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Nesta investigação apresentamos os resultados de como a colaboração favorece o desenvolvimento profissional de um grupo de professoras dos anos iniciais de uma escola pública que se propuseram a implementar a alfabetização científica em suas aulas. As docentes se reuniram virtualmente em função da pandemia com o objetivo de discutir e propor soluções para trabalharem a alfabetização científica. Neste processo, emergiram questões que se relacionavam com a sua formação inicial, sua identidade profissional e a suas respectivas práticas pedagógicas, entre outros aspectos. O grupo colaborativo mostrou-se efetivo para fomentar novas aprendizagens e visões fundamentais para o processo de desenvolvimento profissional. Tentou-se localizar quais elementos deste processo forma mais valorizados pelas professoras. Neste sentido utilizamos um modelo analítico que relaciona o desenvolvimento profissional com reflexões alinhadas a oito contextos formativos que, por sua vez, dialogam com a academia, a escola e a sociedade. Nossos achados apontam que tais reflexões foram favorecidas em função do engajamento das professoras na cultura colaborativa.

Conspiracy Theories (CTs) are a global phenomenon, but some societies are better equipped than others to resist them. This article discusses the characteristics of the China-related COVID-19 CTs in the Brazilian Facebook, based on 28,312 posts published from January 2020 to June 2021. We argue that, in Brazil, the spread of CTs was facilitated by a widespread political and knowledge institutions’ legitimacy crisis. The rise of the extremist politician Jair Bolsonaro to the Presidency provides evidence in this regard. In consequence, the boundaries between fringe and mainstream politics become porous. This article discusses which agents disseminate China-related COVID-19 CTs, and which topics receive more attention. We found a significant presence of actors belonging to mainstream politics and the media among the CTs’ main disseminators. Additionally, the CTs circulating in the Brazilian social media environment reproduce concerns about China’s growing presence in the global arena, which originate elsewhere. Still, they add a specific emphasis on the Communist threat. We sustain that this emphasis relates as much to Brazil’s internal politics as to China itself.

SIGEDU é uma Plataforma para professores de Atendimento Educacional Especializada - AEE. A plataforma SIGEDU faz parte do Projeto de tese doutorado desenvolvido no Programa de pós-graduação em Informática na Educação. Trata-se de um sistema computacional que tem como objetivo organizar, sistematizar e produzir documentos que fazem parte do cotidiano dos professores de AEE. A plataforma apresenta um conjunto de funcionalidade que podem ser utilizadas no modo mobile e web.

Currently, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are considered a substitute for low-power lasers in phototherapy protocols. LEDs enable photobiomodulation on biological tissues and are considered safe and economical. However, the molecular and metabolic mechanisms involved in LED-induced photobiomodulation are not yet fully understood. This review summarizes the metabolic mechanisms involved in LED-induced photobiomodulation in biological tissues under different irradiation parameters and conditions. Studies on LED-induced metabolism photobiomodulation were accessed using scientific article databases, whose findings were summarized in terms of molecular and cellular mechanisms. Data from the accessed studies suggested that the molecular mechanism of LED-induced photobiomodulation involves photoacceptors, such as cytochrome C oxidase, membrane ion channels, mitochondrial modulation, and the production of ROS.

The Armando Ribeiro Goncalves Dam, popularly known as The Acu Dam, is an important geotechnical construction in Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeastern of Brazil. The monitoring and analysis of strains in earth dams is essential to understanding the safety conditions of these structures. The present study aimed at analyzing vertical strains at the Acu Dam using data from instruments installed in the body of the dam, and numerical modeling, in order to compare the results. The study was conducted in the construction stages of the embankment of the dam, first filling and reservoir operation. Numerical analyses were conducted with Sigma/W software, which uses the finite elements method to analyze stress and strains. The results of modeling were compared to instrumentation data reported in Rocha(Barragem Engenheiro Armando Ribeiro Goncalves: historico e avaliacao do comportamento atual, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2003). Analyzing the results of the instrumentation, it was found that the largest settlement measured was 39.71 cm, corresponding to 0.63% of the total height of the dam, and that the settlement occurred mainly in the construction period and upstream. Comparing the results between modeling and instrumentation, a good agreement is observed, especially during the construction period, mainly for the extensometers located downstream, with relative errors between 0.53% and 5.89%. It is concluded that the modeling performed and the parameters of the soils used corresponded well to the reality of the Acu dam, resulting in a satisfactory stress–strain analysis.

O objetivo do presente artigo é identificar indícios de autonomia bem como refletir sobre as tomadas de decisão e os impasses frente à preparação da Sonata K. 271 de Domenico Scarlatti por dois graduandos no período anterior ao início das aulas de instrumento. Através da observação de sessões de prática, das anotações da partitura e de entrevistas foram identificados diferentes nuances de autonomia definidos pelas metas estabelecidas, organização e persistência no emprego de estratégias durante a prática. Impasses quanto à leitura e memorização bem como dependência para a realização de escolhas interpretativas também foram observados.

No Estado do Rio Grande do Norte encontram-se falésias constituídas por sedimentos da Formação Barreiras sobre os quais se desenvolvem cidades e obras de infraestrutura. Nesta região são relatados, movimentos de massa, em proporções relevantes, principalmente em períodos de chuva. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as propriedades geotécnicas dos solos da Formação Barreiras que compõem a falésia da praia da Barra de Tabatinga/RN. A falésia estudada foi dividida em três solos predominantes, os quais estão localizados na camada de base (AM-01), meio (AM-02) e topo (AM-03). Nesses solos, foram realizados ensaios de caracterização (geotécnica, química e mineralógica), ensaios para determinação da curva de retenção, ensaios de permeabilidade, compressão triaxial e diametral nas condições saturada e não saturada. As amostras AM-01 e AM-02 apresentaram curvas de retenção bimodais, diferentemente da amostra do topo, que apresentou formato unimodal. Além disso, todas elas apresentaram coesão próxima de zero e ângulo de atrito em torno de 30° na condição saturada. No entanto, quando não saturadas, os parâmetros de resistência aumentaram consideravelmente, apresentando diferenças significativas entre as amostras. A resistência a tração diminuiu com o aumento do grau de saturação chegando a atingir valores desprezíveis em todos os solos quando saturadas. O solo do topo é o mais permeável dos solos estudados, apresentando coeficiente de permeabilidade compatível com uma areia pura.

BACKGROUND A growing body of evidence suggests that SARS-COV-2 infection during pregnancy may affect maternal-fetal outcomes and possibly result in implications for the long-term development of SARS-CoV-2–exposed children. OBJECTIVE The PROUDEST (Pregnancy Outcomes and Child Development Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Study) is a multicenter, prospective cohort study designed to elucidate the repercussions of COVID-19 for the global health of mothers and their children. METHODS The PROUDEST trial comprises 2 prospective, sequential substudies. The PREGNANT substudy will clinically assess the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium from a mechanistic standpoint to elucidate the pregnancy-related inflammatory and immunological phenomena underlying COVID-19. Pregnant women aged 18-40 years who have been exposed (proven with laboratory tests) to SARS-CoV-2 (group A; n=300) will be compared to control subjects with no laboratory evidence of in-pregnancy exposure to the virus (group B; n=300). Subjects exposed to other infections during pregnancy will be excluded. The BORN substudy is a long-term follow-up study that will assess the offspring of women who enrolled in the prior substudy. It will describe the effects of SARS-CoV-2 exposure during pregnancy on children’s growth, neurodevelopment, and metabolism from birth up to 5 years of age. It includes two comparison groups; group A (exposed; n=300) comprises children born from SARS-CoV-2–exposed pregnancies, and group B (controls; n=300) comprises children born from nonexposed mothers. RESULTS Recruitment began in July 2020, and as of January 2021, 260 pregnant women who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and 160 newborns have been included in the study. Data analysis is scheduled to start after all data are collected. CONCLUSIONS Upon completion of the study, we expect to have comprehensive data that will provide a better understanding of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and related inflammatory and immunological processes on pregnancy, puerperium, and infancy. Our findings will inform clinical decisions regarding the care of SARS-CoV-2–exposed mothers and children and support the development of evidence-based public health policies. CLINICALTRIAL Brazilian Register of Clinical Trials RBR65QXS2; https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-65qxs2 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/26477

BACKGROUND A growing body of evidence suggests that infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy may affect maternal-fetal outcomes, with possible implications for the long-term development of exposed children OBJECTIVE The PRegnancy OUtcomes and child Development Effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection STudy (PROUDEST) is a multicenter prospective study designed to understand the repercussions of COVID-19 to mother-child global health. METHODS The PROUDEST trial comprises two prospective sequential substudies. The PREGNANT substudy will assess the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium clinically and from a mechanistic standpoint to understand the inflammatory and immunological phenomena underlying COVID-19 in relation to pregnancy. Pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years with laboratory-proven exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (group A, n = 300) will be compared to control subjects with no laboratory evidence of in-pregnancy exposure to the virus (group B, n = 300). Subjects exposed to other infections during pregnancy will be excluded. The BORN substudy is a long-term follow-up study assessing the offspring of women who entered the prior substudy. It will describe the effects of SARS-CoV-2 exposure during pregnancy on children’s growth, neurodevelopment and metabolism from birth up to five years of age. It includes two comparison groups: group A (exposed, n = 300) comprises children born from SARS-CoV-2-exposed pregnancies, and group B (controls, n = 300) comprises children from nonexposed mothers. RESULTS The recruitment has begun in July, 2020 and until September, 2020, 115 pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and 80 newborns were included. Data analysis is scheduled to start after all inclusion data have been collected. CONCLUSIONS Upon completion of the study, we expect to have obtained comprehensive data to provide a better understanding of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 and its inflammatory and immunological processes on pregnancy, puerperium and infancy. Our findings will inform clinical decisions regarding the care of exposed mothers and children and support the development of evidence-based public health policies. CLINICALTRIAL The PROUDEST study was registered on the Brazilian Register of Clinical Trials website (https://www. http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br), ID RBR-65qxs2, on June 13th, 2020, where Brazilian clinical trials are exclusively registered.

IntroductionRecently, we demonstrated that the polynomial interpolation method can be used to accurately calculate the daily acceleration of cases and deaths by Covid-19. The acceleration of new cases is important for the characterization and comparison of epidemic curves. The objective of this work is to measure the diversity of epidemic curves and understand the importance of socioeconomic variables in the acceleration, peak cases and deaths by Covid-19 in Brazilian states.MethodsThis is an ecological study with time series analysis of new cases and deaths by Covid-19 in Brazil and its 27 federation units. Using the polynomial interpolation method, we calculated the daily cases and deaths with the measurement of the respective acceleration. We calculated the correlation coefficient between the epidemic curve data and socioeconomic data.ResultsThe combination of daily data and acceleration determined that the states of Brazil are in different stages of the epidemic. Maximum acceleration of peak cases, peak of cases, maximum acceleration of deaths and peak of deaths are associated with the Gini index and population density, but did not correlate with HDI and per capita income.ConclusionBrazilian states showed heterogeneous data curves. Density population and socioeconomic inequality are associated with worse control of the epidemic.

Resumo A atividade mineradora pode apresentar potenciais riscos radiológicos em decorrência da presença de radionuclídeos primordiais associados aos minérios explorados. No nordeste brasileiro, as mineradoras de caulim estão estabelecidas principalmente na região da Província Pegmatítica Borborema-Seridó localizada entre os estados da Paraíba e do Rio Grande do Norte. O minério da caulinita traz agregado materiais formados por elementos das séries do U-238 e Th-232, além do K-40. A presença desses radioisótopos naturais pode conferir elevados níveis de radiação ionizante associados ao material extraído das minas. A UNSCEAR divulga a dose efetiva média mundial de exposição às fontes naturais de radiação como 2,42 mSv.a-1. Estudos nacionais e internacionais demonstraram que a atividade radioativa do caulim pode exceder os valores médios mundiais. Este estudo objetivou o mapeamento radiométrico das áreas de exploração do caulim na região do Seridó devido à proximidade com jazidas de urânio. Foi utilizado um detector cintilador de NaI (Tl) para realizar as medições de taxa de dose efetiva nas proximidades de quatro minas da região e foram obtidos valores que variaram entre 1,37 a 2,94 mSv.a-1. Os resultados obtidos sugerem a necessidade de uma abordagem mais profunda como a obtenção de amostras de solo e rocha para outras análises.

Despite being natural processes of the Earth’s surface dynamics, mass movements can be accelerated or sparked by human interference. Human activities such as developments in highly susceptible mass movements areas have been the main cause of accidents linked to landslides in Brazilian urban hillsides. In Natal - RN, the existence of areas with high declivity combined with inappropriate human occupation has been making the city vulnerable to stability problems of slopes. In this context, this work aimed to map the risk and analyze situations of hazard, vulnerability, and risk of incidence of mass movements present in São José do Jacó community, in Rocas neighborhood, Natal/RN. In order to map the risk, the methodology proposed by [1] was applied and adjusted to the characteristics of the study area. The mapping results showed that São José do Jacó presented a high degree of risk, ranging from high to very high. The analysis of hazard, vulnerability and risk has made possible to observe the factors that triggers mass movements in the area, among which: steep slopes, disordered cut slopes, dense occupation, inefficient drainage system, septic tanks and cesspools on the edge or in the middle of the talus and low/medium vegetation cover can be identified. The detailed research of the hazard, vulnerability and risk situations found in São José do Jacó community has enabled a better understanding of the area’s aspects, which lead to the obtention of high degree of risk.

Deep mining operations require special measures in order to keep safe and economic aspects. After mine ore is extracted, voids are created and need to be filled with high-strength, low-cost materials. Cemented Paste Backfill (CPB) has recently become one of the main alternatives in filling stopes. Although numerous papers have mentioned the magnitudes of the strength of this material, its behavior under high confining pressures is still not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to increase the knowledge regarding the CPB behavior. Triaxial compression tests were performed using a Hoek Cell and Load Frame System under high confining pressures. Samples with two different binder contents were used in order to obtain the CPB strength improvement. Besides the self-weight consolidation curing method, samples were subjected to a different curing method that simulated a zero gravity condition (rotating wheel) in the first curing day to compare their mixture properties. The results suggested that both curing method and binder content have influenced the geomechanical properties of Cemented Paste Backfill. By increasing the curing time, the CPB shear strength has increased slightly, whereas specimens with higher binder content presented a significant increase in shear strength values.

The coastline is constantly in undergoing change, in terms of its position (retreat) and form. The retreat of coastal cliffs is a physical, dynamic and complex process that is controlled mainly by the geology of the area, strength properties of materials, marine conditions and climatic aspects of the region. This process is directly related to basal erosion, which is basically the mechanical destruction and/or removal of soil particles from the toe of coastal cliffs, caused mainly by wave action. Basal cliff erosion decreases the stability of the slope and may trigger mass movements and coast retreats. The coastal area of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) consists predominantly of sandy beaches and cliffs of Barreiras Formation. In this area, the human occupation has been increasing; therefore, it potentiates the probability of occurrence of mass movement. The objective of this study is to analyze the direct influence of basal erosion on stability of typical cliffs of the district of Tibau do Sul / Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil. The results showed that tensions are generated above the basal erosion as notch extension increases.

This paper intends to evaluate changes in permeability of a soil sample from Formação Barreiras, in Natal, the capital city of Rio Grande do Norte State, related to the degree of compaction and the adding of clay to the soil sample. In field works, samples were collected and permeability and density tests were performed. In laboratory, grain size distribution, Attemberg limits and particle density tests were conducted. Afterwards, compaction and permeability tests fulfilled the set of laboratory tests, with changes in compactive energy and sample clay content. The results from field and laboratory tests were compared and the relationship between compaction energy and sample clay content were portrayed. The soil was classified as silty sand. Field and laboratory test results were quite similar. As expected, the tests indicated that permeability is inversely proportional to both compaction energy and sample clay content in the soil tested.

Scudelari, A.C.; Neves, C.F.; Amaro, V.E., and Santos, O.F., 2016. Ponta Negra Beach, Natal, RN, Brazil: A roll and rock story. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 815–819. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The paper presents a case study of the erosion process at Ponta Negra Beach, important touristic destination located 15 km south of the downtown area of the city of Natal, capital of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast Region of Brazil. Unplanned urbanization was followed by an attempt in late 1990's to improve the use of the beach front area. A 4 km long walkway was built along the beach on top of the foredunes, water supply and sewage pipes were buried into the landfill, and a seawall was built to contain the landfill. A slow unattended erosion process was initiated, until in 2012 the seawall and the walkwa...

Barbosa, N.; Taquez, D.; Santos Jr, O.; Freitas Neto, O.D., and Scudelari, A., 2020. The effect of basal erosion on sea cliff stability. In: Malvarez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 362–366. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Coastal areas attract substantial interest from the general population, and development is quite common in these regions. Therefore, it is necessary to study coastal erosive processes to provide a better understanding of the factors that influence the stability of sea cliffs and consequently their safety. In this paper, two typical cliff profiles were studied: a vertical cliff section and another with a lower slope. Both profiles are representative of slopes existing on the northeastern coast of Brazil. Basal incisions of 1 m, 2 m and 3 m were evaluated. The cliffs considered are not subjected to anthropogenic activities, and thus, only natural conditions influence their stability. The stability of the cliffs was investigated through a comparative analysis between the tensile stresses acting on the slopes and the tensile strengths of the materials considered. For the cliff with a lower slope, it was verified that the tensile stresses obtained presented low values, whereas in the vertical cliff, the tensile stresses were significantly higher. The main mechanism responsible for triggering instability processes is the partial increase in the degree of soil saturation caused by rainfall, which decreases the soil strength and triggers landslides. From the tests carried out, it was observed that the cohesion intercept of the saturated soils is approximately 26% of the value obtained for the soils with natural moisture content. However, the angles of internal friction in both cases suffer negligible variations. The study of the stability analysis presented in this paper effectively represents the types of failures observed in cliffs on the Brazilian coast. The analysis by tensile stress is much more coherent than the failure surfaces obtained by traditional methods of analysis.

A new species of Neotropical social wasp, Protopolybia lidiae Santos & Silveira, sp. nov. (Brazil: Pará) is described and illustrated. The hitherto unknown male of P. minutissima (Spinola, 1851) and the nest of P. clypeata Santos, Silveira & Carpenter, 2015, are described. Additional information on nest variation and new collection records are presented for other species of the exigua species-group.

The city of Tibau do Sul, a popular tourist destination in Rio Grande do Norte state, is famous for its sea cliffs, which reach a maximum height of 50m. However, mass movements are causing them to retreat. The aim of this paper is to study mass movements and their causes on the coast of Tibau do Sul, in order to better understand cliff dynamics and assess the constructive potential of the surrounding land. Field work was undertaken to characterize the area and analyze slope stability using the Hoek and Bray method [1]. The effects of height, inclination and ground cohesion were analyzed for stability.

This article aims at assessing the influence of relative density on the hydraulic conductivity and shear strength of two sands, denominated S01 and S02, derived from different regions and formation processes. S01 is wind-blown and S2 alluvial. The results of characterization and hydraulic conductivity in constant head tests were presented for both samples. The results of direct shear tests with sand S01 prepared with 5 different void ratios were also presented, for a vertical stress of 100kPa. The S02 sample was prepared with 4 different void ratios and these underwent direct shear testing with vertical stresses of 25kPa and 150kPa. This sample was prepared with the maximum and minimum void ratio and submitted to strength tests at CD triaxial compression with confining stresses of 50kPa, 100kPa and 200kPa. Results showed that even with different grain sizes, and under different density conditions, there were no significant variations in the permeability of the materials. With respect to shear strength, sand S01 obtained higher angle of friction values than sand S02, even though the latter had a higher percent coarse fraction. Sand S02 was relatively similar in terms of friction angle values obtained in direct shear and triaxial compression strength tests.

The methodologies used to calculate piled raft foundations are normally more complex than conventional foundations due to the large number of variables involved in the problem. In the conventional block, the interaction variables considered are only between the pile and the soil. In the piled raft, all the interaction effects must be considered, as follows: plate-soil, plate-piles and piles-soil, simultaneously. The Finite Element Method (FEM) has proven to be a useful tool in analyzing these types of problems. This study aims at assessing the behavior of piled rafts using the Cesar-LCPC numerical tool, version 4.0, which is based on the finite element method. Literature cases of rafts supported by 9, 15 and 16 piles were analyzed. The results obtained were compared with analysis methods presented in the bibliography. The following parameters were assessed: relative spacing (S/D), relative length (L/D), relative stiffness between piles and the soil (KPS), and settlement of piles and the raft. The spacing between piles has a significant influence on load distribution between piles and the raft. Very small spacing provides stiffness to the foundation, which then functions as a conventional pile foundation, in which only the piles absorb the load from the superstructure. The larger the L/D ratio, the lower the settlement and for a given modulus of elasticity of the pile, the increase in relative stiffness (KPS) causes an increase in settlement. In all analyses, the data obtained corroborated the results presented by other methods published in the literature.

The dune sands of the coast of Rio Grande do Norte State, northeastern Brazil, have serious engineering problems, namely low bearing capacity for shallow foundations and are not suitable as material for sub-base and road base. The use of this material in engineering practice needs improvement of their geotechnical properties. This paper investigates the effect of adding Portland cement to stabilize dune sand from the region of Natal, Brazil. Undrained triaxial tests were carried out to evaluate the effect of cement content on the geotechnical behaviour of dune sand-cement admixtures. Tests with admixtures with cement contents of 2.5, 5 and 10% of the dry mass of soil were carried out. Results showed that soil cohesion increased with increasing cement content. The friction angle of the admixtures was lower than that of the uncemented sand for cement content of 2.5 and 5% while It was larger than that of the uncemented sand for cement content of 10%.

This paper investigates the behavior of a 15-m high multi-anchored bored pile wall built in a dune sand overlying a naturally occurring lateritic soil layer. A parametric study using the finite element method was carried out to model wall deflections and ground movements during construction phases. Deflection results from the numerical simulations were compared to data collected in the field. The maximum horizontal wall deflection shows a non-linear decreasing trend with increasing system stiffness. Embedment length was found to play a secondary role on wall deflections. Predicted horizontal wall deflections after preloading of second and third anchor layers were on average 30% smaller than the corresponding field values.

The prime objective in the surgical treatment of basilar impression (BI), Chiari malformation (CM), and/or syringomyelia (SM) is based on restoration of the normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics at the craniovertebral junction and creation of a large artificial cisterna magna, avoiding the caudal migration of the hindbrain. It is observed that a large craniectomy might facilitate an upward migration of the posterior fossa structures. There are many surgical techniques to decompress the posterior fossa; however, a gold standard approach remains unclear. The authors present the results of 192 cases of BI, CM, and SM treated between 1975 and 2008 and whose surgical treatment was characterized by a large craniectomy without tonsillectomy with the patient in the sitting position, large opening of the fourth ventricle, and duraplasty. O principal objetivo no tratamento cirúrgico da impressão basilar, malformação de Chiari e/ou siringomielia fundamenta-se na restauração da dinâmica do líquido cefalorraqueano ao nível da transição craniovertebral e criação de cisterna magna ampla. Isto é fator importante para evitar a migração caudal das estruturas da fossa posterior. A craniectomia ampla facilita a migração cranial dessas estruturas. Existem várias técnicas cirúrgicas para descomprimir a fossa posterior, mas não há evidência sobre qual a melhor.. Os autores apresentam os resultados de 192 casos de impressão basilar, malformação de Chiari e siringomielia, operados entre 1975 e 2008, nos quais o tratamento cirúrgico se baseou em ampla craniectomia com o paciente em posição sentada, sem tonsilectomia, abertura ampla do quarto ventrículo e enxerto dural.

Artificial cementation is a technique commonly used to improve the mechanical properties of soils for use in geotechnical engineering works, because it often provides economic and environmental advantages. In order to study the factors that influence the behavior of cemented dune sand from Natal, series of unconfined compression and splitting tension tests were performed. These tests showed that increasing the cement content and decreasing void ratio are effective ways to improve compressive strength. The same applies to tensile splitting strength. It was also established that both unconfined compressive and splitting tensile strengths can be related to a quotient between volume of void-space and cement content.

Este artigo não possui resumo.

Comparative morphology of the mandibles of female polistine social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae). Diversity of mandibular forms in female polistines is explored and compared among 116 species of all polistine genera. Inferences about function are made and discussed based on observed form differences. Mandible length and width measurements are analyzed for a subset of polistine species plus two vespines and two eumenines. A variable expressing the ratio between these variables is also considered in morphometric analyses. The following mechanical interactions among mandible structural elements are highlighted: opposition and crossing of mandibles' apical teeth at the middle of the closing trajectory; shearing action of the apical teeth against mesial denticles of the opposite mandible; shearing action of the mandible anterior margin against the ventral margin of the clypeus. In the genera Agelaia and Angiopolybia, exceptionally developed mesial mandibular structures may be related to necrophagy. In some epiponine genera, poorly developed mesial denticles and strong torsion of mandibles may be partially related to use of short wood fibers in nest construction as advanced by Sarmiento (2004). The considerable morphological variation found across the subfamily Polistinae is certain to be important in taxonomic and phylogenetic studies at the genus and species levels. Morfologia comparada da mandíbula da fêmea em vespas sociais da subfamília Polistinae (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). A diversidade morfológica da mandíbula da fêmea é explorada e comparada entre 116 espécies de todos os gêneros de Polistinae. Inferências sobre aspectos funcionais são feitas baseadas nas diferenças de forma observadas. Medidas do comprimento e largura da mandíbula, incluindo a razão entre essas variáveis, são analisadas para um subconjunto das espécies de Polistinae, mais duas de Vespinae e duas de Eumeninae. Os seguintes padrões de interação mecânica entre elementos estruturais são ressaltados: oposição e intercruzamento dos dentes apicais ao meio da trajetória de fechamento das mandíbulas; ação dilacerante dos dentes apicais contra os dentículos mesiais da mandíbula oposta; ação dilacerante da margem anterior da mandíbula contra a margem ventral do clípeo. Nos gêneros Agelaia e Angiopolybia, estruturas mesiais excepcionalmente desenvolvidas podem ser relacionadas ao hábito necrófago. Em alguns gêneros de Epiponini, o escasso desenvolvimento dos elementos mesiais e a forte torção do plano principal da mandíbula podem ser relacionados, pelo menos parcialmente, ao uso de fibras vegetais curtas na construção dos ninhos, como postulado por Sarmiento (2004). A considerável variação morfológica encontrada na subfamília Polistinae deverá prover informações importantes para análise em estudos taxonômicos e filogenéticos nos níveis de gênero e espécie.

The prime objective in the surgical treatment of basilar impression (BI), Chiari malformation (CM) and/or syringomyelia (SM) is based on the restoration of the normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics at the craniovertebral junction through the creation of a large artificial cisterna magna. A small suboccipital craniectomy has been emphasized to avoid caudal migration of the hindbrain structures into the vertebral canal. Nevertheless, the results showed downward migration of the hindbrain related to that type of craniectomy. The authors present, otherwise, the results of 104 cases of BI, CM and/or SM, whose surgical treatment was characterized by a large craniectomy with the patient in the sitting position, tonsillectomy, large opening of the fourth ventricle and duraplasty with creation of a large artificial cisterna magna. A significant upward migration of the posterior fossa structures was detected by postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. O principal objetivo no tratamento cirúrgico da impressão basilar, malformação de Chiari e/ou siringomielia fundamenta-se na restauração dinâmica do líquido cefalorraqueano ao nível da transição craniovertebral e criação de ampla cisterna magna. Uma craniectomia suboccipital de pequenas dimensões foi proposta para evitar a migração caudal de estruturas rombencefálicas no canal vertebral. Entretanto, os resultados evidenciaram migração caudal do rombencéfalo. Os autores apresentam, por outro lado, os resultados de 104 casos de malformação de Chiari e/ou siringomielia, nos quais o tratamento cirúrgico se baseou em ampla craniectomia com o paciente em posição sentada, tonsilectomia, abertura ampla do quarto ventrículo e enxerto dural com consequente criação de ampla cisterna magna. Uma significante migração cranial das estruturas da fossa posterior foi detectada pelo emprego pós-operatório da ressonância magnética.

O presente trabalho objetivou investigar a relação entre a velocidade da água e a distribuição dos estágios imaturos de Chirostilbia pertinax (Kollar, 1832) e os macroinvertebrados bentônicos associados. As coletas foram realizadas em cinco pontos, no trecho superior do Rio dos Sinos, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A fauna bentônica foi amostrada com substratos artificiais, que permaneceram instalados nos locais de maior corenteza d'água por períodos de 14 dias. Antes do recolhimento dos substratos foram realizadas medidas de velocidade d'água no local da sua instalação. Essas medidas foram agrupadas em três classes: baixa (0,20 a 0,63 m/s), média (0,64 a 1,07 m/s) e alta (1,08 a 1,50 m/s) para posterior relação com a distribuição da fauna coletada. Para avaliar a influência da velocidade de água sobre a distribuição dos macroinvertebrados e a abundância de C. pertinax foi realizada uma regressão múltipla. As coletas resultaram em 39.598 indivíduos, sendo 33.418 simulídeos e 6.180 macroinvertebrados associados. Entre os simulídeos 5.704 espécimes correspondem a larvas do último ínstar e pupas, dos quais 828 são de C. pertinax. Quanto à distribuição dessa espécie, 30,8% ocorreram na classe de baixa velocidade d'água, 24,9% na velocidade média e 44,3% na alta velocidade. Foi observado que a abundância de C. petinax aumenta à medida que os macroinvertebrados predadores diminuem e os organismos não predadores aumentam (GLM, R² = 0,207; F 2,50 = 6,536; P = 0,003). Esses resultados revelam que os imaturos de C. pertinax têm uma tendência em ocupar um microhábitat com menor ocorrência de predadores. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the distribution of the immature stages of Chirostilbia pertinax (Kollar, 1832) and associated bentic macroinvertebrates in relation to water velocity. This study was carried out on the upper course of Sinos river, in Rio Grande do Sul. Seasonal collections of larvae and pupae of black flies and associated benthic fauna were carried out at five places. In all sampling sites artificial substrates were installed, remaining submersed for 14 days in places of great water flow. Before removing the substrates the flow speeds on the collection sites were measured. To assess the distinct distribution patterns of the benthic fauna, the flow speed was divided in three classes: slow (0.20 - 0.63 m/s), medium (0.64 - 1.07 m/s) and fast (1.08 - 1.50 m/s). A total of 39,598 specimens were collected, from which 33,418 were black flies and 6,180 associated macroinvertebrates. From the total black flies, 5,704 were in the last larval instar and pupae from which 828 were C. pertinax. In the distribution of this species 30.8% occurred in slow flow, 24.9% in medium flow and 44.3% in fast flow. The abundance of C. pertinax is inversely related to the predatory macroinvertebrates (GLM, R² = 0.207; F 2.50 = 6.536; P = 0.003). These results demonstrate that the immature stages of C. pertinax have a tendency to occupy microhabitats with less predator occurrence.

The successful use of Trichogramma as biocontrol agent depends on its mass production in laboratory, a fundamental step for any biological control program among other factors. This work investigated the parasitism capacity of Trichogramma pratissolii Querino & Zuchi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), a new recorded Trichogramma species, parasitizing eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under the temperatures of 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 and 33 degree Celsius. Eggs of these hosts were offered to newly emerged females during 24h. This procedure was repeated daily for each female and each temperature up to female death, in order to estimate daily and accumulated parasitism, and female longevity. On both hosts, the daily parasitism decreased as function of the female age. Under all temperatures studied and both hosts the highest rate of parasitism was observed during the first 24h of host exposure, and reached 80% of total parasitism in the 4th and 3rd days when parasitizing A. kuehniella and C. cephalonica, respectively. On both hosts, the highest parasitism rate was observed under temperatures from 21 degree Celsius to 27 degree Celsius. Average longevities of T. pratissolii females deprived of food emerging from A. kuehniella and C. cephalonica lived for 1.0 and 8.9 days when reared at 15 degree Celsius e 33 degree Celsius, respectively. The results indicate that eggs of A. kuehniella and C. cephalonica and temperatures from 21 degree Celsius to 27 degree Celsius were appropriate to rear T. pratissolii.

The fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causal agent of the witches’ broom disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao). This fungus has a pyrophosphorylase enzyme to catalyze the formation of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of the fungal cell wall. This enzyme was studied by QM/MM methods to understand its catalytic mechanism. Initially, the structure was refined and submitted to molecular dynamics simulations. Next, QM/MM calculations were used to scan the coordinates of the reaction from the reactants to products; an SN2 mechanism has been proposed of the aforementioned reaction. In this system, the nucleophile is the oxygen atom of the phosphate group from N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate. It attacks the phosphorus of the alfa-phosphate from the uridine triphosphate to form UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and pyrophosphate. The calculated reaction was exothermic (ΔH = -81.01 Kcal/mol). On the reaction pathway, the most energetic structure had the phosphorus atom attacked in a pentacoordinate configuration. This structure interacts with the catalytic site composed by the residues Gly112, Gly113, Arg116, Lys123 and Gly225 through hydrogen bonds. During the mechanism study, the geometry of the transition state was obtained. Thus, the generation of new compounds sharing a geometric similarity with this pentacoordinate transition state can lead to the development of more active compounds possessing antifungal proprieties against witch's broom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v7i3.629

Inseticidas químicos são amplamente usados para o controle da traça-das-crucíferas, Plutella xylostella (L.). Esta é considerada a principal praga das crucíferas em todo o mundo e o surgimento de resistência de P. xylostella tem sido freqüentemente relatado. Este trabalho investigou as diferentes interações dos fungos Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok. e Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. com o parasitóide de larva-pupa Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) sobre larvas de P. xylostella. O experimento foi conduzido à temperatura de 26 ± 1°C, UR de 75 ± 5% e fotofase de 12h, empregando-se delineamento inteiramente casualizado, constando de oito tratamentos com seis repetições cada. Foram utilizados os isolados E9 de M. anisopliae e ESALQ 447 de B. bassiana, na concentração de 10(7) conídios ml-1. Os resultados mostram que M. anisopliae e B. bassiana reduziram o parasitismo de P. xylostella por O. sokolowskii . Por outro lado, efeitos aditivos no controle de P. xylostella foram evidenciados nas diferentes combinações dos fungos com o parasitóide, exceto para B. bassiana quando pulverizado 24h antes da exposição a O. sokolowskii. Os fungos M. anisopliae e B. bassiana foram mais eficientes quando aplicados após a exposição das larvas ao parasitóide, e a eficiência de O. sokolowskii foi influenciada negativamente pela presença dos fungos independente da combinação. A associação dos fungos com o parasitóide apresentam potencial para serem testados em campo, objetivando o controle de P. xylostella bem como favorecer economicamente o sistema produtivo das brássicas. Chemical insecticides are broadly applied to control diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). Diamondback moth is a major pest of cruciferous worldwide, and resistance of this pest to insecticide has been often reported. Thus, this research investigated the interactions among the fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok., Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill., and the larval-pupal parasitoid Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) before and after application of the fungi on DBM larvae offered to the parasitoid. The experiment was carried out at 26 ± 1ºC, 75 ± 5% RH and 12h photophase using a completely randomized design, with eight treatments with six replications each. The isolates E9 of M. anisopliae and ESALQ 447 of B. bassiana, were used at the concentration of 10(7) conidia ml-1. The results showed that M. anisopliae and B. bassiana reduced the parasitism of P. xylostella by O. sokolowskii. Additive effects were found on the mortality of P. xylostella with the different combinations among the fungi and parasitoid, except for the treatment B. bassiana inoculated 24h before exposition of the larvae to O. sokolowskii. The isolates were more efficacious when applied after exposition of the larvae to the parasitoid. The efficiency of O. sokolowskii was negatively influenced by the presence of the fungi, mainly when the fungi were applied 24h before diamondback's larvae were exposed to the parasitoid. The association of the fungi with the parasitoid presents potential to be tested in field. The use of these natural enemies in the integrated management of P. xylostella may economically improve the cabbage productive system, especially for organic farming.

The true importance of performing a watertight dural closure, for neurological procedures, is to avoid several complications such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, pseudomeningocele (PSM), meningitis, cerebral abscess, tonsilar herniation, hydrocephalus, etc1 […] Cerebellum, brainstem and spinal cord adhesions following basilar impression and Chiari malformation surgery

O problema aqui tratado é, dado um conjunto de testes para determinação de um diagnóstico, determinar a seqüência de execução destes testes com custo esperado mínimo. Assumindo algumas hipóteses simplificadoras, apresenta-se uma solução que fornece diretamente a seqüência ótima, eliminando a necessidade de busca. A solução se estende também a uma versão do problema com uma estrutura hierárquica de testes. O modelo é genérico, podendo aplicar-se a diagnósticos nos mais diversos contextos: de problemas de processos em controle de qualidade, de falhas de equipamentos, ou no contexto médico. É apresentada uma extensão do modelo, para situações em que algumas das hipóteses básicas do modelo original não se aplicam. Esta extensão foi motivada por um problema real, de minimização de gastos com exames sorológicos em um banco de sangue. A solução obtida para esse problema resultou em economia substancial.This work deals with the following problem: given a set of tests for a diagnosis problem, find the minimum-cost order of execution of the tests. It is shown that under some simplifying assumptions, graph search is obviated by a very straightforward solution. This solution is also applicable to situations in which the tests follow a hierarchical organization. The model is generic, with no restriction of context: it is applicable to the diagnosis of equipment failures, of problems with processes in the context of quality control, or to medical diagnosis. An extension of the basic model for the situation in which some of the simplifying assumptions are not applicable is presented. This extension was motivated by a real problem, and the solution obtained led to significant cost reduction.

Leptodactylus furnarius Sazima and Bokermann, 1978 (Figure 1) belongs to the Leptodactylus fuscus species group (Frost 2007), which contains species that build underground chambers to lay eggs in foam nests (Giaretta and Kokubum 2004). Males vocalize on wet ground and shallow water bodies where low and sparse vegetation grows or inside the chambers, near to their foam nests (Achaval and Olmos 2003; Eterovick and Sazima 2004).

Purpose Ear-rod facebow techniques may position casts high or low between the upper and lower members on the articulator when using orbitale or nasion as anterior reference positions. This study assessed the effect of changing the anterior reference position on simulated mountings utilizing simulated ear-rod facebow. Materials and methods Tracings from latoral cephalographs made on seven subjects were superimposed with an outline model of a semiadjustable articulator. Three simulated mountings were performed for each subject in which the plane of occlusion was positioned (1) high, (2) midway, and (3) approaching the lower member (low). Maxillary and mandibular occlusal planes representing intercuspal position were determined from the cephalographs and positioned on the articulator model in a simulated centric relation position for each mounting. Condylar guidance was determined from a simulated protrusive position. Results Analysis of the three mounting positions demonstrated no change in intercuspal position within subjects; however, angles formed between upper member and condylar guidance were 14.9% smaller for the mid-distance mounting, 42.9% smaller for the high mounting, and 13.4% higher for the low mounting positions when compared with a standard Frankfort horizontal plane reference. Conclusions The cephalographs showed extreme variability in the position of the ear piece to bony structures of the skull, but this deviation appeared to be compensated by a change in the horizontal condylar guidance relative to mounting. Results also suggest that casts may be mounted in a convenient mid-position for routine articulation.

Moniliophthora perniciosa (Sthael) (Singer) Phillips-Mora is the causal agent of witches' broom disease, which can infect Theobroma cacao decreasing the production of cocoa about 60%. M. perniciosa has a set of potential enzymes that can be useful targets for design of new inhibitors. After the release of the aminoacid sequence of pyrophosphorylase of M. perniciosa, a comparative modelling approach was carried out to obtain the 3D structure of this target. This model can be useful to develop new inhibitors against witches' broom disease.