Performance and emission of pollutants of an agricultural engine with two-power take-off settings

Farming operations are usually performed implements driven by a power take-off (PTO) from tractors. Some manufacturers offer PTO settings named as economic (540E). Such configuration drives implements at lower tractor’s engine rotation, thus providing lower fuel consumption. An engine performance using standard (540) or 540E settings are different and poorly studied. The amounts of pollutants emitted by engines vary mainly with the applied load and rotation. The aim of this study was to compare the performance and exhaust emissions of a farming tractor engine under different PTO loads, using both standard (540) and 540E settings. Specific fuel consumption using 540E was an average 14.7% less than the standard setting. However, 540E promoted increasing levels of gas opacity, CO, CO2, NOx, and HC for the highest PTO power demands.Postprint (published version

Removal of 60 Hz interference on the ECG signal using digital notch filter.

A interfer?ncia de 60 Hz AC pode ser um problema em qualquer situa??o de medi??o de biopotencial. A fonte dessa interfer?ncia ? o potencial AC da rede de alimenta??o de energia el?trica que est? inevitavelmente presente em qualquer situa??o cl?nica, ou para ilumina??o do ambiente ou como fonte de suprimento dos equipamentos de medi??o. A interfer?ncia causada pela rede el?trica, em 60 Hz, pode ser dif?cil de detectar visualmente em sinais tendo formas de onda n?o-regulares, como o EEG ou o EMG. N?o obstante, a interfer?ncia ? facilmente vis?vel quando presente em sinais com formas de onda bem definidas, como ? o caso do sinal de ECG (Eletrocardiograma). Em todo caso, o espectro de pot?ncia do sinal deve fornecer uma indica??o clara da presen?a da interfer?ncia da rede como um impulso em 60 Hz. Os harm?nicos, caso presentes, aparecem como impulsos adicionais em m?ltiplos inteiros da frequ?ncia fundamental. Neste trabalho ? demonstrada uma t?cnica de filtragem, empregando um filtro ?Notch? digital, o qual remove o artefato de 60 Hz do sinal de ECG, aumentando a confiabilidade do diagn?stico cl?nico a partir da interpreta??o do mesmo.60 Hz AC interference can be a problem in any biopotential measurement situation. The source of such interference is the AC potential of the electrical power supply network that is inevitably present in any clinical situation, either for lighting the environment or as a source of supply for the measuring equipment. Electrical interference at 60 Hz can be difficult to detect visually on signals having non-regular waveforms such as EEG or EMG. Nevertheless, the interference is easily visible when present in signals with well-defined waveforms, such as the ECG (Electrocardiogram) signal. In any case, the power spectrum of the signal shall provide a clear indication of the presence of the network interference as a 60 Hz pulse. The harmonics, if present, appear as additional pulses in integral multiples of the fundamental frequency. In this work, a filtering technique is demonstrated, using a digital Notch filter, which removes the 60 Hz artifact from the ECG signal, increasing the reliability of the clinical diagnosis from its interpretation

Comparison of force variables and dynamic strength index between age groups in elite young Brazilian football goalkeepers

Introduction: The application of muscle force is a determinant of football success as it is inherent to the motor control and sport. The aims of this study are: (1) to describe force variables Isometric Maximal Force (IMF), Concentric Peak Force (CPPF), and Dynamic Strength Index (DSI) in football goalkeepers from different age groups; (2) to compare these variables’ behavior between those groups. Methods: The sample was formed by 19 youth players (15.97 ± 1.55 years old) from a first-division Brazilian football team. The CPPF and IMF variables were obtained through the Countermovement jump and isometric squat tests, respectively. For data collection, a force plate (Cefise, Brazil) was used with an acquisition frequency of 600 Hz and mono-axial. The DSI was calculated using the ratio between CPPF and IMF. For data analysis, the sample was separated into clusters by age. After the grouping, a descriptive analysis of the data and a comparison between the groups with p < 0.05. Results: The sample was grouped into three groups (GA, GB, and GC) and one of the individuals did not enter the group, totaling 18 individuals in the analyzed sample. The comparison between the ages of the groups showed a significant difference and small and moderate effect size (ES), validating the cluster strategy. The CPPF and IMF variables showed increased values according to chronological age. CPPF showed a significant difference between GA-GB, (ES = very large) GA-GC (ES = very large), and GB-GC (ES = moderate). The IMF variable had significant differences between GA-GB (ES = moderate) and GA-GC (ES = very large). However, DSI showed significant differences only between GA GB (ES = small) and GB-GC (ES = very large). Conclusions: The CPPF and IMF variables had constant increases and distinct values with an increase according to age, and this did not occur for DSI. The difference between CPPF and IMF compared to DSI bring to light the variability in dynamics and proportionality between muscular force in the concentric phase and maximal force in the isometric regime during the developmental process over chronological age in soccer goalkeepers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fault location technique in transmission lines using the minimum square method.

A investiga??o de diferentes tipos de faltas em linhas de transmiss?o ? uma tarefa complexa e de extrema import?ncia para o Sistema El?trico de Pot?ncia (SEP). A modelagem da linha de transmiss?o deve ser estabelecida da forma mais rigorosa poss?vel, visando ? precis?o das dist?ncias de faltas simuladas a partir dos modelos levantados. Neste trabalho ser? modelada uma linha de transmiss?o em circuito simples usando o programa de c?lculo de transit?rios eletromagn?ticos ATPDraw? e, posteriormente, o algoritmo de localiza??o de falta baseado no emprego do m?todo dos m?nimos quadrados ser? implementado no MATLAB?. O desempenho do m?todo ser? discutido em termos de precis?o e robustez dos resultados.The investigation of different types of faults in transmission lines is a complex and extremely important task for the Electric Power System (EPS). The modeling of the transmission line should be established as rigorously as possible, aiming at the accuracy of simulated fault distances from the models surveyed.. In this work, a simple circuit transmission line will be modeled using the ATPDraw? electromagnetic transient program, and later the fault localization algorithm based on the use of the least squares method will be implemented in MATLAB?. The performance of the method will be discussed in terms of accuracy and robustness of the results

Análise da alimentação e hidratação de praticantes de polo aquático do município de São Paulo

Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a alimentação e a hidratação de atletas de polo aquático. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado com praticantes de polo aquático, de ambos os gêneros, do município de São Paulo. Aplicou-se um questionário composto por 11 questões que abordaram dados pessoais (idade, gênero e outros), uso de suplementos (tipo de suplemento, finalidade e indicação do produto), hidratação (pré, durante e pós treino) e alimentação (pré, durante e após o treino) dos jogadores. Foram avaliados 42 jogadores de polo aquático, sendo 22 homens (52,4%) e 20 mulheres (47,6%). Observou-se que 30 (71,5%) atletas consumiam suplementos alimentares, orientados principalmente por nutricionistas. Em relação a alimentação pré-treino, verificou-se grande consumo de alimentos fonte de carboidratos. A refeição pós treino foi composta predominantemente por alimentos como ovos, frango, atum, arroz, macarrão, feijão, açaí e pão. Também se constatou que grande parte dos atletas se hidratavam com água durante os treinamentos e competições. Observou-se que alguns jogadores de pólo aquático não mantém hábitos adequados ao esporte, o que pode propiciar um menor rendimento nos treinamentos e competições. ABSTRACTAnalysis of nutrition and supplementation of water polo players of Sao PauloThe aim of this study was to analyze the feeding, supplementation and hydration, before, during and after workout of water polo athletes in São Paulo. Applied a questionnaire composed of 11 questions that addressed personal data (age, gender and others), use of supplements (supplements type, purpose and indication of the product), hydration (before, during and after workout) and feeding (before, during and after training) of the players. The questionnaire included the participation of 42 practitioners of water polo, 22 men (52,4%) and 20 women (47,6%). Of these, 30 (71,5%) reported using supplements, there were oriented mainly by nutritionists. About the before workout feeding, was observed a great source of carbohydrates consumption. The after-work out meal was composed predominantly of foods such as: egg, chicken, tuna, rice, pasta, beans, acai and bread. Also, found that many of the athletes hydrate themselves with water during the trainings and competitions. It was observed that some water polo players do not maintain adequate sports habits, which can provide a lower yield in the trainings and competitions

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma: what the nonspecialists needs to know

ABSTRACT Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) accounts for most cases of thyroid cancer, and the heterogeneity of DTC requires that management decisions be taken by a multidisciplinary team involving endocrinologists, head and neck surgeons, nuclear medicine physicians, pathologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists. It is important for nonspecialists to recognize and refer patients with DTC who will benefit from a specialized approach. Recent advances in knowledge and changes in management of DTC call for the need to raise awareness on the part of these nonspecialist physicians, including general endocrinologists and medical oncologists at large. We provide an overview of diagnostic and therapeutic principles in DTC, especially those that bear direct implication on day-to-day management of these patients by generalists. Patients with DTC may be broadly categorized as having localized, locally persistent/recurrent, or metastatic disease. Current recommendations for DTC include a three-tiered system that classifies patients with localized disease into low, intermediate, or high risk of persistent or recurrent disease. Risk stratification should be performed at baseline and repeated on an ongoing basis, depending on clinical evolution. One of the overarching goals in the management of DTC is the need to personalize treatment by tailoring its modality and intensity according to ongoing prognostic stratification, evolving knowledge about the disease, and patient characteristics and preference. In metastatic disease that is refractory to radioactive iodine, thyroid tumors are being reclassified into molecular subtypes that better reflect their biological properties and for which molecular alterations can be targeted with specific agents

The germline mutational landscape of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Brazil

The detection of germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 is essential to the formulation of clinical management strategies, and in Brazil, there is limited access to these services, mainly due to the costs/availability of genetic testing. Aiming at the identification of recurrent mutations that could be included in a low-cost mutation panel, used as a first screening approach, we compiled the testing reports of 649 probands with pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants referred to 28 public and private health care centers distributed across 11 Brazilian States. Overall, 126 and 103 distinct mutations were identified in BRCA1 and BRCA2, respectively. Twenty-six novel variants were reported from both genes, and BRCA2 showed higher mutational heterogeneity. Some recurrent mutations were reported exclusively in certain geographic regions, suggesting a founder effect. Our findings confirm that there is significant molecular heterogeneity in these genes among Brazilian carriers, while also suggesting that this heterogeneity precludes the use of screening protocols that include recurrent mutation testing only. This is the first study to show that profiles of recurrent mutations may be unique to different Brazilian regions. These data should be explored in larger regional cohorts to determine if screening with a panel of recurrent mutations would be effective.This work was supported in part by grants from Barretos Cancer Hospital (FINEP - CT-INFRA, 02/2010), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, 2013/24633-2 and 2103/23277-8), Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Rio Grande do Norte (FAPERN), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), Ministério da Saúde, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Avon grant #02-2013-044) and National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute (grant #RC4 CA153828-01) for the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. Support in part was provided by grants from Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa e Eventos (FIPE) from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, BioComputacional 3381/2013, Rede de Pesquisa em Genômica Populacional Humana), Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia (SESAB), Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular (UFBA), INCT pra Controle do Câncer and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). RMR and PAP are recipients of CNPq Productivity Grants, and Bárbara Alemar received a grant from the same agencyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets