Influence of the metal - support and metal - metal interactions on Pd nucleation and NO adsorption in a Pd4/γ-Al2O3 (110D) model.

The role played by the metal - support (MSI) and metal - metal (MMI) interactions on two important processes in controlling the catalyst performance - nucleation and molecular adsorption - has been investigated using density functional theory (DFT), by means of B3LYP functional, combined with localized molecular orbital energy decomposition analysis (LMOEDA), and natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations, with aid of a Pd4/γ-alumina (110D) model (Pd4/Al13O23H7). Our results indicate the occurrence of an electronic metal - support interaction (EMSI) which induces a most intense charge transfer in the Pd4 → γ-alumina backdonation direction, most expressive in Pd → Al, promoting an electronic redistribution within the units and attenuating the MMI. Nevertheless, the MSI/MMI synergistic effect seems to favor slightly the nucleation of a fifth palladium atom, leading to a distorted square pyramidal arrangement for Pd5. The LMOEDA analysis points to a mostly covalent character in the Pd - Al bonds, whereas the Pd - O bonds are mainly electrostatic in nature. The palladium atoms deposited on oxygen anions are the acid centers, where both NO molecule and an additional palladium atom anchor more strongly. In addition, the MSI/MMI effect, through the electronic and geometric contributions, drives the adsorption of the NO molecule to the mode which most favors the Pd → NO (4dz2 → 2π*) backdonation (bridge mode). MSI and MMI effects on the nature of the Pd - O (electrostatic) and Pd - Al (covalent) bonds, charge transfer into Pd4/γ-Al2O3 (110D) interface (back donation) and preferential site for adsorption of a single NO molecule and an additional Pd atom (Pd - O).

Interaction of polyelectrolyte complex between sodium alginate and chitosan dimers with a single glyphosate molecule: A DFT and NBO study.

The formation of a polyelectrolyte complex through dimers of alginate and chitosan in the presence of sodium cations (SA/CS), and its interaction with the glyphosate herbicide, has been investigated at the DFT level (B3LYP/6‒311+G(d,p)). The lowest energy structure for SA/CS presents one Na+ cation coordinated to both dimers and formation of two H-bonds involving COO- and NH3+. The coordination energy of Na+ contributes with about 40% of the total complex stabilization energy. LMOEDA method indicates important contribution of covalent nature to stabilization of SA/CS. This result is corroborated by NBO analysis which shows high contribution of lp(O)→σ*(NH) overlapping, with average energy of 30 kcal mol-1 for the formed H-bonds. Two water molecules neighboring the complex increases its stability and promotes an octahedral coordination arrangement around Na+. The glyphosate interacts with SA/CS coordinating to Na+ and bonding to the chitosan dimer by H-bond, in agreement to performed fluorescence microscopy measurements.

Impact of antiparasitic treatment on the prevalence of ectoparasites in dogs from an indigenous territory, State of Paraná, Brasil

We report on surveys of ectoparasites in dogs from an indigenous village of the state of Paraná, southern Brazil, before and after ivermectin treatment. From April through June 2008, we conducted a baseline survey to evaluate 145 of an estimated population of 200 dogs. The dogs received parasitological and clinical examinations, and were treated with up to four doses of ivermectin. In September 2008, we conducted a monitoring survey with 83 dogs, to assess the impact of treatment on the prevalence of ectoparasitosis. The initial investigation found 9 taxa of ectoparasites in 37.9 por cento of dogs examined. The most prevalent ectoparasitosis was myiasis caused by larvae of Dermatobia hominis (28.9 por cento). Clinical evaluation showed that 51 por cento of the dogs had signs of scabies, and 48.9 por cento had alopecia. The follow-up monitoring survey found a similar overall prevalence of ectoparasites (40.9 por cento); D. hominis (22.9 por cento) remained the most frequent, followed by Ctenocephalides felis felis (18.1 por cento). However, the signs of sarcoptic mange (12.0 por cento) were significantly reduced (p<0.0001) by the antiparasitic treatment. After treatment, 51.3 por cento of the animals had no ectoparasites. These results indicate that the dogs of this indigenous village continue to be important hosts for ectoparasites, in spite of clinical improvement after ivermectin treatment...

Impacto do tratamento antiparasitário sobre a prevalência de ectoparasitos em cães de uma Terra Indígena, Estado do Paraná, BrasilNeste estudo são relatados os resultados de inquéritos ectoparasitológicos realizados em cães de uma aldeia indígena do Estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil, antes e após os tratamentos com ivermectina. De abril a junho de 2008, foi realizado um inquérito incial avaliando-se 145 de uma população estimada de 200 cães. Os animais foram avaliados clínica e parasitologicamente e tratados com até quatro doses de ivermectina. Em setembro do mesmo ano foi realizado um inquérito de monitoramento com 83 cães para avaliar o impacto do tratamento sobre a prevalência das ectoparasitoses. Na investigação inicial foram encontrados 9 taxa de ectoparasitas em 37,9% dos animais examinados. A ectoparasitose mais prevalente foi a miíase causada por larvas de Dermatobia hominis (28,9%). Na avaliação clínica, 51% dos cães apresentavam sinais de sarna e a alopecia foi o mais prevalente ocorrendo em 48,9% dos cães. No inquérito de monitoramento, a prevalência total de ectoparasitas (40,9%) não se alterou significativamente; parasitismo por D. hominis (22,9%) manteve-se o mais freqüente, seguido por Ctenocephalides felis felis (18,1%). No entanto, a prevalência de sinais de sarna sarcóptica (12,0%) foi significativamente reduzida (p <0,0001) pelo tratamento antiparasitário. Após o tratamento, 51,3% dos animais não tinha infestação por ectoparasitas. Estes resultados indicam que os cães desta aldeia indígena permanecem como importante hospedeiro para ectoparasitas, apesar da melhora clínica obtida com o tratamento com ivermectina...

Distúrbios da fala e da linguagem na infância / Speech and language disorders in childhood

Os distúrbios da fala e da linguagem são doenças prevalentes na infância, passíveis de prevenção e tratamento quando diagnosticados precocemente. Os pediatras, como profissionais responsáveis pela saúde da criança, são os primeiros a avaliar o desenvolvimento infantil e, muitas vezes, são questionados sobre os aspectos comunicativos da criança. Assim, conhecimentos oriundos da Fonoaudiologia são abordados no presente artigo com o objetivo de orientar o público de pediatras a respeito do desenvolvimento e dos distúrbios da comunicação em crianças.

Speech and language disorders are preualent diseases in childhood and can be prevented and treated when diagnosed early. Pediatricians, as professionals responsible for child health, are the first to assess child development and are often asked about the communicative aspects of the child. Thus, knowledge from speech therapy is discussed in this paper in order to guide pediatricians regarding the development and communication disorders in children.

Alterações citopatológicas e fatores de risco para a ocorrência do câncer de colo uterino / Alteraciones citopatológicas y factores de riesgo para la ocurrencia del cáncer de cuello de útero / Citopathological alterations and risk factors for uterine cervical neoplasm

O objetivo do estudo foi verificar alterações citopatológicas e fatores de risco para o Câncer de colo uterino em mulheres usuárias do Sistema Único de Saúde de um município de pequeno porte do norte do Paraná, de 2001 a 2006. Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal descritivo. A coleta de dados foi realizada com os resultados dos exames, prontuários e entrevistas. Foram realizados 6.356 exames e 65 (1,02%) apresentaram alterações. Dos exames realizados 4.869 (70,8%) foram em mulheres de 25 a 59 anos. 38,5% dos exames apresentaram Neoplasia Intraepitelial Cervical (NIC) I, 32,3% NIC II e 18,5% NIC I e Papiloma Vírus Humano (HPV). Foram entrevistadas 25 mulheres, a maioria apresentou algum fator de risco como: tabagismo, doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, uso de anticoncepcional hormonal, número de parceiros, início precoce da atividade sexual. Conclui-se pela necessidade de ações educativas mais efetivas no sentido de reduzir as alterações principalmente entre as mulheres adolescentes.

El objetivo del estudio fue verificar alteraciones citopatológicas y factores de riesgo para la ocurrencia del cáncer de cuello de útero en mujeres atendidas por el Sistema Único de la Salud de una ciudad de pequeño porte en la Región Norte de la Provincia de Paraná, Brasil en el período de 2001 al 2006. Se trata de un estudio observacional transversal descriptivo. La recolección de los datos fue realizada con los resultados de los exámenes, prontuarios y entrevistas. Fueron realizados 6.356 exámenes y 65(1,02%) presentaron alteraciones. De los exámenes hechos 4.869 (70,8%) fueron compuestos de mujeres con edades entre los 25 y los 59 años. Un total de 38,5% de los exámenes presentaron Neoplasia Intra-epitelial del Cuello Uterino (NIC) I, 32,3% NIC II y 18,5% NIC I y Virus de Papiloma Humano (HPV). Fueron entrevistadas 25 mujeres, la mayoría presentó factores de riesgo como: tabaquismo, enfermedades de transmisión sexual, uso de anticonceptivo hormonal, número de parejas sexuales, inicio precoz de la actividad sexual. Se concluyen como necesarias acciones educativas para efectivamente producir la reducción de las alteraciones antes de todo entre mujeres más jóvenes.

The aim of the present study was to verify the occurrence of citopathological alterations and risk factors of Uterine Cervical Neoplasm in women attended by SUS – the Public Healthcare System – in a district situated in the North of Paraná State, Brazil from 2001 to 2006. It was a descriptive transversal observational study. The data collection consisted in collection of test results from medical records and interviews. It was achieved 6.356 tests and, 1.02% (65) of the women examined presented alterations. From the tests made 4.869 (70,8%) were from women aged between 25 and 59 years. And 38,5% of the tests presented Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasm (CIN) I, 32,3% CIN II, 18,5% CIN I and Human Papiloma Virus (HPV). It was interviewed 25 women from the total sample. Most of them presented a risk factor as: smoking habits, sexuallytransmitted diseases, use of hormonal contraceptive, number of sexual partners, early sexual intercourse. This study concludes that is required educative and more effective actions in order to reduce the alterations, meanly among teenagers.

Frequency compression and its effects in speech recognition.

BACKGROUND: frequency compression. AIM: to evaluate the index of speech recognition (IPRF) using frequency compression in three different ratios. METHODS: monosyllabic words were recorded using an algorithm of frequency compression in three ratios: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, generating three lists of words. Eighteen listeners accomplished the IPRF using the modified words. They were subdivided in two groups, considering familiarity with the speech material: group of audiologists (F) and group of patients (P). RESULTS: a statistically significant decrease in accuracy was observed when using frequency compression. Group F presented a better performance than Group P in all of the applied ratio frequency compression ratios. CONCLUSION: Frequency compression hinders speech recognition; as the compression ratio increases, so does the level of difficulty. Familiarity with the words facilitates recognition in any hearing condition.

Compressão de freqüências e suas implicações no reconhecimento de fala / Frequency compression and its effects in speech recognition

TEMA: compressão de freqüências. OBJETIVO: avaliar o índice percentual de reconhecimento de fala (IPRF) utilizando compressão de freqüências em três razões diferentes. MÉTODOS: palavras monossílabas foram gravadas utilizando um algoritmo de compressão de freqüências em três razões: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, gerando três listas de palavras. Dezoito normo-ouvintes realizaram o IPRF utilizando as listas de palavras modificadas. Foram subdivididos em dois grupos, considerando a familiaridade com o material de fala gravado: grupo de fonoaudiólogas (F) e grupo de acompanhante de pacientes (P). RESULTADOS: observou-se uma piora estatisticamente significante no IPRF quando se utilizou compressão de freqüências. O grupo F teve melhor desempenho que o grupo P em todas as razões de compressão aplicadas. CONCLUSÃO: a compressão de freqüências dificulta o reconhecimento da fala, sendo que, quanto maior a razão de compressão, maior é a dificuldade. A familiaridade com as palavras facilita o seu reconhecimento em qualquer condição de escuta.

BACKGROUND: frequency compression. AIM: to evaluate the index of speech recognition (IPRF) using frequency compression in three different ratios. Methods: monosyllabic words were recorded using an algorithm of frequency compression in three ratios: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, generating three lists of words. Eighteen listeners accomplished the IPRF using the modified words. They were subdivided in two groups, considering familiarity with the speech material: group of audiologists (F) and group of patients (P). RESULTS: a statistically significant decrease in accuray was observed when using frequency compression. Group F presented a better performance than Group P in all of the applied ratio frequency compression ratios. CONCLUSION: Frequency compression hinders speech recognition; as the compression ratio increases, so does the level of difficulty. Familiarity with the words facilitates recognition in any hearing condition.

[Cytopathological alterations and risk factors for uterine cervical neoplasm]. / Alterações citopatológicas e fatores de risco para a ocorrência do câncer de colo uterino.

The aim of the present study was to verify the occurrence of citopathological alterations and risk factors of Uterine Cervical Neoplasm in women attended by SUS--the Public Healthcare System--in a district situated in the North of Paraná State, Brazil from 2001 to 2006. It was a descriptive transversal observational study. The data collection consisted in collection of test results from medical records and interviews. It was achieved 6.356 tests and, 1.02% (65) of the women examined presented alterations. From the tests made 4.869 (70,8%) were from women aged between 25 and 59 years. And 38,5% of the tests presented Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasm (CIN) I, 32,3% CIN II, 18,5% CIN I and Human Papiloma Virus (HPV). It was interviewed 25 women from the total sample. Most of them presented a risk factor as: smoking habits, sexually transmitted diseases, use of hormonal contraceptive, number of sexual partners, early sexual intercourse. This study concludes that is required educative and more effective actions in order to reduce the alterations, meanly among teenagers.

[Acclimatization: speech recognition in hearing aid users]. / Aclimatização: estudo do reconhecimento de fala em usuários de próteses auditivas.

BACKGROUND: acclimatization is the period that succeeds the fitting of hearing aids, when a progressive improvement of the hearing and speech recognition abilities is observed due to the new speech cues that are available to the hearing aid user. AIM: to verify acclimatization after the fitting of hearing aids through objective (speech tests) and subjective (Questionnaire) evaluations. METHOD: 16 hearing impaired individuals were evaluated on the first day of hearing aid fitting and were monthly reassessed for three months. In all three months the following speech tests were used: PISR - percentage index of speech recognition through monosyllabic words and SRT--speech recognition threshold through sentences, determining the speech/ noise ratio (S/N). The International Outcome Inventory of Hearing Aid (IOI-HA) was also applied in the first and third months after the hearing aids were fitted. RESULTS: the comparison between the first day, first, second and third months after the hearing aids were fitted revealed a statistically significant improvement (p<0.001) between the results, not only for the PISR but also for the S/N ratio. No statistically significant difference was found for the results obtained through the questionnaire applied in the first and third months. CONCLUSION: the objective evaluation, using speech recognition tests, presents better results in the months following the hearing aids fitting indicating a progressive improvement in the speech abilities from the first month onwards. The subjective evaluation does not reveal an improvement when comparing the first and third moths after the hearing aids were fitted.

Aclimatização: estudo do reconhecimento de fala em usuários de próteses auditivas / Acclimatization: speech recognition in hearing aid users

TEMA: a aclimatização refere-se ao período que sucede a adaptação dos amplificadores sonoros, quando ocorre uma melhora progressiva das habilidades auditivas e de reconhecimento de fala decorrente das novas pistas de fala disponíveis ao usuário da amplificação. OBJETIVO: verificar a aclimatização após adaptação de aparelhos de amplificação sonora individual (AASI) por meio de avaliações objetivas (testes de fala) e subjetivas (Questionário). MÉTODO: foram avaliados 16 deficientes auditivos no primeiro dia de adaptação de AASI e reavaliados mensalmente até o terceiro mês. Em todos os meses foram realizados os testes de fala índice Percentual de Reconhecimento de Fala (IPRF), por meio de monossílabos, e Limiar de Reconhecimento de Sentenças no Ruído (LRSR), por meio de sentenças, determinando assim a relação sinal/ruído (S/R). Também foi aplicado o Questionário Internacional de Avaliação de Aparelhos de Amplificação Sonora Individual (QI - AASI) após um mês e três meses de adaptação das próteses auditivas. RESULTADOS: a comparação realizada entre o primeiro dia, primeiro, segundo e terceiro meses de adaptação das próteses auditivas mostrou uma melhora estatisticamente significante (p < 0,001) entre os resultados obtidos ao longo dos meses, tanto no IPRF, quanto na relação S/R. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante nos resultados obtidos no questionário aplicado no primeiro e terceiro mês. CONCLUSÃO: a avaliação objetiva, por meio de tarefas de reconhecimento de fala, indica melhores resultados nos meses subseqüentes à adaptação das próteses auditivas evidenciando melhora progressiva das habilidades de fala a partir do primeiro mês de adaptação. A avaliação subjetiva não revela melhora entre o primeiro e o terceiro mês após a adaptação das próteses auditivas.

BACKGROUND: acclimatization is the period that succeeds the fitting of hearing aids, when a progressive improvement of the hearing and speech recognition abilities is observed due to the new speech cues that are available to the hearing aid user. AIM: to verify acclimatization after the fitting of hearing aids through objective (speech tests) and subjective (Questionnaire) evaluations. METHOD: 16 hearing impaired individuals were evaluated on the first day of hearing aid fitting and were monthly reassessed for three months. In all three months the following speech tests were used: PISR - percentage index of speech recognition through monosyllabic words and SRT - speech recognition threshold through sentences, determining the speech/noise ratio (S/N). The International Outcome Inventory of Hearing Aid (IOI-HA) was also applied in the first and third months after the hearing aids were fitted. RESULTS: the comparison between the first day, first, second and third months after the hearing aids were fitted revealed a statistically significant improvement (p<0.001) between the results, not only for the PISR but also for the S/N ratio. No statistically significant difference was found for the results obtained through the questionnaire applied in the first and third months. CONCLUSION: the objective evaluation, using speech recognition tests, presents better results in the months following the hearing aids fitting indicating a progressive improvement in the speech abilities from the first month onwards. The subjective evaluation does not reveal an improvement when comparing the first and third moths after the hearing aids were fitted.