Wireless Monitoring of Induction Machine Rotor Physical Variables.

With the widespread use of electric machines, there is a growing need to extract information from the machines to improve their control systems and maintenance management. The present work shows the development of an embedded system to perform the monitoring of the rotor physical variables of a squirrel cage induction motor. The system is comprised of: a circuit to acquire desirable rotor variable(s) and value(s) that send it to the computer; a rectifier and power storage circuit that converts an alternating current in a continuous current but also stores energy for a certain amount of time to wait for the motor's shutdown; and a magnetic generator that harvests energy from the rotating field to power the circuits mentioned above.

Female Brazilian whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus ocellifer) prefer males with high ultraviolet ornament reflectance.

Conspicuous colouration is an important way of social communication in many taxa. The role of ultraviolet (UV) signals in intraspecific communication has only recently been studied in lizards, and there is not a general understanding of the adaptive role of UV colouration. Colour ornaments can signal male quality in mate choice and are therefore suitable for reliably predicting the outcome of female preference.

Effect of chronic stress during adolescence in prefrontal cortex structure and function.

Critical periods of plasticity (CPPs) are defined by developmental intervals wherein neuronal circuits are most susceptible to environmental influences. The CPP of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which controls executive functions, extends up to early adulthood and, like other cortical areas, reflects the maturation of perineuronal nets (PNNs) surrounding the cell bodies of specialized inhibitory interneurons. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of chronic stress on both structure and function of the adolescent's rat PFC.

One-Dimensional Self-Organization and Nonequilibrium Phase Transition in a Hamiltonian System.

Self-organization and nonequilibrium phase transitions are well known to occur in two- and three-dimensional dissipative systems. Here, instead, we provide numerical evidence that these phenomena also occur in a one-dimensional Hamiltonian system. To this end, we calculate the heat conductivity by coupling the two ends of our system to two heat baths at different temperatures.

Use of fluorescent oligonucleotide probes for differentiation between Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Paracoccidioides lutzii in yeast and mycelial phase.

Background: Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) associated with Tyramide Signal Amplification (TSA) using oligonucleotides labeled with non-radioactive fluorophores is a promising technique for detection and differentiation of fungal species in environmental or clinical samples, being suitable for microorganisms which are difficult or even impossible to culture.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to standardise an in situ hybridisation technique for the differentiation between the pathogenic species Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Paracoccidioides lutzii, by using species-specific DNA probes targeting the internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) of the rRNA gene.

Methods: Yeast and mycelial phase of each Paracoccidioides species, were tested by two different detection/differentiation techniques: TSA-FISH for P.

A molecular phylogeny reveals the Cuban enigmatic genus Behaimia as a new piece in the Brongniartieae puzzle of papilionoid legumes.

The papilionoid legume tribe Brongniartieae comprises a collection of 15 genera with disparate morphologies that were previously positioned in at least four remotely related tribes. The Brongniartieae displays a wide geographical disjunction between Australia and the New World and previous phylogenetic studies had provided conflicting results about the relationships between the American and Australian genera. We carry out phylogenetic analyses of (1) a plastid matK dataset extensively sampled across legumes to solve the enigmatic relationship of the Cuban-endemic monospecific genus Behaimia; and (2) multilocus datasets with focus on all genera ever referred to Brongniartieae.

A molecular-dated phylogeny and biogeography of the monotypic legume genus Haplormosia, a missing African branch of the otherwise American-Australian Brongniartieae clade.

A comprehensively sampled reassessment of the molecular phylogeny of the genistoid legumes questions the traditional placement of Haplormosia, an African monotypic genus traditionally classified within tribe Sophoreae close to the Asian-American geographically disjunct genus Ormosia. Plastid matK sequences placed Haplormosia as sister to the American-Australian tribe Brongniartieae. Despite a superficial resemblance between Haplormosia and Ormosia, a re-examination of the morphology of Haplormosia corroborates the new phylogenetic result.

Post-exposure serological responses to malaria parasites in potential blood donors.

Background: Cases of transfusion-transmitted malaria have been described around the world and highlighted in some studies. Semi-immune individuals are more likely to transmit malaria as they may be asymptomatic. Some countries allow blood donations only based on epidemiological criteria while others reinforce their criteria with serological tests.

Activity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids against biofilm formation and Trichomonas vaginalis.

Crotalaria genus belongs to the subfamily Papilionoideae comprising about 600 species spread throughout tropical, neotropical and subtropical regions. In this study, seeds of Crolatalaria pallida were used to the isolation of usaramine, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid. Thus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis were utilized as strains to test some activities of this alkaloid, such as antibiofilm and antibacterial.

Biogeography of Abyssocythere and Dutoitella (Ostracoda), with descriptions of three new species.

Ostracods have an extensive fossil record and are widely applied in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Here, we investigate the biogeography of two common and widespread genera, Abyssocythere and Dutoitella. Both appeared in the Cretaceous and are widely distributed in modern deep seas, but all species are restricted in distribution.

Cervical Necrotizing Fasciitis Caused by Dental Extraction.

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is an unusual infection characterized by necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue and fascial layers. Risk factors for the development of necrotizing fasciitis include diabetes mellitus, chronic renal disease, peripheral vascular disease, malnutrition, advanced age, obesity, alcohol abuse, intravenous drug use, surgery, and ischemic ulcers. This report presents a case of necrotizing fasciitis in the cervical area caused by dental extraction in a 73-year-old woman.

Multilocus Phylogeography of the Treefrog Scinax eurydice (Anura, Hylidae) Reveals a Plio-Pleistocene Diversification in the Atlantic Forest.

