Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: Patrick S. Nicholson. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-181). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-191).

Orientador: Elza Guimarães / Resumo: A variação em atributos de proteção, principalmente os foliares, pode ter importante papel no desempenho das espécies ao longo de um gradiente de condições ambientais ou em hábitats heterogêneos. O domínio Cerrado está inserido em um gradiente climático e suas formações savânicas estão submetidas a queimadas recorrentes. Neste trabalho nós caracterizamos atributos de proteção às gemas em três espécies lenhosas, coocorrentes em fitofisionomias savânicas ao longo do gradiente latitudinal N-S do Cerrado e investigamos a ocorrência de fogo em uma escala espácio-temporal. Caracterizamos a posição das gemas nas plantas, morfologia e anatomia e indicadores de flamabilidade das mesmas. De modo geral, as plantas de diferentes localidades apresentaram diferenças quanto a altura das gemas na planta em relação ao nível do solo, sendo que plantas mais altas foram observadas nas latitudes menores e as mais baixas nas latitudes maiores, provavelmente devido a maior produtividade associada à proximidade da linha do Equador. Primórdios com maior área ocupada por idioblastos fenólicos foram observados nas duas localidades mais próximas à linha do Equador, possivelmente devido a alta intensidade de radiação. Além disso, registramos distintos regimes de queimada nas cinco localidades nos últimos 15 anos. Considerando a ampla distribuição geográfica das três espécies deste estudo, podemos concluir que suas gemas axilares toleram certa variação nos fatores climáticos como a amplitude de temperatur... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The variation in protection traits, especially the foliar ones, can play an important role in species performance along a gradient of environmental conditions or in heterogeneous habitats. The Cerrado domain is inserted in a climatic gradient and its savannah formations are under recurrent burning. In this study, we characterized bud protection traits of three woody species that co-ocurr in savannah phytophysiognomys along the Cerrado latitudinal gradient and we investigated fire occurrence in a spatio-temporal scale. We characterized bud position in each plant species, its morphology, anatomy and flammability indicators. In general, plants of different locations showed differences in bud height in relation to soil level. Taller plants were observed at lower latitudes and the smallest ones at higher latitudes, probably due to the higher productivity associated to the proximity to Equator line. Primordia with a larger area occupied by phenolic idioblasts were observed in the two locations nearest to the Equator line, possibly due to high radiation intensity. Besides that, we registered different fire regimes at the five locations in the last 15 years. Considering the wide distribution of the three species of this study, we can conclude that their axillary buds tolerate some variation in climatic factors like temperature, solar radiation and pluviosity amplitude. Besides that, this species are capable of persisting in environments under different fire frequency. Additionally, b... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

There is described a electromigration separation method for the analysis of low concentrations of copper with the possibility to detect a Wilson disease in my thesis. There were developed a methodology and propitious electrolyte systems, which can pre-concentrate copper prior to its on-line analysis. The developed electrolyte system for analysis had the following composition: LE1 (1.10-2 M CH3COOH, 2.10-2 M CH3COONH4, 2.10-4 M SPADNS), LE2 (1.10-2 M CH3COONH4, 1.10-2 M NH4OH, 1.10-4 M BKP, 5.10-5 M PAR, 5.10-3 M C6H17N3O7) and DE (7.10-5 M Cu(CH3COO)2, 1.10-3 M CH3COONH4 a 1.10-2 M CH3COOH). With a suggested electrolyte was achieved almost seventyfold accumulation of copper during 42 minutes, which lowered the concentration detection limit on the level convenient for the detection of Wilson disease. Complete analysis took about 98 minutes. There was accomplished a conductometric detection of copper in my thesis, however the developed electrolyte system can also analyze a copper by photometric detection, which is more sensitive.

A practical technique for enzymatic dissociation and isolation of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) (Percidae, Teleostei) early stage germ cells (eGC), including spermatogonia and spermatocytes, is reported in this study. Their potential to differentiate into functional gametes, and transmit genetic information to the next generations makes them suitable for cryopreservation and surrogate reproduction studies by germline chimera. Two different age groups (14 month old and 18 month old) of pikeperch were used to adjust the correct stage of eGC isolation. Finally the 18 month old samples were selected due to their high average gonadal volume (0.513 g). 10 ml PBS + 0.3% trypsin (304 mOsm/kg, pH 8) were used for enzymatic dissociation of testicular cells and they were sorted by centrifugation in Percoll density gradient. eGCs were identified on the basis of their ploidy level by CYSTAIN DNA 1 steps kit (PARTEC) and morphological characteristics trough by light microscopy. Cell counting was performed on histological sections and Percoll gradient layers whit the method of random square counting. The method of isolation enriched the number of eGC from 41.3% to 84.7%, obtained from the 33% of Percoll concentration.

Thermal barrier coatings have been widely used to provide thermal protection to components in the hot section of gas turbines. This research focuses on two influencing factors on coating behavior: thermal gradient and cyclic oxidation. The delamination mechanics under thermal gradient is analyzed, taking thermally grown oxide into consideration. Coatings experience thermal gradients at different stages during actual service flight. One is due to engine power shut down when landing and the other due to internal cooling of the substrate. Thermally grown oxide (TGO) also acts as a critical factor in delamination mechanics. The induced stress gradient and corresponding energy release rate for interface delamination and shallower delamination are presented. Mechanism maps that explain the criteria for preventing delamination from developing and propagating are established. Three cooling trajectories are envisaged to analyze the variation in the possibility of delamination. Multilayer coatings used in components of the hot section of aero turbine engines also experience cyclic temperature variation during flight cycles. As experiment conditions vary and coating performance is improved, the time required to run through the test of coating failure can be both time-consuming and prohibitive. Therefore, protocols providing prediction of quantified coating behavior are in demand to shorten life-time tests. Curves of mass change are obtained from quantifying scale growth and loss by different models such as Cyclic Oxidation Spall Program (COSP). A modification is made by combining COSP and a mechanic based model to obtain critical parameters for lifetime prediction from short time experiment. The time for coatings to reach peak temperature during cycling is discovered to influence prominently on modeling results. Predictions for several coating compositions and cycling conditions are consistent with the data from the existing experiments of the coating system.

Doctor of Philosophy / Division of Biology / Susan J. Brown / A segmented body plan is conserved in vertebrates and arthropods. Comparative studies implicate a conserved mode of A-P axis patterning and segmentation among vertebrates: Wnt signaling is involved in fate map patterning along the A-P axis and in segmentation in the posterior region of the embryo. On the other hand, comparative studies in arthropods have revealed distinct modes of development between long and short germ insects, which differ both morphologically and genetically. In the short germ insect Tribolium, a Wnt activity gradient contributes to A-P axis patterning and generates a posterior Tc-cad expression gradient that regulates segmentation through a pair-rule gene clock, forming segments sequentially as in vertebrates. In contrast, instead of Wnt activity, a hierarchy of regulatory genes regionalizes the blastoderm and defines segments simultaneously in the long germ insect Drosophila. In Tribolium, Tc-zen-1, Tc-otd-1 and Tc-cad play key roles in patterning serosa, head and trunk regions, respectively, of the blastoderm fate map, which are impacted by changes in Wnt activity levels. However, interactions between these genetic factors have not been described. My work revealed that cross talk between the Wnt and Dpp signaling pathways regulates the expression of Tc-zen-1 to determine the serosa. Furthermore, mutually repression between Tcotd-1 and Tc-cad defines the head and trunk regions while mutual repression between Tc-zen-1 and cad determines the posterior extent of the dorsal serosa. Analysis of target genes of the posterior Tc-cad gradient indicates that the Tc-cad gradient regulates the serial expression of gap genes, which are predominately regulators of Hox genes. Thus the posterior Tc-cad gradient determines segment formation through regulation of pair-rule genes in the insect segmentation clock, and defines segmental identity through regulation of gap genes. Given its effect on Tc-zen-1 and Tc-cad, the Wnt activity gradient is a key organizer of the Tribolium blastoderm fate map. Since homologs of these genes as well as the Wnt signaling pathway have also been identified in several other short germ band insects, and affect cell fates along the A-P body axis, this work provides a new paradigm for the short germ mode of development to guide studies in other arthropods.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-01-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:57:24Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bukvic_g_me_bauru.pdf: 10769904 bytes, checksum: 62e0300f452d06ec5fe503cb8b56d8d5 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A usinagem de cerâmicas avançadas geralmente é feita com o objetivo de corrigir as deformações após a etapa de sinterização, conferir precisão dimensional e qualidade superficial. Para cumprir esta tarefa é utilizada, principalmente, a retificação com rebolo de diamante sob baixas taxas de remoção de material. O torneamento com ferramenta de diamante pode ser aplicado para a maioria das cerâmicas, mas esbarram em condições limites de remoção de material, como profundidade de corte nanamétricas, que se ultrapassadas mudam o regime de remoção de dúctil para frágil. Uma alternativa é a usinagem da peça no estado verde, a qual apresenta fácil usinagem com a diminuição da introdução de defeitos prejudiciais à resistência mecânica. Após a sinterização invariavelmente ocorrem distorções devido à distribuição heterogênea de gradientes de densidade que se localizam nas porções mais externas do compactado. Na tentativa de remover estes gradientes, o presente trabalho analisou a influência da remoção de sobrematerial no estado verde na distorção da peça após a sinterização. Corpos-de-prova de alumina, com 99,8% de pureza, foram torneados com sobremateriais de 1,0, 2,0 3,0, 4,0 e 5,0 mm por uma ferramenta de metal duro sob condições constantes de usinagem. Além da distorção, outras variáveis de saída foram analisadas, com desgaste de ferramenta, força de corte (Fc) e rugosidade média aritmética (Ra) do compactado em verde e sinterizado. Os resultados apontam uma redução da distorção da peça sinterizada de até 81,4% com o maior valor de remoção de sobrematerial em verde e a influência do desgaste da ferramenta na rugosidade da peça em verde e na correspondente peça sinterizada / Advanced ceramics machining is generally done with the objective of correcting distortions in pieces after sintering. In order to comply with this task grinding with a diamond grinding wheel is mainly used with low material removal rates. Turning can be done diamong tool to most of the ceramics, but is runs into very narrow material removal limit conditions, as nanometric cutting depths, which if exceeded change the removal system from ductile to brittle. An alternative is machining the piece on the green state, which presents easy machining without the introduction of harmful defects to mechanical resitance. However, after sintering there are invariably distortions caused by the heterogeneous distribution of density gradients that are located in the most outlying portions of the compacted. In an attempt to remove these gradients, this study examined the influence of different allowance values removed and the corresponding distortion after sintering. Alumina speciments are used for this procedure, with 99,8% purity, from which allowances of 1.0,2.0,3.0,4.0, 5.0 mm are removed by turning with a cermented carbine tool under constant machining conditions. Besides distortion, other output variables were analyzed, such as tool wear, cutting force and surface roughness of the green ceramics and the sintered. The results presents a reduction of the distortion of the sintered piece of 81,4% with the greater allowance removal values and the influence of tool wear on the green machining surface roughness and on the corresponding sintered piece

Orientador: Harold Gordon Fowler / Banca: Adler Guilherme Viadana / Banca: Wesley Augusto Conde Godoy / Banca: Marcelo Nogueira Rossi / Banca: Sofia Campiolo / Apresenta anexos em CD-ROM / Resumo: Foram realizadas meta análises com o Gradiente Latitudinal de Riqueza de espécies, a Regra de Rapoport e sua interação para vertebrados ao longo de todo o Globo. Com os resultados é possível concluir que ambos os padrões são generalizáveis e consistentes para todos os grupos de vertebrados, no entanto nenhuma variável moderadora associada à característica ecológicas, biológicas ou biogeográficas pode ser confirmada como principal condicionante destes padrões, não apresentando padrões constantes entre hemisférios, continentes, classes, número de províncias biogeográficas, tamanho corpóreo ou outra variável analisada. Foram utilizados como effect sizes a inclinação da reta de regressão ou o coeficiente angular da regressão linear (b) e o Coeficiente de Correlação de Spearman corrigido por Z-Fisher (r), entre estes dois, o segundo apresentou melhores resultados referentes as suas adequações e restrições associadas a meta análise, tais como normalidade dos dados e pressupostos de viés de publicações. As variáveis moderadoras associadas a características metodológicas como poder do teste, significância e tamanho amostral apresentaram maior poder explicativo do padrão do que as demais variáveis, sugerindo uma necessidade de se adotar um padrão mais rigoroso no delineamento de estudos que abordem este tema. Para a Regra de Rapoport o método utilizado na confecção do teste foi a variável moderadora mais evidente para a detecção de uma estrutura nos dados. / Abstract: In the present work where made meta analysis with Latitudinal Gradient of Species richness, Rapoport Rule and their interaction for vertebrates along a global scale. With the results is possible to conclude that both patterns are general for vertebrates, nevertheless none of the ecological, biological or biogeographical moderators variables could be confirmed as the primary cause of the patterns, don't showing any constant pattern between hemispheres, continents, classes, number of biogeographical provinces or other analyzed variable. It will be used as effect size the angular coefficient or the linear regression (b) and the Spearman Correlation Coefficient transformed by Z-Fisher (r), among these two effect size, the second presents best results associated with restrictions and fits inherent to meta analysis, such as normality and publication bias. The moderator's variables associates with methodological issues, like statistical power, significance and sample size show higher explanation strength than the others variables, suggesting a necessity of more strength methods in the studies that claim these global patterns. For Rapoport Rule the method used to do the test was the moderator variable more evident to detect some data structure. / Doutor