The Anatomy of the Thoracic Spinal Canal Investigated with Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND: We investigated, with magnetic resonance imaging, the distance of the dura mater to the spinal cord in patients without spinal or medullar disease at the 2nd, 5th, and 10th thoracic segments.METHODS: Fifty patients in the supine position underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Medial sagittal slices of the 2nd, 5th, and 10th thoracic segments were measured for the relative distances using the 1.5-T superconducting system (Gyroscan Intera, Philips Medical Systems, Best, the Netherlands). In 10 patients, the angles relative to the tangent at the insertion point on the skin were measured.RESULTS: The posterior dural-spinal cord distance is significantly greater at the midthoracic region (5th thoracic = 5.8 +/- 0.8 mm) than at the upper (2nd thoracic = 3.9 +/- 0.8 mm) and lower thoracic levels (10th thoracic = 4.1 +/- 1.0 mm) (P < 0.015). There were no differences between interspaces T2 and 110. There was no correlation between age and the measured distance between the dura mater and the spinal cord. The entry angle of the needle at T2 was 9.0 degrees +/- 2.5 degrees; at T5, 45.0 degrees +/- 7.4 degrees; and at T10, 9.50 degrees +/- 4.2 degrees.CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that there is greater depth of the posterior subarachnoid space at the T2, T5, and T10 levels. The greater distance was found at T5. (Anesth Analg 2010;110:1494-5)

On the periodic orbits and the integrability of the regularized Hill lunar problem

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Breeding Habitat and Landscape Correlates of Frog Diversity and Abundance in a Tropical Agricultural Landscape

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

Fundamental Limits on Wavelength, Efficiency and Yield of the Charge Separation Triad

In an attempt to optimize a high yield, high efficiency artificial photosynthetic protein we have discovered unique energy and spatial architecture limits which apply to all light-activated photosynthetic systems. We have generated an analytical solution for the time behavior of the core three cofactor charge separation element in photosynthesis, the photosynthetic cofactor triad, and explored the functional consequences of its makeup including its architecture, the reduction potentials of its components, and the absorption energy of the light absorbing primary-donor cofactor. Our primary findings are two: First, that a high efficiency, high yield triad will have an absorption frequency more than twice the reorganization energy of the first electron transfer, and second, that the relative distance of the acceptor and the donor from the primary-donor plays an important role in determining the yields, with the highest efficiency, highest yield architecture having the light absorbing cofactor closest to the acceptor. Surprisingly, despite the increased complexity found in natural solar energy conversion proteins, we find that the construction of this central triad in natural systems matches these predictions. Our analysis thus not only suggests explanations for some aspects of the makeup of natural photosynthetic systems, it also provides specific design criteria necessary to create high efficiency, high yield artificial protein-based triads.

Induced polarization, resistivity, and self-potential: a case history of contamination evaluation due to landfill leakage

This article compares the efficiency of induced polarization (IP) and resistivity in characterizing a contamination plume due to landfill leakage in a typical tropical environment. The resistivity survey revealed denser electrical current flow that induced lower resistivity values due to the high ionic content. The increased ionic concentration diminished the distance of the ionic charges close to the membrane, causing a decrease in the IP phenomena. In addition, the self-potential (SP) method was used to characterize the preferential flow direction of the area. The SP method proved to be effective at determining the flow direction; it is also fast and economical. In this study, the resistivity results were better correlated with the presence of contamination (lower resistivity) than the IP (lower chargeability) data.

Synthesis of Ba0.5Sr0.5(Ti0.80Sn0.20)O-3 prepared by the soft chemical method

Single-phase Ba0.5Sr0.5(Ti0.80Sn0.20)O-3 (BST:Sn) powders with perovskite structure were prepared by the soft chemical method. Infrared data indicates that the BST:Sn powder is carbonate free while Raman analysis has shown that the transversal (TO) and longitudinal (LO) optical modes tend to disappear with tin addition. The electron diffraction pattern of the BST:Sn powder showed an interplanar distance of 3.94 angstrom characteristic of the pseudo-cubic structure. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Local order around rare earth ions during the devitrification of oxyfluoride glasses

Erbium L-3-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements were performed on rare earth doped fluorosilicate and fluoroborate glasses and glass ceramics. The well known nucleating effects of erbium ions for the crystallization of cubic lead fluoride (based on x-ray diffraction measurements) and the fact that the rare earth ions are present in the crystalline phase (as indicated by Er3+ emission spectra) seem in contradiction with the present EXAFS analysis, which indicates a lack of medium range structural ordering around the Er3+ ions and suggests that the lead fluoride crystallization does not occur in the nearest neighbor distance of the rare earth ion. Molecular dynamics simulations of the devitrification process of a lead fluoride glass doped with Er3+ ions were performed, and results indicate that Er3+ ions lower the devitrification temperature of PbF2, in good agreement with the experimental results. The genuine role of Er3+ ions in the devitrification process of PbF2 has been investigated. Although Er3+ ions could indeed act as seeds for crystallization, as experiments suggest, molecular dynamics simulation results corroborate the experimental EXAFS observation that the devitrification does not occur at its nearest neighbor distance. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Age, growth and yield per recruit analysis of the pintado Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (Agassiz, 1829) in the Cuiabá River basin, Pantanal Matogrossense, Brazil

A idade e o crescimento do pintado Pseudoplatystoma corruscans foram estudados durante o período de maio de 1994 a maio de 1995. O comprimento-padrão variou de 52 a 145 cm e o peso total, de 1,3 a 41 kg. As relações biométricas entre comprimento-padrão (Ls) e comprimento total (Ltotal) e entre peso total (Wt) e comprimento-padrão (Ls) foram obtidas, sendo, respectivamente: Ltotal = 3,296 + 1,069 * Ls e Wt = 0,00624 * Ls3,134. O fator de condição, calculado mensalmente, sugere que a desova ocorreu entre os meses de fevereiro e março. A idade foi estimada pela contagem de anéis de crescimento presentes nos raios modificados (esporão) das nadadeiras peitorais, detectando 10 classes etárias. A distância média do último anel até a borda do esporão sugere que o período de menor crescimento ocorreu entre julho e setembro (seca). A equação de von Bertalaffy que descreve o crescimento do pintado é: Lt = 183 * [1 - exp - 0,085 * (t + 3,274)]. A mortalidade total obtida foi Z = 0,24 ano-1 e a mortalidade natural M = 0,20 ano-1. Com o presente nível de explotação, F = Z - M = 0,04 ano-1, conclui-se que o estoque do pintado ainda não estava sobrexplotado na bacia do rio Cuiabá, Pantanal Matogrossense, na época em que foi realizado o estudo.

Spatial and temporal distribution of fishing resources exploited by the Manaus fishing fleet, Amazonas, Brazil

Recursos pesqueiros são importantes fontes de renda e alimento para as populações rurais e urbanas na Amazônia. O presente trabalho avalia a pesca e as variáveis ambientais que determinam a produção de pescarias que desembarcam em Manaus, e avalia também a abundância relativa de recursos pesqueiros em diferentes subsistemas na Amazônia Central. A informação coletada no porto de desembarque de pescado de Manaus foi utilizada para testar um novo índice de captura obtido a partir de um modelo de covariância que apresentou as seguintes variáveis significativas: número de pescadores/dia (dias de pesca vezes número de pescadores por viagem); distância do pesqueiro até Manaus; quantidade de gelo que usou durante a viagem; e nível de rio. Não houve nenhuma diferença significativa entre valores médios de captura entre os subsistemas do Purus, Madeira e de Juruá. Estes resultados sugerem que os tributários da margem direita são similares e mais produtivos em termos comerciais. Concluiu-se que a produção corrente varia de acordo com a magnitude de esforço pesqueiro, por variações ambientais, assim como por aspectos operacionais da pesca, particularmente o consumo de gelo.

Population ecology of the planktonic shrimp Lucifer faxoni Borradaile, 1915 (Crustacea, Sergestoidea, Luciferidae) of the southeastern coast of Brazil

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

Genetic linkage map of chicken chromosome 1 from a Brazilian resource population

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

Movement of Heterorhabditis amazonensis and Steinernema arenarium in search of corn fall armyworm larvae in artificial conditions

Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is considered to be the main pest of maize crops in Brazil. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) may be used to control this pest and exhibit different, unique abilities to search for their hosts. The movement of EPN in relation to S. frugiperda was evaluated. To test for horizontal movement, a styrofoam enclosure filled with sand was divided into segments, nematodes were placed at the entrance to the enclosure and a larva was placed at the end of each division. The same approach was used to evaluate vertical movement; however, PVC pipes were used in this case. In general, the mortality was inversely proportional to the initial distance between host and nematodes. In the vertical displacement test, both nematodes were able to kill the larvae up to a distance of 25 cm. Therefore, the infective juveniles of H. amazonensis and S. arenarium can search out, infect and kill larvae of S. frugiperda at distances of up to 60 cm and 25 cm of horizontal and vertical displacement, respectively.

Phylogenetic relationship between species of genus Cattleya as a function of crossing compatibility

The applicability of the gradcd fertility method in the study of the phylogenctic distance of orchids was investigated with emphasis on the production of F1 hybrid secds with cmbryos. Specics of the genus Cattleya, subgenera Monophyllae, Aurantiacae and Cattleya wece used and the results compared with those obtained with morphological and chemical methods.

1:1 complex of 4-nitrobenzoic acid and 4-nitropyridine N-oxide

In the title co-crystal, C7H5NO4. C5H4N2O3, the two components are linked by an intermolecular hydrogen band between the O-H and N-O groups [O ... O 2.577(3) Angstrom]. The interplanar angle between the planes of the rings of the molecules is 5.3 (2)degrees. The rings are stacked in the crystal with a mean interplanar distance of 3.279 (3) Angstrom.

Submucous myomas: A new presurgical classification to evaluate the viability of hysteroscopic surgical treatment - Preliminary report

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To develop a new preoperative classification of submucous myomas for evaluating the viability and the degree of difficulty of hysteroscopic myomectomy.DESIGN: Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3)SETTING: University teaching hospitals.PATIENTS: Fifty-five patients who underwent hysteroscopic resection of submucous myomas.INTERVENTION: the possibility of total resection of the myoma, the operating time, the fluid deficit, and the frequency of any complications were considered. The myomas were classified according to the Classification of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) and by our group's new classification (NC), which considers not only the degree of penetration of the myoma into the myometrium, but also adds in such parameters as the distance of the base of the myoma from the uterine wall, the size of the nodule (cm), and the topography of the uterine cavity. The Fisher's exact test, the Student's t test, and the analysis of variance test were used in the statistical analysis. A p value less than .05 in the two-tailed test was considered significant.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In 57 myomas, hysteroscopic surgery was considered complete. There was no significant difference among the three ESGE levels (0, 1, and 2). Using the NC, the difference between the numbers of complete surgeries was significant (p < .001) for the two levels (groups I and H). The difference between the operating times was significant for the two classifications. With respect to the fluid deficit, only the NC showed significant differences between the levels (p = .02).CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the NC gives more clues as to the difficulties of a hysteroscopic myomectomy than the standard ESGE classification. It should be stressed that the number of hysteroscopic myomectomies used in this analysis was low, and it would be interesting to evaluate the performance of the classification in a larger number of patients. (c) 2005 AAGL. All rights reserved.