Academic expectations of students in the first years of Higher Education

This study analyzed students' expectations in the transition to Higher Education. Participants were 205 students of the first and second year, enrolled in public and private Higher Education institutions. Students answered an open questionnaire composed of five questions about personal expectations, interpersonal relationships, expectations about the undergraduate program and career development, the institution where they were enrolled, and a social-demographic questionnaire. Content analysis was performed to analyze data. Students described their own expectations regarding the job market, and personal and occupational benefits from studying in Higher Education. These results support previous studies that have suggested that first-year students present high expectations about higher education. We discuss the implications of the results in future researches and intervention with students, especially the ones with difficulties in academic adaptation.Este trabalho analisa expectativas acadêmicas de universitários ao ingressar no Ensino Superior. Participaram do estudo 205 estudantes do primeiro e segundo ano do Ensino Superior. Os participantes responderam a um questionário sobre expectativas pessoais, relações interpessoais, expectativas acerca do curso, carreira, instituição de ensino e um questionário de dados sociodemográficos. Os dados foram submetidos a análises qualitativas, com recurso a análise de conteúdo. Os alunos descrevem suas expectativas em direção ao mercado de trabalho e aos ganhos pessoais e profissionais resultantes do fato de cursarem o Ensino Superior. Esses resultados reiteram estudos anteriores, indicando que alunos do primeiro ano apresentam altas expectativas em relação ao Ensino Superior. Discutem-se as implicações dos resultados para novas pesquisas e intervenções com universitários, especialmente aqueles com dificuldades de adaptação acadêmica.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chromobacterium violaceum as a potential biosurfactant‐producing microorganism

Chromobacterium violaceum is a Gram‐negative bacterium found in the soil and water in tropical and sub‐tropical environments. Its complete genome sequence revealed wide varying alternative pathways for energy generation, complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation, motility and widespread utilization of quorum sensing for control of its inducible systems. Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds produced by microorganisms, both intra and extracellularly, that reduce surface and interfacial tensions. In this work, C. violaceum UCP 1552 isolated from the contaminated area of Pernambuco, was used. Biosurfactant production was carried out in 500mL Erlenmeyer flasks containing 250mL of LB medium [tryptone – 10g/L, yeast extract – 5g/L, sodium chloride – 5g/L] plus 5g/L glucose and 1.6g/L soy oil, at 150 rpm and 30°C. Samples were collected at different fermentation times (from 0 to 188h) to evaluate cellular growth, glucose consumption and biosurfactant production (by reduction of surface tension and emulsification index determination). Biomass growth was observed during the first 96h and afterwards the cells entered the stationary phase. Moreover, glucose was consumed in the first 30h. Surface tension of the fermentation broth free of C. violaceum cells recovered after 188h was found to be 32 mN/m. The highest emulsification index was observed for 12h experiment, being 56 and 59% for sunflower oil and nhexadecane, respectively. Results gathered in this study reveal the C. violaceum potential as a biosurfactant‐producer opening novel perspectives for its application in the environmental area.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Expectativas académicas de estudiantes en los primeros años de enseñanza superior

Este trabalho analisa expectativas acadêmicas de universitários ao ingressar no Ensino Superior. Participaram do estudo 205 estudantes do primeiro e segundo ano do Ensino Superior. Os participantes responderam a um questionário sobre expectativas pessoais, relações interpessoais, expectativas acerca do curso, carreira, instituição de ensino e um questionário de dados sociodemográficos. Os dados foram submetidos a análises qualitativas, com recurso a análise de conteúdo. Os alunos descrevem suas expectativas em direção ao mercado de trabalho e aos ganhos pessoais e profissionais resultantes do fato de cursarem o Ensino Superior. Esses resultados reiteram estudos anteriores, indicando que alunos do primeiro ano apresentam altas expectativas em relação ao Ensino Superior. Discutem-se as implicações dos resultados para novas pesquisas e intervenções com universitários, especialmente aqueles com dificuldades de adaptação acadêmica.This study analyzed students’ expectations in the transition to Higher Education. Participants were 205 students of the first and second year, enrolled in public and private Higher Education institutions. Students answered an open questionnaire composed of five questions about personal expectations, interpersonal relationships, expectations about the undergraduate program and career development, the institution where they were enrolled, and a social-demographic questionnaire. Content analysis was performed to analyze data. Students described their own expectations regarding the job market, and personal and occupational benefits from studying in Higher Education. These results support previous studies that have suggested that first-year students present high expectations about higher education. We discuss the implications of the results in future researches and intervention with students, especially the ones with difficulties in academic adaptation.Este trabajo analiza expectativas académicas de universitarios al ingresar en la Enseñanza Superior. Participaron del estudio 205 estudiantes del primer y segundo año de la Enseñanza Superior. Los participantes respondieron a un cuestionario sobre expectativas personales, recursos personales, relaciones interpersonal, expectativas acerca del curso, carrera, institución educativa y un cuestionario de datos sociodemográficos. Los datos se sometieron a análisis cualitativos, utilizando el análisis de contenido. Los estudiantes describen sus expectativas hacia el mercado de trabajo y a las ganancias personales y profesionales resultantes hecho de cursar la Enseñanza Superior. Estos resultados reiteran estudios anteriores indicando que alumnos del primer arimer aonales, recursos personales, las relaciones interpersonales, Se discuten las implicaciones de los resultados para nuevas investigaciones e intervenciones con universitarios, especialmente aquellos con dificultades de adaptación académica.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Controlling Macrophage Polarization to Modulate Inflammatory Cues Using Immune-Switch Nanoparticles

The persistence of inflammatory mediators in tissue niches significantly impacts regenerative outcomes and contributes to chronic diseases. Interleukin-4 (IL4) boosts pro-healing phenotypes in macrophages (MÏ ) and triggers the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). Since the IL4/STAT6 pathway reduces MÏ responsiveness to inflammation in a targeted and precise manner, IL4 delivery offers personalized possibilities to overcome inflammatory events. Despite its therapeutic potential, the limited success of IL4-targeted delivery is hampered by inefficient vehicles. Magnetically assisted technologies offer precise and tunable nanodevices for the delivery of cytokines by combining contactless modulation, high tissue penetration, imaging features, and low interference with the biological environment. Although superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have shown clinical applicability in imaging, SPION-based approaches have rarely been explored for targeted delivery and cell programming. Herein, we hypothesized that SPION-based carriers assist in efficient IL4 delivery to MÏ , favoring a pro-regenerative phenotype (M2Ï ). Our results confirmed the efficiency of SPION-IL4 and MÏ responsiveness to SPION-IL4 with evidence of STAT6-mediated polarization. SPION-IL4-treated MÏ showed increased expression of M2Ï associated-mediators (IL10, ARG1, CCL2, IL1Ra) when compared to the well-established soluble IL4. The ability of SPION-IL4 to direct MÏ polarization using sophisticated magnetic nanotools is valuable for resolving inflammation and assisting innovative strategies for chronic inflammatory conditions.This research was funded by the European Research Council, Consolidator Grant Magtendon, grant number 772817. FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, grant number SFDH/BD/144816/2019. FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the Scientific Employment Stimulus—Individual Call: 2020.01157.CEECIND

ENERGY COST DURING WALKING AND RUNNING A SAME DISTANCE IS ASSOCIATED WITH VERTICAL OSCILLATION ON GRAVITY CENTER.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate which factors are involved in energetic cost of running and walking a same distance (2,000 meters). Eight healthy men were submitted to walking (5.5km/h) and running (11Km/h) tests, when oxygen consumption, for energy expenditure of exercise, was monitored, and images of volunteers were recorded for vertical oscillation of gravity center. Both, total oxygen consumption and estimated energetic cost were significantly higher during the running test (

A comunidade de insetos endófagos de Asteraceae em Cerrados de São Paulo

A survey of the endophagous insects fauna associated to Asteraceae capitula was carried out from 2000 to 2002 in eight cerrado sensu stricto sites located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Sixty-four endophagous species of Diptera and Lepidoptera were recorded from 49 asteracean host plants. Approximately half of the species were obtained from a single locality, with a large proportion emerging from a single sample (unicates). Thirty percent of the species were singletons (i.e. only one individual was recorded). The large proportion of rare species suggests a high species turnover among localities. Lepidopteran species were recorded on more host species than dipterans, confirming their more polyphagous food habit, also observed in other Brazilian biomes and in Europe. We conclude that the studied cerrado localities, all within São Paulo State, are isolated with its invertebrate fauna composed of many rare and exclusive species. We suggest that the maintenance of Asteraceae biodiversity and their endophagous insects depend on the conservation of all cerrado remnants in the state.No presente estudo foi realizado um levantamento da fauna de insetos endófagos de capítulos de Asteraceae (Compostas), de 2000 a 2002, em oito localidades de cerrados sensu stricto no estado de São Paulo. Foram obtidas 64 espécies de endófagos (dípteros e lepidópteros) de 49 espécies de hospedeiras. Aproximadamente metade das espécies foi obtida de apenas uma área, e destas uma grande proporção ocorreu em apenas uma amostra (unicatas). Trinta por cento das espécies foram consideradas singletons (apenas um indivíduo foi obtido). A grande quantidade de espécies raras sugere uma forte troca de espécies entre diferentes áreas. Lepidópteros foram registrados em mais espécies hospedeiras que dípteros, confirmando o já observado para o mesmo sistema de insetos e plantas em outros ambientes no Brasil e Europa. As áreas de cerrado sensu stricto estudadas no estado de São Paulo encontram-se isoladas, com uma grande parte da fauna de invertebrados composta por muitas espécies raras e exclusivas. Diante deste quadro, sugere-se que a manutenção da biodiversidade de Asteraceae e seus endófagos em seus níveis atuais depende da conservação de todo o conjunto de remanescentes de cerrado do estado.458468Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity

Sex differences; COVID-19Diferències de sexe; COVID-19Diferencias de sexo; COVID-19Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (P = 1.3 × 10−22 and P = 8.1 × 10−12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (P = 4.4 × 10−8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (P = 2.7 × 10−8) and ARHGAP33 (P = 1.3 × 10−8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative (HGI) confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, P = 4.1 × 10−8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20_00622 to A.C., COV20/00792 to M.B., COV20_00181 to C.A., COV20_1144 to M.A.J.S., PI20/00876 to C.F.); European Union (ERDF) ‘A way of making Europe’. Fundación Amancio Ortega, Banco de Santander (to A.C.), Estrella de Levante S.A. and Colabora Mujer Association (to E.G.-N.) and Obra Social La Caixa (to R.B.); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (RTC-2017-6471-1 to C.F.), Cabildo Insular de Tenerife (CGIEU0000219140 ‘Apuestas científicas del ITER para colaborar en la lucha contra la COVID-19’ to C.F.) and Fundación Canaria Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Canarias (PIFIISC20/57 to C.F.)

Fatal outcome in classic Kaposi's sarcoma

First described in 1872, Kaposi's sarcoma is defined as a rare multifocal tumor that originates in the endothelial cells and presents with cutaneous and extracutaneous manifestations. The classic form is most common in elderly men and progression is slow. This tumor responds well to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This report describes a classic case of Kaposi's sarcoma in a woman with skin and visceral manifestations in whom the disease rapidly progressed to a fatal outcome.Descrito em 1872, o sarcoma de Kaposi é neoplasia multicêntrica rara originária de células endoteliais com manifestação cutânea e extracutânea. A forma clássica é muito mais frequente em homens idosos, com evolução prolongada e boa resposta a quimioterapia e radioterapia. Apresentaremos um caso de sarcoma de Kaposi clássico com comprometimento cutâneo e visceral em paciente do sexo feminino com rápida evolução fatal.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL