On the Lyapunov and Stein Equations, II

Let L ∈ Cn × n and let H, K ∈ Cn × n be Hermitian matrices. Some already known results, including the general inertia theorem, give partial answers to the following problem: find a complete set of relations between the similarity class of L and the congruence classes of H and K, when the Lyapunov equation LH + HL* = K is satisfied. In this paper, we solve this problem when L is nonderogatory, H is nonsingular and K has at least one eigenvalue with positive real part and one eigenvalue with negative real part. Our result generalizes a previous paper by L. M. DeAlba. The corresponding problem with the Stein equation follows easily using a Cayley transform. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Efficient Video Indexing on the Web: A System that Leverages User Interactions with a Video Player

In this paper, we propose a user-based video indexing method, that automatically generates thumbnails of the most important scenes of an online video stream, by analyzing users' interactions with a web video player. As a test bench to verify our idea we have extended the YouTube video player into the VideoSkip system. In addition, VideoSkip uses a web-database (Google Application Engine) to keep a record of some important parameters, such as the timing of basic user actions (play, pause, skip). Moreover, we implemented an algorithm that selects representative thumbnails. Finally, we populated the system with data from an experiment with nine users. We found that the VideoSkip system indexes video content by leveraging implicit users interactions, such as pause and thirty seconds skip. Our early findings point toward improvements of the web video player and its thumbnail generation technique. The VideSkip system could compliment content-based algorithms, in order to achieve efficient video-indexing in difficult videos, such as lectures or sports.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, UCMedia 2010: 2nd International ICST Conference on User Centric Medi

Effects Of Stress On Electron Emission From Nanostructured Carbon Materials

The electron field emission from a graphite like amorphous carbon film was investigated. Threshold fields as low as 8 V/νm were observed at an assisting energy of 400eV. The field emission characteristics of the films were explained in terms of the high sp2 concentration, and the high intrinsic compressive stress modifying the electronic band structure of the film/graphitic nanostructures.21417101714McKenzie, D.R., Muller, D., Pailthope, B.A., (1991) Phys. Rev. Lett., 67, p. 773Schwan, J., Ulrich, S., Theel, T., Roth, H., Ehrhardt, H., Becker, P., Silva, S.R.P., (1997) J. Appl. Phys., 82, p. 6024Lifshitz, Y., Kasi, S.R., Rabalais, J.W., Eckstein, W., (1990) Phys. Rev. B, 41, p. 10468Robertson, J., (1993) Diamond Relat. Mater., 2, p. 984Lacerda, R.G., Hammer, P., Lepienski, C.M., Alvarez, F., Marques, F.C., (2001) J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 19, p. 971Bhattacharyya, S., Subramanyam, S.V., (1997) Appl. Phys. Lett., 71, p. 632Kilic, C., Mehrez, H., Ciraci, S., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 58, p. 7872Uher, C., Hockey, R.L., Ben-Jacob, E., (1987) Phys. Rev. B, 35, p. 4483Satyanarayana, B.S., Hart, A., Milne, W.I., Robertson, J., (1997) Appl. Phys. Lett., 71, p. 1430Carey, J.D., Forrest, R.D., Silva, S.R.P., (2001) Appl. Phys. Lett., 78, p. 2339Illie, A., Ferrari, C., Yagi, T., Robertson, J., (2000) Appl. Phys. Lett., 76, p. 2627De Lima M.M., Jr., Lacerda, R.G., Vilcarromero, J., Marques, F.C., (1999) J. Appl. Phys., 86, p. 4936Hoffman, R.W., (1966) Physics of Thin Films, 3, pp. 211-273. , edited by G. Hass and R. E. Thun (Academic, New YorkCarey, J.D., Silva, S.R.P., (2001) Appl. Phys. Lett., 78, p. 347Hammer, P., Victoria, N.M., Alvarez, F., (2000) J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 18, p. 2277Lifshitz, Y., Lempert, G.D., Grossman, E., Avigal, L., Uzan-Saguy, C., Kalish, R., Khlik, J., Rabalais, J.W., (1995) Diamond Relat. Mater., 4, p. 318Fallon, P.J., Veerasamy, V.S., Davis, C.A., Robertson, J., Amaratunga, G.A.J., Milne, W.I., Koskinen, J., (1993) Phys. Rev. B, 48, p. 4777Ahuja, R., Auluck, S., Trygg, J., Wills, J.M., Eriksson, O., Johansson, B., (1995) Phys. Rev. B, 51, p. 4813Reynolds, W.N., Goggin, P.R., (1960) Philos. Mag., 5, p. 1049Lynch, R.W., Drickamer, H.G., (1966) J. Chem. Phys., 44, p. 181Chaumet, P.C., Dufour, J.P., (1998) J. Electrost., 43, p. 145Hryd, R., Charlier, A., McRae, E., (1997) Phys. Rev. B, 55, p. 682

The negative influences of the new brazilian forest code on the conservation of riparian forests

More than one million hectares of riparian forests were degraded or altered in Mato Grosso State (Brazil) up to 2009. The aim of the research is to set a comparative scenario to show differences in the quantification of environmental liabilities in riparian forest areas resulting from the change in native vegetation protection rules due to the transition between Laws 4771/65 and 12651/2012. Data collection took place in a marginal stretch of Vermelho River in Rondonópolis County, Mato Grosso State. The following data set was taken into consideration: aerial images derived from unmanned aerial vehicle, Rapid Eye satellite images and orbital images hosted at Google Earth. The spatial resolution of those images was compared. The aerial photos composed a mosaic that was photo-interpreted to generate land use and occupation classes. The riparian forest areas of a rural property were used as parameter, and their environmental situation was compared in 05 meter and 100 meter strips. Thus, by taking into consideration the current rules, 23,501 m2 of area ceased to be an environmental liability within the riparian forest and became a consolidated rural area. According to the previous Forest Code, in a different scenario, that is, in a set of rural properties, the public authority would receive USD 68,600.00 in fines. The new Brazilian Forestry Code of 2012, which replaces the previous one made in 1965, exempts those responsible for rural property from regenerating previously deforested native vegetation — an obligation established by older Forest Code. We have shown that the new Forest Code has diminished the legal responsibility of the rural owners in relation to the maintenance of forest fragments in their properties

Nonequilibrium fluctuations of a remodeling in vitro cytoskeleton

Motor proteins actively contract the actin cytoskeleton of cells and thereby give rise to nonequilibrium fluctuations as well as changes in the architecture of the cytoskeleton. Here, we show, by video microrheology of a reconstituted cytoskeleton, that motors generate time-dependent nonequilibrium fluctuations, which evolve as the network is remodeled. At earlier times, the fluctuation spectrum is dominated by strong non-Gaussian fluctuations, which arise from large displacements. At later times, directed displacements are infrequent and finally disappear. We show that these effects are due to contractile coarsening of the network into large actin-myosin foci. © 2012 American Physical Society

Tabletop Testbed for Attitude Determination and Control of Nanosatellites

To simulate the conditions of the space environment at ground, the Laboratory of Application and Innovation in Aerospace Science (LAICA) of the University of Brasília (UnB) is developing a dedicated testbed to reproducing nanosatellite attitude motion. The testbed is composed of an air-bearing table and a Helmholtz cage. The air-bearing table is a spacecraft simulator that can simulate frictionless conditions with three rotational degrees of freedom. Balancing the simulator is essential in order to make the gravitational torque negligible. The testbed is also equipped with a Helmholtz cage to recreate the Earth's magnetic field conditions that spacecrafts encounter in orbit. This paper presents the design and realization of this low-cost testbed. A simple and efficient automated balancing algorithm based on the least-squares method (LSM) is proposed and validated by experiments. The performance of the proposed simulator is evaluated and compared with previous works

Sustainability indicators in cooperative management of recyclable materials

Following the promulgation of the National Solid Waste Policy in 2010, legal provisions, government programs and sectoral agreements have been implemented, but without the expected efficiency in relation to recycling. It should be noted that Cooperatives of Recyclable Material Pickers (CRMP) should play a leading role in this regard, but they do not have adequate management to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, depending on assistance to maintain the activity. Aiming to elucidate this issue, in this paper was made an institutional diagnosis of the category of waste pickers using the Gramacho region in the city of Duque de Caxias (Rio de Janeiro) as a case study. It was carried out an evaluation of the historical context of the neighbourhood, and it was drawn up a semi-structured questionnaire in 12 of the 18 cooperatives in the region. The data were interpreted through a SWOT matrix and the Venn diagram. A matrix was proposed and elaborated with 15 sustainability indicators specific to the CRMC reality in order to evaluate and monitor the management of cooperatives. After collecting the primary data, it was possible to validate the matrix of indicators with indexes of cultural, economic, political and ecological sustainability of the cooperatives. It was found that the matrix of indicators facilitated the understanding of the data and the comparison between the indicators. This tool can help decision-making, creation of action plans and identification of demands by the cooperative waste pickers themselves, without the presence of an analyst or technician

Response surface for biodiesel production from soybean oil by ethylic route

Petroleum has been the most consumed energy source in the world, but it tends to run out due its non-renewable character. Among biofuels, biodiesel has emerged as the main candidate to substitute petroleum diesel. The present study aimed to identify the maximum yield point of biodiesel production by generating a response surface using molar ratio, temperature and agitation time as independent variables, and yield as a dependent variable. From the response surface, it is observed that the increase in temperature and reaction time leads to reduced yield. The configuration that resulted in maximum yield of 93.30% was 12:1 molar ratio, 30 °C temperature and 30-minute reaction time. From the chromatographic analysis it was possible to identify five different fatty acids in the composition of the biodiesels. Total saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic acids) ranged from 41.53% to 42.09% and total unsaturated fatty acids including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids) ranged from 57.92% to 58.48%. According to the results of the physicochemical analyses, the specific mass at 68°F is in agreement with Brazilian, American and European specifications, ranging from 877.46 kg m-3 to 879.64 kg m-3 . The kinematic viscosity at 104 °F ranged from 4.49 mm² s -1 to 4.82 mm² s -1 . The acid value obtained did not vary within the limits established by the norms, and values between 0.54 and 2.74 mg KOH g -1 were observed

Ictiofauna De Riachos Das Cabeceiras Da Bacia Hidrográfica Do Alto Paranapanema

The Paraná River basin has about 600 fish species. In the Upper Paraná, 310 fish species were recorded, with 52 species were registered in the streams and headwaters of the Paranapanema River. The aim of this study was to characterize the stream fish communities in the Upper Paranapanema River basin. Samplings were conducted with electrofishing during the dry season in the year of 2014. The collection effort consisted of 30 streams stretches. As a result, 41 species of stream fish were recorded in the Upper Paranapanema River basin, distributed in 26 genera, 11 families and 7 orders. Thirty-nine percent of the species can be considered rare, 41% intermediate and 20% common. We captured approximately eight species by stream stretch and the estimated richness (Schao2) was 40 ± 6 species. Around 40% of the individuals had less than 50 mm in length. © 2016, Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP. All rights reserved.16