The implementation of RAID Retail in Spain

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

Brain-computer interface (BCI): a methodological proposal to assess the impacts of medical applications in 2022

Based on the report for “Project IV” unit of the PhD programme on Technology Assessment (Doctoral Conference) at Universidade Nova de Lisboa (December 2011). This thesis research has the supervision of António Moniz (FCT-UNL and ITAS-KIT) and Armin Grunwald (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology-ITAS, Germany). Other members of the thesis committee are Mário Forjaz Secca (FCT-UNL) and Femke Nijboer (University of Twente, Netherlands).

Re-evaluation of the basic procedures involved in the storage of measles vaccine in public health units of the municipality of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Four years after the first visit seventeen public health units were visited again and evaluated as to standards of storage recommended by the Brazilian Immunization Programme. In 100% of the units, refrigerators and proper inside location of vaccines in the refrigerator were adequatety or regularfy maintained and checked, respectively. However, when control of temperature was checked, onfy 64.7% presented adequate storage conditions. In 94.1 % of the units, health workers complained of lack of immediate technical support in emergency situations. In 55.2 % the titers vaccine samples of were under the minimal recommended potency. It is necessary that the factors concerning the cold chain be continualfy evaluated so that the quality of the vaccines that will be used is not affected.

The Role of Small RNAs and Ribonucleases in the Control of Gene Expression in Salmonella Typhimurium

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology

The influence of brick residues in the behaviour of lime mortars

XXXVI IAHS World Congress on Housing - National Housing Programs-New Visions, November 03–07, 2008, Kolkata, India

Report on the ocurrence of Angiostrongylus costaricensis in southern Brazil, in a new intermediate host from the genus Sarasinula (Veronicellidae, Gastropoda)

Veronicellid slugs are the main intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus costaricencis. In a rural locality in Nova Itaberaba (SC, southern Brazil) Sarasinula linguaeformis was identified as a crop pest. The parasitological examination revealed A. costaricencis infection in 43 out ot 50 slugs. The prevalence of 86% and the individual parasitic burdens are the highest sofar reported in Brazil and S. linguaeformis is the first species from the genus Sarasinula to be identified as intermediate host for A. costaricencis in southern Brazil.

Sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction for detection of known aliquots of Trypanosoma cruzi in the blood of mice: an in vitro study

To evaluate the sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to reveal known number of trypomastigote in the blood of mice, three separate experiments were done. First: To eight samples of 500mul of normal mice blood, one aliquot of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 50 trypomastigotes respectively, were added. Second and third: 10 aliquots with 1 and 10 with 2 trypomastigotes were added to samples of 500mul of normal mice blood. Positive control: 500mul of blood containing 100,000 trypomastigotes. For kDNA minicircles amplification by PCR the primers:S35 and S36 were used. PCR revealed products of 330 b.p in the positive controls. When only one sample with the aliquots of 1 or 2 trypomastigotes was examined, results were negative; results were positive with aliquots of 3 to 50 trypomastigotes. In the 2nd and 3rd experiments, 9/10 aliquots with one parasite and 9/10 with 2 trypomastigotes were positive revealing a high sensitivity of this reaction. In conclusion, the presence of one single parasite in 500mul of blood, is enough for a positive PCR. This method could be used as a complement to the various parasitological cure tests in treated mice, when low volumes of blood are individually examined.

The Relevance of Ribonuclease III in Pathogenic Bacteria

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

The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis in a focus of American visceral leishmaniasis where the only proven vector is Lutzomyia cruzi. Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul State

The present communication reports the presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis in Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, where the principal vector is Lutzomyia cruzi.

An estimation of the frequency of gestational toxoplasmosis in the Brazilian Federal District

Acute infections by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy (gestational toxoplasmosis) are known to cause serious health problems to the fetus (congenital toxoplasmosis). In Brasília, there have been few studies on the incidence of toxoplasmosis. This report summarizes a retrospective study performed on 2,636 selected pregnant women attended by the public health system of Guará, a satellite-city of Brasília. In this survey, 17 cases of gestational toxoplasmosis were detected; 15 of which were primary maternal infection and the remaining 2 were consistent with secondary maternal infection. These results suggest an annual seroconversion rate of 0.64 percent (90 percent confidence interval: 0.38, 0.90).

The role of Grainy head in epithelial tissue growth

Part of the results of this thesis was presented in the following meetings: Susana Ponte, Lara Carvalho, Inês Cristo and António Jacinto. The role of Grainy head in epithelial tissue growth. Drostuga 2013. Faro, Portugal, January 3rd 2014 [poster] Susana Ponte, Lara Carvalho, Inês Cristo and António Jacinto. The role of Grainy head in epithelial tissue growth. Drostuga 2014. Tomar, Portugal, September 5th-6th 2014 [poster]

New report on the bionomics of Coquillettidia venezuelensis in temporary breeding sites (Diptera: Culicidae)

INTRODUCTION: Findings of immature forms of Coquillettidia venezuelensis in temporary breeding sites, without the presence of aquatic plants or other submerged plant tissue are reported. METHODS: A systematic scooping technique to collect specimens was used at the breeding site. RESULTS: Immature forms of Coquillettidia venezuelensis, Anopheles rangeli, An. evansae and Culex sp. were collected from areas of the hydroelectric power station of São Salvador, State of Goiás. CONCLUSIONS This is a novel finding relating to the bioecology of Cq. venezuelensis, a species of medical interest that has been found naturally infected with arboviruses, including Oropouche and West Nile virus.