Stretched-exponential behavior and random walks on diluted hypercubic lattices

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

Reproductive development and function of female rats exposed to di-eta-butyl-phthalate (DBP) in utero and during lactation

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

Description of the immatures of Linepithema humile Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Anatomia foliar de Erythroxylum P. Browne (Erythroxylaceae) do Cerrado do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

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

Stability Predicts Genetic Diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Hotspot

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

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of SMase I, a sphingomyelinase from Loxosceles laeta spider venom

SMase I, a 32 kDa sphingomyelinase found in Loxosceles laeta venom, is responsible for the major pathological effects of spider envenomation. This toxin has been cloned and functionally expressed as a fusion protein containing a 6 x His tag at its N-terminus to yield a 33 kDa protein [Fernandes-Pedrosa et al. (2002), Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 298, 638 - 645]. The recombinant protein possesses all the biological properties ascribed to the whole L. laeta venom, including dermonecrotic and complement-dependent haemolytic activities. Dynamic light-scattering experiments conducted at 291 K demonstrate that the sample possesses a monomodal distribution, with a hydrodynamic radius of 3.57 nm. L. laeta SMase I was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique using the sparse-matrix method. Single crystals were obtained using a buffer solution consisting of 0.08 M HEPES and 0.9 M trisodium citrate, which was titrated to pH 7.5 using 0.25 M sodium hydroxide. Complete three-dimensional diffraction data were collected to 1.8 Angstrom at the Laboratorio Nacional de Luz Sincrotron (LNLS, Campinas, Brazil). The crystals belong to the hexagonal system ( space group P6(1) or P6(5)), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 140.6, c = 113.6 Angstrom. A search for heavy-atom derivatives has been initiated and elucidation of the crystal structure is currently in progress.

Crystallographic studies of fish hemoglobins

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

Effect of Biomimetic Remineralization on the Dynamic Nanomechanical Properties of Dentin Hybrid Layers

The mineral and organic phases of mineralized dentin contribute co-operatively to its strength and toughness. This study tested the null hypothesis that there is no difference in nano-dynamic mechanical behavior (complex modulus-E*; loss modulus-E ''; storage modulus-E'; in GPa) of dentin hybrid layers (baseline: E*, 3.86 +/- 0.24; E '', 0.23 +/- 0.05; E', 3.85 +/- 0.24) created by an etch-and-rinse adhesive in the presence or absence of biomimetic remineralization after in vitro aging. Using scanning probe microscopy and nano-dynamic mechanical analysis, we demonstrated that biomimetic remineralization restored the nano-dynamic mechanical behavior of heavily remineralized, resin-sparse regions of dentin hybrid layers (E*, 19.73 +/- 3.85; E '', 8.75 +/- 3.97; E', 16.02 +/- 2.58) to those of the mineralized dentin base (E*, 19.20 +/- 2.42; E '', 6.57 +/- 1.96; E', 17.39 +/- 2.0) [p > 0.05]. Conversely, those resin-sparse, water-rich regions degraded in the absence of biomimetic remineralization, with significant decline [p < 0.05] in their complex and storage moduli (E*, 0.83 +/- 0.35; E '', 0.88 +/- 0.24; E', 0.62 +/- 0.32). Intrafibrillar apatite deposition preserves the integrity of resin-sparse regions of hybrid layers by restoring their nanomechanical properties to those exhibited by mineralized dentin.

Upper-mantle seismic anisotropy from SKS splitting in the South American stable platform: A test of asthenospheric flow models beneath the lithosphere

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of sedation on morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit

CONTEXTO: Embora cerca de 30% a 50% dos pacientes hospitalizados em unidades de terapia intensiva (UTI) recebam algum tipo de sedativo, existe escassez de informações sobre efeitos adversos desta prática, especialmente no Brasil. Estes efeitos podem ser significantes e o uso de sedativos é associado a elevação de infecção e mortalidade, mesmo sendo difícil avaliar o impacto clínico deste procedimento. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto da sedação sobre incidência de complicações e mortalidade em doentes graves durante internação em unidade de terapia intensiva. TIPO DE ESTUDO: Estudo prospectivo. LOCAL: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Cirúrgica da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) - Escola Paulista de Medicina. PARTICIPANTES: Após excluídos pacientes que permaneceram menos de 24 horas ou sem exames indispensáveis para o cálculo do índice de gravidade (APACHE II), restaram 307 pacientes. Estes foram divididos em dois grupos: Grupo Sedado e Grupo Não Sedado. Constatada heterogeneidade com relação ao APACHE II, foram pareados 97 sedados e 97 não sedados com idênticos índices de gravidade. VARIÁVEIS ESTUDADAS: Impacto da sedação e das técnicas sobre a mortalidade, tempo de internação, além da incidência de escara de decúbito ou pressão, trombose venosa profunda e infecção. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença na incidência de trombose venosa profunda, entre os grupos Sedado e Não Sedado, enquanto que escara de decúbito foi significativamente maior nos sedados (p = 0,03). Infecção foi detectada em 45,4% dos pacientes com sedação e em 21,6% dos pacientes sem sedação (p = 0,006). A mortalidade para os pacientes que não receberam qualquer tipo de sedativo foi de 20,6% e, para aqueles que foram sedados durante a internação, foi de 52,6% (p < 0,0001). CONCLUSÕES: Conclui-se que a sedação está associada a maior duração da internação, morbidade e mortalidade significativas. Apesar da intensidade das associações encontradas, não é possível estabelecer relação causal entre sedação e mortalidade.

Range extension for buff-fronted owl Aegolius harrisii in south-east Brazil.

Buff-fronted Owl Aegolius harrisii is a poorly known species. Field records are rare and sparse, with large gaps throughout its distribution. We present five new records of A. harrisii in south-east Brazil, in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, and the second ever nest description. In São Paulo, records from Franca are >300 km from previous records, while the new record in Minas Gerais is 600 km from the only previous state record. More nocturnal field work is required to better evaluate the true distribution of A. harrisii.

The Araguaia fold belt, Brazil: A reactivated Brasiliano-Pan-African cycle (550 Ma) geosuture

The Araguaia-Tocantins geosuture, which separates the Araguaia Fold Belt (AFB) from the Archean Amazonian Craton, was active in the late Middle Proterozoic. The Baixo Araguaia Supergroup was deposited, consisting of the Estrondo Group (lower quartzites with intercalated schists), Xambioá Formation (schists), and Canto da Vazante Formation (upper feldspathic schists); and the Tocantins Group consisting of the Couto Magalhaës Formation (phyllites, quartzites, slates, limestones, and metacherts) and Pequizeiro Formation (upper chlorite schists); and associated mafic-ultramafic bodies. The deformational history includes four regional phases of deformation within this supracrustal sequence: recumbent folds with vergence to the west; refolding with a N-S trend; an intense crenulation episode; and late thrusting from east to west. Metamorphism is of intermediate or intermediate-high pressure type with garnet, biotite, chlorite, and sericite isograds succeeded by a slightly or non-metamorphosed zone, from east to west. Rocks surrounding sparse gneissic-cored domes contain isograds of staurolite, kyanite, and fibrolite. These isograds are believed to be associated with the 1100 Ma Uruaçuano event. The Brasiliano Orogeny strongly affected the AFB with displacements due to transcurrent reactivation of great and old faults of the basement, slight folding in the supracrustal sequence, intrusion of small granite bodies, and development of domes with associated normal faults. The area underlain by the Estrondo Group was uplifted at this time, causing the deposition of the Rio das Barreiras polymictic conglomerate of the central area. K-Ar and Rb-Sr analyses date this thermo-tectonic event at 550 ± 100 Ma. The Archean basement is exposed in the cores of domes as a granite-gneiss association, the Colméia complex, which shows thermo-tectonic features that may be interpreted as polycyclic imprints (Jequié, Transamazonian?, Uruaçuano, and Brasiliano Events). © 1989.

Solucao de sistemas lineares com matrizes e vetores esparsos em computadores vetoriais

This paper presents a methodology for solving a set of linear sparse equations on vector computers. The new methodology is able to exploit the matrix and vector sparsities. The implementation was made on a CRAY Y-MP 2E/232 computer and the results were taken from electric power systems with 118, 320, 725 and 1729 buses. The proposed methodology was compared with three previous methods and the results show the superior performance of the new one.

Systematic vegetative anatomy and ensiform leaf development in Xyris (Xyridaceae)

Ensiform leaf development in monocotyledons follows a broadly similar sequence in a wide range of relatively unrelated taxa, indicating a plastic developmental pattern, possibly associated with stressed environmental conditions, since Xyris species tend to grow in relatively damp but nutrient-poor environments. The bifacial leaf sheath surrounds the apex and the subadjacent primordium. A conical unifacial leaf tip 'Vorlauferspitze' is established at an early stage, followed by extension growth in the region behind it, generating a unifacial ensiform blade. Root and rhizome structure are also described in a systematic context, particularly in comparison with related taxa in Xyridaceae and other commelinoid monocotyledons, although information on these structure is relatively sparse.

Histological, histochemical and morphometric study of female corpora allata of Pachycondyla striata ants (Hymenoptera: Ponerinae)

In this study we utilized both histological/histochemical tests and morphometric/statistical tests to observe developmental differences in the corpora allata in Pachycondyla striata workers and queens ants. The general structure of corpora allata was similar between workers and queens. The differences found among the volumes was not statistically significant when the probability value was set at 5%. Although the queen corpora allata volume has been observed smaller than those of the worker and the right gland volume has been smaller than those of the left one. Differences also were observed histologically, the worker corpora allata cells showed homogeneous cytoplasm and sparse nuclear chromatin in well defined nuclei. It was the reverse in the queens, in which the corpora allata cells showed some secretory cytoplasmic vesicles and nuclei with a different morphology, i. e., from extremely large with sparse chromatin to small with condensed chromatin. Employing histochemical tests verified that the corpora allata in both castes contained large amounts of RNA and protein in the cytoplasm of their cells and an absence of polysaccharides. Differences in the lipid amounts in worker's glands were found, whereas, in the queens' corpora allata lipids always occur.