Survey of orchidaceae from the State of Sergipe, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The state of Sergipe, located in the Northeast Region of Brazil, covers an area of 21,994 km(2) and is the smallest state in the country. The vegetation of this region is predominantly caatinga, but there are also mangroves, dunes, restinga, fragments of original Atlantic Forest (which are intermingled with pastures, secondary growth, and agricultural land) and cerrado. During intensive fieldwork in Sergipe, we observed various Orchidaceae species that had not been recorded for the state, which made it necessary to update the list of species for this region. Within the state, the family is represented by 63 species and 34 genera, of which Habenaria (10 spp.) Epidendrum (4 spp.) and Encyclia (4 spp.) are highlights. Orchidaceae species from this region are generally terrestrial and occur in grasslands (59%, 37 of 63 spp.). The remaining species are epiphytes (21 spp.) and hemiepiphytes (3 spp.). The majority of the species flower at the beginning of the rainy season. Of the 61 species that were recorded during this study, 34 species are new records for the state of Sergipe. This work includes a list of the species of Orchidaceae from Sergipe, and provides data about the phenology and habitat for each taxon.122167174Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa e a Inovacao Tecnologica do Estado de Sergipe (FAPITEC/SE) [04/2008]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa e a Inovacao Tecnologica do Estado de Sergipe (FAPITEC/SE) [04/2008]CNPq [35.0148/2009.0

Boundary Conditions for Singular Perturbations of Self-Adjoint Operators

Let A:D(A)\subseteq\H\to\H be an injective self-adjoint operator and let \tau:D(A)\to\X, X a Banach space, be a surjective linear map such that \|\tau\phi\|_\X\le c \|A\phi\|_\H. Supposing that \text{\rm Range} (\tau')\cap\H' =\{0\}, we define a family $A^\tau_\Theta$ of self-adjoint operators which are extensions of the symmetric operator $A_{|\{\tau=0\}.}$. Any $\phi$ in the operator domain $D(A^\tau_\Theta)$ is characterized by a sort of boundary conditions on its univocally defined regular component \phireg, which belongs to the completion of D(A) w.r.t. the norm \|A\phi\|_\H. These boundary conditions are written in terms of the map $\tau$, playing the role of a trace (restriction) operator, as \tau\phireg=\Theta Q_\phi, the extension parameter $\Theta$ being a self-adjoint operator from X' to X. The self-adjoint extension is then simply defined by A^\tau_\Theta\phi:=A \phireg. The case in which $A\phi=T*\phi$ is a convolution operator on LD, T a distribution with compact support, is studied in detail.Comment: Revised version. To appear in Operator Theory: Advances and Applications, vol. 13

ヒカリサンラン ノ コウシスウブンプ ト エキタイナイ タンイツビリュウシ ノ ケンシュツ ジョウケン

The possibiliy of light scattering technique is analysed, when it is applled to the detection of a single small particle suspendid in a highly purified liquid. The scattering light form a liquid and the Photon distribution in the scattered light make difficult to observe the signal from a small particle. The experimental condition is derived under the assumption that the photon distribution from both a liquid and a particle can be well separated from that from only a liquid. For example, this condition gives the necessary minimum laser power for the experiment

Predictive value of subclinical autistic traits at age 14–15 months for behavioural and cognitive problems at age 3–5 years

It is unclear whether subclinical autistic traits at very young age are transient or stable, and have clinical relevance. This study investigated the relationship between early subclinical autistic traits and the occurrence of later developmental and behavioural problems as well as problems in cognitive and language functioning. Parents of infants aged 14–15 months from the general population completed the Early Screening of Autistic Traits Questionnaire (ESAT). Three groups of children with high, moderate, and low ESAT-scores (total n = 103) were selected. Follow-up assessments included the CBCL 1½–5 at age 3 years, and the SCQ, the ADI-R, the ADOS-G, a non-verbal intelligence test, and language tests for comprehension and production at age 4–5 years. None of the children met criteria for autism spectrum disorder at follow-up. Children with high ESAT-scores at 14–15 months showed significantly more internalizing and externalizing problems at age 3 years and scored significantly lower on language tests at age 4–5 years than children with moderate or low ESAT-scores. Further, significantly more children with high ESAT-scores (14/26, 53.8%) than with moderate and low ESAT-scores (5/36, 13.9% and 1/41, 2.4%, respectively) were in the high-risk/clinical range on one or more outcome domains (autistic symptoms, behavioural problems, cognitive and language abilities). Subclinical autistic traits at 14–15 months predict later behavioural problems and delays in cognitive and language functioning rather than later ASD-diagnoses. The theoretical implications of the findings lie in the pivotal role of early social and communication skills for the development of self-regulation of emotions and impulses. The practical implications bear on the early recognition of children at risk for behavioural problems and for language and cognitive problems

Nanoscale Visualization of Elastic Inhomogeneities at TiN Coatings Using Ultrasonic Force Microscopy

Ultrasonic force microscopy has been applied to the characterization of titanium nitride coatings deposited by physical vapor deposition dc magnetron sputtering on stainless steel substrates. The titanium nitride layers exhibit a rich variety of elastic contrast in the ultrasonic force microscopy images. Nanoscale inhomogeneities in stiffness on the titanium nitride films have been attributed to softer substoichiometric titanium nitride species and/or trapped subsurface gas. The results show that increasing the sputtering power at the Ti cathode increases the elastic homogeneity of the titanium nitride layers on the nanometer scale. Ultrasonic force microscopy elastic mapping on titanium nitride layers demonstrates the capability of the technique to provide information of high value for the engineering of improved coatings

Pain Reactivity and Plasma β-Endorphin in Children and Adolescents with Autistic Disorder

International audienceBackground: Reports of reduced pain sensitivity in autism have prompted opioid theories of autism and have practical care ramifications. Our objective was to examine behavioral and physiological pain responses, plasma β-endorphin levels and their relationship in a large group of individuals with autism.Methodology/Principal Findings: The study was conducted on 73 children and adolescents with autism and 115 normal individuals matched for age, sex and pubertal stage. Behavioral pain reactivity of individuals with autism was assessed in three observational situations (parents at home, two caregivers at day-care, a nurse and child psychiatrist during blood drawing), and compared to controls during venepuncture. Plasma β-endorphin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. A high proportion of individuals with autism displayed absent or reduced behavioral pain reactivity at home (68.6%), at day-care (34.2%) and during venepuncture (55.6%). Despite their high rate of absent behavioral pain reactivity during venepuncture (41.3 vs. 8.7% of controls, P<0.0001), individuals with autism displayed a significantly increased heart rate in response to venepuncture (P<0.05). Moreover, this response (Δ heart rate) was significantly greater than for controls (mean±SEM; 6.4±2.5 vs. 1.3±0.8 beats/min, P<0.05). Plasma β-endorphin levels were higher in the autistic group (P<0.001) and were positively associated with autism severity (P<0.001) and heart rate before or after venepuncture (P<0.05), but not with behavioral pain reactivity.Conclusions/Significance: The greater heart rate response to venepuncture and the elevated plasma β-endorphin found in individuals with autism reflect enhanced physiological and biological stress responses that are dissociated from observable emotional and behavioral reactions. The results suggest strongly that prior reports of reduced pain sensitivity in autism are related to a different mode of pain expression rather than to an insensitivity or endogenous analgesia, and do not support opioid theories of autism. Clinical care practice and hypotheses regarding underlying mechanisms need to assume that children with autism are sensitive to pain