Entropy loading for capacity maximization of RGB-based visible light communications.

In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate an entropy loading technique based on probabilistic constellation shaping for a visible light communication (VLC) system. The aggregated achievable bit rate of a multi-carrier signal is maximized, considering a given pre-estimated signal-to-noise ratio. A study of the ideal number of subcarriers and signal bandwidth was performed using multiplexed red, green and blue lasers diodes with a bandwidth of 1 GHz. With a 20 degree optical diffuser, the communication system is able to cover a wide area at a free-space distance of 0.90 m, while achieving a record aggregate bit rate of 31.2 Gbit/s for single-polarization RGB-VLC systems.

Removal of hard COD from acidic eucalyptus kraft pulp bleach plant effluent streams using oxidoreductases.

The bleach plant of a pulp and paper (P&P) mill presents a major source of wastewater containing toxic organic matter characterized as chemical oxygen demand (COD). Due to their high oxidizing power, oxidoreductases hold promise to be a key solution for the removal of dissolved organic material. Here, four oxidoreductases from different enzyme families were selected to treat bleach plant effluents. Haloperoxidase treatment of the final effluent resulted in the highest levels of decolorization (71%) and reduction of aromatic compounds (36%). Using single compound analysis, 27 low molecular weight compounds were found to be persistent throughout the wastewater treatment process and, therefore, classified as hard COD. The tested enzymes efficiently removed several of the identified COD compounds. Hence, this study suggests that the application of oxidoreductases will serve as an environmental-friendly solution for reducing waste from P&P production.

Widening the spectrum of deletions and molecular mechanisms underlying alpha-thalassemia.

Inherited deletions of α-globin genes and/or their upstream regulatory elements (MCSs) give rise to α-thalassemia, an autosomal recessive microcytic hypochromic anemia. In this study, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification performed with commercial and synthetic engineered probes, Gap-PCR, and DNA sequencing were used to characterize lesions in the sub-telomeric region of the short arm of chromosome 16, possibly explaining the α-thalassemia/HbH disease phenotype in ten patients. We have found six different deletions, in heterozygosity, ranging from approximately 3.3 to 323 kb, two of them not previously described. The deletions fall into two categories: one includes deletions which totally remove the α-globin gene cluster, whereas the other includes deletions removing only the distal regulatory elements and keeping the α-globin genes structurally intact. An indel was observed in one patient involving the loss of the MCS-R2 and the insertion of 39 bp originated from a complex rearrangement spanning the deletion breakpoints. Finally, in another case, no α-globin gene cluster deletion was found and the patient revealed to be a very unusual case of acquired α-thalassemia-myelodysplastic syndrome. This study further illustrates the diversity of genomic lesions and underlying molecular mechanisms leading to α-thalassemia.

Next-generation sequencing of hereditary hemochromatosis-related genes: Novel likely pathogenic variants found in the Portuguese population.

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by excessive iron absorption resulting in pathologically increased body iron stores. It is typically associated with common HFE gene mutation (p.Cys282Tyr and p.His63Asp). However, in Southern European populations up to one third of HH patients do not carry the risk genotypes. This study aimed to explore the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to analyse a panel of iron metabolism-related genes (HFE, TFR2, HJV, HAMP, SLC40A1, and FTL) in 87 non-classic HH Portuguese patients. A total of 1241 genetic alterations were detected corresponding to 53 different variants, 13 of which were not described in the available public databases. Among them, five were predicted to be potentially pathogenic: three novel mutations in TFR2 [two missense (p.Leu750Pro and p.Ala777Val) and one intronic splicing mutation (c.967-1G>C)], one missense mutation in HFE (p.Tyr230Cys), and one mutation in the 5'-UTR of HAMP gene (c.-25G>A). The results reported here illustrate the usefulness of NGS for targeted iron metabolism-related gene panels, as a likely cost-effective approach for molecular genetics diagnosis of non-classic HH patients. Simultaneously, it has contributed to the knowledge of the pathophysiology of those rare iron metabolism-related disorders.

Laparoscopic Versus Robotic Gastric Cancer Surgery: Short-Term Outcomes-Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 25,521 Patients.

Background: Gastric cancer has the third highest cancer-related mortality worldwide. There is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical technique to perform curative resection surgery. Objective: Compare laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) and robotic gastrectomy (RG) regarding short-term outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched the following topics: "Gastrectomy," "Laparoscopic," and "Robotic Surgical Procedures." The included studies compared short-term outcomes between LG and RG. Individual risk of bias was assessed with the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) scale. Results: There was no significant difference between RG and LG regarding conversion rate, reoperation rate, mortality, overall complications, anastomotic leakage, distal and proximal resection margin distances, and recurrence rate. However, mean blood loss (mean difference [MD] -19.43 mL, P < .00001), length of hospital stay (MD -0.50 days, P = .0007), time to first flatus (MD -0.52 days, P < .00001), time to oral intake (MD -0.17 days, P = .0001), surgical complications with a Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III (risk ratio [RR] 0.68, P < .0001), and pancreatic complications (RR 0.51, P = .007) were significantly lower in the RG group. Furthermore, the number of retrieved lymph nodes was significantly higher in the RG group. Nevertheless, the RG group showed a significantly higher operation time (MD 41.19 minutes, P < .00001) and cost (MD 3684.27 U.S. Dollars, P < .00001). Conclusion: This meta-analysis supports the choice of robotic surgery over laparoscopy concerning relevant surgical complications. However, longer operation time and higher cost remain crucial limitations. Randomized clinical trials are required to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of RG.

Enzymatic Fibre Modification During Production of Dissolving Wood Pulp for Regenerated Cellulosic Materials.

The production of regenerated cellulosic fibres, such as viscose, modal and lyocell, is based mainly on the use of dissolving wood pulp as raw material. Enzymatic processes are an excellent alternative to conventional chemical routes in the production of dissolving pulp, in terms of energy efficiency, reagent consumption and pulp yield. The two main characteristics of a dissolving pulp are the cellulose purity and the molecular weight, both of which can be controlled with the aid of enzymes. A purification process for paper-grade kraft pulp has been proposed, based on the use of xylanases in combination with hot and cold caustic extraction, without the conventional pre-hydrolysis step before kraft pulping. This enzyme aided purification allowed the production of a dissolving pulp that met the specifications for the manufacture of viscose, < 3% xylan, > 92% ISO brightness and 70% Fock's reactivity. Endoglucanases (EGs) can efficiently reduce the average molecular weight of the cellulose while simultaneously increasing the pulp reactivity for viscose production. It is shown in this study that lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases act synergistically with EGs in the modification of bleached dissolving pulp.

Trajetórias de local de moradia, estudo e trabalho dos jovens brasileiros entre 2003 e 2011: uma análise de entropia / Young Brazilians housing, education and work trajectories between 2003 and 2011: an entropy analysis / Trayectorias de vivienda, estudio y trabajo de los jóvenes brasileños entre 2003 y 2011: un análisis de entropía

Diversos estudos mostram que, em vários países, incluindo o Brasil, o período que os jovens permanecem na casa dos pais aumentou constantemente entre 1970 e 2000. O presente trabalho analisa a decisão dos jovens de sair da casa dos pais, a saída da escola e a entrada no mercado de trabalho, com o objetivo de identificar se o bom desempenho da economia brasileira entre 2003 e 2011 promoveu a aceleração dessas transições para a vida adulta. Utilizando os microdados da PNAD, calculou-se a proporção de jovens de 15 a 34 anos de áreas metropolitanas que moram com os pais, que estudam e que trabalham. Em seguida, utiliza-se a análise de entropia com o objetivo de analisar essas três dimensões conjuntamente. Os resultados sugerem uma quebra com o paradigma do prolongamento da juventude amplamente discutido nas últimas décadas: houve uma aceleração da transição para a vida adulta no período analisado...

Abstract Academic evidence from all over the world, including Brazil, show that young people have increasingly delayed the decision of leaving their parents' house since the seventies. This paper studies the decision of young people regarding living with their parents, studying and working. Our goal is to evaluate how young people's transition to adulthood changed due to a growing economy between 2003 and 2011. Using the National Household Sample Surveys (PNADs) of 2003 and 2011, we calculate the proportion of people between 15 and 34 years in metropolitan areas living with parents, studying and working. The fraction of young people living with their parents didn't change significantly during 2003 and 2011, there was a drop in school attendance and the proportion of workers among young people increased. In order to access the interplay of these three dimensions we perform an entropy analysis. Our results suggest a reversal of the pattern of extending youth, which has been vastly debated over the last decades...

Resumen En todo el mundo, Brasil incluso, varios estudios demuestran que el periodo que los jóvenes permanecen en la casa de sus padres ha aumentado entre los años 1970 y 2000. Utilizando los microdatos de la PNAD (Encuesta Nacional de Hogares por Muestreo) de los años 2003 y 2011, se estiman las la proporción de jóvenes entre 15 y 34 años de edad en las áreas metropolitanas que viven con los padres, estudian y trabajan. La proporción de jóvenes que viven con sus padres no ha cambiado significativamente entre 2003 y 2011, hubo una disminución de la asistencia a la escuela en esta cohorte y un aumento en la proporción de trabajadores entre los jóvenes. Luego se realizó un análisis de la entropía con el objetivo de analizar estas tres dimensiones conjuntamente. Los resultados sugieren una ruptura con el paradigma de la prolongación de la juventud ampliamente discutido en las últimas décadas...

Trajetórias de local de moradia, estudo e trabalho dos jovens brasileiros entre 2003 e 2011: uma análise de entropia / /Young Brazilians housing, education and work trajectories between 2003 and 2011: an entropy analysis / /Trayectorias de vivienda, estudio y trabajo de los jóvenes brasileños entre 2003 y 2011: un análisis de entropía

Diversos estudos mostram que, em vários países, incluindo o Brasil, o período que os jovens permanecem na casa dos pais aumentou constantemente entre 1970 e 2000. O presente trabalho analisa a decisão dos jovens de sair da casa dos pais, a saída da escola e a entrada no mercado de trabalho, com o objetivo de identificar se o bom desempenho da economia brasileira entre 2003 e 2011 promoveu a aceleração dessas transições para a vida adulta. Utilizando os microdados da PNAD, calculou-se a proporção de jovens de 15 a 34 anos de áreas metropolitanas que moram com os pais, que estudam e que trabalham. Em seguida, utiliza-se a análise de entropia com o objetivo de analisar essas três dimensões conjuntamente. Os resultados sugerem uma quebra com o paradigma do prolongamento da juventude amplamente discutido nas últimas décadas: houve uma aceleração da transição para a vida adulta no período analisado.(AU)

Abstract Academic evidence from all over the world, including Brazil, show that young people have increasingly delayed the decision of leaving their parents' house since the seventies. This paper studies the decision of young people regarding living with their parents, studying and working. Our goal is to evaluate how young people's transition to adulthood changed due to a growing economy between 2003 and 2011. Using the National Household Sample Surveys (PNADs) of 2003 and 2011, we calculate the proportion of people between 15 and 34 years in metropolitan areas living with parents, studying and working. The fraction of young people living with their parents didn't change significantly during 2003 and 2011, there was a drop in school attendance and the proportion of workers among young people increased. In order to access the interplay of these three dimensions we perform an entropy analysis. Our results suggest a reversal of the pattern of extending youth, which has been vastly debated over the last decades.(AU)

Resumen En todo el mundo, Brasil incluso, varios estudios demuestran que el periodo que los jóvenes permanecen en la casa de sus padres ha aumentado entre los años 1970 y 2000. Utilizando los microdatos de la PNAD (Encuesta Nacional de Hogares por Muestreo) de los años 2003 y 2011, se estiman las la proporción de jóvenes entre 15 y 34 años de edad en las áreas metropolitanas que viven con los padres, estudian y trabajan. La proporción de jóvenes que viven con sus padres no ha cambiado significativamente entre 2003 y 2011, hubo una disminución de la asistencia a la escuela en esta cohorte y un aumento en la proporción de trabajadores entre los jóvenes. Luego se realizó un análisis de la entropía con el objetivo de analizar estas tres dimensiones conjuntamente. Los resultados sugieren una ruptura con el paradigma de la prolongación de la juventud ampliamente discutido en las últimas décadas.(AU)

The assessment of chromophores in bleached cellulosic pulps employing UV-Raman spectroscopy.

