An Augmented Reality Visualization System for Simulated Multirotor Aerial Vehicles.

Multirotors Aerial Vehicles are special class of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with many practical applications. The growing demand for this class of aircraft requires tools that speed up their development. Simulated environments have gained increasing importance, as they facilitate testing and prototyping solutions, where virtual environments allow real-time interaction with simulated models, with similar behavior to real systems. More recently, the use of Augmented Reality has allowed an increasing experience of immersion and integration between the virtual world and a real scenario. This work proposes the use of Augmented Reality technology and a simulated model of a multirotor to create an interactive flight environment, aiming to improve the user experience in the analysis of simulated models. For this purpose, a smartphone was adopted as a hardware platform, a game engine is used as a basis for the development of the Augmented Reality application, that represents a numerical simulation of the flight dynamics and the control system of a multirotor, and a game controller is adopted for user interaction. The resulting system demonstrates that Augmented Reality is a viable technology that can be used to increase the possibilities of evaluating simulated systems.

Serum Albumin Concentration on Admission as a Predictor of Morbidity and Mortality in Patients With Burn Injuries.

Efforts have been made to determine new predictors of morbidity and mortality in patients with severe burn injuries. This prospective cohort study aimed to determine the association of serum albumin concentration on admission and renal failure, pulmonary infection, sepsis, and death in patients with burn injuries. We included 141 patients, aged >18 years, who were admitted to our institution between April and August 2018. Among them, 59.1% were male and 83.8% had burns covering <20% of the body surface area. Scalds were the most common cause of burns (34.8%). Twelve patients died, of whom eight (66.6%) had an Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) ≥8. Patients with serum albumin ≤2.2 g/dL had a higher mortality rate than those with >2.2 g/dL (odds ratios [OR]: 18.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.9 to 70.8). Serum albumin ≤2.2 g/dL was also significantly associated with pulmonary infection (OR: 13.1, 95% CI: 3.8 to 45.7), renal failure (OR: 30.2, 95% CI: 7.4 to 122.3), and sepsis (OR: 16.9, 95% CI: 4.9 to 58.3). Serum albumin concentration cut-points and ABSIs were determined to be death predictors using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). The AUCs with albumin or ABSI alone were 0.89 (95% CI: 0.79 to 0.98) and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.96), respectively. The AUC including both albumin and ABSI was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.90 to 0.98), indicating that the combination is a better death predictor than either measure alone. We confirmed that burn patients with a serum albumin concentration ≤2.2 g/dL on admission have substantially increased morbidity and mortality.

Is an athlete's perfectionism associated with the performance of indoor football teams? / O perfeccionismo dos atletas está associado ao desempenho de equipes de futsal? / ¿El perfeccionismo de los atletas está asociado al desempeño de equipos de fútbol sala?

This study investigated the association between the perfectionism traits of 140 futsal athletes and their teams' performance markers. The athletes were divided into two groups: Medalists (n = 29) and Non-medalists (n = 111). The instruments used were The Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (SMPS-II) and the official game bulletins for collecting performance markers (goals scored, goals conceded, number of wins, number of losses, and points added in the competition). Data analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney "U," Spearman correlation, and Path Analysis. The results showed that the non-medal players present more doubts in action than the medalists (p = 0.008). Perfectionist strivings had a significant and positive association with performance markers (β = 0.17) and negative association with goals conceded (β = -0.23) in medal players, while perfectionist concerns were negatively associated (β > -0.20) with non-medalist markers. It was concluded that adaptive perfectionism could be considered an intervening factor in collective performance in futsal, especially in successful teams.

Este estudo investigou a associação entre o perfeccionismo de 140 atletas e o desempenho de equipes de futsal. Os atletas foram divididos em dois grupos: medalhistas (n = 29) e não medalhistas (n = 111). Os instrumentos foram a Escala Multidimensional de Perfeccionismo-2 e os boletins dos jogos para a coleta dos indicadores de desempenho (gols marcados/sofridos, número de vitórias/derrotas e pontos somados na competição). A análise dos dados foi conduzida por meio dos testes de Mann-Whitney, correlação de Spearman e Path Analysis. Os resultados revelaram que os atletas não medalhistas apresentaram mais dúvidas na ação (p = 0,008). Os esforços perfeccionistas apresentaram associação positiva com os gols marcados (β = 0,17) e negativa com os gols sofridos (β = -0,23) nos jogadores medalhistas, enquanto as preocupações perfeccionistas apresentaram associação negativa (β > -0,20) com os indicadores de desempenho dos jogadores não medalhistas. Concluiu-se que o perfeccionismo adaptativo pode ser considerado um fator interveniente no desempenho coletivo no futsal, principalmente em equipes bem-sucedidas.

Este estudio investigó la asociación entre los rasgos de perfeccionismo de 140 atletas de fútbol sala con los marcadores de rendimiento de sus equipos. Los atletas se dividieron en dos grupos: medallistas (n = 29) e no medallistas (n = 111). Los instrumentos utilizados fueron The Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (SMPS-II) y los boletines oficiales del juego para recopilar marcadores de rendimiento (goles marcados, goles recibidos, número de victorias, número de pérdidas y puntos agregados en la competencia). El análisis de los datos se realizó mediante las pruebas de U de Mann-Whitney, correlación de Spearman y Path Analysis. Los resultados mostraron que los jugadores que no son medallas presentan más dudas en la acción que los medallistas (p = 0,008). Los esfuerzos perfeccionistas tuvieron una asociación significativa y positiva con los marcadores de rendimiento (β = 0,17) y la asociación negativa con los objetivos concedidos (β = -0,23) en los jugadores de medalla, mientras que las preocupaciones perfeccionistas se asociaron negativamente (β > -0,20) con marcadores no medallistas. Se concluyó que el perfeccionismo adaptativo puede considerarse como un factor de intervención en el desempeño colectivo en el futuro, especialmente en equipos exitosos.

Lipid transfer protein isolated from noni seeds displays antibacterial activity in vitro and improves survival in lethal sepsis induced by CLP in mice.

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a lipid transfer protein isolated from Morinda citrifolia L. seeds, named McLTP1, and to investigate its effect in the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse sepsis model. Antimicrobial assays revealed that McLTP1 (12.5-800 µg/mL) significantly reduced Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538P and ATCC 14458) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228) planktonic growth, reaching maximal inhibition of approximately 50% and 98%, respectively. Furthermore, McLTP1 inhibited biofilm formation of both S. aureus strains, achieving percentages ranging from 39.1% to 69.1% (200-800 µg/mL) for ATCC 6538P and 34.4%-63% (12.5-800 µg/mL) for ATCC 14458. A synergistic interaction between McLTP1 and oxacillin against S. aureus and S. epidermidis was also observed, as determined by fractional inhibitory concentration indices of 0.18 and 0.38, respectively. McLTP1 showed no significant inhibitory effect against Gram-negative bacteria. In the in vivo experiments, sepsis was lethal to 83% of the animals, 72 h after CLP. In contrast, 100% of the animals treated with McLTP1 (8 mg/kg) before (intraperitoneal injection or oral dose) or after (oral dose) CLP were still alive 3 days later. In addition, oral or intraperitoneal administration of McLTP1 (8 mg/kg) significantly reduced the body weight loss, fever, leukocytosis, organ damage, and the level of inflammatory serum cytokines induced by sepsis. In conclusion, McLTP1 could be exploited for its antimicrobial properties, and can be considered a potential therapeutic candidate for the management of clinical sepsis.

Passive diffusion of weak organic electrolytes across Caco-2 cell monolayers: uncoupling the contributions of hydrodynamic, transcellular, and paracellular barriers.

A systematic approach was used to demonstrate the quantitative interplay of pH, pKa, lipophilicity, charged and uncharged molecular species, molecular size, aqueous diffusivity, and stirring in passive transport across the aqueous boundary layer, microporous filter support, and transcellular and paracellular barriers in Caco-2 cell monolayers. The relationship of permeability of the aqueous boundary layer and hydrodynamic stirring was elucidated from transmonolayer fluxes of testosterone. Adrenergic receptor antagonists including propranolol (PPL), alprenolol (APL), pindolol (PDL), and atenolol (ATL) represented the model series of structurally similar weak bases with pKa values between 8.8 and 9.65. Although intrinsically lipophilic, their apparent log PC (n-octanol/water) at pH 7.4 and 6.5 ranged from -2.6 to 1.3. Effective permeability coefficients (Pe) correlated with log PC at both pH 7.4 and 6.5 showing a single sigmoidal-like curve: PPL > APL > PDL > or = ATL. The Pe approached a minimum plateau value established by the protonated ATL for the paracellular route (pore radius of 12 A) by molecular size-restricted diffusion within a negative electrostatic field of force. The Pe of the weak bases was delineated into component permeability coefficients of the aqueous boundary layer and porous filter support, the intrinsic permeabilities of charged and uncharged species for the transcellular and paracellular routes, and the extent to which the routes were utilized at each pH. This study emphasized a generally applicable approach to quantitatively analyze passive transport data on weak organic electrolytes and neutral molecules generated using cell culture monolayers.

Quantitative approaches to delineate paracellular diffusion in cultured epithelial cell monolayers.

When using cultured cell monolayers to determine the mechanism of transcellular diffusion of molecules, it may be important to identify the fraction that moves through the paracellular route or passively diffuses through tight junctions. We characterized the apparent diameter of the junctional pore in a variety of epithelial cell monolayers (Caco-2, MDCK, alveolar). Using hydrophilic extracellular permeants varying in molecular radii and charge (neutral, anionic, cationic, zwitterionic), rate-determining steps and factors of the paracellular route were quantitatively delineated by the model for molecular size-restricted diffusion within a negative electrostatic field of force. Protonated amines permeated the pores faster than their neutral images while organic anions were slower. With increasing molecular size the influence of charge diminished. This approach was used to quantify the relationship between permeant radius and transepithelial electrical resistance and to analyze changes in junctional pore size as a function of pharmacological perturbation, such as in the use of absorption promoters or adjuvants.

Effects of mesoionic xanthine analogs on Trypanosoma musculi development in mice.

Two derivatives of the mesoionic thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-5,7-diones 1 were prepared and examined for in vivo antiprotozoan activity to study structure-activity relationships that might lead us to more active derivatives. Mesoionic compounds 1A and 1B were inoculated into Swiss Webster male mice with Trypanosoma musculi infection. The effects were measured by studying parasite populations during the course of patent period (days 9 through 15 post-infection). The injection of 200 micrograms of compound 1A along with 5 x 10(4) trypanosomes affected the level of parasitemia at both the peak and during days 9 to 13 post infection. Experimental animals that received drug 1A prior to and after infection with T. musculi developed significantly lower parasitemia as compared to the control animals at the height of parasite populations (day 11 of observation). The group that received the drug simultaneously with trypanosome infection had significantly lower parasitemias on day 11 and 13 of infection compared to the controls. The injection of 200 micrograms of mesoionic compound 1B along with 5 x 10(4) trypanosomes resulted in lower parasitemic levels in the prior treated and post inoculated groups on days 9 and 13 post-infection. Swiss Webster male mice treated with the test drug, compound 1B, simultaneously with an inoculation of parasites developed significant resistance against infection on days 9 and 11 post-infection. This trend was reversed for the rest of the observation period.

Transepithelial transport of aliphatic carboxylic acids studied in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell monolayers.

Transport of 14C-labeled acetic, propionic (PA), butyric, valeric, heptanoic (HA), and octanoic (OA) acids across the Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cell monolayer grown on a porous polycarbonate membrane was studied in Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) at 37 degrees C in both apical-to-basolateral and basolateral-to-apical directions. At micromolar concentrations of solutes, metabolic decomposition was significant as evidenced by [14C]CO2 production during the OA transport. The apparent permeability (Pe) indicates that as lipophilicity increases, diffusion across the "unstirred" boundary layer becomes rate limiting. In support of this notion, transport of OA and HA was enhanced by agitation, showed an activation energy of 3.7 kcal/mol for OA, and resulted in identical Pe values for both transport directions. Analysis of Pe changes with varying alkyl chain length resulted in a delta G of -0.68 +/- 0.09 kcal/mol for -CH2-group transfer from an aqueous phase to the MDCK cells. When the intercellular tight junctions were opened by the divalent chelator EGTA in Ca2+/Mg2(+)-free HBSS, transport of the fluid-phase marker Lucifer yellow greatly increased because of paracellular leakage. PA transport also showed a significant increase, but OA transport was independent of EGTA. Although albumin also undergoes paracellular transport in the presence of EGTA and OA binds strongly to albumin, OA transport in EGTA solution was unchanged by albumin. These observations indicate that transmembrane transport is the major mechanism for lipophilic substances. The present study, together with earlier work on the transport of polar substances, shows that the MDCK cell monolayer is an excellent model of the transepithelial transport barrier.