<p>New technology and new innovations have for long been considered as a spring for growth. Conservation farming (CF) is a new production method introduced in rural Zambia and previous research shows that it increases yields and improves soil fertility. Even though the method is proven more efficient than conventional agriculture, only approximately 10 % of Zambia’s farmers have adopted the method. The purpose of this study is to discuss the implications of the introduction of CF on the capabilities of farmers and on economic growth. Furthermore, the study aims to explore why CF, which is proven to be more economically efficient than the conventional method, is not adopted to a larger extent in Zambia.</p><p>A qualitative study of 25 farmers, farming with either CF or conventional methods, was performed in the region of Mumbwa, Zambia. The results were divided depending on whether the farmers were using the new method or not. To analyze the selected material theories were chosen that regard economic growth and technological change, the adoption process of new innovations, incentive creation and the expansion of capabilities.</p><p>The two groups showed differences in age, the size of their land, how many crops they grew and to what extent they were working for others or hiring labor. The conclusion from the small sample of farmers is that the farmers using CF had been able to expand their capabilities in different ways. They had food for all the year, the new method allowed them to plan their time better and it was more environmentally sustainable than the old method. The negative aspect of CF is that it is not compatible with the old method in terms of social norms. CF leads to a more efficient use of capital and labor and therefore it can increase the economic growth. In terms of a new innovation, CF seems to have a relative advantage over the old method but it must be spread to a larger group of farmers to reach a breakthrough. To create a higher adoption rate of the method the farmers’ perception must be taken into account.</p> / Minor Field Study (Sida)

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) offers possibility for fast de- tection of sample composition without its preparation. For this reason it is attractive anywhere where the fast detection and no sample preparation are needed. As in many other branches the technical and scientific progress im- proves and spreads the possibilities of LIBS based devices and laboratory appa- ratuses. The time-resolved spectroscopy is allowed by spectrograph equipped with fast camera, broadband spectra can be acquired in single exposition by broadband spectrometers. Smaller and lighter laser sources together with com- pact spectrometers can be implemented to portable device and can be used out of laboratory. Computers offer quick data processing. The device named ChemCam installed on the NASA's next Mars rover, curiosity, is good exam- ple of high technology application in LIBS. However, there are still challenges and we hope that this work will be fruitful for anyone who is interested in the LIBS. The project of presented thesis was performed as a joint supervision project between the Department of Experimental Physics at Comenius University in Bratislava and Laboratiore Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne at Univer- sit ́e de Bourgogne in Dijon. The aim of the project was to join experience from both laboratories, experience in laser constructions from Dijon and experience with spectroscopy from Bratislava. The both are essential for LIBS. In Bratislava the work was coordinated by prof.Pavel Veis and it was fo- cused on LIBS under the laboratory conditions. The time-resolved broadband spectrometry was used in the research. In order to achieve required spectra, the spectral response of the optical system was determined which was later used for the corrections. The research of self-absorption phenomena started in the last period with aim to use this effect, usually considered as negative, for the composition determination. In Dijon the work was supervised by Dr. Olivier Musset and directed toward development of LIBS device which could be used out of laboratory. The small 6 7 laser which was previously developed in the laboratory was implemented in the device. The development was successfully finished and testing process began in the last period of the thesis. The geological samples have been used for the testing process which was performed in deep cooperation with geologists. The first chapter comprises a brief introduction to LIBS. It is divided into some parts about laser induced plasma, laser induced breakdown and evolution of the plasma after breakdown. The section dealing with local thermodynamic equilibrium is also included. The section describes importance of LTE and the possibilities to determine this state. The second chapter is dedicated to the developed portable LIBS device. In the introduction, different type of LIBS devices are presented with their possibilities. Then the portable device developed in Dijon is described part by part with brief characteristic of developed software. The device possibilities and limits are sketched in the last section of the chapter with respect to results obtained in the testing process. The third chapter deals with capabilities of LIBS apparatus which was set up in the laboratory. The process of spectral response measurement and its results are presented and consequently used in next sections in process of plasma parameters determination. The composition of used samples are determined by using of calibration free method with aim to choose proper location in the plasma for which results are the most representative. The last chapter includes introduction to the subject of self-absorption phenomena. The simple model and basic theory are presented with suggestion how to use the phenomena in positive way. The simple experiment and its results are presented at the end of the chapter together with discussion about the possibilities and perspectives of the suggested method.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein neues Verfahren zur Dünnschichtverkappung von oberflächennahen Mikrostrukturen vorgestellt. Ausgehend von den speziellen Anforderungen an die Verkappung oberflächennaher Mikrostrukturen, insbesondere von Strukturen mit hohem Aspektverhältnis, wurden die Verwendung eines Fluor-Kohlenstoff-Polymers als Opferschichtmaterial und die Eignung unterschiedlicher Schichtstapel zur Realisierung der Dünnschichtkappe untersucht. Die resultierende Technologie ermöglicht eine durchgehend trockenchemische Prozessierung. Für die Abschätzung der notwendigen Schichtdicken und den geometrischen Entwurf der Kappenstrukturen, wurden auf Basis der Plattentheorie analytische und numerische Modelle erstellt. Verschiedene Materialkombinationen bestehend aus Siliziumoxid, Siliziumnitrid und Aluminium wurden hinsichtlich ihrer mechanischen und thermomechanischen Eigenschaften untersucht und bewertet. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt lag auf der Entwicklung und Optimierung der Opferschichtprozesse, sowie deren Integration in die Gesamttechnologie. Die Eignung der plasmagestützten Prozesse zur Abscheidung und Strukturierung des Opferpolymers wurde durch die Fertigung von verkapselten Beschleunigungssensoren nachgewiesen. Ein ausreichender hermetischer Verschluss der Dünnschichtkappe konnte durch die Messung der viskosen Dämpfung an Feder-Masse-Schwingern bestätigt werden.

Carbon fibre reinforced ceramic composites (Cf/C-SiC) have been explored as lightweight and durable disc in a friction brake. This composite was manufactured through infiltration of liquid silicon into a Cf/C perform. It has heterogeneous microstructure, composed of three key phases, silicon carbide, Cf/C, and un-reacted residual silicon. The development of the transfer layer on the friction surface of Cf/C-SiC was studied through microstructural image registration of the surface after a range of braking stops on a laboratory-scale dynamometer test rig. When an organic pad was used as the counter face brake pad, it was found that a steady transfer layer was developed in silicon regions right after initial stops; in carbon-fibre/carbon (Cf/C) regions and most of the silicon carbide region, the friction surfaces were unsteady and any possible friction transfer layers were hardly built up. Large voids and cracks/crevices likely became pools to quickly and efficiently collect the transferred materials generated by the friction, but the compacts formed inside the pools were susceptible to be stripped off by further braking operation. Three types of friction surfaces were generalized: type I, the friction transfer layer had a steady relationship with the matrix and respectable longevity; type II, the transfer layer had an unstable relationship with the matrix and poor durability; type III, the friction transfer layer had a steady relationship with the matrix but short lifetime. After testing against organic pads under the laboratory scale dynamometer testing condition, the friction surface of each key phase in Cf/C-SiC composites disc was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that the transfer layer developed on Si consists of fine particles of metal silicides, silicates and minerals. The substrate damage of Si was not observed, while the precipitates having high oxygen content were found in the substrate. Formation of an interfacial bonding between transfer layer and silicon substrate is believed to be the key factor for the formation of a stable transfer layer on Si. However, the interfacial bonding between transferred materials and SiC was not detected. Kinks are common features developed on the friction surface of SiC. The interface between carbon fibre and carbon matrix was experienced mechanical damage, in form of microcracks, and the transferred material was developed in the interface. Instead of transfer layer, a thin amorphous film, produced by friction induced amorphisation of carbon fibre, was developed on top of carbon fibre.

The goal of this project was to create a web-based, crowd-sourced, correlational database, that easily allowed users to submit objects and receive correlated objects as results. The webservice was created in the web development languages of HTML, CSS, PHP and Javscript, with MySQL to handle the database. Simultaneous development was kept in check with the aid of the source code management system GIT. Upon completion, the service contained several HTML-views, the ability to add and rate objects, a per-object dedicated page with information parsed from Wikipedia.org, and a view with objects ranked in accordance to the preferences specific to the current user. Roughly a month after the beginning of development, the website was publicly launched and promoted in order to collect data, and improvements were added to the website as needed. Two weeks after the public launch, the collected data was measured and analyzed. The algorithm proved effective and scalable, especially with the introduction of tags and simultaneous computation of object features.

Objectives: This study investigated chronic changes in cell free DNA (cf-DNA) throughout a collegiate soccer season. The relationship between cf-DNA, C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase (CK), testosterone (T), cortisol (C), testosterone-cortisol ratio (T:C), body mass and body composition were also examined. Design: Longitudinal study design with repeated measures and group comparisons.Methods: Twenty three NCAA Division I male soccer players were divided into two groups. Starters were placed in Group 1 (G1) and non-starters were placed in Group 2 (G2). cf-DNA, CRP, CK, T, C, T:C, body mass and body composition were taken three times, corresponding to pre-season, approximately mid-season and immediately after the concluding the season.Results: In G1, cf-DNA, CRP, CK, cf-DNA %∆, CRP %∆ and, CK %∆ were all statistically higher at T2 and T3 than T1. In G2, CRP %∆ was statistically higher at T2 than T1. In G2, cf-DNA %∆, CRP %∆ and CK %∆ were higher at T2 and T3 than T1.Conclusions: This suggests that cf-DNA may be a useful marker that can reflect accumulated soccer training and competitive stressors.

This master thesis discusses the design of Synthetic immittance dipoles using active current elements. The introduction presents aktive current elemetns MO-CF and DACA as buildings blocks for analog filters that are able to process signals with frequencies up to ten megahertz. Methods of synthetic elements using active current elements design is described in this thesis.Is resulted from full addmitances net which contains one active current element Subsequently there are designed various types of frequency filters working in current mode. The functionality of designed filters was verified by computer simulation. Selected designed filter were practically verified with commercially available elelments and active element MO-CF. Measurements in the frequency domain were carried on. On all of types of filters are made sensitivity analysis.

The master thesis deals with design of the fully differential frequency filters working in the current mode and is focused on possibilities of the natural frequency and the quality factor adjustment. At the beginning, there is a brief description of frequency filters and active elements (MO-CF, FD-CF and DACA), which are used in the thesis. Furthermore, simplified signal flow graphs design method and transformation of passive and active elements to the differential structures are described. The designs of four differential circuitries which provide possibility of tuning the natural frequency or quality factor by the gain of the DACA element are shown in the thesis. Simulation results made in OrCAD program with help of third-order models are included. The practical implementation of the differential frequency filter for tuning of the natural frequency by the DACA elements is shown in the last chapter.

This diploma work describes the software-defined network focusing on optical networks. Subsequently designed their own software network that is implemented in the environment OMNeT ++. This work deals with SDN (software-defined network), and impact on current communications environment in the world of telecom-munications services.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein neues Verfahren zur Dünnschichtverkappung von oberflächennahen Mikrostrukturen vorgestellt. Ausgehend von den speziellen Anforderungen an die Verkappung oberflächennaher Mikrostrukturen, insbesondere von Strukturen mit hohem Aspektverhältnis, wurden die Verwendung eines Fluor-Kohlenstoff-Polymers als Opferschichtmaterial und die Eignung unterschiedlicher Schichtstapel zur Realisierung der Dünnschichtkappe untersucht. Die resultierende Technologie ermöglicht eine durchgehend trockenchemische Prozessierung. Für die Abschätzung der notwendigen Schichtdicken und den geometrischen Entwurf der Kappenstrukturen, wurden auf Basis der Plattentheorie analytische und numerische Modelle erstellt. Verschiedene Materialkombinationen bestehend aus Siliziumoxid, Siliziumnitrid und Aluminium wurden hinsichtlich ihrer mechanischen und thermomechanischen Eigenschaften untersucht und bewertet. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt lag auf der Entwicklung und Optimierung der Opferschichtprozesse, sowie deren Integration in die Gesamttechnologie. Die Eignung der plasmagestützten Prozesse zur Abscheidung und Strukturierung des Opferpolymers wurde durch die Fertigung von verkapselten Beschleunigungssensoren nachgewiesen. Ein ausreichender hermetischer Verschluss der Dünnschichtkappe konnte durch die Messung der viskosen Dämpfung an Feder-Masse-Schwingern bestätigt werden.