RNA Interference – Natural Gene-Based Technology for Highly Specific Pest Control (HiSPeC)

RNAi technologies are more environmentally friendly, as the technology provides greater specificity in pest targeting, while reducing the potential negative effects on ecosystems and leaving beneficial insects and other organisms unharmed in crop ecosystems. Consequently, the increase in native fauna improves the efficacy of biological control agents against pests and pathogens. A growing understanding of the ubiquitous nature of RNAi, along with evidence for efficient, non-transgenic, topical applications has already begun to garner support among organic and industry producers. Designing solutions to agricultural problems based upon the same mechanisms used in nature provides newer, safer solutions to pests and pathogens for all agricultural industries

Erupted Complex Odontoma Mimicking a Mandibular Second Molar

Complex odontoma (CO) is considered one of the most common odontogenic lesions, composed by a miscellaneous of dental tissue such as enamel, dentin, pulp and sometimes cementum. They may interfere with the eruption of an associated tooth, being more prevalent in the posterior mandible. CO has been rarely reported as erupted, being considered an intraosseous lesion. This is a case report of a 17-year-old male with a benign fibro-osseous lesion consistent with CO that was located at the left second molar region, above the crown of the impacted mandibular second molar tooth. The lesion was surgically removed, and the tooth had to be extracted, since there was no indication that it could erupt naturally or with orthodontic traction. The histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of CO and after 6 months complete bone formation was observed radiographically. An early diagnosis will provide a better treatment option, avoiding tooth extraction or a more damaging surgery

Development of an automatic identification algorithm for antibiogram analysis

Routinely, diagnostic and microbiology laboratories perform antibiogram analysis which can present some difficulties leading to misreadings and intra and inter-reader deviations. An Automatic Identification Algorithm (AIA) has been proposed as a solution to overcome some issues associated with the disc diffusion method, which is the main goal of this work. AIA allows automatic scanning of inhibition zones obtained by antibiograms. More than 60 environmental isolates were tested using susceptibility tests which were performed for 12 different antibiotics for a total of 756 readings. Plate images were acquired and classified as standard or oddity. The inhibition zones were measured using the AIA and results were compared with reference method (human reading), using weighted kappa index and statistical analysis to evaluate, respectively, inter-reader agreement and correlation between AIA-based and human-based reading. Agreements were observed in 88% cases and 89% of the tests showed no difference or a o4 mm difference between AIA and human analysis, exhibiting a correlation index of 0.85 for all images, 0.90 for standards and 0.80 for oddities with no significant difference between automatic and manual method. AIA resolved some reading problems such as overlapping inhibition zones, imperfect microorganism seeding, non-homogeneity of the circumference, partial action of the antimicrobial, and formation of a second halo of inhibition. Furthermore, AIA proved to overcome some of the limitations observed in other automatic methods. Therefore, AIA may be a practical tool for automated reading of antibiograms in diagnostic and microbiology laboratoriesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Influence zones of pile-drive noise on a resident population of bottlenose dolphins in the Sado estuary, Portugal

Inexistent

Investigação de foco, uma das atividades das campanhas de controle dos transmissores da tripanossomíase americana

A entrega à Superintendência de Controle de Endemias por um morador do Município do Espírito Santo do Pinhal, Estado de São Paulo (Brasil), de um inseto suspeito de "barbeiro", encontrado na casa (quarto), sua correta identificação e exame, P. megistus infectado por Trypanosoma tipo cruzi, desencadeou uma operação de "investigação de foco", realizada através de operações de campo e laboratório. Esses trabalhos evidenciaram a presença da enzootia chagásica naquela localidade, bem como, a possibilidade do T. cruzi chegar aos seus moradores. Tal não ocorrendo, entre outros fatores, em decorrência das atividades de controle em andamento. Foi destacado o valor da "denúncia" (notificação) feita pelo morador e relatadas atividades ligadas à investigação de foco.The delivery to the Superintendência de Controle de Endemias (SUCEN) of an insect suspected of being the "barbeiro", the transmitter of the Chagas' disease, unleashed a focal point investigation with laboratory and field operations. The insect had been found in the house of the person who had brought it in; examination showed it to be the "barbeiro", that is, P. megistus, infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Investigation proved the enzootic presence of South American Trypanosomiasis in the area and the possibility of houses being invaded by the T. cruzi. This was avoided through controls put into effect immediately, showing the importance of promptly informing the health agency responsible and thorough follow-up by health authorities

Probing the reciprocal lattice associated with a triangular slit to determine the orbital angular momentum for a photon

The orbital angular momentum conservation of light reveals different diffraction patterns univocally dependent on the topological charge of the incident light beam when passing through a triangular aperture. It is demonstrated that these patterns, which are accessed by observing the far-field measurement of the diffracted light, can also be obtained using few photon sources. In order to explain the observed patterns, we introduce an analogy of this optical phenomenon with the study of diffraction for the characterization of the crystal structure of solids. We demonstrate that the finite pattern can be associated with the reciprocal lattice obtained from the direct lattice generated by the primitive vectors composing any two of the sides of the equilateral triangular slit responsible for the diffraction. Using the relation that exists between the direct and reciprocal lattices, we provide a conclusive explanation as to why the diffraction pattern of the main maxima is finite. This can shed a new light on the investigation of crystallographic systems