The Kano model is a technique for a better understanding of the customers’ requirements, thus increasing the customers’ satisfaction. The process of identifying the customers’ requirements and increasing the customers’ satisfaction, by improving the offerings, is costly for the companies. In order not to waste resources, companies should firstly identify who their target audience is, through a market research. When companies understand who their target audience is, they are able to identify their requirements, in order to try to meet them, and increase customers’ satisfaction. The process of segmentation and targeting, helps companies to save time, money and effort, since the messages are directly delivered to those who are their target audience, and are really interested. Moreover, the companies using the focus groups and in-depth interviews can collect target audience’ requirements, in order to later on meet those requirements and increase the customers’ satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings revealed that for the companies in the online payment industry it is crucial to have a good reputation and be trustworthy.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated the expression of WT1 in a significant number of glioma cells and established its role in promoting tumor cell proliferation. Here, we noted the effect(s) of manipulating WT1 levels on the expression levels of genes that were previously shown to be regulated by WT1. We found no correlation between the expression levels of WT1 and PDGF-A, Snai1 and E-cadherin and a consistent inverse correlation between WT1 and IGF-1R expression in U251-MG cells. To ascertain whether the increased IGF-1R levels resulting from WT1 silencing could account for decreased cellular proliferation, we utilized siRNA mediated knockdown of IGF-1R and found a modest decrease in cellular proliferation. Gene expression profiling in U251-MG cells was then used to identify candidate target genes for WT1. Several genes whose levels directly correlated with WT1 were observed to have putative or established oncogenic role(s) in glioma cells or other malignancies. Among the genes correlated inversely, meanwhile, a tumor-suppressor role was attributed to some. Real time RT-PCR helped to substantiate these microarray findings in U251-MG cells. We also characterized the expression and function of WT1 in U1242-MG and GBM6 cells. Interestingly, in these cells WT1 facilitated cell invasiveness but had no discernible influence on cellular proliferation. The expressions of the candidate WT1 target genes were studied also determined in these 2 cell lines. At least 3 genes were consistently down-regulated with WT1 silencing in the three cell lines- INPP5A, CD97, and TYMS. To determine whether CD97 assisted WT1 in facilitating cellular invasion, we silenced CD97 expression using siRNA and noted a significant decrease in the cells’ ability to invade through Matrigel-coated filters. We propose that WT1 profoundly impacts the glioma cells’ invasive ability, and this function is mediated by CD97 alone or in conjunction with other pro-invasive molecules. Our findings argue for the oncogenic role of WT1 in the specific context of glioma cells. They also point to a novel pro-invasive protein- CD97- in glioma cells. Further studies are necessary to confirm the mechanism by which CD97 promotes invasion as well as to explore its potential as a diagnostic and/or therapeutic target.

First-in-man (FIM) Phase I clinical trials are part of the critical path in the development of a new compound entity (NCE). Since FIM clinical trials are the first time that an NCE is dosed in human subjects, the designs used in these trials are unique and geared toward patient safety. We develop a method for obtaining the desired response using an adaptive non-linear approach. This method is applicable for studies in which MTD, NOEL,NOAEL, PK, PD effects or other such endpoints are evaluated to determine the desired dose. The method has application whenever a measurable PD marker is an indicator of potential efficacy and could be particularly useful for dose finding studies. The advantages in the adaptive non-linear methodology is that the actual range of dose response and lowest non-effective dose levels are more quickly and accurately determined using fewer subjects than typically needed for a conventional early phase clinical trial. Using the nonlinear logistic model, we demonstrate, with simulations, that the DOSEFIND approach has better asymptotic relative efficiency than a fixed-dose approach. Further, we demonstrate that, on average, this method is consistent in reproducing .the target dose, that it has very little bias. This is an indicator of reproducibility of the method, showing that the long-run average error is quite small. Additionally, DOSEFIND is more cost effective because the sample size needed to obtain the desired target dose is much smaller than that needed in the fixed dose approach.

A unique computational approach was undertaken to identify targets of miR-17-3p that impart an oncogenic potential to the cells of the prostate. Utilizing this approach, we identified insulin growth factor receptor 1 (IGF1R) as a potential target of miR-17-3p. IGF1R imparts an oncogenic approach to the cells by helping cells escape apoptosis, become hypertrophic and increase the production of extracellular proteases that allow cells to detach from neighbors. The regulation of insulin growth factor receptor 1 by human microRNA-17-3p was evaluated using a western blot analysis of prostate cancer cell lines. Protein levels were compared in a cell line that expressed a non-targeting control RNA and a cell line that expressed microRNA-17-3p. The cell line that expressed the non-targeting control had significantly higher levels of IGF1R protein than the cell line expressing more of the active microRNA. Based on this experiment, it appears that microRNA-17-3p might regulate the insulin growth factor receptor 1.

One option for enabling mobility between 5G nodes is to use a set of area-fixed reference beams in the downlink direction from each node. To save power these reference beams should be turned on only on demand, i.e. only if a mobile needs it. An User Equipment (UE) moving out of a beam's coverage will require a switch from one beam to another, preferably without having to turn on all possible beams to find out which one is the best. This thesis investigates how to transform the beam selection problem into a format suitable for machine learning and how good such solutions are compared to baseline models. The baseline models considered were beam overlap and average Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), both building beam-to-beam maps. Emphasis in the thesis was on handovers between nodes and finding the beam with the highest RSRP. Beam-hit-rate and RSRP-difference (selected minus best) were key performance indicators and were compared for different numbers of activated beams. The problem was modeled as a Multiple Output Regression (MOR) problem and as a Multi-Class Classification (MCC) problem. Both problems are possible to solve with the random forest model, which was the learning model of choice during this work. An Ericsson simulator was used to simulate and collect data from a seven-site scenario with 40 UEs. Primary features available were the current serving beam index and its RSRP. Additional features, like position and distance, were suggested, though many ended up being limited either by the simulated scenario or by the cost of acquiring the feature in a real-world scenario. Using primary features only, learned models' performance were equal to or worse than the baseline models' performance. Adding distance improved the performance considerably, beating the baseline models, but still leaving room for more improvements.

The thesis is concerned with the role of the target language in foreign language teaching. The objective of the thesis is to discuss the influence of teaching English by means of the target language on communicative competence of young learners. The theoretical part elaborates the theoretical principles that concern employment of the target language in teaching. Futhermore, it analyses the factors influencing foreign language learning, discusses the possibility of language acquisition in the classroom and studies the influence of using the target language as the language of communication and instruction. Subsequently, it provides synchronic and diachronic analysis of L2 and L1 use in English language teaching methodology. In conclusion, the theoretical part evaluates the benefits of teaching by means of the target language, anticipates some risks and problems concerned with teaching exclusively by means of the target language and proposes techniques for maximization of the target language use. The semi-quantitative research studies the issue of the role of the target language in the classroom on the basis of monitoring a sample of teachers of Czech primary schools. Primarily, it investigates the amount of comprehensible input that young learners are provided with and means that teachers employ in...

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam) est une bactérie à gram négatif causant le Cassava Bacterial Blight (CBB) sur Manihot esculenta Crantz. Le manioc représente une des sources les plus importantes de carbohydrates pour près d'un milliard de personnes sur terre et une source importante d'énergie du fait de sa forte concentration en amidon. Le CBB constitue une limitation importante à la production massive de manioc et nos connaissances sur cette maladie sont encore insuffisantes. La pathogénie de nombreuses phytobactéries dépend de l'injection d'effecteurs de type III via un système de sécrétion de type III dans la cellule eucaryote hôte Parmi tous les effecteurs référencés aujourd'hui, les effecteurs de type TAL pour Transcription Activator-Like sont particulièrement intéressant. Une fois injectés dans la cellule végétale, les effecteurs TAL sont importés au noyau et y modulent l'expression de gènes cibles au bénéfice de la bactérie. Chez Xam, TALE1Xam est le seul gène de cette famille qui a été étudié au niveau fonctionnel. Cette étude a pour objectif majeur d'identifier les gènes de manioc dont l'expression est modifiée en présence de TALE1Xam. Le transcriptome de plantes de manioc inoculées avec XamΔTALE1Xam vs. XamΔTALE1Xam (TALE1Xam) a été analysé par RNAseq. Les données obtenues confrontées à la recherche bioinformatique de promoteurs de gènes potentiellement directement activés par TALE1Xam ont permis d'établir une liste de gènes ciblés par TALE1Xam candidats. Un candidat majeur ressort de cette analyse comme étant particulièrement intéressant, il s'agit d'un gène codant un facteur de transcription de type B3 régulant l'activité de protéines de type "Heat Shock". L'analyse fonctionnelle de ce candidat permettra de valider sa fonction en tant que gène de sensibilité du manioc à Xam. / Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam) is a gram negative bacteria causing the Cassava Bacterial Blight (CBB) in Manihot esculenta Crantz . Cassava represents one of the most important sources of carbohydrates for around one billion people around the world as well as a source of energy due to its high starch levels content. The CBB disease represents an important limitation for cassava massive production and little is known about this pathosystem. Bacterial pathogenicity often relies on the injection in eucaryotic host cells of effector proteins via a type III secretion system (TTSS). Between all the type III effectors described up to now, Transcription Activator-Like Type III effectors (TALE) appear as particularly interesting. Once injected into the plant cell, TAL effectors go into the nucleus cell and modulate the expression of target host genes to the benefit of the invading bacteria by interacting directly with plant DNA. In Xam, only one gene belonging to this family has been functionally studied so far. It consists on TALE1xam. This work aim to identify cassava genes whose expression will be modified upon the presence of TALE1xam. By means of cassava plants challenged with Xam Δ TALE1xam vs. Xam + TALE1xam together with the TAL effectors code, statistical analyses between RNAseq experiments and a microarray containing 5700 cassava genes, we seek out direct TALE1xam target genes. Hence, through transcriptomic, functional qRT validation and specific artificial TALEs design we proposed that TALE1xam is potentially interacting with a Heat Shock Transcription Factor B3. Moreover we argue that this gene is responsible of the susceptibility during Xam infection. Furthermore this work represents the first complete transcriptomic approach done in the cassava/Xam interaction and open enormous possibilities to understand and study CBB.

Common mistakes Czech students make in English represent the main topic of the presented master thesis. The theoretical part mainly deals with the presentation of various TEFL (Teaching English as Foreign Language) methods. Moreover, they are discussed from several perspectives, including techniques, strategies and principles while using the particular method, the role of the teacher, his or her relationship with students, and especially the response to errors within each of the methods. The purpose of presenting TEFL methods is to show also the connection between mistakes and methods themselves. Concerning the area of mistakes and their corrections, we focus on the classification of mistakes and their division. The practical part is based on various illustrations of mistakes from students' writing assignments. These mistakes are divided into four major classes, including grammar, spelling, wrong word and word order. The thesis also deals with the remedial treatment which may hopefully reduce the number of possible mistakes. The aim of the thesis is to compare the level of students' English language knowledge at the Secondary School of Tourism in Prague where the author works as an English teacher.

A dissertation deals with small single-placed car body design (so-called microcar cathegory). The new design is based on the undercart and the engine of serial Mitsuoka Kit Car. Therefore the aim belongs to re-design tasks. Analytical part of the dissertation deals with two basic questions influencing the final draft. The Corporate identity at first and a problematic of the target group level of aesthetical perception linked to preferred design. On grounds of analysis the core values for new design have been set down. The particular values have been presented with the help of existing reference objects from the field of automotive design. This part also includes a questionnairy, which had been focused on prefered design conception. Due to low microcars topic awareness in Czech Republic, the questionnairy had informational character and the final design conception has been chosen on the base of functional aspects analysis. The final design development, shown on sketches and basic software renderings, is based on gradual steps that lead to the core values expression with regards to input parameters and basic design rules as well. The final design is introduced together with description of its technical solution and detailed design. The solution respects the mentioned target group and the institution Corporate Identity.