Cristiane Dos Santos VERGILIO, Edésio José Tenório De MELO^*

BIOCELL, Vol.37, No.2, pp. 45-54, 2013, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2013.37.045

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) induces several effects in different tissues, but our knowledge of the toxic effects on organelles is insufficient. To observe the progression of Cd effects on organelle structure and function, HuH-7 cells (human hepatic carcinoma cell line) were exposed to CdCl2 in increasing concentrations (1 μM – 20 μM) and exposure times (2 h – 24 h). During Cd treatment, the cells exhibited a progressive decrease in viability that was both time- and dose-dependent. Cd treated cells displayed progressive morphological changes that included cytoplasm retraction and nuclear condensation preceding a total loss of cell… More >

Solange Marta Franzói De MORAES, Thais Andréia BROGIO, Jacqueline Nelisis ZANONi, Mariana Cristina Vicente Umada ZAPATER, Sidney Barnabé PEREs, Luzmarina HERNANDES

BIOCELL, Vol.37, No.2, pp. 37-43, 2013, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2013.37.037

Abstract Creatine is widely used by athletes as an ergogenic resource. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of creatine supplementation on the duodenum of rats submitted to physical training. The number and myenteric neuronal cell bodies as well mucosal and muscular tunic morphometry were evaluated. Control animals received a standard chow for 8 weeks, and the treated ones received the standard chow for 4 weeks and were later fed with the same chow but added with 2% creatine. Animals were divided in groups: sedentary, sedentary supplemented with creatine, trained and trained supplemented… More >

Orlando J. CASTEJÓN

BIOCELL, Vol.37, No.2, pp. 29-36, 2013, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2013.37.029

Abstract The present paper shows by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy the immunoreactivity of rat cerebellar Lugaro cells for calbindin, synapsin-I, PSD-95, GluR1, CaMKII alpha, and N-cadherin. Lugaro cells were easily characterized by their location beneath Purkinje cells. Calbindin revealed immunoreactivity in the cell body, and the axonal and dendritic processes. Synapsin-I labelled the presynaptic endings on Lugaro cells. Synapsin-I and PSD-95 immunoreactivity demonstrated the localization of presynaptic and postsynaptic endings surrounding cell soma, corresponding to afferent extrinsic and intrinsic cerebellar fi bers. GluR1 immunoreactivity of the soma and cell processes indicates that Lugaro cells More >

K.N. Song¹, S. D. Hong¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 155-165, 2013, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2013.009.155

Abstract The IHX (Intermediate Heat Exchanger) of a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) transfers 950° heat generated from the VHTR to a hydrogen production plant. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has manufactured a lab-scale PCHE (Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger) prototype made of SUS316L under consideration as a candidate. In this study, as a part of a hightemperature structural integrity evaluation of the lab-scale PCHE prototype, a macroscopic structural behavior analysis including structural analysis modeling and a thermal/elastic structural analysis was carried out under the test conditions of a helium experimental loop (HELP) as a More >

VIVIANE DAL-SOUTO FRESCURA¹, ANDRIELLE WOUTERS KUHN¹, HAYWOOD DAIL LAUGHINGHOUSE IV², JUÇARA TEREZINHA PARANHOS¹, SOLANGE BOSIO TEDESCO¹

BIOCELL, Vol.37, No.2, pp. 23-28, 2013, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2013.37.023

Abstract Species of the genus Psychotria are used for multiple purposes in Brazilian folk medicine, either as water infusions, baths or poultices. This study was aimed to evaluate the genotoxic and antiproliferative effects of infusions of Psychotria brachypoda and P. birotula on the Allium cepa test. Exposure to distilled water was used as a negative control, while exposure to glyphosate was used as a positive control. The interaction of extracts (as a post-treatment) with the effects of glyphosate was also studied. Results showed that glyphosate and the extracts of both P. brachypoda and P. birotula reduced the mitotic index as compared… More >

LUCIA PRONSATO, ANABELA LA COLLA, ANA CAROLINA RONDA, LORENA MILANESI, RICARDO BOLAND, ANDREA VASCONSUELO^*

BIOCELL, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 1-9, 2013, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2013.37.001

Abstract Cell lines with high passage numbers exhibit alterations in cell morphology and functions. In the present work, C2C12 skeletal muscle cells with either low (<20) or high (>60) passage numbers (identified as lC2C12 or h-C2C12, respectively) were used to investigate the apoptotic response to H2 O2 as a function of culture age h-C2C12. We found that older cultures (h-C2C12 group) were depleted of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). When we analyzed the behavior of Bad, Bax, caspase-3 and mitochondrial transmembrane potential, we observed that cells in the h-C2C12 group were resistant to H2 O2 induction of More >

R. Afshar¹, F. Berto^1,2

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.9, No.4, pp. 349-364, 2013, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2013.009.349

Abstract Using the finite element method, three-dimensional models of a number of periodic blunt and sharp notches subjected to tension loading are carried out. The aim of this research is to investigate the thickness effect on the location of maximum stress and notch stress intensity factor (NSIF) of corresponding blunt and sharp periodic notches respectively. With this aim, a wide range of notch geometries are examined. While for two-dimensional plates weakened by periodic notches some results are available in the literature, this paper first faces with the problem of three-dimensional cases. The total of about 100 More >

A. Likhith Reddy¹, Shirleen Charles¹, C. Bharathi Priya², G.V. Rama Rao², N. Gopalakrishnan^3,4 , A. Rama Mohan Rao³

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.9, No.4, pp. 325-347, 2013, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2013.009.325

Abstract Details of the investigations on an unexplored application of Electro Mechanical Impedance (EMI) technique using smart piezoelectric (PZT) sensors for damage detection of concrete shear wall structures under crack opening and closing is presented in this paper. The behavior and the ability of this method to detect damages, in a heterogeneous quasi-brittle material is studied for its effective utilization in structural health monitoring. The paper discusses the experimental investigations conducted on a concrete shear wall using PZT patches. Conductance data is acquired at different applied lateral displacements of shear wall. Damage index is calculated using More >

R. Afshar¹, F. Berto¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 167-180, 2013, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2013.009.167

Abstract In this study, the main advantages of the strain energy density (SED) approach and some recent applications of the SED to the fatigue analysis of welded joints are reviewed. In addition, the paper investigates the scale effect in the threaded plates with sharp notches subjected to tension loading. Some closed form expressions for evaluation of the notch stress intensity factors (NSIFs) of periodic sharp notches, obtained by SED approach, are employed. The new expressions are applicable to narrow notches when the ratio between the notch depth and the plate width, t/W, is lower than 0.025 More >

A. Riccio¹, M. Zarrelli², F. Caputo¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 21-42, 2013, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2013.009.021

Abstract In the present paper a three-dimensional Progressive Damage Approach (PDA) for laminated composites will be presented. This approach is based on the use of a progressive damage finite element with the geometrically non-linear finite element formulation for stress calculation. The FEM element has been integrated with Hashin's failure criteria to split fibre and matrix failure modes and to simulate stiffness degradation within each ply by means of the Ply Discount Method (PDM). FEM code previsions, in the case of complex structures with different mesh densities and element types, were compared with the results obtained using More >