The purpose of this thesis is to advance the understanding of strong-field QED processes in short laser pulses. The processes of non-linear one-photon and two-photon Compton scattering are studied, that is the scattering of photons in the interaction of relativistic electrons with ultra-short high-intensity laser pulses. These investigations are done in view of the present and next generation of ultra-high intensity optical lasers which are supposed to achieve unprecedented intensities of the order of 10^24 W/cm^2 and beyond, with pulse lengths in the order of some femtoseconds. The ultra-high laser intensity requires a non-perturbative description of the interaction of charged particles with the laser field to allow for multi-photon interactions, which is beyond the usual perturbative expansion of QED organized in powers of the fine structure constant. This is achieved in strong-field QED by employing the Furry picture and non-perturbative solutions of the Dirac equation in the presence of a background laser field as initial and final state wave functions, as well as the laser dressed Dirac-Volkov propagator. The primary objective is a realistic description of scattering processes with regard to the finite laser pulse duration beyond the common approximation of infinite plane waves, which is made necessary by the ultra-short pulse length of modern high-intensity lasers. Non-linear finite size effects are identified, which are a result of the interplay between the ultra-high intensity and the ultra-short pulse length. In particular, the frequency spectra and azimuthal photon emission spectra are studied emphasizing the differences between pulsed and infinite laser fields. The proper description of the finite temporal duration of the laser pulse leads to a regularization of unphysical infinities (due to the infinite plane-wave description) of the laser-dressed Dirac-Volkov propagator and in the second-order strong-field process of two-photon Compton scattering. An enhancement of the two-photon process is found in strong laser pulses as compared to the corresponding weak-field process in perturbative QED.

Smokeless powders are a set of energetic materials, known as low explosives, which are typically utilized for reloading ammunition. There are three types which differ in their primary energetic materials; where single base powders contain nitrocellulose as their primary energetic material, double and triple base powders contain nitroglycerin in addition to nitrocellulose, and triple base powders also contain nitroguanidine. Additional organic compounds, while not proprietary to specific manufacturers, are added to the powders in varied ratios during the manufacturing process to optimize the ballistic performance of the powders. The additional compounds function as stabilizers, plasticizers, flash suppressants, deterrents, and opacifiers. Of the three smokeless powder types, single and double base powders are commercially available, and have been heavily utilized in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices. Forensic smokeless powder samples are currently analyzed using multiple analytical techniques. Combined microscopic, macroscopic, and instrumental techniques are used to evaluate the sample, and the information obtained is used to generate a list of potential distributors. Gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is arguably the most useful of the instrumental techniques since it distinguishes single and double base powders, and provides additional information about the relative ratios of all the analytes present in the sample. However, forensic smokeless powder samples are still limited to being classified as either single or double base powders, based on the absence or presence of nitroglycerin, respectively. In this work, the goal was to develop statistically valid classes, beyond the single and double base designations, based on multiple organic compounds which are commonly encountered in commercial smokeless powders. Several chemometric techniques were applied to smokeless powder GC-MS data for determination of the classes, and for assignment of test samples to these novel classes. The total ion spectrum (TIS), which is calculated from the GC-MS data for each sample, is obtained by summing the intensities for each mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio across the entire chromatographic profile. A TIS matrix comprising data for 726 smokeless powder samples was subject to agglomerative hierarchical cluster (AHC) analysis, and six distinct classes were identified. Within each class, a single m/z ratio had the highest intensity for the majority of samples, though the m/z ratio was not always unique to the specific class. Based on these observations, a new classification method known as the Intense Ion Rule (IIR) was developed and used for the assignment of test samples to the AHC designated classes. Discriminant models were developed for assignment of test samples to the AHC designated classes using k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN) and linear and quadratic discriminant analyses (LDA and QDA, respectively). Each of the models were optimized using leave-one-out (LOO) and leave-group-out (LGO) cross-validation, and the performance of the models was evaluated by calculating correct classification rates for assignment of the cross-validation (CV) samples to the AHC designated classes. The optimized models were utilized to assign test samples to the AHC designated classes. Overall, the QDA LGO model achieved the highest correct classification rates for assignment of both the CV samples and the test samples to the AHC designated classes. In forensic application, the goal of an explosives analyst is to ascertain the manufacturer of a smokeless powder sample. In addition, knowledge about the probability of a forensic sample being produced by a specific manufacturer could potentially decrease the time invested by an analyst during investigation by providing a shorter list of potential manufacturers. In this work, Bayes* Theorem and Bayesian Networks were investigated as an additional tool to be utilized in forensic casework. Bayesian Networks were generated and used to calculate posterior probabilities of a test sample belonging to specific manufacturers. The networks were designed to include manufacturer controlled powder characteristics such as shape, color, and dimension; as well as, the relative intensities of the class associated ions determined from cluster analysis. Samples were predicted to belong to a manufacturer based on the highest posterior probability. Overall percent correct rates were determined by calculating the percentage of correct predictions; that is, where the known and predicted manufacturer were the same. The initial overall percent correct rate was 66%. The dimensions of the smokeless powders were added to the network as average diameter and average length nodes. Addition of average diameter and length resulted in an overall prediction rate of 70%.

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att med hjälp av multivariata parametrar undersöka skillnader i fysisk extern belastning under den mest intensiva perioden (MIP) av match för spelare på ungdomselit och seniornivå samt att identifiera eventuella skillnader mellan positioner och halvlekar.Metod: En kvantitativ retrospektiv studie tillämpades, där spelare från ett seniorlag (SEN)spelandes i högsta divisionen i Sverige samt fotbollsspelare från ett ungdomselitlag (U19)från samma klubb spelades i näst högsta divisionen för åldersgruppen deltog i studien. Fysisk extern belastning mättes med hjälp av Global Positioning System (GPS). MIP analyserades utifrån spelares taktiska utgångsposition och med hjälp av multivariata parametrar. Rullande medelvärden användes för analys av 1-min MIP.Resultat: SEN täckte signifikant längre distans under den mest intensiva 1-mintusperioden av match jämfört med U19 (SEN 140 ± 22,3 m; U19 120 ± 24,1 m, p < 0.001). Vid jämförelse mellan positioner täcker SEN-Lateral längre distanser än U19-Lateral under mest intensiva 1-mintusperioden av MIP-kinematik (135 ± 23.5 m vs 104 ± 40.3 m, p = 0.015).Slutsats: Sammanfattningsvis konfirmerar denna studie en skillnad av den mest intensiva 1-minuters perioden för senior- och ungdomsspelare för MIPk. Studien visar att seniorspelare positionerade lateral på planen täcker längre distanser under MIPk jämfört med U19 på samma position. Praktiker bör beakta dessa skillnader i sina träningsupplägg för att kunna förbereda ungdomsspelare för de fysiska krav som ses i seniormiljön / Aim: The present study aimed to investigate differences in physical external load during the most intense period (MIP) of match play for youth and senior player and to indentify possible differences between positions and halves, with multivariate parameters. Method: A quantitative retrospective study was applied, players from a senior team playing in the highest division in Sweden participated in the study as well as football players from a youth elite team from the same club playing in the second highest division for the age group. Physical external load was measured using Global Positioning System (GPS). MIP was analyzed based on players' initial tactical position and using multivariate parameters. Rolling averages were used to analyze 1-min MIP.Results: SEN covered significantly longer distances during the most intense 1-min period of the match compared to U19 (SEN 140 ± 22,3 m; U19 120 ± 24,1 m, p < 0.001). When comparing between positions, SEN-Lateral covers longer distances than U19-Lateral during the most intense 1-minute period of the MIPk (135 ± 23.5 m vs 104 ± 40.3 m, p = 0.015).Conclusions: In conclusion, this study confirms a difference in the most intense 1-minute period for senior and youth players for MIPk. The study shows that senior players positioned laterally on the pitch cover longer distances during MIPk compared to U19-Lateral. Practitioners should consider these differences in their training programmes in order to prepare youth players for the physical demands seen in the senior environment.

Title: Monitoring of influence of individual segments of a teaching unit of physical education on fitness of girls from seventh grade of elementary school. Aim: The aim of the empirical part is to monitor the proportional representation of the motoric activities during the time given in the lessons of physical education of the seventh grade girls, and along with the chosen methods of testing of these individuals, to prove or disprove possible influence of the composition of the P.E. lessons on the chosen segments of their fitness. Methods: Various methods were used for testing the considered sample. These were the standardized motoric tests (intense forward bend when sitting, place-jump with legs together, endurance in a pull-up, hand grip) which investigate the chosen segments of the fitness. Another method used was the bioimpedance which measures the parameters of body composition. The data were recollected quantitatively and the results were also processed quantitatively by means of statistic parameters, such as arithmetic mean, variation span and determinative deviation. Results: From the results of the work emerged that as far as the chosen motoric activities and their influence on the chosen segments of the fitness are concerned, during the time given only the segment of flexibility in...

Une étude expérimentale de gaz d'électrons bidimensionnel confinés dans des puits quantiques de CdTe et de CdMnTe est présentée. L'analyse de données est soutenue par des calculs numériques de la structure de bande des états confinés, utilisant l'approximation de densité locale et de fonction enveloppe. Un calcul de type k.p a été utilisé pour justifier l'approximation parabolique appliquée pour les bandes valence. Les échantillons ont été caractérisés par spectroscopie Raman et par spectroscopie d'absorption de la résonance cyclotron infrarouge. Le magnéto-transport à bas champ est dominé par la contribution semi-classique de Drude et révèle trois contributions plus faibles, qui sont la localisation faible, l'interaction électron-électron et les oscillations Shubnikov-De Haas. La contribution des interactions électron-électron est expliquée dans un modèle semi-classique à trajectoire circulaire. La forme des niveaux de Landau, leurs élargissement, les temps de vie transport et quantique de la diffusion et le mécanisme (long-portée) de la diffusion dominant ont été déterminés. Le magnéto-transport sous champs magnétiques intenses révèle la présence d'états Hall quantique fractionnaires dans les niveaux de Landau N=0 et N=1. Nous avons montré, que les états 5/3 et 4/3 étaient complètement polarisés en spin, en accord avec l'approche des fermions composites pour l'effet Hall quantique fractionnaire. La forme de la photoluminescence à champ magnétique nul et son évolution avec la température sont décrites par un modèle analytique simple. La dépendance en champ magnétique et en température de la photoluminescence indique que le gap de spin est amplifié dans les niveaux de landau entièrement occupés. Ces effets multi-corps de l'amplification du gap du spin ont été décrits avec succès par un modèle numérique simple. L'intensité de la photoluminescence a mise en évidence l'importance des processus non-radiatifs pendant la recombinaison, la dégénérescence des niveaux de Landau, leur taux d'occupation, les règles de sélection et l'influence de l'écrantage. Le mécanisme de la relaxation parallèle de spin d'électron et de trou a été identifié et attribué au mécanisme Bir-Aharonov-Pikus, assistée par les phonons acoustiques. Les spectres de photoluminescence d'excitation reflètent la densité des états caractéristique des systèmes bidimensionnels. Les résonances excitoniques, qui sont observées aux bords des sous-bandes électriques inoccupées, illustrent l'importance de l'écrantage et des champs électriques intrinsèques dans les puits asymétriquement dopés. / Experimental studies of two-dimensional electron gases confined in CdTe and CdMnTe quantum wells are presented. The data analysis is supported by numerical calculations of the band structure of confined states, using the local density and envelope function approximations. Four by four, k.p calculations have been performed to justify the parabolic approximation of valence bands. Samples were characterized by Raman scattering spectroscopy and far infrared cyclotron resonance absorption measurements. Low-field magneto-transport shows the dominant contribution of the semi-classical Drude conductivity and ten times weaker contributions of weak localization, electron-electron interaction and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The contribution of electron-electron interactions is explained within a semi-classical model of circling electrons. The shape of Landau levels, broadening, transport and quantum lifetimes and dominant long-range scattering mechanism have been determined. High-field magneto-transport displays fractional quantum Hall states at Landau levels N=0 and N=1. The ground states 5/3 and 4/3 have been determined to be fully spin polarized, in agreement with the approach of composite fermions for the fractional quantum Hall effect. The form of the photoluminescence at zero magnetic field and its evolution with temperature have been described by simple analytical model. Magnetic field and temperature dependence of the photoluminescence has been found to display the enhanced spin splitting of fully occupied Landau levels. This many body enhanced spin gap has been successfully described by a numerical model. The intensity of the photoluminescence demonstrated the importance of the non-radiative recombination channel, degeneracy of Landau levels, their occupation, selection rules and screening. The mechanism of the simultaneous electron and hole spin-flip was recognized and attributed to the longitudinal acoustical phonon assisted Bir-Aharonov-Pikus spin relaxation mechanism. Photoluminescence excitation spectra embody the characteristic density of states of two-dimensional systems. The excitonic resonances, which are observed at the edges of unoccupied electric subbands, illustrate the importance of screening and internal electric fields in asymmetrically doped quantum wells.

The subject of this thesis is the architectural study of revitalization of a city block and its spatial structure. Selected part of city was solved already in previous project that preceded own thesis. Merger proposal will allow a larger number of different functions within the complex, which will ensure the residents to various forms of housing, services and employment and leisure activities. The studied area is located in the city of Brno-Veveří. Plan shape of the object based on the area in which the three parties connected to the access road. Mass and spatial design respects the surrounding buildings and uses the sidewalks along the whole of the area. The matrix of the object is divided by two axes passing through the object into three blocks linked by a courtyard. This creates a square with a water surface with the possibility of recreation and sitting under the trees. The shape of these three blocks is further formed in several height terraced layers. Do terraces are placed in the atrium and individual residential and office units have large windows and balcony available. This solution brings natural light into the interior while allowing illumination of the courtyard and surrounding objects within the chosen area. This spatial structure is horizontally divided by function. There are proposed underground public garage, arcade with shops, services, administration and housing. The exterior of the building is designed by combining brick facades and white plaster, which works like optically lighter impression of the building.

Neuronen sind bei der Informationsübertragung des zentralen Nervensystems von entscheidender Bedeutung. Ihre Aktivität liegt der Signalverarbeitung und höheren kognitiven Prozessen zugrunde. Neuronen sind in den extrazellulären Raum eingebettet, der mehrere Teilchen, darunter auch Ionen, enthält. Ionenkonzentrationen sind nicht statisch. Intensive neuronale Aktivität kann intrazelluläre und extrazelluläre Ionenkonzentrationen verändern. In dieser Arbeit untersuche ich das Wechselspiel zwischen neuronaler Aktivität und der Dynamik der Ionenkonzentrationen. Dabei konzentriere ich mich hauptsächlich auf extrazelluläre Kalium- und intrazelluläre Natriumkonzentrationen. Mit Hilfe der Theorie dynamischer Systeme zeige ich, wie moderate Änderungen dieser Ionenkonzentrationen die neuronale Aktivität qualitativ verändern können, wodurch sich möglicherweise die Signalverarbeitung verändert. Dann modelliere ich ein leitfähigkeitsbasiertes neuronales Netzwerk mit Spikes. Das Modell sagt voraus, dass eine moderate Änderung der Konzentrationen, die einen Mikroschaltkreis von Neuronen umgeben, die Leistungsspektraldichte der Populationsaktivität verändern könnte. Insgesamt unterstreicht diese Arbeit die Bedeutung der Dynamik der Ionenkonzentrationen für das Verständnis neuronaler Aktivität auf langen Zeitskalen und liefert technische Erkenntnisse darüber, wie das Zusammenspiel zwischen ihnen modelliert und analysiert werden kann. / Neurons are essential in the information transfer mechanisms of the central nervous system. Their activity underlies both basic signal processing, and higher cognitive processes. Neurons are embedded in the extracellular space, which contains multiple particles, including ions which are vital to their functioning. Ionic concentrations are not static, intense neuronal activity alters the intracellular and extracellular ionic concentrations which in turn affect neuronal functioning. In this thesis, I study the interplay between neuronal activity and ionic concentration dynamics. I focus specifically on the extracellular potassium and intracellular sodium concentrations. Using dynamical systems theory, I illustrate how moderate changes in these ionic concentrations can qualitatively change neuronal activity, potentially altering signal processing. I then model a conductance-based spiking neural network. The model predicts that a moderate change in the concentrations surrounding a microcircuit of neurons could modify the power spectral density of the population activity. Altogether, this work highlights the need to consider ionic concentration dynamics to understand neuronal activity on long time scales and provides technical insights on how to model and analyze the interplay between them.

Active layer morphology of polymer-based solar cells plays an important role in improving power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this thesis, the focus is to improve the device efficiency of polymer-based solar cells. In the first objective, active layer morphology of polymer-solar cells was optimized though a novel solvent annealing technique. The second objective was to explore the possibility of replacing the highly sensitive aluminum cathode layer with a low-cost and stable alternative, copper metal. Large scale manufacturing of these solar cells is also explored using roll-to-roll printing techniques. Poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl (PCBM) were used as the active layer blend for fabricating the solar cell devices using bulk heterojunction (BHJ), which is a blend of a donor polymer and an acceptor material. Blends of the donor polymer, P3HT and acceptor, PCBM were cast using spin coating and the resulting active layers were solvent annealed with dichlorobenzene in an inert atmosphere. Solvent annealed devices showed improved morphology with nano-phase segregation revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. The roughness of the active layer was found to be 6.5 nm. The nano-phase segregation was attributed to PCBM clusters and P3HT domains being arranged under the solvent annealing conditions. These test devices showed PCE up to 9.2 % with current density of 32.32 mA/cm2, which is the highest PCE reported to date for a P3HT-PCBM based system. Copper was deposited instead of the traditional aluminum for device fabrication. We were able to achieve similar PCEs with copper-based devices. Conductivity measurements were done on thermally deposited copper films using the two-probe method. Further, for these two configurations, PCE and other photovoltaic parameters were compared. Finally, we studied new techniques of large scale fabrication such as ultrasonic spray coating, screen-printing, and intense pulse light sintering, using the facilities at the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research at the University of Louisville. In this study, prototype devices were fabricated on flexible ITO coated plastics. Sintering greatly improved the conductivity of the copper nano-ink cathode layer. We will explore this technique’s application to large-scale fabrication of solar cell devices in the future work.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2016-09-14T18:52:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 IGORMARQUES.pdf: 1484987 bytes, checksum: 222e9ad06f9f0aead873e9543fe463b9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-14T18:52:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 IGORMARQUES.pdf: 1484987 bytes, checksum: 222e9ad06f9f0aead873e9543fe463b9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-27 / Against the backdrop of the denominational status of network Adventist education present in a remarkable way in the school space and the intense religious diversity students, this research analyzes the relationship of possible tensions between the denominational school status and religious diversity present. It takes into account the process of modernity causing significant change in education, in religion and in the form of the two institutes relate to each other. It took into account the socio-economic and religious profile of the students and how is the reception of religious education in Adventist school space, including students who declare themselves Adventists. The area chosen for this research was the Adventist schools located in the ABCD Paulista context, which offer high school. These school units are located in the cities of Diadema, Santo Andre and Sao Caetano do Sul, cities located in the same micro region, but with different socioeconomic realities. / Tendo como pano de fundo a confessionalidade da rede adventista de educação presente de maneira marcante no espaço escolar e a intensa diversidade religiosa discente, esta pesquisa analisa a relação de possíveis tensões entre a confessionalidade escolar e a diversidade religiosa presente neste espaço. Leva em consideração o processo de modernidade causadora de importantes transformações na educação, na religião e na forma dos dois institutos se relacionarem. Levou-se em consideração o perfil socioeconômico e religioso dos alunos e possíveis tensões na recepção do religioso no espaço escolar adventista por parte dos discentes, inclusive por aqueles que se declaram adventistas. O espaço escolhido para esta pesquisa foi o de colégios adventistas localizadas no contexto do ABCD Paulista, que ofertam o Ensino Médio. Estas unidades escolares estão situadas nas cidades de Diadema, Santo André e São Caetano do Sul, cidades localizadas na mesma microrregião, mas com distintas realidades socioeconômicas.