This work presents the synthesis and characterization of NTC ceramic (Negative coefficient Temperature) based on nickel manganite (NiMn2O4) produced by the polymeric precursor method. NiMn2O4 were ...sintered at 900-1200 °C during 3h to produce the ceramics samples. The effect of sintering temperature on microstructure and electric properties of the NiMn2O4 ceramics was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and temperature dependent resistance R(T) measurements. The XRD measurement indicated formation of cubic spinel-type structure of NiMn2O4. The crystallite size (as confirmed by XRD) and the particle size (as confirmed by SEM) increased as the sintering temperature increased from around 18nm (900 °C) to 100nm (1200 °C). All samples showed NTC behavior and, among the studied ceramics, that one sintered at 1200 °C showed lower resistivity value (~103Ω.cm) at room temperature.
Brachiaria humidicola
(Rendle) Schweick. is a warm-season grass commonly used as forage in the tropics. Accessions of this species were collected in eastern Africa and massively introduced into South ...America in the 1980s. Several of these accessions form a germplasm collection at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. However, apomixis, ploidy, and limited knowledge of the genetic basis of this germplasm collection have constrained breeding activities. The objectives of this work were to identify genetic variability in the Brazilian B. humidicola germplasm collection using microsatellite markers and to compare the results with information on the following: (1) collection sites of the accessions;; (2) reproductive mode and ploidy levels;; and (3) genetic diversity revealed by morphological traits. The evaluated germplasm population is highly structured into four major groups. The sole sexual accession did not group with any of the clusters. Genetic dissimilarities did not correlate with either geographic distances or genetic distances inferred from morphological descriptors. Additionally, the genetic structure identified in this collection did not correspond to differences in ploidy level. Alleles exclusive to either sexual or apomictic accessions were identified, suggesting that further evaluation of the association of these loci with apospory should be carried out.
Introduction: Food choices of the individuals are guided by different factors, such availability and cost. Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate food accessibility referred by Brazilian ...individuals with hypertension and type-2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data of two randomized multicenter clinical trials ongoing in Brazil. Individuals of both sexes, over 21 years old, with previous diagnosis of hypertension and type-2 diabetes mellitus were included. Socioeconomic, biochemical and food accessibility data were collected from standardized and validated questionnaires. Data were expressed in absolute numbers and percentages, means and standard deviations. Results: 414 patients were evaluated, aged 53.7 ±11.9 years and 40.6% men; 54.8% were white, 53.4% completed the high school/had incomplete undergraduate, and 61.1% were married. Mean BMI was 30.8 ±4.5 kg/m2, and mean cardiometabolic features were: fasting glucose: 128.3 ±56.3 mg/dL; glycated hemoglobin: 6.9 ±1.8%; systolic blood pressure: 138 ±19.8 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure: 87.2 ±12.7 mmHg. In total, 65.5% of the participants buy food themselves and 60.4% prepared their own meals/foods. Regarding main meals, 86%, 78.5% and 95.2% of the individuals referred that their breakfast, lunch and dinner are make at home, respectively. 78.2% of the patients referred that fresh fruits and vegetables are available near home, and 63.5% agree that they have higher quality. However, 64.5% buy fresh fruits and vegetables once a week and 29.2% related they are expensive. In addition, 80.4% related that near their home there are significant number of snack bars, pizzeria and fast food stores available. Conclusions: A variety of foods is accessible to the assessed population, and this should be taking into account for counseling individuals in primary cardiovascular prevention.
Fe-doped (Ce sub(0.9) sub(8) Fe sub(0.0) sub(2) O sub(2- delta )) cerium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol-gel-based method at 1000 degreesC during different calcination time (1.0, 1.5, ...2.0, and 2.5h). The effect of calcination time on microstructure and structural properties of the Ce sub(0.98) Fe sub(0.02) O sub(2- delta ) nanoparticles was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy measurements. Analysis of the XRD pattern shows that all samples exhibited a single-phase fluorite structurewith lattice parameters ranging from 0.540991 A (1.0h) to0.540635 A (2.5h). Raman spectroscopy also confirms that the Fe atoms successfully displaced some of the Ce atoms in the CeO sub(2) lattice without forming any impure phases. XRD and Raman spectroscopy results showed that both crystallite size and the particle size increased as the calcination time increased from around 36 nm (1.0h) to 64 nm (2.5h).
Cross-sectional study.
To validate heart rate (HR) indexes for the evaluation of energy expenditure during wheelchair propulsion in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
SARAH Rehabilitation Hospital ...Network-Brasilia, Brazil.
Forty-eight men aged 29.0±7.8 years with a SCI between C6 and L3 causing complete motor impairment were enrolled in the study. The assessment consisted of 5 min of rest while seated in the wheelchair, followed by 5 min of wheelchair propulsion at a self-selected comfortable speed. The main outcomes measured were oxygen consumption, HR, physiological cost index (PCI), total heart beat index (THBI) and propulsion cardiac cost index (PCCI).
Using oxygen uptake as gold standard, the highest correlations were found between this and PCCI (r=0.59, P<0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36-0.75) and THBI (r=0.58, P<0.001, 95% CI 0.36-74.0), independently of the injury level. The PCI had the lowest correlation coefficient (r=0.38, P<0.01, 95% CI 0.11-0.60). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the indexes mostly associated with lesion level were PCCI (ρ=-0.531; P<0.001; 95% CI -0.708 to -0.291) and THBI (ρ=-0.524; P<0.001; 95% CI -0.704 to -0.282).
Both THBI and PCCI seem to be valid measures for assessing energy expenditure. Both indexes showed a coherent correlation with the spinal injury level.
•A new overlapping domain technique is proposed to couple SEM with FEM.•The technique introduced is intended for FSI computations with 1000<Re<3000.•Several benchmark computations have been performed ...to test the fluid–fluid coupling.•SEM results in more accurate computations than FEM using less nodal points.•The results demonstrate that the technique is accurate and stable.
Spectral elements are preferred for accurate prediction of transitional flows, whereas finite elements are better suited for, possibly non-smooth, deforming solid objects. A new overlapping domain technique is proposed that couples spectral and finite elements. This technique aims to efficiently capture the pressure jump and deformation rates of thin solids moving in a fluid. The solid object is fully embedded in a finite element fluid mesh and the coupling interface is situated in the fluid domain. The technique is particularly suited for simulation of cardiovascular fluid–structure interaction problems, such as flow through heart valves. In this paper the overlapping domain technique will be explained and several numerical benchmarks will be presented to test the fluid–fluid coupling between spectral and finite elements. The results obtained demonstrate that the technique is accurate and stable.
Rotaviruses are the main cause of infantile acute diarrhea, and a monovalent (G1P8) vaccine against the virus was introduced into the Brazilian National Immunization Program for all infants in March ...2006. The objectives of this study were to determine the rate and genotype distribution of rotavirus causing infantile diarrhea in the Triângulo Mineiro region of Brazil during 2011-2012 and to assess the impact of local vaccination. Fecal specimens were analyzed for detection and characterization of rotavirus using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and PCR-genotyping assays. Overall, rotavirus was diagnosed in 1.7% (6/348) of cases. Rotavirus positivity rates decreased 88% 95% confidence intervals (CI)=15.2, 98.3%; P=0.026 in 2011 and 78% (95%CI=30.6, 93.0%; P=0.007) in 2012 when compared with available data for baseline years (2005/2006) in Uberaba. In Uberlândia, reductions of 95.3% (95%CI=66.0, 99.4%; P=0.002) in 2011, and 94.2% (95%CI=56.4, 99.2%; P=0.004) in 2012 were also observed compared with data for 2008. The circulation of rotavirus G2P4 strains decreased during the period under study, and strains related to the P8 genotype reemerged in the region. This study showed a marked and sustained reduction of rotavirus-related cases, with a lack of rotavirus in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, suggesting a positive impact of the vaccination program.
Dengue fever (DF) remains one of the most important emerging infectious diseases. Whereas DF is well recognized in endemic countries, there are indications that the disease is underdiagnosed among ...travellers to endemic regions. Here, we present the first descriptive survey on cases of travel-acquired DF imported to Denmark diagnosed at the national reference laboratory for dengue virus diagnostics during a 9-year period. In our study, 16 – 46 travel-acquired dengue virus infections were diagnosed per year. DF is mainly imported by adults, mostly men, returning from Southeast Asian countries. The minimum incidence of dengue virus infection among Danish travellers is estimated to be 4.9 per 100 000 travellers. Our results confirm and expand studies from other European countries, and underline the importance of surveillance based on relevant diagnostic analyses.
The major rice intensity of diseases in Indonesia was increased significantly and has caused a yield loss of up to 20–30%. The experiments had been conducted to investigate the effect of ...bioameliorant or composted straw (CS) combined with consortia of biofertilizers (CB) and biocontrol agent to restore the soil health and promote the induced systemic resistance (ISR) for increasing the rice productivity. The experiment arranged as randomized block design consisted of 12 treatments (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 ton of CS per ha combined with 400 g of CB and 200 g inoculant of CB + 200 g inoculant of Trichoderma sp and was provided with three replications. The experimental results revealed that application of 2.5–7.5 ton per ha of bioameliorant combined with 400 g per ha of CB and 400 g Trichoderma sp has increased the ISR and enhanced the rice productivity significantly. The brown spot, sheath rice blight and bacterial leaf blight diseases were reduced from 16.7% to 3.3–8.0%, 20% to 4–10%, 24% to 2.7–4.7% and 20.7% to 8–14.0%, respectively at 7 weeks after transplanting. In addition, the rice grain yield was increased from about 7.1 ton ha−1 to 7.9–10.1 ton per ha.
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