Diagnóstico precoce do câncer de mama e colo uterino em mulheres do município de Guarapuava, PR, Brasil

O objetivo desta pesquisa é identificar a freqüência com que é realizado o diagnóstico precoce do câncer de mama e de colo uterino no município de Guarapuava, Paraná. Realizou-se estudo transversal de base populacional, incluindo 885 mulheres com idade mínima de 18 anos, no período de outubro a dezembro de 2006. Considerou-se nível de confiança de 95% e margem de erro de 3% para cálculo amostral. Utilizou-se o software Statistica versão 7.1 para a análise dos dados, considerando nível de significância de 5%. O auto-exame das mamas foi realizado por 63% das entrevistadas e o exame clínico em 49%. A mamografia foi realizada por menos de um quarto da amostra. A prevenção do câncer de colo uterino foi praticada pela maioria das mulheres (80%). Conclui-se que as mulheres da amostra estudada realizam exames preventivos de câncer de mama com menos freqüência, se comparado ao exame preventivo de colo de útero.

Temporal diffeomorphic free-form deformation: application to motion and strain estimation from 3D echocardiography

This paper presents a new registration algorithm, called Temporal Di eomorphic Free Form Deformation (TDFFD), and its application to motion and strain quanti cation from a sequence of 3D ultrasound (US) images. The originality of our approach resides in enforcing time consistency by representing the 4D velocity eld as the sum of continuous spatiotemporal B-Spline kernels. The spatiotemporal displacement eld is then recovered through forward Eulerian integration of the non-stationary velocity eld. The strain tensor iscomputed locally using the spatial derivatives of the reconstructed displacement eld. The energy functional considered in this paper weighs two terms: the image similarity and a regularization term. The image similarity metric is the sum of squared di erences between the intensities of each frame and a reference one. Any frame in the sequence can be chosen as reference. The regularization term is based on theincompressibility of myocardial tissue. TDFFD was compared to pairwise 3D FFD and 3D+t FFD, bothon displacement and velocity elds, on a set of synthetic 3D US images with di erent noise levels. TDFFDshowed increased robustness to noise compared to these two state-of-the-art algorithms. TDFFD also proved to be more resistant to a reduced temporal resolution when decimating this synthetic sequence. Finally, this synthetic dataset was used to determine optimal settings of the TDFFD algorithm. Subsequently, TDFFDwas applied to a database of cardiac 3D US images of the left ventricle acquired from 9 healthy volunteers and 13 patients treated by Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT). On healthy cases, uniform strain patterns were observed over all myocardial segments, as physiologically expected. On all CRT patients, theimprovement in synchrony of regional longitudinal strain correlated with CRT clinical outcome as quanti ed by the reduction of end-systolic left ventricular volume at follow-up (6 and 12 months), showing the potential of the proposed algorithm for the assessment of CRT.

Dynamic estimation of three-dimensional cerebrovascular deformation from rotational angiography

Purpose: The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of detecting and quantifying 3D cerebrovascular wall motion from a single 3D rotational x-ray angiography (3DRA) acquisition within a clinically acceptable time and computing from the estimated motion field for the further biomechanical modeling of the cerebrovascular wall. Methods: The whole motion cycle of the cerebral vasculature is modeled using a 4D B-spline transformation, which is estimated from a 4D to 2D + t image registration framework. The registration is performed by optimizing a single similarity metric between the entire 2D + t measured projection sequence and the corresponding forward projections of the deformed volume at their exact time instants. The joint use of two acceleration strategies, together with their implementation on graphics processing units, is also proposed so as to reach computation times close to clinical requirements. For further characterizing vessel wall properties, an approximation of the wall thickness changes is obtained through a strain calculation. Results: Evaluation on in silico and in vitro pulsating phantom aneurysms demonstrated an accurate estimation of wall motion curves. In general, the error was below 10% of the maximum pulsation, even in the situation when substantial inhomogeneous intensity pattern was present. Experiments on in vivo data provided realistic aneurysm and vessel wall motion estimates, whereas in regions where motion was neither visible nor anatomically possible, no motion was detected. The use of the acceleration strategies enabled completing the estimation process for one entire cycle in 5-10 min without degrading the overall performance. The strain map extracted from our motion estimation provided a realistic deformation measure of the vessel wall. Conclusions: The authors' technique has demonstrated that it can provide accurate and robust 4D estimates of cerebrovascular wall motion within a clinically acceptable time, although it has to be applied to a larger patient population prior to possible wide application to routine endovascular procedures. In particular, for the first time, this feasibility study has shown that in vivo cerebrovascular motion can be obtained intraprocedurally from a 3DRA acquisition. Results have also shown the potential of performing strain analysis using this imaging modality, thus making possible for the future modeling of biomechanical properties of the vascular wall.

Assignment strategies for large proteins by magic-angle spinning NMR: the 21-kDa disulfide-bond-forming enzyme DsbA.

We present strategies for chemical shift assignments of large proteins by magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR, using the 21-kDa disulfide-bond-forming enzyme DsbA as prototype. Previous studies have demonstrated that complete de novo assignments are possible for proteins up to approximately 17 kDa, and partial assignments have been performed for several larger proteins. Here we show that combinations of isotopic labeling strategies, high field correlation spectroscopy, and three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) backbone correlation experiments yield highly confident assignments for more than 90% of backbone resonances in DsbA. Samples were prepared as nanocrystalline precipitates by a dialysis procedure, resulting in heterogeneous linewidths below 0.2 ppm. Thus, high magnetic fields, selective decoupling pulse sequences, and sparse isotopic labeling all improved spectral resolution. Assignments by amino acid type were facilitated by particular combinations of pulse sequences and isotopic labeling; for example, transferred echo double resonance experiments enhanced sensitivity for Pro and Gly residues; [2-(13)C]glycerol labeling clarified Val, Ile, and Leu assignments; in-phase anti-phase correlation spectra enabled interpretation of otherwise crowded Glx/Asx side-chain regions; and 3D NCACX experiments on [2-(13)C]glycerol samples provided unique sets of aromatic (Phe, Tyr, and Trp) correlations. Together with high-sensitivity CANCOCA 4D experiments and CANCOCX 3D experiments, unambiguous backbone walks could be performed throughout the majority of the sequence. At 189 residues, DsbA represents the largest monomeric unit for which essentially complete solid-state NMR assignments have so far been achieved. These results will facilitate studies of nanocrystalline DsbA structure and dynamics and will enable analysis of its 41-kDa covalent complex with the membrane protein DsbB, for which we demonstrate a high-resolution two-dimensional (13)C-(13)C spectrum.

Maintaining dendritic cell viability in culture.

When mouse dendritic cells (DCs) are isolated from tissues, purified and placed in a nutritive culture they die more rapidly than would be expected from their normal turnover in vivo. This can distort culture assays of DC function. We therefore tested several approaches to prolonging DC survival in culture. Of several cytokines tested granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor was most effective at preserving the viability of conventional DCs (cDCs) but was ineffective for plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs). Surprisingly, Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, crucial for DC development, produced only a marginal improvement in DC survival in culture, and interleukin-3, reported to prevent apoptosis of human pDCs, produced only a minor improvement in survival of mouse DCs. Genetic manipulation of cell death pathways was also tested, to avoid activation effects exerted by cytokine signalling. The isolation of DCs from mice overexpressing Bcl-2 was especially effective in maintaining pDC viability but gave a lesser improvement in cDC viability. DCs isolated from Bim(-/-)Noxa(-/-) mice also showed improved culture survival, but in this case with pDCs showing the least improvement.

Tortugas marinas durante el 2010 en Pisco, Perú

Durante el 2010, se capturó 55 ejemplares de tortuga verde Chelonia mydas en La Aguada (13°51’S y 76°15’W) al sureste de la bahía de Paracas; el número promedio de tortugas capturadas por kilómetro de red tendida fue 3,08±2,5; el tamaño promedio de la LCC fue 60,3±10,5cm; el 78% de los ejemplares presentaron el patrón 5c, 4d, 4i y 11d, 11i, para los escudos centrales, costales y marginales, respectivamente. La TSM donde se capturaron varió entre 15,2 y 20,9 °C, la mayor ocurrencia de tortugas se registró de 18,5 a 20 °C. Los epibiontes más representativos fueron Platylepas hexastylos (56,8%), Conchoderma virgatum (26,9%) y Chelonibia testudinaria (13,3%); la ocurrencia de los ítems alimenticios: Clorophyta (78%), Rhodophyta (30%), Cnidaria (43%), Crustacea (43%), Polichaeta (17%), Mollusca (17%), arena (26%) y plástico (17%); el 72% de las tortugas presentaron cobertura algal, de las cuales el 65% fue el alga verde Enteromorpha sp.

Ventricular but not atrial electro-mechanical delay of the embryonic heart is altered by anoxia-reoxygenation and improved by nitric oxide.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Excitation-contraction coupling is modulated by nitric oxide (NO) which otherwise has either beneficial or detrimental effects on myocardial function during hypoxia-reoxygenation. This work aimed at characterizing the variations of electromechanical delay (EMD) induced by anoxia-reoxygenation within the developing heart and determining whether atrial and ventricular EMD are modulated by NO to the same extent. METHODS: Hearts of 4 or 4.5-day-old chick embryos were excised and submitted in vitro to normoxia (45 min), anoxia (30 min) and reoxygenation (60 min). Electrocardiogram and atrial and ventricular contractions were simultaneously recorded throughout experiment. Anoxia-reoxygenation-induced chrono-, dromo-and inotropic disturbances and changes in EMD in atrium (EMDa) and ventricle (EMDv) were investigated in control hearts and in hearts exposed to 0.1, 1, 10, 50 and 100 microM of DETA-NONOate (a NO donating agent) or to 50 microM of L-NAME (a NOS inhibitor). RESULTS: Under normoxia, heart rate, PR interval, ventricular shortening velocity, EMDa and EMDv were similar in control, L-NAME-treated and DETA-NONOate-treated hearts. Under anoxia, cardiac activity became markedly erratic within less than 10 min in all groups. At the onset of reoxygenation, EMDv was increased by about 300% with respect to the preanoxic value while EMDa did not vary significatively. Compared to control conditions, L-NAME or DETA-NONOate had no influence on the negative chrono-, dromo- and inotropic effects induced by anoxia-reoxygenation. However, L-NAME prolonged EMDv during anoxia and delayed EMDv recovery during reoxygenation while 100 microM DETA-NONOate had the opposite effects. EMDa was neither affected by NOS inhibitor nor NO donor. At the end of reoxygenation, all the investigated parameters returned to their basal values. CONCLUSION: This work provides evidence that a NO-dependent pathway is involved in regulation of the ventricular excitation-contraction coupling in the anoxic-reoxygenated developing heart.

BAFF, APRIL and their receptors: structure, function and signaling.

BAFF, APRIL and their receptors play important immunological roles, especially in the B cell arm of the immune system. A number of splice isoforms have been described for both ligands and receptors in this subfamily, some of which are conserved between mouse and human, while others are species-specific. Structural and mutational analyses have revealed key determinants of receptor-ligand specificity. BAFF-R has a strong selectivity for BAFF; BCMA has a higher affinity for APRIL than for BAFF, while TACI binds both ligands equally well. The molecular signaling events downstream of BAFF-R, BCMA and TACI are still incompletely characterized. Survival appears to be mediated by upregulation of Bcl-2 family members through NF-kappaB activation, degradation of the pro-apototic Bim protein, and control of subcellular localization of PCKdelta. Very little is known about other signaling events associated with receptor engagement by BAFF and APRIL that lead for example to B cell activation or to CD40L-independent Ig switch.

Distribuição do amônio, nitrato, potássio e fósforo em colunas de latossolos fertirrigadas

Na fertirrigação, é conveniente aplicar os nutrientes de forma a conseguir sua localização na profundidade mais adequada para absorção por parte das culturas: em maior profundidadepara a cultura perene e, mais superficialmente, nas culturas de ciclo curto. Com os objetivos de estabelecer em que fração da lâmina de irrigação devem ser aplicada as doses de N (NH4+ e NO3-); K+ e H2PO4-, de investigar qual o melhor fracionamento de suas doses, de modo a localizá-los na profundidade adequada, e de determinar a distribuição na coluna de NH4+, NO3-, K+ e H2PO4- aplicados por fertirrigação, foi realizado um experimento em laboratório, utilizando colunas de percolação. Os tratamentos corresponderam a um fatorial 4 (1 + 7), sendo quatro Latossolos de Minas Gerais [dois Latossolos Vermelho-Amarelos distróficos (LVAd1 e LVAd2), um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico (LVdf) e um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (LVd)], uma testemunha (aplicação de água deionizada) e sete formas de aplicação de 1 mmol dm-3 de NH4+, 1 mmol dm-3 de NO3-, 2 mmol dm-3 de K+ e 0,667 mmol dm-3 de H2PO4-. A lâmina de água foi dividida em cinco frações iguais (F1 a F5) e a dose dos nutrientes aplicada integralmente (D), ou fracionada em duas (D1/2) ou em três vezes (D1/3). Assim, a aplicação dos nutrientes foi feita segundo o esquema: F2D, F3D, F4D, F2D1/2F3D1/2 , F3D1/2F4D 1/2, F2D1/2F4D1/2 ou F2D1/3F3D1/3 F4D1/3. Subamostras foram utilizadas na análise de NH4+; NO3-; K+ e H2PO4-, determinando-se a distribuição desses nutrientes na coluna de solo. A mobilidade apresentou a seguinte ordem nos solos LVAd1, LVAd2 e LVd: NO3- > NH4+ > K+ > H2PO4-. Já para o solo LVdf, a ordem foi NH4+ > NO3- > K+ > H2PO4-. A ordem de risco de contaminação de águas subterrâneas por NO3- foi a seguinte: LVAd1 > LVAd2 > LVdf > LVd. A quantidade de água acrescentada a cada coluna, inferior a meio volume de poros, não foi suficiente para deslocar o H2PO4- além do primeiro anel. Para os outros íons em estudo, a localização em maior profundidade, quando aplicados como pulso único, foi verificada com a maior concentração no pulso (D > D1/2 > D 1/3) e com a maior lâmina de água posterior à sua aplicação (F2D > F3D > F 4D e F2D1/2F3D1/2 > F3D1/2F4D1/2 ). Os resultados evidenciam que a mobilidade diferencial de N (NH4+ e NO3-) e K+ exigiria escolha cuidadosa das doses desses nutrientes na solução, a fim de evitar perdas de N (NH4+ e NO3-) por lixiviação, ou localização excessivamente superficial do K+. A baixa mobilidade do H2PO4- mostra que a fertirrigação não seria uma técnica apropriada para sua incorporação no perfil do solo, visando à fertilização das culturas.

Kerr measurements on single-domain SrRuO3 thin films

We report on the magneto-optical measurements of an epitaxial SrRuO3 film grown on SrTiO3 (0 0 1), which previously was determined to be single domain orientated by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques. Our experiments reveal a large Kerr rotation, which reaches a maximum value of about 0.5° at low temperature. By measuring magnetic hysteresis loops at different temperatures, we determined the temperature dependence of the Kerr rotation in the polar configuration. Values of the anisotropic magnetoresistance ~ 20% have been measured. These values are remarkably higher than those of other metallic oxides such as manganites. This striking difference can be attributed to the strong spin-orbit interaction of the Ru 4d ion in the SrRuO3 compound.

Brane-world creation and black holes

An inflating brane world can be created from ``nothing'' together with its anti-de Sitter (AdS) bulk. The resulting space-time has compact spatial sections bounded by the brane. During inflation, the continuum of KK modes is separated from the massless zero mode by the gap m=(3/2)H, where H is the Hubble rate. We consider the analogue of the Nariai solution and argue that it describes the pair production of ``black cigars'' attached to the inflating brane. In the case when the size of the instantons is much larger than the AdS radius, the 5-dimensional action agrees with the 4-dimensional one. Hence, the 5D and 4D gravitational entropies are the same in this limit. We also consider thermal instantons with an AdS black hole in the bulk. These may be interpreted as describing the creation of a hot universe from nothing or the production of AdS black holes in the vicinity of a pre-existing inflating brane world. The Lorentzian evolution of the brane world after creation is briefly discussed. An additional ``integration constant'' in the Friedmann equation-accompanying a term which dilutes like radiation-describes the tidal force in the fifth direction and arises from the mass of a spherical object inside the bulk. In general, this could be a 5-dimensional black hole or a ``parallel'' brane world of negative tension concentrical with our brane-world. In the case of thermal solutions, and in the spirit of the AdS/CFT correspondence, one may attribute the additional term to thermal radiation in the boundary theory. Then, for temperatures well below the AdS scale, the entropy of this radiation agrees with the entropy of the black hole in the AdS bulk.

Neutral atoms in ionic lattices: Excited states of KCl:Ag(0)

The optical-absorption spectrum of a cationic Ag0 atom in a KCl crystal has been studied theoretically by means of a series of cluster models of increasing size. Excitation energies have been determined by means of a multiconfigurational self-consistent field procedure followed by a second-order perturbation correlation treatment. Moreover results obtained within the density-functional framework are also reported. The calculations confirm the assignment of bands I and IV to transitions of the Ag-5s electron into delocalized states with mainly K-4s,4p character. Bands II and III have been assigned to internal transitions on the Ag atom, which correspond to the atomic Ag-4d to Ag-5s transition. We also determine the lowest charge transfer (CT) excitation energy and confirm the assignment of band VI to such a transition. The study of the variation of the CT excitation energy with the Ag-Cl distance R gives additional support to a large displacement of the Cl ions due to the presence of the Ag0 impurity. Moreover, from the present results, it is predicted that on passing to NaCl:Ag0 the CT onset would be out of the optical range while the 5s-5p transition would undergo a redshift of 0.3 eV. These conclusions, which underline the different character of involved orbitals, are consistent with experimental findings. The existence of a CT transition in the optical range for an atom inside an ionic host is explained by a simple model, which also accounts for the differences with the more common 3d systems. The present study sheds also some light on the R dependence of the s2-sp transitions due to s2 ions like Tl+.

Feasibility of Visualization and Simulation Applications to Improve Work Zone Safety and Mobility

Visualization is a relatively recent tool available to engineers for enhancing transportation project design through improved communication, decision making, and stakeholder feedback. Current visualization techniques include image composites, video composites, 2D drawings, drive-through or fly-through animations, 3D rendering models, virtual reality, and 4D CAD. These methods are used mainly to communicate within the design and construction team and between the team and external stakeholders. Use of visualization improves understanding of design intent and project concepts and facilitates effective decision making. However, visualization tools are typically used for presentation only in large-scale urban projects. Visualization is not widely accepted due to a lack of demonstrated engineering benefits for typical agency projects, such as small- and medium-sized projects, rural projects, and projects where external stakeholder communication is not a major issue. Furthermore, there is a perceived high cost of investment of both financial and human capital in adopting visualization tools. The most advanced visualization technique of virtual reality has only been used in academic research settings, and 4D CAD has been used on a very limited basis for highly complicated specialty projects. However, there are a number of less intensive visualization methods available which may provide some benefit to many agency projects. In this paper, we present the results of a feasibility study examining the use of visualization and simulation applications for improving highway planning, design, construction, and safety and mobility.

Feasibility of Visualization and Simulation Applications, Tech Transfer Summary, 2008

Visualization is a relatively recent tool available to engineers for enhancing transportation project design through improved communication, decision making, and stakeholder feedback. Current visualization techniques include image composites, video composites, 2D drawings, drive-through or fly-through animations, 3D rendering models, virtual reality, and 4D CAD. These methods are used mainly to communicate within the design and construction team and between the team and external stakeholders. Use of visualization improves understanding of design intent and project concepts and facilitates effective decision making. However, visualization tools are typically used for presentation only in large-scale urban projects. Visualization is not widely accepted due to a lack of demonstrated engineering benefits for typical agency projects, such as small- and medium-sized projects, rural projects, and projects where external stakeholder communication is not a major issue. Furthermore, there is a perceived high cost of investment of both financial and human capital in adopting visualization tools. The most advanced visualization technique of virtual reality has only been used in academic research settings, and 4D CAD has been used on a very limited basis for highly complicated specialty projects. However, there are a number of less intensive visualization methods available which may provide some benefit to many agency projects. In this paper, we present the results of a feasibility study examining the use of visualization and simulation applications for improving highway planning, design, construction, and safety and mobility.

Optinen kolmiulotteinen mittaus ohutlevytuotteiden laadunvalvonnassa

Ohutlevyteollisuuden markkinatilanne on muuttunut, kun tuotantomäärät ovat kasvaneet, laatuvaatimukset tiukentuneet ja markkinat globalisoituneet. Konenäön avulla on mahdollista tehostaa laadunvalvontaa, jolloin virheet voidaan havaita nopeammin ja siten säästää tuotantokustannuksissa. Muotoiltujen ohutlevyosien tarkastamiseksi tarvitaan kolmiulotteisia mittausmenetelmiä, joilla pystytään varsin nopeasti ja tarkasti analysoimaan kappaleita. Erityisesti fotogrammetriaan perustuvaa rakenteista valoa on sovellettu erilaisissa mittalaitteissa, ja menetelmä on myös varsin joustava sekä edullinen käyttää. Fotogrammetriaan ja rakenteiseen valoon perustuvista mittalaitteista valittiin arvioitavaksi Mapvision 4D. Testeissä tutkittiin laitteen tarkkuutta, nopeutta ja soveltuvuutta teollisuusympäristöön sekä erityisesti taivutuskulmien, reikien halkaisijoidenja etäisyyksien mittaamista. Sovittamalla mitattu data CAD-malliin pystytään kappaleen mitoitus tarkastamaan vaaditulla 0,1 millimetrin tarkkuudella. Testitulosten perusteella voidaan todeta sekä mittalaitteen että mittausmenetelmän soveltuvan ohutlevykappaleiden laadunvalvontaan, kunhan reunojen määrityksessä esiintyvä säännöllinen epätarkkuus otetaan huomioon.