Model for tumour growth with treatment by continuous and pulsed chemotherapy

Peer reviewedPreprin

Acoustic image-based damage identification of oxide aluminum grinding wheel during the dressing operation

Abstract Grinding is a finish process of parts that require high precision and tight dimensional tolerance, which owe high value-added. As the grinding process takes place, the cutting surface of the grinding wheel undergoes wear and then its cutting capacity is reduced. On the other hand, the dressing operation is responsible for restoring the cutting surface of the grinding wheel and, therefore, plays a key role in the grinding process. This work aims at obtaining acoustic images of the grinding wheel surface to identify its conditions during the dressing operation. Experimental tests were conducted with a single-point diamond dresser in a surface grinding machine, which was equipped with an oxide aluminum grinding wheel in which specific marks were intentionally made on its surface to simulate damages for identification. An acoustic emission sensor was fixed to the dresser holder and the signal were acquired at 5 MHz. The signal spectrum was investigated and a frequency band was carefully selected, which represented the conditions of grinding wheel surface. The root mean square values were then computed from the raw signal with and without filtering for several integration periods, and the acoustic images obtained. The results show that the proposed technique is efficient to identify the damage on the wheel surface during the dressing operation as well as its location

Validity of numerical trajectories in the synchronization transition of complex systems

We investigate the relationship between the loss of synchronization and the onset of shadowing breakdown {\it via} unstable dimension variability in complex systems. In the neighborhood of the critical transition to strongly non-hyperbolic behavior, the system undergoes on-off intermittency with respect to the synchronization state. There are potentially severe consequences of these facts on the validity of the computer-generated trajectories obtained from dynamical systems whose synchronization manifolds share the same non-hyperbolic properties.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Terapêutica intravesical com bacilo de Calmette-Guérin no tratamento do carcinoma da bexiga / o que sabemos até agora

AbstractIntroductionThe use of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin is a valid option in the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder tumors, making it the main subject of a lot of publications. The aim of the present study is to review and consolidate the data available about this subject.MethodsA review of the data available was made on PubMed with the keywords: “intravesical BCG” and “non-muscle invasive bladder cancer”. Original and review articles written in English or Portuguese were selected. We present the discussion alongside the results for structural purposes.Results and discussionScientific evidence strongly advises in favor of BCG use on intermediate and high risk tumors, due to its impact on the recurrence and possibly on the progression rates. It is important to be watchful for possible local and systemic side effects, that when detected call for a rightful therapeutically decision alongside the recommended schemes.ConclusionThe use of intravesical BCG with therapeutically purposes has strong evidence on the non-muscle invasive bladder tumors. More studies are needed in order to better understand the best administration scheme and its mechanism of action

Post-harvest quality of fresh-marketed tomatoes as a function of harvest periods

Losses on tomato business chain start at harvest, a two-months period. At the beginning of the harvest, fruits concentrate at the basal part of the plant, then in the middle, and finally at the top, and undergo changes in diameter and maturity indexes as harvest progresses. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of handling at three different periods: (I) 15 days, (II) 30 days, and (III) 45 days after the beginning of harvest. Tomatoes were ordinarily grown and harvested in to bamboo baskets, and transferred to plastics boxes. Fruits were classified according to ripening stage and diameter, and evaluated for mechanical damage and external defects caused by harvesting procedures. The time required for the harvest operation was measured; damage to fruits (%) and weight loss (%), caused either in the field and/or during the harvesting process, were taken into consideration and related to the final quality of fruit after storage for 21 days. The same methodology was used all through the production and harvest cycle. The highest % fruit damage occurred during period II, a longer harvest time than the other two periods. Fruits not submitted to handling showed lower weight loss than handled fruits. Fruits harvested in period II and stored for 21 days showed higher losses due to mechanical injury