THE ADO METHOD FOR SOLVING ONE-DIMENSIONAL DEEP-PENETRATION TRANSPORT PROBLEMS

In this work, the Analytical Discrete Ordinate method (ADO method) is used to solve deep-penetration transport problems in one-dimensional Cartesian geometry, subject to isotropic and linear anisotropic scattering effects. The regime is considered permanent, the media are homogeneous, and the fluxes are caused by sources located on the boundaries of the domain. In addition, the energy fluctuations will be considered as not significant, characterizing the phenomena as monoenergetic problems. In order to validate the code, method and provide benchmark results, some test problems will be treated and results will be discussed. In particular, the ADO method generated fairly accurate results when compared to other methods based on SN approaches, at a relatively low computational cost

GEOMETRIC EVALUATION OF COMPLEX CAVITY INTRUDED IN HEAT GENERATED WALLS

In this work it is presented a numerical study about geometrical evaluation of heat transfer in solids with volumetric heat generation and complex intruded cavity for cooling the wall by means of Constructal Design. Several cavities with varied shapes have been evaluated in literature, such as I-, T- and H-shaped cavities. The purpose here is to evaluate a complex cavity that combines different elemental shapes. More precisely, the resultant cavity is a merge between a H-shaped cavity and a I-shaped one, forming a ramified geometry, which is more expected in the flow between a point and volume in systems with high magnitude. The main purpose is to minimize two times the maximal temperature in the solid domain (Tmax). Here two degrees of freedom are defined for the cavity: H1/L1 (ratio between the second branch thickness and its length) and H0/L0 (ratio between the third branch height and its thickness) and the area of cavity is the constraint. For each geometrical configuration the heat diffusion equation is solved with the Finite Element Method (FEM). Results showed that differences of until five times between the optimal shapes and the worst ones are achieved, showing the importance of application of Constructal Design in the problem. Moreover, the best performance is achieved when the vertical branches are fully intruded in the solid domain for intermediate lengths of horizontal branch

GEOMETRIC EVALUATION OF FOUR STAGGERED CYLINDERS ARRAY SUBJECTED TO FORCED CONVECTIVE FLOWS BY MEANS OF CONSTRUCTAL DESIGN

This work presents a numerical study on the geometric evaluation of forced convective flows over four staggered arrangement of four cylinders. The forced convective flow is considered incompressible, two-dimensional, laminar and unsteady. Geometry varies according to Constructal Design method. The objectives are the maximization of Nusselt number (NuD) and minimization of drag coefficient (CD) between the cylinders and the surrounding flow. Simulations were performed considering Reynolds numbers of ReD = 10, 40 and 150 and air as working fluid, i.e., Prandtl number is assumed Pr = 0.71. The problem presents three degrees of freedom: ST/D (ratio between transversal pitch of the intermediate cylinders and the cylinders diameter), SL1/D (ratio between the frontal and intermediate cylinders longitudinal pitch and the cylinders diameter) and SL2/D (ratio between the intermediate and posterior cylinders longitudinal pitch and the cylinders diameter). However, SL1/D and SL2/D measures were kept fixed at 1.5 and ST/D varies in the range 1.5 ≤ ST/D ≤ 5.0. The conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy conservation are solved with the Finite Volume Method (FVM). Optimal results for fluid-dynamic study in all ReD cases occurred for the lowest values of ST/D, i.e., (ST/D)o,f = 1.5. For thermal analysis, NuD behavior was assessed, where optimal results for ReD = 10 and 40 occurred for the highest values of ST/D, whilst, for ReD = 150, the optimal value was achieved for the intermediate ratio of ST/D = 4.0

Estudo e caracterização de um jazigo fossilífero de mesossauros no distrito de Vida Nova, municipio de Sapopema, Paraná, Brasil

O presente trabalho consiste em um estudo sobre um jazigo fossilífero de mesossauros pertencente à formação Irati, membro do grupo Passa Dois, localizada no distrito de Vida Nova, município de Sapopema, estado do Paraná, Brasil. O jazigo encontra-se em uma pedreira abandonada, utilizada anteriormente para a extração de calcário, e é constituído de folhelhos pirobetuminosos e calcários parcialmente dolomitizados. Com o intuito de caracterizar o paleoambiente, identificar e descrever o gênero de mesosaurideae presente no jazigo foram realizadas duas viagens de campo, em junho e agosto de 2007, para coleta de amostras. Após análise em laboratorio, concluiu-se que os espécimes encontrados seriam da espécie Brazilosaurus sanpauloensis Shikama e Ozaki e o paleoambiente era caracterizado por um mar calmo e raso, de baixa salinidade, com clima ameno e de estações climáticas bem definidasSesiones libresFacultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

25 hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and its relationship to autoimmune thyroid disease in the elderly

Background: Low 25(OH) vitamin D levels have been associated with several autoimmune diseases and recently with autoimmune thyroiditis (AT). The aim of the study was to investigate the association of AT with low 25(OH) vitamin D levels in the elderly. Methods: One hundred sixty-eight elderly subjects (mean age: 81.6 ± 9.4 years) were enrolled. Serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO-Ab), anti-thyroglobulin (TG-Ab) antibodies, free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured. Results: The prevalence of AT was significantly higher in subjects with vitamin D deficiency (25(OH) vitamin D < 20 ng/mL) when compared with subjects with normal 25(OH) vitamin D (25(OH) vitamin D ≥ 20 ng/mL) levels (28% vs. 8%, respectively, p = 0.002). Patients with AT and vitamin D deficiency had a comparable hormonal profile compared to patients with AT and vitamin D sufficiency in terms of TSH (p = 0.39), FT3 (p = 0.30), FT4 (p = 0.31), TG-Ab (0.44) and TPO-Ab (0.35). Interestingly, a significant correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D and TPO-Ab (r = −0.27, p = 0.03) and FT3 (r = 0.35, p = 0.006) has been found in subjects with AT while no correlation was found between 25(OH) vitamin D levels and TG-Ab (r = −0.15, p = 0.25), TSH (r = −0.014, p = 0.09) and FT4 (r = 0.13, p = 0.32). Conclusions: These findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with AT in the elderly. Therefore, the screening for AT should be suggested in subjects with vitamin D deficiency

GEOMETRICAL EVALUATION OF RECTANGULAR FIN MOUNTED IN LATERAL SURFACE OF LID-DRIVEN CAVITY FORCED CONVECTIVE FLOWS

In this work, it is investigated the geometric effect of rectangular fin inserted in a lid-driven square cavity over thermal performance of laminar, incompressible, steady and forced convective flows. This study is performed by applying Constructal Design to maximize the heat transfer between the fin and the cavity flow. For that, the problem is subjected to two constraints: area of the cavity and area of rectangular fin, and two degrees of freedom: height/length ratio of rectangular fin (H1/L1) and its position in upstream surface of the cavity (S/A1/2). It is considered here some fixed parameters, as the ratio between the fin and cavity areas (ϕ = 0.05), the aspect ratio of the cavity dimensions (H/L = 1.0) and Prandtl number (Pr = 0.71). The fin aspect ratio (H1/L1) was varied for three different placements of the fin at the upstream cavity surface (S/A1/2 = 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9) which represents a lower, intermediate and upper positions of the fin. The effects of the fin geometry over the spatial-averaged Nusselt number ( ) is investigated for three different Reynolds numbers (ReH = 10, 102 and 103). The conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy were numerically solved with the Finite Volume Method. Results showed that both degrees of freedom (H1/L1 and S/A1/2) had a strong influence over , mainly for higher magnitudes of Reynolds number. Moreover, the best thermal performance is reached when the fin is placed near the upper surface of the cavity for an intermediate ratio between height and length of rectangular fin, more precisely when (S/A1/2)o = 0.9 and (H1/L1)oo = 2.0

Neuroendocrine immunity in patients with Alzheimer's disease: toward translational epigenetics

The emerging domain of epigenetics in molecular medicine finds application for a variety of patient populations. Here, we present fundamental neuroendocrine immune evidence obtained in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (sDAT), and discuss the implications of these data from the viewpoint of translational epigenetics of Alzheimer's disease. We followed 18 subjects with mild sDAT treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and 10 control subjects matched for age in a repeated measure design every six months for 18 months. We monitored psychosocial profile (Mini-Mental State Examination, Functional Assessment Staging, Independence in Activities of Daily Living, Depression, Profile of Moods States) in parallel to immunophenotypic parameters of T cell subpopulations by flow cytometry. Based on change in the mini-mental state score at entry and at 18 months, patients with sDAT were assigned to a “fast progression” (delta greater than 2 points) or to a “slow progression” group (delta less than or equal to 2 points). The change in circulating activated T cells (CD3+Dr+) with time in patients with sDAT was significantly inversely correlated with the change in time in natural killer (NK) cytotoxic activity to cortisol modulation in these patients, which was greater in patients with fast progression, compared to slow progression sDAT. These data indicate underlying neuroendocrine immune processes during progression of sDAT. Our observations suggest that psychoimmune measures such as those we have monitored in this study provide relevant information about the evolving physiological modulation in patients with sDAT during progression of Alzheimer's disease, and point to new or improved translational epigenetic treatment interventions

Comparison of two pore sizes of LAE442 scaffolds and their effect on degradation and osseointegration behavior in the rabbit model

The magnesium alloy LAE442 emerged as a possible bioresorbable bone substitute over a decade ago. In the present study, using the investment casting process, scaffolds of the Magnesium (Mg) alloy LAE442 with two different and defined pore sizes, which had on average a diameter of 400 μm (p400) and 500 μm (p500), were investigated to evaluate degradation and osseointegration in comparison to a ß‐TCP control group. Open‐pored scaffolds were implanted in both greater trochanter of rabbits. Ten scaffolds per time group (6, 12, 24, and 36 weeks) and type were analyzed by clinical, radiographic and μ‐CT examinations (2D and 3D). None of the scaffolds caused adverse reactions. LAE442 p400 and p500 developed moderate gas accumulation due to the Mg associated in vivo corrosion, which decreased from week 20 for both pore sizes. After 36 weeks, p400 and p500 showed volume decreases of 15.9 and 11.1%, respectively, with homogeneous degradation, whereas ß‐TCP lost 74.6% of its initial volume. Compared to p400, osseointegration for p500 was significantly better at week 2 postsurgery due to more frequent bone‐scaffold contacts, higher number of trabeculae and higher bone volume in the surrounding area. No further significant differences between the two pore sizes became apparent. However, p500 was close to the values of ß‐TCP in terms of bone volume and trabecular number in the scaffold environment, suggesting better osseointegration for the larger pore size

Aluminum induces inflammatory and proteolytic alterations in human monocytic cell line

none4noThe increasing exposure to aluminum has been linked with the development of different human pathologies (e.g., breast cancer, myofasciitis, neurodegenerative diseases), probably due to the consistent presence of aluminum salts in widely diffused cosmetic products and vaccines. However, the mechanisms underlying immunologic and proliferative alterations still remain unknown. In the present study we investigated the ability of different aluminum compounds (i.e., aluminum chloride vs Imject® Alum, a mixture of aluminum and magnesium hydroxide) to trigger both inflammatory and proteolytic responses in U-937 human monocytic cell line. We demonstrated, by multiplex immunoassay analyses, that monocytic cells treated with both Imject Alum and aluminum chloride showed different and peculiar expression profiles of 27 inflammatory mediators and 5 matrix metalloproteinases, with respect to untreated control cells. In particular, we found dose-dependent significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and chemoattractant chemokines; whereas among metalloproteinases, only collagenolytic protease showed a significant dose-dependent increase in Imject-treated cells with respect to controls and Al-chloride treated cells. Noteworthy, we found only in Imject Alum-treated cells the significant positive correlations among collagenolytic metalloproteinase and increased expression of pro-inflammatory chemokines, suggesting a possible involvement of aluminum in regulating the acute inflammatory responses. In agreement to emerging evidences, for the first time we demonstrated that the treatment of monocyte cells with aluminum-based adjuvant is able to induce an inflammatory status and a proteolytic cascade activation. In fact, the cell treatment with Imject Alum induced increased levels of several cytokines and proteinases, suggesting these monocyte mediators as possible biomarkers for aluminum-linked diseases. The identification of the biochemical pathways involved in Al-induced cell injury pave the way for improving the knowledge on the potential impact of aluminum in human physio-pathology.openLigi, D; Santi, M; Croce, L; Mannello, FLigi, Daniela; Santi, Martina; Croce, L; Mannello, Ferdinand

Cell-Based Bone Tissue Engineering

The authors review the available data on bone tissue engineering and discuss possible new research areas that could help to make bone tissue engineering a clinical success