Periodic orbits of oval billiards on surfaces of constant curvature

In this paper, we define and study the billiard problem on bounded regions on surfaces of constant curvature. We show that this problem defines a two-dimensional conservative and reversible dynamical system, defined by a Twist diffeomorphism, if the boundary of the region is an oval. Using these properties and defining good perturbations for billiards, we show that having only a finite number of nondegenerate periodic orbits for each fixed period is an open property for billiards on surfaces of constant curvature and a dense one on the hyperbolic plane. We finish this paper studying the stability of these nondegenerate orbits.     

Analysis of Grain Boundary Character in a Fine-Grained Nickel-Based Superalloy 718

In the current work, sheets of superalloy 718 were processed via thermomechanical route by hot and cold rolling, followed by annealing below the δ phase solvus temperature and precipitation hardening to optimum strength. Grain boundary character distribution throughout the processing was mapped via EBSD and its evolution discussed. The results show that it is possible to process the alloy to a fine grain size obtaining concomitantly a considerably high proportion of special boundaries Σ3, Σ9, and Σ27. The precipitation of δ phase presented a strong grain refining role, without significantly impairing the twinning mechanism and, consequently, the Σ3, Σ9, and Σ27 boundary formations.     

Real time algorithms for digital pulse processing applied to gamma-ray and hard X-ray spectroscopy

The duration of a single plasma discharge in the next generation of fusion experiments will be much longer than in the present devices. Storing all raw data acquired in each discharge will be more difficult and the high rates achieved by the new digitizers are already contributing to storage overload. This gap can be mitigated by real time (RT) analysis and compression, using devices such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) capable to transfer and process data on the fly. However, to ensure a correct RT analysis, the FPGA algorithm must be adapted to the signal to be acquired. Since minor changes in signal shape may require significant algorithm modifications, it is important to know in advance the signal attributes. For that reason, the availability of more than one RT algorithm, especially during commissioning of new sub-systems and during campaigns with relevant changes in diagnostic conditions, is advantageous. This paper presents an implementation using two RT algorithms processing simultaneously, developed for the gamma-ray and hard X-ray diagnostics of the Joint European Torus (JET). Both algorithms perform pulse height analysis with pile-up rejection. While the first algorithm is suitable for Gaussian shaped pulses, the second is suitable for exponential signals. The algorithms are selectable by the user, during discharge configuration. Tests with radioactive sources made in JET are presented.     

Energy storage and control optimization for an electric vehicle

Two big issues involving electric vehicles are energy supply and power management control. To deal with the energy supply problem, this paper proposes the application of a hybrid energy source system, composed of battery pack and ultracapacitor bank. The power management control between the energy supplies was defined by a fuzzy logic with inference rules optimized through genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm optimizes lower and upper limits of membership functions aiming to reduce the hybrid energy source system total mass while maximizing the electric vehicle drive range and performance. Through the Pareto frontier, we found the best trade‐off solution.     

Estimate of Suspended Sediment Concentration from Monitored Data of Turbidity and Water Level Using Artificial Neural Networks

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are promising alternatives for the estimation of suspended sediment concentration (SSC), but they are dependent on the availability data. This study investigates the use of an ANN model for forecasting SSC using turbidity and water level. It is used an original method, idealized to investigate the minimum complexity of the ANN that does not present, in relation to more complex networks, loss of efficiency when applied to other samples, and to perform its training avoiding the overfitting even when data availability is insufficient to use the cross-validation technique. The use of a validation procedure by resampling, the control of overfitting through a previously researched condition of training completion, as well as training repetitions to provide robustness are important aspects of the method. Turbidity and water level data, related to 59 SSC values, collected between June 2013 and October 2015, were used. The development of the proposed ANN was preceded by the training of an ANN, without the use of the new resources, which clearly showed the overfitting occurrence when resources were not used to avoid it, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NS) equals to 0.995 in the training and NS = 0.788 in the verification. The proposed method generated efficient models (NS = 0.953 for verification), with well distributed errors and with great capacity of generalization for future applications. The final obtained model enabled the SSC calculation, from water level and turbidity data, even when few samples were available for the training and verification procedures.     

Trading properties after the earthquake: the rebuilding of eighteenth‐century Lisbon

This paper introduces the innovative system used in the reconstruction of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. Its findings are based on original documents that offer a detailed picture of the principles and methods established to convert the land and properties of the old city into the new and standardized gridded Plan. Implemented in the mid‐eighteenth century, the methodical system outlined was, undoubtedly, an important point of reference for the large‐scale urban improvement and redevelopment operations that would follow in nineteenth‐century Europe.     

Maternal Flaxseed Oil During Lactation Enhances Bone Development in Male Rat Pups

Flaxseed oil is an alpha linolenic acid source important in the growth and body development stage; furthermore, this acid acts on adipose tissue and bone health. The aim of this study was to evaluate body composition, fatty acid composition, hormone profile, retroperitoneal adipocyte area and femur structure of pups at weaning, whose mothers were fed a diet containing flaxseed oil during lactation. After birth, pups were randomly assigned: control (C, n = 12) and flaxseed oil (FO, n = 12), rats whose mothers were treated with diet containing soybean or flaxseed oil. At 21 days, the pups were weaned and body mass, length, body composition, biochemical parameter, leptin, osteoprotegerin, osteocalcin, fatty acids composition, intra‐abdominal fat mass and femur structure were analyzed. FO showed (p < 0.05): higher body mass (+12 %) and length (+9 %); body fat mass (g, +45 %); bone mineral density (+8 %), bone mineral content (+55 %) and bone area (+35 %), osteocalcin (+173 %) and osteoprotegerin (+183 %). Arachidonic acid was lower (p < 0.0001), alpha‐linolenic and eicosapentaenoic were higher (p < 0.0001). Intra‐abdominal fat mass was higher (+25 %), however, the retroperitoneal adipocytes area was lower (?44 %). Femur mass (+10 %), distance between epiphyses (+4 %) and bone mineral density (+13 %) were higher. The study demonstrates that adequate flaxseed oil content during a lactation diet plays an important role in the development of pups.     

Metformin Reduces Lipogenesis Markers in Obese Mice Fed a Low-Carbohydrate and High-Fat Diet

Lipogenesis is the process by which fatty acids are synthesized. In metabolic syndrome, an insulin resistant state along with high plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFA) and hyperglycemia may contribute to the lipogenic process. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of oral administration of metformin on the expression of lipogenic genes and glycemic profile in mice fed with low‐carbohydrate high‐fat diet by evaluating their metabolic profile. SWISS male mice were divided into 4 groups (N = 7) that were fed with standard (ST), standard plus metformin (ST + MET), low‐carbohydrate high‐fat diet (LCHFD) and low‐carbohydrate high‐fat diet plus metformin (LCHFD + MET) (100 mg kg^?1 diet) diets respectively. Food intake, body weight and blood parameters, such as glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, glucose, HDL‐c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, ASL and ALT levels were assessed. Histological analyses were performed on hematoxylin and eosin‐stained epididymal adipose tissue histological specimens. The expression levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPARγ), sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1 (SREBP1), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), were assessed by RT‐PCR. This study showed that metformin decreased adipocyte area, body weight and food consumption in obese animals when compared to the standard group. Furthermore, the expression of lipogenic markers in adipose tissue were diminished in obese animals treated with metformin. This data showed that oral administration of metformin improved glucose and lipid metabolic parameters in white adipose tissue by reducing the expression of lipogenesis markers, suggesting an important clinical application of MET in treating obesity‐related diseases in metabolic syndrome.