On Stable Constant Mean Curvature Spheres of Hn×R\mathbb H^n\times\mathbb R and Sn×R\mathbb S^n\times\mathbb R and their Uniqueness as Isoperimetric Hypersurfaces

We consider the rotational constant mean curvature spheres of $\mathbb H^n\times\mathbb R$ obtained by Hsiang and Hsiang and show that they are nested. We apply this property to prove the uniqueness of these spheres as isoperimetric hypersurfaces of $\mathbb H^n\times\mathbb R,$ filling in a gap in the original proof given by Hsiang and Hsiang. We also give a direct proof of their stability, extending the result by Souam, who considered the case $n=2.$ Analogous results are obtained for the class of the rotational constant large mean curvature spheres of $\mathbb S^n\times\mathbb R$ constructed by Pedrosa.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Statistical Mechanics Characterization of Neuronal Mosaics

The spatial distribution of neuronal cells is an important requirement for achieving proper neuronal function in several parts of the nervous system of most animals. For instance, specific distribution of photoreceptors and related neuronal cells, particularly the ganglion cells, in mammal's retina is required in order to properly sample the projected scene. This work presents how two concepts from the areas of statistical mechanics and complex systems, namely the \emph{lacunarity} and the \emph{multiscale entropy} (i.e. the entropy calculated over progressively diffused representations of the cell mosaic), have allowed effective characterization of the spatial distribution of retinal cells.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, The following article has been submitted to Applied Physics Letters. If it is published, it will be found online at http://apl.aip.org

AGRICULTURA FAMILIAR: AS CONTRADIÇÕES TEÓRICAS FRENTE AO CAPITALISMO CONTEMPORÂNEO

Este artigo discute as contradições inerentes a presença marcante da pequena e grande produção agrícola. Trata-se de uma reflexão sobre as teorias que subjugaram a agricultura familiar como um modo de produção fadado ao desaparecimento. As transformações ocorridas na forma de acumulação e centralização do capital nas últimas décadas não permitem mais tratar a pequena produção como algo isolado, mas como objeto fundamental de uma nova proposta de desenvolvimento. A primeira parte desse trabalho trata dos aspectos relacionados aos conceitos e teorias que desvendam a identidade e as peculiaridades da agricultura familiar frente ao sistema capitalista. A segunda parte faz uma análise do sistema capitalista e a forma como ele vem se apropriando do capital sob a ótica do neoliberalismo. Dessa forma, repensar a sua lógica de produção é reconhecê-la como uma estratégia para a superação de vários estrangulamentos econômicos e sociais nos quais a sociedade contemporânea está inserida.--------------------------------------------------------This article discuss the inherent contradictions between small and big agricultural production. It is a reflection about the theories that have subjugated familiar agriculture as a way of production bound to disappear. The transformations occurred in the form of capital accumulation and centralization in the late decades does not allow the treat of small production as something isolated anymore, but as a prime object of a new development proposal. The first part of the essay talks about aspects linked to concepts and theories the show up an identity and the peculiarities of familiar agriculture before the capitalist system. The second part is about a capitalist system analysis and the way how it has been appropriating the capital under the neoliberalism view. So, thinking again its production logic brings knowledge to overcome many economic and social problems which the actual society is living.agricultura familiar, capitalismo, neoliberalismo, familiar agriculture, capitalism, neoliberalism, Industrial Organization,

Localização de instalações com o auxílio de Sistema de Informações Geográficas (SIG) e modelagem matemática

Problemas de localização de instalações envolvem escolher o melhor local para uma ou mais instalações dentro de um conjunto de locais possíveis, sendo uma questão logística de ampla abrangência e de grande importância. Uma das ferramentas que auxiliam na resolução desses problemas são os Sistemas de Informações Geográficas (SIG), pela sua grande capacidade em armazenar, exibir e manipular dados espacialmente distribuídos. Essa capacidade aumenta consideravelmente quando se faz seu uso combinado com técnicas de Pesquisa Operacional. Contudo, a integração do SIG com algoritmos de localização, apesar de bastante promissora, ainda não está totalmente difundida na comunidade científica internacional. Nesse sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho é efetuar uma interface entre o software SIG e um modelo de programação matemática, externo ao SIG, que efetue a localização e alocação de instalações de forma simultânea. Para tanto, foi efetuada uma simulação em um problema fictício de localização de Centros de Distribuição (CD’s), com dados espaciais reais do estado de São Paulo e 18 de seus principais municípios, candidatos à abertura de novos CD’s. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a realização da interface entre a programação matemática e o software SIG é extremamente viável e, para o problema estudado, também eficiente.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Células C em bócio colóide

PURPOSE: The aim of this investigation was to quantitatively evaluate C-cells in colloid goiters, analyzing 36 thyroids that were obtained through thyroidectomy from 24 patients with goiter and 12 normal glands from adult patients without thyroid disease, which were used as the control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: On average, 6 different thyroid areas were sampled and labeled by immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal anticalcitonin antibody, utilizing the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex. C-cells were counted in fields measuring 1 square centimeter, and the mean number of cells per field was then calculated. Data were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: In the colloid goiter group, the number of C-cells ranged from 0 to 23 per field, while in normal controls they ranged from 20 to 148 per field. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate a significant decrease of C-cell number in the colloid goiter group compared with control group, indicating that the hyperplastic process is restricted to follicular cells, to the detriment of C-cells, which probably cease to receive trophic stimuli.OBJETIVO: Pesquisar, quantitativamente, as células C em bócio colóide com o propósito de investigar a relação destas células na patogênese do bócio. MÉTODO: Foram analisadas 35 tiróides obtidas de tiroidectomia, sendo 24 de pacientes com bócio colóide e 11 tiróides normais de adulto usadas como controle. Seis diferentes áreas foram amostradas em média e coradas com o anticorpo monoclonal anticalcitonina. As células C foram contadas em campos de 1 cm² e o número médio de células/campo foi calculado. Os dados foram estudados estatisticamente pelo teste de Kruskal-Wallis. RESULTADOS: O número de células C variou de 0 a 23/cm² em bócio colóide e em tiróides normais de 20 a 148/cm². CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados demonstraram redução significativa no número de células C em bócio colóide comparando com tiróides normais, indicando que o processo hiperplásico é restrito às células foliculares em detrimento das células C, as quais, provavelmente, deixam de receber estímulos tróficos e se degeneram

An integrated view

Funding Information: This work was supported by “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia”—FCT MJM (PD/BD/114256/2016), MPM (PTDC/BIM-MET/4265/2014 and PTDC/MEC-MET/29314/2017), MGA (PTDC/BIM-MET/4712/2014), iNOVA4Health (UIDB/Multi/04462/2020), by the European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action H2020 (mtFOIE GRAS, grant agreement n. 734719), by the Sociedade Portuguesa de Diabetologia, and by the research infrastructure CONGENTO, project LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-022170, co-financed by Lisboa Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund and by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal). NMR data were collected at the UC-NMR facility which is supported in part by FEDER – European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE Programme (Operational Programme for Competitiveness) and by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through grants REEQ/481/QUI/2006, RECI/QEQ-QFI/0168/2012, CENTRO-07-CT62-FEDER-002012, and Rede Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear (RNRMN). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Meneses, Sousa-Lima, Jarak, Raposo, Alves and Macedo.Objective: In the last years, changes in dietary habits have contributed to the increasing prevalence of metabolic disorders, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The differential burden of lipids and fructose on distinct organs needs to be unveiled. Herein, we hypothesized that high-fat and high-fructose diets differentially affect the metabolome of insulin-sensitive organs such as the liver, muscle, and different adipose tissue depots. Methods: We have studied the impact of 12 weeks of a control (11.50% calories from fat, 26.93% from protein, and 61.57% from carbohydrates), high-fat/sucrose (HFat), or high-fructose (HFruct) feeding on C57Bl/6J male mice. Besides glucose homeostasis, we analyzed the hepatic levels of glucose and lipid-metabolism-related genes and the metabolome of the liver, the muscle, and white (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots. Results: HFat diet led to a more profound impact on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism than HFruct, with mice presenting glucose intolerance, increased saturated fatty acids, and no glycogen pool, yet both HFat and HFruct presented hepatic insulin resistance. HFat diet promoted a decrease in glucose and lactate pools in the muscle and an increase in glutamate levels. While HFat had alterations in BAT metabolites that indicate increased thermogenesis, HFruct led to an increase in betaine, a protective metabolite against fructose-induced inflammation. Conclusions: Our data illustrate that HFat and HFruct have a negative but distinct impact on the metabolome of the liver, muscle, WAT, and BAT.publishersversionpublishe

Questionário de Crenças de Controlo face à Saúde (QCCS): Processo de desenvolvimento e validação de um instrumento

O presente artigo tem como objectivo a apresentação do processo de desenvolvimento e validação do Questionário de Crenças de Controlo face à Saúde (QCCS). Este é um instrumento que, tendo como raiz conceptual o modelo tridimensional da percepção de controlo de Skinner (1995), visa a avaliação de três tipos de crenças: (1) controlo; (2) estratégia e; (3) capacidade. O QCCS foi aplicado a uma amostra de 91 crianças (Midade=11,92) e 97 adolescentes (Midade=16,86) Portugueses saudáveis. Análises em componentes principais mostraram que o instrumento reflecte, na generalidade, a estrutura tridimensional esperada. Os índices de fidelidade interna da maioria das escalas mostraram-se adequados, particularmente tendo em conta a idade dos participantes. Uma análise do conteúdo dos itens, efectuada por dois juízes independentes, atesta a validade de conteúdo do QCCS. Este instrumento, ao permitir detectar diferenças etárias nas crenças de controlo, previsíveis de um ponto de vista desenvolvimentista, demonstra ainda validade de constructo. Em suma, embora as características psicométricas do QCCS possam ainda ser aperfeiçoadas, este mostra ser um instrumento útil e com qualidades adequadas

Cost-effective bioethanol production at low content of nitrogen source from carob syrup

Ethanol, as biofuel, has received great interest in the latest decades due to its potential as an alternative transport fuel. Nowadays, ethanol can be produced through fermentative processes, using sugar rich agricultural raw material and it may have a significant role in reducing environmental impact of fossil fuels

The role of acculturation on sense of fairness of the division of family labor and marital quality among Brazilian immigrants in the U.S.

Over 1 million people are admitted into the United States each year with the status of legal permanent residents. Brazilian immigrants in the US are a relatively small population; however, their numbers are growing to approximately 800,000 to 1 million. Among immigrant couples, partners may acculturate using different attitudes and at different paces. Also, acculturation involves changes in many domains, including the perceptions of fairness in the division of family labor, which may have implications for marital quality. The current study aimed to evaluate the relationships among acculturation, sense of fairness of the division of family labor, and marital quality among Brazilian immigrants in the US. An additional purpose of this study was to address this growing and yet under studied population. Results suggest that there is a significant relationship between sense of fairness of the division of family labor and marital quality among Brazilian immigrant married women, in that perceptions of unfairness in the division of labor contribute to decrease marital quality. However, the associations involving acculturation were not confirmed. There are two possible explanations for these non-significant findings. First, it is possible that Brazilian women are more similar to their American counterparts in regards to sense of fairness than previously thought. Therefore, being more or less acculturated would not be predictive of sense of fairness among this particular sample. Second, the findings of the current study also point to the need to look more closely at the instrumentation used to measure acculturation, to review its concept and indicators. It is recommended that instruments measuring acculturation among Brazilian immigrants should be specifically designed to address the uniqueness of this specific population. In addition, acculturation measure should be updated to assess the possibility that remote acculturation may occur by mean of mass communication between geographically separated groups. It is important for counselors who work with Brazilian immigrant couples to be knowledgeable of the demographic realities these couples face (e.g., decreased career mobility and lower rates of domestic help), as well as marital dynamics involving partners sense of fairness with changing expectations of the division of family labor and marital quality