Probabilidades de duração de seca empregando a Teoria de Runs

The univariate and bivariate structural analysis was made considering monthly an yearly time intervals of four runoffs series and two rainfalls series. A log normal three distribution was adjusted to each independent component of hydrologic series available where the time interval was considered to be a month. In case of yearly time intervals a normal distribution was adjusted. Probability distributions of longest negative runlength in given series of length N = 300, 600 and 1200 (monthly case) and N = 25, 50 and 100 (yearly case) and probability distributions of the run-lengths in infinite series for truncation levels q (q = .3, .4 and .5) that correspond to the demand were determined, considering the univariate and the bivariate case. The distributions were evaluated by the experimental method of Monte Carlo with univariate and bivariate series generation. Comparisons between experimental and exact methods and between experimental and aproximate methods were made as well as an analysis of the representativity of the critical historical situation.Foi efetuada a análise estrutural univariada e bivariada, considerando-se intervalos mensais e anuais, de quatro séries de vazões e duas de precipitações. A bivariada considerou, ainda, dois conjuntos distintos: o das vazões e o das precipitações. Foi ajustada, a cada componente independente das séries investigadas, uma distribuição log-normal de três parâmetros, no caso mensal, e uma distribuição normal, no caso anual. Foram determinadas as distribuições de probabilidades de ocorrência dos maiores comprimentos de runs em séries finitas de comprimento N = 300, 600 e 1200 (caso mensal) e N = 25, 50 e 100 (caso anual), e as distribuições de probabilidades de ocorrência dos comprimentos de runs em séries infinitas, para níveis de corte q, correspondentes à demanda, iguais a .3, .4 e .5, considerando-se os casos univariado e bivariado. Tais distribuições foram avaliadas através do método experimental de Monte Carlo de geração de séries univariada e bivariada. Foram efetuadas comparações entre os métodos experimental e exato e entre os métodos experimental e aproximado, tendo também sido efetuada uma análise da representatividade da situação crítica histórica

Pathophysiology, risk stratification, and management of sudden cardiac death in coronary artery disease

Management of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is undergoing radical change in direction. It is becoming increasingly appreciated that besides depressed left ventricular systolic function and the conventional risk stratification tools, new markers for plaque vulnerability, enhanced thrombogenesis, specific genetic alterations of the autonomic nervous system, cardiac sarcolemmal and contractile proteins, and familial clustering may better segregate patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) who are at high risk of SCD from those who may suffer from nonfatal ischemic events. Better understanding of pathophysiologic processes such as post-myocardial infarction remodeling, the transition from compensated hypertrophy to heart failure, and the increased cardiovascular risk of CAD in the presence of diabetes or even a pre-diabetic state will help to improve both risk stratification and management. The rapidly developing fields of microchips technology, and proteomics may allow rapid and cost-effective mass screening of multiple risk factors for SCD. The ultimate goal is not only to change the current direction of management strategy of SCD away from increased ICD utilization, but to identify novel methods for risk stratification, risk modification, and prevention of SCD that could be applied to the general public at large. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 1: 4-10

Total Parenteral Nutrition Catheter Sepsis: Impact of the Team Approach

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141902/1/jpen0642.pd

Molecular diagnosis in recessive pediatric neurogenetic disease can help reduce disease recurrence in families.

BackgroundThe causes for thousands of individually rare recessive diseases have been discovered since the adoption of next generation sequencing (NGS). Following the molecular diagnosis in older children in a family, parents could use this information to opt for fetal genotyping in subsequent pregnancies, which could inform decisions about elective termination of pregnancy. The use of NGS diagnostic sequencing in families has not been demonstrated to yield benefit in subsequent pregnancies to reduce recurrence. Here we evaluated whether genetic diagnosis in older children in families supports reduction in recurrence of recessive neurogenetic disease.MethodsRetrospective study involving families with a child with a recessive pediatric brain disease (rPBD) that underwent NGS-based molecular diagnosis. Prenatal molecular testing was offered to couples in which a molecular diagnosis was made, to help couples seeking to prevent recurrence. With this information, families made decisions about elective termination. Pregnancies that were carried to term were assessed for the health of child and mother, and compared with historic recurrence risk of recessive disease.ResultsBetween 2010 and 2016, 1172 families presented with a child a likely rPBD, 526 families received a molecular diagnosis, 91 families returned to the clinic with 101 subsequent pregnancies, and 84 opted for fetal genotyping. Sixty tested negative for recurrence for the biallelic mutation in the fetus, and all, except for one spontaneous abortion, carried to term, and were unaffected at follow-up. Of 24 that genotyped positive for the biallelic mutation, 16 were electively terminated, and 8 were carried to term and showed features of disease similar to that of the older affected sibling(s). Among the 101 pregnancies, disease recurrence in living offspring deviated from the expected 25% to the observed 12% ([95% CI 0·04 to 0·20], p = 0·011).ConclusionsMolecular diagnosis in an older child, coupled with prenatal fetal genotyping in subsequent pregnancies and genetic counselling, allows families to make informed decisions to reduce recessive neurogenetic disease recurrence

Angular plasmon response of gold nanoparticles arrays: approaching the Rayleigh limit

AbstractThe regular arrangement of metal nanoparticles influences their plasmonic behavior. It has been previously demonstrated that the coupling between diffracted waves and plasmon modes can give rise to extremely narrow plasmon resonances. This is the case when the single-particle localized surface plasmon resonance (λLSP) is very close in value to the Rayleigh anomaly wavelength (λRA) of the nanoparticles array. In this paper, we performed angle-resolved extinction measurements on a 2D array of gold nano-cylinders designed to fulfil the condition λRA<λLSP. Varying the angle of excitation offers a unique possibility to finely modify the value of λRA, thus gradually approaching the condition of coupling between diffracted waves and plasmon modes. The experimental observation of a collective dipolar resonance has been interpreted by exploiting a simplified model based on the coupling of evanescent diffracted waves with plasmon modes. Among other plasmon modes, the measurement technique has also evidenced and allowed the study of a vertical plasmon mode, only visible in TM polarization at off-normal excitation incidence. The results of numerical simulations, based on the periodic Green's tensor formalism, match well with the experimental transmission spectra and show fine details that could go unnoticed by considering only experimental data

Effect of Carbon Sources on Glutamate Production from Corynebacterium glutamicum 2262

A comparative study between natural and synthetic environments is carried out by realizing six fermentation experiments in batch culture. The objective of this study is to consider the effect of carbon sources on growth and the production of glutamic acid by Corynebacterium glutamicum 2262. The difference between the culture media lies in the carbon source. Two natural environments of date juice, one of which is treated with invertase to hydrolyse sucrose with a concentration of total sugars of 88 g/L. Four synthetic media with a concentration of 34 g/L sugars: medium containing mixed sugars (glucose + fructose + sucrose) with rates proportional to that of date juice, the other three media are composed of a single sugar (either glucose, fructose, or sucrose). The results showed that Corynebacterium glutamicum is able to use the three sugars whether they are single or mixed, although the best results of glutamate production (8.41 g/L) are obtained on the mixture of three sugars, which explains the interest and valorisation of date waste. On the other hand, the date juice-based media are shown to have a glutamate concentration of 7.98 g/L during the hydrolysis of sucrose of date juice

Three Presentations of Takayasu’s Arteritis in Hispanic Patients

Takayasu’s arteritis (TA) is a medium and large vessel vasculitis, defined as a nonspecific aortitis that usually involves the aorta and its branches Kobayashi and Numano (2002). Its etiology remains unclear, and its complications are diverse and severe, including stenosis of the thoracic and abdominal aorta, aortic valve damage and regurgitation, and stenosis of the branches of the aorta. Carotid stenosis, coronary artery aneurysms, and renal artery stenosis resulting in renovascular hypertension are also reported sequellae of TA Kobayashi and Numano (2002). The disease was first described in Japan, but has also been diagnosed in India and Mexico Johnston (2002). Its incidence in the United States has been quoted as 2.6 patients per 1,000,000 people/year Johnston (2002). In Japan, its incidence is 3.6 patients per 1,000,000 patients/year and prevalence is 7.85 patients per 100,000 per year Morita et al. (1996). The natural history of this disease, which is commonly present in Asian populations, has only recently been studied in Hispanic patients despite the notable incidence and prevalence of TA in Mexican, South American, and Indian populations (Johnston 2002, Gamarra et al. 2010 ). We present three cases of Hispanic patients who presented with TA at Olive-View-UCLA Medical Center (OVMC). We review their clinical and radiographic presentations. Finally, we review the literature to compare the clinical features of our three patients with data regarding the presentation of TA in more traditional Asian populations

The abundant extrachromosomal DNA content of the Spiroplasma citri GII3-3X genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Spiroplama citri</it>, the causal agent of citrus stubborn disease, is a bacterium of the class <it>Mollicutes </it>and is transmitted by phloem-feeding leafhopper vectors. In order to characterize candidate genes potentially involved in spiroplasma transmission and pathogenicity, the genome of <it>S. citri </it>strain GII3-3X is currently being deciphered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Assembling 20,000 sequencing reads generated seven circular contigs, none of which fit the 1.8 Mb chromosome map or carried chromosomal markers. These contigs correspond to seven plasmids: pSci1 to pSci6, with sizes ranging from 12.9 to 35.3 kbp and pSciA of 7.8 kbp. Plasmids pSci were detected as multiple copies in strain GII3-3X. Plasmid copy numbers of pSci1-6, as deduced from sequencing coverage, were estimated at 10 to 14 copies per spiroplasma cell, representing 1.6 Mb of extrachromosomal DNA. Genes encoding proteins of the TrsE-TraE, Mob, TraD-TraG, and Soj-ParA protein families were predicted in most of the pSci sequences, in addition to members of 14 protein families of unknown function. Plasmid pSci6 encodes protein P32, a marker of insect transmissibility. Plasmids pSci1-5 code for eight different <it>S. citri </it>adhesion-related proteins (ScARPs) that are homologous to the previously described protein P89 and the <it>S. kunkelii </it>SkARP1. Conserved signal peptides and C-terminal transmembrane alpha helices were predicted in all ScARPs. The predicted surface-exposed N-terminal region possesses the following elements: (i) 6 to 8 repeats of 39 to 42 amino acids each (sarpin repeats), (ii) a central conserved region of 330 amino acids followed by (iii) a more variable domain of about 110 amino acids. The C-terminus, predicted to be cytoplasmic, consists of a 27 amino acid stretch enriched in arginine and lysine (KR) and an optional 23 amino acid stretch enriched in lysine, aspartate and glutamate (KDE). Plasmids pSci mainly present a linear increase of cumulative GC skew except in regions presenting conserved hairpin structures.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The genome of <it>S. citri </it>GII3-3X is characterized by abundant extrachromosomal elements. The pSci plasmids could not only be vertically inherited but also horizontally transmitted, as they encode proteins usually involved in DNA element partitioning and cell to cell DNA transfer. Because plasmids pSci1-5 encode surface proteins of the ScARP family and pSci6 was recently shown to confer insect transmissibility, diversity and abundance of <it>S. citri </it>plasmids may essentially aid the rapid adaptation of <it>S. citri </it>to more efficient transmission by different insect vectors and to various plant hosts.</p