Schistosoma mansoni major egg antigen Smp40: molecular modeling and potential immunoreactivity for anti-pathology vaccine development

The pathogenesis of Schistosoma mansoni infection is largely determined by host T-cell mediated immune responses such as the granulomatous response to tissue deposited eggs and subsequent fibrosis. The major egg antigens have a valuable role in desensitizing the CD4+ Th cells that mediate granuloma formation, which may prevent or ameliorate clinical signs of schistosomiasis.S. mansoni major egg antigen Smp40 was expressed and completely purified. It was found that the expressed Smp40 reacts specifically with anti-Smp40 monoclonal antibody in Western blotting. Three-dimensional structure was elucidated based on the similarity of Smp40 with the small heat shock protein coded in the protein database as 1SHS as a template in the molecular modeling. It was figured out that the C-terminal of the Smp40 protein (residues 130 onward) contains two alpha crystallin domains. The fold consists of eight beta strands sandwiched in two sheets forming Greek key. The purified Smp40 was used for in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients infected with S. mansoni using phytohemagglutinin mitogen as a positive control. The obtained results showed that there is no statistical difference in interferon-g, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 levels obtained with Smp40 stimulation compared with the control group (P > 0.05 for each). On the other hand, there were significant differences after Smp40 stimulation in IL-5 (P = 0.006) and IL-10 levels (P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Gaining the knowledge by reviewing the literature, it was found that the overall pattern of cytokine profile obtained with Smp40 stimulation is reported to be associated with reduced collagen deposition, decreased fibrosis, and granuloma formation inhibition. This may reflect its future prospect as a leading anti-pathology schistosomal vaccine candidate.

Global regulation of the knowledge-based economy: The rise of standards in educational services

This article examines the extent and limits of non-state forms of authority in international relations. It analyses how the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for the tradability of services in a global knowledge-based economy relies on informal regulatory practices for adjustment of ICT-related skills. Companies and associations provide training and certification programmes as part of a growing market for educational services setting their own standards. The existing literature on non-conventional forms of authority in the global political economy has emphasised that the consent of actors subject to informal rules and explicit or implicit state recognition remains crucial for the effectiveness of those new forms of power. However, analyses based on a limited sample of actors tend toward a narrow understanding of the issues and fail to fully explore the differentiated space in which non-state authority is emerging. This paper examines the form of authority underpinning the global knowledge-based economy within the broader perspective of the issues likely to be standardised by technical ICT specification, the wide range of actors involved, and the highly differentiated space where standards become authoritative. The empirical findings highlight the role of different private actors in establishing international educational norms in this field. They also pinpoint the limits of profit-oriented standard-settings, notably with regard to generic norms.

Diseño de un Sistema Operacional

Aquest treball de final de carrera permet aprofundir en els coneixements en la gestió de projectes informàtics, el disseny de sistemes i procediments SQL i la definició de jocs de proves. La recerca de solucions com ara l'aplicació de la generació de dades aleatòries i el disseny d'una base de dades consistent han estat les meves principals aportacions en aquest projecte.

GestAMic : Treball Fi de Carrera - Interacció Humana amb els Ordinadors

El TFC és un estudi de millores a implantar pel que fa a usabilitat en una aplicació anomenada GestAMic mitjançant els coneixements adquirits en la assignatura d'IHO.GestAMic (Gestió d'Actius de Microinformàtica) és una eina que conté tota la base de dades de l'inventari d'actius del parc microinformàtic (CMDB) del Grup VW a Espanya, l'eina és gestionada per T-Systems Iberia. Aquesta aplicació permet fer-ne Altes, Baixes, Modificacions i Consultes dels actius sobre la CMDB.

The impact of two education methods on knowledge of schistosomiasis transmission and prevention among schoolchildren in a rural community in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of using two health education approaches on knowledge of transmission and prevention of schistosomiasis of school children living in a rural endemic area in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The 87 children participating in the study were divided into three groups based on gender, age and presence or absence of Schistosoma mansoni infection. In the first group the social representation model and illness experience was used. In the second group, we used the cognitive model based on the transmission of information. The third group, the control group, did not receive any information related to schistosomiasis. Ten meetings were held with all three groups that received a pre-test prior to the beginning of the educational intervention and a post-test after the completion of the program. The results showed that knowledge levels in Group 1 increased significantly during the program in regard to transmission (p = 0.038) and prevention (p = 0.001) of schistosomiasis. Groups 2 and 3 did not show significant increase in knowledge between the two tests. These results indicate that health education models need to consider social representation and illness experience besides scientific knowledge in order to increase knowledge of schistosomiasis transmission and prevention.

Northern Ireland Substitute Prescribing Database Report 31 March 2014

This bulletin summarises information on individuals referred to the Northern Ireland Substitute Prescribing Scheme (SPS). It relates to those referred up to and including the 31 March 2014 and focuses on those patients in contact with Substitute Prescribing treatment services during 2013/14.

Análisis y diseño de un sistema de acreditación de competencias digitales a través de entidades locales

Desenvoluparem un Sistema d'Acreditació de Competències Digitals a través d'entitats locals. El sistema consisteix en una sèrie de proves que es realitzaran presencialment o a través d'una plataforma en línia, aquestes proves demostraran les competències digitals dels usuaris, es registraran de manera que es puguin explotar les dades obtingudes, conèixer la situació en què es troba la població atesa per poder emprendre iniciatives adequades i avaluar el funcionament del propi sistema. Per a registrar les dades emprarem una base de dades ja existent, aquesta base de dades registra les diferents iniciatives que es duen a terme per part de l'entitat local.

Northern Ireland Substitute Prescribing Database Report 31 March 2013

This bulletin summarises information on individuals referred to the Northern Ireland Substitute Prescribing Scheme (SPS). It relates to those referred up to and including the 31 March 2013 and focuses on those patients in contact with Substitute Prescribing treatment services during 2012/13.

Gestió documental

Es pretén crear una eina per a la gestió del coneixement emprat per l'usuari tècnic, la qual gràcies a la seva facilitat i senzillesa, ajudi en aquestes tasques i permeti la localització ràpida de la informació que pot arribar a ser útil per a un projecte de la tecnologia indicada. Per a la correcta gestió i creixement del sistema, les dades seran catalogades i gestionades per un sistema gestor de bases de dades (SGBD) i sempre sota la tutela d'un usuari administrador del sistema. L'aplicació permet la gestió d'altes, baixes, modificacions i visualització de forma ordenada de qualsevol tipus de document i noticies (amb una mida màxima de 20 MB), i la relació amb la cerca serà per tipus de tecnologia.

Implantación de un proyecto de Knowledge Center con una herramienta comercial (Synera)

En una empresa les dades es poden transformar en coneixement; aquest projecte explica com es poden convertir les dades, mitjançant una eina comercial, en coneixement que els serveixi per a prendre decisions respecte de la seva política comercial, de màrqueting i de distribució del producte. A més, també demostra que la implementació d'aquest projecte en l'empresa repercutirà positivament en el seu futur.

Technical note: Implementation of a geodatabase of published and unpublished data on the catastrophic Vaiont landslide

On 9 October 1963 a catastrophic landslide suddenly occurred on the southern slope of the Vaiont dam reservoir. A mass of approximately 270 million m3 collapsed into the reservoir generating a wave that overtopped the dam and hit the town of Longarone and other villages nearby. Several investigations and interpretations of the slope collapse have been carried out during the last 45 years, however, a comprehensive explanation of both the triggering and the dynamics of the phenomenon has yet to be provided. In order to re-evaluate the currently existing information on the slide, an electronic bibliographic database and an ESRI-geodatabase have been developed. The chronology of the collected documentation showed that most of the studies for re-evaluating the failure mechanisms were conducted in the last decade, as a consequence of knowledge, methods and techniques recently acquired. The current contents of the geodatabase will improve definition of the structural setting that influenced the slide and led to the the propagation of the displaced rock mass. The objectives, structure and contents of the e-bibliography and Geodatabase are indicated, together with a brief description on the possible use of the alphanumeric and spatial contents of the databases.

Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and dengue in Argentina: current knowledge and future directions

Since the reinfestation of South American countries by Ae. aegypti, dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) have become a major public health concern. The aim of this paper was to review the information related with Aedes vectors and dengue in Argentina since the reintroduction of Ae. aegypti in 1986. The geographic distribution of Ae. albopictus is restricted to the Northeast, and that of Ae. aegypti has expanded towards the South and the West in comparison with the records during the eradication campaign in the 1960s. Since 1998, 4,718 DF cases have been reported concentrated in the provinces of Salta, Formosa, Misiones, Jujuy and Corrientes. Despite the circulation of three dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1, -2 and -3) in the North of the country, DHF has not occurred until the present. The information published over the last two decades regarding mosquito abundance, temporal variations, habitat characteristics, competition, and chemical and biological control, was reviewed. Considering the available information, issues pending in Argentina are discussed. The presence of three DENV, the potential spread of Ae. albopictus, and the predicted climate change suggest that dengue situation will get worse in the region. Research efforts should be increased in the Northern provinces, where DHF is currently an actual risk.

Audio as medium for content distribution (providing access to knowledge)

Reaching and educating the masses to the benefit of all of mankind is the ultimate goal and through the use of this technology facility/tool many can be reached in their own language, in their own community, in their own time and at their own pace. Making this content available to those who will benefit from the information, is vital. These people who want to consume the content are not necessarily that interested in the qualification, they need the information. Making the content available in an auditory format may also help those who may not be as literate as others. The uses of audio/ recorded lessons have a number of uses and should not just be seen as a medium for content distribution to distant communities. Recording lectures makes it possible for a lecturer to present lectures to a vast number of students, while just presenting the lecture once.

Brazilian contribution for a better knowledge on the biology of Toxoplasma gondii

Historically, scientists in Brazil has significantly contributed to the biology, cultivation and structural organization of the pathogenic protozoan Toxoplasma gondiiand its interaction with host cells, starting with the description of the protozoan by Splendore in 1908. The intracellular and extracellular corpuscoli observed in rabbits, corresponded to what we now as tachyzoites. Later on, a pioneering method to grow T. gondii in tissue cultures was developed by Guimarães and Meyer, 1942. They also observed for the first time T. gondii by transmission electron microscopy and made the initial description of the cytoskeleton of T. gondii by observing negatively stained cells. In the 1980's, the relation of the cytoskeleton with the sub-pellicular microtubules was reveled by freeze-fracture. More recently, several Brazilian groups have analyzed in detail basic aspects of the early interaction of the protozoan with the host cell, such as the role of protein phosphorylation, transfer of host cell surface components to the protozoan and genesis and organization of the parasitophorous vacuole. Tachyzoites strategically inhibit nitric oxide production during active invasion of activated macrophages. In vitro studies on the sexual cycle of T. gondii using primary cultures of cat enterocytes and the egress from host cells are being carried out. Perspectives are that the contribution of Brazilian science to the knowledge on T. gondii biology will continue to flourish in years to come.