Description of the third instar larva and pupa of Macraspis morio Burmeister, 1844 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) from Southern Brazil

The third instar larva and pupa of Macraspis morio Burmeister, 1844 (Rutelinae: Rutelini: Anticheirina), collected in Paraná, Brazil, is described and illustrations and comments are given. The larva differs from other Macraspis larvae by the head with 6 posterofrontal setae and mandibles with a blunt second left incisor tooth. The pupa is similar to that of M. festiva Burmeister, 1844

Elevating Omophoita octoguttata elytralis Bechyné, 1956 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) to species

An updated morphological description for Omophoita elytralis (Bechyné, 1956), stat. nov., is presented, including the first account of the genitalia for this species. The separation Omophoita elytralis from O. octoguttata (Fabricius, 1775) is supported by differences found in the median lobe of males, elytral tegument uniform in color (not patterned), and their allopatric geographical distribution

Recuperação de Paisagens Degradadas. Estudo de caso da Pedreira da Lomba dos Pianos

Mestrado em Arquitetura Paisagista / Instituto Superior de Agronomia. Universidade de LisboaO Homem sempre teve uma relação simbiótica com o meio Natural, a dependência que tinha do meio envolvente foi se alterando ao longo do tempo com o desenvolvimento cultural e tecnológico, até domesticar toda a paisagem conforme as suas necessidades. As dinâmicas entre Homem e Natureza reverteram-se, tornando o Homem no influenciador máximo do meio, contrariamente ao início da Humanidade onde o Homem era regido pelo meio. Com o crescimento e desenvolvimento da população mundial, e com as mudanças dos estilos de vida à escala global, a procura e consumo de recursos minerais tornou-se cada vez maior. Aí surge a necessidade de compreender melhor a indústria extrativa e as consequências que daí advêm, bem como a importância da recuperação paisagística e ambiental das áreas exploradas. Esta dissertação tem como principal tema a “Recuperação de paisagens degradadas” pela indústria extrativa, tendo como caso de estudo a Pedreira da Lomba dos Pianos. Um parque com cerca de 4.8 ha com diversos percursos que levam ao utilizador a conhecer e a usufruir do espaço de uma nova forma, alterando as memórias passadas, a reconversão das estruturas de apoio também permitirão a uma melhor interpretação e apreciação dos diferentes aspetos que compõem este parque e esta paisagem. O principal objetivo desta dissertação é compreender os impactes causados pela indústria extrativa na paisagem, mostrar a importância da recuperação das áreas afetadas e os diversos tipos de recuperação e medidas necessárias para colmatar e minorar as alterações provocadas por este tipo de exploração. Por fim, foram aplicadas estas ideias e conceitos ao caso de estudo da pedreira da Lomba dos Pianos, em Sintra, onde se tentou criar a melhor solução para uma recuperação paisagística e ambiental, de forma a devolver o equilíbrio ecológico e cultural. Este projeto de recuperação seguiu uma orientação mais focada na reconversão e reabilitação, rejeitando o restauro, transformando este espaço num parque onde é restabelecida de forma sustentável as dinâmicas entre as diferentes comunidades, quer animal, vegetal e antrópicaN/

Effects of sympathectomy on cardiac remodeling in a doxorrubicin-induced dilated cardiomyopathy model

Introduction: The main cause of cardiac transplantation is dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), in which there are ventricular dilation and systolic dysfunction, leading to congestive heart failure. Ventricular remodeling involves activation of the sympathetic nervous and renin-angiotensin- aldosterone systems. As such, classic treatments include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), beta-blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Once such treatments only delay the development of the disease, it is important to look for better therapeutic options. Experimental models demonstrated the benefits of sympathetic blockade on preserving ventricular function and preventing left ventricle remodeling after myocardial infarction. Objective: We evaluated the influence of bilateral thoracic sympathectomy on left ventricle remodeling and function in a rat model of doxorubicin induced DCM. Methodology: Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups of 7 rats each. DCM only, bilateral sympathectomy (BS) with DCM, ACEI with DCM and also a negative control group (SHAM). DCM was inducted in the experimental groups through weekly intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin. Fifteen days after the beginning of DCM induction, bilateral sympathectomy was performed by chemical sclerosis of stellate ganglion with ethanol in the BS group. From this same time point until the end of experimental protocol, animals of the ACEI group received daily, through water ingestion, a enalapril maleate dilution. Ten weeks later, left ventricular function was evaluated with the use of a microtip pressureconductance catheter. Also, extracellular fibrosis were evaluated and BCL-2 expression on myocardial tissue were quantified. Partial Results: DCM group showed an increased left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume in relation to Sham group(p=0.034). Also, a significant decrease was observed in LV ejection fraction in DCM group, while bilateral sympathectomy were able to preserve this parameter (p=0,001). Furthermore, both treated groups showed an increased LV stroke work compared to DCM group (p=0,002). Myocardial extracellular fibrosis were more present in control group, whereas both BS and ACE inhibitor treatments reduced the areas of fibrotic tissue (p<0,0001), which can be associated with increased expression of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 in treated groups (p=0,0004). Discussion and Conclusion: Sympathetic blockade was able to suppress myocardial tissue fibrosis, most likely due to increasing anti-apoptotic BCL-2 expression. Moreover, LV function was maintained as observed through LV ejection fraction,stroke work and cardiac efficiency levels. Although ACE inhibitor was also able to inhibit extracellular fibrosis and increase BCL- 2 expression, cardiac function has not been preserved as in BS group. Therefore, we conclude that BS was able to decrease myocardial tissue deterioration and also to preserve LV in a doxorubicin model of DCM in rats. Keywords: Sympathectomy; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiac transplantation; Doxorubicin

Cell proliferation and apoptosis in keratocystic odontogenic tumors

Objectives: Keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KOTs), also known as odontogenic keratocysts, were recently classified as a benign neoplasia due to the aggressive clinical behavior. Although several studies have shown the high proliferative activity of the epithelial lining, few studies have evaluated apoptosis in KOTs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the proliferation index (PI) and the apoptotic index (AI) of the epithelial lining in sporadic KOTs, KOTs associated with the Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome (NBCCS KOTs), and dentigerous cysts. Material and methods: A total of 11 sporadic KOTs, 15 NBCCS KOTs, and 11 dentigerous cysts were evaluated. The PI was assessed by immunohistochemical detection of the cell proliferation marker Ki-67. The AI was assessed by morphological evaluation of sections stained by methyl green-pyronin. The TUNEL assay was used to confirm the occurrence of apoptosis. Differences in the PI and the AI between sporadic KOTs, NBCCS KOTs, and dentigerous cysts were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Differences in the PI and the AI between the epithelial layers of each lesion were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Results: The PI and AI were higher in sporadic and NBCCS KOTs than in dentigerous cysts. No difference in these indexes was observed between sporadic and NBCCS KOTs. In dentigerous cysts, the PI was higher in the basal layer. In sporadic and NBCCS KOTs, the PI was higher in suprabasal layer. No difference in the AI was observed between the basal layer and the suprabasal layer in the three lesions. The AI was higher in the superficial layer of sporadic and NBCCS KOTs. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the epithelial lining of KOTs shows a distinct pattern of cell proliferation and apoptosis, reflecting its high cell turnover and reinforcing its classification as an odontogenic tumor

Machine Learning Algorithms for Peripheral Blood Cell Classification - A Hemovision Project Experience

This research explores the use of machine learning algorithms to classify nucleated peripheral blood cells. The ResNet18 convolutional neural network was used to pre-process the images and replace the dense layers; and for the output, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was chosen. Images from different datasets were used for training and testing the model. Thus, the developed model achieved an accuracy and F1-Score of 99.96%. In face of the obtained results, it was found that machine learning algorithms can be satisfactorily integrated into educational and diagnostic support processes

Ensino de biologia em prisões no Distrito Federal : perspectivas docentes sobre seus desafios e potencialidades

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (graduação) — Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Núcleo de Educação Científica - NECBio, 2021.O presente estudo busca compreender quais os principais desafios e potencialidades encontradas por professoras de biologia na Educação de Jovens e Adultos em prisões do Distrito Federal. Além disso, buscamos evidenciar particularidades do ensino de biologia nesses ambientes. Nosso principal referencial teórico foi Paulo Freire devido seu caráter humanista e sua educação libertadora e problematizadora. Buscamos por meio de rodas de conversa, realizadas no formato remoto, com três professoras da Secretaria de Educação do Distrito Federal nos inserir na realidade escolar prisional e compreender suas singularidades. Por sua característica qualitativa, a pesquisa utilizou-se da análise de conteúdo. A análise dos resultados evidenciou conteúdos de biologia desafiadores de serem lecionados nas prisões, alta rotatividade de alunos que dificulta o planejamento e escassez de recursos didáticos permitidos. Além dessas dificuldades, ficou nítido também a intensificação da problemática existente relacionada ao tempo disponível para os conteúdos nas prisões e desafios impostos pela pandemia de COVID-19. Em contrapartida, encontramos potencialidades do ensino de biologia na Educação de Jovens e Adultos em prisões, dentre elas a promoção de um espaço de liberdade nesses ambientes e o frequente uso do diálogo como ferramenta na transformação e ampliação da leitura de mundo por parte dos estudantes. O trabalho evidencia a importância do diálogo, muito utilizado pelas professoras, para estímulo da criticidade e autonomia do aluno. Por fim, encontramos um ensino real e necessário dentro de unidades prisionais, que auxilia na volta à sociedade por parte dos cidadãos privados de liberdade.This study seeks to understand the main challenges and potentials encountered by Biology teachers in Youth and Adult Education in prisons in the Federal District. In addition, we seek to highlight particularities of teaching in these environments. Our main theoretical reference was Paulo Freire’s due to its humanist character and its liberating and problematizing education. Through conversation circles, carried out in a remote format, with three teachers from the Federal District Department of Education, we seek to insert ourselves in the prison school reality and understand its singularities. Due to its qualitative characteristic, the research used content analysis. The analysis of the results evidenced challenging biology content to be taught in prisons, high student turnover that makes planning difficult and scarcity of allowed teaching resources. In addition to these difficulties, the intensification of the existing problem related to the time available for content in prisons and the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic was also clear. On the other hand, we find the potential of teaching biology in the Youth and Adults Education in prisons, including the promotion of a space of freedom in these environments and the frequent use of dialogue as a tool in transforming and expanding the reading of the world by students. The work reveals the importance of dialogue, widely used by teachers, to encourage criticality and student autonomy. Finally, we find a real and necessary education within prison units, which helps citizens deprived of liberty to return to society

Odisseias do conceito moderno de história: Necrológio de Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen, de Capistrano de Abreu, e O pensamento histórico no Brasil nos últimos cinquenta anos, de Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, revisitados

This article seeks to reflect on the tensions internal to the modern conception of history through two important texts concerning Brazilian historiography and the writing of Brazilian history: Capistrano de Abreu's Necrológio de Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen (1878) and Sérgio Buarque de Holanda's O pensamento histórico no Brasil nos últimos cinquenta anos (1951). Considering both in the light of the modern conception of history, as representatives of a new experience of time, characterized by the difference towards the past, and by a new horizon of expectations about the future, which changes the way history is written, we see them both marked by tensions such as particular studies and synthesis, theory and empirical work, objectivity and subjectivity, still relevant to historians.Neste artigo, procuramos refletir sobre as tensões do conceito moderno de história a partir de dois textos importantes enquanto avaliações da historiografia brasileira e considerações sobre a escrita da história do Brasil, a saber: Necrológio de Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen (1878), de João Capistrano de Abreu, e O pensamento histórico no Brasil nos últimos cinquenta anos (1951), de Sérgio Buarque de Holanda. Pensando-os na chave do dito conceito moderno de história, isto é, como representativos de uma nova experiência do tempo, marcada pela diferença em relação ao passado, e por um novo horizonte de expectativas em relação ao futuro, que remodela a escrita da história, vemos nesses textos, marcados por tensões por vezes dicotômicas, entre estudos particulares e obras de síntese, teoria e empiria, objetividade e subjetividade, inquietações ainda relevantes para os historiadores