Masters of Art / In my thesis entitled ‘African Tradition and Modernity in Zakes Mda’s The Heart of Redness’, I analyze the way Western modernity and African traditions interact in Mda’s novel. I suggest that both modernity and tradition interact to produce a hybrid culture. This will become apparent in my analysis of the way Mda depicts the cattlekilling episode and the effects of Nongqawuse’s prophecy, and also in the novel’s contemporary characters. Mda shows the development of an African modernity through the semi-autobiographical figure of Camagu who is not slavishly indebted to Western ideas of progress, but is a hybrid of African values and a modern identity. In my thesis I will look at the way Mda also addresses the issue of the oppression of the Xhosa in colonial history, and the way he demonstrates that the divisions of the past deeply influence post-apartheid South Africa. In this regard, I will show how The Heart of Redness is a critique not only of colonial oppression, but also of the newer injustices plaguing the post-apartheid South African society. The focus of Mda’s critique in this regard is the proposed casino that stands as a model of environmentally destructive, unsustainable and capitalist development. Instead, Mda’s novel shows an alternative modernization of rural South African society, one which is based on community upliftment and environmentally friendly development. Through an exploration of the above aspects of the novel, my thesis shows that Mda’s writing exemplifies a hybrid African modernity, one that incorporates Western ideas as well as African values.

Actualmente, uno de los principales retos de la Ingeniería del Software (IS) es el desarrollo de sistemas de calidad. La calidad es una propiedad del software que cuenta con diversas características, entre ellas la usabilidad, que es en la que se centra esta tesis. La IS se ha centrado históricamente en problemas de funcionalidad y de persistencia, relegando a un segundo plano aspectos de la interacción con el usuario, y más concretamente, de la usabilidad. Este vacío ha sido cubierto por la comunidad Interacción Persona-Ordenador (IPO), que ha propuesto recomendaciones para mejorar la usabilidad. Algunas de estas recomendaciones deben ser consideradas desde las primeras fases de construcción de los sistemas a fin de evitar realizar cambios en la arquitectura una vez ésta haya sido diseñada. Estas recomendaciones se conocen como Functional Usability Features (FUF). La incorporación de los FUFs desde las primeras fases del proceso de desarrollo añade cierta complejidad a la construcción de sistemas, ya que el analista ha de tener en cuenta más factores a la hora del desarrollo. Esta tesis presenta una solución basada en transformaciones entre modelos. El objetivo de la tesis es el de presentar un método (llamado MIMAT) para incorporar los FUFs dentro de un método de desarrollo Model-Driven Development (MDD). Para ello, se profundiza en los cambios que el diseñador del método MDD debe aplicar para enriquecer dicho método con los FUFs. Una vez incorporados los FUFs, el analista que modele sistemas con el método MDD puede utilizar las características de usabilidad en el desarrollo de sistemas. La principal ventaja de esta aproximación es que el analista puede incorporar las características de usabilidad simplemente a partir de modelos conceptuales, dejando la implementación a las transformaciones de modelo a código. La factibilidad de MIMAT se ha demostrado aplicándolo a un método de desarrollo MDD específico: OO-Method. / Panach Navarrete, JI. (2010). Incorporación de mecanismos de usabilidad en un entorno de producción de software dirigido por modelos [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/8379 / Palancia

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and it is predicted that in 2030 about 12 million deaths will occur with approximately 21.7 million new cases [2]. Genetic risk factors as well as race and ethnicity, account for about 5-10% of all breast cancer occurrences. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), tumors that tested negative for oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), contribute to 10-20% of all breast carcinomas [3,4] and is known to be a more aggressive type of cancer with varying degree of response to chemotherapeutic and radiation therapy [5,6] / 2022-02-24

Utilization of potential synergistic interactions among different bioactive agents is a promising approach to inhibit complex diseases such as cancer. Nobiletin (NBT) and tangeretin (TAN) are major polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) found in citrus fruits. Herein, we studied NBT and TAN in combination with atorvastatin (ATST, Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering drug) in MDAMB231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Both NBT/ATST and TAN/ATST combinations at low doses produced much stronger inhibitory effect on cancer cell viability in comparison to those produced by NBT, TAN, or ATST alone at much higher doses. Isobologram analysis confirmed that both NBT/ATST and TAN/ATST combinations produced strong synergy in inhibiting the growth of two breast cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis showed that both NBT/ATST and TAN/ATST combinations caused significant cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in MDAMB231 cells (ER+). Consistent with these results, PMFs and ATST combinations decreased expression levels of phospho Rb, cyclin D1, and CDK4. Further experiments showed that the combination treatment induced autophagy and late apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Meanwhile, co-treatment of PMFs and ATST induce G2/M phase in MCF-7 (ER+) cells.. The combination of PMFs and ATST also caused autophagy in MCF-7 cells, which was evidenced by activation of LC3B and P62. In conclusion, our result demonstrated strong synergy between two major citrus PMFs (NBT and TAN) and ATST in inhibiting human breast cancer cell growth.

Denna studie bygger på Research through Design (Frayling, 1993), d.v.s att undersökningen syftar till att generera ny kunskap genom analys av datorspel och design av en gestaltning. För att uppnå detta används ett annoterat portfolio och dess underliggande principer (Gaver, 2012; Bowers, 2012). Det annoterade portfoliot består av fyra utvalda datorspel och en egenutvecklad gestaltning. Detta portfolio analyseras för att definiera vilka gemensamma och icke-gemensamma designegenskaper som kan observeras. Efter detta presenteras argument för varför utvalda egenskaper kan göra pedagogiskt inriktade datorspel mer effektiva i syftet att utbilda kring-eller minska påverkan av mis-/desinformation i det specifika inlärningssammanhanget. Faran med mis-/desinformation i samhället illustreras genom kontexten av arbetet med den utvecklade gestaltningen, som bygger på COVID-19 mis-/desinformation och dess konsekvenser. Resultat uppnås efter analysering av samtliga designexempel har genomförts och data har genererats för att utveckla vår egna gestaltning baserat på denna information. / This case study is based on Research through Design (Frayling, 1993), i.e. the purpose of the study is to generate new knowledge through analysis and design of computer games. To achieve this an annotated portfolio and its underlying principles are used (Gaver, 2012; Bowers, 2012). The annotated portfolio consists of four selected computer games and one designed by the authors. This portfolio is analysed to define what design features are shared or not shared between the games. After this, arguments are presented as to why the specified features can make educational computer games more effective in the purpose of educating about or to reduce susceptibility to mis-/disinformation in the specific learning context. The danger of mis-/disinformation is illustrated through the context of the work with the designed computer game, which is based on COVID-19 mis-/disinformation and its consequences. Results are achieved after analysis of the four selected computer games has been carried out and data has been generated to enable the development of the authors own game.

No description available.

Cancer progression and physiological changes within the cells are accompanied by alterations in the biophysical properties. Therefore, the cell biophysical properties can serve as promising markers for cancer detection and physiological activities. To aid in the investigation of the biophysical markers of cells, a microfluidic chip has been developed which consists of a constriction channel and embedded microelectrodes. Single-cell impedance magnitudes at four frequencies and entry and travel times are measured simultaneously during their transit through the constriction channel. This microchip provides a high-throughput, label-free, automated assay to define biophysical signatures of malignant cells and monitor the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. Here, we monitored the dynamic cellular biophysical markers in response to sphingosine kinase inhibitors (SphKIs), and compared the effectiveness of drug delivery using Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with SphKIs versus conventional delivery. Cells treated with SphKIs showed significantly higher impedance magnitudes at all four frequencies. The bioelectrical parameters extracted using a model also revealed that the highly aggressive breast cells treated with SphKIs shifted electrically towards that of a less malignant phenotype; SphKI-treated cells exhibited an increase in cell-channel interface resistance and a significant decrease in specific membrane capacitance. Furthermore, SphKI-treated cells became slightly more deformable as measured by a decrease in their channel entry and travel times. We observed no significant difference in the bioelectrical changes produced by SphKI delivered conventionally or with NPs. However, NPs-packaged delivery of SphKI decreased the cell deformability. In summary, the results showed that while the bioelectrical properties of the cells were dominantly affected by SphKIs, the biomechanical properties were mainly changed by the NPs. / Master of Science

While semantic web data is machine-understandable and well suited for advanced filtering, in its raw representation it is not conveniently understandable to humans. Therefore, visualization is needed. A core challenge when visualizing the structured but heterogeneous data turned out to be a flexible mapping to Visual Variables. This work deals with a highly flexible, semi-automatic solution with a maximum support of the visualization process, reducing the mapping possibilities to a useful subset. The basis for this is knowledge, concerning metrics and structure of the data on the one hand and available visualization structures, platforms and common graphical facts on the other hand — provided by a novel basic visualization ontology. A declarative, platform-independent mapping vocabulary and a framework was developed, utilizing current standards from the semantic web and the Model-Driven Architecture (MDA). / Während Semantic-Web-Daten maschinenverstehbar und hervorragend filterbar sind, sind sie — in ihrer Rohform — nicht leicht von Menschen verstehbar. Eine Visualisierung der Daten ist deshalb notwendig. Die Kernherausforderung dabei ist eine flexible Abbildung der strukturierten aber heterogenen Daten auf Visuelle Variablen. Diese Arbeit beschreibt eine hochflexible halbautomatische Lösung bei maximaler Unterstützung des Visualisierungsprozesses, welcher die Abbildungsmöglichkeiten, aus denen der Nutzer zu wählen hat, auf eine sinnvolle Teilmenge reduziert. Die Grundlage dafür sind einerseits Metriken und das Wissen über die Struktur der Daten und andererseits das Wissen über verfügbare Visualisierungsstrukturen, -plattformen und bekannte grafische Fakten, welche durch eine neuentwickelte Visualisierungsontologie bereitgestellt werden. Basierend auf Standards des Semantic Webs und der Model-getriebenen Architektur, wurde desweiteren ein deklaratives, plattformunabhängiges Visualisierungsvokabular und -framework entwickelt.

While semantic web data is machine-understandable and well suited for advanced filtering, in its raw representation it is not conveniently understandable to humans. Therefore, visualization is needed. A core challenge when visualizing the structured but heterogeneous data turned out to be a flexible mapping to Visual Variables. This work deals with a highly flexible, semi-automatic solution with a maximum support of the visualization process, reducing the mapping possibilities to a useful subset. The basis for this is knowledge, concerning metrics and structure of the data on the one hand and available visualization structures, platforms and common graphical facts on the other hand — provided by a novel basic visualization ontology. A declarative, platform-independent mapping vocabulary and a framework was developed, utilizing current standards from the semantic web and the Model-Driven Architecture (MDA).:ABSTRACT S. x 1. INTRODUCTION S. 1 2. VISUALIZATION OF STRUCTURED DATA IN GENERAL S. 4 2.1. Global and Local Interfaces S. 4 2.2. Steps of the Visualization Process S. 4 2.3. Existing Visual Selection Mechanisms S. 6 2.4. Existing Visualizations of Structured Data S. 12 2.5. Categorizing SemVis S. 25 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR A FLEXIBLE VISUALIZATION S. 27 3.1. Actors S. 27 3.2. Use Cases S. 27 4. FRESNEL, A STANDARD DISPLAY VOCABULARY FOR RDF S. 31 4.1. Fresnel Lenses S. 31 4.2. Fresnel Formats S. 33 4.3. Fresnel Groups S. 33 4.4. Primaries (Starting Points) S. 33 4.5. Selectors and Inference S. 34 4.6. Application and Reusability S. 34 4.7. Implementation S. 35 5. A VISUALIZATION ONTOLOGY S. 37 5.1. Describing and Formalizing the Field of Visualization S. 37 5.2. Overview S. 37 5.3. VisualVariable S. 38 5.4. DiscreteVisualValue S. 39 5.5. VisualElement S. 41 5.6. VisualizationStructure S. 42 5.7. VisualizationPlatform S. 42 5.8. PresentationScenario S. 43 5.9. Facts S. 44 6. A NOVEL MAPPING VOCABULARY FOR SEMANTIC VISUALIZATION S. 45 6.1. Overview S. 45 6.2. Mapping S. 46 6.3. PropertyMapping S. 47 6.4. ImplicitMapping S. 48 6.5. ExplicitMapping S. 53 6.6. MixedMapping S. 54 6.7. ComplexMapping S. 55 6.8. Inference S. 58 6.9. Explicit Display of Relations S. 58 6.10. Limitations s. 59 7. A MODEL-DRIVEN ARCHITECTURE FOR FLEXIBLE VISUALIZATION S. 60 7.1. A Model-Driven Architecture S. 61 7.2. Applications of the MDA Pattern S. 62 7.3. Complete System Overview S. 71 7.4. Additional Knowledge of the System S. 72 7.5. Comparison to the Graphical Modelling Framework — GMF S. 77 8. VISUALIZATION PLATFORMS S. 80 8.1. Extensible 3D (X3D) S. 80 8.2. Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) S. 81 8.3. XHTML + CSS S. 82 8.4. Text S. 82 9. OUTLOOK AND CONCLUSION S. 84 9.1. Advanced Mapping Vocabulary S. 84 9.2. Reusing Standardized Ontologies S. 84 9.3. Enabling Dynamic, Interaction and Animation S. 84 9.4. Implementation and Evaluation S. 85 9.5. Conclusion S. 85 GLOSSARY S. 86 BIBLIOGRAPHY S. 87 A. S. 90 A.1. Schemata S. 90 / Während Semantic-Web-Daten maschinenverstehbar und hervorragend filterbar sind, sind sie — in ihrer Rohform — nicht leicht von Menschen verstehbar. Eine Visualisierung der Daten ist deshalb notwendig. Die Kernherausforderung dabei ist eine flexible Abbildung der strukturierten aber heterogenen Daten auf Visuelle Variablen. Diese Arbeit beschreibt eine hochflexible halbautomatische Lösung bei maximaler Unterstützung des Visualisierungsprozesses, welcher die Abbildungsmöglichkeiten, aus denen der Nutzer zu wählen hat, auf eine sinnvolle Teilmenge reduziert. Die Grundlage dafür sind einerseits Metriken und das Wissen über die Struktur der Daten und andererseits das Wissen über verfügbare Visualisierungsstrukturen, -plattformen und bekannte grafische Fakten, welche durch eine neuentwickelte Visualisierungsontologie bereitgestellt werden. Basierend auf Standards des Semantic Webs und der Model-getriebenen Architektur, wurde desweiteren ein deklaratives, plattformunabhängiges Visualisierungsvokabular und -framework entwickelt.:ABSTRACT S. x 1. INTRODUCTION S. 1 2. VISUALIZATION OF STRUCTURED DATA IN GENERAL S. 4 2.1. Global and Local Interfaces S. 4 2.2. Steps of the Visualization Process S. 4 2.3. Existing Visual Selection Mechanisms S. 6 2.4. Existing Visualizations of Structured Data S. 12 2.5. Categorizing SemVis S. 25 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR A FLEXIBLE VISUALIZATION S. 27 3.1. Actors S. 27 3.2. Use Cases S. 27 4. FRESNEL, A STANDARD DISPLAY VOCABULARY FOR RDF S. 31 4.1. Fresnel Lenses S. 31 4.2. Fresnel Formats S. 33 4.3. Fresnel Groups S. 33 4.4. Primaries (Starting Points) S. 33 4.5. Selectors and Inference S. 34 4.6. Application and Reusability S. 34 4.7. Implementation S. 35 5. A VISUALIZATION ONTOLOGY S. 37 5.1. Describing and Formalizing the Field of Visualization S. 37 5.2. Overview S. 37 5.3. VisualVariable S. 38 5.4. DiscreteVisualValue S. 39 5.5. VisualElement S. 41 5.6. VisualizationStructure S. 42 5.7. VisualizationPlatform S. 42 5.8. PresentationScenario S. 43 5.9. Facts S. 44 6. A NOVEL MAPPING VOCABULARY FOR SEMANTIC VISUALIZATION S. 45 6.1. Overview S. 45 6.2. Mapping S. 46 6.3. PropertyMapping S. 47 6.4. ImplicitMapping S. 48 6.5. ExplicitMapping S. 53 6.6. MixedMapping S. 54 6.7. ComplexMapping S. 55 6.8. Inference S. 58 6.9. Explicit Display of Relations S. 58 6.10. Limitations s. 59 7. A MODEL-DRIVEN ARCHITECTURE FOR FLEXIBLE VISUALIZATION S. 60 7.1. A Model-Driven Architecture S. 61 7.2. Applications of the MDA Pattern S. 62 7.3. Complete System Overview S. 71 7.4. Additional Knowledge of the System S. 72 7.5. Comparison to the Graphical Modelling Framework — GMF S. 77 8. VISUALIZATION PLATFORMS S. 80 8.1. Extensible 3D (X3D) S. 80 8.2. Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) S. 81 8.3. XHTML + CSS S. 82 8.4. Text S. 82 9. OUTLOOK AND CONCLUSION S. 84 9.1. Advanced Mapping Vocabulary S. 84 9.2. Reusing Standardized Ontologies S. 84 9.3. Enabling Dynamic, Interaction and Animation S. 84 9.4. Implementation and Evaluation S. 85 9.5. Conclusion S. 85 GLOSSARY S. 86 BIBLIOGRAPHY S. 87 A. S. 90 A.1. Schemata S. 90

e-Learning, defined as the use of information and communications technology (ICT) for supporting the educational process, has motivated Tanzania to apply ICT in its education systems. Tanzanian secondary schools which are geographically and socially isolated face a number of problems, including a way to get learning materials. The impact of these problems is poor performance in National Examinations. This poor performance however is most noted in science and mathematics. The problem in get- ting learning materials can be reduced by employing ICT. This research developed an interactive e-learning management system (e-LMS) to be used by Tanzanian secondary schools. Tanzania Secondary Schools e-Learning (TanSSe-L) system is the name adopted for an interactive e-LMS developed. The re- search is aimed at supporting teaching and learning functions by allowing for the creation and storage of learning materials, making them available, easily accessed and sharable by students from different secondary schools in Tanzania. It is a context- driven research work of knowledge production in a specific context for application. Initially, the research work focused on two selected pilot schools; Kibaha Secondary School and Wali-ul-Asr Girls’ Seminary in Kibaha town, Pwani region. Features of the TanSSe-L system represent the standard form of any secondary school registered by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. The development of the TanSSe-L system made use of software engineering discipline. The research used Unified Modelling Language (UML) and integrated Object-Orient- ed System Analysis and Design (OOSA&D) and Model Driven Architecture (MDA) to address the System Development Life Cycle (SLDC) in a systemic way. UML design class diagram (DCD) is a Platform Independent Model (PIM) that was transformed into a Platform Specific Model (PSM) in MDA for implementation. Implementation made use of open source LMS to help generate a timely solution to TanSSe-L system development. In this specific context, focus group discussion as inspired by action re- search methodology was used. The research evolved into a triple helix process in close cooperation with other stakeholders. Finally, it is considered that replication and mirroring will make learning materials highly available to end-users.