Effect of Vertical Misfit on Screw Joint Stability of Implant-Supported Crowns

The passive fit between prosthesis and implant is a relevant factor for screw joint stability and treatment success. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of vertical misfit in abutment-implant interface on preload maintenance of retention screw of implant-supported crowns. The crowns were fabricated with different abutments and veneering materials and divided into 5 groups (n = 12): Gold UCLA abutments cast in gold alloy veneered with ceramic (Group I) and resin (Group II), UCLA abutments cast in titanium veneered with ceramic (Group III) and resin (Group IV), and zirconia abutments with ceramic veneering (Group V). The crowns were attached to implants by gold retention screws with 35-N cm insertion torque. Specimens were submitted to mechanical cycling up to 10⁶ cycles. Measurements of detorque and vertical misfit in abutment-implant interface were performed before and after mechanical cycling. ANOVA revealed statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) among groups for vertical misfit measured before and after mechanical cycling. The abutments cast in titanium exhibited the highest misfit values. Pearson correlation test did not demonstrate significant correlation (P > 0.05) between vertical misfit and detorque value. It was concluded that vertical misfit did not influence torque maintenance and the abutments cast in titanium exhibited the highest misfit values.     

Interpersonal goals and change in anxiety and dysphoria in first-semester college students.

Two longitudinal studies examined the associations between interpersonal goals (i.e., self-image and compassionate goals) and anxiety and dysphoria (i.e., distress). In Study 1, 199 college freshmen (122 women, 77 men) completed 12 surveys over 12 weeks. Compassionate goals predicted decreased distress, and self-image goals predicted increased distress from pretest to posttest when distress was assessed as anxiety, dysphoria, or a composite, and when the goals were worded as approach goals, avoidance goals, or a composite. In Study 2, 115 first-semester roommate pairs (86 female and 29 male pairs) completed 12 surveys over 12 weeks. Compassionate and self-image goals predicted distress in same-week, lagged-week, and pretest-to-posttest analyses; effects of compassionate goals remained significant when the authors controlled for several known risk factors. Having clear goals consistently explained the association between compassionate goals but not self-image goals and distress. Results supported a path model in which compassionate goals predict increased support given to roommates, which predicts decreased distress. Results also supported a reciprocal association; chronic distress predicted decreased compassionate and increased self-image goals from pretest to posttest, and weekly distress predicted decreased compassionate goals the subsequent week. The results suggest that compassionate goals contribute to decreased distress because they provide meaning and increase support given to others. Distress, in turn, predicts change in goals, creating the potential for upward and downward spirals of goals and distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stresses Analysis on a Rail Part

The EFVM （Vitoria Minas Railroad） is one of the main railways in Brazil. It transports freight trains of ore, 220 wagons each. These wagons have 2 boogies of 2 axles each and 32 metric tons on metre gauge. Elastic strains were measured on a special part of this railway due to these trains. The main load to evaluate stresses and strains was a G 16 Locomotive, a C-C kind from Vale, a Brazilian Company. The measurements were obtained by dynamic deflectometer installed on a main line of this railway, near Ipatinga, a city from Minas Gerais, one of Brazil states. This track was equipped to obtain stresses under an equal repeated static load A simulation of the stresses was made under critical strain by Ferrovia 1.0 software. It was also made an evaluation of unequal results from neighbor sleepers taking in comparison two equipped parts of this railway, one with compacted ballast and no compaction to the other. The results were strain limited, avoiding breakage or damage to the studied rails. This work analyses these measurements focusing on the improvement of track quality.     

Optimization of osmotic dehydration of yacon slices

Osmotic dehydration assisted by ultrasound (ODAU) at low temperatures reduces water activity (a_w) and maintains nutrients. The influence of solution concentration (SC; 20 to 60° Brix, xylitol and sorbitol) and ultrasound application time (t_us, 0 to 40 min) in ODAU of yacon was studied with the aid of a response surface method. The optimum condition with respect to mass transfer parameters, a_w, and fructan retention was SC of 60° Brix for both solutions and t_us of 2.67 min for xylitol samples and 0 min for sorbitol samples. The application of ultrasound improved dehydration but resulted in depolymerization of fructans.     

Evaluation of Can Microseam Resistance when Submitted to Mechanical Abuse

Microseaming is a significant technological development in the can manufacturing process that has been employed in the packaging of tomato processed products in Brazil. It was developed by the Brazilian company Grupo Kramer in 1990. Due to its reduced dimensions in relation to the traditional can closing system, i.e. the conventional double seam, microseam mechanical resistance as well as its capability to guarantee package integrity when submitted to processing and distribution remain questionable. In this study microseam resistance was compared to conventional double seam resistance when submitted to mechanical abuse through a standardized impact on the seam region positioned at angles of 45 and 67°. As evaluation parameters of closing integrity loss after impact swelling resulting from the cans external contact with a bacterial suspension, internal vacuum loss and can centre depth changes were used. The microseam presented a performance comparable to the conventional double seam for the impact at 45°, whereas at 67° its performance was found to be superior. This superior microseam performance can be credited to its being more malleable, i.e., to its greater capability of deforming itself when submitted to a puncture-type impact, to its more compact structure and to the type of deformation resulting from this type of impact.     

Formulation of a Biodegradable Detergent for Cleaning Oily Residues Generated during Industrial Processes

The use of toxic petroleum-based heavy oils is common in industrial processes. The cleaning of machines, equipment, and other surface covered in these oils is achieved with expensive products that are often also toxic and harmful to both the health of workers and the environment. The present paper proposes the development of a sustainable biodetergent made from plant-based materials. Tests were performed to determine the properties of the biodetergent in terms of its surfactant and emulsifying capacities, stability, toxicity, and the removal of heavy oil from glass plates and metallic surfaces. The formulation was composed of a natural solvent (cottonseed oil), a plant-based surfactant agent (saponin), and two natural stabilizers (carboxymethylcellulose and glycerine). The formulation was stable, nontoxic, and highly efficient, removing 100% of the heavy oil from glass and metallic surfaces. This solution developed in this study could be used in diverse industries with the need to clean machines and parts encrusted with oil and grease as well as the cleaning of floors covered with petroleum-based residues. A preliminary analysis of the economic feasibility of using the detergent was carried out at a Brazilian power plant. Besides the reduction in environmental impact due to the use of a nontoxic, biodegradable product as well as the reduction in health risks to workers associated with toxic cleaning products, this new product can have a considerable impact on the market as an environmentally friendly solution.     

Comparative Effects of Deferiprone and Salinomycin on Lead-Induced Disturbance in the Homeostasis of Intrarenal Essential Elements in Mice

Lead (Pb) exposure induces severe nephrotoxic effects in humans and animals. Herein, we compare the effects of two chelating agents, salinomycin and deferiprone, on Pb-induced renal alterations in mice and in the homeostasis of essential elements. Adult male mice (Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)) were randomized into four groups: control (Ctrl)—untreated mice administered distilled water for 28 days; Pb-exposed group (Pb)—mice administered orally an average daily dose of 80 mg/kg body weight (BW) lead (II) nitrate (Pb(NO₃)₂) during the first two weeks of the experimental protocol followed by the administration of distilled water for another two weeks; salinomycin-treated (Pb + Sal) group—Pb-exposed mice, administered an average daily dose of 16 mg/kg BW salinomycin for two weeks; deferiprone-treated (Pb + Def) group—Pb-exposed mice, administered an average daily dose of 20 mg/kg BW deferiprone for 14 days. The exposure of mice to Pb induced significant accumulation of the toxic metal in the kidneys and elicited inflammation with leukocyte infiltrations near the glomerulus. Biochemical analysis of the sera revealed that Pb significantly altered the renal function markers. Pb-induced renal toxicity was accompanied by a significant decrease in the endogenous renal concentrations of phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se). In contrast to deferiprone, salinomycin significantly improved renal morphology in Pb-treated mice and decreased the Pb content by 13.62% compared to the Pb-exposed group. There was also a mild decrease in the renal endogenous concentration of magnesium (Mg) and elevation of the renal concentration of iron (Fe) in the salinomycin-treated group compared to controls. Overall, the results demonstrated that salinomycin is a more effective chelating agent for the treatment of Pb-induced alterations in renal morphology compared to deferiprone.     

Effect of APE1 T2197G (Asp148Glu) Polymorphism on APE1, XRCC1, PARP1 and OGG1 Expression in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

It has been hypothesized that genetic variation in base excision repair (BER) might modify colorectal adenoma risk. Thus, we evaluated the influence of APE1 T2197G (Asp148Glu) polymorphism on APE1, XRCC1, PARP1 and OGG1 expression in normal and tumor samples from patients with colorectal cancer. The results indicate a downregulation of OGG1 and an upregulation of XRCC1 expression in tumor tissue. Regarding the anatomical location of APE1, OGG1 and PARP-1, a decrease in gene expression was observed among patients with cancer in the rectum. In patients with or without some degree of tumor invasion, a significant downregulation in OGG1 was observed in tumor tissue. Interestingly, when taking into account the tumor stage, patients with more advanced grades (III and IV) showed a significant repression for APE1, OGG1 and PARP-1. XRCC1 expression levels were significantly enhanced in tumor samples and were correlated with all clinical and histopathological data. Concerning the polymorphism T2197G, GG genotype carriers exhibited a significantly reduced expression of genes of the BER repair system (APE1, XRCC1 and PARP1). In summary, our data show that patients with colorectal cancer present expression changes in several BER genes, suggesting a role for APE1, XRCC1, PARP1 and OGG1 and APE1 polymorphism in colorectal carcinogenesis.     

Mixture design applied for the development of films based on starch,polyvinyl alcohol,and glycerol

Starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are biodegradable materials with potentiality to replace the conventional polymers in some applications. The aim of this work was to produce biodegradable films of PVA, cassava starch, and glycerol by thermoplastic extrusion using a mixture design to evaluate the effects of each component in the blend properties. Six formulations were prepared using a twin‐screw extruder coupled with a calender. All the materials were visually homogeneous and presented good processability. Mechanical properties were dependent on both the relative humidity conditioning and the formulation; higher relative humidities detracted the mechanical properties, which was associated to plasticizer effect of the water. Furthermore, the mechanical properties were better when higher concentrations of PVA were used, resulting in films with lower opacity, lower water vapor permeability, and higher thermal stability, according to TGA. Biodegradable materials based on starch, PVA, and glycerol have adequate mechanical and processing properties for commercial production. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42697.     

Effects of porosity,dry unit weight,cement content and void/cement ratio on unconfined compressive strength of roof tile waste-silty soil mixtures

One of the conventional ways to improve the mechanical behavior of soils is to mix them with cementing agents such as cement, lime and fly ash. Recently, introduction to alternative materials or sub-products that can be adopted to improve the soil strength is of paramount importance. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the effects of porosity (η), dry unit weight (γ_d) of molding, cement content (C) and porosity/volumetric cement content ratio (η/C_iv) or void/cement ratio on the unconfined compressive strength (q_u or UCS) of silty soil–roof tile waste (RT) mixtures. Soil samples are molded into four different dry unit weights (i.e. 13 kN/m³, 13.67 kN/m³, 14.33 kN/m³ and 15 kN/m³) using 3%, 6% and 9% cement and 5%, 15% and 30% RT. The results show that with the addition of cement, the strength of the RT–soil mixtures increases in a linear manner. On the other hand, the addition of RT decreases q_u of the samples at a constant percentage of cement, and the decrease in porosity can increase q_u. A dosage equation is derived from the experimental data using the porosity/volumetric cement content ratio (η/C_iv) where the control variables are the moisture content, crushed tile content, cement content and porosity.