The present study was largely concerned with measuring accurate absolute values for the electronic state excitation cross sections in H2O, in the incident electron energy range 15eV to 50eV. It is hoped that these data will eventually help to improve the current state of electron - molecule scattering theory, as well as being useful in various fields of modelling. As an illustration of this latter point, the cross sections determined here were used to calculate quantities of importance in atmospheric modelling, namely, electron energy transfer rates and rates for the excitation of water molecules by auroral secondary electrons.

Cette étude contribue à la recherche de formes originales et non intuitives d'antennes miniatures. Il s'agit du développement et de l'application d'un code de calcul associant la simulation électromagnétique TLM (Transmission Line Matrix) à un Algorithme Génétique (AG). La partie théorique présente d'une part la méthode TLM et d'autre part les algorithmes génétiques. La méthode TLM, sur calculateur parallèle, permet d'analyser en 3 dimensions des antennes miniatures de formes arbitraires. Ses évolutions successives sont présentées avec l'objectif d'un couplage avec les algorithmes génétiques. Ceux-ci s'inspirent d'une technique d'optimisation stochastique basée sur la sélection naturelle et l'evolution des espèces. Une présentation définissant les grandeurs fondamentales à nos développements est effectuée. Dans la partie suivante, le couplage AG/TLM est décrit. La conception d'antennes, de formes intuitives ou non, est proposée pour deux types d'antennes bien connues, large bande et bi-bande. Il est ensuite propose un micro-algorithme génétique et son couplage avec la TLM (mAG/TLM) permettant d'atteindre une convergence plus rapide vers la solution optimale et d'éviter des convergences prématurées. Le code mAG/TLM a été appliqué à la recherche d'antennes imprimées, pour les normes WLAN2450 et HIPERLAN5250. Plusieurs antennes obtenues, chaque configuration dépend des conditions imposées sur les conditions initiales et sur la définition de la fonction ''objectif'', portant sur l'adaptation. Une étude expérimentale et de comparaisons systématique avec des logiciels commerciaux a été également développée. Enfin, dans la dernière partie, on s'est attache a l'optimisation d'antennes de type PIFA permettant de couvrir plusieurs standards, GSM, DCS, PCS, UMTS ou WLAN. Des résultats originaux sont proposes. En dernier lieu, des antennes filsplaques mono-polaires répondant aux standards WLAN/HIPERLAN2 et UMTS/HIPARLAN2 ont été obtenus.

Les composants à grille isolée sont de plus en plus souvent utilisés dans les variateurs de lumière connectés au secteur. L'utilisation de ces composants permet d'assurer la compatibilité électromagnétique du système en contrôlant les formes d'onde de commutation. Dans ce contexte, l'objet de ce travail porte sur l'étude des méthodes de commande des composants à grille isolée permettant de réduire les perturbations émises tout en conservant des pertes de commutation acceptables. Nous présentons dans une première partie un modèle comportemental du MBS lors de sa fermeture sur charges résistives. Ce modèle permet d'analyser l'influence des différents paramètres électriques du MBS sur les formes d’onde de commutation. Il permet également de déterminer en simulation les perturbations électromagnétiques générées. Dans une seconde partie nous nous intéressons aux circuits de commande permettant aux variateurs de lumière utilisant des MBS de respecter les normes de compatibilité électromagnétique. Une méthode de dimensionnement des commandes R-C est présentée. Les performances de ce type de commande en terme de perturbations électromagnétiques générées et de pertes de commutation sont déterminées en simulation puis en mesure. La principale limite de ces commandes provient de leur sensibilité aux variations des paramètres électriques du composant commandé. Ceci nous a poussé à développer un nouveau type de commande permettant d'assurer des commutations peu perturbatrices de manière simple et fiable. Le principe de la commande développée, basée sur un contrôle en courant du composant, est présenté et ses performances sont analysées tant en simulation qu'en réalité. La sensibilité aux dispersions de paramètre obtenue est faible par rapport à celle des commandes classiques. D'autre part, le circuit de commande proposé présente l'avantage d'être réalisable sous forme d'un circuit intégré monolithique. L'utilisation de cette nouvelle commande a permis la réalisation d'un variateur de lumière à MBS d'une puissance maximale de 500W respectant les normes CEM sans filtre secteur et ne dissipant qu'une puissance de 3,5W soit un rendement de conversion de 99,3%.

This paper proposes novel antenna designs for cellular phones and WLAN (Wireless LAN) applications. For cellular phones, a dual- frequency PIFA (Planar Inverted-F Antenna) loaded with a chip inductor is constructed. In order to decrease the construction cost, PIFAs without a loading chip inductor for GMS/DCS phones are devised. Besides, a PIFA-monopole antenna for GSM/DCS/PCS is also proposed. For WLAN application, a dual-band PIFA for 2.4/5.8 GHz and a dual-band integrated monopole antenna for 2.4/5.2 GHz are shown. Finally, a novel metal-plate WLAN antenna, having a simple structure and being easy to construct with low cost, is presented.

The Discrete Controller Synthesis (DCS) technique is used for automatic generation of correct-by-construction hardware controllers. For a given plant (a state-based model), and an associated control specification (a behavioral requirement), DCS generates a controller which, composed with the plant, guarantees the satisfaction of the specification. The DCS technique used relies on binary decision diagrams (BDDs). The controllers generated must be compliant with standard RTL hardware synthesis tools. Two main issues have been investigated: the combinational explosion, and the actual generation of the hardware controller. To address combinational explosion, common approaches follow the "divide and conquer" philosophy, producing modular control and/or decentralized control. Most of these approaches do not consider explicit communication between different components of a plant. Synchronization is mostly achieved by sharing of input events, and outputs are abstracted away. We propose an incremental DCS technique which also applies to communicating systems. An initial modular abstraction is followed by a sequence of progressive refinements and computations of approximate control solutions. The last step of this sequence computes an exact controller. This technique is shown to have an improved time/memory efficiency with respect to the traditional global DCS approach. The hardware controller generation addresses the control non-determinism problem in a specific way. A partially closed-loop control architecture is proposed, in order to preserve the applicability of hierarchical design. A systematic technique is proposed and illustrated, for transforming the automatically generated control equation into a vector of control functions. An application of the DCS technique to the correction of certain design errors in a real design is illustrated. To prove the efficiency of the incremental synthesis and controller implementation, a number of examples have been studied.

The master thesis deals with the implementation of higher controllers to the commonly used practice in the automation of technological processes. It uses the DCS system from Siemens - PCS 7 and its advanced APC (Advanced Process Control) library. The aim of this master thesis is a theoretical summary of resources and available tools for real-time deployment. The master thesis briefly introduces the Siemens PCS 7 DCS system and the APC library tools (functional blocks). For these types of regulators, their proper use is discussed.

Decompression sickness (DCS) is a risk associated with high-altitude aviation and diving. During these activities, decompression may lead to supersaturation of inert gas dissolved in bodily tissues and subsequently activate bubble formation in various bodily tissues, including in venous blood, known as venous gas emboli (VGE). It has been shown that the amount of VGE detected during and after decompression is linked to the risk of developing DCS. Thus, lowering the incidence of VGE would lower the risk of developing DCS. Previous studies have demonstrated that a session of whole-body vibration prior to a diving session is effective in lowering VGE formation. However, no study has investigated the effect of whole-body vibration on high-altitude-induced VGE. For the present study, 3 participants were recruited. The subjects performed on separate days (interspaced by 48 h) and in a randomised manner, three different preconditioning strategies: (A) 40-min seated rest, (B) 30-min seated rest followed by 150 knee squats performed over a 10 min period and (C) 30-min whole-body vibration (40 Hz) proceeded by a 10 min seated rest. Thereafter, subjects were exposed to an altitude of 24,000 ft continuously for 90 min, whilst laying in a supine position and breathing a normoxic gas mixture (PIO2 = 21 kPa). Heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) were monitored throughout the high-altitude exposure. Every 5 min, VGE prevalence was assessed ultrasonically and graded according to the Eftedal-Brubakk 5-point scale. In addition, every 15 min, subjects were asked to perform three fast, unloaded knee-bends while in their left-side horizontal recumbent position, with VGE prevalence being estimated both before and after the three knee-bends. The control strategy was associated with a higher VGE scores (2.7 ± 1.2) compared to vibration (1.0 ± 1.0) and squats (1.3 ± 0.6) strategies. VGE appeared earlier during the control strategy (35 ± 23 min) compared to the vibration (65 ± 31 min) and squats (50 ± 17 min) strategies. A strong negative correlation was only observed in the control strategy between VGE and CO (r = -0.63) and SV (r = -0.64). This study demonstrated that whole-body vibration is the most effective preconditioning strategy in lowering the amount of high-altitude-induced VGE compared with 40-min of seated-rest and 150 knee squats performed over a period of 10 min. / Att drabbas av dekompressionssjuka (DKS) utgör en risk vid såväl höghöjdsflygning som dykning. I samband med dessa aktiviteter, kan dekompression leda till övermättnad av inert-gas löst i kroppens vävnader, vilket i sin tur kan leda till bubbelformation i olika vävnader, inklusive i venblodet, där bubblorna benämns venösa gasembolier (VGE). Det har visats föreligga ett samband mellan mängden VGE som uppmäts under och efter dekompression och risken att utveckla DKS. Således kan det antas att en minskad incidens av VGE är förknippad med minskad risk att utveckla DKS. Tidigare undersökningar har påvisat att en period med helkroppsvibration före dykning påtagligt minskar bildningen av VGE. Hittills har man dock inte undersökt om helkroppsvibration påverkar höghöjdsinducerade VGE. I föreliggande undersökning, medverkade tre försökspersoner. De exponerades vid separata tillfällen (med 48 timmars mellanrum), och i olika ordningsföljd, för tre prekonditioneringsstrategier: (A) 40 min sittande vila, (B) 30 min sittande vila följt av 150 djupa knäböjningar som genomfördes under en 10-minutersperiod och (C) 10 min sittande vila följt av 30 min helkroppsvibration (40 Hz). Därefter exponerades försökspersonerna för en simulerad höjd motsvarande 24,000 fot ö.h. kontinuerligt under 90 min, under det att de i liggande ryggläge andades en normoxisk gasblandning (inspiratoriskt syrepartialtryck = 21 kPa). Hjärtfrekvens (HF), hjärtminutvolym (HMV) och hjärtats slagvolym (SV) mättes kontinuerligt under höghöjdsexponeringen. Var femte min bedömdes prevalensen av VGE med hjälp av ultraljudsteknik och en 5-gradig skattningsskala. Var femtonde min genomförde försökspersonerna 3 obelastade knäböjningar, liggande i vänster sidoläge, varvid VGE-prevalensen bedömdes såväl före som efter knäböjningarna. Kontrollbetingelsen (A) framkallade högre VGE-nivå (2,7 ± 1,2) än vibrationsbetingelsen (B; 1 ± 1) och knäböjbetingelsen (C; 1,3 ± 0,6). VGE uppträdde tidigare under kontrollbetingelsen (35 ± 23 min) än i vibrations- (65 ± 31 min) och knäböj-betingelserna (50 ± 17 min). Starka negativa samband påvisades mellan VGE och CO (r = -0,63) respektive SV (r = -0,64). Således visade föreliggande undersökning att helkroppsvibration.

Many cerebral diseases are associated with abnormal cerebral hemodynamics and impaired cerebral autoregulation (CA). CA is a mechanism to maintain cerebral blood flow (CBF) stable when mean arterial pressure (MAP) fluctuates. Evaluating these abnormalities requires direct measurements of cerebral hemodynamics and MAP. Several near-infrared diffuse optical instruments have been developed in our laboratory for hemodynamic measurements including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), hybrid NIRS/DCS, and dual-wavelength DCS flow-oximeter. We utilized these noninvasive technologies to quantify CBF and cerebral oxygenation in different populations under different physiological conditions/manipulations. A commercial finger plethysmograph was used to continuously monitor MAP. For investigating the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on cerebral hemodynamics and CA, a portable DCS device was used to monitor relative changes of CBF (rCBF) during bilateral thigh cuff occlusion. Compared to healthy controls, smaller reductions in rCBF and MAP following cuff deflation were observed in patients with OSA, which might result from the impaired vasodilation. However, dynamic CAs quantified in time-domain (defined by rCBF drop/MAP drop) were not significantly different between the two groups. We also evaluated dynamic CA in frequency-domain, i.e., to quantify the phase shifts of low frequency oscillations (LFOs) at 0.1 Hz between cerebral hemodynamics and MAP under 3 different physiological conditions (i.e., supine resting, head-up tilt (HUT), paced breathing). To capture dynamic LFOs, a hybrid NIRS/DCS device was upgraded to achieve faster sampling rate and better signal-to-noise. We determined the best hemodynamic parameters (i.e., CBF, oxygenated and total hemoglobin concentrations) among the measured variables and optimal physiological condition (HUT) for detecting LFOs in healthy subjects. Finally, a novel dual-wavelength DCS flow-oximeter was developed to monitor cerebral hemodynamics during HUT-induced vasovagal presyncope (VVS) in healthy subjects. rCBF was found to have the best sensitivity for the assessment of VVS among the measured variables and was likely the final trigger of VVS. A threshold of ~50% rCBF decline was observed which can completely separate subjects with or without presyncope, suggesting its potential role for predicting VVS. With further development and applications, NIRS/DCS techniques are expected to have significant impacts on the evaluation of cerebral hemodynamics and autoregulation.

Cette thèse présente un émetteur radio-fréquences, composé d’un synthétiseur numérique de fréquences, lui-même construit autour d’un sigma delta et d’un interpolateur de phase, ainsi que d’un oscillateur verrouillé par injection. Le synthétiseur numérique direct génère des fréquences de 400 à 500 MHz avec une résolution fréquentielle d’au moins 60 Hz. L’oscillateur verrouillé par injection, quand à lui, transpose ces fréquences dans la bande Bluetooth en assurant une multiplication de fréquences par 5. De plus, l’oscillateur verrouillé filtre le bruit de phase du signal d’injection jusqu’à récupérer celui de l’oscillateur libre. La bande passante de l’oscillateur verrouillé par injection peut être programmée numériquement. Cet émetteur a été développée dans une technologie CMOS 65 nm. / This Ph.D dissertation presents a radio-frequency transmitter, made of a direct digital frequency synthesizer, built around a sigma delta and a phase interpolator, and an injection locked oscillator. The direct digital synthesizer generates frequencies between 400 and 500 MHz with a frequency resolution better than 60 Hz. On the other hand, the injection locked oscillator up-converts synthesizer output up to the Bluetooth band by multiplying frequencies by 5. Moreover, the locked oscillator filters injected signal phase noise up to recover the one of the free running oscillator. The locked oscillator bandwidth can be tuned digitally. This transmitter has been developed on 65-nm CMOS technology.

As células dendríticas (DCs) são células do sistema imune inato que são especializadas na instrução de repostas imunes adaptativas No baço murinho, as DCs convencionais podem ser classificadas em CD8α+ DEC205+ e CD8α- DCIR2+. Anticorpos monoclonais (mAbs) αDEC205 e αDCIR2 (33D1) conjugados a proteínas antigênicas e são utilizados como estratégia de direcionamento de antígenos para as DCs CD8α+ e CD8α-. Foi utilizado o antígeno quimérico MSP119PADRE conjugado aos mAbs αDEC205 e αDCIR2 e o Poly I:C como adjuvante. A montagem da resposta celular e humoral foi analisada 3, 4, 5 e 6 dias após primeira e a segunda As DCS CD8α- são especializadas na instrução de células TFH. Porém, num segundo dose de mAbs há a instrução de uma resposta Th2/Th17. E, o direcionamento de antígenos para DCS CD8α+ induz uma resposta Th1, indicando que essas células são especializadas na instrução desse perfil de resposta auxiliar. Apesar disso, na segunda imunização há a diferenciação de células TFH. / As dendritic cells (DC) are innate immune cells that are specialized to prime adaptive immune cells. In the murine spleen, conventional DCs can be classified into CD8α+ DEC205+ and CD8α-DCIR2+. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) αDEC205 and αDCIR2 (33D1) conjugated to antigenic proteins have benn used as antigen targeting strategy to CD8α+ and CD8α- DCs. MSP119PADRE chimeric antigen conjugated to mAbs αDEC205 and αDCIR2 and Poly I: C as adjuvant was used. The assembly of the cellular and humoral response was analyzed 3, 4, 5 and 6 days after the first and second doses of imnunization. DCs CD8α- are specialized in the instruction of TFH cells. However, there is an a promotion of Th1 response by CD8α+, indicating that these cells are specialized in the instruction of the helper response profile. Nevertheless, in the second immunization there is a differentiation of TFH cells.