Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-25T19:30:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-02-22 / Fundação Araucária de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Paraná / Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infect many plants, including crops of great economic importance as soybeans (Glycine max) and oilseed rape (Brassica sp.), responsible for great losses. The plant disease control is the most important practical objective of plant pathology, but the correct and rapid diagnosis are essential to define strategies for the diseases management. Molecular techniques are able to amplify specific fragments from small amounts of genetic material and powerful tools widely used in various areas, including the phytopathological diagnosis. Several techniques have been studied and designed for the amplification of nucleic acids, including the LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification), which has high specificity, sensitivity and is fast. The aim of this study was to develop and optimize a specific molecular test for S. sclerotiorum by LAMP, as well as its validation to oilseed pare and soybean seeds samples. A set of six primers was designed and evaluated for S. sclerotiorum sensitivity and specificity detection. The composition of the LAMP reaction was enhanced for real-time (SS-qLAMP) and direct analysis (SS-cLAMP). The DNA from 57 isolates of S. sclerotiorum, DNA from several other plant pathogens and DNA from different cultures was tested. The DNA of all isolates of S. sclerotiorum were detected but no the other DNA samples. When testing the limit of detection of reactions, a single copy detections was suggested. By SS-qLAMP two curves were generated which can be used to estimate the amount of mycelium and DNA of S. sclerotiorum present in the samples analyzed. Bothe developed tests (SS-qLAMP and SS-cLAMP) can be applied to several purposes, such as detection of the pathogen in plant, spore traps, soil and seeds samples. Using seed samples with different contamination level, the test was optimized for canola and soybean seeds, SS-qLAMP(Canola) and SS-qLAMP(Soybean), respectively, detecting the presence of the pathogen in samples up to 0.13% and 0.03% naturally contaminated for canola and soybean, respectively, and was able to detect contamination in samples not contaminated according incubation-based methods. The time require for the test was 4h and 30 minutes and 2 hours and 50 minutes for canola and soybeans, respectively, with no needs of large space for samples incubation, specialized analysts and able to analyzed many samples simultaneously. The proposed method SS-qLAMP was well-validated according the ISTA (International Seed Testing Association) rules to oilseed-rape and soybean seed samples. x / Sclerotinia sclerotiorum é um fungo que pode atacar diversas espécies vegetais, incluído culturas de grande importância econômica como soja (Glycine max) e canola (Brassica sp.), causando grandes prejuízos para as mesmas. O controle de doenças de plantas é o mais importante objetivo prático da Fitopatologia, mas, a correta e rápida diagnose da doença são pré-requisitos indispensáveis para definir as medidas para o manejo das mesmas. Técnicas moleculares capazes de amplificar fragmentos específicos a partir de pequenas quantidades de material genético são poderosas ferramentas amplamente utilizadas em diversas áreas, incluindo o diagnóstico fitopatológico. Diversas técnicas têm sido estudadas e criadas para a amplificação de ácidos nucleicos, entre elas a LAMP (Amplificação isotérmica mediada por “loops”), que apresenta alta especificidade, sensibilidade e é rápida. O objetivo do presente estudo foi desenvolver e otimizar um teste molecular específico para S. sclerotiorum a base de LAMP, com obtenção de resultados em tempo real e quantitativos (qLAMP) e análise visual direta de resultados (cLAMP), assim como a validação do mesmo para ser utilizado na análise de amostras de sementes de canola e soja. Um conjunto de seis primers foi desenhado e avaliado quanto a sensibilidade e especificidade de detecção de S. sclerotiorum. A composição da reação de LAMP foi otimizada quanto a concentração de diversos componentes tanto para a análise em tempo real como direta, compondo, respectivamente as reações de SS-qLAMP e SS-cLAMP, conforme necessário. Testou-se o DNA de 57 isolados de S. sclerotiorum, o DNA de diversos outros fitopatógenos e o DNA de diversas culturas. O DNA de todos os isolados de S. sclerotiorum foram detectados mas não o de outros fitopatógenos e de plantas. Ao testar o limite de detecção das reações, não houve um limite de detecção, sugerindo que a presença de qualquer molécula de DNA alvo seria detectada. Pelo método quantitativo foi possível gerar duas curvas pelas quais pode-se estimar a quantidade de micélio e de DNA de S. sclerotiorum presente na amostra analisada. Desenvolveu-se um teste específico para S. sclerotiorum a base de LAMP, denominada SS-LAMP que pode ser aplicado em diversos casos, como a detecção do patógeno em amostras de plantas, armadilhas de esporos, de solo e sementes. Otimizou-se o teste SS-LAMP para sementes de canola e soja, SS-qLAMP(Canola) e SS-qLAMP(Soja), respectivamente, detectando-se a presença do patógeno em amostras com até 0,13% e 0,03% de contaminação natural, para canola e soja, respectivamente, além da detecção em amostras que os métodos tradicionais não detectaram. O tempo total do método foi de 4h e 30 minutos para canola e 2h e 50 minutos para soja, sem a necessidade de amplo espaço para incubação das amostras, pessoal especializado para análise e com a possibilidade de diversas amostras serem analisadas concomitantemente. Assim validou-se o método proposto SS-qLAMP(Soja) segundo as regras da ISTA (International Seed Testing Association – Associação Internacional de Análise de Sementes).

Orientador: Ricardo Antonio Ferreira Rodrigues / Banca: Marcelo Andreotti / Banca: Marlene Cristina Alves / Resumo: O arroz é o principal alimento consumido pela população brasileira, demonstrando assim a importância sócio-econômica que este cereal representa para a economia nacional. O trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o comportamento de cultivares de arroz (Primavera e Maravilha) em função do preparo do solo com arado de aiveca, sistema plantio direto e manejo de água, em um LATOSSOLO VERMELHO de cerrado, na área experimental da Faculdade de Engenharia - UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira, localizada em Selvíria (MS). Trabalhou-se com dois manejos de água, calculados através do Kc e aplicados por um sistema de irrigação por aspersão, controlado pelo tanque "Classe A" e água proveniente apenas da chuva. O delineamento experimental adotado foi de blocos ao acaso, no esquema de parcelas subdivididas com quatro repetições, sendo as mesmas constituídas pelos manejos de água e as subparcelas pelos cultivares. Durante o desenvolvimento do trabalho foram realizadas as seguintes avaliações: número de dias para o florescimento, características físicas do solo, altura de planta, número de colmos e de panículas m-2, colmos férteis, número de grãos/panícula, fertilidade das espiguetas, renda de benefício, rendimento de grãos, massa de 100 grãos, massa hectolítrica e produtividade. De acordo com os resultados obtidos nas condições em que foi conduzido o experimento, concluiu-se que os sistemas de cultivo não apresentaram diferenças para a densidade do solo, a macro e microporosidade nas profundidades de 0,0 a 0,05 m e 0,30 a 0,35 m. A irrigação suplementar proporcionou maior produtividade à cultura do arroz de terras altas. O cultivar Maravilha é mais indicado para o sistema de manejo, do solo com o arado de aiveca. O preparo do solo com arado de aiveca comparado ao sistema plantio direto propiciou maior produtividade do arroz de terras altas. / Abstract: Rice is the main food consumed by people, demonstrating the social-economic importance that this cereal represents for national economy. The present work was developed to evaluate rice cultivars (Primavera and Maravilha) under no till and mold-board plow and water management, in a Red Latosol of Brazilian Cerrado, in an experimental area at Faculdade de Engenharia - UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira, situated in Selvíria (MS). Were evaluated two different water management, one calculated by Kc and used sprinkle irrigation, controlled by Class A tank, and the rain water. The experiment design was randomized blocks in a split plot scheme with four repetitions, being water management in the plots and the cultivars in the sub plots. The following evaluations were done: numbers of days for flowering, soil physical characteristics, plant height,number of stems and panicles per m-2, numbers of stems/panicles, number of grains/panicles, spikelet fertility, processing efficiency, grains yield, mass of 100 grains, hectoliter mass and yield. According to the results obtained under the conditions that the experiment was carried out, concluded that Primavera cultivar obtained better values for yield parameters. Bulk density, macro and micro porosity had the same values for the depths of 0,0 to 0,05 m and 0,30 a 0,35 m on both tillage systems. The different water regimes did not affect soil structure. Additional irrigation provided higher yields to the upland rice crop. The cultivar Maravilha is the most indicated for the mold-board plow tillage of the soil. The tillage with this equipament provided a higher yield for up land rice. / Mestre

O mofo-branco causado pelo fungo Sclerotinia sclerotiorum se encontra amplamente disperso pelas áreas de produção em todo pais e afeta mais de 400 espécies de planta, causando perdas na produção e redução na qualidade. O controle da doença é considerado difícil, pois o patógeno forma escleródios (estruturas de sobrevivência), que podem permanecer viáveis por vários anos. Normalmente exige-se um manejo integrado, que envolve o controle químico, biológico e diversas práticas culturais, uma vez que cultivares resistentes não estão disponíveis. As adoções de estratégias sustentáveis de manejo do mofo branco dependem da compreensão do patógeno, sua etiologia, morfologia, agressividade e dinâmica populacional. Foram avaliados 150 isolados, coletados em cultivos de cenoura, couve, girassol, nabo, soja e feijão. O índice de velocidade de crescimento micelial (IVCM), a coloração da colônia e densidade do micélio, o tempo necessário para a formação do primeiro escleródio, o número de escleródios por placa, o peso em mg e a forma dos escleródios foram utilizados na caracterização dos isolados. O critério adotado nas avaliações da agressividade dos isolados foi o diâmetro das lesões após diversos intervalos de tempo, usando o método da folha destacada, em feijão e soja. Os valores foram usados para calcular a área abaixo da curva de progresso de doença. A população avaliada mostrou ampla variabilidade para as características morfológicas, fisiológicas e na agressividade. O controle químico é a estratégia mais utilizada no controle do mofo branco. No Brasil, onze ingredientes ativos estão registrados, no entanto, três são mais utilizados: fluazinam, procimidona e tiofanato metílico. O uso intensivo de fungicidas, especialmente os que agem em um unico sitio de ação, podem selecionar isolados resistentes e, consequentemente, levar a falhas de controle. A avaliação da sensibilidade de S. sclerotiorum para os fungicidas mais utilizados é fundamental para monitorar o comportamento da população. Foram avaliadas a sensibilidade de isolados brasileiros de Sclerotinia sclerotiorum a fluazinam, procimidona e tiofanato metílico, atraves de concentrações discriminatórias e valores de CI50 (concentração do fungicida que inibe em 50% o crescimento micelial). Um total de 150 isolados foi testado e nenhum se mostrou resistente a fluazinam ou procimidona. O valor da CI50 para fluazinam variou de 0,00173 ppm a 0,01284 ppm, com média de 0,007 ppm. Para procimidona, a CI50 desses isolados variou de 0,12223 ppm a 0,35916 ppm, com média de 0,21834 ppm. Foram encontrados sete isolados resistentes ao tiofanato metílico, com CI50 variando de 990-2667 ppm. Na população sensível o valor variou de 0,49 - 3,73 ppm. Foi verificada a adaptabilidade dos isolados resistentes, e esta se mostrou comparável a dos isolados sensíveis, sugerindo que os isolados possuem aptidão parasitária suficiente para competir com os isolados sensíveis em condições de campo. / The white mold caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is widely dispersed in production areas in the whole country and affects more than 400 species, causing production losses and reduced quality. Disease control is considered difficult because the pathogen form sclerotia (survival structure) which can remain viable for several years. Typically this requires a integrated pest management, which involves chemical, biological control and various cultural practices, since resistant cultivars are not available. The adoption of sustainable management strategies for white mold depends on understanding the pathogen, its etiology, morphology, aggressiveness and population dynamics. We evaluated 150 isolates collected from carrots, cabbage, sunflower, turnip, soybeans and beans. Mycelial growth rate index (MIG), colony color and mycelium density, time required to form the first sclerotia, the number of sclerotia per plate, the weight in mg and sclerotia shape were used for the isolates characterization. The criteria used in the isolates aggressiveness evaluations were lesions diameter after various time intervals, using the detached leaf method in bean and soybean. The values were used to calculate the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). The population evaluates showed wide variability for morphological, physiological and aggressive characteristics. Chemical control is the most commonly strategy used in the control of white mold. In Brazil, eleven ingredients active are registered, however, three are most commonly used, and they are: fluazinam, procymidone and thiophanate-methyl. The intensive use of fungicides, especially those which act on at a single site of action, can select resistant isolates, and consequently lead to failure control. The evaluation of the sensitivity of S. sclerotiorum to the most commonly used fungicides is critical to monitor the behavior of the population. We assessed the sensitivity of Brazilian Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolated to fluazinam, procymidone and thiophanate-methyl, through discriminatory concentrations and IC50 values (the fungicide concentration which inhibits 50% of the mycelial growth). A total of 150 strains have been tested, and none were resistant to fluazinam or procymidone. The IC50 value for fluazinam ranged from 0.00173 to 0.01284 ppm ppm, with an average of 0.007 ppm. For procymidone, the IC50 of these isolates ranged from 0.12223 to 0.35916 ppm ppm, averaging 0.21834 ppm. Seven isolates were found resistant to thiophanate-methyl with IC50 ranging from 990-2667 ppm. In sensitive people the value ranged from 0.49 to 3.73 ppm. Adaptability of resistant isolates was observed, and this proved to be comparable to the susceptible isolates, suggesting that the isolates have parasitic fitness enough to compete with susceptible isolates in field conditions.

No Brasil o arroz tem um consumo alto e regular, o que exige sistemas de armazenamento que ofereçam produto de qualidade durante todo o ano. Sabe-se que a presença de fungos durante a estocagem de cereais reduz a qualidade desses produtos, além de uma possível produção de micotoxinas. Assim, torna-se clara a importância da elucidação do papel de algumas das variáveis que têm influência sobre a contaminação fúngica e por micotoxinas na estocagem, permitindo que essas possam ser posteriormente controladas. Nesse contexto está o objetivo desse estudo que compara três manejos de secagem e armazenamento de arroz, buscando o mais eficiente na redução da contaminação fúngica e por micotoxinas e elucida o comportamento das variáveis de influência no processo. Para isso foram utilizados três silos pilotos, onde o Silo 1 possuía aquecimento do ar de entrada pela queima de GLP, o Silo 2 um sistema de acionamento vinculado às condições do ar ambiente e o Silo 3 era operado manualmente. Durante o experimento foram feitas medidas diárias de temperatura, umidade e umidade relativa (UR) da massa de grãos no silo. As análises de micotoxinas, acidez e enumeração fúngica foram realizadas quinzenalmente nos primeiros 75 dias (secagem) e mensalmente após esse período até que se completasse 255 dias. Foram ainda isolados e identificados fungos dos gêneros Aspergillus e Penicillium para verificar o seu potencial toxigênico. As análises estatísticas dos resultados demonstraram que durante a operação de secagem integrada ao armazenamento os melhores resultados para a enumeração fúngica foram obtidos para os Silos 1 e 3, independentemente da altura. Já para a operação de exclusivo armazenamento, o Silo 3 apresentou o melhor resultado para a Altura 1 e o Silo 1 para a Altura 2. Quanto à presença de micotoxinas foi detectada zearalenona em níveis de até 5.850μg/Kg e 1.840μ.g/Kg nos Silos 1 e 2, respectivamente. As espécies fúngicas de maior freqüência foram Penicíllum crustosum, P. canescens e P. implicatum. Dentre as espécies testadas foram identificados dois isolados de Aspergillus flavus produtores de aflatoxina B1 e B2. As variáveis que influenciaram a contaminação fúngica foram umidade, tempo, temperatura e UR, em ordem decrescente de influência. A avaliação da acidez lipídica nos silos demonstrou que cada sistema foi influenciado por um grupo particular de variáveis. As variáveis que influenciaram a freqüência das espécies fúngicas isoladas foram a UR e a umidade, de modo regular. / In Brazil, rice is widely and regularly consumed, what requires storage systems that maintain products with quality, including between harvest period. Besides producing mycotoxins, molds are known to decrease cereais' nutritional and comercial value during storage period. Thus, it becomes clear that knowing the role of some influent variables in this process is very important. This way, it will permit a future control of these variables, maintaining rice quality during storage. Inside this context is the aim of this work, that compares three rice drying and storage handling, elucidating influence variables behaviour in each handling technique. For this purpose, three pilot silos were used. One of the silos had a heating system which ran on petroleum liquid gas (Silo 1), the second one had an activating system linked to the room air conditions (Silo 2) and the last was manually handled (Silo 3). During ali the observation period, dayly measures of temperature, moisture and relative humidity (RH) were taken from the silo's grain mass. Micotoxin, acidity and fungi total count analysis were performed every fifteen days during the first 75 drying days and monthly afterwards, until it reached the 255th day. At the same time were isolated and identificated Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi genera to evaluate their toxigenic potenctial. Result statistics analysis showed in a drying step (0-75 days), that the most efficient silos, concerning fungi count, were Silo 1 and 3, regardless of silo height sampling. For the second process stage, Silo 3 was the one that showed the best results for the highest sampling and Silo 1 for the lowest sampling. In Silo 1 and 2 the highest mycotoxin leveis detected were 5.8504/Kg and 1.840μg/Kg, respectively. The most frequently isoleted molds were Penicillum crustosum, Penicillium canescens and Penicillium implicatum. Among the tested potentially toxigenic species, two isolated producing aflatoxins B1 and B2 were identified as Aspergillus flavus. During the experiment, the variables that influenced on the fungi contamination were moisture, time, temperature, and RH, in a decreasing order of influence. The evaluation lipidic acidity in each of the silos showed that each system influenced by a specific group of variables, among the evalueted ones. The analisys allowed verifying the interaction among the variables is relevant for the evaluation of the system as a whole. The evaluation of abiotic factors influence over isolated species frequency showed that there is a regular correlation between species and RH and moisture.

Eight phylloplane yeasts were isolated from backyard apple trees in Corvallis, OR. Yeast isolates were classified to genus or species level. All isolates were tested in vitro for antagonistic activity against the postharvest pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum. Of these isolates, Aureobasidium pullulans, Sporobolomyces roseus Rhodotorula sp., consistently reduced mycelial growth of B. cinerea and P. expansum in nutrient yeast dextrose agar (pH 4.5 or 7.0) incubated for 8 or 30 days at 24 or 1 C, respectively. These three yeasts also were evaluated for their ability to suppress spore germination of B. cinerea and P. expansum in a gradient of apple juice concentrations and to suppress development of gray and blue mold lesions in inoculated fruits of Golden Delicious apple. Germination of B. cinerea and P. expansum was reduced significantly (P���0.05) when incubated with the yeast isolates in 100 or 50% apple juice, but not in 0, 1 or 10% apple juice. S. roseus and A. pullulans reduced significantly (P���0.05) the size of gray mold lesions in wounded fruit stored at 5 C and 24 C by 63 to 72 and 81 to 90%, respectively, when compared to the nontreated control. Size of blue mold lesions in fruit stored at 5 and 24 C also were reduced significantly (P���0.05) by 66 to 38 and 74 to 63%, respectively, when pre-treated with S. roseus and A. pullulans. In general, fruit rot suppression by some yeasts isolated in this study was similar in magnitude to suppression obtained by Cryptococcus laurentii isolate 87-108, a yeast with commercial potential to suppress postharvest rots of pome fruits. Pretreatment of apple wounds with washed cells of A. pullulans, S. roseus, Rhodotorula sp., resulted in disease suppression, but treatment of wounds with cell-free culture supernatant of these isolates did not affect lesion development. Population size of A. pullulans, S. roseus, and C. laurentii increased in apple wounds incubated at 5 or 24 C for up to 25 days, indicating that they colonized the wound site. Data collected in this study support the hypothesis that yeast isolates antagonize fruit pathogens by competing for nutrients in wounds on fruit surfaces. The isolates of A. pullulans and S. roseus show promise for commercial development. / Graduation date: 1997

Das Fügen mehrerer Komponenten während des Spritzgießprozesses wird bei vielen Spritzgießsonderverfahren angewandt. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Verbundbildung zwischen einem kalten Einlegeteil und der einströmenden Kunststoffschmelze beim Spritzgießen, im Folgenden Stoffübertragung genannt. Ein Großteil der Untersuchungen findet an Zweikomponenten-Zugstäben statt, wobei erste und zweite Komponente aus dem gleichen Thermoplast gefertigt werden. Mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf die Verbundfestigkeit werden zunächst im Theorieteil vorgestellt und diskutiert. Eine Auswahl relevanter Prozess- und Materialparameter wird dann in praktischen Versuchen detailliert analysiert. Es wird nach korrelierenden Tendenzen sowohl zwischen unterschiedlichen Verfahren als auch zwischen verschiedenen Kunststoffen gesucht. Mittels statistischer Versuchsplanung werden die Spritzgießparameterkombinationen nach Größe des Einflusses auf die Verbundfestigkeit sortiert. Dies trägt zum Verständnis der bei der Stoffübertragung ablaufenden Grundmechanismen bei. Weiterhin werden die Einflüsse der Prozessparameter auf das neue Verfahren der In-Mold Oberflächenmodifizierung, bei dem ein funktionaler Modifikator während des Spritzgießprozesses übertragen wird, mit den Ergebnissen der Zweikomponenten-Verbundfestigkeit verglichen. Abschließend wird auf die Besonderheiten bei der selektiven Stoffübertragung eingegangen und das neue Verfahren des In-Mold Printing vorgestellt. / The joining of two components by the process of injection molding is state of the art, although adhesion phenomena are not fully understood yet. The formation of bonds between a cold material, which was inserted or applied onto the surface of the cavity before injection molding, and an injected polymer melt is studied in this work. Providing sufficient bond strength, the material is transferred from the surface of the mold to the injection molded part. Possibly influencing factors on the bond strength are first identified, theoretically discussed, later in experiments varied and finally analyzed. Thereby correlating tendencies between different polymers and different in-mold technologies are observed. The relevant material and processing parameters are put in order by their influence on the bond strength using design of experiments. This helps to understand the mechanisms of the formation of bonds. The majority of the experiments is concerned with two component injection molding by measuring the bond strength of two component tensile bars, produced under varying processing conditions. In each case, first and second components are made of the same thermoplastic polymer. The thermal energy of the melt can be used also to initiate chemical reactions. This permits bonding of a thin layer of a functional polymer, which is applied onto the surface of the mold before injecting the melt, to the surface of the molded part. In this way, process-integrated surface modification during injection molding becomes possible. In a further attempt, patterns of paint are printed onto the surface of the mold by pad printing. During injection molding the paint is transferred completely to the surface of the polymeric part. Using this new technology of In-Mold Printing, fully finished surface decorated parts can be produced by injection molding.

Powder injection molding (PIM) is widely used to manufacture complex-shaped ceramic and metal components in high production volumes. In order to design and fabricate PIM components, it is important to know a number of material properties at different powder- polymer compositions. In this thesis, several predictive models for estimating rheological, thermal and mechanical properties as a function of powder-polymer mixtures were evaluated using experimental data obtained from the literature. Based on this survey, models were selected for predicting rheological, thermal and mechanical properties for aluminum nitride-polymer mixtures at various volume fractions of powder using experimental measurements of unfilled and filled polymers. The material properties were estimated for two aluminum nitride powder-polymer mixtures and used in mold-filling simulations. These results will provide new perspectives and design tools for identifying useful material compositions, component geometry attributes, and process parameters while eliminating expensive and time-consuming trial-and-error practices prevalent in PIM. / Graduation date: 2013

The intention of this study is to investigate the main source of unacceptable humidity levels at the U.S. Coast Guard Housing located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The aim of this research is to use a systematic approach to resolve the humidity and mold issues by testing the least expensive solutions first. This study involves the recording of indoor air quality conditions for six months as an analysis tool to investigate current air conditions and to document how physical changes to the air conditioning units will affect the resulting air conditions. This research will investigate and implement different approaches geared to solving the high humidity issues. Some of the most relevant changes that will be tested are the installation of heat pipe technology, the addition of fresh air to existing air conditioning units to create positive pressure, and the review of the space load design of currently installed air conditioning units to determine if the units were over-designed. In addition, this study will verify the relationship between energy-saving thermostats and high humidity, determine any connection between roof leaks and high humidity indoors, and determine the estimated cost to the Coast Guard to implement the recommended changes.

Microbial growth is a major cause of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) problems. The implications of mold growth range from unacceptable musty smells and defacement of interior finishes, to structural damage and adverse health effects, not to mention lengthy litigation processes. Mold is likely to occur when a favorable combination of humidity, temperature, and substrate nutrient are maintained long enough. As many modern buildings use products that increase the likelihood of molds (e.g., paper and wood based products), reported cases have increased in recent years. Despite decades of intensive research efforts to prevent mold, modern buildings continue to suffer from mold infestation. The main reason is that current prescriptive regulations focus on the control of relative humidity only. However, recent research has shown that mold occurrences are influenced by a multitude of parameters with complex physical interactions. The set of relevant building parameters includes physical properties of building components, aspects of building usage, certain materials, occupant behavior, cleaning regime, HVAC system components and their operation, and other. Mold occurs mostly as the unexpected result of an unforeseen combination of the uncertain building parameters. Current deterministic mold assessment studies fail to give conclusive results. These simulations are based on idealizations of the building and its use, and therefore unable to capture the effect of the random, situational, and sometimes idiosyncratic nature of building use and operation. The presented research takes a radically different approach, based on the assessment of the uncertainties of all parameters and their propagation through a mixed set of simulations using a Monte Carlo technique. This approach generates a mold risk distribution that reveals the probability of mold occurrence in selected trouble spots in a building. The approach has been tested on three building cases located in Miami and Atlanta. In all cases the new approach was able to show the circumstances under which the mold risk could increase substantially, leading to a set of clear specifications for remediation and, in for new designs, to A/E procurement methods that will significantly reduce any mold risk.

Detta examensarbete omfattar produktutvecklingen av en komponent till en mätutrustning som ska mäta flytbarheten hos smält metall. Arbetet har utförts hos Bryne AB och har lett fram till koncept-, material- och tillverkningsförslag för komponenten. Arbetet har även utvärderat ett för gjuteribranschen nytt formmaterial som alternativ till dagens gjutsand. Tester har gjorts för att se om återvunnet (material x) går att använda som formmaterial till högtemperaturapplikationer. / This thesis covers the product development of a component for a measuring device that measures the fluidity of molted metal. The work has been performed at Bryne AB and has led to concept, material and manufacturing proposal for the component. This work has also evaluated new molding material to be used in foundries that can be an alternative to today's molding sand. Tests have been made to see if recycled (material x) can be used as mold material for high temperature applications. / <p>Uppladdad version av rapporten är en offentlig kopia av orginalrapporten. I den offentliga versionen har känslig information fått ett annat namn för att inte påverka uppdragsgivarens patentansökan.</p>