Melanogrammus aeglefinus, commonly known as haddock, is a commercially important marine fish species closely related to cod. Preliminary investigations into the immune function of this species has revealed several unique and interesting features, including an unusually high number of expressed alleles of Major Histocompatibility (MH) Class I genes. The goal of this project was to examine the sequences of alleles, including the untranslated regions, for potential regulatory mechanisms which may limit the number of alleles expressed to the point of functional molecules. Using a cDNA library from an individual haddock, a total of 22 unique alleles were isolated and sequenced, and three putative mechanisms for limiting expression were revealed. The first mechanism was the inversion of the open reading frame within the transcript. The second mechanism was the linking of the MH Class I transcript with the transcript of another gene. The third mechanism was non-classical substitutions at the nine amino acid residues involved in peptide anchoring. These three mechanisms represent novel ways of limiting expression and effectively reduced the number of alleles which could be expressed into functional classical MH Class I molecules.

Melanogrammus aeglefinus, commonly known as haddock, is a commercially important marine fish species closely related to cod. Preliminary investigations into the immune function of this species has revealed several unique and interesting features, including an unusually high number of expressed alleles of Major Histocompatibility (MH) Class I genes. The goal of this project was to examine the sequences of alleles, including the untranslated regions, for potential regulatory mechanisms which may limit the number of alleles expressed to the point of functional molecules. Using a cDNA library from an individual haddock, a total of 22 unique alleles were isolated and sequenced, and three putative mechanisms for limiting expression were revealed. The first mechanism was the inversion of the open reading frame within the transcript. The second mechanism was the linking of the MH Class I transcript with the transcript of another gene. The third mechanism was non-classical substitutions at the nine amino acid residues involved in peptide anchoring. These three mechanisms represent novel ways of limiting expression and effectively reduced the number of alleles which could be expressed into functional classical MH Class I molecules.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-01T21:58:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese_12206_Luma Barbosa Magnago.pdf: 1956140 bytes, checksum: 16d722634803eabf0f76fd98302d22f7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-16 / Neste trabalho, o método de co-precipitação foi utilizado para a síntese de ferritas não dopadas (Fe2O3/Fe3O4-R) e dopadas com níquel a partir de reagentes comerciais (NiFe2O4-R) e a partir do níquel reciclado de baterias de níquel hidreto-metálico (Ni-MH) exauridas (NiFe2O4-B). A estrutura e composição das ferritas foi confirmada por difratometria de raios X (DRX), espectroscopia dispersiva de raios X (EDX) e espectrometria com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP OES). A microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) mostrou que as ferritas são formadas por partículas aglomeradas de diferentes tamanhos e formatos e a microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET) revelou partículas esféricas de 50 nm, aproximadamente. Ferritas são materiais multifuncionais que podem ser utilizados como catalisadores e pseudocapacitores. A propriedade catalítica das ferritas foi analisada através da descoloração do corante azul de metileno (AM) pelo processo foto Fenton heterogêneo utilizando radiação solar. O planejamento experimental apontou as ferritas na seguinte ordem referente a eficiência de descoloração do corante: NiFe2O4-B = NiFe2O4-R > Fe2O3/Fe3O4-R. Utilizando a NiFe2O4-B, a solução do AM foi descolorida com mais de 90% de eficiência em 90 minutos. A análise por ICP OES da solução final após descoloração com a NiFe2O4-B indicou uma concentração de (0,00057 ± 0,00067) 𝑚𝑔L-1 de íons de níquel e não detectou-se íons de ferro. As concentrações de íons de níquel e de ferro estão abaixo do recomendado pela resolução 430/2011 do CONAMA para o descarte de efluentes. NiFe2O4-B não transfere íons metálicos presentes em sua composição para a solução. Na solução final também foram identificados os ácidos fórmico, acético e propiônico por cromatografia de íons (CI). A propriedade pseudocapacitiva das ferritas foi analisada por voltametria cíclica (VC) e mostrou que a NiFe2O4-B possui maior eficiência de carga (84,3%) quando comparada com as ferritas NiFe2O4-R (65,5%) e Fe2O3/Fe3O4-R (57%) após 1000 ciclos. A ferrita NiFe2O4-B é um eficiente catalisador na degradação do corante AM e ainda pode ser utilizado como um pseudocapacitor eletroquímico.

