Vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus: A tale of multiple outcomes

Globally, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects approximately 130 million people and 3 million new infections occur annually. HCV is also recognized as an important cause of chronic liver disease in children. The absence of proofreading properties of the HCV RNA polymerase leads to a highly error prone replication process, allowing HCV to escape host immune response. The adaptive nature of HCV evolution dictates the outcome of the disease in many ways. Here, we investigated the molecular evolution of HCV in three unrelated children who acquired chronic HCV infection as a result of mother-to-child transmission, two of whom were also coinfected with HIV-1. The persistence of discrete HCV variants and their population structure were assessed using median joining network and Bayesian approaches. While patterns of viral evolution clearly differed between subjects, immune system dysfunction related to HIV coinfection or persistent HCV seronegativity stand as potential mechanisms to explain the lack of molecular evolution observed in these three cases. In contrast, treatment of HCV infection with PegIFN, which did not lead to sustained virologic responses in all 3 cases, was not associated with commensurate variations in the complexity of the variant spectrum. Finally, the differences in the degree of divergence suggest that the mode of transmission of the virus was not the main factor driving viral evolution. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Wide dynamic range homodyne interferometry method and its application for piezoactuator displacement measurements

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

On the shock performance of a nonlinear vibration isolator with high-static-low-dynamic-stiffness

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Contribuições na modelagem dinâmica e no controle neural de um braço robótico com elos flexíveis

Em geral, estruturas espaciais e manipuladores robóticos leves têm uma característica similar e inerente que é a flexibilidade. Esta característica torna a dinâmica do sistema muito mais complexa e com maiores dificuldades para a análise de estabilidade e controle. Então, braços robóticos bastantes leves, com velocidade elevada e potencia limitada devem considerar o controle de vibração causada pela flexibilidade. Por este motivo, uma estratégia de controle é desejada não somente para o controle do modo rígido mas também que seja capaz de controlar os modos de vibração do braço robótico flexível. Também, redes neurais artificiais (RNA) são identificadas como uma subespecialidade de inteligência artificial. Constituem atualmente uma teoria para o estudo de fenômenos complexos e representam uma nova ferramenta na tecnologia de processamento de informação, por possuírem características como processamento paralelo, capacidade de aprendizagem, mapeamento não-linear e capacidade de generalização. Assim, neste estudo utilizam-se RNA na identificação e controle do braço robótico com elos flexíveis. Esta tese apresenta a modelagem dinâmica de braços robóticos com elos flexíveis, 1D no plano horizontal e 2D no plano vertical com ação da gravidade, respectivamente. Modelos dinâmicos reduzidos são obtidos pelo formalismo de Newton-Euler, e utiliza-se o método dos elementos finitos (MEF) na discretização dos deslocamentos elásticos baseado na teoria elementar da viga. Além disso, duas estratégias de controle têm sido desenvolvidas com a finalidade de eliminar as vibrações devido à flexibilidade do braço robótico com elos flexíveis. Primeiro, utilizase um controlador neural feedforward (NFF) na obtenção da dinâmica inversa do braço robótico flexível e o calculo do torque da junta. E segundo, para obter precisão no posicionamento... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Three-point functions and su(1 vertical bar 1) spin chains

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

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.

Investigation of chemical changes in sealers during application of the warm vertical compaction technique

Aim To assess (i) heat generated by pluggers during warm vertical compaction of gutta-percha and investigation of temperature changes on the external root surface during canal filling, and (ii) the chemical changes of root canal sealers induced by heat.Methodology Four sealers, namely AH Plus, MTA Plus and two other experimental sealers based on tricalcium silicate, were characterised. External temperatures generated on the root surface during warm vertical compaction of gutta-percha with different sealers inside the root canal were monitored using an infrared thermography camera. Chemical changes induced by heating the sealers were assessed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.Results MTA Plus and the experimental sealers were composed of a cement and radiopacifier, with epoxy resin or a water-soluble polymer as dispersant, whilst AH Plus was epoxy resin-based. The heat generated at the tips of the continuous wave pluggers was found to be lower than the temperature set and indicated on the device LCD display. The sealers reduced the heat generated on the external root surfaces during the heating phase. AH Plus sustained changes to its chemical structure after exposure to heat, whilst the other sealers were unaffected.Conclusions The temperatures recorded at the tips of continuous wave pluggers varied with their taper and were lower than the temperature set on the System B LCD display. Root canal sealers reduced the dissipation of heat generated during warm vertical compaction, with the temperature at the external root surface maintained at 37-41 degrees C, a temperature below that is necessary to cause irreversible damage to bone and periodontium. The use of AH Plus sealer during warm vertical compaction techniques results in chemical changes in the sealer. The effect on sealer properties needs to be further investigated.

Vertical distribution by demographic groups of ghost crab Ocypode quadrata (Crustacea: Brachyura)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Complex modal analysis of a slender vertical rotor by finite elements method

In this paper, natural frequencies were analyzed (axial, torsional and flexural) and frequency response of a vertical rotor with a hard disk at the edge through the classical modal and complex analysis. The equation that rules the movement was obtained through the Lagrangian formulation. The model considered the effects of bending, torsion and axial deformation of the shaft, besides the gravitational and gyroscopic effects. The finite element method was used to discretize the structure into hollow cylindrical elements with 12 degrees of freedom. Mass, stiffness and gyroscopic matrices were explained consistently. The classical modal analysis, usually applied to stationary structures, does not consider an important characteristic of rotating machinery which are the methods of forward and backward whirl. Initially, through the traditional modal analysis, axial and torsional natural frequencies were obtained in a static shaft, since they do not suffer the influence of gyroscopic effects. Later research was performed by complex modal analysis. This type of tool, based on the use of complex coordinates to describe the dynamic behavior of rotating shaft, allows the decomposition of the system in two submodes, backward and forward. Thus, it is possible to clearly visualize that the orbit and direction of the precessional motion around the line of the rotating shaft is not deformed. A finite element program was developed using MATLAB (TM) and numerical simulations were performed to validate this model. Natural frequencies and directional frequency forced response (dFRF) were obtained using the complex modal analysis for a simple vertical rotor and also for a typical drill string used in the construction of oil wells.

A indução da potencialização pós-ativação através dos saltos: pliométrico e vertical

The Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP) offers a proposal to optimize the production of strength and muscular power when performing exercises near maximum to actions previously assessed . The present study aims to show the activation process of postactivation potentiation (PAP) through vertical and plyometric jumps, and explain the user function of these movements. The ratio of post-activation potentiation resulting from plyometric and vertical jumps and explosive strength in the lower limbs aims to improve the potency and maximal strength, proven through studies and protocols detailed here. The results of this research come can be applied both for athletes and for individuals with experience in strength training and jumps (sports like volleyball, basketball and handball). The study was conducted through a literature review, conducted in scientific journals indexed in major databases (PubMed, ISI-Web of Science, SCIELO), books and academic papers (theses and dissertations)

Análise cinemática e cinética do salto vertical de crianças com transtorno do desenvolvimento da coordenação (TDC)

Due to motor difficulties, children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) doesn't feel motivated to do physical activities, sometimes resulting in a decline of their physical fitness, but it isn't really known for sure the reasons that induct children with DCD to low performances in physical fitness tests, because a lot of tasks that are part of the battery of tests of physical performance are complex in the coordination and/or motor control point of view, like the vertical jump for example. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the factors that induct children with DCD to low performances in physical fitness tests, especially in the vertical jump task. For that, cinematic (duration of the eccentrical phase, duration of the concentrical phase, shift of the mass center and velocity of the mass center), kinetic (potency peak and force peak) and vertical jump performance analysis in two conditions (with the use of arms and without it) were realized in a force platform. The results indicated that children with DCD show a lower performance compared to their peers with typical development (TD), due to a lower potency production

Vila Vertical: moradia estudantil

Este trabalho visa explorar o tema da sustentabilidade, procurando levantar os conceitos e ideais implicítos neste termo, que muitas vezes é disseminado de modo vago e impreciso, o que leva, consequentemente, à banalização do termo, e a perda do sentido real da palavra. É feita a análise e crítica daquilo que é rotulado, ou se auto intitula como sustentável, levando em consideração os padrões estabelecidos por órgãos regulamentadores responsáveis por conceder certificações de caráter sustentável (como por exemplo o Green Building Council e a Fundação Vanzolini) e os conceitos estabelecidos por autores que também exploram o tema. Com base nisso é feita a leitura de alguns projetos que atuam em diversas vertentes, mas que porém, têm como base o mesmo objetido. Assim são analisadas as soluções apresentadas, e os aspectos que fazem daqueles projetos relevantes para a busca da sustentabilidade. Através da junção e da reflexão de todas as informações coletadas, foi gerado o conceito e as diretrizes que servirão de base para o desenvolvimento do projeto, desde a escolha da área a ser trabalhada, ao programa de necessidades e à volumetria das edificações

Reestruturação recente da indústria petroquímica: análise Brasil-Mundo do processo de integração vertical

Este estudo analisa o desenvolvimento do processo de integração vertical na indústria petroquímica brasileira a partir da década de 90, focando nos determinantes para este movimento e confrontando com o mesmo processo adotado em grandes empresas mundiais da indústria

Análise de parâmetros cinéticos em mulheres com Síndrome da Dor Femoropatelar no gesto de subida de escada

Pós-graduação em Fisioterapia - FCT

Determinação do tempo de vida de restaurações totalmente cerâmicas (y-tzp/porcelana) com incidência da carga em diferentes regiões de contato

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)