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In the beginning stage of economic development in Taiwan, the market was lack of funding and the capital market is immature. The majority of financial institutions are public banks. With the development of financial liberalization, Taiwan government lifted the restrictions on establishing private commercial banks on 1991. Following that, public banks face challenges of the fierce competition with private banks, comply with policy of the authorities to authorize special policy loans or generally take over insolvent banks. The public banks were under such severe challenges and the under performing problems were expected to be solved only by privatization. Consequently, following the Act Governing the Conversion of State Owned Enterprises into Private Enterprises entered into effect in 1992, the Privatization of public banks in Taiwan began. Since the Asia finance turmoil occurred, the operation of financial institution significantly deteriorates. The overall Non-Performing Loan Ratio is high due to low financial institution loan quality. In addition, Taiwan banks face a severe problem that whether the current overall domestic financial market is too small for all the current financial institutions? Is the operation scale of Taiwan banks competitive internationally? Presuming the current operation scale of Taiwan banks is weak among international competition, what are the development alternatives for Taiwan banks? The research scope of this study is based on the current general operations, merger cases, and the development strategies applied in the second stage financial reform of Taiwan banks. In the case study, the merger case targeted is the most successful merger in the second stage financial reform, where the financial product development is improved by the merger synergy. In addition, the policy goals to reduce the number of government-owned banks by half and facilitate introduction of foreign funding are realized, which contributes to Taiwan economic development. This study first introduces the overall development of public banks, followed by case studies of operating performance and financial data on Taiwan Cooperative Bank and the Farmers Bank of China. This study is conducted through the operating performance analysis on two targeted banks and overall banks. The analysis includes return on assets, return on equity, earning per share. Also the analysis includes the comparison analysis of market competition status with financial holding companies, which is critical reference to evaluate the development potential when the Taiwan Cooperative Banks establishes a financial holding company in the future. The analysis further includes combined market analysis, and SWOT analysis to compare the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of these two public banks.

This work presents an investigation of the potential development of phenoxodiol, a novel isoflavone, for the treatment of prostate cancer. The literature concerning isoflavone epidemiology, pharmacology, clinical use and their effect on prostate cancer is reviewed. Isoflavone impact on signal transduction pathways is also reviewed with a particular focus on the Akt / mTOR signal transduction pathway, a key signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells. In vitro experiments and xenograft nude mice studies show that phenoxodiol inhibits the growth of DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cells, when used alone and in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin. Phenoxodiol in combination with cisplatin is highly synergistic when inhibiting the growth of DU145 cells in particular. We show for the first time, that phenoxodiol and cisplatin or carboplatin, inhibits phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR in DU145 and PC3 cells. A first-in-human study of single dose phenoxodiol investigating its pharmacokinetic properties in cancer patient volunteers was performed. Extensive conjugation of phenoxodiol and a short half-life was noted in this study. A Phase I study of intravenous phenoxodiol administered weekly to patients with advanced cancer was then performed to assess toxicity of a repeated dose schedule, as well as the maximum tolerated dose. This schedule was well tolerated in patients, with lymphocytopenia noted as the main toxicity. Given the short half-life of phenoxodiol and our preclinical studies suggesting that combination with cisplatin and carboplatin synergistically inhibited prostate cancer cell growth, we also undertook a Phase I dose escalation study of oral phenoxodiol administered in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin to patients with advanced cancer. The main adverse events include hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, mild transaminase rises, as well as nausea, constipation, infusion site reactions and lethargy. Three patients with ovarian cancer responded to treatment according to CA125 criteria, and there was a 45% reduction in prostate specific antigen level in one man with androgen independent prostate cancer. The bioavailability of the oral formulation of phenoxodiol was calculated to be 17.5%. Phenoxodiol shows promise for further development in the potential treatment of prostate cancer.

This work presents an investigation of the potential development of phenoxodiol, a novel isoflavone, for the treatment of prostate cancer. The literature concerning isoflavone epidemiology, pharmacology, clinical use and their effect on prostate cancer is reviewed. Isoflavone impact on signal transduction pathways is also reviewed with a particular focus on the Akt / mTOR signal transduction pathway, a key signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells. In vitro experiments and xenograft nude mice studies show that phenoxodiol inhibits the growth of DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cells, when used alone and in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin. Phenoxodiol in combination with cisplatin is highly synergistic when inhibiting the growth of DU145 cells in particular. We show for the first time, that phenoxodiol and cisplatin or carboplatin, inhibits phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR in DU145 and PC3 cells. A first-in-human study of single dose phenoxodiol investigating its pharmacokinetic properties in cancer patient volunteers was performed. Extensive conjugation of phenoxodiol and a short half-life was noted in this study. A Phase I study of intravenous phenoxodiol administered weekly to patients with advanced cancer was then performed to assess toxicity of a repeated dose schedule, as well as the maximum tolerated dose. This schedule was well tolerated in patients, with lymphocytopenia noted as the main toxicity. Given the short half-life of phenoxodiol and our preclinical studies suggesting that combination with cisplatin and carboplatin synergistically inhibited prostate cancer cell growth, we also undertook a Phase I dose escalation study of oral phenoxodiol administered in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin to patients with advanced cancer. The main adverse events include hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, mild transaminase rises, as well as nausea, constipation, infusion site reactions and lethargy. Three patients with ovarian cancer responded to treatment according to CA125 criteria, and there was a 45% reduction in prostate specific antigen level in one man with androgen independent prostate cancer. The bioavailability of the oral formulation of phenoxodiol was calculated to be 17.5%. Phenoxodiol shows promise for further development in the potential treatment of prostate cancer.

Federal downsizing and reduced appropriations within the USDA Forest Service (USFS) have resulted in increased use of partnerships to deliver visitor services. Partnerships are the relationships in which two or more parties combine resources (e.g., funds, labor, information, skills) to accomplish a shared objective. Examples of USFS recreation partners include individual volunteers, professional contractors, and concessionaires. Partnerships provide a variety of services that may be otherwise neglected with fiscal constraints; for example, campground hosts, trail maintenance crews, and specialized recreation outfitters and guides provide visitor services the public desires. Although previous studies and USFS Accomplishment Reports indicate that partners are being used to deliver recreation services, there is a lack of understanding concerning the structure and function of these relationships. This thesis presents data from the second phase of a multi-phase study exploring the role of recreation partnerships on national forests. Using grounded theory, Phase I gathered and analyzed semi-structured interview data with key informants (n = 21). From these interviews, a conceptual framework of USFS recreation partnerships evolved, and internal commitment to partnerships and the external environment of forests emerged as indicators of agency capacity to partner. Internal commitment was defined by the presence, or lack of, a partnership coordinator on the forest. External environment was characterized by geographical location with urban forests, rural forests and amenity forests typifying various levels of partnership access for forest personnel. Phase II investigated these themes of commitment and environment using a multiple-case study methodology. Interviews with USFS personnel (n = 45) on six national forests representing a variety of internal commitment and external environment scenarios enabled the refinement of the partnership conceptual framework and indicators of agency capacity to administer partnerships. Specifically, this study illustrated that personnel motivations also influence agency capacity to partner. Fifteen distinct motivations emerged from informant interviews, which were classified within three categories of motivations: interpersonal, intrapersonal, and institutional. Together these themes of agency capacity--commitment, environment, and motivation--describe six unique cases of partnership involvement. These findings enable an increased awareness of agency capacity to partner and may enhance the leadership support, agency-partner interactions, and personnel motivations necessary to sustain USFS partnerships.

Submitted by CLEBER JUNIOR JADOSKI null (cjadoski@gmail.com) on 2016-02-18T20:23:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cleber Jr Jadoski.pdf: 2455858 bytes, checksum: 570df2ab1fc3e0b3ad7c70988ab927ad (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-02-19T17:53:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 jadoskijunior_c_dr_bot.pdf: 2455858 bytes, checksum: 570df2ab1fc3e0b3ad7c70988ab927ad (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-19T17:53:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jadoskijunior_c_dr_bot.pdf: 2455858 bytes, checksum: 570df2ab1fc3e0b3ad7c70988ab927ad (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O sorgo sacarino é uma cultura que vem ganhando destaque na cadeia produtiva da sacarose, contudo, com alto consumo de fertilizantes nitrogenados. No que se refere ao rendimento de sacarose pelo sorgo sacarino pode-se afirmar que alguns fatores ainda devem ser avaliados para aumentar as perspectivas de sucesso, dentre eles o aumento da produtividade e a redução nos custos de produção. Existe interação entre a cultura, elementos biológicos e o manejo, nesse último, a aplicação de mistura de reguladores vem apresentando resultados significativos nos processos metabólicos das plantas, além do aumento da produtividade. Biorreguladores são misturas de reguladores vegetais, que afetam o metabolismo vegetal, cuja ação trará benefícios aos cultivos, melhorando a qualidade e incrementando a produção. A fotossíntese possui relação direta na produtividade das plantas e é um dos processos afetados pelo metabolismo do nitrogênio. A assimilação deste nutriente destaca-se como um dos principais fatores limitantes para produção vegetal. Processos biológicos de fixação de N por organismos procariontes podem tornar os processos produtivos mais eficientes. Neste contexto a bactéria Azospirillum brasilense mostra-se promissora à fornecer nitrogênio e diminuir os custos com fertilizantes nitrogenados. Baseado nos efeitos fisiológicos que os biorreguladores desenvolvem nas plantas, em função do seu modo de ação no metabolismo fotossintético, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar as respostas fisiológicas de sorgo sacarino inoculado com Azospirillum brasilense decorrentes da adubação nitrogenada e reguladores vegetais. O experimento constituiu-se de parcelas subdivididas e distribuídas em blocos, ao acaso, com quatro repetições. As subparcelas corresponderam a uma linha na parcela principal, alternadas por uma linha de bordadura. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de níveis de nitrogênio (0, 40, 80, 120 e 160 kg ha-1) nas parcelas principais aos 10 dias após a emergência (DAE) e nas subparcelas níveis do bioestimulante, produto comercial Stimulate® (0, 300, 400, 500 e 600 mL ha-1) aplicado aos 15 DAE, na cultura de sorgo sacarino cultivar BRS 505 da Embrapa, inoculado com Azospirillum brasilense. Avaliou-se as variáveis de trocas gasosas (A, gs, Ci. E) e as variáveis estimadas de EUA, A/Ci e índice SPAD aos 16, 46 e 81 DAE, área foliar aos 70 DAE, massa de matéria seca aos 90 DAE. A colheita foi realizada aos 90 DAE e os colmos foram preparados para a determinação do POL%, AR% e ART kg t-1. A aplicação do biorregulador na dose de 440,7 ml ha-1 apresentou a maior eficiência fotossintética até os 46 DAE. Nas condições experimentais o tratamento com regulador vegetal não apresentou efeito no aumento da produção de açúcar total recuperável. O biorregulador apresentou sinergia com os tratamentos de adubação nitrogenada, ocasionando incremento no desenvolvimento das características fenológicas: área foliar e massa de matéria seca da cultura. Conclui-se que a ação do biorregulador não influenciou na produção de açúcares pela planta, entretanto se mostrou um bom candidato a diminuir os custos na adubação nitrogenada da cultura, por melhorar a eficiência fotossintética tanto em plantas de sorgo sacarino em que o N metabolizado foi oriundo da inoculação com Azospirillum brasilense ou da adubação nitrogenada. / Sweet sorghum is a prominent culture that has gained in the production chain of sucrose, however, with high consumption of nitrogen fertilizers. As regards income sucrose for sweet sorghum can be said that some factors still need to be evaluated to increase the prospects for success, including increased productivity and reduction in production costs. There is interaction between culture, biological elements and management, in the latter, the application of plant growth regulators has shown significant results in the metabolic processes of plants, and increased productivity. Photosynthesis has direct bearing on the productivity of plants and is one of the processes affected by nitrogen metabolism. The assimilation of this nutrient stands out as one of the main limiting factors for crop production. Biological processes N fixation by prokaryotic organisms can make more efficient production processes. In this context the Azospirillum brasilense bacteria is promising to provide nitrogen and reduce the cost of nitrogen fertilizers. Based on the physiological effects that bioregulators develop the plants, depending on their mode of action in the photosynthetic metabolism, this study aimed to evaluate the physiological responses of sorghum inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense resulting from nitrogen and plant growth regulators fertilization. The experiment consisted of split plots and distributed in blocks at random, with four repetitions. The subplots correspond to a line in the main plot, alternating by a line boundary. The treatments consisted of nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80, 120 e 160 kg ha-1), the main plots at 10 days after emergence (DAE) and the subplots levels bioregulator, commercial product Stimulate® (0, 300, 400, 500 e 600 mL ha-1) applied at 15 DAE, the sorghum crop BRS 505 Embrapa inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense. Were evaluated the variables of gas exchange (A, gs, Ci, E) and the variables estimated efficiency of water use, photosynthetic efficiency and SPAD index at 16, 46 and 81 DAE, leaf area at 70 DAE, dry matter at 90 DAE. Plants were harvested at 90 DAE and the stalks were prepared for the determination of POL% RA% and TRS kg t-1. The application of plant growth regulator at a dose of 440.7 ml ha-1 had the highest photosynthetic efficiency up to 46 DAE. Under the experimental conditions the treatment plant growth regulator has no significant effect on the increase of total recoverable sugar production. The plant growth regulator showed synergy with nitrogen fertilization treatments, leading to increase in the development of phenological characteristics leaf area and dry matter of crop. Concludes that the action of the bioregulators did not influence the production of sugars by the plant, though it showed a good candidate to reduce the costs of nitrogen fertilizer in culture, to improve the photosynthetic efficiency in both sorghum plants in the N metabolized was derived from the inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and nitrogen fertilization.

The UK competition authorities are responsible for regulating company mergers that were originally considered to have adverse effects that were “against the public interest”, or presently that could result in a “substantial lessening of competition”. The research in this thesis examines wider economic side effects of this regulatory policy that fall outside the remit of the competition authorities. Data on 63 merger cases that were subject to the merger regulatory process by the UK competition authorities between 1989 and 2002 are studied for effects on two economic aspects, shareholder value and managers’ motivations to undertake mergers. Some previous studies have suggested that competition regimes can destroy shareholder value. The research in this thesis confirms the finding from earlier studies of greater gains to shareholders in target rather than bidding companies, but does not find evidence supporting overall loss of shareholder value to target company shareholders when a merger is prohibited. It finds evidence that when the regulatory regime is stable and well understood the capital market behaves efficiently in response to new information. However, for a sub group of the mergers involving companies with a new regulatory regime, of which industry and the market had little or no experience with respect to mergers, the capital market operated less efficiently. A number of studies have also considered the motivation of managers to follow a merger strategy. Apparently, none has looked at the influence of competition regulation on merger motives using stock market data and event study techniques. This research examined data for the stock market’s perceptions of what motivated managers to pursue their initial merger bid. The findings suggest that Synergy and Hubris dominate as motivations for mergers and that, unintentionally, competition policy may help to reduce the number of mergers motivated by Managerialism.

abstract: Educed Play is a performance installation that investigates spontaneity and the invisible communication that can exist in improvisation and collaborative play. The work unites the mediums of dance, drawing, music, and video through improvisational performances. The multimedia installation entitled Educed Play was presented in the fall of 2012. Inspiration came from the idea of relics created by ephemeral interactions, using improvisation as a means to performance, and working within a genuine collaboration. This document encompasses an overview of the project. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.F.A. Dance 2013

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-06-13T14:01:27Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Thiago Ubiratan Lins e Lins - Tese de Doutorado.pdf: 3503659 bytes, checksum: 9ffe7a8c957730db868f05707e01fef4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-13T14:01:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Thiago Ubiratan Lins e Lins - Tese de Doutorado.pdf: 3503659 bytes, checksum: 9ffe7a8c957730db868f05707e01fef4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-01-23 / FACEPE / Os derivados tiazacridínicos (Z/E)-5-(acridin-9-il) metileno-3-(3-cloro-benzil)-tiazolidin-2,4-diona (LPSF/AC-34) e (Z)-5-(acridin-9-il) metileno-3-(3-cloro-benzil)-4-tioxo-tiazolidin-2-ona (LPSF/AC-129) foram sintetizados. O produto da reação continha 72% do derivado (Z) LPSF/AC-129 e 22% do derivado (Z/E) LPSF/AC-34, com rendimento de 94%. As estruturas químicas dos derivados foram determinadas por espectroscopia no infravermelho, espectroscopia de ressonância magnética nuclear de hidrogênio e espectrometria de massas e a pureza por HPLC-MS. A citotoxicidade da mistura LPSF/AC-34 + LPSF/AC-129 foi avaliada frente a linhagens de células tumorais aderentes e não-aderentes pelo método de MTT. Os valores obtidos para o IC50 foi de 3,98 μM (linfoma de Burkitt - RAJI); 35,6 μM (leucemia de células T - Jurkat); 8,05 μM (leucemia promielocítica aguda - HL-60); 14,27 μM (leucemia linfoblástica aguda - CCRF-CEM); 55,77 μM (glioblastoma - NG97); >100 μM (mama - T47D). A seletividade dos compostos foi avaliada em células mononucleadas do sangue periférico (PBMC) de voluntários sadios e apresentou uma IC50>100μM. Em seguida, avaliou-se por citometria de fluxo o efeito dos derivados no ciclo celular e indução de morte. Observou-se que a mistura LPSF/AC-34 + LPSF/AC-129 na dose de 3,98 μM não causou alterações significativas no ciclo celular e induziu a morte por apoptose na linhagem de linfoma RAJI. Em paralelo, avaliou-se por RT-PCR o efeito dos derivados na expressão dos genes GADD153, PPARγ, Bcl-2, SOD1, Beclin, Bid, p21 e RIP3 nas linhagens HL-60 e CCRF-CEM em comparação às células não tratadas. Após 10 horas de exposição da linhagem HL-60 aos derivados, na dose de 8,05 μM (n=3), observou-se a modulação dos genes GADD153 (12,47 vezes, p=0,0808) e PPARγ (4,82 vezes, p=0,2277). Na linhagem CCRF-CEM (dose de 14,27 μM; n=3) observou-se a modulação dos genes Bcl-2 (0,97 vezes, p=0,4409), Bid (1,62 vezes, p=0,3911), RIP3 (0,97 vezes, p=0,3722) e SOD1 (1,29 vezes, p=0,0172) indicando interferência no estresse oxidativo. Avaliou-se também o efeito dos derivados na expressão protéica de NFkB, Bax, pPTEN e GADD153 por Western Blotting. Observou-se na linhagem HL-60 a modulação de NFkB (p=0,3012; n=3) e de Bax (p=0,9221; n=3). Na linhagem CCRF-CEM observou-se o aumento de NFkB (p=0,0053; n=3) e Bax (p=0,6956; n=3). Os resultados mostraram que os derivados LPSF/AC-34 + LPSF/AC-129 apresentam atividade frente às linhagens de tumores hematopoiéticos e sólidos, modulando expressão gênica e proteica. / The (Z / E) -5- (acridin-9-yl) methylene-3- (3-chloro-benzyl) thiazolidin-2,4-dione (LPSF / AC-34) and (Z) -5 - (acridin-9-yl) methylene-3- (3-chloro-benzyl) -4-thioxo-thiazolidin-2-one (LPSF / AC-129) thiazacridinic derivatives were synthesized. The reaction product contained (Z) LPSF / AC-129 (72%) and (Z / E) LPSF / AC-34 (22%), with 94% of yield. The derivatives chemical structures were determined by infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry hydrogen and the purity was determined by HPLC-MS. The mixture LPSF / AC-34 + LPSF / AC-129 cytotoxicity was evaluated against adherent and non-adherent tumor cell lines throught MTT method. The IC50 values obtained was 3,98 μM (Burkitt lymphoma - RAJI); 35,6 μM (T-cell leukemia - Jurkat); 8,05 μM (acute promyelocytic leukemia - HL-60); 14,27 μM (acute lymphoblastic leukemia - CCRF-CEM); 55,77 μM (glioblastoma - NG97); > 100 μM (breast - T47D). The compounds selectivity was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy volunteers and showed an IC50> 100μM. Then, the derivative effect on cell cycle and induction of death was assayed by flow cytometry. It was observed that the 3,98 μM dose of mixture LPSF / AC-34 + LPSF / AC-129 caused no significant changes in cell cycle and induce death by apoptosis in lymphoma cell line RAJI. In parallel through RT-PCR, it was evaluated the derivatives effect on GADD153, PPAR gamma, Bcl-2, SOD1, Beclin, Bid, RIP3, p21 genes expression in HL-60 and CCRF-CEM tumor cell lines compared to untreated cells . After submitting HL-60 line to 10 hours exposure of 8.05 μM derivatives dose (n = 3), we observed the modulation of GADD153 (12,47 fold, p=0.0808) and PPAR gamma (4,82 fold, p=0.2277) genes. On CCRF-CEM cell line (14,27 μM dose; n=3) it was observed modulation of Bcl-2 (0,97 fold, p = 0,4409), Bid (1,62 fold, p = 0,3911), RIP3 (0,97 fold, p=0,3722) and SOD1 (1,29 fold, p=0,0172) genes indicating interference on oxidative stress. It is also evaluated the derivatives effect on protein expression of NFkB, Bax, GADD153 and pPTEN by Western blotting. It was observed, in HL-60 cell line, the NFkB (p=0,3012; n=3) and Bax (p=0,9221; n=3) modulation. In CCRF-CEM cell line was observed NFkB (p=0,0053; n=3) and Bax (p=0.6956; n=3) increase. The results showed that the derivatives LPSF / AC-34 + LPSF / AC-129 had activity against hematopoietic and solid tumor cell lines by modulating gene and protein expression.

Many public health and social issues faced by society today are multifaceted and require joint and collaborative efforts through health promotion partnerships. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is one strategy that consists of engaging community stakeholders from various sectors to pool their expertise and resources in addressing health and social issues holistically. The literature indicates that the effectiveness of partnerships, such as those established within CBPR initiatives, is influenced by collaborative mechanisms that promote the creation of synergy among partners. There is, however, a lack of knowledge with regards to synergy and its key determinants in the context of health promotion partnerships. This qualitative thesis study is conducted as part of The EnRiCH Project, a CBPR initiative conducted in four communities across Canada, which aims at enhancing resilience and preparedness for disasters among high-risk populations. It explores the creation of synergy through the study of dynamics of collaboration shaping the EnRiCH-Québec City partnership and influencing its ability to leverage community resources for emergency preparedness. Emergent themes highlight that optimal collaboration in the EnRiCH-Québec City partnership is about having the “right people, in the right place, at the right time”. These findings provide evidence to inform community stakeholders, researchers and decision-makers on the dynamics of synergy creation and its implications for partnership growth and effectiveness.