Análise Praxiológica do Desenvolvimento Urbano de Grandes Cidades Brasileiras

This article analyzes the urban development applied in great Brazilian cities according to a praxiological logic, in which human action is the main factor of expansion and a reaction against the economic and political incentives in a given region. Cultural, geographical, and beadledom factors condition urban expansion, and analyzing their interaction allows us to understand the dynamics behind it. Great Brazilian cities showed peripheral expansion, in which ordinary citizens can only buy houses away from the center of cities; Impositions of the Master Plan law turns properties artificially to more expensive, leading the periphery to anarchism. Bureaucrats and politicians are not affected by market incentives that induce a lack of strategic planning and inadequate human and financial resources allocation. Este ensayo analiza el desarrollo urbano de grandes ciudades brasileñas de acuerdo con una lógicapraxiológica, por la cual se comprende la acción humana como principal factor de expansión y como reaccióna la dinámica de incentivos económicos que actúan regionalmente a lo largo del tiempo. Factores culturales, geográficos y la propia intervención estatal son condicionantes en la expansión urbana, cuyo análisis de interacción permite una comprensión de la dinámica del desarrollo urbano. Grandes ciudades brasileñas presentan una expansión tipo periférica, adonde los recursos adquiridos por los ciudadanos comunes solamente permiten a adquisición de inmuebles localizados distantes de la extensa y intrincada burocracia impuesta por los Planos Directores de la municipalidad, que encarecen artificialmente las áreas adonde llega la vigilancia y inducen las periferias a la anarquía. Burócratas y políticos no están sujetos a incentivos de mercado, que llevan a ausencia de planeamiento estratégico y mala asignación de recursos humanos y financieros.O presente artigo analisa o desenvolvimento urbano de grandes cidades brasileiras segundo uma lógica praxiológica, onde a ação humana é tomada como o principal fator de expansão e encarada como uma reação a dinâmica de incentivos econômicos que atuam regionalmente ao longo do tempo. Fatores culturais, geográficos e a própria intervenção estatal são condicionantes na expansão urbana, cuja análise da interação entre si permite uma compreensão da dinâmica do desenvolvimento urbano. Grandes cidades brasileiras apresentam uma expansão do tipo periférica, onde os recursos auferidos pelo cidadão comum só permitem a aquisição de imóveis localizados distantes da extensa e intrincada burocracia imposta pelos Planos Diretores municipais, que escasseiam e encarecem artificialmente as áreas onde chega a fiscalização e induzem as periferias à anarquia. Burocratas e políticos não estão sujeitos a incentivos de mercado, que resulta em ausência de planejamento estratégico e má alocação de recursos humanos e financeiros

Acidocalcisomes as Calcium- and Polyphosphate-Storage Compartments during Embryogenesis of the Insect Rhodnius prolixus Stahl

BACKGROUND: The yolk of insect eggs is a cellular domain specialized in the storage of reserve components for embryo development. The reserve macromolecules are stored in different organelles and their interactions with the embryo cells are mostly unknown. Acidocalcisomes are lysosome-related organelles characterized by their acidic nature, high electron density and large content of polyphosphate bound to several cations. In this work, we report the presence of acidocalcisome-like organelles in eggs of the insect vector Rhodnius prolixus. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Characterization of the elemental composition of electron-dense vesicles by electron probe X-ray microanalysis revealed a composition similar to that previously described for acidocalcisomes. Following subcellular fractionation experiments, fractions enriched in acidocalcisomes were obtained and characterized. Immunofluorescence showed that polyphosphate polymers and the vacuolar proton translocating pyrophosphatase (V-H(+)-PPase, considered as a marker for acidocalcisomes) are found in the same vesicles and that these organelles are mainly localized in the egg cortex. Polyphosphate quantification showed that acidocalcisomes contain a significant amount of polyphosphate detected at day-0 eggs. Elemental analyses of the egg fractions showed that 24.5±0.65% of the egg calcium are also stored in such organelles. During embryogenesis, incubation of acidocalcisomes with acridine orange showed that these organelles are acidified at day-3 (coinciding with the period of yolk mobilization) and polyphosphate quantification showed that the levels of polyphosphate tend to decrease during early embryogenesis, being approximately 30% lower at day-3 compared to day-0 eggs. CONCLUSIONS: We found that acidocalcisomes are present in the eggs and are the main storage compartments of polyphosphate and calcium in the egg yolk. As such components have been shown to be involved in a series of dynamic events that may control embryo growth, results reveal the potential involvement of a novel organelle in the storage and mobilization of inorganic elements to the embryo cells

Implementation Of Automated System For The Reservoir 66 of the Irrigation System Chambo Guano

This paper presents the control and monitoring of an automated system that is being implemented for the automation of a 66-irrigation reservoir located in Chambo Guano in the Chimborazo province, Ecuador. The Global System for Mobile communication / General Packet Radio Service (GSM) is used through a Long-Term Evolution (4G LTE) antenna and a communication module connected to a Programable Logic Controller (PLC) in order to notify the status of the valves, electric power troubles and the control signals for the correct operation of the irrigation system, so it can be done remotely. This project reflects how it is possible to obtain an efficient automated system with lower operating costs compared to the traditional and more importantly without having to move personnel to the control point for adjusting new conditions

First insights into the vertical habitat use of the whitespotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari revealed by pop‐up satellite archival tags

The whitespotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari is a tropical to warm‐temperate benthopelagic batoid that ranges widely throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. Despite conservation concerns for the species, its vertical habitat use and diving behaviour remain unknown. Patterns and drivers in the depth distribution of A. narinari were investigated at two separate locations, the western North Atlantic (Islands of Bermuda) and the eastern Gulf of Mexico (Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A.). Between 2010 and 2014, seven pop‐up satellite archival tags were attached to A. narinari using three methods: a through‐tail suture, an external tail‐band and through‐wing attachment. Retention time ranged from 0 to 180 days, with tags attached via the through‐tail method retained longest. Tagged rays spent the majority of time (82.85 ± 12.17% S.D.) within the upper 10 m of the water column and, with one exception, no rays travelled deeper than ~26 m. One Bermuda ray recorded a maximum depth of 50.5 m, suggesting that these animals make excursions off the fore‐reef slope of the Bermuda Platform. Individuals occupied deeper depths (7.42 ± 3.99 m S.D.) during the day versus night (4.90 ± 2.89 m S.D.), which may be explained by foraging and/or predator avoidance. Each individual experienced a significant difference in depth and temperature distributions over the diel cycle. There was evidence that mean hourly depth was best described by location and individual variation using a generalized additive mixed model approach. This is the first study to compare depth distributions of A. narinari from different locations and describe the thermal habitat for this species. Our study highlights the importance of region in describing A. narinari depth use, which may be relevant when developing management plans, whilst demonstrating that diel patterns appear to hold across individuals

Venom alkaloids against Chagas disease parasite: search for effective therapies

Chagas disease is an important disease affecting millions of patients in the New World and is caused by a protozoan transmitted by haematophagous kissing bugs. It can be treated with drugs during the early acute phase; however, effective therapy against the chronic form of Chagas disease has yet to be discovered and developed. We herein tested the activity of solenopsin alkaloids extracted from two species of fire ants against the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiologic agent of Chagas disease. Although IC50 determinations showed that solenopsins are more toxic to the parasite than benznidazole, the drug of choice for Chagas disease treatment, the ant alkaloids presented a lower selectivity index. As a result of exposure to the alkaloids, the parasites became swollen and rounded in shape, with hypertrophied contractile vacuoles and intense cytoplasmic vacuolization, possibly resulting in osmotic stress; no accumulation of multiple kinetoplasts and/or nuclei was detected. Overexpressing phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase—an enzyme essential for osmoregulation that is a known target of solenopsins in mammalian cells—did not prevent swelling and vacuolization, nor did it counteract the toxic effects of alkaloids on the parasites. Additional experimental results suggested that solenopsins induced a type of autophagic and programmed cell death in T. cruzi. Solenopsins also reduced the intracellular proliferation of T. cruzi amastigotes in infected macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner and demonstrated activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense bloodstream forms, which is another important aetiological kinetoplastid parasite. The results suggest the potential of solenopsins as novel natural drugs against neglected parasitic diseases caused by kinetoplastids.Fil: Silva, Rafael C. M. Costa. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Fox, Eduardo G. P.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. South China Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Gomes, Fabio M.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Feijó, Daniel F.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Ramos, Isabela. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Koeller, Carolina M.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. University at Buffalo; Estados UnidosFil: Costa, Tatiana F. R.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Nathalia S.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Lima, Ana P.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Atella, Georgia C.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Rocha de Miranda, Kildare. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem; BrasilFil: Schoijet, Alejandra Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Alonso, Guillermo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: de Alcântara Machado, Ednildo. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Heise, Norton. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi

Burden of non-communicable diseases and behavioural risk factors in Mexico: Trends and gender observational analysis

BACKGROUND: There is scarce gender-disaggregated evidence on the burden of disease (BD) worldwide and this is particularly prominent in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study is to compare the BD caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related risk factors by gender in Mexican adults. METHODS: We retrieved disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) estimates for diabetes, cancers and neoplasms, chronic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study from 1990-2019. Age-standardized death rates were calculated using official mortality microdata from 2000 to 2020. Then, we analysed national health surveys to depict tobacco and alcohol use and physical inactivity from 2000-2018. Women-to-men DALYs and mortality rates and prevalence ratios (WMR) were calculated as a measure of gender gap. FINDINGS: Regarding DALYs, WMR was >1 for diabetes, cancers, and CKD in 1990, indicating a higher burden in women. WMR decreased over time in all NCDs, except for CRDs, which increased to 0.78. However, WMR was 1 for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in 2000 and 1 and increasing. CONCLUSIONS: The gender gap has changed for selected NCDs in favour of women, except for CRDs. Women face a lower BD and are less affected by tobacco and alcohol use but face a higher risk of physical inactivity. Policymakers should consider a gendered approach for designing effective policies to reduce the burden of NCDs and health inequities

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0. 4 or R=0. 6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pT≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities {pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2. 5 % in the central calorimeter region ({pipe}η{pipe}<0. 8) for jets with 60≤pT<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for pT<30 GeV in the most forward region 3. 2≤{pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pT, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pT jets recoiling against a high-pT jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pT jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results