Mathematical analysis of the evaporative process of a new technological treatment of rising damp in historic buildings

The treatment of rising damp in historic buildings walls is very complex, due to the thickness and heterogeneity of those walls. The traditionally techniques used to deal with this kind of problem (such as watertight barriers, injection of hydrofuge products, etc.) show, sometimes, to be ineffective, justifying the need to find a new approach.     

Effects of ultramorphological changes on adhesion to lased dentin-Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis

Dentin irradiation with erbium lasers has been reported to alter the composite resin bond to this treated surface. There is still a lack of studies reporting the effect of erbium lasers on dentin organic content and elucidating how laser treatment could interfere in the quality of the resin-dentin interface. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of erbium laser irradiation on dentin morphology and microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of an adhesive to dentin. Seventy-two dentin disks were divided into nine groups (n = 8): G1-Control (600-grit SiC paper); Er:YAG groups: G2- 250 mJ/4 Hz; G3- 200 mJ/4 Hz; G4- 180 mJ/10 Hz; G5- 160 mJ/10 Hz; Er,Cr:YSGG groups: G6- 2 W/20 Hz; G7- 2.5 W/20 Hz; G8- 3 W/20 Hz; G9- 4 W/20 Hz. Specimens were processed for cross-sectional analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (n = 3), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (n = 2), and adhesive interface (n = 3). Forty-five dentin samples (n = 5) were restored and submitted to μTBS testing. ANOVA (α = 5%) revealed that G1 presented the highest μTBS values and irradiated groups did not differ from each other. TEM micrographs showed a superficial layer of denatured collagen fibrils. For SEM micrographs, it was possible to verify the laser effects extending to dentin subsurface presenting a rough aspect. Cross-sectional dentin micrographs of this hybridized surface revealed a pattern of modified tags with ringlike structures around it. This in vitro study showed that erbium laser irradiation interacts with the dental hard tissue resulting in a specific morphological pattern of dentin and collagen fibrils that negatively affected the bond strength to composite resin.     

Reprint of: From open innovation projects to open innovation project management capabilities: A process-based approach

How do organizations use the experience from projects to build a systematic capability to manage open innovation projects? Drawing upon Project Management and Open Innovation capability-building frameworks, we studied the crusade of an industrial company to create an open innovation capability. In that sense, we applied an Event Structure Analysis (ESA) to evaluate the event network, which evidenced a four-stage process: closed mode, open driver, vanguard project, project-to-organization. Results demonstrate, from causal connections, that the referred capability can be leveraged from the execution of key projects, especially from a vanguard project. Our study contributes to Project Management theory by reveling that previous experiences in both project and organizational levels offer a fertile ground for the emergence of a vanguard project. For the open innovation field, this paper provides a project-oriented approach to the discussion of open innovation's adoption in mature firms.     

Bedload sediment and nutrient losses in agro-ecosystems of the Brazilian semiarid region

The objective of this study was to quantify sediment production from drag, and the loss of organic matter and nutrients as a result of surface runoff in agro-ecosystems of the Brazilian semiarid region. Four watersheds were selected; all located in Iguatu, Ceará state, and characterized by native Caatinga vegetation (MN), thinned vegetation (MR), pasture (PAST), and subsistence agriculture (AGRS). Measurements were taken during the rainy season of 2011. As a result of surface runoff, sediment production by drag (soil drag) ranged from 27.74 kg ha^?1 in AGRS to 580.74 kg ha^?1 in MR. The losses of organic carbon (OC), Ca, Mg, P and K by sediment drag were higher in the natural ecosystems (MN and MR), and of Fe and Zn in the AGRS and PAST agro-ecosystems respectively. The higher erodibility of the Vertisols from the MR, MN and PAST systems, when compared to the Luvisol (AGRS system) resulted in higher sediment production. These results indicate that natural ecosystems of hyper-xerophylic Caatinga vegetation cause an increase sediment production by drag while agro-ecosystems such as PAST and reduced soil tillage on maize, produce an increase in the depth of surface runoff and in the OC levels of the sediment respectively. The loss of nutrients in agro-ecosystems of semiarid region is governed by the volume of eroded soil with rainfall. The management and conservation of soil and green roofs in watersheds should be taken into account in developing policy and plans for sustainability in the semiarid region.     

Giant multilayer electrocatalytic effect investigation on Pt/Bi/Pt nanostructured electrodes towards CO and methanol electrooxidation

This work describes CO and methanol electrooxidation over Bi/Pt 1.2:1.2 or 10:10 ML electrodeposited on a bulk platinum substrate. It could be observed in a blank solution that the same features for bulk Pt and Pt/Bi/Pt MM and the hydrogen region were overlaid. The electroactive areas, calculated using the hydrogen desorption method, are the same for both bulk Pt and Pt/Bi/Pt MM electrodes. This is in agreement with AFM images and RMS values, which were the same for bulk Pt and Pt/Bi/Pt MM electrodes. CO stripping voltammograms showed a shift in the anodic peak potential towards the negative direction of 138 and 197 mV for Pt/Bi/Pt 10:10 and 1.2:1.2 ML, respectively, in comparison to bulk Pt. Moreover, for methanol electrooxidation the Pt/Bi/Pt 1.2:1.2 ML electrodes presented an enhancement of 315% and 22 times in the peak current density compared to bulk Pt using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques respectively. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, it was possible to observe the lowest resistance charge transfer for Pt/Bi/Pt 1.2:1.2 ML compared to Pt/Bi/Pt 10:10 ML and bulk Pt respectively. We designate the Pt/Bi/Pt MM electrodes as a giant multilayer electrocatalytic (GME) system, due to their enhanced electrocatalytical properties.     

Influence of gestational age and parity on the concentration of retinol in human colostrums

Vitamin A is particularly important during the critical periods of growth, proliferation and development of tissues such as pregnancy, neonatal period and childhood. This study aims to evaluate the influence of maternal variables such as gestational age and parity, on the levels of retinol in colostrum and verify that the concentration of vitamin A in the colostrum of those mothers provides the recommended amount of this micronutrient for newborns. We recruited 84 healthy pregnant women attended at a Brazilian public hospital. Retinol concentrations in colostrum were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The retinol in colostrum from mothers at term (n=49) and preterm (n=35) showed values of 111.3 +/- 12.4 microg/dL and 79.2 +/- 10.6 microg/dL (p < 0.0001), respectively, and retinol concentration in colostrum from primiparous (n=40) (82.5 +/- 8.8 microg/dL) and multiparous (n=44) (116.9 +/- 10.3 microg/dL) was also statistically different (p < 0.0001). Retinol levels in colostrum at term and those whose mothers had one or more than one child in this study meet the needs of the child (400 microg retinol/day). However, levels of retinol in colostrum of preterm infants are not consistent with the recommendations of the DRI for premature infants, which is 420 microg retinol/day. These results demonstrate the need to supplement with vitamin A preterm mothers to ensure an adequate supply of this vitamin to the newborn.     

Charcoal deposits in the esophageal and gastric mucosa

We report the case of a 75-yr-old woman referred for gastrointestinal endoscopy to investigate severe iron deficiency anemia. Black linear lesions were observed in the distal esophagus and stomach. Biopsies revealed aggregates of coarse black foreign material, which was later identified as charcoal. The patient's previous medical history included an antidepressant overdose 5 yr before the current admission. The patient had a gastric lavage, using a large bore orogastric tube, followed by the administration of activated charcoal. The patient had no other history of charcoal ingestion. We propose that the charcoal became entrapped in mucosal tears caused by the traumatic intubation 5 yr previously, causing the incidental mucosal tattooing seen at endoscopy.     

A monoclonal antibody pool for routine immunohistochemical detection of human respiratory syncytial virus antigens in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue

Four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with specificities for epitopes on human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) proteins preserved after formalin fixation and paraffin embedding were identified in fixed and embedded virus-infected HEp-2 cell pellets. The MAbs bound epitopes on the fusion protein, the nucleoprotein, the phosphoprotein, and the M2 protein of the virus. Following high-temperature antigen unmasking, immunohistochemical staining revealed RSV antigens in the lungs of five of seven children who died with confirmed RSV infection and in none of nine children who died for other reasons, with no evidence of RSV infection. Staining was cytoplasmic, granular, and confined to epithelial cells. Intense staining was seen at the apex of ciliated bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells in all five positive cases. In one case, of pneumonitis, infected pneumocytes were present in the alveoli and in several cases, CD68-positive, cytokeratin-negative alveolar macrophages stained for viral antigens. These antibodies may prove useful in studies of the pathogenesis of RSV infection.     

The possibility of dietary protective factors in duodenal ulcer. II. An investigation into the effect of pre-feeding with different diets and of instillation of foodstuffs into the stomach on the incidence of ulcers in pylorus-ligated rats

Rats pre-fed on a South Indian diet show a much higher incidence of ulceration of the stomach after pyloric ligation than those on a North Indian diet. Removing vegetables and pulses from the North Indian diet deprives it of its protective effect. Staple foodstuffs with a high buffer content (unmilled rice, unrefined wheat and a millet [ragi]) placed in the stomach after pyloric ligation are also protective, but those with a low buffer content (milled rice, tapioca, sorghum and maize) are not protective. Refined wheat, however, gives protection despite its low buffer content. The significance of these findings in relationship to the distribution of duodenal ulcer in India and Africa is discussed.     

Spatiotemporal dynamics of clotting and pattern formation in human blood

We examined the spatial dynamics of in vitro clot growth in human blood and plasma and found that initially, a clot grows at a constant speed, then abruptly stops and becomes surrounded by an 'inhibition zone' in which coagulation is strongly suppressed. We also observed the formation of 'stratified structures' (target patterns) in which solid layers alternated with liquid plasma. These and other spatial regimes of clotting are explained in terms of two interacting concentration waves propagating without attenuation. The experimental results are consistent with a hypothesis that blood is a bi-excitable medium, a new type of excitable medium.