Effects of displacement and trajectory length on the variability pattern of reaching movements

The design of the present study enabled the authors to distinguish between the possible effects of movement displacement and trajectory length on the pattern of final positions of planar reaching movements. With their eyes closed, 9 subjects performed series of fast and accurate movements from different initial positions to the same target. For some series, the movements were unconstrained and were therefore performed along an approximately straight vertical line. For other series, an obstacle was positioned so that trajectory length was increased because of an increase in movement curvature. Ellipses of variability obtained by means of principal component analysis applied to the scatter of movement final positions enabled the authors to assess the pattern of movement variable errors. The results showed that the orientation of the ellipses was not affected by movement displacement or by trajectory length, whereas variable errors increased with move ment displacement. An increase in trajectory length as a consequence of increased curvature caused no change in variable error. From the perspective of current motor control theory, that finding was quite unexpected. Further studies are required so that one can distinguish among the possible effects of various kinematics, kinetics, and other variables that could affect the pattern of variable errors of reaching movements.

Oviposition pattern and within-season spatial and temporal variation of pre-dispersal seed predation in a population of Mimosa bimucronata trees

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

Bone healing pattern in surgically created circumferential defects around submerged implants: an experimental study in dog

Objective: To describe the healing of marginal defects below or above 1 mm of dimension around submerged implants in a dog model.Material and methods: In 12 Labrador dogs, all mandibular premolars and first molars were extracted bilaterally. After 3 months of healing, full-thickness flaps were elevated in the edentulous region of the right side of the mandible. Two recipient sites were prepared and the marginal 5mm were widened to such an extent to obtain, after implant installation, a marginal gap of 0.5mm at the mesial site (small defect) and of 1.25mm at the distal site (large defect). Titanium healing caps were affixed to the implants and the flaps were sutured allowing a fully submerged healing. The experimental procedures were subsequently performed in the left side of the mandible. The timing of the experiments and sacrifices were planned in such a way to obtain biopsies representing the healing after 5, 10, 20 and 30 days. Ground sections were prepared and histomorphometrically analyzed.Results: The filling of the defect with newly formed bone was incomplete after 1 month of healing in all specimens. Bone formation occurred from the base and the lateral walls of the defects. A larger volume of new bone was formed in the large compared with the small defects. Most of the new bone at the large defect was formed between the 10- and the 20-day period of healing. After 1 month of healing, the outline of the newly formed bone was, however, located at a similar distance from the implant surface (about 0.4mm) at both defect types. Only minor newly formed bone in contact with the implant, starting from the base of the defects, was seen at the large defects (about 0.8mm) while a larger amount was detected at the small defects (about 2.2 mm).Conclusion: Marginal defects around titanium implants appeared to regenerate in 20-30 days by means of a distance osteogenesis. The bone fill of the defects was, however, incomplete after 1 month.

Colonization pattern of Cecropia by Azteca ants: Influence of plant ontogeny, environment and host plant choice by queens

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

Aircraft interior failure pattern recognition utilizing text mining and neural networks

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Rabies in southeast Brazil: a change in the epidemiological pattern

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

Refractive and geometric lens characterization through multi-wavelength digital speckle pattern interferometry

Physical parameters of different types of lenses were measured through digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) using a multimode diode laser as light source. When such lasers emit two or more longitudinal modes simultaneously the speckle image of an object appears covered of contour fringes. By performing the quantitative fringe evaluation the radii of curvature as well as the refractive indexes of the lenses were determined. The fringe quantitative evaluation was carried out through the four- and the eight-stepping techniques and the branch-cut method was employed for phase unwrapping. With all these parameters the focal length was calculated. This whole-field multi-wavelength method does enable the characterization of spherical and aspherical lenses and of positive and negative ones as well. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphology of the dental carinae in Mariliasuchus amarali (Crocodylomorpha, Notosuchia) and the pattern of tooth serration among basal Mesoeucrocodylia.

Carinated teeth are common in Mesoeucrocodylia, and the occurrence of denticles over the carinae is related to high predacious species, often referred as ziphodont. This characteristic is broadly recognized as homoplastic. Carinae morphology is cryptic, difficult to be studied under common techniques, and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) allows the access to detailed information, offering a higher degree of confidence. Previous SEM study allowed the recognition of true/false ziphodont patterns, according to the morphology of the denticles, but such studies on gondwanan mesoeucrocodyles are uncommon. Mariliasuchus amarali is an Upper Cretaceous notosuchian mesoeucrocodyle from South America (Bauru Group, Brazil), with carinated teeth and specialized dentition. Its geological and biochronological distribution are reappraised. SEM study of two teeth shows carinae composed of isolated tuberous anisomorphic true denticles, supporting previous study. Enamel ornamentation does not develop over the carinae, and fabric becomes anastomosed in middle and posterior teeth. Carinae only occur in posterior molariform teeth, related to food processing. Morphological variability of Mariliasuchus is commented, focusing on dentition. Overall characteristics, molariform morphology and wear planes support a non-predacious habit for Matiliasuchus. Matiliasuchus pattern could not be related to true/false ziphodont patterns, either by morphology or function, and is defined as ziphomorph. Ziphomorph pattern is evaluated within the range of mesoeucrocodyles. The detailed study of homoplastic characteristics, such as dental carinae, may provide useful apomorphic information for cladistic analysis.

Asymmetry of the Aharonov-Bohm diffraction pattern and Ehrenfests theorem

The electron-diffraction pattern for two slits with magnetic flux confined to an inaccessible region between them is calculated. The Aharonov-Bohm effect gives a diffraction pattern that is asymmetric but has a symmetric envelope. In general, both the expected displacement and the kinetic momentum of the electron are nonzero as a consequence of the asymmetry. Nevertheless, Ehrenfests theorems and the conservation of momentum are satisfied. © 1992 The American Physical Society.

Metacarpophalangeal pattern profile in Marfan syndrome and Marfan-like patients

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant trait due to mutations in the fibrillin gene (FBN1). The MFS expressivity is variable, and its diagnosis relies completely on clinical criteria. Atypical cases and Marfan- like (marfanoid) clinical presentations are commonly found. The metacarpophalangeal pattern profile (MCPP), a radiological method in which the 19 tubular hand bones are assessed, has been used in the diagnosis of various syndromes. To investigate whether the MCPP was adequate to discriminate between MFS and Marfan-like subjects, we studied 38 patients who were referred to our service because they had an MFS diagnosis, diagnostic hypothesis, or differential diagnosis or had arachnodactyly with dolichostenomelia. Two groups were formed: 1) MFS: 21 patients with a mean age of 18.3 (10.8 S.D.) years and 2) Marfan-like syndromes: 16 patients who did not meet the current criteria, with a mean age of 14.6 (4.6 S.D.) years. The MCPP was performed in each case following the classical technique, and a characteristic mean profile was obtained for group I (MFS), with Z scores ranging from 0.69 to 2.73 (1.80 ± 0.50; mean ± S.D.). In group I, three cases had no correlation with the typical MFS pattern. In group II, three cases had an MFS pattern. The correlation with the mean MCPP of MFS permitted the differential diagnosis of MFS and marfanoid syndromes with 86% sensitivity, 81% specificity, and 86% positive and 81% negative predictive values. The results suggest that MCPP can be used effectively as an auxiliary tool in the nosology of these conditions and, because there is no change in MCPP with age, can be helpful in early diagnosis.

Heterochromatic banding pattern in two Brazilian populations of Aedes aegypti

We analysed samples of Aedes aegypti from Sao Jose do Rio Preto and Franca (Brazil) by C-banding and Ag-banding staining techniques. C-banding pattern of Ae. aegypti from Sao Jose do Rio Preto examined in metaphase cells differed from Franca. The chromosomes 2, 3 and X showed centromeric C-bands in both populations, but a slightly stained centromeric band in the Y chromosome was observed only in Sao Jose do Rio Preto. In addition, the X chromosome in both populations and the Y chromosome of all individuals from Sao Jose do Rio Preto showed an intercalary band on one of the arms that was absent in Franca. An intercalary, new band, lying on the secondary constriction of chromosome 3 was also present in mosquitoes of both populations. The comparison of the present data with data in the literature for Ae. aegypti from other regions of the world showed that they differ as to the banding pattern of sex chromosomes and the now described intercalary band in chromosome 3. The observations suggested that the heterochromatic regions of all chromosomes are associated to constitute a single C-banded body in interphase cells. Ag-banding technique stained the centromeric regions of all chromosomes (including the Y) and the intercalary C-band region of the X chromosome in both populations. As Ae. aegypti populations are widespread in a great part of the world, the banding pattern variations indicate environmental interactions and may reveal both the chromosome evolutionary patterns in this species and the variations that may interfere with its vector activity.

Influence of the application of juvenile hormone on the haemolymph total proteins and electrophoretic pattern of worker larvae of Apis mellifera

The aim of the present work was to verify the influence of the juvenile hormone (JH) applied on worker larvae of Apis mellifera 2 to 5 days old over the haemolymph total protein and electrophoretic pattern. Each larvae received topical applications of 1 ml of a solution of JH in hexane (1 μg/ml) on their 2 nd, 3 rd 4 th and 5 th day after hatching and had the amount and electrophoretic pattern of proteins from the haemolymph analyzed during the remaining days of their life. As a control, haemolymph of larvae of the same age that did not receive any kind of treatment was analyzed. The results show that the application of JH on larvae 3 or more days old affect the amount and electrophoretic pattern of the proteins, with this effect lasting through the subsequent days.