A study evaluating the effectiveness of science and technology networks operating in the subregion

Includes bibliography

Identificação de falhas estruturais usando sensores e atuadores piezelétricos e redes neurais artificiais

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

Tool Condition Monitoring of Single-Point Dresser Using Acoustic Emission and Neural Networks Models

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

Land cover classification of Lago Grande de Curuai floodplain (Amazon, Brazil) using multi-sensor and image fusion techniques

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Particle competition and cooperation for semi-supervised learning with label noise

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

Availability and Use of Audiovisual and Electronic Resources by Distance Learning Students in Nigerian Universities: a Case Study of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ibadan Study Centre

This study investigated the availability and use of audiovisual and electronic resources by distance learning students at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). A questionnaire was administered tothe distance learning students selected across the various departments of the NOUN. The findings revealed that even though NOUN made provision for audiovisual and electronic resources for students' use, a majority of the audiovisual and electronic resources are available through personal provision by the students.The study also revealed regular use of audiovisual and electronic resources by the distance learning students. Constraints on use include poor power supply, poor infrastructure, lack of adequate skill, and high cost of access.

Improving Student Engagement and Verbal Behavior Through Cooperative Learning

In this action research study of my classroom of 10th grade Algebra II students, I investigated three related areas. First, I looked at how heterogeneous cooperative groups, where students in the group are responsible to present material, increase the number of students on task and the time on task when compared to individual practice. I noticed that their time on task might have been about the same, but they were communicating with each other mathematically. The second area I examined was the effect heterogeneous cooperative groups had on the teacher’s and the students’ verbal and nonverbal problem solving skills and understanding when compared to individual practice. At the end of the action research, students were questioning each other, and the instructor was answering questions only when the entire group had a question. The third area of data collection focused on what effect heterogeneous cooperative groups had on students’ listening skills when compared to individual practice. In the research I implemented individual quizzes and individual presentations. Both of these had a positive effect on listing in the groups. As a result of this research, I plan to continue implementing the round robin style of in- class practice with heterogeneous grouping and randomly selected individual presentations. For individual accountability I will continue the practice of individual quizzes one to two times a week.

Improving Student Engagement and Verbal Behavior Through Cooperative Learning

In this action research study of my classroom of 10th grade Algebra II students, I investigated three related areas. First, I looked at how heterogeneous cooperative groups, where students in the group are responsible to present material, increase the number of students on task and the time on task when compared to individual practice. I noticed that their time on task might have been about the same, but they were communicating with each other mathematically. The second area I examined was the effect heterogeneous cooperative groups had on the teacher’s and the students’ verbal and nonverbal problem solving skills and understanding when compared to individual practice. At the end of the action research, students were questioning each other, and the instructor was answering questions only when the entire group had a question. The third area of data collection focused on what effect heterogeneous cooperative groups had on students’ listening skills when compared to individual practice. In the research I implemented individual quizzes and individual presentations. Both of these had a positive effect on listing in the groups. As a result of this research, I plan to continue implementing the round robin style of in- class practice with heterogeneous grouping and randomly selected individual presentations. For individual accountability I will continue the practice of individual quizzes one to two times a week.

Evaluation of Vickers hardness of different types of acrylic denture base resins with and without glass fibre reinforcement

Objective: To evaluate the Vickers hardness of different acrylic resins for denture bases with and without the addition of glass fibres. Background: It has been suggested that different polymerisation methods, as well as the addition of glass fibre (FV) might improve the hardness of acrylic. Materials and methods: Five types of acrylic resin were tested: Vipi Wave (VW), microwave polymerisation; Vipi Flash (VF), auto-polymerisation; Lucitone (LT), QC20 (QC) and Vipi Cril (VC), conventional heat-polymerisation, all with or without glass fibre reinforcement (GFR) and distributed into 10 groups (n = 12). Specimens were then submitted to Vickers hardness testing with a 25-g load for 30 s. All data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test. Results: A significant statistical difference was observed with regard to the polymerisation method and the GFR (p < 0.05). Without the GFR, the acrylic resin VC presented the highest hardness values, and VF and LT presented the lowest. In the presence of GFR, VC resin still presented the highest Vickers hardness values, and VF and QC presented the lowest. Conclusions: The acrylic resin VC and VW presented higher hardness values than VF and QC resins. Moreover, GFR increased the Vickers hardness of resins VW, VC and LT.

STATE INSTITUTIONS, POWER, AND SOCIAL NETWORKS IN BRAZILIAN URBAN POLICIES

A large historiographic tradition has studied the Brazilian state, yet we know relatively little about its internal dynamics and particularities. The role of informal, personal, and unintentional ties has remained underexplored in most policy network studies, mainly because of the pluralist origin of that tradition. It is possible to use network analysis to expand this knowledge by developing mesolevel analysis of those processes. This article proposes an analytical framework for studying networks inside policy communities. This framework considers the stable and resilient patterns that characterize state institutions, especially in contexts of low institutionalization, particularly those found in Latin America and Brazil. The article builds on research on urban policies in Brazil to suggest that networks made of institutional and personal ties structure state organizations internally and insert them,into broader political scenarios. These networks, which I call state fabric, frame politics, influence public policies, and introduce more stability and predictability than the majority of the literature usually considers. They also form a specific power resource-positional power, associated with the positions that political actors occupy-that influences politics inside and around the state.

Characterization of suramin binding sites on the human group IIA secreted phospholipase A(2) by site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics simulation

Suramin is a polysulphonated naphthylurea with inhibitory activity against the human secreted group IIA phospholipase A(2) (hsPLA2GIIA), and we have investigated suramin binding to recombinant hsPLA2GIIA using site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The changes in suramin binding affinity of 13 cationic residue mutants of the hsPLA2GIIA was strongly correlated with alterations in the inhibition of membrane damaging activity of the protein. Suramin binding to hsPLA2GIIA was also studied by MD simulations, which demonstrated that altered intermolecular potential energy of the suramin/mutant complexes was a reliable indicator of affinity change. Although residues in the C-terminal region play a major role in the stabilization of the hsPLA2GIIA/suramin complex, attractive and repulsive hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions with residues throughout the protein together with the adoption of a bent suramin conformation, all contribute to the stability of the complex. Analysis of the h5PLA2GIIA/suramin interactions allows the prediction of the properties of suramin analogues with improved binding and higher affinities which may be candidates for novel phospholipase A(2) inhibitors. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency and precision of feedback and the adaptive process of learning a dual motor task

This work investigated the effects of frequency and precision of feedback on the learning of a dual-motor task. One hundred and twenty adults were randomly assigned to six groups of different knowledge of results (KR), frequency (100%, 66% or 33%) and precision (specific or general) levels. In the stabilization phase, participants performed the dual task (combination of linear positioning and manual force control) with the provision of KR. Ten non-KR adaptation trials were performed for the same task, but with the introduction of an electromagnetic opposite traction force. The analysis showed a significant main effect for frequency of KR. The participants who received KR in 66% of the stabilization trials showed superior adaptation performance than those who received 100% or 33%. This finding reinforces that there is an optimal level of information, neither too high nor too low, for motor learning to be effective.

The APSEL4D Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor and its Usage in a Single Electron Interference Experiment

We have realized a Data Acquisition chain for the use and characterization of APSEL4D, a 32 x 128 Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor, developed as a prototype for frontier experiments in high energy particle physics. In particular a transition board was realized for the conversion between the chip and the FPGA voltage levels and for the signal quality enhancing. A Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA was used for real time data processing, for the chip control and the communication with a Personal Computer through a 2.0 USB port. For this purpose a firmware code, developed in VHDL language, was written. Finally a Graphical User Interface for the online system monitoring, hit display and chip control, based on windows and widgets, was realized developing a C++ code and using Qt and Qwt dedicated libraries. APSEL4D and the full acquisition chain were characterized for the first time with the electron beam of the transmission electron microscope and with 55Fe and 90Sr radioactive sources. In addition, a beam test was performed at the T9 station of the CERN PS, where hadrons of momentum of 12 GeV/c are available. The very high time resolution of APSEL4D (up to 2.5 Mfps, but used at 6 kfps) was fundamental in realizing a single electron Young experiment using nanometric double slits obtained by a FIB technique. On high statistical samples, it was possible to observe the interference and diffractions of single isolated electrons traveling inside a transmission electron microscope. For the first time, the information on the distribution of the arrival time of the single electrons has been extracted.