1,340 research outputs found

    Nonlinear analysis of beams, plane frames and arch using a dierent co-rotating beam element

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    En este trabajo se describe la formulación corrotacional de un elemento de viga que utiliza distintas teorías, Euler-Bernoulli, Timoshenko y Euler-Bernoulli incluyendo el acoplamiento entre los efectos de los esfuerzos de flexión y axil lo que genera coeficientes no lineales en la matriz de rigidez elástica de dicho elemento. La cinemática corrotacional se basa en la separación del movimiento de un sólido en una parte deformacional y otra en movimiento de cuerpo rígido. La parte deformacional del movimiento es representada por tres grados de libertad: una traslación debido al esfuerzo axil y por las rotaciones nodales debidas a la flexión del elemento. A nivel local se obtienen los esfuerzos internos mediante el princípio de los trabajos virtuales una vez definidas las funciones de interporlación que describen el movimiento deformacional para cada teoría de viga utilizada. Se describe de forma detallada la obtención de las matrices de rigideces elástica para los tres tipos de elementos de viga. A través de algunos ejemplos numéricos se muestra la habilidad del elemento para obtener el comportamiento no lineal de vigas, pórticos y arcos.The present work uses a co-rotating approach for obtain the internal forces and tangent stiffness matrices for three plane beam elements. All of them are based on the same co-rotational approach, and differ by the strain definition used in the local co-rotational coordinate system. Based on the Bernoulli assumption, the first two elements use a linear and a shallow arch strain definition, respectively. The third element is based on the Timoshenko assumption with linear interpolations for the displacements. Some examples are presented and the numerical results demonstrate that the beam elements here presented are able to perform the nonlinear analysis of plane frames and 2D arches and to handle large rotations too.Peer Reviewe

    Tackling tourism-driven development in World Heritage cities: A comparison between Macao, China and Evora, Portugal

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    World Heritage cities, all over the world, are a centre of tourist attraction. In many of these cities, tourism is one of the main driving forces of local economies. As a result, these cities come under intense pressure to accommodate tourism-driven developments; summed up with the pressure to fulfil the needs of local communities. How development in World Heritage cities can be tackled is, thus, an important issue for both heritage management and urban development. This paper presents two World Heritage cities – Macao, a former Portuguese colony in China and Évora, the capital of Alentejo region in Portugal - as case studies and discusses and compares the way tourism-driven development is being tackled in these cities. Macao’s economy depends almost entirely on tourism-driven activities. While the World Heritage status has added additional attractiveness to Macao, the main attraction there is gambling. On the other hand, Évora is much less dependent on tourism. Similar to Macao, the World Heritage status has raised the attractiveness of Évora as a tourist destination; however, the university plays also a fundamental role. Consequently, despite the efforts of the local authorities, the city is losing its local community. Even if for different reasons, in both case studies, heritage is often sidelined in the urban development agenda. The case studies identify the raise of cultural-driven tourism and the consequent urban developments and illustrate the role of legislations and regulations and the impact of their variation per heritage protection zones. Moreover, it identifies the resultant urban development scenario that enhance or diminish the heritage values of the cities and, therefore, help retain or cause destruction to the very cultural capital that has brought and can bring many more benefits to these cities of outstanding universal value

    Tackling tourism-driven development in World Heritage cities: A comparison between Macao, China and Evora, Portugal

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    World Heritage cities, all over the world, are a centre of tourist attraction. In many of these cities, tourism is one of the main driving forces of local economies. As a result, these cities come under intense pressure to accommodate tourism-driven developments; summed up with the pressure to fulfil the needs of local communities. How development in World Heritage cities can be tackled is, thus, an important issue for both heritage management and urban development. This paper presents two World Heritage cities – Macao, a former Portuguese colony in China and Évora, the capital of Alentejo region in Portugal - as case studies and discusses and compares the way tourism-driven development is being tackled in these cities. Macao’s economy depends almost entirely on tourism-driven activities. While the World Heritage status has added additional attractiveness to Macao, the main attraction there is gambling. On the other hand, Évora is much less dependent on tourism. Similar to Macao, the World Heritage status has raised the attractiveness of Évora as a tourist destination; however, the university plays also a fundamental role. Consequently, despite the efforts of the local authorities, the city is losing its local community. Even if for different reasons, in both case studies, heritage is often sidelined in the urban development agenda. The case studies identify the raise of cultural-driven tourism and the consequent urban developments and illustrate the role of legislations and regulations and the impact of their variation per heritage protection zones. Moreover, it identifies the resultant urban development scenario that enhance or diminish the heritage values of the cities and, therefore, help retain or cause destruction to the very cultural capital that has brought and can bring many more benefits to these cities of outstanding universal value

    Genetics And Molecular Biology: A Literature Review Of Forensic Dentistry Application

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    Forensic expertise methodology normally used in different criminal investigation and forensic medicine field such as blood type, anthropologic analysis and forensic, dentistry (dental records, X-rays, bite marks, among others) solved and will continue solving many crimes. Those methods will continue estimating age of several people. Nevertheless, since the development of genetics and molecular bioloy there were an increase in number and quality of solved case. The present work points out the importance to associate certain forensic biology areas to traditional investigation methods in human identification, especially with forensic dentistry. It also show that in some situations, teeth are an important source to genetic analysis and molecular studies. After a scientific literature review it was concluded that it is mandatory that those in forensic investigations acquire knowledge in forensic genetics in order to apply with traditional investigation techniques, this fact would produce an increase of information to Justice.62012541259Ramos, D.I.A., Daruge, E., Daruge Júnior, E., Antunes, F.C.M., Melendez, B.V.C., Francesquini Júnior, L., Transposición dental y sus implicaciones eticas y legais (2005) Rev ADM, 62, pp. 185-190Gonçalves, A.C.S., Travassos, D.V., Silva, M., Campo de atuação do odontolegista (1999) RPG Rev Pos-Grad, 6, pp. 60-65Figini, A.R.L., Silva, J.R.L., Jobim, L.F., Silva, M., Tratado de perícias criminalísticas - identificação humana (2003) Campinas: Millenium Editora, , 2.edSilva, R.F., Cruz, B.V.M., Daruge Júnior, E., Daruge, E., Francesquini Júnior, L., La importância de la documentación odontológica en la identificación humana (2005) Acta Odontol Venez, 43, pp. 67-74Jeffreys, A.J., Wilson, V., Thein, S.L., Hypervariable minisatellite regions in human DNA (1985) Nature, 314, pp. 67-73Alonso, L.G., Genofre, G.C., Genética molecular e odontologia forense (1999) Rev Odontol Univ St Amaro, 4, pp. 30-33Homo Brasilis, P.S.D.J., Aspectos genéticos, lingüísticos, históricos e sócio-antropológicos da formação do povo brasileiro (2002) Ribeirão Preto: Editora FunpecSmith, B.C., Introduction to DNA analysis (2001) Dent Clin North Am, 45, pp. 229-235Jobim, L.F., Costa, L.R.S., Silva, M., Tratado de perícias criminalísticas - identificação humana (2006) Campinas: Millenium Editora, 2Edwards A, Civitello A, Hammond HA, Caskey CT. DNA Typing and Genetic Mapping with Trimeric and Tetrameric Tandem Repeats. Am J Hum Genet. 199149: 746-56Shriver, M.D., Mei, R., Parra, E.J., Sonpar, V., Halder, J., Tishkoff, A.S., Large-scale SNP analysis reveals clustered and continuous patterns of human genetic variation (2005) Hum Genomics, 2, pp. 81-89Slavkin, H.C., Sex, enamel and forensic dentistry: A search for identity (1997) J Am Dent Assoc, 128, pp. 1021-1025Santos, M.C.L.G., Line, S.R.P., The epigenetics of enamel formation (2006) Braz J Oral Sci, 17, pp. 991-995Meyer, E., Wiese, M., Bruchhaus, H., Claussen, M., Klein, A., Extraction and amplification of authentic DNA from ancient human remains (2000) Forensic Sci Int, 113, pp. 87-90Faerman, M., Filon, D., Kahila, G., Greenblatt, C.L., Smith, P., Oppenheim, A., Sex identification of archaeological human remains based on amplification of the X and Y amelogenin alleles (1995) Gene, 167, pp. 327-332Liversidge, H.M., Lyons, F., Hector, M.P., The accuracy of three methods of age estimation using radiographic measurements of developing teeth (2003) Forensic Sci Int, 131, pp. 22-29Mesotten, K., Gunst, K., Carbonez, A., Willems, G., (2003) J Forensic Odontostomatol, 21, pp. 31-35Gustafson, G., Dental identification (1966) Forensic odontology, , London: Staples Press;Yamamoto, K., Molecular biological studies on teeth, and inquests (1996) Forensic Sci Int, 80, pp. 79-87Othani, S., Estimation of age from dentin by utilizing the racernization of aspartic acid: Influence of pH (1995) Forensic Sci Int, 75, pp. 181-187Ohtani, S., Yamada, Y., Yamamoto, I., Age estimation from racemization rate using heated teeth (1997) J Forensic Odontostomatol, 15, pp. 9-12Arany, S., Ohtani, S., Yoshioka, N., Gonmori, K., Age estimation from aspartic acid racemization of root dentin by internal standard method (2004) Forensic Sci Int, 141, pp. 127-130Sajdok, J., Pilin, A., Pudil, F., Zidková, J., Kás, J., A new method of age estimation based on the changes in human non-collagenous proteins from dentin (2006) Forensic Sci Int, 156, pp. 245-249Martín-de las Heras, S., Valenzuela, A., Overall, C.M., Gelatinase A in human dentin as a new biochemical marker for age estimation (2000) J Forensic Sci, 45, pp. 807-811Trevilatto, P.C., Line, S.R.P., Use of buccal epithelial cells for PCR amplification of large DNA fragments (2000) J Forensic Odontostomatol, 18, pp. 6-9Iwamura, E.S.M., Soares-Vieira, J.A., Muñoz, D.R., Human identification and analysis of DNA in bones (2004) Rev Hosp Clin Fac Med Sao Paulo, 59, pp. 383-388Andelinovic, S., Sutlovic, D., Ivkosic, I.E., Skaro, V., Ivkosic, A., Paic, F., Twelve-year experience in-identification of skeletal remains from mass graves (2005) Croat Med J, 46, pp. 530-539Lleonart, R., Riego, E., Suárez, R.R., Ruiz, R.T., Fuente, J., Analyses of DNA from ancient bones of a pre-columbian Cuban woman and a child (1999) Genet Mol Biol, 22, pp. 285-289Vernesi, C., Benedetto, G., Caramelli, D., Secchieri, E., Simoni, L., Katti, E., Genetic characterization of the body attributed to the evangelist Luke (2001) Proc Natl Acad Sci, 98, pp. 13460-13463Melki, J.A.D., Martin, C.C.S., Simões, A.L., Procedimentos em exumações para investigação de vínculo genético em ossos (2001) J Public Health, 35, pp. 368-374Ogata, M., Mattern, R., Schneider, P.M., Schacker, U., Kaufmann, T., Rittner, C., Quantitative and qualitative analysis of DNA extracted from postmortem muscle tissues (1990) Z Rechtsmed, 103, pp. 397-406Wurmb-Schwark, N., Harbeck, M., Wiesbrock, U., Schroeder, I., Ritz-Timme, S., Oehmichen, M., Extraction and amplification of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from ancient and artificially aged bones (2003) Leg Med, 5, pp. S169-S172Bender, K., Farfán, M.J., Schneider, P.M., Preparation of degraded human DNA under controlled conditions (2004) Forensic Sci Int, 139, pp. 135-140Pretty, I.A., Sweet, D., A look at forensic dentistry. Part I: The role of teeth in the determination of human identity (2001) Br Dent J, 190, pp. 359-366Gaytmenn, R., Sweet, D., Quantification of forensic DNA from various regions of human teeth (2003) J Forensic Sci, 48, pp. 622-625Malaver, P.C., Yunis, J.J., Different dental tissues as source of DNA for human identification in forensic cases (2003) Croat Med J, 44, pp. 306-309Pfeiffer, H., Hühne, J., Seitz, B., Brinkmann, B., Influence of soil storage and exposure period on DNA recovery from teeth (1999) Int J Legal Med, 112, pp. 142-144Lessig, R., Edelmann, J., Individualisation of dental tissue - an aid for odontological identification? (1995) J Forensic Odontostomatol, 13, pp. 1-3Murakami, H., Yamamoto, Y., Yoshitome, K., Ono, T., Okamoto, O., Shigeta, Y., Forensic study of sex determination using PCR on teeth samples (2000) Acta Med Okayama, 54, pp. 21-32Sweet, D., Hildebrand, D., Redovery of DNA from human teeth by cryogenic grinding (1998) J Forensic Sci, 43, pp. 1199-1202Trivedi, R., Chattopadhyay, P., Kaghyap, K., A new improved method for extraction of DNA from teeth for the analysis of hypervariavel loci (2002) Am J Forensic Med Pathol, 23, pp. 191-196Kemp, B.M., Smith, D.G., Use of bleach to eliminate contaminating DNA from the surface of bones and teeths (2005) Forensic Sci Int, 154, pp. 53-61Schulz, M.M., Reichert, W., Archived or directly swabbed latent fingerprints as a DNA source for STR typing (2002) Forensic Sci Int, 127, pp. 128-130Goes, A.C.S., Silva, D.A., Domingues, C.S., Sobrinho, J.M., Carvalho, E.F., Identification of a criminal by DNA typing in a rape case in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2002) Sao Paulo Med J, 120, pp. 77-80Silva, D.A., Goes, A.C.S., Carvalho, J.J., Carvalho, E.F., DNA typing from vaginal smear slides in suspected rape cases (2004) Sao Paulo Med J, 122, pp. 70-72Silva, R.F., Pereira, S.D.R., Daruge Júnior, E., Daruge, E., Francesquini Júnior, L., A confiabilidade do exame odontolegal na identificação humana (2004) ROBRAC, 35, pp. 46-50Atsü SS, Gökdemir K, Kedici PS, Ikyaz YY. 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    Genetic analysis of members of the species Oropouche virus and identification of a novel M segment sequence

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    Oropouche virus (OROV) is a public health threat in South America, and in particular Northern Brazil, causing frequent outbreaks of febrile illness. Using a combination of deep sequencing and Sanger sequencing approaches we have determined complete genome sequences of eight clinical isolates that were obtained from patient sera during an Oropouche fever outbreak in Amapa state, northern Brazil in 2009. We also report complete genome sequences of two OROV reassortants isolated from two marmosets in Minas Gerais state, southeast Brazil in 2012 that contain a novel M genome segment. Interestingly, all ten isolates posses a 947 nucleotide long S segment that lacks 11 residues in the S segment 3' UTR compared to the recently redetermined Brazilian prototype OROV strain BeAn19991. OROV maybe circulating more widely in Brazil and in the non-human primate population than previously appreciated and the identification of yet another reassortant highlights the importance of bunyavirus surveillance in South America

    The role of serum levels of vitamin D in children’s muscle strength: A systematic review

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    This review aims to investigate the different levels of vitamin D and its role in muscle strength in healthy children and non-athletes. A search conducted in three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Psycinfo) resulted in 655 articles, which were systematically analyzed and selected based on the following criteria: (a) original cross-sectional studies and clinical trials; (b) healthy children aged 5-11 years; (c) no language restriction or year of publication; and (d) studies that assessed the possible relationship between vitamin D levels and muscle strength. Six studies were included because they met all the inclusion criteria. According to the findings of this review, factors such as sex, skin color, and vitamin D supplementation early in life modulate the levels of vitamin D in the body, and there is a relationship between muscle strength and vitamin D levels. Interestingly, vitamin D supplementation is not always significantly associated with increased muscle grip strength. However, there is a scarcity of studies that aim to analyze the possible effects of different levels of vitamin D on muscle function and neuromuscular variables in physically inactive children and non-athletes without previously diagnosed disease. Further studies are warranted in the future to address the gap in the literature

    TiO2-MWCNT Nanohybrid: Cytotoxicity, protein corona formation and cellular internalisation in RTG-2 fish cell line

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    Titanium dioxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (TiO2-MWCNT) nanohydrid has an enhanced photocatalytic activity across the visible light with promising applications in environmental remediation, solar energy devices and antimicrobial technologies. However, it is necessary to evaluate the toxicological effects of TiO2-MWCNT towards safe and sustainable development of nanohybrids. In this work, we studied the cytotoxicity, protein corona formation and cellular internalisation of TiO2-MWCNT on fibroblasts derived from gonadal rainbow trout tissue (RTG-2) for the first time. This nanohydrid did not show any toxicity effect on RTG-2 cells up to 100 mg L-1 after 24 h of exposure as monitored by alamar blue, neutral red and trypan blue assays (in presence or absence of foetal bovine serum, FBS). Futhermore, cryo-transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that TiO2 particles is attached on nanotube surface after FBS-protein corona formation in cell culture medium. Raman spectroscopy imaging showed that TiO2-MWCNT can be internalised by RTG-2 cells. This work is a novel contribution towards better understanding the nanobiointeractions of nanohydrids linked to their in vitro effects on fish cells in aquatic nanoecotoxicology

    Static Observers in Curved Spaces and Non-inertial Frames in Minkowski Spacetime

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    Static observers in curved spacetimes may interpret their proper acceleration as the opposite of a local gravitational field (in the Newtonian sense). Based on this interpretation and motivated by the equivalence principle, we are led to investigate congruences of timelike curves in Minkowski spacetime whose acceleration field coincides with the acceleration field of static observers of curved spaces. The congruences give rise to non-inertial frames that are examined. Specifically we find, based on the locality principle, the embedding of simultaneity hypersurfaces adapted to the non-inertial frame in an explicit form for arbitrary acceleration fields. We also determine, from the Einstein equations, a covariant field equation that regulates the behavior of the proper acceleration of static observers in curved spacetimes. It corresponds to an exact relativistic version of the Newtonian gravitational field equation. In the specific case in which the level surfaces of the norm of the acceleration field of the static observers are maximally symmetric two-dimensional spaces, the energy-momentum tensor of the source is analyzed.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures

    Activated Random Walkers: Facts, Conjectures and Challenges

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    We study a particle system with hopping (random walk) dynamics on the integer lattice Zd\mathbb Z^d. The particles can exist in two states, active or inactive (sleeping); only the former can hop. The dynamics conserves the number of particles; there is no limit on the number of particles at a given site. Isolated active particles fall asleep at rate λ>0\lambda > 0, and then remain asleep until joined by another particle at the same site. The state in which all particles are inactive is absorbing. Whether activity continues at long times depends on the relation between the particle density ζ\zeta and the sleeping rate λ\lambda. We discuss the general case, and then, for the one-dimensional totally asymmetric case, study the phase transition between an active phase (for sufficiently large particle densities and/or small λ\lambda) and an absorbing one. We also present arguments regarding the asymptotic mean hopping velocity in the active phase, the rate of fixation in the absorbing phase, and survival of the infinite system at criticality. Using mean-field theory and Monte Carlo simulation, we locate the phase boundary. The phase transition appears to be continuous in both the symmetric and asymmetric versions of the process, but the critical behavior is very different. The former case is characterized by simple integer or rational values for critical exponents (β=1\beta = 1, for example), and the phase diagram is in accord with the prediction of mean-field theory. We present evidence that the symmetric version belongs to the universality class of conserved stochastic sandpiles, also known as conserved directed percolation. Simulations also reveal an interesting transient phenomenon of damped oscillations in the activity density

    Possible symmetries of the superconducting order parameter in a hexagonal ferromagnet

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    We study the order parameter symmetry in a hexagonal crystal with co-existing superconductivity and ferromagnetism. An experimental example is provided by carbon-based materials, such as graphite-sulfur composites, in which an evidence of such co-existence has been recently discovered. The presence of a non-zero magnetization in the normal phase brings about considerable changes in the symmetry classification of superconducting states, compared to the non-magnetic case.Comment: 4 pages, REVTe
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