A Smart Approach to Harvest Date Forecasting

The concept of grape ripeness depends not only on the degree of enrichment of the chemical compounds in the grape and the volume of the berries, but also on the possible production purposes. The different types of maturation in individual cases are not sufficient for the decision on the harvest date. Taken together, however, they define oenological maturation times and help to harvest them. However, there are no consistent studies that correlate the chemical parameters obtained from must analysis and oenological maturation due to the nonlinearity of these two types of variables. Therefore, this work seeks to create a self-explanatory model that allows for the prediction of ideal harvest time, based on eneological parameters related to practices in new developments in knowledge acquisition and management in relational databases

Sulfurated and oxygenated imidazoline derivatives: Synthesis, antioxidant activity and light‐mediated antibacterial activity

Imidazoline derivatives with different exocyclic substituents were simply prepared from common starting materials. The procedures were carried out in an eco-friendly manner. The antioxidant activity of these derivatives was explored by different experimental assays, such as ABTS.+ and DPPH. scavenging assay, as well as reducing power assay. The structural differences are discussed in terms of the results. Sulfur analogs showed higher antioxidant activity than their oxygenated counterparts. The same tendency was observed in microbiological studies, in which the same imidazoline compounds were assayed for light-mediated activity against of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains. A light-enhanced activity was observed for almost all the sulfated imidazolines after exposure to UV-A (400-320 nm) light.Fil: Faillace, Martín Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Ana Paula. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Alves Borges Leal, Antonio Linkoln. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Muratori da Costa, Luciana. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Barreto, Humberto Medeiros. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Peláez, Walter José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentin

Avaliação continuada, uma metodologia de ensino para redução da retenção e da evasão nas disciplinas de Cálculo do ensino superior

A disciplina Cálculo Diferencial e Integral tem grande importância para o ensino da Engenharia. Disciplina inicial do curso, é nela que se observam os maiores índices de reprovação. Essa é uma realidade que tem acompanhado os estudantes de Engenharia em qualquer instituição de ensino. Com base nessa realidade e com o objetivo de alterar os resultados insatisfatórios quanto aos altos índices de reprovação, um estudo foi realizado comparando as metodologias de avaliação tradicional e avaliação continuada. Foram utilizados a estatística descritiva de dados de aprovação e reprovação, questionários e entrevistas com docentes e discentes para avaliar as condições e os resultados do uso dessas metodologias. Os resultados comparativos entre as metodologias de avaliação tradicional e continuada para o estudo de caso demonstraram que a metodologia de avaliação continuada obteve melhores resultados que a metodologia de avaliação tradicional em relação à aprovação dos estudantes. A análise englobou oito semestres letivos, dentro do primeiro ciclo do curso, sendo metade com a metodologia de avaliação tradicional e metade com a metodologia de avaliação continuada. O estudo confirma a hipótese de que o uso de uma metodologia de ensino diferente da tradicional pode melhorar os índices de aprovação para a disciplina de Cálculo do primeiro período do curso.

Impact of soil moisture on crop yields over Brazilian semiarid

The objective of this work was to investigate the relationship between soil water content and rainfall with rice, beans, cassava and corn yields in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil. Precipitation and modeled soil water content were compared to yields recorded at the county levels in this region. The results were also integrated over the area of the nine States that lie within the officially recognized region of semiarid climate in Brazil. The influence of water balance components was quantified by calculating their correlation coefficient with yields of the different crop species over the municipalities of the region. It was found that rainfall had higher correlation to crop yields over most of the region, while soil water content had lower values of correlation. This result is consistent with the fact that average root depth is 40 cm, lower than the layer of soil used in the model used to estimate soil water content (100 cm). Plants respond better to the precipitation in the top layers of soil, while the water storage in the deep layer of soil might be important only in other temporal and spatial scales of the hydrological cycle.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Sleep pattern in transgender men on short-term cross-sex hormone therapy with testosterone

It is believed that hormone therapy with testosterone in transgender men may interfere in the sleep quality of these patients, since testosterone may induce worsening of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in hypogonadal cisgender men receiving testosterone replacement therapy. This study aims to evaluate the association between testosterone therapy and risk of sleep disorders, including OSAS, in transgender men. Eighteen transgender men in a regular and supervised use of testosterone (mean treatment time: 3 ± 1.6 years) were evaluated regarding the risk of sleep disorders through questionnaires already validated in the medical literature. Anthropometric, laboratory and clinical data were collected. According to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), 50% of transgender men presented a risk of daytime sleepiness, while 22% and 23% of the participants were at high risk for OSAS according to the Berlin and updated STOP-Bang questionnaires, respectively. No significant association was found between risk of sleep disorders and testosterone type or therapy duration. However, there was a significant and negative correlation between androgen treatment time and ESS score. Regarding the clinical and laboratory profile of the patients, a high risk of sleep disorders was associated with lower levels of HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) and higher blood pressure values. Short-term treatment with testosterone in young transgender men is not associated with an increased risk of sleep disorders and may even improve daytime sleepiness in long-term. Blood pressure and HDL-c should be monitored in transgender men on androgen therapy as, when altered, they may indicate a higher risk of sleep disorders and OSAS

Telehealth in the Amazon Region in Latin America: an Overview

Purpose: This paper describes the current status of telehealth in the Latin American Amazon and displays the result of a distance course on malaria, focused on physicians and healthcare professionals from nine countries of the Amazon region. Methods: Data were collected on telehealth implementation and course participation for the following countries in the Amazon region: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Bolivia. Results: There are 808 Municipalities in the Amazon region. Over half (51.9%) of the Municipalities have implemented or are implementing telehealth projects in the region. Among these 6 countries, Brazil has the highest percentage of municipalities with telehealth projects implemented (498 of 808, 61,6%;), Venezuela  (38 of 91, 41.7%) and  following by Bolívia  (5 of 39; 12,8%). Participation in the distance course on malaria has included 868 students: Brazil, 291 participants (33.5%); Bolivia, 28 (3.2%); Colombia, 104 (12.0%); Ecuador, 52 (6.0%); Guyana, 2 (0.2%); Paraguay 1 (0.1%), 270 Peru (31,1%); 102 Venezuela (11.8%) and others (2.1%). Nearly all (99.1%) of learners would recommend the course to colleagues. Conclusion: Shared action between countries is an important framework that can lead to incorporation of telehealth resources and training for a common, remote setting, as exemplified by international activities in the Amazon region

Warifteine therapeutic treatment reduced leukocyte recruitment and anxiety-like response in ovalbumin-induced allergic pulmonary inflammation / Tratamento terapêutico com warifteína reduz recrutamento de leucócitos e resposta semelhante á ansiedade na inflamação pulmonar alérgica induzida por ovalbumina

