Kronisk smärta är ett samhällsproblem med stor påverkan på människors liv och som innebär höga kostnader för vården. Tillståndet skapar frustration för både patienter och vårdpersonal på grund av att det saknas effektiv behandling och det är svårt att förklara smärtans uppkomst om ingen somatisk diagnos finns. Detta ledder till att patienterna blir misstrodda och nonchalerade eller sedda som fuskare som vill utnyttja välfärden. Många blir misstänkta för drogberoende och empati saknas i möten med vården. Som en konsekvens tappar patienterna tillit till vården och undviker till och med att söka vård överhuvudtaget. Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva upplevelsen av bemötande inom vården hos patienter med kronisk smärta. Tio vetenskapliga artiklar inkluderades och analyserades efter en noggrann och strukturerad litteratursökning. Ett nytt resultat tog form som indelades i tre huvudkategorier: kronisk smärta - en otillfredsställande diagnos, att bli misstrodd samt att bli lyssnad till och bekräftad. Resultatet diskuterades sedan i relation till annan forskning. Denna studie skulle på ett enkelt sätt kunna tillgodogöras av vårdpersonal och i en förlängning kunna bidra till ökad förståelse för vilka faktorer som underlättar en god vård för patienter med kronisk smärta.

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La topologie algébrique, bien que domaine abstrait des mathématiques, apporte de nouveaux concepts pour le traitement d'images. En effet, ces tâches sont complexes et restent limitées par différents facteurs tels que la nécessité d’utiliser un paramétrage, l'influence de l'arrière-plan ou la superposition d'objets. Nous proposons ici des méthodes dérivées de la topologie algébrique qui diffèrent des méthodes classiques de traitement d'images par l’intégration d’informations locales vers des échelles globales grâce à des invariants topologiques. Une première méthode de segmentation d'images a été développée en ajoutant aux caractéristiques statistiques classiques d’autres de nature topologique calculées par homologie persistante. Une autre méthode basée sur des complexes topologiques a été développée dans le but de segmenter les objets dans des images 2D et 3D. Cette méthode segmente des objets dans des images multidimensionnelles et fournit une réponse à certains problèmes habituels en restant robuste vis à vis du bruit et de la variabilité de l'arrière-plan. Son application aux images de grande taille peut se faire en utilisant des superpixels. Nous avons également montré que l'homologie relative détecte le mouvement d’objets dans une séquence d'images qui apparaissent et disparaissent du début à la fin. Enfin, nous posons les bases d’un ensemble de méthodes d'analyse d'images basé sur la théorie des faisceaux qui permet de fusionner des données locales en un ensemble cohérent. De plus, nous proposons une seconde approche qui permet de comprendre et d'interpréter la structure d’une image en utilisant les invariants fournis par la cohomologie des faisceaux. / Algebraic topology, which is often appears as an abstract domain of mathematics, can bring new concepts in the execution of the image processing tasks. Indeed, these tasks might be complex and limited by different factors such as the need of prior parameters, the influence of the background, the superposition of objects. In this thesis, we propose methods derived from algebraic topology that differ from classical image processing methods by integrating local information at global scales through topological invariants. A first method of image segmentation was developed by adding topological characteristics calculated through persistent homology to classical statistical characteristics. Another method based on topological complexes built from pixels was developed with the purpose to segment objects in 2D and 3D images. This method allows to segment objects in multidimensional images but also to provide an answer to known issues in object segmentation remaining robust regarding the noise and the variability of the background. Our method can be extended to large scale images by using the superpixels concept. We also showed that the relative version of homology can be used effectively to detect the movement of objects in image sequences. This method can detect and follow objects that appear and disappear in a video sequence from the beginning to the end of the sequence. Finally, we lay the foundations of a set of methods of image analysis based on sheaf theory that allows the merging of local data into a coherent whole. Moreover, we propose a second approach that allows to understand and interpret scale analysis and localization by using the sheaves cohomology.

Actuellement, le public et surtout dans les pays industrialisés est de plus en plus conscient du fait que la dégradation de l’environnement peut dépasser les avantages du progrès rapide dans les domaines industriels et technologiques et que des dommages sérieux et irréversibles peuvent être imposés aux futures générations. L'occurrence des POPs dans l'environnement, qui résulte essentiellement des activités anthropogéniques, est l'une des préoccupations permanentes chez les scientifiques. Ces composés ont été trouvés dans toutes les matrices environnementales telles que l'air, le sol, l'eau et les sédiments et en raison de leurs propriétés lipophiles, ils risquent de rebondir dans la chaîne alimentaire humaine. Durant cette dernière décennie, le Liban a connu une grande explosion démographique qui a été accompagnée par des activités anthropogéniques diverses. La dégradation de la qualité de l’environnement est bien ressentie par la population locale et les conséquences sur la santé humaine sont lourdes et affreuses. Les travaux de cette thèse ont permis d’évaluer concrètement l’effet de POPs sur la qualité de l’environnement au Liban, ces travaux ont abouti à la détermination des niveaux de quelques POPs les plus globalement étudiés tels que les HAPs, les PCBs et les OCPs dans les différents compartiments environnementaux au Liban. A cette fin, des protocoles d'analyse comprenant une méthode GC/MS pour la séparation et la détection des HAPs, une méthode UAE pour l'extraction des HAPs à partir du sol et des sédiments et une méthode SPE pour l'extraction des HAPs à partir de l'eau ont été développés. Ces méthodes ont été ensuite appliquées pour évaluer les niveaux de 17 HAPs dans des sols de différents usages et pour étudier la distribution de HAPs dans la phase aqueuse et les sédiments sur les côtes libanais et dans des rivières côtières et internes. Les principaux résultats ont montré que les niveaux de contamination des sols par les HAPs décroissent dans l’ordre suivant: industriels, urbains, transport et agricoles et que les sols industriels et urbains étaient 777 et 256 fois plus toxiques que les sols ruraux de référence selon l'approche TEF. De plus, l'eau et les sédiments des sites côtiers affectés par l'industrie et le transport maritime ont montré une contamination plus élevée par les HAPs. Certains échantillons de sédiments ont montré des niveaux de quelques HAPs individuels supérieures à l'ERL, ce qui pourrait occasionnellement provoquer des effets écologiques négatifs. Les travaux de cette thèse incluent aussi la détermination des niveaux des PCBs et des OCPs dans les sédiments de la rivière Litani qui est une source d’une grande préoccupation environnementale actuelle au Liban. / Currently, the public and especially in industrialized countries is increasingly aware that environmental degradation can outweigh the benefits of rapid progress in the industrial and technological fields and that serious and irreversible damage can be imposed on the future generations. The occurrence of POPs in the environment, which results mainly from anthropogenic activities, is one of the permanent concerns of scientists. These compounds have been found in all environmental matrices such as air, soil, water and sediments and because of their lipophilic properties, they are likely to rebound in the human food chain. During the past decade, Lebanon has experienced a large population explosion that has been accompanied by various anthropogenic activities. The degradation of the quality of the environment is felt by the local population and the consequences for human health are heavy and horrendous. The work of this thesis allowed to evaluate concretely the effect of POPs on the quality of the environment in Lebanon, this work led to the determination of the levels of some POPs most widely studied such as PAHs, PCBs and OCPs in the different environmental compartments in Lebanon. To this end, analytical protocols including a GC/MS method for the separation and detection of PAHs, a UAE method for the extraction of PAHs from soil and sediments and an SPE method for the extraction of PAHs from water were developed. These methods were then applied to evaluate the levels of 17 PAHs in soils of different uses and study the distribution of PAHs in the aqueous phase and sediments on the Lebanese coasts and in coastal and inner rivers. The main results showed that soil contamination levels by PAHs decreased in the following order: industrial, urban, transport and agricultural and that industrial and urban soils were 777 and 256 times more toxic than rural reference soils according to the TEF approach. In addition, water and sediments from coastal sites affected by industry and shipping have shown higher contamination by PAHs. Some sediment samples showed concentrations of a few individual PAHs greater than the ERL, which could occasionally cause negative ecological effects. The work of this thesis also includes the determination of levels of PCBs and OCPs in the sediments of the Litani River which is a source of great environmental concern currently in Lebanon.

O método cerâmico é a rota de síntese mais utilizada na produção de materiais luminescentes no estado sólido dopados com íons terras raras. Porém, as altas temperaturas necessárias para a formação dos compostos somada ao longo tempo de síntese levantam questões sobre a viabilidade energética desse método. Nos dias atuais, há grande interesse em buscar alternativas mais sustentáveis que gastem menos energia, e produtos com performances cada vez melhores. Nesse cenário, foi proposta a síntese dos materiais com luminescência persistente em forno de micro-ondas doméstico, por se tratar de um equipamento relativamente barato, que gasta muito menos energia que um forno tubular convencional, e tem um tempo de síntese muito menor. Os materiais SrS:Eu2+,TR3+ (TR = Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Er e Yb) foram produzidos pelo método de síntese no estado sólido assistida por micro-ondas, e para validação e comparação do método, os materiais SrS:TR (TR = Eu2+, Ce3+, Sm3+ e Yb2+/3+) foram preparados por ambos os métodos cerâmico e assistido por micro-ondas. Estudos de estrutura e morfologia dos materiais preparados foram realizados com medidas de DRX em pó e XANES na borda-LIII dos íons terras raras e na borda-K do enxofre. As propriedades luminescentes dos materiais foram investigadas com medidas de termoluminescência, luminância, espectroscopia UVVisível, espectroscopia UV-Vácuo e XEOL. Todos os materiais dopados com Eu2+ têm uma banda larga de emissão centrada em 620 nm atribuída à transição 4f65d1→4f7 com forte efeito nefelauxético. Além do Eu2+, foram observadas transições 5d→4f para o Ce3+ e o Yb2+. Estudos de luminescência persistente mostraram que a co-dopagem do SrS:Eu2+ com íons TR3+ aumentaram a duração do tempo de emissão de luz dos materiais após cessada a fonte de irradiação em mais de 400 %. Além disso, não se observou diferença na duração do fenômeno para os diferentes íons co-dopantes, mostrando que o mecanismo de luminescência persistes nesse material é governado pelo armadilhamento de elétrons em defeitos pontuais na matriz. Um novo fenômeno foi observado com a intensa luminescência persistente gerada após irradiação com raios X. Por fim, foram realizados testes de aplicação dos materiais com luminescência persistente em iluminação no estado sólido para geração de luz branca, mostrando que eles podem ser utilizados em LEDs persistentes. / Hitherto, the ceramic method is the most employed synthesis route on the production of solid-state luminescent materials doped with rare-earth ions. However, the high temperatures required for the compounds formation added up to the long synthesis time give rise to questions about the energetic viability of this method. Nowadays there is a great interest in finding more sustainable alternatives which demands less energy and provides products with better performances. Is this scenario, the synthesis of the persistent luminescence materials in a domestic microwave oven was proposed, because it is a relatively cheap equipment that spends much less energy than a conventional tubular furnace and has a shorter synthesis time. Thus, the materials SrS:Eu2+,TR3+ (TR = Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Er e Yb) were prepared via the microwaveassisted solid-state synthesis, and, for validation and comparison between methods, the materials SrS:TR (TR = Eu2+, Ce3+, Sm3+ and Yb2+/3+) were prepared via both the ceramic and microwave-assisted methods. Studies of structure and morphology of the prepared materials were undertaken with XRD and XANES at LIII-edge of rare-earth ions and K-edge of sulfur measurements. The luminescent properties of the materials were explored with thermoluminescence, luminance, UV-Vis spectroscopy, VUV spectroscopy and XEOL measurements. All the Eu2+-doped materials have a large emission band centered at 620 nm assigned to the 4f65d1→4f7 transition with strong nephelauxetic effect. Besides Eu2+, 5d→4f transitions were observed for Ce3+ and Yb2+ as well. Persistent luminescence studies showed that co-doping SrS:Eu2+ with TR3+ have improved the light emission timespan in over 400 % after removing the irradiation source. Moreover, no difference was detected on the emission timespan for the different co-dopant ions, showing that the persistent luminescence mechanism for this material is governed by electron trapping on the matrix point defects. A new phenomenon with high-intensity persistent luminescence was observed in these materials after irradiation with X-ray. At last, tests of application of the persistent luminescent materials with solid-state white-lighting were made, showing that they can be used in persistent LEDs.

A presente tese tem como objetivo apresentar os resultados alcançados por meio de pesquisas sistemáticas de campo, laboratório e gabinete, que interligadas coligiram dados responsáveis uma compreensão mais assertiva sobre o modo de vida e dinâmica cultural dos grupos pré-históricos que ocuparam a Área Arqueológica de Xingó durante quase oito milênios. A pesquisa baseou-se em diferentes posicionamentos teóricos, tendo como foco as indústrias líticas evidenciadas e coletadas em dezesseis sítios arqueológicos, todos da área 03 de Xingó. Essa característica foi fundamental e nos permitiram inferir com maior segurança sobre as diferentes escolhas/estratégias envolvidas para concepção e manufatura dos conjuntos artefatuais (similaridades e diferenças), porém sempre cerceando a possibilidade de compreensão de como as populações pré-históricas que ocuparam a região estabeleceram seu sistema regional de assentamentos em terraço, tendo como hipótese norteadora que todos os sítios contemporâneos estariam conectados entre si no chamado complexo situacional de sítios. Metodologicamente, nossos dados foram sistematizados por meio da análise dos atributos formais e tecnológicos das indústrias líticas e de técnicas estatístico-comparativas, de forma que nos possibilitou reconstruir, mesmo que parcialmente, as seqüências operacionais dessa cultura material, inclusive partindo do pressuposto de variabilidade isocréstica. Em relação ao referencial teórico, foram utilizados múltiplos conceitos e abordagens que convergiram para a compreensão da paisagem enquanto construção social que, dotada de valores e significados, foi ser compreendida como o loci de ocupação continuada, ou lugares persistentes. / This thesis presents the final results of a long-term study after systematic research in field, in laboratory and in office that interconnected unify data which give us an assertive understanding of the life and cultural dynamic of prehistoric societies who occupied the Archaeological Zone of Xingo during eight thousand years. The research is based in different theoretical approaches, but focusing the lithic assemblage revealed and collected in sixteen archaeological sites, all of them into the included in the Area 3 of Xingo. These different approaches were essential in this research, giving me the opportunity to infer with security the differences on the co-participating strategies related to the conception and manufacture of the artefactual assemblages (similarities and differences), hence delimitating the possibility to understand how the Xingo an prehistoric populations established their regional settlement system on the fluvial benches. I used as a guide hypothesis the fact that all contemporaneous sites were connected among them in a situational complex of sites. Methodologically, my data was systematized through of formal analysis of the morphological and technological attributes of the lithic assemblages and through statistical-comparative techniques, which helped me to reconstruct partially the operational sequences of the material culture manufacture, including the isocrestic variability. In relation to my theoretical frames, I used multiples concepts and approaches that worked together to understand the landscape while a social construction immersed in social means and values which have been understood as a loci of continuous occupation or persistent places

A exposição ambiental aos poluentes orgânicos persistentes tem recebido amplo destaque na literatura recentemente devido à extensa associação entre o desenvolvimento de doenças metabólicas, obesidade e/ou diabetes mellitus, e a presença destes poluentes, principalmente os organoclorados, como as bifenilas policloradas (PCBs), no organismo. Por outro lado, os mecanismos de ação destes poluentes é controverso devido à elevada quantidade de representantes destas classes, gerando diversidade de protocolos de exposição e escassez de estudos experimentais. Por isto, foi objetivo deste trabalho elucidar os mecanismos de ação tóxica do PCB126, nas doses de 0,1; 1 ou 10 µg/kg de massa corpórea, em ratos Wistar machos, durante quinze dias, expostos por instilação intranasal. O procotolo de exposição empregado foi caracterizado e considerado suficiente para causar toxicidade, uma vez que foram observadas alterações no sistema imune, metabolismo e em parâmetros relacionados à gênese do diabetes mellitus. A caracterização da exposição foi determinada pela quantificação da concentração de PCB126 no fígado e pulmão (CG/MS) e pelo aumento da expressão do receptor aril hidrocarboneto (AhR) no rim, fígado, pulmão e tecido adiposo (Western Blot). O efeito imunossupressor do PCB126 foi evidenciado pelo comprometimento da produção de células na medula óssea e, consequentemente, no número de células totais no sangue circulante. Adicionalmente, foi evidenciada a interferência do poluente na via de ativação mediada por receptores acoplados à proteína G (GPCRs), principalmente em neutrófilos, alterando importantes funções destas células, como a expressão de moléculas de adesão, geração de espécies reativas de oxigênio e migração. Entre as alterações metabólicas observadas, destacamos o aumento dos níveis de triglicerídeos e colesterol sérico, aumento da liberação de ácidos graxos livres; aumento da atividade da enzima hepática gama glutamil transferase; aumento da resistência à insulina e aumento da geração de óxido nítrico pelas ilhotas de Langerhans, dados estes, possivelmente relacionados ao comprometimento das células beta (β) pancreáticas, confirmados pelo aumento da expressão de GLUT4 no tecido adiposo, aumento da concentração de insulina sérica e aumento do estresse oxidativo nas ilhotas de Langerhans. Em conjunto, os dados obtidos destacam importantes alterações causadas pela exposição intranasal ao PCB126, evidenciando a participação do poluente na gênese do diabetes mellitus do tipo II. / The environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants has been widely highlighted in recent literature due to the extensive association between the development of metabolic diseases, obesity and/or diabetes mellitus, and presence of these pollutants, especially organochlorines such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in organism. Moreover, the mechanisms of action of these pollutants are controversial due to the high number of PCBs congeners, diversity of exposure protocols and lack of experimental studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms of PCB126\'s toxic action at doses of 0.1; 1 or 10 µg/kg body weight in male Wistar rats exposed by intranasal instillation for 15 days. The established exposure procotol was characterized and considered sufficient to cause toxicity since changes were observed in the immune system, metabolism and in parameters related to the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Characterization of exposure was determined by quantifying the concentration of PCB126 in liver and lung (GC-MS) and by the increased expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in kidney, liver, lung, and adipose tissue (Western blot). The immunosuppressive effect of PCB126 was evidenced by impairment of cell production in the bone marrow and thus the total number of cells in the circulation. In addition, the interference of the pollutant in the activation pathway mediated by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), in particular in neutrophils, was observed by changing important functions of these cells such as the expression of adhesion molecules, reactive oxygen species generation, and migration. Among the metabolic changes observed, we highlight the increased levels of triglycerides and serum cholesterol, increased release of free fatty acids; increased gamma glutamyl transferase hepatic enzyme activity; increased insulin resistance and increased generation of nitric oxide by the islets of Langerhans, these data possibly related to the impairment of beta cells (β) pancreatic function, suggested by the increased expression of GLUT4 in adipose tissue, increased serum insulin concentration and increased oxidative stress in the islets of Langerhans. Altogether, these results highlight important changes caused by intranasal exposure to PCB126, suggesting participation of the pollutant in the genesis of diabetes mellitus type II.

A maioria dos materiais que apresentam o fenômeno da luminescência persistente possuem o íon Eu2+ como ativador, exibindo emissões sintonizáveis entre o azul e o verde. Entretanto, materiais com luminescência persistente na região do vermelho e infravermelho próximo (Near Infrared - NIR) são ainda pouco reportados na literatura. Portanto, foram preparados neste trabalho os materiais TR2O2S.Ln3+ e TR2O2S.Ln3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV (TR3+: La, Gd e Y; Ln3+: Eu e Yb) pelo método de síntese no estado sólido assistido por micro-ondas. Os materiais foram caracterizados pelas técnicas de Difração de raios X (DRX), Microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), Espectroscopia de absorção no infravermelho (IV), Espectroscopia de absorção de raios X próximo a borda com radiação síncrotron (XANES), Termoluminescência (TL) e Espectroscopia de excitação na região do UV-UV vácuo com radiação síncrotron. Quando excitados na banda de absorção da matriz (band gap) ou por exemplo, nas bandas de transferência de carga LMCT O2-(2p) → Eu3+(4f6) e S2-(3p) → Eu3+(4f6), os materiais TR2O2S:Eu3+ e TR2O2S:Eu3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV apresentam um grande número de bandas de emissão finas atribuídas às transições 5D2,1,0 → 7FJ do íon Eu3+. Os dados espectroscópicos sugerem um alto grau de covalência e uma baixa energia de fônons para as matrizes TR2O2S. Além do mais, os materiais TR2O2S:Yb3+ e TR2O2S:Yb3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV apresentam bandas de emissão finas na faixa 900-1050 nm (NIR) atribuídas à transição 2F5/2 → 2F7/2 do íon Yb3+. Os mecanismos de luminescência persistente foram propostos para os materiais TR2O2S:Ln3+ e TR2O2S:Ln3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV (TR3+: La, Gd e Y; Ln3+: Eu, Yb) e podem ser via armadilhamento de buracos ou via armadilhamento de elétrons. O mecanismo via armadilhamento de buracos é relativo à excitação dos íons Eu3+ e Yb3+ e explica a existência do fenômeno da luminescência persistente nos materiais sem co-dopantes (TR2O2S:Eu3+ e TR2O2S:Yb3+). De outra forma, o mecanismo via armadilhamento de elétrons ocorre nos materiais TR2O2S:Eu3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV e TR2O2S:Yb3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV para a emissão oriunda do íon Ti3+. Nos materiais TR2O2S:Eu3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV observa-se o processo de transferência de energia Ti3+ → Eu3+, o que leva a uma luminescência persistente mais eficiente do íon Eu3+. Por outro lado, devido à grande diferença de energia entre os íons Ti3+ e Yb3+, o processo de transferência de energia Ti3+ → Yb3+ não acontece para os materiais TR2O2S:Yb3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV. Portanto, a luminescência persistente ocorre via mecanismo de armadilhamento de buracos simultaneamente ao de armadilhamento de elétrons, obtendo uma luminescência persistente com contribuição no visível oriunda do íon Ti3+ e no NIR do íon Yb3+. Os materiais apresentam um grande potencial em aplicações e inovação tecnológica na área de fotônica como sondas biológicas luminescentes e sensibilizadores de células solares. / Most of persistent luminescent materials have the Eu2+ ion as an activator, displaying tunable emission color from blue to green region. However, there is a few examples of red and near infrared (NIR) persistent luminescent materials reported in literature. In this work, the TR2O2S:Ln3+ and TR2O2S:Ln3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV (TR3+: La, Gd and Y; Ln3+: Eu and Yb) luminescent materials were prepared by microwave-assisted solid state synthesis. The materials were characterized with X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Infrared absorption spectroscopy, synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption spectroscopy near edge (XANES), Thermoluminescence (TL) and synchrotron radiation UV-VUV spectroscopy. When excited at the host absorption band (band gap) or at the ligand-to-metal-charge-transfer bands (LMCT), O2-(2p) → Eu3+(4f6) and S2-(3p)→ Eu3+(4f6), the materials TR2O2S:Eu3+ and TR2O2S:Eu3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV display a large number of narrow emission bands assigned to Eu3+ 5D2,1,0→7FJ transitions. Spectroscopic data indicate a high degree of covalency and low phonon energy of TR2O2S hosts. The TR2O2S:Yb3+ and TR2O2S:Yb3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV materials show emission bands in the range from 900 to 1050 nm (NIR) assigned to the 2F5/2→2F7/2 transitions of Yb3+ ion. The persistent luminescence mechanisms were proposed for TR2O2S:Ln3+ and TR2O2S:Ln3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV (TR3+: La, Gd and Y; Ln3+: Eu and Yb) materials, there are two possible ways, hole-trapping or electron-trapping mechanisms. The hole-trapping mechanism is related to the excitation of Eu3+ and Yb3+ ions and explains the persistent luminescence phenomenon in non-co-doped materials (TR2O2S:Eu3+ and TR2O2S:Yb3+). The electron-trapping mechanism governs the persistent luminescence of Ti3+ ion in TR2O2S:Eu3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV and TR2O2S:Yb3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV materials. The Ti3+ → Eu3+ energy transfer was observed in TR2O2S:Eu3+,Mg3+,Ti3+/IV materials and leads to an improvement of Eu3+ persistent luminescence. On the other hand, due to the large energy levels gap between Ti3+ and Yb3+ ions, there is no Ti3+→Yb3+ energy transfer in TR2O2S:Yb3+,Mg2+,Ti3+/IV materials. Therefore, the persistent luminescence in these materials occurs with hole-trapping and electron-trapping mechanisms simultaneously, obtaining a visible-NIR persistent luminescence composed by Ti3+ and Yb3+ emissions, respectively. The materials exhibit great potential in biological and technological innovation in photonic areas such as luminescent probes and solar cell sensitizers

Modelos matemáticos de motoneurônios têm sido desenvolvidos para auxiliar na compreensão dos fenômenos que envolvem o sistema neuromuscular. Entretanto, a maioria dos modelos já desenvolvidos baseou-se na premissa de que a árvore dendrítica tem um comportamento passivo, o que ocorre em animais anestesiados, mas pode não ocorrer durante o comportamento motor normal de um animal intacto. Experimentos com animais descerebrados, em que as vias monoaminérgicas encontravam-se ativas, mostraram que os motoneurônios podem apresentar comportamentos mais complexos decorrentes da presença de condutâncias iônicas voltagem-dependentes que se situam nos dendritos e são responsáveis pela gênese de uma corrente de entrada persistente. Nesse sentido, um primeiro objetivo deste trabalho foi o de desenvolver novos modelos matemáticos de motoneurônios de diferentes tipos (i.e. dos tipos S, FR e FF), computacionalmente eficientes e contendo em seus compartimentos dendríticos uma condutância de cálcio do tipo L, de forma que os fenômenos de biestabilidade, potencial platô e amplificação da corrente sináptica efetiva possam ser gerados. Um segundo objetivo foi o de verificar como a presença da condutância iônica ativa no dendrito influencia o comportamento motoneuronal quando o mesmo está sujeito a entradas sinápticas de diferentes tipos. Os novos modelos foram parametrizados baseando-se em dados da literatura experimental para motoneurônios de gatos descerebrados e validados segundo os protocolos experimentais básicos que permitem caracterizar cada tipo de modelo como sendo totalmente ou parcialmente biestável. As entradas sinápticas foram simuladas por processos pontuais de Poisson e os trens de potenciais de ação dos motoneurônios foram analisados. Uma modulação senoidal da intensidade do processo pontual foi usada para estimar as respostas em frequência de cada modelo. Observou-se que, funcionalmente, a presença da condutância iônica dendrítica pode favorecer a ação do motoneurônio durante tarefas posturais, pois, uma vez ativada, a corrente de entrada persistente eleva a excitabilidade motoneuronal tornando os disparos mais regulares, além de prover uma alta sensibilidade dos modelos a entradas sinápticas de baixa frequência, correspondentes às oscilações observadas durante a manutenção da postura ereta quieta. / Mathematical models of motoneurons have been developed as an aid to the understanding of phenomena involving the neuromuscular system, but most of these models have been based on the hypothesis of a passive dendritic tree. This holds for anesthetized animals but not necessarily during normal motor behavior of the intact animal. Experiments with decerebrate animals in which the monoaminergic tracts were maintained intact have shown that more complex behaviors may emerge in motoneurons due to dendritic voltage-gated ionic conductances, which are responsible for a persistent inward current. Therefore, the first aim of this work was to develop computationally-efficient new motoneuron models of different types (i.e. type S, FR and FF) that include a dendritic L-type calcium conductance so that bistability, plateau potential and enhancement of effective synaptic current may be generated. The second aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of the active dendritic ionic conductance on the input-output mapping of presynaptic to postsynaptic spike trains. The new models were parameterized based on data reported in experimental literature on the decerebrate cat preparation, and they were validated using appropriate protocols for either fully or partially bistable dynamics. The synaptic inputs were simulated by Poisson point processes and the output spike trains were analyzed. Sinusoidal modulation of the point process intensity was used for the estimation of each models frequency response. The results suggested that an active dendritic ionic conductance in motoneurons has a functional role during postural tasks, because, when activated, the persistent inward current enhances the motoneuronal excitability, reducing the variability of interspike intervals, and focusing the sensitivity of the models to low frequency inputs that correspond to the low-frequency oscillations that typically occur during quiet standing posture.

Autonomy in multi-robot systems is bounded by coordination among its agents. Coordination implies simultaneous task decomposition, task allocation, team formation, task scheduling and routing; collectively termed as task planning. In many real-world applications of multi-robot systems such as commercial cleaning, delivery systems, warehousing and inventory management: spatial & temporal constraints, variable execution time, and energy limitations need to be integrated into the planning module. Spatial constraints comprise of the location of the tasks, their reachability, and the structure of the environment; temporal constraints express task completion deadlines. There has been significant research in multi-robot task allocation involving spatio-temporal constraints. However, limited attention has been paid to combine them with team formation and non- instantaneous task execution time. We achieve team formation by including quota constraints which ensure to schedule the number of robots required to perform the task. We introduce and integrate task activation (time) windows with the team effort of multiple robots in performing tasks for a given duration. Additionally, while visiting tasks in space, energy budget affects the robots operation time. We map energy depletion as a function of time to ensure long-term operation by periodically visiting recharging stations. Research on task planning approaches which combines all these conditions is still lacking. In this thesis, we propose two variants of Team Orienteering Problem with task activation windows and limited energy budget to formulate the simultaneous task allocation and scheduling as an optimization problem. A complete mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation for both variants is presented in this work, implemented using Gurobi Optimizer and analyzed for scalability. This work compares the different objectives of the formulation like maximizing the number of tasks visited, minimizing the total distance travelled, and/or maximizing the reward, to suit various applications. Finally, analysis of optimal solutions discover trends in task selection based on the travel cost, task completion rewards, robot's energy level, and the time left to task inactivation.