Dynamic Morse decompositions for semigroups of homeomorphisms and control systems

In this paper, we introduce the concept of dynamic Morse decomposition for an action of a semigroup of homeomorphisms. Conley has shown in [5, Sec. 7] that the concepts of Morse decomposition and dynamic Morse decompositions are equivalent for flows in metric spaces. Here, we show that a Morse decomposition for an action of a semigroup of homeomorphisms of a compact topological space is a dynamic Morse decomposition. We also define Morse decompositions and dynamic Morse decompositions for control systems on manifolds. Under certain condition, we show that the concept of dynamic Morse decomposition for control system is equivalent to the concept of Morse decomposition.

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Bacillus licheniformis: Optimization of production and its properties

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) is an enzyme that produces cyclodextrins from starch via an intramolecular transglycosylation reaction. An alkalophilic Bacillus strain, isolated from cassava peels, was identified as Bacillus licheniformis. CGTase production by this strain was better when potato starch was used as carbon source, followed by cassava starch and amylopectin. Glucose and amylose, on the other hand, acted as synthesis repressors. When the cultivation was supplemented with sodium ions and had the pH adjusted between 6.0 and 9.0, the microorganism maintained the growth and enzyme production capacity. This data is interesting because it contradicts the concept that alkalophilic microorganisms do not grow in this pH range. After ultrafiltration-centrifugation, one protein of 85.2 kDa with CGTase activity was isolated. This protein was identified in plates with starch and phenolphthalein. Determination of the optimum temperature showed higher activities at 25 degrees C and 55 degrees C, indicating the possible presence of more than one CGTase in the culture filtrate. Km and Vmax values were 1.77 mg/mL and 0.0263 U/mg protein, respectively, using potato starch as substrate.

Investigation on Surface Finishing of Components Ground with Lapping Kinematics: Lapgrinding Process

Over the last three decades, researchers have responded to the demands of industry to manufacture mechanical components with geometrical tolerance, dimensional tolerance, and surface finishing in nanometer levels. The new lapgrinding process developed in Brazil utilizes lapping kinematics and a flat grinding wheel dressed with a single-point diamond dresser in agreement with overlap factor (U(d)) theory. In the present work, the influences of different U(d) values on dressing (U(d) = 1, 3 e 5) and grain size of the grinding wheel made of silicon carbide (SiC = 800, 600 e 300 mesh) are analyzed on surface finishing of stainless steel AISI 420 flat workpieces submitted to the lapgrinding process. The best results, obtained after 10 minutes of machining, were: average surface roughness (Ra) 1.92 nm; 1.19 mu m flatness deviation of 25.4 mm diameter workpieces and mirrored surface finishing. Given the surface quality achieved, the lapgrinding process can be included among the ultra-precision finishing processes and, depending on the application, the steps of lapping followed by polishing can be replaced by the proposed abrasive process.

Social support and infant malnutrition: a case-control study in an urban area of Southeastern Brazil

The relationship between malnutrition and social support was first suggested in the mid-1990s. Despite its plausibility, no empirical studies aimed at obtaining evidence of this association could be located. The goal of the present study was to investigate such evidence. A case-control study was carried out including 101 malnourished children (weight-for-age National Center for Health Statistics/WHO 5th percentile) aged 12-23 months, who were compared with 200 well-nourished children with regard to exposure to a series of factors related to their social support system. Univariate and multiple logistic regressions were carried out, odds ratios being adjusted for per capita family income, mother's schooling, and number of children. The presence of an interaction between income and social support variables was also tested. Absence of a partner living with the mother increased risk of malnutrition (odds ratio 2.4 (95 % CI 1.19, 4.89)), even after adjustment for per capita family income, mother's schooling, and number of children. The lack of economic support during adverse situations accounted for a very high risk of malnutrition (odds ratio 10.1 (95 % CI 3.48, 29.13)) among low-income children, but had no effect on children of higher-income families. Results indicate that receiving economic support is an efficient risk modulator for malnutrition among low-income children. In addition, it was shown that the absence of a partner living with the mother is an important risk factor for malnutrition, with an effect independent from per capita family income, mother's schooling, and number of children.

Indicadores antropométricos e as doenças crônicas não transmissíveis em mulheres na pós-menopausa da região Sudeste do Brasil

OBJETIVO: avaliar a influência dos indicadores antropométricos sobre os marcadores de risco cardiovascular e metabólico para doenças crônicas não-transmissíveis em mulheres na pós-menopausa. MÉTODOS: realizou-se estudo clínico transversal, com 120 mulheres sedentárias na pós-menopausa (com idades entre 45 e 70 anos e última menstruação há, pelo menos, 12 meses). Foram excluídas as diabéticas insulino-dependentes e usuárias de estatinas ou terapia hormonal até seis meses prévios. Para avaliação antropométrica, foram obtidos peso, estatura, índice de massa corpórea (IMC=peso/altura²) e circunferência da cintura (CC). As variáveis metabólicas avaliadas foram colesterol total (CT), HDL, LDL, triglicérides (TG), glicemia e insulina, para os cálculos do índice aterogênico plasmático (IAP) e resistência insulínica (Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, HOMA-IR). Na análise estatística, utilizara-se análise de variância one-way (ANOVA) e Odds Ratio (OR). RESULTADOS: os dados médios caracterizaram amostra com sobrepeso, com obesidade central e dislipidêmica. Sobrepeso e obesidade estiveram presentes em 77,1% e deposição central de gordura ocorreu em 87,3% das participantes. Os valores médios de CT, LDL e TG estavam acima do recomendável em 67,8, 55,9 e 45,8% das mulheres, respectivamente, com HDL abaixo dos valores adequados em 40,7%. Valores de CC >88 cm ocorreram em 14,8% das mulheres eutróficas, 62,5% no grupo com sobrepeso e 100% nas obesas (p>0,05). Os valores médios de IAP, TG e HOMA-IR aumentaram significativamente com o aumento do IMC e da CC, enquanto que o HDL diminuiu (p<0,05). Na presença da CC >88 cm, encontrou-se risco de 5,8 (IC95%=2,3-14,8), 2,61 (IC95%=1,2-5,78), 3,4 (IC95%=1,2-9,7) e 3,6 (IC95%=1,3-10,3) para HDL reduzido, hipertrigliceridemia, IAP elevado e resistência a insulina, respectivamente (p<0,05). O IMC >30 kg/m² associou-se apenas com HDL reduzido (OR=3,1; IC95%=1,44-6,85). CONCLUSÕES: a associação de duas medidas antropométricas (CC e IMC) foi eficiente para adequado diagnóstico de obesidade relacionada a alterações metabólicas em mulheres na pós-menopausa. Contudo, a simples avaliação da CC pode ser indicativo do risco cardiovascular e metabólico das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis.

Motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME): intervariation study of normal sperm and sperm with large nuclear vacuoles

Background: Although the motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) was developed only as a selection criterion, its application as a method for classifying sperm morphology may represent an improvement in evaluation of semen quality, with potential clinical repercussions. The present study aimed to evaluate individual variations in the motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) analysis after a time interval.Methods: Two semen samples were obtained from 240 men from an unselected group of couples undergoing infertility investigation and treatment. Mean time interval between the two semen evaluations was 119 +/- 102 days. No clinical or surgical treatment was realized between the two observations. Spermatozoa were analyzed at greater than or equal to 8400 x magnification by inverted microscope equipped with DIC/Nomarski differential interference contrast optics. At least 200 motile spermatozoa per semen sample were evaluated and percentages of normal spermatozoa and spermatozoa with large nuclear vacuoles (LNV/one or more vacuoles occupying >50% of the sperm nuclear area) were determined. A spermatozoon was classified as morphologically normal when it exhibited a normal nucleus (smooth, symmetric and oval nucleus, width 3.28 +/- 0.20 mu m, length 4.75 +/- 0.20 mu m/absence of vacuoles occupying >4% of nuclear area) as well as acrosome, post-acrosomal lamina, neck and tail, besides not presenting cytoplasm around the head. One examiner, blinded to subject identity, performed the entire study.Results: Mean percentages of morphologically normal and LNV spermatozoa were identical in the two MSOME analyses (1.6 +/- 2.2% vs. 1.6 +/- 2.1% P = 0.83 and 25.2 +/- 19.2% vs. 26.1 +/- 19.0% P = 0.31, respectively). Regression analysis between the two samples revealed significant positive correlation for morphologically normal and for LNV spermatozoa (r = 0.57 95% CI: 0.47-0.65 P < 0.0001 and r = 0.50 95% CI: 0.38-0.58 P < 0.0001, respectively).Conclusions: The significant positive correlation and absence of differences between two sperm samples evaluated after a time interval with respect to normal morphology and LNV spermatozoa indicated that MSOME seems reliable (at least for these two specific sperm forms) for analyzing semen. The present result supports the future use of MSOME as a routine method for semen analysis.

Effects of methadone on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs

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

Effect of microwave disinfection on the hardness and adhesion of two resilient liners

Statement of problem. Microwave irradiation has been suggested for denture disinfection. However, the effect of this procedure on the hardness and bond strength between resilient liners and denture base acrylic resin is not known.Purpose. This study evaluated the effect of water storage time and microwave disinfection on the hardness and peel bond strength of 2 silicone resilient lining materials to a heat-polymerized acrylic resin.Material and methods. Acrylic resin (Lucitone 199) specimens (75 X 10 X 3 mm) were stored in water at 37 degrees C (2 or 30 days) before bonding (n = 160). The resilient lining materials (GC Reline Extra Soft and Dentusil) were bonded to the denture base and divided into the following 4 groups (n = 10): Tests performed immediately after bonding (control); specimens immersed in water (200 mL) and irradiated twice, with 650 W for 6 minutes; specimens irradiated daily for 7 total cycles of disinfection; specimens immersed in water (37 degrees C) for 7 days. Specimens were submitted to a 180-degree peel test (at a crosshead speed of 10 mm/min) and the failure values (MPa) and mode of failure were recorded. Pretreatment and posttreatment hardness measurements (Shore A) of the resilient materials were also performed. Three-way analysis of variance, followed by the Tukey HSD test, was performed (alpha=.05).Results. The analysis revealed that, for all conditions, the mean failure strengths of GC Reline Extra Soft (0.95-1.19 MPa) were significantly higher (P<.001) than those of Dentusil (0.45-0.50 MPa). The adhesion of the liners was not adversely affected by water storage time of Lucitone 199 or microwave disinfection. All peel test failures were cohesive. There was a small but significant difference (P<.001) between the pretreatment (34.33 Shore A) and posttreatment (38.69 Shore A) hardness measurements.Conclusion. Microwave disinfection did not compromise the hardness of either resilient liners or their adhesion to the denture base resin Lucitone 199.

Temporomandibular Disorders Are Differentially Associated With Headache Diagnoses A Controlled Study

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

Logistic regression analysis of potential prognostic factors for pulmonary thromboembolism

Objective: To identify potential prognostic factors for pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), establishing a mathematical model to predict the risk for fatal PTE and nonfatal PTE.Method: the reports on 4,813 consecutive autopsies performed from 1979 to 1998 in a Brazilian tertiary referral medical school were reviewed for a retrospective study. From the medical records and autopsy reports of the 512 patients found with macroscopically and/or microscopically,documented PTE, data on demographics, underlying diseases, and probable PTE site of origin were gathered and studied by multiple logistic regression. Thereafter, the jackknife method, a statistical cross-validation technique that uses the original study patients to validate a clinical prediction rule, was performed.Results: the autopsy rate was 50.2%, and PTE prevalence was 10.6%. In 212 cases, PTE was the main cause of death (fatal PTE). The independent variables selected by the regression significance criteria that were more likely to be associated with fatal PTE were age (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00 to 1.03), trauma (OR, 8.5; 95% CI, 2.20 to 32.81), right-sided cardiac thrombi (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.77), pelvic vein thrombi (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.19 to 10.05); those most likely to be associated with nonfatal PTE were systemic arterial hypertension (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.80), pneumonia (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.71), and sepsis (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.40). The results obtained from the application of the equation in the 512 cases studied using logistic regression analysis suggest the range in which logit p > 0.336 favors the occurrence of fatal PTE, logit p < - 1.142 favors nonfatal PTE, and logit P with intermediate values is not conclusive. The cross-validation prediction misclassification rate was 25.6%, meaning that the prediction equation correctly classified the majority of the cases (74.4%).Conclusions: Although the usefulness of this method in everyday medical practice needs to be confirmed by a prospective study, for the time being our results suggest that concerning prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of PTE, strict attention should be given to those patients presenting the variables that are significant in the logistic regression model.

Nematode infection in the lizard Bogertia lutzae (Loveridge, 1941) from the Atlantic forest in north-eastern Brazil

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

Blood lactate response and critical speed in swimmers aged 10-12 years of different standards

It has previously been shown that measurement of the critical speed is a non-invasive method of estimating the blood lactate response during exercise. However, its validity in children has yet to be demonstrated. The aims of this study were: (1) to verify if the critical speed determined in accordance with the protocol of Wakayoshi et al. is a non-invasive means of estimating the swimming speed equivalent to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol . l(-1) in children aged 10-12 years; and (2) to establish whether standard of performance has an effect on its determination. Sixteen swimmers were divided into two groups: beginners and trained. They initially completed a protocol for determination of speed equivalent to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol . l(-1). Later, during training sessions, maximum efforts were swum over distances of 50, 100 and 200 m for the calculation of the critical speed. The speeds equivalent to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol . l(-1) (beginners = 0.82 +/- 0.09 m . s(-1), trained = 1.19 +/- 0.11 m . s(-1); mean +/- s) were significantly faster than the critical speeds (beginners = 0.78 +/- 0.25 m . s(-1), trained = 1.08 +/- 0.04 m . s(-1)) in both groups. There was a high correlation between speed at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol . l(-1) and the critical speed for the beginners (r = 0.96, P < 0.001), but not for the trained group (r = 0.60, P > 0.05). The blood lactate concentration corresponding to the critical speed was 2.7 +/- 1.1 and 3.1 +/- 0.4 mmol . l(-1) for the beginners and trained group respectively. The percent difference between speed at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol . l(-1) and the critical speed was not significantly different between the two groups. At all distances studied, swimming performance was significantly faster in the trained group. Our results suggest that the critical speed underestimates swimming intensity corresponding to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol . l(-1) in children aged 10-12 years and that standard of performance does not affect the determination of the critical speed.

Determinação da potência mecânica no limite entre os domínios pesado/severo do crawl-atado

The aim of this study was to access the P-t(Lim) model in swimming, applying the load control available in full tethered swim condition. Its physiological meaning for the determination of boundary of heavy/severe domains was assessed from the relationships with critical velocity (CV), critical power (CP) and maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). The velocity at MLSS (v(MLSS) = 1.17 +/- 0.11 m/s) and CV (1.19 +/- 0.12 m/s) were significantly different. Similarly, the power at MLSS (p(MFEL) = 89.2 +/- 15.1 W) and CP (99.4 +/- 22.9 W) were significantly different. There was no difference between lactate concentration at vMLSS (3.54 +/- 0.9 mM) and p(MLSS) (3.76 +/- 0.6 mM). Significant Pearson's coefficients (r > 0.70) were observed among v(MLSS) and P-MLSS with their respective values on time-limited model. Thus, the tethered-crawl condition seems to be valid to determine the boundary of heavy/severe domains, and to access the aerobic capacity of swimmers.

Does muscle imbalance affect fatigue after soccer specific intermittent protocol?

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

Separation and partitioning of Green Fluorescent Protein from Escherichia coli homogenate in poly(ethylene glycol)/sodium-poly(acrylate) aqueous two-phase systems

The partitioning of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) in poly(ethylene glycol)/Na-poly(acrylate) aqueous two-phase systems (PEG/NaPA-ATPS) has been investigated. The aqueous two-phase systems are formed by mixing the polymers with a salt and a protein solution. The protein partitioning in the two-phase system was investigated at 25 degrees C. The concentration of the GFP was measured by fluorimetry. It was found that the partitioning of GFP depends on the salt type, pH and concentration of PEG. The data indicates that GFP partitions more strongly to the PEG phase in presence of Na2SO4 relative to NaCl. Furthermore, the GFP partitions more to the PEG phase at higher pH. The partition to the PEG phase is strongly favoured in systems with larger tie-line lengths (i.e. systems with higher polymer concentrations). The molecular weight of PEG is important since the partition coefficient (K) of GFP gradually decreases with increasing PEG size, from K ca. 300-400 for PEG 400 to K equal to 1.19 for PEG 8000. A separation process was developed where GFP was separated from a homogenate in two extraction steps: the GFP is first partitioned to the PEG phase in a PEG 3000/NaPA 8000 system containing 3 wt% Na2SO4, where the K value of GFP was 8. The GFP is then re-extracted to a salt phase formed by mixing the previous top-phase with a Na2SO4 solution. The K-value of GFP in this back-extraction was 0.22. The total recovery based on the start material was 74%. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.