The Development of Dalton`s Atomic Theory as a Case Study in the History of Science: Reflections for Educators in Chemistry

The inclusion of the history of science in science curricula-and specially, in the curricula of science teachers-is a trend that has been followed in several countries. The reasons advanced for the study of the history of science are manifold. This paper presents a case study in the history of chemistry, on the early developments of John Dalton`s atomic theory. Based on the case study, several questions that are worth discussing in educational contexts are pointed out. It is argued that the kind of history of science that was made in the first decades of the twentieth century (encyclopaedic, continuist, essentially anachronistic) is not appropriate for the development of the competences that are expected from the students of sciences in the present. Science teaching for current days will benefit from the approach that may be termed the ""new historiography of science"".

Past and future of the bankruptcy law in Brazil and Latin America

This paper studies the Bankruptcy Law in Latin America, focusing on the Brazilian reform. We start with a review of the international literature and its evolution on this subject. Next, we examine the economic incentives associated with several aspects of bankruptcy laws and insolvency procedures in general, as well as the trade-offs involved. After this theoretical discussion, we evaluate empirically the current stage of the quality of insolvency procedures in Latin America using data from Doing Business and World Development Indicators, both from World Bank and International Financial Statistics from IMF. We find that the region is governed by an inefficient law, even when compared with regions of lower per capita income. As theoretical and econometric models predict, this inefficiency has severe consequences for credit markets and the cost of capital. Next, we focus on the recent Brazilian bankruptcy reform, analyzing its main changes and possible effects over the economic environment. The appendix describes difficulties of this process of reform in Brazil, and what other Latin American countries can possibly learn from it.

The value of local partners in Brazil: the effects of ownership clusters and business group membership on firm value in emerging markets

Este estudo analisa como a classe de acionistas afeta o valor das empresas brasileiras listadas na bolsa de valores no ponto de vista da governan��a corporativa. O trabalho examina a intera����o entre o valor das empresas e cinco tipos de concentra����es acion��rias comumente presente em mercados emergentes: fam��lias, agentes p��blicos, investidores estrangeiros, executivos e investidores financeiros nacionais. A an��lise emp��rica demonstra que o mix e a concentra����o de participa����o acion��ria afeta significativamente o valor das empresas. Utilizando uma compila����o ��nica de dados em painel de 2004 a 2008, a presente pesquisa tamb��m desenvolve hip��teses sobre o efeito da participa����o em grupos econ��micos para o valor das empresas. A investiga����o encontra evid��ncias de que, apesar de sua import��ncia para o desenvolvimento de empresas brasileiras, o capital familiar, institui����es p��blicas, e investidores estrangeiros est��o cedendo lugar a monitores mais especializados e menos concentrados, como executivos e institui����es financeiras nacionais. Estes resultados indicam que a governan��a corporativa no Brasil pode estar alcan��ando n��veis de maturidade mais elevados. Adicionalmente, apesar de n��o haver indica����o da exist��ncia de correla����o entre a participa����o em grupos econ��micos e o valor das empresas, os resultados indicam que a presen��a de um tipo espec��fico de acionista em uma empresa do grupo facilita investimentos futuros desta classe de acionista em outras empresas do mesmo grupo, sinalizando que os interesses acion��rios s��o provavelmente perpetuados dentro de uma mesma rede de empresas. Finalmente, a pesquisa demonstra que enquanto o capital familiar prefere investir em empresas com ativa mobilidade do capital, investidores internacionais e institui����es p��blicas procuram investimentos em equity com menor mobilidade de capital, o que lhes garante mais transpar��ncia com rela����o ao uso dos recursos e fundos das empresas.

International civil society actors in Genetically Modificied Organisms as a field of struggle: a neo-gramscian study in Brazil and the United Kingdom

Since the international financial and food crisis that started in 2008, strong emphasis has been made on the importance of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (or ���transgenics���) under the claim that they could contribute to increase food productivity at a global level, as the world population is predicted to reach 9.1 billion in the year 2050 and food demand is predicted to increase by as much as 50% by 2030. GMOs are now at the forefront of the debates and struggles of different actors. Within civil society actors, it is possible to observe multiple, and sometime, conflicting roles. The role of international social movements and international NGOs in the GMO field of struggle is increasingly relevant. However, while many of these international civil society actors oppose this type of technological developments (alleging, for instance, environmental, health and even social harms), others have been reportedly cooperating with multinational corporations, retailers, and the biotechnology industry to promote GMOs. In this thesis research, I focus on analysing the role of ���international civil society��� in the GMO field of struggle by asking: ���what are the organizing strategies of international civil society actors, such as NGOs and social movements, in GMO governance as a field of struggle?��� To do so, I adopt a neo-Gramscian discourse approach based on the studies of Laclau and Mouffe. This theoretical approach affirms that in a particular hegemonic regime there are contingent alliances and forces that overpass the spheres of the state and the economy, while civil society actors can be seen as a ���glue��� to the way hegemony functions. Civil society is then the site where hegemony is consented, reproduced, sustained, channelled, but also where counter-hegemonic and emancipatory forces can emerge. Considering the importance of civil society actors in the construction of hegemony, I also discuss some important theories around them. The research combines, on the one hand, 36 in-depth interviews with a range of key civil society actors and scientists representing the GMO field of struggle in Brazil (19) and the UK (17), and, on the other hand, direct observations of two events: Rio+20 in Rio de Janeiro in 2012, and the first March Against Monsanto in London in 2013. A brief overview of the GMO field of struggle, from its beginning and especially focusing in the 1990s when the process of hegemonic formation became clearer, serves as the basis to map who are the main actors in this field, how resource mobilization works, how political opportunities (���historical contingencies���) are discovered and exploited, which are the main discourses (���science��� and ���sustainability��� - articulated by ���biodiversity preservation���, ���food security��� and ���ecological agriculture���) articulated among the actors to construct a collective identity in order to attract new potential allies around ���GMOs��� (���nodal point���), and which are the institutions and international regulations within these processes that enable hegemony to emerge in meaningful and durable hegemonic links. This mapping indicates that that the main strategies applied by the international civil society actors are influenced by two central historical contingencies in the GMO field of struggle: 1) First Multi-stakeholder Historical Contingency; and 2) ���Supposed��� Hegemony Stability. These two types of historical contingency in the GMO field of struggle encompass deeper hegemonic articulations and, because of that, they induce international civil society actors to rethink the way they articulate and position themselves within the field. Therefore, depending on one of those moments, they will apply one specific strategy of discourse articulation, such as: introducing a new discourse in hegemony articulation to capture the attention of the public and of institutions; endorsing new plural demands; increasing collective visibility; facilitating material articulations; sharing a common enemy identity; or spreading new ideological elements among the actors in the field of struggle.

Using geostatistical analysis to evaluate the presence of Rotylenchulus reniformis in cotton crops in Brazil: Economic implications

In recent years, the productivity of cotton in Brazil has been progressively decreasing, often the result of the reniform nematode Rotylenchulus reniformis. This species call reduce crop productivity by up to 40%. Nematodes can be controlled by nematicides but, because of expense and toxicity, application of nematicides to large crop areas may be undesirable. In this Work. a methodology using geostatistics for quantifying the risk of nematicide application to small crop areas is proposed. This risk, in economic terms, can be compared to nematicide cost to develop an optimal strategy for Precision Farming, Soil (300 cm(3)) was sampled in a regular network from a R. reniformis-infested area that was a cotton monoculture for 20 years. The number of nematodes in each sample was counted. The nematode number per volume of soil was characterized using geostatistics, and 100 conditional simulations were conducted. Based on the simulations, risk maps were plotted showing the areas where nematicide should be applied in a Precision Farming context. The methodology developed can be applied to farming in countries that ale highly dependent on agriculture, with useful economic implications.

Genetic structure of populations of Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group-1 IA from soybean in Brazil

The Basidiomycete fungus Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group (AG)-1 IA is a major pathogen of soybean in Brazil, where the average yield losses have reached 30 to 60% in some states in Northern Brazil. No information is currently available concerning levels of genetic diversity and population structure for this pathogen in Brazil. A total of 232 isolates of R. solani AG1 IA were collected from five soybean fields in the most important soybean production areas in central-western, northern, and northeastern Brazil. These isolates were genotyped using 10 microsatellite loci. Most of the multilocus genotypes (MLGTs) were site-specific, with few MLGTs shared among populations. Significant population subdivision was evident. High levels of admixture were observed for populations from Mato Grosso and Tocantins. After removing admixed genotypes, three out of five field populations (Maranhao, Mato Grosso, and Tocantins), were in Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium, consistent with sexual recombination. HW and gametic disequilibrium were found for the remaining soybean-infecting populations. The findings of low genotypic diversity, departures from HW equilibrium, gametic disequilibrium, and high degree of population subdivision in these R. solani AG-1 IA populations from Brazil are consistent with predominantly asexual reproduction, short-distance dispersal of vegetative propagules (mycelium or sclerotia), and limited long-distance dispersal, possibly via contaminated seed. None of the soybean-infecting populations showed a reduction in population size (bottleneck effect). We detected asymmetric historical migration among the soybean-infecting populations, which could explain the observed levels of subdivision.

Biology of Isopisthus parvipinnis: an abundant sciaenid species captured bycatch during sea-bob shrimp fishery in Brazil

A pesca de arrasto �� o m��todo mais comum de captura de camar��o. Esta t��cnica causa impactos negativos na fauna demersal devido ao grande n��mero de animais que s��o capturados acidentalmente e que geralmente s��o devolvidos mortos ao mar. As conseq����ncias desta metodologia de pesca e os aspectos biol��gicos das esp��cies envolvidas s��o pouco estudados, especialmente no Nordeste do Brasil. Este estudo tem como objetivo mostrar aspectos biol��gicos de Isopisthus parvipinnis (tortinha) capturada como fauna acompanhante da pesca do camar��o sete barbas (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) na regi��o de Ilh��us, no estado da Bahia, Brasil. Um total de 1290 indiv��duos foram capturados em coletas mensais, em tr��s pontos de coleta distintos, de mar��o de 2003 a fevereiro de 2005. O ��ndice de dispers��o de Morisita padronizado sugere que a esp��cie, na ��rea analisada, apresenta uma distribui����o agregada. O n��mero de indiv��duos variou significativamente entre as esta����es do ano (p < 0,0001), sendo maior durante o inverno. O comprimento estimado de primeira matura����o (L50) foi de 159 mm, sendo que 95% dos indiv��duos capturados estavam abaixo deste valor. A raz��o sexual encontrada foi de 1,5 machos para cada f��mea. Quanto �� dieta, foram identificadas 10 categorias alimentares, sendo que Decapoda Dendobranchiata foi a mais importante em freq����ncia num��rica e de ocorr��ncia. Este fato sugere que Isopisthus parvipinnis �� uma esp��cie carn��vora, com tend��ncia a carcinofagia, ao menos nos indiv��duos jovens.

Mites (Arachnida, Acari) on Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck orange trees in the state of Amazonas, Northern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient��fico e Tecnol��gico (CNPq)

THE SECTION SIRODOTIA OF BATRACHOSPERMUM (RHODOPHYTA, BATRACHOSPERMACEAE) IN BRAZIL

The taxonomy, distribution and ecology of Section Sirodotia of Batrachospermum in Brazil is studied. Only one species, B. delicatulum (SKUJA) NECCHI & ENTWISLE, was recognized. This species presents a wide range of morphological features, occurs in a number of distinct habitats and environmental conditions and is widely distributed in Brazil. A full account of the species taxonomy is given and the synonyMy of B. ateleium comb. nov. SKUJA is confirmed. Two growth forms (dense and open) were found in the Brazilian specimens, but they were not treated as different taxa because a continuous range was observed between them. Two morphological features were proposed for species delineation: early development of gonimoblast and presence of specialized spermatangial branches. Three distinct groups of Sirodotia species can be recognized on the basis of these criterions: B. delicatulum (gonimoblast initial arises from a semiglobular protuberance of the carpogonium), B. suecicalum KYLIN (gonimoblast initial arises from the non-protuberant side of the carpogonium) and B. segawae KUMANO and B. yutakae KUMANO (with specialized spermatangial branches).

Evaluation of race distance, track surface and season of the year on exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in flat racing Thoroughbreds in Brazil

Reasons for performing study: To our knowledge no studies evaluating risk factors to EIPH have been undertaken with such a population of horses in Brazil, which is one of the few countries in the racing community to accept the use of frusemide (FUR) as a prerace medication for bleeders. We also compared national results with those already in the literature. Objectives: To verify the influence of variables such as distance of the race, racetrack surface, going and season of the year in the recurrence and severity of EIPH and its effect on the finishing position of flat racing Thoroughbreds in Brazil. Methods: 2118 post race respiratory endoscopies were recorded, in a total of 1003 individual horses. All horses in the study were certified bleeders (deemed positive by registered veterinarians following one or more endoscopies) and were administered FUR prior to each race. Data was analysed using both ordinary logistic regression and multiple logistic regression. Results: The results suggest that race distance, season of the year and racetrack surface affect the recurrence of EIPH. Also, despite the use of FUR, the majority (62%) of horses continued to display some degree of haemorrhage. Conclusions: There was a tendency for horses that remained positive despite the use of FUR to finish unplaced in a race. Horses which had a significant reduction in bleeding and became HPIE negative after the use of FUR, tended to finish in top positions. It was not possible to determine a pattern of severity of EIPH in horses with more than one endoscopy. Further studies are required to improve our understanding of this syndrome and its correlations to performance in the racing Thoroughbred, together with the role of FUR and its possible enhancing performance effects and efficacy in consistently diminishing EIPH. Potential relevance: This study enabled a better understanding of the use of FUR in Brazilian Thoroughbred racehorses and showed there was a tendency towards improvement in performance after administrion of FUR in bleeders. The fact that a large number of horses remained positive for EIPH despite the use of FUR should encourage the scientific community to search for better ways of reducing, or preventing, this syndrome. �� 2006 EVJ Ltd.

Molecular Identification of Nocardia Isolates from Clinical Samples and an Overview of Human Nocardiosis in Brazil

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Investigation of tick vectors of Hepatozoon canis in Brazil

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphological and molecular evidence for the occurrence of three Hippocampus species (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) in Brazil

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

First genome sequence of St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) isolated from a human in Brazil

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

Genomic alterations in patients showing multiple primary tumors and family history of cancer

Multiple primary tumors (MPT) are a major cause of mortality and morbidity among patients that have survived after the treatment of a first cancer. It has been proposed that after the first primary tumor, high risk of a subsequent tumor could be associated with radiotherapy used as treatment for the first cancer. Other potential risk factors include unhealthy lifestyle, genetic predisposition, aging, environmental determinants or an interaction between these factors. However, an association between the presence of MPT and family history of cancer in cases without clinical and molecular evidence of a known hereditary cancer syndrome is rarely described. Genomic DNA from 12 patients with at least two primary tumors and without mutations on TP53 was evaluated by CytoScan HD Array (Affymetrix). Chromosome Analysis Suite (ChAS) software v.2.0.1 was used considering at least 50 markers for gains; 25 for losses and a minimum of 5Mb for cnLOHs. Data from 1038 phenotypically healthy individuals (Affymetrix) and from Database of Genomic Variants were used as reference. Only alterations found in <1% (rare) or never described (new rare) in the reference population were considered. All cases, except one, presented a family history of cancer. Five cases developed MTP after radiotherapy and only one was located in the same treated area. It was detected 67 rare and 15 new rare genomic alterations encompassing 5.906 genes: 17 losses, 29 gains, and 36 cnLOH. X chromosome presented the higher number of alterations. Two patients with breast cancer presented a large deletion/cnLOH on 7q21. Enrichment analysis revealed 1275 genes associated with breast cancer (p= 0.001), which was diagnosed in 6 patients and their family members (all negative for BRCA1/2 or TP53 mutations). cnLOHs accounted for 44% of all the alterations. A significant proportion of cases (11/12) presented family history of cancer and the patients were not submitted to radiotherapy (7/12). We demonstrated the presence of rare genomic alterations in patients with MPT suggesting their involvement in the MPT development. cnLOH may arise as a new mechanism associated with the risk to develop MPT. All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.