Seroepidemiological monitoring in sentinel animals and vectors as part of arbovirus surveillance in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: From February-September 2010, seroepidemiological surveys were conducted on non-human primates and transmitter vector capture was used to investigate the possible circulation of arboviruses in the municipalities of Bonito, Campo Grande, and Jardim, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 65 primates from the wild and captivity were used, and potential vectors were captured using Castro and dip nets. Serum samples were tested at the Instituto Evandro Chagas, State of Pará, using the hemagglutination inhibition test to detect total antibodies against 19 different arboviruses. Virus isolation was attempted from serum samples and arthropod suspensions using newborn mice and the C6/36 cell line clone. In addition, identification of the vector species was conducted. RESULTS: From the 19 serum samples from Campo Grande, 1 sample had a 1:20 titer for Flavivirus. From the 35 samples collected in Bonito, 17 samples had antibodies to arboviruses, 4 (11.4%) were positive for Alphavirus, and 5 (14.2%) were positive for Flavivirus. Monotypic reactions were observed for the Mayaro (n = 10) and Oropouche (n = 5) viruses, and 6 (17.1%) samples had titers for >1 virus. We captured 120 Culicidae individuals that were potential arbovirus transmitters in Jardim; however, all the samples were negative for the viruses. CONCLUSIONS: Mato Grosso do Sul has a variety of vertebrate hosts and transmission vectors, thereby providing ideal conditions for the emergence or reemergence of arboviruses, including some pathogenic to human beings.

Clinical research monitoring: scenarios and challenges

Clinical research is essential for the development of new drugs, diagnostic tests and new devices. Clinical monitoring is implemented to improve the quality of research and attain high ethical and scientific standards. This review discusses the role of clinical monitors, taking into account the variety of scenarios in which medical research is developed, and highlights the challenges faced by research teams to ensure that patients rights are respected and that the social role of scientific research is preserved. Specific emphasis is given to the ethical dilemmas related to the multiple roles which clinical monitors play in the research framework, mainly those involving the delicate equilibrium between the loyalty to the sponsor and to the research subjects. The essential role of clinical monitoring for research developed in poor healthcare scenarios is highlighted as an approach to get the local infrastructure strengthening needed to achieve an adequate level of good clinical practices.

Monitoring Trypanosoma cruzi infection in triatomines using PCR in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Introduction The aim of the present study was to assess the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a method for detecting Trypanosoma cruzi infection in triatomines that had been previously determined by microscopic examination in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Methods In total, 515 specimens were collected. Material from the digestive tract of each triatomine was analyzed for the presence of T. cruzi by microscopic examination and PCR using the 121/122 primer set. Results Among the 515 specimens tested, 58 (11.3%) were positive by microscopy and 101 (19.61%) were positive by PCR and there was an association between the results of the techniques (χ2 = 53.354, p = 0.001). The main species of triatomine identified was T. sordida (95.5%) Conclusions The use of PCR in entomological surveillance may contribute to a better assessment of the occurrence of T. cruzi in triatomine populations.

Investigation of class 1 integrons in Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical and microbiota isolates belonging to different phylogenetic groups in Recife, State of Pernambuco

Introduction The high prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections is related to the ability of K. pneumoniae to acquire and disseminate exogenous genes associated with mobile elements, such as R plasmids, transposons and integrons. This study investigated the presence of class 1 integrons in clinical and microbiota isolates of K. pneumoniae belonging to different phylogenetic groups and correlated these results with the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the studied isolates. Methods Of the 51 isolates of K. pneumoniae selected for this study, 29 were from multidrug-resistant clinical isolates, and 22 were from children's microbiota. The susceptibility profile was determined using the disk diffusion method, and class 1 integrons were detected through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results The results showed that none of the 22 microbiota isolates carried class 1 integrons. Among the 29 clinical isolates, 19 (65.5%) contained class 1 integrons, and resistance to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was identified in 18 of these isolates (94.7%). Among the K. pneumoniae isolates with class 1 integrons, 47% belonged to the KpI phylogenetic group, and one isolate (14.3%) carrying these genetic elements belonged to the KpIII group. Conclusions The wide variety of detected class 1 integrons supports the presence of high rates of antimicrobial resistance, genetic variability, and rapid dissemination of beta-lactamase genes among K. pneumoniae clinical isolates in recent years in hospitals in Recife-PE, Brazil. The findings of this study indicate that the surveillance of K. pneumoniae integrons in clinical isolates could be useful for monitoring the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in the hospital environment.

Ion-beam sources based on superionic solid electrolytes

An ion emitter consisting of a sharp silver tip covered in RbAg4I5 solid electrolyte film has been developed and studied. An accelerating potential is applied and Ag+ ions are emitted from the tip’s apex by field evaporation. The emitted ions are collected by a Faraday cup, producing a current on the pico/nanoampere level which is read by an electrometer. The tips were produced mechanically by sandpaper polishing. The sharpest tip produced had a 2:4 m apex radius. Two deposition methods were studied: thermal vacuum and pulsed laser deposition. The best tip produced a peak current value of 96nA at 180oC, and a quasi-stable 4nA emission current at 160oC, both using an extraction potential of 10kV . The emission dependence on time, temperature and accelerating potential has been studied. Deposited films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), profilometry, optical and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) measurements. Several ion emitters were developed, the latter ones were all able to maintain stable high ion emissions for long periods of time. This investigation was a continuation of an ongoing project backed by the European Space Agency, with the objective of making a proof of concept of this kind of ion emitter with potential application on ion thrusters for orbiting satellites. Going forward, it would be interesting to make a finer analysis of the electrolyte’s conductivity at high temperatures, explore Wien Effect-based emission and to further develop a multi-tip ion emitter prototype.

Avaliação da exposição a aditivos alimentares em crianças dos 0 aos 3 anos: estudo exploratório

RESUMO - O aumento dos produtos processados na alimentação diária, em especial das crianças, tem repercussões no consumo aumentado de aditivos, cujas consequências são ainda ambíguas. Associado ao aumento do consumo deste tipo de alimentos encontra-se a prevalência de excesso de peso e obesidade infantil. O presente estudo exploratório pretendeu avaliar a exposição a aditivos alimentares em crianças dos 0 aos 3 anos, com base nos Limites Máximos de Utilização e nas Doses Diárias Admissíveis, e estudar a sua associação com variáveis como a idade, sexo, percentil de Índice de Massa Corporal e nível de escolaridade dos Pais. Pretendeu-se também identificar as categorias de alimentos consumidas que mais contribuíram para a exposição aos aditivos alimentares em estudo. Com base numa amostra de dados reportados em diários alimentares, foram selecionados 12 aditivos. Observaram-se ingestões estimadas superiores às DDA, para o dióxido de enxofre (E220), o ácido fumárico (E297) e o nitrito de sódio (E250). As categorias de alimentos “Açúcar, confeitaria e sobremesas açucaradas”, “Leite e produtos lácteos”, “Cereais e derivados” e “Pratos compostos”, foram as que mais contribuíram para a exposição dos aditivos selecionados. O presente trabalho permitiu inferir o perfil de exposição a aditivos alimentares em crianças, lançar resultados preliminares para justificar a necessidade de estudos mais pormenorizados, e a criação do sistema de monitorização nacional da ingestão de aditivos. Estudos sobre consumos de aditivos alimentares podem servir de base para elaboração de estratégias de saúde pública, com a finalidade de reduzir o consumo destas substâncias e promover hábitos alimentares mais saudáveis.

Monitoring the treatment of sepsis with vancomycin in term newborn infants

A prospective study was conducted to determine if standardized vancomycin doses could produce adequate serum concentrations in 25 term newborn infants with sepsis. Purpose: The therapeutic response of neonatal sepsis by Staphylococcus sp. treated with vancomycin was evaluated through serum concentrations of vancomycin, serum bactericidal titers (SBT), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). METHOD: Vancomycin serum concentrations were determined by the fluorescence polarization immunoassay technique , SBT by the macro-broth dilution method, and MIC by diffusion test in agar . RESULTS: Thirteen newborn infants (59.1%) had adequate peak vancomycin serum concentrations (20--40 mg/mL) and one had peak concentration with potential ototoxicity risk (>40 µg/mL). Only 48% had adequate trough concentrations (5--10 mg/mL), and seven (28%) had a potential nephrotoxicity risk (>10 µg/mL). There was no significant agreement regarding normality for peak and trough vancomycin method (McNemar test : p = 0.7905). Peak serum vancomycin concentrations were compared with the clinical evaluation (good or bad clinical evolution) of the infants, with no significant difference found (U=51.5; p=0.1947). There was also no significant difference between the patients' trough concentrations and good or bad clinical evolution (U = 77.0; p=0.1710). All Staphylococcus isolates were sensitive to vancomycin according to the MIC. Half of the patients with adequate trough SBT (1/8), also had adequate trough vancomycin concentrations and satisfactory clinical evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Recommended vancomycin schedules for term newborn infants with neonatal sepsis should be based on the weight and postconceptual age only to start antimicrobial therapy. There is no ideal pattern of vancomycin dosing; vancomycin dosages must be individualized. SBT interpretation should be made in conjunction with the patient's clinical presentation and vancomycin serum concentrations. Those laboratory and clinical data favor elucidation of the probable cause of patient's bad evolution, which would facilitate drug adjustment and reduce the risk of toxicity or failing to achieve therapeutic doses.

Vancomycin monitoring in term newborns: comparison of peak and trough serum concentrations determined by high performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence polarization immunoassay

INTRODUCTION: Peak and trough serum concentrations of vancomycin were determined in term newborn infants with confirmed or suspected Staphylococcus sp sepsis by high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay. OBJECTIVE: To statistically compare the results of the high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay techniques for measuring serum vancomycin concentrations. METHODS: Eighteen peak and 20 trough serum samples were assayed for vancomycin concentrations using high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay from October 1995 to October 1997. RESULTS: The linear correlation coefficients for high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay were 0.27 (peak, P = 0.110) and 0.26 (trough, P = 0.1045) respectively, which were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There was wide variation in serum vancomycin concentrations determined by high performance liquid chromatography as compared with those determined by flourescence polarization immunoassay. There was no recognizable pattern in the variability; in an apparently random fashion, the high performance liquid chromatography measurement was sometimes substantially higher than the flourescence polarization immunoassay measurement, and at other times it was substantially lower.

An agent based architecture to support monitoring in plug and produce manufacturing systems using knowledge extraction

In recent years a set of production paradigms were proposed in order to capacitate manufacturers to meet the new market requirements, such as the shift in demand for highly customized products resulting in a shorter product life cycle, rather than the traditional mass production standardized consumables. These new paradigms advocate solutions capable of facing these requirements, empowering manufacturing systems with a high capacity to adapt along with elevated flexibility and robustness in order to deal with disturbances, like unexpected orders or malfunctions. Evolvable Production Systems propose a solution based on the usage of modularity and self-organization with a fine granularity level, supporting pluggability and in this way allowing companies to add and/or remove components during execution without any extra re-programming effort. However, current monitoring software was not designed to fully support these characteristics, being commonly based on centralized SCADA systems, incapable of re-adapting during execution to the unexpected plugging/unplugging of devices nor changes in the entire system’s topology. Considering these aspects, the work developed for this thesis encompasses a fully distributed agent-based architecture, capable of performing knowledge extraction at different levels of abstraction without sacrificing the capacity to add and/or remove monitoring entities, responsible for data extraction and analysis, during runtime.

Monitoring liquidity risk at BPI GA

Field lab: Business project

Fiscalização dos serviços de informações em Portugal

The present work offers a brief historical and evolutionary introduction to the legal basis of the Portuguese Republic Intelligence System (SIRP) which comprises two services – the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Defence Strategic Intelligence Service (SIED) – and two entities responsible for its oversight – the Supervisory Body (CFSIRP) and the Data Monitoring Committee (CFD), also responsible for supervising the Military Intelligence and Security Centre (CISMIL) of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (EMGFA). The initial narrative subsequently leads us to a detailed analysis of the Portuguese Intelligence services' current model of monitoring, as well as of the legislator’s options, namely in the legal drafting field, used within the construction and definition of the legal structure that currently regulates the Portuguese Republic Intelligence System. For the purposes of this study we have broadly examined different models of the European Union, in particular those of Belgium, the Netherlands and Croatia. We have also transposed to the text the valuable contributions collected during the research phase, more precisely the replies to questionnaires and interviews conducted with certain individuals selected according to their knowledge and affinity with the subject of this study, including members and former members of the Supervisory Body and former directors of the three portuguese intelligence services. The present dissertation intends to contribute to the development of this subject, promoting critical analysis, within and beyond the academia, with the aim that some of its reflections might be useful towards the intelligence system’s future reform, particularly in what concerns intelligence services monitoring.

Professores realistas: mais eficazes e otimistas

A indisciplina na sala de aula prejudica o ensino e a aprendizagem sendo uma das principais causas do mal-estar dos professores, roubando-lhes energia e tempo conduzindo, muitos deles, à exaustão física e emocional e apresenta-se como um sério problema quer para professores principiantes, quer para professores experientes. A análise do ensino na perspetiva interpessoal possibilita uma nova visão sobre o ambiente de aprendizagem, nomeadamente no que se refere à relação professor-aluno. Nesta perspetiva, o enfoque dirige-se para a análise das perceções dos alunos sobre o comportamento do professor e o impacto que o mesmo tem sobre os alunos. Além de que, ao considerar-se a turma como um sistema deve ter-se em conta que o comportamento não pode ser visto como uma característica da pessoa mas, sim, como uma característica do sistema formado por aqueles que estão envolvidos na interação comunicacional. Analisar as interações comunicacionais à luz da pragmática da comunicação e dos seus cinco axiomas apresenta-se como um poderoso quadro clarificador de muitos dos comportamentos ditos disruptivos, possibilitando aos professores um “novo olhar” sobre o seu papel enquanto gestores da sala de aula. A formação realista de professores apresenta-se como uma estratégia com efeitos muito positivos uma vez que possibilita e ajuda-os a compreenderem o processo de circularidade característico da turma vista como um sistema. Por outro lado, permite evidenciar a impossibilidade dos professores de solucionarem os problemas disciplinares culpabilizando os alunos. Dito de outro modo, a formação realista conduz os professores a um (re) equacionar das suas práticas encorajando-os a selecionarem um comportamento interpessoal mais adequado. No 1º e 3º período letivo, os professores participantes (N= 15) responderam ao Questionário de Interação do Professor (Q.I.P.) e ao Questionário do Otimismo Académico (Q.O.A.) composto por três subescalas: Autoeficácia, Confiança nos alunos e famílias e Ênfase académica. Paralelamente, foram gravadas em suporte vídeo quatro aulas de cada professor, referentes a duas turmas selecionadas previamente pelos mesmos. Após a observação das suas aulas refletiram por escrito aquilo que observaram. No 2º período, participaram numa ação de formação intitulada “Ecologia da sala de aula: relacionamento interpessoal professor-aluno e a criação de ambientes de aprendizagem positivos” baseada no modelo realista de formação de professores. Desta formação resultou um conjunto de relatórios reflexivos que tiveram por objetivo desenvolver nos participantes a sua competência reflexiva, questionarem crenças tidas como inquestionáveis e otimizar a relação professor-aluno. A partir dos resultados obtidos pode afirmar-se que: 1) verificou-se um aumento no otimismo académico e no sentimento de autoeficácia; 2) observou-se um impacto nas conceções prévias, bem como no contexto organizacional.

A new credit monitoring framework for agents' networks

The purpose of this work is to develop a practicable approach for Telecom firms to manage the credit risk exposition to their commercial agents’ network. Particularly it will try to approach the problem of credit concession to clients’ from a corporation perspective and explore the particular scenario of agents that are part of the commercial chain of the corporation and therefore are not end-users. The agents’ network that served as a model for the presented study is composed by companies that, at the same time, are both clients and suppliers of the Telecommunication Company. In that sense the credit exposition analysis must took into consideration all financial fluxes, both inbound and outbound. The current strain on the Financial Sector in Portugal, and other peripheral European economies, combined with the high leverage situation of most companies, generates an environment prone to credit default risk. Due to these circumstances managing credit risk exposure is becoming increasingly a critical function for every company Financial Department. The approach designed in the current study combined two traditional risk monitoring tools: credit risk scoring and credit limitation policies. The objective was to design a new credit monitoring framework that is more flexible, uses both external and internal relationship history to assess risk and takes into consideration commercial objectives inside the agents’ network. Although not explored at length, the blueprint of a Credit Governance model was created for implementing the new credit monitoring framework inside the telecom firm. The Telecom Company that served as a model for the present work decided to implement the new Credit Monitoring framework after this was presented to its Executive Commission.

Assessment of NDVI, land surface temperature and precipitation anomalies for drought monitoring in Bayankhongor province, Mongolia

During the last decade Mongolia’s region was characterized by a rapid increase of both severity and frequency of drought events, leading to pasture reduction. Drought monitoring and assessment plays an important role in the region’s early warning systems as a way to mitigate the negative impacts in social, economic and environmental sectors. Nowadays it is possible to access information related to the hydrologic cycle through remote sensing, which provides a continuous monitoring of variables over very large areas where the weather stations are sparse. The present thesis aimed to explore the possibility of using NDVI as a potential drought indicator by studying anomaly patterns and correlations with other two climate variables, LST and precipitation. The study covered the growing season (March to September) of a fifteen year period, between 2000 and 2014, for Bayankhongor province in southwest Mongolia. The datasets used were MODIS NDVI, LST and TRMM Precipitation, which processing and analysis was supported by QGIS software and Python programming language. Monthly anomaly correlations between NDVI-LST and NDVI-Precipitation were generated as well as temporal correlations for the growing season for known drought years (2001, 2002 and 2009). The results show that the three variables follow a seasonal pattern expected for a northern hemisphere region, with occurrence of the rainy season in the summer months. The values of both NDVI and precipitation are remarkably low while LST values are high, which is explained by the region’s climate and ecosystems. The NDVI average, generally, reached higher values with high precipitation values and low LST values. The year of 2001 was the driest year of the time-series, while 2003 was the wet year with healthier vegetation. Monthly correlations registered weak results with low significance, with exception of NDVI-LST and NDVI-Precipitation correlations for June, July and August of 2002. The temporal correlations for the growing season also revealed weak results. The overall relationship between the variables anomalies showed weak correlation results with low significance, which suggests that an accurate answer for predicting drought using the relation between NDVI, LST and Precipitation cannot be given. Additional research should take place in order to achieve more conclusive results. However the NDVI anomaly images show that NDVI is a suitable drought index for Bayankhongor province.