Orientador: Madileine Francely Américo / Resumo: A contratilidade do músculo liso e o trânsito gastrintestinal (GI) são importantes parâmetros da motilidade, cujas alterações podem comprometer a absorção de nutrientes e a biodisponibilidade de fármacos. Diversos fármacos apresentam efeitos adversos associados ao trato GI e, mesmo aqueles utilizados para controlar esses efeitos, podem provocar alterações importantes na motilidade ainda pouco conhecidas. Camundongos das linhagens C57BL/6 e BALB/c são amplamente utilizados nas pesquisas biomédicas, entretanto poucos estudos consideram os parâmetros motores GI. Diante de métodos escassos para avaliar a motilidade in vivo e da importância de conhecer a fisiologia básica dos camundongos, bem como o efeito de fármacos sobre o trato GI, objetivou-se: 1) desenvolver protocolo para avaliação da contratilidade duodenal e trânsito gastrintestinal por meio da Biosusceptometria de Corrente Alternada (BAC), e avaliar comparativamente a morfologia e função gastrintestinal de camundongos das linhagens BALB/c e C57BL/6J e, 2) avaliar o efeito GI do tratamento com cisplatina e a influência da dexametasona como antiemético. A partir deste trabalho foi possível implementar um protocolo experimental inédito, por meio da BAC, para avaliar a contratilidade duodenal e o trânsito gastrintestinal em camundongos. Após prévia implantação de marcador magnético no duodeno de camundongos, observou-se uma alta e uma baixa frequência de contração, expressas em ciclos por minuto (cpm). BALB/c e C57BL/6J apre... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The smooth muscle contractility and gastrointestinal (GI) transit are important parameters of motility, whose alterations may compromise nutrient absorption and bioavailability of drugs. Several drugs have side effects associated with the GI tract and, even those used to control these effects may cause significant changes in motility that are still poorly understood. Mice C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains are widely used in biomedical research, but a few studies consider the GI motor parameters. In front of scarce methods to evaluate the in vivo motility and the importance of knowing the basic physiology of the mice, as well as the effect of drugs on the GI tract. Then, the objectives of this study were 1) to develop protocol for the evaluation of duodenal contractility and gastrointestinal transit through Alternating Current Biosusceptometry (ACB), and comparing the morphology and gastrointestinal function of BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice, and 2) to evaluate the GI effect of cisplatin treatment and the influence of dexamethasone as an antiemetic. From this work, it was possible to implement an original experimental protocol, through the BAC, to evaluate the duodenal contractility and the gastrointestinal transit in mice. After the previous implantation of a magnetic marker in the duodenum of mice, a high and low frequency of contraction, expressed in cycles per minute (cpm), was observed. BALB/c and C57BL/6J presented a high frequency of 40 cpm, while the low frequency in BALB/c was 29 ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

As curvas limite de conformação (CLC) permitem representar de maneira abrangente a estampabilidade de uma chapa e tem sido empregadas largamente como critério na otimização do processo de estampagem e no projeto de matrizes. Os ensaios simulativos Nakazima são comumente utilizados na determinação das curvas CLC mas suas posições são afetadas devido ao atrito do punção com a chapa e desta com a matriz. Adicionalmente, são demorados e dispendiosos porque exigem 10 corpos de prova (c.p.) de dimensões diferentes e pelo menos três c.p. de cada uma destas dimensões para fins estatísticos perfazendo a quantidade mínima recomendada de 30 corpos de prova. A necessidade da gravação de rede de círculos nas superfícies de todas as amostras bem como as leituras ópticas das elipses após as deformações oneram e atrasam mais a obtenção das CLC. A presente pesquisa baseou-se no aço da qualidade livre de intersticiais (IF) e no aço SAE 1050 coalescido e buscou determinar o ponto CLC0, raiz das curvas CLC e crítico para a estampagem, de modo mais rápido e barato que os ensaios simulativos. Assim, o ensaio intrínseco de tração uniaxial em estado plano de deformação foi aplicado utilizando menor quantidade de amostras. O ensaio Nakazima e Análises por Elementos Finitos (FEM) também foram executados nos aços sob estudo, de modo a permitir comparações dos valores CLC0. Os resultados de CLC0 obtidos pelos ensaios de tração uniaxiais em estado plano de deformação mostraram-se inferiores àqueles apresentados pela análise por elementos finitos e pelo ensaio não planar Nakazima, especialmente em relação a este último. A influência de trações unidirecionais e também ortogonais em estado plano de deformação sobre a rugosidade superficial das chapas, CLC0 e seu estado de tensões (CLT0) e sobre a textura também foi analisada. Desta forma, CLC0 e rugosidade mostraram-se dependentes da trajetória de deformação ao contrario de CLT0. A textura do aço IF, forte no estado recozido, foi fortalecida na direção DL e enfraquecida na direção DT em qualquer das duas trajetórias de deformação. / The forming limit curves (FLC) are used to reveal sheet metal formability and it is largely used in the stamping process optimization and in the project of dies. The measurements of FLC points are made by simulative tests (for example, the one named after Nakazima) which are very complex and costly procedures: around thirty specimens with different measures; engraving of circles grid in metallics surfaces and also, plastics strains and optical lectures are required. The present work used interstitial free (IF) and SAE 1050 spheroidized steel sheets. The aim was to investigate the precision of a simplified test, called near plane tensile test, wich is simpler and less dispendious, allowing the determination of the critical value to formability called FLC0 by a intrinsic plane strain test, which uses smaller sample numbers. The FLC0 value was obtained also by Nakazima simulative test and Finite Elements Analysis (FEM) to allow comparisons with plane strain tests. The results of FLC0 obtained by plane strain tension tests are smaller that similar values provided through FEM and Nakazima tests, but these differences can be attributed to deficiencies in these procedures, so the plane strain tensile values are presumably more reliable. The numerical analysis FEM ignores texture evolution during plastic strain, which is a possible factor to explain the differences. The Nakazima test showed largest FLC0 parameter in all cases, which is attributed to geometric factors. Evolution of sheet roughness, crystallographic texture and their correlation with the obtained FLC0 values were also investigated in addition to applying plain strain uniaxial and orthogonal tensile tests. The type of deformation trajectory influenced the FLC0 point and roughness, but the tension point FLSC0 associated to FLC0 was invariant. Texture depends on deformation trajectory and its intensity increases with the deformation along rolling direction.

In this work, the Shear Transformation Zone (STZ) dynamics model is adapted to capture the transitions between different regimes of flow serration in the deformation map of metallic glass. This was accomplished by scaling the STZ volume with a log-linear fit to the strain rate, and also adjusting the activation energy of an STZ with a log-linear fit to maintain constant yield strength at differing strain rates. Twelve simulations are run at each of six different strain rates ranging from 10-5 to 100 s-1, and statistics are collected on simulation behavior and shear band nucleation and propagation rates. The simulations show shear band nucleation has a positive correlation to strain rate, and shear band propagation has a negative correlation to strain rate. This shows that in STZ dynamics, the regime of reduced flow serration arises due to competing rates of nucleation and propagation, supporting the hypothesis proposed by Schuh. A positive correlation between critical shear band nucleus size and strain rate is proposed as an underlying cause of these rate dependencies.

Durant ce travail, nous avons étudié les propriétés mécaniques et de fracture d'élastomères à réseaux multiples synthétisés par des étapes successives de gonflement/polymérisation inspirées de l'architecture moléculaire développée par Gong pour les doubles réseaux hydrogels. Une méthode de synthèse plus versatile a été utilisée pour varier de façon continue le pré-étirement isotrope du premier réseau λ0, qui contrôle le module d'Young et le durcissement. Dans le cas d'une dilution importante du premier réseau (<10%), une scission moléculaire apparaît à grande déformation dans le réseau pré-étiré sans rompre le matériau. Le taux de dilution contrôle la quantité d’endommagement et donc la pente de la courbe contrainte-déformation. Finalement, pour les systèmes les plus dilués (<3%), une striction est observée au-dessus d’un seuil de contrainte. Changer le taux de réticulant du premier réseau ou les monomères utilisés ont conduit par ailleurs à l’obtention de comportements mécaniques similaires. L’énergie de fracture Γ est une fonction croissante de λ0. Des techniques de visualisation locale comme la Corrélation d’Image Numérique et l’intégration de molécules méchanoluminescentes ont été utilisées pour décrire une zone d’endommagement en tête de fissure dont la taille augmente avec λ0. Enfin, le mécanisme de renforcement des élastomères à réseaux multiples a pu être partiellement décrit dans le contexte du modèle de Brown sur les doubles réseaux. / We investigated systematically the mechanical and fracture properties of multiple network elastomers synthesized by successive swelling/polymerization steps inspired by the molecular architecture of Gong’s double network gels. A more versatile synthesis method was used to vary continuously the isotropic degree of prestretching λ0 of the first network resulting in a wider range of mechanical behaviours, where λ0 controls the Young’s modulus at small strain and the strain hardening at large strain. If the first network is diluted enough (<10%) molecular bond breakage occurs in this prestretched network at high strain while avoiding sample failure. The degree of dilution controls the amount of damage and therefore the slope of the stress-strain curve. Finally, for the most diluted systems (<3%), a yield stress and a necking phenomenon was observed. Changing the degree of crosslinking of the first network or the monomers used led to the same qualitative mechanical behaviour. The fracture energy Γ was shown to be an increasing function of λ0 however different regimes could be distinguished with macroscopic fracture occurring before or after bulk damage was detected. Visualisation techniques such as Digital Image Correlation and embedded mechanoluminescent molecules were used to map a damage zone in front of the crack tip, the size of which increased with λ0. Finally, the toughening mechanism of the multiple network elastomers could be understood in a nearly quantitative way within the framework of Brown's model of fracture of double network gels.

The purpose of this study was to examine how middle managers within the social services in Sweden perceived their working conditions. The study group included 475 middle managers who were registered in the labour union akademikerförbundet SSR. The study group answered a digital questionnaire based on Karasek’s control and demand model which contained questions concerning their working environment. The result showed that 80 percent of the managers worked more than 40 hours a week and 60 percent of the managers experience high job strain. Four groups with different working conditions were identified through Karasek's control and demand model and the one that showed the most alarming working conditions were analysed further, the high strained group. Within our studygroup we also identified a utterly small group that could be defined as ISO-strained. This working condition is the most harmful working situation for your health since it contains high risk of psychological strain and physical illness.

NiTi components are commonly subjected to thermo-mechanical heat treatments during production and fabrication. This study investigates the effects of applied strain of 0-10% and heat treatments of 300-600ºC for times of 2-30 minutes during shape-setting of Ti–50.8 at% Ni wire with a nominal diameter of 0.495 mm and an initial transition temperature, Af, of 12ºC. Strain was applied prior to heat treatments by coiling NiTi wire, essentially producing coiled springs, around different diameter steel mandrels to obtain different strain levels. The samples of NiTi wire under applied strain were heat treated in a salt bath, followed by a rapid quench. Transformation temperatures and mechanical properties were characterized using the differential scanning calorimeter and tensile tests. Changes in the Af, UTS, and elastic modulus due to ageing processes and applied strain were observed. Following theory, precipitation rates of Ni-rich phases generally increased with increased temperature (up to a certain point), time and applied strain levels. Reaction rates to achieve a particular Af might be faster than expected if the sample is under strain during the shape-setting process. Due to precipitation strengthening, an increase in UTS with increased heat treatment time was observed between 300-450°C; annealing processes dominate at higher temperatures, resulting in a decrease in UTS above 500°C. A decrease in UTS with increasing level of applied strain was observed. Trends in elastic modulus were highly inconsistent in this study. As shown by this study, applied strain in NiTi during heat treatment affects the Af and mechanical properties.

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Few studies exist about the experiences of men who are victims of female-perpetrated IPV and there are not many studies about these men's experiences in seeking and receiving psychological help. Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Peck's gender role strain paradigm guided this study to understand victimology and perceptions of gender roles. Research questions attempted to understand the lived experiences of male IPV victims of female-perpetrated IPV, accessing supportive and psychological services, and their experiences of these services. Seven male individuals were recruited through flyers in community centers, law enforcement agencies, and social media sites; 5 participants were interviewed via Skype and 2 responded via e-mail. Data from interviews were analyzed and coded following an interpretative phenomenological method. Five themes were identified from 2 research questions including: male victimization is seen as less severe than female victimization, family is not easy to talk to about experience, therapy and hospitalization were used, law enforcement officers are biased, and mental health workers are routine. Findings were evaluated with existing literature and suggestions are made for help-seeking option accessibility for male victims. This study promotes social change by discussing how supporting survivors may decrease negative gender roles and social norms while promoting the betterment of professionals who work with male victims. Victim-centered services, patient-centered approaches, and treatment and support for survivors of IPV will help to improve awareness about male victims in society while offering insight to decrease negative stigma.

While mechanical loading is essential for articular cartilage homeostasis, it also plays a central role in the etiology of osteoarthritis. The mechanotransduction events underlying these dual effects, however, remain unclear. Previously, we have shown that lethal amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were liberated from mitochondrial complex 1 in response to a mechanical insult. The sensitivity of this response to an actin polymerase inhibitor, cytochalasin B, indicated a link between ROS release and cytoskeletal distortion caused by excessive compressive strain. It did not, however, rule out the possibility that ROS may also mediate the beneficial effects of normal stresses that induce lower tissue strains required for proper homeostasis. If this possibility is true, one would expect the amount of ROS released in loaded cartilage to be positively correlated with the level of strain, and ROS should only reach lethal levels under super-physiological deformations. To test this hypothesis, full cartilage tissue strains were measured in cartilage explants subjected to static normal stresses of 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and1.0 MPa. After compression, the percentage of ROS-producing cells was measured using the oxidation-sensitive fluorescent probe, dihydroethidium, and confocal microscopy. In support of our theory, the percentage of fluorescing cells increased linearly with increasing strains (0-75%, r2 = 0.8, p < 0.05). Additionally, hydrostatic stress, which causes minimal tissue strain, induced minimal ROS release. In terms of cell viability, cartilage explants compressed with strains >40% experienced substantial cell death, while explants with strains

Currently in our clinic, a mega-voltage cone beam computed tomography (MVCBCT) scan is performed before each treatment for patient localization. For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, a strain gauge is used as an external surrogate to indicate tumor motion in both the planning stage and the treatment stage. However, it is likely that the amplitude of tumor motion varies between treatment fractions without a corresponding change in the surrogate signal. Motion amplitude larger than what was planned may underdose the tumor and overexpose normal tissues. The overall objective of this project is to extend the capabilities of MVCBCT for respiratory motion management by taking advantage of 2D projection images. First, a new method was developed to detect ipsi-lateral hemi-diaphragm apex (IHDA) motion along superior-inferior (SI) direction in 3D. Then a respiratory correlated reconstruction method was implemented and verified. This method is able to create MVCBCT volume in the full exhale (FE) and the full inhale (FI) phases, respectively. The diaphragm to tumor motion ratio (DTMR) was derived by quantifying the absolute position of the tumor and IHDA in these two volumes. The DTMR and the extracted IHDA motion were further used to calibrate the strain gauge signal. Second, an organ motion detection approach was developed, in which the detection is converted into an optimal interrelated surface detection problem. The framework was first applied to tumor motion extraction, which enables accurate detection for large tumors (with a diameter not smaller than 1.9cm). The framework was then applied to lung motion extraction and the extracted lung motion model was used to create a series of displacement vector fields for a motion compensated (MC) reconstruction. The accuracy of both tumor extraction and the MC approach was validated, which shows their clinical feasibility. Last but not least, a novel enhancement framework was developed. The aim of this approach is to eliminate the overlapping tissues and organs in the CBCT projection images. Though scattering and noise is the major problem, the proposed method is able to achieve enhanced projection images with a higher contrast to noise ratio (CNR) without compromising detection accuracy on tumors and IHDA.

The problem of spin manipulation via the spin-orbit interaction in nonmagnetic semiconductors in the absence of magnetic fields is investigated in this work. We begin with a review of the literature on spin dynamics in semiconductors, then discuss the semi-empirical k ⋅ p method of calculating direct-gap semiconductor properties, which we use to estimate material parameters significant for manipulation of spin even in the absence of a magnetic field. The total effective magnetic fields and precession lengths are calculated for a variety of quantum well orientations, and a class of devices are proposed that will allow for all-electric arbitrary manipulation of spin orientations. The strain- and momentum-dependent spin splitting coefficient C3 has been calculated using a fourteen band Kane k⋅p model for a variety of III-V semiconductors as well as ZnSe and CdSe. It is observed that the spin-splitting parameters C3 and γ, corresponding to the strain-induced spin-orbit interaction and Dresselhaus coefficient, are sensitive to the value of the inter-band spin-orbit coupling Δ− between the p valence and p̄ second conduction band in all cases. The value of Δ− has therefore been recalculated in these materials using a tight-binding model and modern experimental values of the valence and second conduction band spin-orbit splittings. The total effective magnetic field and precession length of spins in strained quantum wells in the (001), (110), and (111) planes are derived with consideration for all known effective magnetic fields except those due to interface effects in non- common-atom heterostructures (native inversion asymmetry). The orientation of the k-linear Dresselhaus field and the strain-dependent fields vary strongly with the growth axis of the quantum well. The precession length in the (110) and (001) cases can achieve infinite anisotropy, while the precession length of (111) quantum wells is always isotropic. We find that the electronic spin rotation induced by drift transport around a closed path in a wide variety of nonmagnetic semiconductors at zero magnetic field depends solely on the physical path taken. Physical paths that produce any possible spin rotation due to transport around a closed path are constructed for electrons experiencing strain or electric fields in (001), (110), or (111)-grown zinc blende semiconductor quantum wells. Spin decoherence due to travel along the path is negligible compared to the background spin decoherence rate. The small size of the designed paths (< 100 nm scale in GaAs) may lead to applications in nanoscale spintronic circuits.