Alternative Intrabladder Manometry Technique for the Indirect Measurement of Intra-abdominal Pressure in Horses

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

Test of a microlysimeter for measurement of soil evaporation

A quantificação da evaporação do solo é requerida em estudos de balanço hídrico de culturas e em aplicações que visam a aumentar a eficiência do uso da água pelos cultivos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar um modelo de microlisímetro (ML) para medir a evaporação do solo em condições irrigada e não irrigada. Os MLs foram construídos utilizando tubos de PVC rígido, medindo 100 mm de diâmetro interno, 150 mm de profundidade e 2,5 mm de espessura da parede. Quatro MLs foram assentados sobre a superfície de dois lisímetros de pesagem de alta precisão conduzidos com solo nu, previamente instalados no Iapar, em Londrina-PR. Os lisímetros tinham dimensões de 1,4 m de largura, 1,9 m de comprimento e 1,3 m de profundidade, e estavam sendo conduzidos com e sem irrigação. A evaporação medida nos MLs (E ML) foi comparada com a medida nos lisímetros (E L), durante quatro períodos do ano. As diferenças entre E ML e E L foram mínimas para condições de baixa e elevada demanda atmosférica, e também para condições de solo irrigado ou não irrigado, indicado que o modelo de ML testado neste trabalho é adequado para medir a evaporação do solo.

Monitoring ovarian cycles and pregnancy in brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) by measurement of fecal progesterone metabolites

In the present study, pregnancy and the estrous cycle were monitored in captive brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) by measuring fecal progestagens with a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA), along with behavioral data. Fecal samples were collected twice a week during pregnancy and daily during the estrous cycle and post-partum period. It was possible to distinguish between inter-luteal and luteal phases of the estrous cycle. Behavioral estrus corresponded with low concentrations of fecal progestagens. Samples from two consecutive cycles were available from five hinds, and the mean estrous cycle (n = 10) was 26.9 +/- 1.7 d (mean +/- S.E.M.). However, when two extreme cycles (34 and 37 d) were deleted, the mean estrous cycle was 24.7 +/- 1.2 d. Three animals became pregnant (gestation ranged from 208 to 215 d). After fertile breeding, progestagen concentration in these hinds remained among luteal phase concentrations throughout pregnancy, with the exception of a few peaks. Within 4 d post-partum, two hinds reached interluteal phase values, while one hind maintained luteal concentrations for at least 1 week. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the relative sweetness of stevia extract, aspartame and cyclamate/saccharin blend as compared to sucrose at different concentrations

Special diets are used to mitigate many human diseases. When these diets require changes in carbohydrate content, then sweetness becomes an important characteristic. The range of low-calorie sweeteners available to the food industry is expanding. It is essential to have an exact knowledge of the relative sweetness of various sweeteners in relation to different sucrose concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine the variation on the relative sweetness of aspartame (APM), stevia [Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni] leaf extract (SrB) and the mixture cyclamate/saccharin - two parts of cyclamate and one part of saccharin - (C/S) with the increase in their concentrations, and in neutral and acid pH in equi-sweet concentration to 10% sucrose, using magnitude estimation. Sweetness equivalence of SrB in relation to sucrose concentrations of 20% or higher and of APM and C/S to sucrose concentrations of 40% or higher could not be determined, because a bitter taste predominated. The potency of all sweeteners decreased as the level of sweetner increased. In equi-sweet concentration of sucrose at 10%, with pH 7.0 and pH 3.0, the potency was practically the same for all sweeteners evaluated.

Parameterized fast decoupled power flow methods for obtaining the maximum loading point of power systems. Part I. Mathematical modeling

The conventional Newton and fast decoupled power flow (FDPF) methods have been considered inadequate to obtain the maximum loading point of power systems due to ill-conditioning problems at and near this critical point. It is well known that the PV and Q-theta decoupling assumptions of the fast decoupled power flow formulation no longer hold in the vicinity of the critical point. Moreover, the Jacobian matrix of the Newton method becomes singular at this point. However, the maximum loading point can be efficiently computed through parameterization techniques of continuation methods. In this paper it is shown that by using either theta or V as a parameter, the new fast decoupled power flow versions (XB and BX) become adequate for the computation of the maximum loading point only with a few small modifications. The possible use of reactive power injection in a selected PV bus (Q(PV)) as continuation parameter (mu) for the computation of the maximum loading point is also shown. A trivial secant predictor, the modified zero-order polynomial which uses the current solution and a fixed increment in the parameter (V, theta, or mu) as an estimate for the next solution, is used in predictor step. These new versions are compared to each other with the purpose of pointing out their features, as well as the influence of reactive power and transformer tap limits. The results obtained with the new approach for the IEEE test systems (14, 30, 57 and 118 buses) are presented and discussed in the companion paper. The results show that the characteristics of the conventional method are enhanced and the region of convergence around the singular solution is enlarged. In addition, it is shown that parameters can be switched during the tracing process in order to efficiently determine all the PV curve points with few iterations. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parameterized fast decoupled power flow methods for obtaining the maximum loading point of power systems. Part II. Performance evaluation

The parameterized fast decoupled power flow (PFDPF), versions XB and BX, using either theta or V as a parameter have been proposed by the authors in Part I of this paper. The use of reactive power injection of a selected PVbus (Q(PV)) as the continuation parameter for the computation of the maximum loading point (MLP) was also investigated. In this paper, the proposed versions obtained only with small modifications of the conventional one are used for the computation of the MLP of IEEE test systems (14, 30, 57 and 118 buses). These new versions are compared to each other with the purpose of pointing out their features, as well as the influence of reactive power and transformer tap limits. The results obtained with the new approaches are presented and discussed. The results show that the characteristics of the conventional FDPF method are enhanced and the region of convergence around the singular solution is enlarged. In addition, it is shown that these versions can be switched during the tracing process in order to efficiently determine all the PV curve points with few iterations. A trivial secant predictor, the modified zero-order polynomial, which uses the current solution and a fixed increment in the parameter (V, theta, or mu) as an estimate for the next solution, is used for the predictor step. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pole placement by coordinated tuning of Power System Stabilizers and FACTS-POD stabilizers

This work presents the application of the Decentralized Modal Control method for pole placement in multimachine power systems utilizing FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems), STATCOM (Static Synchronous Compensator) and UPFC (Unified Power Flow Controller) devices. For this, these devices are equipped with supplementary damping controllers, denominated POD ( Power Oscillation Damping), achieving a coordinated project with local controllers (Power System Stabilizers - PSS). Comparative analysis on the function of damping of the FACTS, STATCOM and UPFC is performed using the New England System that has 10 generators, 39 buses and 46 transmission lines. (c) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Viscosity measurement of Newtonian liquids using the complex reflection coefficient

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

Stability analysis of power systems described with detailed models by automatic method

The power system stability analysis is approached taking into explicit account the dynamic performance of generators internal voltages and control devices. The proposed method is not a direct method in the usual sense since conclusion for stability or instability is not exclusively based on energy function considerations but it is automatic since the conclusion is achieved without an analyst intervention. The stability test accounts for the nonconservative nature of the system with control devices such as the automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and automatic generation control (AGC) in contrast with the well-known direct methods. An energy function is derived for the system with machines forth-order model, AVR and AGC and it is used to start the analysis procedure and to point out criticalities. The conclusive analysis itself is made by means of a method based on the definition of a region surrounding the equilibrium point where the system net torque is equilibrium restorative. This region is named positive synchronization region (PSR). Since the definition of the PSR boundaries have no dependence on modelling approximation, the PSR test conduces to reliable results. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Parameterization Technique for the Continuation Power Flow Developed from the Analysis of Power Flow Curves

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Measurement of thrombopoietic activity through the quantification of megakaryocytes in bone marrow cytology and reticulated platelets

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

Radiographic measurement of tibial joint angles in sheep

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

MAP Kinase Phosphatase-1 Protects against Inflammatory Bone Loss

The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatase (MKP) family plays an important function in regulating the pro-inflammatory cytokines by deactivating MAP kinases. MKP-1 is essential for the dephosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase that regulates expression of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-1 beta. We hypothesized that MKP-1 regulates inflammatory bone loss in experimental periodontitis. Wild-type and Mkp-1(-/-) mice received A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS injection in the palatal region or PBS control 3 times/wk for 30 days. Mice were killed, and maxillae were assessed by microcomputed tomography, histological analysis, and TRAP staining for measurement of bone loss, extent of inflammation, and degree of osteoclastogenesis. Results indicated that, in LPS-injected Mkp-1(-/-) mice, significantly greater bone loss occurred with more inflammatory infiltrate and a significant increase in osteoclastogenesis compared with Mkp-1(-/-) control sites or either wild-type group. Analysis of these data indicates that MKP-1 plays a key role in the regulation of inflammatory bone loss.