An inverse method for determining source characteristics for emergency response applications

Following a malicious or accidental atmospheric release in an outdoor environment it is essential for first responders to ensure safety by identifying areas where human life may be in danger. For this to happen quickly, reliable information is needed on the source strength and location, and the type of chemical agent released. We present here an inverse modelling technique that estimates the source strength and location of such a release, together with the uncertainty in those estimates, using a limited number of measurements of concentration from a network of chemical sensors considering a single, steady, ground-level source. The technique is evaluated using data from a set of dispersion experiments conducted in a meteorological wind tunnel, where simultaneous measurements of concentration time series were obtained in the plume from a ground-level point-source emission of a passive tracer. In particular, we analyze the response to the number of sensors deployed and their arrangement, and to sampling and model errors. We find that the inverse algorithm can generate acceptable estimates of the source characteristics with as few as four sensors, providing these are well-placed and that the sampling error is controlled. Configurations with at least three sensors in a profile across the plume were found to be superior to other arrangements examined. Analysis of the influence of sampling error due to the use of short averaging times showed that the uncertainty in the source estimates grew as the sampling time decreased. This demonstrated that averaging times greater than about 5min (full scale time) lead to acceptable accuracy.

Chronic resistance training decreases MuRF-1 and Atrogin-1 gene expression but does not modify Akt, GSK-3 beta and p70S6K levels in rats

Long-term adaptation to resistance training is probably due to the cumulative molecular effects of each exercise session. Therefore, we studied in female Wistar rats the molecular effects of a chronic resistance training regimen (3 months) leading to skeletal muscle hypertrophy in the plantaris muscle. Our results demonstrated that muscle proteolytic genes MuRF-1 and Atrogin-1 were significantly decreased in the exercised group measured 24 h after the last resistance exercise session (41.64 and 61.19%, respectively; P < 0.05). Nonetheless, when measured at the same time point, 4EBP-1, GSK-3 beta and eIF2B epsilon mRNA levels and Akt, GSK-3 beta and p70S6K protein levels (regulators of translation initiation) were not modified. Such data suggests that if gene transcription constitutes a control point in the protein synthesis pathway this regulation probably occurs in early adaptation periods or during extreme situations leading to skeletal muscle remodeling. However, proteolytic gene expression is modified even after a prolonged resistance training regimen leading to moderate skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Orientação de imagens CBERS-2B usando o modelo rigoroso de colinearidade com dados orbitais

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

Aplicação da abordagem estatística no contexto da gestão da qualidade: um survey b com indústrias de alimentos de São Paulo

Nas últimas duas décadas, o crescimento do interesse pela metodologia Seis Sigma intensificou a aplicação da abordagem estatística e de outras abordagens quantitativas com o intuito de melhorar não apenas a qualidade de produtos, serviços e processos, como também aumentar o desempenho organizacional e o processo de tomada de decisão. Este artigo trata da aplicação da abordagem estatística no contexto da gestão da qualidade em indústrias de alimentos de médio e grande porte do Estado de São Paulo com o propósito de: identificar quais ferramentas e técnicas estatísticas são mais amplamente empregadas por indústrias do setor para garantir e controlar a qualidade; avaliar a interdependência entre o sucesso da implementação de programas de qualidade e segurança alimentar como Boas Práticas de Fabricação (BPF) e sistema de Análise de Perigos e Pontos Críticos de Controle (APPCC) e o uso de estatística; e analisar estimativas do grau de relevância do pensamento estatístico e de seus benefícios como ferramenta de melhoria da qualidade. Um survey exploratório-descritivo foi realizado e os resultados revelaram que a abordagem estatística começa a ser mais valorizada nas indústrias de alimentos pela relevância de seus benefícios assim como já ocorre em outros setores. Há evidências de que a implantação bem sucedida dos programas de segurança alimentar seja uma condição primordial para o uso efetivo de estatística e de outras abordagens quantitativas.

HACCP plan proposal for a typical Brazilian peanut processing company

Peanuts are likely to be infested by fungi with consequent contamination by aflatoxin in post-harvest industries. A hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) plan is proposed for a typical Brazilian post-harvest industry from raw in-shell reception to the unpeeled peanuts transportation. Codex Alimentarius Commission guidelines were followed, with four critical control points (CCP) for aflatoxin being identified. The process steps with highest probability of aflatoxin occurrence (risk) are the in-shell reception, the dried in-shell storage, and the unpeeled kernel storage. During the storage steps there is a lack of control of air moisture and temperature. Therefore, there is no option but to keep rigid monitoring and control over each CCP, and detour lots with high aflatoxin levels to either oil or seed production. Attempts to correlate the aflatoxin levels with the rainfall showed an irregular trend of the toxin level. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orientação semi-automática de imagens CBERS usando rodovias como controle de campo

In this paper is proposed a methodology for semiautomatic CBERS image orientation using roads as ground control. It is based on an iterative strategy involving three steps. In the first step, an operator identifies on the image the ground control roads and supplies along them a few seed points, which could be sparsely and coarsely distributed. These seed points are used by the dynamic programming algorithm for extracting the ground control roads from the image. In the second step, it is established the correspondences between points describing the ground control roads and the corresponding ones extracted from the image. In the last step, the corresponding points are used to orient the CBERS image by using the DLT (Direct Linear Transformation). The two last steps are iterated until the convergence of the orientation process is verified. Experimental results showed that the proposed methodology was efficient with several test images. In all cases the orientation process converged. Moreover, the estimated orientation parameters allowed the registration of check roads with pixel accuracy or better.

Um modelo para orientação de imagens orbitais baseado em feições retas

The aim of this paper is to present a model for orientation of pushbroom sensors that allows estimating the polynomial coefficients describing the trajectory of the platform, using linear features as ground control. Considering that pushbroom image acquisition is not instantaneous, six EOP (Exterior Orientation Parameters) for each scanned line must be estimated. The sensor position and attitude parameters are modeled with a time dependent polynomial. The relationship between object and image space is established through a mathematical model based on the equivalence between the vector normal to the projection plane in the image space and to the vector normal to the rotated projection plane in the object space. The equivalence property between planes was adapted to consider the pushbroom geometry. Some experiments with simulated data corresponding to CBERS scene (China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite) were accomplished in order to test the developed model using straight lines. Moreover, experiments with points ground with the model based on collinearity equations adapted to the pushbroom geometry were also accomplished. The obtained results showed that the proposed model can be used to estimate the EOP of pushbroom images with suitable accuracy.

A structure excited by a DC motor of limited power supply and controlled by a pendulum like device

In this paper, a mathematical model is derived via Lagrange's Equation for a shear building structure that acts as a foundation of a non-ideal direct current electric motor, controlled by a mass loose inside a circular carving. Non-ideal sources of vibrations of structures are those whose characteristics are coupled to the motion of the structure, not being a function of time only as in the ideal case. Thus, in this case, an additional equation of motion is written, related to the motor rotation, coupled to the equation describing the horizontal motion of the shear building. This kind of problem can lead to the so-called Sommerfeld effect: steady state frequencies of the motor will usually increase as more power (voltage) is given to it in a step-by-step fashion. When a resonance condition with the structure is reached, the better part of this energy is consumed to generate large amplitude vibrations of the foundation without sensible change of the motor frequency as before. If additional increase steps in voltage are made, one may reach a situation where the rotor will jump to higher rotation regimes, no steady states being stable in between. As a device of passive control of both large amplitude vibrations and the Sommerfeld effect, a scheme is proposed using a point mass free to bounce back and forth inside a circular carving in the suspended mass of the structure. Numerical simulations of the model are also presented Copyright © 2007 by ASME.

Fototriangulação em bloco de imagens orbitais com modelos rigorosos baseados em pontos e retas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Orientação semi-automática de imagens CBERS usando rodovias como controle de campo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Nietzsche e a inflexão filosofica rumo ao mundo mítico: leituras de Heráclito

Pós-graduação em Filosofia - FFC

Pesquisa de Salmonella sp na cadeia produtiva de avestruzes no Sudeste do Brasil

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

Validação do sistema de monitoramento para redução da contaminação microbiana em carcaças bovinas

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Avaliação da prevalência de síndrome fibromiálgica em pacientes com DTM e estudo comparativo de aspectos clínicos e do limiar de dor à pressão

Pós-graduação em Odontologia - FOA

Acurácia da mosaicagem gerada por veículo aéreo não tripulado utilizado na agricultura de precisão

The need for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a Brazilian reality in the worlds agricultural, once they have models penetrating the market with agrictural purpose. After processing, the images collected by a UAV can generate a mosaic of the study area. For making and georeferencing the mosaic, can be deployed or not ground control points. Thus, the study aimed to compare a mosaic with ground control points and without ground control points generated from images collected by a UAV used primarily for agricultural purposes. The results showed that the quality in the determination of areas and perimeters no presented significant difference with or without the use of ground control points. The mosaic generated without ground control points obtained an average error of 23.7% of the pixel size; with ground control points, the average error was 10.6%, providing an improvement of approximately 50%. Planimetric and altimetric errors, with respect to the ground control points, for the controlled mosaic, reached the order of decimeters, with planimetric accuracy of 12.8 cm, a result considered satisfactory taking into account mainly the purpose of assessed UAV