Tribomechanical Comparison between PVA Hydrogels Obtained Using Different Processing Conditions and Human Cartilage

Designing materials for cartilage replacement raises several challenges due to the complexity of the natural tissue and its unique tribomechanical properties. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels have been explored for such purpose since they are biocompatible, present high chemical stability, and their properties may be tailored through different strategies. In this work, the influence of preparation conditions of PVA hydrogels on its morphology, water absorption capacity, thermotropic behavior, mechanical properties, and tribological performance was evaluated and compared with those of human cartilage (HC). The hydrogels were obtained by cast-drying (CD) and freeze-thawing (FT), in various conditions. It was found that the method of preparation of the PVA hydrogels critically affects their microstructure and performance. CD gels presented a denser structure, absorbed less water, were stiffer, dissipated less energy, and withstood higher loads than FT gels. Moreover, they led to friction coefficients against stainless steel comparable with those of HC. Overall, CD hydrogels had a closer performance to natural HC, when compared to FT ones.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quality of life of patients living with psoriasis: a qualitative study

Background: Psoriasis is a multifactorial inflammatory disease prevalent in dermatology. We aimed to understand the perceptions of patients living with psoriasis in relation to their quality of life and to identify aspects to improve it. Methods: This is qualitative research carried out in a dermatology outpatient clinic of the São Paulo State University (UNESP) medical school, Botucatu, Brazil, with 81 psoriasis patients. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the Discourse of the Collective Subject method (DCS). Results: Quality of life was linked to well-being, happiness, leisure, good food and financial stability. However, disease symptoms, social and clothing restrictions, impairment of professional activities and the absence of a cure, negatively influenced their perceptions. Suggestions for improvements included an increase of public awareness, stress reduction, disease acceptance and multidisciplinary care. Conclusion: The meanings of quality of life revealed by the participants are subjective, multidimensional, linked to moments experienced by them and to the health-disease process. Public health policies promoting reduction in social stigma and stress as well as multidisciplinary approaches towards care can contribute to improvements of QoL in psoriasi

Quasi-Stationary Distributions for Models of Heterogeneous Catalysis

We construct the quasi-stationary (QS) distribution for two models of heterogeneous catalysis having two absorbing states: the ZGB model for the oxidation of CO, and a version with noninstantaneous reactions. Using a mean-field-like approximation, we study the quasi-stationary surface coverages, moment ratios and the lifetime of the QS state. We also derive an improved, consistent one-site mean-field theory for the ZGB model.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure

Persistence and Adherence to Cardiovascular Medicines in Australia

BACKGROUND: The burden of cardiovascular disease is increasing, with many people treated for multiple cardiovascular conditions. We examined persistence and adherence to medicines for cardiovascular disease treatment or prevention in Australia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using national dispensing claims for a 10% random sample of people, we identified adults (≥18 years) initiating antihypertensives, statins, oral anticoagulants, or antiplatelets in 2018. We measured persistence to therapy using a 60-day permissible gap, and adherence using the proportion of days covered up to 3 years from initiation, and from first to last dispensing. We reported outcomes by age, sex, and cardiovascular multimedicine use. We identified 83 687 people initiating antihypertensives (n=37 941), statins (n=34 582), oral anticoagulants (n=15 435), or antiplatelets (n=7726). Around one-fifth of people discontinued therapy within 90 days, with 50% discontinuing within the first year. Although many people achieved high adherence (proportion of days covered ≥80%) within the first year, these rates were higher when measured from first to last dispensing (40.5% and 53.2% for statins; 55.6% and 80.5% for antiplatelets, respectively). Persistence was low at 3 years (17.5% antiplatelets to 37.3% anticoagulants). Persistence and adherence increased with age, with minor differences by sex. Over one-third of people had cardiovascular multimedicine use (reaching 92% among antiplatelet users): they had higher persistence and adherence than people using medicines from only 1 cardiovascular group. CONCLUSIONS: Persistence to cardiovascular medicines decreases substantially following initiation, but adherence remains high while people are using therapy. Cardiovascular multimedicine use is common, and people using multiple cardiovascular medicines have higher rates of persistence and adherence

Dopamine-induced ascorbate release from retinal neurons involves glutamate release, activation of AMPA/Kainate receptors and downstream signaling pathways

Ascorbate, the reduced form of Vitamin C, is one of the most abundant and important low-molecular weight antioxidants in living tissues. Most animals synthesize Vitamin C, but some primates, including humans, have lost this capacity due to disruption in L-gulono-gamma-lactone oxidase gene. Because of this incapacity, those animals must obtain Vitamin C from the diet. Ascorbate is highly concentrated in the central nervous system (CNS), including the retina, and plays essential roles in neuronal physiology. Ascorbate transport into cells is controlled by Sodium Vitamin C Co-Transporters (SVCTs). There are four SVCT isoforms and SVCT2 is the major isoform controlling ascorbate transport in the CNS. Regarding ascorbate release from retinal neurons, Glutamate, by activating its ionotropic receptors leads to ascorbate release via the reversion of SVCT2. Moreover, dopamine, via activation of D1 receptor/cyclic AMP/EPAC2 pathway, also induces ascorbate release via SVCT2 reversion. Because the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems are interconnected in the CNS, we hypothesized that dopamine could regulate ascorbate release indirectly, via the glutamatergic system. Here we reveal that dopamine increases the release of D-Aspartate from retinal neurons in a way independent on calcium ions and dependent on excitatory amino acid transporters. In addition, dopamine-dependent SVCT2 reversion leading to ascorbate release occurs by activation of AMPA/Kainate receptors and downstream ERK/AKT pathways. Overall, our data reveal a dopamine-to-glutamate signaling that regulates the bioavailability of ascorbate in neuronal cells.This work was supported by grants from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), and Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Inovação da Universidade Federal Fluminense (PROPPI/UFF). TGE, ID, and NAO were recipients of graduate student fellowships from CAPES. RPC is a research fellow from CNPq and FAPERJ. CCP and RS hold employment contracts financed by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the context of the program-contract described in paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of art. 23 of Law no. 57/2016, of August 29, as amended by Law no. 57/2017 of July 19

Use of MODIS sensor images combined with reanalysis products to retrieve net radiation in Amazonia

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.In the Amazon region, the estimation of radiation fluxes through remote sensing techniques is hindered by the lack of ground measurements required as input in the models, as well as the difficulty to obtain cloud-free images. Here, we assess an approach to estimate net radiation (Rn) and its components under all-sky conditions for the Amazon region through the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model utilizing only remote sensing and reanalysis data. The study period comprised six years, between January 2001-December 2006, and images from MODIS sensor aboard the Terra satellite and GLDAS reanalysis products were utilized. The estimates were evaluated with flux tower measurements within the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) project. Comparison between estimates obtained by the proposed method and observations from LBA towers showed errors between 12.5% and 16.4% and 11.3% and 15.9% for instantaneous and daily Rn, respectively. Our approach was adequate to minimize the problem related to strong cloudiness over the region and allowed to map consistently the spatial distribution of net radiation components in Amazonia. We conclude that the integration of reanalysis products and satellite data, eliminating the need for surface measurements as input model, was a useful proposition for the spatialization of the radiation fluxes in the Amazon region, which may serve as input information needed by algorithms that aim to determine evapotranspiration, the most important component of the Amazon hydrological balance.Gabriel de Oliveira acknowledges the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology and Brazilian Ministry of Education for providing research fellowships through the CNPq (Grant No. 52521/2012-7) and CAPES (Grant No. 8210/2014-4) agencies, respectively. Luiz E. O. C. Aragão acknowledges the support of FAPESP (Grant No. 50533-5) and CNPq (Grant No. 304425/2013-3) agencies

Use or Value? Practical Adoption of Strategy Tools in Different Stages of the Strategy Process

Strategy tools such as scenario planning and Porter’s Five Forces have been developed in order to support the strategy work of practitioners and organizations. However, little research has been concerned with the practicalities of using strategy tools. This paper addresses this gap through a large scale survey of where in the strategy process managers use different strategy tools and what value they accord to that use in different phases. It was found that: a) strategy tools use is not specific to a single stage of the strategy process rather their use spread across all stages b) strategy tools use and value are not strongly correlated; c) the use and value of strategy tools decreases progressively as we move from strategy analysis to strategy implementation

Guia para o estabelecimento de critérios microbiológicos em géneros alimentícios

Autoria/Colaboração: Ana Lúcia Baltazar – ESTeSC; Ana Santos – VETDIAGNOS, Lda.; Maria Cecília Alexandre – ERSAR; António Lopes João – CMMV-Exército Português; Marta Ferreira – ATIVE, Lda.; Carla Novais – FFUP; Maria Cândida Marramaque – ANIL; Carlos Brandão – ESHTE; Patrícia Antunes – FCNAUP; Catarina Leitão Proença – CFPSA; Paulo Fernandes – INSA, I.P.; Cátia Martins Vaz – Dan Cake Portugal, S.A.; Pedro Caiado de Sousa – DGAV; Elisa Carrilho – ASAE; Rita Amaral Ferreira – Eurest Portugal, Lda.; Fátima Cordeiro – DGAV; Rita Temtem – LRVSA_Madeira; Helena Barroso – ISCSEM; Roberto Brazão – INSA, I.P.; Liliana Carvalho – Câmara Municipal de Braga; Silvia Viegas – INSA, I.P.; Luís Amaro – Ordem dos Nutricionistas; Sónia Pedro – IPMA, I.P.; Luísa Oliveira – INSA, I.P.; Sandra Quinteira – ESSVA-CESPU; Manuela Sol – ASAE; Verónica Ribeiro – CMMV-Exército Português; Márcia Reto – ASAE.O conteúdo desta publicação é da responsabilidade do Grupo de Trabalho Ocorrência Microbiológica na Cadeia Alimentar (GTOMCA), do Programa PortFIR, não representando, em termos jurídicos, a posição oficial das entidades e empresas que o compõem. Assim, estas não assumem qualquer responsabilidade ou obrigação por eventuais erros ou imprecisões que possam existir e a responsabilidade pela interpretação e uso do documento é exclusivamente do leitor.O objetivo do Guia é compilar, complementar e disponibilizar um conjunto informação existente relativa aos critérios microbiológicos ao longo de todas as etapas da cadeia alimentar, não incluindo a produção primária, visando apoiar e facilitar a sua aplicação. O presente guia apresenta alguns exemplos de critérios microbiológicos aplicáveis ao longo da cadeia alimentar, a nível internacional, não dispensando a consulta da legislação em vigor. O presente documento destina-se a apoiar, entre outros, os operadores da indústria alimentar, da restauração, de laboratórios de controlo da qualidade, a comunidade científica e as entidades oficiais que atuem neste âmbito de atividade, sem prejuízo da aplicação de outros requisitos normativos e regulamentares.N/