Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Formação para merendeiras: uma proposta metodológica aplicada em escolas estaduais atendidas pelo programa nacional de alimentação escolar, em Salvador, Bahia Professional training for school lunch cooks: a methodological experiment done in state schools supported by the National School Feeding Program in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Descrever uma experiência de formação desenvolvida para merendeiras de escolas atendidas pelo Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, cujo objeto de análise foi um curso realizado para merendeiras de 97 escolas estaduais, em Salvador (BA). A definição e a implementação da formação apresentou três etapas: sondagem de conteúdos e metodologias junto às merendeiras, desenvolvimento das atividades de formação e avaliação da metodologia do curso pelas merendeiras. RESULTADOS: A consulta às merendeiras possibilitou a indicação dos conteúdos de maior interesse e a metodologia a ser utilizada. O curso teve duração de 20 horas, em turmas de aproximadamente 35 pessoas, e foi realizado em unidades escolares. O programa da atividade apresentou conteúdos diferenciados, incluindo: o Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar, a merendeira no sistema da alimentação escolar, princípios de nutrição e alimentação e boas práticas de produção. Como recursos metodológicos foram adotados: teatro, exposição dialogada, oficinas, gincana, experiências práticas, jogos interativos, atividades em grupo, aplicação de formulários e um módulo que contemplava todas as apresentações. Ao final do evento, as merendeiras avaliaram o curso segundo os seguintes aspectos: explicação dos conteúdos, recursos utilizados, ritmo das atividades, atendimento às perguntas, apreensão dos conteúdos, aspectos positivos e negativos e sugestões. CONCLUSÃO: A experiência evidenciou a possibilidade de orientar a construção de um novo modelo de formação, mediante a contribuição e a valorização da consulta ao público-alvo, o que permitiu uma ressignificação das práticas tradicionais de formação e proporcionou maior chance de êxito, devido às demandas específicas apresentadas pelos próprios participantes.<br>OBJECTIVE: This study reports a professional training experiment directed at school lunch cooks in state schools supported by the National School Feeding Program. METHODS: This descriptive study was carried out among school lunch cooks from 97 state schools, in Salvador (Bahia , Brazil). Definition and implementation of the professional training consisted of three stages: a preliminary survey among the cooks in search of contents and methodology, professional training activities and the subjects' assessment of such activities. RESULTS: The preliminary survey pointed to both those contents of major interest among the cooks and the methodology. Professional training activities were designed as a 20-hour event for groups of about 35 people, taking place in school units. The activity program carried a number of different contents, including the National School Feeding Program, the school lunch cooks in the school feeding system, feeding and nutrition principles, and Good Manufacturing Practices. Methodological resources comprised dramatization, dialogued presentations, workshops, group contests, practical activities, interactive games, form completion, guided group activities and a printed brochure with all presentations. At the end of the event, an assessment was requested from the subjects as to the following features: content presentation, resources employed, pace of activities, question answering, content learning, positive and negative aspects as well as suggestions. CONCLUSION: The experiment showed the feasibility of building a new professional training model by using and valuing the contributions from the target subjects, thus allowing the reframing of traditional professional training practices and increasing the chances of success, since the subjects' specific demands were taken into account

Comparative genomic analysis of pre-epidemic and epidemic Zika virus strains for virological factors potentially associated with the rapidly expanding epidemic

Less than 20 sporadic cases of human Zika virus (ZIKV) infection were reported in Africa and Asia before 2007, but large outbreaks involving up to 73% of the populations on the Pacific islands have started since 2007, and spread to the Americas in 2014. Moreover, the clinical manifestation of ZIKV infection has apparently changed, as evident by increasing reports of neurological complications, such as Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults and congenital anomalies in neonates. We comprehensively compared the genome sequences of pre-epidemic and epidemic ZIKV strains with complete genome or complete polyprotein sequences available in GenBank. Besides the reported phylogenetic clustering of the epidemic strains with the Asian lineage, we found that the topology of phylogenetic tree of all coding regions is the same except that of the non-structural 2B (NS2B) coding region. This finding was confirmed by bootscan analysis and multiple sequence alignment, which suggested the presence of a fragment of genetic recombination at NS2B with that of Spondweni virus. Moreover, the representative epidemic strain possesses one large bulge of nine bases instead of an external loop on the first stem-loop structure at the 3′-untranslated region just distal to the stop codon of the NS5 in the 1947 pre-epidemic prototype strain. Fifteen amino acid substitutions are found in the epidemic strains when compared with the pre-epidemic strains. As mutations in other flaviviruses can be associated with changes in virulence, replication efficiency, antigenic epitopes and host tropism, further studies would be important to ascertain the biological significance of these genomic changes

Notes for genera – Ascomycota

Knowledge of the relationships and thus the classification of fungi, has developed rapidly with increasingly widespread use of molecular techniques, over the past 10--15 years, and continues to accelerate. Several genera have been found to be polyphyletic, and their generic concepts have subsequently been emended. New names have thus been introduced for species which are phylogenetically distinct from the type species of particular genera. The ending of the separate naming of morphs of the same species in 2011, has also caused changes in fungal generic names. In order to facilitate access to all important changes, it was desirable to compile these in a single document. The present article provides a list of generic names of Ascomycota (approximately 6500 accepted names published to the end of 2016), including those which are lichen-forming. Notes and summaries of the changes since the last edition of `Ainsworth Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi' in 2008 are provided. The notes include the number of accepted species, classification, type species (with location of the type material), culture availability, life-styles, distribution, and selected publications that have appeared since 2008. This work is intended to provide the foundation for updating the ascomycete component of the ``Without prejudice list of generic names of Fungi'' published in 2013, which will be developed into a list of protected generic names. This will be subjected to the XIXth International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen in July 2017 agreeing to a modification in the rules relating to protected lists, and scrutiny by procedures determined by the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi (NCF). The previously invalidly published generic names Barriopsis, Collophora (as Collophorina), Cryomyces, Dematiopleospora, Heterospora (as Heterosporicola), Lithophila, Palmomyces (as Palmaria) and Saxomyces are validated, as are two previously invalid family names, Bartaliniaceae and Wiesneriomycetaceae. Four species of Lalaria, which were invalidly published are transferred to Taphrina and validated as new combinations. Catenomycopsis Tibell Constant. is reduced under Chaenothecopsis Vain., while Dichomera Cooke is reduced under Botryosphaeria Ces. De Not. (Art. 59)