Assessing the Effectiveness of Sequence Diagrams in the Comprehension of Functional Requirements: Results from a Family of Five Experiments

Modeling is a fundamental activity within the requirements engineering process and concerns the construction of abstract descriptions of requirements that are amenable to interpretation and validation. The choice of a modeling technique is critical whenever it is necessary to discuss the interpretation and validation of requirements. This is particularly true in the case of functional requirements and stakeholders with divergent goals and different backgrounds and experience. This paper presents the results of a family of experiments conducted with students and professionals to investigate whether the comprehension of functional requirements is influenced by the use of dynamic models that are represented by means of the UML sequence diagrams. The family contains five experiments performed in different locations and with 112 participants of different abilities and levels of experience with the UML. The results show that sequence diagrams improve the comprehension of the modeled functional requirements in the case of high ability and more experienced participants

On the Impact of Tsallis Statistics on Cosmic Ray Showers

We investigate the impact of the Tsallis nonextensive statistics introduced by intrinsic temperature fluctuations in p-Air ultrahigh energy interactions on observables of cosmic ray showers, such as the slant depth of the maximum Xmax and the muon number on the ground Nμ. The results show that these observables are significantly affected by temperature fluctuations and agree qualitatively with the predictions of Heitler model

Organic and conventional tomato cropping systems.

Among several alternative agricultural systems have been developed, organic agriculture has deserved increasing interest from. The objective of this paper was comparing both organic (OS) and conventional (CS) tomato cropping systems for varieties Débora and Santa Clara, through an interdisciplinary study. The experiment was set up in a randomized blocks design with six replicates, in a dystrophic Ultisol plots measuring 25 ´ 17 m. Cropping procedures followed by either local conventional or organic growers practices recommendations. Fertilization in the OS was done with organic compost, single superphosphate, dolomitic limes (5L, 60 g, and 60 g per pit), and sprayed twice a week with biofertilizer. Fertilization in the CS was done with 200 g 4-14-8 (NPK) per pit and, after planting, 30 g N, 33 g K and 10.5 g P per pit; from 52 days after planting forth, plants were sprayed once a week with foliar fertilizer. In the CS, a blend of insecticides, fungicides and miticides was sprayed twice a week, after planting. In the OS, extracts of black pepper, garlic, and Eucalyptus; Bordeaux mixture, and biofertilizer, were applied twice a week to control diseases and pests. Tomato spotted wilt was the most important disease in the OS, resulting in smaller plant development, number of flower clusters and yield. In the CS, the disease was kept under control, and the population of thrips, the virus vector, occurred at lower levels than in the OS. Variety Santa Clara presented greater incidence of the viral disease, and for this reason had a poorer performance than 'Débora', especially in the OS. Occurrence of Liriomyza spp. was significantly smaller in the OS, possibly because of the greater frequency of Chrysoperla. The CS had smaller incidence of leaf spots caused by Septoria lycopersici and Xanthomonas vesicatoria. However, early blight and fruit rot caused by Alternaria solani occurred in larger numbers. No differences were observed with regard to the communities of fungi and bacteria in the phylloplane, and to the occurrence of weeds

Neurotransmitter evaluation in the hippocampus of rats after intracerebral injection of TsTX scorpion toxin

TsTX is an a-type sodium channel toxin that stimulates the discharge of neurotransmitters from neurons. In the present study we investigated which neurotransmitters are released in the hippocampus after TsTX injection and if they are responsible for electrographic or histopathological effects. Microdialysis revealed that the toxin increased glutamate extracellular levels in the hippocampus; however, levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were not significantly altered. Neurodegeneration in pyramidal cells of hippocampus and electroencephalographic alterations caused by the toxin were blocked by pretreatment with riluzole, a glutamate release inhibitor. The present results suggest a specific activity of TsTX in the hippocampus which affects only glutamate releas

Dinâmica da Governança em Unidades de Conservação: Estudo de Caso da Estação Ecológica de Carijós, Florianópolis, Brasil

The subject of this article is the Governance Dynamics of Conservation Units (CUs). This subject is analyzed with reference to a case study of the Carijós Ecological Station (ESEC Carijós), which is located in South coast of Brazil, on the Island of Santa Catarina - Florianópolis, in an area of urban growth. The great majority of PAs in Brazil have governance problems. In principal, these problems could be related to lack of good management; of an adequate infrastructure at the unit; and of effective environmental education of the local community, and participatory management that involves it. The case study, using the timeline since its creation 1987 by 2016, surveyed, endogenous elements with influence and exogenous elements that can interfere in the process of governance of these Units. The fruit of this study was two sets of results. The first set, comprising a Basic Analytical Model, provides a framework for organization of the data to be collected and how they change and adapt – or not – over time. This model showed that throughout the history of ESEC Carijós, its infrastructure has never exceeded the level of “regular”; environmental education has varied from “negative”, when the unit was created, to “favorable” during two different periods, and participatory management achieved a “regular” rating in just one period and was “nonexistent” in all others. There were elements in favor of the managers analyzed, who administered the unit well, in the context of the conditions they were faced with. The second set of results, comprising a Functional Model, is a representation that combines temporal elements (successive facts related to formation/construction) with processes of influence/control (both endogenous and exogenous). This model showed that no administration is exclusively the result of the intentions of the local manager and the surrounding community, since the results are dependent on external factors which, very often, are beyond their control. The exogenous factors are determinant in a CU, very often making the local management needed in each location very difficult to achieve. This research project has clearly shown that analysis of a system for good governance is much more complex than initially considered and that endogenous and exogenous factors influence the types of results achieved in very different ways. Finally, it also indicates the need for a dynamic/functional (systemic) perspective to comprehend the structural and controlling elements of governance in PAs.O tema deste trabalho é a dinâmica da Governança em Unidades de Conservação (UC), tendo como estudo de caso a Estação Ecológica de Carijós (ESEC Carijós), localizada no litoral sul do Brasil, na Ilha de Santa Catarina – Florianópolis, em uma área de crescimento urbano. No Brasil, as UCs, em sua grande maioria, apresentam problemas de governança. Esses problemas, a princípio, podem estar relacionados à falta de uma boa gestão, de uma estrutura adequada da Unidade e de uma efetiva educação ambiental e gestão participativa da comunidade local. No estudo de caso analisado, utilizando a linha do tempo de seu histórico, desde sua criação em 1987 até o ano de 2016, foram detalhados os aspectos endógenos de influência, além daqueles aspectos exógenos, que podem interferir no processo de governança dessas Unidades. A pesquisa apresentou dois conjuntos de resultados: o primeiro, denominado Modelo de Análise Básico, serviu de base para a organização dos dados e como eles se moldam e se modificam – ou não – ao longo do tempo. Este demostrou que a estrutura em todo o histórico da ESEC Carijós não avançou do patamar de “regular”; a educação ambiental variou de “negativa” a “favorável” em dois períodos, sendo a gestão participativa regular em somente um período e inexistente nos demais. Ponto favorável para as gestões analisados, realizando uma boa gestão, dentro da condição apresentada. O segundo conjunto de resultados, chamado de Modelo Funcional, é uma representação que combina aspectos temporais (fatos sucessivos de formação/construção) com processos e influência/controle (endógenos e exógenos). Este demonstrou que uma gestão não se define somente devido à vontade de um gestor local e sua comunidade de entorno, dependendo de fatores externos e, muitas vezes, alheios a sua vontade. Os fatores exógenos são preponderantes em uma UC, dificultando, muitas vezes, o processo de gestão local, necessário de cada localidade. Nesta pesquisa, ficou evidente que a análise de um sistema para a boa governança é bem mais complexa do que inicialmente presumido, e que fatores endógenos e exógenos influenciam, de forma consideravelmente diferenciada, o tipo de resultado alcançado. Finalmente, fica indicada como necessária uma visão dinâmica/funcional (sistêmica) para a compreensão dos aspectos estruturantes e de controle da governança em UC

cardiovascular manifestations in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus

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Total Parathyroidectomy with Presternal Intramuscular Autotransplantation in Renal Patients: A Prospective Study of 66 Patients

Surgical treatment of secondary (SHPT) and tertiary hyperparathyroidism (THPT) may involve various surgical approaches. The aim of this paper was to evaluate presternal intramuscular autotransplantation of parathyroid tissue as a surgical option in SHPT and THPT treatment. 66 patients with renal chronic disease underwent surgery from April 2000 to April 2005 at Universidade Federal São Paulo, Brazil. There were 38 SHPT patients (24 women/14 men), mean age of 39.yrs (range: 14–58), and 28 THPT patients (14 women/14 men), mean age of 43.4 yrs (range: 24–62). Postoperative average followup was 42.9 months (range: 12–96). Postoperative intact PTH increased throughout followup from 73.5 pg/mL to 133 pg/mL on average from 1st to the 5th year, respectively, in SHPT and from 54.9 pg/mL to 94.7 pg/mL on average from 1st to 5th year, respectively, in THPT group. Definitive hypoparathyroidism was observed in 4 (6.06%) patients and graft-dependent recurrence in 6 (9.09%). Presternal intramuscular autotransplantation of parathyroid tissue is a feasible and safe surgical option in SHPT and THPT treatment

A 10-Year Experience in Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Measurements for Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Prospective Study of 91 Previous Unexplored Patients

Introduction. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) is characteristically determined by high levels of calcium and high or inappropriate levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Technological advances have dramatically changed the surgical technique over the years once intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) assay had allowed for focused approaches. Objective. To evaluate our 10-year experience in employing a rapid intraoperative PTH assay for PHP. Methods. A prospective cohort of 91 PHP-operated patients in a tertiary institution in São Paulo, Brazil, from June 2000 to April 2011. Results. We had 85 (93.4%) successful parathyroidectomies, 6 (6.6%) failed parathyroidectomies in 91 previous unexplored patients, and 5 (100%) successful remedial surgeries. The IOPTH was true-positive in 88.5%, true-negative in 7.3%, false-positive in 2.1%, and false-negative in 2.1% of the procedures. IOPTH was able to obviate additional exploration or to ask for additional exploration in 92 (95.8%) procedures. Conclusion. The IOPTH revealed to be an important technological adjunct in the current parathyroid surgery for PHP

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of Orf virus from sheep in Brazil: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Orf virus </it>(ORFV), the prototype of the genus <it>Parapoxvirus </it>(PPV), is the etiological agent of contagious ecthyma, a severe exanthematic dermatitis that afflicts domestic and wild small ruminants. Although South American ORFV outbreaks have occurred and diagnosed there are no South American PPV major membrane glycoprotein B2L gene nucleotide sequences available.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>an outbreak of ovine contagious ecthyma in Midwest Brazil was investigated. The diagnosis was based on clinical examinations and molecular biology techniques. The molecular characterization of the virus was done using PCR amplification, cloning and DNA sequencing of the B2L gene. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a high degree of identity with ORFV strains, and the isolate was closest to the ORFV-India 82/04 isolate. Another Brazilian ORFV isolate, NE1, was sequenced for comparative analysis and also showed a high degree of identity with an Asian ORFV strain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Distinct ORFV strains are circulating in Brazil. This is the first report on the phylogenetic analysis of an ORFV in South America.</p