Microstructural, structural and dielectric properties of Er(3+)-modified BaTi(0.85)Zr(0.15)O(3) ceramics

The (micro)structural and electrical properties of undoped and Er(3+)-doped BaTi(0.85)Zr(0.15)O(3) ceramics were studied in this work for both nominal Ba(2+) and Ti(4+) substitution formulations. The ceramics were produced from solid-state reaction and sintered at 1400 degrees C for 3 h. For those materials prepared following the donor-type nominal Ba(1-x)Er(x)(Ti(0.85)Zr(0.15))O(3) composition, especially, Er(3+) however showed a preferential substitution for the (Ti,Zr)(4+) lattice sites. This allowed synthesis of a finally acceptor-like, highly resistive Ba(Ti,Zr,Er)O(3-delta)-like system, with a solubility limit below but close to 3 cat.% Er(3+). The overall phase development is discussed in terms of the amphoteric nature of Er(3+), and appears to mainly or, at least, partially also involve a minimization of stress effects from the ion size mismatch between the dopant and host cations. Further results presented here include a comparative analysis of the behavior of the materials` grain size, electrical properties and nature of the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase transition upon variation of the formulation and Er(3+) content. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renal ischemia in rats: Mitochondria function and laser autofluorescence

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is the major cause of organ dysfunction or even nonfunction following transplantation. It can attenuate the long-term survival of transplanted organs. To evaluate the severity of renal ischemia injury determined by histology, we applied laser(442 nm and 532 nm) induced fluorescence (LIF), mitochondria respiration, and membrane swelling to evaluate 28 Wistar rats that underwent left kidney warm ischemia for 20, 40, 60, or 80 minutes. LIF performed before ischemia (control) was repeated at 20, 40, 60, and 80 minutes thereafter. We harvested left kidney tissue samples immediately after LIF determination for histology and mitochondrial analyses: state 3 and 4 respiration, respiration control rate (RCR), and membrane swelling. The association of optic spectroscopy with histological damage showed: LIF, 442 nm (r(2) = 0.39, P < .001) and 532 nm, (r(2) = 0.18, P = .003); reflecting laser/fluorescence-induced, 442 nm (r(2) = 0.20, P = .002) and 532 nm (r(2) = 0.004, P = .67). The associations between mitochondria function and tissue damage were: state 3 respiration (r(2) = 0.43, P = .0004), state 4 respiration (r(2) = 0.03, P = 0.38), RCR (r(2) = 0.28, P = .007), and membrane swelling (r(2) = 0.02, P = .43). The intensity of fluorescence emitted by tissue excited by laser, especially at a wave length of 442 nm, was determined in real time. Mitochondrial state 3 respiration and respiratory control ratio also exhibited good correlations with the grade of ischemic tissue damage.

Spectroscopic and structural studies of bis[isopropoxy(thiocarbonyl)]sulfide, [(CH(3))(2)CHOC(S)](2)S

Structural and conformational properties of the molecule bis[isopropoxy(thiocarbonyl)]sulfide, [(CH(3))(2)CHOC(S)](2)S, have been studied by vibrational spectroscopy (IR and Raman) and quantum chemical calculations (HF and B3LYP with 6-31+G* basis sets). The crystal and molecular structure of the title compound was determined by X-ray diffraction methods. It crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group with a = 8.4007(4), b = 13.5936(5), c = 10.3648(5) angstrom, beta = 106.024(4)degrees and Z = 4 molecules per unit cell. The molecules are sited on a crystallographic twofold axis passing through the sulphide atom and arranged in layers perpendicular to the b-axis. The solid state IR and Raman spectra of the compound give no sign of any other rotamer. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lipid, fatty acid, protein, amino acid and ash contents in four Brazilian red algae species

Four species of marine benthic algae (Laurencia filiformis, L. intricata, Gracilaria domingensis and G. birdiae) that belong to the phylum Rhodophyta were collected in Espirito Santo State, Brazil and investigated concerning their biochemical composition (fatty acid, total lipid, soluble proteins, amino acid and ash). The total content of lipid (% dry weight) ranged from 1.1% to 6.2%: fatty acid from 0.7% to 1.0%: soluble protein from 4.6% to 18.3%, amino acid from 6.7% to 11.3% and ash from 22.5% to 38.4%. judging from their composition, the four species of algae appear to be potential sources of dietary proteins, amino acids, lipids and essential fatty acids for humans and animals. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring The Spatial Relationships Between Human-Tiger Conflicts In Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra

Large-carnivores and humans are increasingly in conflict as humans encroach on their natural territory. As a result, many large-carnivore species have become endangered due to habitat destruction, prey reduction and retaliatory killings from conflicts. No global internet database, however, exists to document, monitor and evaluate these conflicts, particularly to take advantage of the growing spatial resources available. Using human-tiger conflicts in Malaysia and Sumatra as a case study, this project explores how such a database could be created. GIS was used to conduct multiple analyses on the data obtained about these conflicts. We conclude that a database would require data to be compiled according to a protocol based on these spatial scales: Point, Sub-State Polygon and Provincial.

Adaptive, Decentralized, And Real-Time Sampling Strategies For Resource Constrained Hydraulic And Hydrologic Sensor Networks

We discuss the development and performance of a low-power sensor node (hardware, software and algorithms) that autonomously controls the sampling interval of a suite of sensors based on local state estimates and future predictions of water flow. The problem is motivated by the need to accurately reconstruct abrupt state changes in urban watersheds and stormwater systems. Presently, the detection of these events is limited by the temporal resolution of sensor data. It is often infeasible, however, to increase measurement frequency due to energy and sampling constraints. This is particularly true for real-time water quality measurements, where sampling frequency is limited by reagent availability, sensor power consumption, and, in the case of automated samplers, the number of available sample containers. These constraints pose a significant barrier to the ubiquitous and cost effective instrumentation of large hydraulic and hydrologic systems. Each of our sensor nodes is equipped with a low-power microcontroller and a wireless module to take advantage of urban cellular coverage. The node persistently updates a local, embedded model of flow conditions while IP-connectivity permits each node to continually query public weather servers for hourly precipitation forecasts. The sampling frequency is then adjusted to increase the likelihood of capturing abrupt changes in a sensor signal, such as the rise in the hydrograph – an event that is often difficult to capture through traditional sampling techniques. Our architecture forms an embedded processing chain, leveraging local computational resources to assess uncertainty by analyzing data as it is collected. A network is presently being deployed in an urban watershed in Michigan and initial results indicate that the system accurately reconstructs signals of interest while significantly reducing energy consumption and the use of sampling resources. We also expand our analysis by discussing the role of this approach for the efficient real-time measurement of stormwater systems.

University System Governance and Organization

University systems rely on organizational and governance structures to balance the interest, missions, and needs of constituent campuses. This report examines organizational and governance structures of four public university systems. It explores the organizational structures of governing boards and administrative offices, as well as the role of system offices in coordinating across constituent campuses and protecting mission differentiation.

A note on growth and inflation

A simple exercise on growth and inflationary financing of public expenditures is presented in this note. In a parameterized overlapping generations mode1 where government expenses positivc1y affects the growth rate of human capital, steady state capital and output increase with inflation, reproducing the so called Tobin effect. For large inflation rates, however, government authorities cannot affect real variables and there are only nominal effects. It is also shown that the optimal policy implies some inflation but not growth maximization.

Analysis of the restructuring of the Russian defence industry (by the example of aviation industry and knaapo) and the creation of United Aviation Construction Corporation

The present study is focused on the analysis of the three main governmental measures occurred in 2000-2006 in Russian defense industry: the creation of the holding structures, the establishing of the state monopoly in arms export, and creation of the United Aviation Construction Corporation (Ob¿edinennaya Aviastroitel¿naya Corporatziya), which was initiated by the President and Government of Russian Federation in 2006. The last project assumes the consolidation and joining of all producers of civil and military aviation into one united corporation in order to save the technological and productive potential of the sector after serious crisis in 1990-s. On the other hand, this project can be considered as one of the measures to establish state control and hierarchy in the defense industry. The current project tries to analyze the necessity and the possible impacts of restructuring processes. In order to perform such analysis, I need to observe the evolution of the sector, which involves the description of the restructuring and reforming of the industry since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The current situation in aviation sector was shaped by number of reforms performed by Government of Russian Federation, which I describe in phases: conversion, privatization, decentralization, followed by evident desire of the state to establish control over some companies. Later on, I am trying to understand the reasons lying behind all reforms of 2000-2006 and the integration of the industry. I also try to predict which impacts on the companies it will have. The last part presents the main conclusions of the paper.

Marketing de relacionamento como Estratégia de otimização da carteira de clientes: o caso de uma empresa operadora de planos de saúde no Rio Grande do Sul

Os serviços em geral estão em evolução dentro de um cenário de crescente competição, e as particularidades de cada segmento necessitam ser atendidas de forma manter os clientes atuais ampliar carteira dentre os clientes potenciais. papel do relacionamento nas atividades de serviços torna-se cada dia mais importante, em especial se setor da atividade da saúde. saúde um setor onde tecnologia pouco contribui para redução dos custos; ao contrário, encarece prática da medicina, juntamente com acréscimo da demanda das expectativas dos usuários. Além disso, setor passou para condição de concessionário, regulamentado por uma Agência governamental, com forte pressão de nova legislação qual aumentou significativamente as coberturas serem entregues pelos Planos de Saúde seus usuários, ampliada pelos órgãos de defesa do consumidor pela exposição na mídia, por tratar-se de assunto de forte apelo social, econômico político. estudo analisa, através de uma pesquisa, importância de um programa de Marketing de Relacionamento desenvolvido por um Grupo que presta serviços de saúde no interior do Rio Grande do Sul, qual procura manter os clientes atuais ampliar sua carteira. organização desenvolve um programa valorizando os colaboradores, orienta-se para mercado busca fortalecer as relações internas externas, por meio do comprometimento, da confiança da cooperação, que são as bases do relacionamento. Os resultados apontam para validade do programa no tocante fidelização dos atuais clientes, sua evolução permite prever fortalecimento dos vínculos do Grupo com seus colaboradores clientes, necessitando de mais tempo para confirmar eficácia também na ampliação de sua carteira.

Inflation, welfare and public expenditures

This paper studies welfare effects of monetary policy in an overlapping generations model with capital and no form of taxation other than inflation. Public expenditures have a positive effect on labor productivity. The main result of the paper is that an expansive monetary policy can be welfare improving, at least for ìsmall enoughî inflation rates, and that there is an optimal inflation rate. Growth maximization, however, is never optimal. Steady-state capital and output increase with inflation, reproducing the so-called Tobin effect. For large inflation rates, however, the government authorities cannot affect real variables and there are only nominal effects.

The effects of trust in Brazilian PNPs: interpersonal and interorganizational trust in the cultural sector social organizations in São Paulo, Brazil

This study seeks to evaluate how enterorganizational and interpersonal trust affects the degree of State interference in the operations of public-nonprofit partnerships (PNPs). We conducted a qualitative case study in two Brazilian PNPs, Projeto Guri and Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, through documental analysis and semi-structured interviews. Content analysis of the data yielded a trust framework that begins to explain how a variety of factors, including the protective qualities of the management contract and the strength of the board, moderate the relationship between interpersonal and interorganizational trust in PNPs. The study reveals that unlike Zaheer et al (1998), interpersonal trust had a unique and prominent effect on State interference and types of collaboration in PNPs. Parting from the suggestions by previous authors to contextualize PNP literature findings, the framework takes into account the highly personalistic qualities of Brazilian culture as well as historical and institutional context while highlighting the crucial role of interpersonal trust in Brazilian PNPs.

Time-dependent or state-dependent pricing? Evidence from a large devaluation episode

State-dependent and time-dependent price setting models yield distinct implications for how frequency and magnitude of price changes react to shocks. This note studies pricing behavior in Brazil following the large devaluation of the Brazilian Real in 1999 to distinguish between models. The results are consistent with state-dependent pricing

“O sindicato que a ditadura queria”: o Ministério do Trabalho no governo Castelo Branco (1964-1967)

Esse trabalho tenta analisar a atuação do Ministério do Trabalho através da articulação de seus ministros com outras áreas da burocracia estatal, durante o governo Castelo Branco, para, por um lado, reprimir e expurgar opiniões contrárias ao regime ditatorial e, por outro, promover uma nova política para os trabalhadores, o “novo trabalhismo”. O termo condensava a ideia da área econômica de ‘democratizar’ as oportunidades, ampliando as atribuições dos sindicatos, deslocando o seu foco das reivindicações salariais para o desenvolvimento, em associação com o governo, de projetos e programas de investimentos nos setores sociais de produtividade indireta. Para implementar a proposta, cada ministro teve que lidar com as pressões advindas do processo de alteração da política trabalhista e articular os seus interesses pessoais com as atribuições da pasta. Arnaldo Sussekind resistiu às demandas para o fim da estabilidade, alterou a Lei de Greve, permitiu o fracionamento do 13º salário e abriu espaço para a implantação da política salarial. Ao mesmo tempo promoveu uma massiva intervenção nos sindicatos, cujos processos permitem conhecer melhor o interior da burocracia estatal, perceber os argumentos utilizados para afastar as diretorias das entidades e questionar a tomada de decisões dentro do ministério sob o novo contexto social pós-golpe. Walter Peracchi Barcelos utilizou a pasta como trampolim político, propondo e executando ações repressivas que lhe garantiam vantagens políticas e negligenciando projetos da área econômica, como o Fundo de Garantia por Tempo de Serviço, que ameaçavam importantes conquistas dos trabalhadores. Por fim, Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento e Silva reformulou o Banco Nacional da Habitação e unificou a previdência, ações que permitiram a transferência de atribuições e recursos do Estado para a iniciativa privada. A pesquisa, portanto, sustenta que o Ministério do Trabalho, após o golpe, perdeu poder político dentro do governo por permitir a transferência de suas atribuições para camadas da elite empresarial e para os militares, forçando os sindicatos a modificarem seus canais de diálogo e suas reivindicações para se adaptarem ao novo contexto.

Prevalence of orofacial clefts and social factors in Brazil

RODRIGUES, Katamara et al. Prevalence of orofacial clefts and social factors in Brazil. Brazilian oral research, v.23, n. 1, p. 38-42, 2009.Disponivel em: . Acesso em: 04 out. 2010.