Data pre-processing and data generation in the student flow case study

Education covers a range of sectors from kindergarten to higher education. In the education system, each grade has three possible outcomes: dropout, retention and pass to the next grade. In this work, we study the data from the Department of Statistics of Education and Science (DGEEC) of the Education Ministry. DGEEC maintains those outcomes for each school year, therefore, this study seeks a longitudinal view based on student flow. The document reports the data pre-processing, a stochastic model based on the pre-processed data and a data generation process that uses the previous model.The authors would like to thank the FCT Projects of Scientific Research and Technological Development in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration, 2018-2022 (DSAIPA/DS/0039/2018), for its support. LCav, PP and LCor also acknowledge support by UID/MULTI/04046/2103 center grant from FCT, Portugal (to BioISI).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High occurrence of giardiasis in children living on a 'landless farm workers' settlement in Araras, São Paulo, Brazil

Enteric parasitosis remains an important public health problem in many areas around the world including in Brazil, and it is frequently associated with poverty and lack of sanitation facilities. Research carried out over the course of a year revealed that 96.6% (28/29) of children randomly selected from a 'landless farm workers' settlement in Araras, São Paulo, aged 4 - 15 years, presented Giardia intestinalis cysts. After referral to the neighborhood Health Office, all the children received tinidazole, given as a single dose of 50 mg/kg and 12 months later, new fecal samples were collected and analyzed. Despite the low adherence to the study, a high percentage (64.3% - 9/14) of the children remained positive for the parasite. This study showed a high positivity of giardiasis in child residents of the settlement, even after treatment; adults were not sensitized to the study and did not collected and/or deliver children fecal samples. The precarious living conditions are consistent with a high susceptibility to parasitic diseases, suggesting that the treatment of the infected individuals without identifying and eradicating the means of contamination is simply a palliative measure

Isokinetic evaluation of knee muscles in soccer players: discriminant analysis [Avaliação isocinética dos músculos do joelho em jogadores de futebol: análise discriminante]; [Evaluación isocinética de los músculos de la rodilla en jugadores de fútbol: análisis discriminante]

Introduction: Muscle activity in soccer players can be measured by isokinetic dynamometer, which is a reliable tool for assessing human performance. Objectives: To perform isokinetic analyses and to determine which variables differentiate the under-17 (U17) soccer category from the professional (PRO). Methods: Thirty four players were assessed (n=17 for each category). The isokinetic variables used for the knee extension-flexion analysis were: peak torque (Nm), total work (J), average power (W), angle of peak torque (deg.), agonist/ antagonist ratio (%), measured for three velocities (60°/s, 120°/s and 300°/s), with each series containing five repetitions. Three Wilks' Lambda discriminant analyses were performed, to identify which variables were more significant for the definition of each of the categories. Results: The discriminative variables at 60°/s in the PRO category were: extension peak torque, flexion total work, extension average power and agonist/antagonist ratio; and for the U17s were: extension total work, flexion peak torque and flexion average power. At 120°/s for the PRO category the discriminant variables were: flexion peak torque and extension average power; for the U17s they were: extension total work and flexion average power. Finally at 300°/s, the variables found in the PRO and U17 categories respectively were: extension average power and extension total work. Conclusion: Isokinetic variables for flexion and extension knee muscles were able to significantly discriminate between PRO and U17 soccer players. RESUMO Introdução: A atividade muscular em jogadores de futebol pode ser medida por meio do dinamômetro isocinético, que é um instrumento confiável para avaliação do desempenho humano. Objetivos: Conduzir análises isocinéticas e discriminar quais variáveis diferenciam a categoria sub-17 (S17) da profissional (PRO). Métodos: Trinta e quatro jogadores de futebol (n=17 para cada categoria) foram avaliados. As variáveis isocinéticas utilizadas para a análise de extensão-flexão do joelho foram: pico de torque (Nm), trabalho total (J), potência média (W), ângulo de pico de torque (graus), razão agonista/antagonista (%), testadas em três velocidades (60°/s, 120°/s e 300°/s), com cada série contendo cinco repetições. Três análises discriminantes foram feitas usando o método Wilk's Lambda para identificar quais variáveis fariam uma discriminação significativa entre as duas categorias. Resultados: As variáveis discriminantes a 60°/s na categoria PRO foram: pico de torque extensores, trabalho total flexores, potência média de extensores e razão agonista/antagonista; e para os S17 foram: trabalho total de extensores, pico de torque de flexores e potência média de flexores. A 120°/s para a categoria PRO as variáveis discriminantes foram: pico de torque de flexores e potência média de extensores; para os S17 foram: trabalho total de extensores e potência média de flexores. A 300°/s, as variáveis encontradas para as categorias PRO e S17 foram, respectivamente: potência média de extensores e trabalho total de extensores. Conclusão: As variáveis isocinéticas para os músculos do joelho flexores e extensores foram capazes de fazer uma discriminação significativa entre jogadores de futebol PRO e S17. RESUMEN Introducción: La actividad muscular en jugadores de fútbol puede ser medida por medio del dinamómetro isocinético, que es un instrumento confiable para evaluación del desempeño humano. Objetivos: Conducir análisis isocinéticos y discriminar qué variables diferencian la categoría sub-17 (S17) de la profesional (PRO). Métodos: Fueron evaluados treinta y cuatro jugadores de fútbol (n=17 para cada categoría). Las variables isocinéticas utilizadas para el análisis de extensión-flexión de la rodilla fueron: pico de torque (Nm), trabajo total (J), potencia media (W), ángulo de pico de torque (grados), razón agonista/antagonista (%), probadas en tres velocidades (60°/s, 120°/s y 300°/s), con cada serie conteniendo cinco repeticiones. Fueron realizados tres análisis discriminantes usando el método Wilk's Lambda para identificar qué variables harían una discriminación significativa entre las dos categorías. Resultados: Las variables discriminantes a 60°/s en la categoría PRO fueron: pico de torque extensores, trabajo total flexores, potencia media de extensores y razón agonista/antagonista; y para los S17 fueron: trabajo total de extensores, pico de torque de flexores y potencia media de flexores. A 120°/s para la categoría PRO las variables discriminantes fueron: pico de torque de flexores y potencia media de extensores; para los S17 fueron: trabajo total de extensores y potencia media de flexores. A 300°/s, las variables encontradas para las categorías PRO y S17 fueron, respectivamente: potencia media de extensores y trabajo total de extensores. Conclusión: Las variables isocinéticas para los músculos de la rodilla flexores y extensores fueron capaces de hacer una discriminación significativa entre jugadores de fútbol PRO y S17

Unravelling the rate of action of hits in the Leishmania donovani box using standard drugs amphotericin B and miltefosine

In recent years, the neglected diseases drug discovery community has elected phenotypic screening as the key approach for the identification of novel hit compounds. However, when this approach is applied, important questions related to the mode of action for these compounds remain unanswered. One of such questions is related to the rate of action, a useful piece of information when facing the challenge of prioritising the most promising hit compounds. In the present work, compounds of the "Leishmania donovani box" were evaluated using a rate of action assay adapted from a replicative intracellular high content assay recently developed. The potency of each compound was determined every 24 hours up to 96 hours, and standard drugs amphotericin B and miltefosine were used as references to group these compounds according to their rate of action. Independently of this biological assessment, compounds were also clustered according to their minimal chemical scaffold. Comparison of the results showed a complete correlation between the chemical scaffold and the biological group for the vast majority of compounds, demonstrating how the assay was able to bring information on the rate of action for each chemical series, a property directly linked to the mode of action. Overall, the assay here described permitted us to evaluate the rate of action of the "Leishmania donovani box" using two of the currently available drugs as references and, also, to propose a number of fast-acting chemical scaffolds present in the box as starting points for future drug discovery projects to the wider scientific community. The results here presented validate the use of this assay for the determination of the rate of action early in the discovery process, to assist in the prioritisation of hit compounds

Risk factors associated with adverse perinatal outcome in planned vaginal breech labors at term : a retrospective population-based case-control study

Background: Vaginal breech delivery is associated with adverse perinatal outcome. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with adverse perinatal outcome in term breech pregnancies, and to provide clinicians an aid in selecting women for a trial of vaginal labor with the fetus in breech position. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, nationwide, Finnish population-based case-control study. All planned singleton vaginal deliveries at term with the fetus in breech position between the years 2005 and 2014 were analyzed. The study's end point was a composite set of adverse perinatal outcomes. All infants with an adverse outcome were compared to the infants with normal outcomes. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. Results: An adverse perinatal outcome was recorded for 73 (1.5%) infants. According to the study results fetal growth restriction (adjusted odds ratio, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.30-6.67), oligohydramnios (adjusted odds ratio, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.15-7.18), a history of cesarean section (adjusted odds ratio, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.28-6.77, gestational diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.54-5.40), epidural anesthesia (adjusted odds ratio, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.29-3.75) and nulliparity (adjusted odds ratio, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.10-3.08) were associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Conclusions: Adverse perinatal outcome in planned vaginal breech labor at term is associated with fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios, previous cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes, nulliparity and epidural anesthesia.Peer reviewe