Detection of cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in dogs using indirect immunoenzyme assay, indirect fluorescent antibody test and polymerase chain reaction

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

Food-web composition affects cross-ecosystem interactions and subsidies

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

Widespread Amazon forest tree mortality from a single cross-basin squall line event

Climate change is expected to increase the intensity of extreme precipitation events in Amazonia that in turn might produce more forest blowdowns associated with convective storms. Yet quantitative tree mortality associated with convective storms has never been reported across Amazonia, representing an important additional source of carbon to the atmosphere. Here we demonstrate that a single squall line (aligned cluster of convective storm cells) propagating across Amazonia in January, 2005, caused widespread forest tree mortality and may have contributed to the elevated mortality observed that year. Forest plot data demonstrated that the same year represented the second highest mortality rate over a 15-year annual monitoring interval. Over the Manaus region, disturbed forest patches generated by the squall followed a power-law distribution (scaling exponent alpha = 1.48) and produced a mortality of 0.3-0.5 million trees, equivalent to 30% of the observed annual deforestation reported in 2005 over the same area. Basin-wide, potential tree mortality from this one event was estimated at 542 +/- 121 million trees, equivalent to 23% of the mean annual biomass accumulation estimated for these forests. Our results highlight the vulnerability of Amazon trees to wind-driven mortality associated with convective storms. Storm intensity is expected to increase with a warming climate, which would result in additional tree mortality and carbon release to the atmosphere, with the potential to further warm the climate system. Citation: Negron-Juarez, R. I., J. Q. Chambers, G. Guimaraes, H. Zeng, C. F. M. Raupp, D. M. Marra, G. H. P. M. Ribeiro, S. S. Saatchi, B. W. Nelson, and N. Higuchi (2010), Widespread Amazon forest tree mortality from a single cross-basin squall line event, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L16701, doi:10.1029/2010GL043733.

Measurement of the differential cross section d sigma/dt in elastic p(p)over-bar scattering at root s=1.96 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Distúrbios neurológicos em trabalhadores com baixos níveis de chumbo no sangue. I: Neuropatia periférica

This is a cross-sectional study with a randomized choice of individuals aiming at studying the validity of the Brazilian biological exposure limits applied to lead level in the blood (PbB) and delta-aminolevulinic acid in the urine (ALAU), which are 60 μg/dl and 10 mg/g.creat., respectively. For this purpose, twenty workers, whose PbB and ALAU values have been below these limits over the past two years, were selected at random at a battery production plant in the State of S. Paulo, Brazil. The workers were submitted to a peripheral nerve conduction study. The results were compared with those obtained for workers of a control group also chosen at random. The lead workers showed a decrease in the velocity conduction of the radial nerves. Comparing this group with a randomized control group, a significant difference was observed (p-value = 0.0067). The results suggest that the Brazilian biological exposure limits above should be rearranged.

Coordination of Eu3+ ions in siliceous nanohybrids containing short polyether chains and bridging urea cross-links

Infrared and photoluminescence spectroscopies have been used to investigate the local environment of the Eu3+ ions in luminescent sol-gel derived materials-di-ureasils-based on a hybrid framework represented by U(600). This host is composed of a siliceous backbone grafted, through urea cross-links, to both ends of polymer segments incorporating 8.5 oxyethylene repeat units. The active centers have been introduced as europium perchlorate, Eu(ClO4)3. Samples with compositions n = 232, 62, 23, 12, and 6 (where n denotes the ratio of (OCH2CH2) moieties per lanthanide ion) have been examined. The combination of the information retrieved from the analysis of characteristic bands of the FTIR spectra-the perchlorate and the Amide I/Amide II features-with that obtained from the photoluminescence data demonstrates that at compositions n = 232 and 62 the anions are free, whereas the Eu3+ ions are complexed by the heteroatoms of the polyether chains. At higher salt concentration, the cations are bonded, not only to the ClO4 - ions, but also to the ether oxygen atoms of the organic segments and to the carbonyl oxygen atoms of the urea linkages. The dual behavior of U(600) with respect to cation coordination has been attributed to the presence in this nanohybrid of strong hydrogen-bonded urea-urea structures, which, at low salt content, cannot be disrupted, thus inhibiting the formation of Eu3+-O=C(urea) contacts and promoting the interaction between the lanthanide ions and the (OCH2CH2) moieties. The present work substantiates the claim that the activation of the coordinating sites of the di-ureasil framework can be tuned by varying either the guest salt concentration at constant chain length or the length of the.organic segments at constant salt concentration. This relevant property opens challenging new prospects in the fields of application of this class of hybrids. © 2001 American Chemical Society.

Electromyographic validation of basic exercises for physical conditioning programmes IV. Analysis of the deltoid muscle (anterior portion) and pectoralis major muscle (clavicular portion) in frontal-lateral cross, dumbbells exercises

The electromyographic activity of the shoulder muscles deltoid - anterior portion (DA) and pectoralis major - clavicular portion (PMC) was tested on 24 male volunteers using a 2 channel TEC A TE4 electromyograph and Hewlett Packard surface electrodes during the execution of four different modalities of frontal-lateral cross, dumbbells exercises. The results showed that all of the tested exercises developed high levels of action potential for both muscles. So, we jusfity the indication of all of them for physical fitness programmes for DA and PMC. Some suggestions to the use of the tested exercises are presented.

Electromyographic validation of basic exercises for physical conditioning programmes V. The comparison of the response in the deltoid muscle (anterior portion) and the pectoralis major muscle (clavicular portion) determined by the frontal-lateral cross, dumbbells and the rowing exercises

The action potential level for shoulder muscles deltoid-anterior portion (DA) and pectoralis major-clavicular portion (PMC) determined by four different modalities of execution of rowing exercises, each one with two different grips, was recorded. These were compared with the action potential level determined for the same muscles by four different modalities of execution of the frontal-lateral cross, dumbbells exercises. Twenty-four male volunteers were examined using a 2 channel TECA TE4 electromyograph and Hewlett Packard surface electrodes. The statistic analysis showed significant (p<0,05) superiority for all the frontal-lateral cross, dumbbells exercises in comparison to all rowing exercises for the PMC, for the DA this generalized supremacy was not observed.

Measurement of the pp(-)-> W gamma plus X cross section at root s=1.96 TeV and WW gamma anomalous coupling limits

The WWγ triple gauge boson coupling parameters are studied using pp̄rarr; νγ+X(=e,μ) events at s=1.96 TeV. The data were collected with the D0 detector from an integrated luminosity of 162pb-1 delivered by the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The cross section times branching fraction for pp̄→W(γ)+X→ νγ+X with ETγ>8 GeV and ΔR γ> 0.7 is 14.8±1.6(stat)±1.0(syst) ±1.0(lum)pb. The one-dimensional 95% confidence level limits on anomalous couplings are -0.88<Δκγ<0.96 and -0. 20<λγ<0.20. © 2005 The American Physical Society.

Measurement of the tt̄ production cross section in pp̄ collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV in dilepton final states

We present a measurement of the top quark pair (tt̄) production cross section in pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV using events with two charged leptons in the final state. This analysis utilizes an integrated luminosity of 224-243 pb-1 collected with the DØ detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We observe 13 events in the e+e -, eμ and μ+μ- channels with an expected background of 3.2±0.7 events. For a top quark mass of 175 GeV, we measure a tt̄ production cross section of σtt̄=8. 6-2.7 +3.2(stat)±1.1(syst)±0.6(lumi) pb, consistent with the standard model prediction. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV

We report on a measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp̄ collisions at a center-of-mass energy s=1.96TeV using data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.70fb-1. The data cover jet transverse momenta from 50 to 600 GeV and jet rapidities in the range -2.4 to 2.4. Detailed studies of correlations between systematic uncertainties in transverse momentum and rapidity are presented, and the cross section measurements are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading order QCD calculations. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Measurements of inclusive W and Z cross sections in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV The CMS collaboration

Measurements of inclusive W and Z boson production cross sections in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV are presented, based on 2.9 pb-1 of data recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The measurements, performed in the electron and muon decay channels, are combined to give σ(pp → WX) × B(W → l?) = 9.95 ± 0.07 (stat.) ± 0.28 (syst.) ± 1.09 (lumi.) nb and σ(pp → ZX) × B(Z → l +l-) = 0.931 ± 0.026 (stat.) ± 0.023 (syst.) ± 0.102 (lumi.) nb, where l stands for either e or μ. Theoretical predictions, calculated at the next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD using recent parton distribution functions, are in agreement with the measured cross sections. Ratios of cross sections, which incur an experimental systematic uncertainty of less than 4%, are also reported.

Measurement of the Drell-Yan cross section in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV

The Drell-Yan differential cross section is measured in pp collisions at √ s = 7TeV, from a data sample collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb-1. The cross section measurement, normalized to the measured cross section in the Z region, is reported for both the dimuon and dielectron channels in the dilepton invariant mass range 15{600 GeV. The normalized cross section values are quoted both in the full phase space and within the detector acceptance. The effect of final state radiation is also identified. The results are found to agree with theoretical predictions. Copyright CERN.

The lauraceae collected in brazil by ludwig riedel - I

The species of Lauraceae collected by Ludwig Riedel, excluding Ocotea, are commented and contex-tualized according to the different itineraries he travelled in Brazil, from 1821 to 1836, indicating the localities and dates of collections, whenever possible. To complete this work, two diaries of Riedel have been consulted and the information from them cross-checked with the annotations found on specimen labels. An annotated list of 48 entries provides information on the status of species names and their types, currently accepted names, and collections found in different herbaria. Lectotypes for five names, Aydendron verrucosum var. attenuata, Aydendron parviflorum, Mespilodaphne parviflora, Nectandra spicata, and Oreodaphne fasciculata, are designated. The species of Ocotea collected by Riedel will be treated in part II of this series. © President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2012.

Fish fauna of headwater streams that cross the Atlantic forest of South São Paulo state

The fishes of the present study were collected in the headwater streams of the Sorocaba, Paranapanema and Ribeira de Iguape river basins during the dry period in 2010. A total of 2892 fishes, grouped in 53 species, were captured. The composition of the ichthyofauna captured in the streams of Sorocaba and Paranapanema river basin was greatly similar. On the other hand, the fish fauna of the streams of Ribeira de Iguape river basin were quite different from the ones captured in the others basins, with the occurrence of endangered species (Isbrueckerichthys epakmos and I. duseni) and exotic species (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus). The previous list of fish for the Sorocaba river basin increased with the addition of seven species of Characiformes, one Gymnotiformes and four Siluriformes. © 2012 Check List and Authors.