Thesis (M.S.)--University of Akron, 2004. / Title from Web page (viewed on Dec. 17, 2007). "August, 2004." Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-127).

Influence of China¡¦s Trade Protective Policies on Export of Taiwan¡¦s Flat Stainless Steel and the Response Strategies Abstract The export of Taiwan¡¦s flat stainless steel has been highly concentrated in China. However, China has expanded its domestic production capacity of flat stainless steel and reduced import volumes in recent years. Under such a background, this paper probes into the influence of China¡¦s trade protective measures on the competitive ability of Taiwan¡¦s products in Chinese market and submits some response strategies. Survey data from both the flat stainless steel industry (including upstream factories, midstream export agents, and downstream factories) in Taiwan and China were collected and analyzed. Interviews with experts, analysis of practical experiences, and literature on the subject were also adopted to induce the results as follows: 1. The four major variables included in this study are background, trade protective policy (consisting of two factors: the past temporary protective measures during 2002~2004 and the potential trade protective policy in the future), market influence (in pure domestic market and proceed and reexport) and competitiveness index. 2. The following variables show statistically significant correlation (influence) between them: (1) ¡§background¡¨ and ¡§trade protective policy (of the past safeguard and in the future)¡¨; ¡§background¡¨ and ¡§market influence in pure domestic market¡¨. (2) ¡§trade protective policy of the past safeguard¡¨ and ¡§market influence in pure domestic market¡¨. (3) ¡§trade protective policy in the future¡¨ and ¡§pure domestic market¡¨; ¡§trade protective policy in the future¡¨ and ¡§competitiveness index¡¨. (4) ¡§market influence in proceed and reexport¡¨ and ¡§competitiveness index¡¨ The following variables don¡¦t have any statistically significant correlation (influence) between them: (1) ¡§background¡¨ and ¡§competitiveness index¡¨. (2) ¡§trade protective policy of the past safeguard¡¨ and ¡§market influence in proceed and reexport¡¨; ¡§trade protective policy of the past safeguard¡¨ and ¡§competitiveness index¡¨. (3) ¡§trade protective policy in the future¡¨ and ¡§market influence in proceed and reexport.¡¨ (4) ¡§pure domestic market¡¨ and ¡§competitiveness index¡¨. 3. Different industries, structure, capital and operation revenue show no significant difference in the study results. 4. Competitiveness index = - 0.498 x trade protective policy in the future ¡V 0.404 x market influence in proceed and reexport. 5. According to the evaluation of the influence of China¡¦s ¡§trade protective policy of the past safeguard¡¨ and ¡§trade protective policy in the future¡¨ on Taiwan¡¦s competitiveness index, the results show that the total evaluation indexes are 0.078 and ¡V 0.619 respectively. 6. In general, most people feel that Taiwan¡¦s export of flat stainless steel to China will be significantly affected commencing from 2006. 7. In response to China¡¦s protective policy of the past safeguard (temporary protective measures), Taiwan business community took the following strategies in order: (1) Shift and export to other areas (2) Increase selling inside the Taiwan market (3) Increase stocks in warehouses or quays in Taiwan, Hong Kong or China. (4) Drop in production To cope with the trade protective policies to be adopted by China in the future, some measures should be taken as follows in order: (1) Shift and export to other areas (2) Shift partial production to China (3) Increase investments in China and adopt effective competitive strategies. (4) Drop in production 8. The upper stream may increase vertical integration and investments; the middle and down stream may increase logistic path investment. As for diversification of export markets, the stainless steel industry should focus on increasing their markets in Asia, Europe, North America, and especially the areas with big potential demand for nickel. Keywords: stainless steel, background, trade protective policy, market influence, competitiveness index, response strategy

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 103 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 103).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 135-149).

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ice hockey facial protectors can decrease overall head acceleration during blunt impacts as well as to identify if attenuation differences exist between visors and cages. Commercial models of three cages and three visors were assessed. Blunt impacts were simulated permitting the measurement of peak accelerations (PA) within the surrogate head form. Results indicated that indeed face protectors in combination with helmets substantially reduced PA during blunt impacts within threshold safety limits (below 300 g's). In general, cages showed lower PA than visors (p=0.004). Differences between models were also observed during repeated impacts and impact site (p=0.0001, p=0.007). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that facial protectors function beyond their role in preventing facial injuries, complementing the role of the helmet in attenuating head deceleration during impact. Consequently, the utilization of facial protectors may reduce the severity and incidence of mTBI.

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The hepatitis C virus (HCV) currently infects 3% of the world???s population, with chronic infection in 50-80% of exposed individuals. A small subset of individuals who are exposed to HCV do not develop anti-HCV antibodies, persistent viraemia or chronic hepatitis despite generating HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These individuals are believed to develop an immune response which rapidly clears viraemia prior to the induction of an antibody response. Circumstantial evidence supports the likelihood that some of these individuals may generate these same responses and outcomes on repeated occasions of HCV infection. HCV-specific cellular immune responses in seronegative subjects have been the subject of only limited prior study, in part due to the lack of appropriate recombinant antigens and assay systems. Therefore, this thesis described the development and validation of an interferon-? (IFN-?) ELISPOT assay using overlapping peptides (n=441). Using this assay, HCV-specific cellular immune responses were detected in 5/10 (50%) of chronically infected subjects. Responses were identified more frequently, and were directed against more regions of the HCV genome, than with traditional assay systems. This IFN-? ELISPOT assay, a comparable interleukin (IL)-2 ELISPOT assay, and a multiplex in vitro cytokine production assay were then used to evaluate HCV-specific cellular immune responses in three cohorts of seronegative subjects at high-risk of exposure to HCV ??? babies born to infected mothers, multiply-transfused subjects with thalassaemia, and high risk injecting drug users. Cellular immune responses were evaluated in 23 infants born to HCV-antibody positive women. Responses were not detected in infants born to HCV-PCR negative mothers. IFN-? production was detected in 1/11 infants born to viraemic mothers using the ELISPOT assay, with cytokine production observed in an additional 3/5 infants studied using the in vitro cytokine production assay. HCV-specific cellular immune responses were assessed in a cohort of multiply transfused subjects with thalassaemia using assays for cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity, IFN-? and IL-2 ELISPOT, as well as lymphocyte proliferation and in vitro cytokine production. Responses were detected in 6/13 chronically infected subjects (46%), 4/7 subjects who had cleared infection (71%), and 14/17 seronegative subjects (82%). The seronegative subjects had responses which were broader and higher in magnitude than those with chronic HCV infection, although lower and narrower than in subjects who had cleared prior HCV infection. IFN-? and IL-2 ELISPOT assays, in additional to in vitro cytokine production assays, were performed on 41 injecting drug users (IDUs), with responses detected in 6 (15%). Seronegative IDUs with HCV-specific cellular immune responses had been injecting for a mean of 7.7 years, and reported multiple risk factors for exposure to HCV. The combined data from these three cohorts indicate that the HCV-specific cellular immune responses detected in seronegative subjects were generally broad in specificity. Cytokine production was generally Th1-biased, a pattern which has previously been associated with an increased likelihood of clearance in primary infection. The findings also suggest that responses can be maintained for decades after exposure, and may provide protection against repeated exposures. In summary, cellular immunity against HCV is evident in some seronegative high risk subjects, suggesting that the cellular immune responses may efficiently facilitate viral clearance. Understanding the mechanisms of this immune response pattern will allow better understanding of the host response to HCV and may provide key insights into vaccine design.

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Catherine M. Black, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Dept. of Textiles and Consumer Sciences. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Aug. 31, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.