A Physical Basis for the Probabilistic Prediction of the Accumulated Tropical Cyclone Kinetic Energy in the Western North Pacific

The relationship between El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) andtropical storm (TS) activity over the western North Pacific Ocean is examined for the period from 1981 to 2010. In El Nino years, TS genesis locations are generally shifted to the southeast relative to normal years and the passages of TSs tend to recurve to the northeast. TSs of greater duration and more intensity during an El Nino summer induce an increase of the accumulated tropical cyclone kinetic energy (ACE). Based on the strong relationship between the TS properties and ENSO, a probabilistic predictionfor seasonal ACE is investigated using a hybrid dynamical-statistical model. A statistical relationship is developed between the observed ACE and largescale variables taken from the ECMWF seasonal forecast system 4 hindcasts.The ACE correlates positively with the SST anomaly over the central to eastern Pacific and negatively with the vertical wind shear near the date line.The vertical wind shear anomalies over the central and western Pacific are selected aspredictors based on sensitivity tests of ACE predictive skill. The hybrid model performs quite well in forecasting seasonal ACE with a correlation coefficient between the observed and predicted ACE at 0.80 over the30-yr period. A relative operating characteristic analysis also indicates that the ensembles have significant probabilistic skill for both the above-normal and below-normal categories. By comparing the ACE prediction over theperiod from 2003 to 2011, the hybrid model appears more skillful than the forecast from the Tropical Storm Risk consortium.open1

TÉCNICA DA MATRIZ PALATINA DE SILICONA PARA RESTAURAÇÕES ESTÉTICAS EM DENTES ANTERIORES E ESTRATIFICAÇÃO COM RESINAS COMPOSTAS: RELATO DE CASO

A evolução dos materiais restauradores associados ao uso dos sistemas adesivos possibilitou a realização de restaurações estéticas com pouco desgaste dental, resultando em procedimentos mais conservadores. Assim, o cirurgião dentista devolve ao paciente um sorriso saudável com características e aparência naturais, pois as resinas compostas disponíveis no mercado oferecem diferentes graus de opacidade e translucidez. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se relatar um caso clínico envolvendo restaurações de dentes anteriores utilizando-se a técnica da guia de silicone. Clinicamente, o paciente apresentava restaurações classe IV na região distal do elemento 11 e mesial do elemento 12, com microfraturas nas faces proximais e infiltração marginal, tornando essas restaurações insatisfatórias do ponto de vista funcional e estético, justificando o tratamento restaurador; por se tratarem de dentes anterossuperiores, optou-se pela utilização da técnica da matriz palatina direta de silicona. Nessa técnica, a massa-base e a massa catalisadora de silicona são manipuladas até apresentarem uma consistência homogênea, posteriormente, são inseridas sobre os elementos dentais, envolvendo os contornos incisais, proximais, vestibular e face palatina dos elementos a serem restaurados e uma pequena área do palato duro entre os caninos, o que dará suporte à guia, deixando-a mais estável em boca. Após a presa, efetua-se o corte da guia com lâmina de bisturi, deixando expostos os contornos incisais e a face palatina. Depois disso, as restaurações de resina composta são removidas, sob isolamento absoluto modificado e proteção dos dentes adjacentes, posteriormente, os dentes a serem restaurados são submetidos a condicionamento ácido tradicional e à aplicação de adesivo. Após isso, a guia palatina é adaptada, e os incrementos de resina composta são colocados e fotopolimerizados. Posteriormente, realiza-se o ajuste das restaurações em posição protrusiva, lateralidade e em máxima intercuspidação habitual. A utilização dessa técnica facilita a realização da restauração, definindo uma ótima anatomia dos elementos dentais e reduzindo o tempo clínico.Palavras-chave: Estética dentária. Resinas compostas. Materiais dentários

Comparative analyses of the complete genome sequences of Pierce's disease and citrus variegated chlorosis strains of Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-dwelling, insect-transmitted, gamma-proteobacterium that causes diseases in many plants, including grapevine, citrus, periwinkle, almond, oleander, and coffee. X. fastidiosa has an unusually broad host range, has an extensive geographical distribution throughout the American continent, and induces diverse disease phenotypes. Previous molecular analyses indicated three distinct groups of X.fastidiosa isolates that were expected to be genetically divergent. Here we report the genome sequence of X. fastidiosa (Temecula strain), isolated from a naturally infected grapevine with Pierce's disease (PD) in a wine-grape-growing region of California. Comparative analyses with a previously sequenced X.fastidiosa strain responsible for citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) revealed that 98% of the PD X.fastidiosa Temecula genes are shared with the CVC X. fastidiosa strain 9a5c genes. Furthermore, the average amino acid identity of the open reading frames in the strains is 95.7%. Genomic differences are limited to phage-associated chromosomal rearrangements and deletions that also account for the strain-specific genes present in each genome. Genomic islands, one in each genome, were identified, and their presence in other X.fastidiosa strains was analyzed. We conclude that these two organisms have identical metabolic functions and are likely to use a common set of genes in plant colonization and pathogenesis, permitting convergence of functional genomic strategies.18531018102

Climate seasonality limits leaf carbon assimilation and wood productivity in tropical forests

The seasonal climate drivers of the carbon cycle in tropical forests remain poorly known, although these forests account for more carbon assimilation and storage than any other terrestrial ecosystem. Based on a unique combination of seasonal pan-tropical data sets from 89 experimental sites (68 include aboveground wood productivity measurements and 35 litter productivity measurements), their associated canopy photosynthetic capacity (enhanced vegetation index, EVI) and climate, we ask how carbon assimilation and aboveground allocation are related to climate seasonality in tropical forests and how they interact in the seasonal carbon cycle. We found that canopy photosynthetic capacity seasonality responds positively to precipitation when rainfall is  < 2000 mm yr⁻¹ (water-limited forests) and to radiation otherwise (light-limited forests). On the other hand, independent of climate limitations, wood productivity and litterfall are driven by seasonal variation in precipitation and evapotranspiration, respectively. Consequently, light-limited forests present an asynchronism between canopy photosynthetic capacity and wood productivity. First-order control by precipitation likely indicates a decrease in tropical forest productivity in a drier climate in water-limited forest, and in current light-limited forest with future rainfall  < 2000 mm yr⁻¹

Melhoramento do sabor de amendoas de cacau atraves de tratamento termico em forno convencional e de microondas

Orientador : Nelson Horacio Pezoa GarciaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de AlimentosResumo: O 'sabor característico do cacau (Theobroma cacao L.), que dá origem ao fino e delicado sabor de chocolate, começa a desenvolver-se no processamento das sementes do cacau. Durante a fermentação e secagem ocorrem importantes alterações físico-químicas e bioquímicas como: formação de precursores de sabor (aminoácidos e açúcares redutores livres), oxidação de compostos fenóticos, complexação de aminoácidos com fenóis, produção de ácidos orgânicos, como o acético, e outras inúmeras reações importantes para as características do sabor. Durante a torração e outros tratamentos térmicos, os principais precursores de sabor rea em, através da reação de Maillard, originando importantes compostos do complexo sistema aromático e do sabor do cacau...Observação: O resumo, na integra, podera ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digitalAbstract: The characteristic flavor of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), responsible for the fine, delicate chocolate flavor, starts to develop during the cocoa seed processing. During fermentation and drying, important physicochemical and biochemical changes occurs, with a consequent formation of flavor precursors such as free amino acids and reducing sugars, phenolic compound oxidation, complexation of amino acids with phenolic compounds, production of organic acids, such as acetic acid, together with a lot of other reactions that have a great influence on the characteristic final flavor of this raw material. During the roasting and other thermal treatments of chocolate processing, the principal flavor precursors mentioned above react in the Maillard reaction, originating important compounds that participate in the complex flavor system of cocoa...Note: The complete abstract is available with the full electronic digital thesis or dissertationsMestradoMestre em Tecnologia de Alimento

The functional connectome in obsessive-compulsive disorder: resting-state mega-analysis and machine learning classification for the ENIGMA-OCD consortium

Current knowledge about functional connectivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is based on small-scale studies, limiting the generalizability of results. Moreover, the majority of studies have focused only on predefined regions or functional networks rather than connectivity throughout the entire brain. Here, we investigated differences in resting-state functional connectivity between OCD patients and healthy controls (HC) using mega-analysis of data from 1024 OCD patients and 1028 HC from 28 independent samples of the ENIGMA-OCD consortium. We assessed group differences in whole-brain functional connectivity at both the regional and network level, and investigated whether functional connectivity could serve as biomarker to identify patient status at the individual level using machine learning analysis. The mega-analyses revealed widespread abnormalities in functional connectivity in OCD, with global hypo-connectivity (Cohen’s d: -0.27 to -0.13) and few hyper-connections, mainly with the thalamus (Cohen’s d: 0.19 to 0.22). Most hypo-connections were located within the sensorimotor network and no fronto-striatal abnormalities were found. Overall, classification performances were poor, with area-under-the-receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) scores ranging between 0.567 and 0.673, with better classification for medicated (AUC = 0.702) than unmedicated (AUC = 0.608) patients versus healthy controls. These findings provide partial support for existing pathophysiological models of OCD and highlight the important role of the sensorimotor network in OCD. However, resting-state connectivity does not so far provide an accurate biomarker for identifying patients at the individual level

Absence of mutations in the homeodomain of the MSX1 gene in patients with hypodontia

Hypodontia, the congenital absence of one or a few permanent teeth, is one of the most frequent alterations of the human dentition, Although hypodontia does not represent a public health problem, it may cause both speech and masticatory dysfunction and esthetic problems. A missense mutation in the homeodomain of MSX1 gene has been associated with hypodontia of second premolars and third molars in humans. However, another study excluded this gene as causative locus for hypodontia of incisors and premolars, To further investigate the role of the MSX1 gene in human hypodontia, we analyzed the homeobox region of the MSX1 gene in 20 individuals with different patterns of familial or isolated hypodontia, The direct sequencing of PCR products did not show any polymorphisms or mutations in the human MSX1 gene, Our results indicate that inactivation of MSX1 gene in humans must have a highly selective effect on dentition, and other genes must be involved in the cause of hypodontia in humans. Am. J. Med. Genet. 92:346-349, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiiey-Liss, Inc.92534634

Interleukin 10 gene promoter polymorphisms are associated with chronic periodontitis

Background: Chronic periodontitis (CP) is characterized by an inflammation in the supporting tissues of the teeth caused primarily by bacterial infection. Interleukin 10 (IL10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine whose genetic polymorphisms may influence the expression of the protein. Objective: In this study we investigated the hypothesis that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter of IL10 gene might be related to CP. Materials and Methods: DNA was obtained from n=67 CP patients and n=43 control subjects. All studied individuals were non-smokers. The -1087 SNP was investigated by DNA sequencing, and the -819 and -592 SNPs by restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR products. Results: Frequencies of -819 and -592 SNPs showed differences between the control and CP groups. The ACC haplotype was more prevalent in the control group and the ATA haplotype more prevalent in the CP group. The ATA haplotype seemed to increase susceptibility to CP in women (odds ratio (OR)=2.57). The heterozygous haplotype GCC/ACC was predominant in the control group (OR=8.26; p=0.001). Conclusions: Specific haplotypes and SNPs in IL10 gene are associated with susceptibility to CP in Brazilian patients.31644344