The Processing of Aluminum Gasarites via Thermal Decomposition of Interstitial Hydrides

Gasarite structures are a unique type of metallic foam containing tubular pores. The original methods for their production limited them to laboratory study despite appealing foam properties. Thermal decomposition processing of gasarites holds the potential to increase the application of gasarite foams in engineering design by removing several barriers to their industrial scale production. The following study characterized thermal decomposition gasarite processing both experimentally and theoretically. It was found that significant variation was inherent to this process therefore several modifications were necessary to produce gasarites using this method. Conventional means to increase porosity and enhance pore morphology were studied. Pore morphology was determined to be more easily replicated if pores were stabilized by alumina additions and powders were dispersed evenly. In order to better characterize processing, high temperature and high ramp rate thermal decomposition data were gathered. It was found that the high ramp rate thermal decomposition behavior of several hydrides was more rapid than hydride kinetics at low ramp rates. This data was then used to estimate the contribution of several pore formation mechanisms to the development of pore structure. It was found that gas-metal eutectic growth can only be a viable pore formation mode if non-equilibrium conditions persist. Bubble capture cannot be a dominant pore growth mode due to high bubble terminal velocities. Direct gas evolution appears to be the most likely pore formation mode due to high gas evolution rate from the decomposing particulate and microstructural pore growth trends. The overall process was evaluated for its economic viability. It was found that thermal decomposition has potential for industrialization, but further refinements are necessary in order for the process to be viable.

The modern state and the re-creation of the indigenous other: The case of the authentic Sami in Sweden and the white man's Indian in the United States of America

The present study comparatively examined the socio-political and economic transformation of the indigenous Sámi in Sweden and the Indian American in the United States of America occurring first as a consequence of colonization and later as a product of interaction with the modern territorial and industrial state, from approximately 1500 to 1900. ^ The first colonial encounters of the Europeans with these autochthonous populations ultimately created an imagery of the exotic Other and of the noble savage. Despite these disparaging representations, the cross-cultural settings in which these interactions took place also produced the hybrid communities and syncretic life that allowed levels of cultural accommodation, autonomous space, and indigenous agency to emerge. By the nineteenth century, however, the modern territorial and industrial state rearranges the dynamics and reaches of power across a redefined territorial sovereign space, consequently, remapping belongingness and identity. In this context, the status of indigenous peoples, as in the case of Sámi and of Indian Americans, began to change at par with industrialization and with modernity. At this point in time, indigenous populations became a hindrance to be dealt with the legal re-codification of Indigenousness into a vacuumed limbo of disenfranchisement. It is, thus, the modern territorial and industrial state that re-creates the exotic into an indigenous Other. ^ The present research showed how the initial interaction between indigenous and Europeans changed with the emergence of the modern state, demonstrating that the nineteenth century, with its fundamental impulses of industrialism and modernity, not only excluded and marginalized indigenous populations because they were considered unfit to join modern society, it also re-conceptualized indigenous identity into a constructed authenticity.^

Economic impact of political protests (strikes) on manufacturing firms : evidence from Bangladesh

Political protests in the form of strikes, locally known as hartal, remain quite common in the Indian subcontinent countries. Such a form of protests is associated with mass movement, intended to cause a total shutdown of economic activities and often results in coercion, violence, and damage to both public and private properties. Utilizing the World Bank Enterprise survey data of 2007 and 2013 of Bangladesh, this study examines the impacts of hartals on manufacturing firms. We find that political protests significantly increase costs for firms. Using flexible cost function based on factor analysis we see that the factor-neutral effect of strikes is positive and statistically significant, showing evidence of a reduction in firm productivity due to hartals. However, we did not find any evidence for systematic factor re-optimization by firms – in response to political strikes – suggesting that firms do not reallocate factor shares to tackle uncertain and irregular shocks like hartals.

Analyse comparative de systèmes de construction industrialisés et leur applicabilité à une habitation multifamiliale verticale pour la classe moyenne à Recife (Brésil)

Depuis le début du XXe siècle, les architectes et ingénieurs anticipaient et idéalisaient l'industrialisation des bâtiments afin que les pièces des édifices puissent être conçues dans une usine de montage pour procéder ensuite à leur assemblage sur les chantiers. À l'heure actuelle, grâce à des chercheurs dédiés, cette industrialisation s’est concrétisée et de nombreux systèmes de construction industrialisés existent dans le monde entier, adaptés à des environnements particuliers. Dans ce contexte, cette étude a pour but d'analyser comparativement plusieurs systèmes à l’aide de certains critères d’évaluation, et de sélectionner, deux systèmes préfabriqués les mieux adaptés aux habitations multifamiliales verticales destinées à une population de classe moyenne aisée de la ville de Recife, au Brésil. La méthodologie s’inspire de l'approche systémique, utilisée par White (1970) et Richard (2002), les deux se caractérisant par une démarche évaluative. Ainsi avons-nous choisi comme étant les plus appropriés, parce que répondant bien au cadre général de Recife, le système préusiné en panneaux DESCON ainsi que celui de poutres et colonnes, commercialisé par les entreprises T&A et PDI, les deux en béton.

Conshumano: Os novos media na sociedade de consumo

Uneasy by the consumerism of the society of our days, this thesis embodies a reflection and a research about the influence of the new media over a behavior standardization, which results in the creation of the artistic project “Conshumano”. Looking up for a description and a critical integration of various converging concepts of this social paradigm, which lead to a growing tendency of the consumption: Capitalism, Industrialization, New Technologies, Cultural Industry, Mass Media or Globalization. Focusing the research on the concepts presented, developed a theoretical framework that relates different authors and artistic examples. Embracing art as an active agent of social life, concepts such as Video-Art or Interactive Art gain evident shape, as they establish essentially the basis for the interactive multimedia instalation accomplished by this project. The possibility of young artists resort to new ways to produce their works is an emerging factor today, and in this project the new technologies were used creatively as an artistic medium, with a view to developing an artistic, active and interventionist citizenship. Finally, lying properly contextualized in this paper, was presented the exhibition of interactive multimedia installation “Conshumano: os novos media na sociedade de consumo”, at National Museum Grão Vasco, in Viseu. Art is seen as a creative and alternative critique of the consumerism and as a way to interact socially, which aims to create a self-analysis for the society about the act of purchasing.

Disruptive Threads and Renegade Yarns: Domestic Textile Making in Selected Women's Writing 1811-1925

Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2016-08-03 13:57:45.102

Productividad sectorial y cambio estructural en América Latina

En este documento se analiza el proceso de transformación estructural para algunas economías de América Latina y su comparación con los milagros asiáticos. De igual forma, para el caso de Colombia y de Corea del Sur, se describe el comportamiento de la productividad agregada y su descomposición sectorial. Los resultados evidencian que, en los dos países, el sector de servicios ha ganado participación en las últimas décadas. Para el caso de Colombia este sector explica en gran medida la baja competitividad del país frente a los Estados Unidos. Por su parte, en Corea del Sur la brecha de productividad con los Estados Unidos se ha cerrado en los tres sectores (agricultura, industria y servicios). Finalmente, se adapta un modelo de cambio estructural para estas dos economías y se encuentra que para Colombia el modelo logra reproducir las tendencias observadas en los datos. Para Corea el modelo no ajusta durante la época de industrialización tardía, pero para las últimas décadas replica de manera cercana los datos.

Does international trade produce convergence?

In spite of increasing globalization around the world, the effects of international trade on economic growth are not very clear. I consider an endogenous economic growth model in an open economy with the Home Market Effect (HME) and non-homothetic preferences in order to identify some determinants of the different results in this relationship. The model shows how trade between similar countries leads to convergence in economic growth when knowledge spillovers are present, while trade between very asymmetric countries produces divergence and may become trade in a poverty or growth trap. The results for welfare move in the same direction as economic growth since convergence implies increases in welfare for both countries, while divergence leads to increases in welfare for the largest country and the opposite for its commercial partner in the absence of knowledge spillovers. International trade does not implicate greater welfare as is usual in a static context under CES preferences.

Café opita, un negocio para catar: análisis organizacional de productores, comerciantes y multinacionales de café en Neiva, Huila

Varias investigaciones sobre el café han enfatizado la dimensión económica e histórica para analizarlo. La estructura económica, los precios, la organización de las empresas de acuerdo a la reducción de costos, los procesos políticos y culturales en fin, han sido los articuladores de estos análisis. Sin embargo, el presente trabajo se enfatizó en el análisis de las organizaciones a partir de la antropología empresarial de Bourdieu para abordar el café en Neiva. Cómo las diferentes organizaciones de intermediación interactúan para establecer, garantizar y perpetuar su posición en el mercado del café.

Biological Approaches for Remediation of Metal-Contaminated Sites

Environmental pollution by several heavy metals and metalloids is a severe problem worldwide, as soils became increasingly contaminated, posing a threat to ecosystems and ultimately to human health. Contamination derives from large scale urbanization and industrialization, threatening land ecosystems, surface and groundwater, as well as food safety and human health. Remediation strategies for heavy metal-contaminated sites are necessary to protect from their toxic effects and conserve the environment for future generations. Numerous physicochemical techniques have been adopted including excavation and deposition in landfills, thermal treatment, leaching and electro-reclamation. These techniques are fast but inadequate, costly, cause adverse effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and may lead to secondary pollution. In fact, many of these approaches only change the problem from one form or place to another, and do not completely destroy the pollutants. There was an urgent need to develop new technologies which are cost-effective and eco-friendly. In this context, biological remediation has tremendous potential. It uses plants and microorganisms to remove or contain toxic contaminants and is considered as the most effective method because it is a natural process, environmentally-friendly, has a low cost, and wide public acceptance. The present chapter aims to provide a comprehensive review of some of the promising processes mediated by plant and microbes to remediate metal-contaminated environments. Some biological processes used for the decontamination of organic compounds will also be included because of their relevance and potential common use for both purposes.

A industrialização como criadora de conjuntos habitacionais para o operariado: o caso do Bairro da Empresa de Cimentos de Leiria: Maceira-Liz

A Revolução Industrial consistiu num amplo conjunto de mudanças que ocorreu nos séculos XVIII e XIX na Europa, em que a grande metamorfose na sociedade sucedeu devido à substituição do trabalho manual pelo uso da máquina. Constituiu-se como fenómeno abrangente que congregou fatores demográficos, sociais, ideológicos, políticos e económicos. A busca de melhores condições de vida e de trabalho, foi fator decisivo para o aumento de população nos grandes núcleos urbanos, circunstância que determinou a procura de uma solução que resolvesse a questão do alojamento da classe trabalhadora. Surgiram assim teorias utópicas e sociais e também modelos urbanísticos dos quais se salientam: o Falanstério de Charles Fourier, Familistério de Jean-Baptiste Godin entre outros. Em Portugal, a industrialização ocorreu mais tarde que na restante Europa, assim como as evoluções e transformações associadas a esta. É neste contexto, que a partir do século XIX, o sector agrícola no país foi sendo gradualmente substituído pela indústria. O aumento da industrialização conduziu a um incremento da concentração de mão-de-obra próxima de grandes cidades industriais, ocorrência que fomentou o aparecimento dos primeiros núcleos habitacionais destinados à classe operária. A cidade sofreu, assim, alterações assinaladas por uma série de acontecimentos resultantes da Revolução Industrial, a par da falta de estratégias ligadas à questão da habitação para as classes desfavorecidas. É neste enquadramento que surge o Bairro do Pessoal da Empresa de Cimento de Leiria, Maceira-Liz. Este procurou responder às necessidades dos trabalhadores oferecendo-lhes boa qualidade de vida. Foi dotado de infraestruturas e equipamentos como a “Casa do Pessoal” ou a Cooperativa Abastecedora, entre outros, necessários ao bom funcionamento e permitindo uma maior sociabilidade entres os seus habitantes Desta forma, para demostrar a sua importância, introduz-se o Bairro do Pessoal da E.C.L no estudo do contexto internacional e nacional. Observam-se e criam-se relações com os modelos das cidades utópicas do século XIX e os conjuntos industriais em Portugal, detentores de alojamento destinado à classe trabalhadora, fazendo uma análise urbanística detalhada do Bairro do Pessoal de Maceira- Liz, uma “Utopia” construída segundo o espirito progressista do seu fundador Henrique Sommer.A partir do estudo dos fundamentos teórico-práticos, da forma de implantação e construção, bem como dos vários planos elaborados para este complexo - que demonstravam uma tentativa de inovar, através da construção de respostas às mudanças da sociedade e arquitetura em Portugal- poderá observar- -se que Maceira-Liz tinha alternativas para resolver a situação sócio- laboral dos operários e tentava resolver questões como a insalubridade da habitação operária da I República. O Bairro do Pessoal de E.C.L. ou Bairro de Maceira-Liz é um dos mais significativos exemplos de urbanismo do tipo fabril em Portugal, que permite fazer uma reflexão crítica e arquitetónica do papel que a arquitetura assume face à questão das diferenças sociais de classes, ao mesmo tempo que se propõe uma solução de revitalização do Bairro a fim de contribuir para a sua preservação e conservação da sua identidade; ABSTRACT: The Industrial Revolution consisted in a wide range of changes that occurred in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Europe, where the great metamorphosis in society succeeded due to the replacement of manual work by the use of machinery. It was established as a wide-ranging phenomenon which gathered demographic, social, ideological, political and economic factors. The search of better conditions of life and work was a decisive factor for the increase of population in major urban centers, a circumstance that led to the search for a solution to solve the question of working-class housing. Thus, utopian and social theories emerged, as also as urban models, of which we stand out: the Charles Fourier Phalanstery, Jean- Baptiste Godin Familistère and others. In Portugal, the industrialization occurred later than in the rest of Europe, as well as developments and changes associated with this. It is in this context that, starting in the nineteenth century, the agricultural sector in the country had been gradually replaced by the industry. The increased industrialization has led to an enlarged concentration of labor work close to major industrial cities, occurrence that fomented the appearance of the first housing units for the working class. So, the city suffered changes shown by a series of events resulting from the Industrial Revolution, together with the lack of strategies linked to the issue of housing for disadvantaged classes. It is in this context that comes the Neighborhood “Bairro do Pessoal da Empresa de Cimento de Leirio, Maceira – Liz”. This tried to respond to workers’ needs by offering them good quality of life. It was gifted with infrastructure and equipment as the “Staff Home” or the Cooperative Supplying, among others, needed for a proper functioning and allowing a greater sociability among its inhabitants. So, to demonstrate its importance, the Quarter of the Cement Company is introduced in the study of national and international context. Relationships with models of utopian cities in the nineteenth and the industrial plants in Portugal, owners of housing for the working class, are observed and created, making a detailed and urban analysis of the Quarter of the Cement Company, a “utopia “ built according to the progressive spirit of its founder Henry Sommer . From the study of the theoretical and practical fundamentals, the way of implementation and construction, as well as the various plans drawn up for this complex - which showed a determination to innovate by building responses to changes in society and architecture in Portugal - it can be founded that Maceira -Liz had alternatives to solve the socio- labor situation of the workers and tried to solve issues such as the unhealthiness of the working room of the First Republic. The Quarter of the Cement Company is one of the most significant examples of the industrial type urbanism in Portugal, which allows a critical and architectural reflection of the role that architecture assumes in what concerns the social class differences issues, while it is proposed a revitalization solution for the Neighborhood in order to contribute to the preservation and conservation of its identity

Wheat proteins evolution and environmental triggers of Wheat-related diseases

Cereals, and in particular wheat, have always been recognized as a fundamental food worldwide. In particular, the success of wheat is linked with unique properties of the gluten protein fraction used in bread making process to obtain products that are widely used in traditional and modern diets. The rapid increase in the world population let to a parallel increases in food production, particularly of wheat. Increasing yield potential and selection of cultivars much more resistant to plant disease and to environmental factors could have negatively affected the quality of the grain. Moreover, the “green revolution” was characterized by a widespread use of agricultural chemicals and by industrialization of food production that led to a huge rise in the consumption of refined products. Modern baking practices have shortened bread leavening, increased the use of chemical/yeast leavening agents and there is well-documented scientific evidence of the negative effects of ultra-processed food in human healthy. All this changes profoundly modified the human diet and, as a result, may have affected Gluten-related disease (GRDs) that has arisen in the whole word populations. Gluten-related diseases (GRDs) are multifactorial pathologies in which environmental factors and genetic background contribute to a low-grade chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Here, I investigated the potential pro-inflammatory effect of different wheat varieties and whether bread making processing are involved in the onset or worsening of gut inflammation. In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies conducted throughout my Phd period have shown a pro-inflammatory effect of wheat especially marked in modern varieties and a higher inflammatory response linked to the use of common raising agent as Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and to the addiction of chemical bakery improver substances.

IDeS methodology applied to automotive component re-engineering focused on lightweight and high-strength by additive manufacturing

The project aims to gather an understanding of additive manufacturing and other manufacturing 4.0 techniques with an eyesight for industrialization. First the internal material anisotropy of elements created with the most economically feasible FEM technique was established. An understanding of the main drivers for variability for AM was portrayed, with the focus on achieving material internal isotropy. Subsequently, a technique for deposition parameter optimization was presented, further procedure testing was performed following other polymeric materials and composites. A replicability assessment by means of the use of technology 4.0 was proposed, and subsequent industry findings gathered the ultimate need of developing a process that demonstrate how to re-engineer designs in order to show the best results with AM processing. The latest study aims to apply the Industrial Design and Structure Method (IDES) and applying all the knowledge previously stacked into fully reengineer a product with focus of applying tools from 4.0 era, from product feasibility studies, until CAE – FEM analysis and CAM – DfAM. These results would help in making AM and FDM processes a viable option to be combined with composites technologies to achieve a reliable, cost-effective manufacturing method that could also be used for mass market, industry applications.

HBIM to Virtual Reality Workflow for Industrial Archaeology Immovable Assets’ Management: A Case Study

As a witness on the industrialization in Bologna, since its first generation was born in the late 1760, the Battiferro lock has been coping with the innovation that the city experienced throughout the centuries, until it has lost its functionality due to the technological development for which Bologna’s canals were gradually covered starting from the 1950s under Giuseppe Dozza ’s administration, as part of the reconstruction, reclamation and urban requalification that was carried out in the aftermath the World War II and which involved the whole city. The interest of the research carried out on this case study was primarily to reintroduce the landmark that is still intact, to what is considered to be the fourth generation of the industrial revolution, namely in the construction field, which is recognized as Construction 4.0, by means of the Historic (or Heritage) Information Modeling HBIM and Virtual Reality (VR) application. A scan-to-BIM approach was followed to create 3D as-built BIM model, as a first step towards the storytelling of the abandoned industrial built asset in VR environment, or as a seed for future applications such as Digital Twins (DT), heritage digital learning, sustainable impact studies, and/or interface with other interfaces such as GIS. Based on the HBIM product, examples of the primary BIM deliverables such as 2D layouts is given, then a workflow to VR is proposed and investigated the reliability of data and the type of users that may benefit of the VR experience, then the potential future development of the model is investigated, with comparison of a relatively similar experience in the UK.