Classification of petroleum well drilling operations with a hybrid particle swarm/ant colony algorithm

This paper describes an investigation of the hybrid PSO/ACO algorithm to classify automatically the well drilling operation stages. The method feasibility is demonstrated by its application to real mud-logging dataset. The results are compared with bio-inspired methods, and rule induction and decision tree algorithms for data mining. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

The millennium development goals and the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean in making progress towards higher levels of well-being, better human capital and more equal opportunities

Includes bibliography

Fast petroleum well drilling monitoring through optimum-path forest

Automatic inspection of petroleum well drilling has became paramount in the last years, mainly because of the crucial importance of saving time and operations during the drilling process in order to avoid some problems, such as the collapse of the well borehole walls. In this paper, we extended another work by proposing a fast petroleum well drilling monitoring through a modified version of the Optimum-Path Forest classifier. Given that the cutting's volume at the vibrating shale shaker can provide several information about drilling, we used computer vision techniques to extract texture informations from cutting images acquired by a digital camera. A collection of supervised classifiers were applied in order to allow comparisons about their accuracy and effciency. We used the Optimum-Path Forest (OPF), EOPF (Efficient OPF), Artificial Neural Network using Multilayer Perceptrons (ANN-MLP) Support Vector Machines (SVM), and a Bayesian Classifier (BC) to assess the robustness of our proposed schema for petroleum well drilling monitoring through cutting image analysis.

Dependência estrutural da capacidade de rotação plástic em vigas de concreto armado

Summary In this work the structural dependence of plastic rotation capacity in RC beams is evaluated using the Finite Element Method. The objective is to achieve a better understanding of the non-linear behavior of reinforced concrete members and perform extensive parameter studies, using a rational model developed by Bigaj [1] to analyze the phenomenon of plastic rotation capacity in reinforced concrete members. It is assumed that only bending failure is relevant due to sufficient member resistance against shear and torsion. The paper begins with the physical and theoretical background of the phenomenon of plastic hinge development in RC structures. Special emphasis is laid on the issue of structural dependence of deformation capacity of plastic hinges in RC members. Member size dependence and influence of properties of construction materials were emphasized as well. The essential components of the Bigajs model for calculating the plastic rotation capacity are discussed. The behaviour of the plastic hinge is analysed taking into account the strain localisation in the damage zones of the hinge region. The Fictitious Crack Model (FCM) and the Compressive Damage Zone Model (CDZ) are adopted in a Fracture Mechanics approach to model the behaviour of concrete in tension and compression, respectively. The approach is implemented in FEMOOP, a FEM in-house solver under development, and applied to evaluate ductility in 2D beams. The models were generated with GiD, a pre-processor and post-processor developed by CIMNE, and analyzed with the capabilities implemented in FEMOOP. © Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, España 2010.

Well-being and equity: analytic challenges and social indicators

Includes bibliography

Trapping of a particle in a short-range harmonic potential well

Eigenstates of a particle in a localized and unconfined harmonic potential well are investigated. Effects due to the variation of the potential parameters as well as certain results from asymptotic expansions are discussed. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Inflation targeting works well in Latin America

Includes bibliography

Compressive strength of dental composites photo-activated with different light tips

The aim of this study was to evaluate the compressive strength of microhybrid (Filtek™ Z250) and nanofilled (Filtek™ Supreme XT) composite resins photo-activated with two different light guide tips, fiber optic and polymer, coupled with one LED. The power density was 653 mW cm -2 when using the fiber optic light tip and 596 mW cm-2 with the polymer. After storage in distilled water at 37 ± 2 °C for seven days, the samples were subjected to mechanical testing of compressive strength in an EMIC universal mechanical testing machine with a load cell of 5 kN and speed of 0.5 mm min-1. The statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA with a confidence interval of 95% and Tamhane's test. The results showed that the mean values of compressive strength were not influenced by the different light tips (p > 0.05). However, a statistical difference was observed (p < 0.001) between the microhybrid composite resin photo-activated with the fiber optic light tip and the nanofilled composite resin. Based on these results, it can be concluded that microhybrid composite resin photo-activated with the fiber optic light tip showed better results than nanofilled, regardless of the tip used, and the type of the light tip did not influence the compressive strength of either composite. Thus, the presented results suggest that both the fiber optic and polymer light guide tips provide adequate compressive strength to be used to make restorations. However, the fiber optic light tip associated with microhybrid composite resin may be an interesting option for restorations mainly in posterior teeth. © 2013 Astro Ltd.

