Baigiamajame magistro darbe yra nagrinėjamos pagrindinės rekomendacinių sistemų socialiniuose tinkluose problemos: rekomendacijų tikslumas, pasyvūs vartotojai, neaiškios rekomendacijos. Iškeliami pagrindiniai tikslai, kuriais siekiama išanalizuoti rekomendacinių sistemų veikimo principus ir pasiūlyti metodą rekomendacinės sistemos efektyvumui ir rekomendacijų tikslumui gerinti. Analizuojama užsienio literatūra, atliekamas eksperimentas su realia duomenų baze. Analizuoti rezultatai vertinami skirtingų vartotojų grupių (pasyvūs, aktyvūs, tarpiniai vartotojai), analizuojamas kiekvienos grupės poveikis bendram rezultatui. Aprašytos aiškios rekomendacijos ir pateikti jų pavyzdžiai. Rezultatai vertinti trimis skirtingais kriterijais: PAP, PAVP ir ĮA. Pirmi du rodo skaičiavimo nuokrypius, trečiasis – įverčių apimtį. Atlikti penki bandymai skirtingomis sąlygomis ir pateikti kiekvieno bandymo bei bendri rezultatai. Išsikelti tikslai yra įgyvendinti, nes analizuojant gautus rezultatus, tiek bendras rekomendacijų tikslumas, tiek pasyvių vartotojų pagerėjo. Bendras pagerėjo 4% ir 11%, pasyvių vartotojų – 11% ir 17%. Darbe aprašomas modelis gali būti nesunkiai pritaikomas rekomendacinei sistemai. Šis baigiamasis darbas gali būti naudojamas kaip pagrindas ar literatūros šaltinis tolesniems tyrimams Lietuvoje. / The thesis analyses the main problems of recommender systems in social networks: the accuracy of recommendations, cold start users, uncertain recommendations. The main goals are raised, which are used to analyze the principles of processes in recommender systems, and to offer a novel method to improve the efficiency and the accuracy of recommendations. The foreign articles are discussed and the new method is implemented on an existing data set. The results are evaluated according to the different groups of users (cold start users, heavy raters and intermediate users) and the effect of each group to the main result is analyzed. The transparent recommendations are explained with the examples. The results are evaluated using three different metrics: MAE, MAUE and RC. The first two determine the deviation of the calculations the third determines the coverage of the ratings. Five experiments were made with different conditions and the results of each are presented along with the general results. The held purposes were accomplished because the accuracy of recommendations increased for all users and for cold start users as well. The benefit of the accuracy for all users is 4% and 11%, for cold start users 11% and 17%. The model described in the thesis can be easily incorporated to the recommender system. This thesis can be used as the basis of future work of recommender systems in Lithuania.

Die Dissertation diskutiert die kantische Metaphysik des Geistes anhand der in der Kritik der reinen Vernunft und den aus dem Nachlass veröffentlichten Vorlesungen zur Metaphysik geleisteten Auseinandersetzung mit der rationalen Psychologie seiner Vorgänger, insbesondere Baumgarten und Wolff. Es wird dafür argumentiert, dass Kant die Meinungen seiner Vorgänger nicht uneingeschränkt zurückweist, sondern die Vorstellung der Seele als Substanz in seine Diskussion der Personalität, mentaler Kräfte, der Möglichkeit einer Körper-Seele Interaktion sowie der Willensfreiheit teilweise beibehält. Ein Verdienst dieser Interpretation ist es, die Kontinuität zwischen Kants vorkritischer Position und seiner kritischen Philosophie aufzuzeigen. Darüber hinaus soll aber auch auf eine wichtige Funktion der kantischen Metaphysik des Geistes für seine praktische Philosophie hingewiesen werden. / This dissertation considers Kant’s discussions of the metaphysics of mind in his critical encounter with the rational psychology of Baumgarten, Wolff, and others in the Critique of Pure Reason and his lectures on metaphysics. In contrast with prevailing interpretations, I argue that Kant does not offer a straightforward rejection of his predecessors but that he retains some commitments to the substantial view of the self and modifies others within the framework of transcendental idealism to provide accounts of the nature of personhood, mental powers, the possibility of mind-body interaction, and the possibility of freedom of the will. This interpretation of Kant reveals continuity between Kant’s pre-critical and critical positions on the metaphysics of mind and points forward to a role for aspects of Kant’s metaphysics of mind in his practical philosophy.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a lethal autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CFTR transports anions at the apical surface of epithelial membranes and functions in many areas of the body. However in CF, loss of CFTR function in the lungs is the major source of morbidity and mortality. Replacing the defective CFTR in the lungs through gene therapy has the potential to cure the disease. Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) is an effective gene transfer vector and has been used extensively to deliver genes to cells in culture. A number of clinical trials using AAV have been attempted for a variety of diseases, including CF, albeit with limited success. Poor vector transduction efficiency prevents effective gene therapy. We have previously used a technique to greatly increase the transduction efficiency of AAV in human lung tissues by selecting from a library of AAVs using a directed evolution technique. However, this evolution was performed in cultured cells and did not fully represent the in vivo environment in which the AAV would be used. In 2008, a CF pig model was developed to develop a further understanding of the mechanisms of CF and CFTR function. We hypothesized that we could use directed evolution to select for a vector in vivo using the pig, allowing gene therapy studies to be conducted in a physiologically relevant model of CF. We selected a novel AAV variant, called AAV2H22, which is closely related to AAV2 but with greatly increased transduction efficiency in pig airway epithelia. AAV2H22 displayed specific tropism for pig airway epithelia and saturated cell surface receptors, indicating specific binding in those cells. We found that AAV2H22-mediated gene transfer corrected chloride and bicarbonate transport defects both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, bicarbonate transport was sufficient to normalize pH in the airway surface liquid, resulting in increased bacterial killing likely due to increased activity of antimicrobial peptides. To investigate the mechanics of the increased transduction of AAV2H22, capsid mutants were assayed for transduction efficiency. Two of the five amino acid differences between AAV2 and AAV2H22 lie at the surface and are predicted to alter capsid binding. This is consistent with the results showing specific binding in cultured airway epithelia. This research has important implications for gene therapy and investigations using AAV2H22 will increase our understanding of the biology needed to successfully treat CF.

South Africa has natural resources in mineral feedstock containing gold, manganese, chromium, vanadium, copper, antimony, phosphate rock, uranium, fluorspar and titanium. A high percentage of these ores are exported in unbeneficiated form. There are beneficiation opportunities to transform the raw materials to value-added products, thus increasing employment and stimulating the South African economy. Fluorocarbon (CxFy) gases can be produced via high-temperature plasma processes, where fluorspar and carbon (CaF2 + C) react at -6000K. These gases are traditionally separated by means of costly and unsafe cryogenic distillation. The focus of this project is to propose a feasible separation process and to interlink it to a plasma system in order to develop a conceptual plant that can produce 2500 t/a C2F4 and 625 t/a C3F6 safely and cost-effectively, both with 96% purity. To execute the above a literature survey was done giving vital information on absorption and distillation systems as well as membranes that can be used to separate CF4 from CxFy gas streams at acceptable pressures and temperatures. / Thesis (M.Sc. Engineering Sciences (Chemical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus,

South Africa has natural resources in mineral feedstock containing gold, manganese, chromium, vanadium, copper, antimony, phosphate rock, uranium, fluorspar and titanium. A high percentage of these ores are exported in unbeneficiated form. There are beneficiation opportunities to transform the raw materials to value-added products, thus increasing employment and stimulating the South African economy. Fluorocarbon (CxFy) gases can be produced via high-temperature plasma processes, where fluorspar and carbon (CaF2 + C) react at -6000K. These gases are traditionally separated by means of costly and unsafe cryogenic distillation. The focus of this project is to propose a feasible separation process and to interlink it to a plasma system in order to develop a conceptual plant that can produce 2500 t/a C2F4 and 625 t/a C3F6 safely and cost-effectively, both with 96% purity. To execute the above a literature survey was done giving vital information on absorption and distillation systems as well as membranes that can be used to separate CF4 from CxFy gas streams at acceptable pressures and temperatures. / Thesis (M.Sc. Engineering Sciences (Chemical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus,

Recently, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) successfully encapsulated a new generation of medical grade Cf-252 sources having intensities and size comparable to that of the widely used high-dose-rate (HDR) Ir-192 brachytherapy sources. Advent of the new sources, therefore, marked a new era for Cf-252-based neutron brachytherapy (NBT). As part of source calibration and characterization process, a study has been conducted at Georgia Tech lately on determining the neutron and gamma dose rates in water surrounding the new Cf-252 source. A Lucite-walled water phantom was built for this study. The neutron and gamma dose rates were determined both by ion chamber measurements and by Monte Carlo code MCNP. The results show that the measured neutron absorbed dose rates were approximately 25% lower than that predicted by MCNP for all dose positions in water, suggesting that the Cf-252 content of the new source is actually 25% lower than the ORNL's estimate. The measured gamma absorbed dose rates in water, on the contrary, are higher than that predicted by MCNP. The differences between the measured and MCNP-predicted gamma doses are not uniform for all dose positions; they are most pronounced (~a factor of two) at the distance of 1 cm, and fall to approximately 30% at distances 2 cm and beyond. These results suggest that the spectrum of gamma rays emitted from the new Cf-252 source may contain significantly more low-energy gamma rays than the previously published spectrum used in MCNP.

O trabalho foi conduzido em Colombo, Paraná, nas dependências da Unidade Regional de Pesquisa Florestal Centro-Sul, da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - EMBRAPA, tendo os seguintes objetivos: detectar possíveis variações fenotipicas entre três procedências de Mimosa scabrella em características de crescimento inicial; verificar para cada procedência, a influência do tamanho da semente no padrão de qualidade e das mudas e avaliar a sobrevivência e o crescimento em altura após plantio. Para as procedências de Concórdia-SC e Caçador-SC, foram utilizadas as sementes retidas em peneiras de malhas circulares de 4,0, 3,0 e 3,5 mm de diâmetro, e para a procedência de Colombo-PR as retidas em malhas de 3,5, 3,0 e 2,5 mm. Em condições de peso de 100 sementes e porcentagem de germinação aos 21 dias após o início do teste. No viveiro, foram avaliadas a emergência das plântulas aos 21 dias após a semeadura, bem como sobrevivência, altura da parte aérea, diâmetro de colo e peso de matéria seca das mudas, aos dois meses após a semeadura. Aos seis meses após o plantio, foram avaliadas as sobrevivência e altura das plantas. O peso de 100 sementes variou em função da localização de procedência, sendo maior para as sementes de Caçador-SC. A porcentagem de germinação e de emergência das plântulas foi maior para a procedência de Concórdia-SC. Em condições de viveiro, a sobrevivência das mudas não foi afetada pela procedência. Diferenças no padrão de qualidade das mudas só foram obtidas entre procedências de Concórdia-SC e de Colombo-PR. As mudas da procedência de Concórdia foram de qualidade superior às de Colombo. Não houve influência da procedência na sobrevivência e altura das plantas aos seis meses após o plantio. Para as três procedências, o peso de 100 sementes aumentou com o aumento de tamanho das mesmas. Para as procedências de Caçador-SC e Colombo-PR, a porcentagem de germinação não foi afetada pelo tamanho da semente. Para a procedência de Concórdia-SC houve uma tendência de decréscimo da porcentagem de germinação com o aumento de tamanho das sementes. Porém a emergência das plântulas e a sobrevivênvia das mudas, para as três procedências, não foram afetadas pelo tamanho das sementes. Para as procedências de Concórdia-SC e Colombo-PR, a separação das sementes em classes de tamanho apenas permitiu agrupar mudas de crescimento semelhante, porém de mesma qualidade. Para a procedência de Caçador-SC, a separação das sementes em classes de tamanho permitiu também a obtenção de mudas de diferentes padrões, sendo provenientes das de 3,5 mm de melhor qualidade que as da classe de 4,0 mm. A sobrevivência e a altura das plantas não diferiram em função do tamanho das sementes, aos seis meses após o plantio.

La thèse présentée porte sur les possibilités d’utilisation de la spectroscopie sur plasma induit par laser (LIBS) utilisée dans le laboratoire ainsi qu’à l’extérieur en utilisant l’appareil portable mis au point par nous et destiné pour analyser la composition élémentaire en matières. Cet appareil a été testé sur les échantillons géologiques dans l’objectif de la détection du Laacher See Tephra (LST) dans la craie lacustre enlevée dans le Jura en France. Le traitement statistique des cartes élémentaires pour les éléments Al, Ca, Fe, Ti, Ba et Na ont été effectuées à partir d’une coupe de la colonne sédimentaire contenant LST et cela a permis d’optimiser les conditions de l’expérience. La profilométrie a été utilisée sur les échantillons d’ammonites dans l’objectif de déterminer le processus de la fossilisation. La pyritisation a été considérée comme potentiellement détectable, mais l’appareil s’est révélé incapable de déterminer la phosphatation. Concernant le LIBS effectué dans le laboratoire, une réponse spectrale du spectromètre à échelle a été déterminée dans une gamme comprise entre 215 nm et 950 nm. Le modèle du rayonnement des molécules diatomiques de N2, NO et OH a été utilisé pour obtenir la source du rayonnement de référence de la décharge luminescente dans l’air. La réponse spectrale a été utilisée pour la correction des spectres mesurés dans d’autres recherches. Pour des tests sans calibration (CF-LIBS), les échantillons d’alliages d’aluminium avec de différentes compositions des éléments (Al, Mg, Mn, Si et Cu) ont été utilisés. Les résultats de l'acquisition des spectres de la localisation de 2 mm au-dessus de la surface de l’échantillon sont plus précis que ceux qui ont été acquis de la localisation de 1 mm. Une étude examinant des possibilités d’utilisation de l’auto-absorption pour analyser la concentration du magnésium dans les alliages d’aluminium est présentée dans le dernier chapitre de la thèse. A cette fin, un modèle bicouche de plasma a été utilisé et ajusté aux profiles des raies du Mg I 285,213 nm et Mg II 280,271 nm expérimentalement mesurés. Les résultats ont été comparés avec les valeurs nominales et pour la raie d’ion du Mg II 280,271 le résultat démontre une possibilité de déterminer la concentration du Mg dans l’alliage / No abstract

Master's thesis "Franco years in Spain through El Clásico: FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid" explores the football rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona teams during the franquismo. The theme of Real Madrid, understood as a team supported and promoted by the Spanish regime is prevailing throughout the paper. Another part describes deep cultural symbolism of FC Barcelona in Catalonian region. The last part unites those two subjects by explaining how their rivalry or El Clásico games, were more than just a match of football. Emotional attachments, political manifestations and historical differences always prevailed throughout their matches.

This thesis deals with the theoretical description of the qualitative characteristics and parameters of some modern active elements, also discusses the theory of signal flow graphs at the level applicable for the following frequency filter design methods. The thesis is also generally discussed the issue with the circuit simulator PSpice modeling theory and voltage amplifiers on the basic 6-levels. The practical part of the work is divided into two parts. The first practical part is dedicated to design four levels of simulation model of components LNVGA element. The second practical part contains detailed theoretical proposals for three circuit structures implementing the frequency filters 2nd order (based on the basic structure of the OTA-C) using signal flow graphs with configuration options of Q and fm based on the parameters of active elements in the peripheral structure and their verification with prepared LNVGA model layers.