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Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been used with some success in the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis (CAD). Correspondent in vitro studies revealed that PUFA play a crucial role in the exocytosis of mast cells. n3 PUFA such as α-linolenic acid (LNA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as well as the n6 PUFA linoleic acid (LA) have been shown to arrest the secretion of inflammatory mediators. Contrary, the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid (AA) has been proven to promote the production of mast cell inflammatory mediators. However, we are still lacking a complete picture of the mode of action. The goal of this work was to further characterize the modulatory effects of PUFA supplementation on the plasma membrane lipid composition of mast cells. Furthermore the consequences of a membrane modulation of mast cells by PUFA on the localization and activity on of the membrane bound enzyme phospholipases D (PLD) were investigated. Canine mastocytoma cells (C2) were supplemented with one of the following PUFA: LNA, EPA, DHA, LA or AA. To investigate the influence of PUFA on the lipid composition of membrane microdomains, lipid rafts were separated from non-raft plasma membranes of mast cells for the first time using a detergent-free isolation technique. Results show that PUFA are significantly increased in rafts as well as in non-rafts microdomains (Publication 1). The incorporation of PUFA into the membrane goes along with an increase of the unsaturation status and the fluidity of the membrane. This rise in membrane fluidity may result in a reorganization of membrane signaling molecules and enzymes such as the PLD. To define the impact of a PUFA supplementation on PLD trafficking, C2 were transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion plasmids encoding PLD1 or PLD2. Since the transfection ability of the suspension cell line C2 is limited, a special transfection protocol was established, suitable for non-adherent cell lines. Transfection succeeded using chicken egg white as coating material for the cell culture plates. The transfection efficiency rose to 50% versus 5% in uncoated plates. In addition to the obvious increase in the transfection efficiency, the new technique is simple and economic and might be suitable for a wide range of suspension cell lines (Publication 2). Using this optimized protocol the influence of PUFA on the trafficking of PLD isoforms was studied. LNA, EPA, DHA and LA but not AA prevented the stimulation-induced translocation of PLD1 to the plasma membrane. Since the translocation of PLD1 is important for mast cell exocytosis, LNA, EPA, DHA and LA do have an inhibiting effect on the stimulation-induced release of pro-inflammatory mediators. All PUFA tested boosted the total PLD activity. In order to rule out, which PLD isoform was affected by the PUFA, the mast cells were supplemented with DHA or AA in the presence of specific PLD isoform inhibitors. DHA completely abolished the inhibitiory effect of the PLD1 inhibitor but had no effect on the inhibitory effect of PLD2 inhibitor. On the other hand, AA suppressed the inhibitory effect of both PLD1 and PLD2 inhibitor (Publication 3). Taking together, the studies provide a mechanistic base for the role of PUFA in the exocytosis processes of mast cells. PUFA of the n3 and the n6 families impact the lipid composition of membrane microdomains, which in turn lead to a modulation of the physiochemical properties of the membrane. LNA, EPA, DHA and LA suppress the release of inflammatory mediators through their inhibitory action on the stimulation-induced translocation of the PLD1. Contrariwise, AA permits the stimulation-induced migration of PLD1 to the plasma membrane and increases the activity of both PLD isoforms. Therefore, LNA, EPA, DHA and LA but not AA inhibit the release of mast cell inflammatory mediators upon stimulation. / Mehrfach ungesättigte Fettsäuren (PUFA) können mit einigem Erfolg zur Behandlung der caninen atopischen Dermatitis (CAD) eingesetzt werden. In vitro-Studien zeigten, dass PUFA eine entscheidende Rolle in der Exozytose von Mastzellen spielen. N-3-PUFA wie α-Linolensäure (LNA), Eicosapentaensäure (EPA), Docosahexaensäure (DHA) sowie die n-6-PUFA Linolsäure (LA) können die Sekretion von Entzündungsmediatoren vermindern. Arachidonsäure (AA) als n-6 mehrfach ungesättigte Fettsäure hingegen fördert die Entzündungsmediatoren-Freisetzung aus den Mastzellen. Eine vollständige Aufklärung der Wirkungsweise fehlt aber weiterhin. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war eine weitergehende Charakterisierung der modulierenden Effekte einer PUFA-Supplementierung auf die Lipidzusammensetzung der Plasmamembran von Mastzellen. Darüber hinaus wurden die Auswirkungen von PUFA auf die Lokalisation und Aktivität des Membran-gebundenen Enzyms Phospholipase D (PLD) untersucht. Canine Mastozytom-Zellen (C2) wurden mit einer der folgenden PUFA kultiviert: LNA, EPA, DHA, LA oder AA. Um den Einfluss von PUFA auf die Lipidzusammensetzung der Membran-Mikrodomänen zu untersuchen, konnten sowohl Lipid Raft als auch Nicht-Raft Plasmamembran-Anteile von Mastzellen zum ersten Mal mittels einer Detergenzien-freien Isolationsmethode getrennt werden. Hervorzuheben ist, dass PUFA signifikant vermehrt in Raft- sowie in Nicht-Raft Membranmikrodomänen eingelagert werden (Publikation 1). Die Integration von PUFA in die Membran geht mit einer Steigerung der Doppelbindungsanzahl und der Fluidität der Membran einher. Diese Erhöhung der Membranfluidität kann zu einer Reorganisation von membranären Signalmolekülen und Enzymen wie der PLD führen. Um die Auswirkungen einer PUFA-Supplementierung auf den intrazellulären Transport der PLD in C2 zu bestimmen, wurden die Zellen mit PLD1- oder PLD2-codierenden grün fluoreszierenden Protein-(GFP-)Fusionsplasmiden transfiziert. Da die Transfektionsfähigkeit der Suspensions-Zelllinie C2 begrenzt ist, wurde ein für nicht-adhärente Zelllinien geeignetes Transfektionsprotokoll etabliert. Mit Hühnereiweiß als Beschichtungsmaterial für die Zellkultur-Platten stieg die Transfektionseffizienz auf 50% im Vergleich zu 5% bei unbeschichteten Platten. Neben der deutlichen Erhöhung der Transfektionseffizienz ist die neu etablierte Technik einfach durchzuführen sowie wirtschaftlich und kann für eine Vielzahl von Suspension-Zelllinien geeignet sein (Publikation 2). Unter Verwendung dieses optimierten Protokolls wurde der Einfluss von PUFA auf die Translokation der PLD-Isoformen untersucht. LNA, EPA, DHA und LA, nicht aber AA verhindern die stimulationsinduzierte Translokation der PLD1 an die Plasmamembran. Die Translokation der PLD1 ist wichtig für die Mastzell-Exozytose. LNA, EPA, DHA und LA haben hier eine hemmende Wirkung auf die stimulationsinduzierte Freisetzung von proinflammatorischen Mediatoren. Alle getesteten PUFA verstärken die Gesamt-PLD-Aktivität. Um zu unterscheiden, welche PLD-Isoform durch PUFA beeinflusst ist, wurden die Mastzellen mit DHA oder AA in Gegenwart von PLD-Isoform-Inhibitoren supplementiert. DHA hebt die inhibitorische Wirkung des PLD1-Inhibitors vollständig auf, zeigte aber keinen Einfluss auf die hemmende Wirkung des PLD2-Inhibitors. Andererseits unterdrückt AA die hemmende Wirkung des PLD1- als auch des PLD2-Inhibitors (Publikation 3). Zusammenfassend bietet die Studie eine mechanistische Basis für die Rolle von PUFA bei Exozytose-Prozessen von Mastzellen. PUFA der n-3- und n-6-Familie beeinflussen die Lipidzusammensetzung von membranären Mikrodomänen, was wiederum zu einer Modulation der physikalisch-chemischen Eigenschaften der Membran führt. LNA, EPA, DHA und LA verhindern die Freisetzung von Entzündungsmediatoren durch ihre hemmende Wirkung auf die stimulationsinduzierte Translokation der PLD1. Umgekehrt erlaubt AA eine stimulationsinduzierte Migration der PLD1 zur Plasmamembran und steigert die Aktivität der beiden Isoformen der PLD. Somit hemmen LNA, EPA, DHA und LA, aber nicht AA die Freisetzung von Mastzell-Entzündungsmediatoren nach Stimulation.

[pt] No Brasil, grandes consumidores podem estabelecer seus contratos de energia elétrica em dois ambientes: Ambiente de Contratação Regulado e Ambiente de Contratação Livre. Grandes consumidores são aqueles que possuem carga igual ou superior a 2 MW e podem ser atendidos sob contratos firmados em quaisquer um desses ambientes. Já os consumidores com demanda contratada inferior a 2 MW e superior a 500 kW podem ter seu contrato de energia estabelecido no Ambiente de Contratação Livre proveniente de geração de energia renovável ou no Ambiente de Contratação Regulada através das distribuidoras de energia. A principal vantagem do Ambiente de Contratação Livre é a possibilidade de negociar contratos com diferentes parâmetros, como, por exemplo, preço, quantidade de energia e prazo. Eventuais diferenças entre a energia contratada e a consumida, são liquidadas ao preço de energia de curto prazo, que pode ser bastante volátil.Neste caso o desafio é estabelecer uma estratégia de contratação que minimize os riscos associados a este ambiente. Esta dissertação propõe uma metodologia que envolve a simulação estatística de cenários correlacionados de energia, demanda máxima e preço de curto prazo (também chamado de PLD – Preço de Liquidação das Diferenças) para serem inseridos em um modelo matemático de otimização estocástica, que define os parâmetros ótimos da contratação de energia e demanda. Na parte estatística, um modelo Box e Jenkins é usado para estimar os parâmetros das séries históricas de energia e demanda máxima com o objetivo de simular cenários correlacionados com o PLD. Na parte de otimização, emprega-se uma combinação convexa entre Valor Esperado (VE) e Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) como medidas de risco para encontrar os valores ótimos dos parâmetros contratuais, como a demanda máxima contratada, o volume mensal de energia a ser contratado, além das flexibilidades inferior e superior da energia contratada. Para ilustrar a abordagem proposta, essa metodologia é aplicada a um estudo de caso real para um grande consumidor no Ambiente de Contratação Livre. Os resultados indicaram que a metodologia proposta pode ser uma ferramenta eficiente para consumidores no Ambiente de Contratação Livre e, dado à natureza do modelo, pode ser generalizado para diferentes contratos e mercados de energia. / [en] In Brazil, big consumers can choose their energy contract between two different energy environments: Regulated Contract Environment and Free Contract Environment. Big consumers are characterized by installed load capacity equal or greater than 2 MW and can firm an energy contract under any of these environments. For those consumers with installed load lower than 2 MW and higher than 500 kW, their energy contracts can be firmed in the Free Contract Environment using renewable energy generation or in the Regulated Contract Environment by local distribution companies. The main advantage of the Free Market Environment is the possibility of negotiating contracts with different parameters such as, for example, price, energy quantity and deadlines. Possible differences between contracted energy and consumed energy are settled by the spot price, which can be rather volatile. In this case, the challenge is to establish a contracting strategy that minimize the associated risks with this environment. This thesis proposes a methodology that involves statistical simulation of correlated energy, peak demand and Spot Price scenarios to be used in a stochastic optimization model that defines the optimal energy and demand contract parameters. In the statistical part, a Box and Jenkins model is used to estimate parameters for energy and peak demand in order to simulate scenarios correlated with Spot Price. In the optimization part, a convex combination of Expected Value (EV) and Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) is used as risk measures to find the optimal contract parameters, such as the contracted peak demand, the seasonal energy contracted volumes, in addition to the upper and lower energy contracted bound. To illustrate this approach, this methodology is applied in a real case study for a big consumer with an active Free Market Environment contract. The results indicate that the proposed methodology can be a efficient tool for consumers in the Free Contract Environment and, due to the nature of the model, it can be generalized for different energy contracts and markets.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis outlines the development, programming, and testing a logical interface between a radar system, the AN/SPS-65(V)1, and a general-purpose reconfigurable computing platform, the SRC Computer, Inc. model, the SRC-6E. To confirm the proper operation of the interface and associated subcomponents, software was developed to perform basic radar signal processing. The interface, as proven by the signal processing results, accurately reflects radar imagery generated by the radar system when compared to maps of the surrounding area. The research accomplished here will allow follow on research to evaluate the potential benefits reconfigurable computing platforms offer for radar signal processing. / Captain, United States Marine Corps

Amélioration des propriétés des couches minces de carbone amorphe (appelé Diamond Like Carbon, DLC) et recherche de nouvelles fonctionnalités pour ce type de couches minces en dopant les films DLC par des métaux comme le nickel et le tantale.<br />L'ablation laser en régime femtoseconde est la technique utilisée pour la synthèse des couches minces de DLC dopées ou alliées. Ce sujet met également en évidence l'apport de cette technique sur les propriétés morpho-structurales et physiques des DLC dopés ou alliés.

The thesis consists of two parts. Part 1 deals with the preparation of thin films and sub-micron powders of complex metal oxides by nebulized spray pyrolysis (NSP) and Part 2 consists of Brillouin scattering studies of solid materials exhibiting interesting phase transitions. The simple technique of NSP has been employed to prepare thin films of A12O3, PbTiO3, Pb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O3 (PZT) and PbZrO3 on single crystal substrate. The films were characterized by various techniques for their composition, structure, morphology and dielectric properties. Ferroelectric (FE) films of the configuration FE/LaNiO3/SiO2/Si (FE = PbTiO3 and PZT), wherein the LaNiO3 barrier electrode was also deposited on the SiO2/Si substrate by NSP, have been investigated. The films exhibit satisfactory ferroelectric properties. PbZrO3 films deposited on LaNiO3/SiO2/Si substrates show good features, including a reversible AFE ↔ FE transition. Sub-micron particles of TiO2, ZrO2, Pb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O3, Al2O3, S1O2 and mullite have been prepared by NSP and characterized by various techniques. Brillouin scattering has been used, for the first time, not only to characterize the Peierls transition but also the incommensurate to commensurate transition in the one-dimensional blue bronze, K0.3M0O3. The charge density wave transition in NbSe2 has also been investigated by Brillouin scattering. The charge ordering and antiferromag-netic transitions in single crystals of the rare earth manganates, Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and Pr0.63Ca 0.37MnO3, have been investigated by Brillouin scattering. It is noteworthy that the temperature variation of the Brillouin shift and intensity parallel to that of the magnetization, thereby throwing light on magnetic excitations in charge-ordered state. Brillouin scattering investigations of C60 and C70 films have yielded values of the elastic moduli.

The simplicity principle posits that we interpret sense data as the simplest consistent distal cause, or that our high level perceptual representations of stimuli are optimized for simplicity. The traditional paradigm used to test this principle is coding theory, where alternate representations of stimuli are constructed, simplicity is measured as shortness of representation length, and behavioural experiments attempt to show that the shortest representations correspond best to perception. In this study we apply coding theory to marker-based human walking motion. We compare two representation schemes. The first is based on marker coordinates in a body-centred Cartesian coordinate system. The second is based on a model of 15 rigid body segments with Euler angles and a Cartesian translation for each. Both of our schemes are principal component (PC)-based implementations of a norm-based multidimensional object space – a type of model for high level perceptual schemes that has received attention in the literature over the past two decades. Representation length is quantified as number of retained PC’s, with error increasing with discarded PC’s. We generalize simplicity to efficiency measured as error across all possible lengths, where more efficient schemes admit less error across lengths. We find that the Cartesian coordinates-based scheme is more efficient than the Euler angles and translations-based scheme across a database of 100 walkers. In order to link this finding to perception we turn to the caricature effect that subjects can identify caricatures of familiar stimuli more accurately than veridicals. Our design was to compare walker caricatures generated in our two schemes in the hope of finding that one gives caricatures that benefit identification more than the other, from which we would conclude the former to be a better model of the true perceptual scheme. However, we find that analogous caricatures between the two schemes are only distinguishable at caricature levels so extreme that identification performance breaks down, so our design became infeasible and no conclusion for a simplicity principle in walker perception is reached. We also measure a curve of increasing then decreasing identification performance with caricature level and an optimal level at approximately double the distinctiveness of a typical walker. / Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-10-29 19:16:39.943

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