Global dynamics of the Benoît system

In this paper, we work with a two-degree polynomial differential system in \(\mathbb R ^3\) related with the canard phenomena. We show that this system is completely integrable, and we provide its global phase portrait in the Poincaré ball using the Poincaré–Lyapunov compactification.     

RSM analysis of the effects of the oxygen transfer coefficient and inoculum size on the xylitol production by Candida guilliermondii

Biotechnology production of xylitol is an excellent alternative to the industrial chemical process for the production of this polyalcohol. In this work the behavior of Candida guilliermondii yeast was studied when crucial process variables were modified. The K _La (between 18 and 40/h) and the initial cell mass (between 4 and 10 g) were considered as control variables. A response surface methodology was applied to the experimental design to study the resulting effect when the control variables were modified. A regression model was developed and used to determine an optimal value that was further validated experimentally. The optimal values determined for K _La and X ₀ were 32.85/h and 9.86 g, respectively, leading to maximum values for productivity (1.628 g/h) and xylitol yield (0.708 g/g).     

Accreditation and recognition programs in Brazil: current situation and perspectives

This work presents the current situation and perspectives of accreditation and Good Laboratory Practice programs in Brazil according to the Brazilian accreditation body, the General Coordination for Accreditation of the Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology.     

TiberCAD: A new multiscale simulator for electronic and optoelectronic devices

In the last years GaN-based heterostructures have attracted much attention for their application as optoelectronic devices. The strain due to lattice mismatch of the constituent materials plays a crucial role in the behaviour of these structures, especially if they are of reduced dimensions, as e.g. nanocolumns. We show an implementation of a new device simulator which accounts for strain-related effects and quantum mechanical properties and couples them with the transport of the quasi-particles in the system. Simulations of an AlGaN/GaN nanocolumn LED are reported as an example.     

Distribution of chondroitin sulfate in human endometrium

Sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) composition was characterized in the human endometrium during proliferative and secretory phases of the menstrual cycle. Sulfated GAGs were analyzed in endometrium tissue using metachromatic staining, biochemical analysis including electrophoresis before and after specific enzymatic or chemical degradations, and immunostaining with an antibody against chondroitin sulfate (CS). Our results showed that CS was the main sulfated GAG species detected, accompanied by small amounts of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. CS was distributed overall the connective stroma, around arteriole vessels and glands, and there was no important difference in the immunostaining between the proliferative and secretory endometrium phases. Our findings extend previous observations on the GAG composition in the human endometrium providing new information regarding the tissue distribution and location of endometrial CS.     

An exact algorithm for the stratification problem with proportional allocation

We report a new optimal resolution for the statistical stratification problem under proportional sampling allocation among strata. Consider a finite population of N units, a random sample of n units selected from this population and a number L of strata. Thus, we have to define which units belong to each stratum so as to minimize the variance of a total estimator for one desired variable of interest in each stratum, and consequently reduce the overall variance for such quantity. In order to solve this problem, an optimal algorithm based on the concept of minimal path in a graph is proposed and assessed. Computational results using real data from IBGE (Brazilian Central Statistical Office) are provided.     

On the influence of laryngeal pathologies on acoustic and electroglottographic jitter measures

This study compared acoustic and electroglottographic (EGG) jitter from [a] vowels of 103 dysphonic speakers. The EGG recordings were chosen according to their intensity, signal-to-noise ratio, and percentage of unvoiced intervals, while acoustic signals were selected based on voicing detection and the reliability of jitter extraction. The agreement between jitter measures was expressed numerically as a normalized difference. In 63.1% (65/103) of the cases the differences fell within +/-22.5%. Positive differences above +22.5% were associated with increased acoustic jitter and occurred in 12.6% (13/103) of the speakers. These were, typically, cases of small nodular lesions without problems in the posterior larynx. On the other hand, substantial rises in EGG jitter leading to differences below -22.5% took place in 24.3% (25/103) of the speakers and were related to hyperfunctional voices, creaky-like voices, small laryngeal asymmetries affecting the arytenoids, or small-to-moderate glottal chinks. A clinically relevant outcome of the study was the possibility of detecting gentle laryngeal asymmetries among cases of large unilateral increase in EGG jitter. These asymmetries can be linked with vocal problems that are often overlooked in endoscopic examinations.     

Maximum‐size antichains in random set‐systems

We show that, for , the largest set in a p‐random sub‐family of the power set of containing no k‐chain has size with high probability. This confirms a conjecture of Osthus. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 49, 308–321, 2016     

The ground state tunneling splitting and the zero point energy of malonaldehyde: a quantum Monte Carlo determination

Quantum dynamics calculations of the ground state tunneling splitting and of the zero point energy of malonaldehyde on the full dimensional potential energy surface proposed by Yagi et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 1154, 10647 (2001)] are reported. The exact diffusion Monte Carlo and the projection operator imaginary time spectral evolution methods are used to compute accurate benchmark results for this 21-dimensional ab initio potential energy surface. A tunneling splitting of 25.7+/-0.3 cm-1 is obtained, and the vibrational ground state energy is found to be 15 122+/-4 cm-1. Isotopic substitution of the tunneling hydrogen modifies the tunneling splitting down to 3.21+/-0.09 cm-1 and the vibrational ground state energy to 14 385+/-2 cm-1. The computed tunneling splittings are slightly higher than the experimental values as expected from the potential energy surface which slightly underestimates the barrier height, and they are slightly lower than the results from the instanton theory obtained using the same potential energy surface.