This study was aimed at understanding the environmental performance of two abrasives, coal slag and garnet which are commonly used by shipyards and many other industries in surface preparation of metallic surfaces. Environmental performance evaluated in this study included, (1) productivity (ft2/hr), (2) consumption and or used-abrasive generation rate (ton/2000 ft2; lb/ ft2), (3) particulate emission factors (mg/ft2; mg/lb; lb/lb; lb/kg; lb/ton). In order to achieve the study objectives, an emission test facility was built and necessary equipment and materials were procured. Blasting was performed on rusted steel panels inside the test facility and emissions were measured using EPA Source Test Method to quantify particulate emissions. By measuring the area cleaned, blasting time, and the abrasive consumed, environmental performance of coal slag and garnet was evaluated. Simple mathematical models were developed to predict performance based on feed rate and blast pressure. Garnet was observed to be more productive, less consuming, and more environmentally-friendly compared to coal slag. These study findings will valuable in reducing costs, improving productivity, and protecting the environment.

A alveolite seca (AS) é uma das complicações pós-operatórias mais comuns e sintomáticas na odontologia, porém, até o momento não há um protocolo de tratamento definido. O composto fenólico guaiacol (Gu) é um dos materiais utilizados para revestimento intra-alveolar devido às suas propriedades analgésicas, antioxidantes e antimicrobianas. Contudo, sua desvantagem é a dificuldade de manipulação decorrente da sua baixa estabilidade, alta volatilidade e sensibilidade à oxidação. Para melhorar suas propriedades e aumentar sua aplicabilidade clínica, um complexo de inclusão de Gu com ß-ciclodextrina (ßcd) foi desenvolvido. A formação do complexo supramolecular de Gu:ßcd foi caracterizada mediante a ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN), nos experimentos de 1H e 2D ROESY. A atividade antibacteriana do Gu e Gu:ßcd frente a Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis e Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans foi analisada pelo método da microdiluição e sua citotoxicidade em osteoblastos de calvária de rato, foi estudado com o ensaio do MTT. O processo de reparo alveolar induzido pelo Gu:ßcd foi avaliado histologicamente após tratamento de alveolite seca em molares inferiores de ratos. A RMN mostrou correlações espaciais entre os hidrogênios internos (H3 e H5) da ßcd e os hidrogênios aromáticos, H(a) e H(b) do Gu, confirmando a formação do complexo. A complexação do Gu na ßcd potencializou seu efeito antibacteriano e reduziu sua citotoxicidade em osteoblastos. O estudo in vivo evidenciou a ocorrência de ossificação no ápice alveolar dos ratos tratados com Gu:ßcd, no 7o dia. No 14o dia, as trabéculas ósseas ocuparam também o terço médio do alvéolo e no 21o dia, todo o alvéolo se encontrava preenchido por osso neoformado. Estes resultados foram similares ao controle negativo e superiores ao controle positivo (Alvogyl®). Os benefícios obtidos pela inclusão do Gu na ßcd foram demonstrados pela melhora das propriedades biológicas do Gu in vitro e o adequado reparo alveolar in vivo. / Dry socket is one of the most common and symptomatic complications in dentistry, however, there is still not a settled treatment for this condition. The phenolic compound guaiacol (Gu) is one of several alveolar dressings used in dry socket because it has analgesic, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Nevertheless, its disadvantage is the difficulty of manipulation due to its low stability, high volatility and sensitivity to oxidation. To improve its properties and increase its clinical applicability, an inclusion complex of Gu with ß-cyclodextrin (ßcd) was developed. The Gu:ßcd supramolecular complex was characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Ressonance (NMR), in the 1H and 2D ROESY experiments. The antibacterial activity of Gu and Gu:ßcd over Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was analyzed using the microdilution method and its cytotoxicity in rat calvaria-derived osteoblast was evaluated with the MTT assay. The alveolus repair process induced by Gu:ßcd was histologically studied after the treatment of dry socket in rat mandibular molars. The NMR showed spatial correlations between internal hydrogens (H3 and H5) of ßcd and aromatic hydrogens, H(a) and H(b), of Gu confirming the inclusion complex formation. Gu:ßcd complex potentiated Gu antibacterial effect and reduced its cytotoxicity in osteoblasts. The in vivo study revealed that ossification occurred in the alveolar apex of rats treated with Gu:ßcd, by day 7. In the 14th day, the trabecular bone occupied the apical and middle thirds of the socket and on the 21st day, the entire alveolus was filled by newly formed bone. These results were similar to the negative control and superior to the positive control (AlvogylTM). Benefits gained from inclusion of Gu in cyclodextrin have been particularly demonstrated by the improvement in Gu biological properties in vitro and the appropriate alveolus repair in vivo.

