Integrable generalized spin ladder models based on the SU(1|3) and SU(3|1) algebras

We present two integrable spin ladder models which possess a general free parameter besides the rung coupling J. The models are exactly solvable by means of the Bethe ansatz method and we present the Bethe ansatz equations. We analyze the elementary excitations of the models which reveal the existence of a gap for both models that depends on the free parameter. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

An approach to verifying and debugging simulation models governed by ordinary differential equations: Part 1. Methodology for residual generation

For dynamic simulations to be credible, verification of the computer code must be an integral part of the modelling process. This two-part paper describes a novel approach to verification through program testing and debugging. In Part 1, a methodology is presented for detecting and isolating coding errors using back-to-back testing. Residuals are generated by comparing the output of two independent implementations, in response to identical inputs. The key feature of the methodology is that a specially modified observer is created using one of the implementations, so as to impose an error-dependent structure on these residuals. Each error can be associated with a fixed and known subspace, permitting errors to be isolated to specific equations in the code. It is shown that the geometric properties extend to multiple errors in either one of the two implementations. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

An approach to verifying and debugging simulation models governed by ordinary differential equations: Part 2. Residuals analysis and a case study

In Part 1 of this paper a methodology for back-to-back testing of simulation software was described. Residuals with error-dependent geometric properties were generated. A set of potential coding errors was enumerated, along with a corresponding set of feature matrices, which describe the geometric properties imposed on the residuals by each of the errors. In this part of the paper, an algorithm is developed to isolate the coding errors present by analysing the residuals. A set of errors is isolated when the subspace spanned by their combined feature matrices corresponds to that of the residuals. Individual feature matrices are compared to the residuals and classified as 'definite', 'possible' or 'impossible'. The status of 'possible' errors is resolved using a dynamic subset testing algorithm. To demonstrate and validate the testing methodology presented in Part 1 and the isolation algorithm presented in Part 2, a case study is presented using a model for biological wastewater treatment. Both single and simultaneous errors that are deliberately introduced into the simulation code are correctly detected and isolated. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Effects of soil water availability on water use efficiency of Eucalyptus cloeziana and Eucalyptus argophloia plants

Effects of soil water availability on transpiration efficiency (WUET), instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi) and carbon isotope composition (delta(13)C) were investigated in 7-month-old plants of humid coastal (Gympie) and dry inland ( Hungry Hills) provenances of Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell. and in a dry inland provenance of E. argophloia Blakely (Chinchilla), supplied with 100 (W-100), 70 (W-70) and 50% (W-50) of their water requirements. At W-100, WUET of the three provenances were not significantly different but as available soil moisture decreased, E. argophloia produced greater biomass and demonstrated significantly higher WUET than either E. cloeziana provenance. Midday WUEi was not significantly affected by watering regime within each provenance but was lowest in E. argophloia. A decrease in soil water availability caused a consistent increase in delta(13)C values in all three provenances; however, delta(13)C values of E. argophloia in all three water regimes were significantly lower than those of E. cloeziana provenances, which did not differ significantly from each other. For all three provenances, delta(13)C was not correlated with WUEi but height and root collar diameter were negatively correlated to delta(13)C. There was little evidence of differences in delta(13)C, WUET and WUEi between E. cloeziana provenances but clear differences between E. cloeziana and E. argophloia. The high WUET, low WUEi and low delta(13)C for E. argophloia may have implications in the selection of Eucalyptus provenances for commercial forestry in low-rainfall regions.

Climate change and biotic invasions: a case history of a tropical woody vine

The impacts of climate change in the potential distribution and relative abundance of a C3 shrubby vine, Cryptostegia grandiflora, were investigated using the CLIMEX modelling package. Based upon its current naturalised distribution, C. grandiflora appears to occupy only a small fraction of its potential distribution in Australia under current climatic conditions; mostly in apparently sub-optimal habitat. The potential distribution of C. grandiflora is sensitive towards changes in climate and atmospheric chemistry in the expected range of this century, particularly those that result in increased temperature and water use efficiency. Climate change is likely to increase the potential distribution and abundance of the plant, further increasing the area at risk of invasion, and threatening the viability of current control strategies markedly. By identifying areas at risk of invasion, and vulnerabilities of control strategies, this analysis demonstrates the utility of climate models for providing information suitable to help formulate large-scale, long-term strategic plans for controlling biotic invasions. The effects of climate change upon the potential distribution of C. grandiflora are sufficiently great that strategic control plans for biotic invasions should routinely include their consideration. Whilst the effect of climate change upon the efficacy of introduced biological control agents remain unknown, their possible effect in the potential distribution of C. grandiflora will likely depend not only upon their effects on the population dynamics of C. grandiflora, but also on the gradient of climatic suitability adjacent to each segment of the range boundary.

Carreiras p??blicas em uma ordem democr??tica: entre os modelos burocr??tico e gerencial

Refletindo sobre modelo de carreira mais adequado para a Administra????o P??blica nesta era de economia globalizada e de maiores exig??ncias de efici??ncia e flexibilidade na gest??o dos aparatos governamentais, questiona-se aqui a id??ia de que o modelo burocr??tico deva ser substitu??do pelo modelo gerencial. Considerando essa id??ia apenas parcialmente verdadeira, nossa argumenta????o vai na seguinte dire????o: como a burocracia ?? a forma espec??fica de organiza????o do aparato administrativo do Estado de Direito, este modelo n??o pode ser rejeitado, sob pena de comprometimento desse Estado. Mas ele precisa ser flexibilizado, superando e reduzindo o formalismo excessivo e a rigidez que sua realiza????o hist??rica possa ter gerado nos diferentes pa??ses. Igualmente, deve ser aperfei??oado em seus mecanismos de controle, at?? como condi????o para sua manuten????o eficaz nos governos democr??ticos contempor??neos.

Burocracia, efici??ncia e modelos de gest??o p??blica: um ensaio

Este artigo apresenta diferentes vis??es sobre burocracia e efici??ncia, fazendo o contraponto com alguns modelos de gest??o p??blica, tais como o tradicional ou ortodoxo, o liberal e o chamado empreendedorismo estatal. Discute o relacionamento entre burocracia e efici??ncia, com um exemplo extra??do do gerencialismo brit??nico, orientador de reformas administrativas em diversos pa??ses. Elenca algumas quest??es recorrentes, que norteiam diversos modelos de gest??o p??blica em sua busca por efici??ncia e que t??m indiscut??vel import??ncia no ??mbito da administra????o p??blica.

A gestão da capacitação baseada na gestão por competência : um estudo da viabilidade de implantação do sistema de capacitação do governo federal na UFES

A administração desde seu início desenvolveu vários modelos de gestão a fim de obter eficiência. Treinar, capacitar e desenvolver o pessoal esteve na maioria desses modelos como algo imprescindível para se alcançar os resultados desejados. O governo que há vários anos busca um serviço público profissional e de qualidade publicou o decreto n. 5.707/2006 que regulamenta o desenvolvimento de pessoal da administração pública autárquica e fundacional. Neste decreto ele institui que o desenvolvimento de servidores deverá seguir o modelo de Gestão por Competências. Este trabalho trata de verificar a possibilidade da implantação desse novo modelo de gestão para confeccionar o programa de capacitação dos servidores técnicos administrativos em educação da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES) elaborando uma proposta de projeto. Nesse sentido, faz-se uma revisão dos conceitos de treinamento, capacitação, desenvolvimento, competências e gestão por competências e através de seus constructos levanta-se a viabilidade de implantação de um programa de capacitação que inter-relacione as exigências do cargo com as habilidades e competências apresentadas ou não pelo servidor e o conteúdo dos treinamentos e cursos oferecidos pelo Departamento de Desenvolvimento de Pessoas da UFES.

O prêmio INOVES : a sociologia de um sucesso

A litania conhecida relata muito mais sobre maus governos, principalmente, em países em desenvolvimento, do que sobre suas práticas inovadoras. Nas agências brasileiras nos últimos anos assiste-se a presença constante e reiterada da ideia de uma reforma administrativa. A observação mais simples tem mostrado baixos níveis de eficiência, efetividade e transparência nas instituições públicas. O presente estudo visa expor, na contramão do senso comum, um exemplo de bom governo – o Prêmio INOVES. Dessa maneira levantam-se os conceitos de eficiência e efetividade no setor público. Bem como, a exposição de um cenário do estado do Espírito Santo que se mostra aberto as perspectivas de mudança. Por intermédio da sociologia das organizações, busca-se aspectos da realidade das experiências apresentadas pelo prêmio INOVES, para explicar, a partir de conceitos particulares da teoria das relações humanas e na digressão dos modelos da ação concreta de Crozier e Friedberg (1977) a análise da ação/situação das condutas dos atores envolvidos em projetos vencedores. A metodologia utilizada no desenho dessa pesquisa é aquela ligada a Ground Theory de Strauss (1967), o qual enfatiza que a construção do conhecimento sobre determinados objetos deve ser minimamente pensada como articulação de conceitos básicos que iriam nortear o vai e vem entre a observação – seja etnográfica ou de entrevista em profundidade – e a confirmação e reconstrução em um plano mais complexo da teoria a ser aplicada. A conclusão mais imediata aos estudos realizados perpassa as teorias de alcance médio que permitem um contato com o objeto de estudo, cuja proximidade permite um processo de descoberta da relevância dos pontos centrais a observação, bem como um outro pilar teórico das investigações, sobre os atores envolvidos na cooperação interna dos projetos.

Measuring fund performance using multi-factor models: evidence for the Portuguese market

This paper examines the performance of Portuguese equity funds investing in the domestic and in the European Union market, using several unconditional and conditional multi-factor models. In terms of overall performance, we find that National funds are neutral performers, while European Union funds under-perform the market significantly. These results do not seem to be a consequence of management fees. Overall, our findings are supportive of the robustness of conditional multi-factor models. In fact, Portuguese equity funds seem to be relatively more exposed to smallcaps and more value-oriented. Also, they present strong evidence of time-varying betas and, in the case of the European Union funds, of time-varying alphas too. Finally, in terms of market timing, our tests suggest that mutual fund managers in our sample do not exhibit any market timing abilities. Nevertheless, we find some evidence of timevarying conditional market timing abilities but only at the individual fund level.

Models for the Reverse Engineering of Java/Swing Applications

Abstract. Interest in design and development of graphical user interface (GUIs) is growing in the last few years. However, correctness of GUI's code is essential to the correct execution of the overall software. Models can help in the evaluation of interactive applications by allowing designers to concentrate on its more important aspects. This paper describes our approach to reverse engineering abstract GUI models directly from the Java/Swing code.

Color Models and Illumination Changes

Color model representation allows characterizing in a quantitative manner, any defined color spectrum of visible light, i.e. with a wavelength between 400nm and 700nm. To accomplish that, each model, or color space, is associated with a function that allows mapping the spectral power distribution of the visible electromagnetic radiation, in a space defined by a set of discrete values that quantify the color components composing the model. Some color spaces are sensitive to changes in lighting conditions. Others assure the preservation of certain chromatic features, remaining immune to these changes. Therefore, it becomes necessary to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each model in order to justify the adoption of color spaces in image processing and analysis techniques. This chapter will address the topic of digital imaging, main standards and formats. Next we will set the mathematical model of the image acquisition sensor response, which enables assessment of the various color spaces, with the aim of determining their invariance to illumination changes.

Extracting and verifying coordination models from source code

Current software development relies increasingly on non-trivial coordination logic for com- bining autonomous services often running on di erent platforms. As a rule, however, in typical non-trivial software systems, such a coordination layer is strongly weaved within the application at source code level. Therefore, its precise identi cation becomes a major methodological (and technical) problem which cannot be overestimated along any program understanding or refactoring process. Open access to source code, as granted in OSS certi cation, provides an opportunity for the devel- opment of methods and technologies to extract, from source code, the relevant coordination information. This paper is a step in this direction, combining a number of program analysis techniques to automatically recover coordination information from legacy code. Such information is then expressed as a model in Orc, a general purpose orchestration language

Efficiency and response of conilon coffee clones to phosphorus fertilization

Studies on nutritional efficiency of phosphorus in conilon coffee plants are important tools to unravel the high limitation that natural low levels of this nutrient in soil impose to these species cultivars. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the nutritional efficiency and the response to phosphorus of conilon coffee clones. Plants were managed during 150 days in pots containing 10 dm³ of soil, in greenhouse. A factorial scheme 13 x 2 was used, with three replications, being the factors: 13 clones constituting the clonal cultivar "Vitória Incaper 8142" and two levels of phosphate fertilization (0% and 150% of the P2O5 usualy recommended), in a completely randomized design (CRD). The results indicate a differentiated response of dry matter production and of phosphorus content on each level of phosphate fertilization for the conilon coffee clones and that CV-04, CV-05 and CV-08 clones are nutritionally efficient and responsive to the phosphate fertilization.

Parameters of electrostatic spraying and its influence on the application efficiency

When the electrostatic spraying is used correctly, it provides advantages over conventional systems, however many factors can affect the system efficiency. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the charge/mass ratio (Q/M) at different spraying distances (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 m), and the liquid deposition efficiency on the target. Evaluating the Q/M ratio the Faraday cage method was used and to evaluate the liquid deposition efficiency the artificial targets were positioned longitudinally and transversely to the spray jet. It was found that the spraying distance affects the Q/M ratio, consequently, the liquid deposition efficiency. For the closest distance to the target the Q/M ratio was 4.11 mC kg-1, and at distances of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 m, the ratio decreased to 1.38, 0.64, 0.31, 0.17 and 0.005 mC kg-1, respectively. For the liquid deposition, the electrostatic system was affected by the target orientation and spraying distance. The target transversely to the jet of liquid did not improve the liquid deposition, but longitudinally increased the deposition up to 3 meters of distance.