Über 50 % der 65- bis 80-Jährigen leiden unter einer verminderten Riechfähigkeit. Strukturelle Veränderungen in der Riechbahn sind wahrscheinliche Gründe. Der altersbedingte histologische Rückgang des olfaktorischen Epithels wird seit langem erforscht. Die Darstellung der altersbedingten peripheren und zentralen Veränderungen auf elektrophysiologischer Ebene ist Thema der vorliegenden Arbeit. Insgesamt wurden 73 TeilnehmerInnen untersucht, darunter 40 jüngere (davon 25 Frauen, Altersspanne 18-27 Jahre) und 33 ältere (davon 22 Frauen, Altersspanne 50-78 Jahre). Vor der Teilnahme an der elektrophysiologischen Untersuchung erhielten alle ProbandInnen eine nasale Endoskopie, eine standardisierte Anamnese sowie detaillierte Geruchstests mittels Sniffin‘ Sticks. ProbandInnen mit chronischen Erkrankungen des olfaktorischen Systems oder anderen Bereichen des zentralen Nervensystems wurden nicht in die Studie eingeschlossen. Zur intranasalen Stimulation wurden olfaktorische und trigeminale Reize verwendet. Als olfaktorische Stimulantien dienten Schwefelwasserstoff als eher unangenehmer und 2-Phenylethylalkohol als eher angenehmer Duft. Zur trigeminalen Stimulation diente Kohlendioxid. Mittels Luftverdünnungsolfaktometrie (Olfaktometer OM6b; Burghart, Deutschland) wurden Stimuli von 500 ms Dauer in einen konstanten Luftstrom von etwa 8 l/min eingebettet. Elektroolfaktogramme wurden als elektrophysiologisches Korrelat der olfaktorischen Rezeptorpotenziale direkt von der Riechschleimhaut abgeleitet. Gleichzeitig erfolgte die EEG-basierte Registrierung chemosensorisch-ereigniskorrelierter Potentiale (CSEP) bzw. bei Reizung mit Duftstoffen olfaktorisch- ereigniskorrelierter Potenziale (OERP). Die Ergebnisse der psychophysischen Riechtests ergaben eine deutlich negative Korrelation mit dem Alter der Teilnehmenden (r=-0,42, p< 0,001). Obwohl die EOG-Amplituden und Latenzen keinen signifikanten Unterschied zwischen den Altersgruppen zeigten, wurde ein deutlicher altersabhängiger Rückgang in der Anzahl der registrierten Potenziale festgestellt. Für die zentralnervöse CSEP-Reaktion zeigte sich eine altersabhängige Verkürzung der relevanten Latenzen, so z.B. die P1-Latenz an Elektrodenposition Cz nach Stimulation mit PEA (t = 3,4, p = 0,003). Eine Korrelation von P2-Ampltiuden (Cz) und Alter bei Stimulation mit PEA zeigte darüber hinaus einen signifikant negativen Zusammenhang (p=0,005, r=-0,44). Die Veränderungen der EOG und CSEP entsprachen in ihrer Ausprägung nicht den altersabhängigen Veränderungen in den psychophysischen Testergebnissen. Jedoch zeigen die vorliegenden Ergebnisse einen eher zentral-betonten, aber auch peripher nachweisbaren Alterungsprozess der elektrophysiologischen Geruchsverarbeitung. Die geringe Ausprägung dieser Veränderungen ist möglicherweise Zeichen der Effektivität von Kompensationsmechanismen und systemimmanenten Redundanzen, die es weiter zu erforschen gilt.

abstract: During the 2017-2018 academic year, I worked as Program Manager for a government-funded post-secondary organization in Ontario, Canada. A core part of my professional role was creating awareness and increasing the use of open educational resources (OER) in partnership with Ontario educators. I conducted this work with the support of colleagues and OER advocates at public colleges and universities. Collectively, we focused on the use of OER as an opportunity to: (a) reduce the cost of post-secondary resources, (b) diversify the types of resources used in teaching and learning, and (c) explore opportunities to create assessments and activities that empowered learners as co-creators of knowledge. Alongside my professional role during this year, I engaged in a mixed-methods action research study using change management strategies and Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior. The purpose of the study was to determine the usefulness of an awareness and support strategy designed to increase the use of OER among post-secondary educators in Ontario. For many of the participants in the study (n = 38), OER were new elements in their teaching practice. I engaged in focused and meaningful dialogue with them as part of professional development sessions in order to fully explore their perspectives about use of OER. I chose two facilitation designs as the action of my action research. The first was a pair of face-to-face workshops, and the second was an open online course commonly called a MOOC (massive open online course). These were the interventions (and innovations) for the study. From the perspective of the participants, the awareness and support strategies were determined to be useful for increasing their use of OER. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2018

Small fragments of artificial polymers (microplastics, MPs) has been reported for multiple environmental matrices from our planet. The omnipresent existence of these microplastics even in remote polar areas have raised concern about their potential environmental impacts and created a need for effective and standardized analytical methods targeting their detection in environmental samples. So far, no methods have been developed for detecting microplastics in organic-rich soils. In this master thesis, I evaluate two analytical methods (both based on canola oil extractions) targeting microplastics in two contrasting soil matrices; one mineral rich (sandy mineral soil from a Podzol) and the other by organic matter (sample from a Histosol). I hypothesize that the detection of microplastic has a bias that depends on specific plastic particle properties (size, polymer type and morphology) as well as on the organic content of soil samples. My results show that the recovery of added plastics is strongly dependent on particle size and diminishes with decreasing microplastics length. This result was repeated by both extraction approaches.  Polymer shape and soil characteristics (organic matter content) affect MPs recovery if oil extractions are conducted without pre-treatment (oxidation) step. Here, fibers proved most difficult to detect and low recoveries suggested that the method was not applicable to organic rich samples. The addition of a pretreatment step including oxidation with sodium hypochlorite improved recoveries for organic rich samples and removed the effect of soil type and polymer shape. Hence, the use of a pretreatment is essential to extract MPs from organic-rich soils, but it also decreases the overall recovery for all type of studied polymers and mostly fibers. My study suggests that there is a substantial bias when detecting MPs in soils that is causing a general underestimation, especially for small, fibrous particles in organic rich soils.

Present trends in the mainstream adoption of educational technology coupled to the increased acceptance and adoption of openness in terms of sharing resources and open access force higher education into a radical rethink of its structures and educational strategies. This article examines the current shift in focus from the simple production and sharing of open educational resources (OER) towards wider concepts such as open educational practices (OEP) and cultures (OEC). OER involves mostly educators whereas OEP and OEC demand the commitment of management, administrators and politicians.  This openness is already spawning alternative types of peer-based collaborative learning both inside and outside the formal education system. In particular the increased awareness of the importance of informal learning has raised a clear need for some kind of certification model and the current open badges initiative lead by Mozilla and several US authorities is examined and discussed. In 2011 the OER university partnership announced an innovative approach to combining formal and informal learning by planning to offer credible credentials for students who have acquired the necessary skills through their own learning paths. The road to future higher education may not be entirely behind the campus walls.

Melhor sincronia entre os compartimentos da caixa torácica tem sido identificada como um dos fatores para a redução da dispnéia e aumento da capacidade de exercício após a cirurgia de redução de volume pulmonar (CRVP).Para elucidar os efeitos da CRVP nas variações de volume da caixa torácica em repouso e durante exercício, seis pacientes (VEF1% 26,5 ± 5,5 e VR 224,6 ± 30,2%) foram avaliados antes CRVP, 1 e 3 meses após a cirurgia. Provas de função pulmonar e teste de caminhada de 6 minutos, mudanças de volume da caixa torácica pulmonar (RCp), caixa torácica abdominal (RCa) e abdome (AB) foram registradas pela Pletismografia Opto-Eletrônica (POE) em repouso e durante um teste de exercício incremental em esteira. Após a CRVP, todos os valores espirométricos, os volumes pulmonares, escores de dispnéia e teste de caminhada de 6 minutos melhoraram significativamente. Antes da cirurgia, volume expiratório final da caixa torácica tendeu a diminuir no início do exercício e aumentar depois. Por outro lado, após a cirurgia, o aumento do volume expiratório final foi significativa a partir de 1 mph para a velocidade máxima, o que foi totalmente devido as mudanças de volume do abdômen. O sincronismo entre PCR e AB também melhorou em 1 e 3 meses após o CRVP (p <0,001, p <0,05, respectivamente). Em conclusão, em pacientes com DPOC grave LVRS modifica a ação da musculatura abdominal expiratória e melhora a sincronização entre a caixa torácica pulmonar e o abdome. Estas melhorias são associadas e, possivelmente, explicam o aumento da capacidade de exercício e da diminuição da dispnéia. / Better-synchronized chest wall displacement has been identified as one of the factors for the reduction of dyspnea and increase in exercise capacity after Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS). To elucidate the effects of LVRS on chest wall volume variations at rest and during exercise six patients (FEV1 26.5±5.5 % and RV 224.6±30.2 %) were studied before LVRS, 1 and 3 months after the surgery. Pulmonary function test and 6-min walking test, volume changes of the pulmonary rib cage (RCp), abdominal rib cage and abdomen (AB) were recorded by Opto-Electronic-Plethysmography (OEP) at rest and during an incremental test on a treadmill. After LVRS, all spirometric and lung volume values, dyspnea scores and 6-minute walking distance significantly improved. Before surgery, end-expiratory volume of the chest wall tended to decrease at the onset of exercise and to increase thereafter. Conversely, after surgery, the increase of end-expiratory volume was significant from 1 mph to the maximum speed and it was totally due to the abdomen. The synchronism between RCp and AB also improved at 1 and 3 month after LVRS (p<0.001,p<0.05, respectively). In conclusion, in severe COPD patients LVRS determines a different action of the abdominal expiratory muscles and a better synchronization between the pulmonary rib cage and abdominal displacement. These improvements are associated to and possibly explain the increased exercise capacity and decreased dyspnea.

Melhor sincronia entre os compartimentos da caixa torácica tem sido identificada como um dos fatores para a redução da dispnéia e aumento da capacidade de exercício após a cirurgia de redução de volume pulmonar (CRVP).Para elucidar os efeitos da CRVP nas variações de volume da caixa torácica em repouso e durante exercício, seis pacientes (VEF1% 26,5 ± 5,5 e VR 224,6 ± 30,2%) foram avaliados antes CRVP, 1 e 3 meses após a cirurgia. Provas de função pulmonar e teste de caminhada de 6 minutos, mudanças de volume da caixa torácica pulmonar (RCp), caixa torácica abdominal (RCa) e abdome (AB) foram registradas pela Pletismografia Opto-Eletrônica (POE) em repouso e durante um teste de exercício incremental em esteira. Após a CRVP, todos os valores espirométricos, os volumes pulmonares, escores de dispnéia e teste de caminhada de 6 minutos melhoraram significativamente. Antes da cirurgia, volume expiratório final da caixa torácica tendeu a diminuir no início do exercício e aumentar depois. Por outro lado, após a cirurgia, o aumento do volume expiratório final foi significativa a partir de 1 mph para a velocidade máxima, o que foi totalmente devido as mudanças de volume do abdômen. O sincronismo entre PCR e AB também melhorou em 1 e 3 meses após o CRVP (p <0,001, p <0,05, respectivamente). Em conclusão, em pacientes com DPOC grave LVRS modifica a ação da musculatura abdominal expiratória e melhora a sincronização entre a caixa torácica pulmonar e o abdome. Estas melhorias são associadas e, possivelmente, explicam o aumento da capacidade de exercício e da diminuição da dispnéia. / Better-synchronized chest wall displacement has been identified as one of the factors for the reduction of dyspnea and increase in exercise capacity after Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS). To elucidate the effects of LVRS on chest wall volume variations at rest and during exercise six patients (FEV1 26.5±5.5 % and RV 224.6±30.2 %) were studied before LVRS, 1 and 3 months after the surgery. Pulmonary function test and 6-min walking test, volume changes of the pulmonary rib cage (RCp), abdominal rib cage and abdomen (AB) were recorded by Opto-Electronic-Plethysmography (OEP) at rest and during an incremental test on a treadmill. After LVRS, all spirometric and lung volume values, dyspnea scores and 6-minute walking distance significantly improved. Before surgery, end-expiratory volume of the chest wall tended to decrease at the onset of exercise and to increase thereafter. Conversely, after surgery, the increase of end-expiratory volume was significant from 1 mph to the maximum speed and it was totally due to the abdomen. The synchronism between RCp and AB also improved at 1 and 3 month after LVRS (p<0.001,p<0.05, respectively). In conclusion, in severe COPD patients LVRS determines a different action of the abdominal expiratory muscles and a better synchronization between the pulmonary rib cage and abdominal displacement. These improvements are associated to and possibly explain the increased exercise capacity and decreased dyspnea.

Melhor sincronia entre os compartimentos da caixa torácica tem sido identificada como um dos fatores para a redução da dispnéia e aumento da capacidade de exercício após a cirurgia de redução de volume pulmonar (CRVP).Para elucidar os efeitos da CRVP nas variações de volume da caixa torácica em repouso e durante exercício, seis pacientes (VEF1% 26,5 ± 5,5 e VR 224,6 ± 30,2%) foram avaliados antes CRVP, 1 e 3 meses após a cirurgia. Provas de função pulmonar e teste de caminhada de 6 minutos, mudanças de volume da caixa torácica pulmonar (RCp), caixa torácica abdominal (RCa) e abdome (AB) foram registradas pela Pletismografia Opto-Eletrônica (POE) em repouso e durante um teste de exercício incremental em esteira. Após a CRVP, todos os valores espirométricos, os volumes pulmonares, escores de dispnéia e teste de caminhada de 6 minutos melhoraram significativamente. Antes da cirurgia, volume expiratório final da caixa torácica tendeu a diminuir no início do exercício e aumentar depois. Por outro lado, após a cirurgia, o aumento do volume expiratório final foi significativa a partir de 1 mph para a velocidade máxima, o que foi totalmente devido as mudanças de volume do abdômen. O sincronismo entre PCR e AB também melhorou em 1 e 3 meses após o CRVP (p <0,001, p <0,05, respectivamente). Em conclusão, em pacientes com DPOC grave LVRS modifica a ação da musculatura abdominal expiratória e melhora a sincronização entre a caixa torácica pulmonar e o abdome. Estas melhorias são associadas e, possivelmente, explicam o aumento da capacidade de exercício e da diminuição da dispnéia. / Better-synchronized chest wall displacement has been identified as one of the factors for the reduction of dyspnea and increase in exercise capacity after Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS). To elucidate the effects of LVRS on chest wall volume variations at rest and during exercise six patients (FEV1 26.5±5.5 % and RV 224.6±30.2 %) were studied before LVRS, 1 and 3 months after the surgery. Pulmonary function test and 6-min walking test, volume changes of the pulmonary rib cage (RCp), abdominal rib cage and abdomen (AB) were recorded by Opto-Electronic-Plethysmography (OEP) at rest and during an incremental test on a treadmill. After LVRS, all spirometric and lung volume values, dyspnea scores and 6-minute walking distance significantly improved. Before surgery, end-expiratory volume of the chest wall tended to decrease at the onset of exercise and to increase thereafter. Conversely, after surgery, the increase of end-expiratory volume was significant from 1 mph to the maximum speed and it was totally due to the abdomen. The synchronism between RCp and AB also improved at 1 and 3 month after LVRS (p<0.001,p<0.05, respectively). In conclusion, in severe COPD patients LVRS determines a different action of the abdominal expiratory muscles and a better synchronization between the pulmonary rib cage and abdominal displacement. These improvements are associated to and possibly explain the increased exercise capacity and decreased dyspnea.

Les pays industrialisés cherchent aujourd’hui à réduire leur consommation d'énergie et à utiliser des matières premières de substitution, notamment renouvelables dont le bois fait partie. Pour promouvoir son usage, le développement de méthodes favorisant son recours dans les systèmes constructifs pour la construction multiétage est nécessaire.La conception d’un bâtiment est multicritère. Des objectifs contradictoires sont à optimiser simultanément. Des solutions de compromis Pareto-optimaux sont par exemple recherchées entre l’atteinte des meilleures performances d’usage et la limitation de l’impact environnemental du bâtiment. Ces travaux portent ainsi sur le développement d’une méthode d’optimisation multiobjectif de systèmes constructifs bois adaptés au multiétage.Des objectifs de maximisation du confort vibratoire des planchers et de minimisation des besoins de chauffage, d’inconfort thermique, de potentiel de réchauffement climatique et d’énergie grise sont pris en compte. La méthode repose sur un algorithme d’optimisation multiobjectif par essaim particulaire capable de proposer un ensemble de solutions non-dominées constituant le front de Pareto. L’espace des solutions est contraint par des exigences réglementaires nécessaires à la sécurité de l’ouvrage. L’ensemble des fonctions-objectif est modélisé sous forme de fonctions analytiques. Les sorties d’intérêt du modèle de simulation thermique dynamique sont substituées par des métamodèles.La méthode développée est mise en oeuvre sur un cas d’étude. Les résultats obtenus offrent une grande diversité dans un panel de 20 000 solutions optimales. Ces résultats constituent un support de discussion entre les différents acteurs d’un projet de construction. / Industrialised countries are seeking to reduce their energy consumption and to use alternative raw materials, including renewables such as wood. To promote its use, multi-storey timber constructive systems need the development of new design methods.Building required a multicriteria design where conflicting objectives must be optimised simultaneously. Research solutions have to achieve the best Pareto-compromise between use performance and environmental impact of the building. This work aims to develop a multiobjective optimisation method of timber multi-storey building.The objectives of maximising floor vibration comfort and minimising heating needs, thermal discomfort, global warming potential and embodied energy are taken into account. A multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to obtain a set of non-dominated solutions which is the Pareto front. The solution space is constrained by regulatory requirements necessary for the safety of the structure. All objective-functions are modelled as analytic functions. Dynamic thermal simulation model outputs are replaced by metamodels.The developed method is implemented on a case study. The results offer a great diversity in a panel of 20 000 optimal solutions. These results provide a basis for discussion between the different actors of a construction project.

Le travail présenté dans ce mémoire porte sur l'étude, l'optimisation et la réalisation d'une transmission planétaire magnétique. Dans notre thèse nous essayons de répondre à quelques questions intéressantes sur la possibilité de remplacer un train planétaire mécanique par un train planétaire magnétique, est-ce que la formule de Willis reste valable pour le train planétaire magnétique et est-ce que les trains magnétiques ont des performances similaires à celles des trains mécaniques ? Donc nous étudions, le remplacement du train mécanique par une transmission magnétique. Nous montrons que le train magnétique a un volume moindre, des pertes inférieures et plusieurs autres avantages. Notre but dans cette thèse est d'obtenir un "design" optimal d'un train magnétique. Nous utilisons un logiciel de calcul par éléments finis pour l'étude électromagnétique et nous cherchons également à optimiser les dimensions de ce train. Pour cela nous utilisons la méthode d'optimisation par essaim de particules (OEP). Un prototype a été réalisé ce qui permet de confronter les résultats de simulation et expérimentaux. / The work presented in this thesis deals with the study, the optimisation and the realisation of a magnetic planetary transmission. We try to answer some questions about the possibility of replacing the mechanical planetary gear used in industrial machines by a magnetic planetary gear; is the formula of Willis still valid for the magnetic planetary gear and are the magnetic planetary gear performances at least similar to ones of the mechanical gears? We study the replacement of the mechanical planetary gear by a magnetic one. We show that the magnetic one has a smaller volume, lower losses and many other benefits. The objective of this work is to obtain an optimum design of a magnetic planetary gear. We use a finite element software to study the magnetic behaviour of the device and we also perform the optimization of the dimensions of the magnetic planetary gear. The particle swarm optimization method (PSO) has been used. A prototype has been built so the computation results has been compared to the experimental ones.

This semestral thesis deals with continuous monitoring of pulmonary ventilation during the patients' theraphy and focuses especially on monitoring of their ventilation processes. It is necessarry to detect, monitor and differentiate abdominal and thoracic breathing during the theraphy. This thesis describes the very basic and common method, a spirometry. Next, an overview of more advanced state-of-the-art methods based on both, tactile and proximity principles is given. In addition to that, two recently developed methods by BUT are discussed as well -- a tactile-based measurement similar to blood pressure sensor and a proximity-based measurement method employing TOF cameras. The data acquired by these two methods are proccesed and examined in order to evaluate and justify their performance in a real application.