Today we are able to see the many conflicts that appear in the entire world. As geographical boundaries disappear, the crises which we confront are not just one national country’s problems. Above all, I will try to focus on the economic issue especially "Economic Polarization." Many countries are struggling to overcome the gap between the rich and the poor. Economic Polarization is one of the problems which bring about many conflicts in the world. For example, many conflicts occur in South Korea due to economic polarization. So, the main purpose of this thesis is to understand the concept of economic polarization and to find a solution through the role of religion and theological insight. For this projects, I will approach public theology as the ethical and theological methodology for this project. The primary theologian I will use is Max Stackhouse, who is interested in viewing religious and social issues through public perspectives. I think that his approach to public theology helps to broaden Christians’ view from the private to the public. This could be the way to overcome the economic polarization. For solving this problem, as following his theological thinking, I will suggest the solution as moving from private vision to society’s vision.

The PhD research presented here is part of the new nuclear manufacturing (NNUMAN) research group, looking into novel materials and manufacturing processes. NNUMAN is an EPSRC funded (EP/J021172/1) program with direct support from Rolls Royce plc. The fabrication of MAX phase coatings by different means and assessing their tribological properties was the original theme of this thesis. However, due to issues with fabrication processes the overriding direction was moved towards assessing the response of bulk MAX phases to irradiating and corrosive environments. It is believed that this research will contribute to the understanding of suitable compositions and applications within nuclear. The MAX phases comprise an early transition metal (M), an A-group element (A) and either carbon or nitrogen (X). They have an inherently nano-layered structure with alternating ceramic (MX) and metallic (A) layers. The unique mix of both ceramic and metallic properties have made MAX phases a proposed material for nuclear applications. Proton irradiation is performed on Ti3SiC2, Ti3AlC2, Ti2AlC and Cr2AlC bulk MAX phases to 0.1 dpa at 350oC. Crystallographic instabilities are observed through x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis after irradiation. A mechanism for irradiation induced point defect swelling is proposed, by matching XRD and modelling data. Anti-site point defects are proposed to be a major contributor to anisotropic lattice parameter changes in Ti3SiC2. Additional carbon interstitial defects are also proposed in Ti3AlC2, as well as anti-site defects, making them less radiation tolerant. Further proton irradiations on Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2 were performed at elevated temperatures to propose a temperature at which lattice changes are not observed. It is concluded that high proton fluences require temperatures in excess of ~700oC and ~1,000oC for Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2, respectively. Corrosion of bulk MAX phases in simulated primary water also suggests a deleterious response to normal light water reactor (LWR) operations. Advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques, such as energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), is employed to understand corrosion mechanisms. Selective oxidation of A-layers is observed, with no evidence of passivation for Ti3SiC2, Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC. The response of Cr2AlC was most promising as little oxidation occurred, which is confirmed also with XRD analysis. A comprehensive corrosion mechanism is proposed, whereby compositions of MAX phase in LWR coolants is limited.

A soja é uma cultura de grande importância na economia mundial. No Brasil, o complexo da soja (grão, farelo e óleo) é responsável por uma parcela significativa das exportações. No entanto, o sucesso da produção é dependente de muitos fatores bióticos e abióticos. A ocorrência de déficit hídrico talvez seja hoje, e mais ainda no futuro, o principal desafio das culturas produtoras de grãos. Sendo assim, a obtenção de cultivares de soja tolerantes à desidratação é de grande interesse. Por ser de caráter poligênico, a tolerância à seca é difícil de ser trabalhada no melhoramento genético clássico. Sendo assim, o uso da engenharia genética apresenta-se como caminho para alcançar este atributo. A regulação transcricional de genes endógenos e a busca da precisão no controle de transgenes são as bases das estratégias de engenharia genética, que apostam nos fatores de transcrição e nos promotores induzíveis para desenvolver plantas tolerantes a estresses abióticos. As proteínas WRKY formam uma grande família de fatores de transcrição que está envolvida em processos fisiológicos e bioquímicos importantes nos vegetais, entre eles, a resposta das plantas ao déficit hídrico. A determinação do perfil de expressão de genes da família WRKY em condição de seca e a avaliação da atividade de seus promotores são os objetivos deste trabalho. Dez genes WRKY induzidos em situação de seca foram selecionados para o estudo: Glyma15g11680, Glyma09g37470, Glyma01g31920, Glyma07g02630, Glyma08g23380, Glyma05g36970, Glyma05g20710, Glyma05g29310, Glyma09g41050, Glyma08g15050. A análise in silico da sequência promotora desses genes revelou a presença de cis-elementos relacionados à resposta da planta a estresses. O perfil de expressão determinado por RT-qPCR mostrou que os genes Glyma15g11680, Glyma07g02630, Glyma05g36970, Glyma08g15050 e Glyma08g23380 são expressos diferencialmente entre os genótipos tolerante e suscetível e também entre folhas e raízes. Para fins de caracterização funcional dos promotores, fragmentos de 500bp e 2000bp a montante do sítio de início da transcrição dos genes Glyma05g36970, Glyma08g15050 e Glyma15g11680 foram clonados em vetores apropriados para transformação genética de plantas. Foram obtidas plantas de tabaco transformadas pelo sistema Agrobacterium tumefaciens. / Soybean is a crop of great importance for the world economy. In Brazil, the soybean complex (beans, meal and oil) is responsible for a significant portion of exports. However, the successful production is influenced by biotic and abiotic factors. The occurrence of drought is today, and perhaps even more in the future, the main challenge of grain crops. Thus it is of great interest to obtain soybean cultivars tolerant to desiccation. The drought tolerance trait is difficult to obtain through classical breeding due to its polygenic basis. In this context, genetic engineering is presented as a way to achieve this attribute. The transcriptional regulation of endogenous genes and the precise control of transgenes are the foundations of genetic engineering strategies that use transcription factors and inducible promoters to develop plants tolerant to abiotic stresses. The WRKY proteins form a large family of transcription factors that are involved in important physiological and biochemical processes in plants, including the response to water deficit. The goals of this work are the determination of the expression profile of WRKY genes under drought conditions and the evaluation of its promoters activity. Ten WRKY genes which are induced by drought were selected for this study: Glyma15g11680, Glyma09g37470, Glyma01g31920, Glyma07g02630, Glyma08g23380, Glyma05g36970, Glyma05g20710, Glyma05g29310, Glyma09g41050 and Glyma08g15050. The in silico analysis of these gene promoter sequences revealed the presence of cis - elements related to plant stress responses. The expression pattern determined by RT- qPCR showed that Glyma15g11680, Glyma07g02630, Glyma05g36970, Glyma08g15050 and Glyma08g23380 genes are differentially expressed between tolerant and susceptible genotypes and between leaves and roots. For the functional characterization of the promoters, 500 and 2000 bp fragments upstream of the transcription start site of Glyma05g36970, Glyma08g15050 and Glyma15g11680 genes were cloned into appropriate vectors for plant genetic transformation. Tobacco plants transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens system were obtained.

Texte remanié de: Diss--Philosophische Fakultät--Universität des Saarlandes, 2002. / Bibliogr. p. 275-289.

Diss.--Theologie--Wien--Universität, 2002. / Bibliogr. p. 185-191.

Dissertation--Philosophische Fakultät--Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, 2003. / Bibliogr. p. 200-216.

Texte remanié de: Th. Ph. D--Chicago (Ill.)--University of Chicago, 1997. / Bibliogr. p. 191-209. Index.

Diss.--Universität Frankfurt am Main, 2005. / Bibliogr. p. 245-256.

Inaug.-diss.--Breslau. / Lebenslauf. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. [6].

Thesis (doctoral)--Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität zu München. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 337-342).