Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Utilization'

<p><b>Objectives</b>. To study medication utilization and adherence to prescribed therapy in a female population in central Sweden. To study usage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in this population and to assess how HRT users compare to non-users regarding symptom reporting, general health and other variables. To evaluate symptom prevalence adjusted for potential symptom affecting variables. </p><p><b>Material and methods</b>. A cross-sectional postal questionnaire study was performed in 1995 in seven counties in central Sweden. A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 4,200 women aged 35-64, of whom 2,991 responded (71.2%). The questionnaire contained questions on psycho-socio-economic background, quality of life, self-reported health, height and weight, climacteric symptom prevalence, and menopausal status and symptoms. It also comprised questions on medication prescribed during the past year. </p><p><b>Results</b>. 40% used prescribed medication and 12% took four drugs or more. Age, educational level, self-rated health, and BMI remained significantly correlated to drug use in multivariate analysis. Adherence ranged from 15%-98% depending on age, a scheduled check-up, perceived importance of medication, concern about medication, taking cardiovascular and respiratory disease drugs. The highest adherence was found for hormonal medication the lowest for musculoskeletal medication. </p><p>HRT was used by 15% of the women. 13 % used other symptom relieving therapy. HRT users reported higher score of vasomotor symptoms, except for sweating during the daytime. </p><p>Prevalence of general symptoms did not necessarily increase with age. Especially symptoms related to stress-tension-depression decreased with age. Four different symptom prevalence patterns were found. </p><p><b>Conclusions</b>. Age, health status, educational level and body mass index (BMI) appear to affect drug use. Adherence to therapy is highest among elderly women who regard their medication as important and have a scheduled check-up. HRT relieves some vasomotor symptoms but does not affect other symptoms or self-rated health. Prevalence of symptoms related to Stress-tension-depression appears to decrease with age.</p>

Botnets, networks of hundreds to millions of computers, controlled by one or more individuals, increasingly play a part in cybercrimes, with astonishing results. The access of a botnet gives the controller abilities of a large majority of all the cyberattacks over the internet, and with the possibility of buying a complete botnet, this opens the market to nontechnical criminals. The Darknet and the market it provides, enable the buyers to buy and trade everything from botnets and malware to complete schemes.   The increase in cybercriminal activities and organizations has been alarmingly high in recent years, and no wonder, when criminals just need to invest a small amount of money to gain potentially millions of dollars without any advance knowledge of computer science, and with only a slight chance of getting caught due to the anonymity of the internet and botnets.   Based on a literature review combined with a critically reflective analysis of a selection of information about botnets from other sources available on the internet, this paper has identified some of the main types of organizations used in cybercrime and their operations as well as basic information about botnets, the players and stakeholders in this area, the theft and schemes used by botnets and the online money laundering service involved.

Batch fermentations of Corynebacterium dioxydans were performed using aliphatic hydrocarbons as substrates. The production of carboxylic acids was monitored throughout these fermentations. A relationship between the carbon chain length of the hydrocarbon substrate and the carboxylic acids was observed. The maximum yield of carboxylic acid was found to occur in the exponential growth phase, with the initial complete medium. Cell hydrophobicity is the proposed hypothesis for the residual hydrocarbon found in these fermentations. The addition of synthetic surfactant increased the yield of carboxylic acids, but posed problems in extraction of these acids.<br>In spite of a variety of different approaches, it was not possible to avoid contamination of the carboxylic acid products with residual hydrocarbon. The persistence of this residue was attributed to the hydrophobicity of the cell.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1995.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-77).<br>by Johnson Cheah-Shin.<br>M.S.

Health care represents an increasing proportion of global consumption. We discuss ways to model health care utilization on an individual basis. We present a probabilistic, generative model of utilization. Leveraging previously observed utilization levels, we learn a latent structure that can be used to accurately understand risk and make predictions. We evaluate the effectiveness of the model using data from a large population.

Thesis (Master of Engineering)--University of Florida, Summer 1992.<br>"No 0123-89-G-0549." "Summer 1992." Description based on title screen as viewed on April 16, 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-52). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.<br>PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you.<br>Porphyromonas gingivalis , a Gram-negative anaerobic pathogen of periodontal diseases, requires iron in the form of heme (a term used to denote either the ferrous or ferric form of iron protoporphyrin IX) for growth. P. gingivalis is capable of utilizing a broad range of heme-containing compounds such as hemoglobin, hemoglobin-bound haptoglobin, hemin-bound hemopexin and hemin-saturated serum. Heme and hemoglobin utilization in P. gingivalis requires the participation of an outer membrane protein HmuR (heme utilization receptor), as well as cysteine proteinase gingipains (Lysine-specific gingipain Kgp and Arginine specific gingipains Rgps). However, the specific mechanisms utilized for heme acquisition are poorly understood. In this study, the role of HmuR in heme utilization was characterized in both E. coli and P. gingivalis . Molecular interaction between HmuR and hemin/hemoproteins was also characterized by construction and analysis of HmuR site-directed mutants. Our results support the direct role of HmuR in heme utilization. Hemoprotein utilization in P. gingivalis requires the participation of HmuR conserved residues. The HmuR residues 95 and 434, as well as the NPDL motif, seem to be involved in whole cell binding of hemoproteins; while the YRAP motif does not. All these residues seem essential for serum hemoprotein utilization. Analyses of HmuR by homology modeling provided a structural basis for functional analysis and supported the results from mutagenesis studies. In addition, expression of the hmuR, kgp and rgpA genes in response to different heme sources was also examined. We found that expression of the hmuR gene was negatively regulated by heme, while expression of the kgp and rgpA genes seemed to be regulated by growth phase. These different regulatory mechanisms, as well as the coordinate expression between HmuR and gingipains, indicate a complementary regulation mechanism for optimal heme utilization in P. gingivalis.<br>2031-01-01

Thesis (M.S. in Electrical Engineering) Naval Postgraduate School, December 1999.<br>"December 1999". Thesis advisor(s): John C. McEachen, Murali Tummala. Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-58). Also available online.

For the sustainable development of society it is crucial to find a way to decrease dependency on fossil fuels. Buildings today are big energy-consumers making this sector an important one to examine and develop further. This thesis investigates the possibility of using solar energy in Liljeholmskajen, a district in Stockholm, by considering technical, economic and environment aspects of its implementation.This report analyses different technologies for solar energy, with its focus on thermal collectors, thin film panels and monocrystalline cells. The analysis covers factors such as the efficiency, longevity, and specific constraints for the system. Further the area of Liljeholmskajen is studied, with a focus on the energy requirements. The analysis is based on three different buildings, which are chosen to be representative for the district. Based on this analysis, the total energy demand that could be met by each type of solar energy can be assessed, and their respective costs of implementation calculated.Based on these results conclusions are drawn, including how solar energy could be used in the area in the most effective way. This report suggests that the best solution today would be a combination of solar thermal collectors and thin film panels, although this also depends on the size of the possible investment.Furthermore for the future, if the existing rock-caverns in the area were converted into heat storage facilities, the heat storage wouldn’t be a limiting factor for thermal collectors anymore, and an increased usage of thermal collectors would therefore be recommended.<br>För att uppnå en hållbar samhällsutveckling är det i dagsläget mycket viktigt att försöka hitta en lösning på hur man ska minska beroendet av fossila bränslen. En av de stora energiförbrukarna i dagens samhälle är alla byggnader, vilket gör denna sektor till ett viktigt föremål för vidareutveckling. Denna rapport undersöker möjligheterna för en eventuell användning av solenergi i Liljeholmskajen, en stadsdel i södra Stockholm, genom att ta i beaktning både teknik, ekonomi och miljöaspekter.Rapporten analyserar olika teknologier för användning av solenergi, med tyngdpunkten på termiska solfångare samt tunnfilms- och monokristallina solceller. Analysen omfattar områden såsom verkningsgrad, livslängd och systemspecifika begränsningar. Vidare studeras även Liljeholmskajen och dess energibehov. Analysen baseras på tre olika byggnader som kan anses vara representativa för stadsdelen. Detta leder sedan till att det totala energibehovet i Liljeholmskajen som kan täckas med hjälp av respektive teknik, samt deras investeringskostnader kan beräknas.Utifrån de erhållna resultaten har en slutsats dragits, vilken påvisar hur man på bästa sätt skulle kunna använda sig av solenergi i Liljeholmskajen. I dagsläget vore en kombination av solfångare och tunnfilms celler att rekommendera, men det är även beroende av hur stor investering man kan göra.Om man i framtiden skulle omvandla bergrummen som finns i området till värmelager så skulle inte längre lagringsmöjligheterna vara en begränsande faktor för solfångarsystem. Detta skulle innebära att en ökad användning av solfångare vore att rekommendera.

