Showing papers by "State University of Campinas published in 2011"

Laser cooling of a nanomechanical oscillator into its quantum ground state

Abstract: The simple mechanical oscillator, canonically consisting of a coupled mass–spring system, is used in a wide variety of sensitive measurements, including the detection of weak forces and small masses. On the one hand, a classical oscillator has a well-defined amplitude of motion; a quantum oscillator, on the other hand, has a lowest-energy state, or ground state, with a finite-amplitude uncertainty corresponding to zero-point motion. On the macroscopic scale of our everyday experience, owing to interactions with its highly fluctuating thermal environment a mechanical oscillator is filled with many energy quanta and its quantum nature is all but hidden. Recently, in experiments performed at temperatures of a few hundredths of a kelvin, engineered nanomechanical resonators coupled to electrical circuits have been measured to be oscillating in their quantum ground state. These experiments, in addition to providing a glimpse into the underlying quantum behaviour of mesoscopic systems consisting of billions of atoms, represent the initial steps towards the use of mechanical devices as tools for quantum metrology or as a means of coupling hybrid quantum systems. Here we report the development of a coupled, nanoscale optical and mechanical resonator formed in a silicon microchip, in which radiation pressure from a laser is used to cool the mechanical motion down to its quantum ground state (reaching an average phonon occupancy number of 0.85±0.08). This cooling is realized at an environmental temperature of 20 K, roughly one thousand times larger than in previous experiments and paves the way for optical control of mesoscale mechanical oscillators in the quantum regime.

TRY - a global database of plant traits

Abstract: Plant traits – the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants and their organs – determine how primary producers respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, influence ecosystem processes and services and provide a link from species richness to ecosystem functional diversity. Trait data thus represent the raw material for a wide range of research from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology to biogeography. Here we present the global database initiative named TRY, which has united a wide range of the plant trait research community worldwide and gained an unprecedented buy-in of trait data: so far 93 trait databases have been contributed. The data repository currently contains almost three million trait entries for 69 000 out of the world's 300 000 plant species, with a focus on 52 groups of traits characterizing the vegetative and regeneration stages of the plant life cycle, including growth, dispersal, establishment and persistence. A first data analysis shows that most plant traits are approximately log-normally distributed, with widely differing ranges of variation across traits. Most trait variation is between species (interspecific), but significant intraspecific variation is also documented, up to 40% of the overall variation. Plant functional types (PFTs), as commonly used in vegetation models, capture a substantial fraction of the observed variation – but for several traits most variation occurs within PFTs, up to 75% of the overall variation. In the context of vegetation models these traits would better be represented by state variables rather than fixed parameter values. The improved availability of plant trait data in the unified global database is expected to support a paradigm shift from species to trait-based ecology, offer new opportunities for synthetic plant trait research and enable a more realistic and empirically grounded representation of terrestrial vegetation in Earth system models.

The clinicopathologic spectrum of focal cortical dysplasias: A consensus classification proposed by an ad hoc Task Force of the ILAE Diagnostic Methods Commission

Abstract: Purpose Focal cortical dysplasias (FCD) are localized regions of malformed cerebral cortex and are very frequently associated with epilepsy in both children and adults. A broad spectrum of histopathology has been included in the diagnosis of FCD. An ILAE task force proposes an international consensus classification system to better characterize specific clinicopathological FCD entities. Methods Thirty-two Task Force members have reevaluated available data on electroclinical presentation, imaging, neuropathological examination of surgical specimens as well as postsurgical outcome. Key findings The ILAE Task Force proposes a three-tiered classification system. FCD Type I refers to isolated lesions, which present either as radial (FCD Type Ia) or tangential (FCD Type Ib) dyslamination of the neocortex, microscopically identified in one or multiple lobes. FCD Type II is an isolated lesion characterized by cortical dyslamination and dysmorphic neurons without (Type IIa) or with balloon cells (Type IIb). Hence, the major change since a prior classification represents the introduction of FCD Type III, which occurs in combination with hippocampal sclerosis (FCD Type IIIa), or with epilepsy-associated tumors (FCD Type IIIb). FCD Type IIIc is found adjacent to vascular malformations, whereas FCD Type IIId can be diagnosed in association with epileptogenic lesions acquired in early life (i.e., traumatic injury, ischemic injury or encephalitis). Significance This three-tiered classification system will be an important basis to evaluate imaging, electroclinical features, and postsurgical seizure control as well as to explore underlying molecular pathomechanisms in FCD.

Determination of Reference Values for NIST SRM 610–617 Glasses Following ISO Guidelines

Abstract: We present new reference values for the NIST SRM 610–617 glasses following ISO guidelines and the International Association of Geoanalysts’ protocol. Uncertainties at the 95% confidence level (CL) have been determined for bulk- and micro-analytical purposes. In contrast to former compilation procedures, this approach delivers data that consider present-day requirements of data quality. New analytical data and the nearly complete data set of the GeoReM database were used for this study. Data quality was checked by the application of the Horwitz function and by a careful investigation of analytical procedures. We have determined quantitatively possible element inhomogeneities using different test portion masses of 1, 0.1 and 0.02 μg. Although avoiding the rim region of the glass wafers, we found moderate inhomogeneities of several chalcophile/siderophile elements and gross inhomogeneities of Ni, Se, Pd and Pt at small test portion masses. The extent of inhomogeneity was included in the determination of uncertainties. While the new reference values agree with the NIST certified values with the one exception of Mn in SRM 610, they typically differ by as much as 10% from the Pearce et al. (1997) values in current use. In a few cases (P, S, Cl, Ta, Re) the discrepancies are even higher. Nous presentons des nouvelles valeurs de reference pour les verres NIST SRM 610–617 en suivant les recommandations de l’ISO et le protocole de l’IAG. Les incertitudes au niveau de confiance de 95% ont ete determinees a des fins d’analyse totale et de micro-analyse. Contrairement aux procedures de compilation precedentes, cette approche fournit des donnees qui tiennent compte des exigences actuelles dans la qualite des donnees. De nouvelles donnees analytiques et le jeu de donnees presque complet de la base de donnees GeoReM ont ete utilises pour cette etude. La qualite des donnees a ete verifiee par l’application de la fonction de Horwitz et par un examen minutieux des procedures analytiques. Nous avons determine quantitativement les possibles inhomogeneites d’element en utilisant des prises d’essai de masses differentes correspondant a 1, 0.1 et 0.02 μg. Bien que nous ayons evite les zones de bordure des disques de verre, nous avons trouve des inhomogeneites moderees pour plusieurs elements chalcophiles/siderophiles et des inhomogeneites flagrantes de Ni, Se, Pd et Pt pour les prises d’essai de petites masses. La mesure d’inhomogeneite a ete incluse dans la determination des incertitudes. Alors que les nouvelles valeurs de reference sont en accord avec les valeurs NIST certifiees a la seule exception du Mn dans SRM 610, elles sont generalement differentes, avec des ecarts de pres de 10%, des valeurs de Pearce et al. (1997) qui sont d’un usage courant. Dans quelques cas (P, S, Cl, Ta, Re), les ecarts sont encore plus eleves.

Improved search for muon-neutrino to electron-neutrino oscillations in MINOS

Abstract: We report the results of a search for ν(e) appearance in a ν(μ) beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of 8.2 × 10(20) protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find that 2 sin(2) (θ(23))sin(2)(2θ(13))<0.12(0.20) at 90% confidence level for δ = 0 and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best-fit of 2sin(2) (θ(23))sin(2)(2θ(13)) = 0.041(-0.031)(+0.047) (0.079(-0.053) (+0.071)). The θ(13) = 0 hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data at the 89% confidence level.

Validade de conteúdo nos processos de construção e adaptação de instrumentos de medidas

Abstract: This study sought to conduct a review of content validity, which is an important phase of processes of construction and adaptation of measurement instruments. Research of comprehensive literature was conducted by means of a review of national and international databases. Initially, a description of the conceptual basis and the measurement methods used in content validity was made, with emphasis on its application in the healthcare area. It was seen that controversy exists in the literature on the terminology and concept of content validity. The recommended procedures used to check content validity during the construction and adaptation processes of instruments were described, especially the judges' assessment, which can involve qualitative and quantitative procedures. The number, selection and qualification of these judges were also described. The different methods used to quantify the level of agreement among the experts were verified, mainly the Content Validity Index (CVI). This study described aspects of the content validity process, one of the procedures to be considered by healthcare researchers and professionals who are interested in using reliable and appropriate measurements and instruments scales for given population groups.

Centrality Dependence of the Charged-Particle Multiplicity Density at Midrapidity in Pb-Pb Collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Abstract: The centrality dependence of the charged-particle multiplicity density at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2: 76 TeV is presented. The charged-particle density normalized per participating nucleon pair increases by about a factor of 2 from peripheral (70%-80%) to central (0%-5%) collisions. The centrality dependence is found to be similar to that observed at lower collision energies. The data are compared with models based on different mechanisms for particle production in nuclear collisions.

When not every response to climate change is a good one: Identifying principles for sustainable adaptation

Abstract: Climate adaptation has become a pressing issue. Yet little attention has been paid to the consequences of adaptation policies and practices for sustainability. Recognition that not every adaptation to climate change is a good one has drawn attention to the need for sustainable adaptation strategies and measures that contribute to social justice and environmental integrity. This article presents four normative principles to guide responses to climate change and illustrates the significance of the ‘sustainable adaptation’ concept through case studies from diverse contexts. The principles are: first, recognize the context for vulnerability, including multiple stressors; second, acknowledge that differing values and interests affect adaptation outcomes; third, integrate local knowledge into adaptation responses; and fourth, consider potential feedbacks between local and global processes. We argue that fundamental societal transformations are required in order to achieve sustainable development pathways and av...

Higher harmonic anisotropic flow measurements of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Abstract: We report on the first measurement of the triangular nu(3), quadrangular nu(4), and pentagonal nu(5) charged particle flow in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV measured with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. We show that the triangular flow can be described in terms of the initial spatial anisotropy and its fluctuations, which provides strong constraints on its origin. In the most central events, where the elliptic flow nu(2) and nu(3) have similar magnitude, a double peaked structure in the two-particle azimuthal correlations is observed, which is often interpreted as a Mach cone response to fast partons. We show that this structure can be naturally explained from the measured anisotropic flow Fourier coefficients.

Nilotinib versus imatinib for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed chronic phase, Philadelphia chromosome-positive, chronic myeloid leukaemia: 24-month minimum follow-up of the phase 3 randomised ENESTnd trial

Abstract: Summary Background Nilotinib has shown greater efficacy than imatinib in patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in chronic phase after a minimum follow-up of 12 months. We present data from the Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in clinical Trials–newly diagnosed patients (ENESTnd) study after a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Methods ENESTnd was a phase 3, multicentre, open-label, randomised study. Adult patients were eligible if they had been diagnosed with chronic phase, Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML within the previous 6 months. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive nilotinib 300 mg twice a day, nilotinib 400 mg twice a day, or imatinib 400 mg once a day, all administered orally, by use of a computer-generated randomisation schedule, using permuted blocks, and stratified according to Sokal score. Efficacy results are reported for the intention-to-treat population. The primary endpoint was major molecular response at 12 months, defined as BCR–ABL transcript levels on the International Scale (BCR–ABL IS ) of 0·1% or less by real-time quantitative PCR in peripheral blood. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00471497. Findings 282 patients were randomly assigned to receive nilotinib 300 mg twice daily, 281 to receive nilotinib 400 mg twice daily, and 283 to receive imatinib. By 24 months, significantly more patients had a major molecular response with nilotinib than with imatinib (201 [71%] with nilotinib 300 mg twice daily, 187 [67%] with nilotinib 400 mg twice daily, and 124 [44%] with imatinib; p IS levels to ≤0·0032%) at any time than did those in the imatinib group (74 [26%] with nilotinib 300 mg twice daily, 59 [21%] with nilotinib 400 mg twice daily, and 29 [10%] with imatinib; p vs imatinib, p=0·0004 for nilotinib 400 mg twice daily vs imatinib). There were fewer progressions to accelerated or blast phase on treatment, including clonal evolution, in the nilotinib groups than in the imatinib group (two with nilotinib 300 mg twice daily, five with nilotinib 400 mg twice daily, and 17 with imatinib; p=0·0003 for nilotinib 300 mg twice daily vs imatinib, p=0·0089 for nilotinib 400 mg twice daily vs imatinib). At 24 months, survival was comparable in all treatment groups, but fewer CML-related deaths had occurred in both the nilotinib groups than in the imatinib group (five with nilotinib 300 mg twice daily, three with nilotinib 400 mg twice daily, and ten with imatinib). Overall, the only grade 3 or 4 non-haematological adverse events that occurred in at least 2·5% of patients were headache (eight [3%] with nilotinib 300 mg twice daily, four [1%] with nilotinib 400 mg twice daily, and two [ Interpretation Nilotinib continues to show better efficacy than imatinib for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed CML in chronic phase. These results support nilotinib as a first-line treatment option for patients with newly diagnosed disease. Funding Novartis.

Amostragem em pesquisas qualitativas: proposta de procedimentos para constatar saturação teórica

Abstract: A qualitative study's methodological transparency is considered a key factor for achieving its reliability and should be guaranteed by the researchers. Closing the sampling process by saturation is a common approach, but it is rarely made explicit in research reports. Qualitative researchers also commonly experience technical difficulties in objectively identifying saturation. This article proposes a method to organize sample closing by saturation, with a sequence of eight procedural steps for treating and analyzing data collected through open or semi-structured interviews or focus groups. The article aims to help researchers objectively explain how and when saturation occurred and to allow their readers to know how this process occurred.

Mechanistic aspects in the biogenic synthesis of extracellular metal nanoparticles by peptides, bacteria, fungi, and plants

Abstract: Metal nanoparticles have been studied and applied in many areas including the biomedical, agricultural, electronic fields, etc. Several products of colloidal silver are already on the market. Research on new, eco-friendly and cheaper methods has been initiated. Biological production of metal nanoparticles has been studied by many researchers due to the convenience of the method that produces small particles stabilized by protein. However, the mechanism involved in this production has not yet been elucidated although hypothetical mechanisms have been proposed in the literature. Thus, this review discusses the various mechanisms provided for the biological synthesis of metal nanoparticles by peptides, bacteria, fungi, and plants. One thing that is clear is that the mechanistic aspects in some of the biological systems need more detailed studies.

A Survey of Large Scale Data Management Approaches in Cloud Environments

Abstract: In the last two decades, the continuous increase of computational power has produced an overwhelming flow of data. Moreover, the recent advances in Web technology has made it easy for any user to provide and consume content of any form. This has called for a paradigm shift in the computing architecture and large scale data processing mechanisms. Cloud computing is associated with a new paradigm for the provision of computing infrastructure. This paradigm shifts the location of this infrastructure to the network to reduce the costs associated with the management of hardware and software resources. This paper gives a comprehensive survey of numerous approaches and mechanisms of deploying data-intensive applications in the cloud which are gaining a lot of momentum in both research and industrial communities. We analyze the various design decisions of each approach and its suitability to support certain classes of applications and end-users. A discussion of some open issues and future challenges pertaining to scalability, consistency, economical processing of large scale data on the cloud is provided. We highlight the characteristics of the best candidate classes of applications that can be deployed in the cloud.

Contributions to the study of SMS spam filtering: new collection and results

Abstract: The growth of mobile phone users has lead to a dramatic increasing of SMS spam messages. In practice, fighting mobile phone spam is difficult by several factors, including the lower rate of SMS that has allowed many users and service providers to ignore the issue, and the limited availability of mobile phone spam-filtering software. On the other hand, in academic settings, a major handicap is the scarcity of public SMS spam datasets, that are sorely needed for validation and comparison of different classifiers. Moreover, as SMS messages are fairly short, content-based spam filters may have their performance degraded. In this paper, we offer a new real, public and non-encoded SMS spam collection that is the largest one as far as we know. Moreover, we compare the performance achieved by several established machine learning methods. The results indicate that Support Vector Machine outperforms other evaluated classifiers and, hence, it can be used as a good baseline for further comparison.

Oncogenic IL7R gain-of-function mutations in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract: Interleukin 7 (IL-7) and its receptor, formed by IL-7Rα (encoded by IL7R) and γc, are essential for normal T-cell development and homeostasis Here we show that IL7R is an oncogene mutated in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) We find that 9% of individuals with T-ALL have somatic gain-of-function IL7R exon 6 mutations In most cases, these IL7R mutations introduce an unpaired cysteine in the extracellular juxtamembrane-transmembrane region and promote de novo formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds between mutant IL-7Rα subunits, thereby driving constitutive signaling via JAK1 and independently of IL-7, γc or JAK3 IL7R mutations induce a gene expression profile partially resembling that provoked by IL-7 and are enriched in the T-ALL subgroup comprising TLX3 rearranged and HOXA deregulated cases Notably, IL7R mutations promote cell transformation and tumor formation Overall, our findings indicate that IL7R mutational activation is involved in human T-cell leukemogenesis, paving the way for therapeutic targeting of IL-7R-mediated signaling in T-ALL

Identification of novel soybean microRNAs involved in abiotic and biotic stresses.

Abstract: Background: Small RNAs (19-24 nt) are key regulators of gene expression that guide both transcriptional and posttranscriptional silencing mechanisms in eukaryotes. Current studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) act in several plant pathways associated with tissue proliferation, differentiation, and development and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. In order to identify new miRNAs in soybean and to verify those that are possibly water deficit and rust-stress regulated, eight libraries of small RNAs were constructed and submitted to Solexa sequencing. Results: The libraries were developed from drought-sensitive and tolerant seedlings and rust-susceptible and resistant soybeans with or without stressors. Sequencing the library and subsequent analyses detected 256 miRNAs. From this total, we identified 24 families of novel miRNAs that had not been reported before, six families of conserved miRNAs that exist in other plants species, and 22 families previously reported in soybean. We also observed the presence of several isomiRNAs during our analyses. To validate novel miRNAs, we performed RT-qPCR across the eight different libraries. Among the 11 miRNAs analyzed, all showed different expression profiles during biotic and abiotic stresses to soybean. The majority of miRNAs were up-regulated during water deficit stress in the sensitive plants. However, for the tolerant genotype, most of the miRNAs were down regulated. The pattern of miRNAs expression was also different for the distinct genotypes submitted to the pathogen stress. Most miRNAs were down regulated during the fungus infection in the susceptible genotype; however, in the resistant genotype, most miRNAs did not vary during rust attack. A prediction of the putative targets was carried out for conserved and novel miRNAs families. Conclusions: Validation of our results with quantitative RT-qPCR revealed that Solexa sequencing is a powerful tool for miRNA discovery. The identification of differentially expressed plant miRNAs provides molecular evidence for the possible involvement of miRNAs in the process of water deficit- and rust-stress responses.

The effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise on metabolic control, inflammatory markers, adipocytokines, and muscle insulin signaling in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 3 different modalities of exercise on metabolic control, insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, adipocytokines, and tissue expression of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 after 12 weeks of training among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Forty-eight patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to 4 groups of training (3 times a week, 60 minutes per session): aerobic group (n = 12), resistance group (n = 12), combined (aerobic and resistance) group (n = 12), and control group (n = 12). Fasting and postprandial blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, lipid profile, insulin resistance index (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), adipocytokines (adiponectin, visfatin, and resistin), tumor necrosis factor, interleukin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Patients also underwent a muscle microbiopsy before and after training to quantify IRS-1 expression. All 4 groups displayed decreases in blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, postprandial plasma glucose, lipid profile, and hs-CRP (P < .05); and there was no difference across the groups. After training, the IRS-1 expression increased by 65% in the resistance group (P < .05) and by 90% in the combined group (P < .01). Exercise training favorably affects glycemic parameters, lipid profile, blood pressure, and hs-CRP. In addition, resistance and combined training can increase IRS-1 expression.

Gut Microbiota Is a Key Modulator of Insulin Resistance in TLR 2 Knockout Mice

Abstract: Environmental factors and host genetics interact to control the gut microbiota, which may have a role in the development of obesity and insulin resistance. TLR2-deficient mice, under germ-free conditions, are protected from diet-induced insulin resistance. It is possible that the presence of gut microbiota could reverse the phenotype of an animal, inducing insulin resistance in an animal genetically determined to have increased insulin sensitivity, such as the TLR2 KO mice. In the present study, we investigated the influence of gut microbiota on metabolic parameters, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and signaling of TLR2-deficient mice. We investigated the gut microbiota (by metagenomics), the metabolic characteristics, and insulin signaling in TLR2 knockout (KO) mice in a non-germ free facility. Results showed that the loss of TLR2 in conventionalized mice results in a phenotype reminiscent of metabolic syndrome, characterized by differences in the gut microbiota, with a 3-fold increase in Firmicutes and a slight increase in Bacteroidetes compared with controls. These changes in gut microbiota were accompanied by an increase in LPS absorption, subclinical inflammation, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and later, obesity. In addition, this sequence of events was reproduced in WT mice by microbiota transplantation and was also reversed by antibiotics. At the molecular level the mechanism was unique, with activation of TLR4 associated with ER stress and JNK activation, but no activation of the IKKβ-IκB-NFκB pathway. Our data also showed that in TLR2 KO mice there was a reduction in regulatory T cell in visceral fat, suggesting that this modulation may also contribute to the insulin resistance of these animals. Our results emphasize the role of microbiota in the complex network of molecular and cellular interactions that link genotype to phenotype and have potential implications for common human disorders involving obesity, diabetes, and even other immunological disorders.

Vision of the unseen: Current trends and challenges in digital image and video forensics

Abstract: Digital images are everywhere—from our cell phones to the pages of our online news sites. How we choose to use digital image processing raises a surprising host of legal and ethical questions that we must address. What are the ramifications of hiding data within an innocent imageq Is this an intentional security practice when used legitimately, or intentional deceptionq Is tampering with an image appropriate in cases where the image might affect public behaviorq Does an image represent a crime, or is it simply a representation of a scene that has never existedq Before action can even be taken on the basis of a questionable image, we must detect something about the image itself. Investigators from a diverse set of fields require the best possible tools to tackle the challenges presented by the malicious use of today's digital image processing techniques.In this survey, we introduce the emerging field of digital image forensics, including the main topic areas of source camera identification, forgery detection, and steganalysis. In source camera identification, we seek to identify the particular model of a camera, or the exact camera, that produced an image. Forgery detection's goal is to establish the authenticity of an image, or to expose any potential tampering the image might have undergone. With steganalysis, the detection of hidden data within an image is performed, with a possible attempt to recover any detected data. Each of these components of digital image forensics is described in detail, along with a critical analysis of the state of the art, and recommendations for the direction of future research.