Application of the physical habitat simulation for fish species to assess environmental flows in an Atlantic Forest Stream in South-eastern Brazil

The physical habitat simulation sub-routine of the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) uses hydraulic modeling and suitability indices of target fish species to predict how differences in-stream flows affect the microhabitat occupation by fish species. This habitat modelling approach was adopted to assess the ecological effects of running flows on three neotropical fish species of different orders (Bryconamericus ornaticeps , Ancistrus multispinis and Geophagus brasiliensis ).The study encompassed two reaches of an Atlantic Forest stream in Southeastern Brazil where topographic and hydraulic (depth, velocity and type of substrate) characteristics were measured to implement one-dimensional hydraulic simulation. Sub aquatic observation of fish was performed to collect data on microhabitat use and these data were used to develop habitat suitability curves that were used in the habitat simulation to obtain the habitat suitability index (HSI) and weighted usable area (WUA) versus flow curves. Upon these curves minimum and optimum environmental flows for the target fish species were proposed. Bryconamericus ornaticeps and A. multispinis selected microhabitats around 0.6 m depth, whereas G. brasiliensis showed a wider suitable range (0.35-0.9 m). All the three species were mainly observed in microhabitat with low flow velocity (0.1 m/s). Bryconamericus ornaticeps selected more frequently coarse substrate (e.g. boulders) but it appeared also over sandy substrate, whereas A. multispinis and G. brasiliensis selected preferably boulders. The range of 0.65-0.85 m3/s was found as the optimum to meet the needs of the three fish species. Our results agree with the necessary objective information to perform grounded management actions in the frame of a management program aiming at ecosystem conservation. Thereby it can be considered a successful pilot study in environmental flow assessment in an Atlantic Forest stream of Brazil.

A sub-rotina simulação de habitat físico da metodologia incremental - IFIM usa variáveis hidráulicas e os índices de aptidão das espécies alvo para predizer como diferentes vazões afetam a ocupação de microhabitat por espécies de peixes. Esta abordagem de simulação de hábitat foi adotada para avaliar os efeitos ecológicos sobre três espécies de peixes tropicais de diferentes ordens (Bryconamericus ornaticeps , Ancistrus multispinis e Geophagus brasiliensis ) em dois trechos de um riacho de Mata Atlântica do sudeste do Brasil, durante a estação chuvosa de 2013 e a estação seca de 2014. Características topográficas e hidráulicas (profundidade, velocidade e tipo de substrato) foram mensuradas para implementação da simulação de habitat em uma dimensão; observações subaquáticas dos peixes foram realizadas para avaliação do uso do microhabitat. As curvas de aptidão de habitat de cada variável hidráulica foram utilizadas na simulação de habitat para obtenção das curvas de aptidão composta (HSI) e a área útil ponderada (WUA) versus fluxo, e propor vazões ambientais mínimas e ideais para as espécies de peixes-alvo. A amplitude de vazão de 0,65-0,85 m3/s foi registrada como o ótimo para satisfazer as necessidades das três espécies de peixes. Esta é uma informação objetiva para os gestores de recursos hídricos e que pode ser aplicada no planejamento de programas de gestão visando a conservação dos ecossistemas. Desse modo, pode ser considerado um estudo piloto bem sucedido na avaliação do fluxo ambiental em um riacho da Mata Atlântica do Brasil.

Association between stress, sleep quality and temporomandibular joint dysfunction: simulated Mars mission

The aim of this study was to test the association between quality of sleep and stress in individuals with TMD [temporomandibular joint dysfunction] in simulated Mars mission. The 24 healthy crew members were recruited. The physiological measures of systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], and heart rate [HR] were recorded. The Symptom Checklist-90-revised was used which was based on nine dimensions of psychological functioning. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory was pain severity, social and physical activities, affective distress, social support, and feelings of life control. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to measure the number of hours spent in bed and during asleep, frequency and reasons for awakening, and difficulty returning to sleep after awakening. The orofacial pain questionnaire was applied to measure pain experience using descriptors from the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Salivary cortisol and melatonin were measured. The 15 crew members reported temporomandibular joint pain after 6 days of mission. On dental examination, 5 crew members reported simple muscle pain [SM] and other 10 crew members with TMD. The TMD group endorsed more affective descriptors of their pain experience. Compared to the TMD group, the SM group also reported significantly poorer sleep duration. The TMD group reported nonsignificantly more daytime dysfunction than the control. Higher levels of salivary cortisol and salivary melatonin were reported in the TMD group as compared to other group. This study concludes that both quality of sleep and stress levels due to extreme condition [simulated Mars mission] were associated with TMD in simulated Mars mission

Gaia: de la ecología clásica a la ecología profunda / Gaia: from the classic ecology to the deep ecology

La vida en el sistema GAIA, requiere para su análisis y comprensión del estudio sobre temáticas que incluyan aspectos amplios, referidos a las áreas del conocimiento que intervienen en este proceso. Por ello es interesante el estudio de la teoría del caos, combinada con la temática de la ecología clásica, a fin de plantear elementos que reconozcan la ecología profunda, como posibilidad para comprender el problema de la vida en términos de su afectación actual. El artículo plantea puntos de vista desde modelos sociales, económicos y tecnológicos, problematizando la permanencia de la vida en el sistema GAIA, lo que permite analizar la importancia que el soporte vital tiene, en términos de soporte ecosistémico, para el Homo sapiens y la responsabilidad de éste, como garante del fenómeno vital general.

The life in the GAIA system requires for its analysis a comprehension of the topics study that includes wide aspects, referring to knowledge areas which are part of this process. Due to, is interesting the chaos theory studio associated with classic ecology subject, with the purpose to approach elements which recognize the deep ecology, as a possibility to realize the life’s problem in terms of its present affectation. This article poses points of perspectives from social, economic and technological models, questioning the life’s continuity in the GAIA system, analyzing the importance from the vital support, in relations to eco-systemic support, for the Homo sapiens and the responsibility from this, as a guarantor of the general vita phenomenon.

Hammerstein-Wiener model: a new approach to the estimation of formal neural information

A new approach is introduced to estimate the formal information of neurons. Formal Information, mainly discusses about the aspects of the response that is related to the stimulus. Estimation is based on introducing a mathematical nonlinear model with Hammerstein-Wiener system estimator. This method of system identification consists of three blocks to completely describe the nonlinearity of input and output and linear behaviour of the mode. The introduced model is trained by 166 spikes of neurons and other 166 spikes are used to test and validate the model. The simulation results show the R-value of 92.6% between estimated and reference information rate. This shows improvement of 1.41% in comparison with MLP neural network

Exoesqueleto para reeducación muscular en pacientes con IMOC tipo diplejía espástica moderada / Exoskeleton for muscular re-education in patients with moderate spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Este artículo describe el modelo, control y simulación de un exoesqueleto robótico para reeducación de pacientes con daños motores causados por una lesión durante el desarrollo de un cerebro inmaduro, el cual tiene como objetivo optimizar la terapia de rehabilitación y con ella la recuperación del paciente. El diseño propuesto posee diez grados de libertad que describen los movimientos y las restricciones de cada una de las articulaciones de las extremidades inferiores del paciente, el cual realiza movimientos terapéuticos específicos obtenidos a través de un estudio de trayectorias basadas en la teoría de visión artificial. Para garantizar el seguimiento de dichas trayectorias se diseña un control por par calculado (CTC), que permite obtener un error en el orden de los milímetros, suficiente en los procesos de rehabilitación. Para evaluar el comportamiento del exoesqueleto en el momento de ejecutar los movimientos de reeducación seleccionados, se realizó la simulación en un ambiente tridimensional del paquete MATLABÒ, el cual fue construido a partir de las piezas diseñadas e importadas desde el software CAD SolidEdgeÒ.

This article describes the model, control and simulation of a robotic exoskeleton for rehabilitation of patients with damages caused by injury in the development of an immature brain, which aims to optimize therapy their rehabilitation and consequently the patient recovery. The proposed design has ten DOF describing the movements and restrictions of each joints of the lower extremities of the patient, which makes specific therapeutic movements obtained through a study of trajectories based on the theory on the vision. To ensure the monitoring of these tracks it was designed a computed torque control (CTC), giving an error in the order of millimeters, which is allowed in rehabilitation processes. To evaluate the performance of the exoskeleton at the time of executing the selected rehabilitation movements, the simulation was run in the three-dimensional environment of MATLABÒ, which was built from parts designed and imported from CAD software SolidEdge Ò.

Comparison of Gaussian interpretation of solar mass ejection and ozone layer depletion [old] for active and quite sun periods at atmospheric region of Pakistan

The aim of this paper is to assess the variability in the normality of the process going on at the upper atmosphere. As Sun is the major deriving force of our terrestrial system an investigation of its influence can be correlated by its activity like, solar flare. One of the sample of Solar Flare Duration [SFD] from [1972-2006] have been utilized for estimating its population parameter. Another two samples of low and high solar activity between an interval of [1984-85] and [1980-81 and 1986-87] respectively be used to compare the corresponding ozone column in Dobson Unit, so that influence of solar flare on ozone be assessed. For this purpose the concept of sampling distribution is utilized to find the nearest estimate of mean solar flare duration and respective ozone thickness from the population where it derived. The degree of confidence for different intervals with hypothesis testing has been set-up to access the accuracy of sample statistic. Finally the statistical conclusions have been achieved on the behavior of ozone in response of SFD

Oxigenoterapia en vuelos nacionales e internacionales en la Argentina / Oxygen therapy during Argentine-based national and international flights

No existe estudio que evalúe el estado de la oxigenoterapia en vuelo (OV) en nuestro país. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los requisitos, dificultades, sistemas y costos de la OV de las companías aéreas nacionales (N) e internacionales (I) que operan desde Buenos Aires. Se utilizó la misma encuesta telefónica y metodología que el estudio de Stoller y col.12. Los autores se comunicaron telefónicamente con 25 aerolíneas que operaban en los dos aeropuertos de Buenos Aires en julio de 2007, y se interrogó sobre los requisitos necesarios para viajar, sistemas y costos. Se usaron técnicas estadísticas convencionales siendo significativa p<0.05. De 25 aerolíneas, se descartaron seis (24%) por falta de información (60% de las N y 16% de las I). El 100% de las N permitían la OV vs. 80% de las I (p<0.05). El 100% de las N y 94% de las I exigían certificado médico (p=NS). El 71% de las N requerían de aviso previo vs. 100% de las I (p<0.05). El 50% de las N proveían interfases de administración de oxígeno vs. 87% de las I (p=NS). El 100% de las N disponían del oxígeno sin cargo, vs. 50% de las I (p=NS). El costo oscilaba entre 70 a 300 dólares por escala. En conclusión, se observó una marcada dificultad en la provisión de información de las compañías aéreas, y restricciones de su uso. El costo es muy variable y se da principalmente en las compañías aéreas I. Consideramos necesario implementar acciones que faciliten el acceso de los pacientes y médicos a la información pertinente de cada compañía aérea sobre OV.

There are no data about supplemental oxygen in flight in our country. The objective of our study was to evaluate arranging in-flight-oxygen required by a simulated traveler, system of administration and costs, and to compare the results between Argentine-based (A) and international (I) airlines. The questionnaire used was similar to that of Stoller et al12. Data collection consisted of telephone calls placed by one of the authors to all commercial air carriers listed in our two Buenos Aires City airports during July 2007. A structured interview with questions was addressed on issues that an oxygen-using air traveler would need to arrange in-flight oxygen. Of the 25 airlines, 6 were discarded because of lack of information (24%, three A -60%-and one I-16%-). All A allowed in-flightoxygen vs. 80% of I (p<0.05), 100% of A and 94% of I required a medical certificate (p=NS); 71% of A and 100% of I required previous notification (p<0.05); 50% of A and 87% of I provided patient interphases of oxygen administration (p=NS). Free of charge oxygen could be provided by 100% of A and 50% of I, with airline charge between 70 to 300 dollars. In conclusion, we observed different policies, rules, availability, and a pronounced lack of standardization of airline information. The cost of oxygen was very different between airlines and it was superior on I. It will be necessary to carry out actions to facilitate patient access to oxygentherapy and to standardize medical information among airlines in our country.

Modelling the Expandable Body Fluid Space after I.V. Fluid Infusion / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Changes in the volume of the fluid space expanded by i.v. infusion of crystalloid solution have been analysed recently using mathematical models. The models are based on the assumption that the body strives to maintain volume homeostasis of fluid spaces and that the rate of restoration is a function of deviation from resting volume. METHODS: In this work mathematical models were developed to represent the kinetics of volume changes of fluid spaces associated with infusion of Ringer's solution. Based on the characteristics of fluid transportation, two expansion models were tested. The single-fluid space model has a single volume into which fluid is fed and from which fluid is left, and the two-fluid space model has another space in addition to the first volume so that fluid exchanges between these two spaces are possible. Volunteers (six men) were given Hartman's solution for 30 min and the changes in blood hemoglobin were detected. RESULTS: From the comparison with experimental data, the single-fluid space model was found to represent adequately in all volunteers, however, two-fluid space model was found to represent 75% of volunteers. CONCLUSIONS: These models may be useful in the description and analysis of the effects of i.v. fluid therapy.

Análisis de la proyección espacial del complejo malar en pacientes con labio y paladar hendidos / Space projection analysis of the malar complex in cleft lip and palate patients

Los criterios de evaluación cefalométrica empleados para determinar el grado de compromiso medio facial en pacientes con labio y paladar hendido (L.P.H.) han dependido principalmente de la proyección del punto A con respecto a la base craneal anterior, el cual sólo define el comportamiento anteroposterior de la base ósea maxilar. El análisis de la proyección espacial del complejo malar en pacientes con labio y paladar hendido es importante para el diagnóstico y plan de tratamiento ortodóntico-quirúrgico. Esta investigación tiene como propósito establecer el comportamiento de la región malar en los tres planos del espacio, por medio de radiografías diagnósticas convencionales. Se determinaron medidas de frecuencia y tendencia central y análisis de varianza a las siguiente medidas lineales y angulares: cefálica (SNO, NOA, O_Fr); P-A (RMS-Za derecha e izquierda), submentovertex (distancia entre la tangente anterior del malar derecho e izquierdo con la tangente anterior del agujero occipital y la diferencia entre ellos, la tangente externa del malar derecho e izquierdo con el plano RMS, diferencia entre ellos). Del estudio se concluye que el complejo malar es más retrusivo en el plano sagital, más inferior en el plano vertical y menos expresivo transversalmente en pacientes con labio y paladar hendido. No se encontró diferencias significativas con respecto a la variable sexo.

A avaliação da interação de uma dieta controlada com a escopolamina na prevenção da desorientação espacial / Na evaluation of the interaction of a controlled diet with scopolamine on the prevention of spatial disorientation

Este estudo objetivou avaliar o melhor horário de administração da escopolamina, medicamento utilizado na prevenção dos sinais e sintomas da desorientação espacial, e a interação de uma dieta controlada sobre sua ação. Foram realizados testes na cadeira rotatória desenvolvida no Laboratório de Microgravidade/ PUCRS, em 10 voluntários saudáveis. Cada voluntário participou de dois dias de teste, randomizados, um depois de 12h de jejum e no outro após a ingestão de uma dieta padronizada, recebendo, em ambos os dias, a dose oral de 0,45 mg de escopolamina. O teste rotatório foi realizado 60 min, 90 min, 120 min após administração deste medicamento. A sintomatologia da desorientação espacial e os efeitos colaterais do fármaco foram avaliados através do questionário de Graybiel e da avaliação clínica do voluntário durante e após os testes de rotação na cadeira. Os resultados indicaram que não foi possível determinar o melhor horário de administração da escopolamina. No teste realizado a 60 min, a interação com a dieta aumentou o tempo de rotação na cadeira (p = 0,0002). Uma amostra maior e a dosagem séria da escopolamina são necessários para um melhor entendimento de sua ação, seu horário de administração e sua interação com diferentes alimentos.

Dimensional analysis revisited

The applicability of dimensional analysis (DA) is discussed in relation to the metabolic scaling laws. The evolution of different theories of biological similarity has shown that the calculated reduced exponents (b) of Huxley's allometric equation are closely correlated with the numerical values obtained from the statistical analysis of empirical data. Body mass and body weight are not equivalent as biological reference systems, since in accordance to Newton's second law, the former has a dimension of a mass, while the latter should be dimensionally considered as a force (W = MLT-2). This distinction affects the coefficients of the mass exponent (alpha). This difference is of paramount importance in microgravity conditions (spaceflight) and of buoyancy during the fetal life in mammals. Furthermore, the coefficients (beta) of the length dimension, and (gamma) of the time dimension do not vary when mass or weight are utilized as reference systems. Consequently, the specific metabolic time, that results from the ratio of basal oxygen consumption and body mass or body weight yields the biological meaning of the time dimension, which is of fractal nature.

Incidentes fisiológicos durante entrenamiento en cámara hipobárica entre los años 1983-1992 / Physiological training in altitude chamber in the chilean airforce: years 1983-1992

En el presente trabajo, se ha analizado el Programa de Entrenamiento Fisiológico en el Departamento de Medicina Aeroespacial de la Dirección de Sanidad de la Fuerza Aérea de Chile, en lo que respecta a incidentes producidos durante el desarrollo de dicho programa y al que fueron sometidos tanto pilotos alumnos como instructores de vuelo de cámara hipobárica, durante los años 1983-1992. En este período se entrenó a 2.118 alumnos en vuelos de hipoxia y vuelos de descompresión rápida no registrándose ningún accidente, teniendo presente además, que los incidentes que se produjeron fueron sin consecuencias graves, tanto para alumnos como instructores. En el período analizado se produjeron un total de 274 incidentes en los alumnos correspondiendo a barotitis, barotitis tardía y barosinusitis, los porcentajes más altos. Asimismo, en los instructores el número total de incidentes fue de 56, siendo barotitis, barotitis tardía y barosinusitis los más frecuentes. Otros hechos importantes son la realización de 23 vuelos médicos y de 24 vuelos de prueba, todos sin consecuencia y con resultados altamente positivos. Cabe destacar que durante este período los incidentes han sido superados efectiva y oportunamente gracias a la preparación, capacidad y a las medidas de seguridad que en cada circunstancia específica se aplicaron