Extensive multiple test centre evaluation of the VecTest malaria antigen panel assay

To determine which species and populations of Anopheles transmit malaria in any given situation, immunological assays for malaria sporozoite antigen can replace traditional microscopical examination of freshly dissected Anopheles. We developed a wicking assay for use with mosquitoes that identifies the presence or absence of specific peptide epitopes of circumsporozoite (CS) protein of Plasmodium falciparum and two strains of Plasmodium vivax (variants 210 and 247). The resulting assay (VecTest(TM) Malaria) is a rapid, one-step procedure using a 'dipstick' test strip capable of detecting and distinguishing between P. falciparum and P. vivax infections in mosquitoes. The objective of the present study was to test the efficacy, sensitivity, stability and field-user acceptability of this wicking dipstick assay. In collaboration with 16 test centres world-wide, we evaluated more than 40 000 units of this assay, comparing it to the standard CS ELISA. The 'VecTest(TM) Malaria' was found to show 92% sensitivity and 98.1% specificity, with 97.8% accuracy overall. In accelerated storage tests, the dipsticks remained stable for >15 weeks in dry conditions up to 45degreesC and in humid conditions up to 37degreesC. Evidently, this quick and easy dipstick test performs at an acceptable level of reliability and offers practical advantages for field workers needing to make rapid surveys of malaria vectors.

A quantitative state and transition model for the Mitchell grasslands of central western Queensland

Concerns of reduced productivity and land degradation in the Mitchell grasslands of central western Queensland were addressed through a range monitoring program to interpret condition and trend. Botanical and eclaphic parameters were recorded along piosphere and grazing gradients, and across fenceline impact areas, to maximise changes resulting from grazing. The Degradation Gradient Method was used in conjunction with State and Transition Models to develop models of rangeland dynamics and condition. States were found to be ordered along a degradation gradient, indicator species developed according to rainfall trends and transitions determined from field data and available literature. Astrebla spp. abundance declined with declining range condition and increasing grazing pressure, while annual grasses and forbs increased in dominance under poor range condition. Soil erosion increased and litter decreased with decreasing range condition. An approach to quantitatively define states within a variable rainfall environment based upon a time-series ordination analysis is described. The derived model could provide the interpretive framework necessary to integrate on-ground monitoring, remote sensing and geographic information systems to trace states and transitions at the paddock scale. However, further work is needed to determine the full catalogue of states and transitions and to refine the model for application at the paddock scale.

Serum inhibin A and B concentrations during the menstrual cycle in mothers of spontaneous dizygotic twins

Dizygotic twinning in humans is influenced by genetic factors suggesting inherited variation affects follicle development and predisposes to double ovulations. In a previous study, we conducted a detailed examination of follicle development and variation in hormone concentrations during the menstrual cycle in mothers of DZ twins (MODZT) compared with an age-matched control group of mothers of singletons. We did not detect differences in FSH concentrations between mothers of twins and mothers of singletons. Serum inhibin concentrations were measured by a radioimmunoassay that did not distinguish between dimeric inhibin A and B forms and free inhibin alpha subunit. We therefore analyzed the samples from this study with specific assays to determine whether concentrations of inhibin A and B were different between MODZT and controls and therefore contribute to the twinning phenotype. There were no significant differences between MONT with single ovulations and control women in inhibin A and B concentrations during the cycle, including the critical period for the selection of the dominant follicle. These data suggest that the genetic cause of twinning is not associated with changes in FSH concentrations or recognised feedback mechanisms regulating FSH release.

An evaluation of participatory planning at Mapoon Aboriginal community: Opportunities for inclusive local governance

The Queensland Government is increasingly using participatory planning as a means to improve infrastructure and service delivery to Indigenous settlements. In addition to technical and economic goals, participatory planning practice seeks also to achieve social development goals, including empowerment, capacity building, community control and ownership. This article presents the findings of an evaluation of one such planning project, conducted at Old Mapoon in 1995. Despite various efforts to follow participatory processes, the plan had mixed success in achieving social development goals. This suggests some misunderstandings between the practice of participatory planning and the workings of local governance. It also presents some opportunities for participatory planning methods to be integrated with more inclusive forms of governance.

Effects of the paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, on the electrocardiogram of the Spectacled Flying Fox, Pteropus conspicillatus

Objective To evaluate cardiac electrical function in the Spectacled Flying Fox (bat) infested with Ixodes holocyclus. Design Prospective clinical investigation of bats treated for naturally occurring tick toxicity. Procedure ECGs were performed on bats with tick toxicity (n = 33), bats that recovered slowly (n = 5) and normally (n = 5) following treatment for tick toxicity, and on normal bats with no history of tick toxicity (n = 9). Results Bats with tick toxicity had significantly prolonged corrected QT intervals, bradycardia and rhythm disturbances which included sinus bradydysrhythmia, atrial standstill, ventricular premature complexes, and idioventricular bradydysrhythmia. Conclusions The QT prolongation observed on ECG traces of bats with tick toxicity reflected delayed ventricular repolarisation and predisposed to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death in response to sympathetic stimulation. The inability to document ventricular tachycardia in bats shortly before death from tick toxicity may be explained by a lack of sympathetic responsiveness attributable to the unique parasympathetic innervation of the bat heart, or hypothermiainduced catecholamine receptor down-regulation. Bradycardia and rhythm disturbances may be attributable to hypothermia.

Educa����o escolar Tupinikim e Guarani : experi��ncias de interculturalidade em aldeias de Aracruz, no Estado do Esp��rito Santo

A pesquisa analisa as rela����es entre interculturalidade, pr��xis e educa����o escolar ind��gena Tupinikim e Guarani do munic��pio de Aracruz, Esp��rito Santo, Brasil. Investiga a pr��xis da educa����o intercultural no espa��o da educa����o escolar ind��gena como meio de revitaliza����o das culturas Tupinikim e Guarani. Objetiva problematizar a forma����o inicial e continuada dos professores ind��genas; discutir a pr��xis da interculturalidade no contexto da educa����o escolar ind��gena; e, identificar outros espa��os educativos da cultura e educa����o ind��gena. Analisa aspectos te��ricos e pr��ticos sobre cultura (WILLIAMS, 2008; BRAND��O, 1989; FORQUIN, 1993; CANDAU, 2011; GEERTZ, 1989), interculturalidade (D���AMBROSIO,1996; FLEURI, 2002; 2003; SCANDIUZZI, 2009;), identidade e alteridade (MELI��, 2000; FREIRE, 1981; 1987; LITAIFF, 2004) e pr��xis (FREIRE, 1989; V��SQUEZ, 2011; SEMERARO, 2006) e educa����o (escolar) ind��gena de acordo com a legisla����o vigente. Realiza pesquisa interpretativa (GEERTZ, 1989) na educa����o escolar ind��gena junto aos professores ind��genas Guarani das Aldeias de Boa Esperan��a e Tr��s Palmeiras (2009-2010) e professores ind��genas Tupinikim da Aldeia de Comboios (2011-2013) na perspectiva de um di��logo intercultural. Contribuem nos processos investigativos para produ����o, sistematiza����o e an��lise de dados a realiza����o de observa����es, entrevistas semiestruturadas, registros no caderno de campo, fotografias, grava����es em ��udio e em v��deo e an��lise documental sobre a educa����o escolar ind��gena de Aracruz. (ANDR��, 2007; GIL, 1999; 2004). Os resultados deste trabalho levantam quest��es relativas a duas realidades de educa����o escolar nas comunidades ind��genas pesquisadas que se constituem em aspectos de sobreviv��ncia e desencadeia formas para interagir e reagir em defesa de sua identidade e dignidade. Nesse sentido, a escola �� um local de viv��ncias e de encontro, vista e sentida pelas lideran��as e pela comunidade como uma possibilidade real para desenvolver um elo entre as formas tradicionais de vida e as formas contempor��neas. O desafio de garantir uma escola nestes termos significa concretizar a proposta de um projeto de educa����o escolar para os povos ind��genas, constitu��do por especificidades de como trabalhar a terra, pelo reconhecimento de suas tradi����es, das l��nguas e da mem��ria coletiva. Distante de apresentar respostas conclusivas prop��e uma educa����o escolar, coletiva e participativa, que critica e dialoga com todos os envolvidos no processo educativo.

Utiliza����o de ultrassom na conserva����o de suco de laranja : efeito sobre caracter��sticas f��sico-qu��micas, enzim��ticas, microbiol��gicas e sensoriais

O consumo de suco de frutas vem aumentando no Brasil. Entre 2002 e 2009 o consumo de sucos, sejam eles concentrados, em p��, sucos ou n��ctares, aumentou em 21%. Devido ao seu sabor agrad��vel e doce, e ao seu valor nutricional, o suco de laranja �� o suco mais comum fabricado pela ind��stria de processamento de bebidas. Diversos fatores podem afetar a qualidade do suco de laranja. A microbiota t��pica presente no suco de laranja pode ser proveniente de v��rias etapas de sua produ����o. Em rela����o ��s enzimas, a pectinametilesterase (PME) �� a principal causadora de altera����es em suco laranja. A pasteuriza����o e a esteriliza����o comercial s��o os m��todos de conserva����o mais comuns utilizados para inativar enzimas e micro-organismos, por��m podem causar efeitos adversos em rela����o ��s caracter��sticas sensoriais (cor, sabor, aroma, e outros) dos produtos. A tecnologia de ultrassom vem sendo estudada recentemente como uma forma de conservar os alimentos sem causar efeitos indesej��veis como os provocados pelos tratamentos t��rmicos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a utiliza����o da tecnologia de ultrassom e de ultrassom aliado a temperaturas brandas, como forma de conservar suco de laranja. Para isto, foram analisadas a contagem de mes��filos totais e bolores e leveduras, a atividade da pectinametilesterase, o teor de vitamina C, a cor, o pH, o teor de s��lidos sol��veis e a estabilidade em rela����o �� turbidez. Ainda, avaliou-se a aceita����o sensorial de suco de laranja submetido �� termossonica����o. Os resultados foram comparados com os obtidos para o suco natural e o suco pasteurizado. Utilizou-se um ultrassom de 40 kHz, associado ��s temperaturas de 25 ��C, 30 ��C, 40 ��C, 50 ��C e 60 ��C durante 10 minutos. Os tratamentos utilizando ultrassom a 50 ��C e 60 ��C foram capazes de reduzir a contagem de bolores e leveduras e de mes��filos totais, apresentando uma redu����o de 3 ciclos logar��tmicos. Resultado similar foi encontrado quando realizado o tratamento t��rmico a 90 ��C por 30 segundos. Observou-se que a aplica����o da termossonica����o permitiu uma redu����o significativa na atividade de PME e uma menor perda de vitamina C. O tratamento que apresentou melhor redu����o na atividade de PME foi utilizando ultrassom 40 kHz com temperatura de 60 ��C. Em rela����o ao ��cido asc��rbico, quanto menor a temperatura utilizada em conjunto com a sonica����o, menor foi a perda deste composto. O teor de s��lidos sol��veis, o pH e a cor do suco n��o foram alterados ao longo do processamento. Avaliando a aceitabilidade do suco, verificou-se que a cor n��o foi influenciada por nenhum tratamento. Em rela����o ao aroma, sabor e aceita����o global o suco submetido a termossonica����o obteve aceita����o sensorial superior �� encontrada para o suco pasteurizado. Concluiu-se ent��o que a utiliza����o da termossonica����o como uma forma de conserva����o para suco de laranja �� vi��vel.

Smoking, consumption of alcohol and sedentary life style in population grouping and their relationships with lipemic disorders

The study, part of the project "Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, lipemic disorders, hypertension, obesity and diabetis mellitus in a population of the metropolitan area of the southeastern region of Brazil", had the following objectives: a) the characterization and distribution among typical human socio-economic groupings, of the prevalence of some particular habits which constitute aspects of life-style-the use of tobacco, the use of alcohol and sedentary activity; b) the establishment of the interrelation between the above-mentioned habits and some lipemic disorders. The prevalence of the habits cited behaved in the following manner: the use of tobacco predominated among men, distributed uniformly throughout the social strata; among the women the average percentage of smokers was 18,9%, a significant difference occurring among the highest socio-economic class, where the average was of 40.2%. The sedentary style of life presented high prevalence, among both men and women with exception of the women of the highest socio-economic level and of the skilled working class. The use of alcohol, as one would expect, is a habit basically practised by the men, without any statistically significant differences between classes. For the purpose of establishing associations between these risk fictors and lipemic conditions four situations were chosen, of the following characteristics: 1- total cholesterol > or = 220 mg/dl and triglycerides > or = 150 mg/dl; 2- HDL cholesterol <35 mg/dl for men and <45 mg/dl for women and triglycerides levels > or = 150 mg/dl; 3- HDL cholesterol <35 mg/dl for men and <45 mg/dl for women and triglycerides levels <150 mg/dl; 4- total cholesterol 220 mg/dl with triglycerides levels <150 mg/dl. Six models of multiple (backward) regression were established, with seven independent variables- age, sex, use of tobacco, consumption of alcohol, light physical activity, hypertension and obesity. Significant associations (P<0,05) were revealed with hypercholesterolemia, accompanied by triglyceride levels > or = 150 mg/dl, and the following independent variables: age, use of tobacco and the interactions between obesity and smoking, age and sedentary lifestyle, sex and obesity (R2=22%); the standardized B coefficient showed that the variables with the greatest weight in the forecasting of the variation in the levels of cholesterol were smoking and the interaction between obesity and smoking. The hypercholesterolemia accompanied by triglycerides levels <150 mg/dl showed a positive association between total cholesterol and sex and the interactions obesity/smoking and sex/obesity. As regards HDL cholesterol accompanied by triglyceride/ levels > or = 150 mg/dl was inversely associated with obesity and the interaction smoking/ age and directly with age (R=31%). The standardized B coeffients, indicated that the variables obesity and the interactions smoking/age possessed a weight three times greater than age alone in accounting for the variation in the serum levels of HDL cholesterol. When accompanied by triglycerides <150 mg/dl there was no association between and the independent variables and the set of them presented R equal to 22%. The sum of top, in the population stutied in this project, the component habits of life-style (smoking, alcohol consumption and sedentary activity) which constitute risk factors which determine morbidity from atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are be found distributed through all the typical social groupings of this particular form of social organization. On the other hand, the seven independent variables used in the multiple regression models for the explanation of the lipemic conditions considered presented multiple determination coefficients which varied, approximately, between 20% and 30%. Thus it is important that in the genetic epidemiology the study of the morbidities in question be emphasized.

Avalia����o de dados funcionais em repouso do c��rebro normal: causalidade de Granger

Mestrado em Radia����es Aplicadas ��s Tecnologias da Sa��de. ��rea de especializa����o: Resson��ncia Magn��tica

VPP��s multi-level negotiation in smart grids and competitive electricity markets

The increase of distributed generation (DG) has brought about new challenges in electrical networks electricity markets and in DG units operation and management. Several approaches are being developed to manage the emerging potential of DG, such as Virtual Power Players (VPPs), which aggregate DG plants; and Smart Grids, an approach that views generation and associated loads as a subsystem. This paper presents a multi-level negotiation mechanism for Smart Grids optimal operation and negotiation in the electricity markets, considering the advantages of VPPs��� management. The proposed methodology is implemented and tested in MASCEM ��� a multiagent electricity market simulator, developed to allow deep studies of the interactions between the players that take part in the electricity market negotiations.

��-lactamases in the biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory

��-lactamases are hydrolytic enzymes that inactivate the ��-lactam ring of antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins. The major diversity of studies carried out until now have mainly focused on the characterization of ��-lactamases recovered among clinical isolates of Gram-positive staphylococci and Gram-negative enterobacteria, amongst others. However, only some studies refer to the detection and development of ��-lactamases carriers in healthy humans, sick animals, or even in strains isolated from environmental stocks such as food, water, or soils. Considering this, we proposed a 10-week laboratory programme for the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology laboratory for majors in the health, environmental, and agronomical sciences. During those weeks, students would be dealing with some basic techniques such as DNA extraction, bacterial transformation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, and the use of several bioinformatics tools. These laboratory exercises would be conducted as a mini research project in which all the classes would be connected with the previous ones. This curriculum was compared in an experiment involving two groups of students from two different majors. The new curriculum, with classes linked together as a mini research project, was taught to a major in Pharmacy and an old curriculum was taught to students from environmental health. The results showed that students who were enrolled in the new curriculum obtained better results in the final exam than the students who were enrolled in the former curriculum. Likewise, these students were found to be more enthusiastic during the laboratory classes than those from the former curriculum.

An��lise e avalia����o sociocultural do projeto de desenvolvimento agr��cola da Calenga: uma abordagem ao envolvimento dos agentes

Disserta����o de Mestrado, Gest��o e Conserva����o da Natureza, 13 de Dezembro de 2013, Universidade dos A��ores.

Lar militar: projecto de execu����o

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obten����o do grau de mestre em Engenharia Civil na ��rea de Especializa����o em Estruturas

Promo����o do uso de alimentos promotores de sa��de na dieta de grupos socioecon��micos desfavorecidos

Disserta����o de Mestrado, Tecnologia e Seguran��a Alimentar, 13 de Julho de 2015, Universidade dos A��ores.

A arte contempor��nea enquanto elemento facilitador da auto valoriza����o dos jovens perante as suas cria����es art��sticas

Disserta����o apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa para obten����o de grau de mestre em Educa����o Art��stica, na Especializa����o de Artes Pl��sticas na Educa����o