Psilídeos do Brasil (Hemiptera, Psylloidea): surpreendente diversidade de um grupo de insetos fitófagos.

Resumo

Linearizability with Ownership Transfer

Linearizability is a commonly accepted notion of correctness for libraries of concurrent algorithms. Unfortunately, it assumes a complete isolation between a library and its client, with interactions limited to passing values of a given data type. This is inappropriate for common programming languages, where libraries and their clients can communicate via the heap, transferring the ownership of data structures, and can even run in a shared address space without any memory protection. In this paper, we present the first definition of linearizability that lifts this limitation and establish an Abstraction Theorem: while proving a property of a client of a concurrent library, we can soundly replace the library by its abstract implementation related to the original one by our generalisation of linearizability. This allows abstracting from the details of the library implementation while reasoning about the client. We also prove that linearizability with ownership transfer can be derived from the classical one if the library does not access some of data structures transferred to it by the client

An annotated checklist of the psyllids of New Zealand (Hemiptera: Psylloidea)

A checklist of extant species of Psylloidea in New Zealand is presented. The list is structured according to the latest taxonomic classification of families, subfamilies and genera. It includes 99 species, 71 of which are formally described and named, along with information on the host plants and the natural enemies as aspects that are either species-specific or assist in their recognition. An updated distribution of each species is given based on literature records and material held in the major New Zealand entomological collections and databases, including from very recent field surveys. A new record for New Zealand is Phellopsylla formicosa

Treatment of mitral stenosis

In patients with mitral stenosis the need for therapeutic intervention can be assessed by clinical and non-invasive data. Mitral valve replacement is indicated when marked dyspnoea on mild exertion, dyspnoea at rest or pulmonray oedema, haemoptpis, atrial fibrillation, recurrent systemic emboli or right ventricular failure occur in a patient with a mitral valve area of <1·5cm2, as memured by Doppler echocardiography. This treatment will entail life-long anticoagulation in the majoriv of patients. Closed commissurotomy is no longer considered a valid therapeutic alternative due to its limited success rate but open cormmissurotomy and balloon valvotomy may be performed in patients with no significant calcification of valve cusps and no major concomitant mitral regurgitation. Preservation of the subvalvular apparatus and left ventricular geometry can be comidered the most important advantages of these techniques. More severe chronic symptom are generally required m indication for mitral valve replacement because of the additional long-term imponderabilities imposed by an implanted artrficial device. Therefore, in patienb with mitral stenosis different symptom and clinical findings will eventually lead to different intervention

Effects of chronic widespread pain on the health status and quality of life of women after breast cancer surgery

BACKGROUND: Most research and treatment of post-breast cancer chronic pain has focused on local or regional pain problems in the operated area. The purpose of this pilot study was to compare and contrast the pain characteristics, symptom impact, health status, and quality of life of post-breast cancer surgery women with regional chronic pain versus those with widespread chronic pain. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive design compared two groups of women with chronic pain that began after surgery: regional pain (n = 11) and widespread pain (n = 12). Demographics, characteristics of the surgery, as well as standardized questionnaires that measured pain (Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ-SF)), disease impact (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B)), health status (Medical Outcomes Short Form (SF-36)) and quality of life (Quality of Life Scale (QOLS)) were gathered. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups on any demographic or type of surgery variable. A majority of both groups described their pain as aching, tender, and sharp on the MPQ-SF. On the BPI, intensity of pain and pain interference were significantly higher in the widespread pain group. Differences between the two groups reached statistical significance on the FIQ total score as well as the FACT-B physical well-being, emotional well-being and breast concerns subscales. The SF-36 physical function, physical role, and body pain subscales were significantly lower in the widespread pain group. QOLS scores were lower in the widespread pain group, but did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: This preliminary work suggests that the women in this study who experienced widespread pain after breast cancer surgery had significantly more severity of pain, pain impact and lower physical health status than those with regional pain

Mechanical concept of the neurosurgical robot ‘Minerva'

We describe a robot capable of performing all procedures necessary to carry out a complete stereotactic neurosurgical operation under the control and supervision of a surgeon. The operation consists of the introduction of a small probe with diameter 2-3 mm through a hole without trepanation. The robot has been built and is now being tested and evaluated. The accompanying control software as well as various medical probes are either in development or partially tested. The installation will be able to carry out a complete intervention under the surveillance of a computed tomography scanner. In this article we emphasize the design choices required to eliminate gearing backlash in a crucial degree of freedo

Psyllid host-plants (Hemiptera: Psylloidea): resolving a semantic problem.

Evolutionary and biological patterns can be obscured by inadequate or ill-defined terminology. An example is the generally very specific relationship between the sap-feeding hemipteran group, psyllids, and their breeding plants, commonly called host-plants. The literature is clogged with references to so called ?hosts?, which are often merely plants on which psyllids were found accidentally, and no immature development was detected. Recently the term host has also been applied by some authors to any plant on which immature or adults feed. Here we propose a terminology to clarify associated plant definitions, and we suggest restricting the use of the term host-plant to plants on which a psyllid species completes its immature to adult life cycle. For the other plant associations we suggest the terms overwintering or shelter plant (plants on which adult psyllids overwinter and on which they may feed), food plant (plants on which adult psyllids feed, but do not breed and do not spend an extended period of time) and casual plant (plants on which adult psyllids land but do not feed)