In situ photobiology of corals over large depth ranges: A multivariate analysis on the roles of environment, host, and algal symbiont

We applied a multivariate analysis to investigate the roles of host and symbiont on the in situ physiological response of genus Madracis holobionts towards light. Across a large depth gradient (5–40 m) and for four Madracis species and three symbiont genotypes, we assessed several variables by measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence, photosynthetic pigment composition, or symbiont population descriptors. Most of the variation is explained by two major photobiological components: light-use efficiency and symbiont cell densities. Two other minor components emphasize photoprotective pathways and light-harvesting properties such as secondary pigments. Statistics highlight the role of irradiance on coral physiology and reveal mechanisms that are either genetically constrained, such as symbiont cell sizes, or environmentally dependent, such as photochemical efficiencies. Other parameters, such as cellular light-harvesting and photoprotective pigment concentrations, are regulated by host, symbiont, and environment. The interaction between host and environment stresses the role of host properties in adjusting the internal environment available for the endosymbionts. Different holobiont strategies, relating to symbiont cell density, vary in their physiological optimization of light-harvesting or photoprotective mechanisms and link to host-species distribution and dominance over the reef slope. Symbiont functional diversity appears to have a significant role but does not explain host vertical distribution patterns per se, highlighting the importance of species-specific morphological and physiological properties of the coral host

The interplay of phonology and orthography in visual cognate word recognition: an ERP study

This study examined the role of phonological and orthographic overlap in the recognition of cognate words by recording electrophysiological and behavioral data. One hundred and ninety-two words were selected: 96 cognate words listed according to their phonological and orthographic overlap vs. 96 noncognate words. Twenty-four proficient European Portuguese-English bilinguals performed a silent reading task with a masked priming paradigm. The results showed that phonology interacts with semantic activation at N400 modulations. Phonological priming effects were dependent on the orthographic overlap of cognate words. Thus, the distinctive processing of cognate words seems to be due to their cross-linguistic similarity, which is consistent with a localist connectionist account on cognate representation and processing.The research reported in this paper wasfunded by FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology), by NSRF (National Strategic Reference Framework), by COMPETE (Operational Agenda for Competitiveness Factors), a program created by the EU as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), (PTDC/PSI-PCO/104671/2008) and by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (PSI2009–12616) and Plan E

Erlotinib in non-small-cell lung cancer patients from Hospital Fernado Fonseca

INTRODUTION: The oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine-kinase inibitor (TKI) erlotinib is an established second-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).1 Erlotinib delays disease progression and increases survival after first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC as second-line therapy.2 Maintenance therapy with erlotinib, when compared to placebo, could be associated with a significantly longer progression free survival and tolerability mainly in EGFR activating mutation tumours.3 However second line therapy with erlotinib is not more effective than chemotherapy (pemetrexed or other).4,5 In terms of traditional toxicities associated with chemotherapy, Erlotinib seems to have a better safety profile than chemotherapy, with no haematological toxicities, the most common event was mild to moderate skin rash which is relatively manageable.5 There is a lack of evidence regarding efficacy of Erlotinib used as second line versus third line therapy. OBJECTIVES: To compare Erlotinib effectiveness profile in Hospital Fernando Fonseca NSCLC patients when used as second or third line therapy. METHODS: We have followed up 30 NSCLC patients, who have done Erlotinib before and after other approved chemotherapies, during 14 months starting from June 2011. During this period we have collected patient’s demographics and baseline characteristics and also their EGFR mutational status. To determine Erlotinib effectiveness we calculated progression–free survival (PFS) which was defined as the time from Erlotinib therapeutic initiation to the date of documented disease progression or death. RESULTS: The median age of our 30 patients was 62,5 years. The most common pathological subtype was adenocarcinoma (66,7 %). 46,6 % of our patients had received one prior chemotherapy regimen before Erlotinib and 36,6 % had received two prior chemotherapy regimen before Erlotinib. Two patients have done Erlotinib as a first line therapy. Median PFS for second line Erlotinib patients is 18,7 weeks while for third line Erlotinib patients is 12,3 weeks. Only 50 % of our patients had available information regarding EGFR mutational status; however patients who harbor tumor-associated EGFR activating mutation seem to have higher response rates to Erlotinib. Rash was the most common treatment-related adverse event with Erlotinib, as expected. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that maybe there could be a better disease outcome for advanced NSCLC patients if the oral epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (Erlotinib) is administered as a second line therapy instead of using it as a third line therapy. As far EGFR mutational status is concerned it seems that enhanced efficacy is related with EGFR mutation-positive disease. REFERENCES: 1- Summary of product characteristics - Tarceva© 2- Shepherd FA, Pereira J, Ciuleanu T, et al. Erlotinib in previously treated Non-small-cell Lung Cancer. N Eng J Med 2005; 353:123-132. 3- Cappuzzo F, Ciuleanu T, Stelmakh l, et al. Erlotinib as maintaenance treatment in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Lancet Oncol 2010; 11:521-29. 4- Vamvakas L, Agelaki S, Kentepozidis NK, et al. Pemetrexed (MTA) compared with erlotinib (ERL) in pretreated patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): results of a randomized phase III Hellenic Oncology Research Group trial. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 2010; 28 (suppl): abstr 7519. 5- Ciuleanu T, Stelmakh l, Cicenas S, et al. Efficacy and safety of erlotinib versus chemotherapy in second-line treatment of patients with advanced, non-small-cell lung cancer with poor prognosis (TITAN): a randomized multicentre, open-label, phase 3 study. Lancet Oncol 2012; DOI:10.1016/s1470-2045(11)70395-

Social theory and the politics of big data and method

This article is an intervention in the debate on big data. It seeks to show, firstly, that behind the wager to make sociology more relevant to the digital there lies a coherent if essentially unstated vision and a whole stance which are more a symptom of the current world than a resolute endeavour to think that world through; hence the conclusion that the perspective prevailing in the debate lacks both the theoretical grip and the practical impulse to initiate a much needed renewal of social theory and sociology. Secondly, and more importantly, the article expounds an alternative view and shows by thus doing that other possibilities of engaging the digital can be pursued. The article is thus an invitation to widen the debate on big data and the digital and a call for a more combative social theory

Disforia de Género - Um Olhar para um Novo Diagnóstico

Objectivos: 1. Rever a entidade disforia de género, no que concerne ao diagnóstico, prevalência, comorbilidades e tratamento. 2. Alertar os profissionais que trabalham com crianças e adolescentes para a existência desta entidade com o objectivo de a identificarem, diagnosticarem e orientarem precocemente estes doentes. Métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa em motores de busca em inglês e português na Pubmed, B-on, Elsevier, com as palavras chave “gender dysforia”; “gender identity disorder”; “transsexual”; “early diagnosis”; “hormone therapy”; “transsexual parenthood”, com data de publicação entre os anos de 1998 e 2014. Resultados e Conclusões: O diagnóstico de disforia de género do DSM 5 permite chegar mais facilmente ao sofrimento da criança, adolescente ou adulto. É por isso muito importante que este diagnóstico seja feito o mais precocemente possível, para se agir em conformidade. Sabe-se que a disforia de género nas crianças, não culmina sempre em transexualismo, é por isso fundamental fazer uma avaliação cuidada e reduzir o stress existente quer nas crianças, quer nas suas famílias. É importante orientá-los, logo que possível, para uma equipa multidisciplinar experiente na área, com o objectivo de iniciar os tratamentos no período crítico (nomeadamente a supressão hormonal). A Terapia de Substituição Hormonal (TSH) e as cirurgias de reatribuição sexual são tratamentos disponíveis, sempre que sejam indicados. A avaliação do contexto psicossocial e as intervenções psicoterapêuticas são abordagens fundamentais nestes doentes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prospecção de Cratylia argentea (Desv.) Kuntze nos Estados de Maranhão e Goiás.

Cratylia argentea é um arbusto nativo do Cerrado, de múltiplo uso. Trata-se de uma espécie com potencial para ser utilizada em unidades de produção familiar. Neste Contexto, este trabalho de prospecção, em 2016, objetivou identificar e coletar seus acessos nos estados do Maranhão e Goiás. Os locais de coleta (19 acessos em 13 municípios) foram determinados através dos registros do INCT/Herbário Virtual de Flora e Fungos. Na comunidade Quilombola Kalunga, foram registradas leguminosas nativas de porte arbustivo nas bordas de matas, dentro das matas e nos sistemas tradicionais de produção de milho e arroz. Pelo relato da comunidade do Parque Estadual Terra Ronca, a florada, as ramas, as vagens e as folhas caídas são alimento para o gado na estiagem. Sua frequente presença na beira das estradas, onde ocorreu a maioria das coletas de sementes, reafirma uma das principais características da espécie: a rusticidade. A conservação de C. argentea em seu ambiente natural pode ser ampliada desde que haja a convergência do conhecimento tradicional com o acadêmico, criando estratégias que considerem os saberes e as práticas das comunidades tradicionais e a ecologia da espécie.Edição dos anais do VI Congresso Latino-Americano de Agroecologia, Brasília, DF, 2017