Clonal structure of Trypanosoma cruzi Colombian strain (biodeme Type III): biological, isoenzymic and histopathological analysis of seven isolated clones

The clonal structure of the Colombian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi, biodeme Type III and zymodeme 1, was analyzed in order to characterize its populations and to establish its homogeneity or heterogeneity. Seven isolated clones presented the basic characteristics of Biodeme Type III, with the same patterns of parasitemic curves, tissue tropism to skeletal muscle and myocardium, high pathogenicity with extensive necrotic-inflammatory lesions from the 20th to 30th day of infection. The parental strain and its clones C1, C3, C4 and C6, determined the higher levels of parasitemia, 20 to 30 days of infection, with high mortality rate up to 30 days (79 to 100%); clones C2, C5 and C7 presented lower levels of parasitemia, with low mortality rates (7.6 to 23%). Isoenzymic patterns, characteristic of zymodeme 1, (Z1) were similar for the parental strain and its seven clones. Results point to a phenotypic homogeneity of the clones isolated from the Colombian strain and suggest the predominance of a principal clone, responsible for the biological behavior of the parental strain and clones.

Design of a balanced scorecard-type management system for a back-office department in a bank

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Uncertainty, generalization, and neural representation of relevant variables for decision making

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology, Computational Biology.

The strength of the waterbed effect depends on tariff type

We show that the waterbed effect, i.e. the pass-through of a change in one price of a firm to its other prices, is much stronger if the latter include subscription rather than only usage fees. In particular, in mobile network competition with a fixed number of customers, the waterbed effect is full under two-part tariffs, while it is only partial under linear tariffs.

Produção de biohidrogénio por cianobactérias: optimização da produção de biohidrogénio pela Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 wild type e mutantes

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Energia e Bioenergia

Response to chemotherapy with benznidazole of clones isolated from the 21SF strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (biodeme Type II, Trypanosoma cruzi II)

Susceptibility to chemotherapy with benznidazole was investigated of 5 clones isolated from the 21 SF strain (biodeme Type II, Trypanosoma cruzi II). Swiss mice were infected with the parental strain for each clone and submitted to chemotherapy with benznidazole (100mg/kg/day during 90 days). Treatment determined negativity of the parasitemia. Cure rates were evaluated by parasitological cure tests. Serology was evaluated for treated animals (titers from negative to 1:640) and untreated controls (1:160 to 1:640). Cure rates varied from 30 to 100% for the 5 clones, and were 25% for the parental strain. Results suggested that the variability of response to treatment of the clonal populations of Trypanosoma cruzi II strains is responsible for the high variation in the response to chemotherapy with benznidazole and nifurtimox by strains of this biodeme.

Development of a satellite based PM10 concentration product for urban areas

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia do Ambiente

Staging the Scientist: The Representation of Science and its Processes in American and British Drama

Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estudos Ingleses e Norte Americanos

A volumetric hybrid representation for obstacle detection in all-terrain robots

This dissertation presents an approach aimed at three-dimensional perception’s obstacle detection on all-terrain robots. Given the huge amount of acquired information, the adversities such environments present to an autonomous system and the swiftness, thus required, from each of its navigation decisions, it becomes imperative that the 3-D perceptional system to be able to map obstacles and passageways in the most swift and detailed manner. In this document, a hybrid approach is presented bringing the best of several methods together, combining the lightness of lesser meticulous analyses with the detail brought by more thorough ones. Realizing the former, a terrain’s slope mapping system upon a low resolute volumetric representation of the surrounding occupancy. For the latter’s detailed evaluation, two novel metrics were conceived to discriminate the little depth discrepancies found in between range scanner’s beam distance measurements. The hybrid solution resulting from the conjunction of these two representations provides a reliable answer to traversability mapping and a robust discrimination of penetrable vegetation from that constituting real obstructions. Two distinct robotic platforms offered the possibility to test the hybrid approach on very different applications: a boat, under an European project, the ECHORD Riverwatch, and a terrestrial four-wheeled robot for a national project, the Introsys Robot.

High prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with SCCmec type III in cystic fibrosis patients in southern, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial colonization of the lungs is the main cause of morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF). Pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus are very well adapted to the pulmonary environment and may persist for years in the same patient. Genetic determinants of these bacteria, such as the presence of SCCmec have recently emerged as a problem in this population of patients. METHODS: Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained from different clinical materials coming from CF and non-CF patients attended at a cystic fibrosis reference hospital were compared according to SCCmec type and antibiotic susceptibility profile. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-four single-patient Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected, of which 164 (45%) were from CF patients. Among the latter, 57/164 (44.5%) were MRSA, and among the non-CF patients, 89/200 (35%) were MRSA. Associated pathogens were found in 38 CF patients. All 57 MRSA from CF patients harbored the multiresistant cassette type III. In contrast, 31/89 MRSA from non-CF patients harbored SCCmec type I (35%) and 44/89 harbored type III (49%). The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was similar between CF and non-CF patients. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of multiresistant SCCmec type III among CF patients compared with non-CF patients in our institution may make it difficult to control disease progression through antibiotic therapy for promoting the survival of this kind of patient.

Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII as agent of meningitis in a healthy child in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: report of an autochthonous case

Cryptococcus gattii causes meningoencephalitis in immunocompetent hosts, occurring endemically in some tropical and subtropical regions. Recently, this fungus was involved in an outbreak in Vancouver Island and British Columbia (Canada). In this temperate region, the VGII type is predominant. The paper describes an autochthonous case of meningoencephalitis by C. gattii VGII in a previously health child in Rio de Janeiro, considered nonendemic region of Brazil. The fungus was identified by biochemical tests and the molecular type was determined by URA5-RFLP. The present report highlights the need for clinical vigilance for primary cryptococcal meningitis in nonendemic areas.

The Vase’s Representation (Cantharus, Crater) on the Roman Mosaic in Portugal: A Significant Formal and Iconographic Path from Classic Antiquity to Late Antiquity

11TH INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON ANCIENT MOSAICS OCTOBER 16TH  20TH, 2009, BURSA TURKEY Mosaics of Turkey and Parallel Developments in the Rest of the Ancient and Medieval World: Questions of Iconography, Style and Technique from the Beginnings of Mosaic until the Late Byzantine Era