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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
1

Triaxial Strongly Deformed Band and High Spin States in 168Lu

Li, Yuan 10 May 2003 (has links)
Potential energy surface calculations have predicted the existence of the island of triaxial strongly deformed (TSD) nuclei with N~94 and Z~72. Experimental discoveries of TSD bands have been first reported in Lu. Subsequent calculations indicated that Hf would be the most favorable even-even nuclei in the island region for finding low-lying TSD structures. However, experimental investigation of Hf nuclei performed with Euroball and Gammasphere produced negative results on the two nuclei. In the Gammasphere experiment three TSD bands were discovered in the main reaction product Hf. This success motivated an extension of the search for TSD bands in the region to heavier Hf-isotopes and neighboring Lu-isotopes. In order to search for TSD bands and the characteristic wobbling mode in Lu, the experiment using Sb ( Ca, xn) reaction was performed in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) with Gammasphere. Based on coincidence data acquired in the experiment, a new level structure for Lu was developed. Compared to level schemes in previous work, previously observed bands were extended to higher spins. Four new bands were assigned to Lu for the first time, and one of them was identified as a triaxial strongly deformed (TSD) band.
2

Temperature-dependent sex determination in the viviparous lizard Eulamprus tympanum

Robert, Kylie Anne January 2003 (has links)
Abstract There are a remarkable variety of sex determination systems among different animal taxa. In most animals, sex is determined chromosomally. Although in an increasing number of animals sex determination has been found to be influenced primarily by the environment. Species with genotypic sex determination (GSD) have their sex determined at the time of fertilization, by genetic factors alone and those with environmental sex determination (ESD) have their sex determined by environmental factors that act after fertilization. Temperature-dependent Sex Determination (TSD), whereby the sex of the developing embryos depends on the temperature at which they develop is widespread in oviparous reptiles and occurs in all crocodilians, marine turtles and tuatara examined to date and is common in many freshwater turtles and lizards. SECTION ONE Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) was never expected to occur in viviparous reptiles, as thermoregulation by pregnant females would result in relatively stable gestation temperatures. Temperature-dependent sex determination and viviparity goes against all the basic assumptions that TSD occurs in oviparous reptiles where temperatures within a nest vary widely. However, skewed sex ratios as a result of incubation temperature indicated the possibility of TSD in the viviparous lizard Eulamprus tympanum. In my first experiments I show the first recorded case of a viviparous reptile with TSD. The developing embryos of the viviparous skink E. tympanum are subject to TSD, with gestation temperature having a highly significant effect on sex and warmer temperatures giving rise to male offspring (Chapter 1). Sex is fully determined at the time of birth and can be differentiated histologically into testes or ovaries (Chapter 2). The morphology and histological characteristics of the gonads of neonatal E. tympanum resulting from the treatment temperatures described in chapter 1 illustrate that sex in E. tympanum is easily distinguished at the time of birth and corresponds with the presence or absence of hemipenes. Males are histologically characterised by an elongated gonad consisting of seminiferous tubules with either no cortical epithelium or, if present at all, in a very thin band. If they are present, M�llerian ducts, showing signs of degeneration, are attached to the kidney by a shortened mesosalpinx. Females are histologically characterised by an irregularly shaped gonad consisting of a thick cortical epithelium that occasionally contains oocytes. The M�llerian ducts are obvious structures attached to the kidney by a fibrous mesosalpinx. The presence or absence of hemipenes is a reliable technique for determining sex in newborn E. tympanum. Sex determination is easiest to perform on neonates within the first few days of birth as hemipenes become increasingly difficult to evert as neonates age, however, with practice they are easily identified without full eversion. SECTION TWO The thermal biology of E. tympanum in the field is restricted by both the thermal properties of their habitat (Chapter 3) and behavioural modifications when faced with a predation threat (Chapter 4). The available temperatures in the field suggest that TSD is biologically relevant in the species and not just a laboratory artefact; E. tympanum can attain mean selected temperatures achieved in the laboratory but the proportion of time at the temperature is restricted. Females actively thermoregulate in the field, although they are restricted in their efficiency of thermoregulation by environmental constraints, for example, microhabitat structure, weather conditions, predator avoidance and social ranking. The highly territorial nature and high densities of E. tympanum present in Kanangra Boyd National Park potentially force less dominant individuals into less favourable habitats that are significantly cooler. An important point is that gravid females in more favourable habitats in the period encompassing the middle third of development (the assumed sex determining period) are selecting higher temperatures, with lower variance and have greater thermoregulatory efficiency than during the rest of pregnancy, therefore, thermoregulating more precisely during this thermosensitive period (Chapter 3). Chemosensory cues provide important information on the risk of predation. Hence, chemoreception is a common mechanism used by many species to detect the presence of, and subsequently respond to, a potential predator. The perceived risk of predation may force retreat to sub-optimal conditions, forcing a trade-off between the risk of predation and the ability to acquire resources. The basking regime maintained by gravid female E. tympanum, can directly alter sex ratios of offspring produced through temperature-dependent sex determination (Chapter 1). The avoidance of predator scents may restrict basking ability and in turn alter the sex of offspring produced. I measured responsiveness to chemical cues using tongue flicks as an indicator of chemical discrimination in females of different reproductive condition. I then measured activity and basking behaviour of gravid and non-gravid females in experimental enclosures in the presence of various chemical stimuli to determine if basking opportunity is compromised by the presence of a predator scent. Females respond differently depending upon reproductive condition, with gravid females responding most significantly to a predator scent. Activity, basking frequency, and time spent in the open (basking duration) are significantly reduced in gravid females in the presence of a predator stimulus. Under laboratory conditions, gravid females modify their behaviour and forego the opportunity to bask when there is a perceived predation risk (Chapter 4). SECTION THREE As female viviparous reptiles can regulate the temperature of the embryo by maternal temperature selection (Chapter 1), the occurrence of TSD in E. tympanum opens the possibility for females to select the sex of offspring. Reproducing females may benefit by facultatively adjusting their investment into sons over daughters or vice versa, in response to population wide shifts in adult sex ratios. Female E. tympanum, can manipulate the sex of their offspring in response to sex imbalances in the population using temperature-dependent sex determination (Chapter 5). When adult males are scarce, females produce male-biased litters and when adult males are common, females produce female-biased litters. The cues used by a female to assess the adult population are not known, but presumably depends upon the female�s experience throughout the breeding season and is the subject of further investigation (Chapter 6). The maternal manipulation of offspring sex ratio in E. tympanum suggests a selective advantage of temperature-dependent sex determination. Any facultative sex ratio response needs to recognise the scarcity of one sex in order to overproduce that sex in the next generation; offspring sex ratio will vary inversely with adult sex ratio. Maternal sex allocation in E. tympanum is linked with population (or adult) sex ratio (Chapter 5), and one of the mechanisms by which females recognise an imbalance may be linked to visual recognition of males (Chapter 6). Females maintained throughout pregnancy without any male stimulus produce entirely male offspring (Chapter 5). In contrast females exposed to male stimulus produce both sexes (Chapter 5). Females respond differently to varying degrees of male stimulus and visual recognition of males in a population may be more important than chemoreception. In the absence of visual cues, females produce more male offspring, even when chemosensory cues are present (Chapter 6). The study system presented here offers many advantages over oviparous species with TSD, due to E. tympanum being relatively short lived and fast maturing. Thus, the fitness consequences over multiple generations as a result of gestation can be investigated. Viviparity allows maternal control of embryonic temperature during gestation and a means of maternal sex allocation. Until now the maternal side of TSD and sex allocation has been where the mother deposits her eggs and the allocation of sex steroid hormones at oviposition, both of which have been difficult to study. The work presented and the study system itself should inspire great interest in TSD and viviparous reptiles.
3

