Studies of phase speciation of trace metals were conducted in Kao-ping river estuary in September 2001 and May 2002. Influence of seasonal variation, salinity and organic carbon content on the trace metal¡¦s phase speciation were of special interest. Water samples collected from four different sampling stations were analyzed for their contents which include salinity, pH value, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total organic carbon and trace metals. Subsamples observed by cross-flow filtration treatment were further analyzed for the contents of total organic carbon and trace metals. The results showed that manganese has the highest concentration( 8.23 ~ 291.24 £gg/L ), followed by zinc( 2.83 ~ 5.89 £gg/L), nickel( 1.69 ~ 5.82 £gg/L ), copper( 1.75 ~ 4.71 £gg/L ), lead( 0.27 ~ 0.89 £gg/L ) and cadmium( 0.01 ~ 0.27 £gg/L ). Cadmium existed in particulate phase predominately. Copper existed in truly dissolved phase predominately. Particle and truly dissolved phase were the major species of zinc, nickel, manganese and lead. Percentage of all metals in colloidal fraction of the filter-passing pool were low( 9 ~ 16 % for Cu, 5 ~ 21 % for Zn, 4 ~ 30 % for Ni, 2 ~ 38 % for Mn, 5 ~ 30 % for Pb and 8 ~ 34 % for Cd ), they were found predominately in truly dissolved fraction. Effect of seasonal variation was not significant on the distribution of trace metals. Percentage of all truly dissolved metals increased with increasing salinity, however, percentage of particulate metals decreased with increasing salinity ( except for Zn ). Values of partition coefficients between colloids and true solution( Kc ) were considerably higher than those between particles and true solution( Kp ) for all trace metals indicate a high complexation capacity and binding intensity of colloidal organic matter.

Air quality of the Kao-Ping airshed has been the worst of all airsheds which are divided into seven groups by districts in Taiwan. The percentage of annual bad air quality (Pollution Standard Index, PSI > 100) in the Kao-Ping airshed (6.65−13.56%) was twice than it in the Yun-Chia-Nan airshed (2.58−6.98%) during the past decade (1998−2007). Oil refineries, petrol/plastic industries, power plants, and iron/steel/metal plants are the major industries in the Kaohsiung metropolitan area. Due to intensive industrial and traffic activities, the Kao-Ping area has the poorest air quality in Taiwan − either increased ground-level concentrations of particulate matter (PM) or ozone (O3) associated with unfavorable meteorological conditions − particularly between late fall and mid-spring The temporal and spatial characterization of suspended particles in the Kao-Ping area was analyzed by using TAPM (air quality model) and CMB (receptor model) to understand the contributions of the major emission sources. Estimations using the TAPM model suggest that point-source emissions were the predominant contributors (about 49.1%) to PM10 concentrations at Hsiung-Kong industrial site in Kaohsiung City, followed by area sources (approximately 35.0%) and neighboring transport (7.8%). Because Ping-Tung City (urban) and Chao-Chou town (rural) are located downwind of Kaohsiung City when north or northeasterly winds prevail, the two sites also experience severe pollution events despite the lack of industrial sources; neighboring transport contributed roughly 39.1% to PM10 concentrations at Ping-Tung and 48.7% at Chao-Chou. Results of CMB (chemical mass balance) modeling show that the main contributors to PM2.5 mass are vehicle exhaust (gasoline vehicle emission: 43% and diesel vehicle emission: 17% at Hsiung-Kong; gasoline vehicle emission: 45% and diesel vehicle emission: 19% at Ping-Tung; gasoline vehicle emission: 12% and diesel vehicle emission: 29% at Chao-Chou). And the main contribution to PM2.5-10 mass is the paved road emission (Hsiung-Kong: 40%; Ping-Tung: 48%; Chao-Chou: 50%). It is recommended that air quality model is an appropriate tool to large area and receptor model is more suitable to specific point to identify emission sources by the results in this study.

Taiwan is an island surrounded by vast open sea. The impacts of typhoon on fish farms located near shore are usually tremendously severe and cause a variety of difficulty in developing a profitable cage aquaculture industry. Thus it is often regarded as one of highly risky ventures for fishermen. While Tai Ping Island is located at the tropic zone, the south most territory of the Republic of China, rendering a superior farming site for cage culture due to its clean water quality and nonexistence of typhoon. This study evaluates the possibility of establishing a series of cage culture in Tai Ping Island and estimates its economic feasibility according to the information obtained from Penghu cage farmers. Since Tai Ping Island is a military base, it is still prohibited for public visit at the present moment. Once the operation of offshore cage aquaculture at the Tai Ping Island is established, it may inspire other cooperates associated with the fishery industry to cluster on the Island. The researcher has served at the coastal guard office in Tai Ping Island for a year and thus quite familiar with land-based facilities, surrounding marina, and ecosystem etc. Through past experience in protecting cage farmers knowing that good farming site is relatively important for cage culture to success, this study intend to offer a good farming site to fish farmers in Taiwan. It is anticipated that a prosperous fish farming industry will develop in the near future.

This thesis deals with measuring transmission parameters of the Internet network, in particular latency of ping, SSH protocol and bandwidth. The thesis is divided into a theoretical and a practical part. Theoretical part describes PlanetLab network, its brief history and contemporary projects. At the same time, tools for data mining from web pages are described. These information obtained from the theoretical part are used for creating PlanetLab nodes list and for programming applications which measure the network transmission parameters. Applications, list of nodes and obtained data are attached on DVD disc.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第18526号 / 農博第2083号 / 新制||農||1026(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H26||N4870(農学部図書室) / 31412 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科農学専攻 / (主査)教授 奥本 裕, 教授 米森 敬三, 教授 冨永 達 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of black carbon (BC) and possible sources by analyzing BC contents in core and sediment trap samples collected from Kao-ping submarine Canyon and surficial sediments collected from Love River, Chianjen River, Kaohsiung Harbor, Kao-ping River and adjacent coastal area. In addition, sediment core and trap samples of Kao-ping submarine Canyon, and suspended solids of Kao-ping estuary were analyzed to estimate the BC loading from Kao-ping River and the flux in Kao-ping submarine Canyon. The concentrations of BC ranged from 0.38 to 3.29 mg g-1 in this study. The results we found in coastal sediments were comparable to those in Asia, but lower than those in America and Europe. Black carbon found in surficial sediments of D2, L1 and of stations from Love River, Chianjen River and Kaohsiung Harbor were contributed from vehicle emission or coal combustion. Correlation coefficients of BC versus total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, combustion PAHs, total organic carbon (TOC) and grain size were significant in the sediments of Kao-ping River adjacent coast. Regrading to the temporal distribution of BC in Kao-ping submarine Canyon, BC and PAHs increased in the deposited sediment after 1970, that was probably related to prosperous industrial activities for last decades in Taiwan. Surficial sediments could be grouped into three clusters by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Results of principal component analysis (PCA) showed principal component 1 (PC 1) could explain 35 % of total variances. Significant PC 1 compound loadings were found mostly from high molecular weight PAHs which derived mainly from combustion processes. This result was supported by the significant correlation (p<0.05) of PC 1 scores versus BC concentrations which were also mainly derived from combustion. BC fluxes for sediment cores, S1 and S37, and sediment trap of Kao-ping submarine Canyon, 0.59 g m-2 yr-1, 2.03 g m-2 yr-1 and 23 g m-2 yr-1, respectively, were comparable to those reported for surficial sediments in literature. However, BC fluxes in this study were lower than those in the sediments from Mouth of Providence River, Palos Verdes Shelf and New England Harbors, but higher than those in pelagic sediments of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, we also measured BC concentrations in suspended solid samples to estimate loadings of Kao-ping estuary which ranged from 33 to 1765 kg day-1 with an average of 602 kg day-1. Annual BC loading of Kao-ping River was roughly estimated as 29.55¡Ñ104 tons which was lower than that of the Mississippi River.

This master‘s thesis is formed as a part of the research project for whose analyse is used the worldwide experimental network called PlanetLab. The whole dilemma is engaged by IPTV technology. IPTV is a protocol that makes possible transfer data of a television content over the Internet to the end user. In the IPTV technology the server is a source. These data are presented as a video and audio signal (streem) which are required to deliver to the end users. Some structure, which presents alternate these computers´connection, has been established, because the technology making use of the big pretention is used. The most patent way between the source and the destination is found. My objective is design this structure in the pursuit. The principle of the signal ramification from one node to several nodes (in group) is called multicast. Rather said from one node to the set of nodes. In the IPTV is presented each one single program for one multicast group. The concrete end users (recipients) are members of one or several obtainable multicast groups. The switch between programs demands a change from one multicast group to other group. For an analyse is used the worldwide experimental network called PlanetLab. This network was created after the floatation of three American´s universities in 2002. Nowadays it takes in more than 800 nodes which are distributed over the world. The PlanetLab is used by multinational company such as the Intel or the Hewlett-Packard. It is created for the testing and the scientific scope. I make the scripts in the Linux for the formation of the interconnecting structure. The main item by the course of the unreeling is response time. I investigate it with a command called “ping”. Everything is created in the Linux because all nodes use the operation system Linux in PlanetLab. By the help of the command “ping” I take the active nodes and response times. According to the response time I make a distance vectors which are used for the finding a location in the face of the references points which were determined before. According to the similarity of these vectors is designated to what end point is put to the point.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

As enzimas desempenham papel fisiológico fundamental nos organismos, seja em condições normais e patológicas, o que as tornam atrativos alvos para intervenções terapêuticas. Pequenas moléculas capazes de inibir enzimas alvos são utilizadas para o tratamento de diversas doenças inflamatórias, câncer, AIDS, entre outras. Contudo, a identificação de pequenas moléculas inibidores ainda é uma etapa limitante no desenvolvimento de fármacos. Nesse contexto, o aprimoramento e novos ensaios robustos e confiáveis para acelerar a descoberta e a caracterização de novos inibidores é de extrema relevância. Nesta tese apresentamos o desenvolvimento de apropriados métodos para a quantificação direta da atividade das enzimas alvos Nucleosídeo Difosfato Quinase B (NDKb), humana (NME2) e de Leishmania major (LmNDKb), livres em solução ou imobilizadas em colunas capilares (ICER). A separação dos produtos e substratos da reação foi realizada por cromatografia de par iônico, que possibilitou a quantificação direta da atividade enzimática da NDKb livre em solução, método 1D-LC-UV. Já para a quantificação da atividade das enzimas imobilizadas foi elaborado um método on-line ICER-LC-UV, no qual a reação enzimática do ICER foi transferida à coluna analítica, permitindo a separação e quantificação da atividade de fosfotransferência. Utilizando esses métodos foi possível determinar o pH ótimo e os parâmetros cinéticos das enzimas livres e imobilizadas. Inibidores de NDKb de diferentes potências e mecanismos de ação foram utilizados para modulação do sistema ICER-LC-UV como ensaio de triagem de inibidores. O (-)-Epicatequina galato (ECG) foi utilizado como prova de conceito, para validar a aplicação do método on-line ICER-LC-UV na identificação e caracterização de inibidores para as enzimas alvo NME2 e LmNDKb. Em suma, a quantificação direta associada ao uso de enzimas imobilizadas representa um grande avanço aos métodos consolidados para o monitoramento da atividade enzimática e triagem de inibidores das enzimas alvo. / Enzymes play a key physiological role in organisms, either under normal and pathological conditions, which make them attractive targets for therapeutic interventions. Small molecules capable to inhibit specific target enzymes are used for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases, cancer, AIDS, among others. However, to identify small inhibitory molecules is still a limiting step in drugs discovery. In this context, the improvement and development of robust and reliable novel assays to accelerate the discovery and characterization of new inhibitors have become extremely relevant. This study describes an appropriate direct method to quantify the enzymatic activity of Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinase B (NDKb) from human (NME2) and Leishmania major (LmNDKb). It can be applied to free enzyme in solution or immobilized enzyme into silica capillary (ICER). The separation of both the substrates and products was achieved using ion-pair chromatography, it can be applied to direct quantification of free NDKb activity, method 1D-LC-UV. In order to quantify the activity of the immobilized enzymes, an on-line ICER-LC-UV method was developed. Initially, the enzymatic catalysis occurred into the ICER. Sequentially, the reaction mixture was transferred to an analytical column, where analytes were separated. From this method, it was possible to determine the optimum pH and kinetic parameters for the immobilized enzymes. Well stablished NDKb inhibitors with different strenght and mechanisms of action were used to modulate the on-line ICER-LC-UV method as an inhibitor screening assay. (-)-Epicatechin gallate was used as proof of concept in order to validate the application of the on-line ICER-LC-UV method to identify and characterize the target\'s enzymes NME2 and LmNDKb inhibitors. In summary, the direct quantification method coupled to the immobilized enzymes increases the likelihood of identifying the enzymatic activity and screening of inhibitors of the target enzymes when compared methods well described in the literature.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture