Mechanical behaviour analysis of polyester polymer mortars modified with recycled GFRP waste materials

In this study the effect of incorporation of recycled glass-fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) waste materials, obtained by means of milling processes, on mechanical behaviour of polyester polymer mortars was assessed. For this purpose, different contents of recycled GFRP waste powder and fibres, with distinct size gradings, were incorporated into polyester based mortars as sand aggregates and filler replacements. Flexural and compressive loading capacities were evaluated and found better than unmodified polymer mortars. GFRP modified polyester based mortars also show a less brittle behaviour, with retention of some loading capacity after peak load. Obtained results highlight the high potential of recycled GFRP waste materials as efficient and sustainable reinforcement and admixture for polymer concrete and mortars composites, constituting an emergent waste management solution

ASPECTOS IMUNOLÓGICOS E CLÍNICOS DA LEISHMANIOSE TEGUMENTAR AMERICANA: uma revisão

Leishmanioses são doenças infecciosas, zoonóticas, causadas por protozoários do gênero Leishmania que, ainda hoje, se constituem em importantes problemas de saúde pública mundial. Caracterizam-se como um complexo de doenças com importante espectro clínico e diversidade epidemiológica e de acordo com a espécie de Leishmania inoculada pelo vetor, o indivíduo infectado apresentará quadros diferentes, variando desde o aparecimento de lesões cutâneas, até a visceralização da infecção. A resposta imune nos seres humanos, devido a sua complexidade, ainda não está tão bem caracterizada como em camundongos. essa resposta envolve citocinas, moléculas coestimulatórias e ativação de linfócitos t auxiliares. De maneira geral, é aceito que a diferença entre resistência e susceptibilidade à infecção está relacionada à expansão de células t auxi-liares (th) dos tipos 1 e 2 (th1 e th2). Pacientes com a forma cutânea localizada desenvolvem ativação de linfócitos th1, na região da lesão, enquanto, aqueles com a forma cutâneo-mucosa apresentam ativação mista de linfócitos th1 e th2. Já os pacientes com a forma cutâneo-difusa exibem quase exclusivamente a ativação de linfócitos th2. o estudo da interação entre parasitas e hospedeiros, mediante a avaliação da biologia parasitária, a saliva do inseto- vetor, e mecanismos imunológicos da resposta do hospedeiro vertebrado têm dado uma nova luz ao entendimento dos mecanimos que regem essa relação. re-visamos aqui alguns desses aspectos.descritores: Leishmaniose tegumentar Americana; Clínica; Epidemiologia; ImunologiaAbstract:  Leishmaniasis are zoonot-ic infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania that still today constitute important public health problems worldwide. Characterized as a complex spectrum of diseases with signifcant clinical and epidemiological and diversity ac-cording to the species of Leishmania inoculated by the vector and infected individuals will present different conditions, rang-ing from the development of cutaneous lesions to visceral infection. the immune response in humans, due to its complexity, is still not as well characterized as in mice. this response involves cytokines, co-stimulatory molecules and activation of helper t lymphocytes. in general, it is assumed that the difference between resistance and susceptibility to infection is related to the expansion of t helper cells (th) type 1 and type 2 (th2 and th1). Patients diagnosed with localized skin develop activa-tion of th1 lymphocytes in the region of the lesion, while those with the present form mucocutaneous activation mixed th1 and th2 lymphocytes. Patients with diffuse cutaneous-form exhibit almost exclusively the activation of th2 lymphocytes.the study of the interaction between parasites and hosts, through the assessment, parasite biology, insect saliva-vector and vertebrate host response has given birth to a new understanding of the engine that governs this relationship. We review here some of these aspects.descriptors: American Tegumentar Leishmaniasis; Clinics; Epidemiology; Immunolog

Verification and Control of Turn-Based Probabilistic Real-Time Games

Quantitative verification techniques have been developed for the formal analysis of a variety of probabilistic models, such as Markov chains, Markov decision process and their variants. They can be used to produce guarantees on quantitative aspects of system behaviour, for example safety, reliability and performance, or to help synthesise controllers that ensure such guarantees are met. We propose the model of turn-based probabilistic timed multi-player games, which incorporates probabilistic choice, real-time clocks and nondeterministic behaviour across multiple players. Building on the digital clocks approach for the simpler model of probabilistic timed automata, we show how to compute the key measures that underlie quantitative verification, namely the probability and expected cumulative price to reach a target. We illustrate this on case studies from computer security and task scheduling

Circadian Rhythm and Cartilage Extracellular Matrix Genes in Osseointegration: A Genome-Wide Screening of Implant Failure by Vitamin D Deficiency

Successful dental and orthopedic implants require the establishment of an intimate association with bone tissue; however, the mechanistic explanation of how biological systems accomplish osseointegration is still incomplete. We sought to identify critical gene networks involved in osseointegration by exploring the implant failure model under vitamin D deficiency.Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to control or vitamin D-deficient diet prior to the osteotomy surgery in the femur bone and the placement of T-shaped Ti4Al6V implant. Two weeks after the osteotomy and implant placement, tissue formed at the osteotomy site or in the hollow chamber of T-shaped implant was harvested and total RNA was evaluated by whole genome microarray analyses.Two-way ANOVA of microarray data identified 103 genes that were significantly (>2 fold) modulated by the implant placement and vitamin D deficiency. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses assigned the highest z-score to the circadian rhythm pathway including neuronal PAS domain 2 (NPAS2), and period homolog 2 (Per2). NPAS2 and Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like (ARNTL/Bmal 1) were upregulated around implant and diminished by vitamin D deficiency, whereas the expression pattern of Per2 was complementary. Hierarchical cluster analysis further revealed that NPAS2 was in a group predominantly composed of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) genes. Whereas the expression of bone ECM genes around implant was not significantly affected by vitamin D deficiency, cartilage ECM genes were modulated by the presence of the implant and vitamin D status. In a proof-of-concept in vitro study, the expression of cartilage type II and X collagens was found upregulated when mouse mesenchymal stem cells were cultured on implant disk with 1,25D supplementation.This study suggests that the circadian rhythm system and cartilage extracellular matrix may be involved in the establishment of osseointegration under vitamin D regulation