Network meta-analysis (NMA) synthesizes all available direct (head-to-head) and indirect evidence on the comparative effectiveness of at least three treatments and provides coherent estimates of their relative effects. Ranking probabilities are commonly used to summarize these estimates and provide comparative rankings of treatments. However, the reliability of ranking probabilities as summary measures has not been formally established and treatments are often ranked for each outcome separately. This thesis aims to address methodological gaps and limitations in current literature by providing alternative methods for evaluating the robustness of treatment ranks, establishing comparative rankings, and integrating ranking probabilities across multiple outcomes. These novel tools, addressing three specific objectives, are developed in three papers. The first paper presents a conceptual framework for quantifying the robustness of treatments ranks and for elucidating potential sources of lack of robustness. Cohen’s kappa is proposed for quantifying the agreement between two sets of ranks based on NMAs of the full data and a subset of the data. A leave one-study-out strategy was used to illustrate the framework with empirical data from published NMAs, where ranks based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) were considered. Recommendations for using this strategy to evaluate sensitivity or robustness to concerning evidence are given. When two or more cumulative ranking curves cross, treatments with large probabilities of ranking the best, second best, third best, etc. may rank worse than treatments with smaller corresponding probabilities based on SUCRA. This limitation of SUCRA is addressed in the second paper through the proposal of partial SUCRA (pSUCRA) as an alternative measure for ranking treatments. pSUCRA is adopted from the partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in diagnostic medicine and is derived to summarize relevant regions of the cumulative ranking curve. Knowledge users are often faced with the challenge of making sense of large volumes of NMA results presented across multiple outcomes. This may be further complicated if the comparative rankings on each outcome contradict each other, leading to subjective final decisions. The third paper addresses this limitation through a comprehensive methodological framework for integrating treatments’ ranking probabilities across multiple outcomes. The framework relies on the area inside spie charts representing treatments’ performances on all outcomes, while also incorporating the outcomes’ relative importance. This approach not only provides an objective measure of the comparative ranking of treatments across multiple outcomes, but also allows graphical presentation of the results, thereby facilitating straightforward interpretation. All contributions in this thesis provide objective means to improve the use of comparative treatment rankings in NMA. Further extensive evaluations of these tools are required to assess their validity in empirical and simulated networks of different size and sparseness. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Decisions on how to best treat a patient should be informed by all relevant evidence comparing the benefits and harms of available options. Network meta-analysis (NMA) is a statistical method for combining evidence on at least three treatments and produces a coherent set of results. Nevertheless, NMA results are typically presented separately for each health outcome (e.g., length of hospital stay, mortality) and the volume of results can be overwhelming to a knowledge user. Moreover, the results can be contradictory across multiple outcomes. Statistics that facilitate the ranking of treatments may aid in easing this interpretative burden while limiting subjectivity. This thesis aims to address methodological gaps and limitations in current ranking approaches by providing alternative methods for evaluating the robustness of treatment ranks, establishing comparative rankings, and integrating ranking probabilities across multiple outcomes. These contributions provide objective means to improve the use of comparative treatment rankings in NMA.

Probabilistic models and fuzzy set models describe different aspects of uncertainty. Probabilistic models primarily describe random variability in parameters. In engineering system safety, examples are variability in material properties, geometrical dimensions, or wind loads. In contrast, fuzzy set models of uncertainty primarily describe vagueness, such as vagueness in the definition of safety. When there is only limited information about variability, it is possible to use probabilistic models by making suitable assumptions on the statistics of the variability. However, it has been repeatedly shown that this can entail serious errors. Fuzzy set models, which require little data, appear to be well suited to use with designing for uncertainty, when little is known about the uncertainty. Several studies have compared fuzzy set and probabilistic methods in analysis of safety of systems under uncertainty. However, no study has compared the two approaches systematically as a function of the amount of available information. Such a comparison, in the context of design against failure, is the objective of this dissertation. First, the theoretical foundations of probability and possibility theories are compared. We show that a major difference between probability and possibility is in the axioms about the union of events. Because of this difference, probability and possibility calculi are fundamentally different and one cannot simulate possibility calculus using probabilistic models. We also show that possibility-based methods tend to be more conservative than probability-based methods in systems that fail only if many unfavorable events occur simultaneously. Based on these theoretical observations, two design problems are formulated to demonstrate the strength and weakness of probabilistic and fuzzy set methods. We consider the design of tuned damper system and the design and construction of domino stacks. These problems contain narrow failure zones in their uncertain variables and are tailored to demonstrate the pitfalls of probabilistic methods when little information is available for uncertain variables. Using these design problems we demonstrate that probabilistic methods are better than possibility-based methods if sufficient information is available. Just as importantly, we show possibility-based methods can be better if little information is available. Our conclusion is that when there is little information available about uncertainties, a hybrid method should be used to ensure a safe design. / Ph. D.

