The whole mesh Deformation Model for 2D and 3D image segmentation

In this paper we present a novel approach for image segmentation using Active Nets and Active Volumes. Those solutions are based on the Deformable Models, with slight difference in the method for describing the shapes of interests - instead of using a contour or a surface they represented the segmented objects with a mesh structure, which allows to describe not only the surface of the objects but also to model their interiors. This is obtained by dividing the nodes of the mesh in two categories, namely internal and external ones, which will be responsible for two different tasks. In our new approach we propose to negate this separation and use only one type of nodes. Using that assumption we manage to significantly shorten the time of segmentation while maintaining its quality

Kinematic and Electromyographic Changes During 200 m Front Crawl at Race Pace

The purpose of this study was to analyse eventual kinematic and electromyographic changes during a maximal 200 m front crawl at race pace. 10 male international level swimmers performed a 200 m maximal front crawl test. Images were recorded by 2 above and 4 under water cameras, and electromyographic signals (EMG) of 7 upper and lower limbs muscles were analysed for 1 stroke cycle in each 50 m lap. Capillary blood lactate concentrations were collected before and after the test. The variables of interest were: swimming speed, stroke length, stroke and kick frequency, hand angular velocity, upper limb and foot displacement, elbow angle, shoulder and roll angle, duration of stroke phases, and EMG for each muscle in each stroke phase. Generally, the kinematic parameters decreased, and a relative duration increased for the entry and pull phases and decreased for the recovery phase. Muscle activation of flexor carpi radialis, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, peitoral major and upper trapezius increased during specific stroke phases over the test. Blood lactate concentration increased significantly after the test. These findings suggest the occurrence of fatigue, characterised by changes in kinematic parameters and selective changes in upper limbs muscle activation according to muscle action.</p

Scotin, a novel p53-inducible proapoptotic protein located in the ER and the nuclear membrane

p53 is a transcription factor that induces growth arrest or apoptosis in response to cellular stress. To identify new p53-inducible proapoptotic genes, we compared, by differential display, the expression of genes in spleen or thymus of normal and p53 nullizygote mice after γ-irradiation of whole animals. We report the identification and characterization of human and mouse Scotin homologues, a novel gene directly transactivated by p53. The Scotin protein is localized to the ER and the nuclear membrane. Scotin can induce apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner. Inhibition of endogenous Scotin expression increases resistance to p53-dependent apoptosis induced by DNA damage, suggesting that Scotin plays a role in p53-dependent apoptosis. The discovery of Scotin brings to light a role of the ER in p53-dependent apoptosis

Previsão do comportamento termo-reológico de fluidos viscoelásticos durante o escoamento em canais de geometria complexa

Pretende-se com o presente estudo aprofundar o conhecimento e apurar a sensibilidade necessária para lidar mais eficientemente com problemas reais, nomeadamente nas áreas de Extrusão e da Injecção. Para tal, simula-se numericamente o escoamento de fluidos incompressíveis, em estado estacionário no interior de um canal onde existem obstáculos cilíndricos à passagem do fluido. A análise é efectuada em três sistemas com configurações distintas, reduzidos, por considerações geométricas, a problemas bidimensionais e usando três fluidos distintos. Juntamente com as equações de Navier-Stokes utilizam-se duas leis materiais distintas para descrever o comportamento material do fluido: a lei de potência e o modelo de Maxwell (UCM). Para executar as simulações recorre-se ao programa de dinâmica de fluidos Polyflow - ferramenta computacional que discretiza as equações de Navier-Stokes pelo método de elementos finitos. Simulam-se situações de Extrusão em cada um dos três sistemas e de Injecção no sistema com estrangulamentos mais acentuados. Na situação de Extrusão, simulada para os dois fluidos viscosos o efeito da dissipação viscosa na temperatura do fluido é significativo. Para o fluido viscoelástico concluiu-se que os resultados obtidos são análogos ao do fluido Newtoniano. Na situação de Injecção, simulada com o fluido reofluidificante, não foram obtidos resultados com significado físico. No decurso das simulações ocorreram problemas de convergência relacionados com o parâmetro n da lei de potência, energia de activação e condutividade térmica do fluido. O problema é ultrapassado, no primeiro caso recorrendo ao método de Picard, e através de um processo evolutivo nos restantes casos

Quantificação e isolamento de bactérias diazotróficas associadas a coqueiro (Cocos nucifera L.).

bitstream/item/87943/1/CPATC-PESQ.-AND.-23-97.pd

FM 047-02: a collisional pair of galaxies with a ring

Aims. We investigate the nature of the galaxy pair FM 047-02, which has been proposed as an archetype of the Solitaire types of peculiar (collisional) ring galaxies. Methods. The study is based on long-slit spectrophotometric data in the range of 3500-9500 angstrons obtained with the Gemini Multi-ObjectComment: 07 pages, 06 figures, 02 tables. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1206.071

Bi-Lipschitz geometry of weighted homogeneous surface singularities

We show that a weighted homogeneous complex surface singularity is metrically conical (i.e., bi-Lipschitz equivalent to a metric cone) only if its two lowest weights are equal. We also give an example of a pair of weighted homogeneous complex surface singularities that are topologically equivalent but not bi-Lipschitz equivalent.Comment: 5 pages. Added result that nonhomogeneous cyclic quotients are not conica