Association analysis of clinical aspects and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism with external apical root resorption in orthodontic patients

Introduction: Vitamin D is responsible for the regulation of certain genes at the transcription level, via interaction with the vitamin D receptor, and influences host immune responses and aspects of bone development, growth, and homeostasis. Our aim was to investigate the association of TaqI vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism with external apical root resorption during orthodontic treatment. Methods: Our subjects were 377 patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion, divided into 3 groups: (1) 160 with external apical root resorption <= 1.43 mm, (2) 179 with external apical root resorption >1.43 mm), and (3) 38 untreated subjects. External apical root resorption of the maxillary incisors was evaluated on periapical radiographs taken before and after 6 months of treatment. After DNA collection and purification, vitamin D receptor TaqI polymorphism analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to verify the association of clinical and genetic variables with external apical root resorption (P <0.05). Results: There was a higher proportion of external apical root resorption in orthodontically treated patients compared with the untreated subjects. In patients orthodontically treated, age higher than 14 years old, initial size of the maxillary incisor root superior to 30 mm, and premolar extraction were associated with increased external apical root resorption. Genotypes containing the C allele were weakly associated with protection against external apical root resorption (CC + CT x TT [odds ratio, 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-1.23; P = 0.091]) when treated orthodontic patients were compared to untreated individuals. Conclusions: Clinical factors and vitamin D receptor TaqI polymorphism were associated with external apical root resorption in orthodontic patients. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2012; 142: 339-47)

BIOCIVILIZACAO: OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND TO COMPLETE OUR independence

Latin American countries have a privileged position to tackle the environmental crisis, producing a new framework of relations and interdependencies: a biocivilizacao. Inspired by the ideas and Gourou Sachs, founded in centralities other than those of the "global market", and fed by other "sources" than those of high-carbon, embodied in examples like those provided by the Amazons, that teach us how the interaction between cultural and natural elements can produce the main source of biodiversity on the planet and your invaluable environmental service. Countries that share, if you can settle in other conditions (have) dependencies, guided references and values different from those that have chaired the hegemonic order. But for that, the paths that lead only to "cooperate" with the construction of "common markets", which will be replaced by others, eg, dialogues between the Organization of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty and Pan Amazonian Social Forum.

Is Drosera meristocaulis a pygmy sundew? Evidence of a long-distance dispersal between Western Australia and northern South America

South America and Oceania possess numerous floristic similarities, often confirmed by morphological and molecular data. The carnivorous Drosera meristocaulis (Droseraceae), endemic to the Neblina highlands of northern South America, was known to share morphological characters with the pygmy sundews of Drosera sect. Bryastrum, which are endemic to Australia and New Zealand. The inclusion of D. meristocaulis in a molecular phylogenetic analysis may clarify its systematic position and offer an opportunity to investigate character evolution in Droseraceae and phylogeographic patterns between South America and Oceania. was included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Droseraceae, using nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and plastid rbcL and rps16 sequence data. Pollen of D. meristocaulis was studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques, and the karyotype was inferred from root tip meristem. The phylogenetic inferences (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches) substantiate with high statistical support the inclusion of sect. Meristocaulis and its single species, D. meristocaulis, within the Australian Drosera clade, sister to a group comprising species of sect. Bryastrum. A chromosome number of 2n approx. 3236 supports the phylogenetic position within the Australian clade. The undivided styles, conspicuous large setuous stipules, a cryptocotylar (hypogaeous) germination pattern and pollen tetrads with aperture of intermediate type 78 are key morphological traits shared between D. meristocaulis and pygmy sundews of sect. Bryastrum from Australia and New Zealand. The multidisciplinary approach adopted in this study (using morphological, palynological, cytotaxonomic and molecular phylogenetic data) enabled us to elucidate the relationships of the thus far unplaced taxon D. meristocaulis. Long-distance dispersal between southwestern Oceania and northern South America is the most likely scenario to explain the phylogeographic pattern revealed.

The influence of different indium-composition profiles on the electronic structure of lens-shaped InxGa1-xAs quantum dots

We present effective-mass calculations of the bound-state energy levels of electrons confined inside lens-shaped InxGa1-xAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a GaAs matrix, taking into account the strain as well as the In gradient inside the QDs due to the strong In segregation and In-Ga intermixing present in the InxGa1-xAs/GaAs system. In order to perform the calculations, we used a continuum model for the strain, and the QDs and wetting layer were divided into their constituting monolayers, each one with a different In concentration, to be able to produce a specific composition profile. Our results clearly show that the introduction of such effects is very important if one desires to correctly reproduce or predict the optoelectronic properties of these nanostructures.

Descriptions of Thereza murutinga sp. nov. and Pristocnemis caipira sp. nov., and new records of Caelopyginae (Opiliones: Laniatores: Gonyleptidae)

Two new species of Caelopyginae are described: Pristocnemis caipira sp. nov. from Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and Thereza murutinga sp. nov., from Parati, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pristocnemis caipira sp. nov. is diagnosed by shallow grooves on the dorsal scutum, a lower number of tarsal segments, presence of a spine on the anal operculum, large, pointed tubercles on the lateral margins of the dorsal scutum, and an absence of white patches on the dorsal scutum. Thereza murutinga sp. nov. is diagnosed by the combination of the following characters: incomplete median longitudinal groove on area III and absent on area II, prosoma much smaller than opisthosoma, and a large white patch covering the prosoma and whole areas of the opisthosomal scutum. A cladistic analysis including the two new species was performed to investigate their relationship within the subfamily. We obtained 927 trees of 185 steps (CI=0.4, RI=0.74), which corroborated the generic assignments of the new species, but infrageneric relationships remained unsolved. In addition, male genitalia of Ampheres luteus (Giltay) and genera Pristocnemis and Thereza are redescribed, new distribution records for Caelopyginae species are presented, and biogeographical implications are discussed.

Effects of Perspective on the Amplification of Object Sizes that Intercept the Horizon Line

We investigated the effects of texture gradient and the position of test stimulus in relation to the horizon on the perception of relative sizes. By using the staircase method, 50 participants adjusted the size of a bar presented above, below or on the horizon as it could be perceived in the same size of a bar presented in the lower visual field. Stimuli were presented during 100ms on five background conditions. Perspective gradient contributed more to the overestimation of relative sizes than compression gradient. The sizes of the objects which intercepted the horizon line were overestimated. Visual system was very effective in extracting information from perspective depth cues, making it even during very brief exposure.

Atomically resolved study of the morphology change of InAs/GaAs quantum dot layers induced by rapid thermal annealing

The optoelectronic properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots can be tuned by rapid thermal annealing. In this study, the morphology change of InAs/GaAs quantum dots layers induced by rapid thermal annealing was investigated at the atomic-scale by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy. Finite elements calculations that model the outward relaxation of the cleaved surface were used to determine the indium composition profile of the wetting layer and the quantum dots prior and post rapid thermal annealing. The results show that the wetting layer is broadened upon annealing. This broadening could be modeled by assuming a random walk of indium atoms. Furthermore, we show that the stronger strain gradient at the location of the quantum dots enhances the intermixing. Photoluminescence measurements show a blueshift and narrowing of the photoluminescence peak. Temperature dependent photoluminescence measurements show a lower activation energy for the annealed sample. These results are in agreement with the observed change in morphology. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4770371]

Efeitos da perspectiva na amplificação dos tamanhos de objetos que interceptam a linha do horizonte

Foram investigados os efeitos do gradiente de textura e da posição do estímulo teste com relação à linha do horizonte na percepção de tamanho relativo. Pelo método das escadas duplas, cinquenta voluntários ajustaram o tamanho de uma barra apresentada acima, abaixo ou no nível do horizonte para que fosse percebida do mesmo tamanho que uma barra apresentada no campo visual inferior. Os estímulos foram apresentados por 100ms sobre cinco fundos de tela. O gradiente de perspectiva contribuiu mais para a superestimação de tamanho relativo que o gradiente de compressão. Os tamanhos dos objetos que interceptavam a linha do horizonte foram superestimados. O sistema visual mostrou-se bastante eficaz em extrair informações de profundidade da perspectiva, fazendo-o mesmo em apresentações muito breves.

Rainwater major and trace element contents in Southeastern Brazil: an assessment of a sugar cane region in dry and wet period

The purpose of this study was to assess the composition of the rainwater in Araraquara City, Brazil, a region strongly influenced by pre-harvest burning of sugar cane crops. Chemical and mineralogical variables were measured in rainwater collected during the harvest, dry period of 2009 and the non-harvest, wet period of 2010. Ca2+ and NH4+ were responsible for 55% of cations and NO3- for 45% of anions in rainwater. Al and Fe along with K were the most abundant among trace elements in both soluble and insoluble fractions. High volume weighted mean concentration (VWM) for most of the analyzed species were observed in the harvest, dry period, mainly due to agricultural activities and meteorological conditions. The chemistry of the Araraquara rainwater and principal component analysis (PCA) quantification clearly indicate the concurrence of a diversity of sources from natural to anthropogenic especially related to agricultural activities.

Use of recent geoid models to estimate mean dynamic topography and geostrophic currents in South Atlantic and Brazil Malvinas confluence

The use of geoid models to estimate the Mean Dynamic Topography was stimulated with the launching of the GRACE satellite system, since its models present unprecedented precision and space-time resolution. In the present study, besides the DNSC08 mean sea level model, the following geoid models were used with the objective of computing the MDTs: EGM96, EIGEN-5C and EGM2008. In the method adopted, geostrophic currents for the South Atlantic were computed based on the MDTs. In this study it was found that the degree and order of the geoid models affect the determination of TDM and currents directly. The presence of noise in the MDT requires the use of efficient filtering techniques, such as the filter based on Singular Spectrum Analysis, which presents significant advantages in relation to conventional filters. Geostrophic currents resulting from geoid models were compared with the HYCOM hydrodynamic numerical model. In conclusion, results show that MDTs and respective geostrophic currents calculated with EIGEN-5C and EGM2008 models are similar to the results of the numerical model, especially regarding the main large scale features such as boundary currents and the retroflection at the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence.

Desenvolvimento de modelo matemático de otimização logística para o transporte multimodal de safras agrícolas pelo corredor centro-oeste

Este artigo apresenta um modelo matemático de otimização logística para o transporte multimodal de safras agrícolas pelo corredor Centro-Oeste. Tal ferramenta foi desenvolvida no contexto de três amplos projetos de pesquisa financiados pela FINEP e executados por um grupo de universidades. O modelo, conhecido genericamente como Modelo de fluxo de Custo Mínimo Multiproduto, considera a otimização de fluxos em rede, para os produtos açúcar, álcool, milho, soja, óleo de soja, farelo de soja e trigo. O modelo proposto para estimativa dos fluxos inter-regionais mostrou-se uma ferramenta factível para fins de avaliação do potencial de utilização da multimodalidade. A análise destes resultados gera importantes subsídios para a seleção dos locais com potencial para instalação de mecanismos e equipamentos de transferência de cargas, além de auxiliar no dimensionamento dessas infraestruturas. Também é um resultado importante do ferramental desenvolvido a identificação das zonas de cargas que apresentam potencial captável pelas ferrovias, hidrovias e dutovias, ou seja, possibilita a identificação das regiões que revelam potencial para uso da multimodalidade.

Metodología del análisis acústico para la evaluación clínica de la voz

Programa de Doctorado: Sistemas Inteligentes y Aplicaciones Numéricas en la Ingeniería (SIANI)

Valoración del tratamiento con sellantes biológicos y terapia celular en la prevención de la fístula broncopleural en un modelo experimental in vivo

Eliminadas las páginas en blanco del pdf

Autenticación de personas a partir de la biometría de la región dígito palmar

[ES] En este artículo se presenta un sistema novedoso para la autenticación automática de personas basado en un indicador biométrico de la mano: la huella de la región dígito palmar. La imagen de los pliegues de la base del dedo índice se ha tomado con una cámara digital comercial. Dichas imágenes han sido digitalmente procesadas con el fin de realzar las colinas y valles de los pliegues de la piel. Estas líneas son seguidas para establecer los puntos de bifurcación y término denominados minucias, los cuales forman el descriptor de la huella dígito palmar. Un clasificador basado en un umbral y el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson verifica si una nueva huella pertenece a la identidad reclamada. Los resultados obtenidos muestran una confianza superior al 98% trabajando con 38 personas entre las cuales se incluyen huellas de baja calidad.

Investigación sobre el reconocimiento automático foliar de la laurisilva canaria

[ES] La investigación que se resume en el presente artículo, da evidencia de la posibilidad de lograr exitosamente una taxonomía de laurásea canaria de forma automática, usando muestras de hojas. Imágenes digitalizadas por medio de un escáner, de un muestrario de hojas, son usadas como elementos de clasificación. Éstas son procesadas, extrayendo parámetros discriminantes que, por medio de diferentes modelos de aprendizaje automático, los identifican como descriptivos de pertenencia a una especie. El resultado se presenta con un valor de evidencia, medición que permite evaluar el peso de parámetros o conjuntos de parámetros en la clasificación. El sistema podría ser usado para determinar parámetros taxonómicos que permitan establecer un sistema de patentes de plantas desarrolladas o descubiertas, de interés económico.