The aim of this thesis is to analyze the tax system with a focus on value-added tax at the Central Region, which has become a VAT payer to 1.4.2009. The result is an analysis of the impact of this tax accounting, budget and management of the Central Region.

Since 1971, a number of flood frequency models have been developed for river basins in Malawi for use in the design of hydraulic structures, but the varied nature of their results have most often given a dilemma to the design engineer due to differences in magnitudes of calculated floods for given return periods. All the known methods for flood frequency analysis developed in country so far have not used a homogeneity test for the river basins from which the hydrological data has been obtained. This study was thus conducted with a view to resolving this problem and hence improve the design of hydraulic structures such as culverts, bridges, water intake points for irrigation schemes, and flood protection dykes. In light of the above, during the course of this study the applicability of existing methods in the design of hydraulic structures was assessed. Also, the study investigated how land use and land cover change influence the frequency and magnitude of floods in the study area, and how their deleterious impacts on the socio-economic and natural environment in the river basins could be mitigated / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Current designs of bileaflet mechanical heart valves (BMHVs) and trileaflet polymeric heart valves(TPHVs) are plagued by unacceptable levels of hemolysis and thrombus formation in critical areas thereby producing mediocre clinical performance. The objective of this study is: (1) to investigate the influence of BMHV designs on hinge flow characteristics, (2) to quantify the influence of hinge gap width tolerance in a BMHV design, and (3) to investigate the influence of TPHV design on flow characteristics. St. Jude Medical (SJM) provided four transparent mitral BMHVs: one 23 mm CarboMedics (CM), one 27 mm SJM Standard and two 27 mm prototype BHMVs with altered hinge gap widths. Aortech Inc. provided three 23 mm aortic prototype TPHVs. Laser Doppler velocimetry and Particle Image velocimetry were used to measure flow velocity inside these valve prostheses. The flows through the valves were maintained within physiological limits. All valves revealed Reynolds shear stress (RSS) levels greater than 200 Pa far exceeding the threshold for platelet activation and hemolysis. MHV hinge flows in the mitral position were characterized by a strong recirculation during ventricular diastole while leakage jets over and adjacent to leaflets were prominent during ventricular systole. CM hinge flow had higher RSS than in the SJM hinge. The large gap width hinge had the largest leakage jet size and highest RSS (>400 Pa) during ventricular diastole. The Standard gap width hinge showed better washout during systole and provided optimum hemodynamic performance than the prototype designs. In aortic prototype PHVs, elevated RSS conducive to hemolysis was observed along the central jet during systole and the leakage jet at the high central region inside the valve during diastole. This study showed that hinge geometry designs and hinge gap width tolerance governed the success of the bileaflet MHV design. Also the performance of the three aortic PHVs is dependent on commissural designs and leaflet thicknesses. Owing to the critical nature flow fields on clinical outcomes studies such as the current study should be conducted in the pre-clinical evaluation phase for all new MHV or PHVs.

The complement system is a major component of innate immunity and an effector of antibody-mediated immune responses. Unlike the other two activation pathways of the complement system, the alternative pathway is permanently switched on. Discrimination by complement between self and foreign is therefore achieved by selective protection of healthy host tissue and cells. This study investigated the alternative pathway regulator factor H (FH), which is crucial for protection of self surfaces from complement. FH engages via its N- and C- terminal ends with activation-specific fragments of C3, C3b and C3d. The middle region of FH has no binding sites for complement components. It presumably ensures that the binding sites at either end of the extended and flexible FH molecule cooperate in recognizing C3b in fluid phase or on self surfaces, but not on foreign targets. This study was aimed at achieving an atomic level understanding of the structure of the middle portion of FH, thereby testing hypotheses as to how it promotes the overall biological efficacy of the intact protein. High-resolution NMR-derived structures of two module pairs FH-10-11 and FH-11-12 were solved and combined with SAXS data to produce a model of FH-10-12. This was combined, in silico, with the previously solved FH-12-13 structure, then the model of FH-10-13 was used to revisit SAXS data for FH-10-15 and FH-8-15. A unique structure emerged, unlike any other encountered previously in the family of complement regulators, in which CCPs 13, 14 and 15 have a highly compacted organization that has repercussions for function. While devoid of binding affinity for host ligands, this central region is a binding site for PspC, a virulence factor of S. pneumoniae. It has been speculated that the bacteria use this interaction to sequester FH in a conformation that resembles the one adopted by FH on self cells and makes it particularly good at regulating complement. Structural and functional investigations of this interaction were performed to establish the molecular basis of the use of FH by this pathogen in order to avoid complement-mediated elimination. It was found that PspC and FH form a near-irreversible complex, while FH-8-15 binds PspC almost as tightly as intact protein. When bound to PspC, FH has a higher affinity for some of its targets, supporting the theory that this bacterial protein stabiles a particularly active conformation of the regulator.

Neste trabalho investigamos a atuação dos movimentos sociais de moradia que disputam o espaço central da cidade de São Paulo para produção de habitação de interesse social (HIS). Para isso apresentamos o processo de alteração espacial ocorrido na região central a partir da industrialização e posteriormente a reorganização do espaço urbano conduzida pelo Estado e agentes financeiros visando produzir novas centralidades e requalificar espaços degradados na região central, apresentamos também a atuação dos movimentos sociais de moradia que surgiram a partir da década de 90. Os movimentos pesquisados são: Frente de Luta pela Moradia (FLM), Movimento Sem-Teto do Centro (MSTC) e Movimento de Moradia na Luta por Justiça (MMLJ), estes movimentos se destacam por sua capacidade de articulação política e quantidade de imóveis ocupados na região central. Aprofundamos este trabalho em três ocupações, Prestes Maia com 478 famílias, Mauá com 248 famílias e a ocupação hotel Cambridge com 171 famílias, ao todo vivem nestes espaços 897 famílias. Buscamos compreender estas disputas através das ocupações de imóveis que ocorreram durante o período de 2002 a 2012. Nestas ocupações se dão as dinâmicas de organização e luta pelo espaço urbano central, se tornando espaços de luta e esperança para a classe trabalhadora de menor renda que integram estes movimentos. Estas ocupações na região central da cidade se tornaram espaços de resistência em meio ao concreto da indiferença causada pela renda da terra. Espaços de luta, pois, para eles: \"Quem não luta, está morto!\" / In this work we investigate the role of social movements for housing contesting for the central space of the city of São Paulo for production of social housing (HIS). To this end we introduce the processs of spatial changes occurred in the central region. The surveyed movements are: Fighting Front for Housing (FLM), Motion Homeless Center (MSTC) and Housing Movement in the Struggle for Justice (MMLJ), these movements stand out for their joint capacity policy and amount of occupied buildings in the central region. Deepen this work in three occupations, Prestes Maia with 478 families, with Mauá 248 families and Cambridge hotel occupancy with 171 families in all living 897 families in these spaces. We seek to understand these disputes by of real estate occupations that occurred during the period 2002-2012. These occupations are given the organizational dynamics and struggle for space urban center, becoming spaces of struggle and hope for the class working lower-income falling within these movements. These occupations in the downtown area have become areas of resistance in amid the indifference of the concrete caused by land rent. Spaces of struggle, because to them, \"Who does not fight, is dead!\"

Neste trabalho investigamos a atuação dos movimentos sociais de moradia que disputam o espaço central da cidade de São Paulo para produção de habitação de interesse social (HIS). Para isso apresentamos o processo de alteração espacial ocorrido na região central a partir da industrialização e posteriormente a reorganização do espaço urbano conduzida pelo Estado e agentes financeiros visando produzir novas centralidades e requalificar espaços degradados na região central, apresentamos também a atuação dos movimentos sociais de moradia que surgiram a partir da década de 90. Os movimentos pesquisados são: Frente de Luta pela Moradia (FLM), Movimento Sem-Teto do Centro (MSTC) e Movimento de Moradia na Luta por Justiça (MMLJ), estes movimentos se destacam por sua capacidade de articulação política e quantidade de imóveis ocupados na região central. Aprofundamos este trabalho em três ocupações, Prestes Maia com 478 famílias, Mauá com 248 famílias e a ocupação hotel Cambridge com 171 famílias, ao todo vivem nestes espaços 897 famílias. Buscamos compreender estas disputas através das ocupações de imóveis que ocorreram durante o período de 2002 a 2012. Nestas ocupações se dão as dinâmicas de organização e luta pelo espaço urbano central, se tornando espaços de luta e esperança para a classe trabalhadora de menor renda que integram estes movimentos. Estas ocupações na região central da cidade se tornaram espaços de resistência em meio ao concreto da indiferença causada pela renda da terra. Espaços de luta, pois, para eles: \"Quem não luta, está morto!\" / In this work we investigate the role of social movements for housing contesting for the central space of the city of São Paulo for production of social housing (HIS). To this end we introduce the processs of spatial changes occurred in the central region. The surveyed movements are: Fighting Front for Housing (FLM), Motion Homeless Center (MSTC) and Housing Movement in the Struggle for Justice (MMLJ), these movements stand out for their joint capacity policy and amount of occupied buildings in the central region. Deepen this work in three occupations, Prestes Maia with 478 families, with Mauá 248 families and Cambridge hotel occupancy with 171 families in all living 897 families in these spaces. We seek to understand these disputes by of real estate occupations that occurred during the period 2002-2012. These occupations are given the organizational dynamics and struggle for space urban center, becoming spaces of struggle and hope for the class working lower-income falling within these movements. These occupations in the downtown area have become areas of resistance in amid the indifference of the concrete caused by land rent. Spaces of struggle, because to them, \"Who does not fight, is dead!\"

Theme of this thesis is to determine the current state of canoeing courses organized by secondary schools in the Central region. Thesis is focused on the detailed arrangements of courses, their organization and other information associated with this. The author also tries form the information and legislative facts to determine how it should ideally look like such a course.

Esta dissertação apresenta o estudo arqueológico e etnoarqueológico dos conjuntos cerâmicos provenientes de sítios arqueológicos históricos - Tacaimbó 1 e Tacaimbó 2 - e dos conjuntos cerâmicos etnográficos produzidos em comunidades locais, ambos do Agreste Central Pernambucano. Adotando uma abordagem etnoarqueológica para a análise de sítios arqueológicos históricos, através de perspectivas descolonizadas e multivocais, discutimos o papel do arqueólogo na valorização dos conhecimentos tradicionais. Esta valorização é fundamental para a construção das identidades locais e para a elaboração de narrativas históricas alternativas que incluam estas populações historicamente marginalizadas. Concluindo, a partir da análise tecnológica dos conjuntos cerâmicos arqueológicos e etnográficos elaboramos uma matriz de correlatos para artefatos cerâmicos de produção local/regional, contribuindo para a caracterização dos mesmos e para as discussões arqueológicas sobre variabilidade artefatual. / This dissertation is resulted from an archaeological and ethnoarchaeological research study of pottery sets from historical archaeological sites - Tacaimbó 1 and Tacaimbó 2 - and of ethnographic pottery sets produced on local communities, both from Agreste Central region (Pernambuco state, Brazilian Northeast). Using an ethnoarchaeological approach for the historical archaeological sites analysis, and the decolonized and multivocal perspectives, the role of the archaeologist on traditional knowledge valuation was discussed. This valuation is a fundamental aspect for the local identities construction and formulation of an alternative historical narrative, which include these historically marginalized populations. In conclusion, from the technological analysis of archaeological and ethnographic pottery sets, a matrix of correlates for local and regional production of pottery artifacts was proposed, contributing to its characterization and for the archaeological discussions of artefactual variability

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Rio Grande do Sul Central Region is important for many activities in this State. High fog occurence is the characteristic of this particular region in Southern Of Brazil. Fog is directly associated with liquid water content in the atmosphere nearby surface. In this way, fog phenomenom can be originated by surface radiative cooling by the longwave emission in land areas or by the moist air mass advection over the cold surface, for exemple inshore areas. Furthermore, fogs can be form associated with cold frontal passage. The main goal of this work is characterize the fog occurence in the Central Region of Rio Grande do Sul. To accomplish this task METAR (Meteorological Aerodrome Report) was applied to select fog events. This data are provide by REDEMET. The fog cases was grouped in precipitation and noprecipitation events. To descrive the conditions synoptic Final Analysis (FNL National Centers for Environmetal Prediction) data was employed. The results shown que noprecipitaion fogs are most commun than precipitaion fogs between 09-14 UTC. Moreover, fog events are frequently in autumn and winter seasons, while precipitaions are uniformly distributed over the year in the fog of events with precipitation. Related to synoptic conditions, fog associated to anticyclones are 62% about noprecipitaions events, with highoressure center posicioned at east of Santa maria. / A região Central do Rio Grande do Sul é importante para muitas atividades neste Estado. A alta ocorrência de nevoeiro é uma característica particular desta área no Sul do Brasil e está diretamente relacionada com o teor de água líquida na atmosfera, próximo à superfície. Esse fenômeno pode ser originado pelo resfriamento radiativo da superfície através da emissão de ondas longas na região continental ou pela advecção de massa de ar úmido sobre a superfície fria, por exemplo, em áreas costeiras. Além disso, a formação de nevoeiros também pode estar associada à passagem de frentes frias. O objetivo deste trabalho é caracterizar a ocorrência de nevoeiro na Região Central do Rio Grande do Sul. Para tanto, mensagens de Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR) foram utilizadas para selecionar os eventos de nevoeiro a serem estudados. Estas mensagens foram obtidas da Rede de Meteorologia do Comando da Aeronáutica (REDEMET). Os casos de nevoeiro foram agrupadas em eventos com precipitação e sem precipitação. A fim de descrever as condições sinóticas dos eventos sem precipitação, dados de Final Analysis (FNL) (National Centers for Environmetal Prediction) foram utilizados. Os resultados mostraram que nevoeiros sem precipitação são mais comuns do que com precipitação entre às 09 e 14 UTC. Também, os eventos de nevoeiros são frequentes no outono e inverno, enquanto nevoeiros com precipitação são distribuídos uniformemente ao longo do ano. Quando relaciona-se nevoeiros com a condição sinótica, os eventos associados aos anticiclones correspondem à 62% dos nevoeiros sem precipitação e a posição relativa destes anticiclones à Santa Maria é predominante de leste.

Esta dissertação apresenta o estudo arqueológico e etnoarqueológico dos conjuntos cerâmicos provenientes de sítios arqueológicos históricos - Tacaimbó 1 e Tacaimbó 2 - e dos conjuntos cerâmicos etnográficos produzidos em comunidades locais, ambos do Agreste Central Pernambucano. Adotando uma abordagem etnoarqueológica para a análise de sítios arqueológicos históricos, através de perspectivas descolonizadas e multivocais, discutimos o papel do arqueólogo na valorização dos conhecimentos tradicionais. Esta valorização é fundamental para a construção das identidades locais e para a elaboração de narrativas históricas alternativas que incluam estas populações historicamente marginalizadas. Concluindo, a partir da análise tecnológica dos conjuntos cerâmicos arqueológicos e etnográficos elaboramos uma matriz de correlatos para artefatos cerâmicos de produção local/regional, contribuindo para a caracterização dos mesmos e para as discussões arqueológicas sobre variabilidade artefatual. / This dissertation is resulted from an archaeological and ethnoarchaeological research study of pottery sets from historical archaeological sites - Tacaimbó 1 and Tacaimbó 2 - and of ethnographic pottery sets produced on local communities, both from Agreste Central region (Pernambuco state, Brazilian Northeast). Using an ethnoarchaeological approach for the historical archaeological sites analysis, and the decolonized and multivocal perspectives, the role of the archaeologist on traditional knowledge valuation was discussed. This valuation is a fundamental aspect for the local identities construction and formulation of an alternative historical narrative, which include these historically marginalized populations. In conclusion, from the technological analysis of archaeological and ethnographic pottery sets, a matrix of correlates for local and regional production of pottery artifacts was proposed, contributing to its characterization and for the archaeological discussions of artefactual variability