Leptospirosis: an update - parte 2 of 2: pathogenesis, clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment / Leptospirose: uma actualização - parte 2 de 2: patogénese, aspectos clínicos, diagnóstico e tratamento

Leptospirosis belongs to the category of neglected infectious diseases and, due to its great epidemic potential, its local distribution in tropical regions is of extreme importance. It is a worldwide public health problem, known for the emergence and reappearance of the disease, lack of sanitary conditions and its abandonment. Human infections usually occur after skin contact with soil and/or water that has been contaminated by the urine of chronically infected mammals. The clinical manifestations of the disease range from mild fever, chills and flu-like symptoms to acute forms of the disease. Based on these brief considerations, this article - part 2 of 2 - aims to discuss the biological, ecoepidemiological, prophylactic and control aspects of leptospirosis in Brazil

Design index, U-function and its coefficients in life-time (PRE)determination of machine elements and machineries for dynamic loading

Topical problem described in presented paper is the guarantee and reliability of life-time prediction of structures made from dynamically loaded weldable steels. Author explains the principles of ”the new method” of classification of steels with acceptation of nondimensional design index Re / Rm in (pre)determination of machines elements for dynamic loading. Calculations for one, two and three parametric influence of carbon content, yield strength Re , tensile strength Rm and design index Re / Rm on load ratio critical value Rcrit using linear and non-linear statistic and statistical reliability fields are presented

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 346)

This bibliography lists 134 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during Jan. 1991. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance

Effect of coronavirus-19 restrictions in male handball players:physical activity, sedentary behavior, and satisfaction with life

This experiment examined physical activity (PA), sitting time, and satisfaction with life (SL) in European (45%) and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA; 55%) handball players (n = 418; age: 25.6 ± 6.8 years; body mass: 88.1 ± 11.7 kg; height: 1.83 ± 0.08 m) during the coronavirus (COVID)-19 pandemic. The International Physical Activity (IPAQ) and Satisfaction of Life (LS) Questionnaires were administered. All PA variables (vigorous, moderate, walking, total PA) were negatively influenced, but no interaction effects (IE; region x time) were observed. Sitting time increased from 2.5 to 4.9 h∙weekday−1 (ηp2 = 0.80) and walking time decreased from 66.8 to 33.5 min∙day−1 (ηp2 = 0.83). Based on effect sizes (d), pre- to during-confinement reductions were similar between regions (MENA: d = 3.29; Europe: d = 3.41; IE: ηp2 = 0.01). The largest regional difference was in moderate PA (MENA: d = 1.88; Europe: d = 2.99; IE: ηp2 = 0.09). SL in the total sample reduced from 30.6 ± 2.02 to 13.9 ± 2.20 arbitrary units (AU). SL reduction was similar in both regions (dMENA = 8.44; dEUROPE = 8.06; IE: ηp2 = 0.01). To conclude, PA decreased during COVID-19 confinement, sitting time increased, and SL decreased irrespective of geographical region. These preliminary findings highlight risk of SL and physical inactivity during COVID-19 restrictions in 2021

Rotational Symmetry of Classical Orbits, Arbitrary Quantization of Angular Momentum and the Role of Gauge Field in Two-Dimensional Space

We study the quantum-classical correspondence in terms of coherent wave functions of a charged particle in two-dimensional central-scalar-potentials as well as the gauge field of a magnetic flux in the sense that the probability clouds of wave functions are well localized on classical orbits. For both closed and open classical orbits, the non-integer angular-momentum quantization with the level-space of angular momentum being greater or less than $\hbar$ is determined uniquely by the same rotational symmetry of classical orbits and probability clouds of coherent wave functions, which is not necessarily $2\pi$-periodic. The gauge potential of a magnetic flux impenetrable to the particle cannot change the quantization rule but is able to shift the spectrum of canonical angular momentum by a flux-dependent value, which results in a common topological phase for all wave functions in the given model. The quantum mechanical model of anyon proposed by Wilczek (Phys. Rev. Lette. 48, 1144) becomes a special case of the arbitrary-quantization.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

From WIS.2 to Smart Forest – a sustainable forest management decision support system

WIS.2 is a DSS for monitoring and implementing the goal-oriented and sustainable management of forest ecosystems, especially with regard to the integral management of significant spatial and temporal scales in forest ecosystems. WIS.2 considers multiple ecosystem goods and services in silvicultural management and the implementation of silvicultural interventions, which are in accordance with the Swiss silvicultural tradition. WIS.2 takes a top-down approach, starting with the entrepreneurial strategy, and ending at short and mid-term interventions at stand level. WIS.2 structures the overall decision process across multiple scales and provides decision support for each decision to be taken by organizing and connecting available data and models. WIS.2 is based on MS Access and ArcGIS View and is composed of different applications, each handling a main aspect of the management of forest ecosystems. The tool is used at the level of higher education in forest management in Switzerland. WIS.2, initially developed during 2001-2005 within the framework of a PhD thesis at the ETH in Zurich (Rosset 2005a), has been successively improved through practical use in more than 10 case studies in five Swiss Cantons. The main challenge is now to advance from a prototype to an easily available consolidated IT product

Learning performance assessment approach using learning portfolio for e-learning systems

Learning performance assessment aims to evaluate what learners learnt during the learning process. In recent years, how to perform the learning performance assessment is a critical issue in the web-based learning field. The traditional summative evaluation can be applied to evaluate the learning performance both for the conventional classroom learning and web-based learning. However, it only considers final learning outcomes without considering the learning progress of learners. This paper proposes a learning performance assessment approach which combines four computational intelligence theories including grey relational analysis, K-means clustering method, fuzzy association rule mining and fuzzy inference to perform this task based on the learning portfolio of individual learner. Experimental results indicate that the evaluation result of proposed method is positive relevance with those of summative assessment. Namely, this method can help teachers to precisely perform the formative assessment for individual learner utilizing only the learning portfolio in web-based learning environment. 1

The puzzling temporally variable optical and X-ray afterglow of GRB 101024A

Aim: To present the optical observations of the afterglow of GRB 101024A and to try to reconcile these observations with the X-ray afterglow data of GRB 101024A using current afterglow models Method: We employ early optical observations using the Zadko Telescope combined with X-ray data and compare with the reverse shock/forward shock model. Results: The early optical light curve reveals a very unusual steep decay index of alpha~5. This is followed by a flattening and possibly a plateau phase coincident with a similar feature in the X-ray. We discuss these observations in the framework of the standard reverse shock/forward shock model and energy injection.We note that the plateau phase might also be the signature of the formation of a new magnetar.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic