Abstract Lychnophora pinaster, known as arnica-mineira, is endemic to campos rupestres, at risk of extinction. The present study aimed to characterize the ecogeography and phenolic constituents of 11 L. pinaster populations collected in the mesoregions North, Jequitinhonha, Metropolitan of Belo Horizonte and Campos das Vertentes in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Phenolic constituents were identified and quantified by Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry. Lychnophora pinaster occurs in sites at high altitude (700 and 1498 m), annual rainfall of up to 1455 m, soils with low fertility and predominantly loamy texture. Therefore, it can be considered tolerant to acidic soils, with low availability of nutrient. The most abundant substances in all populations were vitexin (18 – 1345 ng/g) and chlorogenic acid (60 – 767 ng/g). The 11 populations formed four groups in relation to the phenolic constituents, with group 1 consisting of the populations of the North Mesoregion (GM, OD) and Jetiquinhonha (DIMa), group 2, the Metropolitan of Belo Horizonte (SRM, NLSC, SM, RPS, CTRA), group 3, the North Mesoregion (ODMa and DI), and group 4, the Campos das Vertentes (CC). Among the populations, only those from the Metropolitan of Belo Horizonte showed correlation of soil properties with phenolic constituents.

ABSTRACT Myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) are members of the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2), a supergene family and are thought to be related to the development and regeneration of skeletal muscle. We selected a microsatellite locus located in the MEF2D gene to study the slaughter characteristics of Xingyi duck and discuss whether the locus could be used as a molecular genetic marker associated with the slaughter characteristics. To further study the function of this gene, we cloned the coding region of the MEF2D gene and expressed it in the prokaryotic expression system. We amplified exon 9 of MEF2D gene by PCR and analyzed after sequencing. The entire CDS region was amplified by RT-PCR. The prokaryotic expression vector was constructed by double enzyme digestion. Results showed that there was a significant correlation between the microsatellite polymorphism of exon 9 of the MEF2D gene and the eviscerated weight rate of Xingyi duck (p<0.05). The eviscerated weight rate of the aa (40/40) genotype was significantly higher than that of the ab (40/49) genotype. The CDS region of the MEF2D gene was cloned with a length of 1557 bp. The prokaryotic expression vector pET32a(+)-MEF2D was constructed. The results provide a foundation for future studies examining the function of the MEF2D.

This study aimed to determine whether psychological factors affect health-related quality of life (HRQL) and recovery of knee function in total knee replacement (TKR) patients. A total of 119 TKR patients (male: 38; female: 81) completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-revised (EPQR-S), Knee Society Score (KSS), and HRQL (SF-36). At 1 and 6 months after surgery, anxiety, depression, and KSS scores in TKR patients were significantly better compared with those preoperatively (P<0.05). SF-36 scores at the sixth month after surgery were significantly improved compared with preoperative scores (P<0.001). Preoperative Physical Component Summary Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Summary Scale (MCS) scores were negatively associated with extraversion (E score) (B=-0.986 and -0.967, respectively, both P<0.05). Postoperative PCS and State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) scores were negatively associated with neuroticism (N score; B=-0.137 and -0.991, respectively, both P<0.05). Postoperative MCS, SAI, Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI), and BAI scores were also negatively associated with the N score (B=-0.367, -0.107, -0.281, and -0.851, respectively, all P<0.05). The KSS function score at the sixth month after surgery was negatively associated with TAI and N scores (B=-0.315 and -0.532, respectively, both P<0.05), but positively associated with the E score (B=0.215, P<0.05). The postoperative KSS joint score was positively associated with postoperative PCS (B=0.356, P<0.05). In conclusion, for TKR patients, the scores used for evaluating recovery of knee function and HRQL after 6 months are inversely associated with the presence of negative emotions.

This study constructs a practical fuzzy three-dimensional axial assignment model, and proposes two efficient algorithms to solve the model. In our case, the model is applied to team performance management in a company to promote the performance of all members in a team. Two algorithms, namely the index-based branch and bound (B&B) algorithm and the f-g trade-off algorithm, which is a hybrid of the trade-off and B&B concepts, are proposed. A numerical example is presented to illustrate these two algorithms. The computational results show that the proposed algorithms are sufficiently efficient and accurate. Two special cases are also discussed.

'n Praktiese, wasige, driedimensionele aksialetoekenningsmodel word voorgehou en twee doeltreffende algoritmes om die model op te los word voorgestel. Die model word toegepas op die spanprestasiebestuur in 'n maatskappy met die doel om die spanlede se vertoning te verbeter. Twee algoritmes, naamlik die indeksgebaseerde vertak-en-begrens algoritme en die f-g kompromie algoritme, word voorgestel. 'n Numeriese voorbeeld word ter illustrasie van die twee algoritmes voorgehou. Die resultate toon dat die voorgestelde algoritmes doeltreffend en akkuraat is. Twee spesiale gevalle word ook bespreek.

ABSTRACT External iliac arterial obstruction is relatively rare in renal transplantation, and may cause surgical failure and ipsilateral leg ischaemia. Prompt diagnosis and management of this kind of complication is essential to rescue the patient and allograft. Four patients with external iliac arterial obstruction caused by Satinsky atrauma forceps in renal transplantation were analysed and summarized. In case one, the obstruction of the external iliac artery distal to the renal allograft caused ipsilateral leg ischaemia. After surgical fixation of the endarterium, the patient recovered from the lower limb ischaemia. In case two, the obstruction of the external iliac artery was located proximal to the renal allograft. Since the endarterial rupture was not found and fixed in time, the renal allograft was lost. The third case was similar to the second. Based on the previous experience, we fixed the endarterium promptly, and transplanted the kidney back successfully. In case four, there was endarterial rupture with atherosclerosis located around the anastomosis stoma. After taking out the atherosclerotic plaque and fixing the endarterium, the blood supply of kidney and lower limb was good. External iliac arterial rupture and obstruction caused by Satinsky atrauma forceps in renal transplantation is rare, but may cause severe and depressing outcome. The critical step is to find and fix the impaired endarterium as early as possible.

RESUMEN La obstrucción arterial ilíaca externa es relativamente rara en el trasplante renal, y puede causar fracaso quirúrgico e isquemia ipsilateral de la pierna. Un pronto diagnóstico y tratamiento de este tipo de complicación es esencial para salvar al paciente y el aloinjerto. Los casos de cuatro pacientes con obstrucción arterial ilíaca externa causada por fórceps Satinsky atrauma en el trasplante renal, fueron analizados y resumidos. En el primer caso, la obstrucción de la arteria ilíaca externa distal al aloinjerto renal, causó una isquemia ipsilateral de la pierna. Después de la fijación quirúrgica del endarterio, el paciente se recuperó de la isquemia de la extremidad inferior. En el segundo caso, la obstrucción de la arteria ilíaca externa fue localizada proximal al aloinjerto renal. Como que la ruptura endarterial no fue detectada y corregida a tiempo, se perdió el aloinjerto renal. El tercer caso fue similar al segundo. Basado en la experiencia anterior, fijamos el endarterio rápidamente, y trasplantamos el riñón de nuevo con éxito. En el cuarto caso, hubo una ruptura endarterial con ateroesclerosis situada alrededor del estoma de la anastomosis. Después de sacar la placa aterosclerótica y fijar el endarterio, el suministro de sangre del riñón y del miembro inferior fue bueno. La ruptura arterial ilíaca externa y la obstrucción causada por fórceps Satinsky atrauma en el trasplante renal ocurren raramente, pero pueden traer consigo un resultado severo y deprimente. El paso fundamental es encontrar y fijar el endarterio dañado lo antes posible.

The course of socio-cultural transition can neither be aimless nor arbitrary, instead it requires a clear direction. A common goal of social species' evolution is to move towards an advanced spiritual and conscious state. This study aims to develop a population-based algorithm on the basis of cultural transition goal. In this paper, the socio-cultural model based on a system thought framework could be used to develop a cultural evolution algorithm (CEA). CEA leverage four strategies, each consists of several search methods with similar thinking. Seven benchmark functions are utilized to validate the search performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that all of the four strategies of cultural evolution algorithm have better performance when compared with relevant literatures. Finally, the CEA was then applied to optimize two different reliability engineering problems, a Serial-Parallel System design and a Bridge System design. For the Serial-Parallel System design, the CEA achieved the exact solution with ease, and for the Bridge System design, the solution obtained by the CEA is superior to those from other literatures.

The aim of this article attempts to propose an advanced design of driver assistance system which can provide the driver advisable information about the adjacent lanes and approaching lateral vehicles. The experimental vehicle has a camera mounted at the left side rear view mirror which captures the images of adjacent lane. The detection of lane lines is implemented with methods based on image processing techniques. The candidates for lateral vehicle are explored with lane-based transformation, and each one is verified with the characteristics of its length, width, time duration, and height. Finally, the distances of lateral vehicles are estimated with the well-trained recurrent functional neuro-fuzzy network. The system is tested with nine video sequences captured when the vehicle is driving on Taiwan’s highway, and the experimental results show it works well for different road conditions and for multiple vehicles.

In this paper the two novel recurrent wavelet neural network (RWNN) controllers are proposed for controlling output direct current (DC) voltage of the rectifier and output alternate current (AC) voltage of the inverter. The output power of the rectifier and the inverter is provided by three-phase permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) system directly-driven by permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Firstly, the field-oriented mechanism is implemented for controlling output of the PMSG system. Then, one RWNN controller is developed for controlling rectifier to convert AC voltage into DC link voltage and the other RWNN controller is implemented for controlling inverter to convert DC link voltage into AC line voltage. Moreover, two online trained RWNNs using backpropagation learning algorithms are developed for regulating both the DC link voltage of the rectifier and the AC line voltage of the inverter. Finally, the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed two RWNN controllers are demonstrated in comparison with the two PI controllers from some experimental results.

A espécie medicinal fáfia (Hebanthe eriantha), é um recurso extrativista da região do Vale do Paraíba, cuja variabilidade genética encontra-se ameaçada. Neste estudo realizou-se a caracterização agronômica e análise de princípio ativo de cinco acessos. Este estudo é uma parceria entre o Laboratório de Plantas Medicinais da UNESP-Botucatu, o Pólo Vale do Paraíba em Pindamonhangaba da Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA) e a Divisão de Agrotecnologia do Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas Biológicas e Agrícolas (CPQBA) da UNICAMP. Foi instalado um ensaio experimental a campo em blocos casualizados com cinco acessos e sete repetições. Foram avaliadas a massa fresca e seca da parte aérea, a massa fresca e seca da raiz, o comprimento da maior haste, a área foliar, o índice de espuma e o teor de ácido fáfico das amostras. O acesso I1800 apresentou uma massa seca de raiz, massa seca da parte aérea e área foliar superior aos demais acessos (176,16 g/planta, 7,301 kg/planta, 155,04 cm² ). O teor de ácido fáfico não diferiu entre os acessos (0,640-0,366 %/mm) Existe uma correlação positiva entre área foliar e massa seca da parte aérea e entre área foliar e massa seca de raízes entre os cinco acessos.

The medicinal species fafia (Hebanthe eriantha), is a product of extractivism in the region of the Paraiba Valley, São Paulo state, Brazil, with endangered genetic variability. This study did an agronomical characterization and an analysis of active compounds of five accessions. This research is a partnership of UNESP-Botucatu Medicinal Plants Laboratory, Paraiba Valley Center (APTA) and CPQBA-UNICAMP Agrotechnological Division. A field experiment using completely random blocks with five accessions and seven replications was used. The stem and leaf wet/dry weights, root wet/dry weight, length of the longest stem, foliar area, foam index and pfaffic acid content samples were evaluated. Accession I1800 had root dry weight, stem and leaf dry weight, and foliar area greater than other accessions (176.16 g/plant, 7.301 kg/plant, 155.04 cm² ). Pfaffic acid content was similar to other accessions (0.640-0.366 %mm-1) Among all five accessions, there is a positive correlation among the foliar area and stem and leaf dry weight and between the foliar area and root dry weight.

Internal hernias through the foramen of Winslow are extremely rare. Prompt diagnosis and early surgical reduction are vital to prevent bowel gangrene and avoid resection. We report a case of ileal hernia through the foramen of Winslow in a 48-year-old woman. She presented to the emergency department with acute epigastric pain, and rapid and definitive pre-operative diagnosis of internal hernia of ileum through the foramen of Winslow without ischaemia was made by means of multi-detector computed tomography. Emergency laparoscopic bowel reduction was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient recovered rapidly.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo discutir a aplicação do método "Technology roadmapping" (TRM) na definição da programação de pesquisa da cadeia de cenoura da Embrapa Hortaliças, considerando um horizonte de 15 anos. Esta cadeia produtiva foi escolhida por ser a cenoura uma das olerícolas de maior importância socioeconômica do Brasil, pelo histórico de projetos da Embrapa Hortaