Documenting the advantages and limitations of different classes of molecular markers in a well-established phylogeographic context: lessons from the Iberian endemic Golden-striped salamander, Chioglossa lusitanica (Caudata: Salamandridae)

Previous analyses of mitochondrial (mt)DNA and allozymes covering the range of the Iberian endemic golden-striped salamander, Chioglossa lusitanica, suggested a Pleistocene split of the historical species distribution into two population units (north and south of the Mondego river), postglacial expansion into the northernmost extant range, and secondary contact with neutral diffusion of genes close to the Mondego river. We extended analysis of molecular variation over the species range using seven microsatellite loci and the nuclear P-fibrinogen intron 7 (beta-fibint7). Both microsatellites and beta-fibint7 showed moderate to high levels of population structure, concordant with patterns detected with mtDNA and allozymes; and a general pattern of isolation-by-distance, contrasting the marked differentiation of two population groups suggested by mtDNA and allozymes. Bayesian multilocus analyses showed contrasting results as populations north and south of the Douro river were clearly differentiated based on microsatellites, whereas allozymes revealed differentiation north and south of the Mondego river. Additionally, decreased microsatellite variability in the north supported the hypothesis of postglacial colonization of this region. The well-documented evolutionary history of C. lusitanica, provides an excellent framework within which the advantages and limitations of different classes of markers can be evaluated in defining patterns of population substructure and inferring evolutionary processes across distinct spatio-temporal scales. The present study serves as a cautionary note for investigations that rely on a single type of molecular marker, especially when the organism under study exhibits a widespread distribution and complex natural history. (C) 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95, 371-387.

Power law distribution in education: University entrance examination

We studied the statistical distribution of candidate's performance which is measured through their marks in university entrance examination (Vestibular) of UNESP (Universidade Estadual Paulista) for years 1998, 1999, and 2000. All students are divided in three groups: Physical, Biological and Humanities. We paid special attention to the examination of Portuguese language which is common for all and examinations for the particular area. We observed long ubiquitous power law tails in Physical and Biological sciences. This indicate the presence of strong positive feedback in sciences. We are able to explain completely these statistical distributions through Gradually Truncated Power law distributions which we developed recently to explain statistical behavior of financial market. The statistical distribution in case of Portuguese language and humanities is close to normal distribution. We discuss the possible reason for this peculiar behavior.

O agenciamento das origens, a antigüidade e o anti-absolutismo no século XVIII

Pós-graduação em História - FCHS

Um parágrafo de história na literatura francesa: a representação do Caso Dreyfus em L'Île des pingouins, de Anatole France

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Alegorias da totalidade: as relações entre ciência e poesia em A máquina do mundo repensada, de Haroldo de Campos

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

Ancient Dispersal of the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon Rainforest

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause of several additional case clusters at localities outside of the tropical and subtropical climate zones where the species normally occurs. In every case, the causative agent belongs to a previously rare genotype of C. gattii called AFLP6/VGII, but the origin of the outbreak clades remains enigmatic. Here we used phylogenetic and recombination analyses, based on AFLP and multiple MLST datasets, and coalescence gene genealogy to demonstrate that these outbreaks have arisen from a highly-recombining C. gattii population in the native rainforest of Northern Brazil. Thus the modern virulent C. gattii AFLP6/VGII outbreak lineages derived from mating events in South America and then dispersed to temperate regions where they cause serious infections in humans and animals.

Ziembinski – o encenador dos tempos modernos: a construção de uma trajetória na crítica de Décio de Almeida Prado (1950-1959)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Identidades secretas: representações do negro nas Histórias em quadrinhos norte-americanas

Pós-graduação em Comunicação - FAAC

Entre o discurso e a prática: implementação do currículo de História no programa educacional São Paulo faz escola

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

A continuidade contemporânea do pensamento de Georg Simmel: a compreensão da dinâmica conflitiva e dos fluxos nos processos de individualização na primeira modernidade e suas consequências sócio-culturais na modernidade reflexiva de Ulrich Beck

This thesis attempts to comprehend, through the work of Georg Simmel and Ulrich Beck, two distinct phases of modernity through the concept of individualism and individualization processes arising therefrom. A substantial formulation of the concept that remits to the conceptual transposition unscathed from one reality to another is not the main focus of this study. This is about, in advance, two distinct realities, conceptual and comparative examination that aims to weave the points pertaining to echoes - internalized and modified according to the complexity of the historical premises - the thought of Simmel in theoretical perspective of Beck. The forms can be characterized as individualism according to the socio-philosophical mores of Simmel in the intention to understand the forms assumed by individualism in modern history, as well as the derived individualization processes sustained by individual law. Therewith, is intended to transpose the optical analysis of contemporary Ulrich Beck and reap, through conceptual analysis, the points that refer to the influence and continuity of thought of Georg Simmel

Exploration of the parameter space in an agent-based model of tuberculosis spread: emergence of drug resistance in developing vs developed countries

In this work we present an agent-based model for the spread of tuberculosis where the individuals can be infected with either drug-susceptible or drug-resistant strains and can also receive a treatment. The dynamics of the model and the role of each one of the parameters are explained. The whole set of parameters is explored to check their importance in the numerical simulation results. The model captures the beneficial impact of the adequate treatment on the prevalence of tuberculosis. Nevertheless, depending on the treatment parameters range, it also captures the emergence of drug resistance. Drug resistance emergence is particularly likely to occur for parameter values corresponding to less efficacious treatment, as usually found in developing countries.

Mean-Field critical behavior and ergodicity break in a nonequilibrium one-dimensional RSOS growth model

We investigate the nonequilibrium roughening transition of a one-dimensional restricted solid-on-solid model by directly sampling the stationary probability density of a suitable order parameter as the surface adsorption rate varies. The shapes of the probability density histograms suggest a typical Ginzburg-Landau scenario for the phase transition of the model, and estimates of the "magnetic" exponent seem to confirm its mean-field critical behavior. We also found that the flipping times between the metastable phases of the model scale exponentially with the system size, signaling the breaking of ergodicity in the thermodynamic limit. Incidentally, we discovered that a closely related model not considered before also displays a phase transition with the same critical behavior as the original model. Our results support the usefulness of off-critical histogram techniques in the investigation of nonequilibrium phase transitions. We also briefly discuss in the appendix a good and simple pseudo-random number generator used in our simulations.