Sea waves generated by extratropical cyclones in the South Atlantic Ocean: Hindcast and validation against altimeter data

This work presents analyses of the atmospheric conditions and the hindcast of the surface wave field when six extratropical cyclones formed and displaced over the South Atlantic Ocean (10degreesN, 60degreesS; 75degreesW, 15degreesE) between April and September 1999. These events caused high sea waves associated with hazardous conditions along the south and southeast coast of Brazil. The meteorological composite fields for these cyclones show a strong near-surface wind velocity (up to 14 m s(-1)) during its mature phase. The sea-state wave hindcast was obtained using a third-generation wave model forced by the 10-m above ground level wind field from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis dataset. Closer to the south and southeast Brazilian coast, the hindcast results showed significant wave heights of up to 5 m in some of the events. The wave hindcast results for the significant wave height were compared against satellite altimeter data at 6 h intervals. The statistical index showed a systematic underestimation of the significant wave height by 0.5 m. The correlation between wave hindcast and altimeter measurements was greater than 90%, showing a good phase reproduction by the wave model.

Reliability and validation of a Brazilian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile for assessing edentulous subjects

The aims of this study were to evaluate the reliability and to validate a Brazilian version of Oral Health Impact Profile for assessing edentulous subjects (OHIP-EDENT), an inventory for measuring oral health-related quality of life of edentulous subjects. The sample comprised 65 complete denture wearers (23 men, mean age of 69.1 +/- 10.3 years). The translated OHIP-EDENT was applied on two occasions with a washout period of 3 months. Reliability was assessed by an internal consistency analysis and a test-retest approach. A preliminary validation process was conducted by a qualitative approach/interview. Results of internal consistency showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.86 or 0.90 for the first or second appointment respectively. Through the test-retest analysis, an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.57 was found, and individual answers reflected a broad range of agreement. Interviewed volunteers (n = 6) comprehended most questions well. In conclusion, the Brazilian version of OHIP-EDENT is adequate for assessing the oral health-related quality of life for edentulous subjects.

A fast microwave-assisted, acid-vapor, steam-cleaning procedure for autosampler cups

A new and fast procedure is proposed for cleaning autosampler cups using acid-vapor steam-cleaning with a miniaturized assembly in a microwave-heated sealed Teflon vessel. A glass cactus-shaped holder was made to support six polyethylene autosampler cups (volume, 2.0 mt) inside a 100 mt microwave vessel. Regent-grade nitric acid was added to the vessels, and the system was heated in a microwave oven for 5 min at 300 W. Chromium was determined by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. The blank values were lower with cleaned cups compared to untreated cups (i.e., as received from supplier). The quantification limits, estimated from detection limits established with Milli-Q water, were 0.66 and 0.95 mu g Cr L-1 for cleaned and untreated auto-sampler cups, respectively. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of hysteroscopic view in cases of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To validate hysteroscopic view with histology in cases of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB)DESIGN: Retrospective study.(Canadian Task Force classification II-3).SETTING: University teaching hospitals in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and private office in Rio de Janeiro.PATIENTS: Four thousand and fifty-four patients with AUB in whom hysteroscopic views were complete and the histologic result was conclusive.INTERVENTION: Four thousand and fifty-four office hysteroscopies with complete views and conclusive histologic results. The material for histologic examination was obtained through biopsy of the lesion in an outpatient unit or through the resection of the entire lesion in patients who underwent surgery. Histology was considered the gold standard and compared with the hysteroscopic view.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In the histology of the 4054 examinations, 613 (15.2%) were endometrial hyperplasia, and 105 (2.6%) were endometrial cancer. The most frequent hysteroscopic finding was endometrial polyps (31.2%). In endometrial hyperplasia, the sensitivity of the hysteroscopic view was 56.3% (95% CI 52.21-60.2%), specificity was 89.1% (95% CI 88.0%-90.1%), positive predictive value (PPV) was 48.0% (95% CI 44.3%-51.7%), negative predictive value (NPV) was 92.0% (95% Cl 90.1%-92.9%), and accuracy was 72.7% (95% CI 70.7%-74.7%). Accuracy was defined as the proportion of correct results among the hysteroscopic examinations. In endometrial cancer, the sensitivity of the hysteroscopic view was 80.0% (95% Cl 71.1%-87.2%), specificity was 99.5% (95% CI 99.2%-99.7%), PPV was 81.5% (95% Cl 72.7%-88.5%), NPV was 99.5% (95% CI 99.2%-99.7%), and accuracy was 89.8% (95% CI, 85.9%-93.6%). In the 814 patients (20.0%) in whom the hysteroscopic view was normal, there were no false negatives for endometrial cancer; however, there were 37 (4.5%) false negatives for endometrial hyperplasia. In the histologic cases of endometrial cancer, 101 (96.2%) hysteroscopic views were compatible with cancer or hyperplasia (80.0% and 16.2%, respectively). Ninety-seven out of 103 hysteroscopic views with cancer findings (94.2%) had histologic diagnosis of cancer or hyperplasia (81.5% and 12.6%, respectively).CONCLUSION: It seems that even in face of good validity of hysteroscopic view for endometrial hyperplasia and cancer, histologic study is mandatory in the presence of any lesion as the hysteroscopic view cannot completely replace the histologic study in patients with AUB. (C) 2006 AAGL. All rights reserved.

