Colorimetric and spectroscopic analysis of mucus of Achatina sp terrestrial snails fed in differentiated diet

Foram estudados os efeitos da adição de plantas medicinais de princípios cicatrizantes (Centelha asiática, Papaína e Confrei) na ração controle de caracóis terrestres, para se avaliar a interferência destas plantas na composição do muco glicoprotéico. Foram utilizados 80 caracóis terrestres Achatina sp, baseados em um peso homogêneo (49 e 40 g e idade média de 10 e 19 meses para Achatina fulica e Achatina monochromatica, respectivamente). Os animais foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em oito grupos experimentais: controle Achatina fulica (FC) e Achatina monochromatica (MC), centelha asiática Achatina fulica (FCe) e Achatina monochromatica (MCe), papaína Achatina fulica (FPa) e Achatina monochromatica (MPa) e confrei Achatina fulica (FCo) e Achatina monochromatica (MCo). Água e ração foram fornecidos ad libitum. Ao final de 150 dias de tratamento, os animais foram submetidos à técnica de extração do muco glicoprotéico, por meio do estímulo manual da glândula podal, responsável pela secreção deste muco. Esta metodologia considerou o bem-estar dos animais, uma vez que os mesmos não foram sacrificados e retornaram ao seu sistema de criação. Os mucos foram analisados por meio de testes colorimétricos e espectroscópicos, que constataram alterações semelhantes, porém apresentaram variação significativa em sua composição glicoprotéica.The effects of adding medicinal plants with healing properties (Centelha asiatica, Papaína and Confrei) in the control diet of land snails were studied to evaluate the effect of these plants on the mucus glicoproteic composition. Eighty Achatina sp snails, based on a homogeneous weight (49 and 40 g and averaging 10 and 19 months of age for Achatina fulica and Achatina monochromatica, respectively). The animals were randomly allotted to eight experimental groups: Achatina fulica (FC) and Achatina monochromatica (MC) control, Asian Achatina fulica (FCe) and Achatina monochromatica (MCe) centelha, Achatina fulica (FPa) and Achatina monochromatica (MPa) papaína and Achatina fulica (FCo) and Achatina monochromatica (MCo) confrei. Ration and water were fed ad libitum. At the end of 150 days of treatment, the animals were submitted to the technique for extraction of mucus glicoproteic by manual stimulation of podal gland, responsible for the secretion of this mucus. This methodology considered the well-being of the animals since they were not slaughtered but returned to their creation system. The mucus was analyzed by means of color and spectroscopic tests, that indicated similar changes, but showed significant variation in their glicoproteic composition

Self-collection for high-risk HPV detection in Brazilian women using the care HPV™ test

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Brazilian women. High-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) persistence is the primary cause of cervical neoplasia. Early detection of hr-HPV is important for identifying women at risk for developing cervical lesions. Approximately 85% of new cases of cervical cancer worldwide and 50% of the total cervical cancer deaths occurred in developing countries. Here, a new methodology to support a cervical cancer screening program was evaluated in women from various Brazilian regions. METHODS: Two thousand women aged 18-77years were enrolled in an opportunistic cervical cancer screening program and were randomized into self-vaginal or health professional-guided cervical sampling groups. The Qiagen careHPV™ test was performed on all samples. Pap tests were performed on all women using liquid-based cytology. RESULTS: Positive hr-HPV results were obtained in 12.3% (245/2000) of women; similar rates were observed in self- or health professional-collected samples. Eighty-nine percent (1719/2000) of cervical cytologies classified as normal were negative to hr-HPV. Among the cytological samples, 36.6% classified as ASC-US+ were positive to hr-HPV, 78.8% were LSIL and 75.0% were HSIL. CONCLUSIONS: Self-sampled and health professional-sampled vaginal/cervical specimens did not differ in their rates of detection of hr-HPV. Therefore, HPV DNA testing in self-sampled vaginal cells is an alternative to primary screening in low-resource settings.The authors thank the following: Cancer Prevention Department Team, Cleyton Zanardo de Oliveira and Allini Mafra of the Researcher Support Team and the Pathology Depai Intent of the Barretos Cancer Hospital. Rui Manuel Reis and Andre Lopes Carvalho from the Molecular Oncology Center; Jose Eduardo Levi from Sao Paulo University; Cintia B. Oliveira, Raphael Haikel junior and Edmundo Mauad from Barretos Cancer Hospital. Luisa Lina Villa was supported by a grant from CNPq and FAPESP (INCT-HPV). Study Supported by CNPq - Process no 573799/2008-3 and FAPESP no 2008/57889-1. They also thank all volunteer women who participated of this study

A Defesa de direitos coletivos e difusos através do exercício do poder de polícia municipal: o direito ao transporte coletivo seguro e o direito à ocupação regular do solo urbano

O presente trabalho visa demonstrar a possibilidade da defesa de direitos difusos e coletivos pelo exercício do poder de polícia municipal independentemente da intervenção do Poder Judiciário, descrevendo-se sucintamente a competência constitucional atribuída os Municípios no campo legislativo e administrativo, abordando as características do poder de polícia e a sua utilização no âmbito municipal como instrumento de defesa de direitos difusos e coletivos, em especial do direito ao transporte coletivo seguro e do direito à ocupação regular do solo urbano.This study aims to demonstrate the possibility of the defense of diffuse and collective rights by the exercise of municipal police power regardless of the Judiciary intervention, describing himself briefly the assigned constitutional authority the municipalities in the legislative and administrative field, addressing the power of the characteristics of police and its use at the municipal level as defense instrument of diffuse and collective rights, especially the right to collective transport insurance and the right to regular occupation of urban land

Clinical characteristics of women diagnosed with carcinoma who tested positive for cervical and anal high-risk human papillomavirus DNA and E6 RNA

High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is an essential cause of cervical carcinoma and is also strongly related to anal cancer development. The hrHPV E6 oncoprotein plays a major role in carcinogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of hrHPV DNA and E6 oncoprotein in the anuses of women with cervical carcinoma. We analyzed 117 women with cervical cancer and 103 controls for hrHPV and the E6 oncogene. Positive test results for a cervical carcinoma included 66.7 % with hrHPV-16 and 7.7 % with hrHPV-18. One case tested positive for both HPV variants (0.9 %). The samples from the anal canal were positive for HPV-16 in 59.8 % of the cases. Simultaneous presence of HPV in the cervix and anal canal was found in 53.8 % of the cases. Regarding expression of E6 RNA, positivity for HPV-16 in the anal canal was found in 21.2 % of the cases, positivity for HPV-16 in the cervix was found in 75.0 %, and positivity for HPV-18 in the cervix was found in 1.9 %. E6 expression in both the cervix and anal canal was found in 19.2 % of the cases. In the controls, 1 % tested positive for HPV-16 and 0 % for HPV-18. Anal samples from the controls showed a hrHPV frequency of 4.9 % (only HPV16). The presence of hrHPV in the anal canal of women with cervical cancer was detected at a high frequency. We also detected E6 RNA expression in the anal canal of women with cervical cancer, suggesting that these women are at risk for anal hrHPV infection.We acknowledge the Research Support Fund of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP), process number 2010/16795–4), for the financial support grants. FAPESP had no other type of influence on this manuscript beyond the financial suppor

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

Colorimetric and spectroscopic study of mucus of Achatina sp snails fed with increased rations of medicinal plants

Os caracóis terrestres pertencem às famílias Achatinidae (África) e Helicidae (Europa). A espécie mais conhecida é a Achatina fulica (Gigante africano), sendo a mais recomendada para as regiões tropicais e subtropicais devido a sua capacidade de adaptação a estes climas. O muco de caracóis terrestres Achatina sp tem sido pesquisado devido sua atividade cicatrizante, além da atividade antibacteriana. A suplementação (plantas com finalidades cicatrizantes definidas como: confrei, papaína e centelha asiática nas rações destes animais) teve o propósito de caracterizar a composição glicoproteica do muco, considerando o bem-estar do animal, haja vista que os mesmos não foram sacrificados. Fez-se uso de uma metodologia envolvendo a coleta através de estímulo manual da glândula podal, responsável pela secreção do muco. Metodologia esta divergente de alguns autores que fizeram uso de estímulo elétrico com corrente elétrica nos animais para a coleta do muco, método este que vai contra os propósitos de bem-estar animal. Este estudo, além de utilizar uma metodologia menos drástica e prejudicial aos animais, permitiu que os mesmos retornassem ao seu ambiente de criação. As análises realizadas por testes colorimétricos e espectroscópicos, constataram que as alterações apresentadas nos testes foram muito semelhantes; no entanto, mostraram uma variação significativa na composição glicoproteica dos mucos analisados.The terrestrial snails belong to the families Achatinidae (Africa) and Helicidae (Europe). The most known species is the Achatina fulica (Giant African), being the most recommended for the tropical and subtropical regions due its capacity of adaptation to these climates. Mucus of terrestrial snails Achatina sp has been searched had its wound healing activity, beyond the antibacterial activity. The suplementation (plants with defined wound healing purposes as comfrey, papain and centella asiatic in the rations of these animals) had the intention to characterize the glycoprotein composition of mucus, considering well-being of the animal, since the same ones had not been sacrificed. Using a methodology holding the collection through manual stimulation of the podal, responsible gland for the secretion of mucus. This methodology is divergent of some authors who had used electric stimulation with electric current on the animals for the collection of mucus, method contrary to the intentions of animal well-being. This study, beyond using a less drastic and harmful methodology to the animals, allowing that the same ones returned to its own creation environment. The analyses carried through for color and spectroscopy tests, evidenced that the alterations presented in the tests had been very similar; however, showed a significant variation in the glycoproteic composition of the analysed mucus

Fundamentos de la narrativa transmedia para el desarrollo del periodismo de datos

En la actualidad, estudiar comunicación y, específicamente periodismo, es una necesidad aunque, al mismo tiempo, es un desafío. Esto se justifica por el dinamismo del ecosistema mediático contemporáneo, que corresponde a los medios, a las tecnologías emergentes y a la sociedad, cada vez más participante de los procesos comunicacionales. De hecho, estas transformaciones han cambiado no sólo los procesos, sino, también, las componentes de los grupos profesionales que trabajan en la construcción de la noticia contemporánea, ahora convertida en multilenguaje y pensada para dispositivos antes no pensados, como los teléfonos móviles y las tabletas. Entre los cambios, se destaca el periodismo de datos que tiene en cuenta el fenómeno big data y los contenidos de información disponibles en la nube, informaciones muchas veces disfrazadas o desapercibidas entre contenidos no tan importantes. Para trabajar con estos contenidos y en escenarios emergentes binarios, se justifica la creciente participación de profesionales de las ciencias exactas y de las ingenierías en las salas de redacción de los medios, pues ahora es necesario pensar en la selección, limpieza y comprensión, además de construir el espacio de publicación bajo conceptos digitales para lo multiplataforma. Complementariamente, encontramos una sociedad cada vez más constructora de espacios y caminos para la circulación y retroalimentación de contenidos a través de los medios sociales, posicionándose estos como productores de contenido, es decir, en fuentes activas. Esta tesis doctoral se ha desarrollado con el objetivo de crear un medio social para el desarrollo del periodismo de datos que tiene como base conceptual la narrativa transmedia, los contenidos multiplataforma y el conectivismo, elementos clave para comprender las posibilidades y aprovechar el conocimiento colectivo disponible en la nube. Por tanto, se han compartido conocimientos y metodologías apropiadas para la investigación en los campos del periodismo y de la ingeniería, tornándose necesaria la inmersión en conceptos relacionados del periodismo, el periodismo de datos, lenguajes y la sociedad mediática para, al final, desarrollar un algoritmo bajo formato de diagrama de flujo, y sus respectivas interfaces, del medio social thirdnews, que sirviera como modelo de ejecución de programación del producto. Entre las metodologías adoptadas, se destacan la investigación bibliográfica y la investigación cuasi-experimental, que empieza a ser común en tesis sobre comunicación aplicada, además del concepto de modelaje de producto y el método Roadmap, utilizados con frecuencia en tesis de ingeniería de producción. Con las conclusiones de la tesis, se espera no sólo poner en práctica el desarrollo del medio social, sino, también, presentar reflexiones teóricas y prácticas sobre el periodismo de datos en las redacciones de los medios actuales.MadridBiblioteca de la Universidad Complutense. Servicio de Tesis Doctorales y Publicaciones Académicas, Biblioteca Histórica “Marqués de Valdecilla”, 1ª planta. C/ Noviciado,3;28015 Madrid;Tl +34913946641;Fax +34913946599; [email protected]

A failure detection architecture optimized for grid computing platforms.

A detecção de falhas em uma plataforma distribuída é um componente essencial para uma grande quantidade de estratégias de tolerância a falhas, como a restauração do estado das aplicações distribuídas através de checkpointing e message logging. Porém, esta detecção frequentemente depende da comunicação confiável entre os nós de processamento e os módulos de detecção de falhas. Em grades computacionais hierárquicas com limitações de conectividade, a comunicação direta entre nós e módulos de detecção é muitas vezes impossível. Outro fator que dificulta a detecção de falhas em grades computacionais é a localização geograficamente esparsa entre as instituições e os recursos computacionais disponíveis na grade e a consequente utilização de redes de longa distância para os conectar. Esta dissertação apresenta uma arquitetura para a detecção de falhas em plataformas distribuídas otimizada para o funcionamento em grades computacionais hierárquicas, levando suas limitações e requisitos em consideração. A arquitetura, denominada GFDA (Grid Fault Detection Architecture), é estruturada em módulos de detecção das falhas que afetam nós computacionais disponibilizados na grade, módulos de detecção de falhas das aplicações distribuídas, e módulos de coleção, processamento e encaminhamento das notificações de falha e recuperação emitidas pelos módulos de detecção. Detalhes da implementação e da verificação do funcionamento correto da arquitetura são apresentados, bem como resultados obtidos através da execução de componentes da arquitetura em um cluster de computadores simulado através de máquinas virtuais. São propostas técnicas para a otimização da qualidade de serviço de detecção de falhas. Os resultados obtidos com a utilização destas técnicas são comparados com resultados obtidos com abordagens tradicionais. Observa-se que as técnicas implementadas na arquitetura GFDA para o processamento de notificações de falha e recuperação e a introdução de redundância nas mensagens trocadas entre os módulos de detecção de falhas traz resultados positivos em condições adversas de conectividade. Conclui-se que a arquitetura GFDA contribui para o estabelecimento de uma solução viável para a detecção de falhas em uma grade computacional hierárquica em que há restrições de conectividade entre os nós computacionais.In distributed platforms, fault detection is an essential requirement to a wide range of fault tolerance techniques, such as restoring the state of distributed applications with checkpointing and message logging. However, fault detection often depends on reliable communication between the processing nodes and detection fault modules. Direct communication between the nodes and detection modules is often impossible in hierarchical grid computing platforms. The physical distance between the institutions and resources available on the grid, and thus the requirement of long distance networks connecting them, is another factor that makes direct fault detection in computer grids a challenge. This thesis presents a fault detection architecture for distributed platforms, optimized for usage in hierarchical grids and thus taking into account its restrictions and requirements. The architecture, named GFDA (Grid Fault Detection Architecture), is structured as fault detection modules for faults that affect the computing nodes available on the grid, detection modules for faults that affect the distributed applications, and modules that perform the collection, processing and forwarding of the fault and recovery notifications generated by the detection modules. This thesis presents implementation details, an evaluation of the correctness of the designed architecture, and results obtained through the deployment of parts of the architecture in a simulated cluster that uses virtual machines to simulate computing nodes. Techniques to optimize the quality of the detection fault service are proposed. The results obtained through the usage of such techniques are compared to the results obtained through traditional approaches. Positive results were extracted even under adverse connectivity conditions by using techniques such as the processing of fault and recovery notifications and the introduction of redundant information in the messages exchanged between the detection modules. It is concluded that the GFDA architecture contributes to the establishment of a viable solution for fault detection in a hierarchical grid computing platform that presents connectivity restrictions between the nodes

Fundamentos de la narrativa transmedia para el desarrollo del periodismo de datos

En la actualidad, estudiar comunicación y, específicamente, periodismo es una necesidad, aunque, al mismo tiempo, es un desafío. Esto se justifica por el dinamismo del ecosistema mediático contemporáneo, que corresponde a los medios, a las tecnologías emergentes y a la sociedad, cada vez más participante de los procesos comunicacionales. De hecho, estas transformaciones han cambiado no sólo los procesos, sino, también, las componentes de los grupos profesionales que trabajan en la construcción de la noticia contemporánea, ahora convertida en multilenguaje y pensada para dispositivos antes no pensados, como los teléfonos móviles y las tabletas. Entre los cambios, se destaca el periodismo de datos que tiene en cuenta el fenómeno big data y los contenidos de información disponibles en la nube, informaciones muchas veces disfrazadas o desapercibidas entre contenidos no tan importantes. Para trabajar con estos contenidos y en escenarios emergentes binarios, se justifica la creciente participación de profesionales de las ciencias exactas y de las ingenierías en las salas de redacción de los medios, pues ahora es necesario pensar en la selección, limpieza y comprensión, además de construir el espacio de publicación bajo conceptos digitales para lo multiplataforma. Complementariamente, encontramos una sociedad cada vez más constructora de espacios y caminos para la circulación y retroalimentación de contenidos a través de los medios sociales, posicionándose estos como productores de contenido, es decir, en fuentes activas. Esta investigación de tesis doctoral se ha desarrollado con el objetivo de crear un medio social para el desarrollo del periodismo de datos que tiene como base conceptual la narrativa transmedia, los contenidos multiplataforma y el conectivismo, elementos clave para comprender las posibilidades y aprovechar el conocimiento colectivo disponible en la nube. Por tanto, se han compartido conocimientos y metodologías apropiadas para la investigación en los campos del periodismo y de la ingeniería, tornándose necesaria la inmersión en conceptos relacionados del periodismo, el periodismo de datos, lenguajes y la sociedad mediática para, al final, desarrollar un algoritmo bajo formato de diagrama de flujo, y sus respectivas interfaces, del medio social thirdnews, que sirviera como modelo de ejecución de programación del producto. Entre las metodologías adoptadas, se destacan la investigación bibliográfica y la investigación cuasi-experimental, que empieza a ser común en tesis sobre comunicación aplicada, además del concepto de modelaje de producto y el método Roadmap, utilizados con frecuencia en tesis de ingeniería de producción. Con las conclusiones de la tesis, se espera no sólo poner en práctica el desarrollo del medio social, sino, también, presentar reflexiones teóricas y prácticas sobre el periodismo de datos en las redacciones de los medios actuales

Mapas interactivos como plataformas informativas para ciudadanos desconectados

The newspaper is a communication channel for the society in general, but now, with the new media, some citizens are unplugged of the information because they are not concerned on the Internet language. For these citizens, the interactive maps is an option, because it adopts playful language in the communication process. This article presents a study about interface and interactive maps for Unplugged citizen. The adopted method is quantitative and qualitative research about six existent maps in web newspaper on three countries: United States, Brazil and Spain. The results present information about interfaces, information’s and communication processes in these study objects.El periódico es el canal de comunicación de la sociedad en general, pero ahora, con los nuevos medios, algunos ciudadanos están desconectados de la información porque no poseen interés en el lenguaje del internet. Para estos ciudadanos, los mapas interactivos son una opción, pues adoptan un lenguaje de entretenimiento en el proceso de comunicación. Este artículo presenta un estudio sobre interfaces y mapas interactivos para ciudadanos desconectados. El método de investigación adoptado fue compuesto por investigaciones cuantitativa y cualitativa, sobre seis mapas interactivos disponibles en el internet, oriundos de tres países: Estados Unidos, Brasil y España. El resultado presenta datos sobre interfaces, informaciones y procesos de comunicación en estos objetos de estudio.Gazeta jest powszechnie uznawana za kanał komunikacji w społeczeństwie, ale aktualnie wraz z rozwojem nowych mediów, niektórzy obywatele zostają odłączeni od informacji, ponieważ nie interesuje ich język Internetu. Pewną alternatywę mogą stanowić dla nich mapy interaktywne, ponieważ w procesie komunikacji wykorzystują język rozrywki. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest analiza wpływu interfejsów i map interaktywnych na obywateli, którzy nie są podłączeni do Internetu. Metoda badawcza opiera się na badaniach ilościowych i jakościowych sześciu map interaktywnych dostępnych w Internecie, pochodzących z trzech państw: Stanów Zjednoczonych, Brazylii i Hiszpanii. Wyniki prezentują dane na temat interfejsów, informacji i procesów komunikacyjnych w badanych obiektach