Disgust sensitivity relates to attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women across 31 nations

Previous work has reported a relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations and prejudice toward various social groups, including gay men and lesbian women. It is currently unknown whether this association is present across cultures, or specific to North America. Analyses of survey data from adult heterosexuals (N = 11,200) from 31 countries showed a small relation between pathogen disgust sensitivity (an individual-difference measure of pathogen-avoidance motivations) and measures of antigay attitudes. Analyses also showed that pathogen disgust sensitivity relates not only to antipathy toward gay men and lesbians, but also to negativity toward other groups, in particular those associated with violations of traditional sexual norms (e.g., prostitutes). These results suggest that the association between pathogen-avoidance motivations and antigay attitudes is relatively stable across cultures and is a manifestation of a more general relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations and prejudice towards groups associated with sexual norm violations

ANÁLISE COMPUTACIONAL DE CONSOLOS DE CONCRETO ARMADO DE ALTA RESISTÊNCIA

Os consolos são elementos comuns em ligações no caso de estruturas pré-moldadas de concreto ou mistas em aço e concreto. Sua análise e dimensionamento são usualmente feitos usando-se métodos empíricos, uma vez que as hipóteses de Bernoulli não são válidas. Os atuais recursos computacionais são capazes de descrever adequadamente o comportamento de consolos. Desta forma, o presente artigo tem o objetivo de comparar os resultados computacionais de consolos de concreto armado de alta resistência e os ensaiados por Fattuhi e Hughes (1989), por meio de uma análise não linear pelo método dos elementos finitos, utilizando o software Midas FEA. O estudo se baseou em modelar quatro consolos de concreto armado para comparar o modo de ruptura, deslocamento, e a carga última dos consolos modelados com os ensaiados. Os resultados obtidos apontam que os comportamentos computacionais e os experimentais foram similares, pois apresentam deslocamento e carga teórica de ruptura com desvio-padrão de até 10% do experimental, e os modos de ruptura dos consolos verificados experimentalmente pelos autores foram iguais àqueles analisados numericamente. Desta forma, pode-se concluir que o modelo computacional estudado apresenta um comportamento adequado para simular o desempenho de um consolo de concreto armado de alta resistência

Involvement of mast cells, CD68+ and VEGF+ expressions in response to Himatanthus drasticus commercial latex in mice wound healing model

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate Himatanthus drasticus latex in a mice wound healing experimental model. Animals were divided into four groups (n=7) according to the treatments: GI - saline 0.9% (control), GII - mineral oil (vehicle), GIII - H. drasticus commercial latex (HdCL) and GIV - H. drasticus mixed isolated fraction (MIF, 1 mg/mL). The treatments were applied topically once daily, 50 µL for 14 consecutive days. Macroscopic lesions were evaluated, considering parameters such as swelling, redness, granulation tissue and reepithelialization. VEGF+, CD68+ expressions and mast cells (Toluidin blue stain) were evaluated. HdCL induced higher contraction and exuberant granulation tissue (P > 0.05). HdCL showed a mild inflammatory process while MIF induced intense infiltrate inflammatory predominantly by lymphocytes, vascular congestion, bleeding and did not presented full reepithelialization. Reorganization of collagen fibers (red picrosirius stain) was observed. CD68+ expression and mast cells were presented as moderate, intense and mild in GI, GIII and GIV, respectively. Neovascularization occurred in all groups, while VEGF+ expression was intense in MIF in relation to HdCL. We concluded that HdCL presents wound healing potential, through modulation of mast cells, CD68+ and VEGF+ expressions that can be associated to triterpenes presence according MIF isolated from HdCL

Composição química de diferentes fontes de fósforo e deposição de metais pesados em tecidos de suínos Chemical composition of different phosphorus sources and heavy metal deposition in tissues of swines

Foram utilizados 112 leitões com peso inicial de 28,68kg, distribuídos em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 8&times;2 (oito tratamentos x dois sexos), sete repetições e dois animais por baia. As dietas foram formuladas com base no fósforo total, sendo estas à base de milho e de farelo de soja. O fósforo foi suplementado utilizando-se os fosfatos: bicálcico (FBC); monobicálcico (MBC); supertriplo (ST); supersimples (SS); rocha Catalão (ROCHA); mistura de fontes (MIST) e ácido fosfórico (AcF); e dieta-controle, sem o fósforo suplementar (CONT). Avaliou-se previamente a composição química de amostras de fontes de fósforo disponíveis no mercado. Os fosfatos MBC, FBC e AcF apresentaram baixo nível de contaminação por metais pesados. Observou-se variação no teor de metais pesados entre as marcas comerciais de supertriplo. O consumo do fosfato resultou em acúmulo de cobre nos músculos. A dieta-controle provocou acúmulo de chumbo e zinco no fígado, e a mistura de fontes e supertriplo ocasionou acúmulo de cádmio no fígado. A utilização de fontes alternativas de fósforo menos elaboradas influenciou a deposição de minerais no fígado e nos músculos dos suínos.<br>One hundred twelve pigs averaging weight of 28.68kg, were allotted to a completely randomized blocks with seven replicates of two animals per box. The treatments consisted in factorial 8&times;2 (eight phosphorus sources x two sexes). The experimental diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal and the phosphorus was supplemented through phosphate dicalcium (FBC), monodicalcium (MBC), triple superphosphate (ST), simple superphosphate (SS), Catalão rock (ROCHA), mixture of sources (MIST), and phosphoric acid (AcF) in addition to a control diet without supplemental phosphous (CONT). Samples of phosphorus sources available in the market were evaluated for particle size and chemical composition. The MBC, FBC and AcF showed a low level of heavy metal contamination, but a variation in the heavy metal composition for ST was observed. Swines fed on CONT diet showed lead and zinc accumulation in the liver. Swines fed on triple superphosphate and mixture of sources diets showed cadmium accumulation in the liver. Swine fed on ST diet showed copper accumulation in the muscles. Swine diets formulated with alternative and less elaborated sources of phosphorus caused liver and muscles deposition of minerals

Modelling runoff and erosion, and their mitigation, in burned Portuguese forest using the revised Morgan-Morgan-Finney model

The revised Morgan-Morgan-Finney (MMF) model was used as a modelling approach, which has performed reasonably well to estimate soil losses for burned areas in humid Mediterranean forests in Portugal, and NW Spain. Simple model enhancement approaches are applied to recently burned pine and eucalypt forested areas in north-central Portugal and to subsequent post-wildfire rehabilitation treatments. Model enhancement is validated by applying it to another similar burned area to evaluate model calibration robustness and wider applicability. Model modifications involved: (1) focusing on intra-annual changes in parameters to incorporate seasonal differences in runoff and erosion; and (2) inclusion of soil water repellency in runoff predictions. The main results were that following wildfire and mulching in the plantations: (1) the revised model was able to predict first-year post-fire plot-scale runoff and erosion rates (NS(Runoff)=0.54 and NS(Erosion)=0.55) for both forest types, and (2) first year predictions were improved both by the seasonal changes in the model parameters (NS(Runoff)=0.70 and NS(Erosion)=0.83); and by considering the effect of soil water repellency on the runoff (NS(Runoff)=0.81 and NS(Erosion)=0.89), (3) the individual seasonal predictions were considered accurate (NS(Runoff)=0.53 and NS(Erosion)=0.71), and the inclusion of the soil water repellency in the model also improved the model at this base (NS(Runoff)=0.72 and NS(Erosion)=0.74). The revised MMF model proved capable of providing a simple set of criteria for management decisions about runoff and erosion mitigation measures in burned areas. The erosion predictions at the validation sites attested both to the robustness of the model and of the calibration parameters, suggesting a potential wider application