För modellering av risker vid naturkatastrofer är GIS ett grundläggande verktyg. HAZUS-MH är ett GIS-baserat riskanalysverktyg, utvecklat av den amerikanska myndigheten FEMA. HAZUS-MH har en välutvecklad metodologi för modellering av naturkatastrofer, vilket är något som efterfrågas på europeisk nivå inom ramen för översvämningsdirektivet. Därför föreligger ett intresse för implementering av HAZUS-MH för icke amerikanska förhållanden. Denna studies syfte är att fördjupa kunskaperna för implementering och användning av HAZUS-MH i Sverige. För att möjliggöra implementering behöver svenska data bearbetas för att matcha datastrukturen i HAZUS-MH. Metoden innefattar en litteraturgenomgång av tidigare studier och manualer samt databearbetning. Erfarenheter av databearbetningen samlades in för att bygga upp en manual för databearbetning samt för att utvärdera möjligheter och hinder för implementering i Sverige. Resultatet visar hur systemkrav och övriga inställningar för användning av HAZUS-MH ser ut. De övriga inställningarna berör koppling till HAZUS-MH databas med mera. För anpassning av svenska data beskrivs databehov (administrativ indelning, inventeringsdata och hydrologiska data), data-bearbetning (rekommenderad arbetsgång för att fylla shape-filer och tabeller med information) och dataimport. Vidare redogör resultatet för tillämpningen av HAZUS-MH med svenska data. Denna studie identifierar flera möjligheter hos HAZUS-MH. Möjligheterna att skapa risk- och sårbarhetskartor samt dataimport är de största. Tidsåtgången för att utföra anpassningen av svenska data var runt 15 arbetsdagar. Denna studie uppskattar att med hjälp av manualer för anpass-ningen kan denna tid kortas till 3 arbetsdagar. Om processen att anpassa svenska data automat-iseras kan tiden kortas ytterligare. Den största barriären enligt denna studie är insamling av data. För att kunna använda HAZUS-MH fulla potential behövs omfattande datainsamling. En annan barriär är begränsningar i hydro-logiska data, det är nödvändigt med externa hydrologiska data för en så korrekt analys som möjligt. Vidare forskning inom området bör enligt denna studie fokusera på metoder för att samla in data samt hur en automatisk process för att anpassa data skulle kunna se ut. / When modeling risks for natural disasters, GIS is a fundamental tool. HAZUS-MH is a GIS-based risk analysis tool, developed by the American authority FEMA. HAZUS-MH has a well-developed methodology for modeling natural disasters, which is something that is demanded at European level within the flood directive framework. Hence, there is an interest in implementing HAZUS-MH for non-US conditions. The aim of the study is to deepen the knowledge for the implementation and use of HAZUS-MH in Sweden. To enable implementation, Swedish data is required to be processed to match the data structure of HAZUS-MH. Methods for this study are a literature review of previous studies and manuals and data processing. Experiences of the data processing were collected to build a manual for data processing and to evaluate opportunities and obstacles for implementation in Sweden. The result shows how system requirements and other settings for using HAZUS-MH look like. The other settings include connection to the HAZUS-MH database et cetera. For adaption of Swedish data, requirements including data (administrative division, inventory data and hydrological data), data processing (recommended workflow to fill shape-files and attribute tables with information) and data import are described. The result also describes the application of HAZUS-MH with Swedish data. This study identifies several possibilities of HAZUS-MH. The opportunities for creating risk and vulnerability maps and data import are the largest. The time required to perform the adaptation of Swedish data was approximately 15 working days. This study estimates that with the help of manuals for the adaption, this time could be shortened to approximately 3 working days. If the process of adapting data is automated, this time could be shortened further. The largest obstacle under this study is the data collection process, to use the full potential of HAZUS-MH extensive data collection is needed. Another obstacle is the limitation of hydrological data, external hydrological data is necessary to get as accurate analysis as possible. Further research in the field should, according to this study, focus on methods of collecting data and development of an automatic process for managing data.

