No / In the present study we report on the effects of mobile phone exposure on short- and long-term memory in male and female subjects. Subjects were university undergraduate students, and consisted of right-handed, males (n = 33) and females (n = 29). Individuals were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: no phone exposure; inactive phone exposure; and active phone exposure. They were provided with a series of words to learn, structured in a two-dimensional shape, and given 3 min to memorise the words. After a 12 min distraction task, they were then asked to draw the shape (spatial) and place the correct words (semantic) into the appropriate boxes. One week later the same subjects were brought back to again redraw the shape and words. Error scores were determined and analysed by non-parametric techniques. The results show that males exposed to an active phone made fewer spatial errors than those exposed to an active phone condition, while females were largely unaffected. These results further indicate that mobile phone exposure has functional consequences for human subjects, and these effects appear to be sex-dependent.

Yes / The potentially broad application area in engineering design using Genetic Algorithm (GA) has been widely adopted by many researchers due to its high consistency and accuracy. Presented here is the initial design of a wideband non-dispersive wire bow-tie antenna using GA for breast cancer detection applications. The ultimate goal of this design is to achieve minimal late-time ringing but at higher frequencies such as that located from 4 to 8 GHz, in which is desire to penetrate human tissue for near field imaging. Resistively loading method to reduce minimal ringing caused by the antenna internal reflections is implemented and discussed when the antenna is located in free space and surrounded by lossy medium. Results with optimised antenna geometry and different number of resistive loads are presented and compared with and without existence of scatterers.

Este trabalho apresenta uma contribuição ao estudo das flutuações quânticas dos feixes sonda e de bombeio na condição de transparência induzida por laser. Com esse estudo conseguimos observar nas flutuações dos campos uma manifestação do caráter coerente da interação dos átomos com os feixes. Para alcançar nosso objetivo, derivamos a teoria do fenômeno da transparência induzida tratando ambos feixes dentro do formalismo quântico. Com tal formulação, encontramos que a condição de transparência induzida corresponde a um estado de equilíbrio dinâmico do sistema átomo - campo de bombeio - campo sonda onde, os átomos redistribuem os fótons entre os campos, correlacionando os mesmos e alterando, ao mesmo tempo, as propriedades estatísticas desses feixes. Utilizando dois critérios diferentes, mostrando que a correlação entre os feixes sonda e de bombeio é de natureza quântica, o que possibilita a aplicação desse sistema, por exemplo, na informação e computação quânticas. Os resultados experimentais obtidos confirmaram as previsões teóricas em relação às flutuações quânticas dos campos, e a existência de uma correlação entre eles. Trata-se da primeira investigação experimental de propriedades estatísticas dos campos em transparência induzida. A correlação de intensidade medida é o primeiro passo para a observação de emaranhamento entre feixes sonda e de bombeio na condiçào de transparência induzida. / In this work we presente a contribution to the study of quantum fluctuations of pump and probe filds in the Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) condition. We observed in the fields fluctuations evidence of the coherent character of the interaction between the atoms and the fields. To reach our purpose, the fields were treated quantum-mechanically in deriving the theory of the EIT phenomenon. Using this formulation, we concluded that the EIT condition corresponds to a state of dynamical equilibrium of the system atom pump field probe field, where the atoms redistribute the photons between both fields, correlating them and, at the same time, affecting their statistical properties. By means of two different criteria we showed that such a correlation is of quantum nature, making possible the application of this system in, for example, quantum information and quantum computation. The theoretical predictions were corroborated by our experimental results regarding the quantum fluctuations and the existence of a correlation between the pump and probe fields. This is the first experiment to investigate statistical properties of the fields in EIT. The intensity correlation measured is the first step towards the observation of entanglement between the fields.

Este trabalho apresenta uma contribuição ao estudo das flutuações quânticas dos feixes sonda e de bombeio na condição de transparência induzida por laser. Com esse estudo conseguimos observar nas flutuações dos campos uma manifestação do caráter coerente da interação dos átomos com os feixes. Para alcançar nosso objetivo, derivamos a teoria do fenômeno da transparência induzida tratando ambos feixes dentro do formalismo quântico. Com tal formulação, encontramos que a condição de transparência induzida corresponde a um estado de equilíbrio dinâmico do sistema átomo - campo de bombeio - campo sonda onde, os átomos redistribuem os fótons entre os campos, correlacionando os mesmos e alterando, ao mesmo tempo, as propriedades estatísticas desses feixes. Utilizando dois critérios diferentes, mostrando que a correlação entre os feixes sonda e de bombeio é de natureza quântica, o que possibilita a aplicação desse sistema, por exemplo, na informação e computação quânticas. Os resultados experimentais obtidos confirmaram as previsões teóricas em relação às flutuações quânticas dos campos, e a existência de uma correlação entre eles. Trata-se da primeira investigação experimental de propriedades estatísticas dos campos em transparência induzida. A correlação de intensidade medida é o primeiro passo para a observação de emaranhamento entre feixes sonda e de bombeio na condiçào de transparência induzida. / In this work we presente a contribution to the study of quantum fluctuations of pump and probe filds in the Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) condition. We observed in the fields fluctuations evidence of the coherent character of the interaction between the atoms and the fields. To reach our purpose, the fields were treated quantum-mechanically in deriving the theory of the EIT phenomenon. Using this formulation, we concluded that the EIT condition corresponds to a state of dynamical equilibrium of the system atom pump field probe field, where the atoms redistribute the photons between both fields, correlating them and, at the same time, affecting their statistical properties. By means of two different criteria we showed that such a correlation is of quantum nature, making possible the application of this system in, for example, quantum information and quantum computation. The theoretical predictions were corroborated by our experimental results regarding the quantum fluctuations and the existence of a correlation between the pump and probe fields. This is the first experiment to investigate statistical properties of the fields in EIT. The intensity correlation measured is the first step towards the observation of entanglement between the fields.

<p>In this study, we developed and improved the numerical mode matching (NMM) method which has previously been shown to be a fast and robust semi-analytical solver to investigate the propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves in an isotropic layered medium. The applicable models, such as cylindrical waveguide, optical fiber, and borehole with earth geological formation, are generally modeled as an axisymmetric structure which is an orthogonal-plano-cylindrically layered (OPCL) medium consisting of materials stratified planarly and layered concentrically in the orthogonal directions.</p><p>In this report, several important improvements have been made to extend applications of this efficient solver to the anisotropic OCPL medium. The formulas for anisotropic media with three different diagonal elements in the cylindrical coordinate system are deduced to expand its application to more general materials. The perfectly matched layer (PML) is incorporated along the radial direction as an absorbing boundary condition (ABC) to make the NMM method more accurate and efficient for wave diffusion problems in unbounded media and applicable to scattering problems with lossless media. We manipulate the weak form of Maxwell's equations and impose the correct boundary conditions at the cylindrical axis to solve the singularity problem which is ignored by all previous researchers. The spectral element method (SEM) is introduced to more efficiently compute the eigenmodes of higher accuracy with less unknowns, achieving a faster mode matching procedure between different horizontal layers. We also prove the relationship of the field between opposite mode indices for different types of excitations, which can reduce the computational time by half. The formulas for computing EM fields excited by an electric or magnetic dipole located at any position with an arbitrary orientation are deduced. And the excitation are generalized to line and surface current sources which can extend the application of NMM to the simulations of controlled source electromagnetic techniques. Numerical simulations have demonstrated the efficiency and accuracy of this method.</p><p>Finally, the improved numerical mode matching (NMM) method is introduced to efficiently compute the electromagnetic response of the induction tool from orthogonal transverse hydraulic fractures in open or cased boreholes in hydrocarbon exploration. The hydraulic fracture is modeled as a slim circular disk which is symmetric with respect to the borehole axis and filled with electrically conductive or magnetic proppant. The NMM solver is first validated by comparing the normalized secondary field with experimental measurements and a commercial software. Then we analyze quantitatively the induction response sensitivity of the fracture with different parameters, such as length, conductivity and permeability of the filled proppant, to evaluate the effectiveness of the induction logging tool for fracture detection and mapping. Casings with different thicknesses, conductivities and permeabilities are modeled together with the fractures in boreholes to investigate their effects for fracture detection. It reveals that the normalized secondary field will not be weakened at low frequencies, ensuring the induction tool is still applicable for fracture detection, though the attenuation of electromagnetic field through the casing is significant. A hybrid approach combining the NMM method and BCGS-FFT solver based integral equation has been proposed to efficiently simulate the open or cased borehole with tilted fractures which is a non-axisymmetric model.</p> / Dissertation

