Microfluidics-based automated genotyping of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae strain by interdelta sequence typing : an interlaboratory comparasion

High-throughput molecular characterization of microbial isolates requires the application of automated microfluidic electrophoresis. We herein evaluate the factors that affect interlaboratory reproducibility of interdelta sequence typing for Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain delimitation, using microfluidic electrophoresis (Caliper Lab Chip ® ). This approach is necessary for the constitution of bio-databanks, equitable sharing of genotypic data among laboratories, for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of genetic resources. Delta sequences are 300 bp regions flanking retrotransposons Ty1 and Ty2 of S. cerevisiae, occurring also as separate elements dispersed throughout the genome. PCRbased interdelta sequence typing has a high discriminatory power [1], generating polymorphic banding patterns. Our approach included 12 genetically diverse S. cerevisiae strains, two different Taq polymerases (commercial and in-house cloned/prepared) and two different thermal cyclers. PCR amplifications were performed in two laboratories, resulting in a total of 384 electrophoretic banding patterns (32 replicates for each strain). From the combinations between strains, Taq polymerase, thermal cycler and laboratory, a total of 60 different groups was obtained. Data were analyzed in terms of the fragment sizes (bp), absolute and relative concentrations of each band. Due to the lack of normality (Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests) and the homogeneity of variances (Levene's test), the ANOVA test was not applied. The nonparametric alternative, Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance was used to test the equality of the medians among the different groups. By rejecting the null hypotheses with a p-value < 0.001, we performed multiple pairwise comparisons using the method proposed by Conover and Iman [2], based on a t-Student distribution to search for the origins of the differences. The data obtained revealed that both the performance of experiments in two independent laboratories and the use of different Taq polymerases introduced significant variability between the respective replicates. The use of in-house cloned/prepared Taq polymerase was associated with highest variability, pointing to the need for careful experimental standardization of PCRbased interdelta sequence analysis.Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (PTDC/AGR-ALI/103392/2008)European Community´s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) - grant agreement nº 23245

Application of Profile Prediction for Proactive Scheduling

Today, cloud environments are widely used as execution platforms for most applications. In these environments, virtualized applications often share computing resources. Although this increases hardware utilization, resources competition can cause performance degradation, and knowing which applications can run on the same host without causing too much interference is key to a better scheduling and performance. Therefore, it is important to predict the resource consumption profile of applications in their subsequent iterations. This work evaluates the use of machine learning techniques to predict the increase or decrease in computational resources consumption. The prediction models are evaluated through experiments using real and benchmark applications. Finally, we conclude that some models offer significantly better performance when compared to the current trend of resource usage. These models averaged up to 94% on the F1 metric for this task

Os países centro-asiáticos e as grandes potências mundiais: um estudo das relações exteriores desde as suas independências

The Central Asian region is a place of great strategic importance for the international relations of many countries. Having been under Russian influence during the years of existence of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian countries have been through a series of changes since the fall of the soviet regime, being influenced by Western powers, such as the United States and the European Union, and by neighbor powers, such as China and Russia itself. 1e goal of this article is to observe how the influence of these foreign powers in Central Asia has changed since the end of the Soviet Union in search of a pattern that helps timing the external relations of Central Asian countries with relation to these foreign powers.A região da Ásia Central configura-se como sendo de grande importânciaestratégica para as relações internacionais de diversos países. Tendoestado sob a influência russa durante os anos de existência da União Soviética,os países centro-asiáticos passaram por uma série de mudanças desde a quedado regime soviético, sendo influenciado tanto por potências ocidentais, comoos Estados Unidos e a União Europeia, quanto por potências vizinhas, comoa China e a própria Rússia. O objetivo do presente artigo é o de observarcomo a influência de tais potências estrangeiras na Ásia Central mudou desdeo fim da União Soviética em busca de um padrão que ajude a periodizar asrelações exteriores dos países centro-asiáticos com relação a essas potênciasestrangeiras

Blockchain analytics - real-time log management in healthcare

With the growing dependence on information technologies in healthcare organizations, it is crucial to ensure data security since its sensitiveness. To guarantee this requirement, a system was developed consisting of a private blockchain network designed to support the recording of hospital logs and an interface to facilitate data analysis. This article covers the development of a private blockchain solution. For its development were used Hyperledger technologies and Sockets.io. Apart from that, web technologies that were used to interface real-time logs. The objective of the developed solution is to allow the visualization of logs in real time, where analysis methods have applied.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(UIDB/00319/2020

