Quanto à memória, foi encontrado para duas de três atividades avaliativas, o desempenho significativamente superior do grupo Interventivo em relação ao Controle, bem como, os bebês do grupo Interventivo apresentaram resultados significativamente superiores no teste da retenção quando comparado com sua avaliação préintervenção. Ainda mais, todos os bebês mais velhos reconheceram mais as tarefas que os bebês mais jovens; no entanto, os bebês mais velhos do grupo Interventivo demonstraram uma melhor capacidade de evocar informação em relação aos mais jovens, o que não ocorreu com os bebês do grupo Controle mais velhos quando comparados aos mais jovens. Quanto às creches, não existe uma preocupação com as experiências motoras de uma forma geral, existe sim um cuidado maior com as questões de higiene e saúde do bebê de berçário. Programas de intervenções motoras no terceiro trimestre de vida conduzem a mudanças positivas no comportamento de bebês, como também na aprendizagem através da evocação da memória.

Submitted by Ramon Santana (ramon.souza@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-13T19:31:20Z No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Anna Paula Chagas Chaves.pdf: 1307871 bytes, checksum: 28a414dce901a668f9a4b17544a8c58c (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-13T19:31:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Anna Paula Chagas Chaves.pdf: 1307871 bytes, checksum: 28a414dce901a668f9a4b17544a8c58c (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-12 / CAPES / Introdução: a estimulação magnética transcraniana (EMT) é uma técnica de estimulação cortical segura e não invasiva que vem sendo amplamente empregada como ferramenta na investigação da fisiopatologia de distúrbios do sistema nervoso. De modo a permitir a efetividade deste uso da EMT é importante evidenciar fatores que rotineiramente podem estar associados com modificações da fisiologia, mas que não sejam necessariamente indicativos de patologias. Objetivo: observar se o nível de excitabilidade cortical do córtex motor de sujeitos saudáveis, medido através da EMT sofre interferência de fatores como sexo, idade, preferência manual, nível de atividade física, índice de massa corporal (IMC), fase do ciclo menstrual, índices glicêmicos e grau de estresse. Em adição, o estudo se propôs a avaliar à assimetria entre os hemisférios. Metodologia: através de um estudo transversal, 119 voluntários saudáveis foram convidados a responder um questionário semi-estruturado para identificação de alguns fatores biológicos e comportamentais (idade, sexo, peso, altura, data da última menstruação e nível de atividade física). Em adição, a preferência manual e o nível de estresse dos indivíduos foram identificados, respectivamente, através do inventário de Edinburgh modificado e da escala de percepção de estresse. O índice glicêmico foi medido através de um glicosímetro. A EMT foi usada para identificar o limiar motor de repouso (LMR) do músculo primeiro interósseo dorsal em ambos os hemisférios e serviu como indicador do nível de excitabilidade cortical dos voluntários. Resultados: a ANOVA de medidas repetidas revelou um significante efeito principal do hemisfério (fator intra-sujeitos) (0,98 ≤ F ≤ 13,56; 0,0001 ≤ p ≤ 0,016), exceto para fases do ciclo menstrual (F=2,58, p=0,11) e preferência manual (F =1,22, p=0,27), com valores de LMR maiores no hemisfério não dominante quando comparado ao hemisfério dominante. No entanto, não foi observado interação entre o fator intra-sujeito e fator inter-sujeito (características entre os indivíduos) para nenhuma das variáveis biológicas e comportamentais estudadas (0,000 ≤ F ≤0,26, 0,13≤ p≤0,98). Com relação ao efeito principal para as características entre os sujeitos (fator inter-sujeito), só foi verificado efeito significativo para idade (F=15,89, p <0.001), IMC (F = 6,19, p = 0,01) e nível de estresse (F=8,06, p = 0,005), com valores de LMR maiores para os indivíduos mais velhos, sujeitos com IMC acima ou igual a 25 kg/m2 e indivíduos estressados. Embora o grau de diferença interhemisférica tenha variado (intervalo: 0,14 - 4,3) de acordo com a característica do sujeito analisada, esta variação não foi significativa (0,09 ≤p ≤ 0,87). Conclusão: foi constatado que LMR medido pela EMT é influenciado por algumas características biológicas e comportamentais do indivíduo e por isso, sua análise isolada na prática clínica pode induzir a erros de interpretação. Por ser menos influenciada por fatores externos, a diferença entre os níveis de excitabilidade interhemisférica é uma medida mais segura para referir alteração na atividade cortical entre os indivíduos.

Submitted by Rafael Santana (rafael.silvasantana@ufpe.br) on 2018-03-12T18:04:13Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) GUILHERME MEDEIROS SOARES DE ANDRADE dissertacao.pdf: 2467679 bytes, checksum: f8c3b395cfcee947b03a464d764151de (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-12T18:04:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) GUILHERME MEDEIROS SOARES DE ANDRADE dissertacao.pdf: 2467679 bytes, checksum: f8c3b395cfcee947b03a464d764151de (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-22 / Este trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento de um modelo computacional integrado que analisa o comportamento do motor e da motocicleta, avaliando posteriormente a performance da motocicleta em condições de uso urbano. Para o modelo do motor, foi empregado um modelo existente desenvolvido no Matlab e então feita a sua tradução para uma planilha Excel e o aprimoramento do modelo. Para o modelo da motocicleta, foi adotado um modelo existente, desenvolvido em uma planilha Excel, porem foram adaptadas as curvas de potência e rendimento, do motor empregado a motocicleta. Para que se usasse as curvas geradas pelo modelo do motor, ao invés de curvas empíricas, de forma a integrar os modelos. Devido às considerações adotadas, os modelos são simples, porém capaz de representar os fenômenos de performance do motor e da motocicleta. Na análise feita do motor, calculou-se como a potência, eficiência e torque se comportam com a variação da velocidade da motocicleta em quatro situações: a) Motor Perfeito; b) Motor Ideal; c) Motor Adaptado (Parâmetros ajustados) e d) Motor Real. Na análise da motocicleta, foi demonstrado seu comportamento em uma pista de testes avaliando a velocidade da motocicleta e do motor, sua economia e situações de mudanças de parâmetros da motocicleta e do motor. Os resultados obtidos são comparados com: a) Motocicleta Perfeita; b) Motocicleta Adaptada (Parâmetros ajustados); e c) Motocicleta Real. Por meio de ajustes nos parâmetros de ambos os modelos, foi possível a realização de um estudo de casos analisando a influência dos principais parâmetros constituintes do motor e da motocicleta em seu desempenho. Alguns dos resultados desse estudo foram: a) etanol apresenta um menor rendimento volumétrico de combustível em comparação à gasolina; b) a substituição da relação de transmissão da motocicleta afeta no desempenho da motocicleta; c) os principais parâmetros de performance da motocicleta são a força de arrasto e a massa da motocicleta. Por fim, foi realizado uma análise de validação do modelo do motor, por meio da comparação da curva de potência gerada pelo modelo com: a) curva de potência entregue pelo fabricante; b) curva de potência gerada por correlação empírica; c) curva de potência gerada por simulação no software Lotus®. Sendo possível ver nestes estudos o bom comportamento dos resultados obtidos com o modelo desenvolvido para o motor, com erros em média constantes e menores do que 2kW. / This work presents the development of an integrated computational model that analyzes engine and vehicle behavior, evaluating motorcycle performance in urban conditions. For the engine model, an existing model developed in Matlab was used and then translated into an Excel spreadsheet and model enhancement. For the motorcycle model, an existing model, developed in an Excel spreadsheet, was adopted, but the power and performance curves of the engine used for the motorcycle were adapted. In order to use the curves generated by the engine model, instead of empirical curves, in order to integrate the models. Due to the considerations adopted, the model is simple, but capable of representing the phenomena of engine and motorcycle performance. In the engine analysis, it is calculated how the power, efficiency and torque behave with the variation of the speed of the motorcycle in four situations: a) Perfect Engine; b) Ideal Engine; c) Adapted Engine (adapted parameters); and d) Real Engine. In the analysis of the motorcycle, it was demonstrated its behavior in a test track evaluating the speed of the motorcycle and the engine, its economy and situations of motorcycle and engine parameter changes. The obtained results are compared with: a) Perfect Motorcycle; b) Adapted Motorcycle (adapted parameters); and c) Real Motorcycle. By means of adjustments in the parameters of both models, it was possible to carry out a case study analyzing the influence of the main constituent parameters of the engine and the motorcycle in its performance. Some of the results of this study are: a) ethanol has a lower volumetric fuel efficiency compared to gasoline; b) the replacement of the transmission ratio of the motorcycle affects the performance of the motorcycle; c) the main performance parameters of the motorcycle are the drag force and the mass of the motorcycle. Finally, a validation analysis of the engine model was carried out by comparing the power curve generated by the model with: a) power curve delivered by the manufacturer; b) power curve generated by empirical correlation; c) power curve generated by simulation in Lotus® software. It is possible to see in these studies the good behavior of the results obtained with the model developed for the engine, with an average constant error and smaller than 2kW.

A imobilização de membros e/ou articulações é prática utilizada na clínica no tratamento de diversas patologias, podendo variar em sua extensão e duração. Acometimentos ortopédicos comuns, como fraturas e lesões músculo-tendíneas, podem exigir como tratamento de dias a semanas de imobilização do segmento afetado. Além dos efeitos clínicos almejados, a imobilização desencadeia alterações negativas que afetam localmente o sistema musculoesquelético, mas que também trazem consequências para o sistema nervoso central (SNC) e sistema nervoso periférico. Tais consequências negativas implicam em perdas funcionais, que podem levar à dependência parcial ou completa para a realização de atividades da vida diária, como a higiene, a alimentação e a locomoção, com enormes custos individuais, familiares e sociais. É necessário, portanto, esclarecer a natureza de tais efeitos negativos e, em especial identificar o quão cedo se apresentam as alterações comportamentais e fisiológicas decorrentes do imobilismo, assim como quantificá-las e determinar a efetividade de estratégias de interferência neste processo. Neste trabalho, investigamos os efeitos de 24 horas de imobilização sobre diferentes tarefas motoras, como apertar botões, realizar a oposição do polegar em sequências variadas e fazer o alcance de alvos com o membro superior. Investigamos também, para a tarefa de oposição do polegar, o potencial terapêutico do treino motor imaginário durante o período de imobilização. Em nossos resultados, não encontramos efeitos estatísticamente significativos da imobilização sobre o comportamento motor nas tarefas pesquisadas. Adicionalmente, o treino motor imaginário na tarefa de oposição do polegar levou a uma piora no desempenho na tarefa de alcance. Esses resultados são relevantes no sentido de ressaltar que a imobilização, um recurso terapêutico importante, apresenta efeitos colaterais, mas esses não se instalam tão rapidamente quanto inicialmente hipotetizamos. É provável, ainda, que a imobilização atue de forma distinta sobre diferentes habilidades motoras, sendo umas prejudicadas com maior intensidade e precocidade do que outras. Entre as habilidades motoras afetadas pela imobilização, pode ser que encontremos, inclusive, a habilidade de imaginar cinestesicamente movimentos. O presente estudo investigou um tipo específico de treino motor imaginário, em voluntários saudáveis, submetidos a um período extremamente curto de imobilização. Possivelmente, os resultados de outros tipos de treino (variando, por exemplo, a intensidade do treino, a forma de admnistração e até mesmo a tarefa) podem ser diferentes. As sutilezas envolvidas na execução do treino motor imaginário provavelmente são a raiz da variabilidade nos resultados obtidos nos diversos experimentos da literatura. Os usos do treino motor imaginário devem, portanto, continuar a ser submetidos à experimentação, para que sua prescrição seja criteriosa e beneficie satisfatoriamente a função motora após a imobilização / The immobilization of body segments is frequently used for the treatment of orthopaedic injuries, such as fractures and soft tissue lesions. Immobilization may be as long as days or weeks, leading to several undesired side effects. The negative effects due to immobilization are felt not only in the immobilized limb, but also in the central nervous system. They lead to several functional impairments, compromising the independency of the patients in fulfilling their daily activities. Therefore, its necessary to determine the nature of such negative effects, and, specially, determine how early the functional and physiological impairments present themselves, as much as to quantify them and stabilish strategies for interference on them. In the present work, we investigated the effects of a 24-hour period of immobilization of the upper limb over several motor tasks, such as pressing buttons, oppose the thumb to the other fingers in several sequences and reaching targets. We also addressed the issue of the potential benefits of delivering a motor imagery training session, specific to the thumb opposition, during the immobilization period. Our results showed no significant effect of immobilization over the motor behavior in the evaluated tasks. Aditionally, the motor imagery training in opposing the thumb lead to an impairment on the reaching task. These results are relevant to reassure that immobilization is a safe therapeutic tool, for its side effects do not present themselves as early as hypothesized by us. Its possible, yet, that immobilization has distinct effects over different motor habilities and, in doing so, that some of the motor skills are more affected than others. It is possible that, between the motor skills affected by immobilization, we found the motor imagery hability. The present study investigated specific schedule of motor imagery training, in healthy volunteers, submited to a very short immobilization period. Its possible that other training schedules (varying the intensity, the way of administering it e even the task) might have other results then ours. The subtleties involved in motor imagery training may be the cause for the great amount of variance found in literature about it. The uses of motor imagery should be submitted to experimentation. In this way, it might be prescribed with criteria and benefit the restoration of motor function

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Electric Vehicles (EV) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) are seen as solutions to meet the rising demand of consumers whilst overcoming challenges such as dependency on fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions. The success of these vehicles is highly dependent on reliable and efficient Energy Storage Systems (ESS). In order to build a reliable and efficient ESS system, a cylindrical lithium-ion cell is the most prominent choice since it has good energy density and favourable charging and discharging properties. Arrays of lithium-ion cells are connected in series and parallel to build the high power ESS system. These connections are realised by Battery Tab Joints. The durability and performance of the ESS system depends on the battery tab joint. Hence, the battery tab joint should be capable of enduring the static and dynamic mechanical loads as well as the electrical load. In order to understand battery tab joint behaviour, the performance (both mechanical and electrical properties) of battery tab joints were investigated under mechanical and electrical load. Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) was selected as the joining technique. RSW process parameters were optimised to achieve consistent nugget size and weld quality. The materials selected for investigation were nickel plated steel and nickel plated copper. In order to understand the mechanical and electrical behaviour of spot welded joints under mechanical and electrical load a test environment was designed to allow quasi-static and dynamic (fatigue) testing of tensile coupons and lap-shear welded specimens under electrical load. Temperature change and electrical properties were recorded during the tests. During fatigue test of lap-shear joints for different electric current load, it was found that the change in electric contact resistance (ECR) ratio up to the point of fatigue failure of joints was 0.1 and 0.2 for steel and copper respectively. Importantly, it was suggested that the change in ECR could act as a prediction mechanism for joint failure in a real ESS. It was found that electric current load has no observable effect on fatigue life of the battery tab joints. A computer-based model was developed to simulate weld damage and it was found to be in good agreement with experimental results. The effect of preload arising during battery pack manufacture was investigated. It was found that preload (without electric current load) had significant impact on fatigue performance of the battery tab joints.

The series of experiments reported in this thesis concern the ability to make perceptual-motor judgements of distance (Ex. 1 to Ex. 7) and size (Ex. 8). Experiments 1 and 2 indicated that visual judgements of maximum step length were effected by; distance from the site of action, the angle at which the obstacle was presented and whether monocular or binocular vision was used. This suggested that perceived maximum ability was not based on a body scaled invariant as suggested by Gibson (1979). Experiments 3 and 4 were designed to investigate the effect of altering the length of distance to-be-remembered, and compared performance across both visual and kinaesthetic conditions. The results suggested that the reproduction of distance is normally based on memory for the location of the end point, rather than the extent of the distance. No support was found for the claim that differences between the accuracy of recall of location and extent was due to the differential rehearsability of visual and kinaesthetic codes. Instead, it was proposed that changes in the procedure may have influenced performance by reducing the usefulness of a 'landmark' based form of coding in the extent trials. Experiments 5 and 6 were designed to investigate predictions arising from one of the dominant models of cross-modal performance (Connolly and Jones, 1970). Connolly and Jones's model postulated that differences between intra- and cross-modal performance could be explained in terms of the characteristics of modality specific short-term storage codes, and that translation between codes occurs prior to short-term storage. In general the results obtained were supportive of the pattern of accuracy reported by Connolly and Jones. However, the effect of delaying until the end of the retention interval knowledge of the reproduction mode was inconsistent with the model, that is, withholding information about the required reproduction mode appeared to increase the accuracy of judgements. One explanation for this effect is that pre-translated information was held in a form which was associated with high levels of both accuracy and attention. This speculative explanation was seen to have parallels with the Working Memory model (Baddeley and Hitch, 1974). Experiments 7 and 8 used an interference task paradigm to investigate whether a separate visuo-spatial store could be demonstrated to exist in relation to perceptual-motor information. The results failed to find conclusive support for such a store. The cumulative findings of Experiments 1 to 8 are discussed in relation general models of perceptual-motor performance.

The current drive to generate energy from sustainable renewable resources has led to an increased interest in generating power through exploiting the kinetic energy in faster flowing tidal streams. Much of the knowledge gained from the development of wind turbines has been applied to the tidal stream turbine. However, the hostile marine environment introduces new technological challenges. The tidal turbine operates under highly unsteady, turbulent flow conditions and the occurrence of marine biofouling adds further complication to the issue. The main objective of the present work is to advance the understanding of the effect marine fouling has on the unsteady hydrodynamic loading and performance of tidal turbine blade sections. To investigate this challenging fluid phenomenon, a series of two-dimensional static and unsteady experiments were designed and conducted in the dynamic stall test rig at the University of Glasgow's Handley Page wind tunnel facility. The test matrix was constructed to cover the full operating envelope of a blade from MW-scale turbines, and included three thicker, cambered blade sections from two radial positions on the blade - a NACA 63-619 and two proprietary AHH designs. Chordwise integrated force and pitching moment coefficients were obtained from surface pressure measurements for three representative blade fouling configurations: an aerodynamically clean baseline; a light level of widely distributed microfouling roughness; and the addition of macrofouling with a single instrumented barnacle protuberance. This work has generated what is believed to be a unique database of unsteady tidal turbine blade section performance and, more importantly, the negative impact marine biofouling is likely to have on these investigated parameters. The approach followed through the work has been to assess the impact of marine biofouling on the individual blade sections and then assess the consequences of marine biofouling on the turbine by combining the blade section findings in a BEMT numerical performance model.

Self-pierce riveting (SPR) is the core joining technology used by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to join aluminium & mixed material body in white (BIW). Currently, the application of this process has a serious constraint to the business due to the high investment and intensive labour required by physically testing joint feasibility. This is a critical issue especially where different stacks need to be joined by one SPR gun. In this case, the selection of a common rivet/die combination which suits different material stacks requires labour intensive work that in some cases can create long delays during a vehicle development and commissioning. In this context, the development of a simulation technique, based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA), could allow virtual assessment of the manufacturing feasibility of a joint. This will enable significant business benefits including: saving time, costs and materials requirement for the experimental trials. Three major challenges need to be addressed: short CPU time, accuracy and robustness in order for its application in a manufacturing environment. To achieve these objectives, detailed numerical methods capable of reproducing the key factors affecting the experimental process like tooling, boundary conditions and material plastic deformation are developed. For the first time, a thermo-mechanical finite element model for simulation of the SPR process has been proposed. This allowed consideration of the increase in temperature due to friction and plastic deformation generated during the rivet insertion. The effect of thermal softening and strain hardening were characterized for the development of the substrate material model and their influence on the numerical simulation was assessed. This study has been validated via production line data and a significantly high level of correlation between simulation and experimental data for over 1000 joints representative of a vehicle platform has been achieved. The application of the developed simulation technique will enable several business benefits such as significant reduction of engineering time and costs in contrast to the experimental procedure. These advantages allow a smooth implementation of the SPR process in a JLR production line by providing engineering recommendations rapidly and consistently. All these features, combined with accuracy and robustness have enabled the application of the developed tool into JLR business.

Active pedestrian safety systems can help to significantly increase pedestrian road safety, but must be tested very carefully before used in series application. Since there is usually a very small amount of time to prevent the collision, the activation of an emergency brake is always a critical decision. On the other hand, of course, false triggerings must be prevented. Aiming to increase pedestrian and vehicle safety, this thesis presents a novel approach for the test of active pedestrian safety systems. From the question "What is needed to test and compare future active pedestrian safety systems?" are resulting the following questions: 1. What are the significant characteristics of real pedestrians? 2. How can this features be mapped to a test system? This thesis presents characteristic features of pedestrians from the perspective of automotive surround sensors and introduces a novel test system approach including a realistic pedestrian dummy which is able to replicate those characteristics. Furthermore it introduces a novel active pedestrian safety test methodology, based on the variation of target characteristics, environmental conditions and driver behaviour. The proposed pedestrian dummy was set up in real size and tested on the test track in vehicle tests. A video of the described test and the novel pedestrian dummy can be seen here: https://youtu.be/eF5IkqsknBE