CLIL materials in Secondary Education: focusing on the language of instruction in the subject area of Mathematics

[EN]Applying a CLIL methodological approach marks a shift in emphasis from language learning based on linguistic form and grammatical progression to a more ‘language acquisition’ one which takes account language functions. In this article we will study the elements of the “language of instruction” of the area of Maths in Secondary Education, by focusing on the analysis of the communicative functions, and the lexical and the cultural items present in the textbook in use. Our aim is to present the CLIL teacher with the linguistic and didactic implications that he or she should take into consideration when implementing the bilingual syllabuses with their students. In order to do that, we will present our conclusions emphasizing the need for coordination in different content areas, linguistic and communicative contents, between the foreign language teacher and the CLIL subject one.

The Libor Market Model: from theory to calibration

This thesis is focused on the financial model for interest rates called the LIBOR Market Model. In the appendixes, we provide the necessary mathematical theory. In the inner chapters, firstly, we define the main interest rates and financial instruments concerning with the interest rate models, then, we set the LIBOR market model, demonstrate its existence, derive the dynamics of forward LIBOR rates and justify the pricing of caps according to the Black’s formula. Then, we also present the Swap Market Model, which models the forward swap rates instead of the LIBOR ones. Even this model is justified by a theoretical demonstration and the resulting formula to price the swaptions coincides with the Black’s one. However, the two models are not compatible from a theoretical point. Therefore, we derive various analytical approximating formulae to price the swaptions in the LIBOR market model and we explain how to perform a Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, we present the calibration of the LIBOR market model to the markets of both caps and swaptions, together with various examples of application to the historical correlation matrix and the cascade calibration of the forward volatilities to the matrix of implied swaption volatilities provided by the market.

Creazione e sviluppo di corpora multimediali. Nuove metodologie di ricerca nella traduzione audiovisiva

The construction and use of multimedia corpora has been advocated for a while in the literature as one of the expected future application fields of Corpus Linguistics. This research project represents a pioneering experience aimed at applying a data-driven methodology to the study of the field of AVT, similarly to what has been done in the last few decades in the macro-field of Translation Studies. This research was based on the experience of Forlixt 1, the Forlì Corpus of Screen Translation, developed at the University of Bologna’s Department of Interdisciplinary Studies in Translation, Languages and Culture. As a matter of fact, in order to quantify strategies of linguistic transfer of an AV product, we need to take into consideration not only the linguistic aspect of such a product but all the meaning-making resources deployed in the filmic text. Provided that one major benefit of Forlixt 1 is the combination of audiovisual and textual data, this corpus allows the user to access primary data for scientific investigation, and thus no longer rely on pre-processed material such as traditional annotated transcriptions. Based on this rationale, the first chapter of the thesis sets out to illustrate the state of the art of research in the disciplinary fields involved. The primary objective was to underline the main repercussions on multimedia texts resulting from the interaction of a double support, audio and video, and, accordingly, on procedures, means, and methods adopted in their translation. By drawing on previous research in semiotics and film studies, the relevant codes at work in visual and acoustic channels were outlined. Subsequently, we concentrated on the analysis of the verbal component and on the peculiar characteristics of filmic orality as opposed to spontaneous dialogic production. In the second part, an overview of the main AVT modalities was presented (dubbing, voice-over, interlinguistic and intra-linguistic subtitling, audio-description, etc.) in order to define the different technologies, processes and professional qualifications that this umbrella term presently includes. The second chapter focuses diachronically on various theories’ contribution to the application of Corpus Linguistics’ methods and tools to the field of Translation Studies (i.e. Descriptive Translation Studies, Polysystem Theory). In particular, we discussed how the use of corpora can favourably help reduce the gap existing between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Subsequently, we reviewed the tools traditionally employed by Corpus Linguistics in regard to the construction of traditional “written language” corpora, to assess whether and how they can be adapted to meet the needs of multimedia corpora. In particular, we reviewed existing speech and spoken corpora, as well as multimedia corpora specifically designed to investigate Translation. The third chapter reviews Forlixt 1's main developing steps, from a technical (IT design principles, data query functions) and methodological point of view, by laying down extensive scientific foundations for the annotation methods adopted, which presently encompass categories of pragmatic, sociolinguistic, linguacultural and semiotic nature. Finally, we described the main query tools (free search, guided search, advanced search and combined search) and the main intended uses of the database in a pedagogical perspective. The fourth chapter lists specific compilation criteria retained, as well as statistics of the two sub-corpora, by presenting data broken down by language pair (French-Italian and German-Italian) and genre (cinema’s comedies, television’s soapoperas and crime series). Next, we concentrated on the discussion of the results obtained from the analysis of summary tables reporting the frequency of categories applied to the French-Italian sub-corpus. The detailed observation of the distribution of categories identified in the original and dubbed corpus allowed us to empirically confirm some of the theories put forward in the literature and notably concerning the nature of the filmic text, the dubbing process and Italian dubbed language’s features. This was possible by looking into some of the most problematic aspects, like the rendering of socio-linguistic variation. The corpus equally allowed us to consider so far neglected aspects, such as pragmatic, prosodic, kinetic, facial, and semiotic elements, and their combination. At the end of this first exploration, some specific observations concerning possible macrotranslation trends were made for each type of sub-genre considered (cinematic and TV genre). On the grounds of this first quantitative investigation, the fifth chapter intended to further examine data, by applying ad hoc models of analysis. Given the virtually infinite number of combinations of categories adopted, and of the latter with searchable textual units, three possible qualitative and quantitative methods were designed, each of which was to concentrate on a particular translation dimension of the filmic text. The first one was the cultural dimension, which specifically focused on the rendering of selected cultural references and on the investigation of recurrent translation choices and strategies justified on the basis of the occurrence of specific clusters of categories. The second analysis was conducted on the linguistic dimension by exploring the occurrence of phrasal verbs in the Italian dubbed corpus and by ascertaining the influence on the adoption of related translation strategies of possible semiotic traits, such as gestures and facial expressions. Finally, the main aim of the third study was to verify whether, under which circumstances, and through which modality, graphic and iconic elements were translated into Italian from an original corpus of both German and French films. After having reviewed the main translation techniques at work, an exhaustive account of possible causes for their non-translation was equally provided. By way of conclusion, the discussion of results obtained from the distribution of annotation categories on the French-Italian corpus, as well as the application of specific models of analysis allowed us to underline possible advantages and drawbacks related to the adoption of a corpus-based approach to AVT studies. Even though possible updating and improvement were proposed in order to help solve some of the problems identified, it is argued that the added value of Forlixt 1 lies ultimately in having created a valuable instrument, allowing to carry out empirically-sound contrastive studies that may be usefully replicated on different language pairs and several types of multimedia texts. Furthermore, multimedia corpora can also play a crucial role in L2 and translation teaching, two disciplines in which their use still lacks systematic investigation.

Implementation of a non ground meta interpreter for defeasible logic

Human reasoning is a fascinating and complex cognitive process that can be applied in different research areas such as philosophy, psychology, laws and financial. Unfortunately, developing supporting software (to those different areas) able to cope such as complex reasoning it’s difficult and requires a suitable logic abstract formalism. In this thesis we aim to develop a program, that has the job to evaluate a theory (a set of rules) w.r.t. a Goal, and provide some results such as “The Goal is derivable from the KB5 (of the theory)”. In order to achieve this goal we need to analyse different logics and choose the one that best meets our needs. In logic, usually, we try to determine if a given conclusion is logically implied by a set of assumptions T (theory). However, when we deal with programming logic we need an efficient algorithm in order to find such implications. In this work we use a logic rather similar to human logic. Indeed, human reasoning requires an extension of the first order logic able to reach a conclusion depending on not definitely true6 premises belonging to a incomplete set of knowledge. Thus, we implemented a defeasible logic7 framework able to manipulate defeasible rules. Defeasible logic is a non-monotonic logic designed for efficient defeasible reasoning by Nute (see Chapter 2). Those kind of applications are useful in laws area especially if they offer an implementation of an argumentation framework that provides a formal modelling of game. Roughly speaking, let the theory is the set of laws, a keyclaim is the conclusion that one of the party wants to prove (and the other one wants to defeat) and adding dynamic assertion of rules, namely, facts putted forward by the parties, then, we can play an argumentative challenge between two players and decide if the conclusion is provable or not depending on the different strategies performed by the players. Implementing a game model requires one more meta-interpreter able to evaluate the defeasible logic framework; indeed, according to Göedel theorem (see on page 127), we cannot evaluate the meaning of a language using the tools provided by the language itself, but we need a meta-language able to manipulate the object language8. Thus, rather than a simple meta-interpreter, we propose a Meta-level containing different Meta-evaluators. The former has been explained above, the second one is needed to perform the game model, and the last one will be used to change game execution and tree derivation strategies.

Quali-quantitative study of the phenolic and polyphenolic compounds and their antioxidant capacity in vegetal matrix processed with different technologies

Food technologies today mean reducing agricultural food waste, improvement of food security, enhancement of food sensory properties, enlargement of food market and food economies. Food technologists must be high-skilled technicians with good scientific knowledge of food hygiene, food chemistry, industrial technologies and food engineering, sensory evaluation experience and analytical chemistry. Their role is to apply the modern vision of science in the field of human nutrition, rising up knowledge in food science. The present PhD project starts with the aim of studying and improving frozen fruits quality. Freezing process in very powerful in preserve initial raw material characteristics, but pre-treatment before the freezing process are necessary to improve quality, in particular to improve texture and enzymatic activity of frozen foods. Osmotic Dehydration (OD) and Vacuum Impregnation (VI), are useful techniques to modify fruits and vegetables composition and prepare them to freezing process. These techniques permit to introduce cryo-protective agent into the food matrices, without significant changes of the original structure, but cause a slight leaching of important intrinsic compounds. Phenolic and polyphenolic compounds for example in apples and nectarines treated with hypertonic solutions are slightly decreased, but the effect of concentration due to water removal driven out from the osmotic gradient, cause a final content of phenolic compounds similar to that of the raw material. In many experiment, a very important change in fruit composition regard the aroma profile. This occur in strawberries osmo-dehydrated under vacuum condition or under atmospheric pressure condition. The increment of some volatiles, probably due to fermentative metabolism induced by the osmotic stress of hypertonic treatment, induce a sensory profile modification of frozen fruits, that in some way result in a better acceptability of consumer, that prefer treated frozen fruits to untreated frozen fruits. Among different processes used, a very interesting result was obtained with the application of a osmotic pre-treatment driven out at refrigerated temperature for long time. The final quality of frozen strawberries was very high and a peculiar increment of phenolic profile was detected. This interesting phenomenon was probably due to induction of phenolic biological synthesis (for example as reaction to osmotic stress), or to hydrolysis of polymeric phenolic compounds. Aside this investigation in the cryo-stabilization and dehydrofreezing of fruits, deeper investigation in VI techniques were carried out, as studies of changes in vacuum impregnated prickly pear texture, and in use of VI and ultrasound (US) in aroma enrichment of fruit pieces. Moreover, to develop sensory evaluation tools and analytical chemistry determination (of volatiles and phenolic compounds), some researches were bring off and published in these fields. Specifically dealing with off-flavour development during storage of boiled potato, and capillary zonal electrophoresis (CZE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of phenolic compounds.

Welfare provision in Sweden and the dominant position of the Sap

There have been almost fifty years since Harry Eckstein' s classic monograph, A Theory of Stable Democracy (Princeton, 1961), where he sketched out the basic tenets of the “congruence theory”, which was to become one of the most important and innovative contributions to understanding democratic rule. His next work, Division and Cohesion in Democracy, (Princeton University Press: 1966) is designed to serve as a plausibility probe for this 'theory' (ftn.) and is a case study of a Northern democratic system, Norway. What is more, this line of his work best exemplifies the contribution Eckstein brought to the methodology of comparative politics through his seminal article, “ “Case Study and Theory in Political Science” ” (in Greenstein and Polsby, eds., Handbook of Political Science, 1975), on the importance of the case study as an approach to empirical theory. This article demonstrates the special utility of “crucial case studies” in testing theory, thereby undermining the accepted wisdom in comparative research that the larger the number of cases the better. Although not along the same lines, but shifting the case study unit of research, I intend to take up here the challenge and build upon an equally unique political system, the Swedish one. Bearing in mind the peculiarities of the Swedish political system, my unit of analysis is going to be further restricted to the Swedish Social Democratic Party, the Svenska Arbetare Partiet. However, my research stays within the methodological framework of the case study theory inasmuch as it focuses on a single political system and party. The Swedish SAP endurance in government office and its electoral success throughout half a century (ftn. As of the 1991 election, there were about 56 years - more than half century - of interrupted social democratic "reign" in Sweden.) are undeniably a performance no other Social Democrat party has yet achieved in democratic conditions. Therefore, it is legitimate to inquire about the exceptionality of this unique political power combination. Which were the different components of this dominance power position, which made possible for SAP's governmental office stamina? I will argue here that it was the end-product of a combination of multifarious factors such as a key position in the party system, strong party leadership and organization, a carefully designed strategy regarding class politics and welfare policy. My research is divided into three main parts, the historical incursion, the 'welfare' part and the 'environment' part. The first part is a historical account of the main political events and issues, which are relevant for my case study. Chapter 2 is devoted to the historical events unfolding in the 1920-1960 period: the Saltsjoebaden Agreement, the series of workers' strikes in the 1920s and SAP's inception. It exposes SAP's ascent to power in the mid 1930s and the party's ensuing strategies for winning and keeping political office, that is its economic program and key economic goals. The following chapter - chapter 3 - explores the next period, i.e. the period from 1960s to 1990s and covers the party's troubled political times, its peak and the beginnings of the decline. The 1960s are relevant for SAP's planning of a long term economic strategy - the Rehn Meidner model, a new way of macroeconomic steering, based on the Keynesian model, but adapted to the new economic realities of welfare capitalist societies. The second and third parts of this study develop several hypotheses related to SAP's 'dominant position' (endurance in politics and in office) and test them afterwards. Mainly, the twin issues of economics and environment are raised and their political relevance for the party analyzed. On one hand, globalization and its spillover effects over the Swedish welfare system are important causal factors in explaining the transformative social-economic challenges the party had to put up with. On the other hand, Europeanization and environmental change influenced to a great deal SAP's foreign policy choices and its domestic electoral strategies. The implications of globalization on the Swedish welfare system will make the subject of two chapters - chapters four and five, respectively, whereupon the Europeanization consequences will be treated at length in the third part of this work - chapters six and seven, respectively. Apparently, at first sight, the link between foreign policy and electoral strategy is difficult to prove and uncanny, in the least. However, in the SAP's case there is a bulk of literature and public opinion statistical data able to show that governmental domestic policy and party politics are in a tight dependence to foreign policy decisions and sovereignty issues. Again, these country characteristics and peculiar causal relationships are outlined in the first chapters and explained in the second and third parts. The sixth chapter explores the presupposed relationship between Europeanization and environmental policy, on one hand, and SAP's environmental policy formulation and simultaneous agenda-setting at the international level, on the other hand. This chapter describes Swedish leadership in environmental policy formulation on two simultaneous fronts and across two different time spans. The last chapter, chapter eight - while trying to develop a conclusion, explores the alternative theories plausible in explaining the outlined hypotheses and points out the reasons why these theories do not fit as valid alternative explanation to my systemic corporatism thesis as the main causal factor determining SAP's 'dominant position'. Among the alternative theories, I would consider Traedgaardh L. and Bo Rothstein's historical exceptionalism thesis and the public opinion thesis, which alone are not able to explain the half century social democratic endurance in government in the Swedish case.

La musa bambina. 1911-2011: un secolo di letteratura mitologica per ragazzi in Italia tra storia, educazione e narrazione

Questa ricerca mostra l’evoluzione della letteratura mitologica per ragazzi in Italia. Il primo libro italiano di mitologia per bambini è stato pubblicato nel 1911 (lo stesso anno di un’importante e violenta guerra coloniale tra l’Italia e la Libia): la scrittrice italiana Laura Orvieto pubblicò allora “Storie della storia del mondo”, in cui riunì antichi racconti greci per giovani lettori. Queste storie erano ispirate al libro mitologico per bambini “Il libro delle meraviglie” di Hawthorne (titolo originale “A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys”). In seguito molti scrittori italiani scrissero libri mitologici per giovani lettori: serie importanti di libri di mitologia per bambini furono pubblicate durante il regime mussoliniano – talvolta per diffondere l’ideologia fascista della superiorità romana. Durante questo periodo, i libri mitologici spesso mostravano uno stile letterario solenne. Dopo la seconda guerra mondiale, la letteratura mitologica per bambini cambiò lentamente prospettiva: gli scrittori italiani cominciarono ad usare il mito per parlare di problemi sociali (p.e. Gianni Rodari descriveva re Mida come un capitalista) e per spiegare le diverse condizioni umane (p.e. Beatrice Masini fa riferimento alle dee e alle eroine greche per descrivere la condizione femminile). La ricerca analizza anche la relazione tra mito e scuola in Italia: i racconti mitologici hanno sempre fatto parte dei programmi scolastici italiani per bambini dagli 8 agli 11 anni. Le riforme scolastiche – deliberate negli anni ’20 e ’40 – fissarono pratiche didattiche sui miti ancora oggi in uso. I racconti mitologici erano soprattutto un supporto per gli studi storici e letterari. Tuttavia, negli ultimi decenni, i miti sono divenuti un importante aiuto per gli insegnamenti scientifici e artistici.

Numerical and analytical approaches to strongly correlated electron systems

In this thesis we consider three different models for strongly correlated electrons, namely a multi-band Hubbard model as well as the spinless Falicov-Kimball model, both with a semi-elliptical density of states in the limit of infinite dimensions d, and the attractive Hubbard model on a square lattice in d=2. In the first part, we study a two-band Hubbard model with unequal bandwidths and anisotropic Hund's rule coupling (J_z-model) in the limit of infinite dimensions within the dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT). Here, the DMFT impurity problem is solved with the use of quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations. Our main result is that the J_z-model describes the occurrence of an orbital-selective Mott transition (OSMT), in contrast to earlier findings. We investigate the model with a high-precision DMFT algorithm, which was developed as part of this thesis and which supplements QMC with a high-frequency expansion of the self-energy. The main advantage of this scheme is the extraordinary accuracy of the numerical solutions, which can be obtained already with moderate computational effort, so that studies of multi-orbital systems within the DMFT+QMC are strongly improved. We also found that a suitably defined Falicov-Kimball (FK) model exhibits an OSMT, revealing the close connection of the Falicov-Kimball physics to the J_z-model in the OSM phase. In the second part of this thesis we study the attractive Hubbard model in two spatial dimensions within second-order self-consistent perturbation theory. This model is considered on a square lattice at finite doping and at low temperatures. Our main result is that the predictions of first-order perturbation theory (Hartree-Fock approximation) are renormalized by a factor of the order of unity even at arbitrarily weak interaction (U->0). The renormalization factor q can be evaluated as a function of the filling n for 00, the q-factor vanishes, signaling the divergence of self-consistent perturbation theory in this limit. Thus we present the first asymptotically exact results at weak-coupling for the negative-U Hubbard model in d=2 at finite doping.

On the geometry of the spin-statistics connection in quantum mechanics

The Spin-Statistics theorem states that the statistics of a system of identical particles is determined by their spin: Particles of integer spin are Bosons (i.e. obey Bose-Einstein statistics), whereas particles of half-integer spin are Fermions (i.e. obey Fermi-Dirac statistics). Since the original proof by Fierz and Pauli, it has been known that the connection between Spin and Statistics follows from the general principles of relativistic Quantum Field Theory. In spite of this, there are different approaches to Spin-Statistics and it is not clear whether the theorem holds under assumptions that are different, and even less restrictive, than the usual ones (e.g. Lorentz-covariance). Additionally, in Quantum Mechanics there is a deep relation between indistinguishabilty and the geometry of the configuration space. This is clearly illustrated by Gibbs' paradox. Therefore, for many years efforts have been made in order to find a geometric proof of the connection between Spin and Statistics. Recently, various proposals have been put forward, in which an attempt is made to derive the Spin-Statistics connection from assumptions different from the ones used in the relativistic, quantum field theoretic proofs. Among these, there is the one due to Berry and Robbins (BR), based on the postulation of a certain single-valuedness condition, that has caused a renewed interest in the problem. In the present thesis, we consider the problem of indistinguishability in Quantum Mechanics from a geometric-algebraic point of view. An approach is developed to study configuration spaces Q having a finite fundamental group, that allows us to describe different geometric structures of Q in terms of spaces of functions on the universal cover of Q. In particular, it is shown that the space of complex continuous functions over the universal cover of Q admits a decomposition into C(Q)-submodules, labelled by the irreducible representations of the fundamental group of Q, that can be interpreted as the spaces of sections of certain flat vector bundles over Q. With this technique, various results pertaining to the problem of quantum indistinguishability are reproduced in a clear and systematic way. Our method is also used in order to give a global formulation of the BR construction. As a result of this analysis, it is found that the single-valuedness condition of BR is inconsistent. Additionally, a proposal aiming at establishing the Fermi-Bose alternative, within our approach, is made.

Verwendung von Präzisionsmessungen zur Eingrenzung von Effekten jenseits des Standardmodells mittels eines effektiven feldtheoretischen Zugangs

Es gibt kaum eine präzisere Beschreibung der Natur als die durch das Standardmodell der Elementarteilchen (SM). Es ist in der Lage bis auf wenige Ausnahmen, die Physik der Materie- und Austauschfelder zu beschreiben. Dennoch ist man interessiert an einer umfassenderen Theorie, die beispielsweise auch die Gravitation mit einbezieht, Neutrinooszillationen beschreibt, und die darüber hinaus auch weitere offene Fragen klärt. Um dieser Theorie ein Stück näher zu kommen, befasst sich die vorliegende Arbeit mit einem effektiven Potenzreihenansatz zur Beschreibung der Physik des Standardmodells und neuer Phänomene. Mit Hilfe eines Massenparameters und einem Satz neuer Kopplungskonstanten wird die Neue Physik parametrisiert. In niedrigster Ordnung erhält man das bekannte SM, Terme höherer Ordnung in der Kopplungskonstanten beschreiben die Effekte jenseits des SMs. Aus gewissen Symmetrie-Anforderungen heraus ergibt sich eine definierte Anzahl von effektiven Operatoren mit Massendimension sechs, die den hier vorgestellten Rechnungen zugrunde liegen. Wir berechnen zunächst für eine bestimmte Auswahl von Prozessen zugehörige Zerfallsbreiten bzw. Wirkungsquerschnitte in einem Modell, welches das SM um einen einzigen neuen effektiven Operator erweitertet. Unter der Annahme, dass der zusätzliche Beitrag zur Observablen innerhalb des experimentellen Messfehlers ist, geben wir anhand von vorliegenden experimentellen Ergebnissen aus leptonischen und semileptonischen Präzisionsmessungen Ausschlussgrenzen der neuen Kopplungen in Abhängigkeit von dem Massenparameter an. Die hier angeführten Resultate versetzen Physiker zum Einen in die Lage zu beurteilen, bei welchen gemessenen Observablen eine Erhöhung der Präzision sinnvoll ist, um bessere Ausschlussgrenzen angeben zu können. Zum anderen erhält man einen Anhaltspunkt, welche Prozesse im Hinblick auf Entdeckungen Neuer Physik interessant sind.

First principle study of ions in water and ionic liquids

Die beiden in dieser Arbeit betrachteten Systeme, wässrige Lösungen von Ionen und ionische Flüssigkeiten, zeigen vielfältige Eigenschaften und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten, im Gegensatz zu anderen Systemen. Man findet sie beinahe überall im normalen Leben (Wasser), oder ihre Bedeutung wächst (ioinische Flüssigkeiten). Der elektronische Anteil und der atomare Anteil wurden getrennt voneinander untersucht und im Zusammenhang analysiert. Mittels dieser Methode konnten die in dem jeweiligen System auftretenden Mechanismen genauer untersucht werden. Diese Methode wird "Multiscale Modeling" genannt, dabei werden die Untereinheiten eines Systems genauer betrachtet, wie in diesem Fall die elektronischen and atomaren Teilsystem. Die Ergebnisse, die aus den jeweiligen Betrachtungen hervorgehen, zeigen, dass, im Falle von hydratisierten Ionen die Wasser-Wasser Wechselwirkungen wesentlich stärker sind als die elektrostatischen Wechselwirkung zwischen Wasser und dem Ion. Anhand der Ergebnisse ergibt sich, dass normale nicht-polarisierbare Modelle ausreichen, um Ionen-Wasser Lösungen zu beschreiben. Im Falle der ionischen Flüssigkeiten betrachten wir die elektronische Ebene mittels sehr genauer post-Hartree-Fock Methoden und DFT, deren Ergebnisse dann mit denen auf molekularer Ebene (mithilfe von CPMD/klassischer MD) in Beziehung gesetzt werden. Die bisherigen Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Wasserstoff-Brückenbindungen im Fall der ionischen Flüssigkeiten nicht vernachässigt werden können. Weiterhin hat diese Studie herausgefunden, dass die klassischen Kraftfelder die Elektrostatik (Dipol- und Quadrupolmomente) nicht genau genug beschreibt. Die Kombination des mikroskopischen Mechanismus und der molekularen Eigenschaften ist besonders sinnvoll um verschiedene Anhaltspunkte von Simualtionen (z.B. mit klassische Molekular-Dynamik) oder Experimenten zu liefern oder solche zu erklären.

Statistical problems related to excitation threshold and reset value of membrane potentials

Die vorliegende Arbeit ist motiviert durch biologische Fragestellungen bezüglich des Verhaltens von Membranpotentialen in Neuronen. Ein vielfach betrachtetes Modell für spikende Neuronen ist das Folgende. Zwischen den Spikes verhält sich das Membranpotential wie ein Diffusionsprozess X der durch die SDGL dX_t= beta(X_t) dt+ sigma(X_t) dB_t gegeben ist, wobei (B_t) eine Standard-Brown'sche Bewegung bezeichnet. Spikes erklärt man wie folgt. Sobald das Potential X eine gewisse Exzitationsschwelle S überschreitet entsteht ein Spike. Danach wird das Potential wieder auf einen bestimmten Wert x_0 zurückgesetzt. In Anwendungen ist es manchmal möglich, einen Diffusionsprozess X zwischen den Spikes zu beobachten und die Koeffizienten der SDGL beta() und sigma() zu schätzen. Dennoch ist es nötig, die Schwellen x_0 und S zu bestimmen um das Modell festzulegen. Eine Möglichkeit, dieses Problem anzugehen, ist x_0 und S als Parameter eines statistischen Modells aufzufassen und diese zu schätzen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden vier verschiedene Fälle diskutiert, in denen wir jeweils annehmen, dass das Membranpotential X zwischen den Spikes eine Brown'sche Bewegung mit Drift, eine geometrische Brown'sche Bewegung, ein Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Prozess oder ein Cox-Ingersoll-Ross Prozess ist. Darüber hinaus beobachten wir die Zeiten zwischen aufeinander folgenden Spikes, die wir als iid Treffzeiten der Schwelle S von X gestartet in x_0 auffassen. Die ersten beiden Fälle ähneln sich sehr und man kann jeweils den Maximum-Likelihood-Schätzer explizit angeben. Darüber hinaus wird, unter Verwendung der LAN-Theorie, die Optimalität dieser Schätzer gezeigt. In den Fällen OU- und CIR-Prozess wählen wir eine Minimum-Distanz-Methode, die auf dem Vergleich von empirischer und wahrer Laplace-Transformation bezüglich einer Hilbertraumnorm beruht. Wir werden beweisen, dass alle Schätzer stark konsistent und asymptotisch normalverteilt sind. Im letzten Kapitel werden wir die Effizienz der Minimum-Distanz-Schätzer anhand simulierter Daten überprüfen. Ferner, werden Anwendungen auf reale Datensätze und deren Resultate ausführlich diskutiert.

Integration of MFA and LCA methodologies: the anthropogenic aluminium cycle in Italy

MFA and LCA methodologies were applied to analyse the anthropogenic aluminium cycle in Italy with focus on historical evolution of stocks and flows of the metal, embodied GHG emissions, and potentials from recycling to provide key features to Italy for prioritizing industrial policy toward low-carbon technologies and materials. Historical trend series were collected from 1947 to 2009 and balanced with data from production, manufacturing and waste management of aluminium-containing products, using a ‘top-down’ approach to quantify the contemporary in-use stock of the metal, and helping to identify ‘applications where aluminium is not yet being recycled to its full potential and to identify present and future recycling flows’. The MFA results were used as a basis for the LCA aimed at evaluating the carbon footprint evolution, from primary and electrical energy, the smelting process and the transportation, embodied in the Italian aluminium. A discussion about how the main factors, according to the Kaya Identity equation, they did influence the Italian GHG emissions pattern over time, and which are the levers to mitigate it, it has been also reported. The contemporary anthropogenic reservoirs of aluminium was estimated at about 320 kg per capita, mainly embedded within the transportation and building and construction sectors. Cumulative in-use stock represents approximately 11 years of supply at current usage rates (about 20 Mt versus 1.7 Mt/year), and it would imply a potential of about 160 Mt of CO2eq emissions savings. A discussion of criticality related to aluminium waste recovery from the transportation and the containers and packaging sectors was also included in the study, providing an example for how MFA and LCA may support decision-making at sectorial or regional level. The research constitutes the first attempt of an integrated approach between MFA and LCA applied to the aluminium cycle in Italy.

Measurement of the elastic electron-proton cross section and separation of the electric and magnetic form factor in the Q 2 range from 0.004 to 1 (GeV/c) 2

The electromagnetic form factors of the proton are fundamental quantities sensitive to the distribution of charge and magnetization inside the proton. Precise knowledge of the form factors, in particular of the charge and magnetization radii provide strong tests for theory in the non-perturbative regime of QCD. However, the existing data at Q^2 below 1 (GeV/c)^2 are not precise enough for a hard test of theoretical predictions.rnrnFor a more precise determination of the form factors, within this work more than 1400 cross sections of the reaction H(e,e′)p were measured at the Mainz Microtron MAMI using the 3-spectrometer-facility of the A1-collaboration. The data were taken in three periods in the years 2006 and 2007 using beam energies of 180, 315, 450, 585, 720 and 855 MeV. They cover the Q^2 region from 0.004 to 1 (GeV/c)^2 with counting rate uncertainties below 0.2% for most of the data points. The relative luminosity of the measurements was determined using one of the spectrometers as a luminosity monitor. The overlapping acceptances of the measurements maximize the internal redundancy of the data and allow, together with several additions to the standard experimental setup, for tight control of systematic uncertainties.rnTo account for the radiative processes, an event generator was developed and implemented in the simulation package of the analysis software which works without peaking approximation by explicitly calculating the Bethe-Heitler and Born Feynman diagrams for each event.rnTo separate the form factors and to determine the radii, the data were analyzed by fitting a wide selection of form factor models directly to the measured cross sections. These fits also determined the absolute normalization of the different data subsets. The validity of this method was tested with extensive simulations. The results were compared to an extraction via the standard Rosenbluth technique.rnrnThe dip structure in G_E that was seen in the analysis of the previous world data shows up in a modified form. When compared to the standard-dipole form factor as a smooth curve, the extracted G_E exhibits a strong change of the slope around 0.1 (GeV/c)^2, and in the magnetic form factor a dip around 0.2 (GeV/c)^2 is found. This may be taken as indications for a pion cloud. For higher Q^2, the fits yield larger values for G_M than previous measurements, in agreement with form factor ratios from recent precise polarized measurements in the Q2 region up to 0.6 (GeV/c)^2.rnrnThe charge and magnetic rms radii are determined as rn⟨r_e⟩=0.879 ± 0.005(stat.) ± 0.004(syst.) ± 0.002(model) ± 0.004(group) fm,rn⟨r_m⟩=0.777 ± 0.013(stat.) ± 0.009(syst.) ± 0.005(model) ± 0.002(group) fm.rnThis charge radius is significantly larger than theoretical predictions and than the radius of the standard dipole. However, it is in agreement with earlier results measured at the Mainz linear accelerator and with determinations from Hydrogen Lamb shift measurements. The extracted magnetic radius is smaller than previous determinations and than the standard-dipole value.

Investigations on asymptotic safety of metric, tetrad and Einstein-Cartan gravity

Among the different approaches for a construction of a fundamental quantum theory of gravity the Asymptotic Safety scenario conjectures that quantum gravity can be defined within the framework of conventional quantum field theory, but only non-perturbatively. In this case its high energy behavior is controlled by a non-Gaussian fixed point of the renormalization group flow, such that its infinite cutoff limit can be taken in a well defined way. A theory of this kind is referred to as non-perturbatively renormalizable. In the last decade a considerable amount of evidence has been collected that in four dimensional metric gravity such a fixed point, suitable for the Asymptotic Safety construction, indeed exists. This thesis extends the Asymptotic Safety program of quantum gravity by three independent studies that differ in the fundamental field variables the investigated quantum theory is based on, but all exhibit a gauge group of equivalent semi-direct product structure. It allows for the first time for a direct comparison of three asymptotically safe theories of gravity constructed from different field variables. The first study investigates metric gravity coupled to SU(N) Yang-Mills theory. In particular the gravitational effects to the running of the gauge coupling are analyzed and its implications for QED and the Standard Model are discussed. The second analysis amounts to the first investigation on an asymptotically safe theory of gravity in a pure tetrad formulation. Its renormalization group flow is compared to the corresponding approximation of the metric theory and the influence of its enlarged gauge group on the UV behavior of the theory is analyzed. The third study explores Asymptotic Safety of gravity in the Einstein-Cartan setting. Here, besides the tetrad, the spin connection is considered a second fundamental field. The larger number of independent field components and the enlarged gauge group render any RG analysis of this system much more difficult than the analog metric analysis. In order to reduce the complexity of this task a novel functional renormalization group equation is proposed, that allows for an evaluation of the flow in a purely algebraic manner. As a first example of its suitability it is applied to a three dimensional truncation of the form of the Holst action, with the Newton constant, the cosmological constant and the Immirzi parameter as its running couplings. A detailed comparison of the resulting renormalization group flow to a previous study of the same system demonstrates the reliability of the new equation and suggests its use for future studies of extended truncations in this framework.