Genotyping of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains by interdelta sequence typing using automated microfluidics

Amplification of genomic sequences flanked by delta elements of retrotransposons TY1 and TY2 is a reliable method for characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of microfluidic electrophoresis (Caliper LabChip®) to assess the factors that affect interlaboratory reproducibility of interdelta sequence typing for S. cerevisiae strain delimitation. We carried out experiments in two laboratories, using varying combinations of Taq DNA polymerases and thermal cyclers. The reproducibility of the technique is evaluated using non-parametric statistical tests and we show that the source of Taq DNA polymerase and technical differences between laboratories have the highest impact on reproducibility, whereas thermal cyclers have little impact. We also show that the comparative analysis of interdelta patterns is more reliable when fragment sizes are compared, than when absolute and relative DNA concentrations of each band are considered. Interdelta analysis based on a smaller fraction of bands with intermediate sizes between 100 and 1000 bp yield the highest reproducibility.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologi

Caminhando entre gigantes: a inserção internacional dos Tigres Asiáticos e dos países da ASEAN

The article tries to answer how the four Asian Tigers and ASEAN member countries have structured their foreign a1airs for surviving between the great powers that have influence over the corresponding Asian region. Firstly, it’s analyzed the impact of the industrialization of the Tigers over regional realignments and international alliances. After that, it’s examined ASEAN’s diplomatic and economic role since the end of the Second Indochina War and also the modifications that occurred with the entrance of new members in the organization. Finally, the question is answered and perspectives for those countries are exposed.O artigo procura responder como os quatro Tigres Asiáticose os países membros da ASEAN estruturaram as suas relações exteriorespara sobreviver entre as grandes potências que têm influênciasobre a correspondente região asiática. Primeiramente, analisa-se oimpacto da industrialização dos Tigres sobre os realinhamentos regionaise nas alianças internacionais. Logo após, é examinado o papeldiplomático e econômico da ASEAN desde o fim da Segunda Guerrada Indochina e também as modificações ocorridas com a adesão de novos membros à organização. Por fim, responde-se a questão eexpõem-se perspectivas àqueles países

Ovarian Reserve Assessment for Infertility Investigation

The current trends to postpone motherhood and the increase in demand for assistance in reproductive medicine highlight the need for seeking guidelines for the establishment of individualized treatment protocols. Currently available ovarian reserve tests do not provide sufficient evidence to be solely considered ideal, but they may occupy important place in initial counseling, predicting unsatisfactory results that could be improved by individualized induction schemes and reducing excessive psychological and financial burdens, and adverse effects. In this paper, we revise the role of hormonal basal and dynamic tests, as well as ultrasonographic markers, as ovarian reserve markers, in order to provide embasement for propaedeutic strategies and their interpretation in order to have reproductive success

Aplicação de ferramenta computacional na otimização e mitigação de custos na roteirização da logística de transporte de cargas / Application of computational tool in the optimization and mitigation of costs in routing of charge transport logistics

 Segundo dados do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), o transporte de cargas por meio rodoviário é o mais predominante no Brasil, onde a sua movimentação responde de um a dois terços dos custos logísticos totais do país. Do ponto de vista econômico, empresas com atividades logísticas mais eficientes têm maior competitividade e maior sustentabilidade no mercado, portanto, para que isso ocorra é necessária a mitigação dos custos e das distâncias nas rotas de transporte. O objetivo principal deste artigo é apresentar um estudo de caso em uma empresa do ramo de transporte de materiais de construção civil, localizada na região centro-sul de Belo Horizonte, buscando demonstrar como a roteirização e a modelagem computacional podem contribuir na redução dos custos da logística de transporte dessa empresa. A metodologia da pesquisa é do tipo aplicado, com abordagem quantitativa, onde são obtidos os dados com o cenário de entrega atual, e além desses, os novos cenários após a aplicação da modelagem e tomada de decisão, empregando a ferramenta computacional solver do Microsoft Excel®. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram a potencialidade da otimização na roteirização de veículos e a redução dos custos de transporte. Conclui-se, por conseguinte, a necessidade de utilização de ferramentas computacionais e conceitos da pesquisa operacional como elementos de auxílio na otimização no processo de roteirização