Doença de arranhadela do gato em mulher de 44 anos de idade

A doença da arranhadela do gato é uma zoonose causada pela bactéria Bartonella henselae, e transmitida ao homem por inoculação em lesões de arranhadelas ou mordeduras de gatos. Descreve-se aqui um caso de doença da arranhadela do gato numa mulher de 44 anos de idade, imunocompetente, que se apresentou com uma pápula/crosta num dedo da mão direita, linfadenopatias regionais e foi tratada com azitromicina por apresentar uma linfadenopatia epitroclear muito dolorosa. O diagnóstico de infecção por B. henselae foi confirmado laboratorialmente por serologia, e PCR (polymerase chain reaction) numa biópsia de gânglio axilar. Foi também detectado DNA de B. henselae no sangue do gato da doente, mas não nas quatro pulgas, Ctenocephalides felis que parasitavam o gato. Importantes métodos de diagnóstico como a técnica de PCR e sequenciação permitem caracterizar a espécie ou estirpe responsáveis pela infecção no homem uma vez que actualmente existem novas espécies de Bartonella emergentes a causar a mesma doença. Para além disso é extremamente importante para a epidemiologia das doenças existentes no nosso país saber quais as espécies que circulam e que podem causar doença no homem

Query Answering in Normal Logic Programs under Uncertainty

We present a simple, yet general top-down query answering procedure for normal logic programs over lattices and bilattices, where functions may appear in the rule bodies. Its interest relies on the fact that many approaches to paraconsistency and uncertainty in logic programs with or without non-monotonic negation are based on bilattices or lattices, respectively

Extended RDF: Computability and Complexity Issues

ERDF stable model semantics is a recently proposed semantics for ERDF ontologies and a faithful extension of RDFS semantics on RDF graphs. In this paper, we elaborate on the computability and complexity issues of the ERDF stable model semantics. Based on the undecidability result of ERDF stable model semantics, decidability under this semantics cannot be achieved, unless ERDF ontologies of restricted syntax are considered. Therefore, we propose a slightly modified semantics for ERDF ontologies, called ERDF #n- stable model semantics. We show that entailment under this semantics is, in general, decidable and also extends RDFS entailment. Equivalence statements between the two semantics are provided. Additionally, we provide algorithms that compute the ERDF #n-stable models of syntax-restricted and general ERDF ontologies. Further, we provide complexity results for the ERDF #nstable model semantics on syntax-restricted and general ERDF ontologies. Finally, we provide complexity results for the ERDF stable model semantics on syntax-restricted ERDF ontologies

Monozygotic twin sisters discordant for familial hemiplegic migraine

Background: The high concordance rate of migraine in monozygotic twin pairs has long been recognised. In the current study, we present a monozygotic twin pair discordant for familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM). Case presentations: We evaluated 12 adult family members in 2012. The twin pair was separately examined by neurologists at different time points. Mutation screening was performed for known FHM-related genes. The monozygosity of the twins was verified. Eleven individuals had a history of migraine or paroxysmal neurological symptoms, including four patients with motor aura. No mutations were detected in the CACNA1A, ATP1A2, SCN1A, PRRT2 or NOTCH3 genes. The monozygotic twin sisters, aged 52, were discordant for age of onset, motor aura and neuropsychological aura (forced thinking). Overall, the family members presented a wide range of phenotypical features. Conclusions: Familial hemiplegic migraine is a monogenic disorder that is distinct from migraine with typical aura. However, in certain families with motor aura, such as this one, it is possible that the most severe phenotype is caused by an unlikely combination of polygenic traits and non-genetic factors. In these kindreds, we propose that hemiplegic aura is only a severe and complex form of typical aura

Social Role in Organizational Management - Understanding People Behavior and Motivation

The aim of this work is to respond to the need to rethink the behavior and motiva-tion of employees in their relationship with managers and social groups, i.e., one`s main goal is based on increasing engagement in order to reach organiza-tional goals and job workers satisfaction, a complex concept that is influenced by different causes. Indeed, in this work it is analyzed the impact of working condi-tions on job satisfaction. This is where attention is drawn to the concept of entro-py, since we are not focusing on the value a variable can take, but on the effort that has been expended to obtain it. The idea of entropy comes from a principle of thermodynamics dealing with energy. It usually refers to the idea that everything in the universe eventually moves from order to disorder, and entropy is the meas-urement of that change, that is used here to understand and assess the workers behavior and motivation. The subsequent formal model is based on a set of logi-cal structures for knowledge representation and reasoning that conform to the above entropic view, then leading to an Artificial Neural Network approach to computation, an archetypal that considers the motive behind the action

The Genome of a Thermo Tolerant, Pathogenic Albino Aspergillus fumigatus

Biotechnologists are interested in thermo tolerant fungi to manufacture enzymes active and stable at high temperatures, because they provide improved catalytic efficiency, strengthen enzyme substrate interactions, accelerate substrate enzyme conversion rates, enhance mass transfer, lower substrate viscosity, lessen contamination risk and offer the potential for enzyme recycling. Members of the genus Aspergillus live a wide variety of lifestyles, some embrace GRAS status routinely employed in food processing while others such as Aspergillus fumigatus are human pathogens. A. fumigatus produces melanins, pyomelanin protects the fungus against reactive oxygen species and DHN melanin produced by the pksP gene cluster confers the gray-greenish color. pksP mutants are attenuated in virulence. Here we report on the genomic DNA sequence of a thermo tolerant albino Aspergillus isolated from rain forest composted floors. Unexpectedly, the nucleotide sequence was 95.7% identical to the reported by Aspergillus fumigatus Af293. Genome size and predicted gene models were also highly similar, however differences in DNA content and conservation were observed. The albino strain, classified as Aspergillus fumigatus var. niveus, had 160 gene models not present in A. fumigatus Af293 and A. fumigatus Af293 had 647 not found in the albino strain. Furthermore, the major pigment generating gene cluster pksP appeared to have undergone genomic rearrangements and a key tyrosinase present in many aspergilli was missing from the genome. Remarkably however, despite the lack of pigmentation A. fumigatus var. niveus killed neutropenic mice and survived macrophage engulfment at similar rates as A. fumigatus Af293

Influência do processamento nas características sensoriais da água-de-coco.

O presente estudo teve por objetivo efetuar análise descritiva quantitativa de águas-de-coco e comparar o efeito de diferentes processamentos nas características sensoriais dos produtos. Foram utilizadas duas amostras de água-de-coco congeladas, uma pasteurizada por processo convencional e outra em microondas. Os resultados mostraram que a amostra pasteurizada em microondas apresentou (significativamente) os menores valores para as características típicas da água-de-coco verde, ao contrário das amostras congeladas. A amostra processada por pasteurização convencional apresentou maior intensidade dos atributos aroma e sabor de passado e aroma de ranço