The interplay between lipids and membrane proteins is known to affect membrane protein topology and thus have significant effect (control) on their functions. In this PhD thesis, the influence of lipids on the membrane protein function was studied using three different membrane protein models. A monotopic membrane protein, monoglucosyldiacylglyecerol synthase (MGS) from Acholeplasma laidlawii is known to induce intracellular vesicles when expressed in Escherichia coli. The mechanism leading to this unusual phenomenon was investigated by various biochemical and biophysical techniques. The results indicated a doubling of lipid synthesis in the cell, which was triggered by the selective binding of MGS to anionic lipids. Multivariate data analysis revealed a good correlation with MGS production. Furthermore, preferential anionic lipid sequestering by MGS was shown to induce a different fatty acid modeling of E. coli membranes. The roles of specific lipid binding and the probable mechanism leading to intracellular vesicle formation were also investigated. As a second model, a MGS homolog from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 was selected. MgdA is an integral membrane protein with multiple transmembrane helices and a unique membrane topology. The influence of different type of lipids on MgdA activity was tested with different membrane fractions of Synechocystis. Results indicated a very distinct profile compared to Acholeplasma laidlawii MGS. SQDG, an anionic lipid was found to be the species of the membrane that increased the MgdA activity 7-fold whereas two other lipids (PG and PE) had only minor effects on MgdA. Additionally, a working model of MgdA for the biosynthesis and flow of sugar lipids between Synechocystis membranes was proposed. The last model system was another integral membrane protein with a distinct structure but also a different function. The envelope stress sensor, CpxA and its interaction with E. coli membranes were studied. CpxA autophosphorylation activity was found to be positively regulated by phosphatidylethanolamine and negatively by anionic lipids. In contrast, phosphorylation of CpxR by CpxA revealed to be increased with PG but inhibited by CL. Non-bilayer lipids had a negative impact on CpxA phosphotransfer activity. Taken together, these studies provide a better understanding of the significance of the interplay of lipids and model membrane proteins discussed here.

What is in common between the Kepler problem, a Hydrogen atom and a rotating black- hole? These systems are described by different physical theories, but much information about them can be obtained by separating an appropriate Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The separation of variables of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation is an old but still powerful tool for obtaining exact solutions. The goal of this thesis is to present the theory and application of a certain type of conformal Killing tensor (hereafter called concircular tensor) to the separation of variables problem. The application is to spaces of constant curvature, with special attention to spaces with Euclidean and Lorentzian signatures. The theory includes the general applicability of concircular tensors to the separation of variables problem and the application of warped products to studying Killing tensors in general and separable coordinates in particular. Our first main result shows how to use these tensors to construct a special class of separable coordinates (hereafter called Kalnins-Eisenhart-Miller (KEM) coordinates) on a given space. Conversely, the second result generalizes the Kalnins-Miller classification to show that any orthogonal separable coordinates in a space of constant curvature are KEM coordinates. A closely related recursive algorithm is defined which allows one to intrinsically (coordinate independently) search for KEM coordinates which separate a given (natural) Hamilton-Jacobi equation. This algorithm is exhaustive in spaces of constant curvature. Finally, sufficient details are worked out, so that one can apply these procedures in spaces of constant curvature using only (linear) algebraic operations. As an example, we apply the theory to study the separability of the Calogero-Moser system.

Due to the natural, non-intrusive, easily collectible, widespread applicability, machine-based face recognition has received significant attention from the biometrics community over the past three decades. Compared with traditional appearance-based (2D) face recognition, shape-based (3D) face recognition is more stable to illumination variations, small head pose changes, and varying facial cosmetics. However, 3D face scans captured in unconstrained conditions may lead to various difficulties, such as non-rigid deformations caused by varying expressions, data missing due to self occlusions and external occlusions, as well as low-quality data as a result of some imperfections in the scanning technology. In order to deal with those difficulties and to be useful in real-world applications, in this thesis, we propose two 3D face recognition approaches: one is focusing on handling various expression changes, while the other one can recognize people in the presence of large facial expressions, occlusions and large pose various. In addition, we provide a provable and practical surface meshing algorithm for data-quality improvement. To deal with expression issue, we assume that different local facial region (e.g. nose, eyes) has different intra-expression/inter-expression shape variability, and thus has different importance. Based on this assumption, we design a learning strategy to find out the quantification importance of local facial regions in terms of their discriminating power. For facial description, we propose a novel shape descriptor by encoding the micro-structure of multi-channel facial normal information in multiple scales, namely, Multi-Scale and Multi-Component Local Normal Patterns (MSMC-LNP). It can comprehensively describe the local shape changes of 3D facial surfaces by a set of LNP histograms including both global and local cues. For face matching, Weighted Sparse Representation-based Classifier (W-SRC) is formulated based on the learned quantification importance and the LNP histograms. The proposed approach is evaluated on four databases: the FRGC v2.0, Bosphorus, BU-3DFE and 3D-TEC, including face scans in the presence of diverse expressions and action units, or several prototypical expressions with different intensities, or facial expression variations combine with strong facial similarities (i.e. identical twins). Extensive experimental results show that the proposed 3D face recognition approach with the use of discriminative facial descriptors can be able to deal with expression variations and perform quite accurately over all databases, and thereby has a good generalization ability. To deal with expression and data missing issues in an uniform framework, we propose a mesh-based registration free 3D face recognition approach based on a novel local facial shape descriptor and a multi-task sparse representation-based face matching process. [...]

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, wie die genaue Kenntnis der Sende- und Empfangsschallfelder eines Ultraschallwandlers zur Entwicklung neuer Meßverfahren genutzt werden kann. Insbesondere werden dargestellt: - ein neuartiges, nichtscannendes Verfahren zur Bestimmung der Krümmung eines Reflektors, basierend auf der Analyse der Wellenfrontkrümmung reflektierter Schallfelder - ein neuartiges, nichtinvasives Verfahren zur Bestimmung der Schallgeschwindigkeit in einer Flüssigkeit durch Auswertung der Echosignale von im Ausbreitungsmedium vorhandenen Streupartikeln und - ein Verfahren zur Wandlercharakterisierung durch Messungen in Fluiden mit Streupartikeln, sowie verschiedene Zuordnungen von Schallfeldmerkmalen zu spezifischen Eigenschaften eines Ultraschallwandlers. Im Zusammenspiel von Simulation und Experiment konnten die Funktionstüchtigkeit aller Meßverfahren nachgewiesen und vielversprechende innovative Ansätze für zukünftige Entwicklungen angeregt werden: 1. Das nichtscannende Verfahren zur Krümmungsmessung erlaubt bei guter Justage eine Krümmungsbestimmung von Reflektoren mit Radien zwischen 6 und 11 mm mit einer Unsicherheit von ungefähr 0,5 mm. In Kombination mit herkömmlichen scannenden Verfahren bietet es Ansätze zur präzisen Größenbestimmung von Fehlern in der zerstörungsfreien Prüfung. 2. Das Verfahren zur nichtinvasiven Schallgeschwindigkeitsmessung erlaubt eine Bestimmung von Schallgeschwindigkeiten mit einer statistischen Meßunsicherheit von 0,1 %. Mögliche Weiterentwicklungen zur Messung der Schallgeschwindigkeit mit örtlicher Auflösung und zur Gewinnung neuer Diagnosemöglichkeiten in Metallurgie (nichtinvasive Charakterisierung von Mischungsvorgängen) und Biomedizintechnik (nichtinvasive Temperaturmessung in Körpergewebe zur Überwachung der Hyperthermiebehandlung, Gewebecharakterisierung) werden erläutert. Aus verschiedenen bekannten sowie einem neuartigen, leicht anwendbaren Meßverfahren werden neue Schlüsse gezogen a) zur Bestimmung der akustisch effektiven Elementgröße von Wandlerelementen mittels Schallfeldmessungen, b) zur Qualitätssicherung im Hinblick auf Schallkopfasymmetrien und c) zur Verbesserung von Schallfeldsimulationen. / The current thesis explores how the precise knowledge of the sending and receiving sound fields of an ultrasonic transducer can contribute to the development of novel measuring techniques. Emphasis is placed on: - a novel, non-scanning method for the determination of the curvature radius of a spherical reflector, based on the analysis of the wave front curvature of the reflected sound field, - a novel non-invasive method for sound velocity measurements in fluids using the echo signals from scattering particles, and - novel conclusions on how to use well-known sound field measurement methods for transducer characterisation, as well as an introduction to a novel easy-to-use method for transducer characterisation exploiting the echo signals from scattering particles. Proof of concept is shown for all methods by simulation and measurement, and different promising improvements for further techniques are suggested: - The non-scanning method for curvature measurements makes it possible to determine reflector radii between 6 and 11 mm with an uncertainty of about 0.5 mm, provided that there is a good reflector alignment. In combination with conventional methods, a novel approach for the determination of the size of discontinuities in non-destructive testing is outlined. - The method for non-invasive sound velocity measurements allows the determination of sound velocity in homogeneous fluids with a statistical uncertainty of 0.1 %. Future improvements are suggested to allow sound velocity measurements with local resolution, which enables novel approaches for metallurgy (non-invasive characterisation of mixing processes) and biomedical engineering (non-invasive temperature control for hyperthermia treatment, tissue characterisation). - New conclusions are drawn based on well-established and a novel easy-to-implement measurement method regarding a) the determination of the acoustically effective element size of transducer elements, b) transducer asymmetries, thereby improving quality control, and c) the improvement of sound field simulations.

The amount of total and relative sway of a framed or a composite (frame-shear wall) building is of utmost importance in assessing the seismic resistance of the building. Therefore, the design engineer must calculate the sway profile of the building several times during the design process. However, it is not a simple task to calculate the sway of a three-dimensional structure. Of course, computer programs can do the job, but developing the three-dimensional model becomes necessary, which is obviously tedious and time consuming. An easy to apply analytical method is developed, which enables the determination of sway profiles of framed and composite buildings subject to seismic loading. Various framed and composite three-dimensional buildings subject to lateral seismic loads are solved by SAP2000 and the proposed analytical method. The sway profiles are compared and found to be in very good agreement. In most cases, the amount of error involved is less than 5 %. The analytical method is applied to determine sway magnitudes at any desired elevation of the building, the relative sway between two consecutive floors, the slope at any desired point along the height and the curvature distribution of the building from foundation to roof level. After sway and sway-related properties are known, the requirements of the Turkish Earthquake Code can be evaluated and / or checked. By using the analytical method, the amount of shear walls necessary to satisfy Turkish Earthquake Code requirements are determined. Thus, a vital design question has been answered, which up till present time, could only be met by rough empirical guidelines. A mathematical derivation is presented to satisfy the strength requirement of a three-dimensional composite building subject to seismic loading. Thus, the occurrence of shear failure before moment failure in the building is securely avoided. A design procedure is developed to satisfy the stiffness requirement of composite buildings subject to lateral seismic loading. Some useful tools, such as executable user-friendly programs written by using &ldquo / Borland Delphi&rdquo / , have been developed to make the analysis and design easy for the engineer. A method is also developed to satisfy the ductility requirement of composite buildings subject to lateral seismic loading based on a plastic analysis. The commonly accepted sway ductility of &amp / #956 / &amp / #916 / =5 has been used and successful seismic energy dissipation is thus obtained.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-09-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:47:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 batista_ra_me_rcla.pdf: 818880 bytes, checksum: 6293c2c753e3d0bd5a6900cfc890944f (MD5) / O principal objetivo deste trabalho é confeccionar um texto para alunos de gradua ção na área de Ciências Exatas e da Terra concernente ao estudo da Curvatura Gaussiana e Aplicação de Gauss, Superfícies Mínimas, Teorema Egregium de Gauss e o Teorema de Gauss- Bonnet para curvas simples fechadas / The main objective from this work is to make a text for students of graduation in the area of exact sciences and of the land concerning to the study of the Gaussian Curvature and the Gauss Map, Minimal Surfaces, Gauss's Theorem Egregium and the Gauss-Bonnet Theorem for Simple Closed Curves

Nous développons une nouvelle approche éléments finis pour des équations aux dérivées partielles elliptiques de type élasticité linéaire ou Stokes sur une surface fermée de R3. La surface considérée est décrite par le zéro d'une fonction de niveau assez régulière. Le problème se ramène à la minimisation d'une fonctionnelle énergie pour le champ de vitesse sous contraintes. Les contraintes sont de deux types : (i) la vitesse est tangentielle à la surface, (ii) la surface est inextensible. Cette deuxième contrainte équivaut à l'incompressibilité surfacique du champ de vitesse. Nous abordons ce problème de deux façons : la pénalisation et l'introduction de deux multiplicateurs de Lagrange. Cette dernière méthode a l'avantage de traiter le cas de la limite incompressible d'un écoulement en surface dont nous présentons pour la première fois l'analyse théorique et numérique. Nous montrons des estimations d'erreurs sur la solution discrète et les tests numériques confirment l'optimalité des ces estimations. Pour cela, nous proposons plusieurs approches pour le calcul numérique de la normale et la courbure de la surface. L'implémentation utilise la librairie libre d'éléments finis Rheolef. Nous présentons aussi des résultats de simulations numériques pour une application en biologie : la morphogenèse de l'embryon de la drosophile, durant laquelle des déformations tangentielles d'une monocouche de cellules avec une faible variation d'aire. Ce phénomène est connu sous le nom de l'extension de la bande germinale. / We develop a novel finite element approach for linear elasticity or Stokes-type PDEs set on a closed surface of $mathbb{R}^3$. The surface we consider is described as the zero of a sufficiently smooth level-set function. The problem can be written as the minimisation of an energy function over a constrained velocity field. Constraints areof two different types: (i) the velocity field is tangential to the surface, (ii) the surface is inextensible. This second constraint is equivalent to surface incompressibility of the velocity field. We address thisproblem in two different ways: a penalty method and a mixed method involving two Lagrange multipliers. This latter method allows us to solve the limiting case of incompressible surface flow, for which we present a novel theoretical and numerical analysis. Error estimates for the discrete solution are given andnumerical tests shows the optimality of the estimates. For this purpose, several approaches for the numerical computation of the normal and curvature of the surface are proposed. The implementation relies on the Rheolef open-source finite element library. We present numerical simulations for a biological application: the morphogenesis of Drosophila embryos, duringwhich tangential flows of a cell monolayer take place with a low surface-area variation. This phenomenon is known as germ-band extension.

Si dans les caméras actuelles, les matrices de photodétection sont planes, dans la nature, aucune surface focale n'est plane : la rétine est soit concave (œil humain), soit convexe (œil d'insecte). Ces architectures offrent deux solutions de miniaturisation et de simplification des systèmes de détection, qui ont fait l'objet des travaux de cette thèse. La courbure concave du détecteur permet de supprimer l'aberration de courbure de champ qui est particulièrement présente dans les instruments grand champ. L'étude théorique de cette solution, étayée par des applications concrètes, a permis de démontrer la simplification des architectures accessibles par cette approche, ainsi que les améliorations en termes de performances optiques. La courbure convexe permet quant à elle de miniaturiser les systèmes grand champ, en s'inspirant de l'œil composé des petits invertébrés. Cette architecture, constituée de groupes de pixels reliés par une métallisation souple, a été réalisée sur une matrice de détecteurs infrarouge en CdHgTe. Les composants obtenus sont fonctionnels et comparables en termes de performances aux valeurs standard. Ils ouvrent à la voie à des architectures grand champ extrêmement compactes. L'originalité du travail a porté sur la mise en forme sphérique de composants monolithiques, dont la couche active n'est pas modifiée, permettant ainsi de produire des systèmes avec un taux de remplissage de 100%. Après une étude de la souplesse d'échantillons de silicium aminci, le procédé de courbure a été transféré sur des composants fonctionnels: circuit de lecture Si-CMOS et matrice de micro-bolomètres infrarouge. La courbure concave des matrices de détection infrarouge de type micro-bolomètres, a mené à la réalisation de deux caméras. La première, constituée de deux lentilles du commerce, a permis de comparer les systèmes composés des détecteurs plan et courbe. Le gain lié à la courbure sphérique de la rétine sur l'uniformité de la réponse impulsionnelle a été prouvé grâce aux mesures de la fonction de transfert de contrastes (FTC). Enfin, à l'image d'un œil humain, un œil infrarouge composé d'une seule lentille et d'une matrice de micro-bolomètres courbée en concave a été réalisée. La qualité des images obtenues, ainsi que la FTC mesurée, ont mis en évidence le potentiel des plans focaux courbés pour des systèmes ultra-compacts, inenvisageables jusqu'à ce jour. / In natural world, plane retina, on which are based our cameras does not exist. The focal plane is either concave for human beings or convex in insects' eyes. Both curvatures offer novel solution to miniaturize and simplify the optical design, and both of them have been studied in this work.The concave curving of the focal plane suppresses one aberration, the field curvature, on which depends the image quality of large field of view instruments. Advantages in image quality and optical design have been studied by theoretical analysis and by real cases of instruments. The convex curvature results in a miniaturization achieved by reproducing the compound eye of small invertebrates. This design, which is composed of several groups of pixels interconnected by metallic lines, has been realized with cooled infrared detecting device. The performed detectors are still electrically functional with a comparable behaviour than conventional sensors. The originality of this work is the spherical curvature of monocrystalline and monolithic components; the active layer is not modified for this purpose. The process of curvature has been developed on thinned square silicon bare dies and then transferred to thinned functional devices: Si-CMOS and micro-bolometers. The concave curvature of bolometers leads to the realization of two cameras. The first one, composed of two commercial lenses, was dedicated to the comparison between a planar traditional camera and a curved detector system. Optical advantages, and especially the response uniformity, have been proved thanks to measures of the contrast modulation function (CMF). Finally, I have realized an infrared eye composed of a unique lens and a curved concave bolometer. Both the image quality obtained and CMF experiments proved the interest of the curved focal plane in miniaturized optical systems.

Sejam M uma variedade de Hadamard com curvatura seccional KM ≤ −k2 < 0 e ∂ M sua fronteira assintótica. Dizemos que M satisfaz a condição de convexidade estrita se, dados x ∈ ∂∞M e W ⊂ ∂∞M aberto relativo contendo x, existe um aberto Ω ⊂ M de classe C2 tais que x ∈ Int (∂ Ω) ⊂ W e M \ Ω ´e convexo. Provamos que a condição de convexidade estrita implica que M éregular no infinito com relação ao operador Q[u] := div a(|∇u|) \ |∇u| ∇u definido no espa¸co de Sobolev W 1,p(M ), onde a ∈ C1([0, +∞)) satisfaz a(0) = 0, at(s) > 0 para todo s > 0, a(s) ≤ C (sp−1 + 1), ∀s ≥ 0, onde C > 0 é uma constante, e a(s) ≥ sq para algum q > 0 e para s ≈ 0 e supomos que é possível resolver problemas de Dirichlet em bolas (compactas) de M com dados contínuos no bordo. Segue disto que sob a condição de convexidade estrita, os problemas de Dirichlet para equação de hipersuperfície mínima e para o p-laplaciano, p > 1, são solúveis para qualquer dado contínuo prescrito no bordo assintótico. Também provamos que se M é rotacionalmente simétrica ou se inf BR+1 KM ≥ −e 2kR /R2+2 , R ≥ R∗, para certos R∗ e E > 0, então M satisfaz a condição de convexidade estrita. / Let M be Hadamard manifold with sectional curvature KM ≤ −k2, k > 0 and ∂∞M its asymptotic boundary. We say that M satisfies the strict convexity condition if, given x ∈ ∂∞M and a relatively open subset W ⊂ 2 ∂∞M containing x, there exists a C open subset Ω ⊂ M such that x ∈ Int (∂∞Ω) ⊂ W and M \ Ω is convex. We prove that the strict convexity condition implies that M is regular at infinity relative to the operator Q [u] := div a(|∇u|) \ |∇u| ∇u , defined on the Sobolev space W 1,p(M ), where a ∈ C 1 ([0, ∞)) satisfies a(0) = 0, at(s) > 0 for all s > 0, a(s) ≤ C (s p−1 + 1), ∀s ≥ 0, where C > 0 is a constant, and a(s) ≥ sq , for some q > 0 and for s ≈ 0 and we suppose that it is possible to solve Dirichlet problems on (compact) balls of M with continuous boundary data. It follows that under the strict convexity condition, the Dirichlet problems for the minimal hypersurface and the p-Laplacian, p > 1, equations are solvable for any prescribed continuous asymptotic boundary data. We also prove that if M is rotationally symmetric or if inf BR+1 KM ≥ −e2kR/R2+2 , R ≥ R∗, for some R∗ and E > 0, then M satisfies the SC condition.

This work introduces a time adaptive strategy that uses a refinement estimator based on the geometric indicator of curvature. The developed methodology is suitable for problems of numerical time integration present, for example, in the study of bodies subjected to dynamical loads. The refinement estimator demands low computational resources, being easily applied to several direct integration methods. Trying to interact these methods, an object oriented library that uses the developed scheme of adaptation is built. The main idea of this tool is to incorporate this scheme, in an easy way, in existing computational codes that employ direct integration methods. Examples of dynamic solid bodies are presented, ilustrating the technique and library usage in existing applications. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Este trabalho introduz uma estratégia de adaptação no tempo que utiliza um estimador de refinamento baseado no indicador geométrico curvatura. A metodologia desenvolvida é aplicada ao problema de integração numérica temporal, presente, por exemplo, no estudo do comportamento de corpos submetidos a cargas dinâmicas. O estimador de refinamento formulado demanda pouco esforço computacional, sendo facilmente aplicado aos diversos métodos de integração direta existentes. Visando a interação com esses métodos, constrói-se uma biblioteca orientada a objetos que incorpora a técnica de adaptação desenvolvida. A idéia principal desta ferramenta é prover, de forma fácil, a técnica de adaptação concebida a códigos computacionais existentes e que fazem uso dos referidos métodos de integração. Apresentam-se exemplos de dinâmica de corpos sólidos que ilustram o potencial de utilização da técnica e o uso da biblioteca em aplicações existentes.