Morphological and physiological caste differences in Synoeca cyanea (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini) according to the ontogenetic development of the colonies

Morphological caste differences in different stages of the biological cycle in Synoeca cyanea were not distinct. Females presented a gradual sequence in ovarian development from filamentous ovarioles to well developed ones with the presence of intermediates, with shorter ovaries than queens, which can be present or not according to the stage of colonial development. Such data suggest that access to the reproductive status would only be possible in some intervals of colonial development.

Electromyographic evaluation of the upper lip according to the breathing mode: A longitudinal study

The present study aimed at analyzing and comparing longitudinally the EMG (electromyographic activity) of the superior orbicularis oris muscle according to the breathing mode. The sample, 38 adolescents with Angle Class II Division 1 malocclusion with predominantly nose (PNB) or mouth (PMB) breathing, was evaluated at two different periods, with a two-year interval between them. For that purpose, a 16-channel electromyography machine was employed, which was properly calibrated in a PC equipped with an analogue-digital converter, with utilization of surface, passive and bipolar electrodes. The RMS data (root mean square) were collected at rest and in 12 movements and normalized according to time and amplitude, by the peak value of EMG, in order to allow comparisons between subjects and between periods. Comparison of the muscle function of PNB and PMB subjects at period 1 (P1), period 2 (P2) and the variation between periods (Δ) did not reveal statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.05). However, longitudinal evaluation of the muscle function in PNB and PMB subjects demonstrated different evolutions in the percentage of required EMG for accomplishment of the movements investigated. It was possible to conclude that there are differences in the percentage of electric activity of the upper lip with the growth of the subjects according to the breathing mode.

Situación jurídica de la mujer latinoamericana y del Caribe definida según las resoluciones y mandatos del sistema de las Naciones Unidas = Legal situation of women in Latin America and the Caribbean defined according to the resolutions and mandates of the United Nations system

Incluye Bibliografía

Comments on the paper presented by professor Christian Morrisson: The redistributive consequence of public choices according to the development of economies""

Includes bibliography

Genetic diversity among volunteer donors of bone marrow in southeastern Brazil, according to the HLA system

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO:Para a realização de transplantes de medula óssea com material alogênico, é necessária a verificação de histocompatibilidade das moléculas do sistema HLA (human leukocyte antigen), fundamental para o sucesso desses transplantes. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi caracterizar os doadores de medula óssea segundo gênero, idade, etnia e grupos HLA de um centro regional de hemoterapia brasileiro.TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL:Estudo descritivo dos doadores cadastrados em um centro regional de hemoterapia de um hospital público universitário da região Sudeste do Brasil.MÉTODOS:Foram consultadas as fichas dos 66.780 doadores cadastrados entre 2005 e junho de 2011 e tabuladas as variáveis estudadas.RESULTADOS:Encontrou-se distribuição equilibrada entre os gêneros, e 82,8% dos doadores tinham até 45 anos de idade. Quanto à etnia auto-referida, 77,3% se apresentaram como brancos, 15,0% como pardos, 5,7% como negros, os 2% restantes dividindo-se em outras etnias. Quanto à caracterização imunogenética, no grupo alélico HLA-A, o mais frequente foi o HLA-A*02, com 39,20%; no grupo alélico HLA-B, o mais comum foi o HLA-B*35, com 14,18%; no grupo alélico HLA-DRB1, o mais frequente foi o HLA-DRB1*03, com 17,03% do total de doadores. Quando esses resultados são comparados com os dados do cadastro nacional de doadores (REDOME), observam-se diferenças demográficas e imunogenéticas, que se explicam pelo histórico de imigração da região de Ribeirão Preto, no Sudeste brasileiro.CONCLUSÕES:Os resultados encontrados reforçam a importância de conhecer o perfil demográfico e imunogenético das regiões do Brasil, para reduzir o tempo de espera por um doador histocompatível.

Mandibular growth and dentoalveolar development in the treatment of Class II, division 1, malocclusion using Balters Bionator according to the skeletal maturation

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of the skeletal maturation in the mandibular and dentoalveolar growth and development during the Class II, division 1, malocclusion correction with Balters bionator. METHODS: Three groups of children with Class II, division 1, malocclusion were evaluated. Two of them were treated for one year with the bionator of Balters appliance in different skeletal ages (Group 1: 6 children, 7 to 8 years old and Group 2: 10 children, 9 to 10 years old) and the other one was followed without treatment (Control Group: 7 children, 8 to 9 years old). Lateral 45 degree cephalometric radiographs were used for the evaluation of the mandibular growth and dentoalveolar development. Tantalum metallic implants were used as fixed and stable references for radiograph superimposition and data acquisition. Student's t test was used in the statistical analysis of the displacement of the points in the condyle, ramus, mandibular base and dental points. Analysis of variance one-fixed criteria was used to evaluate group differences (95% of level of significance). RESULTS: The intragroup evaluation showed that all groups present significant skeletal growth for all points analyzed (1.2 to 3.7 mm), but in an intergroup comparison, the increment of the mandibular growth in the condyle, ramus and mandibular base were not statically different. For the dentoalveolar modifications, the less mature children showed greater labial inclination of the lower incisors (1.86 mm) and the most mature children showed greater first permanent molar extrusion (4.8 mm).

Evaluation of bond strength and thickness of adhesive layer according to the techniques of applying adhesives in composite resin restorations

Adhesive restorations have increasingly been used in dentistry, and the adhesive system application technique may determine the success of the restorative procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the application technique of two adhesive systems (Clearfil SE Bond and Adper Scotchbond MultiPurpose) on the bond strength and adhesive layer of composite resin restorations. Eight human third molars were selected and prepared with Class I occlusal cavities. The teeth were restored with composite using various application techniques for both adhesives, according to the following groups (n = 10): group 1 (control), systems were applied and adhesive was immediately light activated for 20 seconds without removing excesses; group 2, excess adhesive was removed with a gentle jet of air for 5 seconds; group 3, excess was removed with a dry microbrush-type device; and group 4, a gentle jet of air was applied after the microbrush and then light activation was performed. After this, the teeth were submitted to microtensile testing. For the two systems tested, no statistical differences were observed between groups 1 and 2. Groups 3 and 4 presented higher bond strength values compared with the other studied groups, allowing the conclusion that excess adhesive removal with a dry micro-brush could improve bond strength in composite restorations. Predominance of adhesive fracture and thicker adhesive layer were observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in groups 1 and 2. For groups 3 and 4, a mixed failure pattern and thinner adhesive layer were verified. Clinicians should be aware that excess adhesive may negatively affect bond strength, whereas a thin, uniform adhesive layer appears to be favorable. (Quintessence Int 2013;44:9-15)

Evaluation of plasma homocysteine level according to the C677T and A1298C polymorphism of the enzyme MTHRF in type 2 diabetic adults

Objective: To determine plasma homocysteine levels during fasting and after methionine overload, and to correlate homocysteinemia according to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism in type 2 diabetic adults. Subjects and methods: The study included 50 type 2 diabetic adults (DM group) and 52 healthy subjects (Control group). Anthropometric data, and information on food intake, serum levels of vitamin B 12, folic acid and plasma homocysteine were obtained. The identification of C677T and A1298C polymorphisms was carried out in the MTHFR gene. Results: There was no significant difference in homocysteinemia between the two groups, and hyperhomocysteinemia during fasting occurred in 40% of the diabetic patients and in 23% of the controls. For the same polymorphism, there was not any significant difference in homocysteine between the groups. In the Control group, homocysteinemia was greater in those subjects with C677T and A1298C polymorphisms. Among diabetic subjects, those with the A1298C polymorphism had lower levels of homocysteine compared with individuals with C677T polymorphism. Conclusion: The MTHFR polymorphism (C677T and A1298C) resulted in different outcomes regarding homocysteinemia among individuals of each group (diabetic and control). These data suggest that metabolic factors inherent to diabetes influence homocysteine metabolism. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(7):429-34

Cost-effectiveness analysis of universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination in Brazil: Regional analyses according to the endemic context

Objective: To To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of a universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination program in Brazil. Methods: An age and time-dependent dynamic model was developed to estimate the incidence of hepatitis A for 24 years. The analysis was run separately according to the pattern of regional endemicity, one for South + Southeast (low endemicity) and one for the North + Northeast + Midwest (intermediate endemicity). The decision analysis model compared universal childhood vaccination with current program of vaccinating high risk individuals. Epidemiologic and cost estimates were based on data from a nationwide seroprevalence survey of viral hepatitis, primary data collection, National Health Information Systems and literature. The analysis was conducted from both the health system and societal perspectives. Costs are expressed in 2008 Brazilian currency (Real). Results: A universal immunization program would have a significant impact on disease epidemiology in all regions, resulting in 64% reduction in the number of cases of icteric hepatitis, 59% reduction in deaths for the disease and a 62% decrease of life years lost, in a national perspective. With a vaccine price of R$16.89 (US$7.23) per dose, vaccination against hepatitis A was a cost-saving strategy in the low and intermediate endemicity regions and in Brazil as a whole from both health system and society perspective. Results were most sensitive to the frequency of icteric hepatitis, ambulatory care and vaccine costs. Conclusions: Universal childhood vaccination program against hepatitis A could be a cost-saving strategy in all regions of Brazil. These results are useful for the Brazilian government for vaccine related decisions and for monitoring population impact if the vaccine is included in the National Immunization Program. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precision of Usual Food Intake Estimates According to the Percentage of Individuals with a Second Dietary Measurement

Background Statistical methods for estimating usual intake require at least two short-term dietary measurements in a subsample of the target population. However, the percentage of individuals with a second dietary measurement (replication rate) may influence the precision of estimates, such as percentiles and proportions of individuals below cut-offs of intake. Objective To investigate the precision of the usual food intake estimates using different replication rates and different sample sizes. Participants/setting Adolescents participating in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2008 (n=1,304) who completed two 24-hour recalls. Statistical analyses performed The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate the usual intake of dark green vegetables in the original sample comprising 1,304 adolescents with a replication rate of 100%. A bootstrap with 100 replications was performed to estimate CIs for percentiles and proportions of individuals below cut-offs of intake. Using the same bootstrap replications, four sets of data sets were sampled with different replication rates (80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%). For each data set created, the National Cancer Institute method was performed and percentiles, Cl, and proportions of individuals below cut-offs were calculated. Precision estimates were checked by comparing each Cl obtained from data sets with different replication rates with the Cl obtained from original data set. Further, we sampled 1,000, 750, 500, and 250 individuals from the original data set, and performed the same analytical procedures. Results Percentiles of intake and percentage of individuals below the cut-off points were similar throughout the replication rates and sample sizes, but the Cl increased as the replication rate decreased. Wider CIs were observed at 40% and 20% of replication rate. Conclusions The precision of the usual intake estimates decreased when low replication rates were used. However, even with different sample sizes, replication rates >40% may not lead to an important loss of precision. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112:1015-1020.

Multivariate analyses of UV-Vis absorption spectral data from cachaca wood extracts: a model to classify aged Brazilian cachacas according to the wood species used

Multivariate analyses of UV-Vis spectral data from cachaca wood extracts provide a simple and robust model to classify aged Brazilian cachacas according to the wood species used in the maturation barrels. The model is based on inspection of 93 extracts of oak and different Brazilian wood species by a non-aged cachaca used as an extraction solvent. Application of PCA (Principal Components Analysis) and HCA (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) leads to identification of 6 clusters of cachaca wood extracts (amburana, amendoim, balsamo, castanheira, jatoba, and oak). LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis) affords classification of 10 different wood species used in the cachaca extracts (amburana, amendoim, balsamo, cabreuva-parda, canela-sassafras, castanheira, jatoba, jequitiba-rosa, louro-canela, and oak) with an accuracy ranging from 80% (amendoim and castanheira) to 100% (balsamo and jequitiba-rosa). The methodology provides a low-cost alternative to methods based on liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to classify cachacas aged in barrels that are composed of different wood species.

Different degrees of malnutrition and immunological alterations according to the aetiology of cirrhosis: a prospective and sequential study

Abstract Objectives In this work we investigated how immunological dysfunction and malnutrition interact in alcoholic and viral aetiologies of cirrhosis. Methods To investigate the matter, 77 cirrhotic patients divided in three aetiologies [Alcohol, HCV and Alcohol + HCV) and 32 controls were prospectivelly and sequentially studied. Parameters of humoral immunity (Components 3 and 4 of seric complement and immunoglobulins A M, G and E) and of cellular immunity (total leukocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood, T lymphocytes subpopulations, CD4+ and CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and intradermic tests of delayed hypersensitivity), as well as nutrititional parameters: anthropometric measures, serum albumin and transferrin were evaluated. Results Multiple statistical comparisons showed that IgM was higher in HCV group; IgG was significantly elevated in both HCV and Alcohol + HCV, whereas for the Alcohol group, IgE was found at higher titles. The analysis of T- lymphocytes subpopulations showed no aetiologic differences, but intradermic tests of delayed hypersensitivity did show greater frequency of anergy in the Alcohol group. For anthropometric parameters, the Alcohol +HCV group displayed the lowest triceps skinfold whereas creatinine – height index evaluation was more preserved in the HCV group. Body mass index, arm muscle area and arm fat area showed that differently from alcohol group, the HCV group was similar to control. Conclusion Significant differences were found among the main aetiologies of cirrhosis concerning immunological alterations and nutritional status: better nutrition and worse immunology for HCV and vice-versa for alcohol.

Vertical growth of mini watermelon according to the training height and plant density

The watermelon is traditionally cultivated horizontally on the ground. The cultivars of small fruits (1 to 3 kg), which reach better market prices, are also being grown in a greenhouse, where the plants are trained upward on vertical supports, with branches pruning and fruits thinning. These practices make possible an increase of the plant density, fruit quality and yield compared to the traditional growth system. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the influence of three training heights (1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 m) and two planting densities (3.17 and 4.76 plants m-2) over the productive and qualitative characteristics of mini watermelon "Smile" cultivated in greenhouse. The pruning was done at 43, 55 and 66 days after transplanting (DAT), when the plant height reached 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 m, respectively. The dry mass of branches, petioles, leaves and total were affected by the training height, where the highest values were obtained by the plants pruned at 2.2 and 2.7 m. Leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf area index were not affected by the height of the plants. The training height of 2.7 m raised the total yield, however, marketable yield, average fruit mass and all the quality characteristics did not differ significantly from those obtained by the training height of 2.2 m. Regarding to plant density, the best option was 4.76 plants m-2, due to the increasing of marketable yield in 37.4% without reducing the average weight of fruits.

Short- and long-term immunological and virological outcome in HIV-infected infants according to the age at antiretroviral treatment initiation

The clinical benefit of antiretroviral therapy in infants is established. In this cohort collaboration, we compare immunological and virological response to treatment started before or after 3 months of age. Early initiation provides a better short-term response, although evolution after 12 months of age is similar in both groups.