Consolidation and break-up of the South American platform in southeastern Brazil: Tectonothermal and denudation histories

The different tectonic stages that occurred at the end of the Proterozoic and during the Phanerozoic have an important bearing on the tectonothermal history of the South American Platform and its consolidation. Geochronological data (U/Pb monazite, Ar-40/Ar-39 whole rock) and apatite fission-track analysis, from Precambrian rocks of the southeastern Brazilian coastline, permit the modeling of a long-term thermal history of the crust and constrain variable denudation rates.Using these data, a temperature-time diagram reflects a period of accelerated exhumation during the end of the Brasiliano Orogeny, followed by long stability and reactivation of the platform during the Rifting Phase of the South Atlantic Ocean.U/Pb zircon and monazite (blocking temperature of ca. 650degreesC) data from a series of igneous bodies suggest that a tangential and transpressional tectonic regime occurred between 625 and 610 Ma. During the following escape tectonics, between 610 and 590 Ma the exhumation process indicates cooling rates of ca. 12degreesC/Ma. Ar-40/Ar-39 biotite ages between 540 and 510 Ma (ca. 300degreesC) and a corrected fission-track age on apatites (100degreesC) of 480 Ma indicate an exhumation event related to block tectonics with huge vertical displacement along shear zones.A long stabilization phase, with low exhumation, and cooling rate around 0.25degreesC/Ma was recorded from the Cambro/Ordovician to the Mesozoic. At 65 Ma an acceleration of the exhumation through denudation and reworking of the South American surface with cooling rate of 1.5degreesC/Ma is observed.The uplift of the Mantiqueira and Serra do Mar mountain ranges along the southeast Brazilian coastline works as a climatic barrier provoking lateral erosional processes causing long-term scarp retreat, combined with intense, but progressive denudation towards the continent. A denudation of 2.5 to 4 km was calculated for such processes. This lateral retreat of escarpments and flexural response can provide important insights regarding marginal isostatic uplift and the evolution of offshore sedimentary basins of southeast Brazil.

Preparation and thermal behavior of mixture of basic carbonate and 4-dimethylaminocinnamylidenepyruvate with lanthanides (III) and yttrium (III) in the solid state

Solid Ln-OKCO3-DMCP compounds, where Ln represents lanthanides (III) and yttrium (III) ions and DMCP is the anion 4-dimethyiaminocinnamylidenepyruvate, have been prepared. Thermogravimetry, derivative thermogravimetry (TG, DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction powder patterns and elemental analysis have been used to characterize the compounds. The thermal stability as well as the thermal decomposition of these compounds were studied using an alumina crucible in an air atmosphere.

Red and blue emissions of europium doped gadolinium silicate from porous silica matrix and hydroxide carbonate with spherical shaped particles

In this work, Eu(III) and Eu(II) doped gadolinium silicates has been obtained as compact tubes starting from spherical gadolinium hydroxide carbonate using the pores of silica matrix as support and its surface as reagent. Eu(III) doped gadolinium silicate with hexagonal phase shows an interesting visible shifted charge transfer band when compared to disilicate with orthorhombic phase that was also obtained. Eu(II) gadolinium silicate has been prepared using CO atmosphere presenting an intense blue emission. The divalent europium system shows a potential application as an UV-blue converter. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of synthesis conditions on carbonate entrapment in perovskite SrSnO(3)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Establishment of the epithelial attachment and connective tissue adaptation to implants installed under the concept of "platform switching": a histologic study in minipigs

Aim: To validate the platform switching concept at oral implants with respect to the preservation of the alveolar crestal bone levels in an animal model. Material & methods: Five minipigs received three implants each with a 0.25mm implant/ abutment mismatch and were placed flush (T(0)), 1 mm below (T(1)) and 1 mm above (T(+1)) the alveolar bony crest, and as a control, one conventionally restored implant placed at the bone level. The implants were randomly inserted flapless into the mandible. Four months after implant insertion, the animals were sacrificed, and undecalcified block sections were obtained and used for histological analyses. Results: The mean values for peri- implant bone resorption were 1.09 +/- 0.59mm (Control), 0.51 (+/- 0.27 mm, T(0)), 0.50 (+/- 0.46 mm, T(1)) and 1.30 (+/- 0.21 mm, T (+1)), respectively. Statistically significant differences (P< 0.05) were found among the test (T(0), T(-1)) and the control sites. Control implants presented an average biologic width length of 3.20mm (+/- 0.33), with a connective tissue adaptation compartment of 1.29mm (+/- 0.53) and an epithelial attachment of 1.91 mm (+/- 0.71). T(0), T(1) and T(+1) implants presented with a mean biologic width of 1.97mm (+/- 1.20), 2.70 mm (+/- 1.36) and 2.84mm (+/- 0.90), respectively, with a connective tissue adaptation compartment of 1.21mm (+/- 0.97), 1.21 mm (+/- 0.65) and 1.50 mm (+/- 0.70) and an epithelial attachment of 0.84 mm (+/- 0.93), 1.66 mm (+/- 0.88) and 1.35 mm (+/- 0.44), respectively. Differences between the configurations were mainly associated with the length of the epithelial attachment. The epithelial attachment was significantly longer in the C sites than in T(0) (P = 0.014). However, no other differences between configurations were detected. Conclusion: If the implants are positioned at the level of the alveolar bony crest, the platform switching concept may have a minor impact on the length of the epithelial attachment (0.84 vs. 1.91 mm), while the connective tissue adaptation compartment remains relatively unaffected. Moreover, platform switching resulted in less resorption of the alveolar crest (0.58 mm).

Influence of various implant platform configurations on peri-implant tissue dimensions: an experimental study in dog

AimTo evaluate the influence (i) of various implant platform configurations and (ii) of implant surface characteristics on peri-implant tissue dimensions in a dog model.Material and methodsMandibular premolars and first molars were extracted bilaterally in six Labrador dogs. After 3 months of healing, two implants, one with a turned and a second with a moderately rough surface, were installed on each side of the mandible in the premolar region. on the right side of the mandible, implants with a tapered and enlarged platform were used, while standard cylindrical implants were installed in the left side of the mandible. Abutments with the diameter of the cylindrical implants were used resulting in a mismatch of 0.25 mm at the tapered implant sites. The flaps were sutured to allow a non-submerged healing. After 4 months, the animals were sacrificed and ground sections were obtained for histometric assessment.ResultsAll implants were completely osseointegrated. A minimal buccal bone resorption was observed for both implant configurations and surface topographies. Considering the animals as the statistical unit, no significant differences were found at the buccal aspect in relation to bone levels and soft tissue dimensions. The surface topographies did not influence the outcomes either.ConclusionsThe present study failed to show differences in peri-implant tissue dimensions when a mismatch of 0.25 mm from a tapered platform to an abutment was applied. The surface topographies influence a neither marginal bone resorption or peri-implant soft tissue dimension.To cite this article:Baffone GM, Botticelli D, Pantani F, Cardoso LC, Schweikert MT, Lang NP. Influence of various implant platform configurations on peri-implant tissue dimensions: an experimental study in dog.Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 22, 2011; 438-444.

Morphological evolution of zinc oxide originating from zinc hydroxide carbonate

Zinc oxide can be obtained by thermal decomposition of hydrozincite, a topochemical reaction. This work reports the relation between zinc oxide morphology and the precursor zinc hydroxide carbonate precipitation time. The morphological evolution was monitored by SEM, IR and XRD. Zinc oxide obtained from initially precipitated hydrozincite consists of porous spherical aggregates and shows a single Zn-O IR vibrational band. At longer periods of precipitation time the aggregates were transformed into spherulitic-shaped zinc oxide particles showing the Zn-O split vibrational band. X-ray patterns show that the hexagonal zinc oxide phase is substantially increased as a function of hydrozincite precipitation time. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.

Utilizing the CORBA platform in the construction of a highly immersive virtual environment

This article presents the implementation of a distributed system of virtual reality, through the integration of services offered by the CORBA platform (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) and by the environment of development of 3D graphic applications in real time, the WorldToolkit, of Sense8. The developed application for the validation of this integration is that of a virtual city, with an emphasis on its traffic ways, vehicles (movable objects) and buildings (immovable objects). In this virtual world, several users can interact, each one controlling his/her own car. Since the modelling of the application took into consideration the criteria and principles of the Transport Engineering, the aim is to use it in the planning, project and construction of traffic ways for vehicles. The system was structured according to the approach client/server utilizing multicast communication among the participating nodes. The chosen implementation for the CORBA was the Iona's ORBIX software. The performance results obtained are presented and discussed in the end.

