Phase transitions induced by microscopic disorder: a study based on the order parameter expansion

Based on the order parameter expansion, we present an approximate method which allows us to reduce large systems of coupled differential equations with diverse parameters to three equations: one for the global, mean field, variable and two which describe the fluctuations around this mean value. With this tool we analyze phase-transitions induced by microscopic disorder in three prototypical models of phase-transitions which have been studied previously in the presence of thermal noise. We study how macroscopic order is induced or destroyed by time independent local disorder and analyze the limits of the approximation by comparing the results with the numerical solutions of the self-consistency equation which arises from the property of self-averaging. Finally, we carry on a finite-size analysis of the numerical results and calculate the corresponding critical exponents

Site selection for reclaimed water infiltration using GIS tools

In the Beira Interior region (Portugal) some sources of water do not present characteristics suitable for some uses due to pollution (namely associated to the discharge of point and nonpoint effluents) or are over-exploited (namely the aquifers). However, the water demand will grow in this region to meet socio-economic activities under development (e.g. the Cova da Beira irrigation plan, irrigation of golf courses and green areas and SPAs, as well as for distribution for human and industrial consumption), which will lead to the search of alternative sources of water. The region is characterized by many disperse urban agglomerates with less than 2,000 inhabitants, where the wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are mainly ecological systems such as constructed wetlands (CW). In this context, the treated wastewater (reclaimed water) from these ecological treatment systems should be seen as a source of water to be used and not a waste to be eliminated. After a monitoring campaign of two years at the CW system of Vila Fernando (Guarda, Portugal), the characteristics of the final effluent suggest that it could be used for aquifer recharge, not only because it is an area that uses many groundwater resources, but because other uses seem to be not relevant and would require a polishing treatment for the effluent, which would increase the costs of both investment and operation. From 6 thematic maps and environmental, technical and economic criteria, it was selected a study area of 6687 ha. This area was analysed based on the manipulation of complex information using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which consisted on overlapping areas of exclusion and inclusion from each thematic map and the use of algebraic operations (multi-criteria analysis) to obtain a final Suitable Map that indicated an area of 6.4 ha located in anthrosols as the most favorable ones for the infiltration of reclaimed water.The authors wish to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, through the project PTDC/AMB/73081/2006, for allowing the funding to obtain data for this study

Políticas públicas de ciência, tecnologia e inovação: uma pesquisa empírica da lei de inovação

This paper aims to analyze, from a legal perspective, the public policies of Science, Technology and Innovation offered by the Brazilian government, more specifically, the Innovation Act (Lei de Inovação), in order to verify the effectiveness and impact of this measure for development, in the Brazilian entrepreneurial scene. Through empirical research and comparative method, this research seeks to answer, preliminarily, the following questions: a) What is innovation? b) The State should act in the innovation process?; c) What is the relationship beetween innovation and development?; d) What are the aspects of public policies of Science, Technology and Innovation offered by the Brazilian government made available to entrepreneurs in the Innovation Law? What is the effectiveness and impact of this measure in the Brazilian entrepreneurial scenario? The questioning of the article was analyzed based on the premise that innovation is essential to the development of a society and its economy. Innovation is not only limited to radical ruptures, such as the introduction of smart watches or autonomous cars, but it also covers moderate advances, such as new product specific production methods, new ways of customer service or (re)configuration of bureaucratic procedures in order to speed them up. Thus, innovation is presented from the need to solve problems that citizens, whether entrepreneurs or not, appears in any given moment. An innovative society tends to have a higher quality of life, higher productivity and, consequently, the factors for the nation?s economic growth in which it resides. It turns out that in developing countries, the private sector, that is, entrepreneurs, don't always have the resources, opportunity, know-how and structure to take the risk of investments in Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) as assumed initially by Schumpeter. These entrepreneurs prefer to license technology from foreign nations or larger companies, which have been tested and proven, rather than take the risk of spending millions of dollars on products, services, innovative processes that do not have the expected profit, or even, doesn't go beyond a mere prototype. Thus, as highlighted by neo-schumpeterians economists, the State presents itself as a key player in these countries, since it has conditions, financial and technical, to stimulate, either through direct measurements, either through indirect measures, innovation. We concluded that Brazil presents advances in this sector and most of public policies managed to have efficacy for entrepreneurs, but it is also necessary institutional changes in the process of receiving these incentives and in its supervision, improving them, so that companies incubated may have the same competitivety of foreign companies

Utilização de solos residuais para infiltração de águas residuais tratadas

A reutilização de águas residuais tratadas (ART) é praticada, na maioria dos casos, como uma estratégia de conservação da água em regiões onde os recursos hídricos são escassos, mas também por motivos ambientais, a fim de se preservar a qualidade da água de meios recetores, reduzindo a descarga de efluentes de estações de tratamento de águas residuais (ETAR). Nos próximos anos, a região da Beira Interior (Portugal) necessitará de um maior volume de água, não só para atividades domésticas e industriais, mas também para atividades agrícolas (cobertas pelo Plano de Regadio da Cova da Beira) e recreativas (rega de campos de golfe, áreas desportivas e de lazer), uma vez que o Turismo é uma das apostas de desenvolvimento da região. Assim, a recarga de aquíferos pode constituir uma alternativa para o restabelecimento de volumes de água subterrânea que poderão ser utilizados para satisfazer parte daquelas atividades. Após uma campanha de monitorização de dois anos na ETAR de Vila Fernando (Guarda, Portugal), as caraterísticas do efluente tratado sugerem que poderia ser utilizado para infiltração no solo. Optou-se por um tipo de recarga por bacias de infiltração, tendo sido realizada, para a sua localização, uma análise multicritério baseada em Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG), combinando seis cartas temáticas e critérios ambientais, técnicos e económicos. O procedimento de cálculo envolveu a sobreposição de áreas de exclusão e inclusão de cada uma das cartas temáticas sobre a área de estudo, através de operações algébricas de mapas. Obteve-se uma Carta de Aptidão final que indica uma área favorável de 6,4 ha para infiltração de ART no solo. Num dos locais selecionados, recolheram-se amostras de solo residual de granito, indicando os resultados das análises que este apresenta características favoráveis à infiltração de ART

The lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital syndrome (LADD): case report and literature review

Levy-Hollister or lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital (LADD) syndrome is a rare entity with autossomic dominant inheritance occuring as an isolated form or affecting many family generations. Diagnosis is based on the identification of the lacrimal drainage system abnormalities with reduction or absence of tear production and bone, teeth, salivar glands and outer ear abnormalities. A 13 year-old male patient has been followed at the Hospital Servidor Público Estadual in São Paulo due to dry eye since his first year of life. Due to the occurrence of early ocular manifestations in patients with Levy-Hollister or lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital syndrome, ophthalmologists must be aware to recognize and control this syndrome.A síndrome de Levy-Hollister ou lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital (LADD) é uma síndrome rara, de herança autossômica dominante, podendo ocorrer de forma isolada ou em várias gerações de uma mesma família. O diagnóstico é feito por meio da identificação de anormalidades do sistema lacrimal, como redução ou ausência de produção de lágrimas, alterações ósseas, dentárias, de glândulas salivares e orelha externa. Trata-se de uma criança, de 13 anos, em acompanhamento no Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual de São Paulo desde os cinco meses de idade, com quadro clínico compatível com a síndrome, apresentando quadro de olho seco. Devido ao fato das manifestações oculares ocorrerem precocemente, sendo o oftalmologista um dos primeiros profissionais a ser procurado, o mesmo deve ter conhecimento da síndrome, a fim de diagnosticar e acompanhar adequadamente o indivíduo acometido.Universidade Federal do ParáHospital do Servidor Público Estadual de São PauloUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Instituto de Assistência Médica ao Servidor Público Estadual Hospital BrigadeiroUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM)UNIFESP, Instituto de Assistência Médica ao Servidor Público Estadual Hospital BrigadeiroUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Localização de áreas para infiltração de águas residuais tratadas de pequenos aglomerados urbanos

Na região da Beira Interior algumas origens de água não apresentam características compatíveis com algumas utilizações, devido a fenómenos de poluição (descarga de efluentes) ou por se encontrarem sobre-exploradas. Contudo, as necessidades de água tenderão a crescer nesta região para satisfazer as exigências de actividades sócio-económicas, o que implicará a procura de recursos hídricos alternativos. Após uma campanha de monitorização de dois anos na ETAR de Vila Fernando (Guarda), as características do efluente tratado sugerem que poderia ser utilizado para infiltração no solo. A partir de seis cartas temáticas e de critérios ambientais, técnicos e económicos, seleccionou-se uma área de estudo de 6687,1 ha. Esta área foi analisada com base na manipulação de informação complexa com recurso a Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIGs), na sobreposição de áreas de exclusão e inclusão e utilizando uma análise multicritério, obtendo-se uma Carta de Aptidão com uma área favorável para infiltração de 6,4 ha

Ambipolar carrier diffusion in In0:53Ga0:47As single quantum wells

The microluminescence surface scan technique (MSST) has been used to investigate photocarrier diffusion in undoped In0:53Ga0:47As - InP single quantum well (QW), in the temperature (T) range from 15 K to 295 K. Narrowing of the photoluminescence (PL) spatial profile is observed as the temperature is lowered, indicating reduction of the photocarrier diffusion length upon cooling. It was found that the width of the PL spatial profile follows a linear function of temperature, but a change in slope by a factor of 2.6 is observed at about 200 K, indicating a change of the dominant carrier scattering mechanism. In the temperature range of 15 K to 200 K, the ambipolar photocarrier diffusion mechanism seems to be correlated to impurity states thermally activated