An Animation Framework for Continuous Interaction with Reactive Virtual Humans

We present a complete framework for animation of Reactive Virtual Humans that offers a mixed animation paradigm: control of different body parts switches between keyframe animation, procedural animation and physical simulation, depending on the requirements of the moment. This framework implements novel techniques to support real-time continuous interaction. It is demonstrated on our interactive Virtual Conductor

Comparative Endoscopic Anatomic Description of the Mitral Valvular Complex: a Cadaveric Study

Background We compared the aortic, left atrial, and apical approaches to visualize the mitral valve with the goal to investigate the endoscopic anatomy and give exact step-by-step descriptions of these views. Materials and Methods The mitral valvular complex of human cadaveric fresh hearts was investigated from three approaches using 0, 30, and 70 degrees rigid endoscopic optics. In 30 cases after the removal of the hearts, the endoscopes were introduced directly into the aortic root through an aortotomy, left atrium through a standard atriotomy, and apex of the heart through a transmural incision. In 10 cases, the in situ visualization was performed using standard surgical approaches, such as partial upper ministernotomy, right and left minithoracotomy. The investigation was performed first with the mitral valve open, then the left ventricle was filled with saline, and the valve was closed by clamping the aorta. Results For the visualization of ventricular surfaces of the mitral leaflets and the subvalvular apparatus, the apical approach was most optimal. The aortic approach had limitations at the posterior leaflet. Using the atrial approach, we did not obtain any direct visual information about the subvalvular apparatus with the valve closed. The atrial surfaces of the leaflets were best visible using both the atrial and apical approaches with the mitral valve open. In the case of a closed valve, the apical approach did not allow for an investigation of the atrial surfaces. The aortic approach was useful to visualize the atrial surface of the posterior leaflet with an opened valve. Conclusion In mitral valve repairs through the left atrium, an additional aortic or apical view could be useful to obtain functional information about the subvalvular apparatus by the sealing probe

Complexes of Silver(I) Ions and Silver Phosphate Nanoparticles with Hyaluronic Acid and/or Chitosan as Promising Antimicrobial Agents for Vascular Grafts

Polymers are currently widely used to replace a variety of natural materials with respect to their favourable physical and chemical properties, and due to their economic advantage. One of the most important branches of application of polymers is the production of different products for medical use. In this case, it is necessary to face a significant disadvantage of polymer products due to possible and very common colonization of the surface by various microorganisms that can pose a potential danger to the patient. One of the possible solutions is to prepare polymer with antibacterial/antimicrobial properties that is resistant to bacterial colonization. The aim of this study was to contribute to the development of antimicrobial polymeric material ideal for covering vascular implants with subsequent use in transplant surgery. Therefore, the complexes of polymeric substances (hyaluronic acid and chitosan) with silver nitrate or silver phosphate nanoparticles were created, and their effects on gram-positive bacterial culture of Staphylococcus aureus were monitored. Stages of formation of complexes of silver nitrate and silver phosphate nanoparticles with polymeric compounds were characterized using electrochemical and spectrophotometric methods. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of complexes was determined using the methods of determination of growth curves and zones of inhibition. The results of this study revealed that the complex of chitosan, with silver phosphate nanoparticles, was the most suitable in order to have an antibacterial effect on bacterial culture of Staphylococcus aureus. Formation of this complex was under way at low concentrations of chitosan. The results of electrochemical determination corresponded with the results of spectrophotometric methods and verified good interaction and formation of the complex. The complex has an outstanding antibacterial effect and this effect was of several orders higher compared to other investigated complexes

Preliminar analysis of patients with streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis : a comparison of amoxicillin twice a day with amoxicillin three times a day

OBJETIVO: Comparar a eficácia e a tolerabilidade de dois esquemas posológicos de amoxicilina: 45 mg/kg/dia divididos em duas doses (bd) e 40 mg/kg/dia divididos em três doses (tid) no tratamento de crianças com faringotonsilite bacteriana aguda. MÉTODOS: Estudo multicêntrico, observador-cego, randomizado, comparativo de grupos paralelos. Cento e setenta e um pacientes ambulatoriais com idade entre 2 e 12 anos apresentando quadro de faringotonsilite bacteriana aguda foram admitidos no estudo. Além da visita de seleção, os pacientes foram avaliados com 3 dias de tratamento, no final do tratamento e com 28 dias após a admissão no estudo para verificar a resposta clínica, ocorrência de efeitos adversos, resposta bacteriológica e tolerabilidade da medicação. RESULTADOS: A análise preliminar dos 171 pacientes, 86 randomizados para o grupo “tratamento A” e 85 para grupo “tratamento B”, indica que na visita de final de tratamento, 83 pacientes (96,5%) do grupo “tratamento A” e 82 pacientes (96,5%) do grupo “tratamento B” apresentaram critérios clínicos de cura. CONCLUSÃO: Os dados apresentados sugerem que o regime terapêutico de amoxicilina administrada duas vezes ao dia (bd) é tão eficaz quanto o regime de amoxicilina administrada três vezes por dia (tid) para o tratamento destes pacientes, com a vantagem de poder determinar maior adesão dos doentes ao tratamento.OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and tolerance of two posologic amoxicillin schemes in children with tonsillopharyngitis: 45 mg/kg/day in two doses (bid) and 40 mg/kg/day in three doses (tid). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicentric, randomized, single-blinded study, comparing two parallel groups. One hundred and seventy-one ambulatrial patients with ages between 2 and 12 years presenting acute bacterial tonsillopharyngitis were admitted in this study. Patients were evaluated in the selection visit, within three days of treatment, at the end of treatment and within 28 days after entering the study in order to verify clinical response, possible adverse effects, bacteriological response, and tolerabilty of the medication. RESULTS: The preliminary analysis of the 171 patients, 86 randomized to “treatment A” group and 85 to “treatment B”, indicates that in the final visit, 83 “treatment A” patients (96.5%) and 82 patients (96.5%) ”treatament B” patients presented clinical criteria of cure. CONCLUSION: The present data suggest that the therapeutic scheme of amoxicillin administrated twice daily (bd) is as efficient as the three times per day scheme (tid) for the treatament of these patients, with the possible advantage of a greater adherence of patients to the treatment

A low-cost HPV immunochromatographic assay to detect high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Objective To evaluate the reproducibility and accuracy of the HPV16/18-E6 test. Methods The study population was comprised of 448 women with a previously abnormal Pap who were referred to the Barretos Cancer Hospital (Brazil) for diagnosis and treatment. Two cervical samples were collected immediately before colposcopy, one for the hr-HPV-DNA test and cytology and the other for the HPV16/18-E6 test using high-affinity monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Women with a histologic diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 were considered to be positive cases. Different strategies using a combination of screening methods (HPV-DNA) and triage tests (cytology and HPV16/18-E6) were also examined and compared. Results The HPV16/18-E6 test exhibited a lower positivity rate compared with the HPV-DNA test (19.0% vs. 29.3%, p<0.001) and a moderate/high agreement (kappa = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.60-0.75). It also exhibited a significantly lower sensitivity for CIN2+ and CIN3+ detection compared to the HPV-DNA test and a significantly higher specificity. The HPV16/18-E6 test was no different from cytology in terms of sensitivity, but it exhibited a significantly higher specificity in comparison to ASCH+. A triage test after HPV-DNA detection using the HPV16/18-E6 test exhibited a significantly higher specificity compared with a triage test of ASCH+ to CIN2+ (91.8% vs. 87.4%, p = 0.04) and CIN3+ (88.6% vs. 84.0%, p = 0.05). Conclusion The HPV16/18-E6 test exhibited moderate/high agreement with the HPV-DNA test but lower sensitivity and higher specificity for the detection of CIN2+ and CIN3+. In addition, its performance was quite similar to cytology, but because of the structural design addressed for the detection of HPV16/18-E6 protein, the test can miss some CIN2/3+ lesions caused by other high-risk HPV types.Cancer Prevention Department, Center for the Researcher Support and Pathology Department of the Barretos Cancer Hospital. This study was supported by CNPq 573799/2008-3 and FAPESP 2008/57889-1info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biological activities for 'Ficus carica' latex for potential therapeutics in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) related cervical cancers

Abstract Infection caused by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are implicated in the aetiology of cervical cancer. Although current methods of treatment for cervical cancer can ablate lesions, preventing metastatic disseminations and excessive tissue injuries still remains a major concern. Hence, development of a safer and more efficient treatment modality is of vital importance. Natural products from plants are one of the principal sources of precursors to lead compounds with direct pharmaceutical application across all disease classes. One of these plants is Ficus carica, whose fruit latex, when applied on HPV-induced skin warts, has shown potential as a possible cure for this virus related lesions. This study explores the in vitro biological activities of fig latex and elucidates its possible mechanisms of action on cervical cancer cell lines CaSki and HeLa positive for HPV type 16 and 18, respectively. Our data shows that fig latex inhibits properties that are associated with HPV-positive cervical cancer transformed cells such as rapid growth and invasion and substantially downregulated the expression of p16 and HPV onco-proteins E6, E7. These findings suggest Ficus carica latex has the potential to be used in the development of therapeutic modalities for the possible treatment, cure and prevention of HPV related cervical cancer

Bioremediation potential of Cd by transgenic yeast expressing a metallothionein gene from Populus trichocarpa

Cadmium (Cd) is an extremely toxic environmental pollutant with high mobility in soils, which can contaminate groundwater, increasing its risk of entering the food chain. Yeast biosorption can be a low-cost and effective method for removing Cd from contaminated aqueous solutions. We transformed wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae (WT) with two versions of a Populus trichocarpa gene (PtMT2b) coding for a metallothionein: one with the original sequence (PtMT2b ‘C’) and the other with a mutated sequence, with an amino acid substitution (C3Y, named here: PtMT2b ‘Y’). WT and both transformed yeasts were grown under Cd stress, in agar (0; 10; 20; 50 µM Cd) and liquid medium (0; 10; 20 µM Cd). Yeast growth was assessed visually and by spectrometry OD600. Cd removal from contaminated media and intracellular accumulation were also quantified. PtMT2b ‘Y’ was also inserted into mutant strains: fet3fet4, zrt1zrt2 and smf1, and grown under Fe-, Zn- and Mn-deficient media, respectively. Yeast strains had similar growth under 0 µM, but differed under 20 µM Cd, the order of tolerance was: WT < PtMT2b ‘C’ < PtMT2b ‘Y’, the latter presenting 37% higher growth than the strain with PtMT2b ‘C’. It also extracted ~80% of the Cd in solution, and had higher intracellular Cd than WT. Mutant yeasts carrying PtMT2b ‘Y’ had slightly higher growth in Mn- and Fe-deficient media than their non-transgenic counterparts, suggesting the transgenic protein may chelate these metals. S. cerevisiae carrying the altered poplar gene offers potential for bioremediation of Cd from wastewaters or other contaminated liquids