Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-01-06T14:13:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 isabelamirandademendonca.pdf: 2220110 bytes, checksum: 5dc0f4e3929098da2984e16872a06681 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Diamantino Mayra (mayra.diamantino@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-01-31T11:27:02Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 isabelamirandademendonca.pdf: 2220110 bytes, checksum: 5dc0f4e3929098da2984e16872a06681 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-31T11:27:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 isabelamirandademendonca.pdf: 2220110 bytes, checksum: 5dc0f4e3929098da2984e16872a06681 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-19 / Este trabalho apresenta uma nova estratégia visando à redução do espaço de busca e à inicialização do processo de otimização multimodal para resolução do problema de planejamento estático da expansão de sistemas de transmissão de energia elétrica. Para tanto, a metodologia proposta faz uso de um algoritmo heurístico construtivo baseado em índices de sensibilidade, no qual as decisões de expansão são relaxadas e representadas através da função tangente hiperbólica. Através da consideração de diferentes inclinações da função tangente hiperbólica, dentro de um intervalo previamente determinado, associadas aos principais índices de sensibilidade existentes na literatura é possível extrair um conjunto reduzido de alternativas de expansão. Sendo assim, com base nas informações heurísticas obtidas, é utilizado um algoritmo bioinspirado visando obter de um plano final de expansão para sistemas de transmissão de energia elétrica. A rede de transmissão de energia elétrica é representada por um modelo linearizado de fluxo de carga. Os planos finais de expansão obtidos pela metodologia proposta foram satisfatórios, mostrando que a utilização da função tangente hiperbólica agregada às heurísticas adotadas resultaram em uma estratégia eficiente de decisão. Foram analisados os sistemas Garver, IEEE 24 barras, Sul Brasileiro de 46 barras, e o Colombiano de 93 barras. Os resultados obtidos pela a metodologia proposta foram satisfatórios e de excelente qualidade. / This thesis presents a new strategy aimed at the search space reduction and initialization of the multimodal optimization process to solve the problem of static expansion planning of electric power transmission systems. The proposed methodology uses a constructive heuristic algorithm based on sensitivity indices, in which the expansion decisions are relaxed and represented through the hyperbolic tangent function. By considering different slopes of the hyperbolic tangent function, within a predetermined range, associated with the main existing sensitivity indices in the literature, it is possible to extract a reduced set of expansion alternatives. Thus, based on the heuristic information obtained, a bio-inspired algorithm is used to obtain a final expansion plan for electric power transmission systems. The electric power transmission network is represented by a linear load flow. The final expansion plans obtained by the proposed methodology were satisfactory, showing that the use of the hyperbolic tangent function added to the adopted heuristics yielded an effective decision strategy. The Garver system, IEEE 24 bus system, real equivalent system in southern Brazil 46 bus and real Colombian system 93 bus were analyzed. The results obtained by the proposed method were satisfactory with excellent quality.

