Foreign capital and gender differences in promotions: Evidence from large Brazilian manufacturing firms

This paper examines whether there exists obstacles hindering women's ascension in the largest firms of the Brazilian manufacturing industry. In particular, we check whether gender matters in the time it takes to get a promotion to a managerial position. Once we control for covariate-dependent censoring, we find significant evidence that foreign-owned firms feature less gender differences in promotions than domestic firms. The same applies in other dimensions of career progress, namely, wage growth and promotion likelihood. It turns out that wage gains after promotion contribute to generating wage differential between males and females only within domestic firms. This is consistent with statistical discrimination and with the self-selection that results from employees optimally choosing which jobs to apply for. Jobs in domestic firms offer more flexibility in terms of hours per week, whereas multinationals compete for the most career-concerned workers

The gathering firestorm in southern Amazonia.

Wildfires, exacerbated by extreme weather events and land use, threaten to change the Amazon from a net carbon sink to a net carbon source. Here, we develop and apply a coupled ecosystem-fire model to quantify how greenhouse gas-driven drying and warming would affect wildfires and associated CO2 emissions in the southern Brazilian Amazon. Regional climate projections suggest that Amazon fire regimes will intensify under both low- and high-emission scenarios. Our results indicate that projected climatic changes will double the area burned by wildfires, affecting up to 16% of the region's forests by 2050. Although these fires could emit as much as 17.0 Pg of CO2 equivalent to the atmosphere, avoiding new deforestation could cut total net fire emissions in half and help prevent fires from escaping into protected areas and indigenous lands. Aggressive efforts to eliminate ignition sources and suppress wildfires will be critical to conserve southern Amazon forests

Tools for Remote Exploration: A Lithium (Li) Dedicated Spectral Library of the Fregeneda-Almendra Aplite-Pegmatite Field

The existence of diagnostic features in the visible and infrared regions makes it possible to use reflectance spectra not only to identify mineral assemblages but also for calibration and classification of satellite images, considering lithological and/or mineral mapping. For this purpose, a consistent spectral library with the target spectra of minerals and rocks is needed. Currently, there is big market pressure for raw materials including lithium (Li) that has driven new satellite image applications for Li exploration. However, there are no reference spectra for petalite (a Li mineral) in large, open spectral datasets. In this work, a spectral library was built exclusively dedicated to Li minerals and Li pegmatite exploration through satellite remote sensing. The database includes field and laboratory spectra collected in the Fregeneda-Almendra region (Spain-Portugal) from (i) distinct Li minerals (spodumene, petalite, lepidolite); (ii) several Li pegmatites and other outcropping lithologies to allow satellite-based lithological mapping; (iii) areas previously misclassified as Li pegmatites using machine learning algorithms to allow comparisons between these regions and the target areas. Ancillary data include (i) sample location and coordinates, (ii) sample conditions, (iii) sample color, (iv) type of face measured, (v) equipment used, and for the laboratory spectra, (vi) sample photographs, (vii) continuum removed spectra files, and (viii) statistics on the main absorption features automatically extracted. The potential future uses of this spectral library are reinforced by its major advantages: (i) data is provided in a universal file format; (ii) it allows users to compare field and laboratory spectra; (iii) a large number of complementary data allow the comparison of shape, asymmetry, and depth of the absorption features of the distinct Li minerals

Gene expression and matrix turnover in overused and damaged tendons

Chronic, painful conditions affecting tendons, frequently known as tendinopathy, are very common types of sporting injury. The tendon extracellular matrix is substantially altered in tendinopathy, and these changes are thought to precede and underlie the clinical condition. The tendon cell response to repeated minor injuries or “overuse” is thought to be a major factor in the development of tendinopathy. Changes in matrix turnover may also be effected by the cellular response to physical load, altering the balance of matrix turnover and changing the structure and composition of the tendon. Matrix turnover is relatively high in tendons exposed to high mechanical demands, such as the supraspinatus and Achilles, and this is thought to represent either a repair or tissue maintenance function. Metalloproteinases are a large family of enzymes capable of degrading all of the tendon matrix components, and these are thought to play a major role in the degradation of matrix during development, adaptation and repair. It is proposed that some metalloproteinase enzymes are required for the health of the tendon, and others may be damaging, leading to degeneration of the tissue. Further research is required to investigate how these enzyme activities are regulated in tendon and altered in tendinopathy. A profile of all the metalloproteinases expressed and active in healthy and degenerate tendon is required and may lead to the development of new drug therapies for these common and debilitating sports injuries

Resting heart rate as a predictor of metabolic dysfunctions in obese children and adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent studies have identified that a higher resting heart rate (RHR) is associated with elevated blood pressure, independent of body fatness, age and ethnicity. However, it is still unclear whether RHR can also be applied as a screening for other risk factors, such as hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. Thus, the purpose of the presented study was to analyze the association between RHR, lipid profile and fasting glucose in obese children and adolescents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The sample was composed of 180 obese children and adolescents, aged between 7-16 years. Whole-body and segmental body composition were estimated by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Resting heart rate (RHR) was measured by heart rate monitors. The fasting blood samples were analyzed for serum triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glucose, using the colorimetric method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fasting glucose, TC, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C and RHR were similar in both genders. The group of obese subjects with a higher RHR presented, at a lower age, higher triglycerides and TC. There was a significant relationship between RHR, triglycerides and TC. In the multivariate model, triglycerides and TC maintained a significant relationship with RHR independent of age, gender, general and trunk adiposity. The ROC curve indicated that RHR has a high potential for screening elevated total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as dyslipidemia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Elevated RHR has the potential to identify subjects at an increased risk of atherosclerosis development.</p

Mapping the Interactions between a RUN Domain from DENND5/Rab6IP1 and Sorting Nexin 1

Eukaryotic cells have developed a diverse repertoire of Rab GTPases to regulate vesicle trafficking pathways. Together with their effector proteins, Rabs mediate various aspects of vesicle formation, tethering, docking and fusion, but details of the biological roles elicited by effectors are largely unknown. Human Rab6 is involved in the trafficking of vesicles at the level of Golgi via interactions with numerous effector proteins. We have previously determined the crystal structure of Rab6 in complex with DENND5, alternatively called Rab6IP1, which comprises two RUN domains (RUN1 and RUN2) separated by a PLAT domain. The structure of Rab6/RUN1-PLAT (Rab6/R1P) revealed the molecular basis for Golgi recruitment of DENND5 via the RUN1 domain, but the functional role of the RUN2 domain has not been well characterized. Here we show that a soluble DENND5 construct encompassing the RUN2 domain binds to the N-terminal region of sorting nexin 1 by surface plasmon resonance analyses