The development of analytical tools for investigating biological pathways on the molecular level has provided insight into diseases and disorders. However, many biological analytes such as glucose and inositol phosphate(s) lack the optical or electrochemical properties needed for detection, making molecular sensing challenging. Scintillation proximity assay (SPA) does not require analytes to possess such properties. SPA uses radioisotopes to monitor the binding of analytes to SPA beads. The beads contain scintillants that emit light when the radiolabeled analytes are in close proximity. This technique is rapid, sensitive and separation-free. Conventional SPA beads, however, are large relative to the cells and made of hydrophobic organic polymers that tend to aggregate or inorganic crystals that sediment rapidly in aqueous solution, thus limiting SPA applications. To overcome these problems, polystyrene core-silica shell nanoparticles (NPs) doped with pTP and dimethyl POPOP were fabricated to produce scintillation NPs that emit photons in the blue region of visible light. The developed scintillation particles are approximately 250 nm in diameter (i.e. 200 nm of core diameter and 10-30 nm of shell thickness), responsive to β-decay from tritium (³H) and have sufficient stability in the aqueous media. DNA hybridization-based SPA was performed to determine whether the scintillation NPs could be utilized for SPA applications. A 30-mer oligonucleotide was immobilized on the polystyrene core-silica shell NPs to give approximately 7.6 x 10³ oligonucleotide molecules per NP and ³H-labeled complementary strand was annealed to the immobilized strand. At the saturation point, increases in scintillation signal due to oligonucleotide binding to the NPs were about 9 fold compared to the control experiments in which no specific binding occurred, demonstrating that the scintillation NPs can be utilized for SPA. Along with the improved physical properties including smaller size and better stability in the aqueous system, the developed scintillation NPs could be potentially useful as biosensors in cellular studies.

Proteins are the effector molecules of life. They are encoded in DNA that is inherited from generation to generation, but most cellular functions are executed by proteins. Proteins rarely act on their own – most actions are carried out through an interplay of tens of proteins and other biomolecules. Here I describe how synthetic DNA can be used to study proteins and protein complexes. Variants of proximity ligation assays (PLA) are used to generate DNA reporter molecules upon proximal binding by pairs of DNA oligonucleotide-modified affinity reagents. In Paper I, a robust protocol was set up for PLA on paramagnetic microparticles, and we demonstrated that this solid phase PLA had superior performance for detecting nine candidate cancer biomarkers compared to other immunoassays. Based on the protocol described in Paper I I then developed further variants of PLA that allows detection of protein aggregates and protein interactions. I sensitively detected aggregated amyloid protofibrils of prion proteins in paper II, and in paper III I studied binary interactions between several proteins of the NFκB family. For all immunoassays the selection of high quality affinity binders represents a major challenge. I have therefore established a protocol where a large set of protein binders can be simultaneously validated to identify optimal pairs for dual recognition immunoassays (Paper IV).

Much of the literature on the determinants of health, including alcohol consumption, has focussed on differences in individual socio-economic status as a primary risk factor. However, it has been shown that variation in health between places can be attributed to both the characteristics of the people who live in those places (composition) and also to the characteristics of the places where people live (context). From the 1990s, there has been considerable interest in the role of neighbourhoods, specifically whether their social and physical characteristics are important in explaining inequalities in health. The main aim of this thesis is to determine the influence of ‘place’ effects on alcohol-related behaviour and health and social outcomes in New Zealand. To achieve this, data was obtained for hospitalisation and mortality directly related to alcohol consumption. Age standardised rates of alcohol related hospitalisation and mortality were calculated for different census areas units over time. Secondly, a database of all alcohol outlets including type and category was obtained from the Liquor Licensing Authority and geocoded for all meshblocks in New Zealand. Using ArcGIS road network functionality, least cost distance to nearest alcohol outlets was calculated. In addition, two buffers (800 and 3000 metres) were created around the population weighted centroids of each meshblock. Statistical analysis was undertaken to examine the distribution of alcohol outlets in areas of differing socio-economic status. Thirdly, binary logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between various access measures developed and individual alcohol related behaviour from the New Zealand Health Survey (2006/07). Lastly, Ordinary Least Squares regression was used to establish the association between the density of alcohol outlets and crime, and alcohol related hospitalisation. The results reveal there is increasing geographic inequality of both hospitalisation and mortality between the most and the least deprived areas in New Zealand. Secondly, the results consistently show there is inequity in the availability of alcohol outlets; there are clear social patterns in the distribution of alcohol outlets with disproportionately high numbers in more socially deprived neighbourhoods. Thirdly, at the national level, after controlling for potential confounding factors, there was no association between either hazardous or frequent consumption of alcohol and access to alcohol outlets. However, there was an association for particular sub-populations in regards to hazardous and frequent consumption and access to alcohol outlets. Fourthly, although the explained variance was often quite low in outcome models for crime and hospitalisation, nevertheless most of the variance for crime was predicted by the density of alcohol outlets. A number of important theoretical and policy implications flow from this study. Alcohol outlets are modifiable structures in the environments that are amenable to policy interventions at a community and national level. Interventions could concentrate on three aspects to reduce excess consumption; zoning ordinances, reducing alcohol outlets in deprived areas and increased alcohol taxation. Starting with the first proposed intervention, zoning ordinances provide communities and local governments with the opportunity to regulate outlet numbers and locations as well as their trading hours. This intervention has the potential to reduce opportunities for obtaining alcohol. Secondly, a reduction in the number of alcohol outlets is likely to reduce consumption and consequently improve health and social outcomes. Finally, higher alcohol prices via increased taxation is likely to be a deterrent to excess consumption and related health outcomes. Three priority areas are identified and recommended for future research. Studies using a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methods, to better understand the association between local purchases of alcohol, consumption and proximity to alcohol outlets would be beneficial. In addition, the use of qualitative methods to examine the influence of social capital and cohesion, culture and norms on alcohol consumption in areas with higher densities of, and better access to alcohol outlets, is imperative. Lastly, longitudinal studies are also recommended to investigate increases or decreases in the number of alcohol outlets over time and the impact of such changes on the consumption patterns of different sub-populations.

With an abundance of social network data being released, the need to protect sensitive information within these networks has become an important concern of data publishers. In this thesis we focus on the popular notion of k-anonymization as applied to social network graphs. Given such a network N, the problem we study is to transform N to N', such that some property P of each node in N' is attained by at least k-1 other nodes in N'. We study edge-labeled, vertex-labeled and unlabeled graphs, since instances of each occur in real-world social networks. Our main contributions are as follows 1. When looking at edge additions, we show that k-label sequence anonymity of arbitrary edge-labeled graphs is NP-complete, and use this fact to prove hardness results for many other recently introduced notions of anonymity. We also present interesting hardness results and algorithms for labeled and unlabeled bipartite graphs. 2. When looking at node additions, we show that on vertex-labeled graphs, the problem is NP-complete. For unlabeled graphs, we give an efficient (near-linear) algorithm and show that it gives solutions that are optimal modulo k, a guarantee that is novel in the literature. We examine anonymization both from its theoretical foundations and empirically, showing that our proposed algorithms for anonymization maintain structural properties shown to be necessary for graph analysis. / Graduate

The modified aperture coupled MicroStrip Antenna (MSA) and Planar Inverted F Antenna (PIFA) for mobile applications are studied and presented in this dissertation. The designed antennas are improved multi-band and broad-band characteristics by the modification of radiating elements and/or the ground plane. The novel modified aperture coupling annular-ring antenna fed by stripline is the hybrid structure of the aperture coupling feed MSA and the proximity feed MSA. The proximity feed enable to concentrate the field strength toward the direction of the radiating element and the modified aperture layer contributes to provide the maximum coupling to the radiating element. The measurement bandwidths of the Aperture Coupling Proximity Feed Hybrid MSA #1(ACPF-HMSA#1, design #1) and ACPF-HMSA #2 (design #2) are 185MHz (7%) and 105MHz (4.1%), VSWR in less than 2, respectively. Two layers Planar Inverted F Antenna (PIFA) with the modification of the ground and radiating element was studied. The inserted T-shaped or L-shaped ground and inserted a slot and slits on radiating elements help to adjust the resonant frequencies to the target applications. The result of PIFA #3 (design #3) is presented a significant board-band characteristic on the upper band by 910MHz (from 1.45GHz to 2.36GHz) with VSWR less than 2.5. It covers GPS, DCS, PCS, and UMTS bands. Novel internal loop planar inverted F antennas (L-PIFA) with Inserted Concentrated Annular Rings (ICAR) and Inserted Loop Inductors (ILI) are presented as design #4 (ICAR-L-PIFA #4) and design #5 (ILI-L-PIFA #5), respectively. The simple loop structure consists of a meandered line. It increases the capacitance between adjacent lines. The Inserted annular-rings and loop inductors provide inductance values to the main loop antennas. Therefore, the impedance bandwidth of the design #4 is 570MHz (from 1.69GHz to 2.26GHz) with VSWR less than 2.5. And, the impedance bandwidth of the design #5 is 275MHz (from 1.63GHz to 1.905GHz) and 465MHz (from 2.19GHz to 2.655GHz) with VSWR less than 2.5.

BACKGROUND: Exposures to air pollution has been associated with lower conception and fertility rates. However, the impact of pollution on infertility is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of roadway proximity (a measure of traffic exposure) and particulate matter (PM) air pollution and incidence of infertility. METHODS: Proximity to major roadways and ambient exposures to particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10), between 2.5 and 10 microns (PM2.5-10), and less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) were determined for all residential addresses for 36,294 members of the prospective Nurses' Health Study II cohort from 1993 to 2003. Infertility was defined by report of attempted conception for ≥12 months without success. Participants were able to report if evaluation was sought and if so, offer multiple clinical indications for infertility. Multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the relation between each exposure and infertility risk. RESULTS: Over 213,416 person-years, there were 2,508 incident reports of infertility. Results for overall infertility were inconsistent across exposure types. We observed a small increased risk in those living closer to compared to farther from a major road, multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=1.11(95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.20). Among those reporting primary infertility, risk was greater with closer distance to road and for all PM size fractions and exposure time windows. The multivariable adjusted HR (95%CI) for women living closer to compared to farther from a major road for primary infertility was 1.37 (1.22-1.52), while for secondary infertility HR=1.07 (0.95-1.21). In addition, the HR for every 10 mcg increase in cumulative PM2.5 among women with primary infertility was 1.61 (1.35-1.92), while it was 1.1 (0.91-1.33) for those with secondary infertility. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests exposures to traffic and PM may be associated with a small increased risk of infertility, especially primary infertility.

The aim of this study is to propose an alternative approach in prognostics for airborne avionics system in order to enhance maintenance process and aircraft availability. The objectives are to analyse the dependency of avionic systems for fault propagation behaviour degradation, research and develop methods to predict the remaining useful life of avionics Line Replaceable Units (LRU), research and develop methods to evaluate and predict the degradation performances of avionic systems, and lastly to develop software simulation systems to evaluate methods developed. One of the many stakeholders in the aircraft lifecycle includes the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry. The predictable logistics process to some degree as an outcome of IVHM gives benefit to the MRO industry. In this thesis, a new integrated numerical methodology called ‘System Level Airborne Avionic Prognostics’ or SLAAP is developed; looking at a top level solution in prognostics. Overall, this research consists of two main elements. One is to thoroughly understand and analyse data that could be utilised. Secondly, is to apply the developed methodology using the enhanced prognostic methodology. Readily available fault tree data is used to analyse the dependencies of each component within the LRUs, and performance were simulated using the linear Markov Model to estimate the time to failure. A hybrid approach prognostics model is then integrated with the prognostics measures that include environmental factors that contribute to the failure of a system, such as temperature. This research attempts to use data that is closest to the data available in the maintenance repair and overhaul industry. Based on a case study on Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), the prognostics methodology developed showed a sufficiently close approximation to the Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF) data supplied by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). This validation gives confidence that the proposed methodology will achieve its objectives and it should be further developed for use in the systems design process.

Apresentamos neste trabalho uma investigação acerca de algumas das condições que compõem as aplicações da chamada Educação a Distância no Brasil. Interessa-nos, em particular, descobrir as potencialidades desta modalidade de ensino-aprendizagem que se dão através do uso de computadores atrelados à Internet. Porém, optamos por adotar uma perspectiva imanente de investigação, que engloba uma multiplicidade de questões que atravessam a Educação como um todo e não somente o seu modo de operação à distância. Para tanto, nós realizamos uma espécie de cartografia mezzo-histórica do ensinar-aprender à distância no nosso país com o intuito de mostrar como é longa a distância entre as primeiras experiências em Educação a Distância e o cenário atual propício a estas práticas. Discutimos a apropriação de técnicas, tecnologias e usos que ocorrem em meio a linhas políticas, econômicas, pedagógicas e, sobretudo, éticas, constituindo algumas das condições cruciais à invenção e captura deste modo de fazer educacional. Analisamos alguns dos possíveis impactos na Educação a Distância vigente em nosso país que são efeito do ressentimento oriundo do contínuo e inacabável processo de Globalização, que afeta diferentes segmentos da nossa sociedade, não deixando de forma alguma ilesos os processos de ensino-aprendizagem contemporâneos. Frente a esta conjectura, nós avançamos na tentativa de verificar até que ponto é possível extrair potências da suposta fragilidade imposta pela política neoliberal nos dias de hoje, amparados pelas pistas deixadas pelo trabalho de Deleuze e de Foucault no movimento que vai das Sociedades Disciplinares às de Controle misturadas às alternativas apontadas pelo que se convém denominar Capitalismo Cognitivo. As condições de experiência e de produção de sentido(s) possíveis em processos de Educação a Distância são problematizadas através da fabricação dos conceitos de distância, proximidade e velocidade, por um percurso que nos posiciona entre as duas margens mais comuns na discussão sobre esta referida modalidade de ensino-aprendizagem, que são compostas de um lado por entusiastas e de outro pelos algozes críticos. Apresentamos ainda neste estudo algumas noções de rede, considerando as suas possíveis conceituações, seja como parafernália técnica que viabiliza conexões informáticas, permitindo a comunicação na Internet, seja como modo de mobilização de coletivos que buscam a multiplicação de sentidos em suas práticas. Apostamos na capacidade inerente às redes de aumentar consideravelmente a potência de ação dos coletivos envolvidos com práticas de ensino-aprendizagem à distância, através da implementação de estratégias e táticas micropolíticas, conforme inspiração na análise acerca do processo de invenção do cotidiano registrado na obra de Michel de Certeau. / At this work we present an investigation about some of the conditions that make possible the applications of the Distance Education in Brazil in order to discover the potential of this teaching/learning method that occur through the use of computers linked to the Internet. However, we choose to adopt an immanent perspective in research, which includes a multiplicity of issues that cross the Education as a whole, and not just its distance operation mode. We build some kind of historical cartography of the Distance Education practices in our country considering their political, economical, educational and, above all, ethical lines of constitution. We have reviewed some of the impacts on Distance Education in our country that are effect of the resentment that comes from the continuous and endless process of globalization, which affects different segments of our society, focusing in the teaching/learning contemporary practices. Facing this conjecture, we move forward, verifying how can we extract potencies of the weakness which are imposed to us by the neoliberal policies of nowadays. We work with the support of the studies of Deleuze and Foucault regarding to the movement that goes from the Societies of Discipline to the Societies of Control, mixed with the arrangements and alternatives proposed by the event of the Cognitive Capitalism. The conditions of experience and production of meaning(s) that are possible in Distance Education processes are investigated through the production of the concepts of distance, speed and proximity, when we assume the position between the two usual sides at Distance Education discussions that are composed in one part by enthusiasts and in other by its exagerated critics. We work still with some conceptualizations for the term network, considering it as a technique paraphernalia that enables computer connections, allowing the communication through the Internet, and also as a way of collectives mobilization that seek to multiply the meanings in their practices. We believe in the inherent capacity of the networks to considerably increase the power of action of the collectives involved in distance teaching/learning practices, through the implementation of strategies and micropolitical tactics, under the inspiration on the analysis about the process of the invention of everyday life practices presented in the work of Michel de Certeau.

