Time evolution of the behaviour of Brazilian legislative Representatives using a complex network approach

The follow up of Representative behavior after elections is imperative for a democratic Representative system, at the very least to punish betrayal with no re-election. Our goal was to show how to follow Representatives' and how to show behavior in real situations and observe trends in political crises including the onset of game changing political instabilities. We used correlation and correlation distance matrices of Brazilian Representative votes during four presidential terms. Re-ordering these matrices with Minimal Spanning Trees displays the dynamical formation of clusters for the sixteen year period, which includes one Presidential impeachment. The reordered matrices, colored by correlation strength and by the parties clearly show the origin of observed clusters and their evolution over time. When large clusters provide government support cluster breaks, political instability arises, which could lead to an impeachment, a trend we observed three years before the Brazilian President was impeached. We believe this method could be applied to foresee other political storms.Comment: 11 pages, 4 Figure

Local and Landscape Factors Determining Occurrence of Phyllostomid Bats in Tropical Secondary Forests

Neotropical forests are being increasingly replaced by a mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasture lands. Consequently, the identification of factors shaping the performance of taxa in anthropogenic landscapes is gaining importance, especially for taxa playing critical roles in ecosystem functioning. As phyllostomid bats provide important ecological services through seed dispersal, pollination and control of animal populations, in this study we assessed the relationships between phyllostomid occurrence and the variation in local and landscape level habitat attributes caused by disturbance. We mist-netted phyllostomids in 12 sites representing 4 successional stages of a tropical dry forest (initial, early, intermediate and late). We also quantitatively characterized the habitat attributes at the local (vegetation structure complexity) and the landscape level (forest cover, area and diversity of patches). Two focal scales were considered for landscape characterization: 500 and 1000 m. During 142 sampling nights, we captured 606 individuals representing 15 species and 4 broad guilds. Variation in phyllostomid assemblages, ensembles and populations was associated with variation in local and landscape habitat attributes, and this association was scale-dependent. Specifically, we found a marked guild-specific response, where the abundance of nectarivores tended to be negatively associated with the mean area of dry forest patches, while the abundance of frugivores was positively associated with the percentage of riparian forest. These results are explained by the prevalence of chiropterophilic species in the dry forest and of chiropterochorous species in the riparian forest. Our results indicate that different vegetation classes, as well as a multi-spatial scale approach must be considered for evaluating bat response to variation in landscape attributes. Moreover, for the long-term conservation of phyllostomids in anthropogenic landscapes, we must realize that the management of the habitat at the landscape level is as important as the conservation of particular forest fragments

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Lipopeptides Produced by a Soil Bacillus Megaterium Strain

A soil microorganism identified as Bacillum megaterium was found to produce several antibiotics substances after growth for 20 h at 37A degrees C in a mineral culture medium. Analysis both by electron spray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) identified these substances as lipopeptides. Predominant peaks at m/z 1,041 and m/z 1,065 revealed ions which are compatible with surfactins and lichenysins, respectively. Two other ions m/z 1,057 and m/z 1,464 were further studied by collision-induced dissociation (CID) unveiling an iturin A at the first and fengycins A and B at the second m/z peaks. The CID spectrum of the m/z 1,464 ion also suggests the existence of fengycins A and B variants in which Ile was changed to Val in the position 10 of the peptide moiety. Raw mixtures of all these compounds were also assayed for antibiotic features. The data enlighten the unusual diversity of the lipopeptide mixture produced by a sole Bacillus species.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[98/11480-1]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)[473145/2006-5

Enantioselective synthesis of β-aryl-γ-lactam derivatives via Heck–Matsuda desymmetrization of N-protected 2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrroles

We report herein an enantioselective palladium-catalyzed Heck–Matsuda reaction for the desymmetrization of N-protected 2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrroles with aryldiazonium salts, using the chiral N,N-ligand (S)-PyraBox. This strategy has allowed straightforward access to a diversity of 4-aryl-γ-lactams via Heck arylation followed by a sequential Jones oxidation. The overall method displays a broad scope and good enantioselectivity, favoring the (R) enantiomer. The applicability of the protocol is highlighted by the efficient enantioselective syntheses of the selective phosphodiesterase-4-inhibitor rolipram and the commercial drug baclofen as hydrochloride

Multiscale Electrochemical Analysis of Sol-Gel Films Modified with Eco-Friendly Corrosion Inhibitors for Active Corrosion Protection of AZ61 Magnesium Alloy

244th ECS Meeting, Gothenburg, SwedenThe use of magnesium and its alloys has increased in recent years due to their low weight, high strength, excellent machinability, and high dimensional durability. Therefore, they have found application in communications, automotive and aerospace industries, among others. However, their high negative reduction potentials, low chemical stability, and the unstable native oxide films have limited their use, particularly in applications that require high corrosion resistance.1-3 The application of sol-gel coatings has shown to be an effective method to overcome this problem. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop sol-gel thin-films doped with ecological corrosion inhibitors for corrosion protection of AZ61 alloy surfaces. The objective was to determine whether these new systems could provide an alternative to the replacement of chromates, surface pre-treatments and chemical conversion coatings that contain conventional corrosion inhibitors, which are currently being questioned for their harmfulness to health and the environment.Peer reviewe

(Invited) Multiscale Electrochemical Analysis of Sol-Gel Films Modified with Eco-Friendly Corrosion Inhibitors for Active Corrosion Protection of AZ61 Magnesium Alloy

Extended abstracts of a technical paper.The use of magnesium and its alloys has increased in recent years due to their low weight, high strength, excellent machinability, and high dimensional durability. Therefore, they have found applications in communications, automotive and aerospace industries, among others. However, their high negative reduction potentials, low chemical stability, and unstable native oxide films have limited their use, particularly in applications that require high corrosion resistance.1-3 The application of sol-gel coatings has shown to be an effective method to overcome this problem. In this context, this study aimed to develop sol-gel thin films doped with ecological corrosion inhibitors for corrosion protection of AZ61 alloy surfaces. The objective was to determine whether these new systems could provide an alternative to the replacement of chromates, surface pre-treatments and chemical conversion coatings that contain conventional corrosion inhibitors, which are currently being questioned for their harmfulness to health and the environment.4 Methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) were used as precursors to produce sols, which were then modified with active corrosion protection dopants. Eco-benign corrosion inhibitors, such as L-cysteine (L-Cys), lanthanum (III) acetate hydrate, and lanthanum (III) isopropoxide were incorporated in the sol-gel matrix as dopants. A set of sol-gel coatings was modified with a common dopant, benzotriazole (BTA), for comparison purposes, as it is a well-known effective corrosion inhibitor. However, this chemical compound is known to be carcinogenic and toxic to flora and fauna, and its use is currently being restricted today in compliance with environmental protection regulations.5,6 The resulting sols were processed and deposited on AZ61 substrates by dip-coating technique, producing transparent sol-gel thin-films. The thickness of the films was evaluated by interference of reflection spectra. Their chemical composition was characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), while surface chemical composition and oxidation state of elements present at the outermost surface nanolayers was also analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The structural and thermal characterization of the doped thin-films were respectively analysed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The corrosion protection behaviour of the sol-gel coatings during immersion tests in 0.006 M and 0.6 M NaCl aqueous solutions was studied using a multiscale electrochemical approach. Global electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used for macroscopic scale characterisation. Localised electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (LEIS and LEIM) was used for the characterisation at micro- and sub-microscopic scales using an electrochemical minicell system and a scanning electrochemical workstation. The texture and microstructure of coated samples before and after corrosion tests were observed by optical and scanning electron microscopies (OM and SEM), while topography and coating roughness were analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). In terms of corrosion resistance, similar results were obtained with sol-gel thin-films doped with lanthanum acetate or lanthanum isopropoxide. The synthesis method of the acetate-doped gels is much simpler and cheaper, so from a practical standpoint, these sol-gel thin-films could be more interesting. On the other hand, highly satisfactory results were obtained with gels doped with non-toxic L-Cys compared with those doped with BTA. Finally, it is noteworthy that an interesting synergistic effect was observed in the corrosion protection of the AZ61 alloy in sol-gel coatings that were doped with metal-organic inhibitors and loaded with organic inhibitors (L-Cys or BTA). As a concluding remark, this study has provided an effective and environmentally friendly solution for the active corrosion protection of the AZ61 alloy. Sol-gel thin films doped with eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors have showed promising results in extending the durability of AZ61 alloy while being sustainable. The multiscale electrochemical approach used has provided a comprehensive understanding of the active corrosion protection behaviour and the self-healing properties of sol-gel coatings, which can be extended to other materials and systems.Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCINN, Spain). Project PID2019-104717RB-I00Peer reviewe