Fragestellung: Gegenstand dieser Untersuchung ist der diagnostische Nutzen der Neuro-Biomarker S100B-Protein und Neuronenspezifische Enolase (NSE) bei leichten Schädel-Hirn-Verletzungen im Kindesalter. Es wird untersucht, ob anhand der posttraumatischen S100B- und NSE-Serum-Konzentrationen Kinder mit einer Schädelprellung und einem leichten Schädel-Hirn-Trauma (SHT) differenziert werden können. Material und Methode: In einer prospektiven, klinischen Studie werden die posttraumatischen S100B- und NSE-Serum-Konzentrationen von Kindern im Alter zwischen 6 Monaten und 15 Jahren mit einer Schädelprellung oder einem leichten SHT untersucht. Kinder mit extrakraniellen Begleitverletzungen und Begleiterkrankungen sind ausgeschlossen. Die Blutentnahme erfolgt innerhalb von 6 Stunden nach dem Trauma. Es werden 2 diagnostische Gruppen definiert: Gruppe 1: asymptomatische Schädelprellungen (Glasgow-Coma-Scale [GCS] 15 Punkte), Gruppe 2: leichte SHT (GCS 13-15 Punkte) mit klinischen Zeichen einer Gehirnerschütterung (kurze Bewusstlosigkeit, Amnesie, Übelkeit, Erbrechen, Somnolenz, Kopfschmerzen, Schwindel, Sehstörungen, Kreislaufreaktion). Die S100B- und NSE- Konzentrationen werden zwischen beiden Diagnosegruppen verglichen. Die Korrelation zwischen S100B und NSE sowie zwischen den Markern und dem Alter der Kinder, dem Zeitraum zwischen Trauma und Blutentnahme, dem GCS-Wert und dem Vorhandensein von Kopfplatzwunden wird analysiert. Ergebnisse: 148 Kinder sind in die Studie eingeschlossen (53 Kinder mit einer Schädelprellung und 95 mit einem leichten SHT). Nach Adjustierung der gemessenen Marker-Konzentrationen auf Unterschiede im Alter und Zeitraum zwischen Trauma und Blutentnahme unterscheiden sich die S100B- und NSE-Konzentrationen nicht signifikant zwischen Kindern mit einer Schädelprellung und einem leichten SHT. Zwischen den S100B- und NSE-Konzentrationen besteht eine signifikant positive Korrelation. Beide Marker korrelieren signifikant negativ mit dem Alter und dem Entnahmezeitraum. Der GCS-Wert und das Vorhandensein von Kopfplatzwunden zeigen keinen Effekt auf die Marker-Konzentrationen. Schlussfolgerung: Die posttraumatischen S100B- und NSE-Serum-Konzentrationen zeigen keinen diagnostischen Nutzen bei der Differenzierung zwischen Kindern mit einer Schädelprellung und Kindern mit einem leichten SHT. S100B und NSE sind altersabhängige Marker.

La navigation par satellite, Global Navigation Satellite System, a été reconnue comme une solution prometteuse afin de fournir des services de navigation aux utilisateurs de l'Aviation Civile. Ces dernières années, le GNSS est devenu l'un des moyens de navigation de référence, son principal avantage étant sa couverture mondiale. Cette tendance globale est visible à bord des avions civils puisqu'une majorité d'entre eux est désormais équipée de récepteurs GNSS. Cependant, les exigences de l'Aviation Civile sont suffisamment rigoureuses et contraignantes en termes de précision de continuité, de disponibilité et d'intégrité pour que les récepteurs GPS seuls ne puissent être utilisés comme unique moyen de navigation. Cette réalité a mené à la définition de plusieurs architectures visant à augmenter les constellations GNSS. Nous pouvons distinguer les SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation Systems), les GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation Systems), et les ABAS (Aircraft Based Augmentation Systems). Cette thèse étudie le comportement de l'erreur de position en sortie d'architectures de récepteur qui ont été identifiées comme étant très prometteuses pour les applications liées à l'Aviation Civile. / Since many years, civil aviation has identified GNSS as an attractive mean to provide navigation services for every phase of flight due to its wide coverage area. However, to do so, GNSS has to meet relevant requirements in terms of accuracy, integrity, availability and continuity. To achieve this performance, augmentation systems have been developed to correct the GNSS signals and to monitor the quality of the received Signal-In-Space (SIS). We can distinguish GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation Systems), ABAS (Airborne Based Augmentation Systems) SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation Systems). In this context, the aim of this study is to characterize and evaluate the GNSS position error of various positioning solutions which may fulfil applicable civil aviation requirements for GNSS approaches. In particular, this study focuses on two particular solutions which are: • Combined GPS/GALILEO receivers augmented by RAIM where RAIM is a type of ABAS augmentation. This solution is a candidate to provide a mean to conduct approaches with vertical guidance (APV I, APV II and LPV 200). • GPS L1 C/A receivers augmented by GBAS. This solution should allow to conduct precision approaches down to CAT II/III, thus providing an alternative to classical radio navigation solutions such as ILS. This study deals with the characterization of the statistics of the position error at the output of these GNSS receivers. It is organised as following. First a review of civil aviation requirements is presented. Then, the different GNSS signals structure and the associated signal processing selected are described. We only considered GPS and GALILEO constellations and concentrated on signals suitable for civil aviation receivers. The next section details the GNSS measurement models used to model the measurements made by civil aviation receivers using the previous GNSS signals. The following chapter presents the GPS/GALILEO and RAIM combination model developed as well as our conclusions on the statistics of the resulting position error. The last part depicts the GBAS NSE (Navigation System Error) model proposed in this report as well as the rationales for this model.

Submitted by Geyciane Santos (geyciane_thamires@hotmail.com) on 2015-07-15T13:36:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Linara Souza da Costa Barreto.pdf: 2008087 bytes, checksum: 4826b036503c3505a5c214d00478ebd8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2015-07-20T15:33:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Linara Souza da Costa Barreto.pdf: 2008087 bytes, checksum: 4826b036503c3505a5c214d00478ebd8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2015-07-20T15:37:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Linara Souza da Costa Barreto.pdf: 2008087 bytes, checksum: 4826b036503c3505a5c214d00478ebd8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-20T15:37:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Linara Souza da Costa Barreto.pdf: 2008087 bytes, checksum: 4826b036503c3505a5c214d00478ebd8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-12-07 / CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The expert systems are computational tools built from argument of strong methods in artificial intelligence. This argument states that the resolution of complex problems is only possible when specific knowledge of the nature of the problem to be solved is known. The construction of expert systems in addition to be a very complex task involves a precious expenditure of time. Due to this, there are tolls called Shell that allow rapid prototyping of an expert system, demonstrating or not the viability of a Integral System construction. In this work, the main concern was to develop a Shell that was used with priority, but not exclusively, to diagnosis applications in medicine. In this sense, the system has been provided with the ability to handle linguistic data, data like image and numeric interval data (expressed by ranges of values: a x b). The possibility of working with numerical interval data and with multivalued variables is the main difference between Shell proposed in this work compared to other publications found in literature. In order to be possible to deal with interval data, a specific inference algorithm that incorporates an unification algorithm was developed. It has been given to the system the treatment of uncertainty through certainty factors. There is the possibility of working with multiples targets simultaneously. In the results, an original system was developed for atherosclerosis diagnostics that uses rules with interval variables and a system for AIDS treatment that uses multivalued variables. Moreover, the uncertainty treatment in the Shell proposed is compared with the uncertainty treatment in two other systems nationally developed. As a conclusion, the great application of the proposed system is highlighted, which allows the diagnosis in areas so varied that ranges from radiology to laboratory diagnosis. / Os sistemas especialistas são ferramentas computacionais construídas a partir do argumento dos métodos fortes em inteligência artificial. Esse argumento afirma que a resolução de problemas complexos só é possível quando se dispõem de conhecimentos específicos sobre a natureza do problema a ser resolvido. A construção dos sistemas especialistas, além de ser uma tarefa assaz complexa, envolve o dispêndio de tempo. Devido a isso, dispõe-se de ferramentas denominadas de Núcleo de Sistemas Especialistas (NSE) ou Shell, que permitem a prototipagem rápida de um Sistema Especialista, demonstrando ou não a viabilidade da construção de um Sistema Integral. Neste trabalho, a principal preocupação foi desenvolver um NSE que fosse utilizado de forma prioritária, mas não exclusiva, para aplicações diagnósticas em medicina. Nesse sentido, dotou-se o sistema da capacidade de lidar com dados literais, dados tipo imagem e dados numéricos intervalares (dados expressos por meio de faixas de valores: a x b). A possibilidade de trabalhar com dados numéricos intervalares e com variáveis multivaloradas é o principal diferencial entre o NSE proposto neste trabalho em relação a outras publicações. Para tornar possível o tratamento de dados intervalares, desenvolveu-se um algoritmo de inferência próprio que incorpora algoritmo de unificação também original. Dotou-se o sistema de um tratamento da incerteza por meio de fatores de certeza. Existe a possibilidade de trabalhar-se com múltiplas metas simultaneamente. Nos resultados, desenvolveu-se um sistema original para diagnóstico da aterosclerose que utiliza regras com variáveis intervalares, um sistema para tratamento da AIDS que utiliza variáveis multivaloradas. Compara-se, outrossim, o tratamento da incerteza no NSE proposto com o tratamento da incerteza em outros dois sistemas desenvolvidos nacionalmente. Como conclusão, destaca-se o amplo espectro de aplicações do sistema proposto, que permite o diagnóstico em áreas tão variadas que vão desde a radiologia à diagnóstico com dados laboratoriais.

This study tests for the market efficiency of the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) after the year 2000 to determine the effect of technological advancements on market efficiency. Data that is used is the NSE 20 share index over the period 2001 to 2015; and the NSE All Share Index (NSE ASI) from its initiation during 2008 to 2015. We cannot accept the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) for the NSE using the serial correlation test, the unit root tests and the runs test. However, we can accept the EMH for the more robust variance ratio test. Overall, the results of the market efficiency are mixed. The most significant finding is that the efficiency of the NSE has increased since the year 2000 which suggests that advancements in technology have contributed to the increase in the market efficiency of the NSE. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Preeclampsia and eclampsia are among the most common causes of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity worldwide. There are no reliable means to predict eclampsia or cerebral edema in women with preeclampsia and knowledge of the brain involvement in preeclampsia is still limited. S100B and neuron specific enolase (NSE) are two cerebral biomarkers of glial- and neuronal origin respectively. They are used as predictors for neurological outcome after traumatic brain injuries and cardiac arrest but have not yet been investigated in preeclampsia. This thesis is based on one longitudinal cohort study of pregnant women (n=469, Paper I and III), one cross sectional study of women with preeclampsia and women with normal pregnancies (n=53 and 58 respectively, Paper II and IV) and one experimental animal study of eclampsia (Paper V). In Paper I and III, plasma concentrations of S100B and NSE were investigated throughout pregnancy in women developing preeclampsia (n=16) and in women with normal pregnancies (n=36) in a nested case control study. Plasma concentrations were increased in women developing preeclampsia in gestational week 33 and 37 for S100B and in gestational week 37 for NSE compared to women with normal pregnancies. In Paper II and IV, increased plasma concentrations of S100B and NSE were confirmed among women with preeclampsia compared to women with normal pregnancies. Furthermore, increased plasma concentrations of S100B correlated to visual disturbances among women with preeclampsia (Paper II) and plasma concentrations of S100B and NSE remained increased among women with preeclampsia one year after delivery (Paper IV). In Paper V, an experimental rat model of preeclampsia and eclampsia demonstrated increased serum concentrations of S100B after seizures in normal pregnancy (n=5) and a tendency towards increased plasma concentrations of S100B in preeclampsia (n=5) compared to normal pregnancy (n=5) without seizures. Furthermore, after seizures, animals with magnesium sulphate treatment demonstrated increased serum concentrations of S100B and NSE compared to no treatment. In conclusion; plasma concentrations of S100B and NSE are increased in preeclampsia during late pregnancy and postpartum and S100B correlates to visual disturbances in women with preeclampsia. The findings are partly confirmed in an animal model of eclampsia.

Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is a cause of death and disability worldwide and requires treatment at specialized neuro-intensive care units (NICU) with a multimodal monitoring approach. The CT scan imaging supports the monitoring and diagnostics. The level of S100B and neuron specific enolase (NSE) reflects the severity of the injury. The therapy resistant intracranial hypertension requires decompressive craniectomy (DC). After DC, the cranium must be reconstructed to recreate the normal intracranial physiology as well as to address cosmetic issues. The evolution of the pathological intracranial changes was analyzed in accordance with the three CT classifications: Marshall, Rotterdam and Morris-Marshall. The Rotterdam scale was best in describing the dynamics of the pathological evolution. Both the Rotterdam score and Morris- Marshall classification showed strong correlation with the clinical outcome, a finding that suggests that they could be used for prognostication. We demonstrated a clear correlation between the CT classifications and concentrations of S100B and NSE. The results revealed a concomitant correlation between NSE and S100B and clinical outcome. We found that the interaction between the ICP, Rotterdam CT classification, and concentrations of biochemical biomarkers are all associated with DC. We found a high percentage of complications following cranioplasty. Our results call into question whether custom-made allograft should be considered the best material for cranioplasty. It is concluded that both the Rotterdam and Morris-Marshall classification contribute to clinical evaluation of intracranial dynamics after sTBI, and might be used in combination with biochemical biomarkers for better assessment. The decision to perform DC should include a re-assesment of ICP evolution, CT scan images and concentration of the biochemical biomarkers. Furthermore, when determining whether DC treatment should be used, surgeon should also consider the risks of the following cranioplasty.

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (sTBI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. At the Department of Neurosurgery Umeå University Hospital subjects with sTBI are treated with an intracranial pressure (ICP) guided therapy based on physiological principles, aiming to optimise the microcirculation of the brain so avoiding secondary brain injuries. The investigations in this thesis are unique in the sense that all patients with sTBI were treated according to the guidelines of an ICP targeted therapy based on the “Lund concept”. As the treatment is based on normalisation of the ICP, the accuracy and reliability of the measuring device is of outmost importance. Therefore the accuracy, drift, and complications related to the measuring device was prospectively studied (n=128). The drift was 0,9 ± 0,2 mmHg during a mean of 7,2 ± 0,4 days and the accuracy high. No clinical significant complications were noted. In 1997 uni- or bilateral decompressive hemi-craniectomy (DC) was introduced into the treatment guidelines. The effect of DC on the ICP and outcome was retrospectively analysed for subjects with sTBI treated 1998-2001. In the subjects who underwent DC the ICP was 36,4 mmHg immediately before and 12,6 mmHg immediately after the DC. The ICP then levelled out at just above 20 mmHg. The ICP was significant lower during the 72 hours following DC. The outcome did not differ between subjects who had undergone DC or not. Subclinical electroencephalographic seizures and status epilepticus have been reported to be common in subjects treated for traumatic brain injury (TBI). This can negatively influence the outcome giving rise to secondary brain injuries. The occurrence of seizures in subjects treated for TBI using continuous EEG monitoring was therefore prospectively studied. During 7334 hours of EEG recording in 47 patients no electroencephalographic seizures were observed. Theoretically, and based on animal studies, prostacyclin (PGI2) can improve the microcirculation of the brain, decreasing the risk for secondary ischaemic brain injury. PGI2 was introduced to the treatment in a prospective randomised double blinded study (epoprostenol 0,5 ng/kg/min). The effect of PGI1 pkt was analysed using the lactate/pyruvate ratio (L/P) measured by cerebral microdialysis in order to study the energy metabolism in the brain. The outcome was measured as Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 3 months follow-up. Forty-eight subjects were included. The L/P was pathological high during the first day, thereafter decreasing. There was no significant difference in L/P or outcome between the treated and non-treated group. At 3 months the mortality was 12,5% (95,8% was discharged alive from the ICU), and favourable outcome (GOS 4-5) was 52%. In the same study the brain injury biomarkers S-100B and NSE were followed twice a day for five days to evaluate brain injury and investigate the possible use of these biomarkers for outcome prediction. Initially the biomarkers were elevated to pathological levels which decreased over time. The biomarkers were significant elevated in subjects with Glasgow Coma Scale 3 (GCS) and GOS 1 compared with subjects with GCS 4-8 and GOS 2–5, respectively. A correlation to outcome was found but this correlation could not be used to predict clinical outcome. It is concluded that the ICP measurements are valid and the treatment protocol is a safe and solid protocol, yielding among the best reported results in the world, in regard to favourable outcome as well as in regard to mortality. Epoprostenol in the given dose was not shown to have any effects on the microdialysis parameters nor the clinical outcome. In sTBI L/P and brain injury biomarkers can not be used to predict the final outcome.

Im Rahmen des Modellierungsseminars wurde die Kopplung einer Strömung mit der Ausbreitung einer reaktiven Substanz im Strömungsgebiet untersucht. Die Strömung wurde dabei durch die inkompressiblen Navier-Stokes-Gleichungen beschrieben. Zusätzlich wurde ein mathematisches Modell für die Ausbreitung der Substanz durch eine Diffusions-Konvektions-Gleichung bestimmt. Beide wurden durch die FEM- Sofware NAVIER berechnet und simuliert.

Entangled polymeric fluids subjected to shear display a stress plateau through a range of shear rates. The formation of this plateau is often attributed to an entanglement-disentanglement transition in scientific literature. However, to our best knowledge in situ studies recovering the intermediate scattering function of polymer dynamics under shear have until now never been performed. This thesis documents the successful development of a high viscosity shear device whose interaction with polarized neutrons is small enough to allow use for Neutron Spin Echo spectroscopy. Further, first measurements towards the direct observation of the variation of the degree of entanglement throughout increasing shear are documented, albeit yet for too short Fourier times to measure beyond Rouse dynamics.

INTRODUÇÃO: A diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM) é uma doença metabólica caracterizada pela presença de hiperglicemia crônica. Estudos prévios demonstraram que pacientes com pré-diabetes (PDM) têm uma história natural de progressão para DM. A neuropatia diabética é a complicação mais comum da DM e avanços recentes na neurofisiologia clínica trouxeram um refinamento das técnicas de avaliação. Entre estas estão à resposta cutânea simpática (SSR) e o teste sensorial quantitativo (QST). Biomarcadores como Enolase Neurônio-Específica (NSE) e a Proteína S100-Beta (S100B) vem sendo descritos por muitos autores como associados a danos em células do sistema nervoso. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar parâmetros neurofisiológicos e compará-los com achados clínicos e bioquímicos (S100B e NSE) em pacientes com DM, PDM e controles saudáveis. MÉTODOS: Pacientes dos ambulatórios de Neurologia e Endocrinologia foram randomizados em um estudo transversal. Os participantes foram submetidos a uma bateria de testes clínicos e neurofisiológicos que englobaram condução nervosa, Onda-F, SSR e QST. Níveis séricos de NSE e S100B foram quantificados através de ensaio ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). RESULTADOS: A avaliação clínica e os estudos de condução nervosa e Onda-F foram similares nos grupos estudados. Já os limiares QST calor (QSTc) e QST dor (QSTd) foram significativamente elevados nos pacientes PDM e DM com relação aos controles (P<0.05 para todas as comparações). No entanto, estes parâmetros não foram capazes de distinguir pacientes DM vs. PDM (P >0.1 para todas as comparações). O SSR foi capaz de diferenciar o grupo DM do controle (P <0,01) embora não tenha mostrado diferença entre os grupos PDM e controle (P = 0,6). Não houve diferença entre os níveis de S100B (P = 0.6) e NSE (P = 0.2) entre os grupos DM, PDM e controles. CONCLUSÃO: O QST e SSR são testes úteis para a avaliação de pacientes com diferentes graus de tolerância a glicose. Este estudo não encontrou diferenças entre os biomarcadores NSE e S100B em indivíduos com DM e PDM. / BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by the presence of chronic hyperglycemia. Previous studies demonstrated that patients with prediabetes states (PDM) have a natural history of progression to DM. Neuropathy is the most common and disabling complication of diabetes and recent advances in neurophysiology have enabled a refinement of neurophysiological diagnostic techniques such as sympathetic skin response (SSR) and quantitative sensory testing (QST). Biomarkers like Neuron-specific Enolase (NSE) and S100- Beta Protein (S100B) has been described for many authors as associated with damage at nervous system cells and are related with severity of injury as well as clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate neurophysiological findings and compare them with clinical and biochemical findings (S100B and NSE) in patients with DM, PDM and healthy controls. METHODS: Patients at the outpatient Neurology and Endocrinology service were randomized in a cross-sectional study. Participants underwent a battery of clinical and neurophysiological tests that encompassed nerve conduction studies, F-wave, SSR and QST. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were perform to quantify serum levels of NSE and S100B. RESULTS: There were no difference regarding clinical evaluation, nerve conduction studies and F-wave were between groups. The QST thresholds of warm (QSTw) and QST pain (QSTp) were significantly elevated in patients with PDM and DM compared to controls (P <0.05 for all comparisons). However, these parameters were not able to distinguish among DM and PDM (P > 0.1 for all comparisons). The SSR was able to differentiate DM from control group (P <0.01) but did not show difference between PDM and control groups (P = 0.6). There was no difference on levels of S100B (P = 0.6) and NSE (P = 0.2) between the DM, PDM and control groups. CONCLUSION: The QST and SSR are useful tests to evaluating patients with different degrees of glucose tolerance. This study found no differences between biomarkers NSE and S100B in subjects with DM and PDM.