Reactive power planning under conditional-value-at-risk assessment using chance-constrained optimisation

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

Prognostic value of canine frozen-thawed semen parameters on in vitro sperm-oocyte interactions

Combining the data from conventional semen analysis with oocyte penetration assays should improve the assessment of the fertilizing ability of a semen sample. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of various semen parameters on the in vitro interactions between frozen-thawed canine sperm and homologous oocytes. Ten ejaculates from five stud dogs (two ejaculates/dog) were collected by digital manipulation. Semen samples were evaluated, extended in Tris-egg yolk-glycerol, frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen, and thawed several weeks later. Samples were evaluated for motility and sperm populations by computer-aided semen analysis (CASA), plasma membrane integrity (carboxy-fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide), and sperm morphology (Bengal Rose). Thawed spermatozoa were also incubated with homologous oocytes for 18 h in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% air at 38 degrees C and sperm-oocyte interactions were evaluated. Simple linear regression models were calculated, with sperm parameters as independent variables and sperm-oocyte interactions as the dependent variable. There were significant associations between: percentage of oocytes bound to spermatozoa and beat cross frequency (BCF; R-2 = 63%); percentage of oocytes that interacted with spermatozoa and BCF (R-2 = 73%); and number of penetrated spermatozoa and velocity average pathway (VAP; R-2 = 64%) and velocity straight line (VSL; R-2 = 64%). Although plasma membrane integrity and sperm morphology had little prognostic value for in vitro interactions between canine frozen-thawed sperm and homologous oocytes, some motility patterns (evaluated by CASA) were predictive of in vitro sperm-oocyte interactions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiographic assessment of photodynamic therapy as an adjunctive treatment on induced periodontitis in immunosuppressed rats

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess radiographically the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an adjunctive treatment to scaling and root planing (SRP) on induced periodontitis in dexamethasone-induced immunosuppressed rats. Material and Methods: The animals were divided into 2 groups: ND group (n=60): saline treatment; D group (n=60): dexamethasone treatment. In both ND and D groups, periodontal disease was induced by the placement of a ligature in the left first mandibular molar. After 7 days, ligature was removed and all animals received SRP, being divided according to the following treatments: SRP: saline and PDT: phenothiazinium dye (TBO) plus laser irradiation. Ten animals per treatment were killed at 7, 15 and 30 days. The distance between the cementoenamel junction and the height of the alveolar bone crest in the mesial surface of the mandibular left first molars was determined in millimeters in each radiograph. The radiographic values were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey's test at a p value <0.05. Results: Intragroup radiographic assessment (ND and D groups) showed that there was statistically significant less bone loss in the animals treated with PDT in all experimental periods compared to those submitted to SRP. Intergroup radiographic analysis (ND and D groups) demonstrated that there was greater bone loss in the ND group treated with SRP compared to the D group treated with PDT at 7 and 30 days. Conclusion: PDT was an effective adjunctive treatment to SRP on induced periodontitis in dexamethasone-induced immunosuppressed rats.

Comparative assessment of the flow rate of root canal sealers

OBJETIVO: Este estudo avaliou o escoamento do Acroseal, AH Plus, Endomethasone N, Sealapex e ActiV GP de acordo com a especificação ISO 6876/2001. METODOLOGIA: Um volume de 0,05 mL do cimento manipulado de acordo com as recomendações do fabricante foi colocado numa placa de vidro. Aos 180±5 s após o início da espatulação, uma segunda placa de vidro foi colocada sobre o cimento, seguida por um peso de massa de 100 g para fazer um total de 120±2 g. Dez minutos após o começo da manipulação o peso foi removido e o valor do diâmetro do disco de cimento foi mensurado. A média de 3 mensurações para cada cimento foi tomada como o escoamento do material. Os dados foram comparados estatisticamente pelos testes ANOVA e Tukey. RESULTADOS: Os escoamentos obtidos foram: Acroseal 21.,4 mm, AH Plus 22,72 mm, ActiV GP 24,90 mm, Endomethasone N 18,76 mm e Sealapex 25,15 mm. CONCLUSÃO: Apenas o Endomethasone N não se enquadrou na especificação ISO a qual requer que o cimento tenha um diâmetro não inferior a 20 mm. O Sealapex alcançou o melhor escoamento, mas não foi estatisticamente diferente do Activ GP e AH Plus (P>0,05).

Nutritional assessment of hospitalized HIV-infected patients by the phase angle z-score measurement

Background: This study analyzed the phase-angle (PA) values of hospitalized HVI-infected patients by comparing them with those reported for a healthy population and investigated their relation with nutritional parameters.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including 101 hospitalized patients diagnosed with HIV infection and evaluated by bioimpedance, anthropometry and biochemical tests. The phase angle values, weight loss percentage (%WL), body mass index (BMI), arm muscle circumference (AMC), tricipital skinfold (TSF), body fat percentage (%BF) and albumin were considered. In order to compare with values for the healthy population, the PA z-score of the patients under study was calculated. Spearman's correlation and the multiple linear regression model were used to identify nutritional parameters associated with the PA z-score.Results: The patients showed a mean PA z-score of -2.6 +/- 1.5, and only 6.6% of them with a positive value. The PA z-score values correlated with %WL (r = -0.51; p < 0.0001), albumin (r = 0.49; p < 0.0001), BMI (r = 0.58; p < 0.0001), AMC (r = 0.41; p < 0.0001), TSF (r = 0.47; p < 0.001) and %BF (r = 0.48, p < 0.0001). In multiple analysis %WL (p = 0.008), albumin (p = 0.01), AMC (p < 0.0001) and %BF (p = 0.0003) remained associated with the score.Conclusions: Low PA z-score values were observed, suggesting a worse clinical prognosis for the patients. The inclusion of the PA z-score as a nutritional indicator during care provision to HIV-infected patients is recommended. (Nutr Hosp. 2012;27:771-774) DOI:10.3305/nh.2012.27.3.5684

Assessment of luteal function in goats by ultrasonographic image attribute analysis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A lung computed tomographic assessment of positive end-expiratory pressure-induced lung overdistension

The aim of this study was to assess positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)-induced lung overdistension and alveolar recruitment in six patients with acute lung injury (ALI) using a computed tomographic (CT) scan method. Lung overdistension was first determined in six healthy volunteers in whom CT sections were obtained at FRC and at TLC with a positive airway pressure of 30 cm H2O. In patients, lung volumes were quantified by the analysis of the frequency distribution of CT numbers on the entire lung at zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) and PEEP. In healthy volunteers at FRC, the distribution of the density histograms was monophasic with a peak at -791 ± 12 Hounsfield units (HU). The lowest CT number observed was -912 HU. At TLC, lung volume increased by 79 ± 35% and the peak CT number decreased to -886 ± 26 HU. More than 70% of the increase in lung volume was located below -900 HU, suggesting that this value can be considered as the threshold separating normal aeration from overdistension. In patients with ALI, at ZEEP the distribution of density histograms was either monophasic (n = 3) or biphasic (n = 3). The mean CT number was -319 ± 34 HU. At PEEP 13 ± 3 cm H2O, lung volume increased by 47 ± 19% whereas mean CT number decreased to -538 ± 171 HU. PEEP induced a mean alveolar recruitment of 320 ± 160 ml and a mean lung overdistension of 238 ± 320 ml. In conclusion, overdistended lung parenchyma of healthy volunteers is characterized by a CT number below -900 HU. This threshold can be used in patients with ALI for differentiating PEEP-induced alveolar recruitment from lung overdistension.

Poult intestinal organ culture for propagation of Turkey coronavirus and assessment of host-virus interactions

Infection of young poults with turkey coronavirus (TCoV) produces a syndrome characterized by acute enteritis, diarrhea, anorexia, ruffled feathers, decreased body weight gain and uneven flock growth. The objective of this study was to standardize an intestinal organ culture (IOC) in order to assess host-virus interaction related to apoptosis. For this purpose the Brazilian strain (TCoV/Brazil/2006 with GenBank accession number FJ188401), was used for infection. Infected IOC cells had mitochondrial dysfunction and initial nuclear activation with MTT value of 90.7 (± 2.4) and apoptotic factor 2.21 (± 2.1), considered statistically different from uninfected IOC cells (p > 0.05). The kinetics of TCoV antigens and viral RNA was directly correlated to annexin-V, caspases- 2 and -3, p53, BCl-2 antigens at 24, 72 and 96 h post-infection (p.i.). Morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis, such as in situ nuclear fragmentation (TUNEL and annexin-V) and DNA ladder formation were also detected in infected cells at all assayed p.i. intervals. Moreover, different from other coronaviruses, the expression of both effective caspase-2 and - 3 and p53 antigens were considered lower. However, at all p.i., the BCl-2 antigens were expressed quantitatively and qualitatively as viral antigen measured by immunofluorescence microscopy analysis. Because the diagnosis of TCoV infection is only performed by infecting embryonated poult eggs, the pathological characteri tics related to host-virus interaction remain unclear. This is the first report on apoptosis of TCoV infected IOC, and reveals that it may be useful immunological method to assess virus pathogenesis.

The assessment of the quality of sugar using electronic tongue and machine learning algorithms

The correct classification of sugar according to its physico-chemical characteristics directly influences the value of the product and its acceptance by the market. This study shows that using an electronic tongue system along with established techniques of supervised learning leads to the correct classification of sugar samples according to their qualities. In this paper, we offer two new real, public and non-encoded sugar datasets whose attributes were automatically collected using an electronic tongue, with and without pH controlling. Moreover, we compare the performance achieved by several established machine learning methods. Our experiments were diligently designed to ensure statistically sound results and they indicate that k-nearest neighbors method outperforms other evaluated classifiers and, hence, it can be used as a good baseline for further comparison. © 2012 IEEE.

An assessment approach for application of spermatic data in phylogenetic analyses: Within the genus Moenkhausia Eigenmann, 1903 (Characiformes: Characidae)

Spermiogenesis and sperm ultrastructure from 21 species of Moenkhausia and others related genera are described. To evaluate the phylogenetic signals, 18 unordered characters were utilized in implied weighting analysis through the program TNT 1.1. Four variations of spermiogenesis were found. In the earliest spermatids, the nucleus can be positioned lateral, eccentric, strongly eccentric or nearly medial in relation to the distal centriole. The nuclear rotation can be present or absent. These spermiogenesis processes are related or intermediate to Type I and Type III. Taking into account the degrees of nuclear rotation during the spermiogenesis and other characteristics, distinct forms of spermatozoa are observed among the species analyzed. The phylogenetic analysis yielded a single most parsimonious tree with fit value 2.70000 and the topology obtained founds Moenkhausia as non-monophyletic. However, some hypothesis of relationships previously proposed viz the clade 20, which contains the type species Moenkhausia xinguensis, is recovered herein. This clade is supported by five synapomorphies, and it allows the supposition that these species constitute a monophyletic group. The whole topology is presented and discussed. © 2012 The Authors. Acta Zoologica © 2012 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Assessment of central venous catheter-associated infections using semi-quantitative or quantitative culture methods

Semiquantitative (Maki) and quantitative (Brun- Buisson) culture techniques were employed in the diagnosis of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in patients who have a short-term central venous catheter (inserted for 30 days). The diagnosis of CRBSI was based on the results of semiquantitative and quantitative culture of material from the removed catheters. Catheter tips (118) from 100 patients were evaluated by both methods. Semiquantitative analysis revealed 34 catheters (28.8%) colonized by ≥15 colonyforming units (cfu), while quantitative cultures (34 catheters, 28.8%) showed the growth of ≥103 cfu/mL. Bacteremia was confirmed in four patients by isolating microorganisms of identical species from both catheters and blood samples. Using the semiquantitative culture technique on short-term central venous catheter tips, we have shown that with a cut-off level of ≥15 cfu, the technique had 100.0% sensitivity, specificity of 68.4%, 25.0% positive predictive value (PPV) and 100.0% negative predictive value (NPV), efficiency of 71.4% and a prevalence of 9.5%. The quantitative method, with a cut-off limit of ≥103 cfu/mL, gave identical values: the sensitivity was 100.0%, specificity 68.4%, positive predictive value (PPV) 25.0%, negative predictive value (NPV) 100.0%, efficiency 71.4% and prevalence 9.5%. We concluded that the semiquantitative and quantitative culture methods, evaluated in parallel, for the first time in Brazil, have similar sensitivity and specificity. Keywords: central venous catheter; semi-quantitative culture; quantitative culture; catheter-related bacteremia.

Assessment of the Correlation Between Insertion Torque and Resonance Frequency Analysis of Implants Placed in Bone Tissue of Different Densities

The primary stability of dental implants is fundamental for osseointegration. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the correlation between insertion torque (IT) and resonance frequency analysis (RFA) of implants placed in mandibles and maxillas of different bone densities. Eighty dental implants were placed in maxillas and mandibles, and IT and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) were measured at the time of implant insertion. Bone density was assessed subjectively by the Lekholm and Zarb index. The type I and II densities were grouped together (group A)as were the type III and IV densities (group B). The IT in group A was higher (Student t test, P = .0013) than in group B (46.27 +/- 18.51 Ncm, 33.62 +/- 14.74 Ncm, respectively). The implants placed in group A showed higher ISQ (Student t test, P = .0004) than those placed in group B (70.09 +/- 7.50, 63.66 +/- 8.00, respectively). A significant correlation between IT and the ISQ value was observed for group A (Pearson correlation test; r = 0.35; P = .0213) and for group B (r = 0.37; P = .0224). Within the limitations of this study, it was possible to conclude that there is a correlation between IT and RFA of implants placed in mandibles and maxillas of different bone densities.

MicroRNA Signature Obtained From the Comparison of Aggressive With Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: Potential Prognostic Value in Mantle-Cell Lymphoma

Purpose Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) has a variable natural history but is incurable with current therapies. MicroRNAs (miRs) are useful in prognostic assessment of cancer. We determined an miR signature defining aggressiveness in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and assessed whether this signature aids in MCL prognosis.MethodsWe assessed miR expression in a training set of 43 NHL cases. The miR signature was validated in 44 additional cases and examined on a training set of 119 MCL cases from four institutions in Canada. miRs significantly associated with overall survival were examined in an independent cohort of 114 MCL cases to determine association with patient outcome. miR expression was combined with current clinical prognostic factors to develop an enhanced prognostic model in patients with MCL.ResultsFourteen miRs were differentially expressed between aggressive and indolent NHL; 11 of 14 were validated in an independent set of NHL (excluding MCL). miR-127-3p and miR-615-3p were significantly associated with overall survival in the MCL training set. Their expression was validated in an independent MCL patient set. In comparison with Ki-67, expression of these miRs was more significantly associated with overall survival among patients with MCL. miR-127-3p was combined with Ki-67 to create a new prognostic model for MCL. A similar model was created with miR-615-3p and Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index scores.ConclusionEleven miRs are differentially expressed between aggressive and indolent NHL. Two novel miRs were associated with overall survival in MCL and were combined with clinical prognostic models to generate novel prognostic data for patients with MCL. (C) 2013 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

Pelvic differences between brachycephalic and mesaticephalic cats and indirect pelvimetry assessment

Pelvic measurements were carried out in cats with various cranial conformations to (1) determine pelvic morphometry, (2) compare any pelvic differences with cranial conformation and gender and (3) determine whether body biometrics can be used to predict pelvic measurements. Thirteen brachycephalic and 14 mesaticephalic female cats and 17 brachycephalic and nine mesaticephalic male cats were used. Body and external pelvic measurements, as well as pelvic radiographs, were performed. Brachycephalic females all had external pelvic and radiographic measurements that were significantly smaller than those of the mesaticephalic females, including smaller pelvic inlet and outlet areas and a smaller pelvic canal shape. Brachycephalic females had wider and flatter heads than do mesaticephalic females. Similarly, brachycephalic males all have radiographic pelvic measurements that are smaller than those of mesaticephalic males. Males had larger pelvis measurements than did their female counterparts for both cranial types, and indirect pelvimetry did not demonstrate good predictive value in determining the internal pelvic measurements. Thus, we conclude that pelvic differences exist between genders and between brachycephalic and mesaticephalic cats. Furthermore, body biometric measurements do not have good predictive value for determining internal pelvic measurements.

Translation and cultural adaptation of Brazilian Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting: conceptual and semantic equivalence

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