Comer, demandar, desejar: considerações psicanalíticas sobre o corpo e o objeto na obesidade

O presente estudo discute o tratamento psicanalítico da obesidade, tendo em vista os impasses no manejo dessa problemática. Para tanto, parte-se da análise da patologização do corpo gordo, sua medicalização e os dispositivos biopolíticos de regulação dos corpos que aí figuram para propor uma diferenciação entre o sintoma médico e seu aspecto subjetivo. Contextualizando a cultura na atualidade, que coloca em evidência o corpo, desenvolve-se a disjunção entre necessidade e demanda proposta por Lacan para pensar uma diferença ética que a abordagem psicanalítica da obesidade oferece em relação ao dispositivo médico, na medida em que não se propõe a normalizar os corpos segundo o peso adequado. Essa proposta coloca em pauta a questão do circuito pulsional que, em sua matriz alteritária, estabelece o objeto pulsional vinculado a uma perda originária que, ao mesmo tempo, constitui o desejo como insatisfeito. Considerando que o dispositivo psicanalítico proposto por Freud se estrutura em torno da falta que advém ao final do complexo de Édipo, e que a angústia de castração ocupa lugar prioritário de motor do tratamento, a obesidade se coloca como um problema à medida que a comida comparece revestindo o objeto perdido e fornecendo a consistência à qual o obeso permanece atado. Para pensar de que maneira a psicanálise pode acolher a demanda feita por pacientes obesos e que recursos teórico-clínicos pode-se lançar mão nesses tratamentos, é estabelecido um paralelo com outras problemáticas, tais como: as toxicomanias e a bulimia. Propomos, por fim, que o tratamento psicanalítico visa oferecer um campo de subjetivação que permita a emergência da angústia não somente referida ao corpo e seus excessos, possibilitando a construção de recursos simbólicos necessários à elaboração do real pulsional. Para tanto, enfatiza-se a importância do estabelecimento da transferência, da presença do analista e da função das entrevistas preliminares que, nesses casos, se constituem como um longo trabalho prévio.

The role of farmed fish in the diets of the resource-poor in Egypt.

The Egyptian aquaculture industry provides more than 100,000 full-time or part-time jobs and produces the country’s least-expensive farmed animal protein. Thus, aquaculture plays an important role in both sustaining livelihoods and improving the diet quality and nutritional health of Egyptians, including a significant proportion of the 25.5% who are resource-poor. Recognizing this dual role, WorldFish has promoted sustainable growth in Egyptian aquaculture for more than 20 years. Through its work, WorldFish has identified a lack of quality data about fish consumption preferences and practices. Eager to fill this knowledge gap, WorldFish partnered with the Environment and Development Group (EDG) to study consumption of fish, red meat and poultry among the resource-poor in Egypt. This study aimed to characterize current consumer preferences for and consumption patterns of animal-source foods, comparing red meat, poultry and fish. The resulting data is meant to contribute to a better understanding of what drives demand for fish among the resource-poor in Egypt, allowing value chain actors to more successfully market their products to this segment of the population.

Power losses in small inverter-fed induction motors

This paper presents the results of experimental and simulation investigations of the breakdown of losses in a small inverter fed induction motor. Factors that are considered include the impact of skew, excitation voltage waveform shape and PWM switching frequency. Detailed finite element simulations of the motor performance are carried out for the various conditions, with simulation results compared to calorimetric test results. © 2005 IEEE.

Impact of PWM schemes on induction motor losses

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the impact of pulse width modulation (PWM) switching schemes on power losses in induction motors and their inverter drives. The PWM schemes considered include sinusoidal PWM, spacevector PWM and discontinuous PWM. Both experimental results and simulated predictions are presented for fractional horsepower and small integral horsepower motors. Direct loss measurements have been carried out using a calorimetric test rig; detailed simulations of the skewed motors have been carried out using multi-slice time-stepped 2D FEA. The simulated and measured losses under the different modulation schemes are compared and discussed. © 2006 IEEE.

Loss comparison between an SPWM and harmonic elimination excited small, (<1kW) induction motor drive using Pspice simulation and calorimetry

Adopting square wave excitation to drive induction motors (IMs) can substantially reduce inverter switching losses. However, the low-order time harmonics inherent in the output voltage generates parasitic torques that degrade motor performance and reduce efficiency. In this paper, a novel harmonic elimination modulation technique with full voltage control is studied as an interesting and alternative means of operating small (<1kW) IM drives efficiently. A fully verified harmonic elimination scheme, which removes the 5th, 7th, 11th, 13th and 17 th time harmonics, was implemented and applied to an IGBT driven IM. The power losses incurred in the inverter and the IM as a result of the switching scheme have been determined. © 2008 Crown copyright.

Supersonic laser deposition of Ti and Ti64 alloys

The importance of metal coating technologies drives the continuous improvement of metal deposition techniques for application in a wide range of industrial sectors. This work presents the foundations of a new process technology for the deposition of Ti and Ti64 coatings on various substrates using supersonic powder streams and impact site laser heating. Full density metallic deposits are obtained under appropriate impact conditions without the need for transiting the melting point of the deposited material or substrate leading to large energy savings. Details of the experimental approach will be presented along with the general characteristics of the titanium coatings produced using this novel coatings method.

High speed titanium coatings by supersonic laser deposition

The importance of metal coating technologies drives the continuous improvement of metal deposition techniques for application in a wide range of industrial sectors. This work presents the foundations of a new process technology for the deposition of titanium coatings on steel tube substrates using supersonic powder streams and impact site laser heating, known as Supersonic Laser Deposition (SLD). Metallic deposits are obtained under appropriate impact conditions without the need for exceeding the melting point of the deposited material or substrate leading to improved coating quality. Details of the experimental approach are presented along with the general characteristics of the titanium coating produced using this novel coatings method. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the growth and form of the gut.

The developing vertebrate gut tube forms a reproducible looped pattern as it grows into the body cavity. Here we use developmental experiments to eliminate alternative models and show that gut looping morphogenesis is driven by the homogeneous and isotropic forces that arise from the relative growth between the gut tube and the anchoring dorsal mesenteric sheet, tissues that grow at different rates. A simple physical mimic, using a differentially strained composite of a pliable rubber tube and a soft latex sheet is consistent with this mechanism and produces similar patterns. We devise a mathematical theory and a computational model for the number, size and shape of intestinal loops based solely on the measurable geometry, elasticity and relative growth of the tissues. The predictions of our theory are quantitatively consistent with observations of intestinal loops at different stages of development in the chick embryo. Our model also accounts for the qualitative and quantitative variation in the distinct gut looping patterns seen in a variety of species including quail, finch and mouse, illuminating how the simple macroscopic mechanics of differential growth drives the morphology of the developing gut.

Effects of parylene-C photooxidation on serum-assisted glial and neuronal patterning.

The increasing use of patterned neural networks in multielectrode arrays and similar devices drives the constant development and evaluation of new biomaterials. Recently, we presented a promising technique to guide neurons and glia reliably and effectively. Parylene-C, a common hydrophobic polymer, was photolithographically patterned on silicon oxide (SiO(2)) and subsequently activated via immersion in serum. In this article, we explore the effects of ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidation on parylene's ability to pattern neurons and glia. We exposed parylene-C stripe patterns to increasing levels of UV radiation and found a dose-dependent reduction in the total mass of patterned cells, as well as a gradual loss of glial and neuronal conformity to the patterns. In contrast, nonirradiated patterns had superior patterning results and increased presence of cells. The reduced cell adhesion and patterning after the formation of aldehyde and carboxyl groups on UV-radiated parylene-C supports our hypothesis that cell adhesion and growth on parylene is facilitated by hydrophobic adsorption of serum proteins. We conclude that unlike other cell patterning schemes, our technique does not rely on photooxidation of the polymer. Nonetheless, the precise control of oxygenated groups on parylene could pave the way for the differential binding of proteins and other molecules on the surface, aiding in the adhesion of alternative cell types. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010.

