Academic literature on the topic 'Sofa tour'

Research background: The rise of innovative (alternative) guided tours around the world and especially in Europe embody the idea of ‘glocalization’, since these tours and associated new business models (comprising both ‘free’ and paid offers) represent a global phenomenon that utilizes ‘localness’ as a major asset. Therefore, glocalization strategies of the tour providing companies are worth studying and so are the current transformations in their business models. The Bulgarian capital city of Sofia is an appropriate case study area, being recently denoted as an emerging tourist destination on the international scene, with a number of innovative city tours developed over the last years that form a particular aspect of Sofia’s urban experience. Purpose of the article: Building upon a previous study, the paper seeks to uncover glocalization strategies applied and current transformations observed in the innovative city tours of Sofia in terms of COVID-19 induced market change, product development, and delivery system adjustment. Methods: Subjected to analysis are five tour providers selected on the ground of their business models, tour content and market success. The study involves in-depth interviews with company managers and tour guides, personal observations, and information retrieved from social media and websites. Findings & Value added: The study results contribute to better understanding of how global trends are implemented in a local context and reveal the challenges triggered by the current CIVID-19 induced shift of scales from global to local in terms of markets, product development, and service organization.

Short-term international study experiences, or study tours, aim to increase students’ global awareness, educate and empower them to be productive global citizens, and contribute to their future employability. Learning outcomes from study tours often include intangible personal characteristics or soft skills, as opposed to specific disciplinary skills and knowledge, and yet, these are not easily identified. Using an iterative Delphi process, this study aimed to understand the pedagogical experience of tour leaders (experts) and assist in future development of effective assessment. Findings include four key areas of agreement among the experts: (1) both discipline-based knowledge and the acquisition of intangible personal characteristics are important learning outcomes and are considered to be almost equally important, (2) assessment almost always occurs on tour, (3) formative assessment for learning is predominantly used (rather than learning for summative assessment to test the learning), and (4) facilitated reflection is an important way to encourage learning during a study tour. Yet, the findings also reveal uncertainty about assessing outcomes that include intangible personal characteristics and soft skills. The article concludes with pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research.

Many providers in adventure travel promote organised hiking and trekking tours. Such guided tours shall be engaging for the tourists and evoke positive attitudes towards enjoying nature. We present the Trekking Engagement Profile as a tool to evaluate engagement factors of such guided tours, based on engagement research performed in a different domain, namely evaluating engagement in museums and science centres. This tool shall strengthen the guides’ soft skills and enable them to increase engagement during an ongoing arrangement. For instance, the Trekking Engagement Profile can be applied when tourists indicate that the quality of a guided tour is not entirely to their liking. We show the viability of using the Trekking Engagement Profile in a small study with guides and participants of trekking tours offered by the Norwegian Trekking Association. Further, we offer guidance and charts to promote its practical use.

In view of the events that have been taking place in recent years, tourism security issues have become a popular subject in academic research. Terrorism attacks in trendy tourism destinations have raised a significant question: how can the tourist be protected and provided with quality? The article presents an evaluation of the significance of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ security measures used in cultural tourism facilities by young tourists from Lithuania. The research showed that young tourists belong to the group of ‘courageous’ travellers, but their bravery has a limit. Young people want to travel ‘without restrictions’, feeling free, but they also want to know that someone has taken care of their safety.

Like The Magic Flute, my career has been paved by wonderful and unexpected stories played by enthusiastic and talented students, in close contact with experiments and industry. I participated in the birth of soft matter physics under the impulse of Pierre-Gilles de Gennes: polymers, liquid crystals, colloids, and wetting, which I later applied to the study of living matter. By teaching in the early days at the Institut Universitaire de Technologies d'Orsay, I came into contact with industry, which gave me the chance to collaborate with several companies: Rhône-Poulenc, Dior, Saint-Gobain, Rhodia, and Michelin. These partners have not only largely financed my research in physical chemistry but they also offered a wealth of innovative research topics. In 1996, when Professor Jacques Prost became the director of the Physico-Chimie Curie laboratory, in the Pavillon Curie built for Marie Curie, I turned to biophysics. I initiated collaborations with biologists, applying soft matter physics to the mechanics of cells and tissues. Pierre-Gilles de Gennes has been a wonderful guide throughout this scientific adventure to build my soft matter garden.

In recent years, training units in general and Tra Vinh University in particular have paid attention to forming soft skills for students. Cheerleading is a subject that helps learners acquiring the necessary skills for bringing smiles and the comfort to visitors during their trip. These are things that the travel businesses and tourists desire in delivering and using the tour services. Specialized teaching associated with developing soft skills for students helps teachers gaining more advantages in the teaching process and students are access professionalskills comfortably. Some methods for supporting the integration of soft skills in specialized subjects mentioned in the article will show the feasibility, as well as the practical benefits that this combined educational activity brings to the school, students and businesses.

On the occasion of the First World War centennial, GeoSNav Lab (Geodesy and Satellite Navigation Laboratory), Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Italy, in coooperation with Radici&amp;Futuro Association, Trieste, Italy, carried out an educational Project named “Historic Up” involving a group of students from “F. Petrarca” High School of Trieste, Italy. <br><br> The main goal of the project is to make available to students of Middle and High Schools a set of historical and cultural contents in a simple and immediate way, through the production of a virtual and interactive tour following the event that caused the burst of the First World War: the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia in Sarajevo occurred on June 28, 1914. <br><br> A set of Google Apps was used, including Google Earth, Maps, Tour Builder, Street View, Gmail, Drive, and Docs. The Authors instructed the students about software and team-working and supported them along the research. After being checked, all the historical and geographic data have been uploaded on a Google Tour Builder to create a sequence of historical checkpoints. Each checkpoint has texts, pictures and videos that connect the tour-users to 1914. Moreover, GeoSNaV Lab researchers produced a KML (Keyhole Markup Language) file, formed by several polylines and points, representing the itinerary of the funeral procession that has been superimposed on ad-hoc georeferenced historical maps. This tour, freely available online, starts with the arrival of the royals, on June 28^th 1914, and follows the couple along the events, from the assassination to the burial in Arstetten (Austria), including their passages through Trieste (Italy), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Graz and Wien (Austria).

Background: Ski touring is an outdoor sport with growing popularity in alpine countries. Information about injuries in ski touring is limited. Purpose: To determine injury rates, mechanisms, causes, and risk factors in ski touring. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Between November 2015 and May 2016, a total of 191 participants from the Alps region were prospectively tracked via personalized online questionnaires. Injury rates were calculated per 1000 hours of sports exposure. Risk factors were assessed per multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 3900 ski tours were performed, with 10,955 hours and 4,108,503 m in height ascension (uphill) recorded. The overall injury rate was 2.5 injuries per 1000 hours of ski touring. A total of 27 injury-events were reported, of which 18 (67%) were classified as mild, 7 (26%) as moderate, and 2 (7%) as severe. Hands (28%) and knees (16%) were the most commonly involved anatomic regions. Most injuries were limited to the soft tissue, such as bruises (31%) and abrasions (18%). Significantly more injuries happened during the descent (n = 17; 63%) than during the ascent (n = 6; 22%) (odds ratio, 5.96; P = .004), while poor weather conditions, icy surface, and inattentiveness were the most often reported reasons for injury. Sidecountry ski touring was identified as the only significant independent risk factor for injury ( P < .001). Conclusion: In this prospective injury surveillance study, the majority of ski touring injuries were mild and limited to the soft tissue. Ski touring injuries were more likely to happen during the descent of a tour, and sidecountry ski touring was the only significant independent risk factor for injury. Bad weather, icy surface, and inattentiveness were found to be the leading causes for an injury-event in this study.

In this study, we used correspondence analysis (Greenacre, 1984; Hoffman & Franke, 1986) to examine connections between the title sponsor, brand competitors, and consumer targets exposed to a sponsorship. Demographic characteristics and self-reported use of 20 soft drink brands were collected from 1,138 attendees of four of the five inaugural events of the Dew Action Sports Tour. The analyses consisted of decomposing the cross-tabulated data into latent dimensions and graphically portraying brands and consumer targets in joint preference maps. Results revealed that consumers differentiated the 20 soft drink brands based on two latent dimensions: energy/diet and convenience. Furthermore, based on proximity of the target market to the title sponsor in the maps, it appears that Mountain Dew has been relatively effective in positioning the brand for key target markets in only one of the four cities examined. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

On the basis of the EP1C6Q240C8 belonging to Altera Cyclone family, a GPS electronic guide alternative system was designed by SOPC technology based on Nios II soft core processor. The system is based on GPS positioning, integrated application of embedded technology, GIS, communication technology, data acquisition and analysis techniques. Besides, this system can meet the needs of independent tour guides, for example positioning, spots introduction, destination search, path selection as well as emergency communication and so on.

This essay investigates live-streamed guided tours made by Moderna Museet, so called sofa tours, streamed between February 2020­ and April 2021. The aim is to observe, describe and analyze the [Moderna Museet’s] sofa tours using a modality approach as well as relating the sofa tours to physical museum visits, using the concepts of media, mediation, remediation, immediacy and hypermediacy. The research questions concern ways of looking at art when participating in sofa tours and the differences compared to physically viewing art at the museum. In conclusion, the sofa tours made by Moderna Museet offers several alternatives to physical museum visits, not necessarily better or worse. Participants can actually modify their experience of participating in sofa tours and looking at art, for example by choosing to participate live or afterwards, with or without access to other participants comments, questions and reactions as well as choosing between using Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or the museum webpage to access the sofa tours. Comparing sofa tours to physical museum visits showed that both their principal function is to provide opportunities for people to view art together with other people, with or without the aid of a guide. However, most of the mediated space in the physical museum is unavailable to sofa tour participants. On the other hand, the sofa tour creates another set of unique mediations which do not exist in the physical museum space.

Durant l’última dècada, els materials intel·ligents han emergit com a una tendència fascinant en la ciència de materials. En aquest àmbit, els materials optomecànics tous són especialment interessants per desenvolupar dispositius de sensat i actuació innovadors gràcies a la naturalesa inalàmbrica dels sistemes òptics i la possibilitat de ser combinada amb altres tipus d’estimulació. En particular, la inclusió de nanopartícules o nanoestructures plasmòniques en substrats polimèrics tous comporta possibilitats interessants, com les característiques òptiques fàcils de modificar dels materials plasmonics i la gran elasticitat i robustesa dels materials tous. Aquesta nova classe de materials és referida en aquesta tesi com a metamaterials plasmomecànics tous. Tot i així, aquest particular camp d’estudi es relativament recent. Per aquest motiu, aquesta tesi està dedicada al desenvolupament de nous metamaterials plasmomecànics tous, portant a terme l’estudi detallat de les seves propietats òptiques i mecàniques i el seu disseny per a l’ús en aplicacions pràctiques en l’àmbit del sensat i l’actuació. Específicament, les dificultats d’implementar absorbents de llum en ampla de banda eficients en substrats flexibles o elàstics són abordades amb el desenvolupament d’un nou metamaterial basat en una capa de ferro nanoestructurat sobre una capa fina elastomèrica. Aquest nou metamaterial combina les ressonàncies plasmòniques amortides del ferro nanoestructurat amb l’absorció infraroja del PDMS per aconseguir una absorció independent de l’angle i amb un gran ample de banda. Aquest excepcional comportament òptic és explotat per a desenvolupar diversos dispositius foto-termo-mecànics inalàmbrics i innovadors. A través de l’explotació de les propietats magnètiques del ferro, el mateix metamaterial és utilitzat també per a desenvolupar un actuador inalàmbric i multi-funcional. Específicament, el control de la força i direcció de l’actuació magnètica és combinada amb la actuació lumínica, permetent condicions d’operació remotes i versàtils. A més a més, s’ha aconseguit la incorporació de la funcionalitat d’auto-sensat a través d’incloure una estructura de reixa fotònica a la part posterior de l’actuador. La resposta mecànica de l’actuador a qualsevol estímul extern es mostra com a un canvi de coloració i és quantificada en temps real a través de les imatges preses a través d’una càmera convencional. L’actuació remota i multi-estímul del dispositiu, juntament amb les seves capacitats d’auto-sensat estableixen les bases per al desenvolupament de mecanismes per a operacions en robòtica tova en ambients inaccessibles o perillosos. Finalment, s’ha demostrat el desenvolupament de la primera cavitat Fabry-Perot estirable i amplificada plasmònicament per al sensat òptic d’esforç. Aquest nou material consisteix en una matriu de “mitja-closques” d’or plasmonic auto-organitzades, les quals són auto-incrustades dins un substrat elastomèric arrugat. Aquesta morfologia dóna lloc a un comportament òptic poc convencional que pot ser afinat a través de les condicions de fabricació. El material presenta una resposta òptica intensa a l’esforç mecànic, amb sensibilitat similar a altres aproximacions basades en processos de fabricació més complexes. A més a més, presenta gran robustesa i deformabilitat, les quals permet la seva aplicació com a sensor inalàmbric d’esforç en superfícies corbades. En resum, aquesta tesi aborda diferents reptes en el desenvolupament de materials intel·ligents optomecànics tous per a diverses plataformes de sensat i actuació.
Durante la ultima década, los materiales inteligentes han emergido como una tendencia fascinante en la ciencia de materiales. En éste ámbito, los materiales optomecánicos blandos son especialmente interesantes para desarrollar dispositivos de sensado y actuación innovadores gracias a la naturaleza inalámbrica de los sistemas ópticos y la posibilidad de ser combinada con otros tipos de estimulación. En particular, la inclusión de nanopartículas o nanoestructuras plasmónicas en sustratos poliméricos blandos conlleva posibilidades interesantes, como las características ópticas fáciles de modificar de los materiales plasmónicos y la gran elasticidad y robustez de los materiales blandos. Ésta nueva clase de materiales es referida en esta tesis como a metamateriales plasmomecánicos blandos. Aún así, éste particular campo de estudio es relativamente reciente. Por éste motivo, ésta tesis está dedicada al desarrollo de nuevos metamateriales plasmomecánicos blandos, llevando a cabo el estudio detallado de sus propiedades ópticas y mecánicas y su diseño para el uso en aplicaciones prácticas en el ámbito del sensado y la actuación. Específicamente, las dificultades de implementar absorbentes lumínicos de ancho de banda amplio eficientes en sustratos flexibles o elásticos son abordadas con el desarrollo de un nuevo metamaterial basado en una capa de hierro nanoestructurado sobre una capa fina elastomèrica. Éste nuevo metamaterial combina las resonancias plasmónicas amortiguadas del hierro nanoestructurado con la absorción infrarroja del PDMS para conseguir una absorción independiente del ángulo y con un gran ancho de anda. Ése excepcional comportamiento óptico es explotado para desarrollar diferentes dispositivos foto-termo-mecánicos inalámbricos y innovadores. A través de la explotación de las propiedades magnéticas del hierro, el mismo metamaterial es utilizado para desarrollar un actuador inalámbrico y multi-funcional. Específicamente, el control de la fuerza y dirección de la actuación magnética es combinada con la actuación lumínica, permitiendo condiciones de operación remotas y versátiles. Además, se ha conseguido la incorporación de la funcionalidad de auto-sensado a través de incluir una estructura de malla fotónica en la parte posterior del actuador. La respuesta mecánica del actuador a cualquier estímulo externo se muestra como un cambio de coloración y es cuantificada en tiempo real a través de las imágenes tomadas a través de una cámara convencional. La actuación remota y multi-estímulo del dispositivo, juntamente con las capacidades de auto-sensado establecen las bases para el desarrollo de mecanismos para operaciones en robótica blanda en ambientes inaccesibles o peligrosos. Finalmente, se ha demostrado el desarrollo de la primera cavidad Fabry-Perot estirable y amplificada plasmónicamente para el sensado óptico de esfuerzo. Éste nuevo material consiste en una matriz de “media-cáscara” de oro plasmónico auto-organizadas, las cuales son auto-incrustadas dentro de un sustrato elastomérico arrugado. Ésta morfología da lugar a un comportamiento óptico poco convencional que puede ser ajustado a través delas condiciones de fabricación. El material presenta una respuesta óptica intensa al esfuerzo mecánico, con sensibilidad similar a otras aproximaciones basadas en procesos de fabricación más complejas. Además, presenta gran robustez y deformabilidad, las cuales permiten su aplicación como sensor inalámbrico de esfuerzo en superficies curvas. En resumen, ésta tesis aborda diferentes retos en el desarrollo de materiales inteligentes optomecánicos blandos para diversas plataformas de sensado y actuación.
During the last decade, smart materials have emerged as an exciting trend in materials science. Within this scope, soft optomechanical materials are especially appealing for developing innovative sensing and actuation devices due to the wireless nature of optics and the possibility to be combined with other types of stimuli. In particular, the inclusion of plasmonic nanoparticles or nanostructures into soft polymer substrates entail interesting possibilities, such as the easily-tunable optical features of plasmonic materials and large elasticity and robustness of soft materials. This new class of materials are referred as soft plasmomechanical metamaterials. However, this particular field of study is relatively recent. To that end, this thesis is dedicated to the development of new soft plasmomechanical metamaterials, bringing together the detailed study of their optical and mechanical properties with the design for their use into practical applications within the scope of sensing and actuation. Specifically, the difficulties of implementing efficient broadband light absorbers into flexible or stretchable substrates are tackled by the development of a novel metamaterial based on a nanostructured iron layer on a thin elastomer film. This new metamaterial combines the damped plasmonic resonances of the nanostructured iron with the infrared absorption of PDMS to achieve an unprecedented broadband and angle-independent light absorption in flexible materials. This exceptional optical behaviour, together with a large mismatch on the mechanical properties of both materials are exploited to develop diverse innovative untethered photo-thermo-mechanical devices. By exploiting the magnetic properties of iron, the same metamaterial is then used to develop an untethered, multi-functional actuator. Specifically, the control of the magnetic actuation strength and direction is combined with the broadband light actuation, enabling remote and versatile work operation conditions for soft-robotics applications. In addition, the incorporation of a self-sensing functionality is achieved by including a photonic grating structure at the actuator back-side, which provides structural coloration to the actuator. The mechanical response of the actuator to any external stimuli is displayed as a coloration shift and quantified in real-time by the images taken by a conventional camera. The remote and multi-stimuli actuation of the device, together with its self-sensing capabilities set the foundations for soft robotics operations in inaccessible or hazardous environments. Finally, the development of the first stretchable plasmonic-enhanced Fabry-Perot cavity is demonstrated for optical strain sensing. This new material consists on an array of self-assembled plasmonic gold semi-shells which are self-embedded into a wrinkled elastomer matrix. This peculiar morphology gives rise to unconventional optical behaviour that can be tuned by the manufacturing conditions. The material shows strong optical to mechanical strain, with similar sensitivity to other sensing approaches based in more complex fabrication processes. Furthermore, it shows large robustness and deformability, that enables its application as wireless pressure/strain sensing into curved surfaces. Overall, this thesis tackles different challenges in the development of soft smart optomechanical materials for diverse sensing and actuation platforms.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Programa de Doctorat en Ciència de Materials

L’ANR Terametadiel a pour but de concevoir, fabriquer et caractériser un dispositif à base de métamatériaux tout diélectriques fonctionnant à 10GHz et un autre, fonctionnant à 0,35THz. Le but est de démontrer l'existence d’un indice de réfraction négatif avec de tels dispositifs, en se servant de technologies céramiques de pointe pour un contrôle dimensionnel rigoureux. Les travaux de thèse ont été structurés autour des matériaux diélectriques et du procédé de fabrication additive céramique utilisé : la stéréolithographie.La stéréolithographie utilise la polymérisation UV initiée par un laser UV pour élaborer couche par couche une pièce céramique en 3D. Les taux de conversion des monomères sont évalués grâce à différentes techniques de spectroscopie qui ont été mises en places au laboratoire, et qui sont comparées (FTIR et Raman). Une deuxième partie est consacrée à la synthèse et aux caractérisations structurales, microstructurales et électriques des matériaux diélectriques d’intérêt pour la conception de métamatériaux : le SrTiO3 et le BaxSr(1-x)TiO3 (BST). Les propriétés électriques obtenues en fonction de différentes méthodes de mises en forme des échantillons sont discutées à moyenne fréquence (1kHz) et au THz pour le SrTiO3. Pour pouvoir utiliser les poudres diélectriques synthétisées avec le procédé de stéréolihtographie, nous avons dû les adapter. Plusieurs procédés d’enrobage ont été envisagés et leurs résultats sont présentés, sans réussir à apporter de modification significative de l’absorption. D'autres procédés et matériaux sont envisagés pour la suite des travaux
This work aims to design, to fabricate and to characterize all-dielectricmetamaterials relying on Mie resonance of high-permittivity ceramic resonators, to be able to control the propagation of terahertz waves. As artificial components, metameterials canexhibit electromagnetic properties that are apparently unreachable. The aim of our work is focused on two steps of the metamaterial elaboration : the synthesis of ceramic dielectric powders by co-precipitation and the construction of a three-dimensional metamaterial produced by stereolithography process. The ceramic dielectric materials must present ahigh permittivity and few losses. The dielectric ceramics SrTiO3 (ST) and BaxSr(1-x)TiO3 (BST) are identified as eventual materials for the elaboration of metamaterial. The co-precipitation via the oxalic route leads to produce a high purity ceramic powder with homogeneous particle size and composition. Stereolithography is a 3D additive manufacturing process that makes it possible the elaboration of complex architectures of ceramic parts with a high resolution, thanks to a layer by layer procedure and a local photopolymerisation of ceramic paste with a UV laser beam. The ceramic system consists in a suspension of ceramic particles in oligomers/monomers with a photoinitiator.The composition of these suspensions requires suitable rheological properties to obtain a homogenous thin film deposition, photo-reactivity properties to UV light to obtain good mechanical properties of the ceramic part after curing and high dimensional resolution

En employant de nouvelles architectures de cellules à oxyde solide (SOC - Solid Oxide Cells), il est possible d’en réduire la température de fonctionnement. L’objectif de cette thèse a donc été d’élaborer des mises en forme innovantes afin de diminuer le nombre d’étapes nécessaires à la fabrication de la cellule, permettant aussi d’en diminuer le coût : l’élaboration d’un support poreux/dense/poreux tout coulage en bande puis infiltration de catalyseurs pour l’obtention des électrodes est le procédé retenu. Le support poreux/dense/poreux a été exclusivement préparé à base de GDC10 (Ce0,9Gd0,1O2-δ) pour éviter les problèmes de réactivité entre les différentes couches. Au cours de cette thèse, deux méthodes de mises en forme ont été utilisées successivement: pressage/sérigraphie/infiltration (1) puis coulage en bande/infiltration (2). Dans chacun des cas, les paramètres de mises en forme ont été optimisés dans le but d’obtenir les meilleures performances électrochimiques. La méthode de mise à forme (1) a déjà fait l’objet d’une partie de thèse à l’ICMCB côté oxygène, mais elle a été perfectionnée côté hydrogène : couche de collectage, nature du catalyseur (NiO, CuO, cérine dopée yttrium), taux d’infiltration. Pour diminuer le nombre de cycles nécessaires et améliorer la qualité de l’imprégnation, une nouvelle technique a été employée : l’infiltration par voie supercritique. Dans le cas de la mise en forme (2), les paramètres propres à l’élaboration de la suspension (nature des additifs, nature des billes/jarre employées) et à celle des supports poreux/dense/poreux (cycles de déliantage/frittage) ont permis d’obtenir des résistances de polarisation très proches de celles obtenues grâce à la mise en forme (1), en dépit de résistances séries encore élevées sans doute en lien avec de pollutions résiduelles carbonées. Les paramètres finalement retenus sont : un dispersant de type ester phosphorique, 90% de graphite ajouté pour réaliser les squelettes poreux, un déliantage conduit à 800°C/6h sous O2 humide, et un frittage de l’ensemble à 1450°C/3h
When involving new solid oxide cells (SOCs) architectures, it’s possible to reduce their operating temperature. The objective of this thesis was therefore to develop innovative shaping processes in order to reduce the cell manufacturing steps number, also allowing to reduce their cost : the preparation of a porous/dense/porous support by tape-casting, then the infiltration of catalysts to obtain the electrodes was the chosen process. The porous/dense/porous support was only prepared with GDC10 (Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-δ) to avoid chemical reactivity issues between the various layers. During this thesis, two shaping methods were successively used: pressing/screen-printing/infiltration (1) then tape-casting/infiltration (2). In each case, the shaping parameters have been optimized in order to obtain the best electrochemical performances. The shaping method (1) was already part of a thesis topic at ICMCB regarding the oxygen side of the SOC, but it has been here improved regardin the hydrogen side: the collecting layer, the catalyst nature (NiO, CuO, yttrium doped ceria), infiltration rate. To reduce the number of required cycles and improve the impregnation quality, a new technique was used: the infiltration in supercritical medium. In the case of shaping (2), the specific parameters of the i) suspension preparation (additives nature, nature of the used balls/jar) and of the ii) porous/dense/ porous supports (debinding/sintering cycles) have made it possible to obtain polarization resistances very close to those obtained by shaping (1), despite slightly higher series resistances, probably in linkto some remaining carbon pollution. The parameters finally retained are: a phosphoric ester type dispersant, 90% of graphite added to shape the porous skeletons, a debinding performed at 800°C/6h under wet O2, and a whole sintering at 1450°C/3h

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos de três diluidores diferentes na criopreservação do sêmen bovino sobre a motilidade, hiperativação espermática, reação acrossomal, capacitação e peroxidação lipídica das membranas espermáticas. Foram realizadas seis colheitas de sêmen em intervalos quinzenais de dez touros zebuínos da raça Nelore. O sêmen in natura foi avaliado, dividido em três tratamentos: uma fração foi diluída em meio a base de gema de ovo (Botu-Bov® - diluidor 1), a segunda fração diluída em meio a base de lecitina de soja (Botu-Bov® - diluidor 2) e a terceira fração em meio AndroMed® (diluidor 3) também a base de lecitina de soja. Logo após as amostras foram submetidas à congelação. As avaliações do sêmen após descongelação consistiram na análise computadorizada das características de motilidade e nas análises pela citometria de fluxo quanto à reação acrossomal (PI/FITC-PSA/H33342); peroxidação lipídica (PI/C11-BODIPY581/591/H33342) e capacitação espermática através da estabilidade da membrana plasmática (Merocianina 540/Yo-Pro1/H33342). As variáveis foram submetidas à análise de variância e ao teste LSD para comparação das médias, ao nível de 5% de significância. O diluidor a base de gema de ovo preservou melhor a motilidade espermática, a população de células com integridade de membrana plasmática e acrossomo não reagido no sêmen bovino pós-descongelação que os diluidores a base de lecitina de soja. Os espermatozóides criopreservados com o diluidor a base de gema de ovo apresentou menor sub população de células hiperativas e com membrana plasmática desestabilizada quando comparados com os diluidores a base de lecitina de soja e o diluidor a base de gema de ovo possibilitou uma diminuição da peroxidação lipídica das membranas espermáticas
The objective of this experiment was evaluate the effects of three diferent extenders in bovine semen cryopreservation about motility, sperm hiperactivation, acrosome reaction, capacitation, and sperm membrane lipid peroxidation. It was made six collection of semen samples each 15 days of 10 Nelore bulls. Semen samples in natura was verify and divided in three treatments: The first one was extended in egg yolk base (Botu-Bov® Extender 1), second one was extended in soy lecithin base (Botu-Bov® Extender 2) and the third was extended in AndroMed® soy lecithin base too. After that, semen samples were submitted to freeze process. Semen evaluations after thawing were made with computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and flow citometry for acrosome reaction (PI/FITC-PSA/H33342), lipid peroxidation (PI/C11-BODIPY581/591/H33342) and sperm capacitation by plasma membrane stability (Merocianina 540/Yo-Pro1/H33342). Data obtained from experimental proceeding were submitted to variance analysis and LSD test to compare means with 5% of significance. Egg yolk base extender preserved better sperm motility, cell population with plasma membrane integrity and non-reacted acrosome in bovine semen after thawing than soy lecithin extenders. Cryopreserved sperm with egg yolk base extender displayed less subpopulation of hiperactivated cells, less destabilized plasma membrane and permitted a decrease of lipid peroxidation of membranes when it was compared with soy lecithin extender

This thesis deals with the production, characterization and analysis of Fe and Co based nanocrystalline and amorphous soft-ferromagnetic alloys, alloys showing ferromagnetic hysteresis cycles with low energy losses, produced by the mechanical alloying (MA) and the melt spinning (MS) techniques. The study focus firstly on nanocrystalline alloys produced by MA from commercially available pure elements in powder form and later with alloys produced by milling of amorphous alloys previously produced in ribbon by the MS. The respective structural and magnetical properties are compared, including also an study of the anisotropy induced by the presence of an external magnetic field during the cooling process in the MS cases.
Esta tesis trata sobre la producción, caracterización y análisis de aleaciones nanocristalinas y amorfas de base Fe y Co y comportamiento ferromagnético blando, aleaciones que presentan ciclos de histéresis magnética con bajas pérdidas de energía, producidos mediante la técnica del aleado mecánico (mechanical alloying o MA) y del melt spinning (MS). El análisis se centra primero en aleaciones producidas a partir de los elementos en forma de polvo de gran pureza disponibles comercialmente, de las que se discute sus características y propiedades estructurales y magnéticas, así como el proceso de producción mismo. Posteriormente se estudian también aleaciones producidas por molienda de cintas amorfas previamente producidas por solidificación rápida mediante la técnica del melt spinning (MS). Se comparan sus respectivas propiedades estructurales y magnéticas, incluyendo también un estudio de la anisotropía inducida por la presencia de campos magnéticos externos durante el proceso de enfriamiento.

La conversion de fréquence est une fonction clef présente dans divers contextes, particulièrement dans les systèmes mixtes photoniques-hyperfréquences. Aujourd’hui, la suprématie des réseaux optiques pour le transport de données à haut débit sur de grandes distances incite à l’intégration de telles fonctions dans le domaine optique afin de bénéficier des faibles pertes, larges bandes passantes, faibles poids et tailles propres aux technologies optiques. Dans ce travail, nous étudions un mélangeur tout-optique utilisant un composant SOA-MZI (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Mach-Zehnder Interferometer) et une technique d’échantillonnage permettant la conversion vers les hautes et les basses fréquences. Le principe du mélange exploite les caractéristiques spectrales d’un signal échantillonné pour lequel des répliques du signal d’origine existent à différentes autres fréquences. Utiliser une telle technique pour la conversion de fréquences offre deux avantages : la conversion vers les hautes et les basses fréquences utilise la même configuration du mélangeur et la fréquence de l’oscillateur local peut être inférieure à la gamme des fréquences visées.L’implémentation d’une telle technique d’échantillonnage nécessite un interrupteur optique contrôlé optiquement.Comme cela est montré dans ce travail, un SOA-MZI peut jouer ce rôle. Selon la phase relative entre ses bras, un interféromètre Mach-Zehnder (MZI) peut transmettre ou non un signal optique d’entrée. En plaçant un SOA dans chaque bras de la structure MZI, la modulation croisée de la phase qui existe au sein d’un SOA est mise à profit pour contrôler l’état de l’interféromètre. Contrôlé par une source impulsionnelle optique, cet interrupteur optique permet d’échantillonner un signal optique porteur de données à modulation complexe. La conversion de fréquence de signaux mono et multi-porteuses dans le domaine 0,5-39,5 GHz a été obtenue avec succès. Par utilisation d’une configuration différentielle du SOA-MZI, des conversions vers les hautes et les basses fréquences jusqu’à un débit de 1 Gb/s ont pu être réalisées
Frequency mixing is a key function existing in different systems, especially in mixed photonic-microwave ones. Today, the supremacy of optical networks to carry high bitrate data over large distances motivates the optical implementation of such functions to benefit from the low loss, high bandwidth, low size and weight of optical technologies. In this work, we study a photonic mixer based on a SOA-MZI (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Mach-Zehnder Interferometer) device and a sampling technique allowing both conversion towards high and low frequencies.The involved mixing principle exploits the spectral characteristics of a sampled signal in which replicas of the original spectrum exist at different other frequencies. Basing the frequency conversion on a sampling technique gives two advantages: the photonic mixer configuration is the same for up and down conversions, and the frequency of the local oscillator can be less than the addressed frequency range.The implementation of such a sampling technique needs an optically-controlled high-frequency optical switch. As shown in this work, a SOA-MZI can play this role. Depending on the relative phase between its arms, an interferometric structure (MZI) can transmit or cancel an optical input signal. By locating one SOA in each arm of the MZI structure, the cross-phase modulation that exists inside an SOA is exploited to optically control the optical switch state of the MZI.Controlled by an optical pulse source, this optical switch is able to sample an optical input signal carrying complexmodulated data. Frequency conversions of mono and multi-carrier signals in the range 0.5-39.5 GHz have been successfully achieved. By using a differential configuration of the SOA-MZI, both up and down conversions at bitrates up to 1 Gb/s are reached

L’amplificateur optique à semi-conducteurs (SOA) est désormais un composant multifonctiormel capable d’intégrer une liaison opto-hyperfréquence et de réaliser des fonctions tout-optiques. Dans cette étude, nous utilisons le SOA comme convertisseur de signaux hyperfréquences (HP) en exploitant la modulation croisée de son gain (XGM). Deux architectures ont été étudiées : tout d’abord le SOA a été utilisé comme mélangeur tout-optique et ensuite comme mélangeur électro-optique. Cette étude est réalisée à la fois expérimentalement sur un banc de mesures, théoriquement à partir d’équations petit-signal, et par simulation à l’aide d’un modèle développé sous le logiciel ADS-d’Agilent Technologies. Les résultats théoriques et les simulations ont été validés suite à leur confrontation aux résultats expérimentaux. Ils ont été ensuite utilisés tout au long de cette étude. Nous avons mesuré les performances statiques et dynamiques ainsi que la linéarité du mélangeur tout-optique. Le gain de conversion a été étudié en fonction des différents paramètres du mélange et nous avons montré qu’il est directement lié au gain optique du SOA et qu’il lui est toujours inférieur. L’émission spontanée amplifiée (ASE) générée par le SOA a été étudiée comme une source optique modulée participant au phénomène du mélange et le bruit de phase du signal converti a aussi été analysé. Les deux mélangeurs ont réalisé la conversion de signaux codés selon différents formats de modulation numérique complexes (QPSK, 16 et 64 QAM). Une conversion efficace avec un gain de conversion positif, sans distorsion ni dégradation significative sur les données numériques converties, a pu être réalisée, prouvant la capacité de nos mélangeurs à être insérés dans un système de communication complet
The Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) is a multifunctional device that can be integrated into a Radiofrequency-optical link and carry out all-optical functions. In this study, the SOA is used as a hyperfrequency (HP) converter based on Cross Gain Modulation (XGM). Two architectures have been studied: an SOA is firstly used as an all-optical microwave mixer and secondly as an electro-optical mixer. This study is realized both experimentally and theoretically both with small-signal modelling and a model developed under ADS software (Agilent Technologies). The theoretical results have been compared to the simulation results obtained with the aid of ADS and to the experimental results. All the obtained results are in good agreernent and the SOA model developed under ADS has been validated and uses throughout this study. We have measured the static and dynamic performances and the linearity of the all-optical mixer. The conversion gain has been studied with different parameters of the mixer and we have proved that it is directly related to the optical gain of SOA. The Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) generated by the SOA acts as an optical modulated source participing in mixing phenomenon. The phase noise of the converted signal has been also analyzed. The two mixers allow the conversion of digital signals with complex modulation formats (QPSK, 16 and 64 QAM). An effective conversion with a positive conversion gain, without significant distortion or degradation of the converted numerical data, has been found, proving the ability of our mixers to be used as a part of a complete communication system

L’objectif principal de ce travail de thèse consiste à caractériser finement les processus polarimétriques prenant place au sein d’un amplificateur optique à semiconducteurs (SOA), notamment via l’utilisation d’un montage du spectro-polarimètre basé sur le formalisme matriciel de Mueller. Cette étude spectro-polarimétrique est réalisée en fonction des conditions d’utilisation du SOA du courant d’alimentation qui permet l’amplification, de la puissance optique moyenne et de la longueur d’onde du signal que l’on désire amplifier. Les conclusions tirées de cette étude sont riches d’enseignement, et sont, d’un point de vue pratique, utilisées pour proposer plusieurs pistes pour optimiser la réalisation de fonctions tout-optiques bsées sur l’exploitation de la rotation non linéaire de polarisation (NPR)
The main objective of this thesis work is to characterize finely polarimetric processes taking place within an optical amplifier semiconductor (SOA), especially by using of a spectropolarimetric set-up based on the matrix formalism of Mueller. This spectro-polarimetric study is realized according to conditions of the use of SOA the supply current that allows to the amplification, the average optical power and wavelength of the signal that we want to amplifier it. The obtained conclusions of this study are very important to be taught, and are, a practical point of view, used to propose several ways to optimize the realization of ail-optical fiinctions based on the exploitation of the nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR)

Durant la meva tesi s’han desenvolupat tres projectes principals, centrats en l'estudi de nanosistemes basats en l'ús de nanocubs d'òxid de ferro (IONCs) per a la hipertèrmia magnètica (HM). S’ha demostrat l'ús innovador de la configuració de HM per a l'oxidació suau de nanocubs tipus core-shell Fe1-xO/Fe3-δO4 a una única fase de Fe3O4. Atès que els valors de la taxa d'absorció específica (SAR) dels nanocubs tipus core-shell wüstita/magnetita han estat menors en comparació amb els IONCs de magnetita amb una longitud d’aresta de cub similar, el nucli de FeO s’ha oxidat mitjançant estimulació MH. Després de diversos tractaments amb HM, els valors de SAR s’han duplicat, mentre que l'estabilitat col·loïdal, la distribució de mida i la forma no s’han vist afectades. Els IONCs estimulats magnèticament han mostrat un valor de magnetització de saturació més elevat, reflectint canvis estructurals i de composició, confirmats a través d'estudis de microscòpia electrònica i de dispositius superconductors d'interferència quàntica. El tractament suau amb HM també ha fet possible l'ancoratge de molècules biològicament rellevants a la superfície dels nanocubs, preservant la seva activitat i millorant alhora el rendiment tèrmic dels IONCs. Els valors de SAR de IONCs tipus core-shell també s'han millorat acoblant els nanocubs en estructures de tipus cadena. Inicialment, es va desenvolupar l'agregació controlada dels IONCs durant la seva transferència en aigua, permetent la formació d'agregats (clústers) amb formats hidrodinàmics mitjans entre 30 i 100 nm. Així mateix, s’ha avaluat la resposta d’hipertèrmia de nanocubs individuals envers de nanoclústers col·loïdals tous de diferents mides. Les estructures denominades "dímers" i "trímers"—2D formades amb dos i tres IONCs—han mostrat valors SAR més alts. S’ha aconseguit la càrrega de fàrmac en dos nanosistemes dissenyats per alliberament de fàrmac quimioterapèutic desencadenat mitjançant calor. Tots dos sistemes s’han basat en IONCs de magnetita revestits amb polímers termo-responsius carregats amb doxorubicina. L'objectiu era obtenir nanotransportadors estables a la temperatura corporal que alliberessin la càrrega exclusivament sota l'aplicació d'un camp magnètic altern (AMF). D'aquesta manera, un cop obtinguts els IONCs individuals revestits amb polímer termo-responsiu amb alts
Tres proyectos principales se desarrollaron durante mi tesis centrada en el estudio de nanosistemas basados en el uso de nanocubos de óxido de hierro (IONCs) para la hipertermia magnética (HM). Se demostró el uso novedoso de la configuración de HM para la oxidación suave de nanocubos tipo core-shell Fe1-xO/Fe3-δO4 a una única fase de Fe3O4. Dado que los valores de la tasa de absorción específica (SAR) de los nanocubos tipo core-shell wüstita/magnetita fueron menores en comparación con los IONCs de magnetita con una longitud de borde de cubo similar, el núcleo de FeO se oxidó mediante estimulación MH. Después de varios tratamientos con HM, los valores de SAR se duplicaron, mientras que la estabilidad coloidal, la distribución del tamaño y la forma no se vieron afectadas. Los IONCs estimulados magnéticamente mostraron un valor de magnetización de saturación más elevado, reflejando cambios estructurales y de composición, confirmados a través de estudios de microscopía electrónica y de dispositivos superconductores de interferencia cuántica. El tratamiento suave con HM también hizo posible el anclaje moléculas biológicamente relevantes a la superficie de los nanocubos preservando su actividad y mejorando al mismo tiempo el rendimiento térmico de los IONCs. Los valores de SAR de IONCs tipo core-shell también se han mejorado ensamblando los nanocubos en estructuras de tipo cadena. Inicialmente, se desarrolló la agregación controlada de los IONCs durante su transferencia en agua, permitiendo la formación de agregados (clusters) con tamaños hidrodinámicos medios entre 30 y 100 nm. Asimismo, se evaluó la respuesta de hipertermia de nanocubos individuales frente a nanoclusters coloidales blandos de diferentes tamaños. Las estructuras denominadas "dímeros" y "trímeros"—2D formadas con dos y tres IONCs—mostraron valores SAR más altos. Se logró la carga de fármaco en dos nanosistemas diseñados para liberación de fármaco quimioterapéutico desencadenada mediante calor. Ambos sistemas se basaron en IONCs de magnetita revestidas con polímeros termo-responsivos cargados con doxorrubicina. El objetivo era obtener nanotransportadores estables a la temperatura corporal que liberaran la carga exclusivamente bajo la aplicación de un campo magnético alterno (AMF). De este modo, una vez obtenidos los IONCs individuales revestidos con
Three main projects were conducted during my thesis that was focused on the study of nanosystems based on iron oxide nanocubes (IONCs) for magnetic hyperthermia (MH). The novel use of MH set-up for the mild oxidization of Fe1-xO/Fe3-δO4 core-shell nanocubes to single Fe3O4 phase was demonstrated. As specific absorption rate (SAR) values of wüstite/magnetite core-shell nanocubes were lower compared to magnetite IONCs of similar cube edge length, the FeO core was oxidized by MH stimulation. After several MH treatments, the SAR values increased twice, while colloidal stability, size distribution and shape remained unaffected. The magnetically stimulated IONCs showed higher saturation magnetization, reflecting structural and compositional changes, as confirmed by electron microscopy and superconductive quantum interference device studies. The mild MH treatment also opened up the possibility of attaching biologically relevant molecules to the surface of nanocubes and preserving their activity while improving the IONCs heat performance. The SAR values of core-shell IONCs were also enhanced by clustering the nanocubes in chain like structures. Initially, the controlled clustering of the IONCs during their water transfer was developed, enabling the formation of clusters with mean hydrodynamic sizes between 30 and 100 nm. The hyperthermia response of individual nanocubes vs. soft colloidal nanoclusters of different sizes was evaluated. The so called “dimers” and “trimers”—2D structures formed with two and three IONCs—showed higher SAR values. Drug loading on two nanosystems designed for heat-triggered chemotherapeutic drug release was achieved. Both systems were based on magnetite IONCs coated with thermo-responsive polymers loaded with doxorubicin. The goal was to have stable nanocarriers at body temperature that would release the cargo exclusively upon the application of an alternating magnetic field (AMF). Once individually thermo-responsive polymer coated IONCs with high SAR values were obtained, the heat-triggered doxorubicin release under AMF—at biologically relevant field conditions—was qualitatively, but not quantitatively proven.

This chapter focuses on the activities of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, first under Jay Welch and later Jerold Ottley. When Harold Lee ascended to the Mormon Presidency, he ramped up the musical forces of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He called dozens of new personnel, most of them academics, to a new Church Music Department that replaced the old Church Music Committee. Church President Spencer Kimball decided to replace Richard Condie with Welch, the conductor of the Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus. Welch agreed to direct both the Tabernacle Choir and the Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus, but he would soon be replaced by Ottley. This chapter first considers Welch's vision of Choir programming before discussing Ottley's initiatives as Choir conductor, along with the Choir's duties and achievements such as recordings, broadcasts, concerts, funerals, conferences, and international tours.

Malleable Anatomies examines the early stages of the practice of anatomical modelling. It investigates the ‘mania’ for anatomical displays that swept the Italian peninsula in the mid-eighteenth century, and traces the fashioning of anatomical models as important social, cultural, and political as well as medical tools. Anatomical models offered special insights into the inner body. Being coloured, soft, and malleable, they fostered anatomical knowledge in delightful ways. But how did anatomical models inscribe and mediate bodily knowledge? How did they change the way in which anatomical knowledge was created and communicated? And how did they affect the lives of those involved in their production, display, viewing, and handling? Examining the circumstances surrounding the making and early viewing of anatomical displays in Bologna, Naples, and Palermo, Malleable Anatomies addresses these questions by reconstructing how anatomical modelling developed at the intersection of medical knowledge, religious ritual, antiquarian and artistic cultures, and Grand Tour display. While doing so, it investigates the development of anatomical modelling in the context of the diverse visual and material practices that characterized the representation and display of the body. Drawing attention to the artisanal dimension of anatomical practice, and the role of women as both makers and users, it considers how anatomical models lay at the centre of a composite world of social interactions that led to the fashioning of modellers as anatomical celebrities. Moreover, it examines how anatomical displays transformed the proverbially gruesome practice of anatomy into an enthralling experience that engaged audiences’ senses and affects.

Visiting most, if not all, tourist destination of a country while visiting a country is an ideal plan of a tourist. In most cases if the tour is not carefully planned, it will be costly and time taking to travel between tourist destinations of a country. If we consider Ethiopia, a country which has been named as best tourism destination for 2015 by the European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT); there are many tourist destinations all over the country. The problem of determining the optimum route to visit all the tourist sites with minimum traveling time can be formulated as a travel salesman problem. In this study 17 of the famous tourist destination of Ethiopia will be selected and a travel salesman model will be formulated. Due to the NP hardness of the travel salesman problem, metaheuristic based algorithms are found to be more effective. Hence, a recently introduced swarm based metaheuristic algorithm, called prey predator algorithm will be used to deal with the formulated problem. The simulation result suggests that the best route to visit the selected destination is Addis Ababa ? Sof Omar Caves ? Bale Mountain National Park ? Abijiata-Shalla Lakes ? Netchisar National Park ? Mago National Park ? Omo National Park ? Gambella National Park ? Bahir Dar ? Lalibela ? Gonder ? Semien Mountain National Park ? Axum ? Ertale ? Yangudi Rassa National Park ? Awash National Park ? Harar ? Addis Ababa. It should be noted in some of the sites there is no direct route and hence a route through other cities is used and hence it should be recomputed in the future when a direct route between these tourist destinations is constructed.

Nanostructured magnesium coatings have the potential of enhancing the integration of implant to bone tissues due to their ability to regulate the functions of integrin, which modulates cell proliferation and differentiation. However, they are soft, ductile and have low wear resistance. These limitations prevent the practical use of Mg coatings for this application. However, application of Mg thin films in the form of nanolaminate coatings has been found to improve hardness as well as wear properties. In this study, Mg/MgO and Mg/Al2O3 nanolaminates with bilayer thicknesses (Λ) 10, 20, 40, 100, 200, 1000 nm were deposited on glass substrate using the reactive pulsed DC magnetron sputtering process. The Mg/MgO nanolaminates were developed from an Mg target. Λ was controlled by the duration of oxygen flow during the sputtering process. Values of Λ were obtained from low angle-XRD. We found that the rate of MgO deposition significantly depends on water vapor content in the chamber and that a partial base pressure of water below 10−8 Torr is required to achieve repeatable results. Structure and properties of multilayered coatings were studied by X-ray diffractometry, nanoindentation, SEM and AFM. At Λ < 100 nm, MgO and Mg have preferred orientations <200> and <002> respectively, while at higher Λ, other orientations are present in the XRD patterns. The nanoindentation results showed slightly higher hardness of Mg/MgO and Mg/Al2O3 nanolaminate coatings compared to that of pure Mg. Nanolaminates have high ductility compared to MgO and Al2O3. Nanolaminate coatings at Λ < 100 nm exhibit an improvement in the mechanical properties due to the presence of interfaces which act as barrier to dislocation movement.

This research raises as thesis the idea that Linear Park is an urban instrument capable of vertebrate the city and, consequently, of regenerate it. To this end, ten parks strategically located in big cities such as Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​or in medium or small cities such as Valencia, Castellón or Figueres, have been analyzed. Of this analysis we have deduced some characteristics that are considered key in the linear and transversal vertebration of the city, such as: - Green axis-corridor approach - Sequence of events with integration of public buildings - Continuity derived from the union of different areas - Promotion of active leisure activities, individual or collective: sports, cultural, .... - Capability of relation and regeneration of ecosystems: forest, meadow, orchard, nurseries, water, city, .... - Capability to restore environment, with reduction in CO2, in noise pollution, ... - Establish relations between the city and the territory with definition of natural parks - Contribute to prevent thermal inversion in the city - Establish a beginning and an end as recognizable elements in city. - Confrontation of opposites: static or dynamic; soft (green) or hard (pavement); unitary or fragmentary, cartesian or organic, ... The parks thus understood can be organized in diverse typologies, such us: classic order; in net; upholstery-continuos map; linear order with grooves, tapes or bands; landscaper and naturalist; ... .. The work delves into these themes by recognizing tools of interest such as: harmonic relationship; human scale; non-guided tours; sensory experimentation: spaces, sights, aromas, sounds, colorful, ...; unexpected and random; pragmatic and passionate; order within disorder; activation of spaces without hierarchies or apriorisms; flee from monotony; evocations; ... KEY WORDS: linear park, green corridor, city vertebrador, urban regeneration, sensorial experimentation, harmonious relationship, ... REFERENCES: Referred to the following urban parks: Paseo de Copacabana, 1979 Burle Max; La Vilette project 1975, León Krier; La Vilette 1981-87, Bernard Tschumi; Turia Park, 1981, Ricardo Bofill; Botanic Garden, Barcelona, ​​2002, Carlos Ferrater; Thames Barrier Park, London, 2000, Signes Group; Garden of the senses, Castellón, Del Rey-Magro; Park of the Manzanares, Madrid, Burgos-Garrido; Les Aigües Park, Figueres, Oliac-Batle; Parque Cabecera, Valencia, De Miguel-Corell-Muñoz