LAS 3R (REDUCIR-REUTILIZAR-RECICLAR): \ubfSON PRACTICADAS POR DOCENTES UNIVERSITARIOS AL USAR PAPEL EN LAS ACTIVIDADES ACAD\uc9MICAS?

Minimizar los impactos negativos generados al ambiente por sus actividades mediante la ejecuci\uf3n de pr\ue1cticas de consumo responsable, constituye uno de los compromisos ambientales de la universidad. En tal sentido, es importante analizar las pr\ue1cticas de consumo del papel, por parte de los docentes cuando llevan a cabo sus actividades, a fin de diagnosticar si se practica la reducci\uf3n, la reutilizaci\uf3n y el reciclaje de papel. La presente investigaci\uf3n se enmarca dentro del tipo descriptivo, apoyada en un trabajo de campo. La muestra estuvo conformada por 55 docentes universitarios, adscritos al Programa de Licenciatura en Psicolog\ueda de la Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA). Para el diagn\uf3stico se emple\uf3 un cuestionario validado mediante el juicio de tres expertos. Para el an\ue1lisis de los datos se aplic\uf3 estad\uedstica descriptiva. Los resultados indican que algunas actividades acad\ue9micas a\ufan cuando se llevan a cabo por medios digitales, contin\ufaan generando documentos impresos innecesarios que impiden la reducci\uf3n en el consumo de papel. As\ued mismo, se evidenci\uf3 que la mayor\ueda de los docentes no llevan a cabo pr\ue1cticas de re\ufaso de papel al usar equipos de reproducci\uf3n; y un considerable n\ufamero de ellos no realiza una selecci\uf3n eficiente del papel para ser sometido al proceso de reciclaje. Los resultados obtenidos apoyan la necesidad de ofrecer talleres de educaci\uf3n ambiental a los docentes para coadyuvar en el desarrollo de la competencia laboral de sensibilidad ambiental; as\ued como institucionalizar, en funci\uf3n de las pol\uedticas ambientales de la universidad, la ejecuci\uf3n de medidas que conlleven al consumo responsable del papel. Palabras clave: 3R, consumo de papel, docentes universitarios, responsabilidad ambiental universitaria. ABSTRACT Minimize negative environmental impacts generated by its activities by implementing responsible consumption practices, is one of the environmental commitments of the university. Thus, it is important to analyze the consumption practices of paper by professors when they carry out their activities, in order to diagnose whether they practice the reduction, reuse and recycling of paper. This research is part of a descriptive study, based on a fieldwork. The sample consisted of 55 university professors, assigned to the Psychology Degree Program at Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA). To carry out the diagnosis was used a questionnaire validated by the judgment of three experts. For data analysis, descriptive statistics were applied. The results indicate that even when some academic activities are carried out by digital media, they continue generating unnecessary printouts that prevent the reduction of paper consumption. It was also evident, that the majority of professors do not perform reuse practices of paper when they use reproduction equipment; and a considerable number of them do not perform an efficient selection of the paper to be submitted to the recycling process. The results support the need for environmental education workshops for professors to assist in the development of labor competence of environmental sensitivity; and institutionalize according to the environmental policies of the university, the implementation of standards that support the responsible paper consumption. KEY WORDS: 3R, paper consumption, university professors, university environmental responsibility.<br

PRESENCIA DE LA ENZIMA GLUTATI 3N-S-TRANSFERASA EN CUERPO L aTEO BOVINO

El objetivo de la presente investigaci\uf3n fue identificar la presencia de la enzima Glutati\uf3n-S-transferasa (GST) con la t\ue9cnica de inmunoflorescencia directa en cuerpos l\ufateos (CL) maduros y en regresi\uf3n de bovinos lecheros. Para lo cual se muestrearon, 133 CL de vacas Holstein, adultas no pre\uf1adas, y con dos o m\ue1s lactancias, de una explotaci\uf3n comercial ubicada en el municipio Jim\ue9nez estado Lara en Venezuela, sacrificadas en dos mataderos industriales. Una vez obtenidos los ovarios fueron trasladados en una soluci\uf3n buffer fosfato salina a una temperatura de 4 a 8 \ub0C hasta la Unidad de Investigaci\uf3n "Dr Haity Moussatche" del Decanato de Ciencias Veterinarias de la UCLA (DCV-UCLA). Fueron clasificados y luego se obtuvieron cortes de 5 micras donde se determin\uf3 en cada muestra, la presencia de la enzima GST los cuales se incubaron con el anticuerpo GST diluido. Para el an\ue1lisis de los resultados se aplic\uf3 estad\uedstica descriptiva. Se observ\uf3 que en los CL maduros el 71,25% present\uf3 un alto contenido de gr\ue1nulos fluorescentes (presencia de la enzima) mientras que el 28,75% restante present\uf3 moderado contenido. Por su parte en los CL en regresi\uf3n se evidenci\uf3 escasa cantidad de gr\ue1nulos verdes fluorescentes lo que indica poca expresi\uf3n de la enzima. Se concluye que en los CL maduros hay una alta expresi\uf3n de enzima GST, lo cual indica un importante mecanismo de defensa celular, porque ya se conoce que en la fase de madurez del CL el proceso de peroxidaci\uf3n lip\ueddica luteal se encuentra incrementado. Palabras clave: Glutati\uf3n-S-transferasa, cuerpo l\ufateo bovino, inmunofluorescencia, Holstein. ABSTRACT The objective of the present investigation was to identify the presence of enzyme Glutathion-S-transferase with direct immunoflorescence technique in mature luteal bodies (LC) and in regression of dairy cattle. For this purpose, 133 CL of Holstein cows, non-pregnant adults, and two or more lactations were sampled from a commercial farm located in the municipality of Jim\ue9nez, Lara State, Venezuela, slaughtered in two industrial slaughterhouses, once obtained the ovaries were transferred in a phosphate buffered saline solution at a temperature of 4 to 8 \ub0C to "Dr Haity Moussatche" Research Unit Laboratory of the Veterinary Sciences Dean of UCLA (DVS-UCLA ) To be assayed, 5 \ub5m slices were subsequently taken where the presence of GST enzyme was determined in each sample and incubated with diluted GST antibody. Descriptive statistics were applied for results analysis. It was observed that in the mature LC, 71.25% had a high content of fluorescent granules (presence of the enzyme) while the remaining 28.75% presented moderate content. On the other hand the LC in regression showed little amount of fluorescent green granules indicating little expression of the enzyme. Key words: Glutathione-S-transferase, bovine corpus luteum, immunofluorescence, Holstein. <br

Visible Light Induced Oxidation of Trans-ferulic Acid by TiO2 Photocatalysis

The oxidation of trans-ferulic acid (C 10H 10O 4) in aqueous TiO 2 dispersion occurs via the formation of a charge-transfer complex on the TiO 2 surface that is able to absorb visible light (\u3bb 65 400 nm). The main product is CO 2, whereas secondary oxidation products are organic species such as vanillin, caffeic acid, homovanillic acid, and vanillylmandelic acid. Oxidation through the formation of a charge-transfer complex occurs only in the presence of specific TiO 2 samples. Experiments in the absence of oxygen, in the presence of bromate ions and by using a phosphate-modified TiO 2, have been carried out for investigating the reaction mechanism. In order to study the interaction between trans-ferulic acid and TiO 2 surface and to characterize the charge-transfer complex, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance and FT-IR spectroscopies have been used. FT-IR characterization of TiO 2 samples in contact with the aqueous trans-ferulic acid solution indicates that the charge-transfer complex formation occurs via adsorption of bidentate ferulate species

SEED RAIN AS INDICATOR OF FOREST FRAGMENT CONSERVATION IN SOROCABA, S\uc3O PAULO STATE

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar o n\uedvel de degrada\ue7\ue3o de fragmentos florestais a partir do uso da chuva de sementes como indicador ambiental. Fragmentos (n= 5) de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual na regi\ue3o de Sorocaba - SP foram estudados de agosto a outubro de 2007 e janeiro a dezembro de 2008, utilizandose coletores instalados em 11 parcelas (10 x 10 m). Do material coletado foram separadas as fra\ue7\uf5es de sementes e frutos para identifica\ue7\ue3o e classifica\ue7\ue3o por s\uedndrome de dispers\ue3o e h\ue1bito. Os resultados demonstraram que, embora os fragmentos F4 e F5 apresentem os maiores \uedndices de riqueza, diversidade e equitabilidade, h\ue1 a domin\ue2ncia de esp\ue9cies anemoc\uf3ricas e herb\ue1ceas. Os fragmentos F1, F2 e F4 foram os com maior aporte de sementes, respectivamente com 36,8%, 26,8% e 17,8% e os fragmentos F3 e F5, apenas 12,6% e 5,9%. O aporte de prop\ue1gulos foi sazonal sendo maior na transi\ue7\ue3o da esta\ue7\ue3o seca para a \ufamida, o que resulta em 63% do total de prop\ue1gulos aportados. A s\uedndrome com maior representatividade foi a anemocoria (86%), comum em \ue1reas abertas e degradadas. Os resultados obtidos indicam a viabilidade da aplica\ue7\ue3o do estudo quantitativo da chuva de sementes para o monitoramento da restaura\ue7\ue3o de fragmentos, tendo sido eficiente em detectar diferen\ue7as ambientais entre os fragmentos.The aim of this study was to analyze the degradation state of forest fragments applying seed rain as an indicator. Fragments (n = 5) in semideciduous forest, in Sorocaba, SP state, were studied from August to October, in 2007, and from January to December, in 2008, and seed traps were established in 11 plots (10 x 10 m). The material was separated and seeds and fruits were identified and classified based on dispersion syndrome and habit. Although fragments F4 and F5 showed high richness, diversity and equitability, there were dominance of herbaceous and anemochoric species. The highest proportion of seed rain was observed in F1, F2 and F4, with 36.8%, 26.8% and 17.8%, and F3 and F5, showed only 12.6% and 5.9%. The seed rain was seasonal and higher in the transition from dry to wet season, with 63% of total seed rain. The anemochory was the most representative syndrome (86%), that is more observed in open and degraded areas. The results indicated viability of the quantitative analysis of seed rain for monitoring the fragment restoration, being effective to detect environmental differences among fragments

Connectivity Among Populations of the Top Shell Gibbula divaricata in the Adriatic Sea

Genetic connectivity studies are essential to understand species diversity and genetic structure and to assess the role of potential factors affecting connectivity, thus enabling sound management and conservation strategies. Here, we analyzed the patterns of genetic variability in the marine snail Gibbula divaricata from five coastal locations in the central-south Adriatic Sea (central Mediterranean) and one in the adjacent northern Ionian Sea, using 21 described polymorphic microsatellite loci. Observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.582 to 0.635 and 0.684 to 0.780, respectively. AMOVA analyses showed that 97% of genetic variation was observed within populations. Nevertheless, significant, although small, genetic differentiation was found among nearly all of the pairwise FST comparisons. Over a general pattern of panmixia, three groups of populations were identified: eastern Adriatic populations, western Adriatic populations, and a third group represented by the single northern Ionian Sea population. Nonetheless, migration and gene flow were significant between these groups. Gibbula divaricata is thought to have a limited dispersal capacity related to its lecithotrophic trochophore larval stage. Our results indicated high levels of self-recruitment and gene flow that is mainly driven through coastline dispersion, with populations separated by the lack of suitable habitats or deep waters. This stepping-stone mode of dispersion together with the high levels of self-recruitment could lead to higher levels of population structuring and differentiation along the Adriatic Sea. Large effective population sizes and episodic events of long-distance dispersal might be responsible for the weak differentiation observed in the analyzed populations. In summary, the circulation system operating in this region creates natural barriers for dispersion that, together with life-history traits and habitat requirements, certainly affect connectivity in G. divaricata. However, this scenario of potential differentiation seems to be overridden by sporadic events of long-distance dispersal across barriers and large effective population sizes

Decline of genetic variability in a captive population of Pacific white shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei using microsatellite and pedigree information

Background: The objective of this study was to estimate the decline of genetic variability and the changes in effective population size in three shrimp populations. One was a wild population collected at several points in the Mexican Pacific Ocean. The other two populations were different generations (7 and 9) from a captive population selected for growth and survival. Microsatellite markers and pedigree were both used to assess genetic variability and effective population size. Results: Using 26 loci, both captive populations showed a decline in the expected heterozygosity (20%) and allelic diversity indices (48 to 91%) compared to the wild population (P &lt; 0.05). The studied captive populations did not differ significantly from each other regarding their expected heterozygosity or allelic diversity indices (P &gt; 0.05). Effective population size estimates based on microsatellites declined from 48.2 to 64.0% in cultured populations (P &lt; 0.05) compared to the wild population. Conclusions: An important decline of genetic variability in the cultured selected population due to domestication, and evidence of a further smaller decline in effective population size across generations in the selected population were observed when analyzing pedigree (41%) and microsatellite data (37%). Pedigree keeping is required to prevent the decline of effective population size and maintain genetic variability in shrimp breeding programs, while microsatellites are useful to assess effective population size changes at the population level

JWST MIRI/MRS in-flight absolute flux calibration and tailored fringe correction for unresolved sources

Context. The Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) is one of the four observing modes of JWST/MIRI. Using JWST in-flight data of unresolved (point) sources, we can derive the MRS absolute spectral response function (ASRF) starting from raw data. Spectral fringing, caused by coherent reflections inside the detector arrays, plays a critical role in the derivation and interpretation of the MRS ASRF. The fringe corrections implemented in the current pipeline are not optimal for non-extended sources, and a high density of molecular features particularly inhibits an accurate correction. Aims. In this paper, we present an alternative way to calibrate the MIRI/MRS data. Firstly, we derive a fringe correction that accounts for the dependence of the fringe properties on the MIRI/MRS pupil illumination and detector pixel sampling of the point spread function. Secondly, we derive the MRS ASRF using an absolute flux calibrator observed across the full 5- 28 \ub5m wavelength range of the MRS. Thirdly, we apply the new ASRF to the spectrum of a G dwarf and compare it with the output of the JWST/MIRI default data reduction pipeline. Finally, we examine the impact of the different fringe corrections on the detectability of molecular features in the G dwarf and K giant. Methods. The absolute flux calibrator HD 163466 (A-star) was used to derive tailored point source fringe flats at each of the default dither locations of the MRS. The fringe-corrected point source integrated spectrum of HD 163466 was used to derive the MRS ASRF using a theoretical model for the stellar continuum. A cross-correlation was run to quantify the uncertainty on the detection of CO, SiO, and OH in the K giant and CO in the G dwarf for different fringe corrections. Results. The point-source-tailored fringe correction and ASRF are found to perform at the same level as the current corrections, beating down the fringe contrast to the sub-percent level in the G dwarf in the longer wavelengths, whilst mitigating the alteration of real molecular features. The same tailored solutions can be applied to other MRS unresolved targets. Target acquisition is required to ensure the pointing is accurate enough to apply this method. A pointing repeatability issue in the MRS limits the effectiveness of the tailored fringe flats is at short wavelengths. Finally, resulting spectra require no scaling to make the sub-bands match, and a dichroic spectral leak at 12.2 \ub5m is removed

Morphometric characterization of fruits and seeds and the effect of the temperature on germination of Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth. ex Walp

Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth. ex Walp., \ue9 uma esp\ue9cie arb\uf3rea, caracter\uedstica dos est\ue1dios iniciais da sucess\ue3o, de ocorr\ueancia natural no Brasil. Pertence \ue0 fam\uedlia Fabaceae, com grande potencial na recupera\ue7\ue3o de \ue1reas degradadas. O presente trabalho foi conduzido no Centro de Ci\ueancias Agr\ue1rias da Universidade Federal de Alagoas, objetivando a caracteriza\ue7\ue3o morfom\ue9trica de frutos e sementes dessa esp\ue9cie, bem como identificar a melhor temperatura para uso em testes de germina\ue7\ue3o. O fruto \ue9 do tipo legume, deiscente, polisp\ue9rmico, contendo em m\ue9dia 16 sementes por unidade. Estas apresentam formato elipsoidal, embri\ue3o axial, com 10,1 mm de comprimento, 4,9 mm de largura por 3,1mm de espessura. As temperaturas de 25 e 30oC proporcionaram as maiores porcentagem e velocidade de germina\ue7\ue3o, enquanto que a temperatura de 15oC e acima de 35\ubaC influenciaram negativamente a germinabilidade das sementes.Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth. ex Walp. is a tree species, characteristic of the initial phases of succession, of natural occurrence in Brazil. It belongs to the Mimosaceae family, with great potential in the recovery of degraded areas. The present work aims to characterize fruits and seeds morphometrically as well to identify the best temperature for use in germination test. The fruit is a type of legume, dehiscent, polispermic, with 16 seeds, approximately, per unit. The seeds present ellipsoidal format, axial embryo, with 10,1 mm of length, 4,9 mm of width and 3,1 mm of thickness. The temperatures of 25\ubaC and 30\ubaC provided them larger germinability, while the temperature of 15\ubaC and above 35\ubaC influenced these characteristics negatively

Effects of Once-Weekly Exenatide on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes.

Abstract BACKGROUND: The cardiovascular effects of adding once-weekly treatment with exenatide to usual care in patients with type 2 diabetes are unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with type 2 diabetes, with or without previous cardiovascular disease, to receive subcutaneous injections of extended-release exenatide at a dose of 2 mg or matching placebo once weekly. The primary composite outcome was the first occurrence of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. The coprimary hypotheses were that exenatide, administered once weekly, would be noninferior to placebo with respect to safety and superior to placebo with respect to efficacy. RESULTS: In all, 14,752 patients (of whom 10,782 [73.1%] had previous cardiovascular disease) were followed for a median of 3.2 years (interquartile range, 2.2 to 4.4). A primary composite outcome event occurred in 839 of 7356 patients (11.4%; 3.7 events per 100 person-years) in the exenatide group and in 905 of 7396 patients (12.2%; 4.0 events per 100 person-years) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 1.00), with the intention-to-treat analysis indicating that exenatide, administered once weekly, was noninferior to placebo with respect to safety (P<0.001 for noninferiority) but was not superior to placebo with respect to efficacy (P=0.06 for superiority). The rates of death from cardiovascular causes, fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal or nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, and hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome, and the incidence of acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and serious adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with type 2 diabetes with or without previous cardiovascular disease, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events did not differ significantly between patients who received exenatide and those who received placebo. (Funded by Amylin Pharmaceuticals; EXSCEL ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01144338 .)