Bulk photochromism in a tungstate-phosphate glass: A new optical memory material?

In this work, we present a new photochromic tungstate based glass which have both absorption coefficient and refractive index modified under laser exposure. The photosensitive effect is superficial under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation but occurs in the entire volume of the glass under visible irradiation. The effect can be obtained in any specific point inside the volume using an infrared femtosecond laser. In addition, the photosensitive phenomenon can be erased by specific heat treatment. This glass can be useful to substitute actual data storage supports and is a promising material for 3-dimensional (3D) and holographic optical storage.

The STATFLUX code: a statistical method for calculation of flow and set of parameters, based on the Multiple-Compartment Biokinetical Model

The code STATFLUX, implementing a new and simple statistical procedure for the calculation of transfer coefficients in radionuclide transport to animals and plants, is proposed. The method is based on the general multiple-compartment model, which uses a system of linear equations involving geometrical volume considerations. Flow parameters were estimated by employing two different least-squares procedures: Derivative and Gauss-Marquardt methods, with the available experimental data of radionuclide concentrations as the input functions of time. The solution of the inverse problem, which relates a given set of flow parameter with the time evolution of concentration functions, is achieved via a Monte Carlo Simulation procedure.Program summaryTitle of program: STATFLUXCatalogue identifier: ADYS_v1_0Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/ADYS_v1_0Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University of Belfast, N. IrelandLicensing provisions: noneComputer for which the program is designed and others on which it has been tested: Micro-computer with Intel Pentium III, 3.0 GHzInstallation: Laboratory of Linear Accelerator, Department of Experimental Physics, University of São Paulo, BrazilOperating system: Windows 2000 and Windows XPProgramming language used: Fortran-77 as implemented in Microsoft Fortran 4.0. NOTE: Microsoft Fortran includes non-standard features which are used in this program. Standard Fortran compilers such as, g77, f77, ifort and NAG95, are not able to compile the code and therefore it has not been possible for the CPC Program Library to test the program.Memory, required to execute with typical data: 8 Mbytes of RAM memory and 100 MB of Hard disk memoryNo. of bits in a word: 16No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 6912No. of bytes in distributed Program, including test data, etc.: 229 541Distribution format: tar.gzNature of the physical problem: the investigation of transport mechanisms for radioactive substances, through environmental pathways, is very important for radiological protection of populations. One such pathway, associated with the food chain, is the grass-animal-man sequence. The distribution of trace elements in humans and laboratory animals has been intensively studied over the past 60 years [R.C. Pendlenton, C.W. Mays, R.D. Lloyd, A.L. Brooks, Differential accumulation of iodine-131 from local fallout in people and milk, Health Phys. 9 (1963) 1253-1262]. In addition, investigations on the incidence of cancer in humans, and a possible causal relationship to radioactive fallout, have been undertaken [E.S. Weiss, M.L. Rallison, W.T. London, W.T. Carlyle Thompson, Thyroid nodularity in southwestern Utah school children exposed to fallout radiation, Amer. J. Public Health 61 (1971) 241-249; M.L. Rallison, B.M. Dobyns, F.R. Keating, J.E. Rall, F.H. Tyler, Thyroid diseases in children, Amer. J. Med. 56 (1974) 457-463; J.L. Lyon, M.R. Klauber, J.W. Gardner, K.S. Udall, Childhood leukemia associated with fallout from nuclear testing, N. Engl. J. Med. 300 (1979) 397-402]. From the pathways of entry of radionuclides in the human (or animal) body, ingestion is the most important because it is closely related to life-long alimentary (or dietary) habits. Those radionuclides which are able to enter the living cells by either metabolic or other processes give rise to localized doses which can be very high. The evaluation of these internally localized doses is of paramount importance for the assessment of radiobiological risks and radiological protection. The time behavior of trace concentration in organs is the principal input for prediction of internal doses after acute or chronic exposure. The General Multiple-Compartment Model (GMCM) is the powerful and more accepted method for biokinetical studies, which allows the calculation of concentration of trace elements in organs as a function of time, when the flow parameters of the model are known. However, few biokinetics data exist in the literature, and the determination of flow and transfer parameters by statistical fitting for each system is an open problem.Restriction on the complexity of the problem: This version of the code works with the constant volume approximation, which is valid for many situations where the biological half-live of a trace is lower than the volume rise time. Another restriction is related to the central flux model. The model considered in the code assumes that exist one central compartment (e.g., blood), that connect the flow with all compartments, and the flow between other compartments is not included.Typical running time: Depends on the choice for calculations. Using the Derivative Method the time is very short (a few minutes) for any number of compartments considered. When the Gauss-Marquardt iterative method is used the calculation time can be approximately 5-6 hours when similar to 15 compartments are considered. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulation of free surface flows in a distributed memory environment

A parallel technique, for a distributed memory machine, based on domain decomposition for solving the Navier-Stokes equations in cartesian and cylindrical coordinates in two dimensions with free surfaces is described. It is based on the code by Tome and McKee (J. Comp. Phys. 110 (1994) 171-186) and Tome (Ph.D. Thesis, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 1993) which in turn is based on the SMAC method by Amsden and Harlow (Report LA-4370, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, 1971), which solves the Navier-Stokes equations in three steps: the momentum and Poisson equations and particle movement, These equations are discretized by explicit and 5-point finite differences. The parallelization is performed by splitting the computation domain into vertical panels and assigning each of these panels to a processor. All the computation can then be performed using nearest neighbour communication. Test runs comparing the performance of the parallel with the serial code, and a discussion of the load balancing question are presented. PVM is used for communication between processes. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

A NEW CU-BASED SMA WITH EXTREMELY HIGH MARTENSITIC-TRANSFORMATION TEMPERATURES

A new series of high temperature copper based shape memory alloys has recently been patented. These alloys contain 8-20 wt% Al, 1-20 wt% Ag, 0-2 wt% of a minor element (preferably Co), balance copper. The martensitic start transformation temperatures of these alloys are above 200 degrees C and, in some cases, they have good high temperature stability and may be useful in commercial applications where higher operating temperatures than those obtained from Cu-Zn-Al and Cu-Al-Ni shape memory alloys are required.

Reduction of the memory size in the microprogrammed controllers

In the paper the method of reduction of the memory size in the microprogrammed controllers with sharing codes is discussed. The idea is based on the modification of internal modules and connections of the device. Next, the reduction of the microinstruction length based on the hypergraph theory is performed, thus the total size of the memory is highly reduced. © 2011 IEEE.

Energy-performance tradeoffs in software transactional memory

Transactional memory (TM) is a new synchronization mechanism devised to simplify parallel programming, thereby helping programmers to unleash the power of current multicore processors. Although software implementations of TM (STM) have been extensively analyzed in terms of runtime performance, little attention has been paid to an equally important constraint faced by nearly all computer systems: energy consumption. In this work we conduct a comprehensive study of energy and runtime tradeoff sin software transactional memory systems. We characterize the behavior of three state-of-the-art lock-based STM algorithms, along with three different conflict resolution schemes. As a result of this characterization, we propose a DVFS-based technique that can be integrated into the resolution policies so as to improve the energy-delay product (EDP). Experimental results show that our DVFS-enhanced policies are indeed beneficial for applications with high contention levels. Improvements of up to 59% in EDP can be observed in this scenario, with an average EDP reduction of 16% across the STAMP workloads. © 2012 IEEE.

Um estudo de marcadores culturais na obra An invincible memory pelo autotradutor João Ubaldo Ribeiro

Pós-graduação em Letras - IBILCE

Confidence and the Stock Market: An Agent-Based Approach

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

Uma investigação de aspectos de normalização na autotradução An Invincible Memory

This paper aims at observing the particular case of an author’s and self-translator’s style concerning normalisation features present in the self-translation. Our study has its theoretical starting point based on Baker’s proposal (1993, 1995, 1996, 2000) and Scott’s investigation in order to carry out an analysis of the use of linguistic choices involving evidence of normalization. The results point out that, while participating as a self-translator, Ubaldo Ribeiro reveals individual, distinctive and preferred stylistic options which present less lexical variation; in contrast, in the situation of participating as an author, Ubaldo Ribeiro shows stylistic choices of higher lexical diversity. Observed normalisation features reveal conscious or subconscious use of fluency strategies, making the target text easier to read. Due to his renowned sound command of the target language, the results may also suggest the challenges during the translated text re-creation process faced as a self-translator could have been greater than the challenges during the previous original text creation process faced as an author

O estilo de João Ubaldo Ribeiro em Viva o Povo Brasileiros e An Invincible Memory

This paper aims at observing a particular case of an author’s and self-translator’s style in the pair of works Viva o Povo Brasileiro and An Invincible Memory. Our investigation has its theoretical starting point based on Corpus-Based Translation Studies (Baker, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000; Camargo, 2005, 2007), and works on cultural domains (Nida, 1945; Aubert, 1981, 2006). The results showed that great part of cultural marks may be classified as the material, social, and ideological cultural domains, which reflects the context of the source text. It was also possible to observe that normalization features tends to reveal conscious or unconscious use of fluency strategies by the self-translator, making the translated text easier to read.

Nonlinear angle control of a sectioned airfoil by using shape memory alloys

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Numerical tests of an adaptive sectioned airfoil actuated by shape memory alloys

The main objective of this work is to illustrate an application of angular active control in a sectioned airfoil using shape memory alloys. In the proposed model, one wants to establish the shape of the airfoil profile based on the determination of an angle between its two sections. This angle is obtained by the effect of the shape memory of the alloy by passing an electric current that modifies the temperature of the wire through the Joule effect, changing the shape of the alloy. This material is capable of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy and once permanently deformed, the material can return to its original shape by heating. Due to the presence of nonlinear effects, especially in the mathematical model of the alloy, this work proposes the application of a control system based on fuzzy logic. Through numerical tests, the performance of the fuzzy controller is compared with an on-off controller applied in a sectioned airfoil model.

High Prevalence of Dementia in a Community-Based Survey of Older People from Brazil: Association with Intellectual Activity Rather than Education

Although several surveys have been conducted around the world, few surveys have investigated the prevalence of dementia in Latin America. The aim of this study was to estimate dementia prevalence in a community sample in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, and to evaluate its distribution across several socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and habits. The population was aged 60 years and older and a representative sample from three different social regions. The screening instruments used in the first phase were the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Fuld Object-Memory Evaluation, the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, and the Bayer Activities of Daily Living Scale. In the second phase, the Cambridge Examination was employed to diagnose dementia according to the DSM-IV criteria. The estimate of dementia prevalence was adjusted for screening instrument performance, using the positive and negative predictive values. The data were weighted to compare frequencies, considering the sampling and the non-response effect, and subjected to multivariate analysis. In all, 1.145 elderly subjects were evaluated (mean age: 70.9 years), of whom 63.4% were female and 52.8% had up to 4 years of schooling (participation rates at the first and the second phases were 62.6 and 60%, respectively). The observed and estimated prevalences of dementia were 5.9% and 12.5%, respectively (n = 68). Alzheimer's disease was the main cause (60.3%). Dementia was associated with old age, low education, stroke, absence of arthritis, and not reading books. The estimated prevalence of dementia was higher than the prevalence previously found. Associated factors confirmed the importance of intellectual activities in prevention.

Relationship Between Regional Brain Volumes and Cognitive Performance in the Healthy Aging: An MRI Study Using Voxel-Based Morphometry

The presence of cognitive impairment is a frequent complaint among elderly individuals in the general population. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between aging-related regional gray matter (rGM) volume changes and cognitive performance in healthy elderly adults. Morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures were acquired in a community-based sample of 170 cognitively-preserved subjects (66 to 75 years). This sample was drawn from the "Sao Paulo Ageing and Health" study, an epidemiological study aimed at investigating the prevalence and risk factors for Alzheimer's disease in a low income region of the city of Sao Paulo. All subjects underwent cognitive testing using a cross-culturally battery validated by the Research Group on Dementia 10/66 as well as the SKT (applied on the day of MRI scanning). Blood genotyping was performed to determine the frequency of the three apolipoprotein E allele variants (APOE epsilon 2/epsilon 3/epsilon 4) in the sample. Voxelwise linear correlation analyses between rGM volumes and cognitive test scores were performed using voxel-based morphometry, including chronological age as covariate. There were significant direct correlations between worse overall cognitive performance and rGM reductions in the right orbitofrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus, and also between verbal fluency scores and bilateral parahippocampal gyral volume (p < 0.05, familywise-error corrected for multiple comparisons using small volume correction). When analyses were repeated adding the presence of the APOE epsilon 4 allele as confounding covariate or excluding a minority of APOE epsilon 2 carriers, all findings retained significance. These results indicate that rGM volumes are relevant biomarkers of cognitive deficits in healthy aging individuals, most notably involving temporolimbic regions and the orbitofrontal cortex.

Motor learning, retention and transfer after virtual-reality-based training in Parkinson's disease - effect of motor and cognitive demands of games: a longitudinal, controlled clinical study

Objectives To evaluate the learning, retention and transfer of performance improvements after Nintendo Wii Fit (TM) training in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy elderly people. Design Longitudinal, controlled clinical study. Participants Sixteen patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease and 11 healthy elderly people. Interventions Warm-up exercises and Wii Fit training that involved training motor (shifts centre of gravity and step alternation) and cognitive skills. A follow-up evaluative Wii Fit session was held 60 days after the end of training. Participants performed a functional reach test before and after training as a measure of learning transfer. Main outcome measures Learning and retention were determined based on the scores of 10 Wii Fit games over eight sessions. Transfer of learning was assessed after training using the functional reach test. Results Patients with Parkinson's disease showed no deficit in learning or retention on seven of the 10 games, despite showing poorer performance on five games compared with the healthy elderly group. Patients with Parkinson's disease showed marked learning deficits on three other games, independent of poorer initial performance. This deficit appears to be associated with cognitive demands of the games which require decision-making, response inhibition, divided attention and working memory. Finally, patients with Parkinson's disease were able to transfer motor ability trained on the games to a similar untrained task. Conclusions The ability of patients with Parkinson's disease to learn, retain and transfer performance improvements after training on the Nintendo Wii Fit depends largely on the demands, particularly cognitive demands, of the games involved, reiterating the importance of game selection for rehabilitation purposes. (C) 2012 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.