Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2015-12-03T10:10:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 claudiomano.pdf: 1529033 bytes, checksum: ff8048987cf78c54f94024449693928f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2015-12-03T11:54:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 claudiomano.pdf: 1529033 bytes, checksum: ff8048987cf78c54f94024449693928f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-03T11:54:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 claudiomano.pdf: 1529033 bytes, checksum: ff8048987cf78c54f94024449693928f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-02 / Ao longo desta dissertação, procuramos identificar, na obra do magistrado francês em pauta, não apenas o uso tácito do conceito de religião civil elaborado por Jean-Jacques Rousseau, de quem Tocqueville foi leitor. Somos do parecer de que uma melhor compreensão do processo da democracia norte-americana, tal como descrita por Aléxis de Tocqueville em sua obra magna, implica descortinarmos, nas entrelinhas dessa obra, a possibilidade de tratá-la com base no conceito de teologia política negativa, que nos permite alcançar os fundamentos da sacralização das instituições democráticas nos Estados Unidos da América. / The aim of this research is to investigate not only the pregnance of Rousseaus´s civil religion concept in Alexis Tocqueville´s analysis of eighteenth century´s United States of America democratic environment. Our main goal is to demonstrate that the concept of negative political theology can help us to go further in the understanding of the fundamentals of the democratic institutions´sacralization process as it is presented in Tocqueville´s De la démocratie en Amérique.

Este trabalho utiliza a Análise de Fluxos Metabólicos para estudar o aumento da eficiência da linhagem Burkholderia sacchari (LFM101) na produção de PHB. Foram avaliadas as eficiências de conversão de açúcares em PHA de LFM101. Esta também foi cultivada em batelada alimentada em reator, apresentando o máximo teórico durante um estado pseudo-estacionário sob oferta de glicose. Estes dados, submetidos ao software Metatool, resultaram em mapa metabólico contendo os fluxos das reações centrais ede PHA ocorrido no experimento. Através do cultivo de LFM101 e C. necator sob oferta de glicose marcada com 13C, determinou-se que estas utilizam as mesmas vias para produção de PHA, não justificando a baixa eficiência de LFM101. Em um projeto paralelo, estudou-se a eficiência da produção de PHB utilizando melaço de cana, glicerol cru e acetato, em produtores de hidrogênio e PHA, onde verificou-se não apenas o aumento de PHA em mutantes nifh- de R. capsulatus mas a interação dos parâmetros luz e nitrogênio a partir das metodologias DOE e RSM. / This work applies Metabolic Flux Analysis to discuss the eficiency of Burkholderia sacchari (LFM101) in PHA production from sugars . Conversion yields of LFM101 and Cupriavidus necator from carbohydrates to PHA were assessed. LFM101 was also grown in reactor fed-batch cultivations, and presented the theoretical maximum in a pseudo-steady stage while grown on glucose. These data were submitted to Metatool and resulted in a metabolic network containing the experimental fluxes of central and PHA metabolism. Cultivation of LFM101 and C. necator under 13C- labeled glucose showed that both species use the same metabolic pathways for the biodegradable polymer synthesis. On a parallel project, the efficiency of biopolymer production from molasses, raw glycerol and acetate in strains producing hydrogen and PHA was tested. Results showed that there was not only an increase in PHA production by R. capsulatus nifH- mutants but also the interaction of light and nitrogen effects were studied by DOE and RSM.

Introdução: O teste Xpert MTB / RIF está sendo cada vez mais utilizado em muitos países como diagnóstico inicial para a tuberculose (TB). Poucos estudos avaliaram o impacto do Xpert no diagnóstico em rotinas de programas de controle de TB no Brasil. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o impacto da introdução do Xpert MTB / RIF no diagnóstico de TB em uma cidade com alta incidência de TB no Brasil. Métodos: Incluímos pacientes avaliados com testes diagnósticos convencionais durante um ano antes da introdução do Xpert (grupo pré-Xpert) e pacientes avaliados usando Xpert durante um ano após a introdução do teste (grupo pós-Xpert). Resultados: 620 pacientes preencheram os critérios de inclusão (208 no grupo pré-Xpert e 412 no grupo pós-Xpert) e foram incluídos na análise. O tempo até o diagnóstico de TB foi menor no grupo pós-Xpert (0,7 dias, IQR: 0,5-1,0 dias) do que no grupo pré-Xpert (2,0 dias, IQR: 2,0-2,0 dias) (p <0,0001). Características atípicas da doença, como menor perda de peso, febre, dispneia, sudorese noturna e hemoptise; baciloscopia de escarro negativa; cultura negativa e radiografia de tórax atípica de TB foram mais comuns no grupo pós-Xpert do que no grupo pré-Xpert (p <0,0001 para todos). Conclusões: Observamos que a implementação do ensaio Xpert MTB / RIF, em rotinas de programas de controle de TB, melhora e facilita o diagnóstico de tuberculose, especialmente nos casos com manifestações da doença atípica. Esses resultados podem provavelmente ser generalizados para locais com incidência de TB similar. / Introduction: The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is expressed in normal lungs and is upregulated during inflammation and infection. The interaction between AGEs and RAGE on the plasma membrane causes oxidative stress and apoptosis in lung cells. The objective of this study is to evaluate plasma levels of AGEs and its soluble receptor (sRAGE) in patients with active TB and healthy controls, and to investigate their relationship with food intake and nutritional status. Methods: Case-control study. AGE (carboxymethil lysine, CML) and RAGE were measured by Elisa. Nutritional assessment was performed by body mass index, triceps skin-fold thickness, mid-arm circumference, mid-arm muscle circumference, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and food frequency questionnaire. Results: 35 TB patients and 35 controls were included in the study. The mean S-RAGE levels were higher in TB patients than in controls (68.5 ± 28.1 vs 57.5 ± 24.0, p=0.046). Among cases that were current smokers, lower S-RAGE levels were associated with mortality (S-RAGE levels= 58.0 ± 36.5 [non-survivors] vs 71.3 ± 25.6 [survivors], p=0.006), and with weight loss (S-RAGE levels= 65.6 ± 27.4 [weight loss] vs 98.6 ± 16.7 [no weight loss], p=0.034). There was no statistically significant difference in CML levels and diet CML content between cases and controls. Malnutrition was more frequent in cases than in controls, but there was no correlation between nutritional parameters and CML or S-RAGE levels. Conclusions: TB patients had higher S-RAGE levels than controls. S-RAGE may play a role in disease manifestations and outcomes, being associated with weight loss and mortality.

Magister Educationis - MEd / Inclusive education is practised globally as well as in South Africa and is researched widely. South Africa’s policy document, Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training system was implemented in 2001. This policy is grounded in human rights and strives to promote the rights of children who have disabilities by including them in mainstream schools. The attitudes that teachers have toward the inclusion of learners with disabilities influence the success of the implementation of this policy as teachers are at the forefront of implementing it

abstract: This thesis analyzes the unsettling presence of the Holocaust in Cynthia Ozick’s The Shawl (1980), Philip Roth’s The Ghost Writer (1979), and Nathan Englander’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank (2013). Characters in these texts struggle to maintain a stable sense of what it means to be Jewish in America outside of a relationship to the Holocaust. This leaves the characters only able to form negative associations about what it means to live with the memory of the Holocaust or to over-identify so heavily with the memory that they can’t lead a normal life. These authors construct a re-formed memory of the Holocaust in ways that prompt a new focus on how permanently intertwined the Holocaust and Jewish identity are. In this context, re-formed means the way Jewish American writers have reconstructed the connection between Jewish identity and its relation to the Holocaust in ways that highlight issues of over-identification and negative identity associations. By pushing past the trope of unspeakability that often surrounds the Holocaust, these authors construct a re-formed memory that allows for the formation of Jewish American identity as permanently bound with constant Holocaust preoccupation, the memory of Anne Frank, and the Holocaust itself. The authors’ treatment of issues surrounding Jewish identity contribute to the genre of post-Holocaust literature, which focuses on re-forming the discussion about present day Jewish American connection to the Holocaust. Giving voice to the Holocaust in new ways provides an opportunity for current and future generations of Jewish Americans to again consider the continued importance of the Holocaust as a historical event within the Jewish community. In a world that is once again becoming increasingly anti-semitic as a result of the current political climate, white supremacist riots, desecration of Jewish grave sites, and shootings at temples, the discussion that these texts open up is increasingly important and should remain at the forefront of American consciousness. The research in this thesis reveals that through the process of Holocaust memory constantly being re-formed through the work of these Jewish American authors, its continued influence on Jewish American culture is not forgotten. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis English 2020

The world is globalizing and so are the businesses within. Today a more integrated global economy increases the usage of foreign direct investments to a larger extent than ever before. In recent decades a shift of the perception of foreign direct investments has occurred from being something negative and disadvantageous for the host market to a more positive and advantageous opportunity for emerging markets. Historically, foreign direct investments were seen as capital movement between developed countries to increase market shares, nowadays, foreign direct investments are more focused on emerging markets to manufacture products at a lower cost and exploit the natural resources. The real effects and implications of foreign direct investments for the host country are a contested topic within the research field. Both positive and negative effects can be found in previous research. In this thesis, the focus is on understanding the effects that foreign direct investment has on emerging markets. This is conducted by analyzing relevant statistical data for a 10-year period and compare the findings against the perception of this phenomenon in previous research. The outcome of this study shows both positive and negative effects derived from FDI can be found by analyzing the collected data. The real effects of foreign direct investments are limited since several factors could be a key driver behind the changes of the measured effects. Nonetheless, in some analyzed changes there is a possibility to see patterns that correlate with inward foreign direct investments.

Word of Mouth (WOM) is an ancient concept that has been around since the uprising of markets. However, due to the increased internet usage a new form of WOM has emerged called Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM). The concept of eWOM takes form when consumers communicate with each other or a company online. Consumers can communicate by sharing positive and negative comments about the experiences they have had with companies and products. These comments have a positive or negative effect on consumer satisfaction and a company's reputation. Due to this it is important for companies to communicate with their consumers online across various platforms. Companies can communicate with their consumers by responding to comments. An industry that frequently responds to consumers eWOM is the hotel industry. Hotel guests often write reviews and comments online that managers in the hotel industry respond to. However, hotels have visitors from all around the world and consumers from different cultures tend to engage in eWOM in different ways. This is important for hotels to be aware of. Hence, the purpose of this study is to gain a more profound understanding on how managers in the hotel industry respond to eWOM posted on social media and review sites by consumers from different cultures.   This study is a case study where two hotels located in northern Sweden have been interviewed. The interviewees of the two hotels are managers with a lot of experience of the hotel industry. The findings of the case study suggest that hotels respond to consumers' positive and negative eWOM. Positive comments are usually responded to with a personalized and appreciative response to increase consumer satisfaction. Negative comments are responded to by addressing the issue in order to make up for service failure. The study also found that hotels do not pay much attention to cultural differences and the reason for this is because most of the hotel’s consumers are from individualistic cultures.

Clustering is actively used in several research fields, such as pattern recognition, machine learning and data mining. This dissertation focuses on clustering algorithms in the data mining area. Clustering algorithms can be applied to solve the unsupervised learning problem, which deals with finding clusters in unlabeled data. Most clustering algorithms require the number of cluster centers be known in advance. However, this is often not suitable for real world applications, since we do not know this information in most cases. Another question becomes, once clusters are found by the algorithms, do we believe the clusters are exactly the right ones or do there exist better ones? In this dissertation, we present two new Swarm Intelligence based approaches for data clustering to solve the above issues. Swarm based approaches to clustering have been shown to be able to skip local extrema by doing a form of global search, our two newly proposed ant clustering algorithms take advantage of this. The first algorithm is a kernel-based fuzzy ant clustering algorithm using the Xie-Beni partition validity metric, it is a two stage algorithm, in the first stage of the algorithm ants move the cluster centers in feature space, the cluster centers found by the ants are evaluated using a reformulated kernel-based Xie-Beni cluster validity metric. We found when provided with more clusters than exist in the data our new ant-based approach produces a partition with empty clusters and/or very lightly populated clusters. Then the second stage of this algorithm was applied to automatically detect the number of clusters for a data set by using threshold solutions. The second ant clustering algorithm, using chemical recognition of nestmates is a combination of an ant based algorithm and a consensus clustering algorithm. It is a two-stage algorithm without initial knowledge of the number of clusters. The main contributions of this work are to use the ability of an ant based clustering algorithm to determine the number of cluster centers and refine the cluster centers, then apply a consensus clustering algorithm to get a better quality final solution. We also introduced an ensemble ant clustering algorithm which is able to find a consistent number of clusters with appropriate parameters. We proposed a modified online ant clustering algorithm to handle clustering large data sets. To our knowledge, we are the first to use consensus to combine multiple ant partitions to obtain robust clustering solutions. Experiments were done with twelve data sets, some of which were benchmark data sets, two artificially generated data sets and two magnetic resonance image brain volumes. The results show how the ant clustering algorithms play an important role in finding the number of clusters and providing useful information for consensus clustering to locate the optimal clustering solutions. We conducted a wide range of comparative experiments that demonstrate the effectiveness of the new approaches.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur negativa effekter av sociala medier påverkar tonåringarnas mentala hälsa och ta reda på interventionerna som utförs av yrkesverksamma som arbetar med tonåringar på olika sätt. En kvalitativ metod har använts i denna studie baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra professionella inom olika områden. Två perspektiv har använts för att analysera resultaten; tonåringarnas presentation av sig själva framför andra och hur tonåringar skapar en identitet genom andra. Resultatet av studien visar att sociala medier kan påverka tonåringarnas mentala hälsa genom passiv användning av en vald plattform. Studien visar också att tonåringar kan bilda ett beroende av smartphones och sociala medier och samtidigt riskera psykisk sjukdom när man jämför sig med andra. Vidare visas det i studien att tonåringar föredrar att presentera en positiv bild av sig själva på sociala medier som kan sätta press på dem att ständigt visa sina bästa sidor. En annan risk för sociala medier är nätmobbning som orsakar psykisk sjukdom för tonåringar, där professionella intervenerar genom samtal. Studien visar att vissa yrkesverksamma saknar information om hur man hanterar tonåringar som indirekt uttrycker en form av psykisk sjukdom på grund av sociala medier. Slutligen visar studien att tonåringar kanske inte är medvetna om den negativa sidan av sociala medier som uppmuntrar fler ansträngningar från professionella för att öka tonåringarnas medvetenhet om detta fenomen. / The aim of this study was to investigate how negative effects of social media affect teenagers’ mental health, and to find out the interventions performed by professionals that work with teenagers in various ways. A qualitative method has been used in this study based on semi-structured interviews with four professionals in different fields. Two perspectives have been used to analyze the results; teenagers’ presentation of themselves in front of others and how teenagers create an identity through others. The result of the study show that social media can affect teenagers’ mental health through passive using of a chosen platform. The study also shows that teenagers could form an addiction to smartphones and social media while at the same time risk mental illness when comparing themselves to others. Furthermore, it is shown in the study that teenagers prefer to present a positive image of themselves on social media which could set pressure on them to constantly show their best sides. Another risk of social media is cyberbullying that causes mental illness for teenagers, where professionals intervene through dialogues. The study shows that some professionals’ lack information on how to deal with teenagers that indirectly express a form of mental illness because of social media. Finally, the study shows that teenagers may not be aware of the negative side of social media which encourages more efforts from professionals to raise teenagers’ awareness about this phenomenon.

Le cœur du travail de notre groupe est l'étude de la réaction de photodétachement, qui consiste en l'expulsion de l'électron excédentaire d'un ion négatif lors de l'absorption d'un photon. Ce travail de thèse s'articule autour de deux projets : la microscopie de photodétachement, technique d'interférométrie électronique permettant de produire des données spectroscopiques sur les ions négatifs ; et le projet SIPHORE qui envisage la neutralisation d'un jet rapide d'ions négatifs à partir de la réaction de photodétachement, dans le but de servir la maîtrise de la fusion thermonucléaire contrôlée. Les évolutions de ces deux projets se recoupent dans la nécessité d'augmenter le nombre d'événements de photodétachement produits en un temps donné. Ce travail a permis d'étudier et de mettre en place différentes techniques expérimentales pour réaliser l'amplification de la réaction de photodétachement. Notre montage nous permet de produire cette réaction dans une zone d'interaction formée par l'intersection d'un jet d'ions et d'un faisceau laser. Nous envisageons d'une part la modification de la section efficace de photodétachement lorsque la réaction est produite en présence d'un champ magnétique, d'autre part l'amplification du flux de photons dans la zone d'interaction par stockage de lumière en cavité optique. Les avancées réalisées ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives sur les études fondamentales et les applications techniques liées aux ions négatifs. / The core of the work of our group is the photodetachment reaction, which consists in the expulsion of the extra electron of a negative ion by the absorption of a photon. This thesis work is organised around two projects: the photodetachment microscopy, an electron interferometric technique which produces spectroscopic data on negative ions; and the SIPHORE project which considers the neutralization of a fast negative ions beam by the help of the photodetachment process, for the purpose of controlled thermonuclear fusion. The evolutions of these two projects are overlapping in the need of increasing the number of photodetachment events produced per unit of time. This work has led to the study and the implementation of several experimental techniques to realise the amplification of the photodetachment reaction. Our setup permits to produce this reaction in an interaction area formed by the intersection of a negative ions beam with a laser beam. On the one hand we investigate the modification of the photodetachment cross section when the reaction is produced under a magnetic field. On the other hand we consider the amplification of the photon flux inside the interaction region using light storage with optical cavities. The results obtained pave the way towards new prospects for the fundamental studies and the technical applications affiliated with negative ions.