Efeitos da atividade física de baixa intensidade na estrutura das túnicas íntima e média da aorta em ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR)

O exercício contínuo de baixa intensidade é capaz de atenuar a hipertrofia da célula muscular lisa da parede da aorta de ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR), e parece atuar sobre a distribuição de fibras oxitalânicas, elaunínicas e elásticas. As alterações funcionais das grandes artérias relacionadas com a idade, deposição de colágeno e elastina na parede arterial e a elasticidade, são também melhoradas com a atividade física. No presente trabalho objetivamos estudar os efeitos da atividade física aeróbica de baixa intensidade no remodelamento estrutural da artéria aorta em modelo de hipertensão genética de ratos SHR. Através da análise da distribuição das fibras oxitalânicas, elaunínicas e elásticas na aorta dos animais controles e SHR submetidos ou não a atividade física de baixa intensidade. Foram utilizados 32 ratos, sendo 16 ratos SHR machos e 16 ratos normotensos Wistar Kyoto (WKY) machos com 8 semanas de idade. Ratos machos foram alocados em 4 grupos: WKY sedentário (WKY-SED), WKY exercitado (EX-WKY), SHR sedentário (SED-SHR), e SHR exercitado (EX-SHR). Os ratos sedentários foram limitados à atividade na caixa, enquanto que os ratos exercitados foram submetidos a um exercício de 1 h / dia, 5 dias / semana. Esses grupos passaram pelo protocolo de atividade física de 20 semanas e a pressão arterial foi mensurada semanalmente (PA). As aortas foram colhidas e processadas para microscopia de luz, microscopia eletrônica e western blotting. Foram realizadas as colorações orcinol neo-fucsina e resorcina-fucsina de Weigert. No grupo hipertenso, o exercício mantém a PA em um nível relativamente semelhante ao inicio do protocolo, mostrando a capacidade de prevenir o aumento da PA ao longo das 20 semanas. No grupo dos animais hipertensos não tratados, a PA aumenta. A PA aumentou progressivamente nos ratos SED-SHRs atingindo 1894 mmHg, mas o exercício físico impediu este processo. Ao final do experimento a PA nos ratos EX-SHRs foi similar o dos ratos WKY (1184 vs. 1144 mmHg), respectivamente. Observou-se maior expressão de elastina e maior distribuição de fibras oxitalânicas, elaunínicas e elásticas em animais que foram submetidos ao protocolo de exercício físico. A porcentagem de fibras elásticas e oxitalânicas foi menor em SED-SHR comparado com SED-WKY, mas o exercício físico aumentou a porcentagem dessas fibras em ambos os grupos. Através da imuno-histoquímica ultra-estrutural para elastina e fibrilina, os grupos EX-WKY e EX-SHR apresentaram uma marcação mais intensa para elastina e fibrilina. Animais hipertensos que não sofreram o protocolo de exercício físico apresentam espessura da parede da aorta maior que a dos animais que sofreram o exercício. O número de lamelas elásticas, bem como as fibras oxitalânicas e elaunínicas, é maior no grupo EX-SHR, em relação ao SED-SHR. Os grupos exercitados tiveram maior expressão de eNOS que seus respectivos grupos sedentários, e as células endoteliais apresentaram características morfológicas preservadas. A associação da atividade física com modelos de hipertensão genética mostra que o exercício físico tem efeitos benéficos nessa situação, uma vez que atenua a hipertensão e o remodelamento adverso da parede da aorta.

A personagem feminina nos romances de Maria Peregrina de Sousa: ambiguidades e dualidades

Pesquisar sobre escritoras portuguesas do século XIX não é tarefa das mais simples. A barreira maior é a escassez de fontes, que se deve, principalmente, ao papel que cabia à mulher na sociedade de oitocentos. Sem direitos políticos e restrita ao espaço privado, deveria estar sempre sob a dependência de um homem. Ao penetrar num espaço que não era o seu, é compreensível que as mulheres que ousaram se afirmar como escritoras o tenham feito a princípio sob o signo do anonimato. É o caso de Maria Peregrina de Sousa (1809-1894). Teve participação profunda nos periódicos literários da época, nos quais publicou romances, poemas e contos populares, utilizando pseudônimos como Uma obscura portuense, Mariposa ou suas iniciais, D. M. P. Por meio de um diálogo com a História, estudamos as obras Retalho do mundo (1859), Maria Isabel (1866), Henriqueta: romance original (1876) e Pepa (1846), da qual também fizemos a edição. Nosso objetivo é investigar, nesses textos, como o discurso do senso comum ora se confirma às vezes, ora é desestabilizado, e como algumas personagens poderiam contornar os interditos sociais. Ao trazer essa obscura portuense à luz, pretendemos também refletir sobre como uma autora pensava a sua realidade e qual o reflexo disso na sua produção literária.

Patterns of orographic uplift in the Sierra Nevada and their relationship to upper-level atmospheric circulation

We examine monthly and seasonal patterns of precipitation across various elevations of the eastern Central Valley of California and the Sierra Nevada. A measure of the strength of the orographic effect called the “precipitation ratio” is calculated, and we separate months into four groups based on being wet or dry and having low or high precipitation ratios. Using monthly maps of mean 700-mb height anomalies, we describe the northern hemisphere mid-tropospheric circulation patterns associated with each of the four groups. Wet months are associated with negative height anomalies over the eastern Pacific, as expected. However, the orientation of the trough is different for years with high and low precipitation ratios. Wet months with high ratios typically have circulation patterns factoring a west-southwest to east-northeast storm track from around the Hawaiian Islands to the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Wet months with low precipitation ratios are associated with a trough centered near the Aleutians and a northwest to southeast storm track. Dry months are marked by anticyclones in the Pacific, but this feature is more localized to the eastern Pacific for months with low precipitation ratios than for those with high ratios. Using precipitation gauge and snow course data from the American River and Truckee-Tahoe basins, we determined that the strength of the orographic effect on a seasonal basis is spatially coherent at low and high elevations and on opposite sides of the Sierra Nevada crestline.

睡莲科的花的生物学和生殖形态学研究

最近的一系列分子系统发育分析一致认定睡莲目为3 个最早的被子植物谱系（ 即包括Amborellaceae 、睡莲目和一个由八角目、Trimeniaceae 、 Austrobaileyaceae 组成的分支在内的ANITA）之一，这些研究结果和新近发现的早白垩世时期的睡莲类植物花化石的记录，支持过去长期认为睡莲目代表原始类群的观点。作为睡莲目组成之一的睡莲科，虽然在被子植物分类系统中一直处于关键的核心的系统发育位置，但对于这个科的生殖生物学和生殖形态学的研究还没有得到足够的重视。本文对睡莲科的王莲属、萍蓬草属和睡莲属的花的生物学、 Nuphar microphylla 的胚胎学、睡莲科的花粉形态学、睡莲科的胚珠和种子的发育形态学、以及睡莲科的柱头的形态解剖学开展了深入细致的研究工作。 本文所研究的睡莲科植物的花都具有开花生物钟的特性，在开花时期花器官的开放和闭合呈现有规律的运动。睡莲科的有些种植物（如睡莲属的一些种）的花是白天开放晚上闭合，而另外一些种（如王莲属）的花却是晚上开放白天闭合。睡莲科的不同物种的花的开花天数不同，一般是2 到数天。花大多是雌性先熟的，通常从开花的第二天开始释放花粉。睡莲科的不同属植物在开花时间，花的气味，花的颜色，各种花器官的形状和功能，以及传粉者方面存在很大差异。克鲁兹王莲的花具有大型的，单生的，多数花器官，花器官呈现有规律的开放和闭合运动，雌性先熟，能散发强烈气味，能够改变颜色，温度发生变化等特征。作者认为这些特征是高度特化的，它们适应于昆虫传粉。对Nuphar microphylla 的花的生物学研究支持Lippok 等人的观点：在任何居群，蝇、蜜蜂和甲虫对传粉贡献的相对大小更多地取决于这些昆虫的相对丰富度和可替换食物的多少，而不是取决于旧世界与新世界的萍蓬草属植物之间的雄蕊长度的差异。 本研究首次在Nuphar microphylla 中发现了一种新的4 细胞5 核雌配子体（具有1 个卵细胞，2 个助细胞和1 个具有2 个单倍体核的中央细胞）类型，这种雌配子体通过受精作用将产生三倍体的胚乳。作者认为这种雌配子体可能是最小的性功能单位，代表着被子植物的祖征。 睡莲科是一个具有多形态花粉的科，花粉沟有远极单槽和环槽两种类型。当前研究建议萍蓬草属的远极单槽花粉在睡莲科中是最原始类型。花粉形态学研究支持睡莲科是一个原始类群的观点。在所观察的睡莲科植物中，内珠被都作为一圈圆形的突起被产生，而外珠被是半圆形的，稍后形成兜状，在珠柄的凹面侧没有外珠被。在印度红睡莲、埃及白睡莲、墨西哥黄睡莲、芡实、以及克鲁兹王莲的胚珠的发育后期，珠柄的凹面侧产生不同长度的外珠被，所以它们成熟胚珠的外珠被为杯状。作者认为睡莲科的兜状的外珠被是原始的，杯状的外珠被是进化的。睡莲科的柱头形态高度多样化。睡莲属的柱头表面分布有许多拥挤的多细胞的乳头，萍蓬草属和芡实属的柱头是分泌性的，柱头表面具有单细胞乳突。王莲属柱头表面形成许多不规则的隆起。柱头形态学研究支持睡莲属和Ondinea 具有密切的亲缘关系的观点。

Options for achieving a 50% cut in industrial carbon emissions by 2050.

Carbon emissions from industry are dominated by production of goods in steel, cement plastic, paper, and aluminum. Demand for these materials is anticipated to double at least by 2050, by which time global carbon emissions must be reduced by at least 50%. To evaluate the challenge of meeting this target the global flows of these materials and their associated emissions are projected to 2050 under five technical scenarios. A reference scenario includes all existing and emerging efficiency measures but cannot provide sufficient reduction. The application of carbon sequestration to primary production proves to be sufficient only for cement The emissions target can always be met by reducing demand, for instance through product life extension, material substitution, or "light-weighting". Reusing components shows significant potential particularly within construction. Radical process innovation may also be possible. The results show that the first two strategies, based on increasing primary production, cannot achieve the required emissions reductions, so should be balanced by the vigorous pursuit of material efficiency to allow provision of increased material services with reduced primary production.

The influence of seasonal precipitation and temperature variations on runoff in California and southwestern Oregon

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): There is considerable seasonal-to-interannual variability in the runoff of major watersheds in the Sierra Nevada, Coastal, and Cascade ranges of California and southwestern Oregon. This variability is reflected in both the amount and timing of runoff. This study examines that variability using long historical streamflow records and seasonal mean temperature and precipitation. ... Precipitation is the only significant predictor for both amount and timing of runoff in the low elevation basins. As elevation increases, the models rely more and more on temperature to explain amount and timing of runoff.

Snow depth as an indicator of weather and climate in the Sierra Nevada

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): The purpose of this study is to determine: (1) whether the cooperative station snow depth contains useful weather and climate information, (2) how cooperative snow depth variability is related to snowcourse variability, and (3) how it is related to other weather elements. From an examination of stations in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is clear that cooperative snow records and snowcourse records have consistent spatial and temporal variability. ... We show that high snow ratio (low density snow or high SD/Ppt) events have low temperatures and high amplitude atmospheric circulation patterns over the eastern North Pacific. In contrast, low snow ratio (high density or low SD/Ppt) events have warm temperatures and a zonal flow pattern with a southerly displaced storm track from Hawaii to the West Coast.

Winter climate variability and snowpack in the West

Snowpack is an important source of water supply in the western United States. This study examines the seasonal variability of an extensive history of snow observations over the western United States and Canada. It links variations in snowpack to variations in atmospheric circulation, surface temperature, and precipitation.

Long-term response of Torrey pine to coastal climate: precipitation, temperature, and fog

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana Parry ex Carr.) has one of the most limited geographical ranges and population size in the Pinus genus; it is present only on Santa Rosa Island and on the coast between San Diego and Del Mar, where our research was conducted. A 168-year chronology (1827-1994) was developed using 28 increment cores extracted from 15 living and 2 dead stranding trees at Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California. ... The spatial correlation with western North America winter and spring precipitation, as well as with published tree-ring chronologies, indicates a connection with the American Southwest. Global correlation maps with winter sea level pressure and sea surface temperature are consistent with the hypothesis that San Diego precipitation is affected by a southerly displaced North Pacific storm track and by warmer water farther south, both leading to higher transport of lower latitude moisture.

Results of the Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission 1970 of the 1st Zoological Institute of the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Department of Zoology of the University of Ceylon, Vidyalankara Campus, Kelaniya. Pt. 14. The freshwater crabs of the Ceylonese mountain rivers

The report deals with the material on freshwater crabs, collected by the Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission 1970 from the running waters of the mountains in south-west Ceylon. The locality records for Paratelphusa (Oziotelphusa) senex (Fabricius 1798) Paratelphusa (Ceylontelphusa) sorror (Zehntner 1894) and Paratelphusa (Ceylontelphusa) rugosa (Kingsley 1880), are described.

复合垂直流构建湿地系统净化水体中的痕量有机物

在稳定运行三年的复合垂直流构建湿地中试系统中进行了水体中痕量有机物的净化研究。进水为东湖茶港附近的湖水。水流方式为下行流 -上行流 ,进水方式采用间歇式 ,间隔为 8h ,水力负荷为 80 0mm3/(mm2 ·d)。采用C18反相SPE柱富集萃取中试系统的进出水及自来水 ,然后对其进行GC/MS分析 ,结果表明 ,东湖水主要为石油烃污染 ,酞酸酯类污染严重 ,自来水中亦存在痕量有机物的污染。复合垂直流构建湿地中试系统的出水比进水中痕量有机物的种类及数量均有所减少 ,说明这种系统有助于水体中痕量有机物的去

Estimation of soil properties and deformations in staged constructions based on mcmc method

This paper presents a Bayesian probabilistic framework to assess soil properties and model uncertainty to better predict excavation-induced deformations using field deformation data. The potential correlations between deformations at different depths are accounted for in the likelihood function needed in the Bayesian approach. The proposed approach also accounts for inclinometer measurement errors. The posterior statistics of the unknown soil properties and the model parameters are computed using the Delayed Rejection (DR) method and the Adaptive Metropolis (AM) method. As an application, the proposed framework is used to assess the unknown soil properties of multiple soil layers using deformation data at different locations and for incremental excavation stages. The developed approach can be used for the design of optimal revisions for supported excavation systems. © 2010 ASCE.