Ground-state phase diagram, fermionic entanglement and kinetically-induced frustration in a hybrid ladder with localized spins and mobile electrons.

We introduce an exactly solvable hybrid spin-ladder model containing localized nodal Ising spins and interstitial mobile electrons, which are allowed to perform a quantum-mechanical hopping between the ladder's legs. The quantum-mechanical hopping process induces an antiferromagnetic coupling between the ladder's legs that competes with a direct exchange coupling of the nodal spins. The model is exactly mapped onto the Ising spin ladder with temperature-dependent two- and four-spin interactions, which is subsequently solved using the transfer-matrix technique. We report the ground-state phase diagram and compute the fermionic concurrence to characterize the quantum entanglement between the pair of interstitial mobile electrons. We further provide a detailed analysis of the local spin ordering including the pair and four-spin correlation functions around an elementary plaquette, as well as, the local ordering diagrams. It is shown that a complex sequence of distinct local orderings and frustrated correlations takes place when the model parameters drive the investigated system close to a zero-temperature triple coexistence point.

The Amniotic Membrane: Development and Potential Applications - A Review.

Foetal membranes are essential tissues for embryonic development, playing important roles related to protection, breathing, nutrition and excretion. The amnion is the innermost extraembryonic membrane, which surrounds the foetus, forming an amniotic sac that contains the amniotic fluid (AF). In recent years, the amniotic membrane has emerged as a potential tool for clinical applications and has been primarily used in medicine in order to stimulate the healing of skin and corneal diseases. It has also been used in vaginal reconstructive surgery, repair of abdominal hernia, prevention of surgical adhesions and pericardium closure. More recently, it has been used in regenerative medicine because the amniotic-derived stem cells as well as AF-derived cells exhibit cellular plasticity, angiogenic, cytoprotective, immunosuppressive properties, antitumoural potential and the ability to generate induced pluripotent stem cells. These features make them a promising source of stem cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering. In this review, we discussed the development of the amnion, AF and amniotic cavity in different species, as well as the applicability of stem cells from the amnion and AF in cellular therapy.

3-year clinical effectiveness of one-step adhesives in non-carious cervical lesions.

OBJECTIVES: Despite representing an important component of current dental adhesives, HEMA has been said to negatively influence the long-term stability of adhesion to dentine and enamel. The aim of this randomised clinical trial was to evaluate the 3-year clinical performance of two one-step self-etch adhesives. METHODS: Thirty patients had 175 non-carious cervical lesions restored with composite (Gradia Direct Anterior, GC) using either the HEMA-rich adhesive Clearfil Tri-S Bond (C3S; Kuraray) or the HEMA-free adhesive G-Bond (GB; GC). The restorations were evaluated by two examiners at baseline, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months regarding retention, caries recurrence, marginal integrity and discoloration and post-operative sensitivity. The data were statistically analysed with GEE and McNemar tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: The recall rate at 6 and 12 months was 100% and decreased to 96.7% at 24 and 36 months. At 3 years, the retention rate was 93.8% for C3S and 98.8% for GB (p=0.14). A pairwise comparison showed no significant differences between the two adhesives for all the parameters evaluated, irrespective of the recall (p>0.05). After 3 years, both adhesives presented an increase in the percentage of clinically acceptable marginal discoloration (C3S: 32.9% and GB: 26.8%) normally associated to clinically acceptable marginal defects (C3S: 35.8% and GB: 26.5%). Only 1 dentine margin of a GB restoration presented a severe marginal defect (1.2%) and 1 C3S restoration presented caries recurrence. The overall 3-year clinical success rate was 92.6% for C3S and 97.6% for GB (p=0.16). CONCLUSION: Both one-step self-etch adhesives presented an equally favourable clinical effectiveness at 3 years. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: HEMA is a monomer frequently present in dental adhesives in order to increase their wettability and hydrophilicity. However, this monomer negatively influences hydrolytic stability and durability of the adhesive interface complex. In this 3-year clinical trial no significant difference in bonding effectiveness was noticed between a HEMA-rich and HEMA-free one-step adhesive.

Physalis angulata: A New Natural Host of Tomato chlorosis virus in Brazil.

Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV) are the two Solanaceae-infecting Crinivirus species (family Closteroviridae) of worldwide importance. In Brazil, only ToCV has been detected under natural conditions infecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), and potato (S. tuberosum), causing foliar chlorosis (1, 3). However, there are no formal reports of alternative weed hosts of ToCV. During crop surveys in Capão Bonito, São Paulo State, Brazil (May 2011), a high incidence (above 20%) of plants of the weed, cut leaf ground cherry (Physalis angulata L.) growing around and within a tomato (cv. Alambra) field with a high incidence of ToCV, were found displaying interveinal chlorosis on the lower leaves, similar to those induced by magnesium deficiency. The P. angulata plants also had high populations of whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci biotype B). Ten leaf samples were taken from individual symptomatic ground cherry and tomato plants for Crinivirus testing. Total nucleic acids were extracted from 2 g of symptomatic and healthy leaf tissues of both hosts using Whatman CF-11 cellulose (Sigma) as described (4). The purified double stranded RNA samples were used as a template in reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using specific primers targeting the p22 gene region in the genome of ToCV (2). Only the 566-bp ToCV-specific amplicon was detected in all field samples. Sequences of samples from the P. angulata and tomato cDNA amplicons were identical to each other (GenBank Accession No. JX187514) and they showed 99% identity with the ToCV RNA 1 from a tomato isolate from Florida (AY903447). This confirmed the initial hypothesis of Crinivirus infection. Cuttings of symptomatic P. angulata plants were also obtained and kept in a voile cage under greenhouse conditions together with healthy seedlings of P. angulata and the begomovirus-resistant inbred tomato line 'TX-468RG.' Fifty aviruliferous B. tabaci (biotype B) adults were placed in the cage. Similar symptoms were observed 50 days after exposure to whiteflies in both hosts. Transmission to P. angulata and to 'TX-468RG' was also confirmed via sequencing of ToCV-specific amplicon, demonstrating the infectivity of the isolate to both hosts. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. angulata as a natural host of ToCV in Brazil. This weed is often present in the commercial fields because of its natural tolerance to herbicides currently used in tomato production. The ToCV-infected P. angulata plants might serve as alternative sources of inoculum for the surrounding tomato fields. The environmental persistence of P. angulata combined with its intense whitefly colonization might allow a year-round ToCV exposure for tomato plants under field conditions in this major production area of Brazil where at least 25 million tomato plants are cultivated annually. References: (1) J. C. Barbosa et al. Trop. Plant Pathol. 36: 256, 2011. (2) M. I. Font et al. Plant Dis. 86:696, 2002. (3) D. M. S. Freitas et al. Plant Dis. 96:593, 2012. (4) R. A. Valverde et al. Plant Dis. 74:285, 1990.

Effects of hot-iron disbudding, using regional anaesthesia with and without carprofen, on cortisol and behaviour of calves.

The objective of this study was to assess cortisol and behaviour changes in calves hot-iron disbudded after different analgesic protocols. We assessed the response of 27 calves at 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after disbudding with regional anaesthesia (DA), regional anaesthesia plus carprofen (DAC), disbudded only (D) or sham-disbudded (ND). At 1h cortisol was higher in D compared with all other groups. At 3h DA showed higher cortisol than ND but did not differ from baseline. At 15 min and 1h pain-related behaviours were more frequent in the D group than in all other groups. Group D (3 h) and DA (3 and 6 h) showed more ear flicks and head rubs compared with DAC and ND. We concluded that head rubbing, head shaking and ear flicking are useful behaviours for evaluating pain after hot-iron disbudding. Disbudding causes severe pain in calves and only the association of regional anaesthesia with carprofen assures good welfare for 24 h.

Localization on a two-channel model with cross-correlated disorder.

We study the wavepacket dynamics in a two-channel Anderson model with correlated diagonal disorder. To impose correlations in the disorder distribution we construct the on-site energy landscape following both symmetric and antisymmetric rules. Our numerical data show that symmetric cross-correlations have a small impact on the degree of localization of the one-particle eigenstates. In contrast, antisymmetric correlations lead to a reduction of the effective degree of disorder, thus resulting in a substantial increase of the wavepacket spread. A finite-size scaling analysis shows that the antisymmetric cross-correlations, in spite of weakening the localization, do not promote ballistic transport. The present results shed light on recent findings concerning an apparent delocalization transition in a correlated DNA-like ladder model.

A Tomato Fruit Rot Caused by Trichothecium roseum in Brazil.

Fruit rots caused by distinct fungal pathogens are commonly observed on tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) throughout all major production areas in Brazil. Samples of fruits displaying white mycelial growth associated with a profuse salmon-color sporulation were collected in greenhouse-grown tomatoes in Brasília-DF in February 2011. The isolated fungus displayed pink-to-white colonies containing several conidiophores with conidia. Mycelia displayed hyaline hyphae as much as 4 µm in diameter; conidiophores were simple or branched, 112 to 300 (360) µm long, and 2 to 4 µm wide. Conidia were produced in basipetal chains (frequently clustered), were ellipsoidal to pyriform with oblique and prominent truncate basal scars, two-celled, hyaline, and (14-) 16 to 26 (-28) × (6-) 7 to 10 (-12) µm. These characteristics allocated the specimen to Trichothecium roseum (Pers.). Koch's postulates were fulfilled for one fungal isolate by either spraying 10 intact fruits or by placing a drop of a spore suspension (adjusted to 105 conidia/ml) into three to five wounds created on 10 mature fruits of each of two tomato cultivars (Santa Clara and Dominador) by puncturing each fruit with a sterile needle. Five fruits of each cultivar were treated with sterile water as the mock-inoculated control treatment. Identical symptoms to those of the original fruit were observed only in the T. roseum-inoculated samples 5 to 7 days after using both inoculation procedures. Total DNA was extracted from a pure colony of the fungus growing on potato dextrose agar medium and used as template in PCR assays with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-4 (5'-TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3') and ITS-5 (5'-GGAAGTAAAAGTCGTAACAAGG-3') primer pair (2). A single amplicon of approximately 630 bp was observed and directly sequenced. Sequence analysis of the Brazilian isolate (GenBank No. JN081877) indicated identity levels of 99% with T. roseum isolates reported on Leucadendron xanthoconus in South Africa (GenBank No. EU552162) and isolates from strawberry fruits in South Korea (GenBank No. HM355750). However, phylogenetic analysis was unable to discriminate isolates of T. roseum from Passalora (GenBank No. EF432764) and Fusarium (GenBank No. GU183369) isolates, confirming the low genetic variability of the ITS region in Hypocreales (3). T. roseum has been reported to be infecting greenhouse tomatoes in the United States (4) and causing postharvest disease of tomatoes in Argentina (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. roseum infecting greenhouse tomatoes in Brazil. References: (1) G. Dal Bello. Australas. Plant Dis. Notes 3:103, 2008. (2) N. L. Glass and G. C. Donaldson. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:1323, 1995. (3) L. Lombard et al. Stud. Mycol. 66:31, 2010. (4) A. W. Welch, Jr. et al. Plant Dis. Rep. 59:255, 1975.

First Report of Sida micrantha mosaic virus in Phaseolus vulgaris in Brazil.

Snap and common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are severely affected by Bean golden mosaic virus (BGMV) infection, so far the only begomovirus reported on these crops in Brazil (1). Samples of snap and common beans colonized by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci biotype B and displaying golden mosaic, chlorotic spots, and leaf distortion were collected in three production regions in Goiás State (Goianápolis, Luziânia, and Itaberaí) between 2003 and 2007. Total DNA extracted from leaf samples was used as template in PCR assays using universal primers targeting conserved regions of the DNA-A and DNA-B genomes (3). Begomovirus-specific amplicons were observed only with DNA template from symptomatic plants. Two single amplicons were observed for both genomic segments, indicating the presence of bipartite species in all samples. Sequence analysis of four isolates (named as GO-176, GO-260, GO-354, and GO-368) obtained from common bean samples indicated identity levels of approximately 95% with the DNA-A segment of BGMV (GenBank Accession No. FJ665283). However, the complete DNA-A sequence (GenBank Accession No. HM357459.1) of the GO-060 isolate (from a symptomatic snap bean plant collected in Goianápolis) displayed 76% identity with BGMV (GenBank Accession No. FJ665283) and 95% identity with the DNA-A of a Sida micrantha mosaic virus (SimMV) isolate (GenBank Accession No. EU908733.1) reported to be infecting okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) and 94.8% with a SimMV isolate reported to be infecting soybean (GenBank Accession No. FJ686693) in Brazil (2). Koch's postulates were fulfilled for the isolate GO-060 by inoculating a set of soybean and bean accessions via a biolistic approach. The ratio of positive PCR amplicons per total of inoculated plants were 15 of 16 for snap bean cv. Trepador, 9 of 10 for snap bean cv. Fartura, 18 of 24 for common bean cv. Olate Pinto, and 19 of 25 for common bean cv. Carioca. The isolate was also able to infect eight of nine soybean 'Doko' plants. Sequence analysis using symptomatic leaf samples (15 days after inoculation) confirmed SimMV as the causal agent. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a SimMV isolate infecting P. vulgaris. This virus is apparently fast expanding its host range from Malvaceae to Solanaceae species and leguminous hosts after the introduction of B. tabaci biotype B (2). More extensive surveys are necessary to access the current epidemiological importance of SimMV in both snap and common beans in Brazil. References: (1) J.C. Faria and D. P. Maxwell. Phytopathology 89:262, 1999. (2) F. R. Fernandes et al. Arch. Virol. 154:1567, 2009. (3) M. R. Rojas et al. Plant Dis. 77:340, 1993.

Plurispermiopsis: a new capnodiaceous genus from the Brazilian Cerrado.

A new ascomycete genus placed in family Capnodiaceae found in the Brazilian Cerrado is described and designated Plurispermiopsis, type species P. cerradensis.

Multiple Resistance to Meloidogyne spp. and to Bipartite and Monopartite Begomovirus spp. in Wild Solanum (Lycopersicon) Accessions.

The Ty-1 locus confers tolerance to monopartite and bipartite Begomovirus spp. (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) and this phenotype is improved in homozygous tomato lines. However, the gene Mi (Meloidogyne spp. resistance) is in repulsion phase linkage with Ty-1, which hampers the large-scale development of multiresistant inbred lines. Seventy-one Solanum (section Lycopersicon) accessions were whitefly inoculated with the bipartite Begomovirus sp. Tomato rugose mosaic virus (ToRMV) and simultaneously infested with a mixture of Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica under greenhouse conditions in Brazil. Accessions were then transplanted into a nematode-infested field with natural ToRMV infection. A severity index was used to evaluate ToRMV reaction. Nematode evaluation was done by counting the number of galls per root system. Seventeen accessions with Meloidogyne spp. and ToRMV resistance were selected and evaluated in Spain against three monopartite Begomovirus spp. associated with the tomato yellow leaf curl virus disease, using infectious clones. Systemic infection was monitored by DNA hybridization. Five S. peruvianum accessions (PI-306811, PI-365951, LA-1609, LA-2553, and CNPH-1194) displayed nematode and broad-spectrum resistance to all Begomovirus spp. tested in both continents. From the breeding standpoint, accessions combining resistance to Meloidogyne spp. and to bipartite and monopartite Begomovirus spp. would be useful for the development of elite lines expressing all traits in homozygous condition.

Effect of hot-iron disbudding on behaviour and plasma cortisol of calves sedated with xylazine.

We investigated cortisol and behaviour for the first hour after hot-iron disbudding of calves aged 37+/-4 days: disbudded after i/m xylazine (n=10); disbudded after i/m xylazine and regional anaesthesia with lidocaine (n=10); sham-disbudded after xylazine and lidocaine (n=11); sham-disbudded after i/m saline and lidocaine (n=10). Xylazine-treated groups had higher cortisol than saline-treated animals and showed no differences among them at any time. Sham-disbudded calves with xylazine had lower cortisol at 60 min compared with all other times. Xylazine-alone disbudded calves struggled more during the procedure than all other groups. Xylazine-alone disbudded calves showed more ear-flicks at 10, 25 and 40 min and head-shakes at 40 min than all other groups. We conclude that cortisol should not be used as an indicator of pain in disbudded calves while under the sedative effect of xylazine and that some behaviours during and after the procedure are useful in showing that xylazine alone does not control hot-iron disbudding pain.

Population fluctuation and faunal indices of aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in peach orchards in Araucária, PR.

Aphids are sap-sucking insects that mainly attack shoots and young leaves of peach trees and many other plant species; however, knowledge of the Brazilian aphid fauna is scant. The objective of this study was to identify aphid species collected in peach orchards (Prunus persica Batsch) and to determine their faunal indices for occurrence and dominance. The experiment was conducted from July 2005 to September 2006 in six Chimarrita peach orchards in the municipality of Araucária, PR, Brazil. The survey of aphid species was conducted by visual samplings on peach trees and using Möericke-type yellow traps containing water. A faunal analysis was made using aphid occurrence and dominance indices. Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini, 1860) was the only aphid species that was found colonizing peach in Araucária/PR. Although most aphids collected were classified as rare, some can be considered potential peach colonizers, such as Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) which was given the status of common or intermediate in some of the orchards studied. The population fluctuation of aphids showed a negative correlation with rainfall and positive correlation with temperature and relative humidity.

Physical-mechanical properties of glass ionomer cements indicated for atraumatic restorative treatment.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated mechanical properties of glass ionomer cements (GICs) used for atraumatic restorative treatment. Wear resistance, Knoop hardness (Kh), flexural (F(s)) and compressive strength (C(s)) were evaluated. The GICs used were Riva Self Cure (RVA), Fuji IX (FIX), Hi Dense (HD), Vitro Molar (VM), Maxxion R (MXR) and Ketac Molar Easymix (KME). METHODS: Wear was evaluated after 1, 4, 63 and 365 days. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests (P = 0.05) analysed differences in wear of the GICs and the time effect. F(s), C(s), and Kh were analysed with one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: The type of cement (p < 0.001) and the time (p < 0.001) had a significant effect on wear. In early-term wear and Kh, KME and FIX presented the best performance. In long-term wear, F(s) and C(s), KME, FIX and HD had the best performance. Strong explanatory power between F(s) and the Kh (r(2) = 0.85), C(s) and the Kh (r(2) = 0.82), long-term wear and F(s) of 24 h (r(2) = 0.79) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggested that KME and FIX presented the best in vitro performance. HD showed good results except for early-term wear.

Population fluctuation and faunal indices of aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in peach orchards in Araucária, PR / Flutuação populacional e índices faunísticos de afídeos (Hemiptera, Aphididae) em pomares de pessegueiros em Araucária, PR

Aphids are sap-sucking insects that mainly attack shoots and young leaves of peach trees and many other plant species; however, knowledge of the Brazilian aphid fauna is scant. The objective of this study was to identify aphid species collected in peach orchards (Prunus persica Batsch) and to determine their faunal indices for occurrence and dominance. The experiment was conducted from July 2005 to September 2006 in six Chimarrita peach orchards in the municipality of Araucária, PR, Brazil. The survey of aphid species was conducted by visual samplings on peach trees and using Mõericke-type yellow traps containing water. A faunal analysis was made using aphid occurrence and dominance indices. Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini, 1860) was the only aphid species that was found colonizing peach in Araucária/PR. Although most aphids collected were classified as rare, some can be considered potential peach colonizers, such as Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) which was given the status of common or intermediate in some of the orchards studied. The population fluctuation of aphids showed a negative correlation with rainfall and positive correlation with temperature and relative humidity.

Os afídeos são insetos sugadores de seiva que atacam principalmente brotações e folhas novas de pessegueiros e de diversas outras espécies vegetais, porém o conhecimento sobre a afidofauna brasileira é escasso. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as espécies de afídeos coletadas em pomares de pessegueiros (Prunus persica Batsch) e analisar os índices faunísticos de ocorrência e dominância. O experimento foi realizado de julho de 2005 a setembro de 2006 em seis pomares de pessegueiros da cultivar Chimarrita no município de Araucária, PR. O levantamento das espécies de afídeos foi realizado por meio de amostragens visuais em pessegueiros e armadilhas amarelas de água do tipo Mõericke. Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini, 1860) foi a única espécie de afídeo encontrada colonizando pessegueiros em Araucária, PR. Apesar da maioria das espécies de afídeos coletadas serem classificadas como raras, algumas podem ser consideradas colonizadoras potenciais de pessegueiros como Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) que recebeu o status de comum ou intermediária em alguns dos pomares estudados. A flutuação populacional de afídeos apresentou uma correlação negativa com a precipitação pluviométrica e positiva com a temperatura e a umidade relativa do ar.

Bonding effectiveness of different adhesion approaches to unground versus ground primary tooth enamel.

AIM: This study aims to evaluate the bonding effectiveness of self-etch and etch-and-rinse adhesive systems in on intact and ground primary tooth enamel. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty primary incisors were divided into 6 groups according to the adhesive system (etch-and-rinse - Adper Single Bond 2 - SB, 2 steps self-etch -Clearfil SE Bond - SE, and 1 step self-etch - One Up Bond F Plus OBF) and to the substrate (ground or intact enamel): G1-SB/intact enamel; G2-SE/intact enamel; G3- OBF/intact enamel; G4-SB/ground enamel; G5- SE/ground enamel and G6-OBF/ground enamel. METHODS: Microshear bond test specimens were prepared with microhybrid composite and after 24h of water storage the microshear test was performed. STATISTICS: Data were submitted to statistical analysis using two-way ANOVA and Tukey's tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: Comparing the enamel characteristics (ground or intact) only when SE was used a statistically significant difference was found, as G2 (21.12+/-4.52) was statistically lower than G5 (33.29+/-5.44). Among the intact enamel groups, SB (26.11+/-7.56) was statistically superior to SE (21.12+/-4.52) and OBF (17.01+/-3.96). However, when comparisons were made among groups of ground enamel, SE (33.29+/-5.44) was significantly higher than SB (26.35+/-8.18) and OBF (17.52+/-3.46). CONCLUSION: The two-step self-etch adhesive system is a reliable alternative to etch and rinse adhesive systems on both ground and intact primary enamel.

Pulmonary and cardiac cysticercosis: helical CT findings.

The authors aim to report the chest CT findings of a patient with disseminated cysticercosis, emphasising the pulmonary and cardiac features. The main finding consisted of multiple pulmonary, cardiac and chest wall nodules. The present case demonstrates that cysticercosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of multiple pulmonary nodules, mainly in those patients with similar lesions in the cardiac muscle and/or in the chest wall.