The spiral of scientific culture and cultural well-being: Brazil and Ibero-America.

The set of factors, events and actions of mankind in the social processes dedicated to the production the dissemination, the teaching and the publication of scientific knowledge constitutes the conditions for the development of a particular type of culture, quite commonplace in the contemporary world, which may be called scientific culture. In this article, we intend to present the representation of the dynamics of this area of knowledge in the form of a spiral: The Spiral of Scientific Culture. Also, we introduce the term cultural well-being--the kind of comfort, other than the social well-being, which has to do with society's relationships with the technosciences, involving values and attitudes, habits and information, and presupposing an actively critical participation on the part of that society in the totality of these relationships.

Seeing things differently: expert and consumer mental models evaluating combined oral contraceptives.

Communication regarding the benefits and risks of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) remains a challenge in view of persistent misconceptions about the 'pill'. The aim of this study was to investigate how women understand the benefits and risks of COCs, comparing their assessments with an expert model created from literature- and guideline-based research and reviewed by a sample of gynaecologists using the mental models approach. Two qualitative studies were conducted in Germany - a questionnaire-based study involving 30 gynaecologists with a mean of 218 COC prescriptions on average per month, and in-depth interviews (plus the use of a questionnaire) with 21 women aged 18-24 years.

High resolution single cell analytics to follow microbial community dynamics in anaerobic ecosystems.

Analyzing natural anaerobic microbial communities is a challenge and interpretation of the respective members' performances arduous. Strict anaerobes are often slow-growing and difficult to cultivate due to their unknown physiological capacities. Additionally, abiotic micro-environmental data are difficult to assess, limiting the information on the eco-chemical background in natural environments.

Impact of genetic diversity and inbreeding on the life-history of Chironomus midges over consecutive generations.

We report results of a multigenerational experiment with Chironomus riparius. Two strains with a high and a low level of genetic variability were exposed to a low, environmentally relevant TBT concentration of 80 μg Sn kg(-1)sedimentdw nominally (time weighted mean, based on measured concentrations: 4.5 μg Sn kg(-1)sedimentdw), and various life history traits as well as genetic diversity were monitored for eleven consecutive generations.

Key players and team play: anaerobic microbial communities in hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers.

Biodegradation of anthropogenic pollutants in shallow aquifers is an important microbial ecosystem service which is mainly brought about by indigenous anaerobic microorganisms. For the management of contaminated sites, risk assessment and control of natural attenuation, the assessment of in situ biodegradation and the underlying microbial processes is essential. The development of novel molecular methods, "omics" approaches, and high-throughput techniques has revealed new insight into complex microbial communities and their functions in anoxic environmental systems.

Reporting on health-related research in two prestigious Brazilian newspapers.

Objectives: The dissemination of health-related news through newspapers can influence the behavior of patients and of health care providers. We conducted a study to analyze the characteristics of health-related research published by two leading Brazilian newspapers.

Method: We retrospectively evaluated health-related news published in the electronic versions of the newspapers Folha de São Paulo and O Estado de São Paulo over a period of three months (July through September, 2009).

Protein-based stable isotope probing (protein-SIP) in functional metaproteomics.

The community phenotype as the sum of molecular functions of organisms living in consortia strongly depends on interactions within these communities. Therefore, the analyses of the most significant molecules in terms of the phenotype, the proteins, have to be performed on samples without disrupting the meta-species environment. Due to the increasing genomic information, proteins provide insights into a potential molecular function and the phylogenetic structure of the community.

Evaluation of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for determination of liver stiffness using transient elastography as a reference.

Aim: To evaluate cut-off values and performance of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) using transient elastography [FibroScan© (FS)] as a reference.

Methods: Six hundred and six patients were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent liver stiffness measurement with FS (FS-LS) and ARFI (with shear wave velocity quantification; ARFI-SWV) and the performance of ARFI in comparison to FS was determined.

Abnormal gyration of the temporal lobe and megalencephaly are typical features of thanatophoric dysplasia and can be visualized prenatally by ultrasound.

Autopsies of fetuses with thanatophoric dysplasia (TD) have shown abnormal gyration of the temporal lobes. In addition, the head is relatively large compared with the abdomen. We evaluated by ultrasound six consecutive cases of TD at 19 + 0 to 19 + 6 gestational weeks based on last menstrual period.

Functional analysis of an anaerobic m-xylene-degrading enrichment culture using protein-based stable isotope probing.

A sulfate-reducing consortium maintained for several years in the laboratory with m-xylene as sole source of carbon and energy was characterized by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes and stable isotope probing of proteins (Protein-SIP). During growth upon m-xylene or methyl-labeled m-xylene (1,3-dimethyl-(13)C(2)-benzene), a phylotype affiliated to the family Desulfobacteriaceae became most abundant. A second dominant phylotype was affiliated to the phylum Epsilonproteobacteria.

Reconstruction procedure for 3D micro X-ray absorption fine structure.

A new approach for chemical speciation in stratified systems using 3D Micro-XAFS spectroscopy is developed by combining 3D Micro X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (3D Micro-XRF) and conventional X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (XAFS). A prominent field of application is stratified materials within which depth-resolved chemical speciation is required. Measurements are collected in fluorescence mode which in general lead to distorted spectra due to absorption effects.

Knowledge matters--impact of two types of information brochure on contraceptive knowledge, attitudes and intentions.

Objective: To compare the effect of two types of counselling brochure on knowledge, attitudes and intention towards combined oral contraceptives (COCs).

Study Design: Double-blind, parallel-group randomised trial conducted in Germany. Nulliparous women aged 18-24 years were randomly assigned to receive one of two comprehensive information brochures about COCs, their benefits and risks, and alternative contraceptive methods.

Ion release from magnesium materials in physiological solutions under different oxygen tensions.

Although magnesium as degradable biomaterial already showed clinical proof of concepts, the design of new alloys requires predictive in vitro methods, which are still lacking. Incubation under cell culture conditions to obtain "physiological" corrosion may be a solution. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of different solutions, addition of proteins and of oxygen availability on the corrosion of different magnesium materials (pure Mg, WE43, and E11) with different surface finishing.

Sulfur-36S stable isotope labeling of amino acids for quantification (SULAQ).

We introduce a universal metabolic labeling strategy using elemental heavy 36Sulfur (36S) called 36Sulfur stable isotope labeling of amino acids for quantification (SULAQ). In the proof of principle experiment, Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was grown in defined minimal medium with sodium benzoate or sodium succinate as the sole carbon and 32S- or 36S-sodium sulfate as the sole sulfur sources. Quantification using mass spectrometry resulted in 562 proteins with 1991 unique peptides.

Diversity and expression of different forms of RubisCO genes in polluted groundwater under different redox conditions.

Groundwater polluted with methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ammonium was investigated for chemolithoautotrophic CO(2) fixation capabilities based on detailed analyses of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) large subunit genes. Samples retrieved from a groundwater conditioning unit, characterized by different redox conditions, were examined for the presence of form IA, form IC (cbbL) and form II (cbbM) RubisCO genes and transcripts obtained from DNA- and RNA-extracts. Form IA RubisCO sequences, which revealed a complex and distinct variety in different sampling stations, were expressed in the original groundwater and in samples amended with oxygen, but not in the aquifer groundwater enriched with nitrate.

A bench-scale constructed wetland as a model to characterize benzene biodegradation processes in freshwater wetlands.

In wetlands, a variety of biotic and abiotic processes can contribute to the removal of organic substances. Here, we used compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA), hydrogeochemical parameters and detection of functional genes to characterize in situ biodegradation of benzene in a model constructed wetland over a period of 370 days. Despite low dissolved oxygen concentrations (<30 μM), the oxidation of ammonium to nitrate and the complete oxidation of ferrous iron pointed to a dominance of aerobic processes, suggesting efficient oxygen transfer into the sediment zone by plants.

Comparison between prenatal ultrasound and postmortem findings in fetuses and infants with developmental anomalies.

Objective: To determine if postmortem examinations of fetuses and infants change the diagnosis obtained at prenatal ultrasound and affect counseling of future pregnancies, and if there has been a change over recent years in the accuracy of prenatal ultrasound diagnosis.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of 455 autopsies of fetuses and infants with developmental anomalies performed at Trondheim University Hospital between 1995 and 2004 and with a prenatal ultrasound examination performed at a tertiary referral center. The routine ultrasound examinations were performed by specially trained midwives and obstetricians, referral scans by fetal medicine experts and autopsies by consultant pathologists with experience in perinatal pathology.

Early identification of stimulant treatment responders, partial responders and non-responders using objective measures in children and adolescents with hyperkinetic disorder.

Background:   The aim of this study was to evaluate stimulant medication response following a single dose of methylphenidate (MPH) in children and young people with hyperkinetic disorder using infrared motion analysis combined with a continuous performance task (QbTest system) as objective measures. The hypothesis was put forward that a moderate testdose of stimulant medication could determine a robust treatment response, partial response and non-response in relation to activity, attention and impulse control measures.

Methods:   The study included 44 children and young people between the ages of 7-18 years with a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder (F90 & F90.

Inhibition of nitrification by low oxygen concentrations in an aerated treatment pond system with biofilm promoting mats.

Inhibition of nitrification in the presence of low oxygen concentrations (below 1.2 mg/L) and temperature dependency at oxygen saturation levels were observed in an aerated treatment pond system with biofilm promoting mats in two parallel ponds for remediation of ammonium, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), and benzene-contaminated groundwater. Within the first 18 months, at an average oxygen concentration of 0.

[Endoscopic therapy for leaks in the gastrointestinal tract, the bile ducts and the pancreas].

Surgery has been the mainstay of therapy in patients with gastrointestinal perforations, leakage or fistulas. New techniques for endoscopic closure of gastrointestinal perforations provide tools for an effective treatment by less invasive procedures. Temporary placement of covered self-expanding stents is an established therapy for oesophageal perforations and anastomotic leaks.

Combined application of PCR-based functional assays for the detection of aromatic-compound-degrading anaerobes.

To explore the reliability of assays that detect aromatic-compound-degrading anaerobes, a combination of three functional-gene-targeting assays was applied to microcosms from benzene-contaminated aquifers. Results of the assays were consistent and suggest that species related to the genera Azoarcus and Geobacter dominated benzene degradation at the individual sites.

Time resolved protein-based stable isotope probing (Protein-SIP) analysis allows quantification of induced proteins in substrate shift experiments.

The detection of induced proteins after introduction of specific substrates in culture is of high interest for a comparative description of organisms growing under different conditions. In this study, protein-based stable isotope probing (Protein-SIP) is used for a fast and reliable detection of newly synthesized proteins in a substrate shift experiment. Therefore, Pseudomonas putida ML2 cells precultured on (12)C-acetate and (12)C-benzene, respectively, were incubated with (13)C-benzene as a stable-isotope-labeled substrate.

Assimilation of benzene carbon through multiple trophic levels traced by different stable isotope probing methodologies.

The flow of benzene carbon along a food chain consisting of bacteria and eukaryotes, including larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae), was evaluated by total lipid fatty acids (TLFAs)-, amino acid- and protein-stable isotope probing (SIP). A coconut-fibre textile, colonized by a benzene-degrading biofilm, was sampled in a system established for the remediation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX)-polluted groundwater and incubated with (12)C- and [(13)C(6)]-benzene (>99 at.%) in a batch-scale experiment for 2-8 days.

Development of an enantiomer-specific stable carbon isotope analysis (ESIA) method for assessing the fate of α-hexachlorocyclo-hexane in the environment.

α-Hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) is the only chiral isomer of the eight 1,2,3,4,5,6-HCHs and we have developed an enantiomer-specific stable carbon isotope analysis (ESIA) method for the evaluation of its fate in the environment. The carbon isotope ratios of the α-HCH enantiomers were determined for a commercially available α-HCH sample using a gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) system equipped with a chiral column. The GC-C-IRMS measurements revealed δ-values of -32.