From west to east: Environmental influences on the rate and pathways of Polynesian colonization

The prime movers behind the prehistoric colonization of Remote Oceania, and in particular the large c. 2000-year temporal gap (i.e. long pause') seen between West and East Polynesia, has long been major point of interest in the Pacific. To address these events and the processes that may have led to the known chronological disparity of these diasporas, we present results from two different, but equally powerful, analytical tools which are used to examine Polynesian seafaring capabilities and trajectories. The first is a statistical model known as Seascape, which simulates voyages, while the second uses ease of eastward travel estimates based on land distribution and wind pattern analysis. These analyses were done with the goal of determining the potential role of environmental factors in the colonization process, particularly as they relate to the long pause. We show that the eastern boundary of West Polynesia, the limit of the initial colonization pulse, is marked by a discontinuity in land distribution, where the distances travelers would have to cross in order to reach islands further to the east become significantly larger. At the same time, in West Polynesia, the frequency and intensity of winds favorable to eastward displacement decrease continuously from west to east. As far as winds are concerned, eastward travel in West Polynesia is favored in the northern and southern areas and much more difficult across the central portion. Favorable winds have a clear seasonality, and eastward displacement along the northern area is much easier under El Nino conditions. Voyaging simulations show that intentional eastward voyages departing from Tonga and Samoa, when undertaken with vessels capable of sailing efficiently against the wind, afford a viable route toward several island groups in East Polynesia, with trips starting in Samoa having a higher probability of success.

Nasopharyngeal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among imprisoned males from Brazil without exposure to healthcare: risk factors and molecular characterization

Background: Previous studies report high prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization among imprisoned populations. However, there are no data on that prevalence in Brazilian correctional institutions.Findings: We tested 302 male prisoners for nasopharyngeal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus from February 2009 through April 2010. The overall isolation rate of S. aureus was 16.5% (50/302). Men who had sex with men, users of inhalatory drugs and those with previous lung or skin diseases were more likely to be colonized with S. aureus. MRSA was isolated from 0.7% of subjects (2/302). The two Community-associated (CA)-MRSA belonged to ST5 but were unrelated based on the PFGE results. Both harbored SCCmec IV, and did not possess the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin gene.Conclusion: We found low prevalence of S. aureus and CA-MRSA among prisoners. MRSA isolates ST5 from two subjects harboured SCCmec IV and presented different PFGE patterns.

The intrinsic growth rate as a predictor of population viability under climate warming

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

ATP in the locus coeruleus as a modulator of cardiorespiratory control in unanaesthetized male rats

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

Previous exposure to musical auditory stimulation immediately influences the cardiac autonomic responses to the postural change maneuver in women

Background: Chronic exposure to musical auditory stimulation has been reported to improve cardiac autonomic regulation. However, it is not clear if music acutely influences it in response to autonomic tests. We evaluated the acute effects of music on heart rate variability (HRV) responses to the postural change maneuver (PCM) in women. Method: We evaluated 12 healthy women between 18 and 28 years old and HRV was analyzed in the time (SDNN, RMSSD, NN50 and pNN50) and frequency (LF, HF and LF/HF ratio) domains. In the control protocol, the women remained at seated rest for 10 minutes and quickly stood up within three seconds and remained standing still for 15 minutes. In the music protocol, the women remained at seated rest for 10 minutes, were exposed to music for 10 minutes and quickly stood up within three seconds and remained standing still for 15 minutes. HRV was recorded at the following time: rest, music (music protocol) 0–5, 5–10 and 10–15 min during standing. Results: In the control protocol the SDNN, RMSSD and pNN50 indexes were reduced at 10–15 minutes after the volunteers stood up, while the LF (nu) index was increased at the same moment compared to seated rest. In the protocol with music, the indexes were not different from control but the RMSSD, pNN50 and LF (nu) were different from the music period. Conclusion: Musical auditory stimulation attenuates the cardiac autonomic responses to the PCM.

Cardiac autonomic regulation during exposure to auditory stimulation with classical baroque or heavy metal music of different intensities

Objectives: The effects of chronic music auditory stimulation on the cardiovascular system have been investigated in the literature. However, data regarding the acute effects of different styles of music on cardiac autonomic regulation are lacking. The literature has indicated that auditory stimulation with white noise above 50 dB induces cardiac responses. We aimed to evaluate the acute effects of classical baroque and heavy metal music of different intensities on cardiac autonomic regulation. Study design: The study was performed in 16 healthy men aged 18-25 years. All procedures were performed in the same soundproof room. We analyzed heart rate variability (HRV) in time (standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals [SDNN], root-mean square of differences [RMSSD] and percentage of adjacent NN intervals with a difference of duration greater than 50 ms [pNN50]) and frequency (low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF] and LF/HF ratio) domains. HRV was recorded at rest for 10 minutes. Subsequently, the volunteers were exposed to one of the two musical styles (classical baroque or heavy metal music) for five minutes through an earphone, followed by a five-minute period of rest, and then they were exposed to the other style for another five minutes. The subjects were exposed to three equivalent sound levels (60- 70dB, 70-80dB and 80-90dB). The sequence of songs was randomized for each individual. Results: Auditory stimulation with heavy metal music did not influence HRV indices in the time and frequency domains in the three equivalent sound level ranges. The same was observed with classical baroque musical auditory stimulation with the three equivalent sound level ranges. Conclusion: Musical auditory stimulation of different intensities did not influence cardiac autonomic regulation in men.

Auditory stimulation with music influences the geometric indices of heart rate variability in men

Background: Chronic classical music was reported to increase parasympathetic activitywhen evaluating heart rate variability (HRV). It is poor in the literature investigation of the acute effects of baroque and heavy metal styles of musical auditory stimulation on HRV. In this study we evaluated the acute effects of relaxant baroque and excitatory heavy metal music on the geometric indices of HRV in healthy men. Method: The study was performed in 12 healthy men between 18 and 30 years old. We excluded persons with previous experience with music instrument and those who had affinity with the song styles. We analyzed the following indices: RRtri, TINN and Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio). HRV was recorded at rest for ten minutes. Subsequently they were exposed to relaxant baroque or excitatory heavy metal music for five minutes through an earphone. After the first music exposure they remained at rest for more five minutes and them they were exposed again to Baroque or Heavy Metal music (65–80 dB). The sequence of songs was randomized for each individual. Results: The RRTri and SD2 indices were reduced during the heavy metal musical auditory stimulation (p < 0.05). No changes were observed regarding TINN, SD1 and SD1/SD2 ratio (p > 0.05).The qualitative Poincaré plot analysis indicated that during relaxant classical baroque music there was observed a higher beat-to-beat dispersion of RR intervals compared with no music exposure and during excitatory heavy metal musical auditory stimulation, showing higher HRV. Conclusion: We suggest that excitatory heavy metal music acutely decreases global HRV.

Avaliação da Taxa de Exposição em Exames Radiológicos Realizados em Procedimentos Cirúrgicos - Minimização dos Riscos em Indivíduos Ocupacionalmente Expostos

This paper consists in the evaluation of the exposure rate to ionizing radiation to which professionals working in surgical procedures which require radiological examinations are subjected. Were initially performed real-time readings of exposure rate within four distinct operating rooms during the execution of four surgical procedures that made use of fluoroscopy equipment (including three orthopedic surgeries, one in the shoulder, one in the arm, another for deployment of metal pin in the leg region, and a fourth for vascular procedure); in these surgeries were used ionization chamber detector and an electrometer. In order to check the values achieved, was made a re-evaluation of the distribution of the rate of exposure to radiation, from the surgical procedures, now with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). For this, thirty TLDs were distributed in the operating rooms, arranged in points of interest as occupation by professionals. The TLDs were prepared for thirty consecutive days, after which they were removed and replaced with new dosimeters not exposed yet. The dosimeters were subjected to reading of the rate of exposure; this procedure was repeated for four months without interruption. The quantification of the results sought primarily to convert the rate of exposure for equivalent dose rate, both in measurements with ionization chamber as in measurements with TLDs, in order to highlight the presence of the biological effect of ionizing radiation for comparisons within scientific context. Then, the results were plotted to establish the relationship between the values of equivalent dose and the distance to the central axis of the x -ray source, confirming the inverse square law for distance. Finally, the values were associated with the maximum limit recommended by the legislation for occupationally exposed individuals. The methodology for the analysis and quantification of the data in this work aims at implementing a work plan that meets ...

Musculoskeletal disorders in upper limbs in dental students: exposure level to risk factors

Aim: This study assessed the risk factors of undergraduate students to develop musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the upper limbs, regarding gender, type of dental clinical procedure, mouth region treated, and the four-handed dentistry practice. Methods: Dental students enrolled in the 8th semester in the Araraquara School of Dentistry, UNESP, Brazil, were photographed while practicing 283 dental procedures. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method was used to evaluate the working postures of each student. The photographs were evaluated and a final risk score was attributed to each analyzed procedure. The prevalence of risk factors of developing MSD was estimated by point and by 95% confidence interval. The association between the risk factor of developing disorders and variables of interest were assessed by the chi-square test with a significance level of 5%. Results: The risk factors of developing MSD were high, regarding most dental procedures performed by the undergraduate students (score 5: 7.07%, CI95%: 4.08- 10.06%; score 6: 62.54%, CI95%: 56.90-68.18%). There was no significant association between the RULA final score and gender (p=0.559), and type of dental procedure (p=0.205), and mouth regions by arch (p=0.110) or hemi-arch (p=0.560), and the use of four-handed dentistry (p=0.366). Conclusions: It can be concluded that gender, type of dental clinical procedure, mouth region treated, and practice of four-handed dentistry did not influence the risk of developing MSD in the upper limbs among the dental students evaluated; however, they are at a high risk of developing such disorders.

Response of cardiac autonomic modulation after a single exposure to musical auditory stimulation

The acute effects after exposure to different styles of music on cardiac autonomic modulation assessed through heart rate variability (HRV) analysis have not yet been well elucidated. We aimed to investigate the recovery response of cardiac autonomic modulation in women after exposure to musical auditory stimulation of different styles. The study was conducted on 30 healthy women aged between 18 years and 30 years. We did not include subjects having previous experience with musical instruments and those who had an affinity for music styles. The volunteers remained at rest for 10 min and were exposed to classical baroque (64-84 dB) and heavy metal (75-84 dB) music for 10 min, and their HRV was evaluated for 30 min after music cessation. We analyzed the following HRV indices: Standard deviation of normal-to-normal (SDNN) intervals, root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), percentage of normal-to-normal 50 (pNN50), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and LF/HF ratio. SDNN, LF in absolute units (ms (2) ) and normalized (nu), and LF/HF ratio increased while HF index (nu) decreased after exposure to classical baroque music. Regarding the heavy metal music style, it was observed that there were increases in SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, and LF (ms (2) ) after the musical stimulation. In conclusion, the recovery response of cardiac autonomic modulation after exposure to auditory stimulation with music featured an increased global activity of both systems for the two musical styles, with a cardiac sympathetic modulation for classical baroque music and a cardiac vagal tone for the heavy metal style.

Effects of time exposure and low power sonochemical treatment on ZnO mesostructures

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

Differential response of clones of eucalypt to glyphosate

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

The benefits of soft sensor and multi-rate control for the implementation of wireless networked control systems

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

Muskuloskeletal disorders in upper limbs in dental students: exposure level to risk factors

Aim: This study assessed the risk factors of undergraduate students to develop musculoskeletaldisorders (MSD) in the upper limbs, regarding gender, type of dental clinical procedure, mouthregion treated, and the four-handed dentistry practice. Methods: Dental students enrolled in the8th semester in the Araraquara School of Dentistry, UNESP, Brazil, were photographed whilepracticing 283 dental procedures. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method was usedto evaluate the working postures of each student. The photographs were evaluated and a finalrisk score was attributed to each analyzed procedure. The prevalence of risk factors of developingMSD was estimated by point and by 95% confidence interval. The association between the riskfactor of developing disorders and variables of interest were assessed by the chi-square test witha significance level of 5%. Results: The risk factors of developing MSD were high, regardingmost dental procedures performed by the undergraduate students (score 5: 7.07%, CI95%: 4.08-10.06%; score 6: 62.54%, CI95%: 56.90-68.18%). There was no significant association betweenthe RULA final score and gender (p=0.559), and type of dental procedure (p=0.205), and mouthregions by arch (p=0.110) or hemi-arch (p=0.560), and the use of four-handed dentistry (p=0.366).Conclusions: It can be concluded that gender, type of dental clinical procedure, mouth regiontreated, and practice of four-handed dentistry did not influence the risk of developing MSD in theupper limbs among the dental students evaluated; however, they are at a high risk of developingsuch disorders.(AU).

Efeitos do estímulo auditivo musical sobre a resposta autonômica cardíaca e parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios durante e após exercício submáximo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)