Complex Network Tools to Understand the Behavior of Criminality in Urban Areas

Complex networks are nowadays employed in several applications. Modeling urban street networks is one of them, and in particular to analyze criminal aspects of a city. Several research groups have focused on such application, but until now, there is a lack of a well-defined methodology for employing complex networks in a whole crime analysis process, i.e. from data preparation to a deep analysis of criminal communities. Furthermore, the "toolset" available for those works is not complete enough, also lacking techniques to maintain up-to-date, complete crime datasets and proper assessment measures. In this sense, we propose a threefold methodology for employing complex networks in the detection of highly criminal areas within a city. Our methodology comprises three tasks: (i) Mapping of Urban Crimes; (ii) Criminal Community Identification; and (iii) Crime Analysis. Moreover, it provides a proper set of assessment measures for analyzing intrinsic criminality of communities, especially when considering different crime types. We show our methodology by applying it to a real crime dataset from the city of San Francisco - CA, USA. The results confirm its effectiveness to identify and analyze high criminality areas within a city. Hence, our contributions provide a basis for further developments on complex networks applied to crime analysis.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, 14th International Conference on Information Technology : New Generation

Efeitos de estimulantes vegetais na germinação do arroz (Oryza sativa L: cv. IAC - 165)

The objective of the present work was to study the effect of Triacontanol and Agrostemmin on rice seeds by evalluating germination, coleoptile and seedling root growing, under laboratory conditions. The Petri dishes received 10 ml of solution (ether and benzene) for Triacontanol treatments and distilled water for the Agrostemmin treatments. Results showed that the treatments does not present significant effects in relation to germination percent but a statistically significant effect with respect to seedling root growing was observed.O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o efeito de Triacontanol e Agrostemin em sementes de arroz, através da avaliação da germinação, do crescimento de coleóptiles e raízes das plântulas, em condições de laboratório. As placas de Petri receberam 10 ml de solução (éter e benzeno) correspondente aos tratamentos com Triacontanol, enquanto as dosagens de Agrostemin foram aplicadas em solução de água destilada. Verificou-se que nenhum dos tratamentos mostraram efeitos significativos sobre a porcentagem de germinação, mas provocaram um crescimento diferencial estatisticamente significativo em relação as radículas

Medida de função motora, corticoterapia e pacientes com distrofia muscular de Duchenne

Objective: To assess the evolution of motor function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) treated with steroids (prednisolone or deflazacort) through the Motor Function Measure (MFM), which evaluates three dimensions of motor performance (D1, D2, D3). Methods: Thirty-three patients with DMD (22 ambulant, 6 non-ambulant and 5 who lost the capacity to walk during the period of the study) were assessed using the MFM scale six times over a period of 18 months. Results: All the motor functions remained stable for 14 months in all patients, except D1 for those who lost their walking ability. In ambulant patients, D2 (axial and proximal motor capacities) motor functions improved during six months; an improvement in D3 (distal motor capacity) was noted during the total follow-up. D1 (standing posture and transfers) and total score were useful to predict the loss of the ability to walk. Conclusions: The use of the MFM in DMD patients confirms the benefits of the steroid treatment for slowing the progression of the disease.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a evolução da função motora de pacientes com distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) em corticoterapia (predinisolona e deflazacort), por meio da escala Medida da Função Motora (MFM), que avalia três dimensões de funções motoras (D1, D2, D3). \ud MÉTODOS: Trinta e três pacientes com DMD (22 deambulantes, seis cadeirantes e cinco que perderam a capacidade de andar ao longo do estudo) foram avaliados pela escala MFM em seis momentos durante 18 meses. \ud RESULTADOS: Todas as funções motoras mantiveram-se estáveis durante 14 meses, exceto D1 para os pacientes que perderam a marcha. Nos pacientes deambulantes, a D2 (função motora axial e proximal) apresentou melhora durante seis meses. Melhora em D3 (função motora distal) também foi observada durante o seguimento. A D1 (postura em pé e transferências) e o escore total foram importantes para predizer a perda de marcha. \ud CONCLUSÕES: O uso da MFM nos pacientes com DMD confirma os benefícios do tratamento com corticoides na diminuição da velocidade de progressão da doença

Long‐term outcomes and molecular analysis of a large cohort of patients with 46,XY disorder of sex development due to partial gonadal dysgenesis

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145419/1/cen13717_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145419/2/cen13717.pd

Lung function monitoring in patients with duchenne muscular dystrophy on steroid therapy

Background\ud Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a sex-linked inherited muscle disease characterized by a progressive loss in muscle strength and respiratory muscle involvement. After 12 years of age, lung function declines at a rate of 6 % to 10.7 % per year in patients with DMD. Steroid therapy has been proposed to delay the loss of motor function and also the respiratory involvement.\ud \ud Method\ud In 21 patients with DMD aged between seven and 16 years, the forced vital capacity (FVC) and the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were evaluated at three different times during a period of two years.\ud \ud Results\ud We observed in this period of evaluation the maintenance of the FVC and the FEV1 in this group of patients independently of chronological age, age at onset of steroid therapy, and walking capacity.\ud \ud Conclusion\ud The steroid therapy has the potential to stabilize or delay the loss of lung function in DMD patients even if they are non-ambulant or older than 10 years, and in those in whom the medication was started after 7 years of age.DLM was supported by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento Pessoal de Ensino Superior)

Homozygous Inactivating Mutation In Nanos3 In Two Sisters With Primary Ovarian Insufficiency.

Despite the increasing understanding of female reproduction, the molecular diagnosis of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is seldom obtained. The RNA-binding protein NANOS3 poses as an interesting candidate gene for POI since members of the Nanos family have an evolutionarily conserved function in germ cell development and maintenance by repressing apoptosis. We performed mutational analysis of NANOS3 in a cohort of 85 Brazilian women with familial or isolated POI, presenting with primary or secondary amenorrhea, and in ethnically-matched control women. A homozygous p.Glu120Lys mutation in NANOS3 was identified in two sisters with primary amenorrhea. The substituted amino acid is located within the second C2HC motif in the conserved zinc finger domain of NANOS3 and in silico molecular modelling suggests destabilization of protein-RNA interaction. In vitro analyses of apoptosis through flow cytometry and confocal microscopy show that NANOS3 capacity to prevent apoptosis was impaired by this mutation. The identification of an inactivating missense mutation in NANOS3 suggests a mechanism for POI involving increased primordial germ cells (PGCs) apoptosis during embryonic cell migration and highlights the importance of NANOS proteins in human ovarian biology.201478746

Essential oil from leaves of Lantana camara: a potential source of medicine against leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is an infection of viscera or tegument caused by protozoa Leishmania sp. The extensive period required for the treatment, which involves the use of toxic medicines, leads patients to drop treatment increasing the development of resistant forms of Leishmania sp. Lantana camara L., Verbenaceae, is a tropical plant native from America. Folk uses have been described for treatment of tumors, tetanus, rheumatism and malaria. This study evaluates the leishmanicidal activity of the essential oil of leaves from L. camara on promastigote forms of Leishmania chagasi and L. amazonensis and its toxic effects on Artemia salina (brine shrimp test), macrophage cultures and BALB/c mice. The chemical composition was evaluated using the gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Thirty substances, mostly mono and sesquiterpenes were identified. The most representative constituents were: germacrene D (24.90%), farnesene derivatives (22%) and (E)-cariophylene (14.31%). Bioassays revealed a significant leishmanicidal activity of essential oil against L. amazonensis (IC50 0.25 µg/ mL) and a potential toxic effect on Brine shrimp (LC50 10 µg/mL) and macrophage assays (CC50 4 µg/mL), while there was no toxic manifestation on mice. The data show the relevant potential of L. camara as a source of medicine for leishmaniasis treatment

Development and evaluation of a mobile decision support system for hypertension management in the primary care setting in Brazil : mixed-methods rield study on usability, feasibility, and utility.

Background: Despite being an important cardiovascular risk factor, hypertension has low control levels worldwide. Computerized clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) might be effective in reducing blood pressure with a potential impact in reducing cardiovascular risk. Objective: The goal of the research was to evaluate the feasibility, usability, and utility of a CDSS, TeleHAS (tele?hipertens?o arterial sist?mica, or arterial hypertension system), in the care of patients with hypertension in the context of a primary care setting in a middle-income country. Methods: The TeleHAS app consists of a platform integrating clinical and laboratory data on a particular patient, from which it performs cardiovascular risk calculation and provides evidence-based recommendations derived from Brazilian and international guidelines for the management of hypertension and cardiovascular risk. Ten family physicians from different primary care units in the city of Montes Claros, Brazil, were randomly selected to use the CDSS for the care of hypertensive patients for 6 months. After 3 and 6 months, the feasibility, usability, and utility of the CDSS in the routine care of the health team was evaluated through a standardized questionnaire and semistructured interviews. Results: Throughout the study, clinicians registered 535 patients with hypertension, at an average of 1.24 consultations per patient. Women accounted for 80% (8/10) of participant doctors, median age was 31.5 years (interquartile range 27 to 59 years). As for feasibility, 100% of medical users claimed it was possible to use the app in the primary care setting, and for 80% (8/10) of them it was easy to incorporate its use into the daily routine and home visits. Nevertheless, 70% (7/10) of physicians claimed that the time taken to fill out the CDSS causes significant delays in service. Clinicians evaluated TeleHAS as good (8/10, 80% of users), with easy completion and friendly interface (10/10, 100%) and the potential to improve patients? treatment (10/10, 100%). A total of 90% (9/10) of physicians had access to new knowledge about cardiovascular risk and hypertension through the app recommendations and found it useful to promote prevention and optimize treatment. Conclusions: In this study, a CDSS developed to assist the management of patients with hypertension was feasible in the context of a primary health care setting in a middle-income country, with good user satisfaction and the potential to improve adherence to evidence-based practices

A cyclopalladated complex interacts with mitochondrial membrane thiol-groups and induces the apoptotic intrinsic pathway in murine and cisplatin-resistant human tumor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Systemic therapy for cancer metastatic lesions is difficult and generally renders a poor clinical response. Structural analogs of cisplatin, the most widely used synthetic metal complexes, show toxic side-effects and tumor cell resistance. Recently, palladium complexes with increased stability are being investigated to circumvent these limitations, and a biphosphinic cyclopalladated complex {Pd₂[<it>S_(-)</it>C², N-dmpa]₂(μ-dppe)Cl₂} named C7a efficiently controls the subcutaneous development of B16F10-Nex2 murine melanoma in syngeneic mice. Presently, we investigated the melanoma cell killing mechanism induced by C7a, and extended preclinical studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>B16F10-Nex2 cells were treated <it>in vitro </it>with C7a in the presence/absence of DTT, and several parameters related to apoptosis induction were evaluated. Preclinical studies were performed, and mice were endovenously inoculated with B16F10-Nex2 cells, intraperitoneally treated with C7a, and lung metastatic nodules were counted. The cytotoxic effects and the respiratory metabolism were also determined in human tumor cell lines treated <it>in vitro </it>with C7a.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cyclopalladated complex interacts with thiol groups on the mitochondrial membrane proteins, causes dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and induces Bax translocation from the cytosol to mitochondria, colocalizing with a mitochondrial tracker. C7a also induced an increase in cytosolic calcium concentration, mainly from intracellular compartments, and a significant decrease in the ATP levels. Activation of effector caspases, chromatin condensation and DNA degradation, suggested that C7a activates the apoptotic intrinsic pathway in murine melanoma cells. In the preclinical studies, the C7a complex protected against murine metastatic melanoma and induced death in several human tumor cell lineages <it>in vitro</it>, including cisplatin-resistant ones. The mitochondria-dependent cell death was also induced by C7a in human tumor cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The cyclopalladated C7a complex is an effective chemotherapeutic anticancer compound against primary and metastatic murine and human tumors, including cisplatin-resistant cells, inducing apoptotic cell death via the intrinsic pathway.</p