Le cycle océanique de l'azote est à l'origine de deux rétro-actions climatiques au sein du système terre. D'unepart, il participe au contrôle du réservoir d'azote fixé disponible au développement du phytoplancton et à lamodulation de la pompe biologique, un des mécanismes de séquestration du carbone anthropique. D'autre part,le cycle de l'azote produit un gaz à effet de serre et destructuer d'ozone, le protoxyde d'azote (N2O). L'évolutionfuture du cycle de l'azote sous l'influence du rechauffement climatique, de la déoxygénation et de l'acidificationdes océans reste une question ouverte. Les processus tels que la fixation d'azote, la dénitrification et laproduction de protoxyde d'azote seront modifiés sous l'influence conjuguée des ces trois stresseurs. Cesinteractions peuvent être évaluées grâce aux modèles globaux de biogéochimie marine. Nous utilisons NEMOPISCESet l'ensemble des modèles CMIP5 pour projeter les modifications des taux de fixation d'azote, denitrification, de production et des flux air-mer de N2O à l'horizon de 2100 en réponse au scénario 'business-asusual'.Les effets liés à l'action combinée du rechauffement climatique et de l'acidification des océans sur leréservoir d'azote fixé, la production primaire et la rétro-action sur le bilan radiatif sont également évalués danscette thèse.! / The marine nitrogen cycle is responsible for two climate feedbacks in the Earth System. Firstly, it modulates thefixed nitrogen pool available for phytoplankton growth and hence it modulates in part the strength of thebiological pump, one of the mechanisms contributing to the oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2. Secondly, thenitrogen cycle produces a powerful greenhouse gas and ozone (O3) depletion agent called nitrous oxide (N2O).Future changes of the nitrogen cycle in response to global warming, ocean deoxygenation and oceanacidification are largely unknown. Processes such as N2-fixation, nitrification, denitrification and N2Oproduction will experience changes under the simultaneous effect of these three stressors. Global oceanbiogeochemical models allow us to study such interactions. Using NEMO-PISCES and the CMIP5 modelensemble we project changes in year 2100 under the business-as-usual high CO2 emissions scenario in globalscale N2-fixation rates, nitrification rates, N2O production and N2O sea-to-air fluxes adding CO2 sensitivefunctions into the model parameterizations. Second order effects due to the combination of global warming intandem with ocean acidification on the fixed nitrogen pool, primary productivity and N2O radiative forcingfeedbacks are also evaluated in this thesis.

abstract: In most of the work using event-related potentials (ERPs), researchers presume the function of specific components based on the careful manipulation of experimental factors, but rarely report direct evidence supporting a relationship between the neural signal and other outcomes. Perhaps most troubling is the lack of evidence that ERPs correlate with related behavioral outcomes which should result, at least in part, from the neural processes that ERPs capture. One such example is the NoGo-N2 component, an ERP component elicited in Go/NoGo paradigms. There are two primary theories regarding the functional significance of this component in this context: that the signal represents response inhibition and that the component reflects conflict. In this paper, a trial-level method of analysis for the relationship between ERP component potentials and downstream behavioral outcomes (in this case, response accuracy) using a multi-level modeling framework is proposed to provide discriminatory evidence for one of these theories. Following a description of the research on the NoGo-N2, preliminary data supporting the conflict monitoring theory are presented, noting important limitations. Next, an EEG simulation study is presented in which NoGo-N2 data are generated with a known relationship to fabricated reaction time data, showing that, with added levels of complexity and noise within the data, the MLM approach is consistently successful at extracting the known relationships that occur in real NoGo-N2 data. Next, using independent components analysis (ICA) to extract spatiotemporal components that best represent the signal of interest, a well-powered analysis of the relationship between the NoGo-N2 and response accuracy is used to provide strong discriminatory evidence for the conflict monitoring theory of the NoGo-N2. Finally, implications for the NoGo-N2, as well as all ERP components, are discussed with a focus on how this approach can and should be used. the paper concludes with potential expansions of this approach to areas beyond identifying the function of ERP components. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Psychology 2019

Alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., cultivars, breeding lines and germplasm releases (populations) and Rhizobium meliloti L. strains that exhibit nitrogen fixation efficiency and tolerance to salinity and drought stresses should enhance seedling establishment, increase yields, reduce nitrogen dependency on petroleum-based nitrogen fertilizers, and allow wider use of irrigated lands in semiarid and a rid regions. In vitro experiments were conducted to determine relative salt (sodium chloride -- NaCl) tolerance: l) during germination and early seedling growth of 229 alfalfa populations from North Africa, the Middle East and the United States, 2) survival and growth of 92 rhizobial strains obtained from different laboratories in the United States or isolated from host plants growing in saline and arid regions of the Intermountain west, 3) compatibility, nodulation and nitrogen fixation efficiency of the most salt-tolerant alfalfa populations and rhizobial strains, and 4) survival, nodulation and nitrogen fixation efficiency of the most salt-tolerant alfalfa populations and rhizobial strain tested under drought conditions. Results from screening of alfalfa at salinity levels of 0 to 3.2 S m-1 (0.1 S m-1 = 640 mg L-1 = 10 mM NaCl at 25° C) indicated 29 populations exhibited salt tolerance at 2.8 S m-1. At salinity levels of 0 to 7.2 S m-1, 14 rhizobial strains exhibited salt tolerance at 6.4 s m-1. Compatibility, nodulation and nitrogen fixation efficiency in the 29 alfalfa populations and the 14 rhizobial strains under controlled conditions showed that four of the rhizobial strains were highly compatible with all 29 populations. These 29 populations and four strains were then exposed to 0 to 1.6 S m-1 NaCl, with the result that nitrogen was fixed with highly compatible symbionts at 1.6 S m-1 NaCl. From these results, the six most highly compatible alfalfa populations and the best overall rhizobial strain were combined and tested under simulated drought stress. These populations were able to fix more nitrogen under drought stress (-0.76 MPa) (0.088 nmol seedling-1 s-1) than they did under salt stress (1.6 S m-1) (0.066 nmol seedling-1 s-1). The in vitro screening technique for acetylene reduction appears to be a useful tool for detecting physiological changes due to salinity and water stresses and for measuring seedling nitrogen fixation efficiency. Breeding for drought and salinity tolerance in conjunction with high nitrogen fix ing potential may be more realistic than breeding strictly for nitrogen fixation without regard for environmental adaptation.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur la synthèse et la caractérisation de poudres dans les plasmas radiofréquence basse pression de méthane et méthane-azote. Nous avons étudié le rôle du pourcentage d'azote dans le mélange gazeux sur la formation et la structure chimique des particules carbonées. Nous avons analysé l'influence du comportement des particules sur les caractéristiques électriques du plasma. Alors que l'incorporation d'une faible quantité d'azote au sein d'un plasma de méthane retarde la formation des particules sans modifier leur comportement au sein de la décharge, une plus grande incorporation d'azote ([N2]>30%) favorise la création des particules, modifie leur comportement au sein de la décharge et conduit à un phénomène de multi-génération pour les plasmas les plus riches en azote ([N2]>70%). Pour un mélange gazeux particulier de 30%CH4/70%N2, nous avons aussi mis en évidence la présence d'instabilités macroscopiques correspondant à un phénomène d'interactions électrostatiques entre les nuages de particules en limite de gaine cathodique et anodique. Les phénomènes de multi-générations et d'instabilités ont été corrélés avec les variations des caractéristiques électriques du plasma. Différentes techniques d'analyses (MEB, IRTF, XPS, EDAX) sont utilisées pour mettre en évidence les modifications de la taille, de la morphologie et de la composition chimique des particules. Ces analyses nous ont permis de mettre en évidence l'émergence de liaisons azotées CN (simples, doubles et triples) et NH. Pour des mélanges 10%CH4/90%N2 nous avons mesuré un rapport N/C proche de 0,5. Cette forte incorporation d'azote entraîne une graphitisation de la structure des particules.

Nous avons étudié un procédé de dépôt par décharge à barrière diélectrique à la pression atmosphérique, pour l'obtention de films organosiliciés contenant des fonctions amine. Nous avons étudié l'effet du régime dans lequel opère la décharge sur la production de certaines espèces, telles que CN et CN2. En couplant ces résultats à l'analyse des films réalisés, nous avons pu mettre en évidence le fait que dans un régime filamentaire, le précurseur est fragmenté de manière plus importante. En particulier, les liaisons Si-CH3 sont détruites. Cependant, la quantité d'azote introduite dans le film, qui dépend pour beaucoup de celle de carbone, est plus importante dans le cas d'une décharge de Townsend, et le taux de fonctions amines est plus important. Le taux d'azote dépend également de la nature du substrat. La quantité d'azote introduite dans les films est en effet supérieure dans le cas d'un dépôt sur verre. Aucune explication n'a cependant été apportée à ce phénomène. Des cratères son également apparu dans les films obtenus sur cuivre en régime filamentaire.

Unconformity-type uranium deposits from the Athabasca Basin are considered to be the result of mixing between oxidized basinal brines and basement-derived reduced fluids/gases, and/or reduced basement rocks. Graphite and/or its breakdown products are suggested to be responsible for uranium mineralization by acting as a reductant that could trigger deposition of uranium. Also, graphite is considered to be indicative of basement structures; being often concentrated along structures which can be identified as electromagnetic (EM) conductors. Thus, exploration for uranium deposits is often focused on the search for EM conductors. Underlying the sedimentary rocks of the basin in the Dufferin Lake zone are variably graphitic pelitic schists (VGPS); altered to chlorite and hematite (Red/Green Zone: RGZ), and locally bleached equivalents near the unconformity during paleoweathering or later fluid interactions. These altered zones are texturally similar rocks within “graphite-depleted zones” as the unconformity is approached. Both zones are characterized by a lower concentration of carbon and sulfur, with the bleached zone showing higher concentrations of uranium and boron, the latter corresponding to high dravite content. The major element composition of the graphite-bearing pelitic schists and altered equivalents (RGZ) are similar. Raman analyses indicate that well-ordered carbon species (graphite to semi-graphite) are present in the pelitic schists, with both types more common within shear zones. In contrast, only rare low-ordered carbon species (carbonaceous matter) were detected in the graphite-depleted samples within the RGZ. This variation is interpreted to be the result of graphite consumption by oxidizing fluids migrating downward from the Athabasca Group. This graphite consumption may have resulted in the production of a mobile reductant (gas or fluid), which may have played a subsequent role in the deposition of uranium mineralization. Secondary fluid inclusions (FI) examined in different quartz vein generations using microthermometry and Raman analysis, provide an indication of the fluids that have interacted with these rocks. Monophase vapor are the dominant type of fluid inclusions in the VGPS, whereas aqueous two-phase (L+V) and three-phase (L+V+Halite) FI occur in the RGZ. CH4-dominant and N2-dominant FI identified using Raman could be the result of fluid(s) interaction with the graphitic lithologies. This would have generated the breakdown of graphite to CH4 and associated feldspars/micas to NH4/N2. CH4, N2 and H2 (resulting from the decomposition of NH4+) represent possible reductants of uranium-bearing brines. Two brines in the RGZ: a regional basinal fluid and an evolved fluid possibly related to U mineralization; similar to other nearby deposits, are observed. These suggest that the basinal brines have circulated in the basement rocks and have been able to evolve by interaction with the basement rocks to possibly be related to uranium mineralization.

Zeolite membranes are considered to be a promising alternative to polymeric membranes and they have the potential to separate gases under harsh conditions. Silicalite-1 membranes in particular are easy to prepare and suitable for several industrial applications. In this research project, silicalite-1/ceramic composite membranes were prepared using the pore plugging hydrothermal synthesis method and supports with zirconium oxide and/or titanium oxide as active layers. The effect of the support’s pore size on the morphology and permeation performance of the prepared membranes was investigated using five supports with different active layer pore sizes in the range of 0.14 – 1.4 m. The prepared membranes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron diffraction spectrometer (EDS), single gas and binary gas mixtures permeation tests. The results confirmed the presence of a typical silicalite-1 zeolite structure with a high internal crystalline order grown inside the pores of the active layer of the supports, with a dense film covering most of the supports active layers. Silicalite-1 crystals in the prepared membranes were preferably oriented with either a- or b-axes perpendicular to the support surface. Single gas permeation results illustrated that the observed permeances were not directly related to the kinetic diameter of permeants. Instead, the transport of the studied gases through the prepared membranes occurred by adsorption followed by surface diffusion mechanism. Binary gas tests performed with CO2 and N2 mixtures showed that the prepared membranes were selective and very permeable with CO2/N2 permselectivities up to 30 and a CO2 permeances in the order of 10-6 mol m-2 Pa-1 s-1. A model was developed, based on Maxwell−Stefan equations and Extended Langmuir adsorption isotherm, to describe the transport of binary CO2 and N2 mixtures through the prepared silicalite-1 membranes. The model results showed that the exchange diffusivities (D12 and D21) were less dependent on the feed pressure and feed composition compared to the permeances and the permselectivities. Hence, they are more appropriate to characterize the intrinsic transport properties of the prepared silicalite-1 membranes.

Adaptive decision making depends on multiple processes, including fast and efficient processing of stimulus events for effective responding and slow trial-to-trial learning of action values for optimization of the selection process. I applied the event-related brain potential (ERP) technique to investigate the involvement of two neuromodulatory systems in learning and decision making: The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system and the mesencephalic dopamine system (DA system). I present evidence that the "oddball" N2, a negative deflection in the ERP elicited by task-relevant events that begins approximately 200 ms after onset of the eliciting stimulus and that is sensitive to low-probability events, is a manifestation of cortex-wide noradrenergic modulation recruited to facilitate the processing of unexpected stimuli. Further, Holroyd and Coles (2002) proposed that the impact of DA reinforcement learning signals on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) produces a component of the ERP called the feedback-related negativity (FRN). I present electroencephalographic evidence that both the DA system and the LC-NE system act in concert when learning from rewards that vary in expectedness, but that the DA system is relatively more exercised when subjects are highly engaged/challenged by learning tasks, whereas the impact of the LC-NE system is attenuated by this manipulation. / Graduate

Submitted by Ana Borges (ana.azevedo@udesc.br) on 2017-06-09T11:56:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cristiane Mezaroba.pdf: 9118688 bytes, checksum: 7706a8529180fd844f20da89e3df3d57 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-09T11:56:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cristiane Mezaroba.pdf: 9118688 bytes, checksum: 7706a8529180fd844f20da89e3df3d57 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-23 / CAPES / Plasma sterilization present effective and extensive microbial lethality, fast action, compatibility with various materials, high diffusion through porous substances and are non-polluting systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate if the inductive RF plasma and N2-O2 mixture is efficient for use in sterilization of polymer medical-hospital and dental materials, represented in this study by the polymer HDPE. It was also the objective of this study to evaluate the possible superficial modifications of HDPE after sterilization. HDPE films were used with spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus, with ≅5,73x107 UFC/film. In the microbiological tests were used 20W and 40W power, 0.5 Torr pressure and exposure times of 2,5,10,15 and 20 minutes. Low temperature was maintained (T<40°C), and the results demonstrated sterilization efficiency. The samples were characterized by contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy field emission (FEG-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the "Attenuated Total Reflectance" (FTIR-ATR) mode. The active species formed in plasma were identified by a system of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). / A esterilização por plasma têm oferecido vantagens em relação a outros métodos à baixa temperatura utilizados, a começar por alta eficácia e abrangente letalidade microbiana, ação rápida, compatibilidade com vários materiais, alta difusibilidade e é um sistema não poluente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se o plasma RF indutivo (ICP) e mistura de N2-O2 é eficiente para uso em esterilização de materiais poliméricos médico-hospitalares e odontológicos, representado neste estudo pelo polímero PEAD. Também foi objetivo deste trabalho avaliar as possíveis modificações superficiais do PEAD após a esterilização. Foram utilizados filmes de PEAD com esporos de Geobacillus stearothermophilus, com ≅5,73x107 UFC/filme. Nos testes microbiológicos foram utilizadas potências de 20W e 40W, pressão de 0,5 Torr e tempos de exposição de 2,5,10,15 e 20 minutos. Foi mantida baixa temperatura (T<40°C), e os resultados demonstraram eficiência de esterilização. Os filmes de PEAD após esterilização foram caracterizados por medidas do ângulo de contato, microscopia de força atômica (AFM), microscopia eletrônica de varredura por emissão de campo (FEG-MEV) e espectroscopia no infravermelho por transformada de Fourier no modo “Refletância Total Atenuada” (FTIR-ATR). As espécies ativas formadas no plasma foram identificadas por um sistema de espectroscopia óptica de emissão (OES).

Teaching Arabic as foreign language is a fairly new field of study, particularly in Western Universities. The aim of this thesis is to discuss one aspect of this field by concentrating on text-book analysis and evaluation. In carrying out this task we have formulated a set of questions to serve as parameters in the collection and analysis of data relevant to this task (appendix II). The subject of this practical study is vol. 1, entitled "Arabic for Beginners" of a series of books used for teaching Arabic to foreign adults at the Arabic Language Institute. Our study utilises a number of notions and considerations which are applicable to text-book analysis and evaluation generally. In Appendix I we deal with some of these points in an attempt to specify the theoretical dimension presupposed by our practical analysis. The thesis contains two main parts:- the theoretical part which deals with different aspects belonging to the teaching of Arabic as a foreign language, including the characteristics of the Arabic language and the teaching of sounds, vocabulary, constructions, and culture. The practical part, on the other hand, is concerned with the practical application and the outcome of the analysis of the text-book in terms of a set of criteria which may have applicability outside the immediate realm of Arabic foreign language teaching. The thesis contains four chapters. Chapter one deals with the characteristics of the Arabic language and its importance as a foreign language; it also concentrates on the objectives of Arabic language teaching as well as on the problem of syllabus design in relation to this language. Chapter two gives a general outline of the institutes and the materials of teaching Arabic as a foreign language in Saudi Arabia. Chapter three deals with the importance of sounds, vocabulary, constructions and culture, paying attention to their place in the text-book of teaching Arabic as a foreign Language. Chapter four sets out the results of applying the criteria of text-book evaluation to the book under investigation, pointing out its positive and negative features in the areas of sounds, vocabulary, constructions and culture.