Temperature-dependent sex determination in the viviparous lizard Eulamprus tympanum

Robert, Kylie Anne January 2003 (has links)
Abstract There are a remarkable variety of sex determination systems among different animal taxa. In most animals, sex is determined chromosomally. Although in an increasing number of animals sex determination has been found to be influenced primarily by the environment. Species with genotypic sex determination (GSD) have their sex determined at the time of fertilization, by genetic factors alone and those with environmental sex determination (ESD) have their sex determined by environmental factors that act after fertilization. Temperature-dependent Sex Determination (TSD), whereby the sex of the developing embryos depends on the temperature at which they develop is widespread in oviparous reptiles and occurs in all crocodilians, marine turtles and tuatara examined to date and is common in many freshwater turtles and lizards. SECTION ONE Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) was never expected to occur in viviparous reptiles, as thermoregulation by pregnant females would result in relatively stable gestation temperatures. Temperature-dependent sex determination and viviparity goes against all the basic assumptions that TSD occurs in oviparous reptiles where temperatures within a nest vary widely. However, skewed sex ratios as a result of incubation temperature indicated the possibility of TSD in the viviparous lizard Eulamprus tympanum. In my first experiments I show the first recorded case of a viviparous reptile with TSD. The developing embryos of the viviparous skink E. tympanum are subject to TSD, with gestation temperature having a highly significant effect on sex and warmer temperatures giving rise to male offspring (Chapter 1). Sex is fully determined at the time of birth and can be differentiated histologically into testes or ovaries (Chapter 2). The morphology and histological characteristics of the gonads of neonatal E. tympanum resulting from the treatment temperatures described in chapter 1 illustrate that sex in E. tympanum is easily distinguished at the time of birth and corresponds with the presence or absence of hemipenes. Males are histologically characterised by an elongated gonad consisting of seminiferous tubules with either no cortical epithelium or, if present at all, in a very thin band. If they are present, M�llerian ducts, showing signs of degeneration, are attached to the kidney by a shortened mesosalpinx. Females are histologically characterised by an irregularly shaped gonad consisting of a thick cortical epithelium that occasionally contains oocytes. The M�llerian ducts are obvious structures attached to the kidney by a fibrous mesosalpinx. The presence or absence of hemipenes is a reliable technique for determining sex in newborn E. tympanum. Sex determination is easiest to perform on neonates within the first few days of birth as hemipenes become increasingly difficult to evert as neonates age, however, with practice they are easily identified without full eversion. SECTION TWO The thermal biology of E. tympanum in the field is restricted by both the thermal properties of their habitat (Chapter 3) and behavioural modifications when faced with a predation threat (Chapter 4). The available temperatures in the field suggest that TSD is biologically relevant in the species and not just a laboratory artefact; E. tympanum can attain mean selected temperatures achieved in the laboratory but the proportion of time at the temperature is restricted. Females actively thermoregulate in the field, although they are restricted in their efficiency of thermoregulation by environmental constraints, for example, microhabitat structure, weather conditions, predator avoidance and social ranking. The highly territorial nature and high densities of E. tympanum present in Kanangra Boyd National Park potentially force less dominant individuals into less favourable habitats that are significantly cooler. An important point is that gravid females in more favourable habitats in the period encompassing the middle third of development (the assumed sex determining period) are selecting higher temperatures, with lower variance and have greater thermoregulatory efficiency than during the rest of pregnancy, therefore, thermoregulating more precisely during this thermosensitive period (Chapter 3). Chemosensory cues provide important information on the risk of predation. Hence, chemoreception is a common mechanism used by many species to detect the presence of, and subsequently respond to, a potential predator. The perceived risk of predation may force retreat to sub-optimal conditions, forcing a trade-off between the risk of predation and the ability to acquire resources. The basking regime maintained by gravid female E. tympanum, can directly alter sex ratios of offspring produced through temperature-dependent sex determination (Chapter 1). The avoidance of predator scents may restrict basking ability and in turn alter the sex of offspring produced. I measured responsiveness to chemical cues using tongue flicks as an indicator of chemical discrimination in females of different reproductive condition. I then measured activity and basking behaviour of gravid and non-gravid females in experimental enclosures in the presence of various chemical stimuli to determine if basking opportunity is compromised by the presence of a predator scent. Females respond differently depending upon reproductive condition, with gravid females responding most significantly to a predator scent. Activity, basking frequency, and time spent in the open (basking duration) are significantly reduced in gravid females in the presence of a predator stimulus. Under laboratory conditions, gravid females modify their behaviour and forego the opportunity to bask when there is a perceived predation risk (Chapter 4). SECTION THREE As female viviparous reptiles can regulate the temperature of the embryo by maternal temperature selection (Chapter 1), the occurrence of TSD in E. tympanum opens the possibility for females to select the sex of offspring. Reproducing females may benefit by facultatively adjusting their investment into sons over daughters or vice versa, in response to population wide shifts in adult sex ratios. Female E. tympanum, can manipulate the sex of their offspring in response to sex imbalances in the population using temperature-dependent sex determination (Chapter 5). When adult males are scarce, females produce male-biased litters and when adult males are common, females produce female-biased litters. The cues used by a female to assess the adult population are not known, but presumably depends upon the female�s experience throughout the breeding season and is the subject of further investigation (Chapter 6). The maternal manipulation of offspring sex ratio in E. tympanum suggests a selective advantage of temperature-dependent sex determination. Any facultative sex ratio response needs to recognise the scarcity of one sex in order to overproduce that sex in the next generation; offspring sex ratio will vary inversely with adult sex ratio. Maternal sex allocation in E. tympanum is linked with population (or adult) sex ratio (Chapter 5), and one of the mechanisms by which females recognise an imbalance may be linked to visual recognition of males (Chapter 6). Females maintained throughout pregnancy without any male stimulus produce entirely male offspring (Chapter 5). In contrast females exposed to male stimulus produce both sexes (Chapter 5). Females respond differently to varying degrees of male stimulus and visual recognition of males in a population may be more important than chemoreception. In the absence of visual cues, females produce more male offspring, even when chemosensory cues are present (Chapter 6). The study system presented here offers many advantages over oviparous species with TSD, due to E. tympanum being relatively short lived and fast maturing. Thus, the fitness consequences over multiple generations as a result of gestation can be investigated. Viviparity allows maternal control of embryonic temperature during gestation and a means of maternal sex allocation. Until now the maternal side of TSD and sex allocation has been where the mother deposits her eggs and the allocation of sex steroid hormones at oviposition, both of which have been difficult to study. The work presented and the study system itself should inspire great interest in TSD and viviparous reptiles.
4

Use of the Traffic Speed Deflectometer for Concrete and Composite Pavement Structural Health Assessment: A Big-Data-Based Approach Towards Concrete and Composite Pavement Management and Rehabilitation

Scavone Lasalle, Martin 23 August 2022 (has links)
The latest trends in highway pavement management aim at implementing a rational, data-driven procedure to allocate resources for pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. To this end, decision-making is based on network-wide surface condition and structural capacity data – preferably collected in a non-destructive manner such as a deflection testing device. This more holistic approach was proven to be more cost-effective than the current state of the art, in which the pavement manager grounds their maintenance and rehabilitation-related decision making on surface distress measurements. However, pavement practitioners still rely mostly on surface distress because traditional deflection measuring devices are not practical for network-level data collection. Traffic-speed deflection devices, among which the Traffic Speed Deflectometer [TSD], allow measuring pavement surface deflections at travel speeds as high as 95 km/h [60 miles per hour], and reporting the said measurements with a spatial resolution as dense as 5cm [2 inches] between consecutive measurements. Since their inception in the early 2000s, and mostly over the past 15 years, numerous research efforts and trial tests focused on the interpretation of the deflection data collected by the TSD, its validity as a field testing device, and its comparability against the staple pavement deflection testing device – the Falling Weight Deflectometer [FWD]. The research efforts have concluded that although different in nature than the FWD, the TSD does furnish valid deflection measurements, from which the pavement structural health can be assessed. Most published TSD-related literature focused on TSD surveys of flexible pavement networks and the estimation of structural health indicators for hot-mix asphalt pavement structures from the resulting data – a sensible approach given that the majority of the US paved road pavement network is asphalt. Meanwhile, concrete and composite pavements (a minority of the US pavement network that yet accounts for nearly half of the US Interstate System) have been mostly neglected in TSD-related research, even though the TSD has been deemed a suitable device for sourcing deflection data from which to infer the structural health of the pavement slabs and the load-carrying joints. Thus, this Dissertation's main objective is to fulfill this gap in knowledge, providing the pavement manager/practitioner with a streamlined, comprehensive interpretation procedure to turn dense TSD deflection measurements collected at a jointed pavement network into characterization parameters and structural health metrics for both the concrete slab system, the sub-grade material, and the load-carrying joints. The proposed TSD data analysis procedure spans over two stages: Data extraction and interpretation. The Data Extraction Stage applies a Lasso-based regularization scheme [Basis Pursuit coupled with Reweighted L1 Minimization] to simultaneously remove the white noise from the TSD deflection measurements and extract the deflection response generated as the TSD travels over the pavement's transverse joints. The examples presented demonstrate that this technique can actually pinpoint the location of structurally weak spots within the pavement network from the network-wide TSD measurements, such as deteriorated transverse joints or segments with early stages of fatigue damage, worthy of further investigation and/or structural overhaul. Meanwhile, the Interpretation Stage implements a linear-elastic jointed-slab-on-ground mathematical model to back-calculate the concrete pavement's and subgrade's stiffness and the transverse joints' load transfer efficiency index [LTE] from the denoised TSD measurements. In this Dissertation, the performance of this back-calculation technique is analyzed with actual TSD data collected at a 5-cm resolution at the MnROAD test track, for which material properties results and FWD-based deflection test results at select transverse joints are available. However, during an early exploratory analysis of the available 5-cm data, a discrepancy between the reported deflection slope and velocity data and simulated measurements was found: The simulated deflection slopes mismatch the observations for measurements collected nearby the transverse joints whereas the measured and simulated deflection velocities are in agreement. Such a finding prompted a revision of the well-known direct relationship between TSD-based deflection velocity and slope data, concluding that it only holds on very specific cases, and that a jointed pavement is a case in which deflection velocity and slope do not correlate directly. As a consequence, the back-calculation approach to the pavement properties and the joints' LTE index was implemented with the TSD's deflection velocity data as input. Validation results of the back-calculation tool using TSD data from the MnROAD low volume road showed a reasonable agreement with the comparison data available while at the same time providing an LTE estimate for all the transverse joints (including those for which FWD-based deflection data is unavailable), suggesting that the proposed data analysis technique is practical for corridor-wide screening. In summary, this Dissertation presents a streamlined TSD data extraction and interpretation technique that can (1) highlight the location of structurally deficient joints within a jointed pavement corridor worthy of further investigation with an FWD and/or localized repair, thus optimizing the time the FWD spends on the road; and 2) reasonably estimate the structural parameters of a concrete pavement structure, its sub-grade, and the transverse joints, thus providing valuable data both for inventory-keeping and rehabilitation management. / Doctor of Philosophy / When allocating funds for network-wide pavement maintenance, such as the State or Country level, the engineer relies on as much pavement condition data as possible to optimally assign the most suitable maintenance or rehabilitation treatment to each pavement segment. Currently, practitioners rely mostly on surface condition data to decide on how to maintain their roads, as this data can be collected fast and easily with automated vehicle-mounted equipment and analyzed by computer software. However, managerial decisions based solely on surface condition data do not optimally make use of the Agency resources, for they do not precisely account for the pavements' structural capacity when assigning maintenance solutions. As such, the manager may allocate a surface treatment on a structurally weak segment with a poor surface which will be prone to an early failure (thus wasting the investment) or, conversely, reconstruct a deteriorated yet strong segment that could be fixed with a surface treatment. The reason for such a sub-optimal managerial practice has been the lack of a commercially-available pavement testing device capable of producing structural health data at a similar rate as the existing surface scanning equipment – pavement engineers could only appeal to crawling-speed or stop-and-go deflection devices to gather such data, which are fit for project-level applications but totally unsuitable for routine network-wide surveying. Yet, this trend reverted in the early 2000s with the launch of the Traffic Speed Deflectometer [TSD], a device capable of getting dense pavement deflection measurements (spaced as close as 5cm [2 inches] between each other) while traveling at speeds higher than 50 mph. Following the device's release, numerous research activities studied its feasibility as a network-wide routine data collection device and developed analysis schemes to interpret the collected measurements into pavement structural condition information. This research effort is still ongoing, the Transportation Pooled Fund [TPF] Project 5(385) is aimed in that direction, and set the goal of furnishing standards on the acquisition, storage, and interpretation of TSD data for pavement management. This being said, data collection and analysis protocols should be drafted to interpret the data gathered by the TSD on flexible and rigid pavements. Concerning TSD-based evaluation of flexible asphalt pavements, abundant published literature discussing exists; whereas TSD surveying of concrete and composite (concrete + asphalt) pavements has been off the center of attention, partly because these pavements constitute only a minority of the US paved highway network – even though they account for roughly half of the Interstate system. Yet, the TSD has been found suitable to provide valuable structural health information concerning both the pavement slabs and the load-bearing joints, the weakest element of such structures. With this in mind, this Dissertation research is aimed at bridging this existing gap in knowledge: a streamlined analysis methodology is proposed to process the TSD deflection data collected while surveying a jointed rigid pavement and derive important structural health metrics for the manager to drive their decision-making. Broadly speaking, this analysis methodology is constituted by two main elements: • The Data Extraction stage, in which the TSD deflection data is mined to both clear it from measurement noise and extract meaningful features, such as the pulse responses generated as the TSD travels over the pavement joints. • The Interpretation stage, which is more pavement engineering-related. Herein, the filtered TSD measurements are utilized to fit a pavement response model so that the pavement structural parameters (its stiffness, the strength of the sub-grade soil, and the joints' structural health) can be inferred. This Dissertation spans both the mathematical grounds for these analysis techniques, validation tests on computer-generated data, and experiments done with actual TSD data to test their applicability. The ultimate intention is for these techniques to eventually be adopted in practice as routine analysis of the TSD data for a more rational and resource-wise pavement management.
5

Pavimento de baixo volume de tráfego: estudo comparativo da vida útil estimada e após abertura ao tráfego

Mota, Marcus Vinicius Fagundes January 2009 (has links)
Submitted by Maurílio Figueiredo (maurilioafigueiredo@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-02-22T20:08:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO_PavimentoBaixoVolume.pdf: 28916125 bytes, checksum: cdccfa659c29e6c86ab4594ca2451100 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Neide Nativa (neide@sisbin.ufop.br) on 2013-02-25T14:16:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO_PavimentoBaixoVolume.pdf: 28916125 bytes, checksum: cdccfa659c29e6c86ab4594ca2451100 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-02-25T14:16:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO_PavimentoBaixoVolume.pdf: 28916125 bytes, checksum: cdccfa659c29e6c86ab4594ca2451100 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / ABSTRACT: The objective of this dissertation is to define a criteria for the structural design to be adopted for Low-traffic Roads coated with Bituminous Double Surface Treatments, for which the estimated design life is 6 or 10 years. The study was developed through the evaluation of the service life of a road connecting the locations of Luisburgo and Ponte do Silva, LMG 838, selected among eighty roads included in a paving program by the government of the State of Minas Gerais, named “Programa de Pavimentação de Ligações e Acessos aos Municípios (PROACESSO)”. Non-destructive investigation methods were adopted, such as deflection measurements by Benkelman beam, Ground Penetrating Radar measurement of the pavement layers thickness and the mechanical characteristics of the materials were determined through back calculation of the layers’ moduli by RETRAN5-L back calculation program. The research program constituted a good means of analyzing the structural evaluation methods currently in use in Brazil and it can be concluded that the definition of a performance criteria and of a structural evaluation method for Low-traffic Roads should be considered according to the vertical stress and the normal compressive strain on top of the sub-grade, as well as the contribution for wheels footpaths sinking of all layers. / O objetivo desta dissertação é a definição de critérios de avaliação a serem aplicados em Rodovias de Baixo Volume de Tráfego (RBVT) pavimentados com revestimento em Tratamento Superficial Duplo (TSD) e cuja vida útil estimada em projeto é 6 ou 10 anos. O estudo foi desenvolvido através da avaliação da vida útil do trecho Luisburgo/Ponte do Silva da LMG 838, selecionado como estudo de caso entre oitenta rodovias pavimentadas em Minas Gerais no âmbito do Programa de Pavimentação de Ligações e Acessos aos Municípios (PROACESSO). Priorizou-se métodos não destrutivos de investigação, tais como o levantamento deflectométrico com viga Benkelman, o levantamento das espessuras das camadas que compõem a estrutura da rodovia com “Ground Penetrating Radar” (GPR) e as características mecânicas dos materiais foram determinadas por retroanálise através do Programa RETRAN5-L. A pesquisa permitiu uma análise em relação à aplicação dos métodos de avaliação estrutural utilizados no Brasil e pode-se concluir que a definição de critérios de desempenho e métodos de avaliação estrutural para RBVTs deverá se balizar pelo estudo da tensão vertical normal de compressão e no acúmulo das deformações permanentes no topo do subleito, bem como na contribuição para o Afundamento de Trilha de Rodas de todas as camadas. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6

Verifiering av ERTMS-signalprojektering : Tillämpning mot Estland / Verification of ERTMS signalproject : Application area Estonia

Haidari, Bahaman, Holm, Isak January 2015 (has links)
Inom EU finns ett regelverk som strävar efter interoperabilitet att det ska vara lätt att kunna resa och göra affärer mellan alla nationer inom EU utan att behöva vare sig byta tåg eller förare. Denna rapport specificerar de olika lagar och regler som utfärdats och specificerats av EU kommissionen och UNISIG samt det svenska nationella regelverket som gäller för ERTMS-signalprojekteringen för markutrustning. Idag finns ett behov av att effektivisera signalprojekteringen eftersom det finns flera pågående och kommande projekt. För att nå detta kommer en checklista för signalprojektering tas fram som tydligt ska visa exempelvis var en balis i förhållande till en signalpunktstavla ska placeras genom att hänvisa till korrekt delkapitel i respektive dokument. Uppdraget med examensarbetet är att det ska bli enklare att verifiera ERTMS-signalprojekteringen på helt nya sträckor i Sverige och internationellt. Detta är något som ännu inte är standardiserat. För att detta ska vara möjligt görs studier om TSD och SUBSET (de dokument som styr och reglerar ERTMS signalering) och relevanta dokument samt analys av några redan genomförda signalprojekteringar på Ådalsbanan. I rapporten presenteras en sammanställning av signalprojektering och hur de olika faserna ska ske, hur de ska genomföras och vad de har för betydelse. Arbetet har resulterat i en sammanställning och analys av det mest relevanta fakta som gruppen hittat i de behandlade dokumenten samt en checklista för signalprojektering. I denna rapport har gruppen producerat en komplett sammanställning av de behandlade dokumenten för ERTMS-signalprojektering samt en checklista för verifiering av ERTMS-signalprojektering. / EU has a framework that strives to interoperability to make it easy to travel and do business with all nations in the EU without the need to change trains or drivers. This report discribes the various laws and regulations that issued and specified by the EU Commission, UNISIG and the Swedish national rules that apply for ERTMS signalling project planning for trackside equipment. Today there is a need to more efficient the signal project planning. To achieve this, a checklist for signaling project planning will be developed that clear show, for example, where an Eurobalise in relation to a signal point should be located by referring to the correct subchapter in the right document. The mission of the project is to make it easier to design new production of ERTMS signalling project planning. To make this be possible studies has been done to TSI, SUBSET (the documents that controls and regulates the ERTMS signalling), relevant documents and analysis already implemented signalling project planning on Ådallines. The report presents a compilation of the signal project and how the different phases will occur, how they will be implemented and their significance. In this report, the group has produced a complete compilation of the processed documents for ERTMS signalling project and a checklist for verification of the ERTMS signalling project.
7

Emotionale Belastung und Krankheitsverarbeitung bei Patienten mit chronischen Lebererkrankungen am Beispiel von chronischen Virus-Hepatitiden und autoimmunen Lebererkrankungen / Emotional load and disease processing in patients with chronic liver illnesses by the example of chronic virus hepatitis and autoimmune liver diseases

Gerhards, Stefan Gerd January 2009 (has links) (PDF)
Im Zentrum des forschungsleitenden Interesses stand die Fragestellung, ob es Unterschiede bezüglich des Auftretens und der Intensität von Angst bzw. Depression sowie körperlichen Beschwerden zwischen den Patientengruppen mit unterschiedlichen chronischen Lebererkrankungen (HBV, HCV, AIH) gibt. Die Bestimmung der Korrelation zwischen dem Fortschreiten der Lebererkrankung (von Hepatitis über Fibrose zu Zirrhose) und dem Ausmaß depressiver und ängstlicher Symptomatik stand hierbei für alle drei Patientengruppen im Fokus des Interesses. Alle Patienten waren zum Erhebungszeitpunkt ohne spezifische medikamentöse Behandlung aufgrund ihrer Lebererkrankung. Als sekundäres Studienziel sollte die Forschungsfrage beantwortet werden, ob die vier angewendeten verschiedenen psychometrischen Erhebungsinstrumente (HADS-D, SCL-90-R, IIP-C und SF-36) hier zu unterschiedlichen Ergebnissen führen oder ob die Verfahren größtenteils in ihren Ergebnissen übereinstimmen. Auf der Grundlage der histologischen Daten konnte in der Subgruppe der Hepatitis-C-Patienten ein Zusammenhang zwischen Progression der Leberfibrose, depressiver Symptomatik und verminderter körperlicher Gesundheit dargestellt werden. Nur bei Patienten mit chronischer Hepatitis-C-Infektion konnte ein signifikant positiver Zusammenhang (r = 0,205) zwischen der Zeitdauer seit Mitteilung der Primärdiagnose und dem Ausmaß der depressiven Symptomatik festgestellt werden. Alle drei chronischen Lebererkrankungen waren dagegen mit erhöhten Angstwerten assoziiert: bei der Autoimmunhepatitis kam es in 21,4 % der analysierten Fälle, bei der Hepatitis B in 13,9 % und bei der Hepatitis C in 11,8 % zu einer Überschreitung des Cutoff-Wertes mit klinisch relevanter Symptomausprägung. Dieser Prozentsatz fällt in der Allgemeinbevölkerung mit 5,7 % deutlich geringer aus. Es fiel auf, dass die Angst mit zunehmend besseren Therapiemöglichkeiten der Grunderkrankung abnimmt. Lediglich in der Subgruppe der HBV-Infizierten war eine signifikant positive Korrelation der Variablen Angst bzw. Ängstlichkeit und Zeitraum seit Mitteilung der Diagnose zu verzeichnen (r = 0,388). Das eingesetzte psychiatrische Screeningverfahren (SCL-90-R) vermochte nicht zwischen den drei chronischen Lebererkrankungen zu differenzieren, zeigte jedoch eine deutlich erhöhte psychische Gesamtbelastung im Vergleich zur Allgemeinbevölkerung. Die Gesamtbelastung war größer als beispielsweise bei Patienten nach Myokardinfarkt. Dagegen scheinen interpersonale Probleme gemäß den vorgestellten Studienergebnissen bei keiner der drei hepatologischen Erkrankungen eine Rolle im Sinne einer Belastung mit Krankheitswert zu spielen. Bezüglich der erhobenen Lebensqualitätsparamter (SF-36) zeigte sich ein deutlich messbarer Unterschied zwischen der psychischen und der physischen Gesamtbelastung. Hierbei war die psychische Belastung eindeutig im Vordergrund. Alle drei Patienten-Subgruppen zeigten in diesem Zusammenhang durchaus vergleichbare Resultate. Die Hepatitis-B-Gruppe gab insgesamt die größte mentale Belastung an, bei gleichzeitig größten körperlichen Schmerzen innerhalb der drei Gruppen. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass die gemessene psychische Gesamtbelastung der drei Erkrankungen deutlich über der der Allgemeinbevölkerung liegt und vergleichbare Muster aufweist. Bei der chronischen HCV-Infektion zeigte sich ein signifikanter Zusammenhang von Fibroseprogression, länger dauerndem Krankheitsbewusstsein und erhöhten Depressionswerten. Alle drei Erkrankungen führten zu psychischen Auffälligkeiten (z.B. bezüglich der erhobenen HADS-Scores): Während die Depression bei den HCV-Patienten überwog, war die Angst das dominierende Problem der AIH- und der HBV-Patienten. Bei letzteren wären mit Blick auf den weiterführenden Forschungsbedarf erneute Studien anzustreben, die die Angst in den Fokus der Betrachtung stellen, da deren Auswirkung auf die Therapie nicht zu unterschätzen ist. Für die Klinik bedeutet dies, dass es wünschenswert wäre, den neu erworbenen Wissensbestand bezüglich Depression und Angst der Patienten in Schulungen des klinischen Fachpersonals handlungsleitend zu integrieren und auf diesem Wege unter anderem einen Beitrag zu leisten, den Stigmatisierungstendenzen im Umgang mit den Erkrankungen entgegenzuwirken und die klinischen Betreuung weiter zu optimieren. / In the center of the research-leading interest the question was located whether there is a difference in the occurrence and the intensity of fear and/or depression as well as physical complaints between the groups of patients with different chronic liver illnesses (HBV, HCV, AIH). The focus of the interest stood here in the determination of the correlation between the progressing of the liver illness (hepatitis over fibrosis to cirrhosis) and the extent of depressive and fearful symptomatology. At the collection time all patients were without specific medicamentous treatment due to their liver illness. As a secondary study goal the research question should be answered whether here the four applied different collection instruments (HADS-D, SCL-90-R, IIP-C and SF-36) to lead to different results. On the basis of the histological data a connection between progression of the fibrosis, depressive symptomatology and decreased physical health could be represented in the group of the hepatitis C patients. Only the patients with chronic hepatitis C infection showed a correlation (r = 0.205) between the length of time since report of the primary diagnosis and the extent of the depressive symptoms. All three chronic liver illnesses were associated with increased fear values. The SCL-90-R showed similar results for the psychological stress by all three chronic liver illnesses. Who was larger than by patients after myocardial infarction. In summary one can say that the measured psychological total cost of the three illnesses is higher as in the general population. With the chronic HCV infection a significant connection showed up of fibrosisprogression, longer lasting disease consciousness and higher depression values. While the depression outweighed with the HCV patients, the fear was the dominating problem of the AIH and the HBV patients.
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Descargas termo-estimuladas no teflon fep-a em circuito aberto. / Open-circuit TSD method in Teflon fep-A

Guimarães Neto, João Mariz 21 January 1983 (has links)
Foram construídas duas montagens experimentais: Com a primeira, mediu-se o decaimento do potencial de superfície em circuito aberto, em função da temperatura; com a segunda mediu-se diretamente a corrente termo-estimulada (derivada do potencial de superfície em circuito aberto) aquecendo-se a amostra a uma taxa constante. Usando essas técnicas estudamos as propriedades de transporte e armazenamento de cargas no Teflon FEP-A, carregado com corona. Usando a segunda técnica, verificou-se que amostras descarregadas, do citado material, podem liberar portadores de cargas positivas que dão origem a uma corrente anômala, que pode interferir nas medidas de corrente termo-estimulada de amostras carregadas positivamente. Estudou-se o comportamento das curvas de corrente em amostras com e sem tratamento térmico, carregadas com corona tanto positiva como negativa. Além disto, é feita uma discussão dos resultados por nós obtidos e os publicados na literatura. / Two experimental systems were constructed: with the first the surface potential could be measured, while with the second, its derivative with respect to the time (the so called open circuit current). In both cases the measurements were performed while heating previously positive or negative corona charged FEP-A Teflon 25&#956m samples. The results gave information about charge storage and transport properties in this material. During the work it was noticed that positive ions maybe emitted from Teflon surface. This unexpected phenomenon was followed in some detail in order to know how far it influences the usual currents. This study led us to carry measurements in previously annealed samples, whose behavior was found to differ from that of virgin samples. Our results were compared with those found in the literature.
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L'enseignement de l'algèbre linéaire au niveau universitaire : Analyse didactique et épistémologique / Teaching linear algebra at university level : Didactical and epistemological analysis

Lalaude-Labayle, Marc 03 November 2016 (has links)
Notre recherche porte sur la question de l'enseignement de l'algèbre linéaire au niveau universitaire, plus précisément sur les applications linéaires en Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles. La théorie des situations didactiques avec la sémiotique de Peirce fournissent le cadre principal de nos travaux et nous permettent d'analyser les raisonnements produits par les étudiants en situation d'interrogation orale. Nous proposons dans un premier temps des éléments d'analyse épistémologique concernant le rôle des applications linéaires dans l'émergence de l'algèbre linéaire. Puis nous présentons dans une optique d'analyse didactique les principaux éléments de la sémiotique de Peirce et son algébrisation par le treillis des classes de signes. Nous complétons alors le modèle d'analyse des raisonnements de Bloch et Gibel et proposons un outil d'analyse sémiotique, le diagramme sémantique. Nous utilisons cet outil pour une analyse sémiotique locale a priori d'une situation mathématique. Cette analyse met en évidence le lien entre les premiers signes et premières actions de la situation et la sémiose qui en découle. Nous procédons ensuite à une analyse des raisonnements produits par des étudiants en situation d'interrogation orale, dite « classique ». Cette analyse confirme le lien entre l'absence de niveaux de milieu adidactiques et la difficulté sémantique d'organiser les objets en situation de preuve. Puis, nous expérimentons une situation d'interrogation orale de telle sorte que les niveaux de milieu adidactiques soient riches et stabilisés. L'analyse des raisonnements produits dans cette situation nous permet de montrer que les étudiants sollicitent un point de vue sémantique sur les objets utile lors de leurs validations et contrôles. Ces trois moments de notre travail confirment l'importance du discours et des pratiques heuristiques dans le cadre de l'algèbre linéaire. / Our research is concerned with the teaching of linear algebra at the university level. More precisely, it focuses on the teaching of linear transformations in Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles. The theory of didactical situations, jointly with Peirce’s semiotics, constitute the main theoretical framework of our works and allow us to analyse student’s reasoning in situations of oral evaluation. Firstly, we put forward some epistemological aspects highlighting the links between linear transformations and the emergence of linear algebra. Then, with a didactical objective, we outline the main features of Perice’s semiotics and its algebraization with the treillis of sign’s categories. Hence, we can enhance the model of analysis for reasoning processes of Bloch and Gibel and build a tool for semiotic analysis called semantic diagram. We illustrate the use of this tool by conducting a local semiotic a priori analysis of a mathematical situation. This analysis highlight the link between the first signs and actions of the situation and the resulting semiosis. Next, we analyse some students’ reasonings produced during oral evaluations said « classical ». This analysis confirms the link between the lack of an adidactical milieu and the semantic difficulty to organize and articulate the objects and signs in a proof situation. Then we experiment a situation of oral evaluation in which the adidactical milieus are rich enough and stabilized. The analysis of the reasoning process conducted in this experimental situation allows us to show that, in this case, the students rely on a semantic point of view on the objects to produce their validations and controls their productions. These three different moments of our research attest the importance of the heuristic practices and discourse in the field of linear algebra.
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Improving pilot understanding of TCAS through the traffic situation display

Cleveland, William Peter 02 January 2013 (has links)
The goal of this thesis is to improve pilot understanding of the Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) by changing the Traffic Situation Display (TSD). This is supported by two objectives. The first objective is to create an integrated, realistic air traffic environment. This serves as an experimental platform for testing and evaluating future TCAS TSDs. The simulator environment includes a desktop flight simulator, background air traffic simulator, and intruder aircraft. The intruder aircraft uses seven dimensional waypoints to robustly follow trajectories and cause specific resolution advisories. Second, the relative benefits of, and potential concerns with, new TCAS TSDs are explored using a structured, iterative design process with subject matter ex- perts (SMEs). Incremental changes to the TSD were implemented into the simulator environment. SMEs evaluated the displays and potential points of confusion were identified. Several display features are discussed and implemented for future evaluations. These include boundary lines of TCAS variables depicted on the TSD and on a vertical situation display, speed lines which vary with the TCAS estimate of time to closest point of approach, and a prediction of the safe altitude target during a resolution advisory. Scenarios which may be confusing or misleading are discussed. These scenarios may be ameliorated or exacerbated by display features. This information is useful to guide both design and certification or operational approval and is a starting place for future TCAS experiments.

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