Optimizing sealed transports of small ornamental fish

This is a report on multiple simulated long-term transports of small ornamental fish inside plastic bags. The species involved were Diplodus sargus, Gobius paganellus, Gobiusculus flavescens, Lepadogaster lepadogaster and Lipophrys pholis. The objective of such simulations was moving the maximum bioload possible while ensuring 100% survivorship, ultimately resulting in savings for the end-receiver. Transports were simulated over 24, 48 and 72 hours, with increasing animal bioloads per bag. Half of the trials were performed with “regular” saltwater while the other half involved seawater buffered with Amquel ®, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, with the objective of keeping ammonia low and pH similar to initial baseline values. At the end of each trial, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and ammonia were analized and the survival rate calculated and recorded. L. lepadogaster endured the highest bioloads at 100% survivorship (i.e. up to 30 g / L), which is not surprising given the intertidal nature of this species. D. sargus exhibited mortalities with bioloads as low as 3,23 g / L, which echoes its predominantly pelagic nature and relatively lesser ability to endure confinement. The three remaining species showed varying degrees of tolerance to increasing bioloads in transport: L. pholis , also an intertidal species, handled up to 20 g/L over 72 hours, while G. paganellus handled up to 7 g/L over 72 hours, and G. flavescens (a predominantly pelagic species) could deal with no more than 6 g/L up to 72 hours.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Desenvolvimento, simulação e validação de protocolos MAC para redes de sensores sem fios: Projeto PrunusPós

As redes de sensores sem fios são uma tecnologia emergente que é frequentemente utilizada para monitorizar pontos ou objectos de interesse numa área. Apesar das suas muitas aplicações, este tipo de rede é frequentemente limitado pelo facto de ser muito difícil fornecer energia aos nós continuamente, forçando a utilização de baterias, o que limita as suas operações. A densidade da rede pode também levar a outros problemas. Redes esparsas requerem transmissões mais fortes e têm pouca redundância, enquanto as redes densas aumentam as hipóteses de sobre-audição e interferência. Para resolver estes problemas, vários novos protocolos de controlo de acesso ao meio (MAC) têm sido desenvolvidos ao longo dos anos. O objectivo deste estudo é avaliar a eficácia dos protocolos T-MAC, B-MAC, e RI-MAC numa rede de densidade variável utilizada para recolher dados dentro de camiões de carga que transportam frutos perecíveis. Este trabalho faz parte do projecto PrunusPós, que visa aumentar a eficiência da cultura de pêssegos e cerejas em Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burden of infectious disease studies in Europe and the United Kingdom: a review of methodological design choices

This systematic literature review aimed to provide an overview of the characteristics and methods used in studies applying the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) concept for infectious diseases within European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and the United Kingdom. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched for articles reporting the assessment of DALY and its components. We considered studies in which researchers performed DALY calculations using primary epidemiological data input sources. We screened 3,053 studies of which 2,948 were excluded and 105 studies met our inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 22 were multi-country and 83 were single-country studies, of which 46 were from the Netherlands. Food- and water-borne diseases were the most frequently studied infectious diseases. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of burden of infectious disease studies was 1.6 times higher compared to that published between 2000 and 2014. Almost all studies (97%) estimated DALYs based on the incidence- and pathogen-based approach and without social weighting functions; however, there was less methodological consensus with regards to the disability weights and life tables that were applied. The number of burden of infectious disease studies undertaken across Europe has increased over time. Development and use of guidelines will promote performing burden of infectious disease studies and facilitate comparability of the results.Incluye referencias bibliográfica

Testing Implementations of Algebraic Specifications with Design-by-Contract Tools

We present an approach for testing Java implementations of abstract data types (ADTs) against their specifications. The key idea is to reduce this problem to the run-time monitoring of contract annotated classes, which is supported today by several runtime assertion-checking tools. The approach comprises an ADT specification language that allows automatic generation of monitorable contracts and a refinement language that supports the specification of the details of object-oriented implementations of ADT

Anti-TNF Drugs for Chronic Uveitis in Adults—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: We aimed to assess efficacy and safety of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs for adult chronic non-infectious uveitis (NIU).Methods: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, were searched from inception to January 2019. Double-masked randomized placebo-controlled trials, assessing any anti-TNF vs. best medical intervention/standard of care in adults with chronic NIU were considered. The PRISMA and SAMPL guidelines were followed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Overall quality of the evidence was assessed according to GRADE. PROSPERO registration: #CRD42016039068. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were preservation of visual acuity (VA) and withdrawals due to adverse events, respectively. Meta-analysis of efficacy analysis was not performed due to significant clinical heterogeneity between studies' population and interventions.Results: A total of 1,157 references were considered and 3 studies were included. The overall risk of bias was moderate. In active NIU, adalimumab group showed an increased likelihood of VA preservation (risk ratio (RR) 1.75, 95%CI 1.32 to 2.32, n = 217), whereas the etanercept group did not (RR 0.81, 95%CI 0.57 to 1.14, n = 20). In inactive NIU, adalimumab was associated with increased likelihood of VA preservation (RR 1.31, 95%CI 1.12 to 1.53, n = 226). The rate of adverse events did not differ between anti-TNF and control arms (RR 1.03, 95%CI 0.94 to 1.13, n = 410).Conclusions: There is high quality evidence that adalimumab decreases the risk of worsening VA in active and inactive NIU and very low quality evidence that the risk of etanercept worsening VA in inactive NIU is not different from placebo. Moderate quality evidence suggests that anti-TNF agents are not different from placebo on the risk of study withdrawal

A Cohort Analysis

Publisher Copyright: © 2022Background and Aims: The donor risk index (DRI) quantifies donor-related characteristics potentially associated with increased risk of early graft failure. We aimed to assess the impact of the DRI, recipient and perioperative factors on post liver transplant (LT) outcomes. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study including all adult (≥18 years) patients who underwent LT from 01/2019 to 12/2019 at Curry Cabral Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. Primary endpoint was 1-year graft failure post LT. Associations were studied with logistic regression. Results: A total of 131 cadaveric donor LT procedures were performed in 116 recipients. Recipients' median (IQR) age was 57 (47-64) years and 101/131 (77.1%) were males. Cirrhosis was the underlying etiology in 95/131 (81.2%) transplants. Based on 8 predefined donors' characteristics, median (IQR) DRI was 1.96 (1.67-2.16). Following adjustment for MELDNa score pre LT and SOFA score (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91 [0.56-1.47]) or lactate (aOR [95% CI] = 2.76 [0.71-10.7]) upon intensive care unit (ICU) admission post LT, DRI was not associated with 1-year graft failure. However, higher SOFA score (aOR [95% CI] = 1.20 [1.05-1.37]) or lactate (aOR [95% CI] = 1.27 [1.10-1.46]) upon ICU admission post LT were independently associated with higher odds of 1-year graft failure. Conclusions: In a recent cohort of patients who underwent LT, DRI, despite being high, was not associated with 1-year graft failure, but SOFA score or lactate upon ICU admission post LT were.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin

Burden of infectious disease studies in Europe and the United Kingdom: a review of methodological design choices

This systematic literature review aimed to provide an overview of the characteristics and methods used in studies applying the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) concept for infectious diseases within European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and the United Kingdom. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched for articles reporting the assessment of DALY and its components. We considered studies in which researchers performed DALY calculations using primary epidemiological data input sources. We screened 3053 studies of which 2948 were excluded and 105 studies met our inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 22 were multi-country and 83 were single-country studies, of which 46 were from the Netherlands. Food- and water-borne diseases were the most frequently studied infectious diseases. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of burden of infectious disease studies was 1.6 times higher compared to that published between 2000 and 2014. Almost all studies (97%) estimated DALYs based on the incidence- and pathogen-based approach and without social weighting functions; however, there was less methodological consensus with regards to the disability weights and life tables that were applied. The number of burden of infectious disease studies undertaken across Europe has increased over time. Development and use of guidelines will promote performing burden of infectious disease studies and facilitate comparability of the results