A linear domain decomposition method for partially saturated flow in porous media

The Richards equation is a nonlinear parabolic equation that is commonly used for modelling saturated/unsaturated flow in porous media. We assume that the medium occupies a bounded Lipschitz domain partitioned into two disjoint subdomains separated by a fixed interface $\Gamma$. This leads to two problems defined on the subdomains which are coupled through conditions expressing flux and pressure continuity at $\Gamma$. After an Euler implicit discretisation of the resulting nonlinear subproblems a linear iterative ($L$-type) domain decomposition scheme is proposed. The convergence of the scheme is proved rigorously. In the last part we present numerical results that are in line with the theoretical finding, in particular the unconditional convergence of the scheme. We further compare the scheme to other approaches not making use of a domain decomposition. Namely, we compare to a Newton and a Picard scheme. We show that the proposed scheme is more stable than the Newton scheme while remaining comparable in computational time, even if no parallelisation is being adopted. Finally we present a parametric study that can be used to optimize the proposed scheme.Comment: 34 pages, 13 figures, 7 table

Sistema Único de Saúde e Educação Física: Aproximações a partir do grupo de epidemiologia da atividade física - atenção básica

Trabalho apresentado no 31º SEURS - Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 04 a 07 de agosto de 2013 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.Com o aumento da expectativa de vida, e consequente aumento da população de idosos, as doenças crônico-degenerativas tendem a se manifestar de forma expressiva e, frequentemente, estão associadas à comorbidades, gerando incapacidades que podem comprometer a funcionalidade, dificultando ou impedindo o desempenho de atividades cotidianas de forma independente. Entre os principais fatores de risco contribuintes para a ocorrência dos agravos crônico-degenerativos, encontram-se a hipertensão arterial, a obesidade, o alto nível de colesterol, o consumo de álcool e de tabaco e o sedentarismo. Por outro lado, sabe-se que praticar Atividade Física (AF) regular é reconhecidamente um comportamento capaz de prevenir doenças crônicas e interage de forma positiva com outras estratégias comportamentais de promoção da saúde, tais como hábitos alimentares saudáveis, abandono do tabagismo, consumo de álcool e drogas. O objetivo do projeto é incluir o profissional de Educação Física na UBS de ensino Areal Leste da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), de forma que atue no aconselhamento à comunidade e aos profissionais que nela atuam quanto à atividade física e na coordenação de programas de atividade física (AF). A intervenção é baseada em quatro atividades específicas: a) Estudo de Linha de base da população da área de abrangência da UBS; b) Atividade de divulgação da função do educador físico na sala de espera e aconselhamento a prática de AF; c) Aulas coletivas de AF à população; d) Atendimento ambulatorial a população da área de abrangência. É esperado que, ao final da intervenção, ocorra diminuição estatisticamente significativa em relação à prevalência de sedentarismo na população da área de abrangência das UBS assim como melhor da prevalência de aconselhamento feita aos usuários. Outro resultado esperado é a inclusão de área de estágio nas UBS para os estudantes do curso de educação Física da UFPel

Redox Conditions Determine Microbial Cobamide Production in Hyporheic Sediment

All kingdoms of life rely on cobalamin, a coenzyme produced by a subset of Bacteria and Archaea. Cobalamin belongs to a family of molecules called cobamides. Cobamides all share a tetrapyrrole corrin ring which is joined to one of 17 known naturally occurring lower bases. Until now, little work has explored why one type of cobamide is produced over another. This research explores cobamide production under different redox conditions: glucose fermentation, lactate fermentation, methanogenesis, sulfate reduction, nitrate reduction, and iron reduction. Homogenized sediment from Third Creek (Knoxville, Tennessee) was used for initial microcosms grown under each redox condition and fifth generation or later transfers were used to analyze cobamide production. Type and quantity of cobamide produced under each condition was distinct. Cobamide production was normalized between redox conditions by comparing total cobamide produced to the amount of substrate or electron acceptor consumed. Glucose and lactate fermenters both resulted in 5-hydroxybenzimidazole cobamide and methylbenzimidazole cobamide. Methanogens produced exclusively methylbenzimidazole cobamide. Sulfate reduction and nitrate reduction both produced cobalamin. No detectable cobamide was produced by iron reduction. Maintenance of redox conditions were verified by monitoring the reactants and products for each redox process. This work demonstrates that redox conditions shape the cobamide pool. The results have important implications for microbial ecology including in bioremediation systems where corrinoid-auxotrophic bacteria require certain types of cobamide for metabolic processes that break down pollutants

Perception Gaps in Headquarters-Subsidiary Relations

Headquarters-subsidiary relationships and how they evolve are object of a lot of research. However, it remains open how headquarters-subsidiary relationships translate into everyday cooperation, the top-management perspective set aside. In order to widen our understanding of headquarters-subsidiary relations, we argue that it is necessary to focus on differing role understanding and a resulting mismatch of expectations. We extend the concept of perception gaps as origin of headquarters-subsidiary conflicts by linking it to the literature on team cognition. Furthermore, we identify a lower level of aggregation as a research opportunity and propose to study between-team interactions of headquarters and subsidiaries. Finally, we discuss implications for the premise that design shapes behaviour

Decrypting strong and weak single-walled carbon nanotubes interactions with mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channels using molecular docking and perturbation theory

[Abstract] The current molecular docking study provided the Free Energy of Binding (FEB) for the interaction (nanotoxicity) between VDAC mitochondrial channels of three species (VDAC1-Mus musculus, VDAC1-Homo sapiens, VDAC2-Danio rerio) with SWCNT-H, SWCNT-OH, SWCNT-COOH carbon nanotubes. The general results showed that the FEB values were statistically more negative (p  (SWCNT-VDAC1-Mus musculus) > (SWCNT-VDAC1-Homo sapiens) > (ATP-VDAC). More negative FEB values for SWCNT-COOH and OH were found in VDAC2-Danio rerio when compared with VDAC1-Mus musculus and VDAC1-Homo sapiens (p  r2 > 0.97) was observed between n-Hamada index and VDAC nanotoxicity (or FEB) for the zigzag topologies of SWCNT-COOH and SWCNT-OH. Predictive Nanoparticles-Quantitative-Structure Binding-Relationship models (nano-QSBR) for strong and weak SWCNT-VDAC docking interactions were performed using Perturbation Theory, regression and classification models. Thus, 405 SWCNT-VDAC interactions were predicted using a nano-PT-QSBR classifications model with high accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity (73–98%) in training and validation series, and a maximum AUROC value of 0.978. In addition, the best regression model was obtained with Random Forest (R2 of 0.833, RMSE of 0.0844), suggesting an excellent potential to predict SWCNT-VDAC channel nanotoxicity.Brasil. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; 552131/2011-3Brasil. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; 454332/2014-9Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; R2014/03

Laville Jean-Louis, 2007, L’économie solidaire. Une perspective internationale, Hachette Littératures, 383 p.

Cet ouvrage collectif sous la direction de Jean-Louis Laville (professeur au Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, co-directeur du Laboratoire interdisciplinaire pour la sociologie économique) rassemble huit synthèses de recherche menées dans plusieurs pays et continents. Ecrites par des universitaires européens (Laurent Gardin, Marthe Nyssens, Isabelle Guérin, Laurent Fraisse, Elisabetta Bucolo), québécois (Paul R. Bélanger, Jacques L. Boucher, Benoît Lévesque) et chilien (Ignacio Larr..

Using event diaries and in-depth interviews for understanding shared understanding in headquarters-subsidiary cooperation

The paper describes the application of a qualitative diary method combined with in-depth interviews in the context of headquarters-subsidiary cooperation. We examine the distinct requirements of studying shared understanding in the case of distributed teams and argue that further research is necessary in order to explain inter-team conflicts arising from incongruent understandings and divergent expectations. Building on this research gap, we perform a case study in the headquarters of a multinational technology company and one of its subsidiaries. With the help of Event Sampling Methodology (ESM) and in-depth interviews, we were able to identify, analyze and comprehend situations characterized by lacking shared understanding. By this, our research contributes to the methodical discussion on event sampling methods and proposes new fields of application. Furthermore, it contributes to the international management literature by analyzing misunderstandings in international R&D cooperation

Using event diaries and in-depth interviews for understanding shared understanding in headquarters-subsidiary cooperation

The paper describes the application of a qualitative diary method combined with in-depth interviews in the context of headquarters-subsidiary cooperation. We examine the distinct requirements of studying shared understanding in the case of distributed teams and argue that further research is necessary in order to explain inter-team conflicts arising from incongruent understandings and divergent expectations. Building on this research gap, we perform a case study in the headquarters of a multinational technology company and one of its subsidiaries. With the help of Event Sampling Methodology (ESM) and in-depth interviews, we were able to identify, analyze and comprehend situations characterized by lacking shared understanding. By this, our research contributes to the methodical discussion on event sampling methods and proposes new fields of application. Furthermore, it contributes to the international management literature by analyzing misunderstandings in international R&D cooperation