A mixture theory based method for three-dimensional modeling of reinforce concrete members with embedded crack finite elements

The paper presents a methodology to model three-dimensional reinforced concrete members by means of embedded discontinuity elements based on the Continuum Strong Discontinuous Approach (CSDA). Mixture theory concepts are used to model reinforced concrete as a 31) composite material constituted of concrete with long fibers (rebars) bundles oriented in different directions embedded in it. The effects of the rebars are modeled by phenomenological constitutive models devised to reproduce the axial non-linear behavior, as well as the bond-slip and dowel action. The paper presents the constitutive models assumed for the components and the compatibility conditions chosen to constitute the composite. Numerical analyses of existing experimental reinforced concrete members are presented, illustrating the applicability of the proposed methodology.

Quantitation of malondialdehyde in gingival crevicular fluid by a high-performance liquid chromatography-based method

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

A neural networks-based method for single-phase harmonic content identification

A neural method is presented in this paper to identify the harmonic components of an ac controller. The components are identified by analyzing the single-phase current waveform. The method effectiveness is verified by applying it to an active power filter (APF) model dedicated to the selective harmonic compensation. Simulation results using theoretical and experimental data are presented to validate the proposed approach. © 2008 IEEE.

HPLC-DAD based method for the quantification of flavonoids in the hydroethanolic extract of Tonina fluviatilis Aubl. (Eriocaulaceae) and their radical scavenging activity

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

MRT letter: Extended depth from focus reconstruction method for stretch zone measurement in 15-5PH steel

The stretch zone width (SZW) data for 15-5PH steel CTOD specimens fractured at -150 degrees C to + 23 degrees C temperature were measured based on focused images and 3D maps obtained by extended depth-of-field reconstruction from light microscopy (LM) image stacks. This LM-based method, with a larger lateral resolution, seems to be as effective for quantitative analysis of SZW as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), permitting to clearly identify stretch zone boundaries. Despite the worst sharpness of focused images, a robust linear correlation was established to fracture toughness (KC) and SZW data for the 15-5PH steel tested specimens, measured at their center region. The method is an alternative to evaluate the boundaries of stretched zones, at a lower cost of implementation and training, since topographic data from elevation maps can be associated with reconstructed image, which summarizes the original contrast and brightness information. Finally, the extended depth-of-field method is presented here as a valuable tool for failure analysis, as a cheaper alternative to investigate rough surfaces or fracture, compared to scanning electron or confocal light microscopes. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:11551158, 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diagnosis of Giardia infections by PCR-based methods in children of an endemic area

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

Classificação automática de padrões projetados por um sistema de luz estruturada

One of the main problems in Computer Vision and Close Range Digital Photogrammetry is 3D reconstruction. 3D reconstruction with structured light is one of the existing techniques and which still has several problems, one of them the identification or classification of the projected targets. Approaching this problem is the goal of this paper. An area based method called template matching was used for target classification. This method performs detection of area similarity by correlation, which measures the similarity between the reference and search windows, using a suitable correlation function. In this paper the modified cross covariance function was used, which presented the best results. A strategy was developed for adaptative resampling of the patterns, which solved the problem of deformation of the targets due to object surface inclination. Experiments with simulated and real data were performed in order to assess the efficiency of the proposed methodology for target detection. The results showed that the proposed classification strategy works properly, identifying 98% of targets in plane surfaces and 93% in oblique surfaces.

A migração laboral no setor de produção de energia hidrelétrica: efeitos na subjetividade dos trabalhadores na contemporaneidade

Pós-graduação em Psicologia - FCLAS

Leakage detection in water pipe networks using electromechanical impedance (EMI) based technique

The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has been successfully used in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems on a wide variety of structures. The basic concept of this technique is to monitor the structural integrity by exciting and sensing a piezoelectric transducer, usually a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) wafer bonded to the structure to be monitored and excited in a suitable frequency range. Because of the piezoelectric effect, there is a relationship between the mechanical impedance of the host structure, which is directly related to its integrity, and the electrical impedance of the PZT transducer, obtained by a ratio between the excitation and the sensing signals.This work presents a study on damage (leaks) detection using EMI based method. Tests were carried out in a rig water system built in a Hydraulic Laboratory for different leaks conditions in a metallic pipeline. Also, it was evaluated the influence of the PZT position bonded to the pipeline. The results show that leaks can effectively be detected using common metrics for damage detection such as RMSD and CCDM. Further, it was observed that the position of the PZT bonded to the pipes is an important variable and has to be controlled.

A multisensor, multitemporal approach for monitoring herbaceous vegetation growth in the Amazon floodplain

The Amazon River floodplain is an important source of atmospheric CO2 and CH4. Aquatic herbaceous vegetation (macrophytes) have been shown to contribute significantly to floodplain net primary productivity (NPP) and methane emission in the region. Their fast growth rates under both flooded and dry conditions make herbaceous vegetation the most variable element in the Amazon floodplain NPP budget, and the most susceptible to environmental changes. The present study combines multitemporal Radarsat-1 and MODIS images to monitor spatial and temporal changes in herbaceous vegetation cover in the Amazon floodplain. Radarsat-1 images were acquired from Dec/2003 to Oct/2005, and MODIS daily surface reflectance products were acquired for the two cloud-free dates closest to each Radarsat-1 acquisition. An object-based, hierarchical algorithm was developed using the temporal SAR information to discriminate Permanent Open Water (OW), Floodplain (FP) and Upland (UL) classes at Level 1, and then subdivide the FP class into Woody Vegetation (WV) and Possible Macrophytes (PM) at Level 2. At Level 3, optical and SAR information were combined to discriminate actual herbaceous cover at each date. The resulting maps had accuracies ranging from 80% to 90% for Level 1 and 2 classifications, and from 60% to 70% for Level 3 classifications, with kappa values ranging between 0.7 and 0.9 for Levels 1 and 2 and between 0.5 and 0.6 for Level 3. All study sites had noticeable variations in the extent of herbaceous cover throughout the hydrological year, with maximum areas up to four times larger than minimum areas. The proposed classification method was able to capture the spatial pattern of macrophyte growth and development in the studied area, and the multitemporal information was essential for both separating vegetation cover types and assessing monthly variation in herbaceous cover extent.

Intra-examiner reproducibility of the agar plate method for estmation of phospholipase activity in candida albicans

Although measurement errors can impair statistical analysis, reliability analysis has been neglected in applied microbiology. This study assessed the intra-rater reproducibility of the Agar-based method for estimation of phospholipase activity (Pz). Pz readings were performed twice by two examiners (E1, E2), either directly on plates or in photos, and both black and white backgrounds were used. Pz values were taken from one or triplicate colonies from each sample (n=30). Intra-examiner reproducibility was estimated using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). For both examiners, reading triplicate (ICCE1=0.91, ICCE2=0.86) was better than one colony (ICCE1=0.86, ICCE2=0.80). E1 had an excellent concordance when measurements were performed on photos using a white background (ICC=0.95) and a good concordance in the other conditions

Land cover classification of Lago Grande de Curuai floodplain (Amazon, Brazil) using multi-sensor and image fusion techniques

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mapping Macrophyte Species in the Amazon Floodplain Wetlands Using Fully Polarimetric ALOS/PALSAR Data

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate attributes derived from fully polarimetric PALSAR data to discriminate and map macrophyte species in the Amazon floodplain wetlands. Fieldwork was carried out almost simultaneously to the radar acquisition, and macrophyte biomass and morphological variables were measured in the field. Attributes were calculated from the covariance matrix [C] derived from the single-look complex data. Image attributes and macrophyte variables were compared and analyzed to investigate the sensitivity of the attributes for discriminating among species. Based on these analyses, a rule-based classification was applied to map macrophyte species. Other classification approaches were tested and compared to the rule-based method: a classification based on the Freeman-Durden and Cloude-Pottier decomposition models, a hybrid classification (Wishart classifier with the input classes based on the H/a plane), and a statistical-based classification (supervised classification using Wishart distance measures). The findings show that attributes derived from fully polarimetric L-band data have good potential for discriminating herbaceous plant species based on morphology and that estimation of plant biomass and productivity could be improved by using these polarimetric attributes.

Oxidation of melatonin and its catabolites, N-1-acetyl-N (2)-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine and N-1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine, by activated leukocytes

N-1-acetyl-N-2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK) and N-1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK), two melatonin catabolites, have been described as potent antioxidants. We aimed to follow the kinetics of AFMK and AMK formation when melatonin is oxidized by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated leukocytes. An HPLC-based method was used for AFMK and AMK determination in neutrophil and peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures supernatants. Samples were separated isocratically on a C18 reverse-phase column using acetonitrile/H2O (25:75) as the mobile phase. AFMK was detected by fluorescence (excitation 340 nm and emission 460 nm) and AMK by UV-VIS absorbance (254 nm). Activation of neutrophils and mononuclear cells with PMA produces larger amounts of AFMK than activation with LPS, probably due to the lower levels of reactive oxygen species formation and myeloperoxidase (MPO) degranulation that occurs when cells are stimulated with LPS. The concentration of AMK found in the supernatant was about 5-10% (from 18-hr cultures) compared with AFMK. This result may reflect its reactivity. Indeed AMK, but not AFMK, is easily oxidized by activated neutrophils in a MPO and hydrogen peroxide-dependent reaction. In conclusion, we defined a simple procedure for the determination of AFMK and AMK in biological samples and demonstrated the capacity of leukocytes to oxidize melatonin and AMK.

Amniotic Fluid Interleukin-1 Beta and Interleukin-6, but not Interleukin-8 Correlate with Microbial Invasion of the Amniotic Cavity in Preterm Labor

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