Yes / The development of ultra-high performance cementitious composite (UHPCC) represents a significant advancement in the field of concrete science and technology, but insufficient hydration and high autogenous shrinkage relatively increase the pores inside UHPCC, in turn, affecting the macro-performance of UHPCC. This paper, initially, optimized the pore structure of UHPCC using different types and dimensions of nanofillers. Subsequently, the pore structure characteristics of nano-modified UHPCC were investigated by the mercury intrusion porosimeter method and fractal theory. Finally, the fluid permeability of nano-modified UHPCC was estimated by applying the Katz-Thompson equation. Experimental results showed that all incorporated nanofillers can refine the pore structure of UHPCC, but nanofillers with different types and dimensions have various effects on the pore structure of UHPCC. Specifically, CNTs, especially the thin-short one, can significantly reduce the porosity of UHPCC, whereas nanoparticles, especially nano-SiO2, are more conducive to refine the pore size. Among all nanofillers, nano-SiO2 has the most obvious effect on pore structure, reducing the porosity, specific pore volume and most probable pore radius of UHPCC by 31.9%, 35.1% and 40.9%, respectively. Additionally, the pore size distribution of nano-modified UHPCC ranges from 10-1nm to 105nm, and the gel pores and fine capillary pores in the range of 3-50nm account for more than 70% of the total pore content, confirming nanofillers incorporation can effectively weaken pore connectivity and induce pore distribution to concentrate at nanoscale. Fractal results indicated the provision of nanofillers reduces the structural heterogeneity of gel pores and fine capillary pores, and induces homogenization and densification of UHPCC matrix, in turn, decreasing the UHPCC fluid permeability by 15.7%-79.2%. / National Science Foundation of China (51978127, 52178188 and 51908103), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2022M720648 and 2022M710973) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (DUT21RC(3)039).

Title: Working with numerical and algebraic expressions in the compulsory education Author: Bc. Lenka Pantůčková Department: Department of Mathametics and Mathematical Education Supervisor: Prof. RNDr. Jarmila Novotná, CSc. This Diploma Thesis deals with numerical and algebraic expressions in elementary school. The theoretical part deals with the framework educational programme for elementary education and grammar schools. It further mentions the propaedeutic of algebraic expressions at the first and second levels. It also introduces the most frequent mistakes done in calculating algebraic expressions. Meanings for the variable are stated as well. The last pre-chapter of the theoretical part is focused on statistics, which is further used for the experiment result evaluation. The experimental part first states the aims and methods of the research. Selected elementary schools taking part in the experiment are further introduced. An analysis of mathematics text books for the eighth grade (mainly chapters concerning the algebraic expressions), the selected schools use in their lessons, is also carried out. The experimental part also introduces the test presented to 128 pupils. Further pre-chapters are devoted to hypotheses and expected mistakes in single subtasks. In the conclusion of the experimental...

Introdução A artrite reumatoide (AR) é uma doença crônica autoimune degenerativa, de alta prevalência e alta morbimortalidade, com difícil diagnóstico em todo o mundo. O seu pronto diagnóstico e o rápido início com medicamentos modificadores do curso da doença (MMCD) impactam de forma relevante o prognóstico do paciente. Para alguns pacientes os MMCDs sintéticos não serão eficazes e este paciente deverá receber então um MMCD biológico, medicamento este de alto custo para o paciente e o sistema de saúde. Objetivo - Explorar as trajetórias percorridas na busca por cuidado por pacientes com AR em uso de MMCD biológico no município de São Paulo. Métodos - Pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório, com orientação analítico-descritiva, mediante entrevistas semiestruturadas com questões abertas, iniciada após prévia aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa e consentimento esclarecido dos entrevistados. Os sujeitos são pacientes em uso de MMCD biológico para tratamento de AR dispensados pelo SUS. Foi utilizada a ferramenta do itinerário terapêutico (IT) para entendimento do caminho escolhido por estes pacientes na busca por cuidado em saúde. Resultados e Discussão Entre os entrevistados, a busca de cuidado ocorreu tardiamente, normalmente sem a suspeita de que se tratasse de doença reumática degenerativa. Os primeiros profissionais acessados foram o médico clínico geral ou o ortopedista, que raras vezes investigaram com atenção os sintomas relatados para em seguida proceder o encaminhamento adequado e rápido do paciente para o reumatologista. Nos ITs descritos, os tratamentos na sua maioria são constituídos apenas pelos medicamentos, e sem a participação de outros profissionais no acompanhamento além do reumatologista. Os pacientes entrevistados chegaram até o MMCD biológico após tentativa de controle da doença com os MMCDs sintéticos, conforme descreve o protocolo de tratamento do Ministério da Saúde. Há nos ITs descritos diversos atores representantes da iniciativa privada, que apoiam e influenciam estes pacientes na escolha dos seus caminhos por cuidado de saúde, que devem ser melhor compreendidos em estudos futuros / Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic degenerative autoimmune disease of high prevalence and with high morbidity and mortality, worldwide difficult to diagnose. Its prompt diagnosis and rapid onset with disease modifying drugs (DMARD) have a relevant impact on the patient\'s prognosis. For some patients, the synthetic DMARDs will not be effective so these patients should receive a biological DMARD - a high cost medication both to the patient and the health system. Objective - To explore the trajectories performed by patients with RA using biological DMARD in the search for care in the city of São Paulo. Methods - Qualitative research, with an exploratory character, with analytical-descriptive orientation, through semi-structured interviews with open questions, initiated after prior approval of the Committee on Ethics in Research and informed consent of the interviewees. The subjects are patients using biological DMARD to treat RA that were dispensed by SUS. The therapeutic itinerary tool (TI) was used to understand the path chosen by these patients in the search for health care. Results and Discussion Among those interviewees, the search for care occurred late, usually without the suspicion that there was a degenerative rheumatic disease. The first accessed professionals were the general practitioner or the orthopedist, who rarely ever investigated the reported symptoms with attention to direct the patient to the rheumatologist quickly. In the described TIs, the treatments are mostly composed only by the medicines, and without the participation of other professionals in the follow-up besides the rheumatologist. The patients interviewed reached the biological DMARDs after an attempt to control the disease with synthetic DMARD, as described in the Ministry of Health recommendations. There are several actors representing the private sector described in the TI\'s, who support and influence the patients in the choice of their care pathways, which should be better understood in future studies

Introdução A artrite reumatoide (AR) é uma doença crônica autoimune degenerativa, de alta prevalência e alta morbimortalidade, com difícil diagnóstico em todo o mundo. O seu pronto diagnóstico e o rápido início com medicamentos modificadores do curso da doença (MMCD) impactam de forma relevante o prognóstico do paciente. Para alguns pacientes os MMCDs sintéticos não serão eficazes e este paciente deverá receber então um MMCD biológico, medicamento este de alto custo para o paciente e o sistema de saúde. Objetivo - Explorar as trajetórias percorridas na busca por cuidado por pacientes com AR em uso de MMCD biológico no município de São Paulo. Métodos - Pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório, com orientação analítico-descritiva, mediante entrevistas semiestruturadas com questões abertas, iniciada após prévia aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa e consentimento esclarecido dos entrevistados. Os sujeitos são pacientes em uso de MMCD biológico para tratamento de AR dispensados pelo SUS. Foi utilizada a ferramenta do itinerário terapêutico (IT) para entendimento do caminho escolhido por estes pacientes na busca por cuidado em saúde. Resultados e Discussão Entre os entrevistados, a busca de cuidado ocorreu tardiamente, normalmente sem a suspeita de que se tratasse de doença reumática degenerativa. Os primeiros profissionais acessados foram o médico clínico geral ou o ortopedista, que raras vezes investigaram com atenção os sintomas relatados para em seguida proceder o encaminhamento adequado e rápido do paciente para o reumatologista. Nos ITs descritos, os tratamentos na sua maioria são constituídos apenas pelos medicamentos, e sem a participação de outros profissionais no acompanhamento além do reumatologista. Os pacientes entrevistados chegaram até o MMCD biológico após tentativa de controle da doença com os MMCDs sintéticos, conforme descreve o protocolo de tratamento do Ministério da Saúde. Há nos ITs descritos diversos atores representantes da iniciativa privada, que apoiam e influenciam estes pacientes na escolha dos seus caminhos por cuidado de saúde, que devem ser melhor compreendidos em estudos futuros / Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic degenerative autoimmune disease of high prevalence and with high morbidity and mortality, worldwide difficult to diagnose. Its prompt diagnosis and rapid onset with disease modifying drugs (DMARD) have a relevant impact on the patient\'s prognosis. For some patients, the synthetic DMARDs will not be effective so these patients should receive a biological DMARD - a high cost medication both to the patient and the health system. Objective - To explore the trajectories performed by patients with RA using biological DMARD in the search for care in the city of São Paulo. Methods - Qualitative research, with an exploratory character, with analytical-descriptive orientation, through semi-structured interviews with open questions, initiated after prior approval of the Committee on Ethics in Research and informed consent of the interviewees. The subjects are patients using biological DMARD to treat RA that were dispensed by SUS. The therapeutic itinerary tool (TI) was used to understand the path chosen by these patients in the search for health care. Results and Discussion Among those interviewees, the search for care occurred late, usually without the suspicion that there was a degenerative rheumatic disease. The first accessed professionals were the general practitioner or the orthopedist, who rarely ever investigated the reported symptoms with attention to direct the patient to the rheumatologist quickly. In the described TIs, the treatments are mostly composed only by the medicines, and without the participation of other professionals in the follow-up besides the rheumatologist. The patients interviewed reached the biological DMARDs after an attempt to control the disease with synthetic DMARD, as described in the Ministry of Health recommendations. There are several actors representing the private sector described in the TI\'s, who support and influence the patients in the choice of their care pathways, which should be better understood in future studies

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:35:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:03:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:35:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:03:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O câncer é uma doença de alta incidência e é considerado um problema de saúde pública no mundo todo. O resveratrol é um polifenol de defesa que tem a habilidade de inibir a carcinogênese em múltiplos estágios. Este polifenol é sintetizado por uma grande variedade de plantas em resposta a exposição à radiação ultravioleta (UV) ou também, pelo estresse mecânico produzido pela ação de patógenos, agentes químicos e físicos. As videiras são consideradas as plantas que têm uma capacidade elevada de produzir o resveratrol, portanto suco de uva e vinho, principalmente o vinho tinto são considerados uma boa fonte de resveratrol. Os efeitos protetores exercidos pelo resveratrol promovem efeitos como indução da resposta antiinflamatória, atividade antitumoral, prevenção ou inibição de doenças degenerativas, diminuição da incidência de doenças cardiovasculares, inibição da agregação plaquetária, entre outros. Assim, o resveratrol é considerado um protetor celular. Porém, em concentrações mais elevadas, o resveratrol promove o efeito contrário, sensibilizando as células a algum tipo de efeito, como por exemplo, o efeito da radiação ionizante. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar o efeito radiomodificador do resveratrol em cultura de células RD (rabdomiossarcoma humano) aplicando o teste do cometa para avaliação do dano e capacidade de reparo celular. Foi obtida a DL50 das células RD em 403 Gy e o índice de citotoxicidade do resveratrol (IC50%) nas células RD foi de 150 μM. A partir destes resultados foram definidas as doses de radiação gama (50 Gy e 100 Gy) e as concentrações de resveratrol (15 μM 30 μM 60 μM) que foram analisadas no trabalho. Foram evidenciados os efeitos do resveratrol como protetor celular na concentração de 15 μM e seu efeito citotóxico em 60 μM. Com a interação da radiação gama, a concentração de 60 μM não mostrou efeito radiossensibilizador estatisticamente significante. / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Class of 2012 Abstract / Specific Aims: To evaluate the presence of statistical information from clinical studies in official product labeling specific for disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Data were abstracted from official product labeling DMARDs with FDA approval for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Each document was examined for the presence of statement regarding a priori type 1 error rate, p-values, and measures of variance. Medications were classified as either biologic or non-biologic. Main Results: A total of 14 DMARDs, 7 biologics (50%) and 7 non-biologics (50%), were found to be FDA approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Primary outcomes consisted of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response rates, radiographic changes, and health assessment questionnaire score (HAQ). Any measure of variance and the presence of a p-value were both found in six (43%) of the drug labels. Inclusion of p-values was found to be significantly greater in biologics compared to non-biologics for both ACR and radiographic results. Inclusion of variance was found to be significantly greater in biologics compared to non-biologics for radiographic changes only. No package inserts contained statements regarding the a priori type I error rate. Conclusions: Measures of variance are not frequently included in product labeling for either biologic or non-biologic DMARDs. However, inclusion of variance and p-values for ACR response rates and radiographic changes were more likely to be reported for biologics therapies as compared to non-biologics. A statement regarding Type 1 error rates were absent from labels regardless of outcome assessed.

Protein-protein interaction dominates all major biology processes in living cells. Recent studies suggestthat the surface expression and activity of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are the largestfamily of receptors in human cells, can be modulated by receptor activity–modifying proteins (RAMPs). Computational tools are essential to complement experimental approaches for the understanding ofmolecular activity of living cells and molecular dynamics simulations are well suited to providemolecular details of proteins function and structure. The classical atom-level molecular modeling ofbiological systems is limited to small systems and short time scales. Therefore, its application iscomplicated for systems such as protein-protein interaction in cell-surface membrane. For this reason, coarse-grained (CG) models have become widely used and they represent an importantstep in the study of large biomolecular systems. CG models are computationally more effective becausethey simplify the complexity of the protein structure allowing simulations to have longer timescales. The aim of this degree project was to determine if the applications of coarse-grained molecularsimulations were suitable for the understanding of the dynamics and structural basis of the GPCRRAMP interactions in a membrane environment. Results indicate that the study of protein-proteininteractions using CG needs further improvement with a more accurate parameterization that will allowthe study of complex systems.

No description available.

Background: In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), non-adherence to disease-modifying drug therapy is associated with an increased rate of MS relapses. Early identification of patients at risk of non-adherence would allow provision of timely and individualized support. The aim of the BETAPREDICT study was to investigate potential predictors of adherence in patients with MS in Germany treated with interferon β-1b (IFNβ-1b) using the BETACONNECT® autoinjector. Methods: BETAPREDICT was a national, multi-center, prospective, non-interventional, single-arm, 24-month cohort study of patients with relapsing–remitting MS or clinically isolated syndrome receiving IFNβ-1b via the BETACONNECT® autoinjector (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02486640). Injection data were captured by the autoinjector. The primary objective was to determine baseline predictors of compliance, persistence, and adherence to IFNβ-1b treatment after 12- and 24 months using multivariable-adjusted regression. Secondary objectives included evaluation of satisfaction with the autoinjector, injection site pain, vitamin and nutrient supplementation, clinical course, and patient-related outcome measures. Results: Of 165 patients enrolled, 153 were available for analysis (120 with autoinjector data). Seventy-two patients left the study prematurely. Compliance (N = 120), persistence (N = 153), and adherence (N = 120) at 24 months were 89.1, 53.6, and 41.7%, respectively. Compliance at 12- and 24 months was predicted by intake of vitamin D supplements and absence of specific injection site reactions. Positive predictors of persistence included age (at 12- and 24 months) and previous duration of treatment (at 12 months), while intake of vitamins/nutrients other than vitamin D was a negative predictor (at 12 months). Positive predictors of adherence at 24 months were age and being experienced with IFNβ-1b. Higher scores in specific SF-36 subscales were positive predictors of medication-taking behavior at 24 months. Satisfaction with the autoinjector was high at baseline and 24 months (median score: 9 out of 10). Conclusions: Compliance with IFNβ-1b treatment among participants still under observation remained high over a 24-month period, while persistence and adherence continuously declined. Multiple factors affected medication-taking behavior, including patient characteristics, treatment history, injection site reactions, patients’ perception of their health and support programs. The importance of these factors may differ among patients according to their individual situation.