Imagery and long-slit spectroscopy of the Polar-Ring Galaxy AM2020-504

Interactions between galaxies are very common. There are special kinds of interactions that produce systems called Polar Ring Galaxies (PRGs), composed by a lenticular, elliptical, or spiral host galaxy, surrounded by a ring of stars and gas, orbiting in an approximately polar plane. The present work aims to study AM2020-504, a PRG with an elliptical host galaxy, and a narrow and well defined ring, probably formed by accretion of material from a donor galaxy, collected by the host galaxy. Our observational study was based on BVRI broad band imagery as well as longslit spectroscopy in the wavelenght range 4100--8600\AA, performed at the 1.6m telescope at the Observat\'orio do Pico dos Dias (OPD), Brazil. We estimated a redshift of z= 0.01683, corresponding a heliocentric radial velocity of 5045 +/-23 km/s. The (B-R) color map shows that the ring is bluer than the host galaxy, indicating that the ring is a younger structure. Standard diagnostic diagrams were used to classify the main ionizing source of selected emission-line regions (nucleus, host galaxy and ring). It turns out that the ring regions are mainly ionized by massive stars while the nucleus presents AGN characteristics. Using two empirical methods, we found oxygen abundances for the HII regions located in the ring in the range 12+log(O/H)=8.3-8.8 dex, the presence of an oxygen gradient across the ring, and that AM2020-504 follows the metallicity-luminosity relation of spiral galaxies. These results support the accretion scenario for this object and rules out cold accretion as source for the HI gas in the polar ring

Towards a knowledge-based system to assist the Brazilian data-collecting system operation

A study is reported which was carried out to show how a knowledge-based approach would lead to a flexible tool to assist the operation task in a satellite-based environmental data collection system. Some characteristics of a hypothesized system comprised of a satellite and a network of Interrogable Data Collecting Platforms (IDCPs) are pointed out. The Knowledge-Based Planning Assistant System (KBPAS) and some aspects about how knowledge is organized in the IDCP's domain are briefly described

Generalization of Dirac Non-Linear Electrodynamics, and Spinning Charged Particles

In this note we generalized the Dirac non-linear electrodynamics, by introducing two potentials (namely, the vector potential A and the pseudo-vector potential gamma^5 B of the electromagnetic theory with charges and magnetic monopoles) and by imposing the pseudoscalar part of the product omega.omega* to be zero, with omega = A + gamma^5 B. We show that the field equations of such a theory possess a soliton-like solution which can represent a priori a "charged particle", since it is endowed with a Coulomb field plus the field of a magnetic dipole. The rest energy of the soliton is finite, and the angular momentum stored in its electromagnetic field can be identified --for suitable choices of the parameters-- with the spin of the charged particle. Thus this approach seems to yield a classical model for the charged (spinning) particle, which does not meet the problems met by earlier attempts in the same direction.Comment: standard LaTeX file; 16 pages; it is a corrected version of a paper appeared in Found. Phys. (issue in honour of A.O.Barut) 23 (1993) 46

Natural vegetal fibbers as a new resilient layer for floating floors

This paper presents a new use for a product made with low cost natural fibbers from vegetal by-products (coconuts coir) to be used as a resilient layer for floating floors to increase impact sound insulation. The acoustic behaviour was characterized by in situ measurements using concrete floors in accordance with standards EN 140-7 and 717-2. The use of this material in floating floors showed in laboratorial measurements a weighted impact sound improvement index (DLw) of 18 and 22 dB. On site, the improvement of the floating floor regarding the naked structural slab was found to be from 15 to 27 dB. Predictions based on current models were also made for the solution in study. As conclusion, the consequences of real construction applications of this product are commented regarding the reproduction of the now achieved results. Note of some limitations are also given regarding the methodology bias that can be introduced in the final results, particularly when in presence of structures with reduced airborne sound insulation

Sugar-hydrolysing enzymes in gustatory mutants of Drosophila

The distribution of the isozymes of α-glucosidase in different parts of Drosophila melanogaster was examined. Two of the eight glucosidase bands are associated with tarsi. The gustatory mutations in the genes gustB and gustC greatly reduce tarsal glucosidase activity, but the enzyme deficiency is not correlated with inability to taste sugars

Study of the impact of breeding seasons in the dynamics of dairy goat herds.

Abstract: The competitiveness in the animal production field has forced the smaller activities to be more efficient when compared to big business of the agro-industries. The dairy goat production is one of those market niches that need a better understand of its sector. For those reasons it has been proposed that by changing the number of reproduction seasons would increase income of the producers. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of 1 or 2 annual reproductive cycles on production and economical health of dairy goats and to identify differences of production costs and revenues associated with changes in the herd dynamics as predicted by a mathematical model. A previously developed goat model using the System Dynamics approach to study long-term changes in the dynamics of the herd was used in these simulations. The model simulations used feeds, labor, and fixed costs as inputs and the outputs were revenues from milk production sales and sales of animals from all categories of the herd. The simulation time unit was ?month? and a long-term horizon of 10 years was considered for these simulations. The model was set up to simulate a freestall facility of a herd in equilibrium with 100 does in lactation. All parameters considered in this model assumed average values reported in production systems in the Southeast region of Brazil. The simulations results indicated that improvements of 10% in the fertility rate would increase the number animals in the herd up to 185% and 35% for one and two breeding season, respectively. Establishing a milk price as US$0.68 the break even for one and two breeding seasons was respectively US$0.62, and US$0.50, giving the systems with two breeding a capacity to support reductions on milk price up to 26% against 9% with one breeding season. When comparing the models with 1 or 2 breeding seasons was found that models with 2 breeding seasons was considerably more profitable and had a higher turnover than the model with 1 breeding season. The results indicate that the use of a second (artificial) breeding season might be an important management strategy to improve the efficiency of the dairy goat production systems. [Estudio del impacto de la estación reproductiva sobre la dinâmica de los rebaños lecheros]

A dairy goat model to study the impacts on herd dynamics.

The understanding of a dairy goat production system is crucial to establish a more competitive activity. Therefore, a simulation model was built to evaluate the dynamics of dairy goat herd under different scenarios of production. A System Dynamics approach was used to identify management policies that affect the behavior of the herd. All parameters considered in this model assumed average values reported in production systems in the Southeast region of Brazil. To simulate a herd in dynamic equilibrium, the culling and retention rates were used. Thereafter, simulations were performed based on changes in reproductive and mortality rates. All the simulations were planned to take the variation in herd development based on simple management strategies over 10 years of simulation. The dynamic equilibrium of 50 lactating does was obtained when fixed culling and retention rates of 20 and 70%, respectively, were assigned to the does after 36 months of simulation. A sensitivity analysis was made and indicated that an increase of 20% in the reproduction rates increased the number of animals in the herd in 56%. A decrease in the reproduction rate of 20% reduced the number of animals in 43%. A third simulation indicated that increasing mortality rate from 4 to 10% of the female kids decreased the number of lactating does by 36%. These results indicated that small changes in reproduction and mortality rates can considerably affect the dynamics of the herd, even though the herd may not be immediately affected because of the intrinsic delays in the system. This result is extremely important to justify the need of activity planning to consider the gap between a measurement taken and the consequences, preparing the producers to potential delays in the system. The use of mathematical models is important to understand the relationships between variables and the dynamic of the system and to assist in applying best management strategies to enhance productivity of dairy goats. [Modelo de cabras lecheras para evaluar el impacto de las estrategias de manejo en la dinámica del rebaño]

Histomorfologia funcional do intestino do pirarucu, Arapaima gigas (Cuvier, 1829).

Este trabalho avaliou a histomorfologia do intestino de juvenis de pirarucu, visando elucidar a dinâmica de absorção e aproveitamento de nutrientes pela espécie e subsidiar futuras pesquisas abrangendo sua nutrição e saúde.Organizado por: Sílvio Ricardo Maurano; AQUACIÊNCIA 2012