Factorial and response surface designs robust to missing observations

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T17:35:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-09-01Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Compound optimum design criteria which allow pure error degrees of freedom may produce designs that break down when even a single run is missing, if the number of experimental units is small. The inclusion, in the compound criteria, of a measure of leverage uniformity is proposed in order to produce designs that are more robust to missing observations. By appropriately choosing the weights of each part of the criterion, robust designs are obtained that are also highly efficient in terms of other properties. Applications to various experimental setups show the advantages of the new methods. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.USP UFSCar, Programa Interinst Posgrad Estat, Sao Carlos, SP, BrazilKings Coll London, Dept Math, London, EnglandUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Bioestat, IB, Botucatu, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Bioestat, IB, Botucatu, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2014/01818-

RUM na Web : potencialidades educativas

O advento das redes corporativas e da internet conferiu um novo status à educação com a inclusão das novas tecnologias dentro e fora das salas de aula. São os tempos da convergência dos media, concentrando as mais diversas formas de contacto, seja em texto, sonoro ou audiovisual no Ciberespaço. O rádio foi criado há mais de 100 anos, no âmbito dos mass media, resistiu ao tempo e consolidou-se na web como um eficiente veículo de comunicação, tornando-se num importante aliado para a educação. Em Portugal, os projectos de rádio web com fins educativos são quase inexistentes, destacando-se neste panorama a Rádio Universitária do Minho (RUM), como um meio de promoção e divulgação das actividades culturais, científicas e educacionais, nomeadamente de apoio às actividades pedagógicas (aulas) de diversos cursos da Universidade do Minho. Este texto faz parte de um projecto de investigação sobre Rádio Educativa na Web, e propomo-nos apresentar neste Congresso os muitos contributos da RUM enquanto interface dinamizadora da prática educativaUnião Europeia (UE) - Programa ALBANUniversidade do Minho. Centro de Investigação em Educação (CIEd

O uso das TICS no suporte à formação universitária online

Na era online, as instituições de ensino partilham de um cenário de desafios por causa de uma crescente competitividade no âmbito educativo, cada vez mais acirrada, baseada em conhecimento científico e tecnológico. Tendo em vista a existência de um público estudantil mais exigente e consciente das mudanças tecnológicas, a competitividade força educadores e instituições de ensino à procura de maior diferenciação, quanto a formas inovadoras de utilização de novas tecnologias aplicadas ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Nota-se que a formatação dos cursos à luz de Bolonha não se confinou ao Espaço Europeu, tendo sido adaptado por outros espaços, nomeadamente os latino-americanos. É neste contexto que se justifica a pesquisa que se apresenta nesta comunicação. O objectivo da pesquisa, realizada no ano de 2006, foi traçar o perfil académico dos alunos da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco em relação à utilização da internet como ferramenta no ensino a distância, bem como seus conhecimentos sobre as tecnologias educativas, de modo a identificar a necessidade de formular-se novas alternativas pedagógicas de utilização das TIC no processo educativo.União Europeia (UE) - Programa Alban, bolsa n.º E07M400899B

Maximal lactate steady state in swimming tethered

This study investigated whether aerobic capacity (AC) in tethered swimming corresponds to maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and its correlation with 30 min (V30) and 400m (V400) free swimming velocity. Twenty-five swimmers were submitted to an incremental tethered swimming test (ITS) with each stage lasting 3 minutes, initial load 20N, with 10N increments and a 30s interval to collect blood samples and lactatemia ([La-]). The abrupt increase in [La-] against force (F) corresponded to AC (ACBI). The points obtained for [La-] against force (N) were adjusted with an exponential curve model to determine AC corresponding to 3.5mmol.l-1 (AC3.5) and 4.0mmol.l-1 (AC4.0). Later swimmers performed maximum exercise for 30 minutes (V30) and 400m (V400) in free swimming. After one week, nine swimmers performed three random 30 minute tethered swimming exercises with 90%, 100%, and 110% intensity ACBI MLSS. Comparisons between ACs (AC3.5, AC4.0, and ACBI) were made by the one-way Anova test. Pearson correlation was used for possible correlations between ACs and between ACs and V30 and V400 (p0.91) and V400 (r\u3e0.63). We can conclude that ACBI corresponds to MLSS and both individually determined. AC and from the fixed lactate concentrations (3.5 and 4mM) can be used to predict mean 30 minute and 400m free swimming velocity

Not every edible orange milkcap is Lactarius deliciosus: first record of Lactarius quieticolor (sect. Deliciosi) from Brazil

The natural distribution of species of Lactarius sect. Deliciosi is mainly in the northern hemisphere, where they grow in ectomycor-rhizal symbiosis mainly with conifers. Several species in this sec-tion are regionally well known and appreciated due to their culinary use. In South America, there is limited knowledge of their presence and harvesting, while their culinary value remains underexploited. Recently, field campaigns in pine plantations in southern Brazil revealed wide presence of Lactarius sect. Deliciosi species. Morpho-logical and molecular identification approaches confirmed that all Brazilian collections correspond to one European species, Lactarius quieticolor. Fruiting bodies occurred in plantations of Pinus taeda and/or P. elliottii, on acidic soils, and under humid climate with mild to hot summers. A review of edibility and organoleptic properties confirmed both L. quieticolor and its commonly misapplied name, L. deliciosus, in South America as edible and of high quality. Several other L. sect. Deliciosi species are less appreciated or with unknown palatability. Due to low potential for long-distance dispersal, an ecto-mycorrhizal partner switch from European to North American pine species is proposed, which may have happened in South America for both allochthonous symbiotic partners. There is still a possibility that other combinations were established, including combinations with less valuable species from L. sect. Deliciosi

Testosterone represses ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1 and Murf-1 expression in an androgen-sensitive rat skeletal muscle in vivo

Pires-Oliveira M, Maragno AL, Parreiras-E-Silva LT, Chiavegatti T, Gomes MD, Godinho RO. Testosterone represses ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1 and Murf-1 expression in an androgen-sensitive rat skeletal muscle in vivo. J Appl Physiol 108: 266-273, 2010. First published November 19, 2009; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00490.2009.-Skeletal muscle atrophy induced by denervation and metabolic diseases has been associated with increased ubiquitin ligase expression. in the present study, we evaluate the influence of androgens on muscle ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1/MAFbx/FBXO32 and Murf-1/Trim63 expression and its correlation with maintenance of muscle mass by using the testosterone-dependent fast-twitch levator ani muscle (LA) from normal or castrated adult male Wistar rats. Gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR and/or immunoblotting. Castration induced progressive loss of LA mass (30% of control, 90 days) and an exponential decrease of LA cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio (nuclear domain; 22% of control after 60 days). Testosterone deprivation induced a 31-fold increase in LA atrogin-1 mRNA and an 18-fold increase in Murf-1 mRNA detected after 2 and 7 days of castration, respectively. Acute (24 h) testosterone administration fully repressed atrogin-1 and Murf-1 mRNA expression to control levels. Atrogin-1 protein was also increased by castration up to 170% after 30 days. Testosterone administration for 7 days restored atrogin-1 protein to control levels. in addition to the well known stimulus of protein synthesis, our results show that testosterone maintains muscle mass by repressing ubiquitin ligases, indicating that inhibition of ubiquitin-proteasome catabolic system is critical for trophic action of androgens in skeletal muscle. Besides, since neither castration nor androgen treatment had any effect on weight or ubiquitin ligases mRNA levels of extensor digitorum longus muscle, a fast-twitch muscle with low androgen sensitivity, our study shows that perineal muscle LA is a suitable in vivo model to evaluate regulation of muscle proteolysis, closely resembling human muscle responsiveness to androgens.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biochem & Immunol, Ribeirao Preto, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 05/59006-1FAPESP: 2006/58629-8Web of Scienc

Modeling the functional network of primary intercellular Ca2+^{2+} wave propagation in astrocytes and its application to study drug effects

We introduce a simple procedure of multivariate signal analysis to uncover the functional connectivity among cells composing a living tissue and describe how to apply it for extracting insight on the effect of drugs in the tissue. The procedure is based on the covariance matrix of time resolved activity signals. By determining the time-lag that maximizes covariance, one derives the weight of the corresponding connection between cells. Introducing simple constraints, it is possible to conclude whether pairs of cells are functionally connected and in which direction. After testing the method against synthetic data we apply it to study intercellular propagation of Ca$^{2+}$ waves in astrocytes following an external stimulus, with the aim of uncovering the functional cellular connectivity network. Our method proves to be particularly suited for this type of networking signal propagation where signals are pulse-like and have short time-delays, and is shown to be superior to standard methods, namely a multivariate Granger algorithm. Finally, based the statistical analysis of the connection weight distribution, we propose simple measures for assessing the impact of drugs on the functional connectivity between cells.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figure