Colletotrichum gossypii var. cephalosporioides, fungo causador da ramulose do algodoerio, é ocorre disperso em quase todo Brasil. Sem um eficiente esquema de aplicação de fungicidas, a ramulose pode provocar severos danos. Outra importante doença para o algodoeiro, em muitas regiões do mundo, é a mancha angular, causada por Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um índice de favorabilidade baseado em variáveis meteorológicas para estimar a ocorrência da ramulose e da mancha angular (MA) do algodoeiro. O período de incubação, a freqüência de infecção e a severidade das doenças foram avaliados em câmaras de crescimento mantidas a 15, 20, 25 e 30&#176;C e com períodos de câmara úmida de 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, e 64 horas após inoculação com suspensão inóculo de 105 conídios mL-1 e 106 IFC mL-1. Severidade da doença. Severidade (MA) e número de lesões por área (Ramulose) foram modelados como função da duração do período de molhamento (DPM) e da temperatura (T). Em experimentos de campo em Piracicaba, SP, parcelas de algodão foram inoculadas com ramulose e mancha angular, separadamente, a fim de se avaliar semanalmente o progresso das doenças ao longo do tempo. Os dados de temperatura do ar e molhamento foliar no campo foram utilizados no modelo obtido com os resultados de câmaras de crescimento e assim calcular o índice de favorabilidade. As variáveis meteorológicas radiação solar, T, umidade relativa do ar, DPM, chuva e velocidade do vento foram avaliadas como possíveis variáveis explanatórias às taxas de crescimento da doença no campo. Testou-se também, como variável explanatória, o índice de favorabilidade (0,0<IF<1,0), calculado com os modelos de superfície utilizando os dados de T e DPM, obtidos dos experimentos de campo. Em câmaras de crescimento, a temperatura ótima foi de 27&#176;C para ramulose e 22&#176;C para mancha angular, com período de incubação de 10 dias para ramulose e entre 5 e 6 dias para mancha angular. A máxima severidade de ramulose ocorreu entre 25 e 30&#176;C e a máxima severidade de ALS ocorreu entre 20 e 25&#176;C. A severidade de ambas diminui rapidamente em temperaturas maiores ou menores que nessa faixa. A severidade de ramulose aumentou no intervalo de 4 até 32 horas de molhamento enquanto que ocorreu o mesmo com ALS no intervalo de 0 a 8 horas de molhamento. A severidade de ambas foi melhor ajustada por um modelo exponencial logarítmico em função do molhamento que, pela substituição dos parâmetros por funções de temperatura, descreveu a superfície de resposta com elevada precisão e exatidão. No campo, a taxa de crescimento da ramulose foi melhor relacionada ao índice de favorabilidade e à chuva, por regressão não linear, com coeficientes de determinação de 0,89 e 0,91, respectivamente. A taxa de crescimento da mancha angular apresentou razoável relação linear com as variáveis temperatura durante o período de molhamento e vento máximo, com R2 de 0,75 e 0,84 respectivamente. / Colletotrichum gossypii var. cephalosporioides, the fungus that causes ramulosis in cotton crops, is widespread in Brazil. Without an efficient fungicide schedule, ramulosis disease could provoke severe yield losses on cotton. Other important disease to cotton crop in several regions of the world is the bacterial blight also known as angular leaf spot (ALS), caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum. The objective of this work was develop a weather based favorability index to each of this diseases. The incubation period, the infection frequency and the severity of both diseases were evaluated in growth-chamber experiments, incubated at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35&#176;C while exposed to wetness periods of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 h after inoculation with 105 conidium mL-1 and 106 CFU mL-1. Disease severity (ALS) and number of lesions per leaf area (ramulosis), was modeled as a function of leaf wetness duration (LWD) and temperature (T). At the field experiments in Piracicaba, cotton plots were inoculated with both pathogens separately, and disease severity was evaluated weekly. LWD and T data from the field trials were used as input to the model from growth chambers results and output the disease favorability index. Weather variables as solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, wetness duration, rain, and wind speed were also evaluated as possible explanatory variables to the disease growth rate in the field. Was also tested the favorability index (0.0<FI<1.0), as explanatory variable, calculated with the surface models using T and LWD from the field. In growth chambers, the optimum temperature for ramulosis was 27&#176;C and 22&#176;C for ALS and incubation of 10 days to ramulosis and 5 to 6 days do ALS. Maximum ramulosis severity occurred from 20 to 30&#176; C, and between 20 and 25&#176;C to bacterial blight, and both decreased sharply at warmer or cooler temperatures. Ramulosis severity increased as wetness periods were increased from 4 to 32 h. Bacterial blight severity increased from 0 to 8 h of wetness period. The severity of both diseases, were best fitted by a logarithmic exponential model as function of LWD which, by the substitution of parameters for temperature functions, described the surface response with high precision and accuracy, even being a very flexible model. In the field, ramulosis growth rate was strongly correlated with values of the disease favorability index and rainfall with R2=0.89 and R2=0.91, respectively. Bacterial blight growth rate had best linear correlation to temperature during the wetness period and maximum wind with R2=0.75 and R2=0.84, respectively.

Este trabalho de mestrado trata da implementação de um espectrômetro de correlações angulares perturbadas no Laboratório do Acelerador Pelletron do Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo. O espectrômetro é formado por seis detectores cintiladores com cristais de \'BaF IND.2\', de 3 polegadas de diâmetro por 6 de comprimento, com um sistema eletrônico e de aquisição de dados multiparamétrico padrão CAMAC. Diferentemente do usual, os espectros de energia dos raios gama dos núcleos de prova são adquiridos para cada detector, o que permite manter um controle maior sobre todo o experimento. Além disso, um mesmo experimento pode ser revisto com diferentes abordagens por diversas vezes, pois todas as informações sobre ele são armazenadas. Com a configuração eletrônica adotada, os espectros de energia são obtidos por meio de um QDC (charge to digital converter), dispensando o uso de pré-amplificadores. Os espectros de tempo são adquiridos com um TDC (time do digital converter). A seleção dos eventos de coincidência é realizada computacionalmente, procedimento que pode ser realizado durante a aquisição dos dados. Como a motivação para a implementação desse espectrômetro é o estudo de estruturas e interações de biomoléculas por meio da técnica de correlações angulares (PAC), foram realizadas medidas exploratórias, com o uso do espectrômetro do Laboratório de interações Hiperfinas (LIH) do Centro do Reator de Pesquisas (CRPq) no IPEN, paralelamente à implementação do espectrômetro. As primeiras medições foram realizadas com amostras de vesículas lipídicas. Com essas medidas foi possível notar a influência da variação de tamanho das moléculas (diminuição de tamanho em uma ordem de grandeza) no tempo de correlação rotacional à temperatura ambiente, quando adicionado SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) na suspensão para formação de um agregado micelar. As duas séries de medidas seguintes foram realizadas com amostras de SDS nas quais variaram-se as concentrações para se tentar verificar alterações na geometria ou na mobilidade das moléculas em função desse parâmetro. Foi possível notar que o comportamento das funções perturbação experimentais variaram com as amostras, porém não foi possível notar sistemática no comportamtento. Outro fator notado foi a influência do meio. O comportamento das moléculas quando na presença de metanol nas amostras era bem diferente das soluções aquosas. Também não foi possível obter uma conclusão clara quanto à concentração micelar crítica para soluções aquosas. Por fim foram realizadas medidas com amostras de proteína calmodulina. Foram feitas medidas à temperatura ambiente e a 77K. Notou-se que essa proteína é passível de ser estudada por meio da técnica PAC. Para confirmar a presença da proteína nas amostras e também tentar verificar um deslocamento na massa devido à presença do íon \'ANTPOT.111 Cd\' \'ANTPOT.2+\' foram realizadas medidas de espectrometria de massas no Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massas na Embrapa em Brasília. Foi possível confirmar a presença da proteína nas amostras, porém não foi possível notar a presença de \'ANTPOT.111 Cd\' devido à baixa concentração de íons utilizados com a técnica PAC. / This work is related to the implementation of a perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectrometer at the University of São Paulo Pelletron Laboratory. The spectrometer consists of 6 cylindrical BaF$_2$ scintillator detectors, with 3 inches diameter and 6 inches length and a multiparameter CAMAC data acquisition system. Different from usual, the gamma ray energy spectra of the cascade nuclei are acquired for each detector, which allows us to have more control of the experiment. Besides, the same experiment can be revised with different approaches at any time. With the adopted electronics configuration, the energy spectra are obtained through a QDC (charge to digital converter) module, which dispenses the use of pre-amplifiers. The time spectra are acquired with a TDC (time to digital converter) module. The selection of coincidence events is performed computationally, and this procedure can be evaluated during the data acquisition. The main motivation for implementing this spectrometer is the study of the structure and interactions of biomolecules through the perturbed angular correlation technique. Test measurements were performed, parallel to the spectrometer construction, with the use of the Hyperfine Interactions Laboratory spectrometer at the Centro do Reator de Pesquisas do Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (CRPq-IPEN). The first measurements were performed with lipidic vesicles samples. In this case it was possible to observe the influence of the molecule dimension change (decrease in one order) on the rotational correlation time at room temperature, when SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) was added in the suspension to form micellar aggregation. The two following series of measurements were performed with SDS samples in which the concentration was varied in order to verify modifications in the geometry or mobility of the molecules as a function of that parameter. The behavior of the experimental perturbation functions varied with the samples. However, it was not possible to point out any systematics in their behavior. The molecules behavior when in presence of methanol in the samples was very different from the aqueous solutions. Also, it was not possible to obtain a clear conclusion about the critical micellar concentration for the aqueous solutions. Finally, the last measurements were performed with calmodulin protein samples, at room temperature and at 77K. In this case we concluded that this protein can be studied through the PAC technique. In order to confirm the presence of the protein in the samples and at same time to verify if any mass displacement occurred due to the presence of the $^{111}$Cd$^{2+}$, mass spectrometry measurements were performed at the Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massas -- Embrapa in Brasília. It was possible to confirm the presence of the protein in the samples, but it was not possible to observe the mass displacement due to the presence of the $^{111}$Cd, since the ions concentration used with the PAC technique is very low.

A bicicleta estacionária articulada é um tipo de equipamento disponibilizado recentemente ao mercado de fitness, consequentemente não explorado em estudos no meio acadêmico científico. Desta forma surgem alguns problemas de pesquisas, desde o fato da instrumentação deste equipamento até a escolha de metodologias e variáveis a serem estudadas para potencializar o seu uso. Este estudo foi realizado com o proposito de descrever as diferenças quanto ao padrão angular da pedalada do ciclista, ou seja, o ângulo do pedal relativo ao pedivela, utilizando-se desta nova bicicleta estacionária de ciclismo indoor, comparando a condição chassi fixo com o articulado. Para a instrumentação, foi acoplado um gerador e um encoder junto a roda de inércia tendo controle das variáveis carga e cadência. Para a medição do ângulo do pedal, os pedais (direito e esquerdo) da bicicleta foram substituídos por pedais instrumentados com potenciômetros, já para o registro do ângulo do pedivela, foi utilizado um sensor eletromagnético, do tipo reed switch. A amostra foi composta por cinco praticantes, todos devidamente adaptados com bicicletas de chassi articulado, submetidas a um protocolo pré-estabelecido, variando condição (fixo e articulado) e posição (pedalando no selim e em pé) com carga e cadência determinada. Embora a amplitude de movimento para ambos os pedais não apresentaram diferenças, em análise, os resultados apontaram que o uso do chassi articulado afeta o padrão angular do pedal durante o ciclo da pedalada, menos acentuado quando utilizou-se a posição sentado no selim, e mais acentuado quando estava-se pedalando em pé. Das posições no pedivela que apresentaram as diferenças no padrão angular durante o uso do chassi articulado, 80% foram na parte produtiva da pedalada (ângulo de 0° a 180°), e o ângulo de 150° concentrou 60% destas ocorrências. Já, tratando-se de forças no pedal, o chassi articulado apresenta evidência de ser mais eficiente do que o chassi fixo. / The stationary articulated bicycle is a type of equipment which is available to the fitness market only recently, and therefore it was not investigated in academic or scientific studies yet. Thus, this fact arises some problems of research, from the fact of instrumentation of this equipment to the choice of methods and variables to be studied to maximize its use. This study was conducted with the purpose to describe the differences in the angular pattern of cyclist pedaling, i.e., the angle on the pedal crank, using this new stationary bicycle of indoor cycling, by comparing the condition of the fixed chassis with the articulated one. For the instrumentation, a generator and an encoder were connected to the wheel of inertia, taking control of the load and cadence variables. To measure the angle of the pedal, the left and right pedals of the bicycle were replaced by pedals which were instrumented with potentiometers. To record the angle of the crank, we used an electromagnetic sensor, the reed switch. The sample consisted of five practitioners, all suitably adapted with articulated frame bicycles, which were subjected to a pre-established protocol, varying the condition (fixed or articulated), and the position (pedaling in the saddle or standing up), with determined load and cadence. The results indicated that the use of articulated frame affects the pattern of the pedal angle during the pedaling cycle, less marked when the sitting position on the saddle was used, and more pronounced when pedaling on the standing up position. About the positions of the crank that showed differences in angle while using the articulated frame: 80% were in the productive part of the pedaling (angle from 0° to 180°), and the angle of 150° concentrated 60% of these incidents. The amplitude of angular movement of the pedal showed no differences between fixed and articulated frame. However, in the case of forces on the pedal, the articulated frame shows evidence of being more efficient than the fixed frame.

Distorções geométricas em partes metálicas unidas através de soldagem a arco elétrico são consequências inerentes ao processo devido ao elevado fluxo de calor necessário para fusão dos metais de base e adição (quando houver). Embora inevitáveis, estas distorções podem ser reduzidas ou eliminadas através do prévio conhecimento do comportamento da junta de acordo com energia aplicada, características geométricas, propriedades do material, entre outros fatores, possibilitando assim a redução de custos com possíveis retrabalhos por meio de alterações de projeto ou ações que as previnam durante a soldagem. Este trabalho utilizou a metodologia de Projeto de Experimentos para avaliar o efeito da energia de soldagem, espessura da aba e espessura da alma na distorção angular em juntas de filete soldadas pelo processo MIG/MAG com modo de transferência curto-circuito. Foi aplicada a Análise de Variância para as distorções angulares das amostras e identificou como significativo o efeito linear da energia de soldagem, o efeito quadrático da espessura da aba e a interação dos fatores energia de soldagem e espessura da aba na distorção angular de juntas de filete. Observou-se mínimas distorções para a combinação de maior energia de soldagem e menor espessura de aba, sendo mínimas também as distorções angulares para a combinação de menor energia de soldagem e maior espessura de aba, independente da espessura da alma para as condições estudadas. Através das macrografias das amostras, identificou-se que razão entre a área total do metal de solda e espessura da aba que gera maior distorção angular é aproximamente 5, com menores distorções angulares para valores inferiores e superiores a esse. Através de um modelo numérico, demonstrou-se que o gradiente de temperatura na aba da junta não determina a máxima distorção angular, e sim a máxima temperatura atingida na superfície inferior da aba, com máxima distorção angular obtida para a amostra que atingiu aproximadamente 425 ºC em ponto na superfície inferior da aba e paralelo à margem do cordão. Por fim, para distorções angulares em função da razão entre a energia de soldagem conduzida pela aba e espessura de aba ao quadrado, observou-se que a distorção angular é crescente até atingir 15,00 J/mm³, e menores distorções angulares para relações superiores a esse valor. / Welding deformation on metallic parts joined by electric arc welding are inherent consequences of the process due to the high heat flux required for melting the base and filler metals (when used). Although unavoidable, these deformations can be reduced or eliminated through prior knowledge of joint behavior in accordance with applied heat input (welding energy), geometric characteristics, material properties, among other factors, thus reducing costs with possible rework through design changes or actions that prevent them during welding. This work uses a methodology proposed by Experimental Design theories to evaluate the effect of heat input, flange thickness and web thickness on angular distortion in fillet joints welded by the GMAW process with short-circuit transfer mode. Was applied Analysis of Variance for the angular distortions of the test specimens and there are significant the linear effect of heat input, the quadratic effect of flange thickness and the interaction of heat input and flange thickness on the angular distortion of fillet joints, observing minimum distortion for the combination of higher heat input and lower flange thickness, and also angular distortions for the combination of lower heat input and higher flange thickness, regardless of the thickness of the web are minimal. Through the macrographs of the samples, it was identified that the ratio of a region of the weld metal to the flange thickness that generates the greatest angular distortion is approximately 5, with smaller angular distortions for lower values and higher than that. Through a numerical model, it has been shown that the temperature gradient in the flange does not determine the maximum angular distortion, but the maximum temperature reached in the lower surface of the flange, with maximum angular distortion obtained for the sample that reached approximately 425ºC in point on the surface bottom of the flange and parallel to the edge of the weld bead. Finally, for angular distortions as a function of the ratio between the heat input conducted by the flange and the squared flange thickness, it was observed that the angular distortion is increasing until reaching 15,00 J/mm³, and smaller angular distortions for higher relations to this value.

Imaging at the nanoscale and/or at remote locations holds great promise for studies in fields as disparate as the life sciences and materials sciences. One such microscopy technique, stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, is one of several fluorescence based imaging techniques that offers resolution beyond the diffraction-limit. All current implementations of STED microscopy, however, involve the use of free-space beam shaping devices to achieve the Gaussian- and donut-shaped Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) carrying beams at the desired colors –-- a challenging prospect from the standpoint of device assembly and mechanical stability during operation. A fiber-based solution could address these engineering challenges, and perhaps more interestingly, it may facilitate endoscopic implementation of in vivo STED imaging, a prospect that has thus far not been realized because optical fibers were previously considered to be incapable of transmitting the OAM beams that are necessary for STED. In this thesis, we investigate fiber-based STED systems to enable endoscopic nanoscale imaging. We discuss the design and characteristics of a novel class of fibers supporting and stably propagating Gaussian and OAM modes. Optimization of the design parameters leads to stable excitation and depletion beams propagating in the same fiber in the visible spectral range, for the first time, with high efficiency (>99%) and mode purity (>98%). Using the fabricated vortex fiber, we demonstrate an all-fiber STED system with modes that are tolerant to perturbations, and we obtain naturally self-aligned PSFs for the excitation and depletion beams. Initial experiments of STED imaging using our device yields a 4-fold improvement in lateral resolution compared to confocal imaging. In an experiment in parallel, we show the means of using q-plates as free-space mode converters that yield alignment tolerant STED microscopy systems at wavelengths covering the entire visible spectrum, and hence dyes of interest in such imaging schematics. Our study indicates that the vortex fiber is capable of providing an all-fiber platform for STED systems, and for other imaging systems where the exploitation of spatio-spectral beam shaping is required.

Este trabalho de mestrado trata da implementação de um espectrômetro de correlações angulares perturbadas no Laboratório do Acelerador Pelletron do Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo. O espectrômetro é formado por seis detectores cintiladores com cristais de \'BaF IND.2\', de 3 polegadas de diâmetro por 6 de comprimento, com um sistema eletrônico e de aquisição de dados multiparamétrico padrão CAMAC. Diferentemente do usual, os espectros de energia dos raios gama dos núcleos de prova são adquiridos para cada detector, o que permite manter um controle maior sobre todo o experimento. Além disso, um mesmo experimento pode ser revisto com diferentes abordagens por diversas vezes, pois todas as informações sobre ele são armazenadas. Com a configuração eletrônica adotada, os espectros de energia são obtidos por meio de um QDC (charge to digital converter), dispensando o uso de pré-amplificadores. Os espectros de tempo são adquiridos com um TDC (time do digital converter). A seleção dos eventos de coincidência é realizada computacionalmente, procedimento que pode ser realizado durante a aquisição dos dados. Como a motivação para a implementação desse espectrômetro é o estudo de estruturas e interações de biomoléculas por meio da técnica de correlações angulares (PAC), foram realizadas medidas exploratórias, com o uso do espectrômetro do Laboratório de interações Hiperfinas (LIH) do Centro do Reator de Pesquisas (CRPq) no IPEN, paralelamente à implementação do espectrômetro. As primeiras medições foram realizadas com amostras de vesículas lipídicas. Com essas medidas foi possível notar a influência da variação de tamanho das moléculas (diminuição de tamanho em uma ordem de grandeza) no tempo de correlação rotacional à temperatura ambiente, quando adicionado SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) na suspensão para formação de um agregado micelar. As duas séries de medidas seguintes foram realizadas com amostras de SDS nas quais variaram-se as concentrações para se tentar verificar alterações na geometria ou na mobilidade das moléculas em função desse parâmetro. Foi possível notar que o comportamento das funções perturbação experimentais variaram com as amostras, porém não foi possível notar sistemática no comportamtento. Outro fator notado foi a influência do meio. O comportamento das moléculas quando na presença de metanol nas amostras era bem diferente das soluções aquosas. Também não foi possível obter uma conclusão clara quanto à concentração micelar crítica para soluções aquosas. Por fim foram realizadas medidas com amostras de proteína calmodulina. Foram feitas medidas à temperatura ambiente e a 77K. Notou-se que essa proteína é passível de ser estudada por meio da técnica PAC. Para confirmar a presença da proteína nas amostras e também tentar verificar um deslocamento na massa devido à presença do íon \'ANTPOT.111 Cd\' \'ANTPOT.2+\' foram realizadas medidas de espectrometria de massas no Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massas na Embrapa em Brasília. Foi possível confirmar a presença da proteína nas amostras, porém não foi possível notar a presença de \'ANTPOT.111 Cd\' devido à baixa concentração de íons utilizados com a técnica PAC. / This work is related to the implementation of a perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectrometer at the University of São Paulo Pelletron Laboratory. The spectrometer consists of 6 cylindrical BaF$_2$ scintillator detectors, with 3 inches diameter and 6 inches length and a multiparameter CAMAC data acquisition system. Different from usual, the gamma ray energy spectra of the cascade nuclei are acquired for each detector, which allows us to have more control of the experiment. Besides, the same experiment can be revised with different approaches at any time. With the adopted electronics configuration, the energy spectra are obtained through a QDC (charge to digital converter) module, which dispenses the use of pre-amplifiers. The time spectra are acquired with a TDC (time to digital converter) module. The selection of coincidence events is performed computationally, and this procedure can be evaluated during the data acquisition. The main motivation for implementing this spectrometer is the study of the structure and interactions of biomolecules through the perturbed angular correlation technique. Test measurements were performed, parallel to the spectrometer construction, with the use of the Hyperfine Interactions Laboratory spectrometer at the Centro do Reator de Pesquisas do Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (CRPq-IPEN). The first measurements were performed with lipidic vesicles samples. In this case it was possible to observe the influence of the molecule dimension change (decrease in one order) on the rotational correlation time at room temperature, when SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) was added in the suspension to form micellar aggregation. The two following series of measurements were performed with SDS samples in which the concentration was varied in order to verify modifications in the geometry or mobility of the molecules as a function of that parameter. The behavior of the experimental perturbation functions varied with the samples. However, it was not possible to point out any systematics in their behavior. The molecules behavior when in presence of methanol in the samples was very different from the aqueous solutions. Also, it was not possible to obtain a clear conclusion about the critical micellar concentration for the aqueous solutions. Finally, the last measurements were performed with calmodulin protein samples, at room temperature and at 77K. In this case we concluded that this protein can be studied through the PAC technique. In order to confirm the presence of the protein in the samples and at same time to verify if any mass displacement occurred due to the presence of the $^{111}$Cd$^{2+}$, mass spectrometry measurements were performed at the Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massas -- Embrapa in Brasília. It was possible to confirm the presence of the protein in the samples, but it was not possible to observe the mass displacement due to the presence of the $^{111}$Cd, since the ions concentration used with the PAC technique is very low.

The present work introduces novel methodologies for damage detection and health monitoring of structural and mechanical systems. The new approach uses the angular velocity inside different mathematical forms, via a gyroscope, to detect, locate, and relatively quantify damage. This new approach has been shown to outperform the current state-of-the-art acceleration-based approach in detecting damage on structures. Additionally, the current approach has been shown to be less sensitive to environmental acoustic noises, which present major challenges to the acceleration-based approaches. Furthermore, the current approach has been demonstrated to work effectively on arch structures, which acceleration-based approaches have struggled to deal with. The efficacy of the new approach has been investigated through multiple forms of structural damage indices. The first methodology proposed a damage index that is based on the changes in the second spatial derivative (curvature) of the power spectral density (PSD) of the angular velocity during vibration. The proposed method is based on the output motion only and does not require information about the input forces/motions. The PSD of the angular velocity signal at different locations on structural beams was used to identify the frequencies where the beams show large magnitude of angular velocity. The curvature of the PSD of the angular velocity at these peak frequencies was then calculated. A damage index is presented that measures the differences between the PSD curvature of the angular velocity of a damaged structure and an artificial healthy baseline structure. The second methodology proposed a damage index that is used to detect and locate damage on straight and curved beams. The approach introduces the transmissibility and coherence functions of the output angular velocity between two points on a structure where damage may occur to calculate a damage index as a metric of the changes in the dynamic integrity of the structure. The damage index considers limited-frequency bands of the transmissibility function at frequencies where the coherence is high. The efficacy of the proposed angular-velocity damage-detection approach as compared to the traditional linear-acceleration damage-detection approach was tested on straight and curved beams with different chord heights. Numerical results showed the effectiveness of the angular-velocity approach in detecting damage of multiple levels. It was observed that the magnitude of the damage index increased with the magnitude of damage, indicating the sensitivity of the proposed method to damage intensity. The results on straight and curved beams showed that the proposed approach is superior to the linear-acceleration-based approach, especially when dealing with curved beams with increasing chord heights. The experimental results showed that the damage index of the angular-velocity approach outweighed that of the acceleration approach by multiple levels in terms of detecting damage. A third methodology for health-monitoring and updating of structure supports, which resemble bridges’ bearings, is introduced in this work. The proposed method models the resistance of the supports as rotational springs and uses the transmissibility and coherence functions of the output response of the angular velocity in the neighborhood of the bearings to detect changes in the support conditions. The proposed methodology generates a health-monitoring index that evaluates the level of deterioration in the support and a support-updating scheme to update the stiffness resistance of the supports. Numerical and experimental examples using beams with different support conditions are introduced to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method detected changes in the state of the bearings and successfully updated the changes in the stiffness of the supports.

This thesis encompasses a body of experimental work on the use of structured light in quantum cryptographic protocols. In particular, we investigate the ability to perform quantum key distribution through various quantum channels (fibre, free-space, underwater) in laboratory and realistic conditions. We first demonstrate that a special type of optical fibre (vortex fibre) capable of coherently transmitting vector vortex modes is a viable quantum channel. Next, we describe the first demonstration of high-dimensional quantum cryptography using structured photons in an urban setting. In particular, the prevalence of atmospheric turbulence can introduce many errors to a transmitted key; however, we are still able to transmit more information per carrier using a 4-dimensional scheme in comparison to a 2-dimensional one. Lastly, we investigate the possibility of performing secure quantum communication with twisted photons in an uncontrolled underwater channel. We find that though it is possible for low-dimensional schemes, high-dimensional schemes suffer from underwater turbulence without the use of corrective wavefront techniques.

Background: Training to increase muscular power is essential for improving athletic performance in most sports. Weight training (WT) is a common means for training muscular power. Another modality, flywheel resistance training (FRT), may be superior for improving muscular power. However, few studies have examined if FRT is kinematically similar to WT, or if FRT kinematics change with increasing inertial load. The purposes of this study were to determine how sagittal plane joint kinematics are affected by increasing inertial load during FRT squats, and to determine how FRT squat joint kinematics compare to WT squat joint kinematics. Methods: Subjects (n=9) completed three visits for this study. On the first visit subjects completed squat 1 repetition maximum (1RM) testing. The second visit served as a full FRT familiarization session in which subjects performed one set of 5 maximal effort FRT squats at each inertial load (0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 kgm2). On the third visit, subjects were videoed in the sagittal plane while performing the FRT squat protocol. Subjects then completed 5 maximal velocity repetitions of WT squats with the barbell loaded according to the Kansas Squat Test (KST) protocol. Kinematic differences between inertial loads were determined via 1-way repeated measures ANOVAS while differences between FRT and WT were determined with paired T-tests. Results: There were no differences in peak sagittal plane knee, trunk-hip, trunk (absolute) or ankle angles between inertial loads. Peak and mean joint angular velocities decreased with increasing inertial loads at the knee and trunk-hip. Mean joint angular velocities decreased at the ankle with increasing inertial loads, while peak and mean trunk (absolute) angular velocities were unaffected. No statistical analyses were conducted for FRT and WT comparison as not enough subjects met the criteria (n=3). Conclusions: Sagittal plane joint kinematics are largely maintained despite increasing inertial load during FRT squats. Lower extremity joint angular velocities decreased with increasing inertial load. If training for muscular power and knee extensor velocity is the goal, then the inertia of 0.050 kgm2 is most suitable.

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