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With increasing awareness of the potential impacts posed by climate change, many ports and their surrounding regions have undertaken adaptation planning and proactive actions so as to build a resilient and sustained business. However, most of them are still at the embryonic stage in understanding the problem and find it very challenging regarding adaptation planning and implementation. This thesis addresses the current issue in adaptation to climate change impacts at ports, regions and supply chains through quantitative and qualitative analyses. A global survey is designed to investigate port decision-makers’ perceptions and knowledge about climate change adaption. It explores the existing impacts posed by sea level rise (SLR), and high winds and storms, and demonstrates the potential impacts of adaptation measures. Analytical results suggest that, despite the forecast of more serious impacts posed by these climate change risks in the near future, port decision-makers still have strong doubts about the effectiveness of adaptation measures and planning. In-depth interviews in a case study on Port Metro Vancouver (Canada) are conducted to further investigate the barriers (especially institutional ones) that hinder the process of climate change adaptation, and thus calls attention for its regional efforts. Based on the literature review and analysis, this study argues that a paradigm shift in adaptation planning, notably from ‘go it alone’ to ‘collaborative’ approach involving all major port stakeholders, is urgently needed. The thesis also highlights the pivotal role of tailor-made adaptation methods in accordance with a specific climate change risk in the adaptation planning. Besides, two innovative, ‘paradigm shift’ recommendations are proposed to climate adaptation planning: (1) a method based on usage unit to allocate investment responsibility; and (2) the establishment of a neutral agency (e.g., a collaborative network) with the power to promote the adaptation process. In addition, a flexible combination of engagement in collaborative projects and individual efforts for ports is suggested so as to implement adaptation works. / October 2016

This paper is about analyzing water quality of a stream that flows in southwest of Swedencalled Hasslebäcken. The stream is a tributary of Suseån and has its springs in the naturereserve Biskopstorp and flows through a mixed landscape of mostly spruce forests andagriculture land. Little is known about Hasslebäcken and its water and therefore a study by request of Suseåns vattenråd was performed. The study consisted of analyzing the water ofphosphorous, nitrogen, pH, suspended particles and conductivity. To broaden the examination of water quality sampling of benthic macroinvertebrates and two index (ASPTindex and Shannon’s diversity index) of water quality were used. Another part of the study were to search for fish barrier in the stream and to evaluate the possibilities for troutspawning and habitats. The whole stretch of the stream were examined and eleven differentsampling sites were used. The results show that Hasslebäckens upper parts have low levelsof nutrients while the lower parts show intermediate to extremely high levels. The indexresults points at low ecological values for Shannon and high ecological values for ASPT. Thisis normal for a stream that flows through an agricultural landscape. The results concerning pH show a lower pH in the upper parts than in the lower parts. This is also normal for a stream in a production forest of spruce in these parts of Sweden. Hasslebäcken also have several fish barrier that prevent various fish species to migrate up along the stream from thesea. The evaluation of trout habitats and spawning area show decent possibilities for successful reproduction and growth.

Atopic dermatitis, AD (synonym eczema) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. It affects between 10 to 20% of children and 1 to 3% of adults worldwide. It is an important cause of morbidity and is estimated to cost £465 million per annum to the UK. AD is part of a family of Th-2 driven diseases and is often the first of these atopic diseases to manifest. The development of AD is often followed by asthma and allergic rhinitis later in life (a phenomenon known as the ‘atopic march’). Up to 50% of moderate to severe AD cases have been associated with genetic mutations affecting the epidermal barrier protein filaggrin. Filaggrin aggregates keratin filaments during terminal keratinocyte differentiation, allowing normal epidermal stratification. The role of filaggrin in maintaining a functional skin barrier is further supported by a clinical study conducted by ourselves. This is the first clinical study on a European cohort (58 participants) which showed that FLG mutations were associated with experimentally demonstrable defects of skin barrier function (increased baseline transepidermal water loss), more so following exposure to a chemical irritant. However, the majority of patients with AD, especially the milder cases, do not have FLG mutations. Some of the wild-type patients in our study were noticed to have accumulation of the large filaggrin proprotein and a lack of filaggrin monomers, indicating defective proteolysis of profilaggrin into the functional monomers. Our study also found disproportionately raised protease inhibitory activities amongst the AD participants. This inappropriately raised protease inhibition may interfere with profilaggrin proteolysis, leading to the development of AD in some wild-type patients. Having demonstrated that deficiency of filaggrin monomers is associated with a defective skin barrier, we focused on the function of filaggrin in the skin and attempted to improve the skin barrier function. In addition to keratin aggregation, filaggrin constitutes the natural moisturizing factors in the epidermis following its natural breakdown into amino acids. We note that filaggrin is disproportionately rich in amino acid histidine, implying that this amino acid may have a particular significance in maintaining a functional epidermal barrier. Using an in-house skin-equivalent model, we have shown that by increasing the histidine content in the cell culture media, we could increase the expression of filaggrin monomers and reduce the penetration of a fluorescent dye into the skin-equivalents. The latter indicates improved barrier function. Finally, we conducted a pilot human study which showed that histidine, when applied to mechanically damaged skin in AD and healthy participants, was associated with a faster recovery of the skin barrier function. These studies suggest that histidine is of therapeutic benefits in AD. A histidine-based treatment may be developed as an alternative to current anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents used to treat AD.

The project investigates the prices of barrier options from the constant underlying volatility in the Black-Scholes model to stochastic volatility model in SABR framework. The constant volatility assumption in derivative pricing is not able to capture the dynamics of volatility. In order to resolve the shortcomings of the Black-Scholes model, it becomes necessary to find a model that reproduces the smile effect of the volatility. To model the volatility more accurately, we look into the recently developed SABR model which is widely used by practitioners in the financial industry. Pricing a barrier option whose payoff to be path dependent intrigued us to find a proper numerical method to approximate its price. We discuss the basic sampling methods of Monte Carlo and several popular variance reduction techniques. Then, we apply Monte Carlo methods to simulate the price of the down-and-out put barrier options under the Black-Scholes model and the SABR model as well as compare the features of these two models.

Orientador: Edméa Cássia Baptista / Banca: Vanusa Alves de Sousa / Banca: Leonardo Nepomuceno / Resumo: Este trabalho propõe uma abordagem que utiliza uma associação dos métodos de barreira modificada e da Lagrangiana aumentada para a resolução do problema de fluxo de potência ótimo. Para isso, foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico que explicitou os métodos de Newton-Lagrangiano, de barreira modificada e da função lagrangiada aumentada. Na abordagem proposta, as restrições canalizadas são desmembradas em duas desigualdades. Estas são transformadas em igualdades a partir do acréscimo de variáveis de folga ou de excesso positivas, as quais são tratadas pela função barreira modificada. As restrições de igualdade originais do problema são tratadas pelo método da função Lagrangiana aumentada e as igualdades restantes através da função Lagrangiana. As condições necessárias de primeira ordem são aplicadas resultando num sistema não linear o qual é resolvido pelo método de Newton. A eficiência do método foi verificada utilizando um exemplo matemático e em problemas de fluxo de potência ótimo / Abstract: This work proposes an approach that uses an association of the modified barrier method and augmented Lagrangian method for the solution of the optimal power flow problem. On this purpose, a bibliographical review was accomplished the methods Newton-Lagrangian, modified barrier and augmented Lagrangian function. In this approach, the bounded constraints are transformed in equalities by additing the non-negative slack variables. Those slack variables are handled by the modified barrier function. The original equality constrains of the problem are handled by the method of augmented Lagrangian function and the remaining equalities are handled by the Lagrangian function. The first order necessary conditions are applied resulting a nonlinear system which is solved by Newton's method. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been examined by solving a mathematical example and optimal power flow problems / Mestre

L'efficacité thérapeutique de la majorité des molécules développées pour traiter les pathologies du système nerveux central (SNC) n’est pas optimale en raison des caractéristiques anatomiques et physiologiques uniques de la barrière hémato-encéphalique (BHE) qui joue un rôle majeur dans la protection du parenchyme nerveux. Une stratégie permettant de délivrer des agents pharmacologiques dans le cerveau est de détourner un système physiologique : la transcytose régulée par des récepteurs (RMT). Cette stratégie implique la conjugaison d’agents pharmacologiques à des vecteurs développés pour cibler spécifiquement des récepteurs présents au niveau de la BHE et impliqués dans des processus de RMT. Nous avons eu pour objectif de développer de nouveaux vecteurs spécifiques de récepteurs exprimés au niveau de la BHE. Nous avons tout d’abord construit une banque de phages présentant les vecteurs afin de réaliser différentes stratégies de sélection par phage display. A l’issue d’étapes de criblage, les vecteurs sélectionnés ont été produits et caractérisés (affinités pour les récepteurs, compétitions avec les ligands naturels…). Nous avons ensuite évalué le potentiel des vecteurs les plus prometteurs à transporter une biomolécule. Pour ce faire, deux vecteurs par récepteur ont été fusionnés à la région Fc d’une IgG1 humaine et la capacité des conjugués à traverser un modèle de BHE in vitro a été évaluée. Enfin, nous avons évalué la distribution cérébrale des vecteurs, chez la souris in vivo. L’ensemble de nos résultats démontre l'intérêt du ciblage des récepteurs choisis et le potentiel des de nos vecteurs pour des applications de délivrance cérébrale. / The vast majority of the molecules developed to treat neurological diseases do not reach their targets efficiently enough because of the unique anatomical and physiological features of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) which plays a major protective role. Hijacking a physiological system named receptor-mediated transcytosis (RMT) is considered a promising route for brain delivery of pharmacological. This strategy involves the conjugation of pharmacological agents to vector molecules developed to specifically target receptors present at the BBB and involved in RMT processes. We aimed to develop new vectors specific for receptors expressed at the BBB. First, we constructed a phage library presenting vectors in order to perform various phage display selection strategies. Following screening steps, the selected vectors were produced and characterized (affinities for the receptors, competitions with natural ligands…). Then, we assessed the potential of the most promising vectors to carry a biomolecule. Two vectors per receptor were fused to a human IgG1 Fc region and the fusion proteins were tested for their ability to cross an in vitro model of the BBB. Finally, we evaluated the brain distribution of the vectors, in mice in vivo. Our results demonstrate the potential of our receptor-targeting vectors for brain drug delivery.

"A one dimensional, multiple reaction pathway model of the dechlorination reactions of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) as these species pass through a zero valent iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) was produced. Three different types of rate equations were tested; first order, surface controlled with interspecies competition, and surface controlled with inter and intra species competition. The first order rate equations predicted the most accurate results when compared to actual data from permeable reactive barriers. Sensitivity analysis shows that the most important variable in determining TCE concentration in the barrier is the first order rate constant for the degradation of TCE. The velocity of the water through the barrier is the second most important variable determining TCE concentration. For PCE the concentration in the barrier is most sensitive to the velocity of the water and to the first order degradation rate constant for the PCE to dichloroacetylene reaction. Overall, zero valent iron barriers are more effective for the treatment of TCE than PCE. "

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Wide bandgap semiconductor photodiodes were investigated for their suitability as radiation detectors for high temperature applications (≥ 20 °C), through measurements, calculations of key parameters of the devices, and relating the results back to the material, geometry of the detectors, environment under which the detectors were investigated, and previously published work. Three families of photodiodes were examined. 4H-SiC vertical Schottky UV photodiodes with Ni2Si interdigitated contacts were characterised for their response under dark and UV illumination. Electrical characterisation up to 120 °C and room temperature responsivity measurements (210 nm to 380 nm) suggested that the devices could operate at low UV light intensities, even at high visible and IR backgrounds without the use of filters, and at high temperatures. 4H-SiC Schottky photodiode detector arrays with planar thin NiSi contacts were investigated for X-ray (≤ 35 keV) detection and photon counting spectroscopy at 33 °C. The electrical characterisation of the devices up to 140 °C and subsequent analysis suggested that the devices are likely to operate as high temperature X-ray spectrometers. Results characterising GaAs p+-i-n+ mesa photodiode detectors for their room temperature visible and near infrared responsivity (580 nm to 870 nm), as well as their high temperature (≤ 60 °C) X-ray detection performance (at 5.9 keV) are presented. GaAs p+-i-n+ mesa photodiodes were also shown to be suitable for β- particle (electron) spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (≤ 21 keV) at 33 °C. The X-ray and electron spectroscopic measurements were supported by a comprehensive treatment of the noise components in charge sensitive preamplifiers. Calculations showed the potential benefits of using a SiC, rather than Si, JFET as the input transistor of such a preamplifier operating at high temperatures. The spectroscopic measurements, using both the 4H-SiC and GaAs photodiodes, are presented along with noise analysis to detangle the different noise components present in the reported spectrometers, identify the dominant source of noise, and suggest potential improvements for future spectrometers using the reported devices.