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[eng] Objectives: Lung-CT-scan imaging is known as important diagnostic technique for evaluation of the effectiveness and infectious involvement of the lungs. In this study, we evaluated and analyzed lung CT images in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its relationship with some important clinical and laboratory factors as well as the patient’s condition in the worst disease conditions. Methods: In this retrospective descriptive-analytical study, 375 patients with complete information have been considered. Among these patients, CT scans of patients’ lungs was carefully reevaluated. Other radiologist reviewed the images and recorded the final score of the patients’ lung involvement. Results: Data showed that lung and cardiac involvement have high prevalence among studies patients. Among demographic variables, there was significant relationship between age and recovery. Evaluating the relationship of recovery with CT variables showed that CT score, bilateral lung involvement, and Crazy paving had significant effect on recovery rate. Conclusion: According to this study, evaluation of CT variables can be used as potent factors for evaluation of disease status and design of suitable treatment strategy., [spa] Objetivos: La tomografía computarizada de pulmón es conocida como una técnica de diagnóstico importante para la evaluación de la efectividad y el compromiso infeccioso de los pulmones. En este estudio, evaluamos y analizamos imágenes de TC de pulmón en pacientes con enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) y su relación con algunos factores clínicos y de laboratorio importantes, así como la condición del paciente en las peores condiciones de la enfermedad. Métodos: En este estudio descriptivo-analítico retrospectivo se han considerado 375 pacientes con información completa. Entre estos pacientes, se reevaluaron cuidadosamente las tomografías computarizadas de los pulmones de los pacientes. Otro radiólogo revisó las imágenes y registró la puntuación final de la afectación pulmonar de los pacientes. Resultados: Los datos mostraron que la afectación pulmonar y cardíaca tiene una alta prevalencia entre los pacientes del estudio. Entre las variables demográficas, hubo relación significativa entre la edad y la recuperación. La evaluación de la relación de la recuperación con las variables de la TC mostró que la puntuación de la TC, la afectación pulmonar bilateral y el pavimento loco tuvieron un efecto significativo en la tasa de recuperación. Conclusión: Según este estudio, la evaluación de las variables de TC se puede utilizar como factores potentes para la evaluación del estado de la enfermedad y el diseño de una estrategia de tratamiento adecuada.

Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases in humans and the use of herbal medicines is of great clinical importance to inhibit carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes and reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Inhibition of glycosidase activity is an effective way to treat and prevent diabetes. Therefore, in this study, curcumin-based benzaldehyde derivatives were synthesized and used as influential agents in the treatment of diabetes with inhibitory properties against two carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes α-glucosidase (α-Glu) and α-amylase (α-Amy) as significant therapeutic targets for reducing postprandial hyperglycemia. Overall, the findings showed that due to the specific inhibitory activity against α-Glu in comparison with α-Amy, as well as more stability and antioxidant activity than curcumin, C5 and C8 derivatives are potentially important anti-diabetic drugs, not only to decrease glycemic index but also to limit the activity of the main production pathways of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in diabetic patients. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Background Infertility affects different aspects of life including the quality of life (QOL) in infertile couples. Many infertile couples conceive via using assisted reproduction technologies (ART). However, the effect of preg- nancy and childbearing on QOL is not known in these couples. This study aimed to evaluate QOL and general health during pregnancy and after successful treatment of infertility, in women conceived with ART. Materials and Methods In this case-control study, QOL and general heath were evaluated in 40 women conceived with ART and 40 women who conceived spontaneously and served as the control group. WHO quality of life- BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) inventory was used to evaluate QOL and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was applied to evaluate general health. These two questionnaires were completed in the first and second trimester of pregnancy and results were compared between the two groups. Results Mean age of women was 29.4 ± 4.4 and 29.6 ± 5 years in ART and control group, respectively. QOL in women conceived with ART was similar to QOL in the control group in the first and second trimester of pregnancy while general health score (distress level) in women conceived with ART was significantly higher than that of the control group in both trimesters. Although distress level decreased in the second trimester in ART group, but yet, it was higher than that recorded for the control group. Conclusion After pregnancy, QOL in women conceived with ART is similar to women conceived spontaneously. However, these women experience higher distress level in the first and second trimester of pregnancy compared to women conceived spontaneously.

Background and Objective:Phage therapy could be used as an alternative method to antibiotic treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activities of isolated lytic bacteriophage against ciprofloxacin-resistant strain ofSalmonella infanitsin vitro conditions. Materials and Methods:The standard strain ofSalmonella infantis and its specific bacteriophage was isolated by soft agar method. Phage susceptibility to heat and pH was evaluated by the Double-Layer Agar method. In vitro assay was carried out on human epithelial type 2 (HEp-2) cells to investigate the effect of bacteriophage on the cytotoxic and invasion ofSalmonella infantisto human epithelial cells. Results:Head and tail morphology of bacteriophages againstSalmonella infantiswere identified by transmission electron microscopy and assigned to the Myoviridae family. The results of the double-layer agar assay showed that the titer of bacteriophages was 1.8×107PFU/ml. bacteriophage was stable at 4֯C and the best quantification of bacteriophage was determined at pH=8. The isolated bacteriophage was specific forSalmonella infantisand had no lytic activity against other pathogenic bacteria. In the evaluation of the binding and invasionofSalmonella infantisto the HEp-2 cell line, as expected, the lytic activity of specific bacteriophage was observed following inoculation. Conclusion:Additional studies are needed for better understanding of the interaction between phage, microorganisms and human host before applying phage therapy on a large scale. Keywords:Salmonella,Salmonellosis,Lytic bacteriophage,Ciprofloxacin

New advanced fuel cell technologies are moving towards high-temperature proton conductors (HTPCs) to meet environmental issues. Their elaboration remains a challenge and micro-computed tomography (µCT) is an innovative way to control their quality. NiO-BZY anodic supports of a protonic ceramic electrochemical cell (PCEC), elaborated by co-tape casting and co-sintered at 1350 °C, were coated with a BZY20 electrolyte layer by DC magnetron sputtering. The µCT allowed to observe defects inside the volume of these PCEC half-cells and to show their evolution after an annealing treatment at 1000 °C and reduction under hydrogen. This technique consists in obtaining a 3D reconstruction of all the cross-sectional images of the whole sample, slice by slice. This allows seeing inside the sample at any desired depth. The resolution of 0.35 µm is perfectly adapted to this type of problem considering the thickness of the different layers of the sample and the size of the defects. Defects were detected, and their interpretation was possible thanks to the 3D view, such as the phenomenon of NiO grain enlargement explaining defects in the electrolyte, the effect of NiO reduction, and finally, some anomalies due to the shaping process. Ways to anticipate these defects were then proposed.

Offshore systems suffer from excessive corrosion damage in the marine environment because of the dynamic operational and environmental contributing factors. Such situations enhance the serious integrity and safety concerns, systems degradation, and associated risks, especially in harsh environmental conditions. The microbiologically influenced corrosion as an essential corrosion category has considerable characteristic complexity because of the interactions between the bacteria and the corrosion contributing factors. The microbial corrosion and the interconnected system safety management plan are impacted by the stochastic behavior of microbial metabolism and operational parameters. To have a robust and reliable corrosion management plan in offshore systems, the dynamic microbial corrosion features, as well as the corresponding risk factors, must be taken into account. The present thesis proposes a dynamics-based approach for risk-based safety and integrity management of marine and offshore systems that suffer from microbial corrosion. First of all, a literature review is presented for the identification of microbial corrosion shortages, challenges, and requirements in the risk-based decision-making framework. The study is focused on the four tasks, including characteristics, mechanisms, modeling, and management of microbial corrosion. Secondly, a new probabilistic model is proposed to estimate the corrosion rate of a subsea pipeline by assessing the failure time and probability. The microbial corrosion monitoring and management activities are achieved using the Continuous Bayesian Network technique with the integration of Hierarchical Bayesian Analysis. The analysis outcomes indicate that the interdependencies between the contributing factors of microbial corrosion could raise the rate of corrosion and reduce the failure time of engineered corroded systems. Thirdly, new reliability is proposed to assess the optimum maintenance strategy time-interval for a subsea system impacted by multiple microbial corrosion defects. The different probabilistic models, including the non-homogeneous Markov processes, non-homogeneous Poisson, and homogeneous gamma, are utilized to model the maximum and average pit depth and multiple defects generations. The results show the influence of multiple microbial corrosion defects on the subsea pipeline considering several scenarios and recommend the optimal intervention time and management practices. Finally, a novel risk-based safety and integrity management framework is recommended to evaluate the subsea pipeline's failure. A multi-objective functional optimization methodology is developed to minimize the operational risk associated with microbial corrosion. The research results highlight an actual safety and integrity management plan consistent with the industrial practices. An innovative and dynamic Bayesian Network-based approach is proposed to assess the subsea system's resilience under MIC as a function of time. The subsea system is designed with sufficient resilience to maintain its performance under the time-varying interdependent stochastic conditions. The proposed methodology assists decision-makers in considering the resilience of the system design and operation. The present thesis investigates the mechanisms of microbial corrosion and explores the dynamic risk-based methodologies for several operating scenarios to manage the safety and integrity of marine and offshore systems.

Purpose. To introduce a new method for treating irido-corneal adhesion (ICA) by using argon laser. Case Presentation. A 60-year-old woman with advanced glaucoma who is undergoing trabeculectomy. In follow-up visits, choroidal effusion and iridocorneal adhesion were seen in the examination. The massive choroidal effusion was treated with medical therapy. In further follow-up examination, ICA was repaired with argon laser. Result. Early laser treatment prior to surgical management is suggested in postoperative synechia. Conclusion. Early argon laser synechiolysis is a less-invasive procedure which prevents probable surgical complications such as local detachment of Descemet’s membrane or bleeding in surgical synechiolysis.

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Data Science, Technology and Applications (DATA 2022) / editors: Alfredo Cuzzocrea, Oleg Gusikhin, Wil van der Aalst and Slimane Hammoudi ; [sponsored by the Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication (INSTICC)] 11th International Conference on Data Science, Technology and Applications, DATA 2022, Lisbon, Portugal, 11 Jul 2022 - 13 Jul 2022; Setúbal : SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications (2022). doi:10.5220/0011302700003269, Published by SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications, Setúbal

Background: Among the enterococci strains, Enterococcus faecalis is considered as one of the important nosocomial pathogens affecting immunocompromised patients. In this study, the immunogenicity of PpiC, GelE, and VS87_01105 proteins against enterococcal infection was investigated in a mice model. Methods: The genes encoding these proteins were cloned into pET21a expression vector, and the recombinant proteins were produced. Mice and rabbits were immunized with the purified recombinant proteins, and subsequently, mice were challenged with E. faecalis for the evaluation of their survival and bacterial clearances. The antibody responses to recombinant proteins were determined by ELISA assay, and opsonophagocytic activities of the antibodies were also measured. Passive immunization was performed using purified antibodies. Mice were challenged, and their survival and bacterial clearance were determined. Results: Immunized mice with PpiC, GelE, and VS87_01105 recombinant proteins showed 80%, 70%, and 40% survival rate, respectively. The survival rates among passively immunized mice that received 500 µg of IgG fraction in 100 µl PBS buffer of each of anti-PpiC, anti-GelE, and anti-VS87_01105 were 60%, 50%, and 20%, respectively. The rates of opsonization with anti-PpiC, anti-GelE, and anti-VS87_01105 antibodies at 1/10 dilution were 77%, 64%, and 23%, respectively. Conclusion: Based on our findings, PpiC, and GelE proteins can protect the mice against E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and effectively induce a protective antibody response. Thus, these proteins could be used as an additional therapeutic tool against enterococcal infections. Further studies to determine the role of PpiC in ligand binding and demonstration of epitope mapping may establish a credible target for vaccination.

Urbanization increases runoff, sediment, and nutrient loadings downstream, causing flooding, eutrophication, and harmful algal blooms. Stormwater control measures (SCMs) are used to address these concerns and are designed based on inflow loads. Thus, estimating nutrient and sediment loads is important for meeting restoration objectives. Pollutants accumulate on surfaces during dry periods, making Event Mean Concentration (EMC) a function of antecedent dry period (ADP). An EMC results from wash-off of accumulated pollutants from catchment surface during runoff events. However, several studies found little to no correlation between constituent concentrations in stormwater and ADP. The objective of this study is to verify this finding and discover which climatological or catchment characteristics most significantly affect stormwater quality. Stormwater quality data were obtained from the National Stormwater Quality Database (NSQD), which is the largest data repository of stormwater quality data in the U.S. Bayesian Network Structure Learner (BNSL) was used to assess the relationships between catchment characteristics, climatological information, and stormwater quality for selected land uses. Given the optimal BN structure, it was determined which parameters most affect stormwater quality EMCs. The results demonstrate that both catchment and rain characteristics affected stormwater quality EMCs. Among catchment characteristics, land use (LU) was the most important factor and catchment size was the least. Precipitation depth (P) and duration (D) affected Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). This indicated that it is likely that P and D had a greater influence on stormwater quality more than ADP. P, D, and ADP affected the dissolved constituents of TN (i.e. NO2-N/NO3-N) and TP (i.e. Ortho-P). Compared to other factors (i.e. P and D), the effect of ADP on TSS was negligible. Stormwater quality EMCs related to nitrogen were not affected by catchment slope (S). However, TSS and Ortho-P were influenced by S. Virginia Water Resources Research Center (VWRRC) through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) [G21AS00517]; Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station; National Institute of Food and Agriculture [S1089]; Computational Hydraulics International (CHI) Published version We would like to thank Computational Hydraulics International (CHI) for providing a university grant to use PCSWMM. The authors express their appreciation to Alexander Maestre for information on the NSQD. Support for this research was provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (VWRRC) grant number G21AS00517 which is funded through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); however, opinions expressed within are entirely of the authors and reflect no endorsement by VWRRC or USGS. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government. Funding for this work was provided in part by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station and the Hatch program, Project S1089, of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which also does not imply endorsement of opinions contained herein.

Orientadores: Paulo Sollero, Eder Lima de Albuquerque Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica Resumo: Em problemas de contato mecânico entre dois corpos elásticos, o cálculo de tensões e deformações dos componentes é de grande importância. Em casos particulares os corpos estão sujeitos a cargas normal e tangencial na presença de atrito, o qual aumenta a complexidade do problema. O estudo do fenômeno e a modelagem do problema, empregando o método dos elementos de contorno (MEC), é apresentado neste trabalho. Devido à presença de atrito e restrições de contato, esse problema torna-se um caso não linear. A não linearidade do problema foi contornada com a aplicação incremental de carga e o uso de um método de resolução de sistemas não lineares. A zona de contato é uma das variáveis do problema e pode conter estados de adesão e escorregamento, simultaneamente. Esses estados dependem dos esforços normais e tangenciais no componente e podem variar durante o processo de aplicação de carga. Dessa forma, cada incremento de carga pode perturbar em relação ao estado anterior. Portanto, o cálculo de variáveis e a atualização do sistema de equações em cada iteração é indispensável. Por este motivo, um algoritmo robusto para definição dos estados de contato é proposto. Como o sistema de equações obtido é não linear, o uso de um método numérico adequado é exigido. Para a solução deste sistema, o método de Newton foi aplicado, o qual permite a verificação do estado de contato em cada incremento. A análise é feita com o uso de elementos quadráticos contínuos, apresentando resultados contínuos e sem oscilação. A comparação dos resultados com as soluções analíticas de Hertz e Mindlin-Cattaneo mostram boa concordância Abstract: The computation of stresses and strains on the components is of great importance, when the contact mechanics problems between two elastic bodies are analyzed. In particular cases, bodies are subjected to normal and shear loading in the presence of friction, which increases the complexity of the problem. The study of the phenomenon and modeling of the problem, using the boundary element method (BEM), are presented in this work. Due to the presence of friction and natural restrictions, this problem becomes non-linear. The non-linearity of the problem was solved with an incremental applied load and with the use of solvers to non linear systems. The contact zone can contain stick and slip states, simultaneously. These states are dependent on the normal and shear forces on the component and can vary during the application load process. Thus, each load increment can violate the previous state and therefore, the evaluation of variables and the updating of the system of equations after each iteration is indispensable For this reason, a robust algorithm for contact state definition is suggested. Since a non linear system of equations is obtained, an appropriate numerical method is required. To solve this system, Newton¿s method is applied, which allows the verification of the state of contact at each increment. The analysis is done with the use of quadratic continuous elements and provides continuous and non-oscillatory results. Comparisons of the results with the analytical solutions of Hertz and Mindlin-Cattaneo show good agreement Mestrado Mecânica dos Sólidos e Projeto Mecânico Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica CNPQ

International audience; Transition metal carbide films have been a hot topic for industrial applications and academic research for decades due to their high hardness, high melting pointand excellent chemical stability. The metal carbide/amorphous carbon nanocomposites are widely used as protective coatings on surfaces of precision steelcomponents, cutting tools and machinery components. TaC/a-C:H films with varying carbon content within a narrow window were deposited employing HiPIMS in the Ar/C 2 H 2 atmosphere. The DC deposited TaC/a-C:H reference films were prepared under the same deposition parameters for comparison. Analysis and comparison of the chemical bonding state, structure, mechanical and tribological properties, and oxidation resistance of the films were conducted, with the aim of emphasizing the differences in the nanocomposite structure and properties of the films correlated to deposition conditions. It reveals that the HiPIMS deposited TaC/a- C:H films outperform the DC deposited ones, exhibiting higher hard-ness and toughness, lower friction coefficient and wear rate, and stronger oxidation resistance.The results obtained on Ta, Hf, TaCx, HfCx, and Ta x Hf1-x Cy coatings, deposited by reactive pulsed Direct Current (DC) magnetron sputtering of Ta or Hf pure metallic targets in Ar plus CH 4 gas mixtures are also described.

International audience; In this study, nanoporous BiVO4 thin films were deposited using reactive direct-current (DC) magnetron sputtering. The effects of thickness on the film morphology, crystal structure, microstructure, composition, optical and photocatalytic properties under visible light were investigated. The film porosity and refractive index were also determined via the UV-Vis spectrophotometric technique using transmittance and reflectance spectra and Cauchy dispersion law as the fitting model. The nanoporous morphology was observed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with average pore sizes in the 20–40 nm range. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed different texture grades corresponding to the (040) crystallographic plane, establishing the film thickness influence on the preferential orientation. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was also implemented to investigate the chemical state of the film surface, as well as to determine the valence band position. The film 715 nm in thickness showed the highest porosity (52%), narrowest bandgap (2.44 eV), highest exposed (040) crystallographic plane and highest visible-light-driven photodegradation towards Rhodamine-B (RhB) solution. The pH of the solution also impacted the RhB photodegradation which was optimum at pH 3 with chromophore cleavage pathway dominance, whereas at neutral pH it had distinctively slow kinetics probably due to poor electrostatic interactions and the N-deethylation kinetics bottleneck. The photocatalytic cycle experiments exhibited high stability and recyclability of BiVO4 thin-film photocatalysts after four cycles (4 ×7 h) of exploitation. The photocatalytic mechanism was determined using scavengers and the significance of hydroxyl radicals and photogenerated holes were established. The photocatalytic activity reached 97% after 7 h of illumination with a 400 W light source.

In the present article, performance of a glazed photovoltaic thermal system integrated with phase change materials (GPVT/PCM) is numerically examined based on both energy and exergy viewpoints. The effect of PCM volumetric fraction and environmental temperature on thermal and electrical characteristics of the system is evaluated. A three-dimensional model of the system is simulated transiently in the ANSYS Fluent 18.2 using pressure-based finite volume method and SIMPLE algorithm selected for coupling pressure and velocity components. Validity of the numerical results is confirmed based on available data. The results indicate that PCM melting is more likely far from the riser tube and absorption of thermal energy be the PCM is mostly effective for filling the PCM container by around 2/3 of the volume. Increase of the PCM volumetric fraction reduces the module temperature and enhances the electrical performance of the system in terms of both energy and exergy efficiencies, while it decreases the thermal efficiency. An opposite trend is experienced by increase of the environmental temperature in which the thermal efficiency enhances and the electrical efficiency declines., Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures

Proceedings of the 13th International Joint Conference on Knowledge Discovery, Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management / Editors: Rita Cucchiara, Ana Fred and Joaquim Filipe. - Volume 1 13th International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Information Retrieval, KDIR 2021, online, 25 Oct 2021 - 27 Oct 2021 13th International Joint Conference on Knowledge Discovery, Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management, IC3K 2021, online, 25 Oct 2021 - 27 Oct 2021; SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications 27-63 (2021). doi:10.5220/0010652000003064, Published by SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications

Background. To report a patient with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) associated with sildenafil overdose. Case Presentation. A forty-two-year-old male presented three hours after sudden painless visual loss in the right eye. BCVA was counting finger in two meters, and relative afferent pupillary defect was positive. Fundus examination revealed retinal whiteness except in a limited area of papillomacular bundle and cherry red spot. He consumed two 100 mg film-coated sildenafil tablet (Vizarsin, Krka, d.d., Novo mesto, Slovenia) twelve hours apart, and the last one was six hours before visual loss. He was diagnosed with CRAO with cilioretinal artery sparing. Although we did not find any emboli, anterior chamber paracentesis was done. Four weeks later, BCVA improved to 20/80, with resolving of retinal edema. Cardiovascular, carotid arteries, and neurologic evaluations were negative for any predisposing factor. Conclusion. CRAO is a vision threatening condition that might be associated with the overdose of sildenafil.

Having strong photoactivity under visible light, BiVO4 thin film is considered a great candidate to replace low efficient UV-active photocatalysts e.g. TiO2, and to reduce recyclability and reusability problems of powder photocatalysts. In this research, BiVO4 thin films were deposited on fused silica substrate using reactive magnetron sputtering employing metallic Bi and V targets, followed by a post-annealing treatment for 2 h at 450 ̊C, which is relatively high compared to Bi melting point (271 ̊C), to obtain nanoporous morphology based on Kirkendall effect. The thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and ultraviolet-visible-infrared spectroscopy (UV- Vis-IR). The XRD data showed that the as-deposited films were amorphous, and after the post-annealing treatment, the monoclinic scheelite BiVO4 crystal structure was obtained. FESEM observations exhibited nanopores with an average diameter of 20-40 nm. UV-Vis spectrophotometry results proved light absorption in the visible region with a bandgap value of 2.45 eV. The thin film managed to photodegrade 80 % of Rhodamine-B solution after 7 h, showing the great photoactivity of BiVO4 thin films. These results established that the combination of reactive magnetron sputtering and post-annealing treatment is an effective technique to produce nanoporous BiVO4 thin films with great potential in photocatalysis for water treatment applications using solar energy.

International audience; In this work, the influences of the temperature and the air residual pressure during post-annealing treatment on the structural, optical and electrical properties of copper iron oxide thin films were investigated. The films were co-sputtered from metallic Cu and Fe targets in the presence of argon and oxygen gas mixture. The powers dissipated on the metallic targets were adjusted to fix the Cu/Fe metallic ratio close to 1 in the films. The as-deposited thin films were initially amorphous, and they were annealed under different oxidizing conditions as a function of the temperatures (380, 450 and 550°C) and of the air residual pressures (secondary vacuum, primary vacuum, and air atmosphere corresponding to the air residual pressures of 10

International audience; High entropy alloy nitrides (AlCrTiV)N coatings were deposited by cathodic arc evaporation at various deposition bias and temperature. The mechanical properties of the as-deposited coatings and their oxidation resistance after annealing at various temperatures were analysed. X-ray analyses show in all coatings a FCC structure with a (111) preferred orientation up to 750 ◦C. Up to 600 ◦C, no oxygen penetration is measured in the films while at 800 ◦C, critical spalling occurs for all samples. The coating deposited at a temperature of 300 ◦C and negative bias of 100 Vexhibits the most interesting compromise in both oxidation resistance and mechanical performances with a hardness of 40 GPa, a friction coefficient of 0.44 and a wear rate of 5.8 ⋅ 10$^{−7}$ mm$^3$ ⋅N$^{−1}$ ⋅m$^{−1}$ . Annealing in air at 600 ◦C for 2h reduces the wear rate to 2.1 ⋅ 10$^{−7}$ mm$^3$⋅N$^{−1}$ ⋅m$^{−1}$ and the surface hardness to 17 GPa. Although annealing forms a thin oxide layer that reduces the hardness on the surface of the coating, it also averages the hardness inside the film to 33 GPa regardless of the deposition bias.

Urban and agricultural runoff is the principal contributor to non-point source (NPS) pollution and subsequent impairments of streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Urban and agricultural runoff is a major source of sediment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading to receiving waters. Coastal waters in the southeastern U.S. are vulnerable to human impacts due to the proximity to urban an agricultural land uses, and hydrologic connection of the Coastal Plain to receiving waters. To mitigate the impacts of urban and agricultural runoff, a variety of stormwater control measures (SCMs) are implemented. Despite the importance of the Coastal Plain on water quality and quantity, few studies are available that focus on prediction of nutrient and sediment runoff loads from Coastal Plain watersheds. The overall goals of my dissertation are to assess the effect of urban and agricultural watershed on coastal waters through monitoring and modeling, and to characterize treatment performance of SCMs. These goals are addressed in four independent studies. First, we developed the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) and the Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) models for an urbanized watershed to compared the ability of these two models at simulating streamflow, peak flow, and baseflow. Three separate monitoring and modeling programs were conducted on: 1) six urban land uses (i.e. commercial, industrial, low density residential, high density residential, transportation, and open space); 2) container nursey; and 3) a Coastal Plain retention pond. This study provides methods for estimating watershed pollutant loads. This is a key missing link in implementing watershed improvement strategies and selecting the most appropriate urban BMPs at the local scale. Results of these projects will help urban planners, urban decision makers and ecological experts for long-term sustainable management of urbanized and agricultural watersheds. Doctor of Philosophy Urban and agricultural runoff is a major source of sediment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading to receiving waters. When in excess, these pollutants degrade water quality and threaten aquatic ecosystems. Coastal waters in the southeastern U.S. are vulnerable to human impacts due to the proximity to urban an agricultural landuse. To mitigate the impacts of urban and agricultural runoff, a variety of stormwater control measures (SCMs) are implemented. The overall goals of my dissertation are to assess the effect of urban and agricultural watershed on coastal waters through monitoring and modeling, and to characterize treatment performance of SCMs. These goals are addressed in four independent studies. First, we developed two watershed models the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) and the Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) to simulate streamflow, peak flow, and baseflow within an urbanized watershed. Three separate monitoring programs were conducted on: (1) urban land uses (i.e. commercial, industrial, low density residential, high density residential, transportation, and open space); (2) container nursey; and (3) a Coastal Plain retention pond. These studies provided methods for estimating watershed pollutant loads. Results of these projects will help urban planners and ecological experts for long-term sustainable management of urbanized and agricultural watersheds.

National audience; Impact of Cu doping and Mg-deficiency on Mg2Sn thin films thermoelectric properties

Amaç: Bruselloz, hayvan ve insan sağlığını etkileyen endemik bir zoonotik hastalıktır. Son birkaç on yılda, hastalığı kontrol etmek için daha güvenli Brucella aşıları geliştirmek için çok araştırma yapılmıştır. Dış zar vezikülleri (OMV'ler), insan brusellozunu önlemek için bir alt birim aşı için immünojenik yapılar olarak düşünülmüştür. Bu çalışmanın amacı Brusella abortus'un dış zar veziküllerini bruselloz aşısı için aday olarak değerlendirmektir.Yöntemler: Bu çalışmada Brucella abortus, S99 suşu kullanıldı. Brucella abortusun kitle kültivasyonundan sonra OMV ekstraksiyonu, Ultracentrifugation ve Sodium Dosoxycotinate tarafından gerçekleştirildi. SDS-PAGE yöntemi, fizikokimyasal özellikleri değerlendirmek için protein paternini ve elektron mikroskopisini gözlemlemek için kullanıldı. OMV'deki LOS miktarı da LAL testi ile ölçüldü. Protein konsantrasyonunun belirlenmesinden sonra farelere belirli bir konsantrasyonda enjekte edildi ve antikoru değerlendirmek için kan örnekleri alındı. Son olarak serum izolasyonundan sonra antikor üretimi ELISA yöntemi ile ölçüldü.Bulgular: OMV'de mevcut protein miktarı 0,1 mg/ml idi. OMV'nin boyutu 55 ila 150 nm idi ve SDS-PAGE değerlendirmesinde protein aralığı >25 kDa idi. LAL testindeki LOS değeri yetkili aralıkta rapor edildi. İlk enjeksiyondan sonra IgG düzeylerinde (P=0,001) kontrol grubuna kıyasla ve daha sonraki güçlendiricilerde anlamlı artış gözlendi. En yüksek tepki oranı ikinci güçlendiricide gözlenmiştir.Sonuç: OMV ekstraksiyon sırasında uzamsal şeklini korumaktadır ve Brucella düşüklerine karşı yüksek derecede spesifik antikorların üretimini indükleme potansiyeline sahiptir. Bu nedenle klinik fazları inceledikten sonra aday bir aşı olarak düşünülebilir., Aim: Brucellosis is an endemic zoonotic disease affecting animal and human health. In the last several decades, much research has been performed to develop safer Brucella vaccines to control the disease. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have been considered as immunogenic structures for a subunit vaccine to prevent human brucellosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the external membrane vesicles of Brucella abortus as a candidate for brucellosis vaccine.Methods: In this study Brucella abortus, S99 strain was used. Extraction of OMV after mass cultivation of Brucella abortus was performed by Ultracentrifugation and Sodium Dosoxycotinate. The SDS-PAGE method was used to observe the protein pattern and electron microscopy, to evaluate the physicochemical properties. The amount of LOS in OMV was also measured by LAL test. After determination of the protein concentration, mice were injected at a specific concentration and blood samples were obtained to evaluate the antibody. Finally, after serum isolation, the antibody production was measured by the ELISA method.Results: The amount of protein present in OMV was 0.1 mg/ml. The size of OMV was 55 to 150 nm, and in the SDS-PAGE assessment, the protein range was >25 kDa. The LOS value in the LAL test was reported within the authorized range. Significant increase in IgG levels was observed after the first injection (P=0.001) compared to the control group, and in subsequent boosters as well. The highest response rate was observed in the second booster. Conclusion: OMV maintains its spatial shape during extraction and has the potential to induce the production of a high degree of specific antibodies against Brucella abortus. For this reason, it can be considered as a candidate vaccine after examining clinical phases.

1. Polarizability tensor of asymmetric nanoparticles

European journal of higher education IT 1(2020-1), 5 (2020). special issue: "Selection of the full papers from the EUNIS 2020 congress", Published by EUNIS, Paris

Background:The main goal of physiotherapy for patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is to improve postural control and retain knee function. Therefore, clinicians need to use evaluative tools that assess postural changes during physiotherapy. To maximize the clinical utility of the results of these tools, the extracted measures should have appropriate psychometric properties of reliability, validity and responsiveness. No study has yet addressed responsiveness of postural measures in these patients. This study was designed to investigate the responsiveness and determine the minimal clinically important changes (MCIC) of static and dynamic postural measures in patients with (ACL-R) following physiotherapy. Methods: Static and dynamic postural measures were evaluated at first occasion and again after four weeks physiotherapy. The static measures consisted of center of pressure (COP) parameters while dynamic measures included the stability indices. Correlation analysis and ROC curve were applied for assessing the responsiveness. Results:The meanand SD velocity of COP had acceptable responsiveness in both conditions of standing on injured leg with open-eyes and on uninjured leg with closed-eyes, both with nocognitive task. For dynamic measures, stability indices in double-leg standing with closed-eyes with cognitive task condition attained acceptable responsiveness. MCICs for mean and SD velocity in anteroposterior and mediolateral directions were 0.28cm/s, 0.008cm/s, 0.02cm/s, respectively in standing on injured leg with open-eyes; and 0.14cm/s, 0.07cm/s, 0.06cm/s, respectively in uninjured leg with closed-eyes condition. Also, MCICs for anteroposterior, mediolateral and total stability indices were 0.51◦, 0.37◦, 0.34◦, respectively in DCT condition. Conclusion:Our findings provide evidence for selection of appropriate static and dynamic postural measures for assessment of changes in these patients. MCICs for these measures were determined, which provide practical information for clinicians to make decision on clinical significance of changes in patients’ status.

Background: A number of case-control studies have evaluated associations between the X-ray cross complementary group 1 protein (XRCC1) gene rs1799782 (Arg194Trp), rs25487 (Arg399Gln) and rs25489 (Arg280His) polymorphisms and thyroid cancer (TC) risk, but the results remain inconclusive. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar Search. According to defined criteria data were extracted and pooled odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated under five genetic models. Results: A total of 8 studies with 1,672 cases and 2,805 controls for the rs1799782 polymorphism, 14 studies with 2,506 cases and 5,180 controls for the rs25487 polymorphism, and 11 studies with 2,197 cases and 4,761 controls for the rs25489 polymorphism were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, there was a statistical association between XRCC1 rs1799782 polymorphism and TC risk with the homozygote genetic model (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.815, 95% CI = 1.115-2.953, p= 0.016) and the recessive genetic model (TT vs. TC+ CC: OR = 1.854, 95% CI = 1.433-2.399, p=

Jean-Pierre Digard est l'auteur d'une œuvre considérable d'où émergent deux ensembles qui se recoupent souvent : les relations hommes-animaux et l'Iran, ce grand foyer de nomadisme pastoral. Chercheur passionné, il n'a pas négligé pour autant l'analyse de la société iranienne contemporaine et de ses mutations récentes. Plus largement, il a mené une réflexion, à travers de nombreux articles, sur les méthodes, les concepts et les champs (en particulier, l'étude des techniques) de l'ethnologie. En sus d'une œuvre abondante, il s'est aussi fortement impliqué dans les activités collectives et la vie professionnelle. Écrites par des collègues, d'anciens élèves, des amis, les contributions réunies dans ce livre illustrent différentes facettes de la personnalité et de l'œuvre de Jean-Pierre Digard. Un premier ensemble d'articles traite des passions personnelles (la langue française, la musique et, en particulier, le jazz) et des postures intellectuelles de notre auteur. Dans une deuxième partie sont regroupés des textes sur le pastoralisme nomade et le statut de l'animal, ici et ailleurs. Enfin, plusieurs contributions abordent des aspects saillants de la vie contemporaine en Iran (le culte des imâms, la diversité et la mobilité dans les villes iraniennes). Hommage à une forte personnalité de sa discipline, ce livre regroupe des analyses et réflexions sur des thèmes importants en sciences sociales et sur des sujets vifs dans le monde actuel.

Risk analysis in process systems is very important to design effective strategies for preventing and mitigating potential major accidents. Although conventional techniques as Bow-tie (BT) have widely been used in risk assessment of process systems, they fall short in effectively modelling epistemic uncertainty which is prevailing in risk assessment of process systems. The present study is aimed at alleviating this shortcoming by incorporating fuzzy set theory into BT, developing a so-called fuzzy extended Bow tie (FEBT) model. FEBT, compared with previous fuzzy BT methods, uses the intuitionistic fuzzy numbers and thus provides a more accurate cause – consequence model of accident scenarios. A natural gas transmission network is used to demonstrate the application of FEBT.

International audience; Herein, intrinsic p-type conductivity of NiO films were enhanced by high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technology, where more charged Ni3+ ions are created during the deposition process. The formation of Ni3+ ions are advantageous for strengthening the p-type conductivity of NiO films. As the pulse off-time increases from 0 μs to 3000 μs, Ni3+ concentration improves greatly, indicating the amount of Ni vacancies as well as the hole concentration significantly enhances. It confirms that HiPIMS is a preferential technology for preparing NiO films with high p-type conductivity. Especially, when pulse off-time reaches 3000 μs, a high carrier concentration of 2.86Å~1021 cm−3 and a relatively low electrical resistivity about 0.07 Ω·cm are achieved.

International audience; Inclined, zigzag andspiral Ti1-xCux films wereco-sputtered by theGlancing Angle Deposition technique. Two distincttitanium(Ti)andcopper(Cu)targetswereusedandthefilmsweregrownwithaparticleflowincidence angle α of 80°. The thin films had Cu contents ranging from 36 to 76 ± 5at. %. The effect of increasing Cu incorporation on the electrical anisotropy, as well as the effect of columnar architecture variations on the morphological,structuralandelectricalpropertiesofthefilmswasevaluatedandcorrelatedwiththeparticular theirarchitectures. Mainresultsshowwell-definedandhighlyinclinedcolumns(withanaveragecolumnangleβ=45° ± 5°) forallsputteringconditions.Quasi-amorphousthinfilmswereobtainedwithlowCucontents(36at.%),while crystallineCu(111)+Ti3Cu(114)bi-componentstructureswereachievedathighCuconcentrations(76at.%). No permanent oxidation of the films was detected after a two-cycle RT-200°C-RT (RT – room temperature) annealinginair.Thetwo-dimensionalrepresentationoftheresistivityanisotropyofthecolumnarand2zigzags filmsisshapedasanelongatedellipsealongthexxdirection,withavariationoftheeffectiveanisotropy,Aeff,at 200°C from 1.4 to 2.9. The samples prepared with 2 spirals and the same Cu content (36at. %) exhibit an isotropicbehavior,withanAeffvalueat200°Cof1.1.Theoverallresultsdemonstratethepossibilitytotunethe thinfilms'morphologyandelectricalcharacteristicsinordertoobtainasetofpropertiesthataresuitableforthe developmentofhighperformancematerials,suchasthecaseofresistancetemperaturedetectors.

International audience; Solid electrolytes and mixed conductors are often complex oxides widely used in numerous applications in the fields of energy and environment such as fuel cells, microbatteries, catalysts, sensors etc. Among the methods able to allow the synthesis of these various materials, reactive co sputtering appears as an interesting and powerful alternative. This is particularly true when in situ optical methods are used to control either the deposition rate or the coating transparency. In this presentation, we will first describe the structural features of the main solid electrolytes and mix conductors which often present fluorite, perovskite or close-perovskite structures. Hence, we will discuss the deposition conditions for high rate deposition of those materials, either as dense coatings such as required for electrolyte coatings or as porous layers such as required for mix conductors in numerous applications. In each case, the relation between deposition conditions and coating morphology and structure will be established. Some examples of coating intrinsic performance owing to their ionic or electrical conductivity or catalytic activity will then be presented in relation with their deposition conditions. Finally, some recent examples of applications will be given in the fields of solid oxide fuel cells, depollution catalysts or gas sensors.

Amaç: İlaç direncine rağmen Mycobacterium bovis ve Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) hala dünyadaki küresel sağlık sorunlarından iki tanesi olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, tuberküloz tanısı için etkili biyobelirteçler elde etmek amacıyla Mycobacterium bovis ve MTB protein profilleri arasında bir karşılaştırma yapılmıştır.Yöntemler: Klinik örnekler, balgam ve gastrik lavaj (ve diğer örnekler), N-asetil-L-sistein-sodyum hidroksit yöntemleri ile işlendi ve sonuç olarak Lowenstein-Jensen ortamı üzerinde kültürlendi. Mycobacterium tuberculosis ve bovis suşları biyokimyasal testlere ve duyarlılık test sistemine göre ayrıldı. Koloniler 7H9 ortamında büyütülmüş ve membran ve sekretuar proteinler ekstrakte edilmiş, amonyum sülfat ve soğutulmuş alkol metotları ile saflaştırılmıştır.Bulgular: Protein içerikleri Bradford metodu ile ölçüldü. Her bir suşta protein bantlarının karşılaştırması tek boyutlu bir elektroforez ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bant ayırma membranı proteinlerindeki iki suş arasındaki temel farklılık, 45 ve 60 KDa'da ve ayrıca 45 ve 14 KDa'dan daha az olarak gözlemlenebildi.Sonuç: Sonuçlar, protein bantlarındaki farklılıkların tuberküloz tanısı için protein etkin biyobelirteç olarak kullanılabileceğini gösterdi. Hızlı tuberküloz teşhisi için ileri tetkiklerde tuberküloz’a karşı antikor kullanmalıyız., Aim: Despite the drug resistance Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) are still regarded as two of the global health problems in the world. In the present study, a comparison was made between protein profiles of Mycobacterium bovis and MTB in order to achieve effective biomarkers for diagnosis of tuberculosis. Methods: The clinical samples, sputum and gastric lavage (and the other samples) were processed by N-acetyl-L-cysteine-sodium hydroxide methods and consequently were cultured on Lowenstein–Jensen medium. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and bovis strains were distinguished according to the biochemical tests and susceptibility testing system. Colonies were grown in 7H9 medium and membrane and secretory proteins were extracted, purified by ammonium sulfate and refrigerated alcohol methods. Results: The protein contents were measured by Bradford method. Comparison of protein bands in each strain were performed by one dimensional electrophoresis. The major discrepancy between the two strains in the banding separation membrane proteins could be observed in 45 and 60 KDa and also less than 45 and 14 KDa. Conclusion: The results showed that discrepancy in the proteins bands could be used as protein effective biomarker for tuberculosis diagnosis. We should use antibody against tuberculosis for further investigation for rapid tuberculosis diagnosis.

Analytical approaches are primary reservoir engineering techniques for understatingreservoir/well performance and reservoir characterization which creates additional value on top of comprehensive geological models. Different techniques such as Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA), Rate Transient Analysis (RTA), and analytical models provide good understating on reservoir extension and properties, reservoir connectivity and well interference signatures. For complex carbonate reservoir models, relying solely on petrophysical properties from core and LOG and calibrated is not enough. Several case studies are published where the static model is guided by seismic driven Acoustic Impedance(AI) which matched the porosity at the wellbore. These methods significantly enhance the reservoir property distribution if a reliable seismic data is available. Nevertheless, the permeability map and reservoir connectivity analysis still require detail investigation of well performances and production data. This paper discusses the application of production data analysis to characterize the reservoir in larger scale and reveal the reservoir connectivity and flow barriers in the prevailing heterogeneity. Authors addressed the integrated production data analysis including RTA/PTA, 2D numerical simulation and deconvolution technique in gas cases (Ataei et al 2017). The basic equations of RTA which requires single phase condition are still applicable in the current case study which involve oil above bubble point pressure. Simple 2D numerical simulation were used to address the challenges and the provides a solution to have better understanding of reservoir continuity, a reliable permeability map for upscaling core data and incorporating in the model into large (field scale). The calculated KH from PTA data was also integrated with that of estimated from RTA and evaluated by 2D model before integrating in into full field reservoir simulation model for future forecasting.

BACKGROUND: The promoter -1082 A/G (rs1800896) polymorphism of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene have been widely reported and considered to have a significant role on gastric cancer risk, but the results are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the association, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the associations IL-10 -1082 A/G polymorphism with gastric cancer. METHODS: Eligible articles were identified by searching databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to August 03, 2017. Odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association. RESULTS: A total of 30 case-control studies with 6,101 cases and 8,557 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, a significant association between IL-10 -1082 A/G polymorphism and gastric cancer risk was observed under the allele model (G vs A: OR=1.305, 95% CI=1.076-1.584; P=0.007), heterozygote model and (GA vs AA: OR=1.252, 95% CI=1.252-1.054; P=0.011) and dominant model (GG+GA vs AA: OR=1.264, 95% CI=1.053-1.516; P=0.012). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, increased gastric cancer risk were found in Asians under the allele model (G vs A: OR=1.520, 95% CI=1.172-1.973; P=0.002), homozygote model (GG+GA vs AA: OR=1.571, 95% CI=1.023-2.414; P= 0.039), heterozygote model (GA vs AA: OR=1.465, 95% CI=1.192-1.801; P≤0.001) and dominant model (GG+GA vs AA: OR=1.448, 95% CI=1.152-1.821; P=0.002), but not among Caucasian and Latinos populations. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the IL-10 -1082 A/G (rs1800896) polymorphism might contribute to the gastric cancer susceptibility, especially among Asians. RESUMO CONTEXTO: O promotor-1082 A/polimorfismo G (rs1800896) do gene da interleucina-10 (IL-10) é amplamente relatado e considerado por ter um papel significativo no risco de câncer gástrico, porém os resultados são inconsistentes. OBJETIVO: Para esclarecer melhor esta associação, realizou-se uma meta-análise para investigar as associações de IL-10-1082 A/polimorfismo G com câncer gástrico. MÉTODOS: Artigos elegíveis foram identificados através de pesquisa de bases de dados PubMed, Web of Science e Google Scholar até 3 de agosto de 2017. Razões de possibilidades (OR) com intervalo de confiança de 95% correspondente (CIs) foram usados para avaliar a associação. RESULTADOS: Um total de 30 estudos de caso-controle, 6.101 casos e com 8.557 controles foram incluídos nesta meta-análise. Em geral, uma associação significativa entre IL-10-1082 A/G polimorfismo e risco de câncer gástrico foi observada sob o modelo de alelo (G vs A: OR=1.305, 95% CI=1.076-1.584; P=0.007), no modelo heterozigoto (GA vs AA: OR=1.252, 95% CI=1.252-1.054; P=0.011) e modelo dominante (GG+GA vs AA: OR=1.264, 95% CI=1.053-1.516; P=0.012). Na análise de subgrupo pela etnia, foi encontrado risco aumentado de câncer gástrico em asiáticos sob o modelo de alelo (G vs A: OR=1.520, 95% CI=1.172-1.973; P=0.002), modelo heterozigoto (GG+GA vs AA: OR=1.571, 95% CI=1.023-2.414; P= 0.039), e modelo dominante (GG+GA vs AA: OR=1.448, 95% CI=1.152-1.821; P=0.002), mas não entre a população caucasiana e latina. CONCLUSÃO: Estes resultados sugeriram que a IL-10-1082 A/polimorfismo G (rs1800896) pode contribuir para a suscetibilidade de câncer gástrico, especialmente entre os asiáticos.

International audience; Inclined, zigzag and spiral TiAg films were prepared by glancing angle co-deposition, using two distinct Ti and Ag targets with a particle incident angle of 80° and Ag contents ranging from 20 to 75 at%. The effect of increasing Ag incorporation and columnar architecture change on the morphological, structural and electrical properties of the films was investigated. It is shown that inclined columnar features (β = 47°) with high porosity were obtained for 20 at% Ag, with the column angle sharply decreasing (β = 21°) for 50 at% Ag, and steeply increasing afterwards until β = 37° for the film with 75 at% Ag. The sputtered films exhibit a rather well-crystallized structure for Ag contents ≥50 at%, with a TiAg (111) preferential growth. No significant oxidation was detected in all films, except for the one with 20 at% Ag, after two 298–473–298 K temperature cycles in air. The calculated temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) values vary between 1.4 and 5.5 × 10−4 K−1. Nano-sculptured spiral films exhibit consistently higher resistivity (ρ = 1.5 × 10−6 Ω m) and TCR values (2.9 × 10−4 K−1) than the inclined one with the same Ag content (ρ = 1.2 × 10−6 Ω m and TCR = 2.0 × 10−4 K−1). No significant changes are observed in the zigzag films concerning these properties. The effective anisotropy A eff at 473 K changes from 1.3 to 1.7 for the inclined films. Spiral films exhibit an almost completely isotropic behavior with A eff = 1.1. Ag-rich TiAg core + shell Janus-like columns were obtained with increasing Ag concentrations.

International audience; Tungsten oxide thin films are grown by DC reactive magnetron sputtering combining glancing angledeposition (GLAD) and reactive gas pulsing process (RGPP). Inclined, zigzag and spiral columnar archi-tectures are produced with various oxygen injections during the growth. The dodecane and ozone sensingproperties of these tungsten oxide nanostructured active layers are comparatively studied with that offilms deposited by conventional sputtering process. Microstructure, morphologies and electrical behav-iors are characterized as a function of the growing conditions. As-deposited films systematically exhibitan amorphous crystal structure with a porous microstructure, which depends on the GLAD architecture.Annealing at 300◦C in air for 12 h leads to a polycrystalline structure keeping voided networks. Dode-cane and ozone sensing performances are the most significant for inclined columnar architectures butthey also depend on the RGPP sputtering conditions. As a result, the GLAD + RGPP combination provesto be a relevant strategy for the fabricating tungsten oxide nanostructured films as active layers with anattractive potential for gas sensors.

