Artificial Immune Systems with Negative Selection Applied to Health Monitoring of Aeronautical Structures

In this paper we present a system for aircraft structural health monitoring based on artificial immune systems with negative selection. Inspired by a biological process, the principle of discrimination proper/non-proper, identifies and characterizes the signs of structural failure. The main application of this method is to assist in the inspection of aircraft structures, to detect and characterize flaws and decision making in order to avoid disasters. We proposed a model of an aluminum beam to perform the tests of the method. The results obtained by this method are excellent, showing robustness and accuracy.

In Situ and Simultaneous UV-vis/SAXS and UV-vis/XAFS Time-Resolved Monitoring of ZnO Quantum Dots Formation and Growth

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

Method of numerical correction of errors occasioned by delay of records during the monitoring of environmental variables of interest for animal production

As condições de ambiente térmico e aéreo, no interior de instalações para animais, alteram-se durante o dia, devido à influência do ambiente externo. Para que análises estatísticas e geoestatísticas sejam representativas, uma grande quantidade de pontos distribuídos espacialmente na área da instalação deve ser monitorada. Este trabalho propõe que a variação no tempo das variáveis ambientais de interesse para a produção animal, monitoradas no interior de instalações para animais, pode ser modelada com precisão a partir de registros discretos no tempo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um método numérico para corrigir as variações temporais dessas variáveis ambientais, transformando os dados para que tais observações independam do tempo gasto durante a aferição. O método proposto aproximou os valores registrados com retardos de tempo aos esperados no exato momento de interesse, caso os dados fossem medidos simultaneamente neste momento em todos os pontos distribuídos espacialmente. O modelo de correção numérica para variáveis ambientais foi validado para o parâmetro ambiental temperatura do ar, sendo que os valores corrigidos pelo método não diferiram pelo teste Tukey, a 5% de probabilidade dos valores reais registrados por meio de dataloggers.

Digital monitoring of mycelium growth kinetics and vigor of shiitake (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler) on agar medium

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

Comparison of Two Methodologies for CD4+T Lymphocytes Relative Counting on Immune Monitoring of Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Considering that counting the percentage of CD4 T lymphocytes can add prognostic information regarding patients infected with HIV, the aim of this study was to evaluate the percentage values of CD4+ T lymphocytes from 81 patients determined by flow cytometry and estimated by flow cytometry in conjunction with a hematology counter. Means were compared through the Student's t-test. Pearson's correlation was determined, and the agreement between results was tested by Bland-Altman. The level of significance was P < 0.05. It was found a significantly higher mean difference between the relative values of CD4+ T lymphocytes to the hematologic counter (P < 0.05), for all strata studied. Positive and significant correlations (P < 0.01) were found between the strata CD4 < 200 cells/mL (r = 0.93), between 200 and 500 cells/mL (r = 0.65), and >500 cells/mL (r = 0.81). The limits of agreement were 1.0 +/- 3.8% for the stratum of CD4 < 200 cells/mL, approximately 2.2 +/- 13.5% for the stratum of CD4 between 200 and 500 cells/mL, and approximately 6.2 +/- 20.4% for the stratum > 500 cells/mL. The differences in the percentages of CD4+ T lymphocytes obtained by different methodologies could lead to conflict when used in clinical decisions related to the treatment and care of people infected with HIV.

Piezoelectric biosensors for real-time monitoring of hybridization and detection of hepatitis C virus

The piezoelectric quartz crystal resonators modified with oligonucleotide probes were used for detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in serum. The gold electrodes on either rough or smooth surface crystals were modified with a self-assembled monolayer of cystamine. After activation with glutaraldehyde, either avidin or streptavidin were immobilized and used for attachment of biotinylated DNA probes (four different sequences). Piezoelectric biosensors were used in a flow-through setup for direct monitoring of DNA resulting from the reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification of the original viral RNA. The samples of patients with hepatitis C were analyzed and the results were compared with the standard RT-PCR procedure (Amplicor test kit of Roche, microwell format with spectrophotometric evaluation). The piezoelectric hybridization assay was completed in 10 min and the same sensing surface was suitable for repeated use. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of the dissemination of Salmonella in the chicken Frankfurt-sausage production line of a sausage factory in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Poultry meat and its derivatives are among the foodstuffs considered by environmental health authorities to present the highest risks to the public. A total of 185 samples were collected in five monthly batches, from different processing stages in a sausage plant that uses mechanically-deboned chicken meat (MDCM) and tested for the presence of Salmonella. Enrichment was carried out in both Kauffman tetrathionate broth and Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth and isolation on Salmonella-Shigella agar and brilliant-green agar. Live Salmonella bacteria were isolated from six samples of the raw meat and from the emulsion, in batches three, four and five, but not from any sample in batches one or two. The six isolated strains were all classified as Salmonella Albany, which has not previously been reported in MDCM. of the two enrichment broths, Rappaport-Vassiliadis gave the better results. The Pattern of contamination suggests a probable common source, given that a new supplier was used in the third, fourth, and fifth months. It was also shown that the industrial cooking was effective in preventing Salmonella surviving in the final product.

Monitoring of cure kinetic prepreg and cure cycle modeling

Cure kinetic model is an integral part of composite process simulation, which is used to predict the degree of curing and the amount of the generated heat. The parameters involved in kinetic models are usually determined empirically from isothermal or dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data. In this work, DSC and rheological techniques were used to investigate some of the kinetic parameters of cure reactions of carbon/F161 epoxy prepreg and to evaluate the cure cycle used to manufacture polymeric composites for aeronautical applications. As a result, it was observed that the F161 prepreg presents cure kinetic with total order 1.2-1.9. (c) 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Ultrasonographic monitoring of early pregnancy development in Murrah buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis)

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

Evaluation of Laser Fluorescence in the Monitoring of the Initial Stage of the De-/Remineralization Process: An in vitro and in situ Study

This study aimed to evaluate laser fluorescence (LF) for monitoring the initial stage of subsurface de- and remineralization (<150 mu m depth). Ninety-six sound blocks of bovine enamel, selected according to surface hardness (SH) and LF were used in two experimental studies, in vitro and in situ. In vitro, blocks were exposed to a demineralizing solution, then remineralized by pH cycling for 6 days. In situ, 10 volunteers wore acrylic palatal appliances, each containing 4 dental enamel blocks that were demineralized for 14 days by exposure to 20% sucrose solution. Following this treatment, blocks were submitted to remineralization for 1 week with fluoride dentifrice (1,100 mu g F/g). In both experiments, SH and LH were measured after demineralization and after remineralization. Further, enamel blocks were selected after the demineralization/remineralization steps for measurement of cross-sectional hardness and integrated loss of subsurface hardness (Delta KHN). SH and Delta KHN showed significant differences among the phases in each study. LF values for sound, demineralized and remineralized enamel were: 5.2 +/- 1.1, 8.1 +/- 1.2 and 5.6 +/- 0.8, respectively, in the in vitro study, and 5.3 +/- 0.3, 16.5 +/- 4.7 and 6.5 +/- 2.5, respectively, in the in situ study, values for demineralized enamel being significantly higher than for sound and remineralized enamel in both studies. However, LF was correlated with Delta KHN only in situ. LF was capable of monitoring de- and remineralization in early lesions in situ, when bacteria are presumably present in the caries lesion body, but is not correlated with mineral changes in bacteria-free systems. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

Genetic monitoring of the Amazonian fish matrincha (Brycon cephalus) using RAPD markers: insights into supportive breeding and conservation programmes

The importance of genetic evaluations in aquaculture programmes has been increased significantly not only to improve effectiveness of hatchery production but also to maintain genetic diversity. In the present study, wild and captive populations of a commercially important neotropical freshwater fish, Brycon cephalus (Amazonian matrincha), were analyzed in order to evaluate the levels of genetic diversity in a breeding programme at a Brazilian research institute of tropical fish. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA fingerprinting was used to access the genetic variability of a wild stock from the Amazon River and of three captive stocks that correspond to consecutive generations from the fishery culture. Although farmed stocks showed considerably lower genetic variation than the wild population, a significantly higher level of polymorphism was detected in the third hatchery generation. The results seem to reflect a common breeding practice on several hatchery fish programmes that use a small number of parents as broodstocks, obtaining reproductive success with few non-identified mating couples. The obtained data were useful for discussing suitable strategies for the genetic management and biodiversity conservation of this species.

SAXS and UV-Vis combined to Quick-XAFS monitoring of ZnO nanoparticles formation and growth

Time-resolved X-ray absorption-fine structure (Quick-XAFS) and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopies were combined for monitoring simultaneously the time evolution of Zn-based species and ZnO quantum dot (Qdot) formation and growth during the sol-gel synthesis from zinc oxy-acetate precursor solution. The time evolution of the nanostructural features of colloidal suspension was independently monitored in situ by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). In both cases, the monitoring was initialized just after the addition of NaOH solution (B = [OH]/[Zn] = 0.5) to the precursor solution at 40 degrees C. Combined time-resolved Quick-XAFS and UV-Vis data showed that the formation of ZnO colloids from the zinc oxy-acetate consumption achieves a quasi-steady-state chemical equilibrium in less than 200s. Afterwards, the comparison of the ZnO Qdots size and Guinier gyration radius evidences a limited aggregation process coupled to the Qdots growth. The analysis of the experimental results demonstrates that the nanocrystal coalescence and Ostwald ripening control the kinetics of the Qdot growth.

Multi-spectroscopic monitoring of cisplatin-derived species delivery from ureasil polyether hybrid matrix

Driven by the challenges involved in the development of new advanced materials with unusual drug delivery profiles capable of improving the therapeutic and toxicological properties of existing cancer chemotherapy, the one-pot sol-gel synthesis of flexible, transparent and insoluble urea-cross-linked polyether-siloxane hybrids has been recently developed. In this one-pot synthesis, the strong interaction between the antitumor cisplatin (CisPt) molecules and the ureasil-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) hybrid matrix gives rise to the incorporation and release of an unknown CisPt-derived species, hindering the quantitative determination of the drug release pattern from the conventional UV-Vis absorption technique. In this article, we report the use of an original synchrotron radiation calibration method based on the combination of XAS and UV-Vis for the quantitative determination of the amount of Pt-based molecules released in water. Thanks to the combination of UV-Vis, XAS and Raman techniques, we demonstrated that both the CisPt molecules and the CisPt-derived species are loaded into an ureasil-PPO/ureasil-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) hybrid blend matrix. The experimentally determined molar extinction coefficient of the CisPt-derived species loaded into ureasil-PPO hybrid matrix enabled the simultaneous time-resolved monitoring of each Pt species released from this hybrid blend matrix.

QEXAFS and UV/Vis Simultaneous Monitoring of the TiO2-Nanoparticles Formation by Hydrolytic Sol-Gel Route

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Frequency of the BCR/ABL rearrangements and associated alterations detected by FISH during monitoring of patients taking imatinib mesylate in isolation

A introdução do mesilato de imatinibe como tratamento da leucemia mielóide crônica tem salvado muitos pacientes, mas o sucesso da terapia tem sido prejudicado pela resistência e possível não destruição do clone maligno. Este artigo descreve a resposta citogenética e padrões citogenéticos anormais envolvendo os genes ABL e BCR detectados por FISH em pacientes em uso exclusivo de imatinibe. Os resultados mostraram que outras alterações envolvendo os genes BCR e ABL não parecem estar relacionadas à resistência à droga, elas ocorrem em baixas freqüências e podem não estar associadas à resposta citogenética ou ao tempo de tratamento. Contudo, a resposta ao imatinibe parece ser individual e imprevisível, independente do tempo e do início do tratamento após o diagnóstico.