Biodegradability of diesel and biodiesel blends

The biodegradability of pure diesel and biodiesel and blends with different proportions of biodiesel (2%(commercial); 5% and 20%) was evaluated employing the respirometric method and the redox indicator2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP) test. In the former, experiments simulating the contamination of natural environments (soil from a petrol station or water from a river) were carried out in Bartha biometer flasks (250 ml), and used to measure the microbial CO2 production. With the DCPIP test, the capability of three inocula to biodegrade the blends was tested. Results show that although biodiesel is more easily and faster biodegraded than diesel oil, among the blends evaluated (2%, 5% and 20%), only the blend with higher concentration of biodiesel presented biodegradability significantly different from diesel and it was not verified an improvement on the biodegradation of the diesel by means of  cometabolism

Governance and Social Network: Analysis in Cooperatives of Small Citrus Producers in the São Paulo State, Brazil

The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the network governance structure adopted by small producers’ citrus cooperatives has allowed the reduction of risks in transactions, ex-ante (adverse selection) and ex-post (moral hazard), and the problems of opportunism downstream and upstream of the production chain. The planned methodological procedure included the structuring and research of two case studies in cooperatives of small orange producers in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, comprising a sample of 35 cooperative members surveyed between the two cooperatives analyzed. The analyzes were supported by the Transaction Cost Economics and Social Network approaches. Results indicate the importance of the cooperatives and their network format, as economic agents, in maintaining small producers in the citrus industry activity, allowing the reduction of risks in transactions and the problems of opportunism, downstream and upstream of the chain. It was verified the academic contribution and theoretical reinforcement brought by this study - through the empirical surveys and results produced - to the theory of hybrid governance formats, which lacks empirical support and greater analytical strengthening on the part of the academy, according to its own authors. It is suggested, for future analysis, the use of the network governance approach aimed at strengthening the class of small producers of other agribusiness cultures, also using the theoretical basis belonging to NIE, TCE and Networks. The continuity of analyzes based on relational governance, with institutional and transactional economics as a basis, represents not only academic documentation and support for small rural producers of different cultures, but also the guarantee of theoretical robustness to a structure that is still incipient in historical terms, which finds in Brazilian agribusiness a fertile ground for its development and materialization

Oncogenic Gain of Function in Glioblastoma Is Linked to Mutant p53 Amyloid Oligomers.

Tumor-associated p53 mutations endow cells with malignant phenotypes, including chemoresistance. Amyloid-like oligomers of mutant p53 transform this tumor suppressor into an oncogene. However, the composition and distribution of mutant p53 oligomers are unknown and the mechanism involved in the conversion is sparse. Here, we report accumulation of a p53 mutant within amyloid-like p53 oligomers in glioblastoma-derived cells presenting a chemoresistant gain-of-function phenotype. Statistical analysis from fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy, pressure-induced measurements, and thioflavin T kinetics demonstrates the distribution of oligomers larger than the active tetrameric form of p53 in the nuclei of living cells and the destabilization of native-drifted p53 species that become amyloid. Collectively, these results provide insights into the role of amyloid-like mutant p53 oligomers in the chemoresistance phenotype of malignant and invasive brain tumors and shed light on therapeutic options to avert cancer

Cine y ciencia: un análisis de los estereotipos presentes en la película infantil Frankenweenie, de Tim Burton

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar, à luz dos estudos culturais, como os processos relacionados à marcação das identidades de gênero e reforço de estereótipos associados com cientistas e prática científica estão presentes no filme Frankenweenie, produzido pela Disney e dirigido por Tim Burton. A metodologia aplicada a este artigo foi a análise de conteúdo, método que se caracteriza pela utilização de um conjunto de técnicas que tentam descrever e interpretar o conteúdo de comunicação. Os resultados apontam alguns reforços de estereótipo quanto ao gênero e à imagem solitária e egocêntrica do cientista, bem como a ausência de uma visão crítica da ciência do cientista na contemporaneidade. Este estudo permitirá o cruzamento de discursos sobre a ciência no campo da divulgação científica, mostrando que a produção cinematográfica pode ser uma excelente fonte de pesquisa para os estudos culturais da ciência. Acredita-se que análises deste tipo podem levantar discussões sobre como o cinema pode ser usado em benefício do desenvolvimento do senso crítico das crianças e do aprendizado sobre como compreender e resignificar o mundo que as cerca

Prevalence of constipation in adults with obesity class II and III and associated factors

BACKGROUND: Constipation and obesity have common risk factors. However, little is known about the occurrence of constipation in individuals with severe obesity and the associated factors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of intestinal constipation and its associated factors in adults with obesity class II and III. METHOD: This study analyzed baseline data from a randomized clinical trial with adults aged 18–64 with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m2, living in the metropolitan region of Goiânia, Brazil. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing sociodemographic, lifestyle, level of obesity, presence of comorbidities, water intake and food consumption variables. The outcome variable was constipation assessed by the Rome III criteria and the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Multiple Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the association between explanatory variables and the outcome. RESULTS: Among the 150 participants, the prevalence of constipation was 24.67% (95% CI: 17.69–31.64). After multiple regression analyses constipation was associated with polypharmacy (adjusted PR: 2.99, 95% CI: 1.18–7.57, p = 0.021), younger age group i.e. 18–29 years (adjusted PR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.21–8.06, p = 0.019) and former smoking (adjusted PR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.28–9.14, p = 0.014). There was no statistically significant association between constipation and daily consumption of fiber-rich foods, however, the non-consumption of whole grains was borderline significant (adjusted PR: 2.92, 95% CI: 1.00 to 8.49, p = 0.050). CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of constipation was found in adults with obesity class II and III. Constipation was significantly associated with the simultaneous use of five or more medications, younger age group and being a former smoker

Mapeamento da fitomassa da caatinga do seridó pelos índices de área de planta e de vegetação da diferença normalizada

Phytomass is a critical information for economic and environmental activities like the establishment of policies for timber resources, forest management, studies of plant nutrient cycling, CO2 sink, among other. The phytomass of a Caatinga area was obtained by an empirical method using normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of Landsat images, the plant area index (PAI) and the phytomass inventory. At a first stage, linear, logarithmic and non-linear models were developed and tested. Bush and tree specimens were considered in the study, so that most of the individuals that contribute to the spectral answer detected by satellite images were included. At a second stage, the orbital parameter NDVI was used to map the PAI, which was used to map the phytomass, based on the relationship of this phytomass as a function of PAI. The residues between measurements and estimates based on NDVI varied from 0 to 84%, while the residues of total dry weight of phytomass per ha obtained by mapping and by dendrometrical equations varied from 5 to 104%, with a large trend of 166 and 448% in open Caatinga areas, due to the contribution of the herbaceous stratum to NDVI.A fitomassa, principalmente arbórea, é informação necessária em atividades econômicas e ambientais, como políticas de uso do recurso madeireiro, manejo florestal, estudos de ciclagem de nutrientes, absorção de CO2, entre outros. A finalidade deste estudo foi a verificação de um método empírico para o mapeamento da fitomassa da Caatinga do Seridó, integrando-se um inventário de fitomassa, o índice de área de planta (IAP) e o índice de vegetação da diferença normalizada (NDVI), por meio de imagens Landsat TM. Na primeira etapa foram desenvolvidos e testados modelos lineares, logarítmicos e não lineares. A abordagem de tamanho foi arbustiva e arbórea, incluindo-se a maior parte dos indivíduos que contribuem na resposta espectral mensurada por imagens de satélite. Em uma segunda etapa utilizamos o parâmetro orbital, NDVI, para o mapeamento do IAP, que por sua vez, foi utilizado para mapear a fitomassa. Os desvios entre mensurações de IAP e estimativas a partir do NDVI, variaram de 0 a 84%, enquanto que os desvios entre Peso Seco Total de Fitomassa por ha obtidos pelo mapeamento e por equações dendrométricas, variaram de 5 a 104%, com grandes tendências de 166 e 448% para áreas de caatinga aberta, provocada pela contribuição do estrato herbáceo no NDVI

Serum and Dietary Vitamin D in Individuals with Class II and III Obesity: Prevalence and Association with Metabolic Syndrome

The association between vitamin D deficiency and metabolic syndrome (MS) in severe obesity is unclear and controversial. We analyzed serum and dietary vitamin D and their association with MS in 150 adults with class II and III obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) from the DieTBra Trial (NCT02463435). MS parameters were high fasting blood glucose, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, elevated waist circumference, and hypertension. Vitamin D deficiency was considered as a level &lt; 20 ng/mL. We performed multivariate Poisson regression adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. The prevalence of serum vitamin D deficiency was 13.3% (mean 29.9 ± 9.4 ng/mL) and dietary vitamin D median was 51.3 IU/day. There were no significant associations between vitamin D, serum, and diet and sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, and class of obesity. Serum vitamin D deficiency was associated with age ≥ 50 years (p = 0.034). After a fully adjusted multivariate Poisson regression, MS and its parameters were not associated with serum or dietary vitamin D, except for lower HDL, which was associated with serum vitamin D deficiency (PR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.52–0.97; p = 0.029). Severe obese individuals had a low prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, which was not associated with MS.</jats:p

The Effectiveness of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Traditional Brazilian Diet in Reducing the Inflammatory Profile of Individuals with Severe Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial

We analyzed the effectiveness of two nutritional interventions alone and together, EVOO and the DieTBra, on the inflammatory profile of severely obese individuals. This study was an RCT with 149 individuals aged from 18 to 65 years, with a body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m2, randomized into three intervention groups: (1) 52 mL/day of EVOO (n = 50); (2) DieTBra (n = 49); and (3) DieTBra plus 52 mL/day of EVOO (DieTBra + EVOO, n = 50). The primary outcomes we measured were the-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the secondary outcomes we measured were the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR); leukocytes; and C reactive protein (CRP). After 12 weeks of intervention, DieTBra + EVOO significantly reduced the total leucocytes (p = 0.037) and LMR (p = 0.008). No statistically significant differences were found for the NLR in neither the intra-group and inter-group analyses, although a slight reduction was found in the DieTBra group (−0.22 ± 1.87). We observed reductions in the total leukocytes and LMR in the three groups, though without statistical difference between groups. In conclusion, nutritional intervention with DietBra + EVOO promotes a significant reduction in inflammatory biomarkers, namely leukocytes and LMR. CRP was reduced in EVOO and DieTBra groups and NLR reduced in the DieTBra group. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT02463435

Externally validated model predicting gait independence after stroke showed fair performance and improved after updating

ObjectiveTo externally validate recent prognostic models that predict independent gait following stroke.Study design and settingA systematic search identified recent models (ResultsThree prognostic models met our criteria, all with high Risk of Bias. Validation data was only available for the Australian model. This model used National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and age to predict independent gait, using Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) walking item. For validation, Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) was a proxy for NIHSS, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) locomotion item was a proxy for MAS. The Area Under the Curve was 0.77 (0.74-0.80) and had good calibration in the validation dataset. Adjustment of the intercept and regression coefficients slightly improved discrimination. By adding paretic leg strength, the model further improved (AUC 0.82).ConclusionExternal validation of the Australian model with proxies showed fair discrimination and good calibration. Updating the model by adding paretic leg strength further improved model performance

Bone Mineral Density in Severely Obese Women: Health Risk and Health Protective Risk Factors in Three Different Bone Sites

Factors associated with bone mineral density (BMD) are poorly known in severely obese individuals i.e., a body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m^{2}. The objectives of this study were to describe the bone health profile of severely obese Brazilian women, to identify the health risk and health protective factors for BMD in this group and to assess whether these factors vary according to three different bone sites. BMD was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). This study analyzed baseline data from 104 women who had an average BMI of 43.7 ± 4.5 kg/m^{2} and presented the following BMD status: 1.283 ± 0.094 g/cm2 for total body, 1.062 ± 0.159 g/cm^{2} for vertebral column and 1.195 ± 0.134 g/cm2 for hip. They took part in the “Effect of nutritional intervention and olive oil in severe obesity” randomized clinical trial (DieTBra Trial). The risk factors negatively associated with lower BMD were age ≥50 years for the three bone sites i.e., total body, vertebral column and hip. Smoking for total body BMD (p = 0.045); BMI ≥ 50kg/m^{2} for vertebral column and hip; menopause for hip; high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p = 0.049), insufficient zinc (p = 0.010) and previous fracture for vertebral column (p = 0.007). The protective factors positively associated with BMD were physical activity (≥150 min/week (p = 0.001)) for hip; type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) (p < 0.0001) total body and adequate vitamin D levels from food consumption (p = 0.039) for vertebral column. A BMI ≥ 50 kg/m^{2} was a risk factor for lower BMD. The findings showed that protective and risk factors varied by bone site. The original study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. (protocol number: NCT02463435)