From measure to integration

The thesis studies the notions of outer measure, Lebesgue measurable sets and Lebesgue measure, in detail. After developing Lebesgue integration over the real line, the Riemann integrable functions are classified as those functions whose set of points of discontinuity has measure zero. The convergence theorems are proven and it is shown how these theorems are valid under less stringent assumptions that are required for the Riemann integral. A detailed analysis of abstract measure theory for general measure spaces is given

Pulsed Photonic Sintering of Lithium Doped Potassium Sodium Niobate (KNN) for Flexible Energy Harvesting Devices

In this work, KNNL was sintered as a lead-free alternative to PZT using a pulsed photonic sintering method. The KNNL post-sintering composition remained close to theoretical composition indicating minimal volatilization of alkali metals. Furthermore, a remnant polarization was observed in the processed material. Energy and time demands were greatly reduced using the pulsed photonic sintering method versus conventional furnace sintering. Piezoelectric materials can produce electric current when bent or compressed. Currently lead zirconium titanate (PZT) is the most widely used piezoelectric material. A promising lead-free alternative is sodium potassium niobate (KNN), which can be doped with lithium (KNNL) to improve its piezoelectric properties. The KNNL formulation used in this study was rod coated onto copper foil. Sintering to promote densification is typically carried out using a furnace at temperatures of around 1000°C for several hours. Furnace sintering is a lengthy and energy-intensive batch process. This work examines the use of pulsed photonic sintering as an alternative sintering process. A KNNL film sample photonically sintered at 400V, 2 Hz, 20 pulses, 2 cycles and 650 μs pulse length was compared to a pressed pellet sample that was furnace sintered at 1060 °C for 2 h. Both samples showed particles coalescing in SEM images, and therefore were considered to have undergone sintering. A Nb:Na:K elemental composition ratio of 56:20:24 was retained. This is much closer to the theoretical stoichiometric ratio of 51:26:23 than the 61:16:23 ratio seen in the furnace pellet sample. KNNL is prone to volatilization of its Na and K during sintering. This was certainly the case for a sample that was furnace sintered at 700 °C for 2 h and, which had no remaining alkali metals after sintering. The remnant polarization response observed for the photonically sintered film sample was about 0.008 μC/cm2. An energy consumption study was also carried out to determine the power demand of furnace sintering compared to pulsed photonic sintering. The latter was found to demand 98.1% less energy per unit area of sintered film. Photonic sintering implementation could amount to a significant reduction in cost and energy usage in a large-scale manufacturing setting. Furthermore, photonic sintering required 99.4% less time per unit area of sintered film than furnace sintering in this study, and can be implemented as a high throughput roll-to-roll process

Nano-technological products in architecture and construction

This work presents a review of the scientific literature that deals with the use of nanoscience and nanotechnology in architecture and construction industry in view of letting architects, builders, real estate promoters and interested parties know the scope that various nanomaterials, existing in the construction market could be used in this activities every-day from a sustainable and durable approach to architecture and construction. As a result we present, in an orderly and classified manner, a list of nano-products that can be applied to architecture and construction in building structures, covers and installations with an approach based on the architectonic and constructive durability of each component. It is concluded that there are numerous nano-products with different uses and applications sufficient for some construction needs, with important applications such as: improvement of the durability and degradation of materials (mainly concrete and steel), the efficiency of equipment and devices such as batteries, photovoltaic cells, electrical conductors, OLED lamps, water filters, paints, sealants, windowpanes, electronical components, architectural finishes, among other products

Rapid and Efficient Arsenic Removal by Iron Electrocoagulation Enabled with in Situ Generation of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Millions of people are exposed to toxic levels of dissolved arsenic in groundwater used for drinking. Iron electrocoagulation (FeEC) has been demonstrated as an effective technology to remove arsenic at an affordable price. However, FeEC requires long operating times (∼hours) to remove dissolved arsenic due to inherent kinetics limitations. Air cathode Assisted Iron Electrocoagulation (ACAIE) overcomes this limitation by cathodically generating H2O2 in situ. In ACAIE operation, rapid oxidation of Fe(II) and complete oxidation and removal of As(III) are achieved. We compare FeEC and ACAIE for removing As(III) from an initial concentration of 1464 μg/L, aiming for a final concentration of less than 4 μg/L. We demonstrate that at short electrolysis times (0.5 min), i.e., high charge dosage rates (1200 C/L/min), ACAIE consistently outperformed FeEC in bringing arsenic levels to less than WHO-MCL of 10 μg/L. Using XRD and XAS data, we conclusively show that poor arsenic removal in FeEC arises from incomplete As(III) oxidation, ineffective Fe(II) oxidation and the formation of Fe(II-III) (hydr)oxides at short electrolysis times (<20 min). Finally, we report successful ACAIE performance (retention time 19 s) in removing dissolved arsenic from contaminated groundwater in rural California

Diseño e implementación de combinadores de potencia para amplificador LINC @ 868MHz

The ISM is a free band generally used in the environmental scientific and medical study. The regulation depends on the government of each country. This study is focused on the European¡¯s level frequency of 868 MHz, this frequency does not require standards or permissions, as long as they do not exceed the regulations. The project was based on the realization of a LINC transmitter with class E amplifiers made of passive matching networks. Also, the design and production of three combiners: Hybrid 90¨¬, Wilkinson and Chireix. In this project we have seen the different existing types of amplifiers (Class A, Class B ...) and the two main transistors that we can find in the market (BJT and FET). The amplifier¡¯s design was done using the ADS program from Agilent, and to characterize matching networks we have used the Smith Chart and ADS LineCalc. The first thing was find the polarization voltages, to characterize the S parameters of the transistor. The stability calculations have been made as theoretical as graphically (ADS). Matching networks are realized with passive elements such as coils and capacitors, that has been the difference of previous studies. At this point of the project the tunning tool was used to refine the results. The Bias Network were designed with shock coils and decoupling capacitors. The last step was the design of the layout with ADS software and then assembled. The other branch of the study has been the design and implementation of three combiners, for the simulation of both the ADS program was also used and finally took the design to a board. The results obtained for the amplifier with matching networks made of passive elements were good only for one channel. For this reason we have had to continue the combiners study with a project implemented earlier by another student, made with ¥ë / 4 lines. As we have seen in the laboratory, the Chireix combiner is positioned as the most efficient and which allows the maximum gain. Future studies may try to improve the performance of a class E type LINC amplifier with stable matching networks made of passive elements, as well as, improve the efficiency of the Chireix combiner and open new ways of study.La banda ISM es una banda libre que generalmente se usa en el estudio medioambiental, científico y médico. La normativa depende del gobierno de cada territorio. Este estudio se ha centrado en el ámbito europeo a la frecuencia de 868 MHz. Esta frecuencia no requiere de estándares ni permisos siempre que no supere la normativa

Death receptor 5 expression is inversely correlated with prostate cancer progression.

Prostate carcinoma (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in men. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has been widely used to predict the outcome of PCa and screening with PSA has resulted in a decline in mortality. However, PSA is not an optimal prognostic tool as its sensitivity may be too low to reduce morbidity and mortality. Consequently, there is a demand for additional robust biomarkers for prostate cancer. Death receptor 5 (DR5) has been implicated in the prognosis of several cancers and it has been previously shown that it is negatively regulated by Yin Yang 1 (YY1) in prostate cancer cell lines. The present study investigated the clinical significance of DR5 expression in a prostate cancer patient cohort and its correlation with YY1 expression. Immunohistochemical analysis of protein expression distribution was performed using tissue microarray constructs from 54 primary PCa and 39 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) specimens. DR5 expression was dramatically reduced as a function of higher tumor grade. By contrast, YY1 expression was elevated in PCa tumors as compared with that in PIN, and was increased with higher tumor grade. DR5 had an inverse correlation with YY1 expression. Bioinformatic analyses corroborated these data. The present findings suggested that DR5 and YY1 expression levels may serve as progression biomarkers for prostate cancer

Influência da crioterapia de imersão em indicadores de dano muscular pós-exercício em atletas de triathlon

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Raul OsieckiDissertaçao (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciencias Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduaçao em Educaçao Física. Defesa: Curitiba, 30/03/2010Bibliografia: fls.84-94Área de concentraçao: Exercício e esporteResumo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar os efeitos da crioterapia de imersão em indicadores de dano muscular induzido pelo exercício em atletas. Para tanto, 15 atletas de triatlon (Idade: 26 ±4,6, Peso: 77,4 ± 4,9 kg, Estatura: 179,3 ± 6,4 cm, %G: 11,5 ± 1,2) inicialmente realizaram uma avaliação de esforço máximo na esteira, para a determinação da FCMÁX e VO2MÁX. Posteriormente, os atletas foram divididos em dois grupos: experimental (n=8) e controle (n=7). Os dois grupos foram submetidos a um protocolo de exercícios excêntricos (4 séries de 10 repetições) para extensores e flexores de joelhos no dinamômetro isocinético. Logo após o exercício foram divididos aleatoriamente e submetidos a 15 minutos de imersão em água gelada (15ºC) ou grupo controle (15 minutos sentado). Todos os sujeitos foram submetidos a 5 coletas de sangue intravenoso sendo elas: antes do exercício, imediatamente após, 1 hora, 24 e 48 horas após o protocolo de recuperação. As variáveis sanguíneas analisadas foram: leucócitos, neutrófilos, CK, LDH, mioglobina e cortisol. Nos mesmos momentos de coletas sanguíneas foram realizadas as coletas de sensação de dor muscular por meio das escalas EVA e Likert, altura de saltos por meio do squat jump na plataforma de saltos e de amplitude de movimento (ADM) de extensão ativa de joelhos. Na análise estatística, foi utilizada a técnica descritiva (média, desvio padrão, valor mínimo e máximo), ANOVA para Medidas Repetidas seguida do Post-Hoc de Fisher para comparação entre grupos. Para essas análises foi utilizado o software Statistica 6.0, com significância fixada em p<0,05. Com relação às variáveis bioquímicas, leucócitos, neutrófilos e cortisol não apresentaram diferenças. A atividade da CK total foi menor no grupo crioterapia, no momento 48 horas após a recuperação, em relação ao grupo controle. A LDH e a mioglobina apresentaram estabilização de seus valores no grupo crioterapia nos momentos 24 e 48 horas para LDH e 48 horas para a mioglobina. Além disso, a sensação de dor muscular aumentou em todos os momentos após a recuperação em ambos os grupos. A altura da impulsão vertical diminuiu logo após e 1 hora após a recuperação, porém o grupo crioterapia retornou aos valores pré – exercício mais rápido. A ADM de extensão ativa de joelhos do grupo controle, no momento 48 horas após a recuperação, diminuiu em relação ao momento pré – exercício, fato que não ocorreu no grupo crioterapia. Dessa forma, foi observado que a imersão em água gelada pós – exercício provoca efeitos benéficos em marcadores indiretos de dano muscular, sendo eficaz para a recuperação muscular.Abstract: The aim of this study was to asses the effects of crytherapy immersion on markers of exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes. 15 triathletes (age: 26 }4,6, Weight: 77,4 } 4,9 kg, Height: 179,3 } 6,4 cm, %body fat: 11,5 } 1,2) at first realized a treadmill maximum effort test, for determination of maximum Heart rate and VO2max. After this, the athletes were divided into two groups: experimental (n=8) and control (n=7). Both groups were submitted to a bout of extensors and flexors knee damaging-induced eccentric exercise (4 bouts of 10 repetitions) on an isokinetic dinamometer. After exercise the athletes were randomly allocated to both groups and submitted to 15 minutes of cold water immersion (15oC) or control group (15 minutes sited). All subjects were submitted to 5 blood measures: before exercise, immediately after, 1, 24 and 48 hours after the recovery protocol. The blood samples analyzed were: leucocytes, neutrophils, CK, LDH, myoglobin and cortisol. At the same time were realized the pain sensation, jump heigth and active knee extension range of motion (ROM) sampling. A descriptive statistic (mean, standard deviation minimum and maximum values) and an analisis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures to compare the two groups, followed by Fisher fs Post-Hoc, was used. These analysis were made using STATISTICA 6.0 for Windows. Significant level was fixed (p.0,05). Biochemical sampling, leucocytes, neutrophils and cortisol didn ft show differences. The total CK activity was lower for the cryotherapy group, at moment 48 hours after recovery than the control group. LDH and myoglobin showed values stabilization at the cryotherapy group at the 24 and 48 moments hours for LDH and 48 hours for myoglobin. Besides that, the pain sensation increases at all moments after recovery for both groups. The vertical jump height reduced immediately and 1 hour after recovery, but the cryotherapy groups returned to pre . exercise values faster. The knee ROMs for control group, at 48 hours after recovery, decreases when compared to pre . exercise moment, this fact did not occur on cryotherapy group. It was observed that cold water immersion post exercise causes benefitial effects on indirect markers of exercise-induced muscle damage, being efficient for muscle recovery

The Stories We Tell: Engaging with Authority in Critical Health Pedagogy

This Innovative Practices piece details the design of a scaffolded project in a public health course that paired a narrative inquiry assignment with an empirical health literature review assignment to highlight both the positivist and constructivist epistemologies of critical health research in public health. The authors discuss and reflect on the five parts that constitute the project, student learning outcomes, and the benefits of engaging with critical information literacy in an undergraduate public health course. The goal of this article is to provide practical applications of critical information literacy to librarians in the health sciences who work with undergraduate students

Xeroderma Pigmentosum with Severe Neurological Manifestations/De Sanctis–Cacchione Syndrome and a Novel XPC Mutation

Several genetic disorders caused by defective nucleotide excision repair that affect the skin and the nervous system have been described, including Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), De Sanctis–Cacchione syndrome (DSC), Cockayne syndrome, and Trichothiodystrophy. Cutaneous photosensitivity with an increased risk of skin malignancy is a common feature of these disorders, but clinical manifestations commonly overlap these syndromes. Several genes have been found to be altered in these pathologies, but we lack more genotype-phenotype correlations in order to make an accurate diagnosis. Very few cases of DSC syndrome have been reported in the literature. We present a case of a 12-year-old Colombian male, with multiple skin lesions in sun-exposed areas from the age of 3 months and a history of 15 skin cancers. He also displayed severe neurologic abnormalities (intellectual disability, ataxia, altered speech, and hyperreflexia), short stature, and microcephaly, which are features associated with DSC. Genetic testing revealed a novel germline mutation in the XP-C gene (c.547A>T). This is the first case of an XP-C mutation causing De Sanctis–Cacchione syndrome. Multigene panel testing is becoming more widely available and accessible in the clinical setting and will help rapidly unveil the molecular etiology of these rare genetic disorders