Apseudomorph tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) from mud-volcanoes in the Gulf of Cadiz (North-east Atlantic)

Faunal collections from mud-volcano sites in the Gulf of Cadiz, at depths between 355 and 3061 m, have revealed a high diversity (and in some cases high density) of tanaidaceans. A previous paper has described some of the tanaidomorph species found. Records of apseudomorph species from deep-sea chemosynthetic habitats are almost non-existent. The present study reports on seven apseudomorph species from five different genera from this material; two of the species, one in each of the genera Sphyrapus and Pseudosphyrapus are new to science, although there was insufficient material available to describe fully the Pseudosphyrapus species. Two of the other species are reported herein for only the second time. A neo-type is erected for Apseudes setiferus Bacescu, and a lectotype for Sphyrapus malleolus Norman & Stebbing; these two, plus Atlantapseudes nigrifrons Bacescu and Fageapseudes retusifrons Richardson are redescribed. The habitus of Apseudes grossimanus is figured. None of the taxa appear to show any morphological features specifically adapted to the peculiar habitat around mud-volcanoes. The genus Collossella is relegated to the synonymy of Fageapseudes. The non-chemosynthetic-habitat-associated species Apseudes coriolis is moved to Taraxapseudes.EC - GOCE-CT-2005-511234 HERMESEC - 226354 HERMIONETraining Through Research Programme IOC-UNESCOCensus of Marine Life Project COMARGEMNiSW grant 2PO4C 089 29

Estudio de transferencia de spin utilizando nanocontactos

Anais do VI Encontro de Iniciação Científica e II Encontro Anual de Iniciação ao Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Inovação – EICTI 2017 - 04 a 06 de outubro de 2017 - temática Coências Exatas e da TerraEl avance tecnológico de las últimas décadas está directamente relacionado al progreso de técnicas capaces de trabajar con propiedades de estructuras a escala nanométrica. Este estudio aplicado a sólidos nanoestructurados han contribuido bastante para entender el comportamiento de la materia, donde la evolución trae consigo un estímulo para adentrarse al mundo de las dimensiones más bajas, los efectos cuánticos, que asumen un papel importante en el área, así como para el desenvolvimiento nuevos materialesUniversidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (Unila); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq); Fundação Araucária; Parque Tecnológico Itaipu (PTI) e Companhia de Saneamento do Paraná (SANEPAR

David Hume e Karl Popper: relexões sobre indução e dedução

Our proposal in this article is first to rediscover the understanding of the Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711-1776)  about the causality –causation concept, from the texts: Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, Treatise of Human Nature, Dialogues concerning Natural Religion. Next it is followed by the presentation and the analysis of what is named by Karl Popper “the Hume’s problem” and the falsifiability-refutability  methodology of scientific theories based on these texts : Objective Knowledge, Conjectures and Refutations, The Logic of Scientific Discovery.Procuraremos neste artigo revisitar a compreensão do filósofo escocês, David Hume acerca da noção de causalidade, partindo dos textos Investigação acerca do Entendimento Humano, Tratado da Natureza Humana, e os Diálogos sobre a religião natural. Em seguida se apresenta uma exposição e análise do que Karl Popper denomina “problema de Hume” e a metodologia da falseabilidade de teorias científicas por ele proposta em Conhecimento Objetivo, Conjecturas e Refutações, Lógica da Pesquisa Científica

Stark broadening of B IV lines for astrophysical and laboratory plasma research

Stark broadening parameters for 36 multiplets of B IV have been calculated using the semi-classical perturbation formalism. Obtained results have been used to investigate the regularities within spectral series and temperature dependence.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, in press in Advances in Space Researc

Método de número mais provável para avaliação de grupos fisiológicos de microrganismos em digestão anaeróbia de água residuária de mandiocaMost probable number method for microorganism physiologic group's evaluation in anaerobic digestion of cassava

A avaliação da microbiologia anaeróbia é um método caro e muito difícil. Técnicas simples são disponíveis para avaliação de microrganismos de diversos usos como médico, alimentar, ambiental e sistemas anaeróbios para tratamento de efluentes. Uma metodologia desenvolvida foi usada para avaliar a atividade de grupos de microrganismos em digestão anaeróbia com possível aplicação a substratos específicos. A técnica usa gases isentos de oxigênio em frascos tipo penicilina e fechados com tampa de borracha e selo de alumínio, onde foi adicionado um indicador de redução, complementos nutricionais e agentes redutores após a esterilização. O metabolismo dos microrganismos foi observado nesses frascos fechados depois de um período de incubação de quatorze dias pela variação da turbidez, de pH medido em indicador de Arrhenius e de gás capturado em tubos Duran. A técnica do Número Mais Provável (NMP) foi usada para contagem de microrganismos em meio de cultivo adaptado para grupos específicos de microrganismos que eram esperados para se desenvolver em água residuária de mandioca com amido e seus hidrolisados (dextrina, maltose e glicose) como fonte de energia. Para aferir o método, amostras foram coletadas de um reator acidogênico de mistura completa ligado a um reator metanogênico de leito fixo, ambos alimentados com água residuária de mandioca. O gás capturado nos tubos Duran dos frascos de penicilina foi analisado por cromatografia quanto ao conteúdo de metano. O uso dos meios permitiu separar os microrganismos em três grupos usando meio de cultivo seletivo: Meio Mínimo (MM) sem substratos orgânicos, Meio Completo (MC) com uma mistura de amido de mandioca e seus hidrolisados e Meio Diferencial (MD) usando cada derivado de amido isoladamente. O sistema de tratamento anaeróbio no período analisado operou com um bom desempenho e a microbiologia confirmou estes resultados. No efluente do reator acidogênico foi encontrado 103 microrganismos/mL no MC e 1015 microrganismos/mL no MM e uma contagem máxima de 1010 em MC. No efluente do reator metanogênico, foi encontrado 109 em MM microrganismos/mL e 1010 em MC. Para o MD, os valores foram intermediários para MC e MM em todas as amostras. Para testar a técnica de avaliação da atividade microbiana, uma dose única de choque de 750 mg/L de cianeto (CN-) foi adicionada ao afluente do reator acidogênico. Depois de 48 horas, foi detectada redução na produção de gás e queda equivalente (104) no número de todos os grupos de microrganismos pela entrada do cianeto. A alimentação do reator foi retornada à concentração inicial de água residuária de processamento de mandioca e, depois de quinze dias o reator voltou a apresentar estabilidade. Em decorrência, observou-se aumento de todos os grupos de microrganismos. Portanto, as contagens microbianas obtidas foram condizentes com as condições de funcionamento dos reatores anaeróbios no período avaliado, validando a metodologia proposta.Abstract Anaerobic microbiology evaluation is an expensive and very difficult method. Simple techniques are available for the assessment of microorganism in several uses, such as medical, food, environment and anaerobic systems for wastewater treatment. A methodology was developed to assess the activity of microorganisms groups in anaerobic digestion with possible application to specific substrata. The technique applies oxygen-free gases in serum bottles closed with a rubber cover and an aluminum seal with the addition of a reducing indicator, nutrient complements and reducing agents after sterilization. The metabolism of the microorganisms was observed in these closed serum bottles after an incubation period of fourteen days, and regarding turbidness variation, pH variation measured by Arrhenius’s indicator and gas captured in Duran tubes. The Most Probable Number (MPN) technique was used for microorganism counting in cultivation media adapted to specific microorganisms groups that were expected to grow in cassava wastewater with starch and its hydrolyzed substances (dextrin, maltose and glucose) as an energy source. In order to checking the method, samples were collected from a complete mix acidogenic reactor linked to an upflow packed bed methanogenesis reactor both feed with cassava wastewater. Gas captured in the Duran tubes from the serum bottles was analyzed by means of chromatography for methane content. The use of media allowed us to separate the microorganisms in three groups using selective cultivation media: Minimum Media (MM) without organic substrates, Complete Media (CM) with a mixture of cassava starch and its hydrolyzed substances and Differential Media (DM) using each isolated starch derivative. The anaerobic treatment system operated with a good performance and the microbiology confirmed these results during the analyzed period. Findings in the acidogenic reactor effluent were 103 microorganisms/mL in CM and 1015 microorganisms/mL in MM, and maximum counts of 1010 in CM. In the methanogenic reactor effluent 109 in MM microorganisms/mL and 1010 in MC were found. For DM the values were intermediate for CM and MM in all samplings. In order to test the technique for microbiological activity assessment, a unique shock concentration of 750 mg/L of cyanide (CN-) was added to the acidogenic reactor affluent. After 48 hours, a reduction in gas production and a similar drop (104) in number of all the microorganisms groups were observed. The reactor feeding was returned to the initial concentration of cassava processing wastewater and after 15 days the reactor showed stability. As a consequence, we verified the increase of all microorganisms groups. Therefore, the microbiological counts obtained were consistent with the functioning conditions of te anaerobic reactors during the assessed period, validating the proposed methodology

Stark broadening of B IV spectral lines

Stark broadening parameters for 157 multiplets of helium like boron (B IV) have been calculated using the impact semiclassical perturbation formalism. Obtained results have been used to investigate the regularities within spectral series. An example of the influence of Stark broadening on B IV lines in DO white dwarfs is given.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure

The phenotype of floating-harbor syndrome:clinical characterization of 52 individuals with mutations in exon 34 of SRCAP

Background\ud Floating-Harbor syndrome (FHS) is a rare condition characterized by short stature, delays in expressive language, and a distinctive facial appearance. Recently, heterozygous truncating mutations in SRCAP were determined to be disease-causing. With the availability of a DNA based confirmatory test, we set forth to define the clinical features of this syndrome.\ud \ud Methods and results\ud Clinical information on fifty-two individuals with SRCAP mutations was collected using standardized questionnaires. Twenty-four males and twenty-eight females were studied with ages ranging from 2 to 52 years. The facial phenotype and expressive language impairments were defining features within the group. Height measurements were typically between minus two and minus four standard deviations, with occipitofrontal circumferences usually within the average range. Thirty-three of the subjects (63%) had at least one major anomaly requiring medical intervention. We did not observe any specific phenotype-genotype correlations.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud This large cohort of individuals with molecularly confirmed FHS has allowed us to better delineate the clinical features of this rare but classic genetic syndrome, thereby facilitating the development of management protocols.The authors would like to thank the families for their cooperation and permission to publish these findings. SdM would like to thank Barto Otten. Funding was provided by the Government of Canada through Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI-049), by Genome Québec and Genome British Columbia, and the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Children’s Hospital Boston. KMB is supported by a Clinical Investigatorship Award from the CIHR Institute of Genetics. AD is supported by NIH grant K23HD073351. BBAdV and HGB were financially supported by the AnEUploidy project (LSHG-CT-2006-37627). This work was selected for study by the FORGE Canada Steering Committee, which consists of K. Boycott (University of Ottawa), J. Friedman (University of British Columbia), J. Michaud (University of Montreal), F. Bernier (University of Calgary), M. Brudno (University of Toronto), B. Fernandez (Memorial University), B. Knoppers (McGill University), M. Samuels (Université de Montréal), and S. Scherer (University of Toronto). We thank the Galliera Genetic Bank - “Telethon Genetic Biobank Network” supported by Italian Telethon grants (project no. GTB07001) for providing us with specimens

The phenotype of Floating-Harbor syndrome: Clinical characterization of 52 individuals with mutations in exon 34 of SRCAP

Background: Floating-Harbor syndrome (FHS) is a rare condition characterized by short stature, delays in expressive language, and a distinctive facial appearance. Recently, heterozygous truncating mutations in SRCAP were determined to be disease-causing. With the availability of a DNA based confirmatory test, we set forth to define the clinical features of this syndrome. Methods and results. Clinical information on fifty-two individuals with SRCAP mutations was collected using standardized questionnaires. Twenty-four males and twenty-eight females were studied with ages ranging from

Genotype-Phenotype Correlation in NF1: Evidence for a More Severe Phenotype Associated with Missense Mutations Affecting NF1 Codons 844–848

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a common genetic disorder with a birth incidence of 1:2,000–3,000, is characterized by a highly variable clinical presentation. To date, only two clinically relevant intragenic genotype-phenotype correlations have been reported for NF1 missense mutations affecting p.Arg1809 and a single amino acid deletion p.Met922del. Both variants predispose to a distinct mild NF1 phenotype with neither externally visible cutaneous/plexiform neurofibromas nor other tumors. Here, we report 162 individuals (129 unrelated probands and 33 affected relatives) heterozygous for a constitutional missense mutation affecting one of five neighboring NF1 codons—Leu844, Cys845, Ala846, Leu847, and Gly848—located in the cysteine-serine-rich domain (CSRD). Collectively, these recurrent missense mutations affect ∼0.8% of unrelated NF1 mutation-positive probands in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) cohort. Major superficial plexiform neurofibromas and symptomatic spinal neurofibromas were more prevalent in these individuals compared with classic NF1-affected cohorts (both p < 0.0001). Nearly half of the individuals had symptomatic or asymptomatic optic pathway gliomas and/or skeletal abnormalities. Additionally, variants in this region seem to confer a high predisposition to develop malignancies compared with the general NF1-affected population (p = 0.0061). Our results demonstrate that these NF1 missense mutations, although located outside the GAP-related domain, may be an important risk factor for a severe presentation. A genotype-phenotype correlation at the NF1 region 844–848 exists and will be valuable in the management and genetic counseling of a significant number of individuals