Representações sociais da pesquisa do mercúrio em uma comunidade ribeirinha do Tapajós

Este estudo propõe-se a analisar as Representações Sociais dos moradores da comunidade de Barreiras situada às margens do rio Tapajós no município de Itaituba- Pará, quanto às atividades de pesquisa sobre o mercúrio naquela localidade conduzidas por diversas instituições. O referencial teórico adotado foi a abordagem processual das Representações Sociais desenvolvida por Serge Moscovici. Procurou-se delinear os entendimentos desses moradores através da Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin, fazendo-se análise quanti-qualitativa dos dados para investigar os discursos destes atores sociais. Elaboraram-se gráficos contendo as porcentagens quantificadas destas concepções para o estudo dos dados mais relevantes. Ao final, observou-se que os entrevistados são a favor das pesquisas que ali acontecem como expectativa de serem descobertos e atendidos nas suas necessidades, acreditando na existência do mercúrio no rio Tapajós e o associando à atividade garimpeira, embora, tenha-se ainda identificado discursos que confundem o metal mercúrio com o planeta ou o antisséptico. Estas percepções estão ligadas às suas vivências e falas de seus pares sugerindo a necessidade de um serviço permanente de informações, organizado pela própria comunidade e com o apoio dos pesquisadores contribuindo na formação e capacitação de lideranças comunitárias e esclarecimentos, aconselhamento e auto - proteção dessa comunidade a respeito da questão e da pesquisa do mercúrio.

Síntese e estudo estrutural de polioxometalatos: propriedades e aplicações

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo de processos redox enzimáticos confinados em eletrodos pelo concomitante monitoramento da variação de massa e da corrente: o caso da penicilinase como modelo

Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia - IQ

An impedimetric biosensor to test neat serum for dengue diagnosis

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

Multiscale sensing of antibody - antigen interactions by organic transistors and single-molecule force spectroscopy

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

Fingerprints of short-range and long-range structure in BaZr1-xHfxO3 solid solutions: an experimental and theoretical study

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

Detecção do peptídeo p17 (HIV) baseado em SERS (Surface-enhanced Raman Spectrosocpy)

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Estudo da formação de domínios em membranas modelos induzidos por peptídeos antimicrobianos e sua ação interfacial

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Do Students Progress if They Self-Assess? A Study in Small-Group Work

In this action research study of my classroom of 8th grade mathematics, I investigated the effects of self-assessment on student group work. Data was collected to see how self-assessment affected small-group work, usage of precise mathematical vocabulary, and student attitudes toward mathematics. Self-assessment allowed the students to periodically evaluate their own learning and their involvement in math class. I discovered that the vast majority of students enjoy working in small-groups, and they feel they are good group members. Evidence in regard to use of precise mathematical vocabulary showed an increased awareness in the importance of its usage. Student attitudes toward mathematics remained positive and unchanged throughout the research. As a result of this research, I plan to continue use of small-group work and selfassessment. I will continue emphasis on the inclusion of precise mathematical vocabulary as well as on training on cooperative learning strategies.

Estudo da formação de domínios em membranas modelos induzidos por peptídeos antimicrobianos e sua ação interfacial

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Relationship between ethanol and sucrose self-administration and schedule-induced polydipsia

Studies have suggested a relationship between drug abuse and compulsive behaviors. The present experiments investigated the relationship between schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) and self-administration (SA) of ethanol and sucrose. SIP served as a model of compulsive behavior. and oral self-administration on a progressive-ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement assessed the reinforcing value of either a 10% ethanol solution or an isocaloric sucrose solution. Rats first were exposed to PR sessions in which break points were the dependent variable and then switched to SIP sessions. with number of licks as the dependent variable. Results showed a positive relationship between PR and SIP for sucrose but not for ethanol: higher and lower PRs for sucrose were associated with higher and lower SIP levels. The order of the sessions then was reversed, such that SIP sessions were run before PR sessions. An opposite relationship was observed in which high and low SIP animals exhibited low and high PR break points, respectively. The relationship between SIP and SA was dependent on the reinforcing value of the substance and on prior SIP exposure. These results may reflect a common dopaminergic substrate and suggest that prior experience in coping with stress may reduce vulnerability to substance abuse behavior. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc.

DETERMINATION OF KINETIC AND THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF L-CYSTEINE ADSORPTION ONTO GOLD BY THE QCM TECHNIQUE

DETERMINATION OF KINETIC AND THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF L-CYSTEINE ADSORPTION ONTO GOLD BY THE QCM TECHNIQUE. This article discusses the adsorption kinetics of a L-cysteine monolayer onto a gold surface by means of information obtained through the QCM technique. The results indicate that the adsorption process is rapid and follows the Langmuir isotherm, in which adsorption and desorption are considered. From these measurements the following parameter values were obtained: k(d) = (4.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(-3) s(-1), k(a) = 75 +/- 6 M-1 s(-1), K-eq=(1.8 +/- 0.3) x 10(4) M-1 and Delta G(ads) = -(5.8 +/- 0.2) kcal mol(-1).

Structural, morphological, and magnetic characterization of In1-xMnxAs quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy

In this paper, we present a method to order low temperature (LT) self-assembled ferromagnetic In1-xMnxAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The ordered In1-xMnxAs QDs were grown on top of a non-magnetic In0.4Ga0.6As/GaAs(100) QDs multi-layered structure. The modulation of the chemical potential, due to the stacking, provides a nucleation center for the LT In1-xMnxAs QDs. For particular conditions, such as surface morphology and growth conditions, the In1-xMnxAs QDs align along lines like chains. This work also reports the characterization of QDs grown on plain GaAs(100) substrates, as well as of the ordered structures, as function of Mn content and growth temperature. The substitutional Mn incorporation in the InAs lattice and the conditions for obtaining coherent and incoherent structures are discussed from comparison between Raman spectroscopy and x-ray analysis. Ferromagnetic behavior was observed for all structures at 2K. We found that the magnetic moment axis changes from [110] in In1-xMnxAs over GaAs to [1-10] for the ordered In1-xMnxAs grown over GaAs template. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4745904]

Performance of an electronic tongue during monitoring 2-rnethylisoborneol and geosmin in water samples

2-Methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin (GSM) are sub products from algae decomposition and, depending on their concentration, can be toxic: otherwise, they give unpleasant taste and odor to water. For water treatment companies it is important to constantly monitor their presence in the distributed water and avoid further costumer complaints. Lower-cost and easy-to-read instrumentation would be very promising in this regard. In this study, we evaluate the potentiality of an electronic tongue (ET) system based on non-specific polymeric sensors and impedance measurements in monitoring MIB and GSM in water samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) applied to the generated data matrix indicated that this ET was capable to perform with remarkable reproducibility the discrimination of these two contaminants in either distilled or tap water, in concentrations as low as 25 ng L-1. Nonetheless, this analysis methodology was rather qualitative and laborious, and the outputs it provided were greatly subjective. Also, data analysis based on PCA severely restricts automation of the measuring system or its use by non-specialized operators. To circumvent these drawbacks, a fuzzy controller was designed to quantitatively perform sample classification while providing outputs in simpler data charts. For instance, the ET along with the referred fuzzy controller performed with a 100% hit rate the quantification of MIB and GSM samples in distilled and tap water. The hit rate could be read directly from the plot. The lower cost of these polymeric sensors allied to the especial features of the fuzzy controller (easiness on programming and numerical outputs) provided initial requirements for developing an automated ET system to monitor odorant species in water production and distribution. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasma lipases and lipid transfer proteins increase phospholipid but not free cholesterol transfer from lipid emulsion to high density lipoproteins.

Abstract Background Plasma lipases and lipid transfer proteins are involved in the generation and speciation of high density lipoproteins. In this study we have examined the influence of plasma lipases and lipid transfer protein activities on the transfer of free cholesterol (FC) and phospholipids (PL) from lipid emulsion to human, rat and mouse lipoproteins. The effect of the lipases was verified by incubation of labeled (3H-FC,14C-PL) triglyceride rich emulsion with human plasma (control, post-heparin and post-heparin plus lipase inhibitor), rat plasma (control and post-heparin) and by the injection of the labeled lipid emulsion into control and heparinized functionally hepatectomized rats. Results In vitro, the lipase enriched plasma stimulated significantly the transfer of 14C-PL from emulsion to high density lipoprotein (p<0.001) but did not modify the transfer of 3H-FC. In hepatectomized rats, heparin stimulation of intravascular lipolysis increased the plasma removal of 14C-PL and the amount of 14C-PL found in the low density lipoprotein density fraction but not in the high density lipoprotein density fraction. The in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that free cholesterol and phospholipids were transferred from lipid emulsion to plasma lipoproteins independently from each other. The incubation of human plasma, control and control plus monoclonal antibody anti-cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), with 14C-PL emulsion showed that CETP increases 14C-PL transfer to human HDL, since its partial inhibition by the anti-CETP antibody reduced significantly the 14C-PL transfer (p<0.05). However, comparing the nontransgenic (no CETP activity) with the CETP transgenic mouse plasma, no effect of CETP on the 14C-PL distribution in mice lipoproteins was observed. Conclusions It is concluded that: 1-intravascular lipases stimulate phospholipid transfer protein mediated phospholipid transfer, but not free cholesterol, from triglyceride rich particles to human high density lipoproteins and rat low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins; 2-free cholesterol and phospholipids are transferred from triglyceride rich particles to plasma lipoproteins by distinct mechanisms, and 3 - CETP also contributes to phospholipid transfer activity in human plasma but not in transgenic mice plasma, a species which has high levels of the specific phospholipid transfer protein activity.