A new method for measuring the hardness-intensity correlation (HIC) present in gamma-ray bursts (GRB) is developed. This method is used to measure the HIC for 100 single-peak gamma-ray bursts, 17 with known redshifts. The HIC is thus shown to be a consequence of energy-dependent lag times between hard and soft photons. Parameters derived from time profile fits using a modified double sigmoidal function are used to calculate a new set of lag time parameters for bursts, and these parameters are analyzed statistically to look for correlations with intrinsic GRB properties. This analysis shows that GRB red shift is related to lag times between hard and soft photons and that, to within 65% accuracy, GRB redshift can be predicted by the equation: z = 2.49 - 0.131(dpeak) - 0.473(MADS_dpeak)+ 0.143(decay_lag)

INTRODUÇÃO: Apesar de classicamente a lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL) ser descrita como um fator de risco independente para as doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), devido ao seu papel no transporte reverso de colesterol (TRC), atualmente sabe-se que esta partícula exerce múltiplos mecanismos biológicos que podem contribuir para esta cardioproteção, com estudos indo além do conteúdo de colesterol associada à HDL (HDL-C). OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto da suplementação de ?-3 no perfil de ácidos graxos, tamanho e capacidade antioxidante da HDL. MÉTODOS: Estudo clínico, aleatorizado, controlado, duplo cego e paralelo, onde foram incluídos 147 indivíduos adultos, com fatores de risco cardiovascular, que foram alocados no grupo ?-3 (n=77 - 3,0 g/dia contendo 1,8 g de EPA+DHA) ou no grupo ?-6 (n=70 - 3,0 g/dia de óleo de girassol contendo 1,95 g de ácido linoleico). No início (T0) e após 8 semanas (T8) amostras de sangue foram coletadas e, a partir do plasma ou soro, foram analisados o perfil lipídico (CT, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG), as apolipoproteínas AI, CII e CIII, as subfrações da HDL (Lipoprint®), a atividade da paraoxonase (PON1) e da proteína transportadora de éster de colesterol (CETP), a capacidade antioxidante da HDL (método experimental) e o perfil de ácidos graxos e conteúdo de AGNEs da HDL. Os resultados do efeito do tempo, da intervenção e das interações entre os parâmetros monitorados e os desfechos foram realizados com o auxílio do programa SPSS® versão 20.0. O valor de significância considerado foi de p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Os grupos ?-3 e ?-6 eram semelhantes entre si em relação a idade, sexo, tabagismo e uso de medicamentos, ambos apresentando alta prevalência de hipertensão e dislipidemia. Nos dois grupos, houve redução em todos os marcadores lipídicos, exceto a concentração de HDL-C, que aumentou. Observou-se o efeito do tempo no conteúdo de HDLAGNEs (?=-16,2%), no percentual de HDLGRANDE (?=20,1%) e de HDLPEQUENA (?=-5,0%). O aumento de EPA na HDL se associou à menor chance de ter elevação da atividade da PON1 (OR=0,446; IC=0,200-0,994), da concentração de HDLAGNEs (OR=0,275; IC=0,113-0,660) e do percentual de HDLPEQUENA (OR=0,337; IC=0,146-0,782). Observou-se ainda que o EPA se associou a, aproximadamente, 3,5 mais chances de aumento no percentual da HDLGRANDE (OR=3,522; IC=1,652-7,507). Quanto ao aumento de DHA na HDL, este esteve associado de maneira significativa à diminuição da concentração de Apo AI (OR=0,351; IC=0,150-0,821), além da atividade da PON1 (OR=0,226; IC=0,110-0,639) e da concentração de HDLAGNEs (OR=0,275; IC=0,113-0,668). Resultados similares aos obtidos com o EPA foram observados para o DHA e o tamanho da HDL. Não foi constatado efeito da incorporação de EPA e DHA na resistência à oxidação. CONCLUSÃO: A intervenção com ?-3 promoveu mudanças na composição da partícula de HDL, aumentando o percentual das subfrações maiores, sem, contudo, modificar sua capacidade antioxidante. / BACKGROUND: Although high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is classically described as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), because of its role in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), currently, it is known that this particle exerts multiple biological mechanisms that may contribute to this cardioprotection, with studies going beyond HDL cholesterol content (HDL-C). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of ?-3 supplementation on the fatty acid profile, size and antioxidant capacity of HDL. METHODS: A randomized, controlled, double-blind, parallel clinical study involving 147 adult subjects with cardiovascular risk factors, who were allocated into the ?-3 group (n=77 -3.0 g/day containing 1.8 g EPA + DHA) or the ?-6 group (n=70 -3.0 g/day of sunflower oil containing 1.95 g of linoleic acid). In the beginning (T0) and after 8 weeks (T8) blood samples were collected and, from plasma or serum, were analyzed lipid profile (TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG), apolipoproteins AI, CII and CIII, HDL subfractions (Lipoprint®), paraoxonase (PON1) and cholesterol ester carrier protein (CETP) activities, antioxidant capacity of HDL (experimental method), the fatty acid profile and NEFAs content HDL. Results of the effect of time, intervention and interactions between monitored parameters and outcomes were performed with the aid of SPSS® software version 20.0. The significance level considered was p<0.05. RESULTS: The ?-3 and ?-6 groups were similar in relation to age, sex, smoking and medication use, both presenting high prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia. In both groups, there was a reduction in all lipid markers except HDL-C concentration, which increased. The effect of time on HDLNEFAs content (?=-16.2%), and on the percentage of HDLLARGE (?=20.1%) and HDLSMALL (?=-5.0%) were observed. Increasing EPA in HDL was associated with a lower chance of enhance PON1 activity (OR=0.446, CI=0.200-0.994), HDLNEFAs concentration (OR=0.275, CI=0.113-0.660), and HDLSMALL (OR=0.337, CI=0.146- 0.782). It was also observed that EPA was associated with approximately 3.5 more chances of raising the percentage of HDLLARGE (OR=3.522, CI=1.652-7.507). Increasing DHA in HDL was significantly associated with a decrease in Apo AI concentration (OR=0.351, CI=0.150- 0.821), and also PON1 activity (OR=0.226, CI=0.110-0.639) and concentration of HDLNEFAs (OR=0.275, CI=0.113-0.668). Similar results obtained with EPA were observed for DHA and HDL size. No effect of the incorporation of EPA and DHA on oxidation resistance was observed. CONCLUSION: The ?-3 intervention promoted changes in the composition of the HDL particle, increasing the percentage of the larger subfractions, without, however, modifying its antioxidant capacity.

