A fibrose hepática é o aspecto mais relevante e o mais importante determinante de morbimortalidade na hepatite C crônica (HCC). Historicamente, a biópsia hepática é o método de referência para avaliação da fibrose causada pela HCC, apesar de apresentar limitações. O estudo de marcadores não invasivos, que possam obviar a necessidade da biópsia, é uma área de constante interesse na hepatologia. Idealmente, a avaliação da fibrose hepática deveria ser acurada, simples, prontamente disponível, de baixo custo e informar sobre o prognóstico da patologia. Os marcadores não invasivos mais estudados são a elastografia hepática transitória (EHT) e os laboratoriais. A EHT já foi extensamente validada na HCC e está inserida na rotina de avaliação destes pacientes. Dentre os laboratoriais, existem diversos testes em continua experimentação e, até o momento, nenhum foi integrado à prática clínica no Brasil, embora já aplicados rotineiramente em outros países. O Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF), um teste que dosa no soro ácido hialurônico, pró-peptídeo amino-terminal do colágeno tipo III e inibidor tissular da metaloproteinase 1, tem se mostrado bastante eficaz na detecção de fibrose hepática significativa e de cirrose na HCC. Neste estudo o ELF teve o seu desempenho avaliado em relação a biópsia hepática e demonstrou apresentar boa acurácia na detecção tanto de fibrose significativa quanto de cirrose. Na comparação com a EHT apresentou acurácia semelhante para estes mesmos desfechos, com significância estatística. No entanto, foi observada uma superestimação da fibrose com a utilização dos pontos de corte propostos pelo fabricante. Este achado está em acordo com a literatura, onde não há consenso sobre o melhor ponto de corte a ser empregado na prática clínica. Com a ampliação da casuística foi possível propor novos pontos de corte, através da análise clássica, com a biópsia hepática como padrão ouro. O resultado obtido vai ao encontro do observado por outros autores. Em seguida, os novos pontos de corte do ELF foram reavaliados sem que a biópsia hepática fosse a referência, através da análise de classes latentes. Mais uma vez o ELF apresentou bom desempenho, inclusive com melhora de suas sensibilidade e especificidade em comparação com a análise clássica, onde a biópsia hepática é a referência. Assim sendo, é possível concluir que o ELF é um bom marcador não invasivo de fibrose hepática. No entanto, para detecção de fibrose significativa e cirrose, deve ser considerada a aplicação na prática clínica dos novos pontos de corte aqui propostos. / Liver fibrosis is the most relevant issue concerning chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and determines its prognosis. Historically, liver biopsy has been the reference method for evaluating fibrosis related to CHC, though it presents many drawbacks. There is a continuing interest in the development of non invasive markers capable of replacing liver biopsy. The ideal surrogate for fibrosis evaluation should be accurate, simple, low cost and yield prognostic information. So far, the most well known non invasive methods are transient hepatic elastography (TE) and laboratory panels. TE has already been extensively validated and is integrated in patients routine. There is plenty of laboratory panels in continuing evaluation and some are already integrated in daily practice abroad. In Brasil, until the present moment, it is not a reality. Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) panel comprises the serum concentration of hyaluronic acid, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1, and aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen and has demonstrated good performance in detecting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in CHC patients. In the present study ELF had its performance evaluated against liver biopsy and obtained satisfactory accuracy in detecting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis. In comparison to TE no statistically significant diference was observed, for the same endpoints mentioned before. However, the application of manufacturers cutoff points produced overestimation of fibrosis stages. These findings are in accordance with other authors results, in that there is no consensus so far on the most adequate cutoff points for main clinical end points. Enlarging the data permited calculating new cutoff points, through the classical statistical approach, using liver biopsy as the gold standard. The results once more matched those published in literature. Following this, the ELF new cutoff points were evaluated in a statistical modeling where there are no gold standards, the latent classes analysis. Besides showing a satisfactory performance, in this new approach, ELF experimented an improvement in sensitivity and specificity, if compared with the classical analisys, with liver biopsy as reference. ELF panel has a good performance as a noninvasive fibrosis marker. However, new cutoff points need to be applied to improve its performance for the discrimination of different stages of fibrosis in CHC patients.

Phosphorus is frequently a limiting factor for phytoplankton in freshwater ecosystems, because algae and cyanobacteria are able to incorporate it only in a dissolved inorganic form. Phytoplankton evolved several mechanisms to overcome phosphorus limitation. One of them is the production of extracellular phosphatases. These enzymes are excreted on the surface of cells or released to the environment. They hydrolyze organic molecules containing phosphorus, which can be then incorporated by cells. This mechanism can influence the competitiveness of algae living in environments that are characterised by long-term phosphorus limitation (that is caused e.g. by the effect of low pH). In this study the influence of phosphorus concentration and form on extracellular phosphatase activity under laboratory conditions was investigated. The two experimental strains of the genus Coccomyxa (Chlorophyta) were isolated from acidified localities with different phosphorus availability  Plešné Lake and Hromnické Lake. Extracellular phosphatase activity on a single-cell level was measured using the FLEA technique and fluorescence microscopy. The FLEA technique allows direct visualization of phosphatases on the cell surface by incubating the samples with the artificial substrate ELF® 97 phosphate. Extracellular...

Exponering av det lågfrekventa ELF (Extremely low frequency) magnetfältet som genereras vid dagens elnät är något som är relativt nytt för människokroppen och den ökar ständigt i och med den tekniska utvecklingen. Eftersom det inte finns ett klart svar på hur fältet påverkar kroppen så tillämpas försiktighet för att hålla exponeringsnivåerna nere och försäkra sig om att ingen skada sker. Med hjälp av tidigare forskning inom området och uppmätta värden från olika anläggningar samt överslagsberäkningar har ett verktyg i Excel tagits fram för att kunna uppskatta magnituden av magnetfältet. Verktyget innehåller information om styrkan på magnetfältet från transformatorer, ställverk, elcentraler, kraftledningar och kanalskenor. Användaren skriver in ett antal parametrar för att få utdata om hur starkt magnetfältet är på olika avstånd ifrån källan. Detta presenteras i form av en tabell och en graf för respektive utrustning. Eftersom magnetfält alstras beroende på strömmens riktning, påverkar själva geometrin i olika elanläggningar magnetfältets styrka. För att beräkna exakta värden krävs då avancerade simuleringsprogram. Med detta verktyg kan projektörer redan vid ett tidigt skede uppskatta magnetfältet. / The exposure of ELF (Extremely low frequency) magnetic field generated by today’s electrical power system, is something that is relatively new to the human body and it is constantly increasing as more technology is developed. As there is no clear answer on how the field actually affects the body, a measure of caution is applied to ensure that the exposure levels are kept down to make sure no harm is done. With the help of previous research in the field, measured values from different locations and approximate calculations, a tool was developed in Excel to estimate the magnitude of the magnetic fields. The tool provides information about the magnitude of magnetic fields from transformers, switchgears, switchboards, powerlines and busbars. The user enters a number of parameters and the tool provides output data with the magnitude of the magnetic field at different distances from the source. This is presented in the form of a table and a graph for each equipment. Since the magnetic field is generated depending on the currents direction, the actual geometry of the electrical system needs to be taken in consideration when calculating the exact magnetic field. This requires an advanced simulation software to be accurate. With this tool, designers have the opportunity to estimate the magnetic fields at an early stage of development.

Exponering av det lågfrekventa ELF (Extremely low frequency) magnetfältet som genereras vid dagens elnät är något som är relativt nytt för människokroppen och den ökar ständigt i och med den tekniska utvecklingen. Eftersom det inte finns ett klart svar på hur fältet påverkar kroppen så tillämpas försiktighet för att hålla exponeringsnivåerna nere och försäkra sig om att ingen skada sker. Med hjälp av tidigare forskning inom området och uppmätta värden från olika anläggningar samt överslagsberäkningar har ett verktyg i Excel tagits fram för att kunna uppskatta magnituden av magnetfältet. Verktyget innehåller information om styrkan på magnetfältet från transformatorer, ställverk, elcentraler, kraftledningar och kanalskenor. Användaren skriver in ett antal parametrar för att få utdata om hur starkt magnetfältet är på olika avstånd ifrån källan. Detta presenteras i form av en tabell och en graf för respektive utrustning. Eftersom magnetfält alstras beroende på strömmens riktning, påverkar själva geometrin i olika elanläggningar magnetfältets styrka. För att beräkna exakta värden krävs då avancerade simuleringsprogram. Med detta verktyg kan projektörer redan vid ett tidigt skede uppskatta magnetfältet. / The exposure of ELF (Extremely low frequency) magnetic field generated by today’s electrical power system, is something that is relatively new to the human body and it is constantly increasing as more technology is developed. As there is no clear answer on how the field actually affects the body, a measure of caution is applied to ensure that the exposure levels are kept down to make sure no harm is done. With the help of previous research in the field, measured values from different locations and approximate calculations, a tool was developed in Excel to estimate the magnitude of the magnetic fields. The tool provides information about the magnitude of magnetic fields from transformers, switchgears, switchboards, powerlines and busbars. The user enters a number of parameters and the tool provides output data with the magnitude of the magnetic field at different distances from the source. This is presented in the form of a table and a graph for each equipment. Since the magnetic field is generated depending on the currents direction, the actual geometry of the electrical system needs to be taken in consideration when calculating the exact magnetic field. This requires an advanced simulation software to be accurate. With this tool, designers have the opportunity to estimate the magnetic fields at an early stage of development.

Syftet har varit att undersöka hur olika interiöra miljöer kan återges med ELF-metoden (Environmental Light Field Method) och om resultaten skiljt sig åt i olika miljöer. Studien har genomförts som ett experiment på Jönköpings Tekniska Högskola och insamling av data har skett i lektionssalar, entré, bibliotek och utomhus genom en kvantitativ metod. Insamlade data genom ELF-metoden består av foton, diagram och mätresultat. ELF-resultaten har jämförts med rummens uppmätta belysningsstyrkor, spektralfördelningar och utredarnas upplevelse av rummen som presenterats genom skisser. Resultatet visar att ELF-metoden fungerar som en kombination av de andra mätmetoderna. Styrkan är att resultatet ger en samlad bild av miljön med hänsyn till ytfärger, intensitet och dagsljusinsläpp men dess nackdelar är att det idag är initialt tidskrävande samt att det endast går att utvärdera befintliga miljöer. Slutsatsen är att metoden i framtiden kan komma att bli lämplig för utvärdering av belysning och dagsljus i interiöra miljöer, när metoden för insamling och hantering av data har utvecklats och effektiviserats. / The purpose has been to investigate how different interior environments can be reproduced with the ELF method (Environmental Light Field Method) and whether the results differ in different environments. The study was conducted as an experiment at Jönköping University and data collection was done in classrooms, entrances, libraries and outdoors through a quantitative method. Collected data consists of photos, diagrams and measurement results. The ELF-results have been compared with the illuminance in the rooms, the spectral power distribution and the investigators experienced the room which is presented with sketches. The results show that the ELF method works as a combination of other measurement methods. The strength is that the result gives an overall picture of the environment regarding to surface colors, intensity and daylight input, but its disadvantages are that today it is initially time-consuming and that it is only possible to evaluate existing environments. The conclusion is that the method in the future may be suitable for evaluating lighting and daylight in interior environments when the method for collecting and processing data has been developed and streamlined.

The present research focuses on students' attitudes and preferences towards English language learning at Czech private language schools. The study approaches language learning from two perspectives, the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) paradigm and the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) paradigm. The key concepts discussed are: mistakes, re-labelled modifications, learner goals, learner needs, language models, accuracy and language creativity (or 'languaging'). Key words: EFL, ELF, learner goals, language models, accuracy, language creativity, languaging

La present tesi doctoral tracta la modelitzacio de diferents estats de la materia: clusters o agregats, superficies i cristalls d'oxids metal.lics. Els metodes disponibles per abordar cada sistema han estat breument descrits, per justificar la seua utilitzacio en diverses aplicacions a materials. Primer, s'han proposat geometries per als agregats de V2O5 cations i neutres en fase gas, i s'han caracteritzat els estats electronics, estructura, espectre de vibracio i enllac quimic. Segon, s'han simulat superficies d'oxids metal.lics i processos d'adsorcio de molecules o atoms metal.lics: CH3OH i O2 sobre SnO2, Cu sobre ZnO. La interaccio adsorbat-superficie te lloc per un mecanisme acid/base, i s'ha caracteritzat la geometria i energia de cada supersistema (mode d'adsorcio, paper dels defectes de superficie). Finalment, s'ha estudiat el cristall de TiO2 en fase anatasa des de multiples punts de vista: descripcio de l'estructura en poliedres, estructura electronica (bandes i densitat d'estats), termodinamic (equacio d'estat) i d'enllac quimic ("Atoms In Molecules"). Les superficies mes estables han estat construides i els efectes de relaxacio avaluats.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Glasgow, 2004. / Ph. D. thesis submitted to the Department of English Language, University of Glasgow, 2004. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

As a result of various historical, political, economic and sociocultural factors, English today witnesses a unique situation as its non-native speakers represent a clear majority in the world. This has implications for the ownership of the English language as such, the linguistic rights of its speakers and the points of departure for English Language Teaching (ELT) worldwide. The study of the use of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) challenges nativespeakerist norms through research in a wide range of linguistic fields such as lexicogrammar, phonology and pragmatics, suggesting various pedagogical alterations. Although ELF is now a prolific area of research, studies in Swedish upper secondary language education from an ELF perspective, remain a scarcity in the literature. The present paper engages in surveying teaching attitudes toward ELF in Swedish upper secondary education among Swedish and Anglophone International Baccalaureate (IB) teachers and in two contemporary syllabi, namely Swedish (ELT) and IB syllabi. The questionnaire given to the two aforementioned groups of teachers suggest that ELF-friendly teaching descriptions best suit their students even though both groups believe that teaching descriptions based on native speaker norms and varieties represent the most appropriate approach. The critical discourse analysis of the two syllabi suggests that ELF is approached in different ways in the two systems: the Swedish ELT curricula may be perceived as rather ELF-friendly because native speaker norms, deviations and errors, grammaticality and idiomaticity are almost non-existent, whereas the IB revolves around linguistic prescriptivism and native speaker norms to a larger extent. The present study argues that English language curricula in Sweden should be informed by research on ELF.

This study investigates the use of two communicative strategies in particular, namely self- repair and repetition, in political interviews with Jean-Claude Juncker where English is used as a lingua franca (ELF). While ELF has received increasing attention throughout the past years, with a variety of researched genres ranging from higher education (e.g. Björkman 2011; Kaur 2011; Mauranen 2006) and business (Bjørge 2010; Firth 1996; Ehrenreich 2009; Pullin Stark 2009) to domestic settings (e.g. Klötzl 2014; Pietikäinen 2014), the genre of political interviews remains largely under-researched – despite it being such a highly international and high-stakes domain. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to include this domain to the list of researched genres, and thereby to gain a better understanding of how a politician uses ELF in his official role. The data comprises four interviews with the president of the EU-commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, with a total interview-time of 35 minutes. The interviews have been transcribed in their entirety for the purpose of the present study, and the data was analysed drawing on conversation analytic approaches. Both self-repair and repetition were frequently identified as clarification strategies in the data and their functions comply to a large extent with previous findings from ELF research (e.g. Kaur 2011; Lichtkoppler 2007; Mauranen 2006). Repetition was found to be used as a strategy to specify utterances and ensure understanding and self-repair to either right the wrongs or raise explicitness. In addition to that, the use of repetition showed some interview-genre related functions as well, such as the use of repetition to influence and interrupt the regular turn-taking structure of interviews. This study shows that the use of ELF is in fact to a certain extent different in political interviews than in other researched genres, and therefore suggests that further studies within this genre would significantly contribute to the field of research into ELF.