Thermodynamic analysis of direct steam reforming of ethanol in molten carbonate fuel cell

Fuel cell as MCFC (molten carbonate fuel cell) operate at high temperatures, and due to this issue, cogeneration processes may be performed, sending heat for own process or other purposes as steam generation in an industry. The use of ethanol for this purpose is one of the best options because this is a renewable and less environmentally offensive fuel, and cheaper than oil-derived hydrocarbons (in the case of Brazil). In the same country, because of technical, environmental and economic advantages, the use of ethanol by steam reforming process have been the most investigated process. The objective of this study is to show a thermodynamic analysis of steam reforming of ethanol, to determine the best thermodynamic conditions where are produced the highest volumes of products, making possible a higher production of energy, that is, a most-efficient use of resources. To attain this objective, mass and energy balances are performed. Equilibrium constants and advance degrees are calculated to get the best thermodynamic conditions to attain higher reforming efficiency and, hence, higher electric efficiency, using the Nernst equation. The advance degree of reforming increases when the operation temperature also increases and when the operation pressure decreases. But at atmospheric pressure (1 atm), the advance degree tends to the stability in temperatures above 700°C, that is, the volume of supplemental production of reforming products is very small for the high use of energy resources necessary. Reactants and products of the steam-reforming of ethanol that weren't used may be used for the reforming. The use of non-used ethanol is also suggested for heating of reactants before reforming. The results show the behavior of MCFC. The current density, at same tension, is higher at 700°C than other studied temperatures as 600 and 650°C. This fact occurs due to smaller use of hydrogen at lower temperatures that varies between 46.8 and 58.9% in temperatures between 600 and 700°C. The higher calculated current density is 280 mA/cm 2. The power density increases when the volume of ethanol to be used also increases due to higher production of hydrogen. The highest produced power at 190 mW/cm 2 is 99.8, 109.8 and 113.7 mW/cm2 for 873, 923 and 973K, respectively. The thermodynamic efficiency has the objective to show the connection among operational conditions and energetic factors, which are some parameters that describes a process of internal steam reforming of ethanol.

Utilizing cross-domain SOAP Web services using client-side languages in an enterprise mashup platform

Service oriented architectures (SOA) based on Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Web services have attracted the attention of enterprises mainly for business-to-business integration and to create composite applications that execute business processes. An existing problem is the lack of preoccupation with non technical users due to the fact that to create a composite application to fulfill users needs, it is necessary to be in contact with IT staff. To overcome this issue, enterprises can take advantage of web 2.0, 'introducing in the development stage some technologies like mashups and some concepts like user empowerment, collaborative work and collective intelligence. Some results [3] [13] have shown how web 2.0 concepts can help non technical users to produce relative complex business processes. However, traditional enterprise requirements goes beyond typical web 2.0 solutions in several aspects: (1) traditional enterprise systems are based on heterogeneous stack of technologies that are not directly exploitable from a web-based client (where SOAP web services play an important role); (2) web browsers set some cross-domain security constraints making difficult to integrate services from diverse domains. In this paper, a contribution to two web 2.0 research projects [14] [15] partially solves the problems described: provide a way to invoke cross-domain backend services (based on SOAP technologies) directly only using clientside languages, without a need for any adaptation layer. © 2010 ACM.

Development and validation of a Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri DNA microarray platform (XACarray) generated from the shotgun libraries previously used in the sequencing of this bacterial genome

Background. From shotgun libraries used for the genomic sequencing of the phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (XAC), clones that were representative of the largest possible number of coding sequences (CDSs) were selected to create a DNA microarray platform on glass slides (XACarray). The creation of the XACarray allowed for the establishment of a tool that is capable of providing data for the analysis of global genome expression in this organism. Findings. The inserts from the selected clones were amplified by PCR with the universal oligonucleotide primers M13R and M13F. The obtained products were purified and fixed in duplicate on glass slides specific for use in DNA microarrays. The number of spots on the microarray totaled 6,144 and included 768 positive controls and 624 negative controls per slide. Validation of the platform was performed through hybridization of total DNA probes from XAC labeled with different fluorophores, Cy3 and Cy5. In this validation assay, 86% of all PCR products fixed on the glass slides were confirmed to present a hybridization signal greater than twice the standard deviation of the deviation of the global median signal-to-noise ration. Conclusions. Our validation of the XACArray platform using DNA-DNA hybridization revealed that it can be used to evaluate the expression of 2,365 individual CDSs from all major functional categories, which corresponds to 52.7% of the annotated CDSs of the XAC genome. As a proof of concept, we used this platform in a previously work to verify the absence of genomic regions that could not be detected by sequencing in related strains of Xanthomonas. © 2010 Moreira et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Photoelastic comparison of single tooth implant-abutment-bone of platform switching vs conventional implant designs

Objectives: The maintenance and stability of peri-implantar soft tissue seem to be related to the crestal bone around the implant platform and different implant designs connections might affect this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate by photoelastic analysis the stress distribution in the cervical and apical site of implant-abutment interface of conventional implant joints (external hex, internal hex and cone morse) and compare to the novel platform switching design. Materials and methods: It was fabricated photoelastic models using five different implant-abutment connection, one set of external hex (Alvim Ti, Neodent, Curitiba, Brazil), one set of internal hex (Full Osseotite, Biomet 3i, Florida, USA), one cone morse set (Alvim CM, Neodent, Curitiba, Brazil), and two sets of internal hex plus platform switching concept (Alvim II Plus, Neodent, Curitiba, Brazil) (Certain Prevail, Biomet 3i, Florida, USA). These models were submitted to two compressive loads, axial from 20 kgf (load I) and another (load II), inclined 45° from 10 kgf. During the qualitative analysis, digital pictures were taken from a polariscope, for each load situation. For the quantitative analyses in both situations of load, the medium, minimum and maximum in MPa values of shear strain were determined in the cervical and apical site. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the results between the different systems and between cervical and apical site were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The results from qualitative analysis showed less concentration of strain in the cervical area to the internal hex plus platform switching (Certain Prevail), in both situation of load. The same results were get in the quantitative analysis, showing less stress concentrations around the implant Certain Prevail with internal hex plus the novel design (17.9 MPa to load I and 29.5 MPa to load II), however, without statistical significant difference between the systems. Conclusion: The minor stress concentration strongly suggest the use of platform switching design as a manner to prevent bone loss around the implant-abutment platform. Clinical Significance: From the result of this study its possible to make clinical decision for implant system which provides implant components with platform switching characteristics.

Using multiple abstraction levels to speedup an MPSoC virtual platform simulator

Virtual platforms are of paramount importance for design space exploration and their usage in early software development and verification is crucial. In particular, enabling accurate and fast simulation is specially useful, but such features are usually conflicting and tradeoffs have to be made. In this paper we describe how we integrated TLM communication mechanisms into a state-of-the-art, cycle-accurate, MPSoC simulation platform. More specifically, we show how we adapted ArchC fast functional instruction set simulators to the MPARM platform in order to achieve both fast simulation speed and accuracy. Our implementation led to a much faster hybrid platform, reaching speedups of up to 2.9 and 2.1x on average with negligible impact on power estimation accuracy (average 3.26% and 2.25% of standard deviation). © 2011 IEEE.

Networked control system for the guidance of a four-wheel steering agricultural robotic platform

A current trend in the agricultural area is the development of mobile robots and autonomous vehicles for precision agriculture (PA). One of the major challenges in the design of these robots is the development of the electronic architecture for the control of the devices. In a joint project among research institutions and a private company in Brazil a multifunctional robotic platform for information acquisition in PA is being designed. This platform has as main characteristics four-wheel propulsion and independent steering, adjustable width, span of 1,80m in height, diesel engine, hydraulic system, and a CAN-based networked control system (NCS). This paper presents a NCS solution for the platform guidance by the four-wheel hydraulic steering distributed control. The control strategy, centered on the robot manipulators control theory, is based on the difference between the desired and actual position and considering the angular speed of the wheels. The results demonstrate that the NCS was simple and efficient, providing suitable steering performance for the platform guidance. Even though the simplicity of the NCS solution developed, it also overcame some verified control challenges in the robot guidance system design such as the hydraulic system delay, nonlinearities in the steering actuators, and inertia in the steering system due the friction of different terrains. Copyright © 2012 Eduardo Pacincia Godoy et al.