Bone morphogenetic protein 15 and fibroblast growth factor 10 enhance cumulus expansion, glucose uptake, and expression of genes in the ovulatory cascade during in vitro maturation of bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes

Oocyte-secreted factors (OSFs) regulate differentiation of cumulus cells and are of pivotal relevance for fertility. Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) are OSFs and enhance oocyte competence by unknown mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that BMP15 and FGF10, alone or combined in the maturation medium, enhance cumulus expansion and expression of genes in the preovulatory cascade and regulate glucose metabolism favouring hyaluronic acid production in bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). BMP15 or FGF10 increased the percentage of fully expanded COCs, but the combination did not further stimulate it. BMP15 increased cumulus cell levels of mRNA encoding a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10), ADAM17, amphiregulin (AREG), and epiregulin (EREG) at 12 h of culture and of prostaglandin (PG)-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 6 (TNFAIP6 (TSG6)) at 22 h of culture. FGF10 did not alter the expression of epidermal growth factor-like factors but enhanced the mRNA expression of PTGS2 at 4 h, PTX3 at 12 h, and TNFAIP6 at 22 h. FGF10 and BMP15 stimulated glucose consumption by cumulus cells but did not affect lactate production or levels of mRNA encoding glycolytic enzymes phosphofructokinase and lactate dehydrogenase A. Each growth factor increased mRNA encoding glucosamine:fructose-6-PO4 transaminases, key enzymes in the hexosamine pathway leading to hyaluronic acid production, and BMP15 also stimulated hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) mRNA expression. This study provides evidence that BMP15 and FGF10 stimulate expansion of in vitro-matured bovine COCs by driving glucose metabolism toward hyaluronic acid production and controlling the expression of genes in the ovulatory cascade, the first acting upon ADAM10, ADAM17, AREG, and EREG and the second on downstream genes, particularly PTGS2. © 2013 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Applying machine learning based on multiscale classifiers to detect remote phenology patterns in Cerrado savanna trees

Plant phenology is one of the most reliable indicators of species responses to global climate change, motivating the development of new technologies for phenological monitoring. Digital cameras or near remote systems have been efficiently applied as multi-channel imaging sensors, where leaf color information is extracted from the RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) color channels, and the changes in green levels are used to infer leafing patterns of plant species. In this scenario, texture information is a great ally for image analysis that has been little used in phenology studies. We monitored leaf-changing patterns of Cerrado savanna vegetation by taking daily digital images. We extract RGB channels from the digital images and correlate them with phenological changes. Additionally, we benefit from the inclusion of textural metrics for quantifying spatial heterogeneity. Our first goals are: (1) to test if color change information is able to characterize the phenological pattern of a group of species; (2) to test if the temporal variation in image texture is useful to distinguish plant species; and (3) to test if individuals from the same species may be automatically identified using digital images. In this paper, we present a machine learning approach based on multiscale classifiers to detect phenological patterns in the digital images. Our results indicate that: (1) extreme hours (morning and afternoon) are the best for identifying plant species; (2) different plant species present a different behavior with respect to the color change information; and (3) texture variation along temporal images is promising information for capturing phenological patterns. Based on those results, we suggest that individuals from the same species and functional group might be identified using digital images, and introduce a new tool to help phenology experts in the identification of new individuals from the same species in the image and their location on the ground. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon nanotubes/polyamide 6.6 nanostructured composites crystallization kinetic study

Compared with the traditional composites, the incorporation of carbon nanotubes into polymeric matrices can generate materials with superior properties, especially thermal, electrical and tribological properties. The aim of this study was to study the polyamide 6.6/carbon nanotubes (PA 6.6/CNT) nanostructured composites crystallization kinetics. The solution mixing technique was used to obtain the nanostructured composites studied in this work. PA 6.6 films were produced with amounts of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 wt% (weight/weight) CNT. X-ray diffraction analyses were performed in order to determine the crystallographic properties of nanostructured composite. The nanostructured composites crystallization kinetic study was performed using the differential scanning calorimetry under isothermal and nonisothermal (dynamic) conditions. The results have shown addition of CNTs in the PA 6.6 reduces the Avrami exponent, affecting the crystallization process of the composite. © The Author(s) 2012.

Effects of soy isoflavones on mammographic density and breast parenchyma in postmenopausal women: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effects of soy isoflavones on breast tissue in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 80 women (aged ≥45 y and with amenorrhea >12 mo) with vasomotor symptoms were randomized to receive either 250 mg of standardized soy extract corresponding to isoflavone 100 mg/day (n = 40) or placebo (n = 40) for 10 months. Breasts were evaluated through mammographic density and breast parenchyma using ultrasound (US) at baseline and 10-month follow-up. Independent t test, analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 trend test were used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: Baseline clinical characteristics showed no significant differences between the isoflavone group and the placebo group, with mean (SD) age of 55.1 (6.0) and 56.2 (7.7) years, mean (SD) menopause duration of 6.6 (4.8) and 7.1 (4.2) years, and mean (SD) body mass index of 29.7 (5.0) and 28.5 (4.9) kg/m2, respectively (P > 0.05). The study was completed by 32 women on isoflavone and 34 women on placebo. The groups did not differ in mammographic density or breast parenchyma by US (P > 0.05). Within each group, the baseline and final moments did not differ in mammography or US parameters significantly (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of soy isoflavone extract for 10 months does not affect breast density, as assessed by mammography and US, in postmenopausal women. © 2013 by The North American Menopause Society.

Informe del Taller de Consulta sobre Estrategias para el Desarrollo de los Recursos Mineros de América Latina y el Caribe

Incluye Bibliografía

A amizade em Montaigne

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Instrumentos económicos para la gestión ambiental en Colombia

Incluye Bibliografía

Políticas de financiamiento de las empresas de menor tamaño: experiencias recientes en América Latina

Incluye Bibliografía

Perfil e trajetória de educadores em instituição de acolhimento infantil

Este estudo identificou aspectos da trajetória pessoal, profissional e institucional de educadores de abrigo, assim como sua percepção e satisfação com as atividades realizadas em uma instituição de acolhimento. Foram entrevistados 102 educadores que trabalhavam em um abrigo infantil da Região Metropolitana de Belém. O perfil traçado mostra que todos os entrevistados pertencem ao sexo feminino, sendo a maioria ainda jovem, com no máximo 35 anos, com filhos, já tendo concluído ou ainda frequentando um curso de graduação. O conjunto dos resultados demonstra que, apesar do grau de escolaridade elevado, esses educadores sentiam-se pouco preparados para lidar com crianças em acolhimento institucional e excluíam do educar o ato de cuidar. É preciso que novas estratégias de capacitação em serviço sejam pensadas, no sentido de atender às exigências colocadas pelas orientações técnicas para serviços de acolhimento de crianças e adolescentes, aprovadas em 2009.

Preferência estética do perfil facial avaliado on-line por brasileiros

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reformas internacionais da educação e formação de professores

A formação de professores está hoje no centro dos acontecimentos do mundo da educação, suscitando aprovações e divergências e apontando para a necessidade de se fazerem reformas na área. Os motivos dessas reformas estão ligados, para alguns, aos resultados negativos do desempenho escolar, que não têm atendido às exigências do mundo do trabalho. Este texto analisa a reforma na formação de professores como uma tendência internacional, ligada às exigências dos organismos multilaterais, que visam atender ao processo de globalização/mundialização. A partir dessa lógica procuram-se identificar os postulados de base da reforma, o quadro conceitual, os aportes metodológicos que vêm dando suporte ao processo. O texto apresenta alguns eixos que sustentam as reformas na formação de professores, tais como: a "universitarização" profissionalização, a ênfase na formação prática/certificação de experiências, a formação contínua e a pedagogia das competências, analisando a importância de cada um no contexto internacional.

Using phenological cameras to track the green up in a cerrado savanna and its on-the-ground validation

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

Maternal obesity disturbs the postnatal development of gonocytes in the rat without impairment of testis structure at prepubertal age

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Novel Chemically Modified Bacterial Cellulose Nanocomposite as Potential Biomaterial for Stem Cell Therapy Applications

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has become established as a remarkably versatile biomaterial and can be used in a wide variety of applied scientific applications, especially for medical devices. In this work, the bacterial cellulose fermentation process is modified by the addition of hyaluronic acid and gelatin (1% w/w) to the culture medium before the bacteria is inoculated. Hyaluronic acid and gelatin influence in bacterial cellulose was analyzed using Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Adhesion and viability studies with human dental pulp stem cells using natural bacterial cellulose/hyaluronic acid as scaffolds for regenerative medicine are presented for the first time in this work. MTT viability assays show higher cell adhesion in bacterial cellulose/gelatin and bacterial cellulose/ hyaluronic acid scaffolds over time with differences due to fiber agglomeration in bacterial cellulose/gelatin. Confocal microscopy images showed that the cell were adhered and well distributed within the fibers in both types of scaffolds.

Analysis of the Stresses in Corrugated Sheets under Bending

This paper presents three different numerical models for the evaluation of the stresses in corrugated sheets under bending. Regarding the numerical simulations different approaches can be considered, i.e., a elastic linear analysis or a physical nonlinear analysis, that considers criteria to fail for the sheet material. Moreover, the construction of the finite element mesh can be used shell elements or solid elements. The choice of each finite element must be made from the consideration of their representativity before behavior to be simulated. Thus, the numerical modelling in this manuscript was performed from the three-dimensional models using the SAP2000Nonlinear software, version 7.42, which has as base the finite elements method (FEM). It was considered shell elements in the build the mesh of finite elements and an analysis of type elastic linear in this case. Five mm thick sheets were evaluated considering three different longitudinal dimensions (spans), i.e., 1100 mm, 1530 mm and 1830 mm. The applied load to the models was 2500 N/m and it was verified that the spans of support of sheets have a significant influence on the results of stresses. The sheets with larger spans present larger stresses for the same applied load. The most intense values of tension occur in the troughs (low waves) of the sheets, on the lower surface, while the most intense values of compression occur in the crests (high waves), on the upper surface of the sheet. The flanks, which are the parts among the troughs and crests of the sheets, are submitted to low levels of stresses. The numeric results of the stresses showed a good agreement with the results obtained from other researchers(3) and these results can be used to predict the behavior of corrugated sheets under bending.