An average heat transfer coefficient, h_bar, is often used to solve heat transfer problems. It should be understood that this is an approximation and may provide inaccurate results, especially when the temperature field is of interest. The proper method to solve heat transfer problems is with a conjugate approach. However, there seems to be a lack of clear explanations of conjugate heat transfer in literature. The objective of this work is to provide a clear explanation of conjugate heat transfer and to determine the discrepancy in the temperature field when the interface boundary condition is approximated using h_bar compared to a local, or variable, heat transfer coefficient, h(x). Simple one-dimensional problems are presented and solved analytically using both h(x) and h_bar. Due to the one-dimensional assumption, h(x) appears in the governing equation for which the common methods to solve the differential equations with an average coefficient are no longer valid. Two methods, the integral equation and generalized Bessel methods are presented to handle the variable coefficient. The generalized Bessel method has previously only been used with homogeneous governing equations. This work extends the use of the generalized Bessel method to non-homogeneous problems by developing a relation for the Wronskian of the general solution to the generalized Bessel equation. The solution methods are applied to three problems: an external flow past a flat plate, a conjugate interface between two solids and a conjugate interface between a fluid and a solid. The main parameter that is varied is a combination of the Biot number and a geometric aspect ratio, A_1^2 = Bi*L^2/d_1^2. The Biot number is assumed small since the problems are one-dimensional and thus variation in A_1^2 is mostly due to a change in the aspect ratio. A large A_1^2 represents a long and thin solid whereas a small A_1^2 represents a short and thick solid. It is found that a larger A_1^2 leads to less problem conjugation. This means that use of h_bar has a lesser effect on the temperature field for a long and thin solid. Also, use of ¯ over h(x) tends to generally under predict the solid temperature. In addition is was found that A_2^2, the A^2 value for the second subdomain, tends to have more effect on the shape of the temperature profile of solid 1 and A_1^2 has a greater effect on the magnitude of the difference in temperature profiles between the use of h(x) and h_bar. In general increasing the A^2 values reduced conjugation.

Les lanceurs spatiaux sont des structures complexes associant une multitude de composants. L’assemblage de ces éléments doit répondre à un niveau de performance élevé. Le collage structural demeure un bon candidat en raison des nombreux avantages qu’il présente. Cependant, cette technologie montre des inconvénients. En raison des changements brusques de géométrie et de propriétés matériaux, des concentrations de contraintes apparaissent aux extrémités du joint de colle. Ce phénomène appelé effets de bords est néfaste pour la tenue mécanique de l’assemblage collé. La présence des effets de bords exclut l’utilisation de critères en contrainte utilisés classiquement. Le dimensionnement d’assemblages collés requiert des outils fiables prenant en compte ces effets de bords. Dans cette étude, un modèle de ruine incrémentale, associant une approche en contrainte et en énergie, est utilisé. L’utilisation de cet outil dans un cadre industriel, impose de répondre aux besoins d’un Bureau d’Études, notamment en termes de coût de calculs. Afin de le diminuer, une implémentation semi-analytique, est tout d’abord développée. Puis, une seconde méthode d’implémentation, basée sur la méthode des Eléments Finis, permet une prévision plus précise de la ruine d’un assemblage. La pertinence de ces deux approches a été vérifiée pour plusieurs configurations de joints collés. Des campagnes d’essais, destinées à confronter les résultats expérimentaux aux prévisions numériques, ont été réalisées. Dans le cadre de ce travail, un montage de collage et d’essai pour assemblages tubulaires a en particulier été développé. L’objectif du pré-dimensionnement est d’identifier une zone d’intérêt dans l’ensemble du domaine d’étude. Aussi, une étude paramétrique peut être requise afin de réaliser cette tâche. Afin de réduire le coût de calcul, une méthode d’interpolation spatiale appelée Krigeage a été mise en œuvre, et permet la construction efficace d’une surface de réponse. / Space Launchers are complex structures composed of a large number of elements. The assembling of these components must show a high level of reliability. The use of adhesive bonding technology is an interesting solution since it presentsseveral assets compared to “classical” joint techniques (such as riveting, bolting and welding), mainly because it can help to construct lighter and less energy consuming systems However„ the implementation of adhesives also has somedrawbacks. Due to the strong variations of geometrical and material properties, stress concentrations appear at the extremities of the joint. This phenomenon; called edge effects; has a great influence on the failure of the bond. As a result, the simple use of a classical stress or energetic criteria is not appropriate to predict the fracture of such structures. Therefore, it is obvious that the design of bonded assemblies requires reliable tools to take the edge effects into account. In this work an incremental failure model, which combines the stress and energetic criteria, is used. In order to decrease the computational cost, a semi-analytical application of this model is proposed. This is intended to make the approach more interesting to be implemented in an industrial environment. The accuracy of the prediction of the failure load is enhanced by means of the Finite Element method. The reliability of both the semi-analytical and Finite Element approaches is verified by comparing the model predictions with experimental data issued from double-notched Arcan and tubular specimen geometries. The aim of the pre-design phase is to identify the critical area in the whole range of the application of the studied geometry. Therefore, the realization of a parametric study is required in order to build a response surface. In the present study, this has been achieved by means of spatial interpolation using the Kriging model.

Cette thèse consiste à analyser conjointement des signaux de mouvement des yeux et d’électroencéphalogrammes (EEG) multicanaux acquis simultanément avec des participants effectuant une tâche de lecture de recueil d'informations afin de prendre une décision binaire - le texte est-il lié à un sujet ou non? La recherche d'informations textuelles n'est pas un processus homogène dans le temps - ni d'un point de vue cognitif, ni en termes de mouvement des yeux. Au contraire, ce processus implique plusieurs étapes ou phases, telles que la lecture normale, le balayage, la lecture attentive - en termes d'oculométrie - et la création et le rejet d'hypothèses, la confirmation et la décision - en termes cognitifs.Dans une première contribution, nous discutons d'une méthode d'analyse basée sur des chaînes semi-markoviennes cachées sur les signaux de mouvement des yeux afin de mettre en évidence quatre phases interprétables en termes de stratégie d'acquisition d'informations: lecture normale, lecture rapide, lecture attentive et prise de décision.Dans une deuxième contribution, nous lions ces phases aux changements caractéristiques des signaux EEG et des informations textuelles. En utilisant une représentation en ondelettes des EEG, cette analyse révèle des changements de variance et de corrélation des coefficients inter-canaux, en fonction des phases et de la largeur de bande. En utilisant des méthodes de plongement des mots, nous relions l’évolution de la similarité sémantique au sujet tout au long du texte avec les changements de stratégie.Dans une troisième contribution, nous présentons un nouveau modèle dans lequel les EEG sont directement intégrés en tant que variables de sortie afin de réduire l’incertitude des états. Cette nouvelle approche prend également en compte les aspects asynchrones et hétérogènes des données. / This PhD thesis consists in jointly analyzing eye-tracking signals and multi-channel electroencephalograms (EEGs) acquired concomitantly on participants doing an information collection reading task in order to take a binary decision - is the text related to some topic or not ? Textual information search is not a homogeneous process in time - neither on a cognitive point of view, nor in terms of eye-movement. On the contrary, this process involves several steps or phases, such as normal reading, scanning, careful reading - in terms of oculometry - and creation and rejection of hypotheses, confirmation and decision - in cognitive terms.In a first contribution, we discuss an analysis method based on hidden semi-Markov chains on the eye-tracking signals in order to highlight four interpretable phases in terms of information acquisition strategy: normal reading, fast reading, careful reading, and decision making.In a second contribution, we link these phases with characteristic changes of both EEGs signals and textual information. By using a wavelet representation of EEGs, this analysis reveals variance and correlation changes of the inter-channels coefficients, according to the phases and the bandwidth. And by using word embedding methods, we link the evolution of semantic similarity to the topic throughout the text with strategy changes.In a third contribution, we present a new model where EEGs are directly integrated as output variables in order to reduce the state uncertainty. This novel approach also takes into consideration the asynchronous and heterogeneous aspects of the data.

Landslides cause significant damage to property and human lives throughout the world. Rainfall is the most common triggering factor for the occurrence of landslides. This dissertation presents two novel methodologies for assessment of rainfall-triggered shallow landslide hazard. The first method focuses on using remotely sensed soil moisture and soil surface properties in developing a framework for real-time regional scale landslide hazard assessment while the second method is a deterministic approach to landslide hazard assessment of the specific sites identified during first assessment. In the latter approach, landslide inducing transient seepage in soil during rainfall and its effect on slope stability are modeled using numerical analysis. Traditionally, the prediction of rainfall-triggered landslides has been performed using pre-determined rainfall intensity-duration thresholds. However, it is the infiltration of rainwater into soil slopes which leads to an increase of porewater pressure and destruction of matric suction that causes a reduction in soil shear strength and slope instability. Hence, soil moisture, pore pressure and infiltration properties of soil must be direct inputs to reliable landslide hazard assessment methods. In-situ measurement of pore pressure for real-time landslide hazard assessment is an expensive endeavor and thus, the use of more practical remote sensing of soil moisture is constantly sought. In past studies, a statistical framework for regional scale landslide hazard assessment using remotely sensed soil moisture has not been developed. Thus, the first major objective of this study is to develop a framework for using downscaled remotely sensed soil moisture available on a daily basis to monitor locations that are highly susceptible to rainfall- triggered shallow landslides, using a well-structured assessment procedure. Downscaled soil moisture, the relevant geotechnical properties of saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil type, and the conditioning factors of elevation, slope, and distance to roads are used to develop an improved logistic regression model to predict the soil slide hazard of soil slopes using data from two geographically different regions. A soil moisture downscaling model with a proven superior prediction accuracy than the downscaling models that have been used in previous landslide studies is employed in this study. Furthermore, this model provides satisfactory classification accuracy and performs better than the alternative water drainage-based indices that are conventionally used to quantify the effect that elevated soil moisture has upon the soil sliding. Furthermore, the downscaling of soil moisture content is shown to improve the prediction accuracy. Finally, a technique that can determine the threshold probability for identifying locations with a high soil slide hazard is proposed. On the other hand, many deterministic methods based on analytical and numerical methodologies have been developed in the past to model the effects of infiltration and subsequent transient seepage during rainfall on the stability of natural and manmade slopes. However, the effects of continuous interplay between surface and subsurface water flows on slope stability is seldom considered in the above-mentioned numerical and analytical models. Furthermore, the existing seepage models are based on the Richards equation, which is derived using Darcy’s law, under a pseudo-steady state assumption. Thus, the inertial components of flow have not been incorporated typically in modeling the flow of water through the subsurface. Hence, the second objective of this study is to develop a numerical model which has the capability to model surface, subsurface and infiltration water flows based on a unified approach, employing fundamental fluid dynamics, to assess slope stability during rainfall-induced transient seepage conditions. The developed model is based on the Navier-Stokes equations, which possess the capability to model surface, subsurface and infiltration water flows in a unified manner. The extended Mohr-Coulomb criterion is used in evaluating the shear strength reduction due to infiltration. Finally, the effect of soil hydraulic conductivity on slope stability is examined. The interplay between surface and subsurface water flows is observed to have a significant impact on slope stability, especially at low hydraulic conductivity values. The developed numerical model facilitates site-specific calibration with respect to saturated hydraulic conductivity, remotely sensed soil moisture content and rainfall intensity to predict landslide inducing subsurface pore pressure variations in real time.

Humane Zytomegalieviren (HCMV) etablieren nach einer Primärinfektion eine lebenslange latente oder persistierende Infektion. Es wird allgemein angenommen, daß hieran die Manipulation der humanen Immunantwort durch das Virus beteiligt ist. Hierzu zählen die Hemmung von zytotoxischen CD8+ T-Zellen durch das Genprodukt US11 und die Beeinträchtigung der Leukozytenwanderung durch die Hemmung des Chemokinsystems durch den Chemokinrezeptor US28. Die Effizienz der US11-vermittelten Hemmung der T-Zell-Aktivierung wurde in einem rekombinanten Modell zur MHC-Klasse-I-vermittelten T-Zell-Aktivierung untersucht. Obwohl die Expression der MHC-Klasse-I-Moleküle durch US11 in dendritische Zellen (DCs) um bis zu 60% vermindert war, konnte keine Hemmung der T-Zell-Proliferation beobachtet werden. US28 ist der einzige funktionelle Rezeptor für die inflammatorischen Chemokine MCP-1, MCP-3, RANTES, MIP-1(, MIP-1( sowie Fraktalkine. Er kann sowohl Liganden-abhängig die Aktivierung von MAPK als auch die konstitutive Aktivierung von NF-(B vermitteln. In der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte mit Hilfe einer Rezeptormutante der Argininrest an Position 129 des DRY-Motivs als Voraussetzung für die Aktivierung der Signalwegen identifiziert werden. Ferner bewirkt die Expression des US28-Rezeptors die Entfernung inflammatorischer Chemokine aus der Umgebung infizierter Zellen. Molekulare Grundlage der Liganden-Depletion stellt die Endozytose des US28-Liganden-Komplexes dar. Es konnte gezeigt werden, daß der US28-Rezeptor eine Umlagerung von (-Arrestin-Molekülen in Vesikel vermittelt, jedoch unabhängig von Arrestin-Molekülen endozytiert wird. Die Endozytose des US28-Rezeptors war abhängig von der GTP-ase Dynamin. Ebenso konnte die Beteiligung des Lipid-Raft-Weges an der US28-Endozytose gezeigt werden. Die Hemmung des Clathrinweges bewirkte jedoch eine zweifach stärkere Verminderung der US28-Endozytose, kann der Clathrin-abhängige Weg als der Hauptweg der US28-Endozytose angesehen werden. / Primary infections of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are followed by a lifelong infection in the state of latency or persistence. It is believed that the virus employs a number of immunomodulatory mechanisms to establish latent infections. Among these are the inhibition of cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells by US11 and the impairment of leukocyte migration by US28. The potency of US11 to mediate the inhibition of T-cell activation was analysed in a model of MHC class I mediated T-cell activation. Surface expression of MHC class I molecules was reduced by 60 % after expression of US11 in murine dendritic cells. In contrast, there was no reduction in the capacity of the dendritic cells to induce T-cell proliferation. The US28 gene product has been characterized as a functional receptor for the inflammatory chemokines RANTES, MCP-1, MCP-3, MIP-1?? MIP-1? and fractalkine.Upon ligand stimulation US28 mediates the activation of MAPK and additionally a constitutive activation of NF-?B. By generating site directed receptor mutant it was shown that the arginine at position 129 represents a structural requirement for both the ligand-induced and the constitutive signaling by US28. Moreover, it was suggested that the US28 dependent sequestration of chemokines from the environment of infected cells hinders leukocytes from the recruitment to sites of viral infection. A molecular mechanism for the ligand depletion is provided by the endocytosis of US28-ligand complexes. Studies revealed that US28 expression induced a redistribution of ?-arrestin molecules into vesicular structures but was dispensable for the endocytosis of the US28 receptor. However, US28 internalization was dependent on the small GTPase dynamin and by impaired receptor endocytosis after inhibition of the lipid raft pathway. Since inhibition of the clathrin dependent pathway resulted in a two-fold stronger reduction of US28 endocytosis, the clathrin-dependent pathway can be considered as the major route of US28 endocytosis.

Soliton states in three coupled optical waveguide systems were studied: two linearly coupled waveguides with quadratic nonlinearity, two linearly coupled waveguides with cubic nonlinearity and Bragg gratings, and a quadratic nonlinear waveguide with resonant gratings, which enable three-wave interaction. The methods adopted to tackle the problems were both analytical and numerical. The analytical method mainly made use of the variational approximation. Since no exact analytical method is available to find solutions for the waveguide systems under study, the variational approach was proved to be very useful to find accurate approximations. Numerically, the shooting method and the relaxation method were used. The numerical results verified the results obtained analytically. New asymmetric soliton states were discovered for the coupled quadratically nonlinear waveguides, and for the coupled waveguides with both cubic nonlinearity and Bragg gratings. Stability of the soliton states was studied numerically, using the Beam Propagation Method. Asymmetric couplers with quadratic nonlinearity were also studied. The bifurcation diagrams for the asymmetric couplers were those unfolded from the corresponding diagrams of the symmetric couplers. Novel stable two-soliton bound states due to three-wave interaction were discovered for a quadratically nonlinear waveguide equipped with resonant gratings. Since the coupled optical waveguide systems are controlled by a larger number of parameters than in the corresponding single waveguide, the coupled systems can find a much broader field of applications. This study provides useful background information to support these applications.

<p>This thesis is based on five papers addressing variance reduction in different ways. The papers have in common that they all present new numerical methods.</p><p>Paper I investigates quantitative structure-retention relationships from an image processing perspective, using an artificial neural network to preprocess three-dimensional structural descriptions of the studied steroid molecules.</p><p>Paper II presents a new method for computing free energies. Free energy is the quantity that determines chemical equilibria and partition coefficients. The proposed method may be used for estimating, e.g., chromatographic retention without performing experiments.</p><p>Two papers (III and IV) deal with correcting deviations from bilinearity by so-called peak alignment. Bilinearity is a theoretical assumption about the distribution of instrumental data that is often violated by measured data. Deviations from bilinearity lead to increased variance, both in the data and in inferences from the data, unless invariance to the deviations is built into the model, e.g., by the use of the method proposed in paper III and extended in paper IV.</p><p>Paper V addresses a generic problem in classification; namely, how to measure the goodness of different data representations, so that the best classifier may be constructed. </p><p>Variance reduction is one of the pillars on which analytical chemistry rests. This thesis considers two aspects on variance reduction: before and after experiments are performed. Before experimenting, theoretical predictions of experimental outcomes may be used to direct which experiments to perform, and how to perform them (papers I and II). After experiments are performed, the variance of inferences from the measured data are affected by the method of data analysis (papers III-V).</p>

<p>The vertical electronic excitation energies for the narrow-bandgap polymers LBPF, EP37 and EP62 have been calculated using Density Functional Theory (DFT). Also the vertical excitation energies for the acceptor unit of LBPF have been calculated using the Hartree-Fock (HF), DFT and Coupled Cluster (CC) methods. The calculations cover the visible and infrared wave length region and two strong transitions are obtained, one corresponding to the pi to pi* transition and one corresponding to the pi to Acceptor transition. The excitation energies obtained from DFT are below the corresponding experimental results and attempts have therefore been made to perform bench-marking calculations using a hierarchy of CC methods.</p>

<p>Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is known to influence a vast number of physiological and behavioral processes such as vasoconstriction, circadian rhythms, feeding, anxiety and memory. Peptides of the NPY family bind to five different cloned G-protein coupled receptor subtypes (Y1, 2, 4-6). The studies compiled in this thesis present inter-species comparisons of sequence similarities, binding properties and expression patterns among receptors of the NPY family.</p><p>Cloning of Y1 and Y2 receptor subtypes from guinea pigs revealed strong binding profile similarity to the corresponding human receptors. Previously demonstrated atypical binding profiles in the caval vein of guinea pigs were concluded to result from other receptors than the cloned Y1 and Y2 receptors, or possibly combinations of distinct receptor subtypes.</p><p>The guinea pig Y5 receptor was found to be expressed in regions of the brain that have been indicated as important for regulation of food intake. Expression in the hypothalamus, amygdala and brain stem was noticed, similar to studies in rats and humans. In other brain regions, such as the striatum and hippocampus, some species differences were observed.</p><p>Mutagenesis studies of the human Y1 receptor indicated sites important for binding both of endogenous agonists and synthetic antagonists. Putative new sites of interaction with the Y1 antagonists BIBP3226 and/or SR120819A were recognized. The data were used to construct a three-dimensional structure model, based on a high-resolution bovine rhodopsin model.</p><p>Cloning of the chicken (<i>Gallus gallus</i>) Y1, Y2 and Y5 receptors revealed high sequence similarities with mammalian receptors. Most endogenous ligands bound with similar affinities as to mammalian receptors. The strongest exception was the discovery of high-affinity binding to chicken Y2 of [Leu³¹, Pro³⁴]NPY, which was previously considered to bind non-Y2 receptors only. </p><p>The new human Y1 receptor model provides a basis for further investigations of ligand-receptor interactions which will be aided by information on NPY receptors from other taxa. Guinea pigs are concluded to be a good complement to rats and mice for studying NPY signaling. These results demonstrate the benefits of species comparisons for pharmacological studies.</p>

<p>Amino acid radicals are key redox intermediates in several natural enzymes including Cytochrome c peroxidase, DNA photolyase, ribonucletide reductase, cytochrome c oxidase and photosystem II. Electron transfer from amino acids is often coupled to deprotonation and this thesis concerns the coupling of electron transfer from tyrosine and tryptophan to trisbipyridineruthenium(III) with deprotonation in model complexes. Specifically the mechanisms for these proton coupled electron transfer reactions have been studied and the controlling parameters have been identified, the possible mechanisms being stepwise electron transfer followed by deprotonation and deprotonation followed by electron transfer or concerted electron transfer/deprotonation.</p><p>Proton coupled electron transfer reactions have been studied using nano-second flash photolysis in water solution and the effect of pH, temperature, reaction driving force, deuteration and nature of the amino acid has been determined. I have shown that the rate constant for the concerted reaction depends intrinsically on the mixing entropy of the released proton and that the pH-dependence can be used as an experimental tool for mechanistic discrimination. Moreover I have shown that the concerted reaction inherently has a high reorganisation energy due to the coupling of the electron motion with deprotonation. Hydrogen bonding to the transferring proton however significantly reduces this reorganisation energy. The concerted reaction also has a relatively high driving force counteracting the high reorganisation energy in the competition between the concerted reaction and the stepwise electron transfer first reaction. The relative importance of the high reorganisation energy and the high driving force for the concerted reaction determines the mechanistic outcome of the reaction, the stepwise reaction being favoured by high over-all driving forces and the concerted reaction by high pH.</p><p>By comparing my results from model complexes with tyrosineZ oxidation in photosystem II, I give strong evidence for a concerted electron transfer/deprotonation mechanism.</p>