This thesis presents the low cost process for UBM formation on aluminum pads of single die/dice for Flip Chip applications. The UBM (Under Bump Metallurgy) is required in solder bump structure to provide adhesion/diffusion barrier layer, solder wettable layer, and oxidation barrier layer between the bonding pads of the die and the bumps. Typically, UBM is deposited on the whole wafers by sputtering, evaporation, or electroless plating. These deposition techniques are not practical for UBM formation on single die/dice, thus preventing Flip Chip technology to be applied in applications where the whole wafers are not available. The process presented in this thesis has been developed to overcome this problem. The developed UBM formation process allows the UBM layer to be deposited on a single die, thus eliminating the requirement to have the whole wafer in the deposition process. With the combination of the UBM formation process developed in this work and a suitable bump formation technique, solder bumping on a single die can be achieved, thus making Flip Chip technology available for use in low volume applications and prototyping stages. The developed UBM formation process consists of two major steps; temporary die attach process and UBM deposition process. The first process is developed using thermoplastic adhesive film. The second process is developed using electroless nickel plating, followed by gold immersion. It has been demonstrated in this thesis that the developed process can be used to form the UBM layer on the die successfully regardless of the die size and the complexity of the die pattern, and that this process does not damage nor affect electrically the sensitive die. / Master of Science

We study the resource investment decision faced by a firm that offers two demand-classes (i.e., products, services), while incorporating the firm's pricing decision into the investment decision. For this purpose, we consider a monopolistic situation and model the demand curve of each demand-class as a downward sloping linear function of its own price. The firm can invest in dedicated resources, which can only satisfy a specific demand-class, and/or in a more expensive, flexible resource, which can satisfy both demand-classes. We consider a two-stage stochastic decision model: In the first stage, the firm determines the dedicated and flexible resource capacities to invest in under demand uncertainty. In the second stage, demand curves are realized and the firm optimizes its revenue through pricing and resource allocation decisions, constrained by its capacity investment decision in the first stage. Our analysis provides the structure of the firm's optimal resource investment strategy as a function of price elasticities and investment costs, and shows how the value of resource flexibility depends on these parameters and demand correlations. Based on our analysis, we provide principles on the firm's optimal resource investment strategy under uncertainty. We show that it can be optimal for the firm to invest in the flexible resource when demand patterns are perfectly positively correlated, while it is not always optimal to invest in the flexible resource when demand patterns are perfectly negatively correlated. / Master of Science

The work seeks toward further developing a novel robotic platform capable of stable three legged locomotion. This will be accomplished by creating a robust and adaptable robotic platform capable of executing different walking strategies and taking multiple continuous steps. Previous iterations of this platform have been developed, all of which have used a single gait strategy. This study will seek to develop two new strategies. The first of which is a modification of the original strategy with theoretically improved gate robustness. A second strategy will seek to implement more advanced control techniques to create a fully stable balanced gait. / Master of Science

During an under-body blast (UBB) event, an improvised explosive device (IED) delivers a high-energy blast beneath a military vehicle, exposing mounted Warfighters to considerable risk of severe lower extremity injuries. Loftis and Gillich (2014) determined that the lower leg and ankle region is the most common body region to sustain skeletal injury in military mounted combat events, comprising twenty-one percent of cases reported in the Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of Injuries in Combat (JTAPIC) database between 2010 and 2012. Injuries of the lower extremity are not always life-threatening. However, from a survivability standpoint, these injuries may affect the ability of the Warfighter to self-extricate and ambulate in the immediate aftermath of an UBB event. In addition, lower extremity injuries can lead to long term health complications and reduced quality of life (Dischinger et al., 2004). While some comparisons can be drawn from the study of civilian automotive crashes; the impact level, rate, location, and directions in UBB are fundamentally different for the lower extremity. Therefore, substantial research efforts to characterize and assess injuries unique to UBB are essential. The Warrior Injury Assessment Manikin (WIAMan), the Tech Demonstrator version of which was introduced by Pietsch et al. (2016), is the only anthropomorphic test device (ATD) designed to evaluate injury patterns in UBB conditions. However, there are no known injury assessment tools for the female Warfighter at this time. The overarching goal of this research effort is to determine the origin of potential differences in the response of females and males in UBB conditions. The results of this work contribute to the body of research concerning high-rate axial loading of the lower extremity and form the first detailed biomechanical account of UBB effects on female PMHS. This work will inform future decisions regarding the requirements for a valid injury assessment capability for female Warfighters in the UBB environment and the subsequent research needed to support those requirements. Ultimately, advancements can be made in modeling and simulation capabilities, injury assessment criteria, test methodologies, and design approaches for safer military ground vehicles and personal protective equipment (PPE). Improvements in these technologies will reduce morbidity and mortality rates among the U.S. Warfighter population, both male and female. / During an under-body blast (UBB) event, an improvised explosive device (IED) delivers a high-energy blast beneath a military vehicle. Energy from the explosive is imparted to the occupants primarily through the floor and seats of the vehicle, exposing the occupants to considerable risk of injuries to the lower extremity. Compared to civilian automotive crashes, the lower extremities of occupants in UBB scenarios are exposed to greater forces, applied at higher rates, and in different locations and directions. To improve current vehicle systems and personal protective equipment (PPE), it is crucial to develop tools to evaluate injuries in UBB scenarios. One such tool is a test dummy, which is designed to quantify loads, deflections, and accelerations experienced by occupants during a crash. These measured values are compared to accepted thresholds, above which injury is likely to occur. The Warrior Injury Assessment Manikin (WIAMan), which is representative of the 50th-percentile male, is the only test dummy designed to evaluate injuries in UBB conditions. However, there are no known injury assessment tools for the female Warfighter at this time. The overarching goal of this research effort is to determine the origin of potential differences in the response of females and males in UBB conditions. The results of this work contribute to the body of research concerning high-rate axial loading of the lower extremity and form the first detailed biomechanical account of UBB effects on female post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS). The results will inform the development of injury assessment tools for female Warfighters, which will ultimately lead to improvements in technologies to reduce morbidity and mortality rates among the U.S. Warfighter population, both male and female.

Studien syftar till att undersöka vad vuxna barn till alkoholmissbrukande vårdnadshavare upplever varit försvårande och hjälpsamt under uppväxten samt hur de tror att uppväxten påverkat deras liv i vuxen ålder. Detta undersöktes genom kvalitativ metod där skriftliga narrativ samlades in via en enkät som delades på Facebook. Resultatet delades in i tre teman: försvårande under uppväxten, stöd och hjälp under uppväxten samt uppväxtens påverkan på vuxenlivet. Datamaterialet analyserades med hjälp av anknytningsteori och Antonovskys teori KASAM. Det som respondenterna upplevde som försvårande under uppväxten var fysisk, psykisk och social utsatthet i form av bland annat våld och otrygghet. Försvårande var även att hålla situationen hemma hemlig, skolproblem och att ta ett stort ansvar i hemmet. Stödjande under uppväxten var för många respondenter någon nära person eller person i skolan som de kunde vända sig till. Majoriteten av respondenterna beskrev också att de hade önskat ett större stöd under uppväxten än vad de fick. I vuxen ålder beskrev flera av respondenterna att de till följd av sin uppväxt har problem med relationer, tillitsproblem och låg självkänsla. Flera beskrev även att det egna förhållningssättet till alkohol var annorlunda mot för hur de tror att det skulle ha varit vid en uppväxt utan alkoholmissbrukande vårdnadshavare.   Studien har visat att en uppväxt med alkoholmissbrukande vårdnadshavare kan vara svår för barnet på flera sätt, vilket även framkommit i tidigare forskning. Studien visar på att bristen på stöd i uppväxten kan orsaka konsekvenser i det vuxna livet. En av studiens slutsatser är att dessa barn ändå klarat sig bra tack vare stöd av en skyddsfaktor som flera av respondenterna beskrivit som livsavgörande.

Since the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision first suggested a transition to Expected Shortfall as the primary risk measure for financial institutions, the question on how to backtest it has been widely discussed. Still, there is a lack of studies that compare the different proposed backtesting methods. This thesis uses simulations and empirical data to evaluate the performance of non-parametric backtests under different circumstances. An important takeaway from the thesis is that the different backtests all use some kind of trade-off between measuring the number of Value at Risk exceedances and their magnitudes. The main finding of this thesis is a list, ranking the non-parametric backtests. This list can be used to choose backtesting method by cross-referencing to what is possible to implement given the estimation method that the financial institution uses. / Sedan Baselkommittén föreslog införandet av Expected Shortfall som primärt riskmått för finansiella institutioner, har det debatteras vilken backtesting metod som är bäst. Trots detta råder det brist på studier som utvärderar olika föreslagna backtest. I studien används simuleringar och historisk data för att utvärdera icke-parametriska backtests förmåga att under olika omständigheter upptäcka underskattad Expected Shortfall. En viktig iakttagelse är att alla de undersökta testen innebär ett avvägande i vilken utsträckning det skall detektera antalet och/eller storleken på Value at Risk överträdelserna. Studien resulterar i en prioriterad lista över vilka icke-parametriska backtest som är bäst. Denna lista kan sedan användas för att välja backtest utefter vad varje finansiell institution anser är möjligt givet dess estimeringsmetod.

<p>The aim of this thesis was to explore the impact of physical, sexual and emotional violence against women of reproductive age and the level of controlling behaviour in marriage on child health and survival in two different cultural settings: Bangladesh and Nicaragua. </p><p>Data were acquired from four quantitative community-based studies. In two studies, a cohort including a prospective two year follow-up of 3164 mother-infant pairs in rural Bangladesh was investigated. A third study was a case-referent study in Nicaragua including mothers of 110 cases of under-five deaths and 203 referents, and in a forth study an other cohort of 1048 rural Bangladeshi women and their 2691 children was followed until 5 years of age. </p><p>Maternal exposure to any form of violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, and controlling behaviour was independently associated with lower body size at birth, increased risk of stunting and under-weight at 24 months of age, slower growth velocity during the first two years of life and a higher incidence of diarrhoeal episodes and respiratory tract infections. In the Nicaraguan setting, the children of women who experienced any history of physical violence had a two-fold increase in risk of death before the age of 5 years, and those whose mothers experienced both physical and sexual violence had a six-fold increase in risk of death. In Bangladesh, an association between violence against women and under-five mortality was found among daughters of educated mothers who were exposed to severe physical violence or a high level of controlling behaviour in marriage. In all four studies, lifetime violence experience among participating mothers was high (37-69%), and the timing was less relevant than the exposure to violence <i>per se</i>. </p><p>In conclusion, this investigation revealed that violence against women severely affects child health and survival. The findings are especially relevant in a context of high level of child under-nutrition, morbidity and under-five mortality. Efforts for protecting women from all forms of violence are needed as part of the interventions for improved child health.</p>

Les travaux de cette thèse portent sur l'analyse de stabilité des systèmes dynamiques impulsionnels et la synthèse d'observateurs pour les systèmes dynamiques continus avec mesures discrètes.On considère que les mesures sont prises d'une façon aléatoire pour éviter la perte d'observabilité et on montre que la synthèse d'un observateur impulsionnel couplé avec un observateur classique continu via un gain est une solution pertinente pour reconstruire l'état continu du système et commander et stabiliser ces systèmes par un retour d'état basé sur ces observateurs. De plus, ce nouveau schéma d'observateur (impulsionnel couplé avec observateur classique continu) permet de reconstruire le vecteur de sortie même si les mesures prises ne vérifient pas les conditions du Shannon-Nyquist. Ensuite, un chapitre est dédié à la détection de mode actif et à la reconstruction de son état associé, ceci pour une classe de systèmes linéaires hybrides sous mesures clairsemées. La solution que nous avons apportée à ce problème est d'une part l'analyse d'observabilité des systèmes sous échantillonnage aléatoire et d'autre part la synthèse d'observateurs impulsionnels. Ici, la première approche est basée sur le concept d'échantillonnage compressif bien connu en théorie du traitementdu signal. Une synthèse d'observateurs impulsionnels a été présentée pourquelques cas particuliers.D'autre part, une nouvelle méthode de synthèse d'observateurs spécifique aux systèmes non linéaire continus avec mesures discrètes est également proposée. Cette méthode utilise la condition de Lipchitz pour la transformation d'un système non linéaire à un système linéaire à paramètres variants basée sur l'utilisation du théorème des accroissements finis afin de synthétiser des observateurs impulsionnels.Enfin, les observateurs proposés sont testés sur une application à la synchronisation de systèmes chaotiques dédiés à la communication sécurisée. / This thesis deals with the stability analysis of impulsive systems and the design of impulsive observers for systems under sparse measurements.The measures are sparse but random in order to avoid the loss of observability.Moreover, it is highlighted that the synthesis of an impulsive observer coupled with a classical continuous observer via an observer gain is an appropriate solution to reconstruct the continuous system state and to stabilize this system by state feedback based on these observers. In addition, this new scheme (impulsive observer coupled with classical observer) can reconstruct the output vector, even if the available measurement do not verify the Nyquist-Shannon conditions. Another part is dedicated to the detection of the active mode and to the estimation of the associated continuous state for a class of linear hybrid systems under sparse measurements. The solution we found to this problem is firstly the observability of systems under random sampling and secondly the design of an impulsive observer. Here, the first approach is based on the concept of compressive sensing theory well known in signal processing. The design of the impulsive observer is presented for some special classes of nonlinear systems.Moreover, a novel observer design method for continuous nonlinear systems withdiscrete measurements is proposed. This method uses the Lipchitz conditions andthe mean value theorem in order to transform the problem in a linear one.Finally, the proposed observer are tested on application to the synchronization of chaotic systems dedicated to the secure communications