Correspondência estéreo usando imagens em multiresolução com profundidade variável

We propose a multi-resolution, coarse-to-fine approach for stereo matching, where the first matching happens at a different depth for each pixel. The proposed technique has the potential of attenuating several problems faced by the constant depth algorithm, making it possible to reduce the number of errors or the number of comparations needed to get equivalent results. Several experiments were performed to demonstrate the method efficiency, including comparison with the traditional plain correlation technique, where the multi-resolution matching with variable depth, proposed here, generated better results with a smaller processing time

Uma proposta de um controlador adaptativo por posicionamento de pólos e estrutura variável

There are two main approaches for using in adaptive controllers. One is the so-called model reference adaptive control (MRAC), and the other is the so-called adaptive pole placement control (APPC). In MRAC, a reference model is chosen to generate the desired trajectory that the plant output has to follow, and it can require cancellation of the plant zeros. Due to its flexibility in choosing the controller design methodology (state feedback, compensator design, linear quadratic, etc.) and the adaptive law (least squares, gradient, etc.), the APPC is the most general type of adaptive control. Traditionally, it has been developed in an indirect approach and, as an advantage, it may be applied to non-minimum phase plants, because do not involve plant zero-pole cancellations. The integration to variable structure systems allows to aggregate fast transient and robustness to parametric uncertainties and disturbances, as well. In this work, a variable structure adaptive pole placement control (VS-APPC) is proposed. Therefore, new switching laws are proposed, instead of using the traditional integral adaptive laws. Additionally, simulation results for an unstable first order system and simulation and practical results for a three-phase induction motor are shown

Controlador adaptativo por posicionamento de pólos e estrutura variável aplicado ao controle de geradores eólicos baseados em máquina de indução duplamente alimentada

In the last decade, the renewable energy sources have present a major propulsion in the world due to several factors: political, environmental, financial and others. Within this context, we have in particular the energy obtained through wind, wind energy - that has highlighted with rapid growth in recent years, including in Brazil, mostly in the Northeast, due to it s benefit-cost between the clean energies. In this context, we propose to compare the variable structure adaptive pole placement control (VS-APPC) with a traditional control technique proportional integral controller (PI), applied to set the control of machine side in a conversion system using a wind generator based on Double-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG). Robustness and performance tests were carried out to the uncertainties of the internal parameters of the machine and variations of speed reference.

Importância do fluxo de massa e difusão no suprimento de potássio ao algodoeiro como variável de água e potássio no solo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Eficiência de uma ETE em escala real composta por reator UASB seguido de lodo ativado

In the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, there are about 80 sewage treatment systems being the predominant technology waste stabilization ponds. The Baldo s WWTP , due to its location and low availability of area, was designed as a hybrid conventional system (UASB reactor followed by activated sludge with biodiscs) at a tertiary level, being the most advanced WWTP in the State and also with the larger treatment capacity (1620 m3/h) .The paper presents the results of its performance based on samples collections from May to December 2012. Composite samples of the effluent of the grit chamber, UASB reactors, anoxic chambers, aeration tanks and treated effluent were collected weekly, every 4 hours for 24 hours. The results showed that the WWTP effluent presented adequate ranges of temperatures, pH and DO, however removal efficiencies of BOD and TSS were below the predicted by design. The UASB reactors also showed removals of BOD and TSS less than expected, due to the accumulation of sludge in the reactors, which eventually, was washed out in the effluent. The nitrification process was not satisfactory mainly due to problems in the oxygen distribution in the aeration tanks. The removal of ammonia and TKN were high, probably by the assimilation process

Um estudo na teoria do movimento brownianno com viscosidade variável

In this work we investigate the stochastic behavior of a large class of systems with variable damping which are described by a time-dependent Lagrangian. Our stochastic approach is based on the Langevin treatment describing the motion of a classical Brownian particle of mass m. Two situations of physical interest are considered. In the first one, we discuss in detail an application of the standard Langevin treatment (white noise) for the variable damping system. In the second one, a more general viewpoint is adopted by assuming a given expression to the so-called collored noise. For both cases, the basic diffententiaql equations are analytically solved and al the quantities physically relevant are explicitly determined. The results depend on an arbitrary q parameter measuring how the behavior of the system departs from the standard brownian particle with constant viscosity. Several types of sthocastic behavior (superdiffusive and subdiffusive) are obteinded when the free pamameter varies continuosly. However, all the results of the conventional Langevin approach with constant damping are recovered in the limit q = 1

Morfologia em alta resolução espacial de estrelas de tipo Mira e R Corenae Borealis

Mira and R Coronae Borealis (R CrB) variable stars are evolved objects surrounded by circumstellar envelopes (CSE) composed of the ejected stellar material. We present a detailed high-spatial resolution morfological study of the CSE of three stars: IRC+10216, the closest and more studied Carbon-Rich Mira; o Ceti, the prototype of the Mira class; and RY Sagitarii (RY Sgr), the brightest R CrB variable of the south hemisphere. JHKL near-infrared adaptive optics images of IRC+10216 with high dynamic range and Vband images with high angular resolution and high depth, collected with the VLT/NACO and VLT/FORS1 instruments, were analyzed. NACO images of o Ceti were also analyzed. Interferometric observations of RY Sgr collected with the VLTI/MIDI instrument allowed us to explore its CSE innermost regions (»20 40 mas). The CSE of IRC+10216 exhibit, in near-infrared, clumps with more complex relative displacements than proposed in previous studies. In V-band, the majority of the non-concentric shells, located in the outer CSE layers, seem to be composed of thinner elongated shells. In a global view, the morphological connection between the shells and the bipolar core of the nebulae, located in the outer layers, together with the clumps, located in the innermost regions, has a difficult interpretation. In the CSE of o Ceti, preliminar results would be indicating the presence of possible clumps. In the innermost regions (.110 UA) of the CSE of RY Sgr, two clouds were detected in different epochs, embedded in a variable gaussian envelope. Based on a rigorous verification, the first cloud was located at »100 R¤ (or »30 AU) from the centre, toward the east-north-east direction (modulo 180o) and the second one was almost at a perpendicular direction, having aproximately 2£ the distance of the first cloud. This study introduces new constraints to the mass-loss history of these kind of variables and to the morphology of their innermost CSE regions

Criação da matéria em cosmologias com velocidade da luz variável e eletrônico não-linear

In this work we obtain the cosmological solutions and investigate the thermodynamics of matter creation in two diferent contexts. In the first we propose a cosmological model with a time varying speed of light c. We consider two diferent time dependence of c for a at Friedmann-Robertson- Walker (FRW) universe. We write the energy conservation law arising from Einstein equations and study how particles are created as c decreases with cosmic epoch. The variation of c is coupled to a cosmological Λ term and both singular and non-singular solutions are possible. We calculate the "adiabatic" particle creation rate and the total number of particles as a function of time and find the constrains imposed by the second law of thermodynamics upon the models. In the second scenario, we study the nonlinearity of the electrodynamics as a source of matter creation in the cosmological models with at FRW geometry. We write the energy conservation law arising from Einstein field equations with cosmological term Λ, solve the field equations and study how particles are created as the magnetic field B changes with cosmic epoch. We obtain solutions for the adiabatic particle creation rate, the total number of particles and the scale factor as a function of time in three cases: Λ = 0, Λ = constant and Λ α H2 (cosmological term proportional to the Hubble parameter). In all cases, the second law of thermodynamics demands that the universe is not contracting (H ≥ 0). The first two solutions are non-singular and exhibit in ationary periods. The third case studied allows an always in ationary universe for a suficiently large cosmological term

Modelos cosmológicos com velocidade da luz variável

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Efeito da crioterapia e da laserterapia na resposta ao dano muscular induzido pelo exercício excêntrico: ensaio clínico e randomizado

Exercise-induced muscle damage mainly affects individuals who returned to physical activity after a time without practicing it or had some kind of exhaustive exercise, particularly eccentric exercise. To evaluate the effect of cryotherapy and laser therapy in response to muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise on the biceps muscle. This was a randomized clinical trial consisting of 60 female subjects. All subjects initially underwent an evaluation consisting of perimetry, measurement of pain sensation (via algometry and visual analogue scale), electromyography and dynamometry. Then the subjects performed an exercise protocol on the isokinetic dynamometer consisting of 2 sets of 10 eccentric elbow flexors contraction at 60 °/s. Completed this protocol, an intervention was held according to a previously random group distribution: control group (no intervention), cryotherapy group and laser therapy group. Finally, subjects were re-evaluated immediately and 48 hours after the intervention protocol, except for Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), which was also evaluated 24 hours after exercise. The circumference of the limb, the pain sensation (VAS and algometry), the muscle activation amplitude (via Root Mean Square - RMS), median frequency, peak torque normalized per body weight, average peak torque, power and work were analyzed. The median frequency immediately after the intervention protocol on the cryotherapy group was the only variable that showed inter and intra-group differences; the remaining variables showed only intragroup differences. The perimetry values did not change immediately after the protocol on the groups which underwent cryotherapy and laser therapy, however, there was an increase after 48 hours; algometry values decreased in all groups for 48 hours and the VAS values increased 24 and 48 hours also for all groups. Regarding RMS no significant change was observed. For dynamometry, peak torque normalized per body weight and average peak torque had a similar behavior, with a reduction in the post protocol that has remained after 48 hours. For the power and work, a decrease was observed immediately after the protocol with a further reduction after 48 hours. Cryotherapy and laser therapy does not alter the muscle damage response, except for the perimetry values immediately after exercise.

Recidiva de câncer labial em pacientes atendidos no hospital DR. Luiz Antônio (Natal-RN) entre 1997-2004

Introduction: Cancer of the lip is very common in tropical countries, being noticeable the squamous cell carcinoma as the main histological type. Objective: Evaluate the socialdemographic profile, habits, occupation, clinical characteristics of the cancer lesions and the aftermath of treatment of the patients treated on the Luiz Antônio Hospital (Natal-RN). Design: Retrospective cohort. Methods: We analyzed 181 medical records of patients from the Luiz Antônio Cancer Hospital (Natal-RN) in the period between 1997 and 2004. The statistic evaluation of time between the diagnosis and the relapse or the cure of the patient were done through the Kaplan-Meier method and the comparison of survivor functions were done through the Log-rank test. Later, was estimated the proportional risk model of Cox. Results: The study population were composed by 69,1% males, 95,2% unlettered, the mean age of 66,5 years, 89,0% of smokers and 64,1% had an occupation involving sun exposure. In regard to the clinical characteristics, most lesions were in the lower lip (77,9%), the size of the tumor was smaller than 2 cm (51,8%), 92,6% had localized lesions. Were verified 16,3% of local relapse and 13% of regional. Almost the totally of the cases corresponded to squamous cell carcinoma (97,2%). We observed smaller accumulated probability of not occurrence of local relapse when the base and borders were free of lesions (p=0,041), as well as a smaller probability of regional relapse when the sort of treatment was surgery, associated with other therapeutics modalities (p=0,001). The patients with advanced pathologic stage (p=0,016), treated with surgery associated with other therapeutics modalities (p=0,001) and diameter above 4cm (p=0,019) presented a bigger possibility of any kind of relapse. The multivariable analysis pointed the complex treatments (surgery plus other therapeutics modalities) as a predictor variable for occurrence of new local lesions (p=0,001) and total (p=0,046), besides the age above 70 years to the regional relapse (p=0,050). Conclusion: Cancer of the lip occur in the lower lip, in males, smokers and individuals exposed to Sun light. The relapse was frequent, even being localized and without great consequences to the patient s health. The probability of relapse is related to the size and borders of the lesion and to the histological exam, as well as to the patient s age and complexity of the treatment chosen

Análise de células t regulatórias foxp3+no líquen plano oral

T regulatory cells have the function of controlling immune responses and maintaining self-tolerance. The FoxP3 has been considered the most specific marker for Treg cells. The aiming of this paper was to evaluate the immunoexpression of FoxP3 in the inflammatory infiltrate from oral lichen planus (OLP) and to compare it with the infiltrate in fibrous inflammatory hyperplasia (FIH) and then, between reticular and erosive forms of OLP. The samples were composed by 32 cases of OLP (17 reticular and 15 erosive) beyond 10 cases of FIH that were submitted to immunohistochemistry staining for FoxP3. Localization of the staining was classified in underepithelial and intraepithelial and the amount of FoxP3+ cells was evaluated through cells counting in 10 consecutive fields, at 400x power magnification. The values were expressed in mean ± standart deviation, and submitted to statistical tests with 5% of significance level. It was observed a statistical significant difference in the amount of FoxP3+ Treg cells between the two combined forms of OLP (1,6 ± 2,2) and the FIH (0,5 ±0,4) (P<0,05). This maybe could be explained by immunological mechanism of OLP, which involves a permanent antigenic induction likely with consequent perpetuation of lesion, eliciting the proliferation and constant recruitment of Treg cells. Otherwise, FIH presents a different etiopathogenesis, in which there is also generation of a variable inflammatory infiltrate, however qualitatively distinct from that seen in OLP. The erosive form of OLP exhibited a greater number (1,7 ± 2,4) of FoxP3+ Treg cells than reticular form (1,5 ± 2,1). These alterations could have relation with the great disease activity verified in erosive OLP, or also, with abnormalities in the regulatory function of Treg cells that could cause the increase observed. Considering the capacity already well established in the literature, both about Treg cells in modulating immune responses, as in the oral mucosa in showing great potential for regeneration, it is suggested that the possibility of development and implantation of immunotherapeutic strategies that regulate the frequency and function of these cells, may help in future treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as OLP

Análise comparativa da imunoexpressão das proteínas hmlh1 e hmsh2 em carcinomas epidermóides de lábio inferior e queilites actínicas com graus variados de displasia

Lip squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) may develop from a premalignant condition, actinic cheilitis (AC) in 95% of the cases. Both premalignant and neoplastic lip diseases are caused mainly by chronic exposure to the ultraviolet component of solar radiation, especially UVB. This exposure causes disruption of the cell cycle and damage to DNA repair systems, like mismatch repair, altering proteins repair as hMLH1 and hMSH2. This research aimed to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 proteins in lower lip SCCs and ACs, providing additional information about carcinogenesis of the lower lip. The sample consisted 40 cases of ACs and 40 cases of lower lip SCCs. Histological sections of 3 μm were submitted to immunoperoxidase method, for immunohistochemical analysis of lesions were counted in 1000 cells (positive and negative), data were evaluated both in absolute numbers and percentage of immunostained cells, the latter by assigning scores. Associations of the variables and comparative analysis of biomarker expression were performed by Fisher s exact and Pearson s chi-square, "t" student, one-way ANOVA, Mann- Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis tests. The level of significance was 5%. It was found that, in lower lip SCC, the mean of the proteins was higher in female patients (hMLH1= 369,80 + 223,98; hMHS2 = 534,80 + 343,62), less than 50 years old (hMLH1 = 285,50 + 190,65; hMHS2 = 540,00 + 274,79) and classified as low-grade malignancy (hMLH1 = 264,59 + 179,21; hMHS2 = 519,32 + 302,58), in these data only to sex, for hMLH1 protein, was statistically significant (p=0.034). Comparing the different lesions, we observed that for both hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein, the average of positive epithelial cells decreased as the lesion was graded at later stages. The ACs classified without dysplasia or mild dysplasia had the highest average of immunostained cells (hMLH1 = 721.23 + 88.116; hMHS2 = 781.50 + 156.93). The ACs classified as moderate or severe dysplasia had intermediate values (hMLH1 = 532,86 + 197,72; hMHS2 = 611,14 + 172,48) and SSCs of the lower lip had the lowest averages (hMLH1 = 255,03 + 199,47; hMHS2 = 518,38 + 265,68). There was a statistically significant difference between groups (p<0.001). In conclusion, our data support the hypothesis that changes in immunoexpression of these proteins is related to the process of carcinogenesis of the lower lip

Estudo comportamental, hormonal e histopatológico de animais com perda de peso progressina (SEP) e da variável peso associada a uma nova classificação ontogenética em Callithrix jacchus

The use of non-human primates in scientific research has contributed significantly to the biomedical area and, in the case of Callithrix jacchus, has provided important evidence on physiological mechanisms that help explain its biology, making the species a valuable experimental model in different pathologies. However, raising non-human primates in captivity for long periods of time is accompanied by behavioral disorders and chronic diseases, as well as progressive weight loss in most of the animals. The Primatology Center of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) has housed a colony of C. jacchus for nearly 30 years and during this period these animals have been weighed systematically to detect possible alterations in their clinical conditions. This procedure has generated a volume of data on the weight of animals at different age ranges. These data are of great importance in the study of this variable from different perspectives. Accordingly, this paper presents three studies using weight data collected over 15 years (1985-2000) as a way of verifying the health status and development of the animals. The first study produced the first article, which describes the histopathological findings of animals with probable diagnosis of permanent wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS). All the animals were carriers of trematode parasites (Platynosomum spp) and had obstruction in the hepatobiliary system; it is suggested that this agent is one of the etiological factors of the syndrome. In the second article, the analysis focused on comparing environmental profile and cortisol levels between the animals with normal weight curve evolution and those with WMS. We observed a marked decrease in locomotion, increased use of lower cage extracts and hypocortisolemia. The latter is likely associated to an adaptation of the mechanisms that make up the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axis, as observed in other mammals under conditions of chronic malnutrition. Finally, in the third study, the animals with weight alterations were excluded from the sample and, using computational tools (K-means and SOM) in a non-supervised way, we suggest found new ontogenetic development classes for C. jacchus. These were redimensioned from five to eight classes: infant I, infant II, infant III, juvenile I, juvenile II, sub-adult, young adult and elderly adult, in order to provide a more suitable classification for more detailed studies that require better control over the animal development

Abordagem clínica da atividade de trabalho do cozinheiro: interação de saberes, gênero profissional e inovação criativa

The focus of this dissertation is the study of work activities developed in the context of professional occupations characterized by varied previous schooling levels amongst those that work in them, and, at the same time, a high degree of complexity related to the typical tasks performed in the context of such professional practices. This dissertation intends to investigate the cook s professional activity, based on data from a determined specific professional genre in Natal (RN), in order to establish aspects related not only to the activity performed (activity which manifests itself empirically in registered behaviors), but also related to the real aspects of the work activity, that also compromises the non-realized options of the guiding of professional activity, be it by a matter of choice, be it due to the activity s own impediment. In this context, we tried to evaluate how much the professional activity observed keeps in relation to the reference practices of the professional genre, be it in terms of conformity, be it in terms of innovation (stylization) in relation to this genre. In addition, we tried to verify the contribution of the school and extra-school knowledge to the professional activity observed. Such work plan took on a preliminary step of the description of the socialprofessional profile of a cook in the city of Natal (RN), followed by a step of clinical labor approach, specifically utilizing as a methodological tool the simple and crossed self-confrontation procedure guided by the francophone theoretical referential of the Activity Clinic. The preliminary step in the description of profile of cooks from Natal (RN), of which 138 cooks took part in, evidenced three professional groupings, all predominantly masculine in their composition and fundamentally differentiated amongst each other by the time of professional activity, schooling type and time, work place and salary. The clinical approach step, composed by a pair of cooks, allowed us to verify elements of the cooks subordination to the professional genre, but also evidences of individual innovation (stylization) by these cooks, as well as the predominance of usage of extra-school knowledge when compared to school knowledge. We tried, in this step, to demonstrate how much the inclusion and submission to the genre dynamic, coordinated with the stylization initiatives, was able to contribute to the maintenance and amplification of the cook s power of acting in his professional practice.