A microelectrode drive for long term recording of neurons in freely moving and chaired monkeys

An electrode drive is described for recordings of neurons in freely moving and chaired monkeys during the performance of behavioural tasks. The electrode drives are implanted for periods of up to 6 months, and can advance up to 42 electrodes using 14 independent drive mechanisms. The drive samples 288 points within a 12 mm x 12 min region, with 15 min of electrode travel. Major advantages are that recordings are made in freely moving monkeys, and these recordings can be compared with those in chaired experiments; waveforms of single neurons are stable, enabling prolonged recordings of the same neurons across periods of days; recordings can be made throughout the brain, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus; the drive accommodates both sharp microelectrodes and fine wire assemblies such as tetrodes. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V; All rights reserved.

Design method of an innovative motor for an intra-aortic ventricular assist device

A permanent-magnet motor has been designed for an innovative axial-flow ventricular assist device (VAD), to be placed in the descending aorta, intended to offload the left ventricle and augment renal perfusion in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). For this application, an intra-aortic impeller with a built-in permanent magnet rotor is driven by an extraaortic stator working in synchronism with the natural heart. To meet this need, a two-dimensional analytical model has been developed in the MATLAB environment to estimate machine parameters; finite element analysis (FEA) has been used to refine the results. A prototype blood pump equipped with an innovative motor designed from the procedure above has been tested in a mock loop representing the human circulatory system. The performance of VAD incorporating the motor is presented. © 2009 IEEE.

Operating charts for the brushless doubly-fed machine (BDFM)

The Brushless Doubly-Fed Machine (BDFM) is an electrical machine that allows brushless operation in many applications where the Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) is currently used. In recent years work on BDFM control means that the machine can now be run stably across its working range. However, little work has been done to define the working area in which BDFM can safely be operated without exceeding its material and stability limits. This paper sets out the theoretical backing for an operating chart of an ideal BDFM similar to that of the synchronous machine. It goes on to show that though the ideal chart gives the right form, non-ideal parameters (especially the finite magnetizing inductances) significantly effect the locations of the limits. Some preliminary experimental data obtained for a 225 frame size machine support the form of the chart. Finally it is shown how the operating chart can be used to chose appropriately sized converters for the BDFM. © 2009 IEEE.

Force ripple compensation in a tubular linear generator for marine renewable generation

Tubular permanent magnet linear generators are a promising generator technology for use in marine renewables. One aspect of their design relates to the conditions necessary for achieving a smooth thrust response from the generator, free from cogging and periodic variations due to spatial harmonics of the flux cutting the generator coils. This paper presents an experimental and finite element study of the sources of thrust ripple in a prototype linear generator for marine generation. A simple self-commutated control scheme is shown, which uses linear Hall-effect sensors and look-up-table based feed-forward compensation to derive the excitation currents required to drive the machine with constant force. Details of the controller's FPGA based implementation are given, including its strategy for detecting sensor failure. © 2011 IEEE.

The single-phase brushless doubly-fed machine as a generator for wind turbines

This paper proposes a single-phase variant of the Brushless Doubly-Fed Machine, the Single-Phase BDFM, SPB. Like the BDFM it is a variable speed generator which requires a converter rated at only a fraction of the machine rating, using structure with no brushes. Unlike the BDFM, most of its power is delivered directly into a single-phase grid connection. As such it is a potential replacement for PM generators in small-ish wind turbines, potentially with a much lower cost. In this paper we give details of its operation, with reference to results from the first prototype SPB. We also suggest how it may be controlled, again with experimental results. © 2011 IEEE.

Series-connected IGBTs using active voltage control technique

With series insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) operation, well-matched gate drives will not ensure balanced dynamic voltage sharing between the switching devices. Rather, it is IGBT parasitic capacitances, mainly gate-to-collector capacitance Cgc, that dominate transient voltage sharing. As Cgc is collector voltage dependant and is significantly larger during the initial turn-off transition, it dominates IGBT dynamic voltage sharing. This paper presents an active control technique for series-connected IGBTs that allows their dynamic voltage transition dV\ce/dt to adaptively vary. Both switch ON and OFF transitions are controlled to follow a predefined dVce/dt. Switching losses associated with this technique are minimized by the adaptive dv /dt control technique incorporated into the design. A detailed description of the control circuits is presented in this paper. Experimental results with up to three series devices in a single-ended dc chopper circuit, operating at various low voltage and current levels, are used to illustrate the performance of the proposed technique. © 2012 IEEE.