Electrochemical Control of the Time-Dependent Intensity Fluctuations in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)

Time-dependent fluctuations in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensities were recorded from a roughened silver electrode immersed in diluted solutions of rhodamine 6G (R6G) and congo red (CR). These fluctuations were attributed to a small number of SERS-active molecules probing regions of extremely high electromagnetic field (hot spots) at the nanostructured surface. The time-dependent distribution of SERS intensities followed a tailed statistics at certain applied potentials, which has been linked to single-molecule dynamics. The shape of the distribution was reversibly tuned by the applied voltage. Mixtures of both dyes, R6G and CR, at low concentrations were also investigated. Since R6G is a cationic dye and CR is an anionic dye, the statistics of the SERS intensity distribution of either dye in a mixture were independently controlled by adjusting the applied potential. The potential-controlled distribution of SERS intensities was interpreted by considering the modulation of the surface coverage of the adsorbed dye by the interfacial electric field. This interpretation was supported by a two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation that took into account the time evolution of the surface configuration of the adsorbed species and their probability to populate a hypothetical hot spot. The potential-controlled SERS dynamics reported here is a first step toward the spectroelectrochemical investigation of redox processes at the single-molecule level by SERS.

Dynamic Fuzzy Logic Control of GeneticAlgorithm Probabilities

Genetic algorithms are commonly used to solve combinatorial optimizationproblems. The implementation evolves using genetic operators (crossover, mutation,selection, etc.). Anyway, genetic algorithms like some other methods have parameters(population size, probabilities of crossover and mutation) which need to be tune orchosen.In this paper, our project is based on an existing hybrid genetic algorithmworking on the multiprocessor scheduling problem. We propose a hybrid Fuzzy-Genetic Algorithm (FLGA) approach to solve the multiprocessor scheduling problem.The algorithm consists in adding a fuzzy logic controller to control and tunedynamically different parameters (probabilities of crossover and mutation), in anattempt to improve the algorithm performance. For this purpose, we will design afuzzy logic controller based on fuzzy rules to control the probabilities of crossoverand mutation. Compared with the Standard Genetic Algorithm (SGA), the resultsclearly demonstrate that the FLGA method performs significantly better.

Genetic Control of Residual Variance for Teat Number in Pigs

The genetic improvement in litter size in pigs has been substantial during the last 10-15 years. The number of teats on the sow must increase as well to meet the needs of the piglets, because each piglet needs access to its own teat. We applied a genetic heterogeneity model on teat numberin sows, and estimated medium-high heritability for teat number (0.5), but low heritability for residual variance (0.05), indicating that selection for reduced variance might have very limited effect. A numerically positive correlation (0.8) between additive genetic breeding values for mean and for variance was found, but because of the low heritability for residual variance, the variance will increase very slowly with the mean.

Quantum control of electromagnetically induced transparency dispersion via atomic tunneling in a double-well Bose-Einstein condensate

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is an important tool for controlling light propagation and nonlinear wave mixing in atomic gases with potential applications ranging from quantum computing to table top tests of general relativity. Here we consider EIT in an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped in a double-well potential. A weak probe laser propagates through one of the wells and interacts with atoms in a three-level Lambda configuration. The well through which the probe propagates is dressed by a strong control laser with Rabi frequency Omega(mu), as in standard EIT systems. Tunneling between the wells at the frequency g provides a coherent coupling between identical electronic states in the two wells, which leads to the formation of interwell dressed states. The macroscopic interwell coherence of the BEC wave function results in the formation of two ultranarrow absorption resonances for the probe field that are inside of the ordinary EIT transparency window. We show that these new resonances can be interpreted in terms of the interwell dressed states and the formation of a type of dark state involving the control laser and the interwell tunneling. To either side of these ultranarrow resonances there is normal dispersion with very large slope controlled by g. We discuss prospects for observing these ultranarrow resonances and the corresponding regions of high dispersion experimentally.

Influence of hydraulics and control of thermal storage in solar assisted heat pump combisystems

This paper studies the influence of hydraulics and control of thermal storage in systems combined with solar thermal and heat pump for the production of warm water and space heating in dwellings. A reference air source heat pump system with flat plate collectors connected to a combistore was defined and modeled together with the IEA SHC Task 44 / HPP Annex 38 (T44A38) “Solar and Heat Pump Systems” boundary conditions of Strasbourg climate and SFH45 building. Three and four pipe connections as well as use of internal and external heat exchangers for DHW preparation were investigated as well as sensor height for charging of the DHW zone in the store. The temperature in this zone was varied to ensure the same DHW comfort was achieved in all cases. The results show that the four pipe connection results in 9% improvement in SPF compared to three pipe and that the external heat exchanger for DHW preparation leads to a 2% improvement compared to the reference case. Additionally the sensor height for charging the DHW zone of the store should not be too low, otherwise system performance is adversely affected

Real-Time Control Of Floods Along The Demer River, Belgium, By Means Of MPC In Combination With GA And A Fast Conceptual River Model

Climate model projections show that climate change will further increase the risk of flooding in many regions of the world. There is a need for climate adaptation, but building new infrastructure or additional retention basins has its limits, especially in densely populated areas where open spaces are limited. Another solution is the more efficient use of the existing infrastructure. This research investigates a method for real-time flood control by means of existing gated weirs and retention basins. The method was tested for the specific study area of the Demer basin in Belgium but is generally applicable. Today, retention basins along the Demer River are controlled by means of adjustable gated weirs based on fixed logic rules. However, because of the high complexity of the system, only suboptimal results are achieved by these rules. By making use of precipitation forecasts and combined hydrological-hydraulic river models, the state of the river network can be predicted. To fasten the calculation speed, a conceptual river model was used. The conceptual model was combined with a Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm and a Genetic Algorithm (GA). The MPC algorithm predicts the state of the river network depending on the positions of the adjustable weirs in the basin. The GA generates these positions in a semi-random way. Cost functions, based on water levels, were introduced to evaluate the efficiency of each generation, based on flood damage minimization. In the final phase of this research the influence of the most important MPC and GA parameters was investigated by means of a sensitivity study. The results show that the MPC-GA algorithm manages to reduce the total flood volume during the historical event of September 1998 by 46% in comparison with the current regulation. Based on the MPC-GA results, some recommendations could be formulated to improve the logic rules.

Sincretização do controle de constitucionalidade no ordenamento jurídico brasileiro: abstratização do controle difuso e concretização do controle abstrato

Considerando-se as recentes decisões do Supremo Tribunal Federal no controle de constitucionalidade, percebe-se o movimento de sincretização entre os controles abstrato e concreto. A visão da atual jurisdição constitucional revela que as últimas criações legislativas foram inseridas no controle abstrato, sendo o caminho utilizado para resolução das principais controvérsias judiciais, com seus efeitos erga omnes e vinculantes. Esse panorama não afastou a utilização do controle concreto, que se renova ao se aproveitar dos instrumentos do controle concentrado abstrato. Não apenas o controle concreto e difuso está se beneficiando do controle abstrato, como também a recíproca é verdadeira. O controle abstrato também se beneficia ao valer-se de diversos instrumentos que não seriam possíveis por suas características abstratas. O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar esse movimento, através de casos emblemáticos e instrumentos criados pelas Leis que tratam sobre o controle de constitucionalidade, a fim de comprovar esse novo cenário na ordem jurídica brasileira. Este trabalho foi realizado através de pesquisas bibliográficas e casos perante o Supremo Tribunal Federal. O resultado da análise comprova essa tendência na utilização de pressupostos que seriam apenas de um controle, sendo utilizado pelo outro. Isso representa um grande avanço para o tema controle de constitucionalidade que tende cada vez mais a ser sincretizado.

Global stabilizing feedback law for a problem of biological control of mosquito-borne diseases

The control of the spread of dengue fever by introduction of the intracellular parasitic bacterium Wolbachia in populations of the vector Aedes aegypti, is presently one of the most promising tools for eliminating dengue, in the absence of an efficient vaccine. The success of this operation requires locally careful planning to determine the adequate number of mosquitoes carrying the Wolbachia parasite that need to be introduced into the natural population. The latter are expected to eventually replace the Wolbachia-free population and guarantee permanent protection against the transmission of dengue to human. In this paper, we propose and analyze a model describing the fundamental aspects of the competition between mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia and mosquitoes free of the parasite. We then introduce a simple feedback control law to synthesize an introduction protocol, and prove that the population is guaranteed to converge to a stable equilibrium where the totality of mosquitoes carry Wolbachia. The techniques are based on the theory of monotone control systems, as developed after Angeli and Sontag. Due to bistability, the considered input-output system has multivalued static characteristics, but the existing results are unable to prove almost-global stabilization, and ad hoc analysis has to be conducted.

Soil attributes and efficiency of sulfentrazone on control of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.)

Herbicidas aplicados ao solo são submetidos à adsorção, lixiviação e degradação por processos físicos, químicos e biológicos, além da absorção pelas plantas. Todos esses processos são afetados pela classe dos solos onde foram aplicados e das condições climáticas reinantes logo após a aplicação, que afetarão a eficiência dos produtos no controle de plantas daninhas. Investigaram-se as influências dos atributos de solos e condições de cultivo na eficiência do herbicida sulfentrazone no controle da planta daninha tiririca (Cyperus rotundus L.). O Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo Distrófico (LVAd), o Latossolo Vermelho (LVd - Distrófico; LVdf - Distroférrico; LVef - Eutroférrico) e o Nitossolo Vermelho Eutrófico (NVe) foram coletados sob duas condições de cultivo, visando obter solos com teores diferenciados de argila, óxido de ferro e matéria orgânica. As amostras dos solos foram submetidas à caracterização granulométrica, química e mineralógica e, em seguida, utilizadas no bioensaio de avaliação da eficiência do sulfentrazone (1,6 L p.c. ha-1) no controle da tiririca em condições de pré-emergência. O sulfentrazone apresentou comportamento diferenciado entre as classes de solos estudados e a sua eficiência diminuiu com o aumento do teor de óxido de ferro nos solos, na seguinte ordem: LVAd, LVd, NVe, LVef e LVdf, sendo que as variações nos teores de argila (240 a 640 g kg-1) e da matéria orgânica (12 a 78 g kg-1) dos solos não interferiram na eficiência do sulfentrazone.

Repercussão geral e súmula vinculante: os efeitos no controle difuso

Brazil since its first republican constitution has adopted systems of laws control. The review activity was given to three state powers or functions state, Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. However, it appears that in the country along the constitutional history, has stood considerably the jurisdictional control of the most important control. Initially, back in 1891, Brazil adopted the jurisdictional control of diffuse from U.S, whose role in monitoring of standards is delivered to all organs of the judiciary, which may face a case, put on trial, ascertain whether or not the possibility of applying a law, removing its impact in case of unconstitutionality. In 1969, entered in the second legal model of judicial review, the concentrated control of constitutionality, whose inspiration comes from the positivist theory of Hans Kelsen, and was adopted by the Austrian Constitution of 1920. According to the abstract control the supervision of law is given to a Court or Constitutional Court, responsible for the analysis of the legal constitutionality independent of its application to a specific case. In Brazil the role of concentrated control was handed over exclusively to the Supreme Court, which serves as the Constitutional Court, which accumulates that function with other constitutionally provided jurisdiction. Throughout this period, from 1891 until today, Brazil has maintained a dual system of judicial control of legal constitutionality, where they coexist and harmonize the diffuse control exercised by any organ of the Judiciary, and concentrated control of competence the Supreme Court. However, one must recognize that with the advent of the Federal Constitution of 1988, the concentrated control has emerged on the national stage due to two important factors: the expansion of the legal capacity to sue and the inclusion of other ways control, besides the already known Direct Claim of Unconstitutionality. This concentrated control and projection of the Supreme Court s attempt to become a true constitutional court, led to a relative weakening of diffuse control even when performed by the Brazilian Constitutional Court. In order to become a true constitutional court, all decisions handed down by the Supreme in the exercise of constitutional jurisdiction should have the same weight and the same measure, or at least bring improvement to similar effects, once is the responsible for the final word when it comes to constitutional interpretation. Thus, the writs of certiorari and stare decisis were responsible for profound changes in the diffuse control, allowing the Supreme Court can strengthen its decisions even in the diffuse control. These two institutions have substantially changed the legal status of diffuse control, allowing an extension of the effects of decisions handed down by the Supreme Court, so that you can no longer be said that the effects of this control to restrict the disputing parties in the process

Limites formais e materiais ao controle de constitucionalidade pelo Supremo Tribunal Federal

This document approaches the formal and material limits of the constitucionalidade control for the Supreme Federal Court, iniating with the study of the Constitution, detaching its evolution, nature and meanings, passing for its historical evolution, offering still a unconstitutionality concept. Is work the principles as material Constitution, making the distinction entere principles and rules, detaching the characteristics of the principles constitutional, and the basic principle of the Constituition. It analyzes metodologics the historical parameters and of the brazilian system of constitutionality control and detaches the paper of the Supreme Federal Court as positive legislator. It observes the beddings of the constitutionality control and the legitimacy of the Supreme Federal Court. Is examines the performance of the Supreme Federal Court in face of the principle of the legal security. Is offers a vision on the experience of the control of constitutionality in other constries. It still approaches the control of constitutionality in Brazil, detaching the critical points of its formal and material limits. Is verifies the application of the principles constitutional for the Supreme Federal Court in the diffuse control and the intent control of constitutionality, as well as the performance of the Supreme Federal Court ahead of the unconstitutional omissions. It brings to the debate the new perspectives how much to the formal and material limits of the control of constitutionality for the Supreme Federal Court. Objective to elaborate considerations concerning the limits of the constitutional jurisdiction from the model of Constituition, the character politican of the difficulties with respect to the definition of its formal and material limits from the performance of the Supreme Federal Court

A objetivação do controle concreto de constitucionalidade nas decisões do Supremo Tribunal Federal

The independence of the United States and the revolutions that emerged in Europe in the eighteenth century led to the birth of the written constitution, with a mission to limit the power of the State and to ensure fundamental rights to citizens. Thus, the Constitution has become the norm and ultimate founding of the State. Because of this superiority felt the need to protect her, emerging from that constitutional jurisdiction, taking control of constitutionality of provisions his main instrument. In Brazil, the constitutionality control began with the Constitution of 1891, when "imported" the American model, which is named after incidental diffuse model of judicial review. Indeed, allowed that any judge or court could declare the unconstitutionality of the law or normative act in a concrete case. However, the Brazilian Constituent did not bring the U.S. Institute of stare decisis, by which the precedents of higher courts eventually link the below. Because of this lack, each tribunal Brazilian freely decide about the constitutionality of a rule, so that the decision took effect only between the parties to the dispute. This prompted the emergence of conflicting decisions between judicantes organs, which ultimately undermine legal certainty and the image of the judiciary. As a solution to the problem, was incorporated from the 1934 Constitution to rule that the Senate would suspend the law declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. With the introduction of abstract control of constitutionality, since 1965, the Supreme Court went on to also have the power to declare the invalidity of the provision unconstitutional, effectively against all without the need for the participation of the Senate. However, it remained the view that in case the Supreme Court declared the unconstitutionality of the fuzzy control law by the Senate would continue with the competence to suspend the law unconstitutional, thus the decision of the Praetorium Exalted restricted parties. The 1988 Constitution strengthened the abstract control expanding legitimized the Declaratory Action of Unconstitutionality and creating new mechanisms of abstract control. Adding to this, the Constitutional Amendment. No. 45/2004 brought the requirement of general repercussion and created the Office of Binding Precedent, both to be applied by the Supreme Court judgments in individual cases, thus causing an approximation between the control abstract and concrete constitutional. Saw themselves so that the Supreme Court, to be the guardian of the Constitution, its action should be directed to the trial of issues of public interest. In this new reality, it becomes more necessary the participation of the Senate to the law declared unconstitutional in fuzzy control by the Supreme Court can reach everyone, because such an interpretation has become obsolete. So, to adapt it to this reality, such a rule must be read in the sense that the Senate give publicity to the law declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, since mutated constitutional

Biological control of Bradysia matogrossensis (Diptera : Sciaridae) in mushroom cultivation with predatory mites

Larvae of Sciaridae flies (Diptera) cause considerable damage to the mushroom Agaricus blazei (Murrill) ss. Heinemann in Brazil. Brazilian growers have had considerable difficulties in controlling this pest. The objective of this work was to test the effect of the predatory Laelapidae mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) as a control agent of Bradysia matogrossensis (Lane) in cultures of A. blazei. The work corresponded to an evaluation of the efficiency of that predator when released in boxes containing each about 15 L of commercial mushroom compost naturally infested with the pest. The results showed a significant effect of that predator on the population of B. matogrossensis. The release of either 665 or 1330 S. scimitus per box significantly reduced the pest population to levels that, according to grower's experience, apparently could not cause considerable damage. The positive results obtained warrant the conduction of complementary studies to determine the lowest rates of the predator that could still produce acceptable levels of control.

Effects of plant densities and management of purple nutsedge on sugarcane yield and effect of growth stages and main way of herbicides contact and absorption on the control of tubers

Field experiments carried out with Cyperus rotundus L. at low (58-246), medium (318773), and high (675-1198 shoots/m(2)) densities showed sugarcane yield reductions of 13.5, 29.3, and 45.2%, respectively in relation to the control. In the second field experiment, the integration of a mechanic method with two sequences of plowing and disking operations in the dry season, and complementary applications of trifloxysulfuron-sodium + ametrine and sulfentrazone (rainy season) was studied. Average of the chain connected to original shoot showed 92, 95, and 65% of reduction with trifloxysulfuron-sodium + ametrine and surfactant, at the application stages early, preflowering, and full flowering, respectively.