Are aquatic fungi able to evaluate microplastic impacts on leaf litter decomposition process?

Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as a threat, and an ecotoxicological risk for aquatic ecosystems. MPs toxicity is determined by their physical and chemical properties, including particle size, shape, surface area or polymer type. Aquatic hyphomycetes are a group of fungi that have the greatest ecological effects on freshwater ecosystems, as they are involved in a key process on these ecosystems, the decomposition of plant litter in streams. These fungi have the ability to degrade and consequently transform leaf material into a more suitable food source for stream detritivores, being important mediators in the energy and nutrient transfer to higher trophic levels. The knowledge on the impacts of MPs on aquatic fungi and the processes they driven is very scarce, so the main goal of this study was to assess the impacts of different sizes of MPs (fragments, FR; and pellets, PE) on the leaf litter decomposition, measuring functional aspects such as leaf mass loss, fungal reproduction and activity of plant litter degrading enzymes. A microcosm experiment was used with monocultures and combinations up to three aquatic hyphomycetes species (Articulospora tetracladia, Tricladium splendens, and Heliscus lugdunensis), where concentrations of FR (0.5 and 2 g L-1) and PE (2 g L-1) were added. We expected that: i) the presence of FR could negatively affect all functional aspects; ii) the impacts of the PE could not be so strong as FR impacts, as PE has a bigger size than FR; iii) the traits of the fungal species would matter to face MP exposure because the traits of certain fungal species may be of greater importance than species number to maintain ecological processes. FR or PE led to a stimulation of leaf mass loss especially in combinations of two aquatic hyphomycetes. Consequently, the activity of degrading enzymes increased in the presence of 0.5 g L-1 FR and PE. Fungal sporulation rate increased in the presence of FR, especially for monocultures and combinations of three aquatic hyphomycetes, while the presence of PE decreased fungal sporulation in combinations of the three aquatic hyphomycetes. Our results showed the MPs influence in the activity and diversity of microbial decomposers, putting at risk the processes they drive in freshwaters. This suggest the aquatic hyphomycetes as potential microorganisms to be used to evaluate the MPs impacts on leaf decomposition process

Impacts of warming on aquatic decomposers along a gradient of cadmium stress

We evaluated the effects of cadmium and temperature on plant-litter decomposition by examining diversity and activity of aquatic fungi and leaf consumption by Limnephilus sp., a typical invertebrate shredder of Iberian streams. Freshly fallen leaves were immersed in a stream to allow microbial colonization, and were exposed in microcosms to a gradient of cadmium (≤11 levels, ≤35 mg L-1 ). Microcosms were kept at 15 ºC, a temperature typically found in Iberian streams in autumn, and at 21 ºC to simulate a warming scenario. The increase in temperature stimulated leaf decomposition by microbes, fungal reproduction and leaf consumption by the shredder. Conversely, increased cadmium concentrations inhibited fungal reproduction and diversity, and leaf consumption by the invertebrate. Cadmium concentration inhibiting 50% of fungal reproduction, microbial decomposition and leaf consumption by the shredder was higher at 15 ºC than at 21 ºC, suggesting that higher temperatures can lead to increased metal toxicity to aquatic decomposers.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the projects PTDC/CLI/67180/2006 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-007112) and PEst-C/BIA/UI4050/2011

Postural evaluation in women with chronic pelvic pain

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate by photogrammetry, postural changes in women with chronic pelvic pain. METHODS: thirty women with complaint of chronic pelvic pain and 37 without it, in a total of 67 women, were evaluated. The evaluation was realized through anamnesis, fixed markers in defined anatomical sites, and frontal, posterior, left and right lateral photographies. Photo analysis has been done by the software CorelDraw®, version 11.0. Quantitative values for postural analysis of the ankle, the knee in the saggittal plan, pelvis, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, adducted/abducted scapula, shoulders, head and third finger on the floor test were obtained. The qualitative variables studied were the knee (varus, valgus or normal), the presence or not of winged scapula and leveling of shoulders. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 16.0 was used for the statistical analyses. Fisher's exact test and Monte-Carlo method were used to compare the qualitative variables, and for the quantitative data, t or Mann-Whitney test was used. The comparisons among continuous data, corrected for possible confusion variables were realized by the univariate covariance analysis. Significance level was established at 0.05 or 5%. RESULTS: there were significant differences between cases and controls for protruded head (47.5 and 52.0º, respectively; p<0.0001) and for protruded shoulders (1.9 and 1.6 cm, respectively; p=0.03). The other variables did not show significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: based on these results, attention to head and shoulder posture, to antalgic postures and to the emotional factor is recommended. Women with chronic pelvic pain should be treated, taking into consideration individual muscle-skeletal changes, and social and emotional conditions.OBJETIVO: avaliar por meio da fotogrametria as alterações posturais de mulheres com dor pélvica crônica. MÉTODOS: foram avaliadas 30 mulheres com queixa de dor pélvica crônica e 37 sem essa queixa, totalizando 67 mulheres. A avaliação constituiu de anamnese, colocação de marcadores fixos em pontos anatômicos definidos e obtenção de fotografias em vista frontal, posterior, lateral esquerda e direita. A análise das fotos foi realizada com o software CorelDraw®, versão 11.0. Foram identificados valores para as variáveis de análise postural de tornozelo, joelho no plano sagital, pelve, lordose lombar, cifose torácica, escápula aduzida/abduzida, ombros, cabeça e teste do terceiro dedo ao chão. As variáveis qualitativas estudadas foram joelho (varo, valgo ou normal), presença ou não de escápula alada e de nivelamento de ombros. Para as análises estatísticas utilizamos o Statistical Package for Social Sciences, versão 16.0. Para a comparação entre as variáveis qualitativas foi utilizado o teste exato de Fisher e método de Monte-Carlo e, para a comparação de dados quantitativos foi utilizado o teste t ou o de Mann-Whitney. As comparações entre os dados contínuos corrigidos para possíveis variáveis de confusão foram feitas pela análise de covariância univariada. O nível de significância foi estabelecido como 0,05 ou 5%. RESULTADOS: foi observada diferença significante entre casos e controles para cabeça protusa (47,5 e 52,0º, respectivamente; p<0,0001) e ombros protusos (1,9 e 1,6 cm, respectivamente; p=0,03). As demais variáveis não apresentaram diferenças significativas. CONCLUSÕES: com os resultados obtidos sugere-se atenção à postura da cabeça e dos ombros, à postura antálgica e ao fator emocional. A mulher com dor pélvica crônica deve ser tratada levando-se em consideração suas alterações musculoesqueléticas individuais, condições sociais e emocionais.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de GinecologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de GinecologiaSciEL

A eficácia da embalagem como ferramenta de comunicação

A eficácia da embalagem como ferramenta de comunicação é o tema central desta monografia. A embalagem é um elemento bastante importante em um produto. Ela é capaz de criar a imagem e o conceito de um produto ou até mesmo de uma empresa na cabeça do consumidor. Ela possui uma comunicação direta com o cliente no ponto de venda, e a cada dia que passa surgem novas formas de utilizá-la para as organizações se comunicarem com o consumidor. A embalagem como ferramenta de comunicação é uma nova tendência entre as principais empresas do mundo. Há algum tempo atrás, os profissionais de comunicação não compreendiam a embalagem como um item básico para se destacar perante a concorrência e comunicar-se com o consumidor. Atualmente, essa ferramenta está afetando diretamente nas estratégias de marketing, construindo identidade própria para o produto, fidelizando clientes e agregando valor de imagem à marca das grandes empresas

Lessons, discoveries, challenges, and results in an interdisciplinary learning community of higher education teachers

The present study describes how a group of higher education teachers, from different disciplinary areas, came to constitute themselves as a learning community. Learning communities allow the exchange of information, tools, experiences, innovative practices, as well as knowledge transfer between colleagues in a faster and more relevant way. Despite the disciplinary diversity, the focus on university pedagogy grounded new practices. Teachers learned lessons through peer observation, discovered skills and competencies in the joint discussion, and accepted challenges to witness their experiences in professional forums foreign to their previous experience. It should be noted that the collaborative learning experience factor, which counts on another teacher as a reflective pair, allowed progressive social learning in this learning community that is ongoing for two years.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tutorial support in higher education: building critical and interdisciplinary reflection based on the experience of four teachers

Tutoring in higher education has been adopted as an educational method to improve the quality of teaching, particularly in graduate studies. It is usually practiced at the end of the course and requires the tutor to provide descriptive feedback to their students about their academic path, or, in the case of internships, assist with the writing of the final thesis or dissertation. In a tutorial system, as learning takes place the tutor's feedback is usually customized to fit the specific needs of each student essentially through a one-to-one relationship, resulting in developmental benefits both for the student and the tutor. Still, although widely described in the education literature for nearly two decades [1]–[5], the analysis of tutorial support from an interdisciplinary point of view has not been deeply explored, nor the best practices described in this sense. Therefore, this study aimed to compare tutoring practice in different subject areas. As such, veterinary sciences, social work, pharmaceutical sciences, and education were the ecosystems in which tutoring was explored and applied, aiming to analyze common strategies, and ultimately detect and share good practices for pedagogical improvements. The present work results from a qualitative study, based on the analysis of interviews regarding the tutoring expectations of four higher education professors based on five major parameters: Learning Alliance, Mental availability, Disciplinary Specialization, Technical Expertise, and Institutional Context. The objective was to evaluate what kind of strategies were adopted by each teacher and if the pedagogical practices are effective in fulfilling the learning objectives. Overall, all four teachers agreed upon that mentoring experience is a fundamental path for the teacher's self-reflection while paving the way for the students' careers. Furthermore, it supports the notion that interdisciplinary differences, different methodologies, styles, contexts, and practices can be used to constructively inspire and improve tutoring and reinforce good teaching and the pedagogical practices of teachers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Parking goes mobile: a research proposal

This paper presents a research proposal to study the process to create a mobile application considering important restrictions on the development schedule and on the team size. The objective of the application is to help citizens to find parking spots in urban context. A theoretical framework is presented, based on several dimensions, such as the software development approach, the different mobile application’s types and its implications, the specific design issues for mobile applications, the technological frameworks that could be used, and an analysis of the existent applications that have similar objectives. The research proposal is described: its objectives, the research question, and a discussion on technical options related with the dimensions of the theoretical framework. The following steps of the project are outlined