Phylogenetic and evolutionary aspects of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis reveal a long coexistence with animal hosts that explain several biological features of the pathogen

The habitat of the mycelial saprobic form of Paracoccidio ides brasiliensis, which produces the infectious propagula, has not been determined and has proven difficult for mycologists to describe. The fungus has been rarely isolated from the environment, the disease has a prolonged latency period and no outbreaks have been reported. These facts have precluded the adoption of preventive measures to avoid infection. The confirmation of natural infections in nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) with P. brasiliensis, in high frequency and wide geographic distribution, has opened new avenues for the study and understanding of its ecology. Armadillos belong to the order Xenarthra, which has existed in South America ever since the Paleocene Era (65 million years ago), when the South American subcontinent was still a detached land, before the consolidation of what is now known as the American continent. on the other hand, strong molecular evidence suggests that P. brasiliensis and other dimorphic pathogenic fungi - such as Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis and Histoplasma capsulatum - belong to the family Onygenaceae sensu Into (order Onygenales, Ascomycota), which appeared around 150 million years ago.P. brasiliensis ecology and relation to its human host are probably linked to the fungal evolutionary past, especially its long coexistence with and adaptation to animal hosts other than Homo sapiens, of earlier origin. Instead of being a blind alley, the meaning of parasitism for dimorphic pathogenic fungi should be considered as an open two-way avenue, in which the fungus may return to the environment, therefore contributing to preserve its teleomorphic (sexual) and anamorphic (asexual) forms in a defined and protected natural habitat. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the parameters of the Lewis metric for the Lewis class

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A system of indicators for monitoring social cohesion in Latin America

Includes bibliography

On the bound-state spectrum of a nonrelativistic particle in the background of a short-ranged linear potential

The nonrelativistic problem of a particle immersed in a triangular potential well, set forth by N. A. Rao and B. A. Kagali, is revised. It is shown that these researchers misunderstood the full meaning of the potential and obtained a wrong quantization condition. By exploring the space inversion symmetry, this work presents the correct solution to this problem with potential applications in electronics in a simple and transparent way. © Electronic Journal of Theoretical Physics. All rights reserved.

Cytogenetic evidence for de novo synthesis of rRNA and involvement of nucleolar material in the organization of cell structures during spermiogenesis of Chariesterus armatus (Heteroptera, Coreidae).

The nucleolar material of Chariesterus armatus was analyzed during spermiogenesis in cell preparations impregnated with silver nitrate. Nucleolar corpuscles were observed in spermatids at the beginning of the process, showing that this organoid is also maintained after meiosis. In addition, nucleoli were seen in the round spermatids connected to the X-chromosome (bearer of the nucleolar organizer in C. armatus), indicating de novo synthesis of nucleolar material. This differs from the reorganization of ribosomal granules, transported from meiotic spermatocytes to round spermatids, where they would support protein synthesis, which is reported for other species. We also observed connections of nucleolar corpuscles to the nuclear membrane regions where the tail and the acrosome will be formed, suggesting close involvement of the nucleolar material in the formation of these structures. In addition to the nucleolar bodies, we detected silver-positive structures, which will require new approaches to clarify their role. One of these structures, observed in the cytoplasm, appears to correspond to the chromatoid body, which has been found in several organisms, but is still poorly understood; another is a complex structure to which the tail appears to be connected. We conclude that C. armatus is an appropriate model for understanding not only the synthesis of rRNA in the spermiogenesis, but also the functional meaning of the close relationship of nucleolar material with other structures during this process.

Sustainable development: epistemological challenges to science and technology. Report of the workshop Sustainable Development: Epistemological Challenges to Science and Technology""

Includes bibliography

The human capital endowment of Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Peircean semiotics and subject indexing: Contributions of speculative grammar and pure logic

The semiotics of C S. Peirce presents fundamental concepts to discover aspects of the indexing process, including representation and classes of signs. However, we still know little of its theoretical potential for subject indexing. We believe that the main difficulty in the proposals to understand the process of subject indexing based on Peircean semiotics stems from an incomplete interpretation of his semiotic system. This paper attempts to describe the contributions of Peircean semiotics to subject indexing. First, we analyze some of the concepts of the branches of semiotics, after which, we discuss strategies for conceptual approximation. Secondly, and aiming to raise the level of interlocution between the areas, we intend to argue that subject indexing is an inferential process, as explained by the second branch of semiotics. Thus, we seek to go beyond the level of speculative grammar, the first branch of semiotics, to forge a closer link with pure or critical logic, the second branch. We conclude that the indexer's work does not produce a mere reflection of what already exists in documents, but involves an instigating action to discover, through the inferential matrix, the meaning of a text in order to find the subject and the most appropriate subject added entry to the information system.

The modern math movement(s): an essay on how elementary school teachers in Brazil gave meaning to it

The main goal of this paper is to discuss the production of meaning of the Modern Math Movement. The main sources were data available in school archives and interviews with former teachers that we use in order to focus on the diversity of perspectives -that complement it or oppose it-, which comes up when teachers refer to the Movement. Using this process of signification, teachers whether accept it, invalidate it or adapt it to guidelines imposed to them in their teaching activities. We establish a methodology by following the premises of Oral History to gather oral testimonies. The theoretical foundations in which this article is written are the guidelines of Paul Ricoeur's Hermeneutics, John Thompson's Depth Hermeneutics and Bolivar's narrative analysis.

Interpolating scattering amplitudes between the instant form and the front form of relativistic dynamics

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Scattering Amplitudes Interpolating Between Instant Form and Front Form of Relativistic Dynamics

Among the three forms of relativistic Hamiltonian dynamics proposed by Dirac in 1949, the front form has the largest number of kinematic generators. This distinction provides useful consequences in the analysis of physical observables in hadron physics. Using the method of interpolation between the instant form and the front form, we introduce the interpolating scattering amplitude that links the corresponding time-ordered amplitudes between the two forms of dynamics and provide the physical meaning of the kinematic transformations as they allow the invariance of each individual time-ordered amplitude for an arbitrary interpolation angle. We discuss the rationale for using front form dynamics, nowadays known as light-front dynamics (LFD), and present a few explicit examples of hadron phenomenology that LFD uniquely can offer from first-principles quantum chromodynamics. In particular, model-independent constraints are provided for the analyses of deuteron form factors and the N Delta transition form factors at large momentum transfer squared Q(2). The swap of helicity amplitudes between the collinear and non-collinear kinematics is also discussed in deeply virtual Compton scattering.

The Grounding of Regional Integration for Brazil: Universalism, Sovereignty and Elite Perception

The aim of this article is to analyse the meaning of Mercosur for Brazilian foreign policy. To this end, we discuss the perceptions of the Brazilian elites concerning the regional integration process. The defence of the principle of inter-governmentalism is related to the conception of Mercosur's place within Brazil's international relations. The fact that principles such as universalism and sovereignty are very highly valued ends up affecting the deepening of the integration. The hypothesis of this article is that the Mercosur structure is in line with the perceptions of part of the Brazilian elites, which has put less emphasis on integration since the late 1990s. Our argument is that the current structure is insufficient to guarantee the dynamics of integration.

The perspective of the teaching of arts projected by H. Gardner and the National Syllabus Parameters - (arts) of elementary school

In a concise way, the article reports part of the Master of Arts dissertation in Music entitled The meaning of the teaching of Arts in H. Gardner's perspective, presented in the IAUNESP [Arts Institute-State of Sao Paulo University] in 2008. Some considerations on the Statutory Law n. 11.769/08 were added to the original text. The produced research had an exploratory nature and a theoretical mark. Some texts by Howard Gardner, by the psychologist Eliane Leao, as well as the text of the National Syllabus Parameters-Art, from the Department of Elementary Education, served as a foundation for this article. The intended aim was to demonstrate to what extent the pedagogical proposition of the Arts Education projected by H. Gardner is similar to the one proposed by the National Syllabus Parameters, and which would the benefits be in this age group of an artistic sensitizing work for the development of the individual's personality.

Alteração da fertilidade do solo como indicador do processo de antropização e presença de atividades não agrícolas no assentamento rural Horto Aimorés, municípios de Bauru e Pederneiras/SP =: Change of soil fertility as an indicator of the anthropization process and presence of non agricultural activities at the rural settlement Horto Aimorés, cities of Bauru and Pederneiras/ SP

Pós-graduação em Geografia - FCT

Bounds for the zeros of symmetric kravchuk polynomials

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