In this thesis, we mainly address two contrasting topics in the area of saturated fusion systems. The first concerns the notion of a centraliser of a subsystem E of a fusion system F, and we give new proofs of the existence of such an object in the case where E is normal in F. The second concerns the development of the theory of `trees of fusion systems', an analogue for fusion systems of Bass-Serre theory for finite groups. A major theorem finds conditions on a tree of fusion systems for there to exist a saturated completion, and this is applied to construct and classify certain fusion systems over p-groups with an abelian subgroup of index p. Results which do not fall into either of the above categories include a new proof of Thompson's normal p-complement Theorem for saturated fusion systems and characterisations of certain quotients of fusion systems which possess a normal subgroup.

Thesis (MSc (Physics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / In the presented study a diode laser was characterised and used for spec- troscopy, measuring the resonance lines of atomic rubidium. The characteristics of diode lasers and external cavity diode lasers (ECDL) for the purposes of ab- sorption spectroscopy were investigated and an experimental setup for tunable diode laser spectroscopy using an ECDL was developed. In external cavity diode lasers, the advantages of low cost, small size and e ciency of a diode laser is combined with tunability and a narrow frequency bandwidth. The ECDL was applied in experimental setups for absorption spectroscopy and saturated ab- sorption spectroscopy. Measurement of the absorption of atomic rubidium's D2 line near 780 nm is discussed. The Doppler broadened, as well as the Doppler free spectrum of the ne and hyper ne structure of the D2 line were measured and is discussed. Finer control of the ECDL's stability and frequency, using a servo circuit, were investigated and tested. An overview is given of laser cool- ing and trapping of neutral rubidium atoms, which is the main application the ECDL were developed for.

Increasing urbanization is often accompanied by problematic changes in watershed hydrology. Decreasing surface permeability can lead to increased overland flow volumes, which may spread surficial contaminants and increase the strain on municipal stormwater infrastructure. This study examines a mixed-use property in the Proctor Creek watershed in Atlanta, Georgia, to better understand how land-management practices influence soil overland flow potential. Field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) measurements were collected from soils 1) subjected to compaction, 2) in urban agricultural use, and 3) under common lawn maintenance. Mean values were 9.1E-7 cm/s, 2.2E-4 cm/s, and 9.0E-6 cm/s respectively. Measurements were collected in-situ with the use of the Aardvark constant-head permeameter. Statistical analyses indicated a substantial difference in Kfs based on land-management practices and that urban farming can increase soil Kfs and limit overland flow. Additional analysis revealed no significant difference in grain-size distributions suggesting land-management practices controlled Kfs, not soil texture.

2 pp. / [Healthy Fats -- Guide for Improving the Quality of Fat Intake] / The fact sheet reviews healthy fats and how to incorporate a healthy amount of fat into our diet. Fats are necessary for our bodies to function properly. In fact, fats are an important part of a healthy diet and we can't live without them. Fats can be grouped into two groups: saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Both these fats, when eaten in moderation and used in place of saturated and trans fats, can help lower cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease. We provide a list of "Do's" and "Tips" which gives examples of how to select fats wisely and incorporate healthy changes into our diet. We also provide a guide for selecting an appropriate portion size of fat.

2 pp. / The fact sheet reviews healthy fats and how to incorporate a healthy amount of fat into our diet. Fats are necessary for our bodies to function properly. In fact, fats are an important part of a healthy diet and we can't live without them. Fats can be grouped into two groups: saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Both these fats, when eaten in moderation and used in place of saturated and trans fats, can help lower cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease. We provide a list of "Do's" and "Tips" which gives examples of how to select fats wisely and incorporate healthy changes into our diet. We also provide a guide for selecting an appropriate portion size of fat.

The S shaped log log drawdown time curve typical of pumping tests in unconfined aquifers is reinvestigated via numerical experiments. We examine the temporal and spatial evolution of the rate of change in storage in an unconfined aquifer during pumping. This evolution is related to the transition of water release mechanisms from the expansion of water and compaction of the porous medium to the drainage of water from the unsaturated zone above the initial water table and initially saturated pores as the water table falls during the pumping of the aquifer. We conclude that the transition of the water release mechanisms and vertical flow are the cause of the S shaped drawdown time. Cross-correlation analysis is then employed to examine the relationship between hydraulic properties of an unconfined aquifer and pressure observations. The analysis reveals that head observed in the saturated zone at late times along a streamline is positively correlated with the conductivity (K(s)) of the region upstream of the observation location, and negatively correlated with the K(s) of the region downstream of the observation location along the same streamline. Besides, head observations in the saturated zone at the early time are positively correlated with specific storage (S(s)) in a narrow region between the observation and pumping locations. At intermediate and late times, the head positively correlates with the heterogeneity of α (pore-size distribution parameter) in a thin disk-shaped unsaturated region above the pumping and observation locations. Saturated water content θ(s) in the vadose zone directly above the pumping and monitoring locations is found positively correlated with the head observations during the intermediate times and late times.In the end, a stochastic inverse estimation is conducted to jointly interpret a sequential pumping test in a three dimensional unconfined aquifer. K(s), S(s), θ(s) and α are estimated at the same time. The estimated results capture the pattern of the heterogeneous parameters as well as the details with a smooth distribution. The estimated heterogeneous parameter fields produce better head predictions than the traditional homogeneous method.

The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial relationship between the most likely distribution of saturated hydraulic conductivity (K-s) and the observed pressure head (P) distribution within a hillslope. The cross-correlation analysis method was used to investigate the effects of the variance of lnK(s), spatial structure anisotropy of lnK(s), and vertical infiltration flux (q) on P at some selected locations within the hillslope. The cross-correlation analysis shows that, in the unsaturated region with a uniform flux boundary, the dominant correlation between P and Ks is negative and mainly occurs around the observation location of P. A relatively high P value is located in a relatively low Ks zone, while a relatively low P value is located in a relatively high Ks zone. Generally speaking, P is positively correlated with q/Ks at the same location in the unsaturated region. In the saturated region, the spatial distribution of K-s can significantly affect the position and shape of the phreatic surface. We therefore conclude that heterogeneity can cause some parts of the hillslope to be sensitive to external hydraulic stimuli (e.g., rainfall and reservoir level change), and other parts of the hillslope to be insensitive. This is crucial to explaining why slopes with similar geometries would show different responses to the same hydraulic stimuli, which is significant to hillslope stability analysis. (C) 2016 Hohai University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

Taludes formados por solos na condição não saturada são muito comuns no Brasil. Nestes casos a poro-pressão de água contribui para a estabilidade desses taludes. Este trabalho pretende avaliar o efeito do tipo de revestimento superficial na alteração do perfil de poro-pressão de água provocado por fluxos gerados a partir de precipitações, evaporação e evapo-transpiração, e conseqüentemente na estabilidade de talude experimental. São apresentadas aqui as características geológico-geotécnica, geomorfológica, climática e pluviométrica de campo experimental implantado na zona leste de São Paulo/SP, onde foram instalados e monitorados tensiômetros, pluviômetro e medidor de nível dágua por um período oito meses. Resultados de ensaios de caracterização, resistência e obtenção das propriedades hidráulicas dos solos que compõem o maciço estudado são analisados, assim como ensaios realizados com a argamassa de revestimento do talude, ensaios para a análise do funcionamento dos tensímetros e tubos tensiométricos utilizados no monitoramento, e outros ensaios realizados in situ. O monitoramento realizado indicou coerência entre precipitações e variação da poropressão de água, e variação do nível dágua do terreno, em ambos os tipos de revestimento superficial, vegetação natural e argamassa, nos dois tipos de solo presentes no maciço. Análises de estabilidade do talude indicaram o efeito do tipo de revestimento superficial e das variações sazonais de poro-pressão de água no fator de segurança ao escorregamento do talude. / Slopes formed by unsaturated soils are very common in Brazil. In these cases porewater pressure contribute for the slope stability behavior. This work aims at evaluating the effects of types of superficial coating on the profile of pore-water pressure changes, due to flow generated by precipitation, evaporation and evapotranspiration, and consequently on the stability of a experimental slope. It is presented here the geological-geotechnical, geomorfological, climatic and pluvial characterizations of the experimental field located in the east zone of São Paulo/SP, where have been installed and monitored tensiometers, pluviometer and groundwater level measurer during eight months. Results of tests of characterization, shear strength, and for obtaining the hydraulic properties of the in situ soils are analyzed, as well as the tests carried out with de mortar applied over the slope, as well as the functionality tests for the tensimeters and tensiometric tubes used on the monitoring, as well as other in situ tests. Monitoring indicated coherence between precipitation and change in pore-water pressure profile, and groundwater level, in both types of superficial coatings, natural vegetation and mortar, and in both types of in situ soils. Stability analyzes indicated the effect of the type of superficial coating and of the variation of pore-water pressure profile, during the experiment, on the factor of safety of the experimental slope.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo estudar o tempo necessário para que o fluxo da água no solo sob condições de saturação atinja o equilíbrio dinâmico, medindose a condutividade hidráulica saturada (K0) do solo. A condição de equilíbrio dinâmico é a etapa que antecede a aplicação do íon no solo em estudos de eluição de solutos. Utilizaram-se amostras deformadas de três solos com diferentes granulometrias: muito argilosa, média e arenosa, coletadas em área experimental da ESALQ/USP. As amostras foram acondicionadas em colunas de PVC, e utilizou-se água destilada e deaerada para saturação e posterior escoamento nas colunas, conforme a montagem experimental do permeâmetro de carga constante. Os resultados demonstraram que para as amostras dos solos muito argiloso e médio, o equilíbrio foi atingido após 15 dias de drenagem e para o arenoso essa condição só foi verificada após 27 dias, sendo a variabilidade de K0 maior nos primeiros seis dias de ensaio. Concluindo-se, portanto pela inadequação da utilização de um tempo fixo para a adição dos solutos. / The purpose of this work is to study the time for the water flow in soil under saturation to reach the steady-state, by measuring the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K0) of soil. The steady-state is the stage that precedes the application of the ion solution in the soil sample in solute elution studies. Disturbed soil samples with different granulometries were used: very clayey, clay-sandy and sandy soil, collected in experimental area of the ESALQ/USP. The samples were conditioned in PVC columns, and distilled and deaerated water were used for saturation and subsequent drainage in the columns, the test is in accordance with the experimental assembly of constant head permeameter. The data demonstrated that for very clayey and clay-sandy samples, the steady-state was reached after 15 days and for sandy soil this condition was verified after 27 days, being the variability of K0 bigger in the first six days of the test. Therefore it was concluded that is inadequate to use a fixed time for the addition of solutes in soil.

A lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL) tem várias ações protetoras contra o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares, como remover o excesso de colesterol dos tecidos periféricos. No entanto, outros aspectos do metabolismo da HDL, como o transporte de colesterol das outras classes de lipoproteínas para a HDL devem ser avaliados para verificar a sua ação protetora. Sendo assim, nosso objetivo foi verificar, em hamsters, se a dieta hiperlipídica altera fatores relacionados ao metabolismo da HDL, tais como a composição da fração HDL e a transferência simultânea de lípides para a HDL. Trinta e nove hamsters Golden Syrian adultos machos receberam uma dieta hiperlipídica contendo 0,5% colesterol e 10% de óleo de coco (n=20, grupo dieta hiperlipídica) ou uma ração comercial usual (n=19, grupo controle) por 15 semanas. Os animais foram sacrificados e amostras de sangue foram coletadas para determinação do perfil lipídico, atividade da paroxonase 1 (PON1), da proteína de transferência de éster de colesterol (CETP) e da proteína de transferência de fosfolípides (PLTP), bem como a composição em lipídes da fração HDL. A transferência simultânea de colesterol livre (CL), éster de colesterol (EC), triglicérides (TG) e fosfolípides (FL) é baseada na troca de lípides ocorrida entre uma nanoemulsão lipídica artificial, marcada radioativamente com 14C-CL e 3H-TG ou 14C-FL e 3H-EC, e a HDL. Após precipitação química da nanoemulsão e das demais lipoproteínas, a capacidade da HDL em receber lípides foi quantificada pela medida da radioatividade presente na HDL. Além disso, a aorta e o fígado dos hamsters foram coletados para a determinação da composição em lípides e para análise histológica. Em relação ao perfil lipídico o colesterol total, HDL-C, n-HDL-C, FL, CL e EC foram maiores no grupo dieta hiperlipídica comparado ao grupo controle, já a concentração de TG não diferiu entre os grupos. A concentração de CL e EC da fração HDL foram maior no grupo dieta hiperlipídica. A transferência de 14C-CL, 3H-TG, 14C-FL e 3H-EC, bem como a atividade da CETP e da PLTP foram maiores no grupo dieta hiperlipídica. A atividade da PON1 não diferiu entre os grupos. A composição de CL da aorta foi maior no grupo dieta hiperlipídica comparado ao controle, no entanto o diâmetro interno e externo da aorta não diferiu entre os grupos. No grupo dieta hiperlipídica, a composição de EC, CL, TG e FL do fígado e o diâmetro dos hepatócitos foi maior do que no grupo controle. Dessa forma, a dieta hiperlipídica, i.e., enriquecida com colesterol e gordura saturada, em hamsters, modifica a composição em CL e EC da fração HDL, a sua capacidade em receber lípides, bem como outros aspectos relacionados ao seu metabolismo, o que pode alterar as propriedades antiaterogênicas da HDL. / High density lipoprotein (HDL) is known to protect against cardiovascular disease by removing the excess of cholesterol from peripheral tissues. However, other aspects of the HDL metabolism, as the transport of cholesterol of the other classes of lipoproteínas for the HDL should be sought to evaluate its protective action. Here, we tested the hypothesis whether a hyperlipidemic diet, in hamsters, alters the composition of the HDL fraction and ability of HDL to simultaneously receive lipids. Thirty-nine adult male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed hyperlipidemic diet containing 0.5% cholesterol and 10% coconut oil (n=20, hyperlipidemic diet group) or a regular chow diet (n=19, control group) for 15 wk. Then the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for determination of plasma lipids, paraoxonase 1 (PON1), cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activities, and lipids composition of the HDL fraction. Simultaneous transfer of phospholipids (PL), free cholesterol (FC), cholesteryl esters (CE) and triglycerides (TG) from an artificial lipidic nanoemulsion to HDL was performed in an in vitro assay, in which a nanoemulsion doubled labeled with either 14C-FC and 3H-TG or 14C-PL and 3H-CE was incubated with plasma and the radioactivity was counted in the HDL fraction after chemical precipitation. The aorta and the liver of the hamsters were collected for determination of the lipids composition and histological analysis. Plasma total cholesterol, HDL-C, n-HDL-C, CE, FC and PL were greater in the hyperlipidemic diet group than in the control group. However, TG levels were similar between the groups. Compared with the control group, the hyperlipidemic diet group had higher FC and CE in the HDL plasma fraction. Also, the transfer rates of 14C-FC, 3H-TG, 14C-PL and 3H-CE, CETP and PLTP were greater in the hyperlipidemic diet group compared with control group. PON1 activity was equal in both groups. The content of FC in the aorta tissue was greater in hyperlipidemic diet group, but the internal and external diameters of the aorta were equal in both groups. In hyperlipidemic diet group, the content of CE, FC, PL and TG in the liver and the diameter of the hepatocytes were greater than that measured in control group. The hyperlipidemic diet, i.e., dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, in hamsters, alters the FC and CE composition of the HDL fraction and lead to a disturbance in the ability of HDL to receive lipids. And consequently, may alter the antiatherogenic properties of this lipoprotein.