Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Brian C. Briggeman / Many cooperatives are growing at an exceptional rate. Cooperative growth has been fueled by producer consolidation, a highly competitive marketplace and new opportunities through rising global demand. However, growth at an exceptional rate may be unsustainable and could potentially cause significant financial stress. Cooperatives could get so caught up in growing that they could create problems, or “grow broke.” The sustainable growth rate (SGR) is a financial metric used by many businesses to address this potential growth problem and can be used by cooperatives to ensure their long-run success. Thus, the objective of this research is to better understand the SGRs of cooperatives, provide baseline SGRs, determine key attributes of higher growth rate cooperatives and key indicators of SGR changes. The SGR relates to the retained earnings growth of a cooperative. Boosting a cooperative’s retained earnings can be done by manipulating the four levers of growth to attain higher retained earnings. These financial decisions will also boost a firm’s SGR. Increased retained earnings lends more flexibility to expand through organic growth or acquisitions. The SGR provides little information if not compared to actual growth results across time and across industry standards. Actual growth rates are measured by the year-over-year change in sales as Higgins (1977) details. By determining the difference between actual sales and the SGR, the sustainable growth challenge (SGC) is found. The SGC is a straightforward way to see how far a firm is straying from the SGR and, over time, see where the correction was made to converge to the SGR. If a business has a negative SGC, then actual growth rates exceeded SGR, which means outside financing is necessary to fund growth. If SGC is positive, then the firm is not meeting their growth target and potentially not capturing their full value for their owners. (Higgins, 1977) A seemingly unrelated regression approach is used to analyze the interrelationships of the four levers of growth using panel data from the CoBank Risk Analyst database of Midwest cooperatives’ financial and operating information. Breaking cooperatives into “large” and “small” designated groups will aids determining factors of boosted retained earnings. The cooperatives are also grouped based on regional location as well as the percentage that farm supply sales make up total sales. The drivers of SGR in today’s cooperatives will be examined—higher profit margin, or lower patronage—to determine which factors are more practical for specific cooperative size and type. In addition, the size of cooperative that faces the largest SGC and whether that sector also has a higher or lower SGR is of interest to this research. (“CoBank Risk Analyst Database,” 2017) Econometric results identify the most useful levers to boost the SGR, change the SGC or both. Profit margin is the key driver of sustainable growth; however, operating efficiency and leverage are key factors as well. When a growth challenge is present, leverage is most often used and the biggest contributor to changes in the SGC. Cooperatives of each size, location and region grow and are affected by growth challenges. This study will help cooperative directors understand the financial decision repercussions on growth and growth challenges.

This diploma thesis deals with the nutrition and evaluation of salmonid fish species, more precisely Riverine brown trout. In the practical part, I have dealt with two studies, by monitoring the growth of fish from 50 g to market weight and monitoring the growth of fish from 125 g to market weight. In both studies, food that was used to fed was a feed Aller gold 3 mm, Aller gold 4,5 mm and Coppens ultra 4,5 mm. In the first test, I fed fish on an average for 180 days to achieve a market weight of 268,14 g. In second test on an average for 108 days to achieve a market weight of 342,72 g. Furthermore, on these fish were performed partial tests such as the FCR fodder, the specific growth rate of the SGR, fish survival per period, cumulative fish survival, relative fish gain over the reference period, and the relative ratio of FCR/SGR. The system in which the fish were kept was flowing. As a result, the values evaluated by the software differed from the measured values, mainly because the software evaluated the values for all the ponds and only for the whole time of breeding from the input and final data, whereas I evaluated the values only for the individual ponds and the individual stages of the breeding, which take into account interventions in the pond stock. Therefore, all FCR feed rates and survival percentages differ from those measured. Deviations are noticeable in the first test, the "KASA" program evaluated the FCR at an average of 1.31 and my value was 0.93; the survival rate was 63.82% on average, and my score was 88.41%. In the second test, the results differed again for the same reason. The software evaluated the FCR on average at 0.97 and my average score was 0.94; the survival rate for the second test evaluated the program at 102.61% and my score was 97.05%. Comparing the test period, the more favorable results were obtained when using fish with an average weight of 125 g.

Sgr A*, le trou noir supermassif le plus proche de nous, émet une luminosité quiescente très faible ainsi que des éruptions en infrarouge proche (NIR), rayons X et radio. Cette thèse a pour but d'étudier l'effet du passage de DSO/G2 près de Sgr A* sur les éruptions. J'ai utilisé et amélioré trois méthodes pour l'étude en rayons X : les blocs Bayésiens en deux passes pour détecter les éruptions avec une certaine probabilité, le lissage des courbes de lumières pour diminuer le bruit de Poisson et la méthode de Monte Carlo par chaînes de Markov pour l'ajustement des spectres des éruptions. J'ai contraint les paramètres physiques de la source pour une des 3 éruptions détectées en rayons X en 2011 et pour 3 éruptions détectées en rayons X et NIR durant la campagne multi-longueurs d'onde de février-avril 2014. L'activité en rayons X et NIR de février-avril 2014 correspond à celle observée avant le passage de DSO/G2 près de Sgr A*. J'ai calculé le taux d'éruption intrinsèque en rayons X de Sgr A* en 1999-2015 et détecté une plus faible activité à partir du 28 octobre 2013. L'énergie stockée pendant cette période peut expliquer la plus forte activité observée du 30 août au 9 septembre 2014. / Sgr A*, the closest supermassive black hole, is an extremely low luminosity black hole emitting flares in near-infrared (NIR), X-rays and radio. The goal of this Ph.D. is to study the impact of the pericenter passage of the Dusty S-cluster Object DSO/G2 close to Sgr A* on the flaring activity. I used and improved three methods for the study in X-rays: the two-steps Bayesian blocks method to detect flares with a given false detection probability, the light curve smoothing to reduce the Poisson noise and the Monte Carlo Markov chains method for the fitting of the flare spectra. I constrained the physical parameters of the flaring region for one of the three X-ray flares detected in 2011 and for three NIR/X-ray flares detected during the 2014 Feb.-Apr. multiwavelength campaign. The X-ray and NIR activity during the 2014 Feb.-Apr. is not different from those observed before the DSO/G2 pericenter passage. I computed the intrinsic flaring rate in X-rays from Sgr A* in 1999-2015 and I detected a smaller flaring activity beginning on 2013 Oct. 28. The energy saved during this time period could explain the largest activity observed from 2014 Aug. 30 to Sept. 9.

This thesis is composed of three published articles. Each chapter is devoted to an article. In the first part the origin of some of the single radio pulsars with relatively low magnetic fields (B &lt / 1e12 G) and with characteristic ages (tau) less than 1e7 years is questioned. We proposed that such pulsars might occur as a result of the disruption of high-mass X-ray binary systems after a second supernova explosion. In these binaries, mass accretion on to the surface of X-ray pulsars may lead to the decrease in the magnetic field from its value at birth (B similar to 1e12 &ndash / 1e13 G) down to B &lt / 1e12 G similar to the processes in low-mass X-ray binaries. In the second part we put together many observational data of SGRs and AXPs and analyzed them with the main purpose of the removal of contradiction between the real age (t) of these objects and their characteristic times of period change (tau). SGRs and AXPs are neutron stars that undergo star-quakes. Magnetic activity increases from time to time. We suggest that as a result of these processes plasma is ejected from the NS and propeller mechanism starts to work. Due to propeller effect dP/dt increases, tau decreases. Indeed, high dP/dt values are observed in SGRs and in half of the AXPs. Then, for a long time NS looses its activity, its dP/dt decreases, tau increases and rapid cooling begins. It seems that there is a possible transition between each NS stage (AXP,SGR,dim). This transient cycle may be repeated once or several times until the spin period of the neutron star becomes P &gt / 10 - 12 s. Observational data and mainly the data of AXP 1E 1048-5937 and DRQNS RX J1308.8+2127 support this idea. In the third part dependence of the X-ray luminosity (Lx) of young single pulsars, due to ejection of relativistic particles, on electric field intensity, rate of rotational energy loss (dE/dt), magnetic field, period and some other parameters of neutron stars are discussed. Influence of the magnetic field and effects of some other parameters of neutron stars on the Lx - dE/dt and the Lx - tau(characteristic time) relations are considered. Evolutionary factors also play an important role in our considerations. Only the pulsars whose X-ray luminosity in the 2 &ndash / 10 keV energy band is greater than 1033 erg/s have pulsar wind nebula around them. The pulsars from which gamma-ray radiation has been observed have low X-ray luminosity in general.

Submitted by PAULO GABRIEL FRANCO DOS SANTOS null (paulogabriel22@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-07-28T17:35:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese - Paulo Gabriel F dos Santos - 2017.pdf: 1759717 bytes, checksum: b00e6d4d3a56c3e3b21a857eac1c0924 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-08-03T14:39:41Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_pgf_dr_bauru.pdf: 1759717 bytes, checksum: b00e6d4d3a56c3e3b21a857eac1c0924 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-03T14:39:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_pgf_dr_bauru.pdf: 1759717 bytes, checksum: b00e6d4d3a56c3e3b21a857eac1c0924 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente tese busca sustentar um modelo de formação de professores baseado na perspectiva da experiência formativa de Walter Benjamin. Diante do declínio da experiência na modernidade, o desafio desta investigação é direcionado no sentido de criar um espaço favorável à experiência formativa, reivindicando relações orgânicas entre sujeito e objeto de conhecimento, do trabalhador com os produtos e o contexto do seu trabalho e como sobrevivência à reiteração do sujeito em tempos de industrialização e de império da racionalidade instrumental. Busca-se também desenvolver um caminho formativo para a profanação da Ciência e a Tecnologia pela via do tratamento das Questões Sociocientíficas, isto é, a reapropriação destes empreendimentos pelo ser humano como produção cultural, histórica, dinâmica, de modo a desmistificá-las e questionar sua suposta neutralidade e linearidade ascendente. Assim, o objetivo central da pesquisa é delinear a natureza de um contexto formativo de professores com intencionalidades de se constituir como comunidade de experiência e caracterizar o caráter do tratamento de Questões Sociocientíficas nesse contexto. O processo metodológico de pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, inclui a participação ativa do pesquisador em reuniões periódicas com os professores, esforços para criar um lugar de construção de sentido, produção coletiva de conhecimentos e de conteúdos para trabalhar em sala de aula pelos professores envolvidos. Entendendo que a narração é uma expressão genuína da experiência e que narrar se converte também em uma experiência, as narrações dos professores do Pequeno Grupo de Pesquisa (PGP) são as fontes de informação para o desenvolvimento da análise, bem como as experiências do pesquisador. A análise é desenvolvida sob a perspectiva de constelação que consiste em um momento analítico-conceitual, com categorias criadas com base nos referenciais teóricos adotados, e representacional, que consiste na justaposição das categorias, constituição de imagens dialéticas e reagrupamento das imagens, configurando um movimento do particular concreto para a totalidade social apreendida pela experiência de pesquisa. De forma geral, caminhar entre dois mundos conceituais e concretos é transitar em um caminho tensionado, a figura ambígua do pesquisador como estrangeiro e como figura central garante a sustentação da interface Universidade-Escola, o trabalho docente povoado de fantasmagorias e incluso no fluxo da multidão requer interrupção e objetivação da realidade para torná-la elemento experiencial e o contexto de formação se constitui como uma promessa de redenção para os docentes, o exercício de rememoração e construção de significados contribui para a conformação de valores e práticas no contexto formativo e a elaboração e tratamento de Questões Sociocientíficas em um contexto de experiência formativa reclama elementos de legitimidade, relevância dos conteúdos e das práticas, abertura para a criatividade e autoria, profanação dos empreendimentos da ciência e da tecnologia e constante retorno para o lugar de formação para sua sustentação e produção de sentido. / This thesis seeks to sustain a teacher education model based on the perspective of the formative experience of Walter Benjamin. Faced with the decline of experience in modernity, the challenge of this research is directed towards creating a favorable space to formative experience, demanding for organic relations between subject and object of knowledge, worker and the products and the context of its work, as survival to the reification of the subject in times of industrialization and empire of instrumental rationality. The aim is to also develop a formative way to the profanation of Science and Technology via the treatment of socio-scientific issues, i.e. the reappropriation of these institutions by humans as cultural, historical and dynamic production, in order to demystify them and to inquire their supposed neutrality and ascending linearity. Thus, the central objective of the research is to delineate the nature of a formative context of teachers with intentions to constitute itself as a community of experience and to characterize the character of the treatment of Socio-Scientific Issues in this context. The methodological research process, of qualitative nature, includes the active participation of the researcher in regular meetings with teachers, efforts to create a place of construction of meaning, collective production of knowledge and content to work in the classroom by the teachers involved. Understanding that the narration is a genuine expression of experience and narrate also becomes experience, the narrations of the teachers in the Small Group of Reasearch (SGR) are the sources of information for the development of analysis, as well as the experiences of the researcher. The analysis is developed in the constellation perspective which consists of an analytical-conceptual moment, with categories created based on the theoretical framework adopted, and representational moment, which is the juxtaposition of categories, constitution of dialectical images and images reassembly, setting a movement from the particular concrete to the social totality apprehended by the research’s experience. In general, to walk between two conceptual and concrete worlds is to move on a tense path, the ambiguous figure of the researcher as a foreigner and the central figure guarantees the support of the University-School interface, the teaching work populated by phantasmagorias and as part of the crowd flow requires interruption and objectification of reality to make it an experiential element, the context of formation represents a promise of redemption for teachers, the exercise of rememoring and constructing meanings contributes to the conformation of values and practices in the formative context, and the elaboration and treatment of Socio-Scientific Issues in a context of formative experience claims for elements of legitimacy, relevance of contents and practices, openness to creativity and authorship, profanation of science and technology enterprises and constant return to the formation place for their support and production of sense.

With energy outputs >~10^51 erg in 0.1-1000 seconds, Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful events yet observed in the Universe. As such they are potential probes of the very early Universe, back to the era of re-ionisation and the first stars, but at the same time they have been observed to span a wide range in luminosity and redshift from the relatively local Universe (z~0.0085) out to z~6.29. GRBs divide into two classes based primarily on their duration as measured by T90 (the time taken to observe 90% of the total burst fluence). Long bursts (L-GRBs) have T90>~2 seconds, and shorts (S-GRBs) T90<~2 seconds. Though much has been learned regarding long duration GRBs since the first afterglow discovery in 1997 (including their likely association with massive core collapse supernovae), much remains unknown regarding short duration GRBs. In this work, after a brief historical introduction and review, we present analyses of the angular cross-correlation on the sky of short GRBs from the BATSE catalogue with galaxies in the local Universe sampled from the PSCz Redshift Survey and the Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies (RC3). In particular we show that 20%+/-8% (1 sigma) of all BATSE short duration bursts (localised to 10 degrees or better) show correlation with galaxy samples (morphological T-type<=4) within ~112 Mpc. Our statistics thus provide evidence that a substantial fraction of BATSE short GRBs show a tendency to be associated with large scale structure on the sky traced by a variety of galaxy types. Short GRBs are believed to be produced in the final merger of compact object (neutron star-neutron star or neutron star-black hole) binaries, though other possible progenitors are known to exist. The short initial spike of a giant flare from a Soft Gamma Repeater (SGR) such as the December 27th 2004 event from SGR1806-20 would have been detectable by BATSE as a short GRB if it occurred in a galaxy within ~30-50 Mpc (assuming a distance to SGR1806-20 of 15 kpc). Using the observed luminosities and rates of Galactic SGR giant flares, as well as theoretical predictions for the rate of binary mergers, we investigate the ability of plausible Luminosity Functions (LF), singly and in combination, to reproduce our observed correlations and a cosmological S-GRB population. We find the correlations are best explained by a separate population of lower luminosity S-GRBs, with properties consistent with them being due to giant flares from extra-galactic SGRs. Overall predicted number counts are a good fit to the observed BATSE number counts, and furthermore, the wider redshift distribution is consistent with the early Swift S-GRB redshift distribution. The three closest GRBs which have been observed to date were all long duration bursts, and we have therefore also searched for cross-correlation signals between the BATSE long GRBs and local galaxies. The three nearby bursts shared several similar properties such as being under-luminous, spectrally soft and of low variability. We have therefore also investigated a subset of L-GRBs with light curve properties similar to these known nearby bursts. The whole sample is found to exhibit a correlation level consistent with zero (1 sigma upper limit=10%, equivalent to 144 bursts) out to a radius of ~155 Mpc, but a spectrally soft, low observed fluence and low variability subset shows a correlation level of 28%+/-16% (=50+/-28 bursts) within 155 Mpc. These results are consistent with low-luminosity, low-variability bursts being a separate sub-class of L-GRBs which may be much more prevalent in the local Universe than their high-luminosity, cosmologically distant counterparts. To investigate this further, we once again examined plausible luminosity functions for single and dual high and low luminosity populations, based on observed intrinsic rates from the literature. The local population was once again found only to be produced to a sufficient level (while maintaining consistency with the observed overall number counts) by a separate low luminosity population with intrinsic rates several hundred times greater than their cosmological counterparts. Constraining the models via the Swift overall redshift distribution instead of threshold-adjusted BATSE number counts showed that the dual LF models were able to produce excellent fits to the entire redshift distribution while adequately reproducing a local population. Finally, suggestions are made as to the direction future work may follow in order to build on these initial investigations, as well as to how observations with future missions and detectors such as Fermi (formerly GLAST), Advanced LIGO and LOFAR may shed further light on nearby GRBs.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Foreland basins commonly fill with sediment derived from the adjacent fold/thrust belt, providing a relatively simple source-to-basin configuration. However, that is not true for the early southwestern Karoo Basin, since the composition of the Ecca Group sedimentary rocks do not match the composition of the adjacent fold/thrust belt. The southwestern Karoo Basin is bordered to the west and south by the Cape Fold Belt (CFB) and provides the opportunity to study the linkage between its early structural evolution and deposition in the two spatially and temporally distinct Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentres. The CFB was formed when the early Palaeozoic passive continental margin, which formed a large section of the southern edge of Gondwana, evolved into an active convergent margin during the late Palaeozoic. Orogenesis resulted in a northwest-trending Cedarberg branch and an eastwest-trending Swartberg branch. The oroclinal bend between the two branches includes large-scale northeast-trending syntaxis structures, such as the Hex River and Baviaanshoek anticlinoria, which influenced the sedimentation path into the basin. Spectral gamma ray (SGR), mineralogical and geochemical studies of exposed rocks from the Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentres indicate a near uniform provenance for both, dominated by granitic and metamorphic material derived from a provenance seemingly far beyond the CFB. SGR data, combined with lithology, show that regional stratigraphic correlation is possible in the Skoorsteenberg, Kookfontein and Waterford Formations in the Tanqua depocentre. The same is true for the Laingsburg and Fort Brown Formations in the Laingsburg depocentre. There are no major changes in the SGR data set between the successive sandstone or shale units that could imply different origin, and no distinct signals in the SGR pattern of the shale intervals that could potentially correspond to maximum flooding surfaces. The Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentre sandstones are very fine- to lower mediumgrained, tightly packed, poorly to well sorted, and have undergone mechanical compaction and pressure solution. The mineralogical composition and texture of these sandstones suggest that they have undergone high-grade diagenesis to low-grade regional burial metamorphism to the lower greenschist facies (250 ± 50ºC; ~2 kbars). They are mineralogically and geochemically classified as lithic arenites and greywackes, and the Tanqua depocentre sandstones are slightly more mature than the Laingsburg depocentresandstones. REE patterns for the Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentre sandstones are similar, suggesting that both form part of the same evolutionary pattern and that the sediments have one common origin, i.e. a provenance predominantly composed of granitic material. Homogenous εNd-values for all sandstone samples of around –5 at the time of deposition indicate that there is little or no variation in provenance between the Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentre sediments. TCHUR model ages of 0.70 to 0.95 Ga, and TDM model ages of 1.19 to 1.49 Ga, resulted from a mixture of Archaean and Proterozoic material in unknown proportions. The most likely source terrane is thought to be the North Patagonian Massif. The latter show Nd isotopic compositions corresponding to an average εNd-value of -5 at 265 Ma. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voorlandkomme word oor die algemeen gevul met sediment afkomstig van die aanliggende plooigordel, wat lei tot ‘n redelik eenvoudige brongebied-tot-afsettingskom konfigurasie. Dit is egter nie van toepassing vir die vroeë suidwestelike Karookom nie, aangesien die samestelling van die Ecca Groep sedimentêre gesteentes nie ooreenstem met die samestelling van die aanliggende plooigordel nie. Die suidwestelike Karookom word aan die weste en suide begrens deur die Kaapse Plooigordel en bied die geleentheid om die verwantskap tussen die vroeë strukturele evolusie en afsetting in die twee ruimtelik en temporeel afsonderlike Tankwa en Laingsburg subkomme te bestudeer. Die Kaapse Plooigordel het gevorm toe die vroeë Palaeosoïkum kontinentale grens, wat ‘n groot deel van die suidelike grens van Gondwana was, ontwikkel het tot ‘n aktiewe konvergerende grens gedurende die laat Palaeosoïkum. Orogenese het gelei tot die vorming van ‘n noordwes-strekkende Sederberg tak en ‘n ooswes-strekkende Swartberg tak. Die oroklinale buig tussen die twee takke sluit grootskaalse noordoosstrekkende sintaksis strukture in, soos die Hex Rivier en Baviaanshoek antiklinoria, wat die sedimentasie rigtings na die kom beïnvloed het. Spektrale gammastraal (SGR), mineralogiese en geochemiese studies op die dagsome van die Tankwa en Laingsburg subkomme dui ‘n byna identiese brongebied aan vir beide, oorheers deur granitiese en metamorfe materiaal vanaf ‘n brongebied oënskynlik vêr vanaf die Kaapse Plooigordel. SGR data, gekombineer met litologie, dui aan dat dit moontlik is om regionale stratigrafiese korrelasies in the Skoorsteenberg, Kookfontein en Waterford Formasies in die Tankwa subkom te maak. Dieselfde geld vir die Laingsburg en Fort Brown Formasies in die Laingsburg subkom. Daar is geen groot veranderinge, wat ‘n verskil in oorsprong kan aandui, in the SGR datastel tussen die opeenvolgende sandsteen of skalie eenhede nie, en ook geenuitstaande tekens in the SGR patroon van die skalie-intervalle wat moontlik kan ooreenstem met ‘n maksimum vloedingsvlak nie. Die Tankwa en Laingsburg subkom sandsteenlae is baie fyn- tot laervlak mediumkorrelrig, dig gekompakteer, swak tot goed gesorteer, en het meganiese kompaksie en drukoplossing ondergaan. Die mineralogiese samestelling en tekstuur van hierdie sandsteenlae dui daarop dat hulle hoë-graadse diagenese tot lae-graadse regionale begrawingsmetamorfose tot laervlak groenskis fasies (250 ± 50ºC; ~2 kbars) ondergaan het. Hulle word mineralogies en geochemies geklassifiseer as litiese areniete en grouwakke. Die Tankwa subkom sandsteenlae is effens meer volwasse as die Laingsburg subkom sandsteenlae. Die lantanietgroep patroon vir die Tanqua en Laingsburg sandsteenlae is eenders, wat aandui dat beide deel gevorm het van dieselfde evolusionêre ontwikkeling en dat die sedimente een gesamentlike oorsprong gehad het, naamlik ‘n brongebied bestaande hoofsaaklik uit granitiese materiaal. Homogene εNd-waardes van ongeveer –5 by tye van afsetting vir al die sandsteen monsters dui daarop dat daar min of geen verandering in brongebied vir die Tankwa en Laingsburg subkom sedimente was nie. TCHUR model ouderdomme van 0.70 tot 0.95 Ga, en TDM model ouderdomme van 1.19 tot 1.49 Ga, is afkomstig van ‘n mengsel van Argeïese en Proterosoïese materiaal in onbekende hoeveelhede. Die mees waarskynlike brongebied is die Noord Patagoniese Gebergtes. Dit wys Nd isotopiese samestellings wat ooreenstem met ‘n gemiddelde εNd-waarde van –5 by 265 Ma.

Le centre de la Galaxie abrite un trou noir supermassif nommé Sgr A*. Grâce à l'instrument GRAVITY, les capacités de haute résolution angulaire du VLTI permettront pour la première fois l'observation directe de l'environnement immédiat d'un tel trou noir. Pour atteindre ce but astrophysique, il est nécessaire d'obtenir des observables interférométriques de grande précision et d'appliquer des techniques de reconstruction d'images. Dans ce contexte, j'ai pu dans une première partie de ma thèse, employer différentes méthodes d'imagerie interférométrique en infrarouge suite à l'observation de la supergéante rouge Alpha Orionis (Bételgeuse) avec l'interféromètre à trois télescopes IOTA. Ces travaux ont pu notamment conduire à la mise en évidence de structures asymétriques brillantes à la surface de l'étoile qui sont très probablement de nature convective.<br /><br />La précision des observables interférométriques conditionne la qualité de la reconstruction d'image. Dans une deuxième partie, j'ai pu pratiquer une étude des performances interférométriques simulées de GRAVITY afin d'estimer la précision sur les phases et visibilités qu'il délivrera. Afin d'optimiser les futures observations de GRAVITY, il est essentiel d'avoir une idée des caractéristiques spatiales et temporelles de son objectif scientifique majeur qu'est Sgr A*. Pour cela, j'ai pu finalement participer à une campagne d'observation multi-longueurs d'onde de l'environnement de ce trou noir. A cette occasion, j'ai utilisé le mode BURST du spectro-imageur VISIR pour obtenir une haute résolution angulaire et une grande sensibilité au rayonnement de Sgr A*. Ceci m'a conduit à obtenir une limite supérieure la plus basse jamais enregistrée à 8,6 microns. Autre fait marquant, ces observations ont révélé la présence d'un sursaut d'intensité lumineuse en proche infrarouge. Si le processus de rayonnement n'est pas encore parfaitement modélisé, ces observations tendent à confirmer que les sursauts tirent leur origine d'un mouvement orbital de matière à quelques rayons de Schwarzschild de Sgr A*.<br /><br />Grâce à sa précision astrométrique de 10 micro-secondes d'angle, correspondant à un rayon de Schwarzschild à la distance du Centre Galactique, GRAVITY sera en mesure de résoudre le mouvement orbital de ces spots de matière et de comprendre la nature d'un tel rayonnement. De plus, il permettra la mesure directe de la métrique d'espace-temps et l'étude de la relativité générale en champ fort.

Le parsec central de la Galaxie a été observé à l'aide de spectro-imagerie BEAR haute résolution spectrale (jusqu'à 21 km/s) et moyenne résolution spatiale (0,5"), dans les raies Bracket gamma (2,16 micron) et He I à 2,06 microns, et d'imagerie haute résolution. Ces données ont servi à étudier la population d'étoiles jeunes et massives, la structure et la dynamique des flots de gaz ionisé de Sgr A Ouest. Les résultats obtenus, notamment la séparation des étoiles en un groupe de 6 LBV d'une part (le complexe IRS 16) et plus de 20 Wolf-Rayet d'autre part, ainsi que la résolution de IRS 13E en un amas d'au moins 6 étoiles massives, soutiennent l'idée d'une formation des étoiles jeunes en un amas massif à distance du Centre Galactique. La vision très détaillée de Sgr A Ouest et le modèle cinématique proposé du Bras Nord soutiennent l'idée que ce gaz ionisé est constitué par les fronts d'ionisation de plus vastes nuages neutres étirés par les forces de marée, provenant du Disque circumnucléaire.

Submitted by ANA CLAUDIA SILVA BRAGA null (anabragga@gmail.com) on 2017-08-31T16:15:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Doutorado Ana Claudia Silva Braga.pdf: 4552779 bytes, checksum: 456de4a6fbfd60347292d8755d6c8c47 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-09-01T14:16:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 braga_acs_dr_sjrp.pdf: 4552779 bytes, checksum: 456de4a6fbfd60347292d8755d6c8c47 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-01T14:16:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 braga_acs_dr_sjrp.pdf: 4552779 bytes, checksum: 456de4a6fbfd60347292d8755d6c8c47 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-04 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O vírus da hepatite C (HCV) causa a doença da Hepatite C e estima-se que cerca de 3% da população mundial esteja infectada com o vírus. A infecção por HCV promove a alteração na expressão de várias proteínas celulares. Estudos têm demonstrado que muitas proteínas de choque térmico (HSPs) possuem um perfil de expressão alterado na presença do vírus e algumas HSPs interagem diretamente com proteínas do HCV. Assim, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar in vitro os níveis de expressão de proteínas de choque térmico na presença e ausência de HCV. Com este propósito, células de hepatoma humano Huh7.5 e células Huh7.5 infectadas com o vírus (HCV JFH-1) foram submetidas à extração de RNA e síntese de cDNA. A expressão diferencial de 84 HSPs e chaperonas foi avaliada por qPCR Array. Os resultados demonstram que cinco genes apresentaram expressão aumentada (em Log2 2), enquanto outros cinco apresentaram expressão reduzida. Para validar estes resultados os 10 genes diferencialmente expressos foram testados por qPCR em três modelos celulares para o HCV: células contendo replicon subgenômico do HCV (SGR-JFH-1), células infectadas com JFH-1 (ambos do genótipo 2a) e células contendo o replicon subgenômico S52 (genótipo 3). O gene HSPB8 mostrou expressão aumentada nos três modelos testados, condizente com os resultados obtidos por qPCR Array. Em seguida, promovemos o silenciamento de HSPB8 e foi observado um aumento na replicação viral. Em contraste, quando aumentamos a expressão de HSPB8, o HCV teve uma diminuição na taxa de replicação. O mesmo procedimento foi adotado para o gene DNAJC5B, validado no modelo viral genótipo 3, e o HCV mostrou padrão de replicação semelhante ao observado para o gene anterior. Esses resultados sugerem que HSPB8 pode atuar como um fator intracelular contra a replicação do vírus da hepatite C e DNAJC5B apresenta a mesma função, mas específico para o genótipo 3. Também avaliamos interações diretas com proteínas do HCV e os resultados demonstraram uma interação física entre a proteína NS4B de HCV e HSPB8. Esses resultados podem contribuir para uma melhor compreensão dos mecanismos envolvidos na replicação do HCV. / Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes Hepatitis C disease and it is estimated that about 3% of world population are infected with the virus. HCV infection promotes alteration in the expression of several cellular proteins. Studies have shown that many heat shock proteins (HSPs) have an altered expression profile in the presence of the virus and some HSPs interact directly with HCV proteins. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate in vitro the expression levels of heat shock proteins in the presence and absence of HCV. With this purpose, human hepatoma Huh7.5 cells and Huh7.5 cells infected with the virus (HCV JFH-1) were subjected to RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis. The differential expression of 84 HSPs and chaperones was assessed by qPCR Array. The results demonstrate that five genes showed increased expression (over Log2 2), while five other presented reduced expression. To validate these results, the 10 differentially expressed genes were tested by real-time PCR in three different HCV cell culture models: subgenomic HCV replicon cells (SGR-JFH-1), JFH-1 infected cells (both genotype 2a) and subgenomic S52 cells (genotype 3). The HSPB8 gene showed increased expression in all of three tested models, consistent with qPCR Array results. Then we promoted the silencing of HSPB8 and observed an increase in viral replication. In contrast, when we increased an expression of HSPB8, HCV had a decrease in replication rate. The same procedure was adopted for the DNAJC5B, validated in the viral model genotype 3, and HCV showed replication pattern similar to that observed for the previous gene. These results suggest that HSPB8 may act as an intracellular factor against hepatitis C virus replication and DNAJC5B have the same function, but genotype 3 specific. We also evaluated direct interactions with HCV proteins and the results demonstrated a physical interaction between the HCV NS4B protein with HSPB8. These results can contribute for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in HCV replication. / FAPESP: 2013/17253-9