Growth, Inequality and Poverty: Some Empirical Evidence from Minas Gerais State, Brazil

This chapter is motivated by the fact that the Brazilian economy has one of the highest income inequality index in the world. According to Paes de Barros et al(2000), average income of the 10% richest people in Brazil is 28 times higher than the average income of the 40% poorest people. In Argentina, it is 10 times, 13 times in Costa Rica and 5 times in France. Brazilian growth did not benefit all classes and inequality is increasing since the 60´s. While the 10% richest people get 48% of total income, the 10% poorest people get 0,8% of total income. The inequality problem also arises in the Brazilian regional income analysis. Minas Gerais is a rich and dynamic state with 300.000 km2 divided into 10 different regions, 66 microregions and 853 towns. It is located in the Southeast developed part of the country and is responsible for 10% of Brazilian GDP. As the rest of Brazil, it has a dual economy with prosperity and poverty and social and economic heterogeneity. This chapter empirically analyses the economic growth and income inequality behavior in Minas Gerais towns and microregions from 1970 to 2000, using the income convergence hypothesis. Convergence tests such as Barro and Sala-i-Martin(1992), σ- convergence, Drennan & Lobo(1999) and Quah(1993) are performed. The role of human capital in growth is analysed for Minas Gerais 66 microregions. A comparison is also made between very rich regions and very poor regions of this state to see the relationship between regional inequality and poverty.

Mass spectrometry improvement on an high current ion implanter

The development of accurate mass spectrometry, enabling the identification of all the ions extracted from the ion source in a high current implanter is described. The spectrometry system uses two signals (x-y graphic), one proportional to the magnetic field (x-axes), taken from the high-voltage potential with an optic fiber system, and the other proportional to the beam current intensity (y-axes), taken from a beam-stop. The ion beam mass register in a mass spectrum of all the elements magnetically analyzed with the same radius and defined by a pair of analyzing slits as a function of their beam intensity is presented. The developed system uses a PC to control the displaying of the extracted beam mass spectrum, and also recording of all data acquired for posterior analysis. The operator uses a LabView code that enables the interfacing between an I/O board and the ion implanter. The experimental results from an ion implantation experiment are shown. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Testicular "Inherited Metabolic Memory" of Ancestral High-Fat Diet Is Associated with Sperm sncRNA Content

Funding: This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology: L. Crisóstomo (SFRH/BD/128584/2017), M.G. Alves (PTDC/MEC-AND/28691/2017), UMIB (UIDB/00 215/2020 and UIDP/00215/2020), and ITR (LA/P/0064/2020) and co-funded by FEDER funds (POCI/COMPETE 2020) and by the Portuguese Society of Diabetology: L. Crisóstomo and M.G. Alves (“Nuno Castel-Branco” research grant and Group of Fundamental and Translational Research).publishersversionpublishe

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Negative Microscopic Diagnosis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Rural Peru.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic to South America where diagnosis is most commonly conducted via microscopy. Patients with suspected leishmaniasis were referred for enrollment by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Lima, Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, and several rural areas of Peru. A 43-question survey requesting age, gender, occupation, characterization of the lesion(s), history of leishmaniasis, and insect-deterrent behaviors was administered. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted on lesion materials at the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 in Lima, and the results were compared with those obtained by the MoH using microscopy. Factors associated with negative microscopy and positive PCR results were identified using

Effect of reprocessing cycles on the degradation of polypropylene copolymer filled with talc or montmorillonite during injection molding process

Mechanical recycling of polymeric materials is a favorable technique resulting in economic and environmental benefits, especially in the case of polymers with a high production volume as the polypropylene copolymer (PP). However, recycling by reprocessing techniques can lead to thermal, mechanical or thermo-oxidative degradation that can affect the structure of the polymer and subsequently the material properties. PP filled with montmorillonite (MMT) or talc are widely produced and studied, however, its degradation reactions by reprocessing cycles are poorly studied so far. In this study, the effects of reprocessing cycles in the structure and in the properties of the PP/MMT and PP/Talc were evaluated. The samples were mixed with 5% talc or MMT Cloisite C15A in a twin-screw extrusion. After extrusion, this filled material was submitted to five reprocessing cycles through an injection molding process. In order to evaluate the changes induced by reprocessing techniques, the samples were characterized by DSC, FT-IR, Izod impact and tensile strength tests. The study showed that Young modulus, elongation at brake and Izod impact were not affected by reprocessing cycles, except when using talc. In this case, the elongation at brake reduced until the fourth cycle, showing rigidity increase. The DSC results showed that melting and crystallization temperature were not affected. A comparison of FT-IR spectra of the reprocessed indicated that in both samples, between the first and the fifth cycle, no noticeable change has occurred. Thus, there is no evidence of thermo oxidative degradation. In general, these results suggest that PP reprocessing cycles using MMT or talc does not change the material properties until the fifth cycle

Canine parvovirus : a predicting canine model for sepsis

Research Areas: Veterinary SciencesBackground: Sepsis is a severe condition associated with high prevalence and mortality rates. Parvovirus enteritis is a predisposing factor for sepsis, as it promotes intestinal bacterial translocation and severe immunosuppression. This makes dogs infected by parvovirus a suitable study population as far as sepsis is concerned. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the differences between two sets of SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) criteria in outcome prediction: SIRS 1991 and SIRS 2001. The possibility of stratifying and classifying septic dogs was assessed using a proposed animal adapted PIRO (Predisposition, Infection, Response and Organ dysfunction) scoring system. Results: The 72 dogs enrolled in this study were scored for each of the PIRO elements, except for Infection, as all were considered to have the same infection score, and subjected to two sets of SIRS criteria, in order to measure their correlation with the outcome. Concerning SIRS criteria, it was found that the proposed alterations on SIRS 2001 (capillary refill time or mucous membrane colour alteration) were significantly associated with the outcome (OR = 4.09, p < 0.05), contrasting with the 1991 SIRS criteria (p = 0.352) that did not correlate with the outcome. No significant statistical association was found between Predisposition (p = 1), Response (p = 0.1135), Organ dysfunction (p = 0.1135), total PIRO score (p = 0.093) and outcome. To explore the possibility of using the SIRS criteria as a fast decision-making tool, a Fast-andFrugal tree (FFT) was created with a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 29%. Conclusion: These results suggest that increasing the SIRS criteria specificity may improve their prognostic value and their clinical usefulness. In order to improve the proposed PIRO scoring system outcome prediction ability, more specific criteria should be added, mainly inflammatory and organ dysfunction biomarkers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Injecção de Falhas por Varrimento Periférico em Processadores

As técnicas de injecção de falhas mais utilizadas podem ser classificadas em técnicas de indução, técnicas de injecão por hardware e técnicas de injecção por software. Dentro das técnicas de injecção por hardware surgem as técnicas de injecção de falhas recorrendo à tecnologia de teste por varrimento periférico. Esta encontra-se fortemente implantada nos processadores mais recentes, fornecendo um método de acesso ao seu interior de forma a permitir operações de teste e depuração. A sua utilização para a injecção de falhas é um passo lógico e tem sido estudada desde os anos 90. Os trabalhos desenvolvidos nesta área são diversos e incluem soluções que não exigem qualquer alteração à infraestrutura normalizada e soluções que modificam as células e a infraestrutura de controlo de forma a suportarem esta funcionalidade. Estas alterações implicam atrasos temporais acrescidos e um aumento da área de silício destinada a funções de teste, tornando-se importante uma preocupação com a optimização para que a inclusão de capacidades de injecção de falhas não afecte significativamente o desempenho e o custo dos componentes onde são implementadas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

PRICHAIN: A Partially Decentralized Implementation of UbiPri Middleware Using Blockchain

With the popularization of the Internet-of-Things, various applications have emerged to make life easier. These applications generate a large amount of user data. Analyzing the data obtained from these applications, one can infer personal information about each user. Considering this, it is clear that ensuring privacy in this type of application is essential. To guarantee privacy various solutions exist, one of them is UbiPri middleware. This paper presents a decentralized implementation of UbiPri middleware using the Ethereum blockchain. Smart contracts were used in conjunction with a communication gateway and a distributed storage service to ensure users privacy. The results obtained show that the implementation of this work ensures privacy at different levels, data storage security, and performance regarding scalability in the Internet of Things environments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biofungicidal capacity on Beauveria bassiana (Bals-Criv.) Vuill. and phytochemical characterization of native medicinal plants of the province of Misiones

El objetivo de este trabajo fue encontrar una alternativa a los fungicidas químicos que se utilizan actualmente en el control del hongo Beauveria bassiana (Bals-Criv.) Vuill., agente causal de muscardina blanca en Bombyx mori L. En este estudio examinamos 6 plantas medicinales nativas para determinar su actividad antifúngica y composición fitoquímica. La actividad antifúngica de los extractos (2 a 8 %) se evaluaron mediante el IB (índice biológico) determinado sobre el potencial de germinación, el crecimiento vegetativo y la producción de conidios. Los extractos de Baccharis crispa 4 y 6 % (IB = 37,2 y IB = 36,4); Mikania cordifolia 6 % (IB = 36,24); Pityrogramma calomelanos 4 % (IB = 40,4) y Poligonum punctatum 6 y 8% (IB = 33,1 y IB = 35,5) resultaron activos con valores dentro del rango de toxicidad (0-41) mientras que Schinus molle y Ocimum tenuiflorum no exhibieron potencial antifúngico. La caracterización fitoquímica entre los extractos activos determinó que el contenido fenólico varía entre 62,5 a 103,7 mg GAE/g extracto, mientras que para tanino fue de 19,7 a 72,5 mg GAE/g extracto y flavonoides totales de 11,6 a 33,7 mg Qe/g extracto. Los extractos de B. crispa, M. cordifolia, P. calomelanos y P. punctatum resultaron efectivos para controlar in vitro a B. bassiana.The objective of this work was to find an alternative to the chemical fungicides that are currently used in the control of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals-Criv.) Vuill, causative agent of white muscardine in Bombyx mori L. In this study we examined 6 native medicinal plants to determine its antifungal activity and phytochemical composition. The antifungal activity of the extracts (2 to 8 %) was evaluated by means of the IB (biological index) determined on the potential germination, vegetative growth and the production of conidia. The extracts of Baccharis crispa 4 and 6 % (37.2 and 36.4); Mikania cordifolia 6 % (36.24); Pityrogramma calomelanos 4 % (40.4); and Polygonum punctatum 6 and 8 % (33.1 and 35.5) were active with values within the toxicity range (0-41) while Schinus molle and Ocimum tenuiflorum, they did not exhibit antifungal potential. The phyto chemical characterization between the active extracts determined that the phenolic content varies between 62.5 to 103.7 mg GAE/g extract, while for tannins it was 19.7 to 72.5 mg GAE/g extract, and total flavonoids of 11.6 to 33.7 mg Qe/g extract. The extracts of B. crispa, M. cordifolia, P. calomelanos and P. punctatum were effective to control Beauveria bassiana in vitro.Fil: Lopez, Silvia Lorena. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Agencia Ejecutiva de Desarrollo E Innovacion Tecnologica (aedit) ; Ministerio de Cultura Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia ; Gobierno de la Provincia de Misiones;Fil: Alves, Luis Francisco Angeli. Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Pará; BrasilFil: Celaya, Liliana Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Martina, Pablo F.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentin

Is there still a place for involutional melancholia nowadays?

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Rubus niveus Thunb. plant belongs to Rosaceae family and have been used traditionally to treat wounds, burns, inflammation, dysentery, diarrhea and for curing excessive bleeding during menstrual cycle. The present study was undertaken to investigate the in vivo genotoxicity of Rubus niveus aerial parts extract and its possible chemoprotection on doxorubicin (DXR)-induced DNA damage. In parallel, the main phytochemicals constituents in the extract were determined.Materials and methods: The animals were exposed to the extract for 24 and 48 h, and the doses selected were 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg b.w. administered by gavage alone or prior to DXR (30 mg/kg b.w.) administered by intraperitoneal injection. The endpoints analyzed were DNA damage in bone marrow and peripheral blood cells assessed by the alkaline alkaline (pH &gt; 13) comet assay and bone marrow micronucleus test.Results and conclusion: The results of chemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of tormentic acid, stigmasterol, quercitinglucoronide (miquelianin) and niga-ichigoside F1 as main compounds. Both cytogenetic endpoints analyzed showed that there were no statistically significant differences (p &gt; 0.05) between the negative control and the treated groups with the two higher doses of Rubus niveus extract alone, demonstrating absence of genotoxic and mutagenic effects. Aneugenic/clastogenic effect was observed only at 2000 mg/kg dose. On the other hand, in the both assays and all tested doses were observed a significant reduction of DNA damage and chromosomal aberrations in all groups co-treated with DXR and extract compared to those which received only DXR. These results indicate that Rubus niveus aerial parts extract did not revealed any genotoxic effect, but presented some aneugenic/clastogenic effect at higher dose; and suggest that it could be a potential adjuvant against development of second malignant neoplasms caused by the cancer chemotherapic DXR. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP