The lung cancer exercise training study: a randomized trial of aerobic training, resistance training, or both in postsurgical lung cancer patients: rationale and design.

BACKGROUND: The Lung Cancer Exercise Training Study (LUNGEVITY) is a randomized trial to investigate the efficacy of different types of exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), patient-reported outcomes, and the organ components that govern VO2peak in post-operative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. METHODS/DESIGN: Using a single-center, randomized design, 160 subjects (40 patients/study arm) with histologically confirmed stage I-IIIA NSCLC following curative-intent complete surgical resection at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) will be potentially eligible for this trial. Following baseline assessments, eligible participants will be randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) aerobic training alone, (2) resistance training alone, (3) the combination of aerobic and resistance training, or (4) attention-control (progressive stretching). The ultimate goal for all exercise training groups will be 3 supervised exercise sessions per week an intensity above 70% of the individually determined VO2peak for aerobic training and an intensity between 60 and 80% of one-repetition maximum for resistance training, for 30-45 minutes/session. Progressive stretching will be matched to the exercise groups in terms of program length (i.e., 16 weeks), social interaction (participants will receive one-on-one instruction), and duration (30-45 mins/session). The primary study endpoint is VO2peak. Secondary endpoints include: patient-reported outcomes (PROs) (e.g., quality of life, fatigue, depression, etc.) and organ components of the oxygen cascade (i.e., pulmonary function, cardiac function, skeletal muscle function). All endpoints will be assessed at baseline and postintervention (16 weeks). Substudies will include genetic studies regarding individual responses to an exercise stimulus, theoretical determinants of exercise adherence, examination of the psychological mediators of the exercise - PRO relationship, and exercise-induced changes in gene expression. DISCUSSION: VO2peak is becoming increasingly recognized as an outcome of major importance in NSCLC. LUNGEVITY will identify the optimal form of exercise training for NSCLC survivors as well as provide insight into the physiological mechanisms underlying this effect. Overall, this study will contribute to the establishment of clinical exercise therapy rehabilitation guidelines for patients across the entire NSCLC continuum. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00018255.

An evaluation of cyclooxygenase-2 as a prognostic biomarker in mid-gut carcinoid tumours

Background/Aims:Mid-gut carcinoids (MGC) are the most common of the gastrointestinal carcinoid tumours. There is a lack of reliable prognostic indicators for MGC. Cox-2 and Bcl-2 were evaluated as prognostic biomarkers in a cohort of well-characterised non-appendiceal MGC. Methods: Tissue from the primary MGC tumours of 37 patients was subjected to immunohistochemical detection of Cox-2 and Bcl-2. In 9 cases tissue from secondary lesions was also examined. The study assessed whether tumour-associated Cox-2 and Bcl-2 expression were related to patient survival. Results: Cox-2 expression was demonstrated in 30/36 primary tumours. When all tumours were analysed Cox-regression analysis indicated a trend towards worsening survival with increasing Cox-2 histoscore (intensity x proportion; hazard ratio 1.53, 95%CI 0.93, 2.52; p=0.09). Analysis of Cox-2 positive tumours revealed a highly significant association between increasing histoscore and decreased survival (hazard ratio 3.03, 95%CI 1.33, 6.91, p=0.008). Tumour-associated Bcl-2 expression had no effect on patient survival (hazard ratio 1.12, 95% CI 0.42, 2.99 p=0.82). There was no significant association between Cox-2 and Bcl-2 expression (ï?£2 p=0.16), or Cox-2 histoscore and Bcl-2 expression (MWU p=0.59). Analysis of the Cox-2 histoscores of primary tumours and their corresponding secondary lesions, revealed a statistically significant trend towards increasing histoscore in the latter (Wilcoxon p=0.04). Conclusions: This study has provided evidence that Cox-2 expression in primary MGC may be associated with a more negative prognostic outlook.

Sequential extracellular matrix-focused and baited-global cluster analysis of serial transcriptomic profiles identifies candidate modulators of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in murine adriamycin-induced nephropathy

Transcriptome analysis using microarray technology represents a powerful unbiased approach for delineating pathogenic mechanisms in disease. Here molecular mechanisms of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) were probed by monitoring changes in the renal transcriptome in a glomerular disease-dependent model of TIF ( adriamycin nephropathy) using Affymetrix (mu74av2) microarray coupled with sequential primary biological function-focused and secondary

EURODIAB childhood type 1 diabetes incidence registers - results from the first 20 years. Oral presentation at the 47th EASD Annual Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal.

Background and aims: In 1989 a number of registers in Europe began recording new cases of type 1 diabetes diagnosed in children aged under 15 years using a common protocol. Trends in incidence rate during the 20 year period 1989-2008 are described.
Materials and methods: All registers operate in geographically defined regions and are based on a clinical diagnosis. When possible, completeness of registration in each register is assessed using capture-recapture methodology by identifying primary and secondary sources of ascertainment. The completeness estimate is obtained by identifying the numbers of cases identified by the primary source only, by the secondary source only and by both the primary and the secondary sources.
Results: Other registers have joined the Group since 1989, and 21 registers in 15 countries continue to submit registration data. In the first five years (1989-93) incidence rates varied from 3.2 per 100,000 in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to 25.8 per 100,000 in the Stockholm area of Sweden. In the last five years (2004-2008) these same two registers again had the lowest and highest incidence, but rates had increased to 5.8 per 100,000 and 36.6 per 100,000, respectively. During the 20 year period all but two of the 21 registers showed statistically significant rates of increase (median rate of increase 4% per annum), and similar figures were obtained when this median rate of increase was estimated for the first half of the period (1989-98) and for the second half (1999-2008) . However, rates of increase differed significantly between the first half and the second half of the period for eight of the 17 registers with adequate coverage of both periods; four registers showing significantly higher rates of increase in the first half and four significantly higher rates in the second half.
Conclusion: The childhood type 1 diabetes incidence rate continues to rise across Europe by approximately 4% per annum, but the increase within a register is not necessarily uniform with periods of less rapid and more rapid increase in incidence occurring in some registers. This pattern of change suggests that important risk exposures differ over time in different European countries. Further time trend analysis and comparison of the patterns in defined regions are warranted.

EURODIAB childhood type 1 diabetes incidence registers - results from the first 20 years

Background and aims: In 1989 a number of registers in Europe began recording new cases of type 1 diabetes diagnosed in children aged under 15 years using a common protocol. Trends in incidence rate during the 20 year period 1989-2008 are described.
Materials and methods: All registers operate in geographically defined regions and are based on a clinical diagnosis. When possible, completeness of registration in each register is assessed using capture-recapture methodology by identifying primary and secondary sources of ascertainment. The completeness estimate is obtained by identifying the numbers of cases identified by the primary source only, by the secondary source only and by both the primary and the secondary sources.
Results: Other registers have joined the Group since 1989, and 21 registers in 15 countries continue to submit registration data. In the first five years (1989-93) incidence rates varied from 3.2 per 100,000 in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to 25.8 per 100,000 in the Stockholm area of Sweden. In the last five years (2004-2008) these same two registers again had the lowest and highest incidence, but rates had increased to 5.8 per 100,000 and 36.6 per 100,000, respectively. During the 20 year period all but two of the 21 registers showed statistically significant rates of increase (median rate of increase 4% per annum), and similar figures were obtained when this median rate of increase was estimated for the first half of the period (1989-98) and for the second half (1999-2008) . However, rates of increase differed significantly between the first half and the second half of the period for eight of the 17 registers with adequate coverage of both periods; four registers showing significantly higher rates of increase in the first half and four significantly higher rates in the second half.
Conclusion: The childhood type 1 diabetes incidence rate continues to rise across Europe by approximately 4% per annum, but the increase within a register is not necessarily uniform with periods of less rapid and more rapid increase in incidence occurring in some registers. This pattern of change suggests that important risk exposures differ over time in different European countries. Further time trend analysis and comparison of the patterns in defined regions are warranted.

Sustainable concrete: design and testing

Producing concrete with secondary raw materials is an excellent way to contribute to a moresustainable world, provided that this concrete has at least the same performance during itsservice life as concrete made with the primary raw materials it replaces. Secondary rawmaterials for Light Weight (LW) aggregates (rigid polyurethane foams, shredded tire rubberand mixed plastic scraps) have been combined with secondary raw materials for the binder(fly ash, slag and perlite tailings) making sustainable concretes that were investigated fortheir suitability as LW, highly insulating concrete for four different types of applications.Compliance to desired engineering properties (workability, setting time) was not alwaysfeasible: it was mostly the low workability of the mixtures that limited their application.Contrary to well established cements, steering the workability by adding water was not anoption for these binders that rely on alkali-activation. Eight successful mixtures have beentested further. The results have shown that it is possible to produce a non-structuralsustainable concrete with good mechanical and thermal insulation properties.Design of concrete made with novel materials is currently not feasible without extensiveexperimentation as no design rules exist other than empirically derived rules based ontraditional materials. As a radical different approach, a flexible concrete mix design has beendeveloped with which the concrete can be modelled in the fresh and hardened state. Thenumerical concrete mix design method proves a promising tool in designing concrete forperformance demands such as elasticity parameters and thermal conductivity

Sources of local knowledge spillover within the Algarve tourism region: evidence to identify a regional innovation system

Tourism sector in Algarve region is the main engine of regional economy. Although frequently, tourism is considered as a low – moderate innovative sector, tourism competitiveness is still highly dependent on specific features of a Regional Innovation Platform, highlighting the crucial importance of knowledge creation and diffusion, learning, cooperative and collaborative interaction that may evolve to a Regional Innovation System (RIS). Studies of Local Knowledge Spillovers have been frequently focused on empirical evidence provided by regions highly related with manufacturing sectors. Considering a case study in Tourism Algarve Region, emphasizing a theoretical character on the analysis of these areas and using a qualitative methodology, the goal of this study was to provide preliminary evidence of the main sources and vehicles of regional knowledge spillovers used by tourism enterprises. Main information has been obtained using primary information collected from 20 interviews over main stakeholders regarding regional private and public sector. Primary information was complemented with secondary information, a deeply and extensive bibliography revision and also statistical information. Results show that, on the one hand, main sources of knowledge used by micro and small tourism enterprises are human resources and formal and informal networks. On the other hand, large tourism companies are weakly related with regional sources using mainly internal company and economic group resources to generate innovation activities. Regional innovation platform shows clear weaknesses on linkages and coordinated initiatives to promote and support innovation performance of firms hampering to increase tourism competitiveness and regional development.

Projecto de pré-dimensionamento de uma ETAR em Luanda - Angola

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil na Área de Especialização de Hidráulica

Étude des collisions proton-proton dans l’expérience ATLAS avec les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX

Les seize détecteurs MPX constituant le réseau ATLAS-MPX ont été placés à différentes positions dans le détecteur ATLAS et sa averne au CERN dans le but de mesurer en emps réel les champs de radiation produits ar des particules primaires (protons des faisceaux) et des particules secondaires (kaons, pions, g, protons) issues des collisions proton-proton. Des films de polyéthylène (PE) et de fluorure de lithium (6LiF) recouvrent les détecteurs afin d’augmenter leur sensibilité aux neutrons produits par les particules primaires et secondaires interagissant avec les matériaux présents dans l’environnement d’ATLAS. La reconnaissance des traces laissées par les particules dans un détecteur ATLAS-MPX se fait à partir des algorithmes du logiciel MAFalda (“Medipix Analysis Framework”) basé sur les librairies et le logiciel d’analyse de données ROOT. Une étude sur le taux d’identifications erronées et le chevauchement d’amas a été faite en reconstruisant les activités des sources 106Ru et 137Cs. L’efficacité de détection des neutrons rapides a été mesurée à l’aide des sources 252Cf et 241AmBe (neutrons d’énergie moyenne de 2.13 et 4.08 MeV respectivement). La moyenne des efficacités de détection mesurées pour les neutrons produits par les sources 252C f et 241AmBe a été calculée pour les convertisseurs 6LiF et PE et donnent (0.8580 ± 0.1490)% et (0.0254 ± 0.0031)% pour LiF et (0.0510 ± 0.0061)% et (0.0591 ± 0.0063)% pour PE à bas et à haut seuil d’énergie respectivement. Une simulation du calcul de l’efficacité de détection des neutrons dans le détecteur MPX a été réalisée avec le logiciel GEANT4. Des données MPX correspondant aux collisions proton-proton à 2.4 TeV et à 7 TeV dans le centre de masse ont été analysées. Les flux détectés d’électrons et de photons sont particulièrement élevés dans les détecteurs MPX01 et MPX14 car ils sont plus près du point de collision. Des flux de neutrons ont été estimés en utilisant les efficacités de détection mesurées. Une corrélation avec la luminosité du LHC a été établie et on prédit que pour les collisions à 14 TeV dans le centre de masse et avec une luminosité de 10^34 cm-1*s-1 il y aura environ 5.1x10^8 ± 1.5x10^7 et 1.6x10^9 ± 6.3x10^7 particules détectées par les détecteurs MPX01 et MPX14 respectivement.

Modelling effects of prolonged conditioning on dormancy and germination of Striga hermonthica

The impact of environment on the germination biology of the parasite was studied in the laboratory with seeds conditioned at various water potentials, urea concentrations and at 17.5 to 37.5°C for up to 133 days. Maximum germination was observed at 20 to 25°C. Water stress and urea suppressed maximum germination. The final percentage germination response to period of conditioning showed a non-linear relationship and suggests the release of seeds from dormancy during the initial period and later on dormancy induction. Germination percentage increased with increase in conditioning period to a threshold and remained stable for variable periods followed by a decline with further extension of conditioning time. The decline in germination finally terminated in zero germination in most treatments before the end of experimentation. The investigated factors of temperature, water potential and urea showed clear effects on the expression of dormancy pattern of the parasite. The effects of water potential and urea were viewed as modifying a primary response of seeds to temperature during conditioning. The changes in germinability potential during conditioning were consistent with the hypothesis that dormancy periods are normally distributed within seed populations and that loss of primary dormancy precedes induction of secondary dormancy. Hence an additive mathematical model of loss of primary dormancy and induction of secondary as affected by environment was developed as: G = {[Φ-1 (Kp+ (po+pnN+pwW) (T-Tb) t)]-[Φ-1 (Ks+ ((swW+sa)+sorT)t)]}[Φ-1(aT2+bT+c+cwW)].

Baculovirus superinfection: a probable restriction factor on the surface display of proteins for library screening

In addition to the expression of recombinant proteins, baculoviruses have been developed as a platform for the display of complex eukaryotic proteins on the surface of virus particles or infected insect cells. Surface display has been used extensively for antigen presentation and targeted gene delivery but is also a candidate for the display of protein libraries for molecular screening. However, although baculovirus gene libraries can be efficiently expressed and displayed on the surface of insect cells, target gene selection is inefficient probably due to super-infection which gives rise to cells expressing more than one protein. In this report baculovirus superinfection of Sf9 cells has been investigated by the use of two recombinant multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus carrying green or red fluorescent proteins under the control of both early and late promoters (vAcBacGFP and vAcBacDsRed). The reporter gene expression was detected 8 hours after the infection of vAcBacGFP and cells in early and late phases of infection could be distinguished by the fluorescence intensity of the expressed protein. Simultaneous infection with vAcBacGFP and vAcBacDsRed viruses each at 0.5 MOI resulted in 80% of infected cells coexpressing the two fluorescent proteins at 48 hours post infection (hpi), and subsequent infection with the two viruses resulted in similar co-infection rate. Most Sf9 cells were re-infectable within the first several hours post infection, but the reinfection rate then decreased to a very low level by 16 hpi. Our data demonstrate that Sf9 cells were easily super-infectable during baculovirus infection, and super-infection could occur simultaneously at the time of the primary infection or subsequently during secondary infection by progeny viruses. The efficiency of super-infection may explain the difficulties of baculovirus display library screening but would benefit the production of complex proteins requiring co-expression of multiple polypeptides.

Cocoa flavanol intake improves endothelial function and Framingham Risk Score in healthy men and women: a randomised, controlled, double-masked trial: the Flaviola Health Study

Cocoa flavanol (CF) intake improves endothelial function in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and disease. We investigated the effects of CF on surrogate markers of cardiovascular health in low risk, healthy, middle-aged individuals without history, signs or symptoms of CVD. In a 1-month, open-label, one-armed pilot study, bi-daily ingestion of 450 mg of CF led to a time-dependent increase in endothelial function (measured as flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD)) that plateaued after 2 weeks. Subsequently, in a randomised, controlled, double-masked, parallel-group dietary intervention trial (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01799005), 100 healthy, middle-aged (35–60 years) men and women consumed either the CF-containing drink (450 mg) or a nutrient-matched CF-free control bi-daily for 1 month. The primary end point was FMD. Secondary end points included plasma lipids and blood pressure, thus enabling the calculation of Framingham Risk Scores and pulse wave velocity. At 1 month, CF increased FMD over control by 1·2 % (95 % CI 1·0, 1·4 %). CF decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 4·4 mmHg (95 % CI 7·9, 0·9 mmHg) and 3·9 mmHg (95 % CI 6·7, 0·9 mmHg), pulse wave velocity by 0·4 m/s (95 % CI 0·8, 0·04 m/s), total cholesterol by 0·20 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·39, 0·01 mmol/l) and LDL-cholesterol by 0·17 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·32, 0·02 mmol/l), whereas HDL-cholesterol increased by 0·10 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·04, 0·17 mmol/l). By applying the Framingham Risk Score, CF predicted a significant lowering of 10-year risk for CHD, myocardial infarction, CVD, death from CHD and CVD. In healthy individuals, regular CF intake improved accredited cardiovascular surrogates of cardiovascular risk, demonstrating that dietary flavanols have the potential to maintain cardiovascular health even in low-risk subjects.

Mineralogical and microthermometric studies and structural aspects of imperial topaz mineralization in Antonio Pereira, Ouro Preto District (Minas Gerais) - Brazil

The occurrences of imperial topaz in the Antonio Pereira mine, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, are associated with the metamorphic carbonate rocks of the Minas Supergroup. The crystals have densities varying from 3.46 to 3.58. The parameters of the unitary cells obtained were: 4.658 to 4.663 angstrom (ao), 8.823 to 8.832 angstrom (b(o)), 8.382 to 8.389 angstrom (c(o)), and 344.65 to 345.46 angstrom 3 (V). The refraction indices presented the following variations: 1.622 to 1.630 (nX), 1.624 to 1.632 (nY), 1.633 to 1.640 (nZ), and 0.008 to 0.011 (B). These properties are coherent with the low fluorine contents obtained (16,48%/17,05wt%). Infrared spectroscopy and microthermometry showed that the fluid inclusions, which represent the mineralizing fluids, are formed by H(2)O (with Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and Na(+)), and CO(2) +/- CH(4). The minimal trapping T-P conditions of 290/320 degrees C and 2,349/2,497bar were obtained for the primary fluid inclusions. The pseudo-secondary fluid inclusions were trapped at conditions of lower temperatures and variable pressures, during the deformation process under local alternating states of stress. The microthermometric studies, the structural analysis and the fluorine contents suggest that the mineralized veins were formed from hydrothermal fluids originated during the Brasiliano tectono-metamorphic event.

Estratégia reprodutiva do peixe hermafrodita mussum, Synbranchus marmoratus Osteichthyes, Synbranchidae em um açude do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Reproductive strategy of the hermaphrodite fish the marbled swamp eel, Synbranchus marmoratus (Bloch, 1795) (Osteichthyes: Synbranchidae) was investigated in the Marechal Dutra reservoir, Acari, Rio Grande do Norte, using fish samples captured monthly during the period of July 2010 to July 2011. The limnological parameters and rainfall were verified. The captured fish specimens were numbered, weighed, measured, dissected and their gonads and liver were removed, weighed and identified as to sex and developmental stages of gonads. The length-weight relationship was determined for grouped sex. The size of first gonadal maturation, gonadosomatic index (GSI), condition factor (K) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) were calculated. The development stages of the gonads were investigated using macroscopic and histological techniques, besides the fecundity and reproductive period. The macroscopic characteristics and the histological development of gonads confirmed the four different sexual types in the sampled population: primary males, females, intersex and secondary males. The secondary males were bigger and heavier than all the other types. This species showed a negative allometric growth with a higher increase in length than weight. The size at which 50% of the females began the process of gonadal maturation was 43.5 cm of total length, and for secondary males it was 58.5 cm. Condition factor showed two peaks in February and in April 2011. IGS indicated a reproductive period from July to September 2010 and was negatively correlated with the condition factor and rainfall. IGS showed a negative correlation when compared with the condition factor and the rainy season. HSI was highest in February ad lowest in December. The reproductive period of this species occurs between the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season. S. marmoratus presents a seasonal reproductive strategy which optimizes its reproductive success under the semiarid climatic conditions

Lógica por trás dos contratos sociais

Natural selection shapes body and behavior of each species. For primates, the social environment constituted one of the greatest selective pressure for the development of their cognition. When we consider gender differences, we see that sexual selection also operates through different selective pressures for men and women not only in physical terms but in terms of cognitive skills. Among these, the primary cognitive abilities - that emerge naturally - and secondary - that rely on an artificial environment for learning - develop differently for each sex, making them suitable for specific tasks in different capacities. Previous studies utilized the Wason Selection Test a conditional logic tool - to measure, among several other things, the ability to recognize violation of rules in abstract contexts and social contexts. Subjects generally had better performance in the latter, however, in these studies possible differences motivated by learning in formal logic or genre were not considered. Our study investigated these two variables, as well as the time spent to solve each task. Furthermore, we used an index to take into account the rights and wrongs of the participants in tasks. We realized that although learning in formal logic does not bring significant differences in solving tests, the gender differences are strongly observed when we consider the social contexts and abstract. Women perform better in social tasks. This can be explained due to different sexual selective pressures for this gender in terms of one-on-one relationships within the group. Men are better at tasks of abstract context and this is probably due to the same reason. Their capabilities for territory defense, habitat navigation and forming coalitions depends on primary cognitive abilities that support secondary cognitive skills of abstraction. Thus, gender differences are a factor to be taken into account in controlling future experiments with the same tool