Assessment of Cerdocyon thous distribution in an agricultural mosaic, southeastern Brazil

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

Gastrointestinal parasites occurrence in dairy cows kept in organic and conventional production system

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Physico-chemical parameter correlations in the [RuCl2(CO)(L)(PPh3)2] complexes (L = N-heterocycles)

Fourteen complexes in the series [RuCl2(CO)(L)(PPh3)2] (where L = N-heterocycles) have been prepared and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopies, and cyclic voltammetry. A good correlation is found between observed and calculated electrochemical potentials; E1/2 vs pKa or (Gp, σm for a series of similar ligands. It is now reported that the carbonyl stretching frequency, νCO, and the 13C and 31P NMR signals do not correlate well with any of the physico-chemical parameters used (E1/2, Taft's and Hammett's parameters). This behaviour is probably due to the characteristics of the Ru(II) species, which does not transmit the steric and electron donor/acceptor properties of the ligands to the carbonyl group, or because the measurements are not able to detect the effect induced by the changes in the ligand L. Indeed, good correlations are obtained when the measurements directly involve the metal centre, as is the case in the E1/2 measurements. Crystals of o[RuCl2(CO)(4-pic)(PPh3)2] are monoclinic, space group P21/n, a = 12.019(2), b = 13.825(3) and c = 22.253(3) . The structure was solved by the Patterson method and was refined by full-matrix least-squares procedure to R = 0.054 and Rw = 0.055, for 2114 reflections with I > 3σ(I). For L = 2-acetylpyridine and 2-methylimidazole, complexes with formulae [RuCl2(CO)(L)(PPh3)] · L and [RuCl2(CO)(L)2 (PPh3)], respectively, were obtained. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testes size in leptodactylid frogs and occurrence of multimale spawning in the genus Leptodactylus in Brazil

Although rare, some anurans show multimale spawning. Herein we present data on testes mass relative to body mass for 11 leptodactylids and report multimale spawning in Leptodactylus chaquensis and Leptodactylus podicipinus. Testes mass averaged 4.13% of body mass for L. chaquensis and 0.75% for L. podicipinus. Testes size of both leptodactylid species with multimale spawning show that they are large and close to values recorded for rhacophorid frogs with multimale breeding (0.71-7.79%). Large testes size in frogs with multimale spawning supports the sperm competition hypothesis.

Direct and simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in Brazilian sugar cane spirits by graphite furnace AAS using tungsten permanent modifier with co-injection of Pd/Mg(N03)2

A method was developed using the multi-element graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry technique for the direct and simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in Brazilian sugar cane spirit (cachaça) samples. Also employed was the end-capped transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) with platforms pre-treated with W permanent modifier and co-injection of Pd/Mg(N03)2. Pyrolysis and atomization temperature curves were established in a cachaça medium (1+1; v/v) containing 0.2% (v/v) HN03 and spiked with 20 μg L-1 As and Pb and 200 μg L-1Cu. The effect of the concentration of major elements usually present in cachaça matrices (Ca, Mg, Na, and K) and ethanol on the absorbance of As, Cu, and Pb was investigated. Analytical working solutions of As, Cu, and Pb were prepared in 10% (v/v) ethanol plus 5.0 mg L-1 Ca, Mg, Na, and K. Acidified to 0.2% (v/v) HNO3, these solutions were suitable to build calibration curves by matrix matching. The proposed method was applied to the simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in commercial sugar cane spirits. The characteristic mass for the simultaneous determination was 16 pg As, 119 pg Cu, and 28 pg Pb. The pretreated tube lifetime was about 450 firings. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.6 μg L-1As, 9.2 μg L-1 Cu, and 0.3 μg L-1Pb. The found concentrations varied from 0.81 to 4.28 μg L-1As, 0.28 to 382 mg L-1 Cu and 0.82 to 518 μg L-1 Pb. The recoveries of the spiked samples varied from 94-112% (As), 97-111% (Cu), and 95-101% (Pb). The relative standard deviation (n=12) was 6.9%, 7.4%, and 7.7% for As, Cu, and Pb, respectively, present in a sample at 0.87 μgL-1, 0.81 mgL-1, and 38.9 μgL-1concentrations.

Application of a serum/protein-free medium for the growth of mammalian cell lines and high level production of classical, variant and very virulent strain of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV)

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

Occurrence, extension, and severity of gingival margin alterations after orthodontic treatment.

To assess the occurrence, extension, and severity of gingival margin alterations in a sample of youth after orthodontic treatment. Records from 209 Caucasian adolescents (118 female and 91 male) before and after orthodontic treatment were selected. Patients presented a mean age at the beginning of orthodontic treatment of 11.20 ± 1.86 years and a final mean age of 14.72 ± 1.83 years. Class I and II patients with mandibular incisors and canines that were completely erupted and with spacing or crowding not exceeding 4 mm were evaluated. The presence of gingival recession on the labial surface of the mandibular anterior teeth was evaluated in intraoral photographs and casts made before and after treatment. The proportion of patients with gingival recession after treatment was statistically higher than at the beginning (P<.001). After orthodontic treatment, gingival recession was not present in any of the teeth for 63.6% of the patients; in 29.2% of the patients, recession was present in at least 1 tooth. In terms of severity, the majority of affected teeth (47%) presented gingival recession less than 2 mm and in 2% more than 4 mm. It may be concluded that alterations in the gingival margin, especially gingival recession, occur in patients after orthodontic therapy, but the extent and severity of this finding are low. COPYRIGHT © 2007 BY QUINTESSENCE PUBLISHING CO, INC.

Intoxicação por chumbo em um cão - relato de caso

The present study reports the occurrence of lead poisoning in a male, 2 year-old mongrel dog attended at UNESP Botucatu Veterinary Hospital. The animal was brought to the hospital with claim of gastrointestinal and nervous disturbs for 10 days, worsening in the last 24 hours. After unsuccessfully attempts to control status epileticus, the animal died. Hematological evaluation revealed significant rubricytosis and basophilic stippling, highly suggestive of lead poisoning. Serum lead concentration confirmed toxic levels of this element. Necropsy evidenced the presence of foreign bodies in stomach (one stone and two metallic objects) and, microscopically, characteristic inclusions in renal parenchyma. Fragments obtained from liver and kidneys revealed lead concentrations of 0, 8 μg/g and 25 μg/g, respectively, which in association to clinical signs of saturnism, determined the diagnosis of lead poisoning.

Histochemical and ultrastructural analysis of hepatic glycogen and collagen fibers in alloxan-induced diabetic rats submitted to long-term physical training

Alterations in liver functions are common among diabetic patients, and many symptoms in the liver have been reported, including changes in glycogen stores and in the amount of collagen fibers. The practice of physical training and its morphological effects in this organ, however, are scarcely studied. In order to observe the morphological effects of alloxan-induced diabetes and the alterations arising from the practice of long-term chronic physical training in the liver, samples were collected and processed, and then analyzed by means of the histochemical techniques Periodic Acid-Schiff and Picrosirius-Hematoxylin, and ultrastructural cytochemical test of Afzelius. Through evaluation of the tissue, it was observed a drastic reduction in hepatic glycogen stores of sedentary diabetics, recovered in trained diabetic rats. Furthermore, it was detected a decrease in the content of perisinusoidal collagen fibers in the diabetic liver, also recovered due to the development of a training protocol. On ultrastructural level, cytochemical analysis confirmed the loss of glycogen and the recovery obtained by training. In conclusion, the practice of a long-term chronic physical training protocol may be considered an important assistant in the treatment of diabetes, mitigating the occurrence of possible damages to liver tissue. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Associação entre doenças crônicas em adultos e redução dos níveis de atividade física

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Water management at the river basin level: challenges in Latin America

Includes bibliography

Diversity of social wasps on semideciduous seasonal forest fragments with different surrounding matrix in Brazil

We surveyed social wasps (Polistinae) present in forest fragments of northwest of So Paulo state with different surroundings composed of a matrix of citrus crops and sugarcane in the expectation that the former matrix would be more diverse than the latter. We collected specimens actively using attractive liquids. We obtained 20 species in Magda, 13 in Bebedouro, 13 in Mato, and 19 in Barretos. The most common genus was Agelaia in all of the areas. The greatest Shannon-Wiener index of diversity was obtained in Magda (H' = 2.12). Species such as Brachygastra moebiana, Metapolybia docilis, Mischocyttarus ignotus, M. paulistanus and M. consimilis had not been recorded on recent surveys in the state. Furthermore M. consimilis is a new record for the state. We concluded that, with our data, a relation between the occurrence of social wasps and the surrounding matrix was not detected. © 2011 Getulio Minoru Tanaka Junior and Fernando Barbosa Noll.

H ∞ state feedback control of discrete-time Markov jump linear systems through linear matrix inequalities

This paper addresses the H ∞ state-feedback control design problem of discretetime Markov jump linear systems. First, under the assumption that the Markov parameter is measured, the main contribution is on the LMI characterization of all linear feedback controllers such that the closed loop output remains bounded by a given norm level. This results allows the robust controller design to deal with convex bounded parameter uncertainty, probability uncertainty and cluster availability of the Markov mode. For partly unknown transition probabilities, the proposed design problem is proved to be less conservative than one available in the current literature. An example is solved for illustration and comparisons. © 2011 IFAC.

Determinants of blood pressure in type 2 diabetic subjects with high occurrence of inadequate glycemic control

Study design: Association study Objective: To analyze the association between different biological/behavioral risk factors and blood pressure in a sample of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with poor glycemic control. Methods: A sample of 121 type 2 diabetic patients was selected in the Public Healthcare System in a middle size Brazilian city. Blood pressure was measured using an aneroid device, previously calibrated. Six determinants of blood pressure were taken into count: age, hypoglycemic agents, general obesity, abdominal obesity, eating behaviors and physical activity level. Results: The type 2 diabetic patients presented mean age of 60.1±8.9 years-old and, at least, one risk factor. Eating behaviors (OR adj= 0.31 [0.12-0.75]) and sports practice (OR adj= 0.12 [0.02-0.75]) constituted protective factors associated with lower systolic blood pressure. On the other hand, age was positively associated with high systolic blood pressure (OR adj= 3.81 [1.39-10.38]). Patients with 5-6 risk factors, presented higher values of systolic and (F= 3.857; p= 0.011 [post hoc with p= 0.039]), diastolic blood pressure (F= 4.158; p= 0.008 [post hoc with p= 0.036]) and increased occurrence of hypertension (p= 0.010). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that, behavioral variables were important determinants of blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients with poor glycemic control and clustering of behavioral and biological risk factors increase the hypertension occurrence.

Finding best urban routes based on analyses of high level and IOPT Petri net models

This paper presents a tool that combines two kinds of Petri Net analyses to set the fastest routes to one vehicle in a bounded area of traffic urban. The first analysis consists of the discovery of possible routes in a state space generated from an IOPT Petri net model given the initial marking as the vehicle position. The second analysis receives the routes found in the first analysis and calculates the state equations at incidence matrix created from the High Level Petri net model to define the fastest route for each vehicle that arrive in the roads. It was considered the exchange of information between vehicle and infrastructure (V2I) to get the position and speed of all vehicles and support the analyses. With the results obtained we conclude that is possible optimizing the urban traffic flow if this tool is applied to all vehicles in a bounded urban traffic. © 2012 IEEE.