Modeling the thermal environment in an operating room

Comfort is important in everybody's lives, as it is not only a health subject, but also a productive issue. As environmental conditions differ accordingly to the space use, there is a direct influence of this space on human comfort. The Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems are a crucial way to obtain the expected air quality levels in the interior of buildings and to achieve thermal comfort. These systems ensure air renewal, pressurization, temperature control, and air humidity, being of utmost importance in healthcare facilities. Providing thermal comfort conditions and good air quality, especially in operating rooms, is a difficult task, as the environmental conditions should be suitable for medical staff performance and for patient safety, as well. In the current study, a Computational Fluid Dynamics model was developed and coupled with a thermoregulatory model of the human body to describe the fluid flow, heat transfer and mass transfer between the ventilation air and a human manikin inside an operating room. The CFD simulation solves the heat, mass and momentum conservation equations in the computation domain using a finite volume discretization method, in the ANSYS - environment. The interaction between the body and the environment is determined by the thermoregulatory model, which includes temperature and the moisture diffusion through the cloth fabrics. The combination of the human body and space ventilation models allows evaluating the influence of the main thermal comfort variables on the calculation of comfort index, such as, the PMV

Vocal Communications and the Maintenance of Population Specific Songs in a Contact Zone

Bird song has been hypothesized to play a role in several important aspects of the biology of songbirds, including the generation of taxonomic diversity by speciation; however, the role that song plays in speciation within this group may be dependent upon the ability of populations to maintain population specific songs or calls in the face of gene flow and external cultural influences. Here, in an exploratory study, we construct a spatially explicit model of population movement to examine the consequences of secondary contact of populations singing distinct songs. We concentrate on two broad questions: 1) will population specific songs be maintained in a contact zone or will they be replaced by shared song, and 2) what spatial patterns in the distribution of songs may result from contact? We examine the effects of multiple factors including song-based mating preferences and movement probabilities, oblique versus paternal learning of song, and both cultural and genetic mutations. We find a variety of conditions under which population specific songs can be maintained, particularly when females have preferences for their population specific songs, and we document many distinct patterns of song distribution within the contact zone, including clines, banding, and mosaics

AFLP analysis reveals high genetic diversity but low population structure in Coccidioides posadasiiisolates from Mexico and Argentina

BACKGROUND: Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii cause coccidioidomycosis, a disease that is endemic to North and South America, but for Central America, the incidence of coccidioidomycosis has not been clearly established. Several studies suggest genetic variability in these fungi; however, little definitive information has been discovered about the variability of Coccidioides fungi in Mexico (MX) and Argentina (AR). Thus, the goals for this work were to study 32 Coccidioides spp. isolates from MX and AR, identify the species of these Coccidioides spp. isolates, analyse their phenotypic variability, examine their genetic variability and investigate the Coccidioides reproductive system and its level of genetic differentiation. METHODS: Coccidioides spp. isolates from MX and AR were taxonomically identified by phylogenetic inference analysis using partial sequences of the Ag2/PRA gene and their phenotypic characteristics analysed. The genetic variability, reproductive system and level of differentiation were estimated using AFLP markers. The level of genetic variability was assessed measuring the percentage of polymorphic loci, number of effective allele, expected heterocygosity and Index of Association (I(A)). The degree of genetic differentiation was determined by AMOVA. Genetic similarities among isolates were estimated using Jaccard index. The UPGMA was used to contsruct the corresponding dendrogram. Finally, a network of haplotypes was built to evaluate the genealogical relationships among AFLP haplotypes. RESULTS: All isolates of Coccidioides spp. from MX and AR were identified as C. posadasii. No phenotypic variability was observed among the C. posadasii isolates from MX and AR. Analyses of genetic diversity and population structure were conducted using AFLP markers. Different estimators of genetic variability indicated that the C. posadasii isolates from MX and AR had high genetic variability. Furthermore, AMOVA, dendrogram and haplotype network showed a small genetic differentiation among the C. posadasii populations analysed from MX and AR. Additionally, the I(A) calculated for the isolates suggested that the species has a recombinant reproductive system. CONCLUSIONS: No phenotypic variability was observed among the C. posadasii isolates from MX and AR. The high genetic variability observed in the isolates from MX and AR and the small genetic differentiation observed among the C. posadasii isolates analysed, suggest that this species could be distributed as a single genetic population in Latin America

Candidiasis, Bacterial Vaginosis, Trichomoniasis and Other Vaginal Conditions Affecting the Vulva

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Consolidated bioprocessing of corn cob-derived hemicellulose: engineered industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae as efficient whole cell biocatalysts

Background Consolidated bioprocessing, which combines saccharolytic and fermentative abilities in a single microorganism, is receiving increased attention to decrease environmental and economic costs in lignocellulosic biorefineries. Nevertheless, the economic viability of lignocellulosic ethanol is also dependent of an efficient utilization of the hemicellulosic fraction, which contains xylose as a major component in concentrations that can reach up to 40% of the total biomass in hardwoods and agricultural residues. This major bottleneck is mainly due to the necessity of chemical/enzymatic treatments to hydrolyze hemicellulose into fermentable sugars and to the fact that xylose is not readily consumed by Saccharomyces cerevisiaethe most used organism for large-scale ethanol production. In this work, industrial S. cerevisiae strains, presenting robust traits such as thermotolerance and improved resistance to inhibitors, were evaluated as hosts for the cell-surface display of hemicellulolytic enzymes and optimized xylose assimilation, aiming at the development of whole-cell biocatalysts for consolidated bioprocessing of corn cob-derived hemicellulose. Results These modifications allowed the direct production of ethanol from non-detoxified hemicellulosic liquor obtained by hydrothermal pretreatment of corn cob, reaching an ethanol titer of 11.1 g/L corresponding to a yield of 0.328 g/g of potential xylose and glucose, without the need for external hydrolytic catalysts. Also, consolidated bioprocessing of pretreated corn cob was found to be more efficient for hemicellulosic ethanol production than simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with addition of commercial hemicellulases. Conclusions These results show the potential of industrial S. cerevisiae strains for the design of whole-cell biocatalysts and paves the way for the development of more efficient consolidated bioprocesses for lignocellulosic biomass valorization, further decreasing environmental and economic costs.This work has been carried out at the Biomass and Bioenergy Research Infrastructure (BBRI)-LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-022059, supported by Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (PORTUGAL2020), by Lisbon Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa 2020) and by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Norte 2020) under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and has been supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020, the “Contrato-Programa” UIDB/04050/2020, the MIT-Portugal Program (Ph.D. Grant PD/BD/128247/2016 to Joana T. Cunha) and through Project FatVal (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032506) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Coastal Upwelling Supplies Oxygen-Depleted Water to the Columbia River Estuary

Low dissolved oxygen (DO) is a common feature of many estuarine and shallow-water environments, and is often attributed to anthropogenic nutrient enrichment from terrestrial-fluvial pathways. However, recent events in the U.S. Pacific Northwest have highlighted that wind-forced upwelling can cause naturally occurring low DO water to move onto the continental shelf, leading to mortalities of benthic fish and invertebrates. Coastal estuaries in the Pacific Northwest are strongly linked to ocean forcings, and here we report observations on the spatial and temporal patterns of oxygen concentration in the Columbia River estuary. Hydrographic measurements were made from transect (spatial survey) or anchor station (temporal survey) deployments over a variety of wind stresses and tidal states during the upwelling seasons of 2006 through 2008. During this period, biologically stressful levels of dissolved oxygen were observed to enter the Columbia River estuary from oceanic sources, with minimum values close to the hypoxic threshold of 2.0 mg L−1. Riverine water was consistently normoxic. Upwelling wind stress controlled the timing and magnitude of low DO events, while tidal-modulated estuarine circulation patterns influenced the spatial extent and duration of exposure to low DO water. Strong upwelling during neap tides produced the largest impact on the estuary. The observed oxygen concentrations likely had deleterious behavioral and physiological consequences for migrating juvenile salmon and benthic crabs. Based on a wind-forced supply mechanism, low DO events are probably common to the Columbia River and other regional estuaries and if conditions on the shelf deteriorate further, as observations and models predict, Pacific Northwest estuarine habitats could experience a decrease in environmental quality

The Role of Research in Viral Disease Eradication and Elimination Programs: Lessons for Malaria Eradication

Using their experiences from, and analysis of, global campaigns to eradicate smallpox, poliomyelitis, and measles, Myron Levine and colleagues derive lessons for malaria eradication

Anxiety and depression symptoms in women with and without binge eating disorder enrolled in weight loss programs

OBJECTIVES: 1) To investigate the association between binge eating scores, anxiety and depression symptoms, and body mass index (BMI), and 2) to assess the presence of differences in severity of anxiety symptoms, severity of depression symptoms, and BMI in women with and without binge eating disorder. METHOD: The sample comprised 113 women aged between 22 and 60 years (39.35±10.85) enrolled in weight loss programs in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. The following instruments were used: structured interview, Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Binge Eating Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: A positive association was found between binge eating scores and the severity of anxiety symptoms (p OBJETIVOS: 1) Investigar a associação entre escores de compulsão alimentar, sintomas de ansiedade e de depressão e índice de massa corporal (IMC); e 2) verificar se existe diferença na intensidade dos sintomas de ansiedade, dos sintomas depressivos e no IMC em mulheres com e sem compulsão alimentar. MÉTODO: A amostra foi composta de 113 mulheres com idade entre 22 e 60 anos (39,35±10,85), participantes de programas de redução de peso na cidade de Porto Alegre, sul do Brasil. Foram aplicados os seguintes instrumentos: entrevista estruturada, Critérios de Classificação Econômica Brasil, Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck, Inventário de Depressão de Beck e Escala de Compulsão Alimentar Periódica. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se estatística descritiva e inferencial. RESULTADOS: Houve associação positiva entre os escores de compulsão alimentar e a intensidade dos sintomas de ansiedade (p < 0,001) e de depressão (p < 0,001). Não foi observada associação significativa (p = 0,341) entre IMC e escores de compulsão alimentar. Houve diferença significativa entre mulheres com e sem compulsão alimentar com relação à intensidade dos sintomas de ansiedade (p < 0,001) e depressão (p < 0,001). Não foi encontrada diferença significativa entre os grupos com relação ao IMC (p = 0,103). CONCLUSÃO: Os achados deste estudo mostraram que a compulsão alimentar está associada a sintomas de ansiedade e de depressão, porém não está associada ao IMC