130 research outputs found
Dynamic separation on a pitching and surging airfoil as a model for flow over vertical axis wind turbine blades
Vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) blades undergo dynamic separation due to the large angle of attack variation they experience during a turbine rotation. The flow over a single
blade was modeled using a sinusoidally pitching and surging airfoil in a constant free stream flow at a mean chord Reynolds number of 10^5. Two-dimensional, time resolved velocity fields were acquired using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Vorticity contours were used to visualize shear layer and vortex activity. A low order model of dynamic separation was developed using Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD). A primary and secondary dynamic separation mode were identified as the critical drivers for the unsteady flow field
Creating a benchmark of vertical axis wind turbines in dynamic stall for validating numerical models
Organomineral phosphorus fertilization in the production of corn, soybean and bean cultivated in succession.
The use of organic waste in agriculture has been used aiming at greater productivity, decrease in the cost of production and sustainable use of resources. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of phosphate fertilization with the maintenance of organomineral fertilizers, combining poultry manure and soluble or reactive phosphate, in the production of grains in corn culture and the residual effect for subsequent crops of beans and soybeans. The experiment was conducted in Sete Lagoas, MG, in 2015, using three fertilizers with sources of different phosphorus sources (triple super phosphate?STP, organomineral with STP and organomineral with Bayovar phosphate) applied at the doses of 65, 130, 195 and 260 kg∙ha−1 of P2O5 total, and compared to the control without phosphate fertilization. We evaluated the contents of foliar P, P accumulation in the grains, yields of corn grains, beans and soy, accumulated productivity and export of accumulated P of the three cultures. The three cultures assessed presented higher productivity when compared to the average of the factorial treatments that received phosphate fertilization relative to the control. Organomineral fertilizers increased grain production, obtaining average productivity equal to or greater than those obtained with the exclusive use of STP
Mudanças no diagnóstico pré-natal cromossómico: indicações clÃnicas, amostras biológicas, metodologias e cromossomopatias
Introdução: As mudanças no diagnóstico pré-natal de anomalias cromossómicas (DPN) nos últimos 10-15 anos foram contÃnuas e significativas.
Objetivos: Propômo-nos analisar essa evolução: mudanças nas indicações clÃnicas; introdução das biópsias de vilosidades coriónicas (BVC); utilização do diagnóstico rápido de aneuploidias (DRA); estudos por microarray; alterações cromossómicas encontradas.
Metodologia: Fez-se a avaliação retrospetiva nas gestações com amostras estudadas nos triénios 2004-2006 e 2014-2016. Analisaram-se os parâmetros indicação clÃnica, tipo de amostra, metodologias utilizadas e resultados.
Resultados: Identificaram-se 68 fetos com cariotipo anormal em 2210 cariotipos (3,1%) em 2004-2006 e 208 fetos com cariotipo anormal em 2315 cariotipos (9,0%) em 2014-2016.
A maior frequência de anomalias encontrou-se nos casos de rastreios ecográficos e combinados indicativos de risco acrescido de anomalia numérica e de progenitores portadores de alterações cromossómicas.
As BVC permitiram respostas precoces nas gestações com anomalias numéricas e, adicionalmente, um aumento desses cariotipos (7.5% das amostras).
O DRA permitiu ter uma resposta rápida nas anomalias numéricas mais frequentes (2 dias).
As anomalias estruturais foram menos preponderantes nos cariotipos anormais (32,4% em 2004-2006 e 14.4% em 2014-2016).
Discussão e conclusões: O DRA reduziu o tempo de resposta e das decisões sobre o futuro das gestações. O microarray permitiu identificar alterações sindromáticas em situações não resolúveis por outras metodologias.
A utilização de BVC permite estabelecer uma melhor correlação fenotipo-genotipo em menores idades gestacionais.
No entanto, as gestações com anomalias numéricas têm algum risco de perda fetal no primeiro e inÃcio do segundo trimestres. Assim, algumas BVC com cariotipos anormais resultariam em perdas espontâneas, o que poderia disponibilizar outros casos para DPN.
Por outro lado, o menor número de anomalias estruturais equilibradas encontrado pode reduzir o conhecimento da variação genética nas famÃlias e na população.
Um novo paradigma resulta da implementação dos testes não invasivos no DPN, para os quais ainda não conhecemos todas as limitações e repercussões.N/
Interstitial deletion on chromosome 14q in prenatal diagnosis
A limited number of prenatal diagnosis (PND) cases have reported interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 14 involving the 14q31-32 region. Those cases presented cardiac anomalies, urogenital anomalies, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and mild pyelectasis. We report the PND of a 33-year-old pregnant woman, who underwent chorionic villus sampling at 12 weeks of gestation after a positive combined 1st trimester screen. The karyotype revealed a 14q interstitial deletion. Amniocentesis was performed at 18 weeks of gestation to confirm the deletion and to exclude a confined placental mosaicism and a microarray analysis was performed in order to accurately define the deletion breakpoints. Cytogenetics analysis revealed a karyotype 46,XY,del(14)(q31q32.2)dn. Microarray analysis allowed to redefined the breakpoints accurate localization and the identification of a ~21Mb deletion (arr[hg19] 14q31.1q32.31(79917376_101568230)x1). At 18 weeks of gestation the fetus presented abnormal fetal biometric parameters (occipitofrontal diameter, cephalic perimeter and abdominal circumference) on ultrasound. After counseling the couple opted for pregnancy termination. The postmorten analysis presented decreased biometry, low weight and low fetal size, facial dysmorphism, clinodactyly, club foot, overlapping fingers and short penis. In internal habitus he presented thymus hypoplasia, bladder hypoplasia, and horseshoe kidneys. The genotype-phenotype correlation in PND pure del(14q) cases is not well established. Furthermore, to our knowledge, del(14q) had not been reported so early in the gestation yet. In this case the positive 1st trimester screen was related to the inverted ductus venosus and low PAPP-A value. The urogenital anomalies (as horseshoe kidneys) and biometry anomalies are described in the literature. However, to our knowledge, some features of the present case were not seen in other reported cases, for instance clinodactyly, club foot, overlapping fingers, thymus hypoplasia and bladder hypoplasia. Other reports described cardiac and cerebral anomalies, diaphragmatic hernia, and also UPD(14)like phenotypes, which are possibly liked to the 14q32 imprinted region. The establishment of a phenotype-genotype correlation is difficult given the size of the deletion, which includes a large number of genes in distinct regions. Nevertheless,
this work contributes to a better identification of additional features associated to del(14q) that can be present in PND.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Prevalência de Obstrução numa População Exposta ao Fumo do Tabaco - Projecto PNEUMOBIL
A espirometria não atingiu ainda a divulgação que se
justificaria em patologia respiratória, ou indivÃduos
que se encontram em risco relativamente a esta patologia,
cujo diagnóstico é insuficiente, havendo um
escasso conhecimento, e consequente controlo, dos
custos atribuÃveis a estas doenças, com destaque para
a doença pulmonar obstrutiva crónica (DPOC).
O PNEUMOBIL, iniciativa que visa esta divulgação entre
fumadores e ex -fumadores, foi reactivado, após 10
anos de aplicação em Portugal, revelando agora, numa
amostra de 5324 indivÃduos, em que cerca de 50% ainda mantêm os hábitos tabágicos, sejam do sexo masculino
ou feminino, que houve uma elevada prevalência de obstrução
detectada por espirometria (30% e 25%, respectivamente)
nas pessoas rastreadas perto de centros de saúde
(grupo público) e em empresas (grupo privado).
Este risco não se explica em regra por exposição ocupacional,
nem se relaciona com a maioria dos sintomas
respiratórios, muito frequentes nos rastreados.
Apenas a dispneia (OR=1,28; p=0,02) e os episódios
frequentes de expectoração (OR=1,21; p=0,008) ou
de bronquite aguda (OR=1,31; p=0,05) revelam alguma
relação com a obstrução.
O reconhecimento prévio da DPOC é muito reduzido
e a presença de obstrução não se correlaciona
(p=0,204) com o assumir da condição de portador
The ancestry of eastern paraguay: A typical south american profile with a unique pattern of admixture
Immigrants from diverse origins have arrived in Paraguay and produced important demographic changes in a territory initially inhabited by indigenous Guarani. Few studies have been performed to estimate the proportion of Native ancestry that is still preserved in Paraguay and the role of females and males in admixture processes. Therefore, 548 individuals from eastern Paraguay were genotyped for three marker sets: mtDNA, Y-SNPs and autosomal AIM-InDels. A genetic homogeneity was found between departments for each set of markers, supported by the demographic data collected, which showed that only 43% of the individuals have the same birthplace as their parents. The results show a sex-biased intermarriage, with higher maternal than paternal Native American ancestry. Within the native mtDNA lineages in Paraguay (87.2% of the total), most haplogroups have a broad distribution across the subcontinent, and only few are concentrated around the Paraná River basin. The frequency distribution of the European paternal lineages in Paraguay (92.2% of the total) showed a major contribution from the Iberian region. In addition to the remaining legacy of the colonial period, the joint analysis of the different types of markers included in this study revealed the impact of post-war migrations on the current genetic background of Paraguay.Funding: F.S. and L.G. were supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Rio de Janeiro–FAPERJ, Brazil (process E-26/202.275/2019 and CNE-2018). L.G. was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e Tecnológico–CNPq, Brazil (ref. 306342/2019-7). V.G. is supported by FCT under the program contract provided in Decree-Law no.57/2016 of August 29
Surface crystallization of ionic liquid crystals
The evidence for surface crystallization in ionic liquids is scarce. The existing reports seem to be contradictory
as for its driving forces, since in the two compounds investigated in the literature, the
contribution of coloumbic and van der Waals forces is very different. In this work 1-dodecyl-3-
methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate was studied and its surface crystallization characterized by surface
tension, ellipsometry and optical microscopy. The results obtained seem to reconcile previous
observations, and it was further shown, using the same techniques, that this phenomenon is prevalent in
other ionic liquids. MD simulation results illustrate the different possibilities of organization, providing
reasonable models to rationalize the experimental observations.This work was developed with the scope of the project CICECO –
Aveiro Institute of Materials, UID/CTM/50011/2019, Associate
Laboratory LSRE-LCM, UID/EQU/50020/2019, and of Instituto
de Telecomunicaço˜es/IT (UID/EEA/50008/2013) – funded by
national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). M. A. R. M.
acknowledges financial support from NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-
000006 – funded by NORTE2020 through PT2020 and ERDF,
and P. J. C. acknowledges the FCT for the contract IF/00758/2015. A. R. Bastos from UA is acknowledged for help in the
ellipsometry measurements. M. C. C. aknowledges FAPESP
(2012/05027-1) and CNPq (310272/2017) for financial support.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
COPD profiles and treatable traits using minimal resources: identification, decision tree and longitudinal stability
Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is
highly heterogeneous and complex. Hence, personalising assessments
and treatments to this population across different settings
and available resources imposes challenges and debate. Research
efforts have been made to identify clinical phenotypes or profiles for prognostic and therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, such profiles
often do not describe treatable traits, focus on complex physiological/
pulmonary measures which are frequently not available across
settings, lack validation and/or their stability over time is unknown.
Objectives: To identify profiles and their treatable traits based on
simple and meaningful measures; to develop and validate a profile
decision tree; and to explore profiles’ stability over time in people
with COPD.
Methods: An observational, prospective study was conducted with
people with COPD. Clinical characteristics, lung function, symptoms,
impact of the disease (COPD assessment test–CAT), healthrelated
quality of life, physical activity, lower-limb muscle strength
and functional status were collected cross-sectionally and a subsample
was followed-up monthly over six months. A principal component
analysis and a clustering procedure with k-medoids were
applied to identify profiles. Pulmonary and extrapulmonary (i.e.,
physical, symptoms and health status, and behavioural/life-style
risk factors) treatable traits were identified in each profile based
on the established cut-offs for each measure available in the literature.
The decision tree was developed with 70% and validated
with 30% of the sample, cross-sectionally. Agreement between the
profile predicted by the decision tree and the profile defined by the
clustering procedure was determined using Cohen’s Kappa. Stability
was explored over time with a stability score defined as the
percentage ratio between the number of timepoints that a participant
was classified in the same profile (most frequent profile for
that participant) and the total number of timepoints (i.e., 6).
Results: 352 people with COPD (67.4 ± 9.9 years; 78.1% male;
FEV1 = 56.2 ± 20.6% predicted) participated and 90 (67.6 ± 8.9 years; 85.6% male; FEV1 = 52.1 ± 19.9% predicted) were followedup.
Four profiles were identified with distinct treatable traits. The
decision tree was composed by the CAT, age and FEV1% predicted
and had an agreement of 71.7% (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.62, p < 0.001)
with the actual profiles. 48.9% of participants remained in the same
profile whilst 51.1% moved between two (47.8%) and three (3.3%)
profiles over time. The overall stability of profiles was 86.8 ± 15%.
Conclusions: Profiles and treatable traits can be identified in people
with COPD with simple and meaningful measures possibly available
even in minimal-resource settings. Regular assessments are
recommended as people with COPD may change profile over time
and hence their needs of personalised treatment.publishe
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