Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-19T12:56:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao Jonas.pdf: 1906021 bytes, checksum: 3fc0263195dda563893ca52c93d33ed2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-01-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The use of plants for medicinal purposes is an ancient practice. Among various species of plants containing essential oils in its composition and that may be used to fight various diseases highlight the essential oil extracted from the leaves of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume). The cinnamon oil can be used to prevention of schistosomiasis, an endemic disease that affects areas with poor basic sanitation. In this study, the essential oil was extracted from the leaves of cinnamon by hydrodistillation and its molluscicidal action has been assessed against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). The percentage of oil in the leaves was an average of 1.3 mL in the time interval ranging from 1 to 5 hours, after extraction the physico-chemical properties of oil were determined. The measurements of oil components were made by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The chromatographic analysis showed that oil has 82.67% of eugenol (major constituent), at retention time 22,63 min and 2.47% of humulene (minor component), at retention time 25.74 min. The cinnamon oil has been tested for toxicity and molluscicidal agent, calculating the lethal concentration (LC50). As for toxicity, the oil extracted from cinnamon leaf was considered moderately toxic LC50 = 162.1 mg.L-1 ± 2,80, with a confidence interval 95%. For the pilot test, the molluscicide activity of the oil presented a mortality of 100% in 72 h indicating the presence of toxic compounds in the oils against the snail indicating the presence of toxic compounds in the oils against the snail. The molluscicide activity of essential oil extracted from the leaves of cinnamon obtained results relative to the 50% lethal concentration LC50 of 18.62 mg L-1 ± 2,18, with a confidence interval 95%, lower the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), showing that this oil is active against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata. / A utilização de plantas para fins medicinais é uma prática antiga. Dentre várias espécies de plantas que contém óleo essencial na sua composição e que podem vir a ser utilizadas no combate a várias doenças destaca-se o óleo essencial extraído das folhas da canela. O óleo da canela pode ser utilizado no combate da esquistossomose, doença endêmica que afeta aréas com saneamento básico precário. Nesta pesquisa, o óleo essencial foi extraído das folhas da canela (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) por meio de hidrodestilação, sua ação moluscicida foi avaliada frente ao caramujo Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). O percentual de óleo nas folhas em média foi de 1,3 mL no intervalo de tempo variando de 1 a 5 horas, logo após o extraído, passou por caracterizações físico-químicas. As quantificações dos seus componentes foram feitas por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM). As análises cromatográficas mostraram que o óleo possui 82,67% de eugenol (constituinte majoritário), no tempo de retenção de 22,63 min; e 2,47% de Humuleno (componente minoritário), no tempo de retenção de 25,74 min. O óleo de canela foi testado quanto à toxicidade e como agente moluscicida, calculando-se a concentração letal (CL50). O óleo estudado, extraído da folha da canela quanto a toxicicidade foi considerado moderadamente tóxico apresentando CL50 de 162,1 mg.L-1 ± 2,80, com um intervalo de confiança a 95%. Para o teste piloto, a atividade moluscicida do óleo apresentou uma mortalidade de 100% em 72 h, indicando a presença de componentes tóxicos nos óleos frente ao caramujo. A atividade moluscicida do óleo essencial extraído das folhas da canela obteve resultado referente à concentração letal 50% (CL50) de 18,62 mg.L-1 ± 2,18, com um intervalo de confiança a 95%. , abaixo do preconizado pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS); mostrando que este óleo é ativo frente ao caramujo Biomphalaria glabrata.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Kurt Gartner / This is a report intended for musicians and scholars who seek to enhance their understanding of any number of the following compositions: Prelúdio No. 1 Mi Menor (E Minor), op. 11 by Ney Rosauro, Prelúdio No. 2 la maior (A minor) by Ney Rosauro, Rotation IV by Eric Sammut, Water Falls for a Desert by Greg Coffey, Strands of Time by Brian Blume, Surface Tension by Dave Hollinden, bitsmoke by Casey Farina. Each work has been analyzed examined in accordance with Jan LaRue’s Guidelines For Style Analysis. For some compositions including only relative-pitch instruments, analysis of harmony has been omitted. For all compositions, the author has added notable performance considerations, essential technical and interpretive considerations in accord with LaRue’s guidelines. Therefore, the approach taken in analytical categories of this document can be exhibited as Sound, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, Growth, and Performance.

