Twenty- six first lactation dairy cattle were sampled biweekly for four months to determine the effect of five levels of nutrition on blood plasma corticoid s , total and differential leucocytes, hemoglobin and packed cell volume . Cows completing their 305 day lactation during the four month sampling interval were removed from the experimental herd, but were sampled twice more. It was hypothesized that cows on ration s below NRC requirements for milk production would demonstrate stress symptoms of elevated plasma corticoids, elevated white blood count, neutrophilia and eosinopenia. It was also hypothesized that measuring the decrease in eosinophils would be a better method of quantifying nutritional stress than by measuring corticoids, since circulating eosinophils are not subject to rapid increases from stresses of sampling, as are the corticoids. Least squares analysis indicated a trend for increased corticoids with decreased level of nutrition, but the trend was not significant (p> . 05). Eosinophil level was significantly (p < . 05) correlated with ration indicating increased stress caused a rise in eosinophils in stead of a decline as was expected. Eosinophils were negatively correlated with corticoids (-. 12) as expected but the relation ship was not significant (p >. 05 ). Ration was positively correlated with milk yield, body weight, and number of circulating neutrophils. Ration was negatively correlated with total leucocyte count. No significant change in hemoglobin or packed cell volume was detected. Significant (·p < • 01) increases in leucocytes, neutrophils and hemoglobin we r e observed in the cows after completion of the 305 day lactation . Significant (p < . 0 1) decreases in corticoids and milk production were also observed in these cows.

In order to improve the feedback an intelligent tutoring system provides, the grading engine needs to do more than simply indicate whether a student gives a correct answer or not. Good feedback must provide actionable information with diagnostic value. This means the grading system must be able to determine what knowledge gap or misconception may have caused the student to answer a question incorrectly. This research evaluated the quality of a rules-based grading engine in an automated online homework system by comparing grading engine scores with manually graded scores. The research sought to improve the grading engine by assessing student understanding using knowledge component research. Comparing both the current student scores and the new student scores with the manually graded scores led us to believe the grading engine rules were improved. By better aligning grading engine rules with requisite knowledge components and making revisions to task instructions the quality of the feedback provided would likely be enhanced.

A diallel analysis of eight upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes was conducted in the field over two years to determine the potential for improvement in within-boll seed yield components and fiber quality parameters. Four exotic germplasm lines from the converted race stock (CRS) collection and four commercial types representing Texas, mid-South, and Eastern production regions were crossed and evaluated in a diallel with parents but without reciprocals according to Griffing's Model I, Method 2. Significant variation for genotypic, general combining ability (GCA) effects, and specific combining ability (SCA) effects (P 0.05) were identified for all traits studied indicating potential for improvements through selection. Significant interactions of these parameters with years were also observed, suggesting that selection should be based on multiple years and or locations. In addition to effects on yield, individual seed number traits were found to respond to heat stress under controlled growth chamber conditions, suggesting their potential for use in screening genotypes for heat tolerance. These traits were not found to interact with temperature, which indicates that selection for improvements in these traits could be conducted in any environment. Improvements in seed yield components and, putatively, in heat tolerance could be achieved using CRS M-9044-0162. As expected, CRS accessions reduced fiber quality parameters in addition to other agronomic traits, suggesting that improvements for within-boll seed yield components and heat tolerance should be made utilizing a backcross approach. Also observed in this population was a superior hybrid for fiber length and fiber strength from the cross of TAM 94L-25 with PD 6186. This combination could lead to improved fiber length and strength potential in upland cotton.

Micro/nano-patterning of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) has shown considerable potential for addressing fundamental biophysical questions about cell membrane behavior and the creation of a new generation of biosensors. Herein are presented several novel lithographic methods for the size-controlled patterning of SLBs from the microscale to the nanoscale. Using these methods, chemically distinct types of phospholipid bilayers and/or Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) membranes can be spatially addressed on a single microchip. These arrays can, in turn, be employed in the studies of multivalent ligand-receptor interactions, enzyme kinetics, SLBs size limitation, and membrane-associated species separation. The investigations performed in the Laboratory for Biological Surface Science include the following projects. Chapters II and III describe the creation of lab-on-a-chip based platforms by patterning SLBs in microfluidic devices, which were employed in high throughput binding assays for multivalent ligand-receptor interactions between cholera toxin B subunits (CTB) and ganglioside GM1. The studies on the effect of ligand density for multivalent CTB-GM1 interactions revealed that the CTB-GM1 binding weakened with increasing GM1 density. Such a result can be explained by the clustering of GM1 on the supported phospholipid membranes, which in turn inhibits the binding of CTB. Chapter IV characterizes the enzymatic activity of phosphatase tethered to SLBs in a microfluidic device. Higher turnover rate and catalytic efficiency were observed at low enzyme surface densities, ascribing to the low steric crowding hindrance and high enzyme fluidity, as well as the resulting improvement of substrate accessibility and affinity of enzyme catalytic sites. Chapter V presents sub-100 nm patterning of supported biomembranes by atomic force microscopy (AFM) based nanoshaving lithography. Stable SLBs formed by this method have a lower size limit of ~ 55 nm in width. This size limit stems from a balance between a favorable bilayer adhesion energy and an unfavorable bilayer edge energy. Finally, chapter VI demonstrates the electrophoretic separation of membrane-associated fluorophores in polymer-cushioned lipid bilayers. This electrophoretic method was applied to the separation of membrane proteins in E. Coli ghost membranes.

Many pathogen infections in nature are accompanied by injury and subsequent coagulation. Despite the contribution of hemolymph coagulation to wound sealing, little is known about its immune function. Based on the molecular knowledge of Drosophila innate immunity, this thesis investigated the immune function of clot both in vitro and in vivo, the immune relevant genes involved in a natural infection model, involving entomopathgenic nematodes (EPN) and the factors leading to crystal cell activation. Transglutaminase (TG) and its substrate Fondue (Fon) have been identified as bona fide clot components in Drosophila larvae. By knocking down TG or Fon via RNAi, we observed an increased susceptibility to EPN in larvae. In addition, this increased susceptibility was associated with an impaired ability of hemolymph clots to entrap bacteria. Immunostaining revealed that both clot components (Fon and TG) were able to target microbial surfaces. All these data suggest an immune function for the Drosophila hemolymph clot. Strikingly, similar results were obtained when we ran parallel experiments with human FXIIIa, an ortholog of Drosophila TG, indicating a functional conservation. We also found evidence for the regulation on both clot and immunity by eicosanoids in Drosophila larvae. The combination of EPN infection with the Drosophila model system allowed us to discover an immune function for TEP3 and Glutactin. However the molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of these two proteins in this particular host-pathogen interaction remains to be elucidated. Prophenoloxidase, the proform of enzyme involved in hardening the clot matrix, has been shown to be released by rupture of crystal cells. This cell rupture is dependent on activation of the JNK pathway, Rho GTPases and Eiger. Our work further identified the cytoskeletal component, Moesin, and the cytoskeletal regulator Rac2 as mediators of cell rupture. Despite the possible role of caspases in crystal cell activation, such cell rupture was turned out to be different from apoptosis. The implication of Rab5 in this process indicated that proper endocytosis is required for cell activation and subsequent melanization. Our findings furthered not only our understanding of the release of proPO via cell rupture but also our knowledge on different paths of immune cell activation. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: In press. Paper 4: Manuscript.<strong></strong></p>

The main topic of this thesis is realization and characterization of fibre Bragg gratings. A novel versatile grating fabrication technique is developed and a number of gratings are realized, showing the potential of the system. Arbitrarily-shaped gratings are sequentially imprinted in the fibre by a moving interference pattern created with a continuous-wave ultraviolet (UV) source. This scheme allows for a very good control and stability of the grating shape, which is also shown experimentally. As opposed to most other present fabrication techniques, the proposed method offers a total control over the grating parameters by software, enabling simple implementation of new designs. Different kinds of error sources when stitching long gratings are identified and investigated regarding impact on the final grating result. Another important question within this field is how to characterize gratings. We propose a new characterization method based on optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR). A new interferometer design allows for simple simultaneous detection of the reflection response from two different points in the interrogated grating, so that differential measurements can be performed. The advantage of this is that the sensitivity to noise caused by e.g. thermal fluctuations in the system is substantially reduced. Several test gratings have been investigated and a very good agreement to the expected results is noted. A second characterization technique using interferometric detection of the side diffraction from the grating under test is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. With aid of two-dimensional theory for wave propagation, it is shown that there is a linear relation between the detected phase and modulation depth and the corresponding grating properties. The technique is evaluated with a novel scheme of implementation where the UV source provided in a fabrication setup is used assource for the side probe. This approach results in a very simple implementation and opens for an integration of the characterization and fabrication systems. Finally, a tuning method for transmission filters based on local heating of linearly chirped fibre Bragg gratings is analysed and further developed to allow for fully software-controlled operation. The potential of this technique is illustrated by some promising initial experimental results. / QC 20100812

