High expectations, varying outcomes: Decentralization and participation in Brazil, Japan, Russia and Sweden

In the past 20 years, decentralization has been proposed as a strategy for enhancing public participation. Aid-providing organizations, such as the World Bank, stimulated decentralization processes in several countries in the hope that this would promote civic empowerment, diminish corruption, enhance efficiency, and improve public service delivery. This assumption forms the basis for a comparative analysis into the relation between decentralization and participation at the local level in Brazil, Japan, Russia and Sweden. A multi-level regression analysis using the data of the Democracy and Local Governance Project was undertaken in order to test the 'one size fits all' and the 'diversity in development' hypotheses. The results show that the second hypothesis was corroborated. Perceived autonomy had a different impact on openness to participation depending on the country considered; in one country (Japan), perceived autonomy diminished public officials' willingness to be open to public participation.

Building sustainable values in organizations with the support of human resource management: Evidence from one firm considered as the 'best place to work' in Brazil

Researchers and other professionals unanimously agree that companies should become more sustainable, but this will not happen without the support of human resource management. Paradoxically, there is a lack of information on the support human resource management offers to organizational sustainability applied to real cases. Therefore, this research presents a case study on this topic that was carried out in a leading Brazilian company, which is considered as a model and has been selected as 'the best place to work in the country'. The results provide practical examples of how this family company has been working to guarantee an increasingly sustainable performance with the support of human resources, highlighting the achievements and challenges the company has faced. One of the main results indicates that companies seeking to achieve sustainability need the assistance of the human resource field in order to design a communication system which bridges the gap between practices and sustainable values. © 2012 Management Centre for Human Values.

Chemical communication in isoptera

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

On the reliability of visual communication in vertebrate-dispersed fruits

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

GRAMMAR and COMMUNICATION IN PORTUGUESE AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE A Study in the Context of Teletandem Interactions

This paper presents a study about the role of grammar in on-line interactions conducted in Portuguese and in English, between Brazilian and English-speaking interactants, with the aim of teaching Portuguese as a foreign language (PFL). The interactions occurred by means of chat and the MSN Messenger, and generated audio and video data for language analysis. Grammar is dealt with from two perspectives, an inductive and a deductive approach, so as to investigate the relevance of systematization of grammar rules in the process of learning PFL in teletandem interactions.

Visual and acoustic communication in the Brazilian torrent frog, Hylodes asper (Anura : Leptodactylidae)

We studied the signaling, territorial, and courtship behaviors of the diurnal frog Hylodes asper. Visual and acoustic communication were used during intraspecific interactions involving males, females. and subadults. Hylodes aspcr has a complex visual communication system, of which foot-flagging is the most distinctive display observed in the repertoire of visual signals. The splash zone produced by the waterfalls and torrents creates a high, nearly constant, humidity near the streams, reducing the risk of desiccation which enables the diurnal activity of H. asper. Although the ambient sound pressure levels (SPL), measured at the calling sites, are similar to the SPL of the advertisement calls, the high-pitched calls of H, asper, are spectrally different from the noise produced by the water current. Thus. The ambient noise produced by the water current may not interfere significantly with the acoustic communication of this species. The noise and the nearly constant and high humidity produced by the torrents and waterfalls, along with the availability of Light, probably favored the evolution of contrasting colors and visual communication in H. asper: Males of H, aspcr excavate underwater chambers that are probably used to shelter the eggs and to prevent the clutch from being drifted downstream.

Modulation of intercellular communication in macrophages: possible interactions between GAP junctions and P2 receptors

Gap junctions are connexin-formed channels that play an important role in intercellular communication in most cell types. In the immune system, specifically in macrophages, the expression of connexins and the establishment of functional gap junctions are still controversial issues. Macrophages express P2X(7) receptors that, once activated by the binding of extracellular ATP, lead to the opening of transmembrane pores permeable to molecules of up to 900 Da. There is evidence suggesting an interplay between gap junctions and P2 receptors in different cell systems. Thus, we used ATP-sensitive and -insensitive J774.G8 macrophage cell lines to investigate this interplay. To study junctional communication in J774-macrophage-like cells, we assessed cell-to-cell communication by microinjecting Lucifer Yellow. Confluent cultures of ATP-sensitive J774 cells (ATP-s cells) are coupled, whereas ATP-insensitive J774 cells (ATP-i cells), derived by overexposing J774 cells to extracellular ATP until they do not display the phenomenon of ATP-induced permeabilization, are essentially uncoupled. Western-blot and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays revealed that ATP-s and ATP-i cells express connexin43 (Cx43), whereas only ATP-s cells express the P2X(7) receptor. Accordingly, ATP-i cells did not display any detectable ATP-induced current under whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, Cx43 reactivity was found at the cell surface and in regions of cell-cell contact of ATP-s cells, whereas, in ATP-i cells, Cx43 immunoreactivity was only present in cytosolic compartments. Using confocal microscopy, it is shown here that, in ATP-s cells as well as in peritoneal macrophages, Cx43 and P2X(7) receptors are co-localized to the membrane of ATP-s cells and peritoneal macrophages.

Visual communication in Brazilian species of anurans from the Atlantic forest

Visual communication is widespread among several anuran families, but seems to be more common than currently thought. We investigated and compared visual communication in six species of an anuran community in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Four are nocturnal species: Hyalinobatrachium uranoscopum (Centrolenidae), Hyla albomarginata, Hyla sp. (aff. ehrhardti), and Scinax eurydice (Hylidae), and two are diurnal species: Hylodes phyllodes and Hylodes asper ( Leptodactylidae). For H. uranoscopum, H. albomarginata, S. eurydice, and H. phyllodes, this is the first record of visual communication. Observations were made at Nucleo Picinguaba, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, in the Municipality of Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Descriptions of behaviour were based on individuals observed in the field, using sequence sampling with continuous tape recording for behavioural observations. Eight new behaviours are described: body wiping, face wiping, jump display, leg kicking, limb lifting, mouth opening, toe flagging, and vocal sac display. of the 42 anuran species known from Nucleo Picinguaba, at least six ( approximately 14%) display visual communication. The evolution of visual signals in these species may be related to the availability of ambient light, the structural complexity of the habitat, and/or the ambient noise. They may also have evolved to aid in the location of the individual, to avoid physical combat, and/or may be a by-product of seismic communication.

Chemical communication in Apis mellifera: Temporal modulation of alarm behaviors

The effect of pheromones and their chemical analogues in honeybee alarm behaviors was studied in observation boxes. Defensive behaviors, as follows: a) attraction to scent source, b) elevation of wings in 'V', c) abdomen elevation, d) abdomen elevation and pumping and e) first leg pair elevation had been temporarily registered when the following compounds were presented: isoamyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, n-butyl acetate, n-octyl acetate, isopentyl acetate, benzyl acetate and 2-heptanone. The results were as follows: 1. the bees elicited some characteristic behaviors when chemical alarm messages were presented, 2. agression (stinging) was not completed with any compound tested, probably because there was not a target (visual stimulus), 3. in all situations the attraction to scent source was low, 4. all the behaviors were elicited in a temporarily different way, 5. the compounds that elicited stronger responses and a greater number of the investigated behaviors were: isopentyl acetate, 2-heptanone, octyl acetate and n-octyl alcohol. In all situations, the first behavior response (and the most intense one) was the elevation and pumping the abdomen. This suggests that the chemical message was promptly recognized and then transmitted to each worker. So, the results obtained in the present work, suggest that chemical alarm messages may be recognized by different mechanisms of neural integration.

Short Communication: In vitro evaluation of the abrasiveness of acidic dentifrices.

AIM: This in vitro study evaluated the abrasiveness of acidic fluoride (F) dentifrices with different F concentrations on bovine enamel. METHODS: Enamel blocks (4.0 x 4.0 mm2, n=120) were selected according to their surface microhardness and divided into 12 groups. Slurries of dentifrices were used containing 0 (placebo), 275, 412, 550 and 1,100 ppm F (pH 4.5 or 7.0), as well as testing two commercial dentifrices (Crest, positive control, 1,100 ppm F and Colgate Baby, 500 ppm F). Enamel blocks were partially protected with an adhesive tape (control area) and then brushed by an automated toothbrushing machine (16,000 strokes). During this process, 0.4 ml of the slurries were injected every 2 mins on the enamel blocks. After toothbrushing, enamel wear was determined by profilometry. STATISTICS: Results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (p<0.05). RESULTS: The mean values for pH in the suspensions during treatment were 6.93, 4.32, 7.56 and 8.19 for neutral experimental dentifrices, acidic experimental dentifrices, Crest and Colgate baby, respectively. The abrasiveness of the acidic dentifrices was similar (p<0.05) to the neutral ones, whereas commercial dentifrices yielded lower abrasion (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that a reduction of the pH of dentifrices does not increase their abrasiveness.

Managing environmental training in organizations: Theoretical review and proposal of a model

Purpose: The aim of this work is to address the issue of environmental training in organizations, presenting a theoretical review on the subject and proposing a model that highlights the importance of this type of training for organizations. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a thorough, updated literature review, discusses typology and the best practices of environmental training, and presents a framework integrating environmental training and organizational results. Findings: A careful consideration allows identifying a significant theoretical gap related to the lack of theoretical references, best practices, and an alignment between environmental training and organizational results. To overcome this gap, a model was proposed that helps to manage the environmental training process in organizations. Research limitations/implications: The paper needs to be complemented with empirical research on the topic. Originality/value: Environmental training is considered to be an essential element for organizations seeking to mitigate their environmental impacts. ISO 14001 states that environmental management is a duty of certified organizations. However, there have been few published articles that suggest models and insights to improve the environmental training in organizations. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Alcohol Impairs Predation Risk Response and Communication in Zebrafish

The effects of ethanol exposure on Danio rerio have been studied from the perspectives of developmental biology and behavior. However, little is known about the effects of ethanol on the prey-predator relationship and chemical communication of predation risk. Here, we showed that visual contact with a predator triggers stress axis activation in zebrafish. We also observed a typical stress response in zebrafish receiving water from these conspecifics, indicating that these fish chemically communicate predation risk. Our work is the first to demonstrate how alcohol effects this prey-predator interaction. We showed for the first time that alcohol exposure completely blocks stress axis activation in both fish seeing the predator and in fish that come in indirect contact with a predator by receiving water from these conspecifics. Together with other research results and with the translational relevance of this fish species, our data points to zebrafish as a promising animal model to study human alcoholism. © 2013 Oliveira et al.

Cadmium stress antioxidant responses and root-to-shoot communication in grafted tomato plants

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

The affective-emotional communication in shoppingscapes: case study

Shoppingscapes on urban roads, such as streets and avenues, require study and more specific attention. You must be aware of the emotional communication, an important factor with regard to the influence on the perception and acquisition process by the observer. Reaching the consumer cognitively, arousing emotion and desire to want to have the observed object is one of the goals of emotional communication, and that only happens with the proper use of elements of perception. This paper aims to highlight the need for interdisciplinary design and architecture, especially in the case of shoppingscapes in open spaces that sell fashion items. The case study raises a reflection on the elements of perception in the windows as to whether they are being clearly communicated. It also discusses how the same are interfering or being interfered by the shoppingscapes of Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon.