NOISE GENERATED BY CAVITATION IN ORIFICE-PLATES WITH SOME GASEOUS EFFECTS.

An experimental investigation of the noise generated by cavitation in turbulent shear flows produced by confined sharp-edge orifice-plates is reported. The acoustic source strength of cavitation was determined by means of reciprocity type measurements. Experimentally determined scaling parameters are applied to a model to prototype scaling formula derived from dimensional analysis. The proposed formula is checked experimentally. Comparative photographic observations of the cavitation patterns for two different values of gas content are presented. The observed sound reduction, that occurs when supersaturated conditions exist downstream the orifice-plates, is explained by the effects of gas diffusion into the cavitation bubbles, and by simple acoustic attenuation.

Gaseous neurotransmitters and their role in anapyrexia

Mammals keep their body temperature (Tb) relatively constant even under a wide range of ambient temperature variation. However, in some particular situations it may be beneficial to increase or to decrease Tb. For instance, under hypoxic conditions, a regulated drop in Tb (anapyrexia) takes place which has been reported to be crucial for survival in a number of different species. This review highlights major advances in the research about nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO-where data are relatively less abundant), before focusing on the role played by these gaseous neuromediators in thermoregulation, under the conditions of euthermia and anapyrexia. Available data are consistent with the notion that both NO and CO, acting on the CNS, participate in thermoregulation, with NO decreasing Tb and CO increasing it. However further studies are required before definitive conclusions can be made as to their physiological mechanisms of action.

Efficient Photoelectrochemical Reduction of Nitrite to Ammonium and Nitrogen Containing Gaseous Species Using Ti/TiO2 Nanotube Electrodes

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

An Informatics Technical Note on Interaction of DNA - Graphene Chemical Sensor System as Reaction-Diffusion Wave-Based Computing System in Ionised Gaseous environments and their Applications Using Theoretical Studies and Scientific Computation Overview

The physics of plasmas encompasses basic problems from the universe and has assured us of promises in diverse applications to be implemented in a wider range of scientific and engineering domains, linked to most of the evolved and evolving fundamental problems. Substantial part of this domain could be described by R–D mechanisms involving two or more species (reaction–diffusion mechanisms). These could further account for the simultaneous non-linear effects of heating, diffusion and other related losses. We mention here that in laboratory scale experiments, a suitable combination of these processes is of vital importance and very much decisive to investigate and compute the net behaviour of plasmas under consideration. Plasmas are being used in the revolution of information processing, so we considered in this technical note a simple framework to discuss and pave the way for better formalisms and Informatics, dealing with diverse domains of science and technologies. The challenging and fascinating aspects of plasma physics is that it requires a great deal of insight in formulating the relevant design problems, which in turn require ingenuity and flexibility in choosing a particular set of mathematical (and/or experimental) tools to implement them.

Effects of gaseous atmosphere and antioxidants on the development and cryotolerance of bovine embryos at different periods of in vitro culture

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

Sensitive luminescent paper-based sensor for the determination of gaseous hydrogen sulfide

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

Elaboração de um queijo análogo ao pecorino romano produzido com leite de cabra e coalhada congelados

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

Nest Digging by Leaf-Cutting Ants: Effect of Group Size and Functional Structures.

Leaf-cutting ant workers dig underground chambers, for housing their symbiotic fungus, interconnected by a vast quantity of tunnels whose function is to permit the entrance of food (leaves), gaseous exchanges, andmovement of workers, offspring, and the queen. Digging is a task executed by a group of workers, but little is known about the group effect and group-constructed functional structures. Thus, we analyzed the structures formed by worker groups (5, 10, 20, and 40 individuals) of the leaf-cutting ant, Atta sexdens rubropilosa, for 2 days of excavation. The digging arena was the same for the 4 groups, with each group corresponding to a different density. Our results verified a pattern of tunneling by the workers, but no chamber was constructed. The group effect is well known, since the 40-worker group dug significantly more than the groups of 5, 10, and 20. These groups did not differ statistically from each other. Analysis of load/worker verified that workers of the smallest group carried the greatest load. Our paper demonstrates the group effect on the digging of nests, namely, that excavation is proportional to group size, but without emergence of a functional structure such as a chamber.

Pyrolysis and combustion of pulp mill lime sludge

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

Thin films generated by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition of hexamethyldisilazane mixed with nitrogen in different proportions

In this work, it was used a plasma system composed of a cylindrical stainless steel reactor, a radio-frequency (13.56MHz) power source fixed at either 25 W or 70 W, a power source with a negative bias of 10kV and a 100Hz pulse. The system worked at an operational pressure of 80mTorr which consisted of varying concentrations of the monomer HMDSN and gaseous nitrogen in ratios: HMDSN (mTorr)/nitrogen (mTorr) from 70/10 to 20/60 in terms of operational pressure. The structural characterization of the films was done by FTIR spectroscopy. Absorptions were observed between 3500 cm(-1) to 3200 cm(-1), 3000 cm(-1) to 2900 cm(-1), 2500 cm(-1) to 2000 cm(-1), 1500 cm(-1) to 700 cm(-1), corresponding, respectively, to OH radicals, C-H stretching bonds in CH2 and CH3 molecules, C-N bonds, and finally, strain C-H bonds, Si-CH3 and Si-N groups, for both the 70 W and the 25 W. The contact angle for water was approximately 100 degrees and the surface energy is near 25mJ/m(2) which represents a hydrophobic surface, measured by goniometric method. The aging of the film was also analyzed by measuring the contact angle over a period of time. The stabilization was observed after 4 weeks. The refractive index of these materials presents values from 1.73 to 1.65 measured by ultraviolet-visible technique.

Combinações de fontes de nitrogênio no desenvolvimento e rendimento do feijoeiro

O nitrogênio é um dos nutrientes de planta mais lixiviados no solo, sendo, também, perdido na forma gasosa, o que pode limitar o rendimento de muitas culturas. Neste sentido, este trabalho objetivou estudar o efeito de combinações de fontes de N (ureia e sulfato de amônio), na dose de 80 kg ha-1, em aplicação isolada ou em mistura, com ou sem incorporação ao solo de água de irrigação, sobre a produção e os componentes de rendimento da cultura do feijoeiro. O trabalho foi realizado no município de Selvíria (MS), em dois anos agrícolas (2003 e 2004), no período de inverno. Adotou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com 12 tratamentos dispostos em esquema fatorial 6x2, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos por seis combinações de fontes de nitrogênio: testemunha - sem N; 80 kg ha-1 de N - sulfato de amônio (SA); 20 kg ha-1 de N - ureia (U) + 60 kg ha-1 de N (SA); 40 kg ha-1 de N (U) + 40 kg ha-1 de N (SA); 60 kg ha-1 de N (U) + 20 kg ha-1 de N (SA); e 80 kg ha-1 de N (U), aplicadas com e sem água de irrigação. Verificou-se que o fornecimento de nitrogênio, independentemente da fonte utilizada, propiciou aumento na produtividade de grãos. Não houve diferença entre a incorporação ou não do fertilizante nitrogenado ao solo com água de irrigação.

Crescimento e índices de troca gasosa em plantas de pepino irrigadas com água enriquecida com CO2

Avaliou-se o efeito do enriquecimento da água de irrigação com CO2 sobre índices fisiológicos de desenvolvimento e troca gasosa de folhas de plantas de pepino do tipo japonês, cultivados em ambiente protegido. Os experimentos realizados em duas épocas do ano foram instalados em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com 4 tratamentos e 5 repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pelos híbridos Hokuho e Tsuyataro, irrigados com água comum ou enriquecida com CO2, em uma concentração de 1 no primeiro e 0,25 no segundo experimento. A produção de massa de material seco e área foliar adotaram tendência exponencial, não sendo possível observar o início da diminuição da taxa de produção de massa do material seco aos 63 dias após transplante (DAT). A taxa de crescimento da comunidade e taxa de crescimento relativa do híbrido Hokuho irrigado com água comum foi diferente do irrigado com água enriquecida com CO2, no entanto, no híbrido Tsuyataro foram semelhantes. A taxa de assimilação líquida atingiu a máxima pendente na fase de crescimento vegetativo e floração, e foi reduzida drasticamente após os 20 DAT no híbrido Hokuho, e após os 35 DAT no híbrido Tsuyataro. A razão de área foliar diminuiu ligeiramente nos dois híbridos com o desenvolvimento do cultivo. No início observaram-se diferenças entre irrigação com água comum e enriquecida com CO2, porém após 20 DAT não se apreciaram mais diferenças. Quanto a troca gasosa, a taxa assimilatória líquida de CO2 e de transpiração, conductância estomática e eficiência no uso da água foram semelhantes entre plantas irrigadas com água comum e enriquecida com CO2 durante o primeiro semestre. Já no segundo semestre, maiores valores foram registrados pelas plantas irrigadas com água enriquecida.

Adaptação da máscara do analisador de gases VO2000 para mensuração de parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios em natação

O objetivo do presente estudo foi desenvolver um snorquel (SNQ) de baixo custo para mensuração de parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios em natação. Para isso, a máscara do analisador de gases VO2000 (MASC) foi adaptada a um SNQ desenvolvido artesanalmente com espaço morto de 250ml. Oito participantes foram submetidos a dois testes incrementais (TI) em cicloergômetro utilizando a MASC e o SNQ. Os TI foram realizados até a exaustão voluntária e foram compostos por estágios de 3min com carga inicial e incrementos de 35W. em ambas as situações, amostras gasosas foram coletadas em intervalos de 10s para determinação dos volumes de oxigênio (VO2), gás carbônico (VCO2), ventilatório (VE) e mensuração da freqüência cardíaca (FC). A comparação dos parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios (VO2, VE, VCO2 e FC) mensurados com o SNQ e a MASC foi realizada com o teste t de Student para amostras dependentes, enquanto que o teste de correlação de Pearson e a análise gráfica de Bland e Altman foram utilizados para verificar as associações e concordância entre parâmetros. em todos os casos, o nível de significância foi de P < 0,05. A adequação das equações de correção para os valores provenientes do SNQ foi verificada pelos erros sistemáticos (bias), aleatórios (precisão) e acurácia (ac). Não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os valores de VO2, VCO2 e FC obtidos com a MASC e SNQ. Os valores de VE mensurados com o SNQ foram significativamente superiores aos obtidos com a MASC. No entanto, todos os parâmetros apresentaram elevada concordância e coeficiente de correlação (0,88 a 0,97). Além disso, foram verificados reduzidos valores de bias (VO2 = 0,11L/min; VE = 4,11L/min; VCO2 = 0,54L/min; 8,87bpm), precisão (VO2 = 0,24L/min; VE = 11,02L/ min; VCO2 = 0,18L/min; 7,42bpm) e ac (VO2 = 0,27L/min; VE = 11,76L/min; VCO2 = 0,56L/min; 11,56bpm). Desse modo, pode-se concluir que o SNQ desenvolvido neste estudo possibilita a mensuração válida de parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios em natação.

The CMS experiment at the CERN LHC

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector is described. The detector operates at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. It was conceived to study proton-proton (and lead-lead) collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 14 TeV (5.5 TeV nucleon-nucleon) and at luminosities up to 10(34)cm(-2)s(-1) (10(27)cm(-2)s(-1)). At the core of the CMS detector sits a high-magnetic-field and large-bore superconducting solenoid surrounding an all-silicon pixel and strip tracker, a lead-tungstate scintillating-crystals electromagnetic calorimeter, and a brass-scintillator sampling hadron calorimeter. The iron yoke of the flux-return is instrumented with four stations of muon detectors covering most of the 4 pi solid angle. Forward sampling calorimeters extend the pseudo-rapidity coverage to high values (vertical bar eta vertical bar <= 5) assuring very good hermeticity. The overall dimensions of the CMS detector are a length of 21.6 m, a diameter of 14.6 m and a total weight of 12500 t.

Radon and progeny (Pb-214 and Bi-214) in urban water-supply systems of São Paulo State, Brazil

Many water-supply systems in South America utilize the waters of the Guarani aquifer at least as part of their networks. However, there is little present knowledge in Brazil of the factors affecting Rn presence in the water supplied for end-users, despite the economic importance of Guarani aquifer. Rn-222 analyzes of 162 water samples were performed at 8 municipalities in São Paulo State, Brazil, with the aim of investigating the major factors affecting its presence in solution. The Rn-222 activity concentration ranged from 0.04 up to 204.9 Bq/L, with three samples exceeding the World Health Organization maximum limit of 100Bq/L. Aeration was confirmed as the most important factor for Rn release, as expected due to its gaseous nature. Accumulation in pipes and stratification in the water column were other significant factors explaining the data obtained in some circumstances. The Rn daughters Ph-214 and Bi-214 were also determined in a set of selected samples and their presence was directly related to the occurrence of Rn dissolved in water. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.