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Heart failure (HF) remains with a poor prognosis and high morbidity and mortality. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may have influenced these parameters due to the overload of health services, although regional characteristics may have had an influence. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on HF morbidity and mortality in Northeast Brazil through data analysis from DATA-SUS. METHOD: The average length of stay, the number of hospitalizations and deaths, and the mortality rate from 02/2017 to 11/2022 were evaluated, subdivided into pre-pandemic (02/2017 to 02/2020), pandemic (03/2020 to 06/2021), peak (12/2020 to 05/2021), the first and second trimester of the peak (12/2020 to 02/2021 and 03/2021 to 05/2021), mass vaccination (06/2021 to 12/2021) and year 2022 (01/2022 to 11/20222022). The subdivisions of the total evaluated period were compared with the others. The results were expressed in percentages. RESULTS: In the pre-pandemic, there was the highest monthly average of hospitalizations, with a reduction of 29% in the pandemic and 12% in the period of mass vaccination. There was a reduction in the monthly average of deaths in the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period, with this average being similar in the mass vaccination and pre-pandemic periods. However, there was a significant increase in the mortality rate in the pandemic period (12.45%) when compared to the pre-pandemic period (10.9%), with the highest percentage observed in the mass vaccination period (12.79%). %). CONCLUSIONS: There were relevant consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on HF morbidity and mortality in the Northeast region of Brazil, with a lower number of hospitalizations and increased mortality. During the vaccination period, the increase in hospitalizations and the higher mortality rate may reflect the difficulty in monitoring the disease in previous periods and greater access to health services.

Background Post-secondary students frequently experience high rates of mental health challenges. However, they present meagre rates of treatment-seeking behaviours. This elevated prevalence of mental health problems, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, can lead to distress, poor academic performance, and lower job prospects following the completion of education. To address the needs of this population, it is important to understand students' perceptions of mental health and the barriers preventing or limiting their access to care. Methods A broad-scoping online survey was publicly distributed to post-secondary students, collecting demographic, sociocultural, economic, and educational information while assessing various components of mental health. Results In total, 448 students across post-secondary institutions in Ontario, Canada, responded to the survey. Over a third (n = 170; 38.6%) of respondents reported a formal mental health diagnosis. Depression and generalized anxiety disorder were the most commonly reported diagnoses. Most respondents felt that post-secondary students did not have good mental health (n = 253; 60.5%) and had inadequate coping strategies (n = 261; 62.4%). The most frequently reported barriers to care were financial (n = 214; 50.5%), long wait times (n = 202; 47.6%), insufficient resources (n = 165; 38.9%), time constraints (n = 148; 34.9%), stigma (n = 133; 31.4%), cultural barriers (n = 108; 25.5%), and past negative experiences with mental health care (n = 86; 20.3%). The majority of students felt their post-secondary institution needed to increase awareness (n = 231; 56.5%) and mental health resources (n = 306; 73.2%). Most viewed in-person therapy and online care with a therapist as more helpful than self-guided online care. However, there was uncertainty about the helpfulness and accessibility of different forms of treatment, including online interventions. The qualitative findings highlighted the need for personal strategies, mental health education and awareness, and institutional support and services. Conclusions Various barriers to care, perceived lack of resources, and low knowledge of available interventions may contribute to compromised mental health in post-secondary students. The survey findings indicate that upstream approaches such as integrating mental health education for students may address the varying needs of this critical population. Therapist-involved online mental health interventions may be a promising solution to address accessibility issues.

International audience; Pharmacotherapies for the treatment of major depressive disorder were serendipitously discovered almost seven decades ago. From this discovery, scientists pinpointed the monoaminergic system as the primary target associated with symptom alleviation. As a result, most antidepressants have been engineered to act on the monoaminergic system more selectively, primarily on serotonin, in an effort to increase treatment response and reduce unfavorable side effects. However, slow and inconsistent clinical responses continue to be observed with these available treatments. Recent findings point to the glutamatergic system as a target for rapid acting antidepressants. Investigating different cohorts of depressed individuals treated with serotonergic and other monoaminergic antidepressants, we found that the expression of a small nucleolar RNA, SNORD90 , was elevated following treatment response. When we increased Snord90 levels in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region regulating mood responses, we observed antidepressive-like behaviors. We identified neuregulin 3 ( NRG3 ) as one of the targets of SNORD90 , which we show is regulated through the accumulation of N 6 -methyladenosine modifications leading to YTHDF2-mediated RNA decay. We further demonstrate that a decrease in NRG3 expression resulted in increased glutamatergic release in the mouse ACC. These findings support a molecular link between monoaminergic antidepressant treatment and glutamatergic neurotransmission.

The time of flight of a plane wavefront generated from an acoustic pulse is expected to decrease when the medium length between the wave emitter and receiver is shortened. This simple idea is extrapolated to the case of reservoir compaction in order to obtain a geophysical parameter R (dilation factor) that relates the rock deformation to the variation of time of flight (also called time-lapse time shift in 4D seismics) or acoustic velocity of a plane wave propagating in the same direction of deformation. Interpretation of a few laboratory compressive tests with simultaneous ultrasonic acquisition, performed on oil-saturated calcarenite samples, are presented and discussed. The samples were subjected to several stress regimes and simultaneous ultrasonic acquisitions. Despite the formerly ultrasonic acquisition rate limitations, it was possible to obtain R values for various lateral-vertical stress ratios for each sample's linear and nonlinear stress-strain trends.

BACKGROUND The demand for mental health care, particularly for depression and anxiety, is 3-fold greater among patients receiving oncologic and palliative care than for the general population. This population faces unique barriers, making them more susceptible to mental health challenges. Various forms of psychotherapy have been deemed effective in addressing mental health challenges in this population, including supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, problem-based therapy, and mindfulness; however, their access to traditional face-to-face psychotherapy resources is limited owing to their immunocompromised status, making frequent hospital visits dangerous. Additionally, patients can face hospital fatigue from numerous appointments and investigations or may live in remote areas, which makes commutes both physically and financially challenging. Web-based psychotherapy is a promising solution to address these accessibility barriers. Moreover, web-based psychotherapy has been proven effective in addressing depression and anxiety in other populations and may be implementable among patients receiving oncologic and palliative care. OBJECTIVE The study will investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of web-based psychotherapy among patients receiving oncologic and palliative care, who have comorbid depression or anxiety. We hypothesized that this program will be a viable and efficacious treatment modality compared to current treatment modalities in addressing depression and anxiety symptoms in this population. METHODS Participants (n=60) with depression or anxiety will be recruited from oncology and palliative care settings in Kingston (Ontario, Canada). Participants will be randomly allocated to receive either 8 weeks of web-based psychotherapy plus treatment as usual (treatment arm) or treatment as usual exclusively (control arm). The web-based psychotherapy program will incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and problem-solving skills, and homework assignments with personalized feedback from a therapist. All web-based programs will be delivered through a secure platform specifically designed for web-based psychotherapy delivery. To evaluate treatment efficacy, all participants will complete standardized symptomology questionnaires at baseline, midpoint (week 4), and posttreatment. RESULTS The study received ethics approval in February 2021 and began recruiting participants in April 2021. Participant recruitment has been conducted through social media advertisements, physical advertisements, and physician referrals. To date, 11 participants (treatment, n=5; control, n=4; dropout, n=2) have been recruited. Data collection and analysis are expected to conclude by December 2021 and January 2022, respectively. Linear regression (for continuous outcomes) will be conducted with interpretive qualitative methods. CONCLUSIONS Our findings can be incorporated into clinical policy and help develop more accessible mental health treatment options for patients receiving oncologic and palliative care. Asynchronous and web-based psychotherapy delivery is a more accessible, scalable, and financially feasible treatment that could have major implications on the health care system. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04664270; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04664270 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/30735

O presente artigo procura trazer algumas informações acerca da sacralização de animais praticadas em algumas religiões mundiais, em especial, no território brasileiro. Para um entendimento preliminar, foi necessário caracterizar, de forma breve, como os rituais acontecem em cada preceito religioso estudado e a conclusão que se chegou é de que existe uma similaridade entre as formas de fazer, assim como entre os seus propósitos. Entretanto, apesar dessa similitude, se verifica uma rejeição muito grande de uma parcela significativa da sociedade pela prática, hábitos e costumes correlatos as sacralizações realizadas pelas religiões de matriz africana. Observou-se, inclusive, que entre as práticas estudadas, exceto as de matriz africana, são reconhecidas e vistas como uma excelente oportunidade mercadológica para o país. Por outro lado, acredita-se que, diante do contexto apresentado, a reprovação observada seja decorrente da herança cultural enraizada na sociedade brasileira, a qual surgiu com a chegada do negro escravizado em terras brasileiras. Nesse sentido, imputa-se a essa situação a institucionalização, no período colonial, da teoria de hierarquização das raças, que defendia que a superioridade da raça branca em relação à negra.

Background: Patients who present to Emergency Departments (ED) after intentional self-harm are at an increased risk of dying by suicide. This applies particularly to men, who represent nearly two-thirds of those who die by suicide in Ontario. One way of potentially addressing this gap is to offer a course of blended problem-solving therapy (PST), comprised of a brief course of evidence-based psychotherapy for individuals at-risk for suicide, facilitated by the use of a patient-facing smartphone application and a clinician-facing “dashboard”. This approach has the potential to combine the benefits of face to face therapy and technology to create a novel intervention. Methods: This is a cohort study, nested within a larger pragmatic multicentre pre- and post-design cluster randomized trial (cRCT). Suicidal ideas assessed by the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS) is the primary outcome variable. Secondary outcome measures include: depression (PHQ-9); anxiety (GAD-7); PTSD (PC-PTSD); health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L); meaning in life (EMIL); perceived social supports (MSPSS); alcohol use (AUDIT); drug use (DAST-10); problem-solving skills (SPSI-R:S); self-reported health care costs; and, health service use measured using Ontario administrative health data. A process evaluation will also be conducted following study completion. Discussion: The cohort study will test whether better adherence to the intervention results in better outcomes. The value of the cohort study design is that we can examine in more detail certain sub-groups or other variables that are not available in the larger cluster randomised trial. This trial will aim to improve standards by informing best practice in management of men who self-harm and present to hospitals in Ontario. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03473535, Registered on March 22, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03473535

Background Patients who present to Emergency Departments (ED) after intentional self-harm receive variable levels care in Ontario. Many are not assessed by a mental health professional following discharge from ED and do not receive psychological services available in the community as many of these services are not covered by the provincial health insurance. Patients who present with intentional self-harm to hospital are more likely to die by suicide and premature death by other means compared to the general population. This risk is elevated in men, who represent two-thirds of those who die by suicide in Ontario. One way of potentially addressing this gap is to offer problem-solving therapy (PST) designed specifically for men, facilitated by the use of a patient facing smartphone application and a clinician facing dashboard. This attempts to blend the use of face to face therapy and technology to create an effective intervention after self-harm.Methods This is a pragmatic, multicentre pre- and post-design cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) comparing the provision of a suicide prevention intervention to usual care, in men who present to the ED with self-harm. The study intervention is composed of: 1) staff education; 2) resource materials for men who present to the ED with self-harm; and, 3) the option to refer patients to a blended PST service for the treatment of self-harm. The primary outcome to be assessed is a composite of the incidence of suicides and/or re-presentations to any ED in Ontario for self-harm in the year after presentation with self-harm. Secondary outcome measures include: total number of suicides; re-presentations to any ED in Ontario for the repetition of self-harm; re-presentations to any ED in Ontario for any reason; other health system use including use of primary care and hospital outpatient appointments; mortality not related to suicide; and, health system costs over one year. All outcomes will be measured from provincial health administrative databases available at the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (IC/ES).

Gerenciamento de projetos têm feito parte do cotidiano de muitas empresas em todo o mundo corporativo, e mais especificamente a gestão de riscos sendo considerada em projetos aplicados ao desenvolvimento de novos produtos na indústria química, onde a dinâmica para lançamento, faz considerar o triangulo de ferro do gerenciamento de projetos, como custo, tempo e qualidade, sendo necessário utilizar o gerenciamento de riscos como uma das áreas de conhecimento mais importantes para gerenciamento de projetos. Assim, o objetivo deste artigo está em realizar uma revisão sistemática de literatura, com foco principal em pesquisar e fundamentar como o gerenciamento de riscos, através da estratégia corporativa, vem contribuindo para o sucesso dos projetos para desenvolvimento de novos produtos na indústria química, incluindo métodos e ferramentas utilizados. Com os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa através da revisão bibliográfica e possíveis lacunas identificadas, foi apresentado um parecer pela continuidade de pesquisa futura para a aplicabilidade do gerenciamento de risco junto ao processo de desenvolvimento de um novo produto na indústria química.

Summary Geological environments, such as petroleum reservoirs, normally exhibit physical discontinuities, for example, fractures and faults. Because of the reduced thickness of these discontinuities, finite element formulations with strong discontinuity have been applied to the numerical modelling of geological environments. Until now, two relevant characteristics of petroleum reservoirs have not been addressed by these formulations. The first is the pore pressure jump in the direction normal to a discontinuity in a fluid-mechanical coupling condition, which is present primarily in sealing faults owing to the contrast of permeability with the porous medium. The absence of this jump can affect the prediction of the deformability of a physical discontinuity. Furthermore, reservoir models frequently use coarse meshes. Thus, the method used to evaluate the pore pressure in the discontinuity may exhibit a strong dependence relative to the mesh refinement. Based on these characteristics, in this study, a formulation of an enriched finite element for application to coupled fluid-mechanical problems with pre-existing physical discontinuities saturated by a single fluid is presented. The formulation employs discontinuous interpolation functions and enables the reproduction of jumps of displacement and pore pressure associated with a discontinuity inside the element without the need to discretise it. An approximation to estimate the pore pressure in the discontinuity was developed, one which seeks to minimise the influence of refinement. The element's response is verified by comparison with a one-dimensional analytical solution and simple examples that are simulated using commercial software. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

