Search for the standard model Higgs boson in ZH→ + -bb̄ production with the D0 detector in 9.7fb -1 of pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96TeV

We present a search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson in 9.7fb -1 of pp̄ collisions collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider at √s=1.96TeV. Selected events contain one reconstructed Z→e +e - or Z→μ +μ - candidate and at least two jets, including at least one jet identified as likely to contain a b quark. To validate the search procedure, we also measure the cross section for ZZ production in the same final state. It is found to be consistent with its SM prediction. We set upper limits on the ZH production cross section times branching ratio for H→bb̄ at the 95% C.L. for Higgs boson masses 90≤M H≤150GeV. The observed (expected) limit for M H=125GeV is 7.1 (5.1) times the SM cross section. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Predictor-Corrector Primal-Dual Interior Point Method for Solving Economic Dispatch Problems: A Postoptimization Analysis

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

Optimising tetrazolium test procedures to evaluate the physiological potential of peanut seeds

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

Effects of oral environment stabilization procedures on Streptococcus mutans counts in pregnant women

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi determinar o efeito da adequação do meio bucal sobre a contagem de Streptococcus mutans em gestantes de alto risco à cárie, participantes de um programa de prevenção em uma instituição de ensino público, antes e após adequação do meio bucal. Amostras de saliva de 30 gestantes (18 a 43 anos) que procuraram atendimento na Clínica de Odontologia Preventiva da FOAr-UNESP foram coletadas antes e após procedimentos de adequação do meio bucal, e examinadas para observação e contagem das UFCs de S. mutans. Foi demonstrado que houve diminuição na quantidade das UFCs (p<0,0001) entre as amostras. em relação à faixa etária, 70,0% das gestantes tinham entre 18 e 30 anos de idade e 30,0% pertenciam à faixa etária de 31 a 43 anos. Dados relativos ao período da gestação revelaram que 73,4% estavam no 2º trimestre e 13,3% estavam igualitariamente no 1º e 3º trimestres. A adequação do meio bucal se mostrou eficaz na diminuição das UFCs de S. mutans presentes na saliva de gestantes de alto risco de cárie. Este procedimento é simples e extremamente efetivo, atendendo às necessidades de tratamento básico de gestantes que procuram atendimento odontológico no serviço público de saúde.

Measurement of melatonin in body fluids: Standards, protocols and procedures

Background and Purpose: The circadian rhythm of melatonin in saliva or plasma, or of the melatonin metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (a6MTs) in urine, is a defining feature of suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) function, the body's endogenous oscillatory pacemaker. The primary objective of this review is to ascertain the clinical benefits and limitations of current methodologies employed for detection and quantification of melatonin in biological fluids and tissues. Data Identification: A search of the English-language literature (Medline) and a systematic review of published articles were carried out. Study Selection: Articles that specified both the methodology for quantifying melatonin and indicated the clinical purpose were chosen for inclusion in the review. Data Extraction: The authors critically evaluated the methodological issues associated with various tools and techniques (e.g. standards, protocols, and procedures). Results of Data Synthesis: Melatonin measurements are useful for evaluating problems related to the onset or offset of sleep and for assessing phase delays or advances of rhythms in entrained individuals. They have also become an important tool for psychiatric diagnosis, their use being recommended for phase typing in patients suffering from sleep and mood disorders. Additionally, there has been a continuous interest in the use of melatonin as a marker for neoplasms of the pineal region. Melatonin decreases such as found with aging are or post pinealectomy can cause alterations in the sleep/wake cycle. The development of sensitive and selective methods for the precise detection of melatonin in tissues and fluids has increasingly been shown to have direct relevance for clinical decision making. Conclusions: Due to melatonin's low concentration, as well as the coexistence of numerous other compounds in the blood, the routine determination of melatonin has been an analytical challenge. The available evidence indicates however that these challenges can be overcome and consequently that evaluation of melatonin's presence and activity can be an accessible and useful tool for clinical diagnosis. © Springer-Verlag 2010.

Prevalence of high blood pressure in Brazilian adolescents and quality of the employed methodological procedures: systematic review

OBJETIVO:Revisar a literatura sobre estudos que estimaram a prevalência de pressão arterial elevada (PAE) ou hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) em adolescentes brasileiros, considerando os procedimentos metodológicos empregados.MÉTODOS:Pesquisa bibliográfica de estudos de prevalência de PAE/HAS em adolescentes de 1995 a 2010. A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados eletrônicos PubMed/Medline, Lilacs, SciELO, Isi e Adolec. Foram utilizados os descritores: hipertensão, pressão arterial, adolescente, estudantes, estudos transversais, prevalência e Brasil, nas línguas portuguesa e inglesa. Além disso, foi elaborado um escore, baseado nas Recommendations for Blood Pressure Measurement in Humans and Experimental Animals e nas VI Diretrizes Brasileiras de Hipertensão, para a análise dos procedimentos utilizados para medida da PA nos estudos variando de 0 a 18.RESULTADOS:Foram identificados 21 artigos, a maioria publicada nos últimos 10 anos, sendo 90,5% realizados em base escolar e nas regiões sudeste, nordeste e sul do país. As prevalências de PAE/HAS variaram de 2,5 a 30,9%. A pontuação dos estudos variou de 0 a 16. Foi observada uma correlação negativa significante (rho = -0,504; p = 0,020) entre a prevalência de PAE/HAS e o escore da qualidade da medida da PA.CONCLUSÃO:A grande variabilidade das estimativas da PAE/HAS parece ser influenciada pelos procedimentos metodológicos utilizados nos estudos.

Theoretical approaches to liana management: a search for a less harmful method

Lianas can change forest dynamics, slowing down forest regeneration after a perturbation. In these cases, it may be necessary to manage these woody climbers. Our aim was to simulate two management strategies: (1) focusing on abundant liana species and (2) focusing on the largest lianas, and contrast them with the random removal of lianas. We applied mathematical simulations for liana removal in three different vegetation types in southeastern Brazil: a Rainforest, a Seasonal Tropical Forest, and a Woodland Savanna. Using these samples, we performed simulations based on two liana removal procedures and compared them with random removal. We also used regression analysis with quasi-Poisson distribution to test whether larger lianas were aggressive, i.e., if they climbed into many trees. The procedure of cutting larger lianas was as effective as cutting them randomly and proved not to be a good method for liana management. Moreover, most of the lianas climbed into one or two trees, i.e., were not aggressive. Cutting the most abundant lianas proved to be a more effective method than cutting lianas randomly. This method could maintain liana richness and presumably should accelerate forest regeneration.