Africanized honeybees: Biological characteristics, urban nesting behavior and accidents caused in Brazilian cities (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

In 1956 African honeybee queens (Apis mellifera scutellata) were imported from South Africa and Tanzania to Brazil, as part of a government project to increase Brazilian honey production. The European honeybees existing in that country had not adapted well to the tropical conditions and consequently, had a low productivity. The newly introduced bee was known to produce substantially more honey than the other subspecies, but was also famous for its great aggressiveness and quicker attack of intruders with less disturbance. Hoping to create a new hybrid bee that would be both docile and productive, the scientist Warwick Estevam Kerr tried to cross the African and the European subspecies under controlled conditions. However, an accident resulted in the escape of 26 swarms into the Brazilian countryside, where their queens mated with drones of the European resident honeybees. The poly-hybrid bees resulting from these crossings expressed scutellata-like reproductive, foraging, and defensive behaviors and, for this reason, were called Africanized honeybees. They spread rapidly from the introduction area of the African honeybees (near Rio Claro, São Paulo state) to as far south as mid-Argentina and to the north of Texas, also settling in Arizona, New Mexico, California and Nevada, due to their high adaptability to variable ecological conditions. In spite of a few undesirable behaviors, these bees have been invoking larger economic interest because they produce much more honey, have good resistance to diseases and are excellent pollinators. In Brazil, because people frequently disturb the environment, the occupation of urban refuges by Africanized honeybees has been increasing in the last years. The concern with accidents is generally associated with the high swarming frequency recorded during the year and the variety of shelters available in urban areas. This paper deals with the biological characteristics of the Africanized honeybees, their nesting behavior in urban environments, and accidents caused by these bees in Brazilian cities.

In vitro evaluation of apical microleakage using different root-end filling materials

The objective of this study was to evaluate the apical leakage of retrograde cavities filled with Portland Cement (Concrebrás S/A-MG-Brazil), ProRoot MTA™ (Dentsply International, Johnson City, TN, USA) and Sealapex (Kerr Corporation, Orange, California, USA) with addition of zinc oxide (Odahcam Herpo Produtos Dentários Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil). Forty-two extracted single-rooted human teeth were decoronated and used for this study. The root canals were instrumented at 1.0mm short of the apical foramen using the step-back technique to an apical ISO size 60. The roots were obturated with gutta-percha points and sealer Sealapex (Kerr Corporation-USA) and then 3mm of each root apex was sectioned at a 90° angle. Ultrasonic retrograde preparation was performed with a diamond tip to 3mm depth and the roots were randomly divided into 3 groups according to the filling material: G1-Portland, G2-ProRoot MTA, G3- Sealapex zinc oxide-added cement. The root surfaces were covered with nail varnish up to 2mm from the apical foramen, immersed in simulated tissue fluid for 30 days, and then immersed in 0.2% Rhodamine B solution for 24 hours for evaluation of marginal leakage. The results showed mean leakage of 0.75, 0.35 and 0.35 for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively; however, Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that there was no statistically significant difference among the results (p>0.05).

Comparison of hemodynamic, clinicopathologic, and gastrointestinal motility effects and recovery characteristics of anesthesia with isoflurane and halothane in horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery

Objective - To compare hemodynamic, clinicopathologic, and gastrointestinal motility effects and recovery characteristics of halothane and isoflurane in horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery. Animals - 8 healthy adult horses. Procedure - Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane or halothane (crossover study). At 6 intervals during anesthesia and surgery, cardiopulmonary variables and related derived values were recorded. Recovery from anesthesia was assessed; gastrointestinal tract motility was subjectively monitored for 72 hours after anesthesia. Horses were administered chromium, and fecal chromium concentration was used to assess intestinal transit time. Venous blood samples were collected for clinicopathologic analyses before and 2, 24, and 48 hours after anesthesia. Results - Compared with halothane-anesthetized horses, cardiac index, oxygen delivery, and heart rate were higher and systemic vascular resistance was lower in isoflurane-anesthetized horses. Mean arterial blood pressure and the dobutamine dose required to maintain blood pressure were similar for both treatments. Duration and quality of recovery from anesthesia did not differ between treatments, although the recovery periods were somewhat shorter with isoflurane. After isoflurane anesthesia, gastrointestinal motility normalized earlier and intestinal transit time of chromium was shorter than that detected after halothane anesthesia. Compared with isoflurane, halothane was associated with increases in serum aspartate transaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase activities, but there were no other important differences in clinicopathologic variables between treatments. Conclusions and clinical relevance - Compared with halothane, isoflurane appears to be associated with better hemodynamic stability during anesthesia, less hepatic and muscle damage, and more rapid return of normal intestinal motility after anesthesia in horses undergoing arthroscopic procedures.

Efficacy of hormone therapy with and without methyltestosterone augmentation of venlafaxine in the treatment of postmenopausal depression: A double-blind controlled pilot study

Objective: This study evaluated the augmentation of venlafaxine with hormone therapy in the treatment of postmenopausal depression. The hormones evaluated were estrogen (0.625 mg) in combination with medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5 mg) and methyltestosterone (2.5 mg). Design: Seventy-two menopausal women (mean age: 53.6 ± 4.27 years) diagnosed with depression (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] scores ≥ 20) were treated with venlafaxine and one of the following hormone therapy combinations, in a double-blind regimen: estrogen + medroxyprogesterone + methyltestosterone (group 1, n = 20); estrogen + medroxyprogesterone acetate (group 2, n = 20); methyltestosterone only (group 3, n = 16); and no hormone therapy (group 4, n = 16). Study duration was 24 weeks. Primary efficacy outcome was remission according to the MADRS, whereas secondary efficacy measures included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Blatt-Kupperman Index, and Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ). Results: Forty-eight patients completed the study. All groups showed significant improvement from baseline. Group 3 demonstrated significant improvement on the MADRS compared with placebo (group 4) at weeks 20 (P = 0.048) and 24 (P = 0.030); effect size 8.04 (0.83; 15.26) (P = 0.029), but also had the highest dropout rate. Groups 1 and 3 had significant CGI improvement rates compared with placebo: 42.23% (P = 0.012) and 44.45% (P = 0.08), respectively. There were no differences in the WHQ or BKI scores among the groups. Conclusions: Methyltestosterone 2.5 mg had the highest effect size compared with placebo, but the high dropout rate prevented its efficacy from being determined. Estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone, combined with methyltestosterone or otherwise, demonstrated a trend toward increased efficacy of venlafaxine. Further larger-scale clinical trials are needed to elucidate the findings of this pilot study. © 2006 by The North American Menopause Society.

Transtorno bipolar do humor e gênero

Although the bipolar disorder (BD) occurs almost with the same frequency in both genders, the phenomenology and the outcome of the illness differ between them. Nevertheless, there is evidence that women with BD show, more than men, delayed beginning, especially in their fifth decade, more rapid cycling outcome, more depressive episodes, more dysphoric mania, more mixed states and more BD type II. Even so, the findings are not always consistent. Although the risk of comorbidities in BD includes, for both the sorts, excessive alcoholic consumption and drugs, bipolar men would have greater probability of being alcohol dependent, of not seeking treatment and of committing suicide. Suggested hypotheses to explain such differences vary from those centered in cultural or psychological aspects to those that focus on the steroids hormones, and other hormones such as cortisol, thyroid hormones and even on the cerebral anatomy. The reproductive cycle (menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause) influences on the BD phenomenology and its relevance to the therapeutical options in the treatment of the BD in women are presented in the last part of this review. Further investigations must to be done in order to clarify this controversy. However, up to now the data indicate that estrogen therapy is not to be primarily indicated to prevent depression, Alzheimer disease or cognition impairment.

Antimony glasses with large nonlinear refractive indices, small two-photon absorption coefficients and ultrafast response at telecom wavelengths

Nonlinear (NL) optical properties of antimony oxide based glasses (AG) were characterized for excitation wavelengths from 800 to 1600 m. The NL refractive indices, n2, and the two-photon absorption (TPA) coefficient, β, have been evaluated using the Z-scan technique. Values of n2≈ 10-15 - 10-14 cm2/W of electronic origin were measured and negligible TPA coefficients (β < 0.003 cm/GW) were determined. The response time of the nonlinearity is faster than 100 fs as determined using the Kerr shutter technique. The figure-of-merit usually considered for all-optical switching, T = 2βλ/n2 , indicates that AG are very good materials for ultrafast switches at telecom wavelengths. © 2007 IEEE.

A clinical decision support system for cancer diseases

The second main cause of death in Brazil is cancer, and according to statistics disclosed by National Cancer Institute from Brazil (INCA) 466,730 new cases of cancer are forecast for 2008. The analysis of tumour tissues of various types and patients' clinical data, genetic profiles, characteristics of diseases and epidemiological data may lead to more precise diagnoses, providing more effective treatments. In this work we present a clinical decision support system for cancer diseases, which manages a relational database containing information relating to the tumour tissue and their location in freezers, patients and medical forms. Furthermore, it is also discussed some problems encountered, as database integration and the adoption of a standard to describe topography and morphology. It is also discussed the dynamic report generation functionality, that shows data in table and graph format, according to the user's configuration. © ACM 2008.

A medical information system to manage a cancer database

Cancer is the second main cause of death in Brazil, and according to statistics disclosed by INCA - National Cancer Institute 466,730 new cases of the disease are forecast for 2008. The storage and analysis of tumour tissues of various types and patients' clinical data, genetic profiles, characteristics of diseases and epidemiological data may provide more precise diagnoses, providing more effective treatments with higher chances for the cure of cancer. In this paper we present a Web system with a client-server architecture, which manages a relational database containing all information relating to the tumour tissue and their location in freezers, patients, medical forms, physicians, users, and others. Furthermore, it is also discussed the software engineering used to developing the system.

Childhood trauma in substance use disorder and depression: An analysis by gender among a Brazilian clinical sample

Objective: In this study, we compared the frequency and intensity of childhood traumas in alcohol- or other drug-dependent patients, in patients with depression, and in a control group without psychiatric diagnoses. Methods: The study had a retrospective design of a clinical sample of men and women from the groups listed above. They were evaluated by the same standardized instrument: the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.. Results: A higher frequency and intensity of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse were found in alcohol- and other drug-dependent patients than in patients with depression, who, in turn, presented significantly higher proportions than the control group. In all of the cases, the frequency was higher among women than men. Conclusion: Because of the high frequency and intensity of childhood traumas among alcohol- or other drug-dependent patients and depressed patients, the assessment of problems due to childhood traumas among these patients is essential to a better understanding of the etiology of those disorders and to their treatment. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modified radical mastectomy: A pilot clinical trial comparing the use of conventional electric scalpel and harmonic scalpel

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the rates of local postoperative complications among women undergoing modified radical mastectomy with an electric scalpel (ES) or a harmonic scalpel (HS). It is thought that HS use has less postoperative complications, mainly seroma formation. Methods: This study was a prospective non-randomised clinical trial (NCT01391988) among consecutive patients, performed in parallel. Patients underwent modified radical mastectomy using an HS or ES. We analysed the following operative variables: time, blood loss and seroma volume drainage. Postoperative complications, including seroma, flap necrosis, haematoma and infection were evaluated on the 7th and 14th days. Results: Forty-six patients underwent a MRM with ES and 49 with HS; no differences were observed between the groups. The rate of local complications was 29% in the HS group and 52% in the ES group (p=0.024). The rates of seroma (16.3% versus 28.3%; p=0.161), necrosis (4.1% vs. 21.7%; p=0.013; OR=0.15), haematoma (2.0% vs. 8.7%; p=0.195) and infection (2.0% vs. 6.5%; p=0.351) were lower in the HS group. Adding the findings of all comparative studies using HSs in MRM to the seroma rates in the current study, the seroma rate, expressed as a categorical variable, did not decrease with HS. Seroma was present in 60/219 cases using an HS and in 69/239 cases utilising an ES (p=0.72). Based on a multivariate analysis, HS decreased the risk of skin necrosis (p=0.015). Conclusions: HSs do not decrease the seroma rate. However, this method may be useful in skin sparing mastectomy because it decreases skin flap necrosis. © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd.

Nonlinear optical properties of Bi2O3-GeO2 glass at 800 and 532 nm

The nonlinear (NL) optical properties of glassy xBi2O 3-(1-x) GeO2 with x = 0.72 and 0.82 were investigated. The experiments were performed with lasers at 800 nm (pulses of 150 fs) and 532 nm (pulses of 80 ps and 250 ns). Using the Kerr gate technique, we observed that the NL response of the samples at 800 nm is faster than 150 fs. NL refraction indices, | n 2 | ≈ 5 × 10-16 cm2/W, and two-photon absorption coefficients, α 2, smaller than 0.03 cm/GW, were measured at 800 nm. At 532 nm, we measured the NL transmittance of the samples. From the results obtained, we determined α 2 ≈1 cm/GW and excited-state absorption cross-sections of ≈10-22 cm2 due to free-carriers. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

Resistência adesiva de reparos em resina composta: tratamento da superfície com ponta diamantada, jato de óxido de alumínio e laser de Er:YAG

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Rugosidade superficial do esmalte e de resinas compostas: avaliação de instrumentos de acabamento pelo microscópio de força atômica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação da instrumentação rotatória com limas de níquel e titânio, K3 e RaCe, em canais radiculares curvos simulados

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação da resistência à fratura torcional de diferentes instrumentos rotatórios de níquel-titânio

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)