Image processing algorithm for the identification of Martian dust devil tracks in MOC and HiRISE images

This paper presents a method for automatic identification of dust devils tracks in MOC NA and HiRISE images of Mars. The method is based on Mathematical Morphology and is able to successfully process those images despite their difference in spatial resolution or size of the scene. A dataset of 200 images from the surface of Mars representative of the diversity of those track features was considered for developing, testing and evaluating our method, confronting the outputs with reference images made manually. Analysis showed a mean accuracy of about 92%. We also give some examples on how to use the results to get information about dust devils, namelly mean width, main direction of movement and coverage per scene. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inserção de graduados em fonoaudiologia de uma universidade pública em programas de pós-graduação

OBJETIVO: caracterizar a inserção de egressos do Curso de Fonoaudiologia da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) - Marília, em Programas de Pós-Graduação (PPG) Stricto Sensu brasileiros. MÉTODO: foram utilizadas listas de graduados e Curriculum Vitae do egresso e do orientador. RESULTADOS: dos 537 formados, 16,57% cursaram/estavam cursando PPG e destes, 98,88% em mestrado e 37,08% também em doutorado. Na grande área de conhecimento, 50% dos egressos de mestrado vincularam-se predominantemente a programas em Ciências da Saúde, 31,80% em Ciências Humanas e 13,64% em Linguística, Letras e Artes. No doutorado, 33, 33% em Ciências Humanas, 30,30% em Ciências da Saúde e em Linguística, Letras e Artes. Quanto à área de conhecimento, predominou a vinculação, no mestrado, de 30,68% em Fonoaudiologia, 28,41% em Educação, 13,64% em Linguística e 9,09% em Medicina I; e, no doutorado, de 33,33% em Educação, 30,30% em Linguística e 9,09% em Fonoaudiologia; 55,68% dissertações e 51,52% teses focalizaram a linguagem. A UNESP predominou com 39,77% no mestrado e 48,48% no doutorado. Predominou a vinculação a Programas com conceito 4 para 52,27% dos egressos do mestrado e 45,45% do doutorado. Quando constou a informação (55,68%), todos receberam fomento. O Teste de Razão de Verossimilhança não indicou diferenças significativas dos percentuais obtidos entre o mestrado e o doutorado. CONCLUSÃO: os resultados superaram os apresentados para o mesmo Estado, mostraram a característica interdisciplinar da Ciência Fonoaudiológica e o predomínio de temática em linguagem.

Large nuclear vacuoles are indicative of abnormal chromatin packaging in human spermatozoa

The aim of this investigation was to determine the presence of abnormal sperm chromatin packaging in spermatozoa with large nuclear vacuoles (LNV) selected via high magnification by analysing the pattern of chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining. A prospective observational study was designed to analyse semen samples obtained from 66 men undergoing infertility diagnosis and treatment. The numbers of cells with normal (dull yellow staining of the sperm head/CMA3-negative) and abnormal (bright yellow fluorescence of the sperm head/CMA3-positive) chromatin packaging were determined on slides with normal and LNV spermatozoa. The presence of bright yellow fluorescence (CMA3-positive) was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in spermatozoa with LNV than in normal spermatozoa (719/1351; 53.2% vs. 337/835; 40.3%, respectively), reflecting a higher percentage of abnormal chromatin packaging in spermatozoa with large LNV. Our data support the hypothesis that the presence of LNV reflects the presence of abnormal chromatin packaging, which may facilitate sperm DNA damage. As sperm nuclear vacuoles are evaluated more precisely at high magnifications using motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME), the present results support the use of high-magnification sperm selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Preload Evaluation of Different Screws in External Hexagon Joint

Purpose: This study compared the maintenance of tightening torque in different retention screw types of implant-supported crowns.Materials and Methods: Twelve metallic crowns in UCLA abutments cast with cobalt-chromium alloy were attached to external hexagon osseointegrated implants with different retention screws: group A: titanium alloy retention screw; group B: gold alloy retention screw with gold coating; group C: titanium alloy retention screw with diamond-like carbon film coating; and group D: titanium alloy retention screw with aluminum titanium nitride coating. Three detorque measurements were obtained after torque insertion in each replica. Data were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's test (P < 0.05), and t test (P < 0.05).Results: Detorque value reduced in all groups (P < 0.05). Group A retained the highest percentage of torque in comparison with the other groups (P < 0.05). Groups B and D retained the lowest percentage of torque without statistically significant difference between them (P < 0.05).Conclusions: All screw types exhibited reduction in the detorque value. The titanium screw maintained the highest percentage of torque whereas the gold-coated screw and the titanium screw with aluminum titanium nitride coating retained the lowest percentage. (Implant Dent 2012;21:46-50)

The Effect of Supra- and Subphysiologic Testosterone Levels on Ligature-Induced Bone Loss in Rats - A Radiographic and Histologic Pilot Study

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

Antimicrobial activity of disinfectant agents incorporated into type IV dental stone

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

Moxonidine into the lateral parabrachial nucleus reduces renal and hormonal responses to cell dehydration

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

Toxicity of photodynamic therapy with LED associated to Photogem (R): An in vivo study

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

Arterial pressure and ventilation in sodium depleted rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Central leptin replacement enhances chemorespiratory responses in leptin-deficient mice independent of changes in body weight

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