Development of the color scale of perceived exertion: preliminary validation

This study developed a Color Scale of Perceived Exertion (RPE-color scale) and assessed its concurrent and construct validity in adult women. One hundred participants (18-77 years), who were habitual exercisers, associated colors with verbal anchors of the Borg RPE scale (RPE-Borg scale) for RPE-color scale development. For RPE-color scale validation, 12 Young (M = 21.7 yr., SD = 1.5) and 10 Older (M = 60.3 yr., SD = 3.5) adult women performed a maximal graded exercise test on a treadmill and reported perceived exertion in both RPE-color and RPE-Borg scales. In the Young group, the RPE-color scale was significantly associated with heart rate and oxygen consumption, having strong correlations with the RPE-Borg scale. In the Older group, the RPE-color scale was significantly associated with heart rate, having moderate to high correlations with the RPE-Borg scale. The RPE-color scale demonstrated concurrent and construct validity in the Young women, as well as construct validity in Older adults.

Morphological, behavioral and biological aspects of Azya luteipes Mulsant fed on Coccus viridis (Green)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Desempenho de cinco clones jovens de seringueira na região do Planalto Ocidental Paulista

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Uma ferramenta alternativa para síntese de circuitos lógicos usando a técnica de circuito evolutivo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Aplicativo computacional para a análise de experimentos envolvendo variáveis respostas categorizadas

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Efeitos da tilapicultura em tanques-rede sobre as assembléias zooplanctônicas do Reservatório de Chavantes, rio Paranapanema (SP/PR)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Measuring the spectra of high energy neutrinos with a kilometer-scale neutrino telescope

We investigate the potential of a future kilometer-scale neutrino telescope, such as the proposed IceCube detector in the South Pole, to measure and disentangle the yet unknown components of the cosmic neutrino flux, the prompt atmospheric neutrinos coming from the decay of charmed particles and the extra-galactic neutrinos in the 10 TeV to 1 EeV energy range. Assuming a power law type spectra, dphi(nu)/dE(nu)similar toalphaE(nu)(beta), we quantify the discriminating power of the IceCube detector and discuss how well we can determine magnitude (alpha) as well as slope (beta) of these two components of the high energy neutrino spectrum, taking into account the background coming from the conventional atmospheric neutrinos.

Development of a prototype for measuring plantar forces

Studies on the distribution of plantar pressure between the sole of the foot and the ground were developed before the 19th century. Currently, the most often employed plantar pressure measurement systems are Pedar® and FScan®, which have restrictions such as operational difficulty and high cost. In the present study, a device was constructed from two pressure plates capable of measuring plantar forces in discreet areas of the feet at a low cost, using strain-gages attached to sixteen strategic points of the mechanical elements. Sixteen prismatic beams were soldered to each frame, for which the free extremity of each beam represented a specific point of the foot. Two strain gauges were attached to each beam - one near the upper fixed extremity and the other near the lower fixed extremity. Using a Wheatstone bridge electric circuit, the gauges were used to measure the force acting on the extremity of the beam. Precision and accuracy of the prototype was about 10%. In some measurements, accuracy was 2%. The low precision and accuracy were mainly due to the restrictions of the available equipment, which only permitted four measurements at a time. Thus, it was necessary for participants to stand on the plates four separate times, which signified possible changes in the position of the feet on the pressure plates. Despite some limitations, the aim was achieved. The prototype has been used in some studies and represents a contribution to biomechanics, demonstrating the viability of using strain gauges.

Development and Validation of a Clinical Scale for the Evaluation of Forearm Skin Photoaging

Background: Despite the focus on facial photoaging ratings, there are few classifications developed for forearm skin aging assessment.Objective: To develop and validate a clinical scale for the evaluation of forearm skin aging.Methods: Three clinical dermatology faculty members selected, discussed, and appraised the main signs of forearm photoaging. The validation of the resulting scale was performed by 5 assessors who were previously trained to classify 102 photographs of forearms with different degrees of aging. Retests were performed in 15 days.Results: There was significant correlation between the selected variables and the subjective global aging scale. The developed scale showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87) and high correlation with the global photoaging scale (rho = 0.92). Inter- and intraobserver final scores showed high agreement.Conclusion: A validated clinical photoaging scale for forearms with internal consistency, reliability, and validity was developed.

Green product development and performance of Brazilian firms: measuring the role of human and technical aspects

The goal of this study is to present and test a conceptual framework that describes the technical aspects (TA), human/organizational aspects (HOA) of the adoption of green product development (GPD) practices and the effect of these practices on firms'environmental (EP), operational (OP) and market performance (MP). To this end, after reviewing the literature on these themes, a conceptual framework with 5 hypotheses is proposed. These hypotheses were tested on 62 Brazilian companies through structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 2.0M3. The main results of this study are as follows: (a) in general, the proposed framework obtained adequate goodness of fit statistics (GoF); (b) technological factors are shown to have an influence on the adoption of GPD practices, and those practices are related to company EP, OP and MP, thus confirming 4 hypotheses of the study; and (c) one of the study's hypotheses is not validated, indicating that the relationship of human/organizational aspects to GPD must be further analyzed. This work extends the literature because: (a) the conceptual framework tested in this study establishes several concepts that have been only partially tested in the previous literature; (b) this work presents evidence about Brazil, where the themes addressed herein have not been yet been thoroughly investigated; and (c) the non-validation of the hypothesis regarding the relationship between human/ organizational aspects with respect to the adoption of product-related environmental practices requires attention. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The development of seedlings from fragments of monoembryonic seeds as an important survival strategy for Eugenia (Myrtaceae) tree species

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In Vivo Models for Measuring Placental Glutatione-S-transferase (GST-P 7-7) Levels: A Suitable Biomarker for Understanding Cancer Pathogenesis

The Glutatione-S-transferases (GSTs) comprise a family of enzymes closely associated with the cell detoxification of xenobiotics. GSTs exist as homo- or heterodimers and have been grouped into at least seven distinct classes. The main function of GSTs is to catalyze the conjugation of reduced glutathione (GSH) to an electrophilic site of a broad range of potentially toxic and carcinogenic compounds, thereby making such compounds less dangerous and enabling their ready-excretion. Placental GST, known as GST-P 7-7, is the main isoform found in normal placental tissue and comprises 67% of the total GST concentration in this tissue. During development, GST-P 7-7 decreases in concentration and is absent in adult tissues. Interestingly, GST-P 7-7 expression has been detected in adult tissues after exposure to carcinogenic agents in several experimental test systems, being considered a reliable biomarker of exposure and susceptibility in early phases of carcinogenesis. In this article, we review a series of studies involving GST-P 7-7 expression as a suitable tool for understanding cancer pathogenesis, especially cancer risk.

Biometrics studies of caste development in Nasutitermes coxipoensis (Isoptera; Termitidae)

A biometric study of caste development was carried out using Nasutitermes sp., by measuring the height, width, and length of the head, the length and width of the pronotum and mesonotum, and the length of the posterior tibia. These measurements were taken on 200 individuals, including larvae, nymphs, workers, pre-soldiers and soldiers. For instar separation, it was verified that the Principal Component Analysis (P.C.A.) was the most efficient methodology. Results of this analysis showed that Nasutitermes coxipoensis follows the general pattern of development presented by other Nasutitermes.

The Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders: recruitment, assessment instruments, methods for the development of multicenter collaborative studies and preliminary results

OBJETIVO: Descrever o recrutamento de pacientes, instrumentos de avaliação, métodos para o desenvolvimento de estudos colaborativos multicêntricos e os resultados preliminares do Consórcio Brasileiro de Pesquisa em Transtornos do Espectro Obsessivo-Compulsivo, que inclui sete centros universitários. MÉTODO: Este estudo transversal incluiu entrevistas semi-estruturadas (dados sociodemográficos, histórico médico e psiquiátrico, curso da doença e diagnósticos psiquiátricos comórbidos) e instrumentos que avaliam os sintomas do transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (Escala para Sintomas Obsessivo-Compulsivos de Yale-Brown e Escala Dimensional para Sintomas Obsessivo-Compulsivos de Yale-Brown), sintomas depressivos (Inventário de Depressão de Beck), sintomas ansiosos (Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck), fenômenos sensoriais (Escala de Fenômenos Sensoriais da Universidade de São Paulo), juízo crítico (Escala de Avaliação de Crenças de Brown), tiques (Escala de Gravidade Global de Tiques de Yale) e qualidade de vida (questionário genérico de avaliação de qualidade de vida, Medical Outcome Quality of Life Scale Short-form-36 e Escala de Avaliação Social). O treinamento dos avaliadores consistiu em assistir cinco entrevistas filmadas e entrevistar cinco pacientes junto com um pesquisador mais experiente, antes de entrevistar pacientes sozinhos. A confiabilidade entre todos os líderes de grupo para os instrumentos mais importantes (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Universidade de São Paulo Sensory Phenomena Scale ) foi medida após seis entrevistas completas. RESULTADOS: A confiabilidade entre avaliadores foi de 96%. Até março de 2008, 630 pacientes com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo tinham sido sistematicamente avaliados. A média de idade (±SE) foi de 34,7 (±0,51), 56,3% eram do sexo feminino e 84,6% caucasianos. Os sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos mais prevalentes foram os de simetria e os de contaminação. As comorbidades psiquiátricas mais comuns foram depressão maior, ansiedade generalizada e transtorno de ansiedade social. O transtorno de controle de impulsos mais comum foi escoriação neurótica. CONCLUSÃO: Este consórcio de pesquisa, pioneiro no Brasil, permitiu delinear o perfil sociodemográfico, clínico e terapêutico do paciente com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo em uma grande amostra clínica de pacientes. O Consórcio Brasileiro de Pesquisa em Transtornos do Espectro Obsessivo-Compulsivo estabeleceu uma importante rede de colaboração de investigação clínica padronizada sobre o transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo e pode abrir o caminho para projetos semelhantes destinados a integrar outros grupos de pesquisa no Brasil e em todo o mundo.

LARVAL INSTARS AND IMMATURE DEVELOPMENT OF A BRAZILIAN POPULATION OF PHARAOHS ANT, MONOMORIUM-PHARAONIS (L) (HYM, FORMICIDAE)

The immature development of pharaoh's ant, Monomorium pharaonis, workers was s died in a naturally collected Brazilian population. Three larval instars were confirmed by measuring maximal cephalic widths in cohorts of known age. Minimum egg to adult duration was 25 days, while the maximum duration was 54 days, both of which are larger than those reported for European populations. Larval instar development is cyclical at the colony level, suggesting reproductive bursts followed by lower reproductive activity of the queens.