Three genomic clones encompassing human DNA segments (designated LhX-3, LhX-4, and LhX5) were isolated from an X chromosome-specific library and subjected to analysis by physical mapping and DNA sequencing. It was found that these three clones are very rich in repetitive DNA sequence elements and retropseudogenes.

Fire in building structures represents a risk both to life and property that cannot be fully eliminated. It is the aim of fire safety engineering to reduce this risk to an acceptable level through the application of scientific and engineering principles to evaluate the risk posed by fire and to determine the optimal set of protective measures. This is increasingly being achieved through performance-based design methods. Performance-based design sets out performance requirements, typically related to life safety and control of property losses, and the designer is free to choose the most suitable approach to meet these requirements. Accurate performance-based design requires the evaluation of the risks to a structure through the evaluation of the range of hazards that may occur and the resulting structural responses. The purpose of this research is to develop simplified methodologies for the reliability based design of steel framed structures in fire. These methodologies are incorporated into a software package, FireLab, which is intended to act as a tool for practicing engineers to aid in learning and applying performance-based design. FireLab is a Matlab based program that incorporates a number of different models for analysing the response of structural elements exposed to fire. It includes both deterministic and probabilistic analysis procedures. A range of simple fire models are presented for modelling compartment fires. A set of heat transfer processes are discussed for calculating the temperature distribution within common structural elements exposed to fire. A variety of structural models are discussed which may be used to model the effects of fire on a structure. An analytical model for the analysis of composite beams has been implemented in the software program. Interfaces between the software and 2 separate third party programs have also been created to allow for the analysis of composite beams using the finite element method. Analytical methods for the analysis of composite slabs under thermo-mechanical load have been implemented in the software. These methods account for the additional load carrying capacity that slabs have in fire due to the positive effects of tensile membrane action. A numerical analysis method for the vertical stability of structures subjected to multi-floor fires has been implemented using the direct stiffness method. This method uses an elastic 2nd order solution in order to check the stability of a column under the fire induced horizontal loads from sagging floors. These models of potential failure scenarios provide the basis for the probabilistic analysis methods. A variety of methods for reliability analysis are evaluated based on ease of use, accuracy and efficiency. A selection of these methods has been implemented in the software program. A selection of sample cases are examined in order to illustrate the procedures and to evaluate the important input variables. These methods provide the probability of failure of a structure under specific loads. The probability of failure is a useful parameter in comparing the level of safety between various design options. A more comprehensive framework is developed for the evaluation of the probable costs due to fire associated with a given design. This framework is based on an existing framework from earthquake engineering. It involves calculating the statistical spread of both the magnitude and likelihood of occurrence of fire and the resulting structural responses. The damage that occurs from the structural response may be then estimated. Finally, given the likely level of damage that will occur it is possible to estimate the cost of the damage either in terms of monetary cost of repair or downtime due to repair works. This method is applied to a variety of design options for a typical office building in order to illustrate the application of the framework.

Today’s climate issues such as increasing temperatures and extreme change in weather pattern are one of the greatest threats. Therefore there is a united agreement that something needs to be done for reducing the causes of global warming and climate change. Businesses have accepted the fact that they need to take some actions so that they can help, although still some think that environmental solutions are time consuming and costly. (Shah, 2015) Realizing the climate issues and the fact that greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for a long time, Sweden started an environmental protection agency in 1967. Since then Sweden has a strong reputation as one of leaders and environmental pioneer worldwide. The government provides various opportunities for environmentally friendly technologies developments within the country and abroad. (Sweden.se, 2016) The case company is one of high technology Swedish companies that are trying to provide air treatment solutions for industries. They mostly work within food frying factories, waste handling and biogas industries. Their solution is highly beneficial technologically as it reduce industrial pollution as well as transferring the heat and purified water from the recovery process back to the system. Consequently they help companies to save costs through low energy consumption and to be environmentally friendly. However, due to economical globalization and other competitors, especially in Sweden, their high technology is not a guarantee for financial and competitive advantages. Marketing strategy and strategic marketing plan is the necessity for their success in the market within Sweden and internationally. This paper is the fundamental base in strategic planning of marketing by analyzing the current situation of company in the market through SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) analysis. Through SWOT analysis I have highlighted the strength points which the case company needs to focus on when introducing their product to customers and compete with the competitors. On the other hand the weaknesses were also analyzed and I have came up with a few suggestions that might help in this case in order to take advantage from their opportunities to improve weaknesses. The result of SWOT analysis clear that their products have a great opportunity in the market due to the high technology they have and they need to have better marketing strategy to introduce their technology and capability to the market.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 H86 / Master of Science / Grain Science and Industry

