THE APPALACHIAN SYSTEM OF BASINS AND PLATFORMS AS A TECTONOSTRATIGRAPHIC ANALOGUE TO THE BARENTS SEA SHELF: WHERE ARCTIC MEETS THE APPALACHIANS

Divided between Norway and Russia, the Barents Sea shelf (BSS) is an ~1.4 million km2 Arctic province, containing significant hydrocarbon accumulations. However, much of the area is frontier, and geologic data are often restricted or unavailable. One strategy to mitigate lack of geologic data is the use of analogues from well-known, mature basins. Even though there have been attempts to use analogues to study the geology of the BSS, such use is limited. Moreover, no analogue, to my knowledge, has been capable of addressing the regional tectonostratigraphic development of the shelf as a whole. In this research, the Appalachian system of basins and platforms and its included flexural stratigraphic sequences are defined as a tectonostratigraphic analogue, aiding the interpretation of BSS tectonostratigraphic evolution. Although temporally and paleogeographically different, both the Appalachian and BSS areas reflect collisional regimes, characterized by early subduction-related orogenies that concluded with a final collisional event. In the Appalachian foreland basin and adjacent intracratonic areas, each orogeny was defined by one or more, unconformity-bound, flexural stratigraphic sequences, called “tectophase” sequences. The BSS tectonostratigraphic succession exhibits several unconformity-bound stratigraphic sequences that are comparable to tectophase sequences from the Appalachian area. These BSS sequences begin with black shales and end with molasse-like wedges of clastic sediments, which suggest flexural responses to orogeny. Much of this succession was deposited across structural elements that were likely reactivated by far-field responses to periods of Uralian–Pai–Khoi–Novaya Zemlya (Late Permian to Middle Jurassic) tectonism, involving the collision of Siberia-Kazakhstania with northern Baltican parts of Pangea. This widespread structural reactivation is discussed herein by applying the backstripping method for analysis of structural mechanisms, based on sediment thicknesses across various BSS structural elements. As in the Appalachian area, BSS structural reactivation occurred in various ways and times during ongoing Uralian–Pai–Khoi–Novaya Zemlya tectonism. In this context, the only part of the BSS collisional succession with sufficient lithologic data for regional studies is the Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic (Carnian–Hettangian) stratigraphic succession. This succession includes erosional surfaces, as well as open-marine, marginal-marine and fluvio-deltaic deposits, and the varying nature and thicknesses of these sediments across the several BSS structural elements suggest far-field reactivation by the coeval Novaya Zemlya Orogeny. The Appalachian tectophase cycle is herein used to define pulses (tectophases) of deformational loading and possible sedimentary responses to foreland-basin and forebulge development. Although many BSS models suggest that tectonism in the area did not begin until the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic transition, sedimentary responses similar to those in the Appalachian tectophase model suggest that tectonism may have begun as early as Late Triassic (Norian) time. Even though many questions remain, the use of analogues external to the BSS, has not been a widespread practice. However, mature collisional settings like the Appalachian and BSS areas typically exhibit similar large-scale processes, meaning that analogues from one may provide new sources of information about the other

Assessment of the Body Composition and the Loss of Fat-Free Mass through Bioelectric Impedance Analysis in Patients Who Underwent Open Gastric Bypass

Background. Bariatric surgery is considered an effective option for the management of morbid obesity. The incidence of obesity has been gradually increasing all over the world reaching epidemic proportions in some regions of the world. Obesity can cause a reduction of up to 22% in the life expectancy of morbidly obese patients. Objective. The objective of this paper is to assess the weight loss associated with the first 6 months after bariatric surgery using bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) for the evaluation of fat mass and fat-free mass. Method. A total of 36 morbidly obese patients were subjected to open gastric bypass surgery. The patients weight was monitored before and after the procedure using the bioelectric impedance analysis. Results. Bariatric surgery resulted in an average percentage of weight loss of 28.6% (40 kg) as determined 6 months after the procedure was performed. Analysis of the different components of body weight indicated an undesirable loss of fat-free mass along with the reduction of total body weight. Conclusion. Open gastric bypass induced a significant loss of total weight and loss of fat-free mass in patients six months after the surgery. The use of bioelectric impedance analysis resulted in an appropriate estimation of the total weight components in individuals subjected to bariatric surgery allowing a more real analysis of the variation of weight after the surgery

New Materials to Solve Energy Issues through Photochemical and Photophysical Processes: The Kinetics Involved

Kinetic rates of energy production are extremely controlled by the competing processes that occur in systems capable of energy transfer. Besides organic and inorganic compounds already known as electronically actives, supramolecular systems can be thought to form energy transfer complexes to efficiently convert, for instance, light into electricity and the mechanisms for that can be of any kind. Photophysical and photochemical processes can simultaneously occur in such systems to provide energy conversion, by competing mechanisms or collaborative ones. Thus, to investigate the kinetic rates of each process and to understand the dynamics of the electronic excited states population and depopulation in strategically structured materials, can offer important tools to efficiently make use of this not always so evident power of supramolecular materials. In this chapter, we present the state-of-the-art of the use of photophysical processes and photochemical changes, presented by new materials and devices to provide a control of energy transfer processes and enable distinct applications, since energy conversion to sensing and imaging techniques to material characterization

Elaboração e avaliação fisico-química, microbiológia e sensorial de barra de cereal enriquecida com bacaba (oenocarpus distichus MART) / Physical and chemical elaboration and evaluation, microbiology and sensorial of cereal bar enriched with bacaba (oenocarpus distichus MART)

As barras de cereais são classificadas como refeições leves ou substanciais. Esse tipo de alimento em função de sua praticidade está cada vez mais sendo consumido. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo a elaboração e avaliações físico-químicas, microbiológicas e sensoriais de barra de cereal enriquecida com bacaba (Oenocarpus distichus Mart.). Para a elaboração da barra os ingredientes foram misturados e posteriormente colocados em uma forma ao qual foram assados e posteriormente embalados e submetidos às análises microbiológicas, físico-químicas e sensoriais. Durante a avaliação da vida útil das barras de cereais todas as amostras resultaram em características microbiológicas e físico-químicas em conformidade com a legislação vigente. A barra de cereal sendo produzida sob condições satisfatórias e armazenamento adequado é capaz de atingir o período de 120 dias de vida útil. De forma geral a barra de cereal apresentou-se com resultados satisfatórios nas análises microbiológicas, físico-químicas e sensoriais, o que constata a aceitação da bacaba como opção de enriquecimento de barras de cereais. Verifica-se que a bacaba é um produto regional pouco explorado e que apresenta grande potencial para ser utilizada como fonte de enriquecimento em diversos outros alimentos, devido ser fonte em proteínas, lipídeos e fibras

The Expression of NTAL and Its Protein Interactors Is Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Non–T cell activation linker (NTAL) membrane protein depletion from lipid rafts by alkylphospholipids or downregulation by shRNA knockdown decreases cell viability through regulation of the Akt/PI3K pathway in mantle cell lymphoma and acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. Here, we confirmed that the knockdown of NTAL in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines was associated with decreased cell proliferation and survival. Similarly, a xenograft model using AML cells transduced with NTAL–shRNA and transplanted into immunodeficient mice led to a 1.8-fold decrease in tumor burden. Using immunoprecipitation, LC–MS/MS analysis, and label-free protein quantification, we identified interactors of NTAL in two AML cell lines. By evaluating the gene expression signatures of the NTAL protein interactors using the PREdiction of Clinical Outcomes from Genomic Profiles database, we found that 12 NTAL interactors could predict overall survival in AML, in at least two independent cohorts. In addition, patients with AML exhibiting a high expression of NTAL and its interactors were associated with a leukemic granulocyte–macrophage progenitor–like state. Taken together, our data provide evidence that NTAL and its protein interactors are relevant to AML cell proliferation and survival and represent potential therapeutic targets for granulocyte–macrophage progenitor–like leukemias

Producción in vitro y expresión génica de IGF-I e IGF-II en embriones de hembras Nelore sometidas a administraciones de somatotropina recombinante bovina

Com o presente trabalho, objetivou-se estudar a influência da somatotropina recombinante bovina (rbST) sobre a quantidade e qualidade de oócitos aspirados in vivo, produção embrionária e expressão gênica dos fatores de crescimento semelhantes à insulina (IGFs) tipos I e II em embriões produzidos in vitro de fêmeas bovinas da raça Nelore. Cinco vacas foram tratadas com duas administrações de 2mL de solução salina como placebo, com intervalo de catorze dias entre elas, sendo a primeira administração realizada dezenove e a segunda cinco dias antes das aspirações foliculares; decorridos trintas dias destas aspirações, em sistema crossover, o mesmo protocolo foi utilizado nesses cinco animais sendo, neste caso, a solução salina substituída por 500mg de rbST, com o intuito de efetuar-se comparações entre os tratamentos. A partir dos oócitos recuperados, realizou-se a produção in vitro de embriões (PIVE), sendo todas as etapas que envolvem este processo analisadas e com posterior realização de reações em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real (qPCRs) para expressões gênicas de IGF-I e IGF-II nos blastocistos produzidos. Observou-se que a rbST, ainda que numericamente tenha influenciado positivamente sobre os parâmetros estudados, não exerceu influência significativa sobre a quantidade e qualidade de oócitos aspirados in vivo, produção embrionária e expressão gênica de IGF-I e IGF-II em embriões produzidos in vitro de fêmeas bovinas da raça Nelore.The present work aimed of studying the influence of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on quantity and quality of in vivo aspirated oocytes, embryo production and gene expression of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) types I and II in in vitro produced embryos from bovine females of Nelore breed. Five cows were treated with two administrations of 2mL of saline solution as placebo, with an interval of 14 days between them, being the first administration held 19 and the second 5 days before follicular aspirations; within 30 days after these aspirations, in a crossover design, the same protocol was used in these five animals being, in this case, the saline solution replaced by 500mg of rbST in order to perform comparisons between treatments. From retrieved oocytes, in vitro production (IVP) was performed, being all stages involving this process evaluated with subsequent achievement of polymerase chain reactions in real time (qPCRs) for gene expression of IGF-I and IGF-II in produced blastocysts. It was observed that the rbST, although having a numerical increase, did not show significant influence, on the parameters studied, on the quantity and quality of in vivo aspirated oocytes, embryo production and gene expression of IGF-I and IGF-II in in vitro produced embryos from bovine females of Nelore breed.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo estudiar la influencia de la somatotropina recombinante bovina (rbST) en la cantidad y calidad de los ovocitos aspirados in vivo, la producción embrionaria y la expresión génica de los factores de crecimiento insulínicos (IGFs) tipos I y II en embriones producidos in vitro a partir de Nelore hembras bovinas. Se trataron cinco vacas con dos administraciones de 2mL de solución salina como placebo, con un intervalo de catorce días entre ellas, siendo la primera administración diecinueve y la segunda cinco días antes de las aspiraciones foliculares; a los treinta días de estas aspiraciones, en un sistema cruzado, se utilizó el mismo protocolo en estos cinco animales, en cuyo caso se sustituyó la solución salina por 500mg de rbST, con el fin de realizar comparaciones entre tratamientos. A partir de los ovocitos recuperados se llevó a cabo la producción de embriones in vitro (PIVE), analizándose todas las etapas de este proceso y con la posterior realización de reacciones en cadena de la polimerasa en tiempo real (qPCRs) para IGF-I e IGF-II en los blastocistos producidos. Se observó que la rbST, aunque numéricamente influyó positivamente en los parámetros estudiados, no tuvo una influencia significativa en la cantidad y calidad de ovocitos aspirados in vivo, producción embrionaria y expresión génica de IGF-I e IGF-II en embriones producidos in vitro de hembras bovinas Nelore

Raman evidence for pressure-induced formation of diamondene.

Despite the advanced stage of diamond thin-film technology, with applications ranging from superconductivity to biosensing, the realization of a stable and atomically thick two-dimensional diamond material, named here as diamondene, is still forthcoming. Adding to the outstanding properties of its bulk and thin-film counterparts, diamondene is predicted to be a ferromagnetic semiconductor with spin polarized bands. Here, we provide spectroscopic evidence for the formation of diamondene by performing Raman spectroscopy of double-layer graphene under high pressure. The results are explained in terms of a breakdown in the Kohn anomaly associated with the finite size of the remaining graphene sites surrounded by the diamondene matrix. Ab initio calculations and molecular dynamics simulations are employed to clarify the mechanism of diamondene formation, which requires two or more layers of graphene subjected to high pressures in the presence of specific chemical groups such as hydroxyl groups or hydrogens

Metodologias e tecnologias para educação em tempos de pandemia COVID-19/ Methodologies and technologies for education in times of pandemic COVID-19

Devido as características epidemiológicas e patogênicas da pandemia pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2, levaram a diversas restrições em todo o mundo, tais como, fechamento de fronteiras e de comercio, cancelamento de eventos, feiras para evitar aglomeração e suspensão das aulas em escolas públicas e privadas. O presente trabalho apresenta indicações de metodologias e tecnologias para a educação em tempo de pandemia pelo COVID-19. O mesmo foi realizado a partir de pesquisa exploratória e bibliográfica na intenção de informar e comunicar a toda comunidade sobre o que está sendo realizado no país quanto a suspensão das aulas e o confinamento dos alunos, trazendo índices quanto ao desenvolvimento do analfabetismo e relaciona com possível crescimento futuro, devido a evasão escolar pela suspensão das aulas. O artigo nos revela por estado, principais metodologias aplicadas e como surtem efeitos na vida dos alunos, desde métodos simples até os mais tecnológicos. Em conclusão é possível afirmar que se a gestão municipal e estadual realizarem um plano correto de contingenciamento, muitos alunos ficarão sem acesso ao estudo, principalmente os economicamente desfavorecidos

The Schistosomiasis SpleenOME: Unveiling the Proteomic Landscape of Splenomegaly Using Label-Free Mass Spectrometry

Schistosomiasis is a neglected parasitic disease that affects millions of people worldwide and is caused by helminth parasites from the genus Schistosoma. When caused by S. mansoni, it is associated with the development of a hepatosplenic disease caused by an intense immune response to the important antigenic contribution of adult worms and to the presence of eggs trapped in liver tissue. Although the importance of the spleen for the establishment of immune pathology is widely accepted, it has received little attention in terms of the molecular mechanisms operating in response to the infection. Here, we interrogated the spleen proteome using a label-free shotgun approach for the potential discovery of molecular mechanisms associated to the peak of the acute phase of inflammation and the development of splenomegaly in the murine model. Over fifteen hundred proteins were identified in both infected and control individuals and 325 of those proteins were differentially expressed. Two hundred and forty-two proteins were found upregulated in infected individuals while 83 were downregulated. Functional enrichment analyses for differentially expressed proteins showed that most of them were categorized within pathways of innate and adaptive immunity, DNA replication, vesicle transport and catabolic metabolism. There was an important contribution of granulocyte proteins and antigen processing and presentation pathways were augmented, with the increased expression of MHC class II molecules but the negative regulation of cysteine and serine proteases. Several proteins related to RNA processing were upregulated, including splicing factors. We also found indications of metabolic reprogramming in spleen cells with downregulation of proteins related to mitochondrial metabolism. Ex-vivo imunophenotyping of spleen cells allowed us to attribute the higher abundance of MHC II detected by mass spectrometry to increased number of macrophages (F4/80+/MHC II+ cells) in the infected condition. We believe these findings add novel insights for the understanding of the immune mechanisms associated with the establishment of schistosomiasis and the processes of immune modulation implied in the host-parasite interactions