Friendship and gender in preschoolers’ conflicts

Investigated the role of friendship and gender on conflict episodes of 48 preschoolers aged approximately 5 years and 8 months. Children were organized in dyads of same-sex friends and non-friends. Conflict situations were coded according to incidence, type, termination strategies, and finalizations. Gender differences were detected for type of conflict, with girls using more reasons for oppositions than boys. Termination strategies were used with a joint effect of friendship and gender: girl-friends preferred the tactic of standing firm whereas boy-friends chose more negotiation as means to deal with a disagreement, compared to the non-friend dyads. As for the results on conflict finalizations, friendship relations accounted for a significant difference found for agreement, while gender showed to be related to the use of disengagement among girls. Combined analysis between termination strategies and conflict finalizations indicated two significant differences: the first was related to friendship, through which children used more negotiation leading to agreement; the second showed a joint effect of friendship and gender, where non-friend girls tended to negotiate to reach disengagement, more often that non-friend boys. Findings for termination strategies – with girl-friends being more incisive and firm with their partners – diverge from the results provided by empirical literature, where boys are described as more autonomy- and domain oriented, and girls are prone to intimacy and social well-being in their relationships. Results are discussed with basis on previous studies conducted on conflict among preschoolers with considerations about the effects of gender and type of relationship

Dental erosion in alcoholic patients under addiction rehabilitation therapy

Objective: To determine the occurrence and severity of dental erosion in alcoholic patients undergoing detoxification at the North Alcoholic Regional Centre (CRAN), Porto, Portugal, and to assess socioeconomic and behavioural covariates of dental erosion occurrence. Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in one centre (CRAN) for addiction rehabilitation therapy in the north of Portugal. A sample of 1064 teeth was examined.The condition of the dental erosion was classified by means of severity and anatomic location, according to the Eccles and Jenkins dental erosion index, and a dichotomous outcome assessing the occurrence of dental erosion (severity dental erosion levels > 0 ). Dental erosion results were linked to data supplied by a questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics, behaviour related to alcohol and drug use, including a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and oral health promotion using logistic multivariate regression analysis. Results: Enamel and/or dentine erosion lesions were present on 49.4% of the teeth. Among these, 36.9% of occlusal surfaces presented dental erosion with a severity level of 1, 11.4% with a severity level 2 and 1.1% with a severity level 3.The highest occurrence of severity level 3 was found to exist in palatal dental surfaces (1.9%). Dental erosion on teeth surfaces was found to be independently associated with intra oral location (by arch, tooth type), patients’ socio-demographic characteristics, behaviour associated with a history of alcohol and drug abuse, and oral health promotion. Maxillary teeth, more so than mandibular teeth, presented moderate to higher severity erosion injuries (Wilcoxon test; p< 0.001); and significant differences in the severity of dental erosion were found between anterior and posterior teeth, in both the maxillary and the mandibular arches (Friedman test, p< 0.001). Conclusions:Alcohol-dependent patients undergoing a detoxification programme presented a high occurrence and a low severity of dental erosion lesions.The palatal surfaces of the anterior teeth, followed by incisive/occlusal surfaces in both anterior and posterior teeth, respectively, were most affected by erosion injurie

Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophene by Pseudomonas fluorescens (UCP 1514) Leading to the Production of Biphenyl

Dibenzothiophene (DBT) is a typical recalcitrant thiophenic sulfur component of fuels, and its desulphurization has been a model reaction in the treatment of these compounds. Based on this information, the potential of Pseudomonas fluorescens (UCP 1514) on the desulfurization of dibenzothiphene was studied, in order to use it for reducing the sulfur content of diesel oil in compliance with environmental regulations. The result of biodegradation by the bacteria was determined by undertaking high-performance liquid chromatography of the metabolites produced. These can also be identified by gas chromatography with a mass spectrometry detector, and doing so revealed a sulfur-free product, biphenyl, as the final product of the degradation process. The results showed a decrease of 73% in dibenzothiophene content, which means that P. fluorescens removes sulfur from dibenzothiophene with a good selectivity to form biphenyl. These promising results indicate that P. fluorescens has an interesting potential to degrade sulfur-containing compounds in diesel oil and thereby could help in removing sulfur content from diesel oil. The process of microbial desulfurization described herein can be used particularly after carrying out hydrodesulfurization. Consequently, the sulfur content could be reduced even further. Applying P. fluorescens UCP 1514 in dibenzothiophene could help to understand the nature of the biodegradation process and to achieve the regulatory standards for sulfur level in fossil fuels

Microsatellite markers for studies with the carnivorous plant Philcoxia minensis (Plantaginaceae)

Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for the critically endangered carnivorous species Philcoxia minensis (Plantaginaceae) for further population genetic studies aiming at its conservation. Methods and Results: We identifi ed 29 clones containing 40 microsatellites from a genomic enriched library. A total of 27 primer pairs were developed and evaluated in 30 individuals of a natural P. minensis population. Seventeen markers successfully presented amplifi cation products within the expected size range, of which 12 were polymorphic. The expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.03 to 0.65 and from 0.00 to 0.77, respectively. Positive transferability with the related species P. bahiensis was observed for the same 17 markers. Conclusions: The 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers are suitable for studies in genetic diversity and structure, mating system, and gene fl ow in P. minensis and also may be useful for similar issues regarding the related species P. bahiensis38CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPSem informaçãoSem informação2012/12927-

Microsatellite Markers For Studies With The Carnivorous Plant Philcoxia Minensis (plantaginaceae).

Microsatellite markers were developed for the critically endangered carnivorous species Philcoxia minensis (Plantaginaceae) for further population genetic studies aiming at its conservation. We identified 29 clones containing 40 microsatellites from a genomic enriched library. A total of 27 primer pairs were developed and evaluated in 30 individuals of a natural P. minensis population. Seventeen markers successfully presented amplification products within the expected size range, of which 12 were polymorphic. The expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.03 to 0.65 and from 0.00 to 0.77, respectively. Positive transferability with the related species P. bahiensis was observed for the same 17 markers. The 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers are suitable for studies in genetic diversity and structure, mating system, and gene flow in P. minensis and also may be useful for similar issues regarding the related species P. bahiensis.

Enseñanza de química a alumnos con discapacidad visual

La educación formal en Brasil tiene como primer principio la “igualdad de condiciones de acceso y permanencia en la escuela” (Brasil, 1996). En este contexto, el proyecto “Enseñanza de Química a Alumnos con Discapacidad Visual” busca desarrollar recursos y metodologías para una enseñanza de Química que atienda alumnos con ceguera o baja visión. En este proyecto, con el objetivo de atender alumnos y profesores de la enseñanza secundaria, iniciamos la adaptación del libro “Química e Sociedade” (Santos, Mol y colaboradores, 2005). El trabajo consiste de varias etapas: transcripción de los textos del libro; descripción de imágenes; construcción de modelos didácticos; adaptación de actividades experimentales

FECHAMENTO DE DIASTEMAS: UMA INTEGRAÇÃO ENTRE ORTODONTIA E DENTíSTICA RESTAURADORA

Será discutido neste trabalho o relato de caso clínico, em que o paciente FM, sexo masculino, 20 anos de idade, iniciou o tratamento ortodôntico para correção da falta de vestibularização dos incisivos superiores, distemas entre os caninos e prémolares superiores e desvio de linha média. O tratamento ortodôntico foi concluído em 9 meses e como conseqüência, houve ganho de espaço na arcada superior e abertura de diastemas entre os incisivos, fato qual já fazia parte do planejamento do caso. Os espaços eram de aproximadamente 1,5mm entre os laterais e caninos superiores. O paciente foi encaminhado para o curso de especialização em Dentistica Restauradora para que fosse realizado o procedimento restaurador estético. Foi realizado um mock up, e a partir deste ensaio os diastemas foram fechados com resinas nanoparticuladas para que fosse devolvida a proporcionalidade do sorriso. Com isso, a integração dentística/ortodontia pode devolver a harmonia de forma rápida e conservadora, garantindo ótimos resultados e com a satisfação tanto do paciente quanto dos profissionais envolvidos no trabalho

Caracterização molecular de Cryptosporidium spp. de pacientes de área urbana do Brasil infectados por HIV

Cryptosporidium spp. são importantes causas de doenças entéricas em humanos, mas podem também ser encontrados em animais. O presente estudo descreve a frequência relativa de diversas espécies de Cryptosporidium em amostras de humanos da cidade de São Paulo, Brasil, obtidas de janeiro a julho de 2007. Análises de sequências de produtos de nested PCR direcionadas ao genes codificadores da menor unidade ribosomal e da proteina de parede de oocistos revelaram 17 (63,0%) isolados de C. hominis, quatro (14,8%) C. parvum, cinco (18,5%) C. felis, e um (3,7%) C. canis. Estes resultados sugerem que, em ambientes urbanos no Brasil, o genótipo adaptado ao gato pode desempenhar potencial papel na transmissão zoonótica de criptosporidiose, enquanto a transmissão antroponótica da criptosporidiose causada pelo C. hominis parece predominar.Cryptosporidium spp. are important cause of enteric disease in humans, but may also infect animals. This study describes the relative frequency of several Cryptosporidium species found in human specimens from HIV infected patients in the São Paulo municipality obtained from January to July 2007. Sequence analysis of the products of nested-PCR based on small subunit rRNA and Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein coding genes revealed 17 (63.0%) isolates of C. hominis, four (14.8%) C. parvum, five (18.5%) C. felis and one (3.7%) C. canis. These findings suggest that, in urban environments of Brazil, the cat adapted C. felis may play a potential role in the zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis whereas the anthroponotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis caused by C. hominis seems to predominate

IFN-γ Production Depends on IL-12 and IL-18 Combined Action and Mediates Host Resistance to Dengue Virus Infection in a Nitric Oxide-Dependent Manner

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by one of four serotypes of Dengue virus (DENV-1–4). Severe dengue infection in humans is characterized by thrombocytopenia, increased vascular permeability, hemorrhage and shock. However, there is little information about host response to DENV infection. Here, mechanisms accounting for IFN-γ production and effector function during dengue disease were investigated in a murine model of DENV-2 infection. IFN-γ expression was greatly increased after infection of mice and its production was preceded by increase in IL-12 and IL-18 levels. In IFN-γ−/− mice, DENV-2-associated lethality, viral loads, thrombocytopenia, hemoconcentration, and liver injury were enhanced, when compared with wild type-infected mice. IL-12p40−/− and IL-18−/− infected-mice showed decreased IFN-γ production, which was accompanied by increased disease severity, higher viral loads and enhanced lethality. Blockade of IL-18 in infected IL-12p40−/− mice resulted in complete inhibition of IFN-γ production, greater DENV-2 replication, and enhanced disease manifestation, resembling the response seen in DENV-2-infected IFN-γ−/− mice. Reduced IFN-γ production was associated with diminished Nitric Oxide-synthase 2 (NOS2) expression and NOS2−/− mice had elevated lethality, more severe disease evolution and increased viral load after DENV-2 infection. Therefore, IL-12/IL-18-induced IFN-γ production and consequent NOS2 induction are of major importance to host resistance against DENV infection