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Optical density measurement has been used for decades to determine the microorganism concentration and more rarely for mammalian cells. Although this measurement can be carried out at any wavelength, studies report a limited number of measurement wavelengths, mainly around 600 nm, and no consensus seems to be emerging to propose an objective method for determining the optimum measurement wavelength for each microorganism. In this article, we propose a method for analyzing the absorbance spectra of ESKAPEE bacteria and determining the optimum measurement wavelength for each of them. The method is based on the analysis of the signal-to-noise ratio of the relationships between concentrations and optical densities when the measurement wavelength varies over the entire spectral range of the absorbance spectra measured for each bacterium. These optimum wavelengths range from 612 nm for Enterococcus faecium to 705 nm for Acinetobacter baumannii. The method can be directly applied to any bacteria, any culture method, and also to any biochemical substance with an absorbance spectrum without any particular feature such as an identified maximum.

Abstract Landslide risk analysis is a common geotechnical evaluation and it aims to protect life and infrastructure. In the case of sensitive clay zones, landslides can affect large areas and are difficult to predict. Here we propose a methodology to determine the landslide hazard across a large territory, and we apply our approach to the Saint-Jean-Vianney area, Quebec, Canada. The initial step consists of creating a 3D model of the surficial deposits of the target area. After creating a chart of the material electrical resistivity adapted for eastern Canada, we applied electric induction to interpret the regional soil. We transposed parameter values obtained from the laboratory to a larger scale, that is to a regional slope using the results of a back analysis undertaken earlier, on a smaller slide within the same area. The regional 3D model of deposits is then used to develop a zonation map of slopes that are at risk and their respective constraint areas with the study region. This approach allowed us to target specific areas where a more precise stability analysis would be required. Our methodology offers an effective tool for stability analysis in territories characterized by the presence of sensitive clays.

Technical challenges have always been part of underground mining activities, however, some of these challenges grow in complexity as mining occurs in deeper and deeper settings. One such challenge is rock mass stability and the risk of rockburst events. To overcome these challenges, and to limit the risks and impacts of events such as rockbursts, advanced solutions must be developed and best practices implemented. Rockbursts are common in underground mines and substantially threaten the safety of personnel and equipment, and can cause major disruptions in mine development and operations. Rockbursts consist of violent wall rock failures associated with high energy rock projections in response to the instantaneous stress release in rock mass under high strain conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a good understanding of the conditions and mechanisms leading to a rockburst, and to improve risk assessment methods. The capacity to properly estimate the risks of rockburst occurrence is essential in underground operations. However, a limited number of studies have examined and compared yet different empirical methods of rockburst. The current understanding of this important hazard in the mining industry is summarized in this paper to provide the necessary perspective or tools to best assess the risks of rockburst occurrence in deep mines. The various classifications of rockbursts and their mechanisms are discussed. The paper also reviews the current empirical methods of rockburst prediction, which are mostly dependent on geomechanical parameters of the rock such as uniaxial compressive strength of the rock, as well as its tensile strength and elasticity modulus. At the end of this paper, some current achievements and limitations of empirical methods are discussed.

The textural characteristics of rocks influence their petrophysical and mechanical properties. Such parameters largely control rock mass stability. The ability to evaluate both immediate and long-term rock behaviors based on the interaction between various parameters of rock texture, petrophysical and mechanical properties is therefore crucial to many geoengineering facilities. However, due to the common lack of high-quality core samples for geomechanics and rock texture laboratory tests, single and multivariable regression analyses are conducted between mechanical properties and textural characteristics based on experimental test data. This study presents a review of how rock texture characteristics influence the geomechanical properties of a rock, and summarizes the regression equations between two aspects. More specifically, a review of the available literature on the effects of mineralogy, grain size, grain shape, packing density, foliation index, porosity, degree of weathering, and other rock physical characteristics on geomechanics is presented. Similarly, a review of the literature discussing the failure criteria of anisotropic rocks, both continuous and discontinuous, is also presented. These reviews are accompanied by a comparison of the fundamentals of these methods, describing their equations and discussing their advantages and disadvantages. This exercise has the objective of providing better guidelines on how to use these criteria, allowing for safer underground excavations via an improved understanding of how rock texture parameters affects the mechanical behavior of rocks.

Abstract A seismic microzonation study was conducted to refine the seismic hazard model for the city of Saguenay, Canada. The Quaternary geology underlying Saguenay shows complex glacial and post-glacial stratigraphy with a number of buried valleys filled with fluvioglacial and glaciomarine sediments. High impedance contrast between rock formations and surficial sediments is prone to seismic amplification. To evaluate their applicability, advantages and limitations in capturing the geological specificity of the study area, four site classification methods were applied: the current National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) and Eurocode 8, both mainly based on the average shear-wave velocity for the surficial sediments (V S,avg ) and for the top 30 m (V S,30 ); a method based on the fundamental site period (T 0 ); and a hybrid method based on the combination of V S,30 , T 0 and V S,avg . The study specifically aimed to evaluate the importance of the site classification parameters on the resulting microzonation maps. V S,30 is capable to present the geological and geotechnical site conditions, however, the results may be further improved by considering V s,avg in shallow and T 0 in thick layers of soil sediments as secondary parameters. The T 0 method gives also satisfactory results with T 0 showing a better correlation to V s,30 than to V s,avg . The versatile hybrid method may be challenging to apply in certain cases with its nine different site categories and parameters.

Abstract To conduct a successful geomechanical characterization of rock masses, an appropriate interpretation of lithological heterogeneity should be attained by considering both the geological and geomechanical data. In order to clarify the reliability and applicability of geological surveys for rock mechanics purposes, a geomechanical characterization study is conducted on the heterogeneous rock mass of Niobec Mine (Quebec, Canada), by considering the characteristics of its various identified lithological units. The results of previous field and laboratory test campaigns were used to quantify the variability associated to intact rock geomechanical parameters for the different present lithological units. The interpretation of geomechanical similarities between the lithological units resulted in determination of three main rock units (carbonatite, syenite, and carbonatite-syenite units). Geomechanical parameters of these rock units and their associated variabilities are utilized for stochastic estimation of geomechanical parameters of the heterogeneous rock mass using the Monte Carlo Simulation method. A comparison is also made between the results of probabilistic and deterministic analyses to highlight the presence of intrinsic variability associated with the heterogeneous rock mass properties. The results indicated that, for the case of Niobec Mine, the carbonatite-syenite rock unit could be considered as a valid representative of the entire rock mass geology since it offers an appropriate geomechanical approximation of all the present lithological units at the mine site, in terms of both the magnitude and dispersion of the strength and deformability parameters. Article Highlights Evaluating the reliability and applicability of geological survey outcomes for rock mechanics purposes. A geomechanical characterization study is conducted on the heterogeneous rock mass by considering the various identified rock lithotypes. The geomechanical parameters of intact units and their associated variabilities are used to stochastically estimate the geomechanical parameters of the heterogeneous rock mass by employing the Monte Carlo Simulation. A comparison is also made between the results of probabilistic and deterministic geomechanical analyses. The results indicate that, in the case of Niobec Mine, the combined syenite-carbonatite rock unit could be considered as a valid representative of the entire rock mass.

For the last 30 years, molecular surveys have shown that human norovirus (HuNoV), predominantly the GII.4 genotype, is one of the main causative agents of gastroenteritis. However, epidemiological surveys have revealed the worldwide emergence of GII.17 HuNoVs. Genetic analysis confirmed that GII.17 strains are distributed into three variants (i.e., Kawasaki 308, Kawasaki 323, and CS-E1). Here, virus-like particles (VLPs) were baculovirus-expressed from these variants to study putative interactions with HBGA. Qualitative analysis of the HBGA binding profile of each variant showed that the most recent and predominant GII.17 variant, Kawasaki 308, possesses a larger binding spectrum. The retrospective study of GII.17 strains documented before the emergence of the dominant Kawasaki 308 variant showed that the emergence of a new GII.17 variant could be related to an increased binding capacity toward HBGA. The use of duodenal histological sections confirmed that recognition of enterocytes involved HBGA for the three GII.17 variants. Finally, we observed that the relative affinity of recent GII.17 VLPs for HBGA remains lower than that of the GII.4-2012 variant. These observations suggest a model whereby a combination of virological factors, such as polymerase fidelity and increased affinity for HBGA, and immunological factors was responsible for the incomplete and non-persistent replacement of GII.4 by new GII.17 variants.

Despite numerous innovations, measuring bacteria concentrations on a routine basis is still time consuming and ensuring accurate measurements requires careful handling. Furthermore, it often requires sampling small volumes of bacteria suspensions which might be poorly representative of the real bacteria concentration. In this paper, we propose a spectroscopy measurement method based on a description of the absorption/attenuation spectra of ESKAPEE bacteria. Concentrations were measured with accuracies less than 2%. In addition, mixing the mathematical description of the absorption/attenuation spectra of mammalian T-cells and bacteria allows for the simultaneous measurements of both species’ concentrations. This method allows real-time, sampling-free and seeder-free measurement and can be easily integrated into a closed-system environment.

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products are promising drugs for patients in therapeutic impasses. Their complex fabrication process implies regular quality controls to monitor cell concentration. Among the different methods available, optical techniques offer several advantages. Our study aims to measure cell concentration in real time in a potential closed-loop environment using white light spectroscopy and to test the possibility of simultaneously measuring concentrations of several species. By analyzing the shapes of the absorption spectra, this system allowed the quantification of T-cells with an accuracy of about 3% during 30 h of cultivation monitoring and 26 h of doubling time, coherent with what is expected for normal cell culture. Moreover, our system permitted concentration measurements for two species in reconstructed co-cultures of T-cells and Candida albicans yeasts. This method can now be applied to any single or co-culture, it allows real-time monitoring, and can be easily integrated into a closed system.

Stress-induced failure is among the most common causes of instability in Canadian deep underground mines. Open stoping is the most widely practiced underground excavation method in these mines, and creates large stopes which are subjected to stress-induced failure. The probability of failure (POF) depends on many factors, of which the geometry of an open stope is especially important. In this study, a methodology is proposed to assess the effect of stope geometrical parameters on the POF, using numerical modelling. Different ranges for each input parameter are defined according to previous surveys on open stope geometry in a number of Canadian underground mines. A Monte-Carlo simulation technique is combined with the finite difference code FLAC3D, to generate model realizations containing stopes with different geometrical features. The probability of failure (POF) for different categories of stope geometry, is calculated by considering two modes of failure; relaxation-related gravity driven (tensile) failure and rock mass brittle failure. The individual and interactive effects of stope geometrical parameters on the POF, are analyzed using a general multi-level factorial design. Finally, mathematical optimization techniques are employed to estimate the most stable stope conditions, by determining the optimal ranges for each stope’s geometrical parameter. Keywords: Stope stability, Stope geometrical parameters, Probability of failure, General factorial design, Numerical modeling, Sublevel open stoping

Due to inherent variability arising from unpredictable geological depositional and post-depositional processes, the geotechnical parameters of Laflamme sea clay deposits remain highly uncertain. This study aims to develop and apply a methodology to assess the uncertainties of geotechnical parameters using statistical distributions for a landslide-prone Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean (SLSJ) region. We used the measured physical and mechanical parameters of Laflamme Sea clays of various locations in the SLSJ region to characterize the geotechnical parameters in a representative manner. Goodness-of-fit tests assign each physical and mechanical parameter a distribution function for their descriptive analysis. We found that the quality of these tests is significantly influenced by outliers. The detected outliers in the dataset considerably impact the distribution type and the uncertainties of the specific geotechnical parameter. Subsequently, appropriate distribution functions for each parameter were assigned after treating the outliers. The derived coefficient of variability values for the SLSJ region were significantly high in comparison to the literature with cone penetration test data being only the exception. Finally, the results indicated that the uncertainties of geotechnical parameters of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region marine clays are high as compared to Scandinavian clays and are relatively comparable to other eastern Canadian clays.

The specific length of a tunnel (STL) and a new analytical model for calculating the block surface area of the rock mass are introduced. First, a method for determining the appropriate length of a tunnel for a numerical simulation is described. The length is then used to examine the correlation between the inflow rate to the tunnel and the block volume, the block surface area, and the fracture intensity (P32) through analytical and numerical modeling. The results indicate that the length of the tunnel should at least be equal to the least common multiple (LCM) of the apparent spacings of the joint sets at the wall of the tunnel to obtain the more reliable and immediate results for the inflow rate to a tunnel that is excavated in a fractured rock mass. A new analytical model was developed to calculate the block surface area and determine the essential joint set parameters, which include the dip, dip direction, and spacing. The determination of the rock block characteristics through numerical modeling requires considering the intact block for calculations. The results indicated that the inflow rate to the tunnel increased with an increase in fracture intensity and a decrease in block volume and surface area. The STL and the analytical model used for calculating the block surface area are validated through numerical simulations with 3DEC software version 7.0.

Abstract The backfilling of underground stopes in mines has become common practice in the mining industry as it increases the stability of mine excavations and reduces environmental problems. The backfilling process involves several technical aspects that must be assessed to ensure that the backfilling objectives are achieved. The horizontal stress exerted by backfill on excavation walls must be estimated accurately to avoid the failure of mine pillars. The analytical Marston method is often used for evaluating this stress as it takes into consideration an earth pressure coefficient (K) that is dependent on the geotechnical properties of the backfill. This paper demonstrates that the accuracy of the Marston method for predicting horizontal earth pressure would be improved by using K values that are determined as a function of backfill geotechnical parameters and also excavation geometry. Both components vary inevitably from one backfilled site to another. A methodology is developed to adjust the K value to be a function of these parameters for its application within the Marston analytical method thereby providing a more accurate prediction of earth pressure. Based on various geometric and geomechanical parameters, two graphs are developed to evaluate proper earth pressure values. These graphs can be used for estimating more accurate K values that are based on the characteristics of the stope and the backfill material.

Knowledge of the stratigraphic architecture and geotechnical properties of surficial soil sediments is essential for geotechnical risk assessment. In the Saguenay study area, the Quaternary deposits consist of a basal till layer and heterogeneous post-glacial deposits. Considering the stratigraphic setting and soil type heterogeneity, a multistep stochastic methodology is developed for 3D geological modelling and quantification of the associated uncertainties. This methodology is adopted for regional studies and involves geostatistical interpolation and simulation methods. Empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK) is applied to generate the bedrock topography map and determine the thickness of the till sediments and their uncertainties. The locally varying mean and variance of the EBK method enable accounting for data complexity and moderate nonstationarity. Sequential indicator simulation is then performed to determine the occurrence probability of the discontinuous post-glacial sediments (clay, sand and gravel) on top of the basal till layer. The individual thickness maps of the discontinuous soil layers and uncertainties are generated in a probabilistic manner. The proposed stochastic framework is suitable for heterogeneous soil deposits characterised with complex surface and subsurface datasets.

Sensitive clays are known for producing retrogressive landslides, also called spread or flowslides. The key characteristics associated with the occurrence of these landslides on a sensitive clay slope must be assessed, and the potential retrogressive distance must be evaluated. Common risk analysis methods include empirical methods for estimating the distance of potential retrogression, analytical limit equilibrium methods, numerical modelling methods using the strength reduction technique, and the integration of a progressive failure mechanism into numerical methods. Methods developed for zoning purposes in Norway and Quebec provide conservative results in most cases, even if they don’t cover the worst cases scenario. A flowslide can be partially analysed using analytical limit equilibrium methods and numerical methods having strength reduction factor tools. Numerical modelling of progressive failure mechanisms using numerical methods can define the critical parameters of spread-type landslides, such as critical unloading and the retrogression distance of the failure. Continuous improvements to the large-deformation numerical modeling approach allow its application to all types of sensitive clay landslides.

Study region: The study of groundwater chemistry of the Charlevoix/Haute-Côte-Nord (CHCN) region in the province of Quebec in Canada is part of a regional hydrogeological characterization project. Study focus: Groundwater was sampled in 113 wells over the 4500 km2 study area and analyzed for 39 parameters including major, minor, trace and inorganic constituents, plus stable isotopes 2H and 18O. Two multivariate statistical methods, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and R-mode factor analysis (RFA) were combined with graphic methods to classify the samples according to plausible levels of groundwater evolution in that region. New hydrological insights for the region: Four sample clusters were identified. Cluster 1 is composed of low-salinity Ca-HCO3 groundwater corresponding to recently infiltrated water in surface granular aquifers in recharge areas. Cluster 4 Na-(HCO3-Cl) groundwater is more saline and corresponds to more evolved groundwater probably from confined bedrock aquifers. Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 (Ca-Na)-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3 groundwater, respectively, correspond to mixed or intermediate water between Cluster 1 and Cluster 4 from possibly interconnected granular and bedrock aquifers. This study identifies groundwater recharge, water–rock interactions, ion exchange, solute diffusion from marine clay aquitards, saltwater intrusion and also hydraulic connections between the Canadian Shield and the granular deposits, as the main processes affecting the hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater in the CHCN region.

Immuno-SPR-MS is the combination of immuno-sensors in biochip format with mass spectrometry. This association of instrumentation allows the detection and the quantification of proteins of interest by SPR and their molecular characterization by additional MS analysis. However, two major bottlenecks must be overcome for a wide diffusion of the SPR-MS analytical platform: (i) To warrant all the potentialities of MS, an enzymatic digestion step must be developed taking into account the spot formats on the biochip and (ii) the biological relevancy of such an analytical solution requires that biosensing must be performed in complex media. In this study, we developed a procedure for the detection and the characterization at ~1 µg/mL of the LAG3 protein spiked in human plasma. The analytical performances of this new method was established, particularly its specificity (S/N > 9) and sensitivity (100% of LAG3 identification with high significant mascot score >68 at the femtomole level). The collective and automated on-chip MALDI-MS imaging and analysis based on peptidic fragments opens numerous applications in the fields of proteomics and diagnosis.

The study of the physical geology and geochemistry of the Ribeirão Preto basalts was part of a hydrogeologicalresearch, which aimed to investigate the recharge of the Guarani Aquifer System (SAG) through the basalts of the SerraGeral Aquifer (ASG), a project shortly named FRATASG. In addition to the hydrogeological research, a detailed geologicalinvestigation was conducted to develop a conceptual model of groundwater fl ow in complex aquifers, as is the case ofthe fractured basalts of the ASG. Therefore, this study included a thorough structural survey and analysis of horizontaland subvertical fractures, which resulted in the identifi cation of four tectonic events. It was concluded that the verticalgroundwater flow is important up to 10 m in depth and, secondarily, up to 25 m. Horizontal fl ow, more evident up to thedepth of 50 m, predominates and occurs along sub-horizontal fractures, which occur mainly at the contact between basalts2 and 3 and in its vicinity. Because the great majority of subvertical fractures do not propagate into the vesicular layers,which occur at the basalt contacts, it is suggested that these layers act as regional hydraulic barriers, and greatly hamperthe recharge of the SAG through the ASG. As a consequence, groundwater flow in the basalt stack is of stratabound type,as it occurs mainly along the basalt contacts. Based on diagnostic features of the fl ow, it is proposed in this study that the vertical flow,which crosses the basalt stack reaching the SAG, is local and probably occurs along NE structures.

The contribution focuses on the development of microresonant sensor solution integrated in microfluidic platform for the haemostasis assessment at realistic rheological flow conditions similar to the one in blood vessels. A multi-parameter sensor performs real time analysis of interactions between immobilized collagen and platelets. The detection and characterization of such interactions at controlled flow rates provide information to evaluate the dynamic of each step of primary haemostasis. The microresonant sensor concept was developed and is described in the contribution.

A motivação que levou ao estudo da geologia física e química dos basaltos de Ribeirão Preto foi investigar a existência de recarga do Sistema Aquífero Guarani (SAG) através dos basaltos do Aquífero Serra Geral (ASG), objetivo do projeto abreviadamente denominado de FRATASG. Além de métodos hidrogeológicos, a pesquisa demandou uma investigação geológica de detalhe, a qual é essencial para a elaboração de modelos conceituais de circulação de água subterrânea em aquíferos complexos, caso dos basaltos do ASG. Assim, o estudo englobou levantamentos estruturais de detalhe e a análise de fraturas que levou à identificação de quatro eventos tectônicos. Concluiu-se que o fluxo vertical de água subterrânea é importante até a profundidade de 10 m e, secundariamente, até 25 m. O fluxo horizontal, mais importante até a profundidade de 50 m, ocorre ao longo de fraturas preferencialmente localizadas nos contatos entre os basaltos B2 e B3 ou próximas a estes. Sugere-se que a recarga do SAG através do ASG é dificultada pela não propagação de fraturas nos níveis vesiculares dos basaltos, presentes nos contatos entre derrames, que funcionariam como uma barreira hidráulica de caráter regional. Assim a circulação de água subterrânea nos basaltos é do tipo limitada por estratos (stratabound), uma vez que é muito mais intensa paralelamente aos derrames do que transversalmente a eles. Com base em feições diagnósticas de fluxo, propõe-se que o fluxo vertical, atravessando toda a pilha de basaltos e chegando ao SAG, quando presente, ocorra segundo estruturas de direção NE.

Neuropilins, initially characterized as neuronal receptors, act as co-receptors for cancer related growth factors and were recently involved in several signaling pathways leading to cytoskeletal organization, angiogenesis and cancer progression. Then, we sought to investigate the ability of neuropilin-2 to orchestrate epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer cells. Using specific siRNA to target neuropilin-2 expression, or gene transfer, we first observed that neuropilin-2 expression endows HT29 and Colo320 for xenograft formation. Moreover, neuropilin-2 conferred a fibroblastic-like shape to cancer cells, suggesting an involvement of neuropilin-2 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Indeed, the presence of neuropilin-2 in colorectal carcinoma cell lines was correlated with loss of epithelial markers such as cytokeratin-20 and E-cadherin and with acquisition of mesenchymal molecules such as vimentin. Furthermore, we showed by surface plasmon resonance experiments that neuropilin-2 is a receptor for transforming-growth factor-β1. The expression of neuropilin-2 on colon cancer cell lines was indeed shown to promote transforming-growth factor-β1 signaling, leading to a constitutive phosphorylation of the Smad2/3 complex. Treatment with specific TGFβ-type1 receptor kinase inhibitors restored E-cadherin levels and inhibited in part neuropilin-2-induced vimentin expression, suggesting that neuropilin-2 cooperates with TGFβ-type1 receptor to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer cells. Our results suggest a direct role of NRP2 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and highlight a cross-talk between neuropilin-2 and TGF-β1 signaling to promote cancer progression. These results suggest that neuropilin-2 fulfills all the criteria of a therapeutic target to disrupt multiple oncogenic functions in solid tumors.

A motivação que levou ao estudo da geologia física e química dos basaltos de Ribeirão Preto foi investigar a existência de recarga do Sistema Aqüífero Guarani (SAG) através dos basaltos do Aqüífero Serra Geral (ASG), objetivo do projeto abreviadamente denominado de FRATASG. Além de métodos hidrogeológicos, a pesquisa demandou uma investigação geológica de detalhe, a qual é essencial para a elaboração de modelos conceituais de circulação de água subterrânea em aquíferos complexos, caso dos basaltos do ASG. Assim, o estudo englobou levantamentos estruturais de detalhe e a análise de fraturas horizontais e verticais o que levou à identificação de quatro eventos tectônicos. Concluiu-se que o fluxo vertical de água subterrânea é importante até a profundidade de 10m e, secundariamente, até 25m. Há predomínio de fluxo horizontal o qual ocorre, preferencialmente ao longo de fraturas subhorizontais, presentes nos contatos entre os basalto 2 e 3 ou próximas a estes. Sugere-se que fluxo vertical mais profundo é muito localizado e deve ocorrer preferencialmente segundo a direção NE.

A área de estudo localiza-se a sul da área urbana de Ribeirão Preto e constitui-se de basaltos Aqüífero Serra Geral (ASG) junto ao contato com os arenitos da Formação Botucatu, do Sistema Aqüífero Guarani (SAG). Com o tratamento estatístico de parâmetros geométricos das fraturas que cortam os basaltos e modelagem da rede de fraturas, almeja-se contribuir para a elaboração de modelos conceituais do fluxo de água subterrânea no ASG, os quais podem ser incorporados na estimativa da recarga do SAG através do ASG. Os dados utilizados foram gerados em levantamento sistemático de fraturas ao longo de scanlines e de análise estrutural e tectônica. Os resultados principais obtidos são: identificação de 6 grupos de fraturas e seus parâmetros geométricos bem como seus desvios padrões; simulação de vários tipos de redes de fraturas no Udec, programa que fornece como dado de saída a quantidade de cisalhamento, abertura e fechamento que ocorre quando a massa de basalto fraturada é submetida a determinadas condições de esforços. Estes resultados tem importância significativa, já que existe correlação positiva entre cisalhamento e transmissividade, como mostrado em trabalhos anteriores.