No presente estudo, buscou-se avaliar quais seriam as cepas de herpesvírus bovinos tipos 1 (BoHV-1) e 5 (BoHV-5) seriam mais adequadas para uso como vírus de confrontação em testes de soroneurtralização (SN). Oitocentas e dez amostras de soros de duas regiões geograficamente distintas foram avaliadas à SN frente a seis diferentes cepas virais, incluindo tipos e subtipos diversos (BoHV-1.1: EVI123/98 e Los Angeles; BoHV-1.2a: SV265/96; BoHV-5a: EVI88/95; BoHV-5b: A663 e BoHV-5c: ISO95/97). A maior sensibilidade foi revelada pelo somatório de soropositivos identificados com as seis cepas utilizadas no estudo. Uma combinação de quatro vírus (BoHV-1.1: LA e EVI123/98, BoHV-5a: EVI88/95 e BoHV-5b: A663) foi capaz de detectar 99,1% das amostras soropositivas. Estes quatro vírus foram selecionados para serem utilizados em um levantamento soroepidemiológico com o intuito de estimar a prevalência das infecções causadas pelos BoHV-1 e BoHV-5 no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Para tanto, soros de 2200 fêmeas bovinas adultas (>24 meses), representativos da população bovina do Rio Grande do Sul, foram submetidos à SN frente às quatro cepas virais escolhidas. om esta combinação, a soroprevalência média das infecções por BoHV-1 e BoHV-5 encontrada foi de 29,2%. Além disso, analisando outros fatores que pudessem influenciar a prevalência das infecções, foram considerados fatores de risco o tipo de exploração corte, a ausência da prática de ordenha, o contato dos bovinos com ovinos/caprinos e animais silvestres, a venda de animais de reprodução, o uso de piquetes de parto/pós-parto, o uso de assistência veterinária privada e a criação de animais de raças européias de corte. Os resultados obtidos no presente trabalho demonstraram que, para que a SN seja capaz de detectar animais soropositivos ao BoHV-1 e BoHV-5 com a máxima sensibilidade, o teste deve ser realizado com várias amostras de BoHV-1 e BoHV-5, não necessariamente de tipos ou subtipos diferentes, pois amostras do mesmo tipo de vírus apresentarrm diferentes sensibilidades. Além disso, as amostras de confrontação podem variar de acordo com a região geográfica de origem dos soros. Os resultados obtidos nesse levantamento revelam que anticorpos anti-BoHV-1 e anti-BoHV-5 encontram-se amplamente distribuidos nos rebanhos gaúchos. No entanto, não foi possível determinar a prevalência tipo-específica destas infecções com os testes realizados. Assim, a proporção de animais que estão infectados com o BoHV-1 ou com o BoHV-5 (ou ambos) na região examinada permanece desconhecida. / In this study a search was carried out to determine which of a number of available strains/isolates of bovine herpesviruses types 1 (BoHV-1) and 5 (BoHV-5) would be more suitable for use as challenge virus in serum neutralization (SN) tests. Eight hundred and ten bovine serum samples collected from two geographically distinct regions were evaluated in SN tests against six BoHVs of different types and subtypes (BoHV-1.1: EVI123/98 and Los Angeles; BoHV-1.2a: SV265/96; BoHV-5a: EVI88/95; BoHV-5b: A663 and BoHV-5c: ISO95/97). The highest sensitivity was achieved when the SN-positive sera obtained with the six different viruses were added. A combination of four viruses (BoHV-1.1 LA, and EVI123/98, BoHV-5a EVI88/95 and BoHV-5b A663), was able to detect 99.1% of the seropositive samples. These four viruses were selected to carry out a seroepidemiological survey to estimate BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 prevalence in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In order to achieve that, sera from 2,200 bovine female cows (>24 months-old), representative of the bovine population of Rio Grande do Sul state were tested on SN tests against the four selected viruses. With such combination, seroprevalence of BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 infections was 29.2%. After examining potential factors that might affect the prevalence of such infections, the following were considered as significant risk factors: the type of exploitation (beef cattle > dairy), use of milking procedures, concomitant presence of sheep, goats or wild animals in farm; sale of animals for reproductive purposes; use of pre and postparturition paddocks; use of private veterinary assistance and farming of European beef breeds. The results obtained here indicate that for the SN test to provide the highest sensitivity in detecting BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 seroposivive animals, it must be performed against a number of BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 strains, though not necessarily of different types and subtypes as viruses within a same subtype may display different sensitivities. Besides, challenge viruses may vary for geographically distinct areas. The serological survey performed with four distinct bovine herpesviruses reveal that antibodies to BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 are widely distributed among cattle flocks in Rio Grande do Sul. However, it was not possible to determine type-specific prevalence with the tests performed. Thus, the proportion of cattle actually infected with either BoHV-1 or BoHV-5 (or both) in the examined region remains undetermined.

Orientador: Léa Rodrigues Simioni / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T22:38:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Moraes_DelkiaSeabrade_M.pdf: 1400052 bytes, checksum: a886434537e4c9307797b649e17cd63c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Bothrops alcatraz é uma serpente do Arquipélago de Alcatrazes no litoral norte do estado de São Paulo, Brasil, recentemente descrita. Neste trabalho foram analisados os efeitos neuromusculares do veneno de B. alcatraz em preparações isoladas de biventer cervicis de pintainho (BC) e nervo frênico-diafragma de camundongo (NFD), sob estimulação elétrica indireta (0.1 Hz; 0.2 ms). Em preparações BC, o veneno causou bloqueio neuromuscular completo e irreversível nas concentrações de 10, 50 e 100 g/ml em 90 ± 2, 80 ± 1 e 50 ± 1 min, respectivamente (n = 6-9). Nestas mesmas concentrações, as respostas contraturantes evocadas pela adição exógena de ACh (110 mM) foram 27±10, 8±4 e 0%, respectivamente, e do KCl (20 mM) em 45±11, 24±6 e 39±7%, respectivamente. O veneno de B. alcatraz mostrou-se pouco ativo na preparação NFD de camundongo, pois mesmo ensaiado na concentração de 100 g/ml (n=4) causou apenas 30±4% de bloqueio neuromuscular após 120 min de incubação. Em preparações BC previamente curarizadas (d-Tc, 10 g/ml), seguida pela adição do veneno (10 g/ml), por 120 min de incubação, observou-se o retorno da resposta contrátil em 81±7% (n= 4), após sucessivas lavagens. O veneno de B. alcatraz exibiu baixa atividade fosfolipásica quando comparado ao veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus (A425nm 0,06 ± 0,02 vs 0,2 ± 0,03; n = 4). A análise morfológica in vitro da preparação BC, mostrou, em ambas as concentrações de veneno analisadas (10 e 100 g/ml), dano musculares, sendo 18,1±1,5% e 24,7±6,6% (n= 5), respectivamente, quando comparadas ao controle (7,9±2,4%). Paralelamente também foi observado um aumento significativo na medida da liberação de CK, de 1441 ± 173 (10 g/ml) e 1797 ± 343 (100 g/ml) vs 282 ± 27 U/L da preparação controle, aos 120 min. O estudo sobre a neutralização do veneno pelo antiveneno botrópico comercial, mostrou que foram necessárias altas concentrações do antiveneno (15 vezes mais que o recomendado pelo fabricante) para neutralizar a ação do veneno de B. alcatraz (10 g/ml). Conclui-se que o veneno de B. alcatraz promove bloqueio neuromuscular total e irreversível em preparações de ave, por atuar inicialmente nos receptores colinérgicos e por causar efeito miotóxico tardio; todos estes efeitos foram neutralizados pelo antiveneno botrópico comercial dependendo da concentração de veneno utilizada / Abstract: Bothrops alcatraz is a recently described pitviper from the Alcatrazes Archipelago off the northern coast of São Paulo state, Brazil. The neuromuscular effects of B. alcatraz venom were examined in chick isolated biventer cervicis preparations. In indirectly stimulated preparations, venom (10, 50 and 100 g/ml, n=6-9) caused progressive, irreversible neuromuscular blockade that was complete in 90±2, 80±1 and 50±1 min (mean±SEM), respectively. Venom (10 and 100 g/ml) also inhibited contractures to exogenous ACh (110 ?M) (by 73% and 100%, respectively), but only partially inhibited contractures to KCl (20 mM) (by 55% and 61%, respectively). These same venom concentrations increased the proportion of damaged fibers from 7.9±2.4% (saline control) to 18.1±1.5% and 24.7±6.6%, respectively (p<0.05) and increase in the activity of CK release (1441 ± 173 and 1797 ± 343 vs 282 ± 27 U/L respectively). Bothrops alcatraz venom had low PLA2 activity compared to South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom (A425nm 0.06±0.02 vs 0.2±0.03; n=4). Pretreating the preparations with d-tubucurarine (10 g/ml) prevented the neuromuscular blockade. Commercial bothropic antiserum effectively neutralized the neuromuscular action of B. alcatraz venom. In conclusion, B. alcatraz venom causes neuromuscular blockade by interfering with cholinergic receptors but is only mildly myotoxic. Commercial antivenom neutralizes the neuromuscular blockade / Mestrado / Mestre em Farmacologia

