Software RISCO

Os processos utilizados do desenvolvimento do software RISCO (software para bordadeiras), para terem sido eficazes, tiveram em conta as vertentes ambientais (humanas e materiais) a replicar numa aplicação digital. Para tal foi capital a observação dos dados e comportamentos, de forma a oferecer alterações positivas decorrentes do uso da nova ferramenta de trabalho

Non trivial critical exponents for finite temperature chiral transitions at fixed total fermion number

We analyze the finite temperature chiral restoration transition of the $(D=d+1)$-dimensional Gross-Neveu model for the case of a large number of flavors and fixed total fermion number. This leads to the study of the model with a nonzero imaginary chemical potential. In this formulation of the theory, we have obtained that, in the transition region, the model is described by a chiral conformal field theory where the concepts of dimensional reduction and universality do apply due to a transmutation of statistics which makes fermions act as if they were bosons, having zero energy. This result should be generic for theories with dynamical symmetry breaking, such as Quantum Chromodynamics.Comment: 14 pages Latex, no figures, final version to be published in Phys. Lett.

Tribological behavior of bioactive multi-material structures targeting orthopedic applications

Acknowledgments This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal through the grants SFRH/BD/140191/2018, SFRH/BD/ 128657/2017 and SFRH/BPD/112111/2015, the project PTDC/EMSTEC/ 5422/2014 and also by project NORTE 01-0145_FEDER-000018. Additionally, this work is supported by FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2019.The following study proposes a multi-material solution in which Ti6Al4V cellular structures produced by Selective Laser Melting are impregnated with bioactive materials (hydroxyapatite or β-tricalcium phosphate) using press and sintering technique. To assess the tribological response of these structures, an alumina plate was used as a counterpart in a flat-on-flat reciprocating sliding test. Ti6Al4V cellular structures impregnated with bioactive materials displayed the highest wear resistance when compared with the unreinforced structures. Among the bioactive structures, Ti6Al4V cellular structures impregnated with βTCP were the ones with higher wear resistance, having the lowest weight loss. Hence, these structures are promising multifunctional solutions for load-bearing applications by gathering suitable mechanical properties (strength and stiffness); bioactive properties and in addition an improved wear performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Terminologias e classificações usadas para descrever sepultamentos humanos: exemplos e sugestões

A tentativa de uniformização de termos e classificações para descrever e observar contextos arqueológicos de remanescentes esqueletais humanos tem sido uma preocupação recorrente dos arqueólogos e bioantropólogos. Trata-se de estabelecer quais elementos descritivos são importantes ou essenciais para a análise, reconstrução e interpretação de sepultamentos humanos inseridos em substratos e condicionantes culturais diversos. Entre os exemplos de sugestões encontrados na bibliografia consultada, verificou-se que existe sempre uma incidência de determinadas variáveis dos dados mortuários e que, em determinadas análises, é muito expressiva a correlação e a sinergia entre dados dos restos do corpo, dos acompanhamentos funerários e da cova. Descrever e classificar sepultamentos humanos implica em observar o todo dos vestígios funerários no contexto da deposição, incorporando dados bioarqueológicos.The attempt at a standard of classifications and terms to describe and observe archaeological contexts of human skeletal remains has been a recurring concern of the archaeologists and bioanthropologists. The problem is to establish which descriptive elements are important or essential for the analysis, reconstruction and interpretation of human burials inserted in substrata and several cultural systems. Among the examples of suggestions found in the consulted bibliography, it was verified that there always exists an incidence of certain variables of the mortuary data and that, in certain analyses, it is very expressive the correlation and the synergy among data of the remains of the body, of the funerary accompaniment and of the grave. To describe and classify human burials implies in the observation of the totality of funerary remains in the context of the deposition, while incorporating bioarchaeological data

Phosphate Fertilization and Mycorrhizal Inoculation Increase Corn Leaf and Grain Nutrient Contents

The agricultural use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, such as Rhizoglomus intraradices, can increase the efficiency of phosphate fertilization for the benefit of the corn plant and grain nutrition. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in an area of Selvíria/MS, Brazil, in the years 2019 and 2020, to verify the effects of reduced doses of phosphorus combined with the inoculation of corn seed with R. intraradices on corn plant growth and grain nutrient contents. The experiment was laid in a randomized block design in subdivided plots with four repetitions and twenty treatments resulting from combining five doses of P2O5 (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended dose) with four doses (0, 60, 120, and 180 g ha1) of an inoculant containing R. intraradices. Leaf and kernel macro- and micronutrient contents were evaluated. The foliar P content in 2020 was a function of the interaction between phosphate fertilization and AMF inoculation, with the highest leaf P content observed at the 100% of P2O5 combined with AMF inoculation between 120 and 140 g ha1. In the grains Mg content, an interaction was observed between the two factors in 2020 and the response surface, showing that the highest Mg content was obtained when maximum doses of P2O5 and maximum doses of inoculant were combined. A response surface showed that, in 2020, the highest leaf Zn content occurred when 35–55% P2O5 is applied with no inoculation and when P2O5 is limited to 20–30%, and there is inoculation with doses between 90 and 150 g ha1. Phosphate fertilization increased foliar K (2019) and Mg (2020) contents, with maximum points at doses of 76.57% and 88.80%, respectivelyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Predicting the output dimensions, porosity and elastic modulus of additive manufactured biomaterial structures targeting orthopedic implants

This work was supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) through the grant FRH/BD/128657/2017, the projects PTDC/EMS-TEC/5422/2014_ADAPTPROSTHESIS, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030353 (SMARTCUT), NORTE 010145_FEDER-000018-HAMaBICo and UID/EEA/04436/2019.SLM accuracy for fabricating porous materials is a noteworthy hindrance when aiming to obtain biomaterial cellular structures owing precise geometry, porosity, open-cells dimension and mechanical properties as outcomes. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of seventeen biomaterial Ti6Al4V-based structures in which experimental and numerical investigations (compression stress-strain tests) were carried out. Monomaterial Ti6Al4V cellular structures and multi-material Ti6Al4V-PEEK cellular structures were designed, produced by SLM and characterized targeting orthopedic implants. In this work, the differences between the CAD design and the as-produced Ti6Al4V-based structures were obtained from image analysis and were used to develop predictive models. The results showed that dimensional deviations inherent to SLM fabrication are systematically found for different dimensional ranges. The present study proposes several mathematical models, having high coefficients of determination, that estimate the real dimensions, porosity and elastic modulus of Ti6Al4V-based cellular structures as function of the CAD model. Moreover, numerical analysis was performed to estimate the octahedral shear strain for correlating with bone mechanostat theory limits. The developed models can help engineers to design and obtain near-net shape SLM biomaterials matching the desired geometry, opencells dimensions, porosity and elastic modulus. The obtained results show that by using these AM structures design it is possible to fabricate components exhibiting a strain and elastic modulus that complies with that of bone, thus being suitable for orthopedic implants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Corrosion behaviour of PEEK or β-TCP-impregnated Ti6Al4V SLM structures targeting biomedical applications

This work was supported by FCT through the grants PD/BD/140202/2018, SFRH/BD/140191/2018 and SFRH/BD/128657/2017, and the projects PTDC/EMSTEC/ 5422/2014 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000018-HAMaBICo. Additionally, this work was supported by FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2019. F. TOPTAN is grateful for the financial support through the M-ERA-NET/0001/2015 project (FCT).Ti6Al4V cellular structures were produced by selective laser melting (SLM) and then filled either with beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) or PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone) through powder metallurgy techniques, to improve osteoconductivity and wear resistance. The corrosion behavior of these structures was explored considering its importance for the long-term performance of implants. Results revealed that the incorporation of open cellular pores induced higher electrochemical kinetics when being compared with dense structures. The impregnation of β-TCP and PEEK led to the creation of voids or gaps between the metallic matrix and the impregnated material which also influenced the corrosion behavior of the cellular structures.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ti6Al4V-PEEK multi-material structures – design, fabrication and tribological characterization focused on orthopedic implants

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by FCT through the grants SFRH/BD/128657/2017 and SFRH/BPD/112111/2015, the project PTDC/EMSTEC/5422/2014 and also by project NORTE 01-0145_FEDER-000018. Additionally, this work was supported by FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2013, by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) with the reference project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006941.A multi-material concept that gathers Ti6Al4V and PEEK properties in a cellular structured component was designed, fabricated and investigated targeting hip implants. SLM and pressure assisted injection techniques were used to obtain Ti6Al4V-PEEK multi-material structures. Aiming to reproduce to some extension the tribological phenomena occurring during and after hip implant insertion, five tribological tests were outlined and performed. The obtained results showed that the presence of PEEK on the Ti6Al4V-PEEK cellular structures led to a substantial improvement on the wear resistance (62% reduction in the mass loss) when compared to the material currently available on market for hip implants. The multi-material solution here investigated shows a good compromise between the primary stability after implant insertion and the wear performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multi-material Ti6Al4V & PEEK cellular structures produced by Selective Laser Melting and Hot Pressing: A tribocorrosion study targeting orthopedic applications

This work was supported by FCT through the grants SFRH/BD/128657/2017 and SFRH/BPD/112111/2015, the project PTDC/EMSTEC/5422/2014 and also by project NORTE 01–0145_FEDER-000018. Additionally, this work was supported by FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2013, by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) with the reference project POCI-01–0145-FEDER-006941.Ti6Al4V-alloy is commonly used in dental and orthopedic applications where tribochemical reactions occur at material/bone interface. These reactions are one of the main concerns regarding Ti6Al4V implants due to the generation of wear particles, linked to the release of metallic ions in toxic concentration which occurs when TiO2 passive film is destroyed by means of wear and corrosion simultaneously. In the present study, a multi-material Ti6Al4V-PEEK cellular structure is proposed. Selective Laser Melting technique was used to produce Ti6Al4V dense and cellular structured specimens, whilst Hot-Pressing technique was employed to obtain multi-material Ti6Al4V-PEEK structures. This study investigates the tribocorrosion behavior of these materials under reciprocating sliding, comparing them with commercial forged Ti6Al4V. Open-circuit-potential was measured before, during and after sliding while dynamic coefficient of friction was assessed during sliding. The results showed an improved wear resistance and a lower tendency to corrosion for the multi-material Ti6Al4V-PEEK specimens when compared to dense and cellular structures mono-material specimens. This multi-material solution gathering Ti6Al4V and PEEK, besides being able to withstand the loads occurring after implantation on dental and orthopedic applications, is a promising alternative to fully dense metals once it enhances the tribocorrosion performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio