Efeito do peso do ovo e do seu tempo de armazenamento sobre a viabilidade dos pintos do dia

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o intuito de estudar o efeito do peso do ovo e do seu tempo de armazenamento sobre a viabilidade dos pintos do dia, resultantes de um bando de galinhas Shaver Redbro cruzadas com galos Starcross x Shaver carecos. Neste sentido, na cidade de Bragança (latitude 410 49'N, longitude 60 40'W e altitude 720 metros), mais precisamente na Quinta de Santa Apolónia, pertencente à Escola Superior Agrária de Bragança, foram efectuadas quatro séries de incubação utilizando no seu conjunto, 333 ovos sujeitos a um período de armazenamento que variou entre 2 e 34 dias (15,6+9,1 dias)

Anpassung von Produktentwicklungsmethoden für multidisziplinäre Entwicklungsprozesse unter Berücksichtigung heterogener Teams

Due to the increasing globalisation as well as digitalisation of the working environment and the enhanced complexity of today’s products, engineering design teams are no longer working together locally but increasingly across sites, disciplines and country borders. Especially in these circumstances, a systematic approach as well as the use of engineering design methods can support the teams in their collaboration. Current method provision approaches, e.g. method descriptions in a book, typically address local collaborative teams and contain little to no evidence of appropriate team composition or required characteristics of the team (e.g. multidisciplinarity or local distribution of the team) for a successful method application. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is the development of a team-oriented method provision concept, which regards the consideration of method user characteristics in method descriptions and access. For this purpose, existing method provision approaches with regard to describing and accessing attributes are analysed. Particular attention is paid to team- and user-oriented attributes. Enriched with the results of a study in six enterprises regarding their needs, requirements for a team-oriented method provision are derived. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is carried out, which shows the relevance of method user characteristics in relation to the application of selected methods. The results are gathered in an impact model. Together with the requirements on method provision, a concept for team-oriented method provision is developed. It consists of an assessment tool for method user characteristics, a method description model, and a corresponding method access algorithm. Parallel to the provision, existing training concepts for methods in education and practice are examined. Success factors and barriers are deduced from these concepts, subsequently. Based on these, suitable training concepts are designed for the two target groups education and practice. The training concepts include the team-oriented method provision concept in the form of a software demonstrator. These training concepts and the team-oriented method provision tool are tested and evaluated both in education and practice. The results show a positive acceptance of the tool by both students and engineers in practice.Durch die zunehmende Globalisierung und Digitalisierung der Arbeitswelt sowie einen Anstieg der Produktkomplexität arbeiten Entwicklungsteams nicht länger nur lokal zusammen, sondern vermehrt über Disziplinen, Standorte und Ländergrenzen hinweg. Vor allem unter diesen Bedingungen können das methodische Vorgehen sowie der Einsatz von Produktentwicklungsmethoden die Teams bei ihrer Zusammenarbeit unterstützen. Aktuelle Methodenbereitstellungskonzepte, z. B. innerhalb Methodenbeschreibungen in Büchern, adressieren in der Regel lokal zusammenarbeitende Teams und enthalten keine bis wenige Hinweise auf eine geeignete Teamzusammensetzung oder erforderliche Eigenschaften des Teams (wie die Multidisziplinarität oder örtliche Verteilung des Teams) für eine erfolgreiche Methodenanwendung. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist daher die Entwicklung eines teamorientierten Bereitstellungskonzeptes für Methodenbeschreibung und -auswahl unter Berücksichtigung von Teameigenschaften. Hierzu werden bestehende Ansätze hinsichtlich ihrer Beschreibungs- und Zugriffsattribute analysiert. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt dabei auf Attributen bezüglich des Methodenanwenders und des Teams. Angereichert um Ergebnisse einer Studie in Unternehmen hinsichtlich ihrer Bedarfe werden Anforderungen an eine teamorientierte Methodenbereitstellung abgeleitet. Ergänzend wird eine Sensitivitätsanalyse durchgeführt, die die Relevanz von Teameigenschaften in Bezug auf die Anwendung ausgewählter Methoden aufzeigt. Die Ergebnisse werden in einem Einflussmodell aufbereitet und zusammen mit den Anforderungen an die Methodenbereitstellung genutzt, um ein Konzept für eine teamorientierte Methodenbereitstellung zu entwickeln. Diese besteht aus einem Erfassungstool für Teameigenschaften, einem Methodenbeschreibungsmodell sowie einem Zugriffsalgorithmus. Parallel zur Bereitstellung werden bestehende Schulungsmöglichkeiten für Methoden in Industrie und Lehre untersucht und Erfolgsfaktoren sowie Barrieren abgeleitet. Darauf basierend werden zu den Zielgruppen Industrie und Lehre passende Schulungskonzepte konzipiert, die eine Einbindung der teamorientierten Methodenbereitstellung in Form eines Softwaredemonstrators vorsehen. Diese Schulungskonzepte sowie das teamorientierte Methodenbereitstellungstool werden sowohl in der Lehre als auch in der Industrie getestet und evaluiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine positive Aufnahme des Tools sowohl bei den Studierenden als auch bei Ingenieuren in der Praxis

Echocardiographic parameters indicating left atrial reverse remodeling after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

BackgroundThe echocardiographic parameters total atrial conduction time (PA-TDI duration), left atrial (LA) volume index (LAVI), and LA strain reflect adverse atrial remodeling and predict atrial fibrillation (AF).ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate echocardiographic parameters indicating reverse LA remodeling and potential associations with AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).MethodsThis prospective observational study consecutively enrolled patients scheduled for PVI for symptomatic AF. Electrocardiogram (ECG) test and transthoracic echocardiography were performed the day before and after PVI and again 3 months later. AF recurrence was determined by Holter ECG at 3 months, and telephone follow-up at 12 months, after PVI. The parameters of LA remodeling [PA-TDI, LAVI, and LA strain analysis: reservoir strain (LASr), conduit strain (LAScd), contraction strain (LASct)] were determined by transthoracic echocardiography.ResultsA total of 48 patients were included in the study (mean age: 61.4 ± 12.2 years). PA-TDI significantly decreased the day after PVI compared with the baseline (septal PA-TDI 103 ± 13 vs. 82 ± 14.9 ms, p ≤ 0.001; lateral PA-TDI 122.4 ± 14.8 vs. 106.9 ± 14.4 ms, p ≤ 0.001) and at the 3-month follow-up (septal PA-TDI: 77.8 ± 14.5, p ≤ 0.001; lateral PA-TDI 105.2 ± 16.1, p ≤ 0.001). LAVI showed a significant reduction at the 3-month follow-up compared with the baseline (47.7 ± 14.4 vs. 40.5 ± 9.7, p < 0.05). LASr, LAScd, and LASct did not change after PVI compared with the baseline. AF recurred in 10 patients after PVI (21%). Septal PA-TDI, septal a', and LAVI/a' determined the day after PVI were associated with AF recurrence.ConclusionChanges in echocardiographic parameters of LA remodeling and function indicate that functional electromechanical recovery preceded morphological reverse remodeling of the left atrium after PVI. Furthermore, these changes in echocardiographic parameters indicating LA reverse remodeling after PVI may identify patients at high risk of AF recurrence

Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Associated Factor 6 Is Not Required for Atherogenesis in Mice and Does Not Associate with Atherosclerosis in Humans

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are important signaling molecules for a variety of pro-atherogenic cytokines including CD40L, TNF alpha, and IL1beta. Several lines of evidence identified TRAF6 as a pro-inflammatory signaling molecule in vitro and we previously demonstrated overexpression of TRAF6 in human and Murine atherosclerotic plaques. This study investigated the role of TRAF6-deficiency in mice developing atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Lethally irradiated low density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice (TRAF6(+/+)/LDLR(-/-)) were reconstituted with TRAF6-deficient fetal liver cells (FLC) and consumed high cholesterol diet for 18 weeks to assess the relevance of TRAF6 in hematopoietic cells for atherogenesis. Additionally, TRAF6(+/-)/LDLR(-/-) mice received TRAF6-deficient FLC to gain insight into the role of TRAF6 deficiency in resident cells. Surprisingly, atherosclerotic lesion size did not differ between the three groups in both aortic roots and abdominal aortas. Similarly, no significant differences in plaque composition could be observed as assessed by immunohistochemistry for macrophages, lipids, smooth muscle cells, T-cells, and collagen. In accord, in a small clinical study TRAF6/GAPDH total blood RNA ratios did not differ between groups of patients with stable coronary heart disease (0.034+/-0.0021, N = 178), acute coronary heart disease (0.029+/-0.0027, N = 70), and those without coronary heart disease (0.032+/-0.0016, N = 77) as assessed by angiography. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that TRAF6 is not required for atherogenesis in mice and does not associate with clinical disease in humans. These data suggest that pro- and anti-inflammatory features of TRAF6 signaling outweigh each other in the context of atherosclerosis

Soluble CD40 ligand and prolactin levels in migraine patients during interictal period

The relationship of migraine with cardiovascular diseases has been clarified by many studies, and currently, migraine is suggested to be a systematic vasculopathy. Inflammation, thrombosis and impaired vascular reactivity are the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of the vasculopathy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between prolactin levels and subclinical atherosclerosis risk factors such as soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) in migraine patients during interictal period. Fifty female migraine patients and age-matched 25 female control cases were enrolled in the study. Migraine diagnosis was settled according to the ICHD-II diagnostic criteria. A questionnaire was completed about the existence of vascular risk factors. Serum samples were used to measure sCD40L, hsCRP and prolactin levels. No difference was found between the prolactin levels of the migraine patients and the controls. The sCD40L levels were significantly higher in migraine patients (p < 0.001). High-sensitivity CRP levels showed no difference between the groups. There was no correlation between prolactin, sCD40L, and hs-CRP levels in migraine patients. We consider that the migraine patients are prone to subclinical atherosclerosis, but this tendency is independent of prolactin levels