Measurement Of The Electric Energy Storage Capacity In Solar Thermoelectric Generators' Energy Harvesting Modules

Reducing energy consumption is mandatory in self-powered sensor nodes of wireless sensor networks that obtain all their energy from the environment. In this direction, one first step to optimize the network is to accurately measure the total energy harvested, which will determine the power available for sensor consumption. We present here a technique based on an embedded circuit with an ultra-low-power microcontroller to accurately measure the efficiency of flat-panel solar thermoelectric generators operating with environmental temperature gradients. Experimental tests showed that when a voltage of 180 mV (best case in an environmental flat-panel solar thermoelectric generators) is applied to the input of the DC-DC converter, the proposed technique eliminates a measurement error of 33% when compared with the conventional single supercapacitor strategy.13

Morbidade subjacente à concessão de benefício por incapacidade temporária para o trabalho

INTRODUCTION: To identify health conditions leading to benefits due to temporary work disability in a population of insured workers. METHODS: International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for conditions resulting in temporary work-disability (E-31) were retrieved from the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) data bank in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 1998. The ICD codes related to the worker's disability assigned in the early medical expert examination (aX1) were used to describe the main disability causes and groups of conditions. RESULTS: A total of 6,898 disability benefits were allowed to insured workers: 1,486 (22%) were attributed to "external causes"; 1,181 (17%) to "surgery recovery" (subdivided as follows: 34% gastrointestinal; 26% genitourinary; 11% musculoskeletal; and 10% external causes ); and 4,119 (61%) to "medical conditions" (subdivided as follows: 24.8% musculoskeletal diseases; 18.9% mental diseases; and 16.2% cardiovascular diseases). When compared to a similar Brazilian study conducted in 1986, external causes moved up from fourth to the first position as a determinant of temporary work disability. CONCLUSIONS: The main causes of disability identified, accidents and violence, musculoskeletal diseases and mental diseases, are potentially associated to the worsening of the quality of life and work conditions during the study and should be a (preventive and therapeutic) priority in the nation's unified health care (SUS) agenda. The study shows the viability of referring to the INSS data bank in morbidity studies.OBJETIVO: Identificar os agravos à saúde subjacentes à concessão de benefício por incapacidade temporária, na população trabalhadora segurada. MÉTODOS: Foram recuperados do banco de dados do Instituto Nacional de Seguro Social (INSS) todos os benefícios do tipo auxílio-doença previdenciário (E-31) concedidos no ano de 1998 aos trabalhadores de Porto Alegre, RS. Os Códigos de Classificação Internacional de Doenças atribuídos à condição subjacente à incapacidade no exame pericial inicial (aX1) foram utilizados para descrever as principais causas e os grupos de causas subjacentes à incapacidade. RESULTADOS: Foram concedidos 6.898 benefícios E-31: 1.486 (22%) por "causas externas"; 1.181 (17%) por "convalescência após cirurgia" (34% por causas gastrointestinais, 26% genitourinárias, 11% osteomusculares e 10% por causas externas); e 4.119 (61%) por "condições clínicas" (24,8% por doenças osteomusculares, 18,9% por doenças mentais e 16,2% por doenças cardiovasculares). Comparadas a estudo realizado no Brasil em 1986, as causas externas passaram da quarta para a primeira posição como determinante de incapacidade temporária para o trabalho. CONCLUSÃO: Acidentes e violências, doenças osteomusculares e doenças mentais -- as três primeiras causas de incapacidade identificadas -- estão potencialmente associadas à piora da qualidade de vida e de trabalho registrada no período e merecem atenção prioritária (preventiva e assistencial) do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). O estudo demonstra a viabilidade da utilização do banco de dados do INSS para estudos de morbidade

Study of the eating habits of snakes Sibynomorphus neuwiedi and Sibynomorphus mikanii (Squamata, Dipsadidae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sibynomorphus neuwiedi (Ihering, 1911) and Sibynomorphus mikanii (Schlegel, 1837) are small sized snakes, nocturnal, non-venomous, snail eaters and commonly known as sleepy snakes. Studies about biology and ecology of both species are scarce. The goal of the present study was to analyze eating habits of the snakes S. neuwiedi and S. mikanii from Minas Gerais, Brazil, examining specimens in the Herpetological Collection of the UFJF - Reptiles. The 39 specimens of S. neuwiedi and 49 of S. mikanii analyzed where necropsied, sexed, and their gastrointestinal tract and digestive contents inspected in search of preys. The snakes showed similar diets: mollusks from species of the Family Veronicellidae, being registered the prey-species Sarasinula linguaeformis (Semper, 1885) in S. neuwiedi and Latipes erinaceus (Colosi, 1921) and Sarasinula sp. in S. mikanii.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Germinação de sementes de Senna macranthera, Senna multijuga e Stryphnodendron polyphyllum

With the aim of contributing to the knowledge about the wood legume Senna macranthera and Senna multijuga (Caesalpinaceae), and Stryphnodendron polyphyllum (Mimosaceae) seed germination, the seed imbibition curves were determined to identify the coat-imposed dormancy, and the procedures to overcome it with mechanical or chemical scarification. The coat impermeability was present in these three species and, the mechanical scarification was the most effective treatment to break the dormancy (germination percent up 80%). In S. macranthera, the chemical scarification with sulfuric acid by 12 minutes showed similar efficiency to the mechanical scarification. A variation in coat permeability between non-scarified seeds of S. polyphyllum was observed.Com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento sobre a germinação de Senna macranthera e Senna multijuga (Caesalpinaceae) e Stryphnodendron polyphyllum (Mimosaceae), foram determinadas as curvas de embebição das sementes para identificar o grau de dormência imposta pelo tegumento e os procedimentos para superá-la (escarificação mecânica ou química). Nas três espécies verificou-se a presença de tegumento impermeável e a escarificação mecânica foi o tratamento mais eficiente para quebrar a dormência, com porcentagem de germinação superior à 80%. Em S. macranthera a escarificação química em ácido sulfúrico durante 12 minutos apresentou eficiência similar à escarificação mecânica. Observou-se também uma variação na permeabilidade do tegumento entre as sementes não-escarificadas de S. polyphyllum

Secondary stress, intensity and fundamental frequency in Brazilian Portuguese

This paper investigates whether values of acoustical correlates of pretonic syllables adjacent to the one(s) perceived as bearing secondary stress could predict such perception in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) data. In order to pursue this goal, a comparison is made between pretonic syllables perceived as bearing secondary stress and those perceived as not bearing it. According to the results, obtained by application of statistical analyses, it is possible to claim that variation in intensity and in F0 in syllables perceived as bearing secondary stress, as well as in adjacent syllables, can be taken as a robust correlate for data perception regarding secondary stress placement in BP. Variation in intensity and in F0 in syllables perceived as bearing secondary stress and variation in intensity and in F0 in the other adjacent pretonic syllables seem to be complementary information for the perception of secondary stresses by BP speakers. The results point to relevant questions for further work concerning the rhythmic and intonational organization of Brazilian Portuguese.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genetic diversity and structure of two species of Enyalius (Squamata: Leiosauridae) from neotropical biodiversity hotspots

Diversidade e estrutura genética de duas espécies de Enyalius (Squamata: Leiosauridae) em hotspots neotropicais de biodiversidade. Os lagartos do gênero Enyalius são endêmicos da América do Sul, sendo predominantemente encontrados no Cerrado e em fragmentos da Floresta Atlântica. Este é um gênero pouco estudado, e não foram encontrados dados relacionados à diversidade e à estrutura genética das espécies do gênero. Neste trabalho, investigamos a diversidade genética de populações de E. bilineatus (N = 20) e E. perditus (N = 28), usando um fragmento de 234-pb do citocromo b, e comparamos as sequências geradas com outras publicadas. Dezenove haplótipos distintos foram encontrados (11 de E. perditus e oito de E. bilineatus), sendo oito deles novos registros. Os valores de diversidade haplotípica foram muito similares para as duas espécies (0.684 para E. perditus e 0.647 para E. bilineatus). A distância genética entre as duas espécies foi de 20.3%, e as distâncias intraespecíficas foram 2.0% para E. perditus e 5.6% para E. bilineatus. Nossos dados sugerem que as populações de E. bilineatus são altamente divergentes e que a espécie deve apresentar diversidade críptica. Este é o primeiro estudo medindo a diversidade genética de espécies do gênero Enyalius oriundas de regiões consideradas hotspots da biodiversidade neotropical e apresenta dados relevantes para um melhor entendimento das relações inter e intrapopulacionais, assim como a distribuição das linhagens genéticas desse gênero endêmico.Genetic diversity and structure of two species of Enyalius (Squamata: Leiosauridae) from neotropical biodiversity hotspots. Enyalius, a lizard genus endemic to South America, is mostly distributed in the remains of the Atlantic Forest and in the Cerrado. The genus has been the topic of a few studies but none has quantified the genetic diversity and structure within and among populations of Enyalius. The genetic diversity and structure of populations of E. bilineatus (N = 20) and E. perditus (N = 28) are examined using a 234-bp fragment of the cytochrome b gene and compared with the sequences reported in other published data. Nineteen distinct haplotypes (eleven for E. perditus and eight for E. bilineatus) were found, eight of which were recorded for the first time. The haplotype diversities are highly similar for both species (0.684 for E. perditus and 0.647 for E. bilineatus). The genetic distance between the two species is 20.3% and the distance within species is 2.0% and 5.6% for E. perditus and E. bilineatus, respectively. Our data suggest that populations of E. bilineatus are genetically divergent and may reveal cryptic diversity. This is the first study to quantify the genetic diversity of species of Enyalius from Neotropical biodiversity hotspots. These data facilitate a better understanding of both within and among population variation, and highlight the distribution of genetic lineages of an endemic and poorly studied genus

Safety and effectiveness of ataluren in patients with nonsense mutation DMD in the STRIDE Registry compared with the CINRG Duchenne Natural History Study (2015-2022): 2022 interim analysis

OBJECTIVE: Strategic Targeting of Registries and International Database of Excellence (STRIDE) is an ongoing, international, multicenter registry of real-world ataluren use in individuals with nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy (nmDMD) in clinical practice. This updated interim report (data cut-off: January 31, 2022), describes STRIDE patient characteristics and ataluren safety data, as well as the effectiveness of ataluren plus standard of care (SoC) in STRIDE versus SoC alone in the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG) Duchenne Natural History Study (DNHS). METHODS: Patients are followed up from enrollment for at least 5 years or until study withdrawal. Propensity score matching was performed to identify STRIDE and CINRG DNHS patients who were comparable in established predictors of disease progression. RESULTS: As of January 31, 2022, 307 patients were enrolled from 14 countries. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) ages at first symptoms and at genetic diagnosis were 2.9 (1.7) years and 4.5 (3.7) years, respectively. Mean (SD) duration of ataluren exposure was 1671 (56.8) days. Ataluren had a favorable safety profile; most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or moderate and unrelated to ataluren. Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated that ataluren plus SoC significantly delayed age at loss of ambulation by 4 years (p < 0.0001) and age at decline to %-predicted forced vital capacity of < 60% and < 50% by 1.8 years (p = 0.0021) and 2.3 years (p = 0.0207), respectively, compared with SoC alone. CONCLUSION: Long-term, real-world treatment with ataluren plus SoC delays several disease progression milestones in individuals with nmDMD. NCT02369731; registration date: February 24, 2015

Stratum corneum lipids liposomes for the topical delivery of 5-aminolevulinic acid in photodynamic therapy of skin cancer: preparation and in vitro permeation study

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a skin cancer therapy that still has limitations due to the low penetration of this drug into the skin. We have proposed in this work a delivery system for 5-ALA based on liposomes having lipid composition similar to the mammalian stratum corneum (SCLLs) in order to optimize its skin delivery in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) of skin cancers. METHODS: SCLLs were obtained by reverse phase evaporation technique and size distribution of the vesicles was determinated by photon correlation spectroscopy. In vitro permeation profile was characterized using hairless mouse skin mounted in modified Franz diffusion cell. RESULTS: Size exclusion chromatography on gel filtration confirmed vesicle formation. SCLLs obtained by presented a degree of encapsulation of 5-ALA around 5.7%. A distribution of vesicle size centering at around 500 nm and 400 nm respectively for SCLLs and SCLLs containing 5-ALA was found. In vitro 5-ALA permeation study showed that SCLLs preparations presented higher skin retention significantly (p < 0.05) on the epidermis without SC + dermis, with a decreasing of skin permeation compared to aqueous solution. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro delivery performance provided by SCLLs lead to consider this systems adequate for the 5-ALA-PDT of skin cancer, since SCLLs have delivered 5-ALA to the target skin layers (viable epidermis + dermis) to be treated by topical PDT of skin cancer

Automação de bibliotecas e centros de documentação: o processo de avaliação e seleção de softwares

O mercado de produção e geração de softwares para automação de bibliotecas apresentou grande impulso nos últimos dez anos. Escolher um software representa, hoje, mais que escolher uma ferramenta tecnológica para implementar serviços prestados pelas bibliotecas. Representa introduzir nova filosofia de trabalho, novos comportamentos e valores informacionais. Este trabalho apresenta o resultado dos estudos realizados para a escolha de um software para a automação das bibliotecas da Presidência da República. Pretende contribuir com a revisão de literatura e com os profissionais e estudiosos da área, oferecendo uma análise de cada produto, bem como a identificação dos requisitos indispensáveis e desejáveis que o software deve possuir para o processo de automação de bibliotecas e centros de documentação