The role of different factors related to social impact of heavy events: considerations about the intensity thresholds in densely populated areas

In the assessment of social impact caused by meteorological events, factors of different natures need to be considered. Not only does hazard itself determine the impact that a severe weather event has on society, but also other features related to vulnerability and exposure. The requests of data related to insurance claims received in meteorological services proved to be a good indicator of the social impact that a weather event causes, according to studies carried out by the Social Impact Research Group, created within the framework of the MEDEX project. Taking these requests as proxy data, diverse aspects connected to the impact of heavy rain events have been studied. The rainfall intensity, in conjunction with the population density, has established itself as one of the key factors in social impact studies. One of the conclusions we obtained is that various thresholds of rainfall should be applied for areas of varying populations. In this study, the role of rainfall intensity has been analysed for a highly populated urban area like Barcelona. A period without significant population changes has been selected for the study to minimise the effects linked to vulnerability and exposure modifications. First, correlations between rainfall recorded in different time intervals and requests were carried out. Afterwards, a method to include the intensity factor in the social impact index was suggested based on return periods given by intensity duration frequency (IDF) curves.

Comparative anatomical study of the leg's nerves of Cebus (barbed capuchins) with baboons, chimpanzees and modern humans

The anatomical comparative studies among the primates are important for the investigation of ethology, evolution, taxonomy, and comprehension of tools by hominoids. Especially the anatomical knowledge of Cebus contributes to conservation of the species, and to development of surgical procedures and clinical treatments of these animals, as they frequently are victims of automobile accidents. Recent anatomical studies came to a wrong conclusion regarding behavioral traits of Cebus, ascribed to few data available in previous literature. Therefore, to provide anatomical data and to support the other sciences related to anatomy, and to develop surgical and/or clinical procedures, we described the nerves of the legs of Cebus foccusing on their position and trajectory, as wll as innerved muscles, and compared these results with those of humans and other primates. Eight adult capuchin specimens were used for this study. The anatomical comparative study of the leg's nerves of Cebus demonstrated that, in general, structural organization of the nerves is similar among the four primates analyzed here (Cebus, chimpanzees, baboons and humans), which might be attributed to the fact that the all four primates have similar body structures. However, nerve trajectory and muscles innervation in Cebus was more similar to baboons.

Uso de indicadores hidrológicos para classificação de trechos de estradas florestais quanto ao escoamento superficial

Forest roads are frequently pointed as source of environmental problems related to erosion and they also influence harvest cost due to maintenance operations. Roads not well designed are sources of hydrological problems on catchments and the current attention to sustainability of forest exploration projects point out to the need of diagnostics tools for guiding the redesign of the road system. At this study, runoff hydrological indicators for forest road segments were assessed in order to identify critical points of erosion and water concentration on soils. A road network of a forest production area was divided into 252 road segments that were used as observations of four variables: mean terrain slope, main segment slope, LS factor and topographic index. The data analysis was based on descriptive statistics for outliers' identification, principal component analysis and for variability study between variables and between observations, and cluster analysis for similar segments groups' identification. The results allowed classifying roads segments into five mains road types: road on the ridge, on the valley, on the slopes, on the slopes but in a contour line and on the steepest slope. The indicators were able to highlight the most critical segments that differ of others and are potential sources of erosion and water accumulation problems on forest roads. The principal component analysis showed two main variability sources related to terrain topographic characteristics and also road design, showing that indicators represent well those elements. The methodology seems to be appropriated for identification of critical road segments that need to be redesigned and also for road network planning at new forest exploration projects.

Planejamento Ambiental da Bacia Hidrográfica do Ribeirão Santo Antonio – Mirante do Paranapanema (SP)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise integrada da paisagem na bacia hidrográfica do rio Caeté - Amazônia Oriental - Brasil

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Políticas e desenvolvimento do estado de Mato Grosso após abertura comercial: análise da visão de dois empresários atuantes no setor

After realizing two interviews, with distinct managers/businessmen working in the cotton industry, the objective is to put in evidence the political, economical and social factors that contributed to the formation and configuration of the Mato Grosso state, after the trade liberalization that occurred in the early 90's, it's effects and consequences in the eyes of the interviewed. The study of public policies is primordial to the discovery of the configuration of determined place, evaluating advances and possible errors in the social, economical and environmental areas. Through the analysis of the interviews it has been found that the urban centers have been developing with a direct link to the industrial activities related to agriculture and that the labor work force have also been attracted because of these changes, and as a consequence this labor force is now becoming more specialized to be able to accompany the jobs requirements in the industry. Analyzing the interviews, it is possible to highlight some information about the development of Mato Grosso, among those the following factors and public policies. The creation and expansion of the cities in the state are possible through public and private investment in infrastructure the socioeconomic development of the state is linked with the advances made in the private sector that grows because of advances made in crops technology in contrast to the occupation of the cerrado, in relation to the cotton crops. The problems that Mato Grosso is facing are mainly linked to the region infrastructure, that can count on investment plans to transportation and production flow that dates before the globalization era. The pattern that is seen today with top of the line agricultural production, big monoculture with high productivity and the arrival of multinational giants, was implanted because of two important events: the trade liberalization in the 1990's and the cambial depreciation in the 1999's...

Talking Points for "Wake Dance" Dedication

*When the Morrill Act was passed in 1862, creating the land-grant university system which includes our own University of Nebraska, part of the language of the bill read: " ... the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.

Políticas e desenvolvimento do estado de Mato Grosso após abertura comercial: análise da visão de dois empresários atuantes no setor

After realizing two interviews, with distinct managers/businessmen working in the cotton industry, the objective is to put in evidence the political, economical and social factors that contributed to the formation and configuration of the Mato Grosso state, after the trade liberalization that occurred in the early 90's, it's effects and consequences in the eyes of the interviewed. The study of public policies is primordial to the discovery of the configuration of determined place, evaluating advances and possible errors in the social, economical and environmental areas. Through the analysis of the interviews it has been found that the urban centers have been developing with a direct link to the industrial activities related to agriculture and that the labor work force have also been attracted because of these changes, and as a consequence this labor force is now becoming more specialized to be able to accompany the jobs requirements in the industry. Analyzing the interviews, it is possible to highlight some information about the development of Mato Grosso, among those the following factors and public policies. The creation and expansion of the cities in the state are possible through public and private investment in infrastructure the socioeconomic development of the state is linked with the advances made in the private sector that grows because of advances made in crops technology in contrast to the occupation of the cerrado, in relation to the cotton crops. The problems that Mato Grosso is facing are mainly linked to the region infrastructure, that can count on investment plans to transportation and production flow that dates before the globalization era. The pattern that is seen today with top of the line agricultural production, big monoculture with high productivity and the arrival of multinational giants, was implanted because of two important events: the trade liberalization in the 1990's and the cambial depreciation in the 1999's...

Effects of thyroid status on NEI concentration in specific brain areas related to reproduction during the estrous cycle

We previously showed that short-term hypo- and hyperthyroidism induce changes in neuropeptide glutamic-acid-isoleucine-amide (NEI) concentrations in discrete brain areas in male rats. To investigate the possible effects of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on NEI concentrations mainly in hypothalamic areas related to reproduction and behavior, female rats were sacrificed at different days of the estrous cycle. Circulating luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol and progesterone concentrations were measured in control, hypothyroid (hypoT, treated with PTU during 7-9 days) and hyperthyroid (hyperT, l-T4 during 4-7 days) animals. Both treatments blunted the LH surge. Hypo- and hyperthyroidism increased estradiol concentrations during proestrus afternoon (P-PM), although hypoT rats showed lower values compared to control during proestrus morning (P-AM). Progesterone levels were higher in all groups at P-PM and in the hyperT during diestrus morning (D2). NEI concentrations were lower in hypoT rats during the estrous cycle except in estrus (E) in the peduncular part of the lateral hypothalamus (PLH). They were also reduced by both treatments in the perifornical part of the lateral hypothalamus (PeFLH) during P-PM. Hypothyroidism led to higher NEI concentrations during P-PM in the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis and anteroventral periventricular nucleus (OVLT+AVPV). The present results indicate that NEI concentration is regulated in a complex manner by hypo- and hyperthyroidism in the different areas studied, suggesting a correlation between NEI values and the variations of gonadal steroid levels during estrous cycle. These changes could be, in part, responsible for the alterations observed in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in these pathologies.

Strategies to identify and further characterize novel and known genes involved in regulation of skeletogenesis

372 osteochondrodysplasias and genetically determined dysostoses were reported in 2007 [Superti-Furga and Unger, 2007]. For 215 of these conditions, an association with one or more genes can be stated, while the molecular changes for the remaining syndromes remain illusive to date. Thus, the present dissertation aims at the identification of novel genes involved in processes regarding cartilage/ bone formation, growth, differentiation and homeostasis, which may serve as candidate genes for the above mentioned conditions. Two different approaches were undertaken. Firstly, a high throughput EST sequencing project from a human fetal cartilage library was performed to identify novel genes in early skeletal development (20th week of gestation until 2nd year of life) that could be investigated as potential candidate genes. 5000 EST sequences were generated and analyzed representing 1573 individual transcripts, corresponding to known (1400) and to novel, yet uncharacterized genes (173). About 7% of the proteins were already described in cartilage/ bone development or homeostasis, showing that the generated library is tissue specific. The remaining profile of this library was compared to previously published libraries from different time points (8th–12th, 18th–20th week and adult human cartilage) that also showed a similar distribution, reflecting the quality of the presented library analyzed. Furthermore, three potential candidate genes (LRRC59, CRELD2, ZNF577) were further investigated and their potential involvement in skeletogenesis was discussed. Secondly, a disease-orientated approach was undertaken to identify downstream targets of LMX1B, the gene causing Nail-Patella syndrome (NPS), and to investigate similar conditions. Like NPS, Genitopatellar syndrome (GPS) is characterized by aplasia or hypoplasia of the patella and renal anomalies. Therefore, six GPS patients were enrolled in a study to investigate the molecular changes responsible for this relatively rare disease. A 3.07 Mb deletion including LMX1B and NR5A1 (SF1) was found in one female patient that showed features of both NPS and GPS and investigations revealed a 46,XY karyotype and ovotestes indicating true hermaphroditism. The microdeletion was not seen in any of the five other patients with GPS features only, but a potential regulatory element between the two genes cannot be ruled out yet. Since Lmx1b is expressed in the dorsal limb bud and in podocytes, proteomic approaches and expression profiling were performed with murine material of the limbs and the kidneys to identify its downstream targets. After 2D-gel electrophoresis with protein extracts from E13.5 fore limb buds and newborn kidneys of Lmx1b wild type and knock-out mice and mass spectrometry analysis, only two proteins, agrin and carbonic anhydrase 2, remained of interest, but further analysis of the two genes did not show a transcriptional down regulation by Lmx1b. The focus was switched to expression profiles and RNA from newborn Lmx1b wild type and knock-out kidneys was compared by microarray analysis. Potential Lmx1b targets were almost impossible to study, because of the early death of Lmx1b deficient mice, when the glomeruli, containing podocytes, are still immature. Because Lmx1b is also expressed during limb development, RNA from wild type and knock-out Lmx1b E11.5 fore limb buds was investigated by microarray, revealing four potential Lmx1b downstream targets: neuropilin 2, single-stranded DNA binding protein 2, peroxisome proliferative activated receptor, gamma, co-activator 1 alpha, and short stature homeobox 2. Whole mount in situ hybridization strengthened a potential down regulation of neuropilin 2 by Lmx1b, but further investigations including in situ hybridization and protein-protein interaction studies will be needed.

Anxiety trait modulates psychophysiological reactions, but not habituation processes related to affective auditory stimuli

BACKGROUND: It is well known that there are specific peripheral activation patterns associated with the emotional valence of sounds. However, it is unclear how these effects adapt over time. The personality traits influencing these processes are also not clear. Anxiety disorders influence the autonomic activation related to emotional processing. However, personality anxiety traits have never been studied in the context of affective auditory stimuli. METHODS: Heart rate, skin conductance, zygomatic muscle activity and subjective rating of emotional valence and arousal were recorded in healthy subjects during the presentation of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral sounds. Recordings were repeated 1 week later to examine possible time-dependent changes related to habituation and sensitization processes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was not a generalized habituation or sensitization process related to the repeated presentation of affective sounds, but rather, specific adaptation processes for each physiological measure. These observations are consistent with previous studies performed with affective pictures and simple tones. Thus, the measures of skin conductance activity showed the strongest changes over time, including habituation during the first presentation session and sensitization at the end of the second presentation session, whereas the facial electromyographic activity habituated only for the neutral stimuli and the heart rate did not habituate at all. Finally, we showed that the measure of personality trait anxiety influenced the orienting reaction to affective sounds, but not the adaptation processes related to the repeated presentation of these sounds.

Reduced hippocampal anisotropy related to anteriorization of alpha EEG in schizophrenia

Dysfunctions of the hippocampus have been suggested to be related to schizophrenia, and reduced connectivity with other brain regions may be a key for the pathophysiology. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of white matter anomalies in the hippocampus, as a sign of altered connectivity, on the brain electrical activity. We investigated seven first episode schizophrenic patients and seven age, gender and education-matched controls with diffusion tensor imaging and resting EEG. Fractional anisotropy was computed based on diffusion tensor imaging data for the right and left hippocampus for both groups. No group differences were found in hippocampal fractional anisotropy, EEG spectral power and topography. However a significant correlation was found between more anterior alpha activity and lower fractional anisotropy of both hippocampi in schizophrenics, but not in controls. More anterior alpha activity has been described in schizophrenia. We conclude that this feature might depict a group of schizophrenic patients with reduced hippocampal connectivity.

The Protein Kinase Cdr2, Related to Nim1/Cdr1 Mitotic Inducer, Regulates the Onset of Mitosis in Fission Yeast

Cdc2–Cyclin B, the protein kinase that catalyzes the onset of mitosis, is subject to multiple forms of regulation. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and most other species, a key mode of Cdc2–Cyclin B regulation is the inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdc2 on tyrosine-15. This phosphorylation is catalyzed by the protein kinases Wee1 and Mik1 and removed by the phosphatase Cdc25. These proteins are also regulated, a notable example being the inhibition of Wee1 by the protein kinase Nim1/Cdr1. The temperature-sensitive mutation cdc25–22 is synthetic lethal with nim1/cdr1 mutations, suggesting that a synthetic lethal genetic screen could be used to identify novel mitotic regulators. Here we describe that such a screen has identified cdr2+, a gene that has an important role in the mitotic control. Cdr2 is a 775 amino acid protein kinase that is closely related to Nim1 and mitotic control proteins in budding yeast. Deletion of cdr2 causes a G2-M delay that is more severe than that caused by nim1/cdr1 mutations. Genetic studies are consistent with a model in which Cdr2 negatively regulates Wee1. This model is supported by experiments showing that Cdr2 associates with the N-terminal regulatory domain of Wee1 in cell lysates and phosphorylates Wee1 in vitro. Thus, Cdr2 is a novel mitotic control protein that appears to regulate Wee1.

Prevalence of drug use in the DC Metropolitan Area institutionalized population, 1991.

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