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Cognitive radio is frequently touted as a platform for implementing dynamic distributed radio resource management algorithms. In the envisioned scenarios, radios react to measurements of the network state and change their operation according to some goal driven algorithm. Ideally this flexibility and reactivity yields tremendous gains in performance. However, when the adaptations of the radios also change the network state, an interactive decision process is spawned and once desirable algorithms can lead to catastrophic failures when deployed in a network. This document presents techniques for modeling and analyzing the interactions of cognitive radio for the purpose of improving the design of cognitive radio and distributed radio resource management algorithms with particular interest towards characterizing the algorithms' steady-state, convergence, and stability properties. This is accomplished by combining traditional engineering and nonlinear programming analysis techniques with techniques from game to create a powerful model based approach that permits rapid characterization of a cognitive radio algorithm's properties. Insights gleaned from these models are used to establish novel design guidelines for cognitive radio design and powerful low-complexity cognitive radio algorithms. This research led to the creation of a new model of cognitive radio network behavior, an extensive number of new results related to the convergence, stability, and identification of potential and supermodular games, numerous design guidelines, and several novel algorithms related to power control, dynamic frequency selection, interference avoidance, and network formation. It is believed that by applying the analysis techniques and the design guidelines presented in this document, any wireless engineer will be able to quickly develop cognitive radio and distributed radio resource management algorithms that will significantly improve spectral efficiency and network and device performance while removing the need for significant post-deployment site management. / Ph. D.

本研究主要在探討會計師事務所查帳人員在面臨時間壓力的情況下，對其查帳工作態 度的影響。根據以往的研究，查帳人員面臨時間壓力時，生理上、心理上有重大變化 。本研究則主要著重於在時間壓力下，查帳人員於查帳工作本身的影響。在心理學上 ，人格特質對個人工作態度會有重大影響，故本研究將此變數納入，藉以測試在不同 人格特質下，於不同工作壓力情境下，對查帳工作態度之影響，至所謂工作態度，本 研究係指以下三項變數： ヾ低報查帳時間（Underreporting chargeable time） ゝ挪報查帳時間（Shifting chargeable time） ゞ降低查帳品質（Reducing audit quality） 研究結果：發現人格特質愈傾向Ａ類型者，在時間壓力大時，較不會有這三種情形出 現，反之，人格特質為Ｂ類型者，較易有這三種情形出現。但如果時間壓力不大時， 則無論人格特質為何，則三種情形皆不顯著發生。

INTRODUÇÃO: A alta prevalência da obesidade infantil em diferentes partes do planeta a posiciona como um dos principais focos de atenção da saúde pública, conhecida a associação dos seus agravos às doenças cardiovasculares e à morte prematura. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar as intervenções escolares que se utilizam das práticas em atividade física e educação nutricional na antropometria e na pressão arterial de crianças e adolescentes. MÉTODOS: Os artigos foram recuperados por buscas sistemáticas em quatorze bases de dados eletrônicas e por busca manual em listas de referências, com atualização até 30 de setembro de 2012. Dois revisores independentes avaliaram os trabalhos e extraíram os dados. Os trabalhos deveriam atender adequadamente aos seguintes critérios de elegibilidade: população dos 6 aos 18 anos de idade; intervenções comunitárias randomizadas no ambiente escolar, fundamentadas nas práticas em atividade física ou educação nutricional, ou nas duas formas combinadas; presença de grupo controle em paralelo, com seguimento concomitante; descrição de pelo menos um dos desfechos: índice de massa corporal, peso corporal e pressão arterial. A meta-análise foi desenvolvida pelo modelo de efeito randômico, com diferença padronizada entre médias pelo método de Hedges. Também foi realizada a meta-análise de regressão para identificação das fontes de heterogeneidade entre os ensaios, envolvendo as variáveis tempo e tipo de intervenção, faixa etária e qualidade. O grau de heterogeneidade entre os estudos foi verificado pelas estatísticas Q de Cochran e I2, e o viés de publicação foi avaliado subjetivamente por meio da distribuição no gráfico funnel plot. RESULTADOS: Dos 5.899 trabalhos inicialmente recuperados, 140 tiveram seus dados extraídos e 60 remanesceram para a composição das sínteses, assim subdivididas: 12 em atividade física, 8 em educação nutricional e 40 com intervenção combinada. A análise das intervenções combinadas apresentou significância estatística a favor do grupo de intervenção no índice de massa corporal, com a magnitude e variabilidade na medida do efeito em diferença padronizada de -0,14 (IC95%: -0,24 a -0,03; p=0,01; n=29471; I2= 94,4%), ao contrário dos resultados obtidos nas duas intervenções em separado, que não foram conclusivos. No desfecho peso corporal, os resultados foram significantes nas intervenções em atividade física (-0,14; IC95%: -0,27 a -0,02; I2= 7,84%) e nas combinadas (-0,65; IC95%: -1,17 a -0,13; I2= 99,3%). As análises da pressão arterial não obtiveram resultados com significância estatística. O conjunto de todas as intervenções com dados em índice de massa corporal, incluindo 55 estudos, mostrou o resultado de -0,02 (IC95%: -0,03 a 0,00; I2= 94,5%), e nenhuma das covariáveis incluídas na meta-regressão, tempo de intervenção, qualidade metodológica do estudo e faixa etária da população mostrou significância para explicar a heterogeneidade observada. A análise de subgrupos mostrou redução do efeito no estrato por tempo de intervenção curto, de até quatro meses, com estimativa de -0,04 (IC95%: -0,06 a -0,03; I2= 96,6%), e na faixa etária dos seis aos dez anos, com estimativa de -0,23 (IC95%: -0,27 a -0,19; I2= 97,9%). CONCLUSÕES: As intervenções escolares que combinaram atividade física e educação nutricional mostraram redução do índice de massa corporal, ao contrário das intervenções que se utilizaram destes elementos em separado. Os efeitos positivos estão associados aos estudos com menor tempo entre as avaliações iniciais e finais e com as faixas populacionais mais jovens. A alta heterogeneidade observada compromete a validade externa dos resultados e sugere cautela quanto à capacidade de generalização para outras populações. / INTRODUCTION: Because of its high prevalence of in different parts of the planet childhood obesity is one of the main public health issues, with obesity worsening known to be associated with cardiovascular diseases and premature death. The aim of this study was to evaluate school interventions that use physical activity and nutrition education practices in anthropometric measurements and blood pressure in children and teenagers. METHODS: The articles were retrieved via a systematic search of fourteen electronic databases and manual search through reference lists updated until September 30, 2012. Two independent reviewers assessed studies and extracted data. The papers should meet the following eligibility criteria: population aged 6 to 18 years old; randomized community interventions targeting the school environment based on physical activity or nutrition education practices, or a combination of the two approaches; placebo- controlled parallel group and concomitant monitoring; description of at least one of the outcomes: body mass index, body weight and blood pressure. Random-effects meta-analysis was used, with Hedges\'g standardized mean differences. Also, meta-analysis was performed to identify sources of heterogeneity between trials, involving the variables such as duration and type of intervention, age group and quality. The degree of heterogeneity between studies was assessed using Cochran\'s Q statistics and I2 tests, and publication bias was subjectively assessed by a funnel plot. RESULTS: Of the 5,899 papers initially retrieved, 140 were data-extracted and 60 were used in synthesis, as follows: 12 in physical activity, 8 in nutrition education and 40 in combined intervention. Analysis of the combined interventions showed that BMI was statistically more significant in the combined intervention group, with magnitude and variability in the measure of the effect size in standardized difference of (-0.14; CI95%: -0.24 to -0.03; p=0.01; n=29471; I2= 94.4%), unlike the results obtained in the two separate interventions, which were not conclusive. Regarding the body weight outcome, the results were significant for physical activity (-0.14; CI95%: -0.27 to -0.02; I2= 7.84%) and in the combined interventions (-0.65; CI95%: -1.17 to -0.13; I2= 99.3%). Blood pressure analyses did not obtain statistically significant results. The set of all interventions with BMI data (55 studies), showed the result of -0.02 (CI95%: -0.03 to 0.00; I2= 94.5%), and none of the covariates included in meta-analysis, intervention duration, methodological quality of the study and population age could explain the heterogeneity observed. Subgroup analysis showed a reduced effect in the short intervention duration stratum (up to four months), with an estimate of -0.04 (CI95%: -0.06 to -0.03; I2= 96.6%), and in the age group of 6-10 years old, with an estimate of -0.23 (CI95%: -0.27 to -0.19; I2= 97.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The school interventions that combined physical activity and nutrition education led to reduced body mass index, unlike the interventions that used these approaches separately. The positive effects are associated with studies with shorter periods of time between the initial and final evaluations and younger populations. The high heterogeneity observed jeopardizes the external validity of the results and suggests caution in generalizing these findings to other populations.

<p>U ovom radu je izvr&scaron;eno kvantitativno&nbsp;određivanje i identifikacija biljnih fenola i&nbsp;<br />flavonoida etanolih ekstrakata ploda per&scaron;una&nbsp;(<em>Petroselini fructus</em>), kore kru&scaron;ine (<em>Frangulae&nbsp;cortex</em>), lista pitome nane (<em>Mentha piperitae&nbsp;folium</em>), ploda kima (<em>Carvi fructus</em>) i lista breze&nbsp;(<em>Betulae folium</em>), kao i komercijalnog preparata Vitalplant^&reg;((<em>Frangulae cortex</em>(35 %),&nbsp; <em>Mentha&nbsp;piperitae folium</em>(20%),&nbsp; <em>Carvi fructus</em>(20 %),&nbsp;<em>Petroselini fructus&nbsp;</em>(25 %)). U nastavku&nbsp;istraživanja ispitivana je antioksidantna aktivnosti etanolih ekstrakata primenom&nbsp;direktnih, ESR &ldquo;spin trap&ldquo; spektroskopskih&nbsp;metoda određivanja &ldquo;skevindžer&ldquo; aktivnosti na&nbsp;superoksid anjon i &nbsp;hidroksil radikale i&nbsp;indirektnih, spektrofotometrijskih testova za&nbsp;određivanje skevindžer&ldquo; aktivnosti na DPPH˙&nbsp;radikale, redoks potencijala i helatacione&nbsp;aktivnosti, kao i antioksidantne aktivnosti u&nbsp;sistemu&nbsp; &beta;-karoten-linolna kiselina. Osim navedenog, deo istraživanja je posvećen&nbsp;ispitivanju termičke stabilnosti ekstrakata&nbsp;navedenih biljaka i komercijalnog preparata&nbsp;Vitalplant^&reg;&nbsp;radi sticanja uvida u mogućnost&nbsp;njihove primene u &nbsp;pekarskim proizvodima. U&nbsp;poslednjoj fazi rada, izvr&scaron;eno je određivanje sposobnosti pulvisa i etanolnog ekstrakta komercijalnog &nbsp;preparata Vitalplant^&reg; da inhibiraju oksidaciju lipida u keksu, primenom spektrofotometrijskih testova &ldquo;skevindžer&ldquo; aktivnosti &nbsp;na DPPH˙ radikale i MDA testa. Ispitane biljne sirovine, kao i komercijalni preparat Vitalplant^&reg;&nbsp;su bogat izvor jedinjenja iz klase biljnih fenola. Sve ispitane biljne droge poseduju antioksidantnu aktivnost, koja se značajno ne menja usled termičkog tretmana. Dodatak biljne me&scaron;avine Vitalplant^&reg;&nbsp;, upravo proporcionalno njenom sadržaju, &nbsp;dovodi do povećanja antioksidantne aktivnosti keksa i smanjenja stepena lipidne peroksidacije.&nbsp;</p> / <p>In this paper, quantitative determination and identification of plant phenolics and flavonoids of ethanolic extracts obtained from parsley fruit (<em>Petroselini fructus</em>), buckthorn bark (<em>Frangulae cortex</em>), mint leaves (<em>Mentha piperitae folium</em>), caraway fruit&nbsp; (<em>Carvi fructus</em>), birch leaves (<em>Betulae folium</em>), as well as from commercial preparation Vitalplant&reg; ((<em>Frangulae cortex</em>(35 %), <em>Mentha piperitae folium</em>&nbsp;(20%), <em>Carvi fructus</em>(20 %), <em>Petroselini fructus&nbsp;</em>(25 %)) was performed. In addition, antioxidant&nbsp; activity of ethanolic extracts was tested, by applying direct, ESR &ldquo;spin trap&ldquo; &nbsp;spectroscopic methods for the determination of scavenging activity on superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals, and indirect, spectrophotometric methods for the determination of DPPH˙ radical scavenging activity, reducing power, chelating activity and antioxidant activity in&nbsp; &beta;-carotene-linoleic acid model system. Moreover, thermal stability of the ethanolic extracts was tested in order to get insight into possible application of the extracts in bakery products. Finally, the ability of the commercial preparation Vitalplant&reg;, in the form of powder and extract, to inhibit oxidative changes of cookies was tested by applying spectrophotometric DPPH radical scavenging and MDA tests.</p><p>According to obtained results, investigated plant samples, including commercial preparation Vitalplant&reg;, are rich source of plant phenolics. Investigated plant drugs possess antioxidant activity, which is not significantly changed after the thermal treatment. Cookie supplementation with commercial preparation Vitalplant&reg; results in&nbsp; better oxidative stability of lipids and enhanced antioxidant activity of the cookies.</p>

Thesis (M.Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Acid-related disorders are common, chronic conditions that have considerable impact on a patient's quality of life. In a study conducted by Majumdar et al. (2003:2411) the prevalence of chronic acid-related disorders was 2.3%. Acid-related disorders represent a major financial consideration with respect to the costs of drug prescribing (Whitaker, 1998:6). Health care cost increases each year. This leads to an increased interest in economic evaluation of health care and medical technologies (Anell & Svarvar, 2000:175). Health care providers no longer make treatment decisions independent of the consideration of the resultant cost. The treatment provided must not only provide value but the value must be documented to justify spending money. Economic evaluation research has emerged to offer guidance to policy makers, practitioners, health plans and institutions facing difficult treatment and coverage decisions (Ellis era/., 2002:271). The main objectives of this study were to investigate the prescribing patterns and cost of acid reducing medicine with special reference to proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa from 2001 to 2006. A longitudinal retrospective drug utilisation study was done on acid reducing medicine items claimed through a national medicine claims database. The five study years were 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. All the study years stretched from 1 January to 31 December. It was determined that acid reducing medicine items prescribed decreased from 2.74% during 2001 to 2.50% during 2006 of all medicine items claimed. The same decreasing trend was observed regarding the cost of acid reducing medicine items. The cost percentage decreased from 4.89% (2001) to 3.72% (2006). However, the average cost per medicine item for the acid reducers increased by 5.35% from 2001 (R230.04 ± 176.29) to 2002 (R243.72 ± 184.18) and then decreased by 15.23% from 2002 to 2004. It again decreased with 15.05% from 2004 (R206.19 ± 179.42) to 2006 (R175.70 ± 172.55). The changes in the average cost of acid reducers were of no practical significance. Proton pump inhibitors represented about half of the acid reducing medicine items prescribed and more than 70% of the total cost of acid reducing medicine items during the study years. The average cost of PPIs revealed a practical significant decrease (d > 0.8) from 2002 (R372.42 ± 156.62) to 2006 (R241.56 ± 177.21). H2RAs contributed between 15.00% and 18.26% of all acid reducing medicine items while contributing to between 9.68% and 16.85% of the total cost of all acid reducers. The active ingredient most often prescribed was lansoprazole during 2001 and 2002, esomeprazole during 2004 and omeprazole during 2005 and 2006. Lanzor® 30mg was the acid reducer with the highest cost from 2001 to 2005, while Pariet® 20mg took the lead in 2006. Zantac® 150mg effervescent tablets were the H2RA, with the highest cost, during the five study years. The percentage innovator items decreased by 4.50% from 2001 to 2002, increased by 1.01% from 2002 to 2004 and decreased again by 31.06% from 2004 to 2006. The slight increase in the percentage innovator medicine items claimed from 2002 to 2004 may be explained by the introduction of Nexiam® (esomeprazole) into the market in 2002. The total number of generic medicine items claimed contributed between 9.62% (n = R1 788 242.25) in 2001 and 30.75% (n = R3 196 163.34) in 2006 of the total cost of acid reducing medicine items. The average cost per day of innovator medicine items was higher than the average cost per day of generic medicine items. This might be explained by a lower average cost for generic medicine items. It was also determined that the prevalence of the two-drug regimens was the highest during the five study years. The Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) eradication treatments, which included different antibiotics, increased from 2.72% in 2001 to 5.05% in 2006. The PDD for most of the active ingredients of H2RAs and PPIs remained stable during the study years. However, it appears that the PDDs, of the PPIs, active ingredients were more constant than the PDDs, or the H2RAs, active ingredients. The median of the different PPI active ingredients was reasonably more constant than the median of the different H2RA active ingredients. Thus the changes between the PPIs' and H2RAs' active ingredients might be explained by the variation in the median (the number of days the relevant medicine item was claimed for). It is then also recommended that the aspects of generic substitution as well as the usage of H2RAs as prescribed vs. self medication should be further investigated to increase possible cost savings. / Thesis (M.Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.