Does the plankton community follow the horizontal water quality heterogeneity in a tropical urban reservoir (Guarapiranga reservoir, Sao Paulo, Brazil)?

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

Caracterização da liga Ti-15Zr visando aplicações biomédicas

With advances in health care, has been na increase of demand for material that could replace the functions of the human body parts, thus evolved biomedic prosthesis which today are responsible for the constant improvement of the quality of life. The Titanium alloys are widely used as implants due to its properties, like high mechanical resistance, biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, and the addition alloying elements like Zirconium, may improve some of those properties. Such properties are related to the microstructure and consequently to the type of processing performed. The purpose of this dissertation was to characterize the experimental alloy Ti15Zr after route of processsing and heat treatment in order to extend the knowledge about this alloy. The latter has been abtained by fusion of pure metals in a arc melting furnace with an inert argon atmosphere. The material has been homogenized in a tube furnace at 950ºC for 24h and cold worked by swaging, after that, bars with 10 mm of diameter were obtained by the process of rotary forging. The samples were solubilized at 900º C for 2 hours and quenched in water. After that, 4 samples were submitted to the aging, at 400º C, 450º C, 500º C and 550º C. The microstructure and phase analysis was done by optical microscopy and X-rays diffraction (XRD), the mechanical characterization was carried out by microhardness test and finally, evaluation of corrosion resistance of the alloy by electrochemical tests. The XRD and the optical microscopy made it possible to analyze that the heat treatment influenced the phase shifting from α to α', and probably affected the alloy hardness, at the first aged sample at 500º Chas been a sudden increase in the value of hardness, probably by appearance of omega phase, unwanted phase to the medical application duo to great fragility, and finally ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Fisiologia, qualidade e produtividade da videira cv Syrah em diferentes estratégias de irrigação no semiárido

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

Caracterização da liga Ti-15Zr visando aplicações biomédicas

With advances in health care, has been na increase of demand for material that could replace the functions of the human body parts, thus evolved biomedic prosthesis which today are responsible for the constant improvement of the quality of life. The Titanium alloys are widely used as implants due to its properties, like high mechanical resistance, biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, and the addition alloying elements like Zirconium, may improve some of those properties. Such properties are related to the microstructure and consequently to the type of processing performed. The purpose of this dissertation was to characterize the experimental alloy Ti15Zr after route of processsing and heat treatment in order to extend the knowledge about this alloy. The latter has been abtained by fusion of pure metals in a arc melting furnace with an inert argon atmosphere. The material has been homogenized in a tube furnace at 950ºC for 24h and cold worked by swaging, after that, bars with 10 mm of diameter were obtained by the process of rotary forging. The samples were solubilized at 900º C for 2 hours and quenched in water. After that, 4 samples were submitted to the aging, at 400º C, 450º C, 500º C and 550º C. The microstructure and phase analysis was done by optical microscopy and X-rays diffraction (XRD), the mechanical characterization was carried out by microhardness test and finally, evaluation of corrosion resistance of the alloy by electrochemical tests. The XRD and the optical microscopy made it possible to analyze that the heat treatment influenced the phase shifting from α to α', and probably affected the alloy hardness, at the first aged sample at 500º Chas been a sudden increase in the value of hardness, probably by appearance of omega phase, unwanted phase to the medical application duo to great fragility, and finally ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Fisiologia, qualidade e produtividade da videira cv Syrah em diferentes estratégias de irrigação no semiárido

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

What can light scattering spectroscopy do for membrane-active peptide studies

Highly charged peptides are important components of the immune system and belong to an important family of antibiotics. Although their therapeutic activity is known, most of the molecular level mechanisms are controversial. A wide variety of different approaches are usually applied to understand their mechanisms, but light scattering techniques are frequently overlooked. Yet, light scattering is a noninvasive technique that allows insights both on the peptide mechanism of action as well as on the development of new antibiotics. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and static light scattering (SLS) are used to measure the aggregation process of lipid vesicles upon addition of peptides and molecular properties (shape, molecular weight). The high charge of these peptides allows electrostatic attraction toward charged lipid vesicles, which is studied by zeta potential (zeta-potential) measurements. Copyright (c) 2008 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Obtaining NiAl intermetallic compound using different milling devices

NiAl intermetallic compound was synthesized by mechanical alloying technique in planetary and attritor mills. The starting powders consisted of elemental mixtures of Ni and Al at Ni50Al50(at%) composition. In the planetary mill, compound formation occurred gradually during mechanical alloying, while the occurrence of a mechanically induced self-propagating reaction (MSR) can be suggested in the attritor mill. The NiAl obtained in both mill types was partially disordered with long-range order parameter not inferior to 0.66. Quantitative phase analysis using the Rietveld method was performed in as-milled samples, and this method was also employed to estimate changes in crystallite size and lattice strain of the NiAl produced during mechanical alloying. (C) 2011 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.

