Design of the main racetrack microtron accelerator end magnets of the Institute of Physics of University of São Paulo

This work deals with the design of the Institute of Physics of the University of São Paulo (IFUSP) main racetrack microtron accelerator end magnets. This is the last stage of acceleration, comprised of an accelerating section (1.04 m) and two end magnets (0.1585 T), in which a 5.10 MeV beam, produced by a racetrack microtron booster has its energy raised up to 31.15 MeV after 28 accelerations. POISSON code was used to give the final configuration that includes auxiliary pole pieces (clamps) and auxiliary homogenizing gaps. The clamps create a reverse fringe field region and avoid the vertical defocusing and the horizontal displacement of the beam produced by extended fringe fields; PTRACE code was used to perform the trajectory calculations in the fringe field region. The auxiliary homogenizing gaps improve the field uniformity as they create a magnetic shower that provides uniformity of ±0.3%, before the introduction of the correcting coils that will be attached to the pole faces. This method of correction, used in the IFUSP racetrack microtron booster magnets, enabled uniformity of ±0.001% in an average field of 0.1 T and will also be employed for these end magnets. © 1999 The American Physical Society.

Changes in occlusal vertical dimension in microwave processing of complete dentures.

This study investigated the effect of different microwave curing cycles on the changes in occlusal vertical dimension of complete dentures. Four test groups with 12 maxillary dentures each were evaluated. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were polymerized with different cycles by microwave radiation and Group 4 was the control and cured by water bath. The average pin opening for all groups was less than 0.5 mm. There was no significant difference between the groups polymerized by the microwave method and the control group. However, analyses of the vertical dimension changes showed statistically significant differences between groups 2 (0.276 +/- 0.141 mm) and 3 (0.496 +/- 0.220 mm).

Short-term treatment effects produced by the herbst appliance in the mixed dentition

This prospective clinical investigation evaluates the dentoalveolar and skeletal cephalometric changes produced by the Herbst appliance during treatment of mixed dentition patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion. Thirty individuals (15 male and 15 female individuals; initial mean age nine years 10 months) were treated with the Herbst appliance for a period of 12 months. For comparison, the records of 30 untreated Class II children (15 boys, 15 girls; initial mean age nine years eight months) were followed without treatment for a period of 12 months. The results indicated that the treatment effects produced in the mixed dentition patients were primarily dentoalveolar in nature. The mandibular incisors were tipped labially, and the maxillary incisors were retruded; a significant increase in mandibular posterior dentoalveolar height occurred, and there was a restriction in the vertical development of the maxillary molars. There was no difference in the forward growth of the maxilla between the two groups. In comparison with the controls, however, the Herbst treatment produced a modest but statistically significant increase in total mandibular length. This increase in total mandibular length, however, was less than that observed in adolescent Herbst patients in other studies. © 2005 by The EH Angle Education and Research Foundation, Inc.

Vertical migration during tidal transport of megalopae of Necora puber in coastal shallow waters during daytime

For meroplanktonic larvae that must settle in coastal areas, their successful return to the shore is determined largely by physical transport processes; however, many organisms perform vertical movements to aid successful recruitment. In this study, daytime tidal vertical migration of megalopae of the velvet swimming crab Necora puber was investigated across two different exposures in the shallow waters of Plymouth Sound. Crabs were collected using a plankton net at the surface and near the bottom during flood and ebb tides. Distribution of the pelagic postlarvae was patchy and the abundance varied spatially in tens and thousands of metres. In temporal scales, the annual pattern was dominated by low occurrence of megalopae, punctuated by episodic peaks of high abundance. Most megalopae were collected at the surface irrespective of the tidal phase. The effect of wave exposure on the vertical migration of megalopae was not clear, although there was a general higher abundance of megalopae on exposed shores. Daytime abundance in the water column appears to be regulated by the tidal cycle, as megalopae were more abundant during flood than ebb tides. Although the megalopae do not appear to make large vertical migrations, this behaviour should produce a net shoreward transport. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of cast rectifiers on the marginal fit of UCLA abutments

Objectives: This study assessed the effect of cast rectifiers on the marginal misfit of cast UCLA abutments compared to premachined UCLA abutments. The influence of casting and porcelain baking on the marginal misfit of these components was also investigated. Methods: Two groups were analyzed: test group - 10 cast UCLA abutments, finished with cast rectifier and submitted to ceramic application; control group - 10 premachined UCLA abutments, cast with noble metal alloy and submitted to ceramic application. Vertical misfit measurements were performed under light microscopy. In the test group, measurements were performed before and after the use of cast rectifiers, and after ceramic application. In the control group, measurements were performed before and after casting, and after ceramic application. Data were submitted to statistical analysis by ANOVA and Tukey's test (α= 5%). Results: The use of cast rectifiers significantly reduced the marginal misfit of cast UCLA abutments (from 25.68μm to 14.83μm; p<0.05). After ceramic application, the rectified cylinders presented misfit values (16.18μm) similar to those of premachined components (14.3 μm). Casting of the premachined UCLA abutments altered the marginal misfit of these components (from 9.63 μm to 14.6 μm; p<0.05). There were no significant changes after porcelain baking, in both groups. Conclusion: The use of cast rectifiers reduced the vertical misfit of cast UCLA abutments. Even with carefully performed laboratory steps, changes at the implant interface of premachined UCLA abutments occurred. Ceramic application did not alter the marginal misfit values of UCLA abutments.

Including the sub-grid scale plume rise of vegetation fires in low resolution atmospheric transport models

We describe and begin to evaluate a parameterization to include the vertical transport of hot gases and particles emitted from biomass burning in low resolution atmospheric-chemistry transport models. This sub-grid transport mechanism is simulated by embedding a 1-D cloud-resolving model with appropriate lower boundary conditions in each column of the 3-D host model. Through assimilation of remote sensing fire products, we recognize which columns have fires. Using a land use dataset appropriate fire properties are selected. The host model provides the environmental conditions, allowing the plume rise to be simulated explicitly. The derived height of the plume is then used in the source emission field of the host model to determine the effective injection height, releasing the material emitted during the flaming phase at this height. Model results are compared with CO aircraft profiles from an Amazon basin field campaign and with satellite data, showing the huge impact that this mechanism has on model performance. We also show the relative role of each main vertical transport mechanisms, shallow and deep moist convection and the pyro-convection (dry or moist) induced by vegetation fires, on the distribution of biomass burning CO emissions in the troposphere.

Theoretical and experimental evaluation of the influence of the length of drill rods in the SPT-T test

The influence of soil drill rod length on the N value in the SPT-T test has been studied extensively by Mello (1971), Schmertmann & Palacios (1979), Odebrecht et al. (2002) and Cavalcante (2002). This paper presents an analysis of the Standard Penetration Test supplemented with torque measurement (SPT-T). A theoretical study of the resistance of the rod material to torsion and bending indicated that the shear stress caused by the rod self-weight represents less than 1% of that caused by the torsional moment. An experimental study with electric torquemeters attached to a horizontal rod system, as well as two field tests in the vertical direction, were also carried out to compare and substantiate the results. The purpose of these tests was to analyze changes along the length of the rod in response to successive increments at 1-meter intervals. Torque measurements were taken at each increment of the length to ascertain the accuracy of the theoretical data. The difference between the applied torque and the measured torque at the end of rod system was lower than the minimum scale of mechanical torquemeters used in practice.

Public-private partnerships in renewable energy in Latin America and the Caribbean

Incluye Bibliografía

Efeito de três espécies de gramíneas forrageiras sobre a estrutura da pastagem e distribuição vertical de larvas infectantes de nematódeos gastrintestinais de ovinos

The knowledge of interaction between infective larvae setting and the type of grass is important to epidemiological studies and the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of three species of forage grasses on pasture characteristics and the vertical distribution of infective larvae (L3) of gastrointestinal nematodes of woolless sheep on the grasses during the rainy season. Sixty non-periparturients ewes were used, naturally infected, equally distributed on 2ha paddocks sowed with Tanzania, star, and gamba grasses, managed under continuous grazing system, from October 2003 to March 2004, at Santa Bárbara farm, Barreiras-Bahia-Brazil. Data of three samples between December 2003 and March 2004 were analyzed by SAS, using split-plot design, with 10 replications. Infective larvae of Haemonchus spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. were observed on forage in all stratus of vertical layer of the grasses without a defined pattern. Pastures with different characteristics under continuous grazing system had good conditions for developing infective larvae of sheep.

Spurious shifts in the pattern of diurnal variation of sea level pressure of reanalysis datasets

The main purpose of this work is to report the presence of spurious discontinuities in the pattern of diurnal variation of sea level pressure of the three reanalysis datasets from: the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and National Center for Atmospheric Science (R1), the NCEP and Department of Energy (R2), and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ERA-40). Such discontinuities can be connected to the major changes in the global observing system that have occurred throughout reanalyses years. In the R1, the richest period in discontinuities is 1956-1958, coinciding with the start of modern radiosonde observation network. Rapid increase in the density of surface-based observations from 1967 also had an important impact on both R1 and ERA-40, with larger impact on R1. The reanalyses show discontinuities in the 1970s related to the assimilation of radiances measured by the Vertical Temperature Profile Radiometer and TIROS-N Operational Vertical Sounders onboard satellites. In the ERA-40, which additionally assimilated Special Sensor Microwave/Imager data, there are discontinuities in 1987-1989. The R1 also presents further discontinuities, in 1988-1993 likely connected to replacement/introduction of NOAA-series satellites with different biases, and to the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991, which is known to have severely affected measurements of infrared radiances for several years. The discontinuities in 1996-1998 might be partially connected to change in the type of radiosonde, from VIZ-B to VIZ-B2. The R2, which covers only satellite era (1979-on), shows discontinuities mainly in 1992, 1996-1997, and 2001. The discontinuities in 1992 and 2001 might have been caused by change in the satellite measurements and those in 1996-1997 by some changes in land-based observations network. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Ridge preservation at implants installed immediately after molar extraction. An experimental study in the dog

Aim: To evaluate the influence of deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM), in conjunction with a collagen membrane, on bone resorption at implants installed in a lingual position immediately into extraction sockets with horizontal residual buccal defects >2.0 mm. Material & methods: The pulp tissue of the mesial roots of 1M1 was removed in six Labrador dogs, and the root canals were filled with gutta-percha and cement. Flaps were elevated. The molars were hemi-sectioned and the distal roots removed. Implants were installed in a lingual position and with the shoulder flush with the buccal bony crest. After installation, defects of about 2.5 and 2.7 mm in width resulted at the buccal aspects of the test and control sites, respectively. Only in the left site (test), deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) particles were placed into the defect concomitantly with the placement of a collagen membrane. On the control sites, no biomaterials were applied. A non-submerged healing was allowed. Results: After 3 months of healing, one control implant was not integrated and was excluded from the analysis, together with the contralateral test implant. All remaining implants were integrated into mature bone. The buccal alveolar bony crest was resorbed more at the test compared with the control sites, 2.2 ± 0.9 mm and 1.5 ± 1.3 mm, respectively. The vertical resorption of the lingual plate was 1.6 ± 1.5 mm and 1.5 ± 1.1 mm at the test and control sites, respectively. Only small residual DBBM particles were found at the test sites (1.4%). Conclusion: The use of DBBM particles to fill buccal defects of ≥2.5 mm at implants installed immediately into alveolar extraction sockets did not preserve the buccal bony wall. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Mixing Eucalyptus and Acacia trees leads to fine root over-yielding and vertical segregation between species

The consequences of diversity on belowground processes are still poorly known in tropical forests. The distributions of very fine roots (diameter <1 mm) and fine roots (diameter <3 mm) were studied in a randomized block design close to the harvest age of fast-growing plantations. A replacement series was set up in Brazil with mono-specific Eucalyptus grandis (100E) and Acacia mangium (100A) stands and a mixture with the same stocking density and 50 % of each species (50A:50E). The total fine root (FR) biomass down to a depth of 2 m was about 27 % higher in 50A:50E than in 100A and 100E. Fine root over-yielding in 50A:50E resulted from a 72 % rise in E. grandis fine root biomass per tree relative to 100E, whereas A. mangium FR biomass per tree was 17 % lower than in 100A. Mixing A. mangium with E. grandis trees led to a drop in A. mangium FR biomass in the upper 50 cm of soil relative to 100A, partially balanced by a rise in deep soil layers. Our results highlight similarities in the effects of directional resources on leaf and FR distributions in the mixture, with A. mangium leaves below the E. grandis canopy and a low density of A. mangium fine roots in the resource-rich soil layers relative to monospecific stands. The vertical segregation of resource-absorbing organs did not lead to niche complementarity expected to increase the total biomass production. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Análise das forças de reação vertical do solo em função das variações dos centros de massa de indivíduos a partir de movimentos de tronco com variação de carga

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Distribuição vertical e temporal de ovos de Alabama argillacea e de Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) e parasitismo natural por Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Children and HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean

In Latin America, around 36,000 children under 15 have HIV, and in the Caribbean estimates are of 11,000 children living with the virus. Although some progress has been made in the region in the care and treatment of adults that is not the case with children. This issue number 7 of Challenges is devoted to the latest information on the vertical transmission (mother-to-child) of HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean, and how children are accessing life-saving treatment in the region.