Background: Respiratory conditions are prevalent and cause an enormous burden on society. In recent decades, there has been a global increase in asthma in children and adults, yet the diagnosis of asthma must be made on clinical grounds as the diagnostic use of pharmacological reversibility of airway obstruction remains controversial. It is possible however that tools exist from different medical paradigms that may assist in the clinical diagnosis of asthma. Tools such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) enquiry, Breath Holding Time (BHT) or Electro-Dermal Screening Test (EDST) may provide useful clinical information, yet their use has not been widely explored or validated. Integrative medicine may be considered to represent a new frontier in medicine where each therapy and diagnostic method is seen to have its own advantages and limitations and where an integration of both diagnostic and therapeutic techniques from conventional and complementary medicine is seen to produce the best results. However, while there is a high community use of complementary therapies for conditions such as asthma, there is also a need to maintain accepted standards of medical and scientific principles and foster high quality research into complementary therapies. Objectives: The current study sought to determine: • If there is a correlation between conventional measures of lung function such as Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) and less conventional measures such as airways expired NO level (eNO), electrodermal measures, TCM enquiry and BHT. • If any of the lung function measures are able to distinguish between asthmatic and healthy subjects. • If the use of a rye grass extract is better than placebo in improving requirements for bronchodilator medication, peak flow, forced expiratory volume in one second or quality of life in mild to moderate childhood asthma. Rational for carrying out two separate studies as one study; The author was interested on both the integration of diagnostic techniques as well as the effect of the herbal extract on asthma so it was decided to use the opportunity and put both in one study. Method: A range of conventional and non-conventional measures were conducted in healthy and asthmatic children including demographic details, quality of life data, spirometry measures, airway nitric oxide levels, electro-dermal measures, TCM history enquiries, breath holding time, and skin prick tests. The data were analysed to determine any significant correlations between these measures. A double blind randomized controlled pilot clinical trial was also performed to assess the effect of using rye grass extract in asthmatic children aged 8 to 16 years. Results: There were significant correlations between forced expiratory volume in one second and active quality of life, TCM spleen score and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide measurements. There were also statistically significant differences between asthmatic and healthy subjects in TCM history, breath holding time and exhaled nitric oxide. The use of rye grass extract did not produce any significant improvement over placebo in any of the asthma outcome measures. Conclusions: The use of inexpensive measures such as BHT and TCM enquiry may provide useful clinical information when assessing respiratory conditions such as asthma. However, further research is required in larger populations to confirm their use. The use of the rye grass extract at the dose given in this study did not provide any clinical benefit for the asthmatic children in this study.

<p>In this thesis some different modulation schemes for xDSL-techniques are compared. The investigated techniques are ADSL, G.lite, ADSL2, HDSL, SHDSL and VDSL. The modulation methods used are DMT, CAP and different versions of PAM. Several broadband techniques also use Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) to increase the coding gain of the transmission. For each one of the different modulation methods the signal-to-noise ratio is calculated for generating a bit error rate probability of 10-7. This is the error rate that is demanded for several of the investigated standards. Comparison is also made of the transmission capacity of the channel and how sensitive the technique is for interference in a part of the frequency band. To compare the different modulation techniques, simulations of the modulations were made. The simulations were made with MatLab and Simulink. Unfortunately Simulink only supports one- and two-dimensional TCM. Therefore no good simulations of ADSL and ADSL2 with TCM were made, because those techniques use four-dimensional TCM.</p>

Trellis-coded Modulation (TCM) is used in bandlimited communication systems. TCM efficiency improves coding gain by combining modulation and forward error correction coding in one process. In TCM, the bandwidth expansion is not required because it uses the same symbol rate and power spectrum; the differences are the introduction of a redundancy bit and the use of a constellation with double points. <p> In this thesis, a novel TCM encoder/decoder ASIC chip implementation is presented. This ASIC codec not only increases decoding speed but also reduces hardware complexity. The algorithm and technique are presented for a 16-state convolutional code which is used in standard 256-QAM wireless systems. In the decoder, a Hamming distance is used as a cost function to determine output in the maximum likelihood Viterbi decoder. Using the relationship between the delay states and the path state in the Trellis tree of the code, a pre-calculated Hamming distances are stored in a look-up table. In addition, an output look-up-table is generated to determine the decoder output. This table is established by the two relative delay states in the code. The thesis provides details of the algorithm and the structure of TCM codec chip. Besides using parallel processing, the ASIC implementation also uses pipelining to further increase decoding speed. <p> The codec was implemented in ASIC using standard 0.18Ým CMOS technology; the ASIC core occupied a silicon area of 1.1mm2. All register transfer level code of the codec was simulated and synthesized. The chip layout was generated and the final chip was fabricated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company through the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation. The functional testing of the fabricated codec was performed partially successful; the timing testing has not been fully accomplished because the chip was not always stable.

Trellis-coded Modulation (TCM) is used in bandlimited communication systems. TCM efficiency improves coding gain by combining modulation and forward error correction coding in one process. In TCM, the bandwidth expansion is not required because it uses the same symbol rate and power spectrum; the differences are the introduction of a redundancy bit and the use of a constellation with double points. <p> In this thesis, a novel TCM encoder/decoder ASIC chip implementation is presented. This ASIC codec not only increases decoding speed but also reduces hardware complexity. The algorithm and technique are presented for a 16-state convolutional code which is used in standard 256-QAM wireless systems. In the decoder, a Hamming distance is used as a cost function to determine output in the maximum likelihood Viterbi decoder. Using the relationship between the delay states and the path state in the Trellis tree of the code, a pre-calculated Hamming distances are stored in a look-up table. In addition, an output look-up-table is generated to determine the decoder output. This table is established by the two relative delay states in the code. The thesis provides details of the algorithm and the structure of TCM codec chip. Besides using parallel processing, the ASIC implementation also uses pipelining to further increase decoding speed. <p> The codec was implemented in ASIC using standard 0.18Ým CMOS technology; the ASIC core occupied a silicon area of 1.1mm2. All register transfer level code of the codec was simulated and synthesized. The chip layout was generated and the final chip was fabricated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company through the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation. The functional testing of the fabricated codec was performed partially successful; the timing testing has not been fully accomplished because the chip was not always stable.

No description available.

14.5 million women in Germany between the ages of 15 – 44 are plagued from menstrual pain starting from minor discomfort to major pain and cramps. All those women share the same imperative wish: the pain should stop. We found a disruptive solution that acts as an alternative for synthesized medication and has the potential to revolutionize the market for dysmenorrhea remedies, functional foods with the properties revered of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM as a method to alleviate menstrual pains has not yet found its way to Germany (and the rest of the European Union). Thus we offer our customers a completely new solution to a problem as old as humanity itself. Our products are all based on TCM ingredients with thousands of years of tradition and successful practice that have also been clinically proven. Just over the last 25 years over a billion women in East Asia have fallen back on using herbs and functional foods of the Traditional Chinese Medicine as their remedy of first choice when comes to menstrual pain and other complaints. The research shows a great market potential for TCM products as a treatment for dysmenorrhea in Germany.

One in six couples wishing to start a family are infertile. The many causes of infertility include genetic defects that can be single gene, multifactorial or chromosomal (including Y deletions, karyotype abnormalities and gamete aneuploidy). This thesis is concerned with the association between infertility and increased sperm aneuploidy. Specific questions are: should males be screened for sperm aneuploidy before intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)? Is there a relationship between individual semen parameters and sperm aneuploidy for specific chromosome pairs? What is the role of genome organisation in male gametes and its association with infertility? Whether use of alternative therapy (in this case, traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)) can be used to improve sperm disomy levels. Statistical analysis of questionnaire data revealed that infertility specialists believed there to be merit in screening sperm aneuploidy levels before ICSI. Evidence is presented for possible chromosome-specific and semen parameter specific mechanisms for sperm aneuploidy as is evidence of genome organisation that may be perturbed in infertile males. Finally, in six males studied, sperm aneuploidy levels improved significantly coincident with TCM. Closer investigation of the biological activity of individual therapeutic herbs and treatment cocktails revealed strong anti-oestrogenic and anti-oxidant properties. This suggests a possible mechanism of action of the herbs and provides the basis from which future placebo controlled clinical trials might continue. Possible criticisms of the work presented here include the unavailability of blood samples from many of the patients (thus preventing karyotype analysis) and the absence of a second control group in our studies on semen parameters. Nevertheless significant steps have been made towards establishing the need for, and the implementation of, a pre-ICSI screening test. Moreover progress has been made towards further understanding the aetiology of sperm aneuploidy and towards the implementation of a new treatment that may, ultimately, augment, or even replace ICSI.

In this thesis some different modulation schemes for xDSL-techniques are compared. The investigated techniques are ADSL, G.lite, ADSL2, HDSL, SHDSL and VDSL. The modulation methods used are DMT, CAP and different versions of PAM. Several broadband techniques also use Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) to increase the coding gain of the transmission. For each one of the different modulation methods the signal-to-noise ratio is calculated for generating a bit error rate probability of 10-7. This is the error rate that is demanded for several of the investigated standards. Comparison is also made of the transmission capacity of the channel and how sensitive the technique is for interference in a part of the frequency band. To compare the different modulation techniques, simulations of the modulations were made. The simulations were made with MatLab and Simulink. Unfortunately Simulink only supports one- and two-dimensional TCM. Therefore no good simulations of ADSL and ADSL2 with TCM were made, because those techniques use four-dimensional TCM.

The primary purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between ethical leadership (Brown, Trevino, & Harrison, 2005) and the three forms of organizational commitment (Meyer & Allen, 1997). Secondarily, this research explored the relationship between ethical leadership (Brown et al., 2005) and the four dimensions of transformational leadership (Bass & Avolio, 1994). This study extends recent research regarding ethics, leadership styles, and employee commitment by administering the Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS), the Three-Component Model (TCM) of Commitment (Meyer & Allen, 1997), and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X). The data was collected from a cross-section of 130 business professionals representing a variety of industries, occupation characteristics, and levels of organizational and supervisory responsibility, age, education, and job tenure. The hypotheses developed in this study found positive and statistically significant relationships between ethical leadership and two forms of organizational commitment; affective commitment (r = .55, p < .01) and normative commitment (r = .45, p < .01). The study also found highly positive and statistically significant relationships between ethical leadership and the idealized influence (r = .75, p < .01) and inspirational motivation (r = .70, p < .01) dimensions of transformational leadership.

Passage of Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 have placed greater responsibility on transportation planners, requiring greater integration of transportation and air quality planning processes. Inclusion of Travel Demand Management (TDM) measures into a State Implementation Plan (SIP) or a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) requires the evaluation of these measures for emission impacts. Traditional method of analysis of a TDM measure using TDM software is labor intensive and time consuming. This process involves the execution of the four step travel demand forecasting models for each emission analysis. This could delay the process of approving a transportation program to be included in the State Implementation Plan. To simplify the process of emission impact analysis of TDMs using TDM software, a link between TDM software and MOBILE5a was developed. In developing the linkage, three parameters were considered crucial. These three parameters were the VMT mix, speed, and operating mode mix. It was determined that the changes in the values of these parameters would have substantial impact on emission factors. Methodologies were formulated to predict the changes in the values of these parameters due to the implementation of TDM measures. To predict the changes in the VMT mix factors, vehicle composition rates were developed by analyzing the 1990 National Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS). Changes in speed and operating mode mix were estimated using the methodologies developed by Sierra Research, Inc. A software model called TDMLinK was developed to link the TDM software and MOBILE5a. The three methodologies developed to predict the changes in the value of parameters were incorporated into this software. TDMLinK reports the percent reductions of emissions for each TDM scenario modeled and for each pollutant. This software extends the ability of TDM software to do screening analysis of TDM strategies. / Master of Science