Aplicação de danos mecânicos em abacates e seus efeitos na qualidade dos frutos

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

Redes neurais artificiais no ambiente de redes industriais foundation fieldbus usando blocos funcionais padrões

Industrial automation networks is in focus and is gradually replacing older architectures of systems used in automation world. Among existing automation networks, most prominent standard is the Foundation Fieldbus (FF). This particular standard was chosen for the development of this work thanks to its complete application layer specification and its user interface, organized as function blocks and that allows interoperability among different vendors' devices. Nowadays, one of most seeked solutions on industrial automation are the indirect measurements, that consist in infering a value from measures of other sensors. This can be made through implementation of the so-called software sensors. One of the most used tools in this project and in sensor implementation are artificial neural networks. The absence of a standard solution to implement neural networks in FF environment makes impossible the development of a field-indirect-measurement project, besides other projects involving neural networks, unless a closed proprietary solution is used, which dos not guarantee interoperability among network devices, specially if those are from different vendors. In order to keep the interoperability, this work's goal is develop a solution that implements artificial neural networks in Foundation Fieldbus industrial network environment, based on standard function blocks. Along the work, some results of the solution's implementation are also presented

Roteamento em Redes de Sensores Sem Fios Com Base Em Aprendizagem Por Reforço

The use of wireless sensor and actuator networks in industry has been increasing past few years, bringing multiple benefits compared to wired systems, like network flexibility and manageability. Such networks consists of a possibly large number of small and autonomous sensor and actuator devices with wireless communication capabilities. The data collected by sensors are sent directly or through intermediary nodes along the network to a base station called sink node. The data routing in this environment is an essential matter since it is strictly bounded to the energy efficiency, thus the network lifetime. This work investigates the application of a routing technique based on Reinforcement Learning s Q-Learning algorithm to a wireless sensor network by using an NS-2 simulated environment. Several metrics like energy consumption, data packet delivery rates and delays are used to validate de proposal comparing it with another solutions existing in the literature

Influence of visual information on optimal obstacle crossing

Human motion seems to be guided by some optimal principles. In general, it is assumed that human walking is generated with minimal energy consumption. However, in the presence of disturbances during gait, there is a trade-off between stability (avoiding a fall) and energy-consumption. This work analyses the obstacle-crossing with the leading foot. It was hypothesized that energy-saving mechanisms during obstacle-crossing are modulated by the requirement to avoid a fall using the available sensory information, particularly, by vision. A total of fourteen subjects, seven with no visual impairment and seven blind, walked along a 5 meter flat pathway with an obstacle of 0.26 m height located at 3 m from the starting point. The seven subjects with normal vision crossed the obstacle successfully 30 times in two conditions: blindfolded and with normal vision. The seven blind subjects did the same 30 times. The motion of the leading limb was recorded by video at 60 Hz. There were markers placed on the subject's hip, knee, ankle, rear foot, and forefoot. The motion data were filtered with a fourth order Butterworth filter with a cut-off frequency of 4 Hz. The following variables were calculated: horizontal distance between the leading foot and the obstacle at toe-off prior to (DHPO) and after (DHOP) crossing, minimal vertical height from the foot to the obstacle (DVPO), average step velocity (VELOm). The segmental energies were also calculated and the work consumed by the leading limb during the crossing obstacle was computed for each trial. A statistical analysis repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted on these dependent variables revealing significant differences between the vision and non-vision conditions in healthy subjects. In addition, there were no significant differences between the blind and people with vision blindfolded. These results indicate that vision is crucial to determine the optimal trade-off between energy consumption and avoiding a trip during obstacle crossing.

A experiência de depressão na contemporaneidade: uma compreensão fenomenológico-existencial

The depression is one of the most common forms of getting ill nowaday. Due to the increase in incidence of depression cases registered worldwide, this theme has been the subject of important studies, especially regarding the symptomatological description and biological etiology of the disease. This research had the objective to understand the unique experience of depression experienced by people who recognize themselves in depression, under the focus of existential phenomenology of Martin Heidegger. To reach the proposed objective, individuals narratives interviews were conducted with four participants, starting from the triggering question, "from your experience, how is for you to being depressed?". The survey revealed that depression affects the whole person and is related to stressful life contexts. Depression was narrated as an experience of disempowerment and lack of self esteem and personal worth. The collaborators of the research referred to the depression from sad, angry, bored and pessimistic mood. The time is experienced as a restriction to the projective opening towards the possibilities of being in which the future is seen as catastrophic and the past lived as debt and guilt. The corporeality, in depression is experienced through the weight, fatigue and pains for no reason. The space is lived from the notion of fall and collapse. We also realized the desire for isolation and avoidance of social contact. Suicide is desired and represents the end of the suffering in life. The depression has proved, still, very stigmatized, because it is discredited and misunderstood. The stigma also addressed to the experience of hospitalization and the unsuitability to the socially imposed standards of beauty, which generates enough suffering to the depressed person. The medication was described based on its positive effects, as a balance and suffering reducer, but also as a producer of dependence. Were also identified according to the collaborators, traces of selfdemand, ordenality and being-for-others, characteristic of typus melancholicus. This study contributes to an understanding of the depression that goes beyond the merely biological perspective and symptomatology of the pathology. The investigation of the depressive experience, through the lens of Heidegger's phenomenology, showed us the phenomenon of the depression in their singularity, complexity and multiple meanings, showing the close relationship between the formation of the depression and the context of personal and social life of the participants

Design of a control system using linear matrix inequalities for the active vibration control of a plate

The study of algorithms for active vibration control in smart structures is an area of interest, mainly due to the demand for better performance of mechanical systems, such as aircraft and aerospace structures. Smart structures, formed using actuators and sensors, can improve the dynamic performance with the application of several kinds of controllers. This article describes the application of a technique based on linear matrix inequalities (LMI) to design an active control system. The positioning of the actuators, the design of a robust state feedback controller and the design of an observer are all achieved using LMI. The following are considered in the controller design: limited actuator input, bounded output (energy) and robustness to parametric uncertainties. Active vibration control of a flat plate is chosen as an application example. The model is identified using experimental data by an eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) and the placement of the two piezoelectric actuators and single sensor is determined using a finite element model (FEM) and an optimization procedure. A robust controller for active damping is designed using an LMI framework, and a reduced model with observation and control spillover effects is implemented using a computer. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the approach, and show that the control system increases the damping in some of the modes.

Construção de um sistema de caracterização das propriedades de transporte de filmes finos pelo efeito Hall

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

Straw decomposition of nitrogen-fertilized grasses intercropped with irrigated maize in an integrated crop-livestock system

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Comparação da cifose torácica e capacidade funcional de mulheres idosas com e sem osteoporose

A diminuição da densidade mineral óssea das vértebras, própria do processo de envelhecimento e que pode ser agravada pela osteoporose, determina uma diminuição da região anterior dos corpos vertebrais, resultando em compressão e colapso dessas vértebras, com maior estreitamento dos discos e espaços intervertebrais. Essas novas condições interferem no funcionamento normal de órgãos e sistemas do organismo. O objetivo foi avaliar o grau de cifose torácica e a capacidade funcional de mulheres idosas com e sem osteoporose. Foram avaliadas 30 idosas ativas fisicamente, sendo 20 sem osteoporose ( GSO: 65,1± 4,67 anos) e 10 idosas com osteoporose (GCO: 68,6± 6,46anos). Foram avaliados a medida da cifose torácica, teste de caminhada de seis minutos (TC6'), Timed Up and go (TUG) e força dos músculos respiratórios (PImáx e PEmáx). Os dados obtidos foram analisados utilizando o teste t de Student. O nível de significância utilizado foi de 5% (α£ 0,05). Houve diferença significativa entre os grupos sem (GSO) e com osteoporose (GCO) somente no TC6'(GSO: 426,63±46,36 m; GCO: 392,64±36,68 m , α =0,02). As outras variáveis analisadas não apresentaram diferença significativa (Cifose torácica: α = 0,17; TUG: α =0,49; PImax: α =0,45; PEmax: α =0,19). A osteoporose não influenciou o grau de cifose torácica, a força dos músculos respiratórios e mobilidade das idosas. Entretanto, o desempenho no TC6' foi influenciado negativamente pela osteoporose.

Mensuração da qualidade de vida de indivíduos com a doença de Parkinson por meio do questionário PDQ-39

INTRODUÇÃO: A doença de Parkinson (DP) é caracterizada por uma degeneração progressiva seletiva de neurônios localizados na pars compacta da substância negra. Ela compõe-se por um conjunto de quatro sintomas motores: tremor, rigidez, bradicinesia e instabilidade postural. OBJETIVO: O estudo objetivou investigar os fatores relacionados à queda na percepção da qualidade de vida de indivíduos com DP. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Participaram deste estudo 25 indivíduos com diagnóstico de doença de Parkinson, classificados entre os estágios um e cinco da escala de estadiamento de Hoen e Yahr, tendo a sua qualidade de vida avaliada segundo o Parkinson Disease Questionary-39 (PDQ-39). RESULTADOS: Os 25 indivíduos (12 homens e 13 mulheres) apresentaram idade média de 71,2 ± 8,5 anos, variando entre 53 a 85 anos, e tempo de evolução da doença de 6,54 ± 7,71, variando entre 1 e 39 anos de doença. Verificou-se que as piores percepções sobre a qualidade de vida estão relacionadas ao domínio mobilidade, com média de 55% de comprometimento, e ao domínio atividade de vida diária, com 52,78% de comprometimento. Ficou também constatada uma alta correlação entre o escore total do PDQ-39 com os domínios atividade de vida diária, bem-estar emocional e mobilidade. CONCLUSÕES: A partir dos resultados obtidos, é possível constatar que carências de origem motora associadas aos sinais e sintomas e às complicações secundárias da DP interferem negativamente sobre a percepção da qualidade de vida dos indivíduos.

Abordagem dirigida a modelos para redes de sensores sem fio

Research on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) has evolved, with potential applications in several domains. However, the building of WSN applications is hampered by the need of programming in low-level abstractions provided by sensor OS and of specific knowledge about each application domain and each sensor platform. We propose a MDA approach do develop WSN applications. This approach allows domain experts to directly contribute in the developing of applications without needing low level knowledge on WSN platforms and, at the same time, it allows network experts to program WSN nodes to met application requirements without specific knowledge on the application domain. Our approach also promotes the reuse of the developed software artifacts, allowing an application model to be reused across different sensor platforms and a platform model to be reused for different applications

Primary tooth length determination in direct digital radiography: An in vivo study

Purpose: the purpose of this in vivo study was to compare the accuracy of primary incisor length determined by direct digital radiography (straight-line measurement and grid superimposition) and measurement of the actual tooth length. Methods. Twenty-two primary maxillary incisors that required extractions were selected from 3- to 5-year-old children. The teeth were radiographed with an intraoral sensor using the long cone technique and a sensor holder (30-cm focus-to-sensor distance). The exposure time was 03 seconds. Tooth length was estimated by using straight-line and grid measurements provided by the distance measurement feature of the Computed Dental Radiography digital dental imaging system. The actual tooth length was obtained by measuring the extracted tooth with G digital caliper. Data were analyzed statistically by Pearson's correlation coefficient and a paired t test. Results: There were statistically significant differences (P=.007) between the 2 measurement techniques and between the actual tooth lengths and grid measurements. There was no statistically significant difference (P=38) between straight-line measurements and actual tooth lengths, showing that the straight-line measurements were more accurate. Underestimation of the actual tooth length, however, occurred in 45% of the straight-line measurements and in 73% of the grid measurements. Conclusion: It is possible to determine primary tooth length in digital radiographs using onscreen measurements with 0 reasonable degree of accuracy.

Efeitos de reguladores vegetais no enraizamento de estacas caulinares de Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa (T. Ito)

O trabalho objetivou estudar os efeitos de reguladores vegetais no enraizamento de estacas caulinares de Flying Dragon [Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa (T. Ito)]. Na metade de cada estação do ano, ramos de citros foram coletados (4 experimentos), a partir dos quais foram retiradas estacas com 10 cm de comprimento com uma folha cortada ao meio. As bases das estacas foram tratadas com os seguintes reguladores vegetais na forma de talco: Testemunha (H2O); IBA 0,5%; NAA a 0,5%; IBA + ácido caféico a 0,5%, e NAA + ácido caféico 0,5%. As estacas foram plantadas em bandejas de isopor contendo fibra de coco e mantidas por três meses em câmara de nebulização. Os resultados mostraram que para a propagação desta espécie por estaquia, a coleta dos ramos deve ser no outono e que as mesmas sejam tratadas com a mistura de NAA + ácido caféico, ambos a 0,5%.

Population biology of the burrowing crab Neohelice granulata, (Crustacea: Decapoda: Varunidae) from a tropical mangrove in Brazil

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

Bathymetric distribution of the shrimp Rimapenaeus constrictus (Stimpson, 1874) (Decapoda, Penaeidae) in two locations off the southeastern Brazilian coast

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