abstract: Water makes up about 45-70% of a human body's total weight. It is estimated that 80% of the human brain's tissue is composed of water. Cognitive productivity is altered when the body is in a mere 2% dehydrated state. Several cognitive functions impacted by dehydration include: visual motor tracing, short-term recall, attentiveness, and mathematic efficiency. It is estimated that 80% of the U.S. adult population endures the majority of their day in a mildly dehydrated state. Participants were employees working full-time jobs with Arizona State University or Tri Star Motor Company. Employees had to be 18 or older were invited to join the study. Employees participating in the study lived within the the greater Phoenix area. Participants of all races, genders, activity statuses, and BMIs were encouraged to join. A one-arm, pre-test, post-test study design was utilized. We examined whether the hydration status of participants in the intervention improved or worsened during the course of the intervention, and then attributed any such improvement or deterioration to the intervention. Urine collections from an afternoon sample were gathered before and after the one-week intervention. For the intervention, the participating offices received a water dispensing system in close proximity to employee desk spaces. A reusable water bottle was also given to each participant. Urine specific gravity (USG) was assessed in all urine samples to indicate hydration status, and all participants completed water intake surveys before and after the intervention. From this study, the overall change in water intake over the course of the one-week intervention was 143 ounces/day. This is an average of adding two and a half 8 oz glasses of water each day of the week per participant. USG also decreased significantly at the end of the intervention in comparison to the baseline value. In the greater body of research, this study strengthens the viability of inputting a hydration station and offering reusable water bottles to employees. This cost-effective method is an easy way to incorporate employee wellness in the workplace. The benefit of employees to drink more water is numerous, including increased focus, mental reactivity, and overall mood and wellness. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Nutrition 2018

La mise en oeuvre des pôles de compétitivité, dès 2006, fait partie d’une politique gouvernementale de soutien aux entreprises et aux territoires visant à mieux positionner la France dans la compétition économique internationale. L’objectif est de renforcer le tissu industriel de certaines régions par une forte injection d’investissements publics dans des projets liés à l’innovation et à l’internationalisation des entreprises. Cette thèse traite des effets de l’installation du pôle de compétitivité ‘Arve Industries’ et, en particulier, du degré d’implication des PME locales dans cette démarche collective d’innovation. Du point de vue théorique, nous avons fait appel, d’une part, aux approches sur l’économie territoriale car la notion de territoire fait partie intégrante de la logique des pôles de compétitivité et, d’autre part aux études portant sur les réseaux stratégiques. Dans ces deux perspectives, la proximité est présentée comme un facteur important à la base des rapports de coopération entre les acteurs concernés (entreprises, laboratoires et universités) dans le domaine technologique. Du point de vue empirique, ce travail combine une démarche qualitative exploratoire, basée sur une enquête menée à partir d’entretiens semi-directifs avec 22 patrons de PME et 6 organisations d’appui à l’industrie locale, et une démarche quantitative conduite auprès de 68 questionnaires exploitables. La nature des relations des PME au sein de pôle de compétitivité sont ainsi étudiés du point de vue de la coopération, la compétition et la diffusion de connaissances. / Competitiveness clusters have been established since 2006 and represent a political initiative by the French government to aid businesses and regions and thus improve France’s position in the realm of international economic competition. The goal is to reinforce the industrial fabric in certain regions via a substantial injection of public funds invested in projects linked with innovation and internationalization of enterprises. This dissertation studies the impact of the creation of the “Arve Industries” competitiveness cluster and in particular, the degree of implication of local SMEs in this collective, innovating activity. From a theoretical stand point, we call upon approaches addressing territorial economies due to the intrinsically territorial nature of competitiveness clusters, as well as studies focusing on strategic networks. Harnessing these two perspectives, proximity is presented as an important factor at the root of cooperative interactions between the involved actors (businesses, laboratories and universities) in the technological field. From a technological stand point, this work combines a qualitative exploratory approach based on semi-directive interviews with 22 SME owners and 6 organizations that support local industry, and a quantitative approach based on 68 usable questionnaires. The nature of relationships between SMEs in competitiveness clusters are also studied in terms of cooperation, competition and knowledge sharing.