Transfer-matrix scaling from disorder-averaged correlation lengths for diluted Ising systems

A transfer matrix scaling technique is developed for randomly diluted systems, and applied to the site-diluted Ising model on a square lattice in two dimensions. For each allowed disorder configuration between two adjacent columns, the contribution of the respective transfer matrix to the decay of correlations is considered only as far as the ratio of its two largest eigenvalues, allowing an economical calculation of a configuration-averaged correlation length. Standard phenomenological-renormalisation procedures are then used to analyse aspects of the phase boundary which are difficult to assess accurately by alternative methods. For magnetic site concentration $p$ close to $p_c$, the extent of exponential behaviour of the $T_c \times p$ curve is clearly seen for over two decades of variation of $p - p_c$. Close to the pure-system limit, the exactly-known reduced slope is reproduced to a very good approximation, though with non-monotonic convergence. The averaged correlation lengths are inserted into the exponent-amplitude relationship predicted by conformal invariance to hold at criticality. The resulting exponent $\eta$ remains near the pure value (1/4) for all intermediate concentrations until it crosses over to the percolation value at the threshold.Comment: RevTeX 3, 11 pages +5 figures, uuencoded, to appear in Phys. Rev. B (1994), PUC/RJ preprin

Artificial neural network for ecological-economic zoning as a tool for spatial planning

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar informações socioambientais por meio de rede neural artificial-mapa auto-organizável (RNA-SOM), para fornecer subsídio ao zoneamento ecológico econômico (ZEE) como instrumento para diminuir a subjetividade do processo. A área de estudo compreende 16 municípios do Nordeste Paraense, expressivos no desenvolvimento agropecuário do estado. O tratamento dos dados envolveu três etapas: preparação dos dados em ambiente de sistema de informação geográfica (SIG); processamento matemático (RNA-SOM) dos dados; e visualização e interpretação dos resultados dos processamentos, o que permitiu o ordenamento territorial do Nordeste Paraense. Os resultados compreenderam 13 classes, reagrupadas de acordo com critérios de similaridade de comportamento em quatro categorias, que representam os principais eixos de sustentabilidade propostos para o Estado do Pará, a partir do ZEE existente. A metodologia proposta permite individualizar zonas na região que o ZEE não havia definido, principalmente em razão da maior possibilidade de conjugar e integrar um grande número de variáveis físicas, sociais e econômicas por meio do SOM.The objective of this work was to analyze social and environmental information through an artificial neural network-self-organizing map (ANN-SOM), in order to provide subsidy to ecologicaleconomic zoning (EEZ) as a tool to reduce the subjectivity of the process. The study area comprises 16 municipalities in the northeast of the state of Pará, Brazil, representative of the agricultural development in the state. Data processing involved three steps: preparation of the data in a geographic information system (GIS) environment; mathematical processing (ANN-SOM) of the data; and visualization and interpretation of the processing results, allowing the spatial planning of northeastern Pará. The results comprised 13 classes, regrouped according to behavioral similarity criteria into four categories, which represent the main areas of sustainability proposed for the state of Pará, according to existing EEZ. The proposed methodology allows individualizing areas in the region that EEZ had not defined, mainly due to the greater possibility of combining and integrating a large number of physical, social, and economic variables through the SOM

Effects Of A Lectin-like Protein Isolated From Acacia Farnesiana Seeds On Phytopathogenic Bacterial Strains And Root-knot Nematode

Acacia farnesiana lectin-like protein (AFAL) showed bacterioestatic effects against . Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. . passiflorae (Gram-negative) and . Clavibacter michiganensis michiganensis (Gram-positive), with the latter being more sensitive. This effect is probably due to the ability of AFAL to interact with the bacterial cell wall where we observed that AFAL induced macroscopic change. The maximum bacterial growth inhibition was approximately 78% when incubated with Gram-negative strains, and as high as 92% percent for the Gram-positive one. The antibacterial effect of flavonoids (rutin, quercetin and morin) was also observed using low concentrations against both bacterial strains. Prior incubation of both with AFAL at high concentrations increases the inhibitory effect of flavonoids on bacterial growth. The potential use of AFAL as a control agent against the root-knot nematode . Meloidogyne incognita was investigated as well, showing anti-nematode properties involving both egg hatching and motility. In the juvenile second-stage, AFAL showed reduction in larval mobility when measured against a control group. The results suggest that AFAL is effective against . M. incognita and could be used as a component of integrated pest management programs. These data also suggest that lectins probably play a role in plant defense not only against invertebrate phytopathogens, herbivores and fungi but also against bacteria. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.10311522McDevitt, D., François, P., Vaudaux, P., Foster, T.J., Molecular characterization of the clumping factor (fibrinogen receptor) of Staphylococcus aureus (1994) Molecular Microbiology, 11, pp. 237-248Wu, H., Fives-Taylor, P.M., Molecular strategies for fimbrial expression and assembly (2001) Critical Reviews Oral Biology & Medicine, 12, pp. 101-115Calderon, A.M., Buck, G., Doyle, R.J., Lectins, Biology, Biochemistry, Clinical Biochemistry (1997), Lectins, Biology, Biochemistry, Clinical Biochemistry, including Proceedings from the 17th International Lectin Meeting in Würzburg (Van Driessche E, Beeckmans S, Bøg-Hansen TC, eds) Lemchesvej, DenmarkGleason, M.L., Braun, E.J., Carlton, W.M., Peterson, R.H., Survival and dissemination of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in tomatoes (1991) Phytopathology, 81, pp. 1519-1523Hadas, R., Kritzman, G., Klietman, F., Gefen, T., Manulis, S., Comparison of extraction procedures and determination of the detection threshold for Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis in tomato seeds (2005) Plant Pathology, 54, pp. 643-664Holguín-Peña, R.J., Vázquez-Juárez, R.C., Bacterial canker caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis on tomato in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico (2006) Plant Disease, 90, p. 1550Soylu, S., Baysal, O., Soylu, E.M., Induction of disease resistance by the plant activator, acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), against bacterial canker (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis) in tomato seedlings (2003) Plant Science, 165, pp. 1069-1075Ripoll, C., Favery, B., Lecomte, P., Van Damme, E.J.M., Peumans, W.J., Abad, P., Jouanin, L., Evaluation of the ability of lectin from snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) to protect plants against root-knot nematodes (2003) Plant Science, 164, pp. 517-523Bird, D.M., Koltai, H., Plant parasitic nematodes: habitats, hormones, and horizontally-acquired genes: plant communication with other organisms: chemicals are the words (2000) Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 19, pp. 183-194Tihohod, D., (2000) Nematologia agrícola aplicada, , FUNEP, JaboticabalClé, C., Hill, L.M., Niggeweg, R., Martin, C.R., Guisez, Y., Prinsen, E., Jansen, M.A.K., Modulation of chlorogenic acid biosynthesis in Solanum lycopersicumconsequences for phenolic accumulation and UV-tolerance (2008) Phytochemistry, 69, pp. 2149-2156Nijveldt, R.J., Van Nood, E., Van Hoorn, D.E.C., Boelens, P.G., Van Norren, K., Van Leeuwen, P.A.M., Flavonoids: a review of probable mechanisms of action and potential applications (2001) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74, pp. 418-425Cushnie, T.P., Lamb, A.J., Antimicrobial activity of flavonoids (2005) International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 26, pp. 343-356Peumans, W.J., Van Damme, E.J.M., Lectins as plant defense proteins (1995) Plant Physiology, 109, pp. 347-352Nilsson, C., (2007), Lectins: Analytical Technologies, Elsevier, San Diego, USAPando, A.L., Carvalho, D.D., Toyama, M.H., Di Ciero, L., Novello, J.C., Pascholatti, S.F., Morangoni, F., Purification and characterization of a lectin from Crotalaria paulina seeds (2004) The Protein J., 23, pp. 437-444Santi-Gadelha, T., Gadelha, C.A.A., Aragão, K.S., Oliveira, C.C., Mota, M.R.L., Gomes, R.C., Pires, A.F., Cavada, B.S., Purification and biological effects of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) seed lectin (2006) Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 350, pp. 1050-1055Delatorre, P., Rocha, B.A.M., Souza, E.P., Oliveira, T.M., Bezerra, G.A., Moreno, F.B.B., Freitas, B.T., Cavada, B.S., Structure of a lectin from Canavalia gladiata seeds: new structural insights for old molecules (2007) BMC Structural Biology, 7, p. 52Bajaj, M., Soni, G., Singi, C.K., Interaction of pea (Pisum sativum L.) lectins with rhizobial strains (2001) Microbiological Research, 156, pp. 71-74Arias, M.E., Gomes, J.D., Cudmani, N.M., Vattuone, M.A., Isla, M.I., Antibacteril activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Acacia aroma Gill (2004) Ex Hook et Arn, 75, pp. 191-202El Abbouyi, A., Toumi, M., El Hachimi, Y., Jossang, A., In vitro effects of aqueous seeds extract of Acacia cyanophylla on the opsonized zymosan-induced superoxide anions production by rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes (2004) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 91, pp. 159-165Jayatilake, G.S., Freeberg, D.R., Liu, Z., Richheimer, S.T., Blake, M.E., Bailey, D.T., Haridas, V., Gutterman, J.U., Isolation and structures of avicins D and G: in vitro tumor-inhibitory saponins derived from Acacia victoriae (2003) Journal of National Products, 66, pp. 779-783Sharon, N., Lis, H., (2003) Lectins, , Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, NetherlandsSanti-Gadelha, T., Rocha, B.A.M., Oliveira, C.C., Aragão, K.S., Marinho, E.S., Gadelha, C.A.A., Toyama, M.H., Cavada, B.S., Purification of a PHA-like chitin-binding protein from Acacia farnesiana seeds: a time-dependent oligomerization protein (2008) Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 150, pp. 97-111Ainouz, I.L., Sampaio, A.H., Benevides, N.M.B., Freitas, A.L.P., Costa, F.H.F., Carvalho, M.R., Joventino, F.P., Agglutination of enzyme treated erythrocytes by Brazilian marine algae (1992) Botânica Marinha., 35, pp. 475-480Laemmli, U.K., Cleavage of structural protein during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T 4 (1970) Nature, 227, pp. 680-685Oliveira, D.G., Toyama, M.H., Novello, J.C., Beriam, L.O., Marangoni, S., Structural and functional characterization of basic PLA2 isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (2002) Journal of Protein Chemistry, 21, pp. 161-168Oliveira, S.C., Fonseca, F.V., Antunes, E., Camargo, E.A., Morganti, R.P., Aparício, R., Toyama, D.O., Toyama, M.H., Modulation of the pharmacological effects of enzymatically-active PLA2 by BTL-2, an isolectin isolated from the Bryothamnion triquetrum red alga (2008) BMC Biochemistry, 9, p. 16Hussey, R.S., Barker, K.R., A comparison of methods of inocula of Meloidogyne spp., including a new technique (1973) Plant Disease Report, 57, pp. 1025-1028Jenkins, W.R., A rapid centrifugal-flotation technique for separating nematodes from soil (1993) Plant Disease Report, 48, pp. 109-117Huang, C.S., Detection of Aphelenchoides besseyi in rice seeds and correlation between seed infection and crop performance (1983) Seedling Science Technology, 11, pp. 691-696Castellòn, R.E.R., Purificação e Caracterização Parcial de uma Nova Proteína de Sementes de Parkia Platycephala Benth com Potencial na Defesa de Plantas (2004), Thesis, Universidade Federal do CearáRádis-baptista, G., Moreno, F.B.M.B., Nogueira, L.L., Martins, A.M.C., Toyama, D.O., Toyama, M.H., Azevedo, W.F., Yamane, T., Crotacetin, a novel snake venom c-type lectin, is homolog of convulxin (2005) Journal of Venom Animal Toxins Incluidng Tropical Diseases, 11, pp. 557-578Banwell, J.G., Howard, R., Cooper, D., Costerton, J.W., Intestinal microbial flora after feeding phytohemagglutinin lectins (Phaseolus vulgaris) to rats (1985) Applied and Environment Microbiology, 50, pp. 68-80Pusztai, A., Bardocz, S., Ewen, S.W., Uses of plant lectins in bioscience and biomedicine (2008) Front Bioscience, 13, pp. 1130-1140Mkandawire, A.B., Mabagala, R.B., Guzmán, P., Gepts, P., Gilbertson, R.L., Genetic diversity and pathogenic variation of common blight bacteria (Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli and X. campestris pv. phaseoli var. fuscans) suggests pathogen coevolution with the common bean (2004) Phytopathology, 94, pp. 593-603López, R., Asensio, C., Gilbertson, R.L., Phenotypic and genetic diversity in strains of common blight bacteria (Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli and X. campestris pv. phaseoli var. fuscans) in a secondary center of diversity of the common bean host suggests multiple introduction events (2006) Phytopathology, 96, pp. 1204-1213Guzman-Partida, A.M., Robles-Burgueno, M.R., Ortega-Nieblas, M., Vazquez-Moreno, I., Purification and characterization of complex carbohydrate specific isolectins from wild legume seeds: Acacia constricta is (vinorama) highly homologous to Phaseolus vulgaris lectins (2004) Biochimie, 86, pp. 335-342Brown, M.R., Collier, P.J., Gilbert, P., Influence of growth rate on susceptibility to antimicrobial agents: modification of the cell envelope and batch and continuous culture studies (1990) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 34, pp. 1623-1628Palumbo, E., Deghorain, M., Cocconcelli, P.S., Kleerebezem, M., Geyer, A., Hartung, T., Morath, S., Hols, P., D-alanyl ester depletion of teichoic acids in Lactobacillus plantarum results in a major modification of lipoteichoic acid composition and cell wall perforations at the septum mediated by the Acm2 autolysin (2006) Journal of Bacteriology, 188, pp. 3709-3715Statz, A.R., Park, J.P., Chongsiriwatana, N.P., Barron, A.E., Messersmith, P.B., Surface-immobilised antimicrobial peptoids (2008) Biofouling, 24, pp. 439-448Roy, H., Dare, K., Ibba, M., Adaptation of the bacterial membrane to changing environments using aminoacylated phospholipids (2009) Molecular Microbiology, 71, pp. 547-550Barbosa, P.S., Martins, A.M., Havt, A., Toyama, D.O., Evangelista, J.S., Ferreira, D.P., Joazeiro, P.P., Monteiro, H.S., Renal and antibacterial effects induced by myotoxin I and II isolated from Bothrops jararacussu venom (2005) Toxicon, 46, pp. 376-386Iglesias, C.V., Aparicio, R., Rodrigues-Simioni, L., Camargo, E.A., Antunes, E., Marangoni, S., Toyama, D.O., Toyama, M.H., Effects of morin on snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) (2005) Toxicon, 46, pp. 751-758Kraus, D., Peschel, A., Molecular mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides (2006) Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, 306, pp. 231-250Mendoza, L., Wilkens, M., Urzúa, A., Antimicrobial study of the resinous exudate and diterpenoids and flavonoids isolated from some Chilean Pseudognaphalium (Asteraceae) (1997) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 58, pp. 85-88Simões, M., Bennett, R.N., Rosa, E.A.S., Understanding antimicrobial activities of phytochemicals against multidrug resistant bacteria and biofilms (2009) Natural Product Reports, 26, pp. 746-757Cox, S.D., Mann, C.M., Markham, J.L., Bell, H.C., Gustafson, J.E., Warmington, J.R., Wyllie, S.G., The mode of antimicrobial action of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil) (2000) Journal of Applied Microbiology, 88, pp. 170-176Trombetta, D., Castelli, F., Sarpietro, M.G., Venuti, V., Cristiani, M., Daniele, C., Saija, A., Bisignano, G., Mechanisms of antibacterial action of three monterpenes (2005) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy., 49, pp. 2474-2478Diarra, M.S., Lacasse, P., Deschênes, E., Grondin, G., Paradis-Bleau, C., Petitclerc, D., Ultrastructural and cytochemical study of cell wall modification by lactoferrin, lactoferricin and penicillin G against Staphylococcus aureus (2003) 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Demande, 17Naik, G.H., Priyadarsinik, K., Satau, J.G., Banavalikar, M.M., Sohoni, D.P., Biyani, M., Mohan, H., Comparative antioxidant activity of individual herbal components used in Ayurvedic medicine (2003) Phytochemistry, 63, pp. 97-104Saleem, A., Ahotupa, M., Pihlaya, K., Total phenolics concentration and antioxidant potential of extracts of medicinal plants of Pakistan (2001) Zeitschrift für Naturforschung, 56, pp. 973-978Chang, S.T., Wu, J.H., Wang, S.Y., Kang, P.L., Yang, N.S., Shyur, L.F., Antioxidant activity of extracts from Acacia confusa bark and heartwood (2001) Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 49, pp. 3420-3424Wu, J.H., Tung, Y.T., Wang, S.Y., Shyur, L.F., Kuo, Y.H., Chang, S.T., Phenolic antioxidants from the heartwood of Acacia confuse (2005) Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 53, pp. 5917-5921Thalang, V.N., Trakoontivakorn, G., Nakaharak, K., Gassinee, T., Antioxidant activity of some commonly consumed leafty vegetables in Thailand (2001) Jircas Journal, 9, pp. 35-43Salgado, S.M.L., Extratos orgânicos e produtos naturais na eclosão, mobilidade e mortalidade de Meloidogyne exigua (2001), Produtos naturais para o controle de fitonematóides. 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An experiment to search for dark-matter interactions using sodium iodide detectors

Observations of galaxies and primordial radiation suggest that the Universe is made mostly of non-luminous dark matter1,2. Several new types of fundamental particle have been proposed as candidates for dark matter3, such as weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs)4,5. These particles would be expected to interact with nuclei in suitable detector materials on Earth, for example, causing them to recoil. However, no definitive signal from such dark-matter interactions has been detected despite concerted efforts by many collaborations6. One exception is the much-debated claim by the DAMA collaboration of a statistically significant (more than nine standard deviations) annual modulation in the rate of nuclear interaction events. Annual modulation is expected because of the variation in Earth’s velocity relative to the Galaxy’s dark-matter halo that arises from Earth’s orbital motion around the Sun. DAMA observed a modulation in the rate of interaction events in their detector7,8,9 with a period and phase consistent with that expected for WIMPs10,11,12. Several groups have been working to develop experiments with the aim of reproducing DAMA’s results using the same target medium (sodium iodide)13,14,15,16,17. To determine whether there is evidence for an excess of events above the expected background in sodium iodide and to look for evidence of an annual modulation, the COSINE-100 experiment uses sodium iodide as the target medium to carry out a model-independent test of DAMA’s claim. Here we report results from the initial operation of the COSINE-100 experiment related to the first task18,19. We observe no excess of signal-like events above the expected background in the first 59.5 days of data from COSINE-100. Assuming the so-called standard dark-matter halo model, this result rules out WIMP–nucleon interactions as the cause of the annual modulation observed by the DAMA collaboration20,21,22,23. The exclusion limit on the WIMP–sodium interaction cross-section is 1.14 × 10−40 cm2 for 10-GeV c−2 WIMPs at a 90% confidence level. The COSINE-100 experiment will continue to collect data for two more years, enabling a model-independent test of the annual modulation observed by the DAMA collaboration