La creciente demanda de productos altamente purificados requiere el desarrollo tecnológico de métodos de separación cada vez más selectivos y el entendimiento de los procesos físicos y químicos que tienen lugar. Actualmente, los materiales que se usan principalmente en los métodos de separación y purificación son los adsorbentes porosos basados en zeolitas y los de naturaleza carbonosa. En ambos casos, su estructura microporosa permite la separación basada en el tamaño y/o forma de las moléculas de los componentes que se pretenden separar aunque los materiales carbonosos presentan ventajas como selectividad por la forma (moléculas planas), alta hidrofobicidad, alta resistencia en medios alcalinos y ácidos y estabilidad térmica a temperaturas más altas en atmósferas inertes.Los materiales carbonosos se pueden obtener a partir de una gran variedad de materiales (carbones minerales, materiales biomásicos y sintéticos) y el uso de productos secundarios en diferentes procesos industriales es una opción recomendada, no únicamente desde el punto de vista medioambiental, sino también en el económico. La lignina Kraft es un subproducto muy abundante en la industria de fabricación de papel que puede ser utilizado como precursor en la producción de carbones activos tal y como ha sido objeto de estudio anteriormente.El objetivo de este estudio es la obtención de carbones esencialmente microporosos por activación química con H3PO4 e hidróxidos (NaOH y KOH). Las variables de operación que se han estudiado son la relación agente activante / lignina Kraft, la temperatura de carbonización, el tiempo de activación, el caudal de la atmósfera durante el proceso de pirólisis y la velocidad de calentamiento, ya que afectan a las propiedades físicas y químicas del carbón obtenido.Como consecuencia de este estudio, se han elaborado conclusiones relacionadas con las reacciones que tienen lugar debido a la presencia de diferentes tipos de agentes activantes, los productos de las reacciones producidas y las condiciones de operación del proceso. Esto ha permitido entender la razón por la cual algunas variables tienen un efecto más importante en las características finales del carbón, con el fin de poder controlar el desarrollo de estas propiedades y, por tanto, la aplicación final del producto.En el caso de la activación con ácido fosfórico, las condiciones de operación que presentan un mayor efecto son la temperatura de carbonización y la relación másica entre la cantidad de ácido añadido y la de lignina Kraft (P/L) favoreciendo la activación. Las condiciones a las cuales se obtienen mayores áreas específicas son a 600ºC con una P/L de 1.4 a las cuales se obtienen valores de hasta 1250 m2/g con una alta microporosidad.En el caso de la activación con hidróxidos, la temperatura de carbonización y la relación agente activante - lignina Kraft (R) también tienen un efecto muy importante, tal y como tiene lugar en la activación con ácido fosfórico. Sin embargo, el incremento de caudal de nitrógeno produce un ligero aumento del rendimiento debido a la eliminación de reactivo mientras que el tiempo de activación y la velocidad de calentamiento no afectan de forma significativa a este parámetro. A condiciones muy severas de operación, a temperaturas mayores de 750ºC y R de más de 4, se propicia el colapso de la estructura. Los grupos ácidos y básicos de superficie evolucionan de manera diferente dependiendo del agente activante empleado experimentando, en general, un mayor desarrollo al aumentar las condiciones de operación más significativas. Los análisis de adsorción de nitrógeno han confirmado la obtención de carbones esencialmente microporosos con superficies especificas de hasta 3000 m2/g que unidos a la fuerte acidez de la superficie los convierten en materiales adsorbentes muy atractivos a temperaturas de 750ºC y R de 3. / The increasing demand of products highly purified requires the technological development of more selective methods of separation and the understanding of the physical and chemical processes that take place. At the moment, the materials that are mainly used in the methods of separation and purification are porous adsorbent based on zeolites and those of carbonaceous nature. In both cases, its microporous structure allows the separation based on the size and/or forms of molecules of the components that are tried to separate although the carbonaceous materials display advantages as selectivity by the form (flat molecules), high hydrophobicity, high alkaline and acid resistance and thermal stability to higher temperatures in inert atmospheres.The carbonaceous materials can be obtained from a great variety of materials (mineral coals, and biomassic or synthetic materials) and the use of by-products obtained in different industrial processes is a recommended option, not only from the environmental point of view, but also the economic one. Kraft lignin is a very abundant by-product in the industry of manufacture of paper that can be used as precursor in the activated carbon production as it has been study in the pass.The objective of this study is the obtention of carbons mainly microporous by chemical activation with H3PO4 and hydroxides (NaOH and KOH). The operation variables that have been studied are the mass relation between chemical agent and Kraft lignin, the carbonization temperature, the activation time, the volume flow of the atmosphere during the pyrolysis process and the heating rate, since they affect to the physical and chemical properties of the final product.As a result of this study, conclusions related to the reactions that take place due to the presence of different types of activating agents, the products obtained and the operation conditions have been elaborated. This has allowed understanding the reason for which some variables have a more important effect in the final characteristics of the coal, with the purpose of being able to control the development of these properties and, therefore, the final application of the product.In the phosphoric acid activation, the conditions of operation that presents more effect are the carbonization temperature and the mass ratio between the added amount of acid and the Kraft lignin (P/L), increasing the activation. The optimum conditions where higher specific areas are obtained (1250 m2/g) are 600ºC with a P/L of 1.4.In the chemical activation with hydroxides, the carbonization temperature and the mass ratio between activating agent and Kraft lignin (R) also has a very important effect, as it occurs in the activation with phosphoric acid. Nevertheless, the increase of nitrogen volume produces a slight increase of the yield due to the reagent elimination whereas the time of activation and the speed of heating do not have a significant effect. At very severe operation conditions, temperatures higher than 750ºC and R larger than 4, the collapse of the structure is caused. The acid and basic groups develop in a different way depending on the activante agent used, but in general, a greater development when increasing the more significant operation conditions. The analyses of nitrogen adsorption have confirmed the essentially microporous activated carbons are obtained with specific surfaces up to 3000 m2/g that with the strong acidity of the surface, producing an attractive material as adsorbent at temperatures of 750ºC and R of 3.

Abstract Purpose — The purpose of this thesis is to find how visual identity components impact on the sales of H&amp;M. Through the establishment of a theoretical model. Methodology/approach — Base on the model, the thesis used qualitative research and quantitative research method. The qualitative research method referred to the interview with H&amp;M managers. The quantitative research method referred to questionnaires for 120 customers and the Eviews analysis software. Eviews analysis software was used to analyze the mathematical relationship between the visual identity components and H&amp;M sales. Findings —Through the analysis of the questionnaire and interviews, the thesis found that logotype and/or symbol, advertising and storefront were more important components for H&amp;M sales among the eleven visual identity components. By the Eviews analysis software, the thesis analyzed and found the quantitative relationship between these three visual identity components and the sales revenue of H&amp;M. Research limitations — First of all, the literature on the study of the visual identity for the company is rare. Second, the result of H&amp;M’s analysis may not be applied to all brands. Originality/value —The results showed that H&amp;M can invest more on these three important visual identity components we identified to increase their sales revenue. This is a more effective way for brand awareness. At the same time, this paper fills the gaps in the related articles. The thesis is a detailed research of the important visual identity components impacting on the company. Keywords — Visual identity, Visual identity components, Advertising, Logotype, Storefront Paper type: Research paper

This thesis addresses the need for flexible parametric design tools. It focuses on the implementation of a particular tool, Bentley Systems' Generative Components, by exploring features, strengths and weaknesses, and how features can be implemented in design. An exposition of Generative Components is introduced to bridge the gap between the potential and existing power of parametric tools. Through a case study of the Bahá'í Temple for South America this thesis explores the implementation of Generative Components. The exposition argues for the validity of parametric research, specifically its ability to streamline and enhance an architectural design process. <br /><br /> The topic of parametric design is further documented in a survey submitted to researchers and developers in the field of parametric research and design. The purpose of this documentation is to place the progression of parametric tools within the context of current development, initiating an open-ended discussion focusing on future research. <br /><br /> This thesis adds to the current development of parametric technology by making particular contributions to tools within the realm of parametric research. Primary contributions include array seeking scripts that search for and replace or duplicate objects, routines for nesting functions within scripts, ideological workflow development and conceptual training through practical application.

This study is concerned in reducing high dimensionality problem of auxiliary variables in the calibration estimation with the presence of nonresponse. The calibration estimation is a weighting method assists to compensate for the nonresponse in the survey analysis. Calibration estimation using principal components (PCs) is new idea in the literatures. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used in reduction dimension of the auxiliary variables. PCA in calibration estimation is presented as an alternative method for choosing the auxiliary variables. In this study, simulation on the real data is used and nonresponse mechanism is applied on the sampled data. The calibration estimator is compared using different criteria such as varying the nonresponse rate and increasing the sample size. From the results, although the calibration estimation based on the principal components have reasonable outputs to use instead of the whole auxiliary variables for the means, the variance is very large compared with based on original auxiliary variables. Finally, we identified the principal component analysis is not efficient in the reduction of high dimensionality problem of auxiliary variables in the calibration estimation for large sample sizes.