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A corrupção tem sido objeto de estudo em diversas pesquisas, mas apenas recentemente tem sido investigada experimentalmente. Uma maneira de estudar tal fenómeno é expor os participantes a um Jogo dos Bens Públicos (JBP) no qual eles precisam contribuir para produzir um bem público específico, e então precisam tomar decisões sobre como tal bem seria distribuído entre os demais participantes. Um participante que fizer distribuições desiguais beneficiando a si estaría se comportando de maneira análoga ao que é descrito pelo crime de peculato. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar como os participantes distribuiram recursos públicos no JBP. Seis participantes foram expostos ao procedimento. Cinco deles fizeram distribuições desiguais, isto é, alocaram a maior parte dos recursos para si mesmo. A partir destes resultados, sugerimos mudanças nas contingencias que controlam a ocorrência deste tipo de comportamento.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy that is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal plasma cells (PCs) in the bone marrow (BM). Patient outcome may be improved with BiTE (bispecific T-cell engager) molecules, which redirect T cells to lyse tumor cells. B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) supports PC survival and is highly expressed on MM cells. A half-life extended anti-BCMA BiTE molecule (AMG 701) induced selective cytotoxicity against BCMA-expressing MM cells (average half-maximal effective concentration, 18.8 ± 14.8 pM), T-cell activation, and cytokine release in vitro. In a subcutaneous mouse xenograft model, at all doses tested, AMG 701 completely inhibited tumor formation (P < .001), as well as inhibited growth of established tumors (P ≤ .001) and extended survival in an orthotopic MM model (P ≤ .01). To evaluate AMG 701 bioactivity in cynomolgus monkeys, a PC surface phenotype and specific genes were defined to enable a quantitative digital droplet polymerase chain reaction assay (sensitivity, 0.1%). Dose-dependent pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior was observed, with depletion of PC-specific genes reaching 93% in blood and 85% in BM. Combination with a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)–blocking antibody significantly increased AMG 701 potency in vitro. A model of AMG 701 binding to BCMA and CD3 indicates that the distance between the T-cell and target cell membranes (ie, the immunological synapse) is similar to that of the major histocompatibility complex class I molecule binding to a T-cell receptor and suggests that the synapse would not be disrupted by the half-life extending Fc domain. These data support the clinical development of AMG 701.

This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ceramics for Dentistry: Dental Implants., The choice of suitable materials and new designs in oral implantology and the subsequent enhancement of the characteristics of the dental implant developed is an important research topic with wide scope. The present work aims to develop a new multifunctional zirconia–ceria/alumina (Ce–TZP/Al2O3) composite with an antimicrobial glass-based coating to be used in multi-unit abutments compatible with commercially available Ti implants for peri-implantitis prevention. An airbrush spraying technique was effectively applied to coat the sintered ceramic composite starting from a glass powder suspension. This deposition technique was appropriate for obtaining continuous antimicrobial glass-based coatings with homogenous thickness (~35 µm) on ceramic dental implant components. The dental implant systems with the antimicrobial glassy coating were subjected to a mechanical integrity test following ISO 14801 to determine their long-term stability. The tested implant-coating structure seems to be stable under in vitro conditions with ultimate applied forces exceeding the maximum physiological occlusal loading force. This paper also presents a pilot clinical case report that shows peri-implant tissue around the mechanically stable glass coating with no signs of inflammation 1 year after implant insertion. This result is a preliminary probe of the durability and biological tolerance of the glassy material by the gingiva, as well as the antimicrobial effect on the peri-implant microbiota displayed by the coating., This research was performed with support from Grant Agreement number: 812065-INPERIO-H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020/H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2, Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME), European Commission.

This study extended previous research on the effect of education and communication on anti-autism bias and stigmatization, using the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) as an assessment tool and employing undergraduates as participants. Experiment 1 examined the effect of a simple video and text-based educational intervention on attitudes towards autism, as assessed both using the IRAP and various explicit measures. Participants received either an educational video–text combination or a control video–text combination before exposure to the assessments. Findings showed positive responding towards both normally developing and autism spectrum individuals across both conditions on both the IRAP and the explicit measures. Experiment 2 investigated the effects of two different types of online video-based narrative regarding autism, one negatively oriented and the other positively oriented, on both implicit and explicit responding. Findings suggested that the negative video affected both implicit and explicit responding, albeit in different ways. Responding on the IRAP showed a stronger pro-normally developing bias whereas explicit responding showed a stronger anti-autism bias. Implications and possible future directions are discussed.

Mast cells play key roles in allergy, anaphylaxis/anaphylactoid reactions, and defense against pathogens/toxins. These cells contain cytoplasmic granules with a wide spectrum of pleotropic mediators that are released upon activation. While mast cell degranulation (MCD) occurs upon clustering of the IgE receptor bound to IgE and antigen, MCD is also triggered through non-IgE-mediated mechanisms, one of which is via Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2). MRGPRX2 can be activated by many basic biogenic amines and peptides. Consequently, MRGPRX2-mediated MCD is an important potential safety liability for peptide therapeutics. To facilitate peptide screening for this liability in early preclinical drug development, a rapid, high-throughput engineered CHO-K1 cell-based MRGPRX2 activation assay was evaluated and compared to histamine release in CD34+ stem cell-derived mature human mast cells as a reference assay, using 30 positive control and 29 negative control peptides for MCD. Both G protein-dependent (Ca2+ endpoint) and -independent (β-arrestin endpoint) pathways were assessed in the MRGPRX2 activation assay. The MRGPRX2 activation assay had a sensitivity of 100% for both Ca2+ and β-arrestin endpoints and a specificity of 93% (β-arrestin endpoint) and 83% (Ca2+ endpoint) compared to histamine release in CD34+ stem cell-derived mature human mast cells. These findings suggest that assessing MRGPRX2 activation in an engineered cell model can provide value as a rapid, high-throughput, economical mechanism-based screening tool for early MCD hazard identification during preclinical safety evaluation of peptide-based therapeutics.

Hemangioendotelioma Kaposiforme é um tumor vascular raro, benigno, mas com comportamento maligno que acomete exclusivamente as crianças. Associada a essa doença pode ocorrer uma complicação, Síndrome de Kasabach-Merrit, que é uma coagulopatia trombocitopênica. O quadro clínico é composto de lesão de pele como uma placa de coloração violácea, petéquias, equimoses, hematomas e sangramentos. O tratamento se baseia inicialmente com corticoides, podendo ainda usar quimioterápicos ou abordagem cirúrgica. O caso apresentado é de uma criança, do sexo masculino, com 26 dias de vida com hemangioma em flanco esquerdo da região dorsal e uma plaquetopenia. A conduta tomada se assemelhou com a dos artigos do referencial teórico, ou seja, o tratamento foi iniciado com corticoterapia, sendo efetiva inicialmente, mas com os dias se mostrou resistente. Devido a isso, paciente foi encaminhado para centro de alta complexidade para receber tratamento efetivo.

A key aspect of self-forgiveness is that one needs to acknowledge one’s failings and their consequences. The present study used the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) and an explicit IRAP analog measure to examine (1) responding to perceived failure following exposure to an insoluble task, and (2) the effect of a defusion intervention on responding in this context. Participants (n = 29) were first assessed for baseline performance on an IRAP and IRAP analog that assessed participants in terms of perceived relations between performance (success vs. failure) and feelings (positive vs. negative). They were then exposed to the insoluble task, after which they were asked to report on their performance and their feelings in relation to the task. They were subsequently assigned to hear either a defusion (n = 14) or control (n = 15) audio recording and were reexposed to the implicit and explicit measures. IRAP results showed significant denial of failure as leading to positive feelings for both groups following the insoluble task, whereas the explicit (IRAP analog) measure failed to show any comparable effect of this task. As regards the defusion intervention, no effect was seen at the implicit level whereas effects at the explicit level were ambiguous. Results and future directions are discussed.

Na literatura da área da deficiência visual (DV) ainda não há consenso sobre os motivos dos desequilíbrios nos deslocamentos internos e externos de pessoas com DV, com ou sem bengala. Sendo assim, este estudo teve como objetivo comparar o equilíbrio estático e dinâmico de crianças com DV (baixa visão e cegueira) com crianças que não apresentam DV. O presente estudo caracterizado como descritivo transversal foi composto por 16 crianças com DV (Grupo Experimental/GE) e 26 crianças sem a DV (Grupo Controle/GC), todos com idades entre seis a 14 anos. Para avaliar o equilíbrio foi a Escala de Equilíbrio Pediátrica (EPP), que é composta de 14 itens, com pontuação para cada teste de zero a quatro, sendo a pontuação 4 para o melhor equilíbrio. Não foram encontrados valores significativos nas variáveis de idade, massa corporal, estatura e IMC entre os grupos avaliados. Tal fato também ocorreu na avaliação do equilíbrio estático e dinâmico. Não se observou diferenças significativas na avaliação do equilíbrio estático e dinâmico de ambos os grupos. Sendo assim, não se pode afirmar que a BV, provoca baixo equilíbrio.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar as doenças oculares mais comuns que afetam crianças e adolescentes de um Centro de Atendimento em Educação Especial em Curitiba/PR. Metodologicamente, utilizou-se a pesquisa descritiva e ex-post factual, que foi constituí­da por 224 adolescentes (125 meninos e 99 meninas), com idades entre 6 a 17 anos, que apresentavam patologias oculares. Para verificar as doenças mais comuns foram apreciados os prontuários dos avaliados, além dos dados sociodemográficos (idade e sexo). Para análise dos dados realizou-se a estatí­stica descritiva com cálculo das frequências absoluta/relativa e intervalos de confiança (IC) de 95%. Para a análise univariada foi realizado o teste Exato de Fisher. O ní­vel de significância utilizado como parâmetro foi o de 5%. Como resultado, observou-se que o estrabismo (p= 0,02) e a palidez papilar (p= 0,02) são as doenças que mais acometem a amostra estudada. Como conclusão, constatou-se que as doenças oculares mais comuns (significativas) que afetam crianças e adolescentes são o estrabismo e a palidez da papila.Palavras Chave: Adolescentes. Baixa Visão. Cegueira. Crianças. Oftalmopatias.

The production of biodiesel from fatty acid distillates (FAD) is a technically viable route but the assessment of engine performance and environmental impact are non-well researched issues. The sco...

The idea of permanent tooth replacement goes back to the year 2000 BC at least, when carved bamboo pegs were used to replace missing teeth in ancient China. The phenomenon of osseointegration, however, was not verified until the mid-1960s, when Branemark discovered that titanium could integrate to bone. Since then, the osseointegration capacity of implants has been profoundly investigated and implants as such have evolved enormously in all possible aspects, from material selection and processing to specific surface engineering, among many others. This review article, in particular, focuses on dental implants and aims to introduce the main concerns involved in modern dentistry, concentrating especially on the importance of finding an effective way to prevent peri-implantitis. In this sense, strategies such as shifting from metal to ceramic implant components and applying novel antimicrobial antibiotic-free coatings seem to be taking the lead., This article has been supported by MIS Foundation for basic and applied research on peri-implantitis

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:36:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Context: Bauhinia L. species, including Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (Fabaceae), have traditionally been used to treat diabetes. Bauhinia is a complex botanical genus, and the indiscriminate use of the diverse Bauhinia species is reflected in the experimental divergence of their medicinal potential. Objective: The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects, molecular mechanism of action and phytochemical properties of an authentic extract of B. holophylla leaves were evaluated. Materials and methods: A phytochemical study of a 70% EtOH extract was performed using FIA-ESI-IT-MS/MSn and HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS. The extract (200 or 400 mg/kg b.w.) was administered for 14 days to streptozotocin-induced diabetic Swiss mice. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, blood parameters, gene and protein expression, and the in vivo and in vitro inhibition of intestinal glucosidases were assessed. Results: HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS analysis identified flavonoid derivatives of quercetin, myricetin, luteolin and kaempferol. Treatment with 400 mg/kg of the extract reduced blood glucose (269.0 +/- 32.4 mg/dL vs. 468.0 +/- 32.2 mg/dL for diabetic animals), improved glucose tolerance, decreased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increased the mRNA expression of proteins involved in glucogenesis in the liver and muscle, such as PI3-K/Akt, GS, GSK3-beta (ser-9), AMPK and Glut4. The activity of intestinal maltase was inhibited in vitro (IC50: 43.0 mu g/mL for the extract compared to 516.4 mu g/mL for acarbose) and in vivo. Discussion and conclusions: Treatment with B. holophylla was associated with a marked hypoglycaemic effect through the stimulation of glycogenesis and inhibition of gluconeogenesis and intestinal glucose absorption, without increasing basal insulinaemia. Sao Paulo State Univ, Inst Biosci, Botucatu, SP, Brazil Oswaldo Cruz Inst FIOCRUZ, Lab Expt & Computat Biochem Drugs, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Biol Sci, Bauru, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Phys Educ, Bauru, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Inst Biosci, Botucatu, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Biol Sci, Bauru, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Phys Educ, Bauru, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2009/52237-9 FAPESP: 2013/10708-0 FAPESP: 2016/18628-4

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of the antibody-producing plasma cells (PC). MM is invariably fatal due to frequent disease relapse and/or treatment refractoriness, and therapies that provide deeper and more durable responses are needed. BiTE® (Bispecific T Cell Engager) molecules are immunotherapy agents that redirect a patient’s T cells to lyse tumor cells by simultaneously engaging a tumor associated antigen (TAA) on cancer cells and CD3ε on T cells. Clinical activity has been observed in MM using BiTE® molecules and other T cell engagers that target B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). BCMA is an attractive MM TAA due to its broad prevalence and restricted normal tissue profile, mainly PCs and plasmablasts. However, heterogenous expression in MM cancer cells, potential antigen loss, and the presence of high levels of soluble BCMA in MM patient sera present challenges that may prevent BCMA-only-targeted therapies from achieving their full potential. To address these issues, we generated a BiTE® molecule capable of engaging BCMA and a second MM TAA, CS1 (also known as SLAMF7). This BiTE® molecule also contains an Fc-based domain to provide half-life extension (HLE). Here, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo properties of this BCMA-CS1 HLE BiTE® molecule. The BCMA-CS1 HLE BiTE® molecule had nanomolar binding affinity for human BCMA, CS1, and CD3ε and the non-human primate (NHP) orthologues. In vitro, we observed picomolar activity against human MM cell lines with a range of BCMA and CS1 expression in a T cell dependent cellular cytotoxicity (TDCC) assay using human T cells or NHP peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The BCMA-CS1 HLE BiTE® molecule retained TDCC activity in the presence of soluble BCMA up to 2500 ng/mL as well as against human MM cells engineered to express only BCMA or CS1. In vivo, this BiTE® molecule inhibited tumor growth in a MM xenograft model. We also evaluated the BCMA-CS1 HLE BiTE® molecule in NHP over 15 days (IV dosing; intra-animal dose escalation from 60→240 μg/kg or 180→540 μg/kg on days 1 and 8). We observed hallmarks of BiTE® molecule activity in all groups, including transient decreases in circulating lymphocytes and moderate increases in cytokines like MCP-1. We measured the PC-specific transcripts BCMA and J-chain in NHP bone marrow and blood as surrogates for PC levels using ddPCR. These transcripts were reduced in both treatment groups (≥90%) with the strongest effects occurring in the 180→540 μg/kg group. Lastly, we showed that CS1 is highly and broadly expressed in MM patient samples and is restricted to a few normal hematopoietic cell types including PCs, NK cells, T cells, and some monocytes. These data suggest that the BCMA-CS1 HLE BiTE® molecule has potent in vitro and in vivo activity and may provide therapeutic benefit for MM patients by expanding the population of MM cancer cells that can be eliminated by a BiTE® molecule while overcoming common mechanisms that can impair BCMA-only-targeted MM therapies. Citation Format: Elizabeth T. Andrews, Stephanie C. Casey, Mohammad Farhad Amani, Grit Lorenczewski, Mozhgan Farshbaf, Lisa Winkel, Matthias Klinger, John M. Harrold, Famke Aeffner, Ana Goyos, Matthias Friedrich, Tara Arvedson, Matthew G. Chun. Evaluation of a dual-targeting BCMA-CS1 HLE BiTE® molecule for multiple myeloma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6251.

Customized square grid arrangements of different groove depths (1.0, 1.5 and 3.0 µm) and separations (10 and 30 µm) were successfully laser patterned, using a nanosecond pulsed fibre laser, on the surface of 10 mol% ceria-stabilized zirconia and alumina (10CeTZP-AlO) nanocomposite discs (diameter: 10 mm; thickness: 1.5 mm). The patterned surfaces and the in vitro biological response of osteoblasts (SAOS-2) towards them were thoroughly analysed. In terms of composition, the laser treatment was found to cause superficial monoclinic-tetragonal zirconia phase transformation and alumina evaporation. In vitro, the most effective grid configuration for osseous differentiation was found to be 1.5 µm groove depth and 10 µm groove separation, and confocal microscopy revealed that the cells show a tendency to be sorted as groove depth increases. It is thought that custom-made patterns could be produced to guide cell attachment in vivo, which could favour implant integration and reduce healing time., This research has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) under the Project MAT2012-38645 and by the Principality of Asturias under the Project GRUPIN 14-109. Additionally, Lidia Goyos-Ball acknowledges financial support from the JAE-PREDOC (2011) program (CSIC).

In the Andeans, it is common to find homemade containers, chairs, structures made with Schoenoplectus californicus sub. californicus, commonly known as totora. Popularly is known that the homemade products possess resistance and durability due to the incorporation of this fiber, although nowadays the mechanic properties of this material are unknown. This research begins with the study of the variety of the totora which is present in the Province of Imbabura, Ecuador. Considering the geometrical variation of the stem, it is divided in three parts. Based on standard ASTM D4761-02a totora is characterized under tension. Finally, the mechanic characteristics under tension of Schoenoplectus californicus are presented from the stress-strain curve and its comparative analysis among the groups of transversal sections. It is determined that its behavior corresponds to a fragile material with an average of maximum stress up to 88.501 6.92 MPa, and an average of a maximum strain of 0.05132 0.00610 mm/mm.

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes capable of cytotoxicity against virally infected cells and tumor cells. The display of effector function by NK cells is the result of interactions between germline encoded activating/inhibitory NK cell receptors and their ligands (major histocompatibility complex class I, major histocompatibility complex class I-like, viral, and cellular stress-related surface molecules) expressed on target cells. Determination of NK cell number and function is a common element of the immunotoxicology assessment paradigm for the development of certain classes of pharmaceuticals across a range of modalities. This article summarizes the evidence associating NK cell dysfunction with infectious and cancer risks, reviews emerging NK cell biology, including the impact of immunogenetics on NK cell education and function, and provides perspectives about points to consider when assessing NK cell function in different species in the context of safety assessment.

The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB) is the only journal focused on theoretical and empirical research in verbal behavior. An assessment of authorship trends can provide a critical perspective on practices in verbal behavior analysis (e.g., participation by non-US institutions, contributions by female authors). The present study examines authorship trends in all articles published in TAVB since its inception (between 1982 and 2016). All authors and their affiliations were listed and the first authors denoted as such. Authors were characterized as follows: prolificacy, new vs. frequent contributor status, number of co-authors, editor status, fellow status in a professional organization, and gender. Institutional affiliations were characterized as follows: academic vs. nonacademic institutions, prolificacy, and location (country). The review included 383 articles by 487 authors from 200 institutions. Our findings revealed areas in which TAVB is reaching maturity (e.g., author gender) and areas in which further action by contributors and editors is needed (e.g., international participation).

This work studies plastic behaviour and its influence on the abrasive wear resistance of a group of high chromium white cast irons. The irons were poured in metallic moulds and heat treated. The studied alloys have 3% C, 12% Cr, as well as 0.6% and 2.4% Si. The plastic characteristics are evaluated through the parameters obtained from Meyer's test: the strain hardening capacity (n) and the constant of penetration resistance (k). The influence of silicon content and applied heat treatments on Meyer's test parameters was determined. The heat treated samples showed values between n=2.3 and n=2.5. These values confirm a hardening capacity greater than the cast specimens. The high silicon alloy specimens show greater n-values than the low silicon alloy ones. This tendency is remarked when the complete treatments (austenitizing, cooling and holding) are applied. Correlation between n, k and the relative abrasive wear show good values for (k), but too much dispersion for the Meyer's Index (n).

Se ha diseñado, construido y calibrado un banco de pruebas normalizado para la determinación de la conductividad térmica de materiales aislantes de construcción. El aparato, sencillo y económico, pretende convertirse en herramienta replicable y útil para el desarrollo de múltiples investigaciones en torno a materiales basados en residuos o recursos no valorizados para la producción de aislamientos térmicos baratos de producción local no industrializados que repercutan en la mejora de la eficiencia energética de las edificaciones. La principal aportación del banco de pruebas es la posibilidad del análisis de aislamientos compuestos de mayor espesor y distintos formatos gracias al diseño de la prensa, que permite el ajuste y la presión de las placas sobre las muestras, sosteniendo estas en el aire y evitando cualquier transmisión por conducción no deseada.

Discrete-trial instruction (DTI) is a behavioral method of teaching young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that has received a significant amount of research support. Because of a lack of qualified trainers in many areas of the world, researchers have recently begun to investigate alternative methods of training professionals to implement behavioral teaching procedures. One promising training method is interactive computer training, in which slides with recorded narration, video modeling, and embedded evaluation of content knowledge are used to teach a skill. In the present study, the effectiveness of interactive computer training developed by Pollard, Higbee, Akers, and Brodhead (2014), translated into Brazilian Portuguese, was evaluated with 4 university students (Study 1) and 4 special education teachers (Study 2). We evaluated the effectiveness of training on DTI skills during role-plays with research assistants (Study 1) and during DTI sessions with young children with ASD (Studies 1 and 2) using a multiple baseline design. All participants acquired DTI skills after interactive computer training, although 5 of 8 participants required some form of feedback to reach proficiency. Responding generalized to untaught teaching programs for all participants. We evaluated maintenance with the teachers in Study 2, and DTI skills were maintained with 3 of 4 participants.

Previous studies of dispersant—aqueous kaolin dispersions have indicated clearly that the concentration of the dispersant determines the type of rheological behavior. Those studies focused on the use of dispersant concentrations below the limit of saturation, ignoring what might have happened at concentrations above that limit, and the practical uses to which such information might be put. The present study examined the influence of sodium hexametaphosphate dispersant on the viscous and viscoelastic properties of aqueous kaolin dispersions when its concentration was greater than the saturation limit. A concentric-cylinders geometry sensor system (with a narrow gap between the cylinders) was used to test the rheological behavior of Na hexametaphosphate-aqueous kaolin dispersions. Aqueous kaolin dispersions were viscoplastic, thixotropic, and viscoelastic fluids. The analysis of frequency sweep tests in the linear viscoelastic limit and steady-flow curves led to the conclusion that an increase in the dispersant concentration above the limit of saturation gave way to ‘solid-like’ dispersions.

The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB) is the only journal focused on theoretical and empirical research in verbal behavior. An assessment of authorship trends can provide a critical perspective on practices in verbal behavior analysis (e.g., participation by non-US institutions, contributions by female authors). The present study examines authorship trends in all articles published in TAVB since its inception (between 1982 and 2016). All authors and their affiliations were listed and the first authors denoted as such. Authors were characterized as follows: prolificacy, new vs. frequent contributor status, number of co-authors, editor status, fellow status in a professional organization, and gender. Institutional affiliations were characterized as follows: academic vs. nonacademic institutions, prolificacy, and location (country). The review included 383 articles by 487 authors from 200 institutions. Our findings revealed areas in which TAVB is reaching maturity (e.g., author gender) and areas in which further action by contributors and editors is needed (e.g., international participation).

Un factor de gran riqueza ecológica de Ecuador está vinculado a su tradición en el uso de fibras y otros residuos de carácter orgánico. Estos materiales compuestos se emplean como elemento de relleno, refuerzo o aislamiento térmico en el campo de la construcción de viviendas, lo que conlleva un gran potencial en el marco de la arquitectura más sustentable. En Ecuador, la variabilidad climática y el bajo poder adquisitivo de muchos de sus habitantes obliga a utilizar materiales de construcción de presencia local y bajo o nulo costo, con el fin de lograr una vivienda económica y confortable. Es por ello que se han analizado la presencia de recursos o desechos naturales de biomasa a nivel regional confrontándolos la tradición constructiva, para posteriormente superponerlos geográficamente con las principales variables climáticas que afectan a la eficiencia energética. De esta forma es posible determinar qué, dónde y cómo utilizar los distintos recursos la biomasa para permitir una respuesta edificatoria que cuente con una sólida argumentación social, económica, medioambiental y energética con el objetivo de facilitar las condiciones adecuadas para el acceso a un hábitat económico, seguro, eficiente y digno.

Chimpanzees have orthologs of the six fixed, functional human MHC class I genes. But, in addition, the chimpanzee has a seventh functional gene, Patr-AL, which is not polymorphic but contributes substantially to population diversity by its presence on only 50% of MHC haplotypes. The ancestral AL gene emerged long before the separation of human and chimpanzee ancestors and then subsequently and specifically lost function during human evolution, but was maintained in chimpanzees. Patr-AL is an alloantigen that participates in negative and positive selection of the T cell repertoire. The three-dimensional structure and the peptide-binding repertoire of Patr-AL and HLA-A*02 are surprisingly similar. In contrast, the expression of these two molecules is very different, as shown using specific mAbs and polyclonal Abs made against Patr-AL. Peripheral blood cells and B cell lines express low levels of Patr-AL at the cell surface. Higher levels are seen for 221-cell transfectants expressing Patr-AL, but in these cells a large majority of Patr-AL molecules are retained in the early compartments of the secretory pathway: mainly the endoplasmic reticulum, but also cis-Golgi. Replacing the cytoplasmic tail of Patr-AL with that of HLA-A*02 increased the cell-surface expression of Patr-AL substantially. Four substitutions distinguish the Patr-AL and HLA-A*02 cytoplasmic tails. Systematic mutagenesis showed that each substitution contributes changes in cell-surface expression. The combination of residues present in Patr-AL appears unique, but each individual residue is present in other primate MHC class I molecules, notably MHC-E, the most ancient of the functional human MHC class I molecules.

Self-control is evident in the choice of a delayed consequence with greater magnitude over an immediate one of lesser import. Impulsivity opts for the reverse, i.e., immediate gratification. Two studies were conducted of the enhancement of self-control behavior in a 5-year-old boy with typical development. The objective of the first study was to train the participant to choose between consequences based on their comparative magnitudes and delays. The initial study involved three training phases: simple discrimination, reinforcement magnitude, and delayed reinforcement. In the first study, the participant chose the delayed consequence of greater magnitude 90% of the time. Following the first study, the participant took part in a second. Its objective was to examine the effect on self-control responses of providing choices between high- and low-preference activities. The second study comprised four phases: abrupt increase in reinforcement delay (AIRD), choice opportunity with high-preference activit...

Vegetable oils and animal fats represent promising alternatives to diesel engine fuel because they can be obtained from different feedstocks and renewable sources; also their properties are close to diesel fuel. The direct use of these biofuels as a diesel engine fuel can cause several problems in engine performance and emissions. In order to obtain a more engine-friendly fuel, it is necessary to change the biofuels’ properties for which different methods have been used. One of the possibilities is using emulsification techniques in order to obtain emulsified biofuels (emulsions or microemulsions); through this method it is possible to lower viscosity and improve the atomization. However, emulsification techniques applied to vegetable oils and animal fats have not been studied thoroughly. For this reason, this paper presents an overview on the formulation and characterization of the emulsified biofuels using vegetable oils and animal fats, as well as the main experimental results reported about its use as a diesel engine fuel in the scientific literature.

The purpose of the current study was to assess whether the establishment of listener relations with compound stimuli as samples and comparisons would lead to the emergence of: (1) speaker behavior in the form of tacts of the compound stimuli; (2) listener and tact responses for untaught compounds; and (3) listener and tact responses for the isolated properties of compounds. Participants were four boys diagnosed with autism and one diagnosed with intellectual disability. We taught participants to select among three compound comparisons consisting of combinations of shapes and patterns in the presence of the corresponding dictated word. Subsequently, we tested for the emergence of tacts for the trained compounds, as well as tact and listener relations for six untaught compounds and their properties. In general, results showed that the acquisition of listener relations led to the emergence of the corresponding tacts, as well as the emergence of listener and tact responses for untaught combinations for three out of five participants. By contrast, the other two participants showed responding characteristic of restricted stimulus control. These results suggest that the establishment of bidirectional relations between listener and speaker behaviors may facilitate the emergence of control by properties of compound stimuli.

Economic games are very useful tools for experimental verification of the basic processes that govern human behavior in choice situations. The Sharing Game is a tool that aims to study the phenomena of altruism or generosity through the allocation of material resources. In a within-subject design, 2 different experiments involving repeated trials over 20 opportunities in which participants performed the monetary choices to distribute resources between themselves and an unseen, passive participant, under 3 different conditions were carried out regarding to the values in money (A, B, and C). The choices were classified as optimal, competitive, or egalitarian and other providing alternatives between larger versus smaller immediate financial gains with progressively longer delays. This study sought to determine whether the cost of response, the gender, the amount of money, and the order of presentation of the experiments influenced the allocation of resources in the first experiment. The study included 240 participants equally distributed between Conditions A, B, and C. One hundred twenty were included in the first order of presentation: Experiment 1 followed by Experiment 2, whereas the remaining 120 did the same experiments in reverse order. The data indicated an increase in the percentage of optimal choices in the first experiment, Sharing Game, when the Sharing Game experiment was presented after the second experiment, Temporal Discounting. Both gender and amount of money influenced the results. Men chose more optimized alternatives than women (in the economic sense). When values were greater, more optimized choices appeared, raising discussions about variables that are potentially effective in promoting choices, whose individual and collective benefits are higher in the long run.

Three-dimensional structures with directionally oriented pore networks were fabricated from a 10 mol% ceria-stabilized zirconia and alumina composite (10CeTZP-AlO) via freeze casting. Ceramic suspensions of different concentrations (30, 40 and 50 wt% solids) were frozen at various rates (2, 5 and 10 °C/min) to obtain lamellar structures with aligned tubular pores of different characteristics: porosity (75–84%), pore dimensions (small diameter of the elliptical pores: 10–23 μm; large diameter of the elliptical pores: ∼200 ± 70 μm), lamella thickness (2.7–4 μm) and compression strength (1–12 MPa). In vitro assays confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of the samples. Furthermore, specific osseous differentiation genes were quantified after incubating osteoblasts on different cross sections of the samples during 7 days in supplemented culture medium; results demonstrated that the freeze casted structures induce up to nine times more osseous gene expression than tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS), an advanced surface used for optimized in vitro cell growth., This research has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) and the Spanish Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) under the Project MAT2012-38645. Likewise, the work was partially carried out within the framework of the Regulation of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 9 April 2010 No. 220 (Agreement No. 14.B25.31.0012 dated 26 June 2013). Finally, Lidia Goyos-Ball acknowledges financial support from the JAE-PREDOC program (CSIC).

Recently, there has been a proliferation of research on the functional independence of two of Skinner’s (1957) verbal operants, the mand, and the tact. This research has produced highly variable results. In this article, we provide a critical review of the literature on mand–tact independence, a literature that has implications for both theory and practice. Included in the review are 17 studies with a total of 66 participants who were tested for mand emergence following tact training, tact emergence following mand training, or both, and 11 additional studies that systematically manipulated variables expected to affect the outcomes of such tests. A primary finding is that most studies to date suffer from problems with construct validity. However, it may be justifiable to conclude that the literature provides at least weak support for the functional independence of mands and tacts. Future investigators should avoid the major construct validity pitfalls described in this article, describe participant characteristics more thoroughly, and consider alternative approaches to studying mand–tact independence.

The purposes of this research are to evaluate the effectiveness of MTS computerized teaching tasks, and develop, apply and evaluate a Stimulus Equivalence Paradigm based curriculum to teach number concept. Studies that used MTS procedure to teach arbitrary conditional discriminations and equivalence relations obtained positive results on subjects with disability. We propose a systematic replication of Rossit (2003), that used MTS tasks to teach monetary system to youths with intellectual disability on a Stimulus Equivalence Paradigm based organized curriculum. In order to teach number concept, the experimental stimuli (numerals from one until nine, and figures of non-representational forms) were divided in three stimuli groups of increasing values in a multiple baseline design among stimuli groups. Participants in the research were three ASD students, eight to 12 years old. The results show efficacy on teaching number concept for ASD children with strategy derived from Stimulus Equivalence, replicating the results obtained by Rossit (2003) and corroborating previous notes on the contribution of resource derived from the Applied Behavior Analysis for the success in including students with ASD. To teach the concept of number, a gradual training was conducted using as stimuli groups of three numerals, in tasks of computerized MTS for the formation of the ‘numeral’ and ‘quantity’ classes, related to each other. Three students with ASD from eight to 12 years old participated in the study. The results showed that the procedure was effective for all participants, and one of the three participants acquired the whole wanted repertoire in 24 teaching sessions

Models for estimation of the cetane number of biodiesel from their methyl ester composition using artificial neural networks were obtained in this work. An experimental data that covers 48 and 15 biodiesels in the modeling step and validation step respectively were taken. The selection of biosiesel samples took into account a wide range of ester compounds with different unsaturation characteristics and number of carbon atoms. A model to predict cetane number using artificial neural networks was obtained with better accuracy than 95%. The best neural network for predict the cetane number was a backpropagation network (11:4:1) using a Conjugate Gradient Descend algorithm for the second training step and showing 96.3% of correlation for the validation data and a mean absolute error of 1.5. The proposed network is useful for prediction of the cetane number of biodiesel in a wide range of composition but keeping the percent of total unsaturations lower than 80%. The use of the artificial neural networks in this case let to study and understands the effect of individual fatty acids in the cetane number. Therefore they can be used for improving some biofuel properties related to the combustion process and its efficiency.

Aluminium based nanostructured materials with additions of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt.% of zirconium have been produced and sintered using the spark plasma sintering technique in order to promote the nucleation of ZrAl3 platelets. The mechanical behaviour of all these nanocomposites was determined by means of the Small Punch Test. Zirconium additions significantly decrease the mechanical properties of these products when sintering time at the sintering temperature (625 °C) is short (3 min). Nevertheless, when the sintering time increases to 1 h (intermetallic crystallization), the zirconium additions show the expected effect: the stiffness and the yield strength increase while ductility and toughness decrease. The maximum load increases until a 0.5 wt.% Zr is attained and suddenly drops when the Zr content surpasses 1 wt.%. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., The authors want to acknowledge the financial support of the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Plan Nacional I+D+i), through the project numbers MEC-04-MAT2004-06992-C02-01 and MAT2008-06879-C03-00.

This study investigated the effect of matching-to-sample and mimetic-relations teaching on the emergence of signed tact and textual repertoire through a multiple-baseline design, across three groups of three words in children with and without hearing impairments and with no reading repertoire. Following mimetic-relations teaching and the establishment of nine three-member stimulus classes containing signs, pictures, and printed words via matching-to-sample procedure, including the mimetic relation as the differential observing response, tact (signing in the presence of a picture) and textual (signing in the presence of a printed word) emergent repertoires were tested. Results showed the emergence of signed tact and textual responses. The mimetic relation brought in under the contextual control of a matching-to-sample task may have allowed participants to simultaneously learn speaker and listener relations to the particular signs used.

Models for estimation of cetane number of biodiesel from their fatty acid methyl ester composition using multiple linear regression and artificial neural networks were obtained in this work. For the obtaining of models to predict the cetane number, an experimental data from literature reports that covers 48 and 15 biodiesels in the modeling-training step and validation step respectively were taken. Twenty-four neural networks using two topologies and different algorithms for the second training step were evaluated. The model obtained using multiple regression was compared with two other models from literature and it was able to predict cetane number with 89% of accuracy, observing one outlier. A model to predict cetane number using artificial neural network was obtained with better accuracy than 92% except one outlier. The best neural network to predict the cetane number was a backpropagation network (11:5:1) using the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm for the second step of the networks training and showing R = 0.9544 for the validation data.

HLA-B∗46:01 was formed by an intergenic mini-conversion, between HLA-B∗15:01 and HLA-C∗01:02, in Southeast Asia during the last 50,000 years, and it has since become the most common HLA-B allele in the region. A functional effect of the mini-conversion was introduction of the C1 epitope into HLA-B∗46:01, making it an exceptional HLA-B allotype that is recognized by the C1-specific natural killer (NK) cell receptor KIR2DL3. High-resolution mass spectrometry showed that HLA-B∗46:01 has a low-diversity peptidome that is distinct from those of its parents. A minority (21%) of HLA-B∗46:01 peptides, with common C-terminal characteristics, form ligands for KIR2DL3. The HLA-B∗46:01 peptidome is predicted to be enriched for peptide antigens derived from Mycobacterium leprae. Overall, the results indicate that the distinctive peptidome and functions of HLA-B∗46:01 provide carriers with resistance to leprosy, which drove its rapid rise in frequency in Southeast Asia. Fil: Hilton, Hugo G.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: McMurtrey, Curtis P.. Oklahoma State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Han, Alex S.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Djaoud, Zakia. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Guethlein, Lisbeth A.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Blokhuis, Jeroen H.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Pugh, Jason L.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Goyos, Ana. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Horowitz, Amir. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Buchli, Rico. Pure Protein LLC; Estados Unidos Fil: Jackson, Ken W.. Oklahoma State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Bardet, Wilfred. Oklahoma State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Bushnell, David A.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Robinson, Philip J.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Mendoza, Juan L. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Birnbaum, Michael E.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Nielsen, Morten. Technical University of Denmark; Dinamarca. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Garcia, K. Christopher. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Hildebrand, William H.. Oklahoma State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Parham, Peter. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos

This study investigated conditional discrimination acquisition, stimulus class formation and stimulus class expansion through a modeling procedure. Six college students were taught conditional discriminations with five stimulus sets. Stimuli were black line drawings of common objects against white backgrounds. BA relations were taught individually, in a manner similar to that typically described by the literature, without modeling, followed by the teaching of CA relations, taught through a modeling procedure. During the teaching of BA relations, correct and incorrect comparison selections were followed by differential reinforcement. During CA, subsequent DA relations and EA relations training, subjects were instructed to observe a model that actually made the selections and received differential reinforcement for that. After the teaching of BA and CA relations, symmetry, transitivity and equivalence tests were introduced, followed by DA and EA teaching and tests for equivalence class expansion. All participants showed equivalence class formation and all but one participant showed expanded classes to include stimulus sets D and E into the previously formed class. Whether the observed results were an exclusive function of modeling or a combination of modeling and sequential effects of the directing teaching of BA requires further investigation. Key words: modeling, stimulus equivalence, conditional discriminations, observational learning, Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar se um procedimento de ensino por modelação pode produzir discriminações condicionais, formar classes de estímulos equivalentes, e expansão de classes, em seis estudantes universitários. Foram ensinadas discriminações condicionais entre cinco conjuntos de estímulos, através de tarefas de escolha de acordo com o modelo. Foram usados como estímulos desenhos de objetos comuns produzidos em linhas pretas sobre fundo branco. As relações BA foram ensinadas da maneira tipicamente descrita pela literatura, sem modelo, seguidas de ensino das relações CA, com modelo. No ensino das relações BA, os participantes escolhiam os estímulos de comparação e recebiam conseqüências diferenciais para escolhas corretas e incorretas. No ensino de CA, assim como no de DA e EA, os participantes foram instruídos a observar um demonstrador que selecionava os estímulos de comparação e recebia conseqüências diferenciais por suas escolhas. Após o ensino das relações BA CA, foram introduzidos os testes para verificar a emergência de simetria, transitividade e equivalência. Todos os participantes mostraram formação de classes equivalentes e cinco deles expansão de classes para os estímulos D e E. Discute-se se os resultados produzidos foram função exclusiva do ensino por modelação, ou uma combinação desses com efeitos seqüenciais do ensino individual e direto da primeira relação condicional. Palavras-chave: ensino por modelação, equivalência de estímulos, discriminações condicionais, escolha de acordo com o modelo, aprendizagem observacional

The influence of silicon content and heat treatment on microstructure, abrasive and dry friction wear resistance of a 3 % C, 12 % Cr cast iron, under fast solidification conditions is studied. The fast solidification condition diminishes the carbide volume and the silicon content increases their dispersion and finesses. All matrixes obtained were perlitics, whit different finesses. No intermediate transformation products were noticed. Hardness had little variation. Austenization treatment show little affectivity, with tendency to increase wear in reference to as cast and maintenance treatments. Behavior under dry friction and abrasive wear were similar under test conditions applied whit more influence of carbide morphology in the abrasive wear conditions.Se estudia la influencia del silicio y el tratamiento térmico sobre la microestructura y la resistencia al desgaste abrasivo y por fricción seca de una fundición con 3 % C y 12 % Cr, obtenida en condiciones de rápida solidificación. La rápida solidificación disminuye el volumen de carburos, la finura y dispersión de éstos aumentan con el incremento del silicio. Todas las muestras presentaron matrices perlíticas, variando en finura con el tratamiento. No se apreciaron productos de transformación intermedios. Las durezas tuvieron poca variación. Los tratamientos de austenización mostraron poca efectividad, con tendencia a desgastes más elevados que en estado bruto de colada y con tratamiento de mantenimiento. Los comportamientos ante la abrasión y la fricción seca en las condiciones ensayadas fueron similares. Se evidenció alta influencia de la morfología de los carburos en el desgaste abrasivo.