Sustainable development of the Romanian rural areas within the present European context

The present concept of rural sustainable development is based on the European model and implies a multifunctional agriculture. The LEADER programme (a part of NRDP) represents an approach that offers new development opportunities for the rural areas. The rural development objectives can be fulfilled both by the locally available financing, and by accessing national and European non-refundable financing, on the basis of real projects

Zero is not a Four-Letter Word: Studies in the Evolution of Language

We examine a model genetic system that has features of both genetic programming and genetic regulatory networks, to show how various forms of degeneracy in the genotype-phenotype map can induce complex and subtle behaviour in the dynamics that lead to enhanced evolutionary robustness and can be fruitfully described in terms of an elementary algorithmic “language”

In vivo toxicity study of phage lysate in chickens

1. Bacteriophage (phage) crude lysate of Gram-negative bacteria often contains bacterial debris, including lipopolysaccharides found in the outer membrane of the cell wall, which are potentially toxic. 2. In this study, an in vivo evaluation of the toxicity of a suspension of three phages to control pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in poultry was performed. 3. Eighteen commercial layers, 7 weeks old, were intramuscularly injected with phage lysate (8.21x10 4 Endotoxin Units/dose). The control group was injected with sterile Luria Bertani (LB) broth. 4. Bird prostration and decrease in body weight gain and water intake per gram of body weight were observed only on the day of the inoculation in the challenged group. Over the following 6 d, no differences were observed in the chickens’ activity. 5. These results support the view that phage crude lysate carrying endotoxins are not toxic for chickens.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Plasma extravasation mediated by lipopolysaccharide-induction of kinin B1 receptors in rat tissues.

The present study was performed to: (a) evaluate the effects of kinin B1 (Sar[D-Phe8]-des-Arg9-BK; 10 nmol/kg) and B2 (bradykinin (BK); 10 nmol/kg) receptor agonists on plasma extravasation in selected rat tissues; (b) determine the contribution of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 microg/kg) to the effects triggered by B1 and B2 agonists; and (c) characterize the selectivity of B1 ([Leu8]desArg9-BK; 10 nmol/kg) and B2 (HOE 140; 10 nmol/kg) antagonists as inhibitors of this kinin-induced phenomenon. B1 and B2 agonists were shown to increase plasma extravasation in the duodenum, ileum and also in the urinary bladder of the rat. LPS pretreatment enhanced the plasma extravasation mediated only by the B1 agonist in the duodenum, ileum, trachea, main and segmentar bronchi. These effects were prevented by the B1. but not the B2 antagonist. In normal rats, the B2 antagonist inhibited the effect of B2 agonist in all the tissues analyzed. However, in LPS-treated rats, the B2 antagonist was ineffective in the urinary bladder. These results indicate that kinins induce plasma extravasation in selected rat tissues through activation of B1 and B2 receptors, and that LPS selectively enhances the kinin effect on the B1 receptor in the duodenum, ileum, trachea and main and segmentar bronchi, and may increase B1 receptor expression in these tissues

Nuevo prototipo de decrepitómetro integrador, con contador digital, osciloscopio y registros gráfico y magnético

Se describe un prototipo de decrepitómetro registrador, dándose el esquema de los circuitos que contiene, así como detalles sobre el programador. El aparato permite llevar a cabo las siguientes determinaciones : 1) obtención de decrepitogramas o sea de curvas frecuencia/temperatura; 2) obtención de histogramas de frecuencias entre intervalos de tiempo o de temperatura seleccionados; 3) contaje de impulsos sonoros, mediante contador digital, dentro de un intervalo dado de tiempo o de temperatura ; 4) análisis auditivo de la calidad del sonido; 5) análisis visual de la calidad del sonido, mediante osciloscopio; 6) grabación sobre banda magnética

Notes on Lung Development in South African Ghost Frogs (Anura: Heleophrynidae)

Lungs are a prototypical trait of most tetrapods, but some amphibians have become secondarily lungless over evolutionary time. Anuran (frog) tadpoles offer an opportunity to examine lung loss from an evolutionary perspective, because there are many independent instances where lungs are not inflated until adulthood, and so are functionally lost. Lung loss is typically associated with living in fast-flowing streams, and so we examined larval lung development in the stream specialist family Heleophrynidae. We find that one genus, Hadromophryne Van Dijk, 2008, has large lungs as tadpole, while the other genus, Heleophryne Sclater, 1898, has much smaller, stunted lung buds. We further speculate how this information changes our understanding of how the specialised torrent form has evolved in this specialised group

Impact of biofilm growth in the microbial community composition of a sequencing batch reactor

Conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for carbon and nutrient removal operate at high sludge retention time and, consequently, at a low food to microorganisms ratio. While the first condition is favourable for nitrifying bacteria growth, an excessive growth of certain species of filamentous bacteria often occurs in the presence of the second one. Interestingly, no problems with excessive growth of filamentous bacteria have been reported for the activated sludge process when combined with biofilm growth more than a decade ago. In this context, the present work aims to compare the microbial community composition of two sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) operating in the presence and in the absence of biofilm growth, and to correlate microbial composition with the performance of the reactors. Two SBRs with a working volume of 1.5 L were operated in parallel with a constant cycle time of 4 h, a volume exchange ratio of 0.5 L/L and a resulting hydraulic retention time of 8 h. The duration of the individual operating phases was: 5 min fill, 225 min aerated, 5 min settle and 5 min draw. During the aerated phase airflow was applied through membrane diffusers, causing the reactor contents including the carrier bed to circulate. The SBRs were operated with synthetic water containing acetate as the only carbon source and ammonium as nitrogen source. One SBR was operated just with suspended biomass while the second one combined suspended biomass with biofilm cultivation. The biofilm was formed on a new type of polyethylene support developed by University of Minho, consisting of hollow, star-shaped, carriers with 17 mm external diameter and a height of 10 mm. The bed formed by these carriers had a specific surface area of 407 m2/m3, an average porosity of 0.74 and occupied 20 % of the reactor volume. Grab samples were taken and analyzed for acetate using a HPLC system. Observation of the filamentous microbial and microfauna communities was accomplished by microscope inspection at 100 to 1000X magnification, in fresh samples and after Gram and Neisser staining. The microbial community of the SBR operating just with suspended growth was dominated by fungi micelar growth, while in the other reactor the communities were clearly more complex. The incorporation of carriers for biofilm growth in the other SBR apparently suppressed the excessive growth of fungi. Differences in the microfaunas community were also observed, the SBR operating just with suspended growth showing clearly a delay in the microfauna succession comparing to the other reactor. Despite this, acetate was completely removed in both SBRs

Celebrities, violencia de género y derechos de las mujeres: ¿hacia una transformación del marco de reconocimiento?

Introducción. Ante los límites que presenta el actual marco de reconocimiento de la violencia de género, el presente trabajo analiza las posibilidades que abre la acción de celebrities en la transformación de este marco y en relación a la lucha por los derechos de las mujeres. Para ello proponemos el concepto de ethical witnessing. Metodología. Se propone un modelo de análisis a través de la operacionalización de dicho concepto para el estudio de prácticas representacionales que puedan desestabilizar los actuales parámetros de representación en aras de la resignificación del sujeto-víctima de la violencia. Las cuatro dimensiones de análisis son: el tipo de relación que se genera entre el sujeto-víctima y quien atestigua; el grado de transgresión de los modelos reificados de la identificación del sujeto-víctima; la focalización en la capacidad de agencia; y las conexiones que se establecen con las luchas por los derechos de las mujeres y con otras luchas. Este modelo se aplica a tres casos de estudio: las actuaciones musicales de Beyoncé, la entrevista periodística realizada a Carmen Maura y la campaña mediática de Emma Watson. Resultados. Se discuten las posibilidades de las prácticas discursivas que se incardinan en los principios del postfeminismo. Frente a la identidad de la mujer como víctima emerge la de la mujer exitosa que compatibiliza vindicación feminista y lucha contra la violencia de género con consumismo, materialismo y capitalismo. Esto permite desestabilizar la narrativa fijada sobre la violencia pero no llega a constituir una re-significación del marco en tanto que puede quedar co-optado por la ‘economía de las celebrities’, ser absorbido por el feminismo liberal o estar desvinculado de la lucha colectiva, lo que dificulta la aprehensión del carácter compartido de la vulnerabilidad.Introduction. Due to the limitations of the current framework of recognition of gender-based violence, this article analyses the possibilities of the actions performed by celebrities in the transformation of such framework and in the fight for women’s rights. To this end, we propose the concept of “ethical witnessing”. Methods. The study proposes an analytical model based on the operationalisation of this concept applied to the examination of the representational practices that may destabilise the current hegemonic configuration and re-signify the subject-victim relationship of violence. The four dimensions of analysis are: the relations generated between the subject-victim and the witness; the degree of transgression of the reified representational models of the subject-victim; the focus on agency; and the connection with women’s fights for their rights and other social movements. This model is applied to three case studies: Beyoncé’s musical performances; the interview with actress Carmen Maura, and Emma Watson’s #HeForShe media campaign. Results. The study discusses the possibilities of the discursive practices stemming from postfeminist principles. A new image emerges to contrast the image of women as victims: the image of successful women who find a balance between feminist vindications and the fight against gender-based violence with consumerism, materialism and capitalism. This image enables the destabilisation of the narrative about violence, but it does not constitute a re-signification of the framework of recognition, as it can be co-opted by the “celebrity economy”, can be absorbed by liberal feminism, or can be disassociated from the collective fight, which complicates the comprehension of the shared nature of vulnerability