This paper concerns with the aspects of the Object Oriented Programming used to develop a Finite Element technique for limit analysis of axisymmetrical pressure vessels. The concepts of inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation and modularity are extensively explored. The analysis processor is part of a global computation system and it is integrated with two graphical modules defined as modeler (preprocessing) and post-processor, both of them associated to a new CAD technology. The problem used to illustrated the limit analysis technique implemented is a standard ASME torispherical vessel subjected to internal pressure. The obtained results are compared with other numerical and analytical solutions. q

Motivation: Protein-protein interfaces contain important information about molecular recognition. The discovery of conserved patterns is essential for understanding how substrates and inhibitors are bound and for predicting molecular binding. When an inhibitor binds to different enzymes (e.g. dissimilar sequences, structures or mechanisms what we call cross-inhibition), identification of invariants is a difficult task for which traditional methods may fail. Results: To clarify how cross-inhibition happens, we model the problem, propose and evaluate a methodology called HydroPaCe to detect conserved patterns. Interfaces are modeled as graphs of atomic apolar interactions and hydrophobic patches are computed and summarized by centroids (HP-centroids), and their conservation is detected. Despite sequence and structure dissimilarity, our method achieves an appropriate level of abstraction to obtain invariant properties in cross-inhibition. We show examples in which HPcentroids successfully predicted enzymes that could be inhibited by the studied inhibitors according to BRENDA database.

In this paper, we propose an interactive visualization called VERMONT which tackles the problem of visualizing mutations and infers their possible effects on the conservation of physicochemical and topological properties in protein families. More specifically, we visualize a set of structure-based sequence alignments and integrate several structural parameters that should aid biologists in gaining insight into possible consequences of mutations. VERMONT allowed us to identify patterns of position-specific properties as well as exceptions that may help predict whether specific mutations could damage protein function.

PDBest (PDB Enhanced Structures Toolkit) is a user-friendly, freely available platform for acquiring, manipulating and normalizing protein structures in a high-throughput and seamless fashion. With an intuitive graphical interface it allows users with no programming background to download and manipulate their files. The platform also exports protocols, enabling users to easily share PDB searching and filtering criteria, enhancing analysis reproducibility. PDBest installation packages are freely available for several platforms at http://www.pdbest.dcc.ufmg.br CONTACT: wrsgoncalves@gmail.com, dpires@dcc.ufmg.br or raquelcm@dcc.ufmg.br Supplementary Information: Supplementary data is available at Bioinformatics online and at http://www.pdbest.dcc.ufmg.br.

Background Interactions between proteins and non-proteic small molecule ligands play important roles in the biological processes of living systems. Thus, the development of computational methods to support our understanding of the ligand-receptor recognition process is of fundamental importance since these methods are a major step towards ligand prediction, target identification, lead discovery, and more. This article presents visGReMLIN, a web server that couples a graph mining-based strategy to detect motifs at the protein-ligand interface with an interactive platform to visually explore and interpret these motifs in the context of protein-ligand interfaces. Results To illustrate the potential of visGReMLIN, we conducted two cases in which our strategy was compared with previous experimentally and computationally determined results. visGReMLIN allowed us to detect patterns previously documented in the literature in a totally visual manner. In addition, we found some motifs that we...

O artigo tem como objetivo investigar a genealogia acadêmica dos pesquisadores bolsistas de produtividade em pesquisa do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, do nível 1 (PQ1-CNPq) em Ciência da Informação (CI). Assim, espera-se mapear a propagação do conhecimento através do pesquisador/orientador, além de evidenciar a contribuição dos pesquisadores na formação de recursos humanos para a área. Adota como procedimentos metodológicos: identificação dos bolsistas de produtividade em pesquisa em CI; coleta de dados na Plataforma Lattes e na Plataforma Acácia; análise e apresentação das árvores genealógicas acadêmicas dos pesquisadores. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que os PQ1-CNPq em CI orientaram 627 pesquisadores, tiveram 1.075 descendentes e linhagem acadêmica de quarta geração. Foram identificados também os ascendentes acadêmicos dos pesquisadores bolsistas, destacando aqueles ancestrais acadêmicos que mais contribuíram para a formação das gerações de p...

O artigo aponta a Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFMG (BDTD UFMG) como um instrumento para ampliar o acesso, disseminação e visibilidade das informações geradas na pós-graduação da UFMG. Relata o processo da criação da BDTD UFMG, os desafios e as novas iniciativas para o seu crescimento. Contextualiza o movimento do acesso aberto às informações cientifica. Destaca os impactos decorrentes da Resolução 001/2009, aprovada na UFMG, a qual instituiu a obrigatoriedade da comprovação de entrega da versão eletrônica da monografia de especialização, dissertação ou tese, para disponibilização na BDTD UFMG como requisito para emissão de certificados. Relata a criação do setor físico da BDTD UFMG, e descreve o estágio atual da BDTD UFMG, além de apresentar o crescimento das coleção das teses e dissertações. Descreve o projeto aprovado para disponibilização das teses e dissertações da UFMG defendidas no período 2000 à 2010 apresentando os objetivos, a metodologia para a execução, além de apontar os resultados parciais. A UFMG ao disponibilizar suas teses e dissertações, permitirá o acesso democrático à informação e à apropriação do conhecimento, além de validar a objetivação e a transparência da pesquisa, expondo para a sociedade a sua contribuição Palavras-chave: Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações. Acesso aberto à informação cientifica. Repositórios digitais. Área temática: Temática I: Tecnologias de informação e comunicação-um passo a frente

This work had as its main objective to contribute to the development of a biological detoxification of hemicellulose hydrolysates obtained from different biomass plants using Issatchenkia occidentalis CCTCC M 206097 yeast. Tests with hemicellulosic hydrolysate of sugarcane bagasse in different concentrations were carried out to evaluate the influence of the hydrolysate concentration on the inhibitory compounds removal from the sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate, without reduction of sugar concentration. The highest reduction values of inhibitors concentration and less sugar losses were observed when the fivefold concentrated hydrolysate was treated by the evaluated yeast. In these experiments it was found that the high sugar concentrations favored lower sugar consumption by the yeast. The highest concentration reduction of syringaldehyde (66.67%), ferulic acid (73.33%), furfural (62%), and 5-HMF (85%) was observed when the concentrated hydrolysate was detoxified by using this yeast strain after 24 h of experimentation. The results obtained in this work showed the potential of the yeast Issatchenkia occidentalis CCTCC M 206097 as detoxification agent of hemicellulosic hydrolysate of different biomass plants.

Sugarcane bagasse is becoming more and more commonly used in generating electrical energy, steam, and bioethanol. Drying is important in sugarcane and other types of biomass because it can be used to improve the calorific value and overall energetic use. In this work, sugarcane bagasse was treated by drying in a cyclonic dryer. The influence of the geometry of the device (the conical part of the cyclone) and process parameters (bagasse mass flow rate and temperature) were tested. The modification on the conical part was related to two different angles and with two different inferior outlets (B). Experimental design was carried out for each geometry. The independent variables were the drying agent temperature (35 to 275°C) and the bagasse mass flow rate (0.1 × 10−2 to 2.9 × 10−2 kg s−1). The air flow rate was kept constant at 7.5 × 10−2 kg s−1. The dependent variables were moisture reduction (MR) and average particle residence time (tres) in the cyclonic dryer. For both cyclonic geometries, it was observed that MR was directly proportional to the temperature and inversely proportional to the bagasse mass flow rate. tres was also inversely proportional to the bagasse mass flow rate. Decreasing B tended to increase tres and MR.

The production of guaco syrup, obtained from guaco (Mikania glomerata Spreng., Asteraceae) fluid extract, and commercialized by the University Pharmacy of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora-MG, Brazil, led to a research project whose main aim was to study the stability of the finished product, with reference to the coumarin content of samples stored at different temperatures. UV spectrophotometry (275.4 nm) was used to assess the coumarin content of the study syrup. An 80% v/v methanol/distilled water mixture was used for sample dilution. The calibration curve was constructed by the dilution of 100 mg standard coumarin in 100 ml of the aforementioned solution, with seven distinct concentrations (ranging from 2 µg a 20 µg) being obtained. The results showed the 45 °C storage temperature to be optimum for the development of trans-cis isomerization, with subsequent conversion of the latter into coumarin. Coumarin content in the studied pharmaceutical presentation ranged from 1.19 to 1.37 mg/mL, the highest value corresponding to the samples stored at 45 °C for six months.

The objective of this study was to characterize the the microclimatic profile of broiler chicken transport trucks under commercial conditions, in the winter by continuous monitoring of environmental variables (temperature and relative air humidity) and deaths on arrival (DOA's). Three loads were monitored, from farm to slaughterhouse, considering factors such as distance (short, medium and long) and periods of the day (morning, afternoon and night). To obtain the environmental variables profile in the trucks during the journey, data loggers were installed in the trucks that determined the microclimate to which the birds were submitted and allowed the visualization of the Enthalpy Comfort Index (ECI) so that the lorry regions could be classified according to heat comfort limits for six-week old poultry. The temperature, relative humidity and ECI in the truck were analyzed using geostatistics, by the ordinary kriging method. The afternoon was the most critical period from the environmental point of view, and the central and rear parts of the truck were most problematic for the chickens from the microclimatic point of view and were thus the most susceptible to losses.

In this study, we report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in a patient presenting respiratory symptoms and a lung mass on the chest X-ray. The patient had no concomitant diseases, was seronegative for human immunodeficiency virus and was not receiving immunosuppressive therapy of any kind. The diagnosis was confirmed through transbronchial biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage. The patient was treated as an outpatient with fluconazole (300 mg/day for six months), evolving to clinical improvement and partial regression of the lung mass, as seen on a second chest X-ray. The current case illustrates an unusual presentation of pulmonary cryptococcosis and raises questions regarding the therapeutic approaches proposed in the literature.

O presente trabalho relata um caso de criptococose pulmonar isolada em paciente com sintomas respiratórios, sem imunossupressão e sorologia negativa para o vírus da imunodeficiência humana, com massa pulmonar no radiograma de tórax. O diagnóstico foi confirmado pela biópsia transbrônquica e lavado broncoalveolar. A paciente recebeu tratamento ambulatorial com fluconazol, na dose de 300 mg/dia por seis meses, evoluindo com melhora clínica e regressão parcial da imagem radiológica. O presente caso ilustra uma apresentação não freqüente da criptococose pulmonar e faz considerações sobre a abordagem terapêutica com base na literatura.

OBJECTIVE: To present the Brazilian Neuromyelitis Optica Database System (NMO-DBr), a database system which collects, stores, retrieves, and analyzes information from patients with NMO and NMO-related disorders. METHOD: NMO-DBr uses Flux, a LIMS (Laboratory Information Management Systems) for data management. We used information from medical records of patients with NMO spectrum disorders, and NMO variants, the latter defined by the presence of neurological symptoms associated with typical lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or aquaporin-4 antibody seropositivity. RESULTS: NMO-DBr contains data related to patient's identification, symptoms, associated conditions, index events, recurrences, family history, visual and spinal cord evaluation, disability, cerebrospinal fluid and blood tests, MRI, optic coherence tomography, diagnosis and treatment. It guarantees confidentiality, performs cross-checking and statistical analysis. CONCLUSION: NMO-DBr is a tool which guide...

MOBA games are currently one the most popular online game genres. In their basic gameplay, two teams of multiple players compete against each other to destroy the enemy's base, controlling a powerful unit known as "hero". Each hero has different abilities, roles and strengths. Thus, choosing a good combination of heroes is fundamental for the success in the game. In this paper we propose a recommendation system for selecting heroes in a MOBA game. We develop a mechanism based on association rules that suggests the more suitable heroes for composing a team, using data collected from a large number of DOTA 2 matches. For evaluating the efficacy of the line-up, we trained a neural network capable of predicting the winner team with a 88.63% accuracy. The results of the recommendation system were very satisfactory with up to 74.9% success rate.