Radon surveys in Brazil using CR-39

In this work results of two radon daughters survey in Brazil are presented and discussed. Some methodological problems concerning the first survey are pointed out which were corrected for the second survey in order to make a realistic long-term measurement of radon decay products in the air. The technique employed in both surveys was the alpha-spectroscopy using CR-39. The reliability of this technique as well as the results of the second survey are discussed, which indicate a poor correlation between radon and its decay products in the air at the researched dwellings. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin and differentiation of a sex chromosome system in Parodon hilarii (Pisces, Parodontidae). Satellite DNA, G- and C-banding

A satellite DNA sequence of Parodon hilarii ( named pPh2004) was isolated, cloned and sequenced. This satellite DNA is composed of 200 bp, 60% AT rich. In situ hybridization ( FISH) results revealed that the satellite DNA pPh2004 is located in the terminal regions of several chromosomes, forming highly evident blocks in some and punctual marks in others. The comparison between the FISH and C-banding results showed that the location of this satellite DNA coincides with that of most terminal heterochromatins. However, some regions are only marked by FISH whereas other regions are only marked by C-banding. The possible existence of more than one satellite DNA family could explain these partial differences. The in situ hybridization with the satellite DNA and the G- and C-bandings confirmed the presence of a sex chromosome system of the ZZ/ZW type in P. hilarii, as well as the correct identification of the Z chromosome in the karyotype. This chromosome displays a segment of terminal heterochromatin in the long arm, similar to the segment observed in the short arm of the W chromosome, also showing a G- banding pattern similar to that of the short arm and part of the long arm of the W chromosome. A hypothesis on the origin of the W chromosome from an ancestral chromosome similar to the Z chromosome is presented.

Estudo sistemático de estrelas variáveis na era dos grandes surveys

The interest in the systematic analysis of astronomical time series data, as well as development in astronomical instrumentation and automation over the past two decades has given rise to several questions of how to analyze and synthesize the growing amount of data. These data have led to many discoveries in the areas of modern astronomy asteroseismology, exoplanets and stellar evolution. However, treatment methods and data analysis have failed to follow the development of the instruments themselves, although much effort has been done. In present thesis, we propose new methods of data analysis and two catalogs of the variable stars that allowed the study of rotational modulation and stellar variability. Were analyzed the photometric databases fromtwo distinctmissions: CoRoT (Convection Rotation and planetary Transits) and WFCAM (Wide Field Camera). Furthermore the present work describes several methods for the analysis of photometric data besides propose and refine selection techniques of data using indices of variability. Preliminary results show that variability indices have an efficiency greater than the indices most often used in the literature. An efficient selection of variable stars is essential to improve the efficiency of all subsequent steps. Fromthese analyses were obtained two catalogs; first, fromtheWFCAMdatabase we achieve a catalog with 319 variable stars observed in the photometric bands Y ZJHK. These stars show periods ranging between ∼ 0, 2 to ∼ 560 days whose the variability signatures present RR-Lyrae, Cepheids , LPVs, cataclysmic variables, among many others. Second, from the CoRoT database we selected 4, 206 stars with typical signatures of rotationalmodulation, using a supervised process. These stars show periods ranging between ∼ 0, 33 to ∼ 92 days, amplitude variability between ∼ 0, 001 to ∼ 0, 5 mag, color index (J - H) between ∼ 0, 0 to ∼ 1, 4 mag and spectral type CoRoT FGKM. The WFCAM variable stars catalog is being used to compose a database of light curves to be used as template in an automatic classifier for variable stars observed by the project VVV (Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy) moreover it are a fundamental start point to study different scientific cases. For example, a set of 12 young stars who are in a star formation region and the study of RR Lyrae-whose properties are not well established in the infrared. Based on CoRoT results we were able to show, for the first time, the rotational modulation evolution for an wide homogeneous sample of field stars. The results are inagreement with those expected by the stellar evolution theory. Furthermore, we identified 4 solar-type stars ( with color indices, spectral type, luminosity class and rotation period close to the Sun) besides 400 M-giant stars that we have a special interest to forthcoming studies. From the solar-type stars we can describe the future and past of the Sun while properties of M-stars are not well known. Our results allow concluded that there is a high dependence of the color-period diagram with the reddening in which increase the uncertainties of the age-period realized by previous works using CoRoT data. This thesis provides a large data-set for different scientific works, such as; magnetic activity, cataclysmic variables, brown dwarfs, RR-Lyrae, solar analogous, giant stars, among others. For instance, these data will allow us to study the relationship of magnetic activitywith stellar evolution. Besides these aspects, this thesis presents an improved classification for a significant number of stars in the CoRoT database and introduces a new set of tools that can be used to improve the entire process of the photometric databases analysis

On the origin of exciton formation in dye doped Alq(3) OLEDs

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

Hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos no meio ambiente: diferenciação de fontes em sedimentos e metabólitos em bile de peixes

Many studies on environmental ecosystems quality related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been carried out routinely due to their ubiquotus presence worldwide and to their potential toxicity after its biotransformation. PAH may be introduced into the environmet by natural and anthropogenic processes from direct runoff and discharges and indirect atmospheric deposition. Sources of naturally occurring PAHs include natural fires, natural oil seepage and recent biological or diagenetic processes. Anthropogenic sources of PAHs, acute or chronic, are combustion of organic matter (petroleum, coal, wood), waste and releases/spills of petroleum and derivatives (river runoff, sewage outfalls, maritime transport, pipelines). Besides the co-existence of multiples sources of PAH in the environmental samples, these compounds are subject to many processes that lead to geochemical fates (physical-chemical transformation, biodegradation and photo-oxidation), which leads to an alteration of their composition. All these facts make the identification of the hydrocarbons sources, if petrogenic, pyrolytic or natural, a challenge. One of the objectives of this study is to establish tools to identify the origin of hydrocarbons in environmental samples. PAH diagnostic ratios and PAH principal component analysis were tested on a critical area: Guanabara Bay sediments. Guanabara Bay is located in a complex urban area of Rio de Janeiro with a high anthropogenic influence, being an endpoint of chronic pollution from the Greater Rio and it was the scenario of an acute event of oil release in January 2000. It were quantified 38 compounds, parental and alkylated PAH, in 21 sediment samples collected in two surveys: 2000 and 2003. The PAH levels varied from 400 to 58439 ng g-1. Both tested techniques for origin identification of hydrocarbons have shown their applicability, being able to discriminate the PAH sources for the majority of the samples analysed. The bay sediments were separated into two big clusters: sediments with a clear pattern of petrogenic introduction of hydrocarbons (from intertidal area) and sediments with combustion characteristics (from subtidal region). Only a minority of the samples could not display a clear contribution of petrogenic or pyrolytic input. The diagnostic ratios that have exhibited high ability to distinguish combustion- and petroleum-derived PAH inputs for Guanabara Bay sediments were Phenanthrene+Anthracene/(Phenanthrene+Anthracene+C1Phenanthrene); Fluorantene/(Fluorantene+Pyrene); Σ (other 3-6 ring PAHs)/ Σ (5 alkylated PAH series). The PCA results prooved to be a useful tool for PAH source identification in the environment, corroborating the diagnostic indexes. In relation to the temporal evaluation carried out in this study, it was not verified significant changes on the class of predominant source of the samples. This result indicates that the hydrocarbons present in the Guanabara Bay sediments are mainly related to the long-term anthropogenic input and not directly related to acute events such as the oil spill of January 2000. This findings were similar to various international estuarine sites. Finally, this work had a complementary objective of evaluating the level of hydrocarbons exposure of the aquatic organisms of Guanabara Bay. It was a preliminary study in which a quantification of 12 individual biliar metabolites of PAH was performed in four demersal fish representing three different families. The analysed metabolites were 1-hydroxynaphtalene, 2-hidroxinaphtalene, 1hydroxyphenanthrene, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene, 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, 1hydroxypyrene, 3-hidroxibiphenil, 3- hydroxyphenanthrene, 1-hydroxychrysene, 9hydroxyfluorene, 4-hydroxyphenanthrene, 3-hydroxybenz(a)pyrene. The metabolites concentrations were found to be high, ranging from 13 to 177 µg g-1, however they were similar to worldwide regions under high anthropogenic input. Besides the metabolites established by the used protocol, it was possible to verified high concentrations of three other compounds not yet reported in the literature. They were related to pyrolytic PAH contribution to Guanabara Bay aquatic biota: 1-hydroxypyrine and 3-hydroxybenz(a)pyrine isomers

CDX2, a highly sensitive and specific marker of adenocarcinomas of intestinal origin - An immunohistochemical survey of 476 primary and metastatic carcinomas

CDX2 is a recently cloned homeobox gene that encodes an intestine-specific transcription factor, expressed in the nuclei of epithelial cells throughout the intestine, from duodenum to rectum. While expression of CDX2 protein in primary and metastatic colorectal carcinomas has been previously documented, neither the sensitivity nor the specificity of CDX2 expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry, for colorectal adenocarcinoma has been determined. We performed an immunohistochemical survey of 476 tumors with a monoclonal antibody, CDX2-88, including 89 tumors from the colon and duodenum and 95 tumors from other gastrointestinal sites, including the esophagus, stomach, pancreatobiliary system, gastrointestinal carcinoids, and liver. CDX2 was expressed uniformly (that is, in 76-100% of tumor cells) in all but one of the evaluated colorectal and duodenal tumors. High-level expression of CDX2 was also found, however, in mucinous ovarian carcinomas and adenocarcinomas primary to the urinary bladder of which 64% and 100% were positive, respectively. Gastric, gastroesophageal, and pancreatic adenocarcinomas and cholangiocarcinomas all showed similar, heterogeneous patterns of CDX2 expression. Most tumors in each group showed CDX2 expression by a minority of cells, whereas a substantial minority of cases in each group was completely negative and a smaller minority was uniformly positive. Gastrointestinal carcinoids gave similarly varied results, but the majority (58%) was negative. Hepatocellular carcinomas showed no expression of CDX2. Only very rare examples of carcinomas of the genitourinary and gynecologic tracts, breast, lung, and head and neck showed significant levels of CDX2 expression. In this study of primary and metastatic epithelial tumors, uniform CDX2 expression is demonstrated to be an exquisitely sensitive and highly, but incompletely, specific marker of intestinal adenocarcinomas. Compared with villin, a previously described marker of GI adenocarcinomas, CDX2 demonstrated superior sensitivity and comparable specificity. CDX2 expression can be seen, however, in selected non-GI adenocarcinomas such as mucinous ovarian carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the urinary bladder.

Health surveys and use of maternal and child health care services in three municipalities within the São Paulo metropolitan area

Objectives. To describe the changes in the use of maternal and child health care services by residents of three municipalities-Embu, Itapecerica da Serra, and Taboao da Serra-in the São Paulo metropolitan area, 12 years after the implementation of the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil, and to analyze the potential of population-based health care surveys as sources of data to evaluate these changes.Methods. Two population-based, cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 1990 and 2002 in municipalities located within the São Paulo metropolitan area. For children under 1 year of age, the two periods were compared in terms of outpatient services utilization and hospital admission; for the mothers, the periods were compared in terms of prenatal care and deliveries. In both surveys, stratified and multiple-stage conglomerate sampling was employed, with standardization of interview questions.Results. The most important changes observed were regarding the location of services used for prenatal care, deliveries, and hospitalization of children less than 1 year of age. There was a significant increase in the use of services in the surrounding region or hometown, and decrease in the utilization of services in the city of São Paulo (in 1990, 80% of deliveries and almost all admissions for children less than 1 year versus 32% and 46%, respectively, in 2002). The use of primary care units and 24-hour walk-in clinics also increased. All these changes reflect care provided by public resources. In the private sector, there was a decrease in direct payments and payments through company-paid health insurance and an increase in payments through self-paid health insurance.Conclusions. The major changes observed in the second survey occurred simultaneous to the changes that resulted from the implementation of the SUS. Population-based health surveys are adequate for analyzing and comparing the utilization of health care services at different times.

Independent clonal origin of multiple uterine leiomyomas that was determined by X chromosome inactivation and microsatellite analysis

Objective: In an attempt to clarify the clonality and genetic relationships that are involved in the tumorigenesis of uterine leiomyomas, we used a total of 43 multiple leiomyomas from 14 patients and analyzed the allelic status with 15 microsatellite markers and X chromosome inactivation analysis.Study design: We have used a set of 15 microsatellite polymorphism markers mapped on 3q, 7p, 11, and 15q by automated analysis. The X chromosome inactivation was evaluated by the methylation status of the X-linked androgen receptor gene.Results: Loss of heterozygosity analysis showed a different pattern in 7 of the 8 cases with allelic loss for at least 1 of 15 microsatellite markers that were analyzed. A similar loss of heterozygosity findings at 7p22-15 was detected in 3 samples from the same patient. X chromosome inactivation analysis demonstrated the same inactivated allele in all tumors of the 9 of 12 informative patients;. different inactivation patterns were observed in 3 cases.Conclusion: Our data support the concept that uterine leiomyomas are derived from a single cell but are generated independently in the uterus. Loss of heterozygosity findings at 7p22-15 are consistent with previous data that suggested the relevance of chromosomal aberrations at 7p that were involved in individual uterine leiomyomas. (C) 2005 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnoveterinary knowledge and practices at Colares island, Para state, eastern Amazon, Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Use of prebiotics and probiotics of bacterial and yeast origin for free-range broiler chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial and yeast origin on the performance, development of the digestive system, carcass yield and meat quality of free-range broiler chickens. Five hundred and sixty male chicks of the strain ISA S757-N were reared from one to 84 days old. The birds were distributed in four treatments according to a completely randomized block design: T1 = Control, T2 = Probiotics and Prebiotics of bacterial origin, T3 = Probiotics and prebiotics of yeast origin, T4 = Probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial origin + probiotics and prebiotics of yeast origin. There were four repetitions with 35 birds per repetition, and the birds had access to a pasture area after 35 days of age. Characteristics evaluated were performance, development of the digestive system, carcass and parts yield, abdominal fat, breast meat physical measurements (length, width and height) and meat quality parameters (pH from breast and leg meat, cooking loss and shearing force from breast meat). Lower mortality (p<0.05) and higher weight gain from 64 to 77 and 64 to 84 days of age were seen in birds supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial origin compared to the non-supplemented birds (control). There were significant differences (p<0.05) among treatments for carcass yield. Birds supplemented with both probiotics and prebiotics of microbial and yeast origin (T4) showed higher carcass yield than control birds. Supplementation with probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial origin (T2) or the supplementation of these together with those of yeast origin (T4) reduced mortality and increased the carcass yield in free-range broiler chickens.

ORIGIN and EVOLUTION of DOMESTIC CATTLE

The origin and evolution of domestic cattle have recently moved to the forefront of the scientific literature in consideration of their links to human history and to decisions on Genetic Resources conservation strategies. DNA from modern and ancient Bos samples is being analysed to reconstruct, in cooperation with archaezoology, the main events and forces that shaped nowadays cattle genetic diversity. Still, a number of open questions remain, that hopefully will be answered with the help of new technologies and the combined analysis of worldwide data.

Origin of sensory and autonomic innervation of the rat temporomandibular joint: A retrograde axonal tracing study with the fluorescent dye fast blue

Previous studies that have used retrograde axonal tracers (horseradish peroxidase alone or conjugated with wheat germ agglutinin) have shown that the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is supplied with nerve fibers originating mainly from the trigeminal ganglion, in addition to other sensory and sympathetic ganglia. The existence of nerve fibers in the TMJ originating from the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus is unclear, and the possible innervation by parasympathetic nerve fibers has not been determined. In the present work, the retrograde axonal tracer, fast blue, was used to elucidate these questions and re-evaluated the literature data. The tracer was deposited in the supradiscal articular space of the rat TMJ, and an extensive morphometric analysis was performed of the labeled perikaryal profiles located in sensory and autonomic ganglia. This methodology permitted us to observe labeled small perikaryal profiles in the trigeminal ganglion, clustered mainly in the posterior-lateral region of the dorsal, medial and ventral thirds of horizontal sections, with some located in the anterior-lateral region of the ventral third. Sensory perikarya were also labeled in the dorsal root ganglia from C2 to C5. No labeled perikaryal profiles were found in the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus. on the other hand, autonomic labeled perikaryal profiles were distributed in the sympathetic superior cervical and stellate ganglia, and parasympathetic otic ganglion. Our results confirmed those of previous studies and also demonstrated that: (i) there is a distribution pattern of labeled perikaryal profiles in the trigeminal ganglion; (ii) some perikaryal profiles located in the otic ganglion were labeled; and (iii) the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus did not show any retrogradely labeled perikaryal profiles.

Ultrastructure of the ovary of Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: cuterebridae). II. Origin of the tunica propria in ovarioles

Ovaries up to the 8th day pupae of Dermatobia hominis were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Ovarioles were recognized in ovaries of 4-day old pre-pupae, surrounded by a thin tunica propria of acellular fibrilar material similar in structure to the internal portion of the external tunica of the ovary. There is continuity of the tunica propria and the ovarian tunica, indicating that the former structure originates from the tunica externa. In 5 to 7-day pupae the interstitial somatic cells from the apical region of the ovary, close to the ovarioles, show delicate filamentous material inside of their rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae; similar material is seem among these cells. Our observations suggest that interstitial somatic cells do not originate the tunica propria but contribute to its final composition.

A new vision of the origin and the oocyte development in the Ostariophysi applied to Gymnotus sylvius (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes)

Tendo por base os novos conhecimentos oriundos de recentes estudos com Perciformes marinho, a origem e o desenvolvimento dos oócitos no Ostariophysi Gymnotus sylvius são aqui descritos. da mesma maneira que ocorre nos Perciformes, em Gymnotus sylvius as oogônias são encontradas no epitélio germinativo que margeia as lamelas ovígeras. No início da foliculogênese, a proliferação das oogônias e sua entrada em meiose dão origem a ninhos de células germinativas que se projetam em direção ao estroma ovariano, a partir do epitélio germinativo. Os ninhos e o epitélio germinativo são suportados pela mesma membrana basal que os separa do estroma. Coincidindo com a paralisação da meiose os oócitos, presentes nos ninhos, são separados uns dos outros por processos citoplasmáticos das células pré-foliculares. As células pré-foliculares derivam do epitélio germinativo sendo, portanto, inicialmente células epiteliais. Durante a foliculogênese, ao mesmo tempo em que envolvem os oócitos individualizando-os, as células pré-foliculares sintetizam a membrana basal ao seu redor. Os oócitos entram em crescimento primário ainda dentro dos ninhos. Ao término da foliculogênese, o oócito e as células foliculares que compõem o folículo são circundados pela membrana basal. O folículo permanece conectado ao epitélio germinativo uma vez que ambos compartilham uma porção comum da membrana basal. Células oriundas do estroma circundam o folículo ovariano exceto na região de compartilhamento da membrana basal formando a teca. O folículo, a membrana basal e a teca formam o complexo folicular. O desenvolvimento do oócito ocorre dentro do complexo folicular e compreende os estágios de crescimento primário e secundário, maturação e ovulação. Os alvéolos corticais surgem no ooplasma momentos antes do início do crescimento secundário ou estágio vitelogênico que tem início com a deposição de vitelo, progride até o oócito esteja completamente desenvolvido e o ooplasma preenchido pelos glóbulos de vitelo. A maturação é caracterizada pela migração do núcleo ou vesícula germinativa, pela quebra da vesícula germinativa, ou seja, pela fragmentação do envoltório nuclear e, retomada da meiose. Na ovulação o ovo é liberado do complexo folicular para o lúmen ovariano. em comparação com os Perciformes marinhos com ovos pelágicos, o desenvolvimento oocitário em Gymnotus sylvius tem menos etapas dentro dos estágios de desenvolvimento, sendo as duas mais notáveis delas as ausências da formação das gotas de lipídio durante os crescimentos primário e secundário (e a consequente fusão das gotas para formar um único glóbulo de lipídio durante a maturação) e, a hidrólise do vitelo antecedendo a ovulação.

Origin and molecular organization of supernumerary chromosomes of Prochilodus lineatus (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae) obtained by DNA probes

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