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No / To investigate the underlying nature of the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on speed perception, we applied repetitive TMS (rTMS) to human V5/MT+ following adaptation to either fast- (20 deg/s) or slow (4 deg/s)-moving grating stimuli. The adapting stimuli induced changes in the perceived speed of a standard reference stimulus moving at 10 deg/s. In the absence of rTMS, adaptation to the slower stimulus led to an increase in perceived speed of the reference, whilst adaptation to the faster stimulus produced a reduction in perceived speed. These induced changes in speed perception can be modelled by a ratio-taking operation of the outputs of two temporally tuned mechanisms that decay exponentially over time. When rTMS was applied to V5/MT+ following adaptation, the perceived speed of the reference stimulus was reduced, irrespective of whether adaptation had been to the faster- or slower-moving stimulus. The fact that rTMS after adaptation always reduces perceived speed, independent of which temporal mechanism has undergone adaptation, suggests that rTMS does not selectively facilitate activity of adapted neurons but instead leads to suppression of neural function. The results highlight the fact that potentially different effects are generated by TMS on adapted neuronal populations depending upon whether or not they are responding to visual stimuli. / BBSRC

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T19:34:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LPO - Arlinda C Dorsa.pdf: 628933 bytes, checksum: d51c22808506cb3f6400e9abf13e8a77 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-10-19 / This work is based on the socio-cognitive branch of the Critical Discourse Analysis, whose most important representative, since 1988, is van Dijk. It is also based on the theoretical notions of Discourse Analysis, derived from the French branch. Its subject is the study of discursive representations of cultural aspects shown by the pantaneiro - the men from Pantanal area in Mato Grosso do Sul State. The general goal is to contribute for Discourse studies in the Brazilian culture, analyzing its verbal expressions present in lyrics from South-Pantanal regional songs, from a basic text plus insertion of inter-texts and inter-discourses. In this sense, the methodological procedure consists in selecting and analyzing as a whole, local music lyrics, texts from History, Geography and Ethnography Discourses as well as interviews carried out with composers. The hypothesis that supports this research considers that the analytical categories - Discourse, Society and Cognition - extend themselves to the analysis of mental and linguistic representations while evaluative knowledge and cultural creeds; it also considers that the Come and Go migrations over large geographic areas guide the initiatives of the South-Pantanal man. Both hypothesis show to be convenient, since the evaluative knowledge forms are creeds imprinted in the social cognition, the cultural traits that dynamically guide, from historical roots, the building of new meanings in each contemporary period. The results from these analyses show that: 1. The lyrical inter-texts show themselves to be more suitable for handling regional culture values and, although the approached subjects are the same, because of serving different goals, the inter-discourses are diversified. 2. The History discourse originates from official documents, which bring in a linguistic form, the interests of Power; the Historiography handles with several different types of documents besides the official ones, and for this reason, they represent the facts focused on some cultural aspects. 3. The Geography discourse indicates that the semantic progression, derived from scientific discoveries in the Pantanal area in South Mato Grosso is opposed to regional traditional cultural knowledge, which is explicit in the lyrics inter-texts analyzed. 4. The ethnographic discourse approaches South-Pantanal culture, complements or opposes certain representations of it / Fundamenta-se esta tese na vertente sócio-cognitiva da Análise Crítica do Discurso da qual van Dijk, desde 1988, é seu representante e em noções teóricas da Análise do Discurso de linha francesa, tendo por tema um exame de representações discursivas de aspectos culturais do homem pantaneiro sul-mato-grosssense. O objetivo geral é contribuir com os estudos discursivos da cultura brasileira e os objetivos específicos são de examinar por meio de expressões verbais presentes em textos lingüísticos, letras musicais sul-pantaneiras a partir de um texto-base e pela inserção de intertextos e interdiscursos. Nesse sentido, o procedimento metodológico consiste em selecionar e analisar como corpora, letras de músicas regionais, textos do discurso da História, da Geografia e da Etnografia e entrevistas realizadas pela pesquisadora com os compositores. A hipótese que sustenta essa pesquisa considera que as categorias analíticas: Discurso, Sociedade e Cognição, estendem-se para a análise das representações mentais e lingüísticas enquanto organização de conhecimentos avaliativos e crenças culturais e que o movimento de Ir e Vir por grandes extensões geográficas, guia as ações do homem sul pantaneiro. Ambas as hipóteses mostram-se adequadas, pois, as formas de conhecimentos avaliativos são crenças que caracterizam na cognição social, os traços culturais que guiam dinamicamente, a construção de novas significações em cada contemporaneidade, a partir de raízes históricas. Os resultados obtidos das análises indicam que: 1. Os intertextos musicais mostram-se mais adequados para o tratamento dos valores culturais regionais e embora os temas tratados sejam os mesmos, as formas de tratamento dadas pelos interdiscursos são diversificados na medida em que atendem a objetivos diferentes. 2. O discurso da História parte de documentos oficiais que trazem representados em língua, os interesses do Poder; já o discurso da Historiografia trata de diferentes tipos de documentos além dos oficiais e por essa razão representa os acontecimentos com focalização de alguns aspectos culturais. 3. O discurso da Geografia indica que a progressão semântica, decorrente das descobertas científicas da região do Pantanal do Sul de Mato Grosso é opositiva em relação aos conhecimentos regionais tradicionais culturais que estão explicitados nos intertextos analisados de musicas regionais. 4. O discurso da Etnografia que objetiva o tratamento da cultura, complementa ou se opõe a certas representações de aspectos culturais da região sul-pantaneira

Substanzen, die durch ihr hormonell wirksames Potenzial mit dem Hormonsystem interagieren und adverse Effekte auf die Reproduktion von Invertebraten und Vertebraten ausueben koennen, erlangten in den letzten Jahrzehnten große Aufmerksamkeit. Viele dieser Substanzen reduzieren die Fertilitaet oder die Fekunditaet, fuehren zu Abnormalitaeten in der Ontogenese oder im Verhalten der Tiere und haben Einfluss auf die Geschlechterverhaeltnisse. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden verschiedene Aspekte dieses Themengebietes bearbeitet. Das in Europa endemisch vorkommende Rotauge (Rutilus rutilus), ein Sueßwasserfisch, wurde als Modelltier fuer den Nachweis von (anti)androgenen Effekten auf aquatisch lebende Organismen etabliert. Zum Nachweis der (anti)androgenen Wirkmechanismen wurden die Tiere mit Modellsubstanzen aus drei verschiedenen Gruppen exponiert. Aus der Gruppe der Substanzen mit potenziell androgener Wirkung wurden Triphenylzinn (TPT) und Methyltestosteron (MT) verwendet, aus der Gruppe der Antiandrogene Vinclozolin (VIN) und Cyproteronazetat (CYP) und aus der Gruppe der Aromatasehemmer, und somit potenziell androgener Wirkung, Letrozol (LET) und Fenarimol (FEN). Feedbackmechanismen auf die Hypothalamus-Hypophysen-Gonaden-Achse (mRNA-Expression des Luteinisierenden Hormons, des Follikel stimulierenden Hormons und der Aromatase), mRNA-Expression potentieller Biomarker in der Leber (Androgen-Rezeptor-mRNA, Oestrogen-Rezeptor-mRNA), Sexsteroidspiegel im Blutplasma (17beta-Oestradiol und 11-keto-Testosteron), Enzymaktivitaeten im Gehirn (Aromatase), Histologie der Gonaden, Totallaenge, Gewicht und Geschlechterverteilung wurden als Endpunkte analysiert, um adverse Effekte auf die Reproduktionsbiologie von R. rutilus zu zeigen. Die untersuchten Endpunkte eigneten sich sehr gut zum Nachweis verschiedener Wirkmechanismen. / Substances that are able to interact with the endocrine system and cause adverse effects on the reproduction of invertebrates and vertebrates have gained much attention over the last few decades. Many of these substances reduce fertility or fecundity, lead to developmental abnormalities or abnormalities in the behaviour of animals and have an impact on sex ratios. The present study examines various aspects of these topics. The roach (Rutilus rutilus), a freshwater fish endemic in Europe, was established as a model animal for the detection of (anti)androgenic effects on aquatic organisms. For examination of the (anti)androgenic action, the animals were exposed to model compounds from three different groups: triphenyltin (TPT) and methyltestosterone (MT) from the group of substances with potentially androgenic effect, vinclozolin (VIN) and cyproteronacetate (CYP) from the group of antiandrogens, and letrozol (LET) and fenarimol (FEN) from the group of aromatase inhibitors, which thus have a potentially androgenic effect. Feedback mechanisms on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad-axis (mRNA expression of luteinising hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and aromatase), mRNA expression of potential biomarkers in the liver (androgen receptor mRNA, oestrogen receptor mRNA), steroid levels in the blood plasma (17beta-oestradiol and 11-ketotestosterone), enzyme activity in the brain (aromatase), histology of the gonads, total length, weight and sex ratios were analysed as endpoints to show adverse effects on the reproductive biology of R. rutilus. The studied endpoints are suitable for the detection of different modes of action. The histological examination of the gonads proved to be especially sensitive with the exposure to AACs to resulting in fundamental adverse damages to the gonads. It was ascertained that - in the early stages of ontogeny - androgens play as crucial of a role in the development of the gonads as previously attributed primarily to oestrogens.

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die Wechselwirkungen im System Bakterium –Tensid – Schadstoff mittels kalorimetrischer Untersuchungen (ITC, DSC) sowie mit XPS-Analysen und durch Zeta-Potential-Messungen an Bakterienoberflächen charakterisiert. Für die Untersuchungen wurden zwei Gram-positive Rhodococcus-Stämme und ein Gram-negativer Pseudomonas putida-Stamm verwendet. Als Biotenside wurden das Rhamnolipid JBR 425 und der von Rhodococcus erythropolis B7g produzierte Trehalosetetraester (THL-4) ausgewählt. Das synthetische Tensid SDS diente als Referenzsubstanz. Aus den kalorimetrischen Experimenten konnte eine starke Wechselwirkung zwischen den Tensiden und den aktiven Bakterienkulturen abgeleitet werden. THL-4 führte beim Wachstum der Rhodococcen auf n-Hexadecan zur Verkürzung der lag-Phase. SDS wies hingegen eine toxische Wirkung für die Bakterienstämme auf. Thermodynamische Betrachtungen ergaben, dass Wechselwirkungen des SDS mit den Bakterienzellen gegenüber der Mizellbildung bevorzugt werden.

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Orientador: Jose Sanches Mantovani / Resumo: Neste trabalho propõem-se metodologias para realizar o planejamento de sistemas de distribuição de energia elétrica de média tensão (MT), baixa tensão (BT) e o planejamento integrado de sistemas de média e baixa tensão (MT/BT). Nos modelos de funções objetivos considerados minimizam-se os custos associados à construção, expansão, operação e confiabilidade das redes de MT, BT e MT/BT, considerando a presença de geradores distribuídos e variáveis de natureza estocástica. A geração distribuída presente no planejamento de sistemas de distribuição é avaliada através de metodologias de geração de cenários e análise de risco. Como método de busca de soluções para o problema de planejamento dos sistemas de distribuição é proposta a meta-heurística de busca em vizinhança variável GVNS (General Variable Neighborhood Search). A meta-heurística GVNS trabalha com uma série de estruturas de vizinhanças que permitem explorar o espaço de busca de forma eficiente através dos critérios de diversificação e intensificação, aumentando a probabilidade de obter soluções que não sejam ótimos locais. No planejamento integrado MT/BT, as soluções obtidas são analisadas através de um fluxo de potência integrado entre as redes de MT e BT, considerando as relações de conexão dos transformadores entre estes sistemas. Os algoritmos propostos relacionados ao planejamento de sistemas MT, BT e MT/BT são implementados em linguagem de programação C++ e testado em diferentes sistemas testes de MT (54 barras e 182... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Doutor