Circadian clock of Aedes aegypti: effects of blood-feeding, insemination and RNA interference

Mosquitoes are the culprits of some of the most important vector borne diseases. A species’ potential as a vector is directly dependent on their pattern of behaviour, which is known to change according to the female’s physiological status such as whether the female is virgin/mated and unfed/blood-fed. However, the molecular mechanism triggered by and/or responsible for such modulations in behaviour is poorly understood. Clock genes are known to be responsible for the control of circadian behaviour in several species. Here we investigate the impact mating and blood-feeding have upon the expression of these genes in the mosquito Aedes aegypti . We show that blood intake, but not insemination, is responsible for the down-regulation of clock genes. Using RNA interference, we observe a slight reduction in the evening activity peak in the fourth day after dstim injection. These data suggest that, as in Drosophila , clock gene expression, circadian behaviour and environmental light regimens are interconnected in Ae. aegypti .

Brazilian Angiostrongylus cantonensis haplotypes, ac8 and ac9, have two different biological and morphological profiles

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the etiologic agent of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. Cases have been recorded in many parts of the world, including Brazil. The aim of this study was to compare the differences in the biology and morphology of two different Brazilian haplotypes of A. : ac8 and ac9. A significantly larger number of L1 larvae eliminated in the faeces of rodents at the beginning of the patent period was observed for ac9 haplotype and compared to the total of L1 larvae eliminated, there was a significant difference between the two haplotypes. The ac9 haplotype showed a significant difference in the proportion of female and male specimens (0.6:1), but the same was not observed for ac8 (1.2:1). The morphometric analysis showed that male and female specimens isolated from ac8 haplotype were significantly larger with respect to body length, oesophagus length, spicule length (male) and distance from the anus to the rear end (female) compared to specimens from ac9. The morphological analysis by light microscopy showed little variation in the level of bifurcations at the lateral rays in the right lobe of the copulatory bursa between the two haplotypes. The biological, morphological and morphometric variations observed between the two haplotypes agree with the observed variation at the molecular level using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I marker and reinforce the possible influence of geographical isolation on the development of these haplotypes.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in molluscs in the municipality of São Gonçalo, a metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: role of the invasive species Achatina fulica in parasite transmission dynamics

The aim of this study was to analyse the infection dynamics ofAngiostrongylus cantonensisin its possible intermediate hosts over two years in an urban area in the state of Rio de Janeiro where the presence ofA. cantonensis had been previously recorded in molluscs. Four of the seven mollusc species found in the study were exotic.Bradybaena similariswas the most abundant, followed byAchatina fulica, Streptaxissp., Subulina octona, Bulimulus tenuissimus, Sarasinula linguaeformisand Leptinaria unilamellata. Only A. fulicaand B. similariswere parasitised by A. cantonensis and both presented co-infection with other helminths. The prevalence of A. cantonensisin A. fulicawas more than 50% throughout the study. There was an inverse correlation between the population size ofA. fulicaand the prevalence of A. cantonensisand abundance of the latter was negatively related to rainfall. The overall prevalence of A. cantonensisin B. similariswas 24.6%. A. fulicawas the most important intermediary host of A. cantonensisin the studied area andB. similariswas secondary in importance for A. cantonensistransmission dynamics.

Zika virus damages the human placental barrier and presents marked fetal neurotropism

An unusually high incidence of microcephaly in newborns has recently been observed in Brazil. There is a temporal association between the increase in cases of microcephaly and the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic. Viral RNA has been detected in amniotic fluid samples, placental tissues and newborn and fetal brain tissues. However, much remains to be determined concerning the association between ZIKV infection and fetal malformations. In this study, we provide evidence of the transplacental transmission of ZIKV through the detection of viral proteins and viral RNA in placental tissue samples from expectant mothers infected at different stages of gestation. We observed chronic placentitis (TORCH type) with viral protein detection by immunohistochemistry in Hofbauer cells and some histiocytes in the intervillous spaces. We also demonstrated the neurotropism of the virus via the detection of viral proteins in glial cells and in some endothelial cells and the observation of scattered foci of microcalcifications in the brain tissues. Lesions were mainly located in the white matter. ZIKV RNA was also detected in these tissues by real-time-polymerase chain reaction. We believe that these findings will contribute to the body of knowledge of the mechanisms of ZIKV transmission, interactions between the virus and host cells and viral tropism.

"Francisci Barbari liber de re uxoria" (3), avec des lettres de Pogge (2, 47v).

Acquis parmi 44 mss. provenant du cabinet du pape Pie VI (Giovanni-Angelo Braschi) "peu après l'envoi principal des mss. du Vatican en 1797"; cf. B.n.F., département des Manuscrits, Archives Modernes 492, registre des acquisitions du département des Manuscrits an II-an XIV (1793-1805), f. 49, description éditée par M.-P. Laffitte, Bulletin du Bibliophile, 1989/2, 310.

Realizar pesquisa sem ação ou pesquisa-ação na área de Administração? Uma reflexão metodológica

Neste artigo, o objetivo é analisar como a pesquisa-ação tem sido aplicada nos estudos da área de Administração no Brasil. Apresenta-se um recorte da pesquisa-ação nos estudos brasileiros em Administração, escrutinando trabalhos de 44 periódicos nacionais de Administração, e 38 encontros ou simpósios da Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Administração (Anpad), entre os anos de 2000 e 2010. Identificaram-se 22 artigos em periódicos e quatro em eventos da Anpad que referenciavam pesquisa-ação, porém, apenas 21 compuseram o estrato final de artigos examinados. Analisaram-se objetivos, procedimentos, nível de engajamento de outsiders e consequências do ciclo acadêmico e do ciclo da ação, tanto para a ciência quanto para a realidade sob intervenção. Nos resultados da pesquisa, indica-se que, no geral, os autores não distinguem apropriadamente as duas intenções da metodologia, salvo poucas exceções. Especula-se, então, sobre a utilização da pesquisa-ação no campo de estudo da administração no Brasil. Conclui-se que o conceito de pesquisa-ação é reconhecido e internalizado pelos autores, mas os relatos de sua aplicação ainda são deficientes. Por fim, argumenta-se que pesquisa e ação na área de Administração podem e devem caminhar juntas e propõem-se algumas sugestões de pesquisas.

La storia del diritto privato e l’organizzazione giuridica nell’antica Persia

Il sottoscritto lavoro e ricerca è risultato di circa tre anni di ricerche presso l’Università autonoma di Barcellona ed altre università europee ed iraniane. Il tema della ricerca s’intitola “La storia del Diritto Privato e l’organizzazione giuridica nell’antica Persia” ed è stato realizzato con la gentile direzione della Professoressa Gete Alonso, cattedratica di Diritto Civile presso l’Università Autonoma di Barcellona. In questo lavoro si è parlato maggiormente di due dinastie principali dell’era antica persiana ovvero la dinastia degli achemenide ed i sassani , ovvero un periodo di tempo tra l’anno 550 a.c. ed il 651 d.c. in qui fu il culmine dell’evoluzione storica e giuridica iraniana nell’antica Persia che va a sostituirsi con l’attacco e l’invasione araba e l’inizio dell’era islamica. Questo studio ci offre una base adatta ad effettuare di un lato uno studio comparato tra un sistema giuridico mediorientale antico con altri sistemi giuridici vigenti al tempo nel mondo come l’antica Babilinia, Grecia e Roma e d'altronde creare una base per confrontare il diritto antico applicato in Persia con il diritto attuale applicato nella Repubblica Islamica dell’Iran e quindi proporre una base di studio comparato nel tempo e tra vari sistemi giuridici antichi. Spero tanto che questa ricerca possa essere utile agli studiosi interessati a conoscere vari sistemi giuridici per poi confrontarli con altri sistemi antichi ed oggigiorno vigenti in modo tale di poter migliorare giorno dopo giorno le idee giuridiche applicabili nei vari sistemi attuali.

Variació temporal de paràmetres de qualitat del sòl ocasionada per l’ús i abandó agrícola del Cap de Creus

Estudi i avaluació de les principals propietats del sòl i la dinàmica erosiva relacionades amb l’ús del sòl i l’abandó agrícola en diferents ambients de la península del Cap de Creus. Per dur a terme aquest estudi s’han seleccionat 7 ambients diferentsrepresentatius d’una seqüència d’usos fins l’abandó en diferents etapes desuccessió vegetal. Els ambients són diferenciats entre sòls cultivats (vinya iolivera), sòls forestals (sureda i pineda), pastures (prats) i matollars (Cistusmonspeliensis i d’Erica arborea) respectivament cremat reiteradament i nocremat durant 25 anys. En cada ambient s’han instal.lat parcel.les d’erosióque permeten avaluar la producció de sediments i la mobilització de nutrients (carboni i nitrogen) durant els episodis de precipitació que generen escolament superficial

Historia antiqua, hoc est : Myrsili Lesbii liber de Origine Italiae et Tyrrhenorum. M. Porcii Catonis Fragmenta ex libris Originum. Archilochi liber de Temporibus. Berosi Babylonii Antiquitatum lib. V. Manethonis Aegyptii liber de Regibus Aegyptiorum. Metasthenes Persa, de Judicio temporum. Xenophon, de Aequivocis. Q. Fabius Pictor, de Aureo saeculo et de origine urbis Romae, ejusque descriptione. C. Sempronius, de Divisione Italiae. Philonis Judaei Antiquitatum biblicarum liber. Accessit censura Gasperis Varrerii in Berosum...

Comprend : Censura in quendam auctorem, qui sub falsa inscripsione Berosi Chaldaei circumfertur, Gaspare Varrerio auctore

Distribution of events of positive selection and population differentiation in a metabolic pathway: the case of asparagine N-glycosylation

Background: Asparagine N-Glycosylation is one of the most important forms of protein post-translational modification in eukaryotes. This metabolic pathway can be subdivided into two parts: an upstream sub-pathway required for achieving proper folding for most of the proteins synthesized in the secretory pathway, and a downstream sub-pathway required to give variability to trans-membrane proteins, and involved in adaptation to the environment andinnate immunity. Here we analyze the nucleotide variability of the genes of this pathway in human populations, identifying which genes show greater population differentiation and which genes show signatures of recent positive selection. We also compare how these signals are distributed between the upstream and the downstream parts of the pathway, with the aim of exploring how forces of population differentiation and positive selection vary among genes involved in the same metabolic pathway but subject to different functional constraints. Results:Our results show that genes in the downstream part of the pathway are more likely to show a signature of population differentiation, while events of positive selection are equally distributed among the two parts of the pathway. Moreover, events of positive selection arefrequent on genes that are known to be at bifurcation points, and that are identified as beingin key position by a network-level analysis such as MGAT3 and GCS1.Conclusions: These findings indicate that the upstream part of the Asparagine N-Glycosylation pathway has lower diversity among populations, while the downstream part is freer to tolerate diversity among populations. Moreover, the distribution of signatures of population differentiation and positive selection can change between parts of a pathway, especially between parts that are exposed to different functional constraints. Our results support the hypothesis that genes involved in constitutive processes can be expected to show lower population differentiation, while genes involved in traits related to the environment should show higher variability. Taken together, this work broadens our knowledge on how events of population differentiation and of positive selection are distributed among different parts of a metabolic pathway.

δ 15N measurement of organic and inorganic substances by EA-IRMS: a speciation-dependent procedure

Little attention has been paid so far to the influence of the chemical nature of the substance when measuring δ 15N by elemental analysis (EA)-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Although the bulk nitrogen isotope analysis of organic material is not to be questioned, literature from different disciplines using IRMS provides hints that the quantitative conversion of nitrate into nitrogen presents difficulties. We observed abnormal series of δ 15N values of laboratory standards and nitrates. These unexpected results were shown to be related to the tailing of the nitrogen peak of nitrate-containing compounds. A series of experiments were set up to investigate the cause of this phenomenon, using ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) samples, two organic laboratory standards as well as the international secondary reference materials IAEA-N1, IAEA-N2-two ammonium sulphates [(NH4)2SO4]-and IAEA-NO-3, a potassium nitrate. In experiment 1, we used graphite and vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) as additives to observe if they could enhance the decomposition (combustion) of nitrates. In experiment 2, we tested another elemental analyser configuration including an additional section of reduced copper in order to see whether or not the tailing could originate from an incomplete reduction process. Finally, we modified several parameters of the method and observed their influence on the peak shape, δ 15N value and nitrogen content in weight percent of nitrogen of the target substances. We found the best results using mere thermal decomposition in helium, under exclusion of any oxygen. We show that the analytical procedure used for organic samples should not be used for nitrates because of their different chemical nature. We present the best performance given one set of sample introduction parameters for the analysis of nitrates, as well as for the ammonium sulphate IAEA-N1 and IAEA-N2 reference materials. We discuss these results considering the thermochemistry of the substances and the analytical technique itself. The results emphasise the difference in chemical nature of inorganic and organic samples, which necessarily involves distinct thermochemistry when analysed by EA-IRMS. Therefore, they should not be processed using the same analytical procedure. This clearly impacts on the way international secondary reference materials should be used for the calibration of organic laboratory standards.

La traduzione poetica del Cinquecento e le "Metamorfosi d'Ovidio" dell'Anguillara

La thèse est articulée en trois grandes sections, consacrées respectivement: (I) à la traduction poétique en Italie à partir des années 1540 jusqu'à la fin du XVIème siècle (II), à la réception des Métamorphoses d'Ovide à travers la réflexion théorique et les réécritures en italien (III), à la plus célèbre des versions italiennes du poème latin, celle de Giovanni Andrea dell'Anguillara (1507-1570 env.), parue à Venise en 1561. Le premier chapitre (La traduzione poetica nel Cinquecento) prend en considération plus d'une trentaine de traductions d'auteurs classiques parues en Italie entre 1540 et 1580. L'examen détaillé du péritexte qui accompagne les éditions (préfaces, commentaires, dédicaces) montre l'existence d'un riche débat autour de la traduction littéraire ainsi que la présence d'un public vaste et diversifié comme destinataire de ces oeuvres. Dans ce contexte, la traduction en langue vulgaire de l'oeuvre d'Ovide, et particulièrement des Métamorphoses, constitue un cas fort intéressant. Le deuxième chapitre (Aspetti della ricezione delle Metamorfosi nel Cinquecento) offre un ample aperçu sur la réception du poème latin à travers ses principales éditions, commentaires et interprétations. En s'appuyant sur les travaux de A. Moss et D. Javitch, ce chapitre (II. 2 Usi e funzioni delle Metamorfosi in ambito teorico e poetico) montre les contradictions existant dans les jugements sur les Métamorphoses au XVIème siècle, partagés entre l'admiration pour la virtuosité du poète latin et l'écho des préjugés moraux et stylistiques hérités de la critique ancienne. La poétique du Cinquecento en effet devait faire face à deux problèmes majeurs posés par le texte d'Ovide: au niveau structurel son caractère polycentrique et digressif, inconciliable avec le modèle épique virgilien chéri par le siècle; au niveau thématique la présence de récits de phénomènes jugés invraisemblables, comme notamment celui de la métamorphose. L'analyse des traductions des Métamorphoses en italien entre 1530 et 1570 prend en considération autant les réécritures partielles (dues aux poètes Luigi Alamanni, Bernardo Tasso, Girolamo Parabosco) que les versions intégrales du poème. Parmi ces dernières, une attention particulière a été réservée à l'adaptation du vénitien Ludovico Dolce, Le Trasformationi (1553), libre réécriture sur le modèle du Roland Furieux. La dernière partie du travail est entièrement consacrée à la célèbre version de Giovanni Andrea dell'Anguillara, poète et traducteur dans le cercle du cardinal Alessandro Farnese. Comme le démontre l'analyse comparée du texte italien et de l'original latin, cette «belle infidèle» (qui supplanta la version de Dolce et fut réimprimée maintes fois jusqu'au XIX siècle) doit son succès à son parfait équilibre entre fidélité à la structure du poème et une attitude très libre dans la narration, qui n'hésite pas à actualiser et «contaminer» le texte ovidien avec des auteurs modernes tels que l'Arioste ou Bandello. L'appendice comprend une bibliographie exhaustive des éditions de la traduction d'Anguillara parues au XVIème siècle.