16 results on '"Moreira, João"'
Search Results
2. Thermochemical Properties for Valorization of Amazonian Biomass as Fuel.
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Moreira, João, Carneiro, Alan, Oliveira, Diego, Santos, Fernando, Guerra, Danielle, Nogueira, Manoel, Rocha, Hendrick, Charvet, Félix, and Tarelho, Luís
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BIOMASS , *RENEWABLE natural resources , *AGROFORESTRY , *ELECTRIC power consumption - Abstract
The use of agroforestry residues for energy purposes has long been a reality in Brazil. About 84.8% of the produced electricity comes from renewable resources; vegetable biomass contributes 9.1% to this total. This percentage has the potential to increase if Amazon biomass residues are processed to be used as fuel. The major difficulty for this scenario is the lack of available information on energy properties, mainly the HHVs for Amazon agroforestry biomass types. Considering that there are important deviations in the equations for predicting the HHVs of Amazon biomass types in the literature, the main objective of this work was to propose equations to determine the HHVs of these biomass types using the proximate or ultimate analysis results as input. The methodology adopted to develop such equations was simple and multiple linear regression methods, using experimental results for HHVs and proximate and ultimate analyses for biomass types from the north region of Brazil. Four distinct equations were considered based on ranges from the proximate and ultimate analyses of the biomass types to deliver better results. The obtained equations were validated by application to 28 other biomass types from the same region. The proposed HHV equations presented good agreement between predicted and experimental values, with errors below 5% for equations based on proximate analysis and below 3% for equations based on ultimate analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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3. Natural diet of the endemic freshwater crab Aegla castro Schmitt, 1942 (Decapoda: Anomura: Aeglidae).
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Almeida, Karin C R de, Moreira, João M N C, Páez, Fernanda P, Marçal, Ingrid C, and Teixeira, Gustavo M
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FRESHWATER crabs ,DECAPODA ,HERMIT crabs ,ANIMAL nutrition ,GASTROINTESTINAL contents ,ADULTS - Abstract
We characterized the natural diet and feeding dynamics of Aegla castro Schmitt, 1942 (Aeglidae), an endemic freshwater crab. Research was undertaken on the trophic spectrum of the species by analyzing the stomach contents of individuals collected in a stream in southeastern Brazil, and evaluating the diet through the index of relative importance (IRI). Seasonal and circadian variations in diet composition were analyzed, and the feeding dynamics investigated through repletion index (RI) analysis. We analyzed a total of 240 stomachs and identified 20 main food categories of the diet, which were studied throughout the seasons. Aegla castro maintained a constant RI throughout the year, with a peak of food activity between midnight (00) and 0600. The species was characterized as an omnivorous generalist and opportunist. The high overlay in the diet composition of adults of both sexes and juveniles indicates that they share the same food resources, even though they seem to exploit them in different quantities and frequencies. Future research should focus on the species of Aegla whose diets have not yet been described, and use available data to inform trophic network analyses and models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2021
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4. Evaluation of isotype-based serology for diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infection in individuals living in endemic areas with low parasite burden.
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Magalhães, Fernanda do Carmo, Moreira, João Marcelo Peixoto, de Rezende, Michelle Carvalho, Favero, Vivian, Graeff-Teixeira, Carlos, Coelho, Paulo Marcos Zech, Carneiro, Mariângela, Geiger, Stefan Michael, and Negrão-Corrêa, Deborah
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SCHISTOSOMA mansoni , *IMMUNOGLOBULINS , *IMMUNOGLOBULIN M , *RECEIVER operating characteristic curves , *PARASITES , *SEROLOGY , *ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay ,WORM eggs - Abstract
Intestinal schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating disease that affects public health systems worldwide. Control interventions to reduce morbidity primarily involve the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals. However, the recommended Kato-Katz (KK) parasitological method shows low sensitivity in individuals with low parasite loads and is not useful for monitoring elimination of parasite transmission at later stages. In the current study, we evaluated the accuracy of serum reactivity levels of different immunoglobulin isotypes in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), utilizing Schistosoma mansoni crude extracts, with the aim to improve the diagnosis of infected individuals with low parasite loads. The serum reactivity of IgM and IgG subclass antibodies (IgG1, IgG3, and IgG4) against soluble adult worm and egg antigen preparations was evaluated in residents from a schistosomiasis-endemic area in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The parasitological status of the study population was determined through fecal examination with multiple parasitological tests to create a consolidated reference standard (CRS) plus a fecal DNA detection test (q-PCR). Twelve months after praziquantel treatment, a second serum sample was obtained from the population for reexamination. A two-graph receiver operating characteristic curve (TG-ROC) analysis was performed using the serum reactivity of non-infected endemic controls and egg-positive individuals, and the cut-off value was established based on the intersection point of the sensibility and specificity curves in TG-ROC analyses. The diagnostic accuracy of each serological test was evaluated in relation to the parasitological CRS and to the combination of CRS plus qPCR results. The data revealed that serum reactivity of IgM and IgG3 against S. mansoni antigens did not allow identification of infected individuals from the endemic area. In contrast, serum IgG1 and IgG4-reactivity against schistosome antigens could distinguish between infected and non-infected individuals, with AUC values ranging between 0.728–0.925. The reactivity of IgG4 anti-soluble egg antigen - SEA (sensitivity 79 %, specificity 69 %, kappa = 0.49) had the best diagnostic accuracy, showing positive reactivity in more than 75 % of the infected individuals who eliminated less than 12 eggs per gram of feces. Moreover, serum IgG4 reactivity against SEA and against soluble worm antigen preparation (SWAP) was significantly reduced in the serum of infected individuals after 12 months of confirmed parasitological cure and in the absence of re-infection. These results reinforce that the described IgG4 anti-SEA ELISA assay is a sensitive alternative for the diagnosis of active intestinal schistosomiasis in individuals from endemic areas, including in those with a very low parasite load. • Serum reactivity of IgM and IgG3 to S. mansoni extract had no diagnostic value in endemic area. • Serum IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies were reactive against S. mansoni extract in most of the low-burden infected individuals. • Serology-based IgG1 reactivity showed improved sensitivity, but lower specificity to diagnose schistosomiasis. • Serology-based IgG4 reactivity against SEA antigens showed the best diagnostic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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5. Evaluation of real-time PCR assay to detect Schistosoma mansoni infections in a low endemic setting.
- Author
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Carvalho Espírito-Santo, Maria Cristina, Alvarado-Mora, Mónica Viviana, Dias-Neto, Emmanuel, Botelho-Lima, Lívia Souza, Moreira, João Paulo, Amorim, Maria, Silva Pinto, Pedro Luiz, Heath, Ashley R., Pagliusi Castilho, Vera Lúcia, do Nascimento Gonçalves, Elenice Messias, de Albuquerque Luna, Expedito José, Carrilho, Flair José, Rebello Pinho, João Renato, and Borges Gryschek, Ronaldo Cesar
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SCHISTOSOMIASIS ,REAL-time control ,SCHISTOSOMA mansoni ,CROSS-sectional method ,POLYMERASE chain reaction - Abstract
Background Schistosomiasis constitutes a major public health problem, and 200 million people are estimated to be infected with schistosomiasis worldwide. In Brazil, schistosomiasis has been reported in 19 states, showing areas of high and medium endemicity and a wide range of areas of low endemicity (ALE). Barra Mansa in Rio de Janeiro state has an estimated prevalence of 1%. ALE represent a new challenge for the helminth control because about 75% of infected individuals are asymptomatic and infections occur with a low parasite load (<100 eggs per gram of feces), causing a decrease in sensitivity of stool parasitological techniques, which are a reference for the laboratory diagnosis of this helminth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique in serum and feces DNA samples using the techniques of Kato- Katz (KK), Hoffman, Pons and Janer (HH) as references, during an epidemiological survey using fecal samples and sera from randomized residents from an ALE. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted from April to December 2011 using a probabilistic sampling that collected 572 fecal and serum samples. The laboratory diagnostic techniques used were: KK, HH and qPCR (feces and serum). Results We obtained the following results using the different diagnostic techniques: KK and HH, 0.9% (n =5); qPCR-feces, 9.6% (n =55); and qPCR-serum, 1.4% (n =8). The qPCR-feces presented the highest positivity, whereas the techniques of HH and KK were the least sensitive to detect infections (0.8%). Compared to HH and KK, qPCR-feces showed a statistically significant difference in positivity (p <0.05), although with poor agreement. Conclusion The positivity rate presented by the qPCR approach was far higher than that obtained by parasitological techniques. The lack of adequate surveillance in ALE of schistosomiasis indicates a high possibility of these areas being actually of medium and high endemicity. This study presents a control perspective, pointing to the possibility of using combined laboratory tools in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in ALE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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6. Description of a new specimen of Susisuchus anatoceps (Crocodylomorpha: Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Crato Formation (Santana Group) with comments on Neosuchia.
