Boundary crisis and transient in a dissipative relativistic standard map

Some dynamical properties for a problem concerning the acceleration of particles in a wave packet are studied. The model is described in terms of a two-dimensional nonlinear map obtained from a Hamiltonian which describes the motion of a relativistic standard map. The phase space is mixed in the sense that there are regular and chaotic regions coexisting. When dissipation is introduced, the property of area preservation is broken and attractors emerge. We have shown that a tiny increase of the dissipation causes a change in the phase space. A chaotic attractor as well as its basin of attraction are destroyed thereby leading the system to experience a boundary crisis. We have characterized such a boundary crisis via a collision of the chaotic attractor with the stable manifold of a saddle fixed point. Once the chaotic attractor is destroyed, a chaotic transient described by a power law with exponent 1 is observed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A peculiar Maxwell's Demon observed in a time-dependent stadium-like billiard

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

Analytical study of the nonlinear behavior of a shape memory oscillator: Part I-primary resonance and free response at low temperatures

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Decay of energy and suppression of Fermi acceleration in a dissipative driven stadium-like billiard

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

Índices fisiológicos associados com a performance aeróbia em corredores de endurance: efeitos da duração da prova

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a validade do consumo máximo de oxigênio (VO2max), da velocidade correspondente ao VO2max (vVO2max), do tempo de exaustão na vVO2max (Tlim), da economia de corrida (EC) e do limiar anaeróbio (LAn) para a predição da performance de atletas de endurance. Quatorze corredores de endurance (33,4 ± 4,4 anos; 62,7 ± 4,3kg; 166,1 ± 5,0cm; VO2max = 60,4 ± 5,9ml.kg-1.min-1) realizaram os seguintes testes: a) competição simulada nas distâncias de 1.500 e 5.000m. e; b) testes de laboratório para a determinação do VO2max, vVO2max, EC, LAn e Tlim na intensidades de 100% vVO2max. As velocidades (km/h) da vVO2max (18,7 ± 0,8), LAn (17,3 ± 1,1) v1.500m (19,9 ± 0,8) e v5.000m (17,9 ± 0,9) foram significantemente diferentes. A regressão múltipla stepwise revelou que o LAn foi o único preditor da performance da v5.000m, explicando 50% da variação desta performance. Para a v1.500m, o Tlim e a vVO2max explicaram 88% da variação da performance. Com base em nossos resultados, pode-se concluir que a validade dos índices fisiológicos (VO2max, vVO2max, Tlim, EC e LAn), para a predição da performance aeróbia de atletas de endurance, é dependente da distância da prova (1.500 x 5.000m) analisada.

Temporal dynamics of two species of Chaetophoraceae (Chlorophyta) in tropical streams of São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil

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

Chaotic vibrations of a nonideal electro-mechanical system

Nonideal systems are those in which one takes account of the influence of the oscillatory system on the energy supply with a limited power (Kononenko, 1969). In this paper, a particular nonideal system is investigated, consisting of a pendulum whose support point is vibrated along a horizontal guide by a two bar linkage driven by a DC motor, considered to be a limited power supply. Under these conditions, the oscillations of the pendulum are analyzed through the variation of a control parameter. The voltage supply of the motor is considered to be a reliable control parameter. Each simulation starts from zero speed and reaches a steady-state condition when the motor oscillates around a medium speed. Near the fundamental resonance region, the system presents some interesting nonlinear phenomena, including multi-periodic, quasiperiodic, and chaotic motion. The loss of stability of the system occurs through a saddle-node bifurcation, where there is a collision of a stable orbit with an unstable one, which is approximately located close to the value of the pendulum's angular displacement given by alpha (C)= pi /2. The aims of this study are to better understand nonideal systems using numerical simulation, to identify the bifurcations that occur in the system, and to report the existence of a chaotic attractor near the fundamental resonance. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blood glucose responses in humans mirror lactate responses for individual anaerobic threshold and for lactate minimum in track tests

The equilibrium point between blood lactate production and removal (La-min(-)) and the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) protocols have been used to evaluate exercise. During progressive exercise, blood lactate [La-](b), catecholamine and cortisol concentrations, show exponential increases at upper anaerobic threshold intensities. Since these hormones enhance blood glucose concentrations [Glc](b), this study investigated the [Glc] and [La-](b) responses during incremental tests and the possibility of considering the individual glucose threshold (IGT) and glucose minimum;(Glc(min)) in addition to IAT and La-min(-) in evaluating exercise. A group of 15 male endurance runners ran in four tests on the track 3000 m run (v(3km)); IAT and IGT- 8 x 800 m runs at velocities between 84% and 102% of v(3km); La-min(-) and Glc(min) - after lactic acidosis induced by a 500-m sprint, the subjects ran 8 x 800 m at intensities between 87% and 97% of v(3km); endurance test (ET)- 30 min at the velocity of IAT. Capillary blood (25 mu l) was collected for [La-](b) and [Glc](b) measurements. The TAT and IGT were determined by [La-](b) and [Glc](b) kinetics during the second test. The La-min(-) and Glc(min) were determined considering the lowest [La-] and [Glc](b) during the third test. No differences were observed (P < 0.05) and high correlations were obtained between the velocities at IAT [283 (SD 19) and IGT 281 (SD 21)m. min(-1); r = 0.096; P < 0.001] and between La,, [285 (SD 21)] and Glc(min) [287 (SD 20) m. min(-1) = 0.77; P < 0.05]. During ET, the [La-](b) reached 5.0 (SD 1.1) and 5.3 (SD 1.0) mmol 1(-1) at 20 and 30 min, respectively (P > 0.05). We concluded that for these subjects it was possible to evaluate the aerobic capacity by IGT and Glc(min), as well as by IAT and La-min(-).

Rehydration and shrinkage behaviour of dried pineapple

The shrinking behavior, apparent densities and rehydration indexes of fresh and osmotically pre-treated pineapple slices during air-drying were obtained. The air drying velocity varied from 1.5 to 2.5 m/s and the air temperature from 40 to 70 degreesC. By means of automatic control, it was possible to obtain drying curves under conditions of constant product temperature. Volumetric shrinkage of fresh samples was temperature independent for drying at high air velocities but, at lower velocities, increased with decreasing drying temperature. Osmotically pre-treating the material resulted in reduced shrinkage, as well as drying with product temperature controlled, due to lower drying times needed that led to shorter high temperature exposition. Moisture dependence of apparent density was highly non-linear and could be fitted by an empirical model. Fresh sample rehydration indexes were higher than osmosed ones and increased with increasing temperature, except for pre-treated samples dried at 70 degreesC, probably due to superficial sugar caramelization, which reduced surface water permeability.

Microhabitat and plant structure of Characeae (Chlorophyta) populations in streams from São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil

Microhabitat distribution was investigated in five populations of Characeae (two of Chara guairensis, two of Nitella subglomerata and one of Nitella sp.) to determine the distributional patterns, the morphometric and reproductive adaptations to varying environmental conditions and niche width on a scale of few centimeters. Variations in physical variables revealed some general trends of microhabitat distribution for the Characeae populations studied, with occurrence under the following conditions: slow and narrow current velocities; substrata predominantly composed of small particle size (sand-clay); variable and generally low depths. In terms of morphological adaptations, we found some general patterns: plants with longer whorl branchlets also had longer internodes in all populations studied, whereas longer plants had also thicker axis. The former were generally associated with higher biomass (percent cover). Few correlations of morphological characters were observed with environmental variables (e.g. plant length with irradiance: negative in two populations and positive in one population). Despite the general patterns of occurrence mentioned above, our results also indicated that each population differed in its responses to environmental variables and had particular morphological and reproductive adaptations. The Characean populations occurred under a narrower range of microhabitat conditions than other macroalgae from lotic habitats, particularly lower current velocity (6.7-9.8 cm s(-1)) and a more specific substratum type (sand-clay). Niche width values (0.60-0.99) of the Characeae populations studied indicate a high degree of habitat specialization and are among the highest yet found in lotic macroalgae. The relatively narrow variations in microhabitat conditions and high niche widths here reported for Characean populations, suggest a lower tolerance to variations in current velocity, depth, irradiance and substratum type. These characteristics probably explain the relatively restricted distribution of Characeae species in streams of S (a) over tildeo Paulo State with low frequency of records in most regions.

Visual timing and adaptive behavior in a road-crossing simulation study

In this road-crossing simulation study, we assessed both participant's ability to visually judge whether or not they could cross a road, and their adaptive walking behavior. To this end, participants were presented with a road inside the laboratory on which a bike approached with different velocities from different distances. Eight children aged 5-7, ten children aged 10-12, and ten adults were asked both to verbally judge whether they could cross the road, and to actually walk across the road if possible. The results indicated that the verbal judgments were not similar to judgments to actually cross the road. With respect to safety and accuracy of judgments, groups did not differ from each other, although the youngest group tended to be more cautious. All groups appeared to use a strategy to cross the road based both on the distance and the velocity of the approaching bike. Young children waited longer on the curb before crossing the road than older children and adults. All groups adjusted their crossing time to the time-to-arrival of the bike. These findings are discussed in relation to the ecological psychological approach and the putative dissociation between vision for perception (i.e. verbal judgment) and vision for action (i.e. actual crossing). (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of cracks in scratching tests in ceramic materials through acoustic emission

The mechanisms of material removal and the interactions among scratches performed in ceramic materials were investigated using acoustic emission signals, and scanning electron microscopy, in scratching experiments. Several testing conditions were used to produce different types of removing mechanism on a glass as well as on a polycrystalline alumina sample composed by heterogeneous grain size. It is known that the material removing process on a polycrystalline ceramic involves intergranular microfracture and grain dislodgement, unlike the chipping produced by the extension of lateral cracks in non-granular materials, such as glass. Distinct settings for velocities, loads, and two types of diamond indenter were tested. The material removal was carried out by three different methods of scratching: single passes, repeated overlapping passes, and parallel scratches. As a general result, there was a clear relationship between the acoustic emission signals and the damage intensity occurred in the material removal. More specifically, there were differences in the acoustic emission signal levels in the scratches made on the alumina and on the glass owing to the material removal mechanisms associated with the structure of these materials. A gradual increase in the acoustic emission levels was observed when the number of repeated passes was increased as a result of the damage accumulation process followed by severe material removal. It was also noticed that the acoustic emission signals were capable of reflecting the interactions between two parallel scratches.

Relationships and significance of lactate minimum, critical velocity, heart rate deflection and 3 000 m track-tests for running

The running velocities associated to lactate minimum (V-lm), heart rate deflection (V-HRd), critical velocity (CV), 3000 M (V-3000) and 10000 m performance (V-10km) were compared. Additionally the ability of V-lm and VHRd on identifying sustainable velocities was investigated.Methods. Twenty runners (28.5 +/- 5.9 y) performed 1) 3000 m running test for V3000; 2) an all-out 500 in sprint followed by 6x800 m incremental bouts with blood lactate ([lac]) measurements for V-lm; 3) a continuous velocity-incremented test with heart rate measurements at each 200 m for V-HRd; 4) participants attempted to 30 min of endurance test both at V-lm(ETVlm) and V-HRd(ETVHRd). Additionally, the distance-time and velocity-1/time relationships produced CV by 2 (500 m and 3000 m) or 3 predictive trials (500 m, 3000 m and distance reached before exhaustion during ETVHRd), and a 10 km race was recorded for V-10km.Results. The CV identified by different methods did not differ to each other. The results (m(.)min(-1)) revealed that V-.(lm) (281 +/- 14.8)< CV (292.1 +/- 17.5)=V-10km (291.7 +/- 19.3)< V-HRd (300.8 +/- 18.7)=V-3000 (304 +/- 17.5) with high correlation among parameters (P < 0.001). During ETVlm participants completed 30 min of running while on the ETVHRd they lasted only 12.5 +/- 8.2 min with increasing [lac].Conclusion. We evidenced that CV and Vim track-protocols are valid for running evaluation and performance prediction and the parameters studied have different significance. The V-lm reflects the moderate-high intensity domain (below CV), can be sustained without [lac] accumulation and may be used for long-term exercise while the V-HRd overestimates a running intensity that can be sustained for long-time. Additionally, V-3000 and V-HRd reflect the severe intensity domain (above CV).

DIRAC CONFINEMENT BY A VARIATIONAL APPROACH

An analytical approximate method for the Dirac equation with confining power law scalar plus vector potentials, applicable to the problem of the relativistic quark confinement, is presented. The method consists in an improved version of a saddle-point variational approach and it is applied to the fundamental state of massless single quarks for some especial cases of physical interest. Our treatment emphasizes aspects such as the quantum-mechanical relativistic Virial theorem, the saddle-point character of the critical point of the expectation value of the total energy, as well as the Klein paradox and the behaviour of the saddle-point variational energies and wave functions.

Influence of drying conditions on ascorbic acid during convective drying of whole persimmons

Degradation kinetics of food constituents may be related to the matrix molecular mobility by glass transition temperature. Our objective was to test this approach to describe ascorbic acid degradation during drying of persimmons in an automatically controlled tray dryer with temperatures (40 to 70 degrees C) and air velocities (0.8 to 2.0 m/s) varying according a second order central composite design. The Williams-Landel-Ferry model was satisfactorily adjusted to degradation curves for both control strategies adopted-constant air temperature and temperature fixed inside the fruit. Degradation rates were higher at higher drying temperatures, independent of the necessary time to attain the desired moisture content.