Le devenir des pesticides en polyculture d’étang est peu étudié, en particulier la contamination de la chair des poissons proposés aux consommateurs. Cinq sites, correspondant chacun à un étang et à son bassin versant, ont été caractérisés. Ils s’échelonnent sur un gradient d’intensification agricole allant de 0% à 85% de la surface mise en culture. La somme des concentrations de pesticides quantifiés dans l’eau s’échelonne de 0,17 à 8,81 µg/L. La réponse biologique des poissons, évaluée par la recherche de huit biomarqueurs (EROD, CYP 3A, GST, CAT, SOD, GSH, GPx et AChE), a permis d’établir des différences entre les espèces et les sites étudiés. Une recherche ciblée de pesticides épandus sur grandes cultures, a été effectuée par une méthode multi-résidus, dans l’eau, les sédiments et la chair de poisson. L’isoproturon (valeur maximale 2,69µg/L) et le métazachlore (valeur maximale 0,54 µg/L) présentent les concentrations les plus élevées dans l’eau; la trifluraline (0,5 à 13 µg/kg PS) et l’isoproturon (0,7 à 56,4 µg/kg PS) dans les sédiments. Les profils de résidus dans la chair de poisson sont variables et seuls la trifluraline, l’isoproturon, le métazachlore et le carbendazime (valeurs maximales de 21 ; 0,75 ; 0,13 et 0,2 µg/kg PF, respectivement) sont quantifiés. Les facteurs de bioamplification et les demi-vies dans le muscle ont été évalués (10-6 < BMF < 10-3, 1j <DT50 < 40 j) pour la plupart des molécules. Au final, de nombreux facteurs, liés en particulier aux caractéristiques des sites (non maîtrisables) et aux pratiques de gestion (améliorables), influencent le profil des pesticides dans le muscle et la réponse biologique des poissons / Dam pond is connected to its watershed. Use of pesticides on watershed may lead to dissipation in the environment Transfer of registered pesticides remains poorly studied. Thus, the main objective of this work was to improve knowledge about the fate of pesticides in polyculture pond, especially contamination of fish flesh. Five sites, each site corresponding to a pond and its watershed, were characterized. They are placed on a gradient of crop proportion ranging from 0% to 85% of the watershed area. The sum of quantified molecules in water ranged from 0.17 to 8.81 µg / L. The biological response of fish, assessed by evaluation of eight biomarkers (EROD, CYP 3A, GST, CAT, SOD, GSH, GPx, and AChE), establish differences between species and sites studied. A study of 14 targeted pesticides was conducted by a multi-residues method in water, sediments and fish flesh. Isoproturon (maximum value 2.69 µg/L) and metazachlor (maximum value 0.54 µg/L) are the main contaminants in water; Trifluralin (0.5 to 13 µg/kg PS) and isoproturon (0.7 to 56.4 µg/kg PS) in sediments. Trifluralin, isoproturon, carbendazim and metazachlor (maximum values of 21, 0.75, 0.13 and 0.2 µg/kg PF, respectively) are quantified in muscle of fish. Low levels observed in fish can be explained by a low potential to bioaccumulate (measured ex-situ for some molecules, between 10-6 and 10-3). However, half-lives in the muscle may be several weeks depending, explaining the possibility to find molecules in fish flesh. Finally, many factors, particularly related to site characteristics (uncontrollable) and management practices (upgradable), influence profile of pesticides in muscle and biological responses of fish

This thesis is concerned with measurements of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in environmental samples. The POPs consist of several groups of compound with many isomers, hence analysing POPs in a complex environment is a This thesis is concerned with measurements of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in environmental samples. The POPs consist of several groups of compound with many isomers, hence analysing POPs in a complex environment is a challenging task. Studies of the abundance or dynamics of such substances in the environment require careful consideration of several key steps. The environmental and analytical problems must be correctly defined, suitable analytes, sampling strategies and techniques must be selected, the chemical analyses must be reproducible and accurate, and the data evaluation protocols must be rigorous and appropriate. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the use of pollutant profiles in order to assess complex patterns of environmental exposure. When combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) a maximum of information may be extracted from analytical data. Nevertheless, good quality data is essential for correct evaluation of the environmental phenomena under investigation. The precision and accuracy of a solid phase assisted liquid extraction method was therefore assessed by comparison to a reference method. The validated method was used in two human exposure studies. The concentrations of PCBs and dioxins were determined in human tissues from general populations in Sweden and Spain. Although it was concluded that the populations were exposed to similar degree to PCBs and dioxins, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the compound profiles differed between the populations. PCA was also used to differentiate between occupationally exposed workers and matched controls and between exposed workers with recent and earlier exposure. In addition, the analysis indicated that the differences in PCB patterns in workers with recent and earlier exposure were related to differences in the metabolic degradation rates of individual PCBs. The PCA model was further used to select PCB congeners that were representative of each group. Finally, the emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a traffic tunnel was estimated by measuring 29 individual PAHs. The sampling periods were chosen to reflect a maximum variation in the traffic composition. An excellent prediction of the percentage of heavy-duty vehicles was obtained using partial least squares (PLS) regression. It was shown by PCA that it might be possible to predict source compositions at other locations with the aid of multivariate statistical tools. Thus, properly gathered pollutant profiles and MVDA may be combined to extract a large amount of significant information from environmental source and exposure data.

This thesis describes an all-in-one flight control system (FCS) that was designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The project focuses on the embedded hardware aspect of a stand-alone system with low-cost and reliability in mind.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T19:32:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel Ilirian Carvalho.pdf: 474959 bytes, checksum: 1ee51b563f6998ca4207e2fbe7c810ab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-05-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This Master's degree dissertation is about the division of PCB occurred in the early 1960 s, when the PCdoB has created as a counterpoint of that previous organization. To conduct this research, official documents of the PCB had been used. They consisted in Theses for Discussion and articles produced by the Communist leadership and published on Communist newspaper Novos Rumos (New Paths) during the V Congress held in 1960; the Declaration of March produced and published by the PCB in 1958 and the Manifesto Program produced and published by the dissidents who have created the PCdoB in February 1962. To deals with these documents, it was extract their most recurrent themes, not giving previous defined meanings to the information , but taking in account the logic that led those debates in that moment, understanding more precisely the historical context. The objective of this research was to analyze the differences and circumstances that led to the split of the Communist Party, considering the proposals contained in the debate between its leadership. These debates were related mainly to the understanding about the nationalist-development politics that was a part of the a Juscelino Kubitschek s administration, as well as the relations between Brazil and the imperialist countries and the contradictions caused by the Brazilian capitalism, from which it was surged the Party s political strategy on social relationship between the working class and the bourgeoisie, and the proposed Frente Única (Unique Front). It was observed that the difficulties to understanding the political processes and their connections with national development, as well as the controversy about the consequences of deepening the relations to the foreign capital, have led to the split of Communists at that moment, beside the suspicion about the Brazilian bourgeoisie real wishes, which even divided, simply wanted to recover its positions at the Juscelino s government, without changing social structures / Esta dissertação de mestrado trata da divisão do PCB ocorrida no início dos anos 60, quando surgiu o PC do B em contraponto àquela primeira organização. Para realizar esta pesquisa, foram utilizados os documentos oficiais do PCB, que consistem nas Teses para discussão, e os artigos produzidos pelos dirigentes comunistas, publicados no jornal comunista Novos Rumos, durante o V Congresso realizado em 1960; a Declaração de Março, produzida e publicada pelo PCB em 1958, e o Manifesto Programa, produzido e publicado pelos dissidentes que formaram o PC do B em fevereiro de 1962. Para trabalhar a documentação, buscou-se extrair suas temáticas mais recorrentes, não se atribuindo às informações significados definidos a priori, mas respeitando-se a lógica que conduziu os debates naquele momento, compreendendo de maneira mais precisa o contexto histórico. O objetivo da pesquisa foi analisar as divergências e as circunstâncias que levaram à ruptura do Partido Comunista, considerando as proposições contidas no debate entre os seus dirigentes. Tais debates disseram respeito principalmente ao entendimento sobre a política de desenvolvimentismo nacionalista que permeou o governo de Juscelino Kubitschek, bem como as relações do Brasil com os países imperialistas e as contradições provocadas pelo capitalismo brasileiro, do que decorreram as propostas de estratégia política do partido no que se referia às relações sociais entre a classe operária e a burguesia, assim como a proposta da Frente Única. Observou-se que as dificuldades no entendimento dos processos políticos e suas conexões com o desenvolvimentismo nacional, assim como as polêmicas sobre as decorrências do aprofundamento da relação com o capital estrangeiro, levaram à ruptura dos comunistas naquele momento, a que se somou a dubiedade no entendimento dos reais interesses da burguesia brasileira, a qual, mesmo que cindida, pretendia apenas retomar suas posições frente ao governo de Juscelino, sem alterar as estruturas sociais

Structured Light Imaging (SLI) is a means of digital reconstruction, or Three-Dimensional (3D) scanning, and has uses that span many disciplines. A projector, camera and Personal Computer (PC) are required to perform such 3D scans. Slight variances in synchronization between these three devices can cause malfunctions in the process due to the limitations of PC graphics processors as real-time systems. Previous work used a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to both drive the projector and trigger the camera, eliminating these timing issues, but still needing an external camera. This thesis proposes the incorporation of the camera with the FPGA SLI controller by means of a custom printed circuit board (PCB) design. Featuring a high speed image sensor as well as High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input and output, this PCB enables the FPGA to perform SLI scans as well as pass through HDMI video to the projector for Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) purposes. Minimizing ripple noise on the power supply by means of effective circuit design and PCB layout, realizes a compact and cost effective machine vision sensing solution.

The overall objective of the research presented in this dissertation was to investigate molecular risk factors of susceptibility to estrogenic chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hormone replacement therapy, and oral contraceptives and how that leads to the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Environmental and molecular risk factors for PAH are not clearly understood. This is a major hurdle for the development of new therapy against PAH as well as understanding individual susceptibility to this disease. Gender has been shown to impact the prevalence of PAH. Although controversial, estrogens have been implicated to be a risk factor for PAH. Thus, we hypothesize that women exposed to estrogenic chemicals are at increased risk of developing PAH when endocrine disrupting chemicals interact with unopposed estrogen to worsen pulmonary arterial disease. In support of this hypothesis, we have accomplished the following: Microarray data on PAH were collected and subsequent meta-analysis was conducted using genome-wide association and environment-wide association approaches on published studies as well as GEO and NHANES data. All PCB geometric mean concentrations found higher levels in people at risk of PAH than people not at risk of PAH. The sum of non-dioxin-like PCBs and the sum of dioxin-like PCBs were significantly higher in people at risk of PAH than people not at risk of PAH. Also, different levels of LOD (including PCBs concentration >LOD, > 50th percentile, 50th-75th percentile, and ≥75th percentile) were significantly higher in people at risk of PAH than people not at risk of PAH. We reported that females used estrogen pills and oral contraceptive were associated with risk of PAH. However, females used progestin and estrogen/progestin pills were not at risk of PAH. Molecular risk factor analysis using machine learning approaches revealed that VAMP2, LAMA5, POLR2C, VEGFB, and PRKCH genes are causal genes of PAH pathogenesis. Gene ontology and pathway analysis of PAH showed that genes involved in the apoptosis pathway, p53 pathway, Ras Pathway, T-cell activation, TGF-beta pathway, VEGF pathway, and Wnt pathway appear to be significantly associated with PAH. Documenting the exposure to estrogenic chemicals among the general U.S. population, and identifying agents and molecular risk factors associated with PAH have the potential to fill research gaps and facilitate our understanding of the complex role environmental chemicals play in producing toxicity in the lungs.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 persistent organic pollutants, whose documented carcinogenic, neurological and respiratory toxicities are expansive and growing. Existing inhalation estimates demonstrate ubiquitous exposure to World Health Organization (WHO) indicator PCBs and limited other PCB congeners in North America and Europe. However, inhalation exposure estimates of most lower-chlorinated congeners are lacking, and continuing release of PCBs from urban areas demands location-specific assessments of PCB exposure in ambient air and contaminated environments. Using paired indoor and outdoor airborne PCB measurements and activity questionnaires from the AESOP Study, we assess congener-specific exposure rates for adolescent children and their mothers in East Chicago, Indiana and Columbus Junction, Iowa. Our cohorts of 129 (EC) and 135 (CJ) and our detection of 202 individual congeners and coelutions allows unprecedented quantification of congener-specific inhalation exposure, which we compare to dietary exposure using Total Diet Survey PCB concentrations. ∑PCB inhalation is greater for children than for their mothers in both locations, and is greater for East Chicago mothers and children than for Columbus Junction mothers and children, respectively. Schools attended by AESOP Study children have higher indoor PCB concentrations than do homes, and contribute to more than half of children's inhalation PCB exposure. Inhalation of the potentially neurotoxic congeners PCB 11, 40/41/71, and 51 was apparent among individuals at each location. Additional, congener-specific and biological inferences are possible via comparison with sera-based PCB concentrations for these cohorts.

Semi-volatile lower chlorinated PCBs (LC-PCBs), comprised of mostly tetra or lower chlorinated congeners, are detected in old buildings and outdoors in high concentrations. PCBs cause endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity and many other adverse effects, and are human carcinogens. Epidemiological studies so far have relied upon serum concentrations of PCBs or OH-PCBs as markers of exposure. Despite the detection of LC-PCBs in high levels in buildings and other environments, only a few studies have reported LC-PCBs in human serum. One of the reasons for low serum detection of LC-PCBs could be the further biotransformation and excretion of OH-PCBs from the body. Therefore, the objective of this dissertation research was to study the metabolism of one of the LC-PCBs in rats and to identify a suitable metabolite marker of inhalation exposure for a future epidemiological study in humans. We chose PCB3 (4-chlorobiphenyl), a mono chlorinated PCB found in high concentrations in many buildings, as a model to study the metabolism. The first aim was to identify final metabolites of PCB3 in vivo. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were held in metabolism cages following exposure to PCB3 via i.p. injection. Blood, urine and feces were collected, and an analytical method for extraction of PCB3 metabolites was developed. By identifying the metabolites by LC/MS, a complete biotransformation pathway for PCB3 was elucidated. Major urinary metabolites of PCB3 were sulfates and mercapturates, while glucuronides and free phenolic forms were minor. The second aim was to study the disposition and toxicity of phenolic and sulfate metabolites after inhalation exposure to PCB3 in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Airborne PCB3 vapor was generated in a flask and passed through an inhalation exposure system, where rats were exposed via nose-only inhalation. Both hydroxylated and sulfated metabolites were detected in serum, liver, lungs, and brain. The serum clearance half-lives of these metabolites were less than two hours. Serum chemistry parameters were similar in PCB3 exposed and control rats. As a marker of bioactivation of PCB3 to electrophilic species, 8-oxo-dG was quantified in urine, but the difference was not statistically significant between control and exposed rats. The third aim was to study the routes of excretion of metabolites after inhalation to airborne PCB3. Bile cannulated and intact rats were exposed to PCB3 via nose only inhalation. Metabolites detected in bile were mostly sulfates and some glucuronide. Fecal metabolites were exclusively phenols despite very low concentration of free phenolic forms in bile. Peak excretion of metabolites in feces and urine occurred within 24 h, and over sixty percent of the dose was recovered within 24 h. The major route of excretion of PCB3 was urine in the form of sulfated metabolites. Sulfated metabolites were stable in urine for a month without aid of any preservatives. This dissertation shows that PCB3 is rapidly metabolized to phenols and conjugated mostly to sulfates. Conjugated metabolites, elaborated into bile, are either reabsorbed or hydrolyzed in the gut and excreted in feces as phenolic forms. Serum concentrations of sulfates are higher than free phenolic forms at any time after exposure, and are also detected in lungs and brain. PCB3 sulfates are stable metabolites and can serve as a metabolite marker of inhalation exposure to PCB3.

The breeding biology of western grebe was studied at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah in 1973 and 1974. More than 300 nests were located and data gathered on nesting habitat and success. Western grebe at Bear River selected nest sites for nearness to open water of approximately 30 em in depth. At least one young was hatching in 21 percent of the nests. Avian predation and abandonment of nests following drops in water levels caused the greatest loss of nests. Chlorinated hydrocarbons monitored in western grebes showed DDE, DDD, PCB, 1260, and PCB 1254 levels in 24 breast muscle samples (wet weight) to average 12. 8, 0. 8, 3. 8, and 3. 5 ppm respectively. Contaminant concentration was found to be correlated to the condition of the bird as determined by visceral fat content. A significant (p<. 01) 2. 3 percent decline in western grebe eggshell thickness between preand post-DDT use periods was found. DDE was significantly (p<. 05) negatively correlated with eggshell thickness in western grebe. Contaminants were not linked to any reproductive failure in western grebe at Bear River MBR.

Pour répondre aux demandes de haut débit exigées par les communications mobiles de dernières générations, une solution consiste à augmenter le nombre d'antennes à l'émission et à la réception de la liaison sans fil. On parle alors de technique MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output). De même, pour réduire les évanouissements des signaux provoqués par l'environnement de propagation multi-trajets, la technique de diversité qui consiste à placer une antenne à l'émission et plusieurs antennes à la réception peut être utilisée. Cependant, l'intégration de plusieurs antennes sur le plan de masse d'un même téléphone portable est un challenge délicat. En effet, à cause du volume restreint de l'appareil, une forte isolation entre antennes doit être atteinte afin de maximiser le gain de diversité et/ou d'accroître la capacité de transmission du système global. Le travail de cette thèse a consisté à montrer qu'il était possible à l'aide d'un effet de neutralisation, d'intégrer deux résonateurs quart d'onde étroitement proches sur un PCB, tout en les maintenant fortement isolés du point de vue électromagnétique et présenter ainsi des efficacités totales très satisfaisantes. Ces résultats étaient cependant obtenus pour deux antennes PIFAs n'opérant pas dans la même bande de fréquence (DCS et UMTS). Ce travail a ensuite été étendu avec la mise en oeuvre de la technique de neutralisation pour des systèmes multi-antennes opérant dans la même bande de fréquence UMTS. Plusieurs structures sont réalisées. Leurs performances en diversité et en MIMO sont mesurées dans une chambre réverbérante à Göteborg et dans un environnement réel à Helsinki.