In ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networks, rate-based regulation-scheduling (R&S) mechanisms guarantee certain quality of service (QoS) with controlling the rate of a tagged connection serviced by the switches. The R&S mechanisms, which consider only the issues of one tagged connection itself but the situation of the scheduling queue, can behave hand-over well. However, there may be many connections hand over in identical condition and compete for the position in the scheduler queue. It makes the transmission to be distorted greatly from the hand-over. There is already a scheme, dynamic R&S, to smooth rate jitter with counting the hand-over of other connections. Dynamic R&S doesn't count the idle slots, which also make the interval between two consecutive tagged cells, and results in unnecessary misses. The new scheme proposed considers the system time and scheduler queue's length. It has less difference between transmission intervals and the premised one of a tagged connection, so that is better in rate-jitter control. This mechanism has O(1) time-complexity, so conforms to the demand of high-speed ATM networks.

Previous studies in this laboratory have identified two phosphate transport systems in Sinorhizobium meliloti encoded by the phoCDET and orfA-pit genes respectively. The PhoB regulatory protein is required for transcriptional activation of the phoCDET genes but repress the transcription of orfA-pit. Determination of the DNA sequence upstream of phoU-phoB revealed the presence of genes homologous to the pstA-pstB genes, which encode components of an ABC-type high affinity Pi specific transport system in E. coli. Further analysis of sequence from the S. meliloti genome project (unpublished) revealed the phoR-pstS-pstC genes upstream of pstA-pstB. Using an R-prime approach, we cloned a 7.5 kb Hindlll gene fragment which included the above phoR-pstS-pstC-pstA-pstB and partial phoU genes. Using Tn5-B20 and lacz-aacc1 cassette gene disruption/fusions, we mutated pstA, pstB and phoR gene respectively. We found that: a) pstA-pstB-phoU-phoB are in one operon, b) pstB expression is not regulated by the media phosphate concentration and is independent of phoB, c) in free-living cells, pstB mutants, like phoU or phoB mutants, exhibit alkaline phosphatase negative phenotypes, d) in plant tests, a pstB mutant had normal nitrogen fixation ability and like phoB mutations, the pstB mutation suppressed the Fix- phenotype of phoCDET mutants, e) phoB expression is neither regulated by phosphate concentration nor does its expression appear to be auto-regulated, and f) a phoR mutant exhibited an alkaline phosphatase negative phenotype. Sequence analysis showed that there is no pho box in the upstream of pstA-pstB-phoU-phoB operon and the phoR, but pstS gene has one putative pho box in its promoter region. Also discussion and some ideas for future study were presented. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

Traditional models of visuomotor control have generally emphasized the importance of vision in the guidance of limb movements. Vision is thought to subserve the modificational processes underlying the control of these movements. The objectives of the present work were to elaborate upon the role of vision in the regulation of an ongoing limb movement, address issues pertaining to the nature of this regulation, and examine predictions of the Optimized Submovement Model (Meyer, Abrams, Kornblum, Wright, & Smith, 1988) of limb control. An aiming task was adopted in which subjects were required to displace a graphics cursor on a monitor toward a target. The presence of visual feedback proved to be a potent determinant of performance. In Experiment 1, superior performance consistency with visual feedback was attributable to the prevalence of discrete and continuous modifications made to the movement when visual information was available. In Experiment 2, the same visually-based performance advantage was found. However, this advantage was no longer related to the presence of adjustments to the movement. The present results are discussed with reference to current issues in the nature of visuomotor regulation and their implications toward the Optimized Submovement Model. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

Herpes simplex Virus Type 1 expresses three different classes of genes, immediate early, early, and late, during a lytic infection. Immediate early genes are the first class of genes expressed and they are the only genes expressed independently of de novo viral protein synthesis. This unique characteristic is thought to be the result of the activation of immediate early genes by Vmw65, a protein brought into the cell as a component of the infecting virion. Vmw65 transactivates through the target sequence TAATGARAT (R= purine) which is present at least once in all immediate early transcription regulatory regions. By inserting minimal synthetic promoters, containing the TAATGARAT sequence, into the thymidine kinase locus of the herpes simplex virus type 1 genome I determined that transactivation by Vmw65 is not sufficient to confer on the linked sequences the complete immediate early pattern of gene expression. Furthermore through a transient expression assay I determined that the TAATGARAT sequence element, by itself, when linked to a TATA box is sufficient to act as a target for Vmw65 transactivation. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

No description available.

Magister Legum - LLM (Mercantile and Labour Law) / The decision by countries to relax the common law doctrines of maintenance and champerty to accommodate Third Party Funding (TPF) in dispute resolution has sparked a worldwide debate. The controversial practice of funding disputes in exchange for a share of a successful outcome or settlement has left courts and administering institutions in a compromising position. South Africa joined the debate in 2004 after the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) relaxed the application of the doctrines in favour of TPF. The SCA found that domestic courts have the necessary mechanisms to protect themselves against any repercussions of TPF without the assistance of the doctrines. The SCA limited their search to the abilities of the courts and did not consider the effect TPF could have on other dispute resolution processes such as arbitration. This study seeks to discover whether arbitration can protect itself against the repercussions of TPF. It further questions the possibility of adopting regulations to aid in the protection of arbitration should the current mechanisms be insufficient.

No description available.

A água é um elemento vital para a vida, e em especial para a vida dos homens, os problemas causados pelo crescimento populacional e pelas mudanças de hábitos nas cidades, influenciam de forma determinante no “estado das águas". Volumes cada vez maiores de água são captados diariamente para o uso agrícola, industrial e urbano e uma vez utilizados são lançados ao meio ambiente. Muitas vezes transportam elementos contaminantes, esgoto doméstico e industrial, produtos químicos, metais pesados, e poluição difusa ausando impactos negativos imprevisíveis. Em muitos paises no mundo e o Brasil em regiões do semi-árido nordestino, e em especial nas regiões metropolitanas de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, um crescente déficit hídrico, impõe novas soluções de abastecimento de água. Este estudo busca soluções para um uso mais racional da água, um uso mais eficiente e que traga a economia de um bem cada vez mais precioso. Como mecanismos de economia de água, estudamos os dispositivos de micro-drenagem, a utilização de água da chuva para fins domésticos não potáveis. A adoção de mecanismos de reúso e de reciclagem da água, em atividades que permitam a utilização de uma água de menor qualidade, também são importantes ferramentas para a economia da água. Outra forma de utilização eficiente da água é o uso da água proveniente do rebaixamento dos lençóis freáticos para construção de 4 subsolos em edifícios, estes volumes, que em geral são diretamente bombeados e descartados na rede pluvial urbana, representam grande economia quando usados para fins não potáveis. Por fim uma análise dos aspectos jurídicos que condicionam o reúso da água. / Water is a vital element for life, especially for the human race. The problems caused by population growth and changes of habits in cities have a great influence in the “state of water supply" Increasing volumes of water are seized daily for agricultural, industrial and urban use and returned to the environment after that. Many times these water wastes have contaminating elements, industrial and residential sewage, chemical products, heavy metals and diffuse pollution that cause negative impacts of unknown intensity. In many countries and in Brazil’s semi-arid northeast region and, especially in the metropolitan areas of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro a increasing deficit of water supplies call for new solutions in water supplying systems. The present study seeks for methods of rational use of water in an efficient way, in order to preserve an increasingly precious asset. The mechanisms for water saving studied in this dissertation are micro drainage systems and the use of rainwater for non-drinkable water uses. Adopting mechanisms of reuse and recycling of water in activities that can withstand the use of water of lower standards of quality are also important tools for water supply saving. Another method of efficient use of water is the use of undercurrent waters disposed for the construction of underground floors in buildings. These sources are usually pumped and discarded in the urban drainage systems, and if properly used for non-drinking purposes could help save great volumes of water. The study also includes an analysis of the juridical aspects that regulate water reuse.

A água é um elemento vital para a vida, e em especial para a vida dos homens, os problemas causados pelo crescimento populacional e pelas mudanças de hábitos nas cidades, influenciam de forma determinante no “estado das águas”. Volumes cada vez maiores de água são captados diariamente para o uso agrícola, industrial e urbano e uma vez utilizados são lançados ao meio ambiente. Muitas vezes transportam elementos contaminantes, esgoto doméstico e industrial, produtos químicos, metais pesados, e poluição difusa ausando impactos negativos imprevisíveis. Em muitos paises no mundo e o Brasil em regiões do semi-árido nordestino, e em especial nas regiões metropolitanas de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, um crescente déficit hídrico, impõe novas soluções de abastecimento de água. Este estudo busca soluções para um uso mais racional da água, um uso mais eficiente e que traga a economia de um bem cada vez mais precioso. Como mecanismos de economia de água, estudamos os dispositivos de micro-drenagem, a utilização de água da chuva para fins domésticos não potáveis. A adoção de mecanismos de reúso e de reciclagem da água, em atividades que permitam a utilização de uma água de menor qualidade, também são importantes ferramentas para a economia da água. Outra forma de utilização eficiente da água é o uso da água proveniente do rebaixamento dos lençóis freáticos para construção de 4 subsolos em edifícios, estes volumes, que em geral são diretamente bombeados e descartados na rede pluvial urbana, representam grande economia quando usados para fins não potáveis. Por fim uma análise dos aspectos jurídicos que condicionam o reúso da água. / Water is a vital element for life, especially for the human race. The problems caused by population growth and changes of habits in cities have a great influence in the “state of water supply” Increasing volumes of water are seized daily for agricultural, industrial and urban use and returned to the environment after that. Many times these water wastes have contaminating elements, industrial and residential sewage, chemical products, heavy metals and diffuse pollution that cause negative impacts of unknown intensity. In many countries and in Brazil’s semi-arid northeast region and, especially in the metropolitan areas of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro a increasing deficit of water supplies call for new solutions in water supplying systems. The present study seeks for methods of rational use of water in an efficient way, in order to preserve an increasingly precious asset. The mechanisms for water saving studied in this dissertation are micro drainage systems and the use of rainwater for non-drinkable water uses. Adopting mechanisms of reuse and recycling of water in activities that can withstand the use of water of lower standards of quality are also important tools for water supply saving. Another method of efficient use of water is the use of undercurrent waters disposed for the construction of underground floors in buildings. These sources are usually pumped and discarded in the urban drainage systems, and if properly used for non-drinking purposes could help save great volumes of water. The study also includes an analysis of the juridical aspects that regulate water reuse.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:27:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RubeniaMO_DISSERT.pdf: 604280 bytes, checksum: bd2e0becc619fcb8a7bb01a3885252c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-19 / In complex federal systems as that found in Brazil, which provides simultaneous attributions to of the Union, States and Cities in many aspects, the definition of performance limits of each of these entities, in procedural or material aspect, generates many (positive and/or negative) competence conflicts, bringing insecurity to general administered. Environmental licensing is one of the most important instruments of environmental management, seeking the realization of the fundamental right to an ecologically balanced and sustainable development. Despite its importance, the environmental licensing has not been more effective due the conflict related to the authority to regulate regardind environmental law. This essay will analyze the structure of competence distribution for conducting the environmental licensing processes, the conflict between laws, the performance of the municipal environmental agencies, the cooperation between the licensing agencies and the future about the additional regulatory law of article 23 of Federal Constitution / Em sistemas federativos complexos como o encontrado no Brasil, onde se prev? a atua??o simult?nea da Uni?o, dos Estados e dos Munic?pios em diversos aspectos, a defini??o dos limites de atua??o de cada um destes entes, seja sob o aspecto legislativo, seja sob o ponto de vista material, gera diversos conflitos (positivos e/ou negativos) de compet?ncia, trazendo inseguran?a para os administrados em geral. O licenciamento ambiental ? um dos mais importantes instrumentos de gest?o ambiental, buscando-se a concretiza??o do direito fundamental ao meio ambiente ecologicamente equilibrado e o desenvolvimento sustent?vel. Apesar de sua relev?ncia, o licenciamento ambiental n?o tem sido mais efetivo devido ?s diverg?ncias na doutrina ambiental com rela??o ? compet?ncia. Neste trabalho ser?o analisadas a estrutura de distribui??o de compet?ncias para a condu??o de processos de licenciamento ambiental, o conflito entre normas, a atua??o dos ?rg?os ambientais municipais, a coopera??o entre os diversos ?rg?os licenciadores e a futura edi??o de lei complementar regulamentadora do art. 23 da Constitui??o Federal