On the Stability of Supersonic Boundary Layers with Injection

The problem of supersonic flow over a 5 degree half-angle cone with injection of gas through a porous section on the body into the boundary layer is studied experimentally. Three injected gases are used: helium, nitrogen, and RC318 (octafluorocyclobutane). Experiments are performed in a Mach 4 Ludwieg tube with nitrogen as the free stream gas. Shaping of the injector section relative to the rest of the body is found to admit a "tuned" injection rate which minimizes the strength of shock waves formed by injection. A high-speed schlieren imaging system with a framing rate of 290 kHz is used to study the instability in the region of flow downstream of injection, referred to as the injection layer. This work provides the first experimental data on the wavelength, convective speed, and frequency of the instability in such a flow. The stability characteristics of the injection layer are found to be very similar to those of a free shear layer. The findings of this work present a new paradigm for future stability analyses of supersonic flow with injection.

What public experience may be - on publicity, communication and the expression of lived experiences

The idea of public experience is often invoked in different social and academic contexts. However, it seldom deserved a reflection that specifically sought to deepen its meaning from the point of view of social life. In this article we contribute to the understanding of the uniqueness of the public form of experience. We believe that one of the best ways through which we can observe the public experience is by the objectification, performance and dramatization of the culture, i.e., the “expression of lived experiences”. There is, in publicity, the possibility of simultaneous allocation of individual and collective experiences, and it is in this sense that we can see how culture influences the shaping of experience itself. Public experience is characterized by the weaving and intertwining of singular experiences that are pluralized and plural lived experiences that are singularized, in a process where individual and society interpenetrate. The relationship between experience and publicity arises from this symbolic communion contained in the systems of thought and action of societies. The decisive role of the principle of publicity to experience consists, according with the hypothesis we wish to put forward, in making available and communicating the social world of symbolic (cultural) activity. Public experience is, then, envisaged as the experience of a common world where both singular and plural definitions of the individual (taken as society) converge through lived experiences and, particularly, through their expression, which can take different symbolic forms.

What public experience may be - on publicity, communication and the expression of lived experiences

The idea of public experience is often invoked in different social and academic contexts. However, it seldom deserved a reflection that specifically sought to deepen its meaning from the point of view of social life. In this article we contribute to the understanding of the uniqueness of the public form of experience. We believe that one of the best ways through which we can observe the public experience is by the objectification, performance and dramatization of the culture, i.e., the “expression of lived experiences”. There is, in publicity, the possibility of simultaneous allocation of individual and collective experiences, and it is in this sense that we can see how culture influences the shaping of experience itself. Public experience is characterized by the weaving and intertwining of singular experiences that are pluralized and plural lived experiences that are singularized, in a process where individual and society interpenetrate. The relationship between experience and publicity arises from this symbolic communion contained in the systems of thought and action of societies. The decisive role of the principle of publicity to experience consists, according with the hypothesis we wish to put forward, in making available and communicating the social world of symbolic (cultural) activity. Public experience is, then, envisaged as the experience of a common world where both singular and plural definitions of the individual (taken as society) converge through lived experiences and, particularly, through their expression, which can take different symbolic forms.

Isobutyl amides - potent compounds for controlling Diatraea saccharalis

BACKGROUND: A dichloromethane-methanol extract of the seeds of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) and two isobutyl amides, 4,5-dihydropiperlonguminine (1) and pellitorine (2), which were isolated by chromatographic methods, were assayed for their lethality against the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis F. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). RESULTS: Bioassays were carried out with fourth-instar caterpillars through topical application of test solutions to the dorsal surface of the prothorax, and dose-response correlations were determined. Significant insect mortalities were observed 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment at concentrations of >= 100 mu g insect(-1). The LD(50) and LD(90) values for compound 1 were 92.83 and 176.50 mu g insect(-1), and for compound 2 they were 91.19 and 184.56 mu g insect(-1). CONCLUSION: According to the LD(50) and LD(90) for compounds 1 and 2, it can be inferred that the values reflect an acute lethal response to both compounds, based on interaction(s) of the toxicants with a primary target or series of targets. Thus, the amides were demonstrated to have potential value in the control of the sugarcane borer. (C) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry

Recognition memory effects in event-based prospective memory

Prospective memory (ProM) is the memory for future actions. It requires retrieving content of anaction in response to an ambiguous cue. Currently, it is unclear if ProM is a distinct form of memory, or merely a variant of retrospective memory (RetM). While content retrieval in ProM appears analogous to conventional RetM, less is known about the process of cue detection. Using a modified version of the standard ProM paradigm, three experiments manipulated stimulus characteristics known to influence RetM, in order to examine their effects on ProM performance. Experiment 1 (N — 80) demonstrated that low frequency stimuli elicited significantly higher hit rates and lower false alarm rates than high frequency stimuli, comparable to the mirror effect in RetM. Experiment 2 (N = 80) replicated these results, and showed that repetition of distracters during the test phase significantly increased false alarm rates to second and subsequent presentations of low frequency distracters. Building on these results. Experiment 3 (AT = 40) showed that when the study list was strengthened, the repeated presentation of targets and distracters did not significantly affect response rates. These experiments demonstrate more overlap between ProM and RetM than has previously been acknowledged. The implications for theories of ProM are considered.

Novel miniaturized systems in high-throughput screening

High-throughput screening (HTS) using high-density microplates is the primary method for the discovery of novel lead candidate molecules. However, new strategies that eschew 2D microplate technology, including technologies that enable mass screening of targets against large combinatorial libraries, have the potential to greatly increase throughput and decrease unit cost. This review presents an overview of state-of-the-art microplate-based HTS technology and includes a discussion of emerging miniaturized systems for HTS. We focus on new methods of encoding combinatorial libraries that promise throughputs of as many as 100 000 compounds per second.

Building the «true evolutionism»: Darwin's impact on Henri Bergson's thought

The paper focuses on the importance of Darwin’s work for the shaping of Henri Bergson’s philosophy, bearing on mind that the two authors first intercepted symbolically in 1859, when On the Origin of Species was published and Bergson was born. Bergson studied the biological sciences of his time, whose results were integrated in a metaphysical thought. He belonged to spiritualistic positivism, a philosophy that goes from the positive data of sciences and finds the ultimate explanation of reality in a spiritual principle. He was interested in the positive evolution of the natural world and in the works of naturalists such as Lamarck, De Vries or Eimer. Darwin was among these authors, being responsible for a vision of evolution that went from the scientific level to other domains. Bergson defends the “insufficiency of pure Darwinism” by pointing out the necessity to compensate scientific evolution with an internal metaphysical reading of the real, which he considered to be “true evolutionism”. This criticism is the most visible aspect of the relations between both works. However, an attentive look verifies that Darwin’s influence overcomes the divergence of positions concerning the extent of “evolution”. The French philosopher knew not only the 1859’s bestseller, but also studies by Darwin about ethology, entomology and botany, which contributed to the fact that the naturalist’s impact gained fundamental importance in Bergson’s philosophical perspective.

Áudio digital: uma abordagem ao áudio pela perspectiva de ensino

A sociedade contemporânea tem acompanhado a evolução da Internet, ligando cada vez mais pessoas que exigem mais dela a cada dia que passa e desencadeando uma proliferação tecnológica nunca antes observada. A utilização de recursos, como vídeo e áudio na Internet, tem ganho nos últimos anos um crescente interesse. No entanto, constata-se a carência ou falta de recursos educativos digitais na área do áudio, que sejam capazes de apresentar uma pedagogia eficiente face a um tema muito complexo e extenso, para todos aqueles que queiram aprender de forma mais aprofundada o áudio como componente de engenharia. Na internet, sites de vídeos como Youtube ensinam a usar software de edição de áudio como Audacity, conceitos sobre som e áudio. Contudo, todos estão espalhados, sendo que a maior parte deles não possui fundamentos científicos ou uma bibliografia que acompanhe os conteúdos que leccionam. A proposta desta investigação é pesquisar sobre conhecimentos e recursos de áudio, integrando-os num produto Learning Object, Investigar noções teóricas sobre o som, equipamentos e técnicas usadas na área, assim como obter melhores resultados num espaço para a gravação que o aluno poderia fazer, aglomerando esses conceitos num protótipo mediamente desenvolvido. Foi necessária uma investigação extensa nesta área e avaliar e investigar a possibilidade de um recurso educativo, como o DALCH, capaz de proporcionar uma aprendizagem efectiva dos conceitos relacionados com áudio, que é um conceito complexo. Uma vez realizada essa investigação, foi necessário desenvolver, testar e avaliar um produto Learning Object, que apresentasse o áudio na sua globalidade, desde conceitos básicos até conceitos inerentes à própria produção. Foi possível aferir que esta solução pode contribuir para a formação desses alunos mediante uma experiência de aprendizagem agradável e intuitiva.

A fusão de dois mundos: convergência do mundo real e digital nas acções de marketing na rede

No passado, as acções publicitárias eram rotuladas como above the line e below the line, referindo-se à dicotomia de pontos de contacto com os públicos-alvo via Meios de Comunicação Social ou via Ponto de Venda. A esta dicotomia de meios e instrumentos, os anos 90 vieram trazer um terceiro ponto de contacto, crescentemente omnipresente e hegemónico, a world wide web ou rede, a que se acedia via computador. As acções de marketing e comunicação passaram então a rotular-se como online e offline, passando, não já a referir-se aos pontos de contacto, mas aos canais pelos quais circulavam as mensagens e acções das marcas. Desde o início deste século, o poder do digital veio crescendo, em software e hardware, em terminais e tecnologias, assistindo-se a uma transferência de esforços de comunicação, da esfera real para a esfera do digital. O deslumbramento pelo digital conquistou mesmo algumas marcas de dimensão mundial que hoje apostam integralmente o seu orçamento nesta forma de marketing, nas suas múltiplas facetas. Contudo, e porque se tem tornado óbvio que os públicos distribuem os seus favores por múltiplos touch points, para maximizar o impacto, assiste-se agora a um fenómeno único, potenciado por novas tecnologias que surgem todos os dias: em estratégias que se podem denominar de all-line, verifica-se a fusão entre dois mundos, mundo real e mundo digital, em múltiplas actividades de marketing que fazem convergir estas duas realidades em plataformas que vão do computador ao tablet, do smartphone à vending machine interactiva, do facebook ao Google maps, da imprensa tradicional ao pinterest. É esta convergência mundo real - mundo digital que abre agora novas oportunidades à comunicação publicitária, potenciando os ingredientes das marcas de sucesso no futuro: sensações (estímulo dos sentidos), intimidade e mistério, num cocktail suportado por uma nova criatividade.

O processo ensino-aprendizagem: relatório de estágio

I - Inserido no Concelho de Odivelas, cuja realidade e contexto sócio cultural realçam a problemática da diversidade cultural, colocando ao professor dúvidas e dificuldades emrelação às suas práticas educativas, o Conservatório de Música D. Dinis é a escola na qual leciono desde 1993. É também local de reflexão permanente quanto aos critérios e condições que devem nortear a prática pedagógica contemporânea na área da música, cujo objetivo assenta na formação integral do aluno através da utilização de estratégias de ensino que o responsabilizem na própria aprendizagem. Considerando estes desafios, o seguinte trabalho será realizado no contexto da minha classe de violino e incidirá sobre três alunos em particular, que frequentam os seguintes graus, a saber: 1 - Iniciação (1º ciclo do ensino básico); 2 - 2º grau (2º ciclo do ensino básico); 3 - 5º grau (3º ciclo do ensino básico). Apesar de acreditar nas suas capacidades de aprendizagem e ter um cuidado especial sobre as minhas ações e os efeitos destas na aprendizagem académica e social dos meus alunos, os resultados finais são reveladores da importância da motivação, do apoio parental e da responsabilidade dos alunos na obtenção do seu próprio sucesso escolar.

Thermographic and visible spectrum camera calibration for marine robotic target detection

Oceans - San Diego, 2013

Ampliação e Reconstrução de um Edifício Unifamiliar

Pretende-se com este trabalho apresentar os Projectos de estruturas, de Comportamento Térmico e de Abastecimento de Água e Drenagem de Águas Pluviais e Residuais de uma habitação unifamiliar. Trata-se de um edifício situado no concelho de Ponte Lima que será reconstruído e ampliado de forma a se constituir uma habitação de tipologia T3. Uma vez que a realidade da actividade do projecto de estruturas actual é baseada na aplicação de ferramentas de processo automático de dados, foi naturalmente utilizado um programa de cálculo na modelação do edifício. No entanto, foram igualmente aplicados métodos tradicionais, nomeadamente na fase de pré-dimensionamento, na validação do modelo e no dimensionamento do edifício existente. O Estudo do Comportamento Térmico teve como objectivo primordial optar por soluções construtivas que permitissem, aos ocupantes da habitação, um conforto térmico com o mínimo esforço energético possível. Desta forma, analisaram-se as plantas de arquitectura, definiram-se os elementos da envolvente e os equipamentos necessários, e procedeu-a à avaliação térmica segundo o disposto na Legislação Nacional Para culminar o trabalho, desenvolveu-se o Projecto de Abastecimento de Água e Drenagem de Águas Pluviais e Residuais, dispondo os elementos e acessórios das redes segundo as regras de implantação e dimensionamento previstas na regulamentação em vigor.

An evolutionary multi-objective optimization system for earthworks

Earthworks involve the levelling or shaping of a target area through the moving or processing of the ground surface. Most construction projects require earthworks, which are heavily dependent on mechanical equipment (e.g., excavators, trucks and compactors). Often, earthworks are the most costly and time-consuming component of infrastructure constructions (e.g., road, railway and airports) and current pressure for higher productivity and safety highlights the need to optimize earthworks, which is a nontrivial task. Most previous attempts at tackling this problem focus on single-objective optimization of partial processes or aspects of earthworks, overlooking the advantages of a multi-objective and global optimization. This work describes a novel optimization system based on an evolutionary multi-objective approach, capable of globally optimizing several objectives simultaneously and dynamically. The proposed system views an earthwork construction as a production line, where the goal is to optimize resources under two crucial criteria (costs and duration) and focus the evolutionary search (non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II) on compaction allocation, using linear programming to distribute the remaining equipment (e.g., excavators). Several experiments were held using real-world data from a Portuguese construction site, showing that the proposed system is quite competitive when compared with current manual earthwork equipment allocation.

Estudi i revalorització dels paisatges culturals de l'alta muntanya pirinenca: la vall del Madriu (Andorra), patrimoni de la humanitat de la UNESCO

Estudi arqueològic integrat de la vall del Madriu-Perafita-Claror (Andorra) iniciat al 2004 sota la coordinació de l’ICAC. L’estudi s’insereix en la declaració de la vall com a Patrimoni de la Humanitat (UNESCO). Las recerques s’enfoquen des de l’Arqueologia del Paisatge, de manera diacrònica i pluridisciplinar, fent especial atenció a les relacions de les societats amb el medi. Les restes arqueològiques treballades s’associen a activitats ramaderes, metal•lúrgiques i de carboneig. La recerca paleoecològica se centra en sediments lacustres, torbosos i arqueològics. L’any 2006, s’han analitzat a alta resolució temporal dues seqüencies palinològiques: l’estany Blau (2471 m) i la torbera de Bosc dels Estanyons (2180 m), obtenint les principals fases d’explotació i antropització d’aquest espai altimontà, així com l’evolució del paisatge en els darrers 11000 anys . La campanya de camp s’ha centrat en l’obtenció de mostres de pluja pol•línica referencial a la vall i en el sondatge de l’estany Forcat (2539 m). Un total de tres mostres han estat enviades a datar per C14. Els treballs arqueològics s’han centrat en l’excavació de sondejos de diagnòstic als jaciments de Basses de Setut (2325 m) i Pleta de les Bacives ( 2530 m) i en la realització de prospeccions a les capçaleres de les valls de Madriu, Perafita i Claror. S’han documentat estructures arqueològiques i s’han realitzat estudis antracològics dels sediments excavats en aquestes. S’ha realitzat un transecte altitudinal de carboneres al llarg de la vall per tal de enregistrar una major diversitat cronològica dels espais de carboneig. S’han enviat datacions C14 per tal de determinar la cronologia de les estructures. Les datacions del 2005 mostren una intensa ocupació ramadera i de carboneig a partir del segle XIV, en època baixmedieval i moderna, així com un establiment metal·lúrgic d’època romana.

Molecular Modeling Approaches for Determining Gene Function: application to a Putative Poly-A Binding Protein from Leishmania amazonensis (LaPABP)

The great expansion in the number of genome sequencing projects has revealed the importance of computational methods to speed up the characterization of unknown genes. These studies have been improved by the use of three dimensional information from the predicted proteins generated by molecular modeling techniques. In this work, we disclose the structure-function relationship of a gene product from Leishmania amazonensis by applying molecular modeling and bioinformatics techniques. The analyzed sequence encodes a 159 aminoacids polypeptide (estimated 18 kDa) and was denoted LaPABP for its high homology with poly-A binding proteins from trypanosomatids. The domain structure, clustering analysis and a three dimensional model of LaPABP, basically obtained by homology modeling on the structure of the human poly-A binding protein, are described. Based on the analysis of the electrostatic potential mapped on the model's surface and conservation of intramolecular contacts responsible for folding stabilization we hypothesize that this protein may have less avidity to RNA than it's L. major counterpart but still account for a significant functional activity in the parasite. The model obtained will help in the design of mutagenesis experiments aimed to elucidate the mechanism of gene expression in trypanosomatids and serve as a starting point for its exploration as a potential source of targets for a rational chemotherapy.