Some notes on the genus Aconitum in Chornogora Mts.

The paper is a contribution to ecology and chorology of Aconitum in high-mountain zone of the Ukrainian Carpathians. It was confirmed that genus Aconitum in the Chornogora mountain range is represented by 14 taxa, and 7 more taxa were listed as potential for this region. These taxa belong to 3 subgenera and are divided on 4 main biomorphological groups delimited on the base of their habitat, life form, ecology and altitudinal distribution. The soil and vegetation types for all taxa have been identified and the maps of their distribution have been prepared. The most influent threats and their categories were identified. Threat category for A. × nanum was changed from DD to VU, and for A. firmum subsp. Fussianum from NT to VU

Representações sociais acerca de educação ambiental de graduandos em pedagogia

O presente trabalho trata das representações sociais acerca da Educação Ambiental para graduandos de pedagogia. A questão se encerra na articulação entre os aspectos culturais determinados legalmente e sua interpretação, resultante das representações sociais de que nos ensina Moscovici (1979, 2003). Quanto à legislação vigente, considera-se que a Educação Ambiental (Lei nº 9.795/1999) delibera sobre a presença do tema E. A. em todos os níveis e modalidades do processo educativo em caráter formal e não-formal. Já em relação à teoria de Moscovici, o seu estudo nos permite desvelar o pensamento e seus sentidos como organizadores de práticas cotidianas. Faz-se, portanto, mister o estudo em tela, no âmbito educacional. Ancorar-se-á em Moscovici (2003), Jodelet (2005), Reigota (2004); Duarte (2001) e Facci (2004), entre outros. A discussão permitirá analisar a relação entre legislação e a formação de professores para atuarem frente esta normativa. O estudo, também se justifica, no sentido de que reconhecendo as representações sociais dos graduandos sobre a Educação Ambiental, poder-se-á propor atividades teorico-práticas na sua formação. O objetivo principal deste estudo é compreender qual/quais representações sociais os graduandos do curso de Pedagogia têm acerca de Educação Ambiental. A pesquisa quanti-qualitativa será delineada nas dimensões Novikoff (2010) com coleta de dados por meio de questionário semiestruturados, entrevista com grupo focal e teste de associação livre de palavras (ABRIC, 1999). A análise dos dados sofrerá a análise de conteúdo (FRANCO, 1999) e a estandardização pelo EVOC (2001). Os dados serão apresentados em forma de gráficos e/ou tabelas, bem como descrição de narrativas. Os sujeitos (79) serão eleitos por amostragem aleatória. A pesquisa será realizada em 4 instituições de ensino superior no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Em síntese, perspectiva-se a educação e transformações significativas sobre a Educação Ambiental e sua intervenção para consciência ecológica

Novel PHB/PCL scaffolds produced by melt base technologies

[Excerpt] On this work, the natural origin polymer Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was melt blended with synthetic aliphatic polyester Polye-caprolactone (PCL). The ratio of PHB/PCL was varied from 25% to 75% by weight. These blends were further injection moulded and characterized. The thermal properties of the developed blends were accessed by differential scanning calorimetry DSC). The effect of the ratio PHB/PCL on the mechanical properties (tensile modulus and tensile strength) was determined by tensile tests. […]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multidimensional Pattern Formation Has an Infinite Number of Constants of Motion

Extending our previous work on 2D growth for the Laplace equation we study here {\it multidimensional} growth for {\it arbitrary elliptic} equations, describing inhomogeneous and anisotropic pattern formations processes. We find that these nonlinear processes are governed by an infinite number of conservation laws. Moreover, in many cases {\it all dynamics of the interface can be reduced to the linear time--dependence of only one ``moment" $M_0$} which corresponds to the changing volume while {\it all higher moments, $M_l$, are constant in time. These moments have a purely geometrical nature}, and thus carry information about the moving shape. These conserved quantities (eqs.~(7) and (8) of this article) are interpreted as coefficients of the multipole expansion of the Newtonian potential created by the mass uniformly occupying the domain enclosing the moving interface. Thus the question of how to recover the moving shape using these conserved quantities is reduced to the classical inverse potential problem of reconstructing the shape of a body from its exterior gravitational potential. Our results also suggest the possibility of controlling a moving interface by appropriate varying the location and strength of sources and sinks.Comment: CYCLER Paper 93feb00

Random Matrices in 2D, Laplacian Growth and Operator Theory

Since it was first applied to the study of nuclear interactions by Wigner and Dyson, almost 60 years ago, Random Matrix Theory (RMT) has developed into a field of its own within applied mathematics, and is now essential to many parts of theoretical physics, from condensed matter to high energy. The fundamental results obtained so far rely mostly on the theory of random matrices in one dimension (the dimensionality of the spectrum, or equilibrium probability density). In the last few years, this theory has been extended to the case where the spectrum is two-dimensional, or even fractal, with dimensions between 1 and 2. In this article, we review these recent developments and indicate some physical problems where the theory can be applied.Comment: 88 pages, 8 figure

Mitochondrial mosaics in the liver of 3 infants with mtDNA defects

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In muscle cytochrome oxidase (COX) negative fibers (mitochondrial mosaics) have often been visualized.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>COX activity staining of liver for light and electron microscopy, muscle stains, blue native gel electrophoresis and activity assays of respiratory chain proteins, their immunolocalisation, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three unrelated infants showed a mitochondrial mosaic in the liver after staining for COX activity, i.e. hepatocytes with strongly reactive mitochondria were found adjacent to cells with many negative, or barely reactive, mitochondria. Deficiency was most severe in the patient diagnosed with Pearson syndrome. Ragged-red fibers were absent in muscle biopsies of all patients. Enzyme biochemistry was not diagnostic in muscle, fibroblasts and lymphocytes. Blue native gel electrophoresis of liver tissue, but not of muscle, demonstrated a decreased activity of complex IV; in both muscle and liver subcomplexes of complex V were seen. Immunocytochemistry of complex IV confirmed the mosaic pattern in two livers, but not in fibroblasts. MRI of the brain revealed severe white matter cavitation in the Pearson case, but only slight cortical atrophy in the Alpers-Huttenlocher patient, and a normal image in the 3rd. MtDNA in leucocytes showed a common deletion in 50% of the mtDNA molecules of the Pearson patient. In the patient diagnosed with Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome, mtDNA was depleted for 60% in muscle. In the 3rd patient muscular and hepatic mtDNA was depleted for more than 70%. Mutations in the nuclear encoded gene of <it>POLG </it>were subsequently found in both the 2nd and 3rd patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Histoenzymatic COX staining of a liver biopsy is fast and yields crucial data about the pathogenesis; it indicates whether mtDNA should be assayed. Each time a mitochondrial disorder is suspected and muscle data are non-diagnostic, a liver biopsy should be recommended. Mosaics are probably more frequent than observed until now. A novel pathogenic mutation in <it>POLG </it>is reported.</p> <p>Tentative explanations for the mitochondrial mosaics are, in one patient, unequal partition of mutated mitochondria during mitoses, and in two others, an interaction between products of several genes required for mtDNA maintenance.</p

Tipping points in the dynamics of speciation.

Speciation can be gradual or sudden and involve few or many genetic changes. Inferring the processes generating such patterns is difficult, and may require consideration of emergent and non-linear properties of speciation, such as when small changes at tipping points have large effects on differentiation. Tipping points involve positive feedback and indirect selection stemming from associations between genomic regions, bi-stability due to effects of initial conditions and evolutionary history, and dependence on modularity of system components. These features are associated with sudden 'regime shifts' in other cellular, ecological, and societal systems. Thus, tools used to understand other complex systems could be fruitfully applied in speciation research

Lipid droplets: a classic organelle with new outfits

Lipid droplets are depots of neutral lipids that exist virtually in any kind of cell. Recent studies have revealed that the lipid droplet is not a mere lipid blob, but a major contributor not only to lipid homeostasis but also to diverse cellular functions. Because of the unique structure as well as the functional importance in relation to obesity, steatosis, and other prevailing diseases, the lipid droplet is now reborn as a brand new organelle, attracting interests from researchers of many disciplines