Funcionalidade das proteínas EF-Tu e 14-3-3 na virulência de Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

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

Magnetic flux quantum in a Superconducting concave/convex disk

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

Avaliação da infecção de megacariócitos e plaquetas pelo VHC e sua influência na fisiopatologia da hepatite C

Pós-graduação em Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (Biotecnologia Médica) - FMB

Dispositivo para o auxílio e segurança de pessoas portadoras de restrições físicas em piscinas

Being the hydrotherapy a treatment in water of great importance for children and adults with motor disability, providing safety and comfort is a very important task that is difficult to health professional without the aid of some specialized equipment. Generally imported devices are used for such purposes, these highly complex apparatus have a high cost and limit the patient's movement in water and exercise possibilities in some cases. In this work a solution will be presented to replace such equipment, using catalogs and computer modeling a prototype will be studied and new equipment will be developed to assist entry into the pool and it would also allow mobility to the patient in an aqueous medium. This safely mobility in the water increase the possibilities of exercises and the accessories founded in commercial catalogs make this project feasible from an economic aspect

Deer Guards and Bump Gates for Excluding White-Tailed Deer From Fenced Resources

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) causing damage is a reoccurring theme in the realm of wildlife damage management, especially regarding human safety, disease transmission, and agricultural losses. Fences often are the only reliable long-term nonlethal means of controlling deer damage. The efficacy of fences, however, relies on their weakest link: human-operated gates. Although not overly time-consuming, the act of closing a gate appears to be a burden to individuals, resulting in open-access to an otherwise protected resource. We examined the efficacy of 2 alternatives to traditional gates to evaluate their potential to be used for excluding or containing deer. We evaluated a commercially available kit for mechanically opening and closing gates and a modified deer guard that resembles a common cattle guard but incorporates bearing-mounted rollers as cross members. The gate kit proved effective in restricting deer access to bait throughout the study, but, in supplemental evaluations, we observed excessive rates of functional failure. Deer guards reduced deer entry into exclosures, but efficacy declined with time as deer walked and jumped across guards. With some refining, both guards and gates have potential to be useful components of an integrated biosecurity strategy.

Educational Investment, Family Context, and Children’s Math and Reading Growth from Kindergarten through the Third Grade

Drawing on longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999, this study used IRT modeling to operationalize a measure of parental educational investments based on Lareau’s notion of concerted cultivation. It used multilevel piecewise growth models regressing children’s math and reading achievement from entry into kindergarten through the third grade on concerted cultivation and family context variables. The results indicate that educational investments are an important mediator of socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities, completely explaining the black-white reading gap at kindergarten entry and consistently explaining 20 percent to 60 percent and 30 percent to 50 percent of the black-white and Hispanic-white disparities in the growth parameters, respectively, and approximately 20 percent of the socioeconomic gradients. Notably, concerted cultivation played a more significant role in explaining racial/ethnic gaps in achievement than expected from Lareau’s discussion, which suggests that after socioeconomic background is controlled, concerted cultivation should not be implicated in racial/ethnic disparities in learning.

Dispositivo para o auxílio e segurança de pessoas portadoras de restrições físicas em piscinas

Being the hydrotherapy a treatment in water of great importance for children and adults with motor disability, providing safety and comfort is a very important task that is difficult to health professional without the aid of some specialized equipment. Generally imported devices are used for such purposes, these highly complex apparatus have a high cost and limit the patient's movement in water and exercise possibilities in some cases. In this work a solution will be presented to replace such equipment, using catalogs and computer modeling a prototype will be studied and new equipment will be developed to assist entry into the pool and it would also allow mobility to the patient in an aqueous medium. This safely mobility in the water increase the possibilities of exercises and the accessories founded in commercial catalogs make this project feasible from an economic aspect

Hands-on experiments in the Practicum: repositioning student teachers' autonomy.

