Psidium guajava é uma espécie tropical, frutífera, de grande importância na fruticultura brasileira e é usada em diversas partes do mundo para o tratamento de doenças que acometem a humanidade. Além de sua importância alimentícia e medicinal, P. guajava também se mostrou boa bioindicadora de poluentes atmosféricos como ozônio e SO2 , pois apresenta respostas características e dose-dependentes das concentrações desses poluentes. Mostrou-se, dessa forma, uma espécie interessante para o estudo de respostas de espécies tropicais a elevadas concentrações de CO2 atmosférico. A fim de avaliar se o elevado CO2 seria uma situação estressante para essa espécie, foi realizada uma fumigação de 130 mudas de P. guajava cv. Pedro Sato em quatro câmaras de topo aberto: duas com ar ambiente ((∼390 ppm) e duas com atmosfera enriquecida com CO2 (∼720 ppm). Foram realizadas coletas quinzenais, retirando-se cinco indivíduos de cada câmara, aleatoriamente, que foram separados em raiz, caule e folhas e imediatamente congelados com nitrogênio líquido. Foram analisados componentes relacionados a sinalização e inativação de espécies reativas de oxigênio em folhas: os teores de poliaminas solúveis, ácido ascórbico e glutationa, além de fenóis, flavonoides, proantocianidinas e taninos totais. Além disso, os extratos metanólicos de folhas foram submetidos à CLAE para análises quali e quantitativas dos principais flavonoides. Parâmetros relacionados ao desenvolvimento da planta também foram analisados, como incremento em altura, massa seca, fração de massa, acúmulo de carbono, açúcares solúveis e amido. As análises de poliaminas, ácido ascórbico, glutationa, e compostos fenólicos de folhas não revelaram alterações significativas entre os tratamentos, exceto para a análise de taninos totais onde foi observado um aumento significativo dessas substâncias nas plantas mantidas a elevado CO2 e após 90 dias de fumigação. A análise por CLAE revelou que a maioria dos flavonoides dessa espécie é derivada de quercetina. Com relação aos parâmetros de crescimento, P. guajava não apresentou diferenças significativas de incremento em altura e massa seca, mas apresentaram acúmulo de amido nas folhas. Analises multivariadas foram utilizadas para integrar as 46 variáveis analisadas. Neste estudo viu-se que a situação de elevado CO2 em mudas de P. guajava é favorável, visto que ocorre acúmulo de amido, substâncias anti-herbivóricas (taninos) e, aparentemente, não há alteração no balanço redox. Contudo, é de extrema importância estudos que avaliem alterações concomitantes de parâmetros ambientais, como aumento de temperatura, disponibilidade de água, ozônio e elevado CO2 . A goiabeira apresenta grande importância econômica relacionada à produção e qualidade de seus frutos, dessa forma são necessários estudos que avaliem o efeito do aumento do CO2 na quantidade e qualidade de frutos produzidos por esta espécie. Por ser uma espécie de crescimento lento, períodos de exposição mais longos são aconselháveis para uma melhor analise da susceptibilidade dessa espécie ao elevado CO2 / Psidium guajava is a tropical fruit species of great importance in Brazilian economy; it is also used in several parts of the world as medicinal. Besides its importance as medicinal and nutritional species, P. guajava has also showed to be a good bioindicator of air pollutants, such as ozone and SO2 . It presents characteristic responses, dose-dependent of the concentrations of these pollutants. Therefore, this species seems to be interesting to study the responses of a tropical species to high concentrations of atmospheric CO2 . In order to assess whether the high CO2 would be a stressful situation for this species, we performed a fumigation experiment using 130 seedlings of P. guajava cv. Pedro Sato in four open-top chambers: two with ambient air (∼ 390 ppm CO2 ) and two with elevated CO2 (∼ 720 ppm). Biweekly, five individuals of each chamber were randomly collected, separated into root, stem and leaves and immediately frozen with liquid nitrogen. Were analyzed parameters related to signaling and inactivation of reactive oxygen species in leaves: levels of soluble polyamines, ascorbate and glutathione, as well as contents of phenols, flavonoids, tannins and proanthocyanidins. Furthermore, the methanol extracts were subjected to HPLC for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the major flavonoids. Parameters related to the development of the plant were also analyzed, as height increment, dry mass, mass fraction, carbon accumulation, soluble sugars and starch accumulation. The analysis of polyamines, ascorbate, glutathione and phenolic compounds of leaves, showed no significant changes when comparing treatments, except for the analysis of tannins which was observed a significant increase of these substances in plants at high CO2 after 90 days of fumigation. HPLC analysis revealed that most of flavonoid composition is quercetin derivatives. The growth parameters showed no significant differences in height increment and dry mass, but the leaves showed accumulation of starch after CO2 fumigation. Multivariate analyzes were used to integrate the 46 variables analyzed. In this study it was seen that the elevated CO2 seem to be favorable to seedlings of P. guajava, once there is an accumulation of starch, antiherbivore substances (tannins) and, apparently, there was no change in the redox balance. However, it is extremely important to perform studies that evaluate concomitant changes in environmental conditions, such as increased temperature, availability of water, ozone and elevated CO2 . Guava has great economic importance in Brazil, fact related to the production and quality of its fruits, so more studies are needed to assess the effect of increased CO2 in the quantity and quality of fruits produced by this species. As a slow-growing species, longer exposure periods are recommended to better analyze the susceptibility of this species to elevated CO2

Gas turbine engines are an efficient and flexible way of power generation and aircraft propulsion. Even though different combustion systems can be implemented in these engines, more stringent regulations on pollutant emissions have been imposed throughout the years, especially in regard to nitrogen oxides (NOx). A very promising technology to reduce NOx emissions is lean premixed combustion (LPC), however, it is plagued by intense flame dynamics. Thermoacoustic instabilities, lean blow-off and lean instabilities are examples of dynamical phenomena that are detrimental to the gas turbines. In view of this, the present thesis presents the experimental investigation of the response of lean premixed swirl flames to acoustic perturbations at atmospheric and elevated pressures. The results of this investigation may be used to understand the thermoacoustic instabilities and further could be helpful in their prediction. Moreover, this work addresses the effects of non-thermal plasma discharges on the lean blow-off and stability limits of premixed swirl flames at elevated pressures. For the analysis of the flame response to acoustic fluctuations, the flame transfer functions, the flame dynamics, phase-locked velocity fields, and phase-locked measurements of flame curvature are collected through heat release and velocity fluctuations measurements, phase-locked images of the flame, particle image velocimetry, and planar laser-induced fluorescence, respectively. For the analysis of the effects of plasma discharges on the stability limits, electrical measurements and direct imaging of the flame are performed. The results include the development of an empirical relation based on the laminar burning velocity and on the circulation of the acoustically generated vortex to predict the response of the flame to acoustic fluctuations in different operating conditions. Moreover, the results show that the pressure has a strong impact on the response of lean premixed swirl flames to acoustic oscillations and on the flame-plasma interactions. Therefore, extrapolating results obtained at atmospheric conditions to elevated pressures may result in erroneous conclusions. Furthermore, it is shown that non-thermal plasma discharges can effectively extend the stability limits of lean premixed swirl flames at elevated pressures, underlining the potential of these discharges at conditions relevant for gas turbines.

No / The main aim of this study is to investigate the effects of nano-SiO2 (NS), nano-Al2O3 (NA), nano-TiO2 (NT) and nano-Fe2O3 (NF) particles in single, binary, ternary, and quaternary combinations on compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths of concrete. The residual compressive strength of control and nano-added concretes are also determined at 300, 500, and 800 °C elevated temperatures. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses have been conducted to examine the chemical composition and microstructure of concrete samples. The main parameters investigated were the amount and various combinations of NS, NA, NT and NF, producing thirty-one concrete batches, one control and thirty NS, NA, NT and NF added concrete mixes. The total nanoparticle amounts in the concrete mixes of 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% by weight of cement were studied. A total of 558 concrete specimens with nanoparticles were tested at 28 days to determine compressive, splitting tensile, flexural, and residual compressive strength of concretes at ambient and elevated temperatures. It can be clearly concluded that NS and NA particles are more effective than NT and NF particles in improving the mechanical properties of concrete. The largest increase in compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength was obtained for 1.5% of NS and NA hybrid combination as 13.95%, 18.55%, and 21.88%, respectively. Furthermore, the residual compressive strength of single and hybrid nano-added concrete specimens significantly reduced, especially at 800 °C. Although the largest decrease in residual compressive strength of 57.65% was recorded for control concrete, the lowest reduction of 41.59% was observed for concrete with 1.5% of NS and NA hybrid combination at 800 °C.

Paper and paperboard are the major constituents found in US landfills. Typically paper consists of 79% to 98% of lignocellulose which is considered to be the most abundant source of natural carbon on earth. Lignocellulose decomposition depends on the association of biodegradable cellulose and hemicellulose with lignin. Lignin is a recalcitrant material which hinders cellulose degradation in conventional landfills. Because of this property of lignin cellulose to lignin ratio (C/L) is a common landfill stabilization parameter. Refuse degradation in landfills is a microbiological process and is highly dependent on temperature, moisture, and pH. Bioreactor landfills are designed to enhance biodegradation of refuse by providing favorable conditions for microorganisms. Effect of elevated temperature and moisture on possibility of lignin degradation is studied in this work. Synthetic and newspaper lignin were preheated and then inoculated with anaerobically digested sludge. Newspaper in distilled water exposed to 95°C for 48 hours released 8 times more of solubilized lignin then non preheated newspaper. Moreover lignin monomers were detected as a result of 95°C pretreatment indicating the positive effect of high temperature on the providing lignin in more bioavailable form for microbes. Digested sludge inocula was found to be capable of lignin monomers degradation as well as low but significant mineralization of synthetic lignin with approximately 6% of carbon originated from lignin mineralized into methane and carbon dioxide. An exponentially increasing trend for lignin monomers solubilization as a function of temperature was observed for three types of substrate, synthetic lignin, cardboard, and newspaper with the highest rate of solubilization for newspaper. Results of this study suggest that some lignin degradation can occur at conditions typical for bioreactor landfills. / Master of Science

In the beginning of my research I focused on transformations of the urban leftover and void space found in between buildings, street networks, parks or other institutionalized public spaces into urban places of character. By studying the spatial qualities of different places and their relation to human activities in those places I came up with the main question of my thesis: Can a space be designed loose and/or can it be loosened by design? The concept of “heterotopia”, as described by Michel Foucault in his essay “Of Other Spaces: Utopias and Heterotopias”, is a place functioning in nonhegemonic conditions, the place of “otherness” that has more layers of meaning than meet the eye. That concept proved to be the best description and the bounding frame of the design part of my research. / Master of Science

Elevated railway structures (ERS) has for more than a century been evolving as an urban archetype. Present in various forms in cities across the globe, to transport the increasing number of citizens, ERS are urban infrastructures that perform a vital role in curbing congestion and pollution that plague cities so often. In spite of their sustainable transport benefits, ERS are often viewed negatively as noisy, ugly and severing urban form, amongst other problems which will be elaborated on - problematising ERS. A theorisation of these problems follows, looking at ERS as an urban type, an infrastructural typeand other typologies. 39 types of ERS interventions are described as the result of a global literary and experiential search of various instances of ERS and projects that seek their urban integration. It is a search for the potentials of ERS to contribute to urban life and urban form, beyond their main transport function - potentializing ERS.

A concentração do gás carbônico (CO2) tem aumentado nas últimas décadas, devido principalmente à queima de combustíveis fósseis. Como consequência, admite-se que haverá gradual aumento da temperatura atmosférica em nível global. A soja é importante planta agrícola em todo o mundo, consumida na alimentação humana e de animais domésticos. O presente trabalho compõe-se de dois capítulos, o primeiro versando sobre o efeito da concentração de gás carbônico e da temperatura sobre vários parâmetros bioquímicos e o segundo, sobre a composição da cera foliar cuticular de uma variedade de soja. O capítulo I trata da composição química dos grãos e do teor de ceras foliares de plantas da cultivar \'MG/BR-46 Conquista\' crescendo em câmaras de topo aberto sob duas condições de CO2 (380ppm ambiente e 800ppm elevado) e duas condições de temperatura (ambiente e elevada [+5°C]). Foram coletados dados de 6 coletas ao longo de 105 dias de desenvolvimento da planta. As plantas crescidas em altas concentrações de CO2 aumentaram a biomassa seca da folha, caule, raiz e frutos, além do número de sementes; temperaturas elevadas estimularam a senescência precoce. A floração foi antecipada sob condição de CO2 elevado. Entre os carboidratos dos grãos, os teores de amido, frutose e mio-inositol tenderam a diminuir, enquanto os de sacarose, glicose e rafinose aumentaram. O incremento de CO2 acelerou a translocação de açúcares, enquanto e o da temperatura desacelerou. O teor de óleo e a composição dos ácidos graxos foram afetados diretamente pela elevada temperatura, com redução do teor de ácidos poliinsaturados. A associação de temperatura e CO2 elevados reduziu ainda mais o teor de ácidos graxos poliinsaturados. Os teores de proteínas solúveis em geral não apresentaram diferenças significativas por efeito do acoplamento, embora o teor de nitrogênio total tenha aumentado por efeito do tratamento por temperatura elevada. O teor de clorofilas foliares diminuiu por efeito dos tratamentos e o teor de cera foliar foi alterado ao longo do tempo. Conclui-se que as elevações de CO2 e temperatura, previstas para um futuro próximo, poderão ter o efeito de aumentar a produção de óleo por plantas de \'MG/BR-46 Conquista\', devido ao aumento no número de sementes por planta e elevação do teor de óleo. O capítulo II trata do teor da cera e a identificação dos componentes da cera foliar cuticular, por extração por lavagens superficiais das folhas com diclorometano, separação das classes de constituintes da cera por cromatografia em camada delgada e análise das frações por cromatografia a gás acoplada a espectrometria de massas. Os principais constituintes da cera foram os ésteres, seguidos de n-alcanos. O éster mais abundante foi o eicosanoato de octadecila (C38). Os alcanos principais foram o hentriacontano (C31) e o nonacosano (C29). Outros componentes detectados foram álcoois primários, ácidos graxos, hidroxiácidos graxos, álcoois triterpênicos e esteróis. O principal n-álcool graxo primário foi o octacosanol. Os triterpenos alcoólicos detectados foram α- e β-amirinas, lupeol, germanicol e 12,20(29)-lupadien-3-ol. Os ácidos graxos variaram no intervalo C15-C28. Os esteroides detectados foram estigmasterol, campesterol, sitosterol e estigmastanol, com predominância do primeiro / The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) has increased in the last decades, due mainly to the combustion of fossil fuels. A gradual increase of the global temperature is expected as a consequence. Soybean is an important crop in most countries, being consumed either as human or domestic animals food. The present work is composed of two chapters, the first dealing with the effect of the concentration of carbon dioxide and temperature on several biochemical parameters, and the second on the composition of the foliar cuticular wax of a variety of soybean plant. Chapter one deals with the chemical composition of soybeans and the leaf wax contents of soybean variety \'MG/BR-46 Conquista\', growing in open top chambers under two conditions of CO2 (380 ppm - ambient, and 800 ppm - elevated) and two temperature conditions (ambient and elevated [+5°C]). The data were obtained from six collections along 105 days of experimentation. Elevated CO2 increased the dry weight of leaf, stem, root and fruit, as well as the number of seeds; elevated temperature stimulated early senescence. Early flowering occurred under elevated CO2. Among the grain carbohydrates, the contents of starch, fructose and myo-inositol decreased, whereas those of sucrose, glucose and raffinose increased. The effect of elevated CO2 and temperature accelerated the sugar translocation while that of elevated temperature slowed it down. The oil content and fatty acid composition were affected directly by the elevated temperature, a reduction of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having been observed. The coupling of elevated CO2 and temperature reduced even further the content of polyunsaturated acids. In general, the content of soluble proteins did not change significantly by the effect of treatment associating temperature and CO2, although the total nitrogen content increased by the effect of elevated temperature. The content of leaf chlorophylls decreased and the foliar wax content changed with time. It is concluded that the increase of temperature and atmospheric CO2, expected to take place in the near future, will possibly have the effect of increasing the production of oil by plants of \'MG/BR-46 Conquista\', due to the increase of the number of seeds per individual and the increase of the seed oil content. Chapter two deals with the concentration and identification of the components of the foliar cuticular wax of the soybean variety \'MG/BR-46 Conquista\', by means of surface washings of the leaves with dichloromethane, separation of the classes of wax constituents by thin layer chromatography and analysis of the fractions by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The main constituents of the wax were esters, followed by n-alkanes. The main ester constituent was eicosanoate of octadecyl (C38). The main alkanes were n-hentriacontane (C31) and n-nonacosane (C29). Other constituents detected were primary alcohols, fatty acids, hydroxyacids, triterpene alcohols and sterols. The main n-primary alcohol was octacosanol. The triterpene alcohols detected were α- e β-amyrins, lupeol, germanicol and 12,20(29)-lupadien-3-ol. The steroids detected were stigmasterol, campesterol, sitosterol and stigmastanol, with predominance of stigmasterol

Lai Wai Man. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2003-2004, design report." / Includes bibliographical references (p. 118). / Chapter 00. --- Foreward / [Synopsis] / Chapter 01. --- Connecting People / Chapter 02. --- Separation / Chapter 03. --- Re-weaving - An Interactive Ramping Space / [Thesis Proposal] / Chapter 04. --- The Thesis Statement / Chapter 05. --- Twins Developments / Chapter 06. --- Continuous Ramping Event Spaces / Chapter 07. --- Event Spaces Accommodation / [Studies Series] / Chapter 08. --- Elevated Highways in Hong Kong / Chapter 09. --- Air & Noise Pollutions / Chapter 10. --- Tokyo Positive Attitude towards Public Spaces / Chapter 11. --- Spatial Continuity in Hong Kong / Chapter 12. --- Ramping Public Spaces in Hong Kong / Chapter 13. --- Podium Designs in Hong Kong / Chapter 14. --- Theoretical Studies on Concepts / [Experimental Site] / Chapter 15. --- Site Justifications / Chapter 16. --- Canal Road as the Experimental Site / [Design Developments] / Chapter 17. --- Stage01 - Platform over Elevated Highways / Chapter 18. --- Stage02 - Twin Developments + above Flyover / Chapter 19. --- Stage03 - Program Interlinkage / Chapter 20. --- Stage04 - Ramping Street / Chapter 21. --- Stage05 - Ramping Street with Program Accommodations / [Final Design] / [References]

Die hohe Dichte und breite Verteilung von P2Y-Rezeptoren im Hirn von Säugetieren lässt für diese Rezeptoren eine wichtige Rolle in den Prozessen des zentralen Nervensystems vermuten. Um die Beteiligung von P2Y-Rezeptoren bei der Verarbeitung von Angst zu untersuchen, wurde in dieser Arbeit das P2Y1,11,12,13 -rezeptorspezifische ADP-Analogon Adenosin-5\'-O-2-thiodiphosphat (ADPßS), der P2X1,3-Rezeptoragonist a,b-methylen-ATP (a,bmeATP), der unspezifische P2-Rezeptorantagonist Pyridoxalphosphat-6-azophenyl-2’,4’-disulfonat (PPADS) und der spezifische P2Y1-Rezeptorantagonist N6-methyl-2’-deoxyadenosin-3’:5’bisphosphat (MRS 2179) Ratten intracerebroventrikulär injiziert und die Wirkung in einem Verhaltensversuch im standardisierten Angstmodell des elevated plus-maze untersucht. Die Substanzen wurden zu 0,5 μl verabreicht. ADPßS (50 fmol und 500 fmol) zeigte dabei anxiolytische Wirkung mit vermehrten Eintritten und gesteigerter Aufenthaltszeit der Tiere auf den offenen Armen. Eine Prämedikation mit PPADS (5 pmol) oder MRS 2179 (5 pmol) konnte diesen Effekt vollständig antagonisieren. Auch eine Vorbehandlung durch den unspezifischen NO-Synthase-Inhibitor Nw-nitro-L-arginin-methyl-ester (L-NAME) konnte die ADPβS-Wirkung verhindern. Bei alleiniger Gabe zeigten diese drei Substanzen anxiogene Wirkung mit einer verminderten Aufenthaltszeit und einer geringeren Zahl von Eintritten in die offenen Armen. Der anxiogene Effekt konnte wiederum durch eine Gabe von L-Arginin (500 pmol), einem Substrat der NO-Synthase (NOS), verhindert werden, nicht aber durch das Enantiomer D-Arginin (500 pmol), das kein Substrat der NOS darstellt. Die doppelte Immunfluoreszenz konnte die Präsenz der P2Y1-Rezeptoren an Neuronen in dorsomedialen Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Hippokampus und zentralen Höhlengrau wie auch die Kolokalisation von P2Y1-Rezeptoren und nNOS nachweisen. Die höchste Dichte an Immunoreaktivität fand sich im dorsomedialen Hypothalamus. Durch die lokale bilaterale Mikroinjektion von ADPßS und MRS 2179 konnten die in den vorausgegangen Versuchen erreichten Ergebnisse reproduziert und bestätigt werden. Zusammenfassend lässt sich postulieren, dass P2Y1-Rezeptoren maßgeblich an der Verarbeitung von Angst bei männlichen Wistar-Ratten beteiligt sind, die Wirkung eng mit der Veränderung der NO-Konzentration verbunden ist und dass diese im dorsomedialen Hypothalamus vermittelt wird. Inwieweit diese Mechanismen auch in Amygdala und Hippokampus eine Rolle spielen kann mit den vorliegenden Daten nicht abschließend beantwortet werden.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture