Temperature estimation of a pair of trapped ions

We apply estimation theory to a system formed by two interacting trapped ions. By using the Fisher matrix formalism, we introduce a simple scheme for estimation of the temperature of the longitudinal vibrational modes of the ions. We use the ions interaction to effectively infer the temperature of the individual ions, by optimising the interaction time evolution and by measuring only over one of the ions. We also investigate the effect of a non-thermal reservoir over the inference approach. The non-classicality of one of the ions vibrational modes, introduced due to a squeezed thermal reservoir, does not directly affect the inference of the individual temperatures, although allowing the modes to be entangled. To check actual experimental conditions, we analyze the temperature inference under heating due to surface-electrode noise.

Resistance of Sugarcane Cultivars to Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae)

The spittlebug Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) is one of the most important pests of the sugarcane crop in Brazil. Despite of its importance, there is currently a lack of information regarding sugarcane cultivars' resistance to the spittlebug. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the response of sugarcane genotypes to this species. Two experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions using a random block design with treatments in a factorial arrangement of 2 × 13 (experiment 1) and 2 × 12 (experiment 2), with six replicates. The first factor included two levels of infestation (infested and noninfested plants with spittlebugs), while the second consisted of the cultivars. Nymph survival varied from 47.9 to 84.5%, indicating that there are different levels of antibiosis to M. fimbriolata among the tested cultivars. The highest degree of antibiosis was found in cultivars IACSP96-7586 and IACSP96-2008, in which nymph survival was close to 48%. IACSP96-7586 also presented some degree of tolerance, but IACSP96-7569 and IACSP97-6682 stood out as the most tolerant cultivars to the pest, showing the lowest reduction in weight of aboveground biomass. On average, spittlebug infestations caused a significant reduction in relative leaf chlorophyll content and aboveground biomass weight.

Quantitative assessment of the interplay between DNA elasticity and cooperative binding of ligands

Binding of ligands to DNA can be studied by measuring the change of the persistence length of the complex formed, in single-molecule assays. We propose a methodology for persistence length data analysis based on a quenched disorder statistical model and describing the binding isotherm by a Hill-type equation. We obtain an expression for the effective persistence length as a function of the total ligand concentration, which we apply to our data of the DNA-cationic β-cyclodextrin and to the DNA-HU protein data available in the literature, determining the values of the local persistence lengths, the dissociation constant, and the degree of cooperativity for each set of data. In both cases the persistence length behaves nonmonotonically as a function of ligand concentration and based on the results obtained we discuss some physical aspects of the interplay between DNA elasticity and cooperative binding of ligands.

Emergence of the pointer basis through the dynamics of correlations

We use the classical correlation between a quantum system being measured and its measurement apparatus to analyze the amount of information being retrieved in a quantum measurement process. Accounting for decoherence of the apparatus, we show that these correlations may have a sudden transition from a decay regime to a constant level. This transition characterizes a nonasymptotic emergence of the pointer basis, while the system apparatus can still be quantum correlated. We provide a formalization of the concept of emergence of a pointer basis in an apparatus subject to decoherence. This contrast of the pointer basis emergence to the quantum to classical transition is demonstrated in an experiment with polarization entangled photon pairs.

Entanglement and the Mott insulator--superfluid phase transition in bosonic atom chains

We analyze the developing of bipartite and multipartite entanglement through the Mott insulator-superfluid quantum phase transition. Starting from a Mott insulator state, where a filling factor ν = N/M = 1 per lattice site is considered, we derive an expression for a completely connected graph configuration of bosons and show how bipartite and multipartite entanglement evolve through the phase transition predicted in previous works. We show how, in the transition, bipartite entanglement is distributed through the system respecting monogamous relations.

Evaluation of the toxicity of oligonucleotide/cationic nanoemulsion complexes on Hep G2 cells through MTT assay

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the oligonucleotide/cationic nanoemulsion complexes on Hep G2 cells through MTT assay. Complexes exhibit droplet size, zeta potential and viscosity of approximately 270 nm, +50mV, and 1.0 cP. Different parameters which may have an influence on toxicity results obtained by MTT assay, i.e. cells number, concentration of MTT reagent and the addition of Soerensen's glycine buffer were first evaluated. In the optimized conditions (1 x 10(4) cells and 0.5 mg/mL MTT), the overall results showed that the addition of increasing amounts of complexes (or nanoemulsions) lead to a progressive toxicity on cells attributed to the presence of the cationic lipid stearylamine in the formulations, whatever the medias's pH is. The IC50 was approximately 200 microg/ml. Such results open interesting perspectives on the use of these nanoemulsions as oligonucleotide delivery systems for Hep G2 cells.

Preparation and cytotoxicity of cisplatin-containing liposomes

We encapsulated cisplatin into stealth pH-sensitive liposomes and studied their stability, cytotoxicity and accumulation in a human small-cell lung carcinoma cell line (GLC4) and its resistant subline (GLC4/CDDP). Since reduced cellular drug accumulation has been shown to be the main mechanism responsible for resistance in the GLC4/CDDP subline, we evaluated the ability of this new delivery system to improve cellular uptake. The liposomes were composed of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS), and distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethyleneglycol 2000 (DSPE-PEG2000) and were characterized by determining the encapsulation percentage as a function of lipid concentration. Among the different formulations, DOPE/CHEMS/DSPE-PEG liposomes (lipid concentration equal to 40 mM) encapsulated cisplatin more efficiently than other concentrations of liposomes (about 20.0%, mean diameter of 174 nm). These liposomes presented good stability in mouse plasma which was obtained using a 0.24-M EDTA solution (70% cisplatin was retained inside the liposomes after 30 min of incubation). Concerning cytotoxic effects, they are more effective (1.34-fold) than free cisplatin for growth inhibition of the human lung cancer cell line A549. The study of cytotoxicity to GLC4 and GLC4/CDDP cell lines showed similar IC50 values (approximately 1.4 microM), i.e., cisplatin-resistant cells were sensitive to this cisplatin formulation. Platinum accumulation in both sensitive and resistant cell lines followed the same pattern, i.e., approximately the same intracellular platinum concentration (4.0 x 10-17 mol/cell) yielded the same cytotoxic effect. These results indicate that long-circulating pH-sensitive liposomes, also termed as stealth pH-sensitive liposomes, may present a promising delivery system for cisplatin-based cancer treatment. This liposome system proved to be able to circumvent the cisplatin resistance, whereas it was not observed when using non-long-circulating liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, and cholesterol.

Estudo da aplicação do processo foto-Fenton solar na degradação de efluentes de indústria de tintas

Neste trabalho estudou-se a aplicabilidade do processo foto-Fenton utilizando irradiação solar no tratamento de dois efluentes (A e B) de uma indústria de tintas. Foi avaliada a influência da concentração inicial de peróxido de hidrogênio e ferro na remoção de carbono orgânico dissolvido (COD). Nos primeiros minutos de irradiação foi observada a descoloração e a remoção de odores. Para o efluente A, atingiu-se 75 % de remoção de COD durante 60 minutos de irradiação. Para o efluente B, adições múltiplas de peróxido de hidrogênio foram necessárias para aumentar a remoção de COD, 43 % em 60 minutos de irradiação. Os resultados obtidos mostram que o processo foto-Fenton solar pode ser aplicado ao tratamento dos efluentes gerados na indústria de tintas.

Detection of circulating Leishmania chagasi DNA for the non-invasive diagnosis of human infection

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Leishmania spp. DNA in peripheral blood was optimized and evaluated for the diagnosis of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil during May 2001 to December 2002. Optimization of the technique resulted in a detection limit of 1.65 fg of purified L. (L.) chagasi DNA, equivalent to 1.65 x 10(-2) parasites. Leishmania DNA was detected in the blood of 48 of 53 patients with parasitologically-confirmed VL, which corresponds to a sensitivity of 91%. No DNA was detected in the peripheral blood of 15 healthy, non-exposed volunteers, giving a specificity of 100%. We conclude that detection of parasite DNA in peripheral blood offers a non-invasive, sensitive and rapid method for the detection of VL caused by L. (L.) chagasi.

Comparative analyses of the complete genome sequences of Pierce's disease and citrus variegated chlorosis strains of Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-dwelling, insect-transmitted, gamma-proteobacterium that causes diseases in many plants, including grapevine, citrus, periwinkle, almond, oleander, and coffee. X. fastidiosa has an unusually broad host range, has an extensive geographical distribution throughout the American continent, and induces diverse disease phenotypes. Previous molecular analyses indicated three distinct groups of X. fastidiosa isolates that were expected to be genetically divergent. Here we report the genome sequence of X. fastidiosa (Temecula strain), isolated from a naturally infected grapevine with Pierce's disease (PD) in a wine-grape-growing region of California. Comparative analyses with a previously sequenced X. fastidiosa strain responsible for citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) revealed that 98% of the PD X. fastidiosa Temecula genes are shared with the CVC X. fastidiosa strain 9a5c genes. Furthermore, the average amino acid identity of the open reading frames in the strains is 95.7%. Genomic differences are limited to phage-associated chromosomal rearrangements and deletions that also account for the strain-specific genes present in each genome. Genomic islands, one in each genome, were identified, and their presence in other X. fastidiosa strains was analyzed. We conclude that these two organisms have identical metabolic functions and are likely to use a common set of genes in plant colonization and pathogenesis, permitting convergence of functional genomic strategies.

Pentaoxygenated xanthones and fatty acids from Bredemeyera brevifolia

The polar portion of an ethanol extract of Bredemeyera brevifolia yielded two pentaoxygenated xanthones whose structures were determined as 1-methoxy-2,3,7,8-dimethylenedioxyxanthone, and 1,7,8-trimethoxy-2,3-methylene-dioxyxanthone. The apolar fraction contained various known fatty acids, structure determinations were accomplished by spectral analysis, mainly NMR, chemical derivatization and comparison to literature values.

pH-sensitive liposomes as a carrier for oligonucleotides: a physico-chemical study of the interaction between DOPE and a 15-mer oligonucleotide in excess water

The cytoplasmic delivery of drugs encapsulated into pH-sensitive liposomes is under the control of a lamellar-to-hexagonal transition. In a previous study, under anhydrous conditions, oligonucleotides (ODN) encapsulated in pH-sensitive liposomes composed of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)/oleic acid (OA)/cholesterol (CHOL) were shown to modify the phase behaviour of DOPE. In the present study, the lipid/ODN interactions were evaluated in fully hydrated samples by surface tension measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and turbidimetry. Concerning the lipids, it was shown that OA provoked a disorganisation of DOPE lamellar phases and led to the complete disappearance of hexagonal transition along with heating. The addition of CHOL further decreased the lipid packing in the bilayers. Concerning ODN, these molecules provoked an increase in the surface pressure of a DOPE/OA/CHOL monolayer, indicating the existence of molecular interactions with the lipids. At a supramolecular level, ODN induced a more ordered organisation of DOPE molecules in the lamellar and hexagonal phases, and completely abolished the disorganisational effect of OA and CHOL.

The genome sequence of the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. The Xylella fastidiosa Consortium of the Organization for Nucleotide Sequencing and Analysis

Xylella fastidiosa is a fastidious, xylem-limited bacterium that causes a range of economically important plant diseases. Here we report the complete genome sequence of X. fastidiosa clone 9a5c, which causes citrus variegated chlorosis--a serious disease of orange trees. The genome comprises a 52.7% GC-rich 2,679,305-base-pair (bp) circular chromosome and two plasmids of 51,158 bp and 1,285 bp. We can assign putative functions to 47% of the 2,904 predicted coding regions. Efficient metabolic functions are predicted, with sugars as the principal energy and carbon source, supporting existence in the nutrient-poor xylem sap. The mechanisms associated with pathogenicity and virulence involve toxins, antibiotics and ion sequestration systems, as well as bacterium-bacterium and bacterium-host interactions mediated by a range of proteins. Orthologues of some of these proteins have only been identified in animal and human pathogens; their presence in X. fastidiosa indicates that the molecular basis for bacterial pathogenicity is both conserved and independent of host. At least 83 genes are bacteriophage-derived and include virulence-associated genes from other bacteria, providing direct evidence of phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer.

[Germination of soybeans BR-13 and Paraná: effects on mineral constituents]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of germination on the minerals constituents (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc) of soybean. For the assays the soybean cultivars-Glycine max (L) Merril-BR-13 and Paraná were used. These were germinated in camera of germination at 25 degrees C and 100% of moisture, from 0 to 72 hours, collecting the samples in intervals of 6 hours. The analysis of variance and comparison among the means indicated that the minerals constituents remained constant up to 72 hours of germination.

[Diagnosis of canine rabies. I. Comparison of saliva and brain samples]

Foram examinadas mediante as técnicas de inoculação em camundongos e de imunofluorescência, 30 amostras de saliva e 30 amostras de encéfalo, colhidas de 30 cães raivosos. Todas as amostras, tanto de saliva como de encéfalo, apresentaram resultados positivos frente às duas técnicas usadas, demonstrando uma perfeita correlação entre os métodos e os espécimens utilizados. Foi ressaltada a importância da saliva para o estabelecimento de um diagnóstico mais precoce da raiva.

[Use of saliva in the diagnosis of natural canine rabies]

Rabies virus isolation was demonstrated in all of the 55 saliva samples of 40 rabid dogs by intracerebral inoculation of young adult mice. Identification of cellular inclusions in the encephalic impressions of the 55 inoculated mice groups by means of the technics of Sellers and fluorescent antibodies revealed the rabies infection nature. Thirteen dogs (32,5%) of the studied cases showed rabies virus regular excretion in harvested samples in the same animals 2 (11 dogs) and 3 (2 dogs).