Preventing Atomicity Violations with Contracts

Software developers are expected to protect concurrent accesses to shared regions of memory with some mutual exclusion primitive that ensures atomicity properties to a sequence of program statements. This approach prevents data races but may fail to provide all necessary correctness properties.The composition of correlated atomic operations without further synchronization may cause atomicity violations. Atomic violations may be avoided by grouping the correlated atomic regions in a single larger atomic scope. Concurrent programs are particularly prone to atomicity violations when they use services provided by third party packages or modules, since the programmer may fail to identify which services are correlated. In this paper we propose to use contracts for concurrency, where the developer of a module writes a set of contract terms that specify which methods are correlated and must be executed in the same atomic scope. These contracts are then used to verify the correctness of the main program with respect to the usage of the module(s). If a contract is well defined and complete, and the main program respects it, then the program is safe from atomicity violations with respect to that module. We also propose a static analysis based methodology to verify contracts for concurrency that we applied to some real-world software packages. The bug we found in Tomcat 6.0 was immediately acknowledged and corrected by its development team

Total elbow arthroplasty for end-stage rheumatoid elbow arthritis with major instability: a case report

A 73 years old female diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis for over 30 years with an end-stage right elbow arthritis (stage V of Larsen’s classification) with a major instability. The patient presented gross deformity and severe pain with critical limitation of limb function. The patient was treated with a total elbow arthroplasty with an intraoperative olecranon fracture. At six months follow up, the patient presents with an excellent active range of motion and painless joint, without daily activities limitation

Breast cancer targeted photothermal therapy mediated by hyaluronic acid functionalized reduced graphene oxide

The use of graphene-based nanomaterials in cancer photothermal therapy (PTT) is an emerging alternative to the currently available cancer treatments. In this regard, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been widely explored for cancer PTT due to its excellent photothermal capacity. However, rGO has some limitations, such as low colloidal stability and water insolubility, as well as absence of targeting capacity towards cancer cells. Herein, rGO produced by an environmentally- friendly method was functionalized with an amphiphilic polymer based on hyaluronic acid (HA-rGO) through hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions for application in targeted breast cancer PTT. The functionalization improved rGO colloidal stability and cytocompatibility towards normal and breast cancer cells, as well as conferred targeting capacity towards CD44 overexpressing breast cancer cells. In addition, the photothermal effect mediated by HA-rGO upon laser irradiation reduced breast cancer cells’ viability. Overall, HA-rGO demonstrated a great potential for being used on-demand and selective treatment of breast cancer cells.Rita Lima-Sousa and Cátia G. Alves acknowledge funding from the grant UBI Santander/Totta.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Spinal cord RNA-seq data after a baclofen treatment in mice with a spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to severe functional deficits. Currently, there are no available pharmacological treatments to promote neurological recovery in SCI patients. Recent work from our group has shown that a baclofen treatment can promote functional recovery after a compression SCI in mice [1]. Here, we provide transcriptomic (RNA-seq) data from adult mouse spinal cords collected 7 days after a compression SCI and baclofen (vs vehicle) administration. The Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform was used to generate the raw transcriptomic data. In addition, we also present bioinformatic analyses including differential gene expression analysis, enrichment analyses for various functional annotations (gene ontology, KEGG and BioCarta pathways or InterPro domains) and transcription factor targets. The raw RNA-seq data has been uploaded to the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database (Bioproject ID PRJNA886048). The data generated from the bioinformatic analyses is contained within the articleThis work was supported by the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation (grant reference WFL-ES-03/19), the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) EXPL/MED-FAR/1529/2021 to N. de Sousa and through the Scientific Employment Stimulus to N. Silva and S. Monteiro (CEECIND/04794/2017 and CEECIND/01902/2017) and Grant PID2020-115121GB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 to A. Barreiro-IglesiasS

SOROPREVALÊNCIA PARA HIV E SÍFILIS EM CAMINHONEIROS QUE TRAFEGAM PELA BR153 NO CENTRO-OESTE BRASILEIRO

Introdução e objetivos: O longo período fora de casa favorece o comportamento de risco para DSTs, como aids e sífilis entre caminhoneiros. Sendo assim, o objetivo desse trabalho foi verificar a soroprevalência para HIV-1/2 e sífilis entre os caminhoneiros. Metodologia: Os caminhoneiros foram recrutados em um posto de combustível na BR-153, Km 15, Goiás, entre fev/2014 e fev/2015 (CEP #065/2013). Um questionário estruturado sobre os dados sócio demográficos foi realizado e foram colhidos 10 mL de sangue para realização da sorologia mediante ensaio imunoenzimatico para anti-HIV-1/2 (Interkit™) e para anti-Treponema pallidum (Tp) (Symbiosys™) e se positivos, realizados o sequenciamento do gene pol (protease e transcriptase reversa) para identificar mutações de resistência aos antirretrovirais (ARV) e os subtipos do HIV-1, e o VDRL, respectivamente. Resultados e discussões: Dos 666 caminhoneiros, 0,9 %(n=6) apresentaram sorologia positiva para HIV-1, sendo dois do subtipo C, uma BF e uma B, dessas, nenhuma apresentou resistência aos ARV e duas não amplificaram. 3/6 caminhoneiros HIV-1+ afirmaram relacionamento com parceiros ocasionais e 1/3 afirmou prática de sexo desprotegido. A soroprevalência para sífilis foi de 10,4% (69/666), 16/69 (23,2%) apresentaram VDLR positivo, 29/69 relataram ter relacionamento com parceiros ocasionais sendo que 10,1 % (n=7) afirmaram não usar preservativo. Entre os que passam de 15 a 30 dias fora de casa a soroprevalência para sífilis foi maior (p<0,05). Conclusão: O longo período fora de casa, que reflete a ausência familiar, foi um fator preponderante para maior prevalência da sífilis e a infecção pelo HIV-1 de diferentes subtipos demonstra que os caminhoneiros continuam dentro de uma rede de transmissibilidade contribuindo para a disseminação das DSTs em todo o país devido sua grande mobilidade geográfica

SOROPREVALÊNCIA PARA HEPATITES B E C EM CAMINHONEIROS QUE TRAFEGAM PELA BR153 PASSANDO PELO ESTADO DE GOIÁS NO CENTRO-OESTE BRASILEIRO

Introdução e objetivos: o hábito de vida dos caminhoneiros os condiciona a percorrer grandes distâncias e passar vários dias distante de sua companheira, o que predispõe a práticas sexuais eventuais, aumentando o risco para doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a soroprevalência de hepatites B e C entre os caminhoneiros. Metodologia: caminhoneiros foram recrutados em um posto de combustível (BR-153, Km 515) entre fev/2014 e fev/2015. Dados sócio-demográficos foram colhidos mediante questionário estruturado. Foram coletados 10mL de sangue e o soro foi aliquotado para a realização do enzimaimunoensaio anti-HBc total (WienerTM), HBsAg (WirnerTM) e anti-HCV (InterkitTM). Resultados e discussões: Um total de 666 caminhoneiros fez parte do estudo, sendo que 82 (12,3%) apresentaram sorologia positiva para anti-HBc e 5/82 (6,1%) para HBsAg. A mediana de idade dos caminhoneiros com sorologia positiva para hepatite B foi de 46,5 anos, 54,9% eram das regiões Sul/Sudeste e 40,2% passavam entre 15 e 30 dias longe de casa. 100% relataram ser heterossexuais, 55,2% eram casados, 42,7% (n=35) costumavam ter parceiros sexuais eventuais e 23,5% praticam sexo desprotegido, enquanto aqueles que possuem parceiras fixas (n=74), 63,5% alegam que nunca usam ou utilizam às vezes preservativos com suas parceiras. 13/82 alegam já ter recebido transfusão sanguínea, 5 (38,5%) antes de 1988. Houve um caso de hepatite C, em indivíduo do sexo feminino, 25 anos, casada, heterossexual, parceiro fixo e nunca recebeu transfusão sanguínea. Conclusões: a alta prevalência para hepatite B entre os caminhoneiros revela um grupo de comportamento de risco, sendo necessária a conscientização quanto a transmissibilidade das DSTs e a prática de sexo seguro

Body composition, strength static and isokinetic, and bone health: comparative study between active adults and amateur soccer players

The Centro de Investigação do Desporto e Actividade Física (Research Unit for the Study of Sport and Physical Activity, uid/dtp/04213/2019) is being funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. AOW is supported by São Paulo Research Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) process: 2017/27234-2.Objective: To compare tissue composition, total and regional bone mineral content and bone mineral density, static hand grip and knee joint isokinetic strength between amateur soccer players and Control Group. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Air displacement plethysmography was used to estimate body volume and, in turn, density. Body composition, bone mineral content and bone mineral density were assessed for the whole body and at standardized regions using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Static grip strength was assessed with an adjustable dynamometer, and peak torque derived from isokinetic strength dynamometer (concentric muscular knee actions at 60°/s). Magnitude of the differences between groups was examined using d-Cohen. Results: Compared to healthy active adults, soccer players showed larger values of whole body bone mineral content (+651g; d=1.60; p<0.01). In addition, differences between groups were large for whole body bone mineral density (d=1.20 to 1.90; p<0.01): lumbar spine, i.e. L1-L4 (+19.4%), upper limbs (+8.6%) and lower limbs (+16.8%). Soccer players attained larger mean values in strength test given by static hand grip protocol (+5.6kg, d=0.99; p<0.01). Conclusion: Soccer adequately regulates body composition and is associated better bone health parameters (bone mineral content and density at whole-body and at particular sites exposed to mechanical loadings).Objetivo: Comparar a composição de tecidos, o conteúdo mineral ósseo e a densidade mineral óssea totais e por regiões do corpo, a força de preensão manual estática, e força isocinética da articulação do joelho, entre um grupo de jogadores de futebol amadores e um Grupo Controle. Métodos: Estudo transversal utilizando pletismografia de ar deslocado para estimar o volume corporal, para subsequente cálculo da densidade corporal. A composição de tecidos, o conteúdo mineral ósseo e a densidade mineral óssea foram avaliados para o corpo todo e regiões padronizadas através da absorciometria de raios-X de dupla energia. A força de preensão manual estática foi avaliada por um dinamômetro ajustável. Os momentos máximos de força das ações musculares concêntricas para os extensores e flexores do joelho foram avaliados pela dinamometria isocinética (60°/s). Foi calculado o valor d-Cohen para apreciar a magnitude do efeito das diferenças entre grupos. Resultados: Os futebolistas apresentaram níveis superiores de conteúdo mineral ósseo em comparação com os adultos ativos do Grupo Controle (+651g; d=1,60; p<0,01) e obtiveram valores superiores de densidade mineral óssea (d: 1,20 a 1,90; p<0,01) para a coluna lombar, L1-L4 (+19,4%), membros superiores (+8,6%) e membros inferiores (+16,8%). Para a força de preensão (estática) a diferença foi moderada (d=0,99; p<0,01) com valores mais elevados apresentados pelo futebolistas (+5,6kg; d=0,99; p<0,01). Conclusão: A prática de futebol promove uma regulação adequada da composição corporal (tecidos magro e gordo) e ganhos na densidade mineral óssea, mais acentuada em partes do corpo com maior exposição aos impactos mecânicos da atividade motora.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wild dogs at stake: deforestation threatens the only Amazon endemic canid, the short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis)

The persistent high deforestation rate and fragmentation of the Amazon forests are the main threats to their biodiversity. To anticipate and mitigate these threats, it is important to understand and predict how species respond to the rapidly changing landscape. The short-eared dog Atelocynus microtis is the only Amazon-endemic canid and one of the most understudied wild dogs worldwide. We investigated short-eared dog habitat associations on two spatial scales. First, we used the largest record database ever compiled for short-eared dogs in combination with species distribution models to map species habitat suitability, estimate its distribution range and predict shifts in species distribution in response to predicted deforestation across the entire Amazon (regional scale). Second, we used systematic camera trap surveys and occupancy models to investigate how forest cover and forest fragmentation affect the space use of this species in the Southern Brazilian Amazon (local scale). Species distribution models suggested that the short-eared dog potentially occurs over an extensive and continuous area, through most of the Amazon region south of the Amazon River. However, approximately 30% of the short-eared dog's current distribution is expected to be lost or suffer sharp declines in habitat suitability by 2027 (within three generations) due to forest loss. This proportion might reach 40% of the species distribution in unprotected areas and exceed 60% in some interfluves (i.e. portions of land separated by large rivers) of the Amazon basin. Our local-scale analysis indicated that the presence of forest positively affected short-eared dog space use, while the density of forest edges had a negative effect. Beyond shedding light on the ecology of the short-eared dog and refining its distribution range, our results stress that forest loss poses a serious threat to the conservation of the species in a short time frame. Hence, we propose a re-assessment of the short-eared dog's current IUCN Red List status (Near Threatened) based on findings presented here. Our study exemplifies how data can be integrated across sources and modelling procedures to improve our knowledge of relatively understudied species

Biotransformation of Metal-Rich Effluents and Potential Recycle Applications

In this chapter, it was introduced about the metallurgic effluents, and their potential to be converted into some feasible coproducts for industries. Some possibilities to introduce circular economy in the context of metallurgic effluents, and in the same way, some techniques to promote bioremediation using microorganisms and products from them were also described. Reported studies, as well as some perspectives to use metal-rich effluents in agriculture and soil quality improvement, were also shown. Copper effluents were kept as the main candidate for sustainable use, as a potentially interesting material for circular economy approaches