Fung, Ho Lam. / Thesis submitted in: November 2006. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 343-360). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / Contents --- p.xii / List of Tables --- p.xix / List of Figures --- p.xxxi / Chapter Chapter 1: --- General Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Objectives --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3 --- Monitoring methods investigated in this research --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4 --- The distribution of corals in Hong Kong --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5 --- Study sites --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6 --- Thesis Outline --- p.25 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- "Coral Mapping in Cheung Sha Wan, A Ye Wan and A Ma Wan, Tung Ping Chau" / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2 --- Study sites --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3 --- Methods and Materials --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Fieldwork procedure --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Laboratory work procedure --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Data analysis --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results and Discussion --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Species count --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Coral coverage --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Species composition --- p.43 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Diversity index --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- "Evaluation of Monitoring Methods in Cheung Sha Wan, Tung Ping Chau, a Coral Community with Low (< 10%) Coral Cover" / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.52 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.61 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Line Intercept Transect (LIT) Method --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Point Intercept Transect (PIT) Method --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Random Point Video Transect (RPVT) Method --- p.63 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Quadrat (QUAD) Method --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Sampling effort in each monitoring method --- p.65 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Sample size determination --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.7.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.7.2 --- Unit effort sample size --- p.67 / Chapter 3.2.8 --- Statistical analysis --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2.8.1 --- Univariate analysis --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2.8.2 --- Multivariate analysis --- p.69 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.70 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.70 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.71 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Species count --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4.1.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4.1.4 --- Community structure --- p.73 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Sampling efforts in different monitoring methods --- p.75 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Sample size under fixed effort --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.3.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4.3.2 --- Species count --- p.78 / Chapter 3.4.3.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.78 / Chapter 3.4.3.4 --- Community structure --- p.80 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.84 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.84 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Coral cover --- p.86 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Species count --- p.90 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Diversity Indices --- p.93 / Chapter 3.5.5 --- Community structure --- p.96 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- "Evaluation of Monitoring Methods in A Ye Wan and A Ma Wan, Tung Ping Chau: Coral Communities with Mid to High Percent Coral Cover (25% to 50%)" / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.146 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methods and material --- p.149 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Field monitoring --- p.149 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Laboratory work --- p.149 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Sampling effort in each monitoring method --- p.150 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Sample size determination --- p.150 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Statistical analysis --- p.151 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Univariate analysis --- p.151 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Multivariate analysis --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- A Ye Wan --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.154 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.2 --- Species count --- p.154 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.155 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.4 --- Community structure --- p.155 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- Sampling efforts in different monitoring methods --- p.157 / Chapter 4.3.1.3 --- Sample size under fixed effort --- p.158 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.158 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.2 --- Species Count --- p.159 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.160 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.4 --- Community structure --- p.162 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- A Ma Wan --- p.165 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.165 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.167 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.2 --- Species count --- p.167 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.168 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.4 --- Community structure --- p.169 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Sampling efforts in different monitoring methods --- p.171 / Chapter 4.3.2.3 --- Sample size under fixed effort --- p.172 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.172 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.2 --- Species Count --- p.173 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.174 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.4 --- Community structure --- p.175 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.178 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.178 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Coral Cover --- p.178 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Species Count --- p.181 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Diversity Indices --- p.182 / Chapter 4.4.5 --- Community Structure --- p.184 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Role of Community Characteristic on the Performance of Monitoring Methods / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.281 / Chapter 5.2 --- Methods and materials --- p.284 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Coral Mapping --- p.284 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Monitoring Methods --- p.285 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Statistical analysis --- p.286 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.286 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Sample size as a function of different reef characteristics --- p.286 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Performance of reef monitoring methods in sites with different reef characteristics --- p.287 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Coral cover --- p.287 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Species count and Margalef's Index --- p.288 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- Other diversity indices --- p.289 / Chapter 5.3.2.4 --- Community structure --- p.290 / Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion --- p.291 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Effect of reef characteristics on sampling time --- p.291 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Effect of reef characteristics on the performance of monitoring methods --- p.293 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Recommendation on the choice of monitoring method --- p.301 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Summary and Prospectives --- p.337 / References --- p.343

In the expanding spectrum marketplace, there has been a long term evolution towards more market€“oriented mechanisms, such as Opportunistic Spectrum Access (OSA), enabled through Cognitive Radio (CR) technology. However, the potential of CR technologies to revolutionize wireless communications, also introduces challenges based upon the potentially non€“deterministic CR behaviour in the Electrospace. While establishing and enforcing compliance to spectrum etiquette rules are essential to realization of successful OSA networks in the future, there has only been recent increased research activity into enforcement. This dissertation presents novel work on the spectrum monitoring aspect, which is crucial to effective enforcement of OSA. An overview of the challenges faced by current compliance monitoring methods is first presented. A framework is then proposed for the use of random spectral sampling techniques to reduce data collection complexity in wideband sensing scenarios. This approach is recommended as an alternative to Compressed Sensing (CS) techniques for wideband spectral occupancy estimation, which may be difficult to utilize in many practical congested scenarios where compliance monitoring is required. Next, a low€“cost computational approach to online randomized temporal sensing deployment is presented for characterization of temporal spectrum occupancy in cognitive radio scenarios. The random sensing approach is demonstrated and its performance is compared to CS€“based approach for occupancy estimation. A novel frame€“based sampling inversion technique is then presented for cases when it is necessary to track the temporal behaviour of individual CRs or CR networks. Parameters from randomly sampled Physical Layer Convergence Protocol (PLCP) data frames are used to reconstruct occupancy statistics, taking account of missed frames due to sampling design, sensor limitations and frame errors. Finally, investigations into the use of distributed and mobile spectrum sensing to collect spatial diversity to improve the above techniques are presented, for several common monitoring tasks in spectrum enforcement. Specifically, focus is upon techniques for achieving consensus in dynamic topologies such as in mobile sensing scenarios.

Many modern web applications run on distributed cloud systems, which allows them to scale their resources to match performance requirements. Scaling of resources at industry scales, however, is a financially-expensive operation, and therefore one that should involve a business justification rooted in customer quality-of-service metrics over more commonly-used utilization metrics. Additionally, changing the resources available to such a system is non-instantaneous, and thus a reasonable effort should be made to predict system performance at varying resource allocations and at various expected workloads. Common performance monitoring solutions look at general metrics such as CPU utilization or available memory. These metrics are at best an indirect means of evaluating customer experience, and at worst may provide no information as to whether users of a commercial application are satisfied with the product they have paid for. Instead, the use of application-specific metrics that accurately reflect the experience of system users, combined with research into how these metrics are affected by various tunable parameters, allows a company to make accurate decisions as to the desired performance perceived by their users versus the costs associated with providing that level of performance. This thesis uses a real-world software-as-a-service product as a case study in the development of quality-of-service metrics and the use of those metrics to determine business cases and costing packages for customers. The product used for this work is Phoenix, a state-of-the-art social media aggregation and analytics software-as-a-service web platform developed by Echosec Systems, Ltd. The product will be tested under realworld conditions on cloud hardware with a minimal test harness to ensure a realistic depiction of live production conditions. / Graduate

O uso de geossintéticos em vias permanentes tem tido grande aplicação em diversos países nas últimas décadas, principalmente em regiões onde o subleito não possui capacidade de suporte suficiente e/ou contamina a camada de lastro, acelerando a degradação da via. A Baixada Santista, região de grande importância nacional no que se refere ao escoamento de produtos de importação e exportação, é caracterizada por subleitos com grandes espessuras de solos orgânicos, saturados e com pouca resistência que elevam o número de intervenções na via e resultam em paralisações, reduções de velocidade e perda de produtividade. Este estudo tem como objetivo principal avaliar o comportamento estrutural e geométrico em vias permanentes contendo geocomposto, estando este posicionado em diferentes interfaces da estrutura (lastro-sublastro, lastro-plataforma e sublastro-plataforma). Para tanto, foram acompanhados dois trechos experimentais executados com e sem tal tecnologia, desde a construção, na linha 1 do Terminal Integrador Portuário Luiz Antonio Mesquita (TIPLAM), localizado em Santos (SP), e na linha 2 da via Piaçaguera - Raiz da Serra, também na Baixada Santista. Em ambos os trechos, foram realizadas avaliações geométricas, pelo monitoramento de recalques e variações quanto ao alinhamento. No segundo trecho, foi efetuada avaliação do comportamento estrutural por meio de ensaios in situ para levantamento de dados como deflexões (para cálculo do módulo de via). De maneira geral, as condições de plataforma e executivas dos trechos experimentais com geocomposto, além do curto período de monitoramento após a construção, foram desfavoráveis para verificar seu potencial de aplicação para reforço da via permanente. Em Piaçaguera, a utilização do geocomposto não indicou melhorias estruturais nem geométricas no período avaliado. Desta forma, para vias com baixo acúmulo de MTBTs, o geocomposto pode se constituir uma solução para longo prazo (ainda a se avaliar mais precisamente). Em relação ao TIPLAM, concluiu-se que a aplicação da geogrelha poderá não ocasionar redução no recalque total, independentemente da posição de instalação. Em contrapartida, utilizar o geocomposto na interface lastro/sublastro pode gerar melhorias geométricas no parâmetro de superelevação. Posicionando-se este em camadas mais profundas (sublastro/plataforma), podem ser gerados menores recalques diferenciais, entretanto essa conclusão ficou dificultada pelo comportamento da plataforma. De forma geral, essa pesquisa contribuiu para o conhecimento do uso de geocomposto em via permanente em diferentes condições de velocidade de operação, cargas transportadas e características geotécnicas. O estudo também abordou avaliações geométricas além das estruturais, que são alvo de poucos estudos de campo em nível nacional (sabendo-se da importância da geometria no intervalo entre manutenções e nível de segurança da via). / The use of geosynthetics in permanent ways has been widely applied in several countries in the last decades, mainly in regions where it can be witnessed the loss of subgrade bearing capacity during and after construction and/or the pumping of fines effect, which accelerates the degradation of the track. The soft soil foundation of Santos, a region of great national importance in terms of economics, is characterized by large deposits of saturated and low resistance soil layers that, once settled, increase the number of interventions on the railway and result in stoppages, speed control and loss of productivity. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the structural and geometric behavior in permanent ways containing geocomposite, at different interfaces of the structure (ballast-sublast, ballast-platform and sub-platform). In order to do so, two experimental sections were carried out with and without such technology: line 1 of the Terminal Integrador Portuário Luiz Antonio Mesquita (TIPLAM), located in Santos (SP), and line 2 of the Piaçaguera - Raiz da Serra railway, also in the region of Santos. In both sections, geometric evaluations were carried out by monitoring settlements and variations in alignment. In the latter section, the structural behavior was evaluated through in situ tests to collect data such as deflections (for the calculation of the track modulus). In general, due to executive issues and platform characteristics of the experimental sections with geocomposite, alongside the short period of monitoring, it became adverse to verify the potential of such technology in means of reinforcing the track. In Piaçaguera, the use of the geocomposite did not indicate structural or geometric improvements during the evaluated period. Thus, for permanent ways with low MTBTs accumulation, the geocomposite can be a long-term solution (still to be evaluated more precisely). In relation to TIPLAM, it was concluded that the application of the geogrid may not cause reduction in total settlement, regardless of the installed position. In contrast, using the geocomposite at the ballast/sub-ballast interface can generate geometric improvements in the superelevation parameter. By positioning this in deeper layers (sub-ballast/platform), smaller differential settlements can be generated, however this conclusion was made difficult by the behavior of the platform. In general, this research contributed to the knowledge of the use of geocomposite in different railway conditions such as operation speed, transported loads and geotechnical characteristics. The study also addressed structural and geometric evaluations, which has not been addressed commonly oftenly in national studies, even though it is known the importance of geometry to dictate maintenance intervals and safety levels of railways.

No description available.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / RecÃm-nascidos (RN) que nÃo podem obter uma nutriÃÃo adequada atravÃs do trato gastrintestinal requerem nutriÃÃo parenteral total (NPT) como terapia exclusiva ou de apoio. A NPT fornece ao paciente debilitado os eletrÃlitos necessÃrios, uma reserva protÃica adequada, e energia para os processos metabÃlicos. As fases da terapia nutricional sÃo: indicaÃÃo de suporte nutricional; prescriÃÃo mÃdica; avaliaÃÃo farmacÃutica; manipulaÃÃo das soluÃÃes, transporte, conservaÃÃo, administraÃÃo, controle clinico, laboratorial e avaliaÃÃo final. Em virtude da complexidade das etapas envolvidas, à importante a integraÃÃo da equipe multidisciplinar, de modo que a terapia seja usada racionalmente, resultando em benefÃcios ao RN quanto à seguranÃa, efetividade e qualidade. O presente trabalho objetivou monitorar a terapia nutricional em RN, observando a indicaÃÃo, a prescriÃÃo, a manipulaÃÃo e a administraÃÃo da nutriÃÃo parenteral em uma maternidade pÃblica do municÃpio de Fortaleza â CE. Foi realizado um estudo observacional, descritivo e prospectivo, envolvendo as etapas da terapia de nutriÃÃo parenteral. Os dados foram coletados a partir de um formulÃrio estruturado de acordo com o roteiro de inspeÃÃo (Portaria 272/98, ANVISA). A anÃlise estatÃstica foi executada utilizando-se o programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences versÃo 16.0 e foi considerada significÃncia de 5%. Entre os 73 RN avaliados, 97,3% apresentaram a prematuridade como diagnÃstico principal. Com relaÃÃo Ãs prescriÃÃes mÃdicas, 2,3% nÃo foram entregues ao serviÃo de farmÃcia, 16,7% e 9% foram enviadas fora do horÃrio de entrega estabelecido e com problemas na prescriÃÃo, respectivamente. Durante a manipulaÃÃo, 0,6 e 6,15% de erros ocorreram na aspiraÃÃo e na adiÃÃo das substÃncias, respectivamente. No momento da administraÃÃo, 99% dos RN nÃo possuÃam acesso exclusivo para a NPT; assim como, 98,7% das bolsas nem 99% dos rÃtulos foram adequadamente checados. Em 36% da inserÃÃo do cateter, nenhum procedimento de limpeza foi realizado. Dessa forma, conclui-se que um melhor controle do processo envolvido na terapia nutricional e uma equipe multidisciplinar mais atuante contribuirÃo para a correÃÃo dos desvios e erros, uma vez que a prescriÃÃo, a manipulaÃÃo e a administraÃÃo representam os passos crÃticos para uma terapia bem-sucedida. / Many newborns (NB) require total parenteral nutrition (TPN) as main or adjuvant therapy, once they can not obtain an adequate nutrition through gastrointestinal system. The TPN offers to the debilitated patient the necessary electrolytes, the required protein source and the energy for metabolic processes. The nutritional therapy phases are: indication for nutritional support; medical prescription; pharmaceutical evaluation; manipulation of the solutions; delivery; conservation; administration; clinical and laboratorial controlling; and, final evaluation. Due to the complexity of the steps involved, it is important the integration of the multidisciplinary team, so that the therapy is used rationally, resulting in benefits to the NB in terms of safety, effectiveness and quality. The present work aimed to monitor the nutritional therapy in NB, observing the indication, prescription, manipulation and administration of the parenteral nutrition in a public maternity in Fortaleza â CE. It was performed an observational, descriptive and prospective study involving all phases. The data were collected from a structured formulary according to the inspection rule (Portaria 272/98, ANVISA). The statistical analysis was executed using the program Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 16.0, and it was considered a significance level of 5%. Among the 73 NB evaluated, 97,3% presented as main diagnostic pre-term newborn. Related to the medical prescriptions, 2,3% were not delivered to the pharmacy, 16,7 and 9% were delivered out of the established time and with problems in the prescriptions, respectively. During the manipulation, 0,6 and 6,15% of errors occurred, respectively in the aspiration or in the addition of the substances. At the moment of the administration, 99% of the NB did not have exclusive access for the TPN; neither 98,7% of the bags nor 99% of the labels were adequately checked. In 36% of catheter placement, no cleaning procedure was performed. In conclusion, the controlling of process involved in nutritional therapy and a more active multidisciplinary team will assess the correction of deviations and errors, once the prescription, manipulation and administration represent the critic steps for a successful therapy.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar o efeito do treinamento e competição na resposta de parâmetros hormonais, indicadores da função imune da mucosa oral, no comportamento e nos episódios de infecção do trato respiratório superior (ITRS) em jovens jogadores de futebol. Para tanto, foram desenvolvidos dois estudos. No primeiro estudo foram investigadas as respostas do cortisol salivar, da tolerância ao estresse e da severidade dos episódios de ITRS de jovens jogadores de futebol submetidos a um mesociclo pré-competitivo de quatro semanas, o qual foi dividido em um período de overload e um período de taper, que precedeu o campeonato nacional mais importante para a categoria. Onze jogadores de futebol do sexo masculino da categoria sub-17 forneceram amostras de saliva, em jejum, para posterior análise do cortisol salivar, e responderam os questionários Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes (DALDA) e Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 (WURSS-21) semanalmente, durante as quatro semanas. A percepção subjetiva de esforço da sessão (PSE da sessão) foi registrada após cada sessão de treinamento durante todo o período de investigação para análise da carga interna de treinamento (CIT). Os principais resultados do estudo foram: concentração significantemente maior de cortisol e dos valores de CIT na primeira semana do período de overload, quando comparados aos valores da terceira e quarta semanas e a correlação negativa e significante entre a tolerância ao estresse e a severidade de ITRS, sugerindo que uma queda da tolerância ao estresse pode causar um aumento do risco ou incidência de episódios de ITRS em jovens jogadores de futebol de campo. No segundo estudo foi avaliado o efeito da competição em marcadores da função imune da mucosa oral e na PSE da sessão em jovens jogadores de futebol. Para tanto, foram comparadas as respostas da imunoglobulina salivar A (SIgA) e da PSE da sessão em jogos oficiais e simulados. Foram analisados 26 jovens jogadores do sexo masculino, em duas partidas simuladas (S) e duas partidas oficiais (O). Os indivíduos forneceram amostras salivares antes do aquecimento (PRÉ) e logo após o término de cada uma das partidas (PÓS) para análise da concentração da SIgA (concentração absoluta SIgAabs e taxa de secreção de SIgA SIgAtaxa). A PSE da sessão foi respondida após a finalização das partidas. Observou-se redução da SIgAabs e da SIgAtaxa do momento PRÉ para o PÓS apenas para a condição O. Um maior valor de SIgAtaxa 6 foi observado no momento PRÉ na condição O quando comparado ao mesmo momento na condição S, demonstrando que o estresse psicológico vivenciado pelos atletas antes do início da partida oficial modulou a imunidade da mucosa oral desses jovens jogadores. É possível concluir que um delineamento que alterne duas semanas de overload com duas semanas de taper não representa uma carga excessiva para jovens jogadores de futebol e que participação em jogos oficiais é percebida como uma fonte de estresse de maior magnitude do que as sessões de treinamento específicas modulando, por sua vez, a resposta de marcadores da função da imunidade da mucosa oral / The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of training and competition in the responses of hormonal parameters, indicators of oral mucosal immune function, behavior and episodes of upper respiratory tract infection in young soccer players. Therefore, two studies were developed. In the first study it was investigated the responses of salivary cortisol, stress tolerance and severity of episodes of upper respiratory tract infection in young soccer players that underwent a 4-week pre-competitive mesocycle, which was divided into in an overload and a taper period and preceded the most important national competition of the category. Eleven male soccer players who belonged to the under-17 team provided saliva samples, on a fast, for analysis of salivary cortisol and answered the Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes (DALDA) and the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 (WURSS-21) during a 4-week period. The rate of perceived exertion of the session (REP-session) was registered after every training session during the investigation period for analysis of internal training load (ITL). The main findings of the study were: significantly higher cortisol concentrations and values of ITL in the first week of the overload period when compared to the values of the third and fourth weeks and the negative correlation observed between stress tolerance and severity of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), suggesting that a decay of stress tolerance might cause an increase of the risk or incidence of URTI episodes in young soccer players. In the second study it was analyzed the effect of competition on the immune function of the oral mucosa and on RPE-session in young soccer players. For that, the salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and RPE-session responses in official and simulated games were compared. Twenty six young male soccer players were observed during two official and two simulated matches. Each player participated in a simulated (S) and an official match (O). Subjects provided saliva samples before (PRE) and right after (POST) each match for analysis of SIgA concentration (absolute concentration SIgAabs and the secretion of SIgA SIgArate). RPE-session was answered after every match. Reductions of SIgAabs and SIgArate from PRE to POST moment were observed only during O condition. A higher SIgArate value was observed during O condition in the PRE moment when compared to the same moment during S condition, demonstrating that the psychological stress experienced by the young athletes before the beginning of the official match modulated the oral mucosa immunity of 8 these young soccer players. It is possible to conclude that a design that alternates two weeks of overload with two weeks of taper does not represent an excessive load for young soccer players and that the participation of these young players in official matches is perceived as a source of stress of greater magnitude than specific training sessions, modulating the response of markers of immunity of the oral mucosa

We study in this dissertation Generalized Autoregressive Conditionally Heteroskedastic (GARCH) time series. The research focuses on squared GARCH sequences. Our main results are as follows: 1. We compare three methods of constructing confidence intervals for sample autocorrelations of squared returns modeled by models from the GARCH family. We compare the residual bootstrap, block bootstrap and subsampling methods. The residual bootstrap based on the standard GARCH(l,1) model is seen to perform best. Confidence intervals for cross-correlations of a bivariate GARCH model are also studied. 2. We study a test to discriminate between long memory and volatility changes in financial returns data. Finite sample performance of the test is examined and compared using various variance estimators. The Bartlett kernel estimator with truncation lag determined by a calibrated bandwidth selection procedure is seen to perform best. The testing procedure is robust to various GARCH-type models. 3. We propose several methods of on-line detection of a change in unconditional variance in a conditionally heteroskedastic time series. We follow a paradigm in which the first m observations are assumed to follow a stationary process and the monitoring scheme has asymptotically controlled probability of falsely rejecting the null hypothesis of no change. Our theory is applicable to broad classes of GARCH-type time series and relies on a strong invariance principle which holds for the squares of observations generated by such models. Practical implementation of the procedures is proposed and the performance of the methods is investigated by a simulation study.

This theoretical thesis focuses on monitoring of nervous system of patients with craniocerebral injury and the nurse´s role in the problem. Its aim was to provide a general and comprehensive overview of craniocerebral injury and also the monitoring options of nervous system of patients with this particular injury, and to map out the nurse´s role in monitoring of nervous system of patients with craniocerebral injury. In order to achieve the objectives, the method of review and data synthesis was employed. The sources for the thesis were sought out through professional foreign databases, internet browsers and with the help of catalogues and databases of libraries. It was drawn from professional literature, both domestic and foreign, in electronic and printed form. Owing to the development of technologies, new monitoring techniques of nervous system appear in clinical practice. Such techniques are somewhere considered standard, elsewhere they are only being introduced or there has been no experience with such techniques at all. The nurses working with patients with craniocerebral injury should have sufficient information on this problem. Unfortunately, literature dealing with this issue and intended for nurses is scarce in domestic sources. Thus the theses might at least partially serve as a study material both for nurses and students. In the thesis, patophysiology of craniocerebral disease is clarified as well as current most often applied methods of monitoring of nervous system of patients with craniocerebral injury, both abroad and in our country. In the next part of the thesis, the individual monitoring methods are supplemented by information used especially by the nurses working with patients with craniocerebral injury in Intensive Care Units.

Attention to quality outcomes, cost reduction, value-based purchasing, and improved initiatives for hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), as well as labor utilization savings, provide a foundation for hospitals to achieve safety and quality outcomes. Falls resulting in fractures, joint dislocation, or other physical injuries are considered HACs and can produce unexpected consequences such as an increase in costs related to an increased length of stay. The CareView Communications system, a fall prevention management program that uses video surveillance technology, offers a strategy to prevent patient falls by customizing patient rounding, conducting fall risk assessments, and generating reports. Guided by Donabedian's framework, this project evaluated the effectiveness of implementation of CareView video monitoring to decrease falls, avoid falls with injury, and reduce use of the patient safety technician on the hospital's telemetry and neurological unit. One year of preimplementation fall data were compared to 1 year of postimplementation data to measure the video monitoring (VM) system effectiveness in fall reduction. Although there was a reduction in the number of falls on the neurological (4.08 to 3.24/1,000 patient days) and the telemetry (2.92 to 1.96.1,000 patient days) units, the results were not statistically significant. The results of this project could contribute to positive social change by helping to determine the effectiveness of the CareView system in reducing falls and identifying strategies for implementing the use of the VM system to reduce patient falls and enhance patient safety.