Interactions of maize bushy stunt phytoplasma with the leafhopper vector, Dalbulus maidis (Delong and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and associated microbiota

Phytoplasmas are bacteria with a persistent propagative transmission by insect vectors that generates direct and indirect interactions among them. In order to understand these interactions for maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP) and the leafhopper vector Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), two research lines were addressed. The first one aimed to determine the indirect effects of maize infection by MBSP on some biological and behavioral parameters of the vector, whereas a second line investigated direct interactions of the phytoplasma with D. maidis during its movement through the vector body following acquisition from plants, and associated microbiota. Indirect effects were investigated in choice experiments in which alighting and oviposition preferences by D. maidis were compared on healthy vs. MBSP-infected plants with variable incubation time (diseased plants with early and advanced symptoms, or still asymptomatic). Likewise, indirect effect of MBSP on the D. maidis biology was determined in two life table experiments in which the vector was reared on healthy vs. MBSP-infected plants expressing advanced disease symptoms or still asymptomatic. Choice experiments showed that alighting and oviposition preferences of D. maidis on MBSP-infected plants compared to healthy plants depend on the pathogen incubation period in the plant. The leafhopper preferred MBSP-infected plants over healthy ones during the asymptomatic phase of the disease, but rejected infected plants with advanced symptoms. The vector was able to acquire MBSP from asymptomatic infected plants shortly (3 days) after inoculation, but transmission efficiency increased when acquisition occurred at later stages of the pathogen incubation period (≥14 days) in the source plants and the test plants showed disease symptoms faster. These results suggest that MBSP modulates D. maidis preference for asymptomatic infected plants in the early stages of the crop, allowing rapid spread of this pathogen. Maize infection by the phytoplasma had a neutral effect on most life table parameters of D. maidis; a lower net reproductivity rate (Ro) was observed in the cohort reared on MBSP-infected plants with advanced symptoms, which was compensated to some extent by a higher sexual ratio. MBSP acquisition by all vector nymphal stadia was confirmed by PCR, and the pathogen as detected in both male and female reproductive organs. Concerning direct MBSP-vector interactions, transmission electron microscopy analyses showed phytoplasma-like cells in the midgut lumen, microvilli and epithelial cells, suggesting that MBSP enters the epithelium midgut through the microvilli wall. Within the epithelial cells, mitochondria and bacteria-like cells (possibly endosymbionts) were observed together with masses of phythoplasma-like cells. In the hemocoel, phytoplasma-like cells grouped into a matrix were also observed in association with bacteria-like cells similar to those observed in the midgut epithelium. Similar associations were found in the salivary gland. Interestingly, in-situ hybridization (FISH) technique revealed a variation in diversity and abundance of the microbiota in intestine and salivary glands of D. maidis adults over time after MBSP acquisition from plants. Sulcia sp., Cardinium sp. and eubacteria increased their abundance over time, whereas Rickettsia sp. decreased. The frequent association of the vector microbiota with the phytoplasma in some tissues of D. maidis suggests that endosymbiotic bacteria may play some role in MBSP-vector interactions.

Contribuição da consulta de enfermagem na adesão ao tratamento do diabetes mellitus na estratégia saúde da família do município de Ribeirão Preto, SP

Trata-se de estudo de intervenção tipo antes e depois, no qual o sujeito é seu próprio controle, fator que permite identificar os efeitos na adesão ao tratamento e controle dos níveis glicêmicos. Teve como objetivo avaliar a contribuição da consulta de enfermagem na adesão ao tratamento do diabetes mellitus tipo 2, em uma Unidade Saúde da Família, de acordo com o \"Protocolo de atendimento as pessoas com diabetes mellitus,\" em Ribeirão Preto, SP. A coleta de dados foi realizada no período de setembro de 2014 a janeiro de 2015. O trabalho foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, SP, sob Parecer nº 648.970. Participaram 31 pessoas com diabetes mellitus, por meio de três consultas de enfermagem, na unidade de saúde e no domicílio, com intervalo de um mês entre as três consultas de todos os participantes. Foi utilizado um roteiro contendo variáveis sociodemográficos e clínicas e o teste de Medida de Adesão ao Tratamento. Para a análise da adesão, durante e após a intervenção, utilizou-se a estatística descritiva e o teste de Mann- Whitney; para a comparação do antes e após a intervenção, utilizou-se o teste de Wilcoxon; para análise de correlação com as variáveis numéricas, o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman e o teste Q de Cochran, para a comparação dos exames nos momentos anterior, durante e posterior à intervenção. Os resultados mostraram que os participantes tinham entre 33 e 79 anos, sendo 58,1% do sexo feminino; 71% tinham companheiro; renda familiar de 1 a 3 salários-mínimos (83,9%); 80,6% referiram ser profissionalmente inativos (aposentados, pensionistas ou do lar); média de 5,68 anos de estudo e predomínio de menos de 8 anos de estudo (67,7%). Em relação aos valores da pressão arterial sistêmica constatou hipertensão arterial sistêmica grau I em 25,8% das pessoas com diabetes mellitus, 90,3% com índice de massa corporal apresentando excesso de peso, quanto à circunferência abdominal, 32,2% dos homens estavam com valores maiores que 102 cm e 45,2% das mulheres com valores acima de 88 cm. A avaliação dos pés, com uso do monofilamento Semmes-Weinstein de 10g, apresentou 9,7% das pessoas com diabetes mellitus com pé em risco para ulceração e diminuição ou ausência de sensibilidade tátil pressórica protetora dos pés. O tempo de diagnóstico do diabetes mellitus tipo 2 variou entre 1 a 39 anos, predominando as comorbidades hipertensão arterial (83,9%), dislipidemia (58,1%) e obesidade (41,8%). Quanto aos exames laboratoriais, observa-se que, em 64,5% da população estudada, os níveis da glicemia de jejum estavam acima de 100 mg/dL , ocorrendo pequena redução para 61,3% nos casos de pessoas com diabetes mellitus durante a intervenção e se manteve após. No que se refere à glicemia pós-prandial, os casos das pessoas com diabetes mellitus com valores iguais ou acima de 160 mg/dL, antes da intervenção era de 45,2% e durante e após a intervenção caiu para 38,7%. Em contrapartida, aumentou o número de pessoas com diabetes mellitus durante e após a intervenção, com valores da glicemia pós-prandial abaixo de 160 mg/dL, de 54,8% para 61,3%. E, em relação à hemoglobina glicada, foi observado que em 61,3% das pessoas com diabetes mellitus os valores antes da intervenção eram iguais ou acima de 7%. Durante a intervenção, caiu para 19,3% e após a intervenção o número de pessoas com diabetes mellitus, com a hemoglobina glicada igual ou superior a 7%, chegou a 38,7%. Quanto aos valores abaixo de 7%, observou-se aumento de 38,7% antes da intervenção para 80,6 e 61,3% respectivamente, durante e após a intervenção, com diferença estatisticamente significante (p< 0,001). As pessoas com diabetes mellitus desse estudo, apresentaram 83,87% de adesão ao tratamento antes da intervenção, e esses escores subiram para 96,78% após a intervenção, fato corroborado pelo teste de Wilcoxon que mostrou escores estatisticamente significantes (p<0,001), entre antes e após a intervenção. Esse estudo contribui para ressaltar a importância do enfermeiro, enquanto integrante da equipe multiprofissional, seguindo as orientações do \"Protocolo de atendimento ao indivíduo com diabetes\", tanto no atendimento individual quanto em grupo, reorganizando o processo de trabalho, contribuindo para maior adesão ao tratamento e controle dos níveis glicêmicos, ao minimizar a fragmentação e assegurar a continuidade na assistência, por meio de abordagem integral ao diabético

Field and laboratory performance evaluation of a field-blended rubber asphalt.

ALICE is one of four major experiments of particle accelerator LHC installed in the European laboratory CERN. The management committee of the LHC accelerator has just approved a program update for this experiment. Among the upgrades planned for the coming years of the ALICE experiment is to improve the resolution and tracking efficiency maintaining the excellent particles identification ability, and to increase the read-out event rate to 100 KHz. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to update the Time Projection Chamber detector (TPC) and Muon tracking (MCH) detector modifying the read-out electronics, which is not suitable for this migration. To overcome this limitation the design, fabrication and experimental test of new ASIC named SAMPA has been proposed . This ASIC will support both positive and negative polarities, with 32 channels per chip and continuous data readout with smaller power consumption than the previous versions. This work aims to design, fabrication and experimental test of a readout front-end in 130nm CMOS technology with configurable polarity (positive/negative), peaking time and sensitivity. The new SAMPA ASIC can be used in both chambers (TPC and MCH). The proposed front-end is composed of a Charge Sensitive Amplifier (CSA) and a Semi-Gaussian shaper. In order to obtain an ASIC integrating 32 channels per chip, the design of the proposed front-end requires small area and low power consumption, but at the same time requires low noise. In this sense, a new Noise and PSRR (Power Supply Rejection Ratio) improvement technique for the CSA design without power and area impact is proposed in this work. The analysis and equations of the proposed circuit are presented which were verified by electrical simulations and experimental test of a produced chip with 5 channels of the designed front-end. The measured equivalent noise charge was <550e for 30mV/fC of sensitivity at a input capacitance of 18.5pF. The total core area of the front-end was 2300?m × 150?m, and the measured total power consumption was 9.1mW per channel.

Noise and PSRR improvement technique for TPC readout front-end in CMOS. technology.

ALICE is one of four major experiments of particle accelerator LHC installed in the European laboratory CERN. The management committee of the LHC accelerator has just approved a program update for this experiment. Among the upgrades planned for the coming years of the ALICE experiment is to improve the resolution and tracking efficiency maintaining the excellent particles identification ability, and to increase the read-out event rate to 100 KHz. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to update the Time Projection Chamber detector (TPC) and Muon tracking (MCH) detector modifying the read-out electronics, which is not suitable for this migration. To overcome this limitation the design, fabrication and experimental test of new ASIC named SAMPA has been proposed . This ASIC will support both positive and negative polarities, with 32 channels per chip and continuous data readout with smaller power consumption than the previous versions. This work aims to design, fabrication and experimental test of a readout front-end in 130nm CMOS technology with configurable polarity (positive/negative), peaking time and sensitivity. The new SAMPA ASIC can be used in both chambers (TPC and MCH). The proposed front-end is composed of a Charge Sensitive Amplifier (CSA) and a Semi-Gaussian shaper. In order to obtain an ASIC integrating 32 channels per chip, the design of the proposed front-end requires small area and low power consumption, but at the same time requires low noise. In this sense, a new Noise and PSRR (Power Supply Rejection Ratio) improvement technique for the CSA design without power and area impact is proposed in this work. The analysis and equations of the proposed circuit are presented which were verified by electrical simulations and experimental test of a produced chip with 5 channels of the designed front-end. The measured equivalent noise charge was <550e for 30mV/fC of sensitivity at a input capacitance of 18.5pF. The total core area of the front-end was 2300?m × 150?m, and the measured total power consumption was 9.1mW per channel.