Did belowground N transfer in mixed plantations of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus meet the Stress Gradient Hypothesis?

Belowground interactions in mixed forest plantations remain poorly understood as that of short-tenn nitrogen (N) transfer from N-fixing trees to non-N-fixing trees (Non-NFT) depending on nutrient availability. We investigated in this facilitation process met the Stress Gradient Hypothesis. which predicts that under stressful environmental conditions competition decreases and facilitation increases. A 15N pulse-labelling study was conducted in a five-year-old mixture of 50% Eucalyptus grandis x E. urophylla and 50% Acacia mangium with the hypothesis of higher transfer from acacia when no fertilization was applied. A complete randomized block design was set up with three replicates of fertilized and non-fertilized mixture. In each treatment of each block, a labeled solution of potassium nitrate (98 atom% 15N-N03) was injected into the stem of an Acacia tree with the same basal area as the average of the stand. The x (15N) was monitored over two months in each labeled acacia and four neighboring eucalypts. For both species, young leaves and tine roots were sampled at 7.14 and 30 days after injection. After 60 days. the x (15N) was determined in the wood, bark, branches, total foliage and fine roots of the 6 labeled acacias and 12 eucalypts trees The preliminary results showed that complete absorption of the labeled solution occurred between 28 and 60 days after labeling depending on Acacia trees and treatments. The dynamics in the proportion of Eucalyptus N derived from transfer will give insights into how this process may promote N nutrition of non-NFTs growing in unfertile tropical soils

Studying the Elimination Pattern of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus in the Milk of Infected Females

Background: Small ruminants can be infected by lentiviruses, such as Maedi-Visna Virus (MVV) and Caprine ArthritisEncephalitis Virus (CAEV). The main route of transmission is via ingestion of contaminated colostrum and milk although vertical transmission can occur. Recently, several studies for molecular detection of CAEV in milk, using conventional PCR and real-time PCR are being carried out. Considering the elimination of CAEV through the milk of infected animals and the importance of this virus in the goat production, the aim of this study was to evaluate the elimination pattern of  CAEV in milk, evaluating the frequency and the concentration eliminated during the lactation.Materials, Methods & Results: A cohort of four negative females for CAEV was inseminated with semen experimentally infected with CAEV-Cork strain. They were located in stalls at the Hospital of Ruminants from School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science from University of São Paulo, Brazil. Goats received coast-cross hay, pellet feeding, mineral salt and water ad libitum. All females were observed every day during pregnancy. After lambing, kids received warm bovine colostrum and bovine milk powder during two months. Forty milk samples were collected at five-day interval during two months. A mixture of five milliliters from each teat was obtained and cDNA extraction was performed using DNA Mini Kit. Initially, real-time PCR was performed using an endogenous control for research of the constitutive gene (12S) for goats. Using positive samples in the first reaction, another reaction was performed using specific primers for lentiviruses based on the gag gene (conserved in retroviruses). In order to compare the results, nested-PCR was performed. After realtime PCR, cDNA was detected in samples from one female, corresponding to the day of calving, 14th, 20th, 25th, 35th and 40th day postpartum (15%; 6/40). The absence of amplified cDNA in thirty days postpartum, as well as in the final twenty days of lactation, was observed. Sample corresponding to the 7th day postpartum was not obtained.  The virus concentration throughout lactation grew up until forty days postpartum. After this period, there was no cDNA amplification. In Nested PCR, positive results were detected in samples corresponding to the day of calving, 15th days, 20th days and 30th days postpartum, only.Discussion: cDNA was detected in samples from one positive female, during forty days postpartum, but not on the 30th. On the other hand, amplified cDNA was observed on 30th day by nested-PCR. In this case, a false negative result was observed after real-time PCR, probably because sample corresponding to 30th days may not have been properly homogenized, so that the fraction used in real-time PCR was not representative. A higher number of positive samples were expected due to the higher sensitivity of the technique used. The low viral concentration in the milk due to high antibody titers, for example, leaded to a small number of cells containing the agent, reducing the possibility of detection. cDNA was not detected in any sample from three infected females. A possible false-positive serological reaction or the very low viral concentration in milk samples could explain the negative results, although some animals might be infected by a strain that could not be recognized by PCR

Difference in Imagery use between Full-contact and Limited contact sports

Imagery is a set of techniques used in sport psychology to help athletes to improve skill performance, to boost motivation, to increase emotional management and to facilitate motor learning. Evidence suggests that individual differences explain the frequency of imagery use in sport. However, recent studies suggest that imagery is also linked to types of sport. The present study aimed to understand whether elite athletes from Full-contact and Limited contact sports differ regarding imagery use. The research had 199 participants divided in Full-contact (N=85) and Limited contact (N=114) sport categories. Demographics and frequency of imagery use were collected. A Canonical Discriminant Analysis was performed to assess the level of group discrimination each variable presented. Results suggested that Full-contact elite athletes train for more hours and use Cognitive Specific imagery more frequently than Limited contact professional athletes; whereas, this last group had significantly more sport psychologists working for them and higher frequency of Motivational Specific and Cognitive General imagery use. These findings altogether provide evidence that differences in imagery use can be also explained by sport categories, and sport psychologists must be aware of the particularities of each type of sport

FATORES DE DECISÃO QUANTO À LOCALIZAÇÃO DE FORNECEDORES NO SETOR AUTOMOTIVO NACIONAL

Esse artigo apresentou através de levantamento bibliográfico os principais fatores que influenciam na decisão quanto à localização de fornecedores no setor automotivo nacional. Atualmente o setor automotivo é estratégico para o país, com significativa participação nas exportações nacionais. As decisões quanto à localização de organizações industriais envolve basicamente três áreas de conhecimento: teoria da localização, logística e pesquisa operacional. Um campo de estudos interdisciplinar com possibilidade de diversas interações com outras áreas do saber

Prevalence of syphilis and associated factors among pregnant women in Brazil: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective: This systematic review accompanied by a meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of syphilis in pregnant women in Brazil and describe its associated factors. Methods: Following the establishment the search strategies and the registration of the review protocol in PROSPERO, we conducted a search for relevant articles in the Pubmed, LILACS, Science Direct, SciELO and Web of Science databases. Our inclusion criteria were cross-sectional studies published between 2005 and 2023, with no language restrictions. The combined prevalence of syphilis infection was estimated using the random effects model in the R Software with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and p < 0.01 as statistically significant. Results: A total of 24 articles were recruited, which together investigated 221,884 women. The combined prevalence of syphilis in pregnant women in Brazil was 1.79% (95% CI: 1.24-2.57%), and the main factors associated with its occurrence were black and brown skin color, low education and factors related to the partner. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of syphilis in pregnancy in Brazil, mainly associated with socioeconomic factors

Desenvolvimento de um manual digital para montagem de móveis / Development of a digital manual for furniture assembly

Este trabalho teve como objetivo a elaboração de um manual digital e interativo de instrução de montagem de um móvel residencial, a fim de melhorar a experiência de montagem do cliente e agregar valor ao produto. Utilizou-se o software CATIA V6 para a modelagem das peças e componentes, a plataforma 3D Experience para a simulação das etapas do processo de montagem e a realidade aumentada para a visualização do produto montado. Para o desenvolvimento, realizou-se uma entrevista com sócios de uma empresa do setor moveleiro, foram analisados diferentes manuais de instruções convencionais com o propósito de entender pontos bons e de melhoria, além de selecionar o manual e o móvel base para o estudo. Um questionário inicial para compreensão das principais críticas dos consumidores em relação aos manuais atuais foi implementado. A ferramenta Quality Function Deployment contribuiu para a consolidação dos principais desejos e necessidades dos consumidores referentes aos manuais de instrução e para garantir que os atributos do manual digital atenderiam as demandas apontadas. A validação do projeto foi feita a partir de um segundo questionário elaborado de maneira comparativa entre o manual digital desenvolvido e o manual convencional utilizado como base. A partir das respostas, foi possível concluir que o projeto foi bem aceito pela maioria dos respondentes, que os recursos atribuídos ao projeto tornam o manual digital mais didático em relação ao manual atual e que o manual digital melhora a experiência de montagem do cliente

Do patients lose weight after total hip arthroplasty?

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the effect of total hip arthroplasty (THA) on body mass index (BMI), from before to after the operation.Methods100 patients who underwent THA were retrospectively analyzed. They were stratified according to BMI, as proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO).ResultsThere were 48 male patients and 52 female patients. Their mean age was 63.8±13.5 years. The mean follow-up was 24.6±0.6 months. The men had a mean preoperative BMI of 28.4±3.6kg/m2 and the women, 27.5±5.0kg/m2. The mean postoperative BMI was 28.9±0.7kg/m2 for the men and 27.8±0.7kg/m2 for the women. There was a general mean increase in BMI of 0.4kg/m2. The BMI increased both in patients with normal weight and in those who were overweight, but it decreased slightly in patients who were obese. BMI remained unchanged in the majority of the patients (73%).ConclusionThe improvement in mobility achieved through THA did not promote any reduction in anthropometric measurements in the majority of the patients