L'augmentation des émissions de dioxyde de carbone force l'implémentation de différentes stratégies de réduction des émissions de CO2 qui peuvent être divisées en deux groupes principaux: (i) Le captage du carbone et stockage (CCS) and (ii) le captage du carbone et utilisation (CCU). Un des procédés convertissant le CO2 en un produit à valeur ajoutée est le reformage à sec du méthane (DRM). Cependant le procédé de DRM n'a pas été commercialisé en raison de la forte endothermicité de la réaction et par manque de catalyseur actif, stable et bon marché à ce jour. Les matériaux possédant des propriétés bénéfiques pour la réaction de DRM et pouvant inclure les composants catalyseurs désirés à savoir Ni, MgO et Al2O3 sont les hydrotalcites. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est d'évaluer la performance catalytique de différents systèmes catalytiques à base d'hydrotalcite contenant du nickel lors de DRM. Cette thèse a été divisée en trois parties: (i) l'influence de l'introduction de nickel dans un système catalytique à base d'hydrotalcite, (ii) l'évaluation de la teneur en nickel des couches de brucite de l'hydrotalcite sur les propriétés catalytiques du matériau et (iii) l'évaluation de l'effet des promoteurs Ce et/ou Zr. Afin de répondre à ces problématiques, plusieurs catalyseurs à base d'hydrotalcite ont été synthétisés par la méthode de co-précipitation. Les propriétés physico-chimiques des matériaux préparés ont été évalués au moyen d'analyse élémentaire (XRF ou ICP-MS), XRD, FTIR, N2-sorption à basse température, H2-TPR, CO2-DPT, TEM, expériences SEM et TG. Les matériaux ont ensuite été testés dans la réaction de DRM à 550, 650 et 750°C<br>The growing emissions of carbon dioxide forced implementation of different CO2 emissions reduction strategies, which may be divided into two main groups: (i) carbon capture and storage (CCS) and (ii) carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies. The latter approach allows to recycle CO2. One of the processes that converts CO2 into added-value products is dry reforming of methane (DRM). The DRM process has not yet been commercialized due to the high endothermicity of the reaction and lack of cheap, active and stable catalysts.The materials which have beneficial properties in DRM reaction and may include desired catalysts components i.e. Ni, MgO and Al2O3 are hydrotalcites. The main goal of this PhD thesis was to evaluate catalytic performance of different hydrotalcite-based catalytic systems containing nickel in methane dry reforming process. This PhD was divided into three parts: (i) the comparison of the influence of nickel introduction into HTs-based catalytic system, (ii) the evaluation of wide range of nickel content in hydrotalcite brucite-like layers on materials catalytic properties and (iii) the evaluation of the effect of Ce and/or Zr promoters. In order to address these issues a number of different hydrotalcite-based catalysts was synthesized by co-precipitation. The physico-chemical properties of the prepared materials were evaluated by means of elemental analysis (XRF or ICP-MS), XRD, FTIR, low temperature N2 sorption, H2-TPR, CO2-TPD, TEM, SEM and TG experiments. The materials were subsequently tested in the DRM reaction. Most of catalytic tests were carried out at 550°C, but higher temperatures (650 and 750°C) were also studied

Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2016.<br>This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.<br>Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 109-113).<br>Many mechanisms exist in centralized systems that incentivize resource utilization. For example, central governments use inflation for many reasons, but a common justification for inflation in practice is as a means to incentivize resource utilization. Incentives to utilize resource may stimulate economic growth. However, the asymmetry of economic control and potential abuses of power implicit in centralized systems may be undesirable. An electronic cash design may be able to create resource utilization incentives via decentralized mechanisms. Decentralized mechanisms may be economically sustainable without centralized and potentially coercive forces. We propose Hourglass, a novel electronic cash design that provides a decentralized mechanism to encourage utilization via expiration dates. Constructed in this way, decentralized utilization incentives may have less potential for coercive abuses than more centralized methods, but may be similarly effective in their ability to incentivize utilization. We present the Hourglass system at multiple levels of detail: a design overview, a minimal kernel framework, a series of descriptive refinements, and a concrete implementation as a fork of Bitcoin (a popular electronic cash protocol in common use). We also present several potential applications of Hourglass, such as renewable resource markets, spectrum allocation, stock issuance, and currency.<br>by Jeremy Lloyd Rubin.<br>M. Eng.

Acid whey is a by-product of the quarg production and arises in large volumes in dairies. A considerable disposal problem arises due to the lack of obtainable proceeds from acid whey utilisation. Additionally, sustainable and energy efficient treatment methods for high strength liquid wastes from dairies cleaning operation are needed to reduce the costs of wastewater treatment. Samples of acid whey and spent cleaning solutions from a quarg cheese production plant were collected. The composition and physical properties were analysed and evaluated against waste treatment process requirements. The occurrence of different waste streams, their volumes and frequencies were also investigated. A laboratory scale membrane nanofiltration plant was designed, and built for investigation of the volume reduction of cleaning process effluents with emphasis to treatment options for the filtration concentrates. The examination of the rheological properties of alkaline CIP wastewaters at different volume reduction ratios clearly shows that these effluents are Newtonian fluids even at high concentrations. The anaerobic biodegradability of acid whey and mixtures containing portions of alkaline CIP wastewaters at different volume reduction ratios was tested. Characteristic process kinetics for acid whey fermentation in batch mode was observed. The occurrence of a second lag-phase in mixtures containing larger portions of acid whey was identified as phase separation- due to rapid acidification of lactose. Anaerobic digestion (AD) was identified as a suitable treatment option for acid whey and alkaline CIP wastewaters. Four anaerobic digester types were designed with regard to their suitability for high strength waste treatment and were built and operated at laboratory scale. The reactors tested were: a) A Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR); b) An Anaerobic Membrane Reactor (AMR); c) An Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) re- actor; and d) A novel two-stage process design consisting of a combined acidification and crystallization stage and a gaslift driven fluidised bed methanogenic stage. The operation of the AMR process and also of the UASB process with internal circulation and pH-control using alkaline CIP effluents was evaluated at high loading rates of 7.7 g•L-1•d-1 and 10.2 g•L-1•d-1 respective. However, in the experiments it was demonstrated that even with perfect biomass retention the operation of one stage anaerobic digestion at high loading rates caused process upsets. Precipitation and accumulation of milk minerals within the sludge was observed in all one stage experiments. The conclusions drawn from one stage studies led to the design of a novel high-rate diges- tion system to meet the demands of anaerobic digestion of acid whey and effluents from dairy plant cleaning. The design based on different high-rate industrial reactor designs and incorporate the ideas of staging, crystallisation of calcium salts prior to anaerobic di- gestion, fluidised bed and internal circulation reactors, and also jet-loop or gaslift reactors. The performance of the novel system when treating acid whey is comparable to the results of well designed, two-stage digesters treating cheese whey which is easier to digest.

The U.S. health care system is one of the most expensive health care systems in the world, yet it is not as efficient as it is expected. Studies have shown that the use of expensive imaging procedures, such as CT scans, was significantly increasing for the past few years. However, the increased number of CT scans may not help to improve quality of care. No studies are conducted on investigate geographic variation on CT scan usage rate. This research is the first one to examine CT scan usage rate among counties and to examine variation caused by patient and hospital characteristics. We used the 2007 HCUP-SID database provided data for the research. GIS graph was used to illustrate geographic variation on CT scan usage in New York State. Contingency tables were developed to evaluate to what extent patient and hospital characteristics contribute to the variation. A logistic regression model was built to control the variation caused by patient and hospital characteristics in order to find variation contributed by other potential factors such as availability of CT scanners and radiologists. Significant geographic variation of CT scan usage rate in the county level of New York State was found. Patient demographics, insurance status and medical conditions as well as hospital bed size and teaching status were contributing factors to the variation. After controlling these factors, significant geographic variation was still found. It indicates that other potential reasons would influence the technology use.<br>Master of Science

Remanufacturing is the process of collecting end-of-life products from customers and then being dissembled, reprocessed and reassembled to create new products to meet the customers’ needs. The economic viability of the implementation of a remanufacturing strategy has being shown among many companies in the automobile industry. Also, the economic profitability of the remanufacturing process has been proven in many industrial case studies. Cummins Scania XPI Manufacturing in Södertälje considers implementing a remanufacturing process for their returned components, but there is a lack of a foundation of whether this process will provide an economic profitability or not. In order to decide whether the remanufacturing is profitable for the company, there are some factors to consider. This research aims to identify the reasons behind implementing a remanufacturing process and the factors that affect the economical profitability of it. In order to answer the research questions, a theoretical investigation as well as several interviews with Cummins Scania XPI Manufacturing in Södertälje and Cummins XPJ in Mexico has been done. The aim with the interviews with Cummins Scania XPI in Södertälje was to identify what factors they want to consider when determining whether the remanufacturing process can be economic beneficial for them. The interview with Cummins XPJ was done in order to get an understanding how their remanufacturing process work. The result shows that there can be three main reasons behind implementing a remanufacturing process: economic benefits, environmental benefits as well as legislation. When it comes to the considered factors when implementing the remanufacturing process, the reverse logistic with the aim to remanufacture is important to consider since the remanufacturing is a fundamental process of it. Thereafter the possible factors that can be occurred are one-time costs such as prices of machines, fixed costs such as operators’ costs and where to implement the process. The results of this research provide a possibility for companies to determine whether the remanufacturing process is economically profitable for them.

Implementations of information technology solutions to address specific information problems are only successful when the technology is utilized. The antecedents of technology use involve user, system, task and organization characteristics as well as externalities which can affect all of these entities. However, measurement of the interaction effects between these entities can act as a proxy for individual attribute values. A model is proposed which based upon evaluation of these interaction effects can predict technology utilization. This model was tested with systems being implemented at a pediatric health care facility. Results from this study provide insight into the relationship between the antecedents of technology utilization. Specifically, task time provided significant direct causal effects on utilization. Indirect causal effects were identified in task value and perceived utility constructs. Perceived utility, along with organizational support also provided direct causal effects on user satisfaction. Task value also impacted user satisfaction in an indirect fashion. Also, results provide a predictive model and taxonomy of variables which can be applied to predict or manipulate the likelihood of utilization for planned technology.

本文データは平成22年度国立国会図書館の学位論文(博士)のデジタル化実施により作成された画像ファイルを基にpdf変換したものである<br>Kyoto University (京都大学)<br>0048<br>新制・論文博士<br>農学博士<br>乙第7416号<br>論農博第1631号<br>新制||農||587(附属図書館)<br>学位論文||H3||N2267(農学部図書室)<br>UT51-91-C149<br>(主査)教授 栃倉 辰六郎, 教授 外村 辨一郎, 教授 木村 光<br>学位規則第5条第2項該当

