Amygdala activation in response to 2D and 3D emotion-inducing stimuli

Studying changes in brain activation according to the valence of emotion-inducing stimuli is essential in the research on emotions. Due to the ecological potential of virtual reality, it is also important to examine whether brain activation in response to emotional stimuli can be modulated by the three-dimensional (3D) properties of the images. This study uses functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to compare differences between 3D and standard (2D) visual stimuli in the activation of emotion-related brain areas. The stimuli were organized in three virtual-reality scenarios, each with a different emotional valence (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral). The scenarios were presented in a pseudo-randomized order in the two visualization modes to twelve healthy males. Data were analyzed through a GLM-based fixed effects procedure. Unpleasant and neutral stimuli activated the right amygdala more strongly when presented in 3D than in 2D. These results suggest that 3D stimuli, when used as “building blocks” for virtual environments, can induce increased emotional loading, as shown here through neuroimaging.

“We are azorean”: discourses and practices of folk culture in Santa Catarina (Brazil)

Etnográfica, Vol. IX, N.1, pp. 171-193

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori: comparison of an urease test, histological visualization of curved bacteria and culture

Helicobacter pylori was investigated in 189 patients for culture, microscopic visualization of campylobacter-like organisms (CLO) and a ten minute urease test. In 136 (72%) the bacteria was isolated, and in 98 of them CLO were histologically detected. Specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values of microscopic visualization of CLO were: 0.77, 0.73, 0.97 and 0.51, respectively; 98 culture-positive patients were urease test positive. Specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values of the urease test were: 0.83, 0.72, 0.92 and 0.54, respectively. Comparing the urease test with culture of H. pylori combined with microscopic visualization of CLO, its specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values were: 0.95, 0.71, 0.98 and 0.48, respectively. Probably, these values are not real, since bacteria different from H. pylori could be misclassified as CLO.

O tratamento de metástases ósseas de fração única vs múltiplas frações com 3D CRT ou SBRT: artigo de revisão sistemática

Introdução – A escolha do tratamento depende de vários fatores, incluindo o estado clínico e prognóstico de cada doente. Estes fatores desempenham um papel importante na escolha da intervenção terapêutica em metástases ósseas. A deteção precoce e o tratamento adequado podem melhorar a qualidade de vida e independência funcional dos doentes. Metodologia – Este artigo pretende realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura dos últimos 15 anos, identificando os diferentes tipos de fracionamentos (fração única versus múltiplas frações) e técnicas utilizadas em radioterapia no tratamento de metástases ósseas. Resultados – Os recentes avanços na tecnologia e nas técnicas de tratamento de radioterapia ajudam na distribuição de doses altamente conformacionais e com orientação por imagem para uma entrega mais precisa do tratamento. A radioterapia estereotáxica corporal (SBRT, do acrónimo inglês stereotactic body radiotherapy) permite delimitar e aumentar a dose nos tumores a irradiar. No caso das metástases ósseas, os resultados de controlo local do tumor e da dor têm-se revelado promissores. A radioterapia convencional de 8Gyx1, no entanto, continua a ser o tratamento mais indicado nos doentes paliativos. Conclusão – O tratamento de metástases ósseas é complexo e uma abordagem multidisciplinar é sempre necessária. O tratamento deve ser individualizado para se adequar aos sintomas e estado clínico de cada doente.

The impact of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots in cells of Medicago sativa in suspension culture

Abstract Background: Nanotechnology has the potential to provide agriculture with new tools that may be used in the rapid detection and molecular treatment of diseases and enhancement of plant ability to absorb nutrients, among others. Data on nanoparticle toxicity in plants is largely heterogeneous with a diversity of physicochemical parameters reported, which difficult generalizations. Here a cell biology approach was used to evaluate the impact of Quantum Dots (QDs) nanocrystals on plant cells, including their effect on cell growth, cell viability, oxidative stress and ROS accumulation, besides their cytomobility. Results: A plant cell suspension culture of Medicago sativa was settled for the assessment of the impact of the addition of mercaptopropanoic acid coated CdSe/ZnS QDs. Cell growth was significantly reduced when 100 mM of mercaptopropanoic acid -QDs was added during the exponential growth phase, with less than 50% of the cells viable 72 hours after mercaptopropanoic acid -QDs addition. They were up taken by Medicago sativa cells and accumulated in the cytoplasm and nucleus as revealed by optical thin confocal imaging. As part of the cellular response to internalization, Medicago sativa cells were found to increase the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in a dose and time dependent manner. Using the fluorescent dye H2DCFDA it was observable that mercaptopropanoic acid-QDs concentrations between 5-180 nM led to a progressive and linear increase of ROS accumulation. Conclusions: Our results showed that the extent of mercaptopropanoic acid coated CdSe/ZnS QDs cytotoxicity in plant cells is dependent upon a number of factors including QDs properties, dose and the environmental conditions of administration and that, for Medicago sativa cells, a safe range of 1-5 nM should not be exceeded for biological applications.

Electrochemical response of 70Co-30Ni highly branched 3D-dendritic structures for charge storage electrodes

A 70Co-30Ni dendritic alloy was produced on stainless steel by pulse electrodeposition in the cathodic domain, and oxidized by potential cycling. X-ray diffraction (XRD) identified the presence of two phases and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evidenced an open 3D highly branched dendritic morphology. After potential cycling in 1 M KOH, SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed, respectively, the presence of thin nanoplates, composed of Co and Ni oxi-hydroxides and hydroxides over the original dendritic film. Cyclic voltammetry tests showd the presence of redox peaks assigned to the oxidation and reduction of Ni and Co centres in the surface film. Charge/discharge measurements revealed capacity values of 121 mAh g(1) at 1 mA cm(2). The capacity retention under 8000 cycles was above 70%, stating the good reversibility of these redox materials and its suitability to be used as charge storage electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) spectra, taken under different applied bias, showed that the capacitance increased when the electrode was fully oxidized and decreased when the electrode was reduced, reflecting different states-of-charge of the electrode. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Processing and characterization of 3D dense chitosan pieces, for orthopedic applications, by adding plasticizers

In this work, plasticizer agents were incorporated in a chitosan based formulation, as a strategy to improve the fragile structure of chitosan based-materials. Three different plasticizers: ethylene glycol, glycerol and sorbitol, were blended with chitosan to prepare 3D dense chitosan specimens. The properties of the obtained structures were assessed for mechanical, microstructural, physical and biocompatibility behavior. The results obtained revealed that from the different specimens prepared, the blend of chitosan with glycerol has superior mechanical properties and good biological behavior, making this chitosan based formulation a good candidate to improve robust chitosan structures for the construction of bioabsorbable orthopedic implants.

Estimation of 3D shapes using active surface models

This paper addresses the estimation of surfaces from a set of 3D points using the unified framework described in [1]. This framework proposes the use of competitive learning for curve estimation, i.e., a set of points is defined on a deformable curve and they all compete to represent the available data. This paper extends the use of the unified framework to surface estimation. It o shown that competitive learning performes better than snakes, improving the model performance in the presence of concavities and allowing to desciminate close surfaces. The proposed model is evaluated in this paper using syntheticdata and medical images (MRI and ultrasound images).

Dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot-ELISA) for detection of pneumococcal polysaccharide antigens in pleural fluid effusion samples.: Comparison with bacterial culture, counterimmunoelectrophoresis and latex agglutination

A dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot-ELISA) for pneumococcal antigen detection was standardized in view of the need for a rapid and accurate immunodiagnosis of acute pneumococcal pneumonia. A total of 442 pleural fluid effusion samples (PFES) from children with clinical and laboratory diagnoses of acute bacterial pneumonia, plus 38 control PFES from tuberculosis patients and 20 negative control serum samples from healthy children were evaluated by Dot-ELISA. The samples were previously treated with 0.1 M EDTA pH 7.5 at 90°C for 10 min and dotted on nitrocellulose membrane. Pneumococcal omniserum diluted at 1:200 was employed in this assay for antigen detection. When compared with standard bacterial culture, counterimmunoelectrophoresis and latex agglutination techniques, the Dot-ELISA results showed relative indices of 0.940 to sensitivity, 0.830 to specificity and 0.760 to agreement. Pneumococcal omniserum proved to be an optimal polyvalent antiserum for the detection of pneumococcal antigen by Dot-ELISA. Dot-ELISA proved to be a practical alternative technique for the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia.

Blood culture as a parameter of treatment effectiveness in experimental histoplasmosis of the hamster

The aim of this study was to determine the value of blood culture as a parameter of treatment effectiveness in experimental histoplasmosis. A total of thirty five hamsters, weighing approximately 120g, were inoculated intracardiacly with 0.1 ml of a suspension containing 4 x 10(7) cells/ml of the yeast phase of H. capsulatum. Treatments were started one week after the infection and lasted for 3 weeks. The azoles, (itraconazole, saperconazole and fluconazole) were administered once a day by gavage, at a dose of 8 mg/kg; Amphotericin B was given intraperitonealy every other day at a dose of 6mg/kg. Blood samples (1 ml) were obtained by heart punction from the 4th day after infection and were seeded in Sabouraud honey-agar and BHI-agar. The hamsters that survived were killed one week after treatment completion and the following criteria were considered for treatment evaluation: 1) rate of spontaneous death, at the end of the experience; 2) microscopic examination of Giemsa smears from liver and spleen and 3) determination of CFU in spleen cultures. Amphotericin B was the most effective drug, with negative blood cultures at day 20, negative spleen cultures in all cases and all the animals survived until the end of the study. Fluconazole was the less effective drug, blood cultures were positive during the whole experience, spleen cultures showed a similar average of CFU when compared with the control animals and 42.8% of these animals died. Saperconazole and itraconazole showed a similar activity, with survival of all hamsters and negative blood cultures at 23 and 26 days respectively. Blood culture seems to be valuable parameter for treatments' evaluation in experimental histoplasmosis of the hamster.

Gestão de produto PREMFIRE – sistema de informação geográfica 3D para apoio ao combate a incêndios.

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciência e Sistemas de Informação Geográfica.

Profissões : sinergias entre o video interactivo e o 3D estereoscópico

Trabalho de Projecto apresentado para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Novos Media e Práticas Web

Studies on prevalence of Strongyloides infection in Holambra and Maceió, Brazil, by the agar plate faecal culture method

Prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in three areas of Brazil was surveyed by a recently developed faecal culture method (an agar plate culture). The Strongyloides infection was confirmed in 11.3% of 432 subjects examined. The diagnostic efficacy of the agar plate culture was as high as 93.9% compared to only 28.5% and 26.5% by the Harada-Mori filter paper culture and faecal concentration methods, when faecal samples were examined simultaneously by these three methods. Among the 49 positive samples, about 60% were confirmed to be positive only by the agar plate culture. These results indicate that the agar plate culture is a sensitive new tool for the correct diagnosis of chronic Strongyloides infection.

Detection of mycoplasmas in urethral swabs from HIV-1 infected patients and control individuals using culture techniques and polymerase chain reaction

The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of certain mycoplasma species, i.e., Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma penetrans, in urethral swabs from HIV-1 infected patients compared to swabs from a control group. Mycoplasmas were detected by routine culture techniques and by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique, using 16SrRNA generic primers of conserved region and Mycoplasma penetrans specific primers. The positivity rates obtained with the two methods were comparable. Nevertheless, PCR was more sensitive, while the culture techniques allowed the quantification of the isolates. The results showed no significant difference (p < 0.05) in positivity rates between the methods used for mycoplasma detection.