Modelagem da Dinâmica do Sistema de Controle de Lastro de uma Plataforma Semisubmersível.

É descrita a modelagem, para controle, da dinâmica de uma plataforma semisubmersível com seis graus de liberdade. O modelo inclui os efeitos dos tanques de lastro como forças e momentos, assim como a dinâmica da plataforma. Os parâmetros do sistema foram obtidos das características da plataforma e de resultados experimentais obtidos com uma plataforma semisubmersível de dimensões reduzidas. O desenvolvimento de uma metodologia e de um software capazes de determinar o volume submerso e o centro de empuxo de uma estrutura com geometria complexa foram pontos determinantes nessa Dissertação, tendo em vista a complexidade do processo e as importâncias desses parâmetros para o desenvolvimento do modelo. A linearização do modelo permitiu a elaboração de uma estratégia de controle capaz de estabilizar a plataforma mesmo em condições iniciais distantes do equilíbrio. As equações que descrevem o movimento da plataforma nos graus de liberdade vertical, jogo e arfagem foram desenvolvidas. A realocação dos polos e um observador de estado foram utilizados com o objetivo de melhorar o controle do sistema.

Community-led resettlement: From a flood affected slum to a new society in Pune, India

This paper describes the resettlement process of a community devastated by annual floods, to newly constructed housing in Pune, India. The relocation from Kamgar Putala slum to a housing society at Hadapsar was organized by a community-led NGO partnership in 2004. The housing development was coordinated by the local NGO Shelter Associates with significant community participation. The housing has been revisited in 2010 to evaluate the sustainability of the resettlement project’s delivery model via stakeholder perception. The process of organizing for resettlement after natural disaster is described along with the implementation and evaluation of the new housing nearly six years after initial occupation. The strong partnership approach overcame a series of political and financial hurdles at various stages of the relocation project. The story of resettling Kamgar Putala is detailed alongside an outline of the current political climate for an alternative slum-upgrading policy in India and Pune. The advantages of an empowered community supported by an influential local NGO demonstrate a commendable team effort which has tackled the threat of floods. The paper highlights the merits of a community-led partnership approach to housing development for achieving sustainable urban development as well as the alleviation of poverty in a developing context.

Community-led resettlement: From a flood-affected slum to a new society in Pune, India

This paper describes the resettlement process of a community devastated by annual floods, to newly constructed housing in Pune, India. The relocation from Kamgar Putala slum to a housing society at Hadapsar was organized by a community-led NGO partnership in 2004. The housing development was coordinated by the local NGO Shelter Associates with significant community participation. The housing has been revisited in 2010 to evaluate the sustainability of the resettlement project's delivery model via stakeholder perception. The process of organizing for resettlement after natural disaster is described along with the implementation and evaluation of the new housing nearly six years after initial occupation. The strong partnership approach overcame a series of political and financial hurdles at various stages of the relocation project. The story of resettling Kamgar Putala is detailed alongside an outline of the current political climate for an alternative slum-upgrading policy in India and Pune. The advantages of an empowered community supported by an influential local NGO demonstrate a commendable team effort which has tackled the threat of floods. The paper highlights the merits of a community-led partnership approach to housing development for achieving sustainable urban development as well as the alleviation of poverty in a developing context. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

用宽频带远震体波波形研究中国及邻近地区地壳构造及地质意义初探

The theory and approach of the broadband teleseismic body waveform inversion are expatiated in this paper, and the defining the crust structure's methods are developed. Based on the teleseismic P-wave data, the theoretic image of the P-wave radical component is calculated via the convolution of the teleseismic P-wave vertical component and the transform function, and thereby a P-wavefrom inversion method is built. The applied results show the approach effective, stable and its resolution high. The exact and reliable teleseismic P waveforms recorded by CDSN and IRIS and its geodynamics are utilized to obtain China and its vicinage lithospheric transfer functions, this region ithospheric structure is inverted through the inversion of reliable transfer functions, the new knowledge about the deep structure of China and its vicinage is obtained, and the reliable seismological evidence is provided to reveal the geodynamic evolution processes and set up the continental collisional theory. The major studies are as follows: Two important methods to study crustal and upper mantle structure -- body wave travel-time inversion and waveform modeling are reviewed systematically. Based on ray theory, travel-time inversion is characterized by simplicity, crustal and upper mantle velocity model can be obtained by using 1-D travel-time inversion preliminary, which introduces the reference model for studying focal location, focal mechanism, and fine structure of crustal and upper mantle. The large-scale lateral inhomogeneity of crustal and upper mantle can be obtained by three-dimensional t ravel-time seismic tomography. Based on elastic dynamics, through the fitting between theoretical seismogram and observed seismogram, waveform modeling can interpret the detail waveform and further uncover one-dimensional fine structure and lateral variation of crustal and upper mantle, especially the media characteristics of singular zones of ray. Whatever travel-time inversion and waveform modeling is supposed under certain approximate conditions, with respective advantages and disadvantages, and provide convincing structure information for elucidating physical and chemical features and geodynamic processes of crustal and upper mantle. Because the direct wave, surface wave, and refraction wave have lower resolution in investigating seismic velocity transitional zone, which is inadequate to study seismic discontinuities. On the contrary, both the converse and reflected wave, which sample the discontinuities directly, must be carefully picked up from seismogram to constrain the velocity transitional zones. Not only can the converse wave and reflected wave study the crustal structure, but also investigate the upper mantle discontinuities. There are a number of global and regional seismic discontinuities in the crustal and upper mantle, which plays a significant role in understanding physical and chemical properties and geodynamic processes of crustal and upper mantle. The broadband teleseismic P waveform inversion is studied particularly. The teleseismic P waveforms contain a lot of information related to source time function, near-source structure, propagation effect through the mantle, receiver structure, and instrument response, receiver function is isolated form teleseismic P waveform through the vector rotation of horizontal components into ray direction and the deconvolution of vertical component from the radial and tangential components of ground motion, the resulting time series is dominated by local receiver structure effect, and is hardly irrelevant to source and deep mantle effects. Receiver function is horizontal response, which eliminate multiple P wave reflection and retain direct wave and P-S converted waves, and is sensitive to the vertical variation of S wave velocity. Velocity structure beneath a seismic station has different response to radial and vertical component of an accident teleseismic P wave. To avoid the limits caused by a simplified assumption on the vertical response, the receiver function method is mended. In the frequency domain, the transfer function is showed by the ratio of radical response and vertical response of the media to P wave. In the time domain, the radial synthetic waveform can be obtained by the convolution of the transfer function with the vertical wave. In order to overcome the numerical instability, generalized reflection and transmission coefficient matrix method is applied to calculate the synthetic waveform so that all multi-reflection and phase conversion response can be included. A new inversion method, VFSA-LM method, is used in this study, which successfully combines very fast simulated annealing method (VFSA) with damped least square inversion method (LM). Synthetic waveform inversion test confirms its effectiveness and efficiency. Broadband teleseismic P waveform inversion is applied in lithospheric velocity study of China and its vicinage. According to the data of high quality CDSN and IRIS, we obtained an outline map showing the distribution of Asian continental crustal thickness. Based on these results gained, the features of distribution of the crustal thickness and outline of crustal structure under the Asian continent have been analyzed and studied. Finally, this paper advances the principal characteristics of the Asian continental crust. There exist four vast areas of relatively minor variations in the crustal thickness, namely, northern, eastern southern and central areas of Asian crust. As a byproduct, the earthquake location is discussed, Which is a basic issue in seismology. Because of the strong trade-off between the assumed initial time and focal depth and the nonlinear of the inversion problems, this issue is not settled at all. Aimed at the problem, a new earthquake location method named SAMS method is presented, In which, the objective function is the absolute value of the remnants of travel times together with the arrival times and use the Fast Simulated Annealing method is used to inverse. Applied in the Chi-Chi event relocation of Taiwan occurred on Sep 21, 2000, the results show that the SAMS method not only can reduce the effects of the trade-off between the initial time and focal depth, but can get better stability and resolving power. At the end of the paper, the inverse Q filtering method for compensating attenuation and frequency dispersion used in the seismic section of depth domain is discussed. According to the forward and inverse results of synthesized seismic records, our Q filtrating operator of the depth domain is consistent with the seismic laws in the absorbing media, which not only considers the effect of the media absorbing of the waves, but also fits the deformation laws, namely the frequency dispersion of the body wave. Two post stacked profiles about 60KM, a neritic area of China processed, the result shows that after the forward Q filtering of the depth domain, the wide of the wavelet of the middle and deep layers is compressed, the resolution and signal noise ratio are enhanced, and the primary sharp and energy distribution of the profile are retained.

环渤海地区地壳和上地幔地震层析成像研究

In Circum-Bohai region (112°~124°E, 34°~42°N ), there exists rich gas-petroleum while inner-plate seismic activity is robust. Although the tectonic structure of this region is very complicated, plenty of geological, geophysical and geochemical researches have been carried out.In this paper, guided by the ideas of "One, Two, Three and Many" and "The depth controls the shallow, the regional constrains the local", I fully take advantage of previous results so as to establish a general image of this region. After collecting the arrival-time of P-wave phases of local events and tele-seismic events recorded by the stations within this region from 1966 to 2004, I process all these data and build an initial model. Then, a tomography image of crust and upper-mantle of this region is obtained. With reference to previous results, we compare the image of various depths and five cross-profiles traverse this region along different direction. And finally, a discussion and conclusion is made.The principle contents is listed as below: 1) in the first chapter, the purpose and meaning of this thesis, the advance in seismic tomography, and the research contents and blue-print is stated; 2) in the second chapter, I introduce the regional geological setting of Circum-Bohai region, describe the tectonic and evolutionary characteristics of principle tectonic units, including Bohai Bay Basin, Yanshan Fold Zone, Taihangshan Uplifted Zone, Jiao-Niao Uplifted Zone and Luxi Uplifted Zone, and primary deep faults; 3) In the third chapter, the previous geophysical researches, i.e., gravity and geomagnetic characters, geothermal flow, seismic activity, physical character of rocks, deep seismic sounding, and previous seismic tomography, are discussed; 4) in the fourth chapter, the fundamental theory and approach of seismic tomography is introduced; 5) in the fifth chapter, the technology and approaches used in this thesis, including collecting and pre-processing of data, the establishment of initial velocity model and relocation of all events; 6) in the sixth chapter, I discuss and analyze the tomography image of various depth and five cross-sections; 7)in the seventh chapter, I make a conclusion of the results, state the existing problems and possible solutions.

三峡库区滑坡的时空分布、成因及其预报模式

Landslides are widely distributed along the main stream banks of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Especially with the acceleration of the human economic activities in the recent 30 years, the occurrence of landslide hazards in the local area trends to be more serious. Because of the special geological, topographic and climatic conditions of the Three Gorges areas, many Paleo-landslides are found along the gentle slope terrain of the population relocation sites. Under the natural condition, the Paleo-landslides usually keep stable. The Paleo-landslides might revive while they are influenced under the strong rainfall, water storage and migration engineering disturbance. Therefore, the prediction and prevention of landslide hazards have become the important problem involving with the safety of migration engineering of the Three Gorges Reservoir area.The past research on the landslides of the Three Gorges area is mainly concentrated on the stability analysis of individual landslide, and importance was little attached to the knowledge on the geological environment background of the formation of regional landslides. So, the relationship between distribution and evolution of landslides and globe dynamic processes was very scarce in the past research. With further study, it becomes difficult to explain the reasons for the magnitude and frequency of major geological hazards in terms of single endogenic or exogenic processes. It is possible to resolve the causes of major landslides in the Three Gorges area through the systematic research of regional tectonics and river evolution history.In present paper, based on the view of coupling of earth's endogenic and exogenic processes, the author researches the temporal and spacial distribution and formation evolution of major landslides(Volume^lOOX 104m3) in the Three Gorges Reservoir area through integration of first-hand sources statistics, .geological evolution history, isotope dating and numerical simulation method etc. And considering the main formation factors of landslides (topography, geology and rainfall condition), the author discusses the occurrence probability and prediction model of rainfall induced landslides.The distribution and magnitude of Paleo-landslides in the Three Gorges area is mainly controlled by lithology, geological structure, bank slope shape and geostress field etc. The major Paleo-landslides are concentrated on the periods 2.7-15.0 X 104aB.R, which conrresponds to the warm and wettest Paleoclimate stages. In the same time, the Three Gorges area experiences with the quickest crust uplift phase since 15.0X 104aB.P. It is indicated that the dynamic factor of polyphase major Paleo-landslides is the coupling processes of neotectonic movement and Quaternary climate changes. Based on the numerical simulation results of the formation evolution of Baota landslide, the quick crust uplift makes the deep river incision and the geostress relief causes the rock body of banks flexible. Under the strong rainfall condition, the pore-water pressure resulted from rain penetration and high flood level can have the shear strength of weak structural plane decrease to a great degree. Therefore, the bank slope is easy to slide at the slope bottom where shear stress concentrates. Finally, it forms the composite draught-traction type landslide of dip stratified rocks.The susceptibility idea for the rainfall induced landslide is put forward in this paper and the degree of susceptibility is graded in terms of the topography and geological conditions of landslides. Base on the integration with geological environment factors and rainfall condition, the author gives a new probabilistic prediction model for rainfall induced landslides. As an example from Chongqing City of the Three Gorges area, selecting the 5 factors of topography, lithology combination, slope shape, rock structure and hydrogeology and 21 kinds of status as prediction variables, the susceptibility zonation is carried out by information methods. The prediction criterion of landslides is established by two factors: the maximum 24 hour rainfall and the antecedent effective precipitation of 15 days. The new prediction model is possible to actualize the real-time regional landslide prediction and improve accuracy of landslide forecast.

Postcolonial futures: postcolonial literature and the Obama moment

Since the late 1970s the western academy has encouraged the development of postcolonial literary theory and the formulation of a postcolonial literary canon existing outside the prescriptive narratives of the ‘mother’ country and empire. Having lost faith in the binary oppositions underpinning such narratives, we turned to alternative fictions that contested the construction of the ‘other’, the world divided between the ‘West and the Rest’. The publication of Edward Said’s Orientalism in 1978 marked the beginning of the discipline now known as postcolonial studies with its new ways of understanding ‘the west’s’ relationship with ‘the east’ and, by extension, all the former colonies of empire. Despite these radical origins, however, postcolonialism’s more recent emphasis on the psychological and its affirmation of the hybrid text and self has, for many, served to obscure real economic social realities that have very little to do with the magical or wondrous textual expression of a postcolonial identity. This paper considers problems associated with defining the postcolonial and proposes that, in a literary context, we broaden its meaning to include texts traditionally outside the category of postcolonial literature. To extend the meaning of postcolonial is timely as we are now witnessing its relocation from ‘margin’ to ‘centre’ with the election of Barack Obama. This moment may be seen as a disruption of conventional understandings of what constitutes postcolonial literature, essentially as oppositional discourse that could only define itself as peripheral to, or ‘post’, metropolitan and economic concerns. [From the Author]

Verstetigung und Verbreitung von E-Learning im Verbundstudium. Onlinebefragung als Promotor und Instrument zur Einbeziehung der Lehrenden bei der Entwicklung und Umsetzung

Das Verbundstudium der nordrhein-westfälischen Fachhochschulen bietet über 3000 Studierenden die Möglichkeit, in einer Kombination von Präsenz- und Selbststudium neben dem Beruf zu studieren. Das Institut für Verbundstudien koordiniert und organisiert die Kooperationsprozesse der Hochschulen und engagiert sich mit seinem Bereich Hochschuldidaktik und Fernstudienentwicklung als Entwicklungs- und Kompetenzzentrum im Bereich der Neuen Medien und des E-Learnings. Zur Verbreitung und Verstetigung der digitalen Lehr- und Lernangebote sowie der Optimierung der Kooperations- und Supportstrukturen hat das Institut eine Onlinebefragung von 200 Lehrenden zur Situation und den Perspektiven des E-Learnings im Verbundstudium durchgeführt. Die Studie zeigt, dass für die Lehrenden auch zukünftig die gedruckte Lerneinheit das zentrale Element der Lehre sein wird. Sie sehen Bedarf zur Ergänzung und Anreicherung des Studiums sowie des Lernens und wünschen sich zur Unterstützung der Lehre ergänzende digitale Elemente vor allem in folgenden Bereichen: Kommunikation, Ergänzungen zu Lerneinheiten (Linklisten, Übungen, ergänzende Medien und Materialien), übergreifendes Glossar. Die Ergebnisse der Onlinebefragung sind die Grundlage des von den Gremien des Verbundstudiums beschlossenen E-Learning-Konzepts. Die von den Lehrenden gewünschten digitalen Elemente und Funktionen sind im Rahmen der Entwicklung durch den Bereich Hochschuldidaktik und Fernstudienentwicklung in der E-Learning-Umgebung VS-online umgesetzt worden. Zurzeit werden die bereitgestellten Elemente und Funktionen von den einzelnen Verbundstudiengängen mit Beiträgen und Inhalten gefüllt. (DIPF/Orig.)

THE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AN INNER ACROSOMAL MEMBRANE ASSOCIATED PROTEIN, IAM38, RESPONSIBLE FOR SECONDARY SPERM-ZONA BINDING DURING FERTILIZATION

During mammalian fertilization, the exposure of the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) after acrosomal exocytosis is essential for the secondary binding between sperm and zona pellucida (ZP) of the oocyte, a prerequisite for sperm penetration through the ZP. The identification of the sperm protein(s) responsible for secondary binding has posed a challenge for researchers. We were able to isolate a sperm head fraction in which the IAM was exposed. Attached to the IAM was an electon dense layer, which we termed the IAM extracellular coat (IAMC). The IAMC was also observable in acrosome reacted sperm. High salt extraction removed the IAMC including a prominent 38 kDa polypeptide, referred to as IAM38. Antibodies raised against IAM38 confirmed its presence in the IAMC of intact, sonicated, and acrosome-reacted sperm. Sequencing of IAM38 revealed it as the ortholog of porcine SP38, a protein that was found to bind specifically to ZP2 but whose intra-acrosomal location was not known. We showed that IAM38 occupied the leading edge of sperm contact with the zona pellucida during fertilization, and that secondary binding and fertilization were inhibited in vitro by antibodies directed against IAM38. As for the mechanism of secondary sperm-zona binding by IAM38, we provided evidence that the synthetic peptide derived from the ZP2-binding motif of IAM38 had a competitive inhibitory effect on both sperm-zona binding and fertilization while its mutant form was ineffective. In summary, our study provides a novel approach to obtain direct information on the peripheral and integral protein composition of the IAM and consolidates IAM38 as a genuine secondary sperm-zona binding protein. In addition, our investigation also provides an ultrastructural description of the origin, expression and assembly of IAM38 during spermatogenesis. It shows that IAM38 is originally secreted by the Golgi apparatus as part of the dense contents of the proacrosomic granules but later, during acrosome capping phase of spermiogenesis, is redistributed to the inner periphery of the acrosomal membrane. This relocation occurs at the time of acrosomal compaction, an obligatory structural change that fails to occur in Zpbp1-/- knockout mice, which do not express IAM38 and are infertile.

Complex weathering in drylands: implications of 'stress' history for rock debris breakdown and sediment release

Weathering studies have often sought to explain features in terms of a prevailing set of environmental conditions. However, it is clear that in most present-day hot desert regions, the surface rock debris has been exposed to a range of weathering environments and processes. These different weathering conditions can arise in two ways, either from the effects of long-term climate change acting on debris that remains relatively static within the landscape or through the spatial relocation of debris from high to low altitude. Consequently, each fragment of rock may contain a unique weathering-related legacy of damage and alteration — a legacy that may greatly influence its response to present-day weathering activity. Experiments are described in which blocks of limestone, sandstone, granite and basalt are given ‘stress histories’ by subjecting them to varying numbers of heating and freezing cycles as a form of pre-treatment. These imposed stress histories act as proxies for a weathering history. Some blocks were used in a laboratory salt weathering simulation study while others underwent a 2 year field exposure trial at high, mid and low altitude sites in Death Valley, California. Weight loss and ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements suggest that blocks with stress histories deteriorate more rapidly than unstressed samples of the same rock type exposed to the same environmental conditions. Laboratory data also indicate that the result of imposing a known ‘weathering history’ on samples by pre-stressing them is an increase in the amount of fine sediment released during salt weathering over a given period of time in comparison to unstressed samples.

Cooperativism, entrepreneurship and economic development: a linking theoretical model

Cooperatives, as a kind of firms, are considered by many scholars as an remarkable alternative for overcoming the economic crisis started in 2008. Besides, there are other scholars which pointed out the important role that these firms play in the regional economic development. Nevertheless, when one examines the economic literature on cooperatives, it is detected that this kind of firms is mainly studied starting from the point of view of their own characteristics and particularities of participation and solidarity. In this sense, following a different analysis framework, this article proposes a theoretical model in order to explain the behavior of cooperatives based on the entrepreneurship theory with the aim of increasing the knowledge about this kind of firms and, more specifically, their contribution to regional economic development.

La parroquia de San Miguel de Sagra y San Gil de Madrid en el siglo XVI. Aportaciones documentales

Una serie de documentos inéditos relativos a la antigua parroquia de San Miguel de Sagra y San Gil, localizada muy próxima a la entrada principal del Alcázar de Madrid, así como su posterior derribo y traslado en 1548 con nuevo edificio en el lado suroriental del Palacio, permite profundizar en un proyecto urbano largo tiempo madurado y culminado en la conformación de un espacio abierto y regularizado, emblemático y representativo, que resultó ser la plaza situada frente a la portada principal del Alcázar.

An analysis of geometric uncertainty calculations for prostate radiotherapy in clinical practice.

Margins are used in radiotherapy to assist in the calculation of planning target volumes. These margins can be determined by analysing the geometric uncertainties inherent to the radiotherapy planning and delivery process. An important part of this process is the study of electronic portal images collected throughout the course of treatment. Set-up uncertainties were determined for prostate radiotherapy treatments at our previous site and the new purpose-built centre, with margins determined using a number of different methods. In addition, the potential effect of reducing the action level from 5 mm to 3 mm for changing a patient set-up, based on off-line bony anatomy-based portal image analysis, was studied. Margins generated using different methodologies were comparable. It was found that set-up errors were reduced following relocation to the new centre. Although a significant increase in the number of corrections to a patient's set-up was predicted if the action level was reduced from 5 mm to 3 mm, minimal reduction in patient set-up uncertainties would be seen as a consequence. Prescriptive geometric uncertainty analysis not only supports calculation and justification of the margins used clinically to generate planning target volumes, but may also best be used to monitor trends in clinical practice or audit changes introduced by new equipment, technology or practice. Simulations on existing data showed that a 3 mm rather than a 5 mm action level during off-line, bony anatomy-based portal imaging would have had a minimal benefit for the patients studied in this work.

The pitfall with PIT tags: Marking freshwater bivalves for translocation induces short-term behavioural costs

Tagging animals is frequently employed in ecological studies to monitor individual behaviour, for example postrelease survival and dispersal of captive-bred animals used in conservation programmes. While the majority of studies focus on the efficacy of tags in facilitating the relocation and identification of individuals, few assess the direct effects of tagging in biasing animal behaviour. We used an experimental approach with a control to differentiate the effects of handling and tagging captive-bred juvenile freshwater pearl mussels, Margaritifera margaritifera, prior to release into the wild. Marking individuals with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags significantly decreased their burrowing rate and, therefore, increased the time taken to burrow into the substrate. This effect was contributed to, in part, by the detrimental impacts of handling, which also significantly affected activity, burrowing ability and the time taken for each individual to emerge and start probing the substrate. Disturbance during handling and tagging may lead to indirect mortality after release by increasing the risk of predation or dislodgement during flooding, thereby potentially compromising any conservation strategy contingent on population supplementation or reintroduction. This is the first study to demonstrate that handling and PIT tagging has a detrimental impact on invertebrate behaviour. Moreover, our results provide useful information that will inform freshwater bivalve conservation strategies.