Protocolo de Observação Comportamental - PROC: valores de referência para uma análise quantitativa

OBJETIVO: obter valores de referência para protocolo de observação comportamental (PROC) sobre o desenvolvimento de habilidades comunicativas e de esquemas simbólicos em crianças com desenvolvimento típico de linguagem. MÉTODO: foram avaliadas 44 crianças entre 24 e 47 meses de ambos os gêneros, selecionadas em escolas de educação infantil, por meio de triagem do desenvolvimento global Denver II e questionário com os pais. Todas as crianças foram filmadas durante 30 minutos em interação com um adulto em atividade envolvendo brinquedos. As gravações foram analisadas por meio do PROC. A análise estatística descreveu valores de média, mediana, valores mínimos e máximos. Foi utilizado o teste T de Student para comparação das idades. RESULTADOS: nas habilidades comunicativas, as crianças do estudo mostraram evolução com a idade (média para três e dois anos, respectivamente: 58,12 e 51,44), apesar de não ter sido encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante para as faixas etárias comparadas (p=0,486). Quanto ao item compreensão verbal, as crianças de três anos obtiveram melhor desempenho que as de dois (respectivas médias: 59,41 e 50,70), havendo diferença estatisticamente significante (p=0,0000020). Em relação ao item aspectos do desenvolvimento cognitivo, as crianças de três anos apresentaram melhor desempenho em comparação com as de dois (respectivas médias: 44,53 e 31,96), havendo diferença estatisticamente significante entre as pontuações obtidas (p=0,00364), mostrando que as crianças evoluem na hierarquia do simbolismo. CONCLUSÃO: a obtenção de valores de referência para o PROC veio combinar análise qualitativa e quantitativa, contribuindo, além do diagnóstico, para o acompanhamento objetivo de processos terapêuticos.

Comparison of different protocols for the extraction of microbial DNA from reef corals

This study aimed to test different protocols for the extraction of microbial DNA from the coral Mussismilia harttii. Four different commercial kits were tested, three of them based on methods for DNA extraction from soil (FastDNA SPIN Kit for soil, MP Bio, PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit, MoBio, and ZR Soil Microbe DNA Kit, Zymo Research) and one kit for DNA extraction from plants (UltraClean Plant DNA Isolation Kit, MoBio). Five polyps of the same colony of M. harttii were macerated and aliquots were submitted to DNA extraction by the different kits. After extraction, the DNA was quantified and PCR-DGGE was used to study the molecular fingerprint of Bacteria and Eukarya. Among the four kits tested, the ZR Soil Microbe DNA Kit was the most efficient with respect to the amount of DNA extracted, yielding about three times more DNA than the other kits. Also, we observed a higher number and intensities of DGGE bands for both Bacteria and Eukarya with the same kit. Considering these results, we suggested that the ZR Soil Microbe DNA Kit is the best adapted for the study of the microbial communities of corals.

Verbal and visual stimulation effects on rectus femoris and biceps femoris muscles during isometric and concentric

Abstract Background: Coactivation may be both desirable (injury prevention) or undesirable (strength measurement). In this context, different styles of muscle strength stimulus have being investigated. In this study we evaluated the effects of verbal and visual stimulation on rectus femoris and biceps femoris muscles contraction during isometric and concentric. Methods: We investigated 13 men (age =23.1 ± 3.8 years old; body mass =75.6 ± 9.1 kg; height =1.8 ± 0.07 m). We used the isokinetic dynamometer BIODEX device and an electromyographic (EMG) system. We evaluated the maximum isometric and isokinetic knee extension and flexion at 60°/s. The following conditions were evaluated: without visual nor verbal command (control); verbal command; visual command and; verbal and visual command. In relation to the concentric contraction, the volunteers performed five reciprocal and continuous contractions at 60°/s. With respect to isometric contractions it was made three contractions of five seconds for flexion and extension in a period of one minute. Results: We found that the peak torque during isometric flexion was higher in the subjects in the VVC condition (p > 0.05). In relation to muscle coactivation, the subjects presented higher values at the control condition (p > 0.05). Conclusion We suggest that this type of stimulus is effective for the lower limbs.

Prostaglandin treatment at the onset of norgestomet and estradiol-based synchronization protocols did not alter the ovarian follicular dynamics or pregnancy per timed artificial insemination in cyclic Bos indicus heifers

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the PGF2˛treatment givenat the onset of a synchronization of ovulation protocol using a norgestomet (NORG) earimplant on ovarian follicular dynamics (Experiment 1) and pregnancy per AI (P/AI; Exper-iment 2) in cyclic (CL present) Bos indicus heifers. In Experiment 1, a total of 46 heiferswere presynchronized using two consecutive doses of PGF2˛12 days apart. At first dayof the synchronization protocol the heifers received implants containing 3 mg of NORGand 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB). At the same time, heifers were randomly assignedto receive 150 mg of d-cloprostenol (n = 23; PGF2˛) or no additional treatment (n = 23;Control). When the ear implants were removed 8 days later, all heifers received a PGF2˛treatment and 1 mg of EB was given 24 h later. The follicular diameter and interval toovulation were determined by transrectal ultrasonography. No effects of PGF2˛treat-ment on the diameter of the largest follicle present were observed at implant removal(PGF2˛= 9.8 ± 0.4 vs. Control = 10.0 ± 0.3 mm; P = 0.73) or after 24 h (PGF2˛= 11.1 ± 0.4 vs.Control = 11.0 ± 0.4 mm; P = 0.83). No differences in the time of ovulation after ear implantremoval (PGF2˛= 70.8 ± 1.2 vs. Control = 73.3 ± 0.9 h; P = 0.10) or in the ovulation rate(PGF2˛= 87.0 vs. Control = 82.6%; P = 0.64) between treatments were observed. In Experi-ment 2, 280 cyclic heifers were synchronized using the same experimental design describedabove (PGF2˛; n = 143 and Control; n = 137), at random day of the estrous cycle. All heifersreceived 300 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and 0.5 mg of estradiol cypionate(as ovulatory stimulus) when the NORG ear implants were removed. Timed artificial insem-ination (TAI) was performed 48 h after implant removal and the pregnancy diagnosis wasconducted 30 days later. No effects on the P/AI due to PGF2˛treatment were observed(PGF2˛= 51.7 vs. Control = 57.7%; P = 0.29). In conclusion, PGF2˛treatment at the onset ofNORG-based protocols for the synchronization of ovulation did not alter the ovarian follic-ular responses or the P/AI in cyclic Bos indicus beef heifers synchronized for TAI.

Electrochemically prepared polypyrrole-2-carboxylic acid films: synthesis protocols and studies on biosensors

The process for obtaining polypyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (PPY-2-COOH) films in acetonitrile was investigated using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical quartz crystal microgravimetry (EQCM), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Different potential ranges were applied during cyclic voltammetry experiments with the aim of obtaining films without and with the presence of controlled amounts of water added in acetonitrile. The FTIR spectra of the films have evidenced that cations and anions from the electrolyte solution were incorporated into the PPY-2-COOH structure, with a preferential adsorption of cations. After chemically immobilizing polyphenoloxidase (tyrosinase, PPO), PPY-2-COOH/PPO films were build for amperometric detection of catechol, establishing a linear limit of concentrations ranging from 5.0 x 10-4 to 2.5 x 10-2 mol L-1.

Blinda personers icke-verbala kommunikation : studier om kroppsspråk, icke-verbal samtalsreglering och icke-verbala uttryck

The purpose of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of grown-up blind people’s non-verbal communication, including body expressions and paralinguistic (voice) expressions. More specifically, the thesis includes the following three studies: Blind people’s different forms of body expressions, blind people’s non-verbal conversation regulation and blind people’s experience of their own non-verbal expressions. The focus has been on the blind participants’ competence and on their subjective perspectives. I have also compared congenitally and adventitiously blind in all of the studies. The approach is mainly phenomenological and the qualitative empirical phenomenological psychological method is the primary methodological source of inspiration. Fourteen blind persons (and also some sigthed persons) participated. They have no other obvious disability than the blindness and their ages vary between 18 and 54. Data in the first two studies consisted of video recordings and data in the last study consisted of interviews. The overall results can be summarized in the following three points: 1. There are (almost) only similarities between the congenitally blind and adventitiously blind persons concerning their paralinguistic expressions. 2. There are mainly similarities between the two groups with respect to the occurrences of different body expressive forms. 3. There are also some differences between the groups. For example, the congenitally blind persons seem to have a limited ability to use the body in an abstract and symbolic way and they often mentioned that they have been told that their body expressions deviate from sighted people’s norms. But the persons in both groups also struggle to see themselves as unique persons who express themselves on the basis of their conditions and their previous experiences.

La comunicación no verbal en la mediación familiar

[ES] El trabajo que presentamos intenta aportar que la Comunicación no Verbal puede ser un instrumento a tener en cuenta en el proceso de la comunicación en su conjunto y donde se intenta medir, a través de un cuestionario (CUVALECORME), la valoración de la comunicación no verbal como herramienta de trabajo en la mediación familiar. Para la elaboración y desarrollo de este estudio, hemos conformado un marco teórico-conceptual con la aportación de diferentes autores que han tratado y analizado el lenguaje corporal. Citamos entre otros, a Parkinson (2005), Mehabian (1972), Cabana (2003), Günter (1995), Pinazu y Musitu (1993), Mucchiello (1998), Berlo (1969), Watzlawick (1974), Polaino y Martínez (1990) y Hervés (1998). Los resultados obtenidos muestran, a pesar de las limitaciones teóricas y metodológicas, una línea de trabajo que nos permiten señalar posturas a favor de la Valoración de la Comunicación no Verbal como Herramienta de Trabajo en la Mediación Familiar. De dichos resultados destacamos el obtenido en el total de niveles de valoración del CUVALECORME, donde el 78,9% de opinión consideran a la Comunicación no Verbal como una Herramienta de Trabajo en la Mediación Familiar, frente a un porcentaje del 21,1% de opiniones desfavorables.

Non-verbal markers of modality and evidentiality in MarENG

[EN] This article examines a variety of options for expressing speaker and writer stance in a subcorpus of MarENG, a maritime English learning tool sponsored by the EU (35,041 words). Non-verbal markers related to key areas of modal expression are presented; (1)epistemic adverbs and adverbial expressions, (2) epistemic adjectives, (3) deontic adjectives, (4) evidential adverbs, (5) evidential adjectives, (6) evidential interpersonal markers, and (7) single adverbials conveying the speaker’s attitudes, feelings or value judgments. The overall aim is to present an overview of how these non-verbal markers operate in this LSP genre.