Stress at work among electric utility workers

In the last decades there was an increase in stress at work and its effects on workers' health. These issues are still little studied in the electric utility sector. This study aims to evaluate factors associated with stress at work and to verify its associations with health status among workers of an electric company in São Paulo State, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 474 subjects (87.5% of the eligible workers). Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires. A descriptive analysis, a multiple linear hierarchical regression analysis and a correlation analysis were performed. The majority of participants were males (91.1%) and the mean age was 37.5 yr. The mean score of stress level was 2.3 points (scale ranging from 1.0 to 5.0). Hierarchical multiple analyses showed that: regular practice of physical activities (p=0.025) and individual monthly income (p=0.002) were inversely associated with stress level; BMI was marginally associated with the stress level (p=0.074). The demographic characteristics were not associated with stress. Stress at work was significantly associated with physical and mental health status (p<0.001). To improve health of electric utility workers, actions are suggested to decrease stress by remuneration and an appropriate practice of physical activity aiming reduction of BMI

Epidemiology of Leisure, Transportation, Occupational, and Household Physical Activity: Prevalence and Associated Factors

Background: To estimate the prevalence of and identify factors associated with physical activity in leisure, transportation, occupational, and household settings. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study aimed at investigating living and health conditions among the population of So Paulo, Brazil. Data on 1318 adults aged 18 to 65 years were used. To assess physical activity, the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was applied. Multivariate analysis was conducted using a hierarchical model. Results: The greatest prevalence of insufficient activity related to transportation (91.7%), followed by leisure (77.5%), occupational (68.9%), and household settings (56.7%). The variables associated with insufficient levels of physical activity in leisure were female sex, older age, low education level, nonwhite skin color, smoking, and self-reported poor health; in occupational settings were female sex, white skin color, high education level, self-reported poor health, nonsmoking, and obesity; in transportation settings were female sex; and in household settings, with male sex, separated, or widowed status and high education level. Conclusion: Physical activity in transportation and leisure settings should be encouraged. This study will serve as a reference point in monitoring different types of physical activities and implementing public physical activity policies in developing countries.

Chicken skeletal muscle-associated macroarray for gene discovery

Macro- and microarrays are well-established technologies to determine gene functions through repeated measurements of transcript abundance. We constructed a chicken skeletal muscle-associated array based on a muscle-specific EST database, which was used to generate a tissue expression dataset of similar to 4500 chicken genes across 5 adult tissues (skeletal muscle, heart, liver, brain, and skin). Only a small number of ESTs were sufficiently well characterized by BLAST searches to determine their probable cellular functions. Evidence of a particular tissue-characteristic expression can be considered an indication that the transcript is likely to be functionally significant. The skeletal muscle macroarray platform was first used to search for evidence of tissue-specific expression, focusing on the biological function of genes/transcripts, since gene expression profiles generated across tissues were found to be reliable and consistent. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed consistent clustering among genes assigned to 'developmental growth', such as the ontology genes and germ layers. Accuracy of the expression data was supported by comparing information from known transcripts and tissue from which the transcript was derived with macroarray data. Hybridization assays resulted in consistent tissue expression profile, which will be useful to dissect tissue-regulatory networks and to predict functions of novel genes identified after extensive sequencing of the genomes of model organisms. Screening our skeletal-muscle platform using 5 chicken adult tissues allowed us identifying 43 'tissue-specific' transcripts, and 112 co-expressed uncharacterized transcripts with 62 putative motifs. This platform also represents an important tool for functional investigation of novel genes; to determine expression pattern according to developmental stages; to evaluate differences in muscular growth potential between chicken lines, and to identify tissue-specific genes.

A score system for quality evaluation of RNA sequence tags: an improvement for gene expression profiling

Background: High-throughput molecular approaches for gene expression profiling, such as Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE), Massively Parallel Signature Sequencing (MPSS) or Sequencing-by-Synthesis (SBS) represent powerful techniques that provide global transcription profiles of different cell types through sequencing of short fragments of transcripts, denominated sequence tags. These techniques have improved our understanding about the relationships between these expression profiles and cellular phenotypes. Despite this, more reliable datasets are still necessary. In this work, we present a web-based tool named S3T: Score System for Sequence Tags, to index sequenced tags in accordance with their reliability. This is made through a series of evaluations based on a defined rule set. S3T allows the identification/selection of tags, considered more reliable for further gene expression analysis. Results: This methodology was applied to a public SAGE dataset. In order to compare data before and after filtering, a hierarchical clustering analysis was performed in samples from the same type of tissue, in distinct biological conditions, using these two datasets. Our results provide evidences suggesting that it is possible to find more congruous clusters after using S3T scoring system. Conclusion: These results substantiate the proposed application to generate more reliable data. This is a significant contribution for determination of global gene expression profiles. The library analysis with S3T is freely available at http://gdm.fmrp.usp.br/s3t/.S3T source code and datasets can also be downloaded from the aforementioned website.

Epigenetic Silencing of CRABP2 and MX1 in Head and Neck Tumors

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous disease affecting the epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. Conditions of most patients are diagnosed at late stages of the disease, and no sensitive and specific predictors of aggressive behavior have been identified yet. Therefore, early detection and prognostic biomarkers are highly desirable for a more rational management of the disease. Hypermethylation of CpG islands is one of the most important epigenetic mechanisms that leads to gene silencing in tumors and has been extensively used for the identification of biomarkers. In this study, we combined rapid subtractive hybridization and microarray analysis in a hierarchical manner to select genes that are putatively reactivated by the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5Aza-dC) in HNSCC cell lines (FaDu, UM-SCC-14A, UM-SCC-17A, UM-SCC-38A). This combined analysis identified 78 genes, 35 of which were reactivated in at least 2 cell lines and harbored a CpG island at their 5' region. Reactivation of 3 of these 35 genes (CRABP2, MX1, and SLC15A3) was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR; fold change, >= 3). Bisulfite sequencing of their CpG islands revealed that they are indeed differentially methylated in the HNSCC cell lines. Using methylation-specific PCR, we detected a higher frequency of CRABP2 (58.1% for region 1) and MX1 (46.3%) hypermethylation in primary HNSCC when compared with lymphocytes from healthy individuals. Finally, absence of the CRABP2 protein was associated with decreased disease-free survival rates, supporting a potential use of CRABP2 expression as a prognostic biomarker for HNSCC patients.

How much do smoking and alcohol consumption explain socioeconomic inequalities in head and neck cancer risk?

Background A higher burden of head and neck cancer has been reported to affect deprived populations. This study assessed the association between socioeconomic status and head and neck cancer, aiming to explore how this association is related to differences of tobacco and alcohol consumption across socioeconomic strata. Methods We conducted a case-control study in Sao Paulo, Brazil (1998-2006), including 1017 incident cases of oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer, and 951 sex- and age-matched controls. Education and occupation were distal determinants in the hierarchical approach; cumulative exposure to tobacco and alcohol were proximal risk factors. Outcomes of the hierarchical model were compared with fully adjusted ORs. Results Individuals with lower education (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.61 to 3.19) and those performing manual labour (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.92) had a higher risk of disease. However, 54% of the association with lower education and 45% of the association with manual labour were explained by proximal lifestyle exposures, and socioeconomic status remained significantly associated with disease when adjusted for smoking and alcohol consumption. Conclusions Socioeconomic differences in head and neck cancer are partially attributable to the distribution of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption across socioeconomic strata. Additional mediating factors may explain the remaining variation of socioeconomic status on head and neck cancer.

Stress at Work among Electric Utility Workers

In the last decades there was an increase in stress at work and its effects on workers' health. These issues are still little studied in the electric utility sector. This study aims to evaluate factors associated with stress at work and to verify its associations with health status among workers of an electric company in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 474 subjects (87.5% of the eligible workers). Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires. A descriptive analysis, a multiple linear hierarchical regression analysis and a correlation analysis were performed. The majority of participants were males (91.1%) and the mean age was 37.5 yr. The mean score of stress level was 2.3 points (scale ranging from 1.0 to 5.0). Hierarchical multiple analyses showed that: regular practice of physical activities (p=0.025) and individual monthly income (p=0.002) were inversely associated with stress level; BMI was marginally associated with the stress level (p=0.074). The demographic characteristics were not associated with stress. Stress at work was significantly associated with physical and mental health status (p<0.001). To improve health of electric utility workers, actions are suggested to decrease stress by remuneration and an appropriate practice of physical activity aiming reduction of BMI.

Insights on the Milky Way bulge formation from the correlations between kinematics and metallicity

Context. Two main scenarios for the formation of the Galactic bulge are invoked, the first one through gravitational collapse or hierarchical merging of subclumps, the second through secular evolution of the Galactic disc. Aims. We aim to constrain the formation of the Galactic bulge through studies of the correlation between kinematics and metallicities in Baade's Window (l = 1 degrees, b = -4 degrees) and two other fields along the bulge minor axis (l = 0 degrees, b = -6 degrees and b = -12 degrees). Methods. We combine the radial velocity and the [Fe/H] measurements obtained with FLAMES/GIRAFFE at the VLT with a spectral resolution of R = 20 000, plus for the Baade's Window field the OGLE-II proper motions, and compare these with published N-body simulations of the Galactic bulge. Results. We confirm the presence of two distinct populations in Baade's Window found in Hill et al. (2010, A&A, submitted): the metal-rich population presents bar-like kinematics while the metal-poor population shows kinematics corresponding to an old spheroid or a thick disc. In this context the metallicity gradient along the bulge minor axis observed by Zoccali et al. (2008, A&A, 486, 177), visible also in the kinematics, can be related to a varying mix of these two populations as one moves away from the Galactic plane, alleviating the apparent contradiction between the kinematic evidence of a bar and the existence of a metallicity gradient. Conclusions. We show evidence that the two main scenarios for the bulge formation co-exist within the Milky Way bulge.

Musical genres: beating to the rhythms of different drums

Online music databases have increased significantly as a consequence of the rapid growth of the Internet and digital audio, requiring the development of faster and more efficient tools for music content analysis. Musical genres are widely used to organize music collections. In this paper, the problem of automatic single and multi-label music genre classification is addressed by exploring rhythm-based features obtained from a respective complex network representation. A Markov model is built in order to analyse the temporal sequence of rhythmic notation events. Feature analysis is performed by using two multi-variate statistical approaches: principal components analysis (unsupervised) and linear discriminant analysis (supervised). Similarly, two classifiers are applied in order to identify the category of rhythms: parametric Bayesian classifier under the Gaussian hypothesis (supervised) and agglomerative hierarchical clustering (unsupervised). Qualitative results obtained by using the kappa coefficient and the obtained clusters corroborated the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Connectivity and dynamics of neuronal networks as defined by the shape of individual neurons

Biological neuronal networks constitute a special class of dynamical systems, as they are formed by individual geometrical components, namely the neurons. In the existing literature, relatively little attention has been given to the influence of neuron shape on the overall connectivity and dynamics of the emerging networks. The current work addresses this issue by considering simplified neuronal shapes consisting of circular regions (soma/axons) with spokes (dendrites). Networks are grown by placing these patterns randomly in the two-dimensional (2D) plane and establishing connections whenever a piece of dendrite falls inside an axon. Several topological and dynamical properties of the resulting graph are measured, including the degree distribution, clustering coefficients, symmetry of connections, size of the largest connected component, as well as three hierarchical measurements of the local topology. By varying the number of processes of the individual basic patterns, we can quantify relationships between the individual neuronal shape and the topological and dynamical features of the networks. Integrate-and-fire dynamics on these networks is also investigated with respect to transient activation from a source node, indicating that long-range connections play an important role in the propagation of avalanches.

Coexistence of forest and savanna in an Amazonian area from a geological perspective

Question: How can the coexistence of savanna and forest in Amazonian areas with relatively uniform climates be explained? Location: Eastern Marajo Island, northeast Amazonia, Brazil. Methods: The study integrated floristic analysis, terrain morphology, sedimentology and delta(13)C of soil organic matter. Floristic analysis involved rapid ecological assessment of 33 sites, determination of occurrence, specific richness, hierarchical distribution and matrix of floristic similarity between paired vegetation types. Terrain characterization was based on analysis of Landsat images using 4(R), 5(G) and 7(B) composition and digital elevation model (DEM). Sedimentology involved field descriptions of surface and core sediments. Finally, radiocarbon dating and analysis of delta(13)C of soil profile organic matter and natural ecotone forest-savanna was undertaken. Results: Slight tectonic subsidence in eastern Marajo Island favours seasonal flooding, making it unsuitable for forest growth. However, this area displays slightly convex-up, sinuous morphologies related to paleochannels, covered by forest. Terra-firme lowland forests are expanding from west to east, preferentially occupying paleochannels and replacing savanna. Slack, running water during channel abandonment leads to disappearance of varzea/gallery forest at channel margins. Long-abandoned channels sustain continuous terra-firme forests, because of longer times for more species to establish. Recently abandoned channels have had less time to become sites for widespread tree development, and are either not vegetated or covered by savanna. Conclusion: Landforms in eastern Marajo Island reflect changes in the physical environment due to reactivation of tectonic faults during the latest Quaternary. This promoted a dynamic history of channel abandonment, which controlled a set of interrelated parameters (soil type, topography, hydrology) that determined species location. Inclusion of a geological perspective for paleoenvironmental reconstruction can increase understanding of plant distribution in Amazonia.

Exercise of essential competencies for midwifery care by nurses in Sao Paulo, Brazil

General objective: to analyse the exercise of essential competencies for midwifery care by nurses and/or midwives in the public health system of Sao Paulo (eastern zone), Brazil. Specific objectives: to develop a profile of the public health institutions and of the nurses and/or midwives who care for women before, during and following child birth; to identify the activities performed in providing such care, as well as their frequency; and to specify the possible obstacles or difficulties encountered by them when exercising their competencies. Design: a descriptive and exploratory research design , using a quantitative approach. Setting: the study was conducted in all public health services of Sao Paulo (eastern zone), Brazil, namely 59 basic health-care units and six hospitals, during the period of October 2006-December 2007. Participants: the study population consisted of 272 nurses and/or midwives who provide care for pregnant women and newborns at the primary health-care units and maternity hospitals of the public health system. Participants comprised 100% of hospital nurse coordinators (n = 6), 61% of hospital maternity nursing and/or midwifery staff (n = 62) and 64% (n = 204) of nursing and/or midwifery staff working at primary health-care units. Methods and findings: the data collection was based on a single form given to the coordinators and two questionnaires, one handed out to antenatal and postnatal nursing and/or midwifery staff and another handed out to labour and birth nursing and/or midwifery staff. The results showed that nurses and/or midwives providing care for women during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period did not put the essential competencies for midwifery care into practice, because they encountered institutional barriers and personal resistance, and lacked protocols based on best practice and on the exercise of essential competencies needed for effective midwifery care. Key conclusions: the model of care in the public health services of Sao Paulo (eastern zone) is based much more on hierarchical positions than on professional competencies or on there commendations of the scientific community. As a result, health authorities need to review their midwifery policies to improve maternal-infant care by nurses and/or midwives in order to ensure the implementation of best midwifery practice. Practical implications: the results of this study support actions to improve the quality of care delivered to women and their families, while integrating nursing and midwifery care in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Female soccer in the Beijing olympic games

Gender relations put men and women in different areas of the hierarchy, for instance in the case of soccer. This work analyzed the news articles from the Beijing 2008 section of the Newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo to identify the space attributed to news articles about female and male soccer, and to qualitatively evaluate what is said to its readers. The result shows that the percentage of words addressing women was higher compared to other surveys and the area for pictures was similar for both genders, however this only happened on account of the influence of the event. The news allowed for an analysis of women in soccer: the entities that perpetuate the hierarchical difference between the genders when they don`t support them; the raising of issues regarding aesthetics which explains why these athletes are not erotized by the media as is the case in other modalities; as soccer is considered to be a male area the media demanded better results from the men.

Financial distress, financial constraint and investment decision: Evidence from Brazil

This paper analyses the presence of financial constraint in the investment decisions of 367 Brazilian firms from 1997 to 2004, using a Bayesian econometric model with group-varying parameters. The motivation for this paper is the use of clustering techniques to group firms in a totally endogenous form. In order to classify the firms we used a hybrid clustering method, that is, hierarchical and non-hierarchical clustering techniques jointly. To estimate the parameters a Bayesian approach was considered. Prior distributions were assumed for the parameters, classifying the model in random or fixed effects. Ordinate predictive density criterion was used to select the model providing a better prediction. We tested thirty models and the better prediction considers the presence of 2 groups in the sample, assuming the fixed effect model with a Student t distribution with 20 degrees of freedom for the error. The results indicate robustness in the identification of financial constraint when the firms are classified by the clustering techniques. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A flexible consensus scheme for multicriteria group decision making under linguistic assessments

The present paper proposes a flexible consensus scheme for group decision making, which allows one to obtain a consistent collective opinion, from information provided by each expert in terms of multigranular fuzzy estimates. It is based on a linguistic hierarchical model with multigranular sets of linguistic terms, and the choice of the most suitable set is a prerogative of each expert. From the human viewpoint, using such model is advantageous, since it permits each expert to utilize linguistic terms that reflect more adequately the level of uncertainty intrinsic to his evaluation. From the operational viewpoint, the advantage of using such model lies in the fact that it allows one to express the linguistic information in a unique domain, without losses of information, during the discussion process. The proposed consensus scheme supposes that the moderator can interfere in the discussion process in different ways. The intervention can be a request to any expert to update his opinion or can be the adjustment of the weight of each expert`s opinion. An optimal adjustment can be achieved through the execution of an optimization procedure that searches for the weights that maximize a corresponding soft consensus index. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of the presented consensus scheme, a technique for multicriteria analysis, based on fuzzy preference relation modeling, is utilized for solving a hypothetical enterprise strategy planning problem, generated with the use of the Balanced Scorecard methodology. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.