Quenching of para-H-2 with an ultracold antihydrogen atom (H)over-bar(1s)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

THE IMAGINARY ABOUT THE SCHOOL and THE POSSIBILITIES of AN EQUALITARIAN SCHOOL: A STUDY on THE BRAZILIAN STATE SCHOOLS

The main objective of the article is to reflect on the imaginary that the teachers of two public schools have of their students and the school they work in and the ideal of an inclusive and democratic school. In this article, we reflect on the image that the teachers of two public schools in the city of Rio Claro, São Paulo State, Brazil, have of their students and their school as an institution. We use the studies of imaginary sociology as a theoretic reference base. Castoriadis (1986); Taylor (2006); Legros et al (2007) and Baczo (1984) are the referenced authors of this article. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of The Association of Science, Education and Technology

Spider assemblages in widely-separated patches of cerrado in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Brazilian cerrado is a biologically-rich, poorly understood, yet rapidly disappearing habitat. Composition of the spider assemblages from areas of cerrado from three separate sites in the State of São Paulo, Brazil were sampled by beating the canopies and adjacent shrubs of three Myrcia (Myrtaceae; "myrtle") tree species. These produced a total of 859 spiders 'belonging to 21 families and 75 species. The most undisturbed and densest cerrado habitat had the largest number and greatest diversity of spider species, encompassing stalkers, ambushers, space web-weavers, and foliage runners. The other two areas were dominated by foliage runners. Spider distribution in this natural and complex habitat was evaluated by classifying the samples into 12 habitat/microhabitat groups according to local of the patch, tree species, and microhabitat (target tree or adjacent shrub). Correspondence analysis was used for ordination of species and groups based on their abundance. Environmental factors such as patches type (p=0.027) and plant species (p=0.046) had significant effects in explaining the ordination. Canonical correspondence analysis was applied for relating the patterns in species richness and/or abundance to the significant environmental factors. A comparison of the results showed that the family composition among the patches is rather similar, and there is a tendency of spiders species overlap an interregional level (patches effect, p=0.027). However, the most similar spider assemblages living on woody vegetation occurred in Myrcia venulosa and Myrcia guianensis at São Carlos and Pirassununga, demonstrating an interregional similarity (plant species effect, p=0.046) that indicates an association between spiders and particular vegetation.

The relationship between onset of blood lactate accumulation, critical velocity, and maximal lactate steady state in soccer players

The objective of this study was to analyze the validity of the velocity corresponding to the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) and critical velocity (CV) to determine the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in soccer players. Twelve male soccer players (21.5 ± 1.0 years) performed an incremental treadmill test for the determination of OBLA. The velocity corresponding to OBLA (3.5 mM of blood lactate) was determined through linear interpolation. The subjects returned to the laboratory on 7 occasions for the determination of MLSS and CV. The MLSS was determined from 5 treadmill runs of up to 30-minute duration and defined as the highest velocity at which blood lactate did not increase by more than 1 mM between minutes 10 and 30 of the constant velocity runs. The CV was determined by 2 maximal running efforts of 1,500 and 3,000 m performed on a 400-m running track. The CV was calculated as the slope of the linear regression of distance run versus time. Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between OBLA (13.6 ± 1.4 km·h-1) and MLSS (13.1 ± 1.2 km·h-1) and between OBLA and CV (14.4 ± 1.1 km·h-1). The CV was significantly higher than the MLSS. There was a significant correlation between MLSS and OBLA (r = 0.80), MLSS and CV (r = 0.90), and OBLA and CV (r = 0.80). We can conclude that the OBLA can be utilized in soccer players to estimate the MLSS. In this group of athletes, however, CV does not represent a sustainable steady-state exercise intensity. © 2005 National Strength & Conditioning Association.

Air quality and emissions management in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

The São Paulo State has 36 million people, 25 million living in three metropolitan areas. Only the São Paulo Metropolitan Region (SPMR) includes the state capital (São Paulo City) plus 38 cities, where ≈ 18 million people live, affected by frequent episodes of ozone, NOx, and fine particulate matter. In 2003, it was estimated that 15.1% of the SPMR vehicles used ethanol and 70.2% used the local gasoline. Natural gas vehicles have witnessed a booming participation in the last years, mainly through conversion of gasoline cars, and the present fleet is almost one million vehicles. To face the problems generated by light vehicles emissions the Federal Government set a program called PROCONVE - Program of Air Pollution Control from Vehicles - in 1986 and since then until now a significant reduction was reached, but the growth of the fleet hides most of the emission cuts. A discussion covers the evolution of the air pollution management in São Paulo; and innovative tools for air pollution management - both for mobile and stationary sources. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 98th AWMA Annual Conference and Exhibition (Minneapolis, MN 6/21-24/2005).

Consumption of bottled water by children in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil - A brief communication

Objectives: To determine the consumption of bottled water by children in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: A stratified sample of the 17 areas established by the city plan was used to identify a total of 1,000 homes for visitation. Information was collected using a questionnaire concerning the type of water consumed and population demographics. Results: Overall, around 30 percent of all residences used bottled water. Among all households where bottled water was consumed, about 26 percent had children residing. For those with children and bottled water, 81 percent reported to use bottled water for the preparation of the children's foods and beverages. Conclusions: An important percentage of children consume bottled water in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Considering previous studies showing that fluoride concentrations vary in bottled water, public health measures should be implemented in order to guarantee adequate levels of fluoride in commercialized water. © 2007, American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Comparative Analysis of 2 Techniques of Double-Gloving Protection During Arch Bar Placement for Intermaxillary Fixation

Purpose: This study was conducted to comparatively evaluate, in a prospective and randomized manner, 2 techniques for providing double-gloving protection during arch bar placement for intermaxillary fixation. Materials and Methods: A total of 42 consecutive patients in whom application of an Erich bar was indicated for intermaxillary fixation were equally divided into 2 groups. In group 1, 2 sterile surgical gloves were used; in group 2, a nonsterile disposable inner glove was used under a sterile surgical glove. Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and binomial statistical tests were used to analyze the findings. Results: A total of 103 perforations were found in the outer gloves (47 in group 1 and 56 in group 2), along with 5 perforations in inner gloves in both groups (α = .01). No significant statistical difference was found between groups in terms of inner glove perforations (α = .05). The nondominant hand presented with 70.9% of the perforations, statistically significant to 1%. Conclusions: Both double-gloving techniques were found to provide effective clinician protection. The use of a nonsterile disposable glove under the surgical glove is possible for less-invasive procedures, offering the same safety as using 2 sterile surgical gloves while decreasing operational costs. This method does not eliminate the need to change gloves when a perforation is suspected or noted during the surgery, however. © 2007 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Search for scalar neutrino superpartners in e+mu final states in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We report a search for R-parity-violating production and decay of sneutrino particles in the eμ final state with 1.04±0.06fb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in 2002-2006. Good agreement between the data and the standard model prediction is observed. With no evidence for new physics, we set limits on the R-parity-violating couplings λ311′ and λ312 as a function of the sneutrino mass. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Risk factors for low birth weight in Botucatu city, SP state, Brazil: A study conducted in the public health system from 2004 to 2008

Background: Low birth weight (LBW), defined as birth weight less than 2500 g, has a complex etiology and may be a result of premature interruption of pregnancy or intrauterine growth restriction. The objective of this study was to provide information on determinants of LBW and contribute to the understanding of the problem in Brazil. Methods. A case-control study was conducted in Botucatu city, SP state, Brazil. The study population consisted of 2 groups with 860 newborns in each group as follows: low weight newborns (LWNB) and a control group (weight ≤ 2500 g). Secondary data from 2004 to 2008 were collected using the Live Birth Certificate (LBC) and records from medical charts of pregnant women in Basic Health Units (BHU) and in the Public University Hospital (UH). Variables were as follows: maternal socio-demographic characteristics, pregnancy and birth conditions including quality of prenatal care according to 3 criteria. They were based on parameters established by the Ministry of Health (MH), one of them, the modified Kessner Index. The multivariable analysis by logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between variables and LBW. Results: According to the analysis, the factors associated with LBW were as follows: prematurity (OR = 56.98, 95% CI 29.52-109.95), twin pregnancy (OR = 20.00, 95% CI 6.25-100.00), maternal smoking (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.33-3.45), maternal malnourishment (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.08-5.00), maternal obesity (OR = 2.30, 95% IC 1.18-4.48), weight gain during pregnancy less than 5 kg (OR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.35-5.00) and weight gain during pregnancy more than 15 kg (OR = 2.26, 95% CI 1.16-4.41). Adequacy of prenatal care visits adjusted to gestational age was less frequent in the LBW group than in the control group (68.7% vs. 80.5%, x 2 p < 0.001). According to the modified Kessner Index, 64.4% of prenatal visits in the LWNB group were adequate. Conclusion: LWNB are a quite heterogeneous group of infants concerning their determinants and prevention actions against LBW and the follow-up of these infants have also been very complex. Therefore, improvement in the quality of care provided should be given priority through concrete actions for prevention of LBW. © 2012 Fonseca et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

