Impact of diseases and pests on premature fruit drop in sweet orange orchards in São Paulo state citrus belt, Brazil.

Background: Despite technical improvements in the citrus chain and leadership in orange production achieved in the past decades, premature fruit drop remains a major component of crop loss in São Paulo state citrus belt, the largest sweet orange production area in the world. The present study aimed to determine, during five consecutive seasons, the impact of the diseases and pests on premature fruit drop in the orange belt.

Results: Fruit drop due to the main diseases and pests averaged approximately 11.

Engineered Orange Ectopically Expressing the Arabidopsis β-Caryophyllene Synthase Is Not Attractive to , the Vector of the Bacterial Pathogen Associated to Huanglongbing.

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a destructive disease, associated with psyllid-transmitted phloem-restricted pathogenic bacteria, which is seriously endangering citriculture worldwide. It affects all citrus species and cultivars regardless of the rootstock used, and despite intensive research in the last decades, there is no effective cure to control either the bacterial species ( Liberibacter spp.) or their insect vectors ( and ).

Pancreatic transplantation with duodenoduodenostomy drainage: technique, normal radiological appearance and complications.

Pancreas transplantation is considered the curative treatment for severe type 1 diabetes mellitus in selected cases. Since the first procedure in 1966, surgical techniques have been improved. The current trend among most medical centers, as well as at our Institution, is enteric drainage and systemic venous or portal anastomosis.

Selection of Bacillus thuringiensis strains in citrus and their pathogenicity to Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) nymphs.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins are effective in controlling insect pests either through the spraying of products or when expressed in transgenic crops. The discovery of endophytic Bt strains opened new perspectives for studies aimed at the control of sap-sucking insects, such as the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), a vector of "Candidatus Liberibacter spp.," associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB).

Citrus flush shoot ontogeny modulates biotic potential of Diaphorina citri.

The biology and behaviour of the psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Liviidae), the major insect vector of bacteria associated with huanglongbing, have been extensively studied with respect to host preferences, thermal requirements, and responses to visual and chemical volatile stimuli. However, development of the psyllid in relation to the ontogeny of immature citrus flush growth has not been clearly defined or illustrated. Such information is important for determining the timing and frequency of measures used to minimize populations of the psyllid in orchards and spread of HLB.

β-caryophyllene emitted from a transgenic Arabidopsis or chemical dispenser repels Diaphorina citri, vector of Candidatus Liberibacters.

Production of citrus, the main fruit tree crop worldwide, is severely threatened by Huanglongbing (HLB), for which as yet a cure is not available. Spread of this bacterial disease in America and Asia is intimately connected with dispersal and feeding of the insect vector Diaphorina citri, oligophagous on rutaceous host plants. Effective control of this psyllid is an important component in successful HLB management programs.

New findings regarding the NO angular momentum orientation in Ar-NO(2Π(1/2)) collisions.

This article reports a theoretical study of the stereodynamics of Ar + NO(X(2)Π, v = 0, j = 1/2, Ω = 1/2, ε = ±1) rotationally inelastic collisions. First, quantum scattering data are used to calculate all differential polarisation moments of the reagent and product molecules; this leads to the observation that the orientations of the reagent and product angular momenta are very strongly correlated. Next, canonical collision mechanisms theory [Aldegunde et al.

Stereodynamics of the F + HD(v = 0, j = 1) reaction: direct vs. resonant mechanisms.

The stereodynamics and mechanism of the F + HD(v = 0, j = 1) → HF (DF) + D (H) reactions have been thoroughly analysed at collision energies in the 0-160 meV range. Specifically, this study is focused on (i) the comparison between the stereodynamics of the collisions leading to HF and DF formation, and (ii) the stereodynamical fingerprints of the resonance that occurs at low collision energies in the HF channel and whose manifestation in the total cross section is greatly diminished for initial j > 0. While previous studies were limited to the analysis of integral cross sections (ICS), differential cross sections (DCS) and reaction probabilities, in the present work we have included the analysis of vectorial quantities such as the direction of the initial rotational angular momentum and internuclear axis, and their effect on reactivity.

Two heptacopper(II) disk complexes with a [Cu(7)(μ(3)-OH)(4)(μ-OR)(2)](8+) core.

The reaction of CuX(2) (X(-) ≠ F(-)) salts with 1 equiv of 3-pyridyl-5-tert-butylpyrazole (HL) in basic methanol yields blue solids, from which disk complexes of the type [Cu(7)(μ(3)-OH)(4)(μ-OR)(2)(μ-L)(6)](2+) and/or the cubane [Cu(4)(μ(3)-OH)(4)(HL)(4)](4+) can be isolated by recrystallization under the appropriate conditions. Two of the disk complexes have been prepared in crystalline form: [Cu(7)(μ(3)-OH)(4)(μ-OCH(2)CF(3))(2)(μ-L)(6)][BF(4)](2) (2) and [Cu(7)(μ(3)-OH)(4)(μ-OCH(3))(2)(μ-L)(6)]Cl(2)·xCH(2)Cl(2) (3·xCH(2)Cl(2)). The molecular structures of both compounds as solvated crystals can be described as [Cu⊂Cu(6)(μ-OH)(4)(μ-OR)(2)(μ-L)(6)](2+) (R = CH(2)CF(3) or CH(3)) adducts.

Quantum mechanical mechanisms of inelastic and reactive H + D(2)(v = 0, j = 2) collisions.

This article analyses the mechanisms of inelastic and reactive H + D(2)(v = 0, j = 2) collisions that result in highly vibrationally excited products when the collision energy is 1.70 eV. The analytical method is entirely quantum mechanical and focuses on correlations between the polarization of the reactant molecule and the direction of product scattering.

Communications: When diffraction rules the stereodynamics of rotationally inelastic collisions.

Following upon our recent work on vector correlations in the Ar-NO collisions [Lemeshko and Friedrich, Phys. Chem. Chem.

[Survey of sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) associated with Xylella fastidiosa transmission in citrus groves of the North Coast of Bahia State].

The causal agent of citrus variegated clorosis, Xylella fastidiosa, is transmitted by leafhoppers of the subfamily Cicadellinae, whose species vary regionally. The goal of this study was to identify potential vectors of this pathogen in citrus groves of Bahia North Coast, Brazil. The survey was done from March/2002 to February/2003 in three seven- to nine-year-old sweet orange (Citrus sinensis, Pêra variety) groves located in Rio Real, BA.

Single-parameter quantification of the sensitivity of a molecular collision to molecular polarization.

This article introduces the concept of intrinsic entropy, S, of a molecular collision. Defined in rigorously quantum mechanical terms as the von Neumann entropy of the intrinsic density matrices of reagents and products, the intrinsic entropy is a dimensionless number in the 0 < or = S < or = 1 range. Its limits are associated with situations where the collision cross section is due to a single combination of reagent and product polarizations (S = 0) or where there is absolutely no selectivity with respect to the molecular polarizations (S = 1).

Photodissociation of NO2 in the (2) (2)B2 state: the O((1)D2) dissociation channel.

Direct current slice and crush velocity map imaging has been used to probe the photodissociation dynamics of nitrogen dioxide above the second dissociation limit. The paper is a companion to a previous publication [J. Chem.

Expanding postmortem donor pool using steatotic liver grafts: a new look.

Background: Clinical demand for liver transplant steadily grows while organs offer has reached a plateau years ago. To expand the donor liver pool, various options have been considered including acceptance of suboptimal donors and steatotic grafts, with a risk of poorer outcomes. The latter risk and its relation to the grade of liver graft steatosis have been studied in this prospective clinical study.

Quantum mechanical limits to the control of atom-diatom chemical reactions through the polarisation of the reactants.

This article considers the extent to which one can control the reactivity of atom-diatom systems through reactant polarisation. Three different limits for reactivity manipulation are defined: "absolute" limits that do not depend on the reaction dynamics but can only be obtained for particular combinations of quantum numbers, "unconstrained" limits that depend on dynamics but not on constraints imposed by any particular experimental setup, and "constrained" limits that depend on dynamics and also on the constraints imposed by a particular experimental setup. Methods for calculation of these limits are presented and applied to the benchmark F + H2 reaction.

The canonical and other mechanisms of elementary chemical reactions.

This article introduces a definition of the concept of elementary reaction mechanism that, while conforming to the traditional view of reaction mechanisms as dynamical processes whereby reagents are transformed into products, sharpens it by requiring reagent and product states to be completely specified and fully correlated. This leads to well-defined mathematical requirements for classification of a dynamical process as a reaction mechanism and also to a straightforward mathematical procedure for the determination of a special class of independent collision mechanisms that are dubbed "canonical". Canonical mechanisms result from an exact decomposition of the differential cross section of the reaction and form a complete orthogonal basis in terms of which all reaction mechanisms can be described.

How reactants polarization can be used to change and unravel chemical reactivity.

This article presents theoretical methods for the description of the directional effect of reactant rotation on the reactivity of atom-diatom systems and suggests an experiment that could be used to test theoretical predictions. The theory can be used in conjunction with both quantum reactive scattering and quasiclassical trajectory calculations, and is stated in general terms, which allows it to deal with arbitrary reactant polarizations. The illustrative results obtained for the benchmark H + D2 reaction are also presented and show that under experimentally achievable conditions one can largely control reactive cross sections and product state distributions, while at the same time gaining valuable and at times surprising information on the reaction mechanism.

Co-localization of nestin and insulin and expression of islet cell markers in long-term human pancreatic nestin-positive cell cultures.

Strategies to differentiate progenitor cells into beta cells in vitro have been considered as an alternative to increase beta cell availability prior to transplantation. It has recently been suggested that nestin-positive cells could be multipotential stem cells capable of expressing endocrine markers upon specific stimulation; however, this issue still remains controversial. Here, we characterized short- and long-term islet cell cultures derived from three different human islet preparations, with respect to expression of nestin and islet cell markers, using confocal microscopy and semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

Spatial distributions of angular momenta in quantum and quasiclassical stereodynamics.

We have recently reported a derivation of the relationship between the quantum and classical descriptions of angular momentum polarization [M. P. de Miranda and F.

Interpretation of quantum and classical angular momentum polarization moments.

This Letter presents a derivation of the relationship between the quantum and classical descriptions of angular momentum polarization. The results involve an "uncertainty broadening" term that directly expresses the restrictions imposed by the uncertainty principle. It is argued that neglect of this term can lead to error in the interpretation of theoretical or experimental angular momentum polarization data.

Antisymmetric exchange in two tricopper(II) complexes containing a [Cu3(micro3-OMe)]5+ core.

Reaction of CuX2(X-=Cl- or Br-) with 2 molar equivalents of 3[5]-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)pyrazole (HpzMes) in MeOH in the presence of NaOH yields [Cu3X(HpzMes)2(micro-pzMes)3(micro3-OMe)]X (X-=Cl- or Br-). Crystal structures of these compounds show almost identical triangles of Cu(II) ions, centred by a triply bridging methoxide ligand and with three edge-bridging pyrazolide groups. The mesityl substituents on the bridging pyrazolide ligands are arranged in HT, HH, TT fashion.

Reactions of copper(II) salts with 3[5]-tert-butylpyrazole: double-cubane complexes with bound exogenous anions, and a novel pyrazole coordination mode.

Reaction of CuX(2) (X(-)=Cl(-), Br(-), NO(3) (-)), NaOH, and 3[5]-tert-butylpyrazole (Hpz(tBu)) in a 1:1:2 molar ratio in MeOH at 293 K for three days affords [[Cu(3)(Hpz(tBu))(6)(mu(3)-X)(mu(3)-OH)(3)](2)Cu]X(6) (X(-)=Cl(-), 1; X(-)=Br(-), 2; X(-)=NO(3)(-), 3) in moderate yields. These compounds contain a centrosymmetric, vertex-sharing double-cubane [[Cu(3)(Hpz(tBu))(6)(mu(3)-X)(mu(3)-OH)(3)](2)Cu](6+) core, surrounded by a belt of six hydrogen-bonded X(-) ions. For 1 and 2, the ring of guest anions has near C(3) symmetry, that is slightly distorted owing to the axis of Jahn-Teller elongation at the central Cu ion.