Clinical trial capacity building in a pandemic—outcome of a rapid site readiness project in Latin America

Background: Latin America (Latam) has a tradition of large-scale vaccine trials. Because of fluctuating demand, many sites have downsized their infrastructure. Therefore, BMGF launched a clinical trial site-readiness initiative early in the coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic including Latam countries between August and September 2020. This survey evaluated clinical development performance measures pre/post initiative (September 2022). Results: 20/21 prequalified sites participated in COVID-19 vaccine/drug development trials. 156 clinical trials (140 COVID-19 vaccine/drug trials) were initiated in the 2 years since prequalification, compared to 176 in the 5 years before. 33,428/37,810 participants were included in COVID-19 programs. The number of enrolled subjects/day across sites quadrupled from 15 (1–35) to 63 (5–300). The dropout rate was 6.8%. Study approval timelines were reduced from 60 (12–120) to 35 (5–90) days. Mean qualified staff was increased from 24 (6–80) to 88 (22–180). Conclusion: Clinical trial sites across Latam were successfully prequalified to participate in COVID-19 developments. For the 100 days mission of vaccine availability in a new pandemic sufficient and well-trained clinical trial sites readily available are essential. This is only achievable if sites—especially in low/middle-income countries—are maintained active through a constant flow of vaccine studies

Análise das assessorias de comunicação na administração pública

Este trabalho apresenta a exposição do cotidiano das assessorias de comunicação públicas. Foram analisados os pontos que influenciam o andamento do setor como a cultura organizacional, a interferência da política e das normas governamentais na gestão da comunicação. Os perfis dos gestores e quais ferramentas de comunicação são utilizadas no desenvolvimento da sua administração também foram alvo da pesquisa. Os problemas captados pela pesquisa e pelo estudo da comunicação na Administração Pública foram avaliados e soluções foram apresentadas. A comunicação integrada foi um dos processos de gerência recomendados para trazer uma melhor dinâmica às assessorias públicas. A pesquisa foi realizada com profissionais de comunicação de seis diferentes órgãos públicos brasileiros através de questionário aberto e demonstrou ainda muito atraso em relação à evolução das práticas de comunicação atuais comparada ao setor privado. Além disso, a falta de uma visão global da comunicação por parte dos gestores e uma cultura organizacional viciada impede o avanço de um trabalho mais estratégico da área

The Neogene tropical America fish assemblage and the paleobiogeography of the Caribbean region

This first analysis of the marine fish fossil record in the Caribbean region during the Neogene is based on comprehensive new faunal compilation lists at the generic level from basins of nine Central and South American countries during Miocene and Pliocene times. Joint ordination and classification techniques were used to analyze data comprising 236 genera and 346 species. Principal Component Analyses were used to calculate covariance and variance between localities. We identified four subprovinces, representing four different patterns. The subprovince of Venezuela shows distinct and unique features since the Neogene in the diversity of ecosystems represented. The Antillean subprovince has a western orientation and is composed of Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and the Trinidad islands. The third subprovince combines Panama and Ecuador. It reflects the Pacific faunal influence into the proto-Caribbean and a characteristic benthopelagic fauna. The fourth subprovince is Costarican. Its nektonic fish fauna reflects the overprinting impact over the proto-Caribbean fish fauna mostly due to local paleoenvironmental changes (neritic, estuarine and deep water assemblages), whereby the overall composition of genera is largely not affected (except few lamnids, such as the giant-toothed white sharks and the wide-toothed mako shark). The results of the analyses are concordant with previous ones based on invertebrates and identified regions in need of study (e.g., Colombia, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Brazil

Reconciling Storegga tsunami sedimentation patterns with modelled wave heights : a discussion from the Shetland Isles field laboratory.

The Shetland Isles represent an ideal field laboratory for tsunami geoscience research. This is due to the widespread preservation of Holocene tsunami sediments in coastal peat deposits. This study uses published accounts of the Holocene Storegga Slide tsunami to illustrate how two different approaches – mapping of tsunami sediments and numerical modelling – produce radically different run‐up heights. The Storegga Slide is one of the world largest submarine slides and took place ca 8150 cal yr bp on the continental slope west of Norway. The tsunami generated by the landslide deposited locally extensive sheets of marine sand and gravel, as well as redeposited clasts of peat across the contemporary land surface. These sediment accumulations have subsequently been buried by peat growth during the Holocene while exposures of the deposits are locally visible in coastal cliff sections. In several areas, the tsunami sediments can be traced upslope and inland within the peat as tapering sediment wedges up to maximum altitudes of between ca 8·1 m and 11·8 m above present sea level. Since reconstructions of palaeo‐sea level for Shetland for ca 8150 cal yr bp suggest an altitude of 20 m below high tide on the day that the tsunami struck, it has been inferred that the minimum tsunami run‐up was locally between 28·1 m (8·1 + 20 m) and 31·8 m (11·8 + 20 m). However, numerical models of the tsunami for Shetland suggest that the wave height may only have reached a highest altitude in the order of +13 m above sea level on the day the tsunami took place. In this paper a description is given of the sedimentary evidence for tsunami run‐up in the Shetland Isles. This is followed by an evaluation of where the palaeo‐sea level was located when the tsunami occurred. Significant differences are highlighted in tsunami inundation estimates between those based on the observed (geological) data and the theoretically‐modelled calculations. This example from the Shetland Isles may have global significance since it exemplifies how two different approaches to the reconstruction of tsunami inundation at the coast can produce radically different results with modelled wave height at the coast being considerably less than the geological estimates of tsunami run‐up

Measuring center of pressure signals to quantify human balance using multivariate multiscale entropy by designing a force platform

Copyright @ 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).To assess the improvement of human body balance, a low cost and portable measuring device of center of pressure (COP), known as center of pressure and complexity monitoring system (CPCMS), has been developed for data logging and analysis. In order to prove that the system can estimate the different magnitude of different sways in comparison with the commercial Advanced Mechanical Technology Incorporation (AMTI) system, four sway tests have been developed (i.e., eyes open, eyes closed, eyes open with water pad, and eyes closed with water pad) to produce different sway displacements. Firstly, static and dynamic tests were conducted to investigate the feasibility of the system. Then, correlation tests of the CPCMS and AMTI systems have been compared with four sway tests. The results are within the acceptable range. Furthermore, multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) and enhanced multivariate multiscale entropy (MMSE) analysis methods have been used to analyze COP data reported by the CPCMS and compare it with the AMTI system. The improvements of the CPCMS are 35% to 70% (open eyes test) and 60% to 70% (eyes closed test) with and without water pad. The AMTI system has shown an improvement of 40% to 80% (open eyes test) and 65% to 75% (closed eyes test). The results indicate that the CPCMS system can achieve similar results to the commercial product so it can determine the balance.National Science Council (NSC) of Taiwan and the Center for Dynamical Biomarkers and Translational Medicine, National Central University, Taiwan (which is sponsored by the NSC)

Soroprevalência de anticorpos contra vírus herpes simples 1-2 no Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies in Brazil and to analyze factors associated. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including subjects aged 1-40 years from the general population in four different geographical areas in Brazil between 1996 and 1997. All subjects were stratified by age and gender and 1,090 of them were included in the final analysis. Blood samples were tested for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies by type-specific (gG1 and gG2) ELISA. Frequencies and proportions were described and compared among groups using two-sided Fisher's exact test. A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the influence of the variables age, gender, geographical area, socioeconomic condition, past history of STD, seropositivity for anti-HSV-1 or anti-HSV-2 and interactions of any of these factors on the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and/or HSV-2. RESULTS: The age-adjusted seroprevalences of HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies were 67.2% and 11.3%, respectively, without sex differences and being higher in the North region. Seroprevalences increased with age and, for HSV-2 infection, the higher increase was observed among adolescents and young adults. Subjects who tested positive for HSV-1 were more likely to also test positive for HSV-2 (15.7%) compared to HSV-1 negative subjects (4.7%). In the multivariate analysis past history of STD significantly (OR=3.2) increased the likelihood of HSV-2 infection whereas socioeconomic condition did not affect the results. CONCLUSIONS: HSV-1 and HSV-2 seroprevalences vary with age and among Brazilian regions. Past history of STD is a major risk factor for HSV-2 infection.OBJETIVO: Estimar la seroprevalencia de anticuerpos por virus herpes simples (HSV-1 y HSV-2) en diferentes áreas geográficas en Brasil y analizar factores asociados. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal realizado entre 1996 y 1997 con individuos de la población en general en cuatro diferentes áreas geográficas en Brasil y estratificados por edad (de uno a 40 años) y sexo, de los cuales 1.090 fueron incluidos en el análisis final. Fueron analizadas muestras de sangre para detección de anticuerpos para HSV-1 y HSV-2 con prueba tipo-específica ELISA gG1-gG2. Fueron descritas frecuencias y proporciones y comparadas entre grupos utilizando la prueba de Fisher bilateral exacta. Fue realizado análisis de regresión logística para evaluar influencia de las variables edad, sexo, geografía, grupo económico, histórico de DST, seropositividad para anti-HSV-1 o anti-HSV-2 e interacciones de cualquiera de esos factores sobre la seroprevalencia de HSV-1 y/o HSV-2. RESULTADOS: La tasa de seroprevalencia de anticuerpos para HSV-1 ajustada por edad fue de 67,2%, sin diferencia con relación al sexo, siendo mayor en la Región Norte. Las seroprevalencias aumentaron con la edad, y para HSV-2, hube un aumento significativo en la adolescencia y entre adultos jóvenes. Individuos seropositivos para HSV-1 presentaron mayor riesgo de ser positivos para HSV-2 (15,7%) cuando se compararon con los negativos para HSV-1 (4,7%). En el análisis multivariado, el histórico de DST aumentó significativamente (OR=3,2) la probabilidad de seropositividad para HSV-2. CONCLUSIONES: Las seroprevalencias para HSV-1 y para HSV-2 varían con la edad y presentan diferencias significativas entre las regiones de Brasil. Historia anterior de DST es importante factor de riesgo para adquisición de infección por HSV-2.OBJETIVO: Estimar a soroprevalência de anticorpos por vírus herpes simples (HSV-1 e HSV-2) e analisar fatores associados no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado entre 1996 e 1997 em 1.090 indivíduos com idade entre um e 40 anos da população geral, em quatro diferentes regiões geográficas no Brasil. Foram analisadas amostras sangüíneas para detecção de anticorpos para HSV-1 e HSV-2 com teste tipo-específico Elisa. Foram descritas freqüências e proporções, comparadas entre grupos utilizando o teste de Fisher bilateral exato. Foi realizada análise de regressão logística para avaliar influência das variáveis sociodemográficas e histórico de DST, sobre a soroprevalência de HSV-1 e/ou HSV-2. RESULTADOS: As soroprevalências de anticorpos para HSV-1 e HSV-2, ajustadas por idade, foram 67,2% e 11,3% respectivamente, sem diferença quanto ao sexo e maiores na Região Norte. As soroprevalências aumentaram com a idade, e para HSV-2 o maior aumento ocorreu na adolescência e entre adultos jovens. Indivíduos soropositivos para HSV-1 apresentaram maior risco de serem positivos para HSV-2 (15,7%) quando comparados com os negativos para HSV-1 (4,7%). Na análise multivariada, o histórico de DST aumentou significativamente (OR=3,2) a probabilidade de soropositividade para HSV-2. CONCLUSÕES: As soroprevalências para HSV-1 e para HSV-2 variam com a idade e entre as regiões do Brasil. História pregressa de DST é importante fator de risco para aquisição de infecção por HSV-2

Imprints in silica grains induced during an open-channel flow experiment:Determination of microtextural signatures during aqueous transport

The aim of this work is to identify and characterize microtextural signatures in silica glass grains (used as analogous to quartz) that are produced during aqueous transport at different flow velocities, with variable sediment concentrations, transport distances, and time intervals. To achieve this, an open-channel flow experiment was conducted with a mixture of sand and silica glass microspheres in varying conditions-velocity (from 0.67 to 1.4 m/s), duration (1 or 10 minutes), distance (0 to 2.5 m) and sediment concentration (60 or 80%). Experimental conditions were used to replicate natural phenomena such as river superficial velocity or coastal swash processes. Before the experiment the microsphere surfaces were imaged and clear of any microtextural imprint. Increasing velocity, distance, and sediment concentration exhibited a strong correlation with higher numbers of surfaces abundantly covered with microtextures of mechanical origin (i.e., craters, abrasion marks, and v-shaped percussion marks). SEM microphotographs of silica were analyzed and classified to provide examples of the specific microtextures produced during the open-channel flow experiment. The purpose of the experiment was to characterize surface microscopic signatures in quartz grains replicating hydrodynamic conditions of coastal and fluvial environments. The results demonstrated a strong correlation between higher velocities (and higher sediment concentrations) and a larger presence of microtextural mechanical imprints in the grains analyzed, thus demonstrating a clear relation between microtextural imprints and water flow modes. These results have important implications for future microtextural works analyzing grain imprints and their relation to sediment transport types. An example demonstrated here is that the higher presence of v-marks could be used as an indicator of supercritical flow conditions.OAIID:RECH_ACHV_DSTSH_NO:T201739753RECH_ACHV_FG:RR00200001ADJUST_YN:EMP_ID:A080988CITE_RATE:2.358FILENAME:2017_PCosta_et_al_JSR_proofs.pdfDEPT_NM:건설환경공학부EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:YFILEURL:https://srnd.snu.ac.kr/eXrepEIR/fws/file/112e346c-4bbf-4c27-93db-2904a43392d2/linkY

Adaptação transcultural, validade de face e confiabilidade do Instrumento de Identificação da Participação Ocupacional do Modelo de Ocupação Humana para o português do Brasil

Introdução O Instrumento de Identificação da Participação Ocupacional do Modelo de Ocupação Humana (MOHOST Brasil) foi desenvolvido no Reino Unido e mensura a participação ocupacional. Até a sua presente tradução, para o Brasil, não haviam instrumentos padronizados e que mensurassem o mesmo constructo. Objetivos Descrever o processo de tradução e adaptação cultural do MOHOST para o Brasil, examinar a sua validade de face e confiabilidade no teste-reteste por terapeutas ocupacionais. Método Inicialmente foi estabelecido um contato para a autorização da tradução e, posteriormente, seguidas as etapas de tradução, retrotradução, comitê de especialistas, validade de face e teste-reteste. O comitê de especialistas foi composto por dez terapeutas ocupacionais. A validade de face contou com a participação de 50 terapeutas ocupacionais. A análise estatística foi empregada para investigar se o entendimento do MOHOST pelos terapeutas ocupacionais estava vinculado à sua duração da experiência clínica. A confiabilidade teste-reteste foi examinada em uma amostra de oito adultos com deficiência física, em um intervalo de uma semana. Resultados A adaptação transcultural do MOHOST (Brasil) foi concluída. Foi encontrada uma correlação significativa (p=0,04) entre anos de experiência profissional e maior entendimento dos itens do MOHOST. O MOHOST apresentou confiabilidade muito alta no teste-reteste (r>0,900). Conclusão A versão brasileira apresenta validação de face e confiabilidade no teste-reteste. Estudos futuros abordando as propriedades psicométricas de validade convergente e confiabilidade entre avaliadores são recomendados.Introduction The Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST) was developed in the UK and measures the occupational participation. Until its translation, there were no standardised instruments in Brazil of a similar nature. Objectives To describe the translation and cross-cultural adaptation process of the MOHOST for Brazil, its face validity and test-retest reliability among occupational therapists. Method A translation agreement was established allowing the assessment to be translated and honed after a back translation. An expert committee was formed of ten occupational therapists to test face validity of the instrument with 50 occupational therapists. Statistical analysis was employed to investigate whether the occupational therapists’ understanding of the MOHOST was linked to their length of clinical experience. The test-retest reliability was examined among a sample of eight adults with physical disabilities. Results The cross-cultural adaptation of the Brazilian MOHOST has been completed. A significant correlation (p=0.04) was found between years of professional experience and greater understanding of the MOHOST items. The MOHOST presented very high reliability in the test-retest (r>0.900). Conclusion A Brazilian translation of the MOHOST has face validation and test-retest reliability. Future studies addressing this instrument’s psychometric properties of validity and inter-rater reliability are recommended

Museus e Coleções da UFPA: os espaços existentes no Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB)

From the investigations iniciated in 2016, about the university museums that exist at the campus of Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA) in Be-lém, we identify more than five spaces. For this work, we focus on the museums located in the Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB): Museu de Anatomia Humana and Museu de Zoologia. We discuss how these spaces represent themselves and analyze them on the basis of the concepts of museum and university collection, collected from bibliographies on the subject. We also em-phasize the space’s visibility within the university and the role of museology and museologists in those places.A partir das investigações, iniciadas em 2016, acerca dos museus universitários existentes no campus Belém da Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), identificamos mais de cinco espaços. Para este trabalho centramos nos museus localizados no Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB): Museu de Anatomia Humana e Museu de Zoologia. Discutimos como esses espaços se enxergam ”“ pois se autodenominam museu ”“ e o que aparentam ser, com base nos conceitos de museu e coleção universitária coletados de bibliografias sobre o tema. Destacamos, também, se há visibilidade dos espaços dentro da universidade e qual o papel da museologia e dos museólogos nesses locais