This thesis describes the development of a new generation of three-phase rectifier, used to power telecommunications equipment. The traditional topology for such power converters is a single-phase two-stage design, with a boost converter providing power factor correction at the input to the first stage and an isolated dc-dc converter making up the second stage. A two-stage design results in the output power being processed twice and this cascade effect results in an overall reduction in efficiency. A rectifier solution is sought that meets with all the requirements of the telecommunications industry, while not displaying the inherent weaknesses associated with a boost-derived topology, and which can be realised in a single-stage design. A number of common three-phase topologies exist that could be realised as telecommunication power supplies, however, they do not completely satisfy all the industry requirements. A new three-phase rectifier, which is a single-stage buck-derived topology, is proposed. As a consequence of incorporating a buck-derived topology, the three-phase rectifier does not exhibit any issues resulting from startup inrush currents, or high currents due to an output short circuit condition, as would result in a boost-derived topology. The new proposed rectifier is modular in nature, which has the added benefit of redundancy. As a result of the new three-phase rectifier having a single-stage topology, it is expected that the overall efficiency would able to reach close to 95%. This is due to the traditional two-stage designs having efficiencies around the 90% mark, and therefore by removing a stage, out of the power conversion process the overall losses would also be halved, resulting in the 5% gain in efficiency. The rectifier system requires only one controller as a result of being a single-stage design, thus also reducing the overall system cost. Simulations show that if this topology is combined with a three-phase phase-locked loop controller it can meet the industry compliance standards. The thesis follows the development of the three-phase power converter from the simulation stage to the realisation of the control hardware and stability modelling. It also provides a detailed report of an investigation into the power converter system’s performance. The thesis concludes with discussions concerning the viability of the new topology as a commercial product and indicates areas of possible future research and development.

The characterization and modeling of piezoelectric transformers are studied and developed for use in electronic ballasts. By replacing conventional L-C resonant tanks with piezoelectric transformers, inductor-less piezoelectric transformer electronic ballasts have been developed for use in fluorescent lamps. The piezoelectric transformer is a combination of piezoelectric actuators as the primary side and piezoelectric transducers as the secondary side, both of which work in longitudinal or transverse vibration mode. These actuators and transducers are both made of piezoelectric elements, which are composed of electrode plates and piezoelectric ceramic materials. Instead of the magnetic field coupling between the primary and secondary windings in a conventional magnetic core transformer, piezoelectric transformers transfer electrical energy via electro-mechanical coupling that occurs between the primary and secondary piezoelectric elements for isolation and step-up or step-down voltage conversion. Currently, there are three major types of piezoelectric transformers: Rosen, thickness vibration mode, and radial vibration mode, all three of which are used in DC/DC converters or in electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps. Unlike the other two transformers, the characterization and modeling of the radial vibration mode piezoelectric transformer have not been studied and developed prior to this research work. Based on the piezoelectric and wave equations, the physics-based equivalent circuit model of radial vibration mode piezoelectric transformers is derived and verified through characterization work. Besides the major vibration mode, piezoelectric transformers have many spurious vibration modes in other frequency ranges. An improved multi-branch equivalent circuit is proposed, which more precisely characterizes radial vibration mode piezoelectric transformers to include other spurious vibration modes in wide frequency ranges, as compared with the characterizations achieved by prior circuits. Since the equivalent circuit of piezoelectric transformers is identical to the conventional L-C resonant tank used in electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps, piezoelectric transformers replace the conventional L-C resonant tank in order to reduce the amount and cost of electronic components for the electronic ballasts. With the inclusion of the radial vibration mode piezoelectric transformer, the design and implementation of inductor-less piezoelectric transformer electronic ballast applications have been completed. / Ph. D.

This thesis presents the conducted electro-magnetic interference (EMI) prediction results for a continuous conduction mode (CCM) power factor correction (PFC) converter as well as the theoretical analysis for the noise generation and propagation mechanisms. In this thesis, multiple modeling and characterization techniques in the medium and high frequency ranges are developed for the circuit components that are important contributors to the EMI noise, so that a detailed simulation circuit for EMI prediction can be constructed. The conducted EMI noise prediction from the simulation circuit closely matches the measurement results obtained by a spectrum analyzer. Simulation time step and noise separator selection are two important issues for the noise simulation and measurement. These two issues are addressed and the solutions are proposed. The conducted EMI generation and propagation mechanisms are analyzed in a systematic way. Two loop models are proposed to explain the EMI noise behavior. The effects of the PFC inductor, the parasitic capacitance between the device and the heatsink, the rising/falling time of the MOSFET VDS voltage, and the input wires are studied to verify the validity of the loop models. / Master of Science

The prospect of utilizing the cichlid teleost tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as an alternative experimental model to mammals for immunotoxicity risk assessment is currently being proposed. As such, the National Toxicology Program's (NTP) standard battery of rodent immunotoxicity assays is being developed for use in this fish species. Included in the testing series are the hemolytic plaque forming cell (PFC) and the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) assays, quantitative indicators of antibody production and cell-mediated activity, respectively. The assays were modified in consideration of specific tilapian immune parameters, then tested using fourteen environmental contaminants or drugs, ten of which are classified by the NTP as immunotoxic in rodents. Reduced antibody production via a decrease in plaque number was observed in response to exposure of tilapia to eight of the nine humoral immunotoxicants, and five of the five non-immunotoxicants. Under specific immunization circumstances, immunostimulation (also a response to immunotoxicity) was noted via an increase in plaque number in benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) exposed fish using the PFC assay, a result noted in rodents as well. Reduced T-cell recognition and lysis of allogeneic tilapian lymphocytes via a decrease in the percentage of specific 51Chromium (51Cr) release was observed in response to exposure of tilapia to the nine of the ten cell-mediated immunotoxicants, and four of the four non-immunotoxicants. Although the normal teleost immune responsiveness was slightly weaker than seen with mice under comparable conditions (presumably due to differences in antibody structure and decreased cells counts), tilapia were found to exhibit well-defined humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and responses to immunotoxic and non-immunotoxic chemicals comparable to the rodent model. / Master of Science

Traditionally, working memory and its neural underpinnings have been studied in the visual domain. A rich and diverse amount of research has investigated the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) as a primary area for visual working memory, while another line of research has found the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) to be involved. This dissertation used auditory cues and found similar patterns of activity for processing auditory working memory information within a task compared to visual working memory processes. The first two experimental chapters demonstrated that the cholinergic system is involved in auditory working memory in a comparable fashion to its role in visual working memory. In chapter 2, blocking ACh impaired performance on an auditory working memory task in a dose dependent manner. Chapter 3 investigated the specificity of the effect of blocking ACh by administering an ACh agonist (physostigmine) at the same time as an ACh antagonist (scopolamine). When both drugs were administered together performance on the delayed matching-to-sample task (DMTS) task improved compared to performance on scopolamine alone. These results support the hypothesis that ACh is involved in auditory working memory. Chapter 4 investigated the neural correlates of auditory working memory in area 46 and found that this region of the lPFC contains neurons that are responsive to auditory working memory components in a very similar way to how it this region encodes information during visual working memory tasks. Neurons in the lPFC are responsive to visual or auditory cues, the delay portion of tasks, the wait time (i.e. decision making period), response, and reward times. This type of coding provides support for the theories that position the lPFC as a key player in recognition and working memory regardless of modality.

This Master Thesis presents a design methodology to a boost PFC converter operating as an Uninterruptible Power Supply rectifier input stage. This methodology defines, making use of a group of current ripples and switching frequencies, the converter minimum volume point analyzing the volumes of the boost inductor, the electromagnetic interference filter and the heat-sinks. Thus, it's developed along this work, each design mentioned above, analyzing the impact of different magnetic materiaIs, input filter topologies and semiconductors technologies. Previously, it is designed the controller and it is developed a simulation structure. ln a second moment, it's designed the boost inductor for a predetermined temperature elevation. After this, it's designed the electromagnetic filter analyzing the impact of different topologies. The heat-sinks are also designed to guarantee the semiconductors operation within the temperature limits. Finally, the methodology based on the previous designs is accomplished, using the procedures and equations already mentioned, becoming possible to define the converter minimum volume point. / Esta Dissertação de Mestrado apresenta uma metodologia de projeto para o conversor boost operando como estágio retificador de entrada em uma fonte de alimentação ininterrupta. Essa metodologia se baseia em definir, através de um conjunto de freqüências de comutação e ondulações de corrente, o ponto de minimização do volume do conversor considerando o volume do indutor, do filtro de interferência eletromagnética conduzida e dos dissipadores. Assim, é desenvolvido ao longo desse trabalho o projeto de cada elemento mencionado estudando o impacto do uso de diferentes materiais magnéticos, topologias de filtro de entrada e tecnologias de semicondutores. Inicialmente é projetado o controlador e desenvolvida a estrutura de simulação do conversor. Em um segundo momento é projetado o indutor boost para uma determinada elevação de temperatura. A seguir é projetado o filtro de interferência eletromagnética analisando o impacto de diferentes topologias. Também são projetados os dissipadores que garantem a operação dos semicondutores dentro dos limites de temperatura estabelecidos pelos fabricantes. Por fim, é formalizada a metodologia baseada nos projetos anteriores, pela qual, fazendo uso dos procedimentos e equações fornecidos, torna-se possível definir o ponto de minimização do volume do conversor.

Notre étude s’intéresse à un aspect phonologique : le comportement du phonème /R/ du français parlé à Niamey, capitale du Niger, pays de l’Afrique subsaharienne. L’enquête a été mené selon le protocole du projet international, Phonologie du Français Contemporain (abrégé PFC). Il vise à rassembler un vaste corpus oral de français contemporain à travers toutes les zones francophones du monde.Nos enquêtes de terrain ont été effectuées dans une ville où le français demeure la langue officielle, et où l’on retrouve aussi d’autres langues nationales et/ou locales (haousa, songhaï-zarma, touareg, peul, kanuri et arabes). Une présentation des rhotiques du point de vue phonétique et phonologique s’est avéré nécessaire, avant la classification et l’analyse de nos données. D’une part nous avons analysé les allophones de /R/ réalisés par les enquêtés. Ces analyses montrent que la réalisation largement majoritaire est la vibrante alvéolaire [r], suivie de loin par la fricative uvulaire [ʁ], puis par les réalisations [ɰ], [χ], [ɻ] et la non-réalisation de /R/ [ø]. Tous ces résultats ont été comparés ensuite à ceux d’autres points d’enquêtes PFC dans le monde. D’autre part, nous nous sommes intéressés à la chute de /R/ dans les groupes consonantiques et en finales, pour aboutir à la conclusion que ce phénomène dépend du lexique et, plus exactement, concerne généralement la prononciation des chiffres (par exemple quatre [katR]> [kat]). / This thesis focuses on the phonological aspect of the /R/ in French language spoken in Niamey, the capital of Niger, a Sub-Saharan country of Africa. The survey has been conducted conforms to theprotocol and the mehology of an international project Phonologie du Français Contemporain (PFC), which aims to collect a large corpus of contemporary French spoken from all around the word. In Niamey, French coexists with others national and local languages: haousa, songhaï-zarma, touareg, peul, kanuri et arabic.In the proposed work at first we have illustrated a phonetic and phonology classification of rhotics class, then we have classified and analyzed our data. We have analyzed all allophones of /R/ produced by the interviewed speakers. These data show that the largest part of the speaker pronounce a vibrant alveolar [r], followed by a fricative uvular [ʁ], and then by [ɰ], [χ], [ɻ] and [ø]. Furthermore, we have compared our results with other PFC studies conducted all around the francophone word. Additionally, we have focused on fall of /R/ in cluster group, and we concluded that this fall depends on the lexicon, and concerns especially numbers pronunciation (for example, quatre [katR]> [kat]).

Diploma thesis deals with problems of power factor correction and total harmonic distortion of line current in three phase industrial power supplies. It focuses mainly on using of single phase active PFC topologies based on the principle of step up converter, which are applicable to three phase systems. Verification of operation and comparison of parameters of several circuits was done by simulation in program Matlab Simulink. Then for selected circuit of active PFC was done complete design. The result is a prototype of single phase active PFC circuit with an output power 2 kW for input voltage range from 180 to 528 V (47 – 63 Hz) and a prototype of three phase active PFC circuit with an output power 6 kW for input voltage range from 3 x 180 to 3 x 528 V (47 – 63 Hz).

Background: The five-factor model is the most prominent theory in personality science which aspire to understand the thoughts, feelings and behavior of individuals, determined by five relatively stable domains. Neuroticism, defined as a higher threat reactivity and susceptibility to negative affect, is one domain which has proven problematic for well-being, and has estimated societal costs of approximately 2.5 times that of common mental disorder per 1 million inhabitants. Problem: The neural correlates of neuroticism could supply research with a fundamental base of understanding the trait, however, due to scattered founding’s of segregated activity in brain structures relative to neuroticism, meta-analyses argue that increased understanding of global rather than local organization, could be more fruitful for the investigation. Methodology: Since neuroticism is convergent with emotional instability, two structures of interest with regards to global organization are the amygdala, crucial for emotion generation, and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), responsible for emotion interpretation and emotion regulation. Reviewing brain imaging research conducted with emphasis on integrative communication between the amygdala and the PFC in individuals with high trait neuroticism has therefore been the main objective of this thesis. Results/conclusion: According to the investigated research there is compromised structural integrity correlated with neuroticism, while the research on functional communication between the structures explored is not yet sufficiently covered to supply a satisfactory answer. Some of these neurobiological findings are in line with personality science observation in neuroticism, and could hence contribute to the investigation. However, more research is warranted in this field of neuroscience.

In dieser Studie führten 37 adulte Patienten mit einer Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) ein Delay Discounting (DD) - Paradigma aus, während gleichzeitig mittels Funktioneller-Nahinfrarotspektroskopie (fNIRS) die Gehirnaktivität der „Regions of Interest“ (ROIs) des Orbitofrontalen-Kortex (OFC) und des Dorsolateralen-Präfrontalen-Kortex (dlPFC) gemessen wurde. Mittels Fragebögen und eines Delay Discounting Tasks (DDT) wurden zusätzlich Verhaltensparameter erhoben und flossen in den Auswertungsprozess mit ein. Vorausgegangene Untersuchungen weisen auf ein hypofunktionel-les dopaminerges System bei ADHS-Patienten hin, welches mit der ADHS-Pathogenese in Zusammenhang gebracht wird. Vor allem im Präfrontalen-Kortex (PFC), bestehend unter anderem aus OFC und dlPFC, erfolgt die Metabolisierung von Dopamin durch die Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT). Hierbei hängt die Metabolisierungsgeschwindigkeit vom genetischen COMT-Val158Met- Polymorphismus ab. Die Einflussnahme dieses COMT-Val158Met-Polymorphismus auf die kortikale Aktivität der ROIs und Impulsivität ist ebenfalls Gegenstand dieser Dissertation („Imaging Genetics“). Adulte ADHS Patienten zeigten eine verstärkte Aktivität des OFC der Entscheidungskategorie „verzögert“ im Verhältnis zu der Entscheidungskategorie „sofort“. Die gemessene Impulsivität korrelierte mit der kortikalen Gehirnaktivität „DD-Kontrast“. Es konnte kein Zusammenhang zwischen Verhaltensparameter und Gehirnaktivität mit dem COMT-Polymorphismus gezeigt werden. Die erhöhte Aktivität des OFC bei der Entscheidungskategorie verzögert unterstützt die These der „Delay Aversion“ des „Dual Pathway Model“. Eine enge Konnektivität der stark dopaminerg innervierten kortiko-striataler Strukturen in Form des OFC und der Amygdala, welche Einfluss auf die ADHS-Pathogenese nehmen, erscheint somit plausibel. / In this study 37 adult subjects with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) performed a validated Delay Discounting (DD) paradigm. By using near-infrared-spectroskopy (NIRS) functional brain activation in the regions of interest (ROIs) was measured. The ROIs are represented by the Orbito-Frontal-Cortex (OFC) and the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (dlPFC). Additionally questionnaires with relation to behaviour and a Delay Discounting Task (DDT) were interpreted. Former studies indicate a hypo-functional dopaminergic system in ADHD pathology. Mainly the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), including the OFC and the dlPFC, metabolizes dopamine with the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT). Velocity of this metabolism depends on the COMT-Val158Met-polymorphism. This effect is generally known by the term “imaging genetics”. Adult ADHD subjects showed a stronger activation in the OFC in the DD category “delayed” than in the category “now”. Measured impulsivity correlated with the cortical brain activity “DD-Kontrast”. No significant relation between the COMT polymorphism an the cortical brain activity or behaviour could be shown. The stronger activation of the OFC in the category “delayed” underlines the thesis of “Delay Aversion” from the “Dual Pathway Model”. A close connectivity between the dopaminergic corticostriatal brain regions of the amygdala and the OFC, which have an influence to the ADHD pathology, seem to be a plausible approach.