"Multiple U.S. healthcare organizations have been recognized as successful in enterprise-level transformation to create healthcare delivery systems that are safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. Many of these organizations have specifically cited the development, deployment and integration of enterprise-level deployment of Lean Management Systems as key to their transformational efforts. Given the intense national interest in improving quality, efficiency and efficacy of healthcare delivery systems, a greater understanding of the strategies utilized by these organizations was required in order to provide an understanding of the mechanisms that drive successful, sustained, enterprise-level transformation. We conducted a realist review of large system transformation utilizing enterprise-level Lean Deployment methods within healthcare organizations. Synthesis and analysis of the results from this review indicate that there are five primary strategies associated with successful healthcare-based Lean deployments: Respect for People; Strategic Alignment; Strategic Deployment; Large Scale System Improvement Efforts; and Small-Scale, Local Improvement Efforts. Additional findings from this review indicate that the applications of the specific mechanisms with these strategies are emergent within multiple transitional phases spanning 6-8 years. To supplement the findings from the realist review, a series of dynamic hypotheses and system dynamics model was created in order to explore how the mechanisms and context interact to drive phase transitions within healthcare-based enterprise-level Lean deployments. The results from this model indicate that no steady state initial conditions exist that support sustained enterprise-level transformation and that the emergent nature of these deployments is necessary to overcome constraints related to the organizational capacity and capability. Additionally, we investigate the design and deployment of enterprise-level Lean programs in order to increase rate of success and decrease deployment cycles. "

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Wang, Xiaohui. / "November 1999." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

In this thesis we investigate acoustic metamaterials and how they can influence incident sound waves. Specifically we are interested in the mathematical technique of transformation acoustics and how several simple examples of metamaterials, devised via transformation acoustics, can be realised physically. We present a simple methodology for optimising microstructure consisting of rods with elliptical cross sections arranged on a rectangular array in order to best fit the material properties required by a desired transformation. We present in detail three such examples: a one dimensional scaling, the beam shifter, and a right angle bend. We apply the one dimensional scaling to a quarter wavelength resonator, theoretically predicting that we are able to lower the active frequency of the resonator without increasing its physical length. This result is then confirmed experimentally. We provide further experimental evidence of the broad band nature of the microstructure and suggest how it could be applied as a one dimensional acoustic cloak. Finally we present numerical simulations of acoustic propagation through microstructure chosen to realise a beam shifter and right angle bend. These are devices associated with more complicated two dimensional transformations that may prove useful in the field of noise control and redirection.

Final thesis is concerned with privatization of state property in Czech Republic and its effect on corporate performance. It describes theoretical basis of privatization and its methods used in Czech Republic, with special accent on voucher privatization. It also briefly mentions a macroeconomic development of Czech Republic during the transformation compared to other Central European countries.

Dans le domaine du développement logiciel, le changement est la seule constante. Les logiciels évoluent parfois de façon substantielle et, pendant ce processus, des séquences de transformation de code (par exemple, créer une classe, puis surcharger une méthode) sont systématiquement appliquées dans le système (e.g. à certaines classes dans une même hiérarchie). De par la nature répétitive de ces transformations, il est nécessaire d’automatiser leur support afin d’assurer que ces séquences de transformations sont appliquées de façon consistante sur la globalité du système.Dans cette thèse, nous proposons d’améliorer les transformations de code pour mieux aider les développeurs dans l’application de transformation de code systématiques et complexes. Nous couvrons deux aspects:• Le support automatisé pour composer et appliquer des séquences de transformations de code. Nous réalisons une recherche de l’existence de telles séquences dans de vrais logiciels. Nous proposons un outil pour appliquer automatiquement ces séquences dans les systèmes que nous avons analysés. • La détection de violations de bons principes dans la conception lors d’efforts de transformation. Nous proposons un outil qui recommande des transformations additionnelles pour résoudre les violations de conception qui ont pu être détectées après avoir effectué les transformations de refactoring.Nous évaluons les approches proposées quantitativement et qualitativement sur des cas d’étude issus du monde réel, parfois avec l’aide des experts du système analysé. Les résultats obtenus montrent la pertinence de nos approches. / In software development, change is the only constant. Software systems sometimes evolve in a substantial way and, during this process, sequences of code transformations (e.g., create a class, then override a method) are systematically performed in the system (e.g., to some classes in the same hierarchy). Due to the repetitive nature of these transformations, some automated support is needed to ensure that these sequences of transformations are consistently applied to the entire system.In this thesis we propose to improve source code transformations to better sup- port developers performing more complex and systematic code transformations. We cover two aspects: • The automated support to compose and apply sequences of code transformations. We undergo an investigation on the existence of these sequences in real-world software systems. We propose a tool to automatically apply these sequences in the systems we analyzed. • The detection of design violations during a transformation effort. We undergo an investigation on cases of systematic application of refactoring transformations. We proposed a tool that recommends additional transformations to fix design violations that are detected after performing refactoring transformations.We evaluated the proposed approaches quantitatively and qualitatively in real-world case studies and, in some cases, with the help of experts on the systems under analysis. The results we obtained demonstrate the usefulness of our approaches.

Organizations wants to be at the top when it comes to using new technologies in order to retain a strong position on the market and also create innovative and unique service offerings. New technologies put pressure on organizations, that have to answer to its challenges. Blockchain is a new technology that is very well heard of, it is a complicated technology and is in constant development. The purpose of this study is to identify challenges that the blockchain technology brings to organizations as well what opportunities organizations are looking with the technology. There will also be discussions about potential opportunities that arise when organizations overcome the challenges and what the blockchain can contribute to digital services. / Organisationer vill vara ledande inom nya teknologier för att skapa unika tjänsteerbjudande och behålla drivkraft. Nya teknologier sätter press på organisationer som måste besvara dess utmaningar. Blockkedjetekniken är en omtalad teknologi som har fått stor uppmärksamhet de senaste åren, tekniken är komplicerad och i ständig utveckling. Syftet med denna studie är att identifiera utmaningar som blockkedjetekniken medför till organisationer samt vad organisationer ser för möjligheter med tekniken. Det kommer att diskuteras potentiella möjligheter som uppstår när organisationer överkommer utmaningarna och vad tekniken kan bidra med till digitala tjänster. I kombination med tidigare forskning och en kvalitativ studie som utförts hos en organisation som tillhandahåller digitala tjänster och som är intresserade att investera i blockkedjan har utmaningar och möjligheter identifierats.

abstract: In 2006, composer James DeMars conceived of an opera when he began setting the Aztec legend known as Nican Mopohua, the “legend of Guadalupe.” Many inherent challenges arose as DeMars began to compose his first opera. His unfamiliarity with operatic writing and production, a preference for the aural elements of opera over visual ones, inexperience with dramatic textual writing, and insecurity in his ability to have it produced, encouraged him to detour from his operatic vision altogether and instead write an oratorio. Yet, his original operatic concept revealed itself through the music and text enough to encourage him and others to believe that his oratorio, Guadalupe: Our Lady of the Roses, could be produced on the operatic stage. Despite the oratorio’s success, DeMars persisted in realizing his original operatic vision and began the arduous task of rewriting his opera in 2012. To overcome the challenges, he relied heavily on the input of an “Operatic Advisory Council.” This group of dedicated colleagues and experts in the field of opera revealed to DeMars certain essential elements of opera that were absent from the oratorio, and through the course of three years advised and instructed the composer as he transformed his oratorio into an opera – something rarely attempted in the operatic repertoire. In this document, Chapter 1 discusses the formation of the Council, its members, and the expertise they offered. Chapter 2 presents the areas of concern the Council had during the process. Chapter 3 discusses the methods by which DeMars rectified the flaws in the oratorio’s visual aspects, the vocal writing, and the dramatic elements that needed attention. It also presents musical and textual examples of the adjustments and additions DeMars made during the transition, and discusses their effect on the opera’s staging, vocal writing and drama. The changes DeMars made under the guidance of the Operatic Advisory Council ultimately resulted in an operatic version of Guadalupe, which premiered at Arizona State University in November 2015. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2018

Bao, Zhenhua. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Review of the Models --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Black-Scholes-Merton Model --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Merton's Jump Diffusion Model --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Stochastic Volatility Jump Diffusion Model --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Constant Elasticity of Variance (CEV) Model --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2 --- Kou´ةs Double Exponential Jump Diffusion Model --- p.16 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- The Model Formulation --- p.16 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- The Merits of the Model --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Preliminary Results --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Extant Results on Option Pricing under the Model --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Laplace Transform and Its Inversion --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- The Laplace Transform --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- One-dimensional Euler Laplace Transform Inversion Algorithm --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Two-dimensional Euler Laplace Transform Inversion Algorithm --- p.28 / Chapter 2.4 --- Monte Carlo Simulation for Double Exponential Jump Diffusion --- p.32 / Chapter 3 --- Pricing Double Barrier Option via Laplace Transform --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1 --- Double Barrier Option and the First Passage Time --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2 --- Preliminary Results --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3 --- Laplace Transform of the First Passage Time --- p.38 / Chapter 3.4 --- Pricing Double Barrier Option via Laplace Transform --- p.50 / Chapter 4 --- Numerical Results --- p.54 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.57

Cytosine methylation of CpG dinucleotides is an epigenetic modification that cells use to regulate gene expression, largely to promote transcriptional silencing. Focal hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) accompanied by genomic hypomethylation are epigenetic hallmarks of malignancy. DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) is the principle vertebrate enzyme responsible for maintenance of DNA methylation and its dysregulation has been found to lead to aberrant methylation in cancer. In addition, recent findings demonstrated that the ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) protein functions as a 5-methylcytosine dioxygenase that converts 5-methylcytosine (5mC) bases to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) to mediate active DNA demethylation. Emerging evidence suggests that TET1 might function as a TSG. To understand the dynamic regulation of DNA methylation during cellular transformation, my work focused on intrinsic regulation of DNMT1 and how TET1 regulates DNA demethylation in generating a cancer methylome. The replication foci targeting sequence (RFTS) is an N-terminal domain of DNMT1 that inhibits DNA-binding and catalytic activity, suggesting that RFTS deletion would result in gain of DNMT1 function. However, other data suggested that RFTS may be a positively acting domain. To test biochemical and structural predictions that the RFTS domain of DNMT1 is inhibitory, we established cellular systems to evaluate the function of DNMT1 alleles. The data indicate that deletion of RFTS is necessary and sufficient to promote cellular transformation, focal hypermethylation of specific TSGs, and global hypomethylation. These data and human mutation data suggest that RFTS domain is a target of tumor-specific dysregulation. RAS mutations are frequently in multiple malignancies. Methylation-associated silencing of TSGs is a hallmark of RAS-driven-tumorigenesis. I discovered that suppression of TET1 by the ERK signaling cascade is responsible for promoter hypermethylation and the malignant phenotype in KRAS-transformed cells. Restoration of TET1 expression reactivates silenced TSGs and reduces colony formation. Moreover, TET1 knockdown in a cell depleted for KRAS is sufficient to rescue the inhibition of colony formation by KRAS knockdown. My findings suggest that dysregulated TET1-mediated DNA demethylation is a target responsible for epigenetic changes in cancers with KRAS activation.