilise various discursive constructions of the role of each. The outcome of these ongoing negotiations may well shape future interactive applications and the extent to which their innovative capacities will be available for all stakeholders to develop.

This thesis explores how massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), as an exemplary new media form, disrupt practices associated with more conventional media. These intensely social games exploit the interactivity and networks afforded by new media technologies in ways that generate new challenges for the organisation, control and regulation of media. The involvement of players in constituting these games - through their production of game-play, derivative works and strong social networks that drive the profitability of the games - disrupts some of the key foundations that underlie other publication media. MMOGs represent a new and hybrid form of media - part publication and part service. As such they sit within a number of sometimes contradictory organising and regulatory regimes. This thesis examines the negotiations and struggles for control between players, developers and publishers as issues of ownership, governance and access arise out of the new configurations. Using an ethnographic approach to gather information and insights into the practices of players, developers and publishers, this project identifies the characteristics of the distributed production network in this experiential medium. It explores structural components of successful interactive applications and analyses how the advent of player agency and the shift in authorship has meant a shift in control of the text and the relations that surround it. The integration of social networks into the textual environment, and into the business model of the media publishers has meant commerce has become entwined with affect in a new way in this medium. Publishers have moved into the role of both property managers, of the intellectual property associated with the game content, and community managers. Intellectual property management is usually associated with the reproduction and distribution of finished media products, and this sits uneasily with the performative and mutable form of this medium. Service provision consists of maintaining the game world environment, community management, providing access for players to other players and to the content generated both by the developers and the other players. Content in an MMOG is identified in this project as both the 'tangible' assets of code and artwork, rules and text, and the 'intangible' or immaterial assets of affective networks. Players are no longer just consumers of media, or even just active interpreters of media. They are co-producing the media as it is developed. This thesis frames that productiveness as unpaid labour, in an attempt to denaturalise the dominant discourse which casts players as consumers. The regulation of this medium is contentious. Conventional forms of media regulation - such as copyright, or content regulation regimes are inadequate for regulating the hybrid service/publication medium. This thesis explores how the use of contracts as the mechanism which constitutes the formal relations between players, publishers and developers creates challenges to some of the regimes of juridical and political rights held by citizens more generally. This thesis examines the productive practices of players and how the discourses of intellectual property and the discourses of the consumer are mobilised to erase the significance of those productive contributions. It also shows, using a Foucauldian analysis of the power negotiations, that players employ many counter-strategies to circumvent the more formal legal structures of the publishers. The dialogic relationship between players, developers and publishers is shown to mobilise various discursive constructions of the role of each. The outcome of these ongoing negotiations may well shape future interactive applications and the extent to which their innovative capacities will be available for all stakeholders to develop.

Summary This thesis explores how massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), as an exemplary new media form, disrupt practices associated with more conventional media. These intensely social games exploit the interactivity and networks afforded by new media technologies in ways that generate new challenges for the organisation, control and regulation of media. The involvement of players in constituting these games – through their production of game-play, derivative works and strong social networks that drive the profitability of the games – disrupts some of the key foundations that underlie other publication media. MMOGs represent a new and hybrid form of media – part publication and part service. As such they sit within a number of sometimes contradictory organising and regulatory regimes. This thesis examines the negotiations and struggles for control between players, developers and publishers as issues of ownership, governance and access arise out of the new configurations. Using an ethnographic approach to gather information and insights into the practices of players, developers and publishers, this project identifies the characteristics of the distributed production network in this experiential medium. It explores structural components of successful interactive applications and analyses how the advent of player agency and the shift in authorship has meant a shift in control of the text and the relations that surround it. The integration of social networks into the textual environment, and into the business model of the media publishers has meant commerce has become entwined with affect in a new way in this medium. Publishers have moved into the role of both property managers, of the intellectual property associated with the game content, and community managers. Intellectual property management is usually associated with the reproduction and distribution of finished media products, and this sits uneasily with the performative and mutable form of this medium. Service provision consists of maintaining the game world environment, community management, providing access for players to other players and to the content generated both by the developers and the other players. Content in an MMOG is identified in this project as both the ‘tangible’ assets of code and artwork, rules and text, and the ‘intangible’ or immaterial assets of affective networks. Players are no longer just consumers of media, or even just active interpreters of media. They are co-producing the media as it is developed. This thesis frames that productiveness as unpaid labour, in an attempt to denaturalise the dominant discourse which casts players as consumers. The regulation of this medium is contentious. Conventional forms of media regulation – such as copyright, or content regulation regimes are inadequate for regulating the hybrid service/publication medium. This thesis explores how the use of contracts as the mechanism which constitutes the formal relations between players, publishers and developers creates challenges to some of the regimes of juridical and political rights held by citizens more generally. This thesis examines the productive practices of players and how the discourses of intellectual property and the discourses of the consumer are mobilised to erase the significance of those productive contributions. It also shows, using a Foucauldian analysis of the power negotiations, that players employ many counter-strategies to circumvent the more formal legal structures of the publishers. The dialogic relationship between players, developers and publishers is shown to mobilise various discursive constructions of the role of each. The outcome of these ongoing negotiations may well shape future interactive applications and the extent to which their innovative capacities will be available for all stakeholders to develop.

Nonlinear finite element models of functionally graded beams with power-law variation of material, accounting for the von-Karman geometric nonlinearity and temperature dependent material properties as well as microstructure dependent length scale have been developed using the Euler-Bernoulli as well as the first-order and third- order beam theories. To capture the size effect, a modified couple stress theory with one length scale parameter is used. Such theories play crucial role in predicting accurate deflections of micro- and nano-beam structures. A general third order beam theory for microstructure dependent beam has been developed for functionally graded beams for the first time using a modified couple stress theory with the von Karman nonlinear strain. Finite element models of the three beam theories have been developed. The thermo-mechanical coupling as well as the bending-stretching coupling play significant role in the deflection response. Numerical results are presented to show the effect of nonlinearity, power-law index, microstructural length scale, and boundary conditions on the bending response of beams under thermo-mechanical loads. In general, the effect of microstructural parameter is to stiffen the beam, while shear deformation has the effect of modeling more realistically as a flexible beam.