Inhibition of viscous fluid fingering: A variational scheme for optimal flow rates

Conventional viscous fingering flow in radial Hele-Shaw cells employs a constant injection rate, resulting in the emergence of branched interfacial shapes. The search for mechanisms to prevent the development of these bifurcated morphologies is relevant to a number of areas in science and technology.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Evaluation Of Phenyl-propanedione On Yellowing And Chemical-mechanical Properties Of Experimental Dental Resin-based Materials

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)To evaluate the influence of phenyl-propanedione on yellowing and chemical-mechanical properties of experimental resin-based materials photoactivated using different light curing units (LCUs). Material and Methods: Experimental resin-based materials with the same organic matrix (60:40 wt% BisGMA:TEGDMA) were mechanically blended using a centrifugal mixing device. To this blend, different photoinitiator systems were added in equimolar concentrations with aliphatic amine doubled by wt%: 0.4 wt% CQ; 0.38 wt% PPD; or 0.2 wt% CQ and 0.19 wt% PPD. The degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength (FS), Youngs modulus (YM), Knoop hardness (KNH), crosslinking density (CLD), and yellowing (Y) were evaluated (n=10). All samples were light cured with the following LCUs: a halogen lamp (XL 2500), a monowave LED (Radii), or a polywave LED (Valo) with 16 J/cm2. The results were analysed by two-way ANOVA and Tukeys test (alpha=0.05). Results: No statistical differences were found between the different photoinitiator systems to KNH, CLS, FS, and YM properties (p >= 0.05). PPD/CQ association showed the higher DC values compared with CQ and PPD isolated systems when photoactivated by a polywave LED (p <= 0.05). Y values were highest for the CQ compared with the PPD systems (p?0.05). Conclusion: PPD isolated system promoted similar chemical and mechanical properties and less yellowing compared with the CQ isolated system, regardless of the LCU used.246555560FAPESP - Sao Paulo Research Foundation [2013/04241-2]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Influence of light quality on in vitro growth and essential-oil composition of Chenopodium ambrosioides L.

Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (CA) is a medicinal plant extensively used for its anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antileishmanial and antidiarrheal properties. One of the most important factors that regulates the growth and development of plants in vitro is light. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine how spectral composition of light influences in vitro growth and chemical composition of CA essential oil (EO). To do that, nodal segments of CA were inoculated in a growth medium and cultured for 40 days in a growth room with different diodes emitting lights: blue (B), red (R), white (W), combinations of blue and red (B:R=1:1; 2:1; 1:2, respectively) and cool white fluorescent lamp (F). The chemical profiles of CAplant specimens grown under lights of different quality were mutually compared using principal component analysis (PCA). The results of PCA showed significant light-quality-related variations in EO profiles (Fig. 1): monochromatic B light inhibited the biosynthesis of ascaridole, while W, B:R=1:2 and 2:1 lights promoted ascaridole production. The herein obtained results suggest that explants kept in a growth room with W or B:R=2:1 lights had optimal chemical profile

SLP Seed Grants 1

Seed Grants are funded with programme-attributed funds. Their purpose is to support researchers and their partners during the crucial initial planning and consultation phases needed to develop larger project proposals. Allocated on a competitive basis, once the proposals are finalized, the consortia are supported to obtain project restricted funding

Processo de Institucionalização: o Caso da Universidade Federal do Tocantins

oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/484Diante da dinamicidade das organizações modernas ameaçadas por mudanças faz-se necessário compreender o processo de institucionalização. O objetivo é estudar o caso da Universidade Federal do Tocantins, considerar como ocorreu o processo de institucionalização e apresentar algumas contribuições da Teoria Institucional para os Estudos Organizacionais. Realizou-se revisão da literatura, abordando as propriedades simbólicas da estrutura, o isomorfismo e os processos de institucionalização. Apresentou-se e discutiu-se a institucionalização ocorrida e aspectos que conduziram a Universidade a adotar suas práticas organizacionais, a condução à semi-institucionalização e aspectos determinantes da institucionalização total. Percebeu-se que o processo descrito na literatura desenvolveu-se na Universidade

Effect of macro- and micro-element-deficiency on growth and essential-oil composition of Mentha arvensis L. cultivated in solution

Because of its olfactory properties, the essential oil (EO) of Mentha arvensis L. is readily used in perfumery and cosmetics and has a great commercial value. However, the agronomic aspects of M. arvensis cultivation were not sufficiently studied. Herein, we assessed the effect of the absence of selected macro- and micronutrients on the growth and essential-oil composition of M. arvensis cultivated in solution. The experiment was completely randomized, with three replications and 12 treatments. Acclimated scions of M. arvensis were transferred into pots containing either the complete Hoagland & Arnon (HA) nutrient solution or modified HA solution, deficient in one of the following macro- or microelements: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. The experimental plot consisted of one plant per pot. Plants were cultured in the greenhouse under natural light for 45 days, during which air was supplied to the nutrient system and the nutrient solution was changed each week [1]. Plants were harvested at the end of the culture period and growth parameters (development and appearance of leaves, shoots, roots and the total dry weight) and leaf EO composition were evaluated. The results showed that the composition of the nutrient solution exerted a significant effect on all of the growth parameters and essential-oil chemical profile. With regard to the total dry matter, the order of limiting nutrients was N=Ca>P=B>K=S>Fe=Mg>Zn=Mn>Cu=HA. The most pronounced changes in the M. arvensis development were observed in the absence of N, P, Ca and B. The omission of Mn and Cu in the culture solution did not adversely affect the growth of M. arvensis. Omission of B, P, Ca, Mg and S from the nutritive solution resulted in a higher production of menthol, relative to the control

Amelioration of Cardiac Function and Activation of Anti-Inflammatory Vasoactive Peptides Expression in the Rat Myocardium by Low Level Laser Therapy

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been used as an anti-inflammatory treatment in several disease conditions, even when inflammation is a secondary consequence, such as in myocardial infarction (MI). However, the mechanism by which LLLT is able to protect the remaining myocardium remains unclear. the present study tested the hypothesis that LLLT reduces inflammation after acute MI in female rats and ameliorates cardiac function. the potential participation of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) and Kallikrein-Kinin System (KKS) vasoactive peptides was also evaluated. LLLT treatment effectively reduced MI size, attenuated the systolic dysfunction after MI, and decreased the myocardial mRNA expression of interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 in comparison to the non-irradiated rat tissue. in addition, LLLT treatment increased protein and mRNA levels of the Mas receptor, the mRNA expression of kinin B2 receptors and the circulating levels of plasma kallikrein compared to non-treated post-MI rats. On the other hand, the kinin B1 receptor mRNA expression decreased after LLLT. No significant changes were found in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the myocardial remote area between laser-irradiated and non-irradiated post-MI rats. Capillaries density also remained similar between these two experimental groups. the mRNA expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was increased three days after MI, however, this effect was blunted by LLLT. Moreover, endothelial NOS mRNA content increased after LLLT. Plasma nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) concentration was increased three days after MI in non-treated rats and increased even further by LLLT treatment. Our data suggest that LLLT diminishes the acute inflammation in the myocardium, reduces infarct size and attenuates left ventricle dysfunction post-MI and increases vasoactive peptides expression and nitric oxide (NO) generation.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ Nove Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Heart Inst InCor, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, BrazilCNPq: 477458/2009-2CNPq: 309715/2011-3CNPq: 479395/2012-8: 2009/54225-8Web of Scienc