Measurement of the inclusive 3-jet production differential cross section in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV and determination of the strong coupling constant in the TeV range

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Constraints on parton distribution functions and extraction of the strong coupling constant from the inclusive jet cross section in pp collisions at root s=7TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Transfer of a cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet through a long flexible plastic tube

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

Inactivation of candida albicans by cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet

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

Deciphering 40 TeV rapidity gap physics with 2 TeV jet events

Rapidity gaps may provide an adequate signature for electroweak processes at supercolliders, including the production of the Higgs particle. We show how this important issue can be studied in the dijet final states of operating proton-antiproton colliders and present quantitative predictions.

Use of autogenous bone and beta-tricalcium phosphate in maxillary sinus lifting: a prospective, randomized, volumetric computed tomography study

The correction of bone defects can be performed using autogenous or alloplastic materials, such as beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). This study compared the changes in bone volume (CBV) after maxillary sinus lifting using autogenous bone (n=12), autogenous bone associated with β-TCP 1:1 (ChronOS; DePuy Synthes, Paoli, CA, USA) (n=9), and β-TCP alone (n=11) as grafting material, by means of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBV was evaluated by comparing CBCT scans obtained in the immediate postoperative period (5-7 days) and at 6 months postoperative in each group using OsiriX software (OsiriX Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland). The results showed an average resorption of 45.7±18.6% for the autogenous bone group, 43.8±18.4% for the autogenous bone+β-TCP group, and 38.3±16.6% for the β-TCP group. All bone substitute materials tested in this study presented satisfactory results for maxillary sinus lifting procedures regarding the maintenance of graft volume during the healing phase before the insertion of implants, as assessed by means of CBCT.

Correlation between volume of apical periodontitis determined by cone-beam computed tomography analysis and endotoxin levels found in primary root canal infection

This clinical study was conducted to correlate the levels of endotoxins and bacterial counts found in primary endodontic infection with the volume of periapical bone destruction determined by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) analysis. Moreover, the levels of bacteria and endotoxins were correlated with the development of clinical features. Twenty-four root canals with primary endodontic disease and apical periodontitis were selected. Clinical features such as pain on palpation, pain on percussion, and previous episode of pain were recorded. The volume (cubic millimeters) of periapical bone destruction was determined by CBCT analysis. Endotoxins and bacterial samplings were collected by using sterile/apyrogenic paper points. Endotoxins were quantified by using limulus amebocyte lysate assay (KQCL test), and bacterial count (colony-forming units [CFU]/mL) was determined by using anaerobic culture techniques. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and multiple logistic regression (P < .05). Endotoxins and bacteria were detected in 100% of the root canal samples (24 of 24), with median values of 10.92 endotoxin units (EU)/mL (1.75-128 EU/mL) and 7.5 × 10(5) CFU/mL (3.20 × 10(5)-8.16 × 10(6) CFU/mL), respectively. The median volume of bone destruction determined by CBCT analysis was 100 mm(3) (10-450 mm(3)). The multiple regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between higher levels of endotoxins present in root canal infection and larger volume of bone destruction (P < .05). Moreover, higher levels of endotoxins were also correlated with the presence of previous pain (P < .05). Our findings revealed that the levels of endotoxins found in root canal infection are related to the volume of periapical bone destruction determined by CBCT analysis. Moreover, the levels of endotoxin are related to the presence of previous pain.

Mandibular cortical bone evaluation on cone beam computed tomography images of patients with bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaws

Objectives The objective of this study was to develop a technique for detecting cortical bone dimensional changes in patients with bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ). Study Design Subjects with BRONJ who had cone-beam computed tomography imaging were selected, with age- and gender-matched controls. Mandibular cortical bone measurements to detect bisphosphonate-related cortical bone changes were made inferior to mental foramen, in 3 different ways: within a fixed sized rectangle, in a rectangle varying with the cortical height, and a ratio between area and height. Results Twelve BRONJ cases and 66 controls were evaluated. The cortical bone measurements were significantly higher in cases than controls for all 3 techniques. The bone measurements were strongly associated with BRONJ case status (odds ratio 3.36-7.84). The inter-rater reliability coefficients were high for all techniques (0.71-0.90). Conclusions Mandibular cortical bone measurement is a potentially useful tool in the detection of bone dimensional changes caused by bisphosphonates. Long-term administration of bisphosphonates (BPs) affects bone quality and metabolism following accumulation in bone.1 Since the first cases of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) were published in 2003,2 there has been a search for factors that can predict the onset of the condition. Oral and intravenous BPs reduce bone resorption, increase mineral content of bone, and alter bony architecture.3, 4, 5 and 6 Previous studies have demonstrated these changes both radiographically and following histologic analysis.1, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10 The BP-related jaw changes may present radiological features, such as thickening of lamina dura and cortical borders, diffuse sclerosis, and narrowing of the mandibular canal3 and 11; however, oral radiographs of patients taking BPs do not consistently show radiographic changes to the jaws.11 and 12 The challenge is to find imaging tools that could improve the detection of changes in the bone associated with BP use. Various skeletal radiographic features associated with BRONJ in conventional periapical and panoramic radiographs, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear bone scanning have been described.3, 8, 9, 10 and 11 There has also been a search for BP-related quantitative methods for the evaluation of radiographic images, to avoid observer subjectivity in interpretation. Factors thought to be important include trabecular and cortical structure, and bone mineralization.4 Consequently, measurable bone data have been reported in subjects taking BPs through many techniques, including bone density, architecture, and cortical bone thickness.1, 4, 7 and 13 Trabecular microarchitecture of postmenopausal women has been evaluated with noninvasive techniques, such as high-resolution magnetic resonance images showing less deterioration of the bone 1 year after initiation of oral BP therapy.4 A decrease in bone turnover and a trend for an increase in the bone wall thickness has been detected by histomorphometry in subjects taking BPs.1 Alterations in the cortical structure of the second metacarpal have been detected in digital x-ray radiogrammetry of postmenopausal women treated with BPs.7 Mandibular cortical width may be measured on dental panoramic radiographs, and it has been suggested as a screening tool for referring patients for bone densitometry for osteoporosis investigation.14 and 15 Inhibition of the intracortical bone remodeling in the mandible of mice taking BPs has been reported.16 Thus, imaging evaluation of the mandibular cortical bone could be a biologically plausible way to detect BP bone alterations. Computed tomography can assess both cortical and trabecular bone characteristics. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) can provide 3-dimensional information, while using lower doses and costing less than conventional CT. The CBCT images have been studied as a tool for the measurement of trabecular bone in patients with BRONJ.13 Therefore, cortical bone measurements on CBCT of the jaws might also help to understand bone changes in patients with BRONJ. There is no standard in quantifying dimensional changes of mandibular cortical bone. We explored several different approaches to take into consideration possible changes in length, area, and volume. These led to the 3 techniques developed in this study. This article reports a matched case-control study in which mandibular cortical bone was measured on CBCT images of subjects with BRONJ and controls. The aim of the study was to explore the usefulness of 3 techniques for detecting mandibular cortical bone dimensional changes caused by BP.

Comparative analysis between biogas flow in landfill and electrical resistivity tomography in Rio Claro city, Brazil

The biogas originated from anaerobic degradation of organic matter in landfills consists basically in CH4, CO2, and H2O. The landfills represent an important depository of organic matter with high energetic potential in Brazil, although with inexpressive use in the present. The estimation of production of the productive rate of biogas represents one of the major difficulties of technical order to the planning of capture system for rational consumption of this resource. The applied geophysics consists in a set of methods and techniques with wide use in environmental and hydrogeological studies. The DC resistivity method is largely applied in environmental diagnosis of the contamination in soil and groundwater, due to the contrast of electrical properties frequent between contaminated areas and the natural environment. This paper aims to evaluate eventual relationships between biogas flows quantified in drains located in the landfill, with characteristic patterns of electrical resistivity in depth. The drain of higher flow (117 m3 /h) in depth was characterized for values between 8000 Ω⋅m and 100.000 Ω⋅m, in contrast with values below 2000 Ω⋅m, which characterize in subsurface the drain with less flow (37 m3 /h), besides intermediary flow and electrical resistivity values, attributed to the predominance of areas with accumulation or generation of biogas.

Predicting dysthyroid optic neuropathy using computed tomography volumetric analyses of orbital structures

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of orbital apex crowding volume measurements calculated with multidetector-computed tomography to detect dysthyroid optic neuropathy. METHODS: Ninety-three patients with Graves' orbitopathy were studied prospectively. All of the patients underwent a complete neuro-ophthalmic examination and computed tomography scanning. Volumetric measurements were calculated from axial and coronal contiguous sections using a dedicated workstation. Orbital fat and muscle volume were estimated on the basis of their attenuation values (in Hounsfield units) using measurements from the anterior orbital rim to the optic foramen. Two indexes of orbital muscle crowding were calculated: i) the volumetric crowding index, which is the ratio between soft tissue (mainly extraocular muscles) and orbital fat volume and is based on axial scans of the entire orbit; and ii) the volumetric orbital apex crowding index, which is the ratio between the extraocular muscles and orbital fat volume and is based on coronal scans of the orbital apex. Two groups of orbits (with and without dysthyroid optic neuropathy) were compared. RESULTS: One hundred and two orbits of 61 patients with Graves' orbitopathy met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Forty-one orbits were diagnosed with Graves' orbitopathy, and 61 orbits did not have optic neuropathy. The two groups of orbits differed significantly with regard to both of the volumetric indexes (p<0.001). Although both indexes had good discrimination ability, the volumetric orbital apex crowding index yielded the best results with 92% sensitivity, 86% specificity, 81%/94% positive/negative predictive value and 88% accuracy at a cutoff of 4.14. CONCLUSION: This study found that the orbital volumetric crowding index was a more effective predictor of dysthyroid optic neuropathy than previously described computed tomography indexes were.

Measurement of buccal bone volume of dental implants by means of cone-beam computed tomography

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for measuring the buccal bone volume around dental implants. Materials and methods: Three to six implants were inserted into the anterior maxilla of eight skulls, depending on the availability of bone, and after this, the CBCT was performed. By means of CBCT image, measurements of the bone wall at three points of the implant were obtained, analyzed and compared with those obtained in the plaster skull casting. Results: The results showed that for the three points of the implants, no statistically significant difference in the measurements was obtained from the plaster model and CBCT images. Conclusions: CBCT can be a useful tool for assessing buccal bone volume along the implant. To cite this article:?Shiratori LN, Marotti J, Yamanouchi J, Chilvarquer I, Contin I, Tortamano-Neto P. Measurement of buccal bone volume of dental implants by means of cone-beam computed tomography.?Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 23, 2012; 797804.?doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0501.2011.02207.x

Resistance of Cyanobacterial Fouling on Architectural Paint Films to Cleaning by Water Jet

Mortar panels painted with three different white acrylic coatings were exposed to the environment in urban (So Paulo) and rural (Pirassununga) sites in Brazil for 7 years. After this time, all panels were almost equally discoloured, and paint detachment was observed to only a small degree. The biofilms were composed mainly of cyanobacteria and filamentous fungi, principal genera being Gloeocapsa and Chroococcidiopsis of the cyanobacteria, and Cladosporium and Alternaria of the fungi. Two of the three paints in Pirassununga became covered by a pink film that contained red-encapsulated Gloeocapsa and clay particles. The third, an 800% elastomeric matt formulation, became discoloured with a grey, only slightly pink, film, although the same cyanobacteria were present. The levels of paint detachments from all films in both locations were low, with rating range of 0-1 of a maximum 5 (100% detachment). After high-pressure water jetting, paint detachments increased at both locations, up to 2 in Pirassununga and 3 in So Paulo. Discoloration decreased; L*A*B* analysis of surface discoloration showed that Delta E (alteration in colour from the original paint film) changed from 28-39 before cleaning to 13-16 afterwards. The pink coloration was not entirely removed from Pirassununga samples, suggesting that cyanobacterial cells are difficult to detach, and microscopic analysis of the biofilms confirmed that Gloeocapsa was still present as the principal contaminant on all surfaces, with Chroococcidiopsis being present as the second most common. Almost no fungi were detected after water jet application.

Image Reconstruction Using Interval Simulated Annealing in Electrical Impedance Tomography

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an imaging technique that attempts to reconstruct the impedance distribution inside an object from the impedance between electrodes placed on the object surface. The EIT reconstruction problem can be approached as a nonlinear nonconvex optimization problem in which one tries to maximize the matching between a simulated impedance problem and the observed data. This nonlinear optimization problem is often ill-posed, and not very suited to methods that evaluate derivatives of the objective function. It may be approached by simulated annealing (SA), but at a large computational cost due to the expensive evaluation process of the objective function, which involves a full simulation of the impedance problem at each iteration. A variation of SA is proposed in which the objective function is evaluated only partially, while ensuring boundaries on the behavior of the modified algorithm.

Jet quenching in a strongly coupled anisotropic plasma

The jet quenching parameter of an anisotropic plasma depends on the relative orientation between the anisotropic direction, the direction of motion of the parton, and the direction along which the momentum broadening is measured. We calculate the jet quenching parameter of an anisotropic, strongly coupled N = 4 plasma by means of its gravity dual. We present the results for arbitrary orientations and arbitrary values of the anisotropy. The anisotropic value can be larger or smaller than the isotropic one, and this depends on whether the comparison is made at equal temperatures or at equal entropy densities. We compare our results to analogous calculations for the real-world quark-gluon plasma and find agreement in some cases and disagreement in others.