Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-07T19:02:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 000445469-Texto+Completo-0.pdf: 814844 bytes, checksum: a2c5bfb8be6c064ba4dce92707600967 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / The research object of this paper is the inferential processing of politically incorrect language on the Internet. The aims of this paper are to describe the properties of the object and to evaluate inferential theories’ capacity to deal with it. In order to do so, an interdisciplinary approach is used, based on the Metatheory of Interfaces (COSTA, 2007). This paper is in a linguistic-cognitive-communicative perspective, as well as in a Semantics/Pragmatics interface. Inferences in natural language were investigated in this paper, therefore the inferential theories such as Grice’s Implicature Theory (1975) were described and discussed, as well as the theories by Costa (2008), Levionson (2000) and Sperber & Wilson (1996). Since the notion of inference as ocurring in dialogues is assumed, theories of Dialogue by Bohm (1996), Walton (1989) and Costa (2011) were presented, as well as charactetistics of dialogues in virtual environments.Controversial topics are frequent on the Internet and bring about conversations and discussions that present language that is considered to be politically incorrect. Thus, notions on such language are presented, based on authors such as Lakoff (2000), Rajagopalan (2000) and Hornsby (2001). This theoretical framework leads this paper into the analysis, where it was possible to reason out that an interface approach is more effective to cope with the complexities of the inferences that occur in the politically incorrect language. / O objeto teórico deste trabalho é o processo inferencial da linguagem politicamente incorreta em diálogos na Internet. Este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever as propriedades desse objeto e avaliar a potencialidade de teorias inferenciais para analisá-lo. Para tanto, uma abordagem em interfaces é utilizada, seguindo a Metateoria das Interfaces (COSTA, 2007) e adotando uma perspectiva Linguística cognitiva-comunicativa e uma interface entre a Semântica e a Pragmática. Neste trabalho, as inferências em linguagem natural são investigadas, portanto uma descrição de teorias inferencialistas como a Teoria das Implicaturas de Grice (1975), bem como as propostas de Costa (2008), Levinson (2000) e Sperber & Wilson (1996) são descritas e discutidas. Ao propor que o processo inferencial ocorre em trocas comunicativas, ou diálogos, as teorias sobre o diálogo de Bohm (1996), Walton (1989) e Costa (2011) são apresentadas, e uma vez que os diálogos ocorrem em ambiente virtual, características da comunicação virtual são apresentadas.Nesse ambiente, assuntos polêmicos geram inúmeros diálogos, onde linguagem considerada politicamente incorreta ocorre. Conceitos sobre tal linguagem são apresentados, seguindo autores como Lakoff (2000), Rajagopalan (2000) e Hornsby (2001), para então chegar à análise. Foi possível concluir que uma abordagem em interfaces é mais eficaz para lidar com as complexidades das inferências que ocorrem na linguagem politicamente incorreta.

M.Com. (Business Management ) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Comm. / The present study was undertaken in the realm of the Internet working environment, with its focus on measures by which to secure executable code in the Web-browsing environment. The principal aim of this study was to highlight the potential security risks that could be incurred while a user is browsing the World Wide Web. As a secondary objective, the researcher hoped, by means of a prototype and the process of real-time risk analyses, to alert the general Internet user population to these risks. The main objective of the prototype was to provide a framework within which users could be warned of potentially dangerous actions effected by executing code in their browsing environments in real time. Following, an overview of the research methodology employed to realise the objectives of this study. The study commenced with an introduction to the Internet and, along with that, to the World Wide Web. In the course of the introduction, the researcher took a closer look at a number of risks associated with this environment. In sketching the Internet environment and its associated risks, the researcher also provided ample motivation for the study. After having established the clamant need to secure the Web-browsing environment, a conceptual model was expounded. This model would later form the basis for the Real-time Risk Analyser prototype to be presented. In order, however, to justify further research into and development of the said RtRA prototype, it was necessary first to evaluate existing browsing technologies. A formal approach was followed to draw a comparison between the existing browsers. The said comparison also served to uncover some of the shortcomings of these browsers in terms of the security features they support. Since the focal point of this study was to be the various ways in which to secure executable code on the Internet, it was decided to launch an investigation into Java, as it probably is the most familiar executable code used in the Web browsing environment. The Java Security Model was, therefore, thoroughly researched in a bid to determine possible ways in which to monitor executable Java code. After having investigated the browsing environment and after having determined possible ways of performing real-time risk analyses, a prototype was developed that could monitor executable Java code in a browsing environment. Following, the prototype was put through its paces in a hypothetical scenario. The study culminated in a summary of the results of and the conclusions about the research study. Further problem areas that could become the focal points of future research projects were also touched upon.

Today, the advent of information technologies (IT) is changing the way the world communicates. The growth of internet related technologies provides building organizations with low-cost tools that can optimize project communications. In particular, the recent development of project specific "intranets", can enhance project communication by giving all members of the project team access to a common, centralized database of construction information. This study looked at the effect of project specific intranet systems on the communications of the project team. More specifically, the study analyzed several communication variables including timeliness, completeness, understanding, barriers, speed and procedures. Additionally, graphic models were developed to help describe the intranet's role in the project communication network. The methodology triangulated three data collection methods to measure variables on three case studies. This triangulation included the comparison of information benchmarks, an examination of communication effectiveness, and the use of social network analysis. The study found that when used properly, project specific intranet systems act as a key actor in a project communication network. Intranets also have a positive effect on the timeliness and understanding of project information, and their use can improve the speed with which information is transferred between project players. On the negative side, intranet use seems to contribute to the information overload of project participants. But the success of the project intranet is largely a function of project participation. For positive results several key players need to use the system on a regular basis. These key players include the architect, the project manager, the site superintendent and key office engineers. When one of these primary players refuses to participate, then the system quickly loses its effectiveness.

The Internet has come a long way from its humble beginnings of being used as a simple way of transporting data within the US army and other academic organizations. With the exploding growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web or WWW more and more people and companies are not only providing services via the WWW but are also conducting business transactions. In today’s Web-based environment where individuals and organizations are conducting business online, it is imperative that the technologies that are being utilized are secure in every way. It is important that any individual or organization that wants to protect their data in one form or another adhere to the five (5) basic security services. These security services are Identification and Authentication, Authorization, Confidentiality, Integrity and Non-repudiation This study looks at two Web-based technologies, namely XML and XML Web services and provides an evaluation of whether or not the 5 security services form part of the security surrounding these Web-based technologies. Part 1 is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1, is an Introduction and roadmap to the dissertation. This chapter provides an introduction to the dissertation. Chapter 2 provides an Overview of XML. The reader must not view this chapter as a technical chapter. It is simply a chapter that provides the reader with an understanding of XML so that the reader is able to understand the chapter surrounding XML security. Chapter 3 provides an Overview of Web services. Again the reader must not view this chapter as a technical chapter and as in chapter 2 this chapter must be seen as an overview providing the reader with a broad picture of what Web services is. A lot of technical background and know how has not been included in these two chapters. Part 2 is divided into a further three chapters. Chapter 4 is titled Computer Security and provides the reader with a basic understanding surrounding security in general. The 5 security services are introduced in more detail and the important mechanisms and aspects surrounding security are explained. Chapter 5 looks at how XML and Web services are integrated. This is a short chapter with diagrams that illustrate how closely XML and Web services are interwoven. Chapter 6 is the most important chapter of the dissertation. This chapter is titled XML and Web services security. This chapter provides the reader with an understanding of the various XML mechanisms that form part of the Web services environment, thus providing security in the form of the 5 security services. Each XML mechanism is discussed and each security service is discussed in relation to these various mechanisms. This is all within the context of the Web services environment. The chapter concludes with a table that summarizes each security service along with its corresponding XML mechanism. Part 3 includes one chapter. Chapter 7 is titled Mapping XML and Web services against the 5 security services. This chapter makes use of the information from the previous chapter and provides a summary in the form of a table. This table identifies each security service and looks at the mechanisms that provide that service within a Web services environment. Part 4 provides a conclusion to the dissertation. Chapter 8 is titled Conclusion and provides a summary of each preceding chapter. This chapter also provides a conclusion and answers the question of whether or not the 5 information security services are integrated into XML and Web services. / von Solms, S.H., Prof.

M.Sc. (Computer Science) / As the world enters the new millennium, we are experiencing one of the most important changes since the industrial revolution - the move to an Internet-based society. Traditional business channels are moving to a new platform of interaction that is called Electronic Business (EB). Electronic Business is becoming a significant business tool, provided that businesses understand the benefits, the application areas and impacts of EB, and can apply these concepts optimally. The problem with many businesses, especially SMMEs (Small Medium and Micro Enterprises), is that they are ignorant to many EB-related concepts, how EB can assist their business needs, and how to apply EB into their business components. Various solutions for EB exist in the industry, which are very comprehensive and complex. However, with the constant wave of mergers, acquisitions and new IT-companies forming, as well as the myriad of new solutions being developed, many businesses are not sure which solution would suit their business best, and which solution provider would be the best to approach. What businesses need is an understanding of EB and guidelines on how to start becoming EB focused. The principle aim of the Enterprise-Wide Electronic Business (EWEB) Framework developed is to form the bridge between a traditional business and an electronic business. This is achieved by defining many EB-related concepts and providing guidelines on how to streamline business processes with technology in moving to an EB platform. The EWEB Framework targets this from three perspectives. Firstly, the EWEB Framework follows a top-down approach to EB, targeting business processes across the enterprise as well as business issues from strategic, architectural and infrastructural levels. This allows EWEB to be applicable to all types of business processes and businesses needs. Secondly, the EWEB Framework also consists of business processes that are common across all industries. This allows EWEB to be applicable to all types of businesses...

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. / The Wideband Code Division Multiple Access is a third generation air interface, initiated in European Union research projects at the start of the 1990s. The standard emerged by the end of 1999 as part of the 3GPP standardization process. It was designed to support multiple simultaneous services with high quality services through an increased data rate. This research examines the properties and parameters of the WCDMA system to determine the feasibility of intercepting and exploiting this technology with known assets. It explores this possibility by looking at link analysis, adaptive antennas and co-channel interference canceling techniques to determine if the interception of WCDMA signals is possible. / Lieutenant Junior Grade, Hellenic Navy

In addition to ATP generation, mitochondria are essential in various cellular processes ranging from biosynthetic pathways, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and calcium buffering. Studies in living cells have now firmly established that mitochondria exist as a dynamic network sculpted by fission and fusion reactions, rather than separated, individual organelles. Not surprisingly, mutations in genes involved in mitochondrial dynamics and quality control lead to human diseases such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A, Optic atrophy, and autosomal recessive Parkinson disease. I have designed a high-throughput protocol to permit genome-wide screening for novel genes that are required for normal mitochondrial morphology. I have executed a genome-wide RNA interference screen and identified several novel genes required for mitochondrial dynamics in addition to known regulators of mitochondrial dynamics. A detailed high-throughput genome-wide screening protocol is presented. I have shown that TID1, a gene identified from the screen, has a dual-role in maintaining the integrity of mitochondrial DNA and preventing the aggregation of complex I subunits. My analysis of the mitochondrial role of TID1 supports the existence of a TID1- mediated stress response to ATP synthase inhibition. The genome screen also identified the novel gene ROMO1 as essential for normal mitochondrial morphology. I have shown that ROMO1 may have an additional role in maintaining mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity, possibly by affecting cellular substrate availability. Finally, in a collaborative effort, we have shown that homozygous mutations in the mitochondrial fusion gene MFN2 lead to multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) associated with neuropathy. Mechanistically, this mutation reduces MFN2 homocomplex formation. Taken together, these results show the utility of genome-wide screening in identifying genes involved in mitochondrial quality control.

This study aimed at investigating the content of leading energy corporations' communications about corporate social responsibility (CSR). The specific purpose was to explore how the leading energy corporations communicate CSR activities as three distinctive approaches on their websites, to compare the differences among the three approaches, and to investigate the relationship between the information on the websites that addresses stakeholder relationship and the financial performance. Drawing on the theories and instruments from corporate social responsibility literature, this study explored the performance of CSR through a content analysis of leading energy corporations' websites. The results showed that leading energy corporations employed diverse means to build the good image of socially responsible corporations, and they exhibited strong commitments to employees, shareholders, and the natural environment. Qualitative results showed that leading energy corporations crafted and disseminated information in different levels and formats, and widely adopted visualized information. Differences worth underlining were the fact that leading energy corporations do not display the same eagerness to communicate with stakeholders using these three approaches. The ethical business conduct approach was emphasized the most and the strategic public philanthropy approach was the least. Further, this study found that there was no statistically significant correlation between the information on websites that addresses stakeholder relations and company financial performance (ROIC) among the leading energy corporations. The results suggested that there was little variation among their web-based CSR information, especially stakeholders' information. Finally, the findings of this study suggested that stakeholder communication in CSR had been ingrained in leading energy corporations' norms and values. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 1, 2015. / Corporate Social Responsibility, Financial Performance, Stakeholder Relationship, Three Key Approaches to CSR, Web Communication / Includes bibliographical references. / Ulla Sypher, Professor Co-Directing Thesis; Jaejin Lee, Professor Co-Directing Thesis; Stephen McDowell, Committee Member; Sindy Chapa, Committee Member.

For III-nitride wide-bandgap materials, the lack of efficient p-type wide bandgap semiconductors limits the full potential of group-III nitride-based optoelectronic devices. Conventional wide bandgap p-type materials consisting of magnesium-doped gallium nitride (GaN:Mg) and magnesium-doped aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN:Mg) typically exhibit low hole carrier concentrations of <1018 cm-3 . Hence, I used different wide bandgap inorganic p-type materials as a promising solution, e.g., copper thiocyanate (CuSCN). CuSCN has multiple attractive properties that hold potential for applications in III-nitride materials. For example, its energy band gap is up to 3.9 e.V and its electron effective mass is higher than its hole effective mass. These two key features make CuSCN a potential wide bandgap p-type material for III-nitride systems. By exposing CuSCN to chlorine, Cl2-infused CuSCN thin film achieves a hole concentration up to 3 × 1018 cm-3 and maintains its visible-light-blind optical properties. Based on these desirable features, p CuSCN/n-GaN heterojunction ultraviolet photodetectors, as well as the p-CuSCN and n GaN interface, were fabricated to investigate the potential applications of p-CuSCN in III nitride devices. Moreover, p-CuSCN also benefits the corresponding organic solar cells; p CuSCN-based organic solar cells perform better in power conversion efficiency and stability tests under various conditions than intrinsic CuSCN-based organic solar cells. This work on p-CuSCN not only paves the way for new III-nitride semiconductor devices, but may also potentially enable the development of organic devices with better performance and longer lifetime. To explore the potential of transition metal oxides in UV photodetectors, NiO was selected to proceed with device fabrication because of its wider energy bandgap and lower hole effective mass than other transition metal oxides. Since single crystal quality is required to maintain its visible-light-blind optical property, brand-new templates were invented to grow single-crystal NiO thin films, TiN/MgO, and TiN/Si. Use of TiN thin film between NiO and the substrates provides a good back-side metal contact for NiO-based semiconductor devices. Several tools were employed to ascertain the single-crystal quality of as-grown NiO thin films on TiN/MgO and TiN/Si. I demonstrate NiO/TiN/MgO and NiO/TiN/Si bilayer structures may pave the way towards better NiO-based ultraviolet optoelectronic devices.