Modelling the impact of the long-term use of insecticide treated bednets on Anopheles mosquito biting time

Background: Evidence of changing in biting and resting behaviour of the main malaria vectors has been mounting up in recent years as a result of selective pressure by the widespread and long-term use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), and indoor residual spraying. The impact of resistance behaviour on malaria intervention efficacy has important implications for the epidemiology and malaria control programmes. In this context, a theoretical framework is presented to understand the mechanisms determining the evolution of feeding behaviour under the pressure of use of ITNs. Methods: An agent-based stochastic model simulates the impact of insecticide-treated bed nets on mosquito fitness by reducing the biting rates, as well as increasing mortality rates. The model also incorporates a heritability function that provides the necessary genetic plasticity upon which natural selection would act to maximize the fitness under the pressure of the control strategy. Results: The asymptotic equilibrium distribution of mosquito population versus biting time is shown for several daily uses of ITNs, and the expected disruptive selection on this mosquito trait is observed in the simulations. The relative fitness of strains that bite at much earlier time with respect to the wild strains, when a threshold of about 50% of ITNs coverage highlights the hypothesis of a behaviour selection. A sensitivity analysis has shown that the top three parameters that play a dominant role on the mosquito fitness are the proportion of individuals using bed nets and its effectiveness, the impact of bed nets on mosquito oviposition, and the mosquito genetic plasticity related to changing in biting time. Conclusion: By taking the evolutionary aspect into account, the model was able to show that the long-term use of ITNs, although representing an undisputed success in reducing malaria incidence and mortality in many affected areas, is not free of undesirable side effects. From the evolutionary point of view of the parasite virulence, it should be expected that plasmodium parasites would be under pressure to reduce their virulence. This speculative hypothesis can eventually be demonstrated in the medium to long-term use of ITNs

MONITORIA DA DISCIPLINA EQUAÇÕES DIFERENCIAIS ORDINÁRIAS

Este trabalho busca expor o projeto de monitoria assessorado pela Faculdade da Computação e Engenharia Elétrica (FACEEL) e realizado no período 2016.4 na turma de Engenharia da Computação 2015, na disciplina Equações Diferenciais Ordinárias ministrada pela docente Franciane Silva de Azevedo, tendo como coordenador da monitoria o docente Fernando de Gusmão Coutinho e como monitora a discente Sara Rivera Ikeda. Uma das maiores dificuldades para discentes ingressantes em cursos na área de exatas como as engenharias são as disciplinas de cálculo resultando em um grande número de reprovações e evasões, principalmente nos primeiros períodos. Parte da dificuldade parte do princípio onde os alunos não tiveram uma boa base matemática no seu ensino fundamental e médio, impedindo a compreensão e aprendizado completo dos conteúdos, surgindo muitas dúvidas que não possíveis esclarecer somente em sala de aula. O programa de monitoria vem como possível solução para tal problema, tendo como cenário docentes que não possuem disponibilidade para acompanhar individualmente cada aluno. Portanto, esta prática vem a fortalecer o envolvimento e a desmistificação sobre os impactos dos primeiros semestres [1]. A monitoria não somente auxilia os alunos, mas também proporciona aos monitores a experiência de trabalhar de forma amadora como docente, desenvolvendo suas técnicas e conduta ao ensinar. Sendo uma área necessária para engenheiros e profissionais na área das exatas o estudo e a prática de equações diferenciais é imprescindível para discentes em engenharia. Como parte da formação desses profissionais é indispensável, portanto, a compreensão dos conceitos básicos envolvidos nessas equações e da obtenção de suas soluções [2]. O projeto de monitoria busca dar suporte aos discentes a fim de contribuir para o engrandecimento da aquisição de conhecimentos da disciplina em questão e suas faculdades. Portanto, o objetivo principal da monitoria é ajudar os discentes ao esclarecer suas dúvidas na discussão e resolução de exercícios através de um mediador, a monitora, que fornece aos alunos uma atmosfera mais descontraída se comparado aos horários de aula e ainda a oportunidade revisar o conteúdo da disciplina. Além disso, a monitora também auxilia o professor a identificar as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos alunos da disciplina, tendo em vista uma melhora no desempenho e aprendizagem dos estudantes

Daily variation of lipid regulators and personal care products in a river impacted by domestic effluents in southern brazil

In urban areas, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a major role in the water quality of rivers. The removal efficiency of emerging contaminants by WWTPs is strongly correlated with the type of treatment and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the process, which can vary according to the volumetric influent flow of wastewater and occasional peak flows. This paper aims, for the first time, to assess the daily variation of lipid regulators and personal care products in an urban river impacted by domestic effluents. Samples were collected upstream and downstream of a WWTP. The concentrations downstream of the effluent discharge were higher than upstream, but they varied significantly during the day. Concentration peaks upstream of the WWTP were detected at 07:00, 15:00 and 21:00, while downstream of the effluent discharge, concentration peaks occurred between 13:00 and 19:00 and between 21:00 and 23:00. The highest downstream concentrations of triclosan and methylparaben (420 ng L$^{-1}$ and 460 ng L$^{-1}$) were 6.8 and 5.4 times higher than the lowest concentrations detected, respectively. These results show that in WWTP-impacted rivers, the time of the sampling has a great influence on the final results and conclusions of a monitoring study

COVID-19 Hospitalization, Mortality, and Violence: Women’s Circumstances in the Context of the Pandemic in Brazil

This study outlines the rates of hospitalization, mortality, and violence for women in Brazil in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to race/skin color/ethnicity. The study was developed with secondary data originating from official systems of information. The analysis of hospitalizations derives from data found in the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Gripe). The data on women’s mortality due to COVID-19 and violence was obtained from Mortality Information System (SIM), with consideration for the International Classification of Disease codes (ICD-10). Averages, proportions, gross rates, adjusted rates, and rate ratios were calculated by the authors. Of the COVID-19-related hospitalizations, the majority of those registered occurred among women 50 or older, with an average age of 58.8 years. A higher number of hospitalizations was observed among white women, especially those with at least a primary and middle school education. COVID-19 deaths and violent deaths from undetermined causes (UD) were proportionately higher for women over 50 years old. Deaths by homicide were proportionately higher for girls and women 10 to 49 years old. The average age at the time of death was found to be approximately 69 years old by COVID-19, 34 by homicide, and 62 by UD. Deaths due to COVID-19 and UD were more prevalent among white women, whereas deaths by homicide were proportionately higher for Black women. Women with a basic education were more frequent victims of COVID-19, homicide, and UD. In terms of hospitalization and death by COVID-19 and UD, a higher adjusted rate was observed for Black women compared to white women. Indigenous women represented the highest adjusted rate in terms of homicide, followed by Black women. Despite white women experiencing proportionately higher hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 and UD, the adjusted rates reveal that Black women are most at risk of sickness and death from these causes

Sistemas ecológicos modelados por equações de reação-difusão

Este trabalho é composto de estudos independentes, mas seus temas são conectados entre si. Ele foi feito baseando-se no estudo de equações de reação-difusão e em reação-difusão-advecção. Vários modelos foram utilizados para representar populações e apresentam características em comum. As populações representadas por esses modelos difundem, crescem e saturam de forma semelhante a equação de Fisher-Kolmogorov e Lotka-Volterra e foram modeladas usando condições de contorno de Dirichlet. Domínios limitados e ilimitados foram usados para que melhor representassem as devidas e diferentes aplicações de dados coletados em campo e publicados em periódicos. Esse trabalho também leva em conta a aplicabilidade à habitats fragmentados, isoladas e não-isoladas. Como foco principal temos o estudo do movimento de populações que vivem nesses habitats mostrando que a qualidade e distribuição deles afeta no movimento das populaçõesThis thesis consists on independent studies, but its subjects are interconnected. It has been based on the study of reaction-diffusion-advection equations. Several models were used to represent populations and have some characteristics in common. The populations represented by the models spread, grow, and saturate in a way similar to that described by the Fisher-Kolmogorov and Lotka-Volterra equations, and were modeled using Dirichlet boundary conditions. Limited and unlimited domains were used to better represent the necessary applications and different data collected in the field and published in journals. This work also takes into account the applicability to fragmented habitats, isolated and not isolated. As the main focus we study the movement of populations living in these habitats, showing that the quality and distribution affects them the movement of population

The effect of the infection within the individual host on its propagation in the population

We consider nested or multiscale models to study the effect of the temporal evolution of the disease within the host in the population dynamics of the disease, for one and two infectious agents. We assumed a coupling between the within-host infection rate and the between-host transmission rate. The age of infection within each individual in a population affects the probability of transmission of the disease to a susceptible host and this will affect the temporal evolution of the disease in the host population. To analyze the infection within the host, we consider bacterial-like and viral-like infections. In the model for two infectious agents, we found that, when strain 2 has a basic reproduction number R02 greater than the basic reproduction number R01 of strain 1, strain 2 replaces strain 1 in the population. However, if R02>R01 but the values are closer, the replacement does not occur immediately and both strains can coexist for a long time. We applied the model to a scenario in which patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are cleared of HCV when super-infected with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). We compared the time for the replacement of HCV by HAV in the population considering instantaneous and non-instantaneous replacement within the individuals. The model developed can be generalized for more than two infectious agents. Keywords: Nested model, Multiscale model, Within-host infection, Between-host transmission, Infectious diseas

Unveiling the Physical Address of the JWST Telescope

<p></p><p>The spatial location of the future James Webb Satellite Telescope (JWST), in a position known as the L2 in relation to the Sun-Earth system, direct us to the most celebrated problem in dynamics, which is the three-body problem. In this work we demonstrate the calculation of the JWST position in space, whose launch is expected to occur in 2019. For this purpose, we consider the body restricted problem, studying the movement of large masses moving over mutual gravitational attraction, considering in this case that the third body (JWST) has negligible mass when compared to the others. In addition to making a brief historical interlude, we show the forces involved in calculating the position of the JWST telescope in space and we provide some simplified mathematical expressions for such a Lagrange point. This study involves the problem of central force explored in mechanics, the problem of lagrange points and their locations, explored in astronomy and dynamics of the solar system and Newton's classical gravitation.</p><p></p