Influence on alveolar resorption of the buccal bony plate width in the edentulous ridge expansion (ERE) - an experimental study in the dog

Objective: To compare the hard tissue changes at implants installed applying edentulous ridge expansion (E.R.E.) at sites with a buccal bony wall thickness of 1 or 2 mm.Material and methods: In six Labrador dogs, the first and second maxillary incisors were extracted, and the buccal alveolar bony plates and septa were removed. After 3 months of healing, partial-thickness flaps were dissected, and the E.R.E. was applied bilaterally. Hence, an expansion of the buccal bony crest was obtained in both sides of the maxilla with a displacement of either a 1- or a 2-mm-wide buccal bony plate at the test and control sites, respectively. After 3 months of healing, biopsies were obtained for histological analyses.Results: A buccal vertical resorption of the alveolar crest of 2.3 +/- 0.8 and 2.1 +/- 1.1 mm, and a coronal level of osseointegration at the buccal aspect of 2.7 +/- 0.5 and 2.9 +/- 0.9 mm were found at the test (1 mm) and control (2 mm) sites, respectively. The differences did not reach statistical significance. The mean values of the mineralized bone-to-implant contact (MBIC%) ranged from 62% to 73% at the buccal and lingual sites. No statistically significant differences were found. Horizontal volume gains of 1.8 and 1.1 mm were observed at the test and control sites, respectively, and the difference being statistically significant.Conclusions: Implants installed using the E.R.E. technique yielded a high degree of osseointegration. It is suggested that the displacement of buccal bony plates of 1 mm thickness is preferable compared with that of wider dimensions.

A Modified Branch and Bound Algorithm to Solve the Transmission Expansion Planning Problem

In this paper a novel Branch and Bound (B&B) algorithm to solve the transmission expansion planning which is a non-convex mixed integer nonlinear programming problem (MINLP) is presented. Based on defining the options of the separating variables and makes a search in breadth, we call this algorithm a B&BML algorithm. The proposed algorithm is implemented in AMPL and an open source Ipopt solver is used to solve the nonlinear programming (NLP) problems of all candidates in the B&B tree. Strategies have been developed to address the problem of non-linearity and non-convexity of the search region. The proposed algorithm is applied to the problem of long-term transmission expansion planning modeled as an MINLP problem. The proposed algorithm has carried out on five commonly used test systems such as Garver 6-Bus, IEEE 24-Bus, 46-Bus South Brazilian test systems, Bolivian 57-Bus, and Colombian 93-Bus. Results show that the proposed methodology not only can find the best known solution but it also yields a large reduction between 24% to 77.6% in the number of NLP problems regarding to the size of the systems.

Transmission Expansion Planning Via a Constructive Heuristic Algorithm in Restructured Electricity Industry

The transmission expansion planning problem in modern power systems is a large-scale, mixed-integer, nonlinear and non-convex problem. this paper presents a new mathematical model and a constructive heuristic algorithm (CHA) for solving transmission expansion planning problem under new environment of electricity restructuring. CHA finds an acceptable solution in an iterative process, where in each step a circuit is chosen using a sensitivity index and added to the system. The proposed model consider multiple generation scenarios therefore the methodology finds high quality solution in which it allows the power system operate adequacy in an environment with multiple generators scenarios. Case studies and simulation results using test systems show possibility of using Constructive heuristic algorithm in an open access system.

New records and distribution expansion for Neotropical water-striders (Insecta: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha)

Based on material from several collections, summarized distributions and new records are presented for selected Neotropical species of Gerromorpha of the families Gerridae (Brachymetra albinervis albinervis, B. furva, B. lata, B. shawi, Cylindrostethus erythropus, C. linearis, C. palmaris, C. regulus, Halobatopsis platensis, Limnogonus aduncus aduncus, L. hyalinus, L. ignotus, L. profugus, L. recurvus, Neogerris lubricus, N. magnus, N. lotus, N. visendus, Ovatametra gualeguay, Rheumatobates crassifemur crassifemur, R. c. esakii, Tachygerris adamsoni, T. celocis and T. surinamensis), Hydrometridae (Hydrometra guianana and H. sztolcmani) and Mesoveliidae (Mesovelia amoena, M. mulsanti and Mesoveloidea williamsi).

Lack of bone healing: an unusual complication following surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion

Bone defects at interdental osteotomy sites are as a complication of surgi-cally assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE). The replacement of osseoustissue by fibrous connective tissue impairs the spontaneous closure of adiastema between central incisors, and orthodontic tooth movementthrough the defect area may lead to root resorption. Treatment of such asituation requires an orthodontic-surgical approach. In this report, wedescribe the lack of bone healing at the midline osteotomy site after SARPE,which was treated by autogenous bone grafting as assessed by cone beamcomputed tomography. In addition, we discuss factors related to the aetiol-ogy and treatment of a bone defect after SARPE.

Probing the Mott physics in kappa-(BEDT-TTF)(2)X salts via thermal expansion

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Short-term expansion planning of radial electrical distribution systems using mixed-integer linear programming

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fibroblast growth factor 17 and bone morphogenetic protein 15 enhance cumulus expansion and improve quality of in vitro-produced embryos in cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Developing an optimization tool for evaluating the transmission system expansion

The transmission system is responsible for connecting the power generators to consumers safely and reliably, its constant expansion is necessary to transport increasing amounts of electricity. In order to help the power systems engineers, an optimization tool for optimize the expansion of the transmission system was developed using the modeling method of the linearized load flow and genetic. This tool was designed to simulate the impact of different scenarios on the cost of transmission expansion. The proposed tool was used to simulate the effects of the presence of distributed generation in the expansion of a fictitious transmission system, where it was found a clear downward trend in investment required for the expansion of the transmission system taking account of increasing levels of distributed generation.

Transmission network expansion planning considering repowering and reconfiguration

Transmission expansion planning (TEP) is a classic problem in electric power systems. In current optimization models used to approach the TEP problem, new transmission lines and two-winding transformers are commonly used as the only candidate solutions. However, in practice, planners have resorted to non-conventional solutions such as network reconfiguration and/or repowering of existing network assets (lines or transformers). These types of non-conventional solutions are currently not included in the classic mathematical models of the TEP problem. This paper presents the modeling of necessary equations, using linear expressions, in order to include non-conventional candidate solutions in the disjunctive linear model of the TEP problem. The resulting model is a mixed integer linear programming problem, which guarantees convergence to the optimal solution by means of available classical optimization tools. The proposed model is implemented in the AMPL modeling language and is solved using CPLEX optimizer. The Garver test system, IEEE 24-busbar system, and a Colombian system are used to demonstrate that the utilization of non-conventional candidate solutions can reduce investment costs of the TEP problem. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed-integer convex model for VAr expansion planning

This paper presents a mixed-integer convex-optimization-based approach for optimum investment reactive power sources in transmission systems. Unlike some convex-optimization techniques for the reactive power planning solution, in the proposed approach the taps settings of under-load tap-changing of transformers are modeled as a mixed-integer linear set equations. Are also considered the continuous and discrete variables for the existing and new capacitive and reactive power sources. The problem is solved for three significant demand scenarios (low demand, average demand and peak demand). Numerical results are presented for the CIGRE-32 electric power system.

Optimized δ expansion for the Walecka model

The optimized δ-expansion is used to study vacuum polarization effects in the Walecka model. The optimized δ-expansion is a nonperturbative approach for field theoretic models which combines the techniques of perturbation theory and the variational principle. Vacuum effects on self-energies and the energy density of nuclear matter are studied up to script O sign(δ2). When exchange diagrams are neglected, the traditional relativistic Hartree approximation (RHA) results are exactly reproduced and, using the same set of parameters that saturate nuclear matter in the RHA, a new stable, tightly bound state at high density is found.

Optimized delta expansion for relativistic nuclear models

The optimized delta-expansion is a nonperturbative approach for field theoretic models which combines the techniques of perturbation theory and the variational principle. This technique is discussed in the lambda phi(4) model and then implemented in the Walecka model for the equation of state of nuclear matter. The results obtained with the delta expansion are compared with those obtained with the traditional mean field, relativistic Hartree and Hartree-Fock approximations.

Shape-independent expansion for the 3S1 - 3D1 mixing parameter

A low-energy shape-independent expansion is suggested for the function tan(2εBB)/(2k2), where εBB is the Blatt-Biedenharn mixing parameter for the 3S1 - 3D1 channel. This expansion allows an evaluation of the mixing parameter εBB from a knowledge of the deuteron asymptotic D to S ratio, pion mass and other low-energy observables, such as the scattering lengths, deuteron binding etc., of the nucleon-nucleon system. We demonstrate that the correct long range behavior of the tensor potential is essential for a realistic reproduction of εBB.

Metformin and soybean-derived bioactive molecules attenuate the expansion of stem cell-like epithelial subpopulation and confer apoptotic sensitivity in human colon cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease whose genesis may include metabolic dysregulation. Cancer stem cells are attractive targets for therapeutic interventions since their aberrant expansion may underlie tumor initiation, progression, and recurrence. To investigate the actions of metabolic regulators on cancer stem cell-like cells (CSC) in CRC, we determined the effects of soybean-derived bioactive molecules and the anti-diabetes drug metformin (MET), alone and together, on the growth, survival, and frequency of CSC in human HCT116 cells. Effects of MET (60 μM) and soybean components genistein (Gen, 2 μM), lunasin (Lun, 2 μM), β-conglycinin (β-con, 3 μM), and glycinin (Gly, 3 μM) on HCT116 cell proliferation, apoptosis, and mRNA/protein expression and on the frequency of the CSC CD133(+)CD44(+) subpopulation by colonosphere assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting/flow cytometry were evaluated. MET, Gen, and Lun, individually and together, inhibited HCT116 viability and colonosphere formation and, conversely, enhanced HCT116 apoptosis. Reductions in frequency of the CSC CD133(+)CD44(+) subpopulation with MET, Gen, and Lun were found to be associated with increased PTEN and reduced FASN expression. In cells under a hyperinsulinemic state mimicking metabolic dysregulation and without and with added PTEN-specific inhibitor SF1670, colonosphere formation and frequency of the CD133(+)CD44(+) subpopulation were decreased by MET, Lun and Gen, alone and when combined. Moreover, MET + Lun + Gen co-treatment increased the pro-apoptotic and CD133(+)CD44(+)-inhibitory efficacy of 5-fluorouracil under hyperinsulinemic conditions. Results identify molecular networks shared by MET and bioavailable soy food components, which potentially may be harnessed to increase drug efficacy in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with CRC.