Indoor positioning is a rapidly growing research area, enabling new innovative location-aware applications and user-oriented services. Location Fingerprinting (LF) is the positioning technique of coupling a physical location with observed radio signal measurements. In the terms of indoor LF using Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) it refers to the use of network measurements from the WLAN Access Points (APs) to tag known locations. A data set is created containing reference fingerprints for the area of interest and is known as a radio map. A radio map can later be used to find a user's location in the area of interest. WLAN infrastructures are vulnerable to many kinds of faults and malicious attacks, including, an attacker jamming the signal from an AP, or an AP becoming unavailable during positioning due to power outage. These faults can be collectively characterized as an AP-failure. In LF positioning systems, AP-failure faults can significantly degrade the performance of a LF system due to the difference between the current fingerprints and radio map created with all APs being available. It is desirable to detect such faulty APs, in order to take actions towards fault-mitigation and restoration, in case of a malicious attack. In this work, we have developed a fault detection algorithm that uses inertial sensors (i.e., accelerometer, magnetometer) available in smartphones to detect AP-failure faults in LF systems. Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) has become an integral part of all high-end smartphones. IMU can be used to infer location information on the smartphone. The main idea is to have two parallel position streams, the LF positioning and the IMU positioning, and to compare the mean positioning error between the two. Since IMU positioning is fairly accurate once provided with starting coordinates, we use it to detect abnormal behaviour in LF positioning system, such as highly erroneous estimates signifying an AP-failure fault present in the system. The performance of the proposed detection algorithm is evaluated with several real-life AP-related faults. The proposed algorithm exhibits low probability of false alarms in the detection of faulty APs. The conclusion is that using IMU based positioning is an effective and robust solution in terms of fault detection in LF systems.

This thesis explores the impact of the cuts to civil legal aid introduced by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (2012) (“LASPO”) on the ability of those who are vulnerable to access justice. In doing so it focuses on the experience of UK Law Centres, a network of not-for-profit providers of legal advice and representation. Law Centres were established in the 1970’s as a response to acknowledged deficiencies in the legal aid scheme that existed at this time. Principal amongst these deficiencies was the failure of the scheme to provide legal assistance to those individuals who were most in need of it. Since their inception Law Centres have developed a reputation for specialising in the delivery of legal services to marginalised communities, making them an ideal lens through which to observe the impact of cuts to legal aid on the vulnerable. This thesis explores the relationship between the Law Centres movement and the legal aid scheme; characterising this as one of reluctant yet increasing dependency. By the time LASPO was introduced, contracts for the delivery of legal aid comprised 46% of the funding for Law Centres in England and Wales, leaving Law Centres highly exposed to the swingeing cuts brought about by this legislation. The thesis seeks to understand the impact of LASPO on Law Centres as a movement, and in particular on their ability to deliver services to those individuals who are most vulnerable. In the absence of a consensus definition of what a Law Centre is, the thesis reviews the extant literature on the Law Centres movement to propose an “ideal type” framework of Law Centre values, which can be used as a tool against which to evaluate the impact of different strategies for surviving the cuts. It proposes a novel definition of vulnerability, to assist in assessing whether the strategies adopted by Law Centres in response to LASPO are likely to prove more or less effective in enabling the movement to prioritise delivering their services to those who are in greatest need. The thesis then uses these analytical tools to evaluate the three most popular funding models adopted by Law Centres in response to the cuts, drawing on original empirical research. The thesis concludes that if Law Centres wish to retain both their unique position within the landscape of legal service providers and their ability to support those in greatest need, their response to LASPO must by driven by cognisance of and fidelity to the values that render them distinctive.

Chagas¡¦ disease induced by Trypanosoma cruzi infection causes damages in heart and digestive tract of the host, but trypanosomes were rarely found in blood and tissue during chronic infection. Although trypanosomes could not be found in the peripheral blood of Trypanosoma musculi infected mice during chronic stage, trypanosomes detected in vasa recta of kidney became a unique kidney form (KF). In this investigation, BALB/c mouse was used as animal model to examine if kidney form of T. cruzi exists in chronic stage. Kidney sections were made on the 20, 40, 60, and 80th day after infection of each mouse with 1,000 bloodstream trypanosomes. In order to compare with chronic stage, kidney sections obtained from mice 20 and 40 days after infection were regarded as acute phase. Amastigotes of T. cruzi as well as significant tissue damages were found in both acute and chronic stages. The results indicated that T. cruzi may exist in amastigote form in mouse kidney during chronic infection. ELISA was employed to measure mouse serum specific antibody titers which recognize mouse kidney antigen infected with trypanosomes 20 to 300 days respectively. Peak titer was observed on the 40th day of infection. Results showed that the ability of acute serum recognizing infected kidney antigen was better than chronic serum. On the other hand, antibody titers that recognize amastigote antigens increased gradually during the infection. It seems correlated with trypanosomes existing and releasing antigen during chronic infection. Antisera from rat immunized with epimastigote or amastigote could recognize infected and normal mouse kidney antigen. Anti-epimastigote sera detected 27 and 49 kDa proteins and anti-amamastigote sera detected 28 and 48 kDa proteins of infected mouse kidney antigen. Functions of these molecules are still not clear and require further characterization in the future.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Code is a frequently used channel to resolve corporate financial distress. In the code, liquidation (Chapter 7) and reorganization (Chapter 11) are two most crucial processes. My PhD thesis discusses several important issues around the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, including recovery rate determination in bankruptcy, debt valuation in bankruptcy under a two-class debt structure and determination of an optimal bankruptcy threshold. With the aim of linking corporate finance and asset pricing, new models of credit risk are developed in this thesis and fruitful empirical implications are generated. Specifically, the first main chapter is “Default and Recovery Rate under Chapter 11 with Multiple Debts”. This studies both theoretically and empirically the influence of debt structure on the outcome of debt renegotiation under Chapter 11. I investigate the trilateral negotiation in court-supervised formal bankruptcy. The model demonstrates how loans and bonds differ in terms of concentration level of debt owner and how this disparity impacts the action of the debtor company both before and after bankruptcy. The model developed in this chapter predicts that creditors’ ultimate recovery is higher for firms with more bank debt and less bargaining frictions and, despite the bank’s involvement improving total recovery, bondholders are still disadvantaged by the presence of senior bank creditors. Using a sample of 439 U.S. firms that filed for Chapter 11 during 1987-2014, I present evidence on the link between bank debt share and recovery rates that is supportive of the model’s prediction. The second main chapter is “Debt Structure and Valuation in U.S. Bankruptcy Code”. In this chapter I discuss the impact of bankruptcy procedure on security valuation by developing a credit risk model. As in the first chapter, the debt structure is in the form of two-class debt. A structural model of credit risk is built where default and liquidation are represented by two boundaries and a grace period is granted prior to liquidation. Within the setup, corporate debt is viewed as quasi Parisian corridor option and valuations are obtained via a partial differential equation formulation solved using a finite difference approach. The model can generate a credit spread for corporate debt which is more quantitatively consistent with the market credit spread. In this chapter I also show how the debt valuation is affected by several bankruptcy-related factors such as length of grace period. The last chapter, “Boundary Determination and Optimal Control Right Allocation in Financially Distressed Firms”, analyzes the determination of optimal default and liquidation boundaries in bankrupt entities. Compared with the previous chapter, this chapter reexamines the issue of debt valuation but allows the liquidation and renegotiation boundaries to be determined endogenously by valuing the maximization decision of involved parties. The model results show that different claim holders choose different default and liquidation boundaries to maximize the value of securities they hold, which leads to conflicts of interest between borrowers and lenders and also between different borrowers. The first-best outcome can be achieved if bondholders determine the liquidation boundary. Finally, the model shows that the optimal length of grace period, in the sense of firm value maximization, is roughly 6 months.