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FIGUEIREDO, RODRIGO G., MOREIRA, JOÃO K. R., SARAIVA, ANTÔNIO Á. F., and KELLNER, ALEXANDER W. A.
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CROCODYLIDAE , *CLADISTIC analysis , *CERVICAL vertebrae , *SCAPULA , *FORELIMB , *PHALANGES , *GEOLOGICAL formations - Abstract
A third specimen of Susisuchus anatoceps is described. The new material comprises postcranial remains, including an almost complete sequence of cervical vertebrae, prothoracic and posterior dorsal vertebrae, and osteoderms from dorsal and ventral shield, scapula, coracoid and the forelimb. The new specimen (MPSC-R1136) was recovered from the Crato Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Santana Group, near Nova Olinda municipality, Ceará State, Brazil. Some cervical vertebrae show slightly procoelous centra and at least one of these vertebrae is platycoelic, a feature reported for the first time in Susisuchus. Nevertheless, dorsals have amphicoelic centra. The sagittal segmented dorsal shield comprises two paravertebral rows of square osteoderms and two accessory rows of ellipsoidal osteoderms on each side of the trunk. Three diagnostic characters are present in the new Susisuchus specimen: the proximal and distal articulations of the ulna have about the same width and are thicker with respect to the shaft; the scapular blade has posterior concave and anterior straight margins; and the ungual phalanges are present only on first and second digits of the manus. A phylogenetic analysis of Susisuchus anatoceps based on new characters of MPSC-R1136 in addition to the holotype, and employing a previous data set of Jouve, placed this taxon as a basal member of the advanced neosuchian clade. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163, S273-S288. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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7. Diversity of lactic acid bacteria of the bioethanol process.
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Lucena, Brigida T. L., dos Santos, Billy M., Moreira, João L. S., Moreira, Ana Paula B., Nunes, Alvaro C., Azevedo, Vasco, Miyoshi, Anderson, Thompson, Fabiano L., and de Morais, Junior, Marcos Antonio
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BACTERIA ,YEAST ,ETHANOL as fuel ,LACTIC acid bacteria - Abstract
Background: Bacteria may compete with yeast for nutrients during bioethanol production process, potentially causing economic losses. This is the first study aiming at the quantification and identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) present in the bioethanol industrial processes in different distilleries of Brazil. Results: A total of 489 LAB isolates were obtained from four distilleries in 2007 and 2008. The abundance of LAB in the fermentation tanks varied between 6.0 × 10
5 and 8.9 × 108 CFUs/mL. Crude sugar cane juice contained 7.4 × 107 to 6.0 × 108 LAB CFUs. Most of the LAB isolates belonged to the genus Lactobacillus according to rRNA operon enzyme restriction profiles. A variety of Lactobacillus species occurred throughout the bioethanol process, but the most frequently found species towards the end of the harvest season were L. fermentum and L. vini. The different rep-PCR patterns indicate the co-occurrence of distinct populations of the species L. fermentum and L. vini, suggesting a great intraspecific diversity. Representative isolates of both species had the ability to grow in medium containing up to 10% ethanol, suggesting selection of ethanol tolerant bacteria throughout the process. Conclusions: This study served as a first survey of the LAB diversity in the bioethanol process in Brazil. The abundance and diversity of LAB suggest that they have a significant impact in the bioethanol process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2010
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8. American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil: main clinical and epidemiologic characteristics.
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de Oliveira-Neto, Manoel P., Mattos, Marise S., Perez, Mauricio A., Da-Cruz, Alda M., Fernandes, Octavio, Moreira, João, Gonçalves-Costa, Sylvio C., Brahin, Lúcia R., Menezes, Claudio R., and Pirmez, Claude
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MUCOCUTANEOUS leishmaniasis ,SKIN diseases ,EPIDEMIOLOGY - Abstract
Background Rio de Janeiro State in Brazil is an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) induced by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Objective Our purpose was to describe the main clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of the disease in Rio de Janeiro State. Methods Patients from endemic areas of Rio de Janeiro State attending the Evandro Chagas Hospital were included in the study. A general physical, dermatologic, and otorhinolaryngologic examination was performed in all patients, as well as a Leishmanin skin test. Skin biopsy specimens were obtained and utilized for touch preparations (stained with Leishman dye), culture in special media (Nicolle, Nevy and McNeal; NNN), and histopathologic examination after hematoxylin and eosin stain. Positive cultures were identified with regard to species by the isoenzyme technique. Therapy with pentavalent antimonial compounds was employed in all cases. Eco-epidemiologic characteristics were studied through regular field visits to endemic foci. Results Cutaneous disease was present in 87.2% of patients, and mucosal disease in only 12.7%. A single ulcerative cutaneous lesion was the most common clinical presentation. Demonstration of the parasite was always difficult and culture in special media gave the best results for diagnosis. The species involved in transmission was Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Vectors included phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the genus Lutzomyia, and the most common species was Lutzomyia intermedia, captured mainly on the external walls of houses. Conclusions ATL in Rio de Janeiro is mostly a cutaneous disease. In general, the cases showed great sensitivity to antimony. A pattern of peridomestic transmission seems to be the rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2000
9. Controlled excavations in the Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation (Early Cretaceous, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil): stratigraphic, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological implications
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Fara, Emmanuel, Saraiva, Antônio Á.F., de Almeida Campos, Diógenes, Moreira, João K.R., de Carvalho Siebra, Daniele, and Kellner, Alexander W.A.
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PALEONTOLOGY , *ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations , *FOSSILS - Abstract
Abstract: The Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation (Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil) is famous for the abundance and the exceptional preservation of the fossils found in its early diagenetic carbonate concretions. However, a vast majority of these Early Cretaceous fossils lack precise geographical and stratigraphic data. The absence of such contextual proxies hinders our understanding of the apparent variations in faunal composition and abundance patterns across the Araripe Basin. We conducted controlled excavations in the Romualdo Member in order to provide a detailed account of its main stratigraphic, sedimentological and palaeontological features near Santana do Cariri, Ceará State. We provide the first fine-scale stratigraphic sequence ever established for the Romualdo Member and we distinguish at least seven concretion-bearing horizons. Notably, a 60-cm-thick group of layers (“Matracão”), located in the middle part of the member, is virtually barren of fossiliferous concretions. Moreover, a sample of 233 concretions shows that (i) the stratigraphic distribution of the concretions is very heterogeneous and their density varies from 0.8 to 15 concretions/m3; (ii) concretions have a preferential, bimodal orientation pattern (major NW–SE axis and secondary ≈N–S axis) throughout the section, suggestive of permanent palaeocurrents of low energy; (iii) few concretions yield the well-preserved vertebrates that have made the Romualdo Member so famous, and those are mainly restricted to four stratigraphic horizons; (iv) only six fish taxa were recovered, the most common being Vinctifer and Tharrhias, followed by Cladocyclus, whereas Brannerion, Calamopleurus (=Enneles) and Notelops are rare. No tetrapod was found in the sample; (v) there is a strong stratigraphic control in the distribution of these taxa and one can distinguish at least three major assemblages at the same locus. These are, from older to younger, a Tharrhias-dominated assemblage, an assemblage dominated by Tharrhias and by Cladocyclus, and a Vinctifer-dominated assemblage. The stratigraphic sequence of these assemblages also corresponds to their ranking in terms of diversity (richness and evenness); (vi) previous accounts on the taxonomic composition and relative abundance of fossils from the Romualdo Member were severely biased toward well-preserved and exotic fossils. They are therefore inappropriate for drawing palaeoecological inferences. The factors responsible for the variations in faunal composition and abundance patterns across the Araripe Basin remain largely unknown, and we hypothesize that climate and/or palaeogeography might be the major forcing agents. Only fine-scale stratigraphic and palaeontological investigations have the potential to solve this issue. In turn, this work marks the first step of an expanded research program that aims at explaining the spatio-temporal relationships between palaeocommunities and their palaeoenvironment in the Araripe Basin during Aptian/Albian times. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
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- 2005
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10. Molecular genotyping reveals inter-regional relatedness among antimicrobial resistant Salmonella Minnesota strains isolated from poultry farm and humans, Brazil.
