Increased and combined knowledge of food processing, molecular biology, health and nutrition has triggered production of many different types of functional foods and pharmaceutics recently. The efficacy and safety of such products are being assessed prior to marketing by in vivo and/or in vitro studies. Traditional in vivo studies require excessive time, cost and labour, as well as ethical approvals with subject to humans or animals in some instances. Therefore excessive number of runs may be avoided if reliable in vitro system is available. During the course of this study, an in vitro physicochemical upper gastrointestinal tract system (IPUGS), the first of its kind in literature, has been developed to simulate the relevant conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) as closely as possible to the human physiology with multi-disciplinary approach, combining biology, physiology, gastroenterology, process technology, chemical engineering and automation. The IPUGS is aimed at having a high predictive capability towards the real digestion processes occurring in the human upper GIT which allows for examining of the bioavailability of nutrients and drugs, drug-nutrient interactions, viability of probiotics and case studies of gastrointestinal disorders. Digestion of rice and baby foods have been studied with the IPUGS by UV-spectrophotometer, HPLC, light microscope and pH meter under the conditions of normal state and common gastric disorders, such as gastroparesis, dumping syndrome, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and hypochlorhydria. By comparing the data from many physiological and clinical sources in the literature, it would seem that the IPUGS was able to generate more reliable data compared to the existing in vitro digestion (mechanical) models in the literature. In future, computer-controlled and computer-recorded data by possibly designing a new software or equations would be desirable to implicate a better understanding of the digestive processes.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor. Given the current standard of care, the prognosis for patients diagnosed with this disease is still poor. There consequently exists a need to improve current treatments, as well as to develop new ones. Many obstacles however need to be overcome to facilitate this effort and one of these involves the development of improved methods to monitor treatment effects. At present, the effects of treatment are typically assessed by radiological means several months after its initiation, which is unsatisfactory for a fast growing tumor like GBM. It is however likely that treatment effects can be detected on a molecular level long before radiological response, especially considering many of the targeted therapies that are currently being developed. Biomarkers for treatment efficacy may be of great importance in the future individualization of brain tumor treatment. The work presented herein was primarily focused on detecting early effects of GBM treatment. To this end, we designed experiments in the BT4C rat glioma model in which we studied effects of both conventional radiotherapy and an experimental angiogenesis inhibitor, vandetanib. Brain tissue samples were analyzed using a high throughput mass spectrometry (MS) based screening, known as Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization - Time of Flight - Mass Spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). The vast amounts of data generated were subsequently analyzed by established multivariate statistical methods, such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares (PLS), and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares (OPLS), developed for analysis of large and complex datasets. In the radiotherapy study we detected a protein spectrum pattern clearly related to tumor progression. We notably observed how this progression pattern was hampered by radiotherapy. The vandetanib study also revealed significant alterations of protein expression following treatment of different durations, both in tumor tissue and in normal brain contralateral to the tumor. In an effort to further elucidate the pathophysiology of GBM, particularly in relation to treatment, we collected extracellular fluid (ECF) samples from 11 patients diagnosed with inoperable GBM. The samples were collected by means of stereotactic microdialysis, both from within the contrast enhancing tumor and the brain adjacent to tumor (BAT). Samples were collected longitudinally from each patient in a time span of up to two weeks, during which the patient received the first five fractions of radiotherapy. The ECF samples were then analyzed by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to screen them with respect to concentrations of low molecular weight compounds (metabolites). Suitable multivariate analysis strategies enabled us to extract patterns of varying metabolite concentrations distinguishing between samples collected at different locations in the brain as well as between samples collected at different time points in relation to treatment. In a separate study, we also applied SELDI-TOF-MS and multivariate statistical methods to unravel possible differences in protein spectra between invasive and non-invasive WHO grade I meningiomas. This type of tumor can usually be cured by surgical resection however sometimes it grows invasively into the bone, ultimately causing clinical problems. This study revealed the possibility to differentiate between invasive and non-invasive benign meningioma based on the expression pattern of a few proteins. Our approach, which includes sample analysis and data handling, is applicable to a wide range of screening studies. In this work we demonstrated that the combination of MS screening and multivariate analyses is a powerful tool in the search for patterns related to treatment effects and diagnostics in brain tumors.

<p>Abstract: This thesis begins with briefly describing a few vulnerability classes that exist in today’s software. We then continue by describing how these vulnerabilities could be discovered through dynamic testing. Both general testing techniques and existent tools are mentioned.</p><p>The second half of this thesis present and evaluates a new flexible architecture. This new architecture has the ability to combine different approaches and create a more flexible environment from where the testing can be conducted. This new flexible architecture aims towards reducing maintenance and/or adaptation time for existing tools or frameworks. The architecture consists of a given set of plug-ins that can be easily replaced to adapt test as needed. We evaluate this architecture by implementing test plug-ins. We also use this architecture and a set of test plug-ins to generate a fuzzer targeted to test a known vulnerable server.</p>

A need exists to obtain accurate, reliable and valid data to assess the external and internal loads of soccer matches, especially as it relates to South African soccer teams. Consequently, the objectives of this study were firstly to determine the fatigue rates and patterns of a cohort of university-level soccer players during matches when using global positioning system (GPS) to quantify the high-intensity running performances in rolling 5-min periods. Secondly, to determine the influence of Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo- Yo IR1) determined training status of a cohort of university-level soccer players on fatigue patterns and rate during match play. Thirdly, to determine the positional-internal match loads of a cohort of university-level soccer players by making use of heart rates and the Yo-Yo IR1-determined threshold values. Lastly, to compare the match analysis results of different methods aimed at determining the external and internal match loads of a cohort of university-level soccer players. Selected groups of university-level soccer players (n = 10–13) were required to complete a 40-m maximum speed test and the Yo-Yo IR1 during a two-week period either before or after each analysed match. The heart rate (HR) values and GPS data of each player were recorded during league soccer matches. For the first and second objectives of the study players were categorised into three activity level categories (low, moderate and high) according to their activity levels of the first half of the match. Furthermore, their high-intensity running (> 3.7m/s) (HIR) was monitored in rolling 5-min periods. The low-activity group showed a small to moderate difference (p <0.05) in high-intensity running (HIR) at 5-min and 15-min after the peak period compared to the average 5-min period. The moderate-activity group showed a moderate difference (p <0.05) in HIR at 5-min after the peak period. The high-activity group showed moderate to large declines in distance covered between the first 15-min of the second half (103.9 m/min) compared to the first 15-min of the first half (122.5 m/min). They also showed small to moderate declines in HIR during the first 10-min of the second half (25.7 m/min) compared to the first half (34.1 m/min). The low-activity group showed a small decline in distance covered during the first 5-min of the second half (76.3 m/min) compared to the first half (87.7 m/min). Conversely the low-activity group showed a small to moderate increase in distance covered during the last 10-min of the second half (95.7 m/min) compared to the first half (84.4 m/min). The Yo-Yo IR1 was not significantly correlated with any of the variables associated with HIR. For the third objective of the study players’ heart rates that corresponded with the first and second ventilatory thresholds as obtained during a Yo-Yo IR1 were used to classify heart rates into low (LI HR zone), moderate (MI HR zone) and high-intensity zones (HI HR zone). Results showed that attackers spent more time in the LI HR zone (3386 s; 62%; p <0.05) than defenders (2155 s; 40%) and midfielders (2425 s; 42%). The attackers spent less time in the HI HR zone (260 s; 4%; p <0.05) than the defenders (964 s; 15%). Midfielders (2444 s; 44%) and defenders (2364 s; 41%) spent more time in the MI HR zone than attackers (1854 s; 44%). For the fourth objective of the study players’ individualised velocity and heart rate (HR) thresholds were determined from the 40-m maximum speed test and the Yo-Yo IR1. Results showed a large (r = 0.5; p ≤0.01) correlation between the time spent in the LIVZ (5017 ± 368 s) and the LI HR zone (2891 ± 1086 s), with the true correlation value that varied between moderate and large. Similarly, a moderate (r = 0.3; p ≤0.01) to large (r = 0.6; p ≤0.01) correlation was found between the relative (11.4 ± 3.7%) and absolute time (669 ± 223 s) spent in the MIVZ and the MI HR zone (41.0 ± 16.8% and 2253 ± 752 s). However, the true correlation value for the absolute time spent in the MI zone fell between the large to very large category, whereas the correlation for the relative time was small to moderate. There were no significant correlations (p ≤0.01) between the HIVZ and the HI HR zone. Although some correlations were found from the Spearman’s rank correlation, when adjusting for 2max O V• and Yo-Yo IR1 performance these correlations became non-significant. From these study results it is clear that the Yo-Yo IR1 and 40-m speed test show promise to be used as valid sports-specific field tests for determining ventilatory thresholds for each player, the heart rates that correspond to these thresholds and the different velocity thresholds. The authors therefore recommend that researchers use these methods in future to determine individualised HR and velocity zones in combination with the GPS analysis results to define both the internal and external match loads of soccer players. Results of these analyses could enable future coaches and sport scientists to develop match-specific conditioning programs that reflect both the internal and external demands of soccer matches / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

A need exists to obtain accurate, reliable and valid data to assess the external and internal loads of soccer matches, especially as it relates to South African soccer teams. Consequently, the objectives of this study were firstly to determine the fatigue rates and patterns of a cohort of university-level soccer players during matches when using global positioning system (GPS) to quantify the high-intensity running performances in rolling 5-min periods. Secondly, to determine the influence of Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo- Yo IR1) determined training status of a cohort of university-level soccer players on fatigue patterns and rate during match play. Thirdly, to determine the positional-internal match loads of a cohort of university-level soccer players by making use of heart rates and the Yo-Yo IR1-determined threshold values. Lastly, to compare the match analysis results of different methods aimed at determining the external and internal match loads of a cohort of university-level soccer players. Selected groups of university-level soccer players (n = 10–13) were required to complete a 40-m maximum speed test and the Yo-Yo IR1 during a two-week period either before or after each analysed match. The heart rate (HR) values and GPS data of each player were recorded during league soccer matches. For the first and second objectives of the study players were categorised into three activity level categories (low, moderate and high) according to their activity levels of the first half of the match. Furthermore, their high-intensity running (> 3.7m/s) (HIR) was monitored in rolling 5-min periods. The low-activity group showed a small to moderate difference (p <0.05) in high-intensity running (HIR) at 5-min and 15-min after the peak period compared to the average 5-min period. The moderate-activity group showed a moderate difference (p <0.05) in HIR at 5-min after the peak period. The high-activity group showed moderate to large declines in distance covered between the first 15-min of the second half (103.9 m/min) compared to the first 15-min of the first half (122.5 m/min). They also showed small to moderate declines in HIR during the first 10-min of the second half (25.7 m/min) compared to the first half (34.1 m/min). The low-activity group showed a small decline in distance covered during the first 5-min of the second half (76.3 m/min) compared to the first half (87.7 m/min). Conversely the low-activity group showed a small to moderate increase in distance covered during the last 10-min of the second half (95.7 m/min) compared to the first half (84.4 m/min). The Yo-Yo IR1 was not significantly correlated with any of the variables associated with HIR. For the third objective of the study players’ heart rates that corresponded with the first and second ventilatory thresholds as obtained during a Yo-Yo IR1 were used to classify heart rates into low (LI HR zone), moderate (MI HR zone) and high-intensity zones (HI HR zone). Results showed that attackers spent more time in the LI HR zone (3386 s; 62%; p <0.05) than defenders (2155 s; 40%) and midfielders (2425 s; 42%). The attackers spent less time in the HI HR zone (260 s; 4%; p <0.05) than the defenders (964 s; 15%). Midfielders (2444 s; 44%) and defenders (2364 s; 41%) spent more time in the MI HR zone than attackers (1854 s; 44%). For the fourth objective of the study players’ individualised velocity and heart rate (HR) thresholds were determined from the 40-m maximum speed test and the Yo-Yo IR1. Results showed a large (r = 0.5; p ≤0.01) correlation between the time spent in the LIVZ (5017 ± 368 s) and the LI HR zone (2891 ± 1086 s), with the true correlation value that varied between moderate and large. Similarly, a moderate (r = 0.3; p ≤0.01) to large (r = 0.6; p ≤0.01) correlation was found between the relative (11.4 ± 3.7%) and absolute time (669 ± 223 s) spent in the MIVZ and the MI HR zone (41.0 ± 16.8% and 2253 ± 752 s). However, the true correlation value for the absolute time spent in the MI zone fell between the large to very large category, whereas the correlation for the relative time was small to moderate. There were no significant correlations (p ≤0.01) between the HIVZ and the HI HR zone. Although some correlations were found from the Spearman’s rank correlation, when adjusting for 2max O V• and Yo-Yo IR1 performance these correlations became non-significant. From these study results it is clear that the Yo-Yo IR1 and 40-m speed test show promise to be used as valid sports-specific field tests for determining ventilatory thresholds for each player, the heart rates that correspond to these thresholds and the different velocity thresholds. The authors therefore recommend that researchers use these methods in future to determine individualised HR and velocity zones in combination with the GPS analysis results to define both the internal and external match loads of soccer players. Results of these analyses could enable future coaches and sport scientists to develop match-specific conditioning programs that reflect both the internal and external demands of soccer matches / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している。

Proefschrift Universiteit van Amsterdam. / Met index, lit. opg. - Met samenvatting in het Nederlands.

[pt] É desenvolvido um programa de computador para minimizar o peso de pórticos planos submetidos a carregamento no plano, sendo possível a consideração de várias hipóteses de carga. As estruturas sintetizadas satisfazem as especificações do AISC – American Institute of Steel Construction que são usadas como restrições do problema de otimização. Faz-se uso de um algoritmo de redimensionamento baseado no Critério de Otimalidade, no qual as restrições de desigualdade são transformadas em restrições de igualdade pela inclusão de variáveis de desvio. Exemplos numéricos são apresentados e discutidos. / [en] A computer program for weight minimization of plane frames is developed. The program is able to handle with several load cases. The optimized structures, do satisfy the AISC –American Institute of Steel Construction, which is used to provide the constraint conditions for the optimization program. The minimization process is carried out using on optimality criteria method for inequality constraints. Numerical examples are presented and discussed at the end of the work.

[pt] Um programa de análise de grandes estruturas treliça das é desenvolvido utilizando-se a técnina de montagem da matriz de rigidez por blocos,em forma de segmentos de banda. Desta forma, ao sistema de equações lineares é armazenado na memória auxiliar do computador. O programa apresenta grande capacidade de resolução, ou seja, múltiplas condições de carregamento são admitidas simultaneamente. A estrutura é analisada no regime elástico linear e a entrada de dados é feita de maneira simples, permitindo o uso de geração automática. Sua estruturação permite a interface com as rotinas de redimensionamento desenvolvidos paralelamente por Hombeeck(1) o resultado final obtido é um sitema (programa de análise e rotinas de rendimensionameto) que permite a análise e redução de peso do projeto inicialmente proposto, com a virtude de fornecer resultados compatíveis com os perfis tubulares comercializados através de sua especificação nos dados de entrada. Outro aspecto relevante do trabalho é alocação dinâmica de memória associada á utilização, com o objetivo de armazenar grandes quantidades de dados. / [en] A computer program for the analysis of large scale trusses was developed. The emphasis is on the solution of the associated linear system and the program has been developed to use disk memory for the storage of the stiffness matrix. The program is part of a structural optimization package. The optimization program which interfaces the present program is due to Hombeeck(1). Another feature the program is the extensive utilization of the core memory dynamically, so to be able to use the same space for different purposes.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-11-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:43:38Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 longhim_me_dr_rcla.pdf: 1861762 bytes, checksum: 0300f96f4fd5e5636e342ca11aeb1bc6 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Foram realizadas análises palinológicas na porção superior do Grupo Itararé (Formação Taciba) e na porção inferior do Grupo Guatá (Formação Rio Bonito, Membro Triunfo) em três furos de sondagem DNPM/CPRM no sul do Estado do Paraná e norte do Estado de Santa Catarina, Bacia do Paraná. O contato entre os dois grupos, nessa área mais central da bacia, representa mudança gradual dos sistemas deposicionais, que passaram de glácio-marinhos para estuarino-deltaicos. Foram registrados 27 esporos, 58 grãos de pólen, cinco algas, um acritarca e um fungo, destacando-se os registros inéditos, na Bacia do Paraná, dos táxons Anapiculatisporites tereteangulatus (Balme & Hennely) Dino & Playford 2002, Verrucosisporites andersonii (Anderson) Backhouse 1988, Barakarites rotatus (Balme & Hennely) Bharadwaj & Tiwari 1964, Circumplicatipolis stigmatus (Lele & Karim) Ottone & Azcuy 1988, Limitisporites amazonensis Playford & Dino 2000b, Polarisaccites triradiatus Ybert & Marques-Toigo 1971. O intervalo corresponde à Subzona Protohaploxypinus goraiensis, de idade asseliana-sakmariana (eopermiana), correlacionável, na Argentina, na Bacia Chaco-Paraná, à Zona Cristatisporites e na Bacia de Paganzo, à Zona de Intervalo Fusacolpites fusus-Vittatina subsaccata,. No Uruguai, correlaciona-se à Zona de Assembléia Cristatisporites inconstans-Vittatina subsaccata. Da base para o topo do intervalo analisado, em dois poços, verificou-se aumento progressivo de grãos de pólen teniados e diminuição relativa dos grãos monossacados e não-teniados, o que poderia indicar condições climáticas gradualmente mais secas, ainda que sazonais. A proporção expressiva de esporos descarta clima rigorosamente frio. Ainda assim, a análise quantitativa das composições das assembléias sugere forte influência de fatores ecológicos... / Palynological analyses in the uppermost Itararé Group (Taciba Formation) and the lowermost Guatá Group (Rio Bonito Formation, Triunfo Member) from three DNPM/ CPRM boreholes (PP-10-SC, PP-11-SC, PP-12-SC), in southern Paraná Basin (Brazil), are presented. The boundary between such litostratigraphic units represents gradual change from glacial-marine to deltaic-estuarine depositional systems. Ninety-two taxa were identified (27 trilete spores, 58 pollen grains, 5 algae and one fungal spore) and the following ones are recorded for the first time in the Paraná Basin: Anapiculatisporites tereteangulatus (Balme & Hennely) Dino & Playford 2002, Verrucosisporites andersonii (Anderson) Backhouse 1988, Barakarites rotatus (Balme & Hennely) Bharadwaj & Tiwari 1964, Circumplicatipolis stigmatus (Lele & Karim) Ottone & Azcuy 1988, Limitisporites amazonensis Playford & Dino 2000b, Limitisporites scitulus Playford & Dino 2000b and Polarisaccites triradiatus Ybert & Marques-Toigo 1971. The whole section is assigned to the Protohaploxypinus goraiensis Subzone, Asselian-Sakmarian in age, which can be correlated to the Cristatisporites Biozone (Chaco-Paraná Basin), the Fusacolpites fusus-Vittatina subsaccata Interval Biozone (Paganzo Basin) and the Cristatisporites inconstans-Vittatina subsaccata Assemblage Biozone (Uruguay). From the base to the top of the analysed interval in two boreholes, taeniate pollen grains become progressively more abundant and monosaccates as well as non-taeniate pollen grains decrease in frequency, what might ndicate a gradual climatic drying, even only seasonally. The high proportion of spores rules out severe cold climates. Nevertheless, quantitative analysis suggests a strong ecologic, environmental and taphonomic influence on the palynological assemblages. Likewise... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)