A discontinuous Galerkin formulation for solution of parabolic equations on nonconforming meshes

Non-conforming meshes are frequently employed in multi-component simulations and adaptive refinement. In this work we develop a discontinuous Galerkin framework capable of accommodating non-conforming meshes and apply our approach to analyzing the transient heat conduction problem

What do we see from our window regarding of literaty readig by black authors? The already and the not yet

This article reflects on the arena where readers and non-readers are located in Brazil. From the Bakhtinian perspective, we will weave dialogues with the work Da Minha Janela (2019), by Otávio Júnior, and illustration by Vanina Starkoff, through the reading strategies advocated by Girotto and Souza (2010), providing opportunities for connections in the production of meanings to the reader, in particular, with the entry into black-Brazilian literature, in order to ask questions and answer others.  Este artigo reflete acerca da arena onde estão situados os leitores e não leitores no Brasil. Pela perspectiva bakhtiniana, teceremos diálogos com a obra Da minha Janela (2019), de Otávio Júnior, e ilustração de Vanina Starkoff, por meio das estratégias de leitura defendidas por Girotto e Souza (2010), oportunizando conexões na produção de sentidos ao leitor, em especial, com o adentramento na literatura negro-brasileira, a fim de fazer perguntas e responder outras

Lipopolysaccharide modulates astrocytic S100B secretion: a study in cerebrospinal fluid and astrocyte cultures from rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Inflammatory responses in brain are primarily mediated by microglia, but growing evidence suggests a crucial importance of astrocytes. S100B, a calcium-binding protein secreted by astrocytes, has properties of a neurotrophic or an inflammatory cytokine. However, it is not known whether primary signals occurring during induction of an inflammatory response (e.g. lipopolysaccharide, LPS) directly modulate S100B.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this work, we evaluated whether S100B levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of Wistar rats are affected by LPS administered by intraperitoneal (IP) or intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection, as well as whether primary astrocyte cultures respond directly to lipopolysaccharide.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our data suggest that S100B secretion in brain tissue is stimulated rapidly and persistently (for at least 24 h) by ICV LPS administration. This increase in CSF S100B was transient when LPS was IP administered. In contrast to these S100B results, we observed an increase in in TNFα levels in serum, but not in CSF, after IP administration of LPS. In isolated astrocytes and in acute hippocampal slices, we observed a direct stimulation of S100B secretion by LPS at a concentration of 10 μg/mL. An involvement of TLR4 was confirmed by use of specific inhibitors. However, lower levels of LPS in astrocyte cultures were able to induce a decrease in S100B secretion after 24 h, without significant change in intracellular content of S100B. In addition, after 24 h exposure to LPS, we observed a decrease in astrocytic glutathione and an increase in astrocytic glial fibrillary acidic protein.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Together, these data contribute to the understanding of the effects of LPS on astrocytes, particularly on S100B secretion, and help us to interpret cerebrospinal fluid and serum changes for this protein in neuroinflammatory diseases. Moreover, non-brain S100B-expressing tissues may be differentially regulated, since LPS administration did not lead to increased serum levels of S100B.</p

Electrocardiographic Aspects of Singleton Pregnancy and Neonatal Period in American Miniature Horse Breed

Background: During pregnancy, cardiovascular adaptations occur in order to meet maternal demands and adequate support for fetal development, but they are still unclear in the equine species, especially in the American Miniature horse breed. The main hemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy are increased heart rate, cardiac output, and blood volume. It is necessary to use the reference values for the miniature breeds, in addition to the age range and reproductive condition, so the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters in mares and also of age in newborns foals of American Miniature horse breed. Materials, Methods & Results: Ten American Miniature Horse mares, between 7 and 19 years old (12.14 ± 4.05 years), 116.85 ± 24.09 kg of body weight were used in the experiment. All these mares were pluriparous, with 5.9 ± 3.5 of births, minimum of 2, and maximum of 12 foaling times. They were maintained in common social group in an indoor house stable with straw bed, with access to an outdoor paddock for several h per day. Twice a day they were fed with hay. Mineral supplements and water were available ad libitum. The ECG were obtained in 10 pregnant mares and in 10 neonates. All females were examined at a representative time of each trimester of pregnancy, at 30, 210, 300 days before and 21 days after delivery. Neonates were examined on different times: first 24 h after delivery, weekly on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and 35th days of age. The ECG parameters considered were the heart rate and rhythm, duration and intervals (P, PR, QRS, QT, T) and amplitude (P, R, S, T) of ECG waves. The mean of pregnancy duration was 319.4 ± 4.97 days. Heart Rate (HR) varied between 51 to 59 bpm during pregnancy and 56 bpm on the 21st day after delivery. Comparing the clinical parameters of pregnant mares, non-pregnant mares and foal a difference was found for HR, Respiration Rate (RR) and Temperature (P = 0.001). All ECG parameters of pregnant, non-pregnant and foal mares showed a significant difference (P = 0.0001), except for the amplitude of the P1, P2 and R waves, which was similar for the 3 groups. The mean values of HR and amplitude of the positive T wave were higher in foals when compared to pregnant and non-pregnant mares, which in turn did not differ from each other. The mean duration of the P wave, PR segment, QRS complex, QT segment and T wave were the same among mares and greater than in foals. Comparing pregnant and non-pregnant mares, there was a difference in only 3 parameters: duration of the QTc segment, amplitude of the S wave and negative T wave. The non-pregnant mares had a longer duration of the QTc segment and a greater amplitude of the negative T wave, while the foals had a greater amplitude of the S wave.Discussion: Although this study did not measure HR at delivery time, it is worth to consider the action of the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system close to delivery, which reduces the HR of mares. This is because at delivery, sympathetic-adrenal activation should be avoided since the increase in sympathetic tone can cause uterine atony via B2 receptors. For this reason, it has been shown that, during physiological birth, horses are under parasympathetic control, and stress response mechanisms are not activated. It was conclude that the morphometry of the waves, intervals and ECG complexes, during the evolution of the reproductive state, the electrocardiographic aspects were generally associated with heart rate (PR and QT intervals). As for neonates, there was a discrepancy among the most of ECG parameters when compared to the adult female, regardless of reproductive status, clarifying the importance of ECG patterns not only for the breed, but also for the age group

Uma solução automatizada para avaliações de impacto em estudos de caso: o Modelo Automatizado em R para Verificação de Impacto (MARVIm): módulo de controle sintético

Bibliografia: p. 54-56.The objective of the present work is to present the Modelo Automatizado em R para Verificação de Impacto (MARVIm) Synthetic Control Module, a methodology for evaluating the effects of public interventions in an automated way. To do this, it combines a series of scripts and R-functions that carry out evaluations based on synthetic control. This method of evaluation was originally developed with the objective of detecting the effects of a policy or an event on some indicator of interest of a unit exposed to the intervention. Therefore, the objective of this module of MARVIm is to serve as an automated model for impact assessments in interventions with a few treated units, whether they are fi rms or geographic units. The present work includes a case study with the objective of verifying possible impacts of the construction of wind power plants in the municipal economies from 2007 to 2014. The synthetic control method was applied for each case, adding 37 individual evaluations, which were then compiled and analyzed in an aggregate manner. The results obtained were heterogeneous, but with median positive effects, agreeing with the bibliography raised.O objetivo do presente trabalho é apresentar o Modelo Automatizado em R para Verificação de Impacto MARVIm) Módulo de Controle Sintético, uma metodologia automatizada de avaliação de efeitos de intervenções públicas. Para isso, combina uma série de scripts e funções em R que realizam avaliações baseadas em controle sintético. Esse método de avaliação foi originalmente desenvolvido com o objetivo de detectar efeitos de uma política ou de um evento sobre algum indicador de interesse de uma unidade exposta à intervenção. Portanto, o objetivo desse módulo do MARVIm é servir como um modelo automatizado para avaliações de impacto em intervenções com poucas unidades tratadas, sejam elas firmas ou unidades geográficas. O presente trabalho inclui um estudo de caso com o objetivo de verificar possíveis impactos da construção de usinas eólicas nas economias municipais no período de 2007 a 2014. O método do controle sintético foi aplicado para cada caso, somando 37 avaliações individuais, que foram então compiladas e analisadas de maneira agregada. Os resultados obtidos se mostraram heterogêneos, mas com efeitos medianos positivos, concordando com a bibliografia a levantada

Evaluation of comprehensive care for older adults in primary care services

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of comprehensive care for older adults in primary care services in the Brazilian Unified Health System in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 157 primary care services from five health regions in midwestern Sao Paulo responded, from October to December 2014, the pre-validated 2014 questionnaire for primary care services assessment and monitoring. We selected 155 questions, based on national policies and guidelines on this theme. The responses indicate the service performance in older adults' care, clustered into three areas of analysis: health care for active and healthy aging (45 indicators, d1), chronic noncommunicable diseases care (89 indicators, d2), and support network in aging care (21 indicators, d3). Performance was measured by the sum of positive (value 1) or negative (value 0) responses for each indicator. Services were clustered according to k-means of the performance scores of each domain. After weighting the domains (Z tests), we estimated the associations between the scores of each domain and independent management variables (typology, planning and evaluation of services), with simple and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Chronic noncommunicable diseases care (d2) showed, for all clusters, better average performance (55.7) than domains d1 (35.4) and d3 (39.2). Service performance in the general area of planning and evaluation associates with the performance of older adults' care. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluated services had incipient implementation of comprehensive care for older adults. The evaluation framework can contribute to processes to improve the quality of primary health care. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o desempenho da atenção integral ao idoso em serviços de atenção primária do Sistema Único de Saúde no estado de São Paulo, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Um total de 157 serviços de atenção primária de cinco regiões de saúde do centro-oeste paulista respondeu, de outubro a dezembro de 2014, o instrumento pré-validado Questionário de Avaliação e Monitoramento de Serviços de Atenção Básica 2014. Foram selecionadas 155 questões, com base nas políticas e diretrizes nacionais sobre essa temática. As respostas indicam o desempenho do serviço na atenção ao idoso, agrupadas em três domínios de análise: atenção à saúde para o envelhecimento ativo e saudável (45 indicadores, d1), atenção às doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (89 indicadores, d2) e rede de apoio na atenção ao envelhecimento (21 indicadores, d3). A medida de desempenho foi a soma de respostas positivas (valor 1) ou negativas (valor 0) para cada indicador. Os serviços foram agrupados segundo k-médias dos escores de desempenho de cada um dos domínios. Após a ponderação dos domínios (testes Z), foram estimadas as associações entre os escores de cada domínio e variáveis independentes de gestão (tipologia, planejamento e avaliação dos serviços), por meio de regressão linear simples e múltipla. RESULTADOS: A atenção às doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (d2) mostrou, para todos os agrupamentos, melhor desempenho médio (55,7) do que os domínios d1 (35,4) e d3 (39,2). O desempenho do serviço na área geral de planejamento e avaliação esteve associado ao desempenho da atenção ao idoso. CONCLUSÕES: Os serviços avaliados apresentaram implementação incipiente da atenção integral ao idoso. O quadro avaliativo pode contribuir para processos de melhoria da qualidade da atenção primária à saúde.publishersversionpublishe

Avaliação da atenção integral ao idoso em serviços de atenção primária

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of comprehensive care for older adults in primary care services in the Brazilian Unified Health System in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 157 primary care services from five health regions in midwestern São Paulo responded, from October to December 2014, the pre-validated 2014 questionnaire for primary care services assessment and monitoring. We selected 155 questions, based on national policies and guidelines on this theme. The responses indicate the service performance in older adults’ care, clustered into three areas of analysis: health care for active and healthy aging (45 indicators, d1), chronic noncommunicable diseases care (89 indicators, d2), and support network in aging care (21 indicators, d3). Performance was measured by the sum of positive (value 1) or negative (value 0) responses for each indicator. Services were clustered according to k-means of the performance scores of each domain. After weighting the domains (Z tests), we estimated the associations between the scores of each domain and independent management variables (typology, planning and evaluation of services), with simple and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Chronic noncommunicable diseases care (d2) showed, for all clusters, better average performance (55.7) than domains d1 (35.4) and d3 (39.2). Service performance in the general area of planning and evaluation associates with the performance of older adults’ care. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluated services had incipient implementation of comprehensive care for older adults. The evaluation framework can contribute to processes to improve the quality of primary health care.OBJETIVO: Avaliar o desempenho da atenção integral ao idoso em serviços de atenção primária do Sistema Único de Saúde no estado de São Paulo, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Um total de 157 serviços de atenção primária de cinco regiões de saúde do centro-oeste paulista respondeu, de outubro a dezembro de 2014, o instrumento pré-validado Questionário de Avaliação e Monitoramento de Serviços de Atenção Básica 2014. Foram selecionadas 155 questões, com base nas políticas e diretrizes nacionais sobre essa temática. As respostas indicam o desempenho do serviço na atenção ao idoso, agrupadas em três domínios de análise: atenção à saúde para o envelhecimento ativo e saudável (45 indicadores, d1), atenção às doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (89 indicadores, d2) e rede de apoio na atenção ao envelhecimento (21 indicadores, d3). A medida de desempenho foi a soma de respostas positivas (valor 1) ou negativas (valor 0) para cada indicador. Os serviços foram agrupados segundo k-médias dos escores de desempenho de cada um dos domínios. Após a ponderação dos domínios (testes Z), foram estimadas as associações entre os escores de cada domínio e variáveis independentes de gestão (tipologia, planejamento e avaliação dos serviços), por meio de regressão linear simples e múltipla. RESULTADOS: A atenção às doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (d2) mostrou, para todos os agrupamentos, melhor desempenho médio (55,7) do que os domínios d1 (35,4) e d3 (39,2). O desempenho do serviço na área geral de planejamento e avaliação esteve associado ao desempenho da atenção ao idoso. CONCLUSÕES: Os serviços avaliados apresentaram implementação incipiente da atenção integral ao idoso. O quadro avaliativo pode contribuir para processos de melhoria da qualidade da atenção primária à saúde

Uma solução automatizada para avaliações quantitativas de impacto: primeiros resultados do MARVIm

Bibliografia: p. 42-44.MARVIm (Automated Model in R for Verification of Impact) was developed as an agile first response tool to eventual demands of impact assessments of interest to BNDES. As a way to showcase the potential of MARVIm, we have implemented a series of assessments to investigate the same issue: how do the different interventions from BNDES affect the short-term performance of clients? Ten different types of intervention were assessed with the microdata from the Annual Social Information Report (Rais) and the Centralized Banking Services S.A. (Serasa) during the years 2008-2011. The variables of interest analyzed were always gross revenues, average number of employees, labor productivity, net profit and investment. In general, there was positive evidence of impact from BNDES on revenue, employment and investment of micro, small and medium-sized companies (MSME) supported with lines for BK acquisition (mainly BNDES Finame) and BNDES Card. Relevant impacts on the net income or labor productivity of clients were not identified. However, the results on the productivity will probably take more than two years to be observed, requiring an analysis interval longer than that implemented herein.O MARVIm (Modelo Automatizado em R para Verificação de Impacto) foi desenvolvido como uma ferramenta de primeira resposta, ágil, a eventuais demandas de avaliações de impacto de interesse do BNDES. Como uma forma de apresentar as potencialidades do MARVIm, implementou-se um conjunto de avaliações com o objetivo de investigar uma mesma questão: como as diferentes intervenções do BNDES impactam no curto prazo a performance das firmas beneficiadas? Dez diferentes tipos de intervenção foram avaliados com o uso de microdados da Relação Anual de Informações Sociais (Rais) e da Centralização de Serviços Bancários S.A. (Serasa) durante os anos de 2008-2011. As variáveis de interesse analisadas foram sempre faturamento bruto, número médio de empregados, produtividade do trabalho, resultado líquido e investimento. De maneira geral, houve evidência positiva de impacto do BNDES sobre o faturamento, o emprego e o investimento das MPMEs apoiadas com linhas para aquisição de BK (fundamentalmente BNDES Finame) e Cartão BNDES. Não foram identificados impactos relevantes sobre o resultado líquido ou a produtividade do trabalho dos beneficiados. Contudo, os resultados sobre a produtividade provavelmente demoram mais do que dois anos para serem sentidos, requerendo um intervalo de análise maior do que o que foi aqui implementado

Outlook for inverse design in nanophotonics

Recent advancements in computational inverse design have begun to reshape the landscape of structures and techniques available to nanophotonics. Here, we outline a cross section of key developments at the intersection of these two fields: moving from a recap of foundational results to motivation of emerging applications in nonlinear, topological, near-field and on-chip optics.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure