Populações de minhocas em diferentes sistemas de uso do solo na região leste do Estado de Santa Catarina.

Resumo. FERTBIO 2014

Primary hepatocytes as targets for hepatitis C virus replication

Much of our current understanding of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication has hailed from the use of a small number of cloned viral genomes and transformed hepatoma cell lines. Recent evidence suggests that lipoproteins play a key role in the HCV life cycle and virus particles derived from the sera of infected patients exist in association with host lipoproteins. This report will review the literature on HCV replication in primary hepatocytes and transformed cell lines, focusing largely on host factors defining particle entry

Objective response by mRECIST as a predictor and potential surrogate end point of overall survival in advanced HCC

Background & Aims: The Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) was developed to overcome the limitations of standard RECIST criteria in response assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate whether objective response by mRECIST accurately predicted overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced HCC treated with systemic targeted therapies and also to preliminarily assess this endpoint as a potential surrogate of OS.Methods: Individual patient data from the BRISK-PS randomized phase III trial comparing brivanib vs. placebo (the first to prospectively incorporate mRECIST) were used to analyze objective response as a predictor of OS in a time-dependent covariate analysis. Patients with available imaging scans during follow-up were included (n = 334; 85% of those randomized). Moreover, a correlation of the survival probability in deciles vs. the observed objective response was performed to evaluate its suitability as a surrogate end-point.Results: Objective response was observed in 11.5% and 1.9% of patients treated with brivanib and placebo respectively, and was associated with a better survival (median OS 15.0 vs. 9.4 months, p < 0.001). In addition, objective response had an independent prognostic value (HR = 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.91, p = 0.025) along with known prognostic factors. Finally, objective response showed promising results as a surrogate of OS in this trial (R = -0.92; 95% CI, -1 to -0.73, p < 0.001). It was an early indicator of the treatment effect (median time to objective response was 1.4 months).Conclusions: Objective response by mRECIST in advanced HCC predicts OS and thus can be considered as a candidate surrogate end-point. Further studies are needed to support this finding.Lay summary: There is a need to identify surrogate end-points for overall survival in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. We studied patients from the phase III BRISK trial, comparing brivanib treatment with placebo after sorafenib progression. We demonstrate that objective response is an independent predictor of survival and qualifies as a potential surrogate end-point for overall survival in this patient population.Clinical trial number: NCT00825955

Taming of Furfurylidenes by Chiral Bismuth-Rhodium Paddlewheel Catalysts. Preparation and Functionalization of Optically Active 1,1-Disubstituted (Trifluoromethyl)cyclopropanes

Although 2-furyl-carbenes (furfurylidenes) are prone to instantaneous electrocyclic ring opening, chiral [BiRh]-paddlewheel complexes empowered by London dispersion allow (trifluoromethyl)furfurylidene metal complexes to be generated from a bench-stable triftosylhydrazone precursor. These reactive intermediates engage in asymmetric [2+1] cycloadditions and hence open entry into valuable trifluoromethylated cyclopropane or −cyclopropene in optically active form, which are important building blocks for medicinal chemistry but difficult to make otherwise

Policing, peacekeeping and development : United Nations peacekeeping in Haiti

98 leaves ; 29 cm.Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-98).The objective of this research is to examine the contribution to development of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) activities within the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mandates when confronted by situations of complex emergencies. The UNPOL mandate is to train police officers and police forces to promote peace, security and development. The thesis examines the role of UNPOL within United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) several months after the 2010 earthquake. It argues that the situation of complex emergency created by the earthquake added additional complexities to existing problems within UN peacekeeping including the inability to implement suggested recommendations from previous missions and a lack of proper training of UNPOL personnel. Another problem is the confusion in the UNPOL mandate between security and development so that in a case of complex emergency, the development mandate was abandoned, focusing instead on security concerns. As a result UNPOL’s development mandate was sidelined as trainers and UNPOL personnel became directly engaged in maintaining security. The thesis presents a case study of UNPOL activities as part of MINUSTAH in Haiti from June 22, 2010 until March 22, 2011 and findings are based on an analysis of my own experience as a UNPOL trainer, undertaken within the framework of peace and development. The thesis is situated against the backdrop of Haitian history and that of the Haitian National Police (HNP), including the different UN peace missions in Haiti