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NEARLY 25 YEARS AFTER IT FIRST SAW COMBAT IN VIETNAM, THE LTV A-7E CORSAIR II WAS HEADED FOR RETIREMENT WHEN IT WAS RECALLED FOR DUTY IN ONE LAST WAR DURING [...]

Mechanical behavior and failure modes of three-dimensional (3D) stitched composites were experimentally investigated. In addition, a comparative analysis between these materials and equivalent laminates (2D) was accomplished. The 3D composite plates were manufactured using sheets of glass fiber manually sewn with aramid tows and molded with epoxy resin by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding. Three-points bending, Charpy impact, double cantilever beam (DCB), and short-beam shear (SBS) mechanical tests were carried out on both types of materials. The DCB test results revealed that the action of reinforcement tows inhibited the propagation of the delamination cracks, which led to an increase in the fracture toughness of the 3D composites. However, the damage caused by the stitching process, such as fiber breakage and misalignment as well as crimping, and resin-rich regions, was responsible for reducing the flexural and shear properties of these materials. In addition, it was revealed that the stitching did not influence the impact toughness, although it prevented delamination from quick propagation, avoiding a catastrophic failure, which enhanced the damage tolerance of these materials, mainly for aeronautical applications.

Career pattern is a useful methodological resource to generate portraits of career constructions. This article has two interconnected objectives. Through a literature review, it first aimed to synthesise the main contemporary career patterns. And second, using a qualitative approach, it sought to build contemporary narrative patterns of career construction of 40 Brazilian workers intentionally selected. Differences and similarities between the two proposed taxonomies were examined. The literature describes five career patterns (traditional/professional, flexible, hybrid, transitional, and social role balancing). The present study built nine narrative patterns of career construction described by their central discourse: Enclosure (professional career and occupational career), Nostalgia (organisational career), Possibility (flexible career, entrepreneurial career, and informal career), Hybrid (hybrid careers), and Instrumentality (transitional career and liminal career). We emphasise the need for diversifying samples and research contexts to contextualise theories and concepts and produce situated practices.

Searching for technologies to combat emerging pollutants such as dyes and pharmaceuticals is arduous. Plant polysaccharides have been used to synthesize photocatalysts as strategies for green technology. The present study aimed to synthesize TiO2nanostructure photocatalytic using cashew tree gum. Structural, morphological, and optical characterization was carried out to verify the gum's effect on the growth of nanostructures. Photocatalytic tests were performed with Methylene dye (MB) and Ibuprofen (IBP) pollutants under UV irradiation. Structural characterization demonstrated the formation of anatase-type TiO2, with a band gap at 3.15 eV. Photocatalytic assays using CGT showed that the material was more efficient in removing MB (43.17 %) when compared to IBP (29.86 %). In addition, scavenger studies indicated that electrons are the species involved in dye degradation. Therefore, the results are promising for using TiO2nanoparticles obtained with gum to remove pollutants.

The use of adhesively bonded structures has increased over the years, together with the development of composite materials. This work investigates a procedure for fatigue life prediction of an aeronautical bonded joint under random loads, in particular, the cohesive failure of the adhesive layer in a skin-to-stiffener bonded joint. The use of two different adhesives is investigated, and Dirlik’s method is employed to predict the stress response in the adhesive layer, from which the fatigue life is obtained. The effect of damping is also investigated, and it is shown that increases in damping result in higher fatigue life estimations.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2007.11.020 Byline: Eleazar Chaib (a)(c), Marcelo Augusto F. Ribeiro (a), Francisco de S. Collet Silva (b), William A. Saad (a), Ivan Cecconello (c) Keywords: Caudate lobe; Classification; Resection; Technique; Tumor Abstract: Resection of the caudate lobe (involving segments I [dorsal sector] and/or IX [right paracaval region]) often presents a technical challenge. It is difficult to perform because of its deep location and adjacency to the major hepatic vessels (ie, the left and middle hepatic veins). Author Affiliation: (a) Liver and Portal Hypertension Surgery Unit, Department of Gastroenterology, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil (b) General Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil (c) Department of Gastronterology, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil Article History: Received 9 October 2007; Revised 9 November 2007

Self‐Organized Micro‐Engineered Heart Tissues‐On‐A‐Chip In article 2303664by Robert Passier and co‐workers, an innovative heart‐on‐a‐chip platform featuring micro engineered heart tissues with enhanced contractile performance and endothelial cell self‐organization reminiscent of the physiological capillary lining is designed to improve cardiovascular disease modeling, cardiac toxicity and drug screening. Cover illustration: Merlijn van Bijsterveld.

Objective:To demonstrate the associated use of progressive tension sutures (PTS) with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in large torso degloving wounds.Methods:This is a case report of two patients with large torso degloving wounds caused by trauma, both of whom were treated with combined PTS and NPWT. Statistics related to wound treatment responses are presented.Results:Initial wound area for Patient 1 was 2400cm2and 900cm2for Patient 2. Within 21 and 12 days, respectively, using the combined method, the following data were observed: wound reduction of 94% and 99%, respectively; a closing speed rate of 98cm2/day and 75cm2/day, respectively; and a closing percentage of 4.45% per day and 8.25% per day, respectively.Conclusion:The use of combined PTS and NPWT techniques may be useful in the treatment of traumatic degloving injuries, reducing the wound area and facilitating reconstruction.

With the recent evolution of the labor market, emerging adults with no diploma are particularly exposed to unsatisfying jobs and barriers to access decent work. The aim of the research was to identify their representations of work, based on the psychology of emerging adulthood and the psychology of working theory. Differences related to each country’s level of development and to the work situations met by the participants were expected. Ten emerging adults aged 20–25 were interviewed in seven countries (N= 70). Data were processed using a thematic content analysis. The results stress that these emerging adults associate “decent work” with two specific qualities: the extent to which work allows survival needs to be met and the experience of positive social relationships in the workplace. This article discusses the similarities and differences in their representations of work and their role on identity development.

Brazil and Portugal have different working contexts. In Brazil, mixed formal and informal ways dominate, while in Portugal, formal working contexts prevail. By means of in-depth interviews, this study sought to understand and compare the perception of decent work and future among 32 low-qualified emerging adults in Brazil and Portugal. The data from participants’ interviews were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research. Findings showed that Portuguese participants sought the International Labour Organization’s features for a decent work associated with fair income, social integration, self-realization at work, and family support, while the Brazilian sample had searched for better living conditions, respect, social recognition, and social protection. Thus, in contexts of greater vulnerability, the participants do not perceive their work as a source for self-determination and social recognition. This is a key point for understanding identity construction and life narratives of emerging adults in vulnerable working situations.

The use of psychoactive substances is associated with physical and psychological damage, especially among people in situations of high social vulnerability. Housing programs can provide integrated care to people exposed to social determinants of health. This longitudinal study with residents of a recovery house (N=164, maximum stay of 6 mo) investigated substance use, employment, and housing status. The mean length of stay was 144 days (SD=76.8 d), and most residents had been working for at least 4 consecutive months (n=96; 58.5%); 74.4% of the residents received therapeutic discharge and more than half returned to a stable form of residence. Multivariate analysis showed that previous alcohol use was independently associated with working status [odds ratio (OR)=2.29, 95%; confidence interval (CI), 1.00-5.20, P=0.048]. In a multinomial logistic regression model using treatment length as reference, being currently employed (95% CI, 8.74-62.37, P=0.010), and previous history of nonalcohol use (95% CI, 71.59-5.83, P=0.021) were both associated with longer stay in the recovery house. Housing services can provide effective support for substance use recovery, and our findings highlight the need for integrating health and social care strategies.

In a carbon-neutral economy, biorefineries may replace oil refineries, providing materials and molecules. One of these products are biosurfactants (BSs), which can be produced from sugarcane bagasse. Two different processes for BS production were proposed and evaluated from a technoeconomic environmental perspective. Global sensitivity and uncertainty analyses (GSA and UA) assessed the most influential variables and the uncertainties regarding the minimum BS selling price (MBSSP), together with several environmental metrics. Both processes presented positive economic performance. The analysis showed that the second scenario (using liquid hot water pretreatment without detoxification and BS recovery by two steps of ultrafiltration) presented superior economic and environmental performance. The second scenario had a 59.7% probability of having a MBSSP below 20 $/kg, against 47.1% for the first one. GSA showed that effort should be focused on decreasing uncertainty regarding the bioreactor performance and scaleup (for both scenarios) and the ultrafiltration performance (for the second scenario).

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Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy is a fast, accurate, and practical technique for the quantitative analysis of compounds during ethanol fermentation. However, it is very temperature sensitive. This study aimed to develop a methodology for the real-time monitoring of fed-batch ethanol fermentations, taking into account the thermal fluctuations in the industrial process (in the range 30–35 °C). The use of FT-MIR combined with partial least squares (PLS) regression was evaluated as a tool to quantify sucrose, glucose, fructose, ethanol, and glycerol. The PLS models, based on fermentations carried out at constant temperatures in the range from 26 to 36 °C, presented high correlation coefficients (R2) and low root-mean-square errors of cross-validation and prediction that were below 7% of the calibration ranges for all compounds. The good performance of the models demonstrated their suitability for accurate process monitoring, covering a wide range of thermal variations observed in industrial operations.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), represents the pandemic of the century, with approximately 3.5 million cases and 250,000 deaths worldwide as of May 2020. Although respiratory symptoms usually dominate the clinical presentation, COVID-19 is now known to also have potentially serious cardiovascular consequences, including myocardial injury, myocarditis, acute coronary syndromes, pulmonary embolism, stroke, arrhythmias, heart failure, and cardiogenic shock. The cardiac manifestations of COVID-19 might be related to the adrenergic drive, systemic inflammatory milieuand cytokine-release syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2, direct viral infection of myocardial and endothelial cells, hypoxia due to respiratory failure, electrolytic imbalances, fluid overload, and side effects of certain COVID-19 medications. COVID-19 has profoundly reshaped usual care of both ambulatory and acute cardiac patients, by leading to the cancellation of elective procedures and by reducing the efficiency of existing pathways of urgent care, respectively. Decreased use of health care services for acute conditions by non-COVID-19 patients has also been reported and attributed to concerns about acquiring in-hospital infection. Innovative approaches that leverage modern technologies to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic have been introduced, which include telemedicine, dissemination of educational material over social media, smartphone apps for case tracking, and artificial intelligence for pandemic modelling, among others. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology and cardiovascular implications of COVID-19, its impact on existing pathways of care, the role of modern technologies to tackle the pandemic, and a proposal of novel management algorithms for the most common acute cardiac conditions.

In this work, we solved the differential equations of mass and energy balance describing the n-hexane adsorption and desorption process in 5A zeolite under non-isothermal and non-adiabatic conditions. The solution provided a theoretical model that may be used to determine the significance of the mass and thermal transfer effects applied to transient adsorption. We validated numerical results with experimental data from the literature, finding the n-hexane adsorption to be exothermic. Because the diffusion in the system is fast, the breakthrough curves showed the typical form of thermal limitation. We found desorption depends on the desorbent fluid and feed rate. We evaluated the stability of the numerical method using the eigenvalues of the matrix system. Hence, the computational code developed may be used to simulate real operating conditions for the adsorption/desorption process of gases with porous adsorbents once the process parameters are known.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Recent comprehensive genetic and molecular profiling has identified molecular subtypes of gastric cancer (GC) and has linked them to clinical information. Moreover, SOX9 has been recently described as a relevant regulator of the population of GC stem cells (gCSCs), which are responsible for GC initiation and progression.Areas covered: Through public data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, the Asian Cancer Research Group (ACRG) and published studies, we link SOX9 expression to GC clinical information and molecular subtypes. We also discuss the role of deregulated SOX9 activity in critical aspects of GC progression, as well as therapy resistance. Finally, we provide information of the molecular mechanisms associated with its oncogenic activity.Expert opinion: This review presents the clinical impact of SOX9 in GC and underscores the molecular mechanisms associated with its oncogenic activity. Current evidence highlights the key function of SOX9 in GC and postulates it as a prognostic factor, novel biomarker for patient stratification and a promising target. gCSCs are critical targets for GC eradication and SOX9 is a regulator of gCSCs; hence, the inhibition of SOX9 is a potential therapeutic strategy for GC, particularly for the MSS/TP53+ subgroup of patients in whom SOX9 expression correlates with poor outcome.

AbstractSearch and rescue teams and Antarctic research groups use protective cold-water anti-exposure suits (AES) when cruising on Zodiacs. Extremity tourniquet (ET) self-application (SA) donned with AESs has not been previously studied. Our study therefore assessed the SA of 5 commercial ETs (CAT, OMNA, RATS, RMT, and SWAT-T) among 15 volunteers who donned these suits. Tourniquet‘s SA ability, ease of SA, tolerance, and tourniquet preference were measured. All ETs tested were self-applied to the upper extremity except for the SWAT, which was self-applied with the rest to the lower extremity. Ease- of- SA mean values were compared using the Friedman and Durbin-Conover post hoc tests (P< 0.001). Regarding the upper extremity, OMNA achieved the highest score of 8.5 out of 10, while RMT, and SWAT received lower scores than other options (P <0.001). For lower extremities, SWAT was found to be inferior to other options (P <0.01). Overall, OMNA was the best performer. The RATS showed significantly lower tolerance than the other groups in repeated- measures ANOVA with a Tukey post hoc test (P <0.01). Additionally, out of the 5 ETs tested, 60% of subjects preferred OMNA. The study concluded that SA commercial ETs are feasible over cold-water anti-exposure suits in the Antarctic climate.

This work presents a damage index proposal based on an experimental approach to evaluate the behavior of laminated fiber-reinforced composite plates under in-plane shear-after-impact conditions. Therefore, drop-weight experimental tests for low-energy impact (face-on in the barely visible impact damage range) are performed in laminates, as well as in-plane shear tests are carried out by 3-rail device to obtain stress–strain curves for pristine and impact-damaged composite plates. A new coupon based on the ASTM standards is designed to fit impact and in-plane shear experimental devices. The phenomenological damage index for shear-after-impact is energy-based being able to quantify the damage severity in the composite plates as shown by experimental results. Simple guidelines for its determination are also summarized. Furthermore, computational simulations via ABAQUS with a User Material (UMAT) subroutine accounting for progressive damage analysis are performed to predict damage index values for different degradation scenarios. Finally, it is discussed and concluded that the proposed damage index and the experimental approach can be combined with the already consolidated procedures, such as flexure- and compression-after-impact, to evaluate with more accuracy the residual strength of impacted laminates of fiber-reinforced composite materials.

The development of rapid, accurate, and cost-effective technologies for process monitoring is highly desirable in the biofuels sector. Here, a technique based on the combination of Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy and partial least-squares (PLS) regression was evaluated as a tool for real-time monitoring of the process for bioethanol production from sucrose by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Industrial musts composed of juice and molasses of sugar cane and sweet sorghum juice were used in the fermentations. Considering the chemical complexity of the substrates, the PLS models presented excellent external validation results, with root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) values of 0.54, 1.02, 0.66, 1.93, 0.50, and 1.64 g L–1for sucrose, glucose, fructose, ethanol, glycerol, and cells, respectively. The findings demonstrated that FT-MIR spectroscopy can be applied for real-time monitoring of the process, with potential to reduce costs and provide accurate information for more efficient control of the process.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The disease develops from the accumulation of several genetic and epigenetic changes. Among other risk factors, Helicobacter pyloriinfection is considered the main driving factor of GC development. H. pyloriinfection increases DNA damage levels and leads to epigenetic dysregulation, which may favor gastric carcinogenesis. An early step in double-strand break repair is the recruitment of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated serine/threonine kinase (ATM) to the damaged site, where it plays a key role in advancing the DNA damage checkpoint process. H. pyloriinfection has been associated with the introduction of double-strand breaks in epithelial cells, triggering damage signaling and repair response involving ATM. Thus, the current study analyzed the effect of H. pyloriinfection on the DNA damage response sensor, ATM, in gastric epithelial cells and in biopsy specimens from patients with GC. In this study, we identified that H. pyloriinfection stimulated DNA damage, and therefore induced ATM in a virulence factor–dependent manner. In addition, we found that H. pylorimight activate ATM through histone H3 and H4 hyperacetylation and DNA promoter hypomethylation. Our findings show a mechanism associating ATM signaling induction with H. pyloriinfection.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs) comprise a diverse group of diseases, either of mature B-cell or of T-cell derivation, characterized by heterogeneous molecular features and clinical manifestations. While most of the patients are responsive to standard chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and/or stem cell transplantation, relapsed and/or refractory cases still have a dismal outcome. Deep sequencing analysis have pointed out that epigenetic dysregulations, including mutations in epigenetic enzymes, such as chromatin modifiers and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), are prevalent in both B- cell and T-cell lymphomas. Accordingly, over the past decade, a large number of epigenetic-modifying agents have been developed and introduced into the clinical management of these entities, and a few specific inhibitors have already been approved for clinical use. Here we summarize the main epigenetic alterations described in B- and T-NHL, that further supported the clinical development of a selected set of epidrugs in determined diseases, including inhibitors of DNMTs, histone deacetylases (HDACs), and extra-terminal domain proteins (bromodomain and extra-terminal motif; BETs). Finally, we highlight the most promising future directions of research in this area, explaining how bioinformatics approaches can help to identify new epigenetic targets in B- and T-cell lymphoid neoplasms.

O implante transcateter da valva pulmonar (ITVP) evoluiu significativamente desde sua introdução, no início dos anos 2000. Atualmente, esta técnica é uma opção segura e eficaz para o tratamento das disfunções valvares graves (estenose e/ou insuficiência) em biopróteses ou condutos cirúrgicos em posição pulmonar, em vários centros do mundo. No Brasil, os resultados iniciais com este procedimento em centros de referência foram similares àqueles observados na experiência global. O ITVP tem se demonstrado factível, seguro e eficaz em mãos treinadas na nossa realidade. Porém, antes da aplicação disseminada desta técnica em outros centros em nosso país, houve a necessidade de se estabelecerem alguns critérios para a seleção do paciente, a técnica de implante e o seguimento clínico, assim como para o treinamento e o credenciamento de novos operadores e centros. As orientações aqui descritas foram determinadas por um grupo de especialistas com experiência renomada em cardiopatias congênitas e ITVP, tendo sido encaminhadas ao Conselho Federal de Medicina (CFM). Representantes das diferentes sociedades médicas foram envolvidas na preparação deste documento, incluindo a Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC), a Sociedade Brasileira de Hemodinâmica e Cardiologia Invasiva (SBHCI) e a Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular (SBCCV). Acreditamos que a rígida aderência às recomendações listadas neste documento oficial seja crucial para a segurança do paciente e para que ótimos resultados sejam alcançados imediatamente e a longo prazo. Uma vez consolidado em nosso meio, o ITVP abrirá caminho para a introdução de novas terapias valvares em cardiopatias congênitas.

Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation (TPVI) has evolved significantly since its introduction in the early 2000s. Currently, this technique is a safe and effective option for the treatment of severe valve dysfunction (stenosis and/or regurgitation) in bioprostheses or surgical conduits in pulmonary position, in several centers worldwide. In Brazil, the initial results with this procedure in reference centers were similar to those observed in the overall experience. TPVI was proven to be feasible, safe, and effective in trained hands in Brazil. However, prior to the widespread application of this technique to other centers in this country, it was necessary to establish some criteria for patient selection, implantation technique, and clinical follow-up, as well as for the training and accreditation of new interventionists and centers. The guidelines described here were determined by a group of experts with well-known experience in congenital heart disease and TPVI, and were referred to the Conselho Federal de Medicina (CFM, portuguese for Federal Council of Medicine). Representatives of the different medical societies were involved in the creation of this document, including the Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC, portuguese for Brazilian Society of Cardiology), the Sociedade Brasileira de Hemodinâmica e Cardiologia Invasiva (SBHCI, portuguese for Brazilian Society of Hemodynamics and Invasive Cardiology), and the Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular (SBCCV, portuguese for Brazilian Society of Cardiovascular Surgery). The authors believe that strict adherence to the recommendations contained in this official document is crucial for patient safety and for optimal results to be achieved in both the short and long term. Once consolidated in Brazil, TPVI will open doors for the introduction of new valve therapies in congenital cardiopathies.

Maximizing baseline function of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) is essential for their effective application in models of cardiac toxicity and disease. Here, we aimed to identify factors that would promote an adequate level of function to permit robust single-cell contractility measurements in a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). A simple screen revealed the collaborative effects of thyroid hormone, IGF-1 and the glucocorticoid analog dexamethasone on the electrophysiology, bioenergetics, and contractile force generation of hPSC-CMs. In this optimized condition, hiPSC-CMs with mutations in MYBPC3, a gene encoding myosin-binding protein C, which, when mutated, causes HCM, showed significantly lower contractile force generation than controls. This was recapitulated by direct knockdown of MYBPC3in control hPSC-CMs, supporting a mechanism of haploinsufficiency. Modeling this disease in vitro using human cells is an important step toward identifying therapeutic interventions for HCM.

The type 2 deiodinase (D2) activates the prohormone T4to T3. D2 is expressed in skeletal muscle (SKM), and its global inactivation (GLOB-D2KOmice) reportedly leads to skeletal muscle hypothyroidism and impaired differentiation. Here floxed Dio2mice were crossed with mice expressing Cre-recombinase under the myosin light chain 1f (cre-MLC) to disrupt D2 expression in the late developmental stages of skeletal myocytes (SKM-D2KO). This led to a loss of approximately 50% in D2 activity in neonatal and adult SKM-D2KOskeletal muscle and about 75% in isolated SKM-D2KOmyocytes. To test the impact of Dio2disruption, we measured soleus T3content and found it to be normal. We also looked at the expression of T3-responsive genes in skeletal muscle, ie, myosin heavy chain I, α-actin, myosin light chain, tropomyosin, and serca 1 and 2, which was preserved in neonatal SKM-D2KOhindlimb muscles, at a time that coincides with a peak of D2 activity in control animals. In adult soleus the baseline level of D2 activity was about 6-fold lower, and in the SKM-D2KOsoleus, the expression of only one of five T3-responsive genes was reduced. Despite this, adult SKM-D2KOanimals performed indistinguishably from controls on a treadmill test, running for approximately 16 minutes and reached a speed of about 23 m/min; muscle strength was about 0.3 mN/m·g body weight in SKM-D2KOand control ankle muscles. In conclusion, there are multiple sources of D2 in the mouse SKM, and its role is limited in postnatal skeletal muscle fibers.

Brazil is a country of continental dimensions that, over the last 3 decades, has been making increased efforts to develop effective public policies for controlling the use of both licit and illicit psychoactive substances. In the case of licit drugs, Brazil was a pioneer in following the guidance of the World Health Organization for tobacco control and has witnessed surprising results relating to reduction of smoking prevalence and correlated morbidity and mortality. Today, Brazil has a national structure for organizing, applying, and monitoring laws relating to tobacco. However, in the field of illicit drugs, with crack consumption as a paradigm, the situation is the opposite: its use has been increasing year by year and is being consumed at increasingly young ages and by all social classes. Thus, it is becoming an enormous challenge for public policies relating to prevention and treatment. In this context, the aim of this article is to present a review of the epidemiological data relating to tobacco and crack use in Brazil, with an analysis on the impact of public policies for controlling consumption over recent years. Despite the efforts made over the last 3 decades, Brazil still has a long way to go in order to construct a consistent and effective national drugs policy.

The raw mud brick (adobe) is a millenary technology that awakens a wide interest in ecologic and non-conventional constructions. Some advantages are low cost, thermal comfort and minimum environmental impact. For better use, it is important to improve their mechanical properties. Dynasolo DS-328® is a chemical stabilizer used in soil compression for road paving and it is similar to termite saliva. This composition is based on vegetal oils. It is a high-concentrated liquid product, water soluble, non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-flammable. The cohesive properties promote the investigation about the incorporation of this product in adobe composition. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate synthetic termite saliva" incorporation to adobes at four different concentrations: 1:2000; 1:1500; 1:1000 and 1:500. The reagent is an aluminum sulfate at 1:5000 for all treatments. The soil is a Red Latosol cambisol corrected to 50% fine sand fraction. Soil bulk density, particle density and total pore volume were: Ds = 1.42 kg/dm3, Dp = 2.62 kg/dm3 and VTP = 45.8%. The soil Atterberg limits were: LL (liquid limit) 55.44%; PL (plastic limit) 34.58%; SL (shrinkage limit) 21.67%; and PI (plasticity index) 20.86%. The ideal moisture content was variable, ranging from 50% to 40% according synthetic termite saliva" increase. Adobes were submitted to compression and bending resistance tests. This research confirmed that synthetic termite saliva" incorporation improved the adobe compressive resistance and chose the treatment 1:1500 because it increased 20% this property.

A numerical investigation of the damage effects on the structural response of the composite cylinders damaged by impact loading was performed. A computational methodology, which consists of carrying out four-step finite element (FE) analyses in progressive sequence, was used. Firstly, modal analyses were carried out for the intact structure to determine the natural frequencies and modal shapes. Then, vibration analyses were performed for intact structure to obtain the frequency response function (FRF). After that, impact analyses were performed by using a material model, which is accessed to predict the damage. Based on damaged FE model, vibration analyses, again, were carried out to determine the new FRF. Thus, the results of the damaged structure were combined to intact model results by using a specific metric in order to indicate the damage or not in the composite cylinders. Finally, it was discussed about the advantages and limitations of SHM systems, which use vibration-based methods and piezoelectric sensors.

Resection of the caudate lobe (segment I- dorsal sector, segment IX- right paracaval region, or both) is often technically difficult due to the lobe’s location deep in the hepatic parenchyma and because it is adjacent to the major hepatic vessels (e.g., the left and middle hepatic veins).

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to follow-up 131 crack users and examine drug use, treatment experience, employment status, and mortality at 2, 5, and 12 years. Consecutive crack dependent patients were re-interviewed in 1995–1996, 1998–1999, and 2005–2006. Of those subjects not using cocaine at 2 years, 19 (63%) were still abstinent at 5 years. Almost half of the users were abstinent at the same period. The abstinent group was still the most prevalent at 12 years. Twenty-seven (20.6%) patients had died by the 12-year follow-up, with homicide being the most common cause (n = 16). After 2000, however, it declined sharply with only 2 deaths in 7 years. There was a progressive movement toward abstinence over the follow-up period, with the evidence that once abstinence had been achieved it was maintained. On the other hand, the mortality rate was extremely high and probably more related with socioeconomic factors instead of the drug use itself.

The aim of this study was to measure the levels of oxidative DNA damage in cells isolated from the colon mucosa in patients with colorectal cancer and to compare normal and neoplastic tissues and make correlations with anatomopathologic variables.

This paper aims to connect the theory of relativistic cosmology number counts with the astronomical data, practice, and theory behind the galaxy luminosity function (LF). We treat galaxies as the building blocks of the universe but ignore most aspects of their internal structures by considering them as point sources. However, we do consider general morphological types in order to use data from galaxy redshift surveys, where some kind of morphological classification is adopted. We start with a general relativistic treatment for a general spacetime, not just for Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker, of number counts, and then we link the derived expressions with the LF definition adopted in observational cosmology. Then equations for differential number counts, the related relativistic density per source, and observed and total relativistic energy densities of the universe, as well as other related quantities, are written in terms of the luminosity and selection functions. As an example of how these theoretical/observational relationships can be used, we apply them to test the LF parameters determined from the CNOC2 galaxy redshift survey, for consistency with the Einstein-de Sitter (EdS) cosmology, which they assume, for intermediate redshifts. We conclude that there is a general consistency for the tests we carried out, namely, for both the observed relativistic mass-energy density and the observed relativistic mass-energy density per source, which is equivalent to differential number counts, in an EdS universe. In addition, we find clear evidence of a large amount of hidden mass, as has been obvious from many earlier investigations. At the same time, we find that the CNOC2 LF gives differential galaxy counts somewhat above the EdS predictions, indicating that this survey observes more galaxies at 0.1 [?] z [?] 0.4 than the model's predictions.

This paper describes the Fortran 77 code SIMU, version 1.1, designed for numerical simulations of observational relations along the past null geodesic in the Lemaıˆtre–Tolman–Bondi (LTB) spacetime. SIMU aims at finding scale invariant solutions of the average density, but due to its full modularity it can be easily adapted to any application which requires LTB''s null geodesic solutions. In version 1.1 the numerical output can be read by the GNUPLOT plotting package to produce a fully graphical output, although other plotting routines can be easily adapted. Details of the code''s subroutines are discussed, and an example of its output is shown. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents an analysis of the smoothness problem in cosmology by focussing on the ambiguities originated in the simplifying hypotheses aimed at observationally verifying if the large-scale distribution of galaxies is homogeneous, and conjecturing that this distribution should follow a fractal pattern, in the sense of having a power-law type average density profile, in perturbed standard cosmologies. This is due to a geometrical effect, appearing when certain types of average densities are calculated along the past light cone. The paper starts by reviewing the argument concerning the possibility that the galaxy distribution follows such a scale invariant pattern, and the premises behind the assumption that the spatial homogeneity of standard cosmology can be observable. Next, it is argued that in order to discuss observable homogeneity one needs to make a clear distinction between local and average relativistic densities, and showing how the different distance definitions strongly affect them, leading the various average densities to display asymptotically opposite behaviours. Then the paper revisits Ribeiro's (1995) results, showing that in a fully relativistic treatment some observational average densities of the flat Friedmann model are not well defined at z∼ 0.1, implying that at this range average densities behave in a fundamentally different manner as compared to the linearity of the Hubble law, well valid for z< 1. This conclusion brings into question the widespread assumption that relativistic corrections can always be neglected at low z. It is also shown how some key features of fractal cosmologies can be found in the Friedmann models. In view of those findings, it is suggested that the so-called contradiction between the cosmological principle, and the galaxy distribution forming an unlimited fractal structure, may not exist.

Introduction:TG-1801 is a novel, bispecific anti-CD47 and anti-CD19 fully human IgG1 antibody that targets CD47 selectively on CD19+ B-cells, sparing red blood cells or platelets and blocking the CD47-SIRPα macrophage checkpoint on mature B cells. TG-1801 is currently in clinical trial as a single agent or in combination with ublituximab, a glyco-engineered CD20 antibody, in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). The doublet therapy of ublituximab with the dual PI3Kδ/CK1e inhibitor umbralisib (“U2” regimen), provides a non-chemotherapy backbone regimen on which several novel multidrug combinations are being explored clinically. Here we explored in vitroand in vivopotential synergies between TG-1801 and ublituximab, umbralisib, and the U2 combination, in preclinical models of B-NHL.