The mitochondrial genome of the stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): sequence, gene organization and a unique tRNA translocation event conserved across the tribe Meliponini

At present a complete mtDNA sequence has been reported for only two hymenopterans, the Old World honey bee, Apis mellifera and the sawfly Perga condei. Among the bee group, the tribe Meliponini (stingless bees) has some distinction due to its Pantropical distribution, great number of species and large importance as main pollinators in several ecosystems, including the Brazilian rain forest. However few molecular studies have been conducted on this group of bees and few sequence data from mitochondrial genomes have been described. In this project, we PCR amplified and sequenced 78% of the mitochondrial genome of the stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Apidae, Meliponini). The sequenced region contains all of the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes, 18 of 22 tRNA genes, and both rRNA genes (one of them was partially sequenced). We also report the genome organization (gene content and order), gene translation, genetic code, and other molecular features, such as base frequencies, codon usage, gene initiation and termination. We compare these characteristics of M. bicolor to those of the mitochondrial genome of A. mellifera and other insects. A highly biased A+T content is a typical characteristic of the A. mellifera mitochondrial genome and it was even more extreme in that of M. bicolor. Length and compositional differences between M. bicolor and A. mellifera genes were detected and the gene order was compared. Eleven tRNA gene translocations were observed between these two species. This latter finding was surprising, considering the taxonomic proximity of these two bee tribes. The tRNA Lys gene translocation was investigated within Meliponini and showed high conservation across the Pantropical range of the tribe.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Macroeconomics and the Spanish stock market, impact-response analysis

The aim of this paper is to identify potential causal relationships between macroeconomic variables and the stock market in Spain. Numerous articles recognize the influence of macroeconomic variables on the stock market and value this knowledge as essential for good investment management. However, there are very few empirical studies that justify the influence of disaggregated macroeconomic variables on the stock market in Spain and vice versa. This article uses the general index of the Madrid Stock Exchange as a proxy variable of the stock market and numerous macroeconomic variables, analyzing monthly data from January 2001 to December 2020 from various published data sources. A descriptive analysis is carried out and a vector autoregressive model (VAR) is applied. Finally, the causality is analyzed identifying the transmission of effects between them. The results confirm the impact of lagged interest rate, monetary aggregate M1 and unemployment rate on the stock market but also identify new features, such as the influence of the stock market on the interest rate, industrial production index, manufacturing activity index and economic sentiment index. This research is useful for Public Administration to detect possible risks in the economy, and it enables investors to better manage their investments

Effects of a food enriched with probiotics on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. salivary counts in preschool children: a cluster randomized trial

Probiotics have provided benefits to general health, but they are still insufficient to dental health. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate milk supplemented with probiotic bacteria and standard milk, measured by levels of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus spp., in 3-4-year-old children after 9 months of intervention. Material and Methods: The study was a triple-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. The sample was composed of 363 preschoolers attending five child development centers in Cali, Colombia. They were randomized to two groups: children in the intervention group drank 200 mL of milk with Lactobacillus rhamnosus 5x106 and Bifidobacteruim longum 3x106, and children in the control group drank 200 mL of standard milk. Interventions occurred on weekdays and information was gathered through scheduled clinical examination. The primary result was the number of colony forming units (CFU) of S. mutans and Lactobacillus spp. in the saliva. Secondary results were dental caries, rated by the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS), dental plaque, pH, and salivary buffer capacity. Results: The proportion of S. mutans was lower in the intervention group compared with the control group after 9 months; however, the differences did not reach statistical significance (p=0.173); on the other hand, statistically significant differences between groups were found in the CFU/mL of Lactobacillus spp. (p=0.002). There was not statistically significant difference in the prevalence of dental caries for both groups (p=0.767). Differences between groups were found in the salivary buffering capacity (p=0.000); neither salivary pH nor dental plaque were significantly different. Conclusions: Regular consumption of milk containing probiotics bacteria reduced CFU/mL of Lactobacillus spp. and increased salivary buffering capacity at 9 months of consumption

Morphological and molecular evidence for considering Xylocopa nigrocincta as the senior synonym of Xylocopa suspecta (Apidae: Xylocopini)

Xylocopa nigrocincta Smith, 1854, and Xylocopa suspecta Moure & Camargo, 1988, are two nominal species within the subgenus Neoxylocopa and have a sympatric geographic distribution in South America. While X. nigrocincta is recognized by the presence of reddish metasomatic bands, X. suspecta is entirely black. Although morphologically distinct in terms of metasomal band colour, other morphological characters suggest that both species could be the same evolutionary entity and therefore synonymous. The aim of this research was to review both nigrocincta and suspecta morphotypes using an integrative approach (morphological and molecular) to evaluate if they are truly two different evolutionary lineages. Females of both species were obtained from field collections and museums, representing a large part of their morphotype distribution. Additional diagnostic characters of the external morphology were investigated, such as metasomal band colour, metasomal punctuation, wing colours, and apical regions of the basitibial plate. Mitochondrial gene sequences (COI and CytB) were used for phylogenetic reconstructions. Our results showed that both nigrocincta and suspecta morphotypes are undistinguished based on morphology, although the metasomal band colour, together with the geographic distribution, revealed the presence of three distinct morphogroups, including an intermediate one with a variable number of reddish bands. Nonetheless, the three morphogroups are not supported by molecular data and therefore represent intra-specific variations. In conclusion, our results do not support the hypothesis that the two nominal species are distinct evolutionary lineages, and we propose a synonym between X. nigrocincta and X. suspecta

