Dissertations / Theses on the topic '24*7'

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive cancer that affects millions of patients per year. Conventional therapies combining chemotherapeutic agents with radiation can only extend survival by a few months; therefore, there is a dire need for an effective means of treating this deadly disease. Melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7/interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24), currently in the early stages of FDA pre-IND drug trials, has proven to be an effective cancer specific cytokine, able to trigger the onset of mitochondrial dysfunction and/or autophagy. GBM’s have mutations that often result in the activation of cytoprotective cell signaling pathways, preventing cancer therapeutics and even MDA-7/IL-24 treatments from being effective. Since the discovery of MDA-7/IL-24 a number of groups have shown toxic effects in a variety of tumor cells. However, the lethality of MDA-7/IL-24 is not enough to eradicate the tumor. We hypothesized two xxiii rationales for this minimalistic effect. First, the MDA-7/IL-24 gene delivery mechanisms are not efficient or second, active pro-survival pathways are playing a role in protection. Here we have shown that the inhibition of cytoprotective cell-signaling pathways using small molecule inhibitors of mitogen-activated extracellular regulated kinase (MEK)1/2 and phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) or AKT; mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and MEK1/2; HSP90 inhibitor 17AAG; and the autophagy-inducing drug OSU-03012 (AR-12), enhances the toxicity of MDA-7/IL-24. In addition, the use of a modified recombinant adenovirus comprised of the tail and shaft domains of a serotype 5 virus and the knob domain of a serotype 3 virus expressing MDA-7/IL-24, Ad.5/3-mda-7, proved to be a more effective, CAR-independent means of infecting and killing GBM cells in vitro and in vivo when compared to Ad.5-mda-7. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the induction of autophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction by a combinatorial treatment approach represents a potentially viable strategy to kill primary human GBM cells.

Sleep undergoes important changes during adolescence and many teenagers experience problems sleeping. These in turn affect adolescents´ academic, physical and psychosocial functioning. Moreover, there are some indications that sleep problems in this age group may be increasing, possibly as a consequence of societal changes, e.g., internet availability. Research on adolescents´ sleep is growing, but more epidemiological studies are needed to clarify the prevalence of poor sleep, long and short-term outcomes associated with it, and potential risk and protective factors to target in preventive interventions. The aim of this dissertation was to contribute to each of these goals; Study I investigated the longitudinal association between sleep problems, defined as symptoms of insomnia, and school absenteeism; Study II explored the prevalence of poor sleep, defined as sleep deficit, in an adolescent population and psychosocial and contextual factors associated with it, including emotional and behavioral problems, stress, sleep hygiene and technology use; finally, Study III evaluated the short-term effects of a novel universal school-based intervention to improve adolescents´ sleep health. The findings show that poor sleep was strongly related to adolescents´ functioning, including emotional and behavioral problems and school attendance, and that sleep deficit was prevalent in adolescents. This supports the need for prevention. Moreover, sleep deficit was associated with stress, technology use and arousal at bedtime, which may represent important barriers to sleep. A preventive intervention targeting these barriers to promote adolescents´ sleep health was successful with the individuals most at risk. However, it remains to be seen whether these changes will be maintained after the intervention and whether incidence of sleep problems will be lower relative to a control group. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Melanoma differentiation associated gene 7/Interleukin-24 (MDA-7/IL-24) is a secreted cytokine which acts as a tumor suppressor. It is capable of selectively killing cancer cells, regardless of anatomic origin, while sparing normal cells. miRNAs are master regulators of gene expression that can play two roles in cancer: tumor-suppression and oncogenesis. We identified a number of miRNAs that are regulated by MDA-7/IL-24 using a PCR plate array containing probes for miRNAs known to play a role in prostate cancer. We independently validated the array with qRT-PCR to identify three miRNAs which are downregulated by MDA-7/IL-24 treatment in DU145, PC3, and PC3ML prostate cancer lines. These miRNAs were miR-125a, miR-145, and miR-23b. Their gene targets were identified using TargetScan and confirmed to be regulated in our prostate cancer model. NLRC5, KLF4, and KLF15, respectively, were upregulated after treatment with MDA-7/IL-24. We focused on NLRC5 as a novel target of MDA-7/IL-24, which plays a role in immune evasion by cancer cells. NLRC5 is upregulated following inhibition of miR-125a. It is not downregulated by overexpression of miR-125a which suggests that more than one miRNA may be acting to regulate its expression. Finally, we determined that miR-125a is downregulated by MDA-7 through DICER, an important processing enzyme for miRNA biogenesis.

Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: “First, the church isn’t ours; it’s God’s. And second, it isn’t ours; it’s us” (McLaren 2000:7). Wat ook al van die Kerk gesê word, hoe ons as Kerk funksioneer en leef – dit moet altyd gedoen word met hierdie woorde van McLaren in gedagte. Die gesindheid waarmee ons na mekaar kyk en met mekaar verskil is juis dit wat vertel van ons volwassenheid in Christus. “Die kriterium waarmee julle oordeel, sal ook vir julle self gebruik word” (Matteus 7:2)1. Gelowiges vanuit verskillende kerklike agtergronde, met verskillende dogmatiese tradisies en oortuigings, aanbid en dien die Here saam in 'n geloofsgemeenskap sonder enige teologiese spanning. Terwyl daar ruimte gebied word vir verskeie denkrigtings en elkeen se eie pad met God gebied word, gaan dit vir elke gelowige om 'n verhouding met God deur Jesus Christus en die leiding van die Heilige Gees. Verder gaan dit oor verhoudings tussen medegelowiges en 'n missionale praksis2 in die gemeenskap. Volgens Barna verlaat miljoene gelowiges die denominasies en tradisionele gemeentes (2005:11) omdat hulle gefrustreerd geraak het met die beheer binne die onbuigbare mensgemaakte strukture, sisteme en tradisies. Die bedanking van 'n paar honderd gelowiges vanuit die hoofstroom denominasies, net in George alleen, waaronder daar 'n hele aantal voltydse werkers, kerkraadslede en aktiewe lidmate is, maak dit nodig dat die tradisionele manier van kerkwees heroorweeg word. Die Kerk 24/7-beweging wat ontstaan het rondom predikante met Pinkster en Gereformeerde agtergronde, bied 'n geloofsgemeenskap vir dié wat saam met Barna se miljoene, die denominasies verlaat het. Die Beweging besef dat dit deel is van 'n postmoderne omgewing waarin die Kerk besig is om te verander. Hierdie beweging is deel van die Ontluikende Kerk as fenomeen en nie as 'n organisasie wat deur sekere “emergants” of enige iemand anders gelei word nie. Hierdie studie beskryf die Ontluikende Kerk soos veral deur die oë van Barna, Gibbs & Bolger, en McLaren gesien. Dit omskryf ook die ondervindinge en betrokkenheid van veral drie predikante, Breedt, Badenhorst en Potgieter wat saam met ander gelowiges op soek is na God se wil vir die Kerk in 'n postmoderne omgewing. Gedurende die bestaan van drie en 'n half jaar het nog agt ander predikante en voltydse werkers vanuit die Charismatiese, Pinkster en Gereformeerde agtergronde betrokke geraak en is deel van die vorming van die huidige bedieningspraktyk van die Kerk 24/7-beweging. Die antwoorde van die respondente werp meer lig op die redes waarom die betrokke gelowiges hul denominasies en gemeentes verlaat het om hulle saam met ander wat dieselfde oortuigings deel, te “fellowship” en die Here dan so te dien. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie is die navorser se bydrae om die siening en belewenis van die postmoderne Christen se kerklike ervarings binne sy leefwêreld te beskryf. Die ontstaan van die Kerk 24/7-beweging is volgens die navorser 'n antwoord op die behoefte van talle gelowiges om die Here buite die tradisionele kerkstrukture en sisteme te dien.<br>ABSTRACT: “First, the church isn’t ours; it’s God’s. And second, it isn’t ours; it’s us” (McLaren 2000:7). Whatever is said about the Church, how we function as the Body of Christ and how we approach the future, must always be done with McLaren’s quote in mind. The attitude with which we differ from each other, will always point to our maturity in Christ. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2). Believers from different spiritual backgrounds and convictions fellowship together in a faith community without any theological tension. While the focus is on a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, each person is allowed to minister as he or she feels led by the Holy Spirit. What is very important, is the relationship amongst fellow believers and a missional praxis within the community. According to Barna, millions of believers leave the denominations and traditional congregations because of the control within the human-made systems and structures. In George alone a few hundred believers, of which quite a number were full-time workers, left the mainstream denominations in the past four years. This definitely calls for a reconsidering of the traditional way of doing church. The Church 24/7 movement, which was started by pastors from Pentecostal and Reformed backgrounds, offers a faith community to those who left their congregations just as Barna’s millions. The Movement realizes that it finds itself in a postmodern environment where the church is constantly changing. The Church 24/7 movement forms part of the Emerging Church as phenomenon and is not an organization led by the emergants like Brian McLaren or any other leader. This study describes the Emerging Church as chiefly seen through the eyes of Barna, Gibbs & Bolger and McLaren. It also emphasizes the experiences and involvement of Breedt, Badenhorst and Potgieter who started the Movement together with fellow believers. During the past three and a half years, eight other Ministers and full-time workers from the Charismatic, Pentecostal and Reformed backgrounds became part of the exciting development of this ministry which day by day unfolds through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. The answers given by the respondents help us to understand why believers left their traditional congregations to spontaneously get involved with this new way of thinking about God’s Church. This qualitative study is the contribution of the researcher to describe the experience and perception the postmodern Christian have of church life within this world. According to the researcher the rise of the Church 24/7 movement is an answer to the believers who long to serve God without the traditional church structures and systems.

This study presents the results of an evaluation of the 24/7 Sobriety Program in Cass County, North Dakota, looking specifically at participants? likelihood of receiving a conviction of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) both during and after exiting the program. Data was collected of participants who have been enrolled in the program from the start of the program in 2010 through 2018 and matched to public criminal records searches of each participant. Several analyses were run to determine whether substance choice (alcohol vs. drugs), gender (male vs. female), and duration in program influence a participant?s likelihood to recidivate. Findings for each measure are presented including potential changes that could be made, as well as, limitations of the study.

Depuis la conquete d'alexandre le grand, le monde hellenistique considerait le pays des celtes et celui des indiens comme les extremites de la terre. La tradition chretienne a attribue l'evangelisation de l'inde a thomas et les peres de l'eglise ont repris les informations des ethnographes paiens afin d'etayer leur theologie de l'histoire du salut. C'est ainsi que les brahmanes de l'inde ont ete mis au compte des sages orientaux permettant aux peres de l'eglise de demontrer l'anteriorite de la sagesse barbare sur la philosophie grecque. Mais si les peres de l'eglise parlent des gymnosophistes indiens, ils restent muets quant au fondement meme de leur doctrine religieuse. Vers 230 de l'ere chretienne, dans sa refutation de toutes les heresies, hippolyte de rome expose pour la premiere foisla doctrine brahmanique d'une maniere objective. En 1945, l'indianiste j. Filliozat avait montre que ses renseignements provenaient des upanishads attestant un echange philosophique entre rome et l'inde au iiie siecle de l'ere chretienne dont plotin, initiateur du neo-platonisme, se ferait l'echo. Le present travail vise a demontrer qu'hippolyte de rome n'a jamais eu connaissance de la doctrine brahmanique et qu'il fut simplement victime de ses sources liees a l'hermetisme greco-juif d'alexandrie et a la diatribe cynicostoicienne. Dans une premiere partie, nous presentons l'uvre heresiologique, son auteur et l'articulation entre l'expositio des doctrines philosophiques et la refutatio des heresies. La deuxieme partie est l'etude exegetique d'elenchos 1. 24,1-7 prenant en consideration lesliens philologiques avec l'uvre, les ecrits des ethnographes paiens, la philosophie grecque et la gnose. La troisieme partie traite de la refutation, en viii, 20, de l'encratisme dont l'ascese est presentee dans les memes termes que celle des brahmanes. L'heresiologue les compare a des cyniques utilisant le cliche de la pensee grecque qui identifiait les cyniques aux gymnosophistes indiens.

I denna uppsats studeras hur Matt 7:24-30 har kommit att tolkats i modern tid av feministiska exegeter. Först ur en västerländsk kontext för att sedan övergå till en postkolonial kontext i Indien och södra Asien. I och med detta undersöks frågan: Hur har feministiska exegeter från olika kulturella kontexter förhållit sig till frågan om etnicitet, kön och tolkningen av de grekiska begreppen för barn respektive hundar i Mark 7:24-30?

Renal cell carcinoma accounted for an estimated 57,760 new cases and estimated 12,980 deaths in the United States in 2009. Current treatment options for systemic renal cell carcinoma yield markedly low response percentages; however, recent cytokine therapy experiments have produced promising results. A novel adenovirus, Ad.5/3-mda-7, has been synthesized to efficiently infect renal cancer cells with the mda-7 gene. This gene encodes for the cytokine MDA-7/IL-24 that has the ability to specifically target transformed cells. Assays performed with this adenovirus resulted in an increased percentage of cell death in renal cancer cells when compared to infection with Ad.5/3-cmv empty vector. Further assays that combined Ad.5/3-mda-7 infection with treatments of small molecule inhibitors increased the percentages of cell death by upregulating JNK and p38 MAPK pathways, downregulating the ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, and downregulating the PI3K pathway. Western blots confirmed upregulation and downregulation of these pathways by probing for key proteins. Renal cancer cells responded best to infection with Ad.5/3-mda-7 and treatment with PD184352, PX866, and Rapamycin. This combinatorial treatment caused a greater percentage of cell death than the sum of the two individual treatments, suggesting a synergistic inhibition of cell growth pathways. These findings suggest that the combination of Ad.5/3-mda-7 and specific small molecule inhibitors has developmental potential as a novel and more efficient treatment option for systemic renal cell carcinoma.

Adopting feminist methodology, this research explores the work and motherhood choices of female paramedics with the aim of adding to knowledge in the area of ‘women and work’. Primarily, it aims to investigate the difference of opinion between Hakim (1996, 2000) and Crompton and Harris (1998) about the extent of the determinative effect of lifestyle choices. Paramedics have a well-evidenced high level of work attachment. This provides a unique, distinctive and original means of testing their respective views. The research finds that contrary to Hakim, work attachment or orientation to work is not a sole determinative of women’s workplace position to the extent that they ultimately have absolute free choice (Hakim 1996, 2000) as constraints exist which serve to limit this (Crompton and Harris 1998). Secondly, exploration of the respondents’ narratives necessarily provides insight into the role of their husbands/partners. Adding to knowledge in the area of modern parenting and its impact on women’s choices, the research finds that in contrast to the somewhat limited adoption of ‘new fatherhood’ and ‘shared parenting’ in households found in other research (Bittman 2004; Bianchi et al 2006; Fox 2009), my respondents tended to epitomise the ideal model of ‘50-50’ in the fullest sense. Lastly, undertaking this research in the ambulance service setting where 24/7-365 working is required of all paramedics has provided the unique means of exploring whether women’s work choices now extend beyond 9-5. The research found that shift work is not a barrier to women’s workplace position but in fact an enabler of it. The research concludes that despite assertions to the contrary, women do have more choice than previously if they want it enough and can overcome the constraints. The ‘best of both worlds’ is potentially more viable today, if that is what women want.

The traditional media channels are beeing more and more digitalized and is now offering the consumers access to the content anywhere, anytime. There are indications from different researchers that this could lead to a fragmentation of the media audience. This could be because the content is beeing more and more specialised to different demographic groups of people. With this paper we sought to find out if we could get any indications on if the development tend to continue regarding on demand-services. Does the media audience think they will continue their subscriptions to the services, and if so - why? If not, how will they consume media if not via on demand-services? We conducted an online survey where 243 individuals participated and found out that our respondents indicated to continue their subscriptions because of the quantative content the service offers. Although our result indicated that the people who now are subscribing on an on demand-service will continue to do so - the majority of our respondents showed that they would turn to illegal filesharing and streaming if they, for any reason, would cancel the on demand-subscription.

The purpose of this project was to create a website that would assist students in the process of submitting the correct assignments with a minimal amount of frustration for all parties concerned: teachers, administrators, parents, and students.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES<br>This research aims to study the lifecasting, especially one in which the lifecaster transmits your life uninterrupted, as an phenomenon of 24/7 conected society, such as Jonathan Crary (2014) understands and as technical mediation, intensified by the expansion of internet access, by increasing the connection speed, the cheapening of the cost of equipment, the use of mobile devices and a lot of surveillance practices that has been developing, particularly from the early 1980s. Undertaken a literature review, a web archival research (survey videos, testimonials and stories published about the pioneers in 24/7 lifecasting and his followers and the organization of a personal archive made up of recordings of broadcasts and prints chats) and questionnaires application to lifecasters and lifeviewers, we tried to draw a historical route and to identify the motivations that led them to this practice. The case study systematically accompanied the transmission of the three most important lifecasters of today (among those using the Portuguese, English and Spanish): the American Frank Taylor, the Danish Jan Billy and the Finn Ari Aarne Antero Kivikangas (Cyberman). The lifecasting was analyzed on the basis of four main axes: as a member of the 24/7 society, as a form of surveillance, spectacle of self and resistance. The reasons presented by lifecasters and lifeviewers are in line with current practices in the 24/7 connected society in which surveillance systems, exposure of personal life and the consumption habits have in lifecasting an extreme exemple.<br>A presente dissertação pretende estudar o lifecasting, transmissão contínua por vídeo através da internet, em especial aquele em que o lifecaster transmite a sua vida ininterruptamente, como fenômeno integrante da sociedade conectada 24/7, como a entende Jonathan Crary (2014), e como mediação sócio técnica, intensificada pela ampliação do acesso à internet, pelo aumento da velocidade de conexão, o barateamento do custo dos equipamentos, a utilização de dispositivos móveis e de uma série de práticas de vigilância que vem se desenvolvendo, particularmente, a partir da década de 1980. Através da pesquisa bibliográfica, da web archival research (com o levantamento de vídeos, depoimentos e matérias publicadas acerca dos pioneiros no lifecasting 24/7 e de seus seguidores e a organização de um arquivo pessoal composto por gravações de vídeos das transmissões e por prints de chats) e da aplicação de questionários a lifecasters e lifeviewers, procurou-se traçar um percurso histórico para identificar as motivações que os levaram a tal prática. O estudo de caso acompanhou sistematicamente a transmissão dos três mais importantes lifecasters da atualidade (dentre os que utilizam os idiomas português, inglês e espanhol): o americano Frank Taylor, o dinamarquês Jan Billy e o finlandês Ari Aarne Antero Kivikangas (Cyberman). O lifecasting foi analisado tomando como base quatro eixos principais: como prática integrante da sociedade conectada 24/7, como forma de vigilância, de espetacularização do eu e de resistência. As motivações apresentadas por lifecasters e lifeviewers encontram-se em consonância com as práticas correntes na sociedade conectada 24/7, na qual os sistemas de vigilância, a exposição da vida pessoal e os hábitos de consumo encontram no lifecasting um exemplo extremo.

BACKGROUND:Transglutamiase-4 (TGase-4), also known as prostate transglutaminase, belongs to the TGase family and is uniquely expressed in the prostate gland. The functions of this interesting protein are not clearly defined. In the present study, we have investigated an unexpected link between TGase-4 and the melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7/interleukin-24 (MDA-7/IL-24), a cytokine known to regulate the growth and apoptosis of certain cancer and immune cells.METHODS:Frozen sections of normal and malignant human prostate tissues and human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines PC-3 and CA-HPV-10, cell lines expressing low and high levels of TGase-4, and recombinant MDA-7/IL-24 (rhMDA-7/IL-24) were used. Expression construct for human TGase-4 was generated using a mammalian expression vector with full length human TGase-4 isolated from normal human prostate tissues. PC-3 cells were transfected with expression construct or control plasmid. Stably transfected cells for control transfection and TGase-4 over expression were created. Similarly, expression of TGase-4 in CA-HPV-10 cells were knocked down by way of ribozyme transgenes. Single and double immunofluorescence microscopy was used for localization and co-localization of TGase-4 and MDA-7/IL-24 in PCa tissues and cells with antibodies to TGase-4<br>MDA-7/IL-24<br>IL-20alpha<br>IL-20beta and IL-22R. Cell-matrix adhesion, attachment and migration were by electric cell substrate impedance sensing and growth by in vitro cell growth assay. A panel of small molecule inhibitors, including Akt, was used to determine signal pathways involving TGase-4 and MDA-7/IL-24.RESULTS:We initially noted that MDA-7 resulted in inhibition of cell adhesion, growth and migration of human PCa PC-3 cells which did not express TGase-4. However, after the cells over-expressed TGase-4 by way of transfection, the TGase-4 expressing cells lost their adhesion, growth and migratory inhibitory response to MDA-7. On the other hand, CA-HPV-10 cells, a cell type naturally expressing high levels of TGase-4, had a contrasting response to MDA-7 when compared with PC-3 cells. Inhibitor to Akt reversed the inhibitory effect of MDA-7, only in PC-3 control cells, but not the TGase-4 expressing PC-3 cells. In human prostate tissues, TGase-4 was found to have a good degree of co-localization with one of the MDA-7 receptor complexes, IL-20Ra.CONCLUSION:The presence of TGase-4 has a biological impact on a prostate cancer cell's response to MDA-7. TGase-4, via mechanism(s) yet to be identified, blocked the action of MDA-7 in prostate cancer cells. This has an important implication when considering the use of MDA-7 as a potential anticancer cytokine in prostate cancer therapies.

Melanoma differentiation associated gene-7 (mda-7) was discovered in the Fisher laboratory by subtraction hybridization of temporally spaced subtracted cDNA libraries prepared from terminally differentiated human melanoma cells treated with human fibroblast interferon (IFN-β) and the protein kinase C activator mezerein (MEZ), an approach called ‘differentiation induction subtraction hybridization’ (DISH). mda-7 is located in human chromosome 1q32–33 and based on sequence homology, chromosomal localization, and its functional properties, the mda-7 gene is now classified as a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines and named IL-24. The mda-7/IL-24 cDNA encodes a protein of 206-amino acids with a predicted size of ~24-kDa, which contains an interleukin (IL)-10 signature motif at amino acids 101–121 (SDAESCYLVHTLLEFYLKTVF) shared by other members of the IL-10 family of cytokines. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of a 49-amino acid signal peptide suggesting that the molecule could be cleaved and secreted. Expression of MDA-7/IL-24 protein was detected in cells of the immune system (mainly by expression in tissues associated with the immune system, such as spleen, thymus and PBMC) and normal human melanocytes. Of interest, a progressive loss of MDA-7/IL-24 expression during melanoma progression suggests an inverse relationship between MDA-7/IL-24 expression and the evolution of melanocytes to various stages of melanoma. mda-7/IL-24 induces growth suppression in human melanoma and other cancer cells, without affecting normal cells. Subsequent studies provided consistent evidence that ectopic expression of mda-7/IL-24 employing a replication incompetent adenovirus (Ad.mda-7) resulted in apoptosis induction and cell death in a wide variety of solid tumors including melanoma, malignant glioma, carcinomas of the breast, kidney, cervix, colorectum , liver, lung, ovary and prostate sparing normal cellular counterparts, i.e., such as normal melanocytes, astrocytes, fibroblasts, and mesothelial and epithelial cells. The in vitro antitumor activity of mda-7/IL-24 readily translated into the in vivo situation in animal models containing human breast, prostate, lung and colorectal carcinomas and in malignant glioma xenografts. Moreover, the ability of mda-7/IL-24 to induce a potent “bystander cancer-specific killing effect” provides an unprecedented opportunity to use this molecule to target for destruction not only primary tumors, but also metastases. Based on its profound cancer-selective tropism, substantiated by in vivo human xenograft studies in nude mice, mda-7/IL-24 (administered as Ad.mda-7) was evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial in patients with melanomas and solid cancers. These studies document that mda-7/IL-24 is well tolerated and demonstrates evidence of significant (44%) clinical activity. This review focuses on the recent enhancements in our understanding of the mode of action of mda-7/IL-24 and its potential applications as a unique and promising effective cytokine-based gene therapy for human cancers. The first chapter explored the efficacy of a tropism-modified Ad-based cancer gene therapy approach for eradicating low CAR colorectal cancer cells. We show that in low CAR human colorectal cancer cells (RKO), a recombinant Ad.5/3 virus delivering mda-7/IL-24 (Ad.5/3-mda-7) is more efficient than Ad.5 delivering mda-7 (Ad.5-mda-7) in expressing MDA-7/IL-24 protein, inducing cancer-specific apoptosis and inhibiting in vivo tumor growth in a nude mouse xenograft model. Additionally, our in vitro and in vivo data confirms that BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax) profoundly sensitizes mda-7/IL-24 mediated toxicity in colorectal cancer. Thus, Ad.5/3-mda-7, alone and/or in combination with BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax), might represent an improved and more effective therapeutic approach for colorectal and other cancers. In view of the essential roles of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance, efforts are focused on developing small molecule inhibitors of Bcl-2 family proteins as potential therapeutics for cancer. Unfortunately, due to the unique structure of Mcl-1 as compared with Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, currently employed inhibitors, such as ABT-737 or its clinical counterpart, ABT-263, display limited affinity for Mcl-1. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) binding assays and computational docking studies, we have recently identified a series of new Apogossypol derivatives, compound 3 (BI-79D10) and compound 11 (BI-97C1), with pan-Bcl-2- inhibitory potency. BI-79D10 binds to Bcl- xL, Bcl-2, and Mcl-1 with IC50 values of 190, 360, and 520 nmol/L, respectively. BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax) is an optically pure individual Apogossypol derivative that retains all the properties of BI-79D10 along with superior in vitro and in vivo efficacy. Because Mcl-1 is over-expressed in the majority of PCs, we hypothesized that suppressing Mcl-1 by treating human PC cells with BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax) would sensitize them to mda-7/IL-24-mediated cytotoxicity. The second chapter study highlights the noteworthy potential of a combinatorial approach involving mda-7/IL-24, a broad-acting anticancer gene, and BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax), which targets Mcl-1, to sensitize PC to mda-7/IL-24-mediated cytotoxicity, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Our data suggests that treatment with the combination regimen of mda-7/IL-24 and BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax) induces autophagy that facilitates apoptosis in association with up regulation of NOXA, accumulation of Bim, and activation of Bax and Bak. Treatment with mda-7/IL-24 and BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax) inhibited the growth of PC xenografts and suppressed PC development in an immunocompetent transgenic mouse model of PC. The third chapter study explored the efficacy of a tropism-modified CRCA cancer gene therapy approach for eradicating low CAR prostate cancer cells. We showed that in low CAR PC3 cells Ad.5/3-CTV is more efficient than Ad.5-CTV in delivering transgene (mda-7/IL-24), infecting tumor cells, expressing MDA-7/IL-24 protein, inducing cancer-specific apoptosis, inhibiting in vivo tumor growth and exerting an antitumor ‘bystander’ effect in a nude mouse human prostate cancer xenograft and suppressed PC development in an immunocompetent transgenic mouse model of PC model.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy among women. The current first-line treatments for ovarian cancer are cisplatin, carboplatin and paclitaxel. However, resistance to these platinum-based drugs occurs in the large majority of initially responsive tumors, resulting in fully chemoresistant, fatal disease. Therefore, the resistance to cisplatin therapy has been a critical hurdle in the management of recurrent ovarian cancer. The mechanisms responsible for cisplatin resistance are not completely understood. In the search for new therapies to overcome/bypass cisplatin resistance, melanoma differentiation gene-7 (MDA-7) IL-24, which is a new cytokine, has anti-cancer efficacy by suppressing cell growth and inducing apoptosis in a broad range of tumor cells and does not induce any toxicity in normal cells, thus, making it a potentially effective therapeutic gene for ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential therapeutic efficacy of MDA-7 to treat ovarian carcinoma. Since adenoviral-mediated MDA-7 gene therapy has been shown to be well tolerated and showed biological activity in clinical studies in the context of other carcinomas we assessed the anticancer effects of Ad.mda-7 and in combination with cis-platinum on ovarian cancer cells. Our results show that the purified recombinant MDA-7 protein, GST-MDA-7, and Ad.mda7 virus (5) induced growth arresst and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. However, the apoptosis induction was low and directly correlated with infectivity of Ad.mda-7 virus (5). The use of a modified Ad.mda-7 virus type5, Ad.mda-7 virus type(5/3), inhanced infectivity and significantly enhanced ovarian cancer cell killing in human ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro compared to unmodified Ad.mda-7 virus, Ad.mda-7 virus type5. Also Ad-mda7 synergizes with cis-platinum in vitro and enhances ovarian cancer cell death. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that MDA-7 is capable of promoting growth suppression and inducing cell death in ovarian cancer cells, at least OVCAR cells and support the pharmacological interest of the combination of MDA-7 and cis-platinum.

Reading the Old Testament confronts interpreters with the hermeneutical interrelationship between theological traditions that have contributed to the production and growth of the canonical text and interpretative traditions that seek to understand it within a contemporary context. In the present study, Jeremiah’s temple sermon constitutes an illuminating case study in the ways that hermeneutical frameworks influence the interpretation of biblical literature, as well as an opportunity to explore the possible resources that contemporary theological traditions might offer for understanding texts that have been shaped by ancient theological traditions. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a theologically-oriented reading of the two accounts of the temple sermon in Jeremiah 7:1–15 and 26:1–24 from the perspective of the Christian tradition. I argue that both texts may be understood to communicate a conditional message of judgment aimed at provoking the repentance of its audience, and that the hermeneutical relationship between the two texts reinforces this interpretation. The first two chapters provide an orientation to the subject matter and approach of the thesis, as well as an extended critique of two existing frameworks that have influenced the modern understanding of the temple sermon. The third chapter then proposes a reframing of the discussion, by focusing upon the nature of tradition in philosophical and theological perspectives. Chapters four and five offer extended theological readings of Jeremiah 7:1–15 and 26:1–24, respectively, seeking to demonstrate that contemporary theological discourse may provide potentially illuminating resources for biblical interpretation.

In this thesis I consider the messianic forerunner concept within "Q" (which I take to be a source used by all three of the synoptic authors). I argue that at least five units in Q (3:2-3+7-9+16b-17; 3:21-22; 7:18-20+22-23; 7:24-27; 7:28) envisage John as a messianic forerunner to the Messiah Jesus. The messianic forerunner concept is therefore quite pervasive in Q and cannot be said to have originated with the evangelist Mark, as is sometimes supposed. Q attempts to deal with the historical fact that Jesus had not fulfilled Israel's messianic expectations. It did this by portraying Jesus as a rejected Messiah whose redemptive mission had been thwarted by Israel's unbelief. Jesus will ultimately redeem Israel but this will take place at his second coming and that cannot take place until Israel repents. I consider whether Q's redactor(s) utilised any earlier sources. I find this not to have been the case in Q's Prologue (3:2-3+7-9+16b-17) or in Jesus' Baptism by John (3:21-22). Earlier source material can, however, be detected in 7:18-19+22-23; 7:24-27; and 7:28. I consider whether any of this latter material derives from a rival "Baptist" source and conclude that it does not. The question of whether the messianic forerunner concept had its origins in Judaism prior to Jesus and his new movement can therefore not be established by any of the Q units examined in this thesis. What can be established, however, is that the concept goes back to some of the earliest traditions of Jesus' followers.

La transmission de la parole a bande elargie (0 a 7 khz) occupe une place de plus en plus importante dans les systemes de telecommunications modernes tels le visiophone et les systemes de teleconference. La qualite de transmission atteinte par la norme g722 du ccitt (reference actuelle) est suffisante, mais le debit de 64 kbit/s est trop eleve. Recemment, le codage par transformee a montre d'excellentes performances pour la transmission des signaux sonores de haute-fidelite (brandenburg & al. , 1991). Ces bons resultats ont suggere l'application de cette technique au codage de la parole a bande elargie. Le point de depart de notre etude a consiste a exploiter les performances d'un codeur par transformee de signaux audio (32 khz et 64 bit/s) developpe au cnet/lannion (mahieux & petit, 1990), afin d'elaborer deux codeurs : un codeur a debit fixe de 32 bit/s et un codeur a debit variable ayant un debit moyen de 24 bit/s. L'utilisation directe du codeur audio, en changeant seulement la frequence d'echantillonnage de 32 khz a 16 khz, conduirait a l'obtention d'un codeur de la parole a bande elargie ayant un retard codeur + decodeur de 160ms. Nos etudes ont consiste alors a optimiser ce codeur. La prise en compte de la nature voisee/non voisee (v/nv) du signal de parole effectuee a toutes les etapes du developpement des deux algorithmes a ete determinante. Dans cette these, nous presentons les deux codeurs realises a l'icp. Les resultats obtenus lors de l'evaluation subjective (mos=4,5) ont montre que la qualite de ces deux codeurs atteint celle de la norme g722 (64 kbit/s). De plus, le retard codeur = decodeur est de 80 ms, pour chaque codeur

The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572) and the Sack of Antwerp (1576), two of the most notorious massacres of the 1570s, were of international consequence in a confessionally-divided Europe. This thesis offers a comparative analysis of the Elizabethan political and print responses to both atrocities, evaluating to what extent and in what ways each shaped the increasingly Protestant political character of the period. It compares strands of argument aired by Elizabethan councillors, courtiers, military commanders and clerics, in contrast with the content of contemporary news pamphlets, to establish whether there was any overlap between the parameters of political debate and topical print. It investigates whether, and on what occasions, statesmen or figures associated with the court may have sought to confessionalise public opinion via the production of printed news. Analysing often overlooked printed sources, the thesis focuses on aspects of content and contexts of production. It considers the kinds of comment expressed on the massacres per se and in relation to: the nature of the wars in France and the Low Countries; Elizabeth’s foreign and domestic agendas; the compound significance of her gender, the unresolved succession and her realm's vulnerability to foreign invasion; and providential discourses concerning God’s favour and protection. These lines of enquiry throw up some insights into changing English attitudes towards the Catholic crowns of France and Spain and key figures abroad. Finally, the thesis reaches some broader conclusions regarding the development of an increasingly militant Anglo-Protestant nationalism in the mid-Elizabethan period.

This study aims to identify the consequences on individual and collective well-being of the loss of control over time management, as a result of the processes of flexibilisation of work and social acceleration that characterize contemporary society. The dissolution of the boundaries between work and private life is observed to proliferate latently in every context of social and professional life, but now appears institutionalized in some sectors of the 24/7 economy where just-in-time availability is increasingly required. In order to distinguish more clearly the contours of the phenomenon, it was decided to limit the survey to a sector of the 24/7 economy, which lends itself to comparisons between work organizations that are still Fordist and organizations hyper-flexible. The choice therefore fell on the profession of "Bus Driver", which can be carried out in the "solid" context of Local Public Transport, still structured, guaranteeing and strongly unionized, or in the "liquid" organizations of the companies of “Rental with Driver” which are more exposed to an unpredictable demand and are characterized by a strong flexibility, both in the use of atypical contractual forms, and in the management of working hours, often communicated overnight. The empirical part involved the analysis of secondary data available in the databases of Job Centers, for the study of the employment flexibility contracts, and the conduct of narrative interviews to investigate the impacts of flexibility of work performance on the well-being of workers. The dimensions investigated were identified by analyzing human needs theories, poverty studies, and institutional systems for detecting well-being, such as BES project by Istat and Cnel. The survey confirmed the greater flexibility in the private transport sector and highlighted how the loss of power over time management inhibits the ability to satisfy basic human needs, such as the need for relationality and social participation, configuring itself as a new form of immaterial poverty awaiting recognition. The analysis of personal experiences, moreover, underlined the role of the expressive orientation to work in tolerating more flexible situations and revealed a "systemic social irresponsibility" which contributes to creating and reproducing inequalities regarding the quality of work and the quality of people's lives.

How can light positively influence and encourage pedestrians’ engagement and interaction with the urban environments at night? In this Master Thesis, I questioned how to develop nighttime urban planning from a socially-oriented approach. In order to answer this question, I studied different evidence such as two publications, three lighting designers’ and a lighting studio’ approach; three case studies analyses, two of them located in Colombia (Cartagena and Medellín) and one in Sweden (Stockholm);and my own qualitative observation and quantitative measurements studied between April and May at Norrmalmstorg and Biblioteksgatan in Stockholm, Sweden. From that review, I propose a Guideline consisted of three sections: (1) Main dimensions, (2) lighting attributes, and (3) lighting systems in urban planning. In general, this guideline is a framework to develop the analytical tools for various design stages in nighttime urban planning.

Esta tesis está enfocada en un estudio de la generación millennial aplicado al mercado peruano y a las nuevas tendencias que utilizan las marcas para comunicar sus productos o servicios. Entre las nuevas tendencias que se practican en todo el mundo se encuentran los personajes llamados influencers. Existen varios tipos de influencers entre los cuales tenemos a los bloggers, youtubers y celebrities, quienes a nivel mundial han generado un gran impacto en la rentabilidad de muchas empresas, ya que sus opiniones y publicaciones sobre marcas tienen un efecto en el comportamiento de compra de sus seguidores, estos seguidores en su mayoría pertenecen a las últimas generaciones, las denominadas generaciones Y y Z. En la actualidad muchas empresas vienen utilizando a los influencers, para comunicar y promocionar sus productos o servicios, pero ¿Cómo saber qué influencer elegir para que comunique mi marca? En este estudio evaluaremos qué factores, características y perfiles de un influencer peruano, la generación millennial valora más. Con esto tratamos de identificar cuáles son los factores que destacan a un influencer y cuál es el principal motivo para que una persona de la generación millennial lo siga en sus redes sociales y pueda tomar en cuenta su opinión respecto a marcas, productos o servicios que estos promocionan a través de sus publicaciones en los diferentes medios. Además, este estudio contribuye a las empresas a que puedan evaluar bien cuáles son las características que la generación millennial valora más de los influencers, para tomar en cuenta al momento de realizar sus campañas de comunicación a través de ellos.<br>This thesis is focused on a study of the millennial generation applied to the Peruvian market and the new trends that brands use to communicate their products or services. Among the new trends that are practiced around the world are the characters called influencers. There are several types of influencers such as bloggers, youtubers and celebrities, who worldwide have generated a great impact on the profitability of many companies, since their opinions and publications on brands have an effect on the buying behavior of their followers, these followers mostly belong to the latest generations, the so-called generation Y and Z. At present, many companies are using these influencers to communicate and promote your products or services, but how do you know what influencer you choose to communicate my brand? In this study we will evaluate what factors, characteristics and profiles of a Peruvian influencer, the millennial generation values more. With this we try to identify which are the factors that highlight an influencer and what is the main reason for a person of the millennial generation to follow him on their social networks and can consider their opinion regarding brands, products or services that these promote through their publications in the different media. In addition, this study contributes to the companies that can evaluate well what are the characteristics that the millennial generation values more than the influencers, to take into account when carrying out their communication campaigns through them.<br>Tesis

La presente investigación tiene como propósito encontrar la relación entre las promociones online a través de Instagram, Facebook y mailing en su relación con la intención de compra en el entorno offline. Para ello, se realizó un análisis mixto de carácter cualitativo y cuantitativo. Con respecto al análisis cualitativo, se realizaron entrevistas a expertos y un focus group al target. También se realizó un análisis cuantitativo bivariado a través de correlaciones mediante encuestas a 150 mujeres jóvenes entre 18 a 24 años, los datos fueron procesados utilizando un análisis de correlaciones. Como resultado se obtuvo que existe una relación más fuerte entre Instagram y la intención de compra y, en el caso de Facebook esta es más débil. Con respecto a la plataforma mailing se encontró que no existe relación con la intención de compra. Dichos resultados son de utilidad para el sector estudiado debido a que se ha podido conocer la opinión sobre qué tipo de red social es la más utilizada. De esta forma, las empresas deberían de comunicar sólo en redes sociales como Facebook e Instagram y descartar otras herramientas que son secundarias para el target, porque aparentemente las mujeres jóvenes no esperan este tipo de información como son las promociones de venta vía mailing.<br>The purpose of this research is to find the relationship between online promotions through Instagram, Facebook and mailing in relation to the purchase intention in the offline environment. For this, a mixed analysis of qualitative and quantitative character was carried out. With respect to the qualitative analysis, expert interviews and a focus group were conducted on the target. A bivariate quantitative analysis was also carried out through correlations through surveys to 150 young women between 18 and 24 years old, the results were analyzed using correlation analysis. From this, it has been found that there is a stronger relationship on Instagram than on Facebook with the purchase intention, in the case of the mailing it was found that there is no relationship with the purchase intention. These results are useful for the sector studied because it has been possible to know the opinion on what type of social network is the most used. In this way, companies should only communicate on social networks such as Facebook and Instagram and discard other tools that are secondary to the target, because apparently young women do not expect this type of information such as sales promotions via mailing.<br>Trabajo de investigación

The 12C+16O breakup of 28Si and the 12C+12C breakup of 24Mg have been studied following the interaction of a 170 MeV 24Mg beam with 7Li, 9Be,12C and 16O target nuclei. The measurements were performed at the Australian National University in Canberra, using the technique of Resonant Particle Spectroscopy. The breakup fragments from the decay of the resonant nuclei were detected in two Gas-Si-CsI telescopes positioned on opposite sides of the beam axis. The data suggest that the same states in 28Si are populated via the 7Li(24Mg, 12C 16O)3H, 9Be(24Mg,12C 16O)5He and 12c(24Mg,12C 16O)8Be reactions. This implies that the cluster decaying states are populated by direct a-transfer. Breakup has been observed from states in 28Si at excitation energies (spins) of (26.15), 28.17 (13-, 29.51, 29.95, 30.45, 30.76, (31.3), 31.65, 31.90, 32.51, 33.14, 33.41, 33.77, 34.45 (12+,14+) and 35.13 MeV. A consistent theoretical interpretation of the 28Si molecular structures has been given, taking into account the predictions of Nilsson-Strutinsky, a-cluster model and two centre shell model calculations. The present results for the 12C(24Mg,12C 12C)12C reaction agree with previous measurements. In addition, new spin assignments have been proposed for several of the breakup states in 24Mg. States have been observed at excitation energies (spins) of 20.54 (2+), 21.07 (4+), 21.88 (4+), 22.33 (4+), 22.90 (6+), 23.80 (6+,(8+)), 24.56 (8+), 25.14 (6+), 25.72, 26.41 (8+) and 27.12 MeV. Evidence for the population of many of these states via the 16O(24Mg,12C 12C)16O reaction has also been observed. However, the data gave no evidence for either the 7Li(24Mg,12C 12C)7Li or 9Be(24Mg,12C 12C)9Be reactions. The presently available information did not allow an unambiguous determination of the reaction mechanism responsible for the population of the 24Mg breakup states. The performance of the Gas-Si-Csl telescopes has been investigated. For multiplicity 2 events in the silicon strip detectors, a crosstalk has been observed between the two active strips. The energy calibration of the silicon strip detectors for penetrating particles has also been found to differ to that for stopped particles. Empirical corrections for both of these effects have been deduced allowing the simultaneous detection and identification of heavy and light ions within a single telescope. These techniques have been extended to the detection of 8Be &rarr; alpha+alpha events over a wide range of alpha-particle energies.

eFörvaltning ses som ett medel för att göra kommunalt förvaltningsarbete mer effektivt och interoperabelt. Dock begränsas kommuner av oförmåga att uppnå det vilket försvårar genomförandet av deras uppdrag. En orsak till varför införandet av eFörvaltning inte ger de systematiska fördelar som efterfrågas beror på att införandet av informations och kommunikations teknologier (IKT) inte är tillräckligt. Förändringen som krävs kan inte ske över en natt utan är en gradvis förändring över tid som även kräver nya sätt att arbeta på. Kommuner behöver hantera sin eFörvaltningsutveckling på ett mer strukturerat sätt för att öka möjligheterna att förverkliga de fördelarna som sägs kunna erhållas. Enterprise Architecture (EA) har på senare tid kommit att ses som en möjlig lösning för att komma tillrätta med denna problematik. Genom att arbeta mot en EA skapas möjligheten att brygga IKT system med affärsprocesser och därigenom leda till effektivitet och interoperabilitet. Dock är EA inom offentlig sektor ifrågasatt. Forskare menar att EA saknar tydlig definierad omfattning och begreppsvärld, vilket gör användningen av EA inom förvaltningsarbete svår. De omfattande logiska EA ramverk som finns idag saknar innehåll som är specifikt relaterade till offentlig sektor. Vari det blir problematiskt att arbeta mot en EA inom offentlig sektor. Denna licentiatavhandling lägger följande forskningsfråga: ”Vilken roll har EA för införandet av eFörvaltning inom Svenska kommuner?” Samt följande underfrågor ”Vilka förutsättningar finns för att använda EA vid eFörvaltningsutveckling?” ”Vad har Örebro kommun uppnått genom att arbete mot en EA i deras eFörvaltningsutveckling?” Och ”Vilka problem har Örebro kommun upplevt av att arbeta mot en EA vid eFörvaltningsutvecklingen?”. En longitudinell fallstudie av ett eFörvaltningsutvecklingsprojekt i Örebrokommun genomfördes mellan 2007 och 2009 med syfte att utröna dessa frågor och för att skapa insikt om EAs roll för eFörvaltningsutveckling. Förutsättningar, resultat och upplevda problem vid eFörvaltningsutvecklingen studerades. I anslutning till detta empiriska arbete genomfördes även en jämförandestudie av eFörvaltningsmål såsom de anges i officiella statliga dokument inom så väl Sverige som i EU gentemot förmodade fördelarna med EA som diskuteras i samtida EA-litteratur. Studien visar att EA som fenomen ses som en förutsättning för att lyckas med eFörvaltning. 7 viktiga aspekter gällande förutsättningen för att lyckas med kommuners eFörvaltningsutveckling identifierades: Skillnaden mellan administrativa och politiska ansvaret, Politiskt mandat, Politisk timing, Resursfördelning, Samordning under NPM, Leverantörsberoende, Val av standard och bäst praxis. För att förbättra möjligheten att röna framgång i eFörvaltningsutveckling behöver dessa aspekter aktualiseras och hanteras. New Public Management (NPM) som styrmodell utgör ett strukturellt hinder för eFörvaltningsutveckling som förhindrar en mer explicit användning av EA-ramverk, vilket påverkar möjligheten att uppnå uppsatta mål negativt. Trots den strukturella problematik som föreligger, kan stöd erhållas genom att arbeta utifrån ett ”EA-tänk”. Ett ”EAtänk” kan här ses som ett medel för att påbörja förändringen mot en EA utan att för den delen explicit använda sig av ett EA-ramverk, eller -metod. Dock är det viktigt skapa en förståelse för att ”EA-tänk” som fenomen i sin tur ger upphov till strukturer och således kan leda till problem som även de måste hanteras för att eFörvaltningsutveckling skall lyckas. eFörvaltning, NPM och ett ”EA-tänk” skapar en strukturell triad där olika strukturella egenskaper i vissa fall sammanfaller med varandra vari de kan stödja kommuner i dess arbete och således bidra till positiv utveckling. Medan det i andra fall leder till negativ utveckling där administrationen upplever problem att ta till sig av de rekommendationer eFörvaltningsprojektet kan tänkas ge till organisationen som helhet. Paradoxalt nog skapar denna strukturella triad en situation där kommuner måste arbete runt sig själv för att komma framåt. Normer och befintliga strukturer i kommuner förhindrar effektiv samarbete både internt mellan olika förvaltningar och externt gentemot andra kommuner och landsting vilket leder till fragmentariska framsteg mot projektmålen och i slutänden även kommunens övergripande mål gällande eFörvaltningsutveckling. Givet de i många fall motstridiga strukturella egenskaper som finns mellan NPM och eFörvaltning innebär att det initiala arbetet mot EA i eFörvaltningsutveckling är ett ytterst komplext fenomen. För att öka möjligheten att eFörvaltningsutvecklingen blir lyckad krävs det att kommuner känner till och hantera den negativa inverkan NPM har på eFörvaltningsutveckling. Samtidigt behöver de känna till och hanterar problematiken som uppstår av att arbeta mot en EA genom ett ”EA-tänk”, Samt att som studien visat, EA ger inget stöd för mer politiseras mål, vari kommuner behöver annat sätt och andra strategier för sådant arbete. Detta är viktigt att beakta, speciellt med tanke på att mer politiserade mål i mångt och mycket är de mål som kommer premieras av politiker. Av just den enkla orsaken att politiker inte blir omvalda på grund av “effektiva IKT integrerade interna processer” utan blir omvalda utifrån förbättringar som är synliga och som gagnar medborgare positivt. Avhandlingen bidrar till forsknings genom att öka förståelse för och behovet av att hantera både positiva och negativa faktorer som påverkar möjligheten att lyckas med eFörvaltningsutveckling inom kommunalt arbete. Vilket inkluderar de 7 identifierade kritiska faktorer måste aktualiseras och hanteras för att öka möjligheten att lyckas. Den negativa effekt NPM har på eFörvaltningsutveckling och hur ett ”EA-tänk” kan leda till positiv utveckling, även om det som denna studie visat inte kan bidra till mer politiserade mål. Vad gäller denna licentiatavhandlings bidrag till praktiken så bidrar den med att belysa den problematiska situation som föreligger av att institutionaliserade strukturer i många fall verkar som ett hinder mot förändring. Studien möjliggör även till att kommuner kan skapa en förståelse för sin egna eFörvaltningsutveckling och möjligtvis kan verka för att inte uppleva samma problematik som identifierats i Örebros eFörvaltningsutveckling samt visa på hur en kommun kan arbeta för att hantera den problematik som inte kan förhindras alternativ som uppstår trots denna kunskap.<br>Governments struggle with inefficiencies and an inability to achieve interoperable information communication technology (ICT) systems. Apparent issues include a failure of local government to realize the benefits of electronic government (eGov) initiatives, high project failure rates, administrations hampered with inefficiencies, and a lack of interoperability between systems within the local government. Thus, local governments need to address their eGov initiatives in a structured way to improve their chances of providing the benefits that are sought after. Sweden’s eGov model is decentralized, following a strict new public management (NPM) model. Whilst eGov ought to bring benefits to local government, Sweden is still hampered by inefficiencies and an inability to achieve interoperable ICT systems. This has been the case for quite some time. One reason why systemic gains from adopting eGov have not reached the levels sought after could be that, in many cases, ICT implementations are not enough. The transformation needed for eGov is not instantaneous; it requires various new ways of working. Enterprise Architecture (EA) has come to be seen as a possible solution to the apparent issues of developing, adopting and managing eGov successfully. By utilizing EA, it is argued that it is possible to bridge ICT systems and business processes, thus making the organization more efficient. However EA’s usefulness for eGov development and adoption is the subject of debate. Some researchers argue that EA lacks clearly defined scopes and concepts, which makes the use of EA in government difficult. Whereas other argues that although EA frameworks are comprehensive logical frameworks, they lack content that is related specifically to government organizations. The thesis posits the following research questions: What is the role of EA in eGov adoption in Swedish local government? together with three sub questions: What are the prerequisites for using EA in Swedish local eGov adoption? What has the Swedish local government in Örebro achieved with its use of EA in eGov adoption? And What problems have the Swedish local government in Örebro experienced in its use of EA when adopting eGov? To explore the role of EA in eGov adoption a longitudinal case study is carried out on the municipality of Örebro’s eGov project MovIT, a project launched in 2007 that ended in 2009. I study the prerequisites, results and problems associated with using EA in Swedish local government as part of eGov adoption. A comparative study is conducted of the goals of eGov, as stated in official eGov documents at EU and Swedish governmental levels will attest as to the supposed benefits of EA in contemporary EA-literature. From the study, it can be concluded that EA, as a phenomenon, is thought to be, if not a silverbullet, then at least a prerequisite to eGov success. In term of prerequisites, EA use cannot assist Swedish local government where there are more politicized objectives; in this situation, local government is required to look elsewhere to find support for its work. The study identify several critical issues from the empirical study of the prerequisites: distinction between administrative and political responsibilities; political mandate; political timing; resource allocation; coordination under NPM; dependence on providers; and choosing among standards and best practices. These issues need to be acknowledged and handled appropriately by Swedish local government in order to improve the chances for success in eGov adoption. The study also showed that NPM as governance model becomes a hindrance in eGov adoption, preventing the project from a more explicit use of an EA-framework and negatively affecting the projects possibility to adopt eGov. However, despite this structural problem, it is still possible – as observed – for a project that is based on EA-thinking to begin working. EGov, NPM and EA-thinking form a triad, with structural properties that, in some instances, correlate. In such cases, this can lead to positive changes. However, in other situations, they are contradictory, resulting in Swedish local government having a difficult time in adhering to the suggestions endorsed by the eGov project. This lead to incoherent progressions towards requested results. The existing structures hindered effective cooperation, both internally between different departments and externally with other local governments. This licentiate thesis has shown that the initial use of EA in local government eGov adoption is complex. Given the contradictory nature of NPM and eGov, local government has to acknowledge the negative impacts of NPM on eGov adoption. As well as acknowledging the issues that arise from EA use, a key area is a lack of support of local government in an area that is most likely to be endorsed by politicians. Politicians do not get re-elected based on efficient internal processes with a highly integrated ICT; rather, changes must be visible to citizens and businesses. This licentiate thesis has also shown that ‘EA-thinking’, as a means for local government, can move towards an EA without the explicit use of an EA framework or EA method. However, ‘EA-thinking’ may give rise to other issues that need to be acknowledged and dealt with. This licentiate thesis contributes to research by improving our understanding of the nature and importance of promoting and inhibiting different factors. Including critical issues for succeeding with eGov adoption, the negative effects of NPM and how EA-thinking can lead to positive changes, even though it cannot assist local government in all aspects deemed important to eGov adoption. In terms of practice, this thesis contributes by highlighting the problematic nature of institutionalized structures and the effect that this has on eGov adoption. It also contributes by enabling local governments to acknowledge the problems identified. This allows them to better understand their own development and possibly avoid similar problems or at least have a better understanding of how to handle the issues that arise.

Na primeira infância os cuidados e estímulos necessários ao crescimento e desenvolvimento global dos seres humanos, bem como os principais vínculos, são fornecidos pela família. Por isso, o ambiente domiciliar de cuidados merece atenção já que o mesmo exerce uma influência fundamental tanto para o desenvolvimento como para prejuízo dos potenciais. A presente pesquisa estudou o ambiente domiciliar de crianças entre 12 e 24 meses de idade com o instrumento IT-HOME visando caracterizar a qualidade desse ambiente em um contexto de implementação da tecnologia Nossas Crianças: janelas de oportunidades. Objetivos: Caracterizar a inserção social e estrutura das famílias que receberam a intervenção do Projeto Janelas; 2. Caracterizar o ambiente domiciliar a partir do instrumento IT-HOME; 3. Discutir os potenciais e fragilidades das famílias no cenário do ambiente domiciliar. Método: Tratou-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, quantitativa, por meio de entrevistas domiciliares com observação não participante e amostra randomizada. O cenário de estudo foi uma região do município de São Paulo. A população do estudo foi constituída por famílias que possuíam ao menos uma criança entre 12 e 24 meses de idade em sua composição e eram atendidas por equipes de Estratégia Saúde da Família que participaram da oficina de capacitação dos profissionais do Projeto Janelas. A análise de dados foi feita a partir do teste de Mann-Whitney para identificar a significância e buscar associação com as variáveis socioeconômicas das famílias. Resultados e Discussão: Foram entrevistadas 24 famílias, representando um total de 102 indivíduos. Dessas, 54% são do tipo nuclear completa; 33,3% quebrada e 12,5% expandida. Quanto às formas de viver 45,8% das famílias moram em residência própria em terreno próprio. Os potenciais encontrados nas formas de viver e trabalhar são o acesso das famílias aos bens e serviços, a qualidade da estrutura das moradias e a formalidade no emprego. As fragilidades verificadas dizem respeito à instabilidade nas condições habitacionais de algumas famílias, territórios com risco aumentado para acidentes e violências, elevada densidade domiciliar, baixa escolaridade dos chefes das famílias e escolaridade dos cuidadores primários influenciando o cuidado das crianças. Quanto à caracterização do ambiente domiciliar com o uso do Inventário IT-HOME, este estudo apontou maioria das pontuações consideradas de alto nível de estimulação (62,5%) e, nas subescalas, altas porcentagens para Responsividade do cuidador primário e Envolvimento do cuidador primário com a criança. A subescala que apresentou maior pontuações em nível baixo de estimulação foi a de Disponibilidade de materiais, brinquedos e jogos apropriados para as crianças, uma dimensão que pode ser fortalecida com as famílias no cuidado longitudinal característico da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Conclusões: Os resultados desta pesquisa não permitiram estabelecer correlação entre a inserção social e a maior estabilidade de relações responsivas, dado que o grupo estudado foi pequeno e relativamente homogêneo. O uso do instrumento IT-HOME no presente estudo contribuiu para direcionar o olhar para aspectos da interação entre o cuidador primário e a criança que antes poderiam passar despercebidos ao entrar no domicílio, contribuindo assim para aprimorar a identificação dos potenciais e das fragilidades das famílias e subsidiar o trabalho dos profissionais de saúde quanto à promoção do desenvolvimento da primeira infância<br>In early childhood, care and stimulus needed for global growing and development of human being, as well as the main links, are provided for family. Therefore, the home environment of care deserves attention once it plays an essential influence on the potentials development or prejudice. This investigation assessed the home environment of children aged between 12 and 24 months through the IT-HOME tool aiming to characterize the quality of these environments in a context of implementation of the technology Our children: windows of opportunities. Objectives: to characterize the social insertion and the structure of families who received the intervention of Windows Project; 2. to characterize the home environment based on the IT HOME tool; 3. to discuss the potentials and fragilities of families in the scene of family environment. Method: This is an exploratory, quantitative research, conducted through home interviews with non-participant observation and randomized sample. The study place is a region in the city of Sao Paulo. Study population was composed for families who had at least one child aged between 12 and 24 months in their composition and who were attended for Family Heath Strategy teams that participated of the training workshops offered by Windows Project. Data analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test to identify the significance and to seek for association with the socioeconomic variables of families. Results and Discussion: 24 families were interviewed, composing a total of 102 individuals. Of these, 54% are full nuclear family; 33,3% broken family and 12,5% expanded family. Concerning the way of living, 45,8% of families live in their own home and in their own land. The potentials in the way of living and working are the access of families to goods and services, the quality of home structure and the formality at work. The fragilities found concern the instability in home conditions of some families, territories with increased risk for accidents and violence, high home density, low education level of family heads and of primary caregivers, what impact on children care. Regarding the characterization of home environment through the IT-HOME, this study showed that most of scores were considered of high level of stimulation (62,5%) and, in subscales, we found high frequencies for Responsiveness of primary caregiver and Involvement of primary caregiver with child. The subscale that presented the highest scores in low-level of stimulation was Availability of materials, toys and games suitable for children, which is a dimension that may be strengthened with families during the longitudinal care provided for Family Health Strategy. Conclusions: Results of this research did not allow establishing correlation between social insertion and higher stability of responsive relations, once the sample assessed was small and relatively homogeneous. The use of IT-Home tool in this investigation favored to turn the look to aspects of the interaction between primary caregiver and child, what would be pass unnoticed when entering at home, contributing to improve the identification of potentials and fragilities of families, and to subsidize work of health professionals regarding to health promotion of early child development

Os profissionais da área da saúde que atuam no serviço de atendimento pré-hospitalar podem estar sujeitos a fatores de risco cardiovasculares em razão do estilo de vida adotado e das características do trabalho. O objetivo principal do estudo foi avaliar a influência do plantão de 24 horas sobre a pressão arterial e os fatores de risco para afecções cardiovasculares nesses profissionais. Casuística e Método: Estudo transversal com 154 profissionais (90 enfermeiros, 41 médicos, 23 auxiliares de enfermagem) que atuavam no serviço de atendimento pré-hospitalar: Grupo de Atendimento Médico de Urgência (GRAU-193), Serviço Móvel de Urgência (SAMU-192) e Samu-Vale do Ribeira. Realizou-se medida da pressão arterial casual com aparelho automático validado e considerou-se hipertenso pressão 140/90mmHg e/ou uso de anti-hipertensivos. Procedeu-se a Monitorização Ambulatorial da Pressão Arterial (MAPA), durante o plantão no pré-hospitalar e em dia usual de atividade. Foram analisados o índice de massa corpórea (IMC), a circunferência abdominal (CA), a glicemia, o perfil lipídico e a proteína C reativa. O risco cardiovascular foi calculado pelo Escore de Risco de Framingham (ERF) e avaliada a presença da Síndrome Metabólica. Foram utilizados os instrumentos: Índice de Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburg, Self Report Questionnaire, Inventário de Depressão de Beck, Escala de Estresse no Trabalho e Malasch Burnout Inventory. O nível de significância adotado foi p<0,05, utilizou-se análise univariada e regressão logística para as variáveis significativas. Resultados: As características dos participantes foram: idade 40,9±7,8 anos. Sedentarismo 64,9%, CA alterado 70,2% e IMC sobrepeso/obeso de 65,6%. Alteração de glicose em 11%, colesterol elevado em 11%, LDL-c alto 7,8%, HDL-c alto 11% e triglicérides em 16,2%, proteína C reativa 40,3% nos quartis mais altos. A prevalência da hipertensão arterial pela medida casual no pré-hospitalar foi 33,1% e em dia usual de atividade 13,6%. Na MAPA de 24h no pré-hospitalar 29,3%, dia usual de atividade 22,6%; MAPA da vigília no pré-hospitalar 26,6%, dia usual de atividade 18,5%; MAPA no sono pré-hospitalar 63,0%, dia usual de atividade 42,5%. Houve diferenças significativas nos níveis pressóricos pré-hospitalares em relação ao dia usual de atividade para medida casual sistólica e diastólica (124,9±15,1mmHg/79,0±10,8 mmHg vs. 122,1±14,5mmHg/76,7±10,5mmHg) e na MAPA no período de sono, para a pressão diastólica (110,5±11,5mmHg/72,6±9,5mmHg vs. 111,8±10,8mmHg/67,6±7,9 mmHg). Os fatores associados à hipertensão foram a pela medida casual: HDL-c > 40 mg/dL (Odds Ratio (OR) 0,257; intervalo de confiança (IC) 95%: 0,0810,813) e ERF > 10% (OD: 23,159; IC 95%: 2,029264,378). b) pela MAPA: no período de 24 horas: sexo masculino (OR: 2,717; IC 95%: 1,206-6,122); trabalhar cansado raramente/nunca (OR: 0,197; IC 95%: 0,061-0,638) e às vezes (OR: 0,174; IC 95%: 0,050-0,614); glicemia > 100 mg/dL (OR: 9,983; IC 95%: 1,560-63,881). Para MAPA da vigília: sexo masculino (OR: 3,245; IC 95%: 1,385-7,606); trabalhar cansado raramente/nunca (OR: 0,142; IC 95%: 0,042-0,481); e às vezes (OR: 0,163; IC 95%: 0,045-0,590); glicemia > 100 mg/dL (OR:11,1809; IC 95%: 1,632-76,60) e IMC > 25kg/m2 (OR: 1,101; IC 95%: 1,006-1,206). Para MAPA do sono: IMC > 25kg/m2 (OR: 1,119; IC 95%: 1,021-1,226) e presença de sono diurno (OR: 0,140; IC 95%: 0,065-0,300). O Escore de Risco de Framingham foi médio/alto em 10,6%; Síndrome Metabólica presente em 28,6%, má qualidade de sono em 41,6%, transtornos mentais comuns em 16,2%, depressão em 7,8%, média de estresse no trabalho em 50,1% e Burnout em 29%. Conclusão: houve diferenças pressóricas durante o plantão no serviço pré-hospitalar em relação a um dia usual de atividade, e os profissionais estudados estavam expostos a fatores de risco modificáveis, sendo necessárias mudanças no estilo de vida<br>Professionals that work in pre-hospital assistance might be subject to the cardiovascular risk factors due to their adopted lifestyle and specific characteristics of their occupation. Casuistic and Method: Transversal study with 154 professionals (90 nurses, 41 physicians, 23 nurse auxiliaries) that work in prehospital: Grupo de Atendimento Médico de Urgência [Group of Emergency Medical Assistance] (GRAU-193), Serviço Móvel de Urgência [Emergency Rescue Service] (SAMU-192) and Samu-Vale do Ribeira. Measures were performed regarding casual blood pressure; it was considered arterial hypertensive pressure (HA) 140/90mmHg and/or use of antihypertensives. The Ambulatorial Monitoring of Blood Pressure (ABPM) was performed during the duty on prehospital and also on casual day of activities. The Body Mass Index (IMC), Abdominal Circumference (CA), glucose, lipids profile and C-reactive protein were analyzed. The cardiovascular risk was used Framingham Risk Score (ERF), Metabolic Syndrome were analyzed. The used tools were: Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Self Report Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, Job Stress Scale and Malasch Burnout Inventory. Data were processed on SPSS System v.7.5. The level of significance adopted was p <0,05, univariate analysis was used and the logistic regression was performed for remarkable variables. Results: Age of 40,9 ± 7,8 years. Sedentary lifestyle 64,9%, CA altered 70,2% and IMC overweight/obese of 65,6%. Glucose alteration in 11%, elevated cholesterol in 11%, high LDL-c in 7,8%, high HDL-c in 11% and triglycerides in 16,2%, C-reactive protein in 40,3% on higher quartiles. The prevalence of prehospital HA: 33,1% and casual day of activities 13,6%. ABPM: 24h prehospital 29,3%, casual day of activities 22,6%; ABPM: daytime prehospital 26,6%, casual day of activities 18,5%; ABPM: nighttime prehospital 63,0%, casual day of activities 42,5%. There were significant differences on pressoric levels of prehospital in comparison with casual day of activities for casual measure of systolic and diastolic pressures (124,9±15,1 mmHg/79,0±10,8 mmHg vs. 122,1±14,5 mmHg; /76,7±10,5mmHg), and on ABPM of nighttime period for diastolic pressure (110,5 ± 11,5 mmHg/72,6±9,5 mmHg vs. 111,8±10,8 mmHg/67,6±7,9 mmHg). Factors related with casual HA: HDL-c > 40 mg/dL (Odds Ratio (OR) 0,257; confidence interval (IC) 95%: 0,0810,813) and ERF >10% (OD: 23,159; IC 95%: 2,029264,378). The HA measured by ABPM: on 24 hours period: male gender (OR: 2,717; IC 95%: 1,206-6,122); never/occasionally work tired (OR: 0,197; IC 95%: 0,061-0,638) and sometimes (OR: 0,174; IC 95%: 0,050-0,614); glucose > 100mg/dL (OR: 9,983; IC 95%: 1,560-63,881). For daytime: male gender (OR: 3,245; IC 95%: 1,385-7,606); never/occasionally work tired (OR: 0,142; IC 95%: 0,042-0,481); and sometimes (OR: 0,163; IC 95%: 0,045-0,590); glucose > 100mg/dL (OR: 11,1809; IC 95%: 1,632-76,60) and IMC > 25kg/m2 (OR: 1,101; IC 95%: 1,006-1,206). For nighttime period: IMC > 25kg/m2 (OR: 1,119; IC 95%: 1,021-1,226) and presence of somnolence during day (OR: 0,140; IC 95%: 0,065-0,300). Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome: 28,6%; Framingham Risk Score: medium/high: 10,6%; poor quality of sleeping 41,6%, common mental disorders: 16,2%, depression: 7,8%, average job stress: 50,1% and Burnout 29%. It might be concluded: that there were pressoric differences during duty on prehospital in comparison with a casual day of activities, and that these professionals are exposed to the modifiable risk factor and need changes in their lifestyles.

This study explores the relationship between Christianity and autochthonous (indigenous, pre-Christian) worldviews and practices amongst the Aandonga of Owamboland, Northern Namibia. Using participant contributions from a series of Contextual Bible Study (CBS) sessions (with groups of men, women, and children), and supplemented by ethnographic contextualisation, it challenges the oft-contended notion that Christian worldviews and practices have erased the significance of African Traditional Religion for Ndonga (or wider Owambo) communities. The enduring significance of autochthonous worldviews and practices is explored using responses to six biblical texts, each of which relates to at least one of three themes: bodies, spirits, and landscapes. The study examines feasting bodies (The Parable of the Wedding Banquet), bleeding bodies (The Haemorrhaging Woman), and possessed bodies (Legion). It considers possession spirits (Legion), natural spirits (the so-called ‘Nature Miracles’), and ancestor spirits (Resurrection appearances). Perspectives on landscapes are highlighted particularly in relation to aspects of the natural environment (the ‘Nature Miracles’) and the locations explored by an itinerant demoniac (Legion). Responses to the texts engender, inter alia, discussions of contemporary perspectives on diviner-healers (oonganga), witchcraft (uulodhi), the homestead (egumbo), burial grounds (omayendo, oompampa), spirits (iiluli, oompwidhuli), ancestors (aathithi), material agency (for example, apotropaic amulets), and the ‘traditional’ wedding (ohango). Having analysed the ways in which autochthonous worldviews informed participants’ interpretations of the particular texts considered (Matthew 22:1-14 & Luke 14:7-11; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:26-39; Mark 4:35-41 & 6:45-52; Luke 24), each set of interpretations is brought into conversation with professional biblical scholarship. The study therefore highlights the ways in which these grassroots, ‘contextual’ interpretations might nuance New Testament interpretations returned by the Academy, particularly by highlighting the highly contextual nature of the latter.

Au commencement, il y a le constat, en ce début de XXIe siècle, de l'influence de la sphère économique sur la refonte de la matière successorale. Certes, cela n'est pas officiel. Dans le cadre de l'élaboration de la loi n° 2006-728 du 23 juin 2006 réformant le droit des successions et des libéralités, le législateur préfère mettre en exergue des objectifs généraux ; il est question de « simplifier », d’« accélérer » et de « sécuriser » les règlements successoraux. Si tout cela semble bien transparent de prime abord, en réalité, derrière cette « profession de foi un peu courte », se cachent des objectifs de nature économique qui traversent l'ensemble de la réforme. On peut immédiatement en citer un à titre d’exemple : celui de la survie de l’entreprise au décès de son exploitant. Cet objectif transparaît sans difficulté ; il suppose de faciliter la transmission de l’unité économique, […], mais également d'assurer la continuité de la gestion de celle-ci, […].[…] Plus avant, la dialectique suivie par le législateur du XXIe siècle n'est pas seulement celle d'une adaptation des normes juridiques aux réalités économiques contemporaines ; elle est aussi celle d'une promotion de ces normes comme instruments de compétitivité de l'économie nationale. La légistique est désormais conçue comme un vecteur dopant de la conjoncture. […] Multiplier les échanges, relancer la croissance, mettre en valeur le patrimoine économique français : ce sont là certaines des nouvelles valeurs du droit des successions, au sens de la loi du 23 juin 2006. Pour autant, cette influence de la sphère économique est-elle complètement nouvelle ? Ne sommes-nous pas en présence de l'aboutissement, ou du prolongement, d'un phénomène ancien ? On peut en effet songer que les codificateurs étaient déjà soucieux d'adapter notre ancien droit français à l'avènement de la proto-industrie, ainsi qu’au développement d'une économie d'échanges ; dans le même sens, on doit bien constater que la loi n° 71-523 du 3 juillet 1971 ne réalise, pour l'essentiel, qu’une adaptation des règles liquidatives aux fluctuations monétaires de l'après-guerre. Sans entrer plus avant dans les détails, on perçoit immédiatement en quoi ces interrogations nous portent vers la présente étude : une analyse comparative des métasources « économiques » et « non économiques », sur le thème de l'influence de la sphère économique sur le droit des successions dans son élaboration depuis 1804<br>To start with, we can notice that at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the economic sphere is already clearly influencing the inheritance rules modification process. Admittedly, this is not an official statement. Writing the law n ° 2006-728 of June 23, 2006 which aims to reform the inheritances and liberalities regulations, the legislator prefers to highlight general objectives. This is a question of "simplifying", "speeding up" and "securing" the inheritance law. If all of this may seem very transparent at first glance, in reality, behind this "a little short profession of faith", there are some hidden economic objectives that cross the whole reform. The simplest example to cite is the survival of a company at the death of its manager. This objective is easily visible; it helps to facilitate the transmission of the economic unit, [...], but also to ensure its management continuity [...]. [...] Further, the dialectics followed by the legislator of the twenty-first century are not only for adaptation of legal norms to contemporary economic realities, but also for promoting these standards as instruments to increase the national economy's competitiveness. Legislation is now conceived as a driving force for the economic situation. [...] Multiplying trade, relaunching growth, enhancing French economic patrimony: these are some of the new values of inheritance regulations, as defined by the law of 23 June 2006. However, is this influence of the economic sphere entirely new or not ? Perhaps, we are dealing with culmination or prolongation of an old phenomenon ? We may indeed think that the legislators have already been concerned with adapting our old French law to the advent of proto-industry, as well as to the development of the trading economy ; in the same sense, it should be noted that, for the most part, the law n° 71-523 of July 3d, 1971 has done nothing more than making an adjustment of the liquidation rules to the monetary fluctuations of the post-war period. Without going further into the details, we can immediately notice how these questions lead us to the present study : a comparative analysis of "economic" and "non-economic" metasources, on the subject of influence of the economic sphere on the inheritance rights in its development since 1804

Il presente studio affronta gli argomenti della concorrenza e delle invenzioni nel rapporto di lavoro subordinato statunitense. L’attività di ricerca è stata svolta in parte presso la School of Law della Boston University, USA, sotto la supervisione di Micheal C. Harper, professore di diritto del lavoro. L’argomento presenta una crescente rilevanza, considerato che nella nuova organizzazione produttiva, fondata in gran parte sulla conoscenza globalizzata, al lavoro dipendente si chiede ormai sempre maggiore professionalità, innovazione e creatività. La scelta di esaminare questa tematica dalla prospettiva del “laboratorio USA”, è dovuta al primato di cui tale nazione gode a livello internazionale sul piano economico, scientifico e dell’innovazione dei processi lavorativi, che fanno emergere criticità in altri Paesi probabilmente ancora non avvertite. Al fine di inquadrare gli istituti giudici menzionati nel modello statunitense, si è reso opportuno dare conto del sistema delle fonti normative negli USA, con particolare focus sul Restatement of Employment Law, cioè la raccolta di principi fondamentali elaborati negli anni dal common law in materia di rapporto di lavoro. All'esame delle fonti segue la definizione del concetto di lavoratore subordinato (employee) e lavoratore autonomo (independent contractor), necessario per l’inquadramento del campo di applicazione degli obblighi scaturenti dal rapporto di lavoro subordinato, tra cui il duty of loyalty, implicato nel rapporto fiduciario. In tale ambito, si è osservata l’evoluzione giurisprudenziale che ha condotto all'adozione dei criteri relativi alla distinzione in esame, prevalentemente concernenti il giudizio sulla rilevanza degli elementi fattuali determinanti per l’accertamento della subordinazione. Delineati i contorni della fattispecie di lavoro subordinato, il presente studio affronta la tematica della tipica forma del contratto di lavoro statunitense, il c.d. employment-at-will, cioè il rapporto a libera recedibilità. Tale peculiarità scaturisce dal principio fondamentale per cui le parti non sono vincolate ad alcun obbligo di fornire la motivazione per il licenziamento. La terza parte del lavoro ha ad oggetto la disciplina della concorrenza del lavoratore effettuata sulla base delle conoscenze acquisite, legalmente o illegalmente, durante il rapporto e le relative tecniche di tutela del datore di lavoro, a fronte della violazione del duty of loyalty, quale obbligo del lavoratore subordinato di esecuzione della prestazione lavorativa nell'interesse esclusivo dell’imprenditore e, conseguentemente, di astensione dal porre in essere condotte pregiudizievoli nei confronti di quest’ultimo. Quanto alle tecniche di tutela esperibili in caso di violazione degli obblighi esaminati, vengono illustrati i rimedi legali e equitativi che il diritto statunitense offre al datore di lavoro. La parte finale del presente studio si occupa della disciplina relativa alla titolarità dei diritti scaturenti dalle invenzioni sviluppate dai dipendenti nel corso del rapporto di lavoro. In questo senso si sono esaminate le definizioni di “invenzione” e “brevetto” ed il loro rapporto nel contesto della regolamentazione giuslavoristica; si è posta in rilievo la differenza tra invenzione come opera di ingegno e proprietà intellettuale tutelata dal diritto d’autore. Inoltre, si sono osservati i meccanismi sottesi alle norme fondamentali che regolano la materia e la loro convivenza con la libertà contrattuale delle parti e il loro potere di disporre dei suddetti diritti.<br>This work addresses the issues of competition and inventions in the U.S. employment relationships. The research was carried out in part at the Boston University School of Law of, under the supervision of Micheal C. Harper, professor of Labour Law. The selection of the topic is justified in the light of its importance, given that in the new production organization, based largely on globalized knowledge, employees are now increasingly being asked for professionalism, innovation and creativity. The decision to examine this issue from the perspective of the "U.S. laboratory" is due to the primacy that this nation holds at international level on the economic, scientific and innovation of work processes, which bring out critical issues that in other Countries probably have not yet been raised. In order to frame the above-mentioned topics, it has become appropriate to give an account of the system of regulatory sources in the USA, with particular focus on the Restatement of Employment Law, i.e. the collection of fundamental principles developed over the years by common law in the field of employment relationships. The examination of the sources is followed by the definition of the concept of employee and self-employed worker (independent contractor), necessary for the assessment of the application of the obligations arising from the employment relationships, including the duty of loyalty, involved in the fiduciary law. In this context, the evolution of the case law has been observed, as well as the examination of the criteria relating to the distinction between employees and independent contractors, mainly concerning the judgement on the relevance of the factual elements determining the assessment of the existence of an employment relationship. Subsequently, this study addresses the issue of the typical form of the U.S. employment contract, the so-called employment-at-will. This peculiarity is originated from the principle that the parties are not bound by any obligation to provide reasons for termination. The third part of the work has as its object the discipline of competition of the worker carried out on the basis of the knowledge acquired, legally or illegally, during the relationship and the relative legal remedies for the employer, against the violation of the duty of loyalty, intended as an obligation of the employee to perform the work in the exclusive interest of the entrepreneur and, consequently, to refrain from engaging in prejudicial conduct against the company. About the remedies available in the event of breach of the obligations examined, the legal and equitable remedies that U.S. law offers the employer have been explained. The final part of this study deals with the rules governing the ownership of rights arising from inventions developed by employees in the course of their employment. The definitions of "invention" and "patent" and their relationship in the context of employment law has been examined and the difference between invention as a work of genius and intellectual property protected by copyright has been highlighted. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the basic rules governing the subject matter and their coexistence with the contractual freedom of the parties and their power to dispose of these rights have been observed.

How does waging war effectively fade into the background for most Americans, even as it is one of the most defining aspects of the United States’ actions and priorities, both domestically and internationally? This dissertation takes up one dimension of this question by ethnographically engaging with a particular mode of contemporary US war making that involves the deployment of drones, large and high-altitude aerial vehicles, remotely controlled from within the United States. Based on fieldwork conducted over fourteen months between 2010 and 2015 within the US with communities involved in the deployment, planning, or assessment of Air Force drone operations, a primary contribution of the dissertation is to refocus critical discourses around drones through the lens of labor and the work entailed in war. By examining the divisions of labor implicated in ongoing drone warfare, a wider set of questions and implications takes shape about the nature of contemporary American war and where different kinds of responsibilities and modes of normalization lie. The dissertation begins by arguing that the distributions of action and control that characterize drone operations are neither obvious nor necessary, but rather have taken hold only in the context of specific historical conditions of possibility. These conditions are what enable drone operations to be seen as an effective and ideal form of US military engagement, and involve interwoven developments in post-World War II military command and control theory, digital data, global information networks, and a reliance on legal frameworks that render state violence justified. The dissertation also examines the discrepancies between the imagined capacities of “unmanned” and “autonomous” drones and the current practices that constitute and maintain these technologies, which must be continually managed and constructed as effective and legitimate actors through professionalized military discourses and practices. The second half of the dissertation, more ethnographic in focus, examines how drone operations are implicated in changing conceptions of military service and military-civilian distinctions. Through an examination of the tensions and controversies that have arisen around drone pilots, the dissertation presents how Air Force pilots and commanders involved in drone operations construct and position the value of drone operations as meaningful and honorable military service. The analysis demonstrates that while officers put forward the value of their work as professional and altruistic service, at the same time, an irreconcilable tension exists because the military labor of drone operations bears increasing similarity to other forms of contemporary civilian work, characterized by the language of compensation, flexibility, and in/security. The dissertation concludes by proposing the concept of the warzone as a way to encompass all the places in which war occurs, its consequences on the battlefield, but also its sites of execution and the range of people, places, and practices that are implicated in the ongoing conduct of war. The dissertation demonstrates that the increasing deployment of drone operations is a contributing factor to the seeming invisible state of war for the majority of Americans. However, this is not necessarily because war is being conducted at a distance, as most journalists and scholars propose. Rather it is because war is being conducted, sometimes literally, in Americans’ backyards, close-by in the United States, in ways that are obfuscated or rendered merely mundane.

This thesis aimed to develop a brief multi-dimensional, cross-industry work safety climate measure that could be used for regular monitoring, but that was also comprehensive enough for identifying and remediating safety concerns. Use of such a brief measure could contribute to reducing the human and financial costs of safety accidents, with the extensive length of many safety climate measures considered a barrier to regular use. A literature review suggested that the most efficient way to develop a brief measure involved shortening an existing reliable, valid and comprehensive cross-industry work safety climate measure. After a rigorous review of measures, the 50-item, 7-dimension Nordic Occupational Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50; Kines et al., 2011) was selected as a basis for the brief measure. Study one examined the NOSACQ-50 reduction using statistical and additional practical usefulness methods (i.e., item readability, item importance rankings from safety researchers and practitioners). NOSACQ-50 data from disability support (N = 366) and hospitality workers (N = 111) were used for statistical reduction methods. Expert opinions and importance rankings were collected from safety researchers (N = 5) and practitioners (N = 14). Statistical and practical usefulness findings were combined to derive a 24-item NOSACQ (NOSACQ-24). The NOSACQ-50 diagnostic value and dimensional structure were maintained to enable use of existing safety climate benchmarks and for use of the NOSACQ-50 when more comprehensive evaluation was indicated. Study two investigated the NOSACQ-24 construct, external, and concurrent validity; measurement equivalence; and benchmarking capabilities. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm model fit using disability support and hospitality workers (N = 474) NOSACQ responses. External validity was established using responses from casual workers (N = 120) and vocational education and training (VET) workers (N = 53). Results further supported the NOSACQ-24 validity. Study three extended the NOSACQ-24 validity investigations and examined acuity for identifying safety subcultures associated with various demographic and job-related variables. NOSACQ-24 responses from VET workers (N = 549) were utilised, with safety climate subcultural differences demonstrated for managerial function, work-type, workplace location, employment status, and gender. Thus, the NOSACQ-24 retained the NOSACQ-50’s capacity to identify subcultural differences offering further support for the validity and practical usefulness of the NOSACQ-24. Study four sought to develop a 4-item supplementary measure to accompany the NOSACQ-24 to identify organisational change capability issues that might impede successful safety intervention implementation. These items were derived from research evidence associated with factors facilitating or hindering organisational change and included: overall change capability, overt top management support, use of champions of change, and worker buy-in. Mixed methodology was employed to validate the measure using qualitative and quantitative responses from VET workers (N= 485). Results provided initial support for the change capability measure and suggested that with further validation and development, the combination of the NOSACQ-24 and 4-item change capability measure could be a useful practical measure for identifying safety concerns requiring remediation and for providing a measure of an organisation’s ability to successfully implement change, thus reducing the high failure rate of change interventions reported in the research literature.<br>Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 2022

Thesis (M.Ed.)--York University, 2008. Graduate Programme in Education.<br>Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-79). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR51554

碩士<br>國立新竹教育大學<br>臺灣語言與語文教育研究所<br>102<br>In order to investigate the acquisition process of Taiwanese lexical tones, this study collected and analyzed the Taiwanese corpus produced by a child, from 7 months old to 24 months old, in two styles: spontaneous speech and imitation. The tones which occurred within the context (so-called sandhi tones) and the tones which occurred before the tone sandhi boundary (so-called isolation tones) were discussed separately. Based on the analyses, the main findings were as follow: (1)The long tones were acquired earlier. Among them, the high tones (including the high level and the high falling) were acquired first, followed by the mid level tone, and the low tones (including the low rising and the low falling). The short tone (the low short in this case) was acquired last. (2)When the substitutions were made, it was found that the target tones tended to be replaced by the other tones sharing more similar phonetic features, i.e. similar height or contour pattern.