Novas informações assimiladas pelo sistema nervoso primeiramente ficam em um estado de labilidade para depois se estabilizarem através de um processo conhecido como consolidação, que envolve síntese de proteínas. Depois da reativação, uma memória previamente consolidada retorna ao seu estado de labilidade, e para que volte a ser estável, é necessário que haja novamente síntese de proteínas. Este segundo processo é chamado de reconsolidação. Recentemente os mecanismos moleculares e celulares envolvidos na regulação da síntese protéica relacionados à formação de memória de longa duração vêm sendo esclarecidos. A proteína alvo da rapamicina em mamíferos (mTOR) modula a plasticidade sináptica pela regulação da fosforilação de dois alvos: a proteína ribossomal S6K e a proteína de ligação 4E. A amígdala basolateral e o hipocampo dorsal são parte integrante do sistema neural envolvido na formação e expressão de diversos tipos de memórias. Estudos indicam que a via de sinalização da mTOR no hipocampo tem um papel importante na consolidação da memória de ratos submetidos a tarefa de esquiva inibitória e reconhecimento de objetos e na reconsolidação da memória de medo contextual condicionado. Contudo, estudos anteriores não avaliaram o efeito da inibição de mTOR amigdalar sobre a memória de esquiva inibitória e reconhecimento de objetos. O objetivo do presente trabalho é investigar o efeito da inibição de mTOR na amígdala basolateral por rapamicina na consolidação e reconsolidação da memória de esquiva inibitória e reconhecimento de objetos e comparar estes resultados com a inibição de mTOR no hipocampo. Ratos Wistar machos foram submetidos à cirurgia estereotáxica para implantação de cânulas na amígdala basolateral e hipocampo dorsal. Os animais foram submetidos à tarefa de esquiva inibitória, um modelo animal de memória de caráter aversivo, e a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos, um modelo animal de memória de caráter pouco aversivo. Para investigar o efeito da inibição de mTOR na consolidação e reconsolidação da memória, os animais receberam microinfusões de rapamicina intra-amigdalar e intra-hipocampal em diferentes tempos em torno do treino e do teste. Nós demonstramos que a via de sinalização de mTOR na amígdala basolateral é necessária para consolidação da memória de esquiva inibitória e de reconhecimento de objetos. Nós também mostramos que a reativação torna a memória novamente suscetível e sensível à inibição de mTOR por rapamicina. / Memory formation requires protein synthesis, but only recently the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of protein synthesis related to the formation of long term memory has been elucidated. During memory formation, new information is acquired by the central nervous system as an initially fragile trace that over time becomes stable through a process known as consolidation. After reactivation, previously consolidated memories might return to a labile state, requiring a new round of protein synthesis to be restabilized. This second process is called reconsolidation. The basolateral amygdala and dorsal hippocampus are part of the neural systems involved in the formation and expression of several types of memory. One key regulator of protein synthesis is mTOR, a protein critical for different forms of synaptic plasticity by regulation of two targets: S6K and 4EBP. Evidence indicates that the mTOR signaling pathway in hippocampus has an important role in consolidation in rats of inhibitory avoidance and object recognition in rats, as well as in reconsolidation of contextual fear conditioning. However, previous studies have not examinated the effect of amygdalar mTOR inhibition on reconsolidation of inhibitory avoidance and object recognition. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of amygdalar mTOR inhibition by rapamycin on consolidation and reconsolidation of inhibitory avoidance and object recognition, and compare the results with those obtained with hippocampal mTOR inhibition. Male rats Wistar underwent stereotaxic surgeries for cannulae implantation above the basolateral amygdala or dorsal hippocampus. After recovery, the animals were trained in inhibitory avoidance, an aversive memory task, or object recognition, a less aversive task. To investigate the effect of mTOR inhibition on memory consolidation and reconsolidation, we administered rapamycin, a specific mTOR inhibitor, into the basolateral amygdala or the dorsal hippocampus before or after training or reactivation. Our results provide evidence that mTOR in the basolateral amygdala and hippocampus might play a role in inhibitory avoidance and object recognition memory formation and reconsolidation.

Novas informações assimiladas pelo sistema nervoso primeiramente ficam em um estado de labilidade para depois se estabilizarem através de um processo conhecido como consolidação, que envolve síntese de proteínas. Depois da reativação, uma memória previamente consolidada retorna ao seu estado de labilidade, e para que volte a ser estável, é necessário que haja novamente síntese de proteínas. Este segundo processo é chamado de reconsolidação. Recentemente os mecanismos moleculares e celulares envolvidos na regulação da síntese protéica relacionados à formação de memória de longa duração vêm sendo esclarecidos. A proteína alvo da rapamicina em mamíferos (mTOR) modula a plasticidade sináptica pela regulação da fosforilação de dois alvos: a proteína ribossomal S6K e a proteína de ligação 4E. A amígdala basolateral e o hipocampo dorsal são parte integrante do sistema neural envolvido na formação e expressão de diversos tipos de memórias. Estudos indicam que a via de sinalização da mTOR no hipocampo tem um papel importante na consolidação da memória de ratos submetidos a tarefa de esquiva inibitória e reconhecimento de objetos e na reconsolidação da memória de medo contextual condicionado. Contudo, estudos anteriores não avaliaram o efeito da inibição de mTOR amigdalar sobre a memória de esquiva inibitória e reconhecimento de objetos. O objetivo do presente trabalho é investigar o efeito da inibição de mTOR na amígdala basolateral por rapamicina na consolidação e reconsolidação da memória de esquiva inibitória e reconhecimento de objetos e comparar estes resultados com a inibição de mTOR no hipocampo. Ratos Wistar machos foram submetidos à cirurgia estereotáxica para implantação de cânulas na amígdala basolateral e hipocampo dorsal. Os animais foram submetidos à tarefa de esquiva inibitória, um modelo animal de memória de caráter aversivo, e a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos, um modelo animal de memória de caráter pouco aversivo. Para investigar o efeito da inibição de mTOR na consolidação e reconsolidação da memória, os animais receberam microinfusões de rapamicina intra-amigdalar e intra-hipocampal em diferentes tempos em torno do treino e do teste. Nós demonstramos que a via de sinalização de mTOR na amígdala basolateral é necessária para consolidação da memória de esquiva inibitória e de reconhecimento de objetos. Nós também mostramos que a reativação torna a memória novamente suscetível e sensível à inibição de mTOR por rapamicina. / Memory formation requires protein synthesis, but only recently the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of protein synthesis related to the formation of long term memory has been elucidated. During memory formation, new information is acquired by the central nervous system as an initially fragile trace that over time becomes stable through a process known as consolidation. After reactivation, previously consolidated memories might return to a labile state, requiring a new round of protein synthesis to be restabilized. This second process is called reconsolidation. The basolateral amygdala and dorsal hippocampus are part of the neural systems involved in the formation and expression of several types of memory. One key regulator of protein synthesis is mTOR, a protein critical for different forms of synaptic plasticity by regulation of two targets: S6K and 4EBP. Evidence indicates that the mTOR signaling pathway in hippocampus has an important role in consolidation in rats of inhibitory avoidance and object recognition in rats, as well as in reconsolidation of contextual fear conditioning. However, previous studies have not examinated the effect of amygdalar mTOR inhibition on reconsolidation of inhibitory avoidance and object recognition. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of amygdalar mTOR inhibition by rapamycin on consolidation and reconsolidation of inhibitory avoidance and object recognition, and compare the results with those obtained with hippocampal mTOR inhibition. Male rats Wistar underwent stereotaxic surgeries for cannulae implantation above the basolateral amygdala or dorsal hippocampus. After recovery, the animals were trained in inhibitory avoidance, an aversive memory task, or object recognition, a less aversive task. To investigate the effect of mTOR inhibition on memory consolidation and reconsolidation, we administered rapamycin, a specific mTOR inhibitor, into the basolateral amygdala or the dorsal hippocampus before or after training or reactivation. Our results provide evidence that mTOR in the basolateral amygdala and hippocampus might play a role in inhibitory avoidance and object recognition memory formation and reconsolidation.

Nesta dissertação é descrita a construção de um equipamento de ensaio de adensamento com velocidade de deformação constante (CRS) no Laboratório de Geotecnologia (LAGEO). Durante os testes de funcionamento, foram ensaiados dois solos: um solo arenoso obtido junto ao trevo de acesso da BR 290 (Free Way) no município de Santo Antonio da Patrulha e um solo argiloso coletado no pátio da Infraero na Av. Sertório em Porto Alegre. Foram realizados um total de 17 ensaios incluindo ensaios convencionais em amostra indeformada de areia e de argila, ensaios convencionais em amostras deformadas de areia e de argila, ensaios em prensa pneumática com carga incremental e ensaios CRS em amostras deformadas e indeformadas. As diferentes técnicas empregadas na obtenção dos resultados mostraram-se bastante satisfatórias e as concordâncias alcançadas nas curvas de “e x σ’v (esc. log)” mostraram a adequação do equipamento desenvolvido. Os ensaios em argila puderam ser realizados com tempos de 4 a 8 horas com resultados comparáveis aos convencionais, especialmente em relação aos coeficientes de adensamento. A utilização de diferentes velocidades de deformação mostrou a influência da velocidade nos resultados. / In this work an apparatus for consolidation tests with constant rate of strain has been built and tested in the Laboratório de Geotecnologia (LAGEO) of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). During the initial tests two soils were tested: a sandy soil obtained close to the road junction of the BR 290 (Free Way) with the access of Santo Antonio da Parulha town and a clayey soil sampled in the Infraero plot at Av. Sertório, Porto Alegre. A total of 17 tests were carried out, including conventional tests on undisturbed samples of the clay and the sandy soil, conventional tests on remoulded samples of sandy and clayey soils, tests on a pneumatic frame with incremental loads and tests with constant rate of strain (CRS) on remoulded and undisturbed specimens. The various test techniques employed resulted in quite comparable results. The similarity of the curves “e x σ’v (log)” showed the quality of the apparatus built. The test on clay were carried out in 4h to 8h with comparable results to the conventional tests which take much longer times. The results are quite similar in relation to the coefficients of consolidation. The use of differente rates of strain in some tests showed the influence of the rate in the test results.

A consolidação da memória é um processo que ocorre ao longo do tempo, em que memórias recentes são cristalizadas em memória de longo prazo. As memórias recentes são vulneráveis e passíveis de esquecimento, principalmente na presença de fatores interferentes. Entretanto, a consolidação de eventos com conteúdo emocional sofre menos interferências do que o observado com eventos neutros. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar experimentalmente os efeitos da emoção e de uma tarefa de interferência sobre a consolidação do tempo na memória de longo prazo. Uma série de três experimentos foi conduzida em um procedimento de generalização temporal, no qual os participantes aprenderam uma duração padrão e imediatamente, ou após 24 horas, julgaram a duração padrão baseada em durações de comparação. No primeiro experimento, os participantes aprenderam uma duração padrão sob o efeito de três condições emocionais: ameaçadora, não ameaçadora e condição neutra, controle. Os julgamentos temporais de longo prazo mostraram que as durações foram melhor recordadas em uma condição emocional do que neutra; isto ocorreu em maior extensão para a condição ameaçadora do que para a condição não ameaçadora. No segundo experimento, foi investigado o processo de consolidação da duração e seus efeitos sobre julgamentos temporais. Uma tarefa de interferência foi introduzida em diferentes atrasos depois da aprendizagem inicial da duração padrão. Os resultados mostraram que os julgamentos temporais de longo prazo foram menos precisos quando a tarefa de interferência foi introduzida 30-45 minutos após a aprendizagem. Esta imprecisão não foi observada quando a memória foi testada imediatamente após a tarefa de interferência sendo encontrado um gradiente temporal do efeito perturbador da interferência dentro da primeira hora após a aprendizagem. O terceiro experimento foi conduzido para examinar o efeito da emoção na memória de longo prazo para duração e sua resistência contra os efeitos da interferência. Os participantes aprenderam uma duração padrão sob duas condições: uma ameaçadora e uma neutra; imediatamente após a aprendizagem, foi introduzida uma tarefa de interferência. Então, 24 horas após, eles julgaram se as durações de comparação eram ou não similares à duração padrão previamente aprendida. Os julgamentos temporais de longo prazo foram mais acurados quando os participantes aprenderam a duração padrão em uma condição emocional. Os resultados desta tese levam a conclusão que as emoções que despertam arousal facilitam a retenção do tempo na memória de longo prazo e são também resistentes aos efeitos da interferência. Por outro lado, a interferência perturba a consolidação do tempo e a memória da duração passa por um processo de consolidação que dura pelo menos uma hora. / Memory consolidation is a process that occurs over time in which new memories are crystallized in long-term memory. Recent memories are vulnerable and susceptible to forgetfulness, especially in the presence of interfering factors. However, emotional events are better retained in long-term memory than neutral events. The aim of this thesis was to experimentally investigate the effects of emotion and interference task on time consolidation in long-term memory. A set of three experiments were conducted in a temporal generalization procedure, in which participants learned a standard duration and immediately, or 24 hours later, they judged the standard duration based in duration comparisons. In experiment one, participants learned a standard duration under three emotional conditions: a threatening, a nonthreatening and a neutral control condition. The long-term temporal judgments showed that durations were recalled better in the emotional than in the neutral condition; this occurred to a greater extent in the threatening than in the nonthreatening condition. In experiment two, it was investigated the consolidation process for duration and its effect on the time judgment. An interference task was introduced at different delays after the initial learning of the standard duration. Results showed long-term temporal judgments less precise when the interference task was introduced 30-45 min after the learning. Disruption was not observed when the memory was tested immediately after the interference task and there was a temporal gradient of the disruptive interference effect within the first hour after learning. The experiment three was conducted to examine the effect of emotion on the long-term memory for duration and its resistance against interference effects. Participants learned a standard duration under two conditions: a threatening and a neutral condition; immediately after the learning, it was introduced an interference task. Then, 24 hours later, they judged whether or not comparison durations were similar to the previously learned standard duration. The long-term temporal judgments were more accurate when participants learned the standard duration in an emotional condition. The findings of this thesis led to the conclusion that arousing emotions facilitate the retention time in long-term memory and are also resistant against interference effects. Instead, the interference disrupts time consolidation, and memory duration undergoes a consolidation process that lasts at least one hour.

The diploma thesis focuses on the concept of CCCTB, its historical development and the application of the allocation formula for the division of the common consolidated corporate tax base. At the beginning is the attention paid to coordination and harmonization within the European Union. Subsequently, the work is concerned with the proposal itself. It describes proposal from 2011 and its methods for determining the tax base, its consolidation and its distribution among the members of the group. The 2011 proposal is compared with two new proposals from 2016 - the CCTB and the CCCTB. More detailed descriptions of significant differences are described. The last chapter of the thesis then calculates the distribution of the consolidated base in the conditions of the selected company.

The purpose of this study is to identify the core of the problem of why the democratization in Russia didn’t achieve a full consolidation after the Soviet Union fell as well as why the country returned to an authoritarian regime. This is a theory based study, where the two theories are tested against the case of Russia in 1991-2004. This, in order to find a common factor in response to the questions. The chosen time perspective is based on Gorbachev's resignation until Putin's first term of office. The theories used are Linz and Stepan's five arenas for a successful consolidation of democracy and Huntington's theory of authoritarian nostalgia. Since the theories will be tested and found support in different texts, the method used is a qualitative text analysis, more specifically a content analysis. The result indicates that the lack of economic stability is a major issue that plays a central role. Unless this criteria is met, there will be no successful consolidation in the country and a backlash to the authoritarian regime will happen. In conclusion, the study also shows common factors in both theories that are of an explanatory element to the study's existing problem.

Many government organizations consist of complex application portfolios with significant redundant functionalities and in order to run this portfolio, 80% of the IT budget is consumed by maintenance cost. Eliminating redundant functionalities improves efficiency, operational performance and decreases maintenance costs. A midsized Swedish municipality has a complex application portfolio with redundant functionalities, and this study aims to suggest actions for reducing redundant functionalities of citizen related applications. In order to identify redundant functionalities in a complex organization such as the government, all surrounding complexities need to be identified. Therefore, by performing a literature study, Application Portfolio Rationalization has been selected as an approach for reducing redundant functionalities. An online survey was conducted for gathering data about applications and the total response rate was 46.5%. The collected data was analyzed to identify complexities and applications with similar purpose and functions. Finally, actions were suggested for reducing redundant functionalities of applications by consolidating them with the “best-in-class” application, and implementing a central database for reducing redundant storage of data by the applications.

Investigations into the neural correlates of memory have found the hippocampus to be a crucial structure for long-term declarative memories, but the exact nature of this contribution remains under debate. This paper covers three theories concerned with how the hippocampus is involved in long-term memory, namely the Standard Consolidation Model, the Multiple-Trace Theory, and the Distributed Reinstatement Theory. According to the Standard Consolidation Model, long-term declarative memories (both episodic and semantic) are dependent on the hippocampus for a limited time during which the memories undergo a process of consolidation, after which they become dependent on the neocortex. In contrast, the Multiple-Trace Theory argues that detailed and context-specific episodic (but not semantic) memories remain dependent on the hippocampus indefinitely. While both the aforementioned theories posit that memories are initially dependent on the hippocampus, the Distributed Reinstatement Theory does not. Advocates of this theory propose that several memory systems compete for the encoding of a memory, and that the hippocampus usually is the dominant system. However, it is also suggested that the other (unspecified) memory systems can overcome the hippocampal dominance through extensive and distributed learning sessions. In this paper, findings from both human and rodent studies focusing on the hippocampus are reviewed and used to evaluate the claims made by each theory on a systems level.

This paper analyses the impact of banking mergers on systemic risk, with in particular if internationalization prior to acquisition increases systemic risk. By using the marginal expected shortfall methodology for an international sample of mergers, a significant increase in systemic risk is found as a result of mergers in the financial sector. Moreover, if a bank is operating internationally prior to acquisition, this increases systemic risk. Additionally, there is evidence of a too-big-to-fail motive for relatively smaller banks to use mergers to become systemically important. The results confirm that consolidation in the financial sector increases fragility of the financial system.

Les estuaires sont généralement soumis à des phénomènes de comblement sédimentaires. Dans cette partie des systèmes fluviaux du territoire, l'accumulation des matériaux fins modifie radicalement la morphologie de l'estuaire, et conditionne la présence des espèces animales et végétales et on distingue un impact fort sur le plan économique, social et industriel. Les comblements compliquent la circulation dans les estuaires, compliquent les activités de pêches, de loisirs, modifient les propriétés des écoulements et constituent un facteur risque sur les zones d'habitations voisines. Des solutions temporaires consistent à curer les estuaires et des solutions d'aménagement des estuaires peuvent être envisagées. Néanmoins, il ressort de la littérature un manque important sur la caractérisation des mélanges liquides-solides et sur les mécanismes de structuration. Ce travail s'inscrit dans le contexte de l'étude des mécanismes de structuration des matériaux sédimentaires dans les estuaires afin de mieux comprendre les remplissages des zones estuariennes et surtout d'envisager des solutions durables de « nettoyage » de ces zones. L'estuaire de la Rance est particulièrement ciblé par notre étude. Le but est de donner des éléments de réponse sur le comportement rhéologique des vases naturelles en distinguant les échelles les plus significatives afin de détecter les facteurs structurants qui influencent les paramètres rhéologiques. La rhéologie des sédiments est ainsi étudiée à l'aide du rhéomètre Kinexus, géométrie plan-plan. On a pu alors détecter un comportement visco-plastique Bighamien. L'influence du diamètre moyens et de la fraction volumique solide sur la viscosité et le seuil de la contrainte de cisaillement dynamique du modèle de Bingham sont ainsi analysés. Ensuite, nous avons étudié grâce à des sédiments sans sel et sans matière organique, l'influence de ces deux composés chimiques sur le comportement rhéologiques des sédiments et puis leurs influences sur le vieillissement des sédiments. Une étude statique est également réalisée à l'aide du Va ne test permettant le calcul de la contrainte de cisaillement seuil. •Enfin, une assimilation du piège du Lyvet est réalisée grâce à des colonnes de sédimentation dans des conditions assez proches des conditions naturelles. Un processus de sédimentation-tassement-consolidation sous poids propre est recréé en laboratoire. Les sédiments sont amenés à vieillir cette fois pour des longues durées allant jusqu'à 9 mois. Au terme de périodes de vieillissement retenues, le massif créé est caractérisé depuis l'interface fluide-sédiments. Cela nous a permis d'étudier la répartition granulaire des sédiments après structuration et la variation de la contrainte de cisaillement seuil selon la profondeur de la colonne et la durée du vieillissement. Ce type d'essai est aussi réalisé pour les sédiments sans sel et sans matières organiques. / Estuaries are generally subject of sedimentary filling phenomena that alter their morphology and affect subsequently the economic, social and industrial plans. In this part of the fluvial systems of the territory, the accumulation of fine materials radically modifies the morphology of the estuary, and conditions the presence of animal and plant species and cause a strong impact on the economic, social and industrial. Filling complicates navigation in estuaries, fishing, recreational activities and modifies flow properties and is a risk factor in neighboring housing areas. Temporary solutions consist of cleaning estuaries and estuarine management solutions can be considered. Nevertheless, the literature shows a significant lack of characterization of liquid-solid mixtures and structuring mechanisms. This work is in the context of the study of structuring mechanisms of sedimentary materials in estuaries to better understand the fillings estuarine areas and specially to consider sustainable solutions of "cleansing" of these areas. The Rance estuary is particularly targeted by the study. The aim is to provide answers on the rheological behavior of natural vessels by distinguishing the most significant scales to detect structural factors influencing the rheological parameters. The rheology of the sediments is studied using the Kinexus rheometer, plan-plan geometry. A Bighamien visco-plastic behavior was then detected. The influence of the mean diameter and the solid volume fraction on the viscosity and the threshold of the dynamic shear stress of the Bingham model are thus analyzed. Then, using sediments without salt and organic matter, we studied the influence of these two chemical compounds on the rheological behavior of the sediments and their influence on the aging of the sediments. A static study is also carried out using the Vane test allowing the calculation of the threshold shear stress. Finally, an assimilation of the natural filling phenomenon is achieved in columns under conditions similar to natural conditions. These columns are then filled with natural sediments, washed sediments and sediments free of organic material and left for ages ranging from one week to 9 months. Then, the columns will be disassembled and rheological tests with the Brookfield Rheometer will be performed throughout the depth of the columns as well as measurements of water content and grain size. These tests allow us to study sediment structuring in the long term and also to identify the effect of salt and organic matter on sedimentation.