Yes / The paper demonstrates an effective technique to significantly enhance the bandwidth and radiation gain of an otherwise narrowband composite right/left-handed transmission-line (CRLH-TL) antenna using a non-Foster impedance matching circuit (NF-IMC) without affecting the antenna's stability. This is achieved by using the negative reactance of the NF-IMC to counteract the input capacitance of the antenna. Series capacitance of the CRLH-TL unit-cell is created by etching a dielectric spiral slot inside a rectangular microstrip patch that is grounded through a spiraled microstrip inductance. The overall size of the antenna, including the NF-IMC at its lowest operating frequency is 0.335λ0 × 0.137λ0 × 0.003λ0, where λ0 is the free-space wavelength at 1.4 GHz. The performance of the antenna was verified through actual measurements. The stable bandwidth of the antenna for |S11|≤ - 18 dB is greater than 1 GHz (1.4-2.45 GHz), which is significantly wider than the CRLH-TL antenna without the proposed impedance matching circuit. In addition, with the proposed technique the measured radiation gain and efficiency of the antenna are increased on average by 3.2 dBi and 31.5% over the operating frequency band. / This work is partially supported by RTI2018-095499-B-C31, Funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Gobierno de España (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE), and innovation programme under grant agreement H2020-MSCA-ITN-2016 SECRET-722424 and the financial support from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under grant EP/E022936/1.

This thesis deals with the laterality and the ways of diagnosis at children. It is divided into three parts - theoretical, practical and appendixes. The theoretical part deals with laterality, methods of diagnostic and methodology of work with left-handed pupil at the beginning of the school attendance. The aim of research in the practical part of the thesis was to find information about working with left-handed pupils between the students of primary teaching and teachers in practise. The appendixes of this thesis include the questionnaires used for the practical part of the thesis and worksheets for pupils to relax their hand while writing.

Pektatlyase (Pel-15) aus dem alkalophilen Bodenbakterium Bacillus spec. KSM-P15 ist mit 197 Aminosäuren eines der kleinsten, bekannten β-3-Solenoidproteine. Sie spaltet Polygalakturonsäurederivate in einem Ca2+-abhängigen β-Eliminierungsprozess. Wie bei allen Proteinen dieser Enzymfamilie ist auch die Polypeptidkette von Pel-15 zu einer einsträngigen, rechtsgängigen, parallelen β-Helix aufgewunden. In diesem Strukturmotiv enthält jede Windung drei β-Stränge, die jeweils durch flexible Schleifenbereiche miteinander verbunden sind. Insgesamt acht Windungen stapeln sich in Pel-15 übereinander und bilden entlang der Helixachse flächige, parallele β-Faltblätter aus. Im Bereich dieser β-Faltblätter existiert ein ausgedehntes Netzwerk von Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen, durch das der hydrophobe Kern, der sich im Inneren der β-Helix befindet, vom umgebenden Lösungsmittel abgeschirmt wird. Besondere Abschlussstrukturen an beiden Enden der β-Helix, wie sie typischerweise bei anderen Ver-tretern dieser Strukturklasse ausgeprägt werden, sind in Pel-15 nicht zu beobachten. Stattdessen sind die terminalen Bereiche der β-Helix über Salzbrücken und hydrophobe Seitenkettenkontakte stabilisiert. In der vorliegenden Dissertation wurde die Pektatlyase Pel-15 hinsichtlich ihres Faltungsgleichgewichtes, ihrer enzymatischen Aktivität und der Kinetik ihrer Strukturbildung charakterisiert. In eine evolutionär konservierte Helixwindung wurden destabilisierende Mutationen eingeführt, und deren Auswirkungen mittels spektroskopischer Methoden analysiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Pel-15 in Gegenwart des Denaturierungsmittels Guanidiniumhydrochlorid einen hyperfluoreszenten Gleichgewichtsustand (HF) populiert, der nach Messungen von Faltungs- und Entfaltungskinetiken ein konformationelles Ensemble aus den Zuständen HFslow und HFfast darstellt. Diese HF-Zustände sind durch eine hohe Aktivierungsbarriere voneinander getrennt. In Rückfaltungsexperimenten populieren nur etwa 80 % der faltenden Moleküle den Zwischenzustand HFslow, der mit einer Zeitkonstante von ca. 100 s zu HFfast weiterreagiert. Die Denaturierungsmittelabhängigkeit dieser Reaktion ist sehr gering, was eine trans-/cis-Prolylisomerisierung als geschwindigkeitslimitierenden Schritt nahelegt. Die Existenz eines cis-Peptides in der nativen Struktur macht es erforderlich, den denaturierten Zustand als ein Ensemble kinetisch separierter Konformationen, kurz: DSE, zu betrachten, das durch die Spezies Ufast und Uslow populiert wird. Nach dem in dieser Arbeit aufgestellten „Minimalmodell der Pel-15 Faltung“ stehen die HF-Spezies (HFslow, HFfast) mit den Konformationen des DSE in einem thermodynamischen Kreisprozess. Das Modell positioniert HFfast und die native Konformation N auf die „native Seite“ der Aktivierungsbarriere und trägt damit der Tatsache Rechnung, dass die Gleichgewichtseinstellung zwischen diesen Spezies zu schnell ist, um mit manuellen Techniken erfasst zu werden. Die hochaffine Bindung von Ca2+ (Kd = 10 μM) verschiebt sich das Faltungsgleichgewicht bereits in Gegenwart von 1 mM CaCl2 soweit auf die Seite des nativen Zustandes, das HFfast nicht länger nachweisbar ist. Entgegen anfänglicher Vermutungen kommt einer lokalen, evolutionär konservierten Disulfidbrücke im Zentrum der β-Helix eine wichtige Stabilisierungsfunktion zu. Die Disulfidbrücke befindet sich in einem kurzen Schleifenbereich der β-Helix nahe dem aktiven Zentrum. Obwohl ihr Austausch gegen die Reste Val und Ala die freie Stabilisierungsenthalpie des Proteins um ca. 10 kJ/mol reduziert, lässt die Struktur im Bereich der Mutationsstelle keine gravierende Veränderung erkennen. Auch die katalytisch relevante Ca2+-Bindungsaffinität bleibt unbeeinflusst; dennoch zeigen Enzymaktivitätstests für VA-Mutanten eine Reduktion der enzymatischen Aktivität um fast 50 % an. Die evolutionär konservierte Helixwindung im Allgemeinen und die in ihr enthaltene Disulfidbrücke im Besonderen müssen nach den vorliegenden Ergebnissen also eine zentrale Funktion sowohl für die Struktur des katalytischen Zentrums als auch für die Strukturbildung der β-Helix während der Faltungsreaktion besitzen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit finden in mehreren Punkten Anklang an Faltungseigenschaften, die für andere β -Helixproteine beschrieben wurden. Vor allem aber prädestinieren sie Pel-15 als ein neues, β-helikales Modellprotein. Aufgrund seiner einfachen Topologie, seiner niedrigen Windungszahl und seiner hohen thermodynamischen Stabilität ist Pel-15 sehr gut geeignet, die Determinanten von Stabilität und Strukturbildung des parallelen β-Helix-Motivs in einer Auflösung zu studieren, die aufgrund der Komplexität bestehender β-helikaler Modellsysteme bislang nicht zur Verfügung stand. / Pectate lyase Pel-15 was isolated from alcaliphlic Bacillus spec. strain KSM-P15. Like all pectate lyases Pel-15 binds and subsequently cleaves polygalacturonic acid, the main pectic compound in plant cell walls and middle lamellae, in a Ca2+ dependent beta-elimination reaction. With 197 amino acids and a molecular mass of only 21 kDa the protein is one of the smallest right-handed parallel beta-helical proteins known today. Polypeptide chains that are classified into this structural family adopt super-helical folds in which each “solenoid stack” consists of three beta-structured regions that are connected by flexible turn segments. Along its longitudinal axis the right-handed parallel beta-helix thus comprises three elongated parallel beta-sheets that are stabilized by an extensive network of hydrogen bonds wrapping around the densely packed hydrophobic core. Together with the shield-like arrangement of hydrogen bonds this hydrophobic core is considered as the main contributor to an exceptionally high stability that is a common feature of all beta-helical proteins. In contrast to most right-handed parallel beta-helices, Pel-15 is devoid of any terminal capping domains and laterally associated secondary structure. Therefore, this protein is considered to be a promising model protein of a pure beta-helix which will help to understand the determinants of both parallel beta-sheet formation and stability. In the dissertation at hand optical spectroscopic methods were used to assess the enzymatic activity, the folding/unfolding equilibrium and the kinetic mechanism of structure formation in neutral buffered solutions. Results indicate that Pel-15 populates a hyper-fluorescent equilibrium intermediate (HF) that is effectively populated in presence of the denaturing agent guanidinium hydrochloride (GdmCl). According to kinetic folding and unfolding experiments HF is not only an essential on-pathway intermediate but has to be considered as a conformational ensemble in which several hyperfluorescent states are in thermodynamic equilibrium with each other. According to their existence in kinetic folding trajectories these different HF-species were termed HFslow and HFfast. The activation energy between both states is remarkably high leading to a time constant of about 100 seconds for the reaction HFslow ⇆ HFfast. Since native Pel-15 contains an energetically disfavoured cis-prolyl peptide between A59 and P60 it is proposed that HFslow and HFfast differ in their prolyl peptide conformations. Two main results emerge from this dissertation. First, an extensive study of the Pel-15 folding- and unfolding behaviour facilitated the proposal of a “minimal folding model”. According to this model the HF-states and the according denatured species Uslow and Ufast are aligned into a thermodynamic circle. This implies that unfolded polypeptide chains reach the HF-ensemble via parallel folding trajectories. Since the native conformation N together with HFfast are on the same side of the activation barrier, it is the reaction HFslow ⇆ HFfast that is the rate limiting step in the folding reaction of Pel-15. Second, the importance of an evolutionarily conserved disulfide bond in the central region of Pel-15 was tested by site directed mutagenesis and subsequent spectroscopic characterization. The exchange of the disulfide against a hydrophobic pair of alanine and valine decreases the folding free energy by about 10 kJ/mol. Although this value is unexpectedly high, structural perturbations around both mutational positions are small as was deduced from X-Ray crystallography. Interestingly, the stability decrease is accompanied by a major loss of enzymatic activity while the Ca2+ binding affinity is not significantly affected. It is therefore concluded that the allosterically relevant disulfide bond stabilizes long-range interactions that stabilize several adjacent solenoid turns near the N-terminus of the protein. Indeed, planar stacking interactions are perturbed and flexibility of N-terminal loops is increased once the disulfide bond is removed. This dissertation establishes Pel-15 as a novel beta-helical model protein and – even more important – smoothes the way for a generally accepted perspective on the formation and stability of parallel beta-sheet proteins.

This thesis focuses mostly on investigating different potential applications of meta-transmission line (TL), particularly composite right/left handed (CRLH) TL, and analyzing some new phenomena and applications of meta-TL, mostly left-handed (LH) TL. Realization principle will also be studied.   First, the fundamental electromagnetic properties of propagation in the presence of left-handed material (LHM) are illustrated. The transmission line approach for LHM design is described together with a brief review of the transmission line theory. As a generalized model for LHM TL, CRLH TL provides very unique phase response, such as dual-band operation, bandwidth enhancement, nonlinear dispersion, and the existence of critical frequency with zero phase velocity. Based on these properties, some novel applications of the existing CRLH transmission lines are then given, including a notch filter, a diplexer, a broadband phase shifter, a broadband balun, and a dual band rat-ring coupler. In the design of notch filters and diplexers, CRLH TL shunt stub is utilized to provide high frequency selectivity due to the existence of critical frequency with zero phase velocity. The proposed wideband Wilkinson balun, which comprises of one section of conventional transmission lines and one section of CRLH-TL, is shown to have a 180°±10° bandwidth of 2.12 GHz centered at 1.5 GHz. In the analysis of the dual band rat-ring couplers, a generalized formulation of the requirements about impedances and electrical length of the branches are derived, and as an example, a compact dual-band rat-race coupler is designed utilizing the balanced CRLH TL. Furthermore, a low pass filter is also proposed and designed based on a single (epsilon) negative coplanar waveguide (CPW).Various principles to realize meta-transmission lines are investigated. The main conclusions are listed below:Ÿ         Dual composite right/left handed (D-CRLH) transmission line, which is the dual structure of conventional CRLH TL, shows opposite handedness in the high frequencies and low frequencies with CRLH TL. Meanwhile, in the practical implementation, D-CRLH TL always shows a sharp stopband. A notch filter and a dual-band balun are designed based on D-CRLH TL. Ÿ         The lattice type transmission line (LT-TL) shows the same magnitude response with the conventional right-handed (RH) TL, but a constant phase difference in the phase response over a wide frequency band. A wideband rat-race coupler is proposed as an application of the LT-TL. Ÿ         Finger-shorted interdigital capacitors (FSIDCs) are analyzed and it is shown that FSIDC alone can act as a left-handed transmission line. The value of the reactive elements (inductors and capacitors) in the equivalent circuit model is determined by the dimensions of FSIDC. The relationship between them is analyzed.Later, transmission line loaded with negative-impedance-converted inductors and capacitors is illustrated as the first non-dispersive LH transmission line. The design of a negative series impedance converter is given in detail and a wideband power divider is designed as a potential application of the newly proposed meta-transmission lines in is also given. The final part of the thesis focuses on the study of microstrip lines loaded with complementary split ring resonators (SRRs). An equivalent circuit is made for this structure. The circuit model is verified by the experimental results of cases with different periodic lengths. Thereafter, a meander line split ring resonator (MLSRR) is presented. It shows dual band property and the miniature prototypes of complementary MLSRR loaded transmission lines are fabricated. By comparing the resonance frequencies of complementary MLSRR and multiple SRR, it is shown that the complementary MLSRR is very compact. C-MLSRR is applied in rejecting unnecessary frequencies in the ultra wideband antennas. / QC 20100720

Multitouch technology allows the users to use both their hands and multiple fingers to manipulate digital content directly on the screen. This paper attempts to analyze the actual convenience of bimanual and multifinger manipulation on a multitouch display by conducting three observational experiments and studying how a group of volunteers use their hands and fingers when interacting with digital content on a touchscreen surface. In addition, the participants had to fill in a questionnaire where they give some additional insights on how they experienced the use of multitouch-based interface during the experiments. The results suggest that when participants were performing tasks in which they were instructed to manipulate the digital content as fast as they could, a high percentage of them resorted to the use of at least some level of bimanual manipulation of the digital content. However, when participants were told to perform the tasks calmly the big majority of participants decided to move the objects by using only one hand (unimanual). Same-hand multifinger manipulation was also used by a high percentage of participants when moving several objects simultaneously. Nevertheless, in all three experiments the most common way of moving objects across the screen was by dragging them one at a time (sequential move). Finally, in relation to the personal assessment made by the participants, a total of 70% feel that the possibility for engaging in bimanual interaction, that multitouch interface offers, is a clear benefit and advantage over traditional keyboard and mouse. However, 40% of the respondents feel that the use of mouse still is a more effective and natural form of interaction than multitouch technology.

This thesis introduces efficient numerical techniques for the analysis of novel electromagnetic metamaterials. The modelling is based on a Method of Moments modal analysis in conjunction with an interpolation scheme, which significantly accelerates the computations. Triangular basis functions are used that allow for modelling of arbitrary shaped metallic elements. Unlike the conventional methods, impedance interpolation is applied to derive the dispersion characteristics of planar periodic structures. With these techniques, the plane wave and the surface wave responses of fractal structures have been studied by means of transmission coefficients and dispersion diagrams. The multiband properties and the compactness of the proposed structures are presented. Based on this method, novel planar left-handed metamaterials are also proposed. Verifications of the left-handedness are presented by means of full wave simulation of finite planar arrays using commercial software and lab measurement. The structures are simple, readily scalable to higher frequencies and compatible with low-cost fabrication techniques.

Le Modèle Standard de la physique des particules a été renforcé par la récente découverte du très attendu boson de Higgs. Le modèle standard cosmologique a lui relevé le défi de la haute précision des observations cosmologiques et des expériences d'astroparticules. Toutefois, ces deux modèles standards sont encore confrontés à plusieurs problèmes théoriques, comme le problème de naturalité dans le secteur de Higgs du Modèle Standard, ainsi que des problèmes observationnels à l'image des nombreuses preuves de l'existence d'un genre inconnu de matière, appelé Matière Noire, qui représenterait la majeure partie du contenu en matière de l'Univers. Les tentatives visant à résoudre ces problèmes ont conduit au développement de nouveaux modèles physiques au cours des dernières décennies. La supersymétrie est un de ces modèles qui traite du problème du réglage fin dans le secteur de Higgs et fournit de bons candidats à la Matière Noire. Les expériences actuelles de physique des hautes énergies et de haute précision offrent de nombreuses possibilités pour contraindre les modèles supersymétriques. C'est dans ce contexte que cette thèse s'inscrit. En considérant le Modèle Standard Supersymétrique Minimal (MSSM), l'extension supersymétrique la plus simple du Modèle Standard, et son candidat à la Matière Noire, le neutralino, il est montré que les contraintes obtenues en collisionneur pourraient fournir des informations sur une période de l'Univers jeune, l'ère inflationnaire. Il est également démontré que la Détection Indirecte de Matière Noire, en dépit de plusieurs inconvénients, peut se révéler être une technique efficace pour explorer les modèles de Matière Noire supersymétrique. Au-delà du MSSM il est montré que des caractéristiques uniques du candidat à la Matière Noire dans le NMSSM peuvent être explorées aux collisionneurs. L'étude d'un modèle supersymétrique avec une symétrie de jauge étendue, le UMSSM, est également développée. Les caractéristiques d'un autre candidat de la matière noire de ce modèle, le sneutrino droit, sont analysées. Des contraintes plus générales telles que celles provenant d'observables de basse énergie sont finalement prise en compte. / The Standard Model of particle physics has been strengthened by the recent discovery of the long-awaited Higgs boson. The standard cosmological model has met the challenge of the high precision observations in comology and astroparticle physics. However these two standard models face both several theoretical issues, such as the naturalness problem in the Higgs sector of the Standard Model, as well as observational issues, in particular the fact that an unknown kind of matter called Dark Matter accounts for the majority of the matter content in our Universe. Attempts to solve such problems have led to the development of New Physics models during the last decades. Supersymmetry is one such model which addresses the fine-tuning problem in the Higgs sector and provides viable Dark Matter candidates. Current high energy and high precision experiments give many new opportunities to probe the supersymmetric models. It is in this context that this thesis is written. Considering the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), the simplest supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model of particle physics, and its conventional Dark Matter candidate, the neutralino, it is shown that collider constraints could provide informations on the very early Universe at the inflation area. It is also demonstrated that the Indirect Detection of Dark Matter, despite several drawbacks, can be a powerful technique to probe supersymmetric Dark Matter models. Beyond the MSSM it is shown that unique characteristics of the Dark Matter candidate in the NMSSM could be probed at colliders. The study of a supersymmetric model with an extended gauge symmetry, the UMSSM, is also developed. The features of another Dark Matter candidate of this model, the Right-Handed sneutrino, are analysed. More general constraints such as those coming from low energy observables are finally considered in this model.

少子化問題使婦產科醫師的工作環境受到衝擊，人力短缺情形嚴重，為了解並預測未來婦產科醫療服務市場的供需情形，本研究使用1997-2011年健保資料庫數據，以及戶政司與經建會人口資料，分析婦產科醫師的人力變動特性及趨勢。 研究結果顯示，雖然產科醫師人數持續下滑，但由於出生人口持續降低，反而讓每1000出生人口對比醫生數有逐漸提高趨勢，人均年接生水準也可大致維持在固定水準。此外，新進婦產科醫師過少，7成以上的醫師又集中在45至64歲，未來當主要供給人力面臨退休年齡時，婦產科醫師總數將迅速減少，使婦產科醫師與女性人口醫病比隨之下滑。深究婦產科醫師人數減少的緣由，發現少子化的影響程度有超過7成6的比例，同時也發現，醫療環境不佳確實也會影響新進醫師的選擇。政府若欲解決婦產科醫師人力缺乏問題，需著重增加醫學生選擇進入婦產科的誘因。 / To examine the current supply of practicing obstetrician-gynecologists and project the future supply under low fertility rate, a discrete actuarial supply model was developed. Supply projections were examined using visiting information form the National Health Insurance research databases. We found the numbers of obstetrician is expected to continuously decline from its current level, whereas the number of obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) per 1000 births will still increase because of the declining number of births. Besides, the number of obstetrician per 1000 births can be roughly maintained at a fixed level. Projections show that the total supply of OB/GYNs will sharply fall in recent years because the number of new physicians continues to diminish, while more than 70% of workforce is over 45 years old. Among two possible factors affecting growth or decline, the ones that seem most important is low fertility rate. These results highlight the necessity for developing a work environment that attracts young physician to obstetrics and gynecology.

Práce je věnována modelování mikrovlnných rezonátorů z metamateriálů (materiálů se záporným indexem lomu). V úvodu je rozebráno, co metamateriály jsou, jak se vytvářejí a které jejich vlastnosti jsou podstatné při návrhu rezonátorů. Následuje návrh planárního rezonátoru z metamateriálů. Pro tento účel byly naprogramovány funkce počítající rozměry jednotlivých součástí struktury. Simulace navržené struktury probíhala v programu Zeland IE3D. Simulované struktury byly optimalizovány s ohledem na požadované kmitočty rezonance. První rezonátor sestával z jedné elementární buňky, druhý ze dvou buněk, naladěných na rozdílné kmitočty. Rezonátory byly vyrobeny a experimentálně byly ověřeny jejich vlastnosti.

The aim of the present work is to select a suitable object classification method for the recognition of one-handed finger alphabet characters. For this purpose, a sufficiently robust dataset has been created and is included in this work. The creation of the dataset is necessary for training the convolutional neural network. Further more, a suitable topology for data classification was found. The whole work is implemented using Python and the open-source library Keras was used.