VALIDATION OF THE NAME STICHOSIPHON MANGLE (CHROOCOCCALES, CYANOPHYTA)

The previously but not validly published name Stichosiphon mangle is validated by designation of a type.

Validation of an immunoassay method for the determination of traces of carbaryl in vegetable and fruit extracts by liquid chromatography with photodiode array and mass spectrometric detection

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for carbaryl quantitation in crop extracts was validated by liquid chromatography (LC) with diode array detection (DAD). For this purpose, six crops (banana, carrot, green bean, orange, peach and potato) were chosen for recovery and reproducibility studies. The general sample preparation included extraction with methanol followed by liquid-liquid partitioning and clean-up on Celite-charcoal adsorbent column of the vegetable extracts. ELISA samples consisted of a diluted LC extract in assay phosphate buffer (pH 7.5). The potential effect of methanol in these samples was evaluated. It was observed that a maximum content of 10% methanol present in the assay buffer could be tolerated without expressive losses in the ELISA performance. Under these conditions, a IC50 similar to 1.48 mu g l(-1) was obtained. A minimum matrix effect with a 1:50 dilution of the methanolic extracts in assay buffer was noticed, except for green bean samples that inhibited completely the assay. For the vegetable extracts, the ELISA sensitivities varied from 3.9 to 5.7 mu g l(-1), and good recoveries (82-96%) with R.S.D.s ranging from 5.7 to 12.1% were found. An excellent correlation between the LC-DAD and ELISA techniques was obtained. The confirmation of the carbaryl in less concentrated samples was achieved by LC-mass spectrometry interfaced with atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation. The [M + H](+)= 202 and [M + H-57](+)=145 ions, equivalent to the protonated molecular and l-naphthol ions, respectively, were used to carbaryl identification in these samples. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLING THE STRESS IN THE VALIDATION OF BIOLOGICAL RESULTS

The stress syndrome includes ample phenomena, characterized by complex neuroendocrinological alterations. Such alterations, in the long run, give rise to important modifications in reply of different organs and tissues to diverse agonists, specially sympathicommentic. These alterations, at least partially, are part of an ''adjustment mechanism'' of the tissues. Thus this possibility of obtaining altered responses in function of stress leads to the need of special care in the prevention and control of stressogenic stimuli in the process of research. Taking cave of preventing stressogenic stimuli, it becomes possible to determine a profile of trustworthy replies, considered as standard From such reply standards, toe can know more clearly what is a ''normal'' response or what is a response ''altered'' by some factor, specially stress.

Level crossing rate of Nakagami-m fading signal: Field trials and validation

Field trial measurements are used to validate the level crossing rate formula derived in an exact manner recently for the Nakagami-m signal. The formula reveals an excellent fit to measurements in situations other than those for which the Rice model is more appropriate.