L’ingénierie tissulaire vise à régénérer des organes ou des tissus lésés. Ainsi, les gels de fibrine sont largement utilisés pour la reconstruction de différents tissus. Cependant, à concentration physiologique, ils ne peuvent pas être manipulés. Pour améliorer leurs propriétés mécaniques, ils peuvent être combinés dans une architecture de Réseaux Interpénétrés de Polymères (RIP) à un réseau de polymère synthétique (PVA ou POE). Ces RIPs peuvent être rendus biodégradables en copolymérisant d’albumine bovine de sérum modifiée par des groupements méthacrylate (BSAm) avec le partenaire synthétique.Selon leurs compositions, ces matériaux peuvent être complètement dégradés ou fragmentés après quelques jours en présence de thermolysine, une enzyme protéolytique. Ces cinétiques de dégradation de ces RIPs ont été étudiées en suivant le relargage des fragments protéiques hors du matériau, d’une part, et la diminution de leurs propriétés viscoélastiques, d’autre part. Leur biocompatibilité a été vérifiée : des fibroblastes cultivés à leur surface présentent une viabilité supérieure à 90% après 5 semaines de culture et leur prolifération est suivie de la synthèse de macromolécules de la Matrice Extracellulaire.Afin de leur ajouter une action bactéricide et d’augmenter encore leur résistance mécanique, des sels d’ammonium ont également été incorporés à certains de ces RIPs. Enfin, la synthèse de tels RIP a été mise au point à partir de plasma sanguin. Les éventuels phénomènes de rejet lors de leur intégration au sein du corps devraient ainsi être limités. De plus, le plasma sanguin contenant un grand nombre de facteurs de croissance et de molécules bioactives, la réparation tissulaire devrait ainsi être améliorée. / Tissue engineering aims to regenerate deficient tissues and organs. Fibrin gels are widely used for the reconstruction of various tissues. However, at physiological concentration, they can’t be handled. To improve their mechanical properties, they can be combined with a synthetic polymeric network (PVA or PEO) in an Interpenetrating Polymer Network (IPN) architecture. These IPN can be made biodegradable by crosslinking the Bovine Serum Albumin modified by methacrylate groups (BSAm) with the synthetic partner.Depending on the composition, these materials can be fully degraded or fragmented after several days of incubation with thermolysin, a proteolytic enzyme. The degradation kinetics of these hydrogels were studied by following the release of proteic fragments from the material and by the loss of viscoelastic properties. The biocompatibility was also verified: fibroblasts cultivated on the surface show a viability of over 90% after 5 weeks of culture and the proliferation is followed by the synthesis of Extracellular Matrix macromolecules.To add a bactericide property, and to increase their mechanical resistance, ammonium salts were incorporated in those IPN. Lastly, the synthesis of these IPN were adapted, starting from whole blood plasma. Rejection phenomena upon implantation should thus be hindered. Moreover, blood plasma contains a wide variety of growth factors and bioactive molecules, which should improve tissue regeneration.

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Composite materials have a wide range of applications in civil and structural engineering due to their advantages in mechanical properties and higher strengths over the base materials alone. Polymer-concrete composites are particularly attractive for use in industrial and infrastructure applications from combining the higher mechanical properties of the concrete in tension and the high tensile strength and ductile properties of the polymeric materials. However, these materials tend to be more expensive that typical concrete composites. This thesis explores the mechanical properties of two different polymer-concrete composites and their effectiveness in civil and structural applications: polymer concrete for rapid repair and 3D printed plastic-concrete composite members for energy absorption. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requires that emergency repair of military runways should be completed within 4 hours. In coordination with Luna Innovations Incorporated, a polymer concrete was developed by Luna for use as a rapid repair material for military runways to meet this requirement through its rapid heat curing. Its mechanical properties including its compressive and flexural strength, bond strength in various orientations, workability, modulus of elasticity, and coefficient of thermal expansion were tested and compared against another rapid repair material. The Tri-Service Pavements Working Group Manual recommendations for rigid repair materials were used as the requirements in determining whether the polymer concrete was an adequate rapid repair material. The polymer concrete formulation that was down-selected for further testing met these requirements for all tests except for the coefficient of thermal expansion. This was due to the resin itself having a high volumetric expansion when exposed to greater temperatures. As the polymer concrete is still under development, future tests are to be performed to determine the impact of the higher expansion on the surrounding runways. Additionally, inspired from naturally forming nacre found in some seashells, a 3D printed plastic-concrete beam structure was developed and tested in flexure to determine its energy absorption capabilities. The nacreous structure allows the material to experience a strain-hardening behavior, thus allowing for energy dissipation in the beam as it deflects from further applied load. It is theorized that the energy absorption capabilities would be suitable for withstanding the effects of dynamic loadings in structures, such as earthquake and blast loads. Multiple beam structures were developed and tested to determine the impact of percent-polymeric material and layout had on the energy dissipation. Overall, the specimens with more polymer in the cross-section demonstrated larger load vs. crack mouth displacement curves and fracture energy. These specimens demonstrated a higher toughness as well, making them more suitable for use in structural applications. As the project is still in development, future tests and analysis must be performed to determine their strength properties and feasibility as a structural material. The results of this thesis highlight the benefits of novel polymer composites in industrial and infrastructure applications, such as improved rapid setting characteristics and significantly enhanced mechanical and energy absorbing performance. Future work is needed to optimize these performance metrics, such as freeze thaw cycling, fatigue, and durability tests for the polymer concrete and analysis of moment capacity for the bioinspired nacreous composites. / Master of Science / Composite materials have a wide range of applications in civil and structural engineering due to their advantages in mechanical properties and higher strengths over the base materials alone. Polymer concrete composites are not as widely used due to their greater initial costs. However, they are very attractive in industrial and infrastructure applications because of the improved behavior in tension. This thesis explores the mechanical properties of two different polymer-concrete composites and their effectiveness in civil and structural applications: polymer concrete for rapid repair and 3D printed plastic-concrete composite members for energy absorption. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requires that emergency repair of military runways should be completed within 4 hours. In coordination with Luna Innovations Incorporated, a polymer concrete was developed by Luna for use as a rapid repair material for military runways to meet this requirement through its rapid heat curing. Its mechanical properties were tested and compared against another rapid repair material. The polymer concrete formulation that was down-selected for further testing met the requirements of the military for all tests performed except for the coefficient of thermal expansion. As the polymer concrete is still under development, future tests are to be performed to determine the impact of the higher expansion on the surrounding runways. Additionally, inspired from naturally forming nacre found in some seashells, a 3D printed plastic-concrete beam structure was developed and tested in bending to determine its energy absorption capabilities. The nacreous structure allows the material to experience a strain-hardening behavior, thus allowing for energy dissipation in the beam as it deflects from further applied load. It is theorized that the energy absorption capabilities would be suitable for withstanding the effects of earthquake and blast loads in structures. Multiple beam structures were developed and tested to determine the impact of percent-polymeric material and layout had on the energy dissipation. Overall, the specimens with more polymer in the cross-section demonstrated greater energy absorption capabilities. As the project is still in development, future tests and analysis must be performed to determine their strength properties and feasibility as a structural material. The results of this thesis highlight the benefits of novel polymer composites in industrial and infrastructure applications, such as improved rapid setting characteristics and significantly enhanced mechanical and energy absorbing performance. Future work is needed to optimize these performance metrics, such as freeze thaw cycling, fatigue, and durability tests for the polymer concrete and analysis of moment capacity for the bioinspired nacreous composites.

Une approche synthétique a été développée pour préparer les phtalocyanines dimériques de fer azote ponté substituées par les substituants alkylesulfoniles attracteurs d’électrons. Six nouvelles phtalocyanines avec des petits substituants (méthylesulfonile, éthylesulfonile et hexylesulfonile) et des gros substituants (t-butylesulfonile, adamantylesulfonile et cyclohexylesulfonile) ont été préparées et caractérisées par ionisation électrospray (ESI-MS), UV-vis, FT-IR et RPE. Deux complexes (avec substituants hexylesulfoniles et t-butylesulfoniles) ont été caractérisés par spectroscopie Mössbauer, spectroscopie photoélectronique de rayons X (XPS) et par spectroscopie d’absorption des rayons X (XANES, EXAFS, spectroscopie d’émission Kβ haute résolution). Il a été montré que l’état électronique de fer de ces complexes dépend de la taille de substituants. Les phtalocyanines de fer à l’azote ponté avec les gros substituants (t-butylesulfonile, adamantylesulfonile et cyclohexylesulfonile) sont cationiques (PcFeIVNFeIVPc)+N3-, tandis que les complexes avec les substituants plus gros (t-butylesulfonyles, adamantylesulfonyles et cyclohexylesulfonyles) sont non-chargés, formellement PcFeIIINFeIVPc. Les propriétés catalytiques des six complexes ont été étudiées en utilisant du butyle hydroperoxyde comme oxydant en oxydation de toluène, de p-xylène et des alcools. Ce travail montre l’efficacité des phtalocyanines dimériques de fer azote ponté substituées par les groupements alkylesulfoniles attracteurs d’électrons comme catalyseurs pour oxydation dans les conditions favorables pour les applications industrielles propres / The synthetic approach was developed for the preparation of N-bridged diiron phthalocyanines substituted by different electron-withdrawing alkylsulfonyl substituents. Six novel phthalocyanines bearing small (methylsulfonyl, ethylsulfonyl and hexylsulfonyl) and bulky (t-butylsulfonyl, adamantylsulfonyl and cyclohexylsulfonyl) substituents have been prepared and characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), UV-Vis, FT-IR and EPR. Two complexes (with hexylsulfonyl and t-butylsulfonyl substituents) were characterized in addition by Mössbauer techniques, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES, EXAFS, high resolution Kβ emission spectroscopy). It has been evidenced that the electronic state of iron in these complexes depends on the size of the substituents. While N-bridged diiron phthalocyanines having methylsulfonyl, ethylsulfonyl and hexylsulfonyl substituents are cationic (PcFeIVNFeIVPc)+N3- complexes, N-bridged diiron phthalocyanines with bulkier t-butylsulfonyl, adamantylsulfonyl and cyclohexylsulfonyl substituents are formally neutral PcFeIIINFeIVPc species. The catalytic properties of six N-bridged diiron phthalocyanines have been studied, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBuOOH) as the oxidant in the oxidation of toluene, p-xylene as well as in the oxidation of various alcohols. This thesis demonstrates the efficiency of N-bridged diiron phthalocyanines substituted by electron-withdrawing alkylsulfonyl groups as oxidation catalysts, in conditions required by environmental and industrial preoccupations

In recent decades, many multinational corporations have used nature inspired innovation (NII) strategies as a mechanism of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). In this context, these activities are typically initiated by sustainability or innovation managers who are seeking to utilise novel tools and approaches but generally do not have specific innovation goals. For some, NII is viewed as a new product development tool and for others, it is a broad perspective that defines a larger sustainability narrative for the organisation. This analysis of six cases describes the diversity of innovation types of NII in multinational corporations aiming to apply these models to sustainability-oriented innovation at multiple levels. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n=45) with NII team members from both inside and outside of the organisation. Additional data included internal project documents and web-based content associated with the NII projects. Cases were then compared and contrasted to identify patterns and anomalies of factors that influence the adoption of NII. While perceptions of NII were relatively consistent across cases, several factors were identified related to sustainability perspectives, the role of management, organisational structures, and innovation culture that influenced adoption. This thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge within the NII, sustainability-oriented innovation, and innovation adoption literatures by differentiating NII as an approach to SOI in MNCs, establishing an innovation typology in this context, and identifying three SOI narratives that influence the adoption of NII. Specific factors related to sustainability narratives, innovation culture and infrastructure, and management styles that support and inhibit SOI and NII in MNCs are used to distinguish three unique SOI narratives – Ambiguous, Accountable, and Aspirational. Conclusions suggest a NII readiness assessment may facilitate the adoption of NII by identifying the most effective approaches depending on the narrative of SOI within the company.

Um dos grandes mistérios da ciência é compreender como sistemas nervosos são capazes de realizar as extraordinárias operações computacionais que realizam. Provavelmente, encéfalos são as estruturas nas quais energia e matéria estão organizadas da forma mais complexa no universo. Central na computação cerebral está o conceito de neurônio. A forma como neurônios computam é motivo de intensa investigação científica. Um consenso atual é que neurônios formam grupos transientes (assembleias) a fim de representar coisas, de realizar operações computacionais, e de executar processos cognitivos; embora os mecanismos que fundamentam a computação por assembleias ainda não seja bem compreendido. Aqui é proposta uma forma pela qual se explica como computação por assembleias pode acontecer. Dois componentes são fundamentais para formação de coalizões neurais: a relação temporal entre grupos de neurônios e o fator de acoplamento entre eles. Assembleias pressupõe neurônios pulsantes; portanto, simulamos computação por assembleias em redes neurais pulsantes. A abordagem usada nesta tese é funcional; apresentamos um arcabouço teórico sobre propriedades, princípios, e dinâmicas que permitem operações computacionais por coalizões neurais. É apresentado na tese que: (i) quando neurônios formam assembleias está implícito que um tipo de função lógica estocástica ocorre, (ii) assembleias podem formar grupos com feedback, criando grupos biestáveis, (iii) grupos biestáveis criam representações internas dos eventos que os criaram, (iv) assembleias podem se ramificar e também dissolver outras assembleias, o que dá origem a algoritmos complexos. Esta é uma investigação inicial sobre computação em assembleias neurais, e há muito a ser feito. Nesta tese apresentamos os conceitos basais para esta nova abordagem. Há um conjunto de programas nos apêndices que permitem ao leitor simular formações de assembleias, ramificações, inibições, reverberações, entre outras propriedades e componentes de nossa proposta. / One of the greatest mysteries in science is to comprehend how brains are capable of realizing the extraordinary computational operations they do. Probably, brains are the structures in which matter and energy are organized in the most complex way in the Universe. Central to the brain computation is the concept of neuron. How neurons compute is motive of intensive scientific investigation. A prevailing consensus is that neurons form transient groups (assemblies) in order to represent things, for realizing computational operations, and for executing cognitive processes; although the mechanisms that substantiate such computation by neural assemblies are not yet well understood. In this thesis we propose a form that explains how neural assembly computation may occur. It is shown that two components are fundamentals for neural coalition formation: the temporal relation among neural groups, and the coupling factor among them. In this sense, neural assemblies presuppose spiking neurons; therefore, here we simulate assembly computing using spiking neural networks. In this thesis it is presented basically a functional approach; thus, it presents a theoretical approach concerning the properties, principles, characteristics, and components that allow the computational operations in neural coalitions. It is presented in the thesis that: (i) as neurons form assemblies it is implicit that a kind of stochastic logic function occurs; (ii) assemblies may form groups that feedback each other, creating bistable groups; (iii) bistable groups internally represent the event that created them; (iv) assemblies may branch and dissolve other assemblies, what give rise to complex algorithms. This is an initial investigation about neural assembly computing and there is a lot to be done; however, in this thesis we present the basal concepts for this new approach. There are programs in the appendices that allow the reader to simulate assembly formation, branching, inhibition, reverberation, among other properties and components in our proposal.

Submitted by Maria Aparecida (cidazen@gmail.com) on 2017-04-17T12:23:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tiago Martins Ribeiro.pdf: 2146814 bytes, checksum: c04c7e63303157b4345d0985576e1620 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-17T12:23:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tiago Martins Ribeiro.pdf: 2146814 bytes, checksum: c04c7e63303157b4345d0985576e1620 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-20 / CAPES / Complex optimization problems have been studied over the years by researchers seeking better solutions, these studies have encouraged the development of several algorithms of artificial intelligence, and a part of them are bio-inspired methods, based on the behavior of populations. These algorithms target to develop techniques based on nature in search of solutions to these problems. In this work, was introduced as a purpose, an algorithm based on the behavior of locust swarms, the Locust Swarm Optimizer (LSO). The behavior of the desert locust is introduced highlighting the formation of clouds of attacks caused by a synthesized neurotransmitter monoamine, present on the insect, known as serotonin. Observing this behavior, the LSO was developed. It was compared to other known artificial intelligence techniques through 23 benchmark functions and also tested on an power system economical dispatch problem. From the point of view of the results and the ease of implementation, it can be concluded that the LSO algorithm is very competitive as compared to existing methods / Problemas complexos de otimização vêm sendo estudados ao longo dos anos por pesquisadores que buscam melhores soluções, estes estudos incentivaram o desenvolvimento de vários algoritmos de inteligência artificial, sendo que uma parte deles são métodos bioinspirados, baseados no comportamento de populações. Estes algoritmos têm como objetivo desenvolver técnicas baseadas na natureza em busca de soluções para estes problemas. Neste trabalho um algoritmo baseado no comportamento de enxames de gafanhotos-do-deserto, o Locust Swarm Optimizer (LSO), foi introduzido como objetivo. O comportamento do gafanhoto-do-deserto é apresentado destacando a formação de nuvens de ataques causada por uma monoamina neurotransmissora sintetizada, presente no inseto, conhecido por serotonina. Observando este comportamento, foi desenvolvido o LSO. Ele foi comparado com outras conhecidas técnicas de inteligência artificial através de 23 funções benchmarks e também, testado em um problema de despacho econômico. Do ponto de vista dos resultados e da facilidade de implementação, pode-se concluir que o algoritmo LSO é bastante competitivo comparado aos métodos atuais existentes.

Um dos grandes mistérios da ciência é compreender como sistemas nervosos são capazes de realizar as extraordinárias operações computacionais que realizam. Provavelmente, encéfalos são as estruturas nas quais energia e matéria estão organizadas da forma mais complexa no universo. Central na computação cerebral está o conceito de neurônio. A forma como neurônios computam é motivo de intensa investigação científica. Um consenso atual é que neurônios formam grupos transientes (assembleias) a fim de representar coisas, de realizar operações computacionais, e de executar processos cognitivos; embora os mecanismos que fundamentam a computação por assembleias ainda não seja bem compreendido. Aqui é proposta uma forma pela qual se explica como computação por assembleias pode acontecer. Dois componentes são fundamentais para formação de coalizões neurais: a relação temporal entre grupos de neurônios e o fator de acoplamento entre eles. Assembleias pressupõe neurônios pulsantes; portanto, simulamos computação por assembleias em redes neurais pulsantes. A abordagem usada nesta tese é funcional; apresentamos um arcabouço teórico sobre propriedades, princípios, e dinâmicas que permitem operações computacionais por coalizões neurais. É apresentado na tese que: (i) quando neurônios formam assembleias está implícito que um tipo de função lógica estocástica ocorre, (ii) assembleias podem formar grupos com feedback, criando grupos biestáveis, (iii) grupos biestáveis criam representações internas dos eventos que os criaram, (iv) assembleias podem se ramificar e também dissolver outras assembleias, o que dá origem a algoritmos complexos. Esta é uma investigação inicial sobre computação em assembleias neurais, e há muito a ser feito. Nesta tese apresentamos os conceitos basais para esta nova abordagem. Há um conjunto de programas nos apêndices que permitem ao leitor simular formações de assembleias, ramificações, inibições, reverberações, entre outras propriedades e componentes de nossa proposta. / One of the greatest mysteries in science is to comprehend how brains are capable of realizing the extraordinary computational operations they do. Probably, brains are the structures in which matter and energy are organized in the most complex way in the Universe. Central to the brain computation is the concept of neuron. How neurons compute is motive of intensive scientific investigation. A prevailing consensus is that neurons form transient groups (assemblies) in order to represent things, for realizing computational operations, and for executing cognitive processes; although the mechanisms that substantiate such computation by neural assemblies are not yet well understood. In this thesis we propose a form that explains how neural assembly computation may occur. It is shown that two components are fundamentals for neural coalition formation: the temporal relation among neural groups, and the coupling factor among them. In this sense, neural assemblies presuppose spiking neurons; therefore, here we simulate assembly computing using spiking neural networks. In this thesis it is presented basically a functional approach; thus, it presents a theoretical approach concerning the properties, principles, characteristics, and components that allow the computational operations in neural coalitions. It is presented in the thesis that: (i) as neurons form assemblies it is implicit that a kind of stochastic logic function occurs; (ii) assemblies may form groups that feedback each other, creating bistable groups; (iii) bistable groups internally represent the event that created them; (iv) assemblies may branch and dissolve other assemblies, what give rise to complex algorithms. This is an initial investigation about neural assembly computing and there is a lot to be done; however, in this thesis we present the basal concepts for this new approach. There are programs in the appendices that allow the reader to simulate assembly formation, branching, inhibition, reverberation, among other properties and components in our proposal.