Analysis on the formation of a FRC by flux measurements and MHD simulations

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

Estudo neuroanatômico do éncefalo bovino por ressonância magnética

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Morfologia e histoquímica do tubo digestivo de Mapará Hypophthalmus marginatus

Pós-graduação em Aquicultura - FCAV

Avaliação histomor fométrica dos efeitos da movimentação dentária induzida sobre molares murinos submetidos à luxação extrusiva em períodos tardios

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Suppression of vibrations in a nonlinear half-car model using a magneto-rheological damper

The present work investigates the nonlinear response of a half-car model. The disturbances of the road are assumed to be sinusoidal. After constructing the bifurcation diagram, we use the 0-1 test to identify chaotic motions. The main objective of this study is to eliminate chaotic behavior of the chassis and reduce its vibrations. To accomplish this, a semi-active vehicle suspension control system, using magneto-rheological dampers, is proposed. The proposed semi-active control strategy consists of two nonlinear control laws: a feedforward control, and a feedback control. They are obtained by considering the SDRE (State Dependent Riccati Equation) control, where the control parameter is the voltage applied to the coils of the magneto-rheological dampers. Numerical results show that the proposed control method is effective in significantly reducing of the chassis vibration, increasing, therefore, passenger comfort.

On suppression of chaotic motions of a portal frame structure under non-ideal loading using a magneto-rheological damper

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Utilização do choque osmótico na avaliação da viabilidade de sêmen criopreservado de ovinos

This study evaluated the use of hipoosmotic swelling test (HOST) with deionized water (0 mOsmol), as a method of post thaw ram semen evaluation and correlate their findings with different techniques of semen evaluation. Therefore, twenty semen samples of 20 different adult rams were assessed as for kinetic sperm parameters through computerized system (IVOS 12, Hamiton Thorn Biosciences, Beverly, MA, EUA) and subjective analysis. The sperm membranes viability was carried out by the association of fluorescent probes (propidium iodide, JC-1 and FITC-PSA). The structural integrity of the plasma membrane was also studied through supravital test with eosin and the functional integrity of membrane evaluated by doing the hipoosmotic swelling test with deionized water (0 mOsmol), in the following proportions: One part of semen for 10 (HOST 10), 50 (HOST 50) and 100 (HOST 100) parts of water. After semen dilution in the different proportions it was fixed in formalin-buffered saline and analyzed with regard to percentage of HOST reactive sperm (bent/coiled). The percentage of reaction obtained for HOST 10 (33,1%); HOST 50 (32,8%) and HOST 100 (31,8%) did not differ significantly. HOST 10 presented positive correlation with the plasma membrane integrity by the EOS (r = 0,80; p < 0,05). Positive correlations between HOST 50 and HOST 100 with sperm subpopulation with membrane integrity by fluorescence were observed (r = 0,83 and r = 0,85; p < 0,01). The findings suggest that the HOST with deionized water can provide additional information for post thawing ram sperm viability evaluation.

Aplicação de projeto de experimento no processo de manufatura de uma bobina de alumínio

TProducts must follow specifications in order to attend demands requested. In terms of rolled aluminum, one of the most significant items for customers is coil thickness. This is because only a tiny variation in thickness might cause a serious problem on customer's manufacturing line. Thereby, this research aims to analyze through design of experiments which factors and how they affect the thickness of aluminum coils. The response variable of the experiment is the thickness of aluminum coil, tensile strenght and yield strenght are the factors of the experiment and trimmers machines were considered as blocking. Data were obtained through tensile tests. The result of the experiment states that, according to the analysis of variance (ANOVA), while there is significant difference between the two levels of tensile strength, there is not any difference between the two levels of yield strength and trimmers machines. The thickness of the aluminum coils with high values of tensile strength tends to be thicker when compared with low values of tensile strength

Análise de um trocador de calor tipo serpentina de uma planta de hipoclorito de sódio

This study aims to analyze the capacity of a helical coil heat exchanger to reach the requested heat transfer rates by a sodium hypochlorite production process. This heat exchanger was installed in an experimental way in order to reuse a source of low-temperatures water in such a way to become a more economical alternative than the existing cooling tower. Firstly, the concepts related to the theory of heat transfer applicable to the case were introduced. Then, the mapping of the main information about the production process and the technical specification of the current cooling system equipment's was realized. Using the dimensions of the heat exchanger installed today as reference, the calculations for determining the ideal length of the coil to different flows of hot fluid were performed. Finally, it was concluded that the heat exchanger currently employed does not provide heat transfer rates required for the maximum flow rate value supported by the cooling tower

Heligmosomoides johnsoni sp. nov. (Nematoda: Heligmosomatidae) from the Heather Vole, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam

Heligmosomoides johnsoni sp. noy. is described from the cecum of the heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, from the Olympic Mountains, Washington. The absence of longitudinal cuticular ridges dorsally separates H. johnsoni from species of Heligmosomoides other than H. hudsoni (Cameron, 1937), which occurs in varying lemmings, Dicrostonyx spp., and from which H. johnsoni is distinguished by its longer spicules, form of the dorsal ray, and other characters. Both Phenacomys and Dicrostonyx have a specialized cecum, with long villi around which the nematodes are found tightly coiled. The zoogeography of heligmosomid nematodes in Phenacomys is briefly discussed. French abstract: On décrit Heligmosomoides johnsoni sp. nov. parasite du caecum du rongeur néarctique, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, des Montagnes Olympiques de Washington. L'absence de crêtes cuticulaires sur la face dorsaIe sépare H. johnsoni des autres Heligmosomoides à I'exception d'H. hudsoni (Cameron, 1937) qui se trouve chez Dicrostonyx spp., et duquel H. johnsoni se distingue par ses spicules plus longs, par la forme différente de la côte dorsale et par d'autres caractères. Phenacomys et Dicrostonyx ont un caecum spécialisé, muni de villosités allongées, autour desquelles les nématodes s'enroulent étroitement. La zoogéographie des nematodes héligmosomes chez Phenacomys est discutée.

Aplicação de projeto de experimento no processo de manufatura de uma bobina de alumínio

TProducts must follow specifications in order to attend demands requested. In terms of rolled aluminum, one of the most significant items for customers is coil thickness. This is because only a tiny variation in thickness might cause a serious problem on customer's manufacturing line. Thereby, this research aims to analyze through design of experiments which factors and how they affect the thickness of aluminum coils. The response variable of the experiment is the thickness of aluminum coil, tensile strenght and yield strenght are the factors of the experiment and trimmers machines were considered as blocking. Data were obtained through tensile tests. The result of the experiment states that, according to the analysis of variance (ANOVA), while there is significant difference between the two levels of tensile strength, there is not any difference between the two levels of yield strength and trimmers machines. The thickness of the aluminum coils with high values of tensile strength tends to be thicker when compared with low values of tensile strength

Análise de um trocador de calor tipo serpentina de uma planta de hipoclorito de sódio

This study aims to analyze the capacity of a helical coil heat exchanger to reach the requested heat transfer rates by a sodium hypochlorite production process. This heat exchanger was installed in an experimental way in order to reuse a source of low-temperatures water in such a way to become a more economical alternative than the existing cooling tower. Firstly, the concepts related to the theory of heat transfer applicable to the case were introduced. Then, the mapping of the main information about the production process and the technical specification of the current cooling system equipment's was realized. Using the dimensions of the heat exchanger installed today as reference, the calculations for determining the ideal length of the coil to different flows of hot fluid were performed. Finally, it was concluded that the heat exchanger currently employed does not provide heat transfer rates required for the maximum flow rate value supported by the cooling tower

Microbiological quality and safety of minimally processed vegetables marketed in Campinas, SP-Brazil, as assessed by traditional and alternative methods

In this study, a total of 172 samples of minimally processed vegetables (MPV) were collected from supermarkets in the city of Campinas, Brazil. The MPV were analyzed using traditional and/or alternative methods for total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, Escherichia coil, coagulase positive staphylococci, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. All the MPV analyzed presented populations of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms and total coliforms were >4 log(10) CFU/g and 1.0-3.4 log(10) CFU/g, respectively. E. coil was enumerated in only 10 samples out of 172 collected, while none of the 172 samples of MPV presented contamination by coagulase positive Staphylococcus (<10(1) CFU/g). Among the four methods used for detection of Salmonella in MPV (Vidas, 1,2 Test, Reveal, and Traditional), when Reveal was used a total of 29 positive samples were reported. For L monocytogenes, the four methods tested (Vidas, Vip, Reveal, and traditional) performed similarly. The presence of Salmonella and L monocytogenes in MPV was confirmed in one (watercress) and two samples (watercress and escarole), respectively. In conclusion, it has been observed that the microbiological quality of MPV commercialized in Campinas is generally satisfactory. Besides, the choice of microbiological method should be based not only on resource and time issues, but also on parameters such as sensitivity and specificity for the specific foods under ahalysis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular and Electronic Structure of the Peptide Subunit of Geobacter sulfurreducens Conductive Phi from First Principles

The respiration of metal oxides by the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens requires the assembly of a small peptide (the GS pilin) into conductive filaments termed pili. We gained insights into the contribution of the GS pilin to the pilus conductivity by developing a homology model and performing molecular dynamics simulations of the pilin peptide in vacuo and in solution. The results were consistent with a predominantly helical peptide containing the conserved a-helix region required for pilin assembly but carrying a short carboxy-terminal random-coiled segment rather than the large globular head of other bacterial pilins. The electronic structure of the pain was also explored from first principles and revealed a biphasic charge distribution along the pilin and a low electronic HOMO-LUMO gap, even in a wet environment. The low electronic band gap was the result of strong electrostatic fields generated by the alignment of the peptide bond dipoles in the pilin's alpha-helix and by charges from ions in solution and amino acids in the protein. The electronic structure also revealed some level of orbital delocalization in regions of the pilin containing aromatic amino acids and in spatial regions of high resonance where the HOMO and LUMO states are, which could provide an optimal environment for the hopping of electrons under thermal fluctuations. Hence, the structural and electronic features of the pilin revealed in these studies support the notion of a pilin peptide environment optimized for electron conduction.

Pressure Dependence of N-15 Chemical Shifts in Model Peptides Ac-Gly-Gly-X-Ala-NH2

High pressure NMR spectroscopy has developed into an important tool for studying conformational equilibria of proteins in solution. We have studied the amide proton and nitrogen chemical shifts of the 20 canonical amino acids X in the random-coil model peptide Ac-Gly-Gly-X-Ala-NH2, in a pressure range from 0.1 to 200 MPa, at a proton resonance frequency of 800 MHz. The obtained data allowed the determination of first and second order pressure coefficients with high accuracy at 283 K and pH 6.7. The mean first and second order pressure coefficients <B-1(15N)> and <B-2(15N)> for nitrogen are 2.91 ppm/GPa and -2.32 ppm/GPa(2), respectively. The corresponding values <B-1(1H)> and <B-2(1H)> for the amide protons are 0.52 ppm/GPa and -0.41 ppm/GPa(2). Residual dependent (1)J(1H15N)-coupling constants are shown.