Automatic segmentation and classification of human intestinal parasites from microscopy images

Human intestinal parasites constitute a problem in most tropical countries, causing death or physical and mental disorders. Their diagnosis usually relies on the visual analysis of microscopy images, with error rates that may range from moderate to high. The problem has been addressed via computational image analysis, but only for a few species and images free of fecal impurities. In routine, fecal impurities are a real challenge for automatic image analysis. We have circumvented this problem by a method that can segment and classify, from bright field microscopy images with fecal impurities, the 15 most common species of protozoan cysts, helminth eggs, and larvae in Brazil. Our approach exploits ellipse matching and image foresting transform for image segmentation, multiple object descriptors and their optimum combination by genetic programming for object representation, and the optimum-path forest classifier for object recognition. The results indicate that our method is a promising approach toward the fully automation of the enteroparasitosis diagnosis. © 2012 IEEE.

Desenvolvimento de um sistema de análise de imagem para quantificação do tamanho e distribuição de partículas de desgaste

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Detection of Leptospira spp. in the semen and urine of bulls serologically reactive to Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo

O presente trabalho avaliou a PCR na detecção de leptospiras em sêmen e urina de dez touros sorologicamente reagentes, comparando seus resultados com aqueles obtidos por outras técnicas de diagnóstico. Foram realizadas duas colheitas de materiais em dias alternados. As amostras de sêmen e de urina foram separadas em alíquotas para visualização direta em microscopia de campo escuro, inoculação em hamsters (apenas para o sêmen), isolamento em meio de cultura e PCR. Nenhum hamster apresentou positividade na prova de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM); fragmentos de rins e fígado desses animais foram utilizados para a tentativa de isolamento em meio de cultura, sendo positivo o cultivo a partir do rim de hamster inoculado com semen de um touro, e do fígado de hamsters inoculados com o semen de três touros. O isolamento em meio de cultura foi negativo para todas as amostras de sêmen, mas foi positivo para cinco amostras de urina. Na PCR não houve resultado positivo para as amostras de sêmen, e apenas uma amostra de urina apresentou resultado positivo, sendo coincidente com uma das culturas positivas. Não foi possível visualizar leptospiras em nenhuma das amostras por exame direto em microscopia de campo escuro.

Pharmaceutical applications of AC Biosusceptometry

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

In vitro exposure to fullerene C60 influences redox state and lipid peroxidation in brain and gills from Cyprinus carpio (Cyprinidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Natural latex graft in lamellar and penetrating sclerectomies in rabbits

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Polimorfismo na produção de medicamentos

Polymorphism can cause quality deviations during the production of medicines and can influence their effectiveness. Therefore, an understanding of this phenomenon and its implications opens a wide field of possibilities to be explored in the pharmaceutical field, including the emergence of new paradigms and tools for the quality assurance of medicines. This paper presents an introduction to basic aspects of the polymorphism phenomenon and its implications for the production and control of medicines, with emphasis on drug polymorphs.

An analysis of the Hygiea asteroid family orbital region

(10) Hygiea is the fourth largest asteroid of the main belt, by volume and mass, and it is the largest member of its family, that is made mostly by low-albedo, C-type asteroids, typical of the outer main belt. Like many other large families, it is associated with a 'halo' of objects, that extends far beyond the boundary of the core family, as detected by traditional hierarchical clustering methods (HCM) in proper element domains. Numerical simulations of the orbital evolution of family members may help in estimating the family and halo family age, and the original ejection velocity field. But, in order to minimize the errors associated with including too many interlopers, it is important to have good estimates of family membership that include available data on local asteroid taxonomy, geometrical albedo and local dynamics. For this purpose, we obtained synthetic proper elements and frequencies of asteroids in the Hygiea orbital region, with their errors. We revised the current knowledge on asteroid taxonomy, including Sloan Digital Sky Survey-Moving Object Catalog 4th release (SDSS-MOC 4) data, and geometric albedo data from Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Near-Earth Object WISE (NEOWISE). We identified asteroid family members using HCM in the domain of proper elements (a, e, sin (i)) and in the domains of proper frequencies most appropriate to study diffusion in the local web of secular resonances, and eliminated possible interlopers based on taxonomic and geometrical albedo considerations. To identify the family halo, we devised a new hierarchical clustering method in an extended domain that includes proper elements, principal components PC1, PC2 obtained based on SDSS photometric data and, for the first time, WISE and NEOWISE geometric albedo. Data on asteroid size distribution, light curves and rotations were also revised for the Hygiea family. The Hygiea family is the largest group in its region, with two smaller families in proper element domain and 18 families in various frequencies domains identified in this work for the first time. Frequency groups tend to extend vertically in the (a, sin (i)) plane and cross not only the Hygiea family but also the near C-type families of Themis and Veritas, causing a mixture of objects all of relatively low albedo in the Hygiea family area. A few high-albedo asteroids, most likely associated with the Eos family, are also present in the region. Finally, the new multidomains hierarchical clustering method allowed us to obtain a good and robust estimate of the membership of the Hygiea family halo, quite separated from other asteroids families halo in the region, and with a very limited (about 3 per cent) presence of likely interlopers. © 2013 The Author Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Análise de multirresolução baseada em polinômio potência de Sigmóide - Wavelet

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Computação - IBILCE

Gosto, música e juventude: uma pesquisa exploratória com grupos de alunos da rede pública e privada de ensino em Araraquara

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Tecnologia assistiva para o ensino de alunos com deficiência: um estudo com professores do ensino fundamental

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

Detecção molecular e subtipagem de Cryptosporidium spp. em caprinos, ovinos, bovinos, leitões e eqüinos jovens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influência da aplicação de ultrassom em desidratação osmótica de carne bovina

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A multidomain approach to asteroid families' identification

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Monitoring scaling and dental calculus removal with an optical fluorescence system

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)