Inferences of body energy reserves on conception rate of suckled Zebu beef cows subjected to timed artificial insemination followed by natural mating

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

Use of plastic tips in artificial feeding of Dermacentor (Anocentor) nitens females Neumann, 1897 (Acari: Ixodidae)

The establishment of laboratory colonies of ticks is often hampered by their lack of adaptation to alternative hosts. The aim of this study was to artificially feed partially engorged Dermacentor (Anocentor) nitens females through plastic tips, and to identify what are the optimal conditions of application of this technique to get as much as possible close to the natural conditions. The technique of artificial feeding through plastic tips allowed the engorgement of D. nitens ticks to a final weight within the normal range for the species. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Social-spider optimization-based artificial neural networks training and its applications for Parkinson's disease identification

Evolutionary algorithms have been widely used for Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) training, being the idea to update the neurons' weights using social dynamics of living organisms in order to decrease the classification error. In this paper, we have introduced Social-Spider Optimization to improve the training phase of ANN with Multilayer perceptrons, and we validated the proposed approach in the context of Parkinson's Disease recognition. The experimental section has been carried out against with five other well-known meta-heuristics techniques, and it has shown SSO can be a suitable approach for ANN-MLP training step.

Analysis of Structural Integrity Using an ARTMAP-Fuzzy Artificial Neural Network

This paper presents the application of artificial neural networks in the analysis of the structural integrity of a building. The main objective is to apply an artificial neural network based on adaptive resonance theory, called ARTMAP-Fuzzy neural network and apply it to the identification and characterization of structural failure. This methodology can help professionals in the inspection of structures, to identify and characterize flaws in order to conduct preventative maintenance to ensure the integrity of the structure and decision-making. In order to validate the methodology was modeled a building of two walk, and from this model were simulated various situations (base-line condition and improper conditions), resulting in a database of signs, which were used as input data for ARTMAP-Fuzzy network. The results show efficiency, robustness and accuracy.

Construction and preliminary characterization of a river buffalo bacterial artificial chromosome library

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

Desempenho fisiológico e superação de dormência em sementes de Brachiaria brizantha submetidas a tratamento químico e envelhecimento artificial

The use of seeds of B. brizantha has increased, however, the physiological quality of seeds available to the producer is still a limiting factor for a good performance culture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects caused by chemical scarification, different periods of aging and priming on physiological quality and overcoming seed dormancy B. brizantha cv. MG-5 Victory. The seeds were subjected to chemical scarification-H2SO4 ( presence and absence), artificial aging periods ( zero, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168 hours) at 41 degrees C and priming using the 0,2 KNO3 % ( presence and absence) for two hours at 25 degrees C, creating a completely randomized design in factorial 2x8x2, with four repetitions. The seeds were evaluated by testing germination and vigor. Chemical scarification is an effective method for breaking dormancy, but decreases the physiological seed. Overcoming seed dormancy B. brizantha occurs with the use of artificial aging for non-scarified and scarified seeds. Priming generally has no effect on the physiological quality and overcoming seed dormancy B. brizantha, however, it provides less loss of cellular constituents.

Dinâmica folicular ovariana e bases para a aplicação das biotécnicas da reprodução em bovinos

In the last years Brazil has achieved a leading position in worldwide cattle breeding. This country is consolidating the practice of an intensive and technical level cattle breeding, due to greater emphasis on reproductive efficiency and genetic improvement. The attention given to reproductive efficiency became to enhance the genetic improvement process, by exploiting the full reproductive potential of the animals. The biotechniques applied to reproduction arised to expand the reproductive potential for greater economic return. Are the most important reproductive biotechniques the FTAI and in vivo and in vitro embryo production for embryo transfer. Different hormonal treatments are consolidating to interfere with normal physiology in order to achieve the desired goals. The FTAI works to increase the reproductive rates of cattle through pre-booked artificial insemination in all the females in reproduction, without the need for estrous detection. The in vivo and in vitro embryo production aims to distribute the genetics of males and females genetically improved by transferring their embryos to genetically inferior females. Superovulation treatments designed to prevent the mechanism of dominance, which results in many follicles ovulating simultaneously for in vivo embryo production. To the in vitro embryo production, the technique of ovarian puncture guided by transvaginal ultrasound allows to aspirate a number of quality oocytes. The application of biotech is based on knowledge of the female and ovarian reproductive physiology and knowledge of their acting in different breeds and environments.

Jogo baseado em simulação de vida artificial

The market of digital games have grown in the last years, becoming popular between many ages, the number of smartphones and tablets users have also showed a recent increase, including the ones using Android as operational system. The main objective of a digital game is the ludic activity but also it can be used as a tool to education, learning and even simulation. This work proposes the development of a game for smartphones or tablet running on Android operational system, this game will simulate living beings in an environment, each one with different behaviors, based in the concepts of artificial live, cellular automata and emergence. This way simulating the behavior of a living being community with a computational base in artificial live and following concepts of game design. The game can represent visually some characteristics of living beings, as well behaviors and interactions between them, in a very simple way. The game can be upgraded in the future to represent better living beings using more details to the simulation of these

Módulo web de suporte para o jogo baseado em vida artificial

The applications market is heated and has grown in the recent years, every day thousands of apps are downloaded and many of these are electronic games and are intended for smartphones and tablets. The electronic games are often integrated with an online system which has the function of providing extra functionality to the players. This project proposes the development of online support system to a game designed for mobile devices, consisting of a website and a database which has the function of storing data online beyond a system called the back end which has the function to integrate all the modules mentioned previously

Efeito do tipo de adesivo e do seu mecanismo de ativação, assim como da viscosidade da resina composta, na resistência de união à dentina antes e após envelhecimento artificial

Pós-graduação em Odontologia Restauradora - ICT

Effect of thermal and mechanical cycles on the hardness and roughness of artificial teeth

In this study the effects of thermal and mechanical cycles on the hardness and roughness of artificial teeth were evaluated. Materials and Methods:Specimens were prepared and stored in distilled water at 37ºC for 48 hours (n=10).The hardness and roughness readings were made in the following time intervals, according to each group:G1: after specimen storage in distilled water at 37°C for 48 hours; G2: after 600.000 constant mechanical cycles; G3: after 1.200.000 constant mechanical cycles; G4: after 2.500 thermalcycling baths, alternated between hot water (55°C) and cold water (5°C) and G5: after 5.000 thermalcycling baths, alternated between hot water (55°C) and cold water (5°C). After cycling and storage procedures, the specimens of each group were submittedto surface roughness and hardness readouts. Statistical evaluation was performed by three-way analysis of variance, complemented by the Tukey multiple comparisons of means test. The level of significance adopted was 5%. There was no significant difference between G1, G4 and G5 as regards mean roughness of different brands of artificial teeth. Groups G2 and G3 showed higher mean roughness values, and generally equivalent values in all time intervals, except for Trilux (G3> G2). Significant differences in hardness values were observed in different brands of artificial teeth, and differences in values after thermal and mechanical cycling. In conclusion, our findings suggest that thermal cyclingdid not change the roughness of the artificial teeth tested, but after the mechanical cycling the roughness values increased. Thermal and mechanical cycling influenced the hardness of the artificial teeth tested.

Influence of the addition of chlorhexidine diacetate on bond strength of a high-viscosity glass ionomer cement to sound and artificial caries-affected dentin

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Artificial neural network associated to UV/Vis spectroscopy for monitoring bioreactions in biopharmaceutical processes

Currently, mammalian cells are the most utilized hosts for biopharmaceutical production. The culture media for these cell lines include commonly in their composition a pH indicator. Spectroscopic techniques are used for biopharmaceutical process monitoring, among them, UV–Vis spectroscopy has found scarce applications. This work aimed to define artificial neural networks architecture and fit its parameters to predict some nutrients and metabolites, as well as viable cell concentration based on UV–Vis spectral data of mammalian cell bioprocess using phenol red in culture medium. The BHK-21 cell line was used as a mammalian cell model. Off-line spectra of supernatant samples taken from batches performed at different dissolved oxygen concentrations in two bioreactor configurations and with two pH control strategies were used to define two artificial neural networks. According to absolute errors, glutamine (0.13 ± 0.14 mM), glutamate (0.02 ± 0.02 mM), glucose (1.11 ± 1.70 mM), lactate (0.84 ± 0.68 mM) and viable cell concentrations (1.89 105 ± 1.90 105 cell/mL) were suitably predicted. The prediction error averages for monitored variables were lower than those previously reported using different spectroscopic techniques in combination with partial least squares or artificial neural network. The present work allows for UV–VIS sensor development, and decreases cost related to nutrients and metabolite quantifications.

A method using artificial neural networks to morphologically assess mouse blastocyst quality

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

Avaliação in vitro do efeito das tinturas de Camellia sinensis e de Aloe arborescens na remineralização de lesão de cárie artificial em esmalte dentário humano

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)