Detta är en studie som undersökt om det går att kartlägga någon skillnad mellan erfarna och oerfarna tolkar när det gäller deras lag time (eftersläpning). Lag time är tidsspannet från det att tolken hör talarens yttrande till dess att tolken själv producerar motsvarande yttrande. Tidigare forskare (t ex Cokely, 1992  och McDermid, 2014) har sett att detta påverkar resultatet av tolkningen och därför är detta intressant att undersöka närmare utifrån ett erfarenhetsperspektiv. I studien spelades tre erfarna och tre oerfarna tolkar in när de tolkade ett delvis förskrivet rollspel. Efter inspelningen analyserades materialet genom att i olika segment kontrollera med tidtagarur hur långt efter talaren tolken producerade ett yttrande liknande originaltalets. Resultatet visade att det inte var någon genomgående större skillnad mellan erfarna och oerfarna tolkar i deras lag time. I denna grupp var det istället individuella variationer.  Däremot upptäcktes det att det är svårt att identifiera hur man definierar och mäter lag time. / This is a study which explored the possibility to map a difference between experienced and inexperienced interpreters in their use of lag time. Lag time is the time difference from when the interpreter hears an utterance until the interpreter him/herself starts producing an equivalent utterance. Earlier researchers (for example Cokely, 1992 and McDermid, 2014) have found that this affects the result of the interpretation and that is why this is interesting to explore from a perspective of interpreting experience. In this study three inexperienced interpreters and three experienced interpreters were recorded during a partly scripted role play. After the recording, the material was analyzed by using a stop watch to see how far behind the interpreter’s utterance was produced after the speaker’s utterance in different segments. The result showed that it was not a general difference between the experienced and inexperienced interpreters in their lag time, instead there were individual differences. What was also found is that it is difficult to identify how to define and measure lag time.

Published Article / The Water Administration System (WAS) is designed to be a management tool for irrigation schemes and water offices that want to manage their water accounts and supply to clients through canal networks, pipelines and rivers. The ultimate aim of WAS is to optimize irrigation water management and minimize management-related distribution losses in irrigation canals. This research project focus on the implementation of the water release module of the WAS program at the Vaalharts irrigation scheme. WAS consists of four modules that are integrated into a single program that can be used on a single PC, a PC network system (in use currently at Vaalharts) or a multi-user environment. These modules can be implemented partially or as a whole, depending on the requirements of the specific scheme or office. The four modules are an administration module, a water request module; water accounts module and a water release module. The first three modules are already implemented at Vaalharts, while module four is implemented only partially. This module links with the water request module and calculates water releases for the main canal and all its branches allowing for lag times and any water losses and accruals. Any researcher in this field should first understand where water comes from and how it will be utilized before any calculations are attempted. Only then manipulation of the release volume can commence. To precisely calculate this water release, accurate data is needed to ensure that the correct volume of water is released into the canal network. This can be done by verifying existing data with field data. To optimize the management of the irrigation scheme the fully implemented WAS program need to be installed and running at the scheme. A series of data and calculation verification needs to be executed. The exercise will show the adequacy and correctness of the available database WAS uses to do the release calculation from. This will ensure improved management of the irrigation scheme, catchment and water resource sustainability. It is planned that the information generated from this project will be used in the compilation of an integrated catchment management information system, currently underway in the school of Civil Engineering and Built Environment at the Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa.

Multiple dose regimens are frequently required to optimize therapy; however, such therapy is frequently undermined by poor patient adherence. In fact, patient adherence is inversely related to the number of doses a patient is asked to take each drug. Consequently, great efforts are under way to develop drug delivery systems that are able to release drugs over an extended time interval; this could offer considerable benefits including reducing administration frequency. This dissertation describes multiple dose platforms designed to deliver a variety of drugs as a single oral administration are described in this dissertation. We believe these drug delivery systems can be used to enhance patient compliance and achieve better therapeutic outcomes. We developed and tested a novel gastroretentive pulsatile drug delivery platform. This platform could deliver multiple unit doses of a drug in a pulsatile pattern and be controlled by dissolution/erosion of a lag-time interval layer. The platform was designed to be retained in the stomach whilst pulsing drug at various timed intervals. This would allow each dose of the drug to release above or within an optimized absorption window over an extended period of time. To assure the robustness and reproducibility of the platform, various in vitro dissolution studies and physical stability tests were performed and evaluated through drug release characteristics, buoyancy, and structural integrity evaluations. The applicability of the novel multiple dose platform was demonstrated by providing repeated release profiles of ciprofloxacin and verapamil in a single, once-daily delivery system. Ultimately, this dissertation demonstrates that a novel multiple dose platform could be a suitable alternative dosing strategy for a variety of drugs to improve patient adherence and treatment efficacy. / text

Appointment no-shows are a problem in healthcare organizations. It is important that appointment intake and scheduling processes are effective in both meeting client needs and efficient in meeting organizational business requirements. This study examined baseline levels of appointment keeping in a not-for-profit medical/behavioral pediatric services clinic, analyzed existing administrative processes, introduced additional appointment keeping reminders, and presented systematic, performance management tutorials for clinic employees. Results indicate an increase in percentage of appointments kept and a decrease in appointment lag time.

This dissertation has contributed to the pedestrian safety literature by assessing and comparing safety benefits and traffic efficiency among midblock Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) and Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) sites. Video trajectory data were used to calculate pedestrian Surrogate Safety Measures (SSMs) and vehicles' delay. Regression models of SSMs and vehicles' delay revealed that PHB sites offer more safety benefits, at the expense of increased vehicles' delay, compared to RRFB sites. The presence of the PHB, weekday, signal activation, lane count, pedestrian speed, vehicle speed, land use mix, traffic flow, time of day, and pedestrian starting position from the sidewalk have been found to be significant determinants of the SSMs and vehicles' delay. Another avenue of pedestrian safety explored in this dissertation is the lag time. The study investigates survival likelihood and the lag time of non-instant pedestrian fatalities using random parameter Binary Logit and Ordered Logit models. The models were run on a dataset obtained from the Fatality Accident Reporting System (FARS) for the period of 2015-2019. The analysis revealed that weather, driver age groups, drunk/ distracted/ drowsy drivers, hit and run, involvement of large truck, VRU age group, gender, presence of sidewalk, presence of intersection, light condition, and speeding were common significant factors for both models. The factor found to be significant exclusively for the Binary Logit model includes Area type. Factors found to be significant exclusively for the Ordered Logit model include Presence of Crosswalk and Fire station nearby. The results validate the use of lag time as an alternative to crash count and crash severity analysis. The findings of this study pave the way for practitioners and policymakers to evaluate the effectiveness of midblock pedestrian crossing facilities, as well as to use lag time to investigate crashes and corroborate results from traditional crash-based investigations.

A unique dosage form which uses a hydrophilic polymer was developed to provide for a predicable release of several drugs. This drug release could be optimized for controlled release using erosion. It can also be designed to release drug utilizing electrochemical processes. The accuracy of drug delivery in terms of dose and timing is of utmost importance for the patient’s health status and compliance. A well-designed drug delivery technology offers many advantages to the patient. These advantages include: reduction in dose frequency, reduction of drug side effects, reduced unwanted fluctuations in circulating drug levels, and a more uniform effect of the drug over time. The practice of drug delivery has been dramatically developed in the last decade including electronic controlled release innovative dosage forms. In this study the iontophoretic flux of ibuprofen was investigated using side- by-side diffusion cells. Iontophoresis is the process where electric current is applied to enhance transportation of drugs across the skin. The pH change was found to be an important factor in increasing the diffusion of the drug. The principle of using electric current as a driving force to control the drug release was initially demonstrated on an initial setup. Subsequently, a calcium binding polymer was the hydrogel used as a matrix to develop a new electric oral dosage form. The calcium binding polymer is produced in different forms. The production process of these forms suffers several limitations. In order to apply electric current in a practical way to the calcium binding polymer matrix a novel method was developed. The novel method also allowed for addressing the limitations related to the production process of the conventional dosage form made with this polymer. More uniform gel tablets in shape and size were produced. Different formulations were developed. Ibuprofen was the model drug initially used to investigate the factors that affected the release profiles of these tablets. A two-level, three-factor statistical design of experiments (DOE) was performed to evaluate the effect of those factors on certain responses. These responses included the release rate, time needed to release 80% of the model drug, and lag-time. A new formulation with certain adjuvants was developed. This formulation had the ability to release different kinds of drugs in a uniform release rate. A fail-safe tablet that can only release less than 20% of the drug in 24 hours was developed. The drug release was initiated only when the electric current was applied. This new electric dosage form was aimed to overcome the disadvantages related to conventional dosage forms such as the inability to supply drugs on demand. / Pharmaceutical Sciences

While a majority of deaf students mainstreamed in public schools rely on interpreters, little research has investigated interpreter skills and no research to date has focused on interpreter intelligibility (Kluwin & Stewart, 2001). This thesis is the second in a series of experiments designed to quantify the contribution of various factors affecting the intelligibility of interpreters (transliterators) who use English-based communication modes. In the first experiment, 12 Cued Speech transliterators were asked to transliterate an audio lecture. Two aspects of these transliterated performances were then analyzed: 1) accuracy, as measured as the percent-correct cues produced, and 2) lag time, the average delay between lecture and transliterated message. For this thesis, eight expert receivers of Cued Speech were presented with visual stimuli from the transliterated messages and asked to transcribe the stimuli. Intelligibility was measured as the percentage of words correctly received. Results show a positive nonlinear relationship exits between transliterator accuracy and message intelligibility. Intelligibility improved with accuracy at the same rate for both novice and veteran transliterators, but receiver task difficulty was less for stimuli produced by veterans than novices (as evidenced by a left shift in the psychometric function for veterans compared to novices). No large effects of lag time were found in the accuracy-intelligibility relationship, but an "optimal lag time" range was noted from 1 to 1.5 seconds, for which intelligibility scores were higher overall. Intelligibility scores were generally higher than accuracy, but not all transliterators followed the same accuracy-intelligibility pattern due to other sources of variability. Possible sources of transliterator variability included rate of cueing, visible speech clarity, facial expression, timing (to show syllable stress or word emphasis), cueing mechanics, and mouth-cue synchronization. Further research is needed to determine the impact these factors have on intelligibility so that future transliterator training and certification can focus on all factors necessary to ensure highly intelligible Cued Speech transliterators.

An evaluation for Lag time, defined as the time from the centroid of rainfall excess to the centroid of direct runoff, was performed for seven small watersheds in the Southwestern United States. The size of these watersheds range in size from 0.33 to 4.37 ha. The evaluation period goes from 2000 to 2010. This evaluation was compared versus 28 lag time equations.The USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center has developed an electronic data processing system where rainfall and runoff data is collected from sensors in the field and are transmitted to computers in the office.Prior to these data sets there were no measurable rainfall and runoff data. This digital data is generated by means of synchronized clocks in rain gages and flumes. As a result, the data from this electronic processing system offers a unique opportunity for hydrologic research. This infrastructure is a characteristic not often available in many other sites and a condition not enjoyed in previous investigations.There are several definitions of lag time depending on what particular time period is used to describe the occurrence of unit rainfall and runoff. But, time parameters currently lack commonly-accepted standard definitions.The various definitions for time parameters such as Lag Time, Time of Concentration, Time to Peak, Equilibrium Time and others, sometimes, are used interchangeably. Another aspect is that in Lag time determination, centers of mass play a critical role. This study found out that depending of the loss model chosen to estimate rainfall excess, it shall influence the determination of center of mass and hence the lag time.Some negative values were obtained for lag time when measured from peak of runoff to centroid of effective rainfall. However, in the lag time definition from centroid of effective rainfall to centroid of direct runoff, negative values were not obtained.One field in particular, time parameters currently lacks commonly-accepted standard definitions. This has become a source of profound confusion in this branch of science to the point where teams of scientists writing about and discussing hydrological Time Parameters can be compared to the aftermath at the Tower of Babel.