O estudo do comportamento quanto ao desgaste de compostos de borracha utilizados na banda de rodagem de pneus automotivos é um fator determinante para o desenvolvimento de produtos mais duráveis, que se adaptem às condições de severidade de diferentes mercados. Para tanto os formuladores precisam desenvolver compostos em um processo interativo, no qual são alterados os componentes da receita e seus níveis na formulação em função da resposta do produto. A tarefa de avaliar o desgaste do pneu é desafiadora, pois este comportamento pode ser influenciado por muitos fatores, tais quais o pavimento, o veículo, o motorista e condições climáticas. Os testes de pneus com veículos em campo proporcionam uma avaliação do desgaste, mas necessitam por volta de 6 meses para apresentar resultados, além de serem custosas. Equipamentos de laboratório foram desenvolvidos para agilizar a obtenção de dados, mas freqüentemente apresentam severidade muito maior que aquela encontrada em campo. Através de parceria científica e tecnológica entre a Escola Politécnica da USP e a Pirelli Pneus, foi desenvolvido equipamento de laboratório que utiliza como contra-corpo amostras de asfalto retiradas das rodovias, trabalhando sob condições controladas. A primeira parte deste trabalho apresenta que esta máquina de testes é capaz de reproduzir o mecanismo de desgaste encontrado em pneus (ondas de Schallamach), simulando as condições de campo e classificando os diferentes compostos em laboratório de modo semelhante ao obtido nos testes em campo. A parte final deste trabalho apresenta a análise do desgaste de composto de borracha em função de diferentes tipos de pavimentos encontrados em rodovias brasileiras. Em um pavimento em boas condições de conservação (ausência de buracos e irregularidades) a sua microtextura terá influência significativa no desempenho dos compostos de borracha utilizados na banda de rodagem dos pneus automotivos. / The wear behavior of tire tread rubber compounds is a fundamental factor in order to develop durable products, which can deal with the severity conditions of a multitude of markets. The rubber compounders must develop products in an interactive process, in which the ingredients and its levels are changed as a function of the market response The tire wear assessment is challenging because this behavior can be influenced by a multitude of factors, as the pavement, the vehicle, the driver and the weather conditions. Outdoor tests in vehicles provide a wear assessment but are expensive and need around 6 months to present results. Laboratory devices were developed to accelerate the data acquisition but frequently present a severity much higher than outdoor tests. A scientific and technological partnership between Escola Politécnica da USP and Pirelli Tires developed laboratory equipment that uses asphaltic counterfaces extracted from Brazilian roads, working under controlled conditions. The first part of this work presents that this testing machine can reproduce the tire wear mechanism (Schallamach waves), simulating the outdoor conditions and sorting the different rubber compounds in a way similar to the outdoor tests. The last part of this work presents a wear analysis of a rubber compound as a function of different pavements found in Brazilian roads. For a pavement with good integrity (absence of holes and irregularities) its microtexture will significantly influence the performance of vehicle tire tread rubber compounds.

The National Health Laboratory Service is a single national entity to provide laboratory services to the public sector in SA. The NHLS came into being by amalgamating five large independent pathology service providers. The research will provide insight on how to manage change and stakeholder relations during mergers.

Vinte e nove pacientes submetidos ao Transplante de Medula Óssea Alogênico foram analisados num estudo dirigido às transfusões de hemocomponentes, desde o período pré-transplante até o momento da alta hospitalar, que na maioria das vezes coincidiu com a independência às transfusões. Não houve um padrão único de requerimento transfusional e os fatores que determinaram este fato foram múltiplos. O tipo de doença de base, intercorrências clínicas e a presença da Doença do Enxerto Versus o Hospedeiro estiveram relacionados. As técnicas laboratoriais empregadas na rotina de avaliação dos pacientes ofereceram subsídio adequado, para em conjunto com o exame clínico, proporcionarem parâmetros decisivos na indicação das transfusões sangüíneas. Alguns pacientes apresentaram incompatibilidade ao sistema de grupo sangüíneo ABO com os seus respectivos doadores de medula, fato que não impediu a realização do transplante, devido ao emprego de métodos que permitiram superar esta dificuldade. Foi observada refratariedade às transfusões de concentrados de plaquetas em poucos pacientes da casuística, atribuída à presença de anticorpos contra antígenos do sistema de histocompatibilidade leucocitária humana (HLA). As transfusões de plaquetas obtidas de doadores com o sistema HLA compatível, membros familiares, foram eficazes nestes casos. O tempo de recuperação da função hematopoética da medula transplantada foi similar ao descrito na literatura. / 29 patients who underwent Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation (Allo BMT) were analyzed regarding the need for transfusion of blood components from admission the date of discharge. Most of the time the discharge coincided with blood components transfusion independence. There was no specific pattern of blood products transfusion among these patients. The need for transfusion could be ascribed to the presence of several factors like baseline disease, clinical complications and graf versus host disease. Routine clinical parameters and laboratory techiniques were adequate to indicate the need for transfusion of blood components. Some of the patients were ABO incompatible with their respective marrow donors. We observed no adverse consequence for the outocome of these BMT procedures after the use of routine techiniques to overcome this incompatibility. Few patients were refractory to platelet transfusions that was ascribed to HLA directed antibodies. The use of HLA compatible platelet donors (family members) provided adequate platelet support in these cases. The time to hematopoietic recovery was compatible to the found in the international literature.

A rat model of novelty-seeking phenotype predicts vulnerability to nicotine relapse where locomotor reactivity to novelty is used to rank high (HR) versus low (LR) responders. This dissertation examines the neuropeptidergic and structural substrates of the expression of locomotor sensitization to a low dose nicotine challenge and associated social anxiety-like behavior following chronic intermittent nicotine exposure during adolescence in the LRHR phenotype. Data show the long-lasting nature of behavioral sensitization to nicotine and abstinence-related social anxiety-like behavior in nicotine pre-trained HRs compared to saline pre-trained controls. Moreover, this behavior is accompanied by an imbalance between the brain antistress/antianxiety, i.e., neuropeptide Y (NPY), and stress, i.e., corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) systems in the amygdala. Moreover, a deficit in NPY signaling marked with decreased NPY and increased NPY Y2 receptor (Y2R) mRNA levels is observed in the hip pocampus, along with mossy fiber reorganization in nicotine pre-trained HRs. Furthermore, a Y2R antagonist administered 1 wk of abstinence reverses these behavioral, molecular and morphological effects in nicotine-exposed HRs. Additionally, the role of amygdalar synaptic plasticity in longlasting social withdrawal is also investigated by assessing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and spinophilin mRNA levels in HRs following a behaviorally-sensitizing nicotine regimen. A persistent increase in BDNF and spinophilin mRNA levels in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is observed in nicotine pre-trained HRs even across a long (3-wk) abstinence spanning into young adulthood. This strongly suggests BDNFmediated long-lasting neuroplasticity within the BLA that may regulate abstinence-related negative affect in HRs. / Moreover, a cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) antagonist, AM251 treatment during a short (1-wk) abstinence is ineffective in reversing social anxiety, nicotine-induced neuroplasticity and the neuropeptidergic changes in the amygdala, although it is effective in reversing the expression of locomotor sensitization to challenge nicotine even following a long (3-wks) abstinence. Furthermore, the identical AM251 treatment given during the late phase of a long (3-wk) abstinence further augments social withdrawal and associated BLA plasticity in nicotine pre-trained HRs. These findings implicate neuropeptidergic and neuroplastic changes in the hippocampus and the amygdala in vulnerability to the long-lasting behavioral effects of nicotine in the novelty-seeking phenotype. / by Cigdem Aydin. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Although much more work needs to be done to elucidate the functional roles of FSH and LH in fish reproduction, the preset study provides a relatively comprehensive study for us to understand the potential roles of FSH and LH during ovarian development in fish, especially the importance of FSH. / At the same time, functional studies were carried out to examine and compare bioactivities of the CHO-derived zfFSH and zfLH in zebrafish ovary, which is the major part of the present project. The following aspects were covered to investigate the actions of zfFSH and zfLH: steroidogenesis and folliculogenesis. / Both recombinant zfGTHs stimulated activin betaA expression but slightly suppressed activin betaB expression. During short-term treatment, zfFSH and zfLH exhibited similar stimulatory effects on activin betaA expression; the effect of zfLH became more prominent after 24 h treatment while zfFSH had little effect. / Previously, our laboratory had established two stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines expressing recombinant zebrafish FSH (zfFSH) and LH (zfLH). However, the production yields are very low. Therefore, the present study tried to adopt the yeast Pichia pastoris as another bioreactor to produce recombinant zfFSH and zfLH. Two different forms of expression vectors for a native form and a fusion form carrying a His-tag, respectively, were constructed for each hormone. Their bioactivities were monitored and confirmed by receptor-based reporter gene assays as well as ovarian fragment incubation. As expected, the native form exhibited much higher activities than the fusion form. / The pituitary gonadotropins (GTHs), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), are the key hormones controlling vertebrate reproduction. Although the two gonadotropins have been characterized in numerous teleost species, our understanding of their biological functions remains rather limited. This is largely due to the lack of pure form of homologous gonadotropins and inadequate understanding of gonadal physiology in most species studied as well as species variation of hormone actions. The present study aims at systematically investigating the functional roles of FSH and LH in the ovary using zebrafish as the model. Zebrafish is becoming more and more popular as the model of reproductive and developmental studies due to several advantages. First, though its body size is small, its ovary is relatively large and available all the year around. Second, zebrafish spawns everyday and its development is fast. Last but not least, its bioinformatics information is tremendous compared to other fish models. / We investigated the effects of zfFSH and zfLH on steroidogenesis by examining the regulation of aromatase by these two hormones. Aromatase catalyzes the conversion of androgens into estrogens during steroidogenesis. Both recombinant zfGTHs stimulated the aromatase expression during short-term treatment (8 h) in ovarian fragment culture, with zfFSH much more potent than zfLH. However, zfFSH continued to exhibit powerful effect on aromatase expression after 24 h treatment while zfLH had little effect at all. The stimulatory effect of zfFSH on aromatase expression was time-, dose- and stage-dependent and was also confirmed by in vivo study. Furthermore, it was also zfFSH but not zfLH that significantly stimulated StAR protein expression during short-term treatment. StAR protein is critical to steroidogenesis by facilitating the movement of cholesterol across the mitochondrial membrane. / zfLH was found to be able to induce GVBD in zebrafish, as demonstrated in other fish species. However, our preliminary data showed that zfFSH was also involved in this process. To our knowledge, this is the first time to demonstrate that homologous FSH induces GVBD in teleosts. / Yu, Xiaobin. / Adviser: Wei Ge. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-09, Section: B, page: . / Thesis submitted in: December 2008. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-181). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Diante da atual situação da aprendizagem no país, nos capítulos que seguem desse trabalho, discutiremos que é possível mudarmos esse quadro através dos métodos de ensino. Abordamos especialmente a divisão, a multiplicação e as frações. Analisamos a evolução dos números desde sua origem até o atual padrão usado assim como as propriedades dos números inteiros, seguido da discussão de números racionais e congruências que permitem que a divisão e a multiplicação sejam operações usáveis e de fácil compreensão. Finalizamos nossas pesquisas com um capítulo voltado a atividades lúdicas que possam ser aproveitadas em projetos e laboratório de matemática. / Before present situation of the learning in the country, near chapter this work, discuss what is possible to chance this picture through teaching methods. Broach especially the division, multiplication, and the fraction. We analyze the evolution of the numbers since its origin until the present model used, like this how analysis the property in the whole numbers, followed, of the discussion of rational numbers and congruences what permit the division and the multiplication are operation usual and of easy understandable. We finished our research, with a chapter think the playful activities what own be take in project and laboratory of mathematics.

Tan, Sijiao. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-136). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract (in English) --- p.iii / Abstract (in Chinese) --- p.vi / List of Abbreviations --- p.viii / Table of Contents --- p.x / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1 --- Frying --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- General introduction of frying --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Physical and chemical changes of oils during frying --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- Physical changes --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Chemical changes --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.1 --- Hydrolysis --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.2 --- Oxidation --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.3 --- Polymerization --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Frying oil selection --- p.11 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Quality control of frying oil --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2 --- Selection of experiment oil --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Lard as a cholesterol-containing animal fat --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Corn oil as a healthy vegetable oil --- p.14 / Chapter 1.3 --- Current studies on frying oils --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4 --- Atherosclerosis and cholesterol metabolism --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Atherosclerosis --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Cholesterol metabolism and related regulating factor --- p.23 / Chapter 1.5 --- Animal model selection --- p.29 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- OBEJECTIVES --- p.30 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter 3.1 --- Sample lard and corn oil preparation --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2 --- Diet preparation --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3 --- Animals --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4 --- Sample collection --- p.36 / Chapter 3.5 --- GC analysis of fatty acid composition in fresh and fried experiment oil samples --- p.37 / Chapter 3.6 --- Determination of plasma cholesterol and organ cholesterol --- p.41 / Chapter 3.7 --- "Determination of hamster fecal neutral and acidic sterols, corn oil phytosterol content" --- p.44 / Chapter 3.7.1 --- Determination of fecal neutral sterols --- p.44 / Chapter 3.7.2 --- Determination of fecal acidic sterols --- p.45 / Chapter 3.7.3 --- Determination of phytosterol content in corn oil --- p.46 / Chapter 3.8 --- "Determination of composition and concentration of liver triglycerides, total free fatty acids and phospholipids" --- p.51 / Chapter 3.9 --- Statistics --- p.54 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- RESULTS IN FRIED LARD EXPERIMENT / Chapter 4.1 --- Fatty acid composition and cholesterol content of experiment lard --- p.55 / Chapter 4.2 --- Body weight and food intake --- p.55 / Chapter 4.3 --- Relative organ weight --- p.55 / Chapter 4.4 --- "Plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL- cholesterol" --- p.60 / Chapter 4.5 --- Organ cholesterol --- p.60 / Chapter 4.6 --- Fecal neutral sterol output --- p.64 / Chapter 4.7 --- Fecal acidic sterol output --- p.64 / Chapter 4.8 --- Effect of fried lard on cholesterol balance in hamster --- p.64 / Chapter 4.9 --- "Effect of fried lard on hepatic triglycerides, free fatty acids and phospholipids concentration in hamster" --- p.68 / Chapter 4.10 --- Correlation between serum HDL cholesterol and liver cholesterol --- p.76 / Chapter 4.11 --- Correlation between serum HDL cholesterol and kidney cholesterol --- p.76 / Chapter 4.12 --- Correlation between serum TG and liver TG --- p.76 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- RESULTS OF FRIED CORN OIL EXPERIMENT / Chapter 5.1 --- Fatty acid composition and phytosterol content of experiment corn oil --- p.80 / Chapter 5.2 --- Body weight and food intake --- p.80 / Chapter 5.3 --- Relative organ weight --- p.84 / Chapter 5.4 --- Plasma total cholesterol，triglycerides and HDL- cholesterol --- p.84 / Chapter 5.5 --- Organ cholesterol --- p.87 / Chapter 5.6 --- Fecal neutral sterol and phytosterol output --- p.87 / Chapter 5.7 --- Fecal acidic sterol output --- p.92 / Chapter 5.8 --- Effect of fried corn oil on cholesterol balance and phytosterol balance in hamsters --- p.92 / Chapter 5.9 --- "Effect of fried corn oil on hepatic triglycerides, free fatty acids and phospholipids concentration in hamster" --- p.97 / Chapter 5.10 --- Correlation between serum HDL cholesterol and liver cholesterol --- p.105 / Chapter 5.11 --- Correlation between serum HDL cholesterol and kidney cholesterol --- p.105 / Chapter 5.12 --- Correlation between serum TG and liver TG --- p.105 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- DISCUSSION --- p.109 / Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- CONCLUSION --- p.117 / REFERENCE --- p.118

Audit and feedback (A&F), provision of performance data, can be an effective means to change behaviour. We hypothesize that A&F may be useful in the complex environment of critical care to address routine ordering behaviours. This thesis describes a systematic review assessing the use and effectiveness of A&F for the improvement of intensive care unit laboratory test and transfusion ordering and an analysis of how these interventions adhere to recent suggestions for best practice. The review identified relatively few published studies, almost all of which involved multi-component interventions; these were generally found to be moderately effective. Through development of an evaluation tool, we found recent suggestions for best practice may be underutilized in existing A&F interventions. This work has identified several priorities for future research to aid in the optimization of critical care A&F interventions aimed at improving test and transfusion ordering.

The field of clinical laboratory science is experiencing a critical shortage of qualified professionals. Because health care practitioners depend on the results of laboratory tests to help diagnosis and treat patients, it is important to address the current and future shortage in the laboratory workforce. There is limited research on factors affecting the turnover intentions of clinical laboratory employees. Accordingly, the research questions for this study examined the effect of burnout (BO) and organizational commitment (OC) on the turnover intention of laboratory employees in Florida. A cross-sectional survey design was used to examine the relationship between BO and OC on turnover intentions. Data were collected from licensed clinical laboratory directors, supervisors, technologists, and technicians using the following scales: demographic questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, and Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. Linear regression and ANOVA were used to examine the relationships between these variables. The response rate was 18.4% (N = 184). Among clinical laboratory employees in Florida, the findings revealed significant predictive relationships between BO and turnover intention, OC and turnover intention, age and BO, and work shift and OC among clinical laboratory employees in Florida. Potential implications for positive social change from this study include reducing turnover among laboratory employees by allowing laboratory managers to create strategies that will reduce BO and increase OC, and thus decrease turnover intention.