Scalable nanophotonic neural probes for multicolor and on-demand light delivery in brain tissue.

Neural probes arein vivobrain-invasive devices that record and manipulate neural circuits using electricity, light, or drugs. The capability to shine distinct wavelengths and control their respective output locations for activation or deactivation of specific groups of neurons is desirable but remains unachieved. Here, we discuss our probe's capability to deliver two independently controllable wavelengths (450 and 655 nm) in the location(s) of interest using nanophotonic directional couplers and ring resonators. These nanophotonics are scalable to dozens of outputs without significantly increasing the device's lateral dimensions. Furthermore, they are entirely passive and thus do not require electrical input that results in heat generation. Besides, we integrate a high number of electrodes for a simultaneous neural activity readout. Thus, we overcome the challenges associated with multicolor illumination for neural devices by exploiting the capability of miniaturizable, passive probes to deliver two different frequencies in several areas of interest. These devices open the path towards investigating thein vivoelectrical signal propagation under the individual or simultaneous activation or inhibition of distinct brain regions.

Fungi infection in honeybee hives in regions affected by Brazilian sac brood / Contaminação fúngica em colmeias de abelhas de regiões afetadas pela cria ensacada brasileira

The Brazilian Sac Brood is a disease that affects apiaries of Africanized bee hives in Brazil, thereby making them susceptible to high losses. This study investigated the pathogenicity of Africanized bee hives by the entomopathogenic fungi in a Brazilian Sac Brood endemic region. The degree of fungal contamination, presence of mycotoxins in beehive elements, and vulnerability of healthy beehives in environments subjected and not subjected to the disease were investigated. From the contaminating fungal load, species that are mycotoxin producers and pathogenic causing mortality in the bees have been isolated. The analysis of bee pollen and bee bread samples did not show the presence of the toxic pollen of Stryphnodendron (Fabaceae), which has been indicated as the causative agent of mortality in pre-pupal stage larvae. However, bee bread showed the highest correlation between substrate and fungal contamination...

A cria ensacada brasileira é uma doença que afeta apiários de colmeias de abelhas africanizadas no Brasil, tornando-os suscetíveis a perdas elevadas. Este estudo investigou a patogenicidade de fungos entomopatogênicos em colmeias de abelhas africanizadas de uma região endêmica de cria ensacada brasileira. O grau de contaminação fúngica, a presença de micotoxinas em elementos colmeia e a vulnerabilidade das colmeias saudáveis em ambientes sujeitos e não sujeitos à doença foram investigados. A partir da carga fúngica contaminante, espécies produtoras de micotoxinas e patogênicas, que provocam a mortalidade de abelhas, foram isoladas. A análise do pólen e do pão de abelha não demonstrou a presença do pólen tóxico de Stryphnodendron (Fabaceae), que tem sido apontado como agente causador da mortalidade de larvas em fase de pré-pupa. No entanto, o pão de abelha foi o substrato mais correlacionado com a contaminação fúngica...

Phase II study of liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide, followed by sequential trastuzumab plus docetaxel as primary systemic therapy for breast cancer patients with HER2 overexpression or amplification.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Trastuzumab combined with sequential chemotherapy with taxanes and anthracyclines as primary systemic therapy achieved high rates of pathologic complete response (pCR). Non-pegylated liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin (NPLD) has shown equal efficacy but minor cardiotoxicity compared to doxorubicin. This phase II study aimed to evaluate the activity and safety of trastuzumab with sequential chemotherapy for early or locally advanced HER2 positive BC. METHODS: Preoperative treatment included NPLD (60 mg/mq iv) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/mq iv) every 3 weeks for 4 cycles followed by docetaxel (35 mg/mq iv) plus trastuzumab (4 mg/mq loading dose iv, then 2 mg/mq iv) weekly for 16 weeks. Primary endpoint was pCR defined as the absence of residual invasive cancer both in the breast and regional nodes. Clinical staging was exploratory evaluated by CT-PET. RESULTS: 43 pts were treated from december 2005 to September 2011, 39 of them were evaluable for the purpose of study. Median age was 53 years (range: 31-78), the majority of pts had tumour stage cT2 (63%), tumour grade 3 (86%), clinical nodes involvement N+ (77%), ER positive (56%) and Ki-67 ≥20% (77%). pCR was reported in 19 (49%) of 39 pts. There was an association between Ki-67 ≥20% at baseline and pCR (p = 0.018). No cardiac toxicity or discontinuation of trastuzumab was reported. CT-PET modified the clinical stage for 10 patients showing new loco-regional lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that integrating anti-HER2 therapy in primary treatment for HER2 positive breast cancer is active. NPLD is a safe option to minimize cardiotoxicity.

Spatial regression methods to evaluate beekeeping production in the state of Rio de Janeiro / Métodos de regressão espacial para avaliação da produção apícola do estado do Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian beekeeping has been developed from the africanization of the honeybees and its high performance launches Brazil as one of the world´s largest honey producer. The Southeastern region has an expressive position in this market (45%), but the state of Rio de Janeiro is the smallest producer, despite presenting large areas of wild vegetation for honey production. In order to analyze the honey productivity in the state of Rio de Janeiro, this research used classic and spatial regression approaches. The data used in this study comprised the responses regarding beekeeping from 1418 beekeepers distributed throughout 72 counties of this state. The best statistical fit was a semiparametric spatial model. The proposed model could be used to estimate the annual honey yield per hive in regions and to detect production factors more related to beekeeping. Honey productivity was associated with the number of hives, wild swarm collection and losses in the apiaries. This paper highlights that the beekeeping sector needs support and help to elucidate the problems plaguing beekeepers, and the inclusion of spatial effects in the regression models is a useful tool in geographical data.

A apicultura brasileira se desenvolveu a partir da africanização das abelhas melíferas, e seu bom desempenho permitiu lançar o Brasil como um dos maiores produtores mundiais de mel. A região Sudeste ocupa uma posição significativa no mercado, mas o estado do Rio de Janeiro é o menor produtor, apesar de apresentar áreas expressivas de vegetação silvestre para a produção de mel. Para analisar a produtividade de mel no estado do Rio de Janeiro, esta pesquisa estudou diversos métodos de regressão clássica e espacial. Os dados analisados compreenderam respostas sobre apicultura de 1418 apicultores distribuídos em 72 municípios do Rio de Janeiro. O melhor ajuste estatístico utilizado foi um modelo semiparamétrico espacial. A utilidade do modelo proposto é estimar a produção anual de mel por colmeia nas diversas regiões e identificar os fatores de produção mais relacionados à apicultura. A produtividade de mel mostrou-se mais associada com o número de colmeias, a coleta de enxame silvestre e as perdas em apiários. Este trabalho destacou que o segmento apícola necessita de apoio para auxiliar na identificação dos problemas que afetam os apicultores. A utilização de efeitos espaciais em modelos de regressão são ferramentas úteis quando são utilizados dados geograficamente referenciados.

The wide spectrum of hyperechoic lesions of the breast.

Although breast lesions are commonly detected because of their hypoechogenicity, some lesions may present with hyperechogenicity due to their histological components. Hyperechogenicity has been shown to be highly predictive of benignity; however, hyperechoic lesions can occasionally be malignant. This article reviews hyperechoic lesions of the breast, describes the underlying histological causes associated with hyperechogenicity, and the sonographic features useful for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant hyperechoic lesions.

Foraging on some nonfloral resources by stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Meliponini) in a Caatinga region.

In a caatinga region the flowers and nonfloral resources visited by highly eusocial bees, stingless beess and Apis mellifera (Africanized honey bee) were studied. During one year, monthly sampling took place in two sites at Serra da Capivara National Park (Piauf State, Brazil), one of them, including the local village, outside the park, and the other inside, using already existing park trails. With the help of entomological nets, all bees were caught while visiting floral and nonfloral resources. At the study sites we observed more stingless bees in nonfloral resources, made possible by human presence. Twelve stingless bee species used the nonfloral resources in different proportions, showing no preference for time of day, season of the year, or sites. During the rainy season, more water sources and abundant flowering plants were observed, which attract stingless bees, even though many worker bees were found foraging in the aqueous substrates while few were observed at water sources. This relationship was higher for stingless bee species than for Africanized honey bees. Paratrigona lineata was represented by few specimens in floral and nonfloral resources and is perhaps rare in this region. Frieseomelitta silvestrii could be considered rare in the floral resources, but they were abundant in nonfloral resources. The variety and intriguing abundance of bees in nonfloral resources suggests that these are an important part of the stingless bee niches, even if these resources are used for nest construction and defense.

Foraging on some nonfloral resources by stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Meliponini) in a caatinga region

Na região de caatinga, verificou-se a visita de meliponíneos e Apis mellifera (abelhas Africanizadas) aos recursos não florais e às fontes florais. Durante um ano foram realizadas amostragens mensais em dois locais do Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara, Piauí, Brasil: partes externa, que inclui parte do vilarejo, e interna, em algumas trilhas existentes no Parque. As abelhas foram capturadas quando visitavam as plantas em flores e em outros recursos não florais, utilizando-se redes entomológicas. A fauna de meliponíneos na Serra da Capivara, pertencente a 12 espécies, foi mais abundante e generalizada entre os diferentes recursos não florais, cuja ocorrência foi favorecida pela presença do homem. Verificou-se que as variações da coleta dos recursos não florais pelas abelhas ao longo do dia, nas estações do ano e nos locais de estudo, não foram significativas. Aparentemente, na estação chuvosa houve grande número de floradas atrativas aos meliponíneos e maior disponibilidade de fontes de água, mesmo assim observou-se expressivo número de indivíduos nos recursos não florais, particularmente nos substratos aquosos, e poucas abelhas coletando nas fontes de água: para os meliponíneos essa relação foi bem maior comparada à das Africanizadas. Paratrigona lineata foi representada por poucos indivíduos, podendo ser considerada rara na região. Frieseomelitta silvestrii poderia ser distinta também como rara nos recursos florais, porém foi abundante nos não florais. Essa variedade e intrigante abundância de abelhas nos recursos não florais sugere ser parte importante do nicho dos meliponíneos, mesmo que sejam utilizados como material de construção e defesa do ninho.

[Air pollution in the daily environment: study of a school-children population]. / L'inquinamento atmosferico nei luoghi di vita quotidiana. Studio di una popolazione di bambini in etá scolare.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the annual distribution of personal exposure to NO2 in a sample of school children and to study the determinants of such exposure. METHODS: Exposure to NO2 has been evaluated using Palmes Tubes in 310 school-children (aged 5-14) in Novara. The possible differences in personal measurements by means of ANOVA and Tuckey test were evaluated. Information on the sources of potential exposure and on respiratory symptoms have been collected through a questionnaire and a clinical diary. The relative risk for these variables has been assessed using a multiple regression model (Logit). RESULTS: The annual mean of the 6,200 measurements was 42.3 microgram/m3, with a significant difference among seasons and with higher values in winter. The only factor associated with a high exposure was identified for maternal school children living in houses close to high traffic density roads. Respiratory symptoms were non-related to NO2. CONCLUSIONS: The use of gas cookers and heaters is not enough to explain the variability of personal exposure. Between other specific determinants, the importance of living along busy streets, of ETS and of seasons explains the level of personal exposure. The opportunity of personal, rather than environmental, monitoring is confirmed, even if we stress the necessity of studying the short-term exposure to rapidly find clinical damages in the general population.