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2016-02-18T14:08:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2562998 bytes, checksum: 273a8314c10a7b7d96ab2dce28158e59 (MD5)<br>Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-18T14:08:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2562998 bytes, checksum: 273a8314c10a7b7d96ab2dce28158e59 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-25<br>Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico<br>Em ruminantes, a eficiência de utilização do nitrogênio (N; g de N em produto/g de N consumido) é baixa quando comparada a outras espécies (e.g., suínos, aves). Por esta razão, há uma excreção excessiva de compostos nitrogenados para o meio ambiente. No entanto, entendendo os mecanismos envolvidos no controle do metabolismo de N, tais como a eficiência de captura do N reciclado no rúmen e o metabolismo de aminoácidos (AA) pode melhorar a eficiência de utilização de N. Objetivando o entendimento destes fatores, esta tese foi desenvolvida a partir de três estudos. O objetivo do primeiro estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da suplementação com proteína degradável (PDR) e não-degradável no rúmen (PNDR) sobre a digestão de nutrientes, metabolismo de N, cinética de ureia, e degradação de proteína muscular em novilhas Nelore (Bos indicus) consumindo feno de capim-Braquiária [5% de proteína bruta (PB); 80% de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN); ambos em % da matéria seca (MS)]. Foram utilizadas cinco novilhas Nelore canuladas no rúmen e abomaso (248±9 kg) distribuídas em um quadrado latino 5 × 5. Os tratamentos foram: controle (sem suplemento); e suplementação com PDR para atender 100% das exigências de PDR mais suplementação com PNDR visando suprir 0%, 50%, 100% ou 150% das exigências de PNDR. O suplemento com PDR (caseína e N não-proteico) foi fornecido duas vezes ao dia, enquanto a PNDR suplementar foi continuamente infundida no abomaso. Infusão venosa de [ 15 N 15 N]-ureia com a avaliação do enriquecimento urinário foi realizada para mensurar a cinética de ureia. A relação entre 3-metil- histidina e creatinina foi utilizada para estimar a degradação de proteína muscular. O consumo de FDN (2,48 kg/dia) não foi afetado pela suplementação (P>0,37), mas elevou a digestão ruminal de FDN (P<0,01). O consumo total e a retenção de N aumentaram (P<0,001) com a suplementação e linearmente com os níveis de PNDR. A produção hepática de ureia (UER) e a reciclagem de ureia para o trato gastrointestinal (GER) foram ampliados pela suplementação (P<0,001). A suplementação com PNDR incrementou linearmente UER (P=0,02) e tendeu a aumentar linearmente GER (P=0,07). A ureia reciclada utilizada para fins anabólicos tendeu (P=0,07) a ser ampliada pela suplementação e os níveis de PNDR também tenderam (P=0.08) a aumentar linearmente a quantidade de ureia reciclada para o anabolismo. A fração de N microbiano assimilado a partir da ureia reciclada (MNU) foi maior (P<0,001) para novilhas controle (22%) do que para as novilhas suplementadas (10%). A relação urinária 3-metil- histidina:creatinina foi cerca de duas vezes superior (P<0,001) em novilhas controle do que suplementadas. Novilhas não-suplementadas reabsorveram uma fração maior de ureia a partir dos túbulos renais do que as novilhas suplementadas (P<0,001). No geral, novilhas não- suplementadas apresentaram maior mobilização de AA a partir da proteína miofibrilar para fornecer N para síntese de ureia e subsequente reciclagem. Suplementação com PNDR, associada a suplementação com PDR, além de ampliar a retenção de N, também aumenta a reciclagem de N-ureia e a síntese de proteína microbiana. No segundo capítulo, foram avaliadas a cinética de ureia e assimilação microbiana de N-ureia reciclado em ruminantes utilizando meta-análise. Valores de 107 médias de tratamentos foram compiladas a partir de 25 estudos com ruminantes (bovinos de corte, vacas de leite e ovinos) publicados entre 2001 e 2016. O conjunto de dados foi analisado de acordo com técnicas de meta-análise utilizando modelos mistos lineares e não-lineares, considerando a variação aleatória entre experimentos. Houve um aumento linear (P<0,05) entre UER e GER em função do consumo de N (g/BW 0,75 ), correspondendo a cerca de 71,5% e 35,2% do consumo de N, respectivamente. A UER foi positivamente associada (P<0,05) com os níveis de PB na dieta e PB em relação à matéria orgânica digerida (PB:MOD). A análise da máxima curvatura indicou que dietas com níveis de PB acima de 17% promovem uma sobrecarga na síntese hepática de ureia, devido a um possível excesso de N dietético, produção de amônia e detoxificação no fígado. A relação entre GER e UER reduziu com o aumento do conteúdo de PB na dieta (P<0,05). A fração GER:UER torna- se relativamente constante quando são fornecidas dietas com níveis de PB acima de 19%. A fração de UER excretada como N-ureico e a contribuição deste para excreção total de N urinário foram positivamente associadas com o teor de PB na dieta (P<0,05), atingindo o platô em níveis de PB próximo de 17%. Em relação à cinética de ureia, a fração de GER excretada nas fezes e utilizada para o anabolismo foram reduzidas, enquanto a fração que retorna para o ciclo da ornitina ampliou com níveis de PB (P<0,05). A fração de N microbiano assimilado a partir da ureia reciclada foi reduzida (P<0,05) com níveis de PB e PB:MOD da dieta. Considerando o intervalo de confiança da assíntota do modelo de predição de MNU em função da PB:MOD, a eficiência de assimilação microbiana do N-ureia reciclado estabilizou (P>0,05) a partir de 194 g PB/kg MOD. Os modelos obtidos neste estudo podem contribuir para o atual conhecimento da utilização de N nos sistemas de predição de dietas para otimização da reciclagem de ureia, reduzindo perdas de N que contribuem para a poluição do ar e da água. O objetivo do estudo descrito no terceiro capítulo foi avaliar a eficiência de utilização de lisina em novilhos em crescimento. Cinco novilhos holandeses fistulados no rúmen (165±8 kg) e mantidos em gaiolas metabólicas foram utilizados segundo delineamento em quadrado latino 6 × 6. Todos os novilhos receberam dieta restrita (2,46 kg de MS/dia) fornecida duas vezes ao dia, contendo baixo teor de PNDR (81% de casca de soja, 8% de palha de trigo, 6% de melaço e 5% de vitaminas e minerais). Os tratamentos foram: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 e 15 g/dia de L-lisina infundida continuamente no abomaso. Uma mistura de todos os AA essenciais foram também infundidos em conjunto para prevenir a limitação de outros AA, exceto lisina. Adicionalmente, os novilhos receberam infusão contínua de 10 g/dia de ureia, 200 g/dia de ácido acético, 200 g/dia de ácido propiônico e 50 g/dia de ácido butírico no rúmen; e 300 g/dia de glicose no abomaso. Estas infusões forneceram concentração de amônia no rúmen e energia suplementar adequados sem promoverem alteração sobre a produção de proteína microbiana. Cada período experimental foi constituído de seis dias, sendo dois dias de adaptação e quatro dias de coleta total de fezes e urina para mensurar o balanço de N. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas no sexto dia (10 horas após alimentação). A digestibilidade de MO da dieta não foi alterada (P≥0,66) pelos tratamentos sendo, em média, 73,7%. A excreção urinária de N reduziu de 32,3 para 24,3 g/dia entre os níveis de 0 a 9 g/dia de suplementação com lisina, com nenhum aumento verificado com níveis superiores a 9 g/dia (efeito linear e quadrático, P<0,01). Os efeitos sobre a excreção urinária total de N foram principalmente devido a excreção de N-ureia. O aumento da suplementação com lisina de 0 para 9 g/dia ampliou a retenção de N de 21,4 para 30,7 g/dia, com nenhum aumento verificado após este último nível de suplementação (efeito linear e quadrático, P<0,01). Sobre a resposta linear verificada com a suplementação de lisina variando de 0 a 9 g/dia a eficiência de utilização de lisina para deposição de proteína foi de 40%. A concentração plasmática de N-ureia tendeu a reduzir linearmente (P=0,06) com a suplementação de lisina, conforme observado para a redução na excreção urinária de N-ureia. A concentração plasmática de lisina aumentou linearmente (P<0,001), mas as concentrações de leucina, serina, valina e tirosina foram reduzidas linearmente (P<0,02) com os níveis de lisina suplementar, provavelmente devido a maior utilização destes AA para deposição de proteína. De acordo com este modelo, a suplementação com lisina promoveu aumento significativo na retenção de N que foi maximizada com a suplementação de 9 g/dia de lisina, apresentando 40% de eficiência de utilização.<br>In cattle, efficiency of nitrogen (N) utilization (g N in product/g N intake) is lower compared to others species (e.g., pig, chicken). For that reason, there is an extensive loss of N in manure, leading to environmental pollution. However, understanding the key mechanisms involved in control of N metabolism, such as efficiency of N capture in the rumen from recycled N and metabolism of amino acids (AA) in the body can improve efficiency of N utilization. To understand these factors, this dissertation was developed based on three studies. The objective of the first study was to evaluate the effects of supplemental ruminally degradable (RDP) and undegradable protein (RUP) on nutrient digestion, N metabolism, urea kinetics, and muscle protein degradation in Nellore heifers (Bos indicus) consuming low-quality signal grass hay [5% of crude protein (CP), 80% of neutral detergent fiber (NDF); dry matter (DM) basis). Five ruminally and abomasally cannulated Nellore heifers (248 ± 9 kg) were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square. Treatments were: control (no supplement); and RDP supplementation to meet 100% of the RDP requirement plus RUP provision to supply 0%, 50%, 100%, or 150% of the RUP requirement. Supplemental RDP (casein plus nonprotein N) was dosed ruminally twice daily, and RUP supply (casein) was continuously infused abomasally. Jugular infusion of [ 15 N 15 N]- urea with measurement of enrichment in urine was used to evaluate urea kinetics. The ratio of urinary 3-methylhistidine to creatinine was used to estimate skeletal muscle protein degradation. Forage NDF intake (2.48 kg/d) was not affected (P > 0.37) by supplementation, but supplementation did increase ruminal NDF digestion (P < 0.01). Total N intake (by design) and N retention increased (P < 0.001) with supplementation and also increased linearly with RUP provision. Urea entry rate (UER) and gastrointestinal entry rate of urea (GER) were increased by supplementation (P < 0.001). Supplementation with RUP linearly increased (P = 0.02) UER and tended (P = 0.07) to linearly increase GER. Urea use for anabolic purposes tended (P = 0.07) to be increased by supplementation, and RUP provision also tended (P = 0.08) to linearly increase the amount of urea used for anabolism. The fraction of recycled urea- N incorporated into microbial N (MNU) was greater (P < 0.001) for control (22%) than for supplemented (10%) heifers. Urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine of control heifers was more than double that of supplemented heifers (P < 0.001). Control heifers reabsorbed a greater (P < 0.001) fraction of urea from the renal tubule than did supplemented heifers. Overall, unsupplemented heifers had greater mobilization of AA from myofibrillar protein, which provided N for urea synthesis and subsequent recycling. Supplemental RUP, when RDP was supplied, not only increased N retention, but also supported increased urea-N recycling and increased ruminal microbial protein synthesis. In the second chapter, urea kinetics and microbial assimilation of recycled urea N in ruminants were evaluated using a meta-analytical approach. Treatment mean values were compiled from 25 studies with ruminants (beef cattle, dairy cows, and sheep) which were published from 2001 to 2016, totaling 107 treatment means. The dataset was analyzed according to meta-analysis techniques using linear or non-linear mixed models, taking into account the random variations among experiments. Urea N synthesized in the liver (UER) and urea N recycled to the gut (GER) linearly increased (P < 0.001) as N intake (g/BW 0.75 ) increased, with increases corresponding to 71.5% and 35.2% of N intake, respectively. The UER was positively associated (P < 0.05) with dietary CP and the ratio of CP to digestible OM (CP:DOM). Maximum curvature analyses indicate that above 17% of CP there is a prominent increase on hepatic synthesis of urea N due to an excess of dietary N and NH 3 input. The GER:UER decreased with increasing dietary CP content (P < 0.05). At dietary CP ≥ 19%, the fraction of GER became constant. The fraction of UER eliminated as urinary urea N and the contribution of urea N to total urinary N were positively associated with dietary CP (P < 0.05), plateaued at about 17% of CP. The fractions of GER excreted in the feces and utilized for anabolism decreased, whereas the fraction of GER returned to the ornithine cycle increased with dietary CP content (P < 0.05). Recycled urea N assimilated by ruminal microbes (as a fraction of GER) decreased as dietary CP and CP:DOM increased (P < 0.05). The efficiency of microbial assimilation of recycled urea N plateaued at 194 g CP/kg DOM. The models obtained in this study can to contribute to the knowledge on N utilization in feeding models and optimizing urea recycling, reducing N losses that contribute to air and water pollution. The objective of the third chapter was to evaluate the efficiency of lysine (Lys) utilization by growing steers. Five ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (165 kg ± 8 kg) housed in metabolism crates were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square design; data from a sixth steer was excluded due to erratic feed intake. All steers were limit fed (2.46 kg DM/d) twice daily diets low in RUP (81% soybean hulls, 8% wheat straw, 6% cane molasses, and 5% vitamins and minerals). Treatments were: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 g/d of L-Lys abomasally infused continuously. To prevent AA other than Lys from limiting performance, a mixture providing all essential AA to excess was continuously infused abomasally. Additional continuous infusions included 10 g urea/d, 200 g acetic acid/d, 200 g propionic acid/d, and 50 g butyric acid/d to the rumen and 300 g glucose/d to the abomasum. These infusions provided adequate ruminal ammonia and increased energy supply without increasing microbial protein supply. Each 6-d period included 2 d for adaptation and 4 d for total fecal and urinary collections for measuring N balance. Blood was collected on d 6 (10 h after feeding). Diet OM digestibility was not altered (P ≥ 0.66) by treatment and averaged 73.7%. Urinary N excretion decreased from 32.3 to 24.3 g/d by increasing Lys supplementation to 9 g/d, with no further reduction when more than 9 g/d of Lys was supplied (linear and quadratic P < 0.01). Changes in total urinary N excretion were predominantly due to changes in urinary urea-N. Increasing Lys supply from 0 to 9 g/d increased N retention from 21.4 to 30.7 g/d, with no further increase beyond 9 g/d of Lys (linear and quadratic P < 0.01). Break-point analysis estimated maximal N retention at 9 g/d supplemental Lys. Over the linear response surface of 0 to 9 g/d Lys, the efficiency of Lys utilization for protein deposition was 40%. Plasma urea-N tended to be linearly decreased (P = 0.06) by Lys supplementation in agreement with the reduction in urinary urea-N excretion. Plasma concentrations of Lys increased linearly (P < 0.001), but leucine, serine, valine, and tyrosine (P ≤ 0.02) were reduced linearly by Lys supplementation, likely reflecting increased uptake for protein deposition. In our model, Lys supplementation promoted significant increases in N retention and was maximized at 9 g/d supplemental Lys with efficiency of utilization of 40%.

Abstract. Limited testing resources are one of the most fundamental challenges in testing. Testing of complex systems will require very large numbers of test cases to provide an adequate level of testing. Coverage is a popular metric to state the level of testing. However, coverage alone is not always a good measure to describe the level of testing for two reasons. First, it does not provide information of how efficiently the testing resources were spent. Second, coverage does not contain knowledge of how close to the optimal utilization the testing is. This thesis proposes a way to measure the level of test resource utilization, and a way to estimate the distance from the optimal resource utilization. In this thesis a set of efficiency and performance metrics are defined to measure utilization of testing resources. The defined metrics consider the achieved coverage with respect to spent testing resources and the complexity of the tested system. Based on the defined metrics, an approximation formula for the maximum efficiency as a function of available testing resources is defined. A method to simplify complex equations by considering the states of equation is proposed. The defined metrics and proposed method are applied into a 3GPP equation, intended for a Long Term Evolution (LTE) device, to search a subset that maximizes the test resource utilization. The optimization of the utilization of test resources is viewed as a set cover problem, which is attempted so solve with various algorithms, such as brute force algorithm, classical Greedy Algorithm (GA), and a few of their variants and combinations. Performance of the algorithms are studied and compared. Performance results are presented, and the best results compared with the approximated maximum. It was observed that there was not a single algorithm that suits for all scenarios, but the choice of algorithms depends on the resources available. Brute force-based algorithms should be selected when there are scarce resources, and GA-based algorithms when resources are plentiful. Based on the results, the utilization of the test resources was maximized with a moderate number of test resources.Testiresurssien käytön optimointi. Tiivistelmä. Rajalliset testausresurssit ovat yksi keskeisimmistä haasteista testauksessa. Monimutkaisten järjestelmien testaus tarkoittaa usein todella suurta määrää testejä, jotta saavutettaisiin riittävä testauksen taso. Kattavuus on perinteinen tapa mitata testauksen tasoa. Kattavuus ilmaisee absoluuttisen testauksen tason testattujen ja testaamattomien osioiden suhteena. Kattavuus yksin ei ole paras tapa kuvata testauksen tasoa kahdesta syystä. Kattavuus ei ilmaise kuinka tehokkaasti testaus resurssit käytettiin. Kattavuus ei myöskään kerro kuinka lähellä optimaalista testaus resurssien käyttöä oltiin. Tässä diplomi työssä esitetään vaihtoehtoinen tapa mitata testauksen tasoa, sekä keinon arvioida, kuinka lähellä ollaan optimaalista testausta. Tässä työssä määritellään joukko metriikoita, joilla mitataan kuinka tehokkaasti testausresurssit käytetään hyödyksi. Metriikat ottavat huomioon saavutetun kattavuuden suhteessa käytettyihin resursseihin sekä testattavan järjestelmän monimutkaisuuden. Määriteltyjen metriikoiden pohjalta määritellään approksimaatiokaava, joka ilmaisee suurimman mahdollisen hyötysuhteen resurssien määrän funktiona. Menetelmä monimutkaisten yhtälöiden yksinkertaistamiseen käsittelemällä yhtälön tiloja ehdotetaan. Määriteltyjä metriikoita sekä ehdotettua menetelmää sovelletaan Long Term Evolution (LTE) laitteelle tarkoitettuun 3GPP kaavaan, ja pyritään löytämään testijoukko, joka optimoi testausresurssien käytön. Testausresurssien optimointia käsitellään joukko kattavuus ongelmana, jota yritetään ratkaista useilla algoritmeilla, kuten raaka voima haku algoritmilla sekä ahneella algoritmilla, sekä muutamalla näiden kahden variaatiolla ja yhdistelmällä. Algoritmien tulokset esitetään ja niitä vertaillaan. Parhaita tuloksia verrataan approksimoituun maksimitehokkuuteen. Työssä havaitaan että yksi algoritmi ei sovellu joka tilanteeseen, vaan paras algoritmi riippuu käytettävissä olevien resurssien määrästä. Raaka voima algoritmi saavuttaa parhaan tuloksen pienille resurssimäärille, kun taas ahne algoritmi suurille. Tulosten perusteella paras testausresurssien hyödyntäminen saavutetaan kohtalaisella resurssimäärällä.

La maggior parte delle reazioni chimiche avviene in soluzione, per cui la scelta del solvente adatto è di fondamentale importanza. Tuttavia, leggi sempre più ferree regolano lo smaltimento dei rifiuti chimici, quindi la ricerca di mezzi di reazione a minore impatto ambientale è di sicuro interesse, sia in ambito accademico che industriale. Infatti, i solventi volatili organici (VOCs) sono prodotti chimici tra i più dannosi sia perché vengono usati in quantità massicce, sia perché si disperdono nell’atmosfera, per via della loro volatilità. Tra le alternative maggiormente studiate ci sono i liquidi ionici (ILs) caratterizzati da pressione di vapore non misurabile, elevata stabilità termica, flessibilità sintetica che permette di modulare diverse proprietà chimico-fisiche, caratteristica che è valso loro l’appellativo di “designer solvents”. Nell’ambito di questo studio di tesi i ILs sono stati utilizzati sia come solventi in classiche reazioni organiche sia, per la prima volta, come agenti antiossidanti nel trattamento dei beni librari. Il primo passo di questo studio è consistito, quindi, nella ricerca di un’adeguata strategia sintetica che permettesse di ottenere liquidi ionici di elevata purezza. La sintesi consiste in due passaggi (quaternizzazione e metatesi anionica) con la quale è stato ottenuto un discreto numero di liquidi ionici di comune utilizzo (idrofobi e idrofili) con buone rese. Con il protocollo sintetico messo a punto, è stata esplorata anche la sintesi di ILs caratterizzati da proprietà particolari come la bis-trifluorometansolfonil immide di 1-metil-3-(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8)tridecafluoroesil imidazolio. È stata tentata anche la sintesi di liquidi ionici totalmente fluorurati, tuttavia la presenza di uno spaziatore sembra indispensabile per la riuscita della reazione, quanto meno nelle blande condizioni di reazione sperimentate. Per quel che riguarda l’utilizzo dei liquidi ionici come solventi per le reazioni organiche, è stata studiata l’ossidazione di Baeyer-Villiger, considerata un’interessante reazione organica poiché consente la sintesi diretta di esteri a partire dai chetone, tramite l’introduzione di un ossigeno accanto al carbonile. La reazione classica prevede l’uso di peracidi come ossidanti, i quali, però, presentano molti svantaggi, tra i quali la bassa reattività e la scarsa sostenibilità; per cui, da diversi anni, la ricerca in quest’ambito è stata rivolta allo sviluppo di ossidanti più ecocompatibili, come l’acqua ossigenata. Questa però, essendo cineticamente inerte, deve essere attivata mediante l’uso di un appropriato catalizzatore. Tra tutti quelli sviluppati, una classe di complessi cationici di Pt(II) si sono riveranti essere molto efficaci, soprattutto perché sono in grado di ossidare anche chetoni lineari, cosa raramente riscontrata con altri sistemi catalitici. L’ossidazione di Baeyer-Villiger impiegando tali complessi, avviene in doppia fase: quella organica (tipicamente costituita da un solvente clorurato), in cui il catalizzatore è solubile, e quella acquosa con H2O2. In questo lavoro sperimentale, la fase organica è stata quindi sostituita con i liquidi ionici. È stato osservato che quelli idrofobi, e in particolare con la bis-trifluorometansolfonil immide di 1-butil-3-metil imidazolio, bmimTf2N, forniscono migliori risultati rispetto al solvente organico sia a temperatura ambiente (30 °C) sia a temperature superiori. Invece non sono state osservate grosse differenze di reattività variando i ligandi sul catalizzatore. Sono stati anche condotti esperimenti di riciclo del catalizzatore, nell’ottica di rendere la reazione ancora più sostenibile. Inoltre è stato studiato come varia l’efficienza del sistema al variare di solvente, substrati e temperatura. È stato poi eseguito uno studio preliminare sull’acilazione del ferrocene, promossa da poliossometallati (POMs), in luogo del cloruro d’alluminio. In questo lavoro sperimentale sono state adottate condizione di reazione molto blande, diversamente da quanto accade nelle classiche acilazioni di Friedel-Crafts, utilizzando un POM di semplice sintesi: ancora una volta, la reazione condotta in ILs garantisce rese superiori a quelle in solvente organico (50% vs 20%) senza prodotti di polisostituzione. La resa può essere addirittura portata all’80% aumentando la temperatura. Infine è stato dimostrato che i liquidi ionici ostacolano la corrosione della carta ad opera degli inchiostro metallo-gallici, dato che carte inchiostrate con questo tipo di inchiostro sono soggette a due processi di deterioramento concomitanti: l’idrolisi acida della cellulosa e la degradazione ossidativa promossa da ioni metallici. Mentre la degradazione acida può essere semplicemente soppressa con trattamenti deacidificanti, è molto più difficile arrestare la degradazione ossidativa. In questo lavoro sono stati esaminati per la prima volta i bromuri di imidazolio per prevenire la corrosione dovuta proprio alla degradazione ossidativa. L’impiego dei ILs, così come per i sali d’ammonio, ha permesso lo sviluppo di un trattamento non acquoso, che è uno degli obbiettivi più importanti nell’ambito del restauro. Misure di pH, viscosimetria e colorimetria hanno dimostrato l’efficienza del trattamento con ILs, in particolare, il bromuro di 1-butil-2,3-dimetilimidazolio, che nel complesso ha mostrato la miglior azione antiossidante. Difatti questo sale ha prodotto risultati confrontabili con quelli del bromuro di tetrabutilammonio e di dodeciltrimetilammonio, considerati fino ad ora gli antiossidanti più efficienti, ma a differenza di questi ultimi, il bdmimBr non ha apportato variazioni significative del colore originario dell’inchiostro. In questa maniera campioni di carte inchiostrate, trattate con bdmimBr, non solo sono più resistenti nei confronti della degradazione ossidativi, ma manterranno anche il colore più a lungo. Concludendo, in ogni loro utilizzo i ILs sembrano apportare vantaggi non solo per quel che riguarda l’aumento delle rese, ma anche la possibilità di riutilizzo del catalizzatore. Anche nel campo del restauro i liquidi ionici si comportano come antiossidanti nei confronti della degradazione ossidativa. Certamente questo studio ha contribuito a dimostrare che i liquidi ionici sono una classe di composti versatile e interessante.<br>As it is well known, chemistry is dominated by the study of species in solution. In principle, any liquid may be used as a solvent, but relatively few are of general use. Moreover, as concern for environment protection increased and legislation became more strict, the introduction of cleaner technologies has become a major goal, both for industry and academia. Thus, the quest for alternatives to the most damaging solvents has become a high priority task. Volatile organic solvents (VOCs) are among the most damaging chemicals for two main reasons: they are used in large amounts and they are usually volatile liquids that are difficult to contain. A sustainable solvent should be a non toxic, non volatile, biodegradable liquid. ILs meet the fundamental criteria for a sustainable solvent because they exhibit essentially no vapour, they generally have reasonable thermal stability, are immiscible with some organic solvents and, hence, can be used in two-phase systems, can be tailored according to needs (“designer solvents”). The work of this thesis was aimed to utilize ILs as solvents for both in organic reactivity and in practical application, such as for the first time, in paper restoration field. The first step of this work was aimed at find an accurate synthetic protocol in order to obtain highly pure ionic liquids. Synthesis consisted in two steps, namely quaternization and anion metathesis. A satisfactory number of “canonical” ILs of different nature, hydrophilic and hydrophobic, was obtained in good yields and, in the search of ionic liquids with different properties, the work has been addressed to the fluorinated ionic liquids synthesis. In this contest, 1-methyl-3-(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8)tridecafluorohexyl imidazolium bis-trifluoromethansulfonyl amide was synthesized. It was obtained with the same protocol of canonical ionic liquids, namely by quaternization between methylimidazole and iodoperfluoroalkane, followed by anion metathesis. Syntheses of totally fluorinated ILs were unsuccessful. Probably because the presence of a spacer is indispensable, since steric hindrance in perfluorinated haloalkanes and electronic effects together play a decisive role in nucleophilic substitution. Baeyer-Villiger oxidation was the first reaction studied in ionic liquids as solvents, because it allows to transform ketones into esters simply by introduction of an oxygen atom near the carbonyl group. Standard protocol employs organic peracids as primary oxidants, but they have a number of drawbacks thus stimulating the research of alternative oxidant systems, such as hydrogen peroxide as primary oxidant: this molecule simplifies greatly the workup, thus allowing the use of simpler reaction conditions and avoiding the separation of the carboxylic acid. Furthermore it owns a higher active oxygen content, and water is the byproduct. On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide is kinetically more inert and requires the use of a suitable catalyst. Many new heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts, have been already found able to activate H2O2 and promote the reaction and, among these, a class of cationic Pt(II) complex was particularly used in the Baeyer-Villiger reaction, above all for capability of the Pt(II)-catalyst to oxidize also acyclic ketones (and it represents a great innovation with respect to the major part of other metal catalysts). These complexes work at the boundary of a double phase: the aqueous solution of H2O2 and a halogenated solvent, in which the catalyst is soluble. In order to substitute the organic layer with a more sustainable solvent, it was carried out the BV reaction in ILs. Hydrophobic ones, in particular bmimNTf2 (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide), resulted to be a superior reaction medium than hydrophilic ILs and organic solvents. Best reaction conditions were found to be a ketone/H2O2/catalyst ratio equal to 2:1:0.01 at 30 °C. Differences in Pt(II) ligands did not affect the final outcome significantly. Better yields were obtained with cyclic ketones at 60 °C, where oxidation was fast enough to proceed before deactivation of the catalyst. It was demonstrated that it is possible to grant the catalyst recover, which it is one of main goals in metal catalyzed reactions. Reaction variables (solvent, substrate, catalyst, and temperatures) were tested and their influence on the final result assessed. A preliminary study of ferrocene acylation was performed using poly-oxo-metalates (POMs) as Lewis acids instead of AlCl3, normally implied in this kind of reaction, but used in more than stoichiometric amount. In this experimental work very simple reaction conditions were set up and the simplest Keggin POM was chosen. Reaction gave 20% of product if carried out in organic solvent, 50% in IL; increasing the temperature it was possible to obtain yields of 80% without any formation of polysubstitution byproducts. Finally it was demonstrated that ILs help in solving the ink corrosion due to iron gall inks. Objects treated with iron gall ink suffer from two concomitant processes of deterioration: acid hydrolysis of cellulose and oxidative degradation promoted by metal ion excess. While the acid degradation can be easily eliminated with deacidification, today many attempts are done aimed at finding conservation procedures appropriate to stop the oxidative degradation. In this work the use of imidazolium bromide salts to prevent the ink corrosion due to oxidative degradation was investigated for the first time. The use of ILs as antioxidants, as well as ammonium salts, allowed the development of a non-aqueous method, which is one of the most important goals in the conservation field. pH, viscosimetry and colourimetric measurements showed the effectiveness of the treatment with ILs, in particular, among all the imidazolium salts tested (six in total), 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazole bromide (bdmimBr) was the one that on the whole showed the best anti-oxidant action: in fact, this salt gave results comparable with ones of tetrabutyl ammonium bromide and dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, considered until now the most effective anti-oxidants for the ink corrosion, but in addition it did not perturb appreciably the original ink colour. So inked paper samples, treated with bdmimBr, will be preserved from the oxidative degradation and, at the same time, will maintain information for longer time, retaining the ink colour powerfully. To conclude, in all of their applications, the use of ILs seems to bring benefits not only improving yields, but also opening the possibility of recycle procedure. Also in the conservation field ILs behave as antioxidant against oxidative degradation due to ink corrosion. Surely, once again, it was demonstrated that ILs are very attractive and promising compounds, that can find application in several fields.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2003.<br>Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 124 p. : ill. (some col.) Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-104).

Knowledge of how animals utilize their space can be important when they are held in captivity. This is especially true for animals that are on the edge of extinction as such knowledge can possibly help to improve their captive breeding programs. One of these animals is the dhole, Cuon alpinus. The aim for this study was to assess how the dholes at Kolmården zoo utilize their space, if they share space and if they prefer to use specific pathways. The study took place at Kolmården zoo during 12 days and included a total of 72 hours of visual observation. A summarized map, with subdivision into 14 zones, of the dholes’ enclosure was used when recording the dholes’ location. For location recordings scan sampling was used. The dholes showed marked differences in utilization of zones ranging from the most popular zone with 1341 markings to the least popular zone with 71 markings. There was a clear preference for three zones during the whole observation period. No marked differences for utilization of zones were found between feeding vs. non-feeding days and morning vs. afternoon. Furthermore, the dholes showed a tendency for sharing space and utilization of two pathways. This project makes it evident that the dholes at Kolmården zoo prefer certain zones within their enclosure. This is probably due to that the zones preferred provides locations with access to resting, lookout possibilities etc that is important for the dholes to express a natural behavior.

EMBA Project Report<br>EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Demand on Naval Academy facilities has increased due to sustained growth in the Academy’s academic programs in new areas such as cyber studies, language and cultural studies, and increased emphasis on conferring Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) degrees. In addition, the pedagogical requirements of training the Brigade of Midshipmen in all aspects of their mental, moral and physical development has evolved significantly over the years; requiring new types of teaching, learning spaces and processes that have had significant impact on the usage of classrooms and laboratories at the Academy. This pedagogy has been formalized into a series of processes and regimens that we identify as constraints in this study. These constraints act collectively to define the actual utilization of every facility at the Naval Academy. In addition, they form the basis for almost all of the business rules used by the Academic Dean’s office in their mission of facilitating the mental development of the Brigade, and ultimately become the drivers for new facilities requirements. Despite the restrictive nature of these constraints, the Naval Academy has performed above the national average in its utilization of its classrooms, and as of the fall 2010 semester, has achieved a current classroom average utilization rate of 74%. While this is noteworthy, we believe that by making a few minor adjustments which would not represent a significant departure from its cultural norms, the Academy can utilize its existing classrooms at an even higher level. In this study, we present the constraints pertaining to classroom utilization in five categories; Physical, Student Body, Faculty, Traditional and Technology. We briefly examine each constraint and qualitatively explain its impact on facilities utilization. We recognize that constraints are a reality of doing business and that especially in circumstances such as at the Naval Academy they are even highly desired, valued and part of the cultural heart of the institution. However, we present a series of recommendations that encourage new examinations of the constraints in light of the constrained facilities construction budget in the Department of the Navy and in response to the Naval Academy’s sense of urgency in identifying space for the emerging curriculum requirements in Cyber Studies. We wish to highlight several of these recommendations that, in our assessment, appear to be palatable and executable in the near future without significant disruption to the norms at the Academy; _ Reclaim a seventh daily period of instruction by shortening the noon meal period and beginning the afternoon class sessions earlier. _ Adhere more closely to the Academic Dean guidelines on appropriate sizes of classes and strictly limit the number of small classes (fewer than 16 Midshipmen) to specialized instances. _ Schedule and assign classrooms and labs at the Division level vs. independent Department-led academic scheduling. These opportunities, among others that we present in our recommendations, will have real and immediate impact on the utilization of classrooms at the Naval Academy and can be accomplished in incremental steps or in tandem. Delivering future leaders of the Navy to the Fleet on schedule and on budget is no small task and we applaud the Naval Academy leadership in their dedicated efforts. We hope that this study encourages further dialogue on how to maximize all of the academic facilities and associated resources that are currently available to meet these demands.

Ethernet está empezando a pasar de las redes de área local a una red de transporte. Sin embargo, como los requisitos de las redes de transporte son más exigentes, la tecnología necesita ser mejorada. Esquemas diseñados para mejorar Ethernet para que cumpla con las necesidades de transporte se pueden categorizar en dos clases. La primera clase mejora solo los componentes de control de Ethernet (Tecnologías basadas en STP), y la segunda clase mejora tanto componentes de control como de encaminamiento de Ethernet (tecnologías basadas en etiquetas). Esta tesis analiza y compara el uso de espacio en las etiquetas de las tecnologias basadas en ellas para garantizar su escalabilidad. La aplicabilidad de las técnicas existentes y los estudios que se pueden utilizar para superar o reducir los problemas de escalabilidad de la etiqueta son evaluados. Además, esta tesis propone un ILP para calcular el óptimo rendimiento de las technologias basadas en STP y las compara con las basadas en etiquetas para ser capaz de determinar, dada una específica situacion, que technologia utilizar.<br>Ethernet is starting to move from Local area networks to carrier networks. Nevertheless as the requirements of carrier networks are more demanding, the technology needs to be enhanced. Schemes designed for improving Ethernet to match carrier requirements can be categorized in two classes. The first class improves Ethernet control components only (STP based technologies), and the second class improves both Ethernet control and forwarding components (label based forwarding technologies). This thesis analyzes and compares label space usage for the label based forwarding technologies to ensure their scalability. The applicability of existing techniques and studies that can be used to overcome or reduce label scalability issues is evaluated. Additionally this thesis proposes an ILP to calculate optimal performance of STP based approaches and compares them with label based forwarding technologies to be able to determine, given a specific scenario, which approach to use.

Thesis (M.S. in Defense Analysis and Information Operations)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2010.<br>Thesis Advisor: Sepp, Kalev I. ; Second Reader: Tucker, David. "June 2010." Description based on title screen as viewed on July 15, 2010. Author(s) subject terms: Norway, Norwegian, special operations, Special Operations Forces, SOF, Information Operations, Psychological Operations, PSYOP, PSYOPS, Computer Network Operations, CNO, Deception, MILDEC, NORSOF, strategic assets, Forsvarets spesialkommando, FSK, Hærens jegerkommando, HJK, NORASOC, Marinejegerkommandoen, MJK, NORNAVSOC, 137 Luftving, 137 Air Wing, Canada, CANSOF, CANSOFCOM, Poland, POLSOF, POLSOCOM, NATO SOF Study. Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-166). Also available in print.

Lignocellulosic biomass represents a vast supply of fermentable carbohydrates and functional aromatic compounds. Conversion of lignocellulosics to ethanol and other useful products would be of widespread economical and environmental benefit. Better understanding of the behavior of different lignicellulosic feedstocks in fermentation protocols as well as catalytic activities involved in lignocellulosic depolymerization will further enhance the commercial viability of biomass-to-ethanol conversion processes. The relative toxicity of the combined non-xylose components in prehydrolysates derived from three different lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks (poplar, corn stover and switchgrass, or Panicum virgatum L.) was determined using a Pichia stipits fermentation assay. The relative toxicity of the prehydrolysates, in decreasing order, was poplar-derived prehydrolysates > switchgrass-derived prehydrolysates > corn stover-derived prehydrolysates. Ethanol yields averaged 74%, 83% and 88% of control values for poplar, switchgrass and corn stover prehydrolysates, respectively. Volumetric ethanol productivities (g ethanol l⁻¹ h⁻¹) averaged 32%, 70% and 102% of control values for poplar, switchgrass and corn stover prehydrolysates, respectively. Ethanol productivities correlated closely with acetate concentrations in the prehydrolysates; however, regression lines correlating acetate concentrations and ethanol productivities were found to be feedstock-dependent. Differences in the relative toxicity of xylose-rich prehydrolysates derived from woody and herbaceous feedstocks are likely due to the relative abundance of a variety of inhibitory compounds, e.g. acetate and aromatic comounds. Fourteen aromatic monomers present in prehydrolysates prepared from corn stover, switchgrass, and poplar were tentatively identified by comparison with published mass spectra. The concentrations of the aromatic monomers totaled 112, 141 and 247 mg(l)⁻¹ for corn stover, switchgrass and poplar prehydrolysates, respectively. The woody and herbaceous feedstocks differed in both amount and type of aromatic monomers. The cellulases of Trichoderma reesei are the most widely studied for use in the depolymerization of lignocellulosics. The Trichoderma cellobiohydrolases CBH1 and CBH2 are traditionally categorized as exo-acting cellulases. A simple individual-based model was created to explore the potential effects of native endo activity on substratevelocity profiles. The model results indicate that an enzyme with a small amount of endo activity will show an apparent substrate inhibition as substrate levels are increased. Actual hydrolysis studies using affinity chromatography-purified CBH2 preparations from three laboratories indicate that CBH2 has native endo activity, while CBH1 does not.<br>Graduation date: 1999

碩士<br>國立中山大學<br>醫務管理研究所<br>92<br>Appropriate utilization of the operating room (ORs) requires a balance of many conflicting resources. This cannot be done without an understanding of the role of the OR in the finances of the institution, the missions of the institution, the actual data concerning utilization and costs. Economics of the OR environment have changed dramatically in the past 10 years. For example, technological advances have led to the introduction and advancement of minimally invasive surgical procedures, which are purported to decrease morbidity, reduce hospital length of stay, and improve outcome. However, many of these procedures actually increase OR cost, time and supplies. The increased costs of minimally invasive surgery would not have been a problem in the past, due to the additional costs would have been easily adsorbed because of the large profit margin associated with surgical procedure. Under the implementation of the NHI, the DRG, capitated payment, and global budget, it is not surprising that this area is earmarked by many hospitals as a place to reduce expenses. Therefore, all of us working in the OR must be cost efficient and maximize productivity for long-term success. Accurate estimation of operating times is a prerequisite for the efficient scheduling of the operating suite. In this study, authors sought to compare surgeons’ time estimates for elective cases and to ascertain whether improvements could be made by statistical modeling. The study was conducted in the GYN department at the VGHKS from 2000, Jan. to 2003, June. Author calculates operation time distribution (lognormal) and variance, and operation time finishing probability, costs, and comparing operating time difference between surgeons.

Man Siu Fun.<br>"Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2004-2005, design report."<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaf 56).<br>Part 1<br>Thesis Proposal<br>Site History<br>Site Constraints<br>Deisgn Strategy<br>Design Goal<br>Design Validity<br>Case Study<br>Part 2<br>Tuen Mun Site Analysis<br>Design Potentials and Issues<br>Part 3<br>Thesis Statment<br>Site Selection<br>Site Analysis<br>Site Intervention<br>Part 4<br>Design Process<br>Part 5<br>Final Drawings

Leaf surface area present on black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) and Douglas hawthorn (Crataegus douglasi) was measured indirectly using a point frame, photographs, and a canopy analyzer. Each was compared to directly measured leaf surface area. Six black cottonwood and 3 Douglas hawthorn shrubs were selected in 1996 and 9 black cottonwood and 3 Douglas hawthorn shrubs in 1997. Shrubs were selected based on size and isolation. Each indirect method was applied prior to removing a portion of leaves from each shrub. Shrubs were defoliated in 3 to 7 increments and leaf surface area of each was measured. After shrubs were completely defoliated increments of measured leaf areas were added to subsequently removed leaf areas to determine the measured leaf area present on a shrub each time indirect methods were applied. Measured leaf areas were paired with indirect method values and regression equations were developed. Correlation coefficients for regressions were 0.76 for black cottonwood and 0.70 for Douglas hawthorn for the point frame, 0.91 for black cottonwood and 0.79 for Douglas hawthorn for the photographs, 0.62 for black cottonwood and 0.61 for Douglas hawthorn when shrub volume was included for the canopy analyzer. Photographs took 20 minutes to set up and take pictures followed by 1.5 hours for processing images in Idrisi and Picture Publisher. The point frame required 45 minutes to 1.5 hours field time and 5 to 10 minutes to process data. The canopy analyzer was the most rapid of the techniques requiring less than 5 minutes to secure a field measurement and enter this value into the regression equation. Canopy analyzer reliability was the lowest of the methods studied.<br>Graduation date: 1999

Research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health in the field of Hospital Management<br>Background: Use of drugs in maternity unit plays a major role in maternal health service delivery. Therefore, drug use during pregnancy requires close monitoring which includes prescription of appropriate medication to their diagnosis, correct doses, and adequate period of time. Drugs are also one of the major cost drivers in health facilities. Although maternal health services are receiving increasing attention in South Africa, very few systematic studies have been done to analyze this important component (prescribing patterns and costs of drugs) of maternal health care services in a district hospital setting. Aims: The overall aim of the study is to assess the drugs utilized in a maternity ward at Pretoria West District Hospital (A district hospital in the Tshwane District in the Gauteng Province) and the factors that might influence its use and their cost over a period of one year. Methodology: Cross-section study design was used. Retrospective review of hospital records was undertaken for 2087 maternal patient deliveries during one year study period (01 January to December 2009) and no primary data was collected. Data was extracted for variables used in the study (quantity and cost of drug used, profile of patients). The study commenced after obtaining necessary approval from the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development and University of the 2 Witwatersrand “Human Research Ethics Committee (Medical)’. Results: The study found that all the patients were prescribed iron supplements. The second most commonly prescribed drugs are uterotonics. Besides these two items other prescription drugs were prescribed to 7% of patients. Postnatal contraceptives were seldom used. The most commonly used antibiotic was Ceftriaxone. Bezylpenicillin was prescribed only for one RPR positive patient during one month. Only 13% HIV positive received antiretrovirals which is too low as compared to number of mothers delivered. The study found underprescription of anti-hypertensive drugs. Low use of parenteral analgesics signifies that probably patients were not given adequate pain relief during labour and this policy should be reviewed. The quantity of biological vaccines (BCG and oral polio) was prescribed routinely for all the newborn babies. However, the antiretrovirals (Zidovudine and Nevirapine syrups) were prescribed for fewer newborn babies (n= 51), in comparison to total number of babies born to a HIV positive mothers (n=266) and of concern. Total cost for the drugs used during one year study period was R 113,664.56. The average costs per mother and newborn babies were R 39.40 and R 15.08 respectively. Routine availability of affordable and effective drugs is one of the key indicators of quality health. The study showed that affordable and effective drugs were readily available in the Unit. Conclusion: This is probably the first study that documented the use of drugs in the maternity unit in a district hospital. Further prospective study would be able to provide more information in this important subject.