Improving the application of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis in soil food webs: The effects of diet fat content

Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) as a biochemical tool to study the diet composition of predators is frequently used in marine ecology to infer trophic links in vertebrate consumers. However, the potential and challenges of this method in other ecosystems have only recently been studied. The application in soil ecosystems leads to hurdles not encountered in the marine, such as the low similarity of fatty acid signatures between resource and consumer. So far, diet estimation attempts have been semisuccessful, necessitating to adapt QFASA for use in soil food webs. Dietary fat content may play an important role, as it influences consumer metabolism, and thus calibration coefficients for fatty acid trophic transfer. A series of feeding trials with baker's yeast spiked with five different pure fatty acids at various concentrations was conducted with Collembola, and the changes in calibration coefficients were observed. From there, equations were gained through regression analysis and new sets of calibration coefficients were calculated. QFASA was applied on a range of basal resources and the results compared with previously defined calibration coefficients. Calibration coefficients changed with the proportion of fatty acids in the diet and differed between the three Collembolan species. The re-estimation of diets showed an improvement of model performance by the new calibration coefficients and indicated several modes of fatty acid assimilation. These greatly influence the outcome of diet estimation, for example, algal and bacterial diets are likely underestimated due to high metabolic turnover rates. The application of QFASA in soil ecosystems remains challenging. The variation in calibration coefficients and the resulting decrease in estimation deviation indicate the merit of calculating calibration coefficients from consumer signatures through linear or exponential equations. Ideally, the method should, when extended to the entire fatty acid signature, allow correct determination of consumer diets in soil food webs.Peer Reviewe

A influência do pensamento humanista de Karl Marx na pedagogia do oprimido de Paulo Freire

This work aims to show the influence of Karl Marx's philosophical humanism in the construction of a critical pedagogy in Paulo Freire, presented in his masterpiece Pedagogy of the Oppressed. To do so, Marx's philosophical humanism will be analyzed in order to understand how his thesis on historical materialism and the action of individuals on reality transforms it into an oppressive reality. Thus, based on Marxian thought, Freire understands that the action of human beings in capitalist society classifies them as oppressors (owners, for Marx) and oppressed (workers, in the Marxian sense). But it is also through praxis that individuals are able to overcome the oppressor-oppressed dichotomy, which labels them according to social functions. Based on these philosophical conceptions, Paulo Freire's pedagogical project will be explained by showing that he aims at the liberation of the oppressed through education. Liberation happens when you have a critical education, which allows educator and student to dialogue and build perspectives of changes in reality that oppress and alienate them. Thus, it is at this point that individuals have the power to rescue their humanity, which was stolen and reified by capitalist society, thus making them authentic beings.Este trabalho visa mostrar a influência do humanismo filosófico de Karl Marx na construção de uma pedagogia crítica em Paulo Freire, apresentada na sua obra magna Pedagogia do Oprimido. Para tanto, será analisado o humanismo filosófico de Marx, a fim de entender como sua tese sobre materialismo histórico e a ação dos indivíduos sobre a realidade, a transforma em uma realidade opressora. Assim, baseando-se no pensamento marxiano, Freire compreende que a ação dos seres humanos na sociedade capitalista os classifica em opressores (proprietários, para Marx) e oprimidos (operários, no sentido marxiano). Mas, é também mediante a práxis que os indivíduos têm a condição de superar a dicotomia opressor-oprimido, a qual os rotula de acordo com funções sociais. Partindo dessas concepções filosóficas, explicar-se-á o projeto pedagógico de Paulo Freire, ao mostrar que ele visa a libertação dos oprimidos por meio da educação. A libertação acontece quando se tem uma educação crítica, que permite educador e educando dialogarem-se e construírem perspectivas de mudanças da realidade que os oprimem e os aliena. Assim, é nesse ponto que os indivíduos têm o poder de resgatar sua humanidade, a qual fora roubada e reificada pela sociedade capitalista, tornando assim, seres autênticos

O TRANSCENDENTAL AVANT LA LETTRE NA DESSUBSTANCIALIZAÇÃO DO SUJEITO CARTESIANO EM MALEBRANCHE

Pretendemos mostrar que na crítica de Malebranche ao racionalismo de Descartes encontram-se os pressupostos de uma primeira refutação do idealismo problemático cartesiano. Ao dizer que o sujeito de conhecimento é, necessariamente, um sujeito receptivo e vinculado às percepções sensíveis, Malebranche assenta o fundamento do sujeito cognitivo no pressuposto transcendente (Deus), por não aceitar que o ser pudesse se tornar objeto da ciência. De forma secundária, delinearemos um importante precedente através do mesmo pressuposto transcendente (Deus) fundador do sujeito cognitivo: a necessidade de admitir a estrutura da sensibilidade humana, reconhecida posteriormente em Kant como “transcendental”. A avaliação feita da crítica de Malebranche às condições de possibilidades do conhecimento defendidas por Descartes, evidencia uma defesa da Psicologia Empírica da Alma. Isso porque ela apresenta as incongruências do idealismo material/problemático de Descartes, onde o intelecto humano aparece subordinado à experiência sensível por meio de seus pressupostos. Neste sentido, queremos demonstrar que na teoria do sujeito de Malebranche encontram-se objeções a Descartes que perfilam o caráter avant la lettre do “transcendental” no seu enquadramento crítico. Se o pensamento de Malebranche se caracteriza, no primeiro plano, como racionalista devido à defesa da tese da visão do espírito humano dos objetos inteligíveis em Deus, no segundo plano, ele se mostra dependente do intelecto divino e subordinado à experiência sensível. Sua refutação do idealismo material cartesiano é uma das teses centrais presentes em A Busca da Verdade (1674-75). Nela, o conteúdo crítico se filia à crítica de Kant ao cogito e à ideia de Alma cartesiana, em contraste com a refutação kantiana do idealismo material cartesiano. Assim, o objetivo geral deste trabalho é mostrar que o pensamento malebranchiano descobre a importância do sentido externo (forma pura do espaço, na terminologia kantiana) e o lugar de sua fundamentação um século antes da Crítica da Razão Pura (1781-1787). Para tal, adotamos o método imanente para verificar, nas obras de Malebranche e de Kant, as críticas à Psicologia racional de Descartes e suas consequências que acarretam na dessubstancialização do sujeito cartesiano, transformando-o depois com Kant em um sujeito transcendental

Der selektive Cyclooxygenase-2-Inhibitor Celecoxib ist ein sicheres Ausweichpräparat bei Patienten mit Intoleranzen gegenüber nicht-steroidalen Antiphlogistika

Fragestellung Intoleranzreaktionen auf nicht-steroidale Antiphlogistika sind häufig und basieren auf der Hemmung des Enzyms Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), wohingegen deren therapeutische Effekte auf einer COX-2 Hemmung beruhen. In dieser Studie wurde die Verträglichkeit des selektiven COX-2 Inhibitors Celecoxib bei Patienten mit Intoleranzreaktionen auf nicht-steroidale Antiphlogistika untersucht. Methodik Bei 77 Patienten (24 Männer, 53 Frauen) mit Intoleranzreaktionen auf nicht-steroidale Antiphlogistika wurden standardisierte Hauttestungen (Prick, Scratch, Epikutantestung) sowie anschließend orale fraktionierte Placebo-kontrollierte einfach blinde Expositionstestungen unter Einschluß von Celecoxib (maximale Einzeldosis 200mg, kumukative Tagesdosis 350mg) durchgeführt. Ergebnisse 21 Patienten wiesen anamnestisch lediglich Hautsymptome (Urtikaria) auf, 25 Patienten nur eine Atemwegssymptomatik (Asthma), bei 18 Patienten traten Haut- und Atemwegssymptome auf, und bei 13 Patienten war es zu einem anaphylaktischen Schock gekommen. Azetylsalizylsäure war in 38 Fällen ein Auslöser der Beschwerden. In 46 Fällen verursachten mehrere nicht-steroidale Antiphlogistika chemisch unterschiedlicher Gruppen die Symptomatik. Die orale Expositionstestung mit Celecoxib verlief bei allen 77 Patienten unauffällig. Schlußfolgerung Vor dem Hintergrund der hohen Inzidenz von Intoleranzreaktionen gegen nicht-steroidale Antiphlogistika stellt der Einsatz selektiver COX-2 Inhibitoren eine therapeutische Alternative sowie eine geeignete Maßnahme zur Prävention entsprechender Reaktionen dar

A crítica de Larry Laudan ao critério de racionalidade proposto por Karl Popper

O presente texto analisa a crítica de Laudan ao modelo de racionalidade científica defendido por Popper e sua proposta de um naturalismo normativo da ciência. Laudan propõe um programa voltado à eficácia e efetividade da ciência na resolução dos problemas. Ele se mostra um grande crítico às concepções apriorísticas que determinam o modo do cientista de proceder em seus empreendimentos. No caso de Popper, Laudan critica a tese da verossimilhança das teorias, entendendo-a como uma meta utópica, uma vez que ela se mostra impossível de ser atingida. Em contrapartida, o autor afirma que toda metodologia da ciência deve ser avaliada levando em conta a capacidade de esclarecer as estratégias científicas do passado como racionais, pois elas são frutos da relação entre as crenças de fundo (background beliefs) do agente e de seu contexto. É essa visão, historicamente contextualizada, que permite entender que os agentes científicos operaram suas investigações segundo o que se mostrou o mais viável para a obtenção de seus objetivos, ajustando suas metodologias à sua época e ao seu contexto

Laser-Microstructured Double-Sided Adhesive Tapes for Integration of a Disposable Biochip

Laser-microstructured double-sided biocompatible adhesive tapes as intermediated bonding layers are potential candidates for hybrid integration of a disposable biochip. In the EU-PHOCNOSIS project, such thin adhesive tapes are proposed to integrate the polymer microfluidic system with the optical sensor chip. Three laser-assisted structuring methods are investigated to efficiently transfer microchannel patterns to the adhesive tape at room temperature. The test structure design consists of a single channel with 400 µm wide, 30 mm length and two circular receivers with 2 mm radius. The best structuring results are found by using a UV picosecond laser.EC/H2020/634013/EU/Advanced nanophotonic point-of-care analysis device for fast and early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases/PHOCNOSI

Induced Arp2/3 Complex Depletion Increases FMNL2/3 Formin Expression and Filopodia Formation.

The Arp2/3 complex generates branched actin filament networks operating in cell edge protrusion and vesicle trafficking. Here we employ a conditional knockout mouse model permitting tissue- or cell-type specific deletion of the murine Actr3 gene (encoding Arp3). A functional Actr3 gene appeared essential for fibroblast viability and growth. Thus, we developed cell lines for exploring the consequences of acute, tamoxifen-induced Actr3 deletion causing near-complete loss of functional Arp2/3 complex expression as well as abolished lamellipodia formation and membrane ruffling, as expected. Interestingly, Arp3-depleted cells displayed enhanced rather than reduced cell spreading, employing numerous filopodia, and showed little defects in the rates of random cell migration. However, both exploration of new space by individual cells and collective migration were clearly compromised by the incapability to efficiently maintain directionality of migration, while the principal ability to chemotax was only moderately affected. Examination of actin remodeling at the cell periphery revealed reduced actin turnover rates in Arp2/3-deficient cells, clearly deviating from previous sequestration approaches. Most surprisingly, induced removal of Arp2/3 complexes reproducibly increased FMNL formin expression, which correlated with the explosive induction of filopodia formation. Our results thus highlight both direct and indirect effects of acute Arp2/3 complex removal on actin cytoskeleton regulation

Contributions to the biodiversity of Vietnam – Results of VIETBIO inventory work and field training in Cuc Phuong National Park

VIETBIO [Innovative approaches to biodiversity discovery and characterisation in Vietnam] is a bilateral German-Vietnamese research and capacity building project focusing on the development and transfer of new methods and technology towards an integrated biodiversity discovery and monitoring system for Vietnam. Dedicated field training and testing of innovative methodologies were undertaken in Cuc Phuong National Park as part and with support of the project, which led to the new biodiversity data and records made available in this article collection. VIETBIO is a collaboration between the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science (MfN), the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin (BGBM) and the Vietnam National Museum of Nature (VNMN), the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), the Southern Institute of Ecology (SIE), as well as the Institute of Tropical Biology (ITB); all Vietnamese institutions belong to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST). The article collection "VIETBIO" (https://doi.org/10.3897/bdj.coll.63) reports original results of recent biodiversity recording and survey work undertaken in Cuc Phuong National Park, northern Vietnam, under the framework of the VIETBIO project. The collection consist of this “main” cover paper – characterising the study area, the general project approaches and activities, while also giving an extensive overview on previous studies from this area – followed by individual papers for higher taxa as studied during the project. The main purpose is to make primary biodiversity records openly available, including several new and interesting findings for this biodiversity-rich conservation area. All individual data papers with their respective primary records are expected to provide useful baselines for further taxonomic, phylogenetic, ecological and conservation-related studies on the respective taxa and, thus, will be maintained as separate datasets, including separate GUIDs also for further updating

Sensitivity of human pluripotent stem cells to insulin precipitation induced by peristaltic pump-based medium circulation: Considerations on process development

Controlled large-scale production of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is indispensable for their envisioned clinical translation. Aiming at advanced process development in suspension culture, the sensitivity of hPSC media to continuous peristaltic pump-based circulation, a well-established technology extensively used in hydraulically-driven bioreactors, was investigated. Unexpectedly, conditioning of low protein media (i.e. E8 and TeSR-E8) in a peristaltic pump circuit induced severe viability loss of hPSCs cultured as aggregates in suspension. Optical, biochemical, and cytological analyses of the media revealed that the applied circulation mode resulted in the reduction of the growth hormone insulin by precipitation of micro-sized particles. Notably, in contrast to insulin depletion, individual withdrawal of other medium protein components (i.e. bFGF, TGFβ1 or transferrin) provoked minor reduction of hPSC viability, if any. Supplementation of the surfactant glycerol or the use of the insulin analogue Aspart did not overcome the issue of insulin precipitation. In contrast, the presence of bovine or human serum albumin (BSA or HSA, respectively) stabilized insulin rescuing its content, possibly by acting as molecular chaperone-like protein, ultimately supporting hPSC maintenance. This study highlights the potential and the requirement of media optimization for automated hPSC processing and has broad implications on media development and bioreactor-based technologies. © 2017 The Author(s).Horizon 2020/Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship POSEIDONDFG/EXC/REBIRTHDFG/EXC62/3DFG/ZW64/4-1BMBF/13N12606BMBF/13N14086StemBANCCH2020/TECHNOBEATHannover Medical School internal program (HiLF)Joachim Herz Stiftun