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Introdução/Objetivo: O Brasil é o segundo país com mais mortes por COVID-19. Aqui descrevemos características clínicas e epidemiológicas e suas associações com óbito na 1ª e 2ª onda, em um hospital terciário dedicado ao tratamento de pacientes adultos com COVID-19 em Fortaleza (Ceará). Métodos: Coorte retrospectiva de 2492 pacientes internados no Hospital Estadual Leonardo Da Vinci (HELV) com infecção confirmada por SARS-CoV-2 durante a 1ª (25/03 a 04/07/2020) e 2ª onda (01/01 a 13/04/2021). Dados foram extraídos de prontuários eletrônicos usando uma plataforma web padronizada (ResCOVID). Usamos regressão de Poisson para estimar fatores associados à mortalidade hospitalar em cada onda e o risco relativo de óbito ajustado por idade, sexo, comorbidade e marcadores à admissão hospitalar (relação SpO2/FiO2, suplementação de O2 e quick SOFA). Resultados: 1039 pacientes morreram durante a internação. Houve uma redução significativa da mortalidade durante a 2ª onda (509/1405; 36,2%) em comparação à 1ª (530/1087; 48,8%), p < 0,001. Na 2ª onda observamos uma maior proporção de pacientes: sexo feminino (43,1 x 38,6%; p = 0.024), idade mais baixa (mediana: 56 x 64 anos; p < 0,001) e portadores de obesidade (30,4 x 23,4%; p < 0.001); porém uma menor prevalência de pacientes com pelo menos uma comorbidade (70,8 x 75,5%; p = 0.009). Idade mais baixa (30-39 anos: RR 0,66 [0,46-0,95], p = 0,024) e odinofagia foram associadas à redução de risco de mortalidade durante a 1ª onda e cefaleia (RR 0,87 [0,79-0,96] na 2ª. Encontramos associação entre risco aumentado de óbito e doença neurológica crônica na 1ª onda (RR 1,16 [1,01-1,33], p = 0,035) e falência renal aguda na 2ª onda (RR 1,13 [1,04-1,23], p = 0.004). Uso de ventilação mecânica invasiva (VMI) mostrou a mais forte associação com risco de óbito (1ª onda: RR 4,28 [2,86-6,41], p < 0.001; 2ª onda: RR 12,94 [3,4-49,12, p < 0,001). 89,2% (962/1075) dos pacientes em uso de VMI faleceram. O risco relativo reduzido de óbito na 2ª onda comparada à 1ª não persistiu após ajuste. Conclusão: Coorte de pacientes com COVID-19 em um hospital terciário de referência no Nordeste brasileiro comparando 1ª e 2ª ondas evidenciou elevada mortalidade com diferenças nos fatores associados ao risco de óbito, e uso de VMI mostrou a maior associação nas duas ondas. A diferença encontrada no risco não ajustado de óbito entre as ondas não persistiu após ajuste para idade, sexo, comorbidades e marcadores de gravidade à admissão.

Steady well-type flow was monitored in an aquifer that was artificially packed in order to reproduce a given, highly heterogeneous, statistical distribution of the log-conductivity Y. In particular, we focus on pumping tests carried out at 10 volumetric flow rates. The experimental arrangement was composed by a pumping well and several surrounding observation piezometers. The unique feature of this experimental study is that the high heterogeneity structure of Y is known fairly well. Thus, the study lends itself as a valuable tool to corroborate theoretical findings about flows driven by sources through porous formations, where the variance 2 (in the present study equal to 3.79) of Y is large. Besides discussing experimental findings, we tackle the crucial issue of upscaling the hydraulic conductivity in a well-flow configuration. In particular, we deal with the equivalent conductivity (EC) as that pertaining to a homogeneous (fictitious) medium which conveys the same volumetric flow rate of the real one, under the same boundary conditions. Hence, the EC can be identified straightforwardly by means of head measurements. Even if we show that the EC is a proper parameter to reproduce measurements, it is experimentally shown (in line with the theoretical results) to be position-dependent, and therefore, it cannot be regarded (unlike groundwater-type flow) as a formation’s property. This implies that the EC applies only to the configuration at stake. Then, we show that the EC, combined with a recent model of effective conductivity in well-flows through highly heterogeneous porous formation, leads to a reasonably reliable estimate of 2 , some limitations and approximations, notwithstanding. It is hoped that the present experimental study will be useful for other researchers who are engaged with similar research-topics.

On ITER, plasma start-up will be performed in limiter configuration on the inboard equatorial beryllium first wall panels (FWP). In contrast to most present tokamaks, however, this ramp-up phase will be comparatively long (∼10 s) and the use of actively cooled components means that power flux management is key if FWP lifetime is not to be compromised. Shaping of the FWPs is mandatory to ensure that leading edges do not appear between neighbouring units. For the ITER inboard panels, this has been optimized to account for the discovery in recent years on current devices of narrow scrape-off layer power flux channels for inner wall limited plasmas. However, the shaping results in power densities which are particularly sensitive to the overall ‘longwave’ (LW) alignment of the central column FWP ring with the structure of the toroidal magnetic field (TF), placing tight constraints on the target alignment. This target is currently based on a pure n = 1 LW alignment, but simulations of TF coil (TFC) locking upon energization show that, depending on the initial configuration of the gaps between the TFC inner legs, the field structure can be more complex. Although the TFC manufacture and machine assembly strategy is to make every effort possible to approach the ideal TF structure, an NMR sensor-based TF mapping diagnostic will be implemented to measure the field structure during the first plasma and engineering operation phase. An analytic framework has been developed and verified against numerical simulations to assess the capability for measurements from a set of discrete sensors located on the vacuum vessel inner column to be used to reconstruct the field structure at the FWP locations, a further ∼60 cm radially inward. In parallel with the alignment optimization and TF mapping strategies, modified ramp-up scenarios are also being designed which may be used to reduce inner wall limiter power fluxes if this proves to be necessary during operation.

Conventional plunger lifting is a transient process that consists of cyclic openings and closings of a gas well. Because of this complex behavior, using traditional physics-based models to simulate the coupled behavior of reservoir and wellbore performance is computationally rigorous and challenging. Therefore, this study proposes a machine learning-based approach to simulate gas production from plunger-lifted wells and facilitate the optimization of this process. The model is developed and validated using field data.Typically, high-frequency (1 minute) measurements of plunger arrival time as well as casing and tubing pressure, are available in a plunger-lifted well. In addition, some wells are equipped with individual high-frequency measurements of gas flow rate. However, in most cases, there is a single gas flow rate meter available for the entire well pad. Therefore, a machine learning methodology is formulated with input variables that include plunger arrival time, tubing and casing pressure, and instantaneous gas flow rate as an output variable. Due to practical considerations regarding plunger lift operation, the approach assumes that a training set (one week) is smaller than a testing set (one month). A feed-forward neural network model is trained and is found to provide results with acceptable accuracy. The architecture of the network is obtained by performing a grid search and by minimizing a mean squared error. In the next step, obtained gas production is treated as a function of "on" (opening) and "off" (closing) time periods. The objective of the second model is to reproduce the data and to construct a response surface by varying "on" and "off" time periods.Based on the results from several plunger-lifted gas wells, both models have a unified architecture that requires tuning weight coefficients with a training/development dataset. The neural network model to simulate the gas flow rate performs well; it is evaluated with common statistical parameters. The model requires gas flow rate measurements from routine production tests to build the training set. Having a gas flow rate model provides the opportunity to train another machine learning model as a function of "on" and "off" time periods. The new model is validated using the data during the final week of production history. The relative error between the data and the model is approximately 10%, which ensures the reliability of the model. A surface response is constructed over a range of "on" and "off" time periods to find an optimum point maximizing total gas production during the validation period (final week).Optimization results demonstrate that "off" time (fall + buildup) should be minimized, and "on" time (upstroke + after-flow) should be at a certain threshold.Current industry practice to optimize plunger lift cycles is based on factors such as average plunger rise velocity, and load factor. However, these methods do not optimize the actual variable of interest that is gas production. The unique contribution of the proposed approach is that it provides a robust tool to monitor the gas flow rate from an individual plunger-lifted well (flow rate allocation) and to optimize plunger lift cycles based on cumulative gas production. The model runs fast and can complement existing alarm systems on SCADA to adjust controller set-points in real-time.

The design of a reconfigurable transducer, based on rotating coils realized by printed circuit board (PCB), is proposed for testing magnets in particle accelerators. Despite classical rotating coils, the sensitivity of this transducers is not completely established with the design. Different configurations allow to tune sensitivity to the specific components of the magnetic flux density to be measured. At this aim, specific field harmonics such as dipole, quadrupole, sextupole, octupole, and decapole can be suppressed. Thus, the same accuracy level can be ensured in measuring the field quality of several types of magnets. In this paper, first, conventional design criteria are recalled. Then, the design of the reconfigurable transducer based on four coils to suppress undesired field harmonics, from dipole up to decapole, is illustrated. The possibility of using both radial and tangential geometry, without affecting compensation quality, is highlighted too. Finally, a metrological analysis about the transducer manufacturing is reported, proving that the uncertainty arising from the PCB production is made negligible.

A miniaturized Printed Circuit Board (PCB) sensing coil, jointly developed by CERN and Fermilab for measuring the field of small-gap (less than 10 mm) accelerator magnets, is illustrated. A sensing coil array, with a scheme for compensating the main field when measuring the harmonic error components, hosted on a synthetic sapphire-based transducer, is presented. Key innovating features are (i) very-small size, both for the sensing coil array (thickness of 1.380 mm) and for the transducer (overall diameter of 7.350 mm), (ii) metrological performance, namely accuracy (more than five times better than state of the art), and 1-sigma repeatability (ten times better on harmonics with amplitude less than 100 ppm), and (iii) manufacturing technology of both the coil array (13 double layers aligned within 10 μm), and the sapphire support (concentricity, the most important uncertainty source for rotating coils, 3 μm of uncertainty, namely one order of magnitude better than fiberglass support). After stating the measurement problem, the design of the transducer and a case study of a two-layer PCB sensor array are illustrated. Then, the prototyping and quality control of both the sensor and the transducer are discussed. Furthermore, the calibration and the results obtained with a prototype setup at Fermilab are presented. Finally, in the appendix, the theory of the rotating coil, the sensor geometry, and the harmonic compensation are briefly reviewed for the reader easiness.

This study is anchored upon salient factors such as the perceptions of the students and student leaders on the effectiveness of performance of the Student Government of North Luzon Philippines State College. Student leaders could be benefited by the study for they shall be provided with a massive insight of how the Student Government operates. Since they are prospective leaders of the college, they may be able to determine which programs and projects could provide a better impact to students’ welfare. For the school administrators, personnel and faculty members, they shall be illuminated with the real scenario of how student leaders work for the welfare of their constituents. They shall get a deeper understanding of the situations prompted by the student leaders in the campus; thereby helping them in some aspects of their academic lives. For the students, this study would provide the needed information as to how effective the Student Government is in ushering programs and projects which redound to their welfare. Based on the foregoing findings, the following conclusions were formulated: The Student Government, as to some extent, is doing its role in the college in making the students aware of their political rights. It is just that they need to hold regular leadership training seminars so that the students, especially the student leaders, could adequately learn how to become more mature and effective leaders. It should play the role of a facilitator to the administration or to any other student organizations whenever necessary.

Histotripsy is a focused ultrasound therapy for tissue ablation with bubble cloud activity. Persistent bubble clouds reduce the ablative capacity of histotripsy. Thus, there is a need for bubble-specific imaging to track bubble cloud dissolution between the application of histotripsy pulses. In this study, standard plane wave, pulse inversion, and chirp-coded excitation imaging were utilized to visualize bubble clouds at a 2-kHz frame rate. For all imaging schemes, a monotonic decrease in the bubble cloud grayscale was observed over a 45-ms period following the histotripsy insonation. The change in bubble cloud grayscale was dependent on the imaging scheme, with faster grayscale reduction for larger peak negative pressures of the imaging pulse. Bubble-specific sequences resulted in faster decreases in the bubble cloud grayscale compared with standard plane wave imaging. Overall, these results highlight high-frame rate imaging as a means to monitor and modulate histotripsy bubble cloud dissolution.

A method is proposed for calibrating the radius of a rotating coil sensor by relaxing the metrological constraints on alignment and field errors of the reference quadrupole. A coil radius calibration considering a roll-angle misalignment of the measurement bench, the magnet, and the motor-drive unit is analyzed. Then, the error arising from higher-order harmonic field imperfections in the reference quadrupole is assessed. The method is validated by numerical field computation for both the higher-order harmonic errors and the roll-angle misalignment. Finally, an experimental proof-of-principle demonstration is carried out in a calibration magnet with sextupole harmonic.

This work addresses the effect of wildland fuel moisture content on flame radiation. A wildland fuel layer composed of Pinus radiata needles was experimentally studied using a specially designed burner, which produced small bench-scale laminar, non-premixed flames. These flames were suitable for the study of their emitted radiation providing stable, repeatable and axisymmetric flames. Pine needles were dried and then rehydrated to obtain four different moisture contents. The radiant fraction was estimated as the ratio between the radiant emission from the flame and its heat release rate. The radiant emission was determined with measurements from a radiometer and image analysis of the flame shape in order to estimate the view factor between the flame and the radiometer. The mass loss rate was measured to determine the heat release rate from the flame. This study confirms the decrease in radiant emission by increasing fuel moisture content. Also, the results indicate a small variation in the radiant fraction, despite the clear variations observed in flame shape and mass loss. Additionally, correlations between results were determined with the purpose of characterizing the effect of moisture content on the radiant fraction.

Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) CONICYT FONDECYT 1085015

A new burner is presented, designed to generate laminar and axisymmetric diffusion flames from wildland fuels. This burner consists of a porous sample holder where wildland fuel elements are deposited. The sample holder is mounted on a cylindrical structure which allows an oxidizer coflow injection around the fuel samples. When the sample is ignited, a well-controlled flame is generated because the coflow surrounds the flame and prevents the formation of instabilities. This was proved with flame stability measurements in several scenarios where sample holder diameter, size distribution of the fuel and porosity of the sample were varied. Ignition of the fuel was achieved with ethanol. Two fuels were tested: Pinus radiata pine needles and Eucalyptus globulus leaves. Both fuels were cut and sieved into three size distributions. The CH∗ spontaneous and visible emission from the flame were detected in order to analyze the flame structure after the ethanol is consumed. The visible flame height decreased linearly with time after the ignition period, and as the oxidizer flow rate increased. Finally, deconvoluted soot pyrometry measurements at two wavelengths were performed in order to demonstrate the ability of the burner to generate stable and axisymmetric flames apt for non-intrusive diagnostics.

A calibration method exploiting a single external reference is proposed for sensors arrays in presence of a measurand non-linear gradient in the system under test. The calibration artifacts due to a non-uniform distribution of the measurand in the system under test, not detected by the single punctual reference sensor, are avoided. A proof-of-principle demonstration is carried out within the case study of a thermistors array obtaining compatible result with respect to a standard method which requires a reference sensor for each element of the sensor array. Thus, the complexity (and cost) of standard calbration setups is reduced by using a single reference sensor without sacrifying significantly the calibration accuracy.

Within the framework of the Compact Linear Collider Study (CLIC) [1] at CERN, new sensing and actuators technologies must be developed in order to achieve the required performance. An ITN Marie Curie Skowoska project funded by the European Union was launched in 2013. This project is a study on Particle Accelerator Components Metrology and Alignment to the Nanometre Scale, named PACMAN [2]. The project team consists of ten early stage researchers, divided in four work packages focusing on different tasks. Each of them is developing innovative transducers overperforming the current state of the art. Their main tasks are high-precision metrology and fiducialization, magnets prequalification and determination of magnetic axis under the constraint of small aperture (below 10 mm), determination of electrical center of a 15 GHz Radio Frequency-Beam Position Monitor (RF-BPM) and the electro-magnetic axis of an accelerating cavity, improvement of an existing seismic sensor to guarantee an optimized alignment process. The project has now been running for two years at CERN, resulting in dramatic progress for each of the early stage researchers. Their work already lead to building new experiments and proofs of concepts that are to be assembled in a unique, flexible, and compact test bench.

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A medida da pressão inspiratória nasal, conhecida como sniff teste, desenvolvida como um novo teste de força muscular inspiratória, utilizada principalmente em doenças neuromusculares, é de fácil realização e não invasiva. Apesar da importância clínica da avaliação da pressão inspiratória nasal, não existe um instrumento nacional disponível para realizá-la. OBJETIVOS: Comparar os manovacuômetros eletrônicos nacional e importado para a avaliação da pressão inspiratória nasal em pessoas saudáveis. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 18 voluntários saudáveis (idade 21,4±2,8 anos, IMC 23,4±2,5 Kg/m² , CVF 102,1±10,3%pred, VEF1 98,4±1%pred) por meio de duas medidas de pressão inspiratória nasal em dois equipamentos diferentes: um nacional e outro importado. Todos os sujeitos realizaram a manobra no mesmo horário do dia, em dias ocasionais, sendo a ordem determinada aleatoriamente. Para análise estatística, foi utilizado o teste t pareado, a correlação de Pearson e o Bland-Altman com nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: As médias encontradas durante as duas medidas das pressões nasais foram de 125±42,4 cmH2O para o aparelho importado e de 131,7±28,7 cmH2O para o nacional. A análise de Pearson demonstrou uma correlação significativa entre as médias, com um coeficiente r=0,63. Os valores médios não apresentaram diferenças significativas pelo teste t pareado (p>0,05). Na análise de Bland-Altman, encontrou-se um BIAS igual a 7 cm H2O, desvio-padrão de 32,9 cmH2O para o DP e um intervalo de confiança de -57,5 cmH2O até 71,5 cmH2O. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados encontrados sugerem que o manovacuômetro eletrônico nacional é viável e seguro para realização do sniff teste em sujeitos saudáveis.BACKGROUND: The measurement of nasal inspiratory pressure, known as the sniff test, was developed as a new test of inspiratory muscle strength, mainly used in neuromuscular conditions. The test is easy to be performed and noninvasive. Despite the clinical importance of assessment of nasal inspiratory pressure a national equipment is not available to assess it. OBJECTIVES: To compare a national with a foreign manovacuometer in assessing the nasal inspiratory pressure (sniff test) in healthy subjects. METHODS: 18 subjects were evaluated (age 21.44±2.8 years, BMI 23.4±2.5 kg/m² , FVC 102.1±10.3% pred, FEV1 98.4±1% pred). We performed two measures of nasal inspiratory pressure using two different manovacuometer: a national and a foreign. All subjects performed the tests at the same time of day, in different days being the order of the testes established randomly. It was used the paired t test, Pearson correlation and the Bland-Altman plots for statistical analysis considering a 5% significance level. RESULTS: The averages observed for the two measures of nasal pressures were 125±42.4 cmH2O for the foreign equipment, and 131.7±28.7 cmH2O for the national equipment. The Pearson correlation showed significant correlation between the means with a coefficient of r=0.63. The t test showed no significant differences between both measurements (p>0,05). The BIAS±SD found in Bland-Altman plot analysis was 7 cmH2O with limits of agreement between -57.5 cmH2O and 71.5 cmH2O. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the national electronic device is feasible and safe to the sniff test measurement in healthy subjects.

Summary Hydrocyclones have been used for many years for removing solids from continuous liquid media in the mineral, chemical, petroleum, and environmental industries, among others. In oilfield applications, the solid/liquid hydrocyclone (SLHC) has emerged as a sound technological and economical alternative to conventional filtration systems where space, efficiency, reliability, and continuous operations are critical. The SLHC is particularly attractive in offshore, subsea water-injection applications and in other oilfield operations. Early and effective removal of solids in pipelines and process equipment help prevent erosion and premature failures that are costly and pose serious health, safety, or environmental hazards. To date, hydrocyclone design has relied primarily on empirical experience and, most recently, costly and lengthy computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations. The main objective of this work is the development of a mechanistic model for practical, yet reliable, SLHC design. The proposed model is capable of describing the hydrodynamic-flow phenomena inside the hydrocyclone, enabling the prediction of continuous-phase-swirl intensity and the velocity profile used in determining particle trajectories, and hence, the grade separation efficiency curves. The model is validated against oilfield experimental data run under a wide range of conditions and equipment configurations. Model agreement with global and grade separation efficiency data are 94.7% and 88.2%, respectively.

VAMOS is a Magneto-Optical Filter (MOF) that can acquire nearly simultaneous Dopplergrams and magnetograms with high cadence in the K I 7699 A line. We performed an accurate set-up of this instrument in view of its use for studying oscillations in solar magnetic regions. The optimal set-up for VAMOS was achieved and an extra result of the spectral transmission measurements was found. The MOF and Wing Selector (WS) bandpasses depend not only on the cell temperature and magnetic field but also on the radiation intensity entering the cell, when this radiation exceeds a suitable level. We call this effect The Intensity Effect.

The intensity (I) and velocity (V) signals obtained using magneto-optical filters (MOF), are not independent of each other. The induced spurious signals affect the intensity-velocity phase difference measurements and the effect is referred to as a I − V crosstalk (Moretti & Severino 2002). We show a new model to interpret the I − V phase measurements and, in particular, its application to the interpretation of the data obtained with sodium MOF systems. The model can also be applied to correct the velocity-velocity phase from multi layer observations.

The nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a rat lungworm, a zoonotic pathogen that causes human eosinophilic meningitis and ocular angiostrongyliasis characteristic of rat lungworm (RLW) disease. Definitive diagnosis is made by finding and identifying A. cantonensis larvae in the cerebral spinal fluid or by using a custom immunological or molecular test. This study was conducted to determine if genomic DNA from A. cantonensis is detectable by qPCR in the blood or tissues of experimentally infected rats. F1 offspring from wild rats were subjected to experimental infection with RLW larvae isolated from slugs, then blood or tissue samples were collected over multiple time points. Blood samples were collected from 21 rats throughout the course of two trials (15 rats in Trial I, and 6 rats in Trial II). In addition to a control group, each trial had two treatment groups: the rats in the low dose (LD) group were infected by approximately 10 larvae and the rats in the high dose (HD) group were infected with approximately 50 larvae. In Trial I, parasite DNA was detected in cardiac bleed samples from five of five LD rats and five of five HD rats at six weeks post-infection (PI), and three of five LD rats and five of five HD rats from tail tissue. In Trial II, parasite DNA was detected in peripheral blood samples from one of two HD rats at 53 minutes PI, one of two LD rats at 1.5 hours PI, one of two HD rats at 18 hours PI, one of two LD rats at five weeks PI and two of two at six weeks PI, and two of two HD rats at weeks five and six PI. These data demonstrate that parasite DNA can be detected in peripheral blood at various time points throughout RLW infection in rats.

The phase difference between the intensity and velocity signals is a powerful diagnostic for the dynamics of the solar atmosphere. The phases are used to quantify the nonadiabatic degree of the acoustic modes and, recently, to infer the characteristics of the source of the solar oscillations. For this reason, the error attributed to the phase obtained from the observations plays an important role in distinguishing between different phenomena. In this paper we discuss the results obtained with the systems using a Magneto-Optical Filter. A model to correct for the contamination induced by the velocity in the intensity signal is described and the phases in the sodium D lines presented. We also discuss the difference between the results obtained when the phase values are computed with a local analysis or when the - v diagram is obtained.

The Cenozoic shelf margin of the Amazon Mouth Basin is characterized by a thick prograding prism of siliciclastic sediments. This prism, composed mainly of Upper Miocene and younger sediments, overlies a Lower Tertiary carbonate shelf. Two tectonic–sedimentary models for the area were developed with the aid of new deep-reflection seismic data. Gravitational tectonics dominate the regional geological framework. Tensional stresses are created near the shelf margin, and compressional features dominate at the base of the slope. The morphology of this compressional zone is closely associated with the St. Paul Fracture Zone and the boundary between continental and oceanic crusts.

In this experimental and numerical study using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) code the characterization of a diffusion flame inside a scale tunnel equipped with double stream-twin jets (DS-TJ) air curtains system is briefly described. Results of radiation and flame height were compared with theory. The FDS code has proved to be a suitable tool to predict the radiation with both gray gas assumption and 6-bands models. Gray gas model using 500 solid angles is the best option for a cheap and quick prediction. The experimental results for flame height are in good agreement with the usual z f / D f ∝ Q 2 / 5 law.

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A medida da pressão inspiratória nasal, conhecida como sniff teste, desenvolvida como um novo teste de força muscular inspiratória, utilizada principalmente em doenças neuromusculares, é de fácil realização e não invasiva. Apesar da importância clínica da avaliação da pressão inspiratória nasal, não existe um instrumento nacional disponível para realizá-la. OBJETIVOS: Comparar os manovacuômetros eletrônicos nacional e importado para a avaliação da pressão inspiratória nasal em pessoas saudáveis. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 18 voluntários saudáveis (idade 21,4±2,8 anos, IMC 23,4±2,5 Kg/m² , CVF 102,1±10,3%pred, VEF1 98,4±1%pred) por meio de duas medidas de pressão inspiratória nasal em dois equipamentos diferentes: um nacional e outro importado. Todos os sujeitos realizaram a manobra no mesmo horário do dia, em dias ocasionais, sendo a ordem determinada aleatoriamente. Para análise estatística, foi utilizado o teste t pareado, a correlação de Pearson e o Bland-Altman com nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: As médias encontradas durante as duas medidas das pressões nasais foram de 125±42,4 cmH2O para o aparelho importado e de 131,7±28,7 cmH2O para o nacional. A análise de Pearson demonstrou uma correlação significativa entre as médias, com um coeficiente r=0,63. Os valores médios não apresentaram diferenças significativas pelo teste t pareado (p>0,05). Na análise de Bland-Altman, encontrou-se um BIAS igual a 7 cm H2O, desvio-padrão de 32,9 cmH2O para o DP e um intervalo de confiança de -57,5 cmH2O até 71,5 cmH2O. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados encontrados sugerem que o manovacuômetro eletrônico nacional é viável e seguro para realização do sniff teste em sujeitos saudáveis. BACKGROUND: The measurement of nasal inspiratory pressure, known as the sniff test, was developed as a new test of inspiratory muscle strength, mainly used in neuromuscular conditions. The test is easy to be performed and noninvasive. Despite the clinical importance of assessment of nasal inspiratory pressure a national equipment is not available to assess it. OBJECTIVES: To compare a national with a foreign manovacuometer in assessing the nasal inspiratory pressure (sniff test) in healthy subjects. METHODS: 18 subjects were evaluated (age 21.44±2.8 years, BMI 23.4±2.5 kg/m² , FVC 102.1±10.3% pred, FEV1 98.4±1% pred). We performed two measures of nasal inspiratory pressure using two different manovacuometer: a national and a foreign. All subjects performed the tests at the same time of day, in different days being the order of the testes established randomly. It was used the paired t test, Pearson correlation and the Bland-Altman plots for statistical analysis considering a 5% significance level. RESULTS: The averages observed for the two measures of nasal pressures were 125±42.4 cmH2O for the foreign equipment, and 131.7±28.7 cmH2O for the national equipment. The Pearson correlation showed significant correlation between the means with a coefficient of r=0.63. The t test showed no significant differences between both measurements (p>0,05). The BIAS±SD found in Bland-Altman plot analysis was 7 cmH2O with limits of agreement between -57.5 cmH2O and 71.5 cmH2O. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the national electronic device is feasible and safe to the sniff test measurement in healthy subjects.

ARGO-YBJ (Astrophysical Radiation with Ground-based Observatory at YangBaJing) is a detector optimized to study small size air showers. It consists of a layer of Resistive Plate Counters (RPCs) covering an area of similar to 6500 m(2) and will be located in the Yangbajing Laboratory (Tibet, China) at 4300 m a.s.l. ARGO-YBJ will be devoted to a wide range of fundamental issues in cosmic rays and astroparticle physics, including in particular gamma-ray astronomy and gamma-ray bursts physics in the range 10 GeV divided by 500 TeV. The sensitivity of ARGO-YBJ to detect high energy GRBs is presented.

the measurement of nasal inspiratory pressure, known as the sniff test, was developed as a new test of inspiratory muscle strength, mainly used in neuromuscular conditions. The test is easy to be performed and noninvasive. Despite the clinical importance of assessment of nasal inspiratory pressure a national equipment is not available to assess it.to compare a national with a foreign manovacuometer in assessing the nasal inspiratory pressure (sniff test) in healthy subjects.18 subjects were evaluated (age 21.44 ± 2.8 years, BMI 23.4 ± 2.5 kg/m² , FVC 102.1 ±1 0.3% pred, FEV1 98.4 ± 1% pred). We performed two measures of nasal inspiratory pressure using two different manovacuometer: a national and a foreign. All subjects performed the tests at the same time of day, in different days being the order of the testes established randomly. It was used the paired t test, Pearson correlation and the Bland-Altman plots for statistical analysis considering a 5% significance level.The averages observed for the two measures of nasal pressures were 125 ± 42.4 cmH2O for the foreign equipment, and 131.7 ± 2 8.7 cmH2O for the national equipment. The Pearson correlation showed significant correlation between the means with a coefficient of r=0.63. The t test showed no significant differences between both measurements (p0,05). The BIAS ± SD found in Bland-Altman plot analysis was 7 cmH2O with limits of agreement between -57.5 cmH2O and 71.5 cmH2O.the results suggest that the national electronic device is feasible and safe to the sniff test measurement in healthy subjects.

We use the 6-8-12 interatomic potential, with a suitable scaling for the relevant atomic radii, to reproduce the measured broadening and shift of the alkali resonance lines perturbed by noble gases, at temperatures of ∼ 500 K. Then, using the fit to the data with helium and neon as perturbers, we compute new values for the broadening and shift of the alkali resonance lines due to atomic hydrogen, at the temperature of 5000 K, which are of interest in the analysis of solar and stellar spectra, and discuss the reliability of these results.

We modelled the effect on the Lyα emission caused by an accelerated proton beam impacting onto the chromosphere to estimate its detection threshold as an effective diagnostics for protons. Chosen a model chromosphere and a HI model atom with 3 bound levels plus a continuum, we computed the background Lyα flux profile and the superthermal contribution in the red wing due to the beam. The profiles computed for different model parameters show that a source with a radius exceeding 1000 km and producing a total proton flux greater than 51010 erg cm−2 s−1 should be detectable in irradiance observations.

Progress in observational techniques (i.e. high S/N spectroscopy) and modelling (e.g. RE models including convection, nonLTE codes, accurate atomic data) make significant to carry to extremes the numerical fit of a portion of the stellar spectrum and try to interpret the residual differences between calculations and observations in terms of stellar characteristics new respect to the employed model.We have started to apply this synthesis method to a set of high resolution, high S/N spectra of late-type dwarfs in the region of the Na I D lines, obtained at ESO with the 1.4m CAT on May 1989 (Franchini et al. 1992). The dwarf stars are modelled in radiative equilibrium (RE), and the Na I D line synthesis accounts for nonLTE and blend effects.

The authors report a case of skin infection, Buruli ulcer, which is widespread in several parts of Africa: Ghana, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Senegal and most central African countries. This infection is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans which belongs to the non-tubercular species Mycobacterium. It resembles Mycobacterium tuberculosis in colour and morphology, but differs in its speed of growth, its nutritional requirements, its capacity to produce pigments with enzymatic activities, its heat sensitivity and its resistance to anti-tubercular agents. Mycobacterium infection follows the percutaneous inoculation of the latter and appears as a painless, erythematous nodule that develops central necrosis and ulceration. Initially, the lesion appears as skin necrosis leading to the ulceration of the dermis and epidermis. The histological lesion shows a coagulative necrosis of the deep dermis and epidermis with destruction of the nerves and blood vessels; interstitial edema is also present. Healing is accompanied by a granulomatous response and the affected area is generally covered by a depressed scar. The authors initially treated the case in question using a conservative approach. A gel (Intrasite Gel) was used whose properties allowed the destruction of necrotic tissue present on the ulcer bed and the stimulation of granulation tissue formation. The layer of gel was in turn covered with a triple layer of polyurethane which enabled the humidity of the lesion to be maintained constant, thus promoting healing and acting as a barrier against external germs. This treatment enabled the skin lesion to be completely sterilised in about 30 days using new dressings every 3 days. Surgical treatment then led to complete healing after a further 20 days.

A recent study reported a possible association between allele 1 of the dopamine D3 receptor gene and bipolar affective disorder using the haplotype relative risk approach. In attempt to replicate these findings, we used similar family-based methods, such as the Haplotype-Based Haplotype Relative Risk method and the Transmission Disequilibrium Test, in a sample of 44 bipolar probands from Sardinia with both parents available. Using the Bal I restriction enzyme site polymorphism of Lannfelt et al. (1992), no differences were found between transmitted and non-transmitted alleles and no evidence of linkage disequilibrium was observed.