Rozprawy doktorskie na temat „Peig”

To take advantages of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for cellular delivery of chemotherapeutic agents (e.g. doxorubicin) in order to decrease doxorubicin toxicity and increase its efficacy, we aimed to develop a novel approach to aqueous disperse and stabilize SWNTs through consequent steps of oxidation (oxSWNT) and PEG-PEI complexation (PEG-PEI-SWNT). Doxorubicin was loaded onto the modified SWNTs in alkalione pH with more considerable capacity ( 900 %) than those previously reported, due to complex formation with PEI proved by UV-visible spectroscopy. The loaded carrier was stable in physiologic simulated medium. Drug release was prolonged and dilution independent, but exhibited pH-dependent burst release that makes SWNTs as suitable in vivo drug carriers in acidic tumor milieu. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/34928

At the AASS laboratory located in “Teknikhuset” at ORU there are research projects that has the goal to create an intelligent home. This home should be used in care of elders and other people that are in need of care. It has already a lot of technology embedded in the different parts of the apartment, i.e. a robot arm in the fridge. 

To know when these modules should be activated for use or not, the location of the user can be used. An example would be that the fridge door shouldn't open when the user accidentally tells it to when he or she is in the bathroom, but it should when he or she stands in front of the fridge. Then how to know where the person are located?

This is what the idea of this thesis is, to create a location tool to be used in the care of elders. It will be embedded in the intelligent environment in the apartment and in later projects together with other systems monitor the patient.

What hardware to use and how to connect them together are a major task in this thesis. And also writing the application to be able to embed the tool in the environment system. How did the result turn out, and what can future development can be done.

Vid AASS laboratoriet som är beläget i Teknikhuset vid Örebro Universitet finns det forskningsprojekt med mål att skapa ett intelligent hem. Detta hem ska användas inom omsorgen för gamla och andra personer som är i behov av vård. Det har redan idag mycket teknologi inbyggt i diverse saker, exempelvis en robotarm i kylen.

För att veta när dessa moduler ska arbeta eller inte så är positionen på användaren viktig. Det vore inte så bra om kylskåpsdörren öppnades av ett misstag när användaren befinner sig på toaletten. Men dörren ska öppna sig när användaren står framför kylen. Men hur vet man då vart användaren är?

Idéen med detta examensarbete är att skapa en sådan lösning som kan hålla kolla på positionen av en person. Lösningen ska sedan vara en del av det intelligenta system som i framtida projekt skall användas för att övervaka personen.

Vilken hårdvara och hur den skall kopplas samman är en stor del av detta arbete, och även hur  applikationen som skall integrera hårdvarulösningen i det intelligenta systemet utvecklades. Hur ser resultatet ut och vad finns det för möjligheter att vidareutveckla detta resultat i framtiden.

L'osteoartrite (OA) è una patologia infiammatorio/degenerativa ossea per la quale non sono disponibili terapie causali efficaci ma solo approcci palliativi per la riduzione del dolore cronico. E’ quindi giustificato un investimento per individuare nuove strategie di trattamento. In quest’ottica, lo scopo di questa tesi è stato quello di indagare l’efficacia di polyplexi a base di chitosano o di PEI-g-PEG in un modello cellulare 3D in vitro basato su un hydrogel di Gellan Gum Metacrilato (GGMA) con a bordo condrociti in condizioni simulate di OA. Inizialmente sono state studiate la dimensione e il potenziale-Z di un pool di formulazioni di poliplexi. Quindi se ne è valutata la citocompatibilità utilizzando cellule staminali mesenchimali immortalizzate Y201. Infine, una miscela di GGMA, cellule e polyplexi è stata utilizzata per la stampa 3D di campioni che sono stati coltivati fino a 14 giorni. La condizione OA è stata simulata trattando le cellule con una miscela di citochine implicate nello sviluppo della malattia. Tutte le formulazioni a base di chitosano e due basate su PEI-g-PEG si sono dimostrate citocompatibili e sono hanno veicolato i miRNA nelle cellule (come mostrato dai risultati di analisi in fluorescenza). I risultati delle colorazioni H&E e AlcianBlue hanno confermato che il terreno condizionato ha ben ricreato le condizioni di OA. I polyplexi a base di chitosano e PEI-g-PEG hanno controbilanciato gli effetti delle citochine. Risultati incoraggianti, anche se da approfondire ulteriormente, provengono anche dall’analisi di espressione (RT-PCR) di cinque geni specifici della cartilagine. Concludendo, questo modello ha ben riprodotto le condizioni di OA in vitro; il chitosano ha mostrato di essere un adeguato veicolo per un trattamento a base di miRNA; il PEI-g-PEG si propone come un'alternativa più economica e ragionevolmente affidabile, sebbene il rischio di citotossicità alle concentrazioni più elevate richieda una più esteva validazione sperimentale.

At the nanoscopic level, light interacts with matter in interesting ways. Plasmonics is the study of one such interaction where light interacts with electrons at the surface of particles. The oscillation of the electrons when light interacts with them are called Plasmons and have many properties, one of which can cause nanoparticles to become "cloaked" or more precisely: transparent. The application of "cloaking" extends to sensors, solar cells and numerous other uses. We have investigated how changing the geometry of nanoparticles alters "cloaking" behaviour and have found that thicker particles in close proximity can be transparent in the visual region.

This thesis describes the work to make a portable ubiquitous device into a component in a networked robotic environment. The device can both control and be controlled in a robotic network as well as used to survey a robotic network. This is done by building upon existing software for making networked robotic components and use it on devices with the Android operating system. The software is the PEIS-kernel (Physically Embedded Intelligent System) middleware. The middleware makes it possible to build robotic components called PEIScomponents that can communicate, work together and share their resources and capabilities. The result of this work is three-fold, first a way to make devices with the Android operating system into PEIS-devices so that they can be used to control or be controlled as well as survey a PEIS-network.With this the Android device functionality can be used to extend the capabilities of an entire PEIS-network. Secondly, devices with Android get access to a simple and powerful way to exchange information with any device that is a PEIS-device. The third contribution is the capability to make humans a much more integral part of a PEIS-network as devices with Android are in general easy to use and familiar to humans. These devices will serve as a very good human - PEIS-network interaction tool.

According to the Children's Bureau of Taiwan (2007), the number of Taiwanese children abused and neglected sharply increased from 6,059 to 10,094 between 2000 and 2006. Reports of abused and neglected children also rose from 8,494 to 13,986 in that period. This followed enactment of the Children and Youth Welfare Law in 2003 imposing a range of health, education and social welfare professionals, including nurses, the statutory duty to report suspected child abuse and neglect. Previous studies in Taiwan have indicated that despite the legislation, a range of factors continue to act against nurses reporting child abuse and neglect (CAN) cases according to the law. Previous research had examined factors that influence CAN reporting by health, education, and welfare professionals including registered nurses in Taiwan. The study herein sought to extend knowledge of these factors by identifying and assessing nurses' self-efficacy as a prime factor influencing professional commitment to legal reporting of CAN. The aims of this research were to: (1) examine influencing factors of nurses' likelihood to report CAN in Taiwanese health care settings, and (2) develop and test a new instrument Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Self Efficacy (CANRSE) to measure nurses' self-efficacy in CAN reporting. The research was conducted in two phases. Phase one investigated nurses' experience with CAN reporting and examined relationships between nurses' perceptions, attitudes, knowledge, and likelihood to report CAN cases. Two hundred and thirty-eight nurses from emergency departments, paediatric units and community centres in Taiwan completed a survey. The results showed that using a series of vignettes, a significant relationship existed between the likelihood to report CAN and perception, attitude, and knowledge. Notably, perception was the most significant variable in predicting nurses' likelihood to report CAN cases. Findings indicated nurses had poor perceptions of recognizing and reporting CAN and lacked faith in child protection services. Knowledge of Taiwanese CAN reporting laws was poor. In general, most nurses believed that they needed more training courses on the recognition and reporting of CAN. These findings, in particular the importance of perceptions of legal reporting behaviour, were worthy of further investigation. In Phase two, a measure of CANRSE was developed and tested. Data were collected from 496 nurses working in Taiwanese health care settings. Development of the CANRSE was guided by an extensive literature review, findings from Phase one of the study and by an expert panel. The CANRSE consisted of five sections: (1) demographic information, (2) efficacy-expectation for suspected cases, (3) efficacy-expectation for known cases, (4) outcome-expectation of CAN reporting, and (5) likelihood to report CAN. The influence of nurses' self-efficacy on their likelihood to report CAN cases was also analysed. Structure of the CANRSE was supported by structural equation modeling using AMOS 6.0. Additionally, correlation and regression analyses were applied to investigate the validity and reliability of the CANRSE. CANRSE met accepted psychometric standards for reliability and validity in this study. Nurses' CAN self-efficacy yielded strong prediction over personal characteristics, experience as a nurse, experience as a parent, and age. Thus, the research provides an important contribution to the literature relating to mandatory reporting by professional groups in particular nurses. It was the first research to successfully develop a new instrument to evaluate nurses' selfefficacy in CAN reporting. The findings provide a basis for understanding the influence of Taiwanese nurses' decision making for CAN reporting. Further research can extend the scope of CAN training programs and their evaluation.

This research investigates home literacy education practices of Taiwanese families in Australia. As Taiwanese immigrants represent the largest ¡°Chinese Australian¡± subgroup to have settled in the state of Queensland, teachers in this state often face the challenges of cultural differences between Australian schools and Taiwanese homes. Extensive work by previous researchers suggests that understanding the cultural and linguistic differences that influence how an immigrant child views and interacts with his/her environment is a possible way to minimise the challenges. Cultural practices start from infancy and at home. Therefore, this study is focused on young children who are around the age of four to five. It is a study that examines the form of literacy education that is enacted and valued by Taiwanese parents in Australia. Specifically, this study analyses ¡°what literacy knowledge and skill is taught at home?¡±, ¡°how is it taught?¡± and ¡°why is it taught?¡± The study is framed in Pierre Bourdieu.s theory of social practice that defines literacy from a sociological perspective. The aim is to understand the practices through which literacy is taught in the Taiwanese homes. Practices of literacy education are culturally embedded. Accordingly, the study shows the culturally specialised ways of learning and knowing that are enacted in the study homes. The study entailed four case studies that draw on: observations and recording of the interactions between the study parent and child in their literacy events; interviews and dialogues with the parents involved; and a collection of photographs of the children.s linguistic resources and artefacts. The methodological arguments and design addressed the complexity of home literacy education where Taiwanese parents raise children in their own cultural ways while adapting to a new country in an immigrant context. In other words, the methodology not only involves cultural practices, but also involves change and continuity in home literacy practices. Bernstein.s theory of pedagogic discourse was used to undertake a detailed analysis of parents. selection and organisation of content for home literacy education, and the evaluative criteria they established for the selected literacy knowledge and skill. This analysis showed how parents selected and controlled the interactions in their child.s literacy learning. Bernstein.s theory of pedagogic discourse was used also to analyse change and continuity in home literacy practice, specifically, the concepts of ¡°classification¡± and ¡°framing¡±. The design of this study aimed to gain an understanding of parents. literacy teaching in an immigrant context. The study found that parents tended to value and enact traditional practices, yet most of the parents were also searching for innovative ideas for their adult-structured learning. Home literacy education of Taiwanese families in this study was found to be complex, multi-faceted and influenced in an ongoing way by external factors. Implications for educators and recommendations for future study are provided. The findings of this study offer early childhood teachers in Australia understandings that will help them build knowledge about home literacy education of Taiwanese Australian families.

This thesis investigates physiological and physical efficiencies in human sub-maximal running through developing systems for improving running efficiency by providing appropriate real time feedback. Four measures cost of transport, gait variability, step frequency and gait stability were selected to determine the most efficient measure or measures to provide feedback to the runners. These measures were studied with their relation with speed in treadmill and overground conditions and considerations of their suitability for real-time feedback systems to improve efficiency in runners.

This thesis advances our understanding of financial markets from a game-theoretical perspective. Using tools from auction theory (mechanism design), I show how financial market anomalies arise from the strategic interactions between market speculators in the IPO and short selling markets. In doing so, I highlight how seemingly irrational market phenomena have rational microeconomic foundations and highlight how market designs can inadvertently promote speculative trading behaviours.

The effectiveness of the PEG ratio as a valuation tool has been a topical debate between market commentators ever since being popularised by Lynch (1989). This study examines the appropriateness of the fair value criteria of 1.0 (PEGL) in comparison with a time-series based share specific benchmarking model (PEGT). Furthermore, influencing factors of analyst forecasting accuracy, namely: the number of analyst contributions, forecast dispersion and forecast horizon, were tested and compared using sub-set portfolios for each category with the objective of identifying a possible optimal PEG trading rule strategy. The outcome showed a consistent outperformance of PEGT portfolios compared to PEGL portfolios and the market benchmark. Unexpected results were obtained for the impact of analyst forecasts on the performance of the PEG ratio with additional literature review providing possible reasons that analyst optimism may have a more influencing impact on the PEG ratio than forecasting accuracy. Finally, an optimised PEG trading rule strategy delivered annual abnormal returns of 5.4% (CAGR: 19.7%) for a PEGL portfolio, versus that of 13.7% (CAGR: 28.5%) for a PEGT portfolio. The ensuing methodology appeared to single out small cap firms with above market growth prospects. Copyright
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
unrestricted

Mestrado em Psicologia Forense
Esta investigação incide sobre a aplicação de dois paradigmas associados a dois processos de memória distintos: a retenção e o esquecimento. Ao nível da retenção, recentemente a memória humana começou a ser analisada com base na perspetiva evolutiva, sendo sugerido que o modo como a memória funciona reflete as pressões seletivas que os humanos deverão ter enfrentado ao longo da sua evolução. Nesta linha, tem sido demonstrado que os humanos parecem estar “sintonizados” para reter melhor informação quando esta é processada em contextos de sobrevivência, comparativamente com várias condições de controlo (efeito de sobrevivência). Quanto ao esquecimento, o Paradigma de Esquecimento Induzido pela Recuperação (PEIR) tem demonstrado que detemos um mecanismo capaz de inibir informação, para que possamos recuperar outra informação desejada. Este paradigma é tipicamente composto por 4 fases: fase de estudo, fase de evocação parcial, período de retenção/distração, e fase de evocação total (usualmente a tarefa de evocação guiada pela categoria). Durante a fase de evocação parcial é recuperada parte da informação apresentada na fase de estudo, ocorrendo um mecanismo inibitório da informação não solicitada, para que a evocação do material alvo seja mais bem sucedida. Este mecanismo resulta numa pior recuperação posterior da informação não recuperada comparativamente com material nunca submetido à recuperação seletiva (esquecimento induzido pela recuperação - RIF). Por outro lado, é observado um efeito de facilitação para o material recuperado nesta fase. O objetivo da junção destes dois paradigmas era averiguar se efeito de sobrevivência ocorria no PEIR, assim como avaliar a suscetibilidade do processamento de sobrevivência aos efeitos tipicamente observados no PEIR. Deste modo, a experiência 2 conjuga estes dois paradigmas. Tipicamente, o PEIR é usado com categorias semânticas; contudo, por várias razões, no presente estudo foram usadas categorias ad hoc. Dada a inexistência de normas Portuguesas para este material foi realizado um estudo piloto que permitiu obter as frequências e tipicidade de exemplares para várias categorias ad hoc. Na primeira experiência procedemos à aplicação do PEIR com estas categorias ad hoc para avaliarmos a ocorrência do efeito de facilitação e do RIF com o material selecionado. Esta experiência replicou o efeito de facilitação, mas não o RIF. Na segunda experiência, procedemos à junção do paradigma de sobrevivência ao PEIR. Os resultados desta experiência não replicaram o efeito de sobrevivência, ou seja, não foi obtido um maior nível de retenção na condição de sobrevivência comparativamente ao grupo de controlo. O efeito de facilitação foi replicado nesta experiência; dada a não obtenção do RIF na primeira experiência, não podemos tirar elações sobre a suscetibilidade do processamento de sobrevivência ao mecanismo de inibição presente no PEIR. São discutidos os vários fatores que poderão estar subjacentes a estes resultados. Foram ainda deixadas em aberto várias questões que, deverão ser avaliadas em estudos experimentais futuros.
This research focuses on the application of two memory paradigms: retention and forgetting. Recently, human memory began to be conceptualized from an evolutionary perspective. Some authors have suggested that the way memory works likely reflects the selection pressures humans faced throughout evolution. Following this reasoning it has been shown that memory performance is better when information is encoded in survival contexts as compared to various control conditions (survival effect). The retrieval-practice paradigm has demonstrated that memory uses an inhibitory mechanism that allows one to more successfully retrieve a given information when competing information is present. This paradigm typically includes four phases: study, retrieval practice, retention period, and testing (usually a category-cued recall task). During the retrieval practice, part of the initially studied information is retrieved; throughout this process, the non-target information is inhibited contributing to the retrieval success of the required information. As a result, later on, memory performance for the inhibited material is lower than for material that was never practiced (retrieval-induced forgetting - RIF). On the other hand, the retrieved material is the best recalled in the final task (facilitation effect). We aim to combine these two approaches in order to investigate the occurrence of the survival effect in the retrieval-practice paradigm, as well as to investigate the susceptibility of survival processing to the effects typically observed in this forgetting paradigm. Typically, the retrieval-practice paradigm uses semantic categories; however, for various reasons, we used ad hoc categories. In an initial pilot study, Portuguese norms (frequency and typicality of generation) for ad hoc categories were collected. The first experiment tested whether the typical RIF and facilitation effects would be obtained using this material. The facilitation effect was obtained, but not the RIF. In the second experiment, the retrieval-practice paradigm and survival procedure were combined. The typical survival effect was not obtained, that is, survival processing did not increase recall as compared to the control condition. The facilitation effect was replicated in this experiment; given that the RIF was not obtained in experiment 1, no conclusions can be made about the susceptibility of survival processing to inhibitory effects. We discuss several factors that might underlie the current results. We also propose a set of to-be conducted experiments that would help clarify the obtained results.

En la present tesi doctoral s’han estudiat diversos mètodes per a l’eliminació de contaminants orgànics persistents en olis de peix amb finalitat alimentària. S’han posat al punt les metodologies d’anàlisi necessàries per a la correcta determinació d’aquests compostos en la matriu d’estudi. S’han avaluat amb detall les etapes de purificació de la mostra, fraccionament dels analits i anàlisi instrumental. El mètode ha estat validat amb resultats satisfactoris, i s’ha comprovat el seu bon funcionament a través de la participació en diversos exercicis d’intercalibtage, així com la realització de diversos estudis amb mostres reals d’oli de peix. S’ha estudiat l’eliminació dels contaminants orgànics persistents a través d’adsorbents sòlids amb base silícica i carbonàcia. Les condicions experimentals han estat estudiades més a fons mitjançant dissenys d’experiències, per acabar optimitzant el mètode d’adsorció amb un disseny d’evolució. Els millors resultats s’han obtingut amb el carbó actiu, que mostra una elevada eficàcia en l’eliminació de PCDD/Fs, d-l PCBs i HCB. S’ha estudiat l’eliminació dels contaminants orgànics persistents mitjançant tècniques de degradació fotoquímiques. Inicialment s’ha fotodegradat cada família de contaminants per separat, per poder estudiar més a fons les condicions necessàries per la seva eliminació, així com els seus mecanismes i productes de degradació. Posteriorment s’ha estudiat la fotodegradació simultània dels analits d’interès en oli de peix. Aquesta tècnica s’ha mostrat efectiva en l’eliminació de DDT, PBDEs, HCB i PCBs similars a dioxines. Paral•lelament als estudis d’eliminació mitjançant adsorbents sòlids i tècniques fotoquímiques, s’ha comprovat la qualitat dels olis de peix abans i després del tractament. El procés d’adsorció en sòlids no afecta significativament a la qualitat de l’oli, mentre que les tècniques fotoquímiques degraden una part dels àcids grassos insaturats. S’ha estudiat l’eliminació de contaminants orgànics persistents en oli de peix mitjançant la combinació de les dues tècniques estudiades anteriorment, amb una primera etapa de degradació fotoquímica i una segona etapa d’adsorció. S’han comparat els resultats finals d’eliminació que s’obtenen amb cada un dels mètodes desenvolupats (adsorció, fotodegradació i combinat). L’adsorció en carbó actiu és el procés més adequat per l’eliminació de COPs en oli de peix. S’ha realitzat un estudi dels nivells diastereomèrics i enantiomèrics d’un contaminant emergent -l’hexabromociclododecà (HBCD)- en oli de peix. S’ha avaluat la seva eliminació de la matriu d’estudi mitjançant adsorbents amb base carbonàcia i degradació fotoquímica, sent principalment eliminat per aquesta segona via.
En la presente tesis doctoral se han estudiado diversos métodos para la eliminación de contaminantes orgánicos persistentes en aceites de pescado con finalidad alimentaria. Se han desarrollado los métodos de análisis necesarios para la correcta determinación de estos compuestos en la matriz de estudio. Se han evaluado con detalle las etapas de purificación de la muestra, fraccionamiento de los analitos y análisis instrumental. El método ha sido validado con resultados satisfactorios, y se ha comprobado su buen funcionamiento mediante ejercicios de intercalibraje, así como la realización de diversos estudios con muestras reales de aceite de pescado. Se ha estudiado la eliminación de los contaminantes persistentes mediante adsorbentes sólidos con base silícica y carbonacea. Las condiciones experimentales han estado estudiadas en profundidad mediante diseños de experiencias y de evolución. Los mejores resultados se han obtenido con carbón activo, que demuestra una elevada eficacia en la eliminación de PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs y HCB. Se ha estudiado la eliminación de los contaminantes orgánicos persistentes mediante técnicas de degradación fotoquímica. Inicialmente se ha fotodegradado cada familia de contaminantes por separado, para poder estudiar más a fondo las condiciones necesarias para su eliminación. Posteriormente se ha estudiado la degradación simultánea de los analitos de interés en aceite de pescado. Esta técnica se ha mostrado efectiva en la eliminación de DDT, PBDEs, HCB y PCBs similares a dioxinas. Paralelamente a los estudios de eliminación mediante adsorbentes sólidos y técnicas fotoquímicas, se ha comprobado la calidad de los aceites de pescado antes y después del tratamiento. El proceso de adsorción en sólidos no afecta significativamente a la calidad del aceite, mientras que las técnicas fotoquímicas degradan una parte de los ácidos grasos insaturados. Se ha estudiado la eliminación de contaminantes orgánicos persistentes en aceites de pescado mediante la combinación de las dos técnicas estudiadas anteriormente, con una primera etapa de degradación fotoquímica y una segunda etapa de adsorción. Se han comparado los resultados finales de eliminación que se obtienen con cada uno de los métodos desarrollados. La adsorción en carbón activo es el proceso más adecuado para la eliminación de COPs en aceite de pescado. Se ha realizado un estudio de los niveles diastereoisoméricos y enantioméricos de un contaminante emergente –HBCD- en aceite de pescado. Se ha evaluado su capacidad de eliminación de la matriz de estudio mediante adsorbentes con base carbonacia y degradación fotoquímica, siendo principalmente eliminado por la segunda vía.
During the present doctoral thesis several methods for the elimination of persistent organic pollutants from fish oil have been studied. Analytical methodologies for the determination of these compounds in fish oil have been developed. Sample purification, fractionation of the analytes and instrumental determination steps have been deeply studied. The method has been validated with satisfactory results, and its performance has been verified through its participation in several intercalibration exercises and studies with real fish oil samples. Elimination of persistent organic pollutants with silicon and carbon-based adsorbents has been studied. The experimental conditions have been studied in depth with an experimental design, to finally optimize the adsorption method using an evolutionary design. Best results have been obtained with the active carbon, showing high efficiency of the removal of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs and HCB. Elimination of persistent organic pollutants with photochemical degradation techniques has been studied. Initially, each family of pollutants has been photodegraded separately, to determine its degradation conditions, as well as degradation mechanisms and by-products. Later, simultaneous photodegradation of the analytes has been studied in fish oil. This technique has shown high efficiency on the degradation of DDT, PBDEs, HCB and dioxin-like PCBs. The quality of the oils before and after the treatments with solid adsorbents and photochemical degradation has also been studied. The adsorption process does not significantly affect the quality of the oils, while photochemical techniques can degrade the unsaturated fatty acids. Elimination of persistent organic pollutants in fish oil combining adsorption in solids and photochemical degradation has been studied. Results obtained with each of the developed methodologies (adsorption, photodegradation and combined method) were compared. Adsorption in active carbon is the most suitable process for COPs elimination in fish oil. Finally, diastereoisomeric and enantiomeric levels of an emerging pollutant –hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)- in fish oil have been studied. Its elimination has been evaluated with carbon-based adsorbents and photochemical degradation, being mainly eliminated with the photodegradation techniques.

Le concept santé, entité purement médicale du "modèle-étalon" de notre société, a instruit notre système de soins et orienté ce secteurs hors-marché dans une logique économique préoccupante pour les pouvoirs publics, en aggravant parallèlement les inégalités d'accès aux soins. Nous nous devions de lui rétablir ses titres de noblesse et lui reconnaître sa dynamique de vie dans un jeu d'articulations inter-disciplinaires. Le PEI, ou programme d'enrichissement instrumental créé par Reuven Feuerstein, est une méthode pédagogique et notre support de travail qui repose sur des bases scientifiques rigoureuses. La médiation est un type de relation qui lui est liée et interdépendante, la complexité de sa fonction engendre nombre de pratiques adaptatives avec la réalité fonctionnelle de l'instant. Notre public en cumul de handicaps, fragilisé par les amputations plurielles et douloureuses du présent, semble répondre aux besoins de notre application dans une perspective globalisante d'une pédagogie vers l'autonomisation. Cette idée repose sur une conception philosophique de l'individu et présente une expérience méthodologique très limitée. Elle n'a d'autres prétentions que de soulever un questionnement et d'ouvrir des perspectives. L'éducation pour la santé impose une transformation des cultures dont les usagers par souci d'innocence, et les prestataires de soins par intérêts économiques, sont actuellement immatures
The concept of health, a purely medical entity of the standards in our society has informed our health care system and led this off-market sector into an economic logic which public authorities have been preoccupied with and which has, in the mean time, increased inequalities between individuals in access to medical treatment. It is our duty to restore its noble value and admit its vital dynamics within interdisciplinary connections. The PEI –Instrumental Enrichment Programme- set up by Reuven Feuerstein, is a pedagogic method and has been our working materiel. It is based on rigorous scientific basis. Mediation is a type of relation which is closely linked to and interdependent on it. Its complex function generates a great amount of adjustment processes to the functional realities of the moment. Our public ridden with handicaps, weakened by the present cuts seem to meet the needs of our work in a globalising prospect towards teaching methods in autonomisation. This thesis is based on the philosophical concept of the individual and deals with a limited methodological experience. It has no other aim but to raise some questioning and open perspectives. Health education calls for change in cultural habits which the public out of innocence, or medical service providers out of economic motives, are at present unable to bring about

Tato Diplomová práce se zabývá povrchovou analýzou nanokompozitní folie polyetherimidu (PEI) vyztuženého exfoliovanými grafitickými nanodestičkami (xGnP). Analyzovány byly take vzorky nevyztužené PEI folie a samostatné nanodestičky. Vzorky nanokompozitu a PEI folie byly plazmaticky leptány s využitím argonového plazmatu po dobu 1, 3 a 10 hod. Skenovací elektronová mikroskopie (SEM) byla použita pro charakterizaci samostatných nanodestiček rozptýlených na křemíkovém substrátu, původních či leptaných vzorků PEI folie a nanokompozitu. Nanodestičky byly identifikovány při povrchu leptané nanokompozitní folie. Mikroskopie atomárních sil (AFM) byla použita pro zobrazení povrchové topografie separovaných nanodestiček a odkrytých destiček při povrchu leptaného kompozitu. Povrchová drsnost (střední kvadratická hodnota, vzdálenost nejnižšího a nejvyššího bodu) leptaného nanokompozitu narůstala s prodlužující se dobou leptání. Akustická mikroskopie atomárních sil (AFAM) byla použita pro charakterizaci elastické anizotropie leptaných kompozitních vzorků. Nanoindentační měření umožnila charakterizaci lokálních mechanických vlastností PEI a nanokompozitních folií.

Bakgrund: Enligt flera författare råder en problematik kring IT-investeringar jämfört med andra typer av investeringar. Forskning visar på att de traditionella metoder som används vid investeringar inte mäter det riktiga värdet vid investering i IT. Beslutsfattare och forskare har vidare fört på tal att traditionella värderingsanalyser är ofullständiga när det gäller IT-investeringar då kostnader och nyttor som borde ingå i en IT-investeringsanalys inte tas med. Resultatet av detta blir då att det ser ut som att många IT-projekt inte återbetalar sig och därför inte är lönsamma.

Syfte: Huvudsyftet med studien är att öka kunskapen om användbarheten i PENG-modellens metodik vid utvärdering av investeringar i IT-system. Studiens delsyften är dels att kartlägga och testa PENG-modellens metodik vid investering i ett specifikt driftsuppföljningssystem på två tillverkande företag och dels att utvärdera ändamålsenligheten genom att identifiera modellens fördelar, nackdelar samt risker.

Metod: Nyttoanalyser efter PENG-modellens metodik har genomförts som en fallstudie på två företag. Enligt metodiken har ett förberedande möte och tre analysmöten genomförts där sista analysmötet avslutades med en utvärdering av metodiken utifrån deltagarnas åsikter och uppfattningar. Det empiriska materialet har sedan analyserats i relation till teori om investeringsbedömning, IT-investeringar och PENG-modellen.

Slutsatser: Studiens slutsatser är att PENG-modellens metodik är ändamålsenlig vid mer komplexa investeringar, givet att hänsyn tas till vikten av gedigna förberedelser där investeringen och vilka områden den berör kartläggs. Samtidigt är det av stor betydelse att rätt deltagare engageras för att resultatet ska bli så realistiskt som möjligt. PENG-modellens främsta fördel för företag i ett tidigt stadium i investeringsprocessen är den lärande effekt som uppkommer under diskussionerna i analysens faser. Resultatet av nyttoanalysen kan inte ersätta en traditionell investeringskalkyl men däremot utgöra ett bra underlag för beräkningen.

Warren Buffet started an investment partnership of $100 in 1956 and has gone on to accumulate a personal net worth of over $60 billion. He started primarily as a value investor, and gradually changed over time to a strategy which uses the PEG ratio as its main tool. Peter Lynch, one of the most successful fund managers in history and had a compound annual growth rate of 29% for 13 years, was the man to first introduce the world to the PEG ratio. With such prominence, however, widespread use of previously successful strategies tend to render them ineffective due to everyone using them, and today the PEG ratio’s effectiveness as a valuation tool remains a topical debate between market commentators.This study sets out to determine if the PEG ratio adds value using JSE Main Board data from 2002 to 2012. Returns from five portfolios constructed directly from share quintiles based on PEG ratio magnitude are compared to returns of a portfolio constructed from the optimum quintile of value shares. The PEG ratio portfolio returns are examined based on 3 rebalancing period strategies, and on relative performance between the quintiles within each strategy.It is found that a 24 monthly rebalancing strategy provides superior returns to that of 3 or 12 monthly rebalancing for PEG quintiles of selected stocks. Furthermore, the lowest PEG ratio quintile in this strategy outperforms the value portfolio by a compound annual growth rate of 4.3%. The second lowest PEG ratio quintile portfolio performs slightly better to ensure that 40% of stocks selected based on the PEG ratio produced sustained superior returns to the optimum quintile value portfolio.
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
unrestricted

Three senior consultants, that primary work with organisational development and project management has created a model, named PENG, specially adjusted for evaluation of IT-investments. The purpose of this model is to evaluate both the financial and the “softer” values of IT. According to IT’s major role of supporting the business concept, “soft” val-ues like; improved customer service, fewer complaints, more reliable deliveries and et cetera becomes very important. An interesting feature of the PENG-model is that it promises to, as the name indicates (PENG means coin in Swedish), transform all aspects of IT into monetary terms. This makes it possible to quantifiably measure all the aspects of IT, not just the ones that can be counted for as reduced costs. This attribute makes PENG different compared to other models that we have found. In this thesis we have chosen to study how the use of PENG affects evaluations of IT-investments, by focusing on both restricting and enabling aspects.

The studies that have been performed are mainly based on qualitative methods. We have used a literature study to see which aspects that are of most importance when evaluating IT. Further on we have studied descriptions, by the originators of PENG, to see how an actual evaluation process is supposed to be done. Based on this we have performed an in-terview at Kalmar county council, who have used and are using the model in several of their IT-projects, in order to see how PENG serves in real life situations.

We have found out that the PENG-model certainly has good intentions in capturing the complexity inherent in IT, by valuing “soft” and “hard” aspects and for illustrating an in-vestment from different perspectives. The model involves a working procedure consisting of ten steps that serves as a guideline for the evaluator. However, the model lacks a clear framework describing how the actual work in each step shall be performed.

The model generates in a clear and easily understandable result that can be understood through out the organisation, this mostly due to the use of money as the unit of measure-ment. The quality of the result is however largely dependent on the judgements of the persons involved. Depending on how you value the benefits and costs of IT, you will end up with diverse results. From this, we can see that the model has problems in terms of trustworthiness. We believe that PENG, despite its credibility issues, can be useful when discussing IT in order to illustrate the implications of an investment. We can also see the worth of the model when comparing different kinds of IT-investments; to see where the money can be of best use. The study further shows that PENG can be used in any type of organisation, even though it may be better suited for the public sector, where “soft” bene-fits are an essential part of the business concept.

Tre senior konsulter som primärt arbetar med organisationsutveckling och projektstyrning har tagit fram en modell speciellt utvecklad för utvärderingar av IT-investeringar. Modellen heter PENG och har som syfte att utvärdera både finansiella och kvalitativa aspekter av IT.

Då IT har som primärt syfte att stödja kärnverksamheten, så blir ”mjuka” aspekter såsom, ökad kundservice, färre klagomål, säkrare och mer spårbara leveranser et cetera mycket viktiga. En intressant egenskap som PENG-modellen besitter är att den utlovar att, som namnet antyder, värdera alla aspekter av IT i monetära termer. Detta skapar möjligheter att kvantitativt mäta IT:s totala påverkan i en organisation, vilket gör denna modell annorlunda från övriga modeller som vi har funnit. Denna uppsats har som syfte att studera hur användandet av PENG-modellen påverkar utvärderingen av IT-investeringar.

Studien är baserad på kvalitativ metodik. Till att börja med har vi genomfört en litteratur-studie för att undersöka vilka aspekter som skiljer en IT-investering från andra typer inve-steringar, samt för att ta reda på vad som krävs för att en IT-utvärdering skall bli så rättvisande som möjligt. Efter detta har vi studerat beskrivningar, gjorda av upphovsmännen bakom PENG, för att undersöka hur modellen är tänkt att användas. Baserat på detta har vi sedan genomfört en intervju vid Kalmar läns landsting, vilka har använt och fortfarande använder sig av denna modell i flera av sina IT-projekt, för att undersöka hur väl modellen fungerar i realiteten.

Baserat på detta drar vi slutsatsen att PENG-modellen har goda intentioner i att återspegla komplexiteten i IT, genom att värdera ”mjuka” och ”hårda” nyttor och att beskriva investeringar från olika perspektiv. Modellen består av tio steg som syftar till att guida utvärderaren genom hela processen. Modellen saknar dock tydliga riktlinjer som beskriver hur varje steg av utvärderingen skall gå till och många beslut blir därför godtyckliga.

Modellen generar i ett klart och lättförståeligt resultat, vilket beror på att alla aspekter av IT omvandlas till kronor. Kvaliteten på resultatet är dock till stor del beroende av de bedömningar som de involverade personerna gör under utvärderingsprocessen. Beroende på hur nyttor och kostnader av IT värderas så kommer detta att resultera i olika resultat. Av detta drar vi slutsatsen att modellen har trovärdighetsproblem. Vi menar dock att mo-dellen, trots detta, kan vara användbar för att illustrera innebörden av IT-investeringar. Vi kan också se att modellen har potential att jämföra olika IT-investeringar, i syfte att utvärdera var pengarna kan komma till störst nytta. Vidare visar vår studie att PENG kan användas i alla typer av organisationer, även om den troligen är bäst lämpad för den offentliga sektorn, där ”mjuka” nyttor är en viktig del av kärnverksamheten.

碩士
國立清華大學
生醫工程與環境科學系
105
Gene therapy is a process of introducing foreign genomic materials into target cells to elicit a therapeutic benefit. A diverse array of inherited and acquired diseases are targets of gene therapy. To overcome the multidrug resistance (MDR), one of the major impediment against curative cancer chemotherapy, the application of small interfering RNA (siRNA) provide a new opportunity for specific gene-silencing of MDR-associated proteins. In this study, a simple and novel approach is presented for constructing a dual delivery vector through a one-pot hydrothermal reaction, using graphene oxide (GO), polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as starting materials. The resulting nanoplatform, rGO-PEI/PEG exhibited minimal toxicity and could effectively complex siRNA at a W/W ratio above 3.4. Additionally, rGO-PEI/PEG was capable of high drug loading (doxorubicin, ~0.49 mg/mg) and photothermally triggered cytosolic drug delivery. With optimal near-infrared laser irradiation, the drug-loaded rGO-PEI/PEG demonstrated an enhanced antitumor efficacy in cancer cells through combined photothermal effect and chemotherapy. The synergistic potential of dual drugs (doxorubicin and siRNA)-loaded rGO-PEI/PEG in combination with laser irradiation will next be explored to augment the therapeutic effect in MDR cancer cells. The advances described above will complement our knowledge of graphene functionality and serve to guide its application in gene/drug delivery.

