Projeto e construção de um simulador de PCI para combustíveis sólidos pulverizados : características do equipamento

Pulverized coal injection (PCI) is a technique worldwide used in blast furnaces (BFs) to reduce coke consumption. Burning of pulverized coal injected into tuyeres of BFs takes place under medium pressure (up to 450 kPa), high flame temperatures (around 2500 K), very fast heating rates (105–106 K/s) and very short residence times, less than 40 ms. Since there are no standard tests for evaluation of coal combustibility at PCI conditions, lab scale injection rigs are usually employed for this purpose. This work shows relevant characteristics of the injection rig developed by LASID-UFRGS, which operates at automated injection mode. The main rig features are direct measurement of pressure and temperature inside the combustion zone during combustion process, temperature measurement with ultra-fast thermocouples (ms), high speed control and data acquisition (ms) and collection of both solid and gaseous combustion products. First results showed pressure and temperature evolution along throughout the combustion test, with and without sample, combustion gas composition and coal burnout for different coals. Experimental data statistics showed good repeatability for all tested coals.A injeção de carvão pulverizado (PCI) é uma técnica utilizada em altos-fornos (AFs) para reduzir o consumo de coque. A queima do carvão pulverizado injetado nas ventaneiras do AF ocorre em pressões médias (até 450 kPa), temperaturas de chama elevadas (cerca de 2500 K), taxas de aquecimento muito elevadas (105–106 K/s) e tempos de residência muito curtos, abaixo de 40 ms. Como não há testes padronizados para avaliação da combustibilidade de carvões nas condições de PCI, simuladores de combustão em PCI são comumente utilizados para esse fim. Este trabalho apresenta as características relevantes do simulador de PCI desenvolvido pelo LASID-UFRGS, que opera com pulso automatizado de injeção. As características principais do simulador são a medida direta de pressão e temperatura dentro da zona de combustão durante o, a medição de temperatura com termopares ultrarrápidos (ms), a aquisição de dados e controle em alta velocidade (ms) e a coleta dos produtos sólidos e gasosos da combustão. Os primeiros resultados mostraram a evolução da pressão e temperatura durante o pulso de injeção, com ou sem amostra, o grau de conversão (burnout) do carvão e a composição dos gases de combustão para diferentes carvões. A análise estatística dos dados experimentais demonstrou uma boa repetitividade para todos os carvões testados

The Portuguese Society of Rheumatology position paper on the use of biosimilars

Biotechnological drugs have become a fundamental resource for the treatment of rheumatic patients. Patent expiry of some of these drugs created the opportunity for biopharmaceutical manufacturers to develop biosimilar drugs intended to be as efficacious as the originator product but with a lower cost to healthcare systems. Due to the complex manufacturing process and highly intricate structure of biologicals, a biosimilar can never be an exact copy of its reference product. Consequently, regulatory authorities issued strict preclinical and clinical guidelines to ensure safety and efficacy equivalence and, in September 2013, the biosimilar of infliximab was the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody to be authorized for use in the European Union. The current document is a position statement of the "Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia" (Portuguese Society of Rheumatology) on the use of biosimilar drugs in rheumatic diseases. Two systematic literature reviews were performed, one concerning clinical trials and the other one concerning international position papers on biosimilars. The results were presented and discussed in a national meeting and a final position document was discussed, written and approved by Portuguese rheumatologists. Briefly, this position statement is contrary to automatic substitution of the originator by the biosimilar, defends either a different INN or the prescription by brand name, supports that switching between biosimilars and the originator molecule should be done after at least 6 months of treatment and based on the attending physician decision and after adequate patient information, recommends the registration of all biosimilar treated patients in Reuma.pt for efficacy, safety and immunogenicity surveillance, following the strategy already ongoing for originators, and opposes to extrapolation of indications approved to the originator to completely different diseases and/or age groups without adequate pre-clinical, safety or efficacy data.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ATLANTIC-CAMTRAPS: a dataset of medium and large terrestrial mammal communities in the Atlantic Forest of South America

Our understanding of mammal ecology has always been hindered by the difficulties of observing species in closed tropical forests. Camera trapping has become a major advance for monitoring terrestrial mammals in biodiversity rich ecosystems. Here we compiled one of the largest datasets of inventories of terrestrial mammal communities for the Neotropical region based on camera trapping studies. The dataset comprises 170 surveys of medium to large terrestrial mammals using camera traps conducted in 144 areas by 74 studies, covering six vegetation types of tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of South America (Brazil and Argentina), and present data on species composition and richness. The complete dataset comprises 53,438 independent records of 83 species of mammals, includes 10 species of marsupials, 15 rodents, 20 carnivores, eight ungulates and six armadillos. Species richness averaged 13 species (±6.07 SD) per site. Only six species occurred in more than 50% of the sites: the domestic dog Canis familiaris, crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous, tayra Eira barbara, south American coati Nasua nasua, crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus and the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus. The information contained in this dataset can be used to understand macroecological patterns of biodiversity, community, and population structure, but also to evaluate the ecological consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and trophic interactions. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of Americ

ATLANTIC-PRIMATES: a dataset of communities and occurrences of primates in the Atlantic Forests of South America

Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of them endemic. We compiled a dataset of 5,472 georeferenced locations of 26 native and 1 introduced primate species, as hybrids in the genera Callithrix and Alouatta. The dataset includes 700 primate communities, 8,121 single species occurrences and 714 estimates of primate population sizes, covering most natural forest types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and some other biomes. On average, primate communities of the Atlantic Forest harbor 2 ± 1 species (range = 1–6). However, about 40% of primate communities contain only one species. Alouatta guariba (N = 2,188 records) and Sapajus nigritus (N = 1,127) were the species with the most records. Callicebus barbarabrownae (N = 35), Leontopithecus caissara (N = 38), and Sapajus libidinosus (N = 41) were the species with the least records. Recorded primate densities varied from 0.004 individuals/km 2 (Alouatta guariba at Fragmento do Bugre, Paraná, Brazil) to 400 individuals/km 2 (Alouatta caraya in Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Our dataset reflects disparity between the numerous primate census conducted in the Atlantic Forest, in contrast to the scarcity of estimates of population sizes and densities. With these data, researchers can develop different macroecological and regional level studies, focusing on communities, populations, species co-occurrence and distribution patterns. Moreover, the data can also be used to assess the consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and disease outbreaks on different ecological processes, such as trophic cascades, species invasion or extinction, and community dynamics. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this Data Paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data. © 2018 by the The Authors. Ecology © 2018 The Ecological Society of Americ

Diretriz da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia sobre Diagnóstico e Tratamento de Pacientes com Cardiomiopatia da Doença de Chagas

This guideline aimed to update the concepts and formulate the standards of conduct and scientific evidence that support them, regarding the diagnosis and treatment of the Cardiomyopathy of Chagas disease, with special emphasis on the rationality base that supported it.  Chagas disease in the 21st century maintains an epidemiological pattern of endemicity in 21 Latin American countries. Researchers and managers from endemic and non-endemic countries point to the need to adopt comprehensive public health policies to effectively control the interhuman transmission of T. cruzi infection, and to obtain an optimized level of care for already infected individuals, focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic opportunistic opportunities.   Pathogenic and pathophysiological mechanisms of the Cardiomyopathy of Chagas disease were revisited after in-depth updating and the notion that necrosis and fibrosis are stimulated by tissue parasitic persistence and adverse immune reaction, as fundamental mechanisms, assisted by autonomic and microvascular disorders, was well established. Some of them have recently formed potential targets of therapies.  The natural history of the acute and chronic phases was reviewed, with enhancement for oral transmission, indeterminate form and chronic syndromes. Recent meta-analyses of observational studies have estimated the risk of evolution from acute and indeterminate forms and mortality after chronic cardiomyopathy. Therapeutic approaches applicable to individuals with Indeterminate form of Chagas disease were specifically addressed. All methods to detect structural and/or functional alterations with various cardiac imaging techniques were also reviewed, with recommendations for use in various clinical scenarios. Mortality risk stratification based on the Rassi score, with recent studies of its application, was complemented by methods that detect myocardial fibrosis.  The current methodology for etiological diagnosis and the consequent implications of trypanonomic treatment deserved a comprehensive and in-depth approach. Also the treatment of patients at risk or with heart failure, arrhythmias and thromboembolic events, based on pharmacological and complementary resources, received special attention. Additional chapters supported the conducts applicable to several special contexts, including t. cruzi/HIV co-infection, risk during surgeries, in pregnant women, in the reactivation of infection after heart transplantation, and others.     Finally, two chapters of great social significance, addressing the structuring of specialized services to care for individuals with the Cardiomyopathy of Chagas disease, and reviewing the concepts of severe heart disease and its medical-labor implications completed this guideline.Esta diretriz teve como objetivo principal atualizar os conceitos e formular as normas de conduta e evidências científicas que as suportam, quanto ao diagnóstico e tratamento da CDC, com especial ênfase na base de racionalidade que a embasou. A DC no século XXI mantém padrão epidemiológico de endemicidade em 21 países da América Latina. Investigadores e gestores de países endêmicos e não endêmicos indigitam a necessidade de se adotarem políticas abrangentes, de saúde pública, para controle eficaz da transmissão inter-humanos da infecção pelo T. cruzi, e obter-se nível otimizado de atendimento aos indivíduos já infectados, com foco em oportunização diagnóstica e terapêutica. Mecanismos patogênicos e fisiopatológicos da CDC foram revisitados após atualização aprofundada e ficou bem consolidada a noção de que necrose e fibrose sejam estimuladas pela persistência parasitária tissular e reação imune adversa, como mecanismos fundamentais, coadjuvados por distúrbios autonômicos e microvasculares. Alguns deles recentemente constituíram alvos potenciais de terapêuticas. A história natural das fases aguda e crônica foi revista, com realce para a transmissão oral, a forma indeterminada e as síndromes crônicas. Metanálises recentes de estudos observacionais estimaram o risco de evolução a partir das formas aguda e indeterminada e de mortalidade após instalação da cardiomiopatia crônica. Condutas terapêuticas aplicáveis aos indivíduos com a FIDC foram abordadas especificamente. Todos os métodos para detectar alterações estruturais e/ou funcionais com variadas técnicas de imageamento cardíaco também foram revisados, com recomendações de uso nos vários cenários clínicos. Estratificação de risco de mortalidade fundamentada no escore de Rassi, com estudos recentes de sua aplicação, foi complementada por métodos que detectam fibrose miocárdica. A metodologia atual para diagnóstico etiológico e as consequentes implicações do tratamento tripanossomicida mereceram enfoque abrangente e aprofundado. Também o tratamento de pacientes em risco ou com insuficiência cardíaca, arritmias e eventos tromboembólicos, baseado em recursos farmacológicos e complementares, recebeu especial atenção. Capítulos suplementares subsidiaram as condutas aplicáveis a diversos contextos especiais, entre eles o da co-infecção por T. cruzi/HIV, risco durante cirurgias, em grávidas, na reativação da infecção após transplante cardíacos, e outros.    Por fim, dois capítulos de grande significado social, abordando a estruturação de serviços especializados para atendimento aos indivíduos com a CDC, e revisando os conceitos de cardiopatia grave e suas implicações médico-trabalhistas completaram esta diretriz.&nbsp

The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications

The disciplinary power as a dimension of organizational culture: a multicase study in private higher education institutions

This article had the general objective of investigating how the disciplinary power is manifested and interpreted by teachers in the face of the elements of the organizational culture in private higher education institutions. A multicase study was carried out in Private Higher Education Institutions in the southern region of Brazil, in which it was prioritized the analysis of the organizational discourse in the establishment of the concepts, objects, and the position of the subjects within this discourse, as well as the subject’s actions regarding the practices of production, transmission, and consumption of texts that reinforce, alter, or resist that discourse. Main findings show the weakening of teaching work in this context, where the teacher becomes a mere executor of teaching programs with reduced autonomy and control of their activities. Moreover, teachers start to incorporate the activities of promotion and maintenance of institutions by means of trying to please customers and the market field. All these facts are carried out under strict supervision and control by institutions and students. This work contributes to elucidating the situation of teachers in private higher education by providing an understanding from their own interpretations and experience

Projeto e construção de um simulador de PCI para combustíveis sólidos pulverizados : características do equipamento

Pulverized coal injection (PCI) is a technique worldwide used in blast furnaces (BFs) to reduce coke consumption. Burning of pulverized coal injected into tuyeres of BFs takes place under medium pressure (up to 450 kPa), high flame temperatures (around 2500 K), very fast heating rates (105–106 K/s) and very short residence times, less than 40 ms. Since there are no standard tests for evaluation of coal combustibility at PCI conditions, lab scale injection rigs are usually employed for this purpose. This work shows relevant characteristics of the injection rig developed by LASID-UFRGS, which operates at automated injection mode. The main rig features are direct measurement of pressure and temperature inside the combustion zone during combustion process, temperature measurement with ultra-fast thermocouples (ms), high speed control and data acquisition (ms) and collection of both solid and gaseous combustion products. First results showed pressure and temperature evolution along throughout the combustion test, with and without sample, combustion gas composition and coal burnout for different coals. Experimental data statistics showed good repeatability for all tested coals.A injeção de carvão pulverizado (PCI) é uma técnica utilizada em altos-fornos (AFs) para reduzir o consumo de coque. A queima do carvão pulverizado injetado nas ventaneiras do AF ocorre em pressões médias (até 450 kPa), temperaturas de chama elevadas (cerca de 2500 K), taxas de aquecimento muito elevadas (105–106 K/s) e tempos de residência muito curtos, abaixo de 40 ms. Como não há testes padronizados para avaliação da combustibilidade de carvões nas condições de PCI, simuladores de combustão em PCI são comumente utilizados para esse fim. Este trabalho apresenta as características relevantes do simulador de PCI desenvolvido pelo LASID-UFRGS, que opera com pulso automatizado de injeção. As características principais do simulador são a medida direta de pressão e temperatura dentro da zona de combustão durante o, a medição de temperatura com termopares ultrarrápidos (ms), a aquisição de dados e controle em alta velocidade (ms) e a coleta dos produtos sólidos e gasosos da combustão. Os primeiros resultados mostraram a evolução da pressão e temperatura durante o pulso de injeção, com ou sem amostra, o grau de conversão (burnout) do carvão e a composição dos gases de combustão para diferentes carvões. A análise estatística dos dados experimentais demonstrou uma boa repetitividade para todos os carvões testados