Background: HIV/AIDS is one of the world’s most serious health challenges. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV, with 69% of the people living with HIV in the world. Côte d'Ivoire has a high HIV prevalence rate and Senegal a low prevalence rate. The main research question is whether or not the HIV risk behavior of Ivorian differs from the HIV risk behavior of Senegalese in terms of selected categorical and continuous variables. In other words, if using condoms at last sexual intercourse differs between Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Measure Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) involving 9,686 Ivorian and 18,363 Senegalese from 2005 were used. The Pearson Chi-square test were performed to determine any significant relationship between the variables across the two countries with respect to socio-demographic and HIV risky behaviors status. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to test the significance of any association between the independent and the dependent variables (Condoms used at last sexual intercourse). Throughout all the analysis performed, a p-value of 0.05 and confidence interval of 95% were used to determine any statistical significance. Results: Logistic regression models showed that Côte d’Ivoire respondents had decrease odds of using condoms during their last sexual intercourse (OR=0.7; 95% CI 0.62 - 0.79) as compared to Senegal and the difference was statistically significant at p < 0.05. In Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, wealth and education have been consistently found to be positively associated with condoms used at last sexual intercourse. Conclusion: HIV risk behaviors seem to be associated with condoms used and marital status. The results in our study suggest a possible relation with condoms used, HIV prevalence and polygamy in Senegal, so men use condoms less frequently with marital partners. More studies need to assess the role of polygamy in the transmission and/or acquisition of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. Key words: HIV/AIDS, Risky behaviors, Condoms used, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal

Over the past decade, the ratio of annual official listing in Taiwan between used cars and brand-new cars is 2:1, to show that car users increase the acceptance for used cars, also show that the market of used car in Taiwan will be expect with car dealers. However, there exist an asymmetric information situation in used car market for a long time, and it also the primary concern with consumers. Recently year, local used car dealers provide the certified system with used cars, through over hundred standardized inspections to certify the used car. Used car dealers expect to decrease the purchase risk with the concept of service innovation, and enhance the confidence in the minds of consumers. In this research, service innovation will compare with perceived risk-six dimensions from Peter & Tarpey in 1975. The goals of this research are find the mediator effect within service innovation, perceived risk and purchase intention, and the relationships between service innovation and purchase intention in certified used car market. Samples of 158 collected through questionnaire survey, verified the hypotheses by description statistics and regression analysis. The results showed that have the significant relationship between service innovation, perceived risk and purchase intention in certified used car market, moreover, the three variables did have the partial mediator effect. Base on the results, the suggestion for certified used car dealers as followed: dealers should provide multiple innovative services with customers, to decrease the perceived risk and enhance the purchase intention in the future.

The common discotic mesogen molecules are known to have a flat structure, comprising a rigid core, e.g., polynuclear aromatic structure, and a ring of four to nine flexible aliphatic side chains. We take the electron deficient heterocyclic hexaazatriphenylene (HAT) as our central core and readily synthesized by the condensation of hexaketocyclohexane with the respective 1,2-bis-alkoxy-4,5-diaminobenzene. The new molecules with electron deficient discotic liquid crystal properties are successfully.

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Thesis (BTech (Surface Design))Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / The purpose of this research is to explore and create an understanding of how architectural structures. that adhere to deconstructivist design principles, can inspire the reconstruction of second-hand school fumiture and scrap metal. The planned pieces will continue to create an awareness of sustainability, by designing for reuse. These functional fumiture pieces of low tables and chairs will be handcrafted, appealing to a niche market, or specific spaces and they will act as expressions of contradiction. This research will act as an addition to a body of knowledge, where I will primarily focus on contradicting the traditional form and aesthetic of furniture design. I have decided to create these functional pieces to express a new possible direction of furniture design. The study context is a potential confrontational experience in that I want to challenge the conventional form and aesthetics of fumiture design. These pieces of fumiture will be placed in a niche market where they will exist as one-offs that are not produced for mass-consumption, as they will be individually hand-erafted. These days more and more people are attempting to live in a more sustainable manner by practicing to reduce our consumption of products and resources; reuse that which we have disposed of and forgotten as consumers and to recycle waste products and transform them into a feasible afterlife (Martin, 2010). The theory is focused on Sohaill Inayatullah's theory of "Futures Thinking", and this .theory is further supported by Victor Margolin's study of changing existing situations into preferred ones. The research further reflects on Jacques Derrida's theory of deconstruction, and this research is further supported by the theory of sustainability, by designing for reuse, with a focus on Ezio Manzini. Therefore, my research study is concerned with confronting and challenging the conformity that the form of furniture and its aesthetic adhere to.

O objetivo principal desta dissertação consiste no conhecimento das desigualdades socioespaciais de São Bernardo do Campo desencadeadas pelo processo de divisão internacional e territorial do trabalho. As desigualdades sociais e territoriais visíveis na paisagem desse município localizado na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo constituíram a razão motivadora para investigar como ocorreu o processo de especialização geográfica das atividades ligadas à presença de indústrias automobilísticas e quais benefícios essa divisão territorial do trabalho trouxe a maioria da população. O método pelo qual a realidade foi reconstituída teve como base o espaço geográfico, isto é, uma indissociabilidade contraditória entre sistemas de objetos e sistemas de ações. A partir disso, formou-se um sistema de conceitos concebido pelas categorias de análise, como: divisão do trabalho, território usado, técnicas, normas e as relações entre o mundo e os lugares, juntamente com os novos recortes territoriais baseados nas verticalidades e horizontalidades a fim de analisar como os eventos presentes no mundo se relacionam com os lugares. Nesse sentido, o processo de divisão internacional do trabalho, conhecido como a repartição dos recursos no planeta, serviu de ferramenta analítica para reconhecer como as intencionalidades de empresas de origem global atuam na formação da divisão territorial do trabalho ligadas a lógicas privadas. A instalação de empresas como: Volkswagen, Toyota, Scania, dentre outras em São Bernardo do Campo, representaram o mundo diretamente em pontos do território brasileiro. Desse modo, foi possível revelar usos desiguais do território pelas empresas, sobretudo multinacionais do setor automobilístico, em relação ao conjunto da população. Tal processo figurou como a raiz das desigualdades socioespaciais, em que a fragmentação e a seletividade territorial atenderam e continuam a oferecer privilégios a empresas e instituições. Com a análise dos tipos de uso do território pela divisão internacional e territorial do trabalho em São Bernardo do Campo foi possível visualizar um novo meio geográfico em pleno processo de transformação. A competitividade entre empresas, a desvalorização do trabalho, com subutilização da mão de obra, além de novas formas de produção, justificaria um novo campo de estudos da Geografia intitulado: geografia do trabalho. Entretanto, para confrontar esse novo campo de estudos foi proposto a investigação da realidade através da expressão territorial do trabalho. O uso do território, portanto, pelo mundo do trabalho consistiu no recurso de método dessa pesquisa em contraposição a geografias particulares. / The main objective of this dissertation is the knowledge of socio-spatial inequalities in São Bernardo do Campo triggered by the process of territorial and international division of labor. The social and territorial inequalities visible in the landscape of this town in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo were the motivating reason to investigate how the process of geographical specialization of activities occurred linked to the presence of automobile and what benefits this territorial division of labor brought most of population. The method by which reality was reconstituted was based on the geographical space centered in their systems of objects and actions. From there, formed a system of concepts designed by categories of analysis, such as division of labor, used territory, techniques, regulations and relations between the world and the places along with new territorial clippings based on horizontal and vertical organization of regional spaces in order to analyze how these events relate to the world everywhere. In this sense, the process of international division of labor, known as the allocation of resources on the planet, served as the analytical tool to recognize as the original intentions of global companies operating in the formation of the territorial division of labor linked to logical private. Installation of companies such as Volkswagen, Toyota, Scania, and others in São Bernardo do Campo, represented the world directly in points of Brazil. Thus, it was possible to reveal uneven uses of the territory by companies, especially multinationals in the automotive sector, in relation to the majority population. This process figured as the root of socio-spatial inequalities in the territorial fragmentation and selectivity met and continue to offer privileges to companies and institutions. With the analysis of the types of uses of the territory by the international division of labor in Sao Bernardo do Campo was possible to visualize a new geographical environment in the process of transformation. The competitiveness between enterprises, the devaluation of labor, with underutilization of labor, and new forms of production, would justify a new field of study Geography titled: geography of labor. However, the result came together to confront the theoretical use of the territory represented by the world of work as opposed to particular geographies.

Successful deposition of thick copper coatings on low carbon steel is a challenge for the Cold Gas Dynamic Spray (CGDS) process if one is to avoid the use of helium as the process gas for the initial pre-coat layer. The issue stems from the presence of accumulated residual stresses, which causes delamination of the weakly bonded coating. Even after exploring different deposition parameters, several copper powders and various steel substrate preparations, copper coating delamination still occurs. The purpose of the current study is to produce copper coatings using only nitrogen as the process gas, while avoiding delamination of the deposited material. To this end, the current work focuses on the study of the effect of steel substrate temperature on particle deposition and adhesion processes. Steel substrates were heated to temperatures between 25°C and 600°C using induction heating and laser. Once the substrate reached the desired temperature, three different copper particle sizes were deposited using the CGDS process. Individual particle impact tests (wipe-tests) were performed to characterize bonded particles and craters from rebounded particles. Further analysis was performed by extracting particles from the surface to understand the effect of substrate temperature and particle size on the particle/substrate deformation and bonding processes. Mechanical adhesion prediction modeling at substrate preheated was also performed to obtain a greater understanding of the bonding mechanism. This prediction is in order to compare with the coating developed with a bond layer coating with helium as process gas and then build the rest of the coating with nitrogen. The experimental results show a significant trend as the substrate temperature increases, indicating proper conditions for enhanced adhesion.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Nowadays, SME industries in the plastics sector fail to work with their maximum installed capacity, among the main factors are lack of market, normal or inevitable and conventional or technical stops, will be dealt with in this investigation. The problem is evident in 71.45%, the average percentage of capacity used in the plastics industries in Peru. Therefore, this article proposes the development of a three-phase production model and complements the Planned Maintenance pillar with Lean tools that seek to improve the capacity used by 17% in industries in the sector. The model starts with the 5S as a basis and support to standardize the ordering and cleaning habits to continue with SMED and Planned Maintenance of TPM. The model was validated with an implementation, an 18% increase in the production capacity used, so it can be concluded that the proposal for improvement presented serves as a reference for future research.

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Relative used capital price, the measure of irreversibility, is fixed in almost all the investment literature. This dissertation introduces investment models with state-dependent irreversibility and tests whether these models outperform fixed irreversibility cases, at both the macro and micro levels. Since there is currently no historical data available on the issue of used capital prices, the first chapter uses an indirect inference procedure to estimate the cyclical property of irreversibility at the micro-level. In the second chapter, I propose a dynamic investment model with endogenous irreversibility arising from the lemons problem in the used capital market and examine the cyclical implication of irreversibility. Data evidence shows that capital reallocation, or used capital expenditure, is pro-cyclical. In a general equilibrium framework, the third chapter reveals that the investment model with state-dependent irreversibility explains this phenomenon while the model with fixed irreversibility does not. / text