Active power reserve for frequency control provided by distributed generators in distribution networks

In a smart grid environment, attention should be paid not only to the power supplied to satisfy loads and system losses but also to the services necessary to provide security and stability to the system: the so-called ancillary services. As they are well known the benefits that distributed generation can bring to electrical systems and to the environment, in this work the possibility that active power reserve for frequency control could be provided by distributed generators (DGs) in an efficient and economical way is explored. The proposed methodology was tested using the IEEE 34-bus distribution test system. The results show improvements in the capacity of the system for this ancillary service and decrease in system losses and payments of the distribution system operator to the DGs.

Cranial osteology of meiglyptini (aves: piciformes: picidae)

The Meiglyptini comprise eight species grouped into three genera: Meiglyptes and Mulleripicus, with three species each, and Hemicircus, with two species. The aim of the present study was to describe the cranial osteology of six species and three genera of Meiglyptini and to compare them to each other, as well as with other species of woodpeckers and other bird groups. The cranial osteology varied among the investigated species, but the most markedly distinct characteristics were: (1) a frontal overhang is only observed in the middle portion of the frontale of H. concretus; (2) the Proc. zygomaticus and suprameaticus are thick and long in species of the genus Mulleripicus, but short in other species; (3) the Pes pterygoidei is relatively larger in species of the genus Mulleripicus, while it is narrow, thin and relatively smaller in species of the genus Meiglyptes and indistinct in H. concretus; (4) the bony projection of the ectethmoidale is relatively short and thin in species of Mulleripicus and more developed in H. concretus. It appears that the greatest structural complexity of the cranial osteology is associated with the birds' diet, with the frugivorous H. concretus being markedly different from the insectivorous species.

Resposta metabólica e inflamatória em exercício aeróbio moderado contínuo e intermitente de alta intensidade com volume equalizado

Pós-graduação em Fisioterapia - FCT

Caracterização do processamento artesanal de produtos agropecuários em assentamentos rurais de Ilha Solteira-SP: das estratégias de produção à comercialização

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS

Elaboração de pão com casca de abacate hass: valor nutricional e aceitabilidade

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Aromaterapia e Ansiedade: revisão integrativa da literatura

This study aimed at investigating, in the national and international scientific literature, how aromatherapy is used as a therapeutic tool to reduce anxiety. It is a bibliographic study that adopted integrative literature review as a method. Studies published on databases Scielo, Medline and Cinahl from 2008 to 2012 were selected. A sample of 20 scientific articles was analyzed, and of these, 13 had an experimental and a quasi--experimental design whereas 07 were systematic or integrative reviews. The synthesis of knowledge sho-wed that aromatherapy represents a safe therapeutic practice although it is still underestimated in health care practices. The construction of evidence levels was not possible due to discrepancies in the studied populations, in research designs, the various essential oils used and the different methods for aromatherapy application. The knowledge gaps identified in these studies are related to the need to develop new forms to evaluate the effectiveness of this practice, including the therapist-patient relationship and the different communication forms that are intrinsic to aromatherapy.

Contribuições para a proposta de uma política municipal de pagamento por serviços ambientais: o caso de Botucatu/SP

Environmental services are the ones done by the nature, that supports both the life and the environment. Payments for Environmental Services (PES) are financial transfers by beneficiaries of environmental services for the ones who provide such services due to conservation practices. Botucatu is a city in São Paulo State with a great potential for PES. Therefore, this paper develops a comparative study of PES projects in Federal and State ranges, aiming to analyze, select and propose criteria in order to contribute to the creation of a PES policy for the city.

Produção e caracterização parcial da xilanase produzida por Aspergillus sp

As xilanases são enzimas que hidrolisam as ligações 1,4-β-xilosídicas da xilana e que possuem potencial biotecnológico em vários processos industriais, como na clarificação de sucos e vinhos, na fabricação de pães, na produção de biocombustíveis e no tratamento das polpas celulósicas. Além disso, os produtos de hidrólise da xilana, xilooligossacarídeos, podem ser utilizados como ingredientes prebióticos, ou seja, ingredientes nutricionais não digeríveis que estimulam seletivamente a proliferação e a atividade de bactérias benéficas do cólon. O uso de enzimas microbianas nas indústrias se dá devido às suas diversas vantagens sobre os métodos químicos e à facilidade de obtenção do microrganismo. Assim, os objetivos deste trabalho foram: produzir e caracterizar parcialmente a xilanase de Aspergillus sp isolado de pó de café utilizado, purificar parcialmente a enzima produzida e analisar os produtos de hidrólise da xilana. O Aspergillus sp mostrou-se bom produtor de xilanase quando o pó de sabugo de milho foi utilizado como fonte de carbono e a xilanase produzida apresentou melhor atividade específica quando o período de cultivo foi de 168 horas. Os processos de precipitação de proteínas e diálise promoveram o aumento da atividade específica do extrato. A xilanase de Aspergillus sp apresentou pH e temperatura de máxima atividade semelhantes aos de produzidas por Aspergillus niger isolados de outras fontes. A hidrólise da xilana produziu xilose e xilooligossacarídeos. Além da xilanase, o fungo revelou ser produtor de outras proteínas que podem ser estudadas em pesquisas futuras.

Produção e caracterização parcial da xilanase produzida por Aspergillus sp

As xilanases são enzimas que hidrolisam as ligações 1,4-β-xilosídicas da xilana e que possuem potencial biotecnológico em vários processos industriais, como na clarificação de sucos e vinhos, na fabricação de pães, na produção de biocombustíveis e no tratamento das polpas celulósicas. Além disso, os produtos de hidrólise da xilana, xilooligossacarídeos, podem ser utilizados como ingredientes prebióticos, ou seja, ingredientes nutricionais não digeríveis que estimulam seletivamente a proliferação e a atividade de bactérias benéficas do cólon. O uso de enzimas microbianas nas indústrias se dá devido às suas diversas vantagens sobre os métodos químicos e à facilidade de obtenção do microrganismo. Assim, os objetivos deste trabalho foram: produzir e caracterizar parcialmente a xilanase de Aspergillus sp isolado de pó de café utilizado, purificar parcialmente a enzima produzida e analisar os produtos de hidrólise da xilana. O Aspergillus sp mostrou-se bom produtor de xilanase quando o pó de sabugo de milho foi utilizado como fonte de carbono e a xilanase produzida apresentou melhor atividade específica quando o período de cultivo foi de 168 horas. Os processos de precipitação de proteínas e diálise promoveram o aumento da atividade específica do extrato. A xilanase de Aspergillus sp apresentou pH e temperatura de máxima atividade semelhantes aos de produzidas por Aspergillus niger isolados de outras fontes. A hidrólise da xilana produziu xilose e xilooligossacarídeos. Além da xilanase, o fungo revelou ser produtor de outras proteínas que podem ser estudadas em pesquisas futuras.

Development of site-specific sediment quality guidelines for North and South Atlantic littoral zones: Comparison against national and international sediment quality benchmarks

We aimed to develop site-specific sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) for two estuarine and port zones in Southeastern Brazil (Santos Estuarine System and Paranagua Estuarine System) and three in Southern Spain (Ria of Huelva, Bay of Cadiz, and Bay of Algeciras), and compare these values against national and traditionally used international benchmark values. Site-specific SQGs were derived based on sediment physical-chemical, toxicological, and benthic community data integrated through multivariate analysis. This technique allowed the identification of chemicals of concern and the establishment of effects range correlatively to individual concentrations of contaminants for each site of study. The results revealed that sediments from Santos channel, as well as inner portions of the SES, are considered highly polluted (exceeding SQGs-high) by metals, PAHs and PCBs. High pollution by PAHs and some metals was found in Sao Vicente channel. In PES, sediments from inner portions (proximities of the Ponta do Mix port`s terminal and the Port of Paranagua) are highly polluted by metals and PAHs, including one zone inside the limits of an environmental protection area. In Gulf of Cadiz, SQGs exceedences were found in Ria of Huelva (all analysed metals and PAHs), in the surroundings of the Port of CAdiz (Bay of CAdiz) (metals), and in Bay of Algeciras (Ni and PAHs). The site-specific SQGs derived in this study are more restricted than national SQGs applied in Brazil and Spain, as well as international guidelines. This finding confirms the importance of the development of site-specific SQGs to support the characterisation of sediments and dredged material. The use of the same methodology to derive SQGs in Brazilian and Spanish port zones confirmed the applicability of this technique with an international scope and provided a harmonised methodology for site-specific SQGs derivation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated sediment quality assessment in Paranagua Estuarine System, Southern Brazil

