Tetrazolium test for assessment of seed viability of atemoya (Annona cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L.)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nonlinear formulation based on FEM, Mazars damage criterion and Fick's law applied to failure assessment of reinforced concrete structures subjected to chloride ingress and reinforcements corrosion

Structural durability is an important design criterion, which must be assessed for every type of structure. In this regard, especial attention must be addressed to the durability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. When RC structures are located in aggressive environments, its durability is strongly reduced by physical/chemical/mechanical processes that trigger the corrosion of reinforcements. Among these processes, the diffusion of chlorides is recognized as one of major responsible of corrosion phenomenon start. To accurate modelling the corrosion of reinforcements and to assess the durability of RC structures, a mechanical model that accounts realistically for both concrete and steel mechanical behaviour must be considered. In this context, this study presents a numerical nonlinear formulation based on the finite element method applied to structural analysis of RC structures subjected to chloride penetration and reinforcements corrosion. The physical nonlinearity of concrete is described by Mazars damage model whereas for reinforcements elastoplastic criteria are adopted. The steel loss along time due to corrosion is modelled using an empirical approach presented in literature and the chloride concentration growth along structural cover is represented by Fick's law. The proposed model is applied to analysis of bended structures. The results obtained by the proposed numerical approach are compared to responses available in literature in order to illustrate the evolution of structural resistant load after corrosion start. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of criteria for metabolic syndrome in a population-based study of Japanese-Brazilians

Objective: Criteria for metabolic syndrome (MS) differ particularly regarding the definition of central obesity and consequently, there could be differences in the assessment of cardiovascular risk. We estimated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, compared the agreement of the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria with the standard and a modified National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criterion and investigated whether additional factors were associated with the diagnosis of the syndrome in a Japanese descendant population.Methods: In this cross-sectional, population-based survey, 1166 Japanese-Brazilians (533 men, 633 women) aged 57.4 +/- 12.4 years with mean body mass index (BMI) and waist of 25.2 +/- 4.0 kg/m(2) and 84.5 +/- 10.6 cm, respectively, were included. McNemar and kappa statistics were used to assess the concordance between WHO criteria with the standard and a modified NCEP criteria (waist of 90 and 80 cm, for men and women, respectively). in logistic regression analysis, a number of metabolic variables and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were included to test independent associations with metabolic syndrome defined by the modified NCEP criteria.Results: According to WHO, 55.4% (95% Cl 52.5-58.2%) of the subjects had MS and to NCEP 47.4% (95% Cl 44.6-50.0%). WHO criterion detected 48.3% of central obese subjects while NCEP only 14.0%. Kappa statistics showed a good strength of agreement (k = 0.67, p < 0.01) between WHO and NCEP standard definitions of MS. Using the modified NCEP criterion for Asians, more subjects with metabolic syndrome were identified (58%) and agreement with WHO was improved (k = 0.72, p < 0.001). However, similar Framingham risk scores were attributed to the subsets of subjects classified by any of the three criteria. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves, obtained for the modified waist values to diagnose metabolic syndrome according to WHO, were > 0.80 and corresponded, respectively, to sensitivity and specificity of 63 and 83% for men and 77 and 72% for women. In final logistic regression model, age, male sex, BMI and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance but not with albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) were independently associated with the syndrome.Conclusions: High prevalence of MS, independent of the criterion considered, was found in this Japanese-Brazilian population. The replacement of waist cutoff by those proposed by WHO for Asians lead to this diagnosis in a higher number of subjects with elevated cardiovascular risk. Our data did not support that ACR should be included in the classical definition of MS in Japanese descendants as previously suggested by WHO.

Levantamento e análise dos padrões de qualidade nacionais e internacionais estabelicidos para reuso de efluentes e aproveitamento de água de chuva para fins não potáveis em áreas urbanas

The objective of this work is present and analyze the standards and guidelines associated with the protection of health of the user of waters less noble, for purposes other than drinking, and more specifically, the criteria descriptors of quality of these waters and the assessment of microbiological risk associated to its use aiming to establish, with bases and scientific criteria, the tolerable risk and the definition of standards for the microbiological quality. To this end, the author makes use of investigative exploratory method based on bibliographic survey and acquisition and posterior analysis, presentation and discussion about the topics discussed. The final text may inform and subsidise decisions regarding the definition of new values (preparation of new standards) and in the definition of appropriate technology

Typology of companies networks for competitive assessment: an application in higher education institutions

Taking into account the changes in the market scenario by virtue of globalization, Institutes of Higher Education (IES) as well as other organizations seek their competitive stability. For that reason, it is up to organizations to adopt innovative models of management for their operations aimed at improving results. Company networks consist of a model that is perfect for uniting efforts through cooperation among partners in a given business, which can involve ties of different natures. This paper shows the development and the application of an auxiliary technique to analyze the intensity, nature and importance of internal and external relations in the formation of results for a company network. For such, a multiple case study was conducted at two IES in the State of São Paulo and their networks of partners and employees in order to observe their specificities and organizational strategies. The study demonstrated the existence of specific performance criteria (pillars) for each IES and its network, resulting from its competitive reality. It reveals evidence that the education pillar is strengthened in both cases, and the research pillar is growing, although it is the weakest. The outreach pillar is the most robust in the public IES and the financial sustainability pillar is relevant for the private IES, and it was only detected in this IES.

Assessment of structural cardiac abnormalities and diastolic function in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background: The main manifestation of hyperglycaemia during pregnancy is gestational diabetes mellitus. It can herald diabetes mellitus type 2 and its deleterious long-term effects, such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess diastolic function in women with gestational diabetes mellitus, one of the first signs of future cardiovascular disease.Methods: A total of 21 women with gestational diabetes mellitus and 23 healthy pregnant women (control group) between 34 and 37weeks of gestation underwent echocardiographic assessment. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus was made in agreement with the American Diabetes Association criteria. Echocardiographic images obtained were analysed according to the criteria of the American Society of Echocardiography. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation coefficient, analysis of variance and Student's t-test.Results: Women with gestational diabetes mellitus had higher posterior wall and interventricular septum thickness, increased left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index, lower early diastolic annular velocity and early diastolic annular velocity/late diastolic annular velocity ratio. There was a positive correlation between left ventricular mass index and fasting glucose and pregnancy body mass index.Conclusion: Patients with gestational diabetes mellitus seem to have a different diastolic profile as well as a mildly dysfunctional pattern on echocardiogram, which may show a need for greater glycaemic control.

An update on metabolic assessment in patients with urinary lithiasis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary metabolic abnormalities in patients with urolithiasis and their potential risk factors.A total of 905 stone patients were evaluated in a prospective trial from February 2000 to January 2012. Inclusion criteria were as follows: history and/or imaging tests confirming at least 2 separate or concurrent stone episodes; creatinine clearance a parts per thousand yen60 mL/min; and negative proteinuria and urine culture. Metabolic study consisted of two 24-h urine collections separated by a period of 3 months for dosing Ca, P, uric acid, Na, K, Mg, oxalate, and citrate. Serum levels of Ca, P, uric acid, Na, K, Cl, Mg, creatinine, and glucose were assessed. Urinary pH and urinary acidification tests were also performed.A total of 735 patients were included, with a mean age of the 40 +/- A 1.0 year; 96.8 % of patients presented diagnosis of one or more urinary metabolic abnormalities. The most prevalent metabolic abnormalities were hypercalciuria (50.8 %), hypomagnesuria (50.1 %), hypocitraturia (35.4 %), and hyperuricosuria (30.7 %). Body weight was significantly higher in patients with hyperuricosuria (81.20 +/- A 15.67 kg vs. 70.17 +/- A 14.13 kg, respectively, p = 0.001). Urinary sodium was significantly higher in patients with hypercalciuria than without (246.97 +/- A 103.9 mEq/24 h vs. 200.31 +/- A 91.6 mEq/24 h, p = 0.001) and hyperuricosuria compared to without (283.24 +/- A 107.95 mEq/24 h vs. 198.57 +/- A 85.3 mEq/24 h, p = 0.001).Urinary metabolic disturbances were diagnosed in 96.8 % of patients in the study. These results warrant metabolic study and follow-up in patients with recurrent lithiasis in order to decrease recurrence rate through specific treatments, modification in alimentary, and behavioral habits.

Metrics for Association Rule Clustering Assessment

Issues related to association mining have received attention, especially the ones aiming to discover and facilitate the search for interesting patterns. A promising approach, in this context, is the application of clustering in the pre-processing step. In this paper, eleven metrics are proposed to provide an assessment procedure in order to support the evaluation of this kind of approach. To propose the metrics, a subjective evaluation was done. The metrics are important since they provide criteria to: (a) analyze the methodologies, (b) identify their positive and negative aspects, (c) carry out comparisons among them and, therefore, (d) help the users to select the most suitable solution for their problems. Besides, the metrics do the users think about aspects related to the problems and provide a flexible way to solve them. Some experiments were done in order to present how the metrics can be used and their usefulness.

Safety assessment of essential medicines for elderly people: a bibliographic survey

Certain medicines are considered potentially inappropriate (PIM) for elderly people as they increase the risk of adverse drug events (ADE) and because safer alternative therapies are available on the market. In this context, in order to identify the instruments that assess the quality of medical prescriptions for elderly and to determine which drugs are considered PIM, a bibliographic survey was conducted in PUBMED, LILACS and PAHO databases, in February and March/2010. The search strategy included the use of health descriptors and a manual search in the references cited by selected papers. During the period of data collection, 15 instruments were identified. In 2012, with the publication of the update of Beers criteria, this instrument was included in the study. We identified 163 PIM of 25 therapeutic classes, of which 125 (76.7%) are marketed in Brazil. Of these, 31 (24.8%) are essential medicines (RENAME 2012), of which 13 have safer therapeutic equivalents and 19 (15.2%) are over-the-counter drugs. Data suggest the need for inclusion of safer alternatives for the elderly in the national list of essential medicines and the pharmaceutical care for early detection of ADE in this age group, in order to contribute to the safe use of medicines.

Assessment of the quality evaluation of compounded fluconazole capsules marketed in the region of Araraquara (SP, Brazil)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação da erosão hídrica e transporte de sedimentos através do modelo hidrossedimentológico SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool)

Pós-graduação em Geociências e Meio Ambiente - IGCE

Ética, justiça e democracia em sala de aula: o desenvolvimento e a experiência de um novo método de discussão de dilemas morais para a educação

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A utilização de material didático impresso para o ensino de um modelo de classificação do esporte na educação física escolar

Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento Humano e Tecnologias - IBRC

Writing Relevant Word Problems: Seeking to Increase Student Mathematical Achievement

In this action research study of eighth grade mathematics, I investigated my students’ use of writing and solving word problems. I collected data to determine if writing and solving word problems would have a positive effect on students’ abilities to understand and solve word problems. These word problems are grade-level appropriate and are very similar to the problems on the eighth grade online assessment of state standards. Pre- and post-test data, weekly word problems that focus on specific mathematics topics, beginning and end surveys about word problem perceptions, and a teacher journal reveal that student engagement in this weekly practice of writing and solving word problems did influence the students’ overall abilities for, achievement in and attitudes toward solving word problems. Except for some students’ perceptions, the influence was largely positive. This suggests that word problems can be a constructive feature in eighth mathematics instruction.

How Student Self-Assessment Influences Mastery Of Objectives

In this action research study of my classroom of 7th grade students, enrolled in Pre- Algebra (an 8th grade course), I investigated: rate of homework completion when not taken as part of the academic grade, cognizant self-assessment and its affect on mastery of objectives, and use of self-assessment to guide instruction and re-teaching of classroom objectives. I learned that without sufficient accountability homework completion rates drop with time. Similarly, students can be overconfident in their abilities but unmoved when their summative reports do not match their initial perceived formative benchmarks. Finally, due in part to our society’s reactive nature; students find it more practical to play catch-up rather than staying caught up. As a result of this research, I plan to create, with the help of the students, an accountability statute to help students stay caught up with their understanding of the objectives, as well as allow additional time and energy spent by both student and teacher to react in a timely manner to complete student knowledge within a day or two rather than a week or two later.