This dissertation contains a series of essays that provide empirical evidence for Australia on some fundamental predictions of real business cycle models and on the convergence and persistence of real interest rates. Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the issues examined in each chapter and provides an overview of the methodologies that are used. Tests of various basic predictions of standard real business cycle models for Australia are presented in Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Chapter 2 considers the question of great ratios for Australia. These are ratios of macroeconomic variables that are predicted by standard models to be stationary in the steady state. Using time series econometric techniques (unit root tests and cointegration tests) Australia great ratios are examined. In Chapter 3 a more restrictive implication of real business cycle models than the existence of great ratios is considered. Following the methodology proposed by Canova, Finn and Pagan (1994) the equilibrium decision rules for some standard real business cycle are tested on Australian data. The final essay on this topic is presented in Chapter 4. In this chapter a large-country, small-country is used to try and understand the reason for the sharp rise in Australia??s share of world output that began around 1990. Chapter 5 discusses real interest rate linkages in the Pacific Basin region. Vector autoregressive models and bootstrap methods are adopted to study financial linkages between East Asian markets, Japan and US. Given the apparent non-stationarity of real interest rates a related issue is examined in Chapter 6, viz. the persistence of international real interest rates and estimation of their half-life. Half-life is selected as a means of measuring persistence of real rates. Bootstrap methods are employed to overcome small sample issues in the estimation and a non-standard statistical inference methodology (Highest Density Regions) is adopted. Chapter 7 reapplies the High Density Regions methodology and bootstrap half-life estimation to the data used in Chapters 2 and 5. This provides a robustness check on the results of standard unit root tests that were applied to the data in those chapters. Main findings of the thesis are as follows. The long run implications of real business cycle models are largely rejected by the Australia data. This finding holds for both the existence of great ratios and when the explicit decision rules are employed. When the small open economy features of the Australian economy are incorporated in a two country RBC model, a country-specific productivity boom seems to provide a possible explanation for the rise in Australia??s share of world output. The essays that examine real interest rates suggest the following results. Following the East Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 there appears to have been a decline in the importance of Japan in influencing developments in the Pacific Basin region. In addition there is evidence that following the crisis Korea??s financial market became less insular and more integrated with the US. Finally results obtained from the half-life estimators suggest that despite the usual findings from unit root tests, real interest rates may in fact exhibit mean-reversion.

The physiological responses to stressor exposure can be broadly grouped into the organismal and the cellular stress responses. The organismal stress response involves the release of hormones into general circulation, while the cellular stress response involves the synthesis of proteins, the most important being the heat shock proteins (HSPs), which play a role in maintaining protein homeostasis. Elevated HSP70 expression in response to stressors has been demonstrated in trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) red blood cells (RBCs). The ease of repeated sampling of blood suggests the possibility of using this tissue as a non-lethal marker of cellular stress in fish. This study tested the hypothesis that stressor exposure will elevate HSP70 expression in trout RBCs and the role of stress hormones in mediating this response. Acute heat shock exposure (+12oC) significantly elevated plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate levels in heat shocked fish over 24 h. A tissue-specific response was seen in HSP70 expression in liver, brain, gill and RBCs. To enable measurement of RBC HSP70 concentrations, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using a commercially available rabbit anti-salmon HSP70 and a recombinant chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) HSP70. To determine effects of chronic exposure, two studies were conducted exposing trout to either cadmium (0, 0.75 or 2.0 µg/L over 28 d) or municipal wastewater effluent (0, 20 or 90% over 14 d). However, neither exposure elicited a significant HSP70 response. Effects of stress hormones on RBC HSP70 levels were tested by exposing cells in vitro to either cortisol (10 and 100 ng/mL) or epinephrine (10 nM) with or without heat shock. Heat shock elevated HSP70 content in trout RBCs but no modulation by stress hormones was seen. It was shown for the first time that RBCs release HSP70 content into the medium in response to an acute heat shock and this release is attenuated by stress hormones. Overall, HSP70 levels in RBCs have the potential to be a reliable non-lethal marker of acute cellular stress effects in fish. The release of HSP70 from RBCs leads to the hypothesis that HSP70 may also have an extracellular role in fish, and warrants further study.

The physiological responses to stressor exposure can be broadly grouped into the organismal and the cellular stress responses. The organismal stress response involves the release of hormones into general circulation, while the cellular stress response involves the synthesis of proteins, the most important being the heat shock proteins (HSPs), which play a role in maintaining protein homeostasis. Elevated HSP70 expression in response to stressors has been demonstrated in trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) red blood cells (RBCs). The ease of repeated sampling of blood suggests the possibility of using this tissue as a non-lethal marker of cellular stress in fish. This study tested the hypothesis that stressor exposure will elevate HSP70 expression in trout RBCs and the role of stress hormones in mediating this response. Acute heat shock exposure (+12oC) significantly elevated plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate levels in heat shocked fish over 24 h. A tissue-specific response was seen in HSP70 expression in liver, brain, gill and RBCs. To enable measurement of RBC HSP70 concentrations, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using a commercially available rabbit anti-salmon HSP70 and a recombinant chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) HSP70. To determine effects of chronic exposure, two studies were conducted exposing trout to either cadmium (0, 0.75 or 2.0 µg/L over 28 d) or municipal wastewater effluent (0, 20 or 90% over 14 d). However, neither exposure elicited a significant HSP70 response. Effects of stress hormones on RBC HSP70 levels were tested by exposing cells in vitro to either cortisol (10 and 100 ng/mL) or epinephrine (10 nM) with or without heat shock. Heat shock elevated HSP70 content in trout RBCs but no modulation by stress hormones was seen. It was shown for the first time that RBCs release HSP70 content into the medium in response to an acute heat shock and this release is attenuated by stress hormones. Overall, HSP70 levels in RBCs have the potential to be a reliable non-lethal marker of acute cellular stress effects in fish. The release of HSP70 from RBCs leads to the hypothesis that HSP70 may also have an extracellular role in fish, and warrants further study.

This dissertation contains a series of essays that provide empirical evidence for Australia on some fundamental predictions of real business cycle models and on the convergence and persistence of real interest rates. Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the issues examined in each chapter and provides an overview of the methodologies that are used. Tests of various basic predictions of standard real business cycle models for Australia are presented in Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Chapter 2 considers the question of great ratios for Australia. These are ratios of macroeconomic variables that are predicted by standard models to be stationary in the steady state. Using time series econometric techniques (unit root tests and cointegration tests) Australia great ratios are examined. In Chapter 3 a more restrictive implication of real business cycle models than the existence of great ratios is considered. Following the methodology proposed by Canova, Finn and Pagan (1994) the equilibrium decision rules for some standard real business cycle are tested on Australian data. The final essay on this topic is presented in Chapter 4. In this chapter a large-country, small-country is used to try and understand the reason for the sharp rise in Australia??s share of world output that began around 1990. Chapter 5 discusses real interest rate linkages in the Pacific Basin region. Vector autoregressive models and bootstrap methods are adopted to study financial linkages between East Asian markets, Japan and US. Given the apparent non-stationarity of real interest rates a related issue is examined in Chapter 6, viz. the persistence of international real interest rates and estimation of their half-life. Half-life is selected as a means of measuring persistence of real rates. Bootstrap methods are employed to overcome small sample issues in the estimation and a non-standard statistical inference methodology (Highest Density Regions) is adopted. Chapter 7 reapplies the High Density Regions methodology and bootstrap half-life estimation to the data used in Chapters 2 and 5. This provides a robustness check on the results of standard unit root tests that were applied to the data in those chapters. Main findings of the thesis are as follows. The long run implications of real business cycle models are largely rejected by the Australia data. This finding holds for both the existence of great ratios and when the explicit decision rules are employed. When the small open economy features of the Australian economy are incorporated in a two country RBC model, a country-specific productivity boom seems to provide a possible explanation for the rise in Australia??s share of world output. The essays that examine real interest rates suggest the following results. Following the East Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 there appears to have been a decline in the importance of Japan in influencing developments in the Pacific Basin region. In addition there is evidence that following the crisis Korea??s financial market became less insular and more integrated with the US. Finally results obtained from the half-life estimators suggest that despite the usual findings from unit root tests, real interest rates may in fact exhibit mean-reversion.

The Standard Model of particle physics is believed to be only the low energy limit of a more fundamental theory. In order to determine its range of validity, a major part of theoretical and experimental efforts in physics is dedicated to precision tests of the Standard Model. Lattice QCD is a non-perturbative, first-principles approach to Quantum Field Theory. It plays an important role in flavor physics by providing calculations of non-perturbative strong interaction contributions to weak processes involving quarks. Measurements of hadronic quantities can be used to constrain the Standard Model as well as theories Beyond the Standard Model. The first part of this thesis contains theoretical developments regarding non-perturbative renormalization. A new renormalization scheme, RI/mSMOM, for fermion bilinear operators in QCD at non-vanishing quark mass is presented. In order to investigate the properties of the mSMOM scheme, an explicit one-loop computation in perturbation theory using dimensional regularization is performed. Numerically, vertex functions are generated on the lattice, with an appropriate projector, based on the RI/SMOM scheme and the renormalization factors are extracted. Quantities measured include renormalization of the axial current ZA, required to renormalize the axial current entering the computation of the decay constant and the renormalization of the bag parameter. The second part of this report focuses on flavor physics phenomenology on the lattice. It presents results of the first run of the RBC/UKQCD charm project with (2+1)-flavor Domain Wall fermions. Observables and matrix elements are measured on lattices with Iwasaki gauge action. There are two ensembles at the physical point with inverse lattice spacings 1.73 and 2.36 GeV and a third finer ensemble at 2.76 GeV as well as four other auxiliary ensembles with smaller volumes and heavier pion masses which are used to perform the continuum extrapolations. The quantities measured in the region of the charm quark mass are meson masses, decay constants, the matrix element of the OV V +AA operator, the neutral D-meson mixing parameter B and the SU(3) breaking ratio ξ.

Submitted by Júlia Fonseca (julia.f.fonseca@gmail.com) on 2013-06-24T17:08:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Julia Fonseca.pdf: 901363 bytes, checksum: 4df97de4c5783eb1e3f3acea7c9e8e25 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2013-06-27T12:57:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Julia Fonseca.pdf: 901363 bytes, checksum: 4df97de4c5783eb1e3f3acea7c9e8e25 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-06-27T12:58:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Julia Fonseca.pdf: 901363 bytes, checksum: 4df97de4c5783eb1e3f3acea7c9e8e25 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-17 / We investigate the eff ect of aggregate uncertainty shocks on real variables. More speci fically, we introduce a shock in the volatility of productivity in an RBC model with long-run volatility risk and preferences that exhibit generalised disappointment aversion. We find that, when combined with a negative productivity shock, a volatility shock leads to further decline in real variables, such as output, consumption, hours worked and investment. For instance, out of the 2% decrease in output as a result of both shocks, we attribute 0.25% to the e ffect of an increase in volatility. We also fi nd that this e ffect is the same as the one obtained in a model with Epstein-Zin- Weil preferences, but higher than that of a model with expected utility. Moreover, GDA preferences yield superior asset pricing results, when compared to both Epstein-Zin-Weil preferences and expected utility.

Bei der Ausrüstung von Bahnstrecken mit dem Zugbeeinflussungssystem ETCS ergeben sich insbesondere an Landesgrenzen Herausforderungen für die Planung. Hier treffen unterschiedliche Ausrüstungs- und Sicherheitsphilosophien und demzufolge landesspezifische Ausprägungen von ETCS aufeinander. Es ergibt sich ein großes Konfliktpotenzial für die Planung von ETCS. Eine standardisierte Lösung ist nicht möglich, da jedes Projekt eigene spezifische Gegebenheiten besitzt. Bei der Nutzung von ETCS Level 2 ergeben sich besondere Herausforderungen, weil hier das Radio Block Centre genutzt wird. Es muss eine Lösung gefunden werden, wie ein RBC-Wechsel über die Landesgrenze hinaus funktionieren kann. Diese Arbeit untersucht die technischen Parameter einer ETCS-Transition an RBC-Wechsel an Landesgrenzen. Dazu zählen unter anderem Systemversionen des ETCS, die Funkabdeckung oder die Signalisierung. Ein großes Problem stellt die Inkompatibilität der Hauptversionen von ETCS Baseline 2 und Baseline 3 dar. Für alle Parameter existieren besondere Problemstellungen. Die Arbeit versucht im Rahmen eines Transitionskonzeptes Lösungen und deren Vor- und Nachteile aufzuzeigen und Handlungsempfehlungen für Planer zu geben.

No description available.

Daratumumab är en antikropp som används vid behandling av multipelt myelom. Daratumumab är specifik för CD38, ytproteinet som uttrycks i stor mängd på myeloma plasmaceller. Vid antikroppsscreen orsakar daratumumab panreaktivitet då erytrocyter också uttrycker CD38. Dithiothreitol (DTT) behandling av testerytrocyter har visats kunna eliminera panreaktiviteten med daratumumab-antikropparna, detta genom att DTT klyver bort epitopet på CD38 som daratumumab reagerar mot utan att förstöra andra kliniskt relevanta antigen. På Södra Älvsborgs sjukhus skickas prover från daratumumab-behandlade patienter till Sahlgrenska sjukhuset för genotypning för att hitta kompatibelt blod. Förhoppningen är att den nya metoden ska möjliggöra antikroppsscreen på daratumumab-behandlade patienter vid Södra Älvsborgs sjukhus.Syftet med examensarbetet var att verifiera metoden för användning av DTT-behandlade testerytrocyter på plasma från daratumumab-behandlade patienter för att underlätta val av erytrocyter för blodtransfusion.Provmaterialet var venöst tagen patientplasma från 16 daratumumab-behandlade patienter testades mot 0,2 M DTT-behandlade- och obehandlade-testerytrocyter. DTT-behandlade testerytrocyter testades även mot kända antikroppar på plasmaprover från patienter som ej behandlats med daratumumab. Hållbarhetsstudie utfördes med behandlade BAS-testceller.Panreaktivitet sågs hos samtliga patientprover med obehandlade testerytrocyter. Vid test med DTT-behandlade testerytrocyter blev samtliga prover negativa. Behandlade testerytrocyter som testades mot kända antikroppar gav resultat som var oförändrat jämfört med originalscreen. Behandlade testceller var brukbara 25 dagar.DTT behandling av testerytrocyter är effektivt och billigt, resultatet var pålitligt då samtliga patientprover inte uppvisade panreaktivitet efter DTT-behandling av testerytrocyter. De DTT-behandlade erytrocyterna behöll kliniskt relevanta antigen efter behandling och var hållbara 25 dagar. Metoden anses som användbar för Södra Älvsborgs sjukhus. / Daratumumab is an antibody used for treatment of multiple myeloma. The antibody is specific for the surface protein CD38 which is being expressed in high quantity on myeloma plasma cells. Daratumumab is causing pan-reactivity during antibody screening due to regular erythrocytes also express CD38. Dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment of test erythrocytes has shown to eliminate the pan-reactivity caused by the daratumumab antibodies by cleaving the epitope on CD38 that daratumumab is specific to. Södra Älvsborgs hospital are currently sending patient samples from patients treated with daratumumab to Sahlgrenska hospital in Gothenburg for genotyping to find compatible blood.The purpose of the project was to verify the method for use of DTT-treated test erythrocytes on plasma from daratumumab treated patients to screen for antibodies and easier find compatible erythrocytes for blood transfusion at Södra Älvsborgs hospital.Plasma samples from 16 patients treated with daratumumab were tested with DTT-treated and untreated test erythrocytes. DTT-treated test erythrocytes were tested against samples with known antibodies from patients not treated with daratumumab. The cells durability was also tested.Pan-reactivity was shown with all daratumumab samples with non-treated test erythrocytes. Tests with DTT-treated test erythrocytes showed no pan-reactivity. Results from treated test erythrocytes tested against known antibodies were unchanged from original screening. The cells were durable for 25 days.DTT-treatment of test erythrocytes is effective and cheap, test results were reliable, all patient samples had their pan-reactivity eliminated. DTT-treated erythrocytes kept clinically significant antigens. The method is useful for clinical use at Södra Älvsborgs hospital.

Today’s rail industry is under great demand. People will use trains even more in the future. Rail industry has to develop and integrate new systems towards a secure transportation system. One of these steps is investigated in this master thesis. Until now, many sensitive and vital data were transferred by using old methods like USB storage devices. In this master thesis, a new and secure way to store authentication keys in a central database is described as well as a secure way of communication between this database and the RBC entities. Different technologies are used and have as result the proposed goal. The creation of a database with PHP and the implementation of a server-client communication using TLS and HTTPS are described in this project. Improvements and future development of the project are discussed at the end. / Det råder hög efterfrågan på dagens järnvägsindustri. I framtiden kommer ännu fler människor åka med tåg. Järnvägsindustrin måste utvecklas och skapa nya system för att uppnå säkra transportsystem. I denna avhandling kommer detta behandlas. Fram till idag har många känsliga och viktiga data överförts med gamla metoder såsom USB-stickor. I denna masteravhandling beskrivs ett säkert sätt att lagra autentiseringsnycklar i en central databas och även ett säkert sätt att kommunicera mellan denna databas och RBC-enheterna. Olika tekniker har använts med det uppsatta målet som resultat. Upprättandet av en PHP-databas och klient-serverkommunikation med TLS och HTTPS beskrivs i detta projekt. Förbättringar och framtida utveckling av projektet diskuteras i slutet.