<p>Antalet intranät växer ständigt, samtidigt som allt fler människor känner att de inte kan ta till sig all den information som de erhåller. Intranäten innehåller en mängd användbar information som alla anställda kan ta del av. För att kunna använda intranätet effektivt krävs det att användarna sorterar bland all den information som finns på intranätet. Med hjälp av användarprofiler kan detta ske på ett enkelt sätt. Syftet med detta arbete var att behandla frågan om användarprofiler kan bidra till att bättre beslut tas genom att information overload reduceras. För att besvara arbetets frågeställning har telefonintervjuer med sju respondenter genomförts. Litteraturen som studerats inom detta arbete visar på att information overload kan leda till en mängd konsekvenser så väl för de anställda som företaget som helhet. Resultatet av telefonintervjuerna visar att användarprofiler används ute på företag samt att flera av respondenterna anser att dessa kan bidra till kvalitet i beslutfattandet genom reducering av information overload.</p>

Multimedia in E-Learnign and Cognitive Overload / Multimedia has infused itself into all aspects of education be it online, distance or in the face-to-face classroom. Its presence has become ubiquitous in education and yet has it really benefitted students to the degree it could? This paper utilizes a review of the literature to define the role of multimedia in e-learning then looks at how multimedia fits into basic pedagogy, learning theory and learning styles. An examination of how multimedia optimally could be incorporated into the curriculum is also conducted. Finally a look at cognitive overload is undertaken to determine if there is such as thing as too much of a good thing; can instructors end up confusing students with poorly designed multimedia presentations? There are many tools to use to present multimedia lessons however, this does not mean they all need to be used in a single lesson, and selecting the right multimedia tool, and content is imperative to ensure learning goals are met. Careful selection and attention to instructional design remains the key determinant in successful learning models and the incorporation of multimedia should be used with basic instructional pedagogy in mind.

Patients with acquired iron overload require chelation therapy using either Desferal or Exjade. Iron in excess may promote free radical formation in the Fenton reaction resulting in severe injuries of heart, liver and endocrine organs. Che1ators that bind ferric iron (Fe+3) in a 1:1 complex (Desferal) sequester it more efficiently than those che1ators that form 2:1 (Exjade) complexes. We initiated synthesis of new chelators derived from the tridentate chelator pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH) and its analogs. The aim of the synthesis was to generate chelators that bind iron in a 1:1 complex, which was confirmed for 8LK02, 10LK02, 11LK02 and 15LK03 by spectrophotometry. All novel chelators mobilized iron more efficiently compared to Desferal and Exjade from murine reticulocytes and human myeloid leukemia cells (K562). Additionally, aforementioned four chelators were also more efficient than PIH and were found to be less or equally toxic as Desferal and Exjade.

The current research aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the antecedents of job insecurity, and specifically focused on the perceived job insecurity; importance and probability of events likely to affect one’s total job. The aim of the current study was to explore relationships between the perceptions of perceived organisational support (POS), perceived employability, role ambiguity and role overload, and job insecurity. A questionnaire made up of seven separate scales investigated the perceptions of 100 employees from several different organisations experiencing change (e.g. recently been through a change process, currently going through a change process, about to go through a change process in the near future). Results confirmed three of the main hypotheses of the current study, suggesting negative relationships between POS, perceived employability, role overload and the dependent variable job insecurity (probability). Further analyses indicate that POS is a significant predictor of job insecurity (probability), and role overload and employability are significant predictors of job insecurity (importance). Overall, this paper provides support for the relationship between the antecedents highlighted in this study and job insecurity. Practical implications and directions for further research are discussed.

In this dissertation, the issues of the increased awareness of energy use are considered. Energy technologies are continuously improved by energy retailers and academic researchers. The Smart Grid are soon customary as part of the energy domain. But in order to improve energy efficiency the change must come from the consumers. Consumers should be active decision makers in the Smart Grid domain and therefor a Recommender system suits the Smart Grid and enables customers. Customers will not use energy in the way energy retailers, and politicians advocates instead they will do what fits them. By investigating how a Recommender can be built in the Smart Grid we focus on parameters and information that supports the costumers and enables positive change. An investigation of what customers perceive as relevant is pursued as well as how relevancy can adjust the system. A conceptual model of how to build a Recommender is rendered through a literature review, a group interview and a questionnaire.

Ca2+ is an important second messenger which modulates a variety of signalling pathways in both excitable and non-excitable cells. In the CNS, Ca2+ plays an important role in neurons both physiologically and pathologically. Ca2+ influx following synaptic activity, is important in development, plasticity, redox balance, as well as in neuroprotection, largely through activation of pro-survival pathways downstream of synaptic NMDAR activation, including upregulation of antioxidant defences. However, excessive Ca2+ influx in neurons leads to neuronal damage and excitotoxicity, in which mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake through the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (Mcu) resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction is a key player. Excitotoxicity occurs due to glutamate efflux from astrocytes following stroke, traumatic brain injury and in chronic neurodegenerative diseases, leading to excessive neuronal NMDAR activation and triggering of its downstream pro-death pathways. This thesis focuses on understanding the pro-survival and pro-death effects of signalling pathways activated by Ca2+ in neurons, as well as the potential effect of neuronal synaptic activity on influencing neuroprotective gene transcription in astrocytes. I investigated the role of AMPK, a master regulator of metabolism, in NMDA excitotoxicity in cortical neurons as a potential downstream effector of Mcu-dependent excitotoxic death; and found the deletion of AMPKα1/2 to be neuroprotective against NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity, however I found AMPK activation to be independent of Mcu. I also investigated the expression pattern of Mcu and other mitochondrial calcium regulatory genes (MCRGs), and found MCRGs to be differentially expressed in different neural cells (primary neurons vs astrocytes), and neuronal subtypes (CA1 vs CA3 region of the hippocampus), suggesting differing dependence on the various MCRGs in mitochondrial Ca2+ handling in these cell types. A better functional understanding of these genes will allow for investigation of their importance in mitochondrial Ca2+ handling, including their potential role in excitotoxicity. I next investigated the neuroprotective effects of synaptic activity induced Ca2+ influx, focusing on antioxidant target genes of Nrf2, a transcription factor and major regulator of antioxidant genes. I found that unlike astrocytes, neurons express very low levels of Nrf2. However, synaptic activity increased the expression of several Nrf2 target genes in neurons, independently of astrocytes and Nrf2. Additionally, I found no effect of synaptic activity on increasing Nrf2 protein levels, despite previous reports in literature of Nrf2 pathway activation following synaptic activity. Finally, using RNA-seq I identified a list of genes strongly upregulated by a known Nrf2 activator in astrocytes, and found no evidence that neuronal activity triggers expression of these genes independently of neurons, providing further evidence that neuronal activity does not activate the Nrf2 pathway in astrocytes. This suggests that synaptic activity via pathways activated by Ca2+ signalling provides neurons with cell-autonomous antioxidant defences, independently of Nrf2; thus providing a distinct pathway for antioxidant defences in neurons from the Nrf2 pathway, which is activated in astrocytes providing neurons with non-cell autonomous antioxidant support. These results give us further insight into the mechanisms that underlie synaptic and non-synaptic Ca2+ signalling pathways mediating neuronal survival and death, which could help in identifying therapeutic targets to combat excitotoxicity and oxidative stress in various neurological diseases.

abstract: With the ever-increasing demand for high-end services, technological companies have been forced to operate on high performance servers. In addition to the customer services, the company's internal need to store and manage huge amounts of data has also increased their need to invest in High Density Data Centers. As a result, the performance to size of the data center has increased tremendously. Most of the consumed power by the servers is emitted as heat. In a High Density Data Center, the power per floor space area is higher compared to the regular data center. Hence the thermal management of this type of data center is relatively complicated. Because of the very high power emission in a smaller containment, improper maintenance can result in failure of the data center operation in a shorter period. Hence the response time of the cooler to the temperature rise of the servers is very critical. Any delay in response will constantly lead to increased temperature and hence the server's failure. In this paper, the significance of this delay time is understood by performing CFD simulation on different variants of High Density Modules using ANSYS Fluent. It was found out that the delay was becoming longer as the size of the data center increases. But the overload temperature, ie. the temperature rise beyond the set-point became lower with the increase in data center size. The results were common for both the single-row and the double-row model. The causes of the increased delay are accounted and explained in detail manner in this paper. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2015

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Tendo em vista que o comportamento motor do trato gastrointestinal parece ter intima relaÃÃo com a atividade do sistema cardiovascular, decidimos verificar se a redistribuiÃÃo do volume sanguÃneo atravÃs de fistula aorto-caval com agulhas de calibres (21, 23 ou 26G) afeta a motilidade do trato gastrintestinal em ratos acordados. Ratos machos albinos (230 a 280g) foram divididos em grupos falso-operado (FO) ou com fÃstula designados (F), alÃm disso, tiveram grupos fÃstula+sangria (FS), fÃstula+vagotomia (FV) bem como fÃstula+esplancnotomia (FE), todos estudados com 24 horas apÃs a confecÃÃo da fistula com agulha (21G). Os parÃmetros hemodinÃmicos de pressÃo arterial mÃdia (PAM), freqÃÃncia cardÃaca (FC), e pressÃo venosa central (PVC) foram monitorados continuamente e o dÃbito cardÃaco (DC) determinado por termo-diluiÃÃo. ApÃs os procedimentos cirÃrgicos os ratos FO e os (F) tiveram os parÃmetros hemodinÃmicos e o esvaziamento gÃstrico (EG) estudados nos tempos pÃs-prandial (10, 20 ou 30min.). A PA dos ratos (F) tiveram valores inferiores (p < 0,05) quando comparados aos FO (116,3  3,5 vs 101,3  3,3mmHg). Por outro lado, nos ratos (F) houve aumento (p < 0,05) nos valores da PVC (1,9  0,4 vs 5,8  0,6cmH2O) da FC (365,0  7,0 vs 417,0  7,0bpm) e do DC (119,9  9,6 vs 172  5,3ml/min) quando comparados aos ratos FO. Em relaÃÃo ao FO ocorreu uma retenÃÃo gÃstrica nos ratos (F) nos tempos pÃs-prandial 10, 20 e 30min (45,6 Â3,6 vs 57,5  2,1%; 36,4  2,7 vs 50,5  3,3 % e 33,3  2,7 vs 44,7  3,0 %, respectivamente). Os ratos do grupo (FS), apresentaram valores de (EG) inferiores aos animais (F) (36,5  3,2 vs 50,5  3,3%, p<0,05), mas similares aos FO (36,4  2,7%). Em relaÃÃo à vagotomia (FV), a mesma reverteu o retarde no (EG) induzido pela FÃstula (F) (40,4  2,3 vs 50,5  3,3%), em contrapartida, os ratos submetidos a esplancnotomia (FE) nÃo apresentaram diferenÃas com os (F) (50,5  3,3 e 50,1  1,4%). AlÃm do mais, nÃo foi encontrada participaÃÃo da secreÃÃo Ãcida no retarde do (EG) apÃs fÃstula. Portanto, a sobrecarga cardÃaca advinda de fÃstula arteriovenosa com agulhas de calibre (21, 23 ou 26G) alÃm de promover alteraÃÃes nos parÃmetros hemodinÃmicos, induz retarde no (EG) e interfere no trÃnsito intestinal de lÃquidos em ratos acordados. Tal retarde no (EG) inclusive foi abolido apÃs sangria ou vagotomia subdiafragmÃtica prÃvias, mas nÃo havendo alteraÃÃo apÃs esplancnotomia. / In view that the behaviour of gastrointestinal tract seems to have intimate relationship with the activity of the cardiovascular system, we decided to verify whether the redistribution of blood volume through fistula aorto-caval with sizes of needles (21, 23 or 26G) affect the motility of the gastrointestinal tract in rats awaked. Male albino rats (230 to 280g) were divided into groups false-operated (FO) or designated with fistula (F), moreover, had groups fistula + bleeding (FS), fistula + vagotomy (FV) and fistula + esplancnotomy (FE), all with studied 24 hours after preparation of the fistula with needle (21G). Hemodynamic parameters of mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), central venous pressure (CVP) were monitored continuously and cardiac output (CO) determined by term-dilution. After the surgical procedures the rats FO and (F) had the hemodynamic parameters and gastric emptying (GE) studied in the time post-prandial (10, 20 or 30min.). The MAP of rats (F) had lower values (p <0.05) when compared to FO (116.3  3.5 vs. 101.3  3.3 mmHg). Moreover, in rats (F) increased (p <0.05) the values of CVP when compared to rats FO (1.9  0.4 vs 5.8  0.6 cmH2O), HR (365.0  7.0 vs 417.0  7.0 bpm) and the CO (119.9  9.6 vs 172  5.3 ml / min). In relation the rats the FO was a gastric retention increased in (F) in the time post-prandial 10, 20 and 30min (45.6  3.6 vs 57.5  2.1%; 36.4  2.7 vs 50.5  3.3% and 33.3  2.7 vs 44.7  3.0%, respectively). The rats of the group (FS), showed values of (GE) lower than the animals (F) (36.5  3.2 vs 50.5  3.3%, p <0.05) but similar to FO ( 36.4  2.7%). The vagotomy (FV), it reversed the delay in the (GE) induced by fistula (F) (40.4  2.3 vs 50.5  3.3%), in contrast, the rats undergoing esplancnotomy (FE) showed no differences in comparation with the (F) (50.5  3.3 and 50.1  1.4%). Moreover, was not found involvement of acid secretion in the delays of the (GE) after fistula. Therefore, the overload heart arisen from arteriovenous fistula with needles, size (21, 23 or 26G) to promote changes in hemodynamic parameters, leads decreases the (GE) and interfere in the intestinal transit of liquids in rats awaked. This delay in the (GE) was also abolished after bleeding or prior the subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, but no change after esplancnotomy.

Alterações significativas são introduzidas no ciclo de vida familiar quando emerge a condição especial de uma doença crônica em um dos membros da família. Um fator importante a ser considerado é o enfrentamento familiar diante do adoecimento de uma criança, especialmente de mães mediante uma condição peculiar do filho. O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi investigar a sobrecarga emocional (estresse e depressão) em mães de crianças com autismo, verificar a relação dessa sobrecarga com a avaliação da qualidade de vida e conhecer as principais dificuldades decorrentes da demanda de cuidados com o filho e os modos de enfrentamento. As participantes da pesquisa foram 20 mães de crianças com autismo, vinculadas a duas instituições de atendimento. No encontro com cada participante foi realizada uma entrevista com roteiro semi-estruturado e aplicação assistida dos instrumentos de avaliação padronizados: Inventário de Sintomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL), Escala de Modos de Enfrentamento de Problemas (EMEP), Inventário Beck de Depressão e Escala de Qualidade de Vida (WHOQOL-Bref), complementados por um questionário de identificação do perfil sociodemográfico e cultural. As entrevistas foram realizadas nas dependências da instituição e/ou na casa da participante e a aplicação dos instrumentos foi iniciada mediante a leitura e assinatura do Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido. As entrevistas foram gravadas em áudio, posteriormente transcritas e submetidas à análise de conteúdo temática. Para a verificação estatística das relações existentes entre as variáveis do estudo foi utilizada correlação não-paramétrica. Os resultados indicaram que, em média, a idade das entrevistadas foi 40 anos e dos filhos 11 anos, as famílias envolvidas no estudo tinham baixa renda e se constituíam de dois ou três filhos. Enquanto 25% das mães completaram o ensino superior, outros 25% não completaram o ensino fundamental. Apenas duas participantes passam algum dos períodos fora de casa por motivo de trabalho remunerado e contam com o auxílio de uma funcionária para o cuidado com a criança autista. Os resultados obtidos nas avaliações indicam que 65% das mães apresentaram estresse. Com relação aos sintomas depressivos, uma participante apresentou disforia e duas mães apresentaram depressão. A análise do enfrentamento permitiu verificar que 45% das participantes utilizaram estratégias predominantemente focalizadas em práticas de cultos religiosos e pensamento fantasioso e 35% das mães utilizaram estratégias focalizadas no problema. O aspecto melhor pontuado referente à qualidade de vida foi o domínio físico, ao passo que o domínio meio ambiente foi o menos pontuado. Considerando as inúmeras possibilidades de reflexão, a análise da entrevista semi-estruturada permitiu a discussão de alguns temas: a trajetória da família na busca de compreender o problema da criança, constituindo um movimento de peregrinação por hospitais e profissionais de saúde; o luto enfrentado pela família e as dificuldades de lidar com a condição da criança; as mudanças na dinâmica familiar e a sobrecarga emocional materna que culminou num processo de racionalização do sofrimento; o desamparo sentido pelos pais no que se refere às perspectivas futuras de cuidado com o filho. / Significant changes are made in a family’s life cycle when one of the family members acquires the special condition of a chronic illness. One important factor to be taken into consideration is how the family faces a child’s sickening, especially how mothers face their child’s special condition. This study aimed to examine the emotional overload (stress and depression) on the mothers of children with autism, to verify how this overload relates to the quality of life evaluation and to get to know the main difficulties that result from the child’s care demands and coping modes. Research participants were 20 mothers of children with autism, who attended two care institutions. During meetings with each participant, a semi-structured interview was held and the following standardized evaluation instruments were applied: Lipp’s Stress Symptoms Inventory for Adults (LSSI), Problem Coping Modes Scale (EMEP), Beck Depression Inventory and the Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-Bref), complemented by a questionnaire to identify the participants’ sociodemographic and cultural profile. Interviews were accomplished at the institution and/or at the participant’s house. The application of the instruments started by reading and signing the Consent Terms. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and submitted to thematic content analysis. Nonparametric correlation was used to statistically verify the existing relations between the study variables. The results indicated an average age of 40 years for the interviewees and 11 for the children, families had low income and had two or three children. While 25% of the mothers had finished higher education, another 25% had not finished basic education. Only two participants spent part of the day outside their homes due to paid work and mentioned help from an employee to take care of the autistic child. Evaluation results indicated that 65% of the mothers displayed stress. With respect to depressive symptoms, one participant presented dysphoria and two mothers demonstrated depression. The coping analysis revealed that 45% of the participants used strategies that mainly focused on religious practices and fantastic thoughts, while 35% of the mothers used problem-focused strategies. What quality of life is concerned, the physical domain received the highest grade and the environment domain the lowest. Considering the innumerable possibilities of reflection, analysis of the semistructured interview permitted the discussion about some themes: the family trajectory in the attempt to understand the child’s problem, constituting a pilgrimage movement through hospitals and health professionals; the mourning faced by the family and the difficulties to deal with the child’s condition; the changes in family dynamics and the emotional overload of mother which culminated in the rationalization process of suffering; the helplessness parents feel with respect to the future perspectives of care for the child.

Antalet intranät växer ständigt, samtidigt som allt fler människor känner att de inte kan ta till sig all den information som de erhåller. Intranäten innehåller en mängd användbar information som alla anställda kan ta del av. För att kunna använda intranätet effektivt krävs det att användarna sorterar bland all den information som finns på intranätet. Med hjälp av användarprofiler kan detta ske på ett enkelt sätt. Syftet med detta arbete var att behandla frågan om användarprofiler kan bidra till att bättre beslut tas genom att information overload reduceras. För att besvara arbetets frågeställning har telefonintervjuer med sju respondenter genomförts. Litteraturen som studerats inom detta arbete visar på att information overload kan leda till en mängd konsekvenser så väl för de anställda som företaget som helhet. Resultatet av telefonintervjuerna visar att användarprofiler används ute på företag samt att flera av respondenterna anser att dessa kan bidra till kvalitet i beslutfattandet genom reducering av information overload.