Crystallization processes in a nonvibrating magnetic granular system with short range repulsive interaction.

Applying an unsteady magnetic field to a 2D nonvibrating magnetic granular system induces a random motion in the steel beads with characteristics analogous to that of molecules in a fluid. We investigate the structural characteristics of the solid-like structures generated by different quenching conditions. The applied field is generated by the superposition of a constant field and a collinear sinusoidal field. The system reaches a quasi steady state in which the effective temperature is proportional to the amplitude of the applied field. By reducing the effective temperature at different rates, different cooling rates are produced. A slight inclination of the surface allows us to investigate the effects of small particle concentration gradients. The formation of a wide and rich variety of condensed solid structures, from gel-like and glass-like structures up to crystalline structures, is observed and depends on the cooling rate. We focus our attention on the crystallization process and found this process to be a collective phenomenon. We discuss our results in terms of the measured time evolution of the mean squared displacement, the effective diffusion coefficient, and the radial distribution function.

Is there association between human development index and tuberculosis mortality risk? Evidence from a spatial analysis study in the south of Brazil.

The goal of this study was to analyse the spatial pattern of tuberculosis (TB) mortality using different approaches, namely: mortality rates (MR), spatial relative risks (RR) and Bayesian rates (Global and Local) and their association with human development index (HDI), Global and its three dimensions: education, longevity and income. An ecological study was developed in Curitiba, Brazil based on data from Mortality Information System (2008-2014). Spatial scan statistics were used to compute RR and identify high-risk clusters. Bivariate Local Indicator of Spatial Associations was used to assess associations. MR ranged between 0 and 25.24/100.000 with a mean (standard deviation) of 1.07 (2.66). Corresponding values for spatial RR were 0-27.46, 1.2 (2.99) and for Bayesian rates (Global and Local) were 0.49-1.66, 0.90 (0.19) and 0-6.59, 0.98 (0.80). High-risk clusters were identified for all variables, except for HDI-income and Global Bayesian rate. Significant negative spatial relations were found between MR and income; between RR and HDI global, longevity and income; and Bayesian rates with all variables. Some areas presented different patterns: low social development/low risk and high risk/high development. These results demonstrate that social development variables should be considered, in mortality due TB.

Transition from diffusive to subdiffusive motion in colloidal liquids.

In this work we report experimental and theoretical results for the motion of single colloidal particles embedded in complex fluids with different interparticle interactions. The motion of particles is found to follow a similar behavior for the different systems. In particular, the transition from the short-time diffusive motion to the subdiffusive intermediate-time motion is found to occur when the square root of its mean squared displacement is in the order of 1 tenth of the neighbors' interparticle distance, thus following a quantitative criterion similar to Lindemann's criterion for melting.

[Efficacy of repeat coronary dilatation in patients with restenosis of the anterior descending artery]. / Eficácia da redilatação coronária em portadores de reestenose da artéria descendente anterior.

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical characteristics, acute and long term results of repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for restenosis of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LDA) METHODS: We studied 113 patients, 79% male, mean age 59 years, 49.5% had stable angina, with single vessel proximal LDA disease undergoing repeat PTCA for a first restenosis from January/88 to December/92. We examined the in hospital outcome (success rate and complications) and long term follow up (angina status, occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI), death and need for repeat PTCA or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) of this subgroup. RESULTS: Primary success was 96%. Complications included: 1% MI, 1% emergency CABG and 1% procedural death. Follow up data (mean 42 months) was available in 102 (94%) out of 109 patients with successful repeat PTCA: 64 (63%) patients were asymptomatic, 5 (5%) had a MI and 28 (27%) required repeat PTCA or CABG. Actuarial 5 year freedom from death was 94%, freedom from death and MI was 91% and freedom from death, MI and repeat PTCA or CABG was 52%. CONCLUSION: Repeat PTCA is an effective treatment for proximal LAD restenosis with a high success rate, low incidence of procedural complications and provides excellent long term cardiac survival, however repeat revascularization is frequently required.