INTRODUÇÃO: As doenças respiratórias têm sido associadas com a emissão de poluentes atmosféricos, tanto por fontes fixas quanto por fontes móveis, em estudos de bases agregadas. Poucos estudos de base individual têm sido relatados na literatura investigando essa associação, principalmente nas cidades de pequeno e médio porte. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos da poluição do ar sobre sintomas respiratórios e pico de fluxo expiratório (PFE) em estudantes de três escolas públicas, localizadas em área de exposição e área de não exposição à dispersão da pluma de poluentes provenientes da mineradora localizada no município de Anchieta - ES. MÉTODOS: Estudo de Painel, avaliando a emissão de poluentes da mineradora citada anteriormente, no período de maio de 2008 a maio de 2009. Dois grupos foram definidos de acordo com o status de exposição (área exposta e área não exposta) dos participantes para as emissões industriais. Foram recrutados 121 alunos, com idade entre 8-16 anos, selecionados aleatoriamente entre todos os alunos matriculados nessas escolas. O tamanho da amostra foi baseado na prevalência de doenças respiratórias no município segundo a faixa etária escolhida. Após responderem um questionário de sintomas respiratórios auto-aplicado (ISAAC), medidas individuais diárias de PFE foram realizadas nos alunos selecionados, duas vezes ao dia, uma pela manhã e outra a noite. Concentrações médias diárias de PM10, temperatura e umidade relativa do ar foram coletadas através da rede de monitoramento localizada na cidade. A associação entre os registros diários de PFE e PM10 foi investigada através de modelos de regressão de efeitos mistos, controlando para a temperatura média, umidade relativa média, status de exposição e índice de massa corpórea. RESULTADOS: Dos 121 participantes randomizados, quatro desistiram e 117 foram avaliados: 65 na área exposta e 52 na área não exposta. Foi identificada uma prevalência de asma de 16,9% na área exposta e 15,4% na área não exposta. Foram realizadas aproximadamente 70.000 medidas de PFE. Para todos os participantes, o aumento de 14?g/m3 do PM10 foi associado significativamente com o decréscimo nas medidas percentuais do PFE da manhã e da noite (-1,04%, 95% IC: -1,32; -0,77 e - 1,2%, 95% IC: -1,49; -0,92, respectivamente). Para o grupo de asmáticos, também houve uma associação significativa entre o aumento de PM10 e o decréscimo do percentual do PFE da manhã e da noite (-1,21%, 95% IC: - 1,80; -0,62 e -1,66%, 95% IC: -2,27; -1,05, respectivamente). Esses efeitos foram encontrados em concentrações de PM10 abaixo do padrão brasileiro de qualidade do ar recomendado. CONCLUSÕES: Houve uma associação entre o aumento de PM10 na atmosfera e a diminuição da medida de pico de fluxo expiratório em toda a população estudada, independentemente da área de exposição, tanto para a população geral quanto para o grupo de asmáticos / The association between respiratory diseases and air pollutant emissions from both, stationary and mobile sources have been reported in several ecological studies. However, few studies using epidemiological individual designs have been found in the literature investigating this association in small and medium cities. Objective: To evaluate the effects of air pollution on respiratory symptoms and peak expiratory flow (PEF) in students from three public schools located inside and outside areas of exposure to air pollution mining plume dispersion in the municipality of Anchieta - ES. METHODS: Panel study, from May 2008 to May 2009. Two groups were defined according to the participants exposure status (exposed area and unexposed area) for industrial emissions. Among all students enrolled in schools located in the two areas were selected 121 children and adolescents aged between eight and 16 years. The sample size was based on the prevalence of respiratory diseases in the municipality according to the chosen age group. After answering a self-reported respiratory symptoms questionnaire (ISAAC), daily PEF measurements were performed in each one of selected students, twice a day, in the morning and at night. Average daily PM10, temperature and humidity were collected by the monitoring network in the city during the period of study. Association between daily records of PEF and PM10 were assessed using mixed effects regression models, controlling to the average temperature, humidity, exposure status, and body mass index. RESULTS: Four participants gave up and 117 were evaluated: 65 in exposed and 52 in unexposed areas. About 70,000 PEF measures were performed. Asthma prevalence was 16.9% in the exposed area and 15.4% in the unexposed area. For all participants, increases of 14?g/m3 of PM10 were associated with decreases of PEF measurements in the morning and in the evening (-1.04%, 95% CI: -1.32; -0.77 and -1.2%, 95% CI: -1.49; -0.92 respectively). For the asthmatic group, increases of PM10 also induced decreases of PEF in the morning and in the evening (- 1.21%, 95% CI: -1.80; -0.62 and -1.66%, 95% CI: -2.27; -1.05 respectively). Adverse effects were found in PM10 concentrations below the recommended air quality Brazilian standard. CONCLUSIONS: There was an association between the increasing of PM10 in the atmosphere and reduced lung function in the entire study population, regardless of the exposure area, for both the general population and the asthmatic group

A poluição atmosférica está associada a efeitos adversos à saúde, desde diminuição da função pulmonar até mortalidade. Nos últimos 20 anos a incidência de doenças respiratórias alérgicas tem aumentado em vários países. Além de fatores genéticos, existe a possibilidade da poluição atmosférica ser um dos fatores contribuintes para esse aumento. Com o intuito de investigar os efeitos da poluição atmosférica no pico de fluxo expiratório de crianças com sensibilização alérgica e sem, este estudo foi realizado. Acompanhou-se 96 crianças com idade entre 9 e 11 anos, com medições do pico de fluxo expiratório em todos os dias letivos entre 1 de abril e 7 de julho de 2004. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue para dosagem de IgE e hemograma (eosinofilia), de esfregaço nasal para realização de citologia, de fezes (parasitoses). Foram realizados testes cutâneos de hipersensibilidade imediata para ácaros (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae e Blomia tropicalis), cachorro (Canis familiaris), gato (Felis domesticus), barata (Periplaneta americana) e pool de fungos (Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarium, Chaetomium globosum, Mucor mucedo, Pullularia pullulans, Penicillium notatum). Foram obtidos dados dos poluentes da temperatura e umidade relativa do ar para todos os dias do estudo. A análise foi realizada por meio de regressão linear (GEE). Os resultados mostraram haver redução do pico defluxo expiratório associada à exposição aos diversos poluentes. Esse efeito ocorreu tanto para as concentrações médias dos poluentes algumas horas antes do teste, bem como para as concentrações médias de três a sete dias. A redução do pico de fluxo expiratório esteve associada principalmente à exposição ao PM10, NO2 e O3. O efeito dos poluentes não diferiu segundo a sensibilização alérgica das crianças / The health effects of air pollution range from lung function decrements to mortality. In the last 20 years, there has been an increase in the incidence of allergic respiratory diseases worldwide. Even though genetic factors play an important role, air pollution has been discussed as one of the factors responsible for this increase. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of air pollution on peak expiratory flow of children who were sensitized and children who were not. Ninety-six children (9 to 11 years old) were followed from April to July, 2004 with daily measurements of peak expiratory flow. Blood samples were collected for IgE and total blood count. Skin prick test was done using common allergens: mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae e Blomia tropicalis), dog (Canis familiaris), cat (Felis domesticus), cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and fungus (Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarium, Chaetomium globosum, Mucor mucedo, Pullularia pullulans, Penicillium notatum). Daily hourly concentrations of all criteria pollutants, temperature and relative humidity were available for the entire period. Analysis was performed with the generalized estimated equations (GEE). A decrease in peak flow measurements was found to be associated mainly with PM10, NO2 and O3, considering different time lags (hours, previous day, moving average). The effects of the pollutants were not different among children with or without allergic sensitization

Poucos estudos são reportados na literatura sobre o comportamento dinâmico do reator UASB submetido a variações cíclicas diárias, de cargas orgânicas e hidráulicas, em períodos curtos de duração - iguais ou menores que 24h, com os quais verifica-se queda na eficiência do reator, causada pela provável flotação dos grânulos, problemas com geração de odor e alta concentração de sólidos suspensos no efluente. Para melhor compreender a resposta dinâmica desses reatores submetidos a essas variações, foi desenvolvido o modelo MMS baseado no modelo hidrodinâmico de mistura completa em reatores em série, modelo cinético de primeira ordem para consumo de substrato e para crescimento da biomassa e equacionamentos empíricos reportados na literatura. Esse modelo indicou a capacidade do reator de amortecer as variações impostas e a influência da cinética na eficiência de remoção da matéria orgânica. Para calibrar e validar o MMS, foi avaliado o desempenho de um reator UASB (160 L) no tratamento de esgoto sanitário municipal da cidade de São Carlos. Durante o período de operação, o reator foi submetido a variações senoidais cíclicas, de cargas orgânica e hidráulica, em valores inferiores e superiores a 40% e 60% da vazão afluente de 16,0 L/h. A produção média de gás metano e a eficiência média de remoção de DQO alcançadas pelo reator foram de aproximadamente: 1,83 L/h e 61% para vazão afluente de 16 L/h, TDH de 10 h e velocidade ascensional de 0,23 m/h; 2,24 L/h e 48% para variação cíclica de 40% e 2,97 L/h e 40% para variação cíclica de 60%. O MMS indicou faixa de valores para a DQO efluente com diferença em relação aos resultados observados experimentalmente - de 37% para vazão afluente constante de 16 L/h e 59% e 56% para variações senoidais cíclicas de 40% e 60% da vazão afluente, respectivamente – devido à limitação do modelo em considerar o arraste de sólidos no efluente que ocorreu ao longo de toda a operação do reator e mais acentuadamente quando foram aplicadas variações da vazão afluente. O modelo ADM1 proposto por Batstone et al.(2002a,b)apresentou menor similaridade com os resultados observados experimentalmente por não contemplar a variação horária e diária de alguns parâmetros de entrada, mas apenas a média aritmética dos valores. / There are no extensive reports on the dynamic behaviour of UASB reactor submitted to cyclical daily variations of organic and hydraulic loads of short periods of time - equal to or shorter than 24 hours - that can damage the reactor efficiency due to probable granule flotation, odor generation and high concentration of suspended solids in the effluent. Aiming to understand the dynamic response of these reactors when submitted to these variations, it was developed the MMS model based on the N-continuous flow stirred tank reactors (CSTR) in series model, first order kinetics model for substrate consumption and biomass growth and empirical equations reported in the literature. The model indicated the reactor capacity on dampening the imposed flow rate variations and the influence of the kinetics in the organic matter removal efficiency. It was evaluated the response of a UASB in bench scale (160 L) treating sanitary sewage of São Carlos city in order to calibrate and validate the MMS. During the operation, the reactor was submitted to cyclical sinusoidal variations of organic and hydraulic loads in lesser and higher values of 40% and 60% of the influent flow rate of 16 L/h. The reactor achieved mean methane production and mean COD removal efficiency of: 1,83 L/h and 61% to influent flow rate of 16 L/h, HRT of 10 h and upflow velocity of 0,23 m/h; 2,24 L/h and 48% to sinusoidal variation of 40%; 2,97 L/h and 40% to sinusoidal variation of 60%. The MMS model results indicated a range of effluent COD values with a difference of 37% to influent flow rate of 16 L/h, 59% and 56% to sinusoidal variations of 40% and 60%, respectively, in comparison with the experimental observed data. This probably occurred due to the model limitation in considering and predicting the solids washout in the effluent that was verified during all the operation, and also more significant when the sinusoidal variations were applied. The ADM1 reported by Batstone et al. (2002a,b) presented lesser similarity with the experimental observed results due to the fact that it does not consider hourly and daily variations of some input parameters, but only the arithmetical mean of the values.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN:H) thin films has a multitude of applications, stemming from the tunability of the material properties. Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) is the industrial workhorse for production of device quality a-SiN:H. However, this technique has drawbacks in terms of film quality, rooting from ion bombardment, which then results in undesirable oxidation. Hot wire chemical vapour deposition (HWCVD) has shown to be a viable competitor to its more costly counterpart, PECVD. A thin film produced by HWCVD lacks ion bombardment due to the deposition taking place in the absence of plasma. This study will focus on optimising the MVsystems ® HWCVD chamber at The University of the Western Cape, for production of device quality a-SiN:H thin films at low processing parameters. The effect of these parameters on the structural, optical and morphological properties was investigated, for reduction of production costs. The films were probed by heavy ion elastic recoil detection, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Xray diffraction, and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy. It was shown that silicon rich, device quality a-SiN:H thin films could be produced by HWCVD at wire temperatures as low as 1400 °C and the films showed considerable resistance to oxidation in the bulk.

Objectifs: Malgré beaucoup de progrès dans la gestion médico-électrique, certains problèmes demeurent et plusieurs patients souffrant d'insuffisance cardiaque sont encore dans l'impasse. Ainsi, les dispositifs d'assistance ventriculaire gauche (LVAD) ont été développés pour réduire les conséquences de l'insuffisance cardiaque et améliorer la qualité de vie. Malgré les avantages évidents, plusieurs complications : thrombo-embolie, infection dû au câble d'alimentation externe, dépendance aux batteries demeurent. L'ICOMS est un nouveau concept de LVAD mélangeant une pompe entièrement intraventriculaire, synchronisé avec le cœur et relié à une batterie interne. Méthodes et résultats : L'intervalle de fonctionnement prévu est un débit de 0.8 to 6.7 10-5 m3/s à une vitesse de rotation de 733 to 942 rad/s, avec des pressions physiologiques. Le point de fonctionnement choisi pour la conception est un débit de 3.3 10-5 m3/s et 10.6 103 Pa . Dans cette étude, Une simulation numérique est réalisée avec des profils de lames différents pour chaque région de fluide étudié. Les performances telles que l'efficacité, la contrainte de cisaillement sont analysée pour vérifier l'efficacité pour les patients atteints d'insuffisance cardiaque. Afin d'obtenir le meilleur résultat avec le logiciel ANSYS, le modèle k-ε turbulent a été appliquée pour obtenir des caractéristiques d'écoulement entre l'entrée et à la sortie de l'évacuateur du redresseur de la pompe. Les résultats numériques montrent une performance acceptable pour les adultes pour délivrer des pressions physiologiques avec une efficacité hydraulique de 10 à 37% ainsi qu'un niveau acceptable de stress de cisaillement maximale le long de la surface de la partie mobile de la pompe. La deuxième partie de l'étude est une étude expérimentale où un prototype a été testé sur banc d'essai. Les résultats ont montré que la pompe pourrait fonctionner et améliorer le débit cardiaque de 1.7 à 6.7 10-5 m3/s. Les résultats in vitro convergent vers les résultats numériques. Pour les tests in vivo, 6 moutons ont été opérés pour l'implantation du LVAD. L'ICOMS a été implanté dans l'apex du ventricule gauche. Plusieurs paramètres hémodynamiques et échocardiographiques ont été stockés dans des conditions normales ou pathologiques. Conclusion: Nous avons montré que l'ICOMS pourrait présenter un effet potentiel pour réduire les conséquences de l'insuffisance cardiaque. De nouvelles expérimentations sont nécessaires pour confirmer notre résultat et optimiser ce nouveau LVAD / Objectives: Despite much progress in medical-electrical management, some problems remain and several heart failure patients are still in a no option solution. In this way, artificial hearts as Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) have been developed. Despite evident benefits, several complications as thromboembolism, driveline infection, batteries dependency remain. ICOMS is a new LVAD concept mixing a fully intraventricular pump, heat rate-synchronized and connected with intracorporeal batteries. Methods and Results : It is expected to deliver 0.8 to 6.7 10-5 m3/s at rotational speeds of 733 to 942 rad/s over physiologic pressures and has a selected design point of 3.3 10-5 m3/s and 10.6 103 Pa . In this study, the axial blood pump with motor connected to impeller has been selected to numerical simulation. This selection is based on axial flow pump with different blade profile for each fluid region and studied on its performance such as efficiency, wall shear stress and considering effective operation for cardiac failure patients. In order to achieve the best result with the ANSYS software, k-ε turbulent model has been applied to obtain the flow characteristics from inducer inlet to straightener outlet of the pump. Numerical results show acceptable performance to deliver physiologic pressures with hydraulic efficiency of 10 to 37 % as well as acceptable maximum shear stress level along the blade tip surface of the impeller. The second part of the study is an experimental investigation where a prototype device was tested in a test bench circulation loop have shown that the pump could operate and improve the cardiac output of 1.7 to 6.7 10-5 m3/s. In vitro results converge to numerical results. For test vivo 6 sheep were operated for the LVAD implantation with the support of cardiopulmonary by-pass. The ICOMS was implanted into the LV apex. Several hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters were stored as well as in normal or pathological conditions and analyzed. Conclusion: We showed that the ICOMS could present a potential effect in the LV support reducing the heart failure criteria. As evidence, further experimentations are necessary to confirm our result and to optimize this new LVAD

The objective of the present thesis research is to apply state-of-the-art experimental and data analysis techniques to the study of gas-liquid pipe flows, with a focus on conditions occurring in header-feeder systems of nuclear reactors under different accident scenarios. Novel experimental techniques have been proposed for the identification of the flow regime and measurement of the flow rates of both phases in gas-liquid flows. These techniques were automated, non-intrusive and economical, which ensured that their use would be feasible in industrial as well as laboratory settings. Measurements of differential pressure and the gas and liquid flow rates were collected in vertical upwards air-water flow at near-atmospheric pressure. It was demonstrated that the probability density function of the normalized differential pressure was indicative of the flow regime and using non-linear dimensionality reduction (the Elastic Maps Algorithm), it was possible to automate the process of identifying the flow regime from the differential pressure signal. The relationship between the probability density function and the power spectral density of normalized differential pressure with the gas and liquid flow rates in air-water pipe flow was also established and a machine learning algorithm (using Independent Component Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks) was proposed for the estimation of the phase flow rates from these properties. The proposed methods were adapted for use with single and dual conductivity wire-mesh sensors in vertical upwards and downwards air--water flows. A thorough evaluation of the performance and measurement uncertainty of wire-mesh sensors in gas-liquid flows was also performed. Lastly, measurements of the flow distribution in feeder tubes supplied with air-water mixtures by a simplified header model were collected and correlated to the observed flow patterns in the header.

Cette thèse de doctorat porte sur l'étude et la réalisation d'une plateforme de pesage dynamique pour véhicule roulant basée sur un concept d'intégration de la charge. Ce concept est mis en œuvre en vue de pouvoir minimiser la taille et l'encombrement de ce type de dispositif tout en effectuant des pesées présentant des caractéristiques métrologiques acceptables. Nous démontrons tout d'abord au travers de la réalisation d'un prototype et de plusieurs campagnes d'essais, la faisabilité de la méthode utilisée. Nous évaluons dans un deuxième temps les performances présentées par le prototype lors du pesage de véhicules légers roulant jusqu'à des vitesses de 35km/h. Une étude est ensuite menée sur les jauges de déformation piézorésistives et les jauges piézoélectriques réalisées en couches épaisses grâce à des techniques de sérigraphie. Nous caractérisons ces transducteurs avec pour objectif leur utilisation dans des dispositifs de pesage en remplacement des jauges de déformation classiques à filaments métalliques. / This PhD thesis is devoted to the study and implementation of a weigh-in-motion platform for vehicle based on a concept of integration of load. This concept is used to minimize the size of this kind of device while performing weighings with acceptable results. First, we show thanks to a protoype and several test campagns, the feasability of the method used. In a second time, we evaluate the performances of the prototype in terms of precision and repeatability with the dynamic weighing of vehicles at speeds up to 35km/h. A study is finally conducted on thick-film piezoresitive strain gauges and piezoelectric gauges manufacturing by a screen-printing process with cermet and polymer pastes. We characterize these tranducers with the goal of used them as an alternative of conventional foil strain gauges.

Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds are ubiquitous, and some of them are hazardous. The ability to rapidly detect and identify trace levels of them in air has become increasingly important. The conventional device used today for sampling and concentrating them in air is thermal desorption tubes filled with specific sorbents, which can only collect air samples at flow rates of 100-200 mL/min. In order to detect low concentration (ppt level) VOC compounds, long sampling time (>2 h) and sensitive detection are required. At the same time, portable instrumentation for on-site analysis has been developing rapidly. The somewhat lower performance of portable instruments compared to benchtop systems requires the sampling of even greater sample volume in order to reach the same detection limits. In this study, two high flow rate air sampling devices, i.e., a multi-capillary trap and a concentric packed trap, were developed to sample a large volume of air in a short time period. The multi-capillary trap was constructed by bundling analytical capillary gas chromatography columns together in parallel. As low as single digit ppt detection limits were reached in less than 25 min with this trap, and as high as 8.0 L/min flow rate was sampled. The simple and compact multi-capillary trap could be easily used with a conventional thermal desorption system to perform high flow rate sampling. A concentric packed high flow rate trap was also developed by packing sorbent layers concentrically around an empty tube. The concentric packed trap achieved a high flow rate (>10 L/min) because it had a high surface area and short sorbent bed. Also, its large sorbent amount (>1 g) provided large breakthrough volume (>100 L) required to achieve low detection limits. An equilibrium distribution sampling system was developed by absorbing selected analytes in granular PDMS to provide calibration for on-site instrumentation. Furthermore, a needle trap device was coupled in tandem to both high flow rate air samplers to perform second-stage concentration of VOCs down to the ppt level. Concentration factors of 104 to 105 were achieved within 30 min using both systems, i.e., over 10 to 100 times more sample was collected compared to conventional TD systems.

The aim of the project was to get familiar with the environment of ANSYS CFX, create several models of fans and synchronous machine model in Autodesk inventor, create model of cooling medium flow through the machine with these fans and evaluation of results. Firstly the thesis describes the synchronous machine itself, losses of the machine, the flow of power of synchronous machine and methods of its cooling. Next the thesis describes each kind of heat transfer, laminar and turbulent flow. The thesis also refers of kind of the fans and the program used to calculate the flow Ansys CFX, including the method that Ansys used to calculate. The work describes the individual modification of fans and setting of calculation in ANSYS. Then displays the results of the analysis these fans for different numbers of fan blades and for modification of the fan. Then the thesis analyzes selected modifications due to changing speed. In the last chapter shows the analysis of flow in the machine with three different fans. In particular, there is shown the mass flow rate, pressure and its distribution on areas for evaluation.

Master´s thesis is focused on measurement uncertainty problems, particularly on the uncertainty determination and then on the practical application. The thesis is divided into three parts. A theoretical part deals with issues concerning uncertainties on the theoretical level, transition from the measurement error to the measurement uncertainty. This part also clarifies the basic terms concerning this issues based on “ČSN ISO 5168” standard and another legislative materials. The other part is focused on temperature regulations by thermostatic heads and valves. This part also handles thermostatic heads and valves history, division, generally use and legislative background represented by standard „EN 215“. Practical part follows previous sections. I am determining the measure uncertainty of thermostatic heads and valves flow characteristic determining device. All the results and knowledge obtained are given in the conclusion of the thesis.