Regional-scale, fully coupled modelling of stream-aquifer interaction in a tropical catchment

The planning and management of water resources in the Pioneer Valley, north-eastern Australia requires a tool for assessing the impact of groundwater and stream abstractions on water supply reliabilities and environmental flows in Sandy Creek (the main surface water system studied). Consequently, a fully coupled stream-aquifer model has been constructed using the code MODHMS, calibrated to near-stream observations of watertable behaviour and multiple components of gauged stream flow. This model has been tested using other methods of estimation, including stream depletion analysis and radon isotope tracer sampling. The coarseness of spatial discretisation, which is required for practical reasons of computational efficiency, limits the model's capacity to simulate small-scale processes (e.g., near-stream groundwater pumping, bank storage effects), and alternative approaches are required to complement the model's range of applicability. Model predictions of groundwater influx to Sandy Creek are compared with baseflow estimates from three different hydrograph separation techniques, which were found to be unable to reflect the dynamics of Sandy Creek stream-aquifer interactions. The model was also used to infer changes in the water balance of the system caused by historical land use change. This led to constraints on the recharge distribution which can be implemented to improve model calibration performance. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crise e esperança : a práxis pastoral da igreja Batista na guerra de Angola 1985 a 2002

Quatro décadas de guerra trouxeram conseqüências desastrosas para a nação angolana. Na cidade do Huambo - a segunda do país e o epicentro do conflito armado - destruída pelos combates, a Igreja Batista, exerceu de maneira criativa o seu papel de comunidade solidária. A Igreja não se resignou à miséria imposta pela guerra, mas junto com o povo descobriu que a crise traz oportunidades imperdíveis para exercer sua missão. Seu papel foi catalisador, reunindo vontades, organizando parcerias, provocando reflexão, servindo vítimas de guerra e os carentes em geral. Em meio à dor, as igrejas descobrem a importância da interdependência, percebem que somente através da cooperação mútua e na busca do bem do outro é que será possível alcançar objetivos comuns e transformar realidades. Ao mesmo tempo em que a igreja era um agente de transformação, ela também teve que adequar sua metodologia e mudar suas práticas missionárias, ou seja, a igreja transformava e era transformada.O primeiro capítulo traz uma retrospectiva histórica do período colonial até a contemporaneidade; o capítulo dois trabalha os efeitos de uma guerra devastadora na vida da população e como a igreja interagiu com esta cultura de guerra. Finalmente, no capítulo três, a análise da práxis pastoral da igreja em meio ao conflito armado atuando como uma comunidade solidária, parceira no empreendimento de reconstrução nacional e promotora da práxis de esperança. Por ser um estudo de caso, o trabalho apresenta uma análise crítica da práxis pastoral desenvolvida pela Igreja Batista na cidade do Huambo no período de 1985 a 2002, podendo vir a ser uma leitura suplementar para quem conviver em situações de conflito armado.

A VIOLÊNCIA CONTRA AS MULHERES NA VIDA COTIDIANA Um estudo do Livro da Aliança a partir de Êxodo 20,22-23,19

O espaço social subjacente à unidade literária de Êxodo 20,22-23,19 pressupõe uma sociedade agrária. Aparentemente é monótona, marcada por inúmeros conflitos sociais. O contexto social é de empobrecimento das famílias clânico-tribais israelitas. A nova economia se organiza em torno do santuário. Na pesquisa, há bastante consenso quanto à origem desta unidade literária conhecida como Livro da Aliança. É literatura jurídica de caráter religioso. Uma prescrição jurídica não precede as condições da realidade a que vai se referir, mas prescreve sobre as condições e situações já existentes. Na pesquisa clássica atual, encontram-se duas grandes correntes sobre a origem e a época desta literatura. Uma defende que o Livro da Aliança remonta à época pré-estatal, passagem do tribalismo para a monarquia; a outra argumenta que o Livro da Aliança, enquanto corpus codificado de leis, é um produto tardio , possivelmente surgido no final do século VIII ou início do século VII a.C. O Livro da Aliança é a base literária da presente pesquisa. Quanto à origem e à época do Livro da Aliança, sigo a corrente que defende ser o texto da época final do período tribal, anterior à monarquia. Esta época foi marcada por grandes mudanças econômicas: passagem de uma economia solidária de subsistência para uma economia de concentração do produto. A tese consiste em analisar a violência contra as mulheres, estruturada no discurso jurídico do Livro da Aliança. Busca-se desvendar os mecanismos que justificam e naturalizam as práticas de violência. O destaque é a violência contra as mulheres escravas, contra as filhas e, de modo especial, enfatizo as violências contra as mulheres feiticeiras. Evidencio três categorias de escravas prescritas no texto: as escravas domésticas, que sofrem violências físicas, podendo chegar até à morte debaixo do castigo da vara; as escravas temporárias, que têm seus olhos destruídos e os seus dentes quebrados; e as filhas que são vendidas como escravas. Sua sexualidade é transformada em mercadoria. Há filhas que são seduzidas, violadas e submetidas como mulher ao seu estuprador. O único grupo social descrito a partir da sua função pública são as feiticeiras. As violências são institucionais e sexistas. O patriarcado é o princípio organizador da sociedade. A característica do Livro da Aliança é marcadamente androcêntrica.(AU)

IMPÉRIO DO IMEDIATO: A URGÊNCIA COMO ARGUMENTO DE VENDAS NA COMUNICAÇÃO MERCADOLÓGICA

Esta tese analisa as relações da comunicação de mercado com a obsessão pelo imediato presente na cultura social contemporânea. Vive-se hoje numa sociedade marcada pelo consumo intenso, em tempo real e não restrito por distâncias. Para acelerar a circulação de produtos e serviços, as empresas tentam estimular o mercado através de anúncios que incorporam em sua linguagem as características de urgência e imediatismo observadas e extraídas da sociedade. Sob uma perspectiva social, esta tese discutiu a presença do elemento tempo na vida contemporânea e sua apropriação pela comunicação mercadológica. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida sob o método de análise de conteúdo em mais de trezentos comerciais de televisão e em cerca de duzentos anúncios impressos que apresentaram sólidas evidências dessa apropriação da cultura de urgência e imediatismo pela comunicação de mercado. A ênfase no urgente e no imediato reforça e estimula o modelo social vigente. Em outras palavras, a soma de um estilo de vida que cultua a velocidade com a presença de tais elementos na comunicação de mercado contribui para a promoção de uma ditadura do agora, baseada na promessa do prazer instantâneo. Esses elementos que caracterizam a sociedade contemporânea são, do ponto de vista comercial, eficientemente apropriados pela comunicação de mercado, uma vez que essa condição social, quando transformada em argumento de vendas, contribui para provocar no consumidor um estado de consonância com suas cognições.

Projective Methods of Image Recognition

We propose a method for image recognition on the base of projections. Radon transform gives an opportunity to map image into space of its projections. Projection properties allow constructing informative features on the base of moments that can be successfully used for invariant recognition. Offered approach gives about 91-97% of correct recognition.

Generalized Backscattering and the Lax-Phillips Transform

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 35P25, 35R30, 58J50.

Estudo sobre a detecção de invariância de escala discreta em sistemas com criticalidade auto-organizada

Recent studies have shown evidence of log-periodic behavior in non-hierarchical systems. An interesting fact is the emergence of such properties on rupture and breakdown of complex materials and financial failures. These may be examples of systems with self-organized criticality (SOC). In this work we study the detection of discrete scale invariance or log-periodicity. Theoretically showing the effectiveness of methods based on the Fourier Transform of the log-periodicity detection not only with prior knowledge of the critical point before this point as well. Specifically, we studied the Brazilian financial market with the objective of detecting discrete scale invariance in Bovespa (Bolsa de Valores de S˜ao Paulo) index. Some historical series were selected periods in 1999, 2001 and 2008. We report evidence for the detection of possible log-periodicity before breakage, shown its applicability to the study of systems with discrete scale invariance likely in the case of financial crashes, it shows an additional evidence of the possibility of forecasting breakage

Síntese e caracterização de materiais mesoporosos para a captura de CO2: influência do óxido de níquel

Several materials are currently under study for the CO2 capture process, like the metal oxides and mixed metal oxides, zeolites, carbonaceous materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOF's) organosilica and modified silica surfaces. In this work, evaluated the adsorption capacity of CO2 in mesoporous materials of different structures, such as MCM-48 and SBA- 15 without impregnating and impregnated with nickel in the proportions 5 %, 10 % and 20 % (m/m), known as 5Ni-MCM-48, 10Ni-MCM-48, 20Ni-MCM-48 and 5Ni-SBA-15, 10NiSBA-15, 20Ni-SBA-15. The materials were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG and DTG), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), N2 adsorption and desorption (BET) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDS. The adsorption process was performed varying the pressure of 100 - 4000 kPa and keeping the temperature constant and equal to 298 K. At a pressure of 100 kPa, higher concentrations of adsorption occurred for the materials 5Ni-MCM-48 (0.795 mmol g-1 ) and SBA-15 (0.914 mmol g-1 ) is not impregnated, and at a pressure of 4000 kPa for MCM-48 materials (14.89 mmol g-1) and SBA-15 (9.97 mmol g-1) not impregnated. The results showed that the adsorption capacity varies positively with the specific area, however, has a direct dependency on the type and geometry of the porous structure of channels. The data were fitted using the Langmuir and Freundlich models and were evaluated thermodynamic parameters Gibbs free energy and entropy of the adsorption system

Uso de metamaterial em antenas de microfita com supercondutor

Metamaterials have attracted great attention in recent decades, due to their electromagnetic properties which are not found in nature. Since metamaterials are now synthesized by the insertion of artificially manufactured inclusions in a specified homogeneous medium, it became possible for the researcher to work with a wide collection of independent parameters, for example, the electromagnetic properties of the material. An investigation of the properties of ring resonators was performed as well as those of metamaterials. A study of the major theories that clearly explain superconductivity was presented. The BCS theory, London Equations and the Two-Fluid Model are theories that support the application of superconducting microstrip antennas. Therefore, this thesis presents theoretical, numerical and experimental-computational analysis using full-wave formalism, through the application of the Transverse Transmission Line – LTT method applied in the Fourier Transform Domain (FTD). The LTT is a full wave method, which, as a rule, obtains the electromagnetic fields in terms of the transverse components of the structure. The inclusion of the superconducting patch is performed using the complex resistive boundary condition. Results of resonant frequency as a function of antenna parameters are obtained. To validate the analysis, computer programs were developed using Fortran, simulations were created using the commercial software, with curves being drawn using commercial software and MATLAB, in addition to comparing the conventional patch with the superconductor as well as comparing a metamaterial substrate with a conventional one, joining the substrate with the patch, observing what improves on both cas

Encapsulamento de solventes em nanotubos de haloisita para promoção de auto-reparo em polímeros

Micro cracking during service is a critical problem in polymer structures and polymer composite materials. Self-healing materials are able to repair micro cracks, thus their preventing propagation and catastrophic failure of structural components. One of the self-healing approaches presented in the literature involves the use of solvents which react with the polymer. The objective of this research is to investigate a procedure to encapsulate solvents in halloysite nanotubes to promote self-healing ability in epoxy. Healing is triggered by crack propagation through embedded nanotubes in the polymer, which then release the liquid sovent into the crack plane. Two solvents were considered in this work: dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and nitrobenzene. The nanotubes were coated using the layer-by-layer technique of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium polyacrylate. Solvent encapsulation was verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), analysis thermogravimetry (TGA), adsorption and desorption of nitrogen and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The introduction of the solvent DMSO into the cavity of the nanotubes was confirmed by the techniques employed. However, was not verified with nitrobenzene only promoted clay aggregation. The results suggest that the CTAB reacted with the halloystite to form a sealing layer on the surface of the nanotubes, thus encapsulating the solvent, while this was not verified using sodium polyacrylate.

Influência da radiação ionizante natural no açude do boqueirão (RN): avaliação de risco saúde/ambiente

The contamination of water bodies with toxic substances causes a decrease in water quality, representing a risk to public health. In this context, human activities are generally seen as the main sources of water degradation. However, elements found naturally in the environment can also compromise water quality. Thus, the Boqueirão‘s dam, located in the municipality of Parelhas (RN, Brazil), was chosen as area for the development of this study, as its geological region is rich in the emission of natural ionizing radiation that produces byproducts like lead and Radon. Moreover, the area has a strong human influence that enhances the risks of pollutant discharge in this body of water.Thus, the objectives of this study were centered (i) in the analysis of risk perception in the city of Parelhas (RN/Brasil) due to the use of the water from the Boqueirão Dam; and (ii) in the assessment of water quality in the Dam using methods that quantify, mainly, heavy metals and radiation levels, as well as these toxics potential of inducing mutations on genetic material. The analysis of risk perception showed that the population in the city of Parelhas can perceive a risk in using the water from the dam and that they can recognize factors that influence the water quality. Regarding the second objective, the set of data point to the contamination of the Dam by heavy metals, as well as levels of radioactive parcicles and Radon – also present in high concentrations in outdoor air and on soil. Thus, it is possible to infer that the population residing in this area is subjected to injuries caused by exposure to natural and anthropogenic contamination. Our findings corroborate with the perception of the population regarding the risks associated with the use of the Dam for several types of activities. It is expected that the information gathered in this study can substantiate activities and future researches in this semiarid region in the Rio Grande do Norte/Brazil. Also, that the set of data can enable a better understanding of the specific toxicological scenario of risk found for the population and the effect of the contamination for the biota, which aids the development of a future risk assessment and a consequent management of this local issue.

Detecção e diagnostico de agarramento em válvulas posicionadoras

Valve stiction, or static friction, in control loops is a common problem in modern industrial processes. Recently, many studies have been developed to understand, reproduce and detect such problem, but quantification still remains a challenge. Since the valve position (mv) is normally unknown in an industrial process, the main challenge is to diagnose stiction knowing only the output signals of the process (pv) and the control signal (op). This paper presents an Artificial Neural Network approach in order to detect and quantify the amount of static friction using only the pv and op information. Different methods for preprocessing the training set of the neural network are presented. Those methods are based on the calculation of centroid and Fourier Transform. The proposal is validated using a simulated process and the results show a satisfactory measurement of stiction.

Desenvolvimento de um material têxtil termosenssível com micro/nanocápsulas imobilizadas em fibras regeneradas

Intelligent and functional Textile Materials have been widely developed and researched with the purpose of being used in several areas of science and technology. These fibrous materials require different chemical and physical properties to obtain a multifunctional material. With the advent of nanotechnology, the techniques developed, being used as essential tools to characterize these new materials qualitatively. Lately the application of micro and nanomaterials in textile substrates has been the objective of many studies, but many of these nanomaterials have not been optimized for their application, which has resulted in increased costs and environmental pollution, because there is still no satisfactory effluent treatment available for these nanomaterials. Soybean fiber has low adsorption for thermosensitive micro and nanocapsules due to their incompatibility of their surface charges. For this reason, in this work initially chitosan was synthesized to functionalise soybean fibres. Chitosan is a natural polyelectrolyte with a high density of positive charges, these fibres have negative charges as well as the micro/nanocápsules, for this reason the chitosan acts as auxiliary agent to cationize in order to fix the thermosensitive microcapsules in the textile substrate. Polyelectrolyte was characterized using particle size analyses and the measurement of zeta potential. For the morphological analysis scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and x-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and to study the thermal properties, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Near Infrared Spectroscopy analysis in the Region of the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), colourimetry using UV-VIS spectrum were simultaneously performed on the substrate. From the measurement of zeta potential and in the determination of the particle size, stability of electrostatic chitosan was observed around 31.55mV and 291.0 nm respectively. The result obtained with (GD) for chitosan extracted from shrimp was 70 %, which according to the literature survey can be considered as chitosan. To optimize the dyeing process a statistical software, Design expert was used. The surface functionalisation of textile substrate with 2% chitosan showed the best result of K/S, being the parameter used for the experimental design, in which this showed the best response of dyeing absorbance in the range of 2.624. It was noted that soy knitting dyed with the thermosensitive micro andnanocapsules property showed excellent washing solidity, which was observed after 25 home washes, and significant K/S values.

