HMDSO plasma polymerization and thin film optical properties

Thin films were deposited from hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) in a glow discharge supplied with radiofrequency (rf) power. Actino-metric optical emission spectroscopy was used to follow trends in the plasma concentrations of the species SiH (414.2 nm), CH (431.4 nm), CO (520.0 nm), and H (656.3 nm) as a function of the applied rf power (range 5 to 35 W). Transmission infrared spectroscopy (IRS) was employed to characterize the molecular structure of the polymer, showing the presence of Si-H, Si-O-Si, Si-O-C and C-H groups. The deposition rate, determined by optical interferometry, ranged from 60 to 130 nm/min. Optical properties were determined from transmission ultra violet-visible spectroscopy (UVS) data. The absorption coefficient α, the refractive index n, and the optical gap E04 of the polymer films were calculated as a function of the applied power. The refractive index at a photon energy of 1 eV varied from 1.45 to 1.55, depending on the rf power used for the deposition. The absorption coefficient showed an absorption edge similar to other non-crystalline materials, amorphous hydrogenated carbon, and semiconductors. For our samples, we define as an optical gap, the photon energy E04 corresponding to the energy at an absorption of 104 cm-1. The values of E04 decreased from 5.3 to 4.6 as the rf power was increased from 5 to 35 W. © 1995.

Unrestricted linear dimensional changes of two hard chairside reline resins and one heat-curing acrylic resin

The selection and use of hard chairside reline resins must be made with regard to dimensional stability, which will influence the accuracy of fit of the denture base. This study compared the dimensional change of two hard chairside reline resins (Duraliner II and Kooliner) and one heat-curing denture base resin (Lucitone 550). A stainless steel mold with reference dimensions (AB, CD) was used to obtain the samples. The materials were processed according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Measurements of the dimensions were made after processing and after the samples had been stored in distilled water at 37° C for eight different periods of time. The data were recorded and then analyzed with analysis of variance. All materials showed shrinkage immediately after processing (p < 0.05). The only resin that exhibited shrinkage after 60 days of storage in water was Duraliner II; these changes could be clinically significant in regard of tissue fit.

Features of myoneural junctions in the extraocular muscles of the opossum (Didelphis albiventris)

The myoneural junctions present in the opossum (Didelphis albiventris) extraocular muscles were studied through histochemical and ultrastructural techniques. Three different types of junction were shown: two single types, 'en grappe' and 'en plaque', present in the middle third of the muscle fibers; and one multiple type, more rare and observed in the distal third of the muscle.

A simple action for a free fractional spin particle

By studying classical realizations of the sl(2, R-fraktur sign) algebra in a two dimensional phase space (q,π), we have derived a continuous family of new actions for free fractional spin particles in 2 + 1 dimensions. For the case of light-like spin vector (SμSμ = 0), the action is remarkably simple. We show the appearence of the Zitterbewegung in the solutions of the equations of motion, and relate the actions to others in the literature at classical level. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Chemistry of Biotites and Whole Rocks from the Rapakivi Itu Complex (Late Precambrian), State of São Paulo, SE Brazil

Chemical analyses for biotites and their host rocks from the Cabreúva (three facies) and Salto (five facies) intrusions from the multiple-centered rapakivi Itu Complex, State of São Paulo, Brazil, are presented and compared. The Cabreúva intrusion comprises different kinds of mainly even-grained biotite and hornblende-bearing syenogranites, monzogranites and quartz syenites and the Salto intrusion several types of mainly porphyritic biotite syenogranites, some of them hornblende-bearing. The biotites from the Salto intrusion (S-micas) show a more restricted composition than those from the Cabreúva intrusion (C-micas). This reflects the chemical variability of the two bodies which is smaller in the Salto intrusion and larger in the Cabreúva pluton. In the AlIV x Fet/(Fet+Mg) diagram the S- and C-micas show similar AlIV contents, around 2.2-2.3, but C-micas have higher Fet/(Fet+Mg) ratios (0.7-0.9) compared to those of S-micas (0.5-0.6). In the Mg:(Al+Fe+3+Ti):(Fe+2+Mn) diagram the S-micas are defined as Fe+2-biotites and the C-micas occupy the area between the Fe+2-biotites and the siderophyllite/lepidomelane fields, slightly overlapping the latter. In the Al2O3 × FeOt, MgO × FeOt, Al2O3 x MgO and Alt x Mg diagrams, the S-micas always lie on the calc-alkaline/alkaline boundary (or in the subalkaline field) whereas the C-micas systematically plot in the alkaline field, reflecting the higher alkalis content of the Cabreúva intrusion. In the Fet/(Fet+Mg) x SiO2 diagram, the S-micas lie on a smooth line whereas the C-micas from the different facies are separated by distinct chemical gaps reflecting the major or minor chemical overlapping of the facies from the Salto and Cabreúva intrusions.

Violet and blue light amplification in Nd3+-doped fluoroindate glasses

We report optical gain at 382 and 414 nm from Nd3+-doped fluroindate glasses after excitation with lasers operating either at 583 or 532 nm. Stimulated emission due to a frequency upconversion process results in increase of the emitted violet and blue light intensity and emission line narrowing. Large optical gain is measured by pump-probe spectroscopy using samples with various Nd3+ concentrations. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.

Concept of Matching Parallelepiped and its use in the correspondence problem

In this paper, the concept of Matching Parallelepiped (MP) is presented. It is shown that the volume of the MP can be used as an additional measure of `distance' between a pair of candidate points in a matching algorithm by Relaxation Labeling (RL). The volume of the MP is related with the Epipolar Geometry and the use of this measure works as an epipolar constraint in a RL process, decreasing the efforts in the matching algorithm since it is not necessary to explicitly determine the equations of the epipolar lines and to compute the distance of a candidate point to each epipolar line. As at the beginning of the process the Relative Orientation (RO) parameters are unknown, a initial matching based on gradient, intensities and correlation is obtained. Based on this set of labeled points the RO is determined and the epipolar constraint included in the algorithm. The obtained results shown that the proposed approach is suitable to determine feature-point matching with simultaneous estimation of camera orientation parameters even for the cases where the pair of optical axes are not parallel.

Tuberculosis survey of free-ranging marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) in Brazil

Esophageal-pharyngeal fluids from 53 free-ranging marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) captured for a research program in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, were assayed for tuberculosis. Total DNA was extracted, amplified by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. microti, and M. africanum), and observed by agarose gel electrophoresis stained with ethidium bromide. All samples were negative. This, along with necropsy and histopathology data, suggests that these animals are not shedding and probably do not have active disease.

Levantamento florístico em remanescente de floresta ripária no alto rio Paraná: Mata do Araldo, Porto Rico, Paraná, Brasil

The purpose of this study was to realize a floristic survey in riparian forest remains of the Upper Paraná River, under domain of the submontane seasonal semideciduous forest, located in Porto Rico, Paraná, Brazil (53°19'3 W e 22°47'37 S). Within and in the neighborhood of 10.000 m2 area (100 m × 100 m), 165 species were surveyed, in 124 genera and 60 families, distributed in arboreous, shrubs, herbs, climbers and hemiparasites. Leguminosae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae, and Bignoniaceae were the families with the highest species' richness, showing together 33.33%, and the genera more representative were Eugenia, Casearia, Guarea, Inga, Panicum, and Solanum, with 12.73% of the species. Though the perturbations verified in the forest remains, eight species were rare for this type of vegetation and 12 were listed as fishes natural food.

Analysis of susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas spp. and prevalence of bacterial samples from the surfaces of dental consulting-rooms

The aim of this research was to evaluate the susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas spp. and the prevalence of bacterial samples isolated from horizontal surfaces surrounding wash-basins used by dentists in several adjoined consulting-rooms, at points next to and at a distance from the basin, before and after surgical procedures. Our results showed a high percentage of Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative bacilli; 34.66% were Staphylococcus spp. and 30.12% were non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli among which Pseudomonas spp. (40.90%) was the commonest genus. Analysis of the susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas spp. isolates by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 14 antibiotics showed a great variation among the strains and high rates of resistance to cefazolin, ceftazidime and aztreonan. Of the 14 antibiotics tested, 59.03% were found to be active against all the environmental isolates. Strains were resistant to aztreonan (62.82%), while susceptibility to third generation cephalosporins was variable.

Phylogenetic systematics of dart-poison frogs and their relatives (Amphibia: Athesphatanura: Dendrobatidae)

The known diversity of dart-poison frog species has grown from 70 in the 1960s to 247 at present, with no sign that the discovery of new species will wane in the foreseeable future. Although this growth in knowledge of the diversity of this group has been accompanied by detailed investigations of many aspects of the biology of dendrobatids, their phylogenetic relationships remain poorly understood. This study was designed to test hypotheses of dendrobatid diversification by combining new and prior genotypic and phenotypic evidence in a total evidence analysis. DNA sequences were sampled for five mitochondrial and six nuclear loci (approximately 6,100 base pairs [bp]; x=3,740 bp per terminal; total dataset composed of approximately 1.55 million bp), and 174 phenotypic characters were scored from adult and larval morphology, alkaloid profiles, and behavior. These data were combined with relevant published DNA sequences. Ingroup sampling targeted several previously unsampled species, including Aromobates nocturnus, which was hypothesized previously to be the sister of all other dendrobatids. Undescribed and problematic species were sampled from multiple localities when possible. The final dataset consisted of 414 terminals: 367 ingroup terminals of 156 species and 47 outgroup terminals of 46 species. Direct optimization parsimony analysis of the equally weighted evidence resulted in 25,872 optimal trees. Forty nodes collapse in the strict consensus, with all conflict restricted to conspecific terminals. Dendrobatids were recovered as monophyletic, and their sister group consisted of Crossodactylus, Hylodes, and Megaelosia, recognized herein as Hylodidae. Among outgroup taxa, Centrolenidae was found to be the sister group of all athesphatanurans except Hylidae, Leptodactyidae was polyphyletic, Thoropa was nested within Cycloramphidae, and Ceratophryinae was paraphyletic with respect to Telmatobiinae. Among dendrobatids, the monophyly and content of Mannophryne and Phyllobates were corroborated. Aromobates nocturnus and Colostethus saltuensis were found to be nested within Nephelobates, and Minyobates was paraphyletic and nested within Dendrobates. Colostethus was shown to be rampantly nonmonophyletic, with most species falling into two unrelated cis- and trans-Andean clades. A morphologically and behaviorally diverse clade of median lingual process-possessing species was discovered. In light of these findings and the growth in knowledge of the diversity of this large clade over the past 40 years, we propose a new, monophyletic taxonomy for dendrobatids, recognizing the inclusive clade as a superfamily (Dendrobatoidea) composed of two families (one of which is new), six subfamilies (three new), and 16 genera (four new). Although poisonous frogs did not form a monophyletic group, the three poisonous lineages are all confined to the revised family Dendrobatidae, in keeping with the traditional application of this name. We also propose changes to achieve a monophyletic higher-level taxonomy for the athesphatanuran outgroup taxa. Analysis of character evolution revealed multiple origins of phytotelm-breeding, parental provisioning of nutritive oocytes for larval consumption (larval oophagy), and endotrophy. Available evidence indicates that transport of tadpoles on the dorsum of parent nurse frogs-a dendrobatid synapomorphy-is carried out primitively by male nurse frogs, with three independent origins of female transport and five independent origins of biparental transport. Reproductive amplexus is optimally explained as having been lost in the most recent common ancestor of Dendrobatoidea, with cephalic amplexus arising independently three times. © American Museum of Natural History 2006.

Acurácia do teste de escada utilizando o consumo máximo de oxigênio como padrão-ouro

Objective: To determine the accuracy of the variables related to the fixed-height stair-climbing test (SCT) using maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O 2 max) as the gold standard. Methods: The SCT was performed on a staircase consisting of 6 flights (72 steps; 12.16 m total height), with verbal encouragement, in 51 patients. Stair-climbing time was measured, the variables 'work' and 'power' also being calculated. The V̇O2 max was measured using ergospirometry according to the Balke protocol. We calculated the Pearson linear correlation (r), as well as the values of p, between the SCT variables and V̇O2 max. To determine accuracy, the V̇O 2 max cut-off point was set at 25 mL/kg/min, and individuals were classified as normal or altered. The cut-off points for the SCT variables were determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve. The Kappa statistic (k) was used in order to assess concordance. Results: The following values were obtained for the variable 'time': cut-off point = 40 s; mean = 41 ± 15.5 s; r = -0.707; p < 0.005; specificity = 89%; sensibility = 83%; accuracy = 86%; and k = 0.724. For 'power', the values obtained were as follows: cut-off point = 200 w; mean = 222.3 ± 95.2 w; r = 0.515; p < 0.005; specificity = 67%; sensibility= 75%; accuracy = 71%; and k = 0.414. Since the correlation between the variable 'work' and V̇O2 max was not significant, that variable was discarded. Conclusion: Of the SCT variables tested, using V̇O2 max as the gold standard, the variable 'time' was the most accurate.

Development of SCAR marker linked to stem canker resistance gene in soybean

Stem canker caused by the fungus Diaporthe phaseolorum f. sp. meridionalis is a disease that limits soybean cultivation. Phenotypic evaluations aiming at disease resistance require labor-intensive processes, as for instance handling and transport of phytopathogens. The use of DNA markers in the selective procedures eases certain phases, besides being practical, safe and reliable. A RAPD fragment of 588pb was identified among bulks of resistant and susceptible plants in the cross BR92-15454 (R) x IAC-11 (S). Through co-segregation, the distance between the resistance locus and the fragment was estimated at 7.4 ± 2.1 cM, with a Lodmax. of 23.072 (first year) and at 6.0 ± 3.4 cM with a Lodmax. of 7.806 (second year). The fragment was converted into a SCAR marker and digested with enzyme Hinc II, which made the classification in homozygous resistant, heterozygous resistant and susceptible plants possible. This SCAR marker is suitable for use in the improvement program conducted in Jaboticabal.

Clinical and nutritional profile of individuals with Chagas disease

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanossoma cruzi, affects approximately 18 million individuals in the Americas, 5 million of which five in Brazil. Most chronic sufferers have either the indeterminate form of the disease, without organic compromise, or the cardiac or digestive forms. Despite the importance of this disease, there is no information on the effect of nutrition on CD evolution. We evaluated the clinical-nutritional profile of individuals with CD treated at the Tropical Diseases Nutrition Out-Patient Clinic of the Botucatu School of Medicine, UNESP.A retrospective cohort study was performed between 2002 and 2006, on 66 patients with serum and parasitological diagnosis of CD. Epidemiological, clinical, nutritional, and biochemical data were collected, including gender, age, skin color, smoking, alcoholism, physical activity, weight, stature, body mass index, abdominal circumference, glycemia, and lipid profile. Fifty-three percent were mate and 47% female; 96% were white skinned. Mean age was 49.6±6.36 years. The predominant form was indeterminate in 71 %; smoking and drinking were recorded in 23% and 17%, respectively. Sedentariness predominated in 83%, and 55% presented increased abdominal circumference. Most, 94%, were overweight or obese. The biochemical exam revealed hyperglycemia in 12% and dyslipidemia in 74%. These findings suggest that the Chagas population presents co-morbidities and risk factors for developing chronic non-transmissible diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, making CD evolution even worse. © 2007 by The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Contexto Publishing. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the shear bond strengths of conventional mesh bases and sandblasted orthodontic bracket bases

This study aimed to compare in vitro the shear bond strength between metallic brackets (Abzil) with conventional mesh bases and metallic brackets with bases industrially sandblasted with aluminum oxide using three adhesive systems, in order to assess the influence of sandblasting on adhesiveness and to compare 3 different bonding systems. Two hundred and forty bovine incisors were used and randomly divided into 6 groups (40 teeth in each group), according to the bracket base and to the bonding system. The brackets were direct-bonded in bovine teeth with 3 adhesive systems: System A - conventional Transbond™ XT (3M -Unitek); System B - Transbond™ Plus Self Etching Primer + Transbond™ XT (3M - Unitek) and System C - Fuji ORTHO LC resin-reinforced glass ionomer cement in capsules (GC Corp.). Shear bond strength tests were performed 24 hours after bonding, in a DL-3000 universal testing machine (EMIC), using a load cell of 200 kgf and a speed of 1 mm/min. The results were submitted to statistical analysis and showed no significant difference between conventional and sandblasted bracket bases. However, comparison between the bonding systems presented significantly different results. System A (14.92 MPa) and system C (13.24 MPa) presented statistically greater shear bond strength when compared to system B (10.66 MPa). There was no statistically significant difference between system A and system C.