Evaluating glucose and xylose as cosubstrates for lipid accumulation and c-linolenic acid biosynthesis of Thamnidium elegans

Aims: To study the biotechnological production of lipids containing rich amounts of the medically and nutritionally important c-linolenic acid (GLA), during cultivation of the Zygomycetes Thamnidium elegans, on mixtures of glucose and xylose, abundant sugars of lignocellulosic biomass. Methods and Results: Glucose and xylose were utilized as carbon sources, solely or in mixtures, under nitrogen-limited conditions, in batch-flask or bioreactor cultures. On glucose, T. elegans produced 31.9 g/L of biomass containing 15.0 g/L lipid with significantly high GLA content (1014 mg/L). Xylose was proved to be an adequate substrate for growth and lipid production. Additionally, xylitol secretion occurred when xylose was utilized as carbon source, solely or in mixtures with glucose. Batch-bioreactor trials on glucose yielded satisfactory lipid production, with rapid substrate consumption rates. Analysis of intracellular lipids showed that the highest GLA content was observed in early stationary growth phase, while the phospholipid fraction was the most unsaturated fraction of T. elegans. Conclusions: Thamnidium elegans represents a promising fungus for the successful valorization of sugar-based lignocellulosic residues into microbial lipids of high nutritional and pharmaceutical interest.

Culex pipiens development is greatly influenced by native bacteria and exogenous yeast

Culex pipiens is the most cosmopolitan mosquito of the Pipiens Assemblage. By studying the nature of interactions between this species and microorganisms common to its breeding environment we can unravel important pitfalls encountered during development. We tested the survival rate of larval stages, pupae and adults of a Cx. pipiens colony exposed to a variety of microorganisms in laboratory conditions and assessed the transmission to offspring (F1) by those organisms that secured development up to adulthood. Three complementary experiments were designed to: 1) explore the nutritional value of yeasts and other microorganisms during Cx. pipiens development; 2) elucidate the transstadial transmission of yeast to the host offspring; and 3) to examine the relevance of all these microorganisms in female choice for oviposition-substratum. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae proved to be the most nutritional diet, but despite showing the highest survival rates, vertical transmission to F1 was never confirmed. In addition, during the oviposition trials, none of the gravid females was attracted to the yeast substratum. Notably, the two native bacterial strains, Klebsiella sp. and Aeromonas sp., were the preferred oviposition media, the same two bacteria that managed to feed neonates until molting into 2nd instar larvae. Our results not only suggest that Klebsiella sp. or Aeromonas sp. serve as attractants for oviposition habitat selection, but also nurture the most fragile instar, L1, to assure molting into a more resilient stage, L2, while yeast proves to be the most supportive diet for completing development. These experiments unearthed survival traits that might be considered in the future development of strategies of Cx. pipiens control. These studies can be extended to other members of the Pipiens Assemblage

Histologic Evaluation of the Buccal and Lingual Bone Plates in Anterior Dog Teeth: Possible Influence on Implant Dentistry

Background: Recent studies in animals have shown pronounced resorption of buccal bone plate after immediate implantation. The sectioning of experimental material for histologic evaluation of the bone plates could provide valuable information about the possible effect of bone exposure in periodontal and implant surgeries. Methods: Twenty-four incisors were collected from dogs. After decalcification, the blocks were immersed in paraffin and bucco-lingual histologic sections were examined under light microscope. Some sections were reserved for immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The bone density, the width of the bone plates, and the percentage of vessels presented in the periodontal ligament and periosteum were analyzed in the buccal and lingual bone plates, which were divided corono-apically into thirds. The buccal bone plates showed statistically higher bone density compared to the lingual bone plates in the coronal thirds. The width of both bone plates increased from the coronal to the apical third, but all the buccal thirds were significantly thinner compared to the lingual thirds. No statistically significant differences were found between the bone plates for the percentage of area occupied by the blood vessels in the periodontal ligament or periosteum. Conclusion: It is reasonable to conclude that the higher bone density, represented by the lower number of marrow spaces, in association with the thinner aspect of the buccal bone plates made them more fragile to absorb compared to the lingual bone plates, especially during mucoperiosteal procedures. J Periodontol 2017;82:872-877.

The search for primordial quark nuggets among near Earth asteroids

Primordial Quark Nuggets, remnants of the quark-hadron phase transition, may be hiding most of the baryon number in superdense chunks have been discussed for years always from the theoretical point of view. While they seemed originally fragile at intermediate cosmological temperatures, it became increasingly clear that they may survive due to a variety of effects affecting their evaporation (surface and volume) rates. A search of these objects have never been attempted to elucidate their existence. We discuss in this note how to search directly for cosmological fossil nuggets among the small asteroids approaching Earth. `Asteroids` with a high visible-to-infrared flux ratio, constant lightcurves and devoid of spectral features are signals of an actual possible nugget nature. A viable search of very definite primordial quark nugget features can be conducted as a spinoff of the ongoing/forthcoming NEAs observation programmes.

Consequences of Simulated Loss of Open Cerrado Areas to Bird Functional Diversity

Over the past 35 years, more than two thirds of the Cerrado`s original expanse has been taken by agriculture. Even if some attempts have been made to conserve closed cerrado physiognomies, open cerrado physiognomies, richer in species and more fragile, have been systematically ignored. These open physiognomies are used by almost half of the Cerrado bird species, many of which being endemics. Using data from 11 surveys carried out in Cerrado landscapes, we asked what would happen to bird functional diversity if open cerrado species became extinct. Open cerrado birds would be able to keep on average 59% of the functional diversity. If they became extinct, on average 27% of the functional diversity would be lost. In this case, the remaining functional diversity would be lower than what would be expected by chance in five sites. Although many functions were shared by both open cerrado and forest species, there was some degree of complementarity between them, highlighted by the decrease in functional diversity when the former became extinct. Destruction of open cerrado physiognomies would lead to a habitat simplification, decrease in bird functional diversity, and, ultimately, to a considerable impact on community functioning. Thus, open cerrado physiognomies must receive much more conservation attention than they are currently receiving, because they maintain a high bird functional diversity that would otherwise be considerably diminished Were open cerrado species to become extinct.

Copy number variants on the X chromosome in women with primary ovarian insufficiency

Objective: To investigate whether submicroscopic copy number variants (CNVs) on the X chromosome can be identified in women with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), defined as spontaneous secondary amenorrhea before 40 years of age accompanied by follicle-stimulating hormone levels above 40 IU/L on at least two occasions. Design: Analysis of intensity data of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) probes generated by genomewide Illumina 370k CNV BeadChips, followed by the validation of identified loci using a custom designed ultra-high-density comparative genomic hybridization array containing 48,325 probes evenly distributed over the X chromosome. Setting: Multicenter genetic cohort study in the Netherlands. Patient(s): 108 Dutch Caucasian women with POI, 97 of whom passed quality control, who had a normal karyogram and absent fragile X premutation, and 235 healthy Dutch Caucasian women as controls. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Amount and locus of X chromosomal microdeletions or duplications. Result(s): Intensity differences between SNP probes identify microdeletions and duplications. The initial analysis identified an overrepresentation of deletions in POI patients. Moreover, CNVs in two genes on the Xq21.3 locus (i.e., PCDH11X and TGIF2LX) were statistically significantly associated with the POI phenotype. Mean size of identified CNVs was 262 kb. However, in the validation study the identified putative Xq21.3 deletions samples did not show deviations in intensities in consecutive probes. Conclusion(s): X chromosomal submicroscopic CNVs do not play a major role in Caucasian POI patients. We provide guidelines on how submicroscopic cytogenetic POI research should be conducted. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011;95:1584-8. (C) 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

Loxosceles chapadensis (Araneae: Sicariidae): a new recluse spider species of the gaucho group from Brazil

A new species of the medically important recluse spider genus Loxosceles Heinecken & Lowe 1832 is described from the State of Bahia, Brazil. The species occurs between rocks and crevices, as well as in and around man-made structures. The new species belongs to the gaucho group, as evidenced by the spermathecal shape and color pattern. The presence of a long male palpal tibia is unusual in the gaucho group; thus, the inclusion of the new species in this group is discussed.

Robustness of bipartite Gaussian entangled beams propagating in lossy channels

Subtle quantum properties offer exciting new prospects in optical communications. For example, quantum entanglement enables the secure exchange of cryptographic keys(1) and the distribution of quantum information by teleportation(2,3). Entangled bright beams of light are increasingly appealing for such tasks, because they enable the use of well-established classical communications techniques(4). However, quantum resources are fragile and are subject to decoherence by interaction with the environment. The unavoidable losses in the communication channel can lead to a complete destruction of entanglement(5-8), limiting the application of these states to quantum-communication protocols. We investigate the conditions under which this phenomenon takes place for the simplest case of two light beams, and analyse characteristics of states which are robust against losses. Our study sheds new light on the intriguing properties of quantum entanglement and how they may be harnessed for future applications.

Border trees of complex networks

The comprehensive characterization of the structure of complex networks is essential to understand the dynamical processes which guide their evolution. The discovery of the scale-free distribution and the small-world properties of real networks were fundamental to stimulate more realistic models and to understand important dynamical processes related to network growth. However, the properties of the network borders (nodes with degree equal to 1), one of its most fragile parts, remained little investigated and understood. The border nodes may be involved in the evolution of structures such as geographical networks. Here we analyze the border trees of complex networks, which are defined as the subgraphs without cycles connected to the remainder of the network (containing cycles) and terminating into border nodes. In addition to describing an algorithm for identification of such tree subgraphs, we also consider how their topological properties can be quantified in terms of their depth and number of leaves. We investigate the properties of border trees for several theoretical models as well as real-world networks. Among the obtained results, we found that more than half of the nodes of some real-world networks belong to the border trees. A power-law with cut-off was observed for the distribution of the depth and number of leaves of the border trees. An analysis of the local role of the nodes in the border trees was also performed.

Let Us Now Praise Famous Women

Writing this collection of journalistic nonfiction has come at an appropriate time for me as I head out into the world on my own. I still don’t know if or where I’ll be working. I don’t know if I’ll be an intern or employee or if I want to go to graduate school in the future. The world is wide open before me, and that is a scary thing. However, these women have been assuring and guiding me. Meeting and interviewing them has taught me that life is subjective. They have shown me that everything we own can be lost in an instant, that life—family, freedom, happiness—is more precious and more fragile than we may think. These women are not superficial; they are sincere and wise. I would consider myself blessed to have a fraction of their strength, and, indeed, it is their characters to which I aspire. Each woman has suffered loss, but each woman has also gained a new, deeper perspective on life. They are the ones who, from my point of view, are flying high and clinging tight—with views from the crown of the forest.

Sentidos do trabalho informacional corporativo: uma investigação sobre o impacto do conhecimento no trabalho contemporâneo

This study proposes and uses a multipolar qualitative methodology for the investigation of the meanings of corporate work under the impact of the technical-scientific knowledge. Based on the constructionist epistemology and on a heideggerian approach, this methodology made possible the description of such phenomenon under the Management perspective, but also under the Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy views. Study starts with empirical data, collected by interviews and in publications, and analyzes them based on conceptual contributions from the four referred poles. As a result, this investigation proposes reflexivity, impermanence and entanglement as meanings of the corporate work that culminate in the paradoxical work. It also demonstrates that the impact of knowledge occurs in a reflexive spiral of complexification, continuously affecting individuals and work processes; describes the impermanent character of the work ruled by time, by neophilia and by uncertainties that make precarious the very subjective experience of worker; and proposes that this work becomes entangled due to the way it is managed, and is an entangling work, for embarrassing the individual in its techniques, logics and dissonances. The paradoxical essence that emerges from this appreciation of corporate work is described on the following scopes: its reflexivity does not prevent its rationality to be fragile; its dynamism coexists with the difficulty to achieve substantive organizational changes; its entanglement compromises the possibilities of an apparently reachable well-being; its focus on present ends up to be emptied; and its purpose of individual sustenance becomes unsustainable due to hyperconsumption. But the conclusions of the study do no describe a definitive phenomenon. At the ending, it points out possibilities of living with the paradoxical work as well as possibilities of its transformation.

As relações de trabalho nas organizações de economia solidária : um paralelo Brasil-França

O objetivo desta pesquisa é o estudo das relações que se estabelecem entre o trabalhador e seu trabalho em organizações não convencionais, isto é, que não se identificam com o modo capitalista de produção e que reivindicam, pelo contrário, a criatividade e a originalidade de um trabalho mais autônomo, mais justo e mais responsável: a economia solidária. O que significa, para o trabalhador, atuar nestas organizações? É a pergunta que orienta este estudo. Dito de outro modo: a experiência vivida no trabalho cotidiano pelo trabalhador da economia solidária manifesta-se mediante práticas profissionais e práticas sociais reveladoras de novas formas de inserção no trabalho e na sociedade? Seria essa experiência fruto de uma transformação que ocorre em alguns segmentos do mundo do trabalho e observável em outros contextos econômicos ou um reflexo da situação particularmente fragilizada dos trabalhadores brasileiros? Tratar-se-á então de entender a singularidade da participação dos trabalhadores a este projeto, seu impacto sobre o desenvolvimento de seu trabalho e das relações estabelecidas com a organização e de estudar as transformações que podem ocorrer nas relações sociais a partir do trabalho. Este será analisado sob uma dimensão subjetiva, como experiência de construção identitária, e sob uma dimensão institucional, como socialização para e pela solidariedade. O conceito de “trabalho solidário”, que reúne essas dimensões, será analisado apoiando-se, em grande parte, na obra de François Dubet e sua teoria do ator, da estrutura social e da socialização. A pesquisa se inscreve numa perspectiva de contribuição à Sociologia do Trabalho e das relações de trabalho sem a pretensão de realizar uma sociologia da economia solidária, nas suas múltiplas relações com a sociedade. O que está em foco é a transformação das relações entre o trabalhador e seu trabalho. O argumento defendido pela pesquisa é que as relações que nascem de uma experiência cotidiana do trabalho nas organizações da economia solidária são peculiares e diversificadas, mas interpelam e desafiam o conjunto das relações sociais. Portanto, o trabalho realizado nessas organizações talvez seria, apesar de suas ambigüidades, suscetível de estimular novas formas de relações sociais por meio de uma socialização assentada na solidariedade. Três tipos de organizações “referências” (tipos ideais) são construídos a partir do tipo de produção dominante e dos valores e objetivos que motivam a ação: organizações de produção, associações culturais e organizações humanitárias. A comparação Brasil – França, através das organizações investigadas em Porto Alegre e Paris, procura homologias, isto é: correspondências na construção da ação apesar de contextos diferentes, assim como a reconstrução de processos e procura de especificidades que possam enriquecer as interações. No decorrer da investigação, o que se encontrou, tanto no Brasil quanto na França, foi de um lado, um discurso “oficial” (mentores, militantes da economia solidária e pesquisadores) que descreve a tarefa que se atribui a economia solidária: a responsabilização de todos para transformar a sociedade. Por outro lado, encontrou-se, através do discurso dos trabalhadores, o relato da realidade quotidiana que aparece como um mundo de tensões e contradições. Para entender essa aparente incompatibilidade, foi preciso recriar os mecanismos de construção do trabalho solidário: em que medida pode-se falar de experiência social e em que medida a socialização para e pela solidariedade é bem sucedida. Para tanto, foi necessário recompor o processo de construção das relações sociais dentro e fora do trabalho, manifestado mediante estratégias dos atores que precisam se posicionar frente às lógicas de ação desenvolvidas pelas organizações. A seguir, analisou-se a possibilidade de encontrar semelhanças e diferenças entre o Brasil e a França na construção deste trabalho solidário. Enfim, procurou-se responder à pergunta que originou esta pesquisa: seria mesmo o trabalho solidário gerador de novas relações sociais no trabalho e no âmbito mais amplo da sociedade?

Should we be afraid of managed care?: a theoretical assessment

Managed caIe capitation contracts provide monetary incentives for doctoIs to save medical costs while standard health insurance contracts do noto The papeI proposes an alternative model for insurance markets which is used to analyze managed caIe contracts. In our model, households would like to buy insurance for the possible need of a service. The distinctive aspect of our model is that providers of service have privileged information on the most appropriate procedure to be followed. In the managed care application of the model, doctors are the providers of the service and through a diagnosis have better information of the patient's health condition. Equilibrium in our model is always constrained eflicient. A partial capitation contract arises when both the cost and net benefits of treatment are high enough. We show that a capitation contract provides incentives for doctors: i) to care about the likelihood households will obtain the good state of nature (altruistic behamor); and ii) to save medical costs (managed care behamor). Doctors, in this case, choose less medically eflicient treatments as they would choose under a standard health insurance contract. Besides this, household' welfare is increased in comparison to the standard contract. This increased welfare translates into a revealed preference for the capitation contract.

Tendência sócio-cultural da alimentação saudável no Brasil e sua re-significação a partir da publicidade: um estudo de caso da campanha Maxi-goiabinha da Bauduco

Tendências sócio-culturais costumam ser incorporadas no mercado de consumo na forma de produtos e campanhas publicitárias. Para isto, as empresas tendem a resignificar as tendências para que se tornem argumentos de venda de seus novos produtos. Este estudo toma como objeto um produto lançado no mercado, no caso a Maxi-Goiabinha da Bauducco, e discute através de referências bibliográficas e outros exemplos de mercado como se dá a re-significação deste produto em específico. O objetivo desta dissertação é identificar de que maneira as tendências de alimentação saudável foram simplificadas, transformadas em ícones e exemplificadas através de um estilo de vida pela publicidade do produto Maxi-Goiabinha. O estudo busca os elementos que serviram como influência da campanha, a razão da utilização destes elementos e quais os potenciais impactos do produto no mercado em que está inserido. A escolha do produto Maxi-Goiabinha é interessante por ser um produto de uma marca notoriamente indulgente, a Bauducco, que procura se inserir num mercado com argumentos saudáveis que não faz parte do posicionamento original da marca. A relação mostra a fragilidade da marca para manter a sua identidade ao ser confrontada com a oportunidade de maior faturamento ao se aproveitar de uma tendência de mercado. Conclui-se que a publicidade provê os consumidores de informação e a partir desta, eles passam a procurar por características mais saudáveis no mercado de consumo, o que gera uma transformação potencialmente positiva no mercado. No entanto, ao se utilizar como ícones de seus comerciais pessoas que mostram um balanço perfeito entre saúde, vida pessoal e vida profissional, pode-se gerar um aumento da ansiedade no consumidor médio para se tornarem tão bem sucedidos quanto este homem ou mulher ideal. Discute-se se as escolhas disponibilizadas pela indústria no atual contexto de consumo oprimem ou libertam o consumidor, pois ao mesmo tempo em que lhe é dado o poder de escolha, também lhe é cobrado, através dos ícones das publicidades, ser feliz e bem sucedido em dezenas de facetas e papéis que acompanham a multiplicidade da vida contemporânea.

Governando os comuns ou para os comuns?: gestão de áreas protegidas e os arranjos institucionais da política ambiental no Estado de São Paulo

Desde o século XIX, quando foi instituído o primeiro parque nacional, a gestão de áreas protegidas foi evoluindo e se aprimorando, sendo um importante mecanismo para a conservação da biodiversidade e uma das ações de maior intervenção estatal. Neste sentido, esta dissertação apresenta uma análise dos arranjos institucionais da política ambiental que impactam o uso comum dos recursos naturais por populações residentes do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar. Para esta discussão, são analisados: o embate teórico entre ambientalismo e socioambientalismo; a problemática do uso de acesso comum, associada a necessidade, ou não, de intervenção governamental; os programas e ações do Governo do Estado de São Paulo para a consolidação das unidades de conservação de proteção integral; e as variáveis que compõe os arranjos institucionais da política ambiental dos casos avaliados, na Cota 400 e Água Fria, no município de Cubatão. Face aos arranjos institucionais da política ambiental para gestão de áreas protegidas, esta dissertação busca compreender qual a melhor situação para a conservação dos recursos naturais, com estudos aplicados a luz do modelo proposto por Elinor Ostrom. A análise dos casos permitiu verificar uma performance institucional frágil da comunidade para o uso sustentável dos recursos de acesso comum.