Continuity properties of a factor of Markov chains

Starting from a Markov chain with a finite alphabet, we consider the chain obtained when all but one symbol are undistinguishable for the practitioner. We study necessary and sufficient conditions for this chain to have continuous transition probabilities with respect to the past

Digital electric field induced switching of plasmonic nanorods using an electro-optic fluid fiber

We demonstrate the digital electric field induced switching of plasmonic nanorods between 1 and 0 orthogonal aligned states using an electro-optic fluid fiber component. We show by digitally switching the nanorods, that thermal rotational diffusion of the nanorods can be circumvented, demonstrating an approach to achieve submicrosecond switching times. We also show, from an initial unaligned state, that the nanorods can be aligned into the applied electric field direction in 110 nanoseconds. The high-speed digital switching of plasmonic nanorods integrated into an all-fiber optical component may provide novel opportunities for remote sensing and signaling applications

Daring a childlike writing : children for philosophy, moral end, and the childhood of conceptions

A child arrives as a new world because in her and with her we feel that the whole world can start over. But that is not the only reason. A child also arrives as a new world because her arrival tells us what, being so simple, we had almost forgotten: that the world is not just old and unquestionable. The child doesn’t let us be indifferent; she breaks with conformity and arrives as hope, reeking of the unpredictable. Of questions. A similar arrival to that of a child is that of certain childlike ideas, such as the idea offered by Matthew Lipman when he created “philosophy for children.” We cele-brate his childlike, daring, irreverent, inquiring character, commemorating his birth nearly 50 years ago. With this childlike idea, a new world began—or at least it be-came possible to start—in worlds which were already a little old and stuck in conformity. When those in institutionalized philosophy and education heard about the audacity of welcoming children among their reputable interlocutors in dialogue and thought, they frowned and turned up their noses. Philosophy for children? How come? Childhood in philosophy?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioprodução semi-contínua de xilitol em hidrolisado de bagaço de cana: efeito da suplementação nutricional

Xylose-to-xylitol bioconversion by Ca-alginate entrapped Candida guilliermondii cells in sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate was carried out in erlenmeyer flasks using the repeated-batch mode of fermentation. The hydrolysate was supplemented or not with ammonium sulfate and/or rice bran extract at the beginning of each repeated batch. Altogether, six sets of three repeated-batches were carried out, the immobilized cells being reused at the end of each batch. The best results were achieved when the hydrolysate was supplemented with both nutrients in all the three repeated batches, which provided xylitol productions of 25.9, 46.8, 48.7 gL-1, productivities of 0.27, 0.49, 0.51 gL-1h-1, and yields of 0.45, 0.58, 0.55 gg-1, respectively. In the absence of nutrients, the xylitol production, productivity and yield did not exceed 12.1 gL-1, 0.13 gL-1h-1 and 0.30 gg-1, respectively.A bioconversão de xilose em xilitol por células de Candida guilliermondii imobilizadas em alginato de cálcio, em hidrolisado hemicelulósico de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar, foi realizada em frascos erlenmeyer no modo bateladas repetidas de fermentação. O hidrolisado foi suplementado ou não com sulfato de amônio e/ou extrato de farelo de arroz no início de cada batelada repetida. No total, seis experimentos com três bateladas repetidas cada um foram realizados, sendo as células imobilizadas reutilizadas ao final de cada batelada. Os melhores resultados foram alcançados quando o hidrolisado foi suplementado com ambos nutrientes em todas as três bateladas repetidas, resultando em concentrações de xilitol iguais a 25,9, 46,8 e 48,7 gL-1, produtividades de 0,27, 0,49 e 0,51 gL-1h-1, e rendimentos de 0,45, 0,58 e 0,55 gg-1, respectivamente. Na ausência de nutrientes, a concentração de xilitol, a produtividade e o rendimento não ultrapassaram 12,1 gL-1, 0,13 gL-1h-1 e 0.30 gg-1, respectivamente

SÍNDROME POSTERIOR DO TRONCO CEREBRAL E O USO DE VENTILAÇÃO ASSISTIDA AJUSTADA NEURALMENTE (NAVA) EM LACTENTE

RESUMO Objetivo: Relatar um caso raro de síndrome posterior do tronco cerebral em um lactente após um episódio hipóxico-isquêmico devido a sepse grave, e o uso da ventilação assistida ajustada neuralmente no auxílio diagnóstico e no desmame da ventilação mecânica. Descrição do caso: Lactente masculino de 2 meses de idade, previamente hígido, apresentou sepse grave que evoluiu para síndrome posterior do tronco encefálico, entidade que pode ocorrer após lesão hipóxico-isquêmica em neonatos e lactentes e que apresenta imagens de ressonância magnética muito particulares. Devido à lesão neurológica, permaneceu em ventilação mecânica. Optou-se por iniciar ventilação assistida ajustada neuralmente para verificar a patência da condução do nervo frênico ao diafragma e auxiliar no desmame da ventilação mecânica. Comentários: A síndrome posterior do tronco cerebral é uma entidade rara que deve ser considerada em lactentes após evento hipóxico-isquêmico

Sporotrichoid cutaneous leishmaniasis: atypical form

Leishmaniasis comprises a heterogeneous and extensive group of infectious and non-contagious diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania spp. It is a disease considered endemic in 92 countries, with at least 1 million new cases of integumentary forms annually. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in the tropics and neotropics. It is often referred to as a group of diseases because of the varied spectrum of clinical manifestations, which range from small cutaneous nodules to gross mucosal tissue destruction. Cutaneous leishmaniasis can be caused by several Leishmania spp. and is transmitted to human beings and animals by sandflies. Despite its increasing worldwide incidence, because it is rarely fatal, cutaneous leishmaniasis has become one of the so-called neglected diseases, In endemic countries, diagnosis is often made clinically and, if possible, by microscopic examination of lesion biopsy smears to visually confirm leishmania parasites as the cause. Cutaneous leishmaniasis often presents as an ulcerated lesion, with raised, infiltrated edges, classically described as frame-like edges at the site of the mosquito bite. We report an uncommon case of a patient who presented with a lesion on the face, sporotrichoid in appearance, and thigh, which appeared simultaneously, of clinical lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis, laboratory-confirmed and which showed excellent clinical evolution with the use of liposomal amphotericin B

Chromoblastomycosis with 18 years of evolution

Chronic infectious, granulomatous and suppurative dermatosis, classified among the subcutaneous mycoses, caused by species of pigmented dematiaceous fungi, more prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions and caused by the traumatic implantation of dematiaceous fungal species, where the presence of muriform bodies are an expression of the causal agent in the grafted tissue, characteristic of chromoblastomycosis considered the second implantation mycosis in the world, it manifests itself with slow and progressive growth lesions of exophytic and verrucous plaques and black dots on the surface. The disease is considered a neglected and occupational disease, which occurs mainly among agricultural workers, and coconut and babassu harvesters, lumberjacks and traders of agricultural products. It is important to highlight that people at risk of contracting chromoblastomycosis work in tropical countries, where the temperature can be above 40 °C in summer, and generally refuse to wear protective equipment during the day (shoes, gloves, and clothes), although they know that this type of prophylactic measure can prevent different types of diseases. These vulnerable people often live in low-income countries and sometimes live far from medical services and, once infected, do not seek medical attention. We report below an exuberant and unusual case of lower limb chromoblastomycosis with a history of 18 years of evolution. The diagnosis was established by direct mycological examination, culture and microculture that identified the agent of the Fonsecaea species, and histopathological examination.

Identificação de Oportunidades de Melhoria em IES Através do Uso Conjunto do Modelo Kano e Matriz de Importância x Desempenho

Este artigo tem como objetivo mostrar resultados parciais de uma pesquisa em andamento que procura utilizar o Modelo Kano de Qualidade Atrativa e Obrigatória e outros métodos de análise na identificação de oportunidades de melhoria em Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES). Para tanto, 20 atributos do curso de administração da Universidade Regional de Blumenau - SC, Brasil, foram analisados através de uma pesquisa quantitativa, com uma amostra de 362 alunos das diferentes habilitações, turnos e fases. Os métodos utilizados para identificação de oportunidades de melhoria foram o Modelo Kano e a Matriz de Importância x Desempenho, explorando-se as diferenças entre os dois. A análise de importância x desempenho é uma técnica de identificação de oportunidades de melhoria introduzida originalmente por Martilla e James (1977). Os consumidores avaliam qual a importância para eles e o desempenho da organização em relação ao atendimento de suas expectativas para cada atributo. A análise é feita através de um matriz bi-dimensional dividida em quatro quadrantes que classificam os atributos em pontos fracos, pontos fortes, pontos fracos menores e pontos fortes menores. O Modelo Kano considera a relação não linear entre desempenho e satisfação com os atributos, classificando os atributos em Obrigatórios, Atrativos, Unidimensionais, Neutros e Reversos. Neste estudo verificou-se que a utilização conjunta do Modelo Kano com a Matriz de Importância x Desempenho melhorou a qualidade da decisão. Atributos que tem grande impacto na satisfação se melhorados foram descobertos (modernidade dos laboratórios de informática) e priorizados. Já atributos que seriam priorizados, se analisados apenas pela Matriz de Importância x Desempenho, deixaram de ser considerados críticos por serem classificados como atrativos pelo Modelo Kano (existência de empresa júnior, oferta de atividades extracurriculares), sendo uma opção da IES melhorá-los ou não. Concluindo, como atributos prioritários para melhoria foram identificados a quantidade de vagas no estacionamento, agilidade do laboratório de impressão e modernidade dos laboratórios de informática, na categoria de infra-estrutura, e relação entre teoria e prática nas disciplinas, na categoria métodos de ensino. Os resultados demonstraram a potencialidade de aplicação conjunta dos dois métodos na identificação de oportunidades de melhoria nas IES

USING THE R PACKAGE crlmm FOR GENOTYPING AND COPY NUMBER ESTIMATION

Genotyping platforms such as Affymetrix can be used to assess genotype-phenotype as well as copy number-phenotype associations at millions of markers. While genotyping algorithms are largely concordant when assessed on HapMap samples, tools to assess copy number changes are more variable and often discordant. One explanation for the discordance is that copy number estimates are susceptible to systematic differences between groups of samples that were processed at different times or by different labs. Analysis algorithms that do not adjust for batch effects are prone to spurious measures of association. The R package crlmm implements a multilevel model that adjusts for batch effects and provides allele-specific estimates of copy number. This paper illustrates a workflow for the estimation of allele-specific copy number, develops markerand study-level summaries of batch effects, and demonstrates how the marker-level estimates can be integrated with complimentary Bioconductor software for inferring regions of copy number gain or loss. All analyses are performed in the statistical environment R. A compendium for reproducing the analysis is available from the author’s website (http://www.biostat.jhsph.edu/~rscharpf/crlmmCompendium/index.html)

Topochemical distribution of lignin and hydroxycinnamic acids in sugar-cane cell walls and its correlation with the enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lignin and hemicelluloses are the major components limiting enzyme infiltration into cell walls. Determination of the topochemical distribution of lignin and aromatics in sugar cane might provide important data on the recalcitrance of specific cells. We used cellular ultraviolet (UV) microspectrophotometry (UMSP) to topochemically detect lignin and hydroxycinnamic acids in individual fiber, vessel and parenchyma cell walls of untreated and chlorite-treated sugar cane. Internodes, presenting typical vascular bundles and sucrose-storing parenchyma cells, were divided into rind and pith fractions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Vascular bundles were more abundant in the rind, whereas parenchyma cells predominated in the pith region. UV measurements of untreated fiber cell walls gave absorbance spectra typical of grass lignin, with a band at 278 nm and a pronounced shoulder at 315 nm, assigned to the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids linked to lignin and/or to arabino-methylglucurono-xylans. The cell walls of vessels had the highest level of lignification, followed by those of fibers and parenchyma. Pith parenchyma cell walls were characterized by very low absorbance values at 278 nm; however, a distinct peak at 315 nm indicated that pith parenchyma cells are not extensively lignified, but contain significant amounts of hydroxycinnamic acids. Cellular UV image profiles scanned with an absorbance intensity maximum of 278 nm identified the pattern of lignin distribution in the individual cell walls, with the highest concentration occurring in the middle lamella and cell corners. Chlorite treatment caused a rapid removal of hydroxycinnamic acids from parenchyma cell walls, whereas the thicker fiber cell walls were delignified only after a long treatment duration (4 hours). Untreated pith samples were promptly hydrolyzed by cellulases, reaching 63% of cellulose conversion after 72 hours of hydrolysis, whereas untreated rind samples achieved only 20% hydrolyzation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The low recalcitrance of pith cells correlated with the low UV-absorbance values seen in parenchyma cells. Chlorite treatment of pith cells did not enhance cellulose conversion. By contrast, application of the same treatment to rind cells led to significant removal of hydroxycinnamic acids and lignin, resulting in marked enhancement of cellulose conversion by cellulases.</p