Personal protective strategies for dengue disease: simulations in two coexisting virus serotypes scenarios

Dengue fever is a common mosquito-borne viral infectious disease in the world and is widely spread, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. At this moment, one of the best ways to fight the disease is to prevent mosquito bites. In this study, we present a mathematical model that carefully considers personal protection for humans. It is an epidemiological model that translates the dengue disease through a system of differential ordinary equations which takes in consideration the dynamics of the disease between human and mosquito populations. This model incorporates a parameter that simulates personal protection measures, namely insect repellent, special clothes, or bed nets, and a parameter that asserts the effectiveness of public awareness to the importance of using personal protective equipment. In 2012 there was a dengue disease outbreak in Madeira Island, in Portugal, and this study not only tries to predict what could happen if a second outbreak occurs, where it is considered that there are two serotypes of Dengue disease, but also tries to predict the effects and the importance of taking personal protection measures. The results show that the level of personal measures and the time that people are compelled to use them have a significant impact to prevent dengue disease.publishe

Symmetric Differentiation on Time Scales

We define a symmetric derivative on an arbitrary nonempty closed subset of the real numbers and derive some of its properties. It is shown that real-valued functions defined on time scales that are neither delta nor nabla differentiable can be symmetric differentiable.Comment: This is a preprint of a paper whose final and definite form will be published in Applied Mathematics Letters. Submitted 30-Jul-2012; revised 07-Sept-2012; accepted 10-Sept-201

Sistema elétrico futuro baseado em renováveis e a sua dependência da variabilidade climática e da evolução do consumo

CIES2020 - XVII Congresso Ibérico e XIII Congresso Ibero-americano de Energia SolarRESUMO: A transição para sistemas elétricos baseados em renováveis tem sido crítica para o combate às alterações climáticas. Tal contribui para uma maior vulnerabilidade dos sistemas a variações do clima e do consumo elétrico no futuro. Com base nisto, este trabalho analisa o impacto que climas futuros e cenários de consumo terão num sistema elétrico com elevada penetração de renováveis. O caso de estudo é Portugal em 2050. Utilizando uma ferramenta de modelação com base horária, o sistema é simulado para cerca de 500 projeções climáticas (RCP4.5 e RCP8.5) e para dois cenários de evolução do consumo. Conclui-se que o cenário de elevado consumo é o mais afetado pelo clima, mostrando uma variação da fração de produção renovável do sistema elétrico de referência de 55 para 78% (79 e 93%, na configuração ótima) sob condições desfavoráveis e favoráveis, respetivamente. Para o cenário de baixo consumo, a fração renovável varia entre 89 e 93% (92 e 95%, na configuração ótima) sob condições desfavoráveis e favoráveis, respetivamente.ABSTRACT: The transition of power systems towards renewables has been critical to fight climate change. It contributes for an increase in the vulnerability of power systems to climate and electricity consumption in the future. This work explores the impact of future climate and different demand development on the performance of power system with high renewable penetration. The case study is Portugal in 2050. Using an hourly-based modelling tool, the power system is simulated for 500 climate realizations (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) and for two scenarios of demand development. It is found that the high demand scenario is far more affected by climate variability, it shows a variation in the renewable generation fraction from 55 to 78% (79 and 93%, for the optimal configuration) under unfavorable and favorable years, respectively. For the low demand scenarios, the renewable fraction ranges between 89 and 93% (92 and 95%, for the optimal configuration) under unfavorable and favorable years, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estudo dos agentes causais de diarreia em crianças menores de 5 anos no Hospital Geral do Bengo

A diarreia pode ser causada por vírus, parasitas e bactérias e constitui uma das principais causas de doença e morte em crianças menores de cinco anos em Angola. O presente estude assume como principal objectivo identificar os agentes patogénicos causadores de diarreia em crianças admitidas no Hospital Geral do Bengo

Estudo dos agentes causais de diarreia em crianças menores de 5 anos no Hospital Geral do Bengo

A diarreia pode ser causada por vírus, parasitas e bactérias e constitui uma das principais causas de doença e morte em crianças menores de cinco anos em Angola. O presente estude assume como principal objectivo identificar os agentes patogénicos causadores de diarreia em crianças admitidas no Hospital Geral do Bengo

Parasympathetic dysfunction is associated with insulin resistance in fructose-fed female rats

The objective of the present study was to identify metabolic, cardiovascular and autonomic changes induced by fructose overload administered in the drinking water of rats for 8 weeks. Female Wistar rats (200-220 g) were divided into 2 groups: control (N = 8) and fructose-fed rats (N = 5; 100 mg/L fructose in drinking water for 8 weeks). The autonomic control of heart rate was evaluated by pharmacological blockade using atropine (3 mg/kg) and propranolol (4 mg/kg). The animals were submitted to an intravenous insulin tolerance test (ITT) and to blood glucose measurement. The fructose overload induced a significant increase in body weight (~10%) and in fasting glycemia (~28%). The rate constant of glucose disappearance (KITT) during ITT was lower in fructose-fed rats (3.25 ± 0.7%/min) compared with controls (4.95 ± 0.3%/min, P < 0.05) indicating insulin resistance. The fructose-fed group presented increased arterial pressure compared to controls (122 ± 3 vs 108 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.05) and a reduction in vagal tonus (31 ± 9 vs 55 ± 5 bpm in controls, P < 0.05). No changes in sympathetic tonus were observed. A positive correlation, tested by the Pearson correlation, was demonstrable between cardiac vagal tonus and KITT (r = 0.8, P = 0.02). These data provided new information regarding the role of parasympathetic dysfunction associated with insulin resistance in the development of early metabolic and cardiovascular alterations induced by a high fructose diet.FAPESPCAPES-PROSU

Present distribution of the populations of Patella candei D´Orbigny, 1840 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the Canary Islands. A species in danger of extinction

A report on the conditions and the spatial distribution of the assemblages of an intertidal limpet Patella candei D´Orbigny, 1840 is presented. The study of this species, classified as a species in danger of extinction, was carried out in order to take steps about its recovery and preservation. This dangerous situation, due to the shellfish exceedings of the canarian limpet species, has caused an important decrease in their assemblages. A total of 3 617 specimens of Patella candei were found around the littoral of Fuerteventura and Lobos islet. The best structured assemblages were located in areas far away from centres of population, Monumento Natural de los Cuchillos de Vigán in the east, Parque Natural de Jandía in the south.Se realiza un estudio sobre el estado y la distribución espacial de las poblaciones de la lapa intermareal Patella candei D'Orbigny, 1840, catalogada como especie en peligro de extinción, para aportar información y establecer medidas adecuadas para su recuperación y conservación. Esta crítica situación, consecuencia de la sobreexplotación marisquera de las especies de lapas en Canarias, ha provocado una disminución alarmante de sus efectivos. Se cartografiaron 3 617 ejemplares de P. candei en todo el litoral de Fuerteventura y del islote de Lobos. Las poblaciones mejor estructuradas se encontraron en áreas situadas lejos de núcleos urbanos, como son el Monumento Natural de los Cuchillos de Vigán, en la vertiente este, y el Parque Natural de Jandía, en el sur.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Chromosomal disorders and male infertility

Male factor infertility is considered a complex disorder with a largely unknown etiology that affects about 7% of men. In general, genetic abnormalities account for 15%-30% of condition and Y chromosome microdeletions are also frequent. The study, based on our casuistic, aimed at contributing to a better understanding of the genetic causes of infertility. A group of 410 idiopathic infertile men with non-obstructive azoospermia, oligozoospermia, or unknown semen quality (based on clinical evaluation and/or sperm counts) was retrospectively selected. Conventional karyotype was performed in all samples; Y microdeletion screen was performed in 247 samples. Forty two abnormal karyotypes (10.2%) were found, indicating an elevated frequency of chromosome abnormalities among the selected infertile men, as compared to that of newborn populations (≈0.4%). This frequency is higher than that reported in most similar studies that pointed to frequencies ranging from 2.2%-14.3%. Klinefelter´s syndrome was the most common chromosome disorder (4.9%). There were 18 cases with 47,XXY karyotype and 2 cases of mosaicism involving lines 47,XXY and 46,XY. Reciprocal translocations were identified in 10 cases (2.4%), particularly in men with unknown semen quality. Overall, reciprocal translocations have been found in approximately 1% of the infertile men and more commonly in azoospermics than in oligozoospermics. However, this type of association was not found in the present study. On the other hand, Y microdeletions were identified in 16/247 cases (6.5%), more frequently in azoospermics (13.3%, corresponding to 8/60 azoospermics). Among these 8 cases, 7 presented deletions at the AZFc region. The marked presence of chromosomal abnormalities and Y microdeletions enphasizes the relevance of studying both factors in infertile men to improve genetic counseling, to allow the development of appropriate therapies, and to expand the knowledge about the ethiology of male infertility

Acesso Lateral De Keblish Melhora A Inclinação Da Patela Na Artroplastia Do Joelho Valgo

To compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of conventional medial and lateral approaches for total knee replacement in the valgus osteoarthritic knee. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, 21 patients with valgus knee osteoarthritis were randomized to total knee replacement through medial or lateral approach. The primary outcome was radiographic patellar tilt. Secondary outcomes were visual analogue scale of pain, postoperative levels of hemoglobin, and clinical aspect of the operative wound. Results There were no differences between the groups regarding other clinical variables. Mean lateral tilt of the patella was 3.1 degrees (SD ± 5.3) in the lateral approach group and 18 degrees (SD ± 10.2) in the medial approach group (p = 0.02). There were no differences regarding the secondary outcomes. Conclusion Lateral approach provided better patellar tilt following total knee replacement in valgus osteoarthritic knee. © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia51668068