Certain Factors Affecting the Legibility of Stop Signs

In the evolution of highway signs, the square or rectangular shape was first used to indicate any conditions which might affect driving on the highway. When it became necessary to differentiate between conditions along the right-of-way from conditions on the right-of-way, it was decided to rotate the square sign 45 degrees and let the diamond-shaped sign stand for curves, dips, hills, and other conditions on the roadway proper. Later, when a sign was needed to indicate STOP someone suggested cutting off the corners and making an octagonal sign of the diamond. The round sign was adopted as the designation for highway-railway crossings

Deletion of Genes Implicated in Protecting the Integrity of Male Germ Cells Has Differential Effects on the Incidence of DNA Breaks and Germ Cell Loss

Infertility affects approximately 20% of couples in Europe and in 50% of cases the problem lies with the male partner. The impact of damaged DNA originating in the male germ line on infertility is poorly understood but may increase miscarriage. Mouse models allow us to investigate how deficiencies in DNA repair/damage response pathways impact on formation and function of male germ cells. We have investigated mice with deletions of ERCC1 (excision repair cross-complementing gene 1), MSH2 (MutS homolog 2, involved in mismatch repair pathway), and p53 (tumour suppressor gene implicated in elimination of germ cells with DNA damage).We demonstrate for the first time that depletion of ERCC1 or p53 from germ cells results in an increased incidence of unrepaired DNA breaks in pachytene spermatocytes and increased numbers of caspase-3 positive (apoptotic) germ cells. Sertoli cell-only tubules were detected in testes from mice lacking expression of ERCC1 or MSH2 but not p53. The number of sperm recovered from epididymes was significantly reduced in mice lacking testicular ERCC1 and 40% of sperm contained DNA breaks whereas the numbers of sperm were not different to controls in adult Msh2 -/- or p53 -/- mice nor did they have significantly compromised DNA.These data have demonstrated that deletion of Ercc1, Msh2 and p53 can have differential but overlapping affects on germ cell function and sperm production. These findings increase our understanding of the ways in which gene mutations can have an impact on male fertility

Non-cationic proteins are associated with HIV neutralizing activity in genital secretions of female sex workers.

CAPRISA, 2015.Abstract available in pdf

Contribuições da fenomenologia para os estudos organizacionais

Este artigo discute elementos que viabilizam outra possibilidade de compreensão dos fenômenos administrativos, através de uma descrição propedêutica da fenomenologia e do método fenomenológico. Objetiva-se, assim, apresentar as principais contribuições e possibilidades da fenomenologia para os estudos organizacionais. Aprofunda-se em considerações sobre a fenomenologia em geral e os diversos tipos de métodos fenomenológicos em particular, buscando esclarecer sobre a filosofia existente nesses temas, para auxiliar os pesquisadores em seu labor diário. Discorre-se também sobre a redução, que na verdade são duas: a eidética e a fenomenológica. Tais reduções são vitais para retirar o homem de sua atitude natural. Outro assunto aqui abordado é a transposição do método fenomenológico do campo filosófico para o campo da pesquisa empírica. Diante dessa contextualização, tem-se o último assunto a ser abordado, que vai diretamente ao encontro do objetivo desta pesquisa, discutindo-se a utilização da fenomenologia no contexto da administração. A título de ilustração, são apresentados diversos estudos que têm a fenomenologia como tema, bem como um método fenomenológico empírico específico da área de estudos organizacionais. Dessa maneira, a temática neste artigo é situada, sendo preciso agora avançar em direção a outras possibilidades