Modelo epidemiológico discreto para a transmissão de Acinetobacter baumannii em UTIs brasileiras

Pós-graduação em Biometria - IBB

SPECTRUM OF STOCHASTIC ADDING MACHINES AND FIBERED JULIA SETS

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

STOCHASTIC ADDING MACHINE AND 2-DIMENSIONAL JULIA SETS

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estimação espaço-temporal das perdas não técnicas no sistema de distribuição de energia elétrica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Extraction of Building Roof Contours From LiDAR Data Using a Markov-Random-Field-Based Approach

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

Extração automática de contornos de telhados usando dados de varredura a laser e campos randômicos de Markov

This paper proposes a methodology for automatic extraction of building roof contours from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), which is generated through the regularization of an available laser point cloud. The methodology is based on two steps. First, in order to detect high objects (buildings, trees etc.), the DEM is segmented through a recursive splitting technique and a Bayesian merging technique. The recursive splitting technique uses the quadtree structure for subdividing the DEM into homogeneous regions. In order to minimize the fragmentation, which is commonly observed in the results of the recursive splitting segmentation, a region merging technique based on the Bayesian framework is applied to the previously segmented data. The high object polygons are extracted by using vectorization and polygonization techniques. Second, the building roof contours are identified among all high objects extracted previously. Taking into account some roof properties and some feature measurements (e. g., area, rectangularity, and angles between principal axes of the roofs), an energy function was developed based on the Markov Random Field (MRF) model. The solution of this function is a polygon set corresponding to building roof contours and is found by using a minimization technique, like the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm. Experiments carried out with laser scanning DEM's showed that the methodology works properly, as it delivered roof contours with approximately 90% shape accuracy and no false positive was verified.

Molecular characterization of hemoglobin alpha-D chains from Geochelone carbonaria and Geochelone denticulata land turtles

In order to help elucidate the evolution of alpha-globins, the complete cDNA and amino acid sequences of Geochelone carbonaria and Geochelone denticulata land turtles alpha-D chains have been described. In G. carbonaria, the cDNA is 539 bp with ATG start codon located at position 46, TGA stop codon at position 469 and AATAAA polyadenylation signal at position 520. In G. denticulata, the cDNA is 536 bp with ATG start codon located at position 46, TGA stop codon at position 469 and AATAAA polyadenylation signal at position 517. Both cDNAs codify 141 amino acid residues, differing from each other in only four amino acid residues. When comparing with human Hb alpha-chain, alterations in important regions can be noted: alpha110 Ala-Gly, alpha114 Pro-Gly, alpha117 Phe-Tyr and alpha122 His-Gln. There is a high homology between the amino acids of these turtles when compared with chicken alpha-D chains, progressively decreasing when compared with human, crocodile, snake, frog and fish alpha-chains. Phylogenetic analysis of alpha-D chains shows that those of turtles are closer to those of birds than to snakes and lizards. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

2 PERMANENT LINEAR-CHAINS OF SEX-CHROMOSOMES IN NEOTERMES-FULVESCENS AND KARYOTYPES OF 2 OTHER NEOTROPICAL KALOTERMITIDAE SPECIES (INSECTA, ISOPTERA)

Meiosis and (or) mitosis of males and females of Cryptotermes brevis, Eucryptotermes wheeleri, and Neotermes fulvescens, all of them from the neotropical region, were analyzed. Cryptotermes brevis showed a similar karyotype to that obtained by other authors for specimens of the neartic and Australian regions (2n = 36 for females and 2n = 37 for males, with XX and XYY sex mechanisms, respectively). Eucryptotermes wheeleri, the only species that has been described in this genus, showed the lowest number of chromosomes reported for Isoptera (2n = 22) until now. The male meiosis of this species presents a linear chain of six sex chromosomes, three of them being X and three of them Y chromosomes. Neotermes fulvescens showed a diploid number of 40 for males and 42 for females and, in the first male meiosis, two linear chains of chromosomes, both related to sex. One of the chains, named A, presented nine chromosomes and the other, named B, seven chromosomes. Hypotheses to explain these mechanisms are formulated in this paper and putative ancestral relationships with other species of Kalotermitidae are presented.

Correlation between the mobility of spin-labeled peptide chains and resin solvation: An approach to optimize the synthesis of aggregating sequences

Resin solvation properties affect the efficiency of the coupling reactions in solid-phase peptide synthesis. Here we report a novel approach to evaluate resin solvation properties, making use of spin label electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The aggregating VVLGAAIV and ING sequences were assembled in benzhydrylamine-resin with different amino group contents (up to 2.6 mmol/g) to examine the extent of chain association within the beads. These model peptidyl-resins were first labeled at their N-terminus with the amino acid spin label 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid (Toac). Their solvation properties in different solvents were estimated, either by bead swelling measurement or by assessing the dynamics of their polymeric matrixes through the analysis of Toac EPR spectra, and were correlated with the yield of the acylation reaction. In most cases the coupling rate was found to depend on bead swelling. Comparatively, the EPR approach was more effective. Line shape analysis allowed the detection of more than one peptide chain population, which influenced the reaction. The results demonstrated the unique potential of EPR spectroscopy not only for improving the yield of peptide synthesis, even in challenging conditions, but also for other relevant polymer-supported methodologies in chemistry and biology.

A Bethe ansatz solution for the closed U-q[sl(2)] Temperley-Lieb quantum spin chains

We solve the spectrum of the closed Temperley-Lieb quantum spin chains using the coordinate Bethe ansatz. These models are invariant under the quantum group U-q[sl(2)].

Economic design of two-stage (X)over-bar charts: the Markov chain approach

When the (X) over bar chart is in use, samples are regularly taken from the process, and their means are plotted on the chart. In some cases, it is too expensive to obtain the X values, but not the values of a correlated variable Y. This paper presents a model for the economic design of a two-stage control chart, that is. a control chart based on both performance (X) and surrogate (Y) variables. The process is monitored by the surrogate variable until it signals an out-of-control behavior, and then a switch is made to the (X) over bar chart. The (X) over bar chart is built with central, warning. and action regions. If an X sample mean falls in the central region, the process surveillance returns to the (Y) over bar chart. Otherwise. The process remains under the (X) over bar chart's surveillance until an (X) over bar sample mean falls outside the control limits. The search for an assignable cause is undertaken when the performance variable signals an out-of-control behavior. In this way, the two variables, are used in an alternating fashion. The assumption of an exponential distribution to describe the length of time the process remains in control allows the application of the Markov chain approach for developing the cost function. A study is performed to examine the economic advantages of using performance and surrogate variables. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bethe ansatz solutions for Temperley-Lieb quantum spin chains

We solve the spectrum of quantum spin chains based on representations of the Temperley-Lieb algebra associated with the quantum groups U-q(X-n) for X-n = A(1), B-n, C-n and D-n. The tool is a modified version of the coordinate Bethe ansatz through a suitable choice of the Bethe states which give to all models the same status relative to their diagonalization. All these models have equivalent spectra up to degeneracies and the spectra of the lower-dimensional representations are contained in the higher-dimensional ones. Periodic boundary conditions, free boundary conditions and closed nonlocal boundary conditions are considered. Periodic boundary conditions, unlike free boundary conditions, bleak quantum group invariance. For closed nonlocal cases the models are quantum group invariant as well as periodic in a certain sense.

Economic design of (X)over-bar charts with variable parameters: the Markov chain approach

This paper presents an economic design of (X) over bar control charts with variable sample sizes, variable sampling intervals, and variable control limits. The sample size n, the sampling interval h, and the control limit coefficient k vary between minimum and maximum values, tightening or relaxing the control. The control is relaxed when an (X) over bar value falls close to the target and is tightened when an (X) over bar value falls far from the target. A cost model is constructed that involves the cost of false alarms, the cost of finding and eliminating the assignable cause, the cost associated with production in an out-of-control state, and the cost of sampling and testing. The assumption of an exponential distribution to describe the length of time the process remains in control allows the application of the Markov chain approach for developing the cost function. A comprehensive study is performed to examine the economic advantages of varying the (X) over bar chart parameters.

MONTE-CARLO SIMULATION OF POLYAMPHOLYTE CHAINS

Polyampholyte copolymers containing both positive and negative monomers regularly dispersed along the chain were studied. The Monte Carlo method was used to simulate chains with charged monomers interacting by screened Coulomb potential. The neutral polyampholyte chains collapse due to the attractive electrostatic interactions. The nonneutral chains are in extended conformations due to the repulsive polyelectrolyte effects that dominate the attractive polyampholyte interactions. The results are in good agreement with experiment.

Extended states in disordered doped polyacetylene chains

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)