Limited movement of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in yellow passion flower in Brazil

Symptoms of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on yellow passion flower (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) are characterized by bright yellow mottling on leaves, starting at random points on the vine and diminishing in intensity towards the tip, which becomes symptomless as it grows. To determine whether symptomless portions of vines are CMV-free or represent latent infection, leaves with and without symptoms were collected from infected vines in the field. Biological, serological (plate-trapped antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, PTA-ELISA), Western blot and dot-blot hybridization assays showed that portions of the vines without symptoms were CMV-free. Vegetatively propagated vines with symptoms showed remission of symptoms on newly developed leaves. One year later, no CMV was detected in the upper leaves of these plants. Mechanically inoculated passion flower seedlings behaved similarly; symptoms were shown by few leaves after inoculation. Afterwards, plants became symptomless and CMV was not detected in the upper leaves or root system, 40 or 85 days after inoculation. The mechanism responsible for remission of symptoms accompanied by CMV disappearance is not known.

Electromyographic study of the trapezius (pars media) and rhomboideus major muscles in free movements of the head

The authors studied the trapezius (pars media) and rhomboideus major muscles in movements of flexion, extension, inclination and rotation of the head. The electromyographic records demonstrated that referred muscles are inactive in these different movements.

Electromyographic study of the trapezius muscle in free movements of the shoulder

The objective of this study is to analyze the simultaneity of the actions of the three portions of the trapezius (superior portion = TS; middle portion = TM and inferior portion = TI) in elevation, lowering, retraction and protraction of the shoulders. The electromyographic tests were carried out in 20 volunteers using a 4-channel TECA TE 2-7 electromyograph and surface and single coaxial needle electrodes. The electromyographs, obtained with the two types of electrodes, show that in elevation and lowering of the shoulders, TS and TM present increasing and decreasing activity, respectively, from the beginning until the end of these movements. In retraction of the shoulders, TM and TI present increasing activity from the beginning to the end of the movement. In protraction, TS, TM and TI do not show any activity.

Electromyographic study of the trapezius muscle in free movements of the arm

The trapezius muscle (superior, middle and inferior portions) was analyzed in 20 volunteers. The electromyographic tests were carried out using a four-channel TECA TE 2-7 electromyograph with surface- and single coaxial needle electrodes. In abduction, adduction and flexion-extension, the 3 portions show increasing and decreasing activity, respectively, from the beginning until the end of these movements. In hyperextension, the 3 portions show increasing activity from the beginning until the end of the movement, with greater participation of the middle portion. Significant differences were not observed in the electromyographic profile of the trapezius, using surface and needle electrodes.

Electromyographic study of the trapezius muscle in free movements of the shoulder

The objective of this study is to analyze the simultaneity of the actions of the three portions of the trapezius (superior portion = TS; middle portion = TM and inferior portion = TI) in elevation, lowering, retraction and protraction of the shoulders. The electromyographic tests were carried out in 20 volunteers using a 4-channel TECA TE 2-7 electromyograph and surface and single coaxial needle electrodes. The electromyographs, obtained with the two types of electrodes, show that in elevation and lowering of the shoulders, TS and TM present increasing and decreasing activity, respectively, from the beginning until the end of these movements. In retraction of the shoulders, TM and TI present increasing activity from the beginning to the end of the movement. In protraction, TS, TM and TI do not show any activity.

Movement of Spodoptera frugiperda Adults (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Maize in Brazil

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is one of the most important maize pests in the Americas and particularly in South America. With the adoption of genetically modified plants expressing Bacillus thuringiensis toxins for lepidopterous pest control, there is a need for establishing strategies to delay the development of insect resistance (e.g. refuge areas). Thus, information on target insects' dispersal is essential to improve pest management techniques. The objective of this work was to evaluate the dispersal capacity of S. frugiperda adults using mark-release-recapture techniques. Insects were marked using red oil-soluble dye in the larval artificial diet. Marked adults were released twice in each growing season (dry and wet) in southeastern Brazil in 2006 and 2007. Recapture of marked insects was performed using light and pheromone traps. Males are more attracted to light traps than females and the recapture rate was higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. The most adequate model to explain the relationship between flight distance and number of recaptured insects is y = a(2)/ (1+ (2a(1.8)+ bx))((2.6)), where y is the distance and x is the number captured. The maximum recapture distances were 806 m for males and 608 m for females. Therefore, strategies for establishment of refuges should take such distances into consideration.

Preparation and characterization of free films of high amylose/pectin mixtures cross-linked with sodium trimetaphosphate

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A Comparison of the Effects of Nonlinear Damping on the Free Vibration of a Single-Degree-of-Freedom System

This article concerns the free vibration of a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system with three types of nonlinear damping. One system considered is where the spring and the damper are connected to the mass so that they are orthogonal, and the vibration is in the direction of the spring. It is shown that, provided the displacement is small, this system behaves in a similar way to the conventional SDOF system with cubic damping, in which the spring and the damper are connected so they act in the same direction. For completeness, these systems are compared with a conventional SDOF system with quadratic damping. By transforming all the equations of motion of the systems so that the damping force is proportional to the product of a displacement dependent term and velocity, then all the systems can be directly compared. It is seen that the system with cubic damping is worse than that with quadratic damping for the attenuation of free vibration. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4005010]

Influence of Different Base Thicknesses on Maxillary Complete Denture Processing: Linear and Angular Graphic Analysis on the Movement of Artificial Teeth

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the dental movement that occurs during the processing of maxillary complete dentures with 3 different base thicknesses, using 2 investment methods, and microwave polymerization.Methods: A sample of 42 denture models was randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 7), with base thicknesses of 1.25, 2.50, and 3.75 mm and gypsum or silicone flask investment. Points were demarcated on the distal surface of the second molars and on the back of the gypsum cast at the alveolar ridge level to allow linear and angular measurement using AutoCAD software. The data were subjected to analysis of variance with double factor, Tukey test and Fisher (post hoc).Results: Angular analysis of the varying methods and their interactions generated a statistical difference (P = 0.023) when the magnitudes of molar inclination were compared. Tooth movement was greater for thin-based prostheses, 1.25 mm (-0.234), versus thick 3.75 mm (0.2395), with antagonistic behavior. Prosthesis investment with silicone (0.053) showed greater vertical change compared with the gypsum investment (0.032). There was a difference between the point of analysis, demonstrating that the changes were not symmetric.Conclusions: All groups evaluated showed change in the position of artificial teeth after processing. The complete denture with a thin base (1.25 mm) and silicone investment showed the worst results, whereas intermediate thickness (2.50 mm) was demonstrated to be ideal for the denture base.

Orthodontic movement of teeth with intraosseous defects: histologic and histometric study in dogs

The purpose of this study was to evaluate histologically, in dogs, the periodontal healing of 1-walled intraosseous defects in teeth that were subjected to orthodontic movement toward the defects. The defects were surgically created bilaterally at the mesial aspects of the maxillary second premolars and distal aspects of the mandibular second premolars of 4 mongrel dogs. One week after creating the defects, an orthodontic appliance was installed, and the teeth were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups: those in the test group received a titanium-molybdenum alloy rectangular wire spring that performed a controlled tipping root movement, and those in the control group received a passive stainless steel wire. Active orthodontic movement of the test teeth lasted 2 months and was followed by a stabilization period of another 2 months, after which the animals were killed. Throughout the study, routine daily plaque control was performed on the dogs with a topical application of a 2% chlorhexicline gel. The results showed no difference between the groups, with some regularization of the defects and periodontal regeneration limited to the apical portion of the defects. Histometric analysis showed a significant difference in bone height; on average, it was 0.53 mm smaller in the test group. It was concluded that orthodontic movement does not interfere with the healing of 1-walled intraosseous defects, with the exception of the linear extent of new bone apposition.

The movement of involucral bracts of Syngonanthus elegans (Eriocaulaceae-Poales): Anatomical and ecological aspects

Syngonanthus elegans flowers are distributed in capitula whose involucral bracts open and close in a diurnal rhythm. The anatomy of these bracts was studied to understand how such movements occur and how it influences reproductive ecology of the species. The involucral bracts have a single layered epidermis composed of thick-walled cells on the abaxial surface, which are responsible for the movement. Since they are hygroscopic, these cells swell when they absorb water from the surrounding environment, causing the bracts to bend and the capitula to close. In natural conditions, the capitula open by day, when temperature increases and the relative air humidity decreases, and close at night, when temperature decreases and the relative air humidity increases. The involucral bracts may thus protect the flowers from abiotic factors, exposing them only at the time of the day when temperature is higher and insects are more active, favoring pollination by small insects. The closed capitula do not only protect the flowers, but they also function as a shelter for floral visitors as Brachiacantha australe (Coccinellidae) and Eumolpini sp. (Chrysomelidae). These small Coleoptera pollinate the flowers of S. elegans during the day and remain within the closed capitula during the night, in a possible mutualistic relationship. (C) 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Frugivory, Post-feeding Flights of Frugivorous Birds and the Movement of Seeds in a Brazilian Fragmented Landscape

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

An exact equation for the free surface of a fluid in a porous medium

We study the problem of the evolution of the free surface of a fluid in a saturated porous medium, bounded from below by a. at impermeable bottom, and described by the Laplace equation with moving-boundary conditions. By making use of a convenient conformal transformation, we show that the solution to this problem is equivalent to the solution of the Laplace equation on a fixed domain, with new variable coefficients, the boundary conditions. We use a kernel of the Laplace equation which allows us to write the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator, and in this way we are able to find an exact differential-integral equation for the evolution of the free surface in one space dimension. Although not amenable to direct analytical solutions, this equation turns out to allow an easy numerical implementation. We give an explicit illustrative case at the end of the article.