各種行動裝置服務不僅便利了生活，也讓資訊的傳遞更加即時且無界。2012年起，五家媒體藉助行動通訊軟體LINE在台灣的高人氣，每日固定推播四則新聞，總訂戶數至今突破450萬人，儼然成為一個新興的新聞傳播渠道。 本研究以情境理論的觀點，質化的使用者日誌記錄法和深度訪談法為主，理解使用者在不同情境下使用推播新聞的行為，並透過HTML5文字雲分析機，歸納出各家媒體推播內容的樣貌和趨勢。情境分析構面包含接收與閱讀情境下的「實體環境」、「社交環境」、「資訊環境」、「先前狀態」和「時間的影響」等；另再針對使用過程中面臨的「人機互動情境」綜合分析使用者的體驗。 這些情境因素不僅各自影響媒介使用的動機和行為，也會與新聞內容相互加強（或制約）吸引力，端賴哪方拉力（或推力）較強。根據訪談結果，「新聞內容」的影響力似乎又更為關鍵。受訪者普遍認為推播新聞的即時性和重要性偏低，新聞價值未能滿足期待，導致對LINE推播新聞的需要性和依賴性偏低。 未來業者可考慮設立不同的「主題式官方帳號」，提供針對性的內容；或者在目前的官方帳號中，增加一日新聞類型的多元性以滿足更多人的需求，就看媒體如何定位自家官方帳號的角色。此外，在發揮新聞標題創意的同時，仍應與內文保持一致，避免造成期待上的落差。不斷強化內容品質，並考量主要受眾的使用情境，可望改善體驗不佳的問題。 本研究以情境理論的觀點，開啟了「推播新聞」的學術研究基礎，並充實行動新聞領域的實證研究經驗，希望提供未來的研究者和新聞從業人員，一個了解推播新聞使用行為的先例。 / Mobile devices and services facilitate our lives, and also assist in delivering information more freely and immediately. Since 2012, five companies send four pieces of news daily through “LINE”, which is the most popular mobile instant messaging application in Taiwan. Nowadays, LINE becomes an emerging news channel, with over 450 million subscribers in total. This study is mainly based on the context theory, by means of diary method and in-depth interviews, to understand users’ behavior of push notifications news in different contexts, from news receiving aspect, reading aspect and human-computer interaction aspect. Besides, analyzing the news headlines by “HTML5 Text Analyzer” to explore the features of different media. Research found that users’ behavior and attitude influenced not only by contextual factors, but also by the value of content. Moreover, the effect of contextual factors and content would be reinforcing (or restraining) mutually, depends which one influence users’ behavior and attitude more crucially. According to respondents’ feedback, the value of push notification news, such as immediacy and importance, were far from their expectations. News editors may plan to set up more than one official account to reach target audience; or to increase the diversity of daily news by existing accounts, making effort to meet demand of more audience. In addition, the headline should be more concordant with the content of the news. Keep improving the quality of content, taking account of context factors while pushing news, may improve users’ experience.

Technology has been an integral part of human life since the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution, and the advancement of technologies has continued into the 21st century. Of all new emerging technologies, the computer has been identified as the most important, most complex and fastest emerging technology. In order for businesses to compete and survive within the business world, they are compelled to adopt new computer technologies. However, computers alone cannot improve organisational performance. Computers need to be accepted, optimally used and utilised by employees in order for an organisation to succeed. One such technology is SAP AG’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system which is a real-time, fully integrated business system used by more than 170 000 organisations in 120 countries. Measuring information system success has been a concern since its inception due to its complexity and difficulty to appraise. Researchers traditionally attempted to measure success by the delivering of a functional information system product within certain monetary and time constraints. Subsequently, evidence suggested that a more accurate measure of success lies within the field of system use. One model of assessing and predicting user acceptance and which has gained popularity in recent years is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Apart from accepting the SAP ERP system, users should also be of the intention to continuously use it as a job requirement. The model for measuring user commitment is psychological attachment which determines whether the commitment is insincere and temporary, or long-lasting. Further, not only do users need to accept and continuously use an information technology like SAP ERP; they also need to be able to cope while using it. If not, psychological stress known as techno stress develops and prevents the optimal use of this system. With these three possible explanations for computer technology avoidance as a premise of departure, this study aims to determine the congruence, if any, between the sub-constructs of the TAM (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward using, behavioural intention to use and actual system use), psychological attachment (compliance, identification and internalisation), and techno stress (negative computer thoughts) within a South African SAP ERP user environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used rendering a convenience sample of N = 241 from among the SAP ERP user fraternity at a South African steel manufacturer. The measuring instruments used were the 23-item Technology Acceptance Questionnaire (TAM), the 10-item Psychological Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ) and the 20-item Computer Thoughts Survey (CTS-C). Study 1 which was a literature review confirmed conceptual congruence in that although the technology acceptance model was the most parsimonious, powerful and widely applied theoretical model, it was constrained due to the omission of social influence (psychological attachment) as a contributing factor in the processes of behavioural change towards technology acceptance. Furthermore, it was found that techno stress lowers employee efficiency and creates dissonance in the work environment, resulting in acceptance, hesitance or resistance towards the technology in question. Congruence was established between the system itself (technology acceptance), social relationships (psychological acceptance), and inherent psychological stress (techno stress). The aim of study 2 was to test the technology acceptance model within a South African SAP ERP user environment. Structural equation modelling confirmed that positive inter-construct relationships exist between all TAM constructs. Actual system use, which is the measurement for technology acceptance, was directly affected by behavioural intention to use and indirectly by perceived usefulness. In turn, behavioural intention to use was directly affected by perceived usefulness, attitude toward using and indirectly by perceived ease of use. Attitude toward using was directly affected by perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness was directly affected by perceived ease of use. Study 3 revealed that internalisation had a direct positive effect on behavioural intention to use and an indirect effect on actual system use via behavioural intention to use. Furthermore, in this study identification had direct positive effects on internalisation, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and actual system use. Indirect effects emerged between identification and behavioural intention to use via internalisation as well as behavioural intention to use via perceived usefulness. Compliance, on the other hand, had negligible, negative direct effects on all TAM constructs of which the most prominent was that on attitude toward using. Results acquired from structural equation modelling in study four confirmed that weak negative relationships existed between techno stress and all TAM constructs. This finding is contrary to other studies and can be attributed to the fact that participants in this study were at large, proficient around SAP ERP and therefore experienced low levels of techno stress. Furthermore, aspects such as effective training, clear deadlines, effective teamwork, recurrent performance evaluations, job security, career development and realistic job load are all antidotes for techno stress which is believed to be current within the participant fraternity. In a concluding chapter the conclusions derived from the literature review, as well as the empirical research were presented and recommendations flowing from this research study were made. / PhD (Psychology), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

This thesis deals particular with the particularities of the maritime claims arising of the construction, repair or equipment of any ship or dock charges and dues and the particularities of the arrest of ship for these maritime claims in the Republic of Lithuania.

A qualitative approach was taken to explore Canadian Congolese refugees’ experience of war trauma recovery. Six volunteers (three men and three women), who self-identified as traumatized by their experience of war in Congo and had lived in Canada for less than ten years, participated in in-depth interviews. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysis, a core construct of Surviving War was identified. A hierarchical model of surviving war was developed that subsumed all other categories. By extrapolating principles from this model, a theory of Surviving War was developed which identifies factors that contribute to surviving war. Limitations of the current research are presented along with suggestions for further research. Recommendations for professionals working with a refugee population are also presented.

A qualitative approach was taken to explore Canadian Congolese refugees’ experience of war trauma recovery. Six volunteers (three men and three women), who self-identified as traumatized by their experience of war in Congo and had lived in Canada for less than ten years, participated in in-depth interviews. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysis, a core construct of Surviving War was identified. A hierarchical model of surviving war was developed that subsumed all other categories. By extrapolating principles from this model, a theory of Surviving War was developed which identifies factors that contribute to surviving war. Limitations of the current research are presented along with suggestions for further research. Recommendations for professionals working with a refugee population are also presented.

Network management plays a vital role to keep a network and its application work e ciently. The network management in MANETs is a crucial and the challenging task, as these networks are characterized by dynamic environment and the scarcity of resources. There are various existing approaches for network management in MANETs. The Ad hoc Network Management Protocol (ANMP) has been one of the rst e orts and introduced an SNMP-based solution for MANETs. An alternative SNMP-based solu-tion is proposed by GUERRILLA Management Architecture (GMA). Due to self-organizing characteristic feature of MANETs, the management task has to be distributed. Policy-based network management relatively o ers this feature, by executing and applying policies pre-viously de ned by network manager. Otherwise, the complexity of realization and control becomes di cult Most of the works address the current status of the MANET to take the network man-agement decisions. Currently, MANETs addresses the dynamic and intelligent decisions by considering the present situation and all related history information of nodes into consid-eration. In this connection we have proposed a network management system using agents (NMSA) for MANETs, resolving major issues like, node monitoring, location management, resource management and QoS management. Solutions to these issues are discussed as inde-pendent protocols, and are nally combined into a single network management system, i.e., NMSA. Agents are autonomous, problem-solving computational entities capable of performing e ective operation in dynamic environments. Agents have cooperation, intelligence, and mobility characteristics as advantages. The agent platforms provide the di erent services to agents, like execution, mobility, communication, security, tracking, persistence and directory etc. The platform execution environment allows the agents to run, and mobility service allows them to travel among the di erent execution environments. The entire management task will be delegated to agents, which then executes the management logic in a distributed and autonomous fashion. In our work we used the static and mobile agents to nd some solutions to the management issues in a MANET. We have proposed a node monitoring protocol for MANETs, which uses both static agent (SA) and mobile agents (MA), to monitor the nodes status in the network. It monitors the gradational energy loss, bu er, bandwidth, and the mobility of nodes running with low to high load of mobile applications. Protocol assumes the MANET is divided into zones and sectors. The functioning of the protocol is divided into two segments, The NMP main segment, which runs at the chosen resource rich node (RRN) at the center of a MANET, makes use of SA which resides at same RRN, and the NMP subsegment which runs in the migrated MAs at the other nodes. Initially SA creates MAs and dispatches one MA to each zone, in order to monitor health conditions and mobility of nodes of the network. MAs carrying NMP subsegment migrates into the sector of a respective zone, and monitors the resources such as bandwidth, bu er, energy level and mobility of nodes. After collecting the nodes information and before moving to next sector they transfer collected information to SA respectively. SA in turn coordinates with other modules to analyze the nodes status information. We have validated the protocol by performing the conformance testing of the proposed node monitoring protocol (NMP) for MANETs. We used SDL to obtain MSCs, that repre-sents the scenario descriptions by sequence diagrams, which in turn generate test cases and test sequences. Then TTCN-3 is used to execute the test cases with respect to generated test sequences to know the conformance of protocol against the given speci cation. We have proposed a location management protocol for locating the nodes of a MANET, to maintain uninterrupted high-quality service for distributed applications by intelligently anticipating the change of location of its nodes by chosen neighborhood nodes. The LMP main segment of the protocol, which runs at the chosen RRN located at the center of a MANET, uses SA to coordinate with other modules and MA to predict the nodes with abrupt movement, and does the replacement with the chosen nodes nearby which have less mobility. We have proposed a resource management protocol for MANETs, The protocol makes use of SA and MA for fair allocation of resources among the nodes of a MANET. The RMP main segment of the protocol, which runs at the chosen RRN located at the center of a MANET, uses SA to coordinate with other modules and MA to allocate the resources among the nodes running di erent applications based on priority. The protocol does the distribution and parallelism of message propagation (mobile agent with information) in an e cient way in order to minimize the number of message passing with reduction in usage of network resources and improving the scalability of the network. We have proposed a QoS management protocol for MANETs, The QMP main segment of the protocol, which runs at the chosen RRN located at the center of a MANET, uses SA to coordinate with other modules and MA to allocate the resources among the nodes running di erent applications based on priority over QoS. Later, to reallocate the resources among the priority applications based on negotiation and renegotiation for varying QoS requirements. The performance testing of the protocol is carried out using TTCN-3. The generated test cases for the de ned QoS requirements are executed with TTCN-3, for testing of the associated QoS parameters, which leads to performance testing of proposed QoS management protocol for MANETs. We have combined the developed independent protocols for node monitoring, location management, resource management, and QoS management, into one single network management system called Network Management System using Agents (NMSA) for MANETs and tested in di erent environments. We have implemented NMSA on Java Agent development environment (JADE) Platform. Our developed network management system is a distributed system. It is basically divided into two parts, the Network Management Main Segment and other is Network Management Subsegment. A resource rich node (RRN) which is chosen at the center of a MANET where the Main segment of NMSA is located, and it controls the management activities. The other mobile nodes in the network will run MA which has the subsegments of NMSA. The network management system, i.e., the developed NMSA, has Network manage-ment main (NMSA main), Zones and sector segregation scheme, NMP, LMP, RMP, QMP main segments at the RRN along with SA deployed. The migrated MA at mobile node has subsegments of NMP, LMP, RMP, and QMP respectively. NMSA uses two databases, namely, Zones and sectors database and Node history database. Implementation of the proposed work is carried out in a con ned environment with, JDK and JADE installed on network nodes. The launched platform will have AMS and DF automatically generated along with MTP for exchange of message over the channel. Since only one JVM, which is installed, will executes on many hosts in order to provide the containers for agents on those hosts. It is the environment which o ered, for execution of agents. Many agents can be executed in parallel. The main container, is the one which has AMS and DF, and RMI registry are part of JADE environment which o ers complete run time environment for execution of agents. The distribution of the platform on many containers of nodes is shown in Fig. 1. The NMSA is based on Linux platform which provides distributed environment, and the container of JADE could run on various platforms. JAVA is the language used for code development. A middle layer, i.e., JDBC (java database connection) with SQL provides connectivity to the database and the application. The results of experiments suggest that the proposed protocols are e ective and will bring, dynamism and adaptiveness to the applied system and also reduction in terms network overhead (less bandwidth consumption) and response time.

Orientador: Edvaldo Assunção / Resumo: Neste trabalho são propostas metodologias com base na teoria de estabilidade segundo Lyapunov para projetar controladores gain scheduling usando realimentação de estado ou derivativa e o conceito de D-estabilidade. As condições de projeto são dadas por desigualdades matriciais lineares (do inglês, Linear Matrix Inequalities - LMIs). A metodologia é aplicada em sistemas lineares sujeitos a parâmetros variantes no tempo (do inglês, Linear Parameter Varying - LPV). A utilização do Lema de Finsler eliminou a necessidade de inverter uma matriz literal para projetar o ganho de realimentação. Com o objetivo de satisfazer requisitos práticos, foi feito uso da restrição de D-estabilidade no projeto de um controlador para um sistema de suspensão ativa. A implementação prática mostra a eficiência da metodologia proposta. / Abstract: In this work are proposed methologies based on Lyapunov stability theory for designing gain scheduling controller using state-derivative feedback or state feedback and considering D-stability constraint. The design conditions are given by Linear Matrix Inequalities. The methodology is applied on system with time-variant parameter. The use of Finsler’s Lemma eliminated the problem of inverting a symbolic matrix to calculate the feedback gain. The theory of D-stability allowed to get implementable controllers for an active suspension system. The practical implementation showed the efficiency of the proposed methodology. / Mestre

La photochimiothérapie extracorporelle (PCE) est une immunothérapie autologue, basée sur la réinjection de cellules photochimiquement modifiées. La PCE a démontré son efficacité dans le traitement des formes avancées du CTCL, dans la GvHD ainsi que dans d’autres pathologies médiées par la présence de lymphocytes T pathogènes (rejets de greffes d’organes, pathologies auto-immunes), sans provoquer d’immunossupression généralisée. Bien qu’utilisée depuis de nombreuses années, les mécanismes d’action de la PCE restent peu connus. L’objectif de ma thèse était de les étudier et de mettre en place un modèle chez la souris pour permettre une optimisation des protocoles cliniques. Deux hypothèses ont été testées pour expliquer l’efficacité de la PCE : la mort « tolérogène » où l’effet obtenu serait lié à la génération de lymphocytes T régulateurs et la mort « immunogène » où l’effet pourrait s’expliquer par la génération de lymphocytes T cytotoxiques.L’utilisation de cellules mononucléées humaines obtenues chez des donneurs sains nous a permis de générer des lymphocytes T alloréactifs activés et de montrer que les lymphocytes T traités PUVA émettaient une partie des molécules dites de danger (DAMPs), décrites comme immunogènes, telles que la Calréticuline ou encore le HMGB1. Ces cellules sont phagocytées par les macrophages et les moDCs, mais ne sont pas capables d’induire leur maturation, ce qui n’engendre donc pas de stimulation du système immunitaire.L’utilisation d’un modèle murin de polyarthrite rhumatoïde (CIA) nous a permis de montrer l’efficacité de la PCE dans le traitement de cette pathologie. De plus, nos résultats montrent que l’efficacité du traitement repose sur la présence de lymphocytes T issus de souris « arthritique » dans l’échantillon traité.En conclusion, les mécanismes d’action de la PCE ne semblent pas être associés au concept de mort immunogène. Le modèle de polyarthrite rhumatoïde induite par le collagène chez la souris permettra de poursuivre l’étude des mécanismes d’action et d’optimisation de la PCE. / Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an autologous immunotherapy based on the reinfusion of photochemical modified mononuclear cells. ECP efficacy is demonstrated in treatment of CTCL, in GvHD and in others T-cell mediated diseases (organ transplant rejection and auto-immune diseases). ECP does not generate generalized immunosuppression. Although it has been used for years, mechanisms of action of ECP are not totally understood. The objective of my thesis was to study these mechanisms of action and set up a murine model to allow an optimization of the clinical protocols. Two hypotheses have been tested to explain the effectiveness of ECP: “Tolerogenic” cell death where the effect would be related to the generation of regulatory T lymphocytes and "immunogenic" death where the effect could be explained by the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes.The use of human mononuclear cells obtained from healthy donors enabled us to generate activated alloreactive T cells and to show that the PUVA-treated T-cells emitted a part of the danger molecules (DAMPs), described as immunogenic, such as Calreticulin or HMGB1. These cells are phagocytosed by macrophages and moDCs but do not induce their maturation, which does not therefore generate any stimulation of the immune system.The use of a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis (CIA) allowed us to show the effectiveness of PCE in the treatment of this pathology. Moreover, our results show that the effectiveness of the treatment is based on the presence of T lymphocytes derived from "arthritic" mice in the treated sample.In conclusion, the mechanisms of action of PCE do not seem to be associated with the concept of immunogenic death. The model of collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis in mice will allow further study of the mechanisms of action and optimization of PCE.

1 Solving strategies of word problems depending on the context topicality ABSTRACT The thesis deals with word problems solvable by linear equations. The aim of the work is to show if the context, on which the word problem depends, influences how pupils participating in the research solve it and verify if word problem phrasing and modern language usage help pupils solve the word problem. It is accomplished by assigning pupils a set of varied word problems and assessing their solutions. More results were gained by assessing questionnaires related to the context of the word problems being calculated. The second aim of the thesis is to explain various definitions of word problems, putting the term into the context of school mathematics and a brief summary of the historical development of mathematics focusing on word problems. The work consists of three parts. In the first part, problems and word problems are defined and it is shown how word problems are included in the Framework educational programme. Word problems are put into historical context. The second part shows the conception of motion word problems, word problems on joint work and word problems on dividing a whole into parts in the present-day mathematical textbooks in the second stage of elementary schools and in the lower classes of secondary grammar...

L’identité de Ward est une relation qui permet d’identifier unmilieu de propagation linéaire dissipatif, c'est-à-dire d'estimer des paramètres qui le caractérisent. Dans les travaux exposés, cette identité est utilisée pour proposer de nouveaux modèles d’observation caractérisant un contexte d’estimation qualifié de passif : les sources qui excitent le système ne sont pas contrôlées par l’utilisateur. La théorie de l’estimation/détection dans ce contexte est étudiée et des analyses de performances sont menées sur divers estimateurs. La portée applicative des méthodes proposées concerne le domaine du Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), c’est-à-dire le suivi de l’état de santé desbâtiment, des ponts... L'approche est développée pour la modalité acoustique aux fréquences audibles, cette dernière s'avérant complémentaire des techniques de l’état de l’art du SHM et permettant entre autre, d’accéder à des paramètres structuraux et géométriques. Divers scénarios sont illustrés par la mise en oeuvre expérimentale des algorithmes développés et adaptés à des contraintes de calculs embarqués sur un réseau de capteurs autonome. / Ward identity is a relationship that enables damped linear system identification, ie the estimation its caracteristic properties. This identity is used to provide new observation models that are available in an estimation context where sources are uncontrolled by the user. An estimation and detection theory is derived from these models and various performances studies areconducted for several estimators. The reach of the proposed methods is extended to Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), that aims at measuring and tracking the health of buildings, such as a bridge or a sky-scraper for instance. The acoustic modality is chosen as it provides complementary parameters estimation to the state of the art in SHM, such as structural and geometrical parameters recovery. Some scenarios are experimentally illustrated by using the developed algorithms, adapted to fit the constrains set by embedded computation on anautonomous sensor network.