Inbreeding, Average Relatedness Coefficient and Effective Population Size In Jaffarabadi Buffaloes Raised In Brazil

The major aim of this study was to evaluate the inbreeding (F), average relatedness coefficient (AR) and effective population size (Ne) in the Jaffarabadi buffalo breed from Brazil. Pedigree information of 1,272 animals born from 1966 was used. The effective population size was calculated in two ways: first, computed via individual increase in inbreeding and second estimated by individual increase in coancestry. The known generation numbers were 1.24, 1.76 and 2.64 for complete, equivalent and maximum generation, respectively. The effective size computed via individual increase in coancestry was small with a value of 10.82 +/- 1.29. The effective size computed by individual increase in inbreeding (10.40 +/- 3.69) was very similar but a little smaller than the previous reported value. The average values of F and AR for the population reference (1,059) were 4.22 and 12.5 percent. The mean of F for inbred animals (319) was 14.0%. The F and AR means were 5.7 and 13.3% for animals with at least 1.5 known equivalent generation and 9.3 and 15.97% for individuals having at least 2.5 equivalent generations known. It was found 78 matings between half sibs (6.14%) and 67 matings (5.27%) between parent-offspring. The estimated inbreeding increase per generation by considering maximum generation, complete generation and equivalent generation were 1.21%, 5.18% and 3.57%, respectively. Considering the uncompleted pedigree, the estimated inbreeding for the reference population could be underestimated.

RAMSY: Ratio Analysis of Mass Spectrometry to Improve Compound Identification

The complexity of biological samples poses a major challenge for reliable compound identification in mass spectrometry (MS). The presence of interfering compounds that cause additional peaks in the spectrum can make interpretation and assignment difficult. To overcome this issue, new approaches are needed to reduce complexity and simplify spectral interpretation. Recently, focused on unknown metabolite identification, we presented a new approach, RANSY (ratio analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Anal. Chem. 2011, 83, 7616-7623), which extracts the signals related to the same metabolite based on peak intensity ratios. On the basis of this concept, we present the ratio analysis of mass spectrometry (RAMSY) method, which facilitates improved compound identification in complex MS spectra. RAMSY works on the principle that, under a given set of experimental conditions, the abundance/intensity ratios between the mass fragments from the same metabolite are relatively constant. Therefore, the quotients of average peak ratios and their standard deviations, generated using a small set of MS spectra from the same ion chromatogram, efficiently allow the statistical recovery of the metabolite peaks and facilitate reliable identification. RAMSY was applied to both gas chromatography/MS and liquid chromatography tandem MS (LC-MS/MS) data to demonstrate its utility. The performance of RAMSY is typically better than the results from correlation methods. RAMSY promises to improve unknown metabolite identification for MS users in metabolomics or other fields.

Estimating the average length of hospitalization due to pneumonia: a fuzzy approach

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

Correlates of above-average cognitive performance among older adults: the SABE study

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

Preschool children and excess weight: the impact of a low complexity intervention in public day care centers

Introduction: childhood obesity is a major public health problem, affecting children even at early ages. Objective: to assess the impact of dietary intervention and relatively simple physical activity on the nutritional state of preschoolers. Method: this was an intervention study in public daycare centers targeting children from 2 to 4 years of age, in the State of São Paulo. The sample consisted of 9 daycare centers covering 578 children, with 264 children in the intervention group (IG) and 314 in the comparison group (CG). Intervention was focused on modifications in diet and physical activity, avoiding overloading the routine of daycare centers, for duration of one year. A zBMI score > 1 (zBMI) and < 2 was considered risk of being overweight, and > 2 zBMI was considered excess weight (overweight and obese). Analysis was done by frequency calculations, comparisons of proportions by χ2, mean comparisons by t-student and calculations according to Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: IG showed an inverse correlation between the initial zBMI of the children and the difference with the zBMI at the end of the intervention (rP = -0.39, p <0.0001). The mean difference of zBMI of the overweight children in IG between the beginning and the end of the study period was negative (-0.46 z score), indicating weight reduction, while the children in the CG was positive (+0. 17 z score) (p = 0.0037). Conclusion: intervention in diet and physical activity in overweight preschool children in daycare centers could have a favorable impact on the evolution of their nutritional state.

Cogeneration design problem Computational complexity analysis and solution through an expert system

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is twofold: to analyze the computational complexity of the cogeneration design problem; to present an expert system to solve the proposed problem, comparing such an approach with the traditional searching methods available.Design/methodology/approach - The complexity of the cogeneration problem is analyzed through the transformation of the well-known knapsack problem. Both problems are formulated as decision problems and it is proven that the cogeneration problem is np-complete. Thus, several searching approaches, such as population heuristics and dynamic programming, could be used to solve the problem. Alternatively, a knowledge-based approach is proposed by presenting an expert system and its knowledge representation scheme.Findings - The expert system is executed considering two case-studies. First, a cogeneration plant should meet power, steam, chilled water and hot water demands. The expert system presented two different solutions based on high complexity thermodynamic cycles. In the second case-study the plant should meet just power and steam demands. The system presents three different solutions, and one of them was never considered before by our consultant expert.Originality/value - The expert system approach is not a "blind" method, i.e. it generates solutions based on actual engineering knowledge instead of the searching strategies from traditional methods. It means that the system is able to explain its choices, making available the design rationale for each solution. This is the main advantage of the expert system approach over the traditional search methods. On the other hand, the expert system quite likely does not provide an actual optimal solution. All it can provide is one or more acceptable solutions.

The effects of habitat complexity and hydraulic conditions on the establishment of benthic stream macroalgae

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

An Efficient Parallel Algorithm for Multiple Sequence Similarities Calculation Using a Low Complexity Method

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

Complexity and information technologies: an ethical inquiry into human autonomous action

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

Eventos adversos em terapia medicamentosa em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva - UTI

Due to the complexity and instability of clinical conditions of ICU patients, the drug therapy applied in this type of environment requires a combination of several prescribed drugs, which is a favorable condition for drug interaction, toxic synergism and possible iatrogenia. In the possible universe of ICU occurrences, this study aimed at identifying and evaluating the incidence of adverse events in drug therapy at the Intensive Care Therapy Service (SETI) in wards I and II. It is a cross-sectional, descriptive, prospective and quantitative study conducted from August to September, 2011 in the Intensive Care Service of the Botucatu School of Medicine University Hospital - UNESP. The population consisted of fifteen clinical nurses, including those in the Improvement and Volunteer Internship Programs, who contributed to the investigation after signing an informed consent form and according to approval by the Research Ethics Committee number 10711/CE - FMB. The data were entered on a form and analyzed. Results showed that, on average, 8.9% of events/day occurred, and the highest frequency was observed on August 04, 2011. 63% and 22% were respectively observed in the morning and afternoon shifts, and 15% in the night shift. 48% of these were due to administration time errors, followed by drug prescription and dispensation errors, with percentages of 22% and 18%, respectively. Antibiotics showed the highest frequency of adverse events - 18%, which was followed by 13% for anticoagulant, 11% for antiemetic and 10% for antiulcerative drugs. As regards the occurrence of adverse events related to hospitalization time, the highest frequency occurred in patients who were hospitalized for 10 days. Concerning the ratio between reported events and the number of items in the prescription, the highest frequency of events was related to prescriptions with 20 items... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Recursos humanos e materiais na assistência de enfermagem a pacientes de uma unidade de tratamento de queimaduras

The burn is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our society. It shows a great complexity and is hard to treat. Beyond the physical suffering, the burned patient is affected by psychological distress, requiring a high level of knowledge for assistance planning. The Professional Practice Law No. 7498 establishes the nurse as in charge of the client, as leader of the nursing team and as responsable for the management of physical and human resources. The nurse has autonomy to design the quantitative and qualitative picture of the nursing staff and should use the methodologies for their suitability to the real levels of assistance needed. Material resources represent 15 to 25% of total expenditures at health organizations. Therefore, to maintain the care level, nurses must determine the needs, considering the quantitative, qualitative and financial aspects. The study aimed the survey of the human and material resources necessary for nursing care to patients in a Burns Treatment Unit and identify its epidemiological profile and its nursing diagnoses. We collected the data from medical records of hospitalized between July and August, and the nursing diagnoses were classified through the Taxonomy II proposed by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA). The design of the picture of nurses followed the parameters of COFEN Resolution nº 293/2004. We apply the Fugulin's Patients Classification System to establish levels of the required care. The institution's Cost Center provided a spreadsheet with the purchased items, subsequently classified into ABC. Most hospitalized patients were men, aged between 20 and 50. There was a predominance of patiences with minor burned and the most common type of burn was due to fire. The average residence time was 28.71 days, and 88% of the patients were discharged... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

O insumo linguístico oral em aulas de inglês como língua estrangeira para crianças: a fala do professor em foco

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Prediction of genomic-enabled breeding values and genome-wide association study for feedlot average daily weight gain in Nelore cattle

Pós-graduação em Genética e Melhoramento Animal - FCAV

The relationship between macroalgal morphological complexity and hydraulic conditions in stream habitats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)