Swarm control designs applied to a non-ideal load transportation system

In this paper, a load transport system in platforms is considered. It is a transport device and is modelled as an inverted pendulum built on a car driven by a DC motor. The motion equations were obtained by Lagrange's equations. The mathematical model considers the interaction between the DC motor and the dynamic system. The dynamic system was analysed and a Swarm Control Design was developed to stabilize the model of this load transport system. ©2010 IEEE.

Intermolecular interactions of the malate synthase of Paracoccidioides spp

Background: The fungus Paracoccidioides spp is the agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a pulmonary mycosis acquired by the inhalation of fungal propagules. Paracoccidioides malate synthase (PbMLS) is important in the infectious process of Paracoccidioides spp because the transcript is up-regulated during the transition from mycelium to yeast and in yeast cells during phagocytosis by murine macrophages. In addition, PbMLS acts as an adhesin in Paracoccidioides spp. The evidence for the multifunctionality of PbMLS indicates that it could interact with other proteins from the fungus and host. The objective of this study was to identify and analyze proteins that possibly bind to PbMLS (PbMLS-interacting proteins) because protein interactions are intrinsic to cell processes, and it might be possible to infer the function of a protein through the identification of its ligands. Results: The search for interactions was performed using an in vivo assay with a two-hybrid library constructed in S. cerevisiae; the transcripts were sequenced and identified. In addition, an in vitro assay using pull-down GST methodology with different protein extracts (yeast, mycelium, yeast-secreted proteins and macrophage) was performed, and the resulting interactions were identified by mass spectrometry (MS). Some of the protein interactions were confirmed by Far-Western blotting using specific antibodies, and the interaction of PbMLS with macrophages was validated by indirect immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. In silico analysis using molecular modeling, dynamics and docking identified the amino acids that were involved in the interactions between PbMLS and PbMLS-interacting proteins. Finally, the interactions were visualized graphically using Osprey software. Conclusion: These observations indicate that PbMLS interacts with proteins that are in different functional categories, such as cellular transport, protein biosynthesis, modification and degradation of proteins and signal transduction. These data suggest that PbMLS could play different roles in the fungal cell. © 2013 de Oliveira et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Identificação e análise da expressão de genes relacioanados com tolerância à seca em soja através de microarranjos de DNA e PCR em tempo real

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito da desintegrina recombinante DisBa-01 incorporada em micelas ou livre em células portando ou não a integrina αvβ3

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

Selenium and sulfur: mitigation in plant stresses

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Comparative transcriptome analysis of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis during in vitro adhesion to type I collagen and fibronectin: identification of potential adhesins

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Glucose consume and growth of E. coli under electromagnetic field

E. coli,em caldo glicosado,foi submetida a campo eletromagnético de intensidade 5G, gerado por fonte de tensão alternada de 60 Hz . Os crescimento e consumo de glicose foram avaliados através do teste não-paramétrico de Mann-Whitney para comparação de dois grupos. Após 8 h de exposição encontraram-se menor valor da glicose residual e maior turbidez nos tubos expostos ao campo evidenciando efeito positivo deste. A causa deste efeito no consumo da glicose pode ser pela estimulação de sistema de transporte de glicose, como a Difusão Facilitada ou por um tipo de fenômeno chamado ressonância ciclotrônica. O aumento do crescimento pode ser pelo encurtamento da lag phase e estimulação da log phase.

High incidences of DNA ploidy abnormalities in tongue squamous cell carcinoma of young patients: an international collaborative study

Aims: This multi-centre analysis assessed the DNA content of TSCC in 37 young patients (<40 years) and 28 old patients (>50 years) and determined the correlation of DNA ploidy findings with clinicopathological data.Methods and results: Image cytometry was carried out using an automated cellular imaging system on Feulgen-stained histological sections to obtain high-fidelity DNA histograms. Among young patients, 37.8% were females compared to 18.7% in the older group (P = 0.002). In total, 48.6% patients were non-smokers and 40.5% were non-drinkers compared to 10.7% non-smokers and non-drinkers in the older group (P < 0.0001). TNM, clinical stage of disease and histological grade of differentiation did not differ between groups. Tumour aneuploidy was detected in 86.5% and tetraploidy in 24.3% young patients; this was significantly greater than in the older group where 64.3% were aneuploid (P < 0.0001) and 7.2% tetraploid (P < 0.0001). The mean values of DNA index (DI) and DNA heterogeneity index as well as the percentage of cells with DI exceeding 5N were higher in young patients (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Young patients with TSCC represent a distinct clinical entity. The high incidence of DNA ploidy abnormalities suggest that they may have increased genomic instability and indicates underlying genetic differences between TSCC in young and older patients.

Gene expression modulation by chalcopyrite and bornite in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Mecanismos de absorção de aminoácidos e oligopeptídios. Controle e implicações na dietoterapia humana

The mechanisms involved in the absorption of amino acids and oligopeptides are reviewed regarding their implications in human feedings. Brush border and basolateral membranes are crossed by amino acids and di-tripeptides by passive (facilitated or simple diffusion) or active (Na + or H + co-transporters) pathways. Active Na +-dependent system occurs mainly at brush border and simple diffusion at basolateral, both membranes have the passive facilitated transport. Free-amino acids use either passive or active transport systems whereas di-tripeptides do mainly active (H + co-transporter). Brush border have distinctive transport system for amino acids and di-tripeptides. The former occurs mainly by active Na + dependency whereas the later is active H +-dependent with little affinity for tetra or higher peptides. Free amino acids are transported at different speed by saturable, competitive carriers with specificity for basic, acidic or neutral amino acids. Di and tripeptides have at least two carriers both electrogenic and H +-dependent. The basolateral membrane transport of amino acids is mostly by facilitated diffusion while for di-tripeptides it is an active anion exchange associated process. The main regulation of amino acids and di-tripeptide transport is the presence o substrate at the mucosal membrane with higher the substrate higher the absorption. Di and tripeptides are more efficiently absorbed than free amino acids which in turns are better absorbed than oligopeptides. So di-tripeptides result in better N-retention and is particularly useful in cases of lower intestinal absorption capacity. The non-absorbed peptides are digested and fermented by colonic bacteria resulting short-chain fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, phenolic compounds and ammonia. Short-chain fatty acid provides energy for colonocytes and bacteria and the ammonia not fixed by bacteria returns to the liver for ureagenesis.

Kinetic study of the plastoquinone pool availability correlated with H2O2 release in seawater and antioxidant responses in the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii exposed to single or combined high light, chilling and chemical stresses

Under biotic/abiotic stresses, the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii reportedly releases massive amounts of H2O2 into the surrounding seawater. As an essential redox signal, the role of chloroplast-originated H2O2 in the orchestration of overall antioxidant responses in algal species has thus been questioned. This work purported to study the kinetic decay profiles of the redox-sensitive plastoquinone pool correlated to H2O2 release in seawater, parameters of oxidative lesions and antioxidant enzyme activities in the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii under the single or combined effects of high light, low temperature, and sub-lethal doses of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone (DBMIB), which are inhibitors of the thylakoid electron transport system. Within 24 h, high light and chilling stresses distinctly affected the availability of the PQ pool for photosynthesis, following Gaussian and exponential kinetic profiles, respectively, whereas combined stimuli were mostly reflected in exponential decays. No significant correlation was found in a comparison of the PQ pool levels after 24 h with either catalase (CAT) or ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities, although the H2O2 concentration in seawater (R = 0.673), total superoxide dismutase activity (R = 0.689), and particularly indexes of protein (R = 0.869) and lipid oxidation (R = 0.864), were moderately correlated. These data suggest that the release of H2O2 from plastids into seawater possibly impaired efficient and immediate responses of pivotal H2O2-scavenging activities of CAT and APX in the red alga K. alvarezii, culminating in short-term exacerbated levels of protein and lipid oxidation. These facts provided a molecular basis for the recognized limited resistance of the red alga K. alvarezii under unfavorable conditions, especially under chilling stress. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelo AC para el despacho combinado de contratos bilaterales y bolsa de energía considerando restricciones de seguridad

Reliability is a key aspect in power system design and planning. Maintaining a reliable power system is a very important issue for their design and operation. Under the new competitive framework of the electricity sector, power systems find ever more and more strained to operate near their limits. Under this new scenario, it is crucial for the system operator to use tools that facilitate an energy dispatch that minimizes possible power cuts. This paper presents a mathematical model to calculate an energy dispatch that considers security constraints (single contingencies in transmission lines and transformers). The model involves pool markets and fixed bilateral contracts. Traditional methodologies that include security constraints are usually based in multistage dispatch processes. In this case, we propose a single-stage model that avoids the economic inefficiencies which result when conventional multi-stage dispatch approaches are applied. The proposed model includes an AC representation of the transport system and allows calculating the cost overruns incurred in due to reliability restrictions. We found that complying with fixed bilateral contracts, when they go above certain levels, might lead to congestion problems in transmission lines.

Detecção de línfócitos T no intestino de frangos de corte tratados com lactobacillus spp. e desafiados com Salmonella enteritidis

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

Influência do espaçamento e poda de produção sobre a produtividade e aspectos tecnológicos do maracujá amarelo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise da viabilidade técnica e ambiental de vias cicláveis na cidade de Presidente Epitácio-SP

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil - FEIS