Horticultural performance of `Folha Murcha` sweet orange onto twelve rootstocks

Despite its outstanding position, the Brazilian citriculture is established on a very limited pool of varieties that limits its expansion and restricts the fruit availability throughout the year. This situation determines the urgent necessity of developing alternative scion and rootstock cultivars, with good performance under local conditions. `Folha Murcha` sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) is a late-harvest cultivar, suitable both for the juice processing industry and the fresh fruit market, being described as tolerant to citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri Schaad et al.), and less affected by citrus variegated chlorosis (Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al.). A study was conducted in Bebedouro, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, to evaluate the horticultural performance of `Folha Murcha` sweet orange budded onto 12 rootstocks: the citrandarin `Changsha` mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) x Poncirus trifoliata `English Small`: the hybrid `Rangpur` lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) x `Swingle` citrumelo (P. trifoliata (L.) Raf x Citrus paradisi Macfad.); the trifoliates (P. trifoliata (L.) Raf.)`Rubidoux`, `FCAV`, and `Flying Dragon` (P. trifoliata var. monstrosa); the `Sun Chu Sha Kat` mandarin (C. reticulata Blanco); the `Sunki` mandarin (Citrus sunki (Hayata) Hart. ex. Tanaka); the `Rangpur` limes (C. limonia Osbeck) `Cravo Limeira` and `Cravo FCAV`; `Carrizo` citrange (C. sinensis x P. trifoliata), `Swingle` citrumelo (P. trifoliata x C. paradisi), and `Orlando` tangelo (C. paradisi x Citrus tangerina cv. `Dancy`). The experimental grove was planted in 2001, using a 7 m x 4 m spacing, in a randomized block design, with five replications and two plants per plot. No supplementary irrigation was applied. Fruit yield, canopy volume, tree tolerance to drought and to citrus variegated chlorosis, and fruit quality were assessed for each rootstock. Trees grafted onto the `Flying Dragon` trifoliate were smaller in size, but had largest yield efficiency when compared to those grafted onto other rootstocks. Lower alternate bearing index was observed on trees budded onto `Cravo FCAV` `Rangpur` lime. Both `Rangpur` lime rootstocks and the `Sunki` mandarin induced higher tree tolerance to drought. The `Flying Dragon` trifoliate induced better fruit quality and higher tolerance to citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) to `Folha Murcha` trees. A cluster multivariate analysis identified three groups of rootstocks with similar effects on `Folha Murcha` tree performance. Among the 12 evaluated rootstocks, the `Flying Dragon` trifoliate has a unique effect on plant growth, tolerance to drought and CVC, fruit yield and fruit quality of `Folha Murcha` trees, and may be better suited for high-density plantings. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The stability of the equilibrium outcomes in the admission games induced by stable matching rules

A stable matching rule is used as the outcome function for the Admission game where colleges behave straightforwardly and the students` strategies are given by their preferences over the colleges. We show that the college-optimal stable matching rule implements the set of stable matchings via the Nash equilibrium (NE) concept. For any other stable matching rule the strategic behavior of the students may lead to outcomes that are not stable under the true preferences. We then introduce uncertainty about the matching selected and prove that the natural solution concept is that of NE in the strong sense. A general result shows that the random stable matching rule, as well as any stable matching rule, implements the set of stable matchings via NE in the strong sense. Precise answers are given to the strategic questions raised.

Decision rules for egg recognition are related to functional roles and chemical cues in the queenless ant Dinoponera quadriceps

The capacity to distinguish colony members from strangers is a key component in social life. In social insects, this extends to the brood and involves discrimination of queen eggs. Chemical substances communicate colony affiliation for both adults and brood; thus, in theory, all colony members should be able to recognize fellow nestmates. In this study, we investigate the ability of Dinoponera quadriceps workers to discriminate nestmate and non-nestmate eggs based on cuticular hydrocarbon composition. We analyzed whether cuticular hydrocarbons present on the eggs provide cues of discrimination. The results show that egg recognition in D. quadriceps is related to both age and the functional role of workers. Brood care workers were able to distinguish nestmate from non-nestmate eggs, while callow and forager workers were unable to do so.

Twelve-month Outcomes After Coronary Stenting With the Genous (TM) Bio-Engineered R Stent (TM) in Diabetic Patients from the e-HEALING Registry

Objectives: We compared 12-month outcomes, regarding ischemic events, repeat intervention, and ST, between diabetic and nondiabetic patients treated with the Genous (TM) EPC capturing R stent (TM) during routine nonurgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using data from the multicenter, prospective worldwide e-HEALING registry. Background: Diabetic patients have an increased risk for restenosis and stent thrombosis (ST). Methods: In the 4,996 patient e-HEALING registry, 273 were insulin requiring diabetics (IRD), 963 were non-IRD (NIRD), and 3,703 were nondiabetics. The 12-month primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF), defined as target vessel-related cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI) and target vessel revascularization. Secondary outcomes were the composite of cardiac death, MI or target lesion revascularization (TLR), and individual outcomes including ST. Cumulative event rates were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with a log-rank test. Results: TVF rates were respectively 13.4% in IRD, 9.0% in NIRD, and 7.9% in nondiabetics (P < 0.01). This was mainly driven by a higher mortality hazard in IRD (P < 0.001) and NIRD (P = 0.07), compared with nondiabetics. TLR rates were comparable in NIRD and nondiabetics, but significantly higher in IRD (P = 0.04). No difference was observed in ST. Conclusion: The 1-year results of the Genous stent in a real-world population of diabetics show higher TVF rates in diabetics compared with nondiabetics, mainly driven by a higher mortality hazard. IRD is associated with a significant higher TLR hazard. Definite or probable ST in all diabetic patients was comparable with nondiabetics. (J Interven Cardiol 2011;24:285-294)

Twelve-Month Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys

Objective: Although suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, clinicians and researchers lack a data-driven method to assess the risk of suicide attempts. This study reports the results of an analysis of a large cross-national epidemiologic survey database that estimates the 12-month prevalence of suicidal behaviors, identifies risk factors for suicide attempts, and combines these factors to create a risk index for 12-month suicide attempts separately for developed and developing countries. Method: Data come from the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys (conducted 2001-2007), in which 108,705 adults from 21 countries were interviewed using the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The survey assessed suicidal behaviors and potential risk factors across multiple domains, including socio-demographic characteristics, parent psychopathology, childhood adversities, DSM-IV disorders, and history of suicidal behavior. Results: Twelve-month prevalence estimates of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts are 2.0%, 0.6%, and 0.3%, respectively, for developed countries and 2.1%, 0.7%, and 0.4%, respectively, for developing countries. Risk factors for suicidal behaviors in both developed and developing countries include female sex, younger age, lower education and income, unmarried status, unemployment, parent psychopathology, childhood adversities, and presence of diverse 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders. Combining risk factors from multiple domains produced risk indices that accurately predicted 12-month suicide attempts in both developed and developing countries (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.74-0.80). Conclusions: Suicidal behaviors occur at similar rates in both developed and developing countries. Risk indices assessing multiple domains can predict suicide attempts with fairly good accuracy and may be useful in aiding clinicians in the prediction of these behaviors. J Clin Psychiatry 2010;71(12):1617-1628 (C) Copyright 2010 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Screening for serious mental illness in the general population with the K6 screening scale: results from the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) survey initiative

Data are reported on the background and performance of the K6 screening scale for serious mental illness (SMI) in the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) surveys. The K6 is a six-item scale developed to provide a brief valid screen for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV) SMI based on the criteria in the US ADAMHA Reorganization Act. Although methodological studies have documented good K6 validity in a number of countries, optimal scoring rules have never been proposed. Such rules are presented here based on analysis of K6 data in nationally or regionally representative WMH surveys in 14 countries (combined N = 41,770 respondents). Twelve-month prevalence of DSM-IV SMI was assessed with the fully-structured WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Nested logistic regression analysis was used to generate estimates of the predicted probability of SMI for each respondent from K6 scores, taking into consideration the possibility of variable concordance as a function of respondent age, gender, education, and country. Concordance, assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, was generally substantial (median 0.83; range 0.76-0.89; inter-quartile range 0.81-0.85). Based on this result, optimal scaling rules are presented for use by investigators working with the K6 scale in the countries studied. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

AGE DIFFERENCES IN THE PREVALENCE AND CO-MORBIDITY OF DSM-IV MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODES: RESULTS FROM THE WHO WORLD MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY INITIATIVE

Background: Although depression appears to decrease in late life, this could be due to misattribution of depressive symptoms to physical disorders that increase in late we. Methods: We investigated this issue by studying age differences in co-morbidity of DSM-IV major depressive episodes (MDE) with chronic physical conditions in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) surveys, a series of community epidemiological surveys of respondents in 10 developed countries (n = 52,485) and 8 developing countries (n = 37,265). MDE and other mental disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Organic exclusion rules were not used to avoid inappropriate exclusion of cases with physical co-morbidity. Physical conditions were assessed with a standard chronic conditions checklist. Results: Twelve-month DSM-IV/CIDI MDE was significantly less prevalent among respondents ages 65+ than younger respondents in developed but not developing countries. Prevalence of co-morbid mental disorders generally either decreased or remained stable with age, while co-morbidity of MDE with mental disorders generally increased with age. Prevalence of physical conditions, in comparison, generally increased with age, while co-morbidity of MDE with physical conditions generally decreased with age. Depression treatment was lowest among the elderly in developed and developing countries. Conclusions: The weakening associations between MDE and physical conditions with increasing age argue against the suggestion that the low estimated prevalence of MDE among the elderly is due to increased confounding with physical disorders. Future study is needed to investigate processes that might lead to a decreasing impact of physical illness on depression among the elderly. Depression and Anxiety 27:351-364, 2010. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Oropouche virus experimental infection in the golden hamster (Mesocrisetus auratus)

Oropouche virus (OROV), of the family Bunyaviridae, is the second most frequent arbovirus causing febrile disease in Brazil. In spite of this, little is known about pathogenesis of OROV infection. This report describes an experimental model of OROV in golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). Following subcutaneous inoculation of OROV, over 50% of the animals developed disease characterized by lethargy, ruffled fur, shivering, paralysis, and approximately one third died. Animals were sacrificed on days 1, 3, 5, 8 and 11 post-inoculation to collect tissue samples from brain, heart, liver, lung, spleen, muscle and blood for virus titration, histology and OROV immunohistochemistry. OROV was detected in high titers in blood, liver and brain, but not in the other organs. Histopathology revealed meningoencephalitis and hepatitis, with abundant OROV antigen detected in liver and brain. Diffuse galectin-3 immunostaining in brain and liver supports microglial and Kupfer cells activation. This is the first description of an experimental model for OROV infection and should be helpful to study pathogenesis and possibly to test antiviral interventions such as drugs and vaccine candidates. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical therapy assessment tools to evaluate disease progression and phenotype variability in Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy

Dogs suffering from Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) present symptoms that are similar to human patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Phenotypic variability is common in both cases and correlates with disease progression and response to therapy. Physical therapy assessment tools were used to study disease progression and assess phenotypic variability in dogs with GRMD. At 5 (TO), 9 (T1), 13 (T2) and 17 (T3) months of age, the physical features, joint ranges of motion (ROM), limb and thorax circumferences, weight and creatine kinase (CK) levels were assessed in 11 dogs with GRMD. Alterations of physical features were higher at 13 months, and different disease progression rates were observed. Passive ROM decreased until 1 year old, which was followed by a decline of elbow and tarsal ROM. Limb and thorax circumferences, which were corrected for body weight, decreased significantly between TO and T3. These measurements can be used to evaluate disease progression in dogs with GRMD and to help discover new therapies for DMD patients. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subepithelial connective tissue graft for root coverage in smokers and non-smokers: A clinical and histologic controlled study in humans

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate root coverage of gingival recessions and to compare graft vascularization in smokers and non-smokers. Methods: Thirty subjects, 15 smokers and 15 non-smokers, were selected. Each subject had one Miller Class I or II recession in a non-molar tooth. Clinical measurements of probing depth (PD), relative clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession (GR), and width of keratinized tissue (KT) were determined at baseline and 3 and 6 months after surgery. The recessions were treated surgically with a coronally positioned flap associated with a subepithelial connective tissue graft. A small portion of this graft was prepared for immunohistochemistry. Blood vessels were identified and counted by expression of factor VIII-related antigen-stained endothelial cells. Results: Intragroup analysis showed that after 6 months there a was gain in CAL, a decrease in GR, and an increase in KT for both groups (P<0.05), whereas changes in PD were not statistically significant. Smokers had less root coverage than non-smokers (58.02% +/- 19.75% versus 83.35% +/- 18.53%; P<0.05). Furthermore, the smokers had more GR (1.48 +/- 0.79 mm versus 0.52 +/- 0.60 mm) than the nonsmokers (P<0.05). Histomorphometry of the donor tissue revealed a blood vessel density of 49.01 +/- 11.91 vessels/200x field for non-smokers and 36.53 +/- 10.23 vessels/200x field for smokers (P<0.05). Conclusion: Root coverage with subepithelial connective tissue graft was negatively affected by smoking, which limited and jeopardized treatment results.

Recurrent sores by ill-fitting dentures and intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma in smokers

Objectives: To examine whether denture use and recurrent sores caused by ill-fitting dentures are associated with intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma (IO-SCC) in individuals exposed to tobacco. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study. The study population comprised 124 patients with IO-SCC and the same number of controls (individually paired according to gender and age) recruited from outpatient units of the same hospital. Conditional logistic regression analysis assessed the effect of denture use and recurrent oral sores by ill-fitting dentures, adjusted by covariates on the lifetime exposure to alcohol and tobacco, socioeconomic standings, and dietary patterns. Results: The use of dentures showed no association with IO-SCC [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.40, 95 percent confidence interval 0.51-3.87, P = 0.513] in an assessment controlled by socioeconomic position, lifetime exposure to alcohol and tobacco, and dietary patterns. However, the report of recurrent sores caused by ill-fitting dentures showed significant association with the disease (adjusted OR 4.58, 95 percent confidence interval 1.52-13.76, P = 0.007). Conclusions: The association between recurrent oral sores caused by ill-fitting dentures and squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth in smokers is in agreement with the hypothesis that the chronic physical irritation of oral mucosa contributes to the topical carcinogenic effect of tobacco, which must be taken into careful consideration in the planning of dental services for adults and the elderly.

MODELLING OF HIGH-PRESSURE PHASE EQUILIBRIUM IN SYSTEMS OF INTEREST IN THE FOOD ENGINEERING FIELD USING THE PENG-ROBINSON EQUATION OF STATE WITH TWO DIFFERENT MIXING RULES

In this work, thermodynamic models for fitting the phase equilibrium of binary systems were applied, aiming to predict the high pressure phase equilibrium of multicomponent systems of interest in the food engineering field, comparing the results generated by the models with new experimental data and with those from the literature. Two mixing rules were used with the Peng-Robinson equation of state, one with the mixing rule of van der Waals and the other with the composition-dependent mixing rule of Mathias et al. The systems chosen are of fundamental importance in food industries, such as the binary systems CO(2)-limonene, CO(2)-citral and CO(2)-linalool, and the ternary systems CO(2)-Limonene-Citral and CO(2)-Limonene-Linalool, where high pressure phase equilibrium knowledge is important to extract and fractionate citrus fruit essential oils. For the CO(2)-limonene system, some experimental data were also measured in this work. The results showed the high capability of the model using the composition-dependent mixing rule to model the phase equilibrium behavior of these systems.

D*D rho vertex from QCD sum rules

We calculate the form factors and the coupling constant in the D*D rho vertex in the framework of QCD sum rules. We evaluate the three-point correlation functions of the vertex considering D, rho and D* mesons off-shell. The form factors obtained are very different but give the same coupling constant: g(D*D rho) = 4.3 +/- 0.9 GeV(-1). (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

QCD sum rules for the production of the X(3872) as a mixed molecule-charmonium state in B meson decay

We use QCD sum rules to calculate the branching ratio for the production of the meson X(3872) in the decay B -> X(3872)K, assumed to be a mixture between charmonium and exotic molecular vertical bar c (q) over bar vertical bar vertical bar q (c) over bar vertical bar states with J(PC) = 1(++). We find that in a small range for the values of the mixing angle, 5 degrees <= theta <= 13 degrees, we get the branching ratio B(B -> XK) = (1.00 +/- 0.68) x 10(-5), which is in agreement with the experimental upper limit. This result is compatible with the analysis of the mass and decay width of the mode J/psi(n pi) and the radiative decay mode J/psi gamma performed in the same approach. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.