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Hydrogel smart polymers have achieved a great attention in the research area of drug delivery, MEMS/NEMS, microfluidics and sensor design because of their responsiveness to various environmental stimuli- pH, temperature, light, electric field, enzyme etc. This thesis presents the modeling, fabrication and study of the bending deformation of magnetic field sensitive hydrogel micro fibers called ferrogels. The objective is to externally actuate the ferrogel fibers by applying magnetic field, for the application of targeted drug delivery inside the alveoli of a human lung. Prediction of the bending deformation of the ferrogel fibers is done by the Multiphysics Finite Element Modeling in an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) framework. Ferrogel micro fibers are fabricated and the bending deforma-tion is studied experimentally by varying the aspect ratio of the fibers, volume fraction of the magnetic particle content of the fibers and the magnetic field strength. The numerical and experimental results are compared. This is the first attempt to numerically predict the bending deformation of ferrogel micro-fibers.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Masonry walls will almost invariably be required to resist lateral out-of-plane loads due to the action of wind or earthquakes; less commonly walls may be subjected to water or earth pressure or blast loading. Of particular interest is the common case which arises when the walls are supported on two or more adjacent edges. Under these conditions the masonry is subjected to a complex state of biaxial (two-way) out-of-plane bending combined with vertical in-plane compression due to the self weight of the wall and any superimposed loads. Different approaches currently exist for the design of masonry wall panels subjected to out-of-plane loads. However, these approaches are all empirical and often yield widely varying design recommendations and there has been significant criticism by proponents of the different methods regarding the use of alternative approaches. In this study an extensive program of laboratory testing in parallel with numerical analysis was conducted to examine the bending, biaxial bending in particular, behaviour of masonry walls. The aim was to provide a better understanding of the behaviour at the fundamental level towards ultimately developing a fully rational biaxial-bending failure model that can predict behaviour under any simultaneous combination of bending moments in the two principal directions, along with a superimposed compression force on the bed joints. Experimentally, 'single joint' four brick unit specimens were studied comprehensively, using a newly commissioned test rig, by subjecting them to various vertical and horizontal bending moments both separately and in combinations, along with a superimposed compression force on the bed joints. These tests provided important information about the flexural behaviour of mortar joints and the torsional behaviour of bed joints. In addition, a complete set of characterization tests was also performed to study the fundamental material properties of masonry, which were important input parameters in the numerical modelling. Numerically, a 3D non-linear finite element micro-model with cohesive contact was proposed and implemented in the ABAQUS/Standard software package. Numerical viii analyses were performed to provide rational explanations to the bending behaviours observed in the four brick unit specimen tests and evaluate a newly proposed torsion shear test method. A simplified 3D non-linear finite element micro-model was also proposed to simulate the bending behaviour of small walls. Its effectiveness was clearly demonstrated in its application to masonry walls, with or without openings, subjected to both in-plane and out-of-plane loads.

The culture of coccolithophorid algae is an attractive option for sequestration or recycling of CO2 as they can fix carbon by photosynthesis as well as in calcium carbonate scales known as coccoliths. They also produce high amounts of lipids which have a potential application as a renewable fuel. Five species of coccolithophorids (Pleurochrysis carterae, CCMP647, Pleurochrysis sp. CCMP1211, Gephyrocapsa oceanica CS-335/2, Emiliania huxleyi CCMP371, and Emiliania huxleyi CS-369) were screened for their ability to grow at high temperature. All species grew up to 28oC except E. huxleyi CS-369. However, Pleurochrysis sp. CCMP 1211 which was found to clump and can therefore not be recommended for large-scale cultivation. The salinity tolerance of these species was also examined. Growth of P. carterae, G. oceanica, and E. huxleyi in laboratory scale closed photobioreactors (plate, carboy, airlift, and tubular photobioreactors) showed the plate photobioreactor to be the best closed cultivation system. The highest productivities were achieved by P. carterae in the plate photobioreactor and were 0.54 g.L-1.d-1, 0.12 g.L-1.d-1, 0.06 g.L-1.d-1 for total dry weight, lipid and CaCO3 respectively. The growth of P. carterae and E. huxleyi was also examined in an outdoor raceway pond. The E. huxleyi culture was easily contaminated resulting in the loss of the culture in less than three weeks, but P. carterae grew well over a period of 13 months. The overall total dry weight productivity of P. carterae was 0.19 g.L-1.d-1 with lipid and CaCO3 contents of up to 33% and 10% of dry weight respectively. There was little protozoan and bacterial contamination. Medium pH increased to pH 11 during the day and was found to be a reliable variable for maintaining the health of the culture. A maximum pH achieved during the day of less than pH 8.5 indicated the imminent collapse of the culture. Heavy rain and low temperature were the main reasons for culture loss in mid winter, whereas high temperature during summer favoured P. carterae growth. A comparison of the growth of P. carterae and Dunaliella salina MUR8 in the raceway ponds showed no significant differences between these two species with regard to areal total dry weight productivity and lipid content. The effects of several limiting factors were also examined. A reduction in medium pH resulting from CO2 addition inhibited the growth of E. huxleyi in the plate photobioreactor, whereas P. carterae growth and productivities increased in the pH range of pH 7.7 to 8.0 in the plate photobioreactor and pH 9.1 to 9.6 in the outdoor raceway pond. The best operational pond depth for outdoor raceway culture of P. carterae was between 16 cm and 21 cm. Early morning temperatures, especially during the winter, highly affected the growth of P. carterae in the raceway pond, whereas artificially increasing the medium temperature improved the health of the culture but resulted in little increase in productivity. Photosynthesis of P. carterae was found to be highly inhibited by high oxygen concentration in the medium irrespective of temperature or irradiance. An economic model of P. carterae in a 63 ha raceway plant resulted in a cost for the biomass of between 7.35 Aus$.Kg-1 and 14.17 Aus$.Kg-1 depending on the harvesting method used.