Nos últimos anos, questões ambientais têm merecido destaque na mídia nacional e internacional. A química tem uma grande participação nos dias atuais com os inúmeros produtos fundamentais à humanidade. A sua presença pode ser destacada desde diversos combustíveis aos mais complexos medicamentos. As reações de síntese orgânica devem ser guiadas por novas práticas mais sustentáveis. Nesse campo, tem-se o conceito da Green Chemistry ou Química Verde, que consiste na estratégia em desenvolver metodologias e processos que usem e gerem a menor quantidade de materiais tóxicos e/ou inflamáveis ou reaproveitáveis. Com o intuito de contribuir com a Química Verde, estudou-se a síntese de iminas que consistiu da primeira etapa do processo de aminação livre de solventes orgânicos e apresentaram rendimentos superiores a 95,0 %; gem-dicloroaziridinas foram preparadas a partir de inserção de diclorocarbeno em iminas em condições mínimas de solvente orgânico, utilizando como catalisador o KF/Al2O3 e com rendimentos superiores a 98,0%. As gem-dicloroaziridinas foram convertidas em amidas por hidrolise, na ausência de solvente e com rendimentos superiores a 98,0%. Dentro do conceito de Química Verde foram preparadas as seis iminas: N-benzilfenilmetanoimina, N-fenil-furilmetanoimina, N-fenilfenilmetanoimina, N-fenil-(4-metoxifenil)-metanoimina, N-benzil-(4-metoxifenil)metanoimina e N-furfurilfurilmetanoimina; duas gem-dicloroaziridinas: 2,2-dicloro-1,3-difenilaziridina e 1-benzil-2,2-dicloro-3-fenilaziridina e duas amidas: cloro-fenilacetanilida e N-benzil-cloro-fenilacetamida. / For the last years Environmental issues have deserved featured in the National and International media. Chemistry has had great participation on currently days with countless products which are fundamental to humanity. Its presence can be detached from various fuels to the most complex drugs.The organic synthesis reactions should be guided by more sustainable new practices. In this field, the Green Chemistry concept or (Química Verde) strategy which aims to develop methodology and and/or processes which use and generate the minimum quality of toxic inflammable material. With the purpose of contribute to green chemistry, we studied the synthesis of imines which consisted of the first stage of the process of amination, free of organic solvents and have yields higher than 95%; gem-dichloroaziridine were prepared from the imines insertion dichlorocarbene in a minimum of organic solvent conditions, using as catalyst KF/Al2O3 and yields higher than 98%. The gem-dichloroaziridines were converted to amides by hydrolysis in absence of solvent and yields higher than 98.0%. Within the concept of Green Chemistry were prepared six imines: N-benzyl- phenylmethanimine, N-phenyl-2- furylmethanimine, N-phenyl- phenylmethanimine, N-phenyl-(4-methoxyphenyl)methanimine, N-benzyl-(4-methoxyphenyl)metha-nimine,N-(2-furylmethyl)-2-furylmethanimine; two gem-dichloroaziridinas: 2,2-dichloro-1,3-diphenyla-ziridine and 1-benzyl-2,2-dichloro-3-phenylaziridine and two amides: chlorophenylacetanilide and N-benzyl-chloro-phenylacetamide.

A química verde, que tem a preocupação com o desenvolvimento de tecnologias e processos incapazes de causar poluição, tem sido citada cada vez mais em destaque, pela mídia, como mais uma das iniciativas para prevenção da poluição desenfreada. Neste estudo tem-se buscado a redução ou eliminação de solventes, adaptação dos sistemas reacionais para operação em temperatura ambiente e aumento do rendimento em processos de reações guiados pelos doze princípios da química verde. O objetivo deste trabalho consiste na síntese de intermediários de princípios ativos para uso industrial, através de processos de formação de oximas e oximas éteres. O trabalho foi dividido em duas etapas principais, preparação de oximas e preparação de oximas éteres. Na primeira preparou-se oximas através da reação de aldeídos (benzaldeído, furfuraldeído, salicilaldeído e p-anisaldeído) e cetonas (ciclopentanona, ciclohexanona, metil etil cetona, benzofenona e acetofenona) com cloreto de hidroxilamina, sem a utilização de solventes orgânicos e sem adição de água. Na segunda o objetivo foi preparar oximas éteres (O-butil benzaldeído oxima, O-butil furfuraldeído oxima, N-butoxi-(2-butoxifenil) metanimina, O-butil p-anisaldeído oxima, O-butil ciclohexanona oxima, O-butil ciclopentanona oxima e O-butil metil etil cetona oxima) a partir da alquilação de oximas utilizando um suporte sólido de KF/Al2O3 como catalisador. Todos os compostos foram caracterizados por RMN 13C (apt) e alguns por infravermelho e RMN 1H. / Green chemistry, which is concerned with the development of technologies and processes incapable of causing pollution, has been cited increasingly highlighted, by the media, as another of the initiatives to prevent pollution rampant. This study has sought a reduction or elimination of solvents, reaction to adjust the systems operating at room temperature and yield increase in reactive processes that are guided by the twelve principles of green chemistry. The objective of this work is the synthesis of active intermediates for industrial use, through processes of formation of oximes, oximes ethers. The work was divided into two phases, preparation of oximes and preparation of oximes ethers. In the first was prepared oximes by reaction of aldehydes (benzaldehyde, furfuraldeyde, salicylaldehyde and p-anisaldeyde) and ketones (cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone, benzophenone and acetophenone) with hydroxylamine chloride without the use of organic solvents and without adding water. For the second was prepared oximes ethers (O-butyl benzaldheyde oxime, O-butyl furfuraldeyde oxime, N-butoxy-(2-butoxyphenyl) methanimine, O-butyl p-anisaldeyde oxime, O-butyl cyclohexanone oxime, O-butyl cyclopentanone oxime e O-butyl methyl ethyl ketone oxime) from the alkylation of oximes, using a solid support as catalyst KF/Al2O3. All compounds were characterized by 13C NMR (apt) and some infrared and 1H NMR.

Nos últimos anos, questões ambientais têm merecido destaque na mídia nacional e internacional. A química tem uma grande participação nos dias atuais com os inúmeros produtos fundamentais à humanidade. A sua presença pode ser destacada desde diversos combustíveis aos mais complexos medicamentos. As reações de síntese orgânica devem ser guiadas por novas práticas mais sustentáveis. Nesse campo, tem-se o conceito da Green Chemistry ou Química Verde, que consiste na estratégia em desenvolver metodologias e processos que usem e gerem a menor quantidade de materiais tóxicos e/ou inflamáveis ou reaproveitáveis. Com o intuito de contribuir com a Química Verde, estudou-se a síntese de iminas que consistiu da primeira etapa do processo de aminação livre de solventes orgânicos e apresentaram rendimentos superiores a 95,0 %; gem-dicloroaziridinas foram preparadas a partir de inserção de diclorocarbeno em iminas em condições mínimas de solvente orgânico, utilizando como catalisador o KF/Al2O3 e com rendimentos superiores a 98,0%. As gem-dicloroaziridinas foram convertidas em amidas por hidrolise, na ausência de solvente e com rendimentos superiores a 98,0%. Dentro do conceito de Química Verde foram preparadas as seis iminas: N-benzilfenilmetanoimina, N-fenil-furilmetanoimina, N-fenilfenilmetanoimina, N-fenil-(4-metoxifenil)-metanoimina, N-benzil-(4-metoxifenil)metanoimina e N-furfurilfurilmetanoimina; duas gem-dicloroaziridinas: 2,2-dicloro-1,3-difenilaziridina e 1-benzil-2,2-dicloro-3-fenilaziridina e duas amidas: cloro-fenilacetanilida e N-benzil-cloro-fenilacetamida. / For the last years Environmental issues have deserved featured in the National and International media. Chemistry has had great participation on currently days with countless products which are fundamental to humanity. Its presence can be detached from various fuels to the most complex drugs.The organic synthesis reactions should be guided by more sustainable new practices. In this field, the Green Chemistry concept or (Química Verde) strategy which aims to develop methodology and and/or processes which use and generate the minimum quality of toxic inflammable material. With the purpose of contribute to green chemistry, we studied the synthesis of imines which consisted of the first stage of the process of amination, free of organic solvents and have yields higher than 95%; gem-dichloroaziridine were prepared from the imines insertion dichlorocarbene in a minimum of organic solvent conditions, using as catalyst KF/Al2O3 and yields higher than 98%. The gem-dichloroaziridines were converted to amides by hydrolysis in absence of solvent and yields higher than 98.0%. Within the concept of Green Chemistry were prepared six imines: N-benzyl- phenylmethanimine, N-phenyl-2- furylmethanimine, N-phenyl- phenylmethanimine, N-phenyl-(4-methoxyphenyl)methanimine, N-benzyl-(4-methoxyphenyl)metha-nimine,N-(2-furylmethyl)-2-furylmethanimine; two gem-dichloroaziridinas: 2,2-dichloro-1,3-diphenyla-ziridine and 1-benzyl-2,2-dichloro-3-phenylaziridine and two amides: chlorophenylacetanilide and N-benzyl-chloro-phenylacetamide.

A química verde, que tem a preocupação com o desenvolvimento de tecnologias e processos incapazes de causar poluição, tem sido citada cada vez mais em destaque, pela mídia, como mais uma das iniciativas para prevenção da poluição desenfreada. Neste estudo tem-se buscado a redução ou eliminação de solventes, adaptação dos sistemas reacionais para operação em temperatura ambiente e aumento do rendimento em processos de reações guiados pelos doze princípios da química verde. O objetivo deste trabalho consiste na síntese de intermediários de princípios ativos para uso industrial, através de processos de formação de oximas e oximas éteres. O trabalho foi dividido em duas etapas principais, preparação de oximas e preparação de oximas éteres. Na primeira preparou-se oximas através da reação de aldeídos (benzaldeído, furfuraldeído, salicilaldeído e p-anisaldeído) e cetonas (ciclopentanona, ciclohexanona, metil etil cetona, benzofenona e acetofenona) com cloreto de hidroxilamina, sem a utilização de solventes orgânicos e sem adição de água. Na segunda o objetivo foi preparar oximas éteres (O-butil benzaldeído oxima, O-butil furfuraldeído oxima, N-butoxi-(2-butoxifenil) metanimina, O-butil p-anisaldeído oxima, O-butil ciclohexanona oxima, O-butil ciclopentanona oxima e O-butil metil etil cetona oxima) a partir da alquilação de oximas utilizando um suporte sólido de KF/Al2O3 como catalisador. Todos os compostos foram caracterizados por RMN 13C (apt) e alguns por infravermelho e RMN 1H. / Green chemistry, which is concerned with the development of technologies and processes incapable of causing pollution, has been cited increasingly highlighted, by the media, as another of the initiatives to prevent pollution rampant. This study has sought a reduction or elimination of solvents, reaction to adjust the systems operating at room temperature and yield increase in reactive processes that are guided by the twelve principles of green chemistry. The objective of this work is the synthesis of active intermediates for industrial use, through processes of formation of oximes, oximes ethers. The work was divided into two phases, preparation of oximes and preparation of oximes ethers. In the first was prepared oximes by reaction of aldehydes (benzaldehyde, furfuraldeyde, salicylaldehyde and p-anisaldeyde) and ketones (cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone, benzophenone and acetophenone) with hydroxylamine chloride without the use of organic solvents and without adding water. For the second was prepared oximes ethers (O-butyl benzaldheyde oxime, O-butyl furfuraldeyde oxime, N-butoxy-(2-butoxyphenyl) methanimine, O-butyl p-anisaldeyde oxime, O-butyl cyclohexanone oxime, O-butyl cyclopentanone oxime e O-butyl methyl ethyl ketone oxime) from the alkylation of oximes, using a solid support as catalyst KF/Al2O3. All compounds were characterized by 13C NMR (apt) and some infrared and 1H NMR.

In introduction this graduation theses discource about phase diagrams and thein fission. Next part is about concrete phase diagrams NaF – KF, NaF – LiF, KF – LiF. Their determination trough use of cooling surves and their specification trough use of numerical method. Conclusion contains proposal of method for concrete phase diagram of NaF – KF – LiF.

The thesis focuses on the issue of spatial neglect and its neuropsychological diagnostics. The theoretical part of the thesis first summarizes recent knowledge about the neglect and offers its classification, which maps the heterogeneous nature of the disorder. Furthermore, two areas of diagnostic methods aimed at neglect detection are discussed, which are the classic "paper-pencil" tests and functional tests. Finally, these methodological areas are put into relationship, the work discusses their possible complementarity and also their use in clinical practice. In the empirical part we focus on selected classic methods and their ability to diagnose mild neglect in the Czech population. For 64 patients, we compared the sensitivity of the Bells test, the line bisection test, and the scene copying test using different criteria. We also examined double dissociations and relationships between tests, and then the relationships between the ability of instruments to detect neglect and the characteristics of probands. The results mostly confirmed the findings of the theoretical part of the thesis. The sensitivity of the methods was low and variable, there were double dissociations between the line bisection test and the other tests, and there were practically no statistically significant correlations...