The Expansion of Early Buddhism in Yunnan: The Grottoes of Shibaoshan

The expansion of Buddhism from India into China followed several different routes, one of which was the Southern Silk Road. The cosmopolitan nature of this crossroads between India, the Tubo Empire of Tibet, the Nanzhao Kingdom in the Erhai region, and the Tang dynasty in China greatly impacted the types of Buddhist sites constructed during this time period. Buddhism also took on new characteristics from the local ethnic groups in the Erhai region, particularly the Bai ethnic minority. The grottoes of Shibaoshan are one of these early Buddhist sites in Yunnan that reflect the integration of traditional Indian and Tibetan themes, foreign presences in Yunnan, and local Bai beliefs. This paper also looks at how Buddhism has been integrated with local beliefs through stories and briefly touches on its role in Bai religious ceremonies today

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationTraditional colloidal filtration theory (CFT) predicts zero attachment when repulsion exists between colloid and filtering media (collector). Notably, repulsion is prevalent in environmental systems, e.g., riverbank filtration, and is manifested as energy barriers to attachment due to electro osmotic interactions between surfaces of the same charge. A mechanistic particle trajectory model that incorporates discrete nanoscale attractive zones (heterodomains) to account for attachment under bulk repulsive colloid-collector interactions was developed and tested against an array of direct observation experiments conducted in an impinging jet system. Retention of 0.25 to 1.95 m colloids on soda-lime glass slides was examined for 6 and 20 mM ionic strengths (IS) and average jet velocities of 1.7x10-3 to 5.94x10-3 ms-1 (equivalent pore water velocity of 1.9 and 8.2 mday-1, respectively) in order to characterize the heterodomain size distribution and surface coverage. Simulations indicate that a power law distribution of 60 and 120 nm radii heterodomains (4:1 number ratio) and 0.04% surface coverage is able to quantitatively capture observed retention across all conditions examined. Furthermore, the same heterogeneity characteristics were able to capture qualitative trends of release of colloids deposited in contact with heterodomains in response to perturbations in flow and IS relative to the loading condition, i.e., factor 25 increase in jet velocity or factor 20 decrease in IS. Finally, a correlation equation was developed to incorporate the mechanistic basis provided from the discrete heterogeneity model and calibrated from the array of experiments. The equation is a function of the colloidal number, which captures the main characteristics of the energy barrier, and the fraction of colloids that persist in the near surface fluid domain (secondary minimum) obtained from a Maxwell distribution of kinetic energies. Notably, the proposed correlation equation captures scores of experiments reported in the literature for a broad range of conditions for colloid sizes ranging from 0.06 to 3.1 m, IS from 0.1 to 300 mM, and average pore water velocities from 4 to 588 mday-1on soda-lime glass beads. The main coefficient of the correlation equation is a linear function heterodomain surface coverage, indicating that different coefficients may capture filtration across different aquifer-relevant minerals

Augmented Active-Bending Formwork for Concrete, A Manufacturing Technique for Accessible Local Construction of Structural Systems

This research introduces Augmented Reality (AR) for manufacturing concrete structures through an open platform for autonomous construction. The study was developed under the following scopes: computational algorithms for bending simulations, materiality tests, system implementation, and a set of Augmented Reality (AR) tools. AR devices offer a technological tool that allows for a self-built environment through holographic guidance, allowing the untrained workforce to participate in the process. This technology can help users select the system to construct through an Open-Source platform, reducing the gap between complex computational geometries and construction processes. The research aims to investigate a building system that could benefit the UN Objectives SDG 10 by increasing the access to technology in undeveloped communities, SDG 11 and SDG 12 by promoting a self-sustainable method of construction based on local resources and material efficiency. In conjunction with the development of the AR Platform and augmented manufacturing, a 1:1 prototype was built in Quito, Ecuador, with the help of seven people with no previous knowledge of digital tools or construction. Presenting a novel, fast, and affordable concrete formwork connected with AR assisted assembly methods that facilitate access to more efficient and advanced building technology

Multiple symptoms of total ozone recovery inside the Antarctic vortex during austral spring

The long-term evolution of total ozone column inside the Antarctic polar vortex is investigated over the 1980-2016 period. Trend analyses are performed using a multilinear regression (MLR) model based on various proxies (heat flux, QBO, solar flux, AAO and aerosols). Annual total ozone column corresponding to the mean monthly values inside the vortex in September and during the period of maximum ozone depletion from September 15th to October 15th are used. Total ozone columns from combined TOMS-N7, SBUV-N9, TOMS-EP and OMI-TOMS satellite datasets and the Multi-Sensor Reanalysis (MRS-2) dataset are considered in the study. Ozone trends are computed by a piecewise trend model (PWT) before and after the turnaround in 2001. In order to evaluate total ozone within the vortex, two classification methods are used, based on the potential vorticity gradient as a function of equivalent latitude. The first standard one, considers this gradient at a single isentropic level (475K or 550K), while the second one uses a range of isentropic levels between 400K and 600K. The regression model includes a new proxy that represents the stability of the vortex during the studied month period. The determination coefficient (R2) between observations and modeled values increases by ~0.05 when this proxy is included in the MLR model. The higher R2 (0.93-0.95) and the minimum residuals are found for the second classification method in the case of both datasets and months periods. Trends in September are statistically significant at 2 sigma level with values ranging between 1.85 and 2.67 DU yr-1 depending on the methods and data sets. This result confirms the recent studies of Antarctic ozone healing during that month. Trends after 2001 are 2 to 3 times lower than before the turnaround year as expected from the response to the slowly ODS decrease in Polar regions.Estimated trends in the 15Sept-15Oct period are smaller than in September. They vary from 1.15 to 1.78 DU yr-1 and are hardly significant at 2 level. Ozone recovery is also confirmed by a steady decrease of the relative area of total ozone values lower than 150 DU within the vortex in the 15Sept-15Oct period since 2010. Comparison of the evolution of the ozone hole area in September and October show a decrease in September, confirming the later formation of the ozone hole during that month.Fil: Pazmino, Andrea. Universidad Paris Saclay; FranciaFil: Godin Beekmann, Sophie. Universidad Paris Saclay; FranciaFil: Hauchecorne, Alain. Universidad Paris Saclay; FranciaFil: Claud, Chantal. Ecole Polytechnique; FranciaFil: Khaykin, Sergey. Universidad Paris Saclay; FranciaFil: Goutail, Florence. Universidad Paris Saclay; FranciaFil: Wolfram, Elian Augusto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa. Centro de Investigación en Láseres y Aplicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa; ArgentinaFil: Salvador, Jacobo Omar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa. Centro de Investigación en Láseres y Aplicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa; Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; ArgentinaFil: Quel, Eduardo Jaime. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa. Centro de Investigación en Láseres y Aplicaciones; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentin

Design for Waste Management at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Este artigo apresenta o resultado da ação do projeto de extensão cujo objetivo era desenvolver ações por meio do Design para a Gestão de Resíduos da UFSC e do NDI Núcleo de Desenvolvimento Infantil. Atendendo a demanda da universidade que conforme previsto na Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS), Lei 12.305 de 2010, está sujeita à elaboração do Plano de Gerenciamento de Resíduos Sólidos (PGRS), pois a composição, natureza e volume de seus resíduos sólidos gerados diferem dos resíduos domiciliares de responsabilidade do Poder Público. O artigo mostra que por meio do envolvimento de alunos bolsistas, alunos voluntários e alunos da disciplina de metodologia de projeto do curso de Design e Design de Produto, foram projetados e produzidos diversos objetos: desde coletores binários para a área externa do campus, jogos para sensibilizar pessoas em relação ao descarte adequado, material para valorização dos catadores e material para auxiliar na educação ambiental do NDIThis article presents the result of the action of the extension project whose objective was to develop actions through Design for Waste Management at UFSC and NDI Núcleo de Desenvolvimento Infantil. Meeting the demand of the university which, as provided for in the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), Law 12,305 of 2010, is subject to the preparation of the Solid Waste Management Plan (PGRS), because the composition, nature and volume of its solid waste generated differs from household waste under the responsibility of the government. The article shows that through the involvement of scholarship students, volunteer students and students of the project methodology discipline, various objects were designed and produced: from binary bins for the external area of the campus, games to sensitize people in relation to proper disposal, material for valuing waste pickers and material to assist in the environmental education of ND

Towards a portable mid-infrared tool for analysis of mosquito vectors of malaria

Mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) has emerged as a potential tool to predict species, age and infection in the Anopheles malaria mosquitoes as well as in other disease vectors. The main advantages of optical methods in general are their speed, little or no sample preparation, label-free, lower cost and already established protocols and analysis pipelines. New rapid, low cost, high-throughput tools for vector surveillance are urgently needed to develop and optimise new vector control strategies, as vector borne diseases (VBD) are spreading around the globe due to climate change and globalisation, and endemic countries are suffering resurgence of malaria cases following weakening of control tools. However, the current commercially available FTIR spectrometers have limitations. They are expensive, bulky and low power that hider its implementation in the field. Quantum cascade lasers (QCL) have become an alternative to FTIR light sources due to their unique characteristics (i.e. coherence, high power in a smaller spot size, small chip size), which allows easier implementation for the field due to its lower cost, practicality, and accuracy. These characteristics can expand the possibilities to develop new ways to measure spectral information from disease vectors. This thesis is aimed at developing a QCL-based spectrometer, understanding the most informative infrared region for VBD surveillance and the use of legs for surveillance and prediction of key traits from mosquitoes using MIRS. In this project, micro-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (µDRIFT) was used on mosquito legs to predict age, species and cuticular insecticide resistance. Indeed, spectra from legs led to high accuracy ML models for age prediction (overall model accuracy: 77.1% (± 6.5%) with a mean accuracy of 82% for 3 days old and 74% for 10 days old) and moderate accuracy for species identification (overall model accuracy: 69.1% (± 7.9%) with a mean accuracy of 68% for An. gambiae and 71% for An. coluzzii). Finally, cuticular resistance in three strains of Anopheles mosquitoes was identified with high accuracy when grouped into susceptible and resistant classes (overall model accuracy: 71.3% (± 8%) with a mean accuracy of 73% for susceptible and 71% for resistant class). However, these preliminary findings need to further be confirming by ruling out confounding factors such as the use of different strains of Anopheles by using a single strain with various degrees of insecticide resistant. I found that Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and can be used for high accuracy prediction between An. gambiae and An. coluzzii when tested on laboratory samples from the same origin (mean accuracy: 87%). However, species prediction decreases when the model is tested on samples from different laboratories (mean accuracy: 62%) and in semi-field samples (mean accuracy: 46.5%). For age prediction, PLS regression was able to predict different group ages (3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15 days old) when tested with laboratory samples from the same origin (R2 = 0.68, RMSE = 2.24) and with samples from other laboratories (R2 = 0.78, RMSE = 1.89). Nevertheless, the model cannot predict the age of semi-field samples (R2= -1.84, RMSE = 7.99). Also, I found narrower spectral windows of ≈ 300 cm−1 in length located on the Amide I and Amide II region are sufficient to predict mosquito species using machine learning (accuracy from 88% to 98%). This can help for a more efficient way of collecting spectral data. Future work should focus on how to improve model calibration by adding samples with diverse origin (different laboratories, different rearing conditions) to improve model generalisation. Finally, I have developed a QCL-based spectrometer in the range of 8-11 µm with scan speeds up to 500 Hz, with a maximum tuning rate of 400 µm/s. The system can collect spectra from polymers (polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene) and biological samples (mosquitoes) in transmission mode. When compared to commercial FTIRs, MIRS measurements of whole mosquito bodies in KBr discs through the QCL-based spectrometer were in high agreement at bands 988, 1029 and 1056 cm−1 showing that the newly developed device works in mosquitoes. This study has made the first step towards the use of QCL-based system for spectroscopy of insect disease vectors, opening new opportunities for the implementation and use of midinfrared spectroscopy for vector-borne disease surveillance

Identifying Bridge Users: the Knowledge Transfer Agents in Enterprise Collaboration Systems

In recent years enterprise collaboration systems (ECS) integrated with social network capabilities have become popular tools for supporting knowledge management (KM) strategies and organizational learning. Increased usage has resulted in higher interest in understanding and classifying the roles that ECS users adopt online. Previous research has investigated user role identification by considering: the degree of participation in an ECS, the user interactions with shared content, the user role in the ECS network, and the user KM-role observed within an interaction. Although all of these factors provide insights into ECS user engagement, they fail to fully consider the knowledge sharing perspective. In this paper, we define bridge users within the context of KM and present a framework for identifying them using semantic analysis of user-generated content. Further, we present results and observations from tests of our pipeline on the ECS of a large multinational engineering company with more than 100k users

La Interdisciplinariedad un camino para la inserción de la Sustentabilidad en cursos de Diseño de Producto

Este escrito presenta una reflexión sobre la necesidad de la práctica interdisciplinar en el campo del diseño. Por medio de una investigación documental es presentada la complejidad de la sustentabilidad en el ámbito ambiental, humano, social, cultural y tecnológico, mostrando la importancia de la interdisciplinariedad como medio de integración con disciplinas que no hacen parte del plano curricular de los cursos de diseño. El trabajo enfatiza la necesidad de integrar disciplinas como biología, ecología, química, ingeniería ambiental, sociología, antropología con el campo del diseño de producto por medio del diálogo crítico y sólido promovido por una currícula que coloque estas disciplinas como optativas u obligatorias.This writing presents a reflection on the need for interdisciplinary practice in the field of design. Through a documentary research, the complexity of sustainability in the environmental, human, social, cultural and technological fields is presented, showing the importance of interdisciplinarity as a means of integration with disciplines that are not part of the curricular plan of design courses. The work emphasizes the need to integrate disciplines such as biology, ecology, chemistry, environmental engineering, sociology, anthropology with the field of product design through critical and solid dialogue promoted by a curriculum that places these disciplines as elective or compulsory.Este texto apresenta uma reflexão sobre a necessidade da prática interdisciplinar no campo do design. Por meio de uma pesquisa documental, é apresentada a complexidade da sustentabilidade nos campos ambiental, humano, social, cultural e tecnológico, mostrando a importância da interdisciplinaridade como meio de integração com disciplinas que não fazem parte do plano curricular dos cursos de design. O trabalho enfatiza a necessidade de integrar disciplinas como biologia, ecologia, química, engenharia ambiental, sociologia, antropologia com o campo do design de produto por meio de um diálogo crítico e sólido promovido por um currículo que coloque essas disciplinas como eletivas ou obrigatórias