New records for the benthic marine flora of Chafarinas Islands (Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean)

Nuevas citas para la fl ora bentónica marina de las Islas Chafarinas (Mar de Alborán, Mediterráneo occidental

Why not "do simple things in a simple way": Use of the Pap test as the first step in screening genetic stability for human cultured stem cell therapy?

The aim of this study was to analyze adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) using the Pap test as a first screening step to evaluate genetic stability. Human adipose tissue from six healthy female donors was obtained from elective liposuction procedures. The cells were isolated, cultivated at P2/P3, characterized by flow cytometric analysis, and differentiation induced. The AT-MSCs were stained by Papanicolaou staining and analyzed according to the Bethesda classification, and viability-apoptosis relationships were evaluated. The results of the Pap test for Sample I indicated high-grade alterations consistent with genetic instability; for Samples II-V, atypical cells of undetermined significance; and for Sample VI, normal cells. These results demonstrate the potential of using the Pap test as an initial screening step to evaluate the genetic stability of cultured AT-MSCs and also suggest its use for other adherent cells such as embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells

Relational learning in children with cochlear implants

The present study attempted to extend the stimulus equivalence methodology to study auditory-visual relations and assess their symbolic function in individuals with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who had received cochlear implants

Enviromental genotoxicity evaluation: Bayesian approach for a mixture statistical model

The data analyzed in this paper are part of the results described in Bueno et al. (2000). Three cytogenetics endpoints were analyzed in three populations of a species of wild rodent – Akodon montensis – living in an industrial, an agricultural, and a preservation area at the Itajaí Valley, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The polychromatic/normochromatic ratio, the mitotic index, and the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocites were used in an attempt to establish a genotoxic profile of each area. It was assumed that the three populations were in the same conditions with respect to the influence of confounding factors such as animal age, health, nutrition status, presence of pathogens, and intra- and inter-populational genetic variability. Therefore, any differences found in the endpoints analyzed could be attributed to the external agents present in each area. The statistical models used in this paper are mixtures of negative-binomials and Poisson variables. The Poisson variables are used as approximations of binomials for rare events. The mixing distributions are beta densities. The statistical analyzes are under the bayesian perspective, as opposed to the frequentist ones often considered in the literature, as for instance in Bueno et al. (2000)

A GESTÃO PORTUÁRIA NA MOVIMENTAÇÃO DE CARGAS CONTEINERIZADAS VIA PORTO DE SÃO FRANCISCO DO SUL – SANTA CATARINA

Com o desenvolvimento das estruturas portuárias no Brasil, principalmente a partir da Lei de Modernização dos Portos 8630/93, fez com que as estruturas públicas e privadas buscassem novas formas de gestão. A movimentação de cargas contêinerizadas aumenta a cada ano, sendo necessária uma gestão rápida e eficiente, para agregar competitividade à estrutura portuária

A tecnologia da realidade aumentada como recurso didático nas aulas de Geografia do Ensino Fundamental

Este trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa sobre o uso de Realidade Aumentada no ensino de Geografia. A investigação proposta nesta pesquisa focou no processo de ensino e aprendizagem mediado por tecnologia digital, orientada para o ensino de Geografia. Inicialmente um  levantamento bibliográfico para melhor contextualizar o problema foi realizado. Posteriormente, planejou-se um estudo de caso prático envolvendo os  alunos do 6º ao 9º do ensino fundamental da Escola Municipal Professora Áurea Nardelli, situada em Juiz de Fora.  Para este estudo de caso  o aplicativo LandscapAR como apoio às aulas de Geografia da escola supracitada foi selecionado. Em seguida, foi aplicado um questionário aos alunos que participaram da atividade para a realização de uma análise qualitativa. Diante dos resultados obtidos compreendeu-se que o uso da tecnologia da Realidade Aumentada pode auxiliar na aprendizagem de conteúdos abstratos e também é capaz de oportunizar uma aprendizagem contextualizada, interativa e colaborativa

Botanical Preferences of Africanized Bees (Apis mellifera) on the Coast and in the Atlantic Forest of Sergipe, Brazil

Pollen analysis in honey can be used as an alternative method to researchinto flowers visited by bees in an area. This study aimed to indentify the mainfloral families in honey from apiaries in the Atlantic Forest and Sergipe statecoast. Honey samples from these apiaries were studied, as well as plants thatgrow around them, which can be used as a source of foraging for bees. Thepalynological technique was used to compare the pollen content of honeysamples with the pollen grains from leaves of plants found in the vicinityof the apiaries to assess whether they had been visited by bees. The resultsof studies in both sites were similar in terms of incompatibility of familiesfound in the apiary vicinity and honey. Thus, it was possible to observe thatin honey samples from the coast and in the remaining Atlantic forest, thenumber of families was greater than the number of families found in theapiary vicinity, which highlights the diversity of plants visited by bees and apossible expansion of the visited area for food search. This diversity suggestsan adaptive foraging behavior to plant resources available in the environment,which may facilitate the pollination of these botanical families andconsequently improve their genetic quality

Tipologia de sistemas de produção de carne bovina de acordo com a eficiência bioeconômica no sul do Brasil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioeconomic efficiency of beef cattle production systems in the south of Brazil. A survey was conducted with 33 beef cattle farmers operating with complete cycle production systems in areas larger or equal to 900 ha. Answers were classified in two drivers, technology (TEC) and management (MAN), which were separated into subfactors with their respective components. Multiple correspondence analysis, Tukey test, cluster analysis, and Pearson correlation were the statistics procedures. The TEC components were above normal for Brazilian farmers, but the gross margin is still lower than that needed to generate financial resources for a proper remuneration of cattle farmer. Farmers were classified into three clusters according to bioeconomic efficiency: low (LEL), intermediate (IEL), or high-efficiency level (HEL). The TEC driver differentiated the LEL x HEL clusters and the MAN, mainly expressed in costs, the IEL x HEL. Positive correlation between age at first mating and age at slaughter in the HEL cluster explains the higher costs when compared to IEL because of the use of differentiated feed resources. Investments in technologies related to herd feeding in HEL cluster improved the productivity by only 20% and the cost per hectare by 95 USD ha-1 in comparison to IEL cluster. The main differences between farmers are because of the use of technologies related to feeding and cost management. Therefore, before implementing a new technology, an economic evaluation is necessary. Key words: animal production, cattle, cluster analysis, production cost.O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a eficiência bioeconômica em sistemas de produção de bovinos de corte no sul do Brasil. A pesquisa foi realizada com 33 pecuaristas que operam com sistemas de produção baseado em ciclo completo, em áreas maiores ou iguais a 900 hectares. As respostas foram classificadas em dois fatores: tecnologia (TEC) e gestão (GES), os quais foram separados em subfatores com seus respectivos componentes. A análise de correspondência múltipla, teste de Tukey, análise de cluster e correlação de Pearson foram os procedimentos estatísticos. Os componentes do TEC estavam acima do normal para os pecuaristas brasileiros, mas a margem bruta ainda é menor do que a necessária para gerar recursos financeiros para uma remuneração adequada ao pecuarista. Os pecuaristas foram classificados em três grupos de acordo com a eficiência bioeconômica: baixo (BNE), intermediário (INE) ou alto nível de eficiência (ANE). O driver TEC diferenciou os clusters BNE x ANE e o GES, expresso principalmente em custos, o INE x ANE. A correlação positiva entre a idade no primeiro acasalamento e a idade ao abate no agrupamento ANE explica os custos mais elevados quando comparados aos INE, devido ao uso de recursos alimentares diferenciados. Os investimentos em tecnologias relacionadas à alimentação de rebanho no agrupamento ANE melhoraram a produtividade em apenas 20% e o custo por hectare em 95 USD ha-1 em comparação ao cluster INE. As principais diferenças entre os pecuaristas se devem ao uso de tecnologias relacionadas à alimentação e ao gerenciamento de custos. Portanto, antes de implementar uma nova tecnologia, uma avaliação econômica é necessária

TAXONOMY OF Tachigali AUBL. (LEGUMINOSAE, CAESALPINIOIDEAE) THE METROPOLITAN REGION OF BELÉM, PARÁ, BRASIL

A pesquisa consiste no tratamento taxonômico de Tachigali Aubl. na Região Metropolitana de Belém, Estado do Pará. O estudo foi baseado através de material proveniente de exsicatas dos herbários do Museu Goeldi (MG) e do Instituto Agronômico do Norte (IAN). O gênero está representado na área por oito espécies: Tachigali alba Ducke, T. glauca Tul., T. guianensis (Benth.) Zarucchi & Herend., T. micropetala (Ducke) Zarucchi & Pipoly, T. paniculata Aubl., T. paraensis (Huber) Barneby, T. tinctoria (Benth.) Zarucchi & Herend. e T. vulgaris L.F. Gomes da Silva & H.C. Lima, sendo esta última endêmica do Brasil. São apresentados chave de identificação, descrições, distribuição geográfica, comentários e ilustrações das espécies.Palavras-chave: Amazônia, Fabales, florística, morfologia.The research deals with the taxonomic treatment of the Tachigali Aubl. in the Metropolitan Region of Belém, Pará state. The study was based material through originated from specimens of the herbaria of the Museum Goeldi (MG) and of the Agronomic Institute of the North (IAN). The genus is represented by eight species: Tachigali alba Ducke, T. glauca Tul., T. guianensis (Benth.) Zarucchi & Herend., T. micropetala (Ducke) Zarucchi & Pipoly, T. paniculata Aubl., T. paraensis (Huber) Barneby, T. tinctoria (Benth.) Zarucchi & Herend. e T. vulgaris L.F. Gomes da Silva & H.C. Lima, the Latter being endemic to Brazil. Identification key, descriptions, geographical distribution, comments, and illustrations of species are provided.Keywords: Amazonia; Fabales; floristics; morphology