Percolation transition in quantum Ising and rotor models with sub-Ohmic dissipation

We investigate the influence of sub-Ohmic dissipation on randomly diluted quantum Ising and rotor models. The dissipation causes the quantum dynamics of sufficiently large percolation clusters to freeze completely. As a result, the zero-temperature quantum phase transition across the lattice percolation threshold separates an unusual super-paramagnetic cluster phase from an inhomogeneous ferromagnetic phase. We determine the low-temperature thermodynamic behavior in both phases, which is dominated by large frozen and slowly fluctuating percolation clusters. We relate our results to the smeared transition scenario for disordered quantum phase transitions, and we compare the cases of sub-Ohmic, Ohmic, and super-Ohmic dissipation.

Low-dimensional carbon allotropes: an electron microscopy investigation

The research reported in this manuscript concerns the structural characterization of graphene membranes and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The experimental investigation was performed using a wide range of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, from conventional imaging and diffraction, to advanced interferometric methods, like electron holography and Geometric Phase Analysis (GPA), using a low-voltage optical set-up, to reduce radiation damage in the samples. Electron holography was used to successfully measure the mean electrostatic potential of an isolated SWCNT and that of a mono-atomically thin graphene crystal. The high accuracy achieved in the phase determination, made it possible to measure, for the first time, the valence-charge redistribution induced by the lattice curvature in an individual SWCNT. A novel methodology for the 3D reconstruction of the waviness of a 2D crystal membrane has been developed. Unlike other available TEM reconstruction techniques, like tomography, this new one requires processing of just a single HREM micrograph. The modulations of the inter-planar distances in the HREM image are measured using Geometric Phase Analysis, and used to recover the waviness of the crystal. The method was applied to the case of a folded FGC, and a height variation of 0.8 nm of the surface was successfully determined with nanometric lateral resolution. The adhesion of SWCNTs to the surface of graphene was studied, mixing shortened SWCNTs of different chiralities and FGC membranes. The spontaneous atomic match of the two lattices was directly imaged using HREM, and we found that graphene membranes act as tangential nano-sieves, preferentially grafting achiral tubes to their surface.

Charakterisierung antiker Keramik und ihrer Herstellungstechniken mit mineralogischen Methoden am Beispiel Mayener Gebrauchskeramik

Mehr als hundert Jahre archäologischer Forschung haben gezeigt, dass in Mayen in römischer und mittelalterlicher Zeit eines der wichtigsten europäischen Produktionszentren für die Herstellung qualitätsvoller Gebrauchskeramik bestand. Im Rahmen dieser Studie wurden vier Befundkomplexe aus Töpfereisiedlungen vom 4. bis in das 14. Jahrhundert untersucht. Genauer handelt es sich um Keramik aus zwei spätantiken Brennanlagen des 4. Jahrhunderts im Bereich der Flur „Auf der Eich“ an den Straßen „Am Sonnenhang“ und „Frankenstraße“. Weiterhin konnte Material aus zwei Töpferofenfüllungen des 5. bis 9. Jahrhunderts analysiert werden, das 1975 auf dem Grundstück 55 an der „Siegfriedstraße“ in Brennanlagen entdeckt wurde. Hinzu kam Brenngut aus elf Töpferöfen des späten 8. bis 14. Jahrhunderts, welches in den so genannten „Burggärten“ der Genovevaburg von Mayen in den Jahren 1986/87 durch die archäologische Denkmalpflege in Koblenz geborgen wurde. Die mineralogischen Untersuchungen zur Charakterisierung der „Mayener Keramik“ wurden systematisch an den Keramikmaterialien aus diesen Fundstellen durchgeführt. Mittelalterliche Keramik aus Bornheim-Walberberg, Brühl-Eckdorf, Höhr-Grenzhausen, Langerwehe, Frechen, Brühl-Pingsdorf, Paffrath, Raeren, Ratingen-Breitscheid, Siegburg-Seehofstraße, Siegburg-Scherbenhügel, Fredelsloh und Brühl-Badorf konnte für diese Arbeit als Referenzmaterialien ebenfalls untersucht werden. Provenienzanalysen wurden an Keramikproben aus 27 Fundorten, die makroskopisch nach Mayener Ware aussehen, mit mineralogischen Methoden durchgeführt, um sie der Fundregion Mayen eindeutig zuordnen zu können.rnPhasenanalyse, chemische Analyse und thermische Analyse wurden an Keramik sowie Ton durchgeführt. Die Phasenanalyse wurde zur Bestimmung der mineralischen Zusammensetzung von Grundmasse und Magerungsmittel (Röntgendiffraktometrie (XRD), Polarisationsmikroskop, Mikro-Raman-Spektroskopie) verwendet. Die chemische Zusammensetzung wurde durch Röntgenfluoreszenzanalyse (RFA) ermittelt. Elektronenstrahlmikroanalyse (ESMA) und Laser-Massenspektrometrie mit induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma (LA-ICP-MS) wurden bei den Proben, bei denen weniger als 2g Material zur Verfügung standen, eingesetzt. Brennexperimente wurden am originalen Rohstoff der Keramik aus den „Burggärten“ der Genovevaburg durchgeführt. Gebrannter Ton wurde durch Röntgendiffraktometrie (XRD), Infrarotspektroskopie (IR) und Differential-Thermoanalyse (DTA) analysiert. rnAnhand der Messergebnisse lässt sich die Mayener Keramik aus den vier Fundplätzen in zwei Typen zusammenzufassen: der mit Feldspat-reichem Sand gemagerte römische Typ und der mit Quarz-reichem Sand gemagerte mittelalterliche Typ. Die Änderung des Magerungsmittels von Feldspat- zu Quarzsand weist eine technische Entwicklung zu höheren Brenntemperaturen von der Römerzeit bis in das Mittelalter nach. Nach der Untersuchung und dem Vergleich mit den Referenzkeramikgruppen ist festzustellen, dass durch multivariate Statistikanalysen der chemischen Komponenten die Charakterisierung der Keramik und eine Differenzierung zwischen den Keramikgruppen gelingt. Diese Erkenntnisse bildeten die Basis für Provenienzanalysen. 16 Fundorte können durch Provenienzanalyse sicher als Exportregionen der Mayener Ware festgestellt werden. Gemäß den Brennexperimenten lassen sich die chemischen Reaktionen während des Brandprozesses nachvollziehen. Zwei Methoden wurden mittels Röntgendiffraktometrie (XRD) und Differential-Thermoanalyse (DTA) zur Bestimmung der Brenntemperaturen der Keramik modelliert. Die Töpferöfen der „Burggärten“ können nach der Brenntemperatur in zwei Typen zusammengefasst werden: solche mit einer Brenntemperatur unter 1050°C und solche mit einer Brenntemperatur über 1050°C.rn

Thermal structure and dynamical modeling of a Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone

In the present work, a detailed analysis of a Mediterranean TLC occurred in January 2014 has been conducted. The author is not aware of other studies regarding this particular event at the publication of this thesis. In order to outline the cyclone evolution, observational data, including weather-stations data, satellite data, radar data and photographic evidence, were collected at first. After having identified the cyclone path and its general features, the GLOBO, BOLAM and MOLOCH NWP models, developed at ISAC-CNR (Bologna), were used to simulate the phenomenon. Particular attention was paid on the Mediterranean phase as well as on the Atlantic phase, since the cyclone showed a well defined precursor up to 3 days before the minimum formation in the Alboran Sea. The Mediterranean phase has been studied using different combinations of GLOBO, BOLAM and MOLOCH models, so as to evaluate the best model chain to simulate this kind of phenomena. The BOLAM and MOLOCH models showed the best performance, by adjusting the path erroneously deviated in the National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and ECMWF operational models. The analysis of the cyclone thermal phase shown the presence of a deep-warm core structure in many cases, thus confirming the tropical-like nature of the system. Furthermore, the results showed high sensitivity to initial conditions in the whole lifetime of the cyclone, while the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) modification leads only to small changes in the Adriatic phase. The Atlantic phase has been studied using GLOBO and BOLAM model and with the aid of the same methodology already developed. After tracing the precursor, in the form of a low-pressure system, from the American East Coast to Spain, the thermal phase analysis was conducted. The parameters obtained showed evidence of a deep-cold core asymmetric structure during the whole Atlantic phase, while the first contact with the Mediterranean Sea caused a sudden transition to a shallow-warm core structure. The examination of Potential Vorticity (PV) 3-dimensional structure revealed the presence of a PV streamer that individually formed over Greenland and eventually interacted with the low-pressure system over the Spanish coast, favouring the first phase of the cyclone baroclinic intensification. Finally, the development of an automated system that tracks and studies the thermal phase of Mediterranean cyclones has been encouraged. This could lead to the forecast of potential tropical transition, against with a minimum computational investment.

Right ventricular systolic function and cardiac resynchronization therapy

AIMS: The effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) has not been well studied. Furthermore, it is unclear whether baseline RVEF influences response to CRT. To evaluate the acute and chronic effects of CRT on right ventricular systolic function, and to investigate whether baseline RVEF impacts response to CRT. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-four patients with a standard indication for CRT underwent radionuclide angiography at baseline and after at least 6 months' follow-up for measuring RVEF, right ventricular synchrony (using phase analysis), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). In addition, NYHA functional class and 6-min walking distance (6MWD) were evaluated. There were no significant acute changes in RVEF with CRT. After a mean follow-up of 9 +/- 5 months, RVEF was slightly improved (by 1.9 +/- 5.0% in absolute terms, P = 0.016), and to a lesser extent than LVEF (5.1 +/- 9.0%, P = 0.009 compared with RVEF). Right ventricular dyssynchrony was significantly improved at follow-up (P = 0.016). Patients with a baseline RVEF < or = 0.35 (n = 19) were less likely to improve in NYHA class (P = 0.016), and also tended to improve less in 6MWD and LVEF (P < 0.06). CONCLUSION: Cardiac resynchronization therapy has no acute effect on RVEF, and only slightly improves RVEF at follow-up. Patients with reduced RVEF at baseline were less likely to respond to CRT, indicating that right ventricular systolic dysfunction may play a role in patient selection.

Archivos y empresas : Un consenso ineludible

El artículo que presentamos tiene por objeto analizar la necesaria presencia de un servicio de archivos en las empresas, en aras de la rentabilidad y la eficacia. Para ello, estructuramos el trabajo en dos apartados: por un lado, analizamos las propiedades que hoy caracterizan a la Archivística y proponemos una definición de nuestra disciplina; por otro, nos centramos en la necesaria acción de la gestión documental en las empresas. Tras describir en qué consiste dicha gestión documental, exponemos las fases para la planificación de un sistema archivístico en cualquier organización empresarial (fase de análisis, elaboración y diseño, implantación del sistema y control). Para esto último, realizamos una comparación sistemática de lo que dicen al respecto algunos autores

Archivos y empresas : Un consenso ineludible

El artículo que presentamos tiene por objeto analizar la necesaria presencia de un servicio de archivos en las empresas, en aras de la rentabilidad y la eficacia. Para ello, estructuramos el trabajo en dos apartados: por un lado, analizamos las propiedades que hoy caracterizan a la Archivística y proponemos una definición de nuestra disciplina; por otro, nos centramos en la necesaria acción de la gestión documental en las empresas. Tras describir en qué consiste dicha gestión documental, exponemos las fases para la planificación de un sistema archivístico en cualquier organización empresarial (fase de análisis, elaboración y diseño, implantación del sistema y control). Para esto último, realizamos una comparación sistemática de lo que dicen al respecto algunos autores

Archivos y empresas : Un consenso ineludible

El artículo que presentamos tiene por objeto analizar la necesaria presencia de un servicio de archivos en las empresas, en aras de la rentabilidad y la eficacia. Para ello, estructuramos el trabajo en dos apartados: por un lado, analizamos las propiedades que hoy caracterizan a la Archivística y proponemos una definición de nuestra disciplina; por otro, nos centramos en la necesaria acción de la gestión documental en las empresas. Tras describir en qué consiste dicha gestión documental, exponemos las fases para la planificación de un sistema archivístico en cualquier organización empresarial (fase de análisis, elaboración y diseño, implantación del sistema y control). Para esto último, realizamos una comparación sistemática de lo que dicen al respecto algunos autores