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Water deficit significantly affects the growth and survival of young plants following transplantation. We performed morphophysiological and biochemical analyses on young yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) plants under well-watered and water-deficit irrigation regimes and pre-treated with three plant growth regulators (PGRs) application—an agrochemical composed of auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins; salicylic acid (SA); and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor—and a control group with no PGRs. Results showed significant damage by water restriction on biometric attributes; however, the application of PGRs mitigated these effects, reducing growth inhibition processes. In terms of water stress mitigation, differences were observed between PGRs, depending on the morphophysiological or biochemical characteristic. The effectiveness of SNP was higher than the other PGRs in preventing stomatal conductance reduction and maintaining CO2 assimilation, while the agrochemical was the most effective in preventing photosynthetic pigments content decrease. All PGRs promoted osmoregulation in plants subjected to water deficit, thus helping to preserve cell turgor. Furthermore, PGRs application attenuated oxidative stress, either by increasing antioxidant enzymes activity, or by preventing or decreasing the content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, thus preventing lipid peroxidation. These findings suggest that the application of PGRs can be a useful strategy to improve young passion fruit plants tolerance to water restriction following transplantation. The multiple beneficial effects do not allow us to indicate the only one most effective PGR; however, a chemical constituents-related principal component analysis suggests that the agrochemical and SA are the most effective PGRs on mitigating water deficit stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomedical signal acquisition devices (e.g., Electrocardiography—ECG) are relevant for diagnosing and monitoring persons who have developed a variety of diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases. These devices comply with regulatory requirements before being marketed to prevent misleading measures, and they should also pass through corrective and preventive maintenance to keep them working correctly. We designed and implemented a simulation-based system to support these needs and assist manufacturers and healthcare facilities. This article focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of our system for validating ECG devices. Our system comprises software in a computing device and a biomedical signals transducer. The system relies on coloured Petri nets modeling language, a frequency-based filtering method, and publicly available databases. We validated the system using the PhysioNet database and comparison tests to verify the expected signal and outputs based on MATLAB filters and the commercial ECG device ENGC901448 from Instramed. The system was proven reliable, low-cost, and portable. Our proposal is relevant to providing evidence for certification and assisting healthcare facilities in conducting testing and corrective and preventive maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the smart grids establishment, where the presence of nonlinear loads and new power generation sources become increasingly expressive, there is a potential for unknown disturbances occurrence. Besides, given the huge amount of data coming from smart meters, it is important to preserve the relevant information and promote efficient storage of the data. Novelty Detection (ND) techniques can be used to address these challenges. The Stockwell Transform (ST) is a time–frequency distribution that has shown a great ability to detect novelties related to stationarity changes in signals. It can be applied to voltage and current signals from the grid. Therefore, the main contribution of this paper is to provide an FPGA real-time implementation of an ST-based novelty detector. Novelty detection goes beyond classic electrical disturbances well known in the area of power quality, as it relates any novelty event to a stationarity change in the analyzed signal. To perform the implementation in FPGA platform, the use of a soft-core processor is proposed to optimize the hardware resources of the FPGA. In addition, a strategy of voice selection is proposed to reduce the complexity and execution time of the algorithm in real-time implementation, while maintaining the detection capability. The proposed ND technique was implemented in a low-cost FPGA-based functional prototype, where synthesized and field-recorded real signals were applied, attesting the ND performance. The reported tests show that the strategies adopted for real-time implementation provided an optimization of hardware resources and enabled the execution of the ST algorithm and determination of the novelties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to microencapsulate porcine liver hydrolysate using different coat materials (arabic gum, maltodextrin, whey protein, a combination of whey protein with maltodextrin, xanthan gum, and soy protein isolate) by two different encapsulating methods (spray drying and freeze-drying) to obtain capsules with controlled release and resistant to the passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The thermogravimetric analysis of the microcapsules evidenced good thermal stability. All microparticles presented low water activity, being considered biologically and biochemically stable. In the gastrointestinal simulation, the antioxidant activity was evaluated, and all the coat materials were adequate to protect the biopeptides against gastrointestinal conditions, except for xanthan gum, which presented low efficiency. The antimicrobial activity was also evaluated in the in vitro digestion for 4 h, the microcapsules produced with Gum Arabic, Soy Protein Isolate and Whey+Malto (only those produced in a lyophilizer) showed an inhibitory action against Candida albicans and the microcapsules produced with Whey Protein, Whey+Malto and Soy Protein Isolate (only those produced in spray drying) showed inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus. The results obtained for gastrointestinal simulation demonstrated that microencapsulation preserved the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the pork liver hydrolyzate, confirming its importance for the maintenance of biopeptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of biochar's as soil amendments for enhancing nutrient retention in subsoils present potential limitations. To address this issue, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to assess the effects of various biochar's derived from animal manures (swine manure, poultry litter, cattle manure) and plant residues (rice straw, soybean straw, corn straw) when applied to surface of an acidic soil. Our study focused on wheat crops under a no-tillage system, with a subsequent evaluation of the residual impacts on soybeans. The experimental design involved the application of biochar's at different rates i.e. 10 and 20 Mg ha−1, followed by the assessment of their influence on NPK levels, pH, and exchangeable Al in stratified soil layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–15, and 15–25 cm). Furthermore, we investigated the interplay between biochar doses and the application of nitrogen (N) in the top 5 cm of soil, specifically examining NO 3 - , NH 4 + , P and K levels. Our findings revealed that in the top 5 cm of soil, biochar doses and N application significantly affected NO 3 - , NH 4 + , P and K concentrations. However, in deeper soil layers, no significant differences were observed among biochar doses with or without N application. Interestingly, K levels were impacted throughout all soil depths, regardless of the presence or absence of N application. Moreover, biochar application up to a 5 cm depth induced favorable changes in soil pH and reduced exchangeable Al. In contrast, deeper layers experienced a decrease in soil pH and an increase in exchangeable Al following biochar treatment. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that biochar's can effectively retain NPK nutrients, enhance soil pH, and decrease exchangeable Al, independent of the type and dosage of application under a no-tillage system. Nonetheless, the efficacy of biochar amendments may vary with soil depth and type of nutrient, warranting careful consideration for maximizing their benefits in sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria can have severe long-term effects. Even after treatment with antimalarial drugs eliminates the parasite, survivors of cerebral malaria may suffer from irreversible brain damage, leading to cognitive deficits. Angiotensin II, a natural human peptide hormone that regulates blood pressure, has been shown to be active against Plasmodium spp., the etiologic agent of malaria. Here, we tested two Ang II derivatives that do not elicit vasoconstriction in mice: VIPF, a linear tetrapeptide, which constitutes part of the hydrophobic portion of Ang II; and Ang II-SS, a disulfide-bridged derivative. The antiplasmodial potential of both peptides was evaluated with two mouse models: an experimental cerebral malaria model and a mouse model of non-cerebral malaria. The latter consisted of BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. The peptides had no effect on mean blood pressure and significantly reduced parasitemia in both mouse models. Both peptides reduced the SHIRPA score, an assay used to assess murine health and behavior. However, only the constrained derivative (Ang II-SS), which was also resistant to proteolytic degradation, significantly increased mouse survival. Here, we show that synthetic peptides derived from Ang II are capable of conferring protection against severe manifestations of malaria in mouse models while overcoming the vasoconstrictive side effects of the parent peptide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work compares the behaviour between epoxy and novel bio-based castor oil matrix composites reinforced with glass and aramid fibres manufactured by vacuum infusion. A full factorial design is applied to statistically identify the effects of polymer and fibre-type factors on the physical, tensile, flexural, and impact properties of these composites. Aramid fibre composites have lower apparent density but higher porosity and water absorption, especially if combined with a castor oil polymer. The tensile properties of aramid fibre composites are approximately 76% greater than glass fibre composites, while the epoxy matrix outperforms (up to 39%) bio-based castor oil polymer composites. In three-point bending, the epoxy system provides an increase of up to 46% in flexural properties; in contrast, the type of fibre used is not statistically significant. Regarding the impact test, the main factors and their interaction significantly affect energy properties, and castor oil glass fibre-reinforced composites have 78% more impact resistance than the other combinations. Finally, the low bulk density of castor oil polymer combined with aramid fibres provides a specific performance equivalent or superior to other synthetic composites commonly used for secondary structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Yield and grain quality of wheat have been negatively affected by the occurrence of blast, caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae, epidemics. Therefore, alternatives for blast management need to be explored and plant nutrition becomes a promising option. The hypothesis that wheat plants with higher foliar concentrations of silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) could have their resistance increased against blast was investigated in this study at the physiological and biochemical levels. Methods: Wheat plants were grown in nutrient solution and given the following treatments: -Si (0 mM) + Mg (0.25 mM), -Si (0 mM) + Mg (0.6 mM), + Si (2 mM) + Mg (0.25 mM), and + Si (2 mM) + Mg (0.6 mM). Plants were non-inoculated (NI) or inoculated (I) with P. oryzae and used for an in-depth analysis of their photosynthetic apparatus (determination of chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence parameters and pool of photosynthetic pigments) and quantification of defense-related and antioxidant enzymes activities as well as some metabolites [soluble phenolics, lignin, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anion radical (O2−)]. Results: Blast symptoms were reduced for Si-supplied plants due to higher foliar Si concentration. The Mg itself or its possible synergism with Si did not contribute to lowering blast severity even considering the greater foliar Mg concentration for plants supplied with 0.6 mM Mg compared to 0.25 mM Mg. Higher values of Chl a fluorescence parameters (variable-to-maximum chlorophyll a fluorescence ratio, photochemical yield, and yield for dissipation by down-regulation), great concentration of chlorophyll a + b, and less production of MDA, H2O2, and O2− were obtained for Si-supplied and infected plants due to reduced blast symptoms. The Si-supplied and infected plants, regardless of Mg rate, displayed higher activities of defense (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase, and polyphenoloxidase) and antioxidant (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase) enzymes as well as more lignin concentration. Four clusters (C) [C1 (NI plants for 0.25 mM Mg -Si, 0.6 mM Mg -Si, 0.25 mM Mg + Si, and 0.6 mM Mg + Si treatments), C2 (I plants for 0.25 mM Mg -Si and 0.6 mM Mg -Si treatments), C3 (I plants for 0.25 mM Mg + Si treatment), and C4 (I plants for 0.6 mM Mg + Si treatment)] were obtained with the principal component analysis. Conclusion: No evidence of synergism between Si and Mg or a possible effect of higher foliar Mg concentration to maximize wheat resistance to blast, linked to a more robust antioxidative metabolism, was obtained. The fact that Mg could not reduce blast symptoms cannot discard its indirect effect on wheat defense reactions considering the key functions it plays in plant metabolism, especially at the photosynthetic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth retardants have been used as an anti-lodging to reduce shoot growth by blocking the gibberellins biosynthesis without decreasing yield. We hypothesized that the type and dosage of growth retardants vary in effectiveness on reducing vegetative growth and increasing seed yield, as well as that prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca) may also be an effective growth retardant for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The goal of this study was to assess the effects of increasing rates of paclobutrazol (PBZ), mepiquat chloride (MC), and Pro-Ca on common bean morphophysiological and yield traits, based on a field experiment carried out in Vitória da Conquista, northeastern Brazil. Morphophysiological traits were assessed 14 and 38 days after application (DAA) of regulators, and yield traits were assessed at the end of the crop cycle. There was a positive relationship between increasing rates of regulators and decrease in stem length mainly up to 14 DAA, and Pro-Ca was more effective than the other regulators. At 38 DAA, increase in shoot dry mass was recorded when PBZ and MC were sprayed at rates from 100 to 400 g a.i. ha−1. Pro-Ca application increased the height of first pod insertion. Low rates of PBZ (25–50 g a.i. ha−1) increased, whereas high rates of Pro-Ca (200 and 400 g a.i. ha−1) tended to decrease the number of pods per plant. MC reduced the number of empty pods and increased the number of seeds per pod. The 100-seed weight increased up to a peak with an estimated rate of 162.5 g a.i. ha−1 for PBZ, 151.0 g a.i. ha−1 for MC, and 211.8 g a.i. ha−1 for Pro-Ca. PBZ and MC marginally increased seed yield with peaks at the estimated rates of 190.8 and 212.4 g a.i. ha−1, respectively, whereas rates of Pro-Ca greater than 50 g a.i. ha−1 decreased seed yield. The regulators were effective in reducing the plant size, thus mitigating lodging risks in common bean crop with highlight on Pro-Ca, but this regulator at high rates tended to reduce common bean yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is related to new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has mobilized several scientifics to explore clinical data using soft-computing approaches. In the context of machine learning, previous studies have explored supervised algorithms to predict and support diagnosis based on several clinical parameters from patients diagnosed with and without COVID-19. However, in most of them the decision is based on a "black-box" method, making it impossible to discover the variable relevance in decision making. Hence, in this study, we introduce a non-supervised clustering analysis with neural network self-organizing maps (SOM) as a strategy of decision-making. We propose to identify potential variables in routine blood tests that can support clinician decision-making during COVID-19 diagnosis at hospital admission, facilitating rapid medical intervention. Based on SOM features (visual relationships between clusters and identification of patterns and behaviors), and using linear discriminant analysis , it was possible to detect a group of units of the map with a discrimination power around 83% to SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. In addition, we identified some variables in admission blood tests (Leukocytes, Basophils, Eosinophils, and Red cell Distribution Width) that, in combination had strong influence in the clustering performance, which could assist a possible clinical decision. Thus, although with limitations, we believe that SOM can be used as a soft-computing approach to support clinician decision-making in the context of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at estimating genetic parameters, effective population size, inbreeding, and inbreeding depression for birth weight, weaning weight, and average pre-weaning daily weight gain (ADG) in Piau pigs. We used information from 3841 Piau pigs, and four linear models were fitted in single-trait analyses, including or excluding maternal genetic effect, common litter effect, or a combination. The adjustments of the models were compared using the likelihood ratio test, in which the model that presented the best fit for each trait was used to estimate the (co)variance components. The inbreeding depression effect was evaluated using a linear model that included the fixed effects of sex, parity order, contemporary group, and inbreeding coefficient as a fixed covariate. The weights at birth and weaning showed low direct heritabilities (0.08 and 0.05, respectively), while the ADG showed moderate heritability (0.20). The weight at birth showed high genetic correlations with the weight at weaning (0.90) and the ADG (0.82). The weight at weaning and the ADG also showed a high genetic correlation (0.99). There was an inbreeding increase over the generations and a reduction in the effective population size. In the last generation evaluated, all the animals were inbred, the average inbreeding coefficient was 0.07, and the effective population size was 20.8. A significant inbreeding effect on ADG was observed, where an increase of 1% in the inbreeding coefficient resulted in a decrease of 0.005 g in the ADG. Thus, increasing effective population size is mandatory for controlling inbreeding and reducing the loss of variability in this Piau pig population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the electronic design automation field, many tools focus on obtaining the maximum amount of information about the input to which it is provided in order to determine the best algorithms in each instance. Many of these inputs originate from circuits, and the greater the amount of information that can be gathered about a particular circuit, the more accurately the problems can be addressed. Some of these tools are the Boolean satisfiability (SAT) problem solvers, which, for the most part, receive formulas described in conjunctive normal form (CNF) as input. Unfortunately, the circuits encoding the process of the CNF format destroy much of the information that could have been used to optimize SAT solvers, as part of this information must be recovered to avoid applying generic algorithms in the solution of SAT problems. One of the difficult aspects of retrieving this information corresponds to the matching of clauses to their respective logic gates, as well as which sets of logic gates correlate to a functional block. The present work makes use of subgraph isomorphism algorithms to recover circuits encoded in CNF-DIMACS maximizing the number of clauses handled, at the level of both logic gates and more complex structural blocks, which allows their identification at higher levels of abstraction. For this purpose, a tool named GRCircuit was created which was able to successfully recover all circuits generated as tests, in addition to recovering 100% of the circuits from ISCAS 85 and ITC 99 benchmarks. These results demonstrate that it is possible to recover the circuit's structure and identify functional blocks using only graph algorithms, without backtracking approaches, in addition to prioritizing the number of clauses used instead of the number of logic gates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Re-exposing an animal to an environment previously paired with an aversive stimulus evokes large alterations in behavioral and cardiovascular parameters. Dorsal hippocampus (dHC) receives important cholinergic inputs from the basal forebrain, and respective acetylcholine (ACh) levels are described to influence defensive behavior. Activation of muscarinic M1 and M3 receptors facilitates autonomic and behavioral responses along threats. Evidence show activation of cholinergic receptors promoting formation of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in dHC. Altogether, the action of ACh and NO on conditioned responses appears to converge within dHC. Objectives: As answer about how ACh and NO interact to modulate defensive responses has so far been barely addressed, we aimed to shed additional light on this topic. Methods: Male Wistar rats had guide cannula implanted into the dHC before being submitted to the contextual fear conditioning (3footshocks/085 mA/2 s). A catheter was implanted in the femoral artery the next day for cardiovascular recordings. Drugs were delivered into dHC 10 min before contextual re-exposure, which occurred 48 h after the conditioning procedure. Results: Neostigmine (Neo) amplified the retrieval of conditioned responses. Neo effects (1 nmol) were prevented by the prior infusion of a M1–M3 antagonist (fumarate), a neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (NPLA), a NO scavenger (cPTIO), a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor (ODQ), and a NMDA antagonist (AP-7). Pretreatment with a selective M1 antagonist (pirenzepine) only prevented the increase in autonomic responses induced by Neo. Conclusion: The results show that modulation in the retrieval of contextual fear responses involves coordination of the dHC M1-M3/NO/cGMP/NMDA pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dynamic ensemble selection (DES) techniques, the competence level of each classifier is estimated from a pool of classifiers, and only the most competent ones are selected to classify a specific test sample and predict its class labels. A significant challenge in DES is efficiently estimating classifier competence for accurate prediction, especially when these techniques employ the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm to define the competence region of a test sample based on a validation set (known as the dynamic selection dataset or DSEL). This challenge is exacerbated when the DSEL does not accurately reflect the original data distribution or contains noisy data. Such conditions can reduce the precision of the system, induce unexpected behaviors, and compromise stability. To address these issues, this paper introduces the self-generating prototype ensemble selection (SGP.DES) framework, which combines meta-learning with prototype selection. The proposed meta-classifier of SGP.DES supports multiple classification algorithms and utilizes meta-features from prototypes derived from the original training set, enhancing the selection of the best classifiers for a test sample. The method improves the efficiency of KNN in defining competence regions by generating a reduced and noise-free DSEL set that preserves the original data distribution. Furthermore, the SGP.DES framework facilitates tailored optimization for specific classification challenges through the use of hyperparameters that control prototype selection and the meta-classifier operation mode to select the most appropriate classification algorithm for dynamic selection. Empirical evaluations of twenty-four classification problems have demonstrated that SGP.DES outperforms state-of-the-art DES methods as well as traditional single-model and ensemble methods in terms of accuracy, confirming its effectiveness across a wide range of classification contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the implementation of a power quality (PQ) parameters calculation system based on the use of parallel processors embedded in field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The novelty in the proposal is that the processors used in the FPGA implementation were developed to be automatically customizable, providing hardware resource optimization. The algorithms implemented in each processor follow the guidelines described in the IEC 61000-4-30 standard, for class A equipment. In order to show the effective operation of the implementation, the system was subjected to a functional simulation, using the ModelSim ® software, from the manufacturer Intel ® . A functional prototype was also developed using a Cyclone ® V FPGA evaluation board, to perform practical tests. The experimental results show that the system is able to calculate all parameters according to the requirements specified by the IEC 61000-4-30 standard for class A devices using minimum hardware resources, such as logic elements, memory and DSP blocks. For further analysis, the calculated parameters are then stored in a database based on PostgreSQL ® platform. In order to enable visualizing and analyzing these results, an interactive visualization panel was developed using the Grafana ® platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies with blood flow restriction (BFR) training have been conducted using devices capable of regulating the restriction pressure, such as pneumatic cuffs. However, this may not be a viable option for the general population who exercise in gyms, squares and sports centers. Thinking about this logic, practical blood flow restriction (pBFR) training was created in 2009, suggesting the use of elastic knee wraps as an alternative to the traditional BFR, as it is low cost, affordable and practical. However, unlike traditional BFR training which seems to present a consensus regarding the prescription of BFR pressure based on arterial occlusion pressure (AOP), studies on pBFR training have used different techniques to apply the pressure/tension exerted by the elastic wrap. Therefore, this Current Opinion article aims to critically and chronologically examine the techniques used to prescribe the pressure exerted by the elastic wrap during pBFR training. In summary, several techniques were found to apply the elastic wrap during pBFR training, using the following as criteria: application by a single researcher; stretching of the elastic (absolute and relative overlap of the elastic); the perceived tightness scale; and relative overlap of the elastic based on the circumference of the limbs. Several studies have shown that limb circumference seems to be the greatest predictor of AOP. Therefore, we reinforce that applying the pressure exerted by the elastic for pBFR training based on the circumference of the limbs is an excellent, valid and safe technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant defensins and lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) constitute a large and evolutionarily diverse family of antimicrobial peptides. Defensins and LTPs are two pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins) whose characterization may help to uncover aspects about the sugarcane response to pathogens attack. LTPs have also been investigated for their participation in the response to different types of stress. Despite the important roles of defensins and LTPs in biotic and abiotic stresses, scarce knowledge is found about these proteins in sugarcane. By using bioinformatics approaches, we characterized defensins and LTPs in the sugarcane wild species and modern cultivar genomes. The identification of defensins and LTPs showed that all five defensins groups and eight of the nine LTPs have their respective genes loci, although some was only identified in the cultivar genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that defensins appear to be more conserved among groups of plants than LTPs. Some defensins and LTPs showed opposite expression during pathogenic and benefic bacterial interactions. Interestingly, the expression of defensins and LTPs in shoots and roots was completely different in plants submitted to benefic bacteria or water depletion. Finally, the modeling and comparison of isoforms of LTPs and defensins in wild species and cultivars revealed a high conservation of tertiary structures, with variation of amino acids in different regions of proteins, which could impact their antimicrobial activity. Our data contributed to the characterization of defensins and LTPs in sugarcane and provided new elements for understanding the involvement of these proteins in sugarcane response to different types of stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the opalescence (OP) and color stability of composite resins over a period of 180 days and to compare composite resins' OP with enamel's OP. Materials and methods: Twenty human enamel specimens (5.0 × 0.3 mm) and 9 specimens (10.0 × 1.0 mm) of 10 colors of 4 different composite resins (3 M ESPE, FGM, Ivoclar-Vivadent, Miscerium) and one brand of adhesive (3 M ESPE) were made. The results were obtained by measuring the reflectance and transmittance spectra in the visible region. After baseline measurement, composites and adhesive were analyzed after 2, 7, 30, 60, 120, and 180 days. The Lab color coordinates were used in the calculations of the OP parameter and color differences in the CIELab and CIEDE2000 methods. The data were analyzed statistically. Results: The materials tested showed variation and an increase in OP over time. The OP found for enamel was 18.06 ± 2.99, and some resins showed higher results. There was a strong correlation between the coordinate b*T and the OP over time. Enamel Plus was the only one material that presented no color changes during all periods in both color analyses. Filtek Z350 XT, AT, and BT did not show differences in any time when analyzed by CIELAB. Conclusions: The OP of most composite resins changed during the period of 180 days and was different from the OP of tooth enamel. In general, composites demonstrated small color changes over the period tested, being this characteristic material dependent. Clinical relevance: Natural teeth present different optical properties. Composite resins restorations should present properties similar to natural teeth and it is important that characteristics like color and opalescence remain stable over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum has genes that encode different enzymes involved in plant cell wall degradation such as pectinases, which are important for the pathogenicity of various fungi. To analyze the function of pectinase-encoding genes in C.lindemuthianum, the expression of these genes during the interaction with the common bean was evaluated by qPCR. Using these results, the transformation technique mediated by Agrobacteriumtumefaciens was performed for the isolation of mutants (ATMT). The expression of 12 genes that code for pectinases in C.lindemuthianum was analyzed. Nine genes displayed differential expression only in the necrotrophic phase, and two only in the biotrophic phase. From the results obtained, four genes were selected for the isolation of mutants. From the 180 transformants analyzed, two mutants for the pecCl6 gene were obtained. The ∆pecCl6 mutants showed no difference in morphology, growth, sporulation, or pathogenicity compared to the wild type. No mutants were isolated from the other analyzed genes. The expression of pectinase-encoding genes indicates the importance of these enzymes during the interaction of C.lindemuthianum with the common bean. The advantages of using ATMT in C.lindemuthianum were its ability to present a single copy of the cassette in the genome of the transformants. A disadvantage was the low number of mutants in relation to the number of transformants obtained. Thus, the ATMT system was not efficient for the deletion of genes encoding pectinases in C.lindemuthianum. The results revealed that the pecCl6 gene is not essential for the pathogenicity of C.lindemuthianum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventionally and organically grown vegetables were analyzed with gamma spectrometry, and its activity concentration were obtained for 40K, 228Ra, 226Ra and 228Th. Committed effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were used as parameters to assess the differences in hazard indices for the two manner of growth. Committed effective dose obtained was around 10–5 Sv·y−1 and the lifetime cancer risk was estimated at 10–4. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed that there were no significant differences in hazard due to the ingestion of organically or conventionally grown vegetables. Furthermore, the consumption of studied vegetables did not present radiological risks for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Mixed N fertilization with NO3−:NH4+ ratio of 0.50:0.50 mitigates negative water stress effects on growth in young Eucalyptus urophylla plants. Plant tolerance to water deficit can be influenced by several factors, including the available ionic forms of fertilization. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+) ratios in N fertilization on growth-related morphophysiological and biochemical traits, with the aim of mitigating water stress in young Eucalyptus urophylla plants. A greenhouse experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design and factorial scheme 5 × 2, with different NO3−:NH4+ ratios (0.0:1.0 × 0.25:0.75 × 0.50:0.50 × 0.75:0.25 × 1.0:0.0) and water regimes based on irrigation at 90 and 30% of pot capacity. The results showed that water deficit inhibited plant growth, resulting in lower plant height, and smaller stem diameter, total leaf area, and leaf, stem and root dry mass. Decreases in stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and the content of reducing sugar and starch are involved in growth inhibition. Increasing the NO3−:NH4+ ratio can mitigate negative water deficit effects on leaf water potential, stomatal conductance, and photosynthesis. Furthermore, leaf nitrate reductase activity improves under mixed NO3−:NH4+ fertilization, compared with NO3– or NH4+ fertilization alone. Despite this, variations in N sources proved to be ineffective in preventing growth inhibition under water deficit. However, the NO3−:NH4+ ratio of 0.50:0.50 provided the best performance of morphophysiological traits, regardless of the water regime. This was particularly relevant at irrigation levels under 30% since fertilization with an NO3− ratio equal to NH4+ can mitigate water stress effects on plant growth, despite not preventing damage to morphophysiological traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhabdias Stiles and Hassal, 1905 comprises approximately 90 species of parasitic lung nematodes of amphibians and reptiles that have a wide distribution, with 21 species occurring in the Neotropics. In the present study, we describe Rhabdias waiapi n. sp. found parasitizing the lungs of the anuran species Pristimantis chiastonotus from the Amazon Biome in the Amapá State, Northern Brazil. The new species is characterized by having an elongated body, expansions of the cuticular inflation in the anterior end that become more discrete along the body, an anterior end with a slight constriction at the level of the esophageal apex with four rounded subapical elevations of the body wall, six lips, four near the edge of the oral opening and two more distant lateral ones, and a gradually tapering elongated tail. In addition, molecular analyses and phylogenetic reconstructions were made, with sequences from the coding region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Those results strongly support the status of the new taxon, which formed a poorly supported clade with Rhabdias sp. 5 from Anolis brasiliensis from Northeast Brazil. Rhabdias waiapi n. sp. is the 19th species of the genus described in the Neotropics for amphibians, the 10th in Brazil, the second described from hosts of the family Strabomantidae from the Neotropical region, and the first amphibian nematode species described in the Amapá State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We executed two studies to investigate time to reach steady state (EXP1) and diurnal variations (EXP 2) of markers, in order to recommend spot fecal sampling in sheep. Eight lambs were used in EXP 1. Each animal has received titanium dioxide (TDOX) and chromium oxide (COX) together during two periods of 15 days. Thirty sheep of the Santa Ines breed were used in EXP 2. Fecal samples were taken with 2-h intervals in the last 5 days of each period, simultaneously to total feces collection. A sine–cosine model was used to evaluate EXP 2, and broken-line model for EXP 1. TDOX could complete its recovery after 2.3 days, and it could accurately promote fecal estimates after 3 days of marker infusion. COX could stabilize after 4.1 days, and it could promote fecal estimates after 5 days. However, estimated fecal excretion became similar to total feces output after 3 days for TDOX and after 6 days for COX. For both markers, a total 6 days of adaptation period could be summed to a 3-day collection period. Spot sampling was similar to total fecal output at 6:00 to 8:00 on morning and between 5:00 and 7:00 on afternoon for TDOX. Also, COX could be sampled at 6:00 to 8:00 on morning and between 5:00 and 7:00 on afternoon. External markers could be evaluated from 3-day fecal spot collection. Fecal collections could be made before the morning feeding, and around 6 p.m. for both markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphogenetic, physiology, and forage mass characteristics of Mavuno brachiariagrass (Urochloa brizantha × Urochloa ruziziensis) under shading. The experiment was analyzed as split-plot. Whole plots were two growing seasons (spring/summer and fall/winter) and the subplots were shade levels (0, 30, 45, and 73%). There is a linear positive effect of shade on leaf elongation rate, leaf blade lengths, canopy height, chlorophyll indices, leaf percentage, and leaf to stem ratio. Shade linearly decreased stem and inflorescence percentages and tillers number. There was a quadratic effect of shade on growing cycle length, forage mass, and photosynthesis. Regarding to seasons, spring/summer presented higher rates of leaf appearance, leaf elongation, and stem elongation compared to fall/winter. In conclusion, Mavuno brachiariagrass harvested at 95% LI presents great adaptation to shading of 30%, without impairing the forage mass although increasing leaf size, chlorophyll indices, and canopy height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic, a disease transmitted by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has already caused the infection of more than 120 million people, of which 70 million have been recovered, while 3 million people have died. The high speed of infection has led to the rapid depletion of public health resources in most countries. RT-PCR is Covid-19's reference diagnostic method. In this work we propose a new technique for representing DNA sequences: they are divided into smaller sequences with overlap in a pseudo-convolutional approach and represented by co-occurrence matrices. This technique eliminates multiple sequence alignment. Through the proposed method, it is possible to identify virus sequences from a large database: 347,363 virus DNA sequences from 24 virus families and SARS-CoV-2. When comparing SARS-CoV-2 with virus families with similar symptoms, we obtained 0.97 ± 0.03 for sensitivity and 0.9919 ± 0.0005 for specificity with MLP classifier and 30% overlap. When SARS-CoV-2 is compared to other coronaviruses and healthy human DNA sequences, we obtained 0.99 ± 0.01 for sensitivity and 0.9986 ± 0.0002 for specificity with MLP and 50% overlap. Therefore, the molecular diagnosis of Covid-19 can be optimized by combining RT-PCR and our pseudo-convolutional method to identify DNA sequences for SARS-CoV-2 with greater specificity and sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is the assessment of the corrosion resistance of NiCr-based casting alloys in oral environments. The variables considered were the chemical composition of the source (raw) material, the casting process used and the characteristics of the environment. The following materials were tested: NiCrV (Ni70-77, Cr11-14, Mo3.5-8 wt.%), NiCrW (Ni59.6, Cr24, Mo9.8) and NiCrTi (Ni60-76, Cr12-21, Mo4-14, Ti4-6). Corrosion resistance was investigated by using electrochemical methods, and the corrosion morphology was determined by surface analysis techniques (SEM and optical stereoscopy). Results showed that the chemical composition of the source material was the determining factor for corrosion resistance, while the casting route and environment modification with fluoride addition did not affect the corrosion behavior of NiCr alloys. The corrosion morphology was localized exhibiting a peculiar dissolution pattern as observed in scanning droplet cell microscopy analysis. Furthermore, it was concluded that titanium segregation in the alloy after casting process was responsible for the lower localized corrosion resistance observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The premature wear and/or failure of components and equipment used for ore comminution can result in unscheduled downtime and, therefore, significant losses for the mining industry, in which it is estimated that about half of the total maintenance cost in mining is due to the manufacture of damaged parts and the other half due to downtime and labor. In this sense, approaches to improve the wear resistance of this kind of equipment are of great interest. Therefore, the present work aims to evaluate the potential of coating a high manganese Hadfield steel used to manufacture grinding hammers with Metco 1030A alloy (Fe–C–Mo–V–B) via laser cladding (DED-L). The coatings were deposited on Hadfield steel substrates (cast) using different levels of laser power and scanning speed. The coatings were characterized in relation to the presence of surface and internal defects, morphology, microstructure, chemical composition, and microhardness. The wear resistance of the coatings was evaluated by pin-on-drum tests. For all deposition conditions, continuous tracks were formed. Despite the superficial cracks, the layers did not detach, confirming the metallurgical bond with the substrate. The microstructure of the coatings is typically composed of vanadium carbides (VCs) and molybdenum borides (Mo2B) in a martensitic matrix. For the same scanning speed, carbides and borides tend to become larger and more widely spaced with increasing laser power. Compared with the Hadfield steel substrate, the coatings have significantly higher hardness and wear resistance. Despite the cracks, normally acceptable in the intended application, it can be said that the application of the Metco 1030 alloy via laser cladding has the potential to increase the service life of Hadfield grinding hammers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) intermittent irrigation is a potential strategy to mitigate methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, but the effects of dry-wetting intervals on soil electrochemical changes and plant characteristics should be considered. This study was conducted in a greenhouse evaluating CH4 and N2O fluxes in rice under five different irrigation management practices (continuous irrigation (CI), intermittent irrigation with flooding resumption in saturated soil condition (SSI) and soil moisture at field capacity (FCI), saturated soil and irrigation resumption with soil moisture bellow field capacity (FCS), and soil at field capacity (FCD)) and its relation to plant development and global warming potential (GWP). Soil electrochemical conditions and CH4 and N2O emissions were expressively affected by irrigation management. The CI system presented the greatest CH4 flux (20.14 g m−2) and GWP (462.7 g m−2 eq. CO2), whereas intermittent irrigation expressively reduced CH4 emissions. Overall, the N2O flux was low (bellow 20 μg m-2 h−1) even with N application, with greater emissions occurring at the FCD treatment at the beginning of the rice season. Soil moisture at field capacity had no CH4 flux but presented greater GWP (271 g m−2 eq. CO2) than intermittent irrigation systems due to N2O flux while compromising rice plant development. The best soil moisture condition to initiate a flooding cycle during intermittent irrigation is at saturated soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey to investigate the occurrence of cassava anthracnose disease (CAD) and distribution of Colletotrichum spp. in cassava plantations in different eco-zones of the Reconcavo Region in Bahia, Brazil, investigated during the rainy season of 2014. A total of 50 cassava fields distributed among 18 municipalities were visited and intensity of anthracnose evaluated. The highest disease incidence (DI) (83.3%) was in samples collected in São Félix, and the lowest (34.4%), in Varzedo. Municipalities that presented the highest values for DI were located within the 'Af' Köppen–Geiger eco-zone, also presenting the highest values for the estimated McKinney disease index. Based on previous studies of multilocus phylogeny, seven different species of Colletotrichum were identified (Colletotrichum fructicola, Colletotrichum tropicale, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides s.s, Colletotrichum theobromicola, Colletotrichum siamense, Colletotrichum brevisporum and Colletotrichum plurivorum) and a new approach based on ERIC-PCR was used aiming to group the 82 isolates according to these findings. The highest percentage of genetic variance (> 78%) was among isolates within fields. Based on the survey and genetic analysis, C. fructicola is probably the main causal agent of cassava anthracnose in the Recôncavo Region, since this species was present with highest incidence in all eco-zones, 47.61, 42.86 and 57.14% for Af (tropical rainforest climate), As (tropical dry savanna climate) and Aw (tropical wet savanna climate), respectively. This study is the first report of C. fructicola lineages as the most likely pathogen causing anthracnose disease of cassava in Brazil, and these findings may be used to guide the selection of resistant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different crop arrangements and weed management in integrated crop–forage–forestry systems on weed incidence, yield of maize and forage grass, quality of total harvested and tree development. The experiment was analyzed as split-plot and as randomized complete block design. Whole plots were crop arrangements containing maize, Marandu palisadegrass, Basilisk signalgrass, Piatã palisadegrass, eucalyptus and acacia, and subplots were the weed management (1.5 kg ha−1 of atrazine and 1.5 kg ha−1 of atrazine + 0.006 kg ha−1 of nicosulfuron). Planting was done under no-tillage system and herbicides were applied 22 days after maize emergence. The weeds incidence was not affected by treatments. Applying the mixture of atrazine and nicosulfuron reduced the grasses yield. However, the total dry mass harvested was not affected. The average yield of whole-plant corn in the intercropping systems was 12.9 t ha−1 of dry mass. The simultaneous establishment of the integrated crop–forage–forestry systems does not reduce the productivity and quality of whole-plant corn nor the production of the tree component at the first cultivation year. Despite the reduced grasses yield, the application of nicosulfuron and atrazine does not improve the production and quality of whole-plant corn in relation to the application of atrazine alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed at introducing and exploring the potential of a thermal management technique, named as near-immersion active cooling (NIAC), to mitigate heat accumulation in Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). According to this technique concept, the preform is deposited inside a work tank that is filled with water, whose level rises while the metal layers are deposited. For validation of the NIAC technique, Al5Mg single-pass multi-layer linear walls were deposited by the CMT® process under different thermal management approaches. During depositions, the temperature history of the preforms was measured. Porosity was assessed as a means of analyzing the potential negative effect of the water cooling in the NIAC technique. The preform geometry and mechanical properties were also assessed. The results showed that the NIAC technique was efficient to mitigate heat accumulation in WAAM of aluminum. The temperature of the preforms was kept low independently of its height. There was no measurable increase in porosity with the water cooling. In addition, the wall width was virtually constant, and the anisotropy of mechanical properties tends to be reduced, characterizing a preform quality improvement. Thus, the NIAC technique offers an efficient and low-cost thermal management approach to mitigate heat accumulation in WAAM and, consequently, also to cope with the deleterious issues related to such emerging alternative of additive manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Colletotrichum comprises species with different lifestyles but is mainly known for phytopathogenic species that infect crops of agronomic relevance causing considerable losses. The fungi of the genus Colletotrichum are distributed in species complexes and within each complex some species have particularities regarding their lifestyle. The most commonly found and described lifestyles in Colletotrichum are endophytic and hemibiotrophic phytopathogenic. Several of these phytopathogenic species show wide genetic variability, which makes long-term maintenance of resistance in plants difficult. Different mechanisms may play an important role in the emergence of genetic variants but are not yet fully understood in this genus. These mechanisms include heterokaryosis, a parasexual cycle, sexual cycle, transposable element activity, and repeat-induced point mutations. This review provides an overview of the genus Colletotrichum, the species complexes described so far and the most common lifestyles in the genus, with a special emphasis on the mechanisms that may be responsible, at least in part, for the emergence of new genotypes under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an alternative approach to prevent unidirectional grain growth in wire + arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is proposed and assessed, by moving cyclically the torch forward and backward, likewise the welding technique known as switchback. A series of tests were planned with CMT (cold metal transfer) process to compare three wall-like build-ups, which uses different deposition patterns, namely, in one-way direction, reverse direction, and switchback. The same equivalent travel speed and number of deposited layers were kept among them. Longitudinal sections were taken to identify the grain growth behaviour. Finally, samples were removed from the walls for porosity evaluation. The results confirmed the characteristics of unidirectional grain growth, when one-way direction condition was employed, and the break of growth direction between layers, when reverse direction was used, yet a zig-zag pattern became present. Differently, the application of switchback showed no preferential or unidirectional grain growth, suggesting less anisotropy of mechanical properties. In addition, switchback reduced porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the herbicide bentazon for weed control in a consortium containing corn, palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu), and Macrotyloma axillare cv. Java, and eucalyptus, in an agrosilvopastoral system. Experimental design was completely randomized with four replicates, and treatments were arranged in split plots. The plots were crop arrangements and subplots were the bentazon doses (0, 0.36 and 0.72 kg a.i. ha−1). Crop arrangements containing eucalyptus, corn, and palisadegrass showed the lowest dry mass of weeds, while corn monoculture, without herbicide application, showed highest incidence of weeds. All crop arrangements contained dicot weeds, but monocot weeds were only observed in treatments that contained java, and in corn monoculture. All plots treated with bentazon showed high corn grains yields, and corn monoculture produced the highest. Based on the results of this study, the application of bentazon and the use of palisadegrass may decrease weed pressure. Aiming corn yield in agrosilvopastoral system, weed control can be with 0.36 kg a.i. ha−1 of bentazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to increase the confidence on software for automation systems defining a coverage criterion to measure the quality level of generated tests and the time interval needed to execute them. This coverage criterion called At Least N (ALN) is based on the Effect Predicate Heuristic (EPH) that provides all effect predicate for ISA 5.2 diagrams. The ALN and EPH have been incorporated into the Gungnir tool that was built using model-based testing concepts. The Gungnir uses timed automata to model the specification, in the ISA 5.2 diagrams, and the implementation, in the Ladder language. The timed automata models are automatically extracted, data tests are generated and the tool automatically verifies if the implementation is in conformance with the specification, given a quality level defined by the user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomedical signal acquisition systems are software-intensive medical systems composed of processors, transducers, amplifiers, filters, and converters. We present in this article a formal modeling methodology of biomedical signal acquisition systems using Colored Petri Nets (CPN) and based on a frequency-domain approach. In the methodology, a reference model represents the main features of these medium risk systems. We argue that this kind of model is useful to assist manufacturers to reduce the number of defects in systems and to generate safety and effectiveness evidence throughout certification. Therefore, we describe two main contributions in this article. We provide a reference model of biomedical signal acquisition systems and show how manufacturers can generate evidence by means of an electrocardiography (ECG) case study. We carried out the case study by extending the reference model to represent the behavior of an ECG system using a basic cardiac monitor configuration based on the single-lead, heart rate monitor front end (AD8232) and the low power precision analog microcontroller, ARM cortex M3 with dual sigma-delta converters (ADUCM360). We verified the model against safety requirements with the model checking technique (safety evidence) and validated it by comparing output signals with a filtered ECG record available on the PHYSIONET ECG-ID database in the frequency and time domains (effectiveness evidence). This methodology enables manufacturers to identify defects in systems earlier in the development process aiming to decrease costs and development time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Obesity predisposes to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The amino acid, L-taurine (Tau), regulates glucose and lipid homeostasis and vascular function. Here we investigated whether Tau supplementation prevents endothelial dysfunction in the thoracic aortas of monosodium glutamate-induced obese (MSG) rats. Methods: Male rats received subcutaneous injections of MSG (4 mg/kg body weight/day) or saline (control group, CTL) during the first five days of life. From 21 to 150 days of age, the rats were distributed into the groups: CTL, MSG, and CTL and MSG supplemented with 2.5% Tau in their drinking water (CTAU and MTAU). Results: At 150-days old, MSG rats presented massive abdominal fat deposition, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance and high plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker. Tau supplementation attenuated fat accumulation in perigonadal adipose tissue and prevented the increase in triglycerides and MDA plasma levels. Aortic rings of MSG rats presented reduced vasodilation in response to acetylcholine (ACh). No modifications in insulin-induced vasodilatation, or Akt and eNOS phosphorylation, were observed in MSG aortas; thoracic aortas from MSG rats presented reduced tunica media thickness, with a lower aortic wall thickness/lumen diameter ratio and decreased total collagen content. Tau supplementation restored ACh-induced vasodilation and collagen content. Conclusions: Our study presents the first evidence that Tau prevents disruptions in vascular reactivity and in extracellular matrix composition in thoracic aortas of MSG-obese rats. The vascular protective actions of Tau may be linked to reduced lipid peroxidation and a reduction in cardiovascular risk factors, such as abdominal fat and hypertriglyceridemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane borer (Diatraea saccharalis) is a major pest of sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids), across the Americas. The insect is partially controlled by biological and chemical means, but still causes significant economic losses to sugarcane growers and processors. Proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt proteins, have been used to control sugarcane borer in maize (Zea mays) for the past decade. In sugarcane, the expression of individual Bt proteins has been reported several times. However practical use of Bt proteins requires their use as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system that includes the delivery of high doses of protein and the use of a refuge to slow the evolution of insect resistance to the protein. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using Bt proteins to protect sugarcane from sugarcane borer in a commercial setting. We have expressed two Bt proteins with differing modes of action (Cry1Ab and Cry2Ab) in commercial sugarcane varieties, demonstrated efficacy against sugarcane borer in the field and describe a strategy for trait deployment in this tropical crop with complex genetics that limits trait introgression by backcrossing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy efficiency is an important issue to consider when it comes to digital systems development. Despite all the accomplishments in CMOS evolution, there has been an active search for its replacement. Although most of these emerging technologies present very low power consumption, they are energetically bounded by a hard thermodynamic limit. In an attempt to help design systems capable of going beyond the limit aforementioned, we focus on embedding a new clocking scheme in the main CAD tool for quantum-dot cellular automata. More specifically, we implemented the Bennett clocking scheme and a partially reversible pipeline in the QCADesigner software simulator. We also carried out an energy-throughput analysis for the state-of-the-art benchmark combinational suite. Our results, compared to the conventional clock, show that in 60% of the circuits, the energy improvement surpasses the throughput degradation for the best energy configuration. When throughput is a concern, the designer has on average 15 different configurations for each of these benchmark circuits that can be traded trade between these metrics. To the best of our knowledge, this work presents the first attempt to add reversible features in the main CAD tool for QCA systems design and show an analysis of viable clock configurations for the circuits mentioned above. These efforts open new perspectives in designing QCA systems where energy efficiency is mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of porous materials as restrictor in aerostatic bearings provides many advantages over conventional restrictors, such as small variation of temperature, high damping, high operational speeds, limited wear and capacity to support radial, axial, and combined loads, being considered important features for precision machines and instruments. This work evaluates the load carrying capacity for different air gaps and pressures of thrust porous bearing made with cementitious composites. The cementitious composites consisted of Portland cement and monomodal silica particles (44 μm) were fabricated via uniaxial cold-pressing (10 MPa). The load capacity was determined for different air pressures, such as 3, 4, 5 and 6 bar. The air gap was measured using pneumatic transducers. A pneumatic instability was observed when the air pressure level increased from 3 to 6 bar. A similar loading capacity, for bearing gaps between 7 and 30 μm, was achieved in comparison to hot-pressed porous alumina found in the literature. In addition, the cementitious porous bearing provided a superior loading capacity for gaps higher than 10 μm when compared to graphite porous bearing found in the literature. The results revealed the cementitious composites are promising materials for porous restrictor in aerostatic thrust bearings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International knowledge flows might be eroding national borders of innovation systems and contributing for the emergence of an international system of innovation. This paper investigates how far the scientific international collaboration has developed and how stable the structure of those collaborations is, evaluating the properties of those networks and their long term behaviour. The data collected and analyzed show that international collaboration has been growing with a peculiar pattern-faster than an exponential growth-, shaping a scale-free network that has preserved its structure while it grows. This paper analyses the properties of this network and the implications of those properties for an emerging global innovation system in terms of growth, hierarchy, opportunity, challenges, and robustness and for the generation and transfer of technology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]