Sediment quality from Paranagua Estuarine System (PES), a highly important port and ecological zone, was evaluated by assessing three lines of evidence: (1) sediment physical-chemical characteristics; (2) sediment toxicity (elutriates, sediment-water interface, and whole sediment); and (3) benthic community structure. Results revealed a gradient of increasing degradation of sediments (i.e. higher concentrations of trace metals, higher toxicity, and impoverishment of benthic community structure) towards inner PES. Data integration by principal component analysis (PCA) showed positive correlation between some contaminants (mainly As, Cr, Ni, and Pb) and toxicity in samples collected from stations located in upper estuary and one station placed away from contamination sources. Benthic community structure seems to be affected by both pollution and natural fine characteristics of the sediments, which reinforces the importance of a weight-of-evidence approach to evaluate sediments of PES. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nebulized 0.5, 2.5 and 5 ml L-epinephrine for post-extubation stridor in children: a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial

Nebulized l-epinephrine has been recommended for the treatment of viral croup. However, the few studies assessing its effect on post-extubation stridor (PES) have shown conflicting results. We compared the efficacy and safety of nebulized l-epinephrine at three different doses for the treatment of PES. We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial including all consecutive children with a PES score of a parts per thousand yen4 (Westley score). The primary efficacy outcome was change in PES score at 40 min. A reduction of a parts per thousand yen2 points in stridor score was defined as clinically significant. A total of 96 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three doses of nebulized l-epinephrine upon achieving a PES score of 4 or more following extubation. Stridor score and vital signs were recorded before treatment, and at 20, 40, 60 and 180 min after nebulization. Baseline characteristics were similar among all study groups. No significant difference was detected among the treatments based on change in Westley score by intent-to-treat analysis. In addition, the difference in the number of patients who clinically improved among the treatment groups was not significant (p = 0.54). Patients receiving 5 ml nebulized epinephrine had a significant increase of systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 40 and 180 min. Nebulized l-epinephrine at doses of 0.5, 2.5 and 5 ml demonstrated a lack of dose response in effect on PES and a modestly clinically significant increase in undesired side effects (heart rate and blood pressure) at higher doses.

Interference of some aqueous two-phase system phase-forming components in protein determination by the Bradford method

The interference of some specific aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) phase-forming components in bovine serum albumin (BSA) determination by the Bradford method was investigated. For this purpose, calibration curves were obtained for BSA in the presence of different concentrations of salts and polymers. A total of 19 salts [Na2SO4, (NH4)(2)SO4, MgSO4, LiSO4, Na2HPO4, sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), NaH2PO4, K2HPO4, potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), KH2PO4, C6H8O7, Na3C6HSO7, KCHO2, NaCHO2, NaCO3, NaHCO3, C2H4O2, sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.5), and NaC2H3O2] and 7 polymers [PEG 4000, PEG 8000, PEG 20000, UCON 3900, Ficoll 70000, PES 100000, and PVP 40000] were tested, and each calibration curve was compared with the one obtained for BSA in water. Some concentrations of salts and polymers had considerable effect in the BSA calibration curve. Carbonate salts were responsible for the highest salt interference, whereas citric and acetic acids did not produce interference even in the maximum concentration level tested (5 wt%). Among the polymers, UCON gave the highest interference, whereas Ficoll did not produce interference when used in concentrations up to 10 wt%. It was concluded that a convenient dilution of the samples prior to the protein quantification is needed to ensure no significant interference from ATPS phase-forming constituents. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of flexible DNA films

Polymer electrolytes (PEs) are currently the focus of much attention as potential electrolytes in electrochemical devices such as batteries, display devices and sensors. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as an important biological macromolecule has electric conducting electrochemical properties and unique three dimensional structures. With the goal of developing a new family of environmentally friendly multifunctional biohybrid materials displaying simultaneously high ionic conductivity we have produced in the present work, flexible films based on DNA, incorporating ionic liquids (ILs). Over the last decade ILs have been employed as a new media in electrochemistry and electroanalysis. The materials studied here have been characterized by means of Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Complex Impedance Spectroscopy and Cyclic Voltammetry. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.