This dissertation presents a duality theorem of the Aubin-Nitsche type for discontinuous Petrov Galerkin (DPG) methods. This explains the numerically observed higher convergence rates in weaker norms. Considering the specific example of the mild-weak (or primal) DPG method for the Laplace equation, two further results are obtained. First, for triangular meshes, the DPG method continues to be solvable even when the test space degree is reduced, provided it is odd. Second, a non-conforming method of analysis is developed to explain the numerically observed convergence rates for a test space of reduced degree. Finally, for rectangular meshes, the test space is reduced, yet the convergence is recovered regardless of parity.

The goal of this study was to use a nonlinear approach to create a program to teach positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. A specific interest was to determine whether the program and its testing allowed for specific recommendations for future iterations of the program. The tests and program developed for this study were completed by 18 participants. Pre-test and post-test data showed that participants learned the most about positive contingencies, nonexample items, and ambiguous contingencies. Participants learned the least about negative contingencies. The data also revealed where additions to the instructional program were needed to produce better outcomes in future versions of the program.

Finally, the fourth part of this thesis demonstrated the potential of plasma RNA integrity for noninvasive clinical diagnosis. Based on previous reports of elevated RNase activities in the circulation of cancer patients, it was hypothesized that plasma RNA integrity might serve as a useful tumor marker. Using nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) as a disease model, it was found that plasma RNA in untreated NPC patients was of lower integrity than that in healthy individuals. Further analysis showed that patients undergoing radiotherapy had increased RNA integrity in the post-treatment plasma samples. These findings hence suggested that measurement of plasma RNA integrity may provide a feasible approach for noninvasive cancer detection. / Much recent interest has been focused on the clinical applications of cell-free circulating RNA for molecular diagnostics. Despite the rapid development of plasma RNA as a potential diagnostic tool, much of the biology of these molecular species remains enigmatic. This thesis aimed to investigate the integrity of cell-free RNA molecules in plasma and to study the effects of different preanalytical factors on this new biological parameter. Moreover, the possibility that plasma RNA integrity might serve as a useful clinical marker was explored. / The first part of this thesis was to develop a quantitative method for analyzing RNA integrity in plasma. One-step real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to amplify transcript sequences corresponding to multiple regions along a housekeeping gene, glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). It was demonstrated that 5' transcript fragments were predominant, when compared with those derived from the middle or 3' region, in the plasma of healthy individuals. This method was validated using two-step RT-PCR and serial dilution assays. / The potential generality of the underrepresentation of 3' mRNA fragments was further studied by using circulating placental RNA as a model system. Seven transcripts were analyzed in the plasma of pregnant women: the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (betahCG), tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2), adrenomedullin (ADM), inhibin beta A subunit (INHBA), placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1), pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPPA), and GAPDH. The second part of this thesis showed that for five of the seven genes, there appeared to be a greater abundance of transcript fragments arising from the 5' end than those from the 3' end in maternal plasma, and that for every gene under study, the 5'-specific assay had a higher rate of detection when compared to the 3'-specific one. Apart from biological significance, these data have implications for maximizing the sensitivity of fetal RNA detection in maternal plasma for future diagnostic use. / The results presented in this thesis not only have improved the current understanding of the biological nature of cell-free circulating RNA, but also have provided important information regarding the potential clinical utility of a new parameter, plasma RNA integrity, for the field of medical diagnostics. / To ensure accurate interpretation of the results on plasma RNA integrity, a number of preanalytical issues were investigated. In the third part of this thesis, several findings were described: (1) filtration of plasma samples did not change the observation that 5' end transcript was the predominant species; (2) time delay in the processing of plasma could lead to decreased RNA concentrations despite the lack of variation in plasma RNA integrity; and (3) repeated freezing and thawing of plasma samples, but not extracted RNA, could reduce RNA integrity significantly. / Wong Chi Kwan Blenda. / "August 2006." / Adviser: Yuk Ming Dennis Lo. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-03, Section: B, page: 1453. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 148-184). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

by Lee Fong Lok. / Chinese title: / Bibliography: leaves 103-111 / Thesis (M.A.Ed.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong

by Cheng Sau-kwan. / Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-106). / LIST OF TABLES / LIST OF FIGURES / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS / ABSTRACT --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Sources of homocysteine and origins of deficiency or excess in the human body --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Homocysteine metabolism --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Causes of and clinical syndromes in homocysteinaemia --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Deficiency of cystathionine β-synthase --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1.1a --- Homozygous homocysteinaemia --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.1.1b --- Heterozygous hyperhomocysteinaemia --- p.17 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- "Deficiency of 5, 10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase" --- p.20 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Defects of cobalamin synthesis --- p.21 / Chapter 1.3 --- Standardised oral methionine load test --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4 --- Treatment and prospects for homocysteinaemia --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Homozygous homocysteinaemia --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Heterozygous homocysteinaemia --- p.27 / Chapter 1.5 --- Pathogenesis of vascular disease in homocystinuria --- p.28 / Chapter 1.6 --- Aim of the study --- p.30 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1 --- Patient's criteria --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2 --- Control' s criteria --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3 --- Exclusion criteria for patients and controls --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4 --- The methionine loading test and additional investigations carried out --- p.33 / Chapter 2.5 --- Statistics used for data analyses --- p.35 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1 --- Sample collection --- p.38 / Chapter 3.2 --- Analytical methods for homocysteine determination --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Cyanide nitroprusside test --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Radioenzymic Assays --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Gas chromatography - Mass spectrometry --- p.41 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- HPLC with Electrochemical detection --- p.42 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- HPLC and postcolumn derivatization --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- "Precolumn derivatization, HPLC and fluorescence detection" --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3 --- The method used in this study --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Materials --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Reagents --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Instrumentation --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Sample preparation --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.4.1 --- Reduction --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.4.2 --- Derivatization --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Chromatographic conditions --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- Standard preparation --- p.51 / Chapter 3.4 --- Method Optimization --- p.52 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Choice of reducing agent --- p.52 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Dithiotreitol (DTT) --- p.52 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Sodium borohydride --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Choice of precipitating reagent --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Optimization of chromatographic conditions --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4.3.1 --- "Flow rate, temperature and organic composition of mobile phase" --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4.3.2 --- pH of the mobile phase --- p.59 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Confirmation of homocysteine peak --- p.60 / Chapter 3.5 --- Analysis of results --- p.60 / Chapter 3.6 --- Method validation --- p.60 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Linearity --- p.60 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Precision --- p.63 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- Recovery --- p.64 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESULTS --- p.66 / Chapter 4.1 --- The pre- and post-methionine loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in patients and controls --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2 --- The frequency distributions of hyperhomocysteinaemia in patients and controls --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- The distributions of homocysteinaemia in patients and controls --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- The frequency distributions of fasting hyper-homocysteinaemia in patients and controls --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- The frequency distributions of post-methionine hyperhomocysteinaemia in patients and controls --- p.73 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- The frequency distributions of the abnormal methionine tolerance in patients and controls --- p.75 / Chapter 4.3 --- "The frequency distributions of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia in controls and, including smoking,in patients without and with hyperhomocysteinaemia" --- p.77 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- The frequency distribution of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia in patients and controls --- p.77 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- "The frequency distributions of hyper-lipidaemia, hypertension, smoking and gender in patients with vascular disease with and without hyperhomocysteinaemia" --- p.79 / Chapter 4.4 --- "The comparison of the age, haematological and biochemical indices and the blood pressure between the patients and controls" --- p.81 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- The comparison of the patients' age at presentation and plasma lipids following recovery from the acute episode with those in controls at the time of methionine loading --- p.81 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- The comparison of the age at presentation and the plasma lipids in patients with and without hyperhomocysteinaemia --- p.83 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- "The comparison of the B12, serum folate and RBC folate in patients and controls at the time of presentation" --- p.84 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- "The comparison of the B12, serum folate and RBC folate levels in patients with and without hyperhomocysteinaemia and in controls" --- p.85 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- DISCUSSION --- p.87 / REFERENCES --- p.98

by Kwok-wai Lo. / Thesis (M.Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1987. / Bibliography: leaves 183-194.