UV-Resonance Raman (UV-RR) coupled with UV-visible Diffuse Reflectance (UV-vis DR) spectroscopy was applied to a solid-state study of chromophores in Eucalyptus globulus kraft cellulosic pulps bleached by chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide. The UV-RR spectra were acquired at 325nm laser beam excitation, which was shown to be appropriate for selective analysis of chromophore structures in polysaccharides. The proposed approach allowed the monitoring of chromophores in pulps and to track the extent of polysaccharide oxidation. However, precaution was suggested while performing a quantitative analysis of chromophores at the characteristic band of approximately 1600cm(-1) because of charge transfer complexes (CTCs) that exist in the pulp. These CTCs can affect the intensity of the aforementioned band by diminishing the conjugate state in the chromophore moieties. The amount of carbonyl and carboxyl groups in polysaccharides correlated with the intensity of the band at 1093cm(-1). The analysis of UV-RR spectra revealed xylan as an important source of chromophores in eucalypt kraft pulp.

Probing the interaction between vesicular stomatitis virus and phosphatidylserine.

The entry of enveloped animal viruses into their host cells always depends on membrane fusion triggered by conformational changes in viral envelope glycoproteins. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection is mediated by virus spike glycoprotein G, which induces membrane fusion between the viral envelope and the endosomal membrane at the acidic environment of this compartment. In this work, we evaluated VSV interactions with membranes of different phospholipid compositions, at neutral and acidic pH, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) operating in the force spectroscopy mode, isothermal calorimetry (ITC) and molecular dynamics simulation. We found that the binding forces differed dramatically depending on the membrane phospholipid composition, revealing a high specificity of G protein binding to membranes containing phosphatidylserine (PS). In a previous work, we showed that the sequence corresponding amino acid 164 of VSV G protein was as efficient as the virus in catalyzing membrane fusion at pH 6.0. Here, we used this sequence to explore VSV-PS interaction using ITC. We found that peptide binding to membranes was exothermic, suggesting the participation of electrostatic interactions. Peptide-membrane interaction at pH 7.5 was shown to be specific to PS and dependent on the presence of His residues in the fusion peptide. The application of the simplified continuum Gouy-Chapman theory to our system predicted a pH of 5.0 at membrane surface, suggesting that the His residues should be protonated when located close to the membrane. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the peptide interacts with the lipid bilayer through its N-terminal residues, especially Val(145) and His(148).

Percutaneous closure of ductus arteriosus with the amplatzer prosthesis. The Brazilian experience

OBJECTIVE - To report the results of percutaneous occlusion of persistent ductus arteriosus with the Amplatzer prosthesis in 2 Brazilian cardiological centers. METHODS - From May 1998 to July 2000, 33 patients with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of persistent ductus arteriosus underwent attempts at percutaneous implantation of the Amplatzer prosthesis. The median age was 36 months (from 6 months to 38 years), and the median weight was 14kg (from 6 to 92kg). Sixteen patients (48.5 percent) were under 2 years of age at the time of the procedure. All patients were followed up with periodical clinical and echocardiographic evaluations to assess the presence and degree of residual shunt and possible complications, such as pseudocoarctation of the aorta and left pulmonary artery stenosis. RESULTS - The minimum diameter of the arterial ducts ranged from 2.5 to 7.0mm (mean of 4.0+/-1.0, median of 3.9). The rate of success for implantation of the prosthesis was 100 percent. Femoral pulse was lost in 1 patient. The echocardiogram revealed total closure prior to hospital discharge in 30 patients, and in the follow-up visit 3 months later in the 3 remaining patients. The mean follow-up duration was 6.4+/-3.4 months. All patients were clinically well, asymptomatic, and did not need medication. No patient had narrowing of the left pulmonary artery or of the aorta. No early or late embolic events occurred, nor did infectious endarteritis. A new hospital admission was not required for any patient. CONCLUSION - The Amplatzer prosthesis for persistent ductus arteriosus is safe and highly effective for occlusion of ductus arteriosus of varied diameters, including large ones in small symptomatic infants

O anestesista e a criança com cardiopatia / The anaesthesiologist and the child with heart disease

O planejamento da técnica anestésica em pacientes portadores de cardiopatias congênitas e os cuidados per-operatórios que exigem um grande conhecimento do status pré-operatório de cada paciente. A fisiopatologia básica de cada grupo de enfermidades deve ser cuidadosamente estudada, prevendo o impacto que as drogas anestésicas em cada situação particular