Mortalidade do percevejo predador Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) submetido a aplicações tópicas de fungicidas utilizados na cultura da soja.

Considerando a frequente utilização de fungicidas na cultura da soja para o controle da ferrugem-asiática (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) e a falta de informação sobre o impacto desses agroquímicos nos insetos predadores, estudou-se a influência de fungicidas utilizados na cultura da soja sobre a mortalidade do percevejo predador Podisus nigrispinus. O efeito de quatro fungicidas sobre percevejos adultos foi verificado por aplicação tópica de 2µl de cada produto diluído, nas doses recomendadas pelo fabricante em oncentrações equivalentes a um volume de aplicação de 200L de calda. ha -1 ,assim como concentrações 10 vezes superiores à recomendada. A aplicação foi realizada com microaplicador (Burkard Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England) em 20 insetos por tratamento em 3 repetições mais uma testemunha, posteriormente os insetos foram confinados em frascos de vidro tapados com filó. Lagartas da espécie Anticarsia gemmatalis serviam de alimento. Os insetos foram mantidos em BOD sob 25±1,5C° UR 70±5% e 12h de fotofase. Foram realizadas observações diárias durante 7 dias avaliando a mortalidade dos insetos. Os dados foram analisados pelo método de análise de variância, e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey (P= 0,05). As aplicações com a dose recomendada do produto trifloxystrobina+ciproconazol (Sphere ® ) ocasionaram mortalidades médias de 48±1,6 e 50±2,8%, otetraconazol (Eminent 125EW®) provocou mortalidades de 45±5,7 e 71,5±6,6 %, nas doses recomendadas e 10 vezes maiores que a recomendada, respectivamente. Na testemunha observou-se uma mortalidade de 28±3,3% em média, mostrando diferença estatística em relação a esses produtos. Nos testes com os produtos metconazol (Caramba ®) e flutriafol+tiofanato-metílico (Celeiro®) observaram-se mortalidades de 41,5±3,3 e 30±2,8 % para a dose recomendada, e mortalidades de 35±2,8 e 40±2,8% nas doses 10 vezes maiores, respectivamente. Entretanto esses tratamentos não diferiram estatisticamente da testemunha

Spin wave theory for antiferromagnetic XXZ spin model on a triangle lattice in the presence of an external magnetic field

Spin wave theory is applied to a quantum antiferromagnetic XXZ model on a triangle lattice in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field. The effect of the field is found to enhance the quantum fluctuation and to reduce the sublattice magnetization at the intermediate field strength in the anisotropic case. The possible implication to the field driven quantum phase transition from a spin solid to a spin liquid is discussed.Comment: 5 pages,4 figure

Polyphasic identification and typing Trichophytum rubrum strains of clinical origin

The dermatophyte Trychophytum rubrum is the most frequent aetiological agent of dermatophytosis in humans around the world representing a major public health problem, not just for European countries but also for tropical countries where climate conditions allow major propagation for this ascomycete. For instance, in Portugal, T. rubrum was the dermatophyte most frequently isolated (83.3%) in a toenail onychomycosis geriatric population survey [1]. The identification, pathogenicity, biology, and epidemiology of T. rubrum, is of interest for both dermatologists and medical mycologists [1,2]. Currently, in many countries and clinical laboratories, the T. rubrum strains isolated from lesions are primarily identified by conventional culture-based methods, including colony morphology and slide culture only. This approach does not provide evidence of intraspecific variations with a lack of information to track infections, determine common sources of infections and recurrence or reinfection after treatment, and analyse their virulence and drug resistance [3]. The aim of this work is to use a polyphasic approach to study T. rubrum from different geographic origins in order to identify intraspecific characteristics with clinical interest. Materials and Methods About 40 European and South American T. rubrum and reference strains were used. Macro and micro morphological techniques, urease assay, dermatophyte milk agar test and hair perforation test (HPT) where combined with molecular biology techniques, such as the analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, Trubrum specific primers for species differentiation among close related species, mating type MAT1-1 -box characterisation and DNA fingerprinting (e.g., (GACA)4). Results and conclusions Culturally T. rubrum strains showed on the plates white and cottony colonies on the obverse and blood-red pigment on the reverse. T. rubrum strains were urease negative and inhibited in dermatophyte milk agar. In the HPT, which is useful to differentiate T. rubrum from T. interdigitale, any strain was able to perforate the hair despite normal growth being observed. The analysis of ITS region confirmed all the strains as a T. rubrum species as well as the Trubrum primers generate a typical amplicon of 200 bp. The DNA fingerprinting is now explored in order to find the best approach to differentiate intraspecific variations and/or geographic differences. In conclusion, there are several techniques that can be applied to identify and characterise T. rubrum from different origins depending of the technologies available in each clinical laboratory or country.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Revisión sistemática sobre la eficacia y seguridad de los neuroestimuladores periféricos del ganglio esfenopalatino para el tratamiento de la cefalea crónica en racimos refractaria

[EN] Introduction: This study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of peripheral neurostimulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) in the treatment of refractory chronic cluster headache. Development: Various medical databases were used to perform a systematic review of the scientific literature. The search for articles continued until 31 October 2016, and included clinical trials, systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses, health technology assessment reports, and clinical practice guidelines that included measurements of efficiency/effectiveness or adverse effects associated with the treatment. The review excluded cohort studies, case–control studies, case series, literature reviews, letters to the editor, opinion pieces, editorials, and studies that had been duplicated or outdated by later publications from the same institution. Regarding effectiveness, we found that SPG stimulation had positive results for pain relief, attack frequency, medication use, and patients’ quality of life. In the results regarding safety, we found a significant number of adverse events in the first 30 days following the intervention. Removal of the device was necessary in some patients. Little follow-up data, and no long-term data, is available. Conclusions: These results are promising, despite the limited evidence available. We consider it essential for research to continue into the safety and efficacy of SPG stimulation for patients with refractory chronic cluster headache. In cases where this intervention may be indicated, treatment should be closely monitored. [ES] Introducción: El objetivo es evaluar la eficacia y seguridad de los neuroestimuladores periféricos del ganglio esfenopalatino (GEP) para el tratamiento de la cefalea en racimos crónica refractaria al tratamiento. Desarrollo: Revisión sistemática de la literatura científica. Se identificaron estudios mediante una búsqueda en diferentes bases de datos. Las estrategias de búsqueda se realizaron hasta el 31 de octubre de 2016, incluyendo ensayos clínicos, revisiones sistemáticas o metaanálisis, informes de evaluación de tecnologías sanitarias y guías de práctica clínica que recogieran medidas de eficacia/efectividad o efectos adversos asociados al tratamiento. Se excluyeron estudios de cohortes, casos y controles, series de casos, revisiones narrativas, cartas al director, artículos de opinión, editoriales y estudios duplicados o desfasados por estudios posteriores de la misma institución. Respecto a la eficacia, los resultados son positivos tras la estimulación del GEP en relación con el alivio de dolor, el número de episodios, el uso de la medicación o la calidad de vida del paciente. En relación con la seguridad, hay un número importante de efectos adversos en los primeros 30 días de la intervención y en algunos pacientes fue necesaria la retirada del dispositivo. Los datos de seguimiento son a corto plazo y escasos. Conclusiones: Los resultados resultan prometedores a pesar de que la evidencia disponible es limitada. Consideramos fundamental continuar con la investigación sobre la seguridad y eficacia de los neuroestimuladores del GEP en la cefalea en racimos crónica. En aquellos casos en que pueda estar indicada la intervención, el tratamiento debería realizarse supervisado en un estudio de monitorización.S

Effect of surface roughness and sterilization on bacterial adherence to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

AbstractSterilization with ethylene oxide (EO) and gas plasma (GP) are well-known methods applied to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) surfaces in the belief that they prevent major material changes caused by gamma irradiation. However, the influence of these surface sterilization methods on bacterial adherence to UHMWPE is unknown. UHMWPE samples with various degrees of roughness (0.3, 0.8 and 2.0 µm) were sterilized with either GP or EO. The variations in hydrophobicity, surface free energy and surface functional groups were investigated before and after sterilization. Sterilized samples were incubated with either Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis in order to study bacterial adherence to these materials. Fewer bacteria adhered to UHMWPE after sterilization with EO than after sterilization with GP, especially to the smoothest surfaces. No changes in chemical composition of the UHMWPE surface due to sterilization were observed using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis. The decreased bacterial adherence to UHMWPE found at the smoothest surfaces after sterilization with EO was not directly related to changes in chemical composition. Increased bacterial adherence to rougher surfaces was associated with increased polar surface energy of EO-sterilized surfaces

Elemental abundances of low-mass stars in the young clusters 25 Ori and lambda Ori

Aims. We aim to derive the chemical pattern of the young clusters 25 Orionis and lambda Orionis through homogeneous and accurate measurements of elemental abundances. Methods. We present FLAMES/UVES observations of a sample of 14 K-type targets in the 25 Ori and lambda Ori clusters; we measure their radial velocities, in order to confirm cluster membership. We derive stellar parameters and abundances of Fe, Na, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, and Ni using the code MOOG. Results. All the 25 Ori stars are confirmed cluster members without evidence of binarity; in lambda Ori we identify one non-member and one candidate single-lined binary star. We find an average metallicity [Fe/H]=-0.05+/-0.05 for 25 Ori, where the error is the 1sigma standard deviation from the average. lambda Ori members have a mean iron abundance value of 0.01+/-0.01. The other elements show close-to-solar ratios and no star-to-star dispersion. Conclusions. Our results, along with previous metallicity determinations in the Orion complex, evidence a small but detectable dispersion in the [Fe/H] distribution of the complex. This appears to be compatible with large-scale star formation episodes and initial non-uniformity in the pre-cloud medium. We show that, as expected, the abundance distribution of star forming regions is consistent with the chemical pattern of the Galactic thin disk.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics. 14 pages, 10 figures, 7 table