A céu aberto: garimpando a memória e a identidade dos mineradores de Brejuí

The Brejuí Mine, situated in the municipality of Currais Novos (RN), was responsible for the local economy growth between the years of 1943 and 1990, causing the interest of miner's working class to its urban center. After the end of scheelita extraction, the mine became a "theme park", in 2004. The company left its mark on the city by building several monuments in reference to the mining activity and the company's founder, Tomaz Salustino. However, there are no written records that describe such activities on its early years, nor their pioneers in the mining subject. Therefore, it is important to investigate the miner’s memories and ask if, along the more than five decades that lasted the heyday of mining, an identity linked to the profession was built; the extent to which workers make reference to this history as membersand what are the symbols that are being triggered in the development of a working class identity. Further, I investigate what memory was mad concerning the pioneers, mostly farmers attracted by miner work. To do so, I make use of audiovisual archival resources and oral records of the interlocutors that were filmed in the preparations of the documentary “Lembranças de velhos garimpeiros". We have noticed that, in the script of the official history of the Brejuí Mine, the "boss" figure overlaps the workers and that the forms patronage, originated from the rural world, followed punctuating the social relations in the mine. Today, with the resumption of the mining activity, it is possible that the strengthening of the working class and the Seridó miner identity desire reborn.

Análise wavelet e modelo de manchas em curvas de luz estelares dos telescópios espaciais Kepler e CoRoT

Analogous to sunspots and solar photospheric faculae, which visibility is modulated by stellar rotation, stellar active regions consist of cool spots and bright faculae caused by the magnetic field of the star. Such starspots are now well established as major tracers used to estimate the stellar rotation period, but their dynamic behavior may also be used to analyze other relevant phenomena such as the presence of magnetic activity and its cycles. To calculate the stellar rotation period, identify the presence of active regions and investigate if the star exhibits or not differential rotation, we apply two methods: a wavelet analysis and a spot model. The wavelet procedure is also applied here to study pulsation in order to identify specific signatures of this particular stellar variability for different types of pulsating variable stars. The wavelet transform has been used as a powerful tool for treating several problems in astrophysics. In this work, we show that the time-frequency analysis of stellar light curves using the wavelet transform is a practical tool for identifying rotation, magnetic activity, and pulsation signatures. We present the wavelet spectral composition and multiscale variations of the time series for four classes of stars: targets dominated by magnetic activity, stars with transiting planets, those with binary transits, and pulsating stars. We applied the Morlet wavelet (6th order), which offers high time and frequency resolution. By applying the wavelet transform to the signal, we obtain the wavelet local and global power spectra. The first is interpreted as energy distribution of the signal in time-frequency space, and the second is obtained by time integration of the local map. Since the wavelet transform is a useful mathematical tool for nonstationary signals, this technique applied to Kepler and CoRoT light curves allows us to clearly identify particular signatures for different phenomena. In particular, patterns were identified for the temporal evolution of the rotation period and other periodicity due to active regions affecting these light curves. In addition, a beat-pattern vii signature in the local wavelet map of pulsating stars over the entire time span was also detected. The second method is based on starspots detection during transits of an extrasolar planet orbiting its host star. As a planet eclipses its parent star, we can detect physical phenomena on the surface of the star. If a dark spot on the disk of the star is partially or totally eclipsed, the integrated stellar luminosity will increase slightly. By analyzing the transit light curve it is possible to infer the physical properties of starspots, such as size, intensity, position and temperature. By detecting the same spot on consecutive transits, it is possible to obtain additional information such as the stellar rotation period in the planetary transit latitude, differential rotation, and magnetic activity cycles. Transit observations of CoRoT-18 and Kepler-17 were used to implement this model.