Formula Pricing and Profit Sharing in Inter‐Firm Contracts

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109908/1/mde2704.pd

Análise dos polimorfismos genéticos dos genes msp1 e csp em isolados de P. vivax em Porto Velho – Rondônia

Dissertação apresentada ao Programa de Pós- Graduação: Mestrado em Biologia Experimental (PGBIOEXP) da Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR) como requisito final para a obtenção do título de Mestre em Biologia Experimental. Orientador: Prof. Dr. Mauro Shugiro Tada.A malária vivax apresenta uma aparente evolução benigna. Embora esta evolução seja branda, sua morbidade é elevadíssima nas regiões endêmicas, de modo que, fora da África, a incidência de P. vivax é superior a de P. falciparum. Vários motivos podem explicar estes índices elevados, como a recaída, fluxo migratório, falha terapêutica e resistência de cepas. A menos que um plano de combate à doença considere estes fatores, seus objetivos malograrão, como em várias propostas de erradicação. Assim, novas estratégias foram baseadas em particularidades locais, de modo que, no Brasil, houve uma redução da prevalência da malária, contudo sua incidência continua alta. Por conseguinte, novas estratégias de combate à malária, principalmente a vivax, devem levar em conta conhecimentos mais específicos à cada localidade, como por exemplo, a dinâmica de sua transmissão. Com este intuito, vários estudos sobre polimorfismos gênicos foram realizados, para distinguir populações de parasitos, especialmente utilizando os genes da proteína de superfície do merozoíto (msp1) proteína circunsporozoíta (csp). Utilizamos esta estratégia para analisar a diversidade de cepas de P. vivax no município de Porto Velho oriundas de amostras de áreas urbanas e rurais. Para tal, foi analisada 224 amostras, aproximadamente 70% de áreas rurais, a partir das quais foram extraído DNA plasmodial. Utilizamos iniciadores de regiões polimórficas I, II e III no gene msp1 e um bloco polimórfico do gene csp, as regiões de interesse foram amplificadas por PCR. Foram detectados, aproximadamente, 158 isolados, em média. A diversidade genética observada foi similar na área rural (He = 0,7919) e urbana (He = 0,8112) em média, contudo, não foi verificado diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre as amostras. Nas regiões I, II e III do gene msp1 foram detectadas 50, 10 e 12 infecções policlonais, respectivamente, ao passo que no sistema CPS foi detectado 43. Os resultados indicam que os parasitos analisados de regiões rurais são, estatisticamente, semelhantes àqueles de áreas urbanas. Portanto, estes resultados podem indicar a possibilidade de circulação de parasitos entre áreas urbanas e rurais, de tal sorte que aumenta a possibilidade de que cepas resistentes, ou com maior virulência, possam espalhar rapidamente dentro do município

Epidemiological profile of Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya virus infections identified by medical and molecular evaluations in Rondonia, Brazil

Several arboviruses have emerged and/or re-emerged in North, Central and SouthAmerican countries. Viruses from some regions of Africa and Asia, such as the Zika and Chikungunya virus have been introduced in new continents causing major public health problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of RNA from Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya viruses in symptomatic patients from Rondonia, where the epidemiological profile is still little known, by one-step real-time RT-PCR. The main clinical signs and symtoms were fever (51.2%), headache (78%), chills (6.1%), pruritus (12.2%), exanthema (20.1%), arthralgia (35.3%), myalgia (26.8%) and retro-orbital pain (19.5%). Serum from 164 symptomatic patients were collected and tested for RNA of Zika, Dengue types 1 to 4 and Chikungunya viruses, in addition to antibodies against Dengue NS1 antigen. Direct microscopy for Malaria was also performed. Only ZIKV RNA was detected in 4.3% of the patients, and in the remaining 95.7% of the patients RNA for Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya viruses were not detected. This finding is intriguing as the region has been endemic for Dengue for a long time and more recently for Chikungunya virus as well. The results indicated that medical and molecular parameters obtained were suitable to describe the first report of symptomatic Zika infections in this region. Furthermore, the low rate of detection, compared to clinical signs and symptoms as the solely diagnosis criteria, suggests that molecular assays for detection of viruses or other pathogens that cause similar symptoms should be used and the corresponding diseases could be included in the compulsory notification list

Distinct gene subsets in pterygia formation and recurrence: dissecting complex biological phenomenon using genome wide expression data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease characterized by fibrovascular invasion of the cornea and is sight-threatening due to astigmatism, tear film disturbance, or occlusion of the visual axis. However, the mechanisms for formation and post-surgical recurrence of pterygium are not understood, and a valid animal model does not exist. Here, we investigated the possible mechanisms of pterygium pathogenesis and recurrence.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>First we performed a genome wide expression analysis (human Affymetrix Genechip, >22000 genes) with principal component analysis and clustering techniques, and validated expression of key molecules with PCR. The controls for this study were the un-involved conjunctival tissue of the same eye obtained during the surgical resection of the lesions. Interesting molecules were further investigated with immunohistochemistry, Western blots, and comparison with tear proteins from pterygium patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Principal component analysis in pterygium indicated a signature of matrix-related structural proteins, including fibronectin-1 (both splice-forms), collagen-1A2, keratin-12 and small proline rich protein-1. Immunofluorescence showed strong expression of keratin-6A in all layers, especially the superficial layers, of pterygium epithelium, but absent in the control, with up-regulation and nuclear accumulation of the cell adhesion molecule CD24 in the pterygium epithelium. Western blot shows increased protein expression of beta-microseminoprotein, a protein up-regulated in human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Gene products of 22 up-regulated genes in pterygium have also been found by us in human tears using nano-electrospray-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry after pterygium surgery. Recurrent disease was associated with up-regulation of sialophorin, a negative regulator of cell adhesion, and <it>never in mitosis a</it>-5, known to be involved in cell motility.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Aberrant wound healing is therefore a key process in this disease, and strategies in wound remodeling may be appropriate in halting pterygium or its recurrence. For patients demonstrating a profile of 'recurrence', it may be necessary to manage as a poorer prognostic case and perhaps, more adjunctive treatment after resection of the primary lesion.</p

NASA Participation in the International Collaborative Experiment for the PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympic Winter 2018 Games (ICE-POP)

No abstract availabl

Supplemental figure 1.png

   Supplemental Figure 1: Relative incidence of recorded health events by conception methods. AI: Artificial Insemination, MOET: Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer, IVF: In Vitro Fertilization.</p

Are problem-oriented medial records (POMR) suitable for use in GPs' daily practice?

Problem-oriented functions have been implemented in almost all Belgian GPs' software systems since 2003. We therefore investigated whether some of them - especially the explicit linking procedure between treatments or referrals and the relevant problems - can be used by GPs in their current daily practice.In 2005, within the Belgian ResoPrim project, we organized data collection, mainly around the theme of "hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors", by 26 volunteer GPs' practices using three different software systems. Data were collected prospectively over six weeks in early 2005, and retrospectively for 2004. In this paper we report only on the part of the study that aimed to assess the linking procedure. For all patients and hypertensive patients alike, the key indicators used were the percentage of (problem-) linked drugs among the drugs extracted, the percentage of anti-hypertensive (problem-) linked drugs among anti-hypertensive drugs extracted, and the percentage of (problem-) linked referrals among the number of referrals extracted.For all patients, the data collected relate to 10,914 contacts (7,831 patients) in 2005, and to 74,878 contacts (16,813 patients) in 2004. Large variations were observed per software system and GP, and also over time. The percentage of linked drugs rose from 2% (2004, two GPs) to 36% (2005, fourteen GPs). For linked referrals the percentage was 65% in 2004 vs. 75% in 2005. Our study shows that some functions related to the problem-oriented patient record were spontaneously used by GPs in daily practice. This use increased during collaboration with the primary care research network. This increase was not restricted to the theme of data collection (i.e. not restricted to hypertensive patients, to anti-hypertensive drugs or to links with cardiovascular problems)