Universidade de Pernambuco

About: Universidade de Pernambuco is a education organization based out in Recife, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Artificial neural network. The organization has 6147 authors who have published 6948 publications receiving 73648 citations.

A Regression Testing Approach for Software Product Lines Architectures

Abstract: In the Software Product Lines (SPL) context, where products are derived from a common platform, the reference architecture can be considered the main asset. In order to maintain its correctness and reliability after modifications, a regression testing approach based on architecture specification and code was developed. It aims to reduce the testing effort, by reusing test cases, execution results, as well as, selecting and prioritizing an effective set of test cases. Taking advantage of SPL architectures similarities, this approach can be applied among product architectures and between the reference and product architecture. This study also presents an evaluation performed in order to calibrate and improve the proposed approach.

A Systematic Mapping Study on Domain-Specific Languages

Abstract: Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) offer substantial gains in expressiveness and ease of use compared with general purpose languages. This way, DSLs have gained significant attention in industry and academy, as can be seen by the increased number of related publications in key conferences and journals. This paper aims to provide a broad view of the DSL research field by performing a Systematic Mapping Study. Adopting a detailed search strategy, 4450 studies were initially identified, and, after filtering, 1440 primary studies were selected and categorized using a particular classification scheme. So, this work presents the most popular application domains where DSLs have been applied, identifies different tools for handling DSLs, including language workbenches, and enumerates several techniques, methods and/or processes for dealing with DSLs.

Usnic Acid Potassium Salt: An Alternative for the Control of Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818)

Abstract: In Brazil, the snail Biomphalaria glabrata is the most important vector of schistosomiasis due to its wide geographical distribution, high infection rate and efficient disease transmission. Among the methods of schistosomiasis control, the World Health Organization recommends the use of synthetic molluscicides, such as niclosamide. However, different substances of natural origin have been tested as alternatives for the control or eradication of mollusks. The literature describes the antitumor, antimicrobial and antiviral properties of usnic acid as well as other important activities of common interest between medicine and the environment. However, usnic acid has a low degree of water solubility, which can be a limiting factor for its use, especially in aquatic environments, since the organic solvents commonly used to solubilize this substance can have toxic effects on aquatic biota. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test the potassium salt of usnic acid (potassium usnate) with regard to molluscicidal activity and toxicity to brine shrimp (Artemia salina). To obtain potassium usnate, usnic acid was extracted with diethyl ether isolated and purified from the lichen Cladonia substellata. Biological assays were performed with embryos and adult snails of B. glabrata exposed for 24 h to the usnate solution solubilized in dechlorinated water at 2.5; 5 and 10 µg/ml for embryos, 0.5; 0.9; 1;5 and 10 µg/ml for mollusks and 0.5; 1; 5; 10 µg/ml for A. salina. The lowest lethal concentration for the embryos and adult snails was 10 and 1 µg/ml, respectively. No toxicity to A. salina was found. The results show that modified usnic acid has increased solubility (100%) without losing its biological activity and may be a viable alternative for the control of B. glabrata.

Raça e o uso dos serviços de saúde bucal por idosos

Abstract: We analyze if race can be considered a limiting factor in the use of dental services by the elderly. This study is of an analytical nature, with the use of secondary data collected by the National Survey of Oral Health in 2003. Those examined who declared themselves as being white, brown or black in the 65 to 74-year-old age bracket were included. The sample was composed of 5,108 elderly people: 2,575 whites and 2,533 blacks. Of the whites, 3.8% stated that they had never been to the dentist, while this figure was 7.8% for the blacks. Even after the adjustment for interception for prosthetics and dental pain, the chance of elderly blacks not having used dental services at least once in their life is 0.62 OR less than for elderly whites. Of those who used the services, 21.2% of the elderly whites visited the dentist in the last year, while for elderly blacks the figure was 14.2%, in the adjusted model for interception for prosthetics and dental pain the OR was 0.60. All the relations were statistically significant (p<0,001). Race is a limiting factor in the use of dental services by the elderly and even after the adjustments the elderly blacks continue to manifest greater resistance to the use of oral health services.