Infectant près de 185 millions d’individus dans le monde, le virus de l’hépatite C (VHC) est une cause importante d’hépatite virale chronique, qui mène éventuellement à la cirrhose et au carcinome hépatocellulaire. Dans les pays développés, la principale cause d’infection chez les enfants est la transmission de la mère à l’enfant (TME) durant la grossesse ou lors de l’accouchement et qui se produit dans <10% des cas. L’évolution de l’hépatite C lors de la grossesse est mal comprise, on observe une augmentation de la charge virale au 3e trimestre de la grossesse qui redescend suite à l’accouchement. Cette diminution s’accompagne d’une augmentation significative des marqueurs sériques d’inflammation du foie et d’une détérioration de la fonction hépatique chez une proportion importante des femmes infectées. Le développement de modèles de culture in vitro a permis de reconnaître l’implication de la réponse humorale neutralisante anti-VHC dans la progression clinique de l’hépatite C. Par contre, l’impact des anticorps (AC) neutralisants et non-neutralisants dans la pathologie de l’hépatite C en grossesse reste un sujet peu étudié. Dans cette étude, nous avons mis en évidence que la pression sélective exercée par les réponses neutralisantes anti-VHC menait à une diversification de la quasiespèce du VHC chez les femmes mono-infectées ou co-infectées par le VIH. Cette diversification est associée à une fréquence réduite de TME et à des niveaux d’inflammation hépatique plus faible chez les patientes mono-infectées uniquement. Chez les patientes co-infectées, la diversification de la quasiespèce et la présence de réponses neutralisantes ne suffisent pas à diminuer les risques de TME. Nous proposons également un rôle pour les anticorps (AC) non-neutralisants dans l’exacerbation de l’inflammation hépatique chez les femmes ne présentant pas de réponses neutralisantes anti-VHC. Cette inflammation pourrait être reliée à la cytotoxicité cellulaire dépendante des anticorps (ADCC), dont le rôle dans le contrôle de la virémie reste à déterminer. Les différentes avenues entreprises afin d’élaborer un essai permettant de quantifier la réponse ADCC spécifique au VHC seront exposées dans cet ouvrage. Cette étude a ainsi contribué à mieux comprendre le rôle des réponses humorales neutralisantes et l’implication probable de l’ADCC dans la pathogénèse de l’hépatite C en grossesse. / Almost 185 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and are at risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In developed countries, the major cause of infection in children is mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), which occurs in <10% of cases during pregnancy or at delivery. For reasons that remain poorly understood, HCV viral load increases in the third trimester of gestation and decreases following delivery. This situation is often followed by elevated serum markers of liver inflammation and by an exacerbation of hepatic pathology in an important fraction of infected women. The development of in vitro culture models enabled the recognition of the implication of humoral immune responses in the clinical evolution of hepatitis C. Nonetheless, the impact of neutralizing antibodies (AB) and non-neutralizing AB in the pathology of hepatitis C in pregnancy has been under-investigated. In this study, we report evidence that the selective pressure exerted by the neutralizing responses against HCV is responsible for the diversification of HCV quasispecies in HCV mono-infected women and women co-infected with HCV and HIV. This diversification was associated with a reduced frequence of MTCT and with reduced hepatic inflammation in mono-infected patients only. In co-infected patients, quasispecies diversification and the presence of neutralizing antibodies are not sufficient to reduce the risk of MTCT. We also propose a role for non-neutralizing AB in the exacerbation of hepatic inflammation in women without neutralizing activity against HCV. The elevated hepatic inflammation could be linked to the antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), the role of which has yet to be defined in the control of HCV viremia. In the aim of elaborating a quantitative assay to measure ADCC specific for HCV, different approaches have been tested and will be presented in this monograph. This study has contributed to a better understanding of the role of neutralizing humoral responses and the likely implication of ADCC in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C in pregnancy.

Abstract Employee violations of IS security policies is recognized as a key concern for organizations. Although interest in IS security has risen in recent years, little empirical research has examined this problem. To address this research gap, this dissertation identifies deliberate IS security policy violations as a phenomenon unique from other forms of computer abuse. To better understand this phenomenon, three guidelines for researching deliberate IS security violations are proposed. An analysis of previous behavioral IS security literature shows that no existing study meets more than one of these guidelines. Using these guidelines as a basis, this dissertation examines IS security policy violations using three theoretical models drawn from the following perspectives: neutralization theory, rational choice theory, and protection motivation theory. Three field studies involving surveys of 1,423 professional respondents belonging to 7 organizations across 47 countries were performed for empirical testing of the models. The findings of these studies identify several factors that strongly predict intentions to violate IS security policies. These results significantly increase our understanding of why employees choose to violate IS security policies and provide empirically-grounded implications for how practitioners can improve employee IS security policy compliance.

Our research contributes to knowledge on strategic organizational responses by addressing a specific type of institutional complexity that has, to date, been rather neglected in scholarly inquiry: conflicting institutional demands that arise within the same institutional order. We suggest referring to such type of complexity as "intra-institutional" - as opposed to "inter-institutional." Empirically, we examine the consecutive spread of two management concepts - shareholder value and corporate social responsibility - among Austrian listed corporations around the turn of the millennium. Our work presents evidence that in institutionally complex situations, the concepts used by organizations to respond to competing demands and belief systems are interlinked and coupled through multiwave diffusion. We point to the open, chameleon-like character of some concepts that makes them particularly attractive for discursive adoption in such situations and conclude that organizations regularly respond to institutional complexity by resorting to discursive neutralization techniques and strategically producing ambiguity. (authors' abstract)

La notion de « tiers » est complexe et relève d’une grande transdisciplinarité. Les définitions afférentes ont cependant pour trait commun de l’envisager comme qualifiant la posture d’un Etat à l’écart d’un processus politique ou juridique. Relégué ainsi à un rang subsidiaire, le tiers semble désigner l’Etat considéré comme étranger au mécanisme principal à l’œuvre. Le propos de ce travail de recherche a été de s’interroger sur l’acception stratégique du tiers en tant que dépassement de la posture passive classique. Ainsi, le tiers incarne l’expression d’une identité stratégique médiane pour certains Etats développant une réponse particulière à l’égard des contraintes auxquelles leur environnement les soumet. La voie du tiers s’affirme alors comme une alternative à la lecture classique des logiques de puissance en relations internationales. Rétablissant le tiers dans sa dimension stratégique, il s’agit d’écarter la vision d’un Etat tiers exclusivement subi et d’en appréhender les différentes déclinaisons, du tiers objet au tiers sujet.Dans cette perspective, trois modèles de tiers sont convoqués à titre illustratif. La neutralisation de l’Autriche, la finlandisation de la Finlande, et la neutralité de la Suisse. Ces trois cas d’étude ont pour vocation de démontrer de la capacité stratégique de la dénomination d’ « Etat tiers » par la mise en pratique de la grille d’analyse théorique élaborée en première instance. / The notion of "third party" is complex and pertains to a certain transdisciplinarity. The concerned definitions have however for common line to envisage it as qualifying the posture of a State away from a political or legal process. Relegated so to a supplementary rank, the third-party seems to indicate the State considered as foreign to the main mechanism at work.The purpose of this research work was to wonder about the strategic dimension of the meaning of the third as overtaking of the classic passive posture. So, the third embodies the expression of a median strategic identity for some States developing a particular answer towards the constraints to which their environment submits them. The way of the third asserts itself then as an alternative in the classic reading of the logics of power in international relations. Restoring the third in its strategic dimension, it is a question of deviating from the vision of an exclusively undergone third State and of considering the various declensions, from the third as object to the third as subject.In this perspective, three models of third are summoned to illustrative title. The neutralization of Austria, the Finlandization of Finland, and the neutrality of Switzerland. This three study cases have for vocation to demonstrate of the strategic capacity of the category of "third State" by the implementation of theoretical framework established at first instance.

The present thesis is concerned with neutralization of acid groundwater after the hydrochemical uranium mining in the area of Stráž pod Ralskem. In the thesis is briefly described progression of the hydrochemical uranium mining and follow-up negative impacts on the environment. There is described the technology involved in its disposal. This is followed by the design calculation of major apparatus technology associated with neutralization of acid solutions. Output of technology is determined by the mass balance. The results are the main dimensions of the apparatus, mechanical parts and electric power each device.

Die vorliegende Arbeit hatte das Ziel, die Korrelation zwischen der Avidität der Anti-Masern-IgG-Antikörper und deren In-Vitro-Neutralisationsfähigkeit zu untersuchen, sowie mittels Datenbankanalyse die Seroprävalenz von schützenden Antikörpern gegen Masern und den Impfstatus der Kinder- und Jugendlichen festzustellen. Die lineare Korrelation zwischen Neutralisationsfähigkeit und Avidität war in dieser Stichprobe schwach (ρ=0,240, p=0,006). Für hohe IgG Konzentrationen über 1000 mIU/ml fand sich eine mittlere Korrelation zwischen Avidität und Neutralisationstiter (ρ=0,612; p<0,001). Bei den untersuchten Jahren von 1997 bis 2013 zur Seroprävalenz (n=8611) wiesen im Durchschnitt 93,4 % der Patienten IgG-Konzentrationen im positiven Bereich (>200 mIU/ml) auf. In allen Jahrgängen lag der Anteil über 90 %. Zur Ermittlung des Impfstatus wurde eine Stichprobe 2- bis 18-Jähriger aus dem Jahr 2012 untersucht. Insgesamt hatten 81,1 % die erste Masernimpfung erhalten. Die zweite Masernimpfung erhielten noch 59,7 % der Kinder und Jugendlichen.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The waste products acid mine drainage (AMD), formed during coal mining and fly ash (FA) from coal burning power generation, pose substantial environmental and economic problems for South Africa. Eskom has developed a remediation system employing alkaline FA to neutralize and precipitate heavy metals from toxic acidic AMD streams. The aim of this study was to assess the microbial diversity in and microbial impact on this remediation system. The total microbial diversity was assessed by well-established molecular phylogenetic analyses using 16S rDNA gene sequences. The results obtained from the AMD confirmed the presence of acidophilic organisms, such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (At. ferrooxidans). After co-disposal of FA and AMD, microbial cell growth was not detected and microbial genomic DNA could not be extracted. The absence of microbial communities in the co-disposal phase is beneficial to the continuation of the development of such a co-disposal process. Results of this project will assist in the effective implementation of FA-AMD co-disposal systems, which may improve water quality in effected regions of South-Africa.

The landfilling of slag obtained from the high alloyed Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel making process, constitutes an environmental treat for society as well as an economical problem for the companies producing it, due to the costs related to waste management practices. Conventional methods of slag recycling are abundantly used among the steelmaking business, but due to their particular physical properties, high- alloyed EAF slags cannot be properly valorized. Moreover, the pickling process that high-alloyed EAF steels undergo to, generates acidic wastewaters, that need to be collected and neutralized, before they can be recirculated into the natural water streams. For such a task, steel mills currently utilize slaked lime (a Ca rich mineral) to raise the pH and to remove any metal particles dissolved into the wastewaters. Slag contains high amount of Ca; therefore, it has already been tested as a slaked lime replacement. In fact, previous studies conducted at the Material Science and Engineering department at KTH Royal Institute of Technology showed, on a laboratory scale, that slag has the potential to replace lime for the neutralization and purification of the acidic wastewaters. This Master’s thesis project aims at upscaling the volumes of wastewaters to be tested, about 70 to 90 folds of the one from previous research, bridging the gap between laboratory tests and the industrial scale. The thesis is divided into three tranches, a first part where a water-salt solution conductivity trials were carried out, to model the behavior or slag dispersion in the acidic wastewaters. After the results obtained from the conductivity trials, neutralization trials with slag and the lime product currently in use by the company, were carried out at the neutralization plant in Outokumpu Stainless, Avesta (Sweden). The neutralization trials were carried out with 70 and 90 liters of acidic wastewaters and in order to perform the trials on site, the slag sample was dried and later sieved to a particle size of less than 350μm. Moreover, data was analyzed and compared to previous studies in order to have a clearer understanding regarding the neutralization efficiency of the slag, especially whether or not the technology would had worked on upscaled volumes. Additionally, the project checked if it was possible to find a generalized relationship between the mass of slag and volume of wastewaters required for the neutralization process. Slag demonstrated to be able to buffer the pH to the target values of 9, while also showing an almost linear trend compared to previous studies. The reaction progress between slag, lime, and the acidic wastewaters was also analyzed. / Deponering av slagg som erhållits från den höglegerade ljusbågsugn (EAF) stålframställningsprocessen utgör en miljömässig behandling för samhället och ettekonomiskt problem för de företag som producerar den på grund av kostnaderna för avfallshantering. Konventionella metoder för återvinning av slagg används i storutsträckning bland stålindustrin, men på grund av deras speciella fysiska egenskaper kan höglegerade EAF-slaggen inte värderas ordentligt. Dessutom produceras sura avloppsvatten av betningsprocessen som höglegerade EAF-stål genomgår som sedan måste samlas in och neutraliseras innan de kan återcirkuleras i det naturliga vattnet. För en sådan uppgift använder stålfabriker för närvarande släckt kalk (ett Ca-rikt mineral) för att höja pH-värdet och för att avlägsna alla metallpartiklar som löses upp i avloppsvattnet. Slaggen innehåller hög mängd Ca och därför har den testats som en ersättning till släckt kalk. Tidigare studier utförda vid avdelningen materialvetenskap och teknik vid Kungliga Tekniska Högskola visade på laboratorieskala att slagg har potential att ersätta kalk för neutralisering och rening av sura avloppsvatten. Detta examensarbete syftar till att skala upp volymerna av avloppsvattnet som ska testas till cirka 70–90 gånger av den från tidigare forskning, och därav fylla ut bryggan mellan laboratorietester och industriell skala. Avhandlingen är uppdelad i tre delar, Första delen innehåller försök på ledningsförmåga i en vatten-saltlösning som genomfördes för att modellera beteende eller slaggspridning i sura avloppsvatten. Efter de resultat som erhållits från konduktivitetsmätningarna genomfördes neutraliseringsförsök med slagg och kalk som för närvarande används av företaget vid neutraliseringsanläggningen i Outokumpu Stainless, Avesta (Sverige). Neutraliseringsförsöken genomfördes med 70 och 90 liter sura avloppsvatten och för att utföra experimenten på plats torkades slagg provet och siktades senare till en partikelstorlek på mindre än 350 μm. Dessutom analyserades data och jämfördes med tidigare studier för att få en tydligare förståelse för slaggens neutraliseringseffektivitet, särskilt huruvida tekniken skulle ha fungerat på större volymer, och även om det också var möjligt att hitta ett generaliserat samband mellan mängden slagg och volym avloppsvatten som krävs för neutraliseringsprocessen. Slagget visade sig kunna buffra pH till målvärdena 9, samtidigt som den visade en nästan linjär trend jämfört med tidigare studier. Reaktionsförloppet mellan slaggkalk och de sura avloppsvattnen analyserades också.