Gravitational fields with sources, regular black holes, quasiblack holes, and analogue black holes

We discuss recent developments in gravitational fields with sources, regular black holes, quasiblack holes, and analogue black holes, related to the talks presented at the corresponding Parallel Session AT3 of the 13th Marcel Grossmann Meeting.Comment: Report of the Parallel Session AT3 at the Marcel Grossmann Meeting 13, Stockholm 2012, Proceedings of the Conference. 9 page

Regional impacts of trade liberalization strategies in Brazil

There is a great interest in free trade areas (FTA) in Brazil, predominantly in the context of a proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). In addition, a free trade area between MERCOSUR (the customs union involving Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) and the European Union has also been considered. In this paper, an interregional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model is used to analyze the long-run regional effects of alternative trade liberalization strategies on Brazil. The model provides a description of the Brazilian inter-regional economic system, divided into two regions - Sao Paulo and Other Regions in Brazil. One of its innovations is a full specification of foreign trade in both regions, capturing the complete structure of trade flows and import tariffs, linking the two Brazilian regions and a set of foreign markets. In this way, adequate simulations of tariff liberalization can be implemented for several possibilities of trade agreements.computable general equilibrium; regional models; trade policy; Brazil

Regional Impacts of Trade Liberalization Strategies in Brazil

There is a great interest in free trade areas (FTA) in Brazil, predominantly in the context of a proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). In addition, a free trade area between MERCOSUR (the customs union involving Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) and the European Union has also been considered. In this paper, an interregional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model is used to analyze the long-run regional effects of alternative trade liberalization strategies on Brazil. The model provides a description of the Brazilian inter-regional economic system, divided into two regions - Sao Paulo and Other Regions in Brazil. One of its innovations is a full specification of foreign trade in both regions, capturing the complete structure of trade flows and import tariffs, linking the two Brazilian regions and a set of foreign markets. In this way, adequate simulations of tariff liberalization can be implemented for several possibilities of trade agreements.

Implicación de las fosfatasas PP2C en la señalización MAPK y patogénesis de Fusarium oxysporum

La fosforilación reversible de proteínas es crucial en la transducción de señales celulares en dianas de respuesta al estrés en eucariotas. Fusarium oxysporum es un hongo fitopatógeno y saprofito que habita el suelo y que logra adaptarse a una amplia gama de nichos ecológicos y condiciones ambientales. En F. oxysporum se ha demostrado que tres cascadas de proteínas quinasas activadas por mitógeno (MAPK) establecen la respuesta del hongo a variaciones ambientales tales como alta temperatura, daños en la pared celular, estrés oxidativo o hiperosmótico. Sin embargo, las proteínas fosfatasas que regulan los niveles de fosforilación en diferentes vías MAPK son desconocidas. En este estudio, nos hemos centrado en elucidar el papel de las proteínas fosfatasas tipo 2C (PP2C) en la señalización MAPK y en la patogénesis de F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. En el presente estudio se identificaron siete fosfatasas PP2C en F. oxysporum, Ptc1, Ptc3, Ptc5, Ptc5R, Ptc6, Ptc7 y Ptc7R. El análisis de la expresión génica reveló que los genes PP2C de F. oxysporum están regulados de forma orquestada en respuesta a estreses que activan rutas MAPK. Los ensayos fenotípicos revelaron que mutantes PP2C presentan sensibilidad a agentes perturbadores de la pared celular en comparación con la estirpe de tipo salvaje. El nivel de fosforilación de la ruta MAPK Mpk1 demostró que Ptc1, Ptc5 y Ptc7 tienen papeles en el mantenimiento la integridad celular. Además, fue demostrado que Ptc1 regula la fosforilación de la MAPK Hog1 en respuesta de alta osmolaridad y glicerol (HOG), y se encontró que Ptc5 es un regulador negativo de la fosforilación de ruta MAPK Fmk1 de crecimiento invasivo. El mutante Δptc1 ha mostrado adicional tolerancia a compuestos de estrés osmótico, incremento en la expresión de los genes inducidos por dicho estrés y vacuolas fragmentadas incluso en ausencia de agentes de estres osmótico, lo que apoya la contribución de Ptc1 en la vía de señalización HOG. Dos cepas mutantes, Δptc5 y Δptc5R mostraron virulencia reducida en el huésped tomate. En conjunto, los resultados presentados indican por primera vez el papel de fosfatasas PP2C en la regulación de vías de señalización MAPK en F. oxysporum.Reversible protein phosphorylation is crucial for cell signal transduction in stress response of eukaryotes. Fusarium oxysporum is a soil-borne plant pathogenic fungus that can adapt to a wide range of ecological niches and environmental conditions. Three mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades have been shown to orchestrate the response of the fungus to external insults such as high temperature, insults on cell wall, oxidative or hyperosmotic stress in F. oxysporum. However, the protein phosphatases that fine-tune phosphorylation levels of different MAPKs in this fungus are unknown. In this study, we have focused on elucidating the role of type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2C) on MAPK cascade signaling pathways and pathogenesis of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. There were identified seven PP2C phosphatases in the genome of F. oxysporum, Ptc1, Ptc3, Ptc5, Ptc5R, Ptc6, Ptc7 and Ptc7R. Gene expression analysis revealed that under stresses that activate MAPK signaling, F. oxysporum PP2C genes are regulated in orchestrated-like fashion. Phenotypical assays revealed that PP2C disruptant mutants are more sensitive to cell wall damaging agents in comparison to the wild type strain, suggesting roles on the cell wall integrity pathway. MAPK immunoblot analysis demonstrated that Ptc1, Ptc5 and Ptc7 have roles in regulating the cell wall integrity (CWI) MAPK Mpk1. Moreover, Ptc1 was shown to regulates phosphorylation of the high osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) MAPK Hog1, and Ptc5 was found to be a negative regulator of the invasive growth pathway by regulating the phosphorylation level of the MAPK Fmk1. The Δptc1 mutant have shown increased tolerance to osmotic stress compounds, higher expression of genes induced by osmotic stress and presented fragmented vacuoles even in absence of the osmotic stressor, supporting the involvement of Ptc1 in the negative regulation of the HOG pathway. Two mutant strains, Δptc5 and Δptc5R, showed reduced virulence on tomato host. Overall, the presented results are the first report of PP2C phosphatases regulating MAPK signaling pathways in F. oxysporum

Improving connectivity for river fish

Doutoramento em Engenharia Florestal e dos Recursos Naturais - Instituto Superior de Agronomi

Effect of the curing time on the numerical modelling of the behaviour of a chemically stabilised soft soil

The ability of the Modified Cam Clay (MCC) model combined with the Von Mises (VM) model, considering the effect of curing time on the enhancement of the mechanical properties of a chemically stabilised soft soil is examined. The evolution of the strength and stiffness over time is based on the results of undrained compressive strength (UCS) tests carried out for different curing times (from 28 days to 360 days). Initially, the MCC/VM models associated with the effect of curing time are validated by CIU triaxial tests, for curing times of 28 and 90 days. Finally, the behaviour of an embankment built on a soft soil reinforced with deep mixing columns is predicted based on the previously validated models. The results show that the increase of curing time of the DMCs slightly decreases the settlement obtained with a curing time of 28 days

THE USE OF MEDICAL AND PHYTOTHERAPIC PLANTS IN BRAZILIAN PUBLIC HEALTH.

Medicinal plants are used for the purpose of promoting quality of life, even from primordial times. This paper aimed to present the importance of the use of herbal medicines in the network public health. The practice and consumption of herbal medicines has been growing every year, with the emergence of Ordinance No. 971 of May 3, 2006 approving the National Policy for Integrative and Complementary Practices (PNPIC) in Unified Health System (SUS). But there is still a big factor to be overcome, the high requirement of the National Agency Health Surveillance Authority (ANVISA), for the production, marketing and distribution of herbal medicines in the SUS. THE Ordinance GM / MS No. 533 of March 28, 2012 (National List of Essential Medicines - RENAME), cast herbal medicines in Primary Care, consists of only 12 plant species of interest of SUS, considered low due to Brazil being considered one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. The main problems that hindering the advances of herbal products in the SUS are the lack of state and municipal public policies and the lack of of interest of the managers of these secretariats in complying also with the federal legislation in force.Medicinal plants are used for the purpose of promoting quality of life, even from primordial times. This paper aimed to present the importance of the use of herbal medicines in the network public health. The practice and consumption of herbal medicines has been growing every year, with the emergence of Ordinance No. 971 of May 3, 2006 approving the National Policy for Integrative and Complementary Practices (PNPIC) in Unified Health System (SUS). But there is still a big factor to be overcome, the high requirement of the National Agency Health Surveillance Authority (ANVISA), for the production, marketing and distribution of herbal medicines in the SUS. THE Ordinance GM / MS No. 533 of March 28, 2012 (National List of Essential Medicines - RENAME), cast herbal medicines in Primary Care, consists of only 12 plant species of interest of SUS, considered low due to Brazil being considered one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. The main problems that hindering the advances of herbal products in the SUS are the lack of state and municipal public policies and the lack of of interest of the managers of these secretariats in complying also with the federal legislation in force