Stochastic stability for Markovian jump linear systems associated with a finite number of jump times

This paper deals with a stochastic stability concept for discrete-time Markovian jump linear systems. The random jump parameter is associated to changes between the system operation modes due to failures or repairs, which can be well described by an underlying finite-state Markov chain. In the model studied, a fixed number of failures or repairs is allowed, after which, the system is brought to a halt for maintenance or for replacement. The usual concepts of stochastic stability are related to pure infinite horizon problems, and are not appropriate in this scenario. A new stability concept is introduced, named stochastic tau-stability that is tailored to the present setting. Necessary and sufficient conditions to ensure the stochastic tau-stability are provided, and the almost sure stability concept associated with this class of processes is also addressed. The paper also develops equivalences among second order concepts that parallels the results for infinite horizon problems. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduction of podocytes number in late diabetic alloxan nephropathy: prevention by glycemic control

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o número de podócitos e espessamento da membrana basal glomerular (MBG) em ratos diabéticos com e sem controle glicêmico com 6 e 12 meses da indução. MÉTODOS: 100 ratos Wistar com 200-300g compuseram 6 grupos: Normal (N6, N12 - 25 animais) Diabético (D6,D12 - 25 animais) e diabético tratado com insulina 1,8 a 3,0 U/Kg e acarbose misturada a ração (50g para cada 100g de ração) (DT6 e DT12 - 25 animais). Aloxana foi ministrada via endovenosa na dose de 42mg/Kg. Peso, ingestão hídrica e diurese de 24 horas e glicemia e glicosúria foram determinados antes da inoculação, 7 e 14 dias após e mensalmente. No 14ª dia foi iniciado o tratamento. Três grupos de animais (N6, D6 e DT6) foram sacrificados no 6° mês e três grupos (N12, D12 e DT12), no 12ª mês sendo o tecido renal processado para estudo à microscopia eletrônica. RESULTADOS: A glicemia dos animais DT6 e DT12 diferiram significativamente, dos ratos D6 e D12, e não diferiram dos grupos N6 e N12. O número de podócitos do grupo DT6 não diferiu de N6 e D6 (mediana=11); o número de podócitos de DT12 (mediana=11) diferiu de D12 (mediana=8) e não diferiu de N12 (mediana=11). O espessamento da MBG de D6 (0,18 micrômetros) foi menor que D12 (0,29 micrômetros); de DT6 (0,16 micrômetros) foi menor que D6 (0,18 micrômetros) e de DT12 (0,26 micrômetros) foi menor que D12 (0,29 micrômetros). CONCLUSÃO: O controle da hiperglicemia preveniu o espessamento da MBG na nefropatia diabética aloxânica precoce (6 meses) e tardia (12 meses), e a diminuição do número de podócitos.

Recurrent copy number gains of ACVR1 and corresponding transcript overexpression are associated with survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efficiency of Matricaria chamomilla CH12 and number of doses of rabies vaccine on the humoral immune response in cattle

This study evaluated the effect of Matricaria chamomilla and vaccination frequency on cattle immunization against rabies. Four groups (n = 15/group) were treated with or without Matricaria chamomilla CH12 and vaccinated with one or two doses of rabies vaccine (30 day interval). No effect of chamomile was found on cattle immunization against rabies; however, antibody titers were protective in cattle vaccinated twice, while 93.3% of cattle vaccinated only once had titers under 0.5 UI/ml after 60 days. In conclusion, the use of chamomile did not alter the Immoral immune response in cattle, and two vaccine doses are suggested for achieving protective antibody titers.

Influence of Different Ceramics on Resin Cement Knoop Hardness Number

This study evaluated: 1) the effect of different ceramics on light attenuation that could affect microhardness, measured as the Knoop Hardness Number (KHN), of a resin cement immediately and 24 hours after polymerization and 2) the effect of different activation modes (direct light-activation, light activation through ceramics and chemical activation) on the KHN of a resin cement.Resin cement Rely X ARC (3M ESPE) specimens 5.0 mm in diameter and 1.0 nun thick were made in a Teflon mold covered with a polyester film. The cement was directly light activated for 40 seconds with an XL 2500 curing unit (3M ESPE) with 650 mW/cm(2), light activated through ceramic discs of Duceram Plus (DeguDent), Cergogold (DeguDent), IPS Empress (Ivoclar), IPS Empress 2 (Ivoclar), Procera. (NobelBiocare), In Ceram Alumina (Vita) and Cercon (DeguDent), having a 1.2 mm thickness or chemically activated without light application. The resin cement specimens were flattened, and KHN was obtained using an HMV 2 microhardness tester (Shimadzu) with a load of 50 g applied for 15 seconds 100 pin from the irradiated surface immediately and after storage at 37 degrees C for 24 hours. Ten measurements were made for each specimen, with three specimens for each group at each time. The data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test (p=0.05). The KHN of the resin cement was not only affected by the mode of activation, but also by the post-activation testing time. The mean KHN of the resin cement for chemical activation and through all ceramics showed statistically significant lower values compared to direct activation immediately and at 24 hours. The KHN for 24 hours post-activation was always superior to the immediate post-activation test except with direct activation. The most opaque ceramics resulted in the lowest KHN values.

Decrease in the number and apoptosis of alveolar bone osteoclasts in estrogen-treated rats

Bone is a mineralized tissue that is under the influence of several systemic, local and environmental factors. Among systemic factors, estrogen is a hormone well known for its inhibitory function on bone resorption. As alveolar bone of young rats undergoes continuous and intense remodeling to accommodate the growing and erupting tooth, it is a suitable in vivo model for using to study the possible action of estrogen on bone. Thus, in an attempt to investigate the possibility that estrogen may induce the death of osteoclasts, we examined the alveolar bone of estrogen-treated rats.Fifteen, 22-d-old female rats were divided into estrogen, sham and control groups. The estrogen group received estrogen and the sham group received corn oil used as the dilution vehicle. After 8 d, fragments containing alveolar bone were removed and processed for light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-an osteoclast marker. Quantitative analysis of the number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts per mm of bone surface was carried out. For detecting apoptosis, sections were analyzed by the Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) method; TUNEL/TRAP combined methods were also used.The number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts per mm of bone surface was significantly reduced in the estrogen group compared with the sham and control groups. TRAP-positive osteoclasts exhibiting TUNEL-positive nuclei were observed only in the estrogen group. In addition, in the estrogen group the ultrastructural images revealed shrunken osteoclasts exhibiting nuclei with conspicuous and tortuous masses of condensed chromatin, typical of apoptosis.Our results reinforce the idea that estrogen inhibits bone resorption by promoting a reduction in the number of osteoclasts, thus indicating that this reduction may be, at least in part, a consequence of osteoclast apoptosis.

Decrease in sperm number after treatment of rats with Austroplenckia populnea

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a hexanic extract (HE) made from leaves of A. populnea collected in Botucatu, State of São Paulo, and Nova Lima, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, at a range of doses during 7 and 14 days, on the male reproductive system of rats. The treatment did not affect the body weight, nor absolute organ weight. The serum testosterone levels, testicular sperm head counts, daily sperm production, and sperm morphology did not differ from that of the control groups. The spermatogenesis and the morphometric parameters of cauda epididymidis were not affected by the treatment. Cauda epididymis sperm number was significantly reduced in the group that received HE of Nova Lima, 1 g/kg/day, during 14 days, from the control group. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bovine genome are associated with the number of oocytes collected during ovum pick up

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

Cytogenetic characterization of Eurysternus caribaeus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): evidence of sex-autosome fusion and diploid number reduction prior to species dispersion

Mitotic and meiotic chromosomes of several populations of Eurysternus caribaeus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were analysed through conventional staining, C-banding, base-specific fluorochromes, silver nitrate staining and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). All specimens showed 2n = 8 in their karyotypes, with a neo-XY sex system (Y is a submetacentric and X a metacentric) and three pairs of submetacentric autosomes. The analysis of constitutive heterochromatin (CH) revealed small blocks located in the centromeric region of all chromosomes which do not present positive staining under the fluorochromes CMA3 and DAPI. Silver nitrate staining revealed that the nucleolar organizer region (NORs) is associated with the sex chromosomes. The FISH technique revealed that rDNA sites in the X and Y are different in size. Data from different populations indicate that the diploid number reduction (2n = 8) observed in E. caribaeus is established and presumably has preceded the dispersion of this species. Moreover, this reduction occasioned the translocation of rDNA sites to the sex chromosomes, X and Y, an uncommon pattern in Scarabaeidae that was observed for the first time by the FISH in this work.

Chromosomal data of two pholcids (Araneae, Haplogynae): A new diploid number and the first cytogenetical record for the New World Clade

Mesobolivar luteus (Keyserling 1891) and Micropholcus fauroli (Simon 1887) specimens were collected in Ubatuba and Rio Claro, both in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Mesabolivar luteus showed 2n (male) = 15 = 14 + X and 2n (9) = 16 = 14 + XX in mitotic metaphases and 711 + X in diplotenic cells. During late prophage 1, all bivalents presented a ring shape, evidencing two chiasmata per bivalent. In this species, some diplotenic cells appear in pairs, maybe due to specific characteristics of the intercellular bridges. The metaphases 11 showed n = 7 or n = 8 = 7 + X chromosomes. Micropholcus fauroti evidenced 2n (male) = 17 = 16 + X in spermatogonial metaphases and 8II+X in diplotenic cells, with only one chiasma per bivalent, contrasting with M. luteus. In both species, all chromosomes were metacentrics. The sexual chromosome X was the largest element and appeared as a univalent during meiosis I. These are the first cytogenetical data for the genera Mesabolivar and Micropholcus. Additionally, M. luteus is the first chromosomally analyzed species of the New World clade and the observed diploid number for M. fauroti had not yet been recorded in Pholcidae.

Differences in the number of some antennal sensilla of four honey bee (Apis mellifera) types and comparisons with the defensive behaviour

The number of sensilla coeloconica, ampullacea and campaniformia of flagellomeres 3 to 10 of the antennae of workers of four honey bee types (Italian, Caucasian, African and Africanized) was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Comparisons of the four bee types showed that only African and Africanized honey bees did not differ from one another with respect to the number of sensilla coeloconica and ampullacea of flagellomere 10. African and Africanized honey bees and Caucasian and Italian honey bees also did not differ from one another in terms of flagellomere 9. In the other flagellomeres there were no differences among bee types. Italian and Caucasian honey bees differed from Africanized honey bees in terms of number of sensilla campaniformia on flagellomere 6, and Caucasian honey bees differed from African and Africanized honey bees in terms of flagellomere 3. Five significant but random correlation values were obtained between number of antennal sensilla and defensive behaviour in Africanized honey bees. Thus,there is no relationship between antennal structures and defence behaviour.

Chromosomes of Theridiidae spiders (Entelegynae): interspecific karyotype diversity in Argyrodes and diploid number intraspecific variability in Nesticodes rufipes

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

Extreme degree of chromosome number variability in species of the spider genus Scytodes (Araneae, Haplogynae, Scytodidae)

Genus Scytodes includes most species of the spider family Scytodidae. Until now, 187 species of the genus have been described. In spite of this great diversity, only three Scytodes species were karyotyped so far. The present paper provides for the first time karyotype analysis of two synanthropic species, Scytodes fusca and Scytodes itapevi. Furthermore, new data on karyotype of Scytodes globula are also provided using conventional and differential cytogenetical procedures. The diploid number in the genus Scytodes varied considerably, namely from 2n = 13 to 2n = 31. The diploid number found in S. globula (2n male = 13) is the lowest in haplogyne spiders with monocentric chromosomes. Except S. globula, this number has been found only in one haplogyne spider with monocentric chromosomes, namely Ochyrocera sp. (Ochyroceratidae). on the contrary, the diploid number of S. fusca (2n male = 31) is one of the highest diploid numbers recorded in haplogyne spiders. The degree of intrageneric variation found in the genus Scytodes is the highest recorded in araneomorph spiders with monocentric chromosomes so far. Some karyotype characteristics (diploid number, chromosome morphology, total chromosome length, and distribution of constitutive heterochromatin) allowed us to postulate a close relationship between S. globula and S. itapevi. According to the karyotype data, S. fusca is not closely related to these two species. This conclusion corroborates a recent taxonomic work that grouped S. globula, S. itapevi, and other four Scytodes species in the 'globula group'.

Cytogenetic analyses of eight species in the genus Leptodactylus Fitzinger, 1843 (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae), including a new diploid number and a karyotype with multiple translocations

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)