Research on ionic homeostatic equilibrium may change our view about epilepsy

Universidade Federal de Sao Joao Del Rei (UFSJ) Departamento de Engenharia de Biossistemas (DEPEB) Laboratorio de Neurociencia Experimental e Computacional Dr Aristides Azevedo Pacheco LeaoUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Disciplina de Neurologia ExperimentalUNIFESP, EPM, Disciplina de Neurologia ExperimentalSciEL

Design of a collaborative virtual environment for training security agents in big events

This paper describes a design of a collaborative virtual environment (CVE) for training security agents in big events. The CVE was modelled with Autodesk 3ds Max, while Unity 3D was used to create the terrain and implement the features that make up a virtual environment. The Brazilian soccer stadium known as Maracana˜ and its surroundings were chosen as the real counterparts of the CVE. The usability of the CVE was evaluated through simulations involving security agents dealing with threats related to suspects carrying radioactive material in big events. In order to perform these simulations, we use the same procedures used during 2014 FIFA World Cup and planned to be used in Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The main objective of this work is to verify the feasibility of designing a CVE and its usability for training security agents involved in big events issues. Results indicated that the proposed CVE has been successful concerning both, design and usability, besides of helping to improve the ability of each member of the security team on performing his duty

Gomesin, a peptide produced by the spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana, is a potent anticryptococcal agent that acts in synergism with fluconazole

Gomesin is an 18-residue cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide produced by hemocytes of the spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana. in the present study, the antifungal properties of gomesin against Cryptococcus neoformans, the etiologic agent of cryptococcosis, were evaluated. Gomesin bound to the cell surface of cryptococci, which resulted in cell death associated with membrane permeabilization. Antifungal concentrations of gomesin were not toxic for human brain cells. Supplementation of cryptococcal cultures with the peptide (1 mu M) caused a decrease in capsule expression and rendered fungal cells more susceptible to killing by human brain phagocytes. the possible use of gomesin in combination with fluconazole, a standard antifungal drug, was also evaluated. in association with fluconazole, gomesin concentrations with low antimicrobial activity (0.1-1 mu M) inhibited fungal growth and enhanced the antimicrobial activity of brain phagocytes. These results reveal the potential of gomesin to promote inhibition of cryptococcal growth directly or by enhancing the effectiveness of host defenses.Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiol Prof Paulo Goes, Dept Microbiol Geral, Lab Estudos Integrados Bioquim Microbiana, BR-21941590 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Inst Ciencias Biomed, Dept Parasitol, BR-05508 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Texas, Dept Biol Sci, El Paso, TX 79968 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biofis, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biofis, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Reduced arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in tomato ethylene mutants

Plant hormones are likely key regulators of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) development. However, their roles in AM are not well known. Here mutants in five hormone classes introgressed in a single tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Syn Solanum lycopersicum L.) background (cv. Micro-Tom) were used to determine their effects on AM development and the expression of defense-related genes (chitinases and b-1,3-glucanases) in roots. Under low P conditions, mutant epinastic (epi) and Never ripe (Nr), ethylene overproducer and low sensitivity, respectively, had the intraradical colonization by Glomus clarum highly inhibited, as compared to the control Micro-Tom (MT). No significant alterations in fungal colonization were observed in mutants affecting other hormone classes. Under low P conditions, the steady state levels of transcripts encoding a class I basic chitinase (chi9) were higher in mycorrhizal epi and Nr mutant roots as compared to MT controls. In contrast the steady state levels of a class III acidic b-1,3-glucanase (TomPR-Q'a) transcripts in mycorrhizal epi mutant roots were significantly lower than in mycorrhizal MT roots. Root colonization in epi mutants was accompanied by several alterations in fungal morphology, as compared to root colonization in MT controls. The data suggest that ethylene may play an important role in controlling intraradical arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal growth.Os hormônios vegetais são possíveis reguladores chave do desenvolvimento de micorrizas arbusculares (MAS). Contudo, seus papéis em MA são pouco conhecidos. No presente estudo, foram utilizados mutantes em cinco classes hormonais introgredidos em uma única cultivar (cv. Micro-Tom) de tomateiro (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Syn Solanum lycopersicum L.) para determinar seus efeitos no desenvolvimento de MA e expressão de genes relacionados à defesa (quitinases e b-1,3-glucanases) em raízes. Sob condição de baixo P, os mutantes epinastic (epi) e Never ripe (Nr), os quais são super produtores e pouco sensíveis a etileno, respectivamente, tiveram a colonização intra-radicular por Glomus clarum inibida quando comparada com o controle Micro-Tom (MT). Não se observou alterações significativas na colonização fúngica nos mutantes afetando outras classes hormonais. Sob condição de baixo P, o nível de transcritos codificando uma quitinase básica de classe I (chi9) foi mais elevado em raízes micorrizadas dos mutantes epi e Nr, quando comparado com o controle MT. Em contraste, o nível de transcritos de uma b-1,3-glucanase ácida da classe III (TomPR-Q'a) em raízes micorrizadas do mutante epi foi significativamente menor que em raízes micorrizadas de MT. A colonização de raízes no mutante epi foi acompanhada por várias alterações na morfologia fúngica, quando comparada com o controle MT. Os resultados sugerem que o etileno pode desempenhar um importante papel controlando o crescimento fúngico intra-radicular nas MAS

Development of transport planning: information and participation as fundamentals

Information is fundamental for the accomplishments of individuals, groups, organizations and institutions in all sectors of society. The term information has gained relevance now in business especially with the explosion of information supported by development of new and emerging technologies. Processing information has taken on new dimensions at a very fast pace. The quality of information related to transport planning in Brazil was analyzed. Practical and theoretical references were evaluated and discussed as well as the possibilities and importance of the use and of the management of this information.Informação é um elemento fundamental nas realizações de indivíduos, grupos, organizações e instituições em todos os espaços de convivência de uma sociedade. O termo informação tornou-se mais relevante atualmente, sobretudo pela explosão informacional baseada no desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias emergentes. O tratamento da informação ganhou nova dimensão em um ritmo muito acelerado. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a qualidade da informação vinculada ao planejamento de transportes no Brasil. O trabalho ainda avalia e discute referências práticas e teóricas e as possibilidades e importância do uso e gerenciamento dessa informação

Applying a neuro-fuzzy approach for transient identification in a nuclear power plant

Transient identification in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is often a very hard task and may involve a great amount of human cognition. The early identification of unexpected departures from steady state behavior is an essential step for the operation, control and accident management in NPPs. The bases for the transient identification relay on the evidence that different system faults and anomalies lead to different pattern evolution in the involved process variables. During an abnormal event, the operator must monitor a great amount of information from the instruments that represents a specific type of event. Several systems based on specialist systems, neuralnetworks, and fuzzy logic have been developed for transient identification. In the work, we investigate the possibility of using a Neuro-Fuzzy modeling tool for efficient transient identification, aiming to helping the operator crew to take decisions relative to the procedure to be followed in situations of accidents/transients at NPPs. The proposed system uses artificial neural networks (ANN) as first level transient diagnostic. After the ANN has done the preliminary transient type identification, a fuzzy-logic system analyzes the results emitting reliability degree of it. A preliminary evaluation of the developed system was made at the Human-System Interface Laboratory (LABIHS). The obtained results show that the system can help the operators to take decisions during transients/accidents in the plant