Physician well-being is vital to delivering high-quality emergency care.A supported and healthy emergency medicine workforce leads to better patient outcomes,fewer medical errors,and greater job satisfaction and staff...Physician well-being is vital to delivering high-quality emergency care.A supported and healthy emergency medicine workforce leads to better patient outcomes,fewer medical errors,and greater job satisfaction and staff retention.[1,2]Emergency physicians(EPs)face unique pressures,including shift work,high patient volumes and acuities,overcrowding,and systemic inefficiencies that escalate their risk of burnout.As a result,EPs have reported the highest rates of burnout among physician specialties.展开更多
Self-Centering Piston-Based Braced Frames(SC-PBBFs)are designed to curtail structural damage under severe ground motions.The self-centering mechanism in this bracing mitigates structural damage during an earthquake,th...Self-Centering Piston-Based Braced Frames(SC-PBBFs)are designed to curtail structural damage under severe ground motions.The self-centering mechanism in this bracing mitigates structural damage during an earthquake,thereby reducing post-earthquake repair costs and contributing to seismic resilience.However,non-structural components,particularly those sensitive to floor acceleration,remain vulnerable,resulting in prolonged func-tional recovery times.This paper aims to address this limitation by introducing a novel structural archetype,the Self-Centering Viscous-Based Braced Frame(SC-VBBF),which integrates superelastic shape memory alloy(SMA)bars,viscous dampers(VDs),and friction springs(FSs).A streamlined analytical approach relies on the strength decoupling of VD from other components using aλfactor to design SC-VBBFs.To evaluate the effectiveness of the hybrid brace,a set of 4-,8-,and 12-story archetypes equipped with SC-PBBs and SC-VBBFs are simulated in OpenSees and analyzed under various earthquake types,including crustal,subcrustal,and subduction events.The results demonstrate the superior performance of the SC-VBBF withλ≤0.5 system compared to SC-PBBFs in mitigating floor accelerations under design-level earthquakes and improving seismic resilience.展开更多
Soft robotic manipulators represent a rapidly evolving field characterized by inherent compliance,adaptability,and safe interactions within unstructured environments.Over the past decade(2015-2025),significant advance...Soft robotic manipulators represent a rapidly evolving field characterized by inherent compliance,adaptability,and safe interactions within unstructured environments.Over the past decade(2015-2025),significant advancements have trans-formed their capabilities through novel designs inspired by biological systems,advanced modeling frameworks,sophisti-cated control strategies,and integration into diverse real-world applications.Recent innovations in multifunctional mate-rials and emerging actuation technologies have markedly expanded manipulator performance,reliability,and dexterity.Concurrently,developments in modeling have progressed from simplified geometric methods toward highly accurate physics-based and hybrid data-driven approaches,substantially improving real-time prediction and controllability.Coupled with these developments,adaptive and robust control strategies-including learning-based techniques-have enabled unprec-edented autonomy and precision in challenging application domains such as Minimally Invasive Surgery(MIS),precision agriculture,deep-sea exploration,disaster recovery,and space missions.Despite these remarkable strides,key challenges remain,notably regarding scalability,long-term material durability,robust integrated sensing,and standardized evaluation procedures.This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advances,critically evaluates state-of-the-art methodologies,and systematically identifies existing gaps to provide a clear roadmap and targeted research directions,guiding future developments toward the broader adoption and optimal utilization of soft robotic manipulators.展开更多
This article addresses the question of how the global and U.S.market sector allocations for rare earth elements compare.Accordingly,this article reports rare earth oxide(REO)market sector allocations,resolved by eleme...This article addresses the question of how the global and U.S.market sector allocations for rare earth elements compare.Accordingly,this article reports rare earth oxide(REO)market sector allocations,resolved by elemental profile for 2020 and reciprocally REO consumption resolved by end market use.Differences are calculated relative to 2008 and presented as percentages and as absolute tonnage.These differences encompass both changes in relative sector demand and growth rate.Historical trends,global and U.S.for REO usage by sector are calculated for the period of 2018-2022.End market sector demands,as percentages are presented,referenced to United States Geological Survey(USGS)values from 2008.Attention is given to permanent magnets and associated elements given the growing renewable generation and vehicle electrification.The criticality of Nd and Dy are considered given that they are the foundation of NdFeB permanent magnets,prominent in electric vehicle traction motors and direct drive wind turbine generators.Economic activity associated with REE market sectors is presented.Notably usage does not reflect economic value.A prime example are catalysts versus magnets.Last,vast reserves of light and heavy REEs exist in coal and coal-byproducts with potential high impact upon critical REEs and associated economics.展开更多
Sessile oak(Quercus petraea(Matt.)Liebl.)is widely distributed across most of Europe particularly the hills and lower mountain ranges,so is considered“the oak of the mountains”.This species grows on a wide variety o...Sessile oak(Quercus petraea(Matt.)Liebl.)is widely distributed across most of Europe particularly the hills and lower mountain ranges,so is considered“the oak of the mountains”.This species grows on a wide variety of soils and at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2200 m,especially in Atlantic and sub-Mediterranean climates,and it is sensitive to low winter temperatures,early and late frosts,as well as high summer temperatures.Sessile oak forms both pure and mixed stands especially with broadleaves such as European beech,European hornbeam,small-leaved lime and Acer spp.These form the understorey of sessile oak stands,promoting the natural shedding of lower branches of the oak and protecting the trunk against epicormic branches.Sessile oak is a long-lived,light-demanding and wind-firm species,owing to its taproot and heart-shaped root system.Its timber,one of the most valuable in Europe,is important for fur-niture-making(both solid wood and veneer),construction,barrels,railway sleepers,and is also used as fuelwood.It is one of the few major tree species in Europe that is regener-ated by seed(naturally or artificially)and by stump shoots in high forest,coppice-with-standards and coppice forests.Sessile oak forests are treated in both regular and irregular systems involving silvicultural techniques such as uniform shelterwood,group shelterwood,irregular shelterwood,irregular high forest,coppice-with-standards and simple coppice.Young naturally regenerated stands are managed by weeding,release cutting and cleaning-respacing,keeping the stands quite dense for good natural pruning.Plantations are based on(1)2-4-year old bare-root or container-grown seedlings produced in nurseries using seeds from genetic resources,seed stands and seed orchards.The density of sessile oak plantations(mostly in rows,but also in clusters)is usually between 4000 and 6000 ind.ha^(−1).Sessile oak silviculture of mature stands includes crown thinning,focus-ing on final crop trees(usually a maximum of 100 ind.ha^(−1))and targeting the production of large-diameter and high quality trees at long rotation ages(mostly over 120 years,sometimes 250-300 years).In different parts of Europe,conversion of simple coppices and coppice-with-standards to high forests is continuing.Even though manage-ment of sessile oak forests is very intensive and expensive,requiring active human intervention,the importance of this species in future European forests will increase in the con-text of climate change due to its high resistance to distur-bance,superior drought tolerance and heat stress resistance.展开更多
Arboviral diseases are viral infections transmitted to humans through the bites of arthropods,such as mosquitoes,often causing a variety of pathologies associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality.Over the p...Arboviral diseases are viral infections transmitted to humans through the bites of arthropods,such as mosquitoes,often causing a variety of pathologies associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality.Over the past decades,these infections have proven to be a significant challenge to health systems worldwide,particularly following the considerable geographic expansion of the dengue virus(DENV)and its most recent outbreak in Latin America as well as the difficult-tocontrol outbreaks of yellow fever virus(YFV),chikungunya virus(CHIKV),and Zika virus(ZIKV),leaving behind a substantial portion of the population with complications related to these infections.Currently,the world is experiencing a period of intense globalization,which,combined with global warming,directly contributes to wider dissemination of arbovirus vectors across the globe.Consequently,all continents remain on high alert for potential new outbreaks.Thus,this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of the four main arboviruses today(DENV,ZIKV,YFV,and CHIKV)discussing their viral characteristics,immune responses,and mechanisms of viral evasion,as well as important clinical aspects for patient management.This includes associated symptoms,laboratory tests,treatments,existing or developing vaccines and the main associated complications,thus integrating a broad historical,scientific and clinical approach.展开更多
Recent studies have shown a noticeable increase in global Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)resistance,with clarithromycin resistance surpassing 15%in various areas.However,inadequate epidemiological monitoring,especially ...Recent studies have shown a noticeable increase in global Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)resistance,with clarithromycin resistance surpassing 15%in various areas.However,inadequate epidemiological monitoring,especially in developing countries,and the absence of uniform testing methods lead to discrepancies between regions and a possible underestimation of resistance levels.The complexity of treating H.pylori is driven by its highly dynamic genome,which is prone to frequent mutations contributing to phenotypical resistance.The usual course of action in empirical treatment involves using a combination of various drugs simultaneously,leading to significant resistance selection pressure and potential side effects.The emergence of H.pylori strains resistant to multiple drugs is closely tied to failures in first-line treatment,highlighting the need to prevent further resistance by using optimal initial empirical therapy or regimens guided by antibiotic susceptibility testing,requiring a collection of mixed samples and multiple isolates for accurate assessment.The emergence of new treatments like potassium-competitive acid blockers offers a hopeful approach to decrease antimicrobial usage while still ensuring effectiveness in comparison to traditional therapies with proton pump inhibitors.Additionally,the use of probiotics is under investigation to identify specific strains and formulations that may mitigate therapy-associated adverse effects.展开更多
Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative,spiral-shaped,microaerophilic bacterium that infects over 43%of the global population,with higher prevalence in regions of low socioeconomic status and poor sanitation.I...Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative,spiral-shaped,microaerophilic bacterium that infects over 43%of the global population,with higher prevalence in regions of low socioeconomic status and poor sanitation.It is transmitted mainly through oral-oral and fecal-oral routes and has evolved multiple mechanisms that allow colonization of the acidic gastric environment,including urease production,chemotaxis,and a variety of adhesins.The bacterium expresses several virulence factors that enhance its pathogenicity,such as cytotoxin-associated antigen A,vacuolating cytotoxin A,and the small regulatory RNA NikS,found to be essential for the fine-tuning of the bacterial virulence.Although many infected individuals remain asymptomatic,H.pylori infection is associated with multiple clinical outcomes,including chronic gastritis,peptic ulcers,gastric adenocarcinoma,and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma,all correlated to the host immune response and chronic inflammation.Diagnosis relies on both invasive and non-invasive methods,and growing antibiotic resistance poses a major challenge to treatment.New therapeutic strategies,such as tailored therapy,potassium-competitive acid blockers,and probiotics are under investigation.Vaccine development remains a key area of research,with several candidates currently in preclinical and clinical evaluation.展开更多
Semen analysis is characterized by high levels of intra-and inter-laboratory variability,due to a low level of standardization,high subjectivity of the assessments,and problems with automated procedures.To improve con...Semen analysis is characterized by high levels of intra-and inter-laboratory variability,due to a low level of standardization,high subjectivity of the assessments,and problems with automated procedures.To improve consistency of laboratory results,quality control and training of technicians are important requisites.The goals of this study are to evaluate the results of an external quality control(EQC)program and standardized training by ESHRE Basic Semen Analysis Courses(BSAC)on the variability in manual assessments of semen parameters.We performed retrospective analyses of(1)the interlaboratory variability in the Dutch EQC program and(2)the interobserver variability in BSACs for concentration,motility,and morphology assessments.EQC data showed that the interlaboratory coefficient of variation(CV)for concentration assessment decreased(range from 24.0%–97.5%to 12.7%–20.9%)but not for morphology and motility assessments.Concentration variability was lower if improved Neubauer hemocytometers were used.Morphology assessment showed highest CVs(up to 375.0%),with many outliers in the period of 2007–2014.During BSAC,a significant reduction of interobserver variability could be established for all parameters(P<0.05).The absence of an effect in the EQC program for motility and morphology might be explained by respectively the facts that motility assessment was introduced relatively late in the EQC program(since 2013)and that criteria for morphology assessment changed in time.BSAC results might have been influenced by the pretraining level of participants and the influence of external factors.Both EQC and training show positive effects on reducing variability.Increased willingness by laboratories to change their methods toward standards may lead to further improvements.展开更多
Objective:To compare differences in self-reported musculoskeletal pain before and after receiving rapid acupuncture for pain at an outpatient emergency department.Methods:Exactly 102 patients presenting to the emergen...Objective:To compare differences in self-reported musculoskeletal pain before and after receiving rapid acupuncture for pain at an outpatient emergency department.Methods:Exactly 102 patients presenting to the emergency room of the Hospital Servidor Publico Estadual in Sao Paulo,Brazil,participated in this before-and-after study.All participants had musculoskeletal pain and were treated with the technique proposed by Marques Filho.This emergency acupuncture involved inserting a needle at a point defined by traditional Chinese medicine and applying intense stimulation for 10 s;no more than two points were used on any individual patient.Pain was measured using a numerical visual scale before and immediately after the procedure.Results:Participants in this study were mostly women(78%),had a college degree(47%)and were below the age of 60(56%).The most common region of pain was the lower back(31%),and the most common type of pain was acute and exacerbated chronic pain.The meridians most commonly involved were the eight extra meridians(40%),and the points most often used for treatment were Houxi(SI3),Shenmai(BL62)and Zulinqi(GB41).Almost all participants reported a decrease in pain intensity,independent of sex,education level,pain site and pain type(acute/chronic;P<0.05).At the end of the session,only4%of the participants reported a desire for allopathic medication.Conclusion:This emergency acupuncture technique for analgesia appears to reduce musculoskeletal pain.Trial registration:Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials(http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/)with No.RBR-8 dmfjf.展开更多
Functional abdominal pain disorders(FAPDs) are an important and prevalent cause of functional gastrointestinal disorders among children, encompassing the diagnoses of functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, ab...Functional abdominal pain disorders(FAPDs) are an important and prevalent cause of functional gastrointestinal disorders among children, encompassing the diagnoses of functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal migraine, and the one not previously present in Rome Ⅲ, functional abdominal pain not otherwise specified. In the absence of sufficiently effective and safe pharmacological treatments for this public problem, non-pharmacological therapies emerge as a viable means of treating these patients, avoiding not only possible side effects, but also unnecessary prescription, since many of the pharmacological treatments prescribed do not have good efficacy when compared to placebo. Thus, the present study provides a review of current and relevant evidence on non-pharmacological management of FAPDs, covering the most commonly indicated treatments, from cognitive behavioral therapy to meditation, acupuncture, yoga, massage, spinal manipulation, moxibustion, and physical activities. In addition, this article also analyzes the quality of publications in the area, assessing whether it is possible to state if non-pharmacological therapies are viable, safe, and sufficiently well-based for an appropriate and effective prescription of these treatments. Finally, it is possible to observe an increase not only in the number of publications on the non-pharmacological treatments for FAPDs in recent years, but also an increase in the quality of these publications. Finally, the sample selection of satisfactory age groups in these studies enables the formulation of specific guidelines for this age group, thus avoiding the need for adaptation of prescriptions initially made for adults, but for children use.展开更多
This paper discusses the controversial management decisions made by policy-makers worldwide regarding poisoning campaigns aimed to control small mammal populations, often considered harmful economic pests. Aside from ...This paper discusses the controversial management decisions made by policy-makers worldwide regarding poisoning campaigns aimed to control small mammal populations, often considered harmful economic pests. Aside from considerations re- garding the biological consequences of these campaigns, we argue that when society rejects all values of science and expertise then only badly supported and negligent decisions will be made about conservation and management issues. The extermination of small mammal species, some of which play crucial ecological roles in several regions of the world, is just an example of such discredit and misinformation. Without a strong commitment towards evidence-based policy-making, economic investments in re- search and development could be entirely compromised展开更多
Globally, the construction industry is one of the leading producers of solid waste. The city of Praia, the capital of the Republic of Cape Verde has been suffering from environmental degradation with the irregular dis...Globally, the construction industry is one of the leading producers of solid waste. The city of Praia, the capital of the Republic of Cape Verde has been suffering from environmental degradation with the irregular disposal of waste caused by inadequate management of waste from construction and also the demolition. The research was developed based on local inspections in the context of environmental laws, in semi-structured interviews with people who deal with this activity and bibliographic references. The main conclusion is that the city does not have a CDW management plan consequently leading to environmental problems. On the other hand, waste of recycled construction can be used as inert reducing the consumption of raw materials that can be used as base and sub-base for paving, landfills, aggregate in mortars and raw materials to be manufactured blocks, bricks concrete tiles, etc.展开更多
Objective: To determine and compare the diagnostic efficiency of various biomarkers [C-reactive protein, neutrophil percentage, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLCR), lactate, procalcitonin, blood culture] in the identif...Objective: To determine and compare the diagnostic efficiency of various biomarkers [C-reactive protein, neutrophil percentage, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLCR), lactate, procalcitonin, blood culture] in the identification of septic patients in emergency department (ED), and to assess the predictive value of combination of markers. Methods: This was a prospective, single centre study conducted in the ED of an urban, tertiary care hospital. We included patients who were admitted to the ED with symptoms of a possible infection. Blood cultures and serum measurement of the biomarkers were collected from 131 patients. Patients were determined to be septic or non-septic, based on the systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria and the diagnosis was made at the ED. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under curves (AUC) were calculated. Results: A total of 126 patients, 61 with sepsis and 65 without sepsis were eventually included in the study. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio displayed the highest accuracy in diagnosing sepsis (AUC 0.735, 95% CI=0648-0.822, P<0.001). The best combination of markers in predicting sepsis was NLCR and white blood cell (AUC: 0.801, 95% CI=0.724-0.878, P<0.001). Conclusions: The results of this small study showed that NLCR outperforms other markers in diagnosing sepsis in ED. It is readily available, cost efficient, non invasive and independent. It may be insufficient to rely on this single marker to diagnose sepsis, so some other diagnostic utilities should be taken into account as one part of the overall assessment. Our study also showed that combination of NLCR and white blood cell provides the highest diagnostic accuracy. More large scale studies across different population groups will be needed to confirm this finding.展开更多
This study demonstrated using yttrium(Y)as an indicator to estimate the total rare earth element and Y contents(REY)in coal-associated samples and to facilitate selection of samples with high REY assays in a fast and ...This study demonstrated using yttrium(Y)as an indicator to estimate the total rare earth element and Y contents(REY)in coal-associated samples and to facilitate selection of samples with high REY assays in a fast and inexpensive manner.More than 10 anthracite-associated samples were collected from each of three Pennsylvanian sites(sites B,J and C)based on Thorium gamma ray logging suggesting high REY content.Several samples from each site were analyzed by ICP-MS to determine the rare earth distribution patterns and to establish the site-specific linear equations of Y and REY.The Y contents of the remaining samples were measured by a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer,and the REY values were estimated based on the site-specific linear equation developed earlier.R-squared values above 0.70 were obtained for all the estimation equations from all three sites on both a whole sample basis and an ash basis.Previously,ash content has been widely used as an indicator of high REY content.This may not be applicable for a specific site.Site B in this study is an example where ash contents could not be statistically correlated with REY,so using Y for estimation is more applicable.The demonstrated sample screening process is suitable for samples from sites that share more similar distribution patterns(either MREY or LREY or HREY)as well as for samples from sites that share multiple distribution patterns(LREY/MREY/HREY)depending on the desirable accuracy.The demonstrated process lowers the analytical cost from$70 to 80 dollars per sample to$10-15 per sample while significantly reducing the processing time and acid consumption for ICP digestion.This is particularly true when a relatively large sample size is involved,for example,100 samples from one site analyzed by ICP-MS/OES.展开更多
Objective: To identify the main chemical classes of compounds from aqueous extract of Enterolobium contortisiliquum(E. contortisiliquum) seed bark and to evaluate its antibacterial activity, as well as its potential t...Objective: To identify the main chemical classes of compounds from aqueous extract of Enterolobium contortisiliquum(E. contortisiliquum) seed bark and to evaluate its antibacterial activity, as well as its potential to increase the activity of antibiotics against strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.Methods: Different classes of compounds in the aqueous extract of E. contortisiliquum were evaluated based on the visual changes in the coloration and the formation of precipitate after the addition of specific reagents. The antibacterial activity of the extract and its potential to increase of antibiotic activity of antibiotics drugs, gentamicin and norfloxacin was determined by using the microdilution method.Results: Our results demonstrated that the following secondary metabolites were presented in E. contortisiliquum seed bark: flavones, flavonols, xanthones, flavononols,chalcones, aurones, flavones and catechins. The extract itself had very low antibacterial activity against all bacterial strains tested(MIC ≥ 1024 μg/m L), but there was an increase in the antibiotic activity of gentamicin and norfloxacin when combined in the subinhibitory concentration(i.e., MIC/8).Conclusions: Our data suggests that E. contortisiliquum seed bark may be an alternative source for new drugs with the potential to increase antibiotic activity against different strains of bacteria.展开更多
The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection has been a major challenge to be faced in recent years.While adults suffered the highest morbidity and mortality rates of cor...The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection has been a major challenge to be faced in recent years.While adults suffered the highest morbidity and mortality rates of coronavirus disease 2019,children were thought to be exclusively asymptomatic or to present with mild conditions.However,around April 2020,there was an outbreak of a new clinical syndrome related to SARS-CoV-2 in children-multisystemic inflam-matory syndrome in children(MIS-C)-which comprises a severe and uncon-trolled hyperinflammatory response with multiorgan involvement.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a suspected case of MIS-C an individual aged<21 years presenting with fever,high inflammatory markers levels,and evidence of clinically severe illness,with multisystem(>2)organ involvement,no alternative plausible diagnoses,and positive for recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.Despite its severity,there are no definitive disease management guidelines for this condition.Conversely,the complex pathogenesis of MIS-C is still not completely understood,although it seems to rely upon immune dysregu-lation.Hence,in this study,we aim to bring together current evidence regarding the pathogenic mechanisms of MIS-C,clinical picture and management,in order to provide insights for clinical practice and implications for future research directions.展开更多
Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative bacterium that infects approximately 4.4 billion individuals worldwide.However,its prevalence varies among different geographic areas,and is influenced by several factor...Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative bacterium that infects approximately 4.4 billion individuals worldwide.However,its prevalence varies among different geographic areas,and is influenced by several factors.The infection can be acquired by means of oral-oral or fecal-oral transmission,and the pathogen possesses various mechanisms that improve its capacity of mobility,adherence and manipulation of the gastric microenvironment,making possible the colonization of an organ with a highly acidic lumen.In addition,H.pylori presents a large variety of virulence factors that improve its pathogenicity,of which we highlight cytotoxin associated antigen A,vacuolating cytotoxin,duodenal ulcer promoting gene A protein,outer inflammatory protein and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.The host immune system,mainly by means of a Th1-polarized response,also plays a crucial role in the infection course.Although most H.pylori-positive individuals remain asymptomatic,the infection predisposes the development of various clinical conditions as peptic ulcers,gastric adenocarcinomas and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas.Invasive and non-invasive diagnostic methods,each of them with their related advantages and limitations,have been applied in H.pylori detection.Moreover,bacterial resistance to antimicrobial therapy is a major challenge in the treatment of this infection,and new therapy alternatives are being tested to improve H.pylori eradication.Last but not least,the development of effective vaccines against H.pylori infection have been the aim of several research studies.展开更多
Driving forces on the landscape require regional management and/or local actions, together with other external factors. To operationalize this approach, this paper carried out a comparative analysis of the naturalness...Driving forces on the landscape require regional management and/or local actions, together with other external factors. To operationalize this approach, this paper carried out a comparative analysis of the naturalness dynamics of the Jacaré-Guaçu and Jacaré-Pepira watershed, based on land use/cover changes and a structural indicator of the landscape, over the 10-year (2004-2014), as support opportunities for improving its environmental planning and management. Land use/cover dynamics were obtained based on screen digitizing of LandSat imagery, using polygon manual digitalization. Naturalness scenarios of the watersheds, over the 10-year (2004-2014), were obtained based on Urbanity Indicator, which evaluates how much the natural landscapes are dominated by altered systems. The total area of watersheds showed a predominantly scenario, induced by anthropogenic agricultural and non-agricultural expansion areas, mainly by conversion of other land use/cover types in sugarcane cultivation. Despite the increase in natural vegetation areas, over the 10-year (2004-2014), Jacaré-Guaçu and Jacaré-Pepira watersheds are far from a sustainable condition. However Jacaré-Guaçu watershed presents a scenario of more committed naturalness due to the increase in Urbanity Index values ≥ 0.7. The historical process of land use occupation for agricultural production remains the main driving force of naturalness changes, occupying more than 70% of the total area of watersheds. These results have significant implications for fast urbanizing municipalities in providing key information about long term land use impact on the watershed structure and function, making it possible for policy makers, scientists and stakeholders to identify land uses which are hindered or enhanced under various scenarios of land use change over the time, and making it possible to explore the trade-offs between them to improve watershed management.展开更多
A demand for renewable alternatives that would be able to deal with the problems related to well-being is directly linked to the world’s growing needs to save energy and reduce environmental costs. For a project impl...A demand for renewable alternatives that would be able to deal with the problems related to well-being is directly linked to the world’s growing needs to save energy and reduce environmental costs. For a project implementation addressing these issues, it is essential to know the climatic conditions of the target area. Taking natural ventilation, climatic factors, and renewable alternatives as important sources of comfort, in this work, passive strategies, through the utilization of microclimate elements as well as the location of outside obstacles, were imposed on an initial and specific project. The objective was to introduce obstacles which could interfere in the field of external wind and evaluate whether this outside intervention is able to make changes in indoor air circulation. The wind fields for the studied cases were obtained by computational simulations, and their consequences were analyzed to attain thermal comfort. The method adopted to obtain the wind fields was a Petrov-Galerkin type method, which is a stabilized mixed finite element method of the Navier-Stokes equations considering the incompressibility and formulated in primitive variables, velocity and pressure. The obtained results point to the solutions that promote the increase or decrease of the wind-field intensity.展开更多
文摘Physician well-being is vital to delivering high-quality emergency care.A supported and healthy emergency medicine workforce leads to better patient outcomes,fewer medical errors,and greater job satisfaction and staff retention.[1,2]Emergency physicians(EPs)face unique pressures,including shift work,high patient volumes and acuities,overcrowding,and systemic inefficiencies that escalate their risk of burnout.As a result,EPs have reported the highest rates of burnout among physician specialties.
文摘Self-Centering Piston-Based Braced Frames(SC-PBBFs)are designed to curtail structural damage under severe ground motions.The self-centering mechanism in this bracing mitigates structural damage during an earthquake,thereby reducing post-earthquake repair costs and contributing to seismic resilience.However,non-structural components,particularly those sensitive to floor acceleration,remain vulnerable,resulting in prolonged func-tional recovery times.This paper aims to address this limitation by introducing a novel structural archetype,the Self-Centering Viscous-Based Braced Frame(SC-VBBF),which integrates superelastic shape memory alloy(SMA)bars,viscous dampers(VDs),and friction springs(FSs).A streamlined analytical approach relies on the strength decoupling of VD from other components using aλfactor to design SC-VBBFs.To evaluate the effectiveness of the hybrid brace,a set of 4-,8-,and 12-story archetypes equipped with SC-PBBs and SC-VBBFs are simulated in OpenSees and analyzed under various earthquake types,including crustal,subcrustal,and subduction events.The results demonstrate the superior performance of the SC-VBBF withλ≤0.5 system compared to SC-PBBFs in mitigating floor accelerations under design-level earthquakes and improving seismic resilience.
基金Open access funding provided by The Science,Technology&Innovation Funding Authority(STDF)in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank(EKB).
文摘Soft robotic manipulators represent a rapidly evolving field characterized by inherent compliance,adaptability,and safe interactions within unstructured environments.Over the past decade(2015-2025),significant advancements have trans-formed their capabilities through novel designs inspired by biological systems,advanced modeling frameworks,sophisti-cated control strategies,and integration into diverse real-world applications.Recent innovations in multifunctional mate-rials and emerging actuation technologies have markedly expanded manipulator performance,reliability,and dexterity.Concurrently,developments in modeling have progressed from simplified geometric methods toward highly accurate physics-based and hybrid data-driven approaches,substantially improving real-time prediction and controllability.Coupled with these developments,adaptive and robust control strategies-including learning-based techniques-have enabled unprec-edented autonomy and precision in challenging application domains such as Minimally Invasive Surgery(MIS),precision agriculture,deep-sea exploration,disaster recovery,and space missions.Despite these remarkable strides,key challenges remain,notably regarding scalability,long-term material durability,robust integrated sensing,and standardized evaluation procedures.This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advances,critically evaluates state-of-the-art methodologies,and systematically identifies existing gaps to provide a clear roadmap and targeted research directions,guiding future developments toward the broader adoption and optimal utilization of soft robotic manipulators.
基金Project supported by the United States Department of Energy,National Technology Laboratory through the NETL-Penn State University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research(UCFER 0007-PSU-DOE-6825,DE-FE0026285)。
文摘This article addresses the question of how the global and U.S.market sector allocations for rare earth elements compare.Accordingly,this article reports rare earth oxide(REO)market sector allocations,resolved by elemental profile for 2020 and reciprocally REO consumption resolved by end market use.Differences are calculated relative to 2008 and presented as percentages and as absolute tonnage.These differences encompass both changes in relative sector demand and growth rate.Historical trends,global and U.S.for REO usage by sector are calculated for the period of 2018-2022.End market sector demands,as percentages are presented,referenced to United States Geological Survey(USGS)values from 2008.Attention is given to permanent magnets and associated elements given the growing renewable generation and vehicle electrification.The criticality of Nd and Dy are considered given that they are the foundation of NdFeB permanent magnets,prominent in electric vehicle traction motors and direct drive wind turbine generators.Economic activity associated with REE market sectors is presented.Notably usage does not reflect economic value.A prime example are catalysts versus magnets.Last,vast reserves of light and heavy REEs exist in coal and coal-byproducts with potential high impact upon critical REEs and associated economics.
文摘Sessile oak(Quercus petraea(Matt.)Liebl.)is widely distributed across most of Europe particularly the hills and lower mountain ranges,so is considered“the oak of the mountains”.This species grows on a wide variety of soils and at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2200 m,especially in Atlantic and sub-Mediterranean climates,and it is sensitive to low winter temperatures,early and late frosts,as well as high summer temperatures.Sessile oak forms both pure and mixed stands especially with broadleaves such as European beech,European hornbeam,small-leaved lime and Acer spp.These form the understorey of sessile oak stands,promoting the natural shedding of lower branches of the oak and protecting the trunk against epicormic branches.Sessile oak is a long-lived,light-demanding and wind-firm species,owing to its taproot and heart-shaped root system.Its timber,one of the most valuable in Europe,is important for fur-niture-making(both solid wood and veneer),construction,barrels,railway sleepers,and is also used as fuelwood.It is one of the few major tree species in Europe that is regener-ated by seed(naturally or artificially)and by stump shoots in high forest,coppice-with-standards and coppice forests.Sessile oak forests are treated in both regular and irregular systems involving silvicultural techniques such as uniform shelterwood,group shelterwood,irregular shelterwood,irregular high forest,coppice-with-standards and simple coppice.Young naturally regenerated stands are managed by weeding,release cutting and cleaning-respacing,keeping the stands quite dense for good natural pruning.Plantations are based on(1)2-4-year old bare-root or container-grown seedlings produced in nurseries using seeds from genetic resources,seed stands and seed orchards.The density of sessile oak plantations(mostly in rows,but also in clusters)is usually between 4000 and 6000 ind.ha^(−1).Sessile oak silviculture of mature stands includes crown thinning,focus-ing on final crop trees(usually a maximum of 100 ind.ha^(−1))and targeting the production of large-diameter and high quality trees at long rotation ages(mostly over 120 years,sometimes 250-300 years).In different parts of Europe,conversion of simple coppices and coppice-with-standards to high forests is continuing.Even though manage-ment of sessile oak forests is very intensive and expensive,requiring active human intervention,the importance of this species in future European forests will increase in the con-text of climate change due to its high resistance to distur-bance,superior drought tolerance and heat stress resistance.
基金Supported by the Permanecer Program(part of the actions of the Office of Affirmative Actions)Education and Diversity of the Dean of Student Assistance at the Federal University of Bahia(UFBA)and CNPq Research Productivity Fellow.
文摘Arboviral diseases are viral infections transmitted to humans through the bites of arthropods,such as mosquitoes,often causing a variety of pathologies associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality.Over the past decades,these infections have proven to be a significant challenge to health systems worldwide,particularly following the considerable geographic expansion of the dengue virus(DENV)and its most recent outbreak in Latin America as well as the difficult-tocontrol outbreaks of yellow fever virus(YFV),chikungunya virus(CHIKV),and Zika virus(ZIKV),leaving behind a substantial portion of the population with complications related to these infections.Currently,the world is experiencing a period of intense globalization,which,combined with global warming,directly contributes to wider dissemination of arbovirus vectors across the globe.Consequently,all continents remain on high alert for potential new outbreaks.Thus,this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of the four main arboviruses today(DENV,ZIKV,YFV,and CHIKV)discussing their viral characteristics,immune responses,and mechanisms of viral evasion,as well as important clinical aspects for patient management.This includes associated symptoms,laboratory tests,treatments,existing or developing vaccines and the main associated complications,thus integrating a broad historical,scientific and clinical approach.
基金Supported by the Industrial Technological Initiation Scholarship of National Council for Scientific and Technological Development,CNPq,Brazil,No.0932204294929829 and No.7414780530977345the Scientific Initiation Scholarship Programme(PIBIC)of National Council for Scientific and Technological Development,CNPq,Brazil,No.5763023359532159,No.6472982965854452,and No.7340128440641417+2 种基金the Scientific Initiation Scholarship Programme(PIBIC)of Bahia State Research Support Foundation,FAPESB,Brazil,No.19.573.301.5418the PERMANECER Programme of Pro-Rectory of Student Assistance at Federal University of Bahia,No.R8EZ-4V4W-6LQX-5LC8the CNPq Research Productivity Fellow,No.4357511882624145.
文摘Recent studies have shown a noticeable increase in global Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)resistance,with clarithromycin resistance surpassing 15%in various areas.However,inadequate epidemiological monitoring,especially in developing countries,and the absence of uniform testing methods lead to discrepancies between regions and a possible underestimation of resistance levels.The complexity of treating H.pylori is driven by its highly dynamic genome,which is prone to frequent mutations contributing to phenotypical resistance.The usual course of action in empirical treatment involves using a combination of various drugs simultaneously,leading to significant resistance selection pressure and potential side effects.The emergence of H.pylori strains resistant to multiple drugs is closely tied to failures in first-line treatment,highlighting the need to prevent further resistance by using optimal initial empirical therapy or regimens guided by antibiotic susceptibility testing,requiring a collection of mixed samples and multiple isolates for accurate assessment.The emergence of new treatments like potassium-competitive acid blockers offers a hopeful approach to decrease antimicrobial usage while still ensuring effectiveness in comparison to traditional therapies with proton pump inhibitors.Additionally,the use of probiotics is under investigation to identify specific strains and formulations that may mitigate therapy-associated adverse effects.
基金Supported by the CNPq Research Productivity Fellow,No.317005/2021-9.
文摘Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative,spiral-shaped,microaerophilic bacterium that infects over 43%of the global population,with higher prevalence in regions of low socioeconomic status and poor sanitation.It is transmitted mainly through oral-oral and fecal-oral routes and has evolved multiple mechanisms that allow colonization of the acidic gastric environment,including urease production,chemotaxis,and a variety of adhesins.The bacterium expresses several virulence factors that enhance its pathogenicity,such as cytotoxin-associated antigen A,vacuolating cytotoxin A,and the small regulatory RNA NikS,found to be essential for the fine-tuning of the bacterial virulence.Although many infected individuals remain asymptomatic,H.pylori infection is associated with multiple clinical outcomes,including chronic gastritis,peptic ulcers,gastric adenocarcinoma,and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma,all correlated to the host immune response and chronic inflammation.Diagnosis relies on both invasive and non-invasive methods,and growing antibiotic resistance poses a major challenge to treatment.New therapeutic strategies,such as tailored therapy,potassium-competitive acid blockers,and probiotics are under investigation.Vaccine development remains a key area of research,with several candidates currently in preclinical and clinical evaluation.
基金This study was supported by an unrestricted grant from the Dutch Foundation for Quality Assessment in Medical Laboratories(SKML),Nijmegen,the NetherlandsSKML is a nonprofit organization for external quality control for medical laboratories.
文摘Semen analysis is characterized by high levels of intra-and inter-laboratory variability,due to a low level of standardization,high subjectivity of the assessments,and problems with automated procedures.To improve consistency of laboratory results,quality control and training of technicians are important requisites.The goals of this study are to evaluate the results of an external quality control(EQC)program and standardized training by ESHRE Basic Semen Analysis Courses(BSAC)on the variability in manual assessments of semen parameters.We performed retrospective analyses of(1)the interlaboratory variability in the Dutch EQC program and(2)the interobserver variability in BSACs for concentration,motility,and morphology assessments.EQC data showed that the interlaboratory coefficient of variation(CV)for concentration assessment decreased(range from 24.0%–97.5%to 12.7%–20.9%)but not for morphology and motility assessments.Concentration variability was lower if improved Neubauer hemocytometers were used.Morphology assessment showed highest CVs(up to 375.0%),with many outliers in the period of 2007–2014.During BSAC,a significant reduction of interobserver variability could be established for all parameters(P<0.05).The absence of an effect in the EQC program for motility and morphology might be explained by respectively the facts that motility assessment was introduced relatively late in the EQC program(since 2013)and that criteria for morphology assessment changed in time.BSAC results might have been influenced by the pretraining level of participants and the influence of external factors.Both EQC and training show positive effects on reducing variability.Increased willingness by laboratories to change their methods toward standards may lead to further improvements.
文摘Objective:To compare differences in self-reported musculoskeletal pain before and after receiving rapid acupuncture for pain at an outpatient emergency department.Methods:Exactly 102 patients presenting to the emergency room of the Hospital Servidor Publico Estadual in Sao Paulo,Brazil,participated in this before-and-after study.All participants had musculoskeletal pain and were treated with the technique proposed by Marques Filho.This emergency acupuncture involved inserting a needle at a point defined by traditional Chinese medicine and applying intense stimulation for 10 s;no more than two points were used on any individual patient.Pain was measured using a numerical visual scale before and immediately after the procedure.Results:Participants in this study were mostly women(78%),had a college degree(47%)and were below the age of 60(56%).The most common region of pain was the lower back(31%),and the most common type of pain was acute and exacerbated chronic pain.The meridians most commonly involved were the eight extra meridians(40%),and the points most often used for treatment were Houxi(SI3),Shenmai(BL62)and Zulinqi(GB41).Almost all participants reported a decrease in pain intensity,independent of sex,education level,pain site and pain type(acute/chronic;P<0.05).At the end of the session,only4%of the participants reported a desire for allopathic medication.Conclusion:This emergency acupuncture technique for analgesia appears to reduce musculoskeletal pain.Trial registration:Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials(http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/)with No.RBR-8 dmfjf.
文摘Functional abdominal pain disorders(FAPDs) are an important and prevalent cause of functional gastrointestinal disorders among children, encompassing the diagnoses of functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal migraine, and the one not previously present in Rome Ⅲ, functional abdominal pain not otherwise specified. In the absence of sufficiently effective and safe pharmacological treatments for this public problem, non-pharmacological therapies emerge as a viable means of treating these patients, avoiding not only possible side effects, but also unnecessary prescription, since many of the pharmacological treatments prescribed do not have good efficacy when compared to placebo. Thus, the present study provides a review of current and relevant evidence on non-pharmacological management of FAPDs, covering the most commonly indicated treatments, from cognitive behavioral therapy to meditation, acupuncture, yoga, massage, spinal manipulation, moxibustion, and physical activities. In addition, this article also analyzes the quality of publications in the area, assessing whether it is possible to state if non-pharmacological therapies are viable, safe, and sufficiently well-based for an appropriate and effective prescription of these treatments. Finally, it is possible to observe an increase not only in the number of publications on the non-pharmacological treatments for FAPDs in recent years, but also an increase in the quality of these publications. Finally, the sample selection of satisfactory age groups in these studies enables the formulation of specific guidelines for this age group, thus avoiding the need for adaptation of prescriptions initially made for adults, but for children use.
文摘This paper discusses the controversial management decisions made by policy-makers worldwide regarding poisoning campaigns aimed to control small mammal populations, often considered harmful economic pests. Aside from considerations re- garding the biological consequences of these campaigns, we argue that when society rejects all values of science and expertise then only badly supported and negligent decisions will be made about conservation and management issues. The extermination of small mammal species, some of which play crucial ecological roles in several regions of the world, is just an example of such discredit and misinformation. Without a strong commitment towards evidence-based policy-making, economic investments in re- search and development could be entirely compromised
文摘Globally, the construction industry is one of the leading producers of solid waste. The city of Praia, the capital of the Republic of Cape Verde has been suffering from environmental degradation with the irregular disposal of waste caused by inadequate management of waste from construction and also the demolition. The research was developed based on local inspections in the context of environmental laws, in semi-structured interviews with people who deal with this activity and bibliographic references. The main conclusion is that the city does not have a CDW management plan consequently leading to environmental problems. On the other hand, waste of recycled construction can be used as inert reducing the consumption of raw materials that can be used as base and sub-base for paving, landfills, aggregate in mortars and raw materials to be manufactured blocks, bricks concrete tiles, etc.
文摘Objective: To determine and compare the diagnostic efficiency of various biomarkers [C-reactive protein, neutrophil percentage, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLCR), lactate, procalcitonin, blood culture] in the identification of septic patients in emergency department (ED), and to assess the predictive value of combination of markers. Methods: This was a prospective, single centre study conducted in the ED of an urban, tertiary care hospital. We included patients who were admitted to the ED with symptoms of a possible infection. Blood cultures and serum measurement of the biomarkers were collected from 131 patients. Patients were determined to be septic or non-septic, based on the systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria and the diagnosis was made at the ED. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under curves (AUC) were calculated. Results: A total of 126 patients, 61 with sepsis and 65 without sepsis were eventually included in the study. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio displayed the highest accuracy in diagnosing sepsis (AUC 0.735, 95% CI=0648-0.822, P<0.001). The best combination of markers in predicting sepsis was NLCR and white blood cell (AUC: 0.801, 95% CI=0.724-0.878, P<0.001). Conclusions: The results of this small study showed that NLCR outperforms other markers in diagnosing sepsis in ED. It is readily available, cost efficient, non invasive and independent. It may be insufficient to rely on this single marker to diagnose sepsis, so some other diagnostic utilities should be taken into account as one part of the overall assessment. Our study also showed that combination of NLCR and white blood cell provides the highest diagnostic accuracy. More large scale studies across different population groups will be needed to confirm this finding.
基金the Department of Energy[Grant Number DE-FE-0030146]。
文摘This study demonstrated using yttrium(Y)as an indicator to estimate the total rare earth element and Y contents(REY)in coal-associated samples and to facilitate selection of samples with high REY assays in a fast and inexpensive manner.More than 10 anthracite-associated samples were collected from each of three Pennsylvanian sites(sites B,J and C)based on Thorium gamma ray logging suggesting high REY content.Several samples from each site were analyzed by ICP-MS to determine the rare earth distribution patterns and to establish the site-specific linear equations of Y and REY.The Y contents of the remaining samples were measured by a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer,and the REY values were estimated based on the site-specific linear equation developed earlier.R-squared values above 0.70 were obtained for all the estimation equations from all three sites on both a whole sample basis and an ash basis.Previously,ash content has been widely used as an indicator of high REY content.This may not be applicable for a specific site.Site B in this study is an example where ash contents could not be statistically correlated with REY,so using Y for estimation is more applicable.The demonstrated sample screening process is suitable for samples from sites that share more similar distribution patterns(either MREY or LREY or HREY)as well as for samples from sites that share multiple distribution patterns(LREY/MREY/HREY)depending on the desirable accuracy.The demonstrated process lowers the analytical cost from$70 to 80 dollars per sample to$10-15 per sample while significantly reducing the processing time and acid consumption for ICP digestion.This is particularly true when a relatively large sample size is involved,for example,100 samples from one site analyzed by ICP-MS/OES.
文摘Objective: To identify the main chemical classes of compounds from aqueous extract of Enterolobium contortisiliquum(E. contortisiliquum) seed bark and to evaluate its antibacterial activity, as well as its potential to increase the activity of antibiotics against strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.Methods: Different classes of compounds in the aqueous extract of E. contortisiliquum were evaluated based on the visual changes in the coloration and the formation of precipitate after the addition of specific reagents. The antibacterial activity of the extract and its potential to increase of antibiotic activity of antibiotics drugs, gentamicin and norfloxacin was determined by using the microdilution method.Results: Our results demonstrated that the following secondary metabolites were presented in E. contortisiliquum seed bark: flavones, flavonols, xanthones, flavononols,chalcones, aurones, flavones and catechins. The extract itself had very low antibacterial activity against all bacterial strains tested(MIC ≥ 1024 μg/m L), but there was an increase in the antibiotic activity of gentamicin and norfloxacin when combined in the subinhibitory concentration(i.e., MIC/8).Conclusions: Our data suggests that E. contortisiliquum seed bark may be an alternative source for new drugs with the potential to increase antibiotic activity against different strains of bacteria.
文摘The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection has been a major challenge to be faced in recent years.While adults suffered the highest morbidity and mortality rates of coronavirus disease 2019,children were thought to be exclusively asymptomatic or to present with mild conditions.However,around April 2020,there was an outbreak of a new clinical syndrome related to SARS-CoV-2 in children-multisystemic inflam-matory syndrome in children(MIS-C)-which comprises a severe and uncon-trolled hyperinflammatory response with multiorgan involvement.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a suspected case of MIS-C an individual aged<21 years presenting with fever,high inflammatory markers levels,and evidence of clinically severe illness,with multisystem(>2)organ involvement,no alternative plausible diagnoses,and positive for recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.Despite its severity,there are no definitive disease management guidelines for this condition.Conversely,the complex pathogenesis of MIS-C is still not completely understood,although it seems to rely upon immune dysregu-lation.Hence,in this study,we aim to bring together current evidence regarding the pathogenic mechanisms of MIS-C,clinical picture and management,in order to provide insights for clinical practice and implications for future research directions.
文摘Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative bacterium that infects approximately 4.4 billion individuals worldwide.However,its prevalence varies among different geographic areas,and is influenced by several factors.The infection can be acquired by means of oral-oral or fecal-oral transmission,and the pathogen possesses various mechanisms that improve its capacity of mobility,adherence and manipulation of the gastric microenvironment,making possible the colonization of an organ with a highly acidic lumen.In addition,H.pylori presents a large variety of virulence factors that improve its pathogenicity,of which we highlight cytotoxin associated antigen A,vacuolating cytotoxin,duodenal ulcer promoting gene A protein,outer inflammatory protein and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.The host immune system,mainly by means of a Th1-polarized response,also plays a crucial role in the infection course.Although most H.pylori-positive individuals remain asymptomatic,the infection predisposes the development of various clinical conditions as peptic ulcers,gastric adenocarcinomas and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas.Invasive and non-invasive diagnostic methods,each of them with their related advantages and limitations,have been applied in H.pylori detection.Moreover,bacterial resistance to antimicrobial therapy is a major challenge in the treatment of this infection,and new therapy alternatives are being tested to improve H.pylori eradication.Last but not least,the development of effective vaccines against H.pylori infection have been the aim of several research studies.
基金Financial support was provided by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel(CAPES)the Sao Paulo Research Foundation(FAPESP).
文摘Driving forces on the landscape require regional management and/or local actions, together with other external factors. To operationalize this approach, this paper carried out a comparative analysis of the naturalness dynamics of the Jacaré-Guaçu and Jacaré-Pepira watershed, based on land use/cover changes and a structural indicator of the landscape, over the 10-year (2004-2014), as support opportunities for improving its environmental planning and management. Land use/cover dynamics were obtained based on screen digitizing of LandSat imagery, using polygon manual digitalization. Naturalness scenarios of the watersheds, over the 10-year (2004-2014), were obtained based on Urbanity Indicator, which evaluates how much the natural landscapes are dominated by altered systems. The total area of watersheds showed a predominantly scenario, induced by anthropogenic agricultural and non-agricultural expansion areas, mainly by conversion of other land use/cover types in sugarcane cultivation. Despite the increase in natural vegetation areas, over the 10-year (2004-2014), Jacaré-Guaçu and Jacaré-Pepira watersheds are far from a sustainable condition. However Jacaré-Guaçu watershed presents a scenario of more committed naturalness due to the increase in Urbanity Index values ≥ 0.7. The historical process of land use occupation for agricultural production remains the main driving force of naturalness changes, occupying more than 70% of the total area of watersheds. These results have significant implications for fast urbanizing municipalities in providing key information about long term land use impact on the watershed structure and function, making it possible for policy makers, scientists and stakeholders to identify land uses which are hindered or enhanced under various scenarios of land use change over the time, and making it possible to explore the trade-offs between them to improve watershed management.
基金the FAPERJ(State of Rio de Janeiro research supporting foundation)
文摘A demand for renewable alternatives that would be able to deal with the problems related to well-being is directly linked to the world’s growing needs to save energy and reduce environmental costs. For a project implementation addressing these issues, it is essential to know the climatic conditions of the target area. Taking natural ventilation, climatic factors, and renewable alternatives as important sources of comfort, in this work, passive strategies, through the utilization of microclimate elements as well as the location of outside obstacles, were imposed on an initial and specific project. The objective was to introduce obstacles which could interfere in the field of external wind and evaluate whether this outside intervention is able to make changes in indoor air circulation. The wind fields for the studied cases were obtained by computational simulations, and their consequences were analyzed to attain thermal comfort. The method adopted to obtain the wind fields was a Petrov-Galerkin type method, which is a stabilized mixed finite element method of the Navier-Stokes equations considering the incompressibility and formulated in primitive variables, velocity and pressure. The obtained results point to the solutions that promote the increase or decrease of the wind-field intensity.
