Synchronization in Von Bertalanffy’s models

Many data have been useful to describe the growth of marine mammals, invertebrates and reptiles, seabirds, sea turtles and fishes, using the logistic, the Gom-pertz and von Bertalanffy's growth models. A generalized family of von Bertalanffy's maps, which is proportional to the right hand side of von Bertalanffy's growth equation, is studied and its dynamical approach is proposed. The system complexity is measured using Lyapunov exponents, which depend on two biological parameters: von Bertalanffy's growth rate constant and the asymptotic weight. Applications of synchronization in real world is of current interest. The behavior of birds ocks, schools of fish and other animals is an important phenomenon characterized by synchronized motion of individuals. In this work, we consider networks having in each node a von Bertalanffy's model and we study the synchronization interval of these networks, as a function of those two biological parameters. Numerical simulation are also presented to support our approaches.

Testing native speakers of German and Portuguese on the understanding of topological operators-line-region relations in gvSIG

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

Prevalence of anti-p: Falciparum sporozoite antibodies in adults in the amapa region of Brazil

17 of 20 adult sera from the Amapa region of Brazil were active in the inhibition of P. falciparum sporozoite invasion (ISI) assay which has been correlated with protective antibodies. In contrast 11 sera were positive in IFA tests and 6 were positive in CSP tests. These results suggest that the ISI assay will be useful for evaluating naturally acquired protective anti-sporozoite antibodies in endemic areas, particularly during vaccine efficacy studies using sporozoite-based vaccines.

Tert Hypermethylated Oncologic Region (THOR) como um biomarcador para cancro

O cancro é uma das principais causas de morte relacionada com doença, sendo responsável por cerca de 14 milhões de novos casos e 8,2 milhões de mortes em todo o mundo. Os tipos de cancro mais comuns são o cancro do pulmão, mama, colorretal e da próstata, sendo o cancro do pulmão, colorretal e da mama os mais mortais. Embora cada tipo de cancro apresente alterações únicas que são adquiridas durante a carcinogénese, biomarcadores universais de malignidade e métodos para estabelecer a progressão da doença em diferentes neoplasias não existem e continuam a ser um grande desafio em oncologia clínica. Uma característica do cancro é a manutenção dos telómeros, a qual é crucial para a autorrenovação de todos os tumores malignos. A ativação da telomerase ocorre através da expressão da transcriptase reversa humana (hTERT) e tem sido relatado que a sua expressão aumenta marcadamente na invasão tumoral. O mecanismo de regulação da hTERT não está completamente elucidado; no entanto, tem sido relatado que a hipermetilação de ilhas CpG apresenta um papel essencial na expressão da hTERT em células cancerígenas telomerase-positivas. O nosso grupo recentemente identificou uma região específica no promotor da hTERT (denominada THOR) que está hipermetilada e associada com a ativação da telomerase em tecido cancerígeno. THOR foi capaz de prever a progressão do tumor e evolução clínica do paciente em diversos tumores pediátricos e adultos. Objetivo do estudo - Pretendemos investigar se a metilação do THOR pode ser um biomarcador de doença maligna e de evolução clínica do paciente em diferentes cancros adultos.

A behavioral analysis tool for models of software systems

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Ecological aspects of American cutaneous leishmaniasis: 6. Man-biting sandfly fauna of a patch of residual forest in the middle and north-eastern region of the São Paulo State, Brazil

This report shows the phlebotomine vectorial role in the endemic cutaneous leishmaniasis situated in the middle and north-eastern region of the São Paulo, Brazil. Analysis of information encloses a sandfly man-biting fauna of four different patches of residual forest. So, using the human-bait and Shannon trap for a period of one year we have caught 16,869 sandflies. The predominance of Lutzomyia intermedia (85,6%) was clear. Moreover, the low density of Lutzomyia whitmani and Lutzomyia pessoai and their epidemiological implications at present and in the past are discussed. Information about the daily activity of some species is given and we emphasize for the first time, the diurnal activity of Lutzomyia firmatoi in the São Paulo State.

Relationship between the prevalence of antibodies to arbovirus and hepatitis B virus in the Vale do Ribeira region, Brazil

280 students, between 6 and 14 years old, residents in the Iguape county, southern coast of the State of São Paulo, were studied in order to identify the existence of a possible association between the prevalence of specific antibodies to the hepatitis B virus and the exposure to haematophagous mosquitoes, evaluated indirectly through the prevalence of antibodies to 17 arboviruses isolated in Brazil. The children were from 4 areas with different topographical characteristics: 89 of the children were from the urban zone of the town of Iguape, 89 were from the periurban zone, 30 were from the rural area with extensive banana plantations, and 72 were from the jungle zone. Previous studies had shown significantly higher prevalence of antibodies to different arboviruses in the cultivated zone and the jungle zone, when compared to the urban and periurban zones of Iguape. The detection of antibodies to the HBV surface antigen (HBs Ag) was done through the radioimmunoassay (Ausab, Abbott Laboratory). The cases considered positive were confirmed through the presence of anti-core HBV antibodies (anti-HBc-EIA Roche). A significantly higher prevalence of anti-HBV antibodies was observed in children from the jungle zone (26/72 = 36,1% ) when compared to those from the urban zone (5/89 = 5,6%), peri-urban (6/89 = 6,7%) or from the cultivated zone (0/30 = 0%). The result suggest the existence of a common factor in the dissemination of the arboviruses and the hepatitis B virus, supporting the hypothesis that mosquitoes may play an important role in the HBV transmission in tropical forested region.

PLSR Models for Mechanical Strengths of Concrete Composite Materials Reinforced with Pultrusion Wastes

In this paper, we present two Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) models for compressive and flexural strength responses of a concrete composite material reinforced with pultrusion wastes. The main objective is to characterize this cost-effective waste management solution for glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) pultrusion wastes and end-of-life products that will lead, thereby, to a more sustainable composite materials industry. The experiments took into account formulations with the incorporation of three different weight contents of GFRP waste materials into polyester based mortars, as sand aggregate and filler replacements, two waste particle size grades and the incorporation of silane adhesion promoter into the polyester resin matrix in order to improve binder aggregates interfaces. The regression models were achieved for these data and two latent variables were identified as suitable, with a 95% confidence level. This technological option, for improving the quality of GFRP filled polymer mortars, is viable thus opening a door to selective recycling of GFRP waste and its use in the production of concrete-polymer based products. However, further and complementary studies will be necessary to confirm the technical and economic viability of the process.

Drug susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum in the western Amazon region, state of Acre, Brazil

Field studies in the western Amazon region (state of Acre, Brazil) indicate that the 4-aminoquinolines, as well as the combined regimen with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, can no longer be recomended for the treatment and prophylaxis of P. falciparum infections in this region. Quinine remains an effective drug when used correctly. However, compliance problems arise due to the often occurring side-effects during a ten day regimen. Prospects of overcoming these constraints by combining a short course of quinine with other drugs are limited, because of the lack of suitable partner compounds. For this reason quinine/clindamycin appears to be a more practical therapy of P. falciparum malaria. In vitro data from this study suggest that mefloquine is another effective alternative for the treatment of falciparum malaria in this Amazon region.

Deep structure of the Santos basin-São Paulo plateau system, SE Brazil

The structure and nature of the crust underlying the Santos Basin-São Paulo Plateau System (SSPS), in the SE Brazilian margin, are discussed based on five wide-angle seismic profiles acquired during the Santos Basin (SanBa) experiment in 2011. Velocity models allow us to precisely divide the SSPS in six domains from unthinned continental crust (Domain CC) to normal oceanic crust (Domain OC). A seventh domain (Domain D), a triangular shape region in the SE of the SSPS, is discussed by Klingelhoefer et al. (2014). Beneath the continental shelf, a similar to 100km wide necking zone (Domain N) is imaged where the continental crust thins abruptly from similar to 40km to less than 15km. Toward the ocean, most of the SSPS (Domains A and C) shows velocity ranges, velocity gradients, and a Moho interface characteristic of the thinned continental crust. The central domain (Domain B) has, however, a very heterogeneous structure. While its southwestern part still exhibits extremely thinned (7km) continental crust, its northeastern part depicts a 2-4km thick upper layer (6.0-6.5km/s) overlying an anomalous velocity layer (7.0-7.8km/s) and no evidence of a Moho interface. This structure is interpreted as atypical oceanic crust, exhumed lower crust, or upper continental crust intruded by mafic material, overlying either altered mantle in the first two cases or intruded lower continental crust in the last case. The deep structure and v-shaped segmentation of the SSPS confirm that an initial episode of rifting occurred there obliquely to the general opening direction of the South Atlantic Central Segment.

Observations sedimentologiques sur les depots du Neogene post-nappe dans la region de Moulay Yacoub (NW de Fes- Maroc)

Proceedings of the I" R.C.A.N.S. Congress, Lisboa, October 1992

Analysis of sandwich beam structures using kriging based higher order models

Functionally graded composite materials can provide continuously varying properties, which distribution can vary according to a specific location within the composite. More frequently, functionally graded materials consider a through thickness variation law, which can be more or less smoother, possessing however an important characteristic which is the continuous properties variation profiles, which eliminate the abrupt stresses discontinuities found on laminated composites. This study aims to analyze the transient dynamic behavior of sandwich structures, having a metallic core and functionally graded outer layers. To this purpose, the properties of the particulate composite metal-ceramic outer layers, are estimated using Mod-Tanaka scheme and the dynamic analyses considers first order and higher order shear deformation theories implemented though kriging finite element method. The transient dynamic response of these structures is carried out through Bossak-Newmark method. The illustrative cases presented in this work, consider the influence of the shape functions interpolation domain, the properties through-thickness distribution, the influence of considering different materials, aspect ratios and boundary conditions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic behaviour of soft core sandwich beam structures using kriging-based layerwise models

Sandwich structures with soft cores are widely used in applications where a high bending stiffness is required without compromising the global weight of the structure, as well as in situations where good thermal and damping properties are important parameters to observe. As equivalent single layer approaches are not the more adequate to describe realistically the kinematics and the stresses distributions as well as the dynamic behaviour of this type of sandwiches, where shear deformations and the extensibility of the core can be very significant, layerwise models may provide better solutions. Additionally and in connection with this multilayer approach, the selection of different shear deformation theories according to the nature of the material that constitutes the core and the outer skins can predict more accurately the sandwich behaviour. In the present work the authors consider the use of different shear deformation theories to formulate different layerwise models, implemented through kriging-based finite elements. The viscoelastic material behaviour, associated to the sandwich core, is modelled using the complex approach and the dynamic problem is solved in the frequency domain. The outer elastic layers considered in this work may also be made from different nanocomposites. The performance of the models developed is illustrated through a set of test cases. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of HTLV-I antibody among two distinct ethnic groups inhabiting the Amazon region of Brazil

HTLV-I seroprevalences of 3.63% (02/55), 12.19% (10/82) and 13.88% (10/72) were demonstrated among Tiryio, Mekranoiti and Xicrin Amazonian Indians, respectively, by the Western blotting enzyme assay (WBEI). By indirect immuno electron microscopy (IIEM), 2 Tiriyo, 9 Mekranoiti and 6 Xicrin Amerindians were reactive. Of 44 serum samples from Japanese immigrants, none reacted by any of the techniques before mentioned. One, 8 and 6 serum samples from Tiryio, Mekranoiti and Xicrin Indians, respectively, were both WBEI and IIEM positive. Our results strongly suggest that HTLV-I and/or an HTLV-I antigenic variant circulate (s) among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil.