Os modelos de previsão de desempenho de pavimentos são importantes ferramentas utilizadas pelos sistemas de gerência, essenciais para o planejamento das atividades de manutenção e reabilitação, assim como para a estimativa dos recursos necessários para a preservação das rodovias. Este trabalho tem por objetivo comparar modelos de desempenho de pavimentos, desenvolvidos por análises empíricas e empírico-mecanísticas, que predizem a evolução da condição de pavimentos flexíveis, ao longo do tempo e/ou tráfego acumulado. Os modelos de desempenho analisados foram desenvolvidos por pesquisadores e órgãos rodoviários brasileiros e internacionais, inclusive os modelos de deterioração utilizados pelo programa computacional de gerência de pavimentos desenvolvido pelo Banco Mundial, o HDM–4 (Highway Development and Management). A pesquisa está baseada na comparação do desempenho real de seções de pavimentos rodoviários, obtido a partir da base de dados dos experimentos LTPP (Long-Term Pavement Performance) do FHWA (Federal Highway Administration), com o comportamento previsto pelos modelos de desempenho desenvolvidos por Queiroz (1981), Paterson (1987), Marcon (1996) e Yshiba (2003). Neste trabalho, a análise do comportamento das seções de teste LTPP-FHWA é feita utilizando-se uma programação fatorial que, através da análise de variância (ANOVA), permite a determinação do nível de significância de fatores pré- selecionados (variáveis independentes: tráfego, idade e número estrutural corrigido) bem como a modelagem do desempenho dos pavimentos dessas seções (variáveis dependentes: irregularidade longitudinal e deformação permanente). / The pavement performance prediction models are important tools used for pavement management, essential for the planning of maintenance and rehabilitation activities, as well as for budgeting. The aim of this work is to compare performance prediction models developed through empirical and empirical-mechanistic analyses, which predict the evolution of the condition of flexible pavements, throughout the time and/or accumulated traffic. The performance prediction models analyzed were developed by researchers and Brazilian and international road agencies, including the deterioration models used by the pavement management comuputer program HDM-4 (Highway Development and Management), developed by the World Bank. The research is based on the comparison of the real performance of pavement of sections, obtained from the data base of the LTPP Program (Long-Term Pavement Performance) of FHWA (Federal Highway Administration), with the behavior predicted by deterioration models developed by Queiroz (1981), Paterson (1987), Marcon (1996) and Yshiba (2003). In this work, the analysis of the behavior of the LTPP-FHWA test sections is made through a factorial programming. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) allows the determination of the level of significance of pre-selected factors (independent variables: traffic, age and pavement structure) and the development of performance prediction models (dependent variables: roughness and rutting).

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This thesis firstly reports on the development and characterization of reagent-less and cobalt(III) sepulchrate[Co(Sep)³⁺] mediated biosensor platforms (biosensor platform 1 and biosensor platform 2), with human recombinant heme thiolate, cytochrome P450 3A4 isoenzyme (CYP3A4), as biorecognition component. Secondly, each biosensor platform was evaluated by using an entirely different category of compound as model substrate, with the overall objective being the development of alternative analytical method for the detection and quantification of each of these substrates,by amperometric transduction method. In this regard biosensor platform 1 was evaluated for the detection of 2,4-dichlorophenol, whereas biosensor platform 2 was evaluated for the detection of protease inhibitor (PI) HAART drug, indinavir. Fourthly, this dissertation also reports on the use of genetic engineering as complimentary method during biosensor investigations, as source for continuous supply of catalytically active biological recognition component. With respect to the preparation of the biosensors in particular, biosensor platform 1 was constructed by entrapping the commercially sourced full-length, wild type CYP3A4 on a pre-formed electroactive carrier matrix, consisting of Co(Sep)³⁺–modified nafion membrane on a glassy carbon electrode. In this regard, the nafion-Co(Sep)³⁺ composite was prepared by integrating the Co(Sep)³⁺ species into a pre-formed nafion film through manual drop-coating and mixing methods.

Avec le développement des réseaux informatiques, principalement d'Internet, il devient de plus en plus facile de développer des applications dont l'exécution est répartie entre un ordinateur local, le client, et un ordinateur à distance (à une autre extrémité du canal de transmission), le serveur. Les progrès techniques de ces dernières années au niveau matériel ont rendu possible l'affichage en 3D (jeux, navigation cartographique, mondes virtuels) sur les mobiles. Cependant, l'exécution de ces applications complexes sur le terminal client est impossible, à moins de réduire la qualité des images affichées ou les besoins en calcul de l'application. Différentes solutions ont déjà été proposées dans la littérature mais aucune d'entre elles ne satisfait l'ensemble des besoins. L'objectif de cette thèse est de proposer une solution alternative, c'est à dire une nouvelle architecture client-serveur dans laquelle l'interconnexion des dispositifs mobiles est complètement exploitée. Les principales conditions de mise en œuvre seront traitées: - Minimiser le trafic réseau - Réduire les besoins en puissance de calcul du terminal, et - Préserver l'expérience utilisateur par rapport à une exécution locale. Tout d'abord, un cadre formel est développé afin de définir et modéliser des applications graphiques 3D distribuées. Ensuite, une nouvelle architecture, permettant de dépasser certains inconvénients que l'on trouve dans des architectures de l'état de l'art, est présentée. La conception de la nouvelle architecture client-serveur est validée par l'implémentation d'un jeu et la mise œuvre de simulations. / With the development of the computer networks, mainly the Internet, it became easier to develop applications where the execution is shared between a local computer, the Client, and one located on the other side of the network communication channel, the Server. The hardware advancements in the recent years made it possible to display 3D graphics (games, map navigation, virtual worlds) on mobile devices. However, executing these complex applications on the client terminal is not possible without reducing the quality of the displayed graphics or lowering its processing requirements. Different solutions have already been proposed in academic publications; however none of them satisfies all requirements. The objective of this thesis is to propose an alternative solution for a new client-server architecture where the connectedness of the mobile devices is fully exploited. Several main requirements are addressed: - Minimize the network traffic, - Reduce the required computational power on the terminal, and - Preserve the user experience compared with local execution. First a formal framework is designed that can effectively define and model distributed applications for 3D graphics. Then a model of new architecture is presented, that overcomes the disadvantages of the architectures presented in the state of the art. The core of the architecture is the MPEG-4 standard, which is used to transfer the data between the server and the client in a compressed manner. The last part of explores the design of architectures optimized for running on mobile devices. The design of the new client-server architecture is validated by implementing a game and running simulations.

abstract: Lux Aeterna is scored for Flute (Piccolo), Bb Clarinet (Bass Clarinet), Oboe, Bassoon (Contra-Bassoon), French Horn, Trumpet in C, Tenor Trombone, Soprano Voice, Alto Voice, Tenor Voice, Bass Voice, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello and Double Bass. The piece lasts 17-18 minutes. The text, in its original Latin, is from the Requiem Mass. The pitch material for the four voices is directly derived from the original Gregorian Chant (B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A). The primary pitch materials for the instrumental ensemble are drawn from the overtone series, with the fundamental of B natural. As found in the natural overtone series, the chords produced in this composition include microtones found both naturally from the series along with microtones added by the composer to create harmonic friction. This treatment of microtonal materials is juxtaposed with the “pure” nature of the B minor modal scale sung by the 4 vocalists. Lux Aeterna uses the performance space so that the sixteen performers and conductor surround the audience in an oval shape. Entrances of instruments are determined by their position around the audience and the way in which those sounds interact with one another across the space of the hall. The instruments are strategically placed so that timbres can be balanced in a specific way and the listener can hear the pitches blend in the acoustics of the hall. The goal is to create an immersive listening experience for the audience. Although there are some spectral techniques involved in this composition, no computers or software programs were used to analyze harmonic materials. The pitch material is either from the overtone series or the B minor scale. Essentially, the music is instinctually composed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2019

Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Civil (especialização em Estruturas). Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 2008

Synthesizing bioactive small molecules by structural modification of 1,4-naphthoquinone was the primary goal of this research. Several bioactive compounds with anticancer, antifungal, and antibacterial activities were synthesized. All the synthetic protocols were optimized in such ways that do not require cumbersome purification. First, a new protocol for the synthesis of NQM111 was developed. NQM111 is a highly potent anticancer agent developed in our laboratory, but the old protocol does not provide enough quantity for in vivo study. Therefore, a new safe and improved method was developed which provides enough quantity for in vivo study. The second project involves the synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinone conjugated with an aromatic group. These compounds are a highly potent anticancer agent with ~8-fold selectivity towards cancer cell lines than the non-cancer cell line. A mode of action study of this compound was identified, and it was observed that these compounds generate reactive oxygen species,which triggers apoptosis. The final project involves the synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinone based antifungal, and antibacterial compounds. These compounds are multi-cationic in nature with a hydrophobic tail. Six different analogs with varying hydrophobic tails were synthesized and tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. These compounds showed excellent activity against wide range of fungi including resistant strains.

Recent results of string theory have shown that while the traditional cycles studied in Calabi-Yau 4-manifolds preserve half the spacetime supersymmetry, the more general class of Cayley cycles are novel in that they preserve only one quarter of it. Moreover, Cayley cycles play a crucial role in understanding mirror symmetry on Calabi-Yau 4-manifolds and Spin manifolds. Nonetheless, only very few nontrivial examples of Cayley cycles are known. In particular, it would be very useful to know interesting examples of Cayley cycles on the complex 4-torus. This thesis will develop key techniques for finding and constructing lattice periodic Cayley manifolds in Euclidean 8-space. These manifolds will project down to the complex 4-torus, yielding nontrivial Cayley cycles.

Prostate Apoptosis Response-4 (Par-4) is a conserved and ubiquitous tumor-suppressor factor which can selectively induce apoptosis in tumor cells, while leaving normal cells unaffected. While Par-4 is well established as a tumor-suppressor, there have yet been no formal investigations as to whether it has a physiologic role in normal tissues. Early observations of Par-4 knockout mouse lines yielded that the adult mice displayed significant weight gain and fat accumulation compared to their wild-type counterparts while on a conventional chow diet. Interestingly, obese mouse and human subjects were found to exhibit reduced expression of Par-4 in adipose tissue as well as lower levels of secreted Par-4 in their plasma, compared to samples collected from lean human subjects. Subsequent in vitro experiments would show that loss of Par-4 has significant impact upon adipogenesis. Mechanistically, Par-4 loss during adipogenesis in cell culture correlated inversely with expression of the adipogenic transcription factor PPARγ. Subsequent experiments would demonstrate that Par-4 transcriptionally represses PPARγ at the promoter level. Thereby, we conclude that Par-4 regulates adipogenesis and lipid accumulation through transcriptional repression of the PPARγ promoter. This research utilizes novel models and may be used as the basis for Par-4-mediated therapies for obesity and metabolic disease.

Les Transistors à Haute Mobilité Electronique (HEMTs) à base de GaN sont les composants les plus prometteurs pour des applications de puissance en gamme d’ondes micrométriques et millimétriques grâce à leurs très bonnes propriétés physiques comme leur grande largeur de bande interdite (3.4eV), induisant un champ de claquage élevé (>106 V/cm) mais également une vitesse de saturation des électrons élevée (>107 cm/s). Dans ce travail, nous avons étudié les effets de canaux courts pour des transistors réalisés sur des hétérostructures AlGaN/GaN et InAlN/GaN. Des grilles de longueur (Lg=75nm) ont été fabriquées permettant d’atteindre des fréquences de coupure du gain en courant et en puissance respectives de 113GHz et 200GHz. Ces performances sont à l’état de l’art de la filière InAlN/GaN sur substrat saphir. En ce qui concerne les hétérostructures AlGaN/GaN, les pièges liés aux états de surface ont été stabilisés grâce à une étape de passivation optimisée consistant en un prétraitement N20 et un dépôt de bicouche SiN/SiO2. Cette dernière a permis de limiter les chutes de courant du transistor en régime dynamique. A partir d’une topologie adaptée, des résultats de puissance hyperfréquence à 40GHz ont été obtenus. Une densité de puissance au niveau de l’art de 1.5W/mm a été mesurée sur un HEMT AlGaN/GaN sur substrat Si(111). Pour une hétérostructure InAlN/GaN sur substrat saphir, les résultats de puissance hyperfréquence sont également à l’état de l’art de la filière avec une densité de puissance en sortie du transistor de 2W/mm et un rendement en puissance ajoutée de 13%. / GaN based High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) represent the most promising devices for microwave and millimeter-wave power applications. One key advantage of GaN is the superior physical properties such as a wide band gap (3.4eV) leading to high breakdown fields (>106 V/cm) and a high saturation electron drift velocity (>107 cm/s).In practice, physical limitations appear and avoid reaching expected performances in terms of frequency and microwave power. Short channel effects appear with the decrease of the transistor gate length. In large signal conditions, traps related to surface states of the semiconductor lead to drain current drops. In this work, we have studied short channel effects for transistors fabricated on AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN heterostructures. Devices with 75nm-T-shaped-gates exhibit a current gain cut-off frequency and a power gain cutoff frequency of 113GHz and 200GHz respectively. To the author knowledge, these cut-off frequencies are the highest reported values for InAlN/GaN HEMTs grown on sapphire substrate. For AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, traps related to surface states were neutralized thanks to optimized passivation steps, permitting to mitigate DC to RF dispersion. It consists of a N2O pretreatment followed by a SiN/SiO2 bilayer deposition. From an appropriate transistor topology, microwave power measurements were performed at 40GHz. An output power density of 1.5W/mm, very closed to the state of the art, was measured for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs grown on Si(111) substrate. For InAlN/GaN HEMTs grown on sapphire substrate, state of the art output power density of 2W/mm was achieved with an associated power added efficiency of 13%.

Parmi les technologies du 21e siècle en pleine expansion, la télécommunication sans-fil constitue une dimension fondamentale pour les réseaux mobiles, l’aéronautique, les applications spatiales et les systèmes de positionnement par satellites. Dans ce sens, l’alternative de l’exploitation de bande de plus haute fréquence et la multiplication des canaux de transmission sont activement visées par les travaux de recherches actuels. Les technologies à l’étude reposent sur l’utilisation de systèmes intégrés pour répondre aux considérations de coûts de production et d’encombrement des dispositifs. L’élément de base de ces systèmes, le transistor, établit largement la performance du dispositif final en termes de montée en fréquence, de fiabilité et de consommation. Afin de répondre aux défis présents et futurs, des alternatives à la filière silicium sont clairement envisagées. À ce jour, la filière nitrure de gallium est présentée comme la plus prometteuse pour l’amplification de puissance en bande Ka et W au vue de ses caractéristiques physiques et électriques, des performances atteintes par les prototypes réalisées et des premiers produits commerciaux disponibles.L’exploitation de cette technologie à son plein potentiel s’appuie sur la maîtrise des étapes de fabrication, de caractérisation et de modélisation du transistor. Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif le développement d’une modélisation de transistors fabriqués expérimentalement à l’état de l’art. Une partie conséquente de ce travail sera portée sur la caractérisation thermique du dispositif ainsi que sur la modélisation d’éléments passifs pour la conception d’un circuit hyperfréquence de puissance.. / Amongst the emerging and developing technologies of the 21st century, wireless transmission is a fundamental aspect for mobile networks, aeronautics, spatial applications and global positioning systems. In that sense, the use of higher frequency bandwidths and increase of transmission channels are aimed by various current research works. Investigated technologies are based upon integrated systems to meet the criteria of devices costs and size. As the cornerstone of such devices, the transistor largely accounts for the final system performance in terms of working frequency, reliability and consumption. To respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow challenges, alternatives to the dominant current silicon process are clearly considered. To date, gallium nitride based technology is found to be the most promising for hyperfrequency power amplification for Ka and W bands given the associated physical and electrical characteristics, prototypes performance and first commercial “off-the-shelf” products. Exploitation of this technology to its full potential requires controlling and mastering the involved fabrication, characterization and modeling steps related to the transistor. This work aims at establishing a methodology enabling a semi-physical modeling of experimental transistors which exhibit state-of-the-art performance. A significant part of this work will also focus on thermal characterization of devices under test and on modeling of passive elements suited for the design of hyperfrequency power circuits.