Distribuição de mercúrio total como indicador de poluição urbana e industrial na costa brasileira

The monitoring of the pollution status of the Brazilian coast is hampered by the lack of a consistent environmental indicator. We propose Hg as an environmental proxy to anthropogenic pollution of coastal regions due to its absence in the Brazilian geology, its ubiquity in anthropogenic effluents, and its toxicity. Available data suggest Hg "backgrounds" in coastal sediments of 1-10 ng g-1, in the East and 15-30 ng g-1 in the South. We suggest short sediment cores to establish these values estimating a geo-accumulation index to compare all areas. The distribution of index values showed the majority of southern coast at least moderately contaminated whereas many eastern areas are still pristine.

Enriquecimiento, disponibilidad y contaminación de metales traza (Cd, Cu, Pb y Zn) en sedimentos de lagunas urbanas de Concepción-Chile

Trace metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) enrichment, availability and contamination in superficial sediments of three interconnected urban lagoons localized in Concepción-Chile, were evaluated. According to the results of geochemical fracctionation analysis, Cu and Pb are rather associated with oxi-hydroxides, Cd is associated with exchangeable and carbonates fraction, while Zn is mainly associated with organic, oxi-hydroxides and residual fraction. The estimation of the availability percentages indicate that Cu is the most mobile metal and the less mobile is the Cd. An evaluation of the geo-accumulation index and urban industrial pollution allowed to classify the studied zone as moderately to highly contaminated.

Meta-estética e ética francesa do sentido (Derrida, Deleuze, Serres, Nancy)

"Meta-estética e ética francesa do sentido" é uma análise de alguns conceitos formadores do chamado "pós-estruturalismo" e de certos aspectos de sua seqüência histórica. Através de fontes textuais de pensadores que ocupam um momento significativo da produção filosófica internacional, com Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze, Michel Serres e Jean-Luc Nancy, dos anos sessenta até os noventa, o texto coloca em perspectiva conceitos nevrálgicos e estratégicos ressituados nas suas implicações críticas. A manifestação das convergências ligando os pensamentos desses quatro filósofos permite ressaltar os bastidores especulativos de uma "condição poética do pensamento" (Alain Badiou) delineando os contornos de uma meta-estética do sentido que é ao mesmo tempo uma ética. Essa fusão, bem sintetizada na fórmula de Michel Serres, que diz que "a moral é a física", é determinada pelas elaborações, as experimentações e as conquistas realizadas na filosofia derridiana da desconstrução, na filosofia deleuziana do conceito, na filosofia serresiana da física e na filosofia nancyana da arealidade. Os processos em jogo nesses sistemas tentam descobrir nos estratos aporéticos do pensamento as chances de induzir uma cosmologia paradoxal e inaudita.

Hydrographic and hydrogeological basin of Entre-Ribeiros: probable recharge zone delimitation and environmental impact assessment

The probable recharge zone delimitation of Entre-Ribeiros Basin (Northwest of the state of Minas Gerais / Brazil) is proposed in this study. The delimitation is based upon stratigraphy, geomorphology, geo-environmental domains and hydrogeology studies. Combining the recharge zone map with the land use variation between 1975 and 2008, the occupation trends of possible recharge zones are identified. Concluding, the environmental impacts for this basin are discussed.

Floristic and structural variation of weeds in eucalyptus plantations as influenced by relief and time of year

The objective of this work was to analyze the floristic variation and phytosociological structure of weeds as influenced by relief and time of year in eucalyptus plantations in Santana do Paraíso and Guanhães - MG. The total area sampled for each locality was approximately 10 ± 3 hectares, comprising three types of relief: lowland, slope, and upper area. In each type of relief, 10 plots of 1 m² were sampled, corresponding to 30 plots per locality, where they were randomly allocated in a zigzag. The taxonomic identification was performed in four assessments, corresponding to the months of November and March, comprising two ratings each season, always at the same points, and geo-referenced using the Global Positioning System (GPS). A total of 3,893 individuals, 18 families and 61 species, were identified in Santana do Paraiso and a total of 1,166 individuals, 13 families and 58 species, in Guanhães. In both localities, the most representative families in terms of wealth were: Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. Galinsoga parviflora was the most abundant species. The Vernonia polyantes was identified only in the lowlands, while Arrabida florida was identified in the slope and upper area. On the other hand, Emilia coccinea, Sida rhombifolia, S. paniculatum and Spermacoce latifolia were common to all three environments. Commelina benghalensis was present only in the month of March, while G. parviflora was present only in the month of November. It was concluded that the floristic and phytosociological variation of weeds in eucalyptus plantations is influenced by the type of relief and time of year, which should guide the management practices used in the culture.

Infestation maps and spatial stability of main weed species in maize culture

A study on the spatial distribution of the major weeds in maize was carried out in 2007 and 2008 in a field located in Golegã (Ribatejo region, Portugal). The geo-referenced sampling focused on 150 points of a 10 x 10 m mesh covering an area of 1.5 ha, before herbicide application and before harvest. In the first year, 40 species (21 botanical families) were identified at seedling stage and only 22 during the last observation. The difference in species richness can be attributed to maize monoculture favouring reduction in species number. Three of the most representative species were selected for the spatial distribution analysis: Solanum nigrum, Chenopodium album and Echinochloa crus-galli. The three species showed an aggregated spatial pattern and spatial stability over both years, although the herbicide effect is evident in the distribution of some of them in the space. These results could be taken into account when planning site-specific treatments in maize.

Bioinformatics analysis of biomarkers and transcriptional factor motifs in Down syndrome

In this study, biomarkers and transcriptional factor motifs were identified in order to investigate the etiology and phenotypic severity of Down syndrome. GSE 1281, GSE 1611, and GSE 5390 were downloaded from the gene expression ominibus (GEO). A robust multiarray analysis (RMA) algorithm was applied to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In order to screen for biological pathways and to interrogate the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database, the database for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery (DAVID) was used to carry out a gene ontology (GO) function enrichment for DEGs. Finally, a transcriptional regulatory network was constructed, and a hypergeometric distribution test was applied to select for significantly enriched transcriptional factor motifs. CBR1, DYRK1A, HMGN1, ITSN1, RCAN1, SON, TMEM50B, and TTC3 were each up-regulated two-fold in Down syndrome samples compared to normal samples; of these, SON and TTC3 were newly reported. CBR1, DYRK1A, HMGN1, ITSN1, RCAN1, SON, TMEM50B, and TTC3 were located on human chromosome 21 (mouse chromosome 16). The DEGs were significantly enriched in macromolecular complex subunit organization and focal adhesion pathways. Eleven significantly enriched transcription factor motifs (PAX5, EGR1, XBP1, SREBP1, OLF1, MZF1, NFY, NFKAPPAB, MYCMAX, NFE2, and RP58) were identified. The DEGs and transcription factor motifs identified in our study provide biomarkers for the understanding of Down syndrome pathogenesis and progression.

A internacionalização das empresas espanholas

The internationalization of Spanish companies. The purpose of this article is to present the process of (late) internationalization of Spanish companies occurred between the years of 1990 and 2000, its determinants and the degree of involvement of the State in this process. We can point out some determinants in this process, such as: a fall in the profitability of the domestic market, a shrinking of the Spanish market, imminent danger of the acquisition of Spanish companies in the local market due to trade and financial openness. We conclude that this process was not fortuitous. There was a clear perception by the government that this process would not only be relevant but also necessary for the entrance of Spain in the international economic and geo-political set.