Revision of the Neotropical genus Carrerapyrgota Aczel (Diptera, Pyrgotidae) with the description of two new species

The Neotropical genus Carrerapyrgota Aczel is restricted to the South America (Brazil and Argentina). The genus is composed of two previously described species, which are revised herein: C. miliaria Aczel and C. personata (Lutz & Lima). Two new Brazilian species are described: C. aczeli from Sao Paulo and C. bernardii from Bahia. Illustrations of the external morphology of adults and male and female terminalia are also included. An identification key to the species is presented, as well as a brief discussion of the biology and distribution of the genus.

Electromyographic Study in Patients With Surgically Treated Facial Fractures

This study, using surface electromyography, analyzed the activity of the masseter muscles of 30 patients with facial bone fractures that were surgically treated. Evaluations were made before surgery and in the 7th, 30th, and 60th days after surgery. The value of each measure and the average of 3 maximum voluntary isometric contractions lasting 5 seconds each were registered, and statistical analyses were performed. Patients had a mean age of 31 years and an average of 1.33 fractures. They were grouped according to the type of fracture as follows: mandibular (50%), zygomatic complex (33%), maxilla (10%), and associated fractures (6.7%). There was a lower masseter activity in the preoperative period, when compared with normal values in all groups of fractures. There was a sharp drop in the masseter activity in the postoperative period of 7 days, and all groups showed recovery of activity in 60 days but still below the normal value referenced in the literature. The mean values of the masseter activity, in descending order, were from the zygomatic complex, mandibular, maxillary, and associated fractures. The unilateral mandibular fractures showed higher values than the bilateral fractures in most of the evaluations. There was a highly significant difference in the comparison of the evolution of the masseter activity on both sides, for mandibular and zygomatic complex fractures, and the pairwise comparison showed significant difference between most groups. It was concluded that facial fractures and surgical procedures had negative effects in the muscle activity as observed using electromyography.

Ovarian and PGF2 alpha responses to stimulation of endogenous PRL pulses during the estrous cycle in mares

The effects of a PRL-stimulating substance (sulpiride) on PRL and PGF2 alpha secretion and on luteal and ovarian follicular dynamics were studied during the estrous cycle in mares. A control group (n = 9) and a sulpiride group (Sp; n = 10) were used. Sulpiride (25 mg) was given every 8 h from Day 13 postovulation to the next ovulation. Repeated sulpiride treatment did not appear to maintain PRL concentrations at 12-h intervals beyond Day 14. Therefore, the hypothesis that a long-term increase in PRL altered luteal and follicular end points was not testable. Hourly samples were collected from the hour of a treatment (Hour 0) to Hour 8 on Day 14. Concentrations of PRL increased to maximum at Hour 4 in the Sp group. The PRL pulses were more prominent (P < 0.008) in the sulpiride group (peak, 19.4 +/- 1.9 ng/mL; mean +/- SEM) than in the controls (11.5 +/- 1.8 ng/mL). Concentrations of a metabolite of PGF2a (PGFM), number, and characteristics of PGFM pulses, and concentrations of progesterone during Hours 0 to 8 were not affected by the increased PRL. A novel observation was that the peak of a PRL pulse occurred at the same hour or 1 h later than the peak of a PGFM pulse in 8 of 8 PGFM pulses in the controls and in 6 of 10 pulses in the Sp group (P < 0.04), indicating that sulpiride interfered with the synchrony between PGFM and PRL pulses. The hypothesis that sulpiride treatment during the equine estrous cycle increases concentrations of PRL and the prominence of PRL pulses was supported. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the tongue of the common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)

We performed a macroscopic and microscopic study of the tongues of common opossums, Didelphis marsupialis, from South America. We studied two males and two females. We collected morphometric data on the tongue with precision calipers. For the light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses, we fixed tissue fragments in 10% formaldehyde and 2.5% glutaraldehyde, respectively. The opossum tongues averaged 5.87 +/- 0.20 cm in length, 3.27 +/- 0.15 cm in width at the lingual body, and 3.82 +/- 0.15 cm in width at the root. The mean thickness of the lingual body was 1.8 +/- 0.1 cm, and the thickness of the root was 3.82 +/- 0.15 cm. Sharp filiform papillae were scattered across the entire tongue; conical filiform papillae occurred on the lingual body and tongue tip; fungiform papillae were scattered among the filiform papillae on the lingual body and tongue tip; and there were three vallate papillae at the root of the tongue. We found two strands of papillary projections in the tongue root. Despite the low variability observed in the lingual papillae, the morphological data obtained in this study may be related to the opossum's diverse food habits and the extensive geographic distribution of the species throughout America. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2012. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Measurements of atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos in the MINOS far detector

This paper reports measurements of atmospheric neutrino and antineutrino interactions in the MINOS Far Detector, based on 2553 live-days (37.9 kton-years) of data. A total of 2072 candidate events are observed. These are separated into 905 contained-vertex muons and 466 neutrino-induced rock-muons, both produced by charged-current nu(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) interactions, and 701 contained-vertex showers, composed mainly of charged-current nu(e) and (nu) over bar (e) interactions and neutral-current interactions. The curvature of muon tracks in the magnetic field of the MINOS Far Detector is used to select separate samples of nu(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) events. The observed ratio of (nu) over bar (mu) to v(mu) events is compared with the Monte Carlo ( MC) simulation, giving a double ratio of R((nu) over bar/nu)data/R(nu) over bar/nu MC = 1.03 +/- 0.08(stat) +/- 0.08(syst). The v(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) data are separated into bins of L/E resolution, based on the reconstructed energy and direction of each event, and a maximum likelihood fit to the observed L/E distributions is used to determine the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters. This fit returns 90% confidence limits of |Delta m(2)| = (1.9 +/- 0.4) x 10(-3) eV(2) and sin(2)2 theta > 0.86. The fit is extended to incorporate separate nu(mu) and (nu) over bar mu oscillation parameters, returning 90% confidence limits of |Delta m(2)| - |Delta(m) over bar (2)| = 0.6(-0.8)(+2.4) x 10(-3) eV(2) on the difference between the squared-mass splittings for neutrinos and antineutrinos.

Isotope determination of sulfur by mass spectrometry in soil samples

Sulphur plays an essential role in plants and is one of the main nutrients in several metabolic processes. It has four stable isotopes (32S, 33S, 34S, and 36S) with a natural abundance of 95.00, 0.76, 4.22, and 0.014 in atom %, respectively. A method for isotopic determination of S by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in soil samples is proposed. The procedure involves the oxidation of organic S to sulphate (S-SO4(2-)), which was determined by dry combustion with alkaline oxidizing agents. The total S-SO4(2-) concentration was determined by turbidimetry and the results showed that the conversion process was adequate. To produce gaseous SO2 gas, BaSO4 was thermally decomposed in a vacuum system at 900 ºC in the presence of NaPO3. The isotope determination of S (atom % 34S atoms) was carried out by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). In this work, the labeled material (K2(34)SO4) was used to validate the method of isotopic determination of S; the results were precise and accurate, showing the viability of the proposed method.

Pamidronate for the treatment of osteoporosis secondary to chronic cholestatic liver disease in Wistar rats

Osteoporosis is a major complication of chronic cholestatic liver disease (CCLD). We evaluated the efficacy of using disodium pamidronate (1.0 mg/kg body weight) for the prevention (Pr) or treatment (Tr) of cholestasis-induced osteoporosis in male Wistar rats: sham-operated (Sham = 12); bile duct-ligated (Bi = 15); bile duct-ligated animals previously treated with pamidronate before and 1 month after surgery (Pr = 9); bile duct-ligated animals treated with pamidronate 1 month after surgery (Tr = 9). Rats were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery. Immunohistochemical expression of IGF-I and GH receptor was determined in the proximal growth plate cartilage of the left tibia. Histomorphometric analysis was performed in the right tibia and the right femur was used for biomechanical analysis. Bone material volume over tissue volume (BV/TV) was significantly affected by CCLD (Sham = 18.1 ± 3.2 vs Bi = 10.6 ± 2.2%) and pamidronate successfully increased bone volume. However, pamidronate administered in a preventive regimen presented no additional benefit on bone volume compared to secondary treatment (BV/TV: Pr = 39.4 ± 12.0; Tr = 41.2 ± 12.7%). Moreover, the force on the momentum of fracture was significantly reduced in Pr rats (Sham = 116.6 ± 23.0; Bi = 94.6 ± 33.8; Pr = 82.9 ± 22.8; Tr = 92.5 ± 29.5 N; P < 0.05, Sham vs Pr). Thus, CCLD had a significant impact on bone histomorphometric parameters and pamidronate was highly effective in increasing bone mass in CCLD; however, preventive therapy with pamidronate has no advantage regarding bone fragility.

Some issues concerning the dynamic response and damage of composite laminates subjected to low velocity impact

Abstract. This thesis presents a discussion on a few specific topics regarding the low velocity impact behaviour of laminated composites. These topics were chosen because of their significance as well as the relatively limited attention received so far by the scientific community. The first issue considered is the comparison between the effects induced by a low velocity impact and by a quasi-static indentation experimental test. An analysis of both test conditions is presented, based on the results of experiments carried out on carbon fibre laminates and on numerical computations by a finite element model. It is shown that both quasi-static and dynamic tests led to qualitatively similar failure patterns; three characteristic contact force thresholds, corresponding to the main steps of damage progression, were identified and found to be equal for impact and indentation. On the other hand, an equal energy absorption resulted in a larger delaminated area in quasi-static than in dynamic tests, while the maximum displacement of the impactor (or indentor) was higher in the case of impact, suggesting a probably more severe fibre damage than in indentation. Secondly, the effect of different specimen dimensions and boundary conditions on its impact response was examined. Experimental testing showed that the relationships of delaminated area with two significant impact parameters, the absorbed energy and the maximum contact force, did not depend on the in-plane dimensions and on the support condition of the coupons. The possibility of predicting, by means of a simplified numerical computation, the occurrence of delaminations during a specific impact event is also discussed. A study about the compressive behaviour of impact damaged laminates is also presented. Unlike most of the contributions available about this subject, the results of compression after impact tests on thin laminates are described in which the global specimen buckling was not prevented. Two different quasi-isotropic stacking sequences, as well as two specimen geometries, were considered. It is shown that in the case of rectangular coupons the lay-up can significantly affect the damage induced by impact. Different buckling shapes were observed in laminates with different stacking sequences, in agreement with the results of numerical analysis. In addition, the experiments showed that impact damage can alter the buckling mode of the laminates in certain situations, whereas it did not affect the compressive strength in every case, depending on the buckling shape. Some considerations about the significance of the test method employed are also proposed. Finally, a comprehensive study is presented regarding the influence of pre-existing in-plane loads on the impact response of laminates. Impact events in several conditions, including both tensile and compressive preloads, both uniaxial and biaxial, were analysed by means of numerical finite element simulations; the case of laminates impacted in postbuckling conditions was also considered. The study focused on how the effect of preload varies with the span-to-thickness ratio of the specimen, which was found to be a key parameter. It is shown that a tensile preload has the strongest effect on the peak stresses at low span-to-thickness ratios, leading to a reduction of the minimum impact energy required to initiate damage, whereas this effect tends to disappear as the span-to-thickness ratio increases. On the other hand, a compression preload exhibits the most detrimental effects at medium span-to-thickness ratios, at which the laminate compressive strength and the critical instability load are close to each other, while the influence of preload can be negligible for thin plates or even beneficial for very thick plates. The possibility to obtain a better explanation of the experimental results described in the literature, in view of the present findings, is highlighted. Throughout the thesis the capabilities and limitations of the finite element model, which was implemented in an in-house program, are discussed. The program did not include any damage model of the material. It is shown that, although this kind of analysis can yield accurate results as long as damage has little effect on the overall mechanical properties of a laminate, it can be helpful in explaining some phenomena and also in distinguishing between what can be modelled without taking into account the material degradation and what requires an appropriate simulation of damage. Sommario. Questa tesi presenta una discussione su alcune tematiche specifiche riguardanti il comportamento dei compositi laminati soggetti ad impatto a bassa velocità. Tali tematiche sono state scelte per la loro importanza, oltre che per l’attenzione relativamente limitata ricevuta finora dalla comunità scientifica. La prima delle problematiche considerate è il confronto fra gli effetti prodotti da una prova sperimentale di impatto a bassa velocità e da una prova di indentazione quasi statica. Viene presentata un’analisi di entrambe le condizioni di prova, basata sui risultati di esperimenti condotti su laminati in fibra di carbonio e su calcoli numerici svolti con un modello ad elementi finiti. È mostrato che sia le prove quasi statiche sia quelle dinamiche portano a un danneggiamento con caratteristiche qualitativamente simili; tre valori di soglia caratteristici della forza di contatto, corrispondenti alle fasi principali di progressione del danno, sono stati individuati e stimati uguali per impatto e indentazione. D’altro canto lo stesso assorbimento di energia ha portato ad un’area delaminata maggiore nelle prove statiche rispetto a quelle dinamiche, mentre il massimo spostamento dell’impattatore (o indentatore) è risultato maggiore nel caso dell’impatto, indicando la probabilità di un danneggiamento delle fibre più severo rispetto al caso dell’indentazione. In secondo luogo è stato esaminato l’effetto di diverse dimensioni del provino e diverse condizioni al contorno sulla sua risposta all’impatto. Le prove sperimentali hanno mostrato che le relazioni fra l’area delaminata e due parametri di impatto significativi, l’energia assorbita e la massima forza di contatto, non dipendono dalle dimensioni nel piano dei provini e dalle loro condizioni di supporto. Viene anche discussa la possibilità di prevedere, per mezzo di un calcolo numerico semplificato, il verificarsi di delaminazioni durante un determinato caso di impatto. È presentato anche uno studio sul comportamento a compressione di laminati danneggiati da impatto. Diversamente della maggior parte della letteratura disponibile su questo argomento, vengono qui descritti i risultati di prove di compressione dopo impatto su laminati sottili durante le quali l’instabilità elastica globale dei provini non è stata impedita. Sono state considerate due differenti sequenze di laminazione quasi isotrope, oltre a due geometrie per i provini. Viene mostrato come nel caso di provini rettangolari la sequenza di laminazione possa influenzare sensibilmente il danno prodotto dall’impatto. Due diversi tipi di deformate in condizioni di instabilità sono stati osservati per laminati con diversa laminazione, in accordo con i risultati dell’analisi numerica. Gli esperimenti hanno mostrato inoltre che in certe situazioni il danno da impatto può alterare la deformata che il laminato assume in seguito ad instabilità; d’altra parte tale danno non ha sempre influenzato la resistenza a compressione, a seconda della deformata. Vengono proposte anche alcune considerazioni sulla significatività del metodo di prova utilizzato. Infine viene presentato uno studio esaustivo riguardo all’influenza di carichi membranali preesistenti sulla risposta all’impatto dei laminati. Sono stati analizzati con simulazioni numeriche ad elementi finiti casi di impatto in diverse condizioni di precarico, sia di trazione sia di compressione, sia monoassiali sia biassiali; è stato preso in considerazione anche il caso di laminati impattati in condizioni di postbuckling. Lo studio si è concentrato in particolare sulla dipendenza degli effetti del precarico dal rapporto larghezza-spessore del provino, che si è rivelato un parametro fondamentale. Viene illustrato che un precarico di trazione ha l’effetto più marcato sulle massime tensioni per bassi rapporti larghezza-spessore, portando ad una riduzione della minima energia di impatto necessaria per innescare il danneggiamento, mentre questo effetto tende a scomparire all’aumentare di tale rapporto. Il precarico di compressione evidenzia invece gli effetti più deleteri a rapporti larghezza-spessore intermedi, ai quali la resistenza a compressione del laminato e il suo carico critico di instabilità sono paragonabili, mentre l’influenza del precarico può essere trascurabile per piastre sottili o addirittura benefica per piastre molto spesse. Viene evidenziata la possibilità di trovare una spiegazione più soddisfacente dei risultati sperimentali riportati in letteratura, alla luce del presente contributo. Nel corso della tesi vengono anche discussi le potenzialità ed i limiti del modello ad elementi finiti utilizzato, che è stato implementato in un programma scritto in proprio. Il programma non comprende alcuna modellazione del danneggiamento del materiale. Viene però spiegato come, nonostante questo tipo di analisi possa portare a risultati accurati soltanto finché il danno ha scarsi effetti sulle proprietà meccaniche d’insieme del laminato, esso possa essere utile per spiegare alcuni fenomeni, oltre che per distinguere fra ciò che si può riprodurre senza tenere conto del degrado del materiale e ciò che invece richiede una simulazione adeguata del danneggiamento.

Aspetti di vita quotidiana, religiosa, militare e civile in Britannia e lungo il Vallo di Adriano

The dissertation aims to provide an overview of some aspects of everyday life in Roman Britain in general and in the area of Hadrian’s Wall in particular. In a preliminary description, the writer addresses the complex topic related to the genesis of borders as the fulfillment of the expansionist parable of Rome, and as the space manifestation of the sunset of the idea of an imperium sine fine. Then the thesis passes to examine, in subsequent chapters, first the religious theme in its peculiar indigenous component and in the cultural practices triggered by the process of Romanization, secondly the question whether is possible to study everyday life in the northernmost province of the Empire through a discussion of the civilian settlements in proximity to military sites. This issue is drawn especially thanks to the analysis of the so-called Vindolanda tablets, which constitute a valuable evidence of a lively environment both under human and social respect. Before giving an indication of the specific bibliography, the work offers a number of appendices which elaborate part of the information which has been supplied in the previous sections. Mention of the epigraphic repertoires and literary and antiquarian sources is finally made.

10 Å cryo-EM structure of Drosophila melanogaster hexamerin and Limulus polyphemus hemocyanin

In the present study, the quaternary structures of Drosophila melanogaster hexamerin LSP-2 and Limulus polyphemus hemocyanin, both proteins from the hemocyanin superfamily, were elucidated to a 10 Å resolution with the technique of cryo-EM 3D-reconstruction. Furthermore, molecular modelling and rigid-body fitting allowed a detailed insight into the cryo-EM structures at atomic level. The results are summarised as follows: Hexamerin 1. The cryo-EM structure of Drosophila melanogaster hexamerin LSP-2 is the first quaternary structure of a protein from the group of the insect storage proteins. 2. The hexamerin LSP-2 is a hexamer of six bean-shaped subunits that occupy the corners of a trigonal antiprism, yielding a D3 (32) point-group symmetry. 3. Molecular modelling and rigid-body fitting of the hexamerin LSP-2 sequence showed a significant correlation between amino acid inserts in the primary structure and additional masses of the cryo-EM structure that are not present in the published quaternary structures of chelicerate and crustacean hemocyanins. 4. The cryo-EM structure of Drosophila melanogaster hexamerin LSP-2 confirms that the arthropod hexameric structure is applicable to insect storage proteins. Hemocyanin 1. The cryo-EM structure of the 8×6mer Limulus polyphemus hemocyanin is the highest resolved quaternary structure of an oligo-hexameric arthropod hemocyanin so far. 2. The hemocyanin is build of 48 bean-shaped subunits which are arranged in eight hexamers, yielding an 8×6mer with a D2 (222) point-group symmetry. The 'basic building blocks' are four 2×6mers that form two 4×6mers in an anti-parallel manner, latter aggregate 'face-to-face' to the 8×6mer. 3. The morphology of the 8×6mer was gauged and described very precisely on the basis of the cryo-EM structure. 4. Based on earlier topology studies of the eight different subunit types of Limulus polyphemus hemocyanin, eleven types of interhexamer interfaces have been identified that in the native 8×6mer sum up to 46 inter-hexamer bridges - 24 within the four 2×6mers, 10 to establish the two 4×6mers, and 12 to assemble the two 4×6mers into an 8×6mer. 5. Molecular modelling and rigid-body fitting of Limulus polyphemus and orthologous Erypelma californicum sequences allowed to assign very few amino acids to each of these interfaces. These amino acids now serve as candidates for the chemical bonds between the eight hexamers. 6. Most of the inter-hexamer contacts are conspicuously histidine-rich and evince constellations of amino acids that could constitute the basis for the allosteric interactions between the hexamers. 7. The cryo-EM structure of Limulus polyphemus hemocyanin opens the door to a fundamental understanding of the function of this highly cooperative protein.

Aktivierung von Hämocyanin zur Tyrosinase

Ziel der Arbeit war die enzymatische Aktivierung von Cheliceraten-Hämocyanin zur Erforschung ihrer Phenoloxidase-Aktivität. Hierzu wurden zwei Hämocyanine in vergleichenden Untersuchungen herangezogen: Das bekannte 24-mer aus der Spinne Eurypelma californicum und das ebenfalls 24-mere Hämocyanin des Skorpions Pandinus imperator, dessen Struktur hier aufgeklärt wurde. Elektronenmikroskopisch und in der dynamischer Lichtstreuung sind sich beide Hämocyanine sehr ähnlich und sedimentieren bei analytischer Ultrazentrifugation ebenfalls in gleicher Weise (Sedimentationskoeffizient von 37 S (S20, W)). Durch Dissoziation im alkalischen Milieu gewinnt man bis zu zwölf Untereinheiten, von denen sich neun immunologisch unterscheiden lassen. Das absorptionsspektroskopische Verhalten von P. imperator- und E. californicum-Hämocyanin sowie Sekundärstrukturanalyse mittels CD-Spektroskopie ist nahezu identisch. Die Stabilität des Hämocyanins gegenüber Temperatur und Denaturierungsmitteln wurde mit Circulardichroismus- und Fluoreszenzspektroskopie sowie durch die enzymatische Aktivität untersucht. Erstmals konnten die Hämocyanine von P. imperator und E. californicum nicht nur zu einer stabilen Diphenoloxidase umgewandelt werden, sondern auch eine Monophenolhydroxylase-Aktivität induziert und reguliert werden. Für letztere Aktivität ist dabei die Präsenz von Tris- oder Hepes-Puffer wesentlich. Während sich die Monophenolhydroxylase-Aktivität nur auf Ebene der oligomeren Zustände beobachten lässt, erkennt man bei den isolierten Untereinheiten-Typen lediglich eine Diphenoloxidase-Aktivität. Bei dem Spinnen-Hämocyanin zeigen die Untereinheiten bc die stärkste katalytische Aktivität auf, bei P. imperator-Hämocyanin findet man drei bis vier Untereinheiten, die enzymatisch aktiv sind. Die Aktivierung mit SDS liefert den Hinweis, dass die Quartärstruktur in eine andere Konformation gebracht und nicht durch SDS denaturiert wird. Zugabe von Mg2+ reguliert die Phenoloxidase-Aktivität und verschiebt bei P. imperator-Hämocyanin die enzymatische Aktivität zugunsten der Diphenoloxidase. Mit keiner der zur Verfügung stehenden Methoden konnte jedoch ein Konformationsübergang eindeutig nachgewiesen werden. Die Stabilität scheint durch die niedrigen SDS-Konzentrationen nicht beeinträchtigt zu werden. Die sehr lange “Verzögerungsphase“ bei der Monophenolhydroxylase-Aktivität konnte durch Zugabe von katalytischem Diphenol drastisch verkürzt werden, was ein Hinweis auf die echte Tyrosinase-Aktivität des aktivierten Hämocyanins ist. Ein in vivo-Aktivator konnte bis jetzt noch nicht gefunden werden. Trotzdem scheinen die Hämocyanine in der Immunologie von Cheliceraten eine bedeutende Rolle zu spielen, indem sie die Rolle der Tyrosinasen / Phenoloxidasen beziehungsweise Catecholoxidasen übernehmen, die bei Cheliceraten nicht vorkommen. Weitere Möglichkeiten des Cheliceraten-Immunsystems, eindringende Fremdorganismen abzuwehren, wurden untersucht. Das Fehlen einer ´echten` Phenoloxidase-Aktivität bei den Cheliceraten, mit der Fähigkeit, sowohl mono- als auch diphenolische Substrate umzusetzen, stützt die Hypothese, dass aktiviertes Hämocyanin in vivo an die Stelle der Phenoloxidase tritt.