Following a worldwide trend, the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Programmes in Brazil are recently searching for ways of integrating practice into curriculum. It raises question about what practice must be integrated and how. Notably, university-based courses are disconnected from school and have low commitment with school issues (Zeichner, 2009).The student teacher induction into school daily life is not an easy task, mainly when the practitioners are transforming physics classroom practice toward an active learning. Drawing on cultural-historical framework (Wolff-Michael Roth & Lee, 2007; Vygotsky, 1978) this study addresses the articulation between Practicum in Physics Classes and the Hands-on Experiments (HoE) used throughout the Practicum. Although in a different level, both Practicum and HoE are linked with an idea of practice. Particularly, this study focuses on how HoE might foster student teachers' autonomy and agency in the Practicum. Data was gathered in the course Practice of Physics Teaching at University of São Paulo/Brazil in 2010; in a cohort of 60 student teachers doing a year-long Practicum in urban school in São Paulo city. Data was analysed using qualitative research methods (Roth, 2005), based on 14 interviews and video records of the student teacher preparing the HoE for Practicum we will present in general lines the role of HoE for student teacher autonomy.

Effects of MK-801 and amphetamine treatments on allergic lung inflammatory response in mice

Glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter within the Central Nervous System (CNS) and modifies immune cell activity. In lymphocytes, NMDA glutamate receptors regulate intracellular calcium, the production of reactive oxygen species and cytokine synthesis. MK-801, a NMDA receptor open-channel blocker, inhibits calcium entry into mast cells, thereby preventing mast cell degranulation. Several lines of evidence have shown the involvement of NMDA glutamate receptors in amphetamine (AMPH)-induced effects. AMPH treatment has been reported to modify allergic lung inflammation. This study evaluated the effects of MK-801 (0.25mg/kg) and AMPH (2.0mg/kg), given alone or in combination, on allergic lung inflammation in mice and the possible involvement of NMDA receptors in this process. In OVA-sensitized and challenged mice, AMPH and MK-801 given alone decreased cellular migration into the lung, reduced IL-13 and IL10 levels in BAL supernatant, reduced ICAM-1 and L-selectin expression in granulocytes in the BAL and decreased mast cell degranulation. AMPH treatment also decreased IL-5 levels. When both drugs were administered, treatment with MK-801 reversed the decrease in the number of eosinophils and neutrophils induced by AMPH in the BAL of OVA-sensitized and challenged mice as well as the effects on the expression of L-selectin and ICAM-1 in granulocytes, the IL-10, IL-5 and IL-13 levels in BAL supernatants and increased mast cell degranulation. At the same time, treatment with MK-801, AMPH or with MK-801+AMPH increased corticosterone serum levels in allergic mice. These results are discussed in light of possible indirect effects of AMPH and MK-801 via endocrine outflow from the CNS (i.e., HPA-axis activity) to the periphery and/or as a consequence of the direct action of these drugs on immune cell activity, with emphasis given to mast cell participation in the allergic lung response of mice.

Interazioni tra le glicoproteine D, B, H ed L critiche per la fusione indotta dal virus Herpes simplex

Four glycoproteins (gD, gB, gH, and gL) are required for herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry into the cell and for cell-cell fusion in transfected cells. gD serves as the receptor-binding glycoprotein and as the trigger of fusion; the other three glycoproteins execute fusion between the viral envelope and the plasma or endocytic membranes. Little is known on the interaction of gD with gB, gH, and gL. Here, the interactions between herpes simplex virus gD and its nectin1 receptor or between gD, gB, and gH were analyzed by complementation of the N and C portions of split enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fused to the glycoproteins. Split EGFP complementation was detected between proteins designated gDN + gHC, gDN + gBC, and gHN + gBC + wtgD, both in cells transfected with two or tree glycoproteins and in cells transfected with the four glycoproteins, commited to form syncytia. The in situ assay provides evidence that gD interacts with gH and gB independently one of the other. We further document the interaction between gH and gB. To elucidate which portions of the glycoproteins interact with each other we generated mutants of gD and gB. gD triggers fusion through a specialised domain, named pro-fusion domain (PFD), located C-terminally in the ectodomain. Here, we show that PFD is made of subdomains 1 and 2 (amino acids 260–285 and 285–310) and that each one partially contributed to herpes simplex virus infectivity. Chimeric gB molecules composed of HSV and human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) sequences failed to reach the cell surface and to complement a gB defective virus. By means of pull down experiments we analyzed the interactions of HSV-HHV8 gB chimeras with gH or gD fused to the strep-tag. The gB sequence between aa residues 219-360 was identified as putative region of interaction with gH or critical to the interaction.

Interazioni tra Glicoproteine che mediano la penetrazione del Virus Herpes Simplex nella cellula e disegno razionale di Peptidi Inibitori

Herpes simplex virus entry into cells requires a multipartite fusion apparatus made of gD, gB and heterodimer gH/gL. gD serves as receptor-binding glycoprotein and trigger of fusion; its ectodomain is organized in a N-terminal domain carrying the receptor-binding sites, and a C-terminal domain carrying the profusion domain, required for fusion but not receptor-binding. gB and gH/gL execute fusion. To understand how the four glycoproteins cross-talk to each other we searched for biochemical defined complexes in infected and transfected cells, and in virions. We report that gD formed complexes with gB in absence of gH/gL, and with gH/gL in absence of gB. Complexes with similar composition were formed in infected and transfected cells. They were also present in virions prior to entry, and did not increase at virus fusion with cell. A panel of gD mutants enabled the preliminary location of part of the binding site in gD to gB to the aa 240-260 portion and downstream, with T306P307 as critical residues, and of the binding site to gH/gL at aa 260-310 portion, with P291P292 as critical residues. The results indicate that gD carries composite independent binding sites for gB and gH/gL, both of which partly located in the profusion domain. The second part of the project dealt with rational design of peptides inhibiting virus entry has been performed. Considering gB and gD, the crystal structure is known, so we designed peptides that dock in the structure or prevent the adoption of the final conformation of target molecule. Considering the other glycoproteins, of which the structure is not known, peptide libraries were analyzed. Among several peptides, some were identified as active, designed on glycoprotein B. Two of them were further analyzed. We identified peptide residues fundamental for the inhibiting activity, suggesting a possible mechanism of action. Furthermore, changing the flexibility of peptides, an increased activity was observed,with an EC50 under 10μM. New approaches will try to demonstrate the direct interaction between these peptides and the target glycoprotein B.

Il risparmio delle risorse alla scala abitativa e di insediamento. Tecnologie non convenzionali e valutazione ambientale attraverso metodologia LCA.

Nel corso del mio lavoro di ricerca mi sono occupata di identificare strategie che permettano il risparmio delle risorse a livello edilizio e di approfondire un metodo per la valutazione ambientale di tali strategie. La convinzione di fondo è che bisogna uscire da una visione antropocentrica in cui tutto ciò che ci circonda è merce e materiale a disposizione dell’uomo, per entrare in una nuova era di equilibrio tra le risorse della terra e le attività che l’uomo esercita sul pianeta. Ho quindi affrontato il tema dell’edilizia responsabile approfondendo l’ambito delle costruzioni in balle di paglia e terra. Sono convinta che l’edilizia industriale abbia un futuro molto breve davanti a sé e lascerà inevitabilmente spazio a tecniche non convenzionali che coinvolgono materiali di semplice reperimento e posa in opera. Sono altresì convinta che il solo utilizzo di materiali naturali non sia garanzia di danni ridotti sull’ecosistema. Allo stesso tempo ritengo che una mera certificazione energetica non sia sinonimo di sostenibilità. Per questo motivo ho valutato le tecnologie non convenzionali con approccio LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), approfondendo gli impatti legati alla produzione, ai trasporti degli stessi, alla tipologia di messa in opera, e ai loro possibili scenari di fine vita. Inoltre ho approfondito il metodo di calcolo dei danni IMPACT, identificando una carenza nel sistema, che non prevede una categoria di danno legata alle modifiche delle condizioni idrogeologiche del terreno. La ricerca si è svolta attraverso attività pratiche e sperimentali in cantieri di edilizia non convenzionale e attività di ricerca e studio sull’LCA presso l’Enea di Bologna (Ing. Paolo Neri).

La mediazione civile e commerciale come strumento di gestione del conflitto. Analisi a seguito dell'entrata in vigore del d.Lgs 4/3/2010 n. 28

Dopo aver analizzato il conflitto, le sue funzioni e le modalità di gestione, l'autore si sofferma dapprima sulle varie tipologie di mediazione per poi focalizzare l'attenzione sulla mediazione civile e commerciale evidenziando i dati disponibili dall'entrata in vigore del tentativo obbligatorio come condizione di procedibilità della domanda giudiziale per le materie civili, alla fine del 2013.

Monismo e dualismo nei rapporti tra Cedu e ordinamento costituzionale interno. Fonti e processi interpretativi

La tesi analizza i rapporti tra l’ordinamento italiano e la Cedu, in particolare la collocazione della Cedu all’interno del sistema delle fonti alla luce della modifica dell’art. 117, comma 1 Cost. Si tratta di un tema molto dibattuto in dottrina, specialmente a seguito dell’entrata in vigore del Trattato di Lisbona. Questa tematica risulta strettamente connessa al profilo dell’interazione tra la Corte di Strasburgo e la Corte costituzionale e i giudici ordinari. L’analisi del profilo statico concernente lo status della Cedu nel sistema italiano deve quindi essere accompagnata dall’esame del profilo dinamico, relativo al ruolo della giurisprudenza della Corte di Strasburgo nell’esperienza dell’ordinamento nazionale. Entrambi i profili di indagine sono esaminati alla luce delle indicazioni provenienti dalla giurisprudenza della Corte costituzionale, della Corte di Cassazione e della Corte di Strasburgo. Prima di essere esaminate singolarmente, queste tematiche richiedono la preliminare ricognizione dei termini della dicotomia tra i due modelli concettuali di riferimento in tema di rapporti interordinamentali: il monismo e il dualismo. Trasferite nel peculiare contesto del sistema Cedu, tali categorie dogmatiche si arricchiscono di ulteriori profili, che esorbitano dalla sistemazione del rapporto tra fonti. La tenuta dei due paradigmi concettuali, che sono nati ed operano nel contesto della teorica delle fonti, deve essere verificata anche rispetto all’attuale fenomeno della produzione europea di diritto giurisprudenziale ed alla capacità paradigmatica assunta dalla giurisprudenza di Strasburgo. Il diritto e le istituzioni giuridiche tendono ad assumere sempre più sembianze giurisdizionali, generando un’osmosi che porta a trasferire il focus dai rapporti interordinamentali ai rapporti tra giurisprudenze.

L'equilibrio istituzionale nell'Unione europea

Il lavoro intende dimostrare che lo sviluppo giurisprudenziale del principio di equilibrio istituzionale, il rapporto tra detto principio e il principio di leale cooperazione, il riconoscimento istituzionale e giurisprudenziale dell’importanza della scelta della base giuridica nella tutela dell’equilibrio istituzionale hanno concorso a determinare la dinamicità dell’evoluzione dell’assetto interistituzionale della Comunità e dell’Unione. Focalizzata l’attenzione sulle nuove basi giuridiche introdotte dal Trattato di Lisbona, sono stati definiti gli assetti del nuovo equilibrio istituzionale analizzando, da un lato, il nuovo quadro istituzionale definito dal titolo III del Trattato sull’Unione europea e, in particolare la “costituzionalizzazione” del principio orizzontale di leale cooperazione. In conclusione, si rileva che con l´entrata in vigore del Trattato di Lisbona le dimensioni politica e giuridica dell’equilibrio istituzionale sono state interessate da due mutamenti di ampia portata. In primo luogo, il completamento del processo di revisione dei trattati apertosi con la dichiarazione di Laeken ha definito un nuovo quadro istituzionale, che si è riflesso in rinnovati meccanismi di funzionamento dell’architettura istituzionale. In secondo luogo, la risposta dell’Unione alla crisi economica e finanziaria ha messo al centro dell’agenda il suo bilancio, la programmazione pluriennale e l’Unione economica. Nel primo caso un’analisi dell’articolo 295 TFUE ha costituito la base di una riflessione sulle modalità di codificazione delle relazioni istituzionali attraverso accordi e sul rapporto tra questi ultimi e il titolo III TUE. Si è rilevata, in particolare, un’incongruenza tra gli obblighi di leale cooperazione orizzontale sanciti dall’articolo 13(2) TUE e gli strumenti finalizzati alla loro istituzionalizzazione. Nel secondo caso, invece, è stato evidenziato come il preminente ruolo del Consiglio europeo, al quale il Trattato di Lisbona ha riconosciuto lo status d'istituzione, abbia modificato gli equilibri, determinando un ritorno del ricorso all’integrazione differenziata rispetto a politiche disciplinate dai Trattati.