Search for gravitational radiation from intermediate mass black hole binaries in data from the second LIGO-Virgo joint science run

This paper reports on an unmodeled, all-sky search for gravitational waves from merging intermediate mass black hole binaries (IMBHB). The search was performed on data from the second joint science run of the LIGO and Virgo detectors (July 2009-October 2010) and was sensitive to IMBHBs with a range up to similar to 200 Mpc, averaged over the possible sky positions and inclinations of the binaries with respect to the line of sight. No significant candidate was found. Upper limits on the coalescence-rate density of nonspinning IMBHBs with total masses between 100 and 450 M-circle dot and mass ratios between 0.25 and 1 were placed by combining this analysis with an analogous search performed on data from the first LIGO-Virgo joint science run (November 2005-October 2007). The most stringent limit was set for systems consisting of two 88 M-circle dot black holes and is equal to 0.12 Mpc(-3) Myr(-1) at the 90% confidence level. This paper also presents the first estimate, for the case of an unmodeled analysis, of the impact on the search range of IMBHB spin configurations: the visible volume for IMBHBs with nonspinning components is roughly doubled for a population of IMBHBs with spins aligned with the binary's orbital angular momentum and uniformly distributed in the dimensionless spin parameter up to 0.8, whereas an analogous population with antialigned spins decreases the visible volume by similar to 20%.

The edentulous ridge expansion (ERE) technique an experimental study in the dog

Objective: To compare the healing and bony crest resorption at implants installed conventionally or applying an edentulous ridge expansion (ERE) technique in the maxilla.Material and methods: In six Labrador dogs, the first and second maxillary incisors were extracted bilaterally. In the left side of the maxilla (Test), the flaps were elevated and the buccal plate of the alveoli and septa was removed. After 3 months of healing, partial-thickness (split) flaps were dissected and the residual alveolar bone was exposed. In the right side of the maxilla, an implant was installed conventionally (Type IV; Control) while, in the left side, the ERE technique was adopted. Hence, an expansion of the buccal bony crest was obtained, and the implant was subsequently installed (Test). After 3 months of healing, biopsies were obtained and ground sections were prepared for histological analyses.Results: A buccal vertical resorption of the bony crest of 2.2 +/- 1.2 mm and 1.6 +/- 0.7 mm was found at the test and control sites, respectively. The difference, however, did not reach statistical significance. The coronal level of osseointegration at the buccal aspect was located at 3.1 +/- 1.0 mm and 2.2 +/- 0.7 mm from the implant shoulder at the test and control sites, respectively, the difference being statistically significant. The mean values of the mineralized bone-to-implant contact (MBIC%) ranged from 43% to 48% at the buccal and lingual sites. No differences reached statistical significance.Conclusions: Implants installed by applying an ERE technique may osseointegrate similarly to conventional implant installation. However, vertical and horizontal resorption of the displaced buccal bony wall occurred as well.

Influence on alveolar resorption of the buccal bony plate width in the edentulous ridge expansion (ERE) - an experimental study in the dog

Objective: To compare the hard tissue changes at implants installed applying edentulous ridge expansion (E.R.E.) at sites with a buccal bony wall thickness of 1 or 2 mm.Material and methods: In six Labrador dogs, the first and second maxillary incisors were extracted, and the buccal alveolar bony plates and septa were removed. After 3 months of healing, partial-thickness flaps were dissected, and the E.R.E. was applied bilaterally. Hence, an expansion of the buccal bony crest was obtained in both sides of the maxilla with a displacement of either a 1- or a 2-mm-wide buccal bony plate at the test and control sites, respectively. After 3 months of healing, biopsies were obtained for histological analyses.Results: A buccal vertical resorption of the alveolar crest of 2.3 +/- 0.8 and 2.1 +/- 1.1 mm, and a coronal level of osseointegration at the buccal aspect of 2.7 +/- 0.5 and 2.9 +/- 0.9 mm were found at the test (1 mm) and control (2 mm) sites, respectively. The differences did not reach statistical significance. The mean values of the mineralized bone-to-implant contact (MBIC%) ranged from 62% to 73% at the buccal and lingual sites. No statistically significant differences were found. Horizontal volume gains of 1.8 and 1.1 mm were observed at the test and control sites, respectively, and the difference being statistically significant.Conclusions: Implants installed using the E.R.E. technique yielded a high degree of osseointegration. It is suggested that the displacement of buccal bony plates of 1 mm thickness is preferable compared with that of wider dimensions.

A Modified Branch and Bound Algorithm to Solve the Transmission Expansion Planning Problem

In this paper a novel Branch and Bound (B&B) algorithm to solve the transmission expansion planning which is a non-convex mixed integer nonlinear programming problem (MINLP) is presented. Based on defining the options of the separating variables and makes a search in breadth, we call this algorithm a B&BML algorithm. The proposed algorithm is implemented in AMPL and an open source Ipopt solver is used to solve the nonlinear programming (NLP) problems of all candidates in the B&B tree. Strategies have been developed to address the problem of non-linearity and non-convexity of the search region. The proposed algorithm is applied to the problem of long-term transmission expansion planning modeled as an MINLP problem. The proposed algorithm has carried out on five commonly used test systems such as Garver 6-Bus, IEEE 24-Bus, 46-Bus South Brazilian test systems, Bolivian 57-Bus, and Colombian 93-Bus. Results show that the proposed methodology not only can find the best known solution but it also yields a large reduction between 24% to 77.6% in the number of NLP problems regarding to the size of the systems.

Transmission Expansion Planning Via a Constructive Heuristic Algorithm in Restructured Electricity Industry

The transmission expansion planning problem in modern power systems is a large-scale, mixed-integer, nonlinear and non-convex problem. this paper presents a new mathematical model and a constructive heuristic algorithm (CHA) for solving transmission expansion planning problem under new environment of electricity restructuring. CHA finds an acceptable solution in an iterative process, where in each step a circuit is chosen using a sensitivity index and added to the system. The proposed model consider multiple generation scenarios therefore the methodology finds high quality solution in which it allows the power system operate adequacy in an environment with multiple generators scenarios. Case studies and simulation results using test systems show possibility of using Constructive heuristic algorithm in an open access system.

New records and distribution expansion for Neotropical water-striders (Insecta: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha)

Based on material from several collections, summarized distributions and new records are presented for selected Neotropical species of Gerromorpha of the families Gerridae (Brachymetra albinervis albinervis, B. furva, B. lata, B. shawi, Cylindrostethus erythropus, C. linearis, C. palmaris, C. regulus, Halobatopsis platensis, Limnogonus aduncus aduncus, L. hyalinus, L. ignotus, L. profugus, L. recurvus, Neogerris lubricus, N. magnus, N. lotus, N. visendus, Ovatametra gualeguay, Rheumatobates crassifemur crassifemur, R. c. esakii, Tachygerris adamsoni, T. celocis and T. surinamensis), Hydrometridae (Hydrometra guianana and H. sztolcmani) and Mesoveliidae (Mesovelia amoena, M. mulsanti and Mesoveloidea williamsi).

Utilização do cavaco de madeira como combustível alternativo para a produção de vapor de água em uma caldeira aquatubular com grelha fixa do tipo PIN HOLE

The steady increase in the price of oil and its derivatives, carbon credits, the concern with the environment combined with the precipitation of rain water and lack of water resources that Brazil has suffered in 2014 caused a migration of participation sources of energy in the Brazilian energy matrix. The hydropower sector suffered big drop at 2013 and is suffering so far, contributing thus to the generation and cogeneration of thermal energy using renewable energy sources such as: sugarcane bagasse, wood chips, rice husks, among others. The selling price of the electricity market reached the level of R$ 807, 00 MWh in January 2014 (Source: ANEEL), heating the Brazilian thermoelectric sector. Although thermoelectric use in bulk water as vaporizing fluid to produce electricity and use in various processes, water reuse plans have become an important factor in these industries. The increased use of biomass has been the bagasse which is allied to the sugarcane sector, strong market in Brazil, and consists basically use the rest of sugar cane, sugarcane industries that would play out. The sugar and ethanol industry is very unstable and only lasts for 6-8 months a year, and the remaining time in the period known as between crop that corresponds to the planting and harvesting of sugarcane and then enter the period of vintage which is the constant cane harvesting and crushing it. This instability of the market and the thermoelectric idle period leads the thermoelectric industries to seek other sources of renewable energy, such as wood chips (pine, Eucalyptus, Orange), rice husk, sorghum among others, to not be dependent on alcohol sector. The present work aims to study the use of wood chips as an alternative biomass for burning a fuel that essentially uses bagasse, the thermoelectric in question consists of two boilers that produce together 350 t / h ... (Complete Abstract click electronic access below)

Lack of bone healing: an unusual complication following surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion

Bone defects at interdental osteotomy sites are as a complication of surgi-cally assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE). The replacement of osseoustissue by fibrous connective tissue impairs the spontaneous closure of adiastema between central incisors, and orthodontic tooth movementthrough the defect area may lead to root resorption. Treatment of such asituation requires an orthodontic-surgical approach. In this report, wedescribe the lack of bone healing at the midline osteotomy site after SARPE,which was treated by autogenous bone grafting as assessed by cone beamcomputed tomography. In addition, we discuss factors related to the aetiol-ogy and treatment of a bone defect after SARPE.

Probing the Mott physics in kappa-(BEDT-TTF)(2)X salts via thermal expansion

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Short-term expansion planning of radial electrical distribution systems using mixed-integer linear programming

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fibroblast growth factor 17 and bone morphogenetic protein 15 enhance cumulus expansion and improve quality of in vitro-produced embryos in cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Developing an optimization tool for evaluating the transmission system expansion

The transmission system is responsible for connecting the power generators to consumers safely and reliably, its constant expansion is necessary to transport increasing amounts of electricity. In order to help the power systems engineers, an optimization tool for optimize the expansion of the transmission system was developed using the modeling method of the linearized load flow and genetic. This tool was designed to simulate the impact of different scenarios on the cost of transmission expansion. The proposed tool was used to simulate the effects of the presence of distributed generation in the expansion of a fictitious transmission system, where it was found a clear downward trend in investment required for the expansion of the transmission system taking account of increasing levels of distributed generation.

Transmission network expansion planning considering repowering and reconfiguration

Transmission expansion planning (TEP) is a classic problem in electric power systems. In current optimization models used to approach the TEP problem, new transmission lines and two-winding transformers are commonly used as the only candidate solutions. However, in practice, planners have resorted to non-conventional solutions such as network reconfiguration and/or repowering of existing network assets (lines or transformers). These types of non-conventional solutions are currently not included in the classic mathematical models of the TEP problem. This paper presents the modeling of necessary equations, using linear expressions, in order to include non-conventional candidate solutions in the disjunctive linear model of the TEP problem. The resulting model is a mixed integer linear programming problem, which guarantees convergence to the optimal solution by means of available classical optimization tools. The proposed model is implemented in the AMPL modeling language and is solved using CPLEX optimizer. The Garver test system, IEEE 24-busbar system, and a Colombian system are used to demonstrate that the utilization of non-conventional candidate solutions can reduce investment costs of the TEP problem. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed-integer convex model for VAr expansion planning

This paper presents a mixed-integer convex-optimization-based approach for optimum investment reactive power sources in transmission systems. Unlike some convex-optimization techniques for the reactive power planning solution, in the proposed approach the taps settings of under-load tap-changing of transformers are modeled as a mixed-integer linear set equations. Are also considered the continuous and discrete variables for the existing and new capacitive and reactive power sources. The problem is solved for three significant demand scenarios (low demand, average demand and peak demand). Numerical results are presented for the CIGRE-32 electric power system.

Optimized δ expansion for the Walecka model

The optimized δ-expansion is used to study vacuum polarization effects in the Walecka model. The optimized δ-expansion is a nonperturbative approach for field theoretic models which combines the techniques of perturbation theory and the variational principle. Vacuum effects on self-energies and the energy density of nuclear matter are studied up to script O sign(δ2). When exchange diagrams are neglected, the traditional relativistic Hartree approximation (RHA) results are exactly reproduced and, using the same set of parameters that saturate nuclear matter in the RHA, a new stable, tightly bound state at high density is found.