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Yes / The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of membrane sweeping in promoting spontaneous labour and reducing a formal induction of labour for postmaturity. Based on articles published between 2005 and 2016, 12 electronic databases were searched. Relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were used as pooled statistics. A total of seven studies consisting of 2252 participants were selected for the review and meta-analysis. The results revealed that membrane sweeping is advantageous in promoting spontaneous labour (RR = 1.205, 95% CI: 1.133–1.282, p = <.001), and reducing the formal induction of labour for postmaturity (RR = 0.523, 95% CI: 0.409–0.669, p = <.001). The studies reported several varying outcomes for both maternal and foetal morbidities; meta-analyses were performed where possible on each of these and found there to be no statistically significant differences in outcome between the intervention and control groups.

Background: Mechanical ventilation (MV) inflicts stress on the lungs, initiating or increasing lung inflammation, so-called ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). Besides overdistention, cyclic opening-and-closing of alveoli (atelectrauma) is recognized as a potential mechanism of VILI. The dynamic stretch may be reduced by positive endexpiratory pressure (PEEP), which in turn increases the static stretch. We investigated whether static stretch modulates the inflammatory response of rat type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) at different levels of dynamic stretch and hypothesized that static stretch increases pro-inflammatory response of AECs at given dynamic stretch. - Methods: AECs, stimulated and not stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), were subjected to combinations of static (10, 20, and 30%) and dynamic stretch (15, 20, and 30%), for 1 and 4 h. Non-stretched AECs served as control. The gene expression and secreted protein levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) were studied by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The effects of static and dynamic stretch were assessed by two-factorial ANOVA with planned effects post-hoc comparison according to Šidák. Statistical significance was considered for p < 0.05. - Results: In LPS-stimulated, but not in non-stimulated rat type 2 AECs, compared to nonstretched cells: 1) dynamic stretch increased the expression of amphiregulin (AREG) (p < 0.05), MCP-1 (p < 0.001), and MIP-2 (<0.05), respectively, as well as the protein secretion of IL-6 (p < 0.001) and MCP-1 (p < 0.05); 2) static stretch increased the gene expression of MCP-1 (p < 0.001) and MIP-2, but not AREG, and resulted in higher secretion of IL-6 (p < 0.001), but not MCP-1, while MIP-2 was not detectable in the medium. - Conclusion: In rat type 2 AECs stimulated with LPS, static stretch increased the proinflammatory response to dynamic stretch, suggesting a potential pro-inflammatory effect of PEEP during mechanical ventilation at the cellular level.

In order for stroke subjects to gain functional recovery of their hemiparetic limbs, facilitation techniques such as the repetitive facilitation exercise, or RFE, have been developed. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of the neural mechanisms associated with these types of facilitation techniques. To better understand the neural mechanisms associated with the RFE a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study should be conducted. This thesis presents experimental results testing the feasibility of implementing an fMRI-compatible actuator to facilitate a myotatic reflex in synchronization with the subject’s intention to move their hemiparetic limb. Preliminary data from a healthy individual demonstrated the feasibility of overlapping the long latency component of the afferent myotatic reflex, created by electrical stimulation, with descending nerve impulses, created using transcranial magnetic stimulation, in a time window of 15ms. In addition, a pneumatic actuation time delay due to long transmission line was evaluated. The pneumatic actuator met the timing precision requirement for the rehabilitation device for varying transmission line lengths. Therefore a pneumatic actuation system was chosen for the rehabilitation device. This thesis will also presents on the design of an fMRI-compatible pneumatic actuator device to excite a stretch reflex response. Initial, experimental results with the device demonstrated that the designed pneumatic device can control the timing of the muscle response with a fixed signal within the required 15ms window required for cortical facilitation, which was found in the previous feasibility study. However, the device was unable to create a long latency reflex observable at the muscle. Finally, this thesis presents on the capability of the device in creating subthreshold long latency response with precision to overlap with a subthreshold descending nerve impulse, created using transcranial magnetic stimulation. The overlap of the two responses was evaluated by comparing the amplitude of the muscle response with and without the stretch reflex, created by the fMRI-compatible pneumatic actuator device. Varying time delays were analyzed.

The laminar burning velocity is an important fundamental property of a fuel-air mixture at given conditions of temperature and pressure. Knowledge of burning velocities is required as an input for combustion models, including engine simulations, and the validation of chemical kinetic mechanisms. It is also important to understand the effect of stretch upon laminar flames, to correct for stretch and determine true (unstretched) laminar burning velocities, but also for modelling combustion where stretch rates are high, such as turbulent combustion models. A constant volume combustion vessel has been used in this work to determine burning velocities using two methods: a) flame speed measurements during the constant pressure period, and b) analysis of the pressure rise data. Consistency between these two techniques has been demonstrated for the first time. Flame front imaging and linear extrapolation of flame speed has been used to determine unstretched flame speeds at constant pressure and burned gas Markstein lengths. Measurement of the pressure rise during constant volume combustion has been used along with a numerical multi-zone combustion model to determine burning velocities for elevated temperatures and pressures as the unburned gas ahead of the spherically expanding flame front is compressed isentropically. This burning velocity data is correlated using a 14 term correlation to account for the effects of equivalence ratio, temperature, pressure and fraction of diluents. This correlation has been modified from an existing 12 term correlation to more accurately represent the dependence of burning velocity upon temperature and pressure. A number of fuels have been tested in the combustion vessel. Biogas (mixtures of CH₄ and CO₂) has been tested for a range of equivalence ratios (0.7–1.4), with initial temperatures of 298, 380 and 450 K, initial pressures of 1, 2 and 4 bar and CO₂ fractions of up to 40&percnt; by mole. Hydrous ethanol has been tested at the same conditions (apart from 298 K due to the need to vaporise the ethanol), and for fractions of water up to 40&percnt; by volume. Binary, ternary and quaternary blends of toluene, n-heptane, ethanol and iso-octane (THEO) have been tested for stoichiometric mixtures only, at 380 and 450 K, and 1, 2 and 4 bar, to represent surrogate gasoline blended with ethanol. For all fuels, correlation coefficients have been obtained to represent the burning velocities over wide ranging conditions. Common trends are seen, such as the reduction in burning velocity with pressure and increase with temperature. In the case of biogas, increasing CO₂ results in a decrease in burning velocity, a shift in peak burning velocity towards stoichiometric, a decrease in burned gas Markstein length and a delayed onset of cellularity. For hydrous ethanol the reduction in burning velocity as H₂O content is increased is more noticeably non-linear, and whilst the onset of cellularity is delayed, the effect on Markstein length is minor. Chemical kinetic simulations are performed to replicate the conditions for biogas mixtures using the GRI 3.0 mechanism and the FlameMaster package. For hydrous ethanol, simulations were performed by Carsten Olm at Eötvös Loránd University, using the OpenSMOKE 1D premixed flame solver. In both cases, good agreement with experimental results is seen. Tests have also been performed using a single cylinder optical engine to compare the results of the hydrous ethanol tests with early burn combustion, and a good comparison is seen. Results from tests on THEO fuels are compared with mixing rules developed in the literature to enable burning velocities of blends to be determined from knowledge of that of the pure components alone. A variety of rules are compared, and it is found that in most cases, the best approximation is found by using the rule in which the burning velocity of the blend is represented by weighting by the energy fraction of the individual components.

A construção do Rodoanel Trecho Sul movimentou o meio geotécnico, gerando novas informações sobre os solos locais e apresentando novas tecnologias construtivas, já disponíveis em outros mercados, mas pouco ou não utilizadas nas obras brasileiras. Estas novas técnicas de melhoria dos solos prometem solucionar problemas importantes, como a deformabilidade e resistência de uma camada de argila mole depositada na fundação de um aterro, por meios simples, rápidos, econômicos e ambientalmente interessantes. Este trabalho apresenta os problemas de engenharia geotécnica enfrentados durante a implantação deste empreendimento, na região próxima à Represa Billings e da Interseção Imigrantes, e destaca as soluções geotécnicas executadas para estabilizar a fundação dos aterros compactados construídos nesta região, caracterizada pela ocorrência de solos orgânicos muito moles. Destas soluções enfatizam-se neste estudo os tratamentos de solos moles identificados como Consolidação Profunda Radial (CPR) e a Mistura Mecânica de Aglomerante Cimentício com os solos moles saturados locais. O desempenho final destas tecnologias, em relação ao ganho de resistência e o aumento de compressibilidade adquiridos pela camada tratada, foram avaliados através dos ensaios de campo e da instrumentação implantada na área de interesse. / The construction of the South Stretch of Rodoanel Highway created a commotion in the geotechnical segment, generating new information about the local soils and presenting new construction technology, already available in other markets, but still with very limited or even no use in the Brazilian works. This new techniques of soil improvements, promises to solve important issues, like deformability and resistance of a soft clay layer located at the foundation of an embankment, by means that can be qualified as simple, fast, economical and environmentally interesting. This document presents the geotechnical engineering issues encountered during the implantation of this entrepreneur, at the region near Billings Reservoir and at the intersection with Imigrantes Highway, and points out the geotechnical solutions used to stabilize the foundation of compacted earth fill builted at this region, that is characterized by the occurrence of very soft organic soils. This study emphasizes in the solutions of treatment of soft soil identified as Deep Radial Consolidation (CPR) and the Mechanical Mixture of Cimentitius Binder with the local saturated soft soils. The final performance of this technologies, consearning the gain of resistance and the reduction of deformability, acquired by the treated layer, were evaluated through field tests and by the instrumentation placed at the area of interest.

Electroactive textile fibers are key components in smart and interactive textile applications. In previous research on textile base conductive fibers, viscose fibers were coated with poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophne) (PEDOT) using oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) technique[1]. Ferric chloride was used as oxidant and reaction conditions were optimized at which better electrical as well as mechanical properties of conductive viscose fibers could be achieved. In this thesis work, effect of new parameters such as pretreatment of viscose fibers with solvents, drying of oxidant treated viscose fibers at different time and temperature and comparison of two different oxidants have been tried. One new and important oxidant, ferric (III) p-toluene sulfonate or ferric (III) tosylate, used to prepare PEDOT coated viscose fibers and then compared with PEDOT coated viscose fibers prepared using oxidant ferric (III) chloride. Viscose fibers have been treated with two well know solvents, acetone and ethyl acetate before soaking in oxidant solution. Oxidant enriched fibers dried at different temperature for variable time prior to polymerization step. Knitted structures of conductive viscose fibers have been prepared. Hand washing of PEDOT coated viscose fibers with tap water and machine washing of knitted structures according to the international standard ISO EN-6330 have been performed and washing effects were investigated. Effects of all of the above mentioned variables on electromechanical properties of PEDOT coated viscose fibers were studied by using tensile testing, TGA analysis, FTIR spectra and conductivity measurements. Stretch sensing properties of knitted structures; before and after washing, were determined on cyclic tester. The purpose of this study is to enhance the properties of PEDOT-coated viscose fibers by controlling different parameters and to evaluate their usage as stretch sensors as well as to check the washability of PEDOT coated viscose fibers and knitted structures. Better electromechanical properties were achieved on new parameters and PEDOT coated viscose fibers were successfully utilized as stretch sensors. PEDOT coated viscose fibers could have potential to apply in areas such as, military textiles, medical textiles and sensors. / Program: Master programme in Textile Technology

A construção do Rodoanel Trecho Sul movimentou o meio geotécnico, gerando novas informações sobre os solos locais e apresentando novas tecnologias construtivas, já disponíveis em outros mercados, mas pouco ou não utilizadas nas obras brasileiras. Estas novas técnicas de melhoria dos solos prometem solucionar problemas importantes, como a deformabilidade e resistência de uma camada de argila mole depositada na fundação de um aterro, por meios simples, rápidos, econômicos e ambientalmente interessantes. Este trabalho apresenta os problemas de engenharia geotécnica enfrentados durante a implantação deste empreendimento, na região próxima à Represa Billings e da Interseção Imigrantes, e destaca as soluções geotécnicas executadas para estabilizar a fundação dos aterros compactados construídos nesta região, caracterizada pela ocorrência de solos orgânicos muito moles. Destas soluções enfatizam-se neste estudo os tratamentos de solos moles identificados como Consolidação Profunda Radial (CPR) e a Mistura Mecânica de Aglomerante Cimentício com os solos moles saturados locais. O desempenho final destas tecnologias, em relação ao ganho de resistência e o aumento de compressibilidade adquiridos pela camada tratada, foram avaliados através dos ensaios de campo e da instrumentação implantada na área de interesse. / The construction of the South Stretch of Rodoanel Highway created a commotion in the geotechnical segment, generating new information about the local soils and presenting new construction technology, already available in other markets, but still with very limited or even no use in the Brazilian works. This new techniques of soil improvements, promises to solve important issues, like deformability and resistance of a soft clay layer located at the foundation of an embankment, by means that can be qualified as simple, fast, economical and environmentally interesting. This document presents the geotechnical engineering issues encountered during the implantation of this entrepreneur, at the region near Billings Reservoir and at the intersection with Imigrantes Highway, and points out the geotechnical solutions used to stabilize the foundation of compacted earth fill builted at this region, that is characterized by the occurrence of very soft organic soils. This study emphasizes in the solutions of treatment of soft soil identified as Deep Radial Consolidation (CPR) and the Mechanical Mixture of Cimentitius Binder with the local saturated soft soils. The final performance of this technologies, consearning the gain of resistance and the reduction of deformability, acquired by the treated layer, were evaluated through field tests and by the instrumentation placed at the area of interest.

Microtruss cellular materials have large internal surface areas and small cross-sectional strut dimensions, permitting surface modification to substantially enhance their mechanical performance. For instance, a ~400% increase in compressive strength with virtually no weight penalty can be induced by a hard anodized Al2O3 ceramic coating of only ~50 µm thickness. The present study seeks the optimal architecture of these composites by exploring three research challenges: architecture and degree of forming are interdependent due to stretch-forming, architecture and the material properties are interdependent due to work-hardening, and ceramic structural coatings add design complexity. Theoretical predictions and architectural optimizations demonstrated a potential weight reduction of ~3% to ~60% through the increase of internal truss angle for both annealed and work-hardened microtruss cores. While further validation is needed, experimental evidence in this study suggested the collapse in ceramic-aluminum microtruss composites could be considered as a mixture of composite strut global buckling and oxide local shell buckling mechanisms.

Microtruss cellular materials have large internal surface areas and small cross-sectional strut dimensions, permitting surface modification to substantially enhance their mechanical performance. For instance, a ~400% increase in compressive strength with virtually no weight penalty can be induced by a hard anodized Al2O3 ceramic coating of only ~50 µm thickness. The present study seeks the optimal architecture of these composites by exploring three research challenges: architecture and degree of forming are interdependent due to stretch-forming, architecture and the material properties are interdependent due to work-hardening, and ceramic structural coatings add design complexity. Theoretical predictions and architectural optimizations demonstrated a potential weight reduction of ~3% to ~60% through the increase of internal truss angle for both annealed and work-hardened microtruss cores. While further validation is needed, experimental evidence in this study suggested the collapse in ceramic-aluminum microtruss composites could be considered as a mixture of composite strut global buckling and oxide local shell buckling mechanisms.