Economic viability of doses and split-applications of nitrogen fertilization in corn crop in a eutrophic Red Latosol

Nitrogen is the nutrient that is most absorbed by the corn crop, with the most complex management, and has the highest share on the cost of corn production. The objective of this work was to evaluate the economic viability of different rates and split-applications of nitrogen fertilization, as such as urea, in the corn crop in a eutrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol). The study was carried out in the Experimental Station of the Regional Pole of the Sao Paulo Northwest Agribusiness Development (APTA), in Votuporanga, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with nine treatments and four replications, consisting of five N rates: 0, 55, 95, 135 and 175 kg ha(-1), 15 kg ha-l applied in the seeding and the remainder in top dressing: 40 and 80 kg ha(-1) N at forty days after seeding (DAS), or 1/2 + 1/2 at 20 and 40 DAS; 120 kg ha-1 N split in 1/2 + 1/2 or 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 at 20, 40 or 60 DAS; 160 kg ha(-1) N split in 1/4 + 3/8 + 3/8 or 114 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 at 20, 40, 60 and 80 DAS. The application of 135 kg ha-l of N split in three times provided the best benefit/cost ratio. The non-application of N provided the lowest economic return, proving to be unviable.

Building a Open Source Framework for Virtual Medical Training

This paper presents a framework to build medical training applications by using virtual reality and a tool that helps the class instantiation of this framework. The main purpose is to make easier the building of virtual reality applications in the medical training area, considering systems to simulate biopsy exams and make available deformation, collision detection, and stereoscopy functionalities. The instantiation of the classes allows quick implementation of the tools for such a purpose, thus reducing errors and offering low cost due to the use of open source tools. Using the instantiation tool, the process of building applications is fast and easy. Therefore, computer programmers can obtain an initial application and adapt it to their needs. This tool allows the user to include, delete, and edit parameters in the functionalities chosen as well as storing these parameters for future use. In order to verify the efficiency of the framework, some case studies are presented.

BjussuSP-I: A new thrombin-like enzyme isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom

A thrombin-like enzyme named BjussuSP-I, isolated from B. jararacussu snake venom, is an acidic single chain glycoprotein with approximately 6% sugar, Mr = 61,000 under reducing conditions and pI similar to 3.8, representing 1.09% of the chromatographic A(280) recovery. BjussuSP-I is a glycosylated scrine protease containing both N-linked carbohydrates and sialic acid in its structure. BjussuSP-I showed a high clotting activity upon human plasma, which was inhibited by PMSF, leupeptin, heparin and 1,10-phenantroline. This enzyme showed high stability regarding coagulant activity when analyzed at different temperatures (-70 to 37 degrees C), pHs (4.5 to 8.0), and presence of two divalent metal ions (Ca2+ and Mg2+). It also displayed TAME esterase and proteolytic activities toward natural (fibrinogen and fibrin) and synthetic (BAPNA) substrates, respectively, being also inhibited by PMSF and leupeptin. BjussuSP-I can induce production of polyclonal antibodies able to inhibit its clotting activity, but unable to inhibit its proteolytic activity on fibrinogen. The enzyme also showed crossed immunoreactivity against I I venom samples of Bothrops, I of Crotalus, and I of Calloselasma snakes, in addition of LAAO isolated from B. moojeni venom. It displayed neither hemorrhagic, myotoxic, edema-inducing profiles nor proteolytic activity on casein. BjussuSP-I showed an N-terminal sequence (VLGGDECDfNEHPFLA FLYS) similar to other thrombin-like enzymes from snake venoms. Based on its biochemical, enzymatic and pharmacological characteristics, BjussuSP-I was identified as a new thrombin-like enzyme isoform from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization of BjussuSP-I, a new thrombin-like enzyme with procoagulant and kallikrein-like activity isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom

A thrombin-like enzyme, named BjussuSP-I, isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom, is an acidic single-chain glycoprotein with M-r = 61,000, pI similar to 3.8 and 6% sugar. BjussuSP-I shows high proteolytic activity upon synthetic substrates, such as S-2238 and S-2288. It also shows procoagulant and kallikrein-like activity, but is unable to act on platelets and plasmin. These activities are inhibited by specific inhibitors of this class of enzymes. The complete cDNA sequence of BjussuSP-I with 696 bp encodes open reading frames of 232 amino acid residues, which conserve the common domains of thrombin-like serine proteases. BjussuSP-I shows a high structural homology with other thrombin-like enzymes from snake venoms where common amino acid residues are identified as those corresponding to the catalytic site and subsites S1, S2 and S3 already reported. In this study, we also demonstrated the importance of N-linked glycans, to improve thrombin-like activity of BjussuSP-I toxin. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Validity of (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A as a radioligand for the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor' in rat atrium

1 We have recently suggested the existence in the heart of a 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor' based on the cardiostimulant effects of non-conventional partial agonists, compounds that cause cardiostimulant effects at greater concentrations than those required to block beta(1)- and Bz-adrenoceptors. We sought to obtain further evidence by establishing and validating a radioligand binding assay for this receptor with (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A ((-)-4-(3-tertiarybutylamino-2-hydroxypropoxy) benzimidazol-2-one) in rat atrium. We investigated (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A for this purpose for two reasons, because it is a nonconventional partial agonist and also because it is a hydrophilic radioligand. 2 Increasing concentrations of(-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A, in the absence or presence of 20 mu M (-)-CGP 12177A to define non-specific binding, resulted in a biphasic saturation isotherm. Low concentrations bound to beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors (pK(D) 9.4+/-0.1, B-max 26.9+/-3.1 fmol mg(-1) protein) and higher concentrations bound to the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor' (pK(D) 7.5+/-0.1, B-max 47.7+/-4.9 fmol mg(-1) protein). In other experiments designed to exclude beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors, (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A (1-200 nM) binding in the presence of 500 nM (-)-propranolol was also saturable (pK(D) 7.6+/-0.1, B-max 50.8+/-7.4 fmol mg(-1) protein). 3 The non-conventional partial agonists (-)-CGP 12177A (pK(i) 7.3+/-0.2), (+/-)-cyanopindolol (pK(i) 7.6+/-0.2), (-)-pindolol (pK(i) 6.6+/-0.1) and (+)-carazolol (pk(i), 7.2+/-0.2) and the antagonist (-)-bupranolol (pK(i) 6.6+/-0.2), all competed for (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A binding in the presence of 500 nM (-)-propranolol at the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor', with affinities closely similar to potencies and affinities determined in organ bath studies. 4 The catecholamines competed with (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A at the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor' in a stereoselective manner, (-)-noradrenaline (pK(iH) 6.3 +/- 0.3, pK(i), 3.5 +/- 0.1), (-)-adrenaline (pK(iH) 6.5 +/- 0.2, pK(iL) 2.9 +/- 0.1), (-)-isoprenaline (pK(iH) 6.2 +/- 0.5, pK(iL) 3.3 +/- 0.1), (+)-isoprenaline (pK(i) < 1.7), (-)-R0363 ((-)-(1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamino)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenoxy)-2-propranol)oxalate, pK(i) 5.5 +/- 0.1). 5 The inclusion of guanosine 5-triphosphate (GTP 0.1 mM) had no effect on binding of (-)-CGP 12177A or (-)-isoprenaline to the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor'. In competition binding studies, (-)-CGP 12177A competed with (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A for one receptor state in the absence (pK(i) 7.3 +/- 0.2) or presence of GTP (pK(i) 7.3 +/- 0.2). (-)-Isoprenaline competed with (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A for two states in the absence (pK(iH) 6.6 +/- 0.3, pK(iL) 3.5 +/- 0.1; % H 25 +/- 7) or presence of GTP (pK(iH) 6.2 +/- 0.5, pK(iL) 3.4 +/- 0.1; % H 37 +/- 6). In contrast, at beta(1)-adrenoceptors, GTP stabilized the low affinity state of the receptor for (-)-isoprenaline. 6 The specificity of binding to the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor' was tested with compounds active at other receptors. High concentrations of the beta(4)-adrenoceptor agonists, BRL 37344 ((RR + SS)[4-[2-[[2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxy -ethyl]amino]propyl]phenoxy]acetic acid, 6 mu M), SR 58611A (ethyl((7S)-7-[(2R)-2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethylamino]-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphtyl-2-yloxy) acetate hydrochloride, 6 mu M), ZD 2079 ((+/-)-1-phenyl-2-(2-4-carboxymethylphenoxy)-ethylamino)ethan-1-ol, 60 mu M), CL 316243 (disodium (R,R)-5-[2-[2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl-amino]propyl]- 1,3-benzodioxole-2,2-dicarboxylate, 60 mu M) and antagonist SR 59230A (3-(2-ethylphenoxy)-1-[(1S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphth-1-ylamino]-2S-2-propanol oxalate, 6 mu M) caused less than 22% inhibition of (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A binding in the presence of 500 nM (-)-propranolol. Histamine (1 mM), atropine (1 mu M), phentolamine (10 mu M), 5-HT(100 mu M) and the 5-HT4 receptor antagonist SE 207710 ((1-butyl-4-piperidinyl)-methyl 8-amino-7-iodo-1 ,4-benzodioxan-5-carboxylate, 10 nM) caused less than 26% inhibition of binding. 7 Non-conventional partial agonists, the antagonist (-)-bupranolol and catecholamines all competed for (-)-[H-3]-CGP 12177A binding in the absence of (-)-propranolol at beta(1)-adrenoceptors, with affinities (pK(i)) ranging from 1.6-3.6 log orders greater than at the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor'. 8 We have established and validated a radioligand binding assay in rat atrium for the 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor' which is distinct from beta(1)-, beta(2)- and beta(3)-adrenoceptors. The stereoselective interaction with the catecholamines provides further support for the classification of the receptor as 'putative beta(4)-adrenoceptor'.

