A produção literária assinada pelos autores cabo-verdianos João Vário (heterônimo de João Varela), Corsino Fortes e José Luís Tavares constitui o objeto central desta análise desenvolvida a partir do estudo teórico do conceito de Identidade, visando enquadrar teoricamente a produção literária cabo-verdiana contemporânea, identificar as principais linhas de sua orientação (conteúdos, temática, estilos, retórica), relevando a receptividade da intercomunicação cultural e literária de/entre eles, bem como apresentar uma fundamentação teórica e metodológica para a leitura de suas obras. Aliando conteúdos teóricos aos contextos de produção poética pré e pós-independência, analisamos poemas das obras Exemplos (1966-1998), de João Vário, A cabeça calva de Deus (2001), de Corsino Fortes, e Agreste matéria mundo (2004), de José Luís Tavares para verificar o posicionamento dos sujeitos literários na (re)construção da(s) identidade(s) na Literatura Cabo-Verdiana a partir dos anos 1960 do século XX à atualidade. O tratamento do tema visa caracterizar uma expressão metafórica do sentido de existir na Literatura Cabo-verdiana contemporânea, consubstanciada essencialmente no cruzamento de orientações dos estudos literários pós-estruturalistas, pós-coloniais, Estudos Comparados e Teoria da Literatura, e ainda com base na exploração de conteúdos literários com uma forte dimensão filosófica da contemporaneidade, conforme concebida por teóricos como Stuart Hall, Zigmut Bauman, Antonny Giddens, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Edward Said, Hassan Zaoual e Benedict Anderson, Milton Santos, entre outros. / Literary production signed by Cape Verdean authors John Vário (heteronym John Varela), Corsino Fortes and José Luís Tavares is the central object of this analysis developed from the theoretical study of the concept of identity in order to theoretical frame the Cape Verdean contemporary literature, to identify the main lines of its orientation (contents, thematic, style, rhetoric), revealing the receptivity of literary and cultural intercommunication between them, and present a theoretical and methodological reading of their works. Combining theoretical content to the contexts of poetic production before and after the independence, we analyze poems of the works Exemplos (1966-1998), of João Vário, A Cabeça Calva de Deus (2001) of Corsino Fortes, and Agreste matéria Mundo (2004) of José Luís Tavares - to check the positioning of the literary subjects in (re) building Identities in Cape Verdean literature from the 1960s of the twentieth century to the present. The treatment of the subject aims to characterize a metaphorical expression of the sense of existing on contemporary Cape Verdean literature, based primarily on cross-orientations of poststructuralist and postcolonial literary studies, Comparative Studies and Literary Theory, based on the exploitation of content with a strong philosophical dimension of contemporaneity, as conceived by theorists such as Stuart Hall, Zigmut Bauman, Antonny Giddens, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Edward Said, Hassan Zaoual and Benedict Anderson, Milton Santos, among others.

In order to further explore the significance of McFague's thoughts, this thesis will compare her theology with some other theologians with quite different ideas on ecological theology or understandings of the relationship between feminism and Christianity. Furthermore, this thesis will also adopt McFague's approach to metaphorical theology to evaluate the merits and shortcomings of the theories advocated by the contemporary Sino-Christian theologians such as Liu Xiaofeng and He Guanghu, especially their approaches to the relationship between the Christian tradition and the contemporary Chinese context. / McFague believes that all Christians may have their own working theologies one that can actually function in their personal, professional, and public lives. Hers is merely one of the possible options. Again and again she expresses that what she has done is merely to share her theological model with the others and see if it can help others to work out their own. / McFague defines her theology as a post-modem theology because its assumptions are radically different from those of the Enlightenment or Modernity. For her, the traditional language of Christianity that supported the hierarchical, dualistic and deterministic ways of thinking is no longer appropriate for our time. However, this does not mean that one should totally deny the Christian tradition or our religious heritage. What we have to do is to "revitalize" the religious language through employing new metaphors which may become gestures to the unknown God. This approach of employing metaphor as a means to convey theological truth is not only in line with Jesus' own way of communication and the Protestant tradition of anti-idolatry, but also appropriate for the postmodern sensibility and capable to address the contemporary issues. / McFague proposes that Christian theology should adopt "mother," "lover," and "friend" as the key metaphors for the doctrine of God and "the body of God" as the central metaphor for the model of God-world relationship. This metaphor or model, which highlights the interdependence and unity between us and everything else on earth, represents McFague's rather distinctive contribution to ecological theology and her imaginative attempt to contribute to the rescue from nuclear nightmare or ecological disaster. / Sallie McFague (1933- ) is one of the most famous eco-feminist theologians. Her theology is very influential within the theological circle of liberal Protestantism in North American. She regards her metaphorical theology as thought experiment in response to the challenges Christianity encounters in the modem world, including particularly the criticisms of Christianity from the perspectives of feminist liberation movement and ecological concern. When facing these challenges or criticisms, whereas some Christians may attempt to repeat the same traditional expressions of Christianity or abandon the Christian tradition entirely, McFague attempts to employ some new metaphors to express the Christian tradition in order to make Christian theology meaningful and appropriate for the contemporary context. / The thesis will conclude with a summary of the significance of McFague's metaphorical theology for the critical reflection and positive construction of contemporary Sino-Christian theology, including: (1 ) being respectful to the Christian history and orthodox tradition; (2) being sensitive to the contexts, including spatial, temporal and cultural contexts, of theology; (3) being methodologically sound in theological thinking; (4) being open to the non-Christian resources and affirmative to the adoption and integration of the resources in the Chinese language. / 高健群. / Advisers: Pan Chiu Lai; Chi Tim Lai. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-06, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-133). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Gao Jianqun.

