Branch and bound algorithm for transmission system expansion planning using a transportation model

A method for optimal transmission network expansion planning is presented. The transmission network is modelled as a transportation network. The problem is solved using hierarchical Benders decomposition in which the problem is decomposed into master and slave subproblems. The master subproblem models the investment decisions and is solved using a branch-and-bound algorithm. The slave subproblem models the network operation and is solved using a specialised linear program. Several alternative implementations of the branch-and-bound algorithm have been rested. Special characteristics of the transmission expansion problem have been taken into consideration in these implementations. The methods have been tested on various test systems available in the literature.

Development of an open case-based decision-support system for diagnosis in oral pathology

Making diagnoses in oral pathology are often difficult and confusing in dental practice, especially for the lessexperienced dental student. One of the most promising areas in bioinformatics is computer-aided diagnosis, where a computer system is capable of imitating human reasoning ability and provides diagnoses with an accuracy approaching that of expert professionals. This type of system could be an alternative tool for assisting dental students to overcome the difficulties of the oral pathology learning process. This could allow students to define variables and information, important to improving the decision-making performance. However, no current open data management system has been integrated with an artificial intelligence system in a user-friendly environment. Such a system could also be used as an education tool to help students perform diagnoses. The aim of the present study was to develop and test an open case-based decisionsupport system.Methods: An open decision-support system based on Bayes' theorem connected to a relational database was developed using the C++ programming language. The software was tested in the computerisation of a surgical pathology service and in simulating the diagnosis of 43 known cases of oral bone disease. The simulation was performed after the system was initially filled with data from 401 cases of oral bone disease.Results: the system allowed the authors to construct and to manage a pathology database, and to simulate diagnoses using the variables from the database.Conclusion: Combining a relational database and an open decision-support system in the same user-friendly environment proved effective in simulating diagnoses based on information from an updated database.

The characteristics of a test liquid formulation for use in evaluating the performance of handling and metering systems

Injection metering systems are an important option for the development of pesticide application equipment, with advantages relating to minimising the need for disposal of unused pesticide, improving the ease of cleaning and optimising the accuracy of chemical application. For all injection systems, characteristics such as the steady-state accuracy of delivered dose, dose stability and the time response for dose step changes are related to the ability of the system to operate with different chemical formulations. A system designed to inject liquids should be able to accommodate changes in viscosity and density. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for testing chemical injection systems using liquids with different viscosities. The experimental arrangement simulating applications with injection metering systems used dye and salt solutions as tracers. Tests were conducted to analyse the influence of salt on the characteristics of the water and a viscous solution. Results showed that the salt interfered with the dye stability in the water solution. In tests with a viscous test liquid, the salt was introduced at different steps during the mixing process, providing four different liquids to be analysed in terms of viscosity, density and pH. Some differences in liquid characteristics were found which could influence the performance of the injection systems.

Effect of handpiece tip design on the cutting efficiency of an air abrasion system

Purpose : the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nozzle angle and tip diameter on the cutting efficiency of an air abrasion system. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six extracted human third molars were air-abraded with the PrepStar microabrasion machine using a handpiece with either 80degrees or 45degrees nozzle angles with 0.38 or 0.48 nun tip orifice diameters. The following parameters were held constant: abrasive particle size (27 mum), air pressure (80 psi), distance (2 mm.) and duration (15 seconds). The cutting efficiency was compared using enamel, dentin and cementum substrates. Width and depth of the cutting patterns were analyzed and measured using scanning electron micrographs. Results: Statistical analysis using three-way ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range test revealed that the width of the cuts was significantly greater when the cavities were prepared using the 45degrees nozzle angle. Significantly deeper cavities were produced with the 80degrees nozzle angle. The tip orifice of the nozzle influenced the cutting efficiency in softer substrates, dentin and cementum. Precise removal of hard tissue is best accomplished using the 80degrees angle nozzle tips for all types of tooth surfaces, enamel, dentin and cementum.

Test systems and mathematical models for transmission network expansion planning

The data of four networks that can be used in carrying out comparative studies with methods for transmission network expansion planning are given. These networks are of various types and different levels of complexity. The main mathematical formulations used in transmission expansion studies-transportation models, hybrid models, DC power flow models, and disjunctive models are also summarised and compared. The main algorithm families are reviewed-both analytical, combinatorial and heuristic approaches. Optimal solutions are not yet known for some of the four networks when more accurate models (e.g. The DC model) are used to represent the power flow equations-the state of the art with regard to this is also summarised. This should serve as a challenge to authors searching for new, more efficient methods.

Cognitive Deficits in Machado-Joseph Disease Correlate with Hypoperfusion of Visual System Areas

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

Aging reduces complexity of heart rate variability assessed by conditional entropy and symbolic analysis

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

Orthodontic brackets removal under shear and tensile bond strength resistance tests - a comparative test between light sources

We have investigated if a new LEDs system has enough efficient energy to promote efficient shear and tensile bonding strength resistance under standardized tests. LEDs 470 +/- 10 nm can be used to photocure composite during bracket fixation. Advantages considering resistance to tensile and shear bonding strength when these systems were used are necessary to justify their clinical use. Forty eight human extracted premolars teeth and two light sources were selected, one halogen lamp and a LEDs system. Brackets for premolar were bonded through composite resin. Samples were submitted to standardized tests. A comparison between used sources under shear bonding strength test, obtained similar results; however, tensile bonding test showed distinct results: a statistical difference at a level of 1% between exposure times (40 and 60 seconds) and even to an interaction between light source and exposure time. The best result was obtained with halogen lamp use by 60 seconds, even during re-bonding; however LEDs system can be used for bonding and re-bonding brackets if power density could be increased.

Anaerobic contribution during maximal anaerobic running test: correlation with maximal accumulated oxygen deficit

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mutagenic and genotoxic effects of the Atrazine herbicide in Oreochromis niloticus (Perciformes, Cichlidae) detected by the micronuclei test and the comet assay

Atrazine is the triazinic herbicide most found in the rural aquatic environments due to its extensive use and its stability in such places. The mutagenicity and the genotoxicity of different concentrations of the Atrazine herbicide were determinated by the micronucleus test and the comet assay, using Oreochromis niloticus as test-system. The tested concentrations of Atrazine herbicide were 6.25, 12.5 and 25 mu g/L, both for the micronuclei test and for the comet assay. The results showed a significant rate of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities for all the tested concentrations of Atrazine herbicide. For the comet assay, we also observed results significantly different from the control in 6.25, 12.5 and 25 mu g/L concentrations. Due to these results, we could infer that such herbicide may be dangerous to the lives of those organisms exposed to it. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plant glandular trichomes mediate protective mutualism in a spider-plant system

1. Although several species of Peucetia (Oxyopidae) live strictly in association with plants bearing glandular trichomes worldwide, to date little is known about whether these associations are mutualistic.2. In this study we manipulated the presence of Peucetia flava on the glandular plant Rhynchanthera dichotoma in the rainy and post-rain season, to test the strength of its effects on leaf, bud, and flower damage and plant reproductive output. In addition, we ran independent field experiments to examine whether these sticky structures improve spider fidelity to plants.3. Peucetia suppressed some species of foliar phytophages, but not others. Although spiders have reduced levels of leaf herbivory, this phenomenon was temporally conditional, i.e. occurred only in the post-rain but not in the rainy season. Floral herbivory was also reduced in the presence of spiders, but these predators did not affect plant fitness components.4. Plants that had their glandular trichomes removed retained fewer insects than those bearing such structures. Spiders remained longer on plants with glandular trichomes than on plants in which these structures had been removed. Isotopic analyses showed that spiders that fed on live and dead labelled flies adhered to the glandular hairs in similar proportions.5. Spiders incurred no costs to the plants, but can potentially increase individual plant fitness by reducing damage to reproductive tissues. Temporal conditionality probably occurred because plant productivity exceeded herbivore consumption, thus dampening top-down effects. Specialisation to live on glandular plants may have favoured scavenging behaviour in Peucetia, possibly an adaptation to periods of food scarcity.

Gastrointestinal parasites occurrence in dairy cows kept in organic and conventional production system

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Studies on the activation of the pre-kininogenin-kininogenin (pre-kallikrein-kallikrein) system by sulfated polysaccharides and kaolin

The activation of pre-kininogenin to kininogenin (pre-kallikrein to kallikrein) is one of the steps in the series of reactions of a complex system, linked also to fibrinolysis and coagulation, that leads to kinin release in plasma (See Cochrane et al., 1976; Wuepper, 1976; Kaplan et al., 1976; Kaplan et al., 1976). For human plasma, a test using kaolin as activator and measuring kallikrein activity with the chromogenic substrate Chromozym PK (Nα-benzoyl-prolyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl-nitroanilide, Pentapharm, Basle) is routinely employed. The purpose of this paper is to further study the mechanism of this activation, by means of different activators and using as inhibitor hexadimethrine bromide (Polybrene). Besides kaolin, sulfated polysaccharides, such as heparin and cellulose sulfate are able to activate pre-kininogenin to kininogenin. Hexadimethrine as expected, inhibited the activation by heparin and also that by cellulose sulfate. The activation by kaolin however followed a different pattern suggesting, at least partially, a different mode of action of this activator. © 1979.

Serology of paracoccidioidomycosis - I. Evaluation of the indirect immunofluorescent test

The purposes of the present work were: i) to study the positivity indices and compare titers obtained with the indirect immunofluorescence (II), tube precipitation (TP), complement fixation (CF) and double immunodiffusion on agar gel (ID) tests in the sera of 196 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis before treatment, and ii) to compare the initial titers of II with those obtained 1 year or more after treatment. II was the most sensitive serologic reaction (85.2%), and the positivity indices for CF, ID and TP were 67.7%, 66.0% and 50.0%, respectively. The sera tended to show parallel mean titers in II, CF and TP tests. One year after treatment there was a fall in titers of II in 66.2% of patients. The data, taken as a whole, demonstrate the usefulness of the indirect immunofluorescent test and the importance of using 2 or more serologic tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. © 1985 Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers.