Nanoparticles are currently finding increasing use as drug delivery systems in the treatment of cancer and other disorders. When nanoparticles are introduced into body fluids, they adsorb proteins forming a coating called protein corona. The protein corona is vital since it controls biological responses of nanoparticles through interactions with cells and biological barriers. Due to the dynamic behaviour of protein-protein and protein-nanoparticle interactions, the protein corona evolves during circulation in the body. This results in difficulties to predict the biological behaviour and outcome of nanoparticles. In this work, it is hypothesised that a nanoparticle-protein corona (NP-PC) enriched in specific proteins could serve as a model to determine if the design and formation of a patient-specific nanodrug-protein corona could offer a novel approach to control nanodrug-protein corona evolution. Through usage of a model nanoparticle and model plasmas and by applying shotgun proteomics and SUrface proteomics, Safety, Targeting, and Uptake (SUSTU), NP-PC proteins were identified and quantified. The results indicate that desirable proteins are maintained in the protein corona surface when nanoparticles with a pre-made corona are introduced into model plasma. This implies that a designed NP-PC would be a strategy to control nanodrug-protein corona evolution, offering a route to improve nanodrug targeting and uptake by cells.

During the previous two years, due to the current coronapandemic and constraints, the workplace for students drastically changed over a night. Teaching that in the term of “normal” was usually given and examined in the university now had the new reality of being exclusively provided and tested in digital forms. Previous research presents that distance learning has shown both positive and negative effects on the students effectiveness and productivity. The purpose of the study is to account for how productivity (doing things the right way) and effectiveness (doing the right things) are affected when learning takes place at a distance. In addition, the study aims to identify and clarify which factors have had an impact on the students' productivity and effectiveness in distance learning. Based on the purpose, two research questions have been formulated: “How do distance learning affect students’ productivity and effectiveness?” and “What factors have had an impact on student´s productivity and effectiveness in distance learning?”. Distance learning is defined as a system whereas material that is essential for learning and achieving goals is provided to the student through technical communication due to the difference in location of the student and the teacher. Empirical data was collected through two different surveys that were given to two different selections that consisted of students at Linnaeus university. Both of the survey’s were formed and developed based on the theoretical framework and then the variables were analyzed by using a bivariate and univariate analyzing method. The results of the study shows that the effectiveness of those who have studied at a distance seems to be better than for those who have studied on campus. However, the productivity issue needs further research to be able conduct a clear result since no correlations could be detected in this research. Finally, the study concludes that it is difficult to establish which factors have had a decisive impact on the students' distance learning, but that all factors that have been identified have affected them in some way, either positively or negatively, but to varying degrees. The factors that have had the greatest impact on students are personal characteristics, suitable space in the home, social support, ICT and communication.

Bakgrund: När Corona pandemin bröt ut år 2020 kom restriktioner med syfte att minska smittspridningen. Restriktionerna utgjorde ett hinder för partners till gravida att kunna närvara vid besöken på mödrahälsovården.   Syfte: Syftet med studien var att beskriva barnmorskors erfarenhet av att hantera situationen vid en fysisk frånvarande partner under besöken på mödrahälsovården under Corona pandemin.  Metod: Studien är en fokusgruppstudie. Datainsamlingen bestod av tre fokusgruppsintervjuer med barnmorskor inom mödrahälsovården vilka valdes ut genom ett bekvämlighetsurval. Vid analys av materialet användes en kvalitativ empiriskansats med ett induktivt förhållningssätt.   Resultat: I resultatet framkom tre huvudkategorier: Det normala nya, Familjefokusering och Nya arbetssätt. Barnmorskorna upplevde en normalisering av partnerns frånvaro. Barnmorskorna påtalade att de försökt lägga fokus på att paret är ett team som ska gå igenom graviditeten tillsammans och därför uppmuntrat paret att läsa på och diskutera tillsammans om graviditet, förlossning och föräldraskap. Barnmorskorna var öppna för att utveckla digitala alternativ, men uppgav också att det krävdes nytt material, verktyg, rutiner och utbildning för att implementera detta.   Slutsats: Det är viktigt att dra lärdom av situationen under Corona pandemin och tänka nytt. Utveckling av alternativa möten på mödrahälsovården bör bli högprioriterat både under och efter pandemin. En utveckling av digitala kommunikationsalternativ möjliggör för partners även i andra sammanhang, till exempel arbete på annan ort, att kunna delta i vården runt graviditeten. / Background: When the Corona pandemic broke out in 2020, restrictions were introduced with the aim of reducing the spread of infection. The restrictions constituted an obstacle for partners of pregnant women to be able to attend the visits to the maternal health care.  Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe midwives' experience of dealing with the situation of a physically absent partner during visits to maternal health care during the Corona pandemic.  Method: The study was a focus group study. The data collection consisted of three focus group interviews with midwives in maternal health care, which were selected through a convenience sample. When analyzing the material, a qualitative empirical approach with an inductive approach was used.  Result: The results revealed three main categories: The normal new, Family focus and New ways of working. The midwives experienced a normalization of the partner's absence. The midwives pointed out that they tried to focus on the couple being a team that will go through the pregnancy together and therefore encouraged the couple to read and discuss together about pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. The midwives were open to developing digital alternatives, but also stated that new material, tools, routines and training were required to implement this.  Conclusion: It is important to learn from the situation during the Corona pandemic and think new. Development of alternative meetings in maternal health care should be a high priority both during and after the pandemic. The development of digital communication alternatives enables partners in other contexts, such as work in other places, to be able to participate in care around pregnancy.

In Sweden and around the world, there has been a pandemic during the years 2020 and 2021. People who have been working in offices have, to a large extent, been encouraged to work from their homes and as a result, it has been noticed that working from home has a possibility to continue after thepandemic is over. With this in mind, the question how housing and working conditions should bedeveloped for this to be achievable in the long run is raised. The project has been carried out with the aim of investigating how housing can be designed to enable working from home and be a valid option even after the pandemic. The study has been carried out in four steps: • A literary study of working from home, different types of offices and housing development has been carried out. This was to get a clear picture of what is required of a workplace to be able to get good work result and how homes can be designed so working from home does not disturb the home life. • A survey to find out how working from home has been perceived by people during the pandemic and what would enable them to work from home in the future. • A site analysis, the site that is projected is located in Stockholm and will function as an interaction with the rest of the area. The area that has been chosen is Värtahamnen, which with an already planned block, is the basis for the location and design of the apartment building. • A design phase. Research by design shows what an apartment building adapted for home based work can look like. Three target groups were selected: singles, cohabitants and families The results of the study show that a majority of people are willing to have their working situation as a combination of working from home and going to an office. As the social part of pandemic and working from home has made people feel too isolated, they want to be able to get social interaction during the work week. After collecting information about, different types offices, housing design and Värtahamnens planned conditions, a program for an apartment building has been developed. Four apartments with different living spaces were chosen to show different conditions people have had when working from home. - 30 sqm Singel- 25 sqm Singel- 56 sqm Cohabitant- 83 sqm Family The building was developed with the aim that working from home should be a possible alternative for the residents. The neighborhood and the area should also be able to provide for the needs that theresidents have, within a reasonable distance. As the information from the questionnaire and the literature study can be interpreted differently depending on who is studying it, the way the building and apartments are developed will not be definitive but will work as a proposal from those who conducted the study, this makes the answers to the report one of several possibilities. / I Sverige och i världen har det under åren 2020 och 2021 pågått en pandemi. Personer som jobbat på kontor har i stort utsträckning blivit uppmuntrade att jobba hemifrån och som effekt ser man möjligheten med hemarbete även efter pandemin. Med detta i åtanke uppstår frågan hur bostäder och arbetsförhållanden ska utvecklas för att det ska vara görbart i längden.Examensarbetet har utförts i syfte att undersöka hur bostäder kan utformas för att underlätta hemarbete och vara en möjlighet även efter pandemin. Studien har utformats i fyra olika steg: En litteraturstudie, där en fördjupning kring hemarbete, kontor och bostadsutveckling har utförts. Detta för att få en tydlig bild över vad som krävs av en arbetsplats för att få ett bra arbetsresultat och hur bostäder kan utformas för att få en bra samvaro tillsammans med arbete. • En enkätundersökning för att få reda på hur hemarbetet har uppfattats av människor under pandemin och vad som skulle underlätta deras hemarbete i fortsättningen. • En platsanalys. Områdets som är valt är placerat i Värtahamnen, Stockholm. Området har redan ett planerat kvarter och står som grund för placeringen samt utformning av flerbostadshuset. • En gestaltning. Genom research by design visas det hur ett flerbostadshus anpassat för hemarbete kan se ut. Tre målgrupper valdes ut: ensamstående, sambo och familj. Resultatet av förundersökningen visar att en majoritet kan tänka sig att jobba med en kombination av hemarbete och kontor. Då den sociala delen i hemarbetet har gjort att människor känner sig för isolerade vill man ha en möjlighet att få socialt utbyte under arbetsveckan. Efter insamlad information om hemarbete, kontorsformer, bostadsutformning och Värtahamnens förutsättningar har förslagshandlingar till ett flerbostadshus för hemarbete tagits fram. Resultatet blev fyra lägenheter. - 30 kvm Singellägenhet- 35 kvm Singellägenhet- 56 kvm Sambo- 83 kvm Familj Byggnaden är framtagen i det syfte att hemarbete ska vara ett möjligt alternativ för de boende.Utformningen av lägenheterna är gjord så att hemarbete och samvaron i hemmet inte ska påverka varandra negativ. Som komplement till lägenheterna utformades också två kontorsvarianter, en privat för de boende och allmän. Detta gör att de boende kan arbete på tre sociala nivåer. Kvarteret och området ska erbjuda de vardagliga behov som de boende har inom rimliga avstånd. Då informationen från enkäten och litteraturstudien kan tolkas olika beroende på vem det är som tar del av den blir svaret på undersökningen inte definitiv utan ett förslag från dem som har genomfört undersökningen, detta gör att svaren på rapporten blir en av flera möjligheter.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-07-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:26:19Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 wedy_gf_me_ilha.pdf: 790523 bytes, checksum: 8836dfe828e124530d6a988987704e3f (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O objetivo deste projeto é o desenvolvimento de um modelo de linha de transmissão bifásica diretamente no domínio do tempo, que leve em consideração o efeito corona e o efeito da freqüência sobre seus parâmetros longitudinais, utilizando os conceitos de variáveis de estado. Os parâmetros longitudinais de uma linha de transmissão dependentes da freqüência serão sintetizados por meio de funções racionais pelo método do Vector Fitting. Em seguida, as funções racionais que descrevem o comportamento dos parâmetros longitudinais serão associadas com um circuito elétrico equivalente, que será inserido em cada um dos circuitos . Para a validação do modelo desenvolvido levando em consideração o efeito da freqüência o mesmo foi comparado com o programa de estudo de transitórios eletromagnético Micotran do tipo EMTP. Utilizando o modelo matemático desenvolvido foi possível inserir através das equações de Gary e de Skilling-Umoto, o efeito corona nas simulações de transitórios eletromagnético. Ao termino do projeto, apresenta-se um modelo matemático de uma linha de transmissão que leva em conta o efeito da freqüência e o efeito corona. Tal modelo não necessita dos programas do tipo EMTP para simulação de transitórios em linhas de transmissão. / The objective of this work is to implement a computational model of two-phase transmission line directly in the time domain, which takes into account the corona effect and the effect of frequency on its longitudinal parameters, using the concepts of state variables. The longitudinal parameters of a frequency dependent transmission line are synthesized by rational functions using the Vector Fitting method. Then, the rational functions that describe the behavior of the longitudinal parameters will be associated with an equivalent electrical circuit, which is inserted in very circuit . Validating the model developed taking into account the effect of frequency, this model was compared to the Micotran program, a EMTP (Electromagnetic Transient Program) type program that is used for transient analyses in electrical networks. Through the developed mathematical model, it enter, through the equations of Gary and Skilling-Umoto, the corona effect in simulations of electromagnetic transients. At the end of the project, it is obtained a mathematical model of a transmission line that takes into account the effect of frequency and the corona effect. This model does not need the EMTP type programs for transient simulations in transmission lines.

With the rapid growth of nanotechnology, situations where nanomaterials will interact with biological systems will unquestionably grow. Therefore, it is increasingly understood that interactions between nanomaterials and biological environments will play an essential role in nanomedicine. Biological polymer networks, including mucus and the extracellular matrix, serve as a filter for the exchange of molecules and nanoparticles. Such polymer networks are complex and heterogeneous hydrogel environments that regulate transport processes through finely tuned particle-network interactions. In chapters 3 and 4, we investigate the role of electrostatics on the basic mechanisms governing the diffusion of charged molecules inside model polymer networks by using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). In chapter 3, we show that particle transport of charged probe molecules in charged hydrogels is highly asymmetric and that the filtering capability of the gel is sensitive to the solution ionic strength. Brownian dynamics simulations are in quantitative agreement with our experimental result. In chapter 4, we focus on hyperbranched cationic dendrimer macromolecules (polyamidoamine, PAMAM) which differ from probes in size, charge density and chain flexibilities. Our results show PAMAM has strongly reduced mobility in like charge gels and greatly enhanced apparent diffusivity in oppositely charged gels. Further studies with salt suggest that the oppositely charged polymer network acts as a giant counterion enhancing the mobility of PAMAM by changing its conformation to a more compacted state. Due to their large surface areas, nanomaterials in biological fluids are modified by adsorption of biomolecules, mainly proteins, to form so called “protein coronas”. These coronas ultimately define the biological identity of the nanoparticles and dictate the interactions of cells with the protein-NP complex. We have studied the adsorption of human transferrin and bovine serum albumin on the surface of sulfonated polystyrene nanoparticle. In chapter 5, we show the formation of multi-layered protein coronas and compare to established adsorption models. In addition we followed for the first time the protein binding kinetics as a function of pH and salt. Through these studies, we aim to gain quantitative knowledge of the dynamic rearrangement of proteins on engineered nanomaterials.

Thesis (PhD) -- Stellenbosch University, 2004. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The radio noise (RN) performance of an AC high voltage transmission line is a determining factor when accessing the reliability of the design. The conducted RN level across the terminals of a PLC receiver, used in the teleprotection system of the line, is of particular concern. In this dissertation, existing empirical and semi-analytical RN prediction methods are evaluated by comparing the conducted RN levels of four South African lines to the predicted levels. Existing RN measurement protocols are consolidated and a new RN measurement protocol is proposed for the comparison. A prediction methodology, based on the EdF, EPRI and IREQ semi-analytical methods, is formulated. The semi-analytical methods are not able to accurately predict the variation of the conducted RN with frequency in the PLC band, nor are they able to predict the RN performance of short lines. A wideband excitation function, which considers the statistical characteristics of the measured RN pulse train, is therefore proposed in this dissertation. Having investigated the extraction of this excitation function from ESKOM’s Megawatt Park corona cage, it is concluded that a small corona cage is required. The design of a small cage is presented and the extraction of the excitation function is described. Attention is given to assessing the effect of changes in space charge distributions. The effect of space charge collision with an insulated cage on the extracted pulse parameters is linear, provided space charge diffusion is negligible. The onset streamer, positive streamer and negative streamer corona modes were identified as the only modes with measurable RN in the frequency regime 150 kHz to 30 MHz. Formulas are derived for the prediction of the inception gradients for these modes. The RN performance of an ACSR Hare conductor is extracted from the small cage. The RN performance of the Acacia-Koeberg line is also approximated in the PLC band. The dissertation concludes that the proposed wideband excitation function method is capable of accurately predicting the variation of RN levels with frequency. It can also be used to predict the RN performance of short line sections, as well as the relationship between RMS, QP and average RN levels from a transmission line. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die korona-werkverrigting van ‘n WS hoogspanningstransmissielyn het belangrike gevolge vir die betroubaarheid van die ontwerp van die lyn. Die geleide radioruis (RR) vlak op die kraglyndragolf kommunikasie sisteem, wat vir tele-beveiliging gebruik word, is veral van belang. In hierdie werkstuk word bestaande metodes gebruik om die korona-werkverrigting te bepaal en dan met gemete waardes van vier Suid Afrikaanse lyne te vergelyk. Bestaande RR meetmetodes word saamgevat en ‘n nuwe metingsprotokol word voorgestel om resultate te vergelyk. Na aanleiding van hierdie vergelykings word ‘n tegniek ontwikkel om die RR van ‘n lyn te voorspel. Hierdie tegniek gebruik die EdF, EPRI en IREQ metodes. Die voorgestelde tegniek kan nie die verandering van die RR met frekwensie bepaal nie. Dit kan ook nie die RR van kort lyne bepaal nie. ‘n Wyeband RR bron word dus voorgestel. Nadat ESKOM se Megawatt Park korona-kou ondersoek is, is die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat ‘n klein koronakou die nodige wyeband RR bron sal voorsien. Ruimtelading bots met die klein korona-kou. Die effek van hierdie botsings op die pulsparameters is lineer indien ladingsdiffusie nie plaasvind nie. Die aanvangs, positiewe en negatiewe kanaalontladings (“streamers”) is identifiseer as die enigste koronamodusse wat RR veroorsaak tussen 150 kHz en 30 MHz. Die spanning waarby hierdie modusse voorkom, is bepaal. Die korona-werkverrigting van ‘n “ACSR Hare” geleier is bepaal. Die korona-werkverrigting van die Acacia-Koeberg transmissie lyn is ook gekwantifiseer by die kraglyn-dragolf kommunikasie frekwensies. Die wyebandbron metode kan die verandering in RR met frekwensie goed voorspel. Die nuwe metode kan ook gebruik word om die RR van kort lyne te bepaal, asook die verband tussen RMS, QP en gemiddelde RR vlakke.

The solar corona is a highly complex and active plasma environment, containing many exotic phenomena such as solar flares, coronal mass ejections, prominences, coronal loops, and bright points. The fundamental element giving coherence to all this apparent diversity is the strong coronal magnetic field, the dominant force shaping the plasma there. In this thesis, I model the 3D magnetic fields of various coronal features using the techniques of magnetic charge topology (MCT) in a potential field. Often the real coronal field has departures from its potential state, but these are so small that the potential field method is accurate enough to pick out the essential information about the structure and evolution of the magnetic field. First I perform a topological analysis of the magnetic breakout model for an eruptive solar flare. Breakout is represented by a topological bifurcation that allows initially enclosed flux from the newly emerging region in my MCT model of a delta sunspot to reconnect out to large distances. I produce bifurcation diagrams showing how this behaviour can be caused by changing the strength or position of the emerging flux source, or the force-free parameter α. I also apply MCT techniques to observational data of a coronal bright point, and compare the results to 3D numerical MHD simulations of the effects of rotating the sources that underlie the bright point. The separatrix surfaces that surround each rotating source are found to correspond to locations of high parallel electric field in the simulations, which is a signature of magnetic reconnection. The large-scale topological structure of the magnetic field is robust to changes in the method of deriving point magnetic sources from the magnetogram. Next, I use a Green’s function expression for the magnetic field to relax the standard topological assumption of a flat photosphere and extend the concept of MCT into a spherical geometry, enabling it to be applied to the entire global coronal magnetic field. I perform a comprehensive study of quadrupolar topologies in this new geometry, producing several detailed bifurcation diagrams. These results are compared to the equivalent study for a flat photosphere. A new topological state is found on the sphere which has no flat photosphere analogue; it is named the dual intersecting state because of its twin separators joining a pair of magnetic null points. The new spherical techniques are then applied to develop a simple six-source topological model of global magnetic field reversal during the solar cycle. The evolution of the large-scale global magnetic field is modelled through one complete eleven-year cycle, beginning at solar minimum. Several distinct topological stages are exhibited: active region flux connecting across the equator to produce transequatorial loops; the dominance of first the leading and then the following polarities of the active regions; the magnetic isolation of the poles; the reversal of the polar field; the new polar field connecting back to the active regions; the polar flux regaining its dominance; and the disappearance of the transequatorial loops.

We present new models for two low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXB), 4U 1822-371 and V1408 Aql (= 4U 1957+115). The eclipsing LMXB 4U 1822-371 is the prototypical accretion disk corona (ADC) system. We have obtained new time-resolved UV spectroscopy of 4U 1822-371 with the Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel on the Hubble Space Telescope and new V- and J- band photometry with the 1.3-m SMARTS telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. We use the new data to construct the UV/optical spectral energy distribution of 4U 1822-371 and its orbital light curve in the UV, V , and J bands. We derive an improved ephemeris for the optical eclipses and confirm that the orbital period is changing rapidly, indicating extremely high rates of mass flow in the system; and we show that the accretion disk in the system has a strong wind with projected radial velocities up to 4400 km s⁻¹. We show that the disk has a vertically extended, optically thick component at optical wavelengths. This component extends almost to the edge of the disk and has a height equal to ~0.5 of the disk radius. As it has a low brightness temperature, we identify it as the optically thick base of the disk wind, not as the optical counterpart of the ADC. Like previous models of 4U 1822-371, ours needs a tall obscuring wall near the edge of the accretion disk, but we interpret the wall as a layer of cooler material at the base of the disk wind, not as a tall, luminous disk rim. V1408 Aql is a black hole candidate. We have obtained new optical photometry of this system in 2008 and 2009 with the Argos photometer on the 2.1-m Otto Struve telescope and optical spectra with the low resolution spectrometer on the Hobby Eberly telescope. From the data we derive an improved optical orbital ephemeris and a new geometric model for the system. The model uses only a simple thin disk without the need for a warped disk or a large disk rim. The orbital variation is produced by the changing aspect of the irradiated secondary star with orbital phase. The new model leaves the orbital inclination unconstrained and allows for inclinations as low as 20 degrees. The spectra is largely featureless continuum with He II and occasionally H[alpha] emission lines, and an absorption line from Na D. The lines are highly variable in strength and wavelength, but the variations do not correlate with orbital phase. / text

論文摘要 在離散數學的領域中有一熱門的分支一圖學論就是將問題以圖形的觀念來研究，其中優美圖問題是由來已久，尤其是在太空訊息的接收，雷達站之設立位置等科學性的研究中廣泛的被討論，我們企圖將優美圖的必要條件cordial 圖作適當的推展以這算子為架構將圖形類別視為運算元則 { (運算元) ，運算子} ===新圖形 結合將可得到新的圓形使得新圖形是cordial 圖這樣一來就可製造出更多更複雄史實用的cordial 圖，有cordial 圖才有可能是優美圖. 研究之初我們收集有關優美圖的論文想知道一些優美圖標法與尚未解決的圖形，和由優美圖衍生出的特殊圖形，我們整理得到壹拾貳大類這些類別的圖形在簡單的情形時已有了不錯的結論，但是稍為複雜或條件放鬆則結果說不得而知，由於優美國的重要及熱門迫使我們不得不有這種動機嘗試將已無圓形配和圓形運算子而得到複雜的圖形式得到新類別的圓形並企圖使新圖形式複雜圖形是cordial 圖在論文中，我們找到一些還算子例如link ， corona, join , bridge and newcorona 並且導出一些結果. / Abstract Suppose G is a graph with vertex set V(G) and edge set E(G). Consider a labeling f: V(G) → { 0, 1} where f induces an edge-labeling i*: E(G) -+ {0,1} defined by f*(uv) = I f(u) - f(v) I for each edge uv E E( G). Let V f(i) be the set of vertices v of G with f( v)=i, and Ef(i) be the set of edges uv with f*(uv)=i. The cardinalities of Yf(i) and Ef(i) are denoted by vf(i) and ef(i), respectively. A labeling f of a graph is cordial if Ivf (0)-vf (1) ? I and lef(0)- ef(1)?1. A graph G is cordial if it has a: cordial labeling. In this paper, we will study some operators such as link (0), corona( *), join(+), bridge (?), and newcorona( ?), and derive some results on cordial graphs.