Location-Based Management of Paleontological Collections using Open Source GIS Software

Management of Natural History collections, particularly paleontological collections, is usually structured around specimens. However, it might not be feasible when the collections are incorporated from sources where the whole cycle of specimen collection is unknown, making it hard to determine what fossils belong to a single specimen and if these specimens belong to a single fossil-assemblage, taxon or individual. The Sociedade de História Natural from Torres Vedras (Portugal) manages such collections using a management strategy approach based on the spatial location from where the fossils were found. To achieve this, we have implemented a methodology for field collection and developed a spatial database in PostgreSQL/PostGIS to manage the entire stages of paleontological collections management. On top of the database, a second layer of web services, Web GIS (Geographical Information System) applications, and desktop GIS, all based on QGIS, are also under development to facilitate access to data stored in the database to internal and external researchers and partners, as well public institutions. This effort is made in close collaboration with in-house actors and stakeholders and has yielded promising results. The development of this system provides four advantages: (i) it played an essential role in supporting the transfer of the collection to new storage facilities; (ii) it provides overviews of the distribution of the characteristics of the collections; (iii) it enhances institutional partnerships by providing consistent and reliable data and(iv) it supports the establishment and development of research lines

Propuesta de implementación de un sistema de control interno para una empresa minera dedicada a la extracción de cal

El presente trabajo se encarga de proponer la implementación de un sistema de control interno para una empresa minera dedicada a la extracción de Cal con el objetivo de determinar los beneficios que se obtienen y su impacto positivo en la mejora de la gestión de operativa de la empresa. Asimismo, se menciona la relevancia del sistema de control interno para con la consecución de objetivos y la manera en cómo mitiga los riesgos a los que están expuestos. El marco conceptual que se usó para la implementación del control interno es el COSO 2013, el cual consta de tres objetivos que son: información, operación y cumplimiento. Además, tiene cinco componentes (Entorno de control, Evaluación de riesgos, Actividades de control, Información y comunicación, Actividades de supervisión) y diecisiete principios. práctica debe ser implementada por las empresas para mejorar la gestión operativa y; por ende, tener mayor rentabilidadTrabajo de investigació

Achieving conservation through cattle ranching: The case of the Brazilian Pantanal

Cattle ranching in the ~140,000 km2 Brazilian Pantanal is considered one of the most important cases of sustainable use of natural resources in the global south. The region has had a successful history of balancing environmental protection with the production of >3.8 million cattle. However, global change, infrastructure projects, and deforestation, threaten the sustainable use of the Pantanal. Here, using Ostrom's design principles as a framework, we interviewed 49 local stakeholders and conducted a review of secondary information aiming to evaluate the sustainability of cattle ranching practices across the region and the threats to it. We show that well-defined property boundaries, congruence between appropriation and provision rules through low-intensity cattle ranching, and co-management of resources, are all key components for achieving sustainability in the Pantanal. However, we documented shortcomings in satisfying critical aspects of Orstrom's design principles. Specifically, we argue that the Pantanal needs better biodiversity and behavior monitoring, the creation of platforms or mechanisms to solve local conflicts around resource access and use, recognition by governments and international bodies of the local efforts to promote local sustainability, and the creation of networks effectively connecting existing sustainability initiatives

Accurate Masses for the Primary and Secondary in the Eclipsing White Dwarf Binary NLTT 11748

We measure the radial velocity curve of the eclipsing detached white dwarf binary NLTT 11748. The primary exhibits velocity variations with a semi-amplitude of 273 km s⁻¹ and an orbital period of 5.641 hr. We do not detect any spectral features from the secondary star or any spectral changes during the secondary eclipse. We use our composite spectrum to constrain the temperature and surface gravity of the primary to be T_eff = 8690 ± 140 K and log g = 6.54 ± 0.05, which correspond to a mass of 0.18 M ☉. For an inclination angle of 89.°9 derived from the eclipse modeling, the mass function requires a 0.76 M ☉ companion. The merger time for the system is 7.2 Gyr. However, due to the extreme mass ratio of 0.24, the binary will most likely create an AM CVn system instead of a merger

The runaway binary LP 400−22 is leaving the Galaxy

We present optical spectroscopy, astrometry, radio and X-ray observations of the runaway binary LP 400−22. We refine the orbital parameters of the system based on our new radial velocity observations. Our parallax data indicate that LP 400−22 is significantly more distant (3σ lower limit of 840 pc) than initially predicted. LP 400−22 has a tangential velocity in excess of 830 km s^−1; it is unbound to the Galaxy. Our radio and X-ray observations fail to detect a recycled millisecond pulsar companion, indicating that LP 400−22 is a double white dwarf system. This essentially rules out a supernova runaway ejection mechanism. Based on its orbit, a Galactic Centre origin is also unlikely. However, its orbit intersects the locations of several globular clusters; dynamical interactions between LP 400−22 and other binary stars or a central black hole in a dense cluster could explain the origin of this unusual binary

Laparoscopic choledochal cyst resection with simplified common bile duct reconstruction in an adult population: A case series

Introducción: Los quistes de colédoco (CC) son una patología congénita poco frecuente en la población adulta. Desde 1995, el manejo laparoscópico ha sido descrito para esta entidad. Sin embargo, su manejo se considera un tema controvertido debido al aumento del riesgo de colangiocarcinoma. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio retrospectivo, observacional y descriptivo considerando pacientes diagnosticados de CC que fueron operados en un centro de referencia de cirugía hepatobiliar desde enero de 2013 hasta junio de 2018. Los pacientes fueron llevados a laparoscopia simplificada hepaticoyeyunostomía con reconstrucción en Y de Roux. Se presenta un análisis retrospectivo de los datos obtenidos. Resultados: Diez pacientes adultos con CC fueron sometidos a reconstrucción biliar quirúrgica a una edad media de 34,5 años; 75% tenía CC Todani tipo I y 25% Todani tipo IV-B CC. Aproximadamente el 50% de los pacientes fueron diagnosticados mediante colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica (CPRE) y el 50% de ellos mediante colangiopancreatografía por resonancia magnética. Ninguno requirió reintervención, no se informó mortalidad; y la estancia media en el hospital fue 5 días, ningún paciente tuvo fuga biliar posoperatoria, ninguno se convirtió a cirugía abierta y todos los pacientes tuvieron una tolerancia adecuada a la alimentación oral 2 días postoperatorios. El seguimiento a largo plazo no mostró incidencia de colangiocarcinoma después de un seguimiento de 2 años. Conclusión: Los quistes de colédoco en adultos son una patología poco frecuente que tiene una alta probabilidad de desarrollar malignidad cuando no se realiza de forma adecuada quirúrgicamente manejado y debido al reflujo biliar secundario. Estos factores hacen que el manejo quirúrgico sea una decisión crítica. El abordaje laparoscópico simplificado presentado en este trabajo parece ser una alternativa eficaz y segura a la cirugía reconstructiva de la vía biliar.Introduction: Choledochal cysts (CC) are rare congenital pathology in adult population. Since 1995, laparoscopic management has been described for this entity. Nevertheless, its management is considered to be a controversial matter due to the augmented risk of associated cholangiocarcinoma. Materials and methods: A retrospective, observational, and descriptive study was conducted considering patients diagnosed with CC who were operated at a hepatobiliary surgery referral center from January 2013 to June 2018. Patients were taken to simplified laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy with a Roux-en-Y reconstruction. A retrospective analysis of the data obtained is presented. Results: Ten adult patients with CC underwent surgical biliary reconstruction at a mean age of 34.5 years; 75% had Todani type I CC and 25% Todani type IV-B CC. About 50% of the patients were diagnosed via endoscopic retrograde holangiopancreatography (ERCP) and 50% of them via magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. None required re-intervention, no mortality was reported; and the mean hospital stay was 5 days, no patient had postoperative biliary leakage, none was converted to open surgery, and all patients had adequate oral feeding tolerance 2 days postoperative. Long-term follow-up showed no incidence of cholangiocarcinoma after 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: Choledochal cysts in adults is a rare pathology that has a high probability of developing malignancy when not adequately surgically managed and because of secondary bile reflux. These factors make surgical management a critical decision. The simplified laparoscopic approach presented in this paper seems to be an effective and safe alternative to biliary duct reconstructive surgery

Structure, computational and biochemical analysis of PcCel45A endoglucanase from phanerochaete chrysosporium and catalytic mechanisms of GH45 subfamily C members

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORThe glycoside hydrolase family 45 (GH45) of carbohydrate modifying enzymes is mostly comprised of β-1,4-endoglucanases. Significant diversity between the GH45 members has prompted the division of this family into three subfamilies: A, B and C, which may d8FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR10/52362-511/20505-411/21608-115/13684-0405191/2015-4303988/2016-9440977/2016-9sem informaçãoThe PcCel45A dataset was collected at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, during the RapiData course. This study was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) via grants 10/52362-5, 11/20505-4, 11/21608-1 and 15/13684

Structure, computational and biochemical analysis of PcCel45A endoglucanase from <i>Phanerochaete chrysosporium </i>and catalytic mechanisms of GH45 subfamily C members

Abstract The glycoside hydrolase family 45 (GH45) of carbohydrate modifying enzymes is mostly comprised of β-1,4-endoglucanases. Significant diversity between the GH45 members has prompted the division of this family into three subfamilies: A, B and C, which may differ in terms of the mechanism, general architecture, substrate binding and cleavage. Here, we use a combination of X-ray crystallography, bioinformatics, enzymatic assays, molecular dynamics simulations and site-directed mutagenesis experiments to characterize the structure, substrate binding and enzymatic specificity of the GH45 subfamily C endoglucanase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PcCel45A). We investigated the role played by different residues in the binding of the enzyme to cellulose oligomers of different lengths and examined the structural characteristics and dynamics of PcCel45A that make subfamily C so dissimilar to other members of the GH45 family. Due to the structural similarity shared between PcCel45A and domain I of expansins, comparative analysis of their substrate binding was also carried out. Our bioinformatics sequence analyses revealed that the hydrolysis mechanisms in GH45 subfamily C is not restricted to use of the imidic asparagine as a general base in the “Newton’s cradle” catalytic mechanism recently proposed for this subfamily

Spatial distribution of arable and abandoned land across former Soviet Union countries

Knowledge of the spatial distribution of agricultural abandonment following the collapse of the Soviet Union is highly uncertain. To help improve this situation, we have developed a new map of arable and abandoned land for 2010 at a 10 arc-second resolution. We have fused together existing land cover and land use maps at different temporal and spatial scales for the former Soviet Union (fSU) using a training data set collected from visual interpretation of very high resolution (VHR) imagery. We have also collected an independent validation data set to assess the map accuracy. The overall accuracies of the map by region and country, i.e. Caucasus, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine, are 90±2%, 84±2%, 92±1%, 78±3%, 95±1%, 83±2%, respectively. This new product can be used for numerous applications including the modelling of biogeochemical cycles, land-use modelling, the assessment of trade-offs between ecosystem services and land-use potentials (e.g., agricultural production), among others