Fatigue resistance of low pressure nitrided Cr-Mo low alloy steels

Fatigue resistance of steel parts can be improved by nitriding, the more the deeper is the layer affected by nitrogen diffusion, as stated by the Lessells-Firrao law. Low-pressure nitriding has been applied to wheel's hubs fabricated with a quenched and tempered Cr-Mo low alloy steel. N diffusion depths have been compared to similar results obtained with the same type of automotive parts subjected to classical gas nitriding. 12 h total low-pressure treatment time provided an almost 100% increase of hardened depth over 40 h gas nitrided parts. Both treatments allowed reaching an adequate fatigue life, whereas induction hardened parts did not. X-ray diffraction analysis provided phase constitution of top converted layers in both nitriding cases. A rationale based on the effect of early treatment stage top layer formation has been developed

Building a large-scale micro-simulation transport scenario using big data

A large-scale agent-based microsimulation scenario including the transport modes car, bus, bicycle, scooter, and pedestrian, is built and validated for the city of Bologna (Italy) during the morning peak hour. Large-scale microsimulations enable the evaluation of city-wide effects of novel and complex transport technologies and services, such as intelligent traffic lights or shared autonomous vehicles. Large-scale microsimulations can be seen as an interdisciplinary project where transport planners and technology developers can work together on the same scenario; big data from OpenStreetMap, traffic surveys, GPS traces, traffic counts and transit details are merged into a unique transport scenario. The employed activity-based demand model is able to simulate and evaluate door-to-door trip times while testing different mobility strategies. Indeed, a utility-based mode choice model is calibrated that matches the official modal split. The scenario is implemented and analyzed with the software SUMOPy/SUMO which is an open source software, available on GitHub. The simulated traffic flows are compared with flows from traffic counters using different indicators. The determination coefficient has been 0.7 for larger roads (width greater than seven meters). The present work shows that it is possible to build realistic microsimulation scenarios for larger urban areas. A higher precision of the results could be achieved by using more coherent data and by merging different data sources

Características físico-químicas de farinhas de duas cultivares de feijão-caupi (Vigna unguiculata l. Walp): BRS Tumucumaque e BRS Aracê.

O feijão-caupi (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) é uma leguminosa amplamente cultivada no Brasil com valor nutritivo elevado quanto a proteínas, minerais e componentes bioativos e cultivares biofortificadas com melhoria do teor de nutrientes tem sido desenvolvidas pela Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Embrapa. Há uma crescente utilização das farinhas mistas na composição de alimentos enriquecidos, sendo importante estudos de viabilidade de utilização de matérias-primas de elevado valor nutritivo, como o feijão-caupi, para elaboração destas farinhas. Tendo em vista essa necessidade, desenvolveu-se o presente trabalho com o objetivo de concretizar física e quimicamente farinhas de duas cultivares de feijão caupí biofortificados. As análises físicas e químicas das farinhas de ambas as cultivares foram realizadas em triplicata. As farinhas apresentaram de Índice de Solubilidade em Água superiores aos das referências consultadas, bom indicativo para produção de alimentos como sopa e mingaus. Quanto a composição centesimal, destacam-se os teores de proteínas e cinzas, como esperado devido a biofortificação e baixo teor de umidade que prediz estabilidade das farinhas. Ao analisar a concentração de minerais, as farinhas de feijão-caupi mostraram alto conteúdo de Fe, Zn, P, K e Mg. A cultivar BRS Tumucumaque apresentou teores de alguns minerais estatisticamente (p<0.05) superior em relação a cultivar BRS Aracê. Assim, as farinha de cultivares biofortificadas de feijão-caupi demonstraram possuir propriedades físicas, químicas e valor nutritivo favoráveis para o desenvolvimento de produtos alimentícios, devido a boa estabilidade, elevado teor de proteínas, alto conteúdo de minerais e ISA elevado.CONAC 2012. Disponível em: http://www.conac2012.org/resumos/pdf/038b.pdf. Acesso em: 03 jul. 2013

Composição centesimal e teor de minerais em pão de queijo enriquecido com farinha de feijão-caupi.

O feijão-caupi (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) apresenta um importante papel na nutrição humana por constituir uma fonte de proteínas, carboidratos, fibras alimentares, vitaminas e minerais. A escolha do pão de queijo para o enriquecimento foi devido à importância dos produtos de panificação na lista de compra dos brasileiros, ocupando a terceira colocação e representando, em média, 12% do orçamento familiar para alimentação. Logo, objetivou-se o enriquecimento de pão de queijo, um produto que faz parte do consumo alimentar, com ascensão de mercado e utilizando-se matéria-prima regional. Determinou-se umidade, cinzas, proteínas, lipídios e carboidratos conforme AOAC (1995) e valor calórico pelos fatores de conversão de Atwater. A técnica de espectrometria de emissão atômica com fonte de plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP OES) foi utilizada para a quantificação dos minerais. Utilizou-se o Programa EPI ? INFO, versão 6.04b para análise dos dados. Os resultados da composição centesimal e conteúdo de minerais foram analisados por ANOVA. Para verificar diferença entre as médias foi aplicado o teste de Tukey. O nível de significância foi de 5%. Como resultado, observou-se que o pão de queijo formulado com feijão-caupi apresentou valor superior de cinzas, proteínas, carboidratos e minerais (cobre, ferro, fósforo, magnésio, manganês e zinco) além de redução da umidade, do teor de lipídios, valor energético total e sódio comparando-se com a formulação padrão. Assim, o produto elaborado apresentou-se enriquecido, com o acréscimo de minerais e macronutrientes, tornando a substituição parcial de polvilho doce por farinha de feijão-caupi (FFC) na elaboração de pães de queijo possível e relevante.CONAC 2012. Disponível em: http://www.conac2012.org/resumos/pdf/377a.pdf. Acesso em: 09 ago. 2013

Introduction and methods of the evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of autism spectrum disorder by the Italian National Institute of Health

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior with a prevalence of approximately 1% worldwide. Health outcomes of interventions for ASD are largely Participant Reported Outcomes (PROs). Specific guidelines can help support the best care for people with ASD to optimize these health outcomes but they have to adhere to standards for their development to be trustworthy. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this article is to describe the new methodological standards of the Italian National Institute of Health and novel aspects of this guideline development process. This article will serve as a reference standard for future guideline development in the Italian setting. METHODS: We applied the new standards of the Italian National Institute of Health to the two guidelines on diagnosis and management of children/adolescents and adults with ASD, with a focus on the scoping, panel composition, management of conflict of interest, generation and prioritization of research questions, early stakeholders' involvement, and PROs. Recommendations are based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence-to-Decision frameworks. RESULTS: Following a public application process, the ISS established two multidisciplinary panels including people with ASD and/or their caregivers. Seventy-nine research questions were identified as potentially relevant for the guideline on children and adolescents with ASD and 31 for the one on adults with ASD. Questions deemed to have the highest priority were selected for inclusion in the guidelines. Other stakeholders valued their early involvement in the process which will largely focus on PROs. The panels then successfully piloted the development of recommendations using the methodological standards and process set by the ISS with a focus on PROs. CONCLUSIONS: In this article, we describe the development of practice guidelines that focus on PROs for the diagnosis and management of ASD based on novel methods for question prioritization and stakeholder involvement. The recommendations allow for the adoption or adaptation to international settings

The effect of seasoning with herbs on the nutritional, safety and sensory properties of reduced-sodium fermented Cobrançosa cv. table olives

This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of seasoning Cobrancosa table olives in a brine with aromatic ingredients, in order to mask the bitter taste given by KCl when added to reduced-sodium fermentation brines. Olives were fermented in two different salt combinations: Brine A, containing 8% NaCl and, Brine B, a reduced-sodium brine, containing 4% NaCl + 4% KCl. After the fermentation the olives were immersed in seasoning brines with NaCl (2%) and the aromatic herbs (thyme, oregano and calamintha), garlic and lemon. At the end of the fermentation and two weeks after seasoning, the physicochemical, nutritional, organoleptic, and microbiological parameters, were determined. The olives fermented in the reduced-sodium brines had half the sodium concentration, higher potassium and calcium content, a lower caloric level, but were considered, by a sensorial panel, more bitter than olives fermented in NaCl brine. Seasoned table olives, previously fermented in Brine A and Brine B, had no significant differences in the amounts of protein (1.23% or 1.11%), carbohydrates (1.0% or 0.66%), fat (20.0% or 20.5%) and dietary fiber (3.4% or 3.6%). Regarding mineral contents, the sodium-reduced fermented olives, presented one third of sodium, seven times more potassium and three times more calcium than the traditional olives fermented in 8% NaCl. Additionally, according to the panelists' evaluation, seasoning the olives fermented in 4% NaCl + 4% KCl, resulted in a decrease in bitterness and an improvement in the overall evaluation and flavor. Escherichia coli and Salmonella were not found in the olives produced.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Benefits and harms of direct oral anticoagulation and low molecular weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery : systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials

OBJECTIVE To systematically compare the effect of direct oral anticoagulants and low molecular weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis on the benefits and harms to patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. DESIGN Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), up to August 2021. REVIEW METHODS Randomised controlled trials in adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery were selected, comparing low molecular weight heparin (prophylactic (low) or higher dose) with direct oral anticoagulants or with no active treatment. Main outcomes were symptomatic venous thromboembolism, symptomatic pulmonary embolism, and major bleeding. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used for network meta-analyses. Abstracts and full texts were screened independently in duplicate. Data were abstracted on study participants, interventions, and outcomes, and risk of bias was assessed independently in duplicate. Frequentist network meta-analysis with multivariate random effects models provided odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, and GRADE (grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation) assessments indicated the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS 68 randomised controlled trials were included (51 orthopaedic, 10 general, four gynaecological, two thoracic, and one urological surgery), involving 45 445 patients. Low dose (odds ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.67) and high dose (0.19, 0.07 to 0.54) low molecular weight heparin, and direct oral anticoagulants (0.17, 0.07 to 0.41) reduced symptomatic venous thromboembolism compared with no active treatment, with absolute risk differences of 1-100 per 1000 patients, depending on baseline risks (certainty of evidence, moderate to high). None of the active agents reduced symptomatic pulmonary embolism (certainty of evidence, low to moderate). Direct oral anticoagulants and low molecular weight heparin were associated with a 2-3-fold increase in the odds of major bleeding compared with no active treatment (certainty of evidence, moderate to high), with absolute risk differences as high as 50 per 1000 in patients at high risk. Compared with low dose low molecular weight heparin, high dose low molecular weight heparin did not reduce symptomatic venous thromboembolism (0.57, 0.26 to 1.27) but increased major bleeding (1.87, 1.06 to 3.31); direct oral anticoagulants reduced symptomatic venous thromboembolism (0.53, 0.32 to 0.89) and did not increase major bleeding (1.23, 0.89 to 1.69). CONCLUSIONS Direct oral anticoagulants and low molecular weight heparin reduced venous thromboembolism compared with no active treatment but probably increased major bleeding to a similar extent. Direct oral anticoagulants probably prevent symptomatic venous thromboembolism to a greater extent than prophylactic low molecular weight heparin.Peer reviewe