<p>This thesis presents the design of a broadband and high speed dc-coupled AGC amplifier for multi-level (4-PAM) signaling with a symbol rate of 1-GS/s ( 2-Gb/s ) . It is a high frequency analog design with several design challenges such as high -3 dB bandwidth ( greater than 500 MHz ) and highly linear gain while accommodating a large input swing range ( 120 mVp-p to 1800 mVp-p diff.) and delivering constant</p><p>differential output swing of 1700 mVp-p to 50-ohm off-chip loads at high speed. Moreover, the gain control circuit has been designed in analog domain. The amplifier incorporates both active and passive feedback in shunt-shunt topology in order to achieve wide bandwidth. This standalone chip has been implemented in AMS 0.35 micron CMOS process. The post layout eye-diagrams seem to be quite satisfactory.</p>

<p>Ventriculo-peritoneal shunting is the most commonly used method for the treatment of paediatric hydrocephalus. Despite improved shunts and surgical techniques there are still complications. This retrospective study focuses on diagnoses and treatment of shunt malfunction and infections. Cost/benefit of using an adjustable shunt was assessed. Two adjustable cerebrospinal fluid shunts and their compatible antisiphon devices were compared in-vitro.</p><p>In 21 of 46 children the standard shunt was changed to an adjustable one due to over-drainage. Adjustment of the shunt was performed in 73% of the children thereby avoiding surgery in several cases. This was a financial advantage.</p><p>Ascites or an abdominal pseudocyst without infection was detected in eight children due to resorption difficulties. A ventriculo-atrial shunt was inserted for a period of time. In three children it could successfully be reverted to a ventriculo-peritoneal.</p><p>In six children papilloedema was the only sign of shunt dysfunction. At revision the intracranial pressure ranged from 25 to 52 cm H₂O. Fundoscopic examination in children older than 8 years may detect symptomless shunt malfunction.</p><p>During a 13-year period 39 shunt infections were diagnosed. Skin bacteria were found in 80%. Prolonged and anaerobic cultures increased the detection rate by more than one third. The intraventricular infections were treated with intraventricular and systemic antibiotics resulting in quick sterilisation. No relapses were encountered. In five older children with distal catheter infection <i>Propionibacterium acne</i> was found. These were treated with intravenous antibiotics and exchanging of the shunt system.</p><p>Strata NSC^TM and Codman Hakim^TM worked according to the manufacturers except at the lowest setting. The resistance was below and in the lower range of the physiological one respectively. The antisiphon device of Strata shunt had to be placed in line with shunt to function properly. </p>

Ventriculo-peritoneal shunting is the most commonly used method for the treatment of paediatric hydrocephalus. Despite improved shunts and surgical techniques there are still complications. This retrospective study focuses on diagnoses and treatment of shunt malfunction and infections. Cost/benefit of using an adjustable shunt was assessed. Two adjustable cerebrospinal fluid shunts and their compatible antisiphon devices were compared in-vitro. In 21 of 46 children the standard shunt was changed to an adjustable one due to over-drainage. Adjustment of the shunt was performed in 73% of the children thereby avoiding surgery in several cases. This was a financial advantage. Ascites or an abdominal pseudocyst without infection was detected in eight children due to resorption difficulties. A ventriculo-atrial shunt was inserted for a period of time. In three children it could successfully be reverted to a ventriculo-peritoneal. In six children papilloedema was the only sign of shunt dysfunction. At revision the intracranial pressure ranged from 25 to 52 cm H2O. Fundoscopic examination in children older than 8 years may detect symptomless shunt malfunction. During a 13-year period 39 shunt infections were diagnosed. Skin bacteria were found in 80%. Prolonged and anaerobic cultures increased the detection rate by more than one third. The intraventricular infections were treated with intraventricular and systemic antibiotics resulting in quick sterilisation. No relapses were encountered. In five older children with distal catheter infection Propionibacterium acne was found. These were treated with intravenous antibiotics and exchanging of the shunt system. Strata NSCTM and Codman HakimTM worked according to the manufacturers except at the lowest setting. The resistance was below and in the lower range of the physiological one respectively. The antisiphon device of Strata shunt had to be placed in line with shunt to function properly.

This thesis presents the design of a broadband and high speed dc-coupled AGC amplifier for multi-level (4-PAM) signaling with a symbol rate of 1-GS/s ( 2-Gb/s ) . It is a high frequency analog design with several design challenges such as high -3 dB bandwidth ( greater than 500 MHz ) and highly linear gain while accommodating a large input swing range ( 120 mVp-p to 1800 mVp-p diff.) and delivering constant differential output swing of 1700 mVp-p to 50-ohm off-chip loads at high speed. Moreover, the gain control circuit has been designed in analog domain. The amplifier incorporates both active and passive feedback in shunt-shunt topology in order to achieve wide bandwidth. This standalone chip has been implemented in AMS 0.35 micron CMOS process. The post layout eye-diagrams seem to be quite satisfactory.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding episodes from variceal structures are severe complications in patients with portal hypertension. Endoscopic sclerotherapy and variceal ligation are the treatment options preferred for upper variceal bleeding owing to extrahepatic portal hypertension due to portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Recurrent duodenal variceal bleeding in non-cirrhotic patients with diffuse porto-splenic vein thrombosis and subsequent portal. cavernous transformation represent a clinical challenge if classic shunt surgery is not possible or suitable. In this study, we represent a case of recurrent bleeding of duodenal varices in a non-cirrhotic patient with cavernous transformation of the portal vein that was successfully treated with a collateral caval shunt operation.

Two unspecific peroxygenases (UPO, EC 1.11.2.1) from the basidiomycetous fungi Marasmius rotula and Marasmius wettsteinii oxidized steroids with hydroxyacetyl and hydroxyl functionalities at C17 - such as cortisone, Reichstein's substance S and prednisone - via stepwise oxygenation and final fission of the side chain. The sequential oxidation started with the hydroxylation of the terminal carbon (C21) leading to a stable geminal alcohol (e.g. cortisone 21-gem-diol) and proceeded via a second oxygenation resulting in the corresponding α-ketocarboxylic acid (e.g. cortisone 21-oic acid). The latter decomposed under formation of adrenosterone (4-androstene-3,11,17-trione) as well as formic acid and carbonic acid (that is in equilibrium with carbon dioxide); fission products comprising two carbon atoms such as glycolic acid or glyoxylic acid were not detected. Protein models based on the crystal structure data of MroUPO (Marasmius rotula unspecific peroxygenase) revealed that the bulky cortisone molecule suitably fits into the enzyme's access channel, which enables the heme iron to come in close contact to the carbons (C21, C20) of the steroidal side chain. ICP-MS analysis of purified MroUPO confirmed the presence of magnesium supposedly stabilizing the porphyrin ring system.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / This work focuses on the finite element modeling procedure and the robust-optimal design of composite structures containing piezoelectric elements to be coupled with the so-named shunt circuits with the aim of passive vibration attenuation. The work is organized into two main parts as follows: the first is devoted to the use of the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) in conjunction with the single equivalent layer theory for the modeling of the mechanical problem composed by a thin rectangular composite plate structure. At this step, the mixed theory, in which the single layer equivalent theory is combined with the discrete theory to model electromechanical system (composite structure with piezoelectric elements), is also employed. Emphasis is also placed on the parameterization strategy of the design variables such as the layer s thicknesses, the directions of the fibers and the parameters of the shunt circuits. It must be emphasized that the finite element models were developed and implemented in MATLAB® environment; the second part of the work is dedicated to the quantification of the parametric uncertainties related to the resistance and inductance of the resonant shunt circuit and the thickness of the piezoelectric element. In order to create the probabilistic models the Maximum Entropy Method (MME) is retained and the resulting stochastic model is solved by using the so-called Monte Carlo method. The interest is to generate the limits of dispersion and the number of random simulations required to be used in the robust multi-objective optimization process of the shunt circuits by taking into account during the simulations the vulnerability functions to be optimized at the same time as the original objective functions. / Este trabalho enfoca os procedimentos de modelagem por elementos finitos e o projeto ótimo-robusto de estruturas compostas contendo elementos piezelétricos acoplados a circuitos elétricos shunt para fins de controle passivo de vibrações. O estudo será dividido em duas partes, a saber: a primeira é dedicada ao emprego da teoria cisalhante de primeira ordem (First-order Shear Deformation Theory FSDT) em conjunto com a teoria da camada equivalente única para a modelagem do problema mecânico formado por uma placa composta plana. Nesta fase, também será utilizada a teoria mista que combina as teorias da camada equivalente única com a discreta para a modelagem do sistema acoplado eletromecânico (estrutura composta com pastilhas piezelétricas). Ênfase é dada à parametrização das variáveis mais influentes que são as espessuras das camadas, as direções das fibras e os parâmetros do circuito shunt. Todos os modelos foram desenvolvidos e implementados em ambiente MATLAB® de programação. Na segunda parte, será apresentado um estudo sobre a quantificação das incertezas nos parâmetros de resistência e indutância do circuito shunt ressonante e na espessura do elemento piezelétrico. Para a geração dos modelos probabilísticos, será empregado o Método da Máxima Entropia (MME) e para a resolução do problema estocástico será utilizado o método de Monte Carlo. Serão estabelecidos os limites de dispersão e o número de tiragens aleatórias a serem utilizados na otimização multiobjetivo robusta dos circuitos shunt via emprego de funções de vulnerabilidade a serem otimizadas ao mesmo tempo em que as funções objetivo originais. / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Este trabalho apresenta uma modelagem de placas laminadas com sensores/atuadores piezoelétricos integrados e conectados a circuitos tipo shunt resistivo-indutivo (RL). O modelo faz uso de duas teorias de placa, FSDT (First-order Shear Deformatíon Theory) e TSDT (Third-order Shear Deformatíon Theory), e considera a possibilidade de inserção de pastilhas piezoelétricas trabalhando nos modos de extensão e cisalhamento. Um modelo de elementos finitos para placas laminadas piezoelétricas, em camada equivalente (Equivalent Single Layer), foi desenvolvido usando como graus de liberdade os deslocamentos mecânicos generalizados e a carga elétrica gerada nos circuitos acoplados. Após, uma implementação computacional foi realizada e validada através de comparações com resultados encontrados na literatura. Então, foram realizados estudos para configurações de placa laminada com diferentes quantidades de pastilhas piezoelétricas através de uma análise paramétrica para obtenção das posições de maior acoplamento entre pastilhas e estrutura para os primeiros modos de vibração da placa. Estes resultados possibilitaram a otimização da eficiência do acoplamento eletromecânico através da distribuição das pastilhas piezoelétricas para uma placa com maior quantidade de pastilhas bem como a comparação dos resultados obtidos entre as duas teorias utilizadas. / This work presents the modeling of laminate plates with embedded piezoelectric sensors and actuators connected to resistive-inductive (RL) shunt circuits. The model considers two plate theories, FSDT (First-order Shear Deformation Theory) and TSDT (Third-order Shear Deformation Theory) and allows embedded piezoelectric patches in extension and thickness-shear modes. A finite element model for piezoelectric laminate plates, using equivalent single layer (ESL), was developed considering the generalized mechanical displacements and the electric charges induced in the coupled electric circuits as degrees of freedom. Then, the model was implemented and validated by means of comparisons with results found in the literature. Thereafter, some laminate plate configurations with different numbers of piezoelectric patches were studied through a parametric analysis to obtain the positions that maximize the electromechanical coupling between patches and structure for the first vibration modes. These results allowed the optimization of the electromechanical coupling efficiency through piezoelectric patches distribution for a plate with a larger number of patches and the comparison between the results obtained with the two plate theories considered.

Esta dissertação apresenta uma análise numérica do controle de vibrações estruturais através de cerâmicas piezoelétricas em extensão e em cisalhamento conectadas a circuitos ativo-passivos compostos por resistência, indutância e fonte de tensão. Para tal, um modelo de elementos finitos de vigas sanduíche com três camadas elásticas e/ou piezoelétricas foi desenvolvido. Realizou-se também uma modelagem dos componentes do circuito elétrico e seu acoplamento à estrutura gerando assim uma equação de movimento acoplada para a estrutura com elementos piezoelétricos conectados aos circuitos elétricos. Uma análise harmônica das equações obtidas foi realizada para se obter uma avaliação preliminar dos efeitos causados pelos componentes elétricos do circuito na estrutura. Observou-se que os elementos passivos do circuito, resistência e indutância, tem não somente um efeito de absorvedor dinâmico de vibrações mas, também, promovem uma amplificação da autoridade de controle no caso de se atuar através da fonte de tensão. Usando a metodologia tradicional de projeto de absorvedores dinâmicos de vibrações, derivou-se expressões para os valores de resistência e indutância de modo a maximizar o desempenho passivo do sistema. Uma análise numérica do desempenho na redução das amplitudes de vibração em um viga engastada-livre com uma cerâmica piezoelétrica em extensão ou cisalhamento foi realizada mostrando bons resultados. Em seguida, uma análise da autoridade de controle para estas estruturas foi realizada visando a implementação de um controle híbrido ativo-passivo. A parcela ativa do controle foi obtida usando-se uma estratégia de controle por retroalimentação ótima do tipo linear quadratic regulator para calcular a tensão aplicada ao circuito. Uma comparação entre os resultados mostra que o controle híbrido ativo-passivo é sempre superior aos controles puramente ativos ou passivo para os dois casos estudados, com cerâmicas piezoelétricas em extensão e cisalhamento. / This work presents a numerical analysis of the structural vibration control using piezoelectric materials in extension and shear mode connected to active-passive electric circuits composed of the resistance, inductance and voltage source. For that, a finite element model for sandwich beams with three elastic or piezoelectric layers was developed. A modeling of the electric circuit dynamics and its coupling to the structure with piezoelectric elements was also done. A harmonic analysis of the resulting equations was performed to yield a preliminary evaluation of the effects caused by the electric circuit components on the structure. It was observed that the passive circuit components not only lead to a dynamic vibration absorber effect but also to an amplification of the control authority in case of actuation using the voltage source. Using the standard methodology for the design of dynamic vibration absorbers, expressions were derived for the resistance and inductance values that optimize the passive vibration control performance of the system. A numerical analysis of the passive vibration control was performed for cantilever beams with extension and shear piezoelectric ceramics showing satisfactory results. Then, an analysis of the control authority was carried out for the same structures aiming at an active-passive vibration control. The active control was achieved using a linear quadratic regulator optimal feedback strategy to evaluate the voltage applied to the circuit. A comparison between the obtained results show that hybrid active-passive control is always superior to the purely active or purely passive control for both cases studied, with extension and shear piezoelectric ceramics.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding episodes from variceal structures are severe complications in patients with portal hypertension. Endoscopic sclerotherapy and variceal ligation are the treatment options preferred for upper variceal bleeding owing to extrahepatic portal hypertension due to portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Recurrent duodenal variceal bleeding in non-cirrhotic patients with diffuse porto-splenic vein thrombosis and subsequent portal. cavernous transformation represent a clinical challenge if classic shunt surgery is not possible or suitable. In this study, we represent a case of recurrent bleeding of duodenal varices in a non-cirrhotic patient with cavernous transformation of the portal vein that was successfully treated with a collateral caval shunt operation.