The water level influence on biomass of Echinochloa polystachya (Poaceae) in the Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil)

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

Shade level effects on yield and chemical composition of the leaf essential oil of Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Psychophysical power functions for estimates of area: Effects of age and educational levels

The purpose of the present study was to verify the memory exponents of power function for area in observers of different age and educational levels (elementary school, high school or undergraduate school), using the psychophysics method of magnitude estimation. For the age level I (17 to 30 years old) there was no difference among educational levels, although for the age level II (45 to 60 years old) the differences were significant. Tn the age level II, there was a tendency for greater variability of the responses for lower educational levels. The data obtained for the age level I did not show the same results, although a significant difference among the three educational levels was observed. We call conclude that the mnemonic processes present different results when we observe the answers from observers with different ages. This result leads us to suppose that the motivational factor related to the stimulus used can interact with the mnemonic processes.

Comparison between wound healing in induced diabetic and nondiabetic rats after low-level laser therapy

Objective: the aim of this work was to compare the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the wound healing process in nondiabetic and diabetic rats. Background Data: Among the clinical symptoms caused by diabetes mellitus, a delay in wound healing is a potential risk for patients. It is suggested that LLLT can improve wound healing. Methods: the tissue used for this study was extracted from animals suffering from diabetes, which was induced by Streptozotocin (R), and from nondiabetic rats. Animals were assembled into two groups of 25 rats each (treated and control) and further subdivided into two groups: diabetic (n = 15) and nondiabetic (n = 10). A full-thickness skin wound was made on the dorsum. area, with a round 8-mm hole-punch. The treated group was irradiated by a HeNe laser at 632.8 nm, with the following parameters: 15 mW, exposition time of 17 sec, 0.025 cm(2) irradiated area, and energy density of 10 J/cm(2). Square full-thickness skin samples (18 mm each side, including both injured and noninjured tissues) were obtained at 4, 7, and 15 days after surgery and analyzed by qualitative and quantitative histological methods. Results: Quantitative histopathological analysis confirmed the results of the qualitative analysis through histological microscope slides. When comparing tissue components (inflammatory cells, vessels and fibroblast/area), we found that treated animals had a less intense inflammatory process than controls. Conclusion: Results obtained by both qualitative and quantitative analyses suggested that irradiation of rats with HeNe (632.8 nm), at the tested dose, promoted efficient wound healing in both nondiabetic and diabetic rats as, compared to the control group.

Persistence and effectiveness of pyrethroids in plastic strips against Varroa jacobsoni (Acari : Varroidae) and mite resistance in a mediterranean area

An apiary trial was conducted in 1997 in Sardinia, Italy, to verify the effectiveness of fluvalinate in polyvinyl chloride strips and flumethrin in polyethylene strips against Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans. Two indices to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments were adopted: percentage change in mite infestation of worker-sealed brood cells considering only treated hives and percentage change in mite mortality, and the natural variation in mite populations recorded in control hives during the trial. All acaricide treatments reduced the level of mite infestation of both sealed brood and adult bees. However, their effectiveness was slightly reduced in comparison to previous studies because of mite resistance phenomena. Portions of polyethylene strips of flumethrin from treated hives were sampled weekly to determine acaricide persistence using gas chromatography. After 4 wk, a slight reduction (approximate to9%) of the active ingredient content was observed, A laboratory bioassay also was performed to establish the resistance of adult female mites to fluvalinate, Mites were sampled from the experimental apiary and from various Sardinian apiaries which had primarily been subjected to fluvalinate applications in plastic strips or wood inserts for years. Mite resistance varied from 0 to 96%, depending on the acaricide management adopted, the lowest resistance level occurred in an apiary where pyrethroids had never been used, whereas the highest level occurred in an apiary with intensive use of fluvalinate in wood inserts.

Evaluation of dental pulp repair using low level laser therapy (688 nm and 785 nm) morphologic study in capuchin monkeys

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) 688 nm and 785 nm accelerate dentin barrier formation and repair process after traumatic pulp exposure. The sample consisted of 45 premolars of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) with pulp exposure Class V cavities. All premolars were treated with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)(2)), divided in groups of 15 teeth each, and analyzed on 7(th), 25(th), and 60(th) day. Group GI - only Ca(OH)(2), GIF- laser 688 nm, and GIII - laser 785 nm. Laser beam was used in single and punctual dose with the parameters: continuous, 688 nm and 785 nm wavelength, tip's area of 0.00785 cm(2), power 50 mW, application time 20 s, dose 255 J/cm(2), energy 2 J. Teeth were capped with Ca(OH)(2), Ca(OH)(2) cement and restored with amalgam. All groups presented pulp repair. on 25(th) day the thickness of the formed dentin barrier was different between the groups GI and GII (p < 0.05) and between groups GI and GIII (p < 0.01). on 60(th) day there was difference between GI and GIII (p < 0.01). It may be concluded that, LLLT 688 nm and 785 nm accelerated dentin barrier formation and consequently pulp repair process, with best results using infrared laser 785 nm. (c) 2009 by Astro Ltd. Published exclusively by WLLEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

Geothermal investigations in an area of induced seismic activity, northern São Paulo State, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of simvastatin on bone regeneration of tibial defects and blood cholesterol level in rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of simvastatin, by oral or subcutaneous administration, on tibial defects regeneration and blood cholesterol level in rats. A surgical defect was made on the right tibia of 40 male animals assigned to 4 groups (n=10), based on two routes of administration and on the use or not of simvastatin: subcutaneous injection of simvastatin (7 mg/kg) (group AT) or only the vehicle of drug suspension (group AC), above the defect area, for 5 days; and 20 mg/kg of simvastatin macerated on water (group BT) or only water (group BC), orally, daily, during the whole observation period. The animals were sacrificed after 15 or 30 days, when blood samples were analyzed to check plasma cholesterol levels. Tibiae were removed and, after decalcification and routine laboratorial processing, histological and histomorphometrical analyses were carried out. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis at 5% signficance level. The histological and histomorphometrical analyses showed significant differences only between the experimental periods (p<0.05). Animals sacrificed after 30 days showed better bone repair (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) for blood cholesterol levels between the groups. In conclusion, simvastatin administration either orally or subcutaneously did not improve bone repair of experimental tibial defects and did not alter blood cholesterol levels in rats.

Measurement of sealant surface area by clinical/computerized analysis: 11-year results.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical behavior of 2 pit and fissure sealants through clinical/computerized evaluation. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Occlusal sealants were placed on maxillary and mandibular first and second premolars according to a split-mouth design. All premolars were sealed with either Concise (3M Espe) or Prisma Shield (Caulk/Dentsply) sealant agents. A hematoxylin-based staining solution was applied on the occlusal surface 7 days, 18 months, 36 months, and 11 years after occlusal sealing to allow checking of the sealant material on the surface. At each analysis time all occlusal surfaces were photographed, and the photographs corresponding to each time period were analyzed with SigmaScan 4.0 Software. The alterations of the sealed area of each sealant were analyzed with the software and recorded. Next, the measurements of the areas were tabulated and analyzed according to each period. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), with parts subdivided into time, and the t test, with a significance level of 5%, were used. RESULTS: The greatest sealed area was maintained by the sealant Concise. However, over the course of 11 years, all sealants began to show the same level of alteration in sealed area. CONCLUSION: The sealing materials showed alteration in sealed area over time, but they were efficient in controlling caries lesion formation on premolar pits and fissures.

Using remote lab networks to provide support to public secondary school education level

The advantages of networking are widely known in many areas (from business to personal ones). One particular area where networks have also proved their benefits is education. Taking the secondary school education level into account, some successful cases can be found in literature. In this paper we describe a particular remote lab network supporting physical experiments accessible to students of institutions geographically separated. The network architecture and application examples of using some of the available remote experiments are illustrated in detail. ©2008 IEEE.

Remote Sensing Detection of atmospheric pollutants using Lidar, Sodar and correlation with air quality data in an industrial area

Optical remote sensing techniques have obvious advantages for monitoring gas and aerosol emissions, since they enable the operation over large distances, far from hostile environments, and fast processing of the measured signal. In this study two remote sensing devices, namely a Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) for monitoring the vertical profile of backscattered light intensity, and a Sodar (Acoustic Radar, Sound Detection and Ranging) for monitoring the vertical profile of the wind vector were operated during specific periods. The acquired data were processed and compared with data of air quality obtained from ground level monitoring stations, in order to verify the possibility of using the remote sensing techniques to monitor industrial emissions. The campaigns were carried out in the area of the Environmental Research Center (Cepema) of the University of São Paulo, in the city of Cubatão, Brazil, a large industrial site, where numerous different industries are located, including an oil refinery, a steel plant, as well as fertilizer, cement and chemical/petrochemical plants. The local environmental problems caused by the industrial activities are aggravated by the climate and topography of the site, unfavorable to pollutant dispersion. Results of a campaign are presented for a 24- hour period, showing data of a Lidar, an air quality monitoring station and a Sodar. © 2011 SPIE.

Asymmetries and cooperation in the Free Trade Area of the Americas

Includes bibliography

Finding best urban routes based on analyses of high level and IOPT Petri net models

This paper presents a tool that combines two kinds of Petri Net analyses to set the fastest routes to one vehicle in a bounded area of traffic urban. The first analysis consists of the discovery of possible routes in a state space generated from an IOPT Petri net model given the initial marking as the vehicle position. The second analysis receives the routes found in the first analysis and calculates the state equations at incidence matrix created from the High Level Petri net model to define the fastest route for each vehicle that arrive in the roads. It was considered the exchange of information between vehicle and infrastructure (V2I) to get the position and speed of all vehicles and support the analyses. With the results obtained we conclude that is possible optimizing the urban traffic flow if this tool is applied to all vehicles in a bounded urban traffic. © 2012 IEEE.

Low-level laser therapy in pediatric bell's palsy: Case report in a three-year-old child

Objectives: The objective of this study was to apply low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to accelerate the recovery process of a child patient with Bell's palsy (BP). Design: This was a prospective study. Subject: The subject was a three-year-old boy with a sudden onset of facial asymmetry due to an unknown cause. Materials and methods: The low-level laser source used was a gallium aluminum arsenide semiconductor diode laser device (660 nm and 780 nm). No steroids or other medications were given to the child. The laser beam with a 0.04-cm2 spot area, and an aperture with approximately 1-mm diameter, was applied in a continuous emission mode in direct contact with the facial area. The duration of a laser session was between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the chosen points and the area being treated. Light was applied 10 seconds per point on a maximum number of 80 points, when the entire affected (right) side of the face was irradiated, based on the small laser beam spot size. According to the acupuncture literature, this treatment could also be carried out using 10-20 Chinese acupuncture points, located unilaterally on the face. In this case study, more points were used because the entire affected side of the face (a large area) was irradiated instead of using acupuncture points. Outcome measures: The House-Brackmann grading system was used to monitor the evolution of facial nerve motor function. Photographs were taken after every session, always using the same camera and the same magnitude. The three-year-old boy recovered completely from BP after 11 sessions of LLLT. There were 4 sessions a week for the first 2 weeks, and the total treatment time was 3 weeks. Results: The result of this study was the improvement of facial movement and facial symmetry, with complete reestablishment to normality. Conclusions: LLLT may be an alternative to speed up facial normality in pediatric BP. © Copyright 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2013.

Bone marrow aspirate combined with low-level laser therapy: A new therapeutic approach to enhance bone healing

This study evaluated the influence of bone marrow aspirate (BMA), low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and their combination on bone healing in surgically created critical-size defects (CSDs) in rat calvaria. 40 rats were divided into four groups: C (control), BMA, LLLT and BMA/LLLT. A 5 mm diameter CSD was created in the calvarium of each animal. In Group C, the defect was filled by blood clot only. In Group BMA, the defect was filled with BMA. In groups LLLT and BMA/LLLT, the defect received laser irradiation (InGaAlP laser), was filled with blood clot or BMA respectively, and irradiated again. Animals were euthanized 30 days postoperatively. Histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. Newly formed bone area (NFBA) was calculated as percentage of the total area of the original defect. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osteocalcin (OCN) immunohistochemical staining were performed. PCNA-positive, Runx2-positive and OCN-positive cells were quantified. Data were statistically analyzed. Group BMA/LLLT had significantly greater NFBA than groups C, BMA or LLLT. Group BMA presented significantly greater NFBA than control, while group LLLT did not. Group BMA/LLLT presented a significantly higher number of PCNA-positive and OCN-positive cells than any of the other groups. Groups BMA/LLLT and BMA showed a significantly lower number of Runx2-positive cells than groups C or LLLT. The combination of BMA/LLLT yielded significantly greater bone formation in surgically created CSD in rat calvaria when compared to control, or either treatment alone. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.