The aim of this study is establishing Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) with using experts’ opinions to compute the probability of an event (as a main factor of risk value). Thus, in order to find the probability of top event, all of the basic event’s probability should be available when FTA is drawn for an event. In this case, several experts will be employed to express their opinions in qualitative terms for all basic events instead of using probabilities from handbooks. In real life, participated experts have subjective weights based on their background and experiences. Therefore, they should be weighted by a standard method like as AHP. Then the experts’ opinions will be collected. In this case, fuzzy set theory will be employed. All experts’ opinion which is expressed in qualitative terms (crisp value) is transferred to fuzzy set number (triangular or trapezoidal). Accordingly, in fuzzy environment their opinions will be aggregated in a set of fuzzy number form. So, the fuzzy number requires to be defuzzified to crisp value. Finally probability of basic events will be computed, and subsequently the probability of top event will be calculated using Boolean algebra. Keywords: Fault tree analysis, Fuzzy logic, Chemical complex plant, Expert judgment ÖZ: Bu çalışmanın amacı bir olayın olasılığını (risk değerinin ana faktörü olarak) hesaplamak için uzmanların görüşlerini kullanarak Arıza Ağacı Analizi (AAA) kurmaktır. Böylece, en önemli olay olasılığını bulmak için, bir olay için AAA çekildiğinde temel olay olasılığının tümünün mevcut olması gerekir. Bu durumda, el kitaplarındaki olasılıkları kullanmak yerine, tüm temel olaylar için görüşlerini nitel olarak ifade etmek üzere birkaç uzman görüşüne başvurulmuştur. Gerçek hayatta katılan uzmanların geçmiş deneyimlerine dayalı öznel ağırlıkları bulunmaktadır. Bu nedenle, Analitik Hiyerarşi Süreci gibi standart bir yöntemle ağırlıklandırılmalıdır. Bu aşamada uzmanların görüşleri toplanıp, bulanık küme teorisi kullanılacaktır. Niteliksel terimlerle (net değer) ifade edilen tüm uzmanların görüşleri bulanık kümeye (üçgen veya trapez şeklinde) aktarılacaktır.Buna göre, bulanık ortamda görüşleri bulanık sayı formunda toplanacaktır. Böylece, bulanık sayı, berrak bir değere çekilmeyi gerektirecektir. Sonunda temel olayların olasılığı hesaplanacak ve daha sonra en üstteki olay olasılığı Boolean cebri kullanılarak hesaplanacaktır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Hasar ağacı analizi, Bulanık mantık, Kimyasal kompleks tesis, Uzman yargısı Master of Science in Industrial Engineering. Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Industrial Engineering, 2017. Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Orhan Korhan.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumor, mostly involving the minor salivary glands. Herein, we present a case of ACC in a 43-year-old man with symptoms of dental abscess as the initial presentation of the tumor. In spiral computed tomography (CT) scan, soft tissue mass with the erosion of maxillary sinus wall on the right side of the alveolar ridge was evident. Histopathological examination of the excised tumor with immunohistochemical studies (C-kit, Vimentin, pan-cytokeratin, p53, p63, and ki67 positive reaction) confirmed grade 2 ACC in the maxillary sinus. The patient underwent hemimaxillectomy and right-neck dissection. Due to the extension of tumor cells excessively into the surrounding tissues and involvement of orbital bone, complete and total resection of the tumor with safe margins could not be done. After surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy was considered for the patient. At the end of treatment, the patient lost his eye vision. Seventeen months from initial diagnosis, he was still alive without lung or distant metastasis.

En dépit d’une forte originalité, qui le distingue notamment du nomadisme bédouin arabe, le pastoralisme mobile en Iran ne constitue pas un phénomène uniforme. Ses variantes régionales, ici regroupées en sept types principaux, sont la conséquence de conditions écosystémiques et de circonstances historiques particulières, qui, ensemble, ont façonné des systèmes culturels distincts, fondés notamment sur des modalités différentes d’appropriation des pâturages. Les politiques de développement doivent impérativement prendre en compte cette diversité et ne pas chercher à appliquer partout les mêmes remèdes. "Mobile" pastoralism in Iran. Its variants, their determinants and the consequences for developmentDespite its originality, which sets it apart from Arab Beduin nomadism, "mobile" pastoralism in Iran is not a uniform phenomenon. Its regional variants, described herein in relation to seven principal types, stem from conditions having to do with ecosystems and historical circumstances. Together, these two factors have shaped distinct systems based, in particular, on different ways of holding pastureland. Development policies must take this diversity into account and not try to apply the same formulae everywhere.

Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) is an acquired disease that occurs secondary to a variety of underlying conditions including solid tumors. Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of these tumors and DIC is the most prevalent coagulopathy related to PCa, but it is rarely reported as the first manifestation of it. This paper is a report of an 85–year–old man who presented with hematuria and vast ecchymoses. Thorough work–up resulted in finding metastatic PCa with DIC as presenting condition. Although DIC is a rare manifestation of metastatic prostate cancer, it should be consider when no other reason can be found to explain it.

International audience; PVD processes for energy application

International audience; Structural, electrical and gas sensing properties of Ag doped LaCoO3 nanowires deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

Background Occult hepatitis B infection is characterized by negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and also detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) -DNA, with or without hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc). HBV reactivation in individuals under immunosuppressive therapy is critical, occurring in occult HBV. Objective In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of occult HBV infection among hepatitis B surface antigen negative in cancer patients before receiving chemotherapy. Methods Sera from 204 cancer patients who were negative for HBsAg, were tested for anti-HBc antibodies. The samples that were negative for HBsAg but positive for anti-HBc also examined for HBV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results Of the 204 HBsAg negative blood samples, 11 (5.4%) samples were positive for anti-HBc antibodies. HBV-DNA was detected in 9/11 (81%) of anti-HBc positive samples. Occult HBV infection in hematological cancers was more than solid cancers, 4.8% and 4.3% respectively. There was no significant difference in HBc antibody positivity based on vaccination, previous blood transfusions, history of familial hepatitis or biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, total and direct bilirubin levels) (P>0.05). Conclusion Screening of occult HBV infection by HBsAg, HBV DNA and anti HB core antibody should be suggested as a routine investigation in cancer patients before receiving chemotherapy. RESUMO Contexto A infecção oculta da hepatite B caracteriza-se por antígeno de superfície da hepatite B (AgHBs) negativo com vírus detectável da hepatite B (HBV) -DNA, com ou sem anticorpo de núcleo da hepatite B (anti-HBc). A reativação do HBV em indivíduos sob terapia imunossupressora é crítica, originando a infecção oculta pelo VHB. Objetivo Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar a prevalência de infecção oculta pelo VHB entre em pacientes com câncer e com antígeno de superfície da hepatite B negativo antes de receber quimioterapia. Métodos Soro de 204 pacientes com câncer que foram negativos para AgHBs, foram testados para anticorpos anti-HBc. As amostras que foram negativos para AgHBs, mas positivo para anti-HBc foram também examinadas para HBV-DNA, por reação em cadeia da polimerase. Resultados Entre 204 amostras de sangue AgHBs negativas, 11 (5,4%) foram positivos para anticorpos anti-HBc. HBV-DNA foi detectado em 9/11 (81%) das amostras positivas de anti-HBc. Infecção oculta de VHB em câncer hematológico foi maior que em cânceres sólidos, 4,8% e 4,3% respectivamente. Não houve diferença significativa na positividade anti-HBc, com base na vacinação, transfusões de sangue anteriores, história de hepatite familiar ou parâmetros bioquímicos (ALT, AST, total e níveis de bilirrubina total) (P & gt; 0,05). Conclusão A triagem de infecção oculta por AgHBs, HBV-DNA e anti-anticorpo de núcleo HB deve ser sugerida como uma investigação de rotina em pacientes com câncer antes de receber a quimioterapia.

Primary testicular lymphoblastic lymphoma is a rare entity. We report a case of a 13-year-old boy referred with unilateral testicular swelling. After preliminary work-up orchiectomy was performed Histopathology detected primary testicular lymphoblastic lymphoma. Lymphoblastic lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of testicular masses in children.

International audience; Pure Vthin films weredcsputteredwithdifferentpressures(0.4and0.6Pa)andparticleincidentanglesα of 0°, 20° and 85°, byusingtheGLancingAngleDeposition(GLAD)technique.Thesputtered films werecharacterizedregardingtheirelectricalresistivitybehaviourinatmosphericpressureandin-vacuumconditions asafunctionoftemperature(40–550 °C), inordertocontroltheoxidationprocess.Aimingatcomprehending theoxidationbehaviourofthesamples,extensivemorphologicalandstructuralstudieswereperformedontheas-depositedandannealedsamples.Mainresultsshowthat,inoppositiontoannealing inair,thecolumnarnanostructuresarepreservedinvacuumconditions,keepingmetallic-likeelectrical properties.