Weight concerns scale applied to college students : Comparison between pencil-and-paper and online formats

Online data collection is becoming increasingly common and has some advantages compared to traditional paper-and-pencil formats, such as reducing loss of data, increasing participants' privacy, and decreasing the effect of social desirability. However, the validity and reliability of this administration format must be established before results can be considered acceptable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity, reliability, and equivalence of paper-and-pencil and online versions of the Weight Concerns Scale (WCS) when applied to Brazilian university students. A crossover design was used, and the Portuguese version of the WCS (in both paper-and-pencil and online formats) was completed by 100 college students. The results indicated adequate fit in both formats. The simultaneous fit of data for both groups was excellent, with strong invariance between models. Adequate convergent validity, internal consistency, and mean score equivalence of the WCS in both formats were observed. Thus, the WCS presented adequate reliability and validity in both administration formats, with equivalence/stability between answers.

Development of paper transistor with memory effect

This work will discuss the use of different paper membranes as both the substrate and dielectric for field-effect memory transistors. Three different nanofibrillated cellulose membranes (NFC) were used as the dielectric layer of the memory transistors (NFC), one with no additives, one with an added polymer PAE and one with added HCl. Gallium indium zinc oxide (GIZO) was used as the device’s semiconductor and gallium aluminium zinc oxide (GAZO) was used as the gate electrode. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to access the water content of the paper membranes before and after vacuum. It was found that the devices recovered their water too quickly for a difference to be noticeable in FTIR. The transistor’s electrical performance tests yielded a maximum ION/IOFF ratio of around 3,52x105 and a maximum subthreshold swing of 0,804 V/decade. The retention time of the dielectric charge that grants the transistor its memory capabilities was accessed by the measurement of the drain current periodically during 144 days. During this period the mean drain current did not lower, leaving the retention time of the device indeterminate. These results were compared with similar devices revealing these devices to be at the top tier of the state-of-the-art.

New method for evaluation of cutaneous sensibility in diabetic feet: preliminary report

Diabetic neuropathy is an important complication of the disease, responsible for ulceration and amputation of the foot. Prevention of these problems is difficult mainly because there is no method to correctly access sensibility on the skin of the foot. The introduction of the Pressure-Specified Sensory Device (PSSD TM) in the last decade made possible the measurement of pressure thresholds sensed by the patient, such as touch, both static and in movement, on a continuous scale. This paper is the first in Brazil to report the use of this device to measure cutaneous sensibility in 3 areas of the foot: the hallux pulp, the calcaneus, and the dorsum, which are territories of the tibial and fibular nerves. METHOD: Non-diabetic patients were measured as controls, and 2 groups of diabetic patients - with and without ulcers - were compared. The PSSD TM was used to test the 3 areas described above. The following were evaluated: 1 PS (1-point static), 1 PD (1-point dynamic), 2 PS (2-points static), 2 PD (2-points dynamic). RESULTS: The diabetic group had poorer sensibility compared to controls and diabetics with ulcers had poorer sensibility when compared to diabetics without ulcers. The differences were statistically significant (P <.001). CONCLUSION: Due to the small number of patients compared, the results should be taken as a preliminary report.

Aplicação de celulases e xilanases na reciclagem de fibras de papel

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Química e Biológica (área de conhecimento em Engenharia Enzimática e das Fermentações)

Single-function approach to calibrating whatman n.º 42 filter paper based on suction versus water content relationships

Several suction–water-content (s-w) calibrations for the filter paper method (FPM) used for soil-suction measurement have been published. Most of the calibrations involve a bilinear function (i.e., two different equations) with an inflection point occurring at 60 kPapaper Whatman No. 42 (W42) is presented and discussed. The approach is applied herein to data obtained from three establish bilinear calibrations (six equations) for W42 filter paper to determine the two fitting parameters of the continuous function. An experimental evaluation of the new calibration show that the suctions estimated by the contact FPM test using the proposed function compare well with suctions measured by other laboratory techniques for two different soils for the suction range of 50 kPa

The Youth Discourses on EU-ropeanization in the New European Countries and the Margins of Europe (Working paper) 

სტატია მომზადდა ევროაკადემიის მეორე გლობალური კონფერენციისთვის „ევროპა შიგნით და გარეთ: მრავალრიცხოვანი დამკვირვებლების თვალით დანახული ევროპა და ევროპელები"

The Western Imaginary and the Imagined Strategies against it in the New European Countries and the Margins of Eastern Europe (Working paper) 

სტატია მომზადდა ევროაკადემიის საერთაშორისო კონფერენციისთვის „აღმოსავლეთ ევროპის ხელახლა გამოგონება"

Fatôres que afetam a determinação da vitamina C na goiaba (Psidium guajava L.)

In the present paper the authors deal with the content of ascorbic acid in guavas (Psidium guajava L.) and the methods of sampling used. Ascorbic acid was determined directly in the photoeletric colorimeter (EEL), after extraction with a 4 per cent solution of oxalic acid. Guavas from various parts of State of S.Paulo were used and the general mean found was around 100 mgm of ascorbic acid per 100 gm fresh weight of the material used for extraction. It was found that there is great variation in the ascorbic acid content according to the condition of the fruit: Ascorbic acid Condition content in Mean mgm/100 gm Green and hard 93,36 - 119,54 102,43 Small green 57,34 - 92,30 83,40 Firm ripe 71,28 - 115,98 90,32 Overripe 63,22 - 85,98 77,36 Of the diferent parts of the fruit, the skin has the highest content; the pulp between the skin and the parts containing the seeds, the "inner pulp" contains little and finallw the central parts, formed by the pulp between seeds, the "inter pulp" a engligible amount. The proportion of ascorbic acid found in the skin, inner pulp and inter pulp may be as high as 1.6: 1: 0. Furthermore, the section near the peduncule and the sepals are richer than equatorial crossections. It was proved that the amount and intensity of sun-light is at least one important factant factor determining differences in the ascorbic acid content of the fruit, which is higer in the parts which have received more light. A sharp decrease was found in the vitamin C content of ripe fruite stored in a home refrigerator. The periods of the preservation were 12-24-48-96 hours and the decrease of the ascorbic acid content m per cent was 23.4 - 42.0 - 66.8 - 76.4 of the initial content of 144.28 mgm/100 gm. The following five different methods of sampling in the determination of the amount of vitamin C were tested, with extraction in a Waring blendor: 1) whole fruit; 2,) sample taken form fruits cut into many small pieces; 3) half of a fruit divided by a crossection at equal distance from both ends; 4) half of fruit divided lenghtwise; 5) a transversal slice of about 1 cm. It was found that the two first methods geve the most reliable results.

Estudos sôbre a alimentação mineral do cafeeiro, X: extração de macronutrientes na colheita pelas variedades "Mundo Novo", "Caturra" e "Bourbon Amarelo"

This paper deals with the determination of the content of macronutrients in pulp and beans of three coffee varieties, namely 'Mundo Novo', 'Caturra Amarelo' and 'Bourbon Amarelo'. Samples were collected in plantations located in the three types of soils herein most of S. Paulo, Brazil, coffee is grown, that is, "terra roxa legítima" (Ribeirão Preto), "massapé-salmourão" (Mocóca), and "arenito de Bauru" (Pindorama). The following main conclusions were drawn after statistical analysis of data obtained hereby. There is no statistical difference among the three varieties . Average contents of macronutrients, as per cent of the dry matter, are the following: N P K Ca Mg S bean 1,71 0,10 1,53 0,27 0,15 0,12 pulps 1.78 0,14 3,75 0,41 0,13 0,15 Samples collected in Mocóca ("massapé-salmourão") had lower N and K contents, probably due to lack of availability of these elements in the soil, as suggested by its analysis. Results obtained in this work are in good agreement with data described elsewhere. Out of the total of elements contained in the whole fruit the following proportions are exported as clean coffee: N - 2/3, P and K - 1/2, Ca, Mg and S - 1/3. It is clear therefore that a substantial amount of elements absorbed from the soil remains in the pulp or in the dry hulls which result from processing. From this fact raises the interest of using these residues as fertilizer in the coffee plantations.