Die surrealistische Idee hatte einen starken Einfluss auf die Begründer der Négritude-Bewegung Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sédar Senghor und Léon-Gontran Damas. Diese Beziehung ist vielfach untersucht worden. Weitgehend unberücksichtigt ist bisher die jüngere Generation afrikanischer Schiftsteller geblieben. In dieser Studie wird daher besonders exemplarisch Dambudzo Marechera behandelt, dessen Werk noch nicht unter surrealistischen Aspekten untersucht wurde. Es geht darum, die Formen der literarischen Avantgarde in Afrika südlich der Sahara in ihren surrealistischen Prägungen anhand der Poetik und Lyrik des postkolonialen simbabwischen Schriftstellers Marechera zu analysieren. Es wird das Verhältnis zwischen dem europäischen Surrealismus und den afrikanischen Literaten, insbesondere der späteren Generation untersucht und die Art der Rezeption analysiert. Der Surrealismus ist eine bedeutende Tendenz in der afrikanischen Literatur, die sich unmittelbar auf die postkolonialen Realitäten bezieht und verdient es daher, in weit stärkerem Maße als bisher, beachtet zu werden. / The surrealistic idea has surely had a great influence on the founders of the Négritude-Movement. We are able to find it in the works and poetics of Césaire, Senghor and Damas, and especially in the surrealistically orientated review Tropiques as well as in the critical reception of the African literature. The first alliance of the representatives of the first generation of African poets with Surrealism is due to some of their shared objectives such as the questioning of the colonial system, the critic of colonialism and the recovery and revalorization of the African cultural heritage. The first African poets like Senghor, Césaire and Damas tried to incorporate and apply the surrealistic program to their proper context in order to achieve their own targets, such as: poetically, like Rimbaud declared, to change life and politically, like Marx stated, to change the world. The relationship between Surrealism and African literature presents the main subject of this paper. The dissertation treats particularly authors, who have not yet been examined from a surrealistic point of view. Concerning this thesis, Dambudzo Marechera is regarded above all as an exemplary representative for new literary avant-garde writing from Africa. The area of research for this study is limited most notably on forms of literary Avant-gardes in Africa south of the Sahara and most of all on surrealistic forms. This will be examined by the means of artistic conceptions and philosophy as well as poetic extracts of the postcolonial Zimbabwean writer, which will demonstrate the tendencies of a new trend of writing. The dissertation examines the relationship between European Surrealism and African poetry stemmed from the first and later generations of African writers through Césaire and Marechera. Additionally, it presents a pleadge for pushing the boundaries of research in the field of Surrealisms of African literature and awakening the interest for more research concerning the topic of this paper.

Submitted by Setor de Tratamento da Informa??o - BC/PUCRS (tede2@pucrs.br) on 2015-06-02T12:44:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 469853 Texto Completo.pdf: 325069 bytes, checksum: fc27bc18665b1440db4e4c0887933243 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-02T12:44:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 469853 Texto Completo.pdf: 325069 bytes, checksum: fc27bc18665b1440db4e4c0887933243 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-30 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico - CNPq / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / This study analyses the paratextual relation between Literature and the Bible, in Hermilo Borba Filho?s text, Os ambulantes de Deus, and the Book of Exodus, from the Bible. It states the contribution of the mentioned author to the Brazilian literature, recognizing the possibility of studies related to him. It identifies the connexion between these texts, using Gerard Genette?s paratextual studies as its theoretical grounding, and attributing to the epigraphs the function of setting up these relations. It notes, in the epigraphs, the possibility of spreading the sense and the meaning of both texts, since literature intensifies the mythical aspects from the biblical narrative into its artistic content. / O presente trabalho analisa as rela??es paratextuais entre a Literatura e a B?blia, a partir da obra de Hermilo Borba Filho, Os ambulantes de Deus, e do Livro do ?xodo, presente na B?blia. Percebe a contribui??o do referido autor para a Literatura Brasileira, reconhecendo a possibilidade de estudos relativos ? sua produ??o liter?ria. Identifica a afinidade entre esses dois textos, utilizando como fundamenta??o te?rica o estudo proposto por G?rard Genette acerca da paratextualidade, na qual as ep?grafes, presentes na fic??o em quest?o, t?m a fun??o de estabelecer essas rela??es paratextuais. Observa no uso dessas ep?grafes, a possibilidade de amplia??o de sentido dass obras, uma vez que a Literatura, dentro do seu conte?do art?stico, intensifica aspectos m?ticos presentes na narrativa b?blica.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:07:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PedroLSF_DISSERT.pdf: 5571248 bytes, checksum: d237019829d37099df0ac47168668556 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-21 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico / Composite laminates with plies in different directions finely dispersed are classified as homogenized. The expected benefits of homogenization include increased mechanical strength, toughness and resistance to delamination. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of stacking sequence on the tensile strength of laminates. Composite plates were fabricated using unidirectional layers of carbon/epoxy prepreg with configurations [903/303/-303]S and [90/30/-30]3S. Specimens were subjected to tensile and open hole tension (OHT) tests. According to the experimental results, the mean values of strength for the homogenized laminates [90/30/-30]3S were 140% and 120% greater for tensile and OHT tests, respectively, as compared to laminates with configuration [903/303/-303]S. The increase in tensile strength for more homogenized laminates was associated with the increment in interlaminar interfaces, which requires more energy to produce delamination, and the more complicated crack propagation through plies with different orientations. OHT strength was not affected by the presence of the hole due to the predominance of the interlaminar shear stress in relation to the stress concentration produced by the hole / Laminados formados por l?minas com diferentes orienta??es, finamente dispersas, s?o classificados como homogeneizados. Os benef?cios esperados da homogeneiza??o incluem aumento de resist?ncia mec?nica, da tenacidade e da resist?ncia ? delamina??o. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da sequ?ncia de empilhamento na resist?ncia ? tra??o de laminados quase-isotr?picos. Placas de comp?sitos foram fabricadas com l?minas unidirecionais de ep?xi/carbono com configura??es [903/303/-303]S e [90/30/-30]3S. Corpos de prova foram submetidos a ensaios de tra??o e de open hole tension (OHT). De acordo com os resultados experimentais, os valores m?dios de resist?ncia para os laminados mais homogeneizados [90/30/-30]3S foram incrementados em 140% e 120% nos ensaios de resist?ncia ? tra??o e OHT, respectivamente, em rela??o aos laminados com configura??o [903/303/-303]S. O aumento de resist?ncia ? tra??o para laminados mais homogeneizados foi relacionado com o maior n?mero de interfaces interlaminares, que aumenta a quantidade de energia necess?ria para produzir delamina??o, e a maior dificuldade de propaga??o de trincas atrav?s de l?minas com orienta??es diferentes. A resist?ncia medida nos ensaios de OHT n?o foi afetada pela presen?a do furo devido ? predomin?ncia da influ?ncia da tens?o de cisalhamento interlaminar em rela??o ao efeito de concentra??o de tens?o provocado pelo furo

Coordination of social security by bilateral agreements on social security is a specific area of international law that is essential to pay attention to. Czech Republic has up to now signed 16 bilateral agreements that are valid in their entirety. This thesis focuses on these 16 bilateral agreements and compares them with Regulation (EC) 883/2004 which became valid as the Czech Republic became member of European Union and which replaced bilateral agreements that were concluded with member states of European Union. The aim of this thesis is to perform a detailed analysis and to answer on following questions that are directly related to this issue. Firstly the thesis focuses on personal scale and answers a question of who is covered by bilateral agreements. Secondly the thesis focuses on material scale and answers a question of what subsystems are covered by agreements and compares them with the principles applied by Regulation (EC) 883/2004. Finally the thesis deals with a question of a future possible approach to coordination of social security in a global scale. It can be concluded that bilateral agreements concluded by the Czech Republic are each unique legal instruments. Therefore it is essential to study each agreement separately and not to make conclusions based on general knowledge of the issue.

Tato práce se zabývá vylepšením algoritmu pro sdružování (clustering) ERP signálů pomocí analýzy časových a prostorových vlastností pseudo-signálů získaných za pomocí metody analýzy nezávislých komponent (Independent Component Analysis). Naším zájmem je nalezení nových vlastností, které by zlepšily stávající výsledky. Tato práce se zabývá použitím Fourierovy transformace (Fourier Transform), FIR filtru a krátkodobé Fourierovy transformace ke zkvalitnění informace pro sdružovací algoritmy. Princip a použitelnost metody jsou popsány a demonstrovány ukázkovým algoritmem. Výsledky ukázaly, že pomocí dané metody je možné získat ze vstupních dat zajímavé informace, které mohou být úspěšně použity ke zlepšení výsledků.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are routinely used to reconstitute hematopoiesis after myeloablation; however, transplantation efficacy and multilineage reconstitution can be limited by inadequate HSC number, or poor homing, engraftment or self-renewal. We have demonstrated that mouse and human HSC express prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptors, and that short-term ex vivo exposure of HSC to PGE2 enhances their homing, survival and proliferation, resulting in increased long-term repopulating cell and competitive repopulating unit (CRU) frequency. HSC pulsed with PGE2 are more competitive, as determined by head-to-head comparison in a competitive transplantation model. Enhanced HSC frequency and competitive advantage is stable and maintained upon multiple serial transplantations, with full multi-lineage reconstitution. PGE2 increases HSC CXCR4 mRNA and surface expression and enhances their migration to SDF-1α in vitro and homing to bone marrow in vivo and stimulates HSC entry into and progression through cell cycle. In addition, PGE2 enhances HSC survival, associated with an increase in Survivin mRNA and protein expression and reduction in intracellular active caspase-3. While PGE2 pulse of HSC promotes HSC self-renewal, blockade of PGE2 biosynthesis with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) results in expansion of bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). We co-administered NSAIDs along with the mobilizing agent granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and evaluations of limiting dilution transplants, assays monitoring neutrophil and platelet recoveries, and secondary transplantations, clearly indicate that NSAIDs facilitate mobilization of a hematopoietic graft with superior functional activity compared to the graft mobilized by G-CSF alone. Enhanced mobilization has also been confirmed in baboons mobilized with G-CSF and a NSAID. Increases in mobilization are the result of a reduction of signaling through the PGE2 receptor EP4, which results in marrow expansion and reduction in the osteoblastic HSC niche. We also identify a new role for cannabinoids, an eicosanoid with opposing functions to PGE2, in hematopoietic mobilization. Additionally, we demonstrate increased survival in lethally irradiated mice treated with PGE2, NSAIDs, or the hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride. Our results define novel mechanisms of action whereby eicosanoids regulate HSC and HPC function, and characterize novel translational strategies for hematopoietic therapies.

The global shift towards sustainable practices extends across various domains, including energy generation. Wind energy, a cornerstone of this transition, relies heavily on the efficient operation of wind turbines. This study investigates the impact of contaminants on the longevity and performance of blade bearings in wind turbines. Under real-world conditions, blade bearings frequently operate in suboptimal lubrication environments, attacked by contaminants like wear particles and water. This research, conducted in collaboration with Vattenfall R&D, aims to focus on the specific effects of these contaminants.  Through comprehensive literature reviews and tribological tests, the study evaluates the load in rolling elements, examines the contact conditions between raceways and rollers, and determines the effects of contaminants on wear volume. Findings indicate that most pitch movements in blade bearings are limited to small angles, influencing lubrication requirements and wear patterns. Chloride-based EP additives, probably inactive due to insufficient activation temperatures, show potential for hydrolysis-induced corrosion.  Wear tests suggest that used grease may perform better under certain conditions compared to fresh grease, highlighting the complexity of lubricant performance. Long-term tribological tests show that FUCHS LUBRITECH GLEITMO 585K exhibits better wear resistance compared to Shell Rhodina BBZ in test conditions.  The study underscores the importance of proper lubrication and contamination management in extending blade bearing life. Recommendations include regular grease monitoring and analysis, understanding tribo-corrosion effects, and improving seal compatibility to enhance overall bearing reliability.

The pressure on clean and sustainable energy supplies is increasing. In this regard energy conversion by electrochemical processes plays a major role, for both fuel cell reactions and electrolysis reactions. The sulphur dioxide oxidation reaction (SOR) is a common reaction found in the Hybrid Sulphur Cycle (HyS) and the HyS is a way to produce large-scale hydrogen (H2). The problem with the use of the HyS and fuel cells is the cost involved as large amounts of Pt are required for effective operation. The aim of the study was to determine whether there was an alternative catalyst which was more efficient and cost-effective than Pt. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and SOR were studied by means of different electrochemical techniques (cyclovoltammetry (CV), linear polarization (LP) and rotating disk electrode (RDE)) on polycrystalline platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd). The SRR and EOR are common reactions occurring at the cathode and anode, respectively, in fuel cells and these reactions have been investigated extensively. The reason for studying the reactions was as a preparation for the SOR. This study compared polycrystalline Pt and Pd for the different reactions, with the main focus on the SOR as Pd is considerably cheaper than Pt, and for the SOR polycrystalline Pd has by no means been investigated intensively. Polycrystalline Pt and Pd were compared by different electrochemical techniques and analyses. The Koutecky-Levich and Levich analyses were used to (i) calculate the number of e- involved in the relevant reaction, (ii) to determine whether the reaction was mass transfer controlled at high overpotentials and (iii) whether the reaction mechanism changed with potential. Next the kinetic current density ( k) was calculated from Koutecky-Levich analyses, which was further used for Tafel slope analyses. If it was not possible to carry out the analyses, the activation energy (Ea) was used to determine the electrocatalytic activity of the catalyst. The electrocatalytic activity was also determined by comparing onset potentials (Es), peak potentials (Ep) and limited/maximum current density ( b/ p) of each catalyst. This study was only a preliminary study for the SOR and therefore, further studies are certainly required. It seemed Pd shows better electrocatalytic activity than Pt for the SRR in an alkaline electrolyte because of similar Es, but Pd produced a higher cathodic current density. Pt showed a lower Es than Pd for the SRR in an acid electrolyte, but Pd delivered a higher cathodic current density. This, therefore, means that the SRR in an acid electrolyte is kinetically more favourable on Pd than on Pt. For the EOR better electrocatalytic activity was obtained with Pd than with Pt in an alkaline electrolyte due to higher current densities at lower potentials and Pd showed lower Ea values than Pt in the potential range normally used for fuel cells. Pd was inactive for EOR in an acid electrolyte, while a reaction occurred on Pt. A possible reason for this observation may be due to the H2 absorbing strongly on Pd thus blocking the active positions on the electrode surfaces, preventing further reaction. Pd showed higher electrocatalytic activity for the SOR due to lower Es and higher current densities at low potentials. From the RDE studies it was established that the SRR in an alkaline electrolyte on polycrystalline Pt and Pd was mass transfer controlled at low potentials (high overpotentials), but the SRR in an acid electrolyte was only mass transfer controlled on Pt. The SOR was not mass transfer controlled on polycrystalline Pt and Pd at high potentials (high overpotentials). These assumptions were confirmed by Levich analysis. Using Koutecky-Levich analysis, it was determined that the reaction mechanism on polycrystalline Pt and Pd changed with potential for SRR in an alkaline electrolyte and the SOR. For the SRR in an acid electrolyte the reaction mechanism remained constant with changes in potential on polycrystalline Pd, but the reaction mechanism on polycrystalline Pt changed with potential. These assumptions were confirmed by the number of e-, calculated using Koutecky-Levich analyses. Levich and Koutecky-Levich analyses were not performed for EOR as an increase in rotation speed did not produce an increase in current density. Tafel slope analyses were conducted by making use of overpotentials and k, where possible. As in the case of ethanol, it was not possible to execute Koutecky-Levich analyses and, therefore, it was not possible to perform Tafel slope analyses using k. Tafel slope analyses for the EOR was therefore performed with normal current densities at 0 rotations per minute (rpm). The reaction mechanisms on Pt and Pd for the SRR in alkaline and acidic electrolytes differed due to different Tafel slopes. Pt and Pd displayed similar Tafel slopes for the EOR in alkaline electrolyte, thus suggesting that the reaction mechanisms on Pt and Pd were the same. For the SOR it seemed that the reaction mechanism on Pt and Pd were similar because of similar Tafel slopes. This was only a preliminary and comparative study for polycrystalline Pt and Pd, and the reaction mechanism was not further studied by means of spectroscopic techniques. / MSc (Chemistry), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The pressure on clean and sustainable energy supplies is increasing. In this regard energy conversion by electrochemical processes plays a major role, for both fuel cell reactions and electrolysis reactions. The sulphur dioxide oxidation reaction (SOR) is a common reaction found in the Hybrid Sulphur Cycle (HyS) and the HyS is a way to produce large-scale hydrogen (H2). The problem with the use of the HyS and fuel cells is the cost involved as large amounts of Pt are required for effective operation. The aim of the study was to determine whether there was an alternative catalyst which was more efficient and cost-effective than Pt. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and SOR were studied by means of different electrochemical techniques (cyclovoltammetry (CV), linear polarization (LP) and rotating disk electrode (RDE)) on polycrystalline platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd). The SRR and EOR are common reactions occurring at the cathode and anode, respectively, in fuel cells and these reactions have been investigated extensively. The reason for studying the reactions was as a preparation for the SOR. This study compared polycrystalline Pt and Pd for the different reactions, with the main focus on the SOR as Pd is considerably cheaper than Pt, and for the SOR polycrystalline Pd has by no means been investigated intensively. Polycrystalline Pt and Pd were compared by different electrochemical techniques and analyses. The Koutecky-Levich and Levich analyses were used to (i) calculate the number of e- involved in the relevant reaction, (ii) to determine whether the reaction was mass transfer controlled at high overpotentials and (iii) whether the reaction mechanism changed with potential. Next the kinetic current density ( k) was calculated from Koutecky-Levich analyses, which was further used for Tafel slope analyses. If it was not possible to carry out the analyses, the activation energy (Ea) was used to determine the electrocatalytic activity of the catalyst. The electrocatalytic activity was also determined by comparing onset potentials (Es), peak potentials (Ep) and limited/maximum current density ( b/ p) of each catalyst. This study was only a preliminary study for the SOR and therefore, further studies are certainly required. It seemed Pd shows better electrocatalytic activity than Pt for the SRR in an alkaline electrolyte because of similar Es, but Pd produced a higher cathodic current density. Pt showed a lower Es than Pd for the SRR in an acid electrolyte, but Pd delivered a higher cathodic current density. This, therefore, means that the SRR in an acid electrolyte is kinetically more favourable on Pd than on Pt. For the EOR better electrocatalytic activity was obtained with Pd than with Pt in an alkaline electrolyte due to higher current densities at lower potentials and Pd showed lower Ea values than Pt in the potential range normally used for fuel cells. Pd was inactive for EOR in an acid electrolyte, while a reaction occurred on Pt. A possible reason for this observation may be due to the H2 absorbing strongly on Pd thus blocking the active positions on the electrode surfaces, preventing further reaction. Pd showed higher electrocatalytic activity for the SOR due to lower Es and higher current densities at low potentials. From the RDE studies it was established that the SRR in an alkaline electrolyte on polycrystalline Pt and Pd was mass transfer controlled at low potentials (high overpotentials), but the SRR in an acid electrolyte was only mass transfer controlled on Pt. The SOR was not mass transfer controlled on polycrystalline Pt and Pd at high potentials (high overpotentials). These assumptions were confirmed by Levich analysis. Using Koutecky-Levich analysis, it was determined that the reaction mechanism on polycrystalline Pt and Pd changed with potential for SRR in an alkaline electrolyte and the SOR. For the SRR in an acid electrolyte the reaction mechanism remained constant with changes in potential on polycrystalline Pd, but the reaction mechanism on polycrystalline Pt changed with potential. These assumptions were confirmed by the number of e-, calculated using Koutecky-Levich analyses. Levich and Koutecky-Levich analyses were not performed for EOR as an increase in rotation speed did not produce an increase in current density. Tafel slope analyses were conducted by making use of overpotentials and k, where possible. As in the case of ethanol, it was not possible to execute Koutecky-Levich analyses and, therefore, it was not possible to perform Tafel slope analyses using k. Tafel slope analyses for the EOR was therefore performed with normal current densities at 0 rotations per minute (rpm). The reaction mechanisms on Pt and Pd for the SRR in alkaline and acidic electrolytes differed due to different Tafel slopes. Pt and Pd displayed similar Tafel slopes for the EOR in alkaline electrolyte, thus suggesting that the reaction mechanisms on Pt and Pd were the same. For the SOR it seemed that the reaction mechanism on Pt and Pd were similar because of similar Tafel slopes. This was only a preliminary and comparative study for polycrystalline Pt and Pd, and the reaction mechanism was not further studied by means of spectroscopic techniques. / MSc (Chemistry), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The LHC (Large Hadron Collider) will have a long shut down in the years of 2019 and 2020, referred to as LS2. During this stop the LHC injector complex will be upgraded to increase the luminosities, which will be the first step of the high luminosity LHC program (which will be realized during LS3 that takes place in 2024-2026). The LHCb experiment, whose main purpose is to study the CP-violation, will during this long stop be upgraded in order to withstand a higher radiation dose, and to be able to read out the detector at a rate of 40MHz,compared to 1MHz at present. This change will improve the trigger efficiency significantly. One of the LHCb sub-detectors the Trigger Tracker (TT), will be replaced by a new sub-detector called UT. This report presents the early stage design (preparation for mock-up building) of the box that will be isolating the new UT detector from the surroundings and to ensure optimal detector operation. Methods to fulfill requirements such as light and gas tightness, Faraday-cage behavior and condensation free temperatures, without breaking the fragile beryllium beam pipe, are established. / LHC (Large Hadron Collider) kommer under åren 2019-2020 att ha ett längre driftstopp. Under detta driftstopp så kommer LHC's injektionsanordningar att uppgraderas för att kunna sätta fler protoner i circulation i LHC, och därmed öka antalet partikelkollisioner per tidsenhet. Denna uppgradering kommer att vara första steget i "High Luminocity LHC"-programmet som kommer att realiseras år 2024-2026. LHCb-experimentet, vars främsta syfte är att studera CP-brott, kommer också att uppgraderas under stoppet 2019-2020. Framför allt så ska avläsningsfrekvensen ökas från dagens 1MHz till 40MHz, och experimentet ska förberedas för de högre strålningsdoser som kommer att bli aktuella efter stoppet 2024-2026. En av LHCb's deldetektorer, TT detektorn, kommer att bytas ut mot en ny deldetektor som kallas UT. Den här rapporten presenterar den förberedande designen av den låda som ska isolera UT från dess omgivning och försäkra optimala förhållanden för detektorn. Kraven på den isolerande lådan och tillvägagångssätt för att uppfylla dessa krav presenteras. / LHCb, LS2 and LS3 Upgrade