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We present research investigating how, with in depth knowledge of the community, microbial communities may be harnessed for bioremediation of hazardous water contaminants. We focused on the bacterial reduction of perchlorate, a common water contaminant. For this we studied the structure and capabilities of a novel sulfur-utilizing, perchlorate-reducing bacterial (SUPeRB) consortium. Initially, we characterized the minimal consortium that retained functional capabilities, using 16S rRNA and functional gene analysis. A diverse functional consortium dominated by Beta-Proteobacteria of the family Rhodocyclaceae and sulfur-oxidizing Epsilon-Proteobacteria was found. We also examined the optimal growth conditions under which perchlorate degradation occurred and uncovered the upper limits of this function. Bacterial isolates were screened for function and the presence of functional genes. We expanded to bioreactor studies at bench- and pilot-scale, and first used a perchlorate-reducing, bench-scale bioreactor to probe the stability of the microbial ecosystem. During stable reactor function, a core consortium of Beta- and Epsilon-Proteobacteria reduced perchlorate and the co-contaminant nitrate. A disturbance of the vi consortium led to a failure in function and to higher system diversity. This suggests that the SUPeRB consortium was not metabolically flexible and high population diversity was necessary for a return to stable function. In a pilot-scale bioreactor we determined that the SUPeRB consortium could stably degrade low levels of perchlorate to below the EPA maximum recommended limit. Field conditions, such as temperature extremes and intermittent perchlorate feed, did not negatively impact overall function. When all reactor consortia were compared we observed that the volume of the reactor and the initial inoculum were not as important to stable reactor function as the acclimatization of the consortium to the system and maintenance of favorable conditions within the reactor. In summary we found that the SUPeRB consortium successfully degraded perchlorate in multiple systems. The study of this novel consortium expands our knowledge of the metabolic capabilities of perchlorate-reducing bacteria and suggests potential evolutionary pathways for perchlorate-reduction by microorganisms. The SUPeRB consortium may be used to establish bioremediation systems for perchlorate and other environmental contaminants.

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the ongoing impact of the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) training program on registered nurses’ death anxiety, concerns about dying, and knowledge of the dying process utilizing the principles of The Comfort Theory and Practice by Kolcaba (2003) at the institutional level. The research hypothesis was upon completion of the ELNEC training, registered nurses would have decreased death anxiety, less concerns about dying, and increased knowledge of the dying process. The Revised Death Anxiety Scale (RDAS) was used to measure death anxiety which is a 25 item self-report questionnaire. The Concerns about Dying Instrument (CAD) was used to measure death attitude or concerns about dying which includes three distinct but related areas for providers: general concern about death, spirituality, and concerns about working with dying patients. Participant's perceived knowledge of dying was measured using a self report 5-point Likert format with “0“ indicating no level of knowledge to “4“ reflecting complete knowledge of death and dying. Pre-tests of all dependent variables were administered to both a treatment and control group. Post-tests were administered two weeks after the two day ELNEC training, at 6 months, and finally at 12 months to both groups in order to study its lasting efficiency upon participants at one primary care medical center. Thirty eight participants completed all four questionnaires with 27 participants in the control group and 11 participants in the experimental group. Matched pair analysis with 11 participants in each group was conducted with statistical significance found for perceived knowledge about dying at post two weeks and 12 months (p= 0.01) for the intervention group. Death anxiety and concerns about dying were not found to be statistically significant at any testing interval, but mean scores of the treatment group revealed less death anxiety and concerns about dying. Recommendations included offering the ELNEC training on a routine basis to all registered nurses who care for dying patients. Additionally, clinicians and administrators were encouraged to seek out additional funding opportunities to plan more robust studies with larger samples, incentives, and research method triangulation addressing the qualitative aspects of palliative care. / Ph. D.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:20:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jesus Claudio Pereira de Almeida.pdf: 1066325 bytes, checksum: 94801c1fb6794bab18ef2b04ff3a691d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-05-23 / This paper has as its objective to analyze the role of the consortium agency as well as of BACEN (Central bank of Brazil), having as its base the Consortium Law Law nº 11.795, from October, 8th, 2008 and the rules of the Uniform Commercial Code which is, at the same time, the main topic and main goal of such dissertation. In order to handle this analysis, it was used, as methodological support, the exploratory research with deductive and investigative approach; also, the bibliography research technique was used, with a theory reference based on secondary sources, especially the doctrine and jurisprudence are taken into consideration. As the organization is concerned, the paper is divided in six chapters, which are considered essential to cover the theme proposed herein. Thus, in the first chapter, the system of consortiums to acquire assets and services is discussed. The second is dedicated to the study of the principle sustaining the consume relations under the Federal Constitution, also mentioning the Consumer Code. In the sequence, the third chapter guides us to the definition, principles and peculiarities of Consumer s contracts, ending with the standard contracts analysis and the general contractual clauses. The fourth and fifth chapters talk about the contract and the contract of consortiums in relation to the UCC. The sixth and last chapters explore, inside the scope of the research, the role of the agency of consortiums and the Central Bank in Brazil when faced with the disciplinary measures of the Consortium Law and the UCC. From the study, it is possible to conclude that even though there is uncertainty concerning the jurisprudence, specifically as the administrative fee charges are concerned, the new legislation has brought harmony for the interested parties, strengthening the balance between the contract and its social function, with benefits for the civil society and specially in the sake of the consumer / Analisar o papel da administradora de consórcios e do Bacen, tendo por base a Lei dos Consórcios Lei nº 11.795, de 8 de outubro de 2008 e o regramento do Código de Defesa do Consumidor é, ao mesmo tempo, tema central e principal objetivo da presente dissertação. Para dar conta desta tarefa utilizou-se, como suporte metodológico, a pesquisa exploratória de abordagem investigativa dedutiva e a técnica de pesquisa bibliográfica, com referencial teórico baseado em fontes secundárias, especialmente a doutrina e jurisprudência especializadas. Quanto à organização, o trabalho está dividido em seis capítulos, considerados essenciais para circundar a temática então proposta. Assim, no primeiro capítulo, discorre-se sobre o sistema de consórcios para aquisição de bens e serviços. O segundo se dedica ao estudo da principiologia que dá sustentação às relações de consumo a partir da Constituição Federal, espraiando-se para o Código consumerista. Em seguida, no terceiro capítulo, o estudo envereda para a definição, princípios e peculiaridades dos contratos de consumo, terminando com o contrato de adesão e as cláusulas gerais contratuais. O quarto e quinto capítulos abordam o contrato e o contrato de consórcios em relação ao CDC. O sexto e último capítulo explora, dentro do escopo da pesquisa, o papel das administradoras de consórcio e do Bacen diante das disciplinas da Lei dos Consórcios e do CDC. Do estudo, retira-se que, não obstante a incerteza em sede jurisprudencial, especificamente, quanto à cobrança das taxas de administração, a nova legislação trouxe harmonia para os interesses das partes, fortalecendo o equilíbrio do contrato e sua função social, com benefícios à sociedade civil e, em especial, à tutela do consumidor

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o impacto da utilização instrumento das Operações Urbanas, como forma alternativa para captação de recursos pelo poder público através da atividade do setor imobiliário para implementar melhorias sociais e ambientais na cidade de São Paulo, em especial no que se refere a provisão habitacional às famílias diretamente atingidas pela Operação Urbana, através do estudo de caso da Operação Urbana Água Espraiada no período de 2001 a 2015. O trabalho pretende estudar elementos determinantes para a formação instrumento Operações Urbanas Consorciadas, até sua consolidação como instrumento de política nacional de desenvolvimento urbano no Estatuto da Cidade e quais os impactos gerados na cidade a partir de sua aplicação, com foco na implantação de habitação de interesse social. Para tanto, fazemos um pequeno histórico sobre a aplicação deste instrumento na cidade de São Paulo, enfocando especialmente a Operação Urbana Água Espraiada, destacando os principais momentos que marcaram sua trajetória, buscando explicitar os resultados alcançados pela provisão habitacional desta operação. Tais resultados são analisados em termos de eficiência na utilização de verbas públicas, eficácia no alcance das metas e cumprimento de prazos e efetividade da política pública no enfrentamento do problema habitacional. Apesar da alta qualidade arquitetônica dos poucos edifícios produzidos, os resultados apontam para um efeito pouco expressivo sobre o problema habitacional às margens do córrego Águas Espraiadas, que ao invés de diminuir, acabou aumentando ao longo do período de vigência da operação, além de remeter a necessidade de priorizar a aplicação dos recursos em obras que atendam o interesse público e de criação de mecanismos que garantam a permanência da população de baixa renda frente à valorização imobiliária da região. / The present study aims to analyze the impact of the implementation of the Urban Operation Consortium, as an alternative of fundraising by the Government through the construction sector activity to implement social and environmental improvements in São Paulo, particularly the effectiveness of housing provision to the families directly affected by the Urban Operation, through the case study of the Água Espraiada Urban Operation Consortium in the period between 2001-2015. The work intends to study the main elements of the Urban Operation Consortium, until its consolidation as an instrument of national policy of urban development in the City´s Statute, and what were the impacts generated in the city by its implementation, focusing on the construction of social housing. Having that in mind, we intend to recover some of the history of the application of this instrument in the city of São Paulo, focusing especially on the Água Espraiada Urban Operation highlighting its key moments, and the achievements of the social housing provision. These results were analyzed in terms of efficiency in the use of public funds, effectiveness in achieving the goals in time and effectiveness of public policy in facing the housing problem presented. Despite the high architectural quality of the buildings produced, the results point to a very little significant effect in solving the housing problem on the banks of the Água Espraiada stream, which actually increased instead of decreasing, throughout the duration of the urban operation. In addition, the results refer to the need to prioritize the application of resources in investments that attend to the public interest and to the creation of mechanisms to ensure the permanence of the low- income population against the real estate valuation in the region.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o impacto da utilização instrumento das Operações Urbanas, como forma alternativa para captação de recursos pelo poder público através da atividade do setor imobiliário para implementar melhorias sociais e ambientais na cidade de São Paulo, em especial no que se refere a provisão habitacional às famílias diretamente atingidas pela Operação Urbana, através do estudo de caso da Operação Urbana Água Espraiada no período de 2001 a 2015. O trabalho pretende estudar elementos determinantes para a formação instrumento Operações Urbanas Consorciadas, até sua consolidação como instrumento de política nacional de desenvolvimento urbano no Estatuto da Cidade e quais os impactos gerados na cidade a partir de sua aplicação, com foco na implantação de habitação de interesse social. Para tanto, fazemos um pequeno histórico sobre a aplicação deste instrumento na cidade de São Paulo, enfocando especialmente a Operação Urbana Água Espraiada, destacando os principais momentos que marcaram sua trajetória, buscando explicitar os resultados alcançados pela provisão habitacional desta operação. Tais resultados são analisados em termos de eficiência na utilização de verbas públicas, eficácia no alcance das metas e cumprimento de prazos e efetividade da política pública no enfrentamento do problema habitacional. Apesar da alta qualidade arquitetônica dos poucos edifícios produzidos, os resultados apontam para um efeito pouco expressivo sobre o problema habitacional às margens do córrego Águas Espraiadas, que ao invés de diminuir, acabou aumentando ao longo do período de vigência da operação, além de remeter a necessidade de priorizar a aplicação dos recursos em obras que atendam o interesse público e de criação de mecanismos que garantam a permanência da população de baixa renda frente à valorização imobiliária da região. / The present study aims to analyze the impact of the implementation of the Urban Operation Consortium, as an alternative of fundraising by the Government through the construction sector activity to implement social and environmental improvements in São Paulo, particularly the effectiveness of housing provision to the families directly affected by the Urban Operation, through the case study of the Água Espraiada Urban Operation Consortium in the period between 2001-2015. The work intends to study the main elements of the Urban Operation Consortium, until its consolidation as an instrument of national policy of urban development in the City´s Statute, and what were the impacts generated in the city by its implementation, focusing on the construction of social housing. Having that in mind, we intend to recover some of the history of the application of this instrument in the city of São Paulo, focusing especially on the Água Espraiada Urban Operation highlighting its key moments, and the achievements of the social housing provision. These results were analyzed in terms of efficiency in the use of public funds, effectiveness in achieving the goals in time and effectiveness of public policy in facing the housing problem presented. Despite the high architectural quality of the buildings produced, the results point to a very little significant effect in solving the housing problem on the banks of the Água Espraiada stream, which actually increased instead of decreasing, throughout the duration of the urban operation. In addition, the results refer to the need to prioritize the application of resources in investments that attend to the public interest and to the creation of mechanisms to ensure the permanence of the low- income population against the real estate valuation in the region.

La levure et la microalgue sont des microorganismes très étudiés pour la production de composés à haute valeur ajoutée pour des secteurs tels que l’agroalimentaire et l’énergie. Ce travail de thèse propose un procédé de culture mixte entre la levure Saccharomyces cerevisiae et la microalgue Chlorella vulgaris pour la croissance des deux espèces tout en limitant le rejet en CO2. Le procédé repose sur la symbiose mutuelle entre les deux organismes autour des échanges de gaz, qui est rendu possible en imposant une co-dominance en termes de population. Les populations doivent être équilibrées pour que les microalgues puissent gérer la production de CO2. Le procédé est réalisé en photo-bioréacteur de 5 litres non-aéré et fermé, afin d’éviter les échanges gazeux avec l’environnement externe. Dans cette configuration, le CO2 est produit sous forme dissoute et directement accessible aux microalgues, évitant les phénomènes de dégazage et de dissolution. Les populations de levures et de microalgues atteignent une concentration égale (20 millions de cellules par ml) au bout de 24 heures de culture, restent stables jusqu’à la fin de la culture (168 heures) et les microalgues recyclent 12% du CO2 produit par les levures. Un modèle cinétique de la levure et de la microalgue en culture mixte est développé en combinant les modèles individuels de la levure et de la microalgue. Le modèle prédictif de la levure prend en compte les possibles voies métaboliques impliquées dans la fermentation et la respiration de ces voies est prédite en y intégrant des facteurs de limitation. Le modèle de la microalgue est basé sur l’activité photosynthétique. Les résultats de ce travail montrent la faisabilité du procédé de culture mixte entre hétérotrophe et autotrophe et pourrait apporter les bases pour le développement d’un procédé écologique à faible impact environnemental. / Yeast and microalgae are microorganisms widely studied for the production of high-value compounds used in food and energy area. This work proposes a process of mixed culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Chlorella vulgaris for both growth and CO2 mitigation. The process relies on mutual symbiosis between the two organisms through gas exchange, which is possible by engineering the co-dominance of populations. The two populations must be balanced in such a way so that microalgae can cope with the rate of CO2 production by the yeast activity. The process is performed in non-aerated 5l-photo-bioreactor fitted with a fermentation lock to prevent gas exchange with the outside atmosphere. With this set-up, the CO2 is produced in dissolved form and is available to the microalgae avoiding degassing and dissolution phenomena. The two organism populations are balanced at approximately 20 millions cells per ml, 12% CO2 produced by yeast was reutilized by microalgae within 168 hours of culture. A yeast and microalgae growth model in mixed culture is developed by combining each individual growth model. The predictive yeast model considers the possible metabolic pathways involved in fermentation and respiration and imposes limitation factors on these pathways, in this manner, the model can predict the partition of these pathways. The microalgae individual model is based on the photosynthetic activity. The results of this work show the feasibility of such process and could provide a basis for the development of a green process of low environmental impact.

Student Number : 9812990V - MSc project report - School of Electrical Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment / The NGN is a multi-service network which inter-works with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the voice network and the data network provided by Internet. Through network independent APIs such as OSA-Parlay, the NGN slowly migrates and converges Telecoms and IT networks, voice and Internet, into a common packet infrastructure. The OSA/Parlay group defines a softswitch architecture which provides network independent APIs or SCFs that enable cross network application development The Parlay softswitch provides connectivity to underlying transport networks for application providers. The standard specifies the interaction between application providers and the softswitch. However, the standard does not specify an interface to regulate the interaction between service providers and the consumer/end user domain. This means that applications housed in the service provider domain have no defined interfaces to manage service delivery to the consumer domain. For most service providers, the lack of a non-standardized API set impedes efforts to decrease application creation and deployment time. This research investigates the design and implementation of a standard consumer interface which can be used by application providers within an OSA/Parlay system to deliver service content to end users. The main objectives with regard to the functionality provided by the interface include the integration of facilities which will assist application providers to manage end user access and authentication (to enable users to establish a secure context for service usage), subscription (to handle the subscription life cycle), and service usage management (to enable the initiation and termination of services). The TINA-Consortium (TINA-C) has developed a service architecture to support the creation and provisioning of services in the NGN. The TINA architecture offers a comprehensive set of concepts and principles that can be used in the design of NGN services. The architecture consists of a set of reusable and interoperable service components encapsulating a rich and well defined set of APIs aimed at supporting the interaction between application providers and consumers. TINA’s session concepts, information structures, interfaces and service components can be used to support the design of a consumer premises end user interface for OSA/Parlay. This research also aims to explore the feasibility of using the TINA API within an OSA/Parlay system to support consumer domain service delivery. In order to implement the consumer interface for Parlay applications, the ability of the TINA service architecture to provide Access and Authentication management; Subscription and Profile management; and Service Usage management was investigated. The report documents the design and implementation of an OSA/Parlay consumer interface utilizing TINA service components and interfaces.

Os contratos de colaboração têm importância crescente nos mercados e são instrumentos adequados para o desenvolvimento de atividades empresariais em diversas situações. O consórcio de empresas é a forma de colaboração empresarial a que este dedica o presente estudo com o objetivo de definir-se seu regime jurídico. Iniciam-se os trabalhos com a questão da polissemia do termo consórcio, diferenciando-se o consórcio de empresas de outras figuras, incluindo notas históricas relativas ao uso do termo no direito brasileiro. Depois, analisam-se diversos institutos semelhantes ao consórcio de empresas encontrados em ordenamentos jurídicos estrangeiros. Passa-se a tratar da questão da colaboração empresarial, relacionando-a com a concentração empresarial. Segue exame aprofundado do contrato de consórcio no direito brasileiro. Dedica-se um capítulo do trabalho a questões conexas ao consórcio de empresas relevantes a áreas do direito diferentes do direito comercial. Por fim; apresentam-se as conclusões decorrentes da pesquisa. / Cooperation contracts have increasing importance in markets and are suitable instruments for the development of business activity in various situations. The business consortium is a kind of business collaboration to which this paper is dedicated aimíng at defining its applicable legal rules. The paper starts with the issue of the polysemy of the term consortium, explaining differences among the business consortium and other legal concepts under the name of consortium, including historical notes concerning the use of the word in the Brazilian Law. Then, we analyze various institutes similar to the business consortium found in foreign legal systems. Following, we address the issue of collaboration, and its relations to business combination. Next, an in-depth examination of the consortium contract under Brazilian Law is presented. The following chapter is devoted to issues related to the business consortium relevant to different areas of Law other than Commercial Law. Finally, we present the findings resulting from the research.