Anthropometric changes in the brazilian cohort of older adults: SABE survey (Health, Well-Being, and Aging)

The aim of the present study was to analyze the anthropometric changes in a home-based cohort of Brazilian older adults who participated in the SABE Survey, conducted in 2000 and 2006. A total of 1030 men and women were examined by age group: 60-69, 70-79, and ≥80 years. This representative sample consists of the survivors of the 2000 cohort. The following anthropometric variables were assessed: body mass, arm muscle, waist and calf circumferences, triceps skinfold thickness, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and arm muscle area according to mean values and percentile distribution. Except for body mass and body mass index, a significant difference (P<0.05) was observed among the assessed anthropometric variables during the follow-up period. The older adults ≥80 years presented the lowest values. The reduction in the mean values of triceps skinfold thickness was greater (30%) than that of waist circumference (9%) and was more pronounced in women (21%) than in men (9%). Arm muscle circumference and area reduced by 8% and 19%, respectively, in men and 1% and 3%, correspondingly, in women. Our findings revealed reductions in the mean values for all anthropometric variables in the follow-up period from 2000 to 2006 among older adults. © 2013 Manuela Ferreira de Almeida et al.

Well, what about intraspecific variation? Taxonomic and phylogenetic characters in the genus Synoeca de Saussure (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Cely and Sarmiento (2011) took issue with the cladistic analysis of relationships among species of the genus Synoeca by Andena et al. (2009a), and presented a reanalysis. They claimed that intraspecific variation in the genus is meaningful, and proper consideration yields a conclusion different from that of Andena et al. Both their critique and reanalysis are vitiated by numerous errors, as is shown in the present paper. © 2013 Magnolia Press.

A finite element approach for predicting the ultimate rotation capacity of RC beams

This paper presents a numerical approach to model the complex failure mechanisms that define the ultimate rotational capacity of reinforced concrete beams. The behavior in tension and compression is described by a constitutive damage model derived from a combination of two specific damage models [1]. The nonlinear behavior of the compressed region is treated by the compressive damage model based on the Drucker-Prager criterion written in terms of the effective stresses. The tensile damage model employs a failure criterion based on the strain energy associated with the positive part the effective stress tensor. This model is used to describe the behavior of very thin bands of strain localization, which are embedded in finite elements to represent multiple cracks that occur in the tensioned region [2]. The softening law establishes dissipation energy compatible with the fracture energy of the concrete. The reinforcing steel bars are modeled by truss elements with elastic-perfect plastic behavior. It is shown that the resulting approach is able to predict the different stages of the collapse mechanism of beams with distinct sizes and reinforcement ratios. The tensile damage model and the finite element embedded crack approach are able to describe the stiffness reduction due to concrete cracking in the tensile zone. The truss elements are able to reproduce the effects of steel yielding and, finally, the compressive damage model is able to describe the non-linear behavior of the compressive zone until the complete collapse of the beam due to crushing of concrete. The proposed approach is able to predict well the plastic rotation capacity of tested beams [3], including size-scale effects.

Dynamical properties for an ensemble of classical particles moving in a driven potential well with different time perturbation

We consider dynamical properties for an ensemble of classical particles confined to an infinite box of potential and containing a time-dependent potential well described by different nonlinear functions. For smooth functions, the phase space contains chaotic trajectories, periodic islands and invariant spanning curves preventing the unlimited particle diffusion along the energy axis. Average properties of the chaotic sea are characterised as a function of the control parameters and exponents describing their behaviour show no dependence on the perturbation functions. Given invariant spanning curves are present in the phase space, a sticky region was observed and show to modify locally the diffusion of the particles. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Rol estratégico de la educación media para el bienestar y la equidad = The strategic role of secondary education in achieving well-being and social equity

Incluye Bibliografía

Desenvolvimento de pino intra-radicular, resistência à fratura e análise da distribuição de tensões através do método dos elementos finitos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)