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Neurogenesis is an important and vastly under-explored area in reptiles. While the ability to generate new brain cells in the adult mammalian brain is limited, reptiles are able to regenerate large populations of neuronal cells. Pythons exhibit a characteristic specific dynamic action (SDA) response after food intake with an increase in metabolic rate that facilitates processing the meal. Associated with this change in SDA, pythons (Python spp.) also exhibit impressive plasticity in their digestive and cardiovascular physiology due to the sheer magnitude of the increase in organ growth that occurs after a meal to speed digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients. While this systemic growth in response following food consumption is well documented, whether the python brain exhibits associated changes in cell proliferation following food consumption and digestion is currently unexplored. For this study, juvenile male ball pythons (Python regius) were used to test the hypothesis that postprandial neurogenesis is associated with food consumption. We used the thymidine analog 5-bromo-12’-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to quantify and compare cell proliferation in the brain of fasted snakes and at two time points: two days and six days after a meal, which span time periods of during and after SDA response, respectively. Quantification of BrdU-labeled cells in the ventricular regions relealed that – consistent with other reptile species – the retrobulbar and olfactory regions had the highest numbers of proliferating cells in the python brain, regardless of sampling time. Throughout the telencephalon, cell proliferation was significantly greater in the six-day post-feeding group, with no difference between the two-day post-feeding group and controls. Most other postprandial systemic plasticity occurs within a day or two after a meal and decreases thereafter; however, the brain displays a more delayed response, with a surge of cell proliferation after most of the digestion and absorption is complete. Our results support our hypothesis that food consumption does affect cell proliferation in the python brain, and indicates that the degree of increased proliferation is dependent on the time since feeding.

The rare earth polysulfides and polyselenides of Tm, Yb, and Lu are unknown. The ionic radius of the rare earth has become too small to allow the structure common to the known members of the series, and with the polysulfides the stable temperature zone is too low to give the high sulfur pressure necessary for synthesis of RS_2. It was felt that high pressure, high temperature techniques could be used to overcome both problems and to allow synthesis of compounds not possible by ordinary methods. Synthesis studies were carried out on mixtures of the rare earth element plus sulfur in the 1:2 mole ratio for Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y. The known polysulfide series was extended three members, TmS_2, YbS_2, and LuS_2. A high pressure pseudo-cubic polymorph was found for nine members, GdS_2, TbS_2, DyS_2, HoS_2, ErS_2, TmS_2, YbS_2, LuS_2, and YS_2. The minimum pressure of formation for the cubic polymorphs was found to be a smooth function of the ionic radius of the rare earth elements except for Y. YS_2 required a higher pressure to form the cubic polymorph than expected from the usual value of the ionic radius of Y, but the compressibility of Y is somewhat higher than Dy, which Y otherwise closely resembles. The reaction product diagrams of the rare earth polysulfides were all very similar. Regions were found where Ho_2S_3 and Yb_2S_3 were found on their respective diagrams. These compounds had the recently reported cubic Th_3P_4 type structure. Synthesis studies were carried out on 1:2 molar mixtures of rare earth element plus selenium for Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. The known polyselenide series was extended three members to include TmSe_2, YbSe_2, and LuSe_2. Cubic Er_2Se_3 with the Th_3P_4 type structure was found at the highest pressure and temperature tried for the Er + 2 Se system. Prior to this work Er_2Se_3 was known only with the orthorhombic Sc_2S_3 type structure. The results of this investigation suggest that high pressure, high temperature techniques can be used to extend other series of rare earth compounds and several possibilities are suggested.

Cybersecurity professionals are in high demand, but the definition of individual interests and the functions that comprise those roles is more complex than it may seem. In the face of a global shortage of cybersecurity professionals, and an often-difficult team dynamic around these individuals, in addition to a dramatic rise in cybercrime and security breaches, it is important to define and understand career success and career performance within an organization. This research uses a design science approach founded on a sociotechnical theoretical framework based on Information Technology (IT) turnover and Human Resources (HR) theories to analyze individual factors of job satisfaction and job performance for cybersecurity roles to design a cybersecurity interest to function career alignment model through the integration of prominent indicators of individual interest. This is accomplished using a mixed methods approach of surveys, interviews, and a focus group that are employed using various techniques of visual, descriptive, correlation, and thematic analysis. Two key findings within this research involves cybersecurity roles and functions and the ability to align an individual's personal interests to those roles. In the former case, cybersecurity roles are poorly defined and are prone to widespread ambiguity, requiring the design of a taxonomy of discrete functions for analysis. In the latter case, individual interests, as analyzed through popular individual profiling solutions are vague and largely irrelevant to cybersecurity professionals. This requires that individual interests be defined and applied to relevant industry functions to provide meaningful alignment to job satisfaction and job performance. Among the implications for IT Turnover Theory, is the refined attribution of individual interests within cybersecurity roles instead of a monolithic interpretation of cybersecurity professionals as a single factor. This is also true for the Intermediate Linkages Model as the job satisfaction-turnover relationship may be further refined to include industry-specific functions for cybersecurity functions and the specific interests of cybersecurity professionals. The implications for design science research could extend beyond the usage of standard guidelines, venturing into this study's process of using design challenges to illuminate hidden design principles. This challenge-principle relationship may provide additional insight to new or existing facets of reasoning. These new viewpoints may uncover otherwise excluded aspects that provide additional insight into this study or topics beyond. For cybersecurity and human resources practitioners, this study provides several implications beyond the foundation for career training for functional guidance. It provides an alternative viewpoint on organizational and departmental design for cybersecurity to business alignment to increase individual job satisfaction and ultimately improve organizational performance. Future research would result in deployed artifact instantiations that promotes general career direction for future and current cybersecurity personnel, while also providing additional guidance to organizations for the proper deployment of cybersecurity teams. Other research could include IT careers beyond cybersecurity to create a standardized method for the alignment of interests to career functions for the improvement of individual job satisfaction and overall organizational performance. / Thesis (PhD (Information Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Informatics / PhD (Information Technology) / Unrestricted

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On the basis of a strong body of data, the Institute of Medicine currently recommends at least 60 minutes of exercise per day to prevent body weight gain overtime. Previous studies have shown that there is no compensatory increase in food intake with this dose of exercise. Ultimately, the brain decides whether to alter food intake. Surprisingly, no published studies have assessed the impact of exercise on brain activation. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and an appetite questionnaire, we investigated the effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise on brain responses to visual food cues and subjective appetite responses. After an overnight fast, 30 (17M, 13W), healthy, habitually active subjects (22.0±3.8 years, 23.6±2.4 kg/m2, 44.3±8.3 mL∙kg-1∙min-1) either rested or exercised for 60 minutes, in a counterbalanced crossover design. Immediately after each condition, blood oxygen dependent levels were determined in response to visual food cues of different energy value during an fMRI scan. Exercise showed significantly greater activation (P < .005, uncorrected) in regions implicated in food inhibition (superior frontal gyrus, medial surface), and visual attention (precuneus, superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and fusiform gyrus) regions. However, exercise did show a greater activation in a food reward region (medial orbitofrontal cortex). The rest condition only showed greater activation in a visual center (fusiform gyrus) and the midbrain. In addition, relative to no-exercise, subjective appetite responses were suppressed following the exercise bout. Taken altogether, these data suggest exercise may impact the brain in a direction expected to suppress food intake and increase food attention, which is in line with previous behavioral, biological and fMRI data. These findings may explain, at least partially, why aerobic exercise does not lead to a compensatory increase in food intake.

PLCs are extensively used for the discrete and continuous control of non-intelligent shop-floor devices. The debugging phase of ladder logic development for PLCs is very cumbersome and difficult. Most often on-line debugging which is expensive and time consuming is used for debugging. Computer simulation techniques applied to this problem, leaves much to be desired. The best technique developed for ladder logic debugging is the use of ladder-based triggers. A ladder-based trigger is a function which suspends simulation execution whenever a vector of ladder variables equates to a vector of predefined states. System-based debugging facilities are those which aid a programmer in error detection at the system level. System based triggers will identify system faults and set traps within a simulation model to detect their occurrence. This approach will provide information necessary for a faster correction of the ladder logic once a trigger is activated. The system based debugging tool developed is capable of scanning a boolean representation of a PLC program with input coils, counters, timers, "and" conditions, "or conditions and output coils. The program provides the following facilities: 1. Graphics programs can be attached to the simulation program for better visualization. 2. The simulation program allows interactive control over the test bed developed. In a non-interactive simulation it can be executed in a timed sequential mode or random mode. 3. Triggers can be set by the user depending on the conditions that are to be monitored. 4. The program stops execution whenever a trigger is activated. 5. The program provides a trace of the output that caused the trigger and also of the inputs to this output, along with their state values at the time of activation. The use of system based techniques and graphics in the debugging of PLC ladder logic is demonstrated. Further the use of an object oriented frame work in the development of the debugging software is also demonstrated. / Master of Science

À STMicroelectronics, l'équipe de Business Intelligence est confrontée à exploiter quotidiennement des données et des informations pour créer des rapports d'activité afin de superviser la production. Dans une telle organisation industrielle, les produits changent régulièrement et les données peuvent rapidement devenir obsolètes. Par conséquent, au fil du temps, le nombre de rapports crées est de plus en plus important, tandis que les connaissances sur leur création sont perdues. Ceci est illustré dans une évaluation qualitative et quantitative de la partie principale du système de connaissances à STMicroelectronics.Ainsi, des problèmes d'obsolescence, de duplication, de non-centralisation et de prolifération continuent à surgir. Ce travail doit, donc, répondre à la question de recherche générale suivante:Comment assurer une capitalisation continue des connaissances métier?Pour répondre à cette question, un cycle d'amélioration continue pour la capitalisation des connaissances est proposé. Son objectif est de capitaliser efficacement et en permanence les connaissances, tout en ciblant les besoins métier et assurant une solution évolutive. Un système de Business Intelligence pour la Business Intelligence (BI4BI) est proposé. Comme la connaissance est intégrée non seulement dans les systèmes et les outils, mais aussi détenue par les humains et leurs pratiques, notre solution de capitalisation de connaissances proposée implique aussi les utilisateurs et les organisations: elle propose de recueillir les points de vue des utilisateurs pour les intégrer dans la représentation des connaissances et dans notre système BI4BI. / At STMicroelectronics, the Business Intelligence team is daily confronted to exploit data and information to create reports about manufacturing activities in order to supervise it. In such an industrial organization, products change regularly and data can quickly become obsolete. Consequently, over time, the number of created reports is highly growing, while knowledge about their creation is lost. This is shown in a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the main part of the STMicroelectronics' knowledge system.As a result, problems related to knowledge obsolescence, duplication, non-centralization and proliferation continuously arise. Therefore, this work addresses the general following research question:How to ensure a continuous expert knowledge capitalization?To answer this question, a continuous improvement cycle for knowledge capitalization is proposed. Its objective is to effectively and continuously capitalize expert knowledge while targeting business needs and providing an evolving solution. It is based on a Business Intelligence for Business Intelligence system (BI4BI). Since knowledge is embedded not only in systems and tools, but also in human minds and practices, our proposed knowledge capitalization solution also involves people and organizations: it proposes to collect users' feedbacks and insights to integrate them in knowledge representation and in our BI4BI tool.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2018-04-13T13:45:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Claudia Torre.pdf: 4017373 bytes, checksum: 07d0e2bce6621bdd3aa4cdec6b777f11 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-13T13:45:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Claudia Torre.pdf: 4017373 bytes, checksum: 07d0e2bce6621bdd3aa4cdec6b777f11 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-23 / The building of a project portfolio and their prioritization depend on a series of decision-making from people with different perceptions, judgments and interests. When a consensus is not reached, individual judgments can be weighed using decision support tools that can solve decision-making difficulties in multi-choice environments. However, for the application of a multicriteria method, the criteria need to be defined, and the lack of guidelines for establishing criteria for project selection is the main challenge faced by organizations in portfolio management. The main purpose of this work is the proposition of a method for the definition of criteria for the selection and prioritization of projects, and it was developed to solve a need of the Military Police of the State of São Paulo - PMESP. To achieve this goal, the research method Design Science Research was used in which the knowledge that involves understanding and solving the problem is obtained during the construction of an solution for a specific problem context. The method for defining criteria is able to contribute to the practice of project portfolio management, defining criteria for project selection and prioritization, recording the meanings of each criterion and formalizing the criteria definition process. Therefore, the criteria and their definitions are stored and can be accessed whenever necessary. In addition, the application time of the method can be adjusted according to the complexity of the organization and both public and private companies can benefit from the application of this method. / A formação de um portfólio de projetos e sua priorização dependem de uma série de tomadas de decisões de pessoas com percepções, julgamentos e interesses diferentes. Quando um consenso não é alcançado, os julgamentos individuais podem ser pesados usando ferramentas de apoio à decisão, capazes de resolver dificuldades de tomada de decisão em ambientes de múltiplas escolhas. Porém, para a aplicação de um método multicritério, há a necessidade da definição dos critérios, e a falta de diretrizes para o estabelecimento de critérios para a seleção de projetos é o principal desafio enfrentado pelas organizações no gerenciamento de portfólio. Este trabalho possui como principal finalidade a proposição de um método para a definição de critérios para a seleção e priorização de projetos, e foi elaborado a fim de solucionar uma necessidade da Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo - PMESP. Para o alcance de tal objetivo, por meio de uma abordagem de pesquisa qualitativa, foi utilizado o método de pesquisa Design Science Research, no qual o conhecimento que envolve a compreensão e a resolução do problema é obtido durante a construção de uma solução para um contexto de problema específico. O método para a definição de critérios aqui desenvolvido é um conjunto de passos capaz de contribuir para a prática de gestão de portfólio de projetos, definindo critérios para seleção e priorização de projetos, registrando os significados de cada critério e formalizando o processo de definição de critérios. Dessa forma, os critérios e suas definições ficam armazenados, podendo ser acessados sempre que necessário. Além disso, o tempo de aplicação do método pode ser ajustado conforme a complexidade da organização e tanto empresas públicas e privadas podem usufruir da aplicação deste método.

Thesis (PhD (Social Science Research Methodology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aimed at establishing whether or not an integrated and appropriate system exists for the evaluation of research in the South African higher education system. As background to the assessment of research in South African higher education, models of research evaluation from other countries were reviewed and served as reference to the discussions on the local efforts. In each case the higher education research systems were reviewed, including existing efforts of research evaluation that exits alongside the systems. The review followed a pattern that focuses on areas including the history and rationale, purpose (s) for research evaluation, political/transformation contributions and methodological issues for a clearer understanding of the contributions made by the efforts. The study followed a multiple-case study approach to review the models and the South African situation, with the local research evaluation efforts embedded within the study of South Africa as a case. Five themes guided the reviews that were apparent for the final discussions of the study: the rationale and purpose of research evaluation, units of analysis used in the evaluation, dimensions/criteria used in research evaluation, governance and management of research evaluation processes and methodological issues related to research evaluation. The study revealed that none of the fragmented South African research evaluation efforts is suitable to deal with the transformation requirements expected of higher education institutions. This is mainly because of the voluntary nature of the current initiatives and their focus on the lowest level of units of analysis – the individual researcher. The one effort that would be better suited to meet the transformation imperatives – the HEQC institutional audits - does not concentrate on research exclusively but collectively addresses all core activities in institutions, reducing the attention necessary for research evaluation to make a meaningful contribution to higher education research. The study suggested a comprehensive design for the framework of South African research evaluation. The purpose identified for the envisaged exercise is the development and improvement of quality research of international standards across the system of higher education in order for research to make meaningful contributions to national demands. Programmes/departments in the higher education institutions are suggested as the units of analysis in which quality, productivity, relevance and viability serve as criteria for evaluation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om vas te stel of 'n geïntegreerde en toepaslike stelsel bestaan vir die evaluering van navorsing in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys stelsel. As agtergrond tot die beoordeling van navorsing in Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys, word ‘n oorsig verskaf van die modelle van navorsing evaluering van ander lande. Dit het gedien as verwysing vir die besprekings oor die plaaslike pogings. In elke geval is ‘n oorsig gebied van die hoër onderwys navorsingstelsels , insluitend die bestaande pogings tot navorsing evaluering. Die oorsigte fokus op gebiede soos die geskiedenis en die rasionaal, doel van navorsing evaluering, politiese / transformasie bydraes en metodologiese vraagstukke vir' n beter begrip van die bydraes wat gemaak word deur die pogings. Die studie volg 'n meervoudige gevallestudie benadering tot die modelle en die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie, met die plaaslike navorsing evaluering pogings onderliggend in die Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudie. Die oorsigte word gelei deur vyf temas: die rasionaal en doel van die navorsing evaluering, eenhede van analise wat gebruik word in die evaluering, dimensies / kriteria wat gebruik word in navorsing evaluering, beheer en bestuur van navorsing, en metodologiese evalueringsprosesse kwessies met betrekking tot navorsing evaluering. Hierdie temas is duidelik in die finale bespreking van die studie. Die studie het aangetoon dat nie een van die gefragmenteerde Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing evaluering pogings geskik is om die transformasie verwagtinge van hoër onderwys instellings te hanteer nie. Dit is hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die vrywillige aard van die huidige inisiatiewe en hul fokus op die laagste vlak van die eenhede van analise - die individuele navorser. Die een poging wat beter geskik sou wees die transformasiedoelwitte te ontmoet - die HEQC institusionele oudits - konsentreer nie uitsluitlik op navorsing nie, maar spreek gesamentlik alle kern aktiwiteite in instellings aan. Dit verminder die aandag wat nodig is vir navorsing evaluering om 'n betekenisvolle bydrae te lewer tot hoër onderwys navorsing . Die studie stel 'n omvattende ontwerp voor vir die raamwerk van Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing evaluering. Die doel wat vir die beoogde oefening geïdentifiseer word, is die ontwikkeling en verbetering van die kwaliteit navorsing van internasionale standaarde oor die stelsel van hoër onderwys sodat die navorsing betekenisvolle bydraes kan lewer tot die nasionale vereistes. Programme / departemente in die hoër onderwys instellings word voorgestel as die eenhede van analise waarin gehalte, produktiwiteit, relevansie en lewensvatbaarheid dien as kriteria vir evaluering.