碩士
國立交通大學
生物科技學系
103
CR1 is a derivative of the plant lignan nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). It has been proposed that the parent compound and its derivatives inhibit the interaction between the transcription factor Sp1 and its DNA-binding site via DNA groove-binding. Furthermore, Sp1 has highly related to colorectal cancer development and progression. Therefore, CR1 is a potential anticancer agent in colorectal cancer therapy, but CR1 also has side effect to normal tissues. Because of its high cytotoxicity, liposome encapsulation may reduce the cytotoxicity of CR1 to normal tissues, but keep the cytotoxicity for tumor cells. Colorectal carcinoma, cancer of the colon and rectum, is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide in women and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide in men. Nowadays, therapy of colorectal cancer is only moderately successful for late-stage and is often limited by severe side effects and dose limiting toxicity. Hence, it is needed a new chemotherapy agent in colorectal cancer. My purpose is to use Lipo-PEG-PEI complex (LPPC) encapsulated CR1 to reduce cytotoxicity in normal tissues, and improve therapeutic efficacy for colorectal cancer. In my results, the protocol for the formation of LPPC/CR1 was optimal. LPPC/CR1 had an average size less than 200 nm and a zeta potential of approximately 35 mV. In addition, this study also showed the antitumor effects of LPPC/CR1 for colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that the LPPC/CR1 complex may supply a feasible strategy for the advanced colorectal cancer therapy in the future.

博士
國立交通大學
分子醫學與生物工程研究所
101
Liposomes (phospholipid bilayer vesicles), which are biocompatible and flexible biomaterials, are currently used for efficient induction of specific immune responses against antigens. In our laboratory, lipo-complex has been developed and proved that (1) its non-covalent protein-adsorption ability, (2) the bound proteins are irreplaceable and (3) maintain the activities of the bound proteins. In this study, according to the characters of lipo-complex, the aim is the investigation of immunoregulation and intracellular protein delivery by using lipo-complex. Section one is to demonstrate that lipo-complex adsorbed immunofunction proteins could regulate specific T-cell immunity in vivo. Section two is to evaluate that the immunoregulation effect of lipo-complex is on the mice immunity against B16F10-pLEGFP melanoma cells in metastatic model. Section three is to investigate that the intracellular protein delivery ability and its mechanism of lipo-complex. Therefore, the study of lipo-complex provides an insight on the potency of development of personalized medicine and protein drug.

碩士
嘉南藥理科技大學
生物科技系暨研究所
97
Spray-drying method has been used for development of biotechnological protein preparation and preservation. The characteristic of spray-drying method is able to remain in particle form and keep dryness simultaneously. Using a single process to remove water from the original solution and obtain solid particle preparation attracts great interest by biopharmaceuticals. To preserve high molecular polycation/DNA complex by freeze-drying method has been identified and demonstrated to retain stability of DNA gene expression at least over one year. However, spray-drying method has not been extensively studied. The aims of this study are to investigate the factors that influence PEI/DNA transfection efficiency after spray-drying process and to evaluate protective efficiency of two different types of protective agents. To investigation of transfection efficiency, polyethyleneimine(PEI)/DNA complex (the ratio is 1:1) was used as a criterion of gene transfection. Sucrose and PEG 4000, 10000, and 35000 were used as the protective agents in different ratios (5, 10, 20 and 30%) to form a secondary complex with PEI/DNA complex or become a mixture with DNA and PEI separately prior to make PEI/DNA complex. These complexes were then subsequently subjected to spray-drying process. The spray-drying products were then reconstituted and performed gene tranfection study. Their cytotoxicity and gene expression in agarose gel was also studied. When naked plasmid DNA mixed with non-condense neutral protective agents after spray-drying process, most of DNA tertiary structure remained in open circular. Since 10％of all PEG mixed with PEI/DNA complex generated highest products, easily to be dissolved in water and possessed higher transfection efficiency, this mixing ratio was chosen for further studies. Results of transfection efficiency from fresh made PEI/DNA mixed with PEG 4000 was comparable to PEI/DNA complex. However, the efficiency was abolished after spray-drying process. Neither fresh prepared nor spray-drying prepared PEI/DNA mixed with other protective agents in either preparation methods show any significant transfection. Cell viability showed that all preparation were not-toxic to cells. Gene expressed in agarose gel also confirmed that protective agents could not be separated by polyaspartic acid from PEI/DNA complex after spray-drying process, subsequently affecting the transfection. In conclusion, spray-drying process may be an easy method to perverse many types of material, it is not suitable for current chosen protective agents, in terms of reservation of their bioactivity. In the future work, we intend to find other better protective agents for this preserving process.

碩士
中原大學
電機工程研究所
94
Peng-Hu is an isolated power system without having any links with Taiwan. There is only a Gen-San power plant with 12 diesel generators located in the main island. According to the load increasing, Peng-Hu power system need to build new plants, including diesel generator, wind power generator, offshore wind farm, and submarine cables that connect Peng-Hu power system with Taiwan. By the possibility of set up the new plants, that could have nice situations. After generators and submarine cables incorporating into the power system, it caused impacts in all respects. So this study considered evaluating every phenomenon, such as voltage fluctuation, voltage flicker, harmonic, safety of system, transient stability, underfrequency load shedding and overfrequency generator tripping. For discussing the Peng-Hu power system’s transient stability, this study established the exciter and governor’s mathematic model of the diesel and wind generator. Because of wind couldn’t be forecasted, the large-scale offshore wind farm caused voltage flicker in the power system. This study considered nine system situations in 2011. It used PowerWorld Simulator to study the power flow and fault current, and using PSCAD/EMTDC to study voltage flicker and transient stability. By the strategy of the special protection system, planning the underfrequency load shedding and overfrequency generator tripping. Certain of the advantageous results toward building the every new plant are also provided in this paper.