In this thesis, I have explored the different approaches towards proving Artin's `primitive root' conjecture unconditionally and the elliptic curve analogue of the same. This conjecture was posed by E. Artin in the year 1927, and it still remains an open problem. In 1967, C. Hooley proved the conjecture based on the assumption of the generalized Riemann hypothesis. Thereafter, the mathematicians tried to get rid of the assumption and it seemed quite a daunting task. In 1983, the pioneering attempt was made by R. Gupta and M. Ram Murty, who proved unconditionally that there exists a specific set of 13 distinct numbers such that for at least one of them, the conjecture is true. Along the same line, using sieve theory, D. R. Heath-Brown reduced this set down to 3 distinct primes in the year 1986. This is the best unconditional result we have so far. In the first part of this thesis, we will review the sieve theoretic approach taken by Gupta-Murty and Heath-Brown. The second half of the thesis will deal with the elliptic curve analogue of the Artin's conjecture, which is also known as the Lang-Trotter conjecture. Lang and Trotter proposed the elliptic curve analogue in 1977, including the higher rank version, and also proceeded to set up the mathematical formulation to prove the same. The analogue conjecture was proved by Gupta and Murty in the year 1986, assuming the generalized Riemann hypothesis, for curves with complex multiplication. They also proved the higher rank version of the same. We will discuss their proof in details, involving the sieve theoretic approach in the elliptic curve setup. Finally, I will conclude the thesis with a refinement proposed by Gupta and Murty to find out a finite set of points on the curve such that at least one satisfies the conjecture.

Thèse : Lettres : Göteborg : 1983. / Texte remanié de : Diss. : Sprachwissenschaft : Göteborg : 1983. - Bibliogr. p. 163. Résumé en anglais. -

Immer mehr Berichte deuten darauf hin, dass nicht-kodierende RNAs an der Regulation des Immunsystems beteiligt sind. In dieser Arbeit wurden nicht-kodierende RNAs identifiziert, die durch zwei unterschiedliche immunologische Prozesse in zwei verschiedenen Zelltypen reguliert wurden. Zum einen wurde das Transkriptom von Multiplen Myelom-Zellen in Abhängigkeit von der Interleukin 6-Stimulation untersucht. Dabei wurden einige sehr lange, IL 6-regulierte macroRNAs identifiziert, die STAIRs (STAT3-induced RNAs). Bei den STAIRs handelt es sich wahrscheinlich um funktionelle, kontinuierliche, nicht-kodierende macroRNAs, die im Zellkern angereichert sind. Einige STAIRs dienen eventuell zusätzlich oder ausschließlich als Primärtranskript für gespleißte, lange ncRNAs (lncRNAs), die weitere Funktionen in der Zelle ausüben können. Die STAIRs weisen eine große Bandbreite an Gewebsspezifität auf und bei den Untersuchungen in dieser Arbeit zeigten sich Hinweise, dass sie sich für verschiedene Krebserkrankungen als Biomarker eignen könnten. Die zweite Transkriptomanalyse wurde bei der Aktivierung naiver T Zellen durchgeführt. Dabei offenbarte sich, dass die Zellen bei diesem Prozess einen dramatischen Wechsel ihres Transkriptionsprogrammes vollziehen und eine Vielzahl nicht Protein-kodierender Gene reguliert werden. Es wurde die Regulation von ncRNAs, die bisher noch nicht im Zusammenhang mit T Zellen beschrieben wurden, beobachtet und erneut unbekannte, differentiell exprimierte Bereiche identifiziert. Im Anschluss wurde STAIR18, eine nicht-kodierende RNA, die durch die beiden untersuchten Signalwege reguliert wird, eingehender untersucht. Es zeigte sich, dass STAIR18 im menschlichen Genom dupliziert ist und beide Loci die gespleißte, lange ncRNA152 in diversen Varianten transkribieren. ncRNA152 ist hauptsächlich im Zytoplasma lokalisiert und befindet sich dort anscheinend in perinukleären Aggregaten. Die verschiedenen ncRNA152-Isoformen scheinen unter-schiedliche Funktionen auszuführen. Einerseits ist eine Wirkung als competing endogenous RNA wahrscheinlich. Eine weitere Aufgabe der ncRNA152 scheint darin zu bestehen, das STAT3-Primärtranskript zu stabilisieren oder dessen Prozessierung zu fördern.

Deux principales langues d’Haïti (créole et français) se trouvent « mélangées » dans le contexte d’interactions sociopolitiques, intercommunautaires et sociodidactiques. Les périodes des élections présidentielles allant de 2000 à 2011 ont mis en lumière dans les discours publics une dynamique de pratiques ordinaires « inter-résolectales » et son corollaire d’insécurité « socio-pragma-linguistique ». Cette dynamique à l’oral s’inscrit dans l’histoire de l’île et de la société de plantation que les puissances coloniales y ont imposée. Cela génère des problèmes glottopolitiques. En s’appuyant sur théories du contexte, convoquées à partir d’un double ancrage interactionniste et variationniste, cette thèse tente de questionner, diagnostiquer, comprendre et modifier la place problématique de l’oral dans le système éducatif haïtien. Les résultats des analyses montrent une inégalité de réussite scolaire, professionnelle et universitaire, à cause de l’inadéquation et de la rupture entre les pratiques linguistiques scolaires et extrascolaires. Une démarche pragmatique est préconisée pour une didactique de l’oral haïtien, à l’aide de fiches techniques, pour tenter d’améliorer les pratiques scolaires en transposant les pratiques ordinaires dans l’enseignement. / Two main languages of Haiti (creole and french) are " mixed " in the context of socio-political, intercommunal and sociodidactics interactions. The periods of presidential elections from 2000 to 2011 have highlighted in public discourse dynamics ordinary "inter-resolectal" practices and its corollary of "socio-pragma-linguistic" insecurity. This oral dynamic is part of the history of the island and plantation society that colonial powers have imposed. This generates glottopolitic problems. Based on theories of context, called from a double interactionist and variationist anchor, this thesis attempts to question, diagnose, understand and change the problematic of the oral part of Haiti's education system. The results of the analysis show an unequal of educational, professional and academic achievement, because of the inadequacy and the breakout between school and extracurricular linguistic practices. A pragmatic approach is advocated for the teaching of haitian oral , with datasheets, to try to improve school practices by transposing ordinary practices in teaching. / De lang prensipal (kreyòl ak fransè) "melanje" nan kontèks entèyaksyon sosyopolitik, entèkominotè ak sosyodidaktik an Ayiti. Peryòd eleksyon prezidansyèl sòti nan lane 2000 rive 2011 yo fè parèt nan diskou piblik dinamik pratik òdinatè "entè-rezolektal" ak konsekans li ki se ensekirite " sosyo-pragma-lengwistik. " Dinamik oral sa a sòti nan listwa zile a ak sosyete plantè yo nan enpozisyon pouvwa kolonyal yo. Sa a vin bay pwoblèm glotopolitik. Sou baz teyori kontèks, apati yon doub ankraj intèyaksyonis ak varyasyionis, tèz sa ap eseye kesyonnen, fè dyagnostik, konprann ak modifye plas pwoblematik oral la nan sistèm edikatif ayisyen an. Rezilta analiz yo montre inegalite nan siksè edikatif, pwofesyonèl ak inivèsitè, akoz inadekwasyon ak blokaj ki genyen ant pratik lengwistik anndan ak andeyò lekòl yo. Yon demach pragmatik defann plas yon didaktik oral ayisyen , gras ak kèk fich teknik , pou amelyore pratik lekòl nan transpozisyon pratik òdinè yo nan ansèyman.

Over eight hundred years ago anonymous poets set the orally transmitted Nibelungen myth to parchment. This action started a trend of adapting the myth for contemporary audiences, a trend that has lasted since the High Middle Ages. Since then, the Nibelungen myth has become a sustaining element of the self-mythologization of German national identity. The problem, however, with adapting the Nibelungen myth for the purpose of creating a German identity, be it in the medieval epic, the Nibelungenlied, or Fritz Lang's 1924 film, Die Nibelungen, is that this model of identification is flawed – flawed because it consists of systematic binary divisions positing self-other dichotomies. What becomes evident is that in the adaptations of Nibelungen myth, the representations of alterity are contradictory and ambiguous, provoking the question: why is the Nibelungen myth an effective source from which one can project a national identity? / Graduate

M.A. / The problem setting, as a basis for this study, is the application of central New Age ideas contained in three op Phillips' texts which are presented as juvenile texts. It was necessary to ascertain to which extent the application of New Age perceptions moved preconceived boundaries and thus caused a change in observation and consciousness. It was further imperative to analyse the manner in which Phillips integrated viewpoints of the New Age in order to indicate the shift of boundaries and the change in consciousness coupled herewith. The most important standpoints of the New Age were theoretically explored during this study. The conclusion was drawn that the focus within the New Age is on movement of boundaries and change in consciousness. Holism was indicated as the core around which the New Age movement centres. It was also found that Phillips applied the holistic train of thought in her texts in order to portray the relationship between antropos and cosmos, as well as to establish transformative relationships. In view of the aforementioned goals, the main focal point of the study was the holistic way in which the most central New Age ideas were incorporated into Phillips' texts. The idea-contents of the three texts, as well as Phillips' art of writing can be proffered as transformative holistic.

The rehabilitation and restoration of degraded landscapes adjacent to gold tailings disposal facilities (TDFs) that have suffered loss of efficiency through anthropogenic forces has become a primary concern to environmental sciences and management in recent decades. Due to the lack of environmental legislation and enforcement thereof, minimal surface rehabilitation took place on the Mine Waste Solutions (MWS) No. 5 TDF prior to 1992, a commonplace occurrence in South Africa at the time. In 2000, MWS intervened and committed to the rehabilitation of the entire site with profits generated by the reprocessing (extraction of residual gold and uranium) of certain TDFs. However, the adjacent grazing land north of the MWS No. 5 TDF had already been subjected to pollution from the TDF which resulted in a pollution plume on the land. Although it has been inactive since April 2011, the pollution plume can be seen from the north-eastern corner of MWS No. 5 TDF, with a north-eastern/south-western direction on the farm Stilfontein. During dry periods, significant amounts of sulphate salts accumulate on the soil surface on the farm Stilfontein over a distance of at least 3.5 km from the TDF. The presence of sulphate salts in association with gold TDFs is highly common but not particularly common, in the chert-poor dolomites of the Oaktree Formation itself, in which the presence of sulphate salts is a rarity. The primary concern of this study was to determine both the quantitative and extent of the pollution observed on the farm Stilfontein over a period of 30 months via monthly monitoring of the different soil geochemical assessments across twelve fixed points, and quarterly interval assessments of three transect lines. In addition, the study was also concerned with the identification of potential linear structure anomalies associated with the pollution plume and weathered zones (fractures, joints and cavities) in the Oaktree Formation dolomites. These zones may be associated with, or may result in, the pollution extending over the area despite a topography as well as geological dip and strike that is adverse. These features and weathered zones create pathways for groundwater to flow and it was anticipated that, if present, these anomalies and weathered zones may be primary contributing factors to the pollution plume forming in a north-easterly direction and extending over the farm Stilfontein. The MWS No. 5 TDF has a hydraulic pressure head of approximately 40 m; the elevations of the north-eastern corner of the TDF and fixed point (FP) 8 (the farthest FP from the TDF) are 1368 m and 1360 m respectively, falling in close range of each other. It is anticipated that as the TDF material dries, the phreatic water level inside the TDF will lower; causing the pressure exerted by the hydraulic head of the TDF to lower over time, which will eventually end the pollution process on the soil. This study discusses the results of a holistic approach towards the evaluation of soil, vegetation and water pollution by utilizing soil quality parameters and indicators, geohydrology, geophysical surveys, Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) and other means of vegetation assessments. Salt accumulation on the soil surface was common in specific areas from 2010 – 2012. X ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed that the salts originated from the No. 5 TDF due to the similarity in mineralogy. The pH values from the start of the 30-month monitoring period remained neutral to slightly alkaline due to the neutralising effect of the dolomitic bedrock. The electrical conductivity (EC) values of the soil decreased significantly from 2010 to 2014; during dry seasons since 2012, no sulphate salts accumulated on the soil surface. Joints, fractures and cavities were found within the bedrock dolomites which created pathways for the polluted TDF water and groundwater to flow towards the study area. It was also established that there were no adverse effects on the natural vegetation, other than encroachment by Seriphium plumosum which affected the grazing quality (overgrazed sites) of the area. It was therefore concluded that after the TDF became dormant in April 2011, the pollution plume in this area is decreasing in magnitude and severity due the lowering of the phreatic water level inside the TDF to significantly lower levels. Consequently, the decrease of the hydraulic pressure head of the TDF as well as rainwater infiltration and high percolation due to the presence of fractures, joints and cavities in the dolomites resulted in the leaching of the sulphate salts to a significant extent. It was also concluded that while there were no apparent adverse effects of the pollution on the functionality of the land, additional monitoring and maintenance would be required for at least the next five years in order to ensure the continuance of current conditions. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The rehabilitation and restoration of degraded landscapes adjacent to gold tailings disposal facilities (TDFs) that have suffered loss of efficiency through anthropogenic forces has become a primary concern to environmental sciences and management in recent decades. Due to the lack of environmental legislation and enforcement thereof, minimal surface rehabilitation took place on the Mine Waste Solutions (MWS) No. 5 TDF prior to 1992, a commonplace occurrence in South Africa at the time. In 2000, MWS intervened and committed to the rehabilitation of the entire site with profits generated by the reprocessing (extraction of residual gold and uranium) of certain TDFs. However, the adjacent grazing land north of the MWS No. 5 TDF had already been subjected to pollution from the TDF which resulted in a pollution plume on the land. Although it has been inactive since April 2011, the pollution plume can be seen from the north-eastern corner of MWS No. 5 TDF, with a north-eastern/south-western direction on the farm Stilfontein. During dry periods, significant amounts of sulphate salts accumulate on the soil surface on the farm Stilfontein over a distance of at least 3.5 km from the TDF. The presence of sulphate salts in association with gold TDFs is highly common but not particularly common, in the chert-poor dolomites of the Oaktree Formation itself, in which the presence of sulphate salts is a rarity. The primary concern of this study was to determine both the quantitative and extent of the pollution observed on the farm Stilfontein over a period of 30 months via monthly monitoring of the different soil geochemical assessments across twelve fixed points, and quarterly interval assessments of three transect lines. In addition, the study was also concerned with the identification of potential linear structure anomalies associated with the pollution plume and weathered zones (fractures, joints and cavities) in the Oaktree Formation dolomites. These zones may be associated with, or may result in, the pollution extending over the area despite a topography as well as geological dip and strike that is adverse. These features and weathered zones create pathways for groundwater to flow and it was anticipated that, if present, these anomalies and weathered zones may be primary contributing factors to the pollution plume forming in a north-easterly direction and extending over the farm Stilfontein. The MWS No. 5 TDF has a hydraulic pressure head of approximately 40 m; the elevations of the north-eastern corner of the TDF and fixed point (FP) 8 (the farthest FP from the TDF) are 1368 m and 1360 m respectively, falling in close range of each other. It is anticipated that as the TDF material dries, the phreatic water level inside the TDF will lower; causing the pressure exerted by the hydraulic head of the TDF to lower over time, which will eventually end the pollution process on the soil. This study discusses the results of a holistic approach towards the evaluation of soil, vegetation and water pollution by utilizing soil quality parameters and indicators, geohydrology, geophysical surveys, Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) and other means of vegetation assessments. Salt accumulation on the soil surface was common in specific areas from 2010 – 2012. X ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed that the salts originated from the No. 5 TDF due to the similarity in mineralogy. The pH values from the start of the 30-month monitoring period remained neutral to slightly alkaline due to the neutralising effect of the dolomitic bedrock. The electrical conductivity (EC) values of the soil decreased significantly from 2010 to 2014; during dry seasons since 2012, no sulphate salts accumulated on the soil surface. Joints, fractures and cavities were found within the bedrock dolomites which created pathways for the polluted TDF water and groundwater to flow towards the study area. It was also established that there were no adverse effects on the natural vegetation, other than encroachment by Seriphium plumosum which affected the grazing quality (overgrazed sites) of the area. It was therefore concluded that after the TDF became dormant in April 2011, the pollution plume in this area is decreasing in magnitude and severity due the lowering of the phreatic water level inside the TDF to significantly lower levels. Consequently, the decrease of the hydraulic pressure head of the TDF as well as rainwater infiltration and high percolation due to the presence of fractures, joints and cavities in the dolomites resulted in the leaching of the sulphate salts to a significant extent. It was also concluded that while there were no apparent adverse effects of the pollution on the functionality of the land, additional monitoring and maintenance would be required for at least the next five years in order to ensure the continuance of current conditions. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Le système mondial des villes a subi une série de transformations à la suite del'intégration des différentes économies nationales dans la globalisation,de l'émergence d'une nouvelle division du travail, de la pénétration du capitaltransnational dans la dynamique locale et de l'importance croissante de services auxproducteurs et aux consommateurs. La mondialisation des villes, avec le phénomènede métropolisation, a changé l'utilisation des sols, l'aménagement des bâtiments etdes projets urbains d’expansion territoriale. Par conséquent elle consitue un nouveaudéfi pour les autorités locales et pour l’Etat en ce qui concerne la planification, lagestion et la gouvernance. L’aménagement moderne doit donc mettre l’accent à la foissur l’expansion territoriale et sur les modèles concurrents qui changent l’utilisationdes espaces urbains. Pour mieux comprendre les dynamiques des villes, notre étudedans le domaine de la géographie économique prend en compte différentes échelles:régionale, nationale et locale. La réflexion théorique est mise en pratique au seind’une analyse comparative entre deux métropoles de la région centraméricaine : laGran Área Metropolitana (GAM) à San José au Costa Rica et l’Área MetropolitanaPacífico (AMP) de Ciudad de Panamá. Nous analyserons ces deux cas à partir desannées 1990, car elles ont marqué de nouveaux défis économiques et politiques nonseulement dans chacune de ces aires métropolitaines mais aussi dans la régioncentroaméricaine. / On a global scale, the system of cities has been subjected to a series oftransformations from their economic integration, the emergence of a new division oflabor, the penetration of transnational capital and the growing importance of servicesfor the producers and the consumers. The globalization of cities, through thephenomenon of metropolization, has greatly changed the use of land, the layout ofbuildings and urban development projects for territorial expansion becoming a newchallenge for local and state authorities to plan, manage and govern. Therefore,modern spatial planning must consider the factor of globalization – that influences theterritorial expansion of cities – as well as the models of competitiveness that modifythe use of land. To get a better understanding of the international dynamics in cityspace, in the discipline of economic geography, our study takes into account differentscales: regional, national and local. Theoretical reflection is put into practice bymeans of a comparative analysis between two metropolises in the Central Americanregion: the Gran Área Metropolitana (GAM) in San José in Costa Rica and the ÁreaMetropolitana Pacífico (AMP) in Panamá City. We will analyze both cases from the1990s onwards because this decade corresponds to the new economic and politicalchallenges that were established in each metropolitan area and in the CentralAmerican region in general.

Abstract not available