This dissertation consists of three studies dealing with particulate organic carbon (POC). The first study describes the temporal and spatial variability of particulate matter (PM) and POC, and physical processes that affect the distribution of PM and POC with synchronous remote sensing data. The purpose of the second study is to develop POC algorithms in the Gulf of Mexico based on satellite data using numerical methods and to compare POC estimates with spectral radiance. The purpose of the third study is to investigate climatological variations from the temporal and spatial POC estimates based on SeaWiFS spectral radiance and physical processes, and to determine the physical mechanisms that affect the distribution of POC in the Gulf of Mexico. For the first and second studies, hydrographic data from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico (NEGOM) study were collected on each of 9 cruises from November 1997 to August 2000 across 11 lines. Remotely sensed data sets were obtained from NASA and NOAA using algorithms that have been developed for interpretation of ocean color data from various satellite sensors. For the third study, we use the time-series of POC estimates, sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), sea surface wind (SSW), and precipitation rate (PR) that might cause climatological variability and physical processes. The distribution of surface PM and POC concentrations were affected by one or more factors such as river discharge, wind stress, stratification, and the Loop Current/Eddies. To estimate POC concentration, empirical and model-based approaches were used using regression and principal component analysis (PCA) methods. We tested simulated data for reasonable and suitable algorithms in Case 1 and Case 2 waters. Monthly mean values of POC concentrations calculated with PCA algorithms. The spatial and temporal variations of POC and physical forcing data were analyzed with the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) method. The results showed variations in the Gulf of Mexico on both annual and inter-annual time scales.

This study investigates the seasonal change and the influence of freshwater input on distributions of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in the Gaoping Canyon. The study also aims to understand the variability of TEP and its controlling mechanism. In addition, the distributions and controlling factors of TEP are compared between the Gaoping coastal zone and the northern South China Sea (NSCS). During the study, concentrations of TEP decreased with depth and seaward distance in the Gaoping Canyon. The concentration was generally the highest around the canyon head, resulted obviously from the influence of nutrient inputs during both wet and dry seasons. Except for the canyon head, the highest water-column inventory of TEP occurred in the period between winter and spring at Station B2 (1719 mg Xeq. m-2). The ratio of TEP-C/POC in the euphotic layer was about 27% in August 2005, 29% in January 2006, 36% in March 2006, and 28% (Gaoping Canyon) and 35% (Fangliao Canyon) in January 2007. The correlation was poor between TEP and POC/PN, due to the significant influence of terrestrial POC inputs. Positive correlations were significant between TEP and Chl. a, arisen largely from the feature of subsurface maximum, suggesting that the distribution of TEP in the euphotic layer of Gaoping Canyon was mainly controlled by phytoplankton productivity. The ratio of TEP in particulate and dissolved organic matter increased with the increase of Chl. a concentration, implying that the high productivity may enhance the transformation of DOC into TEP and POC. Because there was no subsurface chlorophyll maximum occurring in the station during diurnal observations, negative correlations were significant between TEP, salinity and density, but the correlations were positive between TEP and Chl. a. Concentrations of TEP also decreased with depth in the NSCS and Bashi Channel. The water-column inventory of TEP in the different water mass showed a decreasing trend from the SCS Water (1225 mg Xeq. m-2) to the Kurshio Water (758 mg Xeq. m-2). The ratio of TEP-C/POC in the euphotic layer ranged from 22.4% in Station F, 20.3% in Station M1, 21.5% in Station S4 to 20% in Station S5. TEP correlated well with Chl. a, indicating that TEP were also mainly controlled by phytoplankton productivity in the euphotic layer of SCS and Bashi Channel. The ratio of POC/PN increased with the increase of TEP, showing that the fate of TEP played an important role on carbon cycle in the upper ocean. Bacterial productivity increased with TEP concentrations, implying that TEP may be an important carbon source for bacteria in the studied area.

This study aims to investigate both the distribution and character of particulate organic carbon (PIC) and particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) in the suspended sediment in the Gaoping estuary and its river plume. Furthermore, this study aims to investigate the tidal influence in the estuary and its plume by studying the size of sediment and the concentration of chlorophyll-a. In this study, suspended sediment, is mainly collected by multi-sieve filter, Catnet, which is used for the determinations of sediment size, organic carbon, inorganic carbon, as well as chlorophyll-a. The result shows that fine particle (<10 £gm) contributes more than 50% of the total weight in 5 suspended sediment groups (>153, 63-153, 10-63, 3-10, and 0.7-3), indicating that the PIC and POC are mainly controlled by the amount of fine particle. This suggests that fine particle is the carrier of the PIC and the POC, thus distributions of PIC and POC will be influenced as concentrations of the fine particle is influenced by environmental factors. In dry season, POC concentration is higher than in wet season; moreover, the concentration of POC beneath is higher than the surface, suggesting the influence of TSM. The distributions of suspended sediment are similar in both wet and dry seasons in size of <10 £gm, indicating there is no seasonal influence in the size of suspended sediment in our study areas. The PIC concentration in dry season is higher than the wet seasons, where the surface PIC concentration is higher than the beneath concentration in both dry and wet seasons, suggesting dissolution of PIC during settle down. The PIC mainly contributes by the fine particle (<10 £gm) which does not suffer any seasonal change. The TSM, POC, as well as PIC in suspended sediment in the Gaoping estuary and its plume are mainly contributed by fine particles. Distributions of these fine particles are highly influenced by the tides, but not the season changes. This study shows that the distributions of TSM, POC, as well as PIC in suspended sediments can be known through the characters of the suspended sediment.

Early work in electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) devices has demonstrated their great potential in microfluidics; however, further work is needed to integrate EWOD technology into a system deployable for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. This research is aimed at providing enabling technologies that foster a development path of EWOD devices using a process similar to the development of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). A field-programmable lab-on-a-chip (FPLOC), which allows designers to electrically program the prefabricated chip into EWOD applications, was fabricated and demonstrated based on novel microelectrode dot array (MEDA) architecture. The MEDA architecture proposes a standard EWOD component called “microelectrode cell”, which can be dynamically configured into microfluidic components to perform microfluidic operations of the biochip. The FPLOC is the first EWOD biochip fabricated by the standard low-voltage complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, which allows smooth on-chip integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. A total of 900 droplet detection electrical circuits were integrated into the chip and a real-time droplet location map could show shapes and locations of all droplets on the chip. The daisy-chained control structure of the MEDA architecture allowed individual control of 900 microelectrodes by only using three control pads. This control structure was also leveraged to add the built-in self-test (BIST), which was proven to be very useful in diagnosing the chip, of the FPLOC. The FPLOC successfully demonstrated seamless hierarchical field-programmability. Compared to conventional bottom-up and full-custom design approaches, the FPLOC brings microfluidic technology closer to POC diagnostics by providing biochip designers with CAD support at a level similar to that of the semiconductor industry, without the time-consuming and costly process of hardware design, testing, and maintenance.

Depth and temporal variability of organic carbon (POC) and total nitrogen (TN) and their isotopic compositions (£_13C and £_15N) in sinking particulate organic matter (POM) collected at the SEATS time-series station (18¢X15¡¦ N; 115¢X50¡¦ E), northern South China Sea, respond closely to the strong seasonality (changes in sea surface temperatures and mixed layer depths) in the surface layer, but are modified considerably by subsequent microbial degradation/remineralization and probably by re-suspension of sediments from the surrounding shelf region in the deep water. Lower C/N and £_15N in summer than the other seasons reflects the change of nutrient supply from NO3-rich, 15N-enriched subsurface waters to N2-fixation-dominated nitrogen source in the surface waters. Below the euphotic zone (>100m), both POC and TN decrease, whereas C/N increases progressively with depth owing to the biodegradation and the preferential removal of more degradable nitrogen-containing compounds through the water column. The C/N increase rate is estimated to be 0.4 unit per 1 km water depth, which is significantly higher than the world average (0.2/km) as a result of the input of higher C/N organic matter from sediments deposited nearby the SEATS site. POC and TN and total particulate mass fluxes decrease sharply within the euphotic zone and continue to decrease all way through the water column to seafloor. For site comparison and global synthesis, an average fraction (e-ratio) of 0.22 of POC exported from the euphotic zone and a POC attenuation rate (b value) of 0.97 are derived. Since the results of this study were obtained from a marginal sea characteristic of strong monsoonal modulation, they should contribute to a better understanding of the fate and pathway of POC in the world ocean.

Luzon Strait is the deepest channel for water exchange between the Northern South China Sea (NSCS) and the West Philippine Sea (WPS). It is important to investigate the seasonal and spatial distributions and the biogeochemical processes of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Luzon Strait. During the summer season, the flow of Kuroshio water into the SCS through the Bashi Channel was restricted due to the prevailing southwest monsoon. However, during the winter season, the flow of Kuroshio water into the SCS through the Bashi Channel was enhanced due to the prevailing northeast monsoon. The characteristics of water types across the Bashi Channel depend highly upon the water exchange between the WPS and the NSCS. Distributions of dissolved organic carbon (DON), nitrogen (DON) and phosphorus (DOP) in the euphotic zone generally show an increasing trend from the WPS to the NSCS. The same distribution was pattern found for particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PN). The stichomythic ratio (C/N/P) of dissolved organic matter in the euphotic layer was lower in spring than in autumn. The reason may be that the Kuroshio water flowing through the Luzon Strait is much less in spring than in autumn. The ratios of DIN/DIP were much lower than the Redfield ratio (16) suggesting a status of N-limitation in the euphotic zone. The DOC/DON ratios, however, were much higher than the Redfield ratio (6.6). These results implied that DOM might have played an important role in modulating nutrient cycling and food web dynamics in the euphotic zone of study area. The subsurface water (100-600m) of the NSCS, west of Luzon, was more enriched with POM than that of the WPS. However, the situation was reversed in the intermediate water (600-1500m). Correlations are significant between POC and Chl-a in spring and summer, suggesting that phytoplankton abundance may primarily control the distribution of POC in the euphotic zone. The DOC/POC ratio was inversely correlated with Chl-a in both spring and summer. The ratios generally decreased to a constant value as the Chl-a concentration increased to a higher level, implying a higher biological contribution for POC than for DOC. Correlations were also significant between TEP/POC and Chl-a. The ratio of TEP-C/POC in the euphotic layer showed a decreasing trend from the NSCS to the WPS, implying a significant influence of phytoplankton productivity on TEP distribution. During the study period, the integrated gross production (IGP) and integrated dark community respiration (IDCR) in the study area were in the range of 3056~7094 mg C m-2 d-1 and 3372~8901 mg C m-2 d-1 in autumn, respectively; 1740~5338 mg C m-2 d-1 and 2628~7685 mg C m-2 d-1 in spring, respectively; 2149~6110 mg C m-2 d-1 and 4391~8896 mg C m-2 d-1 in summer, respectively. During the autumn and summer season, there were no significant correlations between GP (DCR) and temperature, PAR, salinity, Chl-a, DOC and POC, possibly resented from the effect of typhoon. During the spring season without the typhoon effect, there were significant correlations between GP (DCR) and salinity, Chl-a, DOC and POC. The ratio of IGP/IDCR is an indicator of net ecosystem production, with>1 for the autotrophic system and <1 for the heterotrophic system. The ratio was <1 for all stations indicating a heterotrophic system. However, the ratio was slightly higher in autumn than in spring and summer.

Abstract This study investigates the distributions and controls of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in marginal seas around Taiwan. In the euphotic zone of Kuroshio Water off southeast Taiwan, the concentration of TEP generally reached a maximum in the subsurface and then decreased with depth. The maximum concentration of TEP in every station in the Kuroshio Water coincides with the subsurface maximum of chlorophyll a (Chl. a). This implied that TEP in the euphotic zone was controlled by biological rather than physical processes. Furthermore, the ratios of TEP /POC and TEP/DOC increased with Chl. a indicating that the increase of primary production may enhance DOC transformation to POC through the formation of TEP. Concentrations of TEP in the Taiwan Strait and Gaoping coastal sea decreased generally with the increase of seaward distance, showing the same pattern of nutrient distribution. Apparently, the terrestrial input of nutrient may increase phytoplankton abundance and enhance the formation of TEP. Positive correlations were significant between TEP and Chl. a, suggesting that the distribution of TEP in the euphotic zone of Taiwan Strait and Gaoping coastal sea are also controlled by biological processes. During the study period, the concentrations of nutrient and Chl. a were elevated in the surface water around the Dongsha Island in the South China Sea (SCS), due to the influence of internal wave. According to the close relation between TEP and Chl. a, concentrations of TEP around Dongsha Island were also likely controlled by phytoplankton activity, but the different strength of internal wave may lead to the different conditions of TEP, Chl. a and POC distributions. The results of factor analysis support the fact that distributions of TEP are mainly controlled by biological processes, but various physical conditions could also influence distributions of TEP in the water column. Overall, concentrations of TEP are generally higher in the Taiwan Strait and Gaoping coastal sea than in the Donshia shelf sea and Kuroshio Water off southeast Taiwan. Nevertheless, distributions of TEP are all comparable with previous findings in other coastal and marginal seas.

Concrete plants consume 10 billion tons of natural aggregates annually from quarries and gravel plants for produce concrete, this demand requires exploiting natural resources from mountains and rivers producing an ecological imbalance. One solution is to use Palm Oil Clinker (POC), which is eliminated in large quantities in the dumps and rivers without taking advantage of its puzolanic, binding and resistance properties as an aggregate in the concrete; another alternative is to apply rubber from abandoned and discarded tires as waste in landfills or burned, without taking advantage of its performance of improvement in concrete, increasing its resistance to impact and fatigue. Unable to find joint POC and rubber information, this research studies its influence replacing 2.5% rubber (grained and crushed) with 10%, 12.5% and 15% POC in the fine aggregate on traditional concrete; results indicate that with 12.5% of POC as the ideal percentage, the compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural strength rise between 2.16 - 9.54%, so the concrete obtained has a cost of less than 4.09% and has 3.65% less CO2 emission.

Esta tese tem por objeto o Partido Operário Comunista (POC). Trata-se de uma organização da esquerda radical brasileira, atuante durante os chamados anos de chumbo da ditadura civil-militar brasileira (1968-1971) sobre a qual não há nenhum estudo acadêmico mais pormenorizado. O POC foi oficialmente fundado em um Congresso realizado em abril de 1968, na cidade de São Paulo, com a fusão de duas organizações anteriormente existentes, a Organização Revolucionária Marxista-Política Operária (POLOP) e a Dissidência Leninista do Partido Comunista Brasileiro do Rio Grande do Sul (DI-RS). A linha política adotada pelo novo partido foi estabelecida pelo Programa Socialista para o Brasil, para o qual a revolução brasileira deveria ser socialista, e conduzida por um partido de vanguarda da classe operária, que estaria à frente de uma aliança operário-camponesa, engrossada por elementos revolucionários da pequena-burguesia. Inicialmente resistente ao engajamento nas ações de guerrilha urbana, o POC procurou canalizar seus esforços para os movimentos de massa que estavam ascensão quando da sua fundação. Neste sentido, dirigiu a militância para o movimento operário de Contagem (MG) e Osasco (SP), onde ocorreram importantes mobilizações nesse período. A organização também procurou influenciar o movimento estudantil e, para isso criou o Movimento Universidade Crítica, MUC, também em 1968. No início de 1969, com o descenso desses movimentos devido também ao AI-5, o POC reconheceu ter colhido poucos frutos desses esforços, sobretudo no movimento operário, onde sua presença continuou esparsa. Neste ínterim, várias organizações da esquerda já estavam francamente engajadas em ações armadas, o que motivava uma dupla crítica no interior do POC: ineficácia nas ações de massa, e inexistência de ações de guerrilha. Ácidos debates internos passaram a ocorrer no seu interior, corroendo sua coesão. Este processo de luta política interna se prolongou por todo o ano de 1969, polarizando os militaristas contra os massistas. Trocas mútuas de acusações levaram este grupo a romper com o POC em março de 1970 e a recriar a antiga POLOP. Dentre os militantes remanescentes do POC ainda se manteve um caloroso debate em torno das duas idéias-força: militarismo versus massismo. Há de se dizer que, de forma esparsa, e sempre em associação a outras organizações, o POC já havia praticado algumas ações armadas, dirigidas para a obtenção de recursos financeiros. a partir de meados de 1970, na sequência de prisões de militantes das organizações militaristas, a polícia política atingiria em cheio o POC, levando ao seu desmantelamento no Brasil em junho de 1971. Nesta tese procurei compreender os pormenores internos de uma organização leninista, bem como a rotina da militância em meio a um contexto repressivo, apoiando na noção de cultura política de Serge Bernstein. Por essa razão busquei os relatos de ex-membros do partido, através dos quais pude conhecer suas memórias sobre esse período. / This thesis is engaged in the Communist Workers Party (POC). It is an organization of the Brazilian radical left active during the so-called \"years of lead\" the Brazilian civil-military dictatorship (1968-1971) on which there is no more detailed academic study. The POC was officially founded at a congress held in April 1968 in São Paulo, with the merger of two previously existing organizations, the Organization Revolutionary Workers Marxist-Policy (POLOP) and the Brazilian Communist Party\'s Leninist Dissent Rio Grande South (DI-RS). The political line adopted by the new party was established by the \"Socialist Program for Brazil\", for which the Brazilian revolution should be socialist, and led by a vanguard party of the working class, who would be the head of a worker-peasant alliance, thickened by revolutionary elements of the petty bourgeoisie. Initially resistant engagement in urban guerrilla actions, the POC sought to channel their efforts to the mass movements that were rising at the time of its foundation. In this sense, he directed militancy to the labor movement of Contagem (MG) and Osasco (SP), where there were important mobilizations that period. The organization also sought to influence the student movement and to this end has created the \"Movement University Critical,\" MUC, also in 1968. In early 1969, with the decline of these movements also due to AI-5, POC acknowledged harvested little fruit of these efforts, especially in the labor movement, where his presence remained sparse. Meanwhile, several organizations of the left were already openly engaged in armed actions, which motivated a double criticism within the POC: ineffectiveness in mass actions, and lack of guerrilla actions. Acids internal discussions began to take place inside, eroding its cohesion. This political infighting process lasted throughout the year 1969, polarizing the \"militarists\" against \"massistas\". mutual exchange of accusations led this group to break with the POC in March 1970 and re-create the old POLOP. Among the remaining militants POC still remained a heated debate around the two key ideas: militarism \"versus\" massismo. One has to say that, sparsely, and always in association with other organizations, the POC had practiced some armed actions aimed at obtaining financial resources. from the mid-1970s, following arrests of militants from militarist organizations, the political police would reach full POC, leading to their being dismantled in Brazil in June 1971. This thesis tried to understand the internal details of a Leninist organization, as well as the routine of militancy amid a repressive environment, supporting the political culture\'s notion of Serge Bernstein. Therefore sought the reports of former party members, through which I got to know his memories of that period.

Esta tese tem por objeto o Partido Operário Comunista (POC). Trata-se de uma organização da esquerda radical brasileira, atuante durante os chamados anos de chumbo da ditadura civil-militar brasileira (1968-1971) sobre a qual não há nenhum estudo acadêmico mais pormenorizado. O POC foi oficialmente fundado em um Congresso realizado em abril de 1968, na cidade de São Paulo, com a fusão de duas organizações anteriormente existentes, a Organização Revolucionária Marxista-Política Operária (POLOP) e a Dissidência Leninista do Partido Comunista Brasileiro do Rio Grande do Sul (DI-RS). A linha política adotada pelo novo partido foi estabelecida pelo Programa Socialista para o Brasil, para o qual a revolução brasileira deveria ser socialista, e conduzida por um partido de vanguarda da classe operária, que estaria à frente de uma aliança operário-camponesa, engrossada por elementos revolucionários da pequena-burguesia. Inicialmente resistente ao engajamento nas ações de guerrilha urbana, o POC procurou canalizar seus esforços para os movimentos de massa que estavam ascensão quando da sua fundação. Neste sentido, dirigiu a militância para o movimento operário de Contagem (MG) e Osasco (SP), onde ocorreram importantes mobilizações nesse período. A organização também procurou influenciar o movimento estudantil e, para isso criou o Movimento Universidade Crítica, MUC, também em 1968. No início de 1969, com o descenso desses movimentos devido também ao AI-5, o POC reconheceu ter colhido poucos frutos desses esforços, sobretudo no movimento operário, onde sua presença continuou esparsa. Neste ínterim, várias organizações da esquerda já estavam francamente engajadas em ações armadas, o que motivava uma dupla crítica no interior do POC: ineficácia nas ações de massa, e inexistência de ações de guerrilha. Ácidos debates internos passaram a ocorrer no seu interior, corroendo sua coesão. Este processo de luta política interna se prolongou por todo o ano de 1969, polarizando os militaristas contra os massistas. Trocas mútuas de acusações levaram este grupo a romper com o POC em março de 1970 e a recriar a antiga POLOP. Dentre os militantes remanescentes do POC ainda se manteve um caloroso debate em torno das duas idéias-força: militarismo versus massismo. Há de se dizer que, de forma esparsa, e sempre em associação a outras organizações, o POC já havia praticado algumas ações armadas, dirigidas para a obtenção de recursos financeiros. a partir de meados de 1970, na sequência de prisões de militantes das organizações militaristas, a polícia política atingiria em cheio o POC, levando ao seu desmantelamento no Brasil em junho de 1971. Nesta tese procurei compreender os pormenores internos de uma organização leninista, bem como a rotina da militância em meio a um contexto repressivo, apoiando na noção de cultura política de Serge Bernstein. Por essa razão busquei os relatos de ex-membros do partido, através dos quais pude conhecer suas memórias sobre esse período. / This thesis is engaged in the Communist Workers Party (POC). It is an organization of the Brazilian radical left active during the so-called \"years of lead\" the Brazilian civil-military dictatorship (1968-1971) on which there is no more detailed academic study. The POC was officially founded at a congress held in April 1968 in São Paulo, with the merger of two previously existing organizations, the Organization Revolutionary Workers Marxist-Policy (POLOP) and the Brazilian Communist Party\'s Leninist Dissent Rio Grande South (DI-RS). The political line adopted by the new party was established by the \"Socialist Program for Brazil\", for which the Brazilian revolution should be socialist, and led by a vanguard party of the working class, who would be the head of a worker-peasant alliance, thickened by revolutionary elements of the petty bourgeoisie. Initially resistant engagement in urban guerrilla actions, the POC sought to channel their efforts to the mass movements that were rising at the time of its foundation. In this sense, he directed militancy to the labor movement of Contagem (MG) and Osasco (SP), where there were important mobilizations that period. The organization also sought to influence the student movement and to this end has created the \"Movement University Critical,\" MUC, also in 1968. In early 1969, with the decline of these movements also due to AI-5, POC acknowledged harvested little fruit of these efforts, especially in the labor movement, where his presence remained sparse. Meanwhile, several organizations of the left were already openly engaged in armed actions, which motivated a double criticism within the POC: ineffectiveness in mass actions, and lack of guerrilla actions. Acids internal discussions began to take place inside, eroding its cohesion. This political infighting process lasted throughout the year 1969, polarizing the \"militarists\" against \"massistas\". mutual exchange of accusations led this group to break with the POC in March 1970 and re-create the old POLOP. Among the remaining militants POC still remained a heated debate around the two key ideas: militarism \"versus\" massismo. One has to say that, sparsely, and always in association with other organizations, the POC had practiced some armed actions aimed at obtaining financial resources. from the mid-1970s, following arrests of militants from militarist organizations, the political police would reach full POC, leading to their being dismantled in Brazil in June 1971. This thesis tried to understand the internal details of a Leninist organization, as well as the routine of militancy amid a repressive environment, supporting the political culture\'s notion of Serge Bernstein. Therefore sought the reports of former party members, through which I got to know his memories of that period.