Mechanisms in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis involved in control of autonomic and neuroendocrine functions: A review

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The fat body of termites: Functions and stored materials

The functions of the fat body in the different castes of termites, and accumulation of energy reserves, proteins and urates within this organ, are reviewed. The termite fat body is involved in multiple metabolic activities, including recycling of nitrogen. Termite fat body showed three different types of cells: adipocytes, urocytes and mycetocytes, the latter restricted to the species Mastotermes darwiniensis. Adipocytes synthesize and store lipids, glycogen and several proteins. These cells also elaborate important peptides, including some that act in immune processes. Urocytes are responsible for the storage of spherocrystals of urates, which vary quantitatively among the termite castes. The different metabolic functions of the fat body in the several castes and stages of termites are associated with specific adipocyte morphologies. The synthesis and storage of different compounds modify the structure of the fat body; this differentiation is coordinated by hormones involved with molting and reproductive cycles. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

On singular foliations on the solid torus

We study smooth foliations on the solid torus S1×D2 having S1×{0} and S1×∂D2 as the only compact leaves and S1×{0} as singular set. We show that all other leaves can only be cylinders or planes, and give necessary conditions for the foliation to be a suspension of a diffeomorphism of the disc. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Effects of square-stepping exercise on cognitive functions of older people

Aim: Cognitive functions can decline with age, and interventions focusing on stimulating them may have positive results. Previous studies have shown that square-stepping exercise (SSE) has a good influence on balance, but this exercise also seems to promote cognitive stimulation. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to analyse the effect of 16 weeks of SSE on cognitive functions in non-demented community-dwelling older people. Methods: This was a longitudinal, non-randomized study. Forty-one older adults (60 years and older) were recruited, and 21 participated in the SSE group (practised only SSE sequences) and 20 were in the control group (continued with their activities of daily living). Both groups were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Digit Span test, the Toulouse-Pierón Attention Test and the Modified Card Sorting Test. Results: The SSE group showed a significant improvement in global cognitive status, concentrated attention and mental flexibility after 16 weeks of the SSE intervention. Conclusion: Evidence shows that SSE is a physical activity that positively influences cognitive functions in non-demented older people. © 2013 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Reducing the conservatism of LMI-based stabilisation conditions for TS fuzzy systems using fuzzy Lyapunov functions

In this article, the fuzzy Lyapunov function approach is considered for stabilising continuous-time Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy systems. Previous linear matrix inequality (LMI) stability conditions are relaxed by exploring further the properties of the time derivatives of premise membership functions and by introducing slack LMI variables into the problem formulation. The relaxation conditions given can also be used with a class of fuzzy Lyapunov functions which also depends on the membership function first-order time-derivative. The stability results are thus extended to systems with large number of rules under membership function order relations and used to design parallel-distributed compensation (PDC) fuzzy controllers which are also solved in terms of LMIs. Numerical examples illustrate the efficiency of the new stabilising conditions presented. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Effects of fasting and refeeding on the metabolic functions of the turtle kinosternon scorpioides (linnaeus, 1766) raised in captivity

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Teatro de objetos: um olhar singular sobre o cotidiano

Pós-graduação em Artes - IA

O fazer e o aprender: uma interação singular na produção de mobiliário artístico da Escola de Artes e Ofícios de Amparo

Pós-graduação em Artes - IA

A cunhagem de uma moeda inédita e singular: o processo de criação do Tribunal Penal Internacional

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Uma pluralidade singular em O selvagem da ópera (1994) de Rubem Fonseca

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Argumentos de Gordon no estudo espectral de operadores de Schrödinger unidimensionais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O setor de turismo e os arranjos produtivos locais no estado de São Paulo: especificidades e interdependências

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Método da continuação aplicado na análise de contingência de linhas de transmissão

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

As funções do coro na comédia de Aristófanes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Equações com impasse e problemas de perturbação singular

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)