The aim of this study was to identify and describe the viability of using cell phones to conduct rapid assessments, pass key health messages and conduct monitoring and evaluation in complex emergencies. The study setting was in a cholera outbreak response situation in Mogadishu, the capital of war torn Somalia. Qantitative, descriptive research was conducted to determine the feasibility. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires, self-response mailed questionnaires as well as follow-up telephone interviews. Three groups of respondents participated in the study. The respondent groups included 383 internally displaced persons (IDPs), 5 water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialists and 5 specialists from 5 mobile phone providers in Mogadishu. The study showed that there is good potential for an effective, cost efficient and scalable short message service (SMS) based public health education platform in Somalia. The study has also come up with recommendations on key considerations to ensure viability of the Public health education platform. It is envisaged that the recommended platform shall increase speed, access, spontaneity, coverage and reduced cost per capita, a combination of which form the hallmark of a good emergency health response. Ultimately this effort shall contribute to improved health, reduced suffering and reduced deaths in fragile humanitarian contexts. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

The diploma thesis deals with the assessment of financial stability and investment activities in the municipality. It characterizes investments and feasibility study and describes the grant policy of the European Union and the Czech Republic. The diploma thesis also deals with the indicators of financial analysis, describes a specific municipality and assesses its financial stability. It also presents investment projects in the municipality, assesses their effectiveness and proposes further development of the municipality.

The diploma thesis focuses on the evaluation of investment plan for the kindergarten construction, what is a public investment project. The first part of the thesis is the theoretical part, which discusses the theoretical basis of investments, investment plan, investment and public projects, investment decision - making and strategic planning. The theory part also describes the feasibility study and methods of project evaluation. Within the methods of project evaluation, the thesis deals with the Cost – Benefit analysis. The practical part of the thesis evaluates the investment plan named “Nástavba a přístavba mateřské školy Elišky Krásnohorské 15, Brno “, where is also performed the sensitivity analysis and qualitative risk analysis. The evaluation of investment plan for the kindergarten construction is performed in the eCBA application.

Antalet sjukskrivningar till följd av stressrelaterade sjukdomar har ökat kraftigt för vårdpersonal. Därtill saknas det evidens för internetbaserade interventioner mot stressrelaterad ohälsa för vårdpersonal. Syftet var att undersöka och utvärdera en internetbaserad kognitiv beteendeterapi-intervention (iKBT) avseende graden av samvetsstress, arbetsrelaterad stress samt självmedkänsla hos vårdpersonal. Enkäter bestående av Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ), Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire version II (COPSOQ II) och Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) besvarades av deltagarna (N = 8), samtliga var kvinnor mellan 27 – 53 år. Resultaten analyserades med PEM och RCI på individnivå och T-test på gruppnivå. RCI-analysen visade begränsade resultat för SCQ, blandade resultat för COPSOQ II och övervägande positiva resultat för SCS. Analysen på gruppnivå visade en signifikant minskning i Sömnbesvär (p = .032) och Self-Judgment (p = .021) samt signifikant ökning i Self-Kindness (p = .016). Studien behöver replikeras i framtida studier med ett större antal deltagare och en studiedesign som är metodologiskt robust. / The amount of sick leave due to stress-related illnesses has increased significantly for healthcare staff. In addition, there is a lack of evidence for internet-based interventions for stress-related illness for healthcare staff. The aim was to examine and evaluate an internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) intervention regarding the degree of stress of conscience, work-related stress and self-compassion among healthcare staff. Questionnaires consisting of Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ), Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire version II (COPSOQ II) and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) were answered by the participants (N = 8), all were women between 27 - 53 years. The results were analyzed with PEM and RCI at the individual level and T-tests at group level. The RCI analysis showed limited results for SCQ, mixed results for COPSOQ II and predominantly positive results for SCS. The analysis at group level showed a significant decrease in Sleep Disorders (p = .032) and Self-Judgment (p = .021) as well as a significant increase in Self-Kindness (p = .016). The study needs to be replicated in future studies with a larger number of participants and a study design that is more methodologically robust.

Increasing demand for structural health monitoring in space highlights the need to make the creation of these systems more accessible. This study investigates the potential of additive manufacturing to achieve this goal by characterizing a self-sensing material made of a commercially available 3D-printed continuous carbon fibre filament. The results demonstrate the feasibility of converting the filament into a strain sensor with improved sensitivity compared to conventional foil strain gauges. Mechanical and electromechanical properties of the self-sensing material were characterized, including an ultimate tensile strength of 45.09 ± 3.45 MPa, a failure strain of 38.93 ± 3.41%, and a base resistance of 759.11Ω. The tensile gauge factor was calculated to be 467.06 ± 375.90 within the strain range of 0% to 3.8% with a linearity (R2) of 0.93. For the first time, a systematic literature review compares mechanical and electromechanical properties to enable material selection for mechanical design incorporating self-sensing material. The study highlights that the spread of material properties in a group of materials indicates how well-developed a material is for self-sensing purposes. This study advances our understanding of the feasibility of using additive manufacturing to create self-sensing materials for structural health monitoring systems and opens up new avenues for further research.

Le sepsis tardif, défini comme une infection systémique chez les nouveaux nés âgés de plus de 3 jours, survient chez environ 7% à 10% de tous les nouveau-nés et chez plus de 25% des nouveau-nés de très faible poids de naissance qui sont hospitalisés dans les unités de soins intensifs néonatals (USIN). Les apnées et bradycardies (AB) spontanées récurrentes et graves sont parmi les principaux indicateurs précoces cliniques de l'infection systémique chez les prématurés. L'objectif de cette thèse est de déterminer si la variabilité du rythme cardiaque (VRC), la respiration et l'analyse de leurs relations aident au diagnostic de l'infection chez les nouveaux nés prématurés par des moyens non invasifs en USIN. Par conséquent, on a effectué l'analyse Mono-Voie (MV) et Bi-Voies (BV) sur deux groupes sélectionnés de nouveau-nés prématurés: sepsis (S) vs. non-sepsis (NS). (1) Tout d'abord, on a étudié la série RR non seulement par des méthodes de distribution (moy, varn, skew, kurt, med, SpAs), par les méthodes linéaire: le domaine temporel (SD, RMSSD) et dans le domaine fréquentiel (p_VLF, p_LF, p_HF), mais aussi par les méthodes non–linéaires: la théorie du chaos (alphas, alphaF) et la théorie de l'information (AppEn, SamEn, PermEn, Regul). Pour chaque méthode, nous étudions trois tailles de fenêtre 1024/2048/4096, puis nous comparons ces méthodes afin de trouver les meilleures façons de distinguer S de NS. Les résultats montrent que les indices alphaS, alphaF et SamEn sont les paramètres optimaux pour séparer les deux populations. (2) Ensuite, la question du couplage fonctionnel entre la VRC et la respiration nasale est adressée. Des relations linéaires et non-linéaires ont été explorées. Les indices linéaires sont la corrélation (r²), l'indice de la fonction de cohérence (Cohere) et la corrélation temps-fréquence (r2t,f) , tandis que le coefficient de régression non-linéaire (h²) a été utilisé pour analyser des relations non-linéaires. Nous avons calculé les deux directions de couplage pendant l'évaluation de l'indice h2 de régression non-linéaire. Enfin, à partir de l'ensemble du processus d'analyse, il est évident que les trois indices (r2tf_rn_raw_0p2_0p4, h2_rn_raw et h2_nr_raw) sont des moyens complémentaires pour le diagnostic du sepsis de façon non-invasive chez ces patients fragiles. (3) Après, l'étude de faisabilité de la détection du sepsis en USIN est réalisée sur la base des paramètres retenus lors des études MV et BV. Nous avons montré que le test proposé, basé sur la fusion optimale des six indices ci-dessus, conduit à de bonnes performances statistiques. En conclusion, les mesures choisies lors de l'analyse des signaux en MV et BV ont une bonne répétabilité et permettent de mettre en place un test en vue du diagnostic non invasif et précoce du sepsis. Le test proposé peut être utilisé pour fournir une alarme fiable lors de la survenue d'un épisode d'AB tout en exploitant les systèmes de monitoring actuels en USIN. / Late-onset sepsis, defined as a systemic infection in neonates older than 3 days, occurs in approximately 10% of all neonates and in more than 25% of very low birth weight infants who are hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Recurrent and severe spontaneous apneas and bradycardias (AB) is one of the major clinical early indicators of systemic infection in the premature infant. Various hematological and biochemical markers have been evaluated for this indication but they are invasive procedures that cannot be repeated several times. The objective of this Ph.D dissertation was to determine if heart rate variability (HRV), respiration and the analysis of their relationships help to the diagnosis of infection in premature infants via non-invasive ways in NICU. Therefore, we carried out Mono-Channel (MC) and Bi-Channel (BC) Analysis in two selected groups of premature infants: sepsis (S) vs. non-sepsis (NS). (1) Firstly, we studied the RR series not only by distribution methods (moy, varn, skew, kurt, med, SpAs), by linear methods: time domain (SD, RMSSD) and frequency domain (p_VLF, p_LF, p_HF), but also by non-linear methods: chaos theory (alphaS, alphaF) and information theory (AppEn, SamEn, PermEn, Regul). For each method, we attempt three sizes of window 1024/2048/4096, and then compare these methods in order to find the optimal ways to distinguish S from NS. The results show that alphaS, alphaF and SamEn are optimal parameters to recognize sepsis from the diagnosis of late neonatal infection in premature infants with unusual and recurrent AB. (2) The question about the functional coupling of HRV and nasal respiration is addressed. Linear and non-linear relationships have been explored. Linear indexes were correlation (r²), coherence function (Cohere) and time-frequency index (r2t,f), while a non-linear regression coefficient (h²) was used to analyze non-linear relationships. We calculated two directions during evaluate the index h2 of non-linear regression. Finally, from the entire analysis process, it is obvious that the three indexes (r2tf_rn_raw_0p2_0p4, h2_rn_raw and h2_nr_raw) were complementary ways to diagnosticate sepsis in a non-invasive way, in such delicate patients.(3) Furthermore, feasibility study is carried out on the candidate parameters selected from MC and BC respectively. We discovered that the proposed test based on optimal fusion of 6 features shows good performance with the largest Area Under Curves (AUC) and the least Probability of False Alarm (PFA). As a conclusion, we believe that the selected measures from MC and BC signal analysis have a good repeatability and accuracy to test for the diagnosis of sepsis via non-invasive NICU monitoring system, which can reliably confirm or refute the diagnosis of infection at an early stage.

La comparaison des principes directeurs du droit des contrats dans les ordres internes (français et libanais), européen et international permet de déceler, d’une part, une convergence sur le plan de l’identification des principes directeurs du droit des contrats et, d’autre part, une divergence sur le plan de la mise en oeuvre de ces principes. La convergence se manifeste par le fait que les mêmes principes - à savoir les principes de liberté contractuelle, de loyauté contractuelle et de sécurité contractuelle - sous-tendent la théorie générale des contrats dans les trois ordres. Cette convergence s’explique par deux principaux facteurs : d’une part, un facteur logique à savoir le raisonnement par induction qui permet de dégager les principes directeurs du droit des contrats, et, d’autre part, un facteur politique en l’occurrence la concordance des objectifs généraux du droit des contrats dans les trois ordres. Quant à la divergence sur le plan de la mise en oeuvre des principes directeurs,elle se manifeste pratiquement par le renforcement, en droits européen et international,des principes directeurs de la liberté contractuelle et de la loyauté contractuelle ainsi que par l’aménagement du principe directeur de la sécurité contractuelle. Cette divergence a pu être expliquée par l’existence de besoins propres du commerce international. Toutefois, elle devrait plutôt être rattachée à l’influence de droits nationaux étrangers aux droits français et libanais. / The comparison of the guiding principles of contract law in French, Lebanese, European and international laws reveals on one hand a convergence in terms of identifying the guiding principles of contract law and on the other hand a divergence interms of implementing these principles.The convergence arises from the same principles - namely the principles of contractual freedom, contractual security and contractual “loyalty”2 - underlying the general theory of contracts in all three laws. This convergence is due to two mainfactors: firstly, a logical factor that is the inductive reasoning that allows extracting the guiding principles of contract law, and, secondly, a political factor based on the similarity of the general objectives of contract law in the three laws. As for the divergence in terms of guiding principles implementation, it is revealed through reinforcing in European and international laws, the guiding principles of contractual freedom and contractual “loyalty” as well as the adjustment of the guiding principle of contractual security. This divergence could be explained by the existence of specific needs of international trade. However, it should rather be related to the influence of foreign national laws different from French and Lebanese laws.

The presentation describes partial results from an industrial project in which a transmission test bench from ZF Prüfsysteme was decoupled from the foundation in terms of vibration using commercial PU foam material ('Sylomer' SR220 from Getzner). The presentation shows how this material was extensively tested by the manufacturer and characterized in numerous data sheets in order to enable the engineer to perform a simple, operating point-dependent dynamic design using clear diagrams and the classic equation for a single-mass oscillator. However, if a more complex analysis is to be carried out using the finite element method, e.g. to determine all 6 rigid body shapes and natural frequencies of the dynamically decoupled test rig and not just the purely vertical natural shape/frequency, the apparent elasticity and shear moduli specified in the manufacturer's data sheets must be converted into true values for the corresponding operating points, which can then be used in a linear FE calculation. For this purpose, FEM models of the elastomer test specimens are generated for different shape factors. The conversion of the apparent to the true characteristic values is then carried out using the optimizer available in the PTC software “Creo Simulate” in a so-called 'feasibility study' and the results are discussed. It can be seen that the true moduli of elasticity and transverse strain coefficients are only slightly or no longer dependent on the form factor. Depending on the density of the PU foam, the transverse strain coefficient is also significantly lower than 0.5. The true shear modulus is practically identical to the measured shear modulus, as a pure biaxial stress and strain state occurs in the shear specimens, in which strain restraints due to transverse strain plays no role - quite unlike in the specimens loaded in the normal (compression) direction, in which triaxial compression stress states occur due to transverse strain restraints. Finally, the true material properties determined in this way are used for an exemplary modal analysis of the entire, idealized test rig on the strip foundation using the finite element method. The error is evaluated if the apparent modulus of elasticity and a Poisson ratio of zero is used instead, so that a simple evaluation and error estimation of analysis results is possible in practical applications. / Der Vortrag beschreibt Teilergebnisse aus einem industriellen Projekt, in dem ein Getriebeprüfstand der ZF Prüfsysteme schwingungstechnisch über kommerzielles PU- Schaummaterial („Sylomer“ SR220 der Firma Getzner) vom Fundament abgekoppelt wurde. Der Vortrag stellt dar, wie dieser Werkstoff vom Hersteller umfangreich getestet und in zahlreichen Datenblättern charakterisiert wurde, um dem Ingenieur schließlich eine einfache, betriebspunktabhängige dynamische Auslegung mittels übersichtlicher Diagramme und der klassischen Gleichung für einen Einmassenschwinger zu ermöglichen. Soll jedoch eine aufwendigere Analyse mittels der Methode der Finiten Elemente durchgeführt werden, z.B. um alle 6 Starrkörperformen und Eigenfrequenzen des dynamisch abgekoppelten Prüfstandes zu bestimmen und nicht nur die rein vertikale Eigenform/Eigenfrequenz, müssen die in den Herstellerdatenblättern angegeben formzahlabhängigen scheinbaren Elastizitäts- und Schubmoduli in wahre Werte für die entsprechenden Betriebspunkte umgerechnet werden, die dann in einer linearen FE-Rechnung verwendet werden können. Dafür werden FEM-Modelle der Elastomer-Probekörper für verschiedene Formfaktoren erzeugt. Die Umrechnung der scheinbaren in die wahren Kennwerte wird anschließend mittels des in der PTC-Software „Creo Simulate“ vorhandenen Optimierers in einer sogenannten „Machbarkeitsstudie“ durchgeführt und die Ergebnisse diskutiert. Es zeigt sich, dass die wahren E-Moduli und Querdehnzahlen nur noch gering bzw. nicht mehr vom Formfaktor abhängen. Je nach Dichte des PU-Schaums stellt sich auch eine Querdehnzahl von deutlich kleiner als 0,5 ein. Der wahre Schubmodul ist praktisch identisch wie der gemessene Schubmodul, da in den Schubproben ein reiner zweiachsiger Spannungs- und Dehnungszustand auftritt, in dem Dehnungsbehinderung durch Querdehnung keine Rolle spielt – ganz anders als in den in Normalenrichtung (Druck-) belasteten Proben, in denen durch die Querdehnungs- behinderung dreiachsige Spannungszustände auftreten. Schließlich werden die so bestimmten wahren Werkstoffkennwerte für eine exemplarische Modalanalyse des gesamten, idealisierten Prüfstandes auf den Streifenfundamenten mittels der Methode der Finiten Elemente verwendet. Der Fehler wird bewertet, wenn man stattdessen den scheinbaren E-Modul und eine Querdehnzahl von Null verwendet, so dass in der Anwendungspraxis eine einfache Bewertung und Fehlerabschätzung von Analyseergebnissen möglich ist.

The thesis discuses an integration of photovoltaic power stations to electric network. The first part describes connecting conditions of small sources to distribution system, including administrative requirements, feasibility study, and requirements to the energy meters, measuring, control devices, switching devices and protection. The second part is aimed to describe problems of the photovoltaic system. Solar radiation generating and reducing of its intensity incident upon the earth surface are described in this part. The quantum of produced electric power depends on climatic conditions in the fixed area, seasons, etc. This work also discusses the types of photovoltaic cells and their actual efficiency. Inverters are further important components of the photovoltaic system. The parameters of the inverters have a great influence on the total actual efficiency of the photovoltaic system. Different methods of the photovoltaic panels’ connection with the inverters and their advantages and disadvantages are also mentioned. The supporting structure of the photovoltaic panels and eventually transformer are further important components of photovoltaic system. The work also analyze the methods of connection of the photovoltaic power station to distributive low voltage and medium voltage network, electric energy accumulation and possibilities of the sale of produced electric energy. The large number of the connected photovoltaic power stations has negative influences to electric network. The third part contains the design of a photovoltaic power plant with a capacity of 516,24 kWp on the scoped area in southern Bohemia. The project documentation for the location where the power plant is designed is also made. It contains the design of photovoltaic panels, the design of the inverters to get an optimal power load. This part also contains a calculation of the photovoltaic system losses and the design of transformer and the cable junction calculation of the distributive system. The feasibility study of the power plant connected to distributive system is also conducted. Its delivery rate will be connected to the distribution point Řípov (110/22 kV). The calculation results show us that this photovoltaic power plant can be linked to the distribution system. The final part of this paper contains an economic estimate of the photovoltaic power plant operating and the calculation of the return. An Economic return is influenced by the wide range of values that affect the total return rate. The calculation of an operating economy is made for several variants. The return rate in refer to contemporary redemption price for 2010 with no consideration for a bank loan is 7 years. If we consider the bank loan it would be 12 years. The penetrative reduction of the redemption price is expected for 2011. Calculation works with the decline of 30 %. It would extend the rate of return to 11 years without a bank loan or to 22 years with the bank loan. The bank loan is considered to cover 80 % of the investment.

