Aplicación de algoritmos genéticos en la planificación de redes de telefonia celular

Este trabajo analiza la problemática que tiene la planificación celular considerando el crecimiento y la evolución hacia nuevas tecnologías proponiendo como alternativa de planificación el uso de algoritmos de Inteligencia Artificial como son los Algoritmos Genéticos.Eje: Agentes y Sistemas InteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Aplicación de algoritmos genéticos en la planificación de redes de telefonia celular

Este trabajo analiza la problemática que tiene la planificación celular considerando el crecimiento y la evolución hacia nuevas tecnologías proponiendo como alternativa de planificación el uso de algoritmos de Inteligencia Artificial como son los Algoritmos Genéticos.Eje: Agentes y Sistemas InteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Association of HIV infection with distribution and viral load of HPV types in Kenya: a survey with 820 female sex workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV are each responsible for a considerable burden of disease. Interactions between these infections pose substantial public health challenges, especially where HIV prevalence is high and HPV vaccine coverage low.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between July 2005 and January 2006, a cross-sectional community-based survey in Mombasa, Kenya, enrolled female sex workers using snowball sampling. After interview and a gynaecological examination, blood and cervical cytology samples were taken. Quantitative real-time PCR detected HPV types and viral load measures. Prevalence of high-risk HPV was compared between HIV-infected and -uninfected women, and in women with abnormal cervical cytology, measured using conventional Pap smears.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Median age of the 820 participants was 28 years (inter-quartile range [IQR] = 24-36 years). One third of women were HIV infected (283/803; 35.2%) and these women were y more likely to have abnormal cervical cytology than HIV-negative women (27%, 73/269, versus 8%, 42/503; <it>P </it>< 0.001). Of HIV-infected women, 73.3% had high-risk HPV (200/273) and 35.5% had HPV 16 and/or 18 (97/273). Corresponding figures for HIV-negative women were 45.5% (229/503) and 15.7% (79/503). After adjusting for age, number of children and condom use, high-risk HPV was 3.6 fold more common in HIV-infected women (95%CI = 2.6-5.1). Prevalence of all 15 of the high-risk HPV types measured was higher among HIV-infected women, between 1.4 and 5.5 fold. Median total HPV viral load was 881 copies/cell in HIV-infected women (IQR = 33-12,110 copies/cell) and 48 copies/cell in HIV-uninfected women (IQR = 6-756 copies/cell; <it>P </it>< 0.001). HPV 16 and/or HPV 18 were identified in 42.7% of LSIL (32/75) and 42.3% of HSIL (11/26) lesions (<it>P </it>= 0.98). High-risk HPV types other than 16 and 18 were common in LSIL (74.7%; 56/75) and HSIL (84.6%; 22/26); even higher among HIV-infected women.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HIV-infected sex workers had almost four-fold higher prevalence of high-risk HPV, raised viral load and more precancerous lesions. HPV 16 and HPV 18, preventable with current vaccines, were associated with cervical disease, though other high-risk types were commoner. HIV-infected sex workers likely contribute disproportionately to HPV transmission dynamics in the general population. Current efforts to prevent HIV and HPV are inadequate. New interventions are required and improved implementation of existing strategies.</p

HPV and cervical cancer related knowledge, awareness and testing behaviors in a community sample of female sex workers in China

BACKGROUND: Limited data suggested that the prevalence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) among female sex workers (FSW) is much higher than in the general female population. The current study aimed to examine the HPV and cervical cancer related awareness, knowledge, and behaviors among FSW in China. METHODS: A total of 360 FSW recruited from entertainment establishments in Beijing completed a self-administered survey including demographics, HPV related knowledge, and health-seeking and cervical cancer preventive behaviors. RESULTS: Approximately 70.8% of the participants ever heard of cervical cancer, and as few as 22.1% and 13.3% ever heard of HPV and HPV vaccine, respectively. The mean score on a 7-item knowledge scale was 2.2 (SD = 2.4). Less than 10% of FSW perceived any risk of cervical cancer, and only 15.3% ever had a Pap smear. About 40.8% of FSW would accept HPV vaccine if it is free, and 21.8% would accept it even with a charge. Multivariate regression suggested that women with better knowledge of cervical cancer were more likely to have a Pap smear (aOR = 1.35); women who had tested for HIV were 11 times more likely to have a Pap smear, and women who had worked longer in commercial sex (aOR = 1.01) and had regular health check-ups (aOR = 1.95) were more likely to accept HPV vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underscores the needs for effective cervical cancer prevention programs for FSW in China and other resource-limited countries. We specifically call for cervical cancer and HPV knowledge and awareness programs and regular screening as well as HPV risk-reduction programs for these vulnerable women

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals &lt;1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Hepatitis B virus exposure in human immunodeficiency virus seropositive Cuban patients

In order to estimate the prevalence of serological markers of exposure to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), 295 subjects were selected at random from the National Registry of human immunodeficiency virus positive subjects. Evidence of exposure to HBV was defined as: testing Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-Hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) positive or anti-HBc positive only. Overall, 133 (45.5%) were positive for anti-HBc and 15 (5.1%) resulted positive to HBsAg. Significant statistical association was found between male sex and exposure to HBV (p<0.01). Homosexual or bisexual behavior was found to be strongly associated to HBV exposure (p<0.001). In conclusion, the prevalence of HBV serological markers is higher in Cuban HIV positive subjects compared to the Cuban general population

Redução da proteína bruta da ração para suínos machos castrados dos 15 aos 30 kg mantidos em termoneutralidade Reduction of crude protein level of ration to castrated swine from 15 to 30 kg maintained in a termoneutral environment (22&ordm;C)

Um experimento foi conduzido para avaliar a influência da redução da proteína bruta (PB) e suplementação de aminoácidos sintéticos sobre o desempenho de suínos machos castrados mantidos em ambiente termoneutro (22&ordm;C). Foram utilizados 60 leitões mestiços (Landrace x Large White) com peso médio inicial de 15,0 kg e idade média de 53,1 dias, em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos (18, 17, 16, 15 e 14% PB), seis repetições e dois animais por unidade experimental. As rações experimentais foram fornecidas à vontade até o final do experimento, quando os animais atingiram o peso médio de 30,2 kg. A temperatura média no interior da sala foi mantida em 22&ordm;C, com umidade relativa de 82,3%. O Índice de Temperatura de Globo e Umidade calculado no período foi de 69,6. Não se observou efeito da redução do nível de proteína bruta da ração sobre as variáveis de desempenho (consumo de ração, ganho de peso e conversão alimentar). As taxas de deposição de proteína e gordura também não foram influenciadas pela redução da PB na ração. Os tratamentos influenciaram os pesos absoluto e relativo do estômago e o peso absoluto do intestino, sendo os maiores valores observados em animais que receberam a ração com maior nível de proteína bruta. Concluiu-se que o nível de PB da ração pode ser reduzido de 18 para 14%, sem prejudicar o desempenho de suínos machos dos 15 aos 30 kg mantidos em ambiente termoneutro, desde que devidamente suplementadas com aminoácidos essenciais limitantes.<br>One experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of reduction of the crude protein (CP) level of ration with amino acid supplementation on performance of castrated males swines maintained in a termoneutral environment (22&ordm;C). A total of sixty crossbred swines (Landrace x Large White), with average initial weight of 15.0 kg and 53.1 days old, was allotted to a completely randomized design with five treatments (18, 17, 16, 15 and 14% CP), six replications and two animals per experimental unit. The experimental diets were fed ad libitum until the end of the experiment, when the animals reached the average weight of 30.2 kg. The average temperature in the room was maintained in 22&ordm;C with relative humidity of 82.3%. The Black Globe-Humidity Index (BGHI) was 69.6. No effect of decreasing dietary CP level on the evaluated performance parameters (feed intake, weight gain and feed:gain ratio) was observed. The deposition rates of protein and fat were not affected by the reduction of CP level and amino acid supplementation. The treatments affected the absolute and relative weight of stomach and absolute weight of intestine, and the highest weights were observed in the animals fed diet with the highest CP level. It was concluded that the dietary crude protein level can be reduced from 18 to 14% to castrated piglets from 15 to 30 kg maintained in a termoneutral environment with no effect on performance, since diets are supplemented with essential amino acids