Esta dissertação objetivou encontrar novas evidências sobre a relação existente entre a hysteresis nas exportaçõe e suas conseqüências sobre o mercado de trabalho. A persistência na atividade exportadora demonstrada nos estudos de Kannebley Jr. (2006) para o período de 1990 a 1997 motivou a análise dessa relação. Nossa hipótese parte do pressuposto que a hysteresis nas exportações pode transbordar para as variáveis relacionadas à rotatividade da mão-de-obra. Para a execução deste estudo serão utilizadas as bases de dados da SECEX (Secretaria de Comércio Exterior) e RAIS (Relação Anual de Informações Sociais) para a indústria de transformação paulista para os anos de 1990 a 1997. Em decorrência dos testes de especificação optamos na primeira etapa por um painel de efeitos fixos envolvendo variáveis instrumentais (VI) estimados pelo método dos momentos generalizados com correção para autocorrelação e heterocedasticidade e na segunda pelo modelo dinâmico em primeira diferença envolvendo variáveis instrumentais (VI) estimado por meio do procedimento de Arellano e Bond (1991) onestep e two-step. Os resultados encontrados confirmaram a nossa hipótese, sendo a variabilidade da taxa de câmbio e os custos irreversíveis de entrada e saída do mercado externo, fatores relevantes na explicação do transbordamento da hysteresis nas exportações sobre o mercado de trabalho. / This masters dissertation aimed to find new evidences about relation that exists between exportation hysteresis and its consequences over work market. Exportation activity persistence presented in Kannebley Jr. (2006) to the period from 1990 to 1997 had motivated this relation analysis. Our assumption assumes that exportation hysteresis can spillover variables related to the workforce turnover. To execute this research will be used the SECEX (Secretaria de Comércio Exterior) and RAIS (Relação Anual de Informações Sociais) databases for São Paulo processing industry from 1990 to 1997. Due to the specification tests we had chosen in the first stage a fixed effects panel data envolving instrumental variables (VI) estimated through generalized method of moments with serial correlation and heterocedasticity correction and second stage through dynamic model in first difference envolving instrumental variables (VI) estimated through Arellano and Bond (1991) proceeding one-step and two-step. Results confirmed our hypothesis, being exchange rate and entry and exit sunk costs of the foreign exchange market, relevant factors to explain hysteresis spillovers in exportations over workforce market.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rubber is the main component of the pneumatic tire. When rubber is put under cyclic loading, like when a tire is rolled, heat is generated and stored in the rubber, due to hysteresis. Heat stored in the tire is increased by factors like under-inflation, overloading, speeding and defects in the tire. The heat causes high temperatures in the tire due to the poor thermal conductivity of rubber. When the temperature in the rubber increases to 185 °C, pyrolysis and thermo-oxidation starts and can cause the tire to eventually explode. A numerical model of a rolling passenger vehicle tire was developed to calculate the temperature distribution inside the tire and analyse the effect of different operating conditions on the temperature. Operating conditions include loading, inflation pressure, rolling velocity and ambient temperature. The tire was modelled by a single rubber type, using the Mooney-Rivlin material model. The bead wire was modelled using an isotropic material model, while the body and steel cord plies were modelled as rebars. The cavity, used to inflate the tire, included the pressure increase due to the volume change, when the tire is loaded. The numerical model was validated using experimental data from tests done on an actual tire. These tests included deformation and contact stress analysis, as well as surface temperature measurements. Numerical results showed an increase in temperature when the load, rolling velocity and the ambient temperature were increased, as well as when the inflation pressure was decreased. The trends of the numerical data matched the trends of the experimental data. However, the values of the numerical model were not consistent with the experimental data due to material properties from literature being used to model the tire. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Rubber is die hoofkomponent in die pneumatiese band. As rubber onder ’n sikliese las geplaas word, soos wanneer ’n band rol, word hitte gegenereer en in die rubber gestoor as gevolg van histerese. Die hitte wat in die band gestoor word, word verhoog deur faktore soos lae inflasiedruk, hoë las, hoë rol snelhede en gebreke in die band. Die hitte veroorsaak hoë temperature in die band weens die swak termiese geleiding van rubber. As die temperatuur in die band hoër as 185 °C raak, vind piroliese en termo-oksidasie plaas en die band kan uiteindelik ontplof. ’n Numeriese model van ’n passasiersmotorband is ontwikkel om die temperatuurverspreiding te bepaal, asook om die effek van verskillende werkstoestande op die temperatuur te analiseer. Die band is gemodelleer met een tipe rubber en die Mooney-Rivlin materiaal-model is gebruik om die rubber te beskryf. Die spanrand van die band is deur ’n isotropiese materiaalmodel gemodelleer, terwyl die hoof- en staalkoordlae as bewapening gemodelleer is. Die holte wat gebruik word om die band op te blaas, neem die druk toename as gevolg van die verandering in volume in ag wanneer die band belas word. Die numeriese model was bekragtig met eksperimentele data wat deur toetse op ’n werklike band onttrek is. Die toetse sluit die volgende in: vervormingen kontakspanninganalises, asook temperature wat op die oppervlak van die band gemeet is. Die numeriese resultate toon ’n toename in temperatuur wanneer die las, rolsnelheid en omgewingstemperatuur verhoog word, asook waneer die inflasiedruk verlaag word. Die numeriese model se tendense stem ooreen met die eksperimentele data, maar die waardes van die numeriese model is nie in ooreenstemmig met die eksperimentele data nie. Die verskil is as gevolg van die materiaaleienskappe wat uit die literatuur geneem is.

Stretch is known to result in an electrically less stable ventricular substrate, yet the reported effects of stretch on measured electrophysiological parameters have been inconsistent and even contradictory. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute mechanical stretch on cardiac electrical features thought to be key in generation of arrhythmia, namely restitution of action potential duration (APD), electrical memory, and onset of alternans. Microelectrodes were used to record intracellular potentials pre, during, and post-stretch from isolated right ventricular tissues from swine. In separate experiments, the effects of two levels of stretch were quantified. Pacing protocols employing explicit diastolic interval (DI) control and cycle length (CL) control were used to obtain measures of restitution of APD, memory, and alternans of APD. Stretching the tissue had varying effects on APD, restitution and memory. Stretch increased APD, restitution slopes and memory by as much as 24, 30 and 53 % in some cases, while it decreased these by up to 18, 37 and 81 % in others. During stretch, alternans of APD were observed in some cases, which occurred at slower rates of activation than before stretch. Histology of tissue samples showed localized changes in orientation of cells relative to the direction of stretch. Our results show that among individual trials, stretch altered the measured electrophysiological properties, sometimes markedly. However, when pooled together, these changes cancelled each other and the averages showed no statistically significant difference after stretch. A potential mechanism that explains this divergent and inconsistent response to stretch is the presence of local, micron level, variation in orientation of myocytes. Upon stretch, these divergent effects likely increase dispersion of repolarization diffusely and might thus be the reason behind the consistently observed increase in arrhythmic substrate after stretch.

Bloodstain pattern analysis has been used in criminal investigations for more than 100 years. It provides valuable information about the events that took place prior to the formation of bloodstains at a crime scene. Forensic scientists use empirical laws to make a deduction from bloodstains, but the validity of these conclusions has been challenged in courts due to a lack of understanding of the underlying fluid mechanics. With this motivation, this thesis illustrates how mathematical modeling and numerical simulation can help gain insight into the spreading of blood droplets which eventually leads to the formation of a bloodstain. Understanding the fluid mechanics of droplet spreading and sliding has been accomplished with the help of the lubrication approximation which simplifies the Navier-Stokes equations to a more tractable form, i.e. a coupled set of non-linear partial differential equations. The resulting highly non-linear coupled set of equations is discretized using Finite-Difference. The resulting algebraic system is solved via an efficient Multigrid algorithm. These equations are modified to understand the effects of contact angle hysteresis, fluid rheology and absorptive properties of substrates on sliding dynamics. Variations in the inclination of the substrate cause the droplets to attain different advancing and receding contact angles as they slide down the incline under gravitational pull. This work explores a new way to introduce contact angle hysteresis in the numerical simulation to predict the different phases of a sliding droplet. Experiments of fluid droplet spreading/sliding on inclined surfaces have been performed to measure the terminal sliding velocity. A simplified hysteresis model has been proposed. This model automatically locates the section of the contact line which is advancing and the section which is receding which enables the application of the contact angles for the advancing and receding fronts and therefore takes into account contact angle hysteresis. A simplified analytical model is also suggested for droplets moving down the incline with near circular footprints. With the inclusion of the contact angle hysteresis, simulation results were brought in closer agreement with the experimental ones and the results from both were compared with the results from the analytical model. Blood is a shear-thinning fluid. One of the main objectives of this study is to investigate numerically the effect on the spreading and/or sliding of non-Newtonian fluid droplets on surfaces. To achieve this, the effect of rheology on the leveling of thin fluid films on horizontal solid substrates is first investigated as a preliminary investigation since this problem does not involve a contact line and is therefore more tractable. A mathematical model based on the lubrication approximation which defines non-Newtonian rheology using a power-law model is presented. Results for the leveling of sinusoidal perturbations of the fluid film highlight important differences between the leveling of shear-thinning and shear-thickening fluids. Namely, the onset of leveling occurs earlier for the shear-thinning fluid than for the shear-thickening one. However, the rate of leveling is higher for the shear-thickening fluid than the shear-thinning one. An important aspect of this part of the work is the verification of the numerical implementation using the Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS). This leveling study also highlights differences between the leveling of two-dimensional and three-dimensional perturbations. This verified numerical formulation is then used to study the effects of rheology on the spreading/sliding of droplets. Results for the spreading of fully wetting droplets on a horizontal substrate show that, for all other quantities being equal, an increase of the flow index leads to a more rapid wetting. It also shows that, even for non-Newtonian fluids, the droplet velocity asymptotes to a constant value when sliding down an inclined substrate. This terminal velocity is strongly dependent on the rheological parameters and as it is reached, the droplets travel with a visibly constant profile. Finally, the numerical simulations revealed the formation of a tail at the rear of the droplet as it slides down the incline plane in the case of shear-thickening fluids. Finally, a more complex dynamics of fluid being absorbed in a porous substrate as it slides/spreads is considered. A mathematical model based on the lubrication approximation which defines the absorptive property of a substrate using a Darcy’s model is presented. This numerical model is verified with the help of comparison between the analytical and numerical solutions for the absorption of thin film on horizontal porous substrates. Results show that physical properties of the substrates, i.e. permeability, porosity, capillary pressure and equilibrium contact angle affect the rate of absorption of the fluid. Adding inclination to the problem, introduces the gravitational pull in the absorption dynamics. This directly shows its effects on the footprints formed inside the porous substrates. The following papers, based on sections of this thesis, have appeared or been accepted for publication: - Ahmed, G., Sellier, M., Lee, Y., Jermy, M., and Taylor, M. (2013). Modeling the spreading and sliding of power-law droplets. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 432:2–7. - Ahmed, G., Sellier, M., Lee, Y., Jermy, M., and Taylor, M. (2014). Rheological effects on the leveling dynamics of thin fluid films. Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat and Fluid Flow. - Ahmed, G., Sellier, M., Jermy, M., and Taylor, M. (2014). Modelling the effects of contact angle hysteresis on sliding of droplets on inclined surfaces. Submitted for peer review in The European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids.

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The work presented in this thesis is divided into two parts. The first part is the sorption of Ni and Eu to granitic materials, and cation exchange capacity measurements for powdered and intact samples. The second part is method development on autoradiography. In the first part, static batch sorption experiments were carried out to study the relative sorption properties of different granitic rocks and minerals. Experimental data were described using non-electrostatic correction models such as the Langmuir, Freundlich and Linear models. Sorption data obtained for sorption in a constant pH environment and variable metal concentration were used to test the Component Additive Model (CAM). Sorption test studies carried out using energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis were used to map the sorption of Eu on an intact sample. The results showed the CAM was applicable for Ni sorption to BG but that it was not applicable for Eu sorption to any of the granitic rocks studied. The sorption data fitted the CAM in the following order; BG (1) > GA (0.7) > RG (0.5) > GG (0.2), GrG (0.2) for Ni sorption and RG (0.7) > BG (0.4) > GA (0.2), GG (0.2), GrG (0.2) for Eu sorption to the different granitic rocks. Values in brackets represent the ratio of Rd-predicted/Rd-calculated. Results from the application of the CAM showed it was not possible to predict the Rd of the bulk sample from the component minerals. Desorption studies at constant pH were analysed by calculating the hysteresis H. The results showed that the higher the Rd the higher the hysteresis. Surface complexation using JChess Geochemical Code was used to obtain surface complexation parameters for the metal-solid complex for sorption in variable pH and constant metal concentration. Experimental data were described by the mass action law to obtained proton stoichiometry at which the sorption edge is defined. Results showed the presence of NaCl decreased the sorption of Ni, and increased the sorption of Eu. Sorption kinetics experiments in different carbonate complexing environments were carried out to study the effect of carbonate on Eu sorption capacity and rate of sorption. Data were fitted to first and second order kinetic models to investigate the sorption rates. Results showed the sorption to be fast initially before reaching a steady state after more than 200 hours of equilibration. Kinetic data confirmed the low sorption capacity observed for quartz. Data obtained for sorption in a mixed radionuclide system were modelled using the Linear model and the surface complexation model. The surface complexation constants are correlated to the Rd values obtained from the linear sorption isotherms. Modelling the results using Rdmix and Rdsing showed that sorption was suppressed in a mixed system, with no effect observed for sorption to feldspar in single and mixed systems. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) measurements were undertaken to deduce a correlation between the CEC of powdered rock samples and intact sample using rock beakers developed from the British Geological Survey by applying the Bascomb method in which the pH was buffered to pH 8.1. Normalising the results using the surface area showed that the CEC of the rock beakers was 6 orders of magnitude greater than that of the powdered sample. In the second part, a method for differentiating two or more radionuclides using storage phosphor imaging plates coupled with the Storm Scanner system was tested. Initial results showed that it is possible to differentiate one radionuclide from another in a mixed system using different levels of shielding.

Metal hydrides can be used as hydrogen storage materials for fuel cells and batteries, and as sensors for detecting hydrogen gas. The use of metal hydrides for hydrogen storage can be hindered by poor kinetics and low capacity. Moreover, poor sensitivity, long recovery and response time, limit the applications of metal hydrides as hydrogen sensors. Diffusion is an important factor affecting the hydrogen kinetics and response time. Hysteresis effects accompany the phase transition of hydrogen in metals and can influence the properties of metal hydrides as well. These need to be considered in their applications as storage materials or sensors. This thesis concerns the possibility of tuning hydrogen diffusion and studies the mechanism of hysteresis effects of hydrogen absorption in metals. In these experiments, nano-sized vanadium is used as the model system for these studies. Hydrogen concentration is determined by the light transmission. By measuring the concentration profiles and isotherms of hydrogen, it is possible to determine the diffusion coefficients and hysteresis effects. A profound decrease of hydrogen diffusion in Fe/V(001) superlattice has been found, as compared to that in bulk vanadium. This result is interpreted as lower zero-point energy in octahedral site than that in tetrahedral site. Profound isotope effect on diffusion has also been found. Influence of clamping of the substrate on the diffusion of hydrogen with concentration in vanadium thin film is discovered. The diffusion coefficient below c = 0.1 [H/V] is close to that in bulk vanadium and decreases substantially when c > 0.1 [H/V] compared with that in bulk vanadium. This finding is interpreted as the site change from tetrahedral to octahedral occupancy when the hydrogen concentration increases. Large finite size effect on deuterium chemical diffusion is observed, which is concluded to be caused by D-D interaction change that will influence the deuterium chemical diffusion at different thickness of vanadium layers. However, finite size has no effect on hydrogen transport at extremely low hydrogen concentrations in Fe/V (001) superlattices, this illustrates that the interface can not influence the mean free path of hydrogen in any way. This is completely different from electron transport condition in nano-sized metals. Hysteresis effect is observed below critical temperature in Fe/V(001) superlattices; this occurrence confirms the hypothesis that hysteresis effect is caused by coherency strain in coherent  transformation.

This work focuses on improving video transmission quality over a mobile link. More specifically, the impact of buffering and link outages on the freeze probability of transmitted videos is studied. It introduces a new fluid flow model that provides an approximation of the freeze probability in the presence of play-out hysteresis. The proposed model is used to study the impact of two streaming buffer sizes over different possible combinations of outage parameters (data channel on/off times). The outcome of this thesis shows that outage parameters play a dominant role in freezing of streaming video content, and that an increase in these parameters cannot be easily compensated for by an increase in the size of the receiving buffer. Generally, in most cases when there is a variation in outage parameters, an increased buffer size has a negative impact on the freeze probability. To lower the probability of freeze during video playback over a weak mobile link, it is better to sacrifice resolution just to keep the video content playing. Similarly, shifting focus from off to on times brings better results than increasing buffer size.

An iterative control algorithm (ICA) which uses an approximate inverse-hysteresis model is implemented to compensate for hysteresis to precisely fabricate features on a soft polymer substrate using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The AFM is an important instrument in micro/nanotechnology because of its ability to interrogate, manipulate, and fabricate objects at the micro/nanoscale. The AFM uses a piezoelectric actuator to position an AFM-probe tip relative to the sample surface in three dimensions. In particular, precision lateral control of the AFM-probe tip relative to the sample surface is needed to ensure high-performance operation of the AFM. However, precision lateral positioning of the AFM-probe tip is challenging due to significant positioning error caused by hysteresis effect. An ICA which incorporates an approximate inverse of the hysteresis behavior is proposed to compensate for the hysteresis-caused positioning error. The approach is applied to fabricate a feature using the AFM on a polycarbonate surface, and it is demonstrated that the maximum tracking error can be reduced to 0.225% of the displacement range, underscoring the benefits of the control method.

Polystyrene (PS) fiber mats incorporating iron (Fe) particles were fabricated by electrospinning and the hydrophobicity of the resulting magnetic fabrics was investigated with and without an applied magnetic field. The results show that the hydrophobicity (as measured using water droplet contact angle) increases in the presence of a magnetic field and the hysterisis in the advancing/receding contact angle (a measure of the stickiness of the surface) decreases in the presence of a magnetic field. It is also shown that the contact angle and hysterises increase with decreasing fiber diameter and mat thickness.