Previous work has shown that the strongest concentrations of lunar crustal magnetic anomalies are located antipodal to four large, similarly aged impact basins (Orientale, Serenitatis, Imbrium, and Crisium). Here, we report results of a correlation study between magnetic anomaly clusters and geology in areas antipodal to Imbrium, Orientale, and Crisium. Unusual geologic terranes, interpreted to be of seismic or ejecta origin associated with the antipodal basins, have been mapped antipodal to both Orientale and Imbrium. All three antipode regions have many high-albedo swirl markings. Results indicate that both of the unusual antipode terranes and Mare Ingenii (antipodal to Imbrium) show a correlation with high-magnitude crustal magnetic anomalies. A statistical correlation between all geologic units and regions of medium to high magnetization when high-albedo features are present (antipodal to Orientale) may suggest a deep, possibly seismic origin to the anomalies. However, previous studies have provided strong evidence that basin ejecta units are the most likely sources of lunar crustal anomalies, and there is currently insufficient evidence to differentiate between an ejecta or seismic origin for the antipodal anomalies. Results indicate a strong correlation between the high-albedo markings and regions of high magnetization for the Imbrium, Orientale, and Crisium antipodes. Combined with growing evidence for an Imbrian age to the magnetic anomalies, this supports a solar wind deflection origin for the lunar swirls.

Our research investigated the correlations of five key contaminants in drinking water in the State of Illinois with the incidence rates of three different categories of negative reproductive outcomes: birth defects, adverse pregnancy outcomes and preterm births. The five water contaminants included three agrichemical-based contaminants (atrazine, nitrate and nitrite) and two disinfectant byproducts (total trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids). We obtained nearly 38,000 measurements of the individual concentrations of these five contaminants from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). These data, spanning over a five-year period (1998-2002), were collected from nearly 1,800 community water supplies (CWS) located in all 102 Illinois counties. The county-specific incidence rate data for the same time period for preterm births, seven groups of birth defects and seven groups of adverse pregnancy outcomes were collected from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The traditional approach of establishing correlation of one explanatory variable at a time indicated that nitrate concentration in drinking water was statistically correlated to the incidence rate of only one category of negative reproductive outcome, i.e., birth defects. However, multiple regression analysis, which took into consideration all water contaminant data simultaneously, established statistical significance of the correlation between nitrate and all three categories of negative reproductive outcomes. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) were also found to be the statistically significant explanatory variables for all three types of negative reproductive outcomes. Nitrite was found to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and preterm births only; its correlation with birth defect rates could not be established at 80% confidence level. Atrazine was found to be among the significant explanatory variables for all three negative reproductive outcomes. However, its correlations with birth defect model developed using censored data and preterm birth model developed based on observed data were not statistically significant. Nearly 21.5%, 35.8% and 16.6% of the variabilities in incidence rates of different types of birth defects, adverse pregnancy outcomes and preterm births, respectively, were correlated to average concentrations of above mentioned five contaminants in community drinking water supplies. The monthly average concentrations of two of three agrichemical-based contaminants, i.e., atrazine and nitrate were significantly higher in SW(surface water)-based than GW(ground water)-based community water supplies. On the other hand, concentrations of both disinfectant byproducts and the other agrichemical-based contaminant, i.e., nitrite were significantly higher in GW-based water supplies. Further correlation analysis based on the actual observed concentration (excluding all 0 detections) was conducted utilizing SW-based atrazine and nitrate data and GW-based nitrite, TTHM and HAA5 data. All categories of negative reproductive outcomes were found significantly correlated with at least one type of water contaminants. The overall negative reproductive outcomes were correlated with nitrate, nitrite and atrazine. Birth defects specifically correlated with nitrate and TTHM, whereas adverse pregnancy outcomes were correlated with nitrate, nitrite and HAA5; preterm birth was correlated with the concentrations of nitrite, atrazine and TTHM. Further investigation indicated significant correlations among the explanatory variables (drinking water contaminants data), which is referred as multicollinearity. In such case, multiple linear regression based analysis may not provide reliable results. Partial least squares (PLS) approach of regression analysis was introduced into our study to overcome the multicollinearity problem. As much as 65.5% of the variability in the county-wide average concentrations of five contaminants in public drinking water supplies was explained by the 4 component PLS regression model, whereas only 7.7% of the incidence rates of different types of birth defects, adverse pregnancy outcomes and preterm births in various Illinois counties, were explained by PLS regression. Although, individual negative reproductive outcome model could be generated, the low R2 values indicated the poor reliability of these models. We attempted to corroborate our statistical analysis findings with the physiological effects of various water contaminants reported in the literature. It is well known that excessive exposure to any of the five key water contaminants may cause malfunction of organism or the immune system, reproduction, nervous and endocrine system and others, which may further result in potential risk of developing adverse effects. Nitrate and nitrite in drinking water associate to a certain extent with congenital malformations, such as central nervous system abnormalities, in human offsprings. Excessive exposure to atrazine is known to increase the risk of potential cardiovascular or reproductive system problems. A certain type of TTHM, i.e., BDCM are known to be associated with an increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage in pregnant women. It also may result in an increased risk of reproductive problem, such as fetal growth restriction.

In Brazil, few studies are found investigating the relationship between creativity and personality constructs, especially considering the Big Five Model. This study investigated a sample of 83 Brazilian high school students, between ages 14 and 18 years (M = 16.01, SD = 0.95) that answered two questionnaires, the Torrance Thinking Creatively with Words (Brazilian version) and the Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade (Factorial Battery of Personality). The results indicated significant correlations only between the socialization factor and twoverbal creative indexes (ICVI = .26; ICVII = .26). In the present study the investigated constructs are weakly related. The influence of the instrument and the theoretical modeladopted in the findings is discussed. / En Brasil es escasa la literatura científica acerca de la relación entre los constructos de creatividad, personalidad y el Modelo de los Cinco Factores. A partir de la aplicación del Test de Pensamiento Creativo con Palabras de Torrance (versión brasilera) y la Batería Factorial de Personalidad en 83 estudiantes brasileros de secundaria, con rango de edad de entre 14-18 años (M = 16; DS = .95), se estudia la relación entre la creatividad verbal y la personalidad. Los resultados revelan la existencia de relaciones significativas bajas entre el factor socialización y dos índices creativos verbales (ICV I = .26; ICVII = .26). Se discute la influencia del instrumento y del modelo teórico asumido en los hallazgos. / No Brasil, a escassez de estudos que investigam a relação entre os construtos da Criatividade e Personalidade, principalmente considerando-se o modelo Big Five, pode ser notada. Neste cenário, a partir da aplicação dos testes Pensando Criativamente com Palavras de Torrance (versão brasileira) e a Bateria Fatorial da Personalidade, o presente trabalho pesquisou em uma amostra de 83 estudantes brasileiros do Ensino Médio, com idades entre 14 e 18 anos (M = 16.01, DP = .95) a relação entre os construtos referidos anteriormente. Os resultados indicaram a existência de correlações significativas apenas entre o fator Socialização e os dois índices criativos verbais (ICVI = .26; ICVII = .26), de modo a apontar que, nesta pesquisa, os construtos apresentamse pouco relacionados. Discutese a influência dos instrumentos edo modelo teórico adotado.

"L’industrie nano repousse constamment les limites de la miniaturisation. Pour les systèmes CMOS à mémoires non-volatiles, des phénomènes qui étaient négligeables autrefois sont à présent incontournables et nécessitent des modèles de plus en plus complexes pour décrire, analyser et prédire le comportement électrique de ces dispositifs.Le but de cette thèse est de répondre aux besoins de l’industriel, afin d’optimiser au mieux les performances des produits avant et après les étapes de production. Cette étude propose des solutions, comme des méthodes de test innovantes pour des technologies telles que les mémoires non-volatiles EEPROM embarquées.La première méthode proposée, consiste à extraire la densité de pièges (NiT) générée, au cours du cyclage, dans l’oxyde tunnel de cellules EEPROM, à partir d’une Macro cellule de test reprenant toutes les caractéristiques d’un produit fini. Les résultats expérimentaux sont ensuite injectés dans un modèle analytique décrivant le phénomène de SILC (Stress Induced Leakage Current) qui est le principal effet issu de ces pièges. La densité de pièges en fonction du nombre de cycles est ensuite extraite par interpolation entre les courbes expérimentales et les courbes simulées par le modèleLa seconde méthode propose une étude de corrélation statistique entre le test traditionnel de mise en rétention et le test de stress électrique aux bornes de l’oxyde tunnel, proposant des temps d’exécution bien plus courts. Cette étude se base sur les populations de cellules défaillantes à l’issue des deux tests. C’est en comparant les distributions sur ces populations qu’une loi de corrélation apparaît sur la tendance comportementale des cellules." / The nano industry constantly extends the size limits, especially for CMOS devices with embedded non-volatile memories. Each size reduction step always induces new challenges caused by phenomenon which were previously negligible. As a result, more complex models are required to describe, analyze and predict as well as possible the electrical behaviors. The main goal of this thesis is to propose solutions to the industry in term of test, to optimize the performances before and after the whole process steps. Thus, this study proposes two innovative methodologies dedicated to embedded non-volatile EEPROM memories based devices.The first of them consists in to extract the post-cycling generated tunnel oxide traps density (NiT), directly from a macro cell. The experimental results are then used to be compared with an analytical model calculation which perfectly describes the Stress Induced Current phenomena (SILC). This electrical current directly comes from the generated traps inside the cells tunnel oxide. An interpolation is then done between the model and the experimental resulting curves, to extract the tunnel oxide traps density.The second study proposes a method of statistical correlation between the traditional retention test and testing of electrical stress across the tunnel oxide which has shorter execution time. This study is based on cell populations after failing both tests. By comparing the distributions of these populations a correlation law appears between the cells behavioral tendencies. Following this study the replacement of long retention tests by shorter electrical stress tests may be considered.