A randomized controlled trial comparing a computer-assisted insulin infusion protocol with a strict and a conventional protocol for glucose control in critically ill patients

Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate blood glucose (BG) control efficacy and safety of 3 insulin protocols in medical intensive care unit (MICU) patients. Methods: This was a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 167 MICU patients with at least one BG measurement +/- 150 mg/dL and one or more of the following: mechanical ventilation, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, trauma, or burns. The interventions were computer-assisted insulin protocol (CAIP), with insulin infusion maintaining BG between 100 and 130 mg/dL; Leuven protocol, with insulin maintaining BG between 80 and 110 mg/dL; or conventional treatment-subcutaneous insulin if glucose > 150 mg/dL. The main efficacy outcome was the mean of patients` median BG, and the safety outcome was the incidence of hypoglycemia (<= 40 mg/dL). Results: The mean of patients` median BG was 125.0, 127.1, and 158.5 mg/dL for CAIP, Leuven, and conventional treatment, respectively (P = .34, CAIP vs Leuven; P < .001, CAIP vs conventional). In CAIP, 12 patients (21.4%) had at least one episode of hypoglycemia vs 24 (41.4%) in Leuven and 2 (3.8%) in conventional treatment (P = .02, CAIP vs Leuven; P = .006, CAIP vs conventional). Conclusions: The CAIP is safer than and as effective as the standard strict protocol for controlling glucose in MICU patients. Hypoglycemia was rare under conventional treatment. However, BG levels were higher than with IV insulin protocols. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fatty liver characterization and classification by ultrasound

Steatosis, also known as fatty liver, corresponds to an abnormal retention of lipids within the hepatic cells and reflects an impairment of the normal processes of synthesis and elimination of fat. Several causes may lead to this condition, namely obesity, diabetes, or alcoholism. In this paper an automatic classification algorithm is proposed for the diagnosis of the liver steatosis from ultrasound images. The features are selected in order to catch the same characteristics used by the physicians in the diagnosis of the disease based on visual inspection of the ultrasound images. The algorithm, designed in a Bayesian framework, computes two images: i) a despeckled one, containing the anatomic and echogenic information of the liver, and ii) an image containing only the speckle used to compute the textural features. These images are computed from the estimated RF signal generated by the ultrasound probe where the dynamic range compression performed by the equipment is taken into account. A Bayes classifier, trained with data manually classified by expert clinicians and used as ground truth, reaches an overall accuracy of 95% and a 100% of sensitivity. The main novelties of the method are the estimations of the RF and speckle images which make it possible to accurately compute textural features of the liver parenchyma relevant for the diagnosis.

Structured Light System Calibration for Perception in Underwater Tanks

The process of visually exploring underwater environments is still a complex problem. Underwater vision systems require complementary means of sensor information to help overcome water disturbances. This work proposes the development of calibration methods for a structured light based system consisting on a camera and a laser with a line beam. Two different calibration procedures that require only two images from different viewpoints were developed and tested in dry and underwater environments. Results obtained show, an accurate calibration for the camera/projector pair with errors close to 1 mm even in the presence of a small stereos baseline.

Virtual Campus for the University of Jaume I, Castelló, Spain: 3D Modelling of the Campus Buildings using CityEngine

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.

Infecção pelo HTLV-I/II no Estado da Bahia

A cidade do Salvador, capital do Estado da Bahia, apresenta a população com maior prevalência da infecção pelo HTLV-I no Brasil. Todavia, somente um estudo incluiu uma cidade do interior deste Estado, mesmo assim com número amostral pequeno. O objetivo foi o de avaliar a prevalência de anticorpos anti-HTLV-I/II na população de quatro cidades do interior do Estado da Bahia. As amostras de soro proveninentes de 1.539 indivíduos residentes em Catolândia, Ipupiara, Jacobina e Prado foram triadas através do ELISA, e a confirmação dos resultados nas amostras repetidamente positivas foi realizada através do "Western blot". Quarenta e sete (3,1%) amostras foram positivas pelo ELISA, e 44 destas foram submetidas ao Western blot, com 5 resultados positivos (0,3%), 8 (0,5%) indeterminados (todos da cidade de Jacobina) e 31 negativos. A prevalência geral de anticorpos anti-HTLV-I, nas cidades estudadas, foi de 0,3%. Esta prevalência variou de 0,0% (Prado) a 0,7% (Jacobina), porém não houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p > 0,21). Nenhum indivíduo apresentou anticorpos anti-HTLV-II. Em conclusão, a prevalência da infecção pelo HTLV-I no interior do Estado da Bahia foi baixa, contudo, a população da cidade de Jacobina apresentou a maior prevalência. No entanto, outros estudos epidemiológicos, clínicos e virológicos serão necessários para a melhor compreensão da história natural desta infecção em Jacobina.

Personalization platform for multimodal ubiquitous computing applications

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Interactive acquisition of spatial information from images for multimedia applications

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Informática

A refratariedade das aves ao "Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) cruzi" I. ausência de passagem para o sangue; duração da viabilidade e destruição dos parasitos na pele

Quatro frangos e três pombos (1ª e 2ª experiências) não se infectaram com o "T. (S.) cruzi" (amostra Y), injetados na pele com doses de 9,8 x10*5 a 3,8 x 10*6 parasitos (mistura de formas de cultivo tripomastigotos sangüíneos). Em outros 2 frangos (6ª experiência), a refratariedade não foi rompida com, respectivamente, 5 injeções peritoneais em dias alternados, de 2,8 x 10*6 a 6,1 x 10*6 parasitos, e 5 injeções peritoneais diárias do conteúdo de um cultivo suspenso em salina, adicionado de tripamastigotos sangüíneos, obtidos de 3 camundongos jovens infectados. E, ainda em outros 2 frangos (7ª experiência), a refratariedade não foi rompida associando-se a doses peritoneais de 8,1 x 10*6 e 3,5 x 10*7 parasitos, respectivamente, a ministração de dexametasona, seja com o início da droga no mesmo dia da inoculação (0,4 mg/8 doses/10 dias), seja com o ínicio da droga 3dias antes do dia da inoculação (0,4 mg/10 doses/12 dias). Nessas 11 aves a refratariedade foi comprovada pela inoculação do sangue em camundongos albinos recém-nascidos (total de 54 inoculaçoes negativas em 301 camundongos); e por 52 xenodiagnósticos negativos (total de 175 larvas e adultos de Triatoma infestans e Panstrongylys megistus). As inoculações e os xenodiagnósticos foram feitos entre 1 hora (h) e 96 h e aos 10, 20 e 30 dias depois da inoculação das aves. (Quadro 1). Portanto, além da refratariedade, ficou demonstrado que os parasitos não passam para o sangue circulante das aves. em 10 frangos (3ª, 4ª e 5ª experiências) inoculados na pele com, 1,9 x 10*6 a 3,7 x 10*6 parasitos, verificou-se a duração da viabilidade dos parasitos nas áreas injetadas. Estas foram puncionadas de 1/2 com 1/2 hora, e o material obtido microscopado e inoculado em camundongos recém-nascidos. De 17 inoculações feitas até às 8:30 h, doze foram positivas, inclusive a última; e de 13 inoculações feitas entre 9 e 90 h (as 4 primeiras ainda de 1/2 em 1/2 h), todas foram negativas. Por outro lado, de 10 xenodiagnósticos feitos nas áreas injetadas, entre 1/2h e 9 h após a inoculação das aves, apenas 2 foram positivos; e de 10 xenodiagnósticos feitos entre 9 e 90 h, todos foram negativos. (Quadro 2). Em 4 frangos (8ª experiência), 10 xenodiagnósticos foram feitos entre 1 e 10 h, sendo 2 positivos (7 h e 8 h). Apesar de dificuldades operacionais na execução dos xenodiagnósticos, nas condições experimentais deste trabalho, eles se mostraram inferiores ás inoculações em camundongos recém-nascidos, como prova diagnóstica laboratorial. Portanto, verificou-se que ainda são encontrados parasitos viáveis nas áreas injetadas, pelo menos até ás 8:30 h depois inoculação. todavia, a partir de 2 h após a inoculação os parasitos diminuem de número progressivamente nas áreas injetadas, ao mesmo tempo que mostram sensíveis alterações morfológicas, encontrando-se também muito deles mortos. Ao exame direto, não mais foram vistos depois das 5:30 h. As inoculações provocam na pele dos frangos...

Visualización estéreo

En este proyecto se muestran las posibilidades de la visión estéreo para la visualización en monitores tanto de objetos simples como de grandes escenarios, así como su aplicación en juegos o en otros ámbitos como el cine, la geología e incluso la medicina. Para el desarrollo se ha usado una tarjeta con soporte 3d como la Nvidia 7600GT y una pantalla con una tasa de frecuencia alta como una ACER 19 pulgadas a 100Hz. Los resultados sobre la visualización han sido extraídos de las opiniones de un grupo de 20 personas, de diversas profesiones, no relacionadas con los gráficos por ordenador.

Un estudi de les argumentacions d’estudiants anglesos i catalans en activitats de resolució de problemes no formals en ciències i de les estratègies didàctiques dels professors que afavoreixen l’argumentació a les classes

Una de les contribucions de la recerca sobre concepcions prèvies dels estudiants en ciències durant els darrers 25 anys ha estat mostrar la influència del context sociocultural dels nois i noies en les idees i concepcions que desenvolupen i mantenen des de la seva infància. Hi ha l’acord que algunes diferències en les concepcions poden dependre de la cultura social en la qual s’integren. Alguns investigadors també pensen que els esquemes argumentatius també poden ser influenciats per la cultura de les comunitats. Els contextos Català i Anglès semblen similars, ambdós formen part del context cultural de les societats desenvolupades; per tant, podem pensar que els esquemes argumentatius que els estudiants apliquen, poden tenir moltes similituds, però també importants diferències. Les dades analitzades provenen de les respostes escrites dels estudiants individuals i de les transcripcions de 8 grups de discussió sobre quatre tasques. L’anàlisi es fa a tres nivells: 1)comparació del nombre d’arguments entre tasques i entre països, 2) qualitativa i descriptiva comparació entre tipus d’esquemes argumentatius per tasques i per països i 3) explicació de tipus d’esquemes argumentatius que es donen molt, i identificació d’estructures argumentatives complexes que lliguen diversos esquemes en un argument més gran i que poden caracteritzar l’argumentació d’alguns grups (aplicant Toulmin) i que poden ser indicadors d’aspectes cooperatius i de canvis de punts de vista en les discussions. Els resultants ens indiquen que encara que els estudiants Catalans dediquen més temps a les discussions, la ratio nombre d’esquemes per unitat de temps és similar als dos països. S’han trobar algunes diferències entre tipus d'esquemes per països i per tasques, també que molts arguments es basen en valors i idees preconcebudes. S’han pogut identificar també algunes estructures argumentatives complexes no gaire comunes.