保羅和親鸞分別是基督宗教和淨土真宗的開創式人物，他們的思想為基督教神學和淨土理論的進一步發展奠定了基礎，拯救思想就是其中一個十分重要的方面。從某種程度上來說，宗教的終極關懷是讓世人從罪惡的現實社會中獲得拯救，不同的宗教對於實現拯救的途徑和拯救的結果有著不同的描述。對此，保羅和親鸞的拯救思想也主要是從這兩個方面展開的。儘管兩人處於不同的時代和社會背景當中，但是面對如何獲得拯救這樣同一個問題，兩人之間存在著很大的對話空間。因此，本文以保羅和親鸞的拯救思想為研究對象，嘗試進行有效的宗教對話。 / 從研究方法上看，本文採取的是文本研究與社會歷史研究相結合的方法，從宗教對話的角度入手，比較分析保羅和親鸞的拯救思想。也即是說，本文在分析保羅和親鸞具體文本內容的同時，也考察了兩人各自的社會歷史處境，從一個思想發展的動態過程中進行比較研究。 / 從具體內容上看，本文的主體由三大部分構成。 / 第一部分以“拯救的途徑為主題，重點分析保羅和親鸞對於信心這一概念的理解。在兩人的拯救思想中，信心是尤為重要的，被認為是獲得拯救的途徑。然而，在對於信心的來源和本質的理解以及信心與行為的關係等其他問題上，兩人也有各自不同的詮釋。從思想發展的角度來看，保羅和親鸞關於信心的思想都針對自身處境的需要，從不同的方面對於傳統信心理論進行了更新。 / 第二部分以“拯救的結果為主題，即保羅和親鸞期望達致的天國和淨土。首先分別概述保羅和親鸞對於天國和淨土概念的使用情況，然後從天國和淨土實現的時間、方式和對象等方面展開具體的比較。同時也發現，兩人對於天國和淨土的表達和詮釋有著各自獨特的理解和諸多創新之處，這也正是兩人對於傳統思想的一種繼承和發展。 / 第三部分重點考察拯救思想與社會場景之間的互動關係。通過前文的比較研究我們發現，保羅和親鸞的拯救思想是一個不斷更新和發展的過程。事實上，這個過程也是一種處境化的結果，與兩人各自的宗教經驗以及宗教社會處境有著密切的聯繫。保羅和親鸞拯救思想上的種種創新正是為了適應信仰群體和社會場景的需要而進行的變革，而這也對基督教和淨土真宗的持續發展起到了巨大的推動作用。 / 總的來說，本文不但從思想內容上對於保羅和親鸞的拯救思想進行比較研究，更重要的是，從思想發展的角度來看，本文將兩人拯救思想的發展與各自具體的生活場景相結合進行對話。由此發現，保羅和親鸞的拯救思想都經歷了拯救模式的轉變，而這種轉變從根本上來說是將信仰群體擴大化，實現普世的拯救。因此，通過本文的比較研究，也期望從宗教對話的角度豐富對於保羅和親鸞拯救思想的理解。 / Religion involves having an ultimate concern, which is to achieve a condition of permanent well-being, salvation. Focusing on the concept of salvation advocated respectively by the Apostle Paul, one of the pioneers of Christianity and by Shinran, the founder of Jōdo Shinshū, in particular with their fundamental contribution to the development of Christian theology and the Pure Land theory, this cross-religious comparative study examines their teachings on the way of salvation and the results of salvation for the purpose of creating spaces for inter-religious encounter, understanding and dialogue. / Textual analysis and social-historical analysis are the methods used in this comparative study to explore the dynamics and transformations in the development of the Apostle Paul’s and Shinran’s concept of salvation, which involve a systematic close-reading of texts against the backdrop of their different social, historical and cultural values. / This study is divided into three parts. Part one focuses on the concept of “Faith. Both the Apostle Paul and Shinran preach the message that the salvation is through/by faith. However, they understand differently from each other regarding what sources of faith are, what faith is and what the relationship between faith and practice is. Indeed, the Apostle Paul’s and Shinran’s teachings on “Faith are born out of their personal circumstances in their social, historical and cultural contexts, which enrich and develop the concept of “Faith within and along their different religious traditions. / Part two reviews the two different results of salvation proposed by the Apostle Paul with “inheriting the Kingdom of God and by Shinran with “reborning in the Pure Land. I detail their differences in their usage of the terms of “the Kingdom of God and “the Pure Land and their discussions on how, when and who could finally achieve the salvation. I argue that both the Apostle Paul and Shinran further the development of Christian theology and the Pure Land theory with their specific explanations and understandings through inheritance and renovation. / Part three situates the Apostle Paul’s and Shinran’s concept of salvation in their own social, historical and cultural contexts. Indeed, the dynamics and transformations in the development of their concepts of salvation are closely related to their personal religious experiences and the social-religious backgrounds in which they were located. Their transformations and renovations instead satisfied the needs and values of their followers, and moreover, enhanced the development of Christian theology and the Pure Land theory. / This cross-religious comparative study is therefore an inter-religious dialogue by focusing on the analysis of the Apostle Paul’s and Shinran’s salvation with an emphasis on their theoretical developments against the backdrop of their specific social, historical, and cultural contexts. In fact, the Apostle Paul and Shinran increased followers with an offer of universal salvation with their theoretical transformations and renovations. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 陳曦. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-151). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Chen Xi. / 中文摘要 --- p.I / Abstract --- p.III / 致謝 --- p.V / Chapter 第一章 --- 緒論 --- p.1 / Chapter 第一節 --- 研究解題 --- p.1 / Chapter 第二節 --- 研究回顧 --- p.3 / Chapter 第三節 --- 問題的提出 --- p.15 / Chapter 第四節 --- 研究方法 --- p.16 / Chapter 第五節 --- 資料選取與學術意義 --- p.20 / Chapter 第二章 --- 拯救的途徑：信心 --- p.22 / Chapter 第一節 --- 世人的困境 --- p.22 / Chapter 1.1 --- 對於人的理解 --- p.22 / Chapter 1.2 --- 對於世界的理解 --- p.25 / Chapter 1.3 --- 小結 --- p.27 / Chapter 第二節 --- 信心的內容 --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1 --- 文本分析 --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2 --- 信心的來源 --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3 --- 信心的本質 --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4 --- 信心和行為的關係 --- p.45 / Chapter 2.5 --- 其他方面 --- p.60 / Chapter 第三節 --- 信心的繼承和發展 --- p.62 / Chapter 3.1 --- 保羅 --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2 --- 親鸞 --- p.73 / Chapter 第四節 --- 總結 --- p.79 / Chapter 第三章 --- 拯救的結果：天國和淨土 --- p.81 / Chapter 第一節 --- 世人被拯救 --- p.81 / Chapter 1.1 --- 天國 --- p.82 / Chapter 1.2 --- 淨土 --- p.83 / Chapter 1.3 --- 小結 --- p.84 / Chapter 第二節 --- 天國和淨土的內容 --- p.84 / Chapter 2.1 --- 文本分析 --- p.84 / Chapter 2.2 --- 時間上：現在或者將來 --- p.97 / Chapter 2.3 --- 方式上：主動或者被動 --- p.98 / Chapter 2.4 --- 對象上：善人或者惡人 --- p.99 / Chapter 2.5 --- 其他方面 --- p.101 / Chapter 第三節 --- 天國和淨土的繼承和發展 --- p.102 / Chapter 3.1 --- 保羅 --- p.102 / Chapter 3.2 --- 親鸞 --- p.106 / Chapter 第四節 --- 總結 --- p.109 / Chapter 第四章 --- 拯救思想與社會場景的互動關係 --- p.111 / Chapter 第一節 --- 個人宗教信仰的轉變 --- p.111 / Chapter 1.1 --- 保羅：從基督信仰的迫害者到傳揚者 --- p.111 / Chapter 1.2 --- 親鸞：從天臺修行者到淨土信仰者 --- p.114 / Chapter 1.3 --- 小結：宗教信仰的重新選擇 --- p.117 / Chapter 第二節 --- 信仰群體的狀況 --- p.117 / Chapter 2.1 --- 保羅：猶太人和外邦人 --- p.117 / Chapter 2.2 --- 親鸞：僧侶和凡夫 --- p.120 / Chapter 2.3 --- 小結：信仰群體擴大化 --- p.122 / Chapter 第三節 --- 宗教社會處境 --- p.123 / Chapter 3.1 --- 保羅：羅馬帝國統治時期 --- p.123 / Chapter 3.2 --- 親鸞：日本社會轉型時期 --- p.126 / Chapter 3.3 --- 小結：宗教社會生活中的罪惡 --- p.128 / Chapter 第四節 --- 總結 --- p.128 / Chapter 第五章 --- 結論 --- p.131 / Chapter 第一節 --- 內容歸納 --- p.132 / Chapter 第二節 --- 方法反思 --- p.135 / 參考書目 --- p.138 / Chapter 一、 --- 有關保羅研究 --- p.138 / Chapter 二、 --- 有關親鸞研究 --- p.145 / Chapter 三、 --- 有關宗教比較研究 --- p.149

Muitas alterações têm ocorrido na última década na educação da área da saúde, com o intuito de formar profissionais que possam ter um olhar humanístico e possam trabalhar no Sistema Único de Saúde. O Curso de Farmácia também sofreu modificações, devido às reformas curriculares, incluindo disciplinas como a de Atenção Farmacêutica (Atenfar). A atenção farmacêutica é uma nova subárea do conhecimento agregada ao currículo dos cursos de farmácia com as novas diretrizes curriculares. Como disciplina foi inserida há poucos anos na Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Sul, sendo seus conteúdos divididos em 3 disciplinas: Atenção Farmacêutica I, Atenção Farmacêutica II e Atenção Farmacêutica III. Desde o início a Atenção Farmacêutica II buscou aplicar metodologias ativas no ensino presencial e a distância. No ano de 2012 a metodologia a distância foi adotada parcialmente na disciplina, sendo que os alunos tiveram metade das aulas no modelo presencial e metade a distância e segundo o tema a ser abordado. A disciplina realizou avaliações no início e no final do semestre com o intuito de avaliar se ocorreu diferenças na aprendizagem dos alunos devido a utilização da modalidade EAD ou presencial, bem como o que os mesmos alunos pensam sobre essas duas modalidades. Para realizar esta pesquisa utilizou-se o método quanti-qualitativo de triangulação, com o intuito de se avaliar os aspectos envolvidos com o desempenho, satisfação e percepção do aluno. Como resultados, foi encontrado que o EAD é tão eficiente quanto o presencial neste contexto estudado. Os alunos apresentaram satisfação pelo EAD de uma forma maior que pelo presencial. Além disso, o desempenho dos estudantes foi maior no EAD. / Many changes have been occurred in the last decade in the health education area, in order to form professionals who can have a humanistic look and can work in Brazilian Public Health System. Pharmacy Course also has changed due to curricular reforms, including disciplines such as Pharmaceutical Care. Pharmaceutical Care is a new subfield of knowledge aggregate the curriculum of pharmacy with the new curriculum guidelines. How discipline was inserted a few years ago at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and its contents divided into three disciplines: Pharmaceutical Care I, Pharmaceutical Care II and Pharmaceutical Care III. From the beginning the Pharmaceutical Care II sought to apply active methods in face to face and distance classes. In the year 2012 the distance learning methodology was adopted in part on the discipline, with half of the students had classes face to face classes and half distance learning classes, and according to the topic being discussed. The course evaluations conducted at the beginning and end of the semester in order to assess whether differences occurred in student learning because the use of distance learning mode or face to face, as well as what students think about these two modalities. To conduct this research, we used the triangulation quantitative and qualitative method, in order to evaluate the issues involved with the performance, satisfaction and perception of the student. As a result, it was found that the distance learning is as efficient as the face to face in this study context. Students were satisfied by the distance learning in a way greater than the face to face. In addition, student performance was higher in distance learning.

Esta tese apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa sobre tiras cômicas de produção local na Argentina e no Brasil, tendo como recorte temático o futebol e seu papel na construção identitária de ambos os países. Abordamos as tiras cômicas como um gênero discursivo, ou seja, como um dispositivo comunicacional sócio-historicamente condicionado (Maingueneau, 2010) e as analisamos levando em conta sua inserção na espacialidade social. Trata-se de um trabalho comparativo e interdisciplinar em que nos valemos de referenciais teóricos tanto dos estudos discursivos e enunciativos, como também de reflexões advindas de outros campos do conhecimento, como a História (Campos, 2015; Franco-Júnior, 2007), a Sociologia (Bordieu ([1976]-2002; Archetti, 1995; Alabarces, 2014), a Antropologia (Guedes, 2006) e a Comunicação (Martín-Barbero, 1991). Para operacionalizar a análise, mobilizamos o conceito de cena da enunciação (Maingueneau, 2001, 2006). No exame da cena englobante e da cena genérica das tiras cômicas, reconstruímos sua historicidade na Argentina e no Brasil, enfocando especificamente sua publicação rotineira nos jornais diários. Nesse percurso, constatamos que diferenças verificadas na formação sócio-histórica desses países repercutem na inserção do gênero na respectiva espacialidade social. Para a análise das cenografias, nos debruçamos sobre um corpus composto por tiras argentinas e brasileiras publicadas respectivamente nos jornais Clarín e Folha de S. Paulo por ocasião das Copas do Mundo de 1994 e 2014. Baseando-nos também nas categorias propostas por Charaudeau (2006) para o estudo do discurso humorístico, na análise dessas tiras (i) investigamos que efeitos de sentido são construídos sobre as derrotas e as vitórias das seleções argentina e brasileira nas citadas edições da Copa; (ii) examinamos os procedimentos utilizados para obter o humor e seus possíveis efeitos, (iii) observamos que relações interdiscursivas se estabelecem, (iv) identificamos posicionamentos a respeito do futebol e da Copa. Contrastados os resultados, relevamos as semelhanças e diferenças com relação aos temas anteriores observadas nas produções de ambos os países. / This thesis shows the results of a research on comics strips from local production in Argentine and in Brazil, focus on football and its role in the identity construction of both countries. Approaching the comic strips as a discursive genre, that is, as a sociohistorically conditioned communicational device (Maingueneau, 2010) and analyzing them considering their insertion in the social spatiality. It is a comparative and interdisciplinary work in which we use theoretical references from both the discursive and enunciative studies, as well as reflections from other fields of knowledge, such as History (Campos, 2015; Franco-Júnior, 2007). Sociology (Bordieu ([1976] -2002, Archetti, 1995, Alabarces, 2014), Anthropology (Guedes, 2006) and Communication (Martín-Barbero, 1991). In order to analyze, we mobilized the concept of the scene of enunciation (Maingueneau, 2001, 2006). From the exam of the encompassing and generic scene of the comic strips, we reconstructed its historicity in Argentina and Brazil, focusing specifically on its routine publication in the daily newspapers. Along the way, we found that the differences identified in the socio-historical formation of these countries rebound in the insertion of the gender in the respective social spatiality. Analyzing the scenographies, we considered a corpus composed of Argentine and Brazilian strips published respectively in the Clarín and Folha de S. Paulo newspapers by the 1994 and 2014 World Cup occasions. Based on the categories proposed by Charaudeau (2006) for the study of humorous discourse, in the analysis of these strips (i) we investigated what kind of meaning effects are built on the defeats and victories of the Argentine and Brazilian teams in the aforementioned editions of the Cup; (Ii) we examined the procedures used to obtain the humor and its possible effects, (iii) we observed that the interdiscursive relationships are established, (iv) identified positions regarding to soccer and the World Cup. Contrasting the results, we highlighted the similarities and differences in relation to the previous themes observed in the productions of both countries.

<p>Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a potentially curable cause of hypertension and azotemia. Besides intra-arterial renal angiography there are several non-invasive techniques utilized to diagnose patients with suspicion of renal artery stenosis. Removing the stenosis by revascularization to restore unobstructed blood flow to the kidney is known to improve and even cure hypertension/azotemia, but is associated with a significant complication rate. </p><p>To visualize renal arteries with x-ray techniques a contrast medium must be used. In a randomized, prospective study the complications of two types of contrast media (CO₂ and ioxaglate) were compared. CO₂ was not associated with acute nephropathy, but induced nausea and had lower attenuation differences compared to Ioxaglate. Acute nephropathy was related to the ioxaglate dose and the risk was evident even at very low doses if the patients were azotemic with creatinine clearance <40 ml/min. </p><p>Evaluating patients for clinically relevant renal artery stenosis can be done utilizing several non-invasive techniques. MRA was retrospectively evaluated and shown to be accurate in detecting hemodynamically significant RAS. In a prospective study of 58 patients, evaluated with four methods for renal artery stenosis, it was shown that MRA and CTA were significantly better than ultrasonography and captopril renography in detecting hemodynamically significant RAS. The standard of reference was trans-stenotic pressure gradient measurement, defining a stenosis as significant at a gradient of ≥15 mmHg. The discrepancies were mainly found in the presence of borderline stenosis.</p><p>The outcome of percutaneous revascularization procedures showed a technical success rate of 95%, clinical benefit in 63% of treated patients, 30-day mortality 1.5% and major complication rate of 13%. The major complication rate for patients with baseline serum creatinine >300µmol/l was 32%. Our results compare favorably with published studies and guidelines.</p>

Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a potentially curable cause of hypertension and azotemia. Besides intra-arterial renal angiography there are several non-invasive techniques utilized to diagnose patients with suspicion of renal artery stenosis. Removing the stenosis by revascularization to restore unobstructed blood flow to the kidney is known to improve and even cure hypertension/azotemia, but is associated with a significant complication rate. To visualize renal arteries with x-ray techniques a contrast medium must be used. In a randomized, prospective study the complications of two types of contrast media (CO2 and ioxaglate) were compared. CO2 was not associated with acute nephropathy, but induced nausea and had lower attenuation differences compared to Ioxaglate. Acute nephropathy was related to the ioxaglate dose and the risk was evident even at very low doses if the patients were azotemic with creatinine clearance &lt;40 ml/min. Evaluating patients for clinically relevant renal artery stenosis can be done utilizing several non-invasive techniques. MRA was retrospectively evaluated and shown to be accurate in detecting hemodynamically significant RAS. In a prospective study of 58 patients, evaluated with four methods for renal artery stenosis, it was shown that MRA and CTA were significantly better than ultrasonography and captopril renography in detecting hemodynamically significant RAS. The standard of reference was trans-stenotic pressure gradient measurement, defining a stenosis as significant at a gradient of ≥15 mmHg. The discrepancies were mainly found in the presence of borderline stenosis. The outcome of percutaneous revascularization procedures showed a technical success rate of 95%, clinical benefit in 63% of treated patients, 30-day mortality 1.5% and major complication rate of 13%. The major complication rate for patients with baseline serum creatinine &gt;300µmol/l was 32%. Our results compare favorably with published studies and guidelines.

This thesis consists of an introductory chapter and four self-contained essays on financial performance and capital structure. Essay I assesses the strength of strategic inputs into profitability among firms within several sub-sectors within the industrial service sector in the U.S. and Sweden. In this study we employ an ordinary least square regression. The results, coupled with structural observations on production sectors, suggest that significant differences may indeed occur in both productivity and pricing in the two systems, i.e. the U.S. and Sweden. Essay II estimates the impact of operating costs and cost of debt on revenue, profit generation and asset retention in public housing companies in Sweden. A general conclusion to draw from the empirical results is that expentitures on consolidated maintenance is not only associated with short-term rental revenues, but undoubtedly long-term viability as well. Further, first difference results suggested that negotiated rents produced operating profits that kept pace with revenues over the time period of study. Essay III examines the impact of selected financial and contextual variables on managers’ decisions to appropriate funds to tax allowances in small firms in Sweden. The motive for appropriating to the tax allocation reserve is twofold. First, the tax allocation reserve is intended to lower the tax levy on investments financed with internally generated income. Second, it creates a possibility for firms to smooth income over a number of years. The results, from the logistic regression, suggest that financial performance, financial position and prior appropriations do impact on managers’ decision to appropriate. Essay IV examines the association between the two sides of the balance sheet based on financial statement information from small firms in Sweden The results of the multivariate canonical correlation analysis provides some support to the hypotheses that firms develop patterns, in their use of assets and their financing.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics