Regulation of visfatin by microbial and biomechanical signals in PDL cells

Objectives: This in vitro study was established to examine whether visfatin thought to be a link between periodontitis and obesity is produced by periodontal ligament (PDL) cells and, if so, whether its synthesis is modulated by microbial and/or biomechanical signals. Materials and methods: PDL cells seeded on BioFlex® plates were exposed to the oral pathogen Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 25586 and/or subjected to biomechanical strain for up to 3 days. Gene expression of visfatin and toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 4 was analyzed by RT-PCR, visfatin protein synthesis by ELISA and immunocytochemistry, and NFκB nuclear translocation by immunofluorescence. Results: F. nucleatum upregulated the visfatin expression in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Preincubation with neutralizing antibodies against TLR2 and TLR4 caused a significant inhibition of the F. nucleatum-upregulated visfatin expression at 1 day. F. nucleatum stimulated the NFκB nuclear translocation. Biomechanical loading reduced the stimulatory effects of F. nucleatum on visfatin expression at 1 and 3 days and also abrogated the F. nucleatum-induced NFκB nuclear translocation at 60 min. Biomechanical loading inhibited significantly the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 at 3 days. The regulatory effects of F. nucleatum and/or biomechanical loading on visfatin expression were also observed at protein level. Conclusions: PDL cells produce visfatin, and this production is enhanced by F. nucleatum. Biomechanical loading seems to be protective against the effects of F. nucleatum on visfatin expression. Clinical relevance: Visfatin produced by periodontal tissues could play a major role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and the interactions with obesity and other systemic diseases. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Automatic microstructural characterization and classification using artificial intelligence techniques on ultrasound signals

Secondary phases such as Laves and carbides are formed during the final solidification stages of nickel based superalloy coatings deposited during the gas tungsten arc welding cold wire process. However, when aged at high temperatures, other phases can precipitate in the microstructure, like the γ″ and δ phases. This work presents a new application and evaluation of artificial intelligent techniques to classify (the background echo and backscattered) ultrasound signals in order to characterize the microstructure of a Ni-based alloy thermally aged at 650 and 950 °C for 10, 100 and 200 h. The background echo and backscattered ultrasound signals were acquired using transducers with frequencies of 4 and 5 MHz. Thus with the use of features extraction techniques, i.e.; detrended fluctuation analysis and the Hurst method, the accuracy and speed in the classification of the secondary phases from ultrasound signals could be studied. The classifiers under study were the recent optimum-path forest (OPF) and the more traditional support vector machines and Bayesian. The experimental results revealed that the OPF classifier was the fastest and most reliable. In addition, the OPF classifier revealed to be a valid and adequate tool for microstructure characterization through ultrasound signals classification due to its speed, sensitivity, accuracy and reliability. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Wing Pigmentation, UV and Fluorescence as Signals in a Neotropical Damselfly

Pigmentation patterns, ultraviolet reflection and fluorescent emission are often involved in mate recognition and mate quality functions in many animal taxa. We investigated the role of wing ultra-violet reflection, fluorescence emission, and pigmentation on age and sexual signals in the damselfly Mnesarete pudica. In this species, wings are sexually dimorphic in colour and exhibit age dependency: males and females show a smoky black colouration when young, turning red in mature males while it turns brown in females. First, we investigated wing UV patterns through reflectance and emission spectra. Second, behavioural experiments were undertaken to show male and female responses to manipulated wing pigmentation and experimentally reduced UV (UV-). Reflectance spectra of the wings of juvenile and mature males and females were used to show the differences between controls and individuals with manipulated colouration used in the behavioural experiment. UV-reduced, females with wings painted red, and control males and females were tethered and presented to conspecific males and females, and their behavioral responses were recorded. The male red wing pigmentation and females with red wings elicited an aggressive response in territorial males and a sexual response in females. Both males and females showed neutral responses towards individuals with reduced UV. Wing signals of juvenile individuals also provoked neutral responses. These results suggest that UV, together with pigmentation, plays a role during mate recognition in males and females. Other than butterflies and spiders, it seems that fluorescence signals and UV reflectance can also be part of communication in odonates. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

DGPS em Rede: desenvolvimento e implantação via internet utilizando a Rede GNSS do Estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Integridade, disponibilidade e acurácia no posicionamento RTK e RTK em rede: Investigação no contexto da rede GNSS ativa do Estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Integração de Redes GNSS locais ao SIRGAS

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação de modelos estocásticos no posicionamento GNSS

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise de wavelets para detecção e correção do multicaminho no posicionamento relativo GNSS estático e cinemático

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

Modelagem neutrosférica sobre a América do Sul baseada em PNT e assimilação de dados locais e robusta avaliação utilizando observações GNSS

Pós-graduação em Ciências Cartográficas - FCT

Investigações preliminares sobre a influência do clima espacial no posicionamento relativo com GNSS

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Modelo estocástico para dados GNSS e séries temporais de coordenadas GNSS

Pós-graduação em Ciências Cartográficas - FCT

Investigação da cintilação ionosférica no Brasil e seus efeitos no posicionamento por GNSS

Pós-graduação em Ciências Cartográficas - FCT

Análise de deformação da rede GNSS/SP com base na teoria da elasticidade

Pós-graduação em Ciências Cartográficas - FCT

Análise de séries temporais de multicaminho em estações de monitoramento contínuo

Data from reference stations are widely used in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) positioning, and can be used in relative positioning or network-based positioning concept. Positioning accuracy will be directly influenced by errors in signals collected in these stations. In this paper, it is aimed at evaluating these data quality using temporal series of multipath index MP1 and MP2. A statistical study of temporal series with 7 years of daily observations related to 7 stations from RBMC (Rede Brasileira de Monitoramento Contínuo) was accomplished. In order to investigate trends and seasonality a linear regression model, correlograms, and Fourier periodograms were used. We also used a harmonic adjust to identify peaks on temporal series. At last, the possible causes of seasonality found in some stations were discussed. It was also possible to identify peaks in MP values of March and October months (mainly in stations located near geomagnetic equator).

Introdução e aplicação da diluição da precisão das ambiguidades GNSS - ADOP

The main topic of this paper is the Ambiguity Dilution of Precision known as ADOP. Basically, ADOP is defined as a diagnostic measure for assessing the precision of the float scalar ambiguities. Among the several possibilities, the ADOP can provide help in predicting the behavior of a baseline or a network of GNSS receivers, concerning the problem of ambiguity resolution, either in real-time (instantaneous) or in the post-processing mode. The main advantage of using ADOP is possibility of the extraction of a closed analytical expression, considering various factors that affect the ambiguity resolution. Furthermore, the ADOP is related to the success rate of ambiguity resolution. The expressions here used, takes into account several factors, for example, a priori information of the measurement precision of GNSS carrier phase and pseudorange, the number of stations and satellites, the number of available frequencies and the behavior of the atmosphere (ionosphere and troposphere). Several scenarios were established so as to analyze the impact of each factor in ambiguities resolution, within the context of some stations of the São Paulo GNSS network (GNSS-SP).