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Exploration of a mammary epithelial cell model for the study of inflammation and mechanisms of anti-inflammatory activity in medicinal plantsAl-Maalouf, Samar Wadih 05 January 2007 (has links)
No description available.
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Syntax, semantics, and pragmatics of accusative-quotative constructions in JapaneseHorn, Stephen Wright 19 March 2008 (has links)
No description available.
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Algorithmes pour la factorisation d'entiers et le calcul de logarithme discret / Algorithms for integer factorization and discrete logarithms computationBouvier, Cyril 22 June 2015 (has links)
Dans cette thèse, nous étudions les problèmes de la factorisation d'entier et de calcul de logarithme discret dans les corps finis. Dans un premier temps, nous nous intéressons à l'algorithme de factorisation d'entier ECM et présentons une méthode pour analyser les courbes elliptiques utilisées dans cet algorithme en étudiant les propriétés galoisiennes des polynômes de division. Ensuite, nous présentons en détail l'algorithme de factorisation d'entier NFS, et nous nous intéressons en particulier à l'étape de sélection polynomiale pour laquelle des améliorations d'algorithmes existants sont proposées. Puis, nous présentons les algorithmes NFS-DL et FFS pour le calcul de logarithme discret dans les corps finis. Nous donnons aussi des détails sur deux calculs de logarithme discret effectués durant cette thèse, l'un avec NFS-DL et l'autre avec FFS. Enfin, nous étudions une étape commune à l'algorithme NFS pour la factorisation et aux algorithmes NFS-DL et FFS pour le calcul de logarithme discret: l'étape de filtrage. Nous l'étudions en détail et nous présentons une amélioration dont nous validons l'impact en utilisant des données provenant de plusieurs calculs de factorisation et de logarithme discret / In this thesis, we study the problems of integer factorization and discrete logarithm computation in finite fields. First, we study the ECM algorithm for integer factorization and present a method to analyze the elliptic curves used in this algorithm by studying the Galois properties of division polynomials. Then, we present in detail the NFS algorithm for integer factorization and we study in particular the polynomial selection step for which we propose improvements of existing algorithms. Next, we present two algorithms for computing discrete logarithms in finite fields: NFS-DL and FFS. We also give some details of two computations of discrete logarithms carried out during this thesis, one with NFS-DL and the other with FFS. Finally, we study a common step of the NFS algorithm for integer factorization and the NFS-DL and FFS algorithms for discrete logarithm computations: the filtering step. We study this step thoroughly and present an improvement for which we study the impact using data from several computations of discrete logarithms and factorizations
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Prishedge av svenska bostäder : Är det effektivt och vilka hinder för en marknad?Blad, Oskar, Ferin, Robin January 2018 (has links)
Denna uppsats undersöker hur effektivt det vore att hedga svenska bostadspriser under tidsperioden 2005–2017 med hjälp av ett bostadsprisindex. Uppsatsen undersöker ickeperiodiserade och periodiserade hedgar genom tre olika hedgingstrategier i form av statisk, dynamisk och optimal hedge. Hedge ratios skattas via tre olika hedgingmetoder bestående av OLS, ECM och en naiv hedge. Genom att både använda ett nationellt och regionalt hedginginstrument analyseras skillnaden i hedgingeffektivitet i respektive region som hedgas. Hedgingeffektiviteterna bedöms i termer av reducerad varians vilket har fastställts genom justerad förklaringsgrad samt en alternativ beräkningsmetod för att presentera rättvisande resultat. Med avstamp i resultatet av hedgingeffektivitet och med hjälp av tidigare litteratur genomförs även en analys av förutsättningar för en bostadsprisderivatmarknad i Sverige. Genom studiens uppbyggda analysmodell påvisar undersökningen att ett nationellt hedginginstrument överlag är mer effektivt än ett regionalt hedginginstrument för att hedga bostadsprisrisken i Sverige för den undersökta tidsperioden. Våra resultat pekar på att svenska bostäder inhyser en stor grad av idiosynkratisk risk där den ohedgbara risken är beroende utav vilket hedginginstrument som används. Sammanfattningsvis finner vi det svårt att hedga all form av bostadsprisrisk på den svenska bostadsmarknaden. I dagsläget finns det ingen möjlighet för svenska hushåll att riskjustera sin exponering mot bostadsprisrisken. Ur ett transaktionskostnadsperspektiv anser vi att finansiell bildning kan vara en av de stora anledningarna till att en marknad för att riskjustera bostadsprisrisken inte finns. Dels saknas det kunskap för att applicera en hedge men bostadsägarna kan sakna vetskap om sitt egna behov av att skydda sig mot bostadsprisrisken.
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Modelos não lineares truncados mistos para locação e escalaParaiba, Carolina Costa Mota 14 January 2015 (has links)
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Previous issue date: 2015-01-14 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / We present a class of nonlinear truncated mixed-effects models where the truncation nature of the data is incorporated into the statistical model by assuming that the variable of interest, namely the truncated variable, follows a truncated distribution which, in turn, corresponds to a conditional distribution obtained by restricting the support of a given probability distribution function. The family of nonlinear truncated mixed-effects models for location and scale is constructed based on the perspective of nonlinear generalized mixed-effects models and by assuming that the distribution of response variable belongs to a truncated class of distributions indexed by a location and a scale parameter. The location parameter of the response variable is assumed to be associated with a continuous nonlinear function of covariates and unknown parameters and with unobserved random effects, and the scale parameter of the responses is assumed to be characterized by a continuous function of the covariates and unknown parameters. The proposed truncated nonlinear mixed-effects models are constructed assuming both random truncation limits; however, truncated nonlinear mixed-effects models with fixed known limits are readily obtained as particular cases of these models. For models constructed under the assumption of random truncation limits, the likelihood function of the observed data shall be a function both of the parameters of the truncated distribution of the truncated variable and of the parameters of the distribution of the truncation variables. For the particular case of fixed known truncation limits, the likelihood function of the observed data is a function only of the parameters of the truncated distribution assumed for the variable of interest. The likelihood equation resulting from the proposed truncated nonlinear regression models do not have analytical solutions and thus, under the frequentist inferential perspective, the model parameters are estimated by direct maximization of the log-likelihood using an iterative procedure. We also consider diagnostic analysis to check for model misspecification, outliers and influential observations using standardized residuals, and global and local influence metrics. Under the Bayesian perspective of statistical inference, parameter estimates are computed based on draws from the posterior distribution of parameters obtained using an Markov Chain Monte Carlo procedure. Posterior predictive checks, Bayesian standardized residuals and a Bayesian influence measures are considered to check for model adequacy, outliers and influential observations. As Bayesian model selection criteria, we consider the sum of log -CPO and a Bayesian model selection procedure using a Bayesian mixture model framework. To illustrate the proposed methodology, we analyze soil-water retention, which are used to construct soil-water characteristic curves and which are subject to truncation since soil-water content (the proportion of water in soil samples) is limited by the residual soil-water content and the saturated soil-water content. / Neste trabalho, apresentamos uma classe de modelos não lineares truncados mistos onde a característica de truncamento dos dados é incorporada ao modelo estatístico assumindo-se que a variável de interesse, isto é, a variável truncada, possui uma função de distribuição truncada que, por sua vez, corresponde a uma função de distribuição condicional obtida ao se restringir o suporte de alguma função de distribuição de probabilidade. A família de modelos não lineares truncados mistos para locação e escala é construída sob a perspectiva de modelos não lineares generalizados mistos e considerando uma classe de distribuições indexadas por parâmetros de locação e escala. Assumimos que o parâmetro de locação da variável resposta é associado a uma função não linear contínua de um conjunto de covariáveis e parâmetros desconhecidos e a efeitos aleatórios não observáveis, e que o parâmetro de escala das respostas pode ser caracterizado por uma função contínua das covariáveis e