La diplopía que bajó de un cocotero: trauma por coco / Diplopia falling from one coconut tree: trauma by coco

Se presenta el caso clínico de un paciente a quien la caída de un coco y el consecuente traumatismo sobre su cara. produjo una fractura del piso orbitario con atrapamiento muscular, diplopía no diagnosticada y confundida con un aneurisma cerebral. Se hacen consideraciones sobre este tipo de accidentes en playas arenosas donde abundan cocoteros. La comparación de su frecuencia con ataques de tiburón y acerca de cómo un artículo médico puede ser tergiversado por el autor y convertido en noticia de prensa como para obtener el Ig Premio Nobel de Medicina con base a "una investigación que no puede o no debe ser duplicada" logros que primero hacen reir y después pensar e intertan celebrar lo inusual, imaginativo y espolear el interés por la ciencia, la medicina y la tecnología

We present the clinical case of a patient who, after being hit the face by a falling coconut, with consequent trauma to his face, fractured his orbital floor with muscle entrapment and undiagnosed diplopia which was mistaken for a brain aneurysm. We make considerations about such accidents on sandy beaches where coconut trees abound, compare its frequency with shark attacks and discuss how a medical article can be misrepresented by its autor and become news in order to obtain the nomination for the Ig Nobel Prize for medicine based on "research that cannot or should not be duplicated; achievements that first make you laugh and then make you and try to celebrate the unusual, imaginative and spur interest in science, medicine and technology

Compósito particulado de baixa densidade com casca de amendoim, fibra de coco verde e resina poliuretana à base de óleo de mamona para aplicação como forro de galpões avícolas / Composite particles with low density peanut shell, coconut fiber and castor oil polyurethane resin for application as castor lining of poultry houses

O presente trabalho considerou o potencial de utilização de resíduos da agroindústria como a casca de amendoim e fibra de coco verde com o intuito de agregar valor a este material, por meio da fabricação de compósito particulado de baixa densidade para uso como forro de galpões avícolas. Para a confecção do compósito foi utilizado à casca de amendoim, fibra de coco verde e resina poliuretana bi-componente à base de óleo de mamona. O material foi avaliado por meio de ensaios físico-mecânicos: a) densidade, b) inchamento, c) absorção, d) módulo de ruptura, e) módulo de elasticidade e f) adesão interna; durabilidade: a) envelhecimento natural e b) envelhecimento acelerado; térmicos: a) condutividade térmica; b) fator de ganho de calor solar. Considerando os resultados obtidos nessa pesquisa, conclui-se que o compósito apresentou propriedades físico-mecânicas compatíveis com as necessidades de uso do material. Os ensaios de durabilidade demonstraram que as propriedades mecânicas do compósito são reduzidas após aplicação de ciclos de umidade e temperatura, no entanto, essa avaliação foi rigorosa e não representa as condições reais de exposição do compósito, em uso como forro de galpões avícolas. O contato prolongado com fontes de umidade acarretou o desenvolvimento de fungos no material, evidenciando a necessidade de aplicação de produto impermeabilizante na superfície do material, para reduzir a absorção de água. Pelo ensaio de condutividade térmica foi possível determinar o fator de ganho de calor solar o qual demonstrou que quando o compósito é aplicado como forro, ocorre uma redução significativa da transferência de radiação solar para o interior do aviário, comprovando o potencial do material para esse uso.

This study considered the potential use of agro waste like peanut hulls and coconut fiber in order to add value to this material through the manufacturing of composite particles of low-density liner for use as poultry houses. To make the composite was used for peanut shell, coconut fiber and bi-component polyurethane resin-based castor oil. The material was evaluated by physical-mechanical tests: a) density, b) swelling, c) absorbing, d) modulus of rupture, e) elastic modulus and f) internal adhesion, durability: a) natural aging b) Accelerated aging ; thermal: a) thermal conductivity b) factor of solar heat gain. Considering the results obtained in this study, it is concluded that the composite possess physical and mechanical properties compatible with the needs of use of the material. Durability testing showed that the mechanical properties of the composite are reduced after application of cycles of humidity and temperature, however, the evaluation was rigorous and does not represent the actual conditions of exposure of the composite in lining use as poultry houses. Prolonged contact with sources of moisture caused fungal growth in the material, indicating the need for application of sealer to the surface of the material, to reduce water absorption. For the thermal conductivity test was possible to determine the factor of solar heat gain which demonstrated that when the composite is applied as a lining, there is a significant reduction in the transfer of solar radiation into the poultry, demonstrating the potential of this material for use.

Nuclear pore ion channel activity in live syncytial nuclei.

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are important nanochannels for the control of gene activity and expression. Most of our knowledge of NPC function has been derived from isolated nuclei and permeabilized cells in cell lysates/extracts. Since recent patch-clamp work has challenged the dogma that NPCs are freely permeable to small particles, a preparation of isolated living nuclei in their native liquid environment was sought and found: the syncytial nuclei in the water of the coconut Cocos nucifera. These nuclei have all properties of NPC-mediated macromolecular transport (MMT) and express foreign green fluorescent protein (GFP) plasmids. They display chromatin movement, are created by particle aggregation or by division, can grow by throwing filaments to catch material, etc. This study shows, for the first time, that living NPCs engaged in MMT do not transport physiological ions - a phenomenon that explains observations of nucleocytoplasmic ion gradients. Since coconuts are inexpensive (less than US$1/nut per litre), this robust preparation may contribute to our understanding of NPCs and cell nucleus and to the development of biotechnologies for the production of DNA, RNA and proteins.