Estimation of genetic parameters and verification of early selection efficiency in baru (Dipteryx alata).

This study aimed at verifying the efficiency of early selection, and estimating the genetic parameters in Dipteryx alata. The 66 half-sib families were obtained from three seed provenances at the Brazilian Savannah of the state of Minas Gerais. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with 3 replications and 5 plants per plot. Data diameters at breast height (DBH) and total height (TH) were taken at the ages of 64, 125 and 138 months. REML/BLUP methodology was applied in the D. alata different provenances and progenies. Analysis indicated significant genetic variability (P < 0.01) between and within provenances. Both traits, DBH and TH, presented high narrow sense heritability for the ages analyzed. High genetic correlation occurred between DBH and TH traits, and between ages (age-age); thus, it allowed indirect selection, as well as early selection with high genetics gains

Avaliação clonal para identificação de matrizes promissoras de cupuaçuzeiro (Theobroma grandiflorum).

O cupuaçuzeiro, Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng.) Schumm., é uma fruteira que, apesar da importância econômica que representa para a economia da região amazônica, sendo a segunda espécie frutícola mais importante com cerca de 10% do mercado de todas as frutas, ainda depende de ajustes no seu sistema produtivo. Entre as carências de pesquisa destaca-se a necessidade de materiais de plantação. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar um conjunto de genótipos de cupuaçuzeiro, a fim de selecionar materiais promissores para o programa de melhoramento genético. O experimento foi conduzido em parceria com um produtor rural do município de Tomé Açu, no período de 2006 a 2011. A análise dos resultados do desenvolvimento vegetativo de todos os 25 clones, nos anos de 2006 a 2007, demonstrou que altura média das plantas foi de 1,6 m e o diâmetro do tronco ficou em 3,4 cm. Em relação ao número de frutos, a média do experimento, cresceu lentamente nas três primeiras safras, até atingir, na safra 2010/2011, a produção de 17,6 frutos/planta/safra. Dos 10 clones procedentes da fazenda do Sr. Inada, 8 (clones 7, 9, 6, 8, 10, 4, 11 e 5) encontram-se no grupo dos mais produtivos. Vale ressaltar que as cultivares Coari (174), Codajás (186) e Manacapuru (215) também fizeram parte desse seleto grupo. Nenhum clone foi afetado pela vassoura de bruxa nessa primeira etapa de avaliação.PIBIC-2011

Optimization of 4-amino-pyridazin-3(2H)-one as a valid core scaffold for FABP4 inhibitors

Current clinical research suggests that fatty acid-binding protein 4 inhibitors (FABP4is), which are of biological and therapeutic interest, may show potential in treating cancer and other illnesses. We sought to uncover new structures through the optimization of the previously reported 4-amino and 4-ureido pyridazinone-based series of FABP4is as part of a larger research effort to create more potent FABP4 inhibitors. This led to the identification of 14e as the most potent analog with IC₅₀ = 1.57 μM, which is lower than the IC₅₀ of the positive control. Advanced modeling investigations and in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion - toxicity calculations suggested that 14e represents a potential candidate for in vivo studies such as FABP4i

Geoestatística aplicada aos atributos físicos e químicos do solo relacionados com a produção da cultura da soja.

A combinação de dados espacialmente distribuídos da produção agrícola, como os de produtividade e atributos do solo, constitui importante ferramenta de diagnóstico para uso mais eficiente das informações, possibilitando melhor manejo da variabilidade no campo. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar a variabilidade espacial dos atributos físicos e químicos do solo e da produtividade da soja por meio da análise geoestatística, com o intuito de colaborar com a avaliação da qualidade do solo no Município de Campinas, SP. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de amostragem em 50 pontos georreferenciados: atributos físicos (densidade do solo e infiltração de água no solo) e químicos (pH, soma de bases e saturação por bases) e a produtividade da soja foram submetidos à análise de dependência espacial. A análise geoestatística possibilitou a identificação da variabilidade espacial de alguns atributos físicos e químicos do solo e da produtividade de soja. Mapas de isolinhas permitiram estabelecer relações entre os atributos físicos e químicos do solo. Houve semelhanças quanto aos locais de melhor fertilidade do solo em relação aos valores de pH e saturação por bases de 10-20 cm e maiores valores de produtividade da soja. Em relação aos atributos físicos, esta relação não foi detectada espacialmente

A staggered coupling strategy for the finite element analysis of warm deep drawing process

The thermomechanical finite element analysis of warm forming processes enables an improved comprehension of the process parameters affecting the material formability. However, the thermal and mechanical coupling problem is still a challenge from the computational standpoint. A staggered strategy for the thermomechanical coupling problem is presented in this study, which is based on an isothermal split approach and allows the treatment of the two problems separately. The exchange of information between the mechanical and the thermal problem is performed to achieve a compromise between computational cost and accuracy. The proposed algorithm was implemented in DD3IMP in-house finite element code. Its performance is analysed and compared with a classical strategy commonly employed for solving thermomechanical problems.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under projects with reference UID/EMS/00285/2013, PTDC/EMS-TEC/0702/2014 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016779) and PTDC/EMS-TEC/6400/2014(POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016876) by UE/FEDER through the program COMPETE2020. The second author is also grateful to the FCT for the Postdoctoral grant SFRH/BPD/101334/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Key factors of the functional ability of older people to self-manage medications

Daily medication use can be affected by the gradual loss of functional ability. Thus, elderly patients are at risk for nonadherence due to functional decline, namely, decreases in cognitive skills and visual and manual dexterity. The main objective was to assess the ability of older people to self-manage their medication and to identify the main predictors for unintentional nonadherence. A cross-sectional study was conducted (2014–2017) in community centers and pharmacies. Functional assessment was performed with the Portuguese versions of the Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale (DRUGS-PT) and the Self-Medication Assessment Tool (SMAT-PT). A purposive sample including 207 elderly patients was obtained. To identify the main predictors, binary logistic regression was performed. The average DRUGS-PT score was slightly lower than that in other studies. On the SMAT-PT, the greatest challenge for patients was identifying medications by reading labels/prescriptions. The main difficulties identified were medication memorization and correct schedule identification. The scores were higher with the real regimen than with the simulated regimen, underlining the difficulties for patients in receiving new information. Regarding the predictors of an older individual’s ability to self-manage medications, two explanatory models were obtained, with very high areas under the curve (> 90%). The main predictors identified were cognitive ability, level of schooling and daily medication consumption

Exploring patterns of recurrent melanoma in Northeast Scotland to inform the introduction a digital self-examination intervention

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Evaluation of exposure-specific risks from two independent samples: A simulation study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have proposed a simple product-based estimator for calculating exposure-specific risks (ESR), but the methodology has not been rigorously evaluated. The goal of our study was to evaluate the existing methodology for calculating the ESR, propose an improved point estimator, and propose variance estimates that will allow the calculation of confidence intervals (CIs).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a simulation study to test the performance of two estimators and their associated confidence intervals: 1) current (simple product-based estimator) and 2) proposed revision (revised product-based estimator). The first method for ESR estimation was based on multiplying a relative risk (RR) of disease given a certain exposure by an overall risk of disease. The second method, which is proposed in this paper, was based on estimates of the risk of disease in the unexposed. We then multiply the updated risk by the RR to get the revised product-based estimator. A log-based variance was calculated for both estimators. Also, a binomial-based variance was calculated for the revised product-based estimator. 95% CIs were calculated based on these variance estimates. Accuracy of point estimators was evaluated by comparing observed relative bias (percent deviation from the true estimate). Interval estimators were evaluated by coverage probabilities and expected length of the 95% CI, given coverage. We evaluated these estimators across a wide range of exposure probabilities, disease probabilities, relative risks, and sample sizes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed more bias and lower coverage probability when using the existing methodology. The revised product-based point estimator exhibited little observed relative bias (max: 4.0%) compared to the simple product-based estimator (max: 93.9%). Because the simple product-based estimator was biased, 95% CIs around this estimate exhibited small coverage probabilities. The 95% CI around the revised product-based estimator from the log-based variance provided better coverage in most situations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The currently accepted simple product-based method was only a reasonable approach when the exposure probability is small (< 0.05) and the RR is ≤ 3.0. The revised product-based estimator provides much improved accuracy.</p