Haptic Stabilization of Posture in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Nonrigid Tool

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The CMS experiment at the CERN LHC

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector is described. The detector operates at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. It was conceived to study proton-proton (and lead-lead) collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 14 TeV (5.5 TeV nucleon-nucleon) and at luminosities up to 10(34)cm(-2)s(-1) (10(27)cm(-2)s(-1)). At the core of the CMS detector sits a high-magnetic-field and large-bore superconducting solenoid surrounding an all-silicon pixel and strip tracker, a lead-tungstate scintillating-crystals electromagnetic calorimeter, and a brass-scintillator sampling hadron calorimeter. The iron yoke of the flux-return is instrumented with four stations of muon detectors covering most of the 4 pi solid angle. Forward sampling calorimeters extend the pseudo-rapidity coverage to high values (vertical bar eta vertical bar <= 5) assuring very good hermeticity. The overall dimensions of the CMS detector are a length of 21.6 m, a diameter of 14.6 m and a total weight of 12500 t.

Avaliações qualitativas e quantitativas de plantas daninhas na cultura da soja submetida aos sistemas de plantio direto e convencional

Com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do método de preparo do solo e do controle de plantas daninhas em resteva de aveia preta (Avena strigosa), na cultura da soja (Glycine max cv. 'IAC 14'), foi conduzido um experimento de campo na Fazenda Experimental Lageado - UNESP Botucatu - SP, em 1993/94. Os tratamentos de manejo do solo foram Plantio Direto e Plantio Convencional (preparado com uma aração e três gradagens). As formas de controle de plantas daninhas estudadas corresponderam a uma testemunha sem controle do mato; controle com uso exclusivo de herbicidas aplicados em préemergência (0,28 kg/ha de metribuzim + 1,29 kg/ha de orizalin); controle com uso exclusivo de herbicidas aplicados em pósemergência (0,25 kg/ha de fluazifop-p-butil + 0,25 kg/ha de fomesafen); controle com o uso conjunto dos tratamentos em pré e pós-emergência mencionados. Tanto no plantio direto quanto no convencional, utilizou-se glyphosate para a eliminação da aveia preta e das plantas daninhas antes da implantação da cultura. O delineamento experimental adotado foi de blocos ao acaso em parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. Os tipos de manejo do solo foram aplicados às parcelas e os métodos de controle das plantas daninhas às sub-parcelas. Deve ser ressaltado que durante a fase inicial do ensaio, as chuvas foram escassas, limitando tanto o crescimento da cultura quanto a atuação dos herbicidas de pré-emergência e pósemergência. As avaliações baseadas na contagem do número de plantas/m2, realizadas aos 14, 28 e 35 dias após a emergência da cultura da soja, indicaram diferenças entre os métodos de preparo do solo e os métodos de controle. Entre as espécies daninhas mais freqüentes, Brachiaria plantaginea e Amaranthus viridis foram as predominantes no sistema de plantio convencional; estas espécies apresentaram pequena importância no plantio direto, no qual predominou Euphorbia heterophylla. No plantio convencional, os herbicidas de pré-emergência proporcionaram melhor controle de A. viridis do que de B. plantaginea; o controle com herbicidas pós-emergentes foi insatisfatório para ambas espécies. No plantio direto, o controle de E. heterophylla foi insatisfatório em todos os sistemas de controle testados. O plantio direto apresentou sempre menor número total de plantas daninhas, sobretudo de gramineas. A germinação de plantas daninhas limitou-se ao período de até 15 dias após a emergência da cultura, nos dois sistemas de cultivo.

Percepção e ação: direções teóricas e experimentais atuais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders: recruitment, assessment instruments, methods for the development of multicenter collaborative studies and preliminary results

OBJETIVO: Descrever o recrutamento de pacientes, instrumentos de avaliação, métodos para o desenvolvimento de estudos colaborativos multicêntricos e os resultados preliminares do Consórcio Brasileiro de Pesquisa em Transtornos do Espectro Obsessivo-Compulsivo, que inclui sete centros universitários. MÉTODO: Este estudo transversal incluiu entrevistas semi-estruturadas (dados sociodemográficos, histórico médico e psiquiátrico, curso da doença e diagnósticos psiquiátricos comórbidos) e instrumentos que avaliam os sintomas do transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (Escala para Sintomas Obsessivo-Compulsivos de Yale-Brown e Escala Dimensional para Sintomas Obsessivo-Compulsivos de Yale-Brown), sintomas depressivos (Inventário de Depressão de Beck), sintomas ansiosos (Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck), fenômenos sensoriais (Escala de Fenômenos Sensoriais da Universidade de São Paulo), juízo crítico (Escala de Avaliação de Crenças de Brown), tiques (Escala de Gravidade Global de Tiques de Yale) e qualidade de vida (questionário genérico de avaliação de qualidade de vida, Medical Outcome Quality of Life Scale Short-form-36 e Escala de Avaliação Social). O treinamento dos avaliadores consistiu em assistir cinco entrevistas filmadas e entrevistar cinco pacientes junto com um pesquisador mais experiente, antes de entrevistar pacientes sozinhos. A confiabilidade entre todos os líderes de grupo para os instrumentos mais importantes (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Universidade de São Paulo Sensory Phenomena Scale ) foi medida após seis entrevistas completas. RESULTADOS: A confiabilidade entre avaliadores foi de 96%. Até março de 2008, 630 pacientes com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo tinham sido sistematicamente avaliados. A média de idade (±SE) foi de 34,7 (±0,51), 56,3% eram do sexo feminino e 84,6% caucasianos. Os sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos mais prevalentes foram os de simetria e os de contaminação. As comorbidades psiquiátricas mais comuns foram depressão maior, ansiedade generalizada e transtorno de ansiedade social. O transtorno de controle de impulsos mais comum foi escoriação neurótica. CONCLUSÃO: Este consórcio de pesquisa, pioneiro no Brasil, permitiu delinear o perfil sociodemográfico, clínico e terapêutico do paciente com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo em uma grande amostra clínica de pacientes. O Consórcio Brasileiro de Pesquisa em Transtornos do Espectro Obsessivo-Compulsivo estabeleceu uma importante rede de colaboração de investigação clínica padronizada sobre o transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo e pode abrir o caminho para projetos semelhantes destinados a integrar outros grupos de pesquisa no Brasil e em todo o mundo.

An adaptive system based on artificial neural networks for NPK fluid fertilizer application

The application process of fluid fertilizers through variable rates implemented by classical techniques with feedback and conventional equipments can be inefficient or unstable. This paper proposes an open-loop control system based on artificial neural network of the type multilayer perceptron for the identification and control of the fertilizer flow rate. The network training is made by the algorithm of Levenberg-Marquardt with training data obtained from measurements. Preliminary results indicate a fast, stable and low cost control system for precision fanning. Copyright (C) 2000 IFAC.

Mnltiloop Controller and Reference Generator for a Dynamic Voltage Restorer Implementation

This paper deals with the design and analysis of a Dynamic Voltage Restorer output voltage control. Such control is based on a multiloop strategy, with an inner current PID regulator and an outer P+Resonant voltage controller. The inner regulator is applied on the output inductor current. It will be also demonstrated how the load current behavior may influence in the DVR output voltage, which. justifies the need for the resonant controller. Additionally, it will be discussed the application of a modified algorithm for the identification of the DVR voltage references, which is based on a previously presented positive sequence detector. Since the studied three-phase DVR is assumed to be based on three identical H-bridge converters, all the analysis and design procedures were realized by means of single-phase equivalent circuits. The discussions and conclusions are supported by theoretical calculations, nonlinear simulations and some experimental results.

MS2SV: Tradução de modelos em Simulink para VHDL-AMS

This paper presents a methodology and a tool for projects involving analogue and digital signals. A sub-systems group was developed to translation a Matlab/Simulink model in the correspondent structural model described in VHDL-AMS. The developed translation tool, named of MS(2)SV, can reads a file containing a Simulink model translating it in the correspondent VHDL-AMS structural code. The tool also creates the directories structure and necessary files to simulate the model translated in System Vision environment. Three models of D/A converters available commercially that use R-2R ladder network were studied. This work considers some of challenges set by the electronic industry for the further development of simulation methodologies and tools in the field of mixed-signal technology. Although the objective of the studies has been the D/A converter, the developed methodology has potentiality to be extended to consider control systems and mechatronic systems.

Comments, with reply on 'Continuous time relay-controlled model reference adaptive-system' by A. Abdulkareem and R. Nagarajam

An adaptive scheme is shown by the authors of the above paper (ibid. vol. 71, no. 2, pp. 275-276, Feb. 1983) for continuous time model reference adaptive systems (MRAS), where relays replace the usual multipliers in the existing MRAS. The commenter shows an error in the analysis of the hyperstability of the scheme, such that the validity of this configuration becomes an open question.

Another prefiltering algorithm for adaptive IIR filtering

An algorithm for adaptive IIR filtering that uses prefiltering structure in direct form is presented. This structure has an estimation error that is a linear function of the coefficients. This property greatly simplifies the derivation of gradient-based algorithms. Computer simulations show that the proposed structure improves convergence speed.

Manejo de brachiaria decumbens e seu reflexo no desenvolvimento de Eucalyptus grandis

A field trial was carried out in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, SP, on sandy soil, between February 1993 to February 1995, aiming to study the effects of fertilizer doses and brachiaria grass control on the growth of E. grandis. In the field the plots (9×9 plants, spacing 2×3 m) were located following a randomized block experimental design with four repetitions. The treatments were arranged in a factorial design with four systems of brachiaria grass control in the space between the Eucalyptus rows: mowing, cultivation, chemical control with glyphosate (2,08 kg eq. ác./ha) and hand hoeing were developed when the population reached the early flowering stage and four doses of the fertilizer 20-05-20: 0, 115, 230 and 345 kg/ha, handled at 3, 6 and 12 monthes after the transplantation. The hand hoeing was the most effective method of brachiaria grass control. However the hand hoeing controlled plots showed a decrease on the E. grandis growth exhibiting slower growth rate, shorter plants, thinner stems, smaller leaf area results and reduction on dry matter accumulation than the plants from the other plots under different weed control management's. The glyphosate promoted an excellent brachiaria grass control while the E. grandis plants grow better. Both remainder weed control management systems were intermediary in terms of efficacy. The mowing management was the most similar method as compared to the hand hoeing one and the cultivation treatments to the chemical control method. The growth rate differences observed between the hand hoeing and chemical control treatments were not caused directly by late fertilizations. There were no significative interactions among the weed control systems and the fertilization doses. Considering the brachiaria grass that grew between the E. grandis rows there were detected benefits to the crop and these effects increased when the chemical control was used for weed management.

New approach of induction machine drive using an adaptive digital PID controller with gain planning based on artificial neural networks

The present work introduces a new strategy of induction machines speed adjustment using an adaptive PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) digital controller with gain planning based on the artificial neural networks. This digital controller uses an auxiliary variable to determine the ideal induction machine operating conditions and to establish the closed loop gain of the system. The auxiliary variable value can be estimated from the information stored in a general-purpose artificial neural network based on CMAC (Cerebellar Model Articulation Controller).

Global optimization approach for the H2-norm model reduction problem

A branch and bound algorithm is proposed to solve the H2-norm model reduction problem for continuous-time linear systems, with conditions assuring convergence to the global optimum in finite time. The lower and upper bounds used in the optimization procedure are obtained through Linear Matrix Inequalities formulations. Examples illustrate the results.

Analise de desempenho de observadores de estado robustos na localizacao de falhas

The state observers can reconstruct and monitor unmeasurable states. A new concept of fault detection and isolation using state observers is presented. The method selects the parameters from components that may fail during the process and constructs optimized robust observers. To isolate component failures via robust observation, a bank of detection observers is organized, in which each observer is only sensitive to one specified component failure while robust to all other component failures. This paper analyzes the performance of transient and steady-state behavior of the state observer.

Novos resultados sobre a estabilidade e controle de sistemas nao-lineares utilizando modelos fuzzy e LMI

Relaxed conditions for the stability study of nonlinear, continuous and discrete-time systems given by fuzzy models are presented. A theoretical analysis shows that the proposed method provides better or at least the same results of the methods presented in the literature. Digital simulations exemplify this fact. These results are also used for the fuzzy regulators design. The nonlinear systems are represented by the fuzzy models proposed by Takagi and Sugeno. The stability analysis and the design of controllers are described by LMIs (Linear Matrix Inequalities), that can be solved efficiently by convex programming techniques. The specification of the decay rate, constraints on control input and output are also described by LMIs. Finally, the proposed design method is applied in the control of an inverted pendulum.