FundaÃÃo de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Cearà / AÃos inoxidÃveis austenÃticos sÃo bem conhecidos por sua resistÃncia à corrosÃo e por apresentarem boas propriedades mecÃnicas a temperaturas altas. Estes aÃos estÃo sujeitos à corrosÃo intergranular causada pela segregaÃÃo de carbono no contorno de grÃo formando carbonetos M23C6 ricos em cromo. A regiÃo prÃxima ao contorno de grÃo se torna mais pobre em cromo e susceptÃvel à corrosÃo. Diz-se que esta regiÃo està sensitizada. Para evitar este problema, elementos estabilizantes como Ti (AISI 321) e Nb (AISI 347) sÃo adicionados para causar a formaÃÃo de TiC ou NbC, que reduzem o conteÃdo de carbono em soluÃÃo sÃlida. Mesmo com a utilizaÃÃo de aÃos estabilizados, para certas condiÃÃes de temperatura, ocorre a segregaÃÃo dos carbonetos ricos em cromo para a regiÃo dos contornos de grÃo, tornando necessÃrio tratar termicamente o aÃo anteriormente à sua utilizaÃÃo. Neste trabalho foi estudado o comportamento do aÃo ASTM A312 TP321 a partir do estado como recebido e submetido Ãs temperaturas de 380ÂC e 600ÂC por diferentes perÃodos. Foi tambÃm estudada uma temperatura de solubilizaÃÃo que minimizasse a sensitizaÃÃo deste material para posterior operaÃÃo Ã600ÂC, tanto para o material no estado como recebido, como para material apÃs um ano de operaÃÃo na indÃstria petroquÃmica. Foram realizados tratamentos tÃrmicos de solubilizaÃÃo à 900, 950, 1000 e 1050ÂC em seguida as amostras foram submetidas Ã600ÂC por 15 minutos, 3, 10, 50 e 100 horas. ApÃs cada tratamento foi realizada uma caracterizaÃÃo microestrutural por tÃcnicas de microscopia eletrÃnica de varredura e microscopia Ãtica. Foram entÃo realizados ensaios de reativaÃÃo potenciocinÃtica para avaliar o grau de sensitizaÃÃo das amostras. A exposiÃÃo de amostras de aÃo ASTM A312 TP321 à temperatura de 600ÂC acarretou na sensitizaÃÃo das mesmas, porÃm sua exposiÃÃo à 380ÂC nÃo veio a causar este mesmo efeito. O tratamento tÃrmico de solubilizaÃÃo à 900ÂC anteriormente a exposiÃÃo à 600ÂC teve efeito no sentido de reduzir a sensitizaÃÃo deste material, mostrando ser o mais indicado para estas condiÃÃes de utilizaÃÃo. / Austenitic stainless steels are well known for its corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties present at high temperatures. These steels are subject to intergranular corrosion caused by carbon segregation at grain boundary forming M23C6 carbides rich in chromium. The region near the grain boundary becomes poorer in chromium and susceptible to corrosion. It is said that this region is sensitized. To avoid this problem, stabilizing elements such as Ti (AISI 321) and Nb (AISI 347) are added to cause the formation of TiC and NbC, which reduce the content of carbon in solid solution. Even with the use of steel stabilized to certain conditions of temperature, there is segregation of chromium rich carbides in the region of the grain boundaries, making it necessary heat treating the steel prior to use. This paper studied the behavior of ASTM A312 TP321 from the state as received and subjected to temperatures of 380  C and 600  C for different periods. We also studied a solubility temperature that minimizes the sensitization of this material for subsequent operation A600  C, both for the material in the as-received, as to the material after one year of operation in the petrochemical industry. Thermal treatments were performed to solubilization 900, 950, 1000 and 1050  C and then the samples were subjected A600  C for 15 minutes, 3, 10, 50 and 100 hours. After each treatment was performed by a microstructural characterization techniques, scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. Tests were then performed reactivation potenciocinÃtica to assess the degree of sensitization of the samples. The exposure of samples of ASTM A312 TP321 at a temperature of 600  C resulted in sensitization of the same, but their exposure to 380  C did not come to cause this same effect. The heat treatment of solubilization at 900  C prior to exposure to 600  C resulted in reducing the sensitization of the material, showing to be more appropriate to these conditions.

It is commonly observed that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make fewer attempts to have social contact. A recent theory suggests that reduced motivation to have social interactions might be the root for social difficulties in ASD (Chevallier, Kohls, Troiani, Brodkin, & Schultz, 2012). There are currently few simple behavioural ways to test these claims. The aim of this research was 1) to develop a measure of social seeking component of social motivation that is simple enough to be used with a large population of people with ASD; and 2) to test if there is evidence of reduced social seeking in people with ASD. As the first part of this research, I developed and tested a simple behavioural paradigm “Choose-A-Movie” (CAM) that evaluates the effort participants make to view social vs non-social stimuli hence estimating the reward value of the stimuli. It was found that typical adults prefer to watch social stimuli more but they trade-off their stimuli preference for effort. In experiment 2 I used the same paradigm with adults with and without ASD and found that unlike typical adults people with ASD prefer non-social stimuli but they too trade-off their stimuli preference for effort. Having established the efficacy of the CAM paradigm in adults with and without ASD, in experiment 3 I explored CAM’s efficacy for younger participants. A comparison between adolescents with and without ASD on CAM showed that both groups prefer choice requiring less effort, and participants with ASD prefer non-social stimuli to social. However unlike typical adults, typical adolescents did not show a preference for social stimuli. Though these experiments supported the reduced social motivation theory of ASD, they raised questions about the development of social seeking in typical people. Therefore, in experiment 4 I tested participants between ages 4-20 years on CAM. The results showed that typical individuals undergo a decline in their social seeking tendencies during pre-adolescence. This highlights the need for developmental evaluation of social seeking in both ASD and non-ASD populations. Finally, in experiment 5 the CAM paradigm was compared with an Approach-avoidance (AA) task, a frequently used measure of social seeking (Aharon et al., 2001). The findings suggested that social preference could be elicited more strongly in typical adults using CAM paradigm. Furthermore the autistic traits of participants were a reliable predictor of social seeking on CAM but not on AA task. These results raise the question of whether different tools claiming to measure social seeking target the same behaviour. Overall, this research shows that social motivation can be quantified using a simple behavioural paradigm – CAM that targets social seeking component of it, and also that social motivation is reduced in people with ASD. At the same time this research raises important questions about 1) developmental changes in social seeking in typical people, and 2) if different tools of social seeking, measure the same underlying construct. It is important to explore these questions to have a better understanding of social seeking in people with ASD.

The Stroke Drivers Screening Assessment (SDSA) is a collection of three cognitive tests found predictive of driving in stroke patients. Whilst two of the test (Square Matrices and Road Sign Recognition) were good predictors of on-road performance, it remained unknown whether the SDSA could predict fitness to drive for people with other acquired neurological disabilities. The on-road test, considered the 'gold standard' of driving ability, was the criterion against which SDSA performance was compared. Since the SDSA's validity depends on the reliability of the driving instructor's decision, it seemed important to check that this was consistent with instructors elsewhere. Therefore this study had three aims:- i)To examine the content and concurrent validity of the SDSA sub test. ii)To determine whether the SDSA, either alone or in conjunction with other cognitive tests, could predict fitness to drive for patients with acquired neurological disabilities other than stroke. iii) to check the inter-rater reliability of the gold standard of driving ability (used in studies to validate the SDSA).

This thesis explores the relations between democracy and decentralization in Venezuela during the period from 1989 to 2000. In particular it explores the emergence of political decentralization as the spatial distribution of power and its links with the process of democratization within political spaces. The spatial distribution of power has impacts upon both political institutions and civil society. This is where its central importance lies. Because of this, the framework of ideas underlying the thesis is followed within a methodologicalf ocus that emphasizesb oth the potency of the spatial, as a guiding element of politics and the political, and the local scale and the political practice of individuals. The backgroundt o the study is establishedth rough an explorationo f territoriality and the spatiality of power in Venezuela during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This is followed by an analysis of the centralist form of the state and the state reforms which were promoted at the end of the 1980s and which gave rise to the political decentralization of 1989 at the level of states and municipalities. The main period of study (1989-2000) is divided into three stages according to the dynamics of the process of democratization itself. Finally, the changes occurring at the local level through the application of decentralization are analyzed through a case study at the level of the municipality and of the parish: the Libertador municipality of the state of Mdrida and the parish of J. J. Osuna Rodriguez. The specific local examples explored in the thesis allow highlighted the ways in which clientelism can be associated with the vertical structures of power that have predominated in Latin America. Nevertheless, whilst its importance has been highlighted here through an understanding of the process of democratisation on the South American continent, it is interesting to note that it is not often explicitly considered as another mode of power in western political theory.

This study is an evaluation of the 'Circle of Friends' (CoF) intervention used to support five pupils with a diagnosis of autism (the focus pupils) in their mainstream classrooms. Relevant theory and existing research is outlined before the study is described. A single case experimental design is used to evaluate the impact of the CoF intervention on the focus children's level of social inclusion (calculated from peer ratings). Results suggest that the CoF whole class meeting had an initial positive impact on all focus children's levels of peer acceptance and rejection. During the course of weekly CoF meetings, however, results suggest that this level of change was not maintained. For four of the five focus children, levels of peer acceptance and rejection generally returned to levels comparable to those observed prior to the start of the intervention. The study also reports some changes in measures taken before and after the CoF intervention. For four out of the five cases, a positive change in the focus children's happiness was observed. For three out of the five cases generally positive changes in adults' ratings of the focus children's behaviour were observed. In an attempt to understand how the CoF intervention works, attributions made by peers about one of the focus children's behaviour were explored before and after the CoF intervention though no clear overall change following the intervention was found. The results reported are examined in relation to the theory and research outlined in the Literature Review and the design, measures and procedures described in the Methodology. Limitations of the research are discussed and implications for practice and future research outlined.

Memoria (licenciado en ciencias jurídicas y sociales) / Desde su establecimiento en nuestra legislación en el año 1925 la libertad condicional pudo haberse convertido en una eficaz herramienta de reinserción social pero quedó relegada a un segundo plano debido a las implicancias políticas aparejadas a su aplicación por parte de la autoridad. Las principales discusiones a su respecto suelen versar sobre la conveniencia de su aplicación, y muchas veces las posibilidades de limitarla, debido a la coyuntura política del momento. Nuestro trabajo busca hacer un análisis de su naturaleza en base al estado actual en que se encuentra la institución de la libertad condicional luego de la modificación del Decreto Ley N° 321 de 1925 en el año 2012, tomaremos como principal elemento de análisis las sentencias de los tribunales superiores de justicia y las normas que regulan esta institución a fin de dilucidar su naturaleza en la actualidad.

Der Sammelband behandelt die Verläufe, Ergebnisse und Perspektiven der Systemtransformationen im postkommunistischen Europa nach 25 Jahren. Dabei geht es um politische Institutionen wie Verfassungen und Wahlen, um die Prozesse der Demokratisierung, aber auch der Re-Autokratisierung in der Region und um ausgewählte Politikfelder wie die Bevölkerungsentwicklung in Osteuropa sowie die Sozial- und Außenpolitik. / The volume analyzes covers the courses, results and prospects of system transformations in post-communist Europe after 25 years. It is about political institutions such as constitutions and elections, about the processes of democratization, but also the Re-Autocratization in the region and about specific policies such as demographic, the social policy and foreign policy.

Der Sammelband behandelt ausgewählte Aspekte des Zusammenwachsens von Ost- und Westdeutschland 25 Jahre nach der Wiedervereinigung: Dominieren Gemeinsamkeiten oder Unterschiede das Verhältnis beider Landesteile zueinander? Neben Gesamtbilanzen zur Demokratieentwicklung und zur politischen Kultur stehen Politikfeldanalysen wie die Sozial-, Bildung- und Zuwanderungspolitik im Mittelpunkt. / The book analyzes selected aspects of the reunification of East and West Germany after 25 years: Dominate similarities or differences the relationship between the two parts of the country to each other? The volume focuses on overviews about the development of democracy and political culture as well as on social, education- and immigration policy.

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