Kinetic and temporospatial parameters in male and female cats walking over a pressure sensing walkway

Background: Several factors may influence kinetic data measurements, including body conformation and body mass. In addition, gender differences in gait pattern have been observed in healthy humans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the kinetic and temporospatial parameters in clinically healthy male and female cats using a pressure-sensitive walkway. Eighteen crossbreed adult cats were divided into two groups: G1 had ten male cats (nine neutered) aged from 1 to 4 years and body mass 3.1-6.8 kg; G2 had eight spayed female cats, aged from 1 to 6 years and body mass 3.3-4.75 kg. The data from the first five valid trials were collected for each cat. A trial was considered valid if the cat maintained a velocity between 0.54-0.74 m/s and acceleration from -0.20 to 0.20 m/s2. The peak vertical force (PVF), vertical impulse (VI), gait cycle time, stance time, swing time, stride length, and percentage body weight distribution among the four limbs were determined. In addition, the lengths of each forelimb and each hind limb were measured using a tape with the animal standing.Results: No significant differences were observed in each group in either the forelimbs or the hind limbs or between the left and right sides for any of the variables. For both groups, the PVF (%BW), the VI, and the percentage body weight distribution were higher at the forelimbs than the hind limbs. The stride length was larger for males; however, the other kinetic and temporospatial variables did not show any statistically significant differences between the groups. The lengths of the forelimbs and hind limbs were larger in the male cats. There was a significant moderate positive correlation between the stride length and the length of the limbs.Conclusions: In conclusion, the only difference observed between male and female cats was the stride length, and this was due to the greater body size of male cats. This difference did not affect other temporospatial or kinetics variables. © 2013 Verdugo et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Soft-chemical synthesis, characterization and humidity sensing behavior of WO3/TiO2 nanopowders

Tungsten oxide/titania (WO3/TiO2) nanopowders were synthesized by the polymeric precursor method which varied the WO3 content between 0 and 10 mol%. The powders were thermally treated in a conventional furnace and their structural, microstructural and electric properties were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrometry, N 2 physisorption, NH3 chemisorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) in situ XANES and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD and Raman spectrometry confirmed the homogeneous distribution of an amorphous WO3 phase in the TiO 2 matrix which stabilized the anatase phase through the generation of [TiO5·V0] or [TiO5·V 0] complex sites. Conventional TPR-H2 (temperature programmed reduction) along with XANES TPR-H2 and XANES TPR-EtOH showed that WO3/TiO2 sample reduction occurs through the formation of these complex clusters. Moreover, the addition of WO3 promoted an increase in the surface acidity of doped samples as revealed by NH3 chemisorption. The WO3/TiO2 bulk-ceramic samples were further used to estimate their potential application in a humidity sensor in the range of 15-85% relative humidity. Probable reasons that lead to the different humidity sensor responses of samples were given based on the structural and surface characterizations. Correlation between the sensing performance of the sensor and its structural features are also discussed. Although all samples responded as a humidity sensor, the W2T sample (2 mol% added WO3) excelled for sensitivity due to the increase in acid sites, optimum mean pore size and pore size distribution. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Mapeamento de ambientes costeiros tropicais (Golfão Maranhense, Brasil) utilizando imagens de sensores remotos orbitais

Este trabalho apresenta os resultados do reconhecimento e mapeamento dos ambientes costeiros da região do Golfão Maranhense, Brasil, utilizando uma abordagem metodológica que incluiu: (a) análise integrada com base no processamento digital de imagens, ópticas Landsat-4 TM e SPOT-2 HRV, de imagens SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) do RADARSAT-1, e dados de elevação da SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission); (b) sistema de informações geográficas; e (c) levantamentos de campo relativos à geomorfologia, topografia e sedimentologia. Os ambientes costeiros, assim mapeados foram agrupados em quatro setores: Setor 1, com pântanos salinos, pântanos de água doce, lagos intermitentes e canal estuarino; Setor 2, abrangendo tabuleiro costeiro, planície de maré lamosa, planície fluvial, planície de maré arenosa, praias de macromaré, área construída e lagos artificiais; Setor 3, com manguezal, paleodunas e planície de maré mista; e Setor 4, constituído por dunas móveis. Além disso, foram também reconhecidos lagos perenes, deltas de maré vazante e planícies de supramaré arenosas. O processamento digital e a análise visual das imagens de sensores remotos orbitais, associados ao uso de sistemas de informações geográficas, mostraram-se eficazes no mapeamento de zonas costeiras tropicais, possibilitando a geração de produtos com boa acurácia e precisão cartográfica.

Use of synthetic aperture radar for recognition of Coastal Geomorphological Features, land-use assessment and shoreline changes in Bragança coast, Pará, Northern Brazil

Imagens de radar de abertura sintética (SAR) vem sendo bem mais utilizadas do que antes nas aplicações de geociências em regiões tropicais úmidas. Nesta investigação, uma imagem RADARSAT-1, na banda C, polarização HH adquirida em 1998 foi usada para o mapeamento costeiro e avaliação da cobertura da terra na área de Bragança, norte do Brasil. Imagem do radar aerotransportado GEMS-1000, na banda X, polarização HH, adquirida em 1972 durante o projeto RADAM foi também utilizada para avaliar as variações costeiras ocorridas nas últimas três décadas. A pesquisa tem confirmado a utilidade da imagem RADARSAT-1 para o mapeamento geomorfológico e avaliação da cobertura da terra, particularmente em costas de manguezal de macromaré. Além disso, um novo método para estimar as variações da linha de costa baseado na superposição de vetores extraídos de diferentes imagens SAR, com alta acurácia geométrica, tem mostrado que a planície costeira de Bragança tem estado sujeita a severa erosão responsável pelo recuo de aproximadamente 32 km² e acreção de 20 km², resultando em uma perda de área de manguezal de aproximadamente 12 km². Como perspectiva de aplicação, dados SAR orbitais e aerotransportados provaram ser uma importante fonte de informação tanto para o mapeamento geomorfológico, quando para o monitoramento de modificações costeiras em ambientes tropicais úmidos.

Compressive strength of esthetic restorative materials polymerized with quartz-tungsten-halogen light and blue LED

Este estudo comparou a resistência à compressão de uma resina composta e de um compômero, fotoativados com luz halógena convencional de quarto-tungstênio (QTH) (XL 300, 3M/SPE) e LED azul (SmartLite PS; Dentsply/De Trey). Foram confeccionados 40 espécimes em forma de disco usando uma matriz bipartida de politetrafluoretileno (4,0 mm de diâmetro x 8,0 mm de altura) em que o material foi inserido incrementalmente. O tempo de polimerização de cada incremento foi de 40 s para a luz halógena convencional e de 10 s para o LED. Os espécimes foram aleatoriamente alocados em 4 grupos (n=10), de acordo com a fonte de luz e com o material restaurador. Depois de armazenadas em água destilada a 37°C ± 2°C por 24 h, a resistência à compressão dos espécimes foi testada em uma máquina universal de ensaios com célula de carga de 500 kgf a uma velocidade de carregamento de 0,5 mm/min. Os dados (em MPa) foram analisados estatisticamente por ANOVA e teste de Student-Newman-Keuls (p<0,05). Para a resina composta, a fotopolimerização com luz halógena não produziu diferença estatisticamente significante (p>0,05) em sua resistência à compressão quando comparada à fotopolimerização com LED. Contudo, a fotopolimerização do compômero com a luz halógena resultou em uma resistência à compressão significativamente maior que a feita o LED (p>0,05). A resina composta apresentou resistência à compressão significativamente maior que a do compômero, independente da fonte de luz. Concluiu-se que a resistência à compressão dos materiais fotopolimerizados com luz halógena e LED foi influenciada pela densidade de energia empregada e pela composição química dos materiais restauradores estéticos.

Geostatistics and remote sensing methods in the classification of images of areas cultivated with citrus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reduced graphene oxide multilayers for gas and liquid phases chemical sensing

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Amazon forest biomass density maps: tackling the uncertainty in carbon emission estimates

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

Rank Aggregation for Pattern Classifier Selection in Remote Sensing Images

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Highly Ordered TiO2 Nanotubes for Electrochemical Sensing of Hair Dye Basic Brown 17

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

The importance of sensing one's movement in the world for the sense of personal identity

Within philosophy and cognitive science, the focus in relation to the problem of personal identity has been almost exclusively on the brain. We submit that the resulting neglect of the body and of bodily movements in the world has been detrimental in understanding how organisms develop a sense of identity. We examine the importance of sensing one’s own movements for the development of a basic, nonconceptual sense of self. More specifically, we argue that the origin of the sense of self stems from the sensitivity to spontaneous movements. Based on this, the organism develops a sense of “I move” and, finally, a sense of “I can move”. Proprioception and kinesthesis are essential in this development. At the same time, we argue against the traditional dichotomy between so-called external and internal senses, agreeing with Gibson that perception of the self and of the environment invariably go together. We discuss a traditional distinction between two aspects of bodily self: the body sense and the body image. We suggest that they capture different aspects of the sense of self. We argue that especially the body sense is of great importance to our nonconceptual sense of self. Finally, we attempt to draw some consequences for research in cognitive science, specifically in the area of robotics, by examining a case of missing proprioception. We make a plea for robots to be equipped not just with external perceptual and motor abilities but also with a sense of proprioception. This, we submit, would constitute one further step towards understanding creatures acting in the world with a sense of themselves.

Glycolipid Sensing and Innate Immunity in Paracoccidioidomycosis

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

An investigation into the influence of zinc precursor on the microstructural, photoluminescence, and gas-sensing properties of ZnO nanoparticles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Modelling the surface circulation and thermal structure of a tropical reservoir using three-dimensional hydrodynamic lake model and remote-sensing data

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Determining large scale actual evapotranspiration using agro-meteorological and remote sensing data in the northwest of Sao Paulo State, Brazil

The best irrigation management depends on accurate estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) and then selection of the appropriate crop coefficient for each phenological stage. However, the evaluation of water productivity on a large scale can be done by using actual evapotranspiration (ETa), determined by coupling agrometeorological and remote sensing data. This paper describes methodologies used for estimating ETa for 20 centerpivots using three different approaches: the traditional FAO crop coefficient (K-c) method and two remote sensing algorithms, one called SEBAL and other named TEIXEIRA. The methods were applied to one Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper image acquired in July 2010 over the Northwest portion of the Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The corn, bean and sugar cane crops are grown under center pivot sprinkler irrigation. ET0 was calculated by the Penman-Monteith method with data from one automated weather station close to the study site. The results showed that for the crops at effective full cover, SEBAL and TEIXEIRA's methods agreed well comparing with the traditional method. However, both remote sensing methods overestimated ETa according to the degree of exposed soil, with the TEIXEIRA method presenting closer ETa values with those resulted from the traditional FAO K-c method. This study showed that remote sensing algorithms can be useful tools for monitoring and establishing realistic K-c values to further determine ETa on a large scale. However, several images during the growing seasons must be used to establish the necessary adjustments to the traditional FAO crop coefficient method.