This paper is a study of T-sets of normed linear spaces. Geometrical properties of normed linear spaces are developed in terms of intersection properties shared by a subcollection of T-sets of the space and in terms of special spanning properties shared by each T-set of a subcollection of T-sets of the space. A characterization of the extreme points of the unit ball of the dual of a normed linear space is given in terms of the T-sets of the space. Conditions on the collection of T-sets of a normed linear space are determined so that the normed linear space has the property that extreme points of the unit ball of the dual space map canonically to extreme points of the unit ball of the third dual space.

En Union Européenne les accidents frontaux font 28% des accidents routiers et sont responsables de 49% de mortalité, les fractures thoraciques étant la cause principale de décès. Les modèles en éléments finis du corps humain sont un outil important pour la simulation de chocs réels et la prédiction des risques d'endommagement. Cette thèse a permis de développer un modèle simple en éléments finis de la cage thoracique suffisamment souple d'utilisation et facilement paramétrable. Ce modèle est validé expérimentalement avant d'être utilisé pour une étude paramétrique. Cette étude a permis de caractériser l'influence de différents paramètres structurels et géométriques sur le comportement de la cage thoracique sous chargement dynamique. Le travail réalisé au cours de cette thèse est divisé en trois parties : Modélisation de la cage thoracique entière avec des éléments finis de type poutre dont les propriétés mécaniques sont déterminées à partir d'essais de flexion trois points sur des segments de côtes et complétées par des éléments de la littérature, Validation du modèle dont les résultats sont suffisamment proches des résultats des essais de chargement dynamique antéro-postérieur menés par Vezin et Berthet [Vez09], Etude paramétrique sur l'influence paramètres, géométrie des sections droites et géométrie globale de la cage thoracique (inclinaison des côtes, forme et taille globale de la cage thoracique). A partir de cette étude nous trouvons que le module d'Young et l'épaisseur du cortical ont une influence identique sur la raideur globale de la cage thoracique ainsi que sur la rotation et la déformation des côtes. Avec l'augmentation de ces deux paramètres la rigidité du thorax augmente et le taux de compression maximal diminue. D'autre part les côtes tournent plus et se déforment moins. La raideur des liaisons costo-verterbales a une influence directe sur la rotation latérale qui diminue avec l'augmentation de cette raideur alors que les déformations augmentent ; tandis que la raideur globale de la cage thoracique est légèrement modifiée. L'inclinaison des côtes est le facteur ayant la plus grande influence sur la déformation des côtes et donc sur le risque d'endommagement : plus les côtes sont proches de la direction de chargement la raideur de la cage thoracique augmente et la déformation des côtes augmente / In the European Union, 28% of road accidents are frontal impacts which provoke 49% of fatalities where the thoracic fractures are the main cause of death. The finite element models of the human body are an important tool for the simulation of real impacts and the prediction of damage. This thesis has led to develop a rib cage simplified finite element model sufficiently flexible and easily customizable. First, this model is experimentally validated and then used in a parametric study. This study allowed us to characterize the influence of different structural and geometric parameters on the behavior of the rib cage under dynamic loading. This work is divided into three parts : Modeling the rib cage using beam elements whose mechanical properties are determined by three-point bending tests on rib segments and supplemented from literature, Validating the model by simulating the anteroposterior dynamic loading tests led by Vezin and Berthet [Vez09], Performing a parametric study on the influence of the mechanical parameters (Young modulus, stiffness of costo-vertebral joints), the geometry of the rib sections and the overall geometry of the rib cage (ribs slope, shape and overall size of the rib cage). This study permitted to find that Young modulus and the thickness of the cortical have the same influence on the overall stiffness of the chest as well as on the rotation and deformation of the ribs. By increasing these parameters, the stiffness of the chest increases and the maximum compression ratio decreases. Besides, we'll find more rotation and less deformation of the ribs. The stiffness of the costoverterbal joints has a direct influence on the lateral rotation : it will decrease by increasing of the stiffness while deformation will increase. However, the overall stiffness of the chest is slightly modified by modifying the costovertebral joint stiffness. The initial inclination of the ribs accordingly to the load direction has the greatest influence on the deformation of the ribs and therefore on the damage risk. When the ribs are closer to the loading direction, the stiffness of the rib cage and the deformation of the ribs increases

O entendimento dos princípios básicos do enovelamento proteico pode conduzir a muitas aplicações importantes. Embora não se conheçam todos os aspectos significativos envolvidos neste problema, experimentos e aproximações teóricas têm produzido avanços relevantes na sua compreensão, como, por exemplo, o papel dominante das forças hidrofóbicas. Com o propósito de contribuir para a identificação de alguns parâmetros determinantes no processo de folding, o objetivo deste trabalho consiste em estudar o potencial estéreo-hidrofóbico (isto é, o potencial hidrofóbico e um conjunto de especificidades estéricas adequadas) relacionado ao processo de enovelamento de proteínas globulares, evidenciando o papel das restrições estéricas e as características topológicas do estado nativo. Para tanto, empregou-se um modelo simplificado em rede cúbica, estudando-se, através de simulações Monte Carlo, o comportamento de mais de 40 cadeias tipo-proteínas, que apresentam estados nativos caracterizados pelos seguintes parâmetros topológicos: ordem de contato, χ, ordem de longo alcance e número φ de estruturas tipo grande manivela. Claramente, os resultados das simulações para as cadeias com configurações nativas, caracterizadas por baixo valor de χ e elevado valor de φ, são bastante diferenciados daqueles obtidos para as cadeias que apresentam configurações nativas com χ elevado e φ pequeno, evidenciando que o potencial estéreo-hidrofóbico, adotado neste trabalho, permite relacionar os comportamentos termodinâmico e cinético da cadeia tipo-proteína com os atributos topológicos da configuração nativa correspondente. Adicionalmente, mostrou-se que as restrições estéricas consideradas introduzem fortes mudanças na atividade configuracional, aumentando a estabilidade do estado nativo, bem como alterando, drasticamente, a curva da capacidade térmica, em função da temperatura, em comparação com os resultados das simulações obtidos com o potencial hidrofóbico (sem restrições estéricas). / The understanding of the basic principles of the protein folding process may lead to very important applications. Although all significant aspects of this problem are not yet known, experimental and theoretical results have given important contribution on the subject, as, for instance, about the dominant role of the hydrophobic forces. In order to contribute to the identification of significant ingredients for the folding process, the main goal of this work consists in studying the stereo-hydrophobic potential (that is, the hydrophobic potential and a set of steric specificities) related to the folding process of globular proteins, revealing the importance of the steric constraints and the role of the native structure. A minimalist lattice model was employed for this purpose, and more than forty distinct protein-like chains were studied. These chains were designed based on native structures characterized by topological parameters as contact order, χ, long range order and number φ of crankshaft-like structures. The Monte Carlo simulation results show clearly that the folding process depends strongly on the topological attributes of the native structure: thermodynamical and kinetic behavior for chains designed from native structures, presenting smaller χ and higher φ, are very distinguishable from those with higher χ and lower φ. Additionally it was shown that the steric constraints significantly modify the configurational activity, increasing the general conditions for the globule stability, as well changing drastically the shape of the thermal capacity behavior, as a function of the temperature, in comparison with the corresponding results obtained using the hydrophobic potential only, i.e., without the steric specificities.

O entendimento dos princípios básicos do enovelamento proteico pode conduzir a muitas aplicações importantes. Embora não se conheçam todos os aspectos significativos envolvidos neste problema, experimentos e aproximações teóricas têm produzido avanços relevantes na sua compreensão, como, por exemplo, o papel dominante das forças hidrofóbicas. Com o propósito de contribuir para a identificação de alguns parâmetros determinantes no processo de folding, o objetivo deste trabalho consiste em estudar o potencial estéreo-hidrofóbico (isto é, o potencial hidrofóbico e um conjunto de especificidades estéricas adequadas) relacionado ao processo de enovelamento de proteínas globulares, evidenciando o papel das restrições estéricas e as características topológicas do estado nativo. Para tanto, empregou-se um modelo simplificado em rede cúbica, estudando-se, através de simulações Monte Carlo, o comportamento de mais de 40 cadeias tipo-proteínas, que apresentam estados nativos caracterizados pelos seguintes parâmetros topológicos: ordem de contato, χ, ordem de longo alcance e número φ de estruturas tipo grande manivela. Claramente, os resultados das simulações para as cadeias com configurações nativas, caracterizadas por baixo valor de χ e elevado valor de φ, são bastante diferenciados daqueles obtidos para as cadeias que apresentam configurações nativas com χ elevado e φ pequeno, evidenciando que o potencial estéreo-hidrofóbico, adotado neste trabalho, permite relacionar os comportamentos termodinâmico e cinético da cadeia tipo-proteína com os atributos topológicos da configuração nativa correspondente. Adicionalmente, mostrou-se que as restrições estéricas consideradas introduzem fortes mudanças na atividade configuracional, aumentando a estabilidade do estado nativo, bem como alterando, drasticamente, a curva da capacidade térmica, em função da temperatura, em comparação com os resultados das simulações obtidos com o potencial hidrofóbico (sem restrições estéricas). / The understanding of the basic principles of the protein folding process may lead to very important applications. Although all significant aspects of this problem are not yet known, experimental and theoretical results have given important contribution on the subject, as, for instance, about the dominant role of the hydrophobic forces. In order to contribute to the identification of significant ingredients for the folding process, the main goal of this work consists in studying the stereo-hydrophobic potential (that is, the hydrophobic potential and a set of steric specificities) related to the folding process of globular proteins, revealing the importance of the steric constraints and the role of the native structure. A minimalist lattice model was employed for this purpose, and more than forty distinct protein-like chains were studied. These chains were designed based on native structures characterized by topological parameters as contact order, χ, long range order and number φ of crankshaft-like structures. The Monte Carlo simulation results show clearly that the folding process depends strongly on the topological attributes of the native structure: thermodynamical and kinetic behavior for chains designed from native structures, presenting smaller χ and higher φ, are very distinguishable from those with higher χ and lower φ. Additionally it was shown that the steric constraints significantly modify the configurational activity, increasing the general conditions for the globule stability, as well changing drastically the shape of the thermal capacity behavior, as a function of the temperature, in comparison with the corresponding results obtained using the hydrophobic potential only, i.e., without the steric specificities.

Submitted by Eunice Novais (enovais@uepg.br) on 2018-06-28T19:18:21Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Talita Rosas Ferreira.pdf: 3918159 bytes, checksum: 3af8401f079b1540a49f10a3f6fd3b2d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-28T19:18:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Talita Rosas Ferreira.pdf: 3918159 bytes, checksum: 3af8401f079b1540a49f10a3f6fd3b2d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-23 / No presente estudo, foram investigados os efeitos da calagem superficial sobre: os atributos químicos, as propriedades de interação com a radiação e a estrutura (sistema poroso) de um Cambissolo Háplico alumínico. A estrutura do solo foi analisada em escala micrométrica, considerando monólitos (8×8×8 cm) e pequenos agregados do solo (2-4 e 1-2 mm de diâmetro). O experimento consistia de cinco faixas, uma delas em área de pasto, considerada como referência (REF) e representando as condições do solo antes da implementação do sistema de plantio direto (SPD), e as demais, sob SPD, receberam as seguintes doses de calcário: 0 (C0), 10 (C10), 15 (C15) e 20 (C20) t ha-1 aplicadas na superfície do solo. A coleta das amostras se deu aos trinta meses após o procedimento de calagem, nas camadas 0-10 cm (A) e 10-20 cm (B). Os atributos químicos do solo foram caracterizados de acordo com procedimentos experimentais padrões e a composição de óxidos do solo, obtida por meio de análise de espectroscopia de fluorescência de raios X (FRX), foi usada para o cálculo do coeficiente de atenuação de massa do solo (μm), por meio do código computacional XCOM, para as energias de ≈ 60 keV (241Am) e ≈ 662 keV (137Cs). Os valores de μm foram utilizados para calcular as demais propriedades de interação da radiação com o solo e para simular as variações causadas na densidade (D) e porosidade total (Pt) do solo. Para a análise da estrutura do solo, foram utilizadas imagens 3D de microtomografia computadorizada de raios X (μTC), com resolução espacial de 60 μm (monólitos), e de μTC utilizando radiação síncrotron (μTC-RS), com resolução espacial de 1,64 μm (agregados). A visualização, processamento e análise das imagens foram realizadas com o software Avizo Fire. Foram determinadas as seguintes propriedades micromorfológicas e geométricas: porosidade baseada na imagem (P’), número de poros (NP), distribuições de P’ e NP em função de intervalos de volume, comprimento, alongamento, formato, conectividade e tortuosidade dos poros (monólitos); e: P’, distribuições de P’ e NP em função de intervalos de volume, conectividade, tortuosidade e dimensão fractal (agregados). Complementarmente, a composição elementar dos agregados do solo foi avaliada por meio de medidas de FRX. Na maioria dos casos, os efeitos da calagem concentraram-se na camada A, onde houve melhora nos atributos químicos e, portanto, no grau de acidez do solo, bem como houve aumento nas propriedades de interação da radiação em função das doses de calcário. O aumento nas propriedades de interação da radiação foi mais acentuado para a energia de ≈ 60 keV em relação a ≈ 662 keV e, no primeiro caso, as mudanças causadas em μm promoveram variação considerável na D e Pt do solo, demonstrando a relevância do estudo. A exemplo dos efeitos da calagem sobre o sistema poroso de monólitos do solo, na camada A, ressalta-se o aumento de P’ e do número de poros em que o poro principal foi separado, os quais foram identificados como sendo mais alongados e mais conectados devido à calagem. A calagem promoveu ainda alterações no arranjo dos poros separados, em ambas as camadas, com a formação de poros cilíndricos na direção horizontal, o que pode ser atribuído ao estímulo da atividade da fauna do solo. Para os agregados de solo, na camada A, a porcentagem de cálcio foi elevada a um valor mais alto em agregados de 1-2 mm em comparação com aqueles de 2-4 mm, em função das doses de calcário. A calagem afetou negativamente a estrutura de pequenos agregados do solo, diminuindo a P’ e aumentando a tortuosidade de poros para agregados de 1-2 mm. Além disso, a calagem reduziu a dimensão fractal em agregados de ambas as classes de tamanhos, em acordo com o fato de que, com a calagem, poros maiores foram substituídos por poros menores em agregados de 1-2 mm, conforme análises de natureza quantitativa e qualitativa. / In the present study, effects of surface liming on: chemical attributes, soil-radiation interaction properties and the structure (porous system) of a Dystrudept soil were investigated. The soil structure was analyzed in micrometric scale, considering monoliths (8×8×8 cm) and tiny aggregates (2-4 and 1-2 mm in diameter). The trial consisted of five stripes, one of them under pasture, considered here as reference (REF), representing the soil conditions before the no-till system (NTS) implementation, and the remaining, under NTS, received the following lime rates: 0 (C0), 10 (C10), 15 (C15) and 20 (C20) t ha-1 on the soil surface. Samples were collected thirty months after the liming procedure, at the 0-10 cm (A) and 10-20 cm (B) soil layers. The soil chemical attributes were characterized according to standard experimental procedures and the soil oxide composition, obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), was used for the calculation of the soil mass attenuation coefficient (μm), by means of the computer code XCOM, for the energies of ≈ 60 keV (241Am) amd ≈ 662 keV (137Cs). The μm values were used to calculate the remaining soil-radiation interaction properties and to simulate variations caused on soil density (D) and total porosity (Pt). For the soil structure analysis, 3D images of X-ray computed microtomography (μCT), with spatial resolution of 60 μm (monoliths), and 3D images of synchrotron radiation based X-ray computed microtomography (SR-μCT), with spatial resolution of 1,64 μm (aggregates) were used. The image visualization, processing and analysis were performed in the Avizo Fire software. The following micromorphological and geometrical properties were determined: image-based porosity (P’), number of pores (NP), distributions of P’ and NP as function of volume intervals, length, elongation, shape, connectivity, and tortuosity of pores (monoliths); and: P’, distributions of P’ and NP as function of volume intervals, connectivity, tortuosity, and fractal dimension (aggregates). Additionally, the elemental composition of the soil aggregates was evaluated by XRF. In the majority of cases, liming effects were concentrated at layer A, where there was an improvement of soil chemical attributes and, therefore, of soil acidity level, as well as there was an increase in the soil-radiation interaction properties as function of lime rates. The increase in soil-radiation interaction properties was more accentuated for the energy of ≈ 60 keV in relation to ≈ 662 keV and, in the former case, the μm variation promoted considerable variation in D and Pt, demonstrating the relevance of the study. Highlighted instances of liming effects on the porous system of the soil monoliths, at layer A, were an increase in P’ and in the number of pores into which the main soil pore was separated, which were identified as being longer and more connected due to liming. Moreover, liming promoted changes in the arrangement of the separated pores, at both soil layers, with the formation of cylindrical pores in the horizontal orientation, which can be attributed to stimulation of the soil fauna activity. Regarding the soil aggregates, at layer A, calcium was raised to a higher percentage in aggregates of 1-2 mm when compared to those of 2-4 mm, as function of the lime rates. Liming affected negatively the structure of the soil tiny aggregates, decreasing P’ and increasing the tortuosity of pores for 1-2 mm aggregates. Besides, liming decreased the fractal dimension in aggregates from both size classes, in accord to the fact that, with liming, larger pores were replaced by smaller ones in 1-2 mm aggregates, as both quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed.

Σκοπός της διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η ανάπτυξη κατάλληλων μεθόδων ψηφιακής επεξεργασίας εικόνας και αναγνώρισης προτύπων με τις οποίες θα προσδιορίζονται βιομετρικές και διαγνωστικές παράμετροι μέσω της αλληλεπίδρασης φωτονίων στο ορατό και υπέρυθρο φάσμα. Πιο συγκεκριμένα επιλύεται ένα αντίστροφο πρόβλημα σκέδασης ΗΜ ακτινοβολίας από ένα ανθρώπινο, υγιές και απαραμόρφωτο ερυθρό αιμοσφαίριο. Παρουσιάζονται μέθοδοι εκτίμησης και αναγνώρισης των γεωμετρικών χαρακτηριστικών απαραμόρφωτων υγιών ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων με χρήση εικόνων που προσομοιώνουν φαινόμενα σκέδασης ηλεκτρομαγνητικής ακτινοβολίας που διέρχεται από προσανατολισμένα ερυθρά αιμοσφαίρια. Η διαδικασία της ανάκτησης της πληροφορίας περιλαμβάνει, εξαγωγή χαρακτηριστικών με χρήση δισδιάστατων μετασχηματισμών, κανονικοποίηση των χαρακτηριστικών και την χρήση νευρωνικών δικτύων για την εκτίμηση των γεωμετρικών ιδιοτήτων του ερυθροκυττάρου. Παράλληλα σχεδιάστηκε και αξιολογήθηκε σύστημα αναγνώρισης των γεωμετρικών χαρακτηριστικών των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων. Οι εικόνες σκέδασης δημιουργήθηκαν προσομοιώνοντας το πρόβλημα εμπρόσθιας σκέδασης ενός επίπεδου ηλεκτρομαγνητικού (ΗΜ) κύματος, χρησιμοποιώντας την μέθοδο των συνοριακών στοιχείων, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τόσο την αξονοσυμμετρική γεωμετρία του ερυθροκυττάρου όσο και τις μη αξονοσυμμετρικές οριακές συνθήκες του προβλήματος. Η επίλυση του εν λόγω προβλήματος πραγματοποιήθηκε στα 632.8 nm και εν συνεχεία επεκτάθηκε σε 12 διακριτά ίσου βήματος μήκη κύματος από 432.8 nm έως 1032.8 nm. Επίσης, προτάθηκε μία νέα πειραματική διάταξη για την απόκτηση πολλαπλών εικόνων σκέδασης και την εκτίμηση των γεωμετρικών χαρακτηριστικών των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων, αποτελούμενη από μία πολυχρωματική πηγή φωτός (Led) και πολλαπλά χρωματικά φίλτρα. Επίσης κατασκευάστηκε μέθοδος επίλυσης του σημαντικού προβλήματος εύρεσης της περιεκτικότητας του διαλύματος σε ερυθρά αιμοσφαίρια διαφορετικών μεγεθών στην περίπτωση απόκτησης πολλαπλών εικόνων σκέδασης από διαφορετικές φωτοδιόδους και πολλαπλά χρωματικά φίλτρα. Στα πειράματα αξιολόγησης της μεθόδου που προτείνεται με εικόνες προσομοίωσης δείχνεται ότι είναι ικανή η εύρεση της αναλογίας των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων με πολύ μεγάλη ακρίβεια ακόμα και στη περίπτωση όπου στις εικόνες έχει προστεθεί λευκός κανονικός θόρυβος. Η βασική μεθοδολογία που παρουσιάζεται στην παρούσα δια-τριβή μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί για την αναγνώριση παθολογικών αιμοσφαιρίων ή να χρησιμοποιηθεί στην αναγνώριση μικροσωματιδίων σε υγρά ή αέρια. / The aim of this PhD thesis is the development of digital image processing and pattern recognition methods to estimate biometric and diagnostic parameters using scattering phenomena in the visible and infrared spectrum. More concretely, several reverse scattering problems of EM radiation from a human, healthy and undistorted Red Blood Cell (RBC) is solved. Methods of estimation and recognition of geometrical characteristics of healthy and undistorted RBCs using simulating images are presented. The information retrieval process includes, features extraction using two-dimensional integral transforms, features normalization, and Neural Networks for estimation of three major RBC geometrical proper-ties. Using the same features set, a recognition system of the geometric characteristics of RBCs was developed and evaluated. The scattering images were created simulating the forward scattering problem of a plane electromagnetic wave using the Boundary Element Method, taking into account both axisymmetric geometry of the scatterer and the non-axisymmetric boundary conditions of the problem. Initially, the problem is solved at 632.8 nm and consequently the same problem was solved at 12 different wavelengths, from 432.8 to 1032.8 nm equally spaced. Also, a new device for acquisition of scattering images from RBCs-flow, consisting of a multi-color light source (Led) was proposed, for RBC size estimation and recognition. Finally, a system for the estimation of different RBCs concentration was developed when scattering images acquired using multiple scattering images acquired from multiple Leds and color filters. The system was evaluated using additive white regular noise.