Aircraft routing with minimal climate impact: the REACT4C climate cost function modelling approach (V1.0)

In addition to CO2, the climate impact of aviation is strongly influenced by non-CO2 emissions, such as nitrogen oxides, influencing ozone and methane, and water vapour, which can lead to the formation of persistent contrails in ice-supersaturated regions. Because these non-CO2 emission effects are characterised by a short lifetime, their climate impact largely depends on emission location and time; that is to say, emissions in certain locations (or times) can lead to a greater climate impact (even on the global average) than the same emission in other locations (or times). Avoiding these climate-sensitive regions might thus be beneficial to climate. Here, we describe a modelling chain for investigating this climate impact mitigation option. This modelling chain forms a multi-step modelling approach, starting with the simulation of the fate of emissions released at a certain location and time (time-region grid points). This is performed with the chemistry–climate model EMAC, extended via the two submodels AIRTRAC (V1.0) and CONTRAIL (V1.0), which describe the contribution of emissions to the composition of the atmosphere and to contrail formation, respectively. The impact of emissions from the large number of time-region grid points is efficiently calculated by applying a Lagrangian scheme. EMAC also includes the calculation of radiative impacts, which are, in a second step, the input to climate metric formulas describing the global climate impact of the emission at each time-region grid point. The result of the modelling chain comprises a four-dimensional data set in space and time, which we call climate cost functions and which describes the global climate impact of an emission at each grid point and each point in time. In a third step, these climate cost functions are used in an air traffic simulator (SAAM) coupled to an emission tool (AEM) to optimise aircraft trajectories for the North Atlantic region. Here, we describe the details of this new modelling approach and show some example results. A number of sensitivity analyses are performed to motivate the settings of individual parameters. A stepwise sanity check of the results of the modelling chain is undertaken to demonstrate the plausibility of the climate cost functions.

Can milk proteins be a useful tool in the management of cardiometabolic health? An updated review of human intervention trials

The prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases is a significant public health burden worldwide. Emerging evidence supports the inverse association between greater dairy consumption and reduced risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Dairy proteins may have in important role in the favourable impact of dairy on human health such as blood pressure (BP) control, blood lipid and glucose control. The purpose of this review is to update and critically evaluate the evidence on the impacts of casein and whey protein in relation to metabolic function. Evidence from acute clinical studies assessing postprandial responses to milk protein ingestion suggests benefits on vascular function independent of BP, as well as improvement in glycaemic homeostasis. Chronic interventions have been less conclusive, with some showing benefits and others indicating a lack of improvement in vascular function. During chronic consumption BP appears to be lowered and both dyslipidaemia and hyperglacaemia seems to be controlled. Limited number of trials investigated the effects of dairy proteins on oxidative stress and inflammation. The beneficial changes in cardiometabolic homeostasis are likely mediated through improvements in insulin resistance, however to gain more detailed understanding on the underlying mechanism of milk proteins warrants further research. The incorporation of meals enriched with dairy protein in the habitual diet may result in the beneficial effects on cardiometabolic health. Nevertheless, future well-designed, controlled studies are needed to investigate the relative effects of both casein and whey protein on BP, vascular function, glucose homeostasis and inflammation.

Coupling an aerosol box model with one-dimensional flow: a tool for understanding observations of new particle formation events

Field observations of new particle formation and the subsequent particle growth are typically only possible at a fixed measurement location, and hence do not follow the temporal evolution of an air parcel in a Lagrangian sense. Standard analysis for determining formation and growth rates requires that the time-dependent formation rate and growth rate of the particles are spatially invariant; air parcel advection means that the observed temporal evolution of the particle size distribution at a fixed measurement location may not represent the true evolution if there are spatial variations in the formation and growth rates. Here we present a zero-dimensional aerosol box model coupled with one-dimensional atmospheric flow to describe the impact of advection on the evolution of simulated new particle formation events. Wind speed, particle formation rates and growth rates are input parameters that can vary as a function of time and location, using wind speed to connect location to time. The output simulates measurements at a fixed location; formation and growth rates of the particle mode can then be calculated from the simulated observations at a stationary point for different scenarios and be compared with the ‘true’ input parameters. Hence, we can investigate how spatial variations in the formation and growth rates of new particles would appear in observations of particle number size distributions at a fixed measurement site. We show that the particle size distribution and growth rate at a fixed location is dependent on the formation and growth parameters upwind, even if local conditions do not vary. We also show that different input parameters used may result in very similar simulated measurements. Erroneous interpretation of observations in terms of particle formation and growth rates, and the time span and areal extent of new particle formation, is possible if the spatial effects are not accounted for.

Laurdan Spectrum Decomposition as a Tool for the Analysis of Surface Bilayer Structure and Polarity: a Study with DMPG, Peptides and Cholesterol

The highly hydrophobic fluorophore Laurdan (6-dodecanoyl-2-(dimethylaminonaphthalene)) has been widely used as a fluorescent probe to monitor lipid membranes. Actually, it monitors the structure and polarity of the bilayer surface, where its fluorescent moiety is supposed to reside. The present paper discusses the high sensitivity of Laurdan fluorescence through the decomposition of its emission spectrum into two Gaussian bands, which correspond to emissions from two different excited states, one more solvent relaxed than the other. It will be shown that the analysis of the area fraction of each band is more sensitive to bilayer structural changes than the largely used parameter called Generalized Polarization, possibly because the latter does not completely separate the fluorescence emission from the two different excited states of Laurdan. Moreover, it will be shown that this decomposition should be done with the spectrum as a function of energy, and not wavelength. Due to the presence of the two emission bands in Laurdan spectrum, fluorescence anisotropy should be measured around 480 nm, to be able to monitor the fluorescence emission from one excited state only, the solvent relaxed state. Laurdan will be used to monitor the complex structure of the anionic phospholipid DMPG (dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol) at different ionic strengths, and the alterations caused on gel and fluid membranes due to the interaction of cationic peptides and cholesterol. Analyzing both the emission spectrum decomposition and anisotropy it was possible to distinguish between effects on the packing and on the hydration of the lipid membrane surface. It could be clearly detected that a more potent analog of the melanotropic hormone alpha-MSH (Ac-Ser(1)-Tyr(2)-Ser(3)-Met(4)-Glu(5)-His(6)-Phe(7)-Arg(8)-Trp(9)-Gly(10)-Lys(11)-Pro(12)-Val(13)-NH(2)) was more effective in rigidifying the bilayer surface of fluid membranes than the hormone, though the hormone significantly decreases the bilayer surface hydration.

The insurance function of contracts

One of the central problems in contract law is to define the frontier between legal and illegal breaches of promises. The distinction between good and bad faith is perhaps the conceptual tool most commonly used to tell one from the other. Lawyers spend a lot of energy trying to frame better definitions of the concepts of good and bad faith based on principles of ethics or justice, but often pay much less attention to theories dealing with the incentives that can engender good faith behavior in contractual relationships. By describing the economics of what Stiglitz defined as “explicit” and “implicit” insurance, I highlight the “insurance function” hidden in any promise with basically no mathematical notation. My aim is to render the subject intelligible and useful to lawyers with little familiarity with economics.

Mathematical tests about the existence and applications of PPS-wavelets in function approximation problems

Neural networks and wavelet transform have been recently seen as attractive tools for developing eficient solutions for many real world problems in function approximation. Function approximation is a very important task in environments where computation has to be based on extracting information from data samples in real world processes. So, mathematical model is a very important tool to guarantee the development of the neural network area. In this article we will introduce one series of mathematical demonstrations that guarantee the wavelets properties for the PPS functions. As application, we will show the use of PPS-wavelets in pattern recognition problems of handwritten digit through function approximation techniques.

The temperature coefficient of the optical path length as a function of the temperature in different optical glasses

An interferometric technique was used to determine the temperature coefficient of the optical path length (dS/dT) as a function of the temperature in several optical glasses. The temperature range was between 25degreesC and 180degreesC. The studied samples included undoped and doped oxide glasses, such as low silica calcium aluminosilicate, phosphates, borates and also chalcogenides. The oxide glasses had dS/dT between 10 X 10(-6) K-1 and 20x10(-6) K-1, while for the chalcogenides, these were around 70 x 10(-6)K(-1). The results showed that dS/dTs increased with the temperature in all samples. For samples doped with Nd the dS/dT values were found to be independent of concentration. on the other hand, for the phosphate glass doped with Cr, dS/dT increased about 5% when compared with the Nd doped one. In conclusion, the used interferometric method, which is a considerably simpler and a lower cost technique, and is a useful tool to measure dS/dT in semi-transparent glasses as a function of the composition and temperature. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Condutividade térmica de rochas: uma aplicação para granitos ornamentais

This dissertation focuses on rock thermal conductivity and its correlations with petrographic, textural, and geochemical aspects, especially in granite rocks. It aims at demonstrating the relations of these variables in an attempt to enlighten the behavior of thermal effect on rocks. Results can be useful for several applications, such as understanding and conferring regional thermal flow results, predicting the behavior of thermal effect on rocks based upon macroscopic evaluation (texture and mineralogy), in the building construction field in order to provide more precise information on data refinement on thermal properties emphasizing a rocky material thermal conductivity, and especially in the dimension stone industry in order to open a discussion on the use of these variables as a new technological parameter directly related to thermal comfort. Thermal conductivity data were obtained by using Anter Corporation s QuicklineTM -30 a thermal property measuring equipment. Measurements were conducted at temperatures ranging between 25 to 38 OC in samples with 2cm in length and an area of at least 6cm of diameter. As to petrography data, results demonstrated good correlations with quartz and mafics. Linear correlation between mineralogy and thermal conductivity revealed a positive relation of a quartz percentage increase in relation to a thermal conductivity increase and its decrease with mafic minerals increase. As to feldspates (K-feldspate and plagioclase) they show dispersion. Quartz relation gets more evident when compared to sample sets with >20% and <20%. Sets with more than 20% quartz (sienogranites, monzogranites, granodiorites, etc.), exhibit to a great extent conductivity values which vary from 2,5 W/mK and the set with less than 20% (sienites, monzonites, gabbros, diorites, etc.) have an average thermal conductivity below 2,5 W/mK. As to textures it has been verified that rocks considered thick/porphyry demonstrated in general better correlations when compared to rocks considered thin/medium. In the case of quartz, thick rocks/porphyry showed greater correlation factors when compared to the thin/medium ones. As to feldspates (K-feldspate and plagioclase) again there was dispersion. As to mafics, both thick/porphyry and thin/medium showed negative correlations with correlation factor smaller than those obtained in relation to the quartz. As to rocks related to the Streckeisen s QAP diagram (1976), they tend to fall from alcali-feldspates granites to tonalites, and from sienites to gabbros, diorites, etc. Thermal conductivity data correlation with geochemistry confirmed to a great extent mineralogy results. It has been seen that correlation is linear if there is any. Such behavior could be seen especially with the SiO2. In this case similar correlation can be observed with the quartz, that is, thermal conductivity increases as SiO2 is incremented. Another aspect observed is that basic to intermediate rocks presented values always below 2,5 W/mK, a similar behavior to that observed in rocks with quartz <20%. Acid rocks presented values above 2,5 W/mK, a similar behavior to that observed in rocks with quartz >20% (granites). For all the other cases, correlation factors are always low and present opposite behavior to Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, and TiO2. As to Al2O3, K2O, and Na2O results are not conclusive and are statistically disperse. Thermal property knowledge especially thermal conductivity and its application in the building construction field appeared to be very satisfactory for it involves both technological and thermal comfort aspects, which favored in all cases fast, cheap, and precise results. The relation between thermal conductivity and linear thermal dilatation have also shown satisfactory results especially when it comes to the quartz role as a common, determining phase between the two variables. Thermal conductivity studies together with rocky material density can function as an additional tool for choosing materials when considering structural calculation aspects and thermal comfort, for in the dimension stone case there is a small density variation in relation to a thermal conductivity considerable variation

Laurdan Spectrum Decomposition as a Tool for the Analysis of Surface Bilayer Structure and Polarity: a Study with DMPG, Peptides and Cholesterol

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

Inteins in pathogenic fungi: a phylogenetic tool and perspectives for therapeutic applications

Inteins or internal proteins are coding sequences that are transcribed and translated with flanking sequences (exteins). After translation, the inteins are excised by an autocatalytic process and the host protein assumes its normal conformation and develops its expected function. These parasitic genetic elements have been found in important, conserved proteins in all three domains of life. Most of the eukaryotic inteins are present in the fungi kingdom and the PRP8 intein is one of the most widespread inteins, occurring in important pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans (varieties grubii and neoformans), Cryptococcus gattii, Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The knowledge of conserved and non-conserved domains in inteins have opened up new opportunities for the study of population variability in pathogenic fungi, including their phylogenetic relationships and recognition or diagnoses of species. Furthermore, inteins in pathogenic fungi should also be considered a promising therapeutic drug target, since once the autocatalytic splicing is inhibited, the host protein, which is typically vital, will not be able to perform its normal function and the fungal cell will not survive or reproduce.

Ratios of dijet production cross sections as a function of the absolute difference in rapidity between jets in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mass/charge balance as a tool to estimate dimensional change in polypyrrole-based actuators

The deconvolution of the voltammograms of polypyrrole electrochemistry has proved to be possible through the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance data using the F(dm/dQ) function. This deconvolution allows the evolution of the thickness of the polypyrrole films during their redox processes to be estimated and therefore, the mechanical contraction/decontraction of this polymer as a function of the ionic exchange processes can be evaluated. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of luteal function in goats by ultrasonographic image attribute analysis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Optimization of Radial Basis Function neural network employed for prediction of surface roughness in hard turning process using Taguchi's orthogonal arrays

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of the tool edge geometry on specific cutting energy at high-speed cutting

This paper presents specific cutting energy measurements as a function of the cutting speed and tool cutting edge geometry. The experimental work was carried out on a vertical CNC machining center with 7,500 rpm spindle rotation and 7.5 kW power. Hardened steels ASTM H13 (50 HRC) were machined at conventional cutting speed and high-speed cutting (HSC). TiN coated carbides with seven different geometries of chip breaker were applied on dry tests. A special milling tool holder with only one cutting edge was developed and the machining forces needed to calculate the specific cutting energy were recorded using a piezoelectric 4-component dynamometer. Workpiece roughness and chip formation process were also evaluated. The results showed that the specific cutting energy decreased 15.5% when cutting speed was increased up to 700%. An increase of 1 °in tool chip breaker chamfer angle lead to a reduction in the specific cutting energy about 13.7% and 28.6% when machining at HSC and conventional cutting speed respectively. Furthermore the workpiece roughness values evaluated in all test conditions were very low, closer to those of typical grinding operations (∼0.20 μm). Probable adiabatic shear occurred on chip segmentation at HSC Copyright © 2007 by ABCM.