The main aim of transport stakeholders has always been to transport freight efficiently, as this efficiency contributes to the growth and success of their business. A country like Namibia is no different as the efficiency of transport lies in the effective utilisation of carrier capacity in any direction. Due to the various types of freight, transport operators rarely have the capacity to cover all freight movement requests. This research put the empty runs experienced by most of the Namibian transporters at 33%. Empty runs could however be reduced through collaboration and sharing of capacity among transport stakeholders. Multi-agent systems (MAS) are various individual computer agents that are configured independently to interact with other agents to achieve one goal. These systems have been explored as an approach to achieve collaboration among transporter stakeholders. Taking into consideration the characteristics and requirements of MAS, this research was able to conduct a feasibility of its implementation within Namibia. Concluding with an evaluation of available Multi-agent based systems that could achieve collaboration and reduce empty runs in the Namibian transport environment. / Information Science / M.Tech. (Information Technology)

Blacks who have descended from the nineteenth century Atlantic slave trade have historically debated and worked to claim a sense of cultural identity that reflects their African heritage and their identity as diasporic. I am particularly interested in how people of the black Atlantic claim their multiple identities since, for people of a diaspora, one main factor is the fact that they inhabit multiple spaces but cannot call any home. How does transnationalism become a better way to describe the cultural identity of those in the "black Atlantic" since these people have to create new or adapted identities as they move from place to place? For Paul Gilroy, the "black Atlantic" applies to people who descended from slaves forced to come to New World (19). In a sense, slavery is a major part of African diasporic history, but I would claim that as time has progressed and people of this lineage came to find homes in the Caribbean, America, and Europe and they have not lost their heritage. Instead, they have retained these identities in a transnational sense. Multiple cultural identities become integrated into each transnational individual, making each person unique to his or her culture without losing sight of his or her common heritage. I explore these identity formations through a close reading of The Butterfly's Way: Voices from the Haitian Dyaspora (sic) in the United States (2001), a collection of short stories, poetry, and personal accounts from Haitian diaspora in the United States, whose stories delve into the issue of transnational identity. The idea of diaspora as read in the text of The Butterfly's Way emphasizes that the more fluid and encompassing terms of hybridity and transnationalism more accurately describe the geographical movements and consequential amassing of black identification within Paul Gilroy's concept of the "black Atlantic." My analysis is supported by a survey of theoretical discourses, particularly those related to black identity. I utilize post-colonial theory while focusing particularly on transnationalism and diasporic studies through Stuart Hall, as well as W.E.B. Du Bois's conception of "double consciousness" to support and develop my argument on how blacks negotiate multiple identities (11). To discuss the formation of a people, I use the work of political theorist Ernesto Laclau, in particular, his arguments in On Populist Reason (2007) on group identity and demand. Gilroy's concept of the "black Atlantic" has many similarities to Laclau’s notion of the "empty signifier" as a way for people to form groups for collective action. I conclude that transnationalism works as better way to describe the black diaspora since black descendants of slaves have retained multiple identities as Africans as well as citizens of their current nations. My paper argues that transnationalism and hybridity function as better terms to describe people who have the Atlantic slave trade in their history.

My work is a symptom of my ongoing quest to achieve immortality. I perpetually attempt to make permanent the traces we leave behind and the impressions we make upon each other. I use the body to portray boundaries – between the skin and the heart, comfort and disquiet, holding and letting go. The objects I make serve both as an agent for physical contact and as the commemoration of an ephemeral interaction. I create personal fossils, revealing the interstices formed when two bodies come into contact with one another. I use materials that reference endurance and longevity to record transient spaces whose edges continuously shift and whose membranes are particularly tenuous. This work is an ongoing catalog of the people in my life and my persistent efforts to hold on to those fleeting connections.

This master's thesis deals with biaspectual verbs in Russian and Czech language. The theoretical part is divided into two main chapters. The first one provides short overview of main areas of aspectological research. Individual subchapters explain and describe basic aspectological concepts - aspect, aspectual pair, aktionsart etc, their functional features and mechanisms of creating aspectual pairs. The second theoretical chapter is devoted to the phenomenon of biaspectuality. It presents different approaches to the nature of biaspectuality and issues of classification of biaspectual verbs. It also maps statistical data about biaspectual verbs in Russian and Czech and describes dynamics of their development. The practical part represents a contrastive analysis of 50 Russian and 50 Czech biaspectual verbs. Main goal was to explore functioning of biaspectual verbs in Russian and Czech, find their new potential aspectual partners, examine mechanisms of their creating and determine extent of their semantic overlap with original borrowed biaspectual verbs, using selected electronic corpuses, the internet and own examples. Finally, based on results of the analysis, are formulated main tendencies of the development of biaspectual verbs in Russian and Czech. Key words Aktionsart, aspect, aspectology,...

Dans ce manuscrit nous décrivons des études originales sur les propriétés photophysiques des nanotubes de carbone monoparois réalisées à l'échelle de la molécule unique. Nous nous sommes concentrés sur deux problématiques : l'effet du remplissage des nanotubes par de l'eau sur leurs propriétés de photoluminescence (PL) et la création de complexes multi-excitoniques en régime de forte excitation laser. Dans ce but nous avons utilisé une combinaison de microscopie, de spectroscopie et de mesures de déclin de PL. Nos résultats montrent pour des nanotubes de différents diamètres un décalage vers le rouge des énergies d'émission pour les nanotubes remplis d'eau. De plus, des déclins de PL biexponentiels sont obtenus pour des nanotubes individuels (6,4) vides et remplis d'eau. Les temps de déclin caractéristiques de ces deux espèces de nanotubes sont distincts, avec une réduction de la composante courte pour les nanotubes remplis. Ces résultats sont expliqués par une augmentation de la constante diélectrique dans les nanotubes remplis d'eau. Notre résultat le plus conséquent a été l'observation de la génération de trions dans des nanotubes non dopés en utilisant des moyen tout optiques. L'émission du trion apparaît dans les spectres de PL comme une bande latérale décalée vers le rouge. Basé sur nos observations expérimentales, nous proposons le modèle de génération du trion suivant lequel dans un régime multiexcitonique les interactions d'annihilation exciton-exciton créent des porteurs de charge qui sont piégés dans les fluctuations de potentiel électrostatique induites par les inhomogénéités de l'environnement. L'absorption subséquente d'un photon amène à la formation d'un trion localisé sur les charges piégées. / In this dissertation we report on original experimental investigations of the photophysical properties of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) at the single molecule level. We focused on two problems: the effect of water-filling nanotubes on their photoluminescence (PL) properties and generation of multi-excitonic complexes in regimes of strong laser excitation. To do so we used a combination of microscopy, PL spectroscopy and PL time decay measurements. Our results show, for different nanotube diameters, a red-shift of the PL emission energy for water-filled nanotubes. Furthermore, biexponential PL time decay behaviors are obtained for individual water-filled and empty (6,4) SWCNTs. The characteristic decay times for both species of nanotubes are distinct, with a reduction of the short component in water-filled SWCNTs. These results are explained by an increase of the dielectric constant for water-filled nanotubes. Our most consequential experimental result was the observation of all optical trion generation in undoped nanotubes. Trion emission appears in the PL spectrum as a red-shifted sideband. Based on our experimental observations, we propose a trion generation model according to which, at a multiexcitonic regime, exciton-exciton annihilation interactions create charge carriers that are transiently trapped at electrostatic potential fluctuations induced by the inhomogeneities of the environment. Subsequent photon absorption leads to trion formation localized at the trapped carriers.

O Brasil assumiu e mantém desde 2008 o primeiro lugar mundial em consumo de agrotóxicos e, tendo em vista este uso intensivo, é possível estimar a grande quantidade de embalagens vazias de agrotóxicos (EVAs) geradas todos os anos no país. Com a promulgação da Lei 9974 de 2000, a criação do Instituto Nacional de Processamento de Embalagens Vazias (inpEV) em 2001 e a implantação da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS) em 2010, a destinação adequada das EVAs por meio da logística reversa passou a ocorrer de maneira mais eficiente, chegando a um percentual de 94% de devolução em 2014 segundo dados do INPEV. No entanto, este processo foi originalmente concebido para atender grandes áreas rurais, com economias de escala que o favorecem, e portanto não está adequado à realidade de pequenas comunidades rurais, geralmente com infraestrutura precária e mais isoladas. Sendo assim, ainda é comum nos municípios de pequeno porte que essas embalagens sejam queimadas, armazenadas em locais não adequados ou simplesmente abandonadas no campo. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a gestão de EVAs em pequenos municípios agrícolas brasileiros, com foco no processo de logística reversa, a partir de um estudo de caso. Este foi realizado em Bom Repouso, MG, município de 10500 habitantes, caracterizado pela produção de morango e batata, com mão de obra familiar e uso intensivo de agrotóxicos. As seguintes etapas de pesquisa foram desenvolvidas: entrevistas semiestruturadas com os atores da cadeia de logística reversa de EVAs; levantamento documental; análise comparativa entre a quantidade de embalagens vendidas e a quantidade total de embalagens devolvidas entre os anos de 2012-2013 e 2013-2014, bem como um levantamento dos agrotóxicos mais comercializados no município. Verificou-se que, no período 2012-2013, a quantidade de embalagens vendidas foi cerca de 30 vezes maior que a de embalagens devolvidas, e para o período entre 2013-2014 a mesma relação foi da ordem de 26 vezes. Além disso, a massa total de embalagens devolvidas corresponde a apenas 3,3% da massa de vendidas no período 2012-2013, e 3,8% para 2013-2014. Ou seja, aproximadamente 96% das embalagens comercializadas em ambos os períodos não foram devolvidas à central de Pouso Alegre. Além disso, há produtos extremamente tóxicos para a saúde e para o meio ambiente entre os 20 mais vendidos no município. Não estão estabelecidas políticas públicas municipais voltadas à gestão desses resíduos, como pode ser verificado através das entrevistas e do levantamento documental. Dificuldades relacionadas ao armazenamento das EVAs até o momento da devolução e seu transporte até a Central de Recolhimento foram apontadas pelos entrevistados como principais motivos para não cumprir suas responsabilidades e, consequente, descartar inadequadamente esses resíduos. / Brazil has taken since 2008 the first place worldwide in pesticide consumption and, in view of this intensive use, it is possible to estimate the large number of empty containers of pesticides (EVAs) generated every year in the country. With the enactment of the 2000 9974 Law, creating the National Institute of Empty Packaging Processing (inpEV) in 2001 and the implementation of the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) in 2010, the proper disposal of EVAs through reverse logistics started to occur in a more organized and effective way, reaching a percentage of 94% return in 2014. Despite of that, the Brazilian take-back program was originally designed for large rural areas, and may not apply to small rural communities, generally more isolated and with poor infrastructure, that must require large storage and high transport costs. Because of this, it is still very common to burn and bury empty pesticides containers in this areas, store them in inappropriate places or leave them in the fields. Thus, this research aimed to analyze the efficiency of EVAs reverse logistics process in small Brazilian agricultural counties, taking as a case study the municipality of Bom Repouso, MG, Brazil, which is characterized by the production of strawberry and potato on properties with family labor and intensive use of pesticides. Therefore, the research had three steps: interviews were conducted with the chain process participants; a document research was made; as well as a comparative analysis of the amount of packaging sold in the city and the amount returned between the periods of 2012-2014 (considering the requirement of the law that farmers must turn EVAs in a maximum of one year after purchase, there was a comparison between two periods, from the year 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014) and a research on the 20 most traded pesticides in the municipality. It was verified that in the period between 2012-2013, the amount of packaging used was about 30 times higher than the returned packaging, and for the period between 2013-2014 it was about the order of 26 times. Furthermore, the total mass of returned empty containers corresponds to only 3,3% of the mass sold 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 to 3,8%. In the other words, approximately 96% of the units sold in both periods were not returned to the center of Pouso Alegre. In addition, there are extremely toxic pesticides both for health and the environment among the top 20 in the county. It is not established municipal public policies for the management of such waste as it could be seen through the interviews and the document research. Proper storage for empty pesticide containers and transportation costs were the main points highlighted by dealers as reasons given by producers for not returning and, consequently, improperly dispose of such waste.

A presente dissertação tem por objetivo apresentar o processo histórico da maior ocupação por movimento de moradia do Brasil, o edifício Prestes Maia, localizado na Avenida de mesmo nome, n° 911. Desde 1999, quando o Movimento Sem Teto do Centro - MSTC apresenta interesse ao edifício (ocupado pela primeira vez em 2 de novembro de 2002), até o presente momento, o Prestes Maia foi palco de disputas e conflitos entre a atuação do poder público, o mercado imobiliário, os movimentos de moradia e sua pauta de reivindicação - habitação em área central para a população de baixa renda -, tornando-se emblemático na discussão do desenvolvimento de políticas habitacionais que incorporem esta demanda nos edifício s ociosos na região central de São Paulo. Durante os 20 anos em que o Prestes Maia está na pauta das discussões, foram inúmeros os programas e projetos habitacionais desenvolvidos (alguns com capacidade de absorção do projeto de reforma do edifício) pelas diferentes prefeituras que passaram pela cidade de São Paulo, Governo Estadual e Federal. Contar a história do edifício Prestes Maia neste trabalho, se tornou contar a história da Política Habitacional que atende a reivindicação de moradia central para a população de baixa renda. / The purpose of this thesis is to present the historical process of the largest squatter by Brazilian housing movement, the Prestes Maia Building, located on the Avenue of the same name, No. 911. Since 1999, (occupied for the first time on November 2, 2002), until the present moment, the Prestes Maia represents the disputes and conflicts between the performance of the public power, the real estate market, the housing movements and its statute of reclamation - housing in a central area for the low-income population -, becoming emblematic in the discussion of the development of housing policies that incorporaté this demand in idle buildings in the central region. During the 20 years in which the Prestes Maia is in the discussion list, there were innumerable housing programs and projects developed (some with capacity to absorb the building) by the different prefectures that passed through the city of São Paulo, State and Federal Government. Telling the history of the Prestes Maia Building in this work, became the story of the housing policy that meets the claim of central housing for the low-income population.

近年來，台灣社會當中掀起了一股「台客文化」熱潮，不但有越來越多人以「台客」自稱，亦有「台客」為名的書籍出版、以「台客」為名的活動舉辦，形成了一股文化「台」風，本文探究「台客文化」之社會想像的形成及其文化意義。 「台客」這個詞彙最早起自於50年代，外省人嘲笑講國語不標準的本省人是「台客」，近年來則又在青少年次文化場域中興起，指著穿著打扮很俗氣、不入流的人，多半帶有鄙視的意味。不過，2005年八月，歌手伍佰、陳昇等人舉辦「台客搖滾」演唱會，翻轉「台客」一詞原來的負面意涵，將「台客」視為一種「驕傲的認同」，聲言「在台灣，人人都是台客」、「台客就是台灣的文化」，帶動了社會中「以台客為榮」的「新台客」論述，以「台灣特色」形成「台客文化」的想像軸心，使得檳榔西施、歌手伍佰的搖滾樂、傳統的布袋戲……等均接合進入「台客文化」的想像中，形成了一股「台客文藝復興運動」。不同於當前「台客」的研究多半將「台客」的意義固定、本質化的處理，在觀察的取徑上，本文採用拉克勞與慕芙(Laclau&Mouffe)霸權／論述理論中的「空符徵」(empty signifier)概念作為切入此一現象的理論與方法，考察「台客」一詞意義流變的論述軌跡，如何從一個狹義的風格指稱，逐漸擴大成了一個促動關於「我們台灣」之文化共同體的想像的符號。 本文以為，使得「台客」擴大成為代表「我們台灣」的空符徵之所以可能，乃在於「新台客」論述將「台客」建構為一種得以與美、日、韓與之抗衡、代表我們台灣特色的文化想像，吸納了台灣社會流行文化語境當中長期以來始終處於哈韓、哈日、哈美而獨缺哈台的文化認同焦慮情緒以及隨之期望「哈台」的文化民族主義文化主體慾望，成為文化全球化衝擊之下，一種「本土化」力量的抗衡與反撲。另一方面，本文也發現，在「人人都是台客」、「台客就是台灣文化」這樣文化共同體的光明號召論述下，看似「眾聲喧嘩」的「台客文化」想像之中，仍有一個「主音」是被明顯合唱的——那麼便是將在過去國民黨語言政策下所壓制的遭到禁制的台語歌、布袋戲、歌仔戲，在這一波「新台客」論述中以「台客」之名重新被歡呼，一方面是針對「舊台客」論述當中的語言歧視問題藉著「新台客」的意義重整進行象徵鬥爭，另一方面亦顯露了「台客文化」的形構力量，除了相對於「全球化」的「本土化」意識之外，亦顯露了與「中國」相對的「本土化」力量，在兩種「本土化」的交錯張力之中，開啟了通俗文化場域當中「台灣性」(Taiwaness)的想像起點。

La tesi mette a confronto l'universo delle riorganizzazioni nel Chapter 11 con i nuovi modelli di ristrutturazione concessi dalla riforma del diritto fallimentare. In modo particolare la tesi si sofferma sul mercato del controllo nella crisi di impresa. Negli Stati Uniti c'e' da tempo un mercato dei crediti sofferenti, mentre in Italia scontiamo ancora i ritardi del sistema economico. Il primo capitolo racconta i temi collegati al mercato del controllo nel Chapter 11: gli acquisti dei crediti nelle diverse classi creditorie, la nuova finanza concessa al debtor in possession, il controllo da covenant, la remunerazione degli amministratori con il debito, i derivati sul credito e il voto connesso. Il secondo capitolo si sofferma sull'interpretazione degli artt. 124 e 127 della legge fallimentare letti nell'ottica di un potenziale mercato del controllo nella crisi di impresa come nel caso del concordato con assunzione e si interroga infine sull'esenzione o meno da opa obbligatoria di tali operazioni alla luce dell'art. 106 TUF. / The thesis compares the world of Chapter 11 reorganizations with the new types of reorganizations introduced in Italy by the recent reform of bankruptcy law. In particular the thesis deals with the market for corporate control in the insolvency arena in both countries. In the States bankruptcy claims are traded on a regular basis whereas Italy still hasn't fully experienced transfers of control within the frame of a corporate reorganization. The first chapter focuses on all issues connected to US M&A in bankruptcy: acquisition of claims in the different classes, control rights in covenants, debtor-in-possession financing, pay for performance in bankruptcy, credit default swaps and empty voting. The second chapter focuses on the interpretation of articles 124 and 127 of the new Italian bankruptcy law which may lead to the creation of a market for corporate control within the frame of a composition with a third party buyer and discusses the potential applicability of mandatory bids pursuant to art. 106 TUF to such deals.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three carbohydrate sources (corn, soybean hulls or wheat bran) in the diet on performance, carcass characteristics and meat and the components are not part of the carcass of steers finished on confinement. We used 24 steers, crossbred Charolais x Nellore, with initial age of 22 months of initial body weight 353.2 ± 10.6 kg. The animals were fed a diet with roughage: concentrate 40,2:59,8, and the volume consisting of sorghum silage. The daily intakes of DM and CP were not influenced by sources of carbohydrates. Animals fed soybean hulls had higher intake of NDF and ADF, whereas calves receiving corn consumed higher levels of NFC, and TDN ED. Animals fed corn or soybean hulls had greater weight gain and better feed conversion than steers receiving wheat bran. The slaughter weight was similar between the sources of carbohydrates, averaging 429.81; 433.18 and 430.46 kg for maize, soybean hulls and wheat bran, respectively. The weight cut sidecut was greater for steers fed corn diet compared with soybean hulls or wheat bran. The meat from the diet with soybean hulls had better flavor compared to the wheat bran. The loss of the cooking liquid and cholesterol content were higher in animals treated with maize as compared to those receiving soybean hulls or wheat bran. There was no effect of carbohydrate sources on the weights of vital organs and blood. The absolute and relative weights to the weight of empty body fat of the intestines and rumen were higher in animals fed with corn. The weight of the omasum was greater for the diet with wheat bran, while animals fed soybean hulls had higher absolute weight of kidney fat. / Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar o efeito de três fontes de carboidratos (milho, casca de soja ou farelo de trigo) na dieta sobre o desempenho, as características da carcaça e da carne e dos componentes não integrantes da carcaça de novilhos de corte terminados em confinamento. Foram utilizados 24 novilhos castrados, mestiços Charolês x Nelore, com idade inicial de 22 meses e peso inicial de 353,2±10,6 kg. Os animais foram alimentados com dieta com relação volumoso:concentrado de 40,2:59,8, sendo o volumoso constituído de silagem de sorgo. Os consumos diários de MS e PB não foram influenciados pelas fontes de carboidratos. Animais alimentados com casca de soja apresentaram maiores ingestão de FDN e FDA, enquanto que os novilhos que receberam milho consumiram maiores teores de CNF, NDT e ED. Animais alimentados com milho ou casca de soja apresentaram maior ganho de peso e melhor conversão alimentar em relação aos novilhos que receberam farelo de trigo. O peso de abate foi similar entre as fontes de carboidratos, com médias de 429,81; 433,18 e 430,46 kg, para o milho, casca de soja e farelo de trigo, respectivamente. O peso do corte costilhar foi maior para os novilhos alimentados com milho em comparação a dieta com casca de soja ou farelo de trigo. A carne proveniente da dieta com casca de soja apresentou melhor palatabilidade em relação à do farelo de trigo. As perdas de líquidos à cocção e o conteúdo de colesterol foram maiores na carne dos animais tratados com milho em relação aos que receberam casca de soja ou farelo de trigo. Não houve efeito das fontes de carboidratos sobre os pesos dos órgãos vitais e de sangue. Os pesos absolutos e relativos ao peso de corpo vazio dos intestinos e da gordura ruminal foram maiores nos animais alimentados com milho. O peso de omaso foi maior para a dieta com farelo de trigo, enquanto que os animais alimentados com casca de soja apresentaram maior peso absoluto de gordura renal.