Evaluation of "Caserotek" a low cost and effective artificial blood-feeding device for mosquitoes.

Entomological research studies on mosquito vector biology, vector competence, insecticide resistance, dispersal, and survival (using mark-release-recapture techniques) often rely on laboratory-reared mosquito colonies to produce large numbers of consistently reared, aged, and sized mosquitoes. We developed a low-cost blood feeding apparatus that supports temperatures consistent with warm blooded animals, using commonly available materials found in low resource environments. We compare our system ("Caserotek") to Hemotek and glass/membrane feeding methods. Two experiments were conducted with Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus 1762) and one with Anopheles darlingi (Root 1926) (Diptera: Culicidae); 3 replicates were conducted for each experiment. Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes were provided chicken blood once per week for 30 min (Experiment #1) for 14 days or 1 hour (Experiment #2) for 21 days. Anopheles darlingi were fed once for 1 hour (Experiment #3). Blood-feeding rates, survival rates, and egg production were calculated across replicates. Caserotek had a significantly higher 30-min engorgement rate (91.1%) than Hemotek (47.7%), and the glass feeder (29.3%) whereas for 1-hour feeding, Hemotek had a significantly lower engorgement rate than either of the other two devices (78% versus 91%). Thirty-day survival was similar among the feeding devices, ranging from 86% to 99%. Mean egg production was highest for the Caserotek feeder (32 eggs per female) compared to the glass feeder and Hemotek device (21-22 eggs per female). Our new artificial feeding system had significantly higher blood feeding rates than for more expensive artificial systems and was equivalent to other fitness parameters. Caserotek only requires the ability to boil water to maintain blood temperatures using a Styrofoam liner. It can be easily scaled up to large production facilities and used under austere conditions.

[Diagnostic performance of the rapid fasciorap test based on the immunochromatography or lateral flow technique for the detection of antibodies in patients with human fasciolosis]. / Rendimiento diagnóstico de la prueba rápida fasciorap basada en la técnica de inmunocromatografía o flujo lateral para la detección de anticuerpos en pacientes con Fasciolosis humana.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic performance of the immunochromatography technique or lateral flow for the detection of antibodies in patients with human fasciolosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational, prospective and cross-sectional study. We have developed a lateral flow test (Fasciorap) for the serological diagnosis of fasciolosis due to F. hepatica, composed of excretion-secretion antigens of adult forms conjugated with orocolloid of 40 nm and a protein A and IgG of rabbit anti F. hepatica as detector reagents in the test and control line, flanked by pads in a cassette. 240 sera were evaluated, 120 positive, 50 sera from patients with other parasites, 20 from patients with infectious diseases and 50 sera from non-parasitized people, the interpretation of results was performed by visual inspection 15 minutes after applying the samples. RESULTS: The test detected the presence of antibodies in the serum of patients with fasciolosis, reaching a sensitivity of 92.5%, a specificity of 94.17%, a positive predictive value of 94.07% and a negative predictive value of 92.62%; with 100% agreement on repeatability and reproducibility. CONCLUSIONS: Fasciorap detects cases of fascioliasis, therefore, it is a potential diagnostic test in endemic areas where point-of-care testing is required.

Rendimiento diagnóstico de la prueba rápida fasciorap basada en la técnica de inmunocromatografía o flujo lateral para la detección de anticuerpos en pacientes con Fasciolosis humana

Objetivo : Determinar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la técnica de inmnunocromatografía o flujo lateral para la detección de anticuerpos en pacientes con Fasciolosis humana. Materiales y métodos : Estudio observacional, prospectivo y de corte transversal. Hemos desarrollado una prueba de flujo lateral (Fasciorap) para el diagnóstico serológico de las Fasciolosis humana por Fasciola hepatica, compuesta por antígenos de excreción-secreción de formas adultas conjugadas con orocoloidal de 40 nm y una proteína A e IgG de conejo anti Fasciola hepatica como reactivos detectores en la línea de prueba y control, flanqueados por almohadillas en un cassette. Se evaluaron 240 sueros, 120 positivos, 50 sueros de pacientes con otras parasitosis, 20 de pacientes con enfermedades infecciosas y 50 sueros de personas no parasitadas, la interpretación de resultados se realizó por inspección visual a los 15 minutos de aplicada las muestras. Resultados : La prueba detectó la presencia de anticuerpos en el suero de pacientes con fasciolosis, alcanzando una sensibilidad de 92,5%, una especificidad de 94,17%, un valor predictivo positivo de 94,07% y negativo de 92,62%; con 100% de concordancia en la repetibilidad y reproducibilidad. Conclusiones : Fasciorap detecta casos de fasciolosis, por lo tanto, es una potencial prueba diagnóstica en zonas endémicas donde se requiere pruebas de punto de atención

Objective : To determine the diagnostic performance of the immunochromatography technique or lateral flow for the detection of antibodies in patients with human fasciolosis. Materials and methods : Observational, prospective and cross-sectional study. We have developed a lateral flow test (Fasciorap) for the serological diagnosis of fasciolosis due to F. hepatica, composed of excretion-secretion antigens of adult forms conjugated with orocolloid of 40 nm and a protein A and IgG of rabbit anti F. hepatica as detector reagents in the test and control line, flanked by pads in a cassette. 240 sera were evaluated, 120 positive, 50 sera from patients with other parasites, 20 from patients with infectious diseases and 50 sera from non-parasitized people, the interpretation of results was performed by visual inspection 15 minutes after applying the samples. Results : The test detected the presence of antibodies in the serum of patients with fasciolosis, reaching a sensitivity of 92.5%, a specificity of 94.17%, a positive predictive value of 94.07% and a negative predictive value of 92.62%; with 100% agreement on repeatability and reproducibility. Conclusions : Fasciorap detects cases of fascioliasis, therefore, it is a potential diagnostic test in endemic areas where point-of-care testing is required

Congenital Toxoplasmosis: Findings in Fetal MRI.

Toxoplasma gondii infection, when acquired as an acute infection during pregnancy, can have substantial adverse effects on fetuses. We present the case of a 19-year-old pregnant woman with no previous relevant medical history. The ultrasound in the third trimester showed brain and abdominal abnormalities such as congenital hydrocephalus, volume loss of the brain parenchyma, and hepatosplenomegaly. The laboratory test showed positive IgM for Toxoplasma gondii. MRI was performed for better assessment and it shows the lesions in the central nervous system and other organs with more details.

Carbon-Coated Stent and the Role of the Kallikrein-Kinin System in Peripheral Angioplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical evolution of patients treated with carbon-coated stent, as well as its patency and the inflammatory response triggered by this process through the quantification of serum elements of the kallikrein-kinin system (KKS). METHODS: This was a single-center prospective study with 27 patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who required percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of the iliacofemoropopliteal segment using carbon-coated stent grafts (carbostents). The blood concentrations of the total and kininogen fractions were evaluated using immunoenzymatic methods. Plasma kallikrein levels were assessed by the colorimetric method and tissue kallikrein levels were evaluated by the spectrophotometric method. The activity of kininase II was measured by -fluorometric analysis. RESULTS: Of the 27 patients who completed the 6 months of the study (11 iliac territory, 16 femoropopliteal territory), only one experienced restenosis (3.7%) (femoropopliteal segment) and no patient had occlusion (96.3% of patency). In 1 year, four patients were lost to follow-up and all 23 patients evaluated maintained stent patency, except for the patient who had restenosis throughout the first 6 months. We report complete (100%) member salvage in 12 months of follow-up. The activity levels of high- and low-molecular-weight kininogens decreased significantly over time (before vs. 24 h, p < 0.01; before vs. 6 months, p < 0.001, and before vs. 24 h, p < 0.01; before vs. 6 months, p < 0.001; 24 h vs. 6 months, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients also had significantly lower levels of plasma and tissue kallikrein (before vs. 24 h, p < 0.001; before vs. 6 months, p < 0.001, and before vs. 24 h, p < 0.01; before vs. 6 months, p < 0.05, respectively). There was a significant increase in the enzymatic activity of kininase II at 24 h and after 6 months compared to the pre-treatment control (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our early experience shows that the use of carbon-coated stents in PAD appears to be safe, with low rates of early restenosis (3.7% in the first 6 months and 5% in the 12 months of follow-up). We concluded that KKS was involved in the inflammatory response caused by the placement of carbon-coated stents.

As Organizações Policiais e a Gestão Pública

Este trabalho busca trazer reflexões sobre a importância das instituições policiais serem compreendidas como organizações públicas prestadoras de serviços de segurança, com os mesmos dilemas e desafios dos sistemas organizacionais em geral, porém com a especificidade e complexidade características da atividade policial. Suas exigências e dilemas são semelhantes aos demais sistemas organizacionais, mudando apenas em sua característica, mas não na sua essência. Alerta para a importância das atividades de segurança pública como fator indispensável ao desenvolvimento econômico e social em qualquer sociedade. Chama a atenção para a complexidade das questões relacionadas à segurança pública e propõe a participação de equipes multidisciplinares como um dos caminhos para a melhoria da qualidade dos serviços de segurança pública prestados à sociedade. Apresenta o Programa Delegacia Legal, implantado no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, desde 1999, ao longo de seis governos, como uma experiência bem-sucedida de mudança organizacional em uma organização policial ­ a PCERJ ­ Polícia Civil do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, obtendo, inclusive, o reconhecimento internacional da Organização das Nações Unidas ­ ONU, com o "Best Practices Certificate" do Dubai International Award e UN-Habitat.

