Comparison of the Accuracy of Traffic Counting Devices

Traffic counting devices are commonly used by governmental agencies and private companies in order to assess traffic patterns and the level of occupancy of roadway networks. The data provided by these devices normally encompasses traffic volumes, vehicle classes and vehicle speeds, and are used by traffic engineers in the planning, design and operations of transportation systems. An evaluation of the accuracy of these devices is of great importance because traffic management decisions are compromised without qualified data. This research evaluated the performance of two different models of traffic counters, Jamar Technologies’ Radar Recorder and Vaisala’s Traffic Analyzer NC-200, both commonly used by the Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program in data collection for local agencies. These devices were installed for eight counts at seven different road segments under various traffic conditions. The accuracy of each device was assessed by comparing its readings to hand-count data also taken at each location. Results suggest that these devices have a high level of accuracy when measuring traffic volumes and vehicle speeds, with errors usually below 15% for volumes and below 10% for speeds. However, both devices failed to provide satisfactory results in terms of vehicle classification, with significant truck detection errors in 4 out of 8 counts for each model. The findings of this research will be helpful for local transportation agencies in the management of their traffic data in order to assure safe and informed decisions about their transportation network

A importância da educação a distância na formação do conhecimento para os concursos públicos / The importance of distance education in the formation of knowledge for public tenders

A educação contemporânea de uma sociedade ultrapassa o panorama de ouvir e repetir. A tecnologia veio para inovar os meios e metodologia de aplicação do ensino-aprendizagem e consequentemente a Educação a Distância - EAD é o futuro da educação. Em um mundo globalizado em que não se encontram mais entraves e tampouco distância a EAD é o mecanismo primordial e concretizador que une o aluno ao conhecimento excluindo as limitações físicas e temporais. Desde a promulgação da Constituição Federal de 1988 que o único meio para ingresso do serviço público é por meio de Concurso Público. Em um país que possui extensão e relevo continental, com povos e linguajar dos mais diversos possíveis a EAD com suas ferramentas e métodos são a pedra angular do ensino-aprendizagem contemporâneo

Reconstrução vaginal pelo retalho neurovascular pudendo crural na síndrome de Rokitansky

BACKGROUND: Congenital vaginal agenesis, with a prevalence of 1 in 4000 or 5000 females, occurs mainly as a feature of the Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. The management of this patient includes psychological support and the creation of a neovagina. OBJECTIVE: To present and evaluate the pudendal thigh flap for the creation of a neovagina in eight young women with MRKH syndrome. METHODS: Eight young women with MRKH syndrome had a neovagina created by using the bilateral pudendal thigh fasciocutaneous flap procedure, Singapore flap. The patients' follow-up ranged between 6 months and 3 years. RESULTS: A functional vagina of at least 10cm in depth and 5cm in width was created in al cases. Although the patients reported moderated local pain after the procedure, they were satisfied with the results. In addition, normal sexual life was possible after 40 days and none of them reported bleeding or pain during sexual relation. Three patients presented hair in the vaginal lining. CONCLUSION: Bilateral fasciocutaneous pudendal thigh flap permits vaginal reconstruction with some advantages such as postoperative dilatation is not necessary, sensation is maintained and the resulting scars are inconspicuous.INTRODUÇÃO: Agenesia vaginal relacionada à síndrome de Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) ocorre na proporção de 1 para cada 4000 ou 5000 nascimentos femininos, causando grande limitação à vida afetiva da paciente. O manejo da agenesia vaginal inclui acompanhamento psicológico e reconstrução vaginal. OBJETIVO: Mostrar a experiência do Serviço com a técnica do retalho neurovascular pudendo crural para reconstrução vaginal no tratamento de 8 pacientes com síndrome de Rokitansky. MÉTODO: Apresentam-se oito casos de síndrome de Rokitansky em que a reconstrução vaginal foi realizada pelo retalho neurovascular pudendo crural, chamado retalho de Cingapura. O período de acompanhamento pós-operatório variou de 6 meses e 3 anos. RESULTADOS: Uma neovagina funcional de, no mínimo, 10 cm de profundidade e 5 cm de diâmetro foi criada em todos os casos. Apesar da queixa de dor local de moderada intensidade no pós-operatório imediato, as pacientes apresentaram-se satisfeitas com os resultados. As relações sexuais foram liberadas no 40º dia de pós-operatório, sem relatos de sangramento ou dor. Três pacientes apresentaram crescimento de pêlo no intróito vaginal. CONCLUSÃO: A técnica do retalho de Cingapura permitiu a reconstrução vaginal sem a necessidade de dilatação pós-operatória, mantendo a inervação do períneo e com cicatrizes pouco perceptíveis

Some Studies of Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea, around the Island of Santa Maria.

V Expedição Científica do Departamento de Biologia – Santa Maria e Formigas 1990.Preliminary observations were made in relation to preparation for a joint University of Glasgow/Universidade do Algarve expedition to the Azores, in August/September, 1990, to study the diet, feeding ecology and colony attendance patterns of the Cagarro or Cory's shearwater Calonectris diomedea. A search was made for breeding colonies suitable for detailed studies, and observations were made on the distribution of birds at sea and on rafting behaviour

In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of a Palladacycle Complex on Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

Leishmaniasis is an important public health problem with an estimated annual incidence of 1.5 million of new human cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis and 500,000 of visceral leishmaniasis. Treatment of the diseases is limited by toxicity and parasite resistance to the drugs currently in use, validating the need to develop new leishmanicidal compounds. We evaluated the killing by the palladacycle complex DPPE 1.2 of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, an agent of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Amazon region, Brazil. DPPE 1.2 destroyed promastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis in vitro at nanomolar concentrations, whereas intracellular amastigotes were killed at drug concentrations 10-fold less toxic than those displayed to macrophages. L. (L.) amazonensis-infected BALB/c mice treated by intralesional injection of DPPE 1.2 exhibited a significant decrease of foot lesion sizes and a 97% reduction of parasite burdens when compared to untreated controls. Additional experiments indicated the inhibition of the cathepsin B activity of L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes by DPPE 1.2. Further studies are needed to explore the potential of DPPE 1.2 as an additional option for the chemotherapy of leishmaniasis

Medicamentos opioides: revisão literária de aspectos farmacológicos de relevância

A dor é que uma percepção empírica sensorial nociceptiva, de conotação afetiva e desagradável, oposta ao prazer. O fenômeno da dor é resultado da ativação dos receptores nociceptivos, os quais captam estímulos nocivos ao organismo via SNC, o qual proporciona a detecção e sinalização do dano tecidual, exteriorizado como sensação dolorosa. Os receptores opioides são acoplados à proteína G na membrana celular, de tal forma que quando os mesmos sofrem estímulo farmacológico específico, ocorre inibição da enzima adenilato ciclase, com consequente queda da concentração intracelular de monofosfato cíclico de adenosina

The germline mutational landscape of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Brazil

The detection of germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 is essential to the formulation of clinical management strategies, and in Brazil, there is limited access to these services, mainly due to the costs/availability of genetic testing. Aiming at the identification of recurrent mutations that could be included in a low-cost mutation panel, used as a first screening approach, we compiled the testing reports of 649 probands with pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants referred to 28 public and private health care centers distributed across 11 Brazilian States. Overall, 126 and 103 distinct mutations were identified in BRCA1 and BRCA2, respectively. Twenty-six novel variants were reported from both genes, and BRCA2 showed higher mutational heterogeneity. Some recurrent mutations were reported exclusively in certain geographic regions, suggesting a founder effect. Our findings confirm that there is significant molecular heterogeneity in these genes among Brazilian carriers, while also suggesting that this heterogeneity precludes the use of screening protocols that include recurrent mutation testing only. This is the first study to show that profiles of recurrent mutations may be unique to different Brazilian regions. These data should be explored in larger regional cohorts to determine if screening with a panel of recurrent mutations would be effective.This work was supported in part by grants from Barretos Cancer Hospital (FINEP - CT-INFRA, 02/2010), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, 2013/24633-2 and 2103/23277-8), Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Rio Grande do Norte (FAPERN), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), Ministério da Saúde, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Avon grant #02-2013-044) and National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute (grant #RC4 CA153828-01) for the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. Support in part was provided by grants from Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa e Eventos (FIPE) from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, BioComputacional 3381/2013, Rede de Pesquisa em Genômica Populacional Humana), Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia (SESAB), Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular (UFBA), INCT pra Controle do Câncer and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). RMR and PAP are recipients of CNPq Productivity Grants, and Bárbara Alemar received a grant from the same agencyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Immune and inflammatory responses to Leishmania amazonensis isolated from different clinical forms of human leishmaniasis in CBA mice

Leishmania amazonensis causes different diseases depending on the host and parasitic virulence factors. In this study, CBA mice were infected with L. amazonensis isolates from patients with localized (Ba125), diffuse cutaneous (Ba276) or visceral leishmaniasis (Ba109). Mice infected with Ba125 and Ba276 progressed rapidly and lesions displayed an infiltrate rich in parasitized macrophages and were necrotic and ulcerated. Ba109 induced smaller lesions and a mixed inflammatory infiltrate without necrosis or ulceration. Ba109 induced an insidious disease with lower parasite load in CBA mice, similar to human disease. Levels of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 did not differ among the groups. Because all groups were unable to control the infection, expression of IL-4 associated with low production of IFN-γ in the early phase of infection may account for susceptibility, but others factors may contribute to the differences observed in inflammatory responses and infection progression. Evaluation of some parasitic virulence factors revealed that Ba276 exhibits higher ecto-ADPase and 5'-nucleotidase activities compared to the Ba109 and Ba125 strains. Both Ba276 and Ba125 had higher arginase activity in comparison to Ba109. Finally, these data suggest that the differences in enzyme activities among parasites can account for differences in host inflammatory responses and infection progression