AVALIAÇÃO DAS EXPECTATIVAS DOS USUÁRIOS QUANTO A FRASCOS DE PERFUME

This paper presents a practical study of Kansei Engineering in the evaluation of masculine perfume bottles. Kansei words more appropriate to the object of study and its relation to the design elements were identified. The understanding of user's kansei is essential for the designer make decisions based on an understanding closer to user's expectations.Este artigo apresenta um estudo da Engenharia Kansei na avaliação de frascos de perfume masculinos. Foram identificadas as palavras kansei mais adequadas para o objeto de estudo e sua relação com os elementos de design. O entendimento do kansei dos usuários é fundamental para que o designer tome decisões baseado em um entendimentomais próximo às expectativas do usuário

In Vitro Antioxidant, Anticoagulant and Antimicrobial Activity and in Inhibition of Cancer Cell Proliferation by Xylan Extracted from Corn Cobs

Xylan is one of most abundant polymer after cellulose. However, its potential has yet to be completely recognized. Corn cobs contain a considerable reservoir of xylan. The aim of this work was to study some of the biological activities of xylan obtained from corn cobs after alkaline extraction enhanced by ultrasonication. Physical chemistry and infrared analyses showed 130 kDa heteroxylan containing mainly xylose:arabinose: galactose:glucose (5.0:1.5:2.0:1.2). Xylan obtained exhibited total antioxidant activity corresponding to 48.5 mg of ascorbic acid equivalent/g of xylan. Furthermore, xylan displayed high ferric chelating activity (70%) at 2 mg/mL. Xylan also showed anticoagulant activity in aPTT test. In antimicrobial assay, the polysaccharide significantly inhibited bacterial growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae. In a test with normal and tumor human cells, after 72 h, only HeLa tumor cell proliferation was inhibited (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner by xylan, reaching saturation at around 2 mg/mL, whereas 3T3 normal cell proliferation was not affected. The results suggest that it has potential clinical applications as antioxidant, anticoagulant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative compounds

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Métodos de avaliação da experiência do usuário (UX) com eletrodomésticos : um estudo exploratório

Orientadora: Profª Drª Maria Lúcia Leite Ribeiro OkimotoDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Parana, Setor de Artes, Comunicação e Design, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Comunicação. Defesa: Curitiba, 26/02/2014Inclui referênciasÁrea de concentração : DesignResumo: A avaliação da experiência do usuário (UX) contribui para que produtos sejam projetados para atender aos reais desejos, necessidades, habilidades e repertórios dos usuários. Eletrodomésticos auxiliam indivíduos na realização de atividades do cotidiano, sendo utilizados por diversos tipos de usuários, em contextos variados e, ainda, apresentando várias funcionalidades. Diante desta multiplicidade de fatores, torna-se relevante a avaliação da UX com estes produtos. A pesquisa buscou explorar os métodos de avaliação da UX aplicados no contexto do desenvolvimento de eletrodomésticos. Neste sentido, foi desenvolvido um panorama sobre pesquisas que tratam do desenvolvimento de eletrodomésticos e avaliação da UX, realizado por meio de revisão bibliográfica sistemática em dois bancos de dados: Science Direct e IEEEXplore. Ao identificar que poucas pesquisas abordam estes temas, foi realizada uma sessão de grupo focal com seis especialistas em avaliação da UX com eletrodomésticos. Esta sessão envolveu uma atividade com 84 métodos de avaliação da UX, para que os especialistas tivessem contato com variados métodos da área. Em seguida, foi realizada uma discussão abordando tópicos pré-definidos. Os resultados indicam a relevância do desenvolvimento de métodos de avaliação da UX especificamente para categorias distintas de eletrodomésticos (i.e., lava-louças com painel de controle digital). Estes métodos devem possibilitar uma visão holística da experiência proporcionada com produto, integrando diversas técnicas e ferramentas encontradas na literatura, trazendo também elementos e abordagens específicas para cada categoria de produto. Esta pesquisa revela também a pertinência de métodos de avaliação da UX que contemplem diversos contextos de uso, considerando aspectos objetivos e subjetivos do uso, propondo que dados qualitativos da experiência de uso sejam apresentados também de forma quantitativa.Abstract: User experience (UX) evaluation is an area that contributes for product’s design, aiming the attendance of user’s real desires, needs, abilities and repertories. Home appliances enable individuals on performing daily activities, used by different kinds of users, in a variety of contexts, presenting also various functions. Due to its many contexts, users and functions, the UX evaluation with these products becomes relevant. This research’s purpose was to explore user experience evaluation methods applied for home appliance development. Thus, a scenario on UX and home appliances researches was developed, performing a systematic literature review using two databases: Science Direct and IEEXplore. By identifying that only a few researches addresses those themes, it was developed a focus group session with six experts on home appliances UX evaluation. This session involved an activity with 84 UX evaluation methods presented by Vermeeren et. al. (2010), enabling the experts to have contact with various methods on the field. Then, a discussion addressing pre defined topics was performed. Results suggests the relevance for a development of UX evaluation methods, specifically for home appliances different categories (i.e., dishwasher with digital control panel). This method must enable a holistic view of the user experience provided by the product, integrating not only different tools and techniques presented on the literature, but also bringing new elements and specific approaches for each product category. The research also reveals the importance of UX evaluation methods that addresses different contexts of usage, considering objective and subjective aspects, also proposing that is valid when qualitative data can be presented also in a quantitative manner

Primary description of pythiosis in autochthonous canine from the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Pythiosis is a granulomatous infectious disease caused by the oomycete Pythium insidiosum. In Brazil, there are a considerable number of studies on that disease in dogs mainly from the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Given the unfamiliarity of the affectation in dogs from other locations, such as the Northeast, its description in native animals from federal units of this latter region becomes essential. In this sense, this study aimed to register the first case of canine pythiosis found in the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil. A two-year-old mixed breed female dog was referred to the Veterinary Hospital of the Rural Federal University of the Semi-Arid (Mossoró, RN, Brazil). Physical examination showed swelling in the anal mucocutaneous junction. During rectal palpation, lumen stenosis was detected. Laboratory screening tests were requested, but due to nonspecific results, performing incisional biopsy of the anal lesion was decided. Fragments were sent for histopathological analysis, being used special histochemical staining. Accordingly, a case of pythiosis was found. Pharmacotherapy was applied with itraconazole and terbinafine hydrochloride prescription. After three months and twelve days of treatment, complete remission of the lesions occurred. One should consider pythiosis in native dogs from the city of Mossoró, RN. Adoption of diagnosis appropriate methods is essential for early disease identification, with a positive impact on therapeutic decisions.A pitiose é uma doença granulomatosa decorrente da infecção pelo oomiceto Pythium insidiosum. No Brasil, há um considerável volume de estudos dessa enfermidade em cães oriundos principalmente do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Em virtude do desconhecimento da afecção em caninos de outras localidades, como o Nordeste, torna-se fundamental o registro em animais nativos das unidades federativas de tal região. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se descrever o primeiro caso diagnosticado de pitiose em canino procedente da cidade de Mossoró, estado do Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brasil. Uma cadela, dois anos, sem raça definida, foi encaminhada para o Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (localizado na cidade de Mossoró, RN, Brasil). Ao exame físico, constatou-se tumefação na junção mucocutânea anal. Durante a palpação retal detectou-se estenose do lúmen. Foram solicitados exames complementares de triagem, mas devido à inespecificidade dos mesmos, optou-se em executar biopsia incisional da lesão anal. Os fragmentos obtidos foram enviados para análise histopatológica, com o uso de coloração especial histoquímica. Tal prova laboratorial conduziu ao diagnóstico de pitiose. Foi realizada terapia medicamentosa, com a prescrição de itraconazol e cloridrato de terbinafina. Após três meses e doze dias de tratamento, ocorreu completa remissão lesional. Deve-se considerar a pitiose como uma possibilidade diagnóstica em cães autóctones do município de Mossoró, RN. A adoção de exames complementares específicos é essencial para a identificação precoce da doença, com reflexo positivo na conduta terapêutica e evolução clínica do paciente

Produção de enzimas por Penicillium chrysogenum em fermentação em estado sólido usando a fibra do coco como substrato

O aproveitamento de resíduos agroindustriais como substrato na produção de enzimas é uma prática atrativa que visa reduzir custos de operação, além de reduzir o impacto ambiental causado pelo acúmulo destes subprodutos. Deste modo, o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a cinética de produção de enzimas celulolíticas (CMCase, Xilanase, Avicelase e FPase) de Penicillium chrysogenum (807) através da fermentação em estado sólido utilizando como substrato a fibra do coco verde. Os valores máximos das atividades das enzimas foram CMCase (2,58 U/g), FPase (2,24 U/g), Avicelase (2,38 U/g) e Xilanase (6,72 U/g). Baseado nos resultados obtidos o microrganismo e o substrato utilizado apresentam potencial para processos de produção de enzimas em fermentação em estado sólido.The use of agro-industrial waste as a substrate in the production of enzymes is a conventional practice that aims to reduce operating costs, in addition to reducing the environmental impact caused by the accumulation of these by-products. Thus, the objective of this work was to study the production kinetics of cellulolytic enzymes (CMCase, Xylanase, Avicelase and FPase) of Penicillium chrysogenum (807) through solid state fermentation using green coconut fiber as a substrate. The maximum values obtained for enzymes activities were for CMCase (2.58 U/g), FPase (2.24 U/g), Avicelase (2.38 U/g) and Xylanase (6.72 U/g.) Based on the obtained results, the microorganism and the substrate used have the potential for enzyme production processes in solid state fermentation