Characterization of the kallikrein-kinin system, metalloproteinases, and their tissue inhibitors in the in-stent restenosis after peripheral percutaneous angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: The kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) has several direct and indirect effects on cells and cellular mediators involved in the inflammatory process. Studies about inflammation on percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stent (PTA/stent) to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in humans are scarce. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are calcium-dependent zinc-containing endopeptidases expressed in various cells and tissues such as fibroblasts, inflammatory cells, and, smooth muscle cells. Changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) take place in the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular pathologies. MMPs and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases [TIMPs]) are crucial in ECM remodeling in both physiologic and pathologic conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the KKS and the MMP metabolism, which are important mediators that may contribute to tissue repair, in the process of arterial restenosis due to intimal hyperplasia in the femoropopliteal segment with the aim of developing new interventions. METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients were selected (regardless of ethnic group, age, or sex) for revascularization, who underwent PTA/stent of the femoropopliteal segment. Twenty-five patients with the same clinical characteristics who were scheduled for diagnostic angiography but not subjected to PTA/nitinol stent were also selected. The concentrations in blood of total and kininogen fractions were evaluated using immunoenzymatic methods. Plasma kallikrein was evaluated by the colorimetric method. Tissue kallikrein was evaluated by the spectrophotometric method. The activity of kininase II was measured by fluorometric analysis. Quantification of MMPs was performed by zymography, which is an electrophoresis technique, and TIMPs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Among the 31 patients who completed the survey, there were 10 cases of angiographically defined restenosis of >50%, and 21 cases without restenosis. There was an increase in the concentrations of the substrates (high-molecular-weight kininogens and lower molecular weight kininogens) and enzymes (plasma and tissue kallikrein) in patients with restenosis, indicating activation of this inflammatory pathway in these patients. The activity of kininase II was not significantly different between the groups of patients studied. There were no statistical differences between restenosis and no restenosis patients for both MMPs and TIMPs dosage, but there is an upward trend of MMPs in time 6 months in patients with restenosis. CONCLUSIONS: With the aim of identifying factors contributing to restenosis after endovascular intervention, this study showed evidence of high activation of the KKS in the pathologic inflammatory process of PTA/stent restenosis. In the other hand, it could not show participation of metalloproteinase metabolism in PTA/stent restenosis.

The effect of finger joint hypomobility on precision grip force.

STUDY DESIGN: Repeated measures experiment. INTRODUCTION: Traumatic injuries and certain other diseases of the hand typically affect mobility of the finger joints. Decreased mobility may alter grip force control while one is grasping and lifting objects. However, the effect of finger joint hypomobility on grip force control has not yet been systematically investigated. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of limited finger joint mobility, without other associated symptoms like pain, or sensory/proprioceptive deficits, on precision grip force control. METHODS: Fifteen healthy subjects performed a pinching and lifting task of an object equipped with a force sensor and an accelerometer, via opposition of the thumb and index finger, in the following experimental conditions: unrestricted finger joint movement (UJM), restricted finger flexion (RFF), restricted finger extension (RFE), mock restricted flexion (MRF), mock restricted extension (MRE). The following pinch force variables were measured and analyzed: grip force at lift off, grip force peak, load force peak, latency, and static force. RESULTS: A significant increase in latency (F = 4.41, p < 0.01) was noted during RFE relative to UJM and MRF conditions. There were no statistically-significant differences between the conditions among the other variables of precision grip force control. CONCLUSIONS: Limited joint mobility of the thumb and index finger may cause temporal changes in precision grip force control, which can lead to reduced manual dexterity. Restoring range of motion might be an important priority to improve thumb-index pinch force control during manipulative tasks.

A participação e o controle social nas agências reguladoras de saneamento básico / Participation and social control in regulatory agencies sanitation

A Lei que estabeleceu as diretrizes nacionais para o saneamento básico (Lei nº 11.445/2007) abriu um rico campo de discussão para a evolução jurídica e social sobre o setor após décadas de estagnação. Inspirada nos valores do moderno estado regulador,a lei traz o controle social como um fundamento da política e implicitamente como uma ferramenta para o exercício da cidadania nas Agências Reguladoras do Setor. Apresente pesquisa teve por escopo estabelecer e medir os níveis de participação e de controle social no âmbito da regulação, constituindo um paralelo entre o que é legalmente permitido e o que efetivamente vem sendo realizado por algumas entidades de regulação. A amostragem realizada de acordo com critérios territoriais e de modelagem de criação demonstrou que, independentemente da região onde se encontrem as Agências Reguladoras, ou de sua estrutura, há um lapso entre o nível de participação e de controle social e o que vem sendo realizado por elas. A pesquisa tomou por base a revisão bibliográfica dos marcos teóricos da Participação e do Controle Social e do Direito Regulatório, a análise das legislações de criação dessas Agências e o exame dos processos para formação de atos normativos expedidos por elas. Foi verificado no estudo que nenhuma daquelas pesquisadas se utilizou integralmente do nível máximo de participação e de controle social permitido em suas leis de criação. Concluiu-se que será necessária a mudança de paradigma e o dispêndio de considerável esforço para que tais instrumentos de cidadania possam ser desenvolvidos e efetivamente utilizados no âmbito regulatório do setor de saneamento básico...

The Act that established national guidelines for sanitation (Law 11.445/2007) initiated, after decades of stagnation, a rich discussion for the legal, social development son this sector. Inspired by the modern regulatory state values, the law enforce social control as a policy principle and implicitly as a tool for the exercise of citizenship in Regulatory Agencies sector. This research aim is to establish and measure participation and social control levels in regulation scope, comparing what is legally allowed andwhat is actually being done by some regulatory authorities. Despite Regulatory Agencies internal structure or location, territorial and creation models samples have proven that there is a gap between participation, social control levels and what has beingdone so far by this authority. This research was based on literature review for theoretical marks of participation, social control and Regulatory Law; these agencies’ creation laws analysis; and normative acts issued process examination. It is possible to assert thatnone of the regulatory agencies surveyed achieved participation and social control maximum levels allowed by its creation laws. In conclusion, a paradigm shift and aconsiderable effort will be necessary so that these citizenship tools could be developedand used effectively within the regulatory sanitation sector...

Ecological implications of extreme events: footprints of the 2010 earthquake along the Chilean coast.

Deciphering ecological effects of major catastrophic events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, storms and fires, requires rapid interdisciplinary efforts often hampered by a lack of pre-event data. Using results of intertidal surveys conducted shortly before and immediately after Chile's 2010 M(w) 8.8 earthquake along the entire rupture zone (ca. 34-38°S), we provide the first quantification of earthquake and tsunami effects on sandy beach ecosystems. Our study incorporated anthropogenic coastal development as a key design factor. Ecological responses of beach ecosystems were strongly affected by the magnitude of land-level change. Subsidence along the northern rupture segment combined with tsunami-associated disturbance and drowned beaches. In contrast, along the co-seismically uplifted southern rupture, beaches widened and flattened increasing habitat availability. Post-event changes in abundance and distribution of mobile intertidal invertebrates were not uniform, varying with land-level change, tsunami height and coastal development. On beaches where subsidence occurred, intertidal zones and their associated species disappeared. On some beaches, uplift of rocky sub-tidal substrate eliminated low intertidal sand beach habitat for ecologically important species. On others, unexpected interactions of uplift with man-made coastal armouring included restoration of upper and mid-intertidal habitat seaward of armouring followed by rapid colonization of mobile crustaceans typical of these zones formerly excluded by constraints imposed by the armouring structures. Responses of coastal ecosystems to major earthquakes appear to vary strongly with land-level change, the mobility of the biota and shore type. Our results show that interactions of extreme events with human-altered shorelines can produce surprising ecological outcomes, and suggest these complex responses to landscape alteration can leave lasting footprints in coastal ecosystems.

XZP + 1d and XZP + 1d-DKH basis sets for second-row elements: application to CCSD(T) zero-point vibrational energy and atomization energy calculations.

Recently, segmented all-electron contracted double, triple, quadruple, quintuple, and sextuple zeta valence plus polarization function (XZP, X = D, T, Q, 5, and 6) basis sets for the elements from H to Ar were constructed for use in conjunction with nonrelativistic and Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonians. In this work, in order to obtain a better description of some molecular properties, the XZP sets for the second-row elements were augmented with high-exponent d "inner polarization functions," which were optimized in the molecular environment at the second-order Møller-Plesset level. At the coupled cluster level of theory, the inclusion of tight d functions for these elements was found to be essential to improve the agreement between theoretical and experimental zero-point vibrational energies (ZPVEs) and atomization energies. For all of the molecules studied, the ZPVE errors were always smaller than 0.5 %. The atomization energies were also improved by applying corrections due to core/valence correlation and atomic spin-orbit effects. This led to estimates for the atomization energies of various compounds in the gaseous phase. The largest error (1.2 kcal mol(-1)) was found for SiH(4).

Nível de estresse percebido em estudantes do curso de enfermagem / Stress level in the students nursing course / Nivel de estrese percibido en estudiantes de la carrera de enfermería

Objetivo: avaliar o nível de estresse percebido em estudantes do curso de enfermagem de uma Universidade do vale doParaíba paulista. Método: estudo descritivo de abordagem quantitativa, realizado com 58 graduandos da 4asérie do Cursode Graduação em Enfermagem. A coleta foi realizada mediante aplicação de questões abertas, fechadas e mistas. Oquestionário era composto por duas partes: identificação e questionário da Escala de Estresse Percebido (PSS-14). Paraanálise estatística dos dados foi utilizado o teste exato de Fisher. Os dados foram tabulados e submetidos à estatísticadescritiva, com utilização do programa Bioestat 5.0. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em pesquisa daUniversidade de Taubaté (CEP nº 564/09). Resultados: o nível de estresse obteve pontuação de 20 a 24 em 19 (32,77%)dos graduandos, indicando níveis altos de pontuação. Quanto ao teste exato de Fisher, constatou-se que não houvediferença significativa (p=0,05). Conclusão: os graduandos de enfermagem apresentam níveis altos de estresse, o queindica, de fato, que muitos estudantes, ou por trabalharem concomitantemente com os estudos, ou por excesso deatividades acadêmicas, entre outros fatores, são prejudicados no aprendizado.(AU)

Objective: to identify the stress level in the students nursing program of a University of Vale do Paraíba. Method: a descriptive study of quantitative approach, conducted with 58 students from the fourth series of the undergraduate program in nursing. Data collection was performed by the application of open, closed and mixed questions. The questionnaire comprised two parts: identification and survey of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). For statistical analysis we used the Fisher exact test. Data were tabulated and submitted to descriptive statistics, with use of the BioStat 5.0. The study was approved by the Ethics in Research of the University of Taubaté (CEP No. 564/09). Results: the level of stress scored 20 to 24 in 19 (32.77%) of undergraduates, indicating high levels of punctuation. As for Fisher's exact test, it was found that there was no significant difference (p = 0.05). Conclusion: the nursing graduates have high levels of stress, which indicates, in fact, that many students, or because they work concurrently with their studies, or an excess of academic activities, among other factors, are impaired in learning.(AU)

Objetivo: identificar el nivel de estrese percibido en estudiantes de la carrera de enfermería de una Universidad del vale del Paraíba paulista. Método: estudio descriptivo de abordaje cuantitativo, realizado con 58 alumnos del 4º curso de graduación en enfermería. La cosecha fue realizada mediante aplicación de cuestiones abiertas, cerradas y mistas. El cuestionario era compuesto por dos partes: identificación y cuestionário de la Escala de Estrese Percibido (PSS-14). Para análisis estadística de los datos fue utilizado el test exacto de Fisher. Los datos fueron tabulados y sometidos a la estadística descriptiva, con utilización del programa Bioestat 5.0. La investigación fue aprobada por Comité de Ética en investigación de la Universidad de Taubaté (CEP nº 564/09). Resultados: el nivel de estrese obteve pontuación de 20 a 24 en 19 (32,77%) de los graduandos, indicando niveles altos de pontuación. Cuanto al test exacto de Fisher, se constató que no hubo diferencia significativa (p=0,05). Conclusion: los graduandos de enfermería presentan niveles altos de estrese, lo que indica, de hecho, que muchos estudiantes, o por trabalhajar concomitantemente con los estudios, o por exceso de actividades académicas, entre otros hechos, son perjudicados en el aprendizado.(AU)

Optimization of biodiesel supply chains based on small farmers: a case study in Brazil.

This article presents a methodology for conceiving and planning the development of an optimized supply chain of a biodiesel plant sourced from family farms and taking into consideration agricultural, logistic, industrial, and social aspects. This model was successfully applied to the production chain of biodiesel fuel from castor oil in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Results suggest important insights related to the optimal configuration of the crushing units, regarding its location, technology, and when it should be available, as well as the configuration of the production zones along the planning horizon considered. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is performed in order to measure how possible variations in the considered conjecture can affect the robustness of the solutions.