Appar är idag en stor marknad eftersom de flesta äger en smartphone och därför är potentiella appkonsumenter. Trots att endast en tredjedel av alla svenskar betalar för mobilspel spenderas hundratals miljoner kronor på köp av appar varje år. Spel är den mest populära appkategorin i svenska App Store och Google Play vilket gör att utvecklare som inte skapar spel har svårt att synas. En etablerad modell i marknadsföringsområdet är köpprocessen, som beskriver hela processen genom ett köp från behovsupptäckande till utvärdering av inköpt produkt. Förståelse för vad som påverkar konsumenter i de olika stegen är viktig för att kunna utforma sin marknadsföring effektivt.Eftersom mobilspel ofta är gratis kan köpprocessen vid nedladdning av spelappar skilja sig från den traditionella, då exempelvis impulsköp kan uppstå i betydande omfattning. Då appmarknaden fortfarande är ung är forskningen inom den begränsad. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur köpprocessen ser ut vid nedladdning av spelappar. För ökad förståelse studeras även områden som påverkar de olika faserna i köpprocessen.Då det inte finns tidigare forskning i det undersökta området genomfördes en kvalitativ studie för att kunna identifiera beteendemönster. Tolv personer i åldrarna 16-25 som spelar spel på smartphones deltog på semi-strukturerade intervjuer och berättade hur de går tillväga när de skall ladda ner ett nytt mobilspel. En litteraturstudie av områden relaterade till köpprocessen ligger till grund för utformningen av intervjuguiden.Resultaten visar att behov av att ladda ner ett nytt mobilspel uppstår genom tristess eller rekommendationer. Information om spelet hämtas från spelets butikssida, där bland annat bilder och videor är betydande. När man är intresserad av ett kostnadsfritt spel laddar man i regel ner utan att tänka på några konsekvenser eftersom man kan avinstallera spelet ifall man inte gillade det. Uppfattningen av utvecklaren påverkas inte beroende på om man är nöjd med det nedladdade spelet eller inte, då man sällan tittar på utvecklaren när man letar efter ett nytt spel. En positiv uppfattning om spelet kan leda till att man rekommenderar spelet till vänner. Är man missnöjd kan man avråda folk man känner, men man brukar inte tala illa om ett spel utan att ha blivit tillfrågad.Studien visar att köpprocessen för nedladdning av gratisspel har fyra steg istället för fem medan processen för betalspel är oförändrad. När det gäller gratisspel har jämförelsefasen tagits bort då det inte sker någon jämförelse innan nedladdning. Informationssökningsfasen har översatts till uppfattning då det är mer beskrivande av fasens innebörd. Faktorer som påverkar de olika stegen i köpprocessen så som attityd, minne och känsloläge sammanfattas i en tabell. / Apps are today a big market since most people own a smartphone and thus are potential app consumers. Even though just a third of all Swedes pay for mobile games, hundreds of millions Swedish Crowns are spent buying apps each year. Games is the most popular app category in the Swedish App Store and Google Play, causing developers who are not making games struggle to be seen. An established model in marketing is the buying decision process, describing the entire process from need identification to evaluation of bought product. The understanding of areas affecting the different stages is important in order to successfully design effective marketing strategies.Since mobile games tend to be free, the buying decision process while downloading gaming apps may differ from the traditional process, since e.g. impulse buying behavior may happen in greater extent. Because the app market is still young, the research is limited. The purpose of this study is to look into the structure of the buying decision process for downloading gaming apps. To extend the understandings, areas affecting the different stages of the buying decision process are examined.Because there is no prior research addressing the studied area, a qualitative approach was performed in order to identify behavior patterns. 12 persons in the ages of 16-25 who play games on their smartphones participated on semi structured interviews, explaining their process for downloading a new mobile game. A literature study of areas related to the buying decision process is the basis for the design of the interview guide.The results show that the need for a new mobile game arises in due to boredom or recommendations. Information about the game is collected from the game’s page at the app store, images and videos being of great importance. When interested in a free game one usually download without regards of any consequences, because you can easily uninstall the game if you did not like it. The opinion of the developer is not affected whether you like the game or not due to the fact one rarely observe the developer while searching for a new game. A positive judgment of the game may lead to the player recommending the game to friends. When dissatisfied one may advise against the game to people you know, but it is rare to speak ill of a game without being asked about it.The study shows that the buying decision process for downloading free mobile games consists of four stages instead of five, while the process for priced games remains the same. Regarding free games, the evaluation of alternatives is removed due to the process being nonexistent prior to a download. The information search stage is replaced with perception, since it better fits to describe the meaning of the stage. Areas affecting the different stages of the buying decision process such as attitude, memory and affect are summarized in a table. The study is in Swedish.

Clinical findings have linked multiple risk factors and associated pathologies to Alzheimer\'s disease (AD). Amongst them are vascular risk factors such as hypertension and pathologies such as stroke. Coexistence of AD and these associated pathologies worsenes dementia, the clinical hallmark of the disease, as compared to pure AD. One general common denominator of these associated pathologies is the presence of hypoxic tissue conditions. It was asked the question, whether there exists a mutual, causal interaction between hypoxia and AD pathology, that could explain the clinical observations. Alternatively, the worsened clinical state of multiple brain pathologies could \"simply\" be the consequence of multimorbidity, i.e. accumulated disease load, without any causal interaction between the constituents. To approach this question whether hypoxia influences AD progression, use was made of a murine animal model of AD (transgenic mice: APPswe, PSEN1dE). Animals of two ages (8 and 14 months, \"young\" and \"old\" respectively) and two genotypes (transgenic and wild- type) were either treated under hypoxia or normoxia, corresponding to 8% and 21% oxygen, for 20 consecutive days. The resulting changes in the brain were assessed with a variety of techniques, namely by histology, ELISA, dot and Western blotting. Additional experiments in primary cell cultures were performed. Animals exposed to hypoxia showed an increased hematocrit (HCT), weight loss, reactive angiogenesis, but no infarctions. This illustrates that our hypoxic treatment put significant stress on the animals, without causing major pathologies. A large number of variables exists that could potentially be measured to assess the effect of hypoxia on AD. The focus was put on three of them: First, there is the Abeta1-42- protein, known to be the Abeta- isoform associated with the most detrimental disease progression. In AD, the self-combinatory Amyloid- beta peptide (Abeta) accumulates in the brain in so- called plaques, which is a main histologic finding of the disease. Its quantity was determined through histology and ELISA. Secondly, it was attempted to estimate the structural quality of the Abeta- protein by assessing the amount of A!- oligomers present. Abeta- protein does self- accumulate in various grades of complexity, i.e. as monomer, oligomer or fibril. Since oligomers are known to be the most neurotoxic \"species\" of the Abeta- protein, it was hypothesized that under hypoxic treatment their quantity could increase. And third, the organism\'s response to the Abeta- protein stimulus was investigated. Microglial cells have been described as the first cells to encounter the Abeta- protein \"threat\" in the shape of plaques, i.e. Abeta- protein aggregates. They then try to encapsulate and subsequently degrade them. Therefore, the attention was put on this cellular population. It was asked whether hypoxia could change the Abeta- protein quantity in the brain. This was assessed in two ways: First histologically, by staining for Abeta- protein depositions and quantifying them. Second, an ELISA was performed. Our findings state that hypoxic treatment does not alter the Abeta1-42 protein load in the brain, neither in young nor old animals, as assessed by histology and by total ELISA quantification of Abeta1-42 protein. Since hypoxia did not alter the quantity of the Abeta- protein, it was asked whether it influenced it qualitatively? If hypoxia increased oligomer formation, this change in the spectrum of the Abeta- species could, without any change in total Abeta- protein load, lead to increased neurotoxicity in animals under hypoxia. Initial experiments showed that oligomer formation in the brain seems to increase. However, this was not statistically significant and future experiments are necessary to evaluate this hypothesis further. It was then asked, whether hypoxia alters the cellular response to the protein. The total number of microglia in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, our structure of interest for practical purposes, and, it can be argued, by extension the brain, changes dynamically with various factors. First, transgenic animals present an increase in microglia. Second, microglia increase with age. Third, microglia decrease under hypoxia, but only do so significantly in old animals. Next, a parameter called \"plaque occupancy\" was coined to assess the microglia function to confront Abeta- plaques. Plaque occupancy is defined as the number of microglia in spatial proximity to one square millimeter of Abeta- plaque. This means, that microglia restricting one plaque are counted, and then normalized to this plaque\'s area. It was hypothesized that hypoxia would decrease plaque occupancy. Indeed, plaque occupancy roughly halved under hypoxia. Summarizing, our results demonstrate that long- term exposure to hypoxia significantly reduces the number of microglia. The reduced number results in significantly reduced plaque occupancy and compromizes the function of microglia to confront Abeta- plaques. The Abeta1-42 load, however, is not affected. On the other hand, Abeta shows an increased trend towards oligomer formation. A variety of possible explanations to these phenomena have been presented, that in our opinion deserve further investigation.

Eine virtuelle Gemeinschaft (VG) versteht sich primär als Medium zur Begegnung zwischen Individuen. Mit der Ausnahme von künstlichen Agenten, insbesondere derer mit adversarialen Problemstellungen im unbekannten Zustandsraum, sind diese Individuen zumeist menschlicher Natur. So versteht es sich, in diesen Bereich mit menschlichen Maßstäben zu messen.

No presente trabalho analisam-se os aspectos geomorfológicos de três setores da bacia hidrográfica do rio Cotia, localizada a oeste da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo. Foram elaborados mapas com esboço geomorfológicos de cada setor a partir de base cartográfica na escala 1:25.000, imagens de satélite e fotografias aéreas. A análise das fotografias áreas e imagens de satélite, juntamente com a revisão bibliográfica da área de estudo, permitem a identificação e caracterização das feições geomorfológicas, bem como a sua dinâmica no intervalo de 40 anos (1962-2002). A planície fluvial é entendida como um sistema que reflete as mudanças ocorridas na bacia hidrográfica. As feições geomorfológicas estão localizadas na planície de inundação. Considera-se a planície fluvial como leito regular (leito maior). Essa delimitação estabelece o critério para aplicação de Área de preservação Permanente (APP). Os setores (A,B e C) estudados apresentam características geomorfológicas semelhantes. A expansão urbana sobre a planície fluvial dos setores é crescente. Faz-se necessário o estabelecimento de áreas de proteção na planície. A dinâmica fluvial estabelece os limites de expansão da urbanização. / This paper analyses the geomorphological features from three sectors in the Cotia Rivers basin, located in the western part of the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo. Some Maps have even been drawn starting from a cartographic base on the scale of 1:25.000, satellite images and aerial photographs. The scan of the aerial photographs andsatellite images, with a bibliographic review in this study area, allow the identification and characterization of the geomorphological features, as well as their dynamic during 40 years (1962 2002). The fluvial plain is understood how a system that reflects the changes occurring in the basin. The geomorphological features are located at the flood plain. The fluvial plain is considered like a regular riverbed (flood prone width). This delimitation provides criteria to the application of a Permanent Preservation Area (APP). The sectors (A, B and C) were studied contains similar geomorphological characteristics. The urban sprawl on the fluvial plain in the sectors is increase. It is necessary the establishment of protection areas at the plain. The fluvial dynamic establishes the urban sprawl limits.

The development of the mobile phone has been rapid. From being a device mainly usedfor phone calls and writing text messages the mobile phone of today, or commonlyreferred to as the smartphone, has become a multi-purpose device. Because of its size andthermal constraints there are certain limitations in areas of battery life andcomputational capabilities. Some say that cloud computing is just another buzzword, away to sell already existing technology. Others claim that it has the potential to transformthe whole IT-industry. This thesis is covering the intersection of these two fields byinvestigating if it is possible to increase the speed of mobile phones by offloadingcomputational heavy mobile phone application functions by using cloud computing. Amobile phone application was developed that conducts three computational heavy tests.The tests were run twice, by not using cloud computing offloading and by using it. Thetime taken to carry out the tests were saved and later compared to see if it is faster to usecloud computing in comparison to not use it. The results showed that it is not beneficial touse cloud computing to carry out these types of tasks; it is faster to use the mobile phone.

Le « Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor » (BDNF) est la neurotrophine la plus abondante et la plus répandue dans le cerveau humain. De nombreuses études se sont intéressées à son rôle dans la survie neuronale, la croissance et la plasticité synaptique. La signalisation BDNF est dépendante de deux récepteurs, le récepteur tyrosine kinase (TrkB) et le récepteur neurotrophine p75 (p75NTR). Il est bien établi que le rôle trophique du BDNF est assuré via son récepteur de haute-affinité TrkB, alors que la forme précurseur proBDNF active p75NTR vers la voie d'apoptose. Cette double signalisation est physiologiquement contrôlée par un équilibre entre les différentes voies. Les résultats obtenus à partir des études cliniques et des modèles animaux suggèrent un rôle de la signalisation BDNF dans les tauopathies, caractérisées par l'existence de dépôts intracérébraux de protéine tau, une caractéristique commune à certaines maladies neurodégénératives, notamment la maladie d'Alzheimer (MA). Cependant, aucune investigation n'a été menée jusqu'à présent sur les modifications que pouvaient induire les tauopathies dans la signalisation BDNF et si une dérégulation de l'expression du BDNF pouvait affecter ses propres récepteurs TrkB et p75NTR.Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons utilisé une lignée de poisson-zèbre transgénique portant la mutation humaine TAUP301L retrouvée notamment dans le démence fronto-temporale. Nous avons mesuré l'expression de BDNF et de ses deux récepteurs au niveau transcriptionnel et protéique. Nous n'avons observé aucune modification des taux d'expression de BDNF et de TrkB, en revanche, nous avons noté une augmentation significative de p75NTR. A l'aide de la même lignée transgénique, nous avons induit une baisse d'expression de BDNF via la micro-injection de morpholinos. De manière remarquable, la baisse d'expression de BDNF affecte de façon différentielle TrkB et p75NTR. En effet, nous avons observé une diminution de l'expression de TrkB et parallèlement une augmentation de p75NTR. De plus, la baisse d'expression de BDNF aggrave la neurotoxicité associée au développement de la tauopathie ce qui se traduit par une augmentation de la mort neuronale et de l'hyperphosphorylation de tau, cette dernière étant concommittante à une activation de la Glycogen Synthétase Kinase 3 beta (GSK3beta).Une diminution de l'effet neuroprotecteur de BDNF à travers un déséquilibre de ces récepteurs de signalisation a été également montré en étudiant le rôle de BDNF au cours du développement de la ligne latérale postérieure (PLL). Ce système est considéré comme un modèle d'étude particulièrement pertinent pour évaluer différents processus biologiques comme la migration cellulaire collective ou la régénération cellulaire. Nous avons détecté l'expression de BDNF dans plusieurs structures de la PLL. La diminution d'expression de BDNF conduit à un défaut de migration du primordium de la PLL, associé à une augmentation de la mort cellulaire. De plus, nous avons observé une réduction de la prolifération cellulaire et un défaut de repousse axonale du nerf, ce qui conduit à des anomalies de régénération à la fois du nerf de la PLL et des cellules ciliées. Nos résultats suggèrent que le BDNF joue un rôle essentiel au cours du développement de la PLL et démontrent la pertinence du système de la ligne latérale en tant que modèle d'étude des fonctions de BDNF.En conclusion, notre étude représente la première analyse du rôle in vivo de BDNF et de ses 2 récepteurs de signalisation. Nous avons ainsi montré les répercussions d'une dérégulation des voies de signalisation du BDNF. Un équilibre entre ces deux voies est essentiel pour le développement et la survie cellulaire, ce qui fait de BDNF non seulement une cible thérapeutique potentielle, mais également une neurotrophine clé pouvant activer plusieurs circuits de signalisation, potentialisant ainsi son rôle protecteur. / Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most abundant secreted and widely distributed neurotrophin in human brain. It has been extensively studied for its role in neuronal survival, growth and synaptic plasticity. BDNF signaling mediated through tryosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) and p75NTR neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). It is well established that BDNF beneficial actions are mediated by it is high-affinity TrkB, whereas pro-BDNF activates p75NTR towards apoptosis. This diverse dual signaling is normally under a tight balance regulation. Based on clinical and animal studies, it has been suggested that BDNF signaling is involved in tauopathy, which is a pathological hallmark in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, what changes tauopathy may induce on BDNF signaling, and whether BDNF deregulation could affect its two signaling receptors (TrkB, p75NTR), and eventually tauopathy pathogenesis, have not been investigated. In this study we used a transgenic zebrafish line for human Tau-P301L tauopathy, and measured transcriptional and protein levels of BDNF and of its two signaling receptors. We found no modification of BDNF and TrkB expression levels, but a significant up-regulation of p75NTR. We then used the same transgenic line to generate BDNF knockdown using morpholino microinjection technique. Interestingly, BDNF knockdown differentially affects TrkB and p75NTR; we observed a reduction of TrkB expression and an increase in p75NTR expression. In addition, BDNF knockdown aggravates tauopathy-associated toxicity; we found an increase in neuronal cell death and tau hyperphosphorylation, the latter was accompanied by an activation of tau glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta). Attenuation of BDNF neuroprotective effects through imbalance of its signaling receptors was further highlighted through studying BDNF role in the development of zebrafish posterior lateral line system (PLL). This system has recently emerged as a powerful tool to study several dynamic biological processes, including collective cell migration and nerve/hair cells regeneration. We detected BDNF expression in different PLL components. BDNF knockdown led to an impairment of the PLL primordium migration due to concomitant increase in cell death rate. In addition, reduced cell proliferation and defect in axonal re-growth were observed , which led to major defects of PLL nerve/hair cells regeneration, respectively. These findings suggest that BDNF has an essential role in PLL development, but more important they introduce PLL as research model to study BDNF functions. This is the first study to provide a detailed in vivo analysis of BDNF and its two signaling receptors. Our findings highlight several implications of BDNF signaling deregulation. Balanced signaling clearly has essential roles in survival and development, in addition to being a therapeutic target, BDNF can itself activate diverse molecular pathways, thus setting up a potential circuitry that could enhance its protective role.

In this thesis, there are discussed use-cases of NoSQL database MongoDB implemented as a datastore for user data, which is stored by Datastore stubs in Google App Engine SDK. Existing stubs are not very well optimized for higher load; they significantly slow down application development and testing if there is a need to store larger data sets in these storages. The analysis is focused on features of MongoDB, Google App Engine NoSQL Datastore and interfaces for data manipulation in SDK - Datastore Service Stub API. As a result, there was designed and implemented new datastore stub, which is supposed to solve problems of existing stubs. New stub uses MongoDB as a database layer for storing testing data and it is fully integrated into Google App Engine SDK.

Orientador: Encarnita Salas Martin / Resumo: A motivação que nos levou à escolha desse tema para a elaboração do projeto, ora proposto, foi a preocupação com a conservação e recuperação dos recursos hídricos, estes vêm sendo degradados por atividades decorrentes dos diferentes usos da terra e pelo desmatamento. A retirada da mata ciliar dos cursos d’água, leva à sua desproteção e compromete a qualidade da água. A intervenção humana sobre o ambiente ocasiona alterações na superfície terrestre, interferindo nos processos naturais de maneira contínua e intensa. Pretende-se com este trabalho avaliar a qualidade ambiental da bacia hidrográfica do Ribeirão Vai-e-Vem, com foco especial na sub-bacia constituída pelo Córrego Sete de Setembro, pelo fato dele passar pela área urbana de Santo Anastácio e por percorrer um trecho de área rural, o que permitirá que se associe o uso da terra e a qualidade água. Foi utilizado o software ArcGis10.3, para mapear o uso e cobertura da terra espacializar e quantificar informações, verificando-se a intervenção nas APPs, segundo o definido pelo novo Código Florestal Brasileiro (Lei Federal nº 12.651, de 25 de maio de 2012). Para avaliar a qualidade da água, foram utilizados os seguintes indicadores: Oxigênio Dissolvido, Temperatura, pH, Condutividade Elétrica, Turbidez, Material em Suspensão Total, Fósforo Total, Fósforo Total Dissolvido, Ortofosfato e Amônia, para averiguar a relação do uso da terra e a qualidade da água na sub-bacia do Córrego Sete de Setembro,um dos afluentes da bacia hidro... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The motivation that led us to choose this theme for the elaboration of the project, as proposed, was the concern with the conservation and recovery of water resources, these have been degraded by activities resulting from different uses of land and deforestation. The removal of the ciliary forest from the water courses, leads to its lack of protection and compromises the quality of the water. Human intervention on the environment causes changes in the earth's surface, interfering with natural processes in a continuous and intense manner. This work intends to evaluate the environmental quality of the Ribeirão Vai-e-Vem river basin, with a special focus on the sub-basin constituted by Sete de Setembro Stream, due to the fact that it passes through the urban area of Santo Anastácio and through a stretch of rural areas, which will allow to associate land use and water quality. The software ArcGis10.3 was used to map the land use and coverage to spatialize and quantify information, verifying the intervention in the APPs, as defined by the new Brazilian Forest Code (Federal Law 12.651, dated May 25, 2012) . In order to evaluate the water quality, the following indicators were used: Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity, Turbidity, Total Suspended Material, Total Phosphorus, Total Dissolved Phosphorus, Orthophosphate and Ammonia, to determine the relationship between land use and water quality in the sub-basin of Córrego Sete de Setembro, one of the tributaries ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

A successful mobile app monetization strategy is the foundation of any sustainable future business. App developers, in this regard, face the demanding challenge of building, maintaining and monetizing this strategy respectively. Factors, such as users' increasing unwillingness to pay for an app, impacts monetization methods negatively which makes current monetization strategies ever more challenging. Particularly for temporary apps, this phenomenon is ever influential. This research therefore addresses how companies can maximize the monetization of users if the usage of the app is limited by time. The researchers examined existing literature on app monetization and discovered that no research has been conducted on temporary apps yet, which highlights a specific research gap in a changing business environment. By conducting expert interviews on app monetization in combination with a multiple case study, investigating four temporary apps, this research found out that temporary apps do not monetize differently than non-temporary apps. This paper uncovered that there is a trend happening within the mobile app monetization industry that shifts from user-based monetization, where the user pays for the app, towards a partner-based monetization strategy. In this regard, external companies provide the revenue for the app. Particularly interesting is the potential of mobile data monetization, which is invisible for the user, thus providing a valuable strategy for the company. Comprising all executed research and insights gathered, the paper built the Mobile App Monetization Model. It examines the challenges and opportunities companies face during their monetization and which success and goal metrics are influential in their decision-making. It summarizes the current most important topics in the mobile app monetization field.

Unterwegs nachsehen, ob das neueste Buch des Lieblingsautors gerade verfügbar ist, oder schnell einmal ins eigene Nutzerkonto einloggen und die Leihfristen verlängern – seit August 2011 ist dies für die Nutzer der Städtischen Bibliotheken Dresden einfacher möglich, denn der Online-Katalog steht jetzt zusätzlich in einer für mobile Endgeräte optimierten Version zur Verfügung.