No description available.

In this study, Hazus-MH (v 2.1 SP 2) flood-loss estimation tools were assessed for their sensitivity to an array of different building and model parameters. The purpose of this study is to help guide users of the Hazus-MH flood-loss modeling tool in the selection of most appropriate model parameters. Six model parameters (square footage of the building, building age, construction types, foundation types, first floor heights, and the number of stories in the building) were assessed for their impacts on flood losses using the Hazus-MH user defined and aggregate flood-loss models. Building stock databases for these analyses were developed using county assessor records from two Illinois counties. A validation assessment was also performed using observed flood-damage survey data collected after the 2011 Mississippi River Flood which inundated the Olive Branch Area in Alexander County, Illinois. This analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of the detailed Hazus-MH User Defined Facility (UDF) flood-loss modeling tool. The foundation types and its associated first floor heights and number of stories in the building were found to substantially impact flood-loss estimates using the Hazus-MH flood-loss modeling tool. The model building parameters square footage, building age and construction type had little or no effect on the flood-loss estimates. The validation assessment reveled Hazus-MH UDF flood-loss modeling tool is capable of providing a reasonable estimate of actual flood losses. The validation assessment showed the modeled results to be within 23% of actual losses. The validation study results attained in this study using the detailed UDF flood-loss modeling tool where more realistic (within 23% of actual losses versus > 50% of actual losses) than previous Hazus-MH flood-loss validation assessments. The flood-loss estimates could be further improved by modifying or choosing a more region specific depth-damage curve, using higher resolution DEM and improving the flood-depth grid by incorporating more detailed flood elevation data or estimates using detailed hydraulic models that better reflects the local inundation conditions.

This study combined flood-frequency analysis, 1-D (one-dimensional) hydraulic modeling using HEC-RAS, and flood-loss modeling using FEMA's Hazus-MH (Hazards U.S. Multi-Hazard) in order to: 1) quantify how different flood-frequency methodologies affect flood-risk assessments, and 2) quantify the impacts of different floodplain-management scenarios along the Middle Mississippi River (MMR). The nine scenarios tested here included various combinations of flood-frequency methodology, buyouts, and levee configurations. The levee configurations analyzed included: 1) current levee configuration, 2) no levees, 3) a 1500 m levee setback, 4) a 1000 m levee setback, and 5) a customized levee setback designed to maximize protection around existing infrastructure. Two study reaches were chosen: (1) an Urban Study Reach within St. Clair and northern Monroe Counties, IL, with levees designed to withstand the 500-year flood and (2) an Agricultural Study Reach within Union and Jackson Counties, IL, with <100-year levees. A flood-frequency analysis was completed for the St. Louis, MO gauging station, and detailed building inventories were used to estimate flood losses on a structure-by-structure basis (Hazus-MH UDF analysis) for an array of floods ranging from the 2- to the 500-year events. These flood-loss estimates were combined with a stochastic levee-failure model. Finally, estimated flood damages from Hazus-MH were integrated across the full range of flood recurrences in order to calculate expected annual damage (EAD). This study's flood-frequency analysis and corresponding flood-loss assessment demonstrate how differences in flood-frequency methodology can significantly impact flood-risk assessments. EAD based on the UMRSFFS (Upper Mississippi River System Flow Frequency Study) flood frequencies was 68% ($45.4 million) lower than EAD based on this study's flood frequencies. This decrease in EAD demonstrates that the UMRSFFS flood frequencies and corresponding stages may significantly underestimate flood risk within the Urban Study Reach. The 100-year discharge in the UMRSFFS appears to be underestimated by an estimated 17% (187,000 cfs), resulting in a 10% (1.6 m) underestimation of the 100-year flood level. Given the magnitude of the EAD, discharge, and stage differences documented here, a reanalysis of the MMR flood frequencies, flood profiles, and flood maps should be considered. The hydraulic modeling completed here showed that levee setbacks and levee removal successfully reduce stages for all recurrence intervals. For the 100-year flood, average reductions ranged from 0.20 m for a 1000 m levee setback to 1.61 m with levees removed. In general, stage reductions increased with increasing discharge and with increasing setback distance. The flood-level reductions are attributed to increased floodwater storage and conveyance across the reconnected floodplain. Compared to the current conditions, the levee setback and levee removal scenarios tested here reduced flood losses for large, infrequent flooding events but increased flood losses for smaller, more frequent flood events. When combined with buyouts of unprotected structures, levee setbacks reduced flood losses for all recurrence intervals. The 1000 m and 1500 m levee setbacks required buyouts in order to reduce EAD; however, a levee setback carefully planned around existing high-value structures reduced EAD with or without buyouts. The planned levee setback configuration combined with buyouts resulted in the largest decreases in EAD: a $16.8 million (55%) decrease in the Urban Study Reach and an $8.3 million (93%) decrease in the Agricultural Study Reach. Overall, this project showed that levee setbacks in combination with buyouts are an economically viable approach for flood-risk reduction along the study reaches and likely elsewhere where levees are widely employed for flood control. Designing a levee setback around existing high-value infrastructure can maximize the benefit of the setback while simultaneously minimizing the costs. Potentially, this type of planned levee configuration could be used as a template for the replacement of aging or failing levee systems.

No description available.

<p>Canadian hospitals continue to adopt private sector strategies in an attempt to improve efficiency, accountability and quality. One such mandated efficiency is a computerized psychosocial assessment for mental health patients known as the Resident Assessment Instrument–Mental Health (RAI-MH). This thesis uses the RAI-MH as the gateway into exploring how neoliberal or private sector strategies are used to penetrate hospital care work resulting in the regulation and restructuring of work practices. The RAI-MH requires professionals to input specified, closed ended data about patients simplifying and narrowing their practice in an attempt to govern, measure and fund what is “value added” in the patient/professional encounter. This qualitative study uses interviews with social workers and nurses to examine the competing tensions experienced by professionals as they strive to provide client-centred care in a culture that promotes computer-centred care.</p> <p>My research findings reveal that the idealized portrayal of the 21^st century knowledge worker is in sharp contrast to the realities faced by many increasingly standardized and “leaned-out” health care professionals. Social workers and nurses report that standardization leads to increasing surveillance. A few professionals comply with the increasing standardization or regulation but most found ways to resist while striving to maintain professional autonomy. As certain areas of work become standardized some professionals find ways to increase autonomy in other areas of their work. The findings reveal differences between those who engaged in work tasks outside of paid work hours (boundary crossings) and those who did not (boundary refusals). <strong></strong></p> <p>Theoretically, this thesis contributes to the literature by illuminating the processes involved within the rapidly changing organization of hospital service delivery. Substantively, it adds to the literature on understanding the work of service providers and how they continue to find creative ways to resist the standardization process.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:41:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vinicius Emmanuel de Oliveira.pdf: 5229003 bytes, checksum: 7bc46aad5447805d1e99c00c4deb6f3b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Neste trabalho, um método hidrometalúrgico para a recuperação dos metais terras raras, cobalto, níquel, ferro e manganês dos eletrodos negativos exauridos das baterias de telefone celular é desenvolvido. Os compostos das terras raras foram obtidos por precipitação química em pH 1,5 com NaCe(SO4)2.H2O e La2(SO4)3.H2O como os principais componentes recuperados. A composição e a concentração relativa dos elementos químicos que constituem os materiais recuperados foram determinados por espectroscopia de emissão óptica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-OES).Esta análise confirma que os elementos níquel, cobalto,ferro e manganês permanecem em solução após a precipitação do cério e lantânio. O ferro é recuperado como Fe(OH)3 e FeO. Além disso o precipitado de hidróxido de manganês inicialmente formado sofre um processo de envelhecimento em soluções alcalinas e na presença de oxigénio, manganês é obtido como Mn3O4. Níquel e cobalto foram recuperados como &#946; -Ni(OH)2 e Co(OH)2. Os hidróxidos recuperados de cobalto e níquel são subsequentemente utilizados para sintetizar materiais de cátodos LiCoO2,LiNiO2 e CoO para uso em baterias de Li-ion. Os ânodos e materiais reciclados são caracterizados por difração de raios - X (DRX), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), energia dispersiva de raios-X, (EDX), espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de fourier (FT-IR), termogravimetria (TG/DTG) e espectroscopia de emissão óptica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-OES). Métodos químicos e eletroquímicos para reciclagem de Ni, Co, Zn e Mn dos eletrodos positivos exauridos de baterias de Ni-MH foram desenvolvidos. Os materiais reciclados por precipitação química tem a composição &#946; - Ni(OH)2, Co(OH)2, Zn(OH)2 e Mn3O4. O pó retém, nitrato,sulfato e carbonato de ânios a partir da solução mãe, bem como água adsorvida.Estudos utilizando voltametria cíclica mostram que a densidade de corrente diminui para taxas de varredura maiores que 10 mVs-1 por causa da formação de filmes de hidróxido. As quantidades de Ni2+,Co2+,Zn2+ e Mn2+ foram obtidas por análise da solução utilizando espectroscopia de emissão óptica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-OES), que demonstraram que o método de eletrodeposição exibe um comportamento anómalo. As quantidades de íons de níquel depositado está relacionado com a composição dos banho de sulfamato. A presença de manganês nos eletrodepósitos é devido à precipitação do Mn(OH)2 e Zn(OH)42- não sofre redução no intervalo investigado de potencial. O material eletrodepositado contém Ni, Co, CoO, Co(OH)2, e Mn3O4. Uma eficiência da carga de 83,7 % foi obtida para os eletrodepósitos formados por aplicação de -1,1 V vs Ag /AgCl a uma densidade de corrente de - 90 Ccm-2. A dissolução dos eletrodepósitos depende do potencial aplicado / In this work, a hydrometallurgical method for the recovery of rare earth metals, cobalt, nickel, iron, and manganese from the negative electrodes of spent Ni-MH mobile phone batteries is developed. The rare earth compounds are obtained by chemical precipitation at pH 1.5 with NaCe(SO4)2.H2O and La2(SO4)3.H2O as the major recovered components. The composition and relative concentration of the chemical elements that constitute the recovered material are determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). This analysis confirms that the elements cobalt, nickel, iron, and manganese remain in solution after precipitation of the cerium and lanthanum. Iron is recovered as Fe(OH)3 and FeO. In addition, because manganese hydroxide precipitate initially undergoes an aging process in alkaline solutions and in the presence of oxygen, manganese is obtained as Mn3O4. Nickel and cobalt are recovered as &#946;-Ni(OH)2 and Co(OH)2. The recovered cobalt and nickel hydroxides are subsequently used to synthesize the cathode materials LiCoO2, LiNiO2 and CoO for use in Li-ion batteries. The anodes and recycled materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Chemical and electrochemical recycling methods for the Ni, Co, Zn and Mn from the positives electrodes of spent Ni-MH batteries were developed. The materials recycled by chemical precipitation has the composition &#946;-Ni(OH)2, Co(OH)2, Zn(OH)2 and Mn3O4. The powder retains, sulphate, nitrate and carbonate anions from the mother solution as well as adsorbed water. Studies using cyclic voltammetry show that the current density decreases for scan rates greater than 10 mV s-1 because of the formation of hydroxide films. The amounts of Ni2+, Co2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+ were obtained by analysis of the solution using the inductively coupled plasma with optical emission spectroscopy technique, which demonstrated that the electrodeposition method exhibits anomalous behavior. The amount of deposited nickel ions is related to the composition of the sulfamate bath. The presence of manganese in the electrodeposits is due to the precipitation of Mn(OH)2, and Zn(OH)42- does not undergo reduction in the investigated potential range. The electrodeposited material contains Ni, Co, CoO, Co(OH)2, and Mn3O4. A charge efficiency of 83.7% was attained for the electrodeposits formed by the application of -1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl at a current density of -90 C cm-2. The dissolution of the electrodeposits depends on the applied potential