We aim to evaluate the genetic structure of an Atlantic Forest amphibian species, Scinax eurydice, testing the congruence among patterns identified and proposed by the literature for Pleistocene refugia, microrefugia, and geographic barriers to gene flow such as major rivers. Furthermore, we aim to evaluate predictions of such barriers and refugia on the genetic structure of the species, such as presence/absence of dispersal, timing since separation, and population expansions/contractions. We sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers on 94 tissue samples from 41 localities.

Using an integrated approach to assess the sediment quality of an estuary from the semi-arid coast of Brazil.

The Jundiaí-Potengi Estuary (JPE) on the semi-arid coast of Brazil is influenced by multiple sources of pollution. Sediment quality at 10 JPE sites was evaluated through an integrated approach. Rainy and dry seasons were considered.

Sarcopenic obesity and physical performance in middle aged women: a cross-sectional study in Northeast Brazil.

Background: Sarcopenia and obesity have been independently associated with physical function decline, however little information is currently available on the relationship between sarcopenic obesity and physical performance, mainly in middle aged women. The present study aims to estimate the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity and to explore the relationship between sarcopenic obesity and physical performance in middle-aged women from Northeast Brazil.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of women (40-65 years) living in Parnamirim, a city in Northeast Brazil (n = 491).

Development and validation of an UHPLC method for the determination of betamethasone valerate in cream, gel, ointment and lotion.

An ultra high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the determination of betamethasone valerate (BMV) in topical dermatologic formulations. For the development of the method, response surface methodology based on a three-level full factorial design was used. The eluent composition, the column dimension and the flow rate were chosen as relevant experimental parameters to investigate.

Estimating the global conservation status of more than 15,000 Amazonian tree species.

Estimates of extinction risk for Amazonian plant and animal species are rare and not often incorporated into land-use policy and conservation planning. We overlay spatial distribution models with historical and projected deforestation to show that at least 36% and up to 57% of all Amazonian tree species are likely to qualify as globally threatened under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. If confirmed, these results would increase the number of threatened plant species on Earth by 22%.

Single and Coupled Electrochemical Processes and Reactors for the Abatement of Organic Water Pollutants: A Critical Review.

Traditional physicochemical and biological techniques, as well as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), are often inadequate, ineffective, or expensive for industrial water reclamation. Within this context, the electrochemical technologies have found a niche where they can become dominant in the near future, especially for the abatement of biorefractory substances. In this critical review, some of the most promising electrochemical tools for the treatment of wastewater contaminated by organic pollutants are discussed in detail with the following goals: (1) to present the fundamental aspects of the selected processes; (2) to discuss the effect of both the main operating parameters and the reactor design on their performance; (3) to critically evaluate their advantages and disadvantages; and (4) to forecast the prospect of their utilization on an applicable scale by identifying the key points to be further investigated.

New species of Lepidocyrtus Bourlet and Entomobrya Rondani (Collembola: Entomobryoidea: Entomobryidae) from Brazil.

The taxonomic comprehension of Brazilian entomobryids had several contributions during the last decade, but the absence of detailed chaetotaxic schemes to most of endemic species difficult identifications and probably hides undescribed species in surveys across the country. Herein we describe two new species of the family and provide detailed dorsal chaetotaxy of them, in hope to guide future identifications and descriptions within the genera in Brazil and Neotropical Region. Lepidocyrtus sotoi sp.

Histology and Immunohistochemistry of the Cardiac Ventricular Structure in the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas).

This study describes the implications of cardiac ventricular microscopy in Chelonia mydas relating to its ability to dive. For this work, 11 specimens of the marine turtle species C. mydas found dead on the coast of Rio Grande do Norte (Northeast Brazil) were used.

Two new species and two detailed chaetotaxy descriptions of Seira (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from Brazil.

Two new species, Seira coroatensis sp. nov. and Seira diamantinae sp.

Early maternal age and multiparity are associated to poor physical performance in middle-aged women from Northeast Brazil: a cross-sectional community based study.

Background: Adolescent childbirth and elevated parity are relatively common in middle and low-income countries and they may be related to the higher prevalence and earlier onset of physical decline documented in these settings, especially in women. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether reproductive history is associated with physical function in middle-aged women from Northeast Brazil.

Methods: The relationship between poor physical performance (grip strength, gait speed and chair stand), early maternal age at first birth (<18 years old), and multiparity (≥ 3 children) was evaluated in a community sample of 473 women living in Parnamirim (Northeast Brazil).

European green lizard (Lacerta viridis) personalities: Linking behavioural types to ecologically relevant traits at different ontogenetic stages.

Consistent individual differences within (animal personality) and across (behavioural syndrome) behaviours became well recognized during the past decade. Nevertheless, our knowledge about the evolutionary and developmental mechanisms behind the phenomena is still incomplete. Here, we explored if risk-taking and exploration were consistent and linked to different ecologically relevant traits in wild-caught adult male European green lizards (Lacerta viridis) and in their 2-3 weeks old laboratory-reared offspring.

Phylogenetic niche conservatism and the evolutionary basis of ecological speciation.

Phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC) typically refers to the tendency of closely related species to be more similar to each other in terms of niche than they are to more distant relatives. This has been implicated as a potential driving force in speciation and other species-richness patterns, such as latitudinal gradients. However, PNC has not been very well defined in most previous studies.

Fishers' knowledge as a source of information about the estuarine dolphin (Sotalia guianensis, van Bénéden, 1864).

Fishers' local ecological knowledge (LEK) is an additional tool to obtain information about cetaceans, regarding their local particularities, fishing interactions, and behavior. However, this knowledge could vary in depth of detail according to the level of interaction that fishers have with a specific species. This study investigated differences in small-scale fishers' LEK regarding the estuarine dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) in three Brazilian northeast coastal communities where fishing is practiced in estuarine lagoons and/or coastal waters and where dolphin-watching tourism varies from incipient to important.