The present study is framed within the methodology of Conversation Analysis (CA). It uses naturally occurring interactions in Mexican Spanish to investigate six Spanish particles: turn-initial no, pues, 0 sea, oye, ah, and ay. These particles are treated as sequential markers (SMs). That is, the analysis focuses on the sequential and social implications of these particles in interaction. The questions that this thesis aims to answer are: what do speakers do when deploying these SMs in terms of actions in talk, and what do these SMs do to the structure of the interaction or/and to the interactional activity? To answer these question, each SM is examined individually and their examination is carried out in very specific type of sequences or interactional environments: turn-initial no is analysed in assessment sequences and in environments of activity transition. Pues is analysed when it prefaces the answer to a question or a request or an agreement; and when pues is deployed at the end of a turn. 0 sea is examined in environments of repair and topic shift. Oye is analysed in sequential contexts that shape the structure of conversation, and when it is deployed at the end of a turn. Ah is examined in informing sequences and in three different sequential contexts where speakers display remembering. Finally, ay is analysed with relation to the talk that precedes it. This study attempts to illustrate how SMs are significant features of the organization of talk and the accomplishment of actions in interaction. It proposes an alternative approach, i.e. CA, to the study of Spanish particles - so called marcadores del discurso (,discourse markers'). And it aims to initiate the investigation of Spanish interactions using CA as a framework.

Hokkaido University (北海道大学) / 博士 / 環境科学

This thesis is revised in August 2009. Please follow the link below. / A three-dimensional, thermo-mechanically coupled flow model with induced anisotropy has been developed and applied to the vicinity of Dome Fuji, Antarctica, the site of a recent Japanese deep ice drilling project. The model implements the full-Stokes equations for the ice dynamics, and the system is solved with the finite-element method (FEM) using the open source multi-physics package Elmer. A Continuum-mechanical, Anisotropic Flow model, based on an anisotropic Flow Enhancement factor (CAFFE model) is used for taking into account flow-induced anisotropy in ice. The flow law is implemented in Elmer/Ice by means of second and fourth order orientation tensors that describe the c-axis orientation of the fabric. Similarly, the fabric evolution equation is written in terms of the evolution of the second order tensor, and it is solved inside Elmer/Ice with a Discontinuous Galerkin method using Picard type iterations for the non-linearity. Since the fabric evolution equation also depends on the fourth order orientation tensor, the IBOF (Invariant-Based Optimal Fitting) closure function is used for the computation of its components from the solution of the second orientation. The main questions addressed by the simulations carried out in this thesis are (i) what is the local flow field in the vicinity of Dome Fuji, (ii) how is the flow field affected by the anisotropic fabric, and (iii) what are the consequences for the interpretation of the climatological proxy data of the Dome Fuji ice core. The results are therefore relevant for the reconstruction of the paleo-climatic variability in East Antarctica, which is an important clue for understanding possible future climate changes on Earth. Further, the improved modeling of ice dynamics by solving the full-Stokes equations and including anisotropy is an important step towards simulating rapid dynamical changes which may destabilize the terrestrial ice sheets and lead to a potentially dangerous rate of sea level rise in a warming environment. / Hokkaido University (北海道大学) / 博士 / 環境科学

乾燥地域において遊牧は，限られた資源(草，水)を持続的に利用しながら，家畜がもたらす利得を最大限に高める生業である．遊牧民は，高い移動性を維持し，家畜を複合的に放牧することにより，飼料となる草原植生の回復性や多様性を維持してきた．ここでは，降水や気温などの気象条件に応じて激しく変動する草原植生を適切に利用することが求められるが，その方法を誤れば遊牧の持続性は崩壊する．モンゴルでは1990 年代初頭の民主化以後，家畜管理(頭数，構成など)や土地利用(放牧地選定，移動頻度)が個人の裁量に委ねられるようになった．必然的に遊牧民が個人単位で利益を追求するようになり，草原は過剰な利用に晒されている．これに近年の乾燥化による草原生産力の低下も加担し，草原劣化さらには砂漠化に至ることが懸念されている．有効な対策を打ち立てるには，遊牧民の環境意識を知る必要がある．本研究で着目したのは以下の2 点である．1)遊牧の持続性が崩れつつある現状を，遊牧民はどのように受けとめているのか．2)彼らは将来の遊牧をどのように指向しているのか．モンゴルは北部から南部へと，森林-草原-砂漠に遷移する明瞭なエコトーン帯に位置する．これらの植生帯で生活する遊牧民から，家畜構成，土地利用，自然環境の変化，ヤギと草原劣化との因果関係などを，事前に作成した質問項目に沿って聞き取った．聞き取りの最後に，近年の草原劣化と，気温や植生変移の将来予測を簡単に紹介し，それらに対する自由な意見を求めた．2007 年と2008 年の夏季3 カ月間に調査を実施し，合計161 人の遊牧民から回答を得た．近年の草原劣化(砂漠化)を回答者の約9 割が実感しており，その原因についての認識は森林-草原-砂漠ごとに特徴がみられた．砂漠地域では降水量の減少や井戸の枯渇など水に係わる意見が，草原地域では過放牧などの不適切な土地利用に係わる意見が多く聞かれた．一方で，森林地域では草原の植生が比較的豊かであるため，草原劣化を実感している遊牧民は他の地域よりも少なかった．いずれの地域でも，降水量の経年減少を指摘する遊牧民が多かったが，この結果は，現地の気象観測データと符合していた．普段，気象観測データに接することのない遊牧民が，身近な生活環境の変化として気候変動を実感していることは注目に値する．今後の砂漠化対策として，多くの遊牧民は植林活動や新たな井戸の設置を望んでいる．こうした彼らの思考は，モンゴルの草原劣化に関する科学的な知見や，実践されている対策と類似している．また，家畜頭数(特にヤギ)抑制の必要性を指摘する意見も多かった．しかし近年，市場へのアクセスの良い首都ウランバートル近郊や，中国との国境付近で，高価なカシミアのとれるヤギが増加している．これらの地域では，ヤギが草原の持続性を低下させること(草の根まで食べる，機敏な行動力など)が多くの先行研究で指摘されているにも関わらず，ヤギ頭数を増やす遊牧民が多い．草原へ与える負荷が多大であると知りつつも，自己利益を優先するという彼らの葛藤がうかがえる． / Hokkaido University (北海道大学) / 修士 / 環境科学

Hokkaido University (北海道大学) / 博士 / 環境科学

In an attempt to find a satisfactory and comprehensive explanation for the history of the sibilants in Peninsular Spanish, I explore the causal factors that were instrumental in motivating, promoting and diffusing the merger of voiced and voiceless sibilants. An investigation of these factors includes a discussion of language typology and universals, the acoustic qualities of the sibilant fricatives, issues surrounding phonemic mergers and dialect contact and mixing. In addition, I investigate the history of the sibilants, compare and contrast opposing views regarding that history and set forth those issues that have yet to receive a satisfactory explanation. Furthermore, I attempt to determine the geographical and chronological origins and the diffusion of this sound change by an orthographical investigation of several medieval documents and texts. In the final chapter, I tie together theory and data with the aim of giving a satisfactory and comprehensive exposition of the history of the sibilants in Peninsular Spanish. I conclude that the Spanish sibilants behave in keeping with the ideal observations set forth by the language universals examined in this thesis. The language-internal motivations include the ease in the articulation of voiceless sibilants in comparison to the voiced sibilants and the conditions that made the Old Spanish sibilants ripe for merger. Dialect mixing and contact and the weak ties within the social structure of medieval Spain are the language-external motivations that encouraged and promoted the sound merger and diffusion. With regard to the geographical and chronological history of the Spanish sibilants, I conclude that by the mid-thirteenth century, there is evidence of confusion of the /z/ and /s/ and by the end of the thirteenth century, neutralization of voice in the sibilants is widespread in all parts of Iberian Peninsula. There is possible evidence of seseo in Toledo as early as 1330 and in Soria in 1355. Evidence of the merger of [+voice] sibilants and [-voice] sibilants continues to mount throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In Central Spain, there is strong evidence of seseo in Madrid (1403-06), Peñafiel (1465) and Toledo (1438). and I, therefore, contend that early seseo is not exclusively Andalusian. By the mid-fifteenth century, there is possible evidence of merger of /z/ and /s/ in Southern Spain and by the sixteenth century, there is possible evidence of the merger Of /z/ and /s/ in Northern and Central Spain and possible evidence of zezeo and çeçeo in Southern Spain.

Submitted by Alessandra Portugal (alessandradf@ioc.fiocruz.br) on 2013-10-03T12:12:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 THIAGO JOSÉ FIGUEIRA RAMOS.pdf: 1733228 bytes, checksum: c1606fa7a4e1569d3cc660ae62c32331 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-03T12:12:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 THIAGO JOSÉ FIGUEIRA RAMOS.pdf: 1733228 bytes, checksum: c1606fa7a4e1569d3cc660ae62c32331 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-10 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / A silicose é uma doença ocupacional causada pela inalação de sílica em sua forma livre e cristalina. A inflamação e fibrose pulmonar constituem as principais características da patologia, que envolve uma variedade de mediadores inflamatórios, como o TNF-α, um mediador de ações amplas e que exerce seus efeitos em um grande número de tipos celulares. LASSBio-468 é um análogo da talidomida já descrito como capaz de modular a produção de TNF-α e inibir o choque endotóxico e artrite reumatóide em modelos animais. Neste estudo, nós investigamos o potencial efeito do LASSBio-468 em modelo de silicose experimental em camundongos. Animais Swiss-webster machos (18 – 20g) foram instilados intranasalmente com uma suspensão de sílica (10 mg/50 μL) e veículo (salina). O tratamento consistiu na administração por via oral de LASSBio-468 (12,5 – 100 mg/kg) e talidomida (50 mg/Kg) durante 7 dias consecutivos, do vigésimo primeiro ao vigésimo oitavo dia após a instilação de sílica. Foram analisadas a função pulmonar (resistência e elastância) e hiperreatividade das vias aéreas à aerolização de metacolina (3 – 27 mg/mL), através de pletismógrafo invasivo de corpo inteiro (Finepoint, Buxco System), além de análises morfológicas e morfométricas do tecido pulmonar. A produção de colágeno tecidual foi acessada pelo método de sircol, enquanto que a quantificação de citocinas/quimiocinas foi realizada pelo ensaio de ELISA. A técnica de imunohistoquímica permitiu a identificação da população de miofibroblastos no pulmão. Através de uma digestão mecânica e enzimática do tecido pulmonar, obtivemos uma cultura primária de miofibroblastos que, assim como macrófagos alveolares AMJ2C11 e células epiteliais A549, foram pré-tratados com diferentes concentrações de LASSBio-468 e talidomida, estimulados com IL-13 ou sílica e avaliados quanto a proliferação celular, viabilidade e produção de mediadores inflamatórios in vitro. Demonstramos que animais silicóticos apresentaram níveis basais elevados de resistência pulmonar e elastância, bem como hiperreatividade frente à aerolização de metacolina. Resposta inflamatória tecidual, extensiva deposição de colágeno, formação de granuloma e produção de quimiocinas (KC and MCP-1) e citocinas (TNF- αand TGF-β) também foram detectadas em pulmões de animais silicóticos, assim como o aumento do número de miofibroblastos no tecido. O tratamento com LASSBio-468 reduziu o comprometimento da função pulmonar e hiperreatividade, formação de granulomas, expressão de miofibroblastos e deposição de colágeno no tecido pulmonar de animais doentes. Miofibroblastos oriundos de animais silicóticos apresentaram basal de proliferação superior, sendo responsivos também ao estímulo mitogênico da IL-13, que foi atenuado frente ao pré-tratamento com LASSBio-468. A estimulação de macrófagos alveolares e células epiteliais com sílica promoveu a liberação de TNF-α e IL-8, respectivamente, sendo o LASSBio-468 capaz de inibir de forma significativa esta produção. Em conjunto, nossos resultados mostraram que o tratamento com LASSBio-468 foi capaz de reduzir de forma curativa o comprometimento da função pulmonar e resposta granulomatosa, através de ações sobre células específicas, indicando que o composto em questão parece constituir uma promissora ferramenta para o tratamento de doenças pulmonares fibróticas crônicas como a silicose. / Silicosis, one of the oldest occupational diseases in the world, is a consequence of long-term exposure to inhaled dust containing silica in its free and crystalline form. Lung interstitial inflammation and fibrosis are the main features of the disease, involving a wide range of chemical mediators such as TNF-α. This is a pleiotropic molecule which exerts its effects on many cell types. LASSBio-468 is a thalidomide analogue which modulates TNF-α production and inhibits endotoxic shock and arthritis in animal models. In this study we investigated the effect of LASSBio-468 on experimental silicosis in mice. Anesthetized male Swiss-Webster mice (18-20g) received intranasal (i.n.) instillation of silica (10 mg/50 μL) and vehicle (saline). Treatment consisted of oral administration of the LASSBio-468 (12,5 - 100 mg/kg) and thalidomide (50 mg/Kg) during 7 consecutive days, from day 21 to 28 post-silica. The analyses included lung function (resistance and elastance) and airways hyperreactivity to aerosolized metacholine (3 -27 mg/mL) measured by whole body invasive plestimography (Finepoint, Buxco System). Morphological and morphometrical analyses included classical dyes such as Hematoxylin-Eosin and Picrus-Sirius. Collagen content and cytokine/chemokine generation were quantified by Sircol technique and ELISA, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was employed to identify the lung myofibroblastic population. Primary murine myofibroblasts cells were obtained after a mechanical and enzymatic digestion of the lung from saline and silicotic mice. Myofibroblasts, AMJ2C11 alveolar macrophages and A549 epithelial cells were pre-treated with LASSBio-468 and Thalidomide, stimulated with IL-13 or silica and evaluated thought proliferation, viability and production of inflammatory mediators in vitro. We showed that silicotic mice exhibited increased basal levels of lung resistance and elastance as well as airways hyperreactivity to methacholineaerosolization. Tissue inflammatory response, extensive collagen deposition, granuloma formation and chemokine (KC and MCP-1)/cytokine (TNF-α and TGF-β) generation were also detected in the silicotic lungs, as well as an increasing of myofibroblasts expression in the lung. Administration of LASSBio- 468 into silicotic mice reduced the decline lung function and airways hyperreactivity, myofibroblasts numbers, tissue collagen deposition and granulomatous area. The generation of cytokines and chemokines was also suppressed by the drug. The primary lung myofibroblasts obtained from silicotic mice showed a superior basal proliferation and IL-13, a pro-fibrotic cytokine, stimulated the (3H) incorporation in vitro, which was diminished by the treatment with LASSBio-468. Stimulation of alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells by silica in vitro increased the release of TNF-α and IL-8, respectively, and LASSBio-468 was able to reduce these inflammatory mediators production. The compound modulated key cells functions without decline in cell death. Altogether our findings show that the treatment of silicotic mice with LASSBio-468 reduced curatively the decline in lung function and granulomatous response, throught actions on myofibroblasts, macrophages and epithelial cells, indicating that this compound constitutes a promising tool for the treatment of chronic fibrotic pulmonary diseases such as silicosis.

This thesis investigates the acquisition of the spatial and figurative meanings of five Spanish spatial particles, namely sobre, encima, debajo, bajo and en, by a group of Chinese university students of Spanish as a foreign language at intermediate and upper-intermediate language levels. More specifically, this study aims to answer two questions. The first question considers the order of acquisition of prepositional meanings, that is, whether this is similar to a native language, with literal and more primary meanings acquired first and figurative ones later or, conversely, whether the pattern of acquisition is different to that found in a first language (Kemmerer, 2005; Lam, 2010). The second question of this research is to determine whether there are observable differences between the degree of acquisition and use of these prepositions in English compared to Spanish, and if so, what the characteristics of these differences are. To try to answer these questions, the performance of this group of participants in four behavioural tests is compared. The tests were a lexical identification task, a picture fill-in-the- blank task, a sentence generation task and a truth value judgment task. These tests were conducted both in Spanish, which the participants had begun to study at undergraduate level and English, which they had first been exposed to in school in a pre-puberty period. The results of this study indicate, first, that the acquisition of the literal and figurative meanings of the spatial particles in this study does not follow a pattern similar to that found in a native language. That is, meaning acquisition in a foreign language occurs in a parallel or simultaneous pattern. Furthermore, in a non-immersion context such as that of this study, the age at which students begin the study of a foreign language is not a decisive factor in determining the degree of mastery that students can obtain. The quantity and quality of the input students are exposed to; together with an appropriate methodology appear to be the most important factors in predicting the level of proficiency that can be reached.

Tesis (para optar al grado de magíster en derecho con mención en derecho penal) / La presente investigación se centra en la etapa de la ejecución de la sentencia condenatoria penal, con el objeto de determinar si es posible sostener actualmente que se mantiene el carácter jurisdiccional de ese estadio procesal, o si, por el contrario, con la irrupción de los nuevos órganos de gestión esa fase es eminentemente administrativa. Una primera parte del trabajo abarcará los conceptos generales sobre la ejecución de la sentencia; sus características, principios, tratamiento legislativo, así como la proyección de posibles vías de solución que se sugieren en el futuro para intervenir esta etapa procesal. La segunda parte de la investigación, la más extensa, aludirá a los distintos aspectos que comprende la ejecución penal, mencionados en el artículo 468 del Código del ramo. La tercera parte del trabajo enfrentará los postulados de los dos capítulos anteriores con la aplicación práctica que algunos Juzgados de Garantía de Santiago y otro de Región han experimentado desde su aparición en la Reforma Procesal Penal. Un último capítulo condensa las conclusiones del autor, resolviendo la pregunta inicial que motivó la presente investigación. Palabras claves: Ejecución de sentencias condenatorias penales, cumplimiento de sentencias penales, sentencias condenatorias penales, pena efectiva, jurisdicción, administración

Effects of climatic factors on the plant distribution were examined by means of direct gradient analysis, and the relationship of forest flora, life form and phytogeographical distribution was examined. Subsequently, leaf phenology of forest plants were analyzed to evaluate the adaptive significance in relation to the environments in forest understory. In the boreo-nemoral forest ecotone, Hokkaido Island, northern Japan, co-ccurrence of northern and southern plants in a certain forest site is more notable in the understory than in the crown, and this dates back to the late-uaternary period, where the decrease in temperature associated with the glacial period forced the understory flora to adapt their life form or leaf habits to snowcover and light conditions of the interior forests. / Hokkaido University (北海道大学) / 博士 / 環境科学