Entorno Familiar del Adulto Mayor en los Centros Vida de la Comuna Ocho de la Ciudad de Villavicencio, 2016

63 h.Esta es una investigación realizada con el fin de estudiar las dinámicas familiares, el proceso del fenómeno de envejecimiento y las condiciones sociales, económicas y culturales de la población del adulto mayor, para obtener un panorama más estructurado de los estilos de vida de la población adulto mayor de la ciudad de Villavicencio, tomando como muestra la historia de vida de un adulto mayor de la comuna ocho, barrio Cámbulos. El estudio se realizó con el apoyo de herramientas metodológicas de recolección de datos como la observación, la entrevista personal a tres miembros de la familia, incluyendo el adulto mayor, y el diario de campo donde se hace una la detallada descripción del estilo de vida que tiene el adulto mayor. Seguidamente se realiza el estudio investigativo sobre las teorías que dan soporte a las subcategorías que emergen de las categorías principales anteriormente descritas.Resultado para Optar el Título de Especialista en Salud Familiar. Curso: Investigación Social. (Especialista en Salud Familiar) Universidad de los Llanos. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud., 2016EspecializaciónEspecializaciones en Salud Familia

Consultoria Droguería siglo XXI

Droguerías Siglo XXI empresa familiar con más de 30 años de experiencia en la comercialización de medicamentos, ha visto la necesidad de expansión, crecimiento y sostenibilidad económica en el tiempo debido a la introducción creciente de competencia y nuevas tendencias del sector, que han demostrado dinamismo en la forma de atender al consumidor, nuevos canales, distribuidores, alianzas, fusiones, convenios y entre otros; que hacen imperativo un análisis profundo en pro de generar tendencias que innoven la empresa en el mercado. Es por ello que es visible la necesidad de utilizar consultores que desarrollen estrategias de crecimiento organizacional; a través de la aplicación de herramientas que permitan examinar minuciosamente la empresas en cada una de sus áreas, conociendo de este modo las limitación y potencialidades que pueden ser intervenidas y generar planes de mejora que potencialicen la empresa hacia su crecimiento competitivo en el mercado.Droguerías Siglo XXI family business with more than 30 years of experience in the marketing of medicines, has seen the need for expansion, growth and economic sustainability over time due to the increasing introduction of competition and new trends in the sector, which have shown dynamism in the way of serving the consumer, new channels, distributors, alliances, mergers, agreements and among others; that make imperative an in-depth analysis in order to generate trends that innovate the company in the market. That is why the need to use consultants to develop organizational growth strategies is visible; through the application of tools that allow to examine thoroughly the companies in each one of their areas, knowing in this way the limitations and potentialities that can be intervened and generate improvement plans that potentialize the company towards its competitive growth in the market.Especialista en Administración de SaludEspecializació

Bibliotecas Públicas: aproximações e ambivalências

- - -O trabalho analisa formas de atuação dos programas que envolvem as políticas culturais, sobretudo os que dizem respeito às bibliotecas públicas, observando os atores que vêm interferindo na aplicação dessas políticas. São questionados quais vetores são possíveis para se pensar políticas culturais na atualidade quando vivemos, simultaneamente a complexificação das tramas socioculturais e seu esgarçamento? Noutro enfoque observa as formas de gestão, que devem considerar as demandas do ambiente territorial e o urbano, como surgem em seu espaço econômico e sociocultural, vinculando-se aos objetivos de desenvolvimento, os aspectos econômicos, sociais e culturais. Assim, faz-se necessário redefinir a noção de cultura e compreendê-la não como entidade que diferencia uma sociedade da outra, mas como sistema de relações de sentido que identifica diferenças, contrastes e comparações e é o veículo ou meio pelo qual se estabelece a relação entre os grupos; para corrigir desigualdades, reconhecer as diferenças e incluir os desconectados – numa sociedade onde a informação e o conhecimento são eixos definidores da inclusão dos sujeitos para compreender os processos em que se dão, sem o que é impossível propor alternativas. Procurou-se analisar o Brasil e sua reconstrução, não apenas no resgate da dívida social, cujas exigências são espantosas e demandam ações governamentais incisivas; mas, a conscientização da sociedade, pois a luta pela emancipação humana é tarefa de todos. Encontramo-nos, como cidadãos, diante da tarefa de erguer uma crítica ao sistema social e à cultura prevalecente, buscando-se um modelo de desenvolvimento que possa beneficiar o coletivo

Variation of Hg concentration and accumulation in the soil of maritime pine plantations along a coast-inland transect in SW Europe

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGClimatic conditions have been shown as a major driver of the fate of Hg in forest ecosystems at a global scale, but less is known about climatic effects at shorter scales. This study assesses whether the concentration and pools of Hg in soils collected from seventeen Pinus pinaster stands describing a coastal-inland transect in SW Europe vary along a regional climatic gradient. In each stand, samples of the organic subhorizons (OL, OF + OH) and the mineral soil (up to 40 cm) were collected and some general physico-chemical properties and total Hg (THg) were analyzed. Total Hg was significantly higher in the OF + OH than in the OL subhorizons (98 and 38 μg kg−1, respectively), favored by a greater organic matter humification in the former. In the mineral soil, mean THg values decreased with depth, ranging from 96 μg kg−1 in the 0–5 cm layers to 54 μg kg−1 in the deepest layers (30–40 cm), respectively. The average Hg pool (PHg) was 0.30 mg m−2 in the organic horizons (92% accumulated in the OF + OH subhorizons), and 27.4 mg m−2 in the mineral soil. Changes in climatic factors, mainly precipitation, along the coast-inland transect resulted in a remarkable variation of THg in the OL subhorizons, consistent with their role as the first receiver of atmospheric Hg inputs. The high precipitation rate and the occurrence of fogs in coastal areas characterized by the oceanic influence would explain the higher THg found in the uppermost soil layers of pine stands located close to the coastline. The regional climate is key to the fate of mercury in forest ecosystems by influencing the plant growth and subsequent atmospheric Hg uptake, the atmospheric Hg transference to the soil surface (wet and dry deposition and litterfall) and the dynamics that determine net Hg accumulation in the forest floor.Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional | Ref. FPU17/05484Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. PID 2021-125114OB-I00Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidade (Xunta de Galicia) | Ref. ED431C2021/46- GRCUniversidad de Vigo/CISU

Needle age and precipitation as drivers of Hg accumulation and deposition in coniferous forests from a southwestern European Atlantic region

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGVegetation and climate are critical in the biogeochemical cycle of Hg in forest ecosystems. The study assesses the influence of needle age and precipitation on the accumulation of Hg in needle biomass and its deposition by litterfall in thirty-one pine plantations spread throughout two biogeographical regions in SW Europe. Welldeveloped branches of Pinus pinaster were sampled and pine needles were classified according to 4 age classes (y0, y1, y2, y3). The concentration of total Hg (THg) was analyzed in the samples and Hg content in needle biomass and its deposition by litterfall were estimated. The concentration of total Hg (THg) increased with needle age ranging from 9.1 to 32.7 μg Hg kg−1 in the youngest and oldest needles, respectively. The rate of Hg uptake (HgR) three years after needle sprouting was 10.2 ± 2.3 μg Hg kg−1 yr−1, but it decreased with needle age probably due to a diminution in photosynthetic activity as needles get older. The average total Hg stored in needle biomass (HgWt) ranged from 5.6 to 87.8 mg Hg ha−1, with intermediate needle age classes (y1 and y2) accounting for 70% of the total Hg stored in the whole needle biomass. The average deposition flux of Hg through needle litterfall (HgLt) was 1.5 μg Hg m−2 yr−1, with the y2 and y3 needles contributing most to the total Hg flux. The spatial variation of THg, HgWt and HgLt decreased from coastal pine stands, characterized by an oceanic climate, to inland pine stands, a feature closely related to the dominant precipitation regime in the study area. Climatic conditions and needle age are the main factors affecting Hg accumulation in tree foliage, and should be considered for an accurate assessment of forest Hg pools at a regional scale and their potential consequences in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems.Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional | Ref. FPU17/05484Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2021/46-GRCXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431F2018/06-EXCELENCIAXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2018/0

Mercury in a birch forest in SW Europe: Deposition flux by litterfall and pools in aboveground tree biomass and soils

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGAtmospheric mercury (Hg) is largely assimilated by vegetation and subsequently transferred to the soil by litterfall, which highlights the role of forests as one of the largest global Hg sinks within terrestrial ecosystems. We assessed the pool of Hg in the aboveground biomass (leaves, wood, bark, branches and twigs), the Hg deposition flux through litterfall over two years (by sorting fallen biomass in leaves, twigs, reproductive structures and miscellaneous) and its accumulation in the soil profile in a deciduous forest dominated by Betula alba from SW Europe. The total Hg pool in the aboveground birch biomass was in the range 532–683 mg ha−1, showing the following distribution by plant tissues: well-developed leaves (171 mg ha−1) > twigs (160 mg ha−1) > bark (159 mg ha−1) > bole wood (145 mg ha−1) > fine branches (25 mg ha−1) > thick branches (24 mg ha−1) > newly sprouted leaves (20 mg ha−1). The total Hg deposition fluxes through litterfall were 15.4 and 11.7 μg m−2 yr−1 for the two years studied, with the greatest contribution coming from birch leaves (73 %). In the soil profile, the pool of Hg in the mineral soil (37.0 mg m−2) was an order of magnitude higher than in the organic horizons (1.0 mg m−2), mostly conditioned by parameters such as soil bulk density and thickness, total C andNcontents and the presence of certain Al compounds.Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional | Ref. FPU17/05484Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2021/46-GRCXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431F2018/06- EXCELENCI