Herramienta de Auscultación y Estimación de Costos para Actividades de Mantenimiento y Rehabilitación de Pavimentos Rígidos.

Proyecto de Graduación (Licenciatura en Ingeniería en Construcción). Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Ingeniería en Construcción, 2014.El presente proyecto que se plantea responde a una necesidad de utilizar otras técnicas aplicadas a la rehabilitación de los pavimentos de concreto; actualmente en el país (el CONAVI) se utilizan solamente tres procedimientos técnicos que a nuestro entender son insuficientes pues estos solo usan “el bacheo” con concreto asfáltico, el “bacheo” con concreto hidráulico y el sellado de juntas y grietas. En este sentido por el cual señalamos deficiencias en el procedimiento, es oportuno también decir, que el CONAVI, no cuenta con un protocolo con el cual evalúa la calidad óptima de las distintas áreas que necesitan de una acertada intervención, por lo cual se crea un protocolo de inspección visual del pavimento de concreto. En consecuencia de lo anterior el proyecto responde a la solución de los problemas arriba planteados, proponiendo para su desarrollo y aplicación las siguientes políticas: primero la determinación de daños sufridos en los pavimentos de concreto hidráulico, segundo el análisis técnico de éstos y tercero los costos económicos de todo lo anterior, en el entendido que estriba en actividades de mejor y mayor racionalidad como actividades de mantenimiento. En cuanto al protocolo, se realizó este tomando en cuenta cuatro referencias bibliográficas brindadas por: el DIRCAIBEA, el SIECA, el INVIAS y la ASOCEM (ver anexos). Este protocolo dio como resultado, realizar el inventario en una ruta que se ubica en la zona de conservación vial 1-7 de la provincia de Cartago. En cuanto a los costos para cada una de las actividades de mantenimiento, como también de las técnicas apropiadas para la realización de cada una de ellas, se basó en la licitación pública 2009LN-000003-0CV00 y CR-2010 respectivamente.Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Ingeniería en Construcción

Correlations between psychological tests and physiological responses during fear conditioning and renewal

Background: Anxiety disorders are characterized by specific emotions, thoughts and physiological responses. Little is known, however, about the relationship between psychological/personality indices of anxiety responses to fear stimuli. Methods: We studied this relationship in healthy subjects by comparing scores on psychological and personality questionnaires with results of an experimental fear conditioning paradigm using a visual conditioned stimulus (CS). We measured skin conductance response (SCR) during habituation, conditioning, and extinction; subsequently testing for recall and renewal of fear 24 hours later. Results: We found that multiple regression models explained 45% of the variance during conditioning to the CS+, and 24% of the variance during renewal of fear to the CS+. Factors that explained conditioning included lower levels of conscientiousness, increased baseline reactivity (SCL), and response to the shock (UCR). Low levels of extraversion correlated with greater renewal. No model could be found to explain extinction learning or extinction recall to the CS+. Conclusions: The lack of correlation of fear extinction with personality and neuropsychological indices suggests that extinction may be less determined by trait variables and cognitive state, and may depend more on the subject’s current emotional state. The negative correlation between fear renewal and extraversion suggests that this personality characteristic may protect against post-treatment relapse of symptoms of anxiety disorders

O Phyllanthus niruri L. induz caliurese dissociada da diurese e da natriurese em ratos acordados

A validação do P. niruri L. como diurético, ratos acordados em gaiolas metabólicas receberam o infuso a 3% (INF3%) e 5, 10, 25 e 50 mg/kg do extrato etanol: água, por 24, 5 e 3 h respectivamente. A densidade aumentou e a excreção (UV) de K+ na urina diminuiu com o INF3% agudo. As doses 5, 10 e 25 mg/kg alcalinizaram a urina, com caliurese na última. A função glomerular e tubular proximal, as UV de Na+ e K+ não mudaram com 25 mg/kg de P. niruri L

Moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer: Preferences amongst radiation oncologists from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

Background: The safety and effectiveness of moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer were demonstrated by several trials. This study aimed to evaluate the current patterns of practice and prescription preference about moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy to assess possible aspects that affect the decision-making process regarding the use of fractionation in breast cancer patients in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). We also aimed to identify factors that can restrain the utilization of moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer. Materials an methods: Radiation oncologists from LAC were invited to contribute to this study. A 38-question survey was used to evaluate their opinions. Results: A total of 173 radiation oncologists from 13 countries answered the questionnaire. The majority of respondents (84.9%) preferred moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy as their first choice in cases of whole breast irradiation. Whole breast plus regional nodal irradiation, post-mastectomy (chest wall and regional nodal irradiation) without reconstruction, and post-mastectomy (chest wall and regional node irradiation) with reconstruction hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy was preferred by 72.2% 71.1%, and 53.7% of respondents, respectively. Breast cancer stage, and flap-based breast reconstruction were the factors associated with absolute contraindications for the use of hypofractionated schedules. Conclusion: Even though moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer is considered a new standard to the vast majority of the patients, its unrestricted application in clinical practice across LAC still faces reluctance

Agroindustrialização de frango caipira no estado do Maranhão: Caracterização socioeconômica de agricultores familiares e elaboração de planta baixa / Agroindustrialization of free-range chicken in the state of Maranhão: Socioeconomic characterization of family farmers and preparation of floor plans

Objetivou-se com o estudo elaborar estratégia para fortalecimento da agroindustrialização de frango caipira no estado do Maranhão por meio da caracterização socioeconômica dos agricultores familiares e posterior elaboração de planta baixa. Para isso, o estudo foi realizado em duas etapas: (i) pesquisa documental para a caracterização socioeconômica dos agricultores familiares por meio de levantamento de informações no órgão de defesa do estado; e, (ii) elaboração de perfil simplificado de planta baixa individual seguindo as normas da engenharia e da produção de alimentos por meio de uma equipe multidisciplinar. A caracterização do público alvo possibilitou obter informações inéditas, como: (i) predominância do gênero masculino na atividade; (ii) a maioria dos avicultores possui o ensino médio completo; (iii) renda familiar não ultrapassa, em sua maioria, dois salários mínimos; e, (iv) a avicultura é a principal fonte de renda para a maioria das famílias. Portanto, com a planta do abatedouro elaborada gera-se um quadro de prospecção de desenvolvimento local das famílias com a agroindustrialição do frango caipira que se reverterá em renda, além de contribuir com o desenvolvimento regional e econômico do Estado, pilares da agricultura familiar. Com a estratégia proposta espera-se que esta se reverta em mudanças positivas do perfil socioeconômico dos agricultores familiares. 

Expanding the knowledge about Leishmania species in wild mammals and dogs in the Brazilian savannah

Background: Wild, synanthropic and domestic mammals act as hosts and/or reservoirs of several Leishmania spp. Studies on possible reservoirs of Leishmania in different areas are fundamental to understand host-parasite interactions and develop strategies for the surveillance and control of leishmaniasis. In the present study, we evaluated the Leishmania spp. occurrence in mammals in two conservation units and their surroundings in Brasília, Federal District (FD), Brazil. Methods: Small mammals were captured in Brasília National Park (BNP) and Contagem Biological Reserve (CBR) and dogs were sampled in residential areas in their vicinity. Skin and blood samples were evaluated by PCR using different molecular markers (D7 24Sα rRNA and rDNA ITS1). Leishmania species were identified by sequencing of PCR products. Dog blood samples were subjected to the rapid immunochromatographic test (DPP) for detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies. Results: 179 wild mammals were studied and 20.1% had Leishmania DNA successfully detected in at least one sample. Six mammal species were considered infected: Clyomys laticeps, Necromys lasiurus, Nectomys rattus, Rhipidomys macrurus, Didelphis albiventris and Gracilinanus agilis. No significant difference, comparing the proportion of individuals with Leishmania spp., was observed between the sampled areas and wild mammal species. Most of the positive samples were collected from the rodent N. lasiurus, infected by L. amazonensis or L. braziliensis. Moreover, infections by Trypanosoma spp. were detected in N. lasiurus and G. agilis. All 19 dog samples were positive by DPP; however, only three (15.8%) were confirmed by PCR assays. DNA sequences of ITS1 dog amplicons showed 100% identity with L. infantum sequence. Conclusions: The results suggest the participation of six species of wild mammals in the enzootic transmission of Leishmania spp. in FD. This is the first report of L. amazonensis in N. lasiurus

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Impacts of the Tropical Pacific/Indian Oceans on the Seasonal Cycle of the West African Monsoon

The current consensus is that drought has developed in the Sahel during the second half of the twentieth century as a result of remote effects of oceanic anomalies amplified by local land–atmosphere interactions. This paper focuses on the impacts of oceanic anomalies upon West African climate and specifically aims to identify those from SST anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Oceans during spring and summer seasons, when they were significant. Idealized sensitivity experiments are performed with four atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs). The prescribed SST patterns used in the AGCMs are based on the leading mode of covariability between SST anomalies over the Pacific/Indian Oceans and summer rainfall over West Africa. The results show that such oceanic anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Ocean lead to a northward shift of an anomalous dry belt from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel as the season advances. In the Sahel, the magnitude of rainfall anomalies is comparable to that obtained by other authors using SST anomalies confined to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The mechanism connecting the Pacific/Indian SST anomalies with West African rainfall has a strong seasonal cycle. In spring (May and June), anomalous subsidence develops over both the Maritime Continent and the equatorial Atlantic in response to the enhanced equatorial heating. Precipitation increases over continental West Africa in association with stronger zonal convergence of moisture. In addition, precipitation decreases over the Gulf of Guinea. During the monsoon peak (July and August), the SST anomalies move westward over the equatorial Pacific and the two regions where subsidence occurred earlier in the seasons merge over West Africa. The monsoon weakens and rainfall decreases over the Sahel, especially in August.Peer reviewe

Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psycodidae) fauna in the Chaco region and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis transmission patterns in Argentina

In Argentina, the incidence of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) has shown a steady increase over the last few decades. In the Chaco biogeographical region, specifically, several outbreaks of ACL were recently reported in addition to the usual time-space scattering of ACL cases. However, little is known about the sandfly composition in the eastern, humid Chaco (HC) region or the western, dry Chaco (DC) region. Therefore, phlebotomine captures were performed throughout this region and an analysis of the distribution of reported ACL cases was conducted in order to assess the vector diversity in ACL endemic and epidemic scenarios in the Chaco region. The results support the hypothesis of two distinct patterns: (1) the DC, where Lutzomyia migonei was the most prevalent species, had isolated ACL cases and a zoonotic cycle; (2) the HC, where Lutzomyia neivai was the most prevalent species, had an increase in ACL incidence and outbreaks and an anthropozoonotic cycle. The epidemic risk in the Chaco region may be associated with the current climate trends, landscape modification, connection with other ACL foci, and Lu. neivai predominance and abundance. Therefore, changes in sandfly population diversity and density in the Chaco region are an indicator of emergent epidemic risk in sentinel capture sites