An input on the characterization of timber frame structural system of tabique walls

Tabique construction corresponds to a relevant Portuguese heritage. Urban and rural tabique construction exists all over the country. This traditional building technique started to be in disuse after the massive introduction of the reinforced concrete. Therefore, tabique buildings are already aged and, in general, they show signals of degradation. Recent research works have concluded that this degradation stage is essentially caused by the absence of a regular proper maintenance process. The fact that tabique buildings are mainly private property, that there are economical limitations and that there is still a lack of knowledge concerning this traditional building technique, have been the main reasons identified. In order to contribute solving this problem this paper intends to give an input on the characterization of timber frame structural system of tabique walls. In fact, a tabique building element is a structural system formed by a timber frame coated with an earthy render. The elements of the timber frame are nailed to each other. It has been noticed that there are different types of timber frames. Given technical information related to these alternative traditional structural solutions may be helpful in future rehabilitation processes. At the same time, the relevance of this information is even more expressive taking into account the following aspects: a) the access of this type of buildings is in general limited because they are private properties; b) they have been abandoned and, therefore, they are not accessible; c) they became a ruin and they are not safe to be accessed; d) they were demolished

Consumo e digestibilidade aparente da matéria seca de subprodutos da agroindústria processadora de frutas.

O trabalho foi realizado com objetivo de avaliar o valor nutritivo de resíduos de frutas derivados da extração de sucos e polpas. Foram estudados os resíduos de abacaxi, acerola, goiaba, maracujá e melão, devidamente desidratados, até que atingissem teor de umidade entre 13 e 16%. Foram utilizados 20 ovinos SRD, machos e castrados, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos (resíduo das frutas), e quatro repetições. Foram avaliados o consumo de matéria seca (CMS) expresso em: g/animal/dia, %PV e g/UTM (PV0,75), e a digestibilidade da matéria seca(DMS), tendo sido feito a análise de variância e comparação de médias. Os maiores CMS (g/animal/dia, %PV e g/UTM) foram obtidos para os resíduos de goiaba, maracujá e melão. O resíduo de acerola apresentou CMS inferior (P>0,05) a todos os outros estudados. O resíduo de maracujá apresentou DMS superior (P<0,01) aos demais resíduos e os resíduos de acerola e goiaba apresentaram a menor DMS. Portanto, os resíduos de frutas estudados podem ser utilizados na alimentação animal por apresentarem CMS e DMS semelhantes a volumosos de boa qualidade. Voluntary intake and dry matter digestibility of fruit processer agroindustry byproducts. ABSTRACT: The study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of residues of the juices and pulps extraction. The residues of pineapple, acerola, guava, passion fruit and melon, were properly dehydrated, until that reached humidity between 13 and 16%. It was used 20 SRD sheeps, males and castrated in complete randomized design with five treatments (fruits residues) and four replications. It was estimaded the dry matter intake (DMI) expressed in: g/animal/day; percentage of body weigth (%BW) and g/BW0.75, and dry matter digestibility (DMD), having been made analysis of variance and average comparisons. The higher DMI (g/animal/day, %BW and g/BW0.75) was reachedto the guava, passion fruit and melon residues. Therefore acerola residue presented lesser DMI than others residues. Passion fruit residue presented higter DMD than all residues studied. The acerola and guava residues presented small DMD. The fruits residues studied can be used in animal feeding, because presented IMD and DMD similar to forages of good quality

Expert Consensus Recommendations for the Suspicion and Diagnosis of Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis

Cardiomyopathy is a manifestation of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR), which is an underrecognized systemic disease whereby the transthyretin protein misfolds to form fibrils that deposit in various tissues and organs. ATTR amyloidosis is debilitating and associated with poor life expectancy, especially in those with cardiac dysfunction, but a variety of treatment options have recently become available. Considered a rare disease, ATTR amyloidosis may be more prevalent than thought, particularly in older persons. Diagnosis is often delayed because of a lack of disease awareness and the heterogeneity of symptoms at presentation. Given the recent availability of effective treatments, early recognition and diagnosis are especially critical because treatment is likely more effective earlier in the disease course. The Amyloidosis Research Consortium recently convened a group of experts in ATTR amyloidosis who, through an iterative process, agreed on best practices for suspicion, diagnosis, and characterization of disease. This review describes these consensus recommendations for ATTR associated with cardiomyopathy as a resource to aid cardiologists and others in the recognition and diagnosis of ATTR associated with cardiomyopathy. Included in this review is an overview of red flag signs and symptoms and a recommended diagnostic approach, including testing for monoclonal protein, scintigraphy, or biopsy and, if ATTR associated with cardiomyopathy is identified, TTR genotyping

Avaliação do valor nutritivo de silagens de capim elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) com diferentes níveis de subproduto da acerola (Malpighia glabra).

Resumo: O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar o valor nutritivo de silagens de capim elefante contendo diferentes níveis de subproduto do processamento do suco da acerola (0, 5, 10, 15 e 20%). Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado com 4 repetições. Após 40 dias, os silos (100 x 340mm) foram abertos e determinaram-se os teores de matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), hemicelulose (HC) e valores de pH das silagens. O nível ideal de matéria seca de 30 a 35% foi alcançado nos níveis de adição de 10, 15 e 20% de subproduto. Com a adição de 10, 15 e 20% de subproduto da acerola, as silagens atingiram valores superiores ao nível mínimo de PB (7%) necessário para um bom funcionamento ruminal. Concluiu-se que a adição do subproduto do processamento da acerola em silagens de capim-elefante melhora os níveis protéicos das mesmas, porém as elevações dos níveis de FDA podem comprometer o valor nutritivo das silagens. [Evaluation of the nutritive value of silage of elephant-grass (Pennisetum purpureum) with different levels of by-product of Malpighia glabra]. ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the nutritive value of silage of elephant-grass containing different levels of by-product of the processing of the juice of the Malpighia glabra (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%). A completely random design with four repetitions was used. After 40 days, the silos (100 x 340mm) were open and it was determined the level of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemi-cellulose (HC) and values of pH of the silage. The ideal level of dry matter from 30 to 35% was reached in the levels of addition of 10, 15 and 20% of by-product. With the addition of 10, 15 and 20% of by-product of the Malpighia glabra, the silage reached higher values than the minimum level of CP (7%) necessary for a good rumination. It was concluded that the addition of the by-product of the processing of the Malpighia glabra to the silage of elephant-grass improves their protein level, however the increasing of the levels of ADF can compromise the nutritive value of the silage

On the identification of earlywood and latewood radial elastic modulus of Pinus pinaster by digital image correlation: a parametric analysis

This work addresses the reconstruction of strain gradient fields at the wood growth ring scale from full-field deformation measurements provided by digital image correlation. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the earlywood and latewood radial modulus of elasticity is assessed. Meso-scale tensile tests are carried out on Pinus pinaster Ait. Wooden specimens oriented in the radial–tangential plane under quasi-static loading conditions. A parametric analysis of the twodimensional digital image correlation extrinsic and intrinsic setting parameters is performed, in a balance between spatial resolution and resolution. It is shown that the parametric module is an effective way to quantitatively support the choice of digital image correlation parameters in the presence of the high deformation gradient fields generated by the structure–property relationships at the scale of observation. Under the assumption of a uniaxial tensile stress state, the spatial distribution of the radial elastic modulus across the growth rings is obtained. It is observed that the ratio of the radial modulus of elasticity between latewood and earlywood tissues can vary significantly as a function of the digital image correlation parameters. It is pointed out, however, that a convergence value can be systematically established. Effectively, earlywood and latewood stress–strain curves are obtained and elastic properties are determined assuming the converged digital image correlation setting parameters

Avaliação do valor nutritivo de silagens de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) com diferentes níveis de subproduto da goiaba.

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar o valor nutritivo de silagens de capim elefante contendo diferentes níveis de subproduto do processamento do suco da goiaba (0, 5, 10, 15 e 20%). Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado com 4 repetições. Após 40 dias, os silos (100 x 340mm) foram abertos e determinou-se os teores de matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), hemicelulose (HC) e valores de pH das silagens. Os teores de MS elevaram com a adição do subproduto da goiaba. Para cada 1% de adição de subproduto observou acréscimo de 0,5 pontos percentuais nos teores de MS. O nível mínimo desejado de MS para se obter boas condições fermentativas foi obtido com adição de 15 de subproduto. Para os teores de PB observou-se que mesmo havendo aumento linear com a adição do subproduto da goiaba o nível mínimo de 7%, requerido para bom funcionamento ruminal não foi atingido. Para os teores de HC e valores de pH não foram observadas diferenças entre as várias silagens avaliadas, porém os valores de pH se mantiveram dentro da faixa tida como ideal (3,8- 4,2). Os teores de FDN e FDA foram alterados com a adição de subprodutos da goiaba, porém as alterações não foram de grande magnitude. Pelos dados obtidos conclui-se que adição de subprodutos da goiaba não prejudica o processo fermentativo das silagens. Evaluation of the nutritious value of silage of capim elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) with different levels of by-product of guava. Abstract: The present work was developed with the objective of evaluating the nutritive value of silage of elephant-grass containing different levels of by-product of the processing of the juice of the guava (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%). A completely random design with four repetitions was used. After 40 days, the silos (100 x 340mm) were open and it was determined the level of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemi-cellulose (HC) and values of pH of the silage. The level of DM increased with the addition of the by-product of the guava. For each 1% of by-product addition it was observed an increase of 0,5 percentile points in the grade of MS. The desired minimum level of DM to obtain good fermenting conditions was obtained with the addition of 15 of by-product. For the grade of CP it was observed that even having a lineal increase with the addition of the by-product of the guava, the minimum level of 7% required for a good rumination, was not reached. For the grade of HC and pH values were not observed differences among the several evaluated silage, however the pH values stayed within the ideal range (3,8-4,2). The grade of NDF and ADF changed with the addition of by-products of the guava, however these alterations were not of a great magnitude. According to the obtained data it is concluded that addition of byproducts of the guava doesn't harm the fermenting process of the silage

Nonlinear Oxidation Behavior in Pure Ni and Ni-Containing Entropic Alloys

We performed a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the oxidation behavior of pure Ni and of the following multi-component Ni-containing alloys with nearly equiatomic compositions: FeNi, CoFeNi, CoCrFeNi, and CoCrFeMnNi. The materials were exposed to air at ambient pressure and at a temperature of 800°C for 150 min, their weight-gain due to oxidation was continuously monitored and the products of oxidation were subsequently characterized by XRD. The most common oxides formed have spinel or halite structure and the materials resistance to oxidation increases as: FeNi &lt; CoFeNi &lt; Ni &lt; CoCrFeMnNi &lt; CoCrFeNi. We found further that the oxidation-resistance of the materials does not correlate linearly with the number of elements present, instead the type of elements impacts significantly the materials susceptibility to oxidative damage. Cr is the element that imparted higher resistance to oxidation while Mn and Fe worsened the materials performance. In order to better understand the mechanisms of oxidation we employed thermodynamic equilibrium calculations and predicted the phase stability of oxides of the elements that are present in the materials, in different ranges of temperature, composition and oxygen activity. Additionally, we determined the phase compositions for the thermodynamically stable oxides at 800°C. The results from the thermodynamic modeling are in good agreement with the experimental finds. The alloys with low resistance to oxidation such as CoFeNi and FeNi, form the Fe3O4 spinel phase which tends to dominate the phase diagram for these materials. The presence of Cr increases the resistance to atomic rearrangement due to slow diffusion in the complex structure of Cr containing spinel phases. This causes the extremely high resistance to oxidation of the CoCrFeNi alloy. The presence of Mn in CoCrFeNi stabilizes the Mn3O4 spinel, which reduces the oxidation-resistance of the alloys due to the high mobility of Mn