PODOCARPUS SP.PL. REFUGIA IN BRAZIL`S ATLANTIC FOREST: ANALYSING THE PAST TO IMPROVE FUTURE PROTECTION

The Atlantic rainforest has the second highest biodiversity in Brazil. It has been shrinking rapidly in area as a result of intensive deforestation, and only 7% of the original cover now remains, as isolated patches or in ecological reserves. In order to obtain new information on the distribution of the Atlantic rainforest during the Quaternary, we examined herbarium data to locate relevant populations and extracted DNA from fresh leaves from 26 populations. The present-day distribution of endemic Podocarpus populations shows that they are widely dispersed across eastern Brazil, and that the expansion of Podocarpus recorded in single Amazonian pollen records may have originated from either western or eastern populations. Genetic analysis enabled us to determine the boundaries of their regional expansion: northern and central populations of P. sellowii appeared between 5 degrees and 15 degrees S some 16,000 years ago; populations of P lambertii or sellowii have appeared between 15 degrees and 23 degrees S at different times since the last glaciation at least; and P lambertii appeared between 23 degrees and 30 degrees S during the recent expansion of Araucaria forests. The combination of botanical, pollen, and molecular analyses proved to be a rapid means of inferring distribution boundaries for sparse populations and their regional evolution within tropical ecosystems. Today the rainforest refugia we identified have become hotspots that are crucial to the survival of the Atlantic forest under unfavourable climatic conditions and, as such, offer the only possible opportunity for this type of forest to expand in the event of future climate change.

PL spectroscopy of Fermi electrons in regime of the quantum Hall effect

The influence of the interlayer coupling on formation of the quantized Hall phase at the filling factor v = 2 was studied in the multilayer GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures The disorder broaden Gaussian photoluminescence line due to the localized electrons was found in the quantized Hall phase of the isolated multi-quantum well structure On the other hand. the quantized Hall phase of the weakly-coupled multilayers emitted an asymmetrical line similar to that one observed in the metallic electron systems. We demonstrated that the observed asymmetry indicates a formation of the Fermi Surface in the quantized Hall phase of the multilayer electron system due to the interlayer peicolation. A sharp decrease of the single-particle scattering time associated with the extended states oil the Fermi surface was observed at the filling factor v = 2. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved

Relationship between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis and the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment

This study analyzed the association of periodontal disease (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Seventy-five 35-60-year-old patients were assigned to 5 groups according to the presence (+) or not (-) of PD and RA and the treatment received (TR+) or not (TR-) for PD. Group 3 uses total prosthesis (TP). Clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed at baseline, 3 and 6 months of follow-up by probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing and plaque index for PD, HAQ, DAS28, SF-36 and laboratory: AAG, ESR, CRP for RA. Statistically significant differences for PD after 3 (p=0.0055) and after 6 months (p=0.0066) were obtained in Group 1 (RA+PD+TR+) and 2(RA+PD+TR-); significant reduction in the % of BOP after 6 months (p=0.0128) and significant reduction in the % of Pl after 3 (p=0.0128) and 6 months (p=0.0002) in Group 1. Statistically significant differences between Groups 1 and 3 (RA+TP) for DAS28 at baseline and after 3 months were observed, but not after 6 months. No other parameters for RA were significantly affected. The relationship between RA and PD disease activities is not clear, but the importance of periodontal treatment in the control of inflammation to avoid tooth extraction is evident.

Propiedades termodinámicas de sorción de agua de la pulpa de lulo en polvo con encapsulantes

Datos de humedad de equilibrio de polvo de pulpa de lulo (PL) con y sin aditivos - 58% de maltodextrina (MD) o 58% de goma Arábiga (GA) - fueran determinados en las temperaturas de 20, 30, 40 y 50 °C utilizando el método estático gravimétrico para un rango de actividades de agua entre 0.06 y 0.90. Las isotermas presentaran formato sigmoidal del tipo III, y el modelo de Guggenhein-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) fue ajustado satisfactoriamente a los datos experimentales de humedad de equilibrio en función de la actividad de agua. La adición de encapsulantes afecto las isotermas de tal manera que en la misma actividad de agua, las muestras PL + GA y PL + MD presentaron un menor contenido de humedad de equilibrio y no fueron afectadas por la variación de temperatura. Los calores isostéricos de sorción de las pulpas en polvo con encapsulantes fueron mayores (menos negativos) con relación a las pulpas de lulo en polvo, sugiriendo la existencia de sitios polares más activos en el producto sin adición de GA o MD. Una relación exponencial empírica fue utilizada para describir la dependencia del calor de sorción con el contenido de humedad del material.

Creatine supplementation spares muscle glycogen during high intensity intermittent exercise in rats

Background: The effects of creatine (CR) supplementation on glycogen content are still debatable. Thus, due to the current lack of clarity, we investigated the effects of CR supplementation on muscle glycogen content after high intensity intermittent exercise in rats. Methods: First, the animals were submitted to a high intensity intermittent maximal swimming exercise protocol to ensure that CR-supplementation was able to delay fatigue ( experiment 1). Then, the CR-mediated glycogen sparing effect was examined using a high intensity intermittent sub-maximal exercise test ( fixed number of bouts; six bouts of 30-second duration interspersed by two-minute rest interval) ( experiment 2). For both experiments, male Wistar rats were given either CR supplementation or placebo (Pl) for 5 days. Results: As expected, CR-supplemented animals were able to exercise for a significant higher number of bouts than Pl. Experiment 2 revealed a higher gastrocnemius glycogen content for the CR vs. the Pl group (33.59%). Additionally, CR animals presented lower blood lactate concentrations throughout the intermittent exercise bouts compared to Pl. No difference was found between groups in soleus glycogen content. Conclusion: The major finding of this study is that CR supplementation was able to spare muscle glycogen during a high intensity intermittent exercise in rats.

Frequency upconversion luminescence from Yb(+3)-Tm(+3) codoped PbO-GeO(2) glasses containing silver nanoparticles

Infrared-to-visible and infrared-to-infrared frequency upconversion processes in Yb(3+)-Tm(3+) doped PbO-GeO(2) glasses containing silver nanoparticles (NPs) were investigated. The experiments were performed by exciting the samples with a diode laser operating at 980 nm (in resonance with the Yb(3+) transition (2)F(7/2)->(2)F(5/2)) and observing the photoluminescence (PL) in the visible and infrared regions due to energy transfer from Yb(3+) to Tm(3+) ions followed by excited state absorption in the Tm3+ ions. The intensified local field in the vicinity of the metallic NPs contributes for enhancement in the PL intensity at 480 nm (Tm(3+) :(1)G(4)->(3)H(6)) and at 800 nm (Tm(3+) : (3)H(4) -> (3)H(6)). (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3211300]

Photoluminescence enhancement by gold nanoparticles in Eu(3+) doped GeO(2)-Bi(2)O(3) glasses

We report large photoluminescence (PL) enhancement in Eu(3+)-doped GeO(2)-Bi(2)O(3) glasses containing gold nanoparticles (NPs). Growth of approximate to 1000% in the PL intensity corresponding to the Eu(3+) transition (5)D(0)->(7)F(2), at 614 nm, was observed in comparison with a reference sample that does not contain gold NPs. Other PL bands from 580 to 700 nm are also enhanced. The enhancement of the PL intensity is attributed to the increased local field in the Eu(3+) locations due to the presence of the NPs and the energy transfer from the excited NPs to the Eu(3+) ions.

An AC-5 cathepsin B-like protease purified from Haemonchus contortus excretory secretory products shows protective antigen potential for lambs

The immunogenic properties of cysteine proteases obtained from excretory/secretory products (ES) of Haemonchus contortus were investigated with a fraction purified with a recombinant H. contortus cystatin affinity column. The enrichment of H. contortus ES for cysteine protease was confirmed with substrate SDS-PAGE gels since the cystatin-binding fraction activity was three times higher than total ES, despite representing only 3% of total ES. This activity was inhibited by a specific cysteine protease inhibitor (E64) and by recombinant cystatin. The one-dimensional profile of the cystatin-binding fraction displayed a single band with a molecular mass of 43 kDa. Mass spectrometry showed this to be AC-5, a cathepsin B-like cysteine protease which had not been identified in ES products of H. contortus before. The cystatin binding fraction was tested as an immunogen in lambs which were vaccinated three times (week 0, 2.5 and 5), challenged with 10 000 L3 H. contortus (week 6) before necropsy and compared to unvaccinated challenge controls and another group given total ES (n = 10 per group). The group vaccinated with cystatin-binding proteins showed 36% and 32% mean worm burden and eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) reductions, respectively, compared to the controls but total ES was almost without effect. After challenge the cystatin-binding proteins induced significantly higher local and systemic ES specific IgA and IgG responses.

Evaluating the Taxonomic Identity in Four Species of the Lobose Testate Amoebae Genus Arcella Ehrenberg, 1832

The taxonomic identity in microbial eukaryotes remains an impediment to discussing ecology, biogeography and phylogeny, mainly due to a lack of standards in organism descriptions and few comparative works. The lobose testate amoebae (Arcellinida) present an ideal study system, as progress is severely hindered due to taxonomic confusion. In the present survey, we have examined the morphology, biometry and ecology of 2400 individuals in the genus Arcella Ehrenberg, 1832, collected from the Tiete River in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We then contrasted these new data with 26 previously described species, varieties and forms, looking for consistencies and trying to establish distinct entities. Using a combination of morphology and multivariate statistics we were able to determine 4 distinct taxa (Arcella hemisphaerica, Arcella discoides, Arcella gibbosa and Arcella brasiliensis), each of them encompassing a number of other non-distinct nominal taxa. We describe in detail each of the 4 taxa with notes on ecology and biogeography, and list the indistinguishable names in an effort to make identification and taxonomy in the testate amoebae a more objective and precise exercise by clarifying the taxonomic identity.

Systematic Management of Variability in UML-based Software Product Lines

This paper presents SMarty, a variability management approach for UML-based software product lines (PL). SMarty is supported by a UML profile, the SMartyProfile, and a process for managing variabilities, the SMartyProcess. SMartyProfile aims at representing variabilities, variation points, and variants in UML models by applying a set of stereotypes. SMartyProcess consists of a set of activities that is systematically executed to trace, identify, and control variabilities in a PL based on SMarty. It also identifies variability implementation mechanisms and analyzes specific product configurations. In addition, a more comprehensive application of SMarty is presented using SEI's Arcade Game Maker PL. An evaluation of SMarty and related work are discussed.

FLUCTUATIONS AND INITIAL STATE GRANULARITY IN HEAVY ION COLLISIONS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON OBSERVABLES FROM HYDRODYNAMICS

A comparison is made between results obtained using smooth initial conditions and event-by-event initial conditions in the hydrodynamical description of relativistic nuclear collisions. Some new results on directed flow are also included.

SATURATION AND HADRONIC CROSS-SECTIONS AT VERY HIGH ENERGIES

We propose a simple model for the total pp/p (p) over bar cross-section, which is a generalization of the minijet model with the inclusion of a window in the pT-spectrum associated to the saturation physics. Our model implies a natural cutoff for the perturbative calculations which modifies the energy behavior of this component, so that it satisfies the Froissart bound. Including the saturated component, we obtain a satisfactory description of the very high energy experimental data.

AN UNIFIED DESCRIPTION OF HERA AND RHIC DATA

Perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (pQCD) predicts that the small-x gluons in the hadron wavefunction should form a Color Glass Condensate (CGC), which has universal properties, which are the same for nucleon or nuclei. Making use of the results in V.P. Goncalves, M.S. Kugeratski, M.V.T. Machado, F.S. Navarra, Phys. Lett. B643, 273 (2006), we study the behavior of the anomalous dimension in the saturation models as a function of the photon virtuality and of the scaling variable rQ(s), since the main difference among the known parameterizations are characterized by this quantity.

KINETICS VERSUS HYDRODYNAMICS: GENERALIZATION OF LANDAU/COOPER-FRYE PRESCRIPTION FOR FREEZE-OUT

The problem of spectra formation in hydrodynamic approach to A + A collisions is considered within the Boltzmann equations. It is shown analytically and illustrated by numerical calculations that the particle momentum spectra can be presented in the Cooper-R-ye form despite freeze-out is not sharp and has the finite temporal width. The latter is equal to the inverse of the particle collision rate at points (t(sigma) (r, p), r) of the maximal emission at a fixed momentum p. The set of these points forms the hypersurfaces t(sigma)(r,p) which strongly depend on the values of p and typically do not enclose completely the initially dense matter. This is an important difference from the standard Cooper-Frye prescription (CFp), with a common freeze-out hypersurface for all p, that affects significantly the predicted spectra. Also, the well known problem of CFp as for negative contributions to the spectra from non-space-like parts of the freeze-out hypersurface is naturally eliminated in this improved prescription.

FLUCTUATION OF THE INITIAL CONDITIONS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES ON SOME OBSERVABLES

We show effects of the event-by-event fluctuation of the initial conditions (IC) in hydrodynamic description of high-energy nuclear collisions on some observables. Such IC produce not only fluctuations in observables but, due to their bumpy structure, several non-trivial effects appear. They enhance production of isotropically distributed high-p(T) particles, making upsilon(2) smaller there. Also, they reduce upsilon(2) in the forward and backward regions where the global matter density is smaller, so where such effects become more efficacious. They may also produce the so-called ridge effect in the two large-p(T) particle correlation.