Energy and Cost Analysis of Cellular Networks Under Co-Channel Interference

In this paper we carry out an energy efficiency and economic cost analysis of different cellular network designs. Our system model considers the co-channel interference, different amounts of available bandwidths and also the reuse of frequencies. The energy efficiency analysis employs a realistic power consumption model, while the economic analysis focus on infrastructure, spectrum licenses, and energy costs. Our results show that from an economic point of view the bandwidth cost and the number of employed base stations can be the most relevant factors to be balanced, while from an energy efficiency analysis it is more interesting to employ larger bandwidths and to balance the reuse of frequencies and the number of base stations. Moreover, although the system design under these two different points of view can be rather different, we also look into scenarios when the most energy efficient system design may also lead to the best economic option

Aula laboratorial sobre microrganismos: a importância da experiência para a construção do conhecimento científico

Anais do II Seminário Seminário Estadual PIBID do Paraná: tecendo saberes / organizado por Dulcyene Maria Ribeiro e Catarina Costa Fernandes — Foz do Iguaçu: Unioeste; Unila, 2014Novos métodos para aperfeiçoar o aprendizado nas escolas de ensino fundamental e médio são continuamente buscados e sugeridos por diferentes autores. Porém, não é tarefa fácil modificar o cotidiano atual das escolas e inserir vertentes inovadoras de ensino. É nesse contexto que a utilização de aulas práticas pode abrir um viés para exploração da construção do conhecimento científico, passando pela observação dos fatos e a formulação de hipóteses. O laboratório, sendo um ambiente de múltiplas possibilidades, favorece um desenvolvimento mais pleno dos educandos, uma vez que a utilização de aulas experimentais contribui diretamente para que progridam de maneira a compreender e apropriar-se de conceitos científicos. Nessa perspectiva, buscou-se explorar o ensino de Ciências através de experimentos em laboratório, conduzidos pelos próprios educandos e mediados pelos professores, para a construção de uma aprendizagem significativa por experimentaçã

Anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in ovines from Monte Negro municipality Rondonia State, Brazil

O presente estudo determinou a prevalência de anticorpos anti-Leptospira spp. em ovinos do Município de Monte Negro, RO. Foram examinados soros de 141 ovinos de raça, idade e sexo variados provenientes de 15 fazendas, pela técnica de Soroaglutinação Microscópica. Doze (80,0%) propriedades apresentaram pelo menos um animal reagente. Títulos de anticorpos iguais ou superiores a 100 foram detectados em 47 (33,3%) animais, e os sorovares mais frequentes foram Patoc (29,7%), Autumnalis (14,8%), Pyrogenes (10,6%), Australis (4,2%), Bratislava (4,2%), Hardjo (4,2%), Icterohaemorrhagiae (4,2%), Castellonis (2,1%) e Hebdomadis (2,1%). Em 11 (23,4%) soros não foi possível a determinação do provável sorovar envolvido na reação. Alerta-se também para a possibilidade de infecção no homem, tendo em vista as características regionais de fronteira agrícola amazônicaThe present study determined the prevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in 141 ovines from 15 farms of the Monte Negro Municipality, Rondonia State, Brazil, by the microscopic agglutination test. Twelve (80.0%) farms presented at least 1 reactive animal. Antibodies titers of ≥ 100 were detected in 47 (33.3%) animals, the most frequent serovars being Patoc (29.7%), Autumnalis (14.8%), Pyrogenes (10.6%), Australis (4.2%), Bratislava (4.2%), Hardjo (4.2%), Icterohaemorrhagiae (4.2%), Castellonis (2.1%) and Hebdomadis (2.1%). In 11 (23.4%) sera it was not possible to determine the most frequent serovar involved. The results raise a warning as to the possibility of infection in the human being by Leptospira in light of the regional characteristics of the Amazon agricultural frontierCNP

Reduction of pollutants emissions on si engines : accomplishments with efficiency increase

This paper presents an experimental study aiming to identify the means to minimize the reduction of the overall performance of a gasoline engine when employing the Exhaust- Gas Recirculation (EGR) technique that reduces NOx emissions. The increase of the compression ratio and turbocharging was evaluated as a mean to recover the original performance. The formation of pollutants and the engine performance were verified at full and partial loads. The results show that the combination of exhaust gas recirculation with turbocharger or through an increase of the compression ratio enhance the relation between the engine performance and the emission of NO. However, the turbocharger seemed to be more sensitive to the negative effects of the EGR technology

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea martius) supplementation improves oxidative stress biomarkers in liver tissue of dams fed a high-fat diet and increases antioxidant enzymes’ gene expression in offspring.

Lipids excess from an uterine environment can increase free radicals production of and thus induce oxidative status imbalance, a key factor for progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in offspring. Food antioxidant components in maternal diet may play an important role in preventing offspring metabolic disorders. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of açaí pulp supplementation on maternal high-fat diet, by assessing activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the liver. Female Fisher rats were divided into four groups and fed a control diet (C), a high-fat diet (HF), a control diet supplemented with açaí (CA) and a high-fat diet supplemented with açaí (HFA) before mating, during gestation and lactation. The effects of açaí supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes expression were evaluated in dams and male offspring after weaning. HFA diet increased body weight in dams, however reduced absolute and relative liver weight. There was a reduction in liver biomarkers of oxidative stress, malondialdehyde and carbonyl protein, as well as in catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. In offspring, HFA diet reduced liver weight and increased Gpx1, Gpx4 and Sod1 mRNA expression. These results suggest that açaí is able to restore redox status, preventing oxidative damage in dams by a direct mechanism and to promote beneficial effects on expression of antioxidant defences related genes in offspring

Clinical study of a multivitamin and polymineral complex associated with Panax ginseng extract (Natus Gerin®)

This study aimed to stablish the efficacy of a multivitamin and polyminerals supplemented with Panax ginseng extract (Natus Gerin®) on patients subjected to common physical or mental stress. Patients were randomly divided in two groups and underwent a thorough clinical examination. Group A received Natus Gerin® capsules and B placebo capsules. Two capsules were taken daily during meals during four weeks. Mood and physical activity were evaluated through a questionnaire assessing quality of life. From the 176 patients enrolled, 17 were excluded due to voluntary withdrawal, 81 completed the study in group A and 78 in group B. The treatment with Natus Gerin® increased the quality of life when compared to placebo. After 15 and 30 days, group A showed a significant increase in average scoring score from 1.78 to 3.78, and finally 5.32 points. The study has shown that the daily use of Natus Gerin® can be effective in improving quality of life in patients suffering from physical and mental stressColegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Trypanosoma cruzi high infectivity in vitro is related to cardiac lesions during long-term infection in Beagledogs

Trypanosoma cruzi is a hemoflagelate parasite associated with heart dysfunctions causing serious problems in Central and South America. Beagle dogs develop the symptoms of Chagas disease in humans, and could be an important experimental model for better understanding the immunopathogenic mechanisms involved in the chagasic infection. In the present study we investigated the relation among biological factors inherent to the parasite (trypomastigote polymorphism and in vitro infectivity) and immunoglobulin production, inflammation, and fibrosis in the heart of Beagle dogs infected with either T. cruzi Y or Berenice-78 strains. In vitro infectivity of Vero cells as well as the extension of cardiac lesions in infected Beagle was higher for Y strain when compared to Berenice-78 strain. These data suggested that in vitro infectivity assays may correlate with pathogenicity in vivo. In fact, animals infected with Y strain, which shows prevalence of slender forms and high infectivity in vitro, presented cardiomegaly, inflammation, and fibrosis in heart area. Concerning the immunoglobulin production, no statistically significant difference was observed for IgA, IgM or IgG levels among T. cruzi infected animals. However, IgA together IgM levels have shown to be a good marker for the acute phase of Chagas disease

A Transgenic Marker for Newly Born Granule Cells in Dentate Gyrus

Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus continues into adulthood, yet little is known about the function of newly born neurons or how they integrate into an existing network of mature neurons. We made transgenic mice that selectively and transiently express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in newly born granule cells of the dentate gyrus under the transcriptional control of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) genomic sequences. Analysis of transgenic pedigrees with truncation or deletion mutations indicated that EGFP expression in the dentate gyrus required cryptic POMC promoter regions dispensable for arcuate hypothalamic or pituitary expression. Unlike arcuate neurons, dentate granule cells did not express the endogenous POMC gene. EGFP-positive neurons had immature properties, including short spineless dendrites and small action potentials. Colocalization with bromodeoxyuridine indicated that EGFP-labeled granule cells were 2 weeks postmitotic. EGFP-labeled cells expressed markers for immature granule cells but not the glial marker GFAP. The number of EGFP-labeled neurons declined with age and increased with exercise, paralleling neurogenesis. Our results indicate that POMC-EGFP marks immature granule cells and that adult-generated granule cells integrate quite slowly into the hippocampal circuitry

Gold nanoparticles and diclofenac diethylammonium administered by iontophoresis reduce inflammatory cytokines expression in Achilles tendinitis

Marcelo B Dohnert1,2, Mirelli Venâncio1, Jonathann C Possato1, Rodrigo C Zeferino1, Luciana H Dohnert2, Alexandra I Zugno1, Cláudio T De Souza1, Marcos MS Paula1, Thais F Luciano11Postgraduation Program in Health Sciences, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde PPGCS, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, Santa Catarina, 2Department of Physiotherapy, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Torres, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilIntroduction: Tendinitis affects a substantial number of people in several occupations involving repetitive work or direct trauma. Iontophoresis is a therapeutic alternative used in the treatment of injury during the inflammatory phase. In recent years, gold nanoparticles (GNP) have been studied due to their therapeutic anti-inflammatory capacity and as an alternative to the transport of several proteins. Purpose: This study evaluates the therapeutic effects of iontophoresis using GNPs and diclofenac diethylammonium on inflammatory parameters in rats challenged with traumatic tendinitis.Methods: Wistar rats were divided in three treatment groups (n = 15): (1) iontophoresis + diclofenac diethylammonium; (2) iontophoresis + GNP; and (3) iontophoresis + diclofenac diethylammonium + GNP. External control was formed by challenged tendons without treatment (n = 15). Iontophoresis was administered using 0.3 mA direct current on 1.5 cm² electrodes. Results: The levels of both inflammatory cytokines were significantly higher in untreated challenged rats, when compared with the control (5.398 ± 234 for interleukin 1 beta and 6.411 ± 432 for tumor necrosis factor alpha), which confirms the occurrence of an inflammatory stage in injury (P < 0.05). A significant decrease was observed in expression of cytokines interleukin 1 beta in the three treatment groups, in comparison with untreated challenged tendons, although, in the group treated with diclofenac and GNP, results were similar to the control (1.732 ± 239) (P < 0.05). Concerning tumor necrosis factor alpha, only the group treated with the association diclofenac and GNPs presented decreased levels, compared with the control (3.221 ± 369) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results show the efficacy of drug administration using direct current to treat tendinitis in an animal model, and the potential anti-inflammatory, carrier, and enhancing effects of GNPs in iontophoresis.Keywords: tendinous injury, proinflammatory cytokines, electrophoresis, iontophoresis, nanoparticle