Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

In the first part of this thesis, we study the duality of Wilson loops and M2-branes in AdS₄/CFT₃. We focus on supersymmetric M-theory solutions on AdS₄xY₇ that have a superconformal dual description on S³ = ?AdS⁴. We will find that the Hamiltonian function h_M for the M-theory circle plays an important role in the duality. We show that an M2-brane wrapping the M-theory circle is supersymmetric precisely at the critical points of h_M, and moreover the value of this function at those points determines the M2-brane actions. Such a configuration determines the holographic dual of a Wilson loop for a Hopf circle in S³. We find agreement in large classes of examples between the Wilson loop and its dual M2-brane and also that the image h_M(Y₇) determines the range of support of the eigenvalues in the dual large N matrix model, with the critical points of h_M mapping to points where the derivative of the eigenvalue density is discontinuous. We will then move away from the three-sphere and construct gravity duals to a broad class of N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories defined on a general class of three-manifold geometries. The gravity backgrounds are based on Euclidean self-dual solutions to four-dimensional gauged supergravity. As well as constructing new examples, we prove in general that for solutions defined on the four-ball the gravitational free energy depends only on the supersymmetric Killing vector. Our result agrees with the large N limit of the free energy of the dual gauge theory, computed using localisation. This constitutes an exact check of the gauge/gravity correspondence for a very broad class of gauge theories defined on a general class of background three-manifold geometries. To further verify that our gravitational backgrounds are indeed dual to field theories on their boundaries, we compute Wilson loops and their M2-brane duals in this general setting. We find that the Wilson loop is given by a simple closed formula which depends on the background geometry only through the supersymmetric Killing vector field. The supergravity dual M2-brane precisely reproduces this large N field theory result. This constitutes a further check of AdS₄/CFT₃ for a very broad class of examples.

INTRODUÇÃO: A doença de Wilson é um distúrbio autossômico recessivo, decorrente de mutações no gene ATP7B, resultando em acúmulo tóxico de cobre no organismo. Devido a sua raridade, séries com grande casuística e longo seguimento são escassas na literatura. Nesse estudo relatamos a experiência do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HC-FMUSP) com os pacientes diagnosticados com doença de Wilson entre o período de 1946 a 2010. MÉTODOS: Realizamos análise retrospectiva de 262 casos, descrevendo as formas de apresentação clínica, os achados dos exames diagnósticos, os padrões de resposta terapêutica e a evolução clínica da doença. RESULTADOS: A idade média do início dos sintomas foi 17,4 anos (7-49 anos). Os pacientes foram acompanhados em média 9,6 anos (0-45 anos). As apresentações clínicas mais frequentes foram hepática (36,3%), neurológica (34,7%), assintomática (16,8%), neuro-psiquiátrica (8,3%) e hematológica (1,9%). Outras formas menos comuns foram renal, neuro-hepática, e osteoarticular. Disartria e manifestações clínicas de cirrose hepática descompensada foram as principais características neurológicas e hepáticas, respectivamente. Os parâmetros diagnósticos observados foram anéis de Kayser-Fleisher 78,3%, reduzidos níveis séricos de ceruloplasmina 98,3%, níveis elevados de cuprúria basal de 24 horas 73,0%, teste da D-penicilamina positivo em 54,0% e comprometimento nos dois alelos do gene ATP7B 84,4%. O exame de ressonância magnética encefálica mostrou alterações nos núcleos da base em 77,7% dos examinados. D-penicilamina foi prescrita inicialmente em 93,6% dos 245 casos tratados, e 53% relataram efeitos adversos. Houve necessidade de substituição em 50 indivíduos. Outras medicações utilizadas foram os sais de zinco e trientina. Não evidenciamos diferença significativa entre os resultados terapêuticos dessas três drogas (p=0,2). Os casos de má aderência à terapia evoluiram com pior desfecho quando comparados aos usuários regulares (p <0,0001). Nove pacientes realizaram transplante hepático. Durante o seguimento 82 casos faleceram. As principais causas dos óbitos foram descompensação hepática 41,5% (hemorragia digestiva, peritonite bacteriana espontânea, encefalopatia) e pneumonia 20,7%. Três pacientes cometeram suicídio. CONCLUSÕES: Não existe um exame padrão ouro ou achado patognomônico da doença. Todo paciente jovem com manifestações hepáticas, neurológicas, neuropsiquiátricas, hematológicas, renais ou osteoarticulares de causa indefinida deverá ser investigado para doença de Wilson. Além da farmacoterapia específica é necessária a avaliação psiquiátrica para detectar precocemente sintomas depressivos. / INTRODUCTION: Wilson\'s disease is an autosomal recessive disorder, caused by mutations in the gene ATP7B, leading to toxic copper accumulation in the body. Because it is a rare disease, large series with long-term follow-up are limited in literature. We reported the experience of Hospital das Clínicas of Sao Paulo University School of Medicine (HC-FMUSP) with Wilson\'s disease patients diagnosed between 1946 and 2010. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 262 cases was performed describing the clinical presentation, the results of diagnostic tests, the patterns of treatment response and outcome. RESULTS: The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 17.4 years (7- 49 years). Patients were followed for a mean of 9.6 years (0-45 years). The most frequent clinical presentations were hepatic (36.3%), neurological (34.7%), asymptomatic (16.8%), neuro-psychiatric (8.3%) and hematologic (1.9%). Other less common forms were renal, neurological-hepatic, and musculoskeletal. Dysarthria and clinical manifestations of decompensated liver cirrhosis were the main neurological and liver features, respectively. The diagnostic parameters observed in this cohort of patients were Kayser-Fleischer rings in 78.3%, low serum ceruloplasmin in 98.3%, high 24-h urinary excretion of copper in 73.0%, positive challenge test with d-pencillamine in 54.0% and detection of two mutations of ATP7B gene in 84.4%. The magnetic resonance of brain showed abnormalities in the basal ganglia in 77.7% of those examined. D-penicillamine was prescribed in 93.6% of 245 cases as the first drug, and 53% reported adverse effects. It was need to replace it in 50 individuals. Other drugs used were salts of zinc and trientine. There was no significant difference between the therapeutic results of these three drugs (p = 0.2). The cases with poor adherence to therapy evolved with a worse outcome when compared to regular users (p <0.0001). Nine patients underwent liver transplantation. During the follow-up 82 patients died. The main causes of death were hepatic decompensation 41.5% (variceal hemorrhage, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, encephalopathy) and pneumonia 20.7%. Three patients committed suicide. CONCLUSIONS: There is no gold standard or pathognomonic test for diagnosing this disease. Any young patient with hepatic, neurological, neuropsychiatric, hematologic, renal, or osteoarticular manifestations of unknown cause should be investigated for Wilson\'s disease. In addition to the classical pharmacotherapy, specific psychiatric evaluation is necessary to detect early symptoms of depression.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T19:30:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joana Lopes Acuio.pdf: 494685 bytes, checksum: b617c1f0df7958376854c53d342e42ee (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The research was developed from the analysis of compositions of the sambista Wilson Batista (1913-1968), aiming to observe the dynamic face of his production, which circulates and communicates with many others images, voices, experiences and stories of the imaginary of the modern city in that historical period. We seek trough the compositions of Wilson Batista to reflect about ways of composing, narrating, singing, about the communication strategies of artisan poetic and the construction of urban sonority, memories, symbolic spaces, experiences and intersections in the city. The narratives of Wilson Batista reveal the existence of many cities and ways of living that make us look for relations between samba, daily life and popular culture. Through his compositions, samba inserts itself in the city in a game full of ambiguity, putting in evidence reflections about intimate spheres of daily life, love relationships and popular experiences of the city. The research also discuss the construction of the world of samba as place of discourse, establishing conflicts, reconciliations and social intermediation, as well as mechanisms of the recording industry and radio to make themselves as integrated forms to recognize members of the modern city. The thesis is divided in three chapters: 1) Poetic Communications in the City, 2) The Lyric of Love Relationships, 3) Memories of Samba and Carioca Carnival / A pesquisa foi elaborada a partir de análises de composições do sambista Wilson Batista (1913-1968), visando observar a face dinâmica de sua produção, que circula e se comunica com tantas outras imagens, vozes, experiências e narrativas, passando a participar como prática no moinho de imaginários da cidade moderna. Buscamos com as composições de Wilson Batista refletir sobre os jeitos de compor, de narrar e de cantar. Pretendemos observar as estratégias de comunicação e de artesania poética em sua produção musical, como a construção de sonoridades urbanas, de memórias de espaços simbólicos, de experiências e intercessões na cidade. As narrativas de Wilson Batista revelam a existência de muitas cidades e formas de se viver que nos fazem atentar para as relações entre samba, cotidiano e cultura popular. O samba se insere na cidade num jogo repleto de ambigüidades, evidenciando reflexões sobre esferas íntimas do cotidiano, das relações amorosas, de experiências populares na cidade, com sua cartografia simbólica, que constrói o mundo do samba como lugar de discurso; estabelecendo embates, conciliações e intermediações sociais, bem como com mecanismos da indústria fonográfica e radiofônica para fazendo-se reconhecer como forma integrante da cidade moderna. A dissertação está distribuída em três capítulos: 1. Comunicações Poéticas na Cidade; 2. A Lírica das Relações Amorosas; 3. Memórias do Samba e do Carnaval Carioca

The purpose of this study is to investigate information seeking habits among young persons with mild mental disability. We wanted to know how they seek information in everyday life, barriers they experience when seeking information and also if they consider the library to be a source of information.The theoretical background of this study is based on the works of T. D. Wilson and Michael Buckland. Wilson’s model of information seeking behavior and seeking information was used as a tool analyzing the results from the interviews. Buckland’s sixaspects of access to information works as a supplement to Wilson’s theory.A qualitative method, based on emistructured interviews and literature studies, was applied in our research. Six persons withmild mental disability were interviewed in their home environment.The results indicate that the respondents often were dependent on others to get access to some information. It seems, a majority ofthe respondents want access to more Information, especially from the Internet, enabling them to seek information on their own without asking for help. They also visit the library to some extent but we found that different kinds of barriers prevent them fromgetting all the information they want there. / Program: Bibliotekarie

Guy Wilson Cave (GWC) in Sullivan County, Tennessee holds many late Pleistocene mammal fossils. Based on visual morphology, several partial mandibles with lower carnassial from GWC appeared to be musteloids. Geometric morphometrics has been successfully used to identify fragmentary fossils, so a landmark based, 2 dimensional technique was applied to identify the GWC musteloids using the lower carnassial. Digital images of several GWC fossils and of extant reference musteloids were combined using morphometric programs tpsDIG1, tpsUtil, and tpsSuper. Statistical data analysis was performed in PASW Statistics. Results successfully separated Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk) from M. macroura (hooded skunk) and Martes americana (American marten) from M. pennanti (fisher). Sex-based and geographical patterns were also found in the data. Sex separated all three species via the lower carnassial. Geographic divisions were found for Mephitis mephitis, Martes americana and M. pennanti populations that hint at interestingly unique biogeographical histories for each taxon.

The purpose of this thesis is to specifically address the religious dimensions of the Rainbow Gatherings. The fundamental question directing this analysis is: "Are the Rainbow Gatherings religious in character?" This thesis specifically asks whether or not the Rainbow Gatherings satisfy certain identifiable features of religion, and if doing so, do they qualify as a form of religion? I engage this question by analyzing the Rainbow Gatherings in terms of two particular definitions of religion: Clifford Geertz's "functional" definition and Bryan R. Wilson's "substantive" definition. This allows me to analyze the Rainbow Gatherings from the perspective of the two major approaches to defining religion. This thesis also explores the broader differences and implications of these two types of definitions in academia, as well as the significance this has for future studies of this sort. Conclusive results indicate that the Gatherings conform to both definitions in some ways, but not in others. The results also designate which of the two definitions the Gatherings satisfy more inclusively. Thus, this analysis not only examines whether or not these gatherings qualify as a form of religion, but also examines how these definitions of religion illuminate features of the Rainbow Gathering, and how this relates to the scholarly distinction of these two types of definitions.

This study focused on measuring the importance and contribution of information obtained from the library, particularly electronic information services (EIS), to success in solving clinical problems in hospitals. Three research questions with three main hypotheses were advanced and tested on clinicians in 44 hospitals in Hong Kong. The findings were tested against the framework from Wilson's (1996) existing general information behaviour model, from which a new extended model for clinicians was built. Measures of EIS were then derived from the new model. The research was broadly divided into a series of five studies in two stages: nominal group, quantitative survey, and interviews in the first stage, and randomized controlled study as well as the analyses of statistical data and computer transaction logs in the second stage. The key results in Stage I led to the studies in Stage 11. The randomized controlled study in Stage 11 attempted to reduce the barriers identified in the information environment, with a view to test the results of an educational intervention, and to confirm that the hypotheses were true given reduced barriers and the presence of enabling conditions. The effects of the interventions in this experimental study were validated and verified by statistical data and transaction logs. Corroborative evidence from the two-stage studies showed that the three main inter-connected hypotheses were supported: success in problem-solving is related to the information sources used; user satisfaction is related to success in problem-solving; and EIS use is an indicator of user satisfaction. EIS use is determined by a number of factors: the preference for EIS, the use of the library, the skills and knowledge in searching, the profession of the user and the characteristics of the work environment. Educational intervention was found to improve success in problem-solving, the attitudes, skills and knowledge in searching, the satisfaction with and use of EIS, and is an important enabling condition. The research rejected part of the first hypothesis posed that success in problem-solving is related to clinical question posed and suggests that further research is needed in this area. The study supported the extension of the general model to clinical information needs and behaviours and found new relationships. The study found an additional determinant of EIS satisfaction, the satisfaction with the information obtained. EIS satisfaction would not be changed by educational intervention alone if the information obtained was not satisfactory. On the other hand, education can improve EIS satisfaction regardless of whether the problem has been solved. Of critical importance is the time factor in determining the use (or non-use) of EIS. There is new evidence that the awareness of the user of an answer in literature is a determining factor for active searching. Borrowing the concept of opportunity cost from economic theory, the researcher relates it with the differing levels of self-efficacy and postulates a model for planning EIS and related library services. From the new extended model of information behaviour, sixteen main measures or indicators were tested on a proposed framework in developing performance measures to diagnose information behaviours and predict EIS use, satisfaction and success in problem-solving. In measuring EIS, the researcher suggested the holistic approach in assessing traditional (non-electronic) library and information services as part of information behaviours of clinicians. The study pointed to the imbalance between self-efficacy and the actual skills and knowledge of users in their searching mentality and activities and the implication for library practice. Qualitative aspects that require further research on measurement were suggested. The study has important ramifications for theory and practice for the information professional. The new extended model of information behaviour for clinicians establishes deterministic relationships that help explain why an information search is pursued actively, continuously, or not at all. Measures that have been derived from these relationships can help diagnose and predict information behaviours. The study highlights the flexibility and utility of the general model of information behaviour. Also, this is the first time that such a methodological approach has been adopted to derive EIS measures. The application of the randomized controlled study methodology in information science was proven to be feasible and yielded definitive results. The researcher proposes that further development of information behaviour model should incorporate the element of knowledge generation process in an organization.

<p>Syftet med denna C-uppsats är (1) att finna en teoretisk modell kring begreppet sekt och (2) att utifrån denna modell undersöka vilka sektliknande drag Amish uppvisar i ett avgränsat material.</p>

<p>Wilson's disease (WD), bepatolenticular degeneration, is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene, and is characterised by abnormal metabolism and deposition of copper in the liver, brain and other organs. The main aim of this thesis was to investigate the occurrence of psychopathology, as well as personality traits and neuropsychological function in Swedish patients with treated WD. The research subjects were 29 patients with confirmed WD, investigated at the Department of Internal Medicine at Uppsala University Hospital between 1996 and 2000. </p><p>The treated WD patients showed prominent psychopathology as determined by the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale. The spectrum of psychopathological symptoms is not typical of classic psychiatric syndromes, and includes symptoms from Anxiety, Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive disorders as well as Negative Symptoms. In self-assessment, the WD patients tended to underestimate the presence of psychopathological symptoms. The treated WD patients differed in their sleep pattern from the control group, as measured with the Uppsala Sleep Inventory. The spectrum of self-reported symptoms suggests an altered REM sleep function. </p><p>The treated WD patients had significant deviations in personality traits, especially in aggressivity-hostility related scales and Psychic anxiety, compared to healthy controls, as measured with the Karolinska Scales of Personality. The deviations were not related to age, age at onset or duration of WD. The treated WD patients displayed a specific profile of moderate neuropsychological impairment, as determined by the Automated Psychological Test battery. Finally, an attempt was made to search for, possible genotype-phenotype relationships in some ATP7B mutations. </p>