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Superconducting arrays often require specialized, high-density cryogenic cabling capable of transporting electrical signals across temperature stages with minimal loss, crosstalk, and thermal conductivity. We report improvements to the design and fabrication of previously published superconducting 53 wt% Niobium (Nb)-47 wt% titanium (Ti) flexible coaxial ribbon cables. We used 3-D electromagnetic simulations to inform design changes to improve the characteristic impedance of the cable and the connector transition. We increased the center conductor diameter from 0.003 to 0.005 in, which lowered the cable characteristic impedance from $\sim$60 to $\sim$53 $\Omega$. This change had a negligible impact on the computed heat load, which we estimate to be 5 nW per trace from 1 K to 100 mK with a 1-ft cable. This is approximately half the heat load calculated for the smallest commercially available superconducting coax. We also modified the transition board to include a capacitive coupling between the upper ground plane and signal traces that mitigates the inductive transition. We tested these changes in a 5-trace, 1-ft long cable at 4 K and found the microwave transmission improved from 6 to 1.5 dB of attenuation at 8 GHz. This loss is comparable to commercial superconducting coax and 3× lower than commercial NbTi-on-polyimide flex cables at 8 GHz. The nearest-neighbor forward crosstalk remained −50 dB. We compare key performance metrics with commercially available superconducting coax and NbTi-on-polyimide flex cables and we share initial progress on commercialization of this technology by Maybell Quantum Industries.

This article presents the next stage of the ongoing development of equipment designed to carry out both non-destructive and destructive characterizations of dielectric materials at cryogenic temperatures for application in HTS power systems. The equipment is designed to measure electric permittivity, dissipation factor (“tan δ”) and dielectric strength of electrical insulating materials under a liquid nitrogen bath and 50–60 Hz. In this work, we present the concept test of the proposed equipment, as well as measurements of the aforementioned dielectric properties in laminated sheets of polyimide film with aromatic polyamide paper (NKN), and also sheets of polyamide paper (Nomex) separately. This laminated material was applied in the first Brazilian HTS power cable project. Results obtained with the concept under test are compared with other measurements available in literature. The proposed equipment concept is functional even for a simple assembly of parts.

Estimates indicate approximately ≈500 to 1000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (vs ≈5-20 in developed countries). Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) seems a major contributor to maternal mortality (MM), but there are no comprehensive data for the region.

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of avocado oil on the histoarchitecture of the prostate of normal rats and on rats with induced benign prostatic hyperplasia using computerized histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry.MethodsTwenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into four groups: the control group (CG), the avocado oil group (AOG) fed with avocado oil-based diet, the induced group (IG), and the avocado oil testosterone-induced group (AOIG). Prostate hyperplasia was induced by subcutaneous implantation of silicone pellets, filled with testosterone, to promote androgen stimulation. After 12 weeks, the rats were euthanized, and their prostates were removed. The material was prepared for paraffin processing and stained using hematoxylin-eosin and immunostaining for p63 nuclear antigen.ResultsThe mean epithelial thickness obtained from AOIG (19.44 ± 2.62 µm) was significantly reduced compared to that from IG (27.02 ± 4.1 µm). The average alveolar area in AOIG was 0.100 ± 0.03, which was greater than that of CG. The immunostaining for p63 in basal cells in AOIG was 17.77% ± 2.72 of the total area, a result greater than that in AOG (12.13% ± 2.04) and CG (12.01 ± 2.05). Collagen remodeling was observed with thicker fibers predominating in CG and AOG over thinner fibers in IG and AOIG.ConclusionThe results suggest that avocado oil has a protective effect on the prostatic epithelium of Wistar rats subjected to long-term induced prostate hyperplasia.

The pollen beetle, Brassicogethes aeneus, is an economically important pest of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) throughout Europe. The control of B. aeneus has relied heavily on the use of chemical insecticides leading to the evolution of resistance. However, investigation of the molecular basis of resistance has been hampered by an absence of genomic resources for this species, including the lack of a reference genome assembly. Here we address this need by generating a chromosome-scale genome assembly for B. aeneus. A combination of long-read single-molecule sequencing and in vivo chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing was used to generate an assembly of 585 Mb, comprising 11 chromosome sized scaffolds (scaffold N50 of 61.6 Mb) and containing 13,381 protein-coding genes. We leveraged the new assembly, in combination with post-genomic functional approaches to investigate the molecular basis of metabolic resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in B. aeneus. Our data confirmed that two P450s, CYP6BQ23 and CYP6BQ25, have the capacity to metabolise the pyrethroid deltamethrin in B. aeneus and thus have the potential to confer resistance. However, the relative expression of these P450s in pyrethroid susceptible and resistant strains suggests that CYP6BQ23 plays a much more significant role in resistance than CYP6BQ25. In summary, the high-quality genome assembly for B. aeneus reported here provides a valuable resource for future research on this species. Our findings on P450-mediated resistance to insecticides are of applied relevance for the development of strategies for the sustainable control of this important pest.

With the advances in the field of civil construction and the world population growth, the development of policies is necessary for the management and reuse of generated residue. Thus, the present work proposes the use of expanded natural rubber as a polymeric matrix incorporated with eucalyptus filler as a reinforcing filler for the production of composites. Thermal insulation capacity was determined by the transient plane source and acoustic method by impedance tube. NR/W40foam showed enhanced the acoustic insulation capacity. The maximum absorption of NR/W40was 0.83, at 3257 Hz, which is three times higher than natural rubber foam. Highly inhomogeneous cell structures were observed with large, interconnected pores, improving the acoustic performance. Sound absorption coefficient for natural rubber foam with 40% wood (0.83 ± 0.046) was similar to PU foam (0.97 ± 0.009) with 20 mm in thickness, a density of 47 kg/m3and 98% open cell content it is a well-known acoustic absorbent in the building sector. The NR/W40sample recorded the best acoustic performance among the NR foams analyzed in this work, maintaining good sound absorption above 1500 Hz, demonstrating a possibility of wood reuse as a filler in based-rubber foam for acustic insulation.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, public debates overtly addressed the promises of new innovative drugs. Many of these debates pitted those who advocated for the development of new drugs by pharmaceutical companies against those who favored the repositioning of existing drugs. Our study explored perceptions of the association between drug novelty and effectiveness as well as perceptions of the role of the pharmaceutical industry in drug development.

AbstractBackgroundFlaxseed oil (FO) is an alpha linolenic acid source important for growth and body development. However, there is little literature on the role of FO in critical stages of bone development and formation.ObjectiveThis study evaluated the influence of a diet containing FO on rat femurs.MethodsAfter birth, mothers and pups were divided into control and flaxseed groups (n = 6 pups each) fed diets containing 7% soybean oil (C) or 7% FO. At 21 days, pups were weaned and separated from the mothers, and control or experimental diets were continued. At 67 days, the following were analyzed: osteocalcin and osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels, bone mineral density (BMD) and content, and bone area; the dimension, BMD, head radiodensity, and biomechanical proprieties of the right femur; and histomorphometric parameters of the left femur.ResultsCompared to the C group, the FO group presented (p < 0.05) a lower body mass (−3.7%) and medullary area (−10.1%) and higher osteocalcin (+36.7%), OPG (+52.5%), femur width (+3.8%), absolute mass (+2.3%), femur BMD (+3.6%), head radiodensity (+6.1%), maximum force (+7.4%), breaking strength (+17.3), and cortical thickness (+7.0).ConclusionThe FO diet contributed to femur quality in healthy male Wistar rats.

AbstractRaising awareness on marine environmental issues is crucial to deepen students’ knowledge on ocean sustainability. Nonetheless, ocean-related topics have not been adequately addressed through formal education curricula, thus non-formal learning activities were developed to promote Ocean Literacy among students. These include visits to the local fish market and hands-on activities of fish biological sampling. A mixed methodology with closed and open-self questionnaires and interviews, was used to assess the activities’ effect in student’s learning and to evaluate their implementation and importance. Results showed the activities contribution to the increased learning while promoting a more active citizenship regarding ocean conservancy.

Chronic hyperglycemia caused by diabetes results in systemic damage to the body, and the kidney ends up being the target of tissue damage. The use of antioxidants such as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been shown to improve clinical and biochemical parameters in diabetic patients as they help in the prevention of oxidative stress. The present study aimed to undertake a comparative evaluation of the renal morphology of normal and diabetes-induced Wistar rats supplemented with ALA. The experiment had 4 experimental groups (n=7): a control group and a diabetic group that were fed commercial food; an alpha-lipoic group and an alpha-lipoic diabetic group that received the ALA supplement. Diabetes was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxane monohydrate administered after fasting. After 60 days of the experiment, the kidneys were excised to study the histomorphometric and stereological parameters of the glomeruli and renal tubules and the immunohistochemical parameters with a podocyte count. In the evaluation, the ALA promoted improvement in all of the relevant parameters of the glomerular areas and attenuation of tubular lesions of diabetic animals (p<0.001). Supplementation with ALA also showed beneficial effects in diabetic animals, such as reducing hyperglycemia and the damage promoted by oxidative stress alongside promoting a protective effect on the renal parenchyma. The reduction of glomerular and tubular damage delayed the advance of diabetic nephropathy and its complications, preventing renal failure in diabetic groups.

Water leakage in underground distribution networks is one of the greatest challenges faced by supply companies around the world. Moreover, current leakage detection and location methods are labor intensive or require a very experienced or highly qualified operator. Considering this, the goal of this manuscript is to apply a Machine Learning technique, more specifically a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, to simplify the process of locating water leaks in underground pipelines, calculating the distance between the sensors and the epicenter of the leakage, from measurements on the ground surface. Machine Learning techniques have a great potential to identify the signature of a leak that might be hidden in the high background noise. In this work, accelerations were measured on the ground surface of an experimental platform, varying the vibration intensity of the underground source and the relative positioning of the sensors. The input matrices of the proposed CNN were formed by the Power Spectral Density of the collected signals and were used by three sensors concurrently in the measurements. After an extensive hyper-parameter search, four models that provided the best results were selected. The best model achieved a mean absolute error of 1.01 cm in the predicted leak distance.

There is considerable interest in the waning of effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and vaccine effectiveness (VE) of booster doses. Using linked national Brazilian databases, we undertook a test-negative design study involving almost 14 million people (~16 million tests) to estimate VE of CoronaVac over time and VE of BNT162b2 booster vaccination against RT–PCR-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization or death). Compared with unvaccinated individuals, CoronaVac VE at 14–30 d after the second dose was 55.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 54.3–55.7) against confirmed infection and 82.1% (95% CI: 81.4–82.8) against severe outcomes. VE decreased to 34.7% (95% CI: 33.1–36.2) against infection and 72.5% (95% CI: 70.9–74.0) against severe outcomes over 180 d after the second dose. A BNT162b2 booster, 6 months after the second dose of CoronaVac, improved VE against infection to 92.7% (95% CI: 91.0−94.0) and VE against severe outcomes to 97.3% (95% CI: 96.1−98.1) 14–30 d after the booster. Compared with younger age groups, individuals 80 years of age or older had lower protection after the second dose but similar protection after the booster. Our findings support a BNT162b2 booster vaccine dose after two doses of CoronaVac, particularly for the elderly.

Statistical techniques allow assertive and controlled studies of projects, processes and products, aiding in management decision-making. Statistical Process Control (SPC) is one of the most important and powerful statistical tools for measuring, monitoring and improving the quality of processes and products. Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently gained increasing attention in the SPC literature. This paper presents a combined use of SPC and AI techniques, which results in a novel and efficient process monitoring tool. The proposed prediction control chart, which we call pred-chart, may be regarded as a more robust and flexible alternative (given that it adopts the median behavior of the process) to traditional SPC tools. Besides its ability to recognize patterns and diagnose anomalies in the data, regardless of the sample scenario, this innovative approach is capable of performing its monitoring functions also on a large scale, predicting market scenarios and processes on massive amounts of data. The performance of the pred-chart is evaluated by the average run length (ARL) computed through Monte Carlo simulation studies. Two real data sets (small and medium sets) are also used to illustrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed control chart for prediction of continuous outcomes.

The jurubeba (Solanum paniculatumL.) is an unconventional food plant, with few studies carried out so far, is a promising fruit and conservation methods are necessary to increase its shelf life. The objective was to evaluate the effect of dehydration and roasting of the fresh fruits in chemical composition, fatty acid composition, triacylglycerol profile, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Three treatments were obtained: fresh samples unripe; dehydrated samples subjected to drying in an air-circulation oven forced at 50 °C for 24 h; roasted samples it was used dehydrated fruits, subjecting them to the muffle at 190 °C for 20 min. We found 13 fatty acids, the percentage of them was modified by heat treatment, roasting had an increase of 9% in the sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The dehydration and roasting processes don’t change triacylglycerides of jurubeba while modifying their percentages, and their profile, as compared to the fresh sample. The antioxidant activity (increase of 140% and 807%) and total phenolic compounds (increase of 14% and 86%) in relation of jurubeba fresh. The PCA analysis explained 100% of the variation in sample composition, being that PC1 explained 72.7% and PC2 explained 27.3% of the data, evaluating the generated PCA graph we observed that there was no formation of groups, that is, the samples did not show similarity to each other. The jurubeba proved to be a promising fruit, encouraging future investigations into its application in new products in the food and pharmaceutical industries, which can add value to this fruit.

Following the dissemination of distributed photovoltaic generation, the operation of distribution grids is changing due to the challenges, mainly overvoltage and reverse power flow, arising from the high penetration of such sources. One way to mitigate such effects is using battery energy storage systems (BESSs), whose technology is experiencing rapid development. In this context, this work studies the influence that the reactive power control dispatched from BESS can have on a real distribution feeder considering its original configuration as well as a load transfer scenario. The studied feeder supplies a soccer stadium (Mineirão), which has on its roof a photovoltaic generation plant of 1320 kWp, and the Federal University of Minas Gerais Campus—UFMG, where two BESSs with a total capacity of 1150 kVA/1750 kWh are yet to be installed. The aim of the analysis is to validate the use of active and reactive power injection provided by BESS in controlling the feeder losses and voltage profile. The methodology consists of analyzing typical load curves obtained from feeder measurement data and carrying out simulations considering the BESS injections. The power flow simulations are done using OpenDSS focusing in analyzing the influence of BESS injections. Specifically, the BESSs are used for power factor control, volt–VAR control and power factor correction, whereas the analyses are devoted to the feeder performance, namely losses and voltage profile.

Reports suggest that COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness is decreasing, but whether this reflects waning or new SARS-CoV-2 variants—especially delta (B.1.617.2)—is unclear. We investigated the association between time since two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes in Scotland (where delta was dominant), with comparative analyses in Brazil (where delta was uncommon).

Background: Vitamin D (VD) deficiency has been related to several endocrine metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The effect of VD supplementation on blood pressure (BP) in patients with diabetes is controversial. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate high-dose vitamin D supplementation effects on blood pressure of normotensive patients with diabetes mellitus 1 (DM1) patients by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Methods: We performed a clinical trial including 35 DM1 normotensive patients, who received doses of 4,000 or 10,000 IU/day of cholecalciferol for 12 weeks according to previous VD levels. They underwent 24-hour ABPM, along with glycated hemoglobin, creatine, lipids profile and PCRus dosage before and after VD supplementation. Results: We found an expressive reduction of systolic and diastolic morning blood pressures (117±14 vs 112±14, p<0,05; 74±9 vs 70±10 mmHg, p<0,05, respectively) with no changes in other pressoric markers. Besides, we noticed a relationship between levels of VD after supplementation and diastolic morning blood pressure (r= -0,4; p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study suggests an association between supplementation of high doses of vitamin D and the reduction of morning blood pressure in normotensive DM1 patients.

Objective: To analyze and compare the activity of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, preterm infants without bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and healthy full-term infants. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 21 infants in the first year of life, categorized into three groups: preterm infants with BPD (GBPD); preterm infants without BPD (GPT); and control group (GC) with healthy full-term infants. The band frequency (BAND), coefficient of variation (CV), median frequency of the signal (F50), and root mean square (RMS) of the surface electromyography (EMG) signal were calculated. Results: The comparison of sternocleidomastoid (SM) activity showed lower F50 (p= 0.028) for GBPD when compared to GC; there was no statistical difference between the other features and the respective comparisons between the groups. Regarding the effect size, the results showed that there is a very large effect size between GBPD and GC in feature F50 (ES = 1.2). Additionally, there is a moderate effect size (ES = 0.5) in the features BAND (between GPT and GC), CV (between GBPD and GC), F50 (between GPT and GC), and RMS (between GPT and GC). The other comparisons have a small or very small effect size. Conclusion: Infants with BPD have lower F50 of the SM, in relation to full-term infant group. There was no statistical difference between the other features and the respective comparisons between the groups.

Despite the importance of innovation as a source of economic growth, there are gaps concerning its development conditions. Focusing on this, we empirically test the relationship between innovation and stakeholder-based management. Using stakeholder theory, managing for stakeholders, and innovation literature to examine the question: if it is whether managing for stakeholders is positively related to the development of innovations. We examine 412 observations of Brazilian companies between 2008 and 2013 and use a longitudinal logistic model. Our results show that managing for stakeholders is positively related to the development of innovations, and this relationship is more robust if equality is considered when attending to stakeholder interests. More than 55% of the variance in the data derives from the differences between panel datasets. Therefore, our results suggest companies more concerned with stakeholders-based management have a higher probability of presenting innovation.

BackgroundFirst pass reperfusion (FPR) has been established as a key performance metric in mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The impact of FPR may be more relevant in fast progressors. We aim to study the impact of baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) on non-contrast CT and hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR) on CT perfusion on clinical outcomes after FPR.MethodsA prospective MT database was reviewed for patients with isolated occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery and/or middle cerebral artery M1 segment who underwent MT with complete reperfusion (modified Thrombolyis in Cerebral Infarction score 2c–3) from January 2012 to May 2019. The overall population was divided into ASPECTS >7 versus ≤7 and the subgroup of patients with baseline CT perfusion was divided into HIR <0.3 versus ≥0.3. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to establish the predictors of 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤2) in each subgroup.ResultsA total of 436 patients were included in the analyses. FPR was achieved in 254 (58.3%) patients. ASPECTS modified the effect of FPR on clinical outcomes, with FPR predicting good outcomes in patients with ASPECTS ≤7 (46% vs 29%, adjusted OR 3.748; 95% CI 1.590 to 8.838, p=0.003) while no significant effect was detected in those with ASPECTS >7 (62.3% vs 53.1%, adjusted OR 1.372; 95% CI 0.798 to 2.358, p=0.25). Similarly, FPR predicted good outcomes in patients with HIR ≥0.3 (54.8% vs 41.9%, adjusted OR 2.204; 95% CI 1.148 to 4.233, p=0.01) but not in those with HIR <0.3 (62.9% vs 52.8%, adjusted OR 1.524; 95% CI 0.592 to 3.920, p=0.38).ConclusionsThe impact of FPR on functional outcomes is highly dependent on baseline imaging characteristics, with a more prominent influence in patients presenting with lower ASPECTS and/or higher HIR.

ABSTRACTMuscular growth in fish is influenced by diet quality, mainly the protein sources and amino acids balance. A feeding trial was conducted for a period of 28 days. Muscle growth and histology of Silver catfish post-larvae was evaluated. The diets tested were partial and total replacement of broiler liver by fish meal and soybean protein concentrate (basal, 15FM, 30FM, 15SPC and 30SPC). The basal diet consisted mainly of fresh poultry liver plus sugarcane yeast. After the feeding test, the fish fed with 15FM diet presented higher growth (P < 0.05) than the post-larvae fed with the other diets. The muscle development was performed in post-larvae-fed diets 15FM and 30SPC. Higher diameter and total number of fibres were found in fish fed diet 15FM diet (P < 0.05). The replacement of 50% of the broiler liver by fishmeal provided a good diet for Rhamdia quelenpost-larvae.

The optimisation of forest fuels supply chain involves several entities actors, and particularities. To successfully manage these supply chains, efficient tools must be devised with the ability to deal with stakeholders dynamic interactions and to optimize the supply chain performance as a whole while being stable and robust, even in the presence of uncertainties. This work proposes a framework to coordinate different planning levels and event-based models to manage the forest-based supply chain. In particular, with the new methodology, the resilience and flexibility of the biomass supply chain is increased through a closed-loop system based on the system forecasts provided by a discrete-event model. The developed event-based predictive model will be described in detail, explaining its link with the remaining elements. The implemented models and their links within the proposed framework are presented in a case study in Finland and results are shown to illustrate the advantage of the proposed architecture.

A case study of female patient, age 52, sought dental care with the aim of replacing her upper removable prosthesis. Topics include patient was referred for computed tomography using a double scan protocol with coDiagnostiX; and seek apical anchoring in the lower cortex of the nasal fossa using a predictable, simple and accessib le procedure for the patient.

Research and development related to the processing of recycled materials has grown progressively in recent times, as scientists endeavour to integrate sustainability criteria, depletion of natural resources, reducing the energy of technological processes involving extraction and processing of raw materials, etc. When it comes to processing slate, industries have to pass over several steps ranging from the extraction of rock blocks until the final products consisting of plates, leaving behind a considerable amount of waste in the form of a mud composed mainly of water, lubricants and crushed rock. This waste with no defined destination accumulates in yards, reservoirs and streams, affecting the environment. Slate powder has great prospects for recovery, recycling and further applications once it has chemical composition and components similar to raw materials used in ceramic and building construction industries. Therefore, a complete characterization of this powder is important and here we present some results of XRD, SEM, EDS, G3 morphology and thermal analysis of slate powder samples from the southeastern state of Minas Gerais in Brazil.

The management and disposal of residues have become an industrial, economic, and environmental issue. Kraft process is widely employed in the production of pulp and, one of its characteristic is the almost complete recovery of the reagents used to obtain cellulose. However, this recovery process can generate residues such as Dregs. In order to recycle this residue, here we demonstrate for the first time the utilization of Dregs waste as filler in natural rubber (NR) composites in order to reinforce mechanical properties. Dregs waste was added to the NR in proportions of 10, 20, and 30 phr. Composites with 10 phr of Dregs showed the best result for abrasion resistance around 212.9 mm3. Meanwhile, NR composite with 20 phr of waste presented greater stress and strain at rupture, 12.44 MPa and 863%, respectively.

Braking performance is dependent on friction materials of tribological components, generally metal and pad. The pad consists of a composite of thermosetting resin and reinforcement material that exhibits mechanical and wear resistant, heat conduction, lubricant, and others. Slate is a natural rock composed of extremely fine materials that brings interesting tribological properties, in addition, its industrial current activity generates a significant amount of mineral waste, which is a problem for the environment. The objective of this work was to propose a technological alternative as a new friction element based on slate particulate as tribological reinforcement in composite based on phenolic resin as a matrix, besides that, minimize the environmental impact due to the inadequate disposal of these slate tailings and add value to the mineral, classifying it as a residue to be used industrially and no longer as waste. In this sense, the effect of the amount of slate on the friction properties of the brake pads made was investigated. As the brake pad material, four different slate containing formulations were proposed, manufactured and analyzed, and as the brake wheel gray iron was chosen. The friction and wear characteristics were determined by Pin-on-Disk type tribological tests, the pair was composed by disk (pad formulations) and pin of gray iron, representing the brake wheel. The coefficients of friction of the composites were shown to be regular and stable, with an average of 0.44 between the samples. Among the results obtained, the formulation containing 40 % of slate and 35 % of phenolic resin, presented the most satisfactory parameters compared to commercial friction materials in current use.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether formal and relational mechanisms of network governance act as substitutes or are complementary in their relationship with trust in the intermediation activity of real estate transactions. We conducted a quantitative study to test the hypotheses. We collected data via a survey and the context was Brazilian real estate business networks. We used a non-parametric approach to investigate the associations among the key variables indicated in the theory. The results confirm the hypothesis that formal and relational mechanisms of network governance act as complementary and reject the possibility of substitution between them. Both mechanisms are important to build trust-based relationships between actors and formal governance mechanisms have a significant positive relationship with inter-organisational trust, while relational mechanisms are positively associated with interpersonal trust. This study not only contributes to the discussion on governance mechanisms and their relationship with trust, but also broadens this debate by considering trust at different levels and in more complex structures where these relationships are still barely explored, such as is the case of business networks.

Brazil and European Union have been developing common trade relations since the 70’s and over the years they have strengthened them through agreements and open dialogues. Both actors are promoters of human rights at the global level. At the same time human rights issues are present in their mutual relations including the most current documents such as currently forming Association Agreement. The main goal of the paper is to outline and evaluate the developments of the legal framework with an emphasis on how the human rights issues have been streamlined in Brazil and EU relations.

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is common, especially in children. The treatment is based on the exclusion of milk and dairy products and guidance regarding the exclusion diet. This study aimed to compare the anthropometric measurements and food intake of children with CMA with those of healthy controls, and to evaluate the serum concentrations of Vitamin A and 25(OH)D in children with CMA.

•Olfactory loss correlates with lower quality of life.•QOD is a reliable tool for olfactory assessment in Brazil.•QOD validation fills a crucial gap in Brazilian olfactory research.

Legumes establish a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia by developing nodules. Nodules are modified lateral roots that undergo changes in their cellular development in response to the bacteria, but the transcriptional reprogramming that occurs in these root cells remains largely uncharacterized. Here we describe the cell type-specific transcriptome response of Medicago truncatularoots to rhizobia during early nodule development in the wild-type genotype Jemalong A17, complemented with a hypernodulating mutant (sunn-4) to expand the cell population responding to infection and subsequent biological inferences. The analysis identifies epidermal root hair and stele sub-cell types associated with a symbiotic response to infection and regulation of nodule proliferation. Trajectory inference shows cortex-derived cell lineages differentiating to form the nodule primordia and, posteriorly, its meristem, while modulating the regulation of phytohormone-related genes. Gene regulatory analysis of the cell transcriptomes identifies new regulators of nodulation, including STYLISH 4, for which the function is validated.

A novel bifunctional photocatalyst/adsorbent material based on the RuO2:TiO2/zeolite 13X (Z13X) composite was developed to enhance solar-driven methanation through simultaneous carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and thermo-photoconversion. The activity/stability of the hybrid material towards methane (CH4) production was assessed by varying the (i) photocatalyst composition (Ru load and semiconductor type), (ii) bifunctional material composition (photocatalyst-to-zeolite ratio) and impregnation method, (iii) illumination source and power (simulated sunlight and UVA/Visible LEDs), (iv) temperature, and (v) catalyst reuse. Additionally, adsorption equilibrium isotherms were determined to characterize the adsorption ability of the bifunctional material for both CO2and CH4gases. The hybrid RuO2(4.0%):TiO2(26.3%)/Z13X material (30mg), synthesised by the solid-state impregnation method, showed the best results under simulated sunlight (0.75W) at 150 ºC, achieving a 88% CO2thermo-photoreduction after 100min, corresponding to a specific CH4production of 29.2mmol gactive_cat-1h-1(309mmol gRu-1h-1) and apparent quantum yield of 20.7%. In adsorption equilibrium isotherms, the bifunctional material's adsorption was about 2.6-fold higher than the photocatalyst at 150 ºC, suggesting that enhanced methanation performance can be attributed to the synergistic action of CO2capture and thermo-photoconversion.

ABSTRACTMany trophic indices have been constructed for temperate aquatic environments, but few have proved reliable for tropical environments. Indices constructed on the basis of nutrients may not be effective for describing the trophic state because the fractions of nitrogen and phosphorus differ in their potential to predict the nutrient limitation in tropical aquatic environments. We developed an index based on the phytoplankton Reynolds functional groups for an Amazonian floodplain lake from samples collected during 2 contrasting hydrological periods (rising and flushing) and compared it with the index initially proposed by Carlson in 1977 and further adapted to tropical environments by Toledo in 1990. The functional group and Carlson indices matched only 37% and 56% of the sample units collected during the rising and flushing periods, respectively. Our study confirms the difficulty of assessing trophic states using only phosphorus and chlorophyll ain tropical floodplain lakes. In this environment (1) nitrogen may significantly limit phytoplankton growth and (2) complex phytoplankton–nutrient relationships occur during the hydrological cycle that cannot be accounted for through a simple phosphorus and chlorophyll aformula.

AbstractDiabetes during pregnancy is associated with aortic remodelling in the fetus, stimulating the development of cardiovascular diseases in adult life. However, studies suggest that the use of foods high in omega-3 fatty acid, such as flaxseed oil, may reverse this effect of metabolic programming. This study aimed at investigating whether the effects of diabetes in mothers are passed on to their offspring in a gender-specific manner and whether the flaxseed oil used during pregnancy and lactation reverses or not the possible negative effects of this programming. Diabetic female rats (n= 18) were mated and allocated into three groups (n= 6): high-fat group (HG); flaxseed oil group (FOG) and control group (CG) (nondiabetic rats) during pregnancy and lactation. On the 21st day, male and female pups were weaned on a standard diet until 180 days. Aorta histomorphometry was analysed. Intima-media layer thickness was larger in FOG than CG in male (+15%) and than HG in female (+13.7%). Male FOG (+11.5%) showed higher amount of elastic fibre than CG. Maternal intake of flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation of diabetic mothers program the offspring to increase aorta intima-media layer thickness in adulthood and preserves aorta elastic fibres deposition in male offspring.

ABSTRACTThe available phosphorus (P) in soil is a major limiting factor for maize productivity in the Nacala corridor, Mozambique. In this study, soils were collected from three representative sites, Ribaue, Nampula, and Nacala, in the area, and each was used for maize pot experiment with five P fertilizer levels. The soil-available P content was determined by the Mehlich-3 method at 30 days after P fertilization. The shoot biomass and P concentration at the tasseling stage increased as the P fertilizer level increased and were significantly expressed as a function of soil-available P. Based on the function, the available P that attains 90% of the maximum shoot biomass was estimated as 79 mg P2O5 kg−1. Consequently, the results in this study suggest a recommendation of 32–74 kg P2O5 ha−1fertilizer for maize production in the Nacala corridor although a field evaluation and economical evaluation are necessary.AbbreviationsEx-: exchangeable cations; M-3: Mehlich-3; T-N: total nitrogen; T-C: total carbon

The cyber awareness of online video game players (n = 183) was investigated by examining their online safety practices and the degree to which they were exposed to threats. With findings revealing that gamers engaged in poor online practices, despite expressing concern for their safety, this investigation supports the view that gamers are unaware of the possible consequences of their online actions, and/or continue to show resistance to cybersecurity practices perceived to hinder gameplay. While the findings should be regarded as preliminary, game developers and publishers, policymakers, and researchers may find them valuable in obtaining a clearer understanding of gamers' cyber awareness and online practices. Coupled with ongoing research, these findings may also prove valuable for the identification of strategies that may be used to curb risky online behavior.

Network resources are presented in the literature in a generic way with relatively little research analysing how results materialise in the network environment. Our aim in this study was to analyse which network resources are perceived as significant for the firms' competitive advantage. We conducted a survey of Brazilian firms engaged in a productive cooperation network. After factor analysis and canonical correlation analysis, the results showed two factors representing the network resources, one strategic and relational and the other rational and economic. The association of these factors with competitive advantage shows that strategic resources are perceived as being more influential over the firms' competitive advantage, mainly related to innovation outputs. We contribute to the systematisation of network resources and empirical verification of how they are perceived by the actors and are associated with their competitive advantage, considering the characteristics of a specific type of network - the productive cooperation network.

•analysis of the influence of hot water consumption profiles and hot water tank size in solar thermal systems.•Two dynamic approaches are compared: hourly model and Polysun simulation software.•Hourly Model and Polysun have different approaches regarding the auxiliary heating.•Polysun overheats the water, wasting solar thermal energy use.

The recent coup in Niger has been seen in the West as a setback for democracy. The reality is more complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study evaluated the effects of diet containing taro flour on hormone levels and the seminiferous tubules morphology of rats. After weaning, the male rats were divided into two groups (n=12 each): control group (CG) treated with control diet and taro group (TG), fed with 25% taro flour for 90 days. Food, caloric intake, mass and body length were evaluated at experiment end. Testis followed the standard histological processing. Immunostaining was performed using an anti-vimentin antibody to identify Sertoli cells. In histomorphometry, total diameter, total area, epithelial height, luminal height and luminal area were analyzed. The testosterone levels were performed using the radioimmunoassay method. Group TG presented (P<0.05): increase in mass, body length, testicular weight, histomorphometric parameters and hormonal levels. Food intake, calorie and Sertoli cells not presented statistical differences. The taro promoted increase in the testicles parameters and hormones.

An automated flow analysis approach for the photometric determination of cadmium in water with improved sensitivity is described. The setup comprises a flow system module with the ability to perform sample circulation using a closed-loop strategy, and a LED-based photometer. The photometric method is based on the reaction of Cd(ii) with 1,5-diphenylthiocarbazone (dithizone) in alkaline medium containing the surfactant Triton X-100. The combination of the closed-loop facility, which prevents sample dilution, with the beneficial effect of the long optical path length of the flow cell (200 mm), allows cadmium to be determined at μg L−1levels without the need for a preconcentration step. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure was evaluated by analyzing water samples. The results show a linear response with concentrations ranging from 7.8 to 62.5 μg L−1(r2= 0.9989). The method has a limit of detection of 3.0 μg L−1, which is the guideline value established by the World Health Organization (WHO). A coefficient of variation of 1.6% (n= 10) for a 30.0 μg L−1standard Cd(ii) solution, a reagent consumption of 4 μg dithizone per determination, and a sampling rate of 43 determinations per hour were also achieved.

Half-cycle Posicast Control is currently used in a vast range of applications. Although the proved benefits of this technique, one of its major disadvantages concerns model uncertainties. This has motivated the development and integration of robust methods to overcome this issue. In this paper, a practical experiment for auto-tuning of a two degrees of freedom control configuration using a Half-Cycle Posicast pre-filter (or input-shaping), and a PID controller under parametric variations is presented. The proposed method requires using an oscillatory system model in an auto-tuning control structure. The error derivative among the model and system output is used to trigger both the identification and retuning procedure. The proposed method is flexible for choosing identification plus optimization methods. Practical results obtained for electronic filter plants suggest improved performance for the considered cases.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are growing at an accelerated pace and can generate several environmental, social and economic problems. Because of this, Educational Institutions (IE) are taking a leading role in the development and implementation of sustainable practices and initiatives, recognizing their potential to accelerate this progress towards sustainable development. The objective was to develop GHG emission indices and the carbon footprint of the Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa campus, in the base period of 2019 and also the potential for compensation through the removal of carbon from the native forests existing at the university. In the base period, UFV emitted a total of 3492.46 MgCO2e. When considering the existing tree vegetation, it was found that the removal was 8547.76 MgCO2e, making the carbon balance negative, with a balance of 5055.30 MgCO2e. The emission index per total area was 2.13 MgCO2e.ha−1. year−1, the emission index per constructed area was 81.03 MgCO2e.ha−1. year−1, and the carbon footprint was 0.19 MgCO2e.person−1. year−1. It is concluded that the carbon balance is negative, indicating that the removal of carbon is greater than the emission of GHG. With the results obtained, UFV can promote green marketing and become an example for other Brazilian and worldwide IE.

At a time in which we are going through the ruins of two models of social transformation – social revolution and social reformism –, I identify a radical division between metropolitan and colonial social relations. I describe and denounce what I call an ‘abyssal line’ between these two realities. The difference between the two sides is that on the metropolitan side we can claim rights, as we are fully human. Conversely, on the colonial side, exclusion is abyssal, people are sub-human, and therefore have no rights. To denounce this abyssal exclusion, we should learn other types of knowledge that allow us to produce radical diagnoses of our societies. We should become more aware of the diversity of social experience in the world, an experience of untold and repugnantly unjust suffering, but also of neglected creativity and innovation. We should develop a law of common goods, democratic pluralism, interculturality, and dignity.