Upgrading a TCABR data analysis and acquisition system for remote participation using Java, XML, RCP and modern client/server communication/authentication

The TCABR data analysis and acquisition system has been upgraded to support a joint research programme using remote participation technologies. The architecture of the new system uses Java language as programming environment. Since application parameters and hardware in a joint experiment are complex with a large variability of components, requirements and specification solutions need to be flexible and modular, independent from operating system and computer architecture. To describe and organize the information on all the components and the connections among them, systems are developed using the extensible Markup Language (XML) technology. The communication between clients and servers uses remote procedure call (RPC) based on the XML (RPC-XML technology). The integration among Java language, XML and RPC-XML technologies allows to develop easily a standard data and communication access layer between users and laboratories using common software libraries and Web application. The libraries allow data retrieval using the same methods for all user laboratories in the joint collaboration, and the Web application allows a simple graphical user interface (GUI) access. The TCABR tokamak team in collaboration with the IPFN (Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa) is implementing this remote participation technologies. The first version was tested at the Joint Experiment on TCABR (TCABRJE), a Host Laboratory Experiment, organized in cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in the framework of the IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on ""Joint Research Using Small Tokamaks"". (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of mangrove forest succession, using sediment cores: a case study in the Cananéia -Iguape coastal system, São Paulo Brazil

Sediment cores are an essential tool for the analysis of the dynamics of mangrove succession. Coring was used to correlate changes in depositional environments and lateral sedimentary facies with discrete stages of forest succession at the Cananéia-Iguape Coastal System in southeastern Brazil. A local level successional pattern was examined based on four core series T1) a sediment bank; T2) a smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora bank; T3) an active mangrove progradation fringe dominated by Laguncularia racemosa, and; T4) a mature mangrove forest dominated by Avicennia schaueriana. Cores were macroscopically described in terms of color, texture, sedimentary structure and organic components. The base of all cores exhibited a similar pattern suggesting common vertical progressive changes in depositional conditions and subsequent successional colonization pattern throughout the forest. The progradation zone is an exposed bank, colonized by S. alterniflora. L. racemosa, replaces S. alterniflora as progradation takes place. As the substrate consolidates A. schaueriana replaces L. racemosa and attains the greatest structural development in the mature forest. Cores collected within the A. schaueriana dominated stand contained S. alterniflora fragments near the base, confirming that a smooth cordgrass habitat characterized the establishment and early seral stages. Cores provide a reliable approach to describe local-level successional sequences in dynamic settings subject to drivers operating on multiple temporal and spatial scales where spatial heterogeneity can lead to multiple equilibria and where similar successional end-points may be reached through convergent paths.

Scanning tunneling microscope operating as a spin diode

We theoretically investigate spin-polarized transport in a system composed of a ferromagnetic scanning-tunneling-microscope (STM) tip coupled to an adsorbed atom (adatom) on a host surface. Electrons can tunnel directly from the tip to the surface or via the adatom. Since the tip is ferromagnetic and the host surface (metal or semiconductor) is nonmagnetic we obtain a spin-diode effect when the adatom is in the regime of single occupancy. This effect leads to an unpolarized current for direct bias (V > 0) and polarized current for reverse (V < 0) bias voltages, if the tip is nearby the adatom. Within the nonequilibrium Keldysh technique we analyze the interplay between the lateral displacement of the tip and the intra adatom Coulomb interaction on the spin-diode effect. As the tip moves away from the adatom the spin-diode effect vanishes and the currents become polarized for both V > 0 and V < 0. We also find an imbalance between the up and down spin populations in the adatom, which can be tuned by the tip position and the bias. Finally, due to the presence of the adsorbate on the surface, we observe spin-resolved Friedel oscillations in the current, which reflects the oscillations in the calculated local density of states (LDOS) of the subsystem surface + adatom.

An algorithm for computerized automatic tuning of power system stabilizers

The main objective of this paper is to relieve the power system engineers from the burden of the complex and time-consuming process of power system stabilizer (PSS) tuning. To achieve this goal, the paper proposes an automatic process for computerized tuning of PSSs, which is based on an iterative process that uses a linear matrix inequality (LMI) solver to find the PSS parameters. It is shown in the paper that PSS tuning can be written as a search problem over a non-convex feasible set. The proposed algorithm solves this feasibility problem using an iterative LMI approach and a suitable initial condition, corresponding to a PSS designed for nominal operating conditions only (which is a quite simple task, since the required phase compensation is uniquely defined). Some knowledge about the PSS tuning is also incorporated in the algorithm through the specification of bounds defining the allowable PSS parameters. The application of the proposed algorithm to a benchmark test system and the nonlinear simulation of the resulting closed-loop models demonstrate the efficiency of this algorithm. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automatic tuning method for the design of supplementary damping controllers for flexible alternating current transmission system devices

The design of supplementary damping controllers to mitigate the effects of electromechanical oscillations in power systems is a highly complex and time-consuming process, which requires a significant amount of knowledge from the part of the designer. In this study, the authors propose an automatic technique that takes the burden of tuning the controller parameters away from the power engineer and places it on the computer. Unlike other approaches that do the same based on robust control theories or evolutionary computing techniques, our proposed procedure uses an optimisation algorithm that works over a formulation of the classical tuning problem in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities. Using this formulation, it is possible to apply linear matrix inequality solvers to find a solution to the tuning problem via an iterative process, with the advantage that these solvers are widely available and have well-known convergence properties. The proposed algorithm is applied to tune the parameters of supplementary controllers for thyristor controlled series capacitors placed in the New England/New York benchmark test system, aiming at the improvement of the damping factor of inter-area modes, under several different operating conditions. The results of the linear analysis are validated by non-linear simulation and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.

An RFID Bulk Cargo Supervising System

In this work, a system using active RFID tags to supervise truck bulk cargo is described. The tags are attached to the bodies of the trucks and readers are distributed in the cargo buildings and attached to weighs and the discharge platforms. PDAs with camera and support to a WiFi network are provided to the inspectors and access points are installed throughout the discharge area to allow effective confirmations of unload actions and the acquisition of pictures for future audit. Broadband radio equipments are used to establish efficient communication links between the weighs and cargo buildings which are usually located very far from each other in the field. A web application software was especially developed to enable robust communication between the equipments for efficient device management, data processing and reports generation to the operating personal. The system was deployed in a cargo station of a Brazilian seashore port. The obtained results prove the effectiveness of the proposed system.

Adaptation of an apple sooty blotch and flyspeck warning system for the Upper Midwest United States

A warning system for sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) of apple, developed in the southeastern United States, uses cumulative hours of leaf wetness duration (LWD) to predict the timing of the first appearance of signs. In the Upper Midwest United States, however, this warning system has resulted in sporadic disease control failures. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the warning system`s algorithm could be modified to provide more reliable assessment of SBFS risk. Hourly LWD, rainfall, relative humidity (RH), and temperature data were collected from orchards in Iowa, North Carolina, and Wisconsin in 2005 and 2006. Timing of the first appearance of SBFS signs was determined by weekly scouting. Preliminary analysis using scatterplots and boxplots suggested that Cumulative hours of RH >= 97% could be a useful predictor of SBFS appearance. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to compare the predictive performance of cumulative LWD and cumulative hours of RH >= 97%. Cumulative hours of RH >= 97% was a more conservative and accurate predictor than cumulative LWD for 15 site years in the Upper Midwest, but not for four site years in North Carolina. Performance of the SBFS warning system in the Upper Midwest and climatically similar regions may be improved if cumulative hours of RH >= 97% were substituted for cumulative LWD to predict the first appearance of SBFS.

New mechanical samples positioning system for irradiations on a radial channel at nuclear research reactor in a full-power continuous operation

This paper describes a new mechanical samples positioning system that allows the safe placement and removal of biological samples for prolonged irradiation, in a nuclear reactor during full-power continuous operation. Also presented herein the materials of construction and operating principles. Additionally, this sample positioning system is compared with an existing pneumatic and automated transfer system, already available at the research reactors. The system consists of a mechanical arm with a claw, which can deliver the samples for irradiations without reactor shutdown. It was installed in the lEA-R1 research reactor at Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, Brazil, and for the past 5 years, the system has successfully operated and allowed the conducting of important experiments. As a result of its introduction, the facility has been in a position to positively respond to the increased demand in studies of biology, medicine, physics, engineering, detector/dosimeter calibrations, etc. It is one example of the appropriated technologies that save energy and resources. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial distribution in the root canal system after periapical lesion induction using different methods

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial distribution in the root canal system after periapical lesion induction in dogs' teeth using different methods. Fifty-two root canals were assigned to 4 groups (n=13). Groups I and II: root canals were exposed to the oral cavity for 180 days; groups III and IV: root canals were exposed for 7 days and then the coronal openings were sealed for 53 days. The root apices of groups I and III were perforated, while those of groups II and IV remained intact. After the experimental periods, the animals were euthanized and the anatomic pieces containing the roots were processed and stained with the Brown & Brenn method to assess the presence and distribution of microorganisms. The incidence of microorganisms at different sites of the roots and periapical lesions was analyzed statistically by the chi-square test at 5% significance level. All groups presented microorganisms in the entire root canal system. A larger number of microorganisms was observed on the root canal walls, apical delta and dentinal tubules (p<0.05), followed by cementum and cemental resorption areas. In spite of the different periods of exposure to the oral environment, the methods used for induction of periapical periodontitis yielded similar distribution of microorganisms in the root canal system.

Influence of sodium hypochlorite and edta on the microtensile bond strength of a self-etching adhesive system

Chemical substances used during biomechanical preparation of root canals can alter the composition of dentin surface and affect the interaction with restorative materials. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microtensile bond strength (µTBS) of a self-etching adhesive system to dentin irrigated with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty human third molars were sectioned 3 mm below the occlusal surface, polished with 600- to 1200-grit silicon carbide papers, and randomly divided into 3 groups: G1 (control): no irrigating solution; G2: 1% NaOCl; and G3: 1% NaOCl followed by the application of 17% EDTA. The specimens received the self-etching adhesive system (XENO III - Dentsply), restored with microhybrid composite resin (Z250 - 3M ESPE), sectioned and trimmed to create 4 hourglass-shaped slabs of each tooth. The slabs were tested in microtensile strength in a universal testing machine (Emic DL 2000) at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until fracture. The results were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Newman-Keuls test. RESULTS: Mean µTBS values and standard deviations in MPa were: G1 = 11.89 ± 4.22; G2 = 19.41 ± 5.32; G3 = 11.34 ± 4.73. 1% NaOCl increased the adhesive resistance significantly (p<0.001/F=22.5763). The application of 1% NaOCl/17% EDTA resulted in statistically similar µTBS to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: None of the irrigants affected negatively the µTBS of XENO III to dentin. The use of 1% NaOCl alone resulted in higher bond strength than the other treatments. The combination of 1% NaOCl and 17% EDTA produced similar bond strength to that of untreated dentin.

Do the origins of primary teeth affect the bond strength of a self-etching adhesive system to dentin?

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the tensile bond strength of a self-etching adhesive system to three different dentinal substrates. Primary molar teeth that had been recently exfoliated (RE), with unknown time of exfoliation (UT), and extracted due to prolonged retention (PR) were used for this investigation. Ten primary molar teeth of each group were cut in the middle following the mesio-distal direction, creating a total of twenty specimens per group. The specimens were included in acrylic resin and had a flat dentin surface exposed. The self-etching adhesive system was applied to this surface and a 3-millimeter high cone with diameter of 2 mm in the adhesion area was constructed using composite resin. The specimens were stored in distilled water at 37ºC for 24 hours. Fifteen specimens of each substrate were used for the tensile bond test (n = 15) and 5 had the interface analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data was examined by one-way ANOVA and presented no significant differences between groups (p = 0.5787). The mean values obtained for RE, UT and PR were 18.39 ± 9.70, 19.41 ± 7.80, and 23.30 ± 9.37 MPa, respectively. Any dentinal substrates of primary teeth studied are safe for tensile bond strength tests with adhesive systems.

Effectiveness of sealing active proximal caries lesions with an adhesive system: 1-year clinical evaluation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic sealant to arrest non-cavitated proximal carious lesion progression. The study population comprised 44 adolescents who had bitewing radiographs taken for caries diagnosis. Non-cavitated lesions extending up to half of dentin thickness were included in the sample. In the experimental group (n = 33), the proximal caries-lesion surfaces were sealed with an adhesive (OptiBond Solo, Kerr) after tooth separation. The control group (n = 11) received no treatment, except for oral hygiene instructions including use of dental floss. Follow-up radiographs were taken after one year and were analyzed in comparison with baseline radiographs. In a blind study setting, visual readings were performed by two examiners, blinded to whether the examined radiograph was baseline or follow-up, and whether it concerned a test or control lesion. The efficacy of sealing treatment was evaluated by the McNemar test (0.05). About 22% of the sealed lesions showed reduction, 61% showed no change and 16% showed progression. For the control lesions, the corresponding values were 27%, 36% and 36% respectively. The number of lesions that showed reduction and no changes were merged and therefore 83.3% of the sealed lesions and 63.6% of the control lesions were considered clinically successful. No statistical significance was detected (p > 0.05). In the course of 1 year, sealing proximal caries lesions was not shown to be superior to lesion monitoring.

Renin angiotensin system and cardiac hypertrophy after sinoaortic denervation in rats

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of angiotensin I, II and 1-7 on left ventricular hypertrophy of Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rats submitted to sinoaortic denervation. METHODS: Ten weeks after sinoaortic denervation, hemodynamic and morphofunctional parameters were analyzed, and the left ventricle was dissected for biochemical analyses. RESULTS: Hypertensive groups (controls and denervated) showed an increase on mean blood pressure compared with normotensive ones (controls and denervated). Blood pressure variability was higher in denervated groups than in their respective controls. Left ventricular mass and collagen content were increased in the normotensive denervated and in both spontaneously hypertensive groups compared with Wistar controls. Both hypertensive groups presented a higher concentration of angiotensin II than Wistar controls, whereas angiotensin 1-7 concentration was decreased in the hypertensive denervated group in relation to the Wistar groups. There was no difference in angiotensin I concentration among groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that not only blood pressure variability and reduced baroreflex sensitivity but also elevated levels of angiotensin II and a reduced concentration of angiotensin 1-7 may contribute to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. These data indicate that baroreflex dysfunction associated with changes in the renin angiotensin system may be predictive factors of left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac failure.

Genetic evaluation of the mating system in the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna, Aves, Psittacidae) by DNA fingerprinting

More than 90% of birds are socially monogamous, although genetic studies indicate that many are often not sexually monogamous. In the present study, DNA fingerprinting was used to estimate the genetic relationships between nestlings belonging to the same broods to evaluate the mating system in the socially monogamous macaw, Ara ararauna. We found that in 10 of 11 broods investigated, the nestlings showed genetic similarity levels congruent with values expected among full-sibs, suggesting that they shared the same parents. However, in one brood, the low genetic similarity observed between nestlings could be a result of intraspecific brood parasitism, intraspecific nest competition or extra-pair paternity. These results, along with available behavioral and life-history data, imply that the blue-and-yellow macaw is not only socially, but also genetically monogamous. However, the occurrence of eventual cases of extra-pair paternity cannot be excluded.

Hemodynamic, morphometric and autonomic patterns in hypertensive rats - renin-angiotensin system modulation

BACKGROUND: Spontaneously hypertensive rats develop left ventricular hypertrophy, increased blood pressure and blood pressure variability, which are important determinants of heart damage, like the activation of renin-angiotensin system. AIMS: To investigate the effects of the time-course of hypertension over 1) hemodynamic and autonomic patterns (blood pressure; blood pressure variability; heart rate); 2) left ventricular hypertrophy; and 3) local and systemic Renin-angiotensin system of the spontaneously hypertensive rats. METHODS: Male spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomized into two groups: young (n=13) and adult (n=12). Hemodynamic signals (blood pressure, heart rate), blood pressure variability (BPV) and spectral analysis of the autonomic components of blood pressure were analyzed. LEFT ventricular hypertrophy was measured by the ratio of LV mass to body weight (mg/g), by myocyte diameter (μm) and by relative fibrosis area (RFA, %). ACE and ACE2 activities were measured by fluorometry (UF/min), and plasma renin activity (PRA) was assessed by a radioimmunoassay (ng/mL/h). Cardiac gene expressions of Agt, Ace and Ace2 were quantified by RT-PCR (AU). RESULTS: The time-course of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats increased BPV and reduced the alpha index in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats. Adult rats showed increases in left ventricular hypertrophy and in RFA. Compared to young spontaneously hypertensive rats, adult spontaneously hypertensive rats had lower cardiac ACE and ACE2 activities, and high levels of PRA. No change was observed in gene expression of Renin-angiotensin system components. CONCLUSIONS: The observed autonomic dysfunction and modulation of Renin-angiotensin system activity are contributing factors to end-organ damage in hypertension and could be interacting. Our findings suggest that the management of hypertensive disease must start before blood pressure reaches the highest stable levels and the consequent established end-organ damage is reached.