This research aims at a music piece for audience participation using mobile phones as musical instruments in a music concert setting. Inspired by the ubiquity of smart phones, I attempted to accomplish audience engagement in a music performance by crafting an accessible musical instrument with which audience can be a part of the performance. The research begins by reviewing the related works in two areas, mobile music and audience participation at music performances, builds a charted map of the areas and its intersection to seek an innovation, and defines requisites for a successful audience participation where audience can participate in music making as musicians with their mobile phones. To make accessible audience participation, the concept of a networked multi-user instrument is applied for the system. With the lessons learnt, I developed echobo, a mobile musical instrument application for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch). With this system, audience can download the app at the concert, play the instrument instantly, interact with other audience members, and contribute to the music by sound generated from their mobile phones. A music piece for echobo and a clarinet was presented in a series of performances and the application was found to work reliably and accomplish audience engagement. The post-survey results indicate that the system was accessible, and helped the audience to connect to the music and other musicians.

There is evidence that athermal radiofrequency radiation can alter Heat Shock Protein (HSP) expression or protein phosphorylation, or alter MAP kinase signalling. Effects of long-term exposure in brain tissue due to repeated HSP perturbation (eg an inhibition of apoptosis) have been hypothesised (French et al, 2001). This study aimed to investigate the RNA expression profile (12,000 genes) and HSP family protein expression levels after either acute 1-hour or chronic 4-day intermittent exposures to simulated GSM radiation in a human primary fibroblast model. The results found minimal or no effects of GSM. Flasks were exposed to 900 MHz (217 Hz modulation) at 0.18 W/kg SAR within a Transverse Electromagnetic Mode chamber (TEM cell). Cultures rested for 2 hours before exposures. Affymetrix U95A microarray analysis of a single pilot set of experiments showed that about 40 genes were reported as upregulated &gt=2.5 fold in each condition. There was no evidence of altered expression of any MAPK-associated genes. Target genes reported in both conditions (CBFA2T1, ZNF148, ITGA1), and genes altered in one condition (CCS, PLEC1, BIRC5), and marginally altered HSP72 were selected for PCR analysis. No other members of the HSP family were altered. In three replicate experiments assayed by real-time PCR, six genes were either unchanged or showed randomly variable expression. However HSP72 RNA showed possible consistent slight upregulation of 1.37 +/- 0.21 in the chronic condition. Western immunoblots of HSP-60, -70, -72 and -V90 proteins showed no significant changes 5 hours after exposure. In preliminary studies using a serum starvation protocol, ERK-1 phosphorylation was unaltered after 5 or 30 minutes GSM (single experiments). When flasks were transiently cooled, ERK-1 phosphorylation was increased 20 minutes later, indicating a source of artefact in some protocols. An inflammatory challenge experiment with a low-dose of the cytokine IL-1???? found that acute GSM exposure post-challenge inhibited NF????B-mediated GRO???? induction by 1.5 fold (2 experiments). Preconditioning with mild heat induces transient inhibition of both NF????B signalling and apoptosis. Other studies indicate that EMF exposures similarly evoke cytoprotection. It is suggested that GSM evoked cytoprotective signalling in this inflammatory model.

Εγχειρίδιο χρήσης της Android εφαρμογής WhatWhereWho και παρουσίαση διαδικασίας υλοποίησής της. / Manual for the Android application WhatWhereWho and description of the process needed for its implementation.

Title: The use of free time activities for the pupils of secondary schools within the school breaks. Intention:. The aim of this research is to find out whether the observed pupils spend less time on their mobile phones when there are provided sport or other kind of activities which are carried out by school for this particular reason within the school breaks. Methodology: This was a quantitative analysis a comparison of the time spent on a mobile phone in older school age pupils during a twenty-minute school break with time spent on a mobile phone in the event of the same break but with sport and leisure activities. By random selection, one class was selected from the 6th, 7th and 8th class. The research was attended by children of the upper school age (11-15 years). A total of 77 pupils from 6, 7, 8. classes and 40 pupils of the 9th class. This research included a vulnerable group of minors. The 9th year was used in the research to implement the activities themselves and to assist in systematic structured observation. Results: The complete analysis shows higher percentage of mobile phone use in two classes with the emphasis on the days with activities rather than without. The approximate time that the pupils spent on their mobile phones was shorter when there were school activities carried out in...

