Co-operation between Latin America and Africa in the field of external trade

Includes bibliography

Wage differentials between the public and private sectors in Chile: Evidence from longitudinal data

Includes bibliography.

Association between bone mass and functional capacity among elderly people aged 80 years and over

Objetivo:Analisar a associação entre a massa óssea e capacidade funcional de idosos com 80 anos ou mais.Métodos:A amostra foi composta por 93 idosos entre 80 e 91 anos (83,2 ± 2,5 anos), 61 mulheres (83,3 ± 2,7 anos) e 32 homens (83,1 ± 2,2 anos) da cidade de Presidente Prudente. A avaliação da massa óssea foi feita pela absorptiometria de dupla energia de raios X (DXA), na qual foram mensurados os valores de conteúdo mineral ósseo (BMC) e densidade mineral óssea (BMD) do fêmur e da coluna (L1-L4). A capacidade funcional foi avaliada por meio dos testes de velocidade para caminhar, equilíbrio estático e força de membros inferiores contidos no questionário Saúde, Bem-Estar e Envelhecimento (Sabe). As variáveis da massa óssea e capacidade funcional foram categorizadas de acordo com os valores de mediana e a pontuação obtida nos testes, respectivamente. Para tratamento estatístico fez-se o teste qui-quadrado, o software usado foi SPSS (13.0) e o nível de significância estabelecido foi de 5%.Resultados:Os idosos do sexo masculino com maior desempenho nos testes funcionais apresentaram maiores valores de BMC de fêmur comparados com os de menor desempenho, resultado não encontrado quando avaliadas as mulheres.Conclusão:Dessa forma, a massa óssea do fêmur para idosos longevos do sexo masculino está associada à capacidade funcional. A avaliação constante da massa mineral óssea e a prática de atividade física ao longo da vida seriam medidas para prevenção das quedas em idosos.

Association between pharyngeal residue and posterior oral spillage with penetration and aspiration in Stroke

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

Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in a suspended-core As2S3 chalcogenide microstructured optical fiber

We demonstrate the supercontinuum (SC) generation in a suspended-core As2S3 chalcogenide microstructured optical fiber (MOF). The variation of SC is investigated by changing the fiber length, pump peak power and pump wavelength. In the case of long fibers (20 and 40 cm), the SC ranges are discontinuous and stop at the wavelengths shorter than 3500 nm, due to the absorption of fiber. In the case of short fibers (1.3 and 2.4 cm), the SC ranges are continuous and can extend to the wavelengths longer than 4 μm. The SC broadening is observed when the pump peak power increases from 0.24 to 1.32 kW at 2500 nm. The SC range increases with the pump wavelength changing from 2200 to 2600 nm, corresponding to the dispersion of As2S3 MOF from the normal to anomalous region. The SC generation is simulated by the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The simulation includes the SC difference between 1.3 and 2.4 cm long fiber by 2500 nm pumping, the variation of SC with pump peak power in 2.4 cm long fiber, and the variation of SC with pump wavelength in 1.3 cm long fiber. The simulation agrees well with the experiment.

Effect of time between adhesive application and photoactivation on adhesion and collagen exposure

Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de sao Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of the association between the tray and impression techniques on angulated implants using the All-on-Four system

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

Spectrophotometric evaluation of dental bleaching under orthodontic bracket in enamel and dentin

Aware of the diffusion capacity of bleaching in the dental tissues, many orthodontists are subjecting their patients to dental bleaching during orthodontic treatment for esthetic purposes or to anticipate the exchange of esthetic restorations after the orthodontic treatment. For this purpose specific products have been developed in pre-loaded whitening trays designed to fit over and around brackets and wires, with clinical efficacy proven. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate, through spectrophotometric reflectance, the effectiveness of dental bleaching under orthodontic bracket. Material and Methods: Thirty-two bovine incisors crown blocks of 8 mm x 8 mm height lengths were used. Staining of tooth blocks with black tea was performed for six days. They were distributed randomly into 4 groups (1-home bleaching with bracket, 2- home bleaching without bracket, 3- office bleaching with bracket, 4 office bleaching without bracket). The color evaluation was performed (CIE L * a * b *) using color reflectance spectrophotometer. Metal brackets were bonded in groups 1 and 3. The groups 1 and 2 samples were subjected to the carbamide peroxide at 15%, 4 hours daily for 21 days. Groups 3 and 4 were subjected to 3 in-office bleaching treatment sessions, hydrogen peroxide 38%. After removal of the brackets, the second color evaluation was performed in tooth block, difference between the area under the bracket and around it, and after 7 days to verified color stability. Data analysis was performed using the paired t-test and two-way variance analysis and Tukey’s. Results: The home bleaching technique proved to be more effective compared to the office bleaching. There was a significant difference between the margin and center color values of the specimens that were subjected to bracket bonding. Conclusions: The bracket bond presence affected the effectiveness of both the home and office bleaching treatments.

Relationship between therapeutic alliance and deep abdominal muscle recruitment in nonspecific low back pain sufferers

Chronic low back pain is a difficult condition to be treated. As some patients respond positively to treatment and others do not present any improvements, one can think there are others conditional factors that need to be elucidated. By means of this study, we sought to investigate the association between the occurrence of the formation of a positive relationship between patient and therapist, assessed by the therapeutic alliance inventory, and the adequate recruitment of the deep abdominal muscles, as well as to verify the effect of a protocol intervention based on motor control exercises on levels of pain and disability. The recruitment of the transverse abdominal and internal oblique muscles was examined by ultrasound imaging in 12 subjects with nonspecific chronic low back pain before and after implementation of a protocol for motor control exercises, with subsequent application of the therapeutic alliance inventory questionnaire. No association was found between the level of therapist/patient alliance and muscle recruitment. The proposed protocol was effective in reducing the levels of pain and disability; however, recruitment of transverse abdominal and internal oblique muscles showed no significant changes in the end of the intervention. Based on these findings, we verified that the therapeutic alliance has no association with muscle recruitment in the short term. However, although there were no changes in muscle recruitment after the intervention program, the level of pain and disability was reduced.

Chromosomal characteristics and distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in the Matogrossensis and Rubrovaria subcomplexes

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

Effect of mesenchymal stem cells on movement and urination of rats with spinal cord injury

Cell therapy has frequently been reported as a possible treatment for spinal trauma in humans and animals; however, without pharmacologically curative action on damage from the primary lesion. In this study, we evaluated the effect of administering human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSC) in rats after spinal cord injury. The hADSC were used between the third and fifth passages and a proportion of cells were transduced for screening in vivo after transplantation. Spinal cord injury was induced with a Fogarty catheter no. 3 inserted into the epidural space with a cuff located at T8 and filled with 80 mu L saline for 5 min. The control group A (n = 12) received culture medium (50 mu L) and group B (n = 12) received hADSC (1.2 x 10(6)) at 7 and 14 days post-injury, in the tail vein. Emptying of the bladder by massage was performed daily for 3 months. Evaluation of functional motor activity was performed daily until 3 months post-injury using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale. Subsequently, the animals were euthanized and histological analysis of the urinary bladder and spinal cord was performed. Bioluminescence analysis revealed hADSC at the application site and lungs. There was improvement of urinary bladder function in 83.3% animals in group B and 16.66% animals in group A. The analysis of functional motor activity and histology of the spinal cord and urinary bladder demonstrated no significant difference between groups A and B. The results indicate that transplanted hADSC improved urinary function via a telecrine mechanism, namely action at a distance.

Resistência de união entre um cimento resinoso e uma cerâmica aluminizada submetida a diferentes tratamentos de superfície

Pós-graduação em Odontologia Restauradora - ICT

Phase transition from a d(x(2)-y(2)) to d(x(2)-y(2))+id(xy) superconductor

The temperature dependencies of specific heat and spin susceptibility of a coupled dx2-y2 + idxy superconductor in the presence of a weak dxy component are investigated in the tight-binding model (1) on square lattice and (2) on a lattice with orthorhombic distortion. As the temperature is lowered past the critical temperature Tc, first a less ordered dx2-y2 superconductor is created, which changes to a more ordered dx2-y2 + idxy superconductor at Tcl(< Tc). This manifests in two second order phase transitions identified by two jumps in specific heat at Tc and Tc1. The temperature dependencies of the superconducting observables exhibit a change from power-law to exponential behavior as temperature is lowered below Tc1 and confirm the new phase transition. © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the relationship between the structure and function of Ts2, a neurotoxin from Tityus serrulatus venom

Scorpion toxins targeting voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels are peptides that comprise 6076 amino acid residues cross-linked by four disulfide bridges. These toxins can be divided in two groups (a and beta toxins), according to their binding properties and mode of action. The scorpion a-toxin Ts2, previously described as a beta-toxin, was purified from the venom of Tityus serrulatus, the most dangerous Brazilian scorpion. In this study, seven mammalian NaV channel isoforms (rNaV1.2, rNaV1.3, rNaV1.4, hNaV1.5, mNaV1.6, rNaV1.7 and rNaV1.8) and one insect NaV channel isoform (DmNaV1) were used to investigate the subtype specificity and selectivity of Ts2. The electrophysiology assays showed that Ts2 inhibits rapid inactivation of NaV1.2, NaV1.3, NaV1.5, NaV1.6 and NaV1.7, but does not affect NaV1.4, NaV1.8 or DmNaV1. Interestingly, Ts2 significantly shifts the voltage dependence of activation of NaV1.3 channels. The 3D structure of this toxin was modeled based on the high sequence identity (72%) shared with Ts1, another T. serrulatus toxin. The overall fold of the Ts2 model consists of three beta-strands and one a-helix, and is arranged in a triangular shape forming a cysteine-stabilized a-helix/beta-sheet (CSa beta) motif.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY AND COMPONENTS OF METABOLIC SYNDROME IN ADULTS WITH MOOD DISORDERS: RESULTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MOOD DISORDERS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

Objective: We sought to determine whether a reported history of childhood adversity is associated with components of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP-III)-defined metabolic syndrome in adults with mood disorders. Method: This was a cross-sectional analysis of adult outpatients (N = 373; n = 230 female, n = 143 male; mean age [SD] = 42.86 [14.43]) from the International Mood Disorders Collaborative Project (University of Toronto and Cleveland Clinic) with DSM-IV-defined major depressive disorder and bipolar I/II disorder. Childhood adversity was measured with the Klein Trauma & Abuse-Neglect self-report scale. The groups with and without childhood adversity were compared to determine possible differences in the rates of metabolic syndrome and its components. Logistic and linear regressions adjusted for age, sex, education, employment status, and smoking were used to evaluate the association between childhood adversity and components of metabolic syndrome. Results: For the full sample, 83 subjects (22.25%) met criteria for metabolic syndrome. Individuals reporting a history of any childhood adversity had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic: p = 0.040; diastolic: p = 0.038). Among subjects with a history of sexual abuse, a significant proportion met criteria for obesity (45.28% vs. 32.88%; p = 0.010); a trend toward overweight was found for subjects with a history of physical abuse (76.32% vs. 63.33%; p = 0.074), although this relationship did not remain significant after adjusting for potential confounders. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall rate of dyslipidemia and/or metabolic syndrome between subjects with and without childhood adversity. Conclusion: The results herein provide preliminary evidence suggesting that childhood adversity is associated with metabolic syndrome components in individuals with mood disorders. Int'l. J. Psychiatry in Medicine 2012;43:165-177)