HOW TO EFFICIEN TLY INCORPORATE FACTS DEVICES IN OPTIMAL ACTIVE POWER FLOW MODEL

This paper presents for the first time how to easily incorporate facts devices in an optimal active power flow model such that an efficient interior-point method may be applied. The optimal active power flow model is based on a network flow approach instead of the traditional nodal formulation that allows the use of an efficiently predictor-corrector interior point method speed up by sparsity exploitation. The mathematical equivalence between the network flow and the nodal models is addressed, as well as the computational advantages of the former considering the solution by interior point methods. The adequacy of the network flow model for representing facts devices is presented and illustrated on a small 5-bus system. The model was implemented using Matlab and its performance was evaluated with the 3,397-bus and 4,075-branch Brazilian power system which show the robustness and efficiency of the formulation proposed. The numerical results also indicate an efficient tool for optimal active power flow that is suitable for incorporating facts devices.

Approach combining on-line metal exchange and tangential-flow ultrafiltration for in-situ characterization of metal species in humic hydrocolloids

This paper deals with the development and optimization of an analytical procedure using ultrafiltration and a flow-injection system, and its application in in-situ experiments to characterize the lability and availability of metal species in humic-rich hydrocolloids. The on-line system consists of a tangential flow ultrafiltration device equipped with a 3-kDa filtration membrane. The concentration of free ions in the filtrate was determined by atomic-absorption spectrometry, assuming that metals not complexed by aquatic humic substances (AHS) were separated from the complexed species (M-AHS) retained by the membrane. For optimization, exchange experiments using Cu(II) solutions and AHS solutions doped with the metal ions Ni(II), Mn(II), Fe(III), Cd (II), and Zn(II) were carried out to characterize the stability of the metal-AHS complexes. The new procedure was then applied in-situ at a tributary of the Ribeira do Iguape river (Iguape, São Paulo State, Brazil) and evaluated using the ions Fe(III) and Mn(II), which are considered to be essential constituents of aquatic systems. From the exchange between metal-natural organic matter (M-NOM) and the Cu(II) ions it was concluded that Cu(II) concentrations > 485 mu g L(-1) were necessary to obtain maximum exchange of the complexes Mn-NOM and Fe-NOM, corresponding to 100% Mn and 8% Fe. Moreover, the new analytical procedure is simple and opens up new perspectives for understanding the complexation, transport, stability, and lability of metal species in humic-rich aquatic environments.

Synthesis, characterization, and application of modified silica in the removal and preconcentration of lead ions from natural river water

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

Análise econômica comparativa após um ano de cultivo do feijoeiro irrigado, no inverno, em sistemas de plantio convencional e direto, com diferentes fontes e doses de nitrogênio

Realizou-se a análise comparativa de custos de produção de feijão, após um ano em sistemas de plantio direto e convencional, no período de inverno, com irrigação por pivô central. Os experimentos foram desenvolvidos na Fazenda Dois Irmãos, em Pereira Barreto (SP), em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com 11 tratamentos e quatro repetições, para cada sistema de plantio. Os tratamentos constaram de uma testemunha sem N, duas fontes de N (uréia e nitrato de amônio) e cinco dosagens (20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 kg.ha-1 de N), aplicados em cobertura aos 27 dias após a emergência das plantas. Utilizou-se densidade de 15 plantas por metro de linha e 0,50 m entre sulcos, com semeadura realizada em 20/5/2001. Na área do sistema de plantio direto, as plantas daninhas foram dessecadas após o cultivo do milho, e na de plantio convencional, realizaram uma aração e duas gradagens, sendo uma pesada e uma niveladora, no preparo do solo. Durante o desenvolvimento da cultura foram aplicados herbicidas em pós-emergência para o controle do mato. As duas fontes de nitrogênio mostraram efeito positivo na produção de grãos. A análise econômica revelou melhor resultado para uréia, na dose de 60 kg.ha-1 de N, em preparo convencional do solo, com índice de lucratividade de 40,6%. Para o plantio direto, o nitrato de amônio, na base de 40 kg.ha-1 de N, mostrou maior acréscimo na receita e lucratividade de 25,6%.

Occurrence of consonant production errors in liquid phonemes in children with operated cleft lip and palate

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Eficácia da N-butilescopolamina e dipirona sódica associadas ao cetoprofeno no alívio da dor pós-operatória de pacientes submetidas a duas técnicas diferentes de laqueadura por laparoscopia

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A laqueadura laparoscópica (LL) é um dos procedimentos mais dolorosos e a intensidade da dor varia com a técnica selecionada, sendo mais intensa com a técnica de oclusão das tubas uterinas com anel. As pacientes submetidas à LL referem dor em cólica no período PO e a N-butilescopolamina e a dipirona sódica, por suas propriedades anti-espasmódicas e analgésicas, associadas às propriedades antiinflamatórias do cetoprofeno, podem ser opção para profilaxia e tratamento de dor. O objetivo deste foi estudar a eficácia da N-butilescopolamina e da dipirona sódica associadas ao cetoprofeno, na prevenção de dor PO em pacientes submetidas à LL, com duas técnicas diferentes - diatermia e pinçamento com anel. MÉTODO: Participaram do estudo 50 pacientes, estado físico ASA I e II, com idade entre 23 e 47 anos. As pacientes foram distribuídas aleatoriamente em dois grupos: G1 - oclusão das tubas uterinas com anéis, G2 - oclusão das tubas uterinas com diatermia. Todas as pacientes receberam N-butilescopolamina (20 mg) e dipirona sódica (2500 mg) e cetoprofeno (100 mg), por via venosa, imediatamente antes da indução da anestesia. A dor foi avaliada pelo critério de escala numérica verbal, variando de 0 a 10, sendo 0 ausência de dor e 10 o máximo de dor, a cada 10 minutos na primeira hora, na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica (SRPA) e na 1ª, 2ª, 3ª e 4ª horas após a alta da SRPA. Dor com intensidade maior que 3 era tratada com tramadol (100 mg), por via venosa. A avaliação da dor foi realizada sem que se soubesse a que grupo pertencia a paciente. Para análise estatística, testes t de Student, Mann-Whitney e Friedman. RESULTADOS: Ambos os grupos foram idênticos com relação à idade, ao peso, à altura, à duração da cirurgia e anestesia. As pacientes do G1 apresentaram maior escore de dor que as do G2, em todos os momentos do estudo. Valores estatisticamente significativos: 80% das pacientes de G1 e 16% de G2 necessitaram de tramadol em algum momento do estudo. CONCLUSÕES: A N-butilescopolamina e a dipirona sódica associadas ao cetoprofeno mostraram ser alternativa de analgesia pós-operatória quando a laqueadura é realizada com a técnica de diatermia.

A exposição à fumaça de cigarro intensifica a remodelação ventricular após o infarto agudo do miocárdio

OBJETIVO: Analisar os efeitos da exposição à fumaça de cigarro (EFC) na remodelação ventricular após o infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM). MÉTODOS: Ratos foram infartados e distribuídos em dois grupos: C (controle, n = 31) e F (EFC: 40 cigarros/dia, n = 22). Após seis meses, foi realizado ecocardiograma, estudo funcional com coração isolado e morfometria. Para comparação, foi utilizado o teste t (com média ± desvio padrão) ou teste de Mann-Whitney (com mediana e percentis 25 e 75). RESULTADOS: Os animais EFC apresentaram tendência a maiores áreas ventriculares diastólicas (C = 1,5 ± 0,4 mm², F = 1,9 ± 0,4 mm²; p = 0,08) e sistólicas (C = 1,05 ± 0,3 mm², F = 1,32 ± 0,4 mm²; p = 0,08) do VE. A função sistólica do VE, avaliada pela fração de variação de área, tendeu a ser menor nos animais EFC (C = 31,9 ± 9,3 %, F = 25,5 ± 7,6 %; p = 0,08). Os valores da - dp/dt dos animais EFC foram estatisticamente inferiores (C = 1474 ± 397 mmHg, F = 916 ± 261 mmHg; p = 0,02) aos animais-controle. Os animais EFC apresentaram maior peso do VD, ajustado ao peso corporal (C = 0,8 ± 0,3 mg/g, F = 1,3 ± 0,4 mg/g; p = 0,01), maior teor de água nos pulmões (C = 4,8 (4,3-4,8)%, F = 5,4 (5,1-5,5); p = 0,03) e maior área seccional do miócito do VE (C = 239,8 ± 5,8 µm², F = 253,9 ± 7,9 µm²; p = 0,01). CONCLUSÃO: A exposição à fumaça de cigarro intensifica a remodelação ventricular após IAM.

Condutas para reparação da cavidade anoftálmica no Brasil

Purpose: To determine the most common approach to repair the anophthalmic socket in Brazil, and to compare the data with the trends in other countries.Methods: Exploratory study using electronic questionnaire sent by Internet to ophthalmologists members of the Brazilian Orbit and Oculoplastic Society (SBCPO). The received answers were analyzed by adhesion analysis, using Chi-square test.Results: We received 75 answered questionnaires. Fifty-three per cent of the respondents frequently treat anophthalmic socket and use the 18 mm diameter polymethylmethacrylate sphere in the majority of the surgeries, mainly covered by sclera (92%). Only seven interviewees had used integrated implants with pegging procedure. Eighty-two per cent of the ophthalmologists use the dermolipid graft to reconstruct the anophthalmic socket. They also follow the patients bi annually.Conclusions: The treatment of anophthalmic socket in Brazil generally involve polymethylmethacrylate sphere with 18 mm diameter. Pegging procedure is uncommon between us.

H19-DMR allele-specific methylation analysis reveals epigenetic heterogeneity of CTCF binding site 6 but not of site 5 in head-and-neck carcinomas: A pilot case-control analysis

Aberrant methylation of seven potential binding sites of the CTCF factor in the differentially methylated region upstream of the H19 gene (H19-DMR) has been suggested as critical for the regulation of IGF2 and H19 imprinted genes. In this study, we analyzed the allele-specific methylation pattern of CTCF binding sites 5 and 6 using methylationsensitive restriction enzyme PCR followed by RFLP analysis in matched tumoral and lymphocyte DNA from head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, as well as in lymphocyte DNA from control individuals who were cancer-free. The monoallelic methylation pattern was maintained in CTCF binding site 5 in 22 heterozygous out of 91 samples analyzed. Nevertheless, a biallelic methylation pattern was detected in CTCF binding site 6 in a subgroup of HNSCC patients as a somatic acquired feature of tumor cells. An atypical biallelic methylation was also observed in both tumor and lymphocyte DNA from two patients, and at a high frequency in the control group (29 out of 64 informative controls). Additionally, we found that the C/T transition detected by HhaI RFLP suppressed one dinucleotide CpG in critical CTCF binding site 6, of a mutation showing polymorphic frequencies. Although a heterogeneous methylation pattern was observed after DNA sequencing modified by sodium bisulfite, the biallelic methylation pattern was confirmed in 9 out of 10 HNSCCs. These findings are likely to be relevant in the epigenetic regulation of the DMR, especially in pathological conditions in which the imprinting of IGF2 and H19 genes is disrupted.

In Vitro Evaluation of Surface Roughness and Microhardness of Restorative Materials Submitted to Erosive Challenges

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

A survey of radiographic prescription in dental implant assessment

Objectives: To survey the current radiographic prescriptions in dental implant assessment amongst dentists in Brazil.Methods: Sixty-nine dentists were interviewed during a dental implant meeting by two calibrated graduate students, using a 19-question questionnaire, considering imaging modality options both for pre-operative implant site assessment and for follow-up, particularly with respect to cost, patient radiation dose, and broad coverage of facial bones and teeth. Epi-Info 6.04 software was used to analyse the database file.Results: Approximately 63.8% of the dentists prescribed only panoramic radiography for dental implant assessment and 28.9% ordered panoramic radiography plus periapical radiography and/or conventional tomography and/or computed tomography (CT). Only 7.2% of the dentists ordered conventional tomography or CT as a single examination, although 10.1% ordered it in combination with other imaging modalities. The main reasons given for prescribing panoramic radiography were broad coverage and cost (86.4%).Conclusions: This study has shown that most of the dentists in this study prescribe panoramic radiographs in dental implant assessment based on broad coverage and cost. They are not following the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology recommendations regarding cross-sectional imaging.

Ultrastructural features of myenteric ganglia of adult Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus)

The ultrastructural features of the ganglia of the myenteric plexus exhibit changes according to the animal species. These myenteric ganglia in the duodenum of adult rats of the Wistar strain were characterized ultrastructurally in this work. Those ganglia were depicted as compact structures, composed of neurones and glial cells, forming a dense neuropil surrounded by a continuous basal lamina and collagen fibrils. Glial cell bodies were smaller and apparently more frequent than neuronal cell bodies, being morphologically distinguished by nuclear features. In the neuronal extensions granular and agranular synaptic vesicles of different sizes predominate, in addition to mitochondria and myelinized profiles. Gliofilaments were not observed on the glial extensions of the rats.

Metodologia para germinação de sementes de Leonurus sibiricus L

O objetivo do trabalho foi investigar a influência de diferentes temperaturas, o comportamento fotoblástico e a absorção de água de sementes de Leonurus sibiricus L. Essa espécie medicinal é originária da Índia, distribuída pela Ásia, África e América, utilizada no tratamento de reumatismo, problemas dermatológicos e respiratórios. Para tanto, as sementes foram submetidas a temperaturas entre 5 a 40ºC, com intervalos de 5ºC, e alternadas de 20/30, 20/25 e 25/30ºC, com 5 repetições de 50 sementes cada, em condições de luz e escuro. No estudo da absorção de água as sementes foram colocadas para germinar na temperatura de 20ºC e na presença da luz e pesadas para avaliar o ganho de água durante todo o processo germinativo, até a protrusão da radícula. Pelos resultados verificou-se que os maiores porcentuais de germinação e índice de velocidade de germinação ocorreram na temperatura constante de 20ºC, e nas temperaturas alternadas 20/25, 25/30, 25/30ºC sob luz. Houve germinação na temperatura mínima de 10ºC e na máxima 40ºC. No ensaio de absorção de água verificou-se que as sementes iniciam a protrusão da radícula com 65 horas de exposição e seguem padrão trifásico na curva de absorção. O modelo estatístico ajustado para a espécie foi y = 1,869 (1 - 0,414 exp ( -0,201t) + exp [-2,397 + 0,037 (t - 65)], com R²= 0,9998.

Diet of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and its role in seed dispersal on a cattle ranch in Brazil

The maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus is the largest canid inhabiting South America. Its geographic distribution includes the open fields of Brazil's central area, which is currently undergoing agricultural expansion. The diet of the maned wolf and its seasonal variation was determined on a dairy cattle ranch (Sao Luis farm, 566 ha) in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. From January to December faeces of the maned wolf were collected monthly (n = 150 scats; 397 food item occurrences). Twenty-nine taxa were identified from scats, 18 of animal origin (46% or 183 occurrences) and 11 of plants (54% or 214 occurrences). The fruits of Solanum lycocarpum were the dominant food item in our study (29%). Mammals contributed 13%, arthropods 12%, birds 11% and reptiles 2% of the food items. Arthropods and fruits were prevalent in the rainy season and mammals in the dry season. As expected for a heavily fanned region, frugivory results were at the lower end of the diversity scale (9-33 species) and included four old garden species. No previous study of the diet of maned wolf has registered as many species of Solanaceae as this one. Although dietary richness was lower, the main food items (wolf fruit, armadillos, rodents, birds) were the same as study sites in 'cerrado' and upland meadows. In this region, the open habitats occupied by the maned wolf were previously covered by Atlantic forest, suggesting that landscape modification such as cattle ranching has opened new frontiers for distribution expansion of the maned wolf. The impact of loss of dietary richness and the increase in Solanaceae on the survival of the maned wolf need to be evaluated.