Influência da Diabetes Mellitus na movimentação ortodôntica associada a doença periodontal: avaliação histomorfométrica em ratos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise temporal da cobertura do solo na zona de amortecimento de reserva biológica

The Municipal Biological Reserve of Serra do Japi shelters an important forest remnant of Atlantic Rainforest in the state of São Paulo. For its ecological importance, were created instruments for environmental and territorial management of the Conservation Unit, with the regulation of the use and occupation of the land in its Buffer Zone (BZ) in 2004. The objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of the land cover in the BZ region of the Municipal Biological Reserve of Serra do Japi in Jundiaí-SP, between 1989 and 2010. It was used in this study the image analysis of the satellite LANDSAT-TM5, with the help of software ILWIS and IDRISI. The results showed that urban occupation has increased 37.47% and the agro pastoral and reforestation areas have decreased 36.62% and 72.22% respectively, while forest areas have increased 49.57%. However, the relative importance of the forest area in BZ ranged from 46.60% in 1989 to 69.71% in 2010, leading to the conclusion that this region was favored by changes in land cover in the period evaluated, despite strong pressure for urban expansion in its surroundings.

Análise de formas planas em imagens digitais

Given the widespread use of computers, the visual pattern recognition task has been automated in order to address the huge amount of available digital images. Many applications use image processing techniques as well as feature extraction and visual pattern recognition algorithms in order to identify people, to make the disease diagnosis process easier, to classify objects, etc. based on digital images. Among the features that can be extracted and analyzed from images is the shape of objects or regions. In some cases, shape is the unique feature that can be extracted with a relatively high accuracy from the image. In this work we present some of most important shape analysis methods and compare their performance when applied on three well-known shape image databases. Finally, we propose the development of a new shape descriptor based on the Hough Transform.

Using landscape metrics to analyze micro-scale soil erosion processes

Methods of recording soil erosion using photographs exist but they are not commonly considered in scientific studies. Digital images may hold an expressive amount of information that can be extracted quickly in different manners. The investigation of several metrics that were initially developed for landscape ecology analysis constitutes one method. In this study we applied a method of landscape metrics to quantify the spatial configuration of surface micro-topography and erosion-related features, in order to generate a possible complementary tool for environmental management. In a 3.7 m wide and 9.7 m long soil box used during a rainfall simulation study, digital images were systematically acquired in four instances: (a) when the soil was dry; (b) after a short duration rain for initial wetting; (c) after the first erosive rain; and (d) after the 2nd erosive rain. Thirteen locations were established in the box and digital photos were taken at these locations with the camera positioned at the same orthogonal distance from the soil surface under the same ambient light intensity. Digital photos were converted into bimodal images and seven landscape metrics were analyzed: percentage of land, number of patches, density of patches, largest patch index, edge density, shape index, and fractal dimension. Digital images were an appropriate tool because they can generate data very quickly. The landscape metrics were sensitive to changes in soil surface micro-morphology especially after the 1st erosive rain event, indicating significant erosional feature development between the initial wetting and first erosive rainfall. The method is considered suitable for spatial patterns of soil micro-topography evolution from rainfall events that bear similarity to landscape scale pattern evolution from eco-hydrological processes. Although much more study is needed for calibrating the landscape metrics at the micro-scale, this study is a step forward in demonstrating the advantages of the method.

Influência da Diabetes Mellitus na movimentação ortodôntica associada a doença periodontal: avaliação histomorfométrica em ratos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Parâmetros oftálmicos em cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous, Linnaeus, 1766)

Pós-graduação em Cirurgia Veterinária - FCAV

Demarcação da madeira juvenil e adulta de Corymbia citriodora

This paper had the objective of determining the transition regions between the juvenile and mature wood of Corymbia citriodora (Eucalyptus citriodora) of 29 years of age from the Experimental Station of Forest Science (EECFA-LCF/ESALQ-USP), located in Anhembi, in the State of São Paulo. The regions of juvenile and mature wood were characterized through anatomical studies - axial fiber length - following the recommendations of the International Association of Wood Anatomists (1989) using disks at the DBH of the trees. The measurements of fiber length were made in equipment for acquisition, diagnosis and image analysis. Five slices were made for every centimeter, in the radial direction and six fiber lengths per slice were measured, producing 30 measurements per sample region. In the total, 1740 lengths of fiber were measured in three disks that were studied. Results indicate a trend of accentuated and linear increase for the length of fibers, from the pith to 11 cm of radial of about 79%. Between 12 cm and 19 cm of the radius, fibers length remained almost constant, and from that point on, the fiber length tended to slightly increase to the bark. It can be concluded that for these trees, at this height of sampling, when the tree has 29 years of age, the extension of the juvenile wood goes up to 52% of its radius.

Usinagem do alumínio da classe 6005 com uso de ferramenta cerâmica

The machining process is so much important in the economic world. Many machining parameters have been studied to maximize results, in terms of cost and lifetime. (decrease of cutting tool wear, improved surface finish, among others). The objective of this study is to evaluate the wear of a ceramic tool in the machining of the aluminum alloy 6005 A. The analysis of the wear of the cutting tools is very important due to its big impact on the final finishing of the piece as a whole. The evaluation took place in two stages, first it was done a detailed study of the literature of the whole machining process, where the study of the formation and swarf classification were among the most important steps in this phase. The second step consisted in the machining of the piece of aluminum 6005 A with a ceramic cutting tool constituded of aluminum oxide and magnesium oxide with silicon carbide impregnation. The swarf generated in this process was then photographed with a Zeiss optical microscope and analyzed for its size and shape. Through this comparison it was concluded that the swarf are generated shear swarfs, shaped like a tangled, fragmented and arcs connected, thus classifying the material as medium difficulty machining. Through the image analysis tool it was concluded that the parameter of lower wear was the: Vc = 500m / min, f = 0.10mm / rev and ap = 0.5mm

Chloroacetamid Spray Drift and Leaf Tatters in Hackberry

During the last decade, leaf tatters has been reported in white oak and hackberry across several Midwestern states. Herbicide spray drift studies have shown that chloroacetamides can induce leaf tatters. The objectives of this research were to: 1) identify vulnerable bud developmental stages in hackberry and 2) determine if different commercial chloroacetamides affect severity of leaf tatters. In 2008, a preliminary spray drift experiment was conducted on mature trees from a former hackberry provenance test stand. Acetochlor (Harness), S-metolachlor (Dual II Magnum), and dimethenamid (Outlook) were applied at concentrations approximating 27%, 54%, 81%, or 108% of the recommended field rate. Three developmental stages before bud burst were present on the selected trees. Leaf tatters did not develop on the selected hackberry trees. However, symptoms were observed on neighboring, non-target hackberry trees, which had been in the leaf unfolding and expanding stages at the time of spraying. In 2009, three year old hackberry seedlings were treated with 1%, 10%, and 100% of the recommended field rate of acetochlor (Harness), S-metolachlor (Dual II Magnum), and dimethenamid (Outlook). Folded buds and two unfolding leaf developmental stages were present on seedlings. Another spray study was conducted on 32 mature hackberry trees from the provenance stand. A solution of 5608 mg a.i./L dimethenamid (Outlook) was applied to trees in the unfolding and/or expanding leaf stage. Treated trees represented four provenances. Image analysis was used to calculate seedling and mature tree leaf areas and estimate the seedling percentage of leaf tissue loss. Foliar damage was not significantly different between seedlings treated with water, 1%, or 10% of the field rate. Foliar damage was significantly different between seedlings treated with 1% or 100% of the field rate, and between seedlings treated with 10% or 100% of the field rate. Foliar damage in seedlings was not significantly different between the developmental stages. Additionally, symptoms of leaf tatters were observed on the treated mature hackberry. Future studies should focus on chloroacetamide concentrations above 10% of the recommended field rate.

Usinagem do alumínio da classe 6005 com uso de ferramenta cerâmica

The machining process is so much important in the economic world. Many machining parameters have been studied to maximize results, in terms of cost and lifetime. (decrease of cutting tool wear, improved surface finish, among others). The objective of this study is to evaluate the wear of a ceramic tool in the machining of the aluminum alloy 6005 A. The analysis of the wear of the cutting tools is very important due to its big impact on the final finishing of the piece as a whole. The evaluation took place in two stages, first it was done a detailed study of the literature of the whole machining process, where the study of the formation and swarf classification were among the most important steps in this phase. The second step consisted in the machining of the piece of aluminum 6005 A with a ceramic cutting tool constituded of aluminum oxide and magnesium oxide with silicon carbide impregnation. The swarf generated in this process was then photographed with a Zeiss optical microscope and analyzed for its size and shape. Through this comparison it was concluded that the swarf are generated shear swarfs, shaped like a tangled, fragmented and arcs connected, thus classifying the material as medium difficulty machining. Through the image analysis tool it was concluded that the parameter of lower wear was the: Vc = 500m / min, f = 0.10mm / rev and ap = 0.5mm

Impact of biannual rossby waves on the Indian Ocean Dipole

Topex/Poseidon sea surface height anomalies during 1993-2002 are decomposed using 2-D finite impulse response filters which showed biannual Rossby waves (BRWs) in the equatorial Indian Ocean (peak at 1.5 degrees S) and in the southern tropical Indian Ocean (peak at 10.5 degrees S) during Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) years. Anomalous downwelling BRWs in the equatorial Indian Ocean triggered by the wind stress curl-induced Ekman pumping near the eastern boundary started propagating westward from the eastern boundary in July/August 1993 and 1996, i.e., more than one year prior to the formation of the IOD events of 1994 and 1997 respectively. These strong downwelling signals reach the western equatorial Indian Ocean during the peak dipole time.

Temporal changes in benthic megafaunal abundance and composition across the West Antarctic Peninsula shelf: Results from video surveys

The West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) shelf experiences intense seasonal and interannual variability in phytoplankton production and particulate-organic-carbon flux to the seafloor. To explore the response of the megabenthic community to this production variability, we conducted video surveys of epibenthic megafauna at three stations on the WAP shelf in Nov-Dec 1999, Mar 2000, Jun 2000, Oct-Nov 2000, and Feb-Mar 2001. The epibenthic megafauna was dominated (>90%) by elasipod holothurians, irregular urchins and anthozoans, with total abundances ranging from 19 to 152 ind. 1 00 m(-2). The abundance of three of the dominant taxa (Protelpidia murrayi, Peniagone vignomi, and Amphipneustes spp.) varied significantly across seasons (p <0.05), although variations were not tightly correlated with the summer bloom cycle. The irregular urchins in the genus Amphipneustes varied 5-fold in abundance at single stations, with maximum densities (an average of 10.1 ind. 100 m(-2)) attained in Jun 2000. Abundances of the elasipod holothurians P. murrayi (1-121 ind. 100 m(-2)) and P. vignoni (0.7-27.5 ind. 100 m(-2)) fell within the range for elasipod holothurians from other bathyal regions measured using image analysis. The abundance of P. murrayi increased up to 6-fold from a single Jun-Oct recruitment pulse, while changes in the abundance of P. vignoni (over 2-fold higher in Feb-Mar 2001) apparently resulted from immigration during the presence of a 1-2 cm thick carpet of fresh phytocletritus. Based on the ratio of the number of fecal casts per individual, elasipod holothurians increased surface-deposit feeding rates by >= 2-fold while phytocletritus was present at the seafloor. Nonetheless, these surface-deposit feeders appeared to feed and egest sediments throughout the winter, which is consistent with year-round persistence of a labile food bank in surficial sediments on the deep WAP shelf.

Periocular basal cell carcinoma: cost of topical immunotherapy versus estimated cost of surgical treatment

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the estimated cost of clinical and surgical treatment for basl cell carcinoma of the eyelid. Methods: This was a pilot study of 12 patients with basal cell carcinoma receiving treatment with 5% imiquimod cream at the ocular plastic surgery center, medical school University of Sao Paulo (HC-FMUSP, Brazil). The cost of clinical treatment was estimated based on the time of treatment and amount of medication consumed by patients in the home setting. The cost of surgical treatment was estimated by ophthalmologists with experience in reconstructive plastic surgery based on analysis of images of the same patients. Surgeons responded to a questionnaire with four questions about surgical technique, surgical materials required, estimated duration of surgery and type of anesthesia. Results: Immunotherapy lasted from 8 to 12 weeks. All patients reported each cold-stored sachet with 5% imiquimod cream lasted 3 days. According to the institution, a box with 12 sachets costs BRL 480.00. Patients required 1.58-3.11 boxes for complete treatment, corresponding to a total cost of BRL 758.40-1,492.80. Based on image analysis, surgeons evaluated surgery would require 1-3 hours. The estimated cost of surgery room and staff was BRL 263.00, to which the cost of supplies was added. Thus, the total cost of surgical treatment was BRL 272.61-864.82. On the average, immunotherapy was 57,64% more costly than surgical treatment. Conclusions: Malignant eyelid tumors are a common finding in clinical ophthalmology. Surgery is still the treatment of choice at our institution, but immunotherapy with 5% imiquimod cream may be indicated for patients with multiple lesions or high surgical risk and for patients declining surgery for reasons of fear or esthetic concerns. The ability to estimate costs related to the treatment of malignant eyelid tumors is an important aid in the financial planning of health care institutions. Further studies should evaluate the possibility of institutions equating the cost of immunotherapy and surgical treatment by acquiring similar but less expensive medications.

Immune receptors and adhesion molecules in human pulmonary leptospirosis

Pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis has been increasingly reported in the last 20 years, being related to the severity and mortality of the disease. The pathogenesis of pulmonary hemorrhage in leptospirosis is not understood. Lung endothelial cells have been proposed as targets in the pathogenesis of lung involvement in leptospirosis through the activation of Toll-like receptor 2 or the complement system, which stimulates the release of cytokines that lead to the activation of adhesion molecules. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of immune pathways and of the intercellular and vascular cell adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule and vascular cell adhesion molecule, respectively) in the lungs of patients with pulmonary involvement of leptospirosis. We studied the lungs of 18 patients who died of leptospirosis and compared them with 2 groups of controls: normal and noninfectious hemorrhagic lungs. Using immunohistochemistry and image analysis, we quantified the expression of the C3a anaphylatoxin receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule, vascular cell adhesion molecule, and Toll-like receptor 2 in small pulmonary vessels and in the alveolar septa. There was an increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (P <.03) and C3a anaphylatoxin receptor (P <.008) in alveolar septa in the leptospirosis group compared with the normal and hemorrhagic controls. In the vessels of the leptospirosis group, there was an increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (P=.004), vascular cell adhesion molecule (P=.030), and Toll-like receptor 2 (P=.042) compared with the normal group. Vascular cell adhesion molecule expression in vessels was higher in the leptospirosis group compared with the hemorrhagic group (P=.015). Our results indicate that immune receptors and adhesion molecules participate in the phenomena leading to pulmonary hemorrhage in leptospirosis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extracellular Matrix Composition of the Cricopharyngeus Muscle

The aim of this study was to analyze the presence and distribution of total collagen, type I and type III collagen, elastic fibers, fibronectin, and versican in the endomysium of cricopharyngeus muscles from adults of various ages. The study was a cross-sectional analysis of human cricopharyngeus muscles. Twenty-seven muscles obtained from autopsies of men and women ranging in age from 28 to 92 years were analyzed with the Picrosirius method, oxidized Weigert resorcin-fuchsin, immunohistochemistry, and image analysis. Collagen had the highest density among the analyzed components. Elastic fibers surrounded each muscle cell; they were aligned longitudinally by their long axis and associated with traversing fibers, thereby forming a fiber network with embedded muscle cells. The fibronectin and versican contents varied widely among the specimens. We found no statistically significant differences between the proportion of extracellular matrix (ECM) components and factors such as gender and race. We conclude that the higher proportion of type I and type III collagen is compatible with the cricopharyngeus muscle's sphincteric behavior, and the arrangement of the elastic fibers may also contribute to the muscle's elasticity. We found no statistically significant correlation between the ECM components and age.