O presente trabalho estuda o modelo de Blume-Capel na rede aleatória e também analisa a inclusão de um termo de campo cristalino aleatório e de um termo de campo local aleatório. Ao resolver o modelo na rede aleatória, uma técnica de conectividade finita foi utilizada, na qual cada spin é conectado a um número finito de outros spins. Os spins foram conectados de acordo com uma distribuição de Poisson, os termos de campo aleatório seguiram uma distribuição bimodal e as interações entre os spins foram consideradas uniformes. Desse modo, só há desordem nas conexões entre os spins. O foco desse trabalho foi determinar como a natureza da transição de fase é alterada com a conectividade e se há um comportamento reentrante das linhas de transição de fase. A técnica de réplicas é usada para obter equações de ponto de sela para a distribuição de campos locais. Um Ansatz de simetria de réplicas foi utilizado para a função de ordem e esse foi escrito em termos de uma distribuição bidimensional de campos efetivos, onde uma das componentes é associada com um termo linear dos spins e a outra com o termo de campo cristalino. Com isso, equações para as funções de ordem e a energia livre podem ser obtidas. Uma técnica de dinâmica populacional é usada para resolver numericamente a equação auto-consistente para a distribuição de campos locais e outros parâmetros, como a magnetização, a atividade da rede e a energia livre. Os resultados indicam que a natureza da transição ferromagnética-paramagnética, a posição do ponto tricrítico e a existência de reentrância dependem fortemente do valor da conectividade e, nos casos com um termo de campo aleatório, dependem da intensidade dos campos aleatórios. No caso em que o campo cristalino é aleatório, o ponto tricrítico é suprimido para valores acima de um certo valor de aleatoriedade. / The present work studies the Blume-Capel model in a random network and also analyses the inclusion of a random crystal-field term and a random field term. To solve the model in a random network a finite connectivity technique is used, in which each spin is connected to a finite number of other spins. The spins were connected according a Poisson distribution, the random field terms followed a bimodal distribution and the bonds between the spins were considered uniform. Thus, there is only a connection disorder. The focus of this work was on determining how the nature of the phase transition changes with the connectivity and the random fields and if there is a reentrant behavior of the phase boundaries. The replica technique is used to obtain saddle-point equations for the effective local-field distribution. The replica symmetric Ansatz for the order function is written in terms of a two-dimensional effective-field distribution, where one of the components is associated with a linear form in the spins and the other with the crystal-field term. This allows one to derive equations for the order function and for the free-energy. A population dynamics procedure is used to solve numerically a self-consistency equation for the distribution of the local field and with it some physical parameters, like magnetization and free-energy. The results obtained indicate that the nature of the F-P transition, the location of the tricritical point and the presence of a reentrant phase depend strongly on the connectivity. In the cases with a random field term, those are also dependent on the intensity of the fields. For the case with a random crystal-field term, the tricritical point is supressed above a certain value of randomness.

Thesis (M. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

O presente trabalho estuda o modelo de Blume-Capel na rede aleatória e também analisa a inclusão de um termo de campo cristalino aleatório e de um termo de campo local aleatório. Ao resolver o modelo na rede aleatória, uma técnica de conectividade finita foi utilizada, na qual cada spin é conectado a um número finito de outros spins. Os spins foram conectados de acordo com uma distribuição de Poisson, os termos de campo aleatório seguiram uma distribuição bimodal e as interações entre os spins foram consideradas uniformes. Desse modo, só há desordem nas conexões entre os spins. O foco desse trabalho foi determinar como a natureza da transição de fase é alterada com a conectividade e se há um comportamento reentrante das linhas de transição de fase. A técnica de réplicas é usada para obter equações de ponto de sela para a distribuição de campos locais. Um Ansatz de simetria de réplicas foi utilizado para a função de ordem e esse foi escrito em termos de uma distribuição bidimensional de campos efetivos, onde uma das componentes é associada com um termo linear dos spins e a outra com o termo de campo cristalino. Com isso, equações para as funções de ordem e a energia livre podem ser obtidas. Uma técnica de dinâmica populacional é usada para resolver numericamente a equação auto-consistente para a distribuição de campos locais e outros parâmetros, como a magnetização, a atividade da rede e a energia livre. Os resultados indicam que a natureza da transição ferromagnética-paramagnética, a posição do ponto tricrítico e a existência de reentrância dependem fortemente do valor da conectividade e, nos casos com um termo de campo aleatório, dependem da intensidade dos campos aleatórios. No caso em que o campo cristalino é aleatório, o ponto tricrítico é suprimido para valores acima de um certo valor de aleatoriedade. / The present work studies the Blume-Capel model in a random network and also analyses the inclusion of a random crystal-field term and a random field term. To solve the model in a random network a finite connectivity technique is used, in which each spin is connected to a finite number of other spins. The spins were connected according a Poisson distribution, the random field terms followed a bimodal distribution and the bonds between the spins were considered uniform. Thus, there is only a connection disorder. The focus of this work was on determining how the nature of the phase transition changes with the connectivity and the random fields and if there is a reentrant behavior of the phase boundaries. The replica technique is used to obtain saddle-point equations for the effective local-field distribution. The replica symmetric Ansatz for the order function is written in terms of a two-dimensional effective-field distribution, where one of the components is associated with a linear form in the spins and the other with the crystal-field term. This allows one to derive equations for the order function and for the free-energy. A population dynamics procedure is used to solve numerically a self-consistency equation for the distribution of the local field and with it some physical parameters, like magnetization and free-energy. The results obtained indicate that the nature of the F-P transition, the location of the tricritical point and the presence of a reentrant phase depend strongly on the connectivity. In the cases with a random field term, those are also dependent on the intensity of the fields. For the case with a random crystal-field term, the tricritical point is supressed above a certain value of randomness.

Thesis (MEd (Education and Social Science))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / The purpose of this study is to discover the critical reader-responses of Grade 4 children to a novel written by Judy Blume (1980). The theoretical framework is based on the socio-cultural theories of learning, as well as Rosenblatt's critical reader response theory (1986). I examine the following issues: Cambourne's (2004) principles of engagement, Feuersteins' Mediated Learning Experience (1991), Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (1978), Erikson's Industry versus Inferiority (in Boeree, 2006), as well as Scaffolding (Vygotsky in Olivier 2010, 22-23). The literature review includes the most recent published literature pertaining to my research. Video interviews, as well as reflective journalling were used to gather data. My research answers the following research question: What are the critical reader responses of Grade 4 children to Superfudge, by Judy Blume? My argument, based on Rosenblatt's critical reader-response theory (1986) accurately reflected the manner in which the Grade 4 children rnade meaning of prescribed texts. My data was analysed qualitatively, using an inductive approach. In my findings five themes emerged: finding an authentic voice, gaining identity, the entertainment value of the novel, family dynamics with specific reference to siblings and the relocation of families. The discussion examines insights which emerged from my research. These insights are reviewed in relation to my theoretical frames and relevant literature. In conclusion the process of critical reader-response theory empowers children to develop critical thinking skills and habits that underlie effective reading.

O presente trabalho estuda o modelo de Blume-Capel na rede aleatória e também analisa a inclusão de um termo de campo cristalino aleatório e de um termo de campo local aleatório. Ao resolver o modelo na rede aleatória, uma técnica de conectividade finita foi utilizada, na qual cada spin é conectado a um número finito de outros spins. Os spins foram conectados de acordo com uma distribuição de Poisson, os termos de campo aleatório seguiram uma distribuição bimodal e as interações entre os spins foram consideradas uniformes. Desse modo, só há desordem nas conexões entre os spins. O foco desse trabalho foi determinar como a natureza da transição de fase é alterada com a conectividade e se há um comportamento reentrante das linhas de transição de fase. A técnica de réplicas é usada para obter equações de ponto de sela para a distribuição de campos locais. Um Ansatz de simetria de réplicas foi utilizado para a função de ordem e esse foi escrito em termos de uma distribuição bidimensional de campos efetivos, onde uma das componentes é associada com um termo linear dos spins e a outra com o termo de campo cristalino. Com isso, equações para as funções de ordem e a energia livre podem ser obtidas. Uma técnica de dinâmica populacional é usada para resolver numericamente a equação auto-consistente para a distribuição de campos locais e outros parâmetros, como a magnetização, a atividade da rede e a energia livre. Os resultados indicam que a natureza da transição ferromagnética-paramagnética, a posição do ponto tricrítico e a existência de reentrância dependem fortemente do valor da conectividade e, nos casos com um termo de campo aleatório, dependem da intensidade dos campos aleatórios. No caso em que o campo cristalino é aleatório, o ponto tricrítico é suprimido para valores acima de um certo valor de aleatoriedade. / The present work studies the Blume-Capel model in a random network and also analyses the inclusion of a random crystal-field term and a random field term. To solve the model in a random network a finite connectivity technique is used, in which each spin is connected to a finite number of other spins. The spins were connected according a Poisson distribution, the random field terms followed a bimodal distribution and the bonds between the spins were considered uniform. Thus, there is only a connection disorder. The focus of this work was on determining how the nature of the phase transition changes with the connectivity and the random fields and if there is a reentrant behavior of the phase boundaries. The replica technique is used to obtain saddle-point equations for the effective local-field distribution. The replica symmetric Ansatz for the order function is written in terms of a two-dimensional effective-field distribution, where one of the components is associated with a linear form in the spins and the other with the crystal-field term. This allows one to derive equations for the order function and for the free-energy. A population dynamics procedure is used to solve numerically a self-consistency equation for the distribution of the local field and with it some physical parameters, like magnetization and free-energy. The results obtained indicate that the nature of the F-P transition, the location of the tricritical point and the presence of a reentrant phase depend strongly on the connectivity. In the cases with a random field term, those are also dependent on the intensity of the fields. For the case with a random crystal-field term, the tricritical point is supressed above a certain value of randomness.

Seismic response of free standing un-anchored objects is required to be studied in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) for their own integrity and potential interaction with the surrounding seismically qualified safety systems. Rocking response of a rigid body subject to seismic excitation is not very well covered in the nuclear standards except for an approximate method given in ASCE 43-05 where the design basis earthquake (DBE) response spectrum for the NPPs given in the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) regulatory guide 1.60 (known as NBK spectrum developed by Newmark, Blume and Kapur (1973)) is considered as seismic input. This study evaluates existing seismic design criteria for unanchored objects that are vulnerable to rocking and overturning inside nuclear power plants. The original work of Newmark et al (1973) is revisited in order to obtain the NBK spectra at unusual damping (8.4% for example), required in order to follow the ASCE 43-05 method. Eight earthquake records are selected from Newmark et al (1973) with varying Peak Ground Accelerations (PGAs) representing strong to moderate ground motions. Rocking response of rigid bodies to various earthquakes is determined by three methods: 1. The ASCE 43-05 method utilizing the NBK spectrum, 2. The ASCE 43-05 method utilizing the response spectrum of the earthquake records, and 3. solving the equations of motion of a rigid body for the earthquake records. Rocking spectra by these three methods created for eight earthquake records are compared with one another. It is concluded that the ASCE 43-05 method provides inaccurate predictions of the response. Considering the significant level of effort required to implement the ASCE 43-05 method, its inherent contradictions, and its inconsistent conservatism in estimating the seismic demands on rocking objects, it is concluded that the results obtained by nonlinear time history analysis are more accurate, reliable and less time consuming than those by the ASCE 43-05 method. The use of nonlinear dynamic analysis is recommended to obtain the pure planar rocking response of unanchored objects in nuclear facilities. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

We study the metastability of magnetic nanoparticles with size distributions. We simulate an array of magnetic nanoparticles with a spin S = 1 ferromagnetic Blume-Capel model on a square lattice. Studying decays of the metastable state in the Blume-Capel model at low temperatures requires an extremely long computational time in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Therefore, we use an advanced algorithm adapted from the Monte Carlo with absorbing Markov chain algorithm for the Ising model in order to study the Blume-Capel model with size distributions. We modeled the particle size distributions as distributions of magnetic anisotropy. We compute the low-temperature average lifetime of the magnetization relaxation using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations with the advanced algorithms. We also calculate the lifetime using the absorbing Markov chains method for analytical results. Our results show that the lifetime of the metastable state follows a modified-Arrhenius law where the energy barrier has a dependency on temperature and standard deviation of the distributions in addition to magnetic field and magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic anisotropy barrier is determined by the smallest particle within a given distribution. We also study magnetization relaxation in different single critical droplet regions using different dynamics: Glauber and phonon-assisted dynamics. We find that the lifetime follows the modified-Arrhenius law for both dynamics, and an explicit form of the lifetime differs in different regions for different dynamics. For the Glauber dynamics, the Arrhenius prefactor does not depend on the standard deviation of the distribution of the magnetic anisotropy. For the phonon-assisted dynamics, however, even the prefactor of the lifetime depends on the standard deviation and is significantly reduced for a wide distribution of magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, the phonon-assisted dynamics forbids transitions between degenerate energy states and results in an increase of the energy barrier at the single critical droplet region boundary compared to that for the Glauber dynamics. We find that the spin system with a distribution of magnetic anisotropy finds lower-energy relaxation pathways to avoid degenerate state, and the energy barrier becomes the same for both dynamics. / Ph. D.