New approach for analysing dynamical processes on the surface of photospheric vortex tubes

The majority of studies on multi-scale vortex motions employ a two-dimensional geometry by using a variety of observational and numerical data. This approach limits the understanding the nature of physical processes responsible for vortex dynamics. Here we develop a new methodology to extract essential information from the boundary surface of vortex tubes. 3D high-resolution magnetoconvection MURaM numerical data has been used to analyse photospheric intergranular velocity vortices. The Lagrangian Averaged Vorticity Deviation (LAVD) technique was applied to define the centers of vortex structures and their boundary surfaces based on the advection of fluid elements. These surfaces were mapped onto a constructed envelope grid that allows the study of the key plasma parameters as functions of space and time. Quantities that help in understanding the dynamics of the plasma, e.g. Lorentz force, pressure force, plasma-$\beta$ were also determined. Our results suggest that, while density and pressure have a rather global behaviour, the other physical quantities undergo local changes, with their magnitude and orientation changing in space and time. At the surface, the mixing in the horizontal direction is not efficient, leading to appearance of localized regions with higher/colder temperatures. In addition, the analysis of the MHD Poynting flux confirms that the majority of the energy is directed in the horizontal direction. Our findings also indicate that the pressure and magnetic forces that drive the dynamics of the plasma on vortex surfaces are unbalanced and therefore the vortices do not rotate as a rigid body

Medicinal plants from open-air markets in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as a potential source of new antimycobacterial agents

AbstractEthnopharmacological relevanceSeveral medicinal plants are traditionally traded in open-air markets in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil) to treat tuberculosis (TB) and related symptoms.Aims of the studyConduct a survey in the open-air markets of 20 cities of Rio de Janeiro State to find medicinal plants that are popularly used to treat tuberculosis and other related diseases and assess their in vitro antimycobacterial activity.Materials and methodsWe used direct observation and semi-structured interviews and asked herbalists to list species (free listing) in order to gather data about the plant species most commonly used for lung problems. We calculated a Salience Index and acquired two species of “erva-de-passarinho” (mistletoe), Struthanthus marginatus and Struthanthus concinnus (Loranthaceae), commonly used to treat tuberculosis for a bioassay-guided isolation of the antimycobacterial active principles. Extracts, fractions and isolated compounds of both species were assayed in vitro against susceptible (H37Rv) and rifampicin-resistant (ATCC 35338) Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.ResultsFrom the interviews, we generated a list of 36 plant species belonging to 12 families. The mistletoes Struthanthus marginatus and Struthanthus concinnus showed high Salience Index values among plants used to treat tuberculosis. Bioassay-guided fractionation of hexane extracts from both species led to the isolation and/or identification of steroids and terpenoids. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extracts and isolated compounds ranged from 25 to 200μg/mL. Some of the isolated compounds have been previously assayed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, others are reported here for the first time (obtusifoliol: MIC H37Rv 50μg/mL, MIC ATCC 35338 12.5μg/mL; 3-O-n-acil-lup-20(29)-en-3β,7β,15α-triol: MIC H37Rv 200μg/mL, MIC ATCC 35338 100μg/mL).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the importance of ethnobotanical surveys in markets as a source for new drugs and also for scientific validation of folk medicine

Freqüência e fatores de risco associados à toxocaríase em crianças de ambulatório pediátrico na região sudeste do Brasil

Para determinar a frequência de anticorpos anti-Toxocara sp. e os fatores de risco associados à infecção, soros de 242 crianças de ambos os sexos, com idade entre um a 15 anos, atendidas no ambulatório do Hospital da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil, foram analisados pelo ELISA. Questionários foram aplicados, para obter informações sobre os pacientes. As informações sobre as alterações clínicas, de 187 pacientes, foram obtidas no prontuário médico. Do total das 242 amostras, 21 (8,7%) foram positivas para anticorpos anti-Toxocara sp.. A presença de cães e gatos e a variável escola (local de contato) sugerem associação significativa (p ; 20%) mostram correlação positiva com a soropositividade para Toxocara sp.. A idade, sexo, sintomas como dor de cabeça, dor estomacal, crises convulsivas e anemia não apresentaram associação com toxocaríase.To estimate the frequency of anti-Toxocara sp. antibodies, and evaluate factors associated with this infection, sera from 242 male and female children, aged from one to fifteen years old, attended at the Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were analyzed by ELISA. Information on the patients was collected and registered using an investigative questionnaire, and details on possible clinical alterations were obtained from the medical charts of 187 patients. Of a total of 242 samples, 21 (8.7%) were positive for anti-Toxocara sp. antibodies. The presence of dogs and cats and the school variable (place of contact), appeared to be significantly associated (p < 0.05) with a positive serology. Respiratory symptoms and eosinophil counts greater than 20% also showed a positive statistical correlation with a positive serology for Toxocara sp.. Factors such as sex and age, and symptoms like headache, stomach ache, convulsive crises and anemia were not associated with toxocariasis

Opportunistic Maintenance Based on CUSUM Control Charts

The use of a Ship Maintenance Management System is fundamental for the good performance of equipments and the entire platform. Over the systematic maintenance, the opportunistic maintenance is a concept that aims to minimize outages and costs preventing undesirable failures. To implement this kind of maintenance statistical methodologies must be used. The Cumulative Sum charts have a very good performance applied to processes control in quality control. We proposed the use of Modified Cumulative Sum control charts to equipment maintenance.The data under study are observations of cooling water and oil temperatures from a diesel generator. In the first phase, we will apply traditional control charts, and, in the second phase, the Cumulative charts with a certain Average Run Length will be used. Then we will compare the results and extract conclusions, presenting measures for improvement.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Control Charts Limits Flexibility Based on the Equipment Conditions

Condition Based Maintenance became an important development in industrial and transport equipment maintenance efforts. Many statistical methodologies have been applied in this area. These methodologies are usually applied off-line: after the data is collected. We propose an online, real-time condition monitoring system based on a modified control chart, applied to engine parameters. These charts should be flexible enough and its control limits should reflect the equipment state, the manufacturer specifications and onboard meteorological conditions. In this study we will develop a methodology to specify flexible chart control limits. The experimental equipment is a combined diesel or gas propulsion system. Two phases will be assumed. In phase 1 the equipment and historical data are analyzed, studying historical data, which leads to the definition of equipment parameters. In phase 2, new data is obtained by simulation, and the Exponentially Weighted Moving Average charts are applied considering flexible limits.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CataloCards – O jogo da Representação Descritiva

It was developed a didactic boardgame based on “Trivial Pursuit” model, named “CataloCards”. Contents from Descriptive Representation discipline (RDI and RDII) were used to elaborate the questions/answers. The aim is to use it as support material, helping students to memorize rules and technical standards from disciplines from Library and Information Science courses. Questions were distributed in 6 categories that associate, as Trivia boardgames, symbols and colour being: Blue (AA) AACR2; pink (DC) - Dublin Core format and metadata; yellow (M21) - MARC21 format; red (FR) - FRBR; green (RDA) – RDA, and orange (HC) - Cataloguing History. Besides there were developed “Challenge Cards” were the players receive a penalty if given answer is wrong. The boardgame is composed by dice, board, question/answer cards, challenge cards, game pins, hourglass. It was tested in classroom and was well accepted by the students mainly because does not involve multimedia resources, not allowing students to use mobile devices for consulting, thus increasing learning proces