Interpersonal and affective dimensions of psychopathic traits in adolescents : development and validation of a self-report instrument

We report the development and psychometric evaluations of a self-report instrument designed to screen for psychopathic traits among mainstream community adolescents. Tests of item functioning were initially conducted with 26 adolescents. In a second study the new instrument was administered to 150 high school adolescents, 73 of who had school records of suspension for antisocial behavior. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure (Impulsivity α = .73, Self-Centredness α = .70, Callous-Unemotional α = .69, and Manipulativeness α = .83). In a third study involving 328 high school adolescents, 130 with records of suspension for antisocial behaviour, competing measurement models were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The superiority of a first-order model represented by four correlated factors that was invariant across gender and age was confirmed. The findings provide researchers and clinicians with a psychometrically strong, self-report instrument and a greater understanding of psychopathic traits in mainstream adolescents

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 and aspergillosis: an invisible co-infection

not applicabl

Aplicação da certificação LEEDTM no Brasil: contribuição ao entendimento com base em dois estudos de casos

The quest for higher sustainability standards in the Civil Construction Industry is still incipient. This research aims to study the application of the LEEDTM certification to Brazilian buildings, understanding the restrictions for its use in a reality different from the original American reference, and disseminate the analyzed results of two national case studies to put the debate in perspective. Obtained results confirmed that (1) obtaining a LEEDTM certificate is not an easy task and in Brazil it means jumping from complete lack of reference to follow North American standards; and (2) even in developed civil construction centers in Brazil, the market is not yet prepared for international green certification. There are huge obstacles to be overcome but certification opens discussion on matters never approached before in Brazil. Though limited, introduction of building certification in the Brazilian market opens discussion on subjects never treated before. Certifications, voluntary schemes and other market pull instruments play a fundamental role in market transformation for sustainability, but depend on a previous foundation regarding P&D and knowledge and technology transfer. The quest for ertification in itself should be avoided. Otherwise, it may put at risk the valuable contribution building certification can bring to market transformation

Contribuição ao entendimento da aplicação da certificação LEEDtm no Brasil com base em dois estudos de caso

No setor da construção civil, a busca por sustentabilidade ainda é incipiente. Este trabalho tem por objetivos analisar a aplicação da certificação LEEDTM a empreendimentos brasileiros, entendendo as restrições de uso em uma realidade diferente da referência original norte-americana, e disseminar os resultados obtidos para dois estudos de caso nacionais. Os resultados obtidos confirmaram que (a) a certificação LEEDTM não é tarefa fácil e, no Brasil, significa, para vários aspectos, saltar da completa ausência de referência para atender a normas americanas; e (b) mesmo em centros avançados da construção civil brasileira, o mercado ainda não está preparado para os “selos verdes” internacionais. Apesar dos obstáculos e limitações existentes, a entrada de certificações no Brasil abre a discussão para assuntos antes nunca abordados. Certificações, iniciativas voluntárias e instrumentos de market pull possuem o importante papel de propulsores da transformação do mercado da construção civil na busca da sustentabilidade. Não se pode perder de vista que estas pressupõem uma base anterior – composta de pesquisa e desenvolvimento e transferência de conhecimento e tecnologia ao mercado – para que possam se desenvolver plenamente. Deve-se evitar a ansiedade pela busca de certificação sem o preparo do mercado. Caso contrário, corre-se o risco de fragilizar o papel transformador das certificações

Mechanisms of redundancy and specificity of the Aspergillus fumigatus Crh transglycosylases

Transglycosylases strengthen the fungal cell wall by forming a rigid network of crosslinks. Here, Fang et al. show that the five Crh transglycosylases of Aspergillus fumigatus are dispensable for cell wall integrity in vitro, and solve the crystal structure of Crh5 in complex with chitooligosaccharides

Institutionalization of disaster risk management in the local environment

This study aims to analyze the institutionalization of the organizational field of disaster risk management, at the local level, in Brazil. The research is developed through in-depth interviews. Data are interpreted using content analysis techniques. In particular, it appears that the civil defense units, in the organizational field researched, have structure and resources that are still inadequate and insufficient, lacking technical training and structure to develop the activity. There are entrepreneurial actions by the State, however, there is a need to foster partnerships with Education. Institutional legitimacy is still small in the social context in which it operates. There are no interfaces with urban planning for disaster mitigation. It is necessary to strengthen the process of institutionalizing disaster risk management at the local level in the researched territory

Investigation of the Key Parameters Affecting Wettability of a Brazilian Pre-Salt Crude Oil and Brine on Pure Minerals Through Statistical Analysis

Wettability is a fundamental property that defines the fluid’s distribution in oil reservoirs. Assessing wettability is required to model flow in porous media. Nevertheless, it involves complex intermolecular and surface forces. Contact angle measurement is a quantitative method to determine wettability. However, rock samples must be prepared to assure results representative of reservoir conditions. This work applies statistical analysis to investigate the relevance of variables involved in sample preparation (aging time, solvent used to remove the excess oil from the surface) and mineral type on the wettability of oil and brine from a Pre-Salt field on pure minerals. Since there is limited experimental wettability data at Pre-Salt conditions, this work aims to assist filling this gap. The results showed aging time and mineral type as the most important parameters for analysis. Furthermore, authors found that greater aging time in oil and point of zero charge of the mineral lead to a more oil-wet behavior.Indisponível

A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales: the Sustainable amazon network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazônia Sustentável, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far

Adolescents' involvement in cyber bullying and perceptions of school: the importance of perceived peer acceptance for female adolescents

Young people are spending increasing amounts of time using digital technology and, as such, are at great risk of being involved in cyber bullying as a victim, bully, or bully/victim. Despite cyber bullying typically occurring outside the school environment, the impact of being involved in cyber bullying is likely to spill over to school. Fully 285 11- to 15-year-olds (125 male and 160 female, M age = 12.19 years, SD = 1.03) completed measures of cyber bullying involvement, self-esteem, trust, perceived peer acceptance, and perceptions of the value of learning and the importance of school. For young women, involvement in cyber bullying as a victim, bully, or bully/victim negatively predicted perceptions of learning and school, and perceived peer acceptance mediated this relationship. The results indicated that involvement in cyber bullying negatively predicted perceived peer acceptance which, in turn, positively predicted perceptions of learning and school. For young men, fulfilling the bully/victim role negatively predicted perceptions of learning and school. Consequently, for young women in particular, involvement in cyber bullying spills over to impact perceptions of learning. The findings of the current study highlight how stressors external to the school environment can adversely impact young women's perceptions of school and also have implications for the development of interventions designed to ameliorate the effects of cyber bullying

Neuroanatomical Abnormalities in Violent Individuals with and without a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

Several structural brain abnormalities have been associated with aggression in patients with schizophrenia. However, little is known about shared and distinct abnormalities underlying aggression in these subjects and non-psychotic violent individuals. We applied a region-of interest volumetric analysis of the amygdala, hippocampus, and thalamus bilaterally, as well as whole brain and ventricular volumes to investigate violent (n = 37) and non-violent chronic patients (n = 26) with schizophrenia, non-psychotic violent (n = 24) as well as healthy control subjects (n = 24). Shared and distinct volumetric abnormalities were probed by analysis of variance with the factors violence (non-violent versus violent) and diagnosis (non-psychotic versus psychotic), adjusted for substance abuse, age, academic achievement and negative psychotic symptoms. Patients showed elevated vCSF volume, smaller left hippocampus and smaller left thalamus volumes. This was particularly the case for non-violent individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Furthermore, patients had reduction in right thalamus size. With regard to left amygdala, we found an interaction between violence and diagnosis. More specifically, we report a double dissociation with smaller amygdala size linked to violence in non-psychotic individuals, while for psychotic patients smaller size was linked to non-violence. Importantly, the double dissociation appeared to be mostly driven by substance abuse. Overall, we found widespread morphometric abnormalities in subcortical regions in schizophrenia. No evidence for shared volumetric abnormalities in individuals with a history of violence was found. Finally, left amygdala abnormalities in non-psychotic violent individuals were largely accounted for by substance abuse. This might be an indication that the association between amygdala reduction and violence is mediated by substance abuse. Our results indicate the importance of structural abnormalities in aggressive individuals