I determined the preferences of mobile phone attributes on the basis of an on-line consumer research, which I conducted with a questionaire created in the Google Docs application. Thanks to the questionaire, I was able to gain information about the evaluation of the importance of 19 functional parametres made by the queired respondents. Through the use of this evaluation I counted the strength for particular parametres and various segments of customers. Differences in the importance of atributes for selected segments were found especially among the categories of age and sex. The teenage generation prefers Bluetooth or a high capacity of the mobile phone memory also in means of memory stics. Enquired young men attach the highest importance to the same attributes as teenagers, but for women in the same category is crucial particularly the visual image of the mobile phone, such as the size of the display, its proportions and weight. What did not have any success among the particular parametres, was the function of TV, which was put on the last place on the imaginary ladder of importance. I stated the recommended telephones on the basis of calculated stregths of the attributes, point evaluation of the experts and price of the selected mobile phones. Among the five recommended products I would like to mention telephone brands {\clq}qNOKIA 6300``, {\clq}qSONY ERICSSON W910i``, {\clq}qNOKIA 3110``, {\clq}qSONY ERICSSON W760i`` a {\clq}qSAMSUNG SGH i8510``.

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-06-21T13:16:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 tatiannerosadossantos.pdf: 1621406 bytes, checksum: f0b584fe0eb00e34bedd8d5ca9965291 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-08-07T19:05:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 tatiannerosadossantos.pdf: 1621406 bytes, checksum: f0b584fe0eb00e34bedd8d5ca9965291 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-07T19:05:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tatiannerosadossantos.pdf: 1621406 bytes, checksum: f0b584fe0eb00e34bedd8d5ca9965291 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-29 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O uso de telefones móveis suscita preocupações sobre as possíveis implicações para a saúde humana. Desde a introdução desta tecnologia a utilização de telefones celulares aumentou e estamos cada vez mais expostos à radiação eletromagnética. Devido à susceptibilidade do embrião, neonatos e crianças a qualquer efeito embriotóxico e subsequentes consequências para neonatos e crianças causado por campos eletromagnéticos, a Organização Mundial da Saúde tem recomendado que se dê alta prioridade a investigações experimentais sobre os efeitos de radiação eletromagnética em mulheres grávidas e crianças. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de ondas eletromagnéticas irradiadas por aparelhos celulares sobre o desenvolvimento embrionário e neonatal, e seu possível efeito programador na prole de ratas Wistar submetidas. Para isso ratas prenhes foram expostas à radiofrequência emitida por telefones celulares (1,8 GHz) por diferentes períodos gestacionais. Foram analisadas a possível toxicologia materna, parâmetros reprodutivos, marcadores bioquímicos de toxicidade materna e peróxido de hidrogênio, além da concentração de hormônios sexuais (progesterona e 17 β-estradiol) e morfologia do ovário. No estudo da prole foi feito o acompanhamento neonatal do desenvolvimento físico e reflexológico. Atingindo a idade adulta, os machos foram submetidos a testes comportamentais e avaliação de conteúdo total e secreção de catecolaminas adrenais, corticosterona e glicose sérica. Aos 90 dias foi feito estudo da capacidade reprodutiva da prole (machos e fêmeas). Foi observado que a radiação emitida por aparelhos celulares foi capaz de aumentar a concentração sérica de 17 β-estradiol e peróxido de hidrogênio em ratas prenhes com 15 dias de gestação, além de levar a alterações no diâmetro de folículos ovarianos, porém não interferindo nos parâmetros reprodutivos analisados. Durante a exposição no período de fetogênese observou-se uma possível toxicidade hepática. E quando foi feita exposição durante toda a gestação foi observado que a radiação leva a alterações no tempo gestacional. Na prole adulta (machos) os resultados mostram um aumento no conteúdo total de catecolaminas acompanhado de uma diminuição da glicose no grupo exposto, mas sem alterações nos testes comportamentais. Alterações reprodutivas nos machos expostos à radiação durante a vida embrionária não foram observadas. Nas fêmeas expostas à radiação na vida intra-uterina foram observadas alterações na concentração sérica de 17 β-estradiol, porém, sem comprometimento das suas funções reprodutivas. Diante dos resultados do presente estudo, especulamos que a radiação emitida por telefones móveis possui efeito sobre os processos reprodutivos além de um efeito programador da prole. / The use of mobile phones raises concerns about the possible implications for human health. Since the introduction of this technology the use of mobile phones has increased tremendously and we are increasingly exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Because of the susceptibility of the embryo, neonates and children at any embryotoxic effect caused by electromagnetic fields, the World Health Organization has recommended to give high priority to experimental investigations of radiation effects on pregnant women and children. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of electromagnetic waves radiated by cell phones on the embryonic and neonatal development, and its possible programmer effect in exposed Wistar rat’s offspring. For that, pregnant rats were exposed to radio frequency emitted by mobile phones (1.8 GHz) for different gestational periods. The possible maternal toxicology, reproductive parameters, biochemical markers of maternal toxicity and hydrogen peroxide in addition to the concentration of sex hormones (progesterone and 17 β-estradiol) and ovarian histology, were analyzed. The evaluattion of the offspring was conducted monitoring neonatal physical and reflexological development. Reaching adulthood, the rats were subjected to behavioral testing and evaluation of total content and adrenal catecholamine secretion, corticosterone and serum glucose. It was also evaluated the reproductive capacity of offspring (male and female) at 90 days of age. The radiation emitted by cell phones was able to increase the serum concentration of 17 β-estradiol and hydrogen peroxide in pregnant rats with 15 days of gestation also leading to changes in the diameter of ovarian follicles, but not interfering with reproductive parameters analyzed. A possible liver toxicity was observed during the period of fetogenesis. And when the exposure was taken throughout pregnancy it was observed that the radiation causes changes in gestational length. In the adult offspring (males) results show an increase in total content of catecholamine associated with by a glucose decrease in exposed group, but no change in the behavioral tests. No reproductive changes in males exposed to radiation during embryonic life were observed. In females exposed to radiation during intrauterine life changes were observed in serum concentration of 17 β-estradiol, but without compromising its reproductive functions. Given the results of this study, we speculate that the radiation emitted by mobile phones has effect on the reproductive processes as well as a programmer effect of offspring.

The commercial mobile phone industry is a relatively new one. Starting out in the 1980s, it has proliferated in both numbers and in terms of technology. The last decade saw a sharp increase in both the number of subscribers and the amount of services which was offered by mobile devices. In order to keep up with this fast evolution of the industry, phones have started to get much more complicated and ‘smarter’ due to the software which is used to run these phones. Multi touch screen menus, High Definition video playback, multi megapixel cameras and a plethora of connectivity options are just some of the features a consumer takes for granted in his/her new mobile device. In order to provide these services to the user the software inside the phone has gotten complex to the scale of becoming its own Operating System much akin to the Operating Systems used on personal computers. These mobile operating systems contain millions of lines of software code and cost a lot of money to maintain and develop. Moreover having a popular operating system benefits the organization as it draws in many developers who can write applications which run on this operating system and also develop services which are specific to the operating systems. Having these services generate revenue for the network operators who get to bill the consumers for using the services or for the data which has been transferred to and from these mobile phones via the operator’s network. Nokia’s dominant market share in the smartphone market entails that it holds a near 40% share with its smartphone operating systems. Gradually the company has been moving towards opening up its previously proprietary operating systems to the public in the form of Open Source Software, where everyone is able to view, share, distribute and contribute to the software code. This strategy change has been taking place over the last couple of years and continues under an overall change of direction and focus which is taking place in the company. This thesis work relates as to what exactly is the current placement of Nokia in the economic and mobile devices market and how the company has been adapting to the challenges it has been facing at the hands of both old and new rivals who have been coming with innovative ideas in order to topple over Nokia from its throne of being the biggest mobile phone maker in the world. The thesis first looks at exactly what is Open Source Software. From there it gradually moves to do comparisons between closed and Open Source Software in order to give the reader an idea as to what are the pros and cons of each. In the second half of the thesis a snapshot of the current market situation and competitors is given in order to understand the environment in which Nokia has been working and developing its strategy in. Later on the thesis goes in depth about the decisions, their triggers and their implications with regards to Nokia and the use of Open Source Software as a strategy in this changing environment.

Significant interest is witnessed in the context of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) mediated interventions for development and empowerment of people living in Rural India since the turn of the century. An objective evaluation of impact of such initiatives is important for enrichment of these initiatives as well as potential scaling up and replication. Despite a large number of such initiatives and their subsequent scrutiny in the literature, there is a dearth of comprehensive studies to establish the potential and scope of ICT mediated interventions on empowerment and the role of participation. The present study focuses on bridging this gap. The study is undertaken in three phases- (1) Longitudinal observation, (2) Intensive analysis of ongoing ICT mediated interventions to study stages of empowerment and their measurement and (3) Analytical modelling of the processes and outcomes of empowerment. In the first phase, a longitudinal observation using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach was undertaken in Sirsa, Haryana over two years to explore the relevance of ICT mediation through various communication devices. In the second phase, mobile phone based interventions, involving dissemination of information, were intensively studied. Nine PRA studies were undertaken at eight locations from three states representing diverse agriculture and allied contexts. A Knowledge Gap Analysis (KGA) was undertaken in which a participant was assessed at three different stages – (a) awareness, (b) knowledge and (c) internalization. A specimen based approach based on PRA techniques was adopted, to assess their retention and internalization. A ‘Knowledge Gap Indicator (KGI)’ approach was used to assess and compare retention between people who were part of the intervention with those who did not have exposure to it. In the third phase, the process of empowerment was conceptually modeled as ‘The Participation based ICT Mediated Empowerment Cycle (PICTEC)’. The conceptual model – PICTEC was empirically tested using data obtained from seven locations from three states based on a survey using structured audio-enabled questionnaire. The structural model of PICTEC based on the factors that influence the empowerment cycle was studied using Generalized Partial Least Square (PLS) techniques. The research points to the utility of understanding empowerment through the three distinct approaches adopted in the three phases. The other main contributions include design and development of a methodology to assess empowerment at various stages using Knowledge Gap Analysis (KGA), measurement of empowerment using Knowledge Gap Indicators (KGI) and data collection approaches in the spirit of PRA techniques based on specimen based approach and audio enabled questionnaires which are amenable to rigorous analysis. The results indicate evidence for positive impact of technology mediation in achieving the overall objectives of empowerment in the rural India context. The enabling role of participation is also observed. The results show that the stages of manifestation of empowerment and the internal processes can be studied simultaneously which has positive implications for designing effective interventions. The outcome of the present study are expected to contribute to existing literature on the subject and have relevance for policy makers, managers, designers and administrators of ICT based interventions targeting empowerment.

Magister Economicae - MEcon / Pre-democratic South Africa was highly regulated by the apartheid government with the black small-scale farming community actively marginalised. Following the deregulation of the South African agricultural market came the opening up of the market to accommodate these small-scale farmers and also the introduction of South African Futures Exchange. South Africa has done well in terms of development of ICT over the past years, making it a country with characteristics of both first and third world countries. This study aims to assess the agricultural commodity exchange market and how small-scale farmers may participate more actively in the market. This study finds that though South Africa has world class ICT infrastructure this has not made it easier for small-scale farmers to enter the agricultural market and value chain. The study finds that there is little or no participation by small-scale farmers in South African Futures Exchange. It finds that mobile phones and applications may be the way forward in the efforts to ensure their participation in the commodity exchange market through provision of services such as price discovery and price risk management as is the function of South African Futures Exchange. It is also found that there is need to invest in high value agricultural products in order to benefit more from commodity exchanges.

M-PESA (a mobile banking service in Kenya) was introduced to offer a person-to-person money transfer service. Its extensive adoption and appropriation for purposes other than person-to-person transfers has influenced the technology providers (Safaricom) to widen their services beyond their original intentions. M-PESA provides a wide range of financial services including services for people who were previously unbanked. Users of M-PESA can now pay different utilities, those without credit cards can purchase products online, others can repay loans to microfinance institutions, pay insurance premiums, withdraw money from ATMs, use it as Point of Sale Payment and open savings accounts. This research examines the existence of “bi-directional” influences between technology and society by taking M-PESA business users as a case. It specifically investigates how M-PESA as a technology has influenced the business environment in Kenya and how the design of M-PESA has in turn been influenced by its adoption. The research adopts the Adaptive Structuration Theory as the theoretical framework and interpretive case study research as a methodological approach. Interviews with different stakeholders in the industry were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using Diachronic Analysis. The results of the research show that there is a “bi-directional” influence between technology and people as they affect each other over time. Mobile technologies shape the way businesses operate, allowing them to provide new services and improve existing ones. At the same time, usage and adoption trends affect the design of mobile technologies. Over time, technology is adapted to accommodate the new needs of businesses and other needs in the wider community. This research shows that the impact of technology depends not only on its functionality but also on its use and appropriation in society. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Informatics / unrestricted