de parâmetros desconhecidos. Os modelos não lineares truncados mistos para locação e escala, aqui apresentados, são construídos supondo limites de truncamento aleatórios, porém, modelos não lineares truncados mistos com limites fixos e conhecidos são prontamente obtidos como casos particulares desses modelos. Nos modelos construídos sob a suposição de limites de truncamentos aleatórios, a função de verossimilhança é escrita em função dos parâmetros da distribuição da variável resposta truncada e dos parâmetros das distribuições das variáveis de truncamento. Para o caso particular de limites fixos e conhecidos, a função de verossimilhança será apenas uma função dos parâmetros da distribuição truncada assumida para a variável resposta de interesse. As equações de verossimilhança dos modelos, aqui propostos, não possuem soluções analíticas e, sob a perspectiva frequentista de inferência estatística, os parâmetros do modelo são estimados pela maximização direta da função de log-verossimilhança via um procedimento iterativo. Consideramos, também, uma análise de diagnóstico para verificar a adequação do modelo, observações discrepantes e/ou influentes, usando resíduos padronizados e medidas de influência global e influência local. Sob a perspectiva Bayesiana de inferência estatística, as estimativas dos parâmetros dos modelos propostos são definidas como as médias a posteriori de amostras obtidas via um algoritmo do tipo cadeia de Markov Monte Carlo das distribuições a posteriori dos parâmetros. Para a análise de diagnóstico Bayesiano do modelo, consideramos métricas de avaliação preditiva a posteriori, resíduos Bayesianos padronizados e a calibração de casos para diagnóstico de influência. Como critérios Bayesianos de seleção de modelos, consideramos a soma de log -CPO e um critério de seleção de modelos baseada na abordagem Bayesiana de mistura de modelos. Para ilustrar a metodologia proposta, analisamos dados de retenção de água em solo, que são usados para construir curvas de retenção de água em solo e que estão sujeitos a truncamento pois as medições de umidade de água (a proporção de água presente em amostras de solos) são limitadas pela umidade residual e pela umidade saturada do solo amostrado.
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Structural Analysis of Reconstituted Collagen Type I - Heparin CofibrilsStamov, Dimitar 15 March 2010 (has links)
Synthetic biomaterials are constantly being developed and play central roles in contemporary strategies in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering as artificial extracellular microenvironments. Such scaffolds provide 2D- and 3D-support for interaction with cells and thus convey spatial and temporal control over their function and multicellular processes, such as differentiation and morphogenesis. A model fibrillar system with tunable viscoelastic properties, comprised of 2 native ECM components like collagen type I and the GAG heparin, is presented here. Although the individual components comply with the adhesive, mechanical and bioinductive requirements for artificial reconstituted ECMs, their interaction and structural characterization remains an intriguing conundrum.
The aim of the work was to analyze and structurally characterize a xenogeneic in vitro cell culture scaffold reconstituted from two native ECM components, collagen type I and the highly negatively charged glycosaminoglycan heparin. Utilizing a broad spectrum of structural analysis it could be shown that pepsin-solubilized collagen type I fibrils, reconstituted in vitro in the presence of heparin, exhibit an unusually thick and straight shape, with a non-linear dependence in size distribution, width-to-length ratio, and morphology over a wide range of GAG concentrations. The experiments imply a pronounced impact of the nucleation phase on the cofibril morphology as a result of the strong electrostatic interaction of heparin with atelocollagen. Heparin is assumed to stabilize the collagen-GAG complexes and to enhance their parallel accretion during cofibrillogenesis, furthermore corroborated by the heparin quantitation data showing the GAG to be intercalated as a linker molecule with a specific binding site inside the cofibrils. In addition, the exerted morphogenic effect of the GAG, appears to be influenced by factors as degree of sulfation, charge, and concentration.
Further detailed structural analysis of the PSC-heparin gels using TEM and SFM showed a hierarchy involving 3 different structural levels and banding patterns in the system: asymmetric segment longspacing (SLS) fibrils and symmetric segments with an average periodicity (AP) of 250 - 260 nm, symmetric fibrous longspacing (FLS IV) nanofibrils with AP of 165 nm, and cofibrils exhibiting an asymmetric D-periodicity of 67 nm with a striking resemblance to the native collagen type I banding pattern. The intercalation of the high negatively charged heparin in the cofibrils was suggested as the main trigger for the hierarchical formation of the polymorphic structures. We also proposed a model explaining the unexpected presence of a symmetric and asymmetric form in the system and the principles governing the symmetric or asymmetric fate of the molecules.
The last section of the experiments showed that the presence of telopeptides and heparin both had significant effects on the structural and mechanical characteristics of in vitro reconstituted fibrillar collagen type I. The implemented structural analysis showed that the presence of telopeptides in acid soluble collagen (ASC) impeded the reconstitution of D-periodic collagen fibrils in the presence of heparin, leaving behind only a symmetric polymorphic form with a repeating unit of 165 nm (FLS IV). Further x-ray diffraction analysis of both telopeptide-free and telopeptide-intact collagen fibrils showed that the absence of the flanking non-helical termini in pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) resulted in a less compact packing of triple helices of atelocollagen with an increase of interhelical distance from 1.0 to 1.2 nm in dried samples. The looser packing of the triple helices was accompanied by a decrease in bending stiffness of the collagen fibrils, which demonstrated that the intercalated heparin cannot compensate for the depletion of telopeptides. Based on morphological, structural and mechanical differences between ASC and PSC-heparin fibrils reported here, we endorsed the idea that heparin acts as an intrafibrillar cross-linker which competed for binding sites at places along the atelocollagen helix that are occupied in vivo by telopeptides in the fibrillar collagen type I.
The performed studies are of particular interest for understanding and gaining control over a rather versatile and already exploited xenogeneic cell culture system. The reconstituted cofibrils with their unusual morphology and GAG intercalation – a phenomenon not reported in vivo – are expected to exhibit interesting biochemical behavior as a biomaterial for ECM scaffolds. Varying the experimental conditions, extent of telopeptide removal, and heparin concentration provides powerful means to control the kinetics, structure, dimensions, as well as mechanical properties of the system which is particularly important for predicting a certain cell behavior towards the newly developed matrix. The GAG intercalation could be interesting for studies with required long-term 'release upon demand' of the GAG, as well as native binding and stabilization of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, thus providing a secondary tool to control cell signaling and fate, and later on tissue morphogenesis. / Synthetische Biomaterialien werden stetig weiterentwickelt und spielen als künstliche Mikroumgebungen eine zentrale Rolle in den modernen Strategien der regenerativen Medizin und des Tissue Engineerings. Solche sogenannten Scaffolds liefern eine 2D- und 3D-Struktur zur Interaktion mit Zellen und üben somit eine räumliche und zeitliche Kontrolle auf ihre Funktion und multizelluläre Prozesse aus, wie die Differenzierung und Morphogenese. Obwohl häufig die adhäsiven, mechanischen und bioinduzierenden Eigenschaften von Einzelkomponenten aus natürlichen Bestandteilen der extrazellulären Matrix (ECM) rekonstituierten Trägerstrukturen bekannt sind, bleiben die funktionalen und strukturellen Auswirkungen in Mehrkomponentensystemen eine faszinierende Fragestellung.
Das Ziel der Arbeit war die Analyse und die strukturelle Charakterisierung einer xenogenen in vitro Zellkultur-Trägerstruktur, die aus den zwei nativen ECM Komponenten Kollagen Typ I und das stark negativ geladene Glykosaminoglykan (GAG) Heparin rekonstituiert wurde. Unter Nutzung eines breiten Spektrums von Methoden zur strukturellen Analyse konnte gezeigt werden, dass im Beisein von Heparin rekonstituierte Pepsin-gelöste Kollagen Typ I Fibrillen eine ungewöhnlich dicke und gerade Form, mit nichtlinearen Abhängigkeiten der Größenverteilung, des Breite-zu-Länge Verhältnises und der Morphologie für eine Reihe von GAG Konzentrationen, aufweisen. Die Experimente deuten auf eine besondere Wirkung der Nukleierungsphase auf die Kofibrillmorphologie hin, als Folge der starken elektrostatischen Inteaktionen Heparins mit Atelokollagen. Es wird angenommen, dass Heparin die Komplexe aus Kollagen-GAG stabilisiert, die parallele Anlagerung während der Kofibrillogenese verbessert und dass überdies, belegt durch Heparin Quantitätsdaten, als Verbindungsmolekül mit einer spezifischen Anbindungsstelle innerhalb der Kofibrillen eingelagert wird. Darüber hinaus scheint der ausgeübte morphogene Effekt des GAGs Heparins von Faktoren wie Grad der Sulfatierung, Ladung und Konzentration abzuhängen.
Weitere detailierte Strukturanalysen der PSC - Heparin Gele mit TEM und SFM zeigten eine Hierarchie mit drei unterschiedlichen strukturellen Ebenen und Bandmustern im System: asymmetrisch segmentierte, weitabständige Fibrillen (SLS) und symmetrische Segmente mit einem AP von 250-260 nm, symmetrische fibrose weitabständige (FLS IV) Nanofibrillen mit einem AP von von 165 nm und Kofibrillen asymmetrischer D-Periodizität von 67 nm, die eine erstaunliche Ähnlichkeit zum natürlichen Kollagen Typ I Bandmuster haben. Die Einlagerung des sehr negativ geladenen Heparins in die Kofibrillen wurde als Hauptauslöser der hierarchischen Formation der polymorphen Strukturen betrachtet. Wir schlugen ebenso ein Model vor, welches sowohl das unerwartete Vorhandensein symmetrischer und asymmetrischer Formen im System als auch die Regeln erklärt, die das symmetrische oder asymmetrische Schicksal der Moleküle steuern.
Der letzte Abschnitt der Experimente zeigte, dass die Anwesenheit der Telopeptide und Heparins eine signifikante Wirkung auf die strukturellen und mechanischen Charakteristika der in vitro rekonstituierten Kollagen Typ I Fibrillen hatte. Die durchgeführten Strukturanalysen zeigten außerdem, dass die Anwesenheit der Telopeptide in säurelöslichem Kollagen (ASC) die Rekonstitution D-periodischer Kollagenfibrillen mit Heparin verhinderte, sodass nur symmetrisch polymorphe Formen mit einer Wiederholeinheit von 165 nm möglich waren (FLS IV). Weitere Messungen der Telopeptid-freien und Telopeptid-intakten Kollagenfibrillen mit Röntgendiffraktometrie ergaben, dass die Abwesenheit der nicht-helix-strukturierten Enden in Pepsin-gelöstem Kollagen (PSC) zu einer weniger kompakten Anordnung der Tripelhelices von Atelokollagen führte. Der interhelix Abstand erhöhte sich von 1,0 zu 1,2 nm für getrocknete Proben. Das zeigt, dass die losere Anordnung der Tripelhelices einhergeht mit der Verringerung der Biege-Elastizitäts-module der Kollagenfibrillen,. Basierend auf den hier vorgestellten morphologischen, strukturellen und mechanischen Unterschieden zwischen ASC und PSC-Heparin Fibrillen wird die Idee unterstützt, dass Heparin als intrafibrillärer Vernetzer fungiert und an Bindungsstellen der Helix bindet, welche in vivo bei Kollagen Typ I Fibrillen durch Telopeptide besetzt sind.
Die durchgeführten Studien sind von besonderem Interesse für das Verständnis und die Steuerung eines sehr vielseitigen und bereits verwendeten xenogenes Zellkultursystem für das Tissue Engineering. Von den rekonstituierten Kofibrillen mit ihrer ungewöhnlichen Morphologie und GAG Einlagerung - ein in vivo nicht bekanntes Phänomen - erwartet man, dass sie ein intressantes biochemisches Verhalten als Biomaterial für ECM Scaffolds zeigen. Variationen der experimentellen Bedingungen, des Ausmaßes der Telopeptidentfernung und der Heparinkonzentration liefern vielfältige Möglichkeiten um die Kinetik, Struktur, Dimension sowie die mechanischen Eigenschaften des Systems zu kontrollieren. Damit sollte es möglich sein, ein bestimmtes Zellverhalten gegenüber der neu entwickelten Matrix vorherzusagen. Die GAG-Einlagerung bietet interessante Optionen für eine langfristige Freisetzung des GAGs 'on demand', sowie die native Bindung und Stabilisierung von Wachstumsfaktoren, Cytokinen, Chemokinen, womit zusätzlich Zellsignalisierung und -schicksal und später Gewebemorphogenese kontrolliert werden kann.
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Isolated Graphene Edge Nanoelectrodes: Fabrication, Selective Functionalization, and Electrochemical SensingYadav, Anur 03 August 2021 (has links)
Diese Arbeit präsentiert eine einfache eine einfache, auf Photolithographie basierende Methode zur Darstellung einer isolierten Graphenkante (oder GrEdge) einer Monolage als Nanoelektrode auf einem isolierenden Substrat vorgestellt. Trotz ihrer Millimeter-Länge verhält sich die nur einen Nanometer breite GrEdge-Elektrode wie ein Nanodraht mit einem hohen Seitenverhältnis von 1000000 zu 1. Des Weiteren wird der Einsatz von elektrochemischer Modifikation (ECM) demonstriert, um die GrEdge selektiv mit Metall-Nanopartikeln und organischen Schichten nicht-kovalente oder kovalente zu funktionalisieren, wodurch die Chemie der Kante verändert werden kann. Durch die Anbringung von Metall-Nanopartikeln kann zusätzlich oberflächenverstärkte Raman-Spektroskopie (SERS) genutzt werden, um die chemische Beschaffenheit sowohl der unberührten als auch der funktionalisierten GrEdge zu charakterisieren.
Die GrEdge weist sehr hohe Mass-entransportraten auf, was charakteristisch für Nanoelektroden ist. Dementsprechend wird die voltammetrische Antwort von der Kinetik des heterogenen Elektrontransfers (HET) diktiert. An der GrEdge-Elektrode werden hohe HET-Raten beobachtet: mindestens 14 cm/s für Außensphäre sonde Ferrocenmethanol (FcMeOH) mit einem quasi-Nernst'schen Verhalten und 0,06 cm/s oder höher für innere Sphäre sonde Ferricyanide ([Fe(CN)6]3-) mit einer kinetisch kontrollierten Reaktion. Nach der selektiven Modifikation der Kante mit Goldnanopartikeln erweist sich der HET als reversibel, mit einer massentransportbegrenztes Nernst‘sches Verhalten aufweisen für beide Redoxmoleküle. Darüber hinaus ermöglicht die schnelle HET-Kinetik die Detektion der reduzierten Form von Nicotinamid-Adenin-Dinukleotid (NADH) und Flavin-Adenin-Dinukleotid (FAD) mit niedrigen Ansatzpotentialen und hinunter bis zu niedrigen mikromolaren Konzentrationen. Entsprechend verbessert die vorliegende Arbeit das Verständnis der Kante von Graphen und deren Chemie. / This thesis presents a simple photolithography-based method to realize the isolated monolayer graphene edge (or GrEdge) nanoelectrode on an insulating substrate. The millimeter-long and a nanometer-wide GrEdge is found to behave like a nanowire with a high aspect ratio of 1000000-to-1. Further, the use of electrochemical modification (ECM) is demonstrated to selectively functionalize the GrEdge with metal nanoparticles and organic moieties in a non-covalent/ covalent manner to tune the chemistry of the edge. The attachment of metal nanoparticles was used to exploit surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to characterize the chemistry of both the pristine and the functionalized GrEdge.
The GrEdge electrodes were found to exhibit very high mass transport rates, characteristic of nanoelectrodes. Accordingly, the voltammetric response is found to be dictated by the kinetics of heterogeneous electron transfer (HET), attributed to the nanoscale geometry and a unique diffusional profile at such electrodes. At the GrEdge electrode, high HET rates are observed: at least 14 cm/s for outer-sphere probe, ferrocenemethanol (FcMeOH) with a quasi-Nernstian behavior; and 0.06 cm/s or higher for inner-sphere probe, ferricyanide ([Fe(CN)6]3-) with a kinetically controlled response. Upon selective modification of the edge with gold nanoparticles, the HET is found to be reversible, with a mass-transport-limited Nernstian response for both probes. Furthermore, the fast HET kinetics enables the sensing of the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) with low onset potentials and down to low micromolar concentrations. Hence, this thesis improves the understanding of the edges of graphene and their chemistry. It also realizes isolated GrEdge as a new class of nanoelectrode which forms an important basis within the fields of fundamental electrochemistry and analytical sciences.
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An empirical study of the impact of bank credit on agricultural output in South AfricaChisasa, Joseph 12 1900 (has links)
In the literature there are mixed results on the link between credit and agricultural output growth. Some authors argue that credit leads to growth in agricultural output. Others view growth as one of the factors that influence credit supply, thus growth leads and credit follows. By and large, studies have not endeavoured to establish the short-run impact of agricultural credit on output. They are generally limited in establishing the long-run relationship between credit and agricultural output and thus present a research gap in this respect.
This study contributes to the existing body of literature by focusing on the finance-growth nexus at sectoral level as a departure from extant literature that has focused on the macroeconomic level. Using South African data, the study investigated the causal relationship between the supply of credit and agricultural output as well as whether the two are cointegrated and have a short-run relationship.
The study found that bank credit and agricultural output are cointegrated. Using the error correction model (ECM), the results showed that, in the short-run, bank credit has a negative impact on agricultural output, reflecting the uncertainties of institutional credit in South Africa. However, the ECM coefficient shows that the supply of agricultural credit rapidly adjusts to short-term disturbances, indicating that there is no room for tardiness in the agricultural sector. The absence of institutional credit will immediately be replaced by availability of other credit facilities from non-institutional sources. Conventional Granger causality tests show unidirectional causality from (1) bank credit to agricultural output growth, (2) agricultural output to capital formation, (3) agricultural output to labour, (4) capital formation to credit, and (5) capital formation to labour, and a bi-directional causality between credit and labour. Noteworthy and significant for South Africa is that for the agricultural sector, the direction of causality is from finance to growth, in other words supply-leading, whereas at the macroeconomic level, the direction of causality is from economic growth to finance, in other words, demand-leading.
Applying a structural equation modelling approach to survey data of smallholder farmers, the positive relationship between bank credit and agricultural output observed from analysis of secondary data was confirmed. / Business Management / DCOM (Business Management)
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An empirical study of the impact of bank credit on agricultural output in South AfricaChisasa, Joseph 12 1900 (has links)
In the literature there are mixed results on the link between credit and agricultural output growth. Some authors argue that credit leads to growth in agricultural output. Others view growth as one of the factors that influence credit supply, thus growth leads and credit follows. By and large, studies have not endeavoured to establish the short-run impact of agricultural credit on output. They are generally limited in establishing the long-run relationship between credit and agricultural output and thus present a research gap in this respect.
This study contributes to the existing body of literature by focusing on the finance-growth nexus at sectoral level as a departure from extant literature that has focused on the macroeconomic level. Using South African data, the study investigated the causal relationship between the supply of credit and agricultural output as well as whether the two are cointegrated and have a short-run relationship.
The study found that bank credit and agricultural output are cointegrated. Using the error correction model (ECM), the results showed that, in the short-run, bank credit has a negative impact on agricultural output, reflecting the uncertainties of institutional credit in South Africa. However, the ECM coefficient shows that the supply of agricultural credit rapidly adjusts to short-term disturbances, indicating that there is no room for tardiness in the agricultural sector. The absence of institutional credit will immediately be replaced by availability of other credit facilities from non-institutional sources. Conventional Granger causality tests show unidirectional causality from (1) bank credit to agricultural output growth, (2) agricultural output to capital formation, (3) agricultural output to labour, (4) capital formation to credit, and (5) capital formation to labour, and a bi-directional causality between credit and labour. Noteworthy and significant for South Africa is that for the agricultural sector, the direction of causality is from finance to growth, in other words supply-leading, whereas at the macroeconomic level, the direction of causality is from economic growth to finance, in other words, demand-leading.
Applying a structural equation modelling approach to survey data of smallholder farmers, the positive relationship between bank credit and agricultural output observed from analysis of secondary data was confirmed. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)
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Polyhydroxybutyrate als Scaffoldmaterial für das Tissue Engineering von KnochenWollenweber, Marcus 27 August 2012 (has links) (PDF)
In drei inhaltlich abgeschlossen Teilen werden Fragestellungen bearbeitet, die sich mit dem Einsatz von Polyhydroxybutyraten als Scaffoldmaterialien für das Tissue Engioneering von Knochen beschäftigen. Zunächst wird ein Prozess optimiert, in dem mittels Verpressen und Auslösen von Platzhaltern (Porogen) poröse Träger (Scaffolds) aus Poly-3-hydroxybuttersäure (P3HB) sowie aus P3co4HB hergestellt werden. Diese Scaffolds werden in der Folge mechanisch und strukturell charakterisiert, wobei Druckfestigkeit, Dauerfestigkeit und Viskoelastizität untersucht werden. Im Ergebnis finden sich mehrere Kandidaten, die für die weitere Testung im Tierversuch in Frage kommen.
Weiter wird das Abbauverhalten von schmelzgeponnenen P3HB-Fäden untersucht. Dabei wird ein beschleunigtes Modellsystem gewählt, das noch möglichst nahe am physiologischen Fall aber ohne biologisch aktive Komponente (zB. Enzyme) definiert wurde. Die Charakterisierung bedient sich hier der Gelpermeationschromatographie (GPC), des gasgestützten Elektronenrastermikroskops (ESEM), der differentiellen Thermoanalyse (DSC) und der Rasterkraftmikroskopie. Als Ergebnis zeichnete sich ab, dass neben der hydrolytischen Degradation im Gegensatz zu PHB mit kleinerer spezifischer Oberfläche bei den Fäden auch Erosion zum Abbau beiträgt. Eine partikuläre Freisetzung wird nicht beobachtet.
Im dritten Teil werden textile Scaffolds aus P3HB mit einer künstlichen extrazellulären Matrix aus Chondroitinsulfaten (CS) und Kollagen versehen. Dem CS kann hier ein positiver Einfluss auf die osteogene Differenzierung von humanen mesenchymalen Stammzellen (hMSC) nachgewiesen werden. Dies wird zum einen durch die verstärkte Expression der alkalischen Phosphatase (ALP) sowie durch die Hochregulation von Proteinen ersichtlich, die bei der osteogenen Differenzierung essentiell sind. In wenigen Gene-Arrays lässt sich ebenfalls erkennen, dass die osteogene Differenzierung durch CS positiv beeinflusst wird. Insbesondere frühe Marker wie ZBTB16 und IGFBPs werden hier identifiziert.
Basierend auf den Teilergebnissen wird am Ende ein Beitrag geliefert, der das Tissue Engineering insbesondere für überkritische Röhrenknochendefekte als Methode interessant erscheinen lässt. Dabei werden mechanische Lasten durch konventionelle Fixateure aufgenommen und der Defektraum durch den mehrfachen Einsatz von bio-funktionalisierten flachen Scaffolds gefüllt.
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