Size at maturity and egg capsules of the softnose skates Bathyraja brachyurops (Fowler, 1910) and Bathyraja macloviana (Norman, 1937) (Elasmobranchii: Rajidae) in the SW Atlantic (37 degrees 00'-39 degrees 30'S)

P>The softnose skates Bathyraja brachyurops and Bathyraja macloviana represent an important portion of the skate catches of the Uruguayan trawling fleet in the southwestern Atlantic. From March to October 2004, specimens of these species were collected at 75-200 m depth range in the area situated between latitudes 37 degrees 00'-39 degrees 30'S. For B. brachyurops, total length at which 50% of the specimens were retained by the gear was 68.0 cm for both sexes; T(L50) was estimated at 65.4 cm for males and 67.0 cm for females. For B. macloviana, total length at which 50% of the specimens were retained was 56.0-57.0 cm for both sexes; T(L50) was estimated at 53.5 cm for males and 52.0 cm for females. Egg capsule length varied from 79-91 mm in B. brachyurops and 69-75.5 mm in B. macloviana. In both species, capsules displayed striated surfaces and similar gross morphology, although egg capsules of B. macloviana had more robust anterior horns and a smaller size than those of B. brachyurops. Egg capsules of the latter also exhibited microscopical prickles. Capsule edges were laterally keeled with a groove along the keel, and a straight and transverse velum was present in the egg capsules of both species.

Alcântara Machado e Norman Rockwell: a arte de descrever sociedades

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution

To understand the biology and evolution of ruminants, the cattle genome was sequenced to about sevenfold coverage. The cattle genome contains a minimum of 22,000 genes, with a core set of 14,345 orthologs shared among seven mammalian species of which 1217 are absent or undetected in noneutherian (marsupial or monotreme) genomes. Cattle-specific evolutionary breakpoint regions in chromosomes have a higher density of segmental duplications, enrichment of repetitive elements, and species-specific variations in genes associated with lactation and immune responsiveness. Genes involved in metabolism are generally highly conserved, although five metabolic genes are deleted or extensively diverged from their human orthologs. The cattle genome sequence thus provides a resource for understanding mammalian evolution and accelerating livestock genetic improvement for milk and meat production.

An Optimum-Path Forest framework for intrusion detection in computer networks

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

Damage Detection in Flexible Plate Using Lamb Waves

This paper presents an experimental technique for structural health monitoring (SHM) based on Lamb waves approach in an aluminum plate using piezoelectric material as actuators and sensors. Lamb waves are a form of elastic perturbation that remains guided between two parallel free surfaces, such as the upper and lower surfaces of a plate, beam or shelf. Lamb waves are formed when the actuator excites the surface of the structure with a pulse after receiving a signal. Two PZTs were placed in the plate surface and one of them was used to send a predefined wave through the structure. Thus, the other PZT (adjacent) becomes the sensor. Using this methodology, this paper presents one case of damage detection considering the aluminum plate in the free-free-free-free boundary condition. The damage was simulated by adding additional mass on the plate. It is proposed two damage detection indexes obtained from the experimental signal, involving the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the power spectral density (PSD) that were computed using the output signal. The results show the viability of the presented methodology to damage detection in smart structures

Experimental Active Vibration Control in Truss Structures Considering Uncertainties in System Parameters

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

Antioxidant supplementation and premature rupture of the membranes: a planned secondary analysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if antioxidant supplementation during pregnancy reduces the incidence of premature rupture of the membranes (PROM).STUDY DESIGN: A placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was conducted. PROM and preterm PROM (PPROM) were planned secondary outcomes of the trial. Women between 12(0/7) and 19(6/7) weeks of gestation and diagnosed to have chronic hypertension or a prior history of preeclampsia were randomized to daily treatment with both vitamin C (1000 mg) and E (400 IU) or placebo.RESULTS: Outcome data for PROM were available for 697 of 739 patients. The rates of PROM (37/349 [10.6%] vs 19/348 [5.5%]; adjusted risk ratio [RR] 1.89 [95.42% CI, 1.11-3.23]; P = .015), and PPROM (16/349 [4.6%] vs 6/348 [1.7%]; RR 2.68 [1.07-6.71]; P = .025) were increased in the antioxidant group.CONCLUSION: Contrary to expectations, vitamins C and E supplementation in this dose combination may be associated with an increased risk of PROM and PPROM.

Traumatic surdural hygroma - Five cases with changed density and spontaneous resolution

Thirty-four consecutive adult patients with subdural traumatic hygroma were analysed for clinical evolution, serial computed tomography scan (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over a period of several months. Five of the patients presented CT scan and MRI evolution data showing increasing density over a period of 11 days to 6 months post trauma. In these five patients, final clinical and CT scan data were benign, with complete spontaneous resolution. Descriptions in literature of evolving traumatic subdural hygroma have presented CT scan density modifications changing into chronic subdural hematoma. Our patients show another possibility, density transformation, which sometimes show as subdural hematoma in CT scan and MRI, but with final evolution where clinical condition and CT scan return to normal.

Aneurisma cerebral e cisto de aracnóide: a propósito de caso com hemorragia intracística

Relatamos um caso de aneurisma da bifurcação da artéria carótida interna, cuja ruptura se deu para dentro de cisto de aracnóide da fissura silviana. em revisão da literatura apenas 3 casos foram descritos. Discutimos ainda os aspectos clínicos atípicos do caso, as características dos achados cirúrgicos e uma correlação etiopatogênica entre as duas patologias.

Iatrogenic cortical aneurysm post-craniotomy

Taking into account the number of craniotomies performed every day around the world, iatrogenic aneurysm post-craniotomy is extremely rare with only anecdotal cases reported in literature. We report an iatrogenic aneurysm affecting a cortical vessel which probably developed during dural closure of a conventional craniotomy. The aneurysm was discovered 6 months after surgery on a routine control angiography. The patient was successfully treated by trapping the parent vessel and excising the aneurysm. Histopathological findings were compatible with a true type of traumatic aneurysm. The possibility of this rare condition occurring highlights the risk of arterial injury during craniotomy.

Novel insights into the genomic basis of citrus canker based on the genome sequences of two strains of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp aurantifolii

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

Neutralization of snake venom phospholipase A(2) toxins by aqueous extract of Casearia sylvestris (Flacourtiaceae) in mouse neuromuscular preparation

Aqueous extract of Casearia sylvestris (Flacourtiaceae) has been shown to inhibit enzymatic and biological properties of some Bothrops and Crotalus venoms and their purified phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) toxins. In this work we evaluated the influence of C sylvestris aqueous extract upon neuromuscular blocking and muscle damaging activities of some PLA(2)S (crotoxin from C. durissus terrificus, bothropstoxin-I from B.jararacussu, piratoxin-I from B. pirajai and myotoxin-II from B. moojeni) in mouse phrenic-diaphragm preparations. Crotoxin (0.5 mu M) and all other PLA2 toxins (1.0 mu M) induced irreversible and time-dependent blockade of twitches. Except for crotoxin, all PLA2 toxins induced significant muscle damage indices, assessed by microscopic analysis. Preincubation of bothropstoxin-I, piratoxin-I or myotoxin-II with C. sylvestris extract (1:5 (w/w), 30 min, 37 degrees C significantly prevented the neuromuscular blockade of preparations exposed to the mixtures for 90 min; the extent of protection ranged from 93% to 97%. The vegetal extract also neutralized the muscle damage (protection of 80-95%). Higher concentration of the C. sylvestris extract (1: 10, w/w) was necessary to neutralize by 90% the neuromuscular blockade induced by crotoxin. These findings expanded the spectrum of C. sylvestris antivenom activities, evidencing that it may be a good source of potentially useful PLA2 inhibitors. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of JussuMP-I: A RGD-P-III class hemorrhagic metalloprotease from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom

Snake venom metalloproteases (SVMPs) embody zinc-dependent multidomain enzymes responsible for a relevant pathophysiology in envenomation. including local and systemic hemorrhage. The molecular features responsible for hemorrhagic potency of SVMPs have been associated with their multidomains structures which can target these proteins them to several receptors of different tissues and cellular types. BjussuMP-I. a SVMP isolated from the Bothrops jararacussu venom, has been characterized as a P-III hemorrhagic metalloprotease. The complete cDNA sequence of BjussuMP-I with 1641bp encodes open reading frames of 547 amino acid residues, which conserve the common domains of P-III high molecular weight hemorrhagic metalloproteases: (i) pre-pro-peptide, (ii) metalloprotease, (iii) disintegrin-like and (iv) rich cysteine domain. BjussuMP-I induced lyses in fibrin clots and inhibited collagen- and ADP-induced platelet aggregation. We are reporting, for the first time, the primary structure of an RGD-P-III class snake venom metalloprotease. A phylogenetic analysis of the BjussuMP-1 metalloprotease/catalytic domain was performed to get new insights into the molecular evolution of the metalloproteases. A theoretical molecular model of this domain was built through folding recognition (threading) techniques and refined by molecular dynamics simulation. Then, the final BjussuMP-I catalytic domain model was compared to other SVMPs and Reprolysin family proteins in order to identify eventual structural differences, which could help to understand the biochemical activities of these enzymes. The presence of large hydrophobic areas and some conserved surface charge-positive residues were identified as important features of the SVMPs and other metalloproteases. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.