Resumo Os veículos que trafegam nas rodovias brasileiras mudaram muito nas últimas décadas, ocorrendo um aumento na capacidade de carga e na quantidade de caminhões. Esse fato não é exclusivo do nosso país, tanto que na última década houve um grande desenvolvimento dos sistemas de pesagem em movimento em pontes (bridge weigh-in-motion, B-WIM), especialmente nos países desenvolvidos, para avaliação da segurança estrutural de pontes. Moses em 1979 foi o primeiro a introduzir o conceito de B-WIM e o algoritmo por ele desenvolvido continua sendo o mais popular nos sistemas comerciais. No presente estudo são mostrados os resultados da utilização de um sistema B-WIM no monitoramento de uma ponte sobre o rio Lambari, na BR 153, no município de Uruaçu (Goiás). A técnica de pesagem em movimento empregada é baseada no algoritmo de Moses e utiliza linhas de influência obtidas diretamente do tráfego. A caracterização do tráfego atuante nessa rodovia, bem como os esforços introduzidos na estrutura da ponte e um coeficiente de impacto obtido de forma experimental são também discutidos. Ao final conclui-se que o sistema empregado é capaz de detectar com boa precisão o espaçamento entre os eixos e o peso bruto total dos veículos apresenta erros inferiores a 3% quando comparados com os pesos obtidos em balança estática.

Abstract The vehicles that travel on Brazilian highways have changed a lot in the last decades, with an increase in the traffic load and in the amount of trucks. This fact is not exclusive to our country, so much that in order to assess the structural safety of bridges, there was a great development in bridge weigh-in-motion systems (B-WIM) the last decade, especially in developed countries. Moses, in 1979, was the first one to introduce the B-WIM concept. This work presents the results of a B-WIM system applied on a bridge over the Lambari river, located at BR 153 in Uruaçu (Goiás). The weigh-in-motion technique used is based on Moses' Algorithm and uses influence lines obtained direct from traffic. Traffic characterization of that particular highway, as well as the effects introduced in the bridge structure and the experimental dynamic amplification factor are also discussed. At the end it is concluded that the system used is capable of detecting, with good precision, the axle spacing and the gross vehicle weight shows errors inferior to 3% when compared with the gross weight acquired with static scale.

Abstract This paper presents a Backtracking Search Optimization algorithm (BSA) to simultaneously optimize the size, shape and topology of truss structures. It focuses on the optimization of these three aspects since it is well known that the most effective scheme of truss optimization is achieved when they are simultaneously considered. The minimization of structural weight is the objective function, imposing displacement, stress, local buckling and/or kinematic stability constraints. The effectiveness of the BSA at solving this type of optimization problem is demonstrated by solving a series of benchmark problems comparing not only the best designs found, but also the statistics of 100 independent runs of the algorithm. The numerical analysis showed that the BSA provided promising results for the analyzed problems. Moreover, in several cases, it was also able to improve the statistics of the independent runs such as the mean and coefficient of variation values.

A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é uma doença de origem genética, cuja principal manifestação clínica é enfraquecimento e atrofia progressiva dos músculos. Os cães da raça Golden Retriever podem apresentar distrofia muscular, com características genotípicas e fenotípicas muito próximas à distrofia muscular humana, sendo considerado o modelo animal mais apropriado para o estudo da DMD. Foram realizadas radiografias torácicas látero-laterais e dorsoventrais de 10 cães Golden Retriever afetados pela distrofia muscular, com o objetivo de relatar as alterações radiográficas associadas a essa patologia. O exame radiográfico da cavidade torácica evidenciou: (a) padrão pulmonar intersticial e alveolar predominante, (b) um quadro de pneumonia e edema pulmonar em fase inicial, (c) a cardiomegalia como o principal achado de comprometimento circulatório na cavidade torácica, (d) O megaesôfago torácico foi observado deslocando a traquéia e silhueta cardíaca ventralmente e, (e) a cúpula diafragmática apresentou modificação morfológica, mostrando protrusão para o interior da cavidade torácica e hérnia hiatal, com deslocamento do estômago para o espaço mediastino caudal. Os achados de necropsia evidenciaram efusão pleural e enfisema pulmonar e lesões compatíveis com processos degenerativos e metaplásicos da musculatura diafragmática e intercostal. A avaliação radiográfica constituiu-se como um meio diagnóstico auxiliar essencial na identificação de doença cardíaca e respiratória em cães Golden Retriever acometidos pela Distrofia Muscular, capaz de identificar processos pneumônicos primários, permitindo o estabelecimento de terapêutica adequada de tratamento, com prognóstico reservado nos estágios mais avançados desta alteração.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder with clinical signs of muscular weaknesses and progressive atrophy. Golden Retriever dogs show similar genotypic and phenotypic characteristics to Human Muscular Dystrophy and are considered a proper animal model for DMD studies. Latero-lateral and dorso-ventral thoracic radiographies were obtained from 10 Golden Retriever dogs affected by muscular dystrophy, to investigate possible radiographic alterations. Thorax radiographic examination revealed (a) interstitial and alveolar pattern, (b) initial phases of pneumonia and pulmonary edema, (c) cardiomegaly as a principal alteration in the thoracic cavity, (d) megaesophagus displacing the trachea and heart silhouette, and (e) cranial protrusion of the diaphragm lining into the thorax with development of a hiatus hernia displacing the stomach to the caudal mediastinum. Postmortem examination showed pleural effusion, pulmonary emphysema, degenerative and metaplasic processes in the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. Radiographic examination was considered essential for the diagnosis of cardiac and respiratory disease in Golden Retriever dogs affected by muscular dystrophy, and to identify the primary pulmonary process and to provide the establishment of suitable therapeutic treatment, with a reserved prognosis in advanced stage of the disease.

In the whole body scans (WBS) with 131I in the follow-up or treatment of patients bearing DTC it is observed frequently fixation areas of the tracer apparently in relation with salivary glands. These areas generally belong to the salivary glands and are present during the first 48/72 hours, but others are kept during more than 3 weeks. These latter ones were considered as possible uptake in ectopic thyroid cells in the mouth floor, iodized proteins, retention of salivary glands and other assertions. Valdivieso et al (Cong. Arg. Biol. Med. Nuclear, 1996) and Gutiérrez et al (SLAT,Chile, 1997) considered that the fixation took place also in maxillary bones probably in areas in relation with dental illness (inflammation, pulpitis, dental caries, perionditis, periapical granuloma, periapical cyst and resorption of surrounding bone seen radiologically as periapical radiolucency). This presumption was sustained for two publications (Clin. Nucl. Med. 1998;23. 747-749, and Clin. Nucl. Med. 2000; 23; 314-315). This end the review of 638 131I WBS carried out between January 1st, 2002 and December 31st of 2007 in 502 patients that were studied for ablation, treatment of metastasis or relapses or follow up. In 31,5% of the patients were observed areas of activity in maxilla. The intensity of concentration of the tracer was 0.3 to 1.2 % of the activity administered. In 10 patients was determinate the effective T ½ and in 5 a panoramic Rx of the maxilla and a bone scintigraphy with 99mTc-MDP; there were correlation between both images, the 131I one an the 99mTc-MDP with radiology. The effective T½ mean value was 6,87 days ± 0,94 (S.D.) very close to the physical T ½ of the radioiodine tracer indicating a strongly labeled molecule. In 6 patients treated with high activities of radioiodine (5,55 to 11,1 MBq - 150 to 300 mCi) actinic lesions were observed in mouth and lingual mucous membrane, including ulcers. The intensity of the images and of the lesions correlate with the intensity of the administered activity of radioiodine, the previous condition of dental integrity and in patients living in the interior of our country in zones of "bad" water containing tracers of arsenic and fluorine. In 13 patients submitted to intense treatment of dental problems posterior WBS showed a decrease of the positive maxilla areas or they were not found. The presence of metastasis in the active maxilla area was in all cases negative. Our observations confirm that radioiodine is deposited in maxillary bone in relation of dental lesions and that this 131I move in a very slow place. This mechanism of fixation has to be determined. We fully recommended taking into account the existence of dental illness or incomplete dental treatments when the administration of higher activities than 3.7 GBq (150 mCi).

En estudios centellográficos con 131I (CCT) para seguimiento, postablación o tratamiento de pacientes portadores de carcinoma diferenciado de tiroides (CDT) se observan frecuentemente en tiempos precoces áreas de captación del radiotrazador en macizo facial. Estas áreas corresponden, generalmente, a glándulas salivares y extremo anterior de mucosa nasal y se mantienen durante las primeras 48 horas y no son observadas generalmente a las 72 horas. Pero con menor frecuencia se presentan otras que persisten durante varias semanas; estas áreas fueron consideradas como posibles retención en glándulas salivares, en tejido tiroideo ectópico en piso de boca, o proteínas yodas entre otras causas. En 1996 Valdivieso y col. (Cong. Arg. Biol. Med. Nuclear, Mar del Plata) y Gutiérrez y col. (SLAT, Chile) consideraron además de las mencionadas posibilidades, que la fijación se podría realizar en hueso maxilar en relación con procesos dentales y esta idea se vio favorecida por dos presentaciones sobre pocos casos que coincidían con la idea sobre el lugar de fijación del radioelemento con producción de imágenes falsas-positivas de enfermedad metastática. Con el propósito de determinar la frecuencia de observación de estas imágenes se procedió a la revisión de 636 CCT efectuados entre el 1 de enero de 2002 y el 31 de diciembre de 2007 en 502 pacientes. En el 31,5 % de los pacientes se observaron áreas activas en maxilares que persistían por varias semanas; la intensidad de concentración fue del 0,3 al 1,2 % de la actividad administrada. En 10 pacientes se efectuaron áreas de interés sobre las zonas activas que se controlaron durante 3 semanas, determinándose el T ½ efectivo registrándose valores promedio de 6,87 ± 0,94 días muy próximos al T ½ físico del 131I, indicando fuerte unión del compuesto radiactivo formado. La intensidad de concentración del radioyodo es variable dependiendo de la intensidad de la lesión dental, (caries, prótesis, pulpitis, granulomas periapicales) y en especial se incrementa en pacientes provenientes del interior que habitaban en zonas con aguas con contenido de flúor o arsénico. Seis pacientes tratados con actividades altas de radioyodo de entre 5,55 y 11,1 MBQ (150 a 300 mCi) mostraron lesiones actínicas en mucosa bucal y lingual. En 5 pacientes se efectuaron inmediatamente después del CCT con radioyodo, estudios panorámicos de Rx maxilar y de centellograma óseo coincidiendo las imágenes maxilares positivas de ambos estudios con las áreas positivas con radioyodo, confirmándose la localización de las mismas. En 13 pacientes que se sometieron a intensos tratamientos odontológicos, en estudios de CCT posteriores se apreció la disminución de intensidad de las imágenes o su desaparición. Ninguno de los pacientes presentó metástasis de CDA en las áreas activas maxilares. Estos hallazgos confirman la concentración del radioyodo en hueso maxilar en relación con alteraciones, dentales debiendo efectuarse investigaciones más profundas sobre la naturaleza de la molécula formada y los mecanismo de fijación de la misma. Deberá tenerse en cuenta el estado de salud dentario del pacientes antes de someterlo a tratamiento de metástasis o ablaciones, en especial cuando las actividades de radioyodo a utilizar sean mayores de 3,7 GBq (100 mCi) y aún indicar tratamiento de las lesiones dentales en forma previa.