As argamassas e concretos de cimento Portland são materiais de construção duráveis, relativamente baratos que, embora apresentem boa rigidez e adequada resistência à compressão, têm outras propriedades deficientes, tais como: resistência à tração, ao impacto, à fadiga, além de baixa tenacidade e ductilidade. Uma considerável melhora destas propriedades pode ser obtida com adição de fibras, em quantidades adequadas, na composição destes materiais. A utilização de fibra de vidro convencional (tipo E) no reforço das argamassas de cimento Portland, pode ser viável uma vez contornado o ataque do meio alcalino à fibra, principalmente o hidróxido de cálcio Ca(OH)2, produzido na hidratação do cimento. No presente trabalho foi obtida uma menor intensidade de ataque alcalino às fibras de vidro E, por meio da modificação com látex Estireno Butadieno, da adição de sílica ativa em substituição ao cimento Portland e da utilização de ambos concomitantemente. Outro procedimento utilizado, visando uma maior durabilidade das fibras de vidro, foi a proteção da superfície desta fibra com uma película de látex Estireno Butadieno e de uma mistura deste látex e sílica ativa. A eficiência de um e outro procedimento foi verificada por meio da comparação dos resultados de ensaio à tração e flexão, em amostras submetidas a processo de hidratação convencional e acelerado e observações pro meio de microscopia óptica. / Portland cement mortar and concrete are durable building materials, relatively cheap and, despite they display a good rigidity and an adequate compressive strength, they have other deficient properties such as tensile strength, impact, fatigue, beyond low toughness and ductility. A considerable improvement of these properties can be obtained adding fibers, in adequate quantities, in the composition of the materials. The use of conventional glass fiber (E-glass) in the reinforcement of Portland cement mortar can be possible if the attack of the alkaline environment, produced by cement hydration (chiefly by calcium hydroxide), to the fiber is controlled. In this work, a lesser intensity of alkaline attack on the E-glass fibers was succeded through the modification of the Portland cement matrix by styrene butadiene latex, the addition of silica fume or through the utilization of both additives at the same time. Another proceeding, aiming at a greater durability of the E-glass, has been the protection of the fiber surface with a styrene butadiene latex coating or with a mixture of this same latex and silica fume. The efficiency of each proceeding was verified by the comparison of tensile strength and flexural strength in samples submitted to accelerate and conventional hydration processes and by the observation of the interface glass/matrix with optical microscopy.

The inland region of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica represents a subzero, hyper-arid endmember for physical weathering, and is Earth’s closest terrestrial analog to the Martian surface. In order to document the style and rate of rock breakdown in this region, I conducted field-based, experimental, and numerical modeling studies of supraglacial debris (Mullins till) on Mullins Glacier. These investigations were designed to (1) quantify the rate and processes of physical breakdown of surface rocks on Mullins till, particularly of Ferrar Dolerite, (2) determine the efficacy of thermal stress weathering as an agent in rock erosion, and (3) examine the role of physical weathering in altering the sublimation of buried glacial ice. Results from morphometric field surveys characterizing changes in rock shape, strength, and small-scale surface features, coupled with an iterative cosmogenic nuclide-based age model for Mullins Glacier, show that total erosion rates for clasts of Ferrar Dolerite on Mullins till range from 1.1 to 15 cm Myr-1. In situ field measurements of rock surface temperatures and local ambient conditions recorded at 15-second intervals, combined with a numerical finite element model elucidating changes in internal rock temperatures and associated strain, show that thermal stress weathering is sufficient to induce spalling by propagating existing microcracks of ≥1.1 cm that typically occur at the base of thin, mm-scale alteration rinds. The implication is that thermal stress weathering, previously undocumented in this region, may account for >80% of the total estimated erosion of Ferrar Dolerite. Furthermore, the spalled fragments (up to 5% of Mullins till) provide a negative feedback that slows the rate of subsurface ice sublimation and internal vapor diffusion. Experimental analyses in a controlled environmental chamber set with Mullins till and driven by local meteorological conditions measured in the field yields an average effective diffusivity of 4.5 x 10-6 m2 s-1 for Mullins till and annual rates of buried ice loss of <0.068 mm (assuming Fickian diffusion); these values are consistent with theoretical estimates, demonstrate the importance of physical weathering in modifying supraglacial deposits, and support arguments for persistent cold-desert conditions in the MDV for the last several million years.

O metabolismo ósseo é influenciado por fatores endócrinos, genéticos, de crescimento, sistema RANK/RANKL/OPG, além de uma variedade de moléculas regulatórias, como as citocinas. Citocinas têm sido implicadas na patogênese de doenças ósseas, no entanto, ainda pouco se sabe sobre os mecanismos envolvidos na interação entre o sistema ósseo e imunológico no processo de reparo ósseo. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar o papel de TNF-&#x3B1; e IL-10 no reparo ósseo alveolar em condições homeostáticas (controle [C]) e infecciosas (alveolite experimental [A]) pós exodontia em camundongos C57Bl/6 (WT), TNFp55KO e IL-10KO. Após a cirurgia nos grupos infectados foi induzida a alveolite por meio de isquemia do alvéolo e uma suspensão de secreção purulenta. As maxilas foram coletadas em 0h, 7, 14 e 21 dias após a extração do incisivo superior para análises histológica, histomorfométrica e molecular (RealTimePCR). Na análise histomorfométrica foram quantificados os parâmetros coágulo, células inflamatórias, fibras, fibroblastos, vasos sanguíneos, matriz óssea, osteoblastos, osteoclastos, e outros espaço do líquido intersticial e medula óssea. Na análise molecular (RealTimePCR) foram quantificados a expressão de fatores de crescimento, marcadores ósseos e de matriz extracelular, citocinas e quimiocinas envolvidos no processo. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos ao teste OneWay ANOVA seguido do teste de comparação múltipla de Tukey. Os resultados demonstraram que nos camundongos WT-C houve a formação inicial de coágulo (0 hora) com início da expressão de BMP2, BMP4, BMP7, TGFb1 and VEGFa que tiveram aumento gradativo com pico em 7 dias. A expressão de TNF-&#x3B1; e IL10 também tiveram seus picos aos 7 dias em paralelo com contagem de leucócitos, associado com a expressão de CCL2, CCL5 e CXCL1. Nos períodos seguintes houve uma diminuição inflamatória e o aumento de marcadores osteoblásticos/osteogênicos. A indução da alveolite experimental em WT-A resultou no aumento marcante na expressão de TNF-&#x3B1;, acompanhada por uma maior expressão de CXCL1 e CCL5, contagem aumentada de leucócitos e diminuição na expressão de IL-10 que só atingiu seu pico aos 14 dias, além de proeminente infiltrado leucocitário e tecido de granulação, bem como evidências histológicas de atraso no reparo ósseo. O impacto negativo da alveolite foi atenuado nos camundongos TNFp55KO, caracterizado por um reparo adequado, diminuição no número de leucócitos e osteoclastos em relação aos WTA. Por outro lado, um atraso no reparo foi observado nos animais IL10KO, evidenciado por uma menor densidade de osteoblastos e de matriz óssea do que o respectivo controle. Em conclusão, os resultados mostraram que ambas citocinas interferem no reparo ósseo alveolar por meio de mecanismos que envolvem o controle da migração de células inflamatórias e modulação de quimiocinas e a expressão de marcadores osteogênicos, uma vez que a ausência de IL-10 está associada a uma maior atividade inflamatória e reabsorção óssea concomitante com menor formação ósseo, já a deficiência de TNF-&#x3B1; afeta o recrutamento de leucócitos e a cinética de reparo óssea alveolar em condições homeostáticas e infecciosas. / Bone metabolism is influenced by endocrine, genetic and growth factors, RANK/RANKL/OPG system, besides a variety of regulatory molecules, such as cytokines. Cytokines have been implicated in pathogenesis of bone diseases, however, little is known about the mechanisms involved in the interaction between skeletal and immune system in the bone repair process. The objective of this study was characterized the role of TNF-&#x3B1; and IL-10 in alveolar bone repair under homeostatic (control [C]) and infectious (experimental alveolitis [A]) conditions in C57Bl/6 (WT), TNFp55KO and IL-10KO mice. After surgery, in infectious groups was induced by ischemia alveolitis the well and a suspension of pus. The maxillas were collected at 0h, 7, 14 and 21 days after extraction of the maxillary incisor for histologic, histomorphometric and molecular (RealTimePCR). In histomorphometric analysis parameters were measured clot, inflammatory cells, fibers, fibroblasts, blood vessels, bone matrix, osteoblast, osteoclast, and other space - the interstitial fluid and bone mar row. Molecular analysis (RealTimePCR) were quantified the expression of growth factors, bone markers and extracellular matrix, cytokines and chemokines involved in the process. The data were submitted to the OneWay ANOVA test followed by Tukey\'s multiple comparison test. The results showed that in WT-C initial clot formation (0 hours) with early expression of BMP2, BMP4, BMP7, and TGFb1 VEGFa who had gradual increase peaking in 7 days. The expression of TNF-&#x3B1; and IL10 also peaked at 7 days in parallel with leukocyte count, associated with CCL2, CCL5 and CXCL1. In late periods there were decrease of inflammation and markers osteoblastic / osteogenic increased. Induction of experimental alveolitis in WT resulted in a marked increase in expression of TNF-&#x3B1; accompanied by increased expression of CXCL1 and CCL5, increased leukocyte count and decreased of IL10 expression that peaked at 14d, besides prominent leukocyte infiltration and granulation tissue, as well as histological evidence of delayed bone repair. Negative impact of alveolitis was attenuated in TNFp55KO mice, characterized by appropriate repair rate, decreased of the number of leukocytes and osteoclasts that WT-A. On the other hand, a lessened repair was observed in IL10KO animals, evidenced by lower density of the density of osteoblasts and bone matrix than respective control. In conclusion, the results show that both cytokines interferes in alveolar bone repair through mechanisms that involve the control of inflammatory cell migration and modulation of chemokines and osteogenic markers expression, since that the absence of IL-10 is associated with higher inflammatory activity and bone resorption concomitant with lower bone formation, while the deficiency of TNF-&#x3B1;a affect the recruitment of leukocytes and the kinetics of alveolar bone healing both in homeostatic and infectious conditions.

No description available.

Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are used for delivering drugs to the airways. In addition to the drug, the formulations often contain a coarse carrier, most commonly alpha lactose monohydrate. The presence of fine lactose particles in the formulation is known to improve the formulation performance. The active site, drug-fines agglomeration and increased cohesion theories have been suggested to explain improved DPI performance upon addition of fine excipient particles. This project aimed to investigate the validity of those theories. The viability of the active sites theory in explaining the improved DPI performance was investigated by studying the impact of loaded drug dose on the in vitro performance for formulation series prepared with coarse carriers with different surface characteristics. The formulations prepared with the rougher lactose carrier were seen to outperform the formulations prepared with the smoother carrier at all drug concentrations. These findings were concluded to be non-compatible with the active sites theory. The impact of addition of lactose fines with different size distributions on powder flow and fluidisation properties and in vitro performance was studied. Powder cohesion increased independent of size distribution of the fines, but did not necessarily correspond to improved performance. Therefore, the increased cohesion theory was concluded not to be the sole explanation for the improvement in DPI performance in the presence of lactose fines. Instead, the increase in performance could be preliminarily attributed to the formation of agglomerated systems. The formation and co-deposition of drug-fines agglomerates, and consequential improvement in the DPI performance was proved using morphologically directed Raman spectroscopy. The project also aimed to develop a universal model for predicting DPI performance based on the lactose properties for a wide range of carriers with different properties. No simple linear correlations between any the lactose properties and the final DPI performance were found. Therefore no single parameter can be used as a universal predictor for DPI performance. To establish more complex relationships, artificial neural networks were used for modelling the importance of different lactose properties in determining DPI performance. The proportion of fine lactose particles (<4.5 μm) was identified as the most important parameter. However, this parameter was capable of explaining only approximately half of the variation seen in the formulation performance. The current study showed that to obtain more accurate predictions for the purposes of quality-by-design approach, also other lactose properties need to be characterised.

Risk assessment on interbank networks has drawn attention from researchers since the 2007 Subprime mortgage crisis. The lack of data for interbank transactions, which are usually not disclosed unless required by regulatory bodies, is one of the most critical difficulties to this research. A remedy to this issue is the dense reconstruction of interbank networks by using balance sheet data. The Maximum-Entropy estimation has been adopted by literature, however, this method produces networks with unrealistic properties: too dense in terms of having too many links. One alternative is sparse reconstruction that proposed by literature recently. This thesis applies the Message-Passing algorithm, which is extensively applied in Thermodynamics or Computer Science, and is suggested by Mastromatteo et al. [2012] for application in network reconstruction. Dense networks and sparse networks are reconstructed from Statistics on Depository Institutions data provided by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and are compared by performance in both network properties and contagion simulations. The popular contagion mechanisms proposed by Furfine [2003] and the model of liquidity dry-up contagion proposed by Malherbe [2014] are adopted and compared in contagion simulations. Results show that dense networks and sparse networks perform differently in network properties and in contagions triggered by single-bank failures, while for contagions triggered by multiple-bank failures, both types of networks perform similarly. Furfine’s mechanism fail to predict some bank failures via the credit risk contagion on liquidity side, while these failures can be simulated by the liquidity dry-up model via fire-sale and marking-to-market effect. Both mechanisms overestimate the losses before the crisis, yet this signals the instability of the banking system, while the liquidity dry-up model proposes an explanation for why the banking system did not fail before the crisis, regarding to whether the equilibrium of high liquidity will shift to the self-fulfilling liquidity dry-up equilibrium. Implications on regulation are given.

The thesis treatise can be divided in three major parts as A, B and C respectively.Part A constitutes the concept and objectives of the plasma treatment for textiles. Itincludes a technical overview, the principle and the recent developments in plasmatypes for textiles.Part B, provides an overview on plasma technology to its interaction with thesubstrate. The part describes the surface modification phenomenon i.e. physical andchemical interaction and the highlights the effects yields from it.Part C, constitute a bibliographic analysis on the application of this technology totextiles. Various paper and patents and cited to provide an overview on key aspects ofthe scientific research, commercial technology, and information on manufacturerswhich are being taken place to date. The section followed then critical dichotomyappraisal on the plasma technology in the field.All the citation, are thoroughly questioned and evaluated before own use of thematerial in this study. Also, the citation has been taken from reliable sources. In orderto increase the reliability of the material comparison between sources is done / Program: Magisterutbildning i textilteknologi

De nos jours, le bloc est le produit le plus vendu en préfabrication, avec un chiffre d’affaires de 418 millions d’euros en 2015 (chiffres issus de la Fédération de l’Industrie du Béton). Toutefois, ce résultat atteste d’une baisse de production constatée depuis 2012.Dans ce contexte économique difficile, les industriels cherchent à optimiser la formulation de leurs produits. Les particularités de ceux-ci (consistance sèche et teneur en air moyenne comprise entre 7 et 15 %) rendent impossible l’utilisation des outils existants.L’objectif de la thèse est alors de mettre au point une méthode de formulation adaptée aux blocs, permettant d’optimiser le rapport coûts/performances. Cela implique de diminuer le dosage en ciment, matériau le plus couteux du béton et également le plus négatif en termes d’émissions de CO2. Pour cela un squelette granulaire optimal doit être utilisé.La méthodologie de formulation mise au point se déroule ainsi en deux étapes. La première consiste à sélectionner le mélange granulaire présentant l’arrangement maximal. La deuxième détermine les volumes des autres constituants (ciment, eau efficace, air et addition) en fonction des exigences de consistance et de performances mécaniques. Les travaux ont permis d’obtenir un modèle d’empilement compressible adapté à la mise en place des mélanges granulaires secs à l’aide d’une presse vibrante et d’un moule de bloc. Celui-ci calcule la compacité des mélanges granulaires dans de telles conditions et permet de sélectionner le mélange optimal. Les travaux ont également permis de relier les propriétés aux états frais et durcis à la formulation des bétons secs. La résolution du système d’équations obtenu permet de déterminer la formulation qui optimise le rapport coûts/performances.Un outil numérique regroupant ces résultats est développé. Il nécessite de renseigner un ensemble de données (squelettes granulaires, masses volumiques réelles, coûts, etc.), ainsi que les exigences de consistance et de performances mécaniques. Il propose alors la formulation optimisant le rapport coûts/performances. Celle-ci peut ensuite être testée à échelle réduite sur des cubes car les résultats ont permis de relier les performances mécaniques des cubes et des blocs. / Construction’s sector is knowing an important mutation and is confronted with unpresented stakes with major importance for next decades: population growth and needs in accommodation and infrastructures, climate change, uses of durable and natural resources, societal expectations from consumers as well as territorial’s stakeholders. Concrete precast industry is strongly enlisted to answer at these news needs, for the constructive systems proposed as well as for the production processes of concrete’s products. The stake is especially important for concrete masonry units with a production in France in 2017 of 6.7 million tons. These products are realized using press which compact concrete with vibration and pression. Blocs are made of dry cast concrete with average air content between 7 and 15%. Today, formulation methodologies are adapted to delayed demoulding products and so not made for bloc concrete.This thesis aims to develop a formulation methodology adapted to blocs and to their process, in order to optimize their performances in economic conditions. This implies disposing of robust tools able to determine optimal proportions for each constituent, considering process specifications. Especially, it is necessary to use an optimized aggregates mix.The formulation methodology developed runs through two steps. The first one consists in choosing the aggregates mix with maximal packing density. The second one determines other constituents volumes (cement, efficient water, air and addition) according to consistency and mechanical performances requirements. The compressive packing model (F.de Larrard) is adapted to dry aggregates mix casting with vibrating press in a bloc mold. Results also make it possible to connect fresh and hardened properties to the formulation of dry cast concretes. Solving the system of equations gives the formulation optimizing the ratio costs/performances.