Tropidomyrmex elianae, a new myrmicine ant genus and species from Brazil, tentatively assigned to Solenopsidini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

A new myrmicine ant, Tropidomyrmex elianae gen. n. & sp. n., is described from southeastern and central Brazil, based on workers, ergatoid gynes, males and larvae. Tropidomyrmex workers are relatively small, monomorphic, characterized mainly by the feebly pigmented and extremely thin integument; subfalcate mandibles bearing a single apical tooth; palpal formula 1,2; clypeus relatively broad and convex; reduced compound eyes; propodeum unarmed and with a strongly medially depressed declivous face; double and bilobed well developed subpostpetiolar processes; and peculiarities in the sting apparatus. A colony fragment of T. elianae containing workers, ergatoid gynes, males, and brood was found inside a ground termite nest (Anoplotermes pacificus Apicotermitinae) in a montane rocky scrubland in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Tropidomyrmex elianae is known also from two workers collected in leaf litter samples processed with a Winkler extractor, from the state of Tocantins, central-north Brazil. Despite the differences from the accepted solenopsidine genera, Tropidomyrmex is tentatively assigned to this tribe. Within the solenopsidine ants, the genus is apparently related to Tranopelta. Tropidomyrmex is marked by extreme reductions, perhaps reflecting adaptations to particular habits and habitats.

Description of a new species of Calliostoma (Gastropoda, Calliostomatidae) from Southeastern Brazil

Calliostoma tupinamba is a new species from Southeastern Brazil, ranging from southern Rio de Janeiro to northern Sao Paulo, and found only on coastal islands, on rocks and sessile invertebrates at 3 to 5 meters of depth. Shell and soft part morphology is described here in detail. Calliostoma tupinamba is mainly characterized by a depressed trochoid shell; eight slightly convex whorls; a sharply suprasutural carina starting on the third whorl and forming a peripheral rounded keel; and a whitish, funnel-shaped and deep umbilicus, measuring about 5%-10% of maximum shell width. Calliostoma tupinamba resembles C. bullisi Clench & Turner, 1960 in shape, but differs from it in being taller and wider, having a smaller umbilicus and lacking a strong and large innermost spiral cord at its base. Finally, an identification key of Brazilian Calliostoma species is presented.

Presumed normal ultrasonographic findings of the testis and epididymis of Botos (Inia Geoffrensis)

Fifteen live adult male botos, or Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis), were examined using ultrasonography during the yearly capture expedition, between October and November 2005, at the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve, within the Brazilian Amazon (3 degrees S, 65 degrees W). All examinations were performed with a Sonosite 180 plus ultrasound unit in conjunction with a 2- to 5-MHz multifrequency transducer convex array 180 Plus/Elite-C60. Age and maturity estimates were determined considering the body length, weight, and external characteristics. In all examinations, the testes were discerned by the presence of a hyperechoic central line, called the mediastinum testis, a landmark for their identification during ultrasonography. No significant differences in echogenicity were detected on the ultrasonographic appearance of the testes among the studied animals. On adult male botos, apparent parenchymal nodulation of the testis was observed on scanning in most of the animals and probably constituted evidence of reproductive maturity. Using the color Doppler technique, blood flow was detected along the mediastinum testis that progressively decreased toward the periphery of this organ. Little blood flow could be identified by color Doppler. Power Doppler allowed better accuracy to identify testicular vessels, their topography, and their differentiation from adjacent structures. Ultrasonographic examination provides useful data for morphologic characterization of the boto's testes. Examination using Doppler techniques was considered a valuable tool to evidence blood flow through the testicular parenchyma.

Home range, movements and diurnal roosts of the endangered thin-spined porcupine, Chaetomys subspinosus (Rodentia: Erethizontidae), in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Chaetomys subspinosus is the sole species within the Chaetomyinae subfamily of Caviomorph rodents. This poorly studied porcupine is restricted to the Atlantic Forest in eastern Brazil, where deforestation and habitat fragmentation threaten its survival. Data on the ranging and roosting behavior of C. subspinosus is fairly scarce as it is difficult to observe these behaviors in nature and, consequently, it is very rarely detected during field surveys. We monitored the home ranges of three radio-tagged females over the course of 1 year (2005-2006) and collected data on several aspects of their natural history including movement patterns and the use of diurnal roosts and latrines. The animals were monitored at Parque Estadual Paulo Cesar Vinha, a nature reserve dominated by restinga forests, a subtype of Atlantic Forest occurring on sandy soil. The estimated home range varied little between individuals and was relatively small (mean = 2.14 ha/individual and 1.09 ha/individual using minimum convex polygon and kernel methods, respectively). The animals travelled an average of 147 m/night (range: 21-324 m/night) between two consecutive day roosts. The day roosts were mostly located on vine and liana tangles in the canopy which also aid in connecting the canopy to adjacent trees or the forest floor. Latrines were mostly located near the ground in places heavily protected by spiny bromeliads or by other tangled vegetation. Our data suggests that C. subspinosus has the smallest range among all Neotropical Erethizontids which is likely due to its small size and strictly folivorous diet. Our data also helps explain why C. subspinosus is so difficult to observe in nature: researchers should focus on arboreal masses of tangled vegetation where individuals will normally rest during the day. (C) 2011 Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Saugetierkunde. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Maximum Series-Parallel Subgraph

Consider the NP-hard problem of, given a simple graph G, to find a series-parallel subgraph of G with the maximum number of edges. The algorithm that, given a connected graph G, outputs a spanning tree of G, is a 1/2-approximation. Indeed, if n is the number of vertices in G, any spanning tree in G has n-1 edges and any series-parallel graph on n vertices has at most 2n-3 edges. We present a 7/12 -approximation for this problem and results showing the limits of our approach.

Proposal of non-invasive experimental model to induce scoliosis in rats

Background: In the literature, there are several experimental models that induce scoliosis in rats; however, they make use of drugs or invasive interventions to generate a scoliotic curve. Objectives: To design and apply a non-invasive immobilization model to induce scoliosis in rats. Methods: Four-week old male Wistar rats (85 +/- 3.3 g) were divided into two groups: control (CG) and scoliosis (SG). The animals in the SG were immobilized by two vests (scapular and pelvic) made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and externally attached to each other by a retainer that regulated the scoliosis angle for twelve weeks with left convexity. After immobilization, the abdominal, intercostal, paravertebral, and pectoral muscles were collected for chemical and metabolic analyses. Radiographic reports were performed every 30 days over a 16-week period. Results: The model was effective in the induction of scoliosis, even 30 days after immobilization, with a stable angle of 28 +/- 5 degrees. The chemical and metabolic analyses showed a decrease (p<0.05) in the glycogenic reserves and in the relationship between DNA and total protein reserves of all the muscles analyzed in the scoliosis group, being lower (p<0.05) in the convex side. The values for the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance indicated a resistance condition to insulin (p<0.05) in the scoliosis group (0.66 +/- 0.03), when compared to the control group (0.81 +/- 0.02). Conclusions: The scoliosis curvature remained stable 30 days after immobilization. The chemical and metabolic analyses suggest changes in muscular homeostasis during the induced scoliosis process.

Delineation of vertebral area on the coronal plane using three-dimensional ultrasonography advanced volume contrast imaging (VCI) Omni view: intrarater reliability and agreement using standard mouse, high definition mouse, and pen-tablet

Objective: To assess the fetal lumbosacral spine by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography using volume contrast imaging (VCI) omni view method and compare reproducibility and agreement between three different measurement techniques: standard mouse, high definition mouse and pen-tablet. Methods: A comparative and prospective study with 40 pregnant women between 20 and 34+6 weeks was realized. 3D volume datasets of the fetal spine were acquired using a convex transabdominal transducer. Starting scan plane was the coronal section of fetal lumbosacral spine by VCI-C function. Omni view manual trace was selected and a parallel plane of fetal spine was drawn including interest region. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used for reproducibility analysis. The relative difference between three used techniques was compared by chi-square test and Fischer test. Results: Pen-tablet showed better reliability (ICC = 0.987). In the relative proportion of differences, this was significantly higher for the pen-tablet (82.14%; p < 0.01). In paired comparison, the relative difference was significantly greater for the pen-tablet (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The pen-tablet showed to be the most reproductive and concordant method in the measurement of body vertebral area of fetal lumbosacral spine by 3D ultrasonography using the VCI.

Generating unconstrained two-dimensional non-guillotine cutting patterns by a Recursive Partitioning Algorithm

In this study, a dynamic programming approach to deal with the unconstrained two-dimensional non-guillotine cutting problem is presented. The method extends the recently introduced recursive partitioning approach for the manufacturer's pallet loading problem. The approach involves two phases and uses bounds based on unconstrained two-staged and non-staged guillotine cutting. The method is able to find the optimal cutting pattern of a large number of pro blem instances of moderate sizes known in the literature and a counterexample for which the approach fails to find known optimal solutions was not found. For the instances that the required computer runtime is excessive, the approach is combined with simple heuristics to reduce its running time. Detailed numerical experiments show the reliability of the method. Journal of the Operational Research Society (2012) 63, 183-200. doi: 10.1057/jors.2011.6 Published online 17 August 2011

Estudo morfofuncional dos rins de cães da raça Golden Retriever afetados pela distrofia muscular (GRMD)

A Distrofia Muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é uma miopatia severa de caráter recessivo ligada ao cromossomo X e o modelo animal de estudo mais relevante é o Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy (GRMD). Além das severas alterações que ocorrem na musculatura estriada, muitos estudos mostram que outras estruturas, inclusive viscerais, podem se mostrar alteradas nesta patologia. Desta forma, este trabalho objetivou análisar e comparar possíveis alterações estruturais e funcionais do rim em cães GRMD. Neste modelo de estudo, foi possível observar a presença das faces convexa e côncava, do hilo renal e dos pólos craniais e caudais dos rins. O órgão mostrou-se envolto por uma cápsula fibrosa. Em um corte sagital do órgão, notou-se a presença das regiões cortical e medular e da pelve renal. Na análise microscópica foi possível identificar a zona medular e cortical com suas estruturas: os corpúsculos renais formados pelo glomérulo e pela cápsula de Bowman, os túbulos contorcidos proximais e distais, os ductos coletores, vasos sanguíneos e os segmentos das Alças de Henle. As dosagens séricas de creatinina e uréia encontram-se dentro dos limites de normalidade. Desta forma, de acordo com os nossos resultados, podemos concluir que os animais afetados estudados, não apresentaram alterações estruturais ou funcionais dos rins, o que nos permitir sugerir que apesar da ingestão hídrica comprometida, a estrutura renal, mantem- se preservada nos animais GRMD.

SUPERLINEAR ELLIPTIC PROBLEMS WITH SIGN CHANGING COEFFICIENTS

Via variational methods, we study multiplicity of solutions for the problem {-Delta u = lambda b(x)vertical bar u vertical bar(q-2)u + au + g(x, u) in Omega, u - 0 on partial derivative Omega, where a simple example for g( x, u) is |u|(p-2)u; here a, lambda are real parameters, 1 < q < 2 < p <= 2* and b(x) is a function in a suitable space L-sigma. We obtain a class of sign changing coefficients b(x) for which two non-negative solutions exist for any lambda > 0, and a total of five nontrivial solutions are obtained when lambda is small and a >= lambda(1). Note that this type of results are valid even in the critical case.

Hypergraphs with many Kneser colorings

For fixed positive integers r, k and E with 1 <= l < r and an r-uniform hypergraph H, let kappa(H, k, l) denote the number of k-colorings of the set of hyperedges of H for which any two hyperedges in the same color class intersect in at least l elements. Consider the function KC(n, r, k, l) = max(H epsilon Hn) kappa(H, k, l), where the maximum runs over the family H-n of all r-uniform hypergraphs on n vertices. In this paper, we determine the asymptotic behavior of the function KC(n, r, k, l) for every fixed r, k and l and describe the extremal hypergraphs. This variant of a problem of Erdos and Rothschild, who considered edge colorings of graphs without a monochromatic triangle, is related to the Erdos-Ko-Rado Theorem (Erdos et al., 1961 [8]) on intersecting systems of sets. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

UNIVERSALITY OF RANDOM GRAPHS

We prove that asymptotically (as n -> infinity) almost all graphs with n vertices and C(d)n(2-1/2d) log(1/d) n edges are universal with respect to the family of all graphs with maximum degree bounded by d. Moreover, we provide an efficient deterministic embedding algorithm for finding copies of bounded degree graphs in graphs satisfying certain pseudorandom properties. We also prove a counterpart result for random bipartite graphs, where the threshold number of edges is even smaller but the embedding is randomized.

Facial Profile Evaluation of Isolated Pierre Robin Sequence

Objective: To evaluate numerically the facial profile of children with isolated Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) and to compare them with a control group that has no pathologies and exhibits regular and balanced facial growth, with no skeletal alterations. Patients: Eighty-three children aged 5 to 10 years (PRS group, n = 60; control group, n = 23) were selected. Setting: Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of Sao Paulo (HRAC-USP). Children from the control group were taken from the program of Interceptive Orthodontics at HRAC-USP. Design: Angular and ratio analyses of the facial profiles in both groups were realized through digital photographs. The PRS group was subdivided into two groups-complete and incomplete-according to the sagittal extension of the cleft palate, to investigate the possible influence of cleft extension on the face. Results: The facial convexity angle and the facial inferior third angle were considerably higher in the PRS groups than in the control group and were not significantly different between PRS groups. Nasolabial angle did not differ between groups. Conclusion: The facial profile was more convex in individuals with PRS than in those with regular facial growth and with no pathology. The mandible was responsible for the convexity of the profile in PRS because of its lack off anterior projection. An important relationship between the extension of the cleft palate and alterations in facial profile in PRS was not observed.

MATHEMATICAL MODELS AND POLYHEDRAL STUDIES FOR INTEGRAL SHEET METAL DESIGN

We deal with the optimization of the production of branched sheet metal products. New forming techniques for sheet metal give rise to a wide variety of possible profiles and possible ways of production. In particular, we show how the problem of producing a given profile geometry can be modeled as a discrete optimization problem. We provide a theoretical analysis of the model in order to improve its solution time. In this context we give the complete convex hull description of some substructures of the underlying polyhedron. Moreover, we introduce a new class of facet-defining inequalities that represent connectivity constraints for the profile and show how these inequalities can be separated in polynomial time. Finally, we present numerical results for various test instances, both real-world and academic examples.

Sets of probability distributions, independence, and convexity

This paper analyzes concepts of independence and assumptions of convexity in the theory of sets of probability distributions. The starting point is Kyburg and Pittarelli's discussion of "convex Bayesianism" (in particular their proposals concerning E-admissibility, independence, and convexity). The paper offers an organized review of the literature on independence for sets of probability distributions; new results on graphoid properties and on the justification of "strong independence" (using exchangeability) are presented. Finally, the connection between Kyburg and Pittarelli's results and recent developments on the axiomatization of non-binary preferences, and its impact on "complete" independence, are described.