Crescimento radicular de soja em razão da sucessão de cultivos e da compactação do solo

O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar o crescimento radicular e produção de matéria seca da parte aérea da soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cultivada após diversas espécies vegetais, em solo com diferentes níveis de compactação. O trabalho foi realizado em vasos contendo amostras de um Latossolo Vermelho, textura franco arenosa, com camada de 3,5 cm (profundidade de 15 a 18,5 cm) compactada até as densidades 1,12, 1,36 e 1,60 Mg m-3, onde cultivaram-se anteriormente aveia-preta, guandu, milheto, mucuna-preta, soja, sorgo granífero e tremoço-azul, e um tratamento sem planta (pousio). Essas espécies se desenvolveram por 37 a 39 dias, foram cortadas ao nível do solo, picadas em partes de aproximadamente 3 cm e deixadas sobre a superfície do vaso por 40 dias. Após esse período, cultivou-se a soja até 28 dias após a emergência, quando, então, as plantas foram colhidas. Foram avaliados produção de matéria seca da parte aérea e de raízes, e comprimento e diâmetro radicular da soja. O cultivo anterior com aveia-preta, guandu e milheto favoreceu o crescimento radicular da soja abaixo de camadas compactadas do solo. Independentemente do nível de compactação, o cultivo anterior com qualquer das espécies estudadas beneficiou a produção de matéria seca da parte aérea da soja.

Reversibility of impaired nasal mucociliary clearance in smokers following a smoking cessation programme

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

Omissão de grafemas e características da sílaba na escrita infantil

OBJETIVOS: (1) verificar se as omissões ortográficas ocorriam preferencialmente na sílaba completa ou em partes da sílaba; (2) caracterizar a distribuição das omissões de acordo com a posição silábica do elemento omitido; (3) em ambas as possibilidades, verificar se as omissões ocorriam preferencialmente em posições acentuadas ou não-acentuadas de palavras. MÉTODOS: dados extraídos de textos produzidos por pré-escolares de 5-6 anos. RESULTADOS: quanto ao primeiro objetivo, omissões de partes de sílabas foram significativamente mais freqüentes (p < 0,0001). Quanto ao segundo objetivo, as omissões em coda silábica foram estatisticamente mais significativas (p < 0,0000). Com relação ao terceiro objetivo, as posições acentuadas se mostraram como relevantes apenas para as omissões de partes de sílaba (p < 0,0000). CONCLUSÃO: as omissões na escrita infantil têm caráter altamente complexo, fato que deve ser levado em consideração nos instrumentos de avaliação da escrita infantil.

Influence of the elevation of the left ventricular diastolic pressure on the values of the first temporal derivative of the ventricular pressure (dP/dt)

PURPOSE: To assess the effects of the elevation of the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) on the value of the 1st temporal derivative of the ventricular pressure (dP/dt). METHODS: Nineteen anesthetized dogs were studied. The dogs were mechanically ventilated and underwent thoracotomy with parasympathetic nervous system block. The LVEDP was controlled with the use of a perfusion circuit connected to the left atrium and adjusted to the height of a reservoir. The elevation of the LVEDP was achieved by a sudden increase in the height of a reservoir filled with blood. Continuous recordings of the electrocardiogram, the aortic and ventricular pressures and the dP/dt were performed. RESULTS: Elevation of the LVEDP did not result in any variation of the heart rate (167±16.0bpm, before the procedure; 167±15.5bpm, after the procedure). All the other variables assessed, including systolic blood pressure (128±18.3mmHg and 150±21.5mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (98±16.9mmHg and 115±19.8mmHg), LVEDP (5.5±2.49 and 9.3±3.60mmHg), and dP/dt (4,855 ± 1,082 mmHg/s and 5,149±1,242mmHg/s) showed significant increases following the expansion of the ventricular cavity. Although the elevation of the dP/dt was statistically significant, 6 dogs curiously showed a decrease in the values of dP/dt. CONCLUSION: Sudden elevation of the LVEDP resulted in increased values of dP/dt; however, in some dogs, this response was not uniform.

Ventilation rates indicate stress-coping styles in Nile tilapia

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of eNOS gene polymorphism on cardiometabolic parameters in response to physical training in postmenopausal women

The health-promoting effects of exercise training (ET) are related to nitric oxide (NO) production and/or its bioavailability. The objective of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphism of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) gene at positions -786T>C, G894T (Glu298Asp) and at the variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) Intron 4b/a would interfere with the cardiometabolic responses of postmenopausal women submitted to physical training. Forty-nine postmenopausal women were trained in sessions of 30-40 min, 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Genotypes, oxidative stress status and cardiometabolic parameters were then evaluated in a double-blind design. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were significantly reduced after ET, which was genotype-independent. However, women without eNOS gene polymorphism at position -786T>C (TT genotype) and Intron 4b/a (bb genotype) presented a better reduction of total cholesterol levels (-786T>C: before = 213 ± 12.1, after = 159.8 ± 14.4, Δ = -24.9% and Intron 4b/a: before = 211.8 ± 7.4, after = 180.12 ± 6.4 mg/dL, Δ = -15%), and LDL cholesterol (-786T>C: before = 146.1 ± 13.3, after = 82.8 ± 9.2, Δ = -43.3% and Intron 4b/a: before = 143.2 ± 8, after = 102.7 ± 5.8 mg/dL, Δ = -28.3%) in response to ET compared to those who carried the mutant allele. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly increased in trained women whereas no changes were observed in malondialdehyde levels. Women without eNOS gene polymorphism at position -786T>C and Intron 4b/a showed a greater reduction of plasma cholesterol levels in response to ET. Furthermore, no genotype influence was observed on arterial blood pressure or oxidative stress status in this population.

Muscle damage slows oxygen uptake kinetics during moderate-intensity exercise performed at high pedal rate

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

Effect of testing methods on the bond strength of resin to zirconia-alumina ceramic: microtensile versus shear test

This study tested the bond strength of a resin cement to a glass-infiltrated zirconia-alumina ceramic after three conditioning methods and using two test methods (shear-SBS versus microtensile-MTBS). Ceramic blocks for MTBS and ceramic disks for SBS were fabricated. Three surface conditioning (SC) methods were evaluated: (1) 110-mu m Al(2)O(3)+Silanization; (2) Chairside silica coating+silanization: (3) Laboratory silica coating+silanization. Following surface conditioning, the resin cement (Panavia F) was bonded to the conditioned ceramics. Although no statistically significant differences (p=0.1076) were seen between the test methods, results yielded with the different surface conditioning methods showed statistically significant differences (p<0.0001) (SC2=SC3>SC1.). As for the interaction between the factors, two-way ANOVA showed that it was not statistically significant (p=0.1443). MTBS test resulted in predominantly mixed failure (85%), but SBS test resulted in exclusively adhesive failure. on the effects of different surface conditioning methods, chairside and laboratory tribochemical silica coating followed by silanization showed higher bond strength results compared to those of aluminum oxide abrasion and silanization, independent of the test method employed.

Twistor and polytope interpretations for subleading color one-loop amplitudes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Search for resonances in the dilepton mass distribution in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comparison of methods for the identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) species identification is still difficult for most clinical laboratories. The scheme proposed by Kloos and Schleifer and modified by Bannerman is the reference method used for the identification of staphylococcal species and subspecies; however, this method is relatively laborious for routine use since it requires the utilization of a large number of biochemical tests. The objective of the present study was to compare four methods, i.e., the reference method, the API Staph system (bioMérieux) and two methods modified from the reference method in our laboratory (simplified method and disk method), in the identification of 100 CNS strains. Compared to the reference method, the simplified method and disk method correctly identified 100 and 99% of the CNS species, respectively, while this rate was 84% for the API Staph system. Inaccurate identification by the API Staph method was observed for Staphylococcus epidermidis (2.2%), S. hominis (25%), S. haemolyticus (37.5%), and S. warneri (47.1%). The simplified method using the simple identification scheme proposed in the present study was found to be efficient for all strains tested, with 100% sensitivity and specificity and proved to be available alternative for the identification of staphylococci, offering, higher reliability and lower cost than the currently available commercial systems. This method would be very useful in clinical microbiology laboratory, especially in places with limited resources.

Physical and mechanical properties of ceramics from clays of the west of S. Paulo State, Brazil

Argilas de interesse da indústria de cerâmica estrutural foram caracterizadas. Algumas propriedades físicas de diversas massas cerâmicas, preparadas a partir de material coletado em depósitos artificiais, também foram analisadas. Todas as massas investigadas exibem alta concentração de componentes finos (< 2 mim) e considerável grau de plasticidade, o que é compatível com a presença de elevado teor de argilominerais. Corpos de prova cerâmicos foram preparados por prensagem a seco e queimados em temperaturas ao redor de 855 °C. Os parâmetros resistência mecânica à flexão, retração linear, absorção de água, cor aparente e perda de peso foram medidos. Como resultado, as aplicações industriais destas matérias primas foram analisadas e revistas, bem como novas aplicações foram propostas.

Níveis de energia metabolizável em rações para frangos de corte mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura

Quatrocentas aves com peso médio de 675,00 g foram distribuídas em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com base no peso das aves, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. As dietas experimentais foram constituídas de cinco níveis de energia metabolizável (2.800, 2.900, 3.000, 3.100 e 3.200 kcal de EM/kg de ração) formuladas para atender às exigências nutricionais, exceto de energia metabolizável. O aumento do nível de energia das rações foi obtido pela adição de óleo de soja. Realizaram-se análises de variância e de regressão, associando-se os níveis de energia aos valores das variáveis estudadas. As aves foram avaliadas quanto ao desempenho (consumo de ração, ganho de peso e conversão alimentar) e às características de carcaça nos períodos de 22 a 35 dias, 36 a 42 dias, 43 aos 49 dias e de 22 a 49 dias de idade. O ganho de peso e a conversão alimentar de frangos de corte da linhagem Hubbard mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura não são influenciados pelos níveis de energia metabolizável da ração. Os níveis de energia da dieta não afetam os rendimentos de carcaça, coxa, sobrecoxa, asa, tulipa, moela coração fígado, proventrículo e intestino. Entretanto, a gordura abdominal aumenta e o rendimento de peito decresce proporcionalmente à elevação da energia da dieta em ambiente de altas temperaturas.

Bayesian longitudinal data analysis with mixed models and thick-tailed distributions using MCMC

Linear mixed effects models are frequently used to analyse longitudinal data, due to their flexibility in modelling the covariance structure between and within observations. Further, it is easy to deal with unbalanced data, either with respect to the number of observations per subject or per time period, and with varying time intervals between observations. In most applications of mixed models to biological sciences, a normal distribution is assumed both for the random effects and for the residuals. This, however, makes inferences vulnerable to the presence of outliers. Here, linear mixed models employing thick-tailed distributions for robust inferences in longitudinal data analysis are described. Specific distributions discussed include the Student-t, the slash and the contaminated normal. A Bayesian framework is adopted, and the Gibbs sampler and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithms are used to carry out the posterior analyses. An example with data on orthodontic distance growth in children is discussed to illustrate the methodology. Analyses based on either the Student-t distribution or on the usual Gaussian assumption are contrasted. The thick-tailed distributions provide an appealing robust alternative to the Gaussian process for modelling distributions of the random effects and of residuals in linear mixed models, and the MCMC implementation allows the computations to be performed in a flexible manner.

Photoinduced phenomena in layer-by-layer films of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and Brilliant Yellow azodye

The nanoscale interactions between adjacent layers of layer-by-layer (LBL) films from poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and azodye Brilliant Yellow (BY) have been investigated, with the films employed for optical storage and the formation of surface-relief gratings. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, we identified interactions involving SO3- groups from BY and NH3+ groups from PAH. These electrostatic interactions were responsible for the slow kinetics of writing in the optical storage experiments, due to a tendency to hinder photoisomerization and the subsequent reorientation of the azochromophores. The photoinduced birefringence did not saturate after one hour of exposure to the writing laser, whereas in azopolymer films, saturation is normally reached within a few minutes. on the other hand, the presence of such interactions prevented thermal relaxation of the chromophores after the writing laser was switched off, leading to a very stable written pattern. Moreover, the nanoscale interactions promoted mass transport for photoinscription of surface-relief gratings on PAH/BY LBL films, with the azochromophores being able to drag the inert PAH chains when undergoing the trans-cis-trans photoisomerization cycles. A low level of chromophore degradation was involved in the SRG photoinscription, which was confirmed with micro-Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies.