The nervous system is made up of specialized cells which receive and respond to environmental stimuli. Intercellular communication in the nervous system is achieved predominantly through chemical synaptic transmission. Within the chemical synapse, the actin cytoskeleton plays a major role in regulating synaptic activities, although the extent and clarity in our understanding of these processes is still limited. Using the genetically pliable model, Drosophila melanogaster, this thesis begins to unravel contributions of actin binding proteins to synaptic development and physiology at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Two actin binding proteins, Moesin and Nonmuscle Myosin II (NMMII) were selected for study based on previous studies implicating them in synaptic development. Combining genetics, fluorescent imaging and electrophysiological recordings this thesis unveils previously unidentified functions for Moesin and NMMII in morphology and physiology of the Drosophila NMJ. Moesin was found to help restrain synaptic growth but did not affect synaptic physiology. By correlating morphological and electrophysiological measurements in Moesin mutants, it was determined that physiology and morphology can be independently regulated at the NMJ. NMMII was used to investigate a role for actin binding proteins in physiology at the Drosophila NMJ. By using the fluorescent imaging technique, FRAP, this becomes the first research to implicate NMMII in unstimulated synaptic vesicle mobility. FRAP indicated that vesicle mobility was highly dependent on the expression level of NMMII. Electrophysiological analysis of NMMII indicated distinct mechanisms for spontaneous and evoked vesicle release. NMMII expression exhibited a positive correlation with basal synaptic transmission and was important in mobilizing vesicles for synaptic potentiation. In addition, NMMII was found to be involved in a high frequency dependent low frequency depression. This work begins to identify how vesicles traverse within boutons and suggests differential mechanisms of synaptic release, both of which are partially dependent of NMMII expression. Studying Moesin and NMMII have revealed a complex interplay between the actin cytoskeleton and synaptic function and together this research furthers our understanding of how the actin cytoskeleton regulates synaptic activity.

No description available.

DESCRIPTION DES PHENOMENES CITES DANS LES TYPES DE TRANSISTORS SUIVANTS: TRANSISTOR VMOS, TRANSISTOR UMOS, TRANSISTOR HEXFET

Large-scale atmospheric disturbances play important roles in determining the general circulation of the atmosphere during the North Pacific boreal winter. A number of scientific questions have been raised due to these disturbances’ spatial and temporal complexity as well as the hydrological implication associated with them. In this dissertation, the principal goal is to further improve our understanding of the atmospheric high frequency (HF) and intermediate frequency (IF) disturbances active over the North Pacific. The study focuses on their energetics, intraseasonal and interannual variability, and the resulting hydrological impact over the eastern North Pacific and Western U.S. including extreme events. To delineate the characteristics of HF and IF disturbances in the troposphere, we first derive a new set of equations governing the local eddy kinetic energy (EKE), and assess the critical processes maintaining local budgets of the HF and IF EKE. The diagnosis assesses the 3-D patterns of energy flux convergence (EFC), barotropic conversion (BT), baroclinic conversion (BC), and cross-frequency eddy-eddy interaction (CFEI). The local EKE budget analysis is followed by an investigation of the modulation of HF and IF eddy activity by different modes of low frequency climate variability. On interannual timescales, the response of various local energetic processes to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) determines the HF and IF EKE anomalies and the role of CFEI process is important in producing these anomalies. Also on interannual timescales, winter precipitation deficits associated with suppressed cyclonic activity, i.e., negative HF EKE anomalies, are linked to severe droughts over the U.S. Southern Great Plain (SGP) region. The suppressed cyclonic activity is, in turn, tied to phase changes in the West Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern. On intraseasonal timescales, variations in HF disturbances (a.k.a. storm tracks) over the North Pacific are closely coupled with tropical convection anomalies induced by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), and partly drive larger scale intraseasonal flow anomalies in this region through eddy-eddy interactions. Anomalous HF eddy activity induces subseasonal transitions between “wet” and “dry” regimes over the west coast of North America. Also on intraseasonal timescales, the East Asian cold surge (EACS) is found to provide a remote forcing of the winter precipitation anomalies in the western U.S. This modulation is achieved through “atmospheric rivers” (ARs), which are narrow channels of concentrated moisture transport in the atmosphere and are responsible for over 70% of the extreme precipitation events in the western U.S.. EACS effectively modulates the IF disturbance activity over the North Pacific, and the anomalous IF disturbances lead to the formation of an AR over the eastern North Pacific that ultimately induces precipitation anomalies in the western U.S. Analyses of the simulations from the NCAR Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4) demonstrate that the connections among the EACS, AR and western U.S. precipitation are better captured by a model with higher spatial resolutions. The improved simulation of these connections is achieved mainly through a better representation of the IF disturbances, and the associated scale-interaction processes in the higher resolution model.

Geomagnetic disturbances that result from solar activities can affect technological systems such as power networks. They may cause DC currents in power networks and saturation of the core in power transformers that leads to destruction in the transformer performance. This phenomena result in unwanted influences on power transformers and the power system. Very asymmetric magnetization current, increasing losses and creation of hot spots in the core, in the windings, and the metallic structural parts are adverse effects that occur in transformers. Also, increasing demand of reactive power and malfunction of protective relays menaces the power network stability. Damages in large power transformers and blackouts in networks have occurred due to this phenomenon. Hence, studies regarding this subject have taken the attention of researchers during the last decades. However, a gap of a comprehensive analysis still remains. Thus, the main aim of this project is to reach to a deep understanding of the phenomena and to come up with a solution for a decrease of the undesired effects of GIC. Achieving this goal requires an improvement of the electromagnetic models of transformers which include a hysteresis model, numerical techniques, and transient analysis. In this project, a new algorithm for digital measurement of the magnetic materials is developed and implemented. It enhances the abilities of accurate measurements and an improved hysteresis model has been worked out. Also, a novel differential scalar hysteresis model is suggested that easily can be implemented in numerical methods. Two and three dimensional finite element models of various core types of power transformers are created to study the effect of DC magnetization on transformers. In order to enhance the numerical tools for analysis of low frequency transients related to power transformers and the network, a novel topological based time step transformer model has been outlined. The model can employ a detailed magnetic circuit and consider nonlinearity, hysteresis and eddy current effects of power transformers. Furthermore, the proposed model can be used in the design process of transformers and even extend other application such as analysis of electrical machines. The numerical and experimental studies in this project lead to understanding the mechanism that a geomantic disturbance affects power transformers and networks. The revealed results conclude with proposals for mitigation strategies against these phenomena. / <p>QC 20150210</p>

The present study examines the effects of immersion education on the English of two groups of advanced Swedish learners at upper secondary school. In immersion education, or CLIL, subject content is taught through a second language as a means of enhancing target language competence. In this study, language proficiency was measured in terms of the ratio of low frequency vocabulary (LFV) and the ratio of motivated tense shift (MTSh) in the learners’ free written production in English. An additional aim was to see whether the results were related to the students’ motivation as reported in a questionnaire. This longitudinal study was based on three sets of narratives, written by 86 students, half of them enrolled at the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) where English is the medium of instruction, and the other half at national programmes (NP), where English is studied as a foreign language. At the outset, the IB and NP groups had similar results on a general diagnostic test, which was the basis for the formation of three subgroups: I, II and III, with above average, average and below average scores respectively. Mean LFV and MTSh ratios as well as different kinds of motivation were compared, both overall and in the subgroups. The IB students overall, and those in subgroup III in particular, showed the best results. As to the overall results, the IB students used significantly higher mean ratios of LFV and MTSh than the NP students in the final set of compositions. There were also a number of motivational factors that were stronger in the IB students. As to the subgroups, the most interesting results were found in subgroups I and III. While the IB students in subgroup I had high mean ratios already in the first composition, and retained them over time, their use of MTSh tended to grow subtler. The NP students had lower mean results initially, and while their mean MTSh ratio increased and ended up on a level similar to that of the IB students, their mean LFV ratio remained low. In subgroup III the results of the IB and NP students diverged over time. While the IB students progressed as reflected in their mean LFV and MTSh ratios, the NP students tended to regress. The difference in mean LFV ratios was statistically significant. The IB students were also better motivated than their NP peers. In all, this study suggests that immersion education has positive target language effects, especially on less proficient but motivated students.

Αντικείμενο της διατριβής είναι η επίλυση των προβλημάτων της σκέδασης επιπέδων ακουστικών κυμάτων χαμηλών συχνοτήτων από ένα διαπερατό σφαιρικό κέλυφος με έκκεντρο μαλακό, σκληρό ή διαπερατό πυρήνα και από μια μαλακή σφαίρα κάτω από ένα διαπερατό επίπεδο. Η λύση των προβλημάτων σκέδασης στην περιοχή χαμηλών συχνοτήτων επιδέχεται ανάπτυγμα Taylor σε δυνάμεις του κυματικού αριθμού k, όπου οι συντελεστές του αναπτύγματος (προσεγγίσεις χαμηλής συχνότητας) συνιστούν ακολουθία λύσεων στάσιμων προβλημάτων της θεωρίας δυναμικού. Ένα πρόβλημα σκέδασης μπορεί να δεχθεί προσέγγιση χαμηλών συχνοτήτων όταν το μήκος κύματος της κυματικής διαταραχής είναι πολύ μεγαλύτερο από την ακτίνα της ελάχιστης περιγεγραμμένης σφαίρας του σκεδαστή. Το δισφαιρικό σύστημα συντεταγμένων παρέχει κατάλληλο περιβάλλον για την επίλυση προβλημάτων πολλαπλής σκέδασης από δύο σφαίρες Αυτό ισχύει μόνο στη περιοχή των χαμηλών συχνοτήτων δεδομένου ότι η εξίσωση Laplace επιδέχεται διαμορφωμένο χωρισμό στις δισφαιρικές συντεταγμένες, ενώ δεν συμβαίνει το ίδιο στην εξίσωση Helmholtz. Προσαρμόζοντας το δισφαιρικό σύστημα συντεταγμένων στην δεδομένη γεωμετρία του κάθε προβλήματος απλουστεύεται η περιγραφή των χώρων που ορίζονται από το έκκεντρο σφαιρικό κέλυφος και οι σφαιρικές επιφάνειες του προβλήματός μας περιγράφονται από διαφορετικές τιμές της ίδιας συντεταγμένης μεταβλητής, ενώ ο απομακρυσμένος χώρος περιγράφεται από μια γειτονιά της αρχής των συντεταγμένων στο παραμετρικό χώρο των μεταβλητών η, θ. Επιλύοντας τα αντίστοιχα προβλήματα συνοριακών συνθηκών για μηδενική και πρώτης τάξεως προσεγγίσεις, καταλήγουμε σε αντίστοιχες αναγωγικές εξισώσεις ακολουθιών των συντελεστών ή αντίστοιχα συστήματα αναγωγικών εξισώσεων. Δεδομένου ότι οι ακολουθίες των συντελεστών συγκλείνουν ταχύτατα, περιοριζόμαστε στους πρώτους όρους συντελεστών και οι αναδρομικές εξισώσεις ή τα συστήματα αναγωγικών εξισώσεων ανάγονται σε εξισώσεις πινάκων ή γραμμικά συστήματα εξισώσεων με άγνωστους πίνακες στήλες και συντελεστές των αγνώστων τριδιαγώνιοι πίνακες. Με την πρωτότυπη αυτή μέθοδο προσδιορίζονται ακριβώς οι πρώτοι όροι χαμηλών συχνοτήτων των δύο προσεγγίσεων μηδενικής και οι πρώτης τάξεως, και στη συνέχεια οι προσεγγίσεις του πλάτους σκέδασης και των ενεργειακών διατομών σκέδασης. Μειώνοντας την απόσταση d των κέντρων συμπεραίνουμε ότι το πρόβλημα της σκέδασης ομόκεντρου σφαιρικού φλοιού δεν μπορεί να θεωρηθεί ειδική περίπτωση του προαναφερθέντος προβλήματος. / A plane wave is scattered by an acoustically soft, hard or penetrable sphere, covered by a penetrable non-concentric spherical lossless shell which disturbs the propagation of the incident plane wave field. There is exactly one bispherical coordinate system that fits the given two-sphere obstacle. If the wavelength of the incident field is much larger than the radius of the exterior sphere, Low Frequency Theory reduces the scattering problem to a sequence of potential problems which can be solved iteratively Applying the corresponding boundary value problem for each case, a set of two equations results as well as a recurrence equation with three unknown sequence of coefficients for zero-th order, and the first-order approximation is obtained, by solving two sets of two equations and a recurrence equation with three unknown sequence coefficients each for the soft core or the calculation of the zero–th order coefficients of the hard or penetrable core, leads to a solution of a linear system of two equations with two unknown columns and tri-diagonal square matrices are coefficients of the unknown columns, while the first-order approximation is obtained, by solving two linear systems of two equations with four unknown columns and eight tri-diagonal matrices as coefficients of the unknown columns. Applying the cut-off method for soft, hard and penetrable sphere, the low-frequency coefficients of the zero-th and first-order for the near field as well as the first and second-order coefficients are obtained for the normalized scattering amplitude and cross section. Decreasing the distance d of the centres we conclude that the problem of scattering concentric cell cannot be considered special case of mentioned before problem. A plane wave is scattered by an acoustical soft acoustic sphere embedded into an acoustically lossless half space, which disturbs the propagation of the incident wave field. In the first step, the problem of sound diffraction by only a penetrable plane is solved, were the amplitudes of reflective and diffractive acoustical waves are calculated. In the second step the diffractive as an incident wave is scattered by the embedded acoustical soft sphere. The low frequency zero-th and first order coefficients of the near field are calculated for the soft scatterer and finally the scattering amplitude and cross-section are determined.

L’objectif principal de cette thèse consiste à développer des stratégies de modélisation et de contrôle pour la conversion de fréquence en utilisant un convertisseur multi-modulaire sans utilisation de lien en continu. Ce convertisseur est nécessaire pour l’intégration des énergies renouvelables offshore dans un réseau de transport à basse fréquence. La basse fréquence électrique profite à la fois des avantages des réseaux alternatif et continu. L’utilisation de convertisseurs modulaires dans ces réseaux permet, entre autres, de supprimer le transformateur du côté de la basse fréquence électrique. Dans cette optique, l’énergie est convertie depuis la fréquence nominale à 50 Hz ou 60 Hz (considérée comme la haute fréquence) vers un tiers de 50 Hz. Le convertisseur est aussi capable de transformer d’autres valeurs de fréquence. Dans un premier temps, la méthode de modélisation du convertisseur est reliée à la théorie du transformateur de voltage triphasé avec un couplage en YDY. En deuxième lieu, l’application du théorème de superposition nous permet d’évaluer séparément la contribution de chaque fréquence. Dans un dernier temps, le contrôle principal du convertisseur utilise des correcteurs résonants, capables donc de travailler directement avec les courants internes du convertisseur qui sont à deux fréquences nominales. Grâce au découplage entre l’entrée du convertisseur et sa sortie, les défauts et les situations de déséquilibre ne se propagent pas vers la sortie du convertisseur, fonctionnement requis pour l’application en offshore. / The purpose of this thesis is to develop strategies to model and control a modular multilevel converter in order to transform frequency without passing through a direct current link. This converter is needed for application in offshore systems where the energy, produced by the offshore renewables, is transmitted using low frequency links. Low frequency presents benefits from alternative and direct current technologies. Moreover, a voltage transformer is not required at the low frequency side when the proposed converter is used as a frequency transformer. In this scenario, frequencies are converted from the highest nominal frequency (50 Hz or 60 Hz) to one third of 50 Hz. Conversion to other frequency values has been tested as well using the same converter. A methodology based on the electrical transformer theory when connected in YΔY coupling and, the superposition theorem to separate the contribution from both frequencies, are proposed to link these currents with the two three-phase systems at different nominal frequencies. Resonant controllers are introduced to efficiently correct internal current signals of the converter that nominally are constituted of two frequencies: input and output frequencies. The converter is able to decouple the input side from the output. Therefore, faults and unbalanced conditions on the input side are not propagated to the output-side of the converter, which is required for offshore applications.

La modélisation numérique est devenue incontournable dans le monde de la conception industrielle et de la recherche scientifique. Les problèmes à résoudre étant de plus en plus complexes, il est nécessaire d'adopter une approche adaptée au problème traité. Dans les domaines d'application de l'électromagnétisme basses fréquences, la méthode des éléments finis (MEF) est la méthode de référence. Actuellement, de plus en plus de dispositifs ouverts comportant de grands entrefers sont développés. Dans ce genre de problèmes, la MEF n'est pas optimale car elle nécessite de mailler un grand volume d'air pour obtenir une bonne précision. Dans cette thèse nous étudions, au travers de deux applications (représentant respectivement un système ouvert et un système à grands entrefers) une méthode alternative qui ne souffre pas des limitations évoquées : la méthode des moments (MoM) de type intégrale volumique. En effet, cette méthode nécessite de mailler uniquement les milieux magnétiques. Le principe de cette méthode est d'abord de calculer l'aimantation induite dans le milieu linéaire ou non linéaire placé sous l'effet d'un champ extérieur. Pour cela, le milieu magnétique est discrétisé en éléments hexaédriques. Dans chaque élément est localisée une aimantation considérée comme uniforme. Ensuite, la connaissance de cette aimantation induite permet de déterminer le champ magnétique en tout point de l'espace: interne, proche ou lointain. Dans un premier temps, un code basé sur la MoM a été développé pour la première application. Il permet de calculer le champ magnétostatique proche ou lointain d'une antenne basse fréquence. Une méthode permettant de calculer l'énergie magnétostatique contenue dans tout l'espace a été également mise au point. Dans deuxième temps, afin de pouvoir traiter une géométrie complexe, des modifications ont été intégrées au code afin de modéliser la deuxième application : le dispositif de test des propulseurs à effet Hall (PPS-Flex). Il s'agit de prendre en compte des symétries géométriques et physiques caractéristiques de ce dispositif. Les résultats montrent que la MoM permet de calculer le champ magnétique à l'intérieur de son canal et éventuellement au-delà. Dans les deux exemples étudiés, la méthode des moments a donné des résultats satisfaisants lors de la comparaison avec la méthode des éléments finis 3D et avec les résultats de mesures. Ces résultats montrent des gains potentiellement significatifs sur le plan des temps de calculs. A l'issu de cette thèse, nous disposons d'un outil de laboratoire permettant de modéliser le comportement du champ magnétostatique dans des systèmes ouverts et/ou à grands entrefers. / The numerical modeling has become essential in the world of industrial design and scientific research. The problems to be solved are increasingly complex making it necessary to adopt an appropriate approach for the problem addressed. In the domains of application of low frequency electromagnetic, the finite element method (FEM) is the reference method. Currently, more and more devices having large open gaps are developed. In this kind of problems, the MEF is not optimal as it requires to mesh a large volume of air to get a good accuracy. In this thesis we study, through two applications (an open system and a large gap system), an alternative method that does not suffer from the limitations discussed: the method of moments (MoM) of volume integral type. Indeed, this method requires to mesh only the magnetic media. The principle of this method is first to calculate the induced magnetization in the linear or nonlinear medium under the effect of an external field. To accomplish this, the magnetic medium is discretized into hexahedral elements. In each element, a uniform magnetization is localized. Then, the determination of this induced magnetization allows to compute the magnetic field at any point in the space: internal, near or far. In the first step, a code based on the MoM has been developed for the first application. It allows to calculate the magnetostatic field near or far from a low-frequency antenna. A method to calculate the magnetostatic energy in the whole space was also developed. Meanwhile, in the second step, in order to treat complex geometry, some modifications have been integrated into the code to model the second application: the test device of Hall effect thrusters (PPS-Flex). It consists in taking into account the physical characteristics and geometric symmetry of the device. The results show that MoM allows to calculate the magnetic field inside the channel and possibly beyond. In both examples studied, the MoM has given satisfactory results when compared with the 3D finite element method and with the results of measurements. These results show potentially significant gains in the computation time. At the end of this thesis, we have developed a laboratory tool allowing to model the behavior of the static magnetic field in open and/or wide-gap systems.

Les propriétés électriques et physiques de structures à faible dimensionalité ont été étudiées pour des applications dans des domaines divers comme l’électronique, les capteurs. La mesure du bruit bruit à basse fréquence est un outil très utile pour obtenir des informations relatives à la dynamique des porteurs, au piègeage des charges ou aux mécanismes de collision. Dans cette thèse, le transport électronique et le bruit basse fréquence mesurés dans des structures à faible dimensionnalité comme les dispositifs multi-grilles (FinFET, JLT…), les nanofils 3D en Si/SiGe, les nanotubes de carbone ou à base de graphène sont présentés. Pour les approches « top-down » et « bottom-up », l’impact du bruit est analysé en fonction de la dimensionalité, du type de conduction (volume vs surface), de la contrainte mécanique et de la présence de jonction metal-semiconducteur. / Electrical and physical properties of low-dimensional structures have been studied for the various applications such as electronics, sensors, and etc. Low-frequency noise measurement is also a useful technique to give more information for the carrier dynamics correlated to the oxide traps, channel defects, and scattering. In this thesis, the electrical transport and low-frequency noise of low-dimensional structure devices such as multi-gate structures (e.g. FinFETs and Junctionless FETs), 3-D stacked Si/SiGe nanowire FETs, carbon nanotubes, and graphene are presented. From the view point of top-down and bottom-up approaches, the impacts of LF noise are investigated according to the dimensionality, conduction mechanism (surface or volume conduction), strain technique, and metal-semiconductor junctions.