Pulmonary inflammation plays a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of allergic asthma, which is characterized by lower airway obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, tissue remodeling, recruitment of inflammatory cells, with a predominance of eosinophils, in addition to behavioral disorders such as anxiety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the alkaloid warifteine, from the medicinal plant Cissampelos sympodialis, on anxiety-like behavior, respiratory frequency and leukocyte recruitment in an experimental model of allergic pulmonary inflammation. Swiss female mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) throughout the experimental protocol. The animals were treated orally with warifteine (2 mg / kg), subcutaneously with dexamethasone (2 mg / kg) or intraperitoneally with diazepam (1 mg / kg), 1 h after the OVA-challenges. On the last day of the antigenic challenge, the mice were tested for behavior using the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and for respiratory rate using full body plethysmography. The following day, the mice were euthanized to collect the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and leukocyte count. The data obtained showed that OVA-sensitization induced a behavior similar to anxiety in mice since the EPM test showed that the OVA group increased the number of entries and the time spent in the closed arms (CA) of the apparatus and reduced these parameters in the open arms (OA) compared to the Salina group. Warifteine treatment reversed both parameters analyzed, increasing the time spent (p <0.0001) and number of entries (p <0.01) in OA, decreasing the time spent (p <0.01) and number of entries (p <0.0001) in the CA, similarly to dexamethasone and diazepam standard drugs. Warifteine also reduced the respiratory rate (p <0.01) compared to the OVA group. The behavioral and breathing changes of the tested animals showed a relationship with the increase in the total and differential inflammatory leukocyte number in the OVA group compared to the Saline group. Therapeutic treatment with warifteine decreased the inflammatory process, reducing the number of total cells (p <0.0001) dependent of eosinophils and neutrophils numbers (p <0.001), as well as the percentage of eosinophils (p <0.0001). These data show that therapeutic treatment with warifteine is able to inhibit anxiety-like behavior and respiratory rate, due to a mechanism related to the inhibition of eosinophilic migration in an experimental model of allergic pulmonary inflammation.Pulmonary inflammation plays a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of allergic asthma, which is characterized by lower airway obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, tissue remodeling, recruitment of inflammatory cells, with a predominance of eosinophils, in addition to behavioral disorders such as anxiety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the alkaloid warifteine, from the medicinal plant Cissampelos sympodialis, on anxiety-like behavior, respiratory frequency and leukocyte recruitment in an experimental model of allergic pulmonary inflammation. Swiss female mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) throughout the experimental protocol. The animals were treated orally with warifteine (2 mg / kg), subcutaneously with dexamethasone (2 mg / kg) or intraperitoneally with diazepam (1 mg / kg), 1 h after the OVA-challenges. On the last day of the antigenic challenge, the mice were tested for behavior using the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and for respiratory rate using full body plethysmography. The following day, the mice were euthanized to collect the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and leukocyte count. The data obtained showed that OVA-sensitization induced a behavior similar to anxiety in mice since the EPM test showed that the OVA group increased the number of entries and the time spent in the closed arms (CA) of the apparatus and reduced these parameters in the open arms (OA) compared to the Salina group. Warifteine treatment reversed both parameters analyzed, increasing the time spent (p <0.0001) and number of entries (p <0.01) in OA, decreasing the time spent (p <0.01) and number of entries (p <0.0001) in the CA, similarly to dexamethasone and diazepam standard drugs. Warifteine also reduced the respiratory rate (p <0.01) compared to the OVA group. The behavioral and breathing changes of the tested animals showed a relationship with the increase in the total and differential inflammatory leukocyte number in the OVA group compared to the Saline group. Therapeutic treatment with warifteine decreased the inflammatory process, reducing the number of total cells (p <0.0001) dependent of eosinophils and neutrophils numbers (p <0.001), as well as the percentage of eosinophils (p <0.0001). These data show that therapeutic treatment with warifteine is able to inhibit anxiety-like behavior and respiratory rate, due to a mechanism related to the inhibition of eosinophilic migration in an experimental model of allergic pulmonary inflammation

Food insecurity in families with children under five years of age on the Brazil-Peru Amazon border

Food and nutrition security is the regular and permanent access to quality food in sufficient quantity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity in households with children under five in the Amazon frontier Brazil - Peru. The study was conducted in 352 households in Assis Brasil (Brazil) and 89 households Iñapari (Peru), finding a prevalence of food insecurity of 40.6 % and 38.2 % , respectively ( p = 0.856 ) . In Assis Brasil, having domicile with wood floors or land increased by 2.47 times the odds of food insecurity compared to cement fl oors, ceramic or quarry tiles . Belonging to the poorest tertile increased the chance of food insecurity in 6.04 times ( p < 0.001 ), and the increment of each new resident increased by 37 % the chance of food insecurity in the household . In Iñapari, only living in house made of wood or with a wood floor was associated with food insecurity, showing that income is still the main factor associated with food insecurity in the Amazonian borders

Efeitos de um programa de intervenção de oito semanas de exercício físico na aptidão cardiorrespiratória e duração da dor em mulheres sedentárias com migrânea

Introdução: Os indivíduos com migrânea, habitualmente apresentam uma baixa aptidão cardiorrespiratória (ACR). O incremento na ACR atua como modulador da migrânea. A quantificação e controle da intensidade do EF no tratamento da migrânea devem ser monitorados. Objetivo: Associar alterações na aptidão cardiorrespiratória na redução da intensidade da dor em mulheres sedentárias com migrânea. Métodos: O estudo é do tipo quase-experimental. Seis mulheres eutróficas (idade: 26±10,2anos; Vo2pico: 28,1±3,7 mL.kg-1.min-1) realizaram um teste incremental em esteira para determinação do Vo2pico, na condição basal e ao final da quarta semana. As sessões foram realizadas três vezes por semana, com a duração de 40 minutos, durante oito semanas. Resultados: Ao final das 08 semanas, houve aumento do Vo2pico (p=0,011), e redução na duração da dor (p=0,039), enquanto a intensidade (p=0,217) e frequência da dor de cabeça (p=0,056) não tiveram redução significativa. Conclusão: O exercício aeróbico com duração de 08 semanas, aumentou a aptidão cardiorrespiratória. Também se verificou a redução na duração das crises de enxaqueca