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<p>Microorganisms, including two fungi, <i>Phytophthora cryptogea</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> strain Fo-(IMI 386351), and one bacterium, <i>Pesudomonas</i> sp. strain MF30, were tested for their abilities to stimulate plant defence responses in tomato (<i>Lycopersicon esculentum</i> –L.) and to serve as effective biocontrol agents (<b>Bs</b>). The study included <i>in vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i> characterization of biological attributes of the microorganisms, pertaining to their abilities to stimulate plant immunity against a fungal pathogen, <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>lycopersici</i> (Fol), the causal agent of tomato wilt disease. Using <i>Lycopersicon esculentum</i> –L. as a model plant for examining some fundamental elements of the plant-microorganism interaction, the study reveals and clarifies some aspects of the close association and the complexity of such systems.</p><p>For each <b>B</b>, the results revealed a <b>B</b>-distinct plant-microorganism interaction, which included systemic induced resistance (SIR). A phylogenetic analyses of the partial sequences of two Fo-(IMI 386351) genes, a mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal DNA (mtSSU rDNA) and the nuclear translation elongation factor 1α (EF-1α), provided phylogenetic trees confirming that Fo-(IMI 386351) might be a member of Fol or of <i>F. oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>melonis</i>, which have polyphyletic evolutionary origins. RFLP analysis (mtDNA), suggested that Fo-(IMI 386351) probably belongs to Fol. For routine and accurate differentiation between two morphologically indistinguishable <i>F. oxysporum formae speciales</i> strains, <i>F. oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>lycopersici</i> and <i>F. oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>radicis-lycopersici</i>, a molecular method (mtDNA RFLP analysis) was developed, and its usefulness for such differentiation was compared with that of two other methods: isozyme analysis and an osmotic method, revealed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC-spectra of Fo-(IMI 386351) had an extra peak for the two tested fractions, indicating that activation of the observed plant defence mechanism could have been at least partially the result of one of the products of the eliciting microbe. Preliminary results obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry of those fractions suggest that the extra peak probably represents an oligosaccharide, which may have acted as a mobile signal and triggered the plant defence mechanisms.</p><p>We concluded that (1) our three tested microorganisms are able to stimulate plant defence mechanisms by triggering SIR (plant immunity), (2) the complexity and elaborateness of evolved plant-microbe interactions involving plant defence can, at least in some cases, be observed and studied in the laboratory, and (3) molecular tools can be a powerful means for identifying fungal strains and for clarifying their taxonomical relationships.</p>

Microorganisms, including two fungi, Phytophthora cryptogea and Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo-(IMI 386351), and one bacterium, Pesudomonas sp. strain MF30, were tested for their abilities to stimulate plant defence responses in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum –L.) and to serve as effective biocontrol agents (Bs). The study included in vivo and in vitro characterization of biological attributes of the microorganisms, pertaining to their abilities to stimulate plant immunity against a fungal pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol), the causal agent of tomato wilt disease. Using Lycopersicon esculentum –L. as a model plant for examining some fundamental elements of the plant-microorganism interaction, the study reveals and clarifies some aspects of the close association and the complexity of such systems. For each B, the results revealed a B-distinct plant-microorganism interaction, which included systemic induced resistance (SIR). A phylogenetic analyses of the partial sequences of two Fo-(IMI 386351) genes, a mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal DNA (mtSSU rDNA) and the nuclear translation elongation factor 1α (EF-1α), provided phylogenetic trees confirming that Fo-(IMI 386351) might be a member of Fol or of F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis, which have polyphyletic evolutionary origins. RFLP analysis (mtDNA), suggested that Fo-(IMI 386351) probably belongs to Fol. For routine and accurate differentiation between two morphologically indistinguishable F. oxysporum formae speciales strains, F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, a molecular method (mtDNA RFLP analysis) was developed, and its usefulness for such differentiation was compared with that of two other methods: isozyme analysis and an osmotic method, revealed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC-spectra of Fo-(IMI 386351) had an extra peak for the two tested fractions, indicating that activation of the observed plant defence mechanism could have been at least partially the result of one of the products of the eliciting microbe. Preliminary results obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry of those fractions suggest that the extra peak probably represents an oligosaccharide, which may have acted as a mobile signal and triggered the plant defence mechanisms. We concluded that (1) our three tested microorganisms are able to stimulate plant defence mechanisms by triggering SIR (plant immunity), (2) the complexity and elaborateness of evolved plant-microbe interactions involving plant defence can, at least in some cases, be observed and studied in the laboratory, and (3) molecular tools can be a powerful means for identifying fungal strains and for clarifying their taxonomical relationships.

The Innovative Medicines Initiative Accelerated Development of VAccine beNefit-risk Collaboration in Europe (IMI ADVANCE) project aims to develop a framework for best practice methods on integrated rapid benefit/risk monitoring of vaccines in the European Union (EU). Burden of disease is one of the measures considered when estimating vaccine benefits. This study explores the use of notifiable infectious disease surveillance data for this purpose by estimating burden of invasive meningococcal disease in the EU/European Economic Area (EEA). We use the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe toolkit for computing disability-adjusted life years from incidence-based data retrieved from the European Surveillance System (TESSy) held at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Invasive meningococcal is a common cause of meningitis and septicaemia, with high case-fatality (~10%) and sequelae. We found that the median annual burden of invasive meningococcal disease in the EU/EEA, 2011-2015, was 3.87 DALYs per 100 000 total population (95% UI: 3.79-3.95). Children below one year of age and children below five years of age were at greatest risk of invasive meningococcal disease serogroup B with 89.15 DALYs per 100 000 stratum specific population (95% UI: 83.11-95.02) and 22.57 DALYs per 100 000 stratum specific population (95% UI: 21.03-24.12), respectively. We found that the distribution of burden of invasive meningococcal disease serogroup B differs widely between countries in the EU/EEA and consequently confirm that national assessment of the new infant meningococcal B vaccine is highly relevant.

The main objective of this thesis is to execute a marketing audit of IMI Hydronic Engineering at the Czech market in order to identify problem areas and opportunities, define key performance indicators (KPI) and follow recommended procedures to improve marketing performance of this company and increase the efficiency of the company as a whole. Marketing audit is a comprehensive analysis of the company and its surroundings, which does not contain only simple analysis of the current situation of the company but also the draft measure. Marketing audit in this thesis is carried out based on the methodology described in the theoretical part and consists of the analyses of six interrelated parts. The first part of the audit (audit of marketing environment) analyzes the external environment of IMI Hydronic Engineering realized through PESTLE analysis and Porter's five forces analysis. The following five sections are focusing on internal environmental audit of this company. These parts of the audit are: audit of marketing strategy, audit of marketing, audit of marketing systems, audit of marketing productivity and audit of marketing functions. The results are summarized in complex SWOT analysis. Recommendations, proposals for amendments, strategies, objectives and KPIs are listed in the conclusion.

The analysis of METU-Technopolis buildings and their space organizations indicates that there are two kinds of designing and planning tendencies in METU-Tech. One of them is Northern European and other one is North American Type of office which are also known as two important office designing approaches in the world. Northern European and North American Type of office organizations have different approaches in shaping office space. While Northern European type places far more emphasis on using office space to support staff morale and thus to add value to organizational performance, North American type tends to overestimate cost minimizations. These two types of designing tendencies in the world have had enormous effects on METU-Tech building design. While some buildings like Silicon Block and Silver block give importance to functions in space, and cost minimizations, others like Twin Building gives more importance to space quality and occupancy needs. The aim of this study is to introduce these two different kinds of office design approaches in METU-Technopolis by examining Silicon Block, Silver Block and Twin buildings. These buildings have been examined in three main scales which begin with urban design scale, Macro-Scale development, then Middle-Scale development and finally Micro-Scale development and buildings activities in architectural scale. In macro scale, Urban Design Studio&rsquo / s METU-Tech workings, and in middle- micro scale, advantages and disadvantages of these two space organizations manner have been introduced in detail on Silicon Block, Silver Block and Twin Building. Furthermore, all these three building&rsquo / s statistical information, capacities, and design specifications have been presented in drawings, graphics, and photos.

在各式各樣的銷售技巧中，誇張廠商建議價格是一種常見的手法，廠商漫天喊價誇大原始售價，無非是希望能讓消費覺得實際售價低廉且商品值得購買。但在廠商使用這樣的策略時，有些人會察覺到廠商操弄的意圖進而對廠商、商品產生負面的感覺。本研究認為消費者的認知需求程度是參考價格產生效果的重要調節變項，因此，本研究發展兩階段的實驗來探討消費者認知需求高低對其處理價格資訊的影響。研究方式與結果簡述如下： 在第一個階段中研究的是誇張的行銷訊息（誇張的廠商售價）對於認知需求程度不同的消費者的效果差異，以及廠商售價對於消費者的商品態度與購買意願的影響。研究結果發現，認知需求低者較易被廠商宣稱的誇張價格影響其對商品的推估價格，進而對商品產生較佳的態度與購買意願。 在第二個階段中，本研究設計讓已經受到廠商訂價影響的消費者接觸實際售價，探討消費者的認知需求程度對於其操弄意圖推論程度的影響及消費者操弄意圖推論程度對於其最終購買意願與商品態度產生的效果。結果發現，認知需求高的消費者其操弄意圖推論程度亦高，且消費者的操弄意圖推論程度愈高；對於消費者商品態度與購買意願負面的影響也愈大。 / One main concern regarding the use of reference prices in advertisements relates to the possibility of perceived deception due to consumers' reaction towards exaggerated or implausible price claims. This paper examines the moderating roles of an individual level variable-need for cognition (NFC), in influencing consumers’ evaluation of the reference prices in a two-stage experiment. The results support the hypothesized effects of need for cognition and demonstrate that, in the first stage, consumers with a high need for cognition assimilate a smaller portion of the external reference points (ERPs) into their existing internal reference point (IRPs). In addition, for consumers with a low need for cognition, the increasing level of reference price results in positive effects on value perception, brand attitudes and purchase intention. In the second stage, I introduced inferences of manipulative intent (IMI) as a dependant variable. The results suggest that for consumers with a high need for cognition, the greater the discrepancy between their estimated price and real price, the higher level of perceived manipulative intent of advertisers. This leads to negative attitudes toward the advertiser and results in negative effects on brand attitudes and purchase intention. Implications for research and practitioners are discussed.

Antibiotic resistance is a global and accelerating matter. Over time, the bacteria have evolved several defense mechanisms against the antibiotics. One of the defense mechanisms is that the bacteria can produce enzymes with the ability to hydrolyze the characteristic b-lactam ring of the antibiotics. These enzymes are called b-lactamases. There are three different generations of antibiotics clinically available, and b-lactamases have co-evolved with the antibiotics over the generations. The third generation of antibiotics are called the carbapenems and b-lactamases which hydrolyze carbapenems are called carbapenemases. Carbapenemases are promiscuous, which means that they hydrolyze a variety of antibiotics. The b-lactamase IMI-1 is an imipenem-hydrolyzing enzyme and imipenem is a carbapenem, hence IMI-1 is a carbapenemase. In this project, IMI-1 was investigated in complex with the carbapenems imipenem, meropenem and biapenem using computational methods. More specifically, a homology model of IMI-1 was generated and the carbapenems were docked into the model. The system was then used for MD simulations where the important molecular interactions were identified, and the binding free energies were calculated using the LIE method. The results indicate that IMI-1 has flexible loops that enables an open and a closed conformation of IMI- 1. All three carbapenems were docked and simulated in both conformations of IMI-1. The results indicate that open and closed conformations confirms the promiscuity of carbapenemases since the flexibility enables various initial binding mechanisms. in other words, the hydrolysis may occur so quickly that the binding does not have much bearing of the activity of the enzyme. Furthermore, the calculated binding free energies indicate that IMI-1 is optimized for the catalytic process rather than the binding affinity. In conclusion, IMI-1 and similar systems requires further research using computational methods to counteract antibiotic resistance based on knowledge.

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