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Moreira JPFF, do Monte DFM, Lima CA, de Oliveira CJB, da Silva Martins NR, Berchieri Junior A, and de Freitas Neto OC
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- Animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Brazil, Chickens, Drug Resistance, Bacterial genetics, Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial genetics, Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field methods, Farms, Genotype, Humans, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Salmonella genetics, Anti-Infective Agents pharmacology, Poultry
- Abstract
Genetic profiles of Salmonella Minnesota isolates were analyzed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In total, 13 isolates obtained from the broiler industry collected in the states of Minas Gerais (11) and São Paulo (2), as well as five recovered from cases of foodborne infections in humans in the states of Minas Gerais (2), Santa Catarina (1), and Rio Grande do Sul (2), were submitted to PFGE. These 18 S. Minnesota isolates together with other 12 of poultry origin were also subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The PFGE analysis of 18 strains of S. Minnesota generated a dendrogram that grouped the isolates with 83-90% similarity into four main clusters. Among them, cluster "A" grouped the majority of isolates (13), including two of human origin that showed 90% similarity with a broiler isolate, both recovered in Minas Gerais. The S. Minnesota isolates showed resistance to tetracycline (80%), cefoxitin (80%), ceftazidime (46.7%), nalidixic acid (23.3%), ciprofloxacin (13.3%), and streptomycin (10%). No resistance to gentamicin, chloramphenicol, meropenem, nitrofurantoin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim was found. Moreover, 23.3% of the evaluated isolates presented multi-resistance profile, all from Minas Gerais. The results highlight the importance of further studies involving S. Minnesota, which is prevalent in the Brazilian broiler flocks and could provoke foodborne infection in humans., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)
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- 2022
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11. The effect of operative groups on diabetic foot self-care education: a randomized clinical trial.
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Moreira JB, Muro ES, Monteiro LA, Iunes DH, Assis BB, and Chaves ECL
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- Brazil, Foot, Humans, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 complications, Diabetic Foot therapy, Patient Education as Topic, Self Care
- Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effect of operative groups on teaching self-care for diabetic foot prevention., Method: Controlled, blinded clinical trial with volunteers presenting type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, randomized into treatment (55 subjects) and control (54 subjects) groups. The treatment group received the educational intervention "Teaching foot self-care", whereas the control group was simply evaluated. Feet evaluation was conducted before and after the intervention, as well as 15 days later in a follow-up. The intervention was conducted through an operative group and developed with orientation via writing, explained through dialogue and role-playing. The following tests were used: Shapiro-Wilk, Chi-squared, t-test, Mann-Whitney, McNemar, and paired Wilcoxon., Results: One-hundred and nine volunteers took part in this study. Their sociodemographic variables were homogeneous. In an analysis between groups, an improvement was observed after the educational intervention regarding most variables related to skin annexes, blood flow, foot sensitivity, and foot pressure. Improved scores for risk of diabetic foot in the treatment group were observed., Conclusion: The educational intervention through operative group was efficient, for it encouraged self-care and reduced potential risk of diabetic foot. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos): RBR- 753 Kcg.
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- 2020
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12. Decent work, work motivation and psychological capital: An empirical research.
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Ferraro T, Moreira JM, Dos Santos NR, Pais L, and Sedmak C
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- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Brazil, Employment statistics & numerical data, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Portugal, Psychometrics instrumentation, Psychometrics methods, Surveys and Questionnaires, Workplace standards, Employment standards, Motivation, Social Capital, Workplace psychology
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Background: The Decent Work (DW) concept, proposed by the International Labour Organization, can be enriched by the contributions of a Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOPP) perspective. Namely, it would be important to relate DW perceptions to the main concepts in the WOPP realm. Understanding these relations would expand our knowledge of the nomological network of the DW concept and of its practical implications., Objective: To analyze the relationships between DW, work motivation and psychological capital among knowledge workers in Portugal and Brazil., Methods: The Decent Work Questionnaire (DWQ), a previously validated measure of 7 dimensions of DW from a WOPP perspective, the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (MWMS), and the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) were administered to 2912 knowledge workers. Relations among concepts were analyzed by canonical correlation analyses and linear regression., Results: The DW dimension Fulfilling and Productive Work was positively associated with intrinsic and identified work motivation, and negatively with amotivation. A second significant canonical variate related (negatively) Social Protection (DW dimension) to extrinsic material work motivation. Results from regression analysis support the idea that DW promotes psychological capital., Conclusions: Results suggest that DW is an important predictor of work motivation and psychological capital. Practical implications for human resources management are presented.
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- 2018
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13. Evaluation of real-time PCR assay to detect Schistosoma mansoni infections in a low endemic setting.
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Espírito-Santo MC, Alvarado-Mora MV, Dias-Neto E, Botelho-Lima LS, Moreira JP, Amorim M, Pinto PL, Heath AR, Castilho VL, Gonçalves EM, Luna EJ, Carrilho FJ, Pinho JR, and Gryschek RC
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- Adult, Animals, Brazil epidemiology, Cross-Sectional Studies, DNA, Helminth blood, DNA, Helminth genetics, Endemic Diseases, Feces parasitology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, Parasite Load, Prevalence, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Schistosomiasis mansoni blood, Schistosomiasis mansoni epidemiology, Schistosomiasis mansoni parasitology, Sensitivity and Specificity, Young Adult, Schistosoma mansoni genetics, Schistosomiasis mansoni diagnosis
- Abstract
Background: Schistosomiasis constitutes a major public health problem, and 200 million people are estimated to be infected with schistosomiasis worldwide. In Brazil, schistosomiasis has been reported in 19 states, showing areas of high and medium endemicity and a wide range of areas of low endemicity (ALE). Barra Mansa in Rio de Janeiro state has an estimated prevalence of 1%. ALE represent a new challenge for the helminth control because about 75% of infected individuals are asymptomatic and infections occur with a low parasite load (<100 eggs per gram of feces), causing a decrease in sensitivity of stool parasitological techniques, which are a reference for the laboratory diagnosis of this helminth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique in serum and feces DNA samples using the techniques of Kato-Katz (KK), Hoffman, Pons and Janer (HH) as references, during an epidemiological survey using fecal samples and sera from randomized residents from an ALE., Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted from April to December 2011 using a probabilistic sampling that collected 572 fecal and serum samples. The laboratory diagnostic techniques used were: KK, HH and qPCR (feces and serum)., Results: We obtained the following results using the different diagnostic techniques: KK and HH, 0.9% (n =5); qPCR-feces, 9.6% (n =55); and qPCR-serum, 1.4% (n =8). The qPCR-feces presented the highest positivity, whereas the techniques of HH and KK were the least sensitive to detect infections (0.8%). Compared to HH and KK, qPCR-feces showed a statistically significant difference in positivity (p <0.05), although with poor agreement., Conclusion: The positivity rate presented by the qPCR approach was far higher than that obtained by parasitological techniques. The lack of adequate surveillance in ALE of schistosomiasis indicates a high possibility of these areas being actually of medium and high endemicity. This study presents a control perspective, pointing to the possibility of using combined laboratory tools in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in ALE.
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- 2014
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14. Ecological aspects of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the gallery forest of Brasília National Park, Brazil, with an emphasis on potential vectors of yellow fever.
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Lira-Vieira AR, Gurgel-Gonçalves R, Moreira IM, Yoshizawa MA, Coutinho ML, Prado PS, Souza JL, Chaib AJ, Moreira JS, and Castro CN
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- Animals, Brazil, Culicidae virology, Ecosystem, Flavivirus isolation & purification, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect, Insect Vectors virology, Population Density, Population Dynamics, Seasons, Trees, Culicidae classification, Insect Vectors classification, Yellow Fever transmission
- Abstract
Introduction: We analyzed the vertical and monthly distributions of culicid species in the gallery forest of Brasília National Park, with an emphasis on the potential vectors of yellow fever (YF)., Methods: Between September 2010 and August 2011, mosquitoes were captured on the ground and in the canopy of the forest for five consecutive days per month, from nine to 15 hours. The mosquitoes were examined to verify natural infection with flaviviruses by isolation in Aedes albopictus Skuse, 1864 cells followed by indirect immunofluorescence., Results: We identified 2,677 culicids distributed in 29 species. Most of the mosquitoes were captured at ground level (69%) during the rainy season (86%). The most abundant species were Sabethes (Sabethes) albiprivus Theobald, 1903; Limatus durhamii Theobald, 1901; Haemagogus (Conopostegus) leucocelaenus Dyar & Shannon, 1924; Haemagogus (Haemagogus) janthinomys Dyar, 1921; Aedes (Ochlerotatus) scapularis Rondani, 1848; Psorophora (Janthinosoma) ferox Von Humboldt, 1819; and Aedes (Ochlerotatus) serratus Theobald, 1901. Limatus durhamii, Limatus durhamii, Psorophora ferox, Aedes scapularis and Aedes serratus showed significant differences (p<0.05) in their habitat use. Limatus durhamii was found more often in the canopy, unlike the other species. During the rainy season, the most abundant species were Sa. albiprivus, Haemagogus leucocelaenus and Limatus durhamii. During the dry season, the potential YF vectors exhibited a very low frequency and abundance, except Aedes scapularis and Aedes serratus. No flavivirus was detected in the 2,677 examined mosquitoes., Conclusions: We recommend continued and systematic entomological monitoring in areas vulnerable to the transmission of YF in the Federal District of Brazil.
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- 2013
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15. Identification of botryticidal proteins with similarity to NBS-LRR proteins in rosemary pepper (Lippia sidoides Cham.) flowers.
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Moreira JS, Almeida RG, Tavares LS, Santos MO, Viccini LF, Vasconcelos IM, Oliveira JT, Raposo NR, Dias SC, and Franco OL
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- Adenosine Monophosphate analogs & derivatives, Adenosine Monophosphate chemistry, Adenosine Monophosphate isolation & purification, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Brazil, Flowers chemistry, Molecular Sequence Data, Peptides chemistry, Peptides genetics, Plant Proteins chemistry, Plant Proteins genetics, Thionucleotides chemistry, Thionucleotides isolation & purification, Botrytis, Fungicides, Industrial chemistry, Fungicides, Industrial isolation & purification, Lippia chemistry, Peptides isolation & purification, Plant Proteins isolation & purification
- Abstract
Heavy agricultural losses are closely related to attacks by insect-pests and phytopathogens such as bacteria and fungi. Among them, the fungus Botrytis cinerea can cause gray mold in more than 200 different species of plants, and is considered a challenging problem for agribusiness. Fungicides are commonly used to control this pathogen because they are fast-working and easy to apply. However, the continuous use of fungicides may promote the selection of resistant fungi and can also cause profound contamination in ecosystems. Aiming to find alternative strategies to solve these problems, several studies have focused on searching for plant proteins and peptides with antifungal activities (AFPs). With this in mind, this report shows the isolation and characterization of two novels antifungal proteins from flowers of rosemary pepper (Lippia sidoides Cham.) with 10 and 15 kDa. Isolation was performed by using an Octyl-Sepharose hydrophobic column. In vitro bioassays indicated that isolated proteins were able to inhibit B. cinerea development, but were not effective against all bacteria tested. Moreover, N-termini sequences indicate that both proteins showed sequence homology with NBS-LRR R proteins with a lower molecular mass, suggesting possible protein fragmentation. Data reported here could help in the development of biotechnological products for crop protection against phytopathogenic fungi in the near future.
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- 2011
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16. Analysis of vaginal lactobacilli from healthy and infected Brazilian women.
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Martinez RC, Franceschini SA, Patta MC, Quintana SM, Nunes AC, Moreira JL, Anukam KC, Reid G, and De Martinis EC
- Subjects
- Analysis of Variance, Brazil epidemiology, Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal microbiology, Chi-Square Distribution, DNA, Bacterial isolation & purification, DNA, Ribosomal Spacer isolation & purification, Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field, Female, Humans, Hydrogen Peroxide metabolism, Lactobacillus classification, Lactobacillus metabolism, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Vaginosis, Bacterial epidemiology, Lactobacillus isolation & purification, Vagina microbiology, Vaginal Discharge microbiology, Vaginosis, Bacterial microbiology
- Abstract
Culture-dependent PCR-amplified rRNA gene restriction analysis and culture-independent (PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) methodologies were used to examine vaginal lactobacilli from Brazilian women who were healthy or had been diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) or bacterial vaginosis. Only Lactobacillus crispatus was detected accordingly by both methods, and H(2)O(2)-producing lactobacilli were not associated with protection against VVC.
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
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