The ontogeny and significance of infants' facial expressions in the first 9 months of life.

Four studies examined aspects of the differential emotions theory (DET) hypothesis of expressive behavior development. In Study 1, facial-expressive movements of 108 2.5–9-mo-old infants were video recorded in positive and negative mother–infant interactions (conditions). As expected, Max-specified full-face and partial expressions of interest, joy, sadness, and anger were morphologically stable between the 2 ages. Studies 1 and 2 confirmed predicted differential responding to mother sadness and anger expressions and to composite positive and negative conditions. Discrete negative expressions exceeded negative blends, and the amount of both expression types remained stable across ages. Studies 3 and 4 provided varying degrees of support for the social validity of Max-specified infant negative affect expressions. Conclusions include revisions and clarifications of DET. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adult rats stressed as neonates show exaggerated behavioral responses to both pharmacological and environmental challenges.

Adult rats that were isolated from the mother and nest for 1 hr per day from Postnatal Day 2 to 9 were studied. Controls consisted of handled littermates as well as separate litters that were never handled. As adults, animals were given either a pharmacological challenge (1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg amphetamine) or an environmental challenge (restraint). Previously isolated animals demonstrated increased activity compared to controls at both drug doses. Similarly, isolated animals manifested exaggerated inhibition of activity after restraint. Previously isolated animals usually did not show differences compared to controls under baseline conditions (saline injection or no restraint). The neuroplastic changes that result from the neonatal experience are long lasting and appear when the system is challenged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brazilian articles in international journals on Limnology

Summary  We assessed the contribution of Brazilian limnologists (freshwater ecologists) in international journals in the period 1970-2004. Brazilian contribution was low and regular in the 1970's, but increased steeply after 1980 with no signs of stabilization until the present. Articles authored by Brazilians tend to be less cited than articles authored by non-Brazilians, although this difference is reduced in co-authored articles with international researchers.  Brazilian articles are not distributed homogenously among the sub-areas of Limnology, but present some biases that can be explained by intellectual legacy. Brazil has invested since the 1970's in establishing postgraduate courses in Brazil and in the last years has turned the focus to a better qualification of these courses. We believe these are the main reasons for the conspicuous development of Brazilian Limnology.     

Remote sensing of wetlands in South America: status and challenges

South America has a large proportion of wetlands compared with other continents. While most of these wetlands were conserved in a relatively good condition until a few decades ago, pressures brought about by land use and climate change have threaten their integrity in recent years. The aim of this article is to provide a bibliometric analysis of the available scientific literature relating to the remote sensing of wetlands in South America. From 1960 to 2015, 153 articles were published in 63 different journals, with the number of articles published per year increasing progressively since 1990. This rise is also paralleled by an increase in the contribution of local authors. The most intensively studied regions are the wetland macrosystems of South American mega-rivers: the Amazon and Paraná Rivers, along with the Pantanal at the headwaters of Paraguay River. Few studies spanned more than two countries. The most frequent objectives were mapping, covering all types of wetlands with optical data, and hydrology, focusing on floodplain wetlands with microwave data as the preferred data source. The last decade substantial growth reflects an increase in technological and scientific capacities. Nevertheless, the state of the art regarding the remote sensing of wetlands in South America remains enigmatic. Fundamental questions and guidelines which may contribute to the understanding of the functioning of these ecosystems are yet to be fully defined and there is considerable dispersion in the use of data and remote-sensing approaches.     

A linear programming model for cash flow management in the Brazilian construction industry

A linear programming model has been developed for optimal cash flow management addressing specific cash flow issues related to the construction industry. These include typical financial transactions, possible delays on payments, use of available credit lines, effect of changing interest rates, and budget constraints that often occur in the construction industry. A small size project from the Brazilian construction industry is provided as a case study, aiming at evaluating the potential benefits from using the model. Different changes to the basic structure of the model allow and establish the consistency of the results. Alternative formulations are suggested to deal with uncertainties, longer planning horizons, and multiple subcontractors and suppliers. In addition to the tangible financial earnings derived from the optimization process, the simple structure of the model, as a network flow and corresponding equations, provides much visual insight concerning the relationships between the external inputs and the variables of the problem. Optimal results have yet to be achieved in a real life situation, but a better view of whole cash flow management is provided when using the model.     

Mechanochemical Processing of Mn and Co Oxides: An Alternative Way to Synthesize Mixed Spinels for Protective Coating

High‐Energy Ball Milling (HEBM) is proposed as a cost effective and environmental friendly technique to produce Co‐ and Mn‐ based oxides suitable for application as protective coating. Mixtures of manganese and cobalt oxides in different molar ratio (Co:Mn = 1:1 and Co:Mn = 2:1) were subjected to mechanochemical treatment up to 100 h and morpho‐structural evolution was evaluated. XRD analysis results show that the HEBM treatment promotes the solid‐state reaction of the starting compounds, with the formation of different crystalline phases when compared to high‐temperature solid‐state synthesis. SEM observations and N₂ adsorption measurements suggest that all processed powders are composed by aggregates of nanometric particles. While long milling time is required to complete the reaction, 10 hours are enough to activate the powders to obtain the desired phases after a mild thermal treatment, as evidenced by in situ thermal XRD analysis. Electrical conductivity measures performed with the Van der Pauw method on sintered pellets evidence a significant difference between the two compositions, related to the dual‐phase nature of Co:Mn = 1:1 material at intermediate temperatures (i.e., T < 700°C), Co:Mn = 2:1 sample showing higher conductivity values in the whole tested range (500°C–800°C).     

Disposable potentiometric citrate sensor based on polypyrrole‐doped films for indirect determination of sildenafil in pharmaceuticals formulations

A new sensitive and selective disposable potentiometric sensor based on polypyrrole (PPy) films for determination of sildenafil citrate (SC) was proposed. The pyrrole polymerization was performed in presence of citrate ions under galvanostatic conditions which resulted in a membrane of PPy doped with citrate anion at graphite pencil electrode surface. Experimental conditions (e.g., pH and conditioning time) and instrumental parameters (e.g., current density and electrical charge) were evaluated in order to reach the best potentiometric response for the proposed sensor. Under optimized conditions, the device presented a linear dynamic range (LDR) for citrate ions concentrations varying from 0.034 to 1.7 mmol L^?1 with a Nernstian slope of 57.2 mV dec^?1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 30 µmol L^?1. The developed potentiometric sensor was applied for sildenafil citrate (SC) determination (pharmaceutical formulations) and results compared with an official spectrophotometric method indicating a good agreement for a confidence level of 95%. Effect of concomitants species on the potentiometric response of the proposed device and morphologic characterization using microscopy of atomic force (AFM) were realized. The surface roughness of PPy films (synthesized in citrate solution and chloride) showed poorly affected by changing the doping anion, probably because the polypyrrole nodules grow three‐dimensionally simultaneously. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43762.     

Fully-coupled simulations of thermally-induced cracking in pegmatite due to microwave irradiation

Fully-coupled thermo-mechanical simulations are implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics to investigate micro-scale stress-strain variability in pegmatite specimens subjected to thermal loading using microwaves. Thermally-induced compressive and tensile stresses increase as the microwave irradiation duration increases. The dielectric constant, coefficient of expansion, and type and size of mineralogical boundary have significant impacts on the responses of the rock to microwave irradiation. The maximum principal stress of the chlorite is the smallest, indicating that the chlorite experiences the most damage under microwave irradiation, followed by the quartz. The maximum principal stress values of plagioclase and orthoclase are larger, indicating that they are likely to incur the least damage. Where quartz or chlorite is dominant, the resulting von Mises stresses are consistently higher after 120 s of microwave irradiation. The rate of generation of von Mises stresses increases most rapidly along the interface between quartz and plagioclase, and the interface between quartz and orthoclase, followed by the interface between quartz and chlorite, and finally the interface between plagioclase and orthoclase. The presented modeling approach provides a practical method to investigate stress-strain relationships within mineralogical boundaries inside a rock thin section.     

High hydrogen production from glycerol or glucose by electrohydrogenesis using microbial electrolysis cells

The use of glycerol for hydrogen gas production was examined via electrohydrogenesis using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). A hydrogen yield of 3.9 mol-H₂/mol was obtained using glycerol, which is higher than that possible by fermentation, at relatively high rates of 2.0 ± 0.4 m³/m³ d (E_ap = 0.9 V). Under the same conditions, hydrogen was produced from glucose at a yield of 7.2 mol-H₂/mol and a rate of 1.9 ± 0.3 m³/m³ d. Glycerol was completely removed within 6 h, with 56% of the electrons in intermediates (primarily 1,3-propanediol), with the balance converted to current, intracellular storage products or biomass. Glucose was removed within 5 h, but intermediates (mainly propionate) accounted for only 19% of the electrons. Hydrogen was also produced using the glycerol byproduct of biodiesel fuel production at a rate of 0.41 ± 0.1 m³/m³ d. These results demonstrate that electrohydrogenesis is an effective method for producing hydrogen from either pure glycerol or glycerol byproducts of biodiesel fuel production.