Light Induced Inverse-Square Law Interactions between Nanoparticles: "Mock Gravity" at the Nanoscale.

The interaction forces between identical resonant molecules or nanoparticles, optically induced by a quasimonochromatic isotropic random light field, are theoretically analyzed. In general, the interaction force exhibits a far-field oscillatory behavior at separation distances larger than the light wavelength. However, we show that the oscillations disappear when the frequency of the random field is tuned to an absorption Fröhlich resonance, at which the real part of the particle's electric polarizability is zero. At the resonant condition, the interaction forces follow a long-range gravitylike inverse square distance law which holds for both near- and far-field separation distances.

Pitfall Traps and Mini-Winkler Extractor as Complementary Methods to Sample Soil Coleoptera.

We compared abundance, species richness, and capture efficiency with pitfall traps and mini-Winkler extractors to examine their use as complementary methods for sampling soil Coleoptera during dry (2010) and high water seasons (2011) in three areas, including inundated and non-inundated regions, in the Pantanal of Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We paired treatments with two 10 × 10 m plots in inundated and non-inundated locations that were repeated three times in each location for a total of 18 plots. In each plot, we used nine pitfall traps and collected 2 m(2) of leaf litter and surface soil samples with mini-Winkler extractors. We collected a total of 4260 adult beetles comprising 36 families, 113 genera, and 505 species. Most were caught in pitfalls (69%) and the remainder in the mini-Winkler extractors (31%). Each method provided distinct information about the beetle community: 252 species were captured only in pitfall traps, 147 using only the mini-Winkler extractors, and these methods shared another 106 species. Pitfall and mini-Winkler contribute in different ways for the sampling of the soil beetle community, and so they should be considered complementary for a more thorough assessment of community diversity.

Environmental influence on coprophagous Scarabaeidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) assemblages in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.

Here we examine assemblage structure of coprophagous Scarabaeidae (dung beetles) in the Pantanal of the state of Mato Grosso with respect to flooding regimes, soil texture, leaf litter volume and tree dominance in native and exotic pastures. Samples were collected along 30 transects of 250 m in length in a 5×5 km grid (25 km2). Five pitfalls baited with human feces were placed in each transect. A total of 1692 individuals in 19 species were captured, the majority in the subfamily Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae. Assemblages were influenced by the duration of flooding and leaf litter volume. None of the other habitat variables was correlated with species richness. Cultivated pastures with exotic grasses were unimportant for composition of the assemblages of beetles. These results indicate that duration of flooding is the most important regulating force in this community.

Environmental influence on coprophagous Scarabaeidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) assemblages in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso

Abstract Here we examine assemblage structure of coprophagous Scarabaeidae (dung beetles) in the Pantanal of the state of Mato Grosso with respect to flooding regimes, soil texture, leaf litter volume and tree dominance in native and exotic pastures. Samples were collected along 30 transects of 250 m in length in a 5×5 km grid (25 km2). Five pitfalls baited with human feces were placed in each transect. A total of 1692 individuals in 19 species were captured, the majority in the subfamily Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae. Assemblages were influenced by the duration of flooding and leaf litter volume. None of the other habitat variables was correlated with species richness. Cultivated pastures with exotic grasses were unimportant for composition of the assemblages of beetles. These results indicate that duration of flooding is the most important regulating force in this community.

Resumo Esse estudo avaliou a estrutura espacial de assembleias de Scarabaeidae coprófagos no Pantanal de Mato Grosso, em função do tempo de inundação, textura do solo, volume da serapilheira, dominância de arbóreas, pastagens nativa e exótica. As coletas foram realizadas em 30 transectos de 250 m cada distribuídos sistematicamente em uma área de 25 km2. Cinco armadilhas pitfall iscadas com fezes humanas foram instaladas em cada transecto, e obtidos 1.692 indivíduos distribuídos em 19 espécies pertencentes às subfamílias Scarabaeinae e Aphodiinae. A estrutura e composição das assembleias foram afetadas pelo tempo de inundação e o volume da serapilheira. Todas as variáveis explanatórias foram fracamente correlacionadas e de forma não significativa com a riqueza de espécies. A existência de pastagem exótica não afetou a composição das assembleias de besouros. Esses resultados indicam que o tempo de inundação é a principal força reguladora dessa comunidade no ambiente pantaneiro.

Environmental influence on coprophagous Scarabaeidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) assemblages in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso / Influência ambiental sobre assembleias de Scarabaeidae coprófagos (Insecta: Coleoptera) no Pantanal de Mato Grosso

Abstract Here we examine assemblage structure of coprophagous Scarabaeidae (dung beetles) in the Pantanal of the state of Mato Grosso with respect to flooding regimes, soil texture, leaf litter volume and tree dominance in native and exotic pastures. Samples were collected along 30 transects of 250 m in length in a 5×5 km grid (25 km2). Five pitfalls baited with human feces were placed in each transect. A total of 1692 individuals in 19 species were captured, the majority in the subfamily Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae. Assemblages were influenced by the duration of flooding and leaf litter volume. None of the other habitat variables was correlated with species richness. Cultivated pastures with exotic grasses were unimportant for composition of the assemblages of beetles. These results indicate that duration of flooding is the most important regulating force in this community.

Resumo Esse estudo avaliou a estrutura espacial de assembleias de Scarabaeidae coprófagos no Pantanal de Mato Grosso, em função do tempo de inundação, textura do solo, volume da serapilheira, dominância de arbóreas, pastagens nativa e exótica. As coletas foram realizadas em 30 transectos de 250 m cada distribuídos sistematicamente em uma área de 25 km2. Cinco armadilhas pitfall iscadas com fezes humanas foram instaladas em cada transecto, e obtidos 1.692 indivíduos distribuídos em 19 espécies pertencentes às subfamílias Scarabaeinae e Aphodiinae. A estrutura e composição das assembleias foram afetadas pelo tempo de inundação e o volume da serapilheira. Todas as variáveis explanatórias foram fracamente correlacionadas e de forma não significativa com a riqueza de espécies. A existência de pastagem exótica não afetou a composição das assembleias de besouros. Esses resultados indicam que o tempo de inundação é a principal força reguladora dessa comunidade no ambiente pantaneiro.

Morphometry of Cornops aquaticum (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Leptysminae) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Insects show morphometric variations associated with the environment that may be the result of phenotypic response or genetic inheritance, or both. Thereby, studies that emphasise the variability in body size are very useful for understanding the dynamics and the stability of ecological systems. Cornops aquaticum (Bruner, 1906) (Acrididae) is a semi-aquatic grasshopper, distributed from the southeast of Mexico to the south of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, and is intimately associated with the aquatic macrophytes Eichhornia spp. and Pontederia spp. In its wide habitat distribution, C. aquaticum shows variations in its life cycle and morphometric differences that were observed suggesting geographic and host plant influence. Considering these findings, this study aimed to find out the morphometric characteristics of this species at the Pantanal of Poconé - MT, using the protocol of the project "HICWA - Host-Insect Coevolution on Waterhyacinth", as well as to assess possible differences in each stage of development between the sexes and among seasonal periods (flood, high water, low water and dry). During 12 months a total of 600 individuals were collected in monthly collections of 50 grasshoppers, and of this total, 261 were adults and 339 nymphs. The following measurements were taken: total length (A); body length (B); wing length (I) and measurement of the hind femur (H). The results showed that both male and female have different measurements but not correlated with seasonal periods. The average obtained for each character and the seasonality showed the highest values during the flood period. In nymphs, the measurement of the posterior femur presented the lower variation between individuals and characters.

Comparative study of the ovarian morphology in the order Polydesmida (Diplopoda) and description of unusual structures in the female reproductive system / Estudo comparativo da morfologia ovariana na ordem Polydesmida (Diplopoda) e descrição de estruturas incomuns do sistema reprodutor feminino

Polydesmida is the largest order in the class Diplopoda in terms of the number of species, genera and families, but there are few studies of the ovarian morphology of species in this order. This study aimed to perform a comparative study of the ovarian morphology of three species from this order to increase the understanding of the morphological evolution of this system in Polydesmida. Adults females of two of these species, Poratia salvator and Myrmecodesmus hastatus, belonging to the family Pyrgodesmidae, had a unpaired ovary that formed a tubular organ containing oocytes, with P. salvator present grouping of oocytes into a structure similar to ovisacs. This condition appeared to be apomorphic and was associated with the small size of these species ( 10 mm) and their short life cycle. The third species, Telonychopus klossae (Chelodesmidae), had a large body and an ovary with paired ovisacs, which was symplesiomorphic with other Polydesmida families.

A ordem Polydesmida é a maior da classe Diplopoda em número de espécies, gêneros e famílias, entretanto existem poucos estudos sobre a morfologia ovariana de suas espécies. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo realizar um estudo comparativo sobre a morfologia ovariana de três espécies dessa ordem a fim de contribuir para discussões sobre a evolução morfológica deste sistema no grupo. Duas dessas espécies, Poratia salvator e Myrmecodesmus hastatus, representantes da família Pyrgodesmidae, apresentam ovário como um órgão tubular único, com a primeira possuindo os ovócitos agrupados em uma estrutura semelhante a ovissacos. Esta condição parece ser uma apomorfia aparentemente associada ao tamanho diminuto dos animais destas espécies (menos de 10 mm) e suas histórias de vida curtas. A terceira espécie, Telonychopus klossae, um quelodesmídeo de tamanho corporal grande, possui um ovário pareado com presença de ovissacos, condição simplesiomórfica semelhante à de outras famílias de Polydesmida.

Mini-winkler extractor and pitfall trap as complementary methods to sample formicidae.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of mini-Winkler extractor and pitfall traps as appropriate and complementary methods to sample ant communities in the phytophysiognomy mosaic in the Poconé Pantanal region, state of Mato Grosso, Brasil. Seven units were studied for landscape, located within a 25 km(2) collection area, formed by thirty 250-m transects, at 1-km intervals in a 5 × 5 km area. Five collection points were marked in each transect at 50-m intervals, totaling 150 points. A collection was made at each sampling point with mini-Winkler extractor and pitfall traps. Using the mini-Winkler extractor, 1,088 individuals were collected distributed in 20 genera and 55 species, with Solenopsis invicta Buren and Pheidole (gr. biconstricta) sp.1 as the most frequent ants. Using pitfall traps, 2,726 individuals distributed in 24 genera and 48 species were sampled and Dorymyrmex (gr. pyramicus) sp.1 and Pheidole (gr. biconstricta) sp.1 were the most frequent species. A significant difference between the methods was observed in measured species number. The Principal coordinates analysis discriminated two species groups exclusively sampled by the mini-Winkler extractor and another by the pitfall methods. Therefore, it was concluded that these methods were complementary for ant diversity inventories in the Poconé Pantanal region.

Comparative study of the ovarian morphology in the order Polydesmida (Diplopoda) and description of unusual structures in the female reproductive system.

Polydesmida is the largest order in the class Diplopoda in terms of the number of species, genera and families, but there are few studies of the ovarian morphology of species in this order. This study aimed to perform a comparative study of the ovarian morphology of three species from this order to increase the understanding of the morphological evolution of this system in Polydesmida. Adults females of two of these species, Poratia salvator and Myrmecodesmus hastatus, belonging to the family Pyrgodesmidae, had a unpaired ovary that formed a tubular organ containing oocytes, with P. salvator present grouping of oocytes into a structure similar to ovisacs. This condition appeared to be apomorphic and was associated with the small size of these species (< 10 mm) and their short life cycle. The third species, Telonychopus klossae (Chelodesmidae), had a large body and an ovary with paired ovisacs, which was symplesiomorphic with other Polydesmida families.

Fertility tables of two populations of the parthenogenetic species Poratia salvator (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Pyrgodesmidae).

Diplopods are very susceptible to various degrees of environmental disturbance, particularly climate, altitude and diet. In order to increase our understanding of millipede ecological plasticity, we used fertility tables to access and to compare the fertility and survival of two populations of the parthenogenetic species Poratia salvator from two areas with distinct characteristics. Collecting was conducted in two localities within the state of Mato Grosso, in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, municipality of Nossa Senhora do Livramento, and in the municipality of Várzea Grande. The specimens were maintained at room temperature. In the first generation, individuals from the Pantanal of Mato Grosso population reproduced early and also died earlier when compared with individuals from the Várzea Grande population. Furthermore, the population from the Pantanal had a lower net reproduction rate and a higher intrinsic growth rate than the population from the Várzea Grande. The generation time was lower for the Pantanal population than for the Várzea Grande population. In the second generation, the net reproduction rate observed for both populations was higher than that observed in the first generation, suggesting an increase in the reproductive potential of the females throughout their lives. The intrinsic growth rate of both populations decreased as a function of an increase in generation time observed in the second generation. As a result, the population growth rate in the second generation was slower when compared with the first generation, probably a result of the longer life expectancy of the second generation, which may have become adapted to the artificial conditions of the experiment.

The capillarity of nanometric water menisci confined inside closed-geometry viral cages.

We present an investigation of water menisci confined in closed geometries by studying the structural effects of their capillary forces on viruses during the final stage of desiccation. We used individual particles of the bacteriophage phi29 and the minute virus of mice. In both cases the genomic DNA was ejected from the capsid. However, although the structural integrity of the minute virus of mice was essentially preserved, the phi29 capsid underwent a wall-to-wall collapse. We provide evidence that the capillary forces of water confined inside the viruses are mainly responsible for these effects. Moreover, by performing theoretical simulations with a lattice gas model, we found that some structural differences between these 2 viruses may be crucial to explain the different ways in which they are affected by water menisci forces confined at the nanoscale.

Phylogenetic analysis of five Portuguese strains of FIV.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was isolated from five Portuguese cats. The five strains were named RP1, PP2, TLP3, FP4 and CP5. The LTR, the CA region of the gag gene, and the V3-V5 region of the env gene were amplified by PCR, cloned and sequenced. The phylogenetic relationships among these three regions and other previously published sequences revealed an independent clustering of the Portuguese isolates in the LTR and CA protein. Based on the V3-V5 region the Portuguese isolates were classified as Subtype B, although they appear to be a subcluster within Subtype B. The study of these new FIV isolates showed the presence of Subtype B in Portugal and could provide a contribution for the understanding of FIV's genetic diversity.

Dynamic scaling in diluted systems: deactivation through thermal dilution.

Activated scaling is confirmed to hold in transverse field-induced phase transitions of randomly diluted Ising systems. Quantum Monte Carlo calculations have been made not just at the percolation threshold (pc) but also well below and above it. We follow the evolution of the activated scaling at zero temperature in the phase transition from ferromagnetic to quantum Griffiths phase (p>pc) at the phase boundary (p=pc) and for transitions inside the nonferromagnetic quantum Griffiths phase (p

Self-averaging of random and thermally disordered diluted Ising systems.

Self-averaging of singular thermodynamic quantities at criticality for randomly and thermally diluted three-dimensional Ising systems has been studied by the Monte Carlo approach. Substantially improved self-averaging is obtained for critically clustered (critically thermally diluted) vacancy distributions in comparison with the observed self-averaging for purely random diluted distributions. Critically thermal dilution, leading to maximum relative self-averaging, corresponds to the case when the characteristic vacancy ordering temperature (theta) is made equal to the magnetic critical temperature for the pure three-dimensional (3D) Ising systems (T(3D)(c)). For the case of a high ordering temperature (theta>>T(3D)(c)), the self-averaging obtained is comparable to that in a randomly diluted system.

Functional and molecular characterization of African swine fever virus mutants resistant to phosphonoacetic acid.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) growth and plaque formation were inhibited by phosphonoacetic acid (PAA) concentrations of 200 micrograms/ml or more. One spontaneous mutant and two mutants isolated from mutagenized virus were resistant to PAA inhibition and showed practically normal viral DNA synthesis in the presence of PAA. DNA polymerase activity present in the cytoplasmic fraction from cells infected with the mutants required 10-fold higher concentrations of PAA for inhibition compared to equivalent inhibition of the wild-type enzyme. Like wild-type virus, the PAA-resistant mutants were resistant to inhibition by aphidicolin. Marker rescue analysis with mutant DNA fragments covering different regions of the ASFV DNA polymerase gene mapped the mutations within a fragment which was cloned and sequenced. A single nucleotide and amino acid change was assigned to each mutant. Two of the PAA-resistant mutations lie within the highly conserved region II common to alpha-like DNA polymerases, which has been implicated in pyrophosphate binding and probably also in dNTP binding. The other mutation was localized to within a region of moderate homology among viral DNA polymerases close to one of the motifs allegedly considered as constituting the 3'-5' exonuclease active site.

Genetic identification and nucleotide sequence of the DNA polymerase gene of African swine fever virus.

The DNA polymerase gene of African swine fever virus (ASFV) was mapped by marker rescue experiments using a phosphonoacetic acid-resistant mutant and hybridization with an oligonucleotide probe designed from the most conserved motif of family B DNA polymerases. Viral DNA fragments mapping in this region were cloned and sequenced. An open reading frame coding for a 1244 amino acid long peptide with a molecular mass of 142.5 kDa was determined from the sequence. A unique feature of ASFV DNA polymerase is the presence of 13 tandem repeats of the sequence Ala-Gly-Asp-Pro near the carboxyl end of the molecule. Comparison with 30 sequences of alpha-like DNA polymerases of cellular and viral origin showed that ASFV DNA polymerase has all the conserved motifs of family B DNA polymerases. A 3.9 kb transcript was detected by Northern hybridization and the transcription initiation and termination sites were mapped by S1 analysis and primer extension. Late transcription was initiated at a site different from the early transcription initiation site. A 145 kDa protein, consistent with the size of the gene, was identified by an in situ enzyme assay after gel electrophoresis of infected cell extracts.

African swine fever virus-induced DNA polymerase is resistant to aphidicolin.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) induces the synthesis of a virus-specific DNA polymerase, which is inhibited by phosphonoacetic acid and cytosine arabinoside. In contrast to all other alpha-like DNA polymerases of DNA viruses, ASFV-specific DNA polymerase is resistant to aphidicolin. Concentrations of the drug as high as 160 microM had no effect on virus production or plaquing efficiency. The resistance of ASFV DNA polymerase to aphidicolin was confirmed by analyzing the effect of the drug on viral DNA synthesis. A moderate inhibition of viral DNA synthesis was observed when aphidicolin was added immediately after virus adsorption but normal synthesis occurred, with a peak at 10 hr p.i., when the drug was added at 2 or 4 hr p.i. This suggests that a very early phase of ASFV DNA replication is sensitive to aphidicolin and is probably catalyzed by a different enzyme. An in vitro assay of DNA polymerase activity was used to assay the sensitivity of the virus-specific DNA polymerase to inhibitors. In correspondence to the results observed in vivo, phosphonoacetic acid strongly inhibited the enzyme activity, whereas aphidicolin had no effect. Resistance to aphidicolin was independent of the concentration of dCTP used in the assay. Three independent ASFV mutants resistant to phosphonoacetic acid showed the same resistance to aphidicolin as wild type virus.

Two-dimensional analysis of African swine fever virus proteins and proteins induced in infected cells.

Two-dimensional (2D) analysis of African swine fever (ASF) virus purified by Percoll gradient centrifugation resolves 54 structural proteins, 30 in conventional IEF gels and 24 in NEPHGE gels, while only 26 structural proteins are separated by SDS-PAGE. The two main bands separated by SDS-PAGE, with mol wt 150K and 72K, correspond to single spots in 2D gels. Other bands, including major bands of 38K, 35K, 24K, 17K, and 15.5K mol wt, correspond to multiple proteins of the same molecular weight but different pI. One hundred six virus-specific proteins were resolved by 2D analysis, 59 in conventional IEF gels and 47 in NEPHGE gels. Thirty-five of the virus-specific proteins are early proteins, synthesized before DNA replication, and the remaining 71 proteins are late proteins. Early proteins belong to two groups: 11 transient early proteins are synthesized only early in infection and the other 24 are persistent early proteins, synthesized at both early and late phases. Treatment with cytosine arabinoside prevents the synthesis of late proteins and blocks the shut-off of the synthesis of transient early proteins. Eleven structural proteins are major early proteins and 28 are late proteins. The remaining 15 structural proteins migrate in 2D gels like cellular proteins. Three of these cellular proteins, with mol wt 58K, 56K, and 45K were identified by immunoblotting as alpha-tubulin, beta-tubulin, and actin, respectively.

Do perfil psicologico nas sindromes labirinticas com exame vestibular normal e alterado. / Psychological profile in labyrinthic syndromes with normal and alterate vestibular test

O perfil psicologico de 40 individuos portadores de sindromes vestibulares perifericas, foi realizado atraves do Teste das Piramides Coloridas de Pfister, teste projetivo que faz uma avaliacao da personalidade, em seus niveis latentes e manifestos tendo sido conhecido para informar sobre a expressao da afetividade e o controle dos impulsos. O teste de Pfister sempre foi realizado apos a avaliacao otoneurologica de casuistica, e pos computacao dos dados objetivos da sua interpretacao nos pacientes labirinticos, observou-se a ocorrencia expressiva de determinados eventos, com signficados explicitos: 1: - constriccao do campo psicologico. 2 - insuficiencia de mecanismos defensivos adequados, prevalecendo o carater primariamente funcional e secundariamente, o carater organico.O grupo de pacientes que apresentou exame vestibular alterado foi considerado em piores condicoes psicologicas do que o grupo de pacientes em que o exame vertibular foi normal