Verification of the influence of loading and mortar coating thickness on resistance to high temperatures due to fire on load-bearing masonries with clay tiles

Masonry has been widely used as a construction method. However, there is a lack of information on its fire behavior due to the multitude of variables that could influence this method. Thispaperaimedtoidentifytheinfluenceofloadingandmortarcoatingthicknessonthefirebehavior of masonry. Hence, six masonries made of clay tiles laid with mortar were evaluated. The mortar coatinghadathicknessof25mmonthefacenotexposedtohightemperatures,whilethefire-exposed face had thicknesses of 0, 15, and 25 mm. For each mortar coating thickness, two specimens were tested, with and without loading of 10 tf/m. The real-scale specimens were subjected to the standard ISO 834 fire curve for four hours, during which the properties of stability, airtightness, and thermal insulation were assessed. Results showed that loaded specimens yielded smaller deformations than unloadedones. Samplesthatlackedmortarcoatingonthefire-exposedfaceunderwentfireresistance decreaseof27.5%,whiletheoneswith15mmdecreasedby58.1%,andtheoneswith25mmdecreased by 41.0%. As mortar coating thickness increased, the plane deformations decreased from 40 mm to 29 mm and the thermal insulation properties of the walls improved significantly. For specimens with mortarcoatingthicknessof25mm,theloadapplicationresultedinareductionof23.8%ofthethermal insulation, while the unloaded specimen showed a decrease of 43.3%, as well as a modification of its fire-resistance rating

Chronic consumption of fructose rich soft drinks alters tissue lipids of rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fructose-based diets are apparently related to the occurrence of several metabolic dysfunctions, but the effects of the consumption of high amounts of fructose on body tissues have not been well described. The aim of this study was to analyze the general characteristics and the lipid content of different tissues of rats after chronic ingestion of a fructose rich soft drink.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-five Wistar rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups (n = 15) and allowed to consume water (C), light Coca Cola ^®(L) or regular Coca Cola^®(R) as the sole source of liquids for eight weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The R group presented significantly higher daily liquid intake and significantly lower food intake than the C and L groups. Moreover, relative to the C and L groups, the R group showed higher triglyceride concentrations in the serum and liver. However, the L group animals presented lower values of serum triglycerides and cholesterol than controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on the results, it can be concluded that daily ingestion of a large amount of fructose- rich soft drink resulted in unfavorable alterations to the lipid profile of the rats.</p

Synthesis, Characterization and use of Nb2 O5 based Catalysts in Producing Biofuels by Transesterification, Esterification and Pyrolysis

Nb2O5/HX (X = HSO4-, H2PO4-, NO3-) compounds were obtained from the treatment of niobium acid (Nb2O5·xH2O) with sulfuric, phosphoric, and nitric acids as well as Nb2O5 and Nb2O5·xH2O have been investigated as catalysts for the transesterification, esterification and pyrolysis of vegetable oils. The compounds were characterized by thermal analysis (DTA-TGA), spectroscopy (DRX, FT-IR and FT-Raman), surface area (BET) and the acidity (Ho) determined by n-butylamine titration using the Hammet´s indicator method. It was observed that after the acid treatment both the surface area and the acidity decreased as compared to the starting Nb2O5·xH2O. The only exception was a higher acidity verified when nitric acid was used. Among the catalyst investigated, the Nb2O5/H3PO4 presented the highest activity in the alcoholysis of soybean oil with different mono-alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, n-butanol). All tested solids seemed to stabilize the carboxylic acids formed during the pyrolysis, yielding higher acid numbers for the obtained products. Finally, the use of Nb2O5/H3PO4 and Nb2O5/H2SO4 as catalysts for the esterification showed better activity than Nb2O5·xH2O and Nb2O5

Different exercise protocols improve metabolic syndrome markers, tissue triglycerides content and antioxidant status in rats

Background: An increase in the prevalence of obesity entails great expenditure for governments. Physical exercise is a powerful tool in the combat against obesity and obesity-associated diseases. This study sought to determine the effect of three different exercise protocols on metabolic syndrome and lipid peroxidation markers and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in adult Wistar rats (120 days old).Methods: Animals were randomly divided into four groups: the control (C) group was kept sedentary throughout the study; the aerobic group (A) swam1 h per day, 5 days per week, at 80% lactate threshold intensity; the strength group (S) performed strength training with four series of 10 jumps, 5 days per week; and the Concurrent group (AS) was trained using the aerobic protocol three days per week and the strength protocol two days per week.Results: Groups A and S exhibited a reduction in body weight compared to group C. All exercised animals showed a reduction in triglyceride concentrations in fatty tissues and the liver. Exercised animals also exhibited a reduction in lipid peroxidation markers (TBARS) and an increase in serum superoxide dismutase activity. Animals in group A had increased levels of liver catalase and superoxide dismutase activities.Conclusions: We concluded that all physical activity protocols improved the antioxidant systems of the animals and decreased the storage of triglycerides in the investigated tissues

Phylogeny and chromosomal diversification in the <i>Dichroplus elongatus</i> species group (Orthoptera, Melanoplinae)

In an attempt to track the chromosomal differentiation in the Dichroplus elongatus species group, we analyzed the karyotypes of four species with classical cytogenetic and mapping several multigene families through fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). We improved the taxon sampling of the D. elongatus species group adding new molecular data to infer the phylogeny of the genus and reconstruct the karyotype evolution. Our molecular analyses recovered a fully resolved tree with no evidence for the monophyly of Dichroplus. However, we recovered several stable clades within the genus, including the D. elongatus species group, under the different strategies of tree analyses (Maximum Parsimony and Maximum Likelihood). The chromosomal data revealed minor variation in the D. elongatus species group's karyotypes caused by chromosome rearrangements compared to the phylogenetically related D. maculipennis species group. The karyotypes of D. intermedius and D. exilis described herein showed the standard characteristics found in most Dichroplini, 2n = 23/24, X0♂ XX♀, Fundamental number (FN) = 23/24. However, we noticed two established pericentric inversions in D. intermedius karyotype, raising the FN to 27♂/28♀. A strong variation in the heterochromatic blocks distribution was evidenced at interespecific level. The multigene families' mapping revealed significant variation, mainly in rDNA clusters. These variations are probably caused by micro chromosomal changes, such as movement of transposable elements (TEs) and ectopic recombination. These observations suggest a high genomic dynamism for these repetitive DNA sequences in related species. The reconstruction of the chromosome character "variation in the FN" posits the FN = 23/24 as the ancestral state, and it is hypothesized that variations due to pericentric inversions has arisen independently three times in the evolutionary history of Dichroplus. One of these independent events occurred in the D. elongatus species group, where D. intermedius is the unique case with the highest FN described in the tribe Dichroplini.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

The Impact of Healthy Parenting As a Protective Factor for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adulthood: A Case-Control Study

Background: Early life social adversity can influence stress response mechanisms and is associated with anxious behaviour and reductions in callosal area later in life.Objective: To evaluate the association between perceptions of parental bonding in childhood/adolescence, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response, and callosal structural integrity in adult victims of severe urban violence with and without PTSD.Methods: Seventy-one individuals with PTSD and 62 without the disorder were assessed with the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). the prednisolone suppression test was administered to assess cortisol levels, and magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the total area of the corpus callosum (CC), as well as the areas of callosal subregions.Results: the PBI items related to the perception of 'not having a controlling mother' (OR 4.84; 95% CI [2.26-10.3]; p = 0.01), 'having a caring father' (OR 2.46; 95'% CI [1.18-5.12]; p = 0.02), and 'not having controlling parents' (OR 2.70; 95% CI [1.10-6.63]; p = 0.04) were associated with a lower risk of PTSD. the PTSD group showed a blunted response to the prednisolone suppression test, with lower salivary cortisol levels upon waking up (p = 0.03). Individuals with PTSD had smaller total CC area than those without the disorder, but these differences were not statistically significant (e-value = 0.34).Conclusions: Healthy parental bonding, characterized by the perception of low parental control and high affection, were associated with a lower risk of PTSD in adulthood, suggesting that emotional enrichment and the encouragement of autonomy are protective against PTSD in adulthood.National Research Council (CNP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, São Paulo Sch Med, Dept Psychiat, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Dept Math & Stat, BR-09500900 São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Interdisciplinary Lab Clin Neurosci LiNC, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, São Paulo Sch Med, Dept Psychiat, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Interdisciplinary Lab Clin Neurosci LiNC, São Paulo, BrazilNational Research Council (CNP): 420122/2005-2FAPESP: 2004/15039-0Web of Scienc

Autonomic Modulation in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy during a Computer Task: A Prospective Control Trial

Introduction Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive muscle weakness that can lead to disability. Owing to functional difficulties faced by individuals with DMD, the use of assistive technology is essential to provide or facilitate functional abilities. In DMD, cardiac autonomic dysfunction has been reported in addition to musculoskeletal impairment. Consequently, the objective was to investigate acute cardiac autonomic responses, by Heart Rate Variability (HRV), during computer tasks in subjects with DMD. Method HRV was assessed by linear and nonlinear methods, using the heart rate monitor Polar RS800CX chest strap Electrocardiographic measuring device. Then, 45 subjects were included in the group with DMD and 45 in the healthy Typical Development (TD) control group. They were assessed for twenty minutes at rest sitting, and five minutes after undergoing a task on the computer. Results Individuals with DMD had a statistically significant lower parasympathetic cardiac modulation at rest when compared to the control group, which further declined when undergoing the tasks on the computer. Conclusion DMD patients presented decreased HRV and exhibited greater intensity of cardiac autonomic responses during computer tasks characterized by vagal withdrawal when compared to the healthy TD control subjects.FAPESP (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo)Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Phys Therapy Speech & Occupat Therapy Dept, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Dept Neurol Neurosurg, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Speech Therapy Dept, Auton Nervous Syst Ctr Study, Fac Sci,UNESP, Marolia, SP, BrazilABC Med Sch, Dept Community Hlth, Lab Design & Sci Writing, Santo Andre, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Physiotherapy, UNESP, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilOxford Brookes Univ, Fac Hlth & Life Sci, Dept Biol & Med Sci, Cardioresp Res Grp, Gipsy Lane, Oxford OX3 0BP, EnglandUniv Sao Paulo, Sch Arts Sci & Humanities, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Dept Neurol Neurosurg, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2012/16970-6Web of Scienc