Hollows of a science of consciousness?

I consider Nixon’s essay a well thought discussion of the possibility of a genuine science of consciousness. Most of the sections are worth discussing, but to find the main message it may be necessary to read between the lines. The good news is that he does not present true impossibilities for this science, but his discussion leads to the (sound) conclusion that it would have to account for many unconscious factors that make us creative and human.

Análise multivariada e variabilidade espacial na estimativa da erodibilidade de um argissolo vermelho-amarelo

A erodibilidade é um fator de extrema importância na caracterização da perda de solo, representando os processos que regulam a infiltração de água e sua resistência à desagregação e o transporte de partículas. Assim, por meio da análise de dependência espacial dos componentes principais da erodibilidade (fator K), objetivou-se estimar a erodibilidade do solo em uma área de nascentes da microbacia do Córrego do Tijuco, Monte Alto-SP, e analisar a variabilidade espacial das variáveis granulométricas do solo ao longo do relevo. A erodibilidade média da área foi considerada alta, e a análise de agrupamento k-means apontou para uma formação de cinco grupos: no primeiro, os altos teores de areia grossa (AG) e média (AM) condicionaram sua distribuição nas áreas planas; o segundo, caracterizado pelo alto teor de areia fina (AF), distribui-se nos declives mais convexos; o terceiro, com altos teores de silte e areia muito fina (AMF), concentrou-se nos maiores declives e concavidades; o quarto, com maior teor de argila, seguiu as zonas de escoamento de água; e o quinto, com alto teor de matéria orgânica (MO) e areia grossa (AG), distribui-se nas proximidades da zona urbana. A análise de componentes principais (ACP) mostrou quatro componentes com 87,4 % das informações, sendo o primeiro componente principal (CP1) discriminado pelo transporte seletivo de partículas principalmente em zonas pontuais de maior declividade e acúmulo de sedimentos; o segundo (CP2), discriminado pela baixa coesão entre as partículas, mostra acúmulo da areia fina nas áreas de menor cota em toda a área de concentração de água; o terceiro (CP3), discriminado pela maior agregação do solo, concentra-se principalmente nas bases de grandes declives; e o quarto (CP4), discriminado pela areia muito fina, distribui-se ao longo das declividades nas maiores altitudes. Os resultados sugerem o comportamento granulométrico do solo, que se mostra suscetível ao processo erosivo devido às condições texturais superficiais e à movimentação do relevo.

Conservation puzzle: Endangered hyacinth macaw depends on its nest predator for reproduction

In the Pantanal wetlands of Central Brazil, the endangered hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), the largest psitacid in the world, makes its nest almost exclusively in natural hollows found in the manduvi tree (Sterculia apetala). The recruitment of manduvis greatly depends on the seed dispersal services provided by the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), responsible for 83.3% of the seed dispersal. The toco toucan, however, is responsible for about 53% of the preyed eggs, resulting in a case of conflicting ecological pressures in which the reproduction of the hyacinth macaw is indirectly dependent on the seed dispersal services of its nest predator. The case illustrates the intricacies of biotic interactions in species-rich environments where species may be tied by indirect, subtle ecological links which conservationists should be aware of. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mast cells in the developing avian eye

Mast cells are present in the eye of Gallus domesticus, appearing in the anterior uvea in embryos at stage 39 HH (13th day). In hatching and adult birds, they are present in the sclera, uvea, pectinate Ligament, and conjunctiva. Mast cells are absent in the cornea, retina, and pecten oculi.Maturing mast cells in the anterior eye segment appear as round cells having eccentric nuclei and a few cytoplasmic metachromatic granules, whose fluorescence increases during development. Mature cells are more numerous in late development, and their cytoplasm is rich in metachromatic and intensely fluorescent granules. Ultrastructurally, maturing mast cells display progranules and a few electron dense and homogeneous granules on one side of the cell. Mast cells of adult birds possess homogeneous cytoplasmic granules, some of which display protuberances that penetrate hollows of adjoining granules. Heterogeneous granules exhibiting latticed and mottled patterns are also present. The existence of mast cells in the anterior eye segment indicates that these cells might perform a physiological role during development and in aqueous humor outflow. They might modulate exchanges between blood and aqueous humor through chemical mediators present in their granules. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Análise morfoestratigráfica da Bacia do Ribeirão dos Poncianos - MG

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito da compactação do solo e do conteúdo de água nas características agronômicas de soja e arroz de sequeiro

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

Tree cavities used as diurnal roosts by Neotropical bats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Aspectos da biologia reprodutiva da arara-azul Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus (Latham, 1790) no mosaico Carajás-PA

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) - IBB

Cryptococcus: isolamento ambiental e caracterização bioquímica

Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus yeasts, especially C. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The fungus is found in substrates of animal and vegetable origin, and infection occurs through inhalation and seedlings present in the environment. The present study aimed to investigate the existence of microfocus Cryptococcus sp. from the environmental samples of Araçatuba city, São Paulo, featuring new niches, by decoupling the direct relationship between fungus and host in order to minimize the risk of contamination of man and animals, understanding the ecoepidemiology of Cryptococcus. Fifty samples from hollows and tree trunks were harvested (Cassia sp., Ficus sp., Caesalpinea peltophorides) from ten representatives in the urban perimeter. The samples were immediately sent to the Laboratory of Bacteriology and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Araçatuba - Unesp where they were processed and plated on Petri dishes containing agar seed Niger and Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol, incubated at 30ºC for a period of no less than 5 days. Afterwards they were subimitted to biochemical tests: urease production, thermotolerance at 37°C and quimiotipagem in CGB agar (L- Canavanine-Glycine-Bromothymol blue). The results showed that 17 (34%) cultures were positive for Cryptococcus, 9 (18%) for Cryptococcus gattii and 8 (16%) for Cryptococcus neoformans. Other yeast correlated as Rhodotorula sp. and Candida sp. were isolated. We conclude that the infectious propagules of Cryptococcus are dispersed in nature and constitute an environmental microfocus, not necessarily being bound to a single host.