Différents rôles de l'hélicase Pif1 ont été décrit dont le plus documenté est de décrocher la télomérase des télomères en déroulant les hybrides ARN/ADN formés entre l'ARN de la télomérase et l'ADN télomérique. Plus récemment, une nouvelle voie de signalisation des dommages à l'ADN a été mise en évidence, qui inhibe l'action de la télomérase au niveau d'une cassure de l'ADN via la phosphorylation de l'hélicase Pif1. Cette phosphorylation, dépendante de la kinase ATR (Mec1), inhibe la réparation aberrante de la cassure d'ADN par la télomérase. Nous étudions au sein de l’équipe la protéine RPA (Replication Protein A), affine de l'ADN simple-brin, qui recrute à la fois la protéine de recombinaison homologue Rad52 et la protéine Mec1 impliquée dans la cascade de signalisation des dommages de l'ADN. Lors de l'étude de différentes fonctions de l'hélicase Pif1, j'ai mis en évidence une interaction robuste entre Pif1 et RPA. J'ai identifié un allèle de RFA1, rfa1-D228Y, affectant l'interaction Pif1/RPA et montré, grâce à cet allèle, que cette interaction est impliquée dans le recrutement de Pif1 au niveau d'une cassure double-brins (CDB) induite de l'ADN. Enfin, il a été récemment mis en évidence un nouveau rôle de Pif1 dans la stabilité des G-Quadruplexes durant la réplication du brin avancé. En effet, les cellules pif1 présentent un taux d'instabilité du minisatellite CEB1 inséré sur le brin avancé d'environ 56%, correspondant à des réarrangements de l'ADN de type contractions ou expansions. Lors de l'étude de l'interaction Pif1/RPA, j'ai montré que la mutation rfa1-D228Y entraîne une instabilité du minisatellite CEB1 présent sur le brin avancé, similaire à celle observée avec la délétion pif1∆. Nous suggérons un modèle selon lequel RPA recruterait Pif1 au cours de différents processus cellulaires tels que la réponse des dommages à l'ADN ou la réplication des structures particulières de l'ADN telles que les G-Quadruplexes.En parallèle de cette étude, j’ai étudié le rôle de l'histone méthyltransférase Set1 spécifique de la lysine 4 de l'histone H3 dans la régulation de la taille des télomères. J’ai mis en évidence que le raccourcissement des télomères observé dans un mutant set1 est lié à l'absence de di- et tri-méthylation de H3K4 alors que la perte de monométhylation n'a aucun effet. Cependant, le défaut de la taille des télomères dans les cellules set1∆ n'est pas uniquement lié au défaut de méthylation de H3K4 mais semble impliquer une autre activité de Set1 qu’il reste à déterminer. Etonnamment, nous avons observé que la délétion de SET1 aggrave le raccourcissement des télomères des mutants dont les gènes sont impliqués dans la régulation positive de la taille des télomères et inversement, aggrave le rallongement des télomères de mutants dont les gènes sont impliqués dans la régulation négative des télomères. Nous postulons que l’inactivation de Set1 pourrait à la fois inhiber l’activation précoce des origines de réplication des régions subtélomériques et conduire à un sur-raccourcissement de la taille des télomères, à la fois affecter la synthèse du brin complémentaire dans un contexte où celle-ci est affectée (mutant rif1) et conduire à un sur-allongement des télomères. Une seconde hypothèse propose que Set1 régulerait la transcription deTERRA dans des cellules ayant les télomères déprotégés (mutant rif) entraînant le sur-allongement des télomères. / Different roles of Pif1 helicase have been described, the best documented being to remove telomerase from telomeres by unwinding the RNA/DNA hybrid between telomerase RNA and telomeric DNA. Recently, it was shown that the DNA damage signaling down-regulates telomerase action at a DNA break via Pif1 phosphorylation. Pif1 phosphorylation is dependent of the checkpoint kinase ATR (Mec1) and prevents the aberrant healing of broken DNA ends by telomerase. In our laboratory, we study RPA (Replication Protein A), a single-strand DNA binding protein which recruits the proteins involved in the DNA damage response and checkpoint regulation, such as the homologous recombination protein Rad52 and Mec1 involved in the DNA damage response. I have identified an allele of RFA1, rfa1-D228Y, that affects the Pif1/RPA interaction and showed using this allele that this interaction is implicated in the Pif1 recruitment at an induced double-strand break. Recently, a new role of Pif1 in the stability of G-quadruplex DNA during the leading strand replication has been described. pif1 cells show an instability about 56% of the human minisatellite CEB1 inserted on the leading strand. During my study of the Pif1/RPA interaction, I showed that the rfa1-D228Y mutant induced a similar instability of CEB1 minisatellite on the leading strand. We suggested that RPA would recruit Pif1 for many cellular processes such as DNA damage response or replication of secondary DNA structures such as G-Quadruplexes.In parallel, I have studied the role of the Set1 Histone methyltransferase which catalyse the methylation of the lysine 4 of histone H3, in the regulation of telomere length. I showed that the telomere shortening observed in set1 mutant is due to the loss of di- and tri-methylation of H3K4 while the loss of monomethylation has no effect. However, the short telomeres in set1∆ cells is not only due to the methylation defect shedding light on a new Set1 activity that remains to be fully characterized.. The SET1 deletion aggravates the telomere shortening of mutants which genes are involved in positive regulation of telomere length and conversely, aggravates the lengthening of mutants which genes are involved in negative regulation of telomere length. We postulated that inactivation of Set1 could affect at once activation of early-replication origins and leads to a telomere shortening, and affect synthesis of complementary strand in a context where this one is affected (mutant rif1) and leads to a telomere lengthening. A second hypothesis propose that Set1 would regulate TERRA transcription in cells with deprotected-telomere (rif mutant) leading to the lengthening of telomeres.

Previous studies on children’s acquisition of depicting verbs in signed languages have chiefly studied the use of classifiers in verbs of motion and location, particularly the order in which the different classes of handshape are acquired. The age of the children in these studies have ranged from age three to thirteen, and an important finding has been that classifier constructions are not fully acquired until early adolescence. Most of these studies have used an elicitation tool to investigate the production and comprehension of classifiers, but have not provided any adult target norms of the test items when scoring children’s achievement. The present dissertation provides a detailed description of both adults’ and children’s verb constructions in descriptions of cutting and breaking events in Swedish Sign Language (SSL), specifically focusing on the number of hands used in signing, handshape category and hand activity, which has not been previously described for any sign language. As part of this study, 14 deaf adults (ages 20–72) and 11 deaf children (2;1–6;6) of deaf parents, all native-users of SSL, performed a task that involved describing 53 video clips of cutting and breaking events. The clips show an event in which an actor separates material, either with the aid of a tool or without. Additionally, some clips show an entity separating by itself without an actor being involved. The adults described the events with depicting verb constructions that are produced with two hands. The analysis of the handshapes produced three categories: substitutor, manipulator and descriptor. The most frequent construction in the description of events without a tool was two acting manipulators (depicting a hand handling an object), whereas in descriptions of events with a tool the combinations were acting substitutor or manipulator with a non-acting manipulator. The acting hand referred to the tool and the non-acting manipulator to the affected entity. In descriptions of events without an actor, either two substitutors or two manipulators were used. In addition to depicting verb constructions, the descriptions also contained resultative complements, i.e. signs carrying information about the result of the activity being carried out. The complements were either lexical signs or some form of depicting verb construction. Similar observations have not been noted for any other signed language. In the manner of the adults, the children used depicting verb constructions in descriptions of cutting and breaking events (681 tokens), but they also used pointing and lexical signs (64 tokens). Nearly half of the verb constructions that were used by the children corresponded to the adult target forms. The majority of the constructions describing events without a tool corresponded to the adult target forms using two acting manipulators, even among the youngest informants. In events with a tool, only a third of the constructions corresponded to the adult target forms (emerging at 4;8 – 5;0); the remaining two-thirds were deviating constructions in terms of number of hands, handshape category and hand activity. Resultative complement are sparsely used by children (57 tokens), the most chosen type of complement being lexical signs. Pervasive features of children’s constructions were the addition of contact between the hands and a preference for substitutors, something not found in adults’ constructions. These features were elucidated within the framework of Real Space blending theory, with the study showing that children first use visible blended entities and that invisible blended entities do not emerge until 4;8–5;0. / <p>Disputationen teckenspråkstolkas</p>

La bande transporteuse est utilisée dans l’industrie pour acheminer de la matière ou des objets dans de multiples domaines d’applications tels que les mines souterraines ou aériennes, les carrières, l’industrie alimentaire, l’industrie agricole ou les supermarchés. Ses composants lui permettent de travailler dans des conditions extrêmement difficiles. L’intérêt est porté sur les bandes transporteuses de mines de fond dont les contraintes de fonctionnement et d’acheminement sont particulières. En effet, la bande est acheminée sur rouleaux et jonctionnée sur le site de l’utilisateur pour former une bande sans fin. La jonction est le point faible de la bande transporteuse car sa résistance représente 50% seulement de la force de rupture nominale de la bande. L’objet de cette étude est de proposer une nouvelle solution de jonctionnement.Après avoir analysé les différentes contraintes mécaniques et chimiques auxquelles la bande transporteuse est soumise, une étude comparative sur les différents types de jonctions a été menée.Il y a les jonctions chimiques et les jonctions mécaniques. Chacune a des avantages et des inconvénients en termes de coût ou de longévité, qui ont été présentés. Dans un troisième temps, une étude a été menée sur la compréhension du comportement de rupture de la jonction mécanique. L’étude sur la jonction a été réalisée à l’aide d’un montage expérimental conçu spécifiquement. L’influence des paramètres de la jonction a pu être évaluée grâce à un nouvel indicateur adimensionnel représentant l’efficacité de la jonction par rapport à la bande normale (Junction Tensile Strength Efficiency : JTSE). Dans un quatrième temps, une étude a été faite sur un système de jonction innovant par couture. La jonction réalisée a été testée sur un banc de traction pour en vérifier l’efficacité, puis des essais ont été effectués sur un banc dynamique pour en étudier la fatigue. La jonction cousue est une innovation qui permet de dégager de nouvelles perspectives dans le jonctionnement des bandes transporteuses. / The conveyor belt is used as a material and object transportation tool in a lot of industries such as underground mines, quarries, food industries, agribusinesses or supermarkets. The studied subject is the underground mine conveyor belt, because of their transportation and use difficult conditions.Indeed, the conveyor belt must be cut to be dispatched using belt reeling and joined afterwards in the underground mine forming an endless belt. However, the junction is the weakest part of the conveyor belt due to the 50% belt weakening. The aim of this study is to propose a new junction solution. After analysing the underground belt mechanical and chemical use conditions, the different junction types have been analysed. A junction advantage and inconvenience comparison has been presented. Then, the junction mechanical behaviour has been studied using an original mechanical setup reproducing the mechanical junction. The different parameter influence has been evaluated using a new adimensional indicator called junction tensile strength efficiency. In the last part, a new junction solution made by a sewn has been explored. The sewn junction tensile efficiency has been tested on a tensile strength machine and its fatigue efficiency has been verified through dynamic tests. New outlines in the conveyor belt joining are open as a result of the sewn junction solution development.

The purpose of this bachelor thesis Leisure-time pedagogues physical positioning on the school playground from a gender perspective is to examine the interaction between the leisure-time pedagogues and pupils during school break activities and how their physical positions on the school playground, and the pedagogues’ gender, reduces or amplifies the current gender stereotypes. Previous research has indicated that the school’s pedagogues play a significant part in the development of the pupils’ identity. Pedagogues’ approach, treatment, interaction and expectations towards pupils’, along with the school playground’s layout, are of importance. This thesis uses gender theory based upon various feminist perspectives. These present relevant concepts such as gender order, feminism, “genderfication” and gender equality. The empirical data has been collected through three observations and three computer-aided interviews. The result has proven that the gender of the pedagogue plays a certain part in the interaction with the pupils. Popular sports such as football and basketball are preferred by boys and male pedagogues while softer activities without competitive elements are preferred by girls and some boys. Our interpretation is that there is some reinforcement of stereotypical gender patterns during the school break activities. We see a correlation between how pedagogues work at our observed schools and what other researchers have presented in their studies. / Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att utforska samspelet mellan fritidshemspersonalen och eleverna under rastverksamheten, hur de placerar sig fysiskt på skolgården och om pedagogens kön kan försvaga eller förstärka könsmönster. Tidigare forskning har indikerat att skolans olika pedagoger spelar en väsentlig roll för elevernas identitetsutveckling. Pedagoger förhållningssätt, bemötande, interaktion, förväntningar på eleverna och skolgårdens utformning är centrala. Den här uppsatsen använder sig av genusteori med rötter i olika feministiska perspektiv. Dessa presenterar relevanta begrepp som könsordning, feminism, genusifiering och jämställdhet. För att samla in det empiriska materialet har vi använt observation och datorstödd intervju som metod. Materialet består av tre observationer och tre intervjuer. Resultatet visar att pedagogens kön spelar en viss roll i arbetet med eleverna. Dels är sport som fotboll och basketboll dominerat av pojkar och manliga pedagoger medan lugnare lek utan tävlingsmoment lockar fler flickor och en del pojkar. Vår tolkning är att det råder viss förstärkning av stereotypa könsmönster ute under rastverksamheten. Sett till tidigare forskning uppfattar vi en klar korrelation mellan hur pedagoger arbetar på de observerade skolorna och vad andra forskare har presenterat i sina studier.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:44:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIO GONCALVES.pdf: 4657209 bytes, checksum: bfb4c209e8d19b82748ffe5490dbd89d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-05-29 / The objective of the present study was to evaluate the germination of the seeds of pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) after storage and submission to various thermal (temperatures of 30°C, 40°C and 50°C) and a period of immersion in warm water of five to ten minutes, besides personal observation. Seeds from twenty-five plants were selected by size (medium and large) and period of storage (90 and 120 days). All seeds were subjected to incisions for removing the pulp but preserving the thorns. The experiment was set up in a totally random delineation in factorial scheme of 3 X 2 X 2 + 2 ( three temperatures, two times, two storage periods, two sizes of seeds and two observations) with four repetitions of ten weeks each. After the treatments the seeds were planted in beds of sand evaluated throughout 270 days. Under the conditions of this experiment, considering all the treatments, the results show a 1 cm germination of the pequi and do not establish a significant difference between the treatments. More studies of the storage conditions of pequi are needed. / Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar a germinação das sementes de pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) após armazenamento e submissão a diferentes tratamentos térmicos (temperaturas de 30°C, 40°C e 50°C) e tempo de imersão em banho-maria de 5 e 10 minutos, além da testemunha. Sementes de 25 plantas foram selecionadas por tamanho (médias e grandes) e por período de armazenamento (90 e 120 dias). Todas as sementes passaram por escarificação para a retirada da polpa, preservando os espinhos. O experimento foi arranjando em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3x2x2x2+2 (três temperaturas, dois tempos, dois períodos de armazenamento, dois tamanhos de sementes e duas testemunhas) com quatro repetições de dez sementes cada. Após os tratamentos, as sementes foram plantadas em canteiros de areia e avaliadas durante 270 dias. Nas condições desse experimento e considerando-se todos os tratamentos, os resultados mostraram baixa germinação do pequi e não se constatou diferença significativa entre os tratamentos. São necessários mais estudos sobre as condições de armazenamento de sementes de pequi.

The main principle of the thesis is to address issues concerning structural problems of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and assess economical impact of its potential break up. This in turn implies the need to discuss certain issues. Firstly, since the EMU is based on the concept of Optimal Currency Area (OCA); I start my research with the test whether EMU in its current structure fits the definition of OCA. Secondly, I provide the extensive study on the reasons of current crisis in order to understand the root causes. Thirdly, I assess the potential implications of different ways out of the current sovereign debt crisis.

Submitted by Rosivalda Pereira (mrs.pereira@ufma.br) on 2017-06-07T18:34:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FredericoSantos.pdf: 963672 bytes, checksum: 82f7ae1b28b9c136b94c6c04439b8c32 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-07T18:34:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FredericoSantos.pdf: 963672 bytes, checksum: 82f7ae1b28b9c136b94c6c04439b8c32 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão (FAPEMA) / The standard model extension is a theoretical framework which includes the possibility of Lorentz symmetry violation in the Standard Model of elementary interactions. In electrodynamics, this possibility is represented by the term, Kμν∝βFμνF∝β , that violates Lorentz symmetry without jeopardizing CPT symmetry, and the term ε∝μβνV∝Aμ∂βAν, which violates Lorentz and CPT symmetries. These additional terms are inserted in the Maxwell Lagrangena and alter the field equations, as well. In this work we study the influence of Lorentz violation in the photonic sector on fermion scattering processes, regarding individually the CPT-odd and CPT-even coefficients. At first, we present a review through some topics of great interest, as the Dirac equation, Dirac propagator, scattering matrix, Feynman rules, Casimir trick, and the evaluation of the differential cross sections. Next, we implemented the developed techniques to carry out the corrections (to the cross sections) induced by the Lorentz-violating terms. Our results reveal as each Lorentz-violating component changes the cross section. In the CPT-even case, we observed that the contribution of the term tr to the process e− + μ− → e− + μ− is of difficult detection once it can be disguised between the radioactive corrections. The contributions coming from the vector i imply an angular dependence in the differential cross section of the process e− + μ− → e− + μ−, and do not contribute for the process e− + e+ → μ− + μ+. The CPT-even coefficients, (Ke−)ij , lead to significant contributions in both cases. We highlight its influence in the pair electron-positron annihilation process, where they act as the only components that imply sensitive contributions. The contribution stemming from the CPT-odd sector, represented by the Carroll-Field-Jackiw term, is of less relevance, since the contribute are second order ones. Although we have initially developed a perturbative procedure for evaluating the cross section correction, it was also possible to evaluate the exact propagators of the CPT-odd and CPT-even sectors in a tensor closed form. Such tensor expressions may be used to rederive the cross section corrections. / O Modelo Padrão Estendido (MPE)é um arcabouço teórico que considera a possibilidade de violação de simetria de Lorentz no Modelo Padrão das interações elementares. Na eletrodinâmica, esta possibilidade é representada pelo termo Kμν∝βFμνF∝β , que viola a simetria de Lorentz sem violar a simetria CPT, e o termo ε∝μβνV∝Aμ∂βAν, que viola a simetria de Lorentz, juntamente com a simetria CPT. Estes termos extras são incluídos na lagrangena de Maxwell e, consequentemente, também alteram a equação de movimento dos campos. Neste trabalho consideramos a influência da violação de Lorentz no setor fotônico em processos de espalhamento de férmions, e− + μ− ! e− + μ− e e− + e+ ! μ− + μ+, considerando individualmente o setor CPT-ímpar e CPT-par em suas componentes não-birrefringentes. No primeiro momento, apresentamos uma revisão de tópicos de interesse, passando pela equação de Dirac, propagador de Dirac, matriz de espalhamento, regras de Feynman, truque de Casimir, finalizando com o cálculo das seções de choque diferenciais para processos elementares. Em seguida, implementamos as técnicas desenvolvidas para calcular o incremento à seção de choque, oriundo da violação de simetria de Lorentz no setor fotônico. Em nossos resultados, obtivemos como cada componente de violação de Lorentz altera a seção de choque. No caso CPT-par, observamos que a contribuição do termo Kir ao processo e− + e+ → μ− + μ+ é de difícil verificação, pois se confunde com as contribuições radioativas. Já as contribuições advindas do vetor Ki, inserem uma dependência angular na seção de choque diferencial do processo e− + μ− → e− + μ−, mas não contribui no processo e− + e+ → μ− + μ+. Os coeficientes paridade-par, (Ke−)ij , implicam em contribuições relevantes em ambos os processos, e destacamos sua influência no processo de aniquilação elétron-pósitron, onde atuam como únicas componentes que contribuem de forma notável. A contribuição do setor CPT-ímpar (termo de Carroll-Field-Jackiw) é comparativamente de menor relevância, já que as contribuições à seção de choque aparecem apenas em segunda ordem. Embora tenhamos inicialmente desenvolvido um procedimento perturbativo para calcular as contribuições dos parâmetros de quebra de Lorentz à seção de choque, também foi possível obter os propagadores de Feynman exatos tanto para o setor CPT-ímpar quanto para o setor CPT-par. Tais expressões podem ser usadas para recalcular as seções de choque.

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), which may occur during DNA replication or due to the action of genotoxic agents, are extremely dangerous DNA lesions as they can cause chromosomal rearrangements and cell death. Therefore, accurate DSB repair is vital for genome stability and cell survival. Two main mechanisms serve to repair DNA DSBs: non-homologous end joining, which re-ligates DNA ends together, and homologous recombination (HR), which restores broken DNA using homologous sequence as a template for repair. One-ended DSBs are a subject for the specialised HR-dependent repair pathway known as break-induced replication (BIR). At low frequency, DNA breaks can also be healed by telomerase, which normally extends telomeres at natural chromosome ends, but may also add de novo telomeres to DSBs due to their similarity to chromosome ends. De novo telomere addition is a deleterious event, which is effectively inhibited by the nuclear Pif1 (nPif1) helicase phosphorylated at the TLSSAES motif in response to DNA damage. In this study, it is reported that the same regulatory motif of nPif1 is also required for DSB repair via BIR. The requirement of the nPif1 TLSSAES sequence in BIR is dependent on the functional DNA damage response (DDR). Thus, nPif1 phosphorylation by the DDR machinery might mediate the role of nPif1 in BIR. In contrast, the nPif1 regulatory motif is not essential for BIR at telomeres in cells lacking telomerase. These observations indicate that the mechanism of nPif1 function in DSB repair via BIR and in BIR at telomeres might be different. In this work, a protocol for nPif1 pull-down was optimized to reveal the mechanism of the phosphorylation-dependent nPif1 functions in cells undergoing DNA repair, i. e. the mechanism of nPif1-mediated inhibition of de novo telomere addition and promoting DSB repair via BIR. In future, this protocol can be used to dissect the role of nPif1 in DNA repair through the identification of its potential interacting partners. The Srs2 helicase negatively regulates HR via dismantling Rad51 filaments. According to preliminary data from the laboratory of Sveta Makovets, Srs2 also promotes de novo telomere addition at DSBs in a Rad51-dependent manner. The work presented here establishes that Srs2 is dispensable for telomerase-mediated addition of TG1-3 repeats to DSBs. Instead, Srs2 is required for the reconstitution of the complementary DNA strand after telomerase action, thus ensuring the completion of de novo telomere addition. Overall, this study demonstrates that recombination-dependent DSB repair and de novo telomere addition share common regulatory components, i. e. the nPif1 helicase phosphorylated in response to DNA damage and the Srs2 helicase. Phosphorylated nPif1 promotes DSB repair via BIR in addition to its known role in inhibition of telomerase at DSBs, whereas Srs2 uses its well established ability to remove Rad51 from ssDNA to promote the restoration of dsDNA and thus to complete de novo telomere addition.

一、研究目的：對於商業性個人健康保險之特性做一廣泛性整理，再藉由 健康保險保單販賣數年後之實際數據，試著去推估純保費與理賠金額達到 收支平衡之年度，並針對各種有關的考慮因素加以分析探討，期能探窺公 司經營之真正盈虧，使保戶的保費負擔合理，也使得公司的經營穩健安全 ，並能獲得合理的利潤，另外也提出有關精算方面應詳加思考的事項，以 供相關者參考。二、研究方法：本研究乃針對商業保險公司販賣個人健康 保險商品之原始資料，運用電腦計算出歷年度之總保費收入、賠款金額、 賠款次數、責任準備金提存之數據，再用時間數列中十種不同的方法，加 以推測出其目前、未來盈虧之軌跡，且依據繳費年度之不同，可探究其各 險種不同之特性。三、研究結果：１、商業性健康保險其續保年度的增加 並未導致道德危險的發生，而理賠件數率的增加逐年增加，使罹病率有逐 年增加的趨勢。２、實支實付型保單會隨著投保年度的增加而提高每件平 均賠款金額，定額給付型保單之理賠呈現穩定狀況。因此，在醫療服務的 消費量中，每件平均賠款金額的增加，大部份乃導因於價格的通貨膨脹。 ３、一年期健康保險保單因續保的執行，在罹病率增加及價格 通貨膨 脹下，終將從盈餘轉為虧損，所以，無可避免，均 須調高保費。 Health Insurence

According to Kim and Nelson (1999) and McConnell and Perez-Quiros (2000), the timing of the Great Moderation occurred in U.S. at 1984Q1. Summers (2005) found out several reasons and different timings of the Great Moderation in the G-7 countries and Australia. During the past fifty years, there was a significantly sharp decline in the volatility of the real growth rate in Australia. Between 1968 and 1982, the standard deviation of the real growth rate was 1.416%¡Fhowever, between 1983 and 1996, the standard deviation of the real growth rate drastically reduced to 0.917%. Based on this obvious situation described above, we successively build up a Markov-Switching Model and Time-Varying Structural Autoregressive Model to investigate the structural break and the sources of the Great Moderation in Australia. The findings turn out that improved monetary policy and the decreased oil shock can account for the explanation of the moderation with the break date of 1984Q1.