Pull-out and push-in tests of bonded steel strands

Martí Vargas, JR. (2013). Pull-out and push-in tests of bonded steel strands. Magazine of Concrete Research. 65(18):1128-1131. doi:10.1680/macr.13.00061S112811316518Balázs LG .Bond Model with Non-Linear Bond-Slip Law, 1987, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, 395–430, Studi e Ricerche, Post-Graduate Course for Reinforced Concrete Structures, V.8/86.Balazs, G. L. (1992). Transfer Control of Prestressing Strands. PCI Journal, 37(6), 60-71. doi:10.15554/pcij.11011992.60.71Balazs, G. L. (1993). Transfer Length of Prestressing Strand as a Function of Draw-In and Initial Prestress. PCI Journal, 38(2), 86-93. doi:10.15554/pcij.03011993.86.93Balázs, G. L. (2007). Connecting Reinforcement to Concrete by Bond. Beton- und Stahlbetonbau, 102(S1), 46-50. doi:10.1002/best.200710109Carmo RNF .Ancoragem de Armaduras Pré-Esforçadas por Pré-Tensão. MSc thesis, 1999, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal, (in Portuguese).Faria, D. M. V., Lúcio, V. J. G., & Pinho Ramos, A. (2011). Pull-out and push-in tests of bonded steel strands. Magazine of Concrete Research, 63(9), 689-705. doi:10.1680/macr.2011.63.9.689Faria, D. M. V., Lúcio, V. J. G., & Ramos, A. P. (2011). Strengthening of flat slabs with post-tensioning using anchorages by bonding. Engineering Structures, 33(6), 2025-2043. doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2011.02.039Faria, D. M. V., Lúcio, V. J. G., & Pinho Ramos, A. (2012). Post-punching behaviour of flat slabs strengthened with a new technique using post-tensioning. Engineering Structures, 40, 383-397. doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2012.03.014Laldji S .Bond Characteristics of Prestressing Strand in Grout. MPhil thesis, 1987, University of Leicester, UK.Laldji, S., & Young, A. G. (1988). Bond between steel strand and cement grout in ground anchorages. Magazine of Concrete Research, 40(143), 90-98. doi:10.1680/macr.1988.40.143.90Lopes, S. M. R., & do Carmo, R. N. F. (2002). Bond of prestressed strands to concrete: transfer rate and relationship between transmission length and tendon draw-in. Structural Concrete, 3(3), 117-126. doi:10.1680/stco.2002.3.3.117Martí-Vargas, J. R., Serna-Ros, P., Fernández-Prada, M. A., Miguel-Sosa, P. F., & Arbeláez, C. A. (2006). Test method for determination of the transmission and anchorage lengths in prestressed reinforcement. Magazine of Concrete Research, 58(1), 21-29. doi:10.1680/macr.2006.58.1.21Marti-Vargas, J. R., Arbelaez, C. A., Serna-Ros, P., Navarro-Gregori, J., & Pallares-Rubio, L. (2007). Analytical model for transfer length prediction of 13 mm prestressing strand. Structural Engineering and Mechanics, 26(2), 211-229. doi:10.12989/sem.2007.26.2.211Palmer, K. D., & Schultz, A. E. (2011). Experimental investigation of the web-shear strength of deep hollow-core units. PCI Journal, 56(4), 83-104. doi:10.15554/pcij.09012011.83.10

Reversion of Steatosis by SREBP-1c Antisense Oligonucleotide did not Improve Hepatic Insulin Action in Diet-induced Obesity Mice

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The literature has associated hepatic insulin action with NAFLD. In this sense, treatments to revert steatosis and improve hepatic insulin action become important. Our group has demonstrated that inhibition of Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins-1c (SREBP-1c) reverses hepatic steatosis. However, insulin signals after NAFLD reversion require better investigation. Thus, in this study, we investigated if the reversal of NAFLD by SREBP-1c inhibitor results in improvement in the hepatic insulin signal in obesity mice. After installation/achievement of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, Swiss mice were divided into 3 groups: i) Lean, ii) D-IHS, diet-induced hepatic steatosis [no treatment with antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)], and iii) RD-IHS, reversion of diet-induced hepatic steatosis (treated with ASO). The mice were treated with ASO SREBP-1c as previously described by our group. After ASO treatment, one set of animals was anesthetized and used for in vivo test, and another mice set was anesthetized and used for histology and Western blot analysis. Reversion of diet-induced hepatic steatosis did not change blood glucose, glucose decay constant (k(ITT)), body weight, or serum insulin levels. In addition, results showed that the protocol did not improve insulin pathway signaling, as confirmed by the absence of changes in IR, IRS1, Akt and Foxo1 phosphorylation in hepatic tissue. In parallel, no alterations were observed in proinflammatory molecules. Thus, our results suggest that the inhibition of SREBP-1c reverts steatosis, but without improving insulin hepatic resistance.4412885890Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC)Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Staphylococcus aureus Survives with a Minimal Peptidoglycan Synthesis Machine but Sacrifices Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance

Many important cellular processes are performed by molecular machines, composed of multiple proteins that physically interact to execute biological functions. An example is the bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis machine, responsible for the synthesis of the main component of the cell wall and the target of many contemporary antibiotics. One approach for the identification of essential components of a cellular machine involves the determination of its minimal protein composition. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen, renowned for its resistance to many commonly used antibiotics and prevalence in hospitals. Its genome encodes a low number of proteins with PG synthesis activity (9 proteins), when compared to other model organisms, and is therefore a good model for the study of a minimal PG synthesis machine. We deleted seven of the nine genes encoding PG synthesis enzymes from the S. aureus genome without affecting normal growth or cell morphology, generating a strain capable of PG biosynthesis catalyzed only by two penicillin-binding proteins, PBP1 and the bi-functional PBP2. However, multiple PBPs are important in clinically relevant environments, as bacteria with a minimal PG synthesis machinery became highly susceptible to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, host lytic enzymes and displayed impaired virulence in a Drosophila infection model which is dependent on the presence of specific peptidoglycan receptor proteins, namely PGRP-SA. The fact that S. aureus can grow and divide with only two active PG synthesizing enzymes shows that most of these enzymes are redundant in vitro and identifies the minimal PG synthesis machinery of S. aureus. However a complex molecular machine is important in environments other than in vitro growth as the expendable PG synthesis enzymes play an important role in the pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance of S. aureus

Allopurinol Reduces the Lethality Associated with Acute Renal Failure Induced by Crotalus durissus terrificus Snake Venom: Comparison with Probenecid

In Brazil, among registered snake bites, those by the genus Crotalus originate the highest mortality rate. The rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus is the most frequently implicated in these accidents. The kidney is a particularly vulnerable organ to the venom of this rattlesnake. In fact, the most serious complication of Crotalus snake bite is the renal dysfunction, and among the fatal cases of Crotalus bites in Brazil 5% are patients treated with antivenom. The hyperuricemia has been observed in human accidents with snake venoms, but this parameter has not received any special attention as a relevant factor in the etiology of renal dysfunction caused by these venoms. This study examined the effects of treatments with low-cost and low-risk uricostatic (allopurinol) and uricosuric (probenecid) drugs on the envenomation by C. d. terrificus, showing that allopurinol and probenecid mitigated certain nephrotoxic effects, as well as the survival of envenomed mice was improved through the effects of allopurinol on reduction of oxidative stress and intracellular formation of uric acid. This new knowledge provides consistent evidences linking uric acid with the renal dysfunction induced by rattlesnake bites and that the allopurinol deserves to be clinically evaluated as an approach complementary to anti-snake venom serotherapy

Isokinetic muscle function comparison of lower limbs among elderly fallers and non-fallers

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar se há diferenças entre o desempenho muscular de tornozelo, joelho e quadril em idosos com e sem relato de queda nos últimos seis meses. Foram incluídos 81 idosos com 65 anos ou mais: 56 negaram quedas (G1) e 25 relataram quedas (G2). Utilizou-se o questionário perfil de atividade humana para medir o nível de atividade física, e o dinamômetro isocinético para mensurar os parâmetros físicos da função muscular. Os grupos não diferiram entre si em relação à idade (p=0,925), duração (p=0,065) e frequência (p=0,302) da prática do exercício físico, índice de massa corpórea (p=0,995) e nível de atividade física (p=0,561). O G2 apresentou menor desempenho para as variáveis pico de torque de flexão e extensão de joelho esquerdo (p=0,027 e p=0,030, respectivamente) e trabalho por peso corporal (p=0,040) de flexão de joelho esquerdo a 60°/s; pico de torque e trabalho por peso corporal de flexão e extensão de joelho a 180°/s bilateralmente (p<0,050); e potência média de flexão de joelhos direito e esquerdo (p=0,030). A maioria das variáveis do tornozelo e quadril não apresentou diferenças entre os grupos. Apenas a variável pico de torque de extensão de quadril esquerdo foi significativamente maior no G1 (p=0,035). É importante considerar a função muscular do joelho na avaliação clínica de idosos para direcionar a intervenção terapêutica e a prevenção de quedas.The aim of this study was to identify whether there are differences between the performance of muscular groups of ankle, knee and hip among elderly people who didn't have falls and individuals who reported falls in the last six months. The study included 81 elderly aged 65 or older: 56 non-faller subjects (G1) and 25 faaller subjects (G2). To obtain the level of physical activity, the questionnaire Human Activity Profile was used, and the muscle function of the lower limbs was assessed using isokinetic dynamometer. The groups did not differ regarding age (p=0.925), duration (p=0.065) and frequency (p=0.302) of the practice of physical exercise, body mass index (BMI) (p=0.995) and level of physical activity (p=0.561). The G2 showed a lower performance of peak torque of left knee flexion and extension (p=0.027 and p=0.030, respectively) and work proportional to body weight (p=0.040) of left knee flexion at 60°/s; peak torque and work proportional to body weight of bilaterally knee flexion and extension at 180°/s (p<0.05) and average power of right and left knee extension (p=0.03). Most variables of ankle and hip joints did not differ between groups. Only peak torque of left hip extension was significantly higher in the non-faller group (p=0.035). It is important to consider knee muscle function in the clinical evaluation of elderly in order to make the intervention more assertive and thus to prevent falls

Environmental risk factors of type 2 diabetes-an exposome approach

Type 2 diabetes is one of the major chronic diseases accounting for a substantial proportion of disease burden in Western countries. The majority of the burden of type 2 diabetes is attributed to environmental risks and modifiable risk factors such as lifestyle. The environment we live in, and changes to it, can thus contribute substantially to the prevention of type 2 diabetes at a population level. The ‘exposome’ represents the (measurable) totality of environmental, i.e. nongenetic, drivers of health and disease. The external exposome comprises aspects of the built environment, the social environment, the physico-chemical environment and the lifestyle/food environment. The internal exposome comprises measurements at the epigenetic, transcript, proteome, microbiome or metabolome level to study either the exposures directly, the imprints these exposures leave in the biological system, the potential of the body to combat environmental insults and/or the biology itself. In this review, we describe the evidence for environmental risk factors of type 2 diabetes, focusing on both the general external exposome and imprints of this on the internal exposome. Studies provided established associations of air pollution, residential noise and area-level socioeconomic deprivation with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, while neighbourhood walkability and green space are consistently associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. There is little or inconsistent evidence on the contribution of the food environment, other aspects of the social environment and outdoor temperature. These environmental factors are thought to affect type 2 diabetes risk mainly through mechanisms incorporating lifestyle factors such as physical activity or diet, the microbiome, inflammation or chronic stress. To further assess causality of these associations, future studies should focus on investigating the longitudinal effects of our environment (and changes to it) in relation to type 2 diabetes risk and whether these associations are explained by these proposed mechanisms. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Structural studies of Helicase NS3 variants from Hepatitis C virus genotype 3 in virological sustained responder and non-responder patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>About 130 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide, but effective treatment options are not yet available. One of the most promising targets for antiviral therapy is nonstructural protein 3 (NS3). To identify possible changes in the structure of NS3 associated with virological sustained response or non-response of patients, a model was constructed for each helicase NS3 protein coding sequence. From this, the goal was to verify the interaction between helicases variants and their ligands.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Evidence was found that the NS3 helicase portion of non-responder patients contained substitutions in its ATP and RNA binding sites. K210E substitution can cause an imbalance in the distribution of loads, leading to a decrease in the number of ligations between the essential amino acids required for the hydrolysis of ATP. W501R substitution causes an imbalance in the distribution of loads, leading and forcing the RNA to interact with the amino acid Thr269, but not preventing binding of ribavirin inhibitor.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Useful information is provided on the genetic profiling of the HCV genotype 3, specifically the coding region of the NS3 protein, improving our understanding of the viral genome and the regions of its protein catalytic site.</p

Historical analysis of the Brazilian cervical cancer screening program from 2006 to 2013: a time for reflection

BACKGROUND: The Cervical Cancer Database of the Brazilian National Health Service (SISCOLO) contains information regarding all cervical cytological tests and, if properly explored, can be used as a tool for monitoring and managing the cervical cancer screening program. The aim of this study was to perform a historical analysis of the cervical cancer screening program in Brazil from 2006 to 2013. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data necessary to calculate quality indicators were obtained from the SISCOLO, a Brazilian health system tool. Joinpoint analysis was used to calculate the annual percentage change. RESULTS: We observed important trends showing decreased rates of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and an increased rate of rejected exams from 2009 to 2013. The index of positivity was maintained at levels below those indicated by international standards; very low frequencies of unsatisfactory cases were observed over the study period, which partially contradicts the low rate of positive cases. The number of positive cytological diagnoses was below that expected, considering that developed countries with low frequencies of cervical cancer detect more lesions annually. CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of indicators from 2006 to 2013 suggests that actions must be taken to improve the effectiveness of cervical cancer control in Brazil