Ballast water management: technology choice comparing TODIM and THOR 2

This paper approaches the problem of ballast water treatment in ships. This has been identified as one of the four greatest threats to the world’s oceans. Solutions that have been considered for solving the problem are alternative water treatment technologies. In the case study reported in this paper three major water treatment technologies have been evaluated with the help of twenty-six criteria, quantitative as well as qualitative by using two discrete multicriteria methods, TODIM and THOR 2. The THOR 2 consists of the axiomatic evolution of the THOR method and both THOR 2 and THOR are made available through the THOR Web platform. Five groups of evaluation criteria are then considered: practicality; biological effectiveness; cost/benefit ratio; time frame for the implementation of standards; and environmental impact of the process' sub-products. In this paper a case study on choosing a ballast water treatment technology is presented. Three alternative ballast water management technologies are proposed by experts in the field and are evaluated with the help of twenty-six criteria, quantitative as well as qualitative. Each ballast water management method is described by a list of twenty-six attributes or criteria. After setting the problem in a clear way and consulting different experts, the two separate applications of both TODIM and THOR 2 are performed. What is denoted as Management Method #1 is indeed chosen as the best alternative according to both methods. The conclusion is that those two methods, although conceptually and analytically quite different, lead essentially to the same main results.  Two other applications of both TODIM and THOR have indeed confirmed the convergence of results in spite of the conceptual and technical differences between the two methods. This suggests that formulating a decision problem in a correct, clear-cut way can be at least as important as the technical characteristics of the method per se

Experimental study and computational modelling of cruzain cysteine protease inhibition by dipeptidyl nitriles

Chagas disease affects millions of people in Latin America. This disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanossoma cruzi. The cysteine protease cruzain is a key enzyme for the survival and propagation of this parasite lifecycle. Nitrile-based inhibitors are efficient inhibitors of cruzain that bind by forming a covalent bond with this enzyme. Here, three nitrile-based inhibitors dubbed Neq0409, Neq0410 and Neq0570 were synthesized, and the thermodynamic profile of the bimolecular interaction with cruzain was determined using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The result suggests the inhibition process is enthalpy driven, with a detrimental contribution of entropy. In addition, we have used hybrid Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical (QM/MM) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the reaction mechanism of reversible covalent modification of cruzain by Neq0409, Neq0410 and Neq0570. The computed free energy profile shows that the nucleophilic attack of Cys25 on the carbon C1 of inhibitiors and the proton transfer from His162 to N1 of the dipeptidyl nitrile inhibitor take place in a single step. The calculated free energy of the inhibiton reaction is in agreement with covalent experimental binding. Altogether, the results reported here suggests that nitrile-based inhibitors are good candidates for the development of reversible covalent inhibitors of cruzain and other cysteine proteases

OS BENEFÍCIOS DA PRÁTICA DE IOGA NO CONTROLE DA PRESSÃO ARTERIAL DE IDOSAS HIPERTENSAS: ANÁLISE CONCEITUAL

Sendo a hipertensão arterial (HA) um dos maiores problemas de saúde pública no Brasil e com alto índices de prevalências em idosos, sobretudo mulheres, o presente texto possui como objetivo analisar as possíveis contribuições da prática do Ioga para Idosas Hipertensas. O estudo foi construído metodologicamente através de uma revisão conceitual de bibliografia. Para isso, utilizou-se de bases de dados eletrônicas. Conclui-se que existe uma escassez de estudos que versam sobre os efeitos da HA e que o Ioga é uma significativa alternativa de exercício físico para controle da pressão arterial e para a melhoria da qualidade vida

Como Elaborar um Resumo Estruturado Como Instrumento na Disseminação Científica: Um Breve Roteiro

Background: Structured abstracts (with subtitles like this) are in the process of being adopted by scientific journals (strata B1 and B2) in Applied Social Sciences - Administration.Objective: The objective of this paper is to clarify to the reader that structured abstracts are becoming a trend in scientific journals of Applied Social Sciences - Administration.Method: This study uses the empirical and deductive method, through a quantitative and qualitative approach; and as for the procedure, it is a bibliographic search, by wa of reviewing studies and scientific articles carried out on the subject and websites of scientific journals in the SPELL ANPAD database, aiming to clarify the relevance of the structured abstract in the drafting of scientific articles.Results: from the 120 scientific journals on the topic of administration researched in the Spell database, it is observed that only 17% of the journals adopt the structured abstract. The analyzed sample allowed to show that the structured abstract is more used by journals located in strata B1 and B2 in the Spell ranking (ANPAD).Conclusions: It is  recommended that editors / authors of social science journals consider the adoption of structured abstracts. It is also concluded that the structured abstracts written for Applied Social Sciences journals are more informative, easier to read and to research when comparing them with the traditional abstracts. Contextualização: Resumos estruturados (com subtítulos como este) estão em fase de adoção por periódicos científicos (estrados B1 e B2) em Ciências Sociais Aplicadas – Administração.Objetivo: O objetivo deste artigo é esclarecer ao leitor que os resumos estruturados tornam-se uma  tendência em revistas científicas de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas – Administração.Método: O presente estudo utiliza o método empírico e dedutivo, por intermédio de uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa; quanto ao procedimento, é uma pesquisa bibliográfica, mediante a revisão  de estudos  e artigos científicos realizados sobre o tema  e websites de periódicos científicos na base SPELL ANPAD, visando esclarecer a relevância do resumo estruturado na elaboração de artigos científicos, dissertações e teses.Resultados: Dos 120 periódicos científicos sobre o tema de  administração pesquisados na base Spell, observa-se que apenas 17%  dos periódicos adotam o resumo estruturado. A amostra analisada permite evidenciar que o resumo estruturado é mais utilizado por periódicos situados nos estratos B1 e B2 no ranking Spell (ANPAD).Conclusões: Recomenda-se que os editores/autores de revistas de ciências sociais considerem a adoção de resumos estruturados. Acrescenta-se, também, que os resumos estruturados elaborados para periódicos de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas são mais informativos, mais fáceis de ler e de pesquisar ao compará-los com  os resumos tradicionais.Palavras-chave: Publicação científica; Periódicos científicos; Resumo estruturado; Escrita científica

Abdominal adiposity, insulin and bone quality in young male rats fed a high-fat diet containing soybean or canola oil

OBJECTIVES: A low ratio of omega-6/omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with healthy bone properties. However, fatty diets can induce obesity. Our objective was to evaluate intra-abdominal adiposity, insulin, and bone growth in rats fed a high-fat diet containing low ratios of omega-6/omega-3 provided in canola oil. METHODS: After weaning, rats were grouped and fed either a control diet (7S), a high-fat diet containing soybean oil (19S) or a high-fat diet of canola oil (19C) until they were 60 days old. Differences were considered to be significant if p<0.05. RESULTS: After 60 days, the 19S and 19C groups showed more energy intake, body density growth and intraabdominal fat mass. However, the 19S group had a higher area (200%) and a lower number (44%) of adipocytes, while the 7S and 19C groups did not differ. The serum concentrations of glucose and insulin and the insulin resistance index were significantly increased in the 19C group (15%, 56%, and 78%, respectively) compared to the 7S group. Bone measurements of the 19S and 19C groups showed a higher femur mass (25%) and a higher lumbar vertebrae mass (11%) and length (5%). Computed tomography analysis revealed more radiodensity in the proximal femoral epiphysis and lumbar vertebrae of 19C group compared to the 7S and 19S groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the amount and source of fat used in the diet after weaning increase body growth and fat depots and affect insulin resistance and, consequently, bone health

Artificial intelligence to growth stresses predicting in Eucalyptus clones using dendrometric variables and wood density

Eucalyptus planted forests contribute to maximizing lumber production but problems such as longitudinal growth strain can negatively influence the quality of the products. Knowing dendrometric variables and wood properties can help in the prediction of longitudinal growth strain, mainly with the help of artificial intelligence. Thus, the aim of this research was to evaluate the use of artificial neural networks to predict longitudinal growth strain in Eucalyptus trees based on dendrometric variables, spacing between trees and wood density. The longitudinal growth strain was measured in trees of four Eucalyptus clones planted in three spacings. The diameter and height of each tree were measured. The basic wood density was determined. Artificial neural networks were used to estimate longitudinal growth strain as a function of dendrometric variables, tree spacing and wood density. The results showed that the artificial neural networks presented good results for training and validation, with most of them resulting in high correlation coefficient values. The trained artificial neural networks showed a correlation coefficient above 0,56. Artificial neural networks showed that the variables clone and basic wood density were the ones that most contributed to the prediction of longitudinal growth strain. On the other hand, the spacing between trees, the height of the tree and the diameter at breast height were not relevant to predict growth stresses

PTX3-based genetic testing for risk of aspergillosis after lung transplant

[Excerpt] We read with interest the article by Wójtowicz et al [1], and would like to comment on it and to share findings from our complementary study. We have recently established genetic variation in the long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) as a major determinant of susceptibility to invasive aspergillosis (IA) after hematopoietic stem cell transplant [2]. Wójtowicz et al are the first to uncover similar findings in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, highlighting a potential applicability of these markers in predicting infection across patients with intrinsically different predisposing conditions (...).ESCMID -European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases(undefined

Light: a rare reaction product

The production of visible light by chemical reactions constitutes interesting and fascinating phenomena and several reaction mechanisms are discussed to rationalize excited state formation. Most efficient chemiluminescence reactions are thought to involve one or more electron transfer steps and chemiexcitation is believed to occur by radical annihilation. A brief introduction to the general principles of light production and the main known chemiexcitation mechanisms will be given here. Subsequently, recent results on the mechanistic elucidation of efficient chemiluminescence systems, as the peroxyoxalate reaction, the induced decomposition of phenoxy-substituted 1,2-dioxetanes and the catalyzed decomposition of new a-peroxylactones will be discussed.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenadoria para o Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Seminário Internacional Transformação Digital nos Serviços Públicos

A Enap, em parceria com a Universidade de Georgetown, a Microsoft, o Centro de Estudos Sociedade e Tecnologia da Universidade de São Paulo (CEST-USP) e a Secretaria de Tecnologia da Informação e Comunicação (SETIC), do Ministério do Planejamento, promoveu o "Seminário Internacional Transformação Digital nos Serviços Públicos". O seminário fez uma importante reflexão sobre como as tecnologias digitais são adotadas pelos órgãos e quais os desafios se propõem na necessária implementação de um Governo Digital no Brasil. Foram brevemente apresentadas as ferramentas e modelos atualmente em desenvolvimento no processo de transformação digital do governo brasileiro.Enap, in partnership with Georgetown University, Microsoft, Studies and Technology of the University of São Paulo (CEST-USP) and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (SETIC), of the Ministry of Planning, promoted the International Seminar - Digital Transformation in Public Services5 apresentações em slidesGestão de Tecnologia da InformaçãoGestão PúblicaTecnologia da Informação. Informátic