Activity pattern of Cuniculus paca (Rodentia: Cuniculidae) in relation to lunar illumination and other abiotic variables in the southern Brazilian Amazon

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

The color of illumination affects the stress response of jundiá (Rhamdia quelen, Quoy & Gaimard, Heptapteridae)

Este artigo traz os primeiros resultados sobre a resposta ao estresse em jundiá (Rhamdia quelen) expostos a diferentes cores de luz. O jundiá é uma espécie para produção no sul da América do Sul - sendo assim apta a cultivo em qualquer região de clima temperado e subtropical. Com o objetivo de desenvolver um manejo de luz para o jundiá durante sua manutenção em tanques internos e de entender a relação entre as cores de luz e o bem-estar da espécie, alevinos foram exposto por 10 dias à luz branca, azul e verde. No 10° dia de exposição às diferentes cores de luz, um estressor agudo foi imposto. Uma hora após a aplicação do estressor, os peixes foram amostrados e a resposta ao estresse medida por meio da determinação da concentração sérica de cortisol. Nossos resultados mostraram que a luz verde parece ser a pior alternativa para iluminar instalações internas ou de transporte de jundiás. Os resultados também sugerem que a cor da luz afeta a resposta ao estresse dos jundiás, conhecimento que pode ser útil no manejo da espécie.

Phenomenological Interpretation of Impedance/Capacitance Measurements on Organic Electronic Devices Under Illumination

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

Biomarker evaluation in fish after prolonged exposure to nano-TiO2: influence of illumination conditions and crystal phase

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

Morfologia matemática aplicada à detecção de sombras e nuvens em imagens de alta resolução

The spatial resolution improvement of orbital sensors has broadened considerably the applicability of their images in solving urban areas problems. But as the spatial resolution improves, the shadows become even a more serious problem especially when detailed information (under the shadows) is required. Besides those shadows caused by buildings and houses, clouds projected shadows are likely to occur. In this case there is information occlusion by the cloud in association with low illumination and contrast areas caused by the cloud shadow on the ground. Thus, it's important to use efficient methods to detect shadows and clouds areas in digital images taking in count that these areas care for especial processing. This paper proposes the application of Mathematical Morphology (MM) in shadow and clouds detection. Two parts of a panchromatic QuickBird image of Cuiab-MT urban area were used. The proposed method takes advantage of the fact that shadows (low intensity - dark areas) and clouds (high intensity - bright areas) represent the bottom and top, respectively, of the image as it is thought to be a topographic surface. This characteristic allowed MM area opening and closing operations to be applied to reduce or eliminate the bottom and top of the topographic surface.

Investigation of the Photodynamic Effects of Curcumin Against Candida albicans

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

Extended depth from focus reconstruction using NIH ImageJ plugins: Quality and resolution of elevation maps

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

Histological analyses of thermal effect caused by 1.2 W diode laser irradiation at rat periodontal pockets

The aim of this in vivo study was to evaluate the thermal effects caused by 810 nm 1.2 W diode laser irradiation of periodontal tissues. Despite all data available concerning the laser application for periodontal treatment, one of the most relevant challenges is to prevent the harmful tissue heating induced by different clinical protocols. Periodontal pockets were induced at molars in 96 rats. Several irradiation powers under CW mode were investigated: 0, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 mW. The pockets were irradiated using a 300 A mu m frontal illumination fiber. The animals were killed at 4 or 10 days after irradiation. The mandible was surgically removed and histologically processed. The histological sections stained with H/E demonstrated that irradiation parameters up to 1000 mW were thermally safe for the periodontal tissues. The sections stained with Brown & Brenn technique evidenced bacteria in the periodontal tissues. Consequently, the diode laser irradiation as a unique treatment was not capable to eliminate bacteria of the biofilm present in the pockets. According to the methodology used here, it was concluded that the thermal variation promoted by a diode laser can cause damage to periodontal tissues depending on the energy density used. The 1.2 W diode laser irradiation itself does not control the bacteria present in the biofilm of the periodontal pockets without mechanical action. The knowledge of proper high intensity laser parameters and methods of irradiation for periodontal protocols may prevent any undesirable thermal damage to the tissues.

Susceptibility of Candida albicans to photodynamic therapy in a murine model of oral candidosis

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

Fungicidal effect of photodynamic therapy against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

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

Photodynamic inactivation of four Candida species induced by photogem®

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comparative assessment of the organization of the colors of the Vita Classical color pallet by digital images and visual analysis for dental bleaching

New formularizations, techniques and devices have become the dental whitening most safe and with better results. Although this, the verification of the levels whitening is being continued for visual comparison, that is an empirical, subjective method, subject to errors and dependent of the individual interpretation. Normally the result of the whitening is express for the amplitude of displacement between the initial and the final color, being take like reference the tonalities of a scale of color commanded of darkest for more clearly. Although to be the most used scale, the ordinance of the Vita Classical (R) - Vita, according to recommendations of the manufacturer, reveals inadequate for the evaluation of the whitening. From digital images and of algorithm OER (ordinance of the reference scale), especially developed for the ScanWhite (C), the ordinance of the tonalities of the scale Vita Classical (R) was made. For such, the values of the canals of color R, G, and B of medium part average of the crowns was adopted as reference for evaluation. The images had been taken with the camera Sony Cybershoot DSC F828. The results of the computational ordinance had been compared with the sequence proposal for the manufacturer and with the earned one for the visual evaluation, carried through by 10 volunteers, under standardized conditions of illumination. It statistics analyzes demonstrated significant differences between the ordinances.

Why are fruits colorful? The relative importance of achromatic and chromatic contrasts for detection by birds

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

Comportamento locomotor de crianças e adultos jovens em ambiente doméstico simulado

Observamos o comportamento locomotor de 40 crianças (de 5 a 8 anos) e de 40 adultos jovens (de 19 a 28 anos) frente a restrições ambientais, que percorreram dois circuitos em condições de luminosidade total e reduzida e transporte de carga (sem carga, 3% e 7% da massa corporal), andando o mais rápido possível e evitando contato com objetos. O tempo gasto na tarefa foi obtido por meio de um cronômetro digital, em três tentativas por condição. ANOVA para três fatores (circuito x iluminação x carga) revelou que: as crianças demoraram mais tempo para realizar a tarefa quando carga foi adicionada; crianças mais jovens percorreram o circuito em tempo maior que crianças mais velhas; as condições não alteraram a locomoção dos adultos. Concluímos que crianças necessitam integrar as informações sensoriais e acoplá-las ao sistema efetor. Programas de intervenção são necessários para facilitar essa integração sem restrição da mobilidade das crianças.

Influência do dossel na atividade de morcegos (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) em três fragmentos no estado de São Paulo

The moonlight's influence on bats activity patterns have been documented for some species. Usually, bats react to increased illumination by reducing the use of open spaces or restricting foraging activity. This study aimed to test lunar cycle influence on frequency of Phyllostomidae bats in three fragments, located in northwestern São Paulo State, analyze the capture rate in the different phases of the cycle and correlate the results with canopy structure of each remaining. This study was based on the on the assumption that the influence of light on the behavior of bats is lower in shaded areas. The decrease in species richness in relation to the moon phase was significant in the least shaded area. In environments with more closed canopy, the rate of capture of bats was homogeneous along the four phases of the moon. The results indicated that local wealth cannot be sampled effectively if the catches are restricted to any period of the lunar cycle for fruit and nectar, and in more shaded environments the effects of lunar phobia is apparently null.