BEMLAB2D: GUI MODELING, VISUALIZATION AND ANALYSIS WITH BOUNDARY ELEMENT ”“ AN APPLICATION INELASTOSTATIC PROBLEMS

Abstract. The graphical user interface (GUI) in usual engineering problems, has facilitated the modeling as well as provides greater flexibility in meshing, boundary conditions and physical properties by employing visual tools, improving the analysis interpretation. However, with the need for more efficient computational implementations - less computational effort and shorter analysis, the boundary element method (BEM) comes as efficient and flexible suggestion, allowing greater versatility to the geometric modeling and meshing programs. The BEM stands out among the other numerical methods due to discretization criterion of the model adopted, in the case it occurs only on the boundary thereof, making simple and versatile implementation. In this context, this work proposes the development of a graphical interface program easy user handling for pre-processing, called BEMLAB2D and implemented in MATLAB for two-dimensional models analysis with BEM, which allows modelling complex geometries, including multiple regions , cracks and holes, as well as editing and viewing the results in an interactive and visual way. Keywords: GUI, Boundary Element Method, Elastostatic, Matlab, two-dimensional models

FATORES ASSOCIADOS À TUBERCULOSE NAS POPULAÇÕES VULNERÁVEIS EM FEIRA DE SANTANA – BA

A tuberculose (TB) é uma infecção bacteriana de alta transmissibilidade, caracterizada como problema de saúde pública devido a altas taxas de incidência e prevalência, sendo potencializada pelos determinantes sociais ( Maciel, 2016; San Pedro et al., 2017). Entre as populações expostas, podem-se destacar as populações vulneráveis como as pessoas em situação de rua, pessoas privadas de liberdade, imigrantes, profissionais de saúde, que faraõ parte da pesquisa

Benchmarking recombinant Pichia pastoris for 3-hydroxypropionic acid production from glycerol

The use of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris (Komagataella phaffi) to produce heterologous proteins has been largely reported. However, investigations addressing the potential of this yeast to produce bulk chemicals are still scarce. In this study, we have studied the use of P. pastoris as a cell factory to produce the commodity chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) from glycerol. 3-HP is a chemical platform which can be converted into acrylic acid and to other alternatives to petroleum-based products. To this end, the mcr gene from Chloroflexus aurantiacus was introduced into P. pastoris. This single modification allowed the production of 3-HP from glycerol through the malonyl-CoA pathway. Further enzyme and metabolic engineering modifications aimed at increasing cofactor and metabolic precursors availability allowed a 14-fold increase in the production of 3-HP compared to the initial strain. The best strain (PpHP6) was tested in a fed-batch culture, achieving a final concentration of 3-HP of 24.75 g l−1, a product yield of 0.13 g g−1 and a volumetric productivity of 0.54 g l−1 h−1, which, to our knowledge, is the highest volumetric productivity reported in yeast. These results benchmark P. pastoris as a promising platform to produce bulk chemicals for the revalorization of crude glycerol and, in particular, to produce 3-HP

Exercise alters the molecular pathways of insulin signaling and lipid handling in maternal tissues of obese pregnant mice.

Obesity during gestation adversely affects maternal and infant health both during pregnancy and for long afterwards. However, recent work suggests that a period of maternal exercise during pregnancy can improve metabolic health of the obese mother and her offspring. This study aimed to identify the physiological and molecular impact of exercise on the obese mother during pregnancy that may lead to improved metabolic outcomes. To achieve this, a 20-min treadmill exercise intervention was performed 5 days a week in diet-induced obese female mice from 1 week before and up to day 17 of pregnancy. Biometric, biochemical and molecular analyses of maternal tissues and/or plasma were performed on day 19 of pregnancy. We found exercise prevented some of the adverse changes in insulin signaling and lipid metabolic pathways seen in the liver, skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue of sedentary-obese pregnant dams (p110β, p110α, AKT, SREBP). Exercise also induced changes in the insulin and lipid signaling pathways in obese dams that were different from those observed in control and sedentary-obese dams. The changes induced by obesity and exercise were tissue-specific and related to alterations in tissue lipid, protein and glycogen content and plasma insulin, leptin and triglyceride concentrations. We conclude that the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolic outcomes in obese mothers may be related to specific molecular signatures in metabolically active maternal tissues during pregnancy. These findings highlight potential metabolic targets for therapeutic intervention and the importance of lifestyle in reducing the burden of the current obesity epidemic on healthcare systems

Downregulation of IRS-1 in adipose tissue of offspring of obese mice is programmed cell-autonomously through post-transcriptional mechanisms.

We determined the effects of maternal diet-induced obesity on offspring adipose tissue insulin signalling and miRNA expression in the aetiology of insulin resistance in later life. Although body composition and glucose tolerance of 8-week-old male offspring of obese dams were not dysregulated, serum insulin was significantly (p<0.05) elevated. Key insulin signalling proteins in adipose tissue were down-regulated, including the insulin receptor, catalytic (p110β) and regulatory (p85α) subunits of PI3K as well as AKT1 and 2 (all p<0.05). The largest reduction observed was in IRS-1 protein (p<0.001), which was regulated post-transcriptionally. Concurrently, miR-126, which targets IRS-1, was up-regulated (p<0.05). These two features were maintained in isolated primary pre-adipocytes and differentiated adipocytes in-vitro. We have therefore established that maternal diet-induced obesity programs adipose tissue insulin resistance. We hypothesise that maintenance of the phenotype in-vitro strongly suggests that this mechanism is cell autonomous and may drive insulin resistance in later life

PESQUISA EM MALÁRIA NO BRASIL: um olhar bibliométrico no período 1997-2007

O presente estudo procura situar a contribuição brasileira dentro do esforço internacional de pesquisa em malária. A literatura da área já apontou que o comprometimento com a pesquisa relacionada ao controle da malária pode contribuir com um ambiente favorável para a redução da mesma, especialmente dado os potenciais impactos positivos no sistema de saúde. Para identificar o esforço de pesquisa da área, foi realizada busca na base ISI/Thomson, disponível no Portal Capes, cobrindo o período 1997-2007. A produção científica mundial recuperada no período é de 19158 artigos de periódicos, sendo 665 referentes à produção nacional. Foi feita análise cientométrica do conjunto de referencias, que foi categorizado em 17 temáticas representantes de seu conteúdo, a partir da leitura dos títulos, resumos e palavras-chaves. Ao fim, chegou-se a um total de 574 referências (86,3% do total das 665 iniciais), representativas do que se propõe constituir a pesquisa em controle da malária no Brasil. A categoria Epidemiologia é a mais representativa no universo pesquisado. A ausência de estudos prévios especificamente dedicados ao tema da malária deixa pouco espaço para a confrontação de dados e o estabelecimento de limites da discussão

Transtorno da compulsão alimentar periódica em crianças e adolescentes: uma revisão bibliográfica

Introdução: O transtorno da compulsão alimentar periódica (TCAP) é uma desordem alimentar psiquiátrica, que tem por característica a necessidade do consumo exacerbado de comida acompanhado de uma sensação de frustração e desconforto. Objetivo: Conhecer o transtorno da compulsão alimentar periódica e seu impacto na vida de crianças e adolescentes. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, por proporcionar uma síntese dos resultados obtidos através de pesquisas publicadas. Para direcionar a pesquisa, adotou-se como pergunta norteadora: “Qual impacto do transtorno da compulsão alimentar periódica na vida de crianças e adolescentes?” Para construção da pesquisa, a coleta e análise de dados foi realizada através do Portal da Biblioteca Virtual da Saúde (BVS) e da base de dados Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online via PubMed e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS),&nbsp; através dos seguintes Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DeCS): “Transtorno da Compulsão Alimentar”, “Crianças”, “Adolescentes” e “Alimentação infantil” combinados entre si pelo operador booleano AND. Discussão: O TCAP é definido como uma resposta comportamental à alimentação, levando em consideração a maneira, modo e padrões rítmicos da ingesta de alimentos. Esse comportamento provém de uma série de fatores, sendo os principais: fatores sociais, culturais, percepção do indivíduo em si e dos alimentos e por experiências prévias. Nota-se a ocorrência de consequências que variam de reversíveis a irreversíveis, sendo algumas delas: privação de crescimento, abuso medicamentoso, transtorno depressivo, suicídio, baixa autoestima, obesidade, periodontites. Conclusão: Os transtornos alimentares representam um problema de saúde pública pouco debatido, tendo em vista que tal condição acomete mais de 10% da população jovem segundo o Ministério da Saúde. Evidencia-se a disseminação de muitos gatilhos pela mídia social como a exigência de uma magreza excessiva, jejum por longos períodos, dietas restritivas e principalmente a não aceitação de estar acima do peso

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p&lt;0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (&lt;1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (&lt;1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline