Histomorphologic evaluation of Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloys processed via powder metallurgy. A study in rabbits

This study presents the in-vivo evaluation of Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy implants obtained by the hydride route via powder metallurgy. The cylindrical implants were processed at different sintering and holding times. The implants` were characterized for density, microstructure (SEM), crystalline phases (XRD), and bulk (EDS) and surface composition (XPS). The implants were then sterilized and surgically placed in the central region of the rabbit`s tibiae. Two double fluorescent markers were applied at 2 and 3 weeks, and 6 and 7 weeks after implantation. After an 8-week healing period, the implants were retrieved, non-decalcified section processed, and evaluated by electron, UV light (fluorescent labeling), and light microscopy (toluidine blue). BSE-SEM showed close contact between bone and implants. Fluorescent labeling assessment showed high bone activity levels at regions close to the implant surface. Toluidine blue staining revealed regions comprising osteoblasts at regions of newly forming/formed bone close to the implant surface. The results obtained in this study support biocompatible and osseoconductive properties of Ti-13Nb-13Zr processed through the hydride powder route. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Seroprevalence of Human Herpesvirus 8 Infection in Individuals From Health Care Centers in Mozambique: Potential for Endemic and Epidemic Kaposi`s Sarcoma

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection is common in sub-Saharan Africa, but its prevalence in Mozambique is unknown. The seroprevalence of HHV-8 in a cohort of individuals seen at public health centers in Northern (n = 208), Central (n = 226), or Southern (n = 318) Mozambique was examined. All individuals were interviewed to obtain socioeconomic, demographic and clinical data and were tested for serum anti-HHV-8 antibodies using an immunofluorescence assay. The overall frequency of HHV-8 antibodies was 21.4% and, in spite of the diversity of epidemiological characteristics of the tested individuals, did not differ significantly among regions: 18.7%, 24.3% and 21.4% in the North, Center, and South, respectively (chi(2), 2.37; P = 0.305). The variables that were associated significantly with the presence of HHV-8 antibodies were gender, age, level of education, number of siblings and HIV serostatus, but these differed across the regions. In the North, although tested individuals lived under poor socioeconomic conditions, no association between HHV-8 infection and household variables was detected, with the exception of the number of siblings (P = 0.042). In the Central region, HHV-8 infection was associated with gender (P = 0.010), the number of household members (P = 0.031), and the place of attendance (P = 0.021). In the South, HHV-8 infection was associated with the number of siblings (P = 0.023) and HIV status (P = 0.002). The overall prevalence of HHV-8 seropositivity increased with age. These results demonstrate that Mozambique is another country in Africa with endemic HHV-8 infection, and, because of the AIDS epidemic, continued access to antiretroviral treatment is necessary to avert an outbreak of AIDS-Kaposi`s sarcoma. J. Med. Virol. 82:1216-1223, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Improved Road Design for Future Maintenance - Analysis of Road Barrier Repair Costs

The cost of a road construction over its service life is a function of the design, quality of construction, maintenance strategies and maintenance operations. Unfortunately, designers often neglect a very important aspect which is the possibility to perform future maintenance activities. The focus is mainly on other aspects such as investment costs, traffic safety, aesthetic appearance, regional development and environmental effects. This licentiate thesis is a part of a Ph.D. project entitled “Road Design for lower maintenance costs” that aims to examine how the life-cycle costs can be optimized by selection of appropriate geometrical designs for the roads and their components. The result is expected to give a basis for a new method used in the road planning and design process using life-cycle cost analysis with particular emphasis on road maintenance. The project started with a review of literature with the intention to study conditions causing increased needs for road maintenance, the efforts made by the road authorities to satisfy those needs and the improvement potential by consideration of maintenance aspects during planning and design. An investigation was carried out to identify the problems which obstruct due consideration of maintenance aspects during the road planning and design process. This investigation focused mainly on the road planning and design process at the Swedish Road Administration. However, the road planning and design process in Denmark, Finland and Norway were also roughly evaluated to gain a broader knowledge about the research subject. The investigation was carried out in two phases: data collection and data analysis. Data was collected by semi-structured interviews with expert actors involved in planning, design and maintenance and by a review of design-related documents. Data analyses were carried out using a method called “Change Analysis”. This investigation revealed a complex combination of problems which result in inadequate consideration of maintenance aspects. Several urgent needs for changes to eliminate these problems were identified. Another study was carried out to develop a model for calculation of the repair costs for damages of different road barrier types and to analyse how factors such as road type, speed limits, barrier types, barrier placement, type of road section, alignment and seasonal effects affect the barrier damages and the associated repair costs. This study was carried out using a method called the “Case Study Research Method”. Data was collected from 1087 barrier repairs in two regional offices of the Swedish Road Administration, the Central Region and the Western Region. A table was established for both regions containing the repair cost per vehicle kilometre for different combinations of barrier types, road types and speed limits. This table can be used by the designers in the calculation of the life-cycle costs for different road barrier types.

Caracterização limnológica e determinação da capacidade suporte do reservatório mendubim, (Rio Grande do Norte) para o cultivo de peixes em tanques-rede

The aims of this study were: i) assessing the trophic state of the Mendubim reservoir (semi-arid, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil; 05° 38 99,0 S 36°55 98,0 W) based on chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and water transparency; ii) relating the patterns of temporal variation of zooplankton and phytoplankton to the trophic state of the reservoir and iii) investigating the carrying capacity of the reservoir for cage fish farming. The samplingwas done monthly from July 2006 to July 2007 in three stations at the reservoir: next to the dam (barrage), in the central region and in the mouth of the main tributary. The abiotic and biotic variables analyzed were: Secchi depth, volatiles and fixed suspended solids, chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus and nitrogen, TN:TP ratio and mesozooplankton and phytoplankton composition and biomass. The results showed that the reservoir can be considered as mesotrophic with mean concentrations of total nitrogen, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a equal to 1711, 1 μg.L-1, 30,8 μg.L-1 and 5,62 μg.L-1 respectively. The Cyanophyceae class was the most representative in terms of density, with the presence of potentially toxic species such as Microcystis aeruginosa, Planktothrix planctonica, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, Aphanizomenon sp. ,Aphanocapsa delicatissima and Pseudanabaena acicularis. Among the zooplankton, the genus Notodiaptomus presented the largest biomass values. Overall, our results show that the light limitation should explain the weak relationship between chlorophyll-a and total phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations. We concluded that the water of Mendubim reservoir is suitable for intensive fish cage aquaculture. Based on the carrying capacity calculations for this reservoir, we found that the maximum sustainable yield of tilapias in cages in the reservoir is 126 ton per year assuming a factor of food conversion of 1.5: 1.0 and a phosphorus content in the fish food of 1%

Ultrastructural morphology and morphometry of the normal corneal endothelium of adult crossbred pig

O endotélio corneal é uma monocamada de células poligonais. A integridade e saúde dessa camada são essenciais para a manutenção da transparência corneal normal. Este estudo reportou pela primeira vez, de forma detalhada, a morfologia ultra-estrutural e a morfometria do endotélio corneal de suínos adultos mestiços à microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). A superfície endothelial corneal apresentou um padrão regular de células poligonais, com predomínio da forma hexagonal e de bordas celulares nítidas. O núcleo foi observado como protuberância arredondada no centro da célula. Também foram observados os cílios (2-4) em apenas algumas células da região periférica da córnea, as aberturas das vesículas pinocitóticas na proximidade dos cílios, as microvilosidades, as varas da borda e as bordas celulares em formato de zigzag. A área celular média foi significativamente maior (P<0,05) no centro da córnea do que na periferia, com um coeficiente de variação menor no centro da córnea. A densidade celular média foi significativamente maior na periferia (P<0,05) e 43,9% maior que os dados reportados por outros autores na microscopia especular, o que demonstra o efeito da retração celular durante o processamento das amostras. O valor médio do número de lados das células (pleomorfismo) foi de 5,9, o que evidencia um predomínio do formato hexagonal. A percentagem de células hexagonais foi significativamente maior no centro (P<0,001). Os parâmetros obtidos nesta pesquisa servirão de base para estudos futuros sobre o efeito de medicamentos, cirurgias intracamerulares ou soluções para armazenamento de córneas para transplantes no endotélio corneal do suíno.

Influência do florescimento e grau de isoporização na qualidade de variedades de cana-de-açúcar aptas á industrialização no meio de safra

Among the sugar cane potential uses include those related to the extraction of products and byproducts from the stalk. The sugarcane flowering causes morphological and physiological changes in plant and in the presence of pith, promotes changes in the stalk, reducing the raw matter quality. Most of the areas planted with sugarcane in the South-Central region of Brazil are subject to flowering, however, this feature varies depending on the variety used. There are different pith diameters related to the flowered or induced stalks, and damage to the raw matter quality are still controversial. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the response of cane sugar varieties in relation to the flowering, pith and chemical and technological parameters, and their relationship with the pith degree. The experimental design was a completely randomized with sis treatments (varieties: IAC91-1099-4004IAC94, IAC95-5000, SP81-3250, CTC and RB855536 15) and three replications. Were evaluated the flowering, based on morphological changes in the apical bud, the pith intensity by the percentage determination of internodes occupied by whitish and spongy tissues and and pith diameter, by measuring the diameters of the changes in the internodes, expressed in percentage, in addition to chemical (juice total acidity) and technological (fiber, reducing sugars and sugar cane Pol) parameters. The flowering occurrences were accompanied by higher pith intensity. The flowering induction contributed to the lower raw matter quality, although the pith volume was lower. The pith and flowering did not affected the sugarcane sucrose content. Increases in levels of fiber, sugars and acidity were observed only in cases where the diameter of the area spongeous exceeded 50% of stalk diameter. The variety that had the best and worse response was RB855536 and CTC 15, respectively.

Habitat use and home range of brown-nosed coati, Nasua nasua (Carnivora: Procyonidae) in the Brazilian Cerrado biome

The brown-nosed coati (Nasua nasua) is a carnivorous species found in all the Brazilian biomes, some of which are endangered areas. The aim of this work was to determine the habitat use and selection, home range and core area of N. nasua in the Cerrado biome, central region of Tocantins, Brazil. The study was carried out in an area of approximately 20 000ha from May 2000 to July 2002. A total of seven box traps were placed in the area for 13 months, three of 11 captured animals were followed and monitored by radio-tracking during 13 months. The monitoring was conducted once a day, three times a week using a car and walking through the study area (radio-tracking and visual contact). The results demonstrate that these three males used more frequently the gallery forest formation, followed by cerrado and wetlands. The use of gallery forest by these animals indicated an habitat selection (Proportion test, z=12.98, p< 0.01). Besides, adult males used the gallery forest more frequently (Fisher's exact test, p<0.01) and wetlands less frequently (Fisher's exact test, p<0.01) than juvenile males, without significant differences between animal ages for cerrado percentage of habitat use. Besides, results also showed a gallery forest selection by adult (Proportion test z= 13.62, p<0.01) and juvenile (Proportion test z=2.68, p<0.01) males, and a wetland selection by the juvenile male (Proportion test z=3.90, p<0.01). The home ranges varied from 2.20 to 7.55km2 for the Minimum Convex Polygon 100% (MCP 100%) and from 4.38 to 13.32km2 for the Harmonic Mean 95% (HM 95%). The smallest home range overlap occurred between the adult males (Nm1 and Nm3), and the greatest between the juvenile Njm2 and the adult Nm1. The average of the core area (HM 75%) for the three monitored animals represented 21.29% of the home range calculated with HM 95%. No overlap between core areas was observed for adult males, but, it was an overlap between the core area of the juvenile male and its band with that of the two adult males. The present study provides new data on core area size and frequency habitat use by adult and juvenile males of N. nasua in the Brazilian Cerrado, that may support conservation efforts. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (3): 1069-1077. Epub 2010 September 01.

Specific detection of Lettuce mosaic virus isolates belonging to the Most type

Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV)-Most isolates can infect and are seed-borne in cultivars containing the mol gene. A reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based test was developed for the specific detection of LMV-Most isolates. Based on the complete genome sequences of three LMV isolates belonging respectively to the Most type, the Common type and neither of these two types, three different assays were compared: (i) presence of a diagnostic restriction site in the region of the genome encoding the variable N-terminus of the capsid protein, in the 3' end of the genome, (ii) RT-PCR using primers designed to amplify a cDNA corresponding to a portion of the P1 coding region, in the 5' end of the genome and (iii) RT-PCR using primers designed to amplify a central region of the genome. The assays were performed against a collection of 21 isolates from different geographical origins and representing the molecular variability of LMV. RT-PCR of the central region of the genome was preferred because its results are expected to be less affected by natural recombination between LMV isolates, and it allows sensitive detection of LMV-Most in situations of single as well as mixed contamination. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Lettuce mosaic virus - common strain on three lettuce producing areas from São Paulo State

O LMV ocorre em todo o mundo e é considerado um dos patógenos mais importantes para a cultura da alface. de acordo com a habilidade em contornar os genes de resistência mo1¹ e mo1² encontrados em alface, os isolados de LMV podem ser dividos em dois sub-grupos: LMV-Most, capazes de contornar a resistência propiciada por estes genes e de serem transmitidos pela semente nestas cutivares, e LMV-Common, que não são capazes de causar sintomas nestes cultivares, além de serem transmitidos pela semente somente em cultivares suscetíveis. Para avaliar a ocorrência destes dois tipos de isolados de LMV foram coletadas, durante 2002-2005, amostras de alface com sintomas de mosaico em áreas de produção de alface comercial das regiões de Campinas, Mogi das Cruzes e Bauru no estado de São Paulo. O RNA total foi utilizado para detecção por RT-PCR utilizando-se oligonucleotídeos universais para LMV que amplificam a porção N-terminal variável da capa protéica, localizada no terminal 3´do genoma. As amostras positivas foram analisadas por um segundo primer que amplifica um fragmento da região central (CI-VPg) do genoma viral. Um total de 1362 amostras foram avaliadas, tendo sido detectado o LMV em 504 amostras (37,29%). O LMV-Common prevaleceu em variedades suscetíveis (77,3%). O LMV-Most foi encontrado frequentemente associado a variedades portadoras do gene de tolerância mo1¹. Apesar da existência dos LMV-Most capazes de contornar a resistência em alface, estes não predominam em nossa condições.

Detecção de Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli em sementes de feijoeiro provenientes do estado do Paraná, Brasil

O crestamento bacteriano comum do feijoeiro causado por sobrevivência e disseminação da Xap, a semente representa o mais Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap) é a principal doença eficiente. A qualidade sanitária de 34 amostras de sementes de feijoeiro do feijoeiro comum no Brasil. O patógeno encontra-se disseminado produzidas no estado do Paraná, nas safras 1998/99 e 1999, foram em todas as regiões produtoras do país, porém com maior importância avaliadas quanto à presença de Xap em macerados de sementes nos estados do Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e na região do Brasil plaqueados em meio semi-seletivo. Cinqüenta por cento dos lotes de Central, sobretudo na safra das águas. Dentre os vários meios de sementes foram portadores de Xap com incidência de 0,1% a 1,7%.

Ocorrência de Gonipterus scutellatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) em plantações de eucalipto no Estado do Espírirto Santo

O gorgulho do eucalipto Gonipterus scutellatus Gyllenhal foi encontrado no Estado do Espírito Santo atacando plantações clonais de Eucalyptus urophylla x E. grandis (híbrido “urograndis”). Essa espécie de gorgulho é conhecida no Brasil desde 1979, tendo sua distribuição geográfica restrita aos estados da região Sul e São Paulo. A introdução do inseto no Estado do Espírito Santo foi provavelmente acidental e sua ocorrência tem se limitado à região central do Estado. Nos levantamentos de campo não foi detectado o parasitóide de ovos Anaphes nitens (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), que é o principal inimigo natural do gorgulho do eucalipto.

Avaliação da produção de sedimento na bacia hidrográfica do rio Potengi através do modelo SWAT

Anthropic disturbances in watersheds, such as inappropriate building development, disorderly land occupation and unplanned land use, may strengthen the sediment yield and the inflow into the estuary, leading to siltation, changes in the reach channel conformation, and ecosystem/water quality problems. Faced with such context, this study aims to assess the applicability of SWAT model to estimate, even in a preliminary way, the sediment yield distribution along the Potengi River watershed, as well as its contribution to the estuary. Furthermore, an assessment of its erosion susceptibility was used for comparison. The susceptibility map was developed by overlaying rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, the slope of the terrain and land cover. In order to overlap these maps, a multi-criteria analysis through AHP method was applied. The SWAT was run using a five year period (1997-2001), considering three different scenarios based on different sorts of human interference: a) agriculture; b) pasture; and c) no interference (background). Results were analyzed in terms of surface runoff, sediment yield and their propagation along each river section, so that it was possible to find that the regions in the extreme west of the watershed and in the downstream portions returned higher values of sediment yield, reaching respectively 2.8 e 5.1 ton/ha.year, whereas central areas, which were less susceptible, returned the lowest values, never more than 0.7 ton/ha.ano. It was also noticed that in the west sub-watersheds, where one can observe the headwaters, sediment yield was naturally forced by high declivity and weak soils. In another hand, results suggest that the eastern part would not contribute to the sediment inflow into the estuary in a significant way, and the larger part of the sediment yield in that place is due to anthropic activities. For the central region, the analysis of sediment propagation indicates deposition predominance in opposition to transport. Thus, it s not expected that isolated rain storms occurring in the upstream river portions would significantly provide the estuary with sediment. Because the model calibration process hasn t been done yet, it becomes essential to emphasize that values presented here as results should not be applied for pratical aims. Even so, this work warns about the risks of a growth in the alteration of natural land cover, mainly in areas closer to the headwaters and in the downstream Potengi River

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant and Antimycobacterial Activities of Bromelia balansae (Bromeliaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação clínica da relação entre o índice de placa, índice gengival, alinhamento dental, mucosa ceratinizada, tipo de periodonto e distúrbios oclusais com a ocorrência de recessão gengival

This study clinically evaluated the relationship of gingival recessions with the periodontal index of gingival and plaque, dental alignment, keratinized mocous, type of periodontal, and occlusal disorders. Study participants were individuals aged between 19 and 33 years. The evaluations were performed by using questionnaires and clinical examinations. In subjects examined, the teeth were assessed and divided into groups (Molars, premolars, canines and incisors). The gingival recession were measured in the central region of the teeth and individuals were subject to disclosure to the plate and observing the poll of plaque and gingival index, respectively. 558 teeth were examined, with 24.1%, 135 had gingival recession greater than or equal to 1mm. Through the combination of tests used to evaluate the average of the recession and its relationship with the variables studied, we observed that the degree of recession of the elements assessed dental showed, almost for the most part, when higher values associated with the index plaque (p = 0.101), Gingival Index (p = 0.053), dental alignment (p = 0.962), width of keratinized mocous (p = 0.004) and type of periodontium (p = 0.033), however statistically significant difference could only be considered when related the recessions in the keratinized mocous and the type of the periodontium. Although we identify, when we evaluate the whole set of teeth that occlusal disturbances (p = 0.002) were more strongly associated with cases of gum recession that the gingival index (p = 0.006), however, these two conditions were correlated with the cases of recession, contributing to its occurrence

Tratamento da úlcera corneana experimental com membrana amniótica

Objetivo: Avaliar a evolução da úlcera de córnea experimental tratada com enxerto de membrana amniótica (MA) homóloga. Métodos: Foram utilizados 18 coelhos, divididos em dois grupos experimentais: úlcera corneana (G1) e úlcera corneana tratada com enxerto de MA (G2). A ulceração corneana foi induzida na córnea toda, com álcool absoluto e lâmina de bisturi. Os animais foram sacrificados em três momentos experimentais: 7 dias (M1), 15 dias (M2) e 30 dias (M3) após a indução da ulceração. Os defeitos corneanos foram avaliados com fotodocumentação por analisador de imagem Luzex-F e exames histopatológicos, comparando-se os resultados por meio da análise de variância. Resultados: O resultado do exame morfométrico mostrou desepitelização maior em G2 no M1; a opacidade corneana foi mais intensa na área central da córnea, sendo significativamente maior em G1 no M3. Os neovasos corneanos também foram mais intensos em G1. A avaliação histopatológica revelou ulceração epitelial em dois animais de G1 no M2 e em dois de G2 no M1; o edema estromal foi mais intenso em G1, assim como a presença de neovasos. Conclusão: O uso de MA homóloga no tratamento da úlcera corneana experimental não acelerou a cicatrização, porém preveniu o edema estromal e a formação de neovascularização corneana. A cicatrização se mostrou mais deficiente na área central da córnea.