In this thesis I address the problem of the commentators' interpretations regarding Hume's philosophy of mind. Precisely what theory of mind Hume articulates is the subject of much debate among the commentators although a definitive view has, as yet, not been attributed to Hume. The issue Is, of course, complicated by the fact that Hume says so many things about mind, and these numerous and often conflictlng assertions entirely elude the commentators' endeavours to systematize them into a coherent theory. Through and examination of what I take to be three representative readings, viz., those of R.F. Anderson, C.V. Salmon, and John Bricke, I show that each interpretation cannot but fail as a systematization of Hume's views about mind into a theory, since a positive reading of Hume's philosophy of mind cannot be accomplished without either abandoning aspects of Hume's metaphysics, acknowledging that a preferred interpretation Is unable to account for certain views that Hume propounds, alleging a deeply rooted inconsistency, or all of these possibilities together. Why Hume's work eludes the commentators In this way is a problem that is examined by considering his intentions in A Treatise of Human Nature (and the Enquiries); that is, more specifically, the aim of his sceptical critique of metaphysical concepts and doctrines, his conviction as an epistemologist that our knowledqe claims are confined to the realm of experience, and his project, viz., to set the sciences on a new foundation. The whole discussion calls attention to the difficulty that is encountered in the interpretation of Hume's views about mind and its importance, for Hume scholarship, lies precisely in the endeavour to bring these problems to light via a critique of the accepted readings. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>Istraživanja predstavljena u disertaciji imala su za cilj formiranje<br />regresionog modela procesa vakuumske infiltracije u postupku vezivne<br />3D štampe, radi uspostavljanja analitičke zavisnosti između ključnih<br />tehnoloških parametara infiltracije i mehaničke čvrstoće<br />infiltriranih epruveta. Dizajn eksperimenta i optimizaciju<br />parametara su izvršeni korišćenjem novog postupka dizajna<br />eksperimenta, Definitive Screening Design. U poređenju sa literaturno<br />dostupnim rezultatima zatezne čvrstoće, dobijenim primenom<br />komercijalnih prahova, vezivnih sredstava i epoksidnih infiltranata,<br />optimizovanim parametrima vakuum infiltracije zatezna čvrstoća<br />epruveta je poboljšana za 23%.</p> / <p>The research presented in this thesis was aimed at forming a regression<br />model of the vacuum-assisted infiltration process in binder printing<br />technology (3DP). The goal was to establish analytical relationship between<br />key infiltration technological parameters and tensile strength of infiltrated<br />parts. The design of experiment and optimization of the infiltration process<br />was performed using a novel Definitive Screening Design method. Compared<br />to the literature results which pertain to tensile strength obtained using<br />commercial powders, binders, and epoxy infiltrates, the optimized model of<br />vacuum-assisted infiltration yielded an increase of 23% in tensile strength.</p>

Dans de nombreuses applications, nous souhaitons interpoler ou approcher une fonction de plusieurs variables possédant certaines propriétés ou “formes” géométriques, telles que la régularité, la monotonie, la convexité ou la non-négativité. Ces propriétés sont importantes pourdes applications en physique (par exemple, la courbe pression-volume doit avoir une dérivée non négative), aussi bien où le problème de l’interpolation conservant la forme est essentiel dans divers problèmes de l’industrie (par exemple, modélisation automobile, construction de la surface dumasque). Par conséquent, une question importante se pose : comment calculer la meilleure approximation possible à une fonction donnée f lorsque certaines de ses propriétés caractéristiques supplémentaires sont connues ?Cette thèse présente plusieurs nouvelles techniques pour trouver une bonne approximation des fonctions de plusieurs variables par des opérateurs linéaires dont l’erreur d’approximation A( f ) - f garde un signe constant pour toute fonction f satisfaisant une certaine convexité généralisée. Nous nous concentrons dans cette thèse sur la classe des fonctions convexesou fortement convexes. Nous décrirons comment la connaissance a priori de cette information peut être utilisée pour déterminer une bonne majoration de l’erreur pour des fonctions continuellement différentiables avec des gradients Lipschitz continus. Plus précisément, nous montrons que les estimations d’erreur basées sur ces opérateurs sont toujours contrôléespar les constantes de Lipschitz des gradients, le paramètre de la convexité forte ainsi que l’erreur commise associée à l’utilisation de la fonction quadratique. En supposant en plus que la fonction que nous voulons approcher est également fortement convexe, nous établissons de meilleures bornes inférieures et supérieures pour les estimations d’erreur de l’approximation. Lesméthodes de quadrature multidimensionnelle jouent un rôle important, voire fondamental, en analyse numérique. Une analyse satisfaisante des erreurs provenant de l’utilisationdes formules de quadrature multidimensionnelle est bien moins étudiée que dans le cas d’une variable. Nous proposons une méthode d’approximation de l’intégrale d’une fonction réelle donnée à plusieurs variables par des formules de quadrature, qui conduisent à des valeurs approchées par excès (respectivement par défaut) des intégrales des fonctions ayantun certain type de convexité. Nous verrons aussi, comme nous l’avons fait pour l’approximation des fonctions, que pour de telles formules d’intégration, on peut établir un résultat de caractérisation en termes d’estimations d’erreur. En outre, nous avons étudié le problèmede l’approximation d’une intégrale définie d’une fonction donnée quand un certain nombre d’intégrales de cette fonction sur certaines sections hyperplanes d’un l’hyper-rectangle sont seulement disponibles.La motivation derrière ce type de problème est multiple. Il se pose dans de nombreuses applications, en particulier en physique expérimentale et en ingénierie, où les valeurs standards des échantillons discrets des fonctions ne sont pas disponibles, mais où seulement leurs valeurs moyennes sont accessibles. Par exemple, ce type de données apparaît naturellement dans la tomographie par ordinateur avec ses nombreuses applications en médecine, radiologie, géologie, entre autres. / In many applications, we may wish to interpolate or approximate a multivariate function possessing certain geometric properties or “shapes” such as smoothness, monotonicity, convexityor nonnegativity. These properties may be desirable for physical (e.g., a volume-pressure curve should have a nonnegative derivative) or practical reasons where the problem of shape preserving interpolation is important in various problems occurring in industry (e.g., car modelling, construction of mask surface). Hence, an important question arises: How can we compute the best possible approximation to a given function f when some of its additional characteristic properties are known?This thesis presents several new techniques to find a good approximation of multivariate functions by a new kind of linear operators, which approximate from above (or, respectively, from below) all functions having certain generalized convexity. We focus on the class of convex and strongly convex functions. We would wish to use this additional informationin order to get a good approximation of f . We will describe how this additional condition can be used to derive sharp error estimates for continuously differentiable functions with Lipschitz continuous gradients. More precisely we show that the error estimates based on such operators are always controlled by the Lipschitz constants of the gradients, the convexity parameter of the strong convexity and the error associated with using the quadratic function. Assuming, in addition, that the function, we want to approximate, is also strongly convex, we establish sharp upper as well as lower refined bounds for the error estimates.Approximation of integrals of multivariate functions is a notoriously difficult tasks and satisfactory error analysis is far less well studied than in the univariate case. We propose a methodto approximate the integral of a given multivariate function by cubature formulas (numerical integration), which approximate from above (or from below) all functions having a certain type of convexity. We shall also see, as we did for for approximation of functions, that for such integration formulas, we can establish a characterization result in terms of sharp error estimates. Also, we investigated the problem of approximating a definite integral of a given function when a number of integrals of this function over certain hyperplane sections of d-dimensional hyper-rectangle are only available rather than its values at some points.The motivation for this problem is multifold. It arises in many applications, especially in experimental physics and engineering, where the standard discrete sample values fromfunctions are not available, but only their mean values are accessible. For instance, this data type appears naturally in computer tomography with its many applications inmedicine, radiology, geology, amongst others.

Agriculture is a hazardous industry with high rates of occupational industry. Due to a variety of occupation-related factors, farmers may also be at risk for delays in reaching trauma services. Though the state of Iowa has a comprehensive trauma system implemented to provide an efficient response to traumatic injuries, it is unknown how farmers fare in this system. The aims of this study were to determine if the use of emergency medical services (EMS), the occurrence of interfacility transfers, the time to definitive care in severely injured patients, and the length of prehospital intervals for those using EMS differs between farmers and other workers. A population-based, retrospective observational study was performed using data from the Iowa State Trauma Registry for the years 2005-2011. Eligible entries included adults (≥15 year old) sustaining an occupational injury within the state of Iowa and treated in an Iowa trauma center. Multiple imputation was performed to replace values for missing covariates. Logistic regression modeling was performed to examine the use of EMS and the occurrence of interfacility transfers among farmers compared to non-farmers. Survival analysis was performed to determine the time to definitive care for severely injured farmers compared to severely injured non-farmers; similarly, a survival-based multi-state model was performed to compare the prehospital time intervals for farmers to non-farmers among EMS users. The study demonstrated that the likelihood of EMS use was dependent on injury severity. For lower severity injuries, farmers were less likely to use EMS, but there was no difference in EMS use for high severity injuries. The occurrence of interfacility transfers was also dependent on injury severity as well as rurality. Farmers tended to be less likely to receive an interfacility transfer in more rural areas; in large town and urban areas, farmers tended to be more likely to receive an interfacility transfer, particularly for moderate and severe injuries. These trends were slightly stronger for EMS non-users than EMS users; however, the results did not reach statistical significance for most levels. The median time to definitive care for farmers was nearly an hour longer for farmers compared to non-farmers (1h48m vs. 2h46m, respectively). In the survival analysis, time to definitive care for severely injured farmers compared to severely injured non-farmers was found to be time-dependent, and was only significant in the first hour after injury. When the prehospital time intervals for farmers using EMS (included all severities) were compared to non-farmers, farmers took longer to complete the discovery, response, and transport intervals; the scene interval was the only interval that did not reach statistical significance. The results obtained from this study provide useful information about the operation of the Iowa State Trauma System. While EMS use was lower for minor injuries, farmers with severe injuries had no significant difference in EMS use compared to non-farmers, suggesting comparable access. Likewise, the probability of transfer was only higher in specific instances when the patient did not use EMS. However, the fact that both time to definitive care and several prehospital intervals were longer suggest that occupation-specific factors may contribute to delay. Further research is needed to identify these barriers and develop new strategies to improve the response to traumatic agricultural injury.

Within statistical methods, design of experiments (DOE) is well suited to make good inference from a minimal amount of data. Two types of designs within DOE are screening designs and optimization designs. Traditionally, these approaches have been necessarily separated by a gap between the objectives of each design and the methods available. Despite being so separated, in practice these designs are frequently connected by sequential experimentation. In fact, from the genesis of a project, the experimentor often knows that both designs will be necessary to accomplish his objectives. Due to advances in the understanding of experimental designs with complex aliasing and their analysis, a current topic within statistics is how to desegregate these methods into a more unified and economical approach. This project is one treatment of that issue.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common lung diseases and the third leading cause of death in the US, estimated to increase in magnitude in the future. Current treatment approaches are palliative in nature and restricted to controlling symptoms and reducing the risk of complications. Lung transplantation is an option for certain patients, but this option is limited by the shortage of donor organs and the possibility of rejection and the need for life-long immune-suppression. Therefore, current studies focus on cell based therapies for lung repair and regeneration. In addressing the issue of cell sourcing for such approaches, I tested the hypothesis that the efficiency of directed pulmonary differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) can be enhanced by employing certain micro-environmental cues, found in the developing lung. Such micro-environmental cues will provide appropriate physicochemical signals at the right time during the embryonic development and thus modulate fate decisions of progenitor cells during tissue assembly and maturation. In this study, I explored the effects of matrix stiffness on cell fate decisions in mESC, first into definitive endoderm and then into lung alveolar epithelial cells. I engineered bio-activated polyacrylamide (PA) gels with varying elastic moduli, mimicking those of physiologic tissues, and covalently modified the surfaces with fibronectin to provide optimal stem cell adhesion. My studies demonstrated, for the first time, a biphasic stiffness-dependent enhancement of endodermal differentiation of mESCs, with an optimum at ~ 20 kPa. This effect was qualitatively similar in three different mESC lines. By contrast, increasing matrix stiffness favored mESC differentiation towards a mesodermal phenotype. The enhanced endodermal differentiation of mESCs was abolished in the presence of a specific inhibitor of ROCK, suggesting that this process is mediated through cytoskeletal signaling. The subsequent differentiation of mESC-derived endodermal cells towards pulmonary epithelial cells was no longer dependent on the stiffness of the matrix. In this dissertation I demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of utilizing developmental and physiological / physicochemical cues, such as matrix stiffness, to selectively modulate and enhance mESC differentiation towards endodermal and pulmonary lineages. The impact of the results will be relevant for optimizing cell-based lung therapies and for effectively engineering lung and other endoderm-derived organs. / Bioengineering

Fascioloides magna is a trematode originating in North America. It is a significant pathogen, especially in cervids, but it can also infect ruminants kept for agricultural purposes.Adult trematodes are found in the liver tissue of their definitive hosts, where they can survive for a long period of time and produce large quantity of eggs. Those are passed through bile ducts and intestine with feces into the external environment. This thesis is focused on the morphology of individual developmental stages of F. magna. To this date only very limited number of literary resources concerning the topic had been published. Recorded results are compared with literary resources on Fasciola hepatica, a closely related trematode. The morphological characteristics of the individual developmental stages were studied by using histological, electron-miscroscopical and other methods (fluorescent labelling). The thesis also describes pathological changes of the definitive hosts' liver tissue. By means of the stated methods, the thesis expands the existing knowledge on the morphology of F. magna especially of surface structures and the distribution of the senzoric organs, some of which have been described for the very first time. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Neospora caninum e Hammondia heydorni são coccídeos formadores de cistos proximamente relacionados com outros organismos heteroxenos pertencentes ao filo Apicomplexa, como Toxoplasma gondii e Hammondia hammondi. Para saber se o cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous), um canídeo silvestre comumente encontrado do nordeste da Argentina ao nordeste da América do Sul, pode ser hospedeiro definitivo de N. caninum, exemplares de cachorro-do-mato foram alimentados com tecidos de bovinos e bubalinos naturalmente infectados por N. caninum. As fezes dos cachorros-do-mato foram colhidas e examinadas diariamente para pesquisa de oocistos. No primeiro experimento, masseter e cérebro (peça inteira dos dois órgãos) colhidos de dois bovinos de aproximadamente dois anos de idade, foram picados, misturados e fornecidos às quatro raposas em dois dias consecutivos. Duas raposas eliminaram oocistos sub-esféricos não esporulados medindo 10-13µm no oitavo e nono dias pós-infecção, respectivamente. Uma das raposas eliminou oocistos por cinco e a outra nove dias. Amostras de DNA extraída dos de oocistos de cada dia de eliminação foram analisadas por PCR com primers grupo-específicos PCR-ITS-1 e espécie-especificos Nc5-NPCR. Todas as amostras foram positivas por PCR-HSP-70 e PCR-ITS-1, mas negativas por Nc5-NPCR. A sequência de nucleotídeos PCR-ITS-1 revelou 100% de identidade com seqüências homólogas de H. Heydorni. Concluímos que H. heydorni também utiliza o cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) como hospedeiro definitivo. O cachorro-do-mato é usualmente reportado em contato com rebanhos em diversas regiões do Brasil. Então, é razoável inferir que estes carnívoros possam exercer um importante papel nos ciclos silvestre e doméstico da infecção por H. heydorni. Em um segundo experimento, sete exemplares de cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) foram alimentados com tecidos de 3 búfalos (Bubalus bubalis) naturalmente infectados por N. caninum. As fezes das raposas foram analisadas 30 dias antes e trinta depois da infecção experimental e nenhuma das raposas eliminou oocistos N. caninum-like nas fezes. Estes resultados sugerem que o cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) não é hospedeiro definitivo de N. caninum, entretanto estudos adicionais são necessários. / Neospora caninum and Hammondia heydorni are two cyst forming coccidians closely related to other apicomplexans, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi with a two host life-cycle. To clarify whether crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), a wild carnivore commonly found from northern Argentina to northern South America, can be final hosts of N. caninum, foxes were fed on tissues of cows and water buffaloes naturally infected with N. caninum. Faeces were examined from 30 days before to 30 days after infection. In experiment 1, the whole masseter muscle and brain from two-year old bovines are collected, minced and pooled together for the fox infection. The bovine pooled tissues were equally administered for four fox, in two consecutive days. Two foxes shed unsporulated oocysts subspherical in shape measuring 10-13µm, after eight and nine days post-infection, respectively. One of the foxes eliminated oocysts for five days, while the other fox shed oocysts for nine days. A DNA sample of oocysts detected at each day of oocyst elimination was tested by a PCR carried out employing primers directed to the common toxoplasmatiid 18S and 5.8S coding genes (PCR-ITS-1). These samples were also submitted to a N. caninum specific gene (Nc-5nPCR). All of them were positive by PCR-ITS-1 and negative by Nc-5nPCR. The PCR-ITS-1 nucleotide sequence revealed 100% identity with homologous sequences of H. heydorni. In conclusion, it is clear that H. heydorni also uses the crab-eating fox as a definitive host. The crab-eating fox is usually reported to live in close contact with livestock in several regions of Brazil. Therefore it is reasonable to infer that such carnivores may play an important role in the sylvatic and domestic cycles of H. heydorni infection. In experiment 2, seven fox consumed tissues from three N. caninum naturally infected water buffaloes. Feaces were examined from 30 days before to 30 days after infection and none fox shed N. caninum-like oocysts. These results suggest that the crab-eating fox cannot be definitive host of N. caninum; however additional studies will be necessary.

Neospora caninum e Hammondia heydorni são coccídeos formadores de cistos proximamente relacionados com outros organismos heteroxenos pertencentes ao filo Apicomplexa, como Toxoplasma gondii e Hammondia hammondi. Para saber se o cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous), um canídeo silvestre comumente encontrado do nordeste da Argentina ao nordeste da América do Sul, pode ser hospedeiro definitivo de N. caninum, exemplares de cachorro-do-mato foram alimentados com tecidos de bovinos e bubalinos naturalmente infectados por N. caninum. As fezes dos cachorros-do-mato foram colhidas e examinadas diariamente para pesquisa de oocistos. No primeiro experimento, masseter e cérebro (peça inteira dos dois órgãos) colhidos de dois bovinos de aproximadamente dois anos de idade, foram picados, misturados e fornecidos às quatro raposas em dois dias consecutivos. Duas raposas eliminaram oocistos sub-esféricos não esporulados medindo 10-13µm no oitavo e nono dias pós-infecção, respectivamente. Uma das raposas eliminou oocistos por cinco e a outra nove dias. Amostras de DNA extraída dos de oocistos de cada dia de eliminação foram analisadas por PCR com primers grupo-específicos PCR-ITS-1 e espécie-especificos Nc5-NPCR. Todas as amostras foram positivas por PCR-HSP-70 e PCR-ITS-1, mas negativas por Nc5-NPCR. A sequência de nucleotídeos PCR-ITS-1 revelou 100% de identidade com seqüências homólogas de H. Heydorni. Concluímos que H. heydorni também utiliza o cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) como hospedeiro definitivo. O cachorro-do-mato é usualmente reportado em contato com rebanhos em diversas regiões do Brasil. Então, é razoável inferir que estes carnívoros possam exercer um importante papel nos ciclos silvestre e doméstico da infecção por H. heydorni. Em um segundo experimento, sete exemplares de cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) foram alimentados com tecidos de 3 búfalos (Bubalus bubalis) naturalmente infectados por N. caninum. As fezes das raposas foram analisadas 30 dias antes e trinta depois da infecção experimental e nenhuma das raposas eliminou oocistos N. caninum-like nas fezes. Estes resultados sugerem que o cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) não é hospedeiro definitivo de N. caninum, entretanto estudos adicionais são necessários. / Neospora caninum and Hammondia heydorni are two cyst forming coccidians closely related to other apicomplexans, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi with a two host life-cycle. To clarify whether crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), a wild carnivore commonly found from northern Argentina to northern South America, can be final hosts of N. caninum, foxes were fed on tissues of cows and water buffaloes naturally infected with N. caninum. Faeces were examined from 30 days before to 30 days after infection. In experiment 1, the whole masseter muscle and brain from two-year old bovines are collected, minced and pooled together for the fox infection. The bovine pooled tissues were equally administered for four fox, in two consecutive days. Two foxes shed unsporulated oocysts subspherical in shape measuring 10-13µm, after eight and nine days post-infection, respectively. One of the foxes eliminated oocysts for five days, while the other fox shed oocysts for nine days. A DNA sample of oocysts detected at each day of oocyst elimination was tested by a PCR carried out employing primers directed to the common toxoplasmatiid 18S and 5.8S coding genes (PCR-ITS-1). These samples were also submitted to a N. caninum specific gene (Nc-5nPCR). All of them were positive by PCR-ITS-1 and negative by Nc-5nPCR. The PCR-ITS-1 nucleotide sequence revealed 100% identity with homologous sequences of H. heydorni. In conclusion, it is clear that H. heydorni also uses the crab-eating fox as a definitive host. The crab-eating fox is usually reported to live in close contact with livestock in several regions of Brazil. Therefore it is reasonable to infer that such carnivores may play an important role in the sylvatic and domestic cycles of H. heydorni infection. In experiment 2, seven fox consumed tissues from three N. caninum naturally infected water buffaloes. Feaces were examined from 30 days before to 30 days after infection and none fox shed N. caninum-like oocysts. These results suggest that the crab-eating fox cannot be definitive host of N. caninum; however additional studies will be necessary.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:46:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FREDERICO ALVES DA SILVA.pdf: 19013639 bytes, checksum: 762f65d3f99f56a43ff6817ad58100f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-04-11 / After Quilombos Recognition in the late 80s by a Right Democratic State it was given to former Quilombos communities the right of ultimate ownership. This device is guaranteed by the Temporary Constitutional Provisions Act. This act is extremely relevant, so as it answers simultaneously to several purposes. It deals with a standard rule which establishes a substantive equality and social justice, it grants to these none economically self-sufficient communities the recognition of their territorial rights. It also demands to repair a historic nation s debt in Brazilian Slaves Communities of older and younger generations, who still suffer the effects of slavery. The way to achieve this definitive title it s bureaucratic and submit these Quilombos Communities to a enormous juridical insecurity. On this meaning the presented thesis has been developed by analyzing the protection intended for remaining Quilombos communities proprietorship until the reach of the definitive property invested by the Nation. / Com o reconhecimento no fim da década de 80 dos quilombolas pelo Estado Democrático de Direito. Foi conferido às comunidades remanescentes de quilombos o direito à propriedade definitiva. Este dispositivo que é garantido pelo Ato das Disposições Constitucionais Transitórias tem máxima relevância, pois atende, simultaneamente, a vários objetivos. Trata-se de norma que consagra a igualdade substantiva e justiça social, pois confere a comunidades hipossuficientes o reconhecimento de seu direito territorial. Cuida ainda, de reparar dívida histórica da Nação Brasileira com as comunidades de descendentes de escravos, que ainda hoje, sofrem os efeitos da escravidão. Ocorre que o caminho para se alcançar este título definitivo é burocrático e submete as comunidades de quilombos a uma enorme insegurança jurídica. Neste sentido, esta dissertação se desenvolve, analisando a proteção à posse das comunidades remanescentes de quilombos até o alcance da propriedade definitiva conferida pelo Estado.