990 resultados para dual-factor logic
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The mechanisms of vascular calcifications in chronic renal failure are complex. Apart for clotting factors, vitamin K-dependent proteins include matrix Gla protein. Glutamic acid residues in matrix Gla protein are carboxylated by vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase, which enables it to inhibit calcification. The purpose of this review is to discuss available evidence implicating vitamin K as a modifiable risk factor in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification in renal diseases.
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BACKGROUND: HIV-1 RNA viral load is a key parameter for reliable treatment monitoring of HIV-1 infection. Accurate HIV-1 RNA quantitation can be impaired by primer and probe sequence polymorphisms as a result of tremendous genetic diversity and ongoing evolution of HIV-1. A novel dual HIV-1 target amplification approach was realized in the quantitative COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test, v2.0 (HIV-1 TaqMan test v2.0) to cope with the high genetic diversity of the virus. OBJECTIVES AND STUDY DESIGN: The performance of the new assay was evaluated for sensitivity, dynamic range, precision, subtype inclusivity, diagnostic and analytical specificity, interfering substances, and correlation with the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 (HIV-1 TaqMan test v1.0) predecessor test in patients specimens. RESULTS: The new assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 20 copies/mL, a linear measuring range of 20-10,000,000 copies/mL, with a lower limit of quantitation of 20 copies/mL. HIV-1 Group M subtypes and HIV-1 Group O were quantified within +/-0.3 log(10) of the assigned titers. Specificity was 100% in 660 tested specimens, no cross reactivity was found for 15 pathogens nor any interference for endogenous substances or 29 drugs. Good comparability with the predecessor assay was demonstrated in 82 positive patient samples. In selected clinical samples 35/66 specimens were found underquantitated in the predecessor assay; all were quantitated correctly in the new assay. CONCLUSIONS: The dual-target approach for the HIV-1 TaqMan test v2.0 enables superior HIV-1 Group M subtype coverage including HIV-1 Group O detection. Correct quantitation of specimens underquantitated in the HIV-1 TaqMan test v1.0 test was demonstrated.
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O presente trabalho tem como objectivo mostrar a importância que a Gestão económica de Stock tem no processo de redução de custo, por via da implementação de um modelo. E para isso far-se-á um estudo de caso numa empresa inserida no ramo de transformação de pescado – FRESCOMAR. A metodologia adoptada para alcançar os objectivos propostos passou pela pesquisa bibliográfica, recolha de dados e de informação relevante junto da empresa e tratamento dos dados numa folha de Excel. O modelo de gestão de Stock a ser implementado depende essencialmente da componente procura, onde que para uma empresa com procura constante utiliza-se os modelos determinísticos e para uma com procura aleatória utiliza-se os modelos estocásticos (Nível de Encomenda e Revisão Cíclica). Nos modelos determinísticos temos 4 modelos diferenciados pela forma de reposição e a admissibilidade da procura. Com as informações recolhidas junto da empresa em estudo escolhemos implementar o modelo de reposição não instantânea com ruptura não permitida e obtivemos a optimização do Stock com níveis reduzidos de produção e consequentemente houve uma diminuição do custo. Com resultados obtiveram-se ainda valores da Quantidade Óptima a ser Produzida, do Stock Máximo e do Custo Total Óptimo por unidade de tempo. Devido a diversidade de produtos propomos à empresa a utilização da análise ABC para classificar os produtos reagrupando-os em classes A, B e C, conforme o peso no consumo de Stock.
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Leaf-litter amount as a factor in the structure of a ponerine ants community (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae) in an eastern Amazonian rainforest, Brazil. Leaf-litter may be an important factor in structuring ponerine ant communities (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae) in tropical rainforests. We specifically examined how leaf-litter affects the structure of a ponerine ant community in primary Amazonian rainforest sites at the Ferreira Penna Scientific Station, Pará, Brazil. A total of 53 species belonging to eight genera of three ponerine tribes were collected with mini-Winkler extractors. The amount of leaf-litter positively affected the abundance and richness of the ponerine ant community, and also influenced species composition. Nearby samples often had low species similarity, especially when adjacent samples differed in the amount of leaf-litter. Leaf-litter availability in Amazonian primary forests is a key factor for distribution of ground-dwelling ponerine species, even at small scales.
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In cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) it is usually assumed that a QALY is of equal value to everybody, irrespective of the patient's age. However, it is possible that society assigns different social values to a QALY according to who gets it. In this paper we discuss the possibility of weighting health benefits for age in CEA. We also examinethe possibility that age-related preferences depend on the size of the health gain. An experiment was performedto test these hypotheses. The results assessing suggest that the patient's age is a relevant factor when assessing health gains.
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Dual scaling of a subjects-by-objects table of dominance data (preferences,paired comparisons and successive categories data) has been contrasted with correspondence analysis, as if the two techniques were somehow different. In this note we show that dual scaling of dominance data is equivalent to the correspondence analysis of a table which is doubled with respect to subjects. We also show that the results of both methods can be recovered from a principal components analysis of the undoubled dominance table which is centred with respect to subject means.
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O desempenho da empresa é influenciado pelas competências dos seus funcionários. A competência humana aliada a outros recursos empresariais dá origem e sustentação à competência empresarial. A participação dos funcionários no processo de gestão de competências expondo as suas expectativas, motivações e também, percepções a respeito do seu superior e da estratégia de negócios da empresa é fundamental para o sucesso empresarial.
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Este trabalho aborda a auditoria como um meio para a promoção da qualidade de ensino praticado na Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde, tendo como referências os resultados das análises efectuadas aos sumários. De referir que, para esse efeito, tivemos que partir de extracto amostral de 25% dos 16 cursos de graduação que vêm sendo ministrados, procurando fazer jus à metodologia inicialmente escolhida que, para além da pesquisa bibliográfica, inclui, igualmente, o tratamento estatístico dos dados recolhidos. No tocante à recolha, ao tratamento e à análise dos dados, recorremos a duas abordagens, isto é, a abordagem quantitativa e a abordagem qualitativa. Na verdade, a abordagem quantitativa aparece já no momento do extracto da amostra; todavia, passa a estar mais evidenciada depois de termos elaborado grelhas que, com efeito, nos permitiram recolher e, consequentemente, fazer o tratamento dos dados relacionados com o cumprimento da carga horária e dos itens apontados nos programas pelo docente de cada disciplina, bem como no que toca ao cumprimento das exigências formais exigidas pela UniPiaget, com auxílio dos programas Excel e SPSS versão 11.0 for Windows.
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O tema da Programação Linear, com as suas particularizações do Problema dos Transportes e do Problema da Afectação de Recursos, é hoje estudado em cursos diversos onde uma disciplina de Investigação Operacional esteja presente. Trata-se, em última análise, de um problema de cálculo de extremos condicionados, seja de máximo ou de mínimo, que apresenta características muito particulares e de grande elegância simbólica. Também os Problemas dos Transportes e da Afectação de Recursos se podem resolver como problemas de Programação Linear, através do Algoritmo Simplex, embora seja preferível o recurso a algoritmos próprios, de muitíssimo maior simplicidade: o Algoritmo dos Transportes e o Algoritmo Húngaro, respectivamente. De molde a facilitar a compreensão do que realmente está em jogo, consideram-se aqui dois casos de determinação de extremos e de extremos condicionados, mas ao nível do final do ensino secundário.
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Portfolio and stochastic discount factor (SDF) frontiers are usually regarded as dual objects, and researchers sometimes use one to answer questions about the other. However, the introduction of conditioning information and active portfolio strategies alters this relationship. For instance, the unconditional portfolio frontier in Hansen and Richard (1987) is not dual to the unconditional SDF frontier in Gallant, Hansen and Tauchen (1990). We characterise the dual objects to those frontiers, and relate them to the frontiers generated with managed portfolios, which are commonly used in empirical work. We also study the implications of a safe asset and other special cases.
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BACKGROUND: Despite major advances in care of premature infants, survivors exhibit mild cognitive deficits in around 40%. Beside severe intraventricular haemorrhages (IVH) and cystic periventricular leucomalacia (PVL), more subtle patterns such as grade I and II IVH, punctuate WM lesions and diffuse PVL might be linked to the cognitive deficits. Grey matter disease is also recognized to contribute to long-term cognitive impairment.¦OBJECTIVE: We intend to use novel MR techniques to study more precisely the different injury patterns. In particular MP2RAGE (magnetization prepared dual rapid echo gradient) produces high-resolution quantitative T1 relaxation maps. This contrast is known to reflect tissue anomalies such as white matter injury in general and dysmyelination in particular. We also used diffusion tensor imaging, a quantitative technique known to reflect white matter maturation and disease.¦DESIGN/METHODS: All preterm infants born under 30 weeks of GA were included. Serial 3T MR-imaging using a neonatal head-coil at DOL 3, 10 and at term equivalent age (TEA), using DTI and MP2RAGE sequences was performed. MP2RAGE generates a T1 map and allows calculating the relaxation time T1. Multiple measurements were performed for each exam in 12 defined white and grey matter ROIs.¦RESULTS: 16 patients were recruited: mean GA 27 2/7 w (191,2d SD±10,8), mean BW 999g (SD±265). 39 MRIs were realized (12 early: mean 4,83d±1,75, 13 late: mean 18,77d±8,05 and 14 at TEA: 88,91d±8,96). Measures of relaxation time T1 show a gradual and significant decrease over time (for ROI PLIC mean±SD in ms: 2100.53±102,75, 2116,5±41,55 and 1726,42±51,31 and for ROI central WM: 2302,25±79,02, 2315,02±115,02 and 1992,7±96,37 for early, late and TEA MR respectively). These trends are also observed in grey matter area, especially in thalamus. Measurements of ADC values show similar monotonous decrease over time.¦CONCLUSIONS: From these preliminary results, we conclude that quantitative MR imaging in very preterm infants is feasible. On the successive MP2RAGE and DTI sequences, we observe a gradual decrease over time in the described ROIs, representing the progressive maturation of the WM micro-structure and interestingly the same evolution is observed in the grey matter. We speculate that our study will provide normative values for T1map and ADC and might be a predictive factor for favourable or less favourable outcome.
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Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates from 20 chronically infected patients who participated in a structured treatment interruption (STI) trial were studied to determine whether viral fitness influences reestablishment of viremia. Viruses derived from individuals who spontaneously controlled viremia had significantly lower in vitro replication capacities than viruses derived from individuals that did not control viremia after interruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and replication capacities correlated with pre-ART and post-STI viral set points. Of note, no clinically relevant improvement of viral loads upon STI occurred. Virus isolates from controlling and noncontrolling patients were indistinguishable in terms of coreceptor usage, genetic subtype, and sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. In contrast, viruses from controlling patients exhibited increased sensitivity to inhibition by chemokines. Sensitivity to inhibition by RANTES correlated strongly with slower replication kinetics of the virus isolates, suggesting a marked dependency of these virus isolates on high coreceptor densities on the target cells. In summary, our data indicate that viral fitness is a driving factor in determining the magnitude of viral rebound and viral set point in chronic HIV-1 infection, and thus fitness should be considered as a parameter influencing the outcome of therapeutic intervention in chronic infection.
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Abstract: To have an added value over BMD, a CRF of osteoporotic fracture must be predictable of the fracture, independent of BMD, reversible and quantifiable. Many major recognized CRF exist.Out of these factorsmany of themare indirect factor of bone quality. TBS predicts fracture independently of BMD as demonstrated from previous studies. The aim of the study is to verify if TBS can be considered as a major CRF of osteoporotic fracture. Existing validated datasets of Caucasian women were analyzed. These datasets stem from different studies performed by the authors of this report or provided to our group. However, the level of evidence of these studies will vary. Thus, the different datasets were weighted differently according to their design. This meta-like analysis involves more than 32000 women (≥50 years) with 2000 osteoporotic fractures from two prospective studies (OFELY&MANITOBA) and 7 crosssectional studies. Weighted relative risk (RR) for TBS was expressed for each decrease of one standard deviation as well as per tertile difference (TBS=1.300 and 1.200) and compared with those obtained for the major CRF included in FRAX®. Overall TBS RR obtained (adjusted for age) was 1.79 [95%CI-1.37-2.37]. For all women combined, RR for fracture for the lowest comparedwith themiddle TBS tertilewas 1.55[1.46- 1.68] and for the lowest compared with the highest TBS tertile was 2.8[2.70-3.00]. TBS is comparable to most of the major CRF (Fig 1) and thus could be used as one of them. Further studies have to be conducted to confirm these first findings.
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En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de un estudio empírico sobre los motivos del cambio sistemático de resultados electorales que se da en Cataluña según el ámbito de la convocatoria electoral de que se trate. La hipótesis, contrastada positivamente con datos del período 1982-1993, es que la victoria del partido nacionalista de centro derecha en las elecciones autonómicas en un territorio donde vencen siempre los socialistas en las elecciones legislativas se debe a la combinación de los fenómenos del voto dual y del abstencionismo diferencial. La aproximación metodológica de la elección racional permite construir grupos de electores que tienen distintas percepciones del espacio en el que se dirime la competición política, hecho que les induce a un comportamiento electoral diferenciado. Combinando estos resultados con los obtenidos del análisis con datos socioestructurales agregados, se establece un cierto perfil de los votantes duales y de los abstencionistas diferenciales. Finalmente, se realiza una interpretación de los resultados de las elecciones catalanas de 1995 y 1999 a la luz de los resultados de este estudio.This article presents the results of an empirical study about the reasons of the systematic change in the electoral results in Catalonia according to the type of elections. The hypothesis, positively tested with data from the period 1982-1993, is that the victory of the nationalist centre-right party in the autonomous elections in a region where always wins the socialist party in general elections, is due to the combination of the dual vote and differential abstention phenomena. The rational choice methodological approach allow to construct groups of electors with different perceptions about the space in which the political race takes place, fact that induces them different electoral behaviour. In combining these results with those obtained from the analysis with aggregated social and structural data, it is defined a certain the profile of the dual voters and the differential non-voters. Finally, it is given an interpretation of the Catalan election results in 1995 and 1999 using as a clue the results of this study.