Spectral Synthesis of Star-forming Galaxies in the Near-Infrared

The near-infrared spectral region is becoming a very useful wavelength range to detect and quantify the stellar population of galaxies. Models are developing to predict the contribution of TP-AGB stars, that should dominate the NIR spectra of populations 0.3 to 2 Gyr old. When present in a given stellar population, these stars leave unique signatures that can be used to detect them unambiguously. However, these models have to be tested in a homogeneous database of star-forming galaxies, to check if the results are consistent with what is found from different wavelength ranges. In this work we performed stellar population synthesis on the nuclear and extended regions of 23 star-forming galaxies to understand how the star-formation tracers in the near-infrared can be used in practice. The stellar population synthesis shows that for the galaxies with strong emission in the NIR, there is an important fraction of young/intermediate population contributing to the spectra, which is probably the ionisation source in these galaxies. Galaxies that had no emission lines measured in the NIR were found to have older average ages and less contribution of young populations. Although the stellar population synthesis method proved to be very effective to find the young ionising population in these galaxies, no clear correlation between these results and the NIR spectral indexes were found. Thus, we believe that, in practice, the use of these indexes is still very limited due to observational limitations.Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS. 21 pages, 14 figures, 2 table

Repetitive Strain Injuries' prevention and semantic nets

Due to the occupational demands, more and more workers are subject to the development of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries). To combat such disturbances the information is indispensable, offering to the worker an appropriate knowledge, so much theoretical as practical. The aim of this study is to discover, through a questionnaire, the semantic nets about RSI built by the participants and non participants of a work site health promotion program. The results demonstrated by the group that participated in the work site health promotion program indicated that the same seems to have been efficient in the RSI's prevention.Devido às exigências do cotidiano laboral, cada vez mais trabalhadores estão sujeitos ao desenvolvimento dos DORT (Distúrbios Osteomusculares Relacionados ao Trabalho). Para combater tais distúrbios faz-se imprescindível a informação, oferecendo ao trabalhador um conhecimento adequado do problema, tanto teórico quanto prático. O presente estudo teve como objetivo averiguar, por meio de um questionário, as redes semânticas construídas sobre os DORT em sujeitos participantes e não-participantes de um programa de promoção da saúde do trabalhador. Os resultados obtidos junto ao grupo de sujeitos participantes em relação ao grupo de não-participantes indicaram que o programa demonstrou haver sido eficiente na prevenção dos DORT

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of the Essential Oil Citral in Experimental Infection with Staphylococcus aureus

This study proposes to implement an alternative and effective strategy for local treatment of disease provoked by S. aureus. For the analysis of possible anti-inflammatory activity of essential oil, after establishing an air pouch model, 48 male mice of Balb/c were treated, infected, and euthanized at 4 and 8 h. Thus, the total and differential white blood cells were counted in the animal’s blood, and cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were titrated using ELISA in the air pouch lavage. Moreover, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 gene expression was analyzed through an RT-qPCR array, and S. aureus was quantified using qPCR. Our results, p<0.05, showed that EOC reduced the quantity of microorganisms. The group of mice treated with essential oil citral showed a significant decrease in TNF-α levels in tests demonstrating anti-inflammatory activity. There is no data about the mutual influence of the air pouch model, essential oil citral, and S. aureus. Thus, considering the interaction of these variables and the anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil citral, we demonstrated, by alternative local treatment, a new antimicrobial agent that is not an antibiotic

Aspectual information of durativity/punctuality impacts the countability of deverbal nouns in Brazilian Portuguese

This paper explores the countability of deverbal bare singular nouns in Brazilian Portuguese, such as 'chute' ‘kick’ in 'Maria deu mais chute' ‘Maria did more kicking/Maria did more kicks’. More specifically, it investigates whether the aspectual information of a verb impacts the count (cardinal interpretation) or mass (volume/intensity interpretation) interpretation of a bare singular noun. Based on the results of a forced choice task replicating Barner, Wagner, and Snedeker (2008) for English, we show that deverbal bare singulars in Brazilian Portuguese allow count and mass interpretations, depending on the aspectual features of the verbs they are derived from. Punctual events were more likely than durative events to be associated with a cardinal/count response. These results corroborate previous analysis of bare singulars in Brazilian Portuguese, whereby these nouns allow both count and mass interpretations (Pires de Oliveira & Rothstein 2011b)

Efeitos das Estratégias de Marketing de Compras Coletivas Sobre o Comportamento Impulsivo

Brazil has the second largest e-commerce market in the world. One model used in this sector is "collective buying", a feature of which is impulse sales. Consumer behavior can be influenced by several factors, two of which are addressed in this article: the individual impulsivity of consumers and strategies of mix marketing. Impulsive buying is characterized by an unplanned purchase, i.e. the need to acquire the product arises just before the purchase. Consumers respond differently to mixed strategies depending on their degree of impulsivity. Thus, this article aims to analyze the efficacy of different marketing mix strategies for impulsive and non-impulsive consumer purchasing behavior. 137 participants were given a questionnaire containing the Buying Impulsiveness scale from Rook and Fisher (1995), and statements about the marketing strategies used by collective buying sites. Through a regression analysis, three strategies were found to relate more to impulsivity: search for products from well-known brands, search for deals with big discounts and confidence in receiving the product. For e-commerce and researchers, this study elucidates which strategies, from the consumer's perspective, effectively persuade purchasing behavior.Brazil has the second largest e-commerce market in the world. One model used in this sector is "collective buying", a feature of which is impulse sales. Consumer behavior can be influenced by several factors, two of which are addressed in this article: the individual impulsivity of consumers and strategies of mix marketing. Impulsive buying is characterized by an unplanned purchase, i.e. the need to acquire the product arises just before the purchase. Consumers respond differently to mixed strategies depending on their degree of impulsivity. Thus, this article aims to analyze the efficacy of different marketing mix strategies for impulsive and non-impulsive consumer purchasing behavior. 137 participants were given a questionnaire containing the Buying Impulsiveness scale from Rook and Fisher (1995), and statements about the marketing strategies used by collective buying sites. Through a regression analysis, three strategies were found to relate more to impulsivity: search for products from well-known brands, search for deals with big discounts and confidence in receiving the product. For e-commerce and researchers, this study elucidates which strategies, from the consumer's perspective, effectively persuade purchasing behavior.&nbsp;DOI: 10.5585/remark.v13i3.264

Promoção de inovação pedagógica em contexto escolar: Quais as motivações, expectativas e desafios percecionados pelos docentes?

This article comes under the initial phase of an innovative educational initiative, which includes the action in areas of practice, since the refurbishment of a School Centre, to the implementation of an innovative educational project. This study intends to proceed to the presentation of the results of the first meeting of a group focused on the diagnosis of the expectations and challenges of teachers and educators of the School Centre, regarding your preparation and training for the project, in particular in the who considers himself to be the pedagogical innovation in the legislative context and the world today. Using the interview technique through a focus group, there was a qualitative and interpretative analysis of content made the resulting protocol information. The results give rise to a set of recommendations for the development and strengthening of skills of the teaching staff, as well as promotion of autonomy of the various players.Este artigo surge no âmbito da fase inicial de uma iniciativa educativa inovadora local, que contempla a ação em áreas de atuação, desde a requalificação de um Centro Escolar, até à implementação de um projeto educativo inovador. Este estudo pretende proceder à apresentação dos resultados da primeira reunião de um grupo focado no diagnóstico das expetativas e desafios das educadoras e professores/as do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico, bem como outros/as profissionais do Centro Escolar, no tocante à sua preparação e capacitação para o projeto, nomeadamente no que se considera ser a inovação pedagógica no contexto legislativo e do mundo atual. Recorrendo à técnica de entrevista através de um grupo focal, realizou-se uma análise qualitativa e interpretativa de conteúdo efetuada à informação resultante do protocolo. Os resultados apresentados dão origem a um conjunto de recomendações para o desenvolvimento e reforço de competências do corpo docente, bem como de promoção de autonomia dos/as diversos/as intervenientes

Electrical stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus enhances the effects of rehabilitative training on locomotor recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury

Most human spinal cord injuries are anatomically incomplete, leaving some fibers still connecting the brain with the sublesional spinal cord. Spared descending fibers of the brainstem motor control system can be activated by deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the cuneiform nucleus (CnF), a subnucleus of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). The MLR is an evolutionarily highly conserved structure which initiates and controls locomotion in all vertebrates. Acute electrical stimulation experiments in female adult rats with incomplete spinal cord injury conducted in our lab showed that CnF-DBS was able to re-establish a high degree of locomotion five weeks after injury, even in animals with initially very severe functional deficits and white matter lesions up to 80-95%. Here, we analyzed whether CnF-DBS can be used to support medium-intensity locomotor training and long-term recovery in rats with large but incomplete spinal cord injuries. Rats underwent rehabilitative training sessions three times per week in an enriched environment, either with or without CnF-DBS supported hindlimb stepping. After 4 weeks, animals that trained under CnF-DBS showed a higher level of locomotor performance than rats that trained comparable distances under non-stimulated conditions. The MLR does not project to the spinal cord directly; one of its main output targets is the gigantocellular reticular nucleus in the medulla oblongata. Long-term electrical stimulation of spared reticulospinal fibers after incomplete spinal cord injury via the CnF could enhance reticulospinal anatomical rearrangement and in this way lead to persistent improvement of motor function. By analyzing the spared, BDA-labeled giganto-spinal fibers we found that their gray matter arborization density after discontinuation of CnF-DBS enhanced training was lower in the lumbar L2 and L5 spinal cord in stimulated as compared to unstimulated animals, suggesting improved pruning with stimulation-enhanced training. An on-going clinical study in chronic paraplegic patients investigates the effects of CnF-DBS on locomotor capacity.ISSN:1662-453XISSN:1662-454

Caracterização genética de populações de Egeria najas presentes no reservatório de Jupiá e rios afluentes

A Egeria najas é uma espécie aquática submersa nativa da bacia hidrográfica do rio Paraná. Com o represamento das águas do rio para geração de energia elétrica a espécie tem mudado seu comportamento de colonização dos leitos dos rios e ocorrido em grandes maciços dentro da represa de Jupiá e rios afluentes. Essa planta tem causado problemas por obstruir a passagem de água para as turbinas de geração de energia elétrica. Coletas de material vegetativo foram realizadas na represa e afluentes do rio Paraná para análise da variabilidade isoenzimática e de DNA. A análise isoenzimática mostrou haver somente quatro classes de diferentes biotipos. No entanto, utilizando-se os procedimentos de RAPD, observou-se que a espécie possui grande variabilidade genética. O represamento das águas também está permitindo o acumulo de variabilidade no local e promovendo um aumento de variabilidade por meio de possíveis cruzamentos entre genótipos diferentes. Os resultados também possibilitaram inferir sobre as possíveis rotas de migração de material genético para colonização da represa e rios afluentes.The submerged aquatic species Egeria najas occurs naturally in the Parana River Basin - Brazil. Several lakes have been constructed by CESP - Centrais Elétricas do Estado de São Paulo S.A. in the river basin, changing the ecology of the region. The species have altered their establishment strategy, and now grows in large, dense populations on the floor of Jupia Lake and its tributaries. This has had a negative impact on electricity generation as the branches of these species routinely block the hydroelectric turbines. We used genetic markers to study the pattern of genetic diversity in the species using plant material collected along Jupia Lake and the Paraná River Tributaries. Isoenzymes have shown four different biotypes, however, the RAPD technique has demonstrated greater genetic variability among individuals. The creation of Jupia Lake has resulted in an increase in genetic variability probably by migration of large amount of seeds and vegetative branches. These materials are increasing the genetic diversity in populations in the lake by favoring outcrossing among different genotypes. Results also present a possible understanding of Egeria najas genotype migrations in populations in the Jupia Lake and its tributaries