Influência do tempo de uso sobre as características hidráulicas do microaspersor do grupo modular

O desenvolvimento de novos equipamentos de irrigação e o aprimoramento dos já existentes, como dos microaspersores, devem considerar a avaliação das características hidráulicas, disposição adequada dos mesmos em condições de campo e interferência devido ao tempo de uso, garantindo índices de desempenho satisfatório. Nesse contexto, este trabalho teve o objetivo de determinar a equação vazão x pressão, o coeficiente de variação de fabricação - CVf e de vazão - CVq, a uniformidade de distribuição de água para diferentes graus de sobreposição do microaspersor do grupo modular de bocal laranja, novo e usado, sob funcionamento na posição invertida. O aumento do espaçamento entre microaspersores e entre laterais reduziu os índices de uniformidade em todas as pressões estudadas, tanto do microaspersor novo como do usado. A maior precipitação do jato de água ocorreu na distância de 0,0 a 1,0 m da haste de sustentação dos microaspersores novo e usado. O alcance do jato de água do microaspersor usado foi menor em relação ao bocal novo.

Terrain forms and spatial variability of soil properties in an area cultivatedwith citrus

The technique of precision agriculture and soil-landscape allows delimiting areas for localized management, allowing a localized application of agricultural inputs and thereby may contribute to preservation of natural resources. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize the spatial variability of chemical properties and clay content in the context of soil-landscape relationship in a Latosol (Oxisol) under cultivation of citrus. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0.0-0.2 m in an area of 83.5 ha planted with citrus, as a 50-m intervals grid, with 129 points in concave terrain and 206 points in flat terrain, totaling 335 points. Values for the variables that express the chemical characteristics and clay content of soil properties were analyzed with descriptive statistics and geostatistical modeling of semivariograms for making maps of kriging. The values of range and kriging maps indicated higher variability in the shape of concave topography (top segment) compared with the shape of flat topography (slope and hillside segments below). The identification of different forms of terrain proved to be efficient in understanding the spatial variability of chemical properties and clay content of soil under cultivation of citrus.

The Forms and Functions of Multilingual Practices in Early Modern School Drama from the King‟s School, Canterbury

Käsittelen tutkimuksessani monikielisyyden ilmenemistä Canterburyn katedraalikoulun oppilaiden 1600-luvun loppupuoliskolla esittämissä näytelmissä, jotka löytyvät käsikirjoituksesta Lit.Ms.E41 (Canterburyn katedraalin arkisto). Tämä käsikirjoitus sisältää puheita ja näytelmiä, joiden kielinä ovat englanti, latina ja vähemmissä määrin myös kreikka. Useissa näytelmissä esiintyy koodinvaihtoa näiden kielten välillä, ja tutkielmassani selvitän, millaisia syntaktisia ilmenemismuotoja ja pragmaattisia merkityksiä koodinvaihdolla on. Teoreettinen viitekehykseni on yhdistelmä filologista ja lingvististä lähestymistapaa. Olen sisällyttänyt tutkielmaani aiemman koodinvaihdon tutkimuksen lisäksi Brownin ja Levinsonin kohteliaisuusteorian, jonka avulla erityisesti puhujien välisiin sosiaalisiin suhteisiin liittyviä koodinvaihdon funktioita voidaan luokitella. Koska historiallinen koodinvaihto on tutkimusaiheena vielä melko tuore, käsittelen perusteellisesti erilaisia metodologisia ratkaisuja. Valitsemani metodi yhdistää perinteisen filologisen lähiluvun pragmaattiseen analyysiin, jonka kautta työssäni vaikuttavat muun muassa rationaalisuuden ja empatian käsitteet. Analyysini perusteella kävi ilmi, että erityisen yleinen koodinvaihdon funktio on mahdollistaa intertekstuaalisuus, jolla edelleen voidaan ilmaista esimerkiksi solidaarisuutta eli sosiaalista läheisyyttä tai loukata puhuteltavaa. Solidaarisuus oli myös ilman intertekstuaalisuutta yleinen koodinvaihdon funktio. Näiden lisäksi koodinvaihdon funktioita olivat muun muassa kasvoja uhkaavat teot, eufemismit, stilistiset efektit sekä diskurssin avustaminen. Syntaktisten ilmenemismuotojen osalta keskeisin havainto oli, että koodinvaihdon ja lainaamisen erottaminen ei ole tarpeellista tai edes kannattavaa kaikissa tilanteissa. Lisäksi voitiin todeta, että valittu metodi soveltui hyvin aineiston analysoimiseen, ja sitä tulisi soveltaa mahdollisuuksien mukaan laajempaan materiaaliin sekä muiden pragmaattisten ilmiöiden tutkimiseen.

Free Prostate-specific Antigen Forms and Kallikrein-related Peptidase 2: Tools for Prostate Cancer Diagnostics

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a marker that is commonly used in estimating prostate cancer risk. Prostate cancer is usually a slowly progressing disease, which might not cause any symptoms whatsoever. Nevertheless, some cases of cancer are aggressive and need to be treated before they become life-threatening. However, the blood PSA concentration may rise also in benign prostate diseases and using a single total PSA (tPSA) measurement to guide the decision on further examinations leads to many unnecessary biopsies, over-detection, and overtreatment of indolent cancers which would not require treatment. Therefore, there is a need for markers that would better separate cancer from benign disorders, and would also predict cancer aggressiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether intact and nicked forms of free PSA (fPSA-I and fPSA-N) or human kallikrein-related peptidase 2 (hK2) could serve as new tools in estimating prostate cancer risk. First, the immunoassays for fPSA-I and free and total hK2 were optimized so that they would be less prone to assay interference caused by interfering factors present in some blood samples. The optimized assays were shown to work well and were used to study the marker concentrations in the clinical sample panels. The marker levels were measured from preoperative blood samples of prostate cancer patients scheduled for radical prostatectomy. The association of the markers with the cancer stage and grade was studied. It was found that among all tested markers and their combinations especially the ratio of fPSA-N to tPSA and ratio of free PSA (fPSA) to tPSA were associated with both cancer stage and grade. They might be useful in predicting the cancer aggressiveness, but further follow-up studies are necessary to fully evaluate the significance of the markers in this clinical setting. The markers tPSA, fPSA, fPSA-I and hK2 were combined in a statistical model which was previously shown to be able to reduce unnecessary biopsies when applied to large screening cohorts of men with elevated tPSA. The discriminative accuracy of this model was compared to models based on established clinical predictors in reference to biopsy outcome. The kallikrein model and the calculated fPSA-N concentrations (fPSA minus fPSA-I) correlated with the prostate volume and the model, when compared to the clinical models, predicted prostate cancer in biopsy equally well. Hence, the measurement of kallikreins in a blood sample could be used to replace the volume measurement which is time-consuming, needs instrumentation and skilled personnel and is an uncomfortable procedure. Overall, the model could simplify the estimation of prostate cancer risk. Finally, as the fPSA-N seems to be an interesting new marker, a direct immunoassay for measuring fPSA-N concentrations was developed. The analytical performance was acceptable, but the rather complicated assay protocol needs to be improved until it can be used for measuring large sample panels.

Immunohistochemical study of genital and extragenital forms of canine transmissible venereal tumor in Brazil

Aiming to provide insight and discussing the problems related to the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT), especially in its extragenital form, immunohistochemical evaluation was performed and a comparison was established by analysis of the microscopic appearance of 10 genital CTVTs and 13 exclusively extragenital CTVTs previously diagnosed by cytology and histopathology. CTVTs samples were incubated with biotinylated antibodies raised against specific membrane (anti-macrophage) and cytoplasmic antigens (anti-lysozyme, anti-S-100 protein, anti-vimentin and anti-CD18) and subsequently developed using streptavidin-biotin peroxidase and streptavidin-biotin-alkaline phosphatase methods. A strong reactivity with the anti-vimentin antibody was found in 100% of the tumors tested (22/22). No reactivity was found for the anti-lysozyme, anti-macrophage, anti-S-100 protein and anti-CD18. No histopathological or immunoreactivity differences between genital and extragenital CTVTs were found. These findings do not corroborate the hypothesis of histiocytic origin of CTVT (no reactivity to anti-lysozyme, anti-macrophage and anti-CD 18 antibodies). In addition, the antibody panel used is useful to narrow the differential diagnosis for lymphomas, histiocytic tumors, amelanotic melanomas, and poorly differentiated epithelial neoplasias, among others.

Licensing Model Development for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) - Focusing on the Finnish Regulatory Framework

Recently, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have attracted increased public discussion. While large nuclear power plant new build projects are facing challenges, the focus of attention is turning to small modular reactors. One particular project challenge arises in the area of nuclear licensing, which plays a significant role in new build projects affecting their quality as well as costs and schedules. This dissertation - positioned in the field of nuclear engineering but also with a significant section in the field of systems engineering - examines the nuclear licensing processes and their suitability for the characteristics of SMRs. The study investigates the licensing processes in selected countries, as well as other safety critical industry fields. Viewing the licensing processes and their separate licensing steps in terms of SMRs, the study adopts two different analysis theories for review and comparison. The primary data consists of a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaire responses concerning licensing processes and practices. The result of the study is a recommendation for a new, optimized licensing process for SMRs. The most important SMR-specific feature, in terms of licensing, is the modularity of the design. Here the modularity indicates multi-module SMR designs, which creates new challenges in the licensing process. As this study focuses on Finland, the main features of the new licensing process are adapted to the current Finnish licensing process, aiming to achieve the main benefits with minimal modifications to the current process. The application of the new licensing process is developed using Systems Engineering, Requirements Management, and Project Management practices and tools. Nuclear licensing includes a large amount of data and documentation which needs to be managed in a suitable manner throughout the new build project and then during the whole life cycle of the nuclear power plant. To enable a smooth licensing process and therefore ensure the success of the new build nuclear power plant project, management processes and practices play a significant role. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of how licensing processes are structured and how they are put into action in practice. The findings clarify the suitability of different licensing processes and their selected licensing steps for SMR licensing. The results combine the most suitable licensing steps into a new licensing process for SMRs. The results are also extended to the concept of licensing management practices and tools.

On the effects of new forms of foreign aid

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Modular framework for outlier detection

Outlier detection is an important form of data analysis because outliers in several cases contain the interesting and important pieces of information. In the recent years, many different outlier detection algorithms have been devised for finding different kinds of outliers in varying contexts and environments. Some effort has been put to study how to effectively combine different outlier detection methods. The combination of outlier detection algorithms as an ensemble was studied in this thesis by designing a modular framework for outlier detection, which combines arbitrary outlier detection techniques. This work resulted in an example implementation of the framework. Outlier detection capability of the ensemble method was validated using datasets and methods found in outlier detection research. The framework achieved better results than the individual outlier algorithms. Future research includes how to handle large datasets effectively and the possibilities for real-time outlier monitoring.

Open Access Research Data Repository for Corpus Linguistic Data – A Modular Approach

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Multiple forms of cotyledonary b-galactosidases from Vigna unguiculata quiescent seeds

Cotyledonary b-galactosidases were isolated and partially purified from Pitiúba cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) quiescent seeds. The purification steps consisted of precipitation of the crude extract with ammonium sulphate in the range of 20-60% saturation, acid precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex ion-exchange chromatography and Lactosyl-Sepharose affinity chromatography. This purification process gave rise to three b-galactosidases-rich fractions: b-gal I, b-gal II and b-gal III, which were purified about 5, 509, and 62 fold, respectively. They reached maximal enzyme activity at different pH ranges: 3.5-4.5 for b-gal I, 3.0-3.5 for b-gal II, and 3.0-4.0 for b-gal III. Their maximal activities were reached when the temperature of the assay medium was 60° C, and preincubation of the enzymes at different temperatures has shown that they were heat-stable up to 50° C. There were no significant differences among the partially purified enzymes as far as their response to the different effectors tested, except for Mn2+ and EDTA, which affected differently b-gal I, b-gal II, and b-gal III. They were slightly affected by Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Co2+, tartarate, molybdate, glucose, and lactose, strongly inhibited by Cu2+ and galactose, and inactivated by Hg2+. These chemical and physical properties are similar to the ones found for other plant b-galactosidases. Although through this process of purification three isoforms of this enzyme were obtained, isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide slab gel of these enzyme-proteins suggest that cotyledons of Pitiúba cowpea quiescent seeds possess four isoforms of b-galactosidases.

Mechanical design and analysis of modular active magnetic bearing test rig

Tässä työssä on tutkittu modulaarisen aktiivimagneettilaakeroidun koelaitteen mekaanista suunnittelua ja analysointia. Suurnopeusroottorin suunnittelun teoria on esitelty. Lisäksi monia analyyttisiä mallinnusmenetelmiä mekaanisten kuormitusten mallintamiseksi on esitelty. Koska kyseessä on suurnopeussähkökone, roottoridynamiikka ja sen soveltuvuus suunnittelussa on esitelty. Magneettilaakerien rakenteeseen ja toimintaan on tutustuttu osana tätä työtä. Kirjallisuuskatsaus nykyisistä koelaitteista esimerkiksi komponenttien ominaisuuksien tunnistamiseen ja roottoridynamiikan tutkimuksiin on esitelty. Työn rajauksena on konseptisuunnittelu muunneltavalle magneettilaakeroidulle (AMB) koelaitteelle ja suunnitteluprosessin dokumentointi. Muunneltavuuteen päädyttiin, koska se mahdollistaa erilaisten komponenttiasetteluiden testaamisen erilaisille magneettilaakerikokoonpanoille ja roottoreille. Pääpaino tässä työssä on suurnopeus induktiokoneen roottorin suunnittelussa ja mallintamisessa. Modulaaristen toimilaitteiden kuten magneettilaakerien ja induktiosähkömoottorin rakenne on esitelty ja modulaarisen rakenteen käytettävyyden hyödyistä koelaitekäytössä on dokumentoitu. Analyyttisiä ja elementtimenetelmään perustuvia tutkimusmenetelmiä on käytetty tutkittaessa suunniteltua suurnopeusroottoria. Suunnittelun ja analysoinnin tulokset on esitelty ja verrattu keskenään eri mallinnusmenetelmien välillä. Lisäksi johtopäätökset sähkömagneettisten osien liittämisen monimutkaisuudesta ja vaatimuksista roottoriin ja toimilaitteisiin sekä mekaanisten että sähkömagneettisten ominaisuuksien optimoimiseksi on dokumentoitu.

Horizontal projections of area 17 in Cebus monkeys: metric features, and modular and laminar distribution

Metric features and modular and laminar distributions of intrinsic projections of area 17 were studied in Cebus apella. Anterogradely and retrogradely labeled cell appendages were obtained using both saturated pellets and iontophoretic injections of biocytin into the operculum. Laminar and modular distributions of the labeled processes were analyzed using Nissl counterstaining, and/or cytochrome oxidase and/or NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. We distinguished three labeled cell types: pyramidal, star pyramidal and stellate cells located in supragranular cortical layers (principally in layers IIIa, IIIb a, IIIb ß and IIIc). Three distinct axon terminal morphologies were found, i.e., Ia, Ib and II located in granular and supragranular layers. Both complete and partial segregation of group I axon terminals relative to the limits of the blobs of V1 were found. The results are compatible with recent evidence of incomplete segregation of visual information flow in V1 of Old and New World primates

Oral tolerance induction with altered forms of ovalbumin

As a T cell-dependent phenomenon, oral tolerance is not expected to depend necessarily on native configuration of antigens. We investigated the induction of oral tolerance with modified ovalbumin (Ova). Oral administration of heat-denatured (HD-Ova) and cyanogen bromide-degraded ovalbumin was less effective than native Ova in inducing oral tolerance in B6D2F1 mice. HD-Ova was effective in suppressing delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions but did not suppress specific antibody formation. Injection of Ova directly into the stomach, but not into the ileum or cecum, suppressed subsequent immunization to DTH reactions. Gavage with protease inhibitors (aprotinin or ovomucoid) before gavage with Ova was ineffective in blocking tolerance induction. Treatment with hydroxyurea to destroy cycling cells 24 h before gavage with Ova blocked oral tolerance induction and also the possibility to passively transfer tolerance to naive recipients with the serum of mice gavaged with Ova 1 h before. The implications of these findings about oral tolerance induction are discussed

Influence of exercise on the activity and the distribution between free and bound forms of glycolytic and associated enzymes in tissues of horse mackerel

The effects of short-term burst (5 min at 1.8 m/s) swimming and long-term cruiser (60 min at 1.2 m/s) swimming on maximal enzyme activities and enzyme distribution between free and bound states were assessed for nine glycolytic and associated enzymes in tissues of horse mackerel, Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus. The effects of exercise were greatest in white muscle. The activities of phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), and phosphoglucomutase (PGM) all decreased to 47, 37, 37 and 67%, respectively, during 60-min exercise and all enzymes except phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI) and PGM showed a change in the extent of binding to subcellular particulate fractions during exercise. In red muscle, exercise affected the activities of PGI, FBPase, PFK, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and altered percent binding of only PK and LDH. In liver, exercise increased the PK activity 2.3-fold and reduced PGI 1.7-fold only after 5 min of exercise but altered the percent binding of seven enzymes. Fewer effects were seen in brain, with changes in the activities of aldolase and PGM and in percent binding of hexokinase, PFK and PK. Changes in enzyme activities and in binding interactions with subcellular particulate matter appear to support the altered demands of tissue energy metabolism during exercise.