Photoelastic Stress Analysis of Different Designs of Cement-Retained Fixed Partial Dentures on Morse Taper Oral Implants

There is no consensus in literature regarding the best plan for prosthetic rehabilitation with partial multiple adjacent implants to minimize stress generated in the bone-implant interface. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical behavior of cemented fixed partial dentures, splinted and nonsplinted, on Morse taper implants and with different types of coating material (ceramic and resin), using photoelastic stress analysis. A photoelastic model of an interposed edentulous space, missing a second premolar and a first molar, and rehabilitated with 4 different types of cemented crowns and supported by 2 adjacent implants was used. Groups were as follows: UC, splinted ceramic crowns; IC, nonsplinted ceramic crowns; UR, splinted resin crowns; and IR, nonsplinted resin crowns. Different vertical static loading conditions were performed: balanced occlusal load, 10 kgf; simultaneous punctiform load on the implanted premolar and molar, 10 kgf; and alternate punctiform load on the implanted premolar and molar, 5 kgf. Changes in stress distribution were analyzed in a polariscope, and digital photographs were taken of each condition to allow comparison of stress pattern distribution around the implants. Cementation of the fixed partial dentures generated stresses between implants. Splinted restorations distributed the stresses more evenly between the implants than nonsplinted when force was applied. Ceramic restorations presented better distribution of stresses than resin restorations. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that splinted ceramic restorations promote better stress distribution around osseointegrated implants when compared with nonsplinted crowns; metal-ceramic restorations present less stress concentration and magnitude than metal-plastic restorations.

Álcool e direção : uma questão na agenda política brasileira

Analisar como o problema do álcool e direção foi incorporado à agenda política brasileira é o objetivo deste trabalho. Entre as décadas de 1980 e 1990, as taxas dos acidentes de trânsito correspondiam a quase metade dos óbitos por causas externas, com tendências crescentes. Foi nas últimas duas décadas do século XX, que os acidentes de trânsito foram definidos como problema de saúde pública e, dentro da discussão dos acidentes, violência e óbitos por causas externas, a combinação álcool e direção foi configurada como um problema que requer políticas públicas.

Achados timpanométricos em neonatos com emissões otoacústicas presentes: medidas e interpretações

Timpanometria avalia condições funcionais da orelha média. Quando realizada em neonatos abaixo de quatro meses de idade pode gerar dúvidas. Sondas de alta freqüência têm sido investigadas na busca por resultados mais confiáveis. OBJETIVO: Descrever e analisar interpretações de características e medidas obtidas na timpanometria em neonatos com freqüências de 226, 678 e 1000Hz. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Os 110 neonatos avaliados tinham idade entre 6 e 30 dias, não apresentaram fatores de risco e tinham emissões otoacústicas presentes. A timpanometria foi realizada com o analisador GSI-33-II, na Divisão de Educação e Reabilitação dos Distúrbios da Comunicação, São Paulo, em 2004. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Clínico prospectivo. RESULTADOS: Observou-se equilíbrio nas curvas pico único e pico duplo em 226Hz, maior ocorrência de assimétrica em 678Hz e de pico único em 1000 Hz. Houve significância de gênero na medida volume equivalente do meato acústico externo, em 226Hz, e na medida admitância acústica estática de pico compensado, em 1000Hz. O protocolo inglês apresentou quase 100% de normalidade em 678 e 1000Hz. CONCLUSÃO: A sonda de 1000Hz apresentou melhores resultados na caracterização da normalidade. O protocolo inglês mostrou-se eficiente em diminuir variabilidades das medidas. Os resultados podem ser usados como guia no diagnóstico da timpanometria.

A Methodology for GUI Layer Redefinition Through Virtualization and Computer Vision

Nowadays despite improvements in usability and intuitiveness users have to adapt to the proposed systems to satisfy their needs. For instance, they must learn how to achieve tasks, how to interact with the system, and fulfill system's specifications. This paper proposes an approach to improve this situation enabling graphical user interface redefinition through virtualization and computer vision with the aim of increasing the system's usability. To achieve this goal the approach is based on enriched task models, virtualization and picture-driven computing.

Interaction of formaldehyde and tobacco smoking in the frequency of micronucleus and the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism

Formaldehyde is classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans (nasopharyngeal cancer). Tobacco smoke has been epidemiologically associated to a higher risk of development of cancer, especially in the oral cavity, larynx and lungs, as these are places of direct contact with many carcinogenic tobacco’s compounds. XRCC3 is involved in homologous recombination repair of cross-links and chromosomal double-strand breaks (Thr241Met polymorphism). The aim of the study is to determine whether there is an in vivo association between genetic polymorphism of the gene XRCC3 and the frequency of genotoxicity biomarkers in subjects exposed or not to formaldehyde and with or without tobacco consumption.

Pediculus capitis infestation according to sex and social factors in Argentina

OBJECTIVE: To determine the intensity of Pediculus capitis infestation (abundance) among Argentinean schoolchildren. Children's sex and social stratum were analyzed as modifiers of the general prevalence and degree of parasitism. METHODS: The study included 1,370 schoolchildren (692 girls, 678 boys) from 26 schools of the province of La Rioja (21 public schools, five private schools). Classic prevalence was obtained as the percentage of children with nits and/or lice. Moreover, five degrees of parasitism were classified: 0) children with no signs of pediculosis; 0+) children with evidence of past infestation; 1) children with a recent infestation and low probability of active parasitism; 2) children with a recent infestation and high probability of active parasitism; 3) children with mobile lice (active pediculosis). RESULTS: The general prevalence was 61.4% (girls: 79%; boys: 44%, p<0.001). Private schools showed lower prevalence than public schools (p=0.02), especially due to the low prevalence in boys. Fifty percent of children were classified in classes 0 and 0+, 22% in class 1; and 28% in grades 2 and 3. The proportion of children in grade 3 was higher in public schools than in private schools. There were significant sexual differences in the intensity of parasitism for grades 2 and 3, where girls' rates exceeded twice those of boys'. CONCLUSIONS: Sex and social stratum are important modifiers of P. capitis general prevalence and degree of infestation. The classification of children by intensity of infestation allowed a more precise delimitation of this condition, which is especially important for disease surveillance and application of control measures.

Formar professores investigadores : que margem de manobra no plano curricular?

XI Colóquio sobre Questões Curriculares / VII Colóquio Luso-Brasileiro & I Colóquio Luso-Afro-Brasileiro sobre Questões Curriculares. Complexo pedagógico I, Campus de Gualtar - Universidade do Minho, Braga - Portugal, entre quinta-feira, 18-09-2014 e sábado, 20-09-2014.

Conceptual analogy for modelling entrapped air action in hydraulic systems

Hydraulic systems are dynamically susceptible in the presence of entrapped air pockets, leading to amplified transient reactions. In order to model the dynamic action of an entrapped air pocket in a confined system, a heuristic mathematical formulation based on a conceptual analogy to a mechanical spring-damper system is proposed. The formulation is based on the polytropic relationship of an ideal gas and includes an additional term, which encompasses the combined damping effects associated with the thermodynamic deviations from the theoretical transformation, as well as those arising from the transient vorticity developed in both fluid domains (air and water). These effects represent the key factors that account for flow energy dissipation and pressure damping. Model validation was completed via numerical simulation of experimental measurements.

A Papillary Fibroelastoma of the Tricuspid Valve

Primary cardiac tumours are rare in children. Of these, papillary fibroelastomas are unusual but benign, usually being found in adults. There are only sporadic cases reported in children. We diagnosed such a papillary fibroelastoma involving the tricuspid valve in an asymptomatic child during a routine cardiac investigation.

Primary screening of blood donors by nat testing for HCV-RNA: development of an "in-house" method and results

An "in-house" RT-PCR method was developed that allows the simultaneous detection of the RNA of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and an artificial RNA employed as an external control. Samples were analyzed in pools of 6-12 donations, each donation included in two pools, one horizontal and one vertical, permitting the immediate identification of a reactive donation, obviating the need for pool dismembering. The whole process took 6-8 hours per day and results were issued in parallel to serology. The method was shown to detect all six HCV genotypes and a sensitivity of 500 IU/mL was achieved (95% hit rate). Until July 2005, 139,678 donations were tested and 315 (0.23%) were found reactive for HCV-RNA. Except for five false-positives, all 310 presented the corresponding antibody as well, so the yield of NAT-only donations was zero, presenting a specificity of 99.83%. Detection of a window period donation, in the population studied, will probably demand testing of a larger number of donations. International experience is showing a rate of 1:200,000 - 1:500,000 of isolated HCV-RNA reactive donations.

Normas de Actuação após Exposição Acidental a Produtos Biológicos Potencialmente Infectantes

Os autores apresentam as normas de actuação pós-exposição acidental a produtos biológicos (sangue ou fluídos) potencialmente infectados (com destaque para o VIH, AgHbS e VHC). No caso concreto de exposição ao VIH, a decisão para a recomendação da profilaxia pós-exposição deve ser tomada tendo em conta a natureza da exposição (ex: agulhas ou fluídos potencialmente infectados, em contacto com as mucosas) bem como a quantidade de sangue ou fluído envolvida na exposição. Atendendo ao aumento das resistências a um ou mais dos fármacos anti-retrovíricos recomendados na profilaxia pós-exposição (PPE), em Maio de 1997, um grupo de especialistas do CDC reviu as normas de PPE e aprovou novos esquemas terapêuticos que incluem os Inibidores das Proteases (Indinavir e Nelfinavir). Desta forma, para além do esquema básico de 4 semanas com dois fármacos (zidovudina e lamivudina) utilizado na maior parte dos casos de PPE, poder-se-á considerar, nos casos de alto risco de transmissão da infecção VIH ou suspeita de resistência a um ou mais anti-retrovíricos do esquema básico, a inclusão de um inibidor da protease. Apresenta-se um algoritmo que deverá servir de guia aos clínicos quando confrontados com a decisão de considerar a PPE aos trabalhadores de saúde, após exposição acidental a produtos potencialmente contaminados.

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccination coverage, adverse reactions, and reasons for vaccine refusal among medical students in Brazil

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine, among medical students at a public university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the acceptance of the pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccine during the 2010 mass immunization campaign and the vaccine safety in this group and, among unvaccinated students, the reasons for refusing vaccination. Of a total of 858 students, 678 (79%) participated in the study. Vaccination coverage was 60.4% among students aged 20 to 39 years (an age group targeted for vaccination) and 43.8% among those who did not belong to this age group. The most frequent adverse reactions to the vaccine were pain at the injection site (8.7%) and fever (7.9%). There were no serious adverse reactions. Among students aged 20 to 39 years, the most common reasons for refusing the vaccine were "lack of time" (42.4%), "fear of adverse reactions" (41.9%), and "difficult access to the vaccine" (11.5%). Other reasons for vaccine refusal were "uncertainties about vaccine safety and efficacy" and "vaccination was not needed". To increase the acceptance of the influenza vaccine, a comprehensive immunization program should be offered to these students.

What makes an entrepreneur?: The role of feelings

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

What makes an entrepreneur? The role of feelings

This study uses a sample of 678 observations from the Community Innovation Survey 6 (CIS6) plus the Leadership Module attached in Portugal wherein 55.93% of the respondents are business Owners. It focuses on recent literature on Entrepreneurship to understand how the perceived importance of Personality Traits and Social Ties influence the decision-making process of the Entrepreneur towards an Intuitive or an Analytical Approach. It gets statistical significant values for the Founder/Sample in the traits, and for strong ties in the Founder/Owner Model shows statistical significance.

Earthen plasters based on illitic soils from Barrocal region of Algarve: contributions for building performance and sustainability

Clayish earth-based mortars can be considered eco-efficient products for indoor plastering since they can contribute to improve important aspects of building performance and sustainability. Apart from being products with low embodied energy when compared to other types of mortars used for interior plastering, mainly due to the use raw clay as natural binder, earth-based plasters may give a significant contribution for health and comfort of inhabitants. Due to high hygroscopicity of clay minerals, earth-based mortars present a high adsorption and desorption capacity, particularly when compared to other type of mortars for interior plastering. This capacity allows earth-based plasters to act as a moisture buffer, balancing the relative humidity of the indoor environment and, simultaneously, acting as a passive removal material, improving air quality. Therefore, earth-based plasters may also passively promote the energy efficiency of buildings, since they may contribute to decreasing the needs of mechanical ventilation and air conditioning. This study is part of an ongoing research regarding earth-based plasters and focuses on mortars specifically formulated with soils extracted from Portuguese ‘Barrocal’ region, in Algarve sedimentary basin. This region presents high potential for interior plastering due to regional geomorphology, that promote the occurrence of illitic soils characterized by a high adsorption capacity and low expansibility. More specifically, this study aims to assess how clayish earth and sand ratio of mortars formulation can influence the physical and mechanical properties of plasters. For this assessment four mortars were formulated with different volumetric proportions of clayish earth and siliceous sand. The results from the physical and mechanical characterization confirmed the significantly low linear shrinkage of all the four mortars, as well as their extraordinary adsorption-desorption capacity. These results presented a positive correlation with mortars´ clayish earth content and are consistent with the mineralogical analysis, that confirmed illite as the prevalent clay mineral in the clayish earth used for this study. Regarding mechanical resistance, although the promising results of the adhesion test, the flexural and compressive strength results suggest that the mechanical resistance of these mortars should be slightly improved. Considering the present results the mortars mechanical resistance improvement may be achieved through the formulation of mortars with higher clayish earth content, or alternatively, through the addition of natural fibers to mortars formulation, very common in this type of mortars. Both those options will be investigated in future research.