American visceral leishmaniasis: Factors associated with lethality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Objectives. To identify factors associated with death in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases. Patients and Methodology. We evaluated prognostic factors for death from VL in São Paulo state, Brazil, from 1999 to 2005. A prognostic study nested in a clinical cohort was carried out by data analysis of 376 medical files. A comparison between VL fatal cases and survivors was performed for clinical, laboratory, and biological features. Association between variables and death was assessed by univariate analysis, and the multiple logistic regression model was used to determine adjusted odds ratio for death, controlling confounding factors. Results. Data analysis identified 53 fatal cases out of 376 patients, between 1999 and 2005 in São Paulo state. Lethality was 14.1 (53/376), being higher in patients older than fifty years. The main causes of death were sepsis, bleeding, liver failure, and cardiotoxicity due to treatment. Variables significantly associated with death were severe anemia, bleeding, heart failure, jaundice, diarrhea, fever for more than sixty days, age older than fifty years, and antibiotic use. Conclusion. Educational health measures are needed for the general population and continuing education programs for health professionals working in the affected areas with the purpose of identifying and treating early cases, thus preventing the disease evolution towards death. © 2012 Geraldine Madalosso et al.

Titanium in Dentistry: Historical development, state of the art and future perspectives

Titanium is a metallic element known by several attractive characteristics, such as biocompatibility, excellent corrosion resistance and high mechanical resistance. It is widely used in Dentistry, with high success rates, providing a favorable biological response when in contact with live tissues. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the different uses of titanium in Dentistry, reviewing its historical development and discoursing about its state of art and future perspective of its utilization. A search in the MEDLINE/PubMed database was performed using the terms 'titanium', 'dentistry' and 'implants'. The title and abstract of articles were read, and after this first screening 20 articles were selected and their full-texts were downloaded. Additional text books and manual search of reference lists within selected articles were included. Correlated literature showed that titanium is the most used metal in Implantology for manufacturing osseointegrated implants and their systems, with a totally consolidated utilization. Moreover, titanium can be also employed in prosthodontics to obtain frameworks. However, problems related to its machining, casting, welding and ceramic application for dental prosthesis are still limiting its use. In Endodontics, titanium has been used in association to nickel for manufacturing rotatory instruments, providing a higher resistance to deformation. However, although the different possibilities of using titanium in modern Dentistry, its use for prostheses frameworks still needs technological improvements in order to surpass its limitations. © 2012 Indian Prosthodontic Society.

Comparison of the lactate minimum speed and the maximal lactate steady state to determine aerobic capacity in purebred Arabian horses

AIM: To compare five different protocols for estimating the lactate minimum speed (LMS) with that for estimating the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in Arabian horses, in order to obtain a more rapid method for monitoring aerobic capacity and prescribing training schedules. METHODS: Eight purebred Arabian horses were conditioned to exercise on a treadmill for 12 days then submitted to three to five exercise sessions to determine the MLSS. Blood samples were collected from a jugular catheter at specific intervals for measurement of lactate concentrations. The MLSS was the velocity maintained during the last 20 minutes of constant submaximal exercise, at which the concentration of lactate increased by no more than 1.0 mmol/L. The LMS test protocols (P1 - P5) included a warm-up period followed by a high-intensity gallop. The speed was then reduced to 4 m/s, and the incremental portion of the test was initiated. In P1, P2, and P3, the velocity increment was 0.5 m/s, and the duration of each incremental stage was three, five and seven minutes, respectively. In P4 and P5, the velocity increments were 1.0 and 1.5 m/s, respectively, and the duration of the stages was fixed at five minutes each. A second-degree polynomial function was fitted to the lactate-velocity curve, and the velocity corresponding to the lowest concentration of lactate was the LMS. RESULTS: Only the mean LMS determined by P1 and P2 did not differ from the velocity determined by the MLSS test (p > 0.1). There was a strong correlation (r >0.6) between P1 and the MLSS velocity. A limits of agreement plot revealed that the best agreement occurred between the MLSS test and P1 (mean bias = 0.14 m/s), followed by P2 (bias = -0.22 m/s). The lactate concentrations associated with the various LMS protocols did not differ. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the variation between protocols of the LMS test for determining the onset of blood lactate accumulation but also reveals that, at least for Arabian horses, the P1 protocol of the LMS has good agreement with the MLSS. © 2013 Copyright New Zealand Veterinary Association.

Association between indicators of dementia and nutritional status in institutionalised older people

Background and aims. Dementia weakens older people and can lead to malnutrition; therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the association between indicators of dementia and biochemical indicators, anthropometric indicators and food intake in institutionalised older people. Methods. A total of 150 older people of both genders participated in this study. Nutritional status was determined by body mass index and other anthropometric variables, and biochemical indicators were used to analyse the differences between individuals with and without dementia. Energy and nutrient intakes were determined by food records, and dementia was investigated with the Mini-Mental State Examination. The data were analysed by the chi-square test, Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney tests. Results. Of the 150 individuals studied, 48% were men with a mean age of 73±10years and 52% were women with a mean age of 80±9years. Thirty-six per cent had some degree of malnutrition and 48% presented dementia, which was more prevalent in women (59%). The nutritional status of men and women individuals with and without dementia differed significantly (P<0.001 for men and women). The only variables that presented a significant difference between individuals with and without dementia were those associated with muscle mass in men. There were no differences in energy and nutrient intakes between individuals with and without dementia except for vitamin C intake, which differed among women (P=0.032). Conclusion. In the conditions of the present study, dementia was associated with nutritional status, but not with energy and nutrient intakes, suggesting that older people with dementia may have higher nutritional requirements. Implications for practice. Investigation of dementia may contribute to the nutritional status assessment of older people and energy expenditure and immobility should be investigated for a more complete assessment. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Incidence of canine leptospirosis in the metropolitan area of Curitiba, State of Parana, Southern Brazil

Introduction The incidence of canine leptospirosis in Brazil needs to be assessed Methods The same dogs in southern Brazil were sampled over two years to determine the prevalence, incidence and association of canine leptospirosis with various risk factors. Results In 2009, the prevalence was 33 (14.4%) of 228 dogs, with a predominance of serovar Canicola (33.4%). In 2010, 90 dogs were re-evaluated (the remaining dogs were lost to deaths, address changes and donations), and the prevalence was found to be 35 (38.9%) of 90, with the predominant serovar being Icterohaemorrhagiae (51.4%). Moreover, the incidence was 26 of 90 (28.9%), and the disease was statistically associated with age (2009) and street access (2010). Conclusions Our findings revealed instability in the dog population and age to be relevant risk factors for canine leptospirosis.

Spatial distribution of dengue incidence and socio-environmental conditions in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, 2007

This study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution of dengue risk and its association with socio-environmental conditions. This was an ecological study of the counts of autochthonous dengue cases in the municipality of Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, in the year 2007, aggregated according to 47 coverage areas of municipal health centers. Spatial models for mapping diseases were constructed with Bayesian hierarchical models, based on Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA). The analyses were stratified according to two age groups, 0 to 14 years and above 14 years. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of dengue risk is not associated with socio-environmental conditions in the 0 to 14 year age group. In the age group older than 14 years, the relative risk of dengue increases significantly as the level of socio-environmental deprivation increases. Mapping of socio-environmental deprivation and dengue cases proved to be a useful tool for data analysis in dengue surveillance systems.