El presente articulo es un esbozo acerca de la revision de evaluacion de Bruno Taut hecha por historiadores de arte y arquitectura. Mientras Taut es considerado utopico y visioario, su trabajo es tido como un intento de abordaje de las cuestiones esteticas y politica de su tiempo a traves de principios distintos del racionalismo estricto. Poniendo especial atencion al uso del color en sus proyectos, describimos la concepcion de arquitectura de Taut como filosofica y critica en lugar de fuera de la realidad.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by a broad spectrum of liver damage. In a rat model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), olmesartan attenuated steatosis and fibrosis.To assess the potential preventive action of olmesartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, on NAFLD in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.Thirty-four white adult male rabbits were selected. The animals were divided into three groups: group I (GI), control group, 13 rabbits; group II (GII), olmesartan group, 12 rabbits; and group III (GIII), normal group, 9 rabbits. The animals from GI and GII were fed with a specific diet plus 1% cholesterol. Animals from GIII were fed only with a specific diet. The GII animals were treated with olmesartan.Steatosis was present in all animals from GI and GII; no steatosis was observed in animals from GIII. When GI and GII where compared, the steatosis had higher scores in GI (p0.013). Perisinusoidal and periportal fibrosis occurred in 46.2% of the animals from GI. There was no fibrosis in GII or GIII. Lobular inflammation occurred in 84.6% of the animals from GI. Animals from GII and GIII had no inflammation. The NAFLD activity score was higher in animals from GI when compared to animals from GII and GIII (p0.001 for both groups); the NAFLD score was significantly higher in animals from GII when compared to animals from GIII (p0.001).In hypercholesterolemic rabbits, olmesartan significantly attenuated hepatic steatosis and prevented the development of lobular inflammation and liver fibrosis. Based on the NAFLD activity score, olmesartan significantly weakened the development of NASH in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet.

Sugar production with high standards of quality and a good yield is the goal of all sugar mills. To obtain excellent product quality with minimal losses, it is extremely important to know the quality of raw material which affects the sugar manufacturing process and the quality of the final product, thus hindering the attainment of productivity and profitability targets. A good broth treatment also ensures good sugar quality and minimal losses. Another important step is the “granagem” (crystallization) for complete sowing and it is extremely important to use good quality seed. The seed of the preparation to the conditions it will be used in seeding should be well cared for, prevented the formation of conglomerates or twin. Another important step is the crystallization of sucrose and driving from cooks. “Spinning” is one of the most important steps in the manufacturing process of the sugar and the results that can be obtained with proper operation are more important than is normally considered. Good projects with correct sizing of equipment and facilities, good automation and standardization in operational procedures of the production process are critical and have great influence on the quality of sugar produced. In addition to all these precautions, it is necessary that the centrifuges and the facilities until the sugar is packed, are all correct and well maintained. Centrifuges, conveyor belts, sugar dryers, hoppers and the environment can contribute and affect the quality of the already processed sugar.

High porosity and low permeability limestone has presented pore collapse. As fluid is withdrawn from these reservoirs, the effective stresses acting on the rock increase. If the strength of the rock is overcome, pore collapse may occur, leading to irreversible compaction of porous media with permeability and porosity reduction. It impacts on fluid withdrawal. Most of reservoirs have been discovered in weak formations, which are susceptible to this phenomenon. This work presents a study on the mechanical behaviour of a porous limestone from a reservoir located in Campos Basin, offshore Brazil. An experimental program was undergone in order to define its elastic plastic behaviour. The tests reproduced the loading path conditions expected in a reservoir under production. Parameters of the cap model were fitted to these tests and numerical simulations were run. The numerical simulations presented a good agreement with the experimental tests. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

It is well established that a wellbore may fail under tension or shear compressive modes. Recently, the behavior of porous rocks has been studied, showing that they may fail because of hydrostatic compression. Cap models may represent the compacting behavior of porous rocks. This work presents a comparison among Drucker–Prager, Mohr–Coulomb, and cap model in wellbore stability analysis for a borehole drilled in 30% porosity limestone from a deep water reservoir, Campos Basin, offshore Brazil. It shows that traditional models used in wellbore stability analysis may lead to erroneous conclusions about the stability in the vicinities of the borehole.

The article looks at the proposed ‘Centres of Excellence’ for urban regeneration in England and their role in skills‐ and knowledge‐generation and diffusion mechanism to help politicians, professionals and communities gain the capacity to lead and manage urban regeneration interventions. Based on research on the demand for skills, training and knowledge in urban regeneration in the south east of England, the article suggests that there are in‐built biases in the dominant interpretations of that initiative towards particular forms of knowledge and knowledge delivery, which can potentially lead to the hijacking of the initiative by narrow agendas, reaffirming fragmentation and limiting the opportunities for innovation.

The paper presents the findings of a case-study research on the role of British property consultants in consolidating a transnational market for property in Europe. It examines comparatively the incorporation of Madrid and Milan into networks of transnational property investment and development and seeks to clarify the relationship between the expansion strategies of British firms and changes in property market structures in both cities. The focus is on the dynamic of the relationship between the consultancy firms and the different legal, institutional and cultural contexts of those property markets. The paper looks at the implications of that relationship for the firms and the markets, and at the role of the firms' strategies in bringing about market structures, practices and cultures compatible with the types of interest they mediate. The paper suggests that the structures and dynamics of the two markets have set a number of reasonably well-defined routes of entry for the consultancy firms, shaped by th...

This paper examines the systems of social relations underpinning the late 1980s’ office boom in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Using ‘institutionalist’ approaches to provide an empirical examination of these systems, it focuses on the nature of the dominant agents and their strategies, the linkages that allow them to perform their functions, and the relative position and power of the agents in the production and use of built structures. The paper tries to situate these systems in their economic and social environment and to point to the connections between socially constructed property markets, their environment, and the characteristics and outcomes of the property boom. In doing so, it aims to cast some light on the processes through which a mix of economic, social and cultural impulses, of global and a local origins, are related to the structures of provision of offices in the context of So Paulo and lead to the production of specific forms of built environment. — Cet article examine les sytemes de relations sociales qui a soutenu le boom des bureaux a S ao Paulo a la fin les annees quatre-vingt. Utilisant des approches ‘institutionnalistes’ afin de fournir une examination empirique de ces systemes, il se concentre sur la nature des agents principaux et sur leurs strategies, sur les liens qui leur permettent d’assurer leurs fonctions, et sur la position de pouvoir relatif de ces agents dans la production et l’utilisation des structures bâties. Cet article essaie de situer ces sytemes dans leur environnement social et economique, et de montrer les rapports entre les marches immobiliers construits socialement, leur environnement et les caracteristiques et resultats de l’essor immobilier. Ce faisant, il entend eclaicir les processus par lesquels un melange d’impulsions economiques, sociales et culturelles d’origine locale et globale est lie aux structures de construction des bureaux dans le contexte de S ao Paulo et conduit a la production de formes specifiques d’environnement construit.

Abstract Geomechanical models have multiple uses in reservoir management and field development planning. In this case study from a producing deepwater fractured carbonate reservoir (water depth approx. 1500m) we use the same geomechanical model to understand (i) why hydraulic stimulation failed to open a hydraulic fracture due to high minimum principal stress, (ii) what the limits of mud weights for drilling horizontal wells into the pressure depleted reservoir are, and (iii) investigate what the effect of pressure depletion and associated stress changes are on fault permeability, thereby providing an explanation for an observed early water-breakthrough. Multiple data sources, including structural seismic interpretation and Amplitude-versus-Offset (AVO) inversion, well-log measurements and rock-mechanics laboratory tests were combined in building a mechanical property model, and the computed stress state was calibrated with wellbore observations of breakouts directions, induced fractures and leak-off tests. Introduction Reservoir geomechanics has become an accepted technology for the petroleum industry during last decades. There are many benefits on improving geomechanical understanding, including:A better characterization of reservoir volume deformation and impact on rock permeability (compaction and dilation);Prediction of surface subsidence;Reducing of risks of fault reactivation and out-of-zone hydraulic fracture propagation during waterflooding or other improved oil recovery process. In Petrobras, Reservoir Geomechanics is a fundamental tool for development of fields with large number of faults/fractures, which is the case of several offshore sandstone reservoirs in Campos Basin, as well as some carbonates fields. Here we discuss the development of a comprehensive reservoir geomechanics study in an actual field of the Campos Basin. The presented technology has been developed as part of the Technology Cooperation Agreement on Reservoir Geomechanics between Petrobras and Schlumberger. A similar study has been carried out for a sandstone field and presented at a SPE Conference (Souza et al, 2012).

Demonstrate that the blockade of angiotensin II AT-1 receptors, through the systemic administration of olmesartan, can reduce the MCP-1 expression and the resulting macrophage accumulation in the choroid and sclera of hypercholesterolemic rabbits.Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits were divided into 3 groups: group I (GI) was fed a standard rabbit diet; group II (GII) was fed a hypercholesterolemic diet; and group III (GIII) was fed a hypercholesterolemic diet plus olmesartan. Serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and blood glucose were determined in fasting rabbits at the beginning of the experiment and on the day of euthanasia. The choroid and sclera were submitted to morphometric analysis as well as immunohistochemical analysis with MCP-1 and RAM-11 (macrophage marker) antibodies.No abnormality was detected in GI. Group II and III had significant increases in choroid-sclera complex thicknesses when compared with group I (P0.001). GII showed a significant increase in immunoreactivity for MCP-1 in relation to GI (P=0.001) and GIII (P=0.004). GII showed a significant increase in immunoreactivity for RAM-11 of the choroid-sclera complex in relation to GI (P0.001) and GIII (P=0.034). A significant increase in immunoreactivity for RAM-11 was observed in GIII in relation to GI (P=0.008).Olmesartan reduced the MCP-1 expression and the resultant macrophage accumulation in the choroid-sclera complex of hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A New Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease? The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), highly prevalent in adult population of developed countries has been widely cited as a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome or as a component of it. Significantly related to cardiovascular disease, its true role in this context remains without adequate elucidation probably due to frequent presence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with NAFLD.

The aim of this study is to experientially demonstrate that a cholesterol-enriched diet induces an increase in the MCP-1 expression in the choroid and sclera.New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups: GN (normal diet group) of 8 rabbits (8 eyes) was fed a standard rabbit diet for 4 weeks; GH (hypercholesterolemic group) of 13 rabbits (13 eyes) was fed a 1% cholesterol enriched diet for 8 weeks. Total serum cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and fasting blood glucose exams were performed at the start of the experiment and at the euthanasia time. After GH 8th week and GN 4th week animals were euthanized and their eyes underwent immunohistochemical analysis with the anti-MCP-1 antibody.The diet has induced a significant increase in GH total cholesterol and triglyceride levels when compared with NG (p0.001). There was a significant increase in the MCP-1 expression in GH choroid and sclera in relation to GN (p0.001).This study has revealed that the hypercholesterolemic diet in rabbits induces an increase in the MCP-1 expression in the choroid and sclera.

Celebrando los 1OO anõs de la publicación de “En busca del tiempo perdido”, de Marcel Proust, se hace una lectura de algunas relaciones entre este clásico de la literatura mundial y el pensamiento arquitectónico, a la luz de la práctica ensenãda en la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de São Paulo (FAUUSP). La importancia de las innovaciones estilísticas de Proust se ven aqui por sus reflejos en el pensamiento de la arquitectura brasileña, al aceptarse el papel de esa arte como lenguaje del mundo a nuestro alrededor. La imbricación de tiempo y espacio permite la transposición de la busca de la reminiscencia a la procura de espacios de disfrute de la Arquitectura moderna. Celebrating the centenary of the publication of Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, it is proposed a reading of some connections between this classic of literature and the architectural thought in the way of teaching architecture, as adopted by FAUUSP. The importance of Proust’s stylistic innovation is seen through the influence of Brazilian architectural thought, when the role of this art is accepted as language of the world around us. The overlapping of time and space allows the mixture of the quest for reminiscence with the search for spaces of fruition in modern architecture. Celebrando os 100 anos da publicação de Em busca do tempo perdido, de Marcel Proust, é feita uma leitura de algumas relações entre esse clássico da literatura mundial e o pensamento arquitetônico, à luz da prática que se ensina na FAUUSP. A importância das inovações estilísticas de Proust é vista por reflexos no pensamento da Arquitetura brasileira, ao aceitar-se o papel dessa arte como linguagem do mundo que nos cerca. A imbricação de tempo e espaço permite a transposição da busca da reminiscência para a procura dos espaços de fruição da Arquitetura moderna.

Shear wave velocities are used here as an indicator for failure mechanism contributions in rock compressive tests. Eleven high porosity carbonate samples are tested with shear wave velocity monitoring. Eight of them follow forced linear confining-deviatoric stress paths while the remaining three are uniaxial strain tests. Using the shear velocity profile acquired on each test and a pre-defined model for shear failure, it was possible to analyze the contribution of failure mechanisms: shear failure and pore collapse.

Deepwater exploitation is a risky and difficult task. This may be especially true when dealing with high deviated or horizontal wells producing from friable sandstone reservoirs such as those found in the giants fields Albacora and Marlim located in Campos Basin, offshore Brazil. The determination of rock mechanics parameters in unconsolidated sandstones is an important step to better caracterize the rock, providing important inputs for better well planning, drilling, completion and production. For poorly consolidated material, the task of keeping samples intact to be used in the Rock Mechanical Lab is very difficult. Thus a review of all the coring, core handling procedures and also the geomechanicals tests procedures to the direct measurement of rock strength and static mechanical properties is made.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO A Equação da Difusividade Hidráulica Não-Linear (EDHN) modela o escoamento monofásico de fluidos em meios porosos levando em conta a variação das propriedades da rocha e do fluido presente no interior de seus poros. Normalmente, a solução adimensional da linha-fonte pD(rD, tD) para escoamento de líquidos é encontrada por meio do uso da transformada de Laplace ou transformação de Boltzmann, o qual, o perfil transiente de pressões em coordenadas cartesianas é descrito pela função erro complementar erfc(xD, yD, tD) e, em coordenadas cilíndricas pela função integral exponencial Ei(rD, tD). Este trabalho propõe a solução analítica pelo método de expansão assíntotica de primeira ordem em séries, para solução de alguns problemas de escoamento de petróleo em meios porosos com permeabilidade dependente da pressão de poros e termo fonte. A solução geral será implementada no software Matlab (marca registrada) e a calibração do modelo matemático será realizada comparandose a solução obtida neste trabalho com a solução calculada por meio de um simulador de fluxo óleo em meios porosos denominado IMEX (marca registrada) , amplamente usado na indústria de petróleo e em pesquisas científicas e que usa o método de diferenças finitas. A solução geral da equação diferencial é dada pela soma da solução para escoamento de líquidos com permeabilidade constante e o termo de primeira ordem da expansão assintótica, composto pela não linearidade devido à variação de permeabilidade. O efeito da variação instantânea de permeabilidade em função da pressão de poros é claramente demonstrado nos gráficos diagnósticos e especializados apresentados. The Nonlinear Hydraulic Diffusivity Equation (NHDE) models the singlephase flow of fluids in porous media considering the variation in the properties of the rock and the fluid present inside its pores. Normally, the dimensionless linear solution for the flow of oil is performed using the Laplace and Fourier transform or Boltzmann transformation and provides the unsteady pressure profile in Cartesian coordinates given by complementary error function erfc(xD, yD, tD) and in cylindrical coordinates described by the exponential integral function Ei(rD, tD). This work develops a new analytical model based on an integro-differential solution to predict the formation mechanical damage caused by the permeability loss during the well-reservoir life-cycle for several oil flow problems. The appropriate Green s function (GF) to solve NHDE for each well-reservoir setting approached in this thesis is used. The general solution is implemented in the Matlab (trademark) and the mathematical model calibration will be carried out by comparing the solution obtained in this work to the porous media finite difference oil flow simulator named IMEX (trademark). The general solution of the NHDE is computed by the sum of the linear solution (constant permeability) and the first order term of the asymptotic series expansion, composed of the nonlinear effect of the permeability loss. The instantaneous permeability loss effect is clearly noticed in the diagnostic and specialized plots.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR PROGRAMA DE EXCELENCIA ACADEMICA Grande parte dos minerais e consequentemente das rochas são anisotrópicas, ou seja, possuem propriedades físicas que mudam com a direção. Neste sentido, este trabalho visa a obtenção de um melhor entendimento do papel da anisotropia nas propriedades das rochas. Para isto, o mesmo pretende avaliar a tenacidade à fratura do sienogranito que foi obtido em uma pedreira da cidade de Cachoeiro de Itapemirim no Espírito Santo. A tenacidade consiste em uma propriedade mecânica intrínseca das rochas, sendo indicativa da resistência à iniciação ou propagação de uma fratura e indica a quantidade de energia que a rocha absorve até que frature. Visando avaliar a anisotropia da tenacidade à fratura no modo I foi realizado o ensaio sugerido pela ISRM (1995), denominado CCNBD (Cracked Chevron Notched Brazilian Disc). Foram testadas vinte e cinco (25) amostras sendo o ensaio realizado em quatro (4) direções diferentes: corrida, contra, trocho e direção aleatória (inclinada). Além deste ensaio foi também realizado o ensaio de tração indireta (ensaio Brasileiro), para fins de caracterização da amostra, sendo este realizado com um total de quinze (15) amostras em três (3) direções diferentes: corrida, contra e trocho. Os ensaios e a preparação de amostras foram realizados no Laboratório de Estruturas e Materiais (LEM-DEC) e a obtenção dos índices físicos foi processada no Laboratório de Geotecnia e Meio Ambiente (LGMA), ambos localizados na PUC-Rio. Analisando os resultados obtidos para a tenacidade à fratura das rochas graníticas nas diferentes direções de corte foi possível constatar pouca anisotropia na rocha estudada. A considerable amount of minerals and, subsequently, rocks, are anisotropic, and as such, possess physical properties that vary with direction. Considering this, the present study seeks to obtain a better understanding of the role of anisotropy in the properties of rocks. In this regard, it intends to evaluate the fracture toughness of a syenogranite, obtained from a quarry in the city of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim in the state of Espirito Santo. Fracture toughness consists of an intrinsic mechanical property of rocks and indicates the resistance to the initiation or propagation of a fracture as well as the amount of energy the rock absorbs until its fracture. In order to evaluate mode I fracture toughness anisotropy, the Cracked Chevron Notched Brazilian Disc (CCNBD) test was conducted, following ISRM (1995). Twenty-five (25) samples were tested considering four (4) different orientations: short transverse, arrester, divider and a random direction (inclined). In addition, the indirect tensile strength test (Brazilian test) was also conducted, in order to characterize the samples. The test was performed on fifteen (15) samples and in three (3) different orientations: short transverse, arrester and divider. The tests and sample preparation were carried out at the Structural and Materials Laboratory (LEM-DEC), and the physical properties were obtained at the Geotechnical and Environmental Laboratory (LGMA), both located at PUC-Rio. Analyzing the results obtained for fracture toughness of granitic rocks in different cutting directions, little anisotropy was found in the studied rock.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR PROGRAMA DE EXCELENCIA ACADEMICA A produção de sólidos em reservatórios de óleo e gás é consequência do fluxo de fluido nos poros de rocha pouco ou não consolidada (não cimentada) em direção ao poço de extração, um processo instigado fundamentalmente pelo estado de tensões, resistência da rocha e da completação ao redor do furo. A quantidade de material erodido pode ocasionar zonas de instabilidade e de colapso, falhas no maquinário de extração de hidrocarbonetos, além de problemas ambientais influenciados pelo descarte dos resíduos. Muitos são os métodos que tentam prever o percentual de produção dos sólidos, e estes podem ser pautados em resultados de campo, laboratório ou modelos teóricos. Em grande maioria os modelos numéricos estão baseados na mecânica dos meios contínuos e, alguns nos modelos discretos, que diferentemente dos métodos contínuos pode captar descontinuidades na microescala. Sendo assim, foi utilizado o DEM aliado à fluidodinâmica computacional, que calcula o fluxo do fluido por meio da solução da equação de Navier-Stokes, para simular a desagregação de sedimentos da rocha matriz sob diferentes condições, as simulações foram feitas no software CFDEM (marca registrada) project Goniva et al. (2012). Os resultados obtidos mostraram padrões similares aos obtidos em ensaios de laboratório tanto com produção contínua de partículas como a formação de arco de estabilidade na amostra. The production of solids in oil and gas reservoirs is a consequence of the flow of fluid passing through a poorly or an unconsolidated rock (uncemented) towards the extraction well, a process instigated fundamentally by the state of tensions, rock resistance and the completion around the hole. The amount of eroded material can create zones of instability and collapsible zones, flaws in the oil extraction machinery, and environmental problems due to the waste disposal. Many are the methods that try to predict the percentage of production of solids, they can be based on previous field results, laboratory or theoretical models. Most of the numerical models are based on mechanics of continuous media, and some on discrete models, which, unlike the continuous methods, can capture discontinuities at the micro scale. Therefore, the DEM was used in conjunction with the computational fluid dynamics, that will calculate the fluid flow through the solution of the Navier-Stokes equation to simulate the disintegration of sediments of the matrix rock under different conditions. The simulations were done in the software CFDEM (trademark) project Goniva et al. (2012). The results showed similar patterns to those obtained in laboratory tests with continuous particle production and stability arc formation in the sample.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO Esse trabalho apresenta um modelo numérico para a análise de processos acoplados de efeitos mecânicos e escoamento bifásico em meios porosos fraturados, com a utilização de diferentes métodos numéricos combinados (Elementos finitos contínuos e descontínuos), e utilizando uma mesma malha de elementos finitos para representar uma célula de modelo de simulação de reservatório. As descontinuidades são inseridas na malha como elementos de nós duplicados colapsados. Empregam-se procedimentos numéricos desenvolvidos em dois grupos distintos. Um primeiro grupo de simulações trata de um procedimento numérico de escoamento bifásico, com ênfase à obtenção de um balanço de volumes verdadeiramente conservativo. Nesta fase, avalia-se uma formulação numérica que emprega um processo em três etapas: o método dos elementos finitos (EF), para a aproximação da equação da pressão; intermediariamente, utiliza-se o método de Raviart-Thomas de mais baixa ordem para aproximação da velocidade; e a aproximação da equação da saturação pelo método dos elementos finitos descontínuos (MEFD), que utiliza um limitador de inclinação multidimensional de modo a evitar oscilações na reconstrução dos dados de saturação. Para fins de validação da formulação desenvolvida, comparam-se os resultados obtidos com simulações utilizando o Método do Volumes Finitos (VF). O segundo grupo de simulações trata de acoplar o módulo mecânico (em EF) ao simulador de escoamento bifásico, de modo que a variação do estado de tensões, decorrente da explotação, seja considerada nas simulações. Essa análise permite uma melhor representação do fenômeno estudado além de proporcionar melhores resultados quanto à chegada da água nos poços produtores, afetando a produtividade do modelo. This work presents a numerical model for the analysis of coupled processes of mechanical effects and two-phase flow in fractured porous media using different numerical methods (continuous and discontinuous finite elements), and using the same finite element mesh to represent a cell of reservoir simulation model. The discontinuities are inserted into the mesh as elements of collapsed duplicate nodes. Numerical procedures developed in two distinct groups are used. A first group of simulations deals with a numerical two-phase flow procedure, with special emphasis on obtaining a truly conservative volume balance. At this stage, a numerical formulation using a three-step process is evaluated: The Finite Element Method (EF), for the approximation of the pressure equation; the lower order of Raviart-Thomas method is used to velocity approximation; and the approximation of the saturation equation by the discontinuous finite element method (MEFD), using a multidimensional slope limiter in order to avoid oscillations in the reconstruction of the saturation data. For the validation of the developed formulation, the results obtained are compared with simulations using the Finite Volume Method (VF), with focus on the analysis of the conservation of volumes. The second group of simulations couple the mechanical module (in EF) to twophase flow computer program, so the variation of the stress state, due to exploitation, is considered in the simulations. This analysis allows a better representation of the phenomenon. In addition to providing better results regarding the arrival of water in the producing wells, affecting the productivity of the model.