Genetic relatedness of infecting and reinfecting respiratory syncytial virus strains identified in a birth cohort from rural Kenya

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reinfects individuals repeatedly. The extent to which this is a consequence of RSV antigenic diversity is unclear. Methods: Six-hundred thirty-five children from rural Kenya were closely monitored for RSV infection from birth through 3 consecutive RSV epidemics. RSV infections were identified by immunofluorescence testing of nasal washing samples collected during acute respiratory illnesses, typed into group A and B, and sequenced in the attachment (G) protein. A positive sample separated from a previous positive by ≥14 days was defined as a reinfection a priori. Results: Phylogenetic analysis was undertaken for 325 (80%) of 409 identified infections, including 53 (64%) of 83 reinfections. Heterologous group reinfections were observed in 28 episodes, and homologous group reinfections were observed in 25 episodes; 10 involved homologous genotypes, 5 showed no amino acid changes, and 3 were separated by 21–24 days and were potentially persistent infections. The temporal distribution of genotypes among reinfections did not differ from that of single infections. Conclusions: The vast majority of infection and reinfection pairs differed by group, genotype, or G amino acid sequence (ie, comprised distinct viruses). The extent to which this is a consequence of immune memory of infection history or prevalent diversity remains unclear

Detection of Orbital Debris Collision Risks for the Automated Transfer Vehicle

In this paper, we present a general collision risk assessment method, which has been applied through numerical simulations to the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) case. During ATV ascent towards the International Space Station, close approaches between the ATV and objects of the USSTRACOM catalog will be monitored through collision rosk assessment. Usually, collision risk assessment relies on an exclusion volume or a probability threshold method. Probability methods are more effective than exclusion volumes but require accurate covariance data. In this work, we propose to use a criterion defined by an adaptive exclusion area. This criterion does not require any probability calculation but is more effective than exclusion volume methods as demonstrated by our numerical experiments. The results of these studies, when confirmed and finalized, will be used for the ATV operations

MULTIPLICADORES DE EMPREGO E RENDA DA INDÚSTRIA BRASILEIRA DE AÇÚCAR EM 2004

Este artigo apresenta os multiplicadores de empregos e renda diretos, indiretos e induzidos da economia brasileira, dando ênfase para a indústria de açúcar. O primeiro passo para a realização do trabalho foi estimar a matriz de insumo-produto do Brasil para 2004. Estimou-se que para cada 1 milhão de reais de aumento na demanda agregada a indústria de açúcar cria 27 empregos e 264,1 mil reais em renda. Aplicando-se esses multiplicadores ao valor da demanda final da indústria de açúcar, o resultado foram 118,2 mil empregos e 3.839 milhões de reais de renda, considerando os efeitos diretos, indiretos e induzidos. ----------------------------------------------This article presents the inducement of direct and indirect employment and income multiplier, of brazilian economy, with an emplasis to the sugar industry. The first step to achieve these work, was by estimating the year of 2004 in Brazil and it`s input-output matrix. It was estimated that to each one million of reals, were an increased to the demand of the sugar industry and it created 27 employmentes and 264,1 thousand reals of income. Putting into practice these multipliers to the final demand of value by the sugar industry, it´s result was 118,2 thousand employment and 3.839 millions reals of income, by taking into consideration the inducement of direct and indirect efects.Indústria, Açúcar, Multiplicadores, Emprego, Renda, industry, sugar, multipliers, employment, income, Agribusiness,

A novel role for the root cap in phosphate uptake and homeostasis

The root cap has a fundamental role in sensing environmental cues as well as regulating root growth via altered meristem activity. Despite this well-established role in the control of developmental processes in roots, the root cap's function in nutrition remains obscure. Here, we uncover its role in phosphate nutrition by targeted cellular inactivation or phosphate transport complementation in Arabidopsis, using a transactivation strategy with an innovative high-resolution real-time P-33 imaging technique. Remarkably, the diminutive size of the root cap cells at the root-to-soil exchange surface accounts for a significant amount of the total seedling phosphate uptake (approximately 20%). This level of Pi absorption is sufficient for shoot biomass production (up to a 180% gain in soil), as well as repression of Pi starvation-induced genes. These results extend our understanding of this important tissue from its previously described roles in environmental perception to novel functions in mineral nutrition and homeostasis control

Characterization of human metapneumoviruses isolated from patients in North America.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) was recently identified in The Netherlands and was linked to acute respiratory tract illness. In this study, 11 isolates from 10 patients with respiratory disease from Quebec, Canada, were tested by a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction based on the fusion protein gene. Identified sequences were consistent with HMPV. The patients were 2 months to 87 years of age (median age, 58 years) and presented with acute respiratory tract illness during the winter season. Sequence studies of the nucleocapsid, fusion, and polymerase genes identified 2 main lineages of HMPV and cocirculation of both lineages during the same year. These findings support a previous finding that HMPV is a human respiratory pathogen that merits further study

RBOH-mediated ROS production facilitates lateral root emergence in Arabidopsis

Lateral root (LR) emergence represents a highly coordinated process in which the plant hormone auxin plays a central role. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been proposed to function as important signals during auxin-regulated LR formation, however their mode of action is poorly understood. Here, we report that Arabidopsis roots exposed to ROS show increased LR numbers due to the activation of LR pre-branch sites and LR primordia (LRP). Strikingly, ROS treatment can also restore LR formation in pCASP1:shy2-2 and aux1 lax3 mutant lines in which auxin-mediated cell wall accommodation and remodeling in cells overlying the sites of LR formation is disrupted. Specifically, ROS are deposited in the apoplast of these cells during LR emergence, following a spatio-temporal pattern that overlaps the combined expression domains of extracellular ROS donors of the RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOGS (RBOH). We also show that disrupting (or enhancing) expression of RBOH in LRP and/or overlying root tissues decelerates (or accelerates) the development and emergence of LRs. We conclude that RBOH-mediated ROS production facilitates LR outgrowth by promoting cell wall remodeling of overlying parental tissues

Czas codzienny i czas odświętny – ich przenikanie w stylach życia współczesnej młodzieży

Contemporary socio-cultural situation based on globalization make that many categories, concepts and theories required decontextualization, then recontextualization and redefinition. This process also applies to so intuitively obvious category, which is time. The specificity of the „survival” of time, perception and understanding have changed significantly influenced by current trends of modern times, such as the primacy of pleasure, the cult of success, mainstream consumerism, mass media influence. Because of these issues important and necessary it seems that re-thinking on modern understanding of time as a sociocultural category, which characterizes the quality and style of life of individuals as it exists in the current, post-modern space-time. This article provides theoretical considerations on the nature and specificity of everyday time and festive time in the context of current sociocultural based globalization processes. Assuming that the time and its fulfillment, or lifestyle are subject to the relationship of interdependence, the analysis will undergo a proposition about the consistency / heterogeneity of the individual’s life style presented in the context of the division of temporal existence of the unit on time everyday and festive time. Considerations will address today’s youth. It results from the specific lifestyle of this age group, which is due to the peculiarities of the development phase and the „soak” contemporary trends, in particular understands everyday / celebrating.Contemporary socio-cultural situation based on globalization make that many categories, concepts and theories required decontextualization, then recontextualization and redefinition. This process also applies to so intuitively obvious category, which is time. The specificity of the „survival” of time, perception and understanding have changed significantly influenced by current trends of modern times, such as the primacy of pleasure, the cult of success, mainstream consumerism, mass media influence. Because of these issues important and necessary it seems that re-thinking on modern understanding of time as a sociocultural category, which characterizes the quality and style of life of individuals as it exists in the current, post-modern space-time. This article provides theoretical considerations on the nature and specificity of everyday time and festive time in the context of current sociocultural based globalization processes. Assuming that the time and its fulfillment, or lifestyle are subject to the relationship of interdependence, the analysis will undergo a proposition about the consistency / heterogeneity of the individual’s life style presented in the context of the division of temporal existence of the unit on time everyday and festive time. Considerations will address today’s youth. It results from the specific lifestyle of this age group, which is due to the peculiarities of the development phase and the „soak” contemporary trends, in particular understands everyday / celebrating

Situaciones de reflexión y sistematización ortográfica en el primer ciclo

En este trabajo se presenta una propuesta que pretende ser un aporte para que los docentes continúen pensando en cómo enseñar ortografía en las aulas. Es decir, la enseñanza de la ortografía en uso. La secuencia que presentamos fue pensada como un conjunto de situaciones de sistematización de conocimientos puestos en uso y reflexionados, de manera de brindar a los alumnos oportunidades de construir regularidades referidas a un mismo problema ortográfico. Las clases se desarrollaron con un grupo de niños de 8 años de clase media urbana que concurren a 3º año de Escuela Graduada: “Joaquín V. González” dependiente de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata. En el contexto de un proyecto de escritura de recomendaciones sobre obras de teatro ya leídas, se propuso a los niños esta secuencia de reflexión ortográfica con la intención de que pudieran apropiarse de los siguientes propósitos: - Reflexionar sobre las regularidades contextuales del sistema de escritura para que los niños puedan apropiarse de conocimientos cada vez más estables sobre la ortografía. - Establecer relaciones ortográficas entre palabras de una misma familia. - Introducir el análisis de la estructura interna de las palabras en el curso del trabajo con parentescos lexicales (raíz, afijos).Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació