Distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in two species of triatomines: Triatoma lenti Sherlock and Serafim (1967) and Triatoma sherlocki Papa, Jurberg, Carcavallo, Cerqueira & Barata (2002)

Triatoma lenti and Triatoma sherlocki are hemipterans that belong to the brasiliensis subcomplex. In triatomines, the constitutive heterochromatin pattern is species-specific and allows, in many cases, for the grouping of species. Thus, we cytogenetically analyzed T. sherlocki and T. lenti using C-banding, and we compared the results with previous ones obtained in other species of the brasiliensis subcomplex. Both species were found to have a male diploid chromosome number of 22 chromosomes (2n = 20A. +. XY) with heterochromatic blocks at one or both chromosomal ends of all autosomal pairs. During early meiotic prophase, they showed a large heteropycnotic chromocenter constituted by the association of both sex chromosomes plus two autosomal pairs and many heterochromatic blocks dispersed inside the nucleus. All of these cytogenetic characteristics are similar to those observed in other species of brasiliensis subcomplex, results which confirm the grouping of T. sherlocki and T. lenti within this subcomplex. However, we emphasize the importance of other approaches, such as molecular analysis, to confirm the placement of T. lenti within the brasiliensis subcomplex. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Life mode of in situ Conularia in a Middle Devonian epibole

Exceptionally abundant specimens of Conularia aff. desiderata Hall occur in multiple marine obrution deposits, in a single sixth-order parasequence composed of argillaceous and silty very fine sandstone, in the Otsego Member of the Mount Marion Formation (Middle Devonian, Givetian) in eastern New York State, USA. Associated fossils consist mostly of rhynchonelliform brachiopods but also include bivalve molluscs, orthoconic nautiloids, linguliform brachiopods and gastropods. Many of the brachiopods, bivalve molluscs and conulariids have been buried in situ. Conulariids buried in situ are oriented with their aperture facing obliquely upward and with their long axis inclined at up to 87degree to bedding. Most specimens are solitary, but some occur in V-like pairs or in radial clusters consisting of three specimens, with the component specimens being about equally long or (less frequently) substantially different in length. The compacted apical end of Conularia buried in situ generally rests upon argillaceous sandstone. With one possible exception, none of the examined specimens terminates in a schott (apical wall), and internal schotts appear to be absent. The apical ends of specimens in V-like pairs and radial clusters show no direct evidence of interconnection of their periderms. The apical, middle or apertural region of some inclined specimens abuts or is in close lateral proximity to a recumbent conulariid or to one or more spiriferid brachiopods, some of which have been buried in their original life orientation. The azimuthal bearings of Conularia and nautiloid long axes and the directions in which conulariids open are nonrandom, with conulariids being preferentially aligned between 350 and 50degree and with their apertural end facing north-east, and nautiloids being preferentially aligned between 30 and 70degree. Otsego Member Conularia were erect or semi-erect, epifaunal or partially infaunal animals, the apical end of which rested upon very fine bottom sediment. The origin of V-like pairs and radial clusters remains enigmatic, but it is probable that production of schotts was not a regular feature of this animal's life history. Finally, conulariids and associated fauna were occasionally smothered by distal storm deposits, under the influence of relatively weak bottom currents. © The Palaeontological Association.

Lower Permian stems as fluvial paleocurrent indicators of the Parnaíba Basin, northern Brazil

A comprehensive biostratinomic study was carried out with abundant stems from the Lower Permian Motuca Formation of the intracratonic Parnaíba Basin, central-north Brazil. The fossils represent a rare tropical to subtropical paleofloristic record in north Gondwana. Tree ferns dominate the assemblages (mainly Tietea, secondarily Psaronius), followed by gymnosperms, sphenophytes, other ferns and rare lycophytes. They are silica-permineralized, commonly reach 4 m length (exceptionally more than 10 m), lie loosely on the ground or are embedded in the original sandstone or siltstone matrix, and attract particular attention because of their frequent parallel attitudes. Many tree fern stems present the original straight cylindrical to slightly conical forms, other are somewhat flattened, and the gymnosperm stems are usually more irregular. Measurements of stem orientations and dimensions were made in three sites approximately aligned in a W-E direction in a distance of 27.3 km at the conservation unit Tocantins Fossil Trees Natural Monument In the eastern site, rose diagrams for 54 stems indicate a relatively narrow azimuthal range to SE. These stems commonly present attached basal bulbous root mantles and thin cylindrical sandstone envelopes, which sometimes hold, almost adjacent to the lateral stem surface, permineralized fern pinnae and other small plant fragments. In the more central site, 82 measured stems are preferentially oriented in the SW-NE direction, the proportion of gymnosperms is higher and cross-stratification sets of sandstones indicate paleocurrents mainly to NE and secondarily to SE. In the western site, most of the 42 measured stems lie in E-W positions. The predominantly sandy succession, where the fossil stems are best represented, evidences a braided fluvial system under semiarid conditions. The low plant diversity, some xeromorphic features and the supposedly almost syndepositional silica impregnation of the plants are coherent with marked dry seasons. Thick mudstones and some coquinites below and above the sandy interval may represent lacustrine facies formed in probably more humid conditions. The taphonomic history of the preserved plants began with exceptional storms that caused fast-flowing high water in channels and far into the floodplains. In the eastern site region, many tree ferns only fell, thus sometimes covering and protecting plant litter and leaves from further fragmentation. Assemblages of the central and western sites suggest that the trees were uprooted and transported in suspension (floating) parallel to the flow. Heavier ends of stems (according to their form or because of attached basal bulbous root mantle or large apical fronds) were oriented to upstream because of inertial forces. During falling water stage, the stems were stranded on riverbanks, usually maintaining the previous transport orientation, and were slightly buried. The perpendicular or oblique positions of some stems may have been caused by interference with other stems or shallow bars. Rare observed stems were apparently waterlogged before the final depositional process and transported as bedload. The differences of interpreted channel orientations between the three sites are expected in a braided fluvial system, considering the very low gradients of the basin and the work scale in the order of tens of kilometers. The mean direction of the drainage probably was to east and the flows apparently became weaker downstream. This study seems to provide reliable data for paleocurrent interpretations, especially considering areas with scarce preserved sedimentary structures. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Simplified procedure to estimate the resistance parameters of transmission lines

An alternative and simplified procedure is described to estimate the longitudinal resistances of transmission lines based on the real-time load profile. This method proposes to estimate the resistance parameters from the synchronized measurements of complex currents and complex voltages at the sending and receiving ends of transmission systems. The synchronized measurements can be in practice obtained using phasor measurement units (PMUs). © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Decomposição de grupos e invariantes ends

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Photosynthate partitioning and morphoanatomical aspects of photomorphogenic mutants of tomato

The aim of this study was to analyze photosynthate partitioning in tomato photomorphogenic mutants at the ends of the vegetative (40 days after emergence [DAE]) and reproductive (69 DAE) stages and to determine its interaction with morphoanatomical aspects. The mutants aurea (au), phytochrome-deficient, high pigment-1 (hp1), light-exaggerated response, were studied along with the non-mutant Micro-Tom (MT) cultivar. The plants were analyzed at 40 and 68 DAE to identify photosynthate source organs and tissues as well as the target organs of remobilized photosynthate during the reproductive stage. The plants were evaluated for their internal and external morphology as well as the percentage of dry mass of their organs. Photosynthate allocation in the hp1 mutant occurred primarily in the roots and leaves, and allocation in the au mutant occurred primarily in fruits. The au mutant showed a high capacity for photosynthate remobilization to fruit during the reproductive stage, and the predominant sources of these remobilized photosynthates were the leaf spongy parenchyma, the root vascular cylinder and the marrow stem.

Distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in species of triatomines with fragmentation of sex chromosomes X

Cytogenetic analyses of triatomines are considered to be important taxonomic tools. Thus, we analyzed the pattern of constitutive heterochromatin in 7 species of triatomine with fragmentation of the sex chromosome X, focusing on the cytotaxonomy of these triatomines. The species analyzed included Triatoma vitticeps, Triatoma melanocephala, Triatoma tibiamaculata, Triatoma protracta, Meccus pallidipennis, Panstrongylus megistus, and Panstrongylus lignarius. The seminiferous tubules of the adult males were subjected to C-banding. P. megistus and P. lignarius showed differences in chromosome number and disposition of constitutive heterochromatin, as only P. lignarius showed C-blocks in autosomes. C-banding can differentiate these species, since one of the sex chromosome (X) is heterochromatic in T. vitticeps. T. protracta showed C-blocks in both ends of all autosomes, T. tibiamaculata showed terminal C-dots in some autosomal pairs and M. pallidipennis did not show constitutive heterochromatin in autosomes. Thus, we confirmed the heterochromatic pattern of 7 species of insects and emphasized the importance of cytogenetic techniques for C-banding for taxonomy studies of the triatomines, which are important vectors of Chagas disease.

Effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on peripheral nerve regeneration using fibrin glue derived from snake venom

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Magnetometric exploration in intrusive basic with evidence of gold in northern region of the Camaquã Sedimentary Basin (RS)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

O refluxo duodeno-gástrico (RDG), através do piloro, induz lesões proliferativas gástricas em ratos?

Objetivo: Estudar o desenvolvimento de lesões proliferativas na mucosa gástrica de ratos Wistar submetidos ao refluxo duodeno-gástrico (RDG) através do piloro e, também, avaliar os efeitos da interrupção do RDG sobre o desenvolvimento das mesmas. Métodos: Constituíram-se três grupos experimentais: No CT (n = 20) os ratos foram submetidos a uma gastrotomia; nos grupos RDG54 (n = 16) e RDG36 (n = 14) realizou-se a indução do RDG e, somente no último, interrompeu-se o RDG após 36 semanas. O RDG foi obtido através da realização de anastomose entre o jejuno proximal e a parede gástrica anterior, seguido por secção completa e fechamento das bocas distal e proximal do jejuno a cerca de 1cm antes do início da gastroenteroanastomose. Na 54ª semana do seguimento, todos os ratos foram submetidos à eutanásia. Resultados: Diagnosticaram-se três tipos de lesões proliferativas: na mucosa glandular, a hiperplasia adenomatosa e o adenocarcinoma e, no epitélio escamoso, a hiperplasia escamosa. No grupo CT, não se diagnosticaram lesões proliferativas. Na região da mucosa pilórica dos grupos RDG54 e RDG36, a incidência da hiperplasia adenomatosa foi, respectivamente, de 68,75% e 50% (p > 0,30), enquanto na região da gastroenteroanastomose, de 43,75% no RDG54 e 85,71% no RDG36 (p < 0,05). No epitélio escamoso, a incidência da hiperplasia escamosa no RDG54 e RDG36 foi, respectivamente, de 62,5% e 14,2% (p < 0,001). O adenocarcinoma foi diagnosticado na região da anastomose de uma única peça histológica do RDG54. Através de um sistema de análise digital, determinaram-se as áreas da hiperplasia adenomatosa. Na região da mucosa pilórica, obteve-se mediana de 8,583mm² no RDG54 e de 0,2690mm² no RDG36 (p < 0,001). Na gastroenteroanastomose, obteve-se zero no RDG54 e 0,5295mm² no RDG36 (p > 0,50). Conclusões: O RDG propiciou o desenvolvimento de lesões proliferativas, predominantemente benignas. A interrupção do RDG refreou o crescimento da área da hiperplasia adenomatosa na mucosa pilórica e diminuiu a incidência da hiperplasia escamosa. Na região da gastroenteroanastomose, o procedimento cirúrgico favoreceu a manutenção do processo prolifera tivo, mesmo após a interrupção do RDG através do piloro.

Fixador esquelético pino-resina acrílica e enxerto ósseo esponjoso no tratamento de complicações secundárias à imobilização inadequada de fratura do rádio e ulna em cães

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do fixador esquelético pino-resina, configuração tipo II, coadjuvado pelo enxerto ósseo esponjoso autólogo, no tratamento das complicações secundárias à imobilização inadequada de fraturas do rádio e ulna em 10 cães, com peso entre 1,8 e 33,6 kg. Detectou-se não-união (n=4), osteomielite (n=1), má-união (n=1), falência ou quebra de implante (n=4), sendo 60% das lesões referente ao uso prévio de pino intramedular no rádio. A montagem do fixador foi realizada com transfixação de pinos lisos em sua maioria angulados, cujas extremidades excedentes foram dobradas e estabilizadas com resina acrílica. em todos os casos, utilizou-se enxerto esponjoso autólogo fresco, após debridamento do foco de fratura. O tempo de permanência do aparelho variou entre 45 dias e 5 meses e a maior complicação foi o afrouxamento dos pinos transfixantes. A consolidação das fraturas ocorreu por formação de calo periosteal de mínimo a moderado, indicando boa rigidez da montagem.

Vegetation and environmental heterogeneity relationships in a Neotropical swamp forest in southeastern Brazil (Itirapina, SP)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Charges and fluxes in Maxwell theory on compact manifolds with boundary

We investigate the charges and fluxes that can occur in higher-order Abelian gauge theories defined on compact space-time manifolds with boundary. The boundary is necessary to supply a destination to the electric lines of force emanating from brane sources, thus allowing non-zero net electric charges, but it also introduces new types of electric and magnetic flux. The resulting structure of currents, charges, and fluxes is studied and expressed in the language of relative homology and de Rham cohomology and the corresponding abelian groups. These can be organised in terms of a pair of exact sequences related by the Poincare-Lefschetz isomorphism and by a weaker flip symmetry exchanging the ends of the sequences. It is shown how all this structure is brought into play by the imposition of the appropriately generalised Maxwell's equations. The requirement that these equations be integrable restricts the world-volume of a permitted brane (assumed closed) to be homologous to a cycle on the boundary of space-time. All electric charges and magnetic fluxes are quantised and satisfy the Dirac quantisation condition. But through some boundary cycles there may be unquantised electric fluxes associated with quantised magnetic fluxes and so dyonic in nature.

Immersions in the metastable dimension range via the normal bordism approach

Let f : M --> N be a continuous map between two closed n-manifolds such that f(*): H-*(M, Z(2)) --> H-* (N, Z(2)) is an isomorphism. Suppose that M immerses in Rn+k for 5 less than or equal to n < 2k. Then N also immerses in Rn+k. We use techniques of normal bordism theory to prove this result and we show that for a large family of spaces we can replace the homolog condition by the corresponding one in homotopy. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Herança de formato e produção de frutos imaturos em abobrinha (Cucurbita moschata)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a herança de formato e produção de frutos imaturos de 2 novas linhagens de C. moschata. Para tal obtiveram-se as gerações Fl, F2 e retrocruzamentos para ambos os progenitores. Para a avaliação das diferentes gerações utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com 4 repetições e número variável de plantas por repetição. As estimativas dos parâmetros genéticos foram obtidas segundo o modelo de MATHER & JINKS. Foram avaliados o peso, comprimento e diâmetros próximos das extremidades peduncular e estilar dos frutos. Observou-se dominância para maior velocidade de crescimento dos frutos, caracterizada pelos maiores comprimentos, diâmetros e peso médio na geração F1. Observou-se também dominancia para frutos mais bojudos e com menor relação entre o comprimento e a média dos diâmetros. Devido ao maior peso médio de frutos, e não ao número, obteve-se heterose significativa (20,5%) para produção total por planta.