O desenvolvimento da tecnologia de telecomunicação móvel ensejou a implantação massiva de ERBs (Estações rádio base) para o atendimento da crescente demanda ocorrida na última década. As ERBs, por sua vez, constituem fontes emissoras de radiação não ionizante. Os estudos científicos concluídos nos últimos anos indicam que a exposição à radiação não ionizante, principalmente em longo prazo, pode produzir consequências negativas para a saúde humana, por essa razão, mister se faz a aplicação do Princípio da Precaução que vem evocar cautela diante do risco. Das principais normas existentes no planeta, nem todas adotaram o princípio da precaução ao fixar seus limites; em decorrência, a maioria das normas que determinam limites máximos de exposição teve como base apenas os efeitos biológicos danosos da exposição à radiação não ionizante já conhecidos pela comunidade científica e relacionados à exposição aguda. Dessa maneira, diante do risco resultante da exposição, surge outra questão de grande importância o gerenciamento dessas ERBs. Haveria, na cidade de São Paulo, um sistema de gerenciamento das ERBs que garanta o cumprimento dos limites e padrões definidos na legislação local? Nesse cenário, este estudo pretende: (i) elaborar um levantamento junto aos três órgãos públicos responsáveis pelo gerenciamento das ERBs na cidade de São Paulo, sobre o atual estágio dos sistemas de gerenciamento praticado por cada entidade pública legalmente competente para o respectivo exercício; (ii) desenvolver uma análise das características básicas dos sistemas de gerenciamento das ERBs no município de São Paulo, estudando a evolução ocorrida entre os anos de 2006 e 2011; e, (iii) avaliar as possibilidades de melhoria na proposta atual de gerenciamento das ERBs, no município de São Paulo. Esta pesquisa parte dos dados levantados no ano de 2006, na cidade de São Paulo, que na ocasião indicaram a existência de um sistema de gerenciamento das ERBs incipiente e frágil por parte dos órgãos públicos competentes (Secretaria Estadual da Saúde, Secretaria Municipal do Verde e Meio Ambiente e ANATEL). A partir deste cenário, elabora-se uma análise das características básicas dos sistemas de gerenciamento das ERBs no município de São Paulo, estudando a evolução ocorrida entre os anos de 2006 e 2011. Dessa avaliação, são identificadas falhas e possibilidades de melhoria nos sistemas de gerenciamento das ERBs praticados no município de São Paulo na atualidade. A metodologia adotada constitui-se de pesquisa de campo, por meio de entrevista estruturada, aplicada aos representantes dos órgãos públicos responsáveis pelo gerenciamento das ERBs no município de São Paulo. Finalmente, é desenvolvida a interpretação dos dados, global e individualmente, de forma que os resultados obtidos possibilitaram as considerações e propostas formuladas no capítulo conclusivo desta pesquisa. / The development of mobile telecommunication technology gave rise to the massive deployment of RBSs (Radio base stations) to attend the growing demand occurred in the last decade. The RBSs in turn, are emitting sources of non-ionizing radiation. Scientific studies concluded in the recent years indicate that exposure to non-ionizing radiation, especially in the long term, can produce negative consequences for human health, therefore, it becomes important to apply the Precautionary Principle that evokes caution in risk situation. Of the main rules in the world, not all adopted the precautionary principle in setting its limits; as a result, most of the rules that determine maximum exposure limits were based only on the harmful biological effects of exposure to ionizing radiation already known by the scientific community and related to acute exposure exclusively. Thus, with the risk resulting from exposure, there is another major issue - the management of these RBSs. Would it exist, in São Paulo city, a management system of RBSs to ensure compliance with the limits and standards defined by local law? In this scenario, this study aims to: (i) develop a survey along the three entities responsible for managing the RBSs in São Paulo, on the current stage of respective management systems practiced by each public entity legally responsible for the exercise thereof; (ii) develop an analysis of the basic features of the RBSs management systems in São Paulo, studying the evolution that occurred between the years 2006 and 2011; and, (iii) assess the possibilities for improvement in the current proposal for the RBSs management in São Paulo. This survey starts from the data collected in 2006, in São Paulo, which at the time indicated the existence of an incipient and fragile RBSs management system, by the public agencies (Secretaria Estadual da Saúde, Secretaria Municipal do Verde e Meio Ambiente e Anatel). From this scenario, it is drawn up an analysis of the basic features of the RBSs management systems in São Paulo, studying the evolution that occurred between the years 2006 and 2011. From this evaluation, are identified gaps and opportunities for improving the RBSs management systems practiced in São Paulo at present. The methodology consisted of field survey through structured questionnaires, applied to representatives of public agencies responsible for RBSs management in São Paulo. Finally, it is developed the interpretation of the data, overall and individually, so that the results enabled the considerations and proposals made in the concluding chapter of this research.

Microcystis são cianobactérias que apresentam formações de florações e produção de microcistina, uma hepatotoxina que causa envenenamentos e promove tumores hepáticos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram estudar o efeito combinado da radiação gama com outros agentes físicos em células de Microcystis panniformis e investigar a atenuação da microcistina através da ação de feixes de nêutrons e elétrons e radiação gama. Observou-se que os tratamentos combinados aumentaram a inviabilidade celular e que houve atenuação da microcistina após a sua exposição aos três tipos de radiações ionizantes. Com a combinação de agentes físicos é possível reduzir as doses necessárias para o controle populacional de Microcystis panniformis e a exposição à feixes de elétrons é a radiação indicada para maior atenuação da microcistina. / Microcystis are cyanobacteria exhibiting blooms formation and production of microcystin, a hepathotoxin responsible for poisoning and consequent development of hepathic tumors. The goals of this work are the study of the combined effect between gamma radiation with other exogenous physical agents in cells of Microcystis panniformis, as well to investigate the attenuation of microcystin by neutron and electron beams and gamma radiation. It was found out that combined treatments, as radiation with another physical agent, caused lowering of the cellular viability and that had attenuation of microcystin after your exposition at three kind of ionizing radiation. The results showed that with the association of physical agents it is possible to reduce the doses needed for the population control of Microcystis panniformis and that exposition of electron beams have proved to be the most indicated radiation type for attenuation of microcystin.

Neste trabalho estudamos a resistência de Deinococcus radiodurans à ação combinada de radiações convencionais, não convencionais e agentes externos. Nas irradiações com gamas, a D. radiodurans apresentou um ombro de reparo de 2 e 8kGy nas fases exponencial e estacionária, respectivamente. Nas irradiações com gamas e ajuste da suspensão celular manifestou-se radioresistência similar em ambas as fases de crescimento. Em exposições ao campo elétrico após irradiações com gamas, a D. radiodurans apresentou em ambas as fases redução do ombro de reparo. O ombro de reparo foi de 1 e 4kGy nas fases exponencial e estacionária, respectivamente. Nas exposições ao campo magnético, obtivemos um ombro de 4kGy na fase exponencial e de 6kGy na fase estacionária. Em irradiações com elétrons o ombro de reparo na fase exponencial foi completamente eliminado e na fase estacionária foi de apenas 1kGy. Este trabalho revelou novas e importantes informações referentes à radioresistência da D. radiodurans, além de fornecer subsídios para a melhoria de protocolos de radioterapia em associação com outros agentes físicos exógenos. / Several strategies have been worked out toward the enhancement of cellular radiosensibility, as the use of exogenous fields. In gamma irradiation D. radiodurans exhibited repairing shoulders of 2 and 8 kGy at the exponential and stationary phases, respectively. When gamma irradiations were combined with expositions to the electric field the repairing shoulders were reduced to 1 and 4 kGy at the exponential and stationary phases, respectively. Radioresistance was similar in both growing phases when the number of cells were approximately equalized in these two processes. On the other hand, when gamma irradiations were combined with expositions to the magnetic field the repairing shoulders were reduced to 4 and 6 kGy at the exponential and stationary phases, respectively. In irradiations with electron beams the repairing shoulder at the exponential phase was totally depleted, while at the stationary phase it was only 1 kGy. The findings of this work revealed new and important information on the radioresistance of D. radiodurans, while providing hints to the improvement of radiotherapy protocols in association with exogenous physical agents.

Neste trabalho estudamos a resistência de Deinococcus radiodurans à ação combinada de radiações convencionais, não convencionais e agentes externos. Nas irradiações com gamas, a D. radiodurans apresentou um ombro de reparo de 2 e 8kGy nas fases exponencial e estacionária, respectivamente. Nas irradiações com gamas e ajuste da suspensão celular manifestou-se radioresistência similar em ambas as fases de crescimento. Em exposições ao campo elétrico após irradiações com gamas, a D. radiodurans apresentou em ambas as fases redução do ombro de reparo. O ombro de reparo foi de 1 e 4kGy nas fases exponencial e estacionária, respectivamente. Nas exposições ao campo magnético, obtivemos um ombro de 4kGy na fase exponencial e de 6kGy na fase estacionária. Em irradiações com elétrons o ombro de reparo na fase exponencial foi completamente eliminado e na fase estacionária foi de apenas 1kGy. Este trabalho revelou novas e importantes informações referentes à radioresistência da D. radiodurans, além de fornecer subsídios para a melhoria de protocolos de radioterapia em associação com outros agentes físicos exógenos. / Several strategies have been worked out toward the enhancement of cellular radiosensibility, as the use of exogenous fields. In gamma irradiation D. radiodurans exhibited repairing shoulders of 2 and 8 kGy at the exponential and stationary phases, respectively. When gamma irradiations were combined with expositions to the electric field the repairing shoulders were reduced to 1 and 4 kGy at the exponential and stationary phases, respectively. Radioresistance was similar in both growing phases when the number of cells were approximately equalized in these two processes. On the other hand, when gamma irradiations were combined with expositions to the magnetic field the repairing shoulders were reduced to 4 and 6 kGy at the exponential and stationary phases, respectively. In irradiations with electron beams the repairing shoulder at the exponential phase was totally depleted, while at the stationary phase it was only 1 kGy. The findings of this work revealed new and important information on the radioresistance of D. radiodurans, while providing hints to the improvement of radiotherapy protocols in association with exogenous physical agents.

This thesis has been motivated by the growing needs for multi-degree of freedom (M-DOF) electromagnetic actuators capable of smooth and accurate multi-dimensional driving motions. Because high coercive rare-earth permanent-magnets (PMs) are widely available at low cost, their uses for developing compact, energy-efficient M-DOF actuators have been widely researched. To facilitate design analysis and optimization, this thesis research seeks to develop a general method based on distributed source models to characterize M-DOF PM-based actuators and optimize their designs to achieve high torque-to-weight performance with compact structures To achieve the above stated objective, a new method that is referred to here as distributed multi-level current (DMC) utilizes geometrically defined point sources has been developed to model electromagnetic components and phenomena, which include PMs, electromagnets (EMs), iron paths and induced eddy current. Unlike existing numerical methods (such as FEM, FDM, or MLM) which solve for the magnetic fields from Maxwell’s equations and boundary conditions, the DMC-based method develops closed-form solutions to the magnetic field and force problems on the basis of electromagnetic point currents in a multi-level structure while allowing trade-off between computational speed and accuracy. Since the multi-level currents can be directly defined at the geometrically decomposed volumes and surfaces of the components (such as electric conductors and magnetic materials) that make up of the electromagnetic system, the DMC model has been effectively incorporated in topology optimization to maximize the torque-to-weight ratio of an electromechanical actuator. To demonstrate the above advantages, the DMC optimization has been employed to optimize the several designs ranging from conventional single-axis actuators, 2-DOF linear-rotary motors to 3-DOF spherical motors. The DMC modeling method has been experimentally validated and compared against published data. While the DMC model offers an efficient means for the design analysis and optimization of electromechanical systems with improved computational accuracy and speed, it can be extended to a broad spectrum of emerging and creative applications involving electromagnetic systems.