Elektrifizierte Lastenfahrräder werden als ein Lösungsansatz für die wachsenden Herausforderungen des städtischen Wirtschaftsverkehrs gesehen. Fokus dieser Arbeit ist eine Abschätzung des Einsatzpotenzials dieses Fahrzeugkonzepts unter Betrachtung von konzeptionellen, verkehrlichen und wirtschaftlichen Aspekten. Als kumulative Dissertation enthält sie fünf Fachartikel, gruppiert zu drei Forschungsbeiträgen. Im ersten Forschungsbeitrag wird erörtert, wie erfolgversprechend das E-Lastenrad, eine Neuauflage des alten Konzepts Lastenfahrrad, in einem Markt mit ersten Anwendern (Kurierdienstleistung) ist. Die Auftragsstruktur im Stadtkuriergeschäft bietet ein substanzielles Marktpotenzial für E-Lastenräder, allerdings erschwert die Positionierung zwischen zwei etablierten Modi (Pkw und Fahrrad) den Markteintritt. Der zweite Teil der Analyse weitet den Blick auf alle Branchen und bietet eine strukturierte Beschreibung der verschiedenartigen Einflussfaktoren (Treiber und Hemmnisse), die auf die Lastenradnutzung im städtischen Wirtschaftsverkehr wirken. Als relevante Entscheidungskriterien konnten identifiziert werden: fahrzeugseitige Aspekte, Strukturen und Prozesse des adoptierenden Unternehmens, Einstellungen der Entscheider*innen, weiche Faktoren sowie regulative und räumliche Rahmenbedingungen. Der dritte Beitrag thematisiert die operative Eignung des E-Lastenrads, indem seine Fahrtzeiten einem Pkw gegenübergestellt werden. Bei Strecken bis zu 3 km sind beide Modi nahezu gleich schnell. Die Hälfte aller Fahrten bis 20 km Distanz würde bei einem Wechsel vom Pkw zum Lastenrad höchstens 2–10 min länger dauern (ohne Berücksichtigung der Parksuchzeit). Bereits kleine Änderungen an den Verkehrsbedingungen könnten noch bestehende Vorteile des Pkw spürbar verringern. Insgesamt erweitert die Arbeit maßgeblich das Wissen zu einem „neuen alten“ Fahrzeugkonzept, dem ein Potenzial zur Auflösung von bislang auf das Automobil hin ausgerichteten Systemen beigemessen wird. / Shifting trips to electric cargo bikes is one possible solution to deal with the growing challenges of urban commercial transport. This thesis combines conceptual, transport-related, and economic aspects as a foundation to assess the feasibility of this vehicle concept for freight and service trips. It contains five scientific papers, which provide three research contributions. The first contribution identifies the potentials of electric cargo bikes among first users (i.e., courier logistics services). Electric cargo bikes are an updated and re-envisioned version of freight bicycles. The features of point-to-point courier logistics assignments offer a substantial market opportunity for electric cargo bikes. However, being positioned between two established modes (i.e., car and bicycle) handicaps the market entry of cargo bikes. For the second contribution, the scope was widened to include all business sectors. A structured description is presented of the various determinants (i.e., drivers and barriers) affecting commercial cargo bike use. Among these were vehicle-specific factors, structures and practices of the company, attitudes of decision-makers, soft factors, regulatory frameworks, and spatial conditions. The third contribution explores the travel time differences between electric cargo bikes and cars for commercial trips. For trip distances of up to 3 kilometers, the travel times of both modes largely overlap. Half of all trips up to 20 kilometers would take only a maximum of 2 to 10 minutes longer by electric cargo bike (excluding the additional time for finding a parking spot). Small modifications in traffic could have considerable effects in reducing the current travel time advantages of cars. Consequently, this dissertation contributes towards the state-of-research by expanding the scientific knowledge of a type of vehicle that has the potential to disrupt car-dependent transportation systems.