Proefschrift Universiteit van Amsterdam. / Met een samenvatting in het Nederlands.

MESQUITA, Jarina Maia Alvino de. O comportamento empreendedor dos proprietários/gerentes das micro e pequenas empresas do setor de beneficiamento de frutos e laticínios na região do Baixo Jaguaribe - CE. 2015. 103 f. Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Faculdade de Economia, Administração, Atuária e Contabilidade, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração e Controladoria, Fortaleza-CE, 2015. / Submitted by Cleverland Santos (cleverland@ufc.br) on 2017-11-06T16:14:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_jmamesquida.pdf: 1030105 bytes, checksum: 78ea51f5e50ceab8beb7b69ed6c6e4a0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Dioneide Barros (dioneidebarros@gmail.com) on 2017-11-07T16:06:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_jmamesquida.pdf: 1030105 bytes, checksum: 78ea51f5e50ceab8beb7b69ed6c6e4a0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-07T16:06:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_jmamesquida.pdf: 1030105 bytes, checksum: 78ea51f5e50ceab8beb7b69ed6c6e4a0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / In micro and small business, it’s the owner that is the source of all guidelines for the company operation and its from his ideas that the business develops, having, the owner, a key role on the success or failure of the company. His characteristics naturally influences in the performance of the enterprise and his behavior are a preponderant factor for the company success. Thus, we show a study that have as main objective analyze the entrepreneurial behavior of the owners/leaders from the micro and small industrial business from fruit and dairy processing sector in the Baixo Jaguaribe region, CE. The study is featured as quantitative and was accomplished through a survey that sought identify socio economic, entrepreneurial and comportamental behaviours following as proposed by McClelland et al (1987) and UNCTAD (2009), studied by descriptive and factorial analysis. The results leads that these entrepreneurs have a distinct profile for being older, better educated and with lower income that the nationwide average profile. The companies are established in the market for over 10 years with a small number of employees and perform some of the basic administrative controls. The individuals studied can be considered entrepreneurs, showing a high degree of need for achievement and a low degree of need for power. The results also suggests that the entrepreneurial behaviour can have a life cycle, manifesting themselves in higher or lesser degree according the company's age and time. / Na micro e pequena empresa, é do proprietário que partem todas as diretrizes para o funcionamento do lugar. É a partir de suas ideias que o negócio se desenvolve, e, por isso, ele tem um papel-chave no sucesso ou fracasso da empresa. Suas características naturalmente influem na atuação do empreendimento, e seus aspectos comportamentais são um fator preponderante para o sucesso da empresa. Dessa forma, esse estudo tem por objetivo principal analisar as características comportamentais empreendedoras dos proprietários/dirigentes das micro e pequenas empresas do setor industrial de beneficiamento de frutos e laticínios na região do Baixo Jaguaribe – CE. Este estudo é caracterizado como quantitativo e foi realizado com o auxílio de um questionário que buscou identificar aspectos socioeconômicos, empresariais e características comportamentais empreendedoras seguindo a proposta de McClelland et al (1987) e da UNCTAD (2009), investigadas através de análise descritiva e fatorial. Os resultados apontaram que esses empreendedores têm perfil socioeconômico diferente do brasileiro, por serem mais velhos, mais escolarizados e com renda menor do que os nacionais. Essas empresas estão estabelecidas no mercado há mais de 10 anos, com um pequeno número de funcionários, e realizam alguns dos controles administrativos básicos ais como financeiro e de compras. Assim, os indivíduos pesquisados podem ser considerados empreendedores, porque apresentam um alto grau de necessidade de Realização e um baixo grau de necessidade de Poder. Os resultados sugerem que as características comportamentais empreendedoras podem ter um ciclo de vida, manifestando-se em maior ou menor intensidade de acordo com a idade e o tempo da empresa.

FONTENELLE, Otávio Fernandes. Investigação dos fatores econômicos que influenciam na sobrevida de micro e pequenas empresas do Estado do Ceará no período de 2002-2006, Uma. 2009. 55f. Dissertação (mestrado profissional), Programa de Pós Graduação em Economia, CAEN, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2009. / Submitted by Mônica Correia Aquino (monicacorreiaaquino@gmail.com) on 2013-09-03T22:24:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dissert_offontenele.pdf: 972601 bytes, checksum: 5af6134e905da4934f0d1cd4e8334322 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Mônica Correia Aquino(monicacorreiaaquino@gmail.com) on 2013-09-03T22:25:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dissert_offontenele.pdf: 972601 bytes, checksum: 5af6134e905da4934f0d1cd4e8334322 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-03T22:25:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dissert_offontenele.pdf: 972601 bytes, checksum: 5af6134e905da4934f0d1cd4e8334322 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / The main objective of this research is to explore economics issues that may induce impact on lifetime of small businesses during 2002 to 2006. The group of enterprises studied was selected from database of taxpayers recorded at fiscal authority of State of Ceará. To do that,the methodology was focused on a branch of statistics which deals with survival analysis, called duration analysis or duration modeling in economics. It was applied non-linear model whose non-parametric estimator chosen was KAPLAN-MEIER. Through that methodology, it was developed sceneries based on the following attributes: county where the enterprises were established; economics activities based on national classification, fiscal version 1.0/1.1; and, finally, the relationship between State of Ceará – as fiscal authority – and enterprises. The counties were grouped applying two parameters of stratifications: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and investment in education per capita. Before any stratification, only counties with thirty or more enterprises starting their activities in year 2002 were considered in sceneries to analysis. / A dissertação tem o objetivo de investigar fatores econômicos que possam influenciar na sobrevida de micros e pequenas empresas (MEPs) contribuintes do Imposto sobre Operações relativas à Circulação de Mercadorias e sobre Prestações de Serviços de Transporte Interestadual e Intermunicipal e de Comunicação (ICMS) do Estado do Ceará no período de 2002 à 2006. Para isso, aplicou-se uma técnica estatística denominada análise de sobrevivência a partir de modelos não lineares cujo estimador não-paramétrico escolhido foi o de KAPLAN-MEIER. Com os dados de sobrevivência devidamente modelados, buscou-se estratificá-los focando os municípios dos logradouros das MEPs; dentro do que tange as operações do ICMS, focando as atividades econômicas segundo a classificação nacional de atividades econômicas (CNAE) versão fiscal 1.0/1.1; e, finalmente, observar a relação do Estado – enquanto autoridade fiscal – com esses pequenos estabelecimentos, restringindo temporariamente seu faturamento ou mesmo baixando sua inscrição estadual, impossibilitando a continuidade de suas atividades. Dos municípios, utilizou-se como índice de estratificação entre as curvas de sobrevivência o produto interno bruto (PIB) per capita e os investimentos médio per capita em educação daquelas empresas localizadas em municípios com 30 ou mais estabelecimentos ativados no ano de 2002. Dentre outras, duas importantes observações foram identificar o município de Fortaleza como um ‘outliner’ frente aos outros municípios e a forte dominância da curva de sobrevivência das empresas que não sofreram intervenção do fisco em suas atividades sobre aquelas que tiveram.

ROMERO, Tarso Espindola. Simples nacional: repercussão na arrecadação do ICMS nas empresas cearenses. 2009. 45f. Dissertação (mestrado profissional em economia do setor público) - Programa de Pós Graduação em Economia, CAEN, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2009. / Submitted by Mônica Correia Aquino (monicacorreiaaquino@gmail.com) on 2013-10-11T17:03:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dissert_teromero.pdf: 395436 bytes, checksum: 57411f5713831dfe22618bd077fc81a0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Mônica Correia Aquino(monicacorreiaaquino@gmail.com) on 2013-10-11T17:03:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dissert_teromero.pdf: 395436 bytes, checksum: 57411f5713831dfe22618bd077fc81a0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-11T17:03:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dissert_teromero.pdf: 395436 bytes, checksum: 57411f5713831dfe22618bd077fc81a0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Given the importance of micro and small enterprises for the economy and the Brazilian society, the government issued a supplementary law 123/2009, known as Single National (SN). One of his goals is to relieve companies of State, Federal and Local government taxes, unifying the collection of eight charges in only one document collection, the other goal is to include businesses in the formal sector, since the law has facilitated the registration process of companies more agile and without bureaucracy. Analyzing the main state tax (ICMS), our research has centered on discussion of the effect of implementing the National Single on the amount of business in Ceará, in relation to tax collection, and noted that the statewide impact of this new rule brought in regard to starting a business in the state of Ceará. The result suggests that after the implementation of SN the number of registered companies has increased considerably compared to the number of companies registered before the implementation of SN. Moreover, the impact of the implementation of SN in the collection of the companies investigated is neutral, statistically, except only for those in the food sector, where the deployment of SN led to the increase in the collection of ICMS. / Diante da importância das Micro e Pequenas Empresas para a economia e para sociedade brasileira, o poder publico editou a Lei Complementar 123/2009, conhecida como Simples Nacional (SN). Um de seus objetivos é desonerar as empresas de Tributos Federais, Estaduais e Municipais, unificando o recolhimento de oito tributos em apenas um documento de arrecadação, outro objetivo é incluir empresas na formalidade, uma vez que a Lei facilitou e tornou o processo de cadastramento de empresas mais ágil e sem burocracia. Analisando o principal tributo estadual (ICMS), nossa pesquisa se pautou na discussão do efeito da implantação do Simples Nacional sobre o montante de empresas cearenses, no que concerne o recolhimento tributário, bem como observar que repercussão no âmbito estadual esta nova regra trouxe, no que se refere à abertura de empresas no estado do Ceará. O resultado sugere que após a implantação do SN o número de empresas cadastradas aumentou, consideravelmente, em relação à quantidade de empresas cadastradas antes da implantação do SN. Ademais, o impacto da implantação do SN na arrecadação das empresas investigadas é neutro, estaticamente, com exceção apenas para aquelas do setor de alimentos, em que a implantação do SN levou ao aumento na arrecadação de ICMS.

SILVA, Francisco Rogério de Morais. Relações entre características pessoais, comportamento e desempenho de micro e pequenos empresários do setor industrial de Fortaleza. 2009. 166 f. Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Faculdade de Economia, Administração, Atuária e Contabilidade, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração e Controladoria, Fortaleza-CE, 2009. / Submitted by Dioneide Barros (dioneidebarros@gmail.com) on 2016-04-07T15:08:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dis_frmsilva.pdf: 1007203 bytes, checksum: 9a0e27121d53a2bb90da663b5d67daef (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Dioneide Barros (dioneidebarros@gmail.com) on 2016-04-13T15:11:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dis_frmsilva.pdf: 1007203 bytes, checksum: 9a0e27121d53a2bb90da663b5d67daef (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-13T15:11:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dis_frmsilva.pdf: 1007203 bytes, checksum: 9a0e27121d53a2bb90da663b5d67daef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / This study investigates the relations between personal characteristics, trends of character and strategies adopted by entrepreneurs and its relation with the success of small companies of the industrial sector of Fortaleza, whose activities had initiated in 2005, working for at least two years. Among the concepts considered in the work, the peculiarities of the segment of micro and small companies, the origin of the company unit and its main theoretical lines, personality characteristic and character traits, business strategies and the success are highlighted. We used a sample of one hundred entrepreneurs, from which we got a characteristic demographic profile, differentiating it from the business profile of other sectors related to personal, strategic aspects, success and business aspects, strengthening the idea that it is a differentiated group that needs to be approached with a proper methodology and differently understood. Aspects related to human capital (formation, personal experiences, specific qualification and experiences in other business and family situations) are added to other factors analyzed in the formation of this specific professional group. The analysis of the data collected shows that, similarly to what was proven in previous studies, certain personal characteristics are more associated to a good business performance, and such association is strengthened by strategies relevant for this kind of businessperson. Besides proving conclusions of previous studies about these relations, the present work revealed that it is possible to identify character traits that, added to or identified with personal characteristics and psychological or business strategies, improve the business performance. A predominant trend of the following styles of character in the searched group was identified: civic and collectivist individualist followed by heroic, narcissist and obsessive individualist. The awareness of their ability, assuming work as a supreme value, sharing their decisions and the capacity of reassessing from their own mistakes, were some characteristics related to the styles: civic and collectivist individualist. The study evidenced that entrepreneurs with good performance indices are also the most satisfied and fulfilled at the personal and professional levels, strengthening the relationship between objective and subjective success. Among the most employed strategies: “business guidance for the performance of the company and its employees”, “practice of innovation and use of creativity” and “professionalism” are the most effective for attaining business success. / Este estudo investiga as relações entre características pessoais, tendências de caráter e estratégias adotadas por empresários e sua relação com o sucesso de pequenas empresas do setor industrial de Fortaleza, cujas atividades se iniciaram em 2005, com pelo menos dois anos de funcionamento. Dentre os conceitos considerados no trabalho, destacam-se as peculiaridades do segmento das micro e pequenas empresas, a gênese da unidade empresarial e suas principais linhas teóricas, características de personalidade e traços de caráter, as estratégias empresariais e o sucesso. Utilizou-se uma amostra de cem empresários, dos quais se obteve um perfil demográfico característico, diferenciando-o do perfil empresarial de outros setores no que tange a aspectos pessoais, estratégicos, de sucesso e empresariais, reforçando a idéia de que se trata de um grupo diferenciado e que necessita ser abordado com metodologia própria e compreendido diferencialmente. Aspectos relativos ao capital humano, (formação, experiências pessoais, qualificação específica e vivências em outras situações empresariais e familiares), se somam a outros fatores abordados na formação desse grupo profissional específico. As análises dos dados coletados mostram que, a exemplo do que foi comprovado em estudos anteriores, determinadas características pessoais são mais associadas ao bom desempenho empresarial e tal associação é reforçada por estratégias relevantes para esse tipo de empresário. Além de comprovar achados de estudos anteriores sobre essas relações, o estudo atual revelou que é possível identificar traços de caráter que, somados ou identificados com características pessoais e estratégias psicológicas ou empresariais melhoram o desempenho empresarial. Identificou-se uma tendência predominante dos seguintes estilos de caráter no grupo pesquisado: individualista cívico e coletivista seguidos do individualista heróico, narcisista e obsessivo. A consciência de sua competência, assumir o trabalho como valor supremo, compartilhar suas decisões e ter a capacidade de reavaliação a partir dos próprios erros foram algumas características relacionadas aos estilos: individualista cívico e coletivista. O estudo evidenciou que empresários com bons índices de desempenho são também os mais satisfeitos e realizados a nível pessoal e profissional, reforçando a relação entre sucesso objetivo e subjetivo. Entre as estratégias mais utilizadas, “orientação empresarial para o desempenho da empresa e dos empregados”, “prática da inovação e do uso da criatividade” e “profissionalismo” estão entre as mais efetivas para o alcance do sucesso empresarial.

This thesis has used family reconstitution techniques in order to analyse kinship patterns for the Bodmin Moor parishes of St Neot and Bolventor in Cornwall. A kinship database of more than 13,000 individuals was created and kinship links between households in 1793, 1851 and 1911 were then measured. The results revealed the persistence of dense kinship networks that were very different from those found in English studies, and similar to those found in Wales and Brittany. Twelve factors were identified that contributed to the creation and persistence of high kinship densities. However, the principal underlying reason was the remarkably consistent spatial pattern of Cornish rural society. St Neot and Bolventor, with their structures of hamlets and small, isolated farm settlements, matched the pattern found across most of Cornwall. It was a structure that enabled people to find both marriage partners and employment in close proximity to their places of birth. Kinship densities were reinforced by remnants of ancient Cornish manorial systems that survived until the end of the eighteenth century, and then by the ultra-local structures of Methodism in the following century. The latter grew at the same time as the rapid expansion in copper mining. Surprisingly, migrating miners from mid and west Cornwall were also found to have dense local kinship networks. Enclosure also reinforced kinship patterns because of the security of tenure offered to occupiers of the newly created moorland farms, and also because the spatial pattern of settlements repeated the structure of lowland communities enclosed in the medieval period. The collapse in mining and the greater general mobility of the population did result in a weakening of kinship densities towards the end of the nineteenth century. Despite this, first-order kinship links at the beginning of the twentieth century remained higher than for any comparable study of modern or early modern agricultural or mining communities in England, yet remarkably similar to those in Wales. This shared Welsh and Cornish kinship culture provides fresh evidence, along with other factors such as religious experience and a Brittonic language heritage, to support a Celtic narrative for Cornwall that is perhaps more comprehensive and enduring than has sometimes been supposed.