Design e imagem de marca: um estudo sobre a embalagem como elemento na construção de imagem de marca de cerveja

A tese estuda a embalagem como um elemento na construção da imagem da marca, apresenta uma revisão teórica sobre os temas marca e imagem de marca, design e embalagem e, por fim, cerveja. Foi realizado um estudo qualitativo com profissionais do setor e outro quantitativo com o consumidor. A percepção do consumidor é analisada segundo o envolvimento demonstrado com o produto bem como com relação à sua atitude (hedônica ou utilitarista). Foram analisados 484 questionários, com o uso da MANOVA, mostrando que envolvimento é um fator importante na percepção da embalagem, enquanto a atitude é quase irrelevante.

Gestão de riscos na cadeia de suprimentos e valoração do custo da escassez de energia elétrica: Modelos e uma proposta de implementação para o Brasil

Este trabalho apresenta as principais aplicações de técnicas de gestão de riscos ao estudo de interrupções em cadeias de fornecimento, tendo como motivação o caso do fornecimento de energia elétrica, assunto de extrema relevância para o Brasil. Neste sentido, o cálculo do “custo do déficit” ou perda de produção dada uma falha no fornecimento de energia elétrica (parâmetro utilizado em todo o planejamento do setor elétrico brasileiro), foi escolhido como fator relevante a ser analisado. As principais metodologias existentes para a apuração desse parâmetro são apresentadas fazendo uma comparação com aquela atualmente em uso no Brasil. Adicionalmente, apresentamos uma proposta de implementação para as metodologias alternativas, utilizadas no exterior, e baseadas no conceito de VOLL (“Value of Lost Load”) - medida do valor da escassez de energia para empresas ou consumidores individuais e fundamental para o desenho de programas de gerenciamento de demanda.

Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Hybrid Compounds To Treat Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms

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

Design and Analysis of Optical Interconnection Networks for a Dataflow Parallel Computer

This work shows the design, simulation, and analysis of two optical interconnection networks for a Dataflow parallel computer architecture. To verify the optical interconnection network performance on the Dataflow architecture, we have analyzed the load balancing among the processors during the parallel programs executions. The load balancing is a very important parameter because it is directly associated to the dataflow parallelism degree. This article proves that optical interconnection networks designed with simple optical devices can provide efficiently the dataflow requirements of a high performance communication system.

Design of a simple detection cell with extended optical path length for capillary electrophoresis: Application to multiresidue pesticide analysis

Absorbance detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE), offers an excellent mass sensitivity, but poor concentration detection limits owing to very small injection volumes (normally I to 10 nL). This aspect can be a limiting factor in the applicability of CE/UV to detect species at trace levels, particularly pesticide residues. In the present work, the optical path length of an on-column detection cell was increased through a proper connection of the column (75 mu m i.d.) to a capillary detection cell of 180 mu m optical path length in order to improve detectability. It is shown that the cell with an extended optical path length results in a significant gain in terms of signal to noise ratio. The effect of the increase in the optical path length has been evaluated for six pesticides, namely, carbendazim, thiabendazole, imazalil, procymidone triadimefon, and prochloraz. The resulting optical enhancement of the detection cell provided detection limits of ca. 0.3 mu g/mL for the studied compounds, thus enabling the residue analysis by CE/UV.

Protocatechuic Acid Alkyl Esters: Hydrophobicity As a Determinant Factor for Inhibition of NADPH Oxidase

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

Influence of design parameters on linear induction motor end effect

In this paper, a factor referred to as k(f) for linear induction motor end effect analysis is presented. The mathematical model takes into account the longitudinal entry end effect. The entry end effect produces considerable distortion in magnetic field distribution. It is shown how this influence is derived from the machine-developed force that is calculated through the application of the I-D theory. The k(f) factor establishes the relationship between the longitudinal end effect and machine parameters, mainly the number of magnetic poles, secondary resistivity, and frequency.

Influences of thermal and electric load fluctuations in the cogeneration attractiveness

The use of mean values of thermal and electric demand can be justifiable for synthesising the configuration and for estimating the economic results because it simplifies the analysis in a preliminary feasibility study of a cogeneration plant. For determining the cogeneration scheme that best fits the energetic needs of a process several cycles and combinations must be considered, and those technically feasible will be analysed according to economic models. Although interesting for a first approach, this procedure do not consider that the peaks and valleys present in the load patterns will impose additional constraints relatively to the equipment capacities. In this paper, the effects of thermal and electric load fluctuation to the cogeneration plant design were considered. An approach for modelling these load variability is proposed for comparing two competing thermal and electric parity competing schemes. A gas turbine associated to a heat recovery steam generator was then proposed and analysed for thermal- and electric-following operational strategies. Thermal-following option revealed to be more attractive for the technical and economic limits defined for this analysis. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A DOE based approach for the design of RBF artificial neural networks applied to prediction of surface roughness in AISI 52100 hardened Steel turning

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Describing fatigue crack growth and load ratio effects in Al 2524 T3 alloy with an enhanced exponential model

The fatigue crack behavior in metals and alloys under constant amplitude test conditions is usually described by relationships between the crack growth rate da/dN and the stress intensity factor range Delta K. In the present work, an enhanced two-parameter exponential equation of fatigue crack growth was introduced in order to describe sub-critical crack propagation behavior of Al 2524-T3 alloy, commonly used in aircraft engineering applications. It was demonstrated that besides adequately correlating the load ratio effects, the exponential model also accounts for the slight deviations from linearity shown by the experimental curves. A comparison with Elber, Kujawski and "Unified Approach" models allowed for verifying the better performance, when confronted to the other tested models, presented by the exponential model. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular assay optimized by Taguchi experimental design method for venous thromboembolism investigation

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Single-phase high power-factor boost ZCS pre-regulator operating in critical conduction mode

This paper presents a new single-phase interleaved high power factor boost pre-regulator operating in critical conduction mode, where the switches and boost diode performing zero-current commutations during its turn-off, eliminating the disadvantages related to the reverse recovery losses and electromagnetic interference problems of the boost diode, when operating in the continuous conduction mode. The interleaving technique is applied in the power cell, providing a significant input current ripple reduction in comparison to discontinuous mode of operation, due to its input current continuous conduction operation. This paper presents a complete modeling for the converter operating in critical conduction mode, resulting in an improved design procedure for interleaved techniques with high input power factor, a complete design procedure, and main simulation results from a design example with two interleaved cells rated at 1kW, 400V output voltage and 220V rms input voltage.

A novel voltage step-down/up ZCS-PWM Zeta converter

This paper presents an analysis of a novel pulse-width-modulated (PWM) voltage step-down/up Zeta converter, featuring zero-current-switching (ZCS) at the active switches. The applications in de to de and ac to de (rectifier) operation modes are used as examples to illustrate the performance of this new ZCS-PWM Zeta converter. Regarding to the new ZCS-PWM Zeta rectifier proposed, it should be noticed that the average-current mode control is used in order to obtain a structure with high power-factor (HPF) and low total harmonic distortion (THD) at the input current.Two active switches (main and auxiliary transistors), two diodes, two small resonant inductors and one small resonant capacitor compose the novel ZCS-PWM soft-commutation cell, used in these new ZCS-PWM Zeta converters. In this cell, the turn-on of the active switches occurs in zero-current (ZC) and their turn-off in zero-current and zero-voltage (ZCZV). For the diodes, their turn-on process occurs in zero-voltage (ZV) and their reverse-recovery effects over the active switches are negligible. These characteristics make this cell suitable for Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) applications.The main advantages of these new Zeta converters, generated from the new soft-commutation cell proposed, are possibility of obtaining isolation (through their accumulation inductors), and high efficiency, at wide load range. In addition, for the rectifier application, a high power factor and low THD in the input current ran be obtained, in agreement with LEC 1000-3-2 standards.The principle of operation, the theoretical analysis and a design example for the new de to de Zeta converter operating in voltage step-down mode are presented. Experimental results are obtained from a test unit with 500W output power, 110V(dc) output voltage, 220V(dc) input voltage, operating at 50kHz switching frequency. The efficiency measured at rated toad is equal to 97.3%for this new Zeta converter.Finally, the new Zeta rectifier is analyzed, and experimental results from a test unit rated at 500W output power, 110V(dc) output voltage, 220V(rms) input voltage, and operating at 50kHz switching frequency, are presented. The measured efficiency is equal to 96.95%, the power-factor is equal to 0.98, and the input current THD is equal to 19.07%, for this new rectifier operating at rated load.

Load compensation in four-wire electrical power systems

This work describes a methodology for power factor control and correction of the unbalanced currents in four-wire electric circuits. The methodology is based on the insertion of two compensation networks, one wye-grounded neutral and another in delta, in parallel to the load. The mathematical development has been proposed in previous work [3]. In this paper, however, the methodology was adapted to accept different power factors for the system to be compensated. on the other hand, the determination of the compensation susceptances is based on the instantaneous values of the load currents. The results are obtained using the MatLab - Simulink environment.

Short-Term Multinodal Load Forecasting Using a Modified General Regression Neural Network

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)