Na atualidade, o cenário globalizado altamente competitivo e as novas regulamentações (lei Sarbanes-Oxley e Acordo da Basiléia 2), estão exigindo das empresas a utilização de mecanismos de gestão de TI cada vez melhores. Em função disto, a discussão sobre modelos de gestão de TI para satisfazer esta necessidade tem estado permanentemente em pauta. Dentre estes modelos, destacam-se o COBIT para governança de TI e o ITIL para gerenciamento de serviços, este último, totalmente alinhado com norma ISO/IEC 20000 para gerenciamento de serviços de TI, recentemente publicada. Considerando este contexto e que, o ITIL possui foco na execução dos processos, e o COBIT possui foco no controle de processos, este trabalho, alia estes dois modelos para criar o modelo GSS-COBITIL, ferramenta valiosa para auxiliar na implantação mais consistente do gerenciamento de suporte de serviços de TI, com foco na eficiência e na eficácia. Este modelo adota como alicerce os processos de gerenciamento de suporte de serviços do ITIL e agrega os componentes do COBIT alinhados com esta abrangência. A utilização do ITIL como alicerce, faz com que, o GSS-COBITIL esteja naturalmente alinhado com a norma ISO/IEC 20000. Além disto, tendo em vista que, o papel de TI na estratégia das organizações, difere de empresa para empresa, de acordo com suas metas de negócio, o trabalho também apresenta o método de especialização do GSS-COBITIL. Este método foi desenvolvido a partir dascaracterísticas da grade de impacto estratégico de TI, mapeando-as em um subconjunto de metas de negócio do COBIT 4.0 relacionadas aos processos do GSS-COBITIL. Como produto final, o método gera um conjunto de diretrizes para a implantação do GSS-COBITIL, específicas para a empresa, de acordo com o papel de TI em sua estratégia. O método de especialização do GSS-COBITIL foi aplicado em um conjunto de empresas que se dispuseram a responder uma pesquisa para esta finalidade. / Nowadays, the highly global competition between organizations and the new regulations (Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Basel 2 Accord) are requiring that organizations use better mechanisms for IT management. The discussion about IT management models to satisfy this need is permanently going on. Between these models, stand out COBIT for IT governance, and ITIL for IT service management. This last one is totally aligned with ISO/IEC 20000 standard for IT service management, recently published. Considering this context and that, ITIL is focused on process execution and COBIT is focused on process control, this work makes the alliance of these models to create the GSS-COBITIL model, a valuable tool to aid in a more consistent implementation of service support management, focused on efficiency and effectiveness. This model adopts the ITIL services support management processes as basis and adds the COBIT components aligned with this scope. The utilization of ITIL as basis implies that GSS-COBITIL is naturally aligned to ISO/IEC 20000 standard. Moreover, considering that the role of IT organizations strategies differs from one enterprise to another depending on their business goals, this work also presents the specialization method of GSS-COBITIL. This method was developed mapping the characteristics of IT strategic impact grid into a subset of business goals of COBIT 4.0 related with GSS-COBITIL processes. As final product, the method generates a set of directives forGSS-COBITIL implementation, specific to the organization, according the role of IT in his strategy. The specialization method of GSS-COBITIL was applied in a set of organizations that participated in a survey for this purpose.

This thesis explains how a simple parental control can be developed. The system aims to limit kids’ activities rather than entirely restrict those activities. However, current solutions are applying some filtering methods that prevent kids from playing games. In order to overcome this issue, this thesis presents a simple approach to implement a cost-effective parental control using low-cost hardware devices and open source applications.The main advantage of the suggested method is that it can be used without installing any additional software and gives parents general information about their kids' activities on the internet without preventing kids from playing online games.

Biofouling of marine surfaces is an age-old problem that affects natural and man-made surfaces exposed to the aquatic environment. The tenacious attachment of seaweed and invertebrates to man-made surfaces, notably on ship hulls, has incurred undesirable economic losses. The initial stage of the biofouling process has been attributed to the attachment of marine bacteria and their subsequent formation of biofilm which attract the settlement of larger sessile organisms including barnacles and seaweed. Silver nanostructured materials have a well-documented history as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic bacteria due to their ability to penetrate cell walls and interfere with crucial cellular processes. However, there is a surprising lack of information on their activity against marine biofilm bacteria that have critical roles in the initiation of marine fouling processes. This PhD project explores the antifouling properties of novel silver nanocomposite materials as potent antifouling agents against targeted organisms present in marine environments. The study consists of the syntheses of novel silver nanocomposite materials using various templates/matrices such as ion-exchange polymeric microspheres, zeolites, TiO2 nanotubes and graphene nanosheets. These materials were characterized through various instrumentation techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), accelerated surface area porosimetry (ASAP), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Raman spectroscopy to elucidate their physical properties. Their antifouling effects were evaluated on Halomonas pacifica, a model marine microfouling bacterium, through an established static biofilm assay. In addition, the biological effects of these silver nanocomposites were also studied on marine microalgae Dunaliella tertiolecta and Isochrysis sp. Silver-polymer nanocomposite (Ag-PNC) microspheres were formed through a rapid chemical synthesis procedure at room temperature via the reduction of silver nitrate by sodium borohydride. The introduction of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) enhanced the thermal stability of the Dowex microspheres by shifting the glass transition temperature to above 300°C and the material decomposition occurred above 460°C. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of metallic Ag, while UV-vis absorption studies showed the characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for AgNPs ranging from 406 – 422 nm maximum absorption wavelengths. SEM imaging revealed the uniform distribution of AgNPs with diameters between 20 – 60 nm on the surface of the microbeads. The Ag-PNC materials, diluted to a concentration of 1 mg/mL in marine broth, showed a potent inhibitory effect on H. pacifica biofilm formation, with up to 76% decrease of biofilm when contrasted with the polymeric microspheres without Ag. Ag-PNCs also caused significant growth inhibition of D. tertiolecta and Isochrysis sp. Silver-zeolite nanocomposite clusters (AgZ) were formed through a low temperature chemical reduction method using the environmentally friendly trisodium citrate. The stable and porous inner structure of ZSM-5 zeolites performed a dual role as a stable size-control template and a reservoir of antimicrobial nanosilver. SEM revealed the globular and cluster-like morphology of the AgZ composites, with a homogenous distribution of silver particles on the surface of the clusters. EDX results displayed an increasing Ag loading with higher concentrations of Ag precursor, up to 10 wt% Ag. The UV-visible absorption displayed the characteristic SPR absorption maximum ranging from 408 – 500 nm. The AgZ clusters with metallic silver loading of up to 10 wt% Ag, diluted to a concentration of 1 mg/mL, reduced H. pacifica biofilm attachment of up to 81% compared to pure zeolite alone. XRD analysis clearly indicated the presence of metallic Ag while the ZSM-5 zeolite crystalline framework remained largely intact after the Ag crystal growth process. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis showed a reduction in surface area of up to 44% with the incorporation of AgNPs into the zeolite, indicating the formation and growth of Ag within the internal pores and channels of the zeolite. Although the introduction and crystal growth of silver nanoparticles within the porous structure of the zeolite caused a change from a mesoporous to a largely macroporous structure, the integrity of the zeolite template was preserved. Silver-titania nanotube (Ag/TNT) composite material was prepared through a novel 2-step hydrothermal synthesis method. Titania nanotubes were chosen as a support material for the AgNPs as its greater specific surface area on the inner and outer surfaces of its tubular structure lead to enhanced properties. The morphology, particle size, chemical content, crystal structure, optical properties and surface area were systematically characterized. Determination of biofilm inhibitory properties revealed that Ag/TNT (concentration of 0.1 mg/mL) with the lowest silver content (0.95 wt% Ag) decorated with AgNPs of approximately 3 nm reduced biofilm formation of H. pacifica by 98% compared to pure titania nanotubes and bulk silver alone. Growth inhibition of D. tertiolecta and Isochrysis sp. were also observed. Interestingly, the antifouling properties were improved with a size decrease of AgNPs. The work shows that titania nanotubes are a stable and effective support for the anchoring and growth of AgNPs. The addition of very low amounts of Ag enhanced the antifouling property of pure TiO2 to produce an extremely potent antifouling effect on the targeted organisms. Graphene-Ag (GAg) nanocomposites were prepared from a novel and mild hydrothermal synthesis method which bypasses the formation of graphene oxide. The GAg nanocomposite combines the antimicrobial property of silver nanoparticles and the unique structure of graphene as a support material, with potent marine antifouling properties. The results show that GAg nanocomposites displayed significant biofilm inhibition property on H. pacifica and antiproliferative effects on D. tertiolecta and Isochrysis sp. As low as 1.3 wt% of Ag loading on a GAg sample, diluted to a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL, inhibited biofilm formation from H. pacifica. The GAg sample with 4.9 wt% Ag loading was associated with a biofilm inhibition of 99.6%. The marine antifouling properties of GAg nanocomposites were a synergy of the biocidal AgNPs anchored on the flexible graphene sheets, thereby providing maximum active contact surface areas to the target organisms. The GAg material was characterized with SEM, EDX, TEM, XRD and Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the GAg material exhibited the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. The AgNPs were estimated to be between 72-86 nm, observed supported on micron-scaled graphene flakes. These results strongly suggest that the 4 types of silver-based nanocomposite materials are promising marine antifouling agents. The addition of very low amounts of Ag enhanced the antifouling property of the support structure, and the nanocomposites were shown to be more effective on the targeted organisms compared to the matrix material or bulk silver alone. In addition, the precursor materials used in the syntheses are affordable and easily available, whilst the synthetic methods and conditions are facile, environmentally friendly, and capable of producing high yields.

Since the late 1970s, families of microelectronic technologies that could bring the advantages of high levels of electronic integration have been available at reasonable prices and manageable risk to all sectors of UK industry. However, the uptake of these technologies has been painfully slow, particularly by the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that make up most of the companies currently operating in the UK. It is the aim of the research described here to assess how slow the uptake has been, the reasons for it, and possible solutions to the problem. The problem is investigated with reference to SMEs. In order to reach conclusions it has been necessary to:- • Define Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) technology and review its history • Review that nature of the UK SME base and identify why they should use ASICs • Review the UK, European and World ASIC markets • Analyse the nature of the UK ASIC design and supply industry • Ascertain the reasons for non-adoption and assess their validity • Relate the findings of this research to appropriate business, organisational and system models • Review past and existing technology-transfer programmes operating in the area of ASIC adoption at a UK, European and world level • Compare the adoption of ASIC technology with the adoption of similar, wide-ranging, new technologies The study concludes that the technology is unique in the wide range of industries to which it can be applied, and that although some advances in adoption have been made, there remains a significant number of hurdles to adoption which can best be addressed by government intervention and supporting activity from supply-companies, trade associations, user-groups and professional and educational institutions. Only once adoption has reached a 'critical mass' can it be assumed that a self-sustaining market will result.

The objetive of the present thesis is to develop and test out a systematic approach to the analysis, design and implementation of Telecommunications-Supported Training (TST) systems. The Literature Review offers a set of approaches to similar problems in the field of Information Systems. Several other disciplines have also been considered: Psychology of Human Factors, Organizational and Innovation Theory, and applied research being currently carried out under the EU DELTA Programme. A global User-Centred Model of TST has been developed, based on the wellestablished principles of Systems Engineering and Soft Systems Methodology. The theoretical basis for this model is the concept of TST Architecture, conceived as a functional arrangement of technical components which are introduced in order to improve the performance of the actors involved in the system. The other key aspect is the design of a set of Adoption Strategies, aiming for the creation of the necessary conditions to achieve user acceptance of the technologies implemented. Following these principles, the ADAM (Architectural Design and Adoption Model) systematic approach is developed. It is structured in five stages: Context Analysis, System Analysis, System Design, System Implementation and System Maintenance. Each stage is structured into steps and activities, described in terms of key points, outcomes, deliverables, and roles involved. The ADAM approach has been tested out in its twofold dimension of analyzing already implemented TST systems and designing new ones. The first case discusses the application of ADAM to the EU Multimedia TeleSchool (MTS) TST system. The test is completed by discussing the design and implementation, performed by the author, of a TST system at the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. The results confirm the usefulness of ADAM both for practitioners and researchers in the field. Also, the TST model is extended as regards the components of acceptance and adoption, and their impact on the introduction of technologies in organizations.

This thesis details novel research on the design of new approaches that might lead to a more sustainable polymer industry by combining the use of supercritical carbon dioxide, a commercially available immobilised enzyme and renewable monomers. First, the key themes explored in this thesis are outlined. Green polymer chemistry, biodegradable and renewable polymers, biocatalysts for polymerisations (i.e. enzymes) and supercritical carbon dioxide as a reaction medium for polymer synthesis and processing are introduced (Chapter 1). Then, the high-pressure equipment and characterisation techniques are detailed. The reaction vessel used extensively in this research work is meticulously described. The high-pressure fixed-volume view cell and the high-pressure rheometer are also detailed (Chapter 2). This chapter includes also the standard operating procedure (SOP) for each piece of equipment. In the first research chapter, the carbon dioxide-induced melting point depression of poly(e-caprolactone) is investigated; thorough rheometric studies are used to provide a rheological viewpoint to this phenomenon (Chapter 3). Shear-viscosity studies were performed in order to assess the advantages that high-pressure carbon dioxide could deliver for semi-crystalline polymer processing. Visual observations of the polymer plasticisation and comparisons with high-temperature studies are also shown. In the subsequent chapter, the development of a novel enzymatic low-temperature approach for the preparation of functional low molecular weight polyesters is detailed (Chapter 4). By exploiting the unique properties of supercritical carbon dioxide and an enzyme catalyst, polymerisations ordinarily conducted using metal catalysts in excess of 200 °C were successfully conducted at milder conditions. Functional molecules could be used to end-cap the chains, thus producing green telechelics. Then, this innovative synthetic approach was extended to the preparation of bio- based amphiphilic polymers, which could be useful for drugs encapsulation and as surfactants in detergent formulations (Chapter 5). Specifically, the self-assembly of these novel polymers and the stability of the aggregated structures in water were investigated in detail. Additionally, encapsulation of a highly lipophilic molecule (Coumarin-6) and surface tension studies provided a clear demonstration of the usefulness of these polymers for a wide range of applications. The final part of the thesis sums up the overall conclusions obtained from this research work and outlines possible opportunities for future research in this area (Chapter 6).

Energy is an important requirement for population growth, technological progress and urbanisation. Worldwide energy demand has been projected to increase by 5-fold by 2100. Fulfilment of these energy requirements cannot be solely from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, on account of their adverse environmental impacts and concomitant depletion of natural resources. As a result multiple approaches for generating alternative energy are being explored globally. In this study, processed municipal solid waste (MSW) fibre was assessed as a substrate for the production of various bio-energy related products. The MSW was characterised and the results showed that there was, as expected, a wide compositional variation between samples. There was a significant amount of lignocellulosic material found in some samples and the potential to exploit this to generate fermentable sugars was explored. Direct enzyme hydrolysis using 30 FPU (Filter Paper Units)/g Cellic® CTec2 gave a 30 % release of available glucose. Pre-treatments- using hot water, dilute acid and dilute alkali are all applied to enhance sugar release but were all found to be ineffective. The possibility of using MSW as a substrate for cellulase enzyme production via solid state fermentation (SSF) by Trichoderma reesei (T. reesei) and Aspergillus niger (A. niger) was explored. Both fungi grew well on the substrate and following optimization a cellulase activity of 26.10±3.09 FPU/g could be produced using T. reesei at 30 °C with a moisture content of 60 % with inoculation of 0.5 million spores/g and incubation for 168 hr. Addition of extra nitrogen and/or carbon did not improve cellulase accumulation. Acid or alkali pre-treatment of MSW led to reduced cellulase production. Crude enzymes produced from MSW by T. reesei were evaluated for their ability to release glucose from MSW. A cellulose hydrolysis yield of cellulase was 24.7 % achieved, which was close to that obtained using a commercial enzyme. Results demonstrated that MSW could be used as an inexpensive lignocellulosic material for the production of cellulase enzymes. High concentrations of toxic heavy metals were found in all MSW samples tested and this precludes the use of this material as a soil enhancer. Thus studies were undertaken to explore the potential for bioleaching as a means to generate compost that meets environmental standards for safe use. A. niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC2592 were used and the impact of growth medium and pH tested. Both organisms were effective at solubilising the heavy metals and this may be related to their ability to synthesise organic acids into the fermentation medium that act as chelators.

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My interest is in applying a domain model to help elicit personal requirements for the problem of community travel for people with cognitive impairments. The domain model I took advantage of is the ACT model, which is embedded in the tool I designed for defining required prompts for travel. I set up a study to look at the use of the domain model to help travel-planners generate personalized prompts for a traveler. My goal is to better understand the mechanisms of running a human-performance study and to get a first look at how the domain model can be understood by travel-planners. The study shows that most participants prefer the ACT-based tool to free-thinking and writing down prompts. I found out that the tool helps participants define more organized and concise prompts, but not necessarily a higher number of prompts, compared to the free-think approach. The tool captures prompts for some steps that are neglected while free-thinking. However, some steps of the ACT model need to be disambiguated or presented more effectively in the tool.

<p> The objectives of this study were to gain an understanding of how practicing teachers believe they are prepared to meaningfully and critically integrate technology into their classroom practices; and to understand how practicing teachers recruited those beliefs into their teaching practices. This included gaining an understanding of what they believed led to their engagement in the critical dimensions of technology use in their teaching practices. This mixed-methods study contained two phases. In Phase 1, 58 graduate students in a College of Education completed a newly developed Critical Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (C-TPACK) survey containing likert-scale and open-ended questions. A subset of four graduate students, who were also practicing teachers, participated in Phase 2 of this study where lesson plans, observations, and interviews were analyzed. The findings indicated that limited training in and exposure to C-TPACK during teacher education coursework and professional development (PD), uncertainty about students&rsquo; critical digital literacies (CDL), the teachers&rsquo; varying understandings of CDL, resource limitations and restrictive school policies posed barriers for the teachers&rsquo; recruitment of CTPACK to their practices. These findings showed the importance of tying critical theory to technology in education coursework and PD programs. This study proposes the use of a theoretical framework that prioritizes critical theory, namely the C-TPACK framework, when analyzing teachers&rsquo; technology integration practices. KEYWORDS: TPACK, C-TPACK, critical digital literacy, digital literacy, teacher education, professional development </p><p>