Reusability of dictionaries in the compilation of NLP lexicons

This paper discusses particular linguistic challenges in the task of reusing published dictionaries, conceived as structured sources of lexical information, in the compilation process of a machine-tractable thesaurus-like lexical database for Brazilian Portuguese. After delimiting the scope of the polysemous term thesaurus, the paper focuses on the improvement of the resulting object by a small team, in a form compatible with and inspired by WordNet guidelines, comments on the dictionary entries, addresses selected problems found in the process of extracting the relevant lexical information form the selected dictionaries, and provides some strategies to overcome them.

Laminar flow of soursop juice through concentric annuli: Friction factors and rheology

Laminar axial flow of a pseudoplastic fluid food (soursop, juice) in annular ducts has been experimentally investigated. In the first part of the manuscript, the rheological behavior of soursop juice, being essential for the annular flow analysis, was completely determined from 9.3 to 49.4 degrees Brix and temperatures from 0.4 degrees C to 68.8 degrees C, using a rotational rheometer equipped with coaxial cylinders. In order to test the adequacy of the rheology results, pressure loss data in the laminar pipe flow were collected and then experimental and theoretical friction factors were compared, showing excellent agreement, which indicated the reliability of the Power-Law model for describing the soursop juices. In the second part, pressure loss in annular regions was measured and used to estimate friction factors, which were then compared to those resulted from analytical and semi-analytical equations. The principal contributions of this article are to provide a review on the determination of friction factors-Reynolds number of pseudoplastic fluids in annuli, and also supply extensive new experimental data on the rheological properties and pressure loss of an important shear-thinning fluid food, which is of particular interest for the food engineering process design. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of cross-head speed on resin-dentin shear bond strength

Objective: To evaluate the influence of different cross-head speeds on shear bond strength test on the dentin surface.Methods: One hundred and twenty extracted bovine incisors were embedded in polystyrene resin. The specimens were prepared by wet grinding with 320-, 400- and 600-grit Al2O3 paper exposing dentin. After the application of the adhesive system Single Bond (3M) to etched dentin, the composite resin Z-100 (3M) was applied and light cured. The specimens were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 30). The shear bond strength tests were performed with an EMIC DL 500 universal testing machine at four different cross-head speeds: 0.50 (A); 0.75 (B); 1.00 (C); and 5.00 mm/min (D).Results: the mean values of shear bond strength in MPa (SD) were: A, 11.78 (3.91); B, 11.82 (4.78); C, 16.32 (6.45); D, 15.46 (5.94). The data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha = 0.05). The results indicated that A = B < C = D. The fracture pattern was evaluated by visual analysis in a stereomicroscope (25 x). The percentage of fractures that occurred at the adhesive interface were: A, 92.5%; B, 91.6%; C, 70.0%; D, 47.0%. The Student's t-test to percentages ( = 0.05) indicated that there were no significant differences among A, B and C; A and B differed from D, and there was no significant difference between C and D.Significance: Different cross-head speeds may influence the shear bond strength and the fracture pattern in dentin substrate. Shear bond strength using cross-head speeds of 0.50 and 0.75 mm/min should be preferred. (C) 2001 Academy of Dental Materials. published by Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eu3+ doped polyphosphate-aminosilane organic-inorganic hybrids

The preparation and characterization of new Eu3+ doped polyphosphate-aminosilane hybrids xerogels is reported. Eu3+ D-5(0) emission quantum efficiency ranges from 0.41 to 0.54 depending on the SUP ratio. These rather high values are due to the substitution of phosphate and amino groups for water in the Eu3+ coordination shell. Raman and Si-29 and C-13 CP-MAS NMR results suggest that no strong interaction exists between the polyphosphate and the siloxane parts. Not fully condensed siloxane colloidal domains seem to be homogeneously distributed in the polyphosphate network. Good optical quality and favorable Eu3+ spectroscopic characteristics suggest these new hybrids as good hosts for lanthanide ions in optical devices. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Early cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of atrazine on Wistar rat liver: A morphological, immunohistochemical, biochemical, and molecular study

Risk assessments suggest that intermediate and long-term exposure to triazine herbicides and its metabolites through water can cause severe damage to human health. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible effects of atrazine on Wistar rats submitted to subacute treatment. For this purpose, the activity of catalase and alanine aminotransferase was quantified, and the effect of the herbicide on cell membranes was examined based on the measurement of lipid peroxidation and consequent formation of malondialdehyde and on the mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes (Mn-superoxide dismutase [SOD] and GSTM1) and connexins. In addition, we evaluated histopathological alterations in the liver, cellular expression of SOD and glutathione (GST), activation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) by immunohistochemistry, and the induction of apoptosis. The genotoxic potential of the herbicide was investigated by the micronucleus test in bone marrow smears. Adult male Wistar rats were treated with an aqueous solution of atrazine at a concentration of 400 mg/kg/day, by gavage, for 14 consecutive days. Control groups were also included. The results showed an increase of catalase levels and maintenance of the expression of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GST). In addition, lipid peroxidation, hepatic tissue degeneration, activation of HSP90, increased levels of connexin mRNA, and genotoxicity were observed. In conclusion, atrazine induced early hepatic oxidative stress that triggered defense mechanisms to maintain the morphophysiological integrity of the liver. Further studies are needed to better understand the effects of this herbicide on human health. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protective Effect of HLA-DRB1*11 and Predisposition of HLA-C*04 in the Development of Severe Liver Damage in Brazilian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

The objective of this study was to investigate human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to analyse the possible role of these genes in the progression of chronic hepatitis C. One hundred and forty-five (145) Brazilian patients infected only with HCV genotype 1 were evaluated. HLA class I (A*, B*, C*) and class II (DRB1*, DQA1*, DQB1*) typing were carried out by PCR-SSO, through Luminex technology. Associations were found with protection against development of liver damage by both DRB1*11 (5.0% versus 18.2%, P = 0.0016, OR = 0.23, CI 95% = 0.090.58; Pc=0.0208) and DRB1*11-DQA1*05-DQB1*03 haplotype (4.2% versus 15.3%, P = 0.0032; OR = 0.24, CI 95% = 0.08-0.64). Liver damage was associated with HLA-C*04 in patients with <20 years of infection (38.4% versus 9.1%, P = 0.002, OR = 6.25, CI 95% = 1.9719.7; Pc=0.0238). It is concluded that HLA alleles can influence the development of liver damage in HCV type-1 chronically infected Brazilian patients.

Biomass fire consumption and carbon release rates of rainforest-clearing experiments conducted in northern Mato Grosso, Brazil

Biomass consumption and carbon release rates during the process of forest clearing by fire in five test plots are presented and discussed. The experiments were conducted at the Caiabi Farm near the town of Alta Floresta, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, in five square plots of 1 ha each designated A, B, C, D, and E, with different locations and timing of fire. Plot A was located in the interface with a pasture, with three edges bordering on the forest, and was cut and burned in 1997. Plots B,C, D, and E were located inside the forest. Plot B was cut and burned in 1997. Plot C was inside a deforested 9-ha area, which was cut and burned in 1998. Plot D was inside a deforested 4-ha area, which was cut in 1998 and burned in 1999. Plot E was inside a deforested 4-ha area which was cut and burned in 1999. Biomass consumption was 22.7%, 19.5%, 47.5%, 61.5% and 41.8%, for A, B, C, D, and E, respectively. The effects of an extended curing period and of increasing the deforested area surrounding the plots could be clearly observed. The consumption for areas cut and burned during the same year, tended toward a value of nearly 50% when presented as a function of the total area burned. The aboveground biomass of the test site and the amount of carbon before the fire were 496 Mg ha-1 and 138 Mg ha-1, respectively. Considering that the biomass that remains unburned keeps about the same average carbon content of fresh biomass, which is supported by the fact that the unburned material consists mainly of large logs and considering the value of 50% for consumption, the amount of carbon released to the atmosphere as gases was 69 Mg ha-1. The amounts of CO2 and CO released to the atmosphere by the burning process were then estimated as 228 Mg ha-1 and 15.9 Mg ha-1, respectively. Observations on fire propagation and general features of the slash burnings in the test areas complete the paper. Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union.

Study of direct CP violation in B±→J/ ψK±(π±) decays

We present a search for direct CP violation in B±→J/ ψK±(π±) decays. The event sample is selected from 2.8fb-1 of pp̄ collisions recorded by D0 experiment in run II of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The charge asymmetry ACP(B+→J/ψK+)=+0.0075±0. 0061(stat)±0.0030(syst) is obtained using a sample of approximately 40000 B±→J/ψK± decays. The achieved precision is of the same level as the expected deviation predicted by some extensions of the standard model. We also measured the charge asymmetry ACP(B+→J/ψπ+)=-0. 09±0.08(stat)±0.03(syst). © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Search for neutral higgs bosons in Multi-b-Jet events in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV

Data recorded by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider are analyzed to search for neutral Higgs bosons produced in association with b quarks. This production mode can be enhanced in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). The search is performed in the three b quark channel using multijet triggered events corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1fb-1. No statistically significant excess of events with respect to the predicted background is observed and limits are set in the MSSM parameter space. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Search for third generation scalar leptoquarks decaying into τb

We have searched for third generation leptoquarks (LQ3) using 1.05fb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider operating at s=1.96TeV. We set a 95% C.L. lower limit of 210 GeV on the mass of a scalar LQ3 state decaying solely to a b quark and a τ lepton. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Search for neutral minimal supersymmetric standard model Higgs bosons decaying to tau pairs produced in association with b quarks in pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96TeV

We report results from a search for neutral Higgs bosons produced in association with b quarks using data recorded by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7.3fb-1. This production mode can be enhanced in several extensions of the standard model (SM) such as in its minimal supersymmetric extension (MSSM) at high tan β. We search for Higgs bosons decaying to tau pairs with one tau decaying to a muon and neutrinos and the other to hadrons. The data are found to be consistent with SM expectations, and we set upper limits on the cross section times branching ratio in the Higgs boson mass range from 90 to 320GeV/c2. We interpret our result in the MSSM parameter space, excluding tan β values down to 25 for Higgs boson masses below 170GeV/c2. © 2011 American Physical Society.

Search for new physics in events with same-sign dileptons and b-tagged jets in pp collisions at √ s = 7TeV

A search for new physics is performed using isolated same-sign dileptons with at least two b-quark jets in the final state. Results are based on a 4.98 fb -1 sample of protonproton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7TeV collected by the CMS detector. No excess above the standard model background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the number of events from non-standard-model sources. These limits are used to set constraints on a number of new physics models. Information on acceptance and efficiencies are also provided so that the results can be used to confront additional models in an approximate way. © 2012 SISSA.

Search for supersymmetry in final states with missing transverse energy and 0, 1, 2, or ≥3 b-quark jets in 7 TeV pp collisions using the variable α T

A search for supersymmetry in final states with jets and missing transverse energy is performed in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s=7 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.98 fb-1 collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. In this search, a dimensionless kinematic variable, α T, is used as the main discriminator between events with genuine and misreconstructed missing transverse energy. The search is performed in a signal region that is binned in the scalar sum of the transverse energy of jets and the number of jets identified as originating from a bottom quark. No excess of events over the standard model expectation is found. Exclusion limits are set in the parameter space of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model, and also in simplified models, with a special emphasis on compressed spectra and third-generation scenarios.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the CMS Collaboration.

Search for supersymmetry in final states with a single lepton, b-quark jets, and missing transverse energy in proton-proton collisions at √s=7 TeV

A search motivated by supersymmetric models with light top squarks is presented using proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at a center-of-mass energy of √s=7 TeV during 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.98 fb-1. The analysis is based on final states with a single lepton, b-quark jets, and missing transverse energy. Standard model yields are predicted from data using two different approaches. The observed event numbers are found to be compatible with these predictions. Results are interpreted in the context of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model and of a simplified model with four top quarks in the final state. © 2013 CERN.

Search for new physics in events with same-sign dileptons and b jets in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV

A search for new physics is performed using events with isolated same-sign leptons and at least two bottom-quark jets in the final state. Results are based on a sample of proton-proton collisions collected at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the CMS detector and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 10.5 fb-1. No excess above the standard model background is observed. Upper limits are set on the number of events from non-standard-model sources and are used to constrain a number of new physics models. Information on acceptance and efficiencies is also provided so that the results can be used to confront an even broader class of new physics models. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the CMS collaboration.