Effect of Composition on the Rheological Properties of (PC/ABS) and (PVDF/LDPE) Blends

A series of blends of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) and Polycarbonate (PC) and another series of polyvinylidene fluoride, PVDF, and low density polyethylene, LDPE, were prepared and characterized for some of their rheological properties.The blends of a series were prepared by mixing the components, with different weight % composition, in a molten state using Brabender Plastograph.Visco-elastic parameters were measured using the capillary rheometer (Melt Index 3/80). Die-swelling rate, (B), was determined for different composition samples and correlated with the end pressure drop, (ΔPend), the end correction, (e), the apparent shear rate, (ϒa), the apparent shear stress, (τa), and the length-radius ratio, (L/R). The effects of blending composition on the die-swell rate, (B), the end correction, (e), and the shear strain, (SR) were also studied for the prepared series of blends

Delays in obtaining hospital care and abortion-related complications within a context of illegality.

Abortion, particularly when illegal, highlights inequities in different populations. Although abortion-related mortality is lower compared to other obstetric causes, abortion complications tend to be more lethal. Delays in seeking and obtaining care are determinants of negative outcomes. This study, nested within the GravSus-NE, analyzed healthcare delays and their association with abortion-related complications in three cities of northeastern Brazil (Salvador, Recife and São Luís). Nineteen public maternity hospitals were involved. All eligible women ≥18 years old hospitalized between August and December 2010 were evaluated. Descriptive, stratified and multivariate analyses were performed. Youden's index was used to determine delay. One model was created with all the women and another with those admitted in good clinical conditions, thus determining complications that occurred during hospitalization and their associated factors. Of 2,371 women, most (62.3%) were ≤30 years old (median 27 years) and 89.6% reported being black or brown-skinned. Most (90.5%) were admitted in good condition, 4.0% in fair condition and 5.5% in poor/very poor condition. Median time between admission and uterine evacuation was 7.9 hours. After a cut-off time of 10 hours, the development of complications increased considerably. Black women and those admitted during nightshifts were more likely to experience a wait time ≥10 hours. Delays were associated with severe complications (OR 1.97; 95%CI: 1.55-2.51), including in the women admitted in good condition (OR 2,56; 95%CI: 1.85-3.55), and even following adjustment for gestational age and reported abortion type (spontaneous/induced). These findings corroborate the literature, highlighting the social vulnerability of women hospitalized within Brazil's public healthcare system in a situation of abortion. The study strongpoints include having objectively measured the time between admission and uterine evacuation and having established a cut-off time defining delay based on conceptual and epidemiological criteria. Further studies should evaluate other settings and new measurement tools for effectively preventing life-threatening complications

Students’ perception of an engineering program on student mobility and its impact on integral formation

Student mobility is considered as one of the strategies used in universities for the internationalization of higher education, an important factor within the program accreditation model defined by the National Accreditation Council. In this context, the following study sought to understand students' perception of mobility processes and the significant experiences generated within the academic and multicultural process, becoming an opportunity to analyze the main variables that students take into account in order to participate in this mechanism of internationalization in Universities. This article analyses the students' perception of an engineering program in the period 2013-2018, on student mobility and its impact within integral formation. Based on the results obtained, strategies are generated to encourage mobility among engineering students, highlighting the importance of internationalization as an enriching tool for professional training