Persistence and stability of cichlid assemblages in neotropical floodplain lagoons

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Phase II clinical study of an association for the treatment of interstitial cystitis (Cystex (R))

Painful bladder syndrome associated with interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC) is a clinical condition characterized pelvic pain, urinary urgency, and urinary frequency. In this study, 22 patients were assigned to make two visits over a three weeks period. The patients were randomly, double-blinded assigned in two groups. The first group received Cystex (R) capsules. The second group received placebo capsules. Two capsules were taken three times a day away from meals. The change from baseline in the O'Leary-Sant IC symptom and problem index was the primary outcome parameter. Changes in functional bladder capacity and intensity of pain and urgency have been chosen as secondary outcome parameters. Mood as well as physical and sexual activity were rated by 10 questions on a scale 0 to 6. The ratings were analyzed and the average for each patient in both groups Cystex (R) and placebo was determined as the quality of life index. For the primary outcome there was a statistically significant difference between the groups. Mean symptom score-sum decreased from 28.4 to 20.5 in the Cystex (R) group compared with 29.5 to 26.8 in the placebo group (p<0.05). For the secondary end points, pain and urgency intensity improved statistically significantly in the Cystex (R) group compared with the placebo group (p<0.05). The frequency and functional bladder capacity improved to greater degree in the Cystex (R) group. The differences were statistically significant for comparison of frequency (p<0.05) and not for functional bladder capacity (p>0.05). In our study, Cystex (R) enhanced quality of life over the placebo showing a statistically significant. This trial have shown that the efficacy and safety of therapy with Cystex (R) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis and is an alternative for patients suffering from this pathology. Therefore, it can be concluded that the composition of Cystex (R), increased the quality of life in treated patients.

Chemical process to separate iron oxides particles in pottery sample for EPR dating

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

Nymphs in foraging populations of Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Food searching activity by subterranean termites involves workers, soldiers and nymphs. The present study was carried out for elucidating aspects of nymph foraging behavior in Brazil where the species Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann, 1896) is exotic. Monitoring was conducted through making regular collections from seven different colonies for a period of 22 months, which exhibited the production of forager nymphs all year round. A biometric study was conducted to determine the instars of the forager nymphs collected. The identification of male and female nymphs was also conducted for establishing the sex proportion, which was slightly male-biased. From the 533 forager nymphs collected, 34 were from the 3rd instar, 280 from the 4th instar and 219 from 5th instar. The results suggest that 3rd instar nymphs were not too active in the foraging activities because they were collected only in one colony and in an insignificant quantity. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011.

Genetic profile characterization of 10 X-STRs in four populations of the southeastern region of Brazil

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

Pathogenicity of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens to several plant species

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

Spin-orbit coupling for tidally evolving super-Earths

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

Vermiculita como substrato para o teste de germinação de sementes de barbatimão

The objective of this research was to evaluate the use of vermiculite as a substrate for the germination test of 'barbatimao' seeds and to establish what would be the best granulometry and the best moisture intensity to germinate 'barbatimao' seeds. Four replications of 50 seeds were previously scarified with H(2)SO(4) for 60 minutes. Afterwards, the following germination substrates were evaluated: paper rolls moistened with water equivalent to 2.5 times the weight of the dry paper (control); micron, super thin, thin and average sized vermiculite moistened with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 times the weight of the dry paper. The germination temperature was 30 C. The percentage of normal seedlings was obtained seven days after sowing (first count) and, then, weekly (up to 28 days). Average time and relative distribution of germination were calculated. It was concluded that the germination of 'barbatimao' seeds can be carried out with either fine vermiculite moistened with water equivalent to 2.0 times the weight of the dry paper or average sized substrate moistened with water equivalent to 0.5 to 2.0 times the weight of dry paper. These treatments resulted in higher and faster germination (21 days), similarly to the paper roll method.

Status sócio econômico e deficiência intelectual em escolares

Raven's Progressive Matrices were completed by 536 school children. Wechsler's Intelligence Scale for Children was applied to children who performed badly on Raven's Test (percentile 5 or less). Father's occupation and education, items of property and sums of spending money were assessed in all families. Clinical history and physical examination were recorded for deficient children. Mental deficiency was present in 94 children (17.5%); it was more frequent in those from lower socioeconomic classes (90 deficient children in a total of 427); it was more frequent in the peripheral school (69 deficient children) than in the midtown school (relatively less poor children); no significant difference was found in sex distribution among social classes. 67 children had an intelligence quotient between 50 and 69. Undernourishment was severe marked (18 children), moderate (48 children) or absent (26 children). Most children (67) were insufficiently stimulated by their parents.

Modelling of fatigue crack growth following overloads

In variable-amplitude loading there are interaction effects between the loading history and the crack propagation rate. The most important of these effects is the retardation in the crack propagation, which may raise the life of the cracked structureconsiderably. The main objective of this research is to analyse and quantify the retardation of crack propagation in a thin plate of the high-resistance aluminium alloy 2024-T3, comparing the results obtained from the mathematical models proposed to account for the retardation effect. The specimens were tested under high-low loading sequences, for different crack sizes and overload ratios. A simplified model was developed, based on crack closure theory, that could represent the crack behaviour during retardation very well. © 1991.

Simple mucin-type carbohydrate antigens (T, sialosyl T, Tn and sialosyl-Tn) in breast carcinogenesis

Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of simple mucin-type carbohydrate antigens (Tn, sialyl-Tn and T) was performed in a series of 43 cases of intraductal hyperplasia without atypia, 9 cases of intraductal hyperplasia with atypia, 54 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 26 cases of invasive breast carcinoma. We also studied 36 cases of isolated breast normal epithelium, 20 cases of 'normal' breast epithelium adjacent to neoplasms and 14 cases of apocrine metaplasia. All antigens were detected in different frequencies in normal, hyperplastic, metaplastic and neoplastic breast epithelium. Tn and sialyl-Tn are expressed more frequently in malignant than in benign breast epithelium; while Tn expression increases from normal to invasive carcinomas, sialyl-Tn increases until DCIS and drops in invasive carcinomas, suggesting that either there is a failure of a proportion of DCIS to progress to invasive carcinoma or loss of expression of sialyl-Tn when some carcinomas become invasive. The high frequency of Tn and sialyl-Tn expression in breast intraductal proliferations probably reflects incomplete glycosylation in these lesions, which is a well-known tumour-associated phenomenon and supports the assumption that such lesions are putative precursors of breast cancer. T antigen was expressed in all groups studied, but its prevalence differed significantly between normal and neoplastic epithelium. The expression of these antigens in epithelium adjacent to carcinomas is similar to that found in isolated normal breast epithelium, whereas apocrine metaplasia has a pattern of simple mucin-type glycosylation that is specific and distinct from that of the normal breast epithelium, with a high frequency of marked expression of Tn and sialyl-Tn. The similarity of the pattern of expression of simple mucin-type antigens in metaplasia and malignant neoplasia reduces the usefulness of these markers from a diagnostic standpoint.

Study of Hybrid Silica-Polyethyleneglycol Xerogels by Eu3+ Luminescence Spectroscopy

Good optical quality Eu3+-doped silica-polyethyleneglycol hybrids were prepared by the sol-gel process. Thermomechanical analysis showed an increase of the glass transition temperature, due to the stiffness of the polymeric network, as the amount of Eu3+ increased. Europium luminescent properties were used to study structural evolution during the sol-gel transition. For lower doping concentrations dried gels present statistical distributions of Eu3+, typical of an amorphous environment, while for higher concentrations a crystalline-like environment of Eu3+ was observed. A broad emission band was observed in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum and assigned to the intrinsic emission from the hybrid polymeric network.