Notes on large angle crossing graphs

A graph G is an a-angle crossing (aAC) graph if every pair of crossing edges in G intersect at an angle of at least a. The concept of right angle crossing (RAC) graphs (a=Pi/2) was recently introduced by Didimo et. al. It was shown that any RAC graph with n vertices has at most 4n-10 edges and that there are infinitely many values of n for which there exists a RAC graph with n vertices and 4n-10 edges. In this paper, we give upper and lower bounds for the number of edges in aAC graphs for all 0 < a < Pi/2

Postponement and the wealth of nations

In this paper, Fair Value Chain Creation (FVC2;), as an approach that applies and extends principles of Fair Trade to exports from developed countries to the less developed countries, is being introduced. It awards a Fair Value label to goods which undergo further value adding in the host market. FVC2; attempts to utilize a label pointing at made for rather than made in by emblematizing the degree of Fair Value involved. Building on logistics and manufacturing postponement allows FVC2; to balance value chains in such a way that both stakes (North - South; developed countries - developing countries; country of origin - host market) are going to profit. Developing countries can increase their share in value chains originating from Northern countries. In turn, this enables those developed countries and corresponding manufacturers to level their resources. While postponing none-core activities to the developing countries and the respective host markets, manufacturers can focus even more on core processes. In fact, FVC2; mostly employs humans instead of machines. It makes labor a promoted option. Based on free-market mechanisms, like opportunity costs and the production possibilities frontier, the authors prove FVC2; being an attempt in the market and on the structure of global value chains. Fair Value Chain Creation is driven by enhanced global logistics performance. Thus, and in contrast to Fair Trade, FVC2; requires no price premium being paid by the consumer and therefore no stringent inspection of its application. Nonetheless, every labeling initiative requires an authority to prevent malpractice. The authors show, before such an initiative can be put into practice, that it is particularly evident to define the developing gap enabling to specify the potential and spectrum of FVC2;. This gap arises from globalization and enhanced logistics performance (foremost postponement). --Fair Trade,Fair Value Chain,Fair Value Creation,Postponement,Wealth of Nations

Obras de consolidação do sítio arqueológico de São Lourenço Mártir

O Declarado como Patrim&ocirc;nio Nacional em 1970, juntamente com os S&iacute;tios de S&atilde;o Jo&atilde;o Batista e S&atilde;o Nicolau, S&atilde;o Louren&ccedil;o M&aacute;rtir est&aacute; localizado a aproximadamente 27 quil&ocirc;metros da cidade de S&atilde;o Luis Gonzaga (RS). Com o principal objetivo de reverter o processo de degrada&ccedil;&atilde;o, ao qual o S&iacute;tio Arqueol&oacute;gico de S&atilde;o Louren&ccedil;o est&aacute; submetido, as obras de consolida&ccedil;&atilde;o de suas estruturas remanescentes fazem parte de um amplo projeto multidisciplinar, que visa &agrave; preserva&ccedil;&atilde;o e valoriza&ccedil;&atilde;o do legado Missioneiro. O projeto, desenvolvido at&eacute; o momento em duas etapas, &eacute; baseado em crit&eacute;rios internacionais de interven&ccedil;&atilde;o, elaborado e coordenado pelo Escrit&oacute;rio T&eacute;cnico Miss&otilde;es, do Instituto do Patrim&ocirc;nio Hist&oacute;rico e Art&iacute;stico Nacional (IPHAN), com financiamento do Governo Federal Brasileiro atrav&eacute;s do Minist&eacute;rio da Cultura.Tópico 3: Construcciones en piedra. Durabilidad y preservación de las rocas

Postponement and the wealth of nations

In this paper, Fair Value Chain Creation (FVC2;), as an approach that applies and extends principles of Fair Trade to exports from developed countries to the less developed countries, is being introduced. It awards a Fair Value label to goods which undergo further value adding in the host market. FVC2; attempts to utilize a label pointing at made for rather than made in by emblematizing the degree of Fair Value involved. Building on logistics and manufacturing postponement allows FVC2; to balance value chains in such a way that both stakes (North - South; developed countries - developing countries; country of origin - host market) are going to profit. Developing countries can increase their share in value chains originating from Northern countries. In turn, this enables those developed countries and corresponding manufacturers to level their resources. While postponing none-core activities to the developing countries and the respective host markets, manufacturers can focus even more on core processes. In fact, FVC2; mostly employs humans instead of machines. It makes labor a promoted option. Based on free-market mechanisms, like opportunity costs and the production possibilities frontier, the authors prove FVC2; being an attempt in the market and on the structure of global value chains. Fair Value Chain Creation is driven by enhanced global logistics performance. Thus, and in contrast to Fair Trade, FVC2; requires no price premium being paid by the consumer and therefore no stringent inspection of its application. Nonetheless, every labeling initiative requires an authority to prevent malpractice. The authors show, before such an initiative can be put into practice, that it is particularly evident to define the developing gap enabling to specify the potential and spectrum of FVC2;. This gap arises from globalization and enhanced logistics performance (foremost postponement)

Diferenças nos padrões de consumo de álcool entre homens e mulheres no Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To examine sex differences in alcohol consumption according to age groups, and to assess gender and age effects on several aspects of alcohol consumption patterns. METHOD: Based on a Brazilian nationwide representative sample (n = 3,007), we analysed the differences in drinking patterns between genders. We also assessed the effects of gender, age, and gender by age interaction for alcohol consumption dimensions (frequent drinking, usual intake, binge drinking, and frequent binge drinking), using logistic and negative binomial regression models. RESULTS: Gender, age, and gender by age interaction had significant effects on the predictive models for all studied drinking patterns, except for the 'usual' dosage. The effect of gender on drinking patterns varies with age. While gender has a greater effect in older age groups, the difference between men and women decreased in the younger age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Gender convergence regarding alcohol use is a trend that might be influenced by environmental factors and should be addressed in prevention and treatment programs, as well as in public health policies.OBJETIVO: Avaliar as diferenças nos padrões de consumo de álcool entre os gêneros de acordo com as faixas etárias e avaliar os efeitos do gênero e da idade em diversos aspectos do padrão de consumo de bebidas alcoólicas. MÉTODO: Com base em amostra representativa da população brasileira (n = 3.007), nós avaliamos as diferenças nos padrões de consumo de álcool entre os gêneros. Nós também avaliamos os efeitos do gênero, da idade e da interação entre gênero e idade nas dimensões do consumo de álcool (consumo frequente, dose usual, consumo em binge e consumo frequente em binge), com uso de modelos de regressão logística e regressão binomial negativa. RESULTADOS: O gênero, a idade e a interação entre gênero e idade tiveram efeitos significantes nos modelos preditivos para todos os padrões de consumo estudados, com exceção da dose usual. O efeito do gênero ao longo das faixas etárias varia com a idade. Enquanto o gênero teve um efeito maior nas faixas etárias mais velhas, a diferença entre homens e mulheres diminuiu nas faixas etárias mais novas. CONCLUSÕES: A convergência entre os gêneros no que se refere ao uso de álcool é uma tendência que pode ser influenciada por fatores ambientais e deveria ser focada nos programas de prevenção e tratamento assim como nas políticas públicas.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department of PsychiatryIpsos ReidUniversidade de São Paulo School of Medicine Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Texas School of Public HealthUniversidade Federal de Santa Catarina Department of PsychiatryUNIFESP, Department of PsychiatrySciEL

Hydra intermedia sp. nov. and notes on Chlorohydra viridissima (Pallas) (Cnidaria)

Hydra intermedia sp. nov. é descrita e comparada com as espécies descritas até agora. Exemplares da nova espécie foram coletados em alguns corpos de água do Estado de São Paulo entre 1972 e 1974. As hidras verdes coletadas em alguns pontos da Cidade Universitária foram identificadas com Chlo- rohydra viridissima (Palias) 1766

Effect of homegarden and parkland agroforestry practices in Ethiopia on selected soil properties

Ethiopian agricultural lands are fragile due to inherent unfavourable soil properties, over-exploitation, mismanagement (deforestation, over-grazing and inappropriate land use systems) and harsh weather conditions. These factors are worsened by changing climatic conditions, leading to significant problems in terms of soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. The consequences of such processes can be detected at the economic (agricultural production is currently being jeopardized) and biological (risks of biodiversity loss and habitat fragmentation) levels. However, the use of tree/shrub species in various agroforestry practices can increase soil nutrient supply through nitrogen fixation, improve soil structure, reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses. A study was carried out in the Amhara region, Ethiopia to evaluate the effect of homegarden and parkland agroforestry practices on selected soil chemical properties. Soil samples were taken from 20x20m square plots established in homegarden agroforestry and adjacent agricultural land without trees (control). In parkland agroforestry practice, two dominant tree species in each of the five villages were chosen. Soil samples were taken from the tree at the midpoint of the canopy projection, at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depths. The collected soil samples were air-dried, homogenized and passed through a 2 mm sieve for subsequent soil chemical analysis. The results indicated that all soil chemical properties except total nitrogen were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the agroforestry practices. Higher soil organic carbon, organic matter, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium were found in the homegarden agroforestry practice, while the lowest values were recorded in without-tree fields (control). All soil chemical properties except soil pH decreased as the soil depth increased. Higher value of organic carbon, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium were found in the homegarden agroforestry likely because of a higher proportion of deep-rooted tree/shrub species and species belonging to the legume functional group. Therefore, the homegarden agroforestry practice can be used as an ecologically friendly and sustainable alternative to maintaining soil fertility

Pathogenesis of progressive scarring trachoma in Ethiopia and Tanzania and its implications for disease control: two cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Trachoma causes blindness through a conjunctival scarring process initiated by ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection; however, the rates, drivers and pathophysiological determinants are poorly understood. We investigated progressive scarring and its relationship to conjunctival infection, inflammation and transcript levels of cytokines and fibrogenic factors. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We recruited two cohorts, one each in Ethiopia and Tanzania, of individuals with established trachomatous conjunctival scarring. They were followed six-monthly for two years, with clinical examinations and conjunctival swab sample collection. Progressive scarring cases were identified by comparing baseline and two-year photographs, and compared to individuals without progression. Samples were tested for C. trachomatis by PCR and transcript levels of S100A7, IL1B, IL13, IL17A, CXCL5, CTGF, SPARCL1, CEACAM5, MMP7, MMP9 and CD83 were estimated by quantitative RT-PCR. Progressive scarring was found in 135/585 (23.1%) of Ethiopian participants and 173/577 (30.0%) of Tanzanian participants. There was a strong relationship between progressive scarring and increasing inflammatory episodes (Ethiopia: OR 5.93, 95%CI 3.31-10.6, p<0.0001. Tanzania: OR 5.76, 95%CI 2.60-12.7, p<0.0001). No episodes of C. trachomatis infection were detected in the Ethiopian cohort and only 5 episodes in the Tanzanian cohort. Clinical inflammation, but not scarring progression, was associated with increased expression of S100A7, IL1B, IL17A, CXCL5, CTGF, CEACAM5, MMP7, CD83 and reduced SPARCL1. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Scarring progressed in the absence of detectable C. trachomatis, which raises uncertainty about the primary drivers of late-stage trachoma. Chronic conjunctival inflammation appears to be central and is associated with enriched expression of pro-inflammatory factors and altered expression of extracellular matrix regulators. Host determinants of scarring progression appear more complex and subtle than the features of inflammation. Overall this indicates a potential role for anti-inflammatory interventions to interrupt progression and the need for trichiasis disease surveillance and surgery long after chlamydial infection has been controlled at community level