Avaliação de desempenho no processo de lixamento de madeiras das espécies Pinus elliottii e Corymbia citriodora

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Limites reais e impostos à criança com subvisão: a contribuição do design para o projeto de jogos inclusivos

Pós-graduação em Design - FAAC

Estudo do peso metabólico e índice de Kleiber na estimação de parâmetros genéticos de características ponderais em uma população de bovinos de raça brahman

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Desempenho mecânico de embalagens rígidas utilizadas na indústria agroquímica: estudo de compressão

The world population is growing at exponential scales, thus the demand for food grows significantly. The use of pesticides is seen as a way to meet the demand for food and increase the efficiency and productivity of the agricultural sector. BASF SA in partnership with packaging suppliers represent a remarkable scene in the Brazilian market in the agrochemicals sector. In 2014, the Department of Agro from BASF Packaging, identified in its production process certain deformation of its rigid packaging during the filling process of pesticides. This phenomenon is probably caused by the low resistance to compression that the package is used. In order to eliminate the deformation of rigid packaging arising from the filling step, a study will be conducted in conjunction with the supplier JET UNIPAC whose on line problems occurred more frequently. The study is to identify the strength of the rigid containers standardize a compression resistance value at which the package is not deformed after the filling step. This study will present an investigation through experiments combined with theoretical concepts in order to determine possible causes for the emergence of this phenomenon. At the end of the study, a solution to eliminate or reduce to the maximum the packaging deformation problem appears

Analysis and Transformation of Pipe-like Web Mashups for End User Programmers

Mashups are becoming increasingly popular as end users are able to easily access, manipulate, and compose data from several web sources. To support end users, communities are forming around mashup development environments that facilitate sharing code and knowledge. We have observed, however, that end user mashups tend to suffer from several deficiencies, such as inoperable components or references to invalid data sources, and that those deficiencies are often propagated through the rampant reuse in these end user communities. In this work, we identify and specify ten code smells indicative of deficiencies we observed in a sample of 8,051 pipe-like web mashups developed by thousands of end users in the popular Yahoo! Pipes environment. We show through an empirical study that end users generally prefer pipes that lack those smells, and then present eleven specialized refactorings that we designed to target and remove the smells. Our refactorings reduce the complexity of pipes, increase their abstraction, update broken sources of data and dated components, and standardize pipes to fit the community development patterns. Our assessment on the sample of mashups shows that smells are present in 81% of the pipes, and that the proposed refactorings can reduce that number to 16%, illustrating the potential of refactoring to support thousands of end users developing pipe-like mashups.

Desempenho mecânico de embalagens rígidas utilizadas na indústria agroquímica: estudo de compressão

The world population is growing at exponential scales, thus the demand for food grows significantly. The use of pesticides is seen as a way to meet the demand for food and increase the efficiency and productivity of the agricultural sector. BASF SA in partnership with packaging suppliers represent a remarkable scene in the Brazilian market in the agrochemicals sector. In 2014, the Department of Agro from BASF Packaging, identified in its production process certain deformation of its rigid packaging during the filling process of pesticides. This phenomenon is probably caused by the low resistance to compression that the package is used. In order to eliminate the deformation of rigid packaging arising from the filling step, a study will be conducted in conjunction with the supplier JET UNIPAC whose on line problems occurred more frequently. The study is to identify the strength of the rigid containers standardize a compression resistance value at which the package is not deformed after the filling step. This study will present an investigation through experiments combined with theoretical concepts in order to determine possible causes for the emergence of this phenomenon. At the end of the study, a solution to eliminate or reduce to the maximum the packaging deformation problem appears

The use of thermal manikin to evaluate interface pressure distribution

The use of a thermal buttocks manikin(1) was explored as a tool to standardize the evaluation of seat comfort. Thermal manikin buttocks were developed and calibrated thermally and anatomically to simulate the sensible heat transfer of a seated person and used to evaluate interface pressure distribution. In essence, the pressure maps of manikin buttocks with and without heating were compared to those of a seated person. The results of average pressure demonstrated that the thermal manikins have a better response in interface pressure measurement than manikins without heating.

Bone marrow cells of swine: collection and separation

Bone marrow is a source of stem cells for greater and easier access, which is widely studied as a provider of hematopoietic and mesenchymal cells for various purposes, mainly therapeutic by the advances in research involving cell therapy. The swine is an animal species commonly used in the pursuit of development of experimental models. Thus, this study aimed to standardize protocol for collection and separation of bone marrow in swines, since this species is widely used as experimental models for various diseases. Twelve animals were used, which underwent bone marrow puncture with access from the iliac crest and cell separation by density gradient followed by a viability test with an average of 98% of viable cells. Given our results, we can ensure the swine as an excellent model for obtaining and isolation of mononuclear cells from bone marrow, stimulating several studies addressing the field of cell therapy. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of selective bile duct ligation on liver parenchyma in young animals: histologic and molecular evaluations

Background/Purpose: The mechanisms of increased collagen production and liver parenchyma fibrosis are poorly understood. These phenomena are observed mainly in children with biliary obstruction (BO), and in a great number of patients, the evolution to biliary cirrhosis and hepatic failure leads to the need for liver transplantation before adolescence. However, pediatric liver transplantation presents with biliary complications in 20% to 30% of cases in the postoperative period. Intra-or extrahepatic stenosis of bile ducts is frequent and may lead to secondary biliary cirrhosis and the need for retransplantation. It is unknown whether biliary stenosis involving isolated segments or lobes may affect the adjacent nonobstructed lobes by paracrine or endocrine means, leading to fibrosis in this parenchyma. Therefore, the present study aimed to create an experimental model of selective biliary duct ligation in young animals with a subsequent evaluation of the histologic and molecular alterations in liver parenchyma of the obstructed and nonobstructed lobes. Methods: After a pilot study to standardize the surgical procedures, weaning rats underwent ligation of the bile ducts of the median, left lateral, and caudate liver lobes. The bile duct of the right lateral lobe was kept intact. To avoid intrahepatic biliary duct collaterals neoformation, the parenchymal connection between the right lateral and median lobes was clamped. The animals were divided into groups according to the time of death: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 weeks after surgical procedure. After death, the median and left lateral lobes (with BO) and the right lateral lobe (without BO [NBO]) were harvested separately. A group of 8 healthy nonoperated on animals served as controls. Liver tissues were subjected to histologic evaluation and quantification of the ductular proliferation and of the portal fibrosis. The expressions of smooth muscle alpha-actin (alpha-SMA), desmin, and transforming growth factor beta 1 genes were studied by molecular analyses (semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and real-time polymerase chain reaction, a quantitative method). Results: Histologic analyses revealed the occurrence of ductular proliferation and collagen formation in the portal spaces of both BO and NBO lobes. These phenomena were observed later in NBO than BO. Bile duct density significantly increased 1 week after duct ligation; it decreased after 2 and 3 weeks and then increased again after 4 and 8 weeks in both BO and NBO lobes. The portal space collagen area increased after 2 weeks in both BO and NBO lobes. After 3 weeks, collagen deposition in BO was even higher, and in NBO, the collagen area started decreasing after 2 weeks. Molecular analyses revealed increased expression of the alpha-SMA gene in both BO and NBO lobes. The semiquantitative and quantitative methods showed concordant results. Conclusions: The ligation of a duct responsible for biliary drainage of the liver lobe promoted alterations in the parenchyma and in the adjacent nonobstructed parenchyma by paracrine and/or endocrine means. This was supported by histologic findings and increased expression of alpha-SMA, a protein related to hepatic fibrogenesis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individually Customized Implants for Laryngoplasty-Are They Possible?

Objective. To standardize the design of individually fitted implants based on computed tomographic (CT) images for use in medialization laryngoplasty without intraoperative voice monitoring. Study Design. Prospective tomographic and anatomical experimental study of 10 human cadaveric larynges. Methods. CT scans of 10 excised human larynges were analyzed to define the shape and size of ideal implants for medialization laryngoplasty. Silicone implants were designed according to CT parameters and used in simulated laryngoplasties in the laryngeal specimens. The efficacy of each implant in providing adequate medialization of the vocal fold was evaluated. Results. Diverse shapes and sizes of implants were obtained, reflecting variations in laryngeal anatomy. The implants enabled regular medialization of the entire extent of the free border of the vocal fold, including its posterior aspect. Medialization was considered adequate in all cases. Conclusions. This method proved to be a simple and efficient way to design individualized implants for medialization laryngoplasty, regardless of the size and shape of the larynx.

Perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas in children: report on six cases

Background Perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas (PMAVFs) are rare spinal lesions and even more uncommon in children. Objective The aim of this study was to document rare occurrences of this type of arteriovenous malformation in six children treated at our institution. Methods The clinical data, radiological findings, and treatment in six cases of PMAVFs were reviewed. Six patients with PMAVFs were managed at our institution over a 5-year period. The patients (four girls and two boys), ranging in age from 6 to 15 years, presented with initially fluctuating, and eventually permanent and progressive, sudden-onset paraparesis, sensory disturbances, and sphincter dysfunction. The duration of symptoms before diagnosis ranged from 1 week to 13 years. Results All the patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging and spinal selective angiography, which demonstrated the characteristic imaging of an arteriovenous fistula. Embolization of the arteriovenous fistula was initially attempted in three patients with successful occlusion of the fistula in two. For the remaining cases, open surgery was performed, with complete occlusion of the fistula. There was no morbidity, regardless of the treatment performed. All the patients experienced neurological improvement after treatment. Conclusions No specific clinical or radiological characteristic of PMAVFs in the pediatric population was observed when our series was compared with a general series. Early diagnosis and timing of the therapeutic intervention seemed to avoid the development of irreversible ischemic myeloradiculopathy and prevented hemorrhage. Treatment for PMAVFs is difficult to standardize because these are extremely rare lesions with different angioarchitecture configurations.

Portable light transmission measuring system for preserved corneas

Abstract Background The authors have developed a small portable device for the objective measurement of the transparency of corneas stored in preservative medium, for use by eye banks in evaluation prior to transplantation. Methods The optical system consists of a white light, lenses, and pinholes that collimate the white light beams and illuminate the cornea in its preservative medium, and an optical filter (400–700 nm) that selects the range of the wavelength of interest. A sensor detects the light that passes through the cornea, and the average corneal transparency is displayed. In order to obtain only the tissue transparency, an electronic circuit was built to detect a baseline input of the preservative medium prior to the measurement of corneal transparency. The operation of the system involves three steps: adjusting the "0 %" transmittance of the instrument, determining the "100 %" transmittance of the system, and finally measuring the transparency of the preserved cornea inside the storage medium. Results Fifty selected corneas were evaluated. Each cornea was submitted to three evaluation methods: subjective classification of transparency through a slit lamp, quantification of the transmittance of light using a corneal spectrophotometer previously developed, and measurement of transparency with the portable device. Conclusion By comparing the three methods and using the expertise of eye bank trained personnel, a table for quantifying corneal transparency with the new device has been developed. The correlation factor between the corneal spectrophotometer and the new device is 0,99813, leading to a system that is able to standardize transparency measurements of preserved corneas, which is currently done subjectively.

Dysglycemias in pregnancy: from diagnosis to treatment. Brazilian consensus statement

There is an urgent need to find consensus on screening, diagnosing and treating all degrees of DYSGLYCEMIA that may occur during pregnancies in Brazil, considering that many cases of DYSGLYCEMIA in pregnant women are currently not diagnosed, leading to maternal and fetal complications. For this reason the Brazilian Diabetes Society (SBD) and the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Societies (FEBRASGO), got together to introduce this proposal. We present here a joint consensus regarding the standardization of clinical management for pregnant women with any degree of Dysglycemia, on the basis of current information, to improve medical assistance and to avoid related complications of Dysglycemia in pregnancy to the mother and the fetus. This consensus aims to standardize the diagnosis among general practitioners, endocrinologists and obstetricians allowing the dissemination of information in basic health units, public and private services, that are responsible for screening, diagnosing and treating disglycemic pregnant patients.

Effect of passive ultrassonic instrumentation as a final irrigation protocol on debris and smear layer removal

This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) on removing the smear layer and debris from root dentin using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Twenty-five bovine incisors were manually prepared and divided into three groups according to the final irrigation protocol: EDTA, final irrigation with 12 mL of 17% EDTA for 3 minutes followed by 5 mL of 2.5% NaOCl; EDTA=PUI, final flush with 4 mL of 17% EDTA and PUI for 30 seconds. These procedures were repeated three times to standardize the volume of the irrigant. Control group, after preparation, the specimens were irrigated only with 17 mL of 2.5% NaOCl. The roots were fractured and analyzed using SEM. The intragroup analysis revealed that the EDTA=PUI protocol removed a higher amount of debris at the cervical third (P 5 0.03). The intergroup analysis revealed that EDTA=PUI presented the lowest amount of debris at the cervical third (P 5 0.007). Smear layer scores were higher in the control group compared with the EDTA and EDTA=PUI groups, but only at the cervical third (P 50.02). None of the final irrigant protocols completely removed the smear layer and debris. EDTA=PUI only improved the removal of debris at the cervical third.

Computational framework to support integration of biomolecular and clinical data within a translational approach

Background The use of the knowledge produced by sciences to promote human health is the main goal of translational medicine. To make it feasible we need computational methods to handle the large amount of information that arises from bench to bedside and to deal with its heterogeneity. A computational challenge that must be faced is to promote the integration of clinical, socio-demographic and biological data. In this effort, ontologies play an essential role as a powerful artifact for knowledge representation. Chado is a modular ontology-oriented database model that gained popularity due to its robustness and flexibility as a generic platform to store biological data; however it lacks supporting representation of clinical and socio-demographic information. Results We have implemented an extension of Chado – the Clinical Module - to allow the representation of this kind of information. Our approach consists of a framework for data integration through the use of a common reference ontology. The design of this framework has four levels: data level, to store the data; semantic level, to integrate and standardize the data by the use of ontologies; application level, to manage clinical databases, ontologies and data integration process; and web interface level, to allow interaction between the user and the system. The clinical module was built based on the Entity-Attribute-Value (EAV) model. We also proposed a methodology to migrate data from legacy clinical databases to the integrative framework. A Chado instance was initialized using a relational database management system. The Clinical Module was implemented and the framework was loaded using data from a factual clinical research database. Clinical and demographic data as well as biomaterial data were obtained from patients with tumors of head and neck. We implemented the IPTrans tool that is a complete environment for data migration, which comprises: the construction of a model to describe the legacy clinical data, based on an ontology; the Extraction, Transformation and Load (ETL) process to extract the data from the source clinical database and load it in the Clinical Module of Chado; the development of a web tool and a Bridge Layer to adapt the web tool to Chado, as well as other applications. Conclusions Open-source computational solutions currently available for translational science does not have a model to represent biomolecular information and also are not integrated with the existing bioinformatics tools. On the other hand, existing genomic data models do not represent clinical patient data. A framework was developed to support translational research by integrating biomolecular information coming from different “omics” technologies with patient’s clinical and socio-demographic data. This framework should present some features: flexibility, compression and robustness. The experiments accomplished from a use case demonstrated that the proposed system meets requirements of flexibility and robustness, leading to the desired integration. The Clinical Module can be accessed in http://dcm.ffclrp.usp.br/caib/pg=iptrans webcite.