An Empirical Evaluation of the Cost and Effectiveness of Structural Testing Criteria for Concurrent Programs

AbstractConcurrent program testing is not a trivial task. Features like nondeterminism, communication and synchronization impose new challenges that must be considered during the testing activity. Some initiatives have proposed testing approaches for concurrent programs, in which different paradigms and programming languages are considered. However, in general, these contributions do not present a well-formed experimental study to validate their ideas. The problem is that the data used and generated during the validation is not always available, hampering the replication of studies in the context of other testing approaches. This paper presents an experimental study, taking into account the concepts of the Experimental Software En- gineering to evaluate the cost, effectiveness and strength of the structural testing criteria for message-passing programs. The evaluation was conducted considering a benchmark composed of eight MPI programs. A set of eight structural testing criteria defined for message-passing programs was evaluated with the ValiMPI testing tool, which provides the support required to apply the investigated testing criteria. The results indicate the complementary aspect of the criteria and the information about cost and effectiveness has contributed to the establishment of an incremental testing strategy to apply the criteria. All material generated during the experimental study is available for further comparisons

A software to estimate heat stress impact on dairy cattle productive performance

ArticleThe aim of this study is to develop a computational tool, based on the Temperature and Humidity Index value, to characterize the thermal environment in dairy cattle barns and to evaluate the impact of thermal stress on productive performance. The software for the thermal environment prediction, and determination of the influence of heat stress on dairy cow productivity (Ambi + Leite) was developed using the C# programming language in the Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express Integrated Development Environment. The following scenario was considered for the program test: air temperature 32°C, relative air humidity 70% and milk production potential in thermoneutrality condition 20 kg cow-1 day-1 . The prediction of the thermal environment based on the simulated situations indicates that the animals are submitted to a moderate heat stress condition with THI equal to 82.81. In this condition a decrease of approximately 26% in milk production and a reduction of 4 kg cow-1 day-1 in food intake was calculated. In conclusion, the developed software can be a practical tool to assist the producer in making-decision processes

Be Stars: Rapidly Rotating Pulsators

I will show that Be stars are, without exception, a class of rapidly rotating stars, which are in the majority of cases pulsating stars as well, while none of them does possess a large scale (i.e. with significant dipolar contribution) magnetic field.Comment: Review talk given at "XX Stellar Pulsation Conference Series: Impact of new instrumentation and new insights in stellar pulsations", Granada, 5-9 September 2011, in press in AIP Conf. Se

A new tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for genotyping bovine kappa-casein polymorphisms

[EN] Kappa-casein (κ-casein) is one of the most abundant milk proteins. Its main function is to avoid the aggregation of casein micelles, keeping them, and therefore calcium phosphate, in pockets in solution. In bovines, a κ-casein functional polymorphism has been associated with fat, calcium, and protein milk contents and faster curd contraction in cheese production. Quicker curd contraction reduces the loss of milk solids, enhancing cheese yield. This polymorphism induces a double amino acid substitution (Thr136Ile and Ala148Asp). The polymorphism is normally detected by PCR-RFLP, which is a laborious method. An interesting methodological alternative is the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (tetra-primer ARMS-PCR). A tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for the detection of this κ-casein polymorphism has been described. However, specificity was not achieved, probably due to problems with primer design. We developed a new tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for the detection of the κ-casein polymorphism. This new method was validated in a double-blind test, by comparison with the results obtained for 50 Guzerá bulls formerly genotyped by PCR-RFLP. This new method achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity. We conclude that this method is a useful, cost-efficient alternative for the detection of functional κ-casein polymorphismsSIResearch supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa (CNPq), Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa de Universidade Federal de Minas gerais (PRPq/UFMG), and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). MRSC, PASF, MAM, and RSV have CNPq fellowships. IRC has a CAPES fellowship. We are grateful to Professor Vânia Maldini Pena and Ms. Ariane Figueiredo Menicucci from Colégio Brasileiro de Criadores do Guzerá, for providing biological sample

Phytoestrogen agathisflavone ameliorates neuroinflammation-induced by LPS and IL-1β and protects neurons in cocultures of glia/neurons

Inflammation and oxidative stress are common aspects of most neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervous system. In this context, microglia and astrocytes are central to mediating the balance between neuroprotective and neurodestructive mechanisms. Flavonoids have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Here, we have examined the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective potential of the flavonoid agathisflavone (FAB), which is derived from the Brazilian plant Poincianella pyramidalis, in in vitro models of neuroinflammation. Cocultures of neurons/glial cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 µg/mL) or interleukin (IL)-1β (10 ng/mL) for 24 h and treated with FAB (0.1 and 1 µM, 24 h). FAB displayed a significant neuroprotective effect, as measured by nitric oxide (NO) production, Fluoro-Jade B (FJ-B) staining, and immunocytochemistry (ICC) for the neuronal marker β-tubulin and the cell death marker caspase-3, preserving neuronal soma and increasing neurite outgrowth. FAB significantly decreased the LPS-induced microglial proliferation, identified by ICC for Iba-1/bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and CD68 (microglia M1 profile marker). In contrast, FAB had no apparent effect on astrocytes, as determined by ICC for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Furthermore, FAB protected against the cytodestructive and proinflammatory effects of IL-1β, a key cytokine that is released by activated microglia and astrocytes, and ICC showed that combined treatment of FAB with α and β estrogen receptor antagonists did not affect NF-κB expression. In addition, qPCR analysis demonstrated that FAB decreased the expression of proinflammatory molecules TNF-α, IL-1β, and connexins CCL5 and CCL2, as well as increased the expression of the regulatory molecule IL-10. Together, these findings indicate that FAB has a significant neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro, which may be considered as an adjuvant for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Effects of exercise on physical and mental health, and cognitive and brain functions in schizophrenia: clinical and experimental evidence

Exercise promotes several health benefits, such as cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory improvements. It is believed that the practice of exercise in individuals with psychiatric disorders, e.g. schizophrenia, can cause significant changes. Schizophrenic patients have problematic lifestyle habits compared with general population; this may cause a high mortality rate, mainly caused by cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate changes in physical and mental health, cognitive and brain functioning due to the practice of exercise in patients with schizophrenia. Although still little is known about the benefits of exercise on mental health, cognitive and brain functioning of schizophrenic patients, exercise training has been shown to be a beneficial intervention in the control and reduction of disease severity. Type of training, form of execution, duration and intensity need to be better studied as the effects on physical and mental health, cognition and brain activity depend exclusively of interconnected factors, such as the combination of exercise and medication. However, one should understand that exercise is not only an effective nondrug alternative, but also acts as a supporting linking up interventions to promote improvements in process performance optimization. In general, the positive effects on mental health, cognition and brain activity as a result of an exercise program are quite evident. Few studies have been published correlating effects of exercise in patients with schizophrenia, but there is increasing evidence that positive and negative symptoms can be improved. Therefore, it is important that further studies be undertaken to expand the knowledge of physical exercise on mental health in people with schizophrenia, as well as its dose-response and the most effective type of exercise

Modelling Land Use Change in Brazil: 2000–2050

The input and output land cover dataset across all modelled time periods (2000-2050) and scenarios resulting from the work of the REDD-PAC project in Brazil. Please consult the data section of the REDD-PAC website (http://redd-pac.org/new_page.php?contents=data1.csv) to access a data visualization tool and to obtain the dataset in WFS format. This dataset can be accessed and displayed using GIS software such as QGIS. Please consult the metadata file for further instruction

MERCÚRIO EM SISTEMAS AQUÁTICOS: FATORES AMBIENTAIS QUE AFETAM A METILAÇÃO

Methylmercury is a highly neurotoxic contaminant that accumulates in organisms and biomagnifies along the food chain. Methylmercury is formed through the transfer of a methyl group to the inorganic mercury (Hg2+). This reaction is mainly mediated by microorganisms living in anoxic environments like bottom sediments and macrophytes rhizosphere. Abiotic methylation can also occur, however in most cases with lower rates than biological methylation. Mercury methylation rates in aquatic systems are influenced by both the speciation and bioavailability of mercury. Many interrelated environmental variables such as biological activity, nutrient availability, pH, temperature, redox potential, and the presence of inorganic and organic complexing agents can also affects the net rate of methylmercury production. Which factors dominate methylmercury production is likely to differ from one ecosystem to other.O metilmercúrio é um poluente altamente neurotóxico que se acumula nos organismos e biomagnifica ao longo da cadeia trófica. O metilmercúrio é formado através de uma reação de transferência de um grupamento metil para o mercúrio inorgânico. Essa transformação, denominada metilação, é mediada principalmente por microrganismos que habitam ambientes anóxicos. A metilação pode ser abiótica como resultado de uma reação não-enzimática na transferência do grupamento metil por via fotoquímica ou interação com substâncias húmicas presentes nos corpos d'água, porém com uma taxa de metilação menor do que pela mediada por microrganismos. As taxas de metilação de mercúrio em sistemas aquáticos são influenciadas tanto pela especiação do mercúrio quanto por sua biodisponibilidade. Diversas variáveis ambientais, que se interrelacionam, tais como a atividade biológica dos microrganismos metiladores, disponibilidade de nutrientes, pH, temperatura, potencial redox, e a presença de complexos orgânicos e inorgânicos podem afetar as taxas de metilação. A importância de cada um desses fatores na produção de metilmercúrio pode variar em diferentes ecossistemas

Quantificação do carbono das substâncias húmicas em diferentes sistemas de uso do solo e épocas de avaliação.

A quantificação do carbono nas diferentes frações da matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) torna-se necessária devido ao interesse de se conhecer o potencial de captura e armazenamento do carbono nos diferentes sistemas de uso do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar o carbono das substâncias húmicas em diferentes sistemas de uso do solo e épocas de avaliação e correlacioná-lo com algumas propriedades químicas e físicas do solo. Os sistemas selecionados foram: preparo convencional (PC-milho/feijão), plantio direto (PD-berinjela/milho), consórcio maracujá/Desmodium sp, cultivo com figo e sistema agroflorestal. As amostras de solo foram coletadas em duas profundidades (0-5 e 5-10 cm) e épocas (17/11/2005–verão e 23/6/2006-inverno). Foi determinado o carbono orgânico total (COT) e realizado o fracionamento químico da MOS, quantificando-se o carbono da fração humina (C-HUM), fração ácido húmico (C-FAH) e fração ácido fúlvico (C-FAF). O C-HUM constituiu a maior parte do COT, havendo correlação significativa com o COT em todos os sistemas avaliados e estações. Analisando o C-FAH foi possível identificar alterações no solo relacionadas aos sistemas de uso, na profundidade de 0-5 cm e no verão, destacando-se o PD com os maiores teores. Com o C-FAF ocorreu este mesmo comportamento, mas na profundidade de 5-10 cm e no inverno, destacando-se o PC com maiores valores. Foram verificadas correlações significativas entre Valor S, Valor T e DMP em todos os sistemas, com exceção da área de PC. O PD aumenta os teores de C-FAH, nas duas profundidades e nas duas estações, quando comparado ao PC do solo