2,456 research outputs found
Review and prospects for autonomous observing systems in vessels of opportunity
This paper focuses on the state of the art on Autonomous Observing Systems (AOS) used in Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) for collecting in situ atmospheric, oceanic and biogeochemical data. The designation Vessels of Opportunity includes all kinds of ships, even if not having scientific goals, which may carry proper devices that autonomously measure environmental variables. These vessels can be merchant, military, research, cruise liners, fishing, ferries, or even private yachts or sailing boats. The use of AOS can provide the opportunity for highly refined oceanographic data and improved derived data estimation, for local, regional or global scales studies. However, making the collected information accessible, both for scientific and technical purposes, provides a challenge in data management and analysis, which must, above all, ensure trusted useful data to the stakeholders. An overall review of the systems implemented is presented. This includes the definition of objectives, the recruitment of vessels and a review on the installation of proper acquisition devices; the selection and collection of Essential Oceanic Variables (EOV); the mechanisms for transmitting the information, and the quality control analysis and dissemination of data. The present and future capabilities of VOO for measuring EOV, within the Portuguese context are referred.PTDC/CTA-AMB/31141/2017 - MAR-01.04.02-FEAMP-0002 - UIDB/UIDP/00134/2020 - UIDB/04326/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
A combined approach for comparative exoproteome analysis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Background: Bacterial exported proteins represent key components of the host-pathogen interplay. Hence, we
sought to implement a combined approach for characterizing the entire exoproteome of the pathogenic
bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, the etiological agent of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in sheep and
goats.
Results: An optimized protocol of three-phase partitioning (TPP) was used to obtain the C. pseudotuberculosis
exoproteins, and a newly introduced method of data-independent MS acquisition (LC-MSE) was employed for
protein identification and label-free quantification. Additionally, the recently developed tool SurfG+ was used for in
silico prediction of sub-cellular localization of the identified proteins. In total, 93 different extracellular proteins of
C. pseudotuberculosis were identified with high confidence by this strategy; 44 proteins were commonly identified
in two different strains, isolated from distinct hosts, then composing a core C. pseudotuberculosis exoproteome.
Analysis with the SurfG+ tool showed that more than 75% (70/93) of the identified proteins could be predicted as
containing signals for active exportation. Moreover, evidence could be found for probable non-classical export of
most of the remaining proteins.
Conclusions: Comparative analyses of the exoproteomes of two C. pseudotuberculosis strains, in addition to
comparison with other experimentally determined corynebacterial exoproteomes, were helpful to gain novel
insights into the contribution of the exported proteins in the virulence of this bacterium. The results presented
here compose the most comprehensive coverage of the exoproteome of a corynebacterial species so far
Drying behavior and permeability of Eucalyptus Grandis Lumber
In memoriam of Dr. H. Peter STEINHAGEN Although the increasing economic importance of Eucalyptus lumber to furniture and other value added products manufacturing, its industrial use is still small. One of the main reasons is the difficulty to dry the lumber and related loses of row material. There is a general recommendation in literature to use a low drying rate in initial stages of the process, and changing to a more aggressive drying after removal of liquid water from the lumber. According classical theory about drying of porous material, this point should coincide with the predominance of diffusion phenomena in the moisture movement; which could be determined through the characteristic drying curve of the material. With the objective to get better knowledge about the drying of Eucalyptus grandis lumber, its characteristic drying curve was determined, and the results proved that Eucalyptus grandis lumber is not permeable to liquid flow. Based on its characteristic drying curve, it is possible to suggest the change of drying conditions when lumber moisture content, dry basis, is between 35% and 40%, then starting a more aggressive drying
Impact of body and orofacial appearance on life satisfaction among Brazilian adults
Aims
1. to elaborate a general model of physical appearance taking into account body image (BI)
and orofacial appearance (OA) components; and 2. to evaluate the impact of BI and OA on
life satisfaction among Brazilian adults.
Methods
This is a cross-sectional observational study. The cognitive, behavioral, affective, and satisfaction/
dissatisfaction aspects of BI, the satisfaction and psychosocial impact of OA, and life
satisfaction were evaluated by self-reported psychometric scales. Principal Component
Analysis and Parallel Analysis were performed. Structural equation models were elaborated
to estimate the impact of BI and OA on life satisfaction. The fit of the models was verified
and the significance of the path estimates (β) was evaluated using z-tests (α = 5%).
Results
A total of 1,940 individuals participated in the study (age: mean = 24.8, standard deviation =
5.7 years; females = 70.1%). In the male sample, three physical appearance factors were
retained (OA, cognitive and behavioral components of BI, and affective and satisfaction/dissatisfaction
components of BI). In the female sample, two factors were retained (OA and all
components of BI). All factors had significant impact on life satisfaction (β = |0.26|-|0.48|,
p<0.001) in both samples. Individuals dissatisfied with BI and OA had lower levels of life satisfaction.
For men, the affective and satisfaction components of BI had a greater impact on
life satisfaction (β = 0.48, p<0.001) than the other factors (β =] -0.30;-0.25[, p<0.001). For
women, both BI and OA had a similar impact (BI: β = -0.30, p<0.001; OA: β = -0.32,
p<0.001). Conclusion
BI and OA formed distinct clusters in the physical appearance evaluation. Physical appearance
was perceived differently by men and women, fostering discussion about the sociocultural
construction of the body. BI and OA had a significant impact on life satisfaction and
should be considered in assessment and treatment protocols.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Social Appearance Anxiety Scale: A psychometric investigation and evaluation of the influence of individual characteristics on social appearance anxiety in Brazilian adults who practice physical exercise
fntroduction: Evaluating signs of anxiety related to body appearance is becoming
increasingly important in contemporary society and, in this sense, the Social
Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) seems an interesting alternative of measurement.
Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version
of the SAAS when applied to Brazilian adults who practice physical exercise and
verify the influence of individual characteristics on participants’ social appearance
anxiety.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted online. The participants
completed the SAAS and a demographic questionnaire. The psychometric
properties of the SAAS one-factor model were evaluated using confirmatory
factor analysis. A structural model was built for men and women to verify the
influence of individual characteristics of the participants on social appearance
anxiety.
Results: 1,495 individuals participated in the study (70.8% women; mean age = 29.5,
SD = 8.9 years). The data obtained with the SAAS presented good indicators of
validity and reliability for both genders (CFI > 0.97, TLI > 0.97, SRMR = 0.04, α > 0.97,
ω > 0.85). For both men and women, greater levels of social appearance anxiety
were observed among younger participants, who had a higher body mass index,
self-reported an eating disorder, and perceived a change in their body after the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. For women specifically, higher income and
having started physical exercise more recently were associated with greater levels
of social appearance anxiety.
Conclusion: The findings supported the validity and reliability of the data obtained
with the SAAS and revealed that when investigating social appearance anxiety in uture research and clinical protocols, specific individual characteristics should
be considered.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Collaboration among humanitarian relief organizations and volunteer technical communities : identifying research opportunities and challenges through a systematic literature review
Collaboration is the foundation to strengthen disaster preparedness and for effective emergency response actions at all levels. Some studies have highlighted that remote volunteers, i.e., volunteers supported by Web 2.0 technologies, possess the potential to strengthen humanitarian relief organizations by offering information regarding disaster-affected people and infrastructure. Although studies have explored various aspects of this topic, none of those provided an overview of the state-of-the-art of researches on the collaboration among humanitarian organizations and communities of remote volunteers. With the aim of overcoming this gap, a systematic literature review was conducted on the existing research works. Therefore, the main contribution of this work lies in examining the state of research in this field and in identifying potential research gaps. The results show that most of the research works addresses the general domain of disaster management, whereas only few of them address the domain of humanitarian logistics.
Collaboration among Humanitarian Relief Organizations and Volunteer Technical Communities: Identifying Research Opportunities and Challenges through a Systematic Literature Review (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315790817_Collaboration_among_Humanitarian_Relief_Organizations_and_Volunteer_Technical_Communities_Identifying_Research_Opportunities_and_Challenges_through_a_Systematic_Literature_Review [accessed May 26, 2017]
Reflex cardioinhibitory syncope potentially related to SARS-CoV-2 infection: a case report
Autonomic dysfunction related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is increasingly described in the literature. We report the case of a 30-year-old male with a background of asthma and migraine who experienced a second episode of SARS-CoV-2 infection characterized by mild respiratory symptoms. Twenty-four days after the symptom onset, he developed acute syncope. A tilt test revealed a neuromediated cardioinhibitory response with asystole (Vasovagal Syncope International Study – VASIS type 2B). The temporal association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and syncope seems to indicate a probable causal relationship, which requires corroboration by future studies
Evaluation of the bibliometric scenario of the Delphi method with Brazilian affiliations
The Delphi method is a technique used to reach consensus among specialists in an area who will be able to predict demands or analyze conjunctures about strategic themes. Within this context, the present work consisted of a bibliometric evaluation performed in the Scopus database with the aid of VOSviewer software, prioritizing journals with an affiliation of Brazilian institutions and that made use of the Delphi method for the development of their research. Data collection went through validation stages, and the results obtained showed that this tool was used in several areas of knowledge, with great emphasis on health, more specifically in Medicine, Nursing, and Public health. Together, these three areas accounted for more than 60% of publications made available
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