<p>Noble metal nanoparticles exhibit unique optical properties that are beneficial to a variety of applications, including molecular imaging. The large scattering cross sections of nanoparticles provide high contrast necessary for biomarkers. Unlike alternative contrast agents, nanoparticles provide refractive index sensitivity revealing information regarding the local cellular environment. Altering the shape and composition of the nanoparticle shifts the peak resonant wavelength of scattered light, allowing for implementation of multiple spectrally distinct tags. In this project, nanoparticles that scatter in different spectral windows are functionalized with various antibodies recognizing extra-cellular receptors integral to cancer progression. A hyperspectral imaging system is developed, allowing for visualization and spectral characterization of cells labeled with these conjugates. Various molecular imaging and microspectroscopy applications of plasmonic nanoparticles are then investigated. First, anti-EGFR gold nanospheres are shown to quantitatively measure receptor expression with similar performance to fluorescence assays. Second, anti-EGFR gold nanorods and novel anti-IGF-1R silver nanospheres are implemented to indicate local cellular refractive indices. Third, because biosensing capabilities of nanoparticle tags may be limited by plasmonic coupling, polarization mapping is investigated as a method to discern these effects. Fourth, plasmonic coupling is tested to monitor HER-2 dimerization. Experiments reveal the interparticle conformation of proximal HER-2 bound labels, required for plasmonic coupling-enhanced dielectric sensing. Fifth, all three functionalized plasmonic tags are implemented simultaneously to indicate clinically relevant cell immunophenotype information and changes in the cellular dielectric environment. Finally, flow cytometry experiments are conducted utilizing the anti-EGFR nanorod tag to demonstrate profiling of receptor expression distribution and potential increased multiplexing capability.</p> / Dissertation

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Georgetown University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 273-291).

The Regulation of Internet Gambling This master thesis deals with the regulation of gambling operated via Internet public network. The chosen topic reflects adoption of a new framework of gambling regulation represented in particular by Act No. 186/2016 Coll., on Gambling, as amended (hereinafter referred to as "the Gambling Act") and Act No. 187/2016 Coll., on Gambling Tax, as amended (hereinafter referred to as "the Gambling Tax Act"), which introduced to the Czech legal system a systematic regulation of operation of gambling via Internet public network. The author aims to analyze and evaluate the new framework of gambling regulation (including newly introduced system of gambling taxation). Considering that both the Gambling Act and the Gambling Tax Act have entered into force only on 1 January 2017 the author further aims to point out certain unclarities regarding interpretation of several legal provisions contained therein. Finally, the author further aims to propose possible amendments to the analyzed legal regulation. The master thesis is divided into four parts. The first part is focused on the reasons why the new framework of gambling regulation has been adopted and further deals with the lacks of the previous regulation from the perspective of law of the European Union. In the respective...

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:08:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VilmaFT_DISSERT.pdf: 1526351 bytes, checksum: ca8004fc7fddd65dfdad181fecb6c5ab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-22 / O trabalho investiga que contribui??es o Programa Mem?ria Viva, exibido pela TV Universit?ria, fornece para a constru??o da mem?ria social audiovisual da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte UFRN, analisando as entrevistas realizadas com os reitores da institui??o entrevistados no programa. A pesquisa fundamenta-se em tr?s aportes te?ricos distintos: a abordagem narrativa de Joseph Campbell (1999), desenvolvida e adaptada ao jornalismo por Lima (2008) e Martinez (2008); a no??o de Mem?ria Social elaborada por Jacques Le Goff (2000); e, finalmente, a hermen?utica midi?tica de John Thompson, que permite uma s?ntese dessas refer?ncias anteriores e uma orienta??o metodol?gica integrada de diferentes t?cnicas de pesquisa. Analisamos o programa dentro da perspectiva da jornada do her?i m?todo de estrutura??o de narrativas que se utiliza da perspectiva mitol?gica de Joseph Campbell e da psicologia humanista de Carl Gustav Jung que seria utilizado, de maneira inconsciente, como recurso para a constru??o das hist?rias de vida expostas no programa. Os reitores entrevistados contam n?o apenas a pr?pria hist?ria, no formato autobiogr?fico e narratol?gico estabelecido pela produ??o, mas delineiam tamb?m de forma direta ou indireta tamb?m a hist?ria da institui??o

Framework Machinations is a tool for representing board games mechanics and mechanics of some computer games. Its main purpose is to allow game designers to test and tune the game's parameters before games release. However, current framework is not able to create models of some game mechanics and by that, it forces its users to simplify their models. The aim of this work is to extend framework machinations into a tool capable of simulating board game mechanics without having to simplify them. Thesis includes a program for working with an extended framework and a case study detailing the implementation of the Stone Age game in the extended framework.

The thesis analyses Czech and EU legislation which is intended to prevent discrimination in the labour market and focuses on the three main models of discrimination: Discriminatory preference, Statistical discrimination and Displacing discrimination. In the opening chapters, the thesis presents the reasons leading to the differences in men's and women's wages not originating from discrimination and also partially disproves the myths about discrimination of women. The analytical and theoretical part is followed by empirical part whose conclusions do not disprove the hypothesis of discrimination in Czech labour market, nevertheless comes to the conclusion that the part of the differences in average income, that exist, can be explained mainly by following factors: the number of worked hours, education level, time spent mainly by women on maternity / parental leave and child care and other factors. The results of questionnaire survey realised on the territory of one region and within one area of intervention of Structural funds confirm that the discrimination between men and women doesn't exist.

This thesis will enable the reader to see how applications of game theory can help understand the development in oil market. Firstly, the thesis will introduce to the reader the foundations of game theory, a branch of microeconomics studying strategic interaction. Special focus will be put on the theory of oligopoly, the most important collusive and non-collusive models of oligopoly and their similarities and differences. Secondly, the thesis will show the reader how these theoretic models can be applied to the past development within the global oil industry, most prominently on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Finally, the thesis will present possible applications of game theory and some of the models to the oil market after the price decrease which started in 2014. This would help the reader assess the potential outcomes of the current crisis and possible development in the future.

Electricity-driven water splitting reaction achieved by electrochemical method to produce hydrogen and oxygen is utilized as an energy carrier in the form of highly pure hydrogen gas. However, the development of earth-abundant, durable, and highly effective electrocatlyst to overcome the high overpotentials of hydrogen, and oxygen evolution reaction (HER, OER) is extremely challenging. This dissertation presents firstly the catalytic properties of tungsten disulfide (WS2) as highly effective HER catalyst through direct growth of 2H-WS2 layered materials on a conductive substrate. Effect of various gaseous atmosphere and temperatures was studied and it was found that the amorphous structure of WS2 can be strongly affected under H2S environment which leads to the formation of bridging disulfide ligands S2 2- and apical S2- from WS3 phase, which is consequently contribute to the catalytic enhancement toward HER with extremely low overpotential (η10 = 184 mV). On the other hand, OER is the major bottleneck in water splitting reaction due to its poor kinetics originated from the complex four electrons transfer process. Chemical vapor deposition strategy is used here to enable stoichiometric tuning and phase engineering of CoP2 OER electrocatalyst followed by deposition of carbonaceous protection layer to overcome surface oxidation. Electrochemical studies indicate that C@CoP2/CC can achieve a remarkable activity (η10 = 234 mV), with minor decay from its initial current density after continuous operation of 80 hours. Lastly, electrolysis of alkaline water is the most common industrial method to produce H2; however, it is a formidable challenging to compete with Pt catalyst in base at industrial scale. For that, temperature-dependent phase evolution was studied in details and it is found that (Co(OH)2) precursor undergoes phase transition under a unique phosphidation system starting with partially phosphatized phase CoP-CoxOy, followed by phosphorus rich phase CoP2, and ultimately to pure CoP phase under elevated temperatures. Comprehensive analysis revealed that concerted composite CoP-CoxOy is the most active phase to produce H2 electrochemically from alkaline water which is contributed to the unique role of integrated phase and its ability to overcome the sluggish hydrogen kinetics in base.

This thesis describes the social table game Scrabble, and its realization in the form of computer games. Gradually examines all important aspects that affect the performance of the implementation. Especially after the election of the appropriate data structures retained for the vocabulary, affecting the efficiency of generating moves, and the selection of appropriate algorithms with regard to the maximum speed. There is particular emphasis on artificial intelligence opponent and its ability to compete not only amateurs, but professional SCRABBLE players.