Performance Issues in Biped Walking Robots

This paper presents the dynamic analysis of robotic biped systems. The main goal is to gain insight into the phenomena of walking and to evaluate its performance. In this study, we propose three methods to quantitatively measure the dynamic efficiency of walking: energy analysis, perturbation analysis and lowpass frequency analysis. In order to accomplish this goal, the prescribed motion of the biped is completely characterised in terms of a set of locomotion variables, namely: step lenght, hip height, hip ripple, hip offset, foot clearance and link lenghts. based on these variables and their influence, the performance measures aer discussed and the results compared with those observed in nature.

Life Cycle Assessment of the Hybrid Vehicle – Toyota Prius

Die Luftverschmutzung, die globale Erwärmung sowie die Verknappung der endlichen Ressourcen sind die größten Bedenken der vergangenen Jahrzehnte. Die Nachfrage nach jeglicher Mobilität steigt rapide. Dementsprechend bemüht ist die Automobilindustrie Lösungen für Mobilität unter dem Aspekt der Nachhaltigkeit und dem Umweltschutz anzubieten. Die Elektrifizierung hat sich hierbei als der beste Weg herausgestellt, um die Umweltprobleme sowie die Abhängigkeit von fossilen Brennstoffen zu lösen. Diese Arbeit soll einen Einblick über die Umweltauswirkungen des Hybridfahrzeuges Toyota Prius geben. Hierbei findet eine Gliederung in vier verschiedene Lebensphasen statt. Im Anschluss bietet die Sachbilanz die Möglichkeit die Umweltauswirkungen mit verschiedenen Antriebsmöglichkeiten und Brennstoffen zu vergleichen. Das Modell hat gezeigt, dass der Toyota Prius während der Nutzung einen hohen Einfluss auf das Treibhauspotenzial aufweist. Durch die Nutzung anderer Brennstoffe, wie beispielsweise Ethanol oder Methanol lassen sich die Auswirkungen am Treibhauspotenzial sowie der Verbrauch an abiotischen Ressourcen reduzieren. Vergleicht man die Elektromobilität mit der konventionellen, so ist festzustellen, dass diese Art der Mobilität die derzeit beste Möglichkeit zur Reduzierung der Umweltbelastungen bietet. Die Auswirkungen der Elektromobilität sind im hohen Maße abhängig von der Art des verwendeten Strommixes.

Kinetics of growth of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi cycle in McCoy cell culture

The kinetics of growth of Leishmania performed in vitro after internalization of the promastigote form in the cell and the occurrence of the transformation of the parasite into the amastigote form have been described by several authors. They used explants of macrophages in hamster spleen cell culture or in a human macrophage lineage cell, the U937. Using microscopy, the description of morphologic inter-relationship and the analysis of the production of specific molecules, it has been possible to define some of the peculiarities of the biology of the parasite. The present study shows the growth cycle of Leishmania chagasi during the observation of kinetic analysis undertaken with a McCoy cell lineage that lasted for a period of 144 hours. During the process, the morphologic transformation was revealed by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) and the molecules liberated in the extra cellular medium were observed by SDS-PAGE at 24-hour intervals during the whole 144-hour period. It was observed that in the first 72 hours the promastigote form of L. chagasi adhered to the cell membranes and assumed a rounded (amastigote-like) form. At 96 hours the infected cells showed morphologic alterations; at 120 hours the cells had liberated soluble fluorescent antigens into the extra cellular medium. At 144 hours, new elongated forms of the parasites, similar to promastigotes, were observed. In the SDS-PAGE, specific molecular weight proteins were observed at each point of the kinetic analysis showing that the McCoy cell imitates the macrophage and may be considered a useful model for the study of the infection of the Leishmania/cell binomial.

Ankle antagonist coactivation in the double-support phase of walking: Stroke vs. healthy subjects

Introduction: Lesions at ipsilateral systems related to postural control at ipsilesional side, may justify the lower performance of stroke subjects during walking. Purpose: To analyse bilateral ankle antagonist coactivation during double-support in stroke subjects. Methods: Sixteen (8 females; 8 males) subjects with a first isquemic stroke, and twenty two controls (12 females; 10 males) participated in this study. The double support phase was assessed through ground reaction forces and electromyography of ankle muscles was assessed in both limbs. Results: Ipsilesional limb presented statistical significant differences from control when assuming specific roles during double support, being the tibialis anterior and soleus pair the one in which this atypical behavior was more pronounced. Conclusion: The ipsilesional limb presents a dysfunctional behavior when a higher postural control activity was demanded.

XATA 2010 : XML : Associated Technologies and Applications, 8th

These are the proceedings for the eighth national conference on XML, its Associated Technologies and its Applications (XATA'2010). The paper selection resulted in 33% of papers accepted as full papers, and 33% of papers accepted as short papers. While these two types of papers were distinguish during the conference, and they had different talk duration, they all had the same limit of 12 pages. We are happy that the selected papers focus both aspects of the conference: XML technologies, and XML applications. In the first group we can include the articles on parsing and transformation technologies, like “Processing XML: a rewriting system approach", “Visual Programming of XSLT from examples", “A Refactoring Model for XML Documents", “A Performance based Approach for Processing Large XML Files in Multicore Machines", “XML to paper publishing with manual intervention" and “Parsing XML Documents in Java using Annotations". XML-core related papers are also available, focusing XML tools testing on “Test::XML::Generator: Generating XML for Unit Testing" and “XML Archive for Testing: a benchmark for GuessXQ". XML as the base for application development is also present, being discussed on different areas, like “Web Service for Interactive Products and Orders Configuration", “XML Description for Automata Manipulations", “Integration of repositories in Moodle", “XML, Annotations and Database: a Comparative Study of Metadata Definition Strategies for Frameworks", “CardioML: Integrating Personal Cardiac Information for Ubiquous Diagnosis and Analysis", “A Semantic Representation of Users Emotions when Watching Videos" and “Integrating SVG and SMIL in DAISY DTB production to enhance the contents accessibility in the Open Library for Higher Education". The wide spread of subjects makes us believe that for the time being XML is here to stay what enhances the importance of gathering this community to discuss related science and technology. Small conferences are traversing a bad period. Authors look for impact and numbers and only submit their works to big conferences sponsored by the right institutions. However the group of people behind this conference still believes that spaces like this should be preserved and maintained. This 8th gathering marks the beginning of a new cycle. We know who we are, what is our identity and we will keep working to preserve that. We hope the publication containing the works of this year's edition will catch the same attention and interest of the previous editions and above all that this publication helps in some other's work. Finally, we would like to thank all authors for their work and interest in the conference, and to the scientific committee members for their review work.

Risk-based decision support system for life cycle management of industrials plants

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

PARTICIPATION OF TICKS IN THE INFECTIOUS CYCLE OF CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS, IN TERESINA, PIAUÍ, BRAZIL

In this study, we detected Leishmania spp. infection in R. sanguineus collected from dogs that were naturally infected with L. (L.) infantum. We examined 35 dogs of both sexes and unknown ages. The infected dogs were serologically positive by the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Quick Test-DPP (Dual Path Platform), as well as parasitological examination of a positive skin biopsy or sternal bone marrow aspiration. Ten negative dogs were included as controls. The ticks that infested these dogs were collected in pools of 10 adult females per animal. The PCR was performed with specific primers for Leishmania spp., which amplified a 720-bp fragment. Of the 35 analyzed samples, a product was observed in eight samples (8/35; 22.9%). We conclude that the presence of parasite DNA suggests that ticks participate in the zoonotic cycle of canine visceral leishmaniasis, in the city of Teresina, Piauí.

Integration of the project team in the classic maintenance cycle

A manutenção é uma área extremamente importante, principalmente na indústria. Devidamente organizada, permitirá um fluxo produtivo devidamente planeado e executado, que permitirá a qualquer empresa manter o nível de facturação desejado e o prazo de entrega acordado com os clientes. De outra forma, poderá originar o caos. No entanto, os desafios de gestão da produção mais correntes, nomeadamente através do Lean Manufacturing, passam a exigir um pouco mais do que uma simples manutenção. Torna-se obrigatório fazer análises económicas que permitam averiguar quando cada equipamento passa a exigir custos de manutenção excessivos, os quais poderão obrigar a um recondicionamento mais acentuado do equipamento, o qual pode passar inclusivamente por uma melhoria da sua performance. Nestes casos, terá que existir uma “cumplicidade” entre a Direcção de Produção e a Manutenção, no sentido de averiguar o melhor momento para proceder a uma melhoria do equipamento, numa perspectiva de funcionamento global em linha de produção, adaptando-o à performance que será exigida ao conjunto. Neste domínio, o Projecto passa a prestar um serviço valiosíssimo à empresa, integrando-se no conjunto Produção + Manutenção, criando valor na intervenção, através do desenvolvimento de um trabalho que permite não só repor o estado natural da produção, mas sim promover uma melhoria sustentada da mesma. Este trabalho pretende reflectir e avaliar a relevância do Projecto neste tipo de operações, contribuindo de uma forma sistemática e sustentada para a melhoria contínua dos processos de fabrico. É apresentado um caso de estudo que pretende validar todo o desenvolvimento anteriormente realizado na matéria.

Involuntary Rhythmic Leg Movements Time-Locked With the Respiratory Cycle

Involuntary rhythmic leg movements in childhood is an uncommon condition, the generators of which remain unknown. We report on a male 3 years of age with distinct features providing important clues concerning the location of one of these generators. At the age of 7 months, the previously healthy young male started with low frequency, rhythmic, and continuous (both during wakefulness and sleep) flexion/extension movements of the lower limbs. Movements interfered significantly with gait acquisition, and, despite normal cognitive development, he was able to walk only at age 2 years, 4 months. The neurologic examination revealed the absence of automatic stepping in the neonatal period, but was otherwise normal. A polygraphic electroencephalogram/electromyogram EEG/EMG) recording, at the age of 2 years, 9 months, revealed rhythmic and synchronous legs with EMG activity at 0.5 Hz. A more complete polygraphic recording at the age of 3 years, 10 months, showed a lower frequency (0.35 Hz) for the movements, which were time-locked with the respiratory cycle. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed an increased T2 signal in the upper medulla-lower pons regions. The generator of the rhythmic legs movements is postulated to be the respiratory center, connecting with the reticulospinal projecting neurons through an aberrant pathway.

Biology of Triatominae (Reduviidae Hemiptera) from North of Formosa County (Goiás-Brazil) I. Length of life cycle of Triatoma sordida (Stal. 1859)

In the present paper the life cycle of Triatoma sordida was studied. The mean length from egg to adult was 213 days. The mean length in days from each stage was: 24.3 (± 1.30) for the first. 32.8 (± 1.45) (2nd), 36.1 (± 1.50) (3rd), 44.6 (± 1.85) (4th) and 52.0 (± 1.92) (5th). The mean egg incubation períod was 23.2 (± 1.40). Overall mortality was 18.8% and egg viability was 82.5%.

Biology of Triatominae (Reduviidae, Hemiptera) from north of formosa county (Goiás - Brazil) II. Length of life cycle of Rhodnius Neglectus lent, 1954

In the present paper the life cycle of Rhodnius neglectus was studied. The mean length from egg to adult was 119 days. The mean length in day from each stage was: 17.4 (± 1.15) for first, 18.2 (± 1.28) for second, fourth and 29.8 (± 1.46) for fifth.

How do wages react to the business cycle? A microeconometric approach

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Biology of triatominae (Reduviidade, Hemiptera) from north of Formosa county (Goiás - Brazil). III: length of life cycle of Psammolestes tertius Lent and Jurberg 1965

In the present work the life cycle of Psammolestes tertius was studied. The mean length, in days, fromeach stage was: 26.3 (± 1.7) (1st), 28.6 (± 1.8) (2nd), 28.4 (± 1.8) (3rd), 32.2 (± 1.9) (4th) and 33.5 (± 5.8) (5th). The mean egg incubation period was 15.7 days (± 1.7). Overall mortality was 48.9% and egg viability was 65.7%.

Epigenetic and cell cycle control of centromere inheritance

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology, Cell Biology

A constructive technology assessment of stationary energy storage systems: prospective life cycle orientated analysis

Based on the presentation and discussion at the 3rd Winter School on Technology Assessment, December 2012, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal), Caparica Campus, PhD programme on Technology Assessment