Showing papers by "Universidade de Pernambuco published in 1999"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the methodological issues associated with the creation of a surveillance system for endemic diseases in urban areas based on analysis of populations at risk and on spatially referenced epidemiological indicators.
Abstract: In this article we discuss the methodological issues associated with the creation of a surveillance system for endemic diseases in urban areas based on analysis of populations at risk and on spatially referenced epidemiological indicators. We comment on the system's basic requirements, selection criteria for socioeconomic variables, and methodological steps to combine these variables so as to construct a census-based deprivation index. We also present the ways we solved some operational problems related to generation of digitized census tracts maps and linkage of morbidity data from different sources. This approach, spatial organization into account in surveillance of endemic diseases, exemplified here by tuberculosis and leprosy, allows for the interaction of several official data sets from census and health services in order to geographically discriminate inner-city risk strata. Criteria for constructing these risk strata were considered a useful tool for health planning and management activities for the control of endemic diseases in cities.
40 citations
TL;DR: Methods of computing load balance, mutual exclusion degree and communication cost of behavioral description in order to perform the initial allocation and the partitioning of hardware/software components are highlighted.
Abstract: This work presents Petri nets as an intermediate model for hardware/software codesign The main reason of using of Petri nets is to provide a model that allows for formal qualitative and quantitative analysis in order to perform hardware/software partitioning Petri nets as an intermediate model allows one to analyze properties of the specification and formally compute performance indices which are used in the partitioning process This paper highlights methods of computing load balance, mutual exclusion degree and communication cost of behavioral description in order to perform the initial allocation and the partitioning This work is also devoted to describing a method for estimating hardware area, and it also presents an overview of the general partitioning method considering multiple software components
35 citations
TL;DR: The study concluded that the weekly regimen was no less effective than daily treatment and the cure rate was higher after the alternative treatment.
Abstract: Mediante um ensaio terapeutico randomizado e cego em 193 mulheres (15-45 anos de idade) anemicas (Hb<12mg/dl) e "menstruantes", comparou-se a acao e a adesao ao tratamento com sulfato ferroso (60 mg de Fe elementar), administrado em doses diarias e semanais, em uma comunidade de baixa renda do Recife-PE. Apos 12 semanas de tratamento, 150 mulheres chegaram ao final do ensaio, sendo 79 do esquema semanal e 71 do diario. As medias de Hb antes do tratamento foram, respectivamente, 10,52 g/dl (DP = 1,13) e 10,72 g/dl (DP = 0,92) para o esquema alternativo e convencional. Apos a intervencao, as medias de Hb alcancaram 11,83 g/dl (DP = 0,97) no esquema semanal e 11,62 g/dl (DP = 1,39) no diario. Nao houve significância estatistica (p = 0,22) entre as diferencas de medias nos dois esquemas terapeuticos, embora o percentual de cura (48,1%) tenha sido maior no tratamento semanal, quando comparado ao diario (36,6%). Conclui-se que o esquema de tratamento semanal teve a mesma eficacia do diario. A aceitacao ao tratamento no primeiro mes foi melhor no esquema semanal, nao havendo, entretanto, diferencas nos dois meses subsequentes.
24 citations
Journal Article•
17 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the aggregation/disaggregation problem has been widely studied in the time series literature and the main issues related to this problem are modelling, prediction and robustness to outliers.
Abstract: The aggregation/disaggregation problem has been widely studied in the time series literature. Some main issues related to this problem are modelling, prediction and robustness to outliers. In this paper we look at the modelling problem with particular interest in the local level and local trend structural time series models together with their corresponding ARIMA(0, 1, 1) and ARIMA(0, 2, 2) representations. Given an observed time series that can be expressed by a structural or autoregressive integrated moving-average (ARIMA) model, we derive the necessary and sufficient conditions under which the aggregate and/or disaggregate series can be expressed by the same class of model. Harvey's cycle and seasonal components models (Harvey, Forecasting, Structural Time Series Models and the Kalman Filter, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989) are also briefly discussed. Systematic sampling of structural and ARIMA models is also discussed.
13 citations
TL;DR: The association of the short variant of the 5-HTTPLR polymorphism and the apoE4 allele does not increase the risk for late onset Alzheimer's disease.
Abstract: The association of the short variant of the 5-HTTPLR polymorphism and the apoE4 allele does not increase the risk for late onset Alzheimer's disease
13 citations
Journal Article•
6 citations
TL;DR: Nonclosure of the visceral and parietal peritoneum at cesarean section was not associated with adverse effects on the postoperative course; on the contrary, it reduced the use of analgesics, and intraoperatively it reduced operating time and the number of absorbable sutures.
Abstract: Purpose: to determine whether nonclosure of the visceral and parietal peritoneum is of benefit for the intraoperative or postoperative course of cesarean section. Methods: six hundred and ninety-eight women scheduled for cesarean section were randomized to either closure of both visceral and parietal peritoneum (n = 349) or no peritoneal closure (n = 349), at the Maternidade da Encruzilhada (CISAM) in Recife, from November 1997 to December 1998. Statistical analysis compared intraoperative and postoperative outcome between the two groups. There was no difference regarding age, parity, gestational age, antibiotic prophylaxis, headache after spinal anesthesia, cystitis, ruptured membranes and indications for cesarean section. Results: operating time, number of absorbable sutures and use of analgesics were significantly lower in the group without closure. The incidence of febrile morbidity, wound infection and endometritis was similar in the two groups. There was no difference in the need for antiphysetics, antiemetics and mineral oil. The average hospital stay was similar in the two groups. Conclusions: nonclosure of the visceral and parietal peritoneum at cesarean section was not associated with adverse effects on the postoperative course; on the contrary, it reduced the use of analgesics, and intraoperatively it reduced operating time and the number of absorbable sutures.
5 citations
29 Sep 1999
TL;DR: This work presents two approaches for computing the number of functional units in the PISH hardware/software codesign system using Petri net as common formalism for performing quantitative analysis and an overview of the general hardware/ software codesign method.
Abstract: This work presents two approaches for computing the number of functional units in the PISH hardware/software codesign system. The proposed methods use Petri net as common formalism for performing quantitative analysis. The use of Petri net permits us to use a specification non-dependent partitioning method. Particularly, the Petri net as an intermediate format allows to analyze properties of the specification and formally compute performance indices which are used in the partitioning process. This paper is devoted to describing those approaches, but an overview of the general hardware/software codesign method is also presented.
5 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Observations demonstrate that the jird is a suitable host for experimental T. cruzi infections and that monoclonal antibody is effective for detection of the parasite in host tissues.
Abstract: An epidemiological survey of Trypanosoma cruzi infection was carried out in Bodoco, located in the western part of the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Two hundred and forty-one individuals were parasitologically and immunologically screened. Although hemoculture did not reveal the presence of parasites in the blood, the sera of 5 individuals were scored as positive by the indirect fluorescence antibody test and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seropositivity in individuals above and below the age of 40 was 14.8 and 0.5%, respectively. These results indicate that recent infections with T. cruzi are rare in this area. However, since a T. cruzi-infected triatomid (Triatoma brasiliensis) was captured in a school classroom, this area must be considered endemic. When triatomid feces containing parasites were inoculated into a jird (mongolian gerbil), parasitemia appeared 10 days later. Immunohistochemical staining, using monoclonal antibody specific for T. cruzi, labeled organisms in jird tissues. These observations demonstrate that the jird is a suitable host for experimental T. cruzi infections and that monoclonal antibody is effective for detection of the parasite in host tissues.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was described, in which a profound and rapidly progressive dementia occurred in association with clinical features of ALS, and a magnetic resonance imaging showed signs of frontal and especially left temporal atrophy.
Abstract: A patient is described in whom a profound and rapidly progressive dementia occurred in association with clinical features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A magnetic resonance imaging showed signs of frontal and especially left temporal atrophy. The pattern of dementia indicated impaired frontotemporal lobe functions, evidenced by reduced tracer uptake in the frontotemporal lobes on brain single photon emission computed tomography. Neuropathological examination in this patient revealed mild frontotemporal atrophy with spongiform changes and neuronal loss affecting mainly layers II and III of the frontotemporal cortices. There was atrophy of the hypoglossal nuclei. The spinal cord changes were consistent with motor neuron disease. The patient showed an irreversible and progressive course. A review of the relevant literature was made.
21 Sep 1999
TL;DR: Comparison of the DFD and the hard decision decoding with Hamming metric reveals a crossover between the performance curves, depending on the interleaving parameters and channel statistics.
Abstract: We study the performance of a decision feedback decoder (DFD) for convolutional codes over an interleaved burst channel The DFD adaptively estimates channel reliability information from previous decisions The effect of error propagation, finite interleaving and the length of the initial training sequence is explicitly studied A binary Gilbert-Elliott channel is used to model the correlation structure of the error process Comparison of the DFD and the hard decision decoding with Hamming metric reveals a crossover between the performance curves, depending on the interleaving parameters and channel statistics
TL;DR: Estes resultados indicam that TMO podera ser utilizado como um fluido biologico alternativo para o diagnostico da doenca de Chagas.
Abstract: Anticorpos anti-Trypanosoma cruzi (isotipo IgG) foram detectados no transudato da mucosa oral (TMO) atraves de um ensaio imunoenzimatico. Foram estudados 21 individuos com doenca de Chagas cronica comprovada atraves de diagnostico clinico, eletrocardiografico, epidemiologico e sorologico: 10 com forma cardiaca, 2 com forma digestiva, 6 com forma mista e 3 com forma assintomatica. Sete individuos de area endemica, com sorologia negativa, constituiram o grupo controle. O soro destes grupos foi armazenado a -20 oC. A coleta de TMO de ambos os grupos foi realizada com o dispositivo OraSureâ seguindo orientacao do fabricante (OraSureâ , Epitope Inc., Beaverton, OR, USA). As amostras de TMO foram diluidas (1:2) e testadas em duplicata atraves de um ensaio imunoenzimatico da Abbott Laboratories para detectar anticorpos IgG contra doenca de Chagas. Vinte dos vinte e um pacientes chagasicos apresentaram densidade optica acima do limiar de reatividade e foram considerados positivos para doenca de Chagas. Nenhuma das amostras provenientes de individuos soronegativos foi positiva. A sensibilidade e especificidade foram de 95% e 100%, respectivamente. Estes resultados indicam que TMO podera ser utilizado como um fluido biologico alternativo para o diagnostico da doenca de Chagas. Nos estamos aumentando o numero de individuos para validar estes resultados incluindo a analise comparativa entre amostras de TMO e soro.
05 Dec 1999
TL;DR: A new encryption scheme is proposed, using burst-error correcting codes and adaptive permutations, which is resistant to known attacks and is specially tailored to counter Al Jabri's attack.
Abstract: A formal treatment is presented for Al Jabri's (see IEE Electronics Letters, vol.32, no.24, p.2226-7, 1996 and 4th International Symposium on Communication Theory and Applications, Ambleside, Lake District, UK, 13-18, p.197-200, 1997) attack to reconstruct the permutation in secret-key schemes based on single-burst correcting codes. An extension of that technique to attack secret-key cryptosystems based on multi-burst correcting codes is presented and shown to be effective. A new encryption scheme is proposed, using burst-error correcting codes and adaptive permutations, which is resistant to known attacks and is specially tailored to counter Al Jabri's attack.
01 Dec 1999
TL;DR: A faculty training workshop on problem-based learning (PBL) methods was provided to educators at a public medical school in Brazil as mentioned in this paper, where participants completed a structured questionnaire before and after the workshop to document attainment of the objectives.
Abstract: A faculty training workshop on problem-based learning (PBL) methods was provided to educators at a public medical school in Brazil. Wprkshop activities were designed to address specific knowledge, skill and attitudinal objectives that had been defined beforehand. Participants completed a structured questionnaire before and after the workshop to document attainment of the objectives. Twelve participants completed the 20-hour workshop, and questionnaire results. Though there were certain limitations on interpretation of the pre/post questionnaire, it does provide some assurance to program organizers and sponsors that objectives are attained. Participants' responses also help organizers improve their delivery techniques.
05 Dec 1999
TL;DR: A statistics called the multigap distribution is used to analytically disprove the hypothesis that if the channel model is a renewal FSC the super channel can be modeled as a similar renewal model.
Abstract: The statistics of the error process generated by a discrete super channel formed by the concatenation of a constrained encoder, a non-renewal finite state channel (FSC), and a constrained decoder is studied. First, recursions are developed for the error weight distribution. This statistics is relevant to the design of coding schemes and interleaving in concatenated systems. We also study the renewal nature of this residual error process as modified by the constrained decoder. It was conjectured Ferreira, Coetzee and Herro (1993) that if the channel model is a renewal FSC the super channel can be modeled as a similar renewal model. We use a statistics called the multigap distribution to analytically disprove this hypothesis.