Families of special Weierstrass points

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

Clinical and histomorphometric characteristics of three different families with hereditary gingival fibromatosis

Objective. To examine the histomorphologic and histomorphometric features of tissue from 3 unrelated families with hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF).Study design. Twelve affected individuals from 3 HGF families and 3 control subjects were evaluated. Gingival samples were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin for hematoxylin and eosin stain to count the number of fibroblast and inflammatory cells. Sirius red staining was performed to quantitate the amount of collagen present.Results. Histomorphologic analysis of HGF showed extension of epithelial rete ridges into the underlying lamina propria and the presence of collagen bundles in the connective tissue. Analysis of the mean area fraction of collagen showed that there were significant increases in the collagen fraction for all HGF types compared with control subjects (P < .05). There were significant increases in the number of fibroblasts for HGFa and HGFb compared with control subjects (P < .05). The number of fibroblasts for HGFc were similar to that for control subjects.Conclusions. The collagen fraction was significantly greater in all HGF types compared with controls. The number of fibroblasts was significantly increased in 2 of the 3 HGF types compared with controls. These data indicate that different mechanisms may be responsible for tissue enlargement in different forms of HGF.

Comunicação e envolvimento: possibilidades de interconexões entre família-escola?

Família e escola são considerados contextos primordiais para o desenvolvimento humano, sendo desejável que haja um elo adequado entre esses espaços. Pautado nessa premissa, este artigo objetiva analisar as relações estabelecidas entre a escola e a família de crianças com baixo rendimento escolar, salientando que a escola pesquisada adota o regime de progressão continuada. O referencial teórico do estudo foi a perspectiva bioecológica de Bronfenbrenner. Participaram da pesquisa seis crianças, seus respectivos responsáveis e professoras. A coleta de dados consistiu de entrevistas semiestruturadas e observações. Os dados foram coligidos em duas categorias: envolvimento e comunicação. Embora os resultados destaquem a comunicação como principal veículo de trocas entre os dois contextos, essa necessita ser aprimorada. A família e a escola compreendem que devem trabalhar em colaboração, mas tal relação precisa ser reconstruída, pois se mostra assimétrica e repleta de preconceitos.

PR gene families of citrus: their organ specific-biotic and abiotic inducible expression profiles based on ESTs approach

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Transfer of radon and parent nuclides U-238 and U-234 from soils of the Mendip Hills area, England, to the water phase

Laboratory time scale experiments were conducted on soils from the Mendip Hills area, England, with the purpose of evaluating the release of Rn-222 and their parent nuclides U-238 and U-234 to the water phase and to determine the influence of parameters that can affect the geochemical behaviour of these nuclides in natural systems. The specific surface area of the samples ranged from 43.8 to 52.5 cm(2) g(-1), where the particle size for all soil horizons is lognormally distributed, with modal values of the particle radius undersize ranging from 107 up to 203 mu m. The values for the released radon were between 26 and 194 pCi, which allowed to estimate emanation coefficients for these materials between 0.1 and 0.2, within the context of other values reported elsewhere. Soils derived from Carboniferous limestone and characterized by higher pH, exchangeable calcium, and the presence of U, but with a lower U-231/U-238 activity ratio, yielded the highest values for released Rn; however, this trend was not observed for dissolved U and its respective U-234/U-238 activity ratio, when considering the less aggressive etchant. Uranium is mobilized from rock matrix to A and B horizons in the analysed soil profiles, where its enrichment is about 10 times higher in soils derived from Carboniferous limestone. These data also permitted an evaluation of a theoretical model for the generation of Rn in soils and its transfer to water, in order to interpret the radioactivity due to this gas in groundwaters from the Mendip Hills district, England. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All lights reserved.

Ulnar ray a/hypoplasia: evidence for a developmental field defect on the basis of genetic heterogeneity. Report of three Brazilian families.

We report on five Brazilian patients from three unrelated families with congenital anomalies of the upper limbs. Ulnar aplasia/hypoplasia was the main reason for examining these patients. Evidence for existence of an ulnar developmental field is based on genetic heterogeneity. Clinical and genetic aspects of the ulnar ray defects are discussed.

Molecular characterization and chromosomal localization of two families of satellite DNA in Prochilodus lineatus (Pisces, Prochilodontidae), a species with B chromosomes

Prochilodus lineatus, an abundant species in the Mogi-Guaçu river basin, represents a large part of the region's fishing potential. Karyotypic analyses based on classic cytogenetic techniques have revealed the presence of 54 metasubmetacentric type chromosomes, together with the occurrence of small supernumerary chromosomes with intra and interindividual variations. This paper describes the genomic organization of two families of satellite DNA in the P. lineatus genome. The chromosomal localization these two repetitive DNA families through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) demonstrated that the SATH1 satellite DNA family, composed of approximately 900 bp, was located in the pericentromeric region of a group of chromosomes of the standard complement, as well as on all the B chromosomes. The SATH2 satellite family has a monomeric unit of 441 bp and was located in the pericentromeric regions of some chromosomes of the standard complement, but was absent in the B chromosomes. Double FISH analyses showed that these two families participate jointly in the pericentromeric organization of several chromosomes of this species. The data obtained in this study support the hypothesis that the B chromosomes derive from chromosomes of the standard complement, which are carriers of the SATH1 satellite DNA.

Structure of the spermatheca in five families of isoptera

The structure of the spermatheca was investigated in specimens of five termite families with the aid of light microscopy. In longitudinal section, the spermatheca of Zootermopsis nevadensis (Termopsidae) showed the shape of an umbrella with a secretory portion and duct. The other termite species, which belong to the families Kalotermitidae, Serritermitidae, Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae showed a spermatheca constituted only by the secretory portion. This structure was an elongate, fingerlike tube with a recurved and blind extremity. The spermatheca wall was composed of a single epithelium formed by class 3 secretory cells with a lumen lined by cuticle. The cuticle was thin and smooth or thick with digitiform projections in the species examined. All the termite females showed bundles of musculature outside of the spermatheca.

Apert syndrome: Factors involved in the cognitive development

Apert syndrome is characterized by craniosynostosis, symmetric syndactyly and other systemic malformations, with mental retardation usually present. The objective of this study was to correlate brain malformations and timing for surgery with neuropsychological evaluation. We also tried to determine other relevant aspects involved in cognitive development of these patients such as social classification of families and parents' education. Eighteen patients with Apert syndrome were studied, whose ages were between 14 and 322 months. Brain abnormalities were observed in 55.6% of them. The intelligence quotient or developmental quotient values observed were between 45 and 108. Mental development was related to the quality of family environment and parents' education. Mental development was not correlated to brain malformation or age at time of operation. In conclusion, quality of family environment was the most significant factor directly involved in mental development of patients with Apert syndrome.