A new species of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Loricariinae) from rio Daraá, rio Negro basin, Amazon, Brazil

Rineloricaria daraha, new species, is described from the rio Daraá, tributary of rio Negro, northwestern Amazonas State, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by having seven branched pectoral-fin rays, finger-like papillae on the lower lip, a large multi-angular preanal plate, and at least four quadrangular plates of variable size surrounding the preanal plate. The new species is known only from rio Daraá and its waterfalls.

Quality of water sources used as drinking water in a Brazilian peri-urban area

The objective of this paper was to assess bacteriological quality of drinking water in a peri-urban area located in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 89 water samples were collected from community plastic tanks and 177 water samples from wells were collected bimonthly, from September 2007 to November 2008, for evaluating bacteriological parameters including: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus and heterotrophic plate count (HPC). Clostridium perfringens was investigated in a subsample (40 samples from community plastic tank and 40 from wells). E. coli was present in 5 (5.6%) samples from community plastic tanks (2.0 - 5.1x10(4) MPN/100mL) and in 70 (39.5%) well samples (2.0 - 8.6x10(4) MPN/100mL). Thus, these samples were not in accordance with the Brazilian Regulation. Enterococcus was detected in 20 (22.5%) samples of the community plastic tanks (1 to 79 NC/100mL) and in 142 (80.2%) well samples (1 to >200 NC/100mL). C. perfringens was detected in 5 (12.5%) community plastic tanks samples and in 35 (87.5%) wells samples (2.2 to >16 MPN/100mL). HPC were above 500 CFU/mL in 5 (5.6%) waters from community plastic tanks. In wells samples, the HPC ranged from <1 to 1.6x10(4) CFU/mL. The residual chlorine did not attend the standard established in the drinking water legislation (0.2 mg/L), except in 20 (22.5%) samples. These results confirm the vulnerability of the water supply systems in this peri-urban area what is clearly a public health concern.

Anticorpos anti Brucella abortus, anti Brucella canis e anti Leptospira spp. em raposas (Pseudalopex vetulus) do semiárido paraibano, Nordeste do Brasil

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar a ocorrência de anticorpos anti Brucella abortus, anti Brucella canis e anti Leptospira spp. em raposas (Pseudalopex vetulus). Para tanto, foram utilizadas 60 raposas atropeladas em rodovias no semiárido da Paraíba, Nordeste do Brasil. Para a detecção de anticorpos anti Brucella abortus, o teste do antígeno acidificado tamponado (AAT) foi empregado como teste de triagem, e a prova do 2-mercaptoetanol foi empregada como método confirmatório. Para o diagnóstico sorológico das infecções por Brucella canis e Leptospira spp., foram utilizados os testes de imunodifusão em gel de agar (IDGA) e soroaglutinação microscópica, respectivamente. Todas as amostras foram negativas na pesquisa de anticorpos anti Brucella canis e anti Leptospira spp. Das 60 raposas testadas, 16 (26,6%) foram positivas para anticorpos anti Brucella abortus no teste de AAT, e quatro (6,7%) amostras foram confirmadas no teste de 2-mercaptoetanol, sendo duas amostras com título 100 e duas com título 50.

Embryonic, Larval, and Juvenile Development of the Sea Biscuit Clypeaster subdepressus (Echinodermata: Clypeasteroida)

Sea biscuits and sand dollars diverged from other irregular echinoids approximately 55 million years ago and rapidly dispersed to oceans worldwide. A series of morphological changes were associated with the occupation of sand beds such as flattening of the body, shortening of primary spines, multiplication of podia, and retention of the lantern of Aristotle into adulthood. To investigate the developmental basis of such morphological changes we documented the ontogeny of Clypeaster subdepressus. We obtained gametes from adult specimens by KCl injection and raised the embryos at 26 degrees C. Ciliated blastulae hatched 7.5 h after sperm entry. During gastrulation the archenteron elongated continuously while ectodermal red-pigmented cells migrated synchronously to the apical plate. Pluteus larvae began to feed in 3 d and were similar to 20 d old at metamorphosis; starved larvae died 17 d after fertilization. Postlarval juveniles had neither mouth nor anus nor plates on the aboral side, except for the remnants of larval spicules, but their bilateral symmetry became evident after the resorption of larval tissues. Ossicles of the lantern were present and organized in 5 groups. Each group had 1 tooth, 2 demipyramids, and 2 epiphyses with a rotula in between. Early appendages consisted of 15 spines, 15 podia (2 types), and 5 sphaeridia. Podial types were distributed in accordance to Loven's rule and the first podium of each ambulacrum was not encircled by the skeleton. Seven days after metamorphosis juveniles began to feed by rasping sand grains with the lantern. Juveniles survived in laboratory cultures for similar to 9 months and died with <500 mu m wide, a single open sphaeridium per ambulacrum, aboral anus, and no differentiated food grooves or petaloids. Tracking the morphogenesis of early juveniles is a necessary step to elucidate the developmental mechanisms of echinoid growth and important groundwork to clarify homologies between irregular urchins.

Two dimensional analysis of inflatable structures by the positional FEM

This paper presents a, simple two dimensional frame formulation to deal with structures undergoing large motions due to dynamic actions including very thin inflatable structures, balloons. The proposed methodology is based on the minimum potential energy theorem written regarding nodal positions. Velocity, acceleration and strain are achieved directly from positions, not. displacements, characterizing the novelty of the proposed technique. A non-dimensional space is created and the deformation function (change of configuration) is written following two independent mappings from which the strain energy function is written. The classical New-mark equations are used to integrate time. Dumping and non-conservative forces are introduced into the mechanical system by a rheonomic energy function. The final formulation has the advantage of being simple and easy to teach, when compared to classical Counterparts. The behavior of a bench-mark problem (spin-up maneuver) is solved to prove the formulation regarding high circumferential speed applications. Other examples are dedicated to inflatable and very thin structures, in order to test the formulation for further analysis of three dimensional balloons.

Effect of GaAlAs Laser Irradiation on the Epiphyseal Cartilage of Rats

Objective: To study the effect of an 830-nm gallium-aluminum-arsenic (GaAlAs) diode laser at two different energy densities (5 and 15 J/cm(2)) on the epiphyseal cartilage of rats by evaluating bone length and the number of chondrocytes and thickness of each zone of the epiphyseal cartilage. Background Data: Few studies have been conducted on the effects of low-level laser therapy on the epiphyseal cartilage at different irradiation doses. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 male Wistar rats with 23 days of age and weighing 90 g on average were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (CG, no stimulation), G5 group (energy density, 5 J/cm(2)), and G15 group (energy density, 15 J/cm(2)). Laser treatment sessions were administered every other day for a total of 10 sessions. The animals were killed 24 h after the last treatment session. Histological slides of the epiphyseal cartilage were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), photographed with a Zeiss photomicroscope, and subjected to histometric and histological analyses. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test. All statistical tests were performed at a significance level of 0.05. Results: Histological analysis and x-ray radiographs revealed an increase in thickness of the epiphyseal cartilage and in the number of chondrocytes in the G5 and G15 groups. Conclusion: The 830-nm GaAlAs diode laser, within the parameters used in this study, induced changes in the thickness of the epiphyseal cartilage and increased the number of chondrocytes, but this was not sufficient to induce changes in bone length.

Shear Stress Induces Nitric Oxide-Mediated Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Production in Human Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells

It has been demonstrated that human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) enhance vascular density in ischemic tissues, suggesting that they can differentiate into vascular cells or release angiogenic factors that may stimulate neoangiogenesis. Moreover, there is evidence that shear stress (SS) may activate proliferation and differentiation of embryonic and endothelial precursor stem cells into endothelial cells (ECs). In this work, we investigated the effect of laminar SS in promoting differentiation of hASCs into ECs. SS (10 dyn/cm(2) up to 96 h), produced by a cone plate system, failed to induce EC markers (CD31, vWF, Flk-1) on hASC assayed by RT-PCR and flow cytometry. In contrast, there was a cumulative production of nitric oxide (determined by Griess Reaction) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; by ELISA) up to 96 h of SS stimulation ( NO(2)(-) in nmol/10(4) cells: static: 0.20 +/- 0.03; SS: 1.78 +/- 0.38, n = 6; VEGF in pg/10(4) cells: static: 191.31 +/- v35.29; SS: 372.80 +/- 46.74, n = 6, P < 0.05). Interestingly, the VEGF production was abrogated by 5 mM N(G)-L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treatment (VEGF in pg/10(4) cells: SS: 378.80 +/- 46.74, n = 6; SS + L-NAME: 205.84 +/- 91.66, n = 4, P < 0.05). The results indicate that even though SS failed to induce EC surface markers in hASC under the tested conditions, it stimulated NO-dependent VEGF production.

Development and mechanical testing of a short intramedullary nail for fixation of femoral rotational osteotomy in cerebral palsy patients

Background: Rotational osteotomy is frequently indicated to correct excessive femoral anteversion in cerebral palsy patients. Angled blade plate is the standard fixation device used when performed in the proximal femur, but extensile exposure is required for plate accommodation. The authors developed a short locked intramedullary nail to be applied percutaneously in the fixation of femoral rotational osteotomies in children with cerebral palsy and evaluated its mechanical properties. Methods: The study was divided into three stages. In the first part, a prototype was designed and made based on radiographic measurements of the femoral medullary canal of ten-year-old patients. In the second, synthetic femoral models based on rapid-prototyping of 3D reconstructed images of patients with cerebral palsy were obtained and were employed to adjust the nail prototype to the morphological changes observed in this disease. In the third, rotational osteotomies were simulated using synthetic femoral models stabilized by the nail and by the AO-ASIF fixed-angle blade plate. Mechanical testing was done comparing both devices in bending-compression and torsion. Results: The authors observed proper adaptation of the nail to normal and morphologically altered femoral models, and during the simulated osteotomies. Stiffness in bending-compression was significantly higher in the group fixed by the plate (388.97 +/- 57.25 N/mm) than in that fixed by the nail (268.26 +/- 38.51 N/mm) as torsional relative stiffness was significantly higher in the group fixed by the plate (1.07 +/- 0.36 Nm/degrees) than by the nail (0.35 +/- 0.13 Nm/degrees). Conclusions: Although the device presented adequate design and dimension to fit into the pediatric femur, mechanical tests indicated that the nail was less stable than the blade plate in bending-compression and torsion. This may be a beneficial property, and it can be attributed to the more flexible fixation found in intramedullary devices.

New reports of Antricola guglielmonei and Antricola delacruzi in Brazil, and a description of a new argasid species (Acari)

Adults of 3 tick species (Acari: Argasidae) identified as Antricola guglielmonei, Antricola delacruzi, and Carios rondoniensis n. sp. were collected oil bill guano in a cave in the state of Rondonia, western Amazon. Brazil. Adults of C. rondoniensis Possess a unique combination of characters that distinguish them front all described adults in the Argasidae. i.e.. a large spiracular plate densely filled with small goblets, a well-developed flap covering the female genital opening, and palpi containing several tufts of long setae oil articles 2 and 3. Unlike Ornithodoros or other Carios species. adults of C rondoniensis have a scooplike hypostome devoid of denticles, as in Antricola spp. Conversely, the presence of a pair of long posthypostomal setae, and a slitlike transverse fissure at the Capsule opening of the Haller's organ, are characters of C. rondonensis that are also found ill species of Carios and Ornithodoros, but not in Antricola species. Molecular analyses inferred from a portion of the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene indicate that C. rondoniensis is phylogenetically closest to species of Carios. followed by species of Antricola. and then Ornithodoros. Because the highest bootstrap value linking C. rondoniensis to Carios spp. was 62%, further phylogenetic studies are needed to better evaluate the taxonomic Status of the former species.

DESCRIPTION OF ADULTS AND NYMPH, AND REDESCRIPTION OF THE LARVA, OF ORNITHODOROS MARINKELLEI (ACARI: ARGASIDAE), WITH DATA ON ITS PHYLOGENETIC POSITION

The argasid tick Ornithodoros marinkellei Kohls, Clifford, and Jones, 1969 was described 4 decades ago based on larval specimens collected from bats (Pteronotus spp.) in Colombia and Panama. Thereafter, larval O. marinkellei parasitizing bats were reported from Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Herein, we describe the adults and nymph, and redescribe the larva of O. marinkellei based on specimens recently collected in the western Brazilian Amazon region. In contrast to all other known adult argasids, the idiosoma of both males and females of O. marinkellei is covered with sclerotized plaques. The idiosoma of the nymph of O. marinkellei is entirely micromamillated, and differs from the adults by the absence of plaques. The larva of O. marinkellei is morphologically similar to the larvae of the 2 other species belonging to the subgenus Subparmatus, i.e., Ornithodoros viguerasi Cooley and Kohls, 1941 and Ornithodoros mormoops Kohls, Clifford, and Jones, 1969. Because of the long and narrow dorsal plate, the larva of O. marinkellei is readily distinguished from O. viguerasi and O. mormoops. Comparison of our larvae from Brazil with O. marinkellei paratype specimens from Colombia confirmed their taxonomic identification. However, a few morphological differences, particularly in the size of the gnathosoma, were observed. Further studies are necessary to clarify whether O. marinkellei is a complex of different species, or a single species represented by morphologically polymorphic, and geographically distinct populations. Partial mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene sequences were generated for O. marinkellei specimens from Brazil, and compared with available homologous sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed O. marinkellei to be distinct from the remaining argasid species available in GenBank, including other bat-associated tick species that are found in sympatry with O. marinkellei in the Neotropical region.

Improvement in Quality of Life of An Oncological Patient by Laser Phototherapy

Objective and Background Data: Common side effects of radiotherapy (RT) to the head and neck include oral mucositis, xerostomia, and severe pain. The aim of this study is to report improvement in the quality of life of an oncological patient by laser phototherapy (LPT). Clinical Case and Laser Phototherapy Protocol: The patient, a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with mucoepidermoid carcinoma, underwent surgical excision of a tumor of the left palatomaxilla. After that, she was subjected to 35 sessions of RT (2 Gy/d). Clinical examination revealed the spread of severe ulcerations to the jugal mucosa, gums, lips, hard palate, and tongue (WHO mucositis score 3). She had difficulty in moving her tongue and she was unable to eat any solid food. Oral hygiene orientation and LPT were performed throughout all RT sessions. A continuous diode laser, 660 nm, 40 mW, 6 J/cm(2), 0.24 J per point in contact mode, with spot size of 0.04 cm(2) was used in the entire oral cavity. A high-power diode laser at 1 W, 10 sec per cm of mucositis, approximately 10 J/cm(2), was used in defocused mode only on ulcerative lesions. After the first laser irradiation session, decreases in pain and xerostomia were reported; however, a more significant improvement was seen after five sessions. At that point although the mucositis score was still 2, the patient reported that she was free of pain, and consequently a palatine plate could be made to rehabilitate the entire surgical area. Seventeen laser irradiation sessions were necessary to eliminate all oral mucositis lesions. Conclusion: Normal oral function and consequent improvements in the quality of life of this oncologic patient were observed with LPT.

A Lagrangian Identification of the Main Sources of Moisture Affecting Northeastern Brazil during Its Pre-Rainy and Rainy Seasons

This work examines the sources of moisture affecting the semi-arid Brazilian Northeast (NEB) during its pre-rainy and rainy season (JFMAM) through a Lagrangian diagnosis method. The FLEXPART model identifies the humidity contributions to the moisture budget over a region through the continuous computation of changes in the specific humidity along back or forward trajectories up to 10 days period. The numerical experiments were done for the period that spans between 2000 and 2004 and results were aggregated on a monthly basis. Results show that besides a minor local recycling component, the vast majority of moisture reaching NEB area is originated in the south Atlantic basin and that the nearby wet Amazon basin bears almost no impact. Moreover, although the maximum precipitation in the ""Poligono das Secas'' region (PS) occurs in March and the maximum precipitation associated with air parcels emanating from the South Atlantic towards PS is observed along January to March, the highest moisture contribution from this oceanic region occurs slightly later (April). A dynamical analysis suggests that the maximum precipitation observed in the PS sector does not coincide with the maximum moisture supply probably due to the combined effect of the Walker and Hadley cells in inhibiting the rising motions over the region in the months following April.

SSSPM J1102-3431 brown dwarf characterization from accurate proper motion and trigonometric parallax

Context. In 2005, Scholz and collaborators discovered, in a proper motion survey, a young brown dwarf SSSPM J1102-3431 (SSSPM J1102) of spectral type M8.5, probable member of the TW Hydrae Association and possible companion of the T Tauri star TWHya. The physical characterization of SSSPM J1102 was based on the hypothesis that it forms a binary system with TWHya. The recent discovery of a probable giant planet with a very short-period inside the TW Hya protoplanetary disk, as well as a disk around SSSPM J1102, make it especially interesting and important to measure well the physical parameters of SSSPM J1102. Aims. Trigonometric parallax and proper motion measurements of SSSPM J1102 are necessary to test for TWA membership and, thus, to determine the mass and age of this young brown dwarf and the possibility that it forms a wide binary system with TW Hya. Methods. Two years of regular observations at the ESO NTT/SUSI2 telescope have enabled us to determine the trigonometric parallax and proper motion of SSSPM J1102. Results. With our accurate distance determination of 55.2(-1.4)(+1.6) pc and proper motions of (-67.2, -14.0) +/- 0.6 mas/yr, we could confirm SSSPM J1102 as a very probable member of TWA. Assuming the TW Hydrae association age of 5-10 Myr, the evolutionary models compared to the photometry of this young brown dwarf indicate a mass of M = 25 +/- 5 M(Jup) and an effective temperature T(eff) = 2550 +/- 100 K. Conclusions. Our parallax and proper motion determination allow us to precisely describe the physical properties of this low mass object and to confirm its TWA membership. Our results indicate that SSSPMJ1102 may be a very wide separation companion of the star TW Hya.

The stellar content of obscured Galactic giant H II regions. VI. W51A

We present K-band spectra of newly born OB stars in the obscured Galactic giant H II region W51A and approximate to 0.8 '' angular resolution images in the J, H, and K(S)-bands. Four objects have been spectroscopically classified as O-type stars. The mean spectroscopic parallax of the four stars gives a distance of 2.0 +/- 0.3 kpc (error in the mean), significantly smaller than the radio recombination line kinematic value of 5.5 kpc or the values derived from maser proper motion observations (6-8 kpc). The number of Lyman continuum photons from the contribution of all massive stars (NLyc approximate to 1.5 x 10(50) s(-1)) is in good agreement with that inferred from radio recombination lines (NLyc = 1.3 x 10(50) s(-1)) after accounting for the smaller distance derived here. We present analysis of archival high angular resolution images (NAOS CONICA at VLT and T-ReCS at Gemini) of the compact region W51 IRS 2. The K(S)-band images resolve the infrared source IRS 2 indicating that it is a very young compact H II region. Sources IRS 2E was resolved into compact cluster (within 660 AU of projected distance) of three objects, but one of them is just bright extended emission. W51d1 and W51d2 were identified with compact clusters of three objects (maybe four in the case of W51d1) each one. Although IRS 2E is the brightest source in the K-band and at 12.6 mu m, it is not clearly associated with a radio continuum source. Our spectrum of IRS 2E shows, similar to previous work, strong emission in Br gamma and He I, as well as three forbidden emission lines of Fe III and emission lines of molecular hydrogen (H(2)) marking it as a massive young stellar object.

An accurate distance to 2M1207Ab

Context. In April 2004, the first image was obtained of a planetary mass companion (now known as 2M 1207 b) in orbit around a self-luminous object different from our own Sun (the young brown dwarf 2MASSW J 1207334-393254, hereafter 2M 1207 A). That 2M 1207 b probably formed via fragmentation and gravitational collapse offered proof that such a mechanism can form bodies in the planetary mass regime. However, the predicted mass, luminosity, and radius of 2MI207 b depend on its age, distance, and other observables, such as effective temperature. Aims. To refine our knowledge of the physical properties of 2M 1207 b and its nature, we accurately determined the distance to the 2M 1207 A and b system by measuring of its trigonometric parallax at the milliarcsec level. Methods. With the ESO NTT/SUS12 telescope, we began a campaign of photometric and astrometric observations in 2006 to measure the trigonometric parallax of 2M 1207 A. Results. An accurate distance (52.4 +/- 1.1 pc) to 2M1207A was measured. From distance and proper motions we derived spatial velocities that are fully compatible with TWA membership. Conclusions. With this new distance estimate, we discuss three scenarios regarding the nature of 2M 1207 b: (1) a cool (1150 +/- 150 K) companion of mass 4 +/- 1 M-Jup (2) a warmer (1600 +/- 100 K) and heavier (8 +/- 2 M-Jup) companion occulted by an edge-on circumsecondary disk, or (3) a hot protoplanet collision afterglow.