Environmental Genomics: A Tale of Two Fishes

The influence of the environment on two congeneric fishes, Gillichthys mirabilis and Gillichthys seta, that live in the Gulf of California at temperatures of 10-25 degrees C, and up to 42-44 degrees C, respectively, was addressed by analyzing their genomes. Compared with G. mirabilis, G. seta showed some striking features. Substitution rates in the mitochondrial genes were found to be extremely fast, in fact faster than in noncoding control regions (D-loops), from which a divergence time of less than 0.66-0.75 Mya could be estimated. In the nuclear genome, 1) both AT --> GC/GC --> AT and transversion: transition ratios in coding sequences (CDSs) were relatively high; moreover, the ratios of nonsynonymous/synonymous changes (Ka/Ks) suggested that some genes were under positive selection; 2) DNA methylation showed a very significant decrease; and 3) a GC-rich minisatellite underwent a 4-fold amplification in the gene-rich regions. All these observations clearly indicate that the environment (temperature and the accompanying hypoxia) can rapidly mold the nuclear as well as the mitochondrial genome. The stabilization of gene-rich regions by the amplification of the GC-rich minisatellite and by the GC increase in nuclear CDSs is of special interest because it provides a model for the formation of the GC-rich and gene-rich isochores of the genomes of mammals and birds

Analyzing the postponement of time production systems in maketostock and seasonal demand

The supply chain management, postponement and demand management functions are of strategic importance to the economic success of organizations because they influence the production process, when viewed in isolation and empirically may hinder understanding of their behavior. The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of the postponement in an enterprise production system with make-to-stock and with seasonal demand. The research method used was a case study, the instruments of data collection were semi-structured interviews, documentary analysis and site visits. This research is restricted to analysis of the influence that different levels of delay and the company's position in the supply chain have on the practice of demand management in the productive segment graphic, product spiral notebook and also in relation to geographical focus (region of the state São Paulo), in which it will seek to interview the managers and directors. As a way to support the research on the analysis of case study and the final considerations will be discussed the following issues: supply chain management, postponement, demand management and production system make-to-stock. The demand management can be understood as a practice that allows you to manage and coordinate the supply chain in reverse, i.e. the consumer to the supplier, in which consumers trigger actions for the supply of products can make the process more efficient. The purpose of managing the supply chain is able to allow the addition of value, exceeding the expectations of consumers, it is necessary to develop a relationship with suppliers and customers win-win. The postponement strategy must fit the characteristics of the turbulent environment within the markets along with demands that require variety of customized products and services and reasonable costs, aiming to support decision making. The postponement of time can be a way to soften the increase in inventory of finished product in the company, which may have a high value, being necessary to reduce the lead time and also suppliers to change their production strategy of make- to-stock to make-to-order. The production system make-to-stock shows enough interest to organizations that are operating in markets with high demand variability, i.e. variations in seasonal as a way of trying to protect their production and be more responsive to market needs

Application of a mathematical model for the minimization of costs in a micro-company of the graphic sector

Supply chain management, postponement and demand management are one of the operations of strategic importance for the economic success of organizations, in times of economic crisis or not. The objective of this article is to analyze the influence that a mathematical model focused on the management of raw material stocks in a microenterprise with seasonal demand. The research method adopted was of an applied nature, with a quantitative approach and with an exploratory and descriptive objective. The technical procedures adopted were the bibliographical survey, documentary analysis and mathematical modeling. The development of mathematical models for solving inventory management problems may allow managers to observe deviations in trading methods, as well as to support rapid decisions for possible unforeseen market or economic variability

Importância dos Fatores Não-tecnológicos na Implementação do CPFR

According to the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards [VICS], Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment [CPFR] is based on the standardization, registration and electronic synchronization of data, supported by collaborative management among companies (VICS, 2004). Based on this definition, it can be concluded that there are two dominant factors in the implementation of CPFR: one essentially technological and the other non-technological. In this context, the main purpose of this study is to identify the so-called nontechnological factors involved in CPFR reported in the literature and to analyze them in real situations. The importance of these factors is then analyzed through the study of two real cases of CPFR implementation, the first in a large fast food network and the second at a wholesale food distributor operating in Brazil. The main findings indicate that the demand forecast conducted by the company that coordinates CPFR carries the most weight in the understanding of demand by the companies of the whole supply chain, that the collaborative culture is considered a very important factor in the relationships along the chain (albeit not essential to the implementation of processes), and that the monitoring of activities is fundamental in aligning the companies with CPFR management

Análise dos antecedentes da intenção empreendedora de alunos universitários: um estudo empírico no Brasil

Objetivo – O estudo analisa e mede alguns possíveis antecedentes da intenção empreendedora em alunos do ensino superior no Brasil. Metodologia – Fundamentada pela revisão bibliográfica e um modelo teórico, realizou-se um estudo empírico de corte transversal, quantitativo confirmatório, que investigou a relação entre a intenção e a atitude empreendedora, perante possíveis antecedentes preditivos destas. Os dados foram recolhidos com um instrumento de medida, disponibilizado online, permitindo obter uma amostra válida de 489 respondentes. As hipóteses foram testadas através de um modelo confirmatório de equações estruturais. Resultados e conclusões – Comprovaram-se, através dos testes de hipóteses, como preditores diretos, simultaneamente em 76% da intenção empreendedora, a norma subjetiva, a atitude e o controle comportamental. A utilidade percebida prediz totalmente a atitude em 67%. Concluímos existir uma relação significativa, direta e positiva entre possíveis variáveis antecedentes da intenção empreendedora e igual relação do preditivo da atitude. Foram obtidos níveis de correlação interessantes entre as variáveis estudadas e assegurada a validade convergente e discriminante das escalas de medida. Limitações/implicações - Os resultados precisam ser analisados com atenção, perante uma amostra de conveniência. A escolha de determinadas variáveis de estudo, como explicativas, pode constituir outra limitação. Quanto às implicações teóricas, uma intenção e atitude empreendedoras, e o que pode influenciar estas, são determinantes na vida do estudante e no empreendedorismo universitário. As implicações práticas do estudo permitem inferir algumas recomendações para os gestores e uma gestão empreendedora do setor universitário. Originalidade/valor – Este trabalho procurou conhecer que tipo de antecedentes empreendedores podem influenciar a atitude e intenção empreendedora do estudante universitário. Este estudo contribui, à data, com um novo modelo de relações entre variáveis antecedentes e consequentes, no âmbito de uma educação empreendedora universitária e a compreensão de factos humanos e sociais.Purpose - The study analyzes and measures some possible antecedents of the entrepreneurial intention in students of higher education in Brazil. Methodology - Based on a bibliographic review and a theoretical model, an empirical cross-sectional, confirmatory quantitative study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the intention and the entrepreneurial attitude, in view of possible predictive antecedents. Data were collected through a online measurement tool where a valid sample of 489 respondents was obtained. The hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model. Findings and conclusions - Through the hypothesis tests, the subjective norm, the attitude and the behavioral control were verified as direct predictors, simultaneously in 76% of the entrepreneurial intention. Perceived utility fully predicts attitude at 67%. We conclude that there is a significant, direct and positive relationship between possible antecedent variables of the entrepreneurial intention and the same predictive relation of the attitude. Interesting correlation levels were obtained between the variables studied and convergent and discriminant validity of the measurement scales was assured. Limitations /implications - The results need to be carefully analyzed, with a convenience sample. The choice of certain study variables, as explanatory, may be another limitation. As for the theoretical implications, an entrepreneurial intention and attitude, and what can influence, are conjunctures in the personal life of student and university entrepreneurship. The practical implications of the study allow us to infer some recommendations for managers and entrepreneurial management of the university. Originality/value - This work sought to know what kind of entrepreneurial background may influence the attitude and entrepreneurial intention of the university student. To date, this study contributes with a new model of relations between antecedent and consequent variables, within a university entrepreneurial education and understanding human and social facts

Os dois aspectos do Coração XIN : Interpretações sobre o livro de medicina chinesa HUANG DI NEI JING SU WEN LING SHU.

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, História.O presente trabalho é uma pesquisa sobre o conceito de Coração XĪN 心 em um dos mais antigos e influentes livros de medicina chinesa atualmente, originalmente dividido em HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG SÙ WÈN 黃帝內經素問 e HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG LÍNG SHŪ 黃帝內經靈樞. Evidências sugerem que as bases do SÙ WÈN 素問 e do LÍNG SHŪ 靈 樞 são um conjunto de textos escritos durante o período dos Estados Combatentes (475-221 AEC), passando pela dinastia Qin (221-206 AEC) e pela dinastia Han (206 AEC-221 DEC), embora as versões mais antigas que chegaram até nós remontem a dinastia Song (970-1279) . No capítulo 8 do HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG SÙ WÈN 黃帝內經素問, o Coração XĪN 心 é apresentado como o Mestre e Soberano do corpo humano, aquele que tudo controla e governa, enquanto no capítulo 8 do HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG LÍNG SHŪ 黃帝內經靈樞, o Coração XĪN 心 é o Vazio do Coração XĪN XŪ 心虛, aquele que não deve a nada se apegar ou rejeitar, morada dos Espíritos SHÉN 神 e nossa ligação primordial com o Céu TIĀN 天. Corroborando a percepção desses dois aspectos, apresento textos clássicos não-médicos como LǍOZI 老子, ZHUĀNGZI 莊子, HUÁINÁNZǏ 淮南子e LǙSHÌ CHŪNQIŪ 呂氏春 秋. Por fim, pretendo mostrar como esse duplo aspecto, que a princípio pode parecer contraditório, está baseado na teoria YĪN YÁNG 陰陽, a realidade última como a união dinâmica dos opostos. Permeando todo o trabalho, pretendo analisar a cosmologia em que a Medicina Chinesa está enraizada, completamente diferente, em muitos aspectos, da cosmologia biomédica moderna e, assim, discuto a própria noção que temos atualmente no Ocidente em relação à saúde e à doença, ao ser humano e à natureza.This paper is a research about the concept of Heart XĪN 心 in one of the most ancient and influential Chinese medicine books that currently exist, originally divided in HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG SÙ WÈN 黃帝內經素問 and HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG LÍNG SHŪ 黃帝內經靈樞. Available evidence suggests that at the basis of SÙ WÈN 素問 and LÍNG SHŪ 靈 樞 is a layer of texts written during the end of the Warring States period (475-221), through Qin dynasty and beginning of Western Han dynasty, although the most ancient versions remained until nowadays are from Song dynasty (960-1279). In HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG SÙ WÈN 黃帝內 經素問 chapter 8, the Heart XĪN 心 is presented as Master and Sovereign of human body, who control and govern all things, while in HUÁNG DÌ NÈI JĪNG LÍNG SHŪ 黃帝內經靈樞 chapter 8, the Heart XĪN 心 is Heart‟s Emptiness XĪN XŪ 心虛, who should not cleave or reject anything, residence of Spirits SHÉN 神 and our primordial connection with Heaven TIĀN 天. In addiction about these two aspects, I present non-medical classical texts as LǍOZI 老子, ZHUĀNGZI 莊子, HUÁINÁNZǏ 淮南子, GUǍNZǏ 管子, XÚNZǏ 荀子, LǙSHÌ CHŪNQIŪ 呂氏春秋 e LǏ JÌ 禮記. Lastly, I pretend show how this double aspect, seems like a contradiction for us westerns, is based on YĪN YÁNG 陰陽 theory, the reality as a dynamic union of opposites. Throughout this work, I pretend to analyze the cosmology that Chinese medicine is rooted on, completely diffent, in several aspects, from modern biomedic cosmology, thereby I also discuss some differences notions between ancient Chinese medicine and we westerns about health and disease, human beign and nature

The anolis lizard genome: an amniote genome without isochores?

Two articles published 5 years ago concluded that the genome of the lizard Anolis carolinensis is an amniote genome without isochores. This claim was apparently contradicting previous results on the general presence of an isochore organization in all vertebrate genomes tested (including Anolis). In this investigation, we demonstrate that the Anolis genome is indeed heterogeneous in base composition, since its macrochromosomes comprise isochores mainly from the L2 and H1 families (a moderately GC-poor and a moderately GC-rich family, respectively), and since the majority of the sequenced microchromosomes consists of H1 isochores. These families are associated with different features of genome structure, including gene density and compositional correlations (e.g., GC3 vs flanking sequence GC and intron GC), as in the case of mammalian and avian genomes. Moreover, the assembled Anolis chromosomes have an enormous number of gaps, which could be due to sequencing problems in GC-rich regions of the genome. In conclusion, the Anolis genome is no exception to the general rule of an isochore organization in the genomes of vertebrates (and other eukaryotes)

Dysmenorrhea and related disorders

Dysmenorrhea is a common symptom secondary to various gynecological disorders, but it is also represented in most women as a primary form of disease. Pain associated with dysmenorrhea is caused by hypersecretion of prostaglandins and an increased uterine contractility. The primary dysmenorrhea is quite frequent in young women and remains with a good prognosis, even though it is associated with low quality of life. The secondary forms of dysmenorrhea are associated with endometriosis and adenomyosis and may represent the key symptom. The diagnosis is suspected on the basis of the clinical history and the physical examination and can be confirmed by ultrasound, which is very useful to exclude some secondary causes of dysmenorrhea, such as endometriosis and adenomyosis. The treatment options include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone or combined with oral contraceptives or progestins

The importance of non-technological factors on CPFR implementation

De acordo com o Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards [VICS], o Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment [CPFR] se baseia na padronização, registro e sincronização de dados eletronicamente, apoiado pela gestão colaborativa existente entre as empresas (VICS, 2004). A partir desta definição, pode-se concluir que existem dois fatores preponderantes na implementação do CPFR: um essencialmente tecnológico e outro não-tecnológico. Nesse contexto, o propósito principal deste estudo é identificar na literatura os chamados fatores não tecnológicos que envolvem o CPFR e analisá-los em situações reais. A importância desses fatores é analisada, então, por meio do estudo de dois casos reais de implementação do CPFR, respectivamente, em uma grande rede de fast food e em um grande distribuidor de alimentos, que operam no Brasil. Os resultados destacam, principalmente, que a previsão da demanda realizada pela empresa coordenadora do CPFR é preponderante sobre o entendimento da demanda por todos os elos da cadeia de suprimentos, que a cultura colaborativa é considerada muito importante no relacionamento ao longo da cadeia (embora não seja determinante para a implementação dos processos) e que o monitoramento das atividades é fundamental para o alinhamento das empresas na gestão do CPFR.According to the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards [VICS], Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment [CPFR] is based on the standardization, registration and electronic synchronization of data, supported by collaborative management among companies (VICS, 2004). Based on this definition, it can be concluded that there are two dominant factors in the implementation of CPFR: one essentially technological and the other non-technological. In this context, the main purpose of this study is to identify the so-called non-technological factors involved in CPFR reported in the literature and to analyze them in real situations. The importance of these factors is then analyzed through the study of two real cases of CPFR implementation, the first in a large fast food network and the second at a wholesale food distributor operating in Brazil. The main findings indicate that the demand forecast conducted by the company that coordinates CPFR carries the most weight in the understanding of demand by the companies of the whole supply chain, that the collaborative culture is considered a very important factor in the relationships along the chain (albeit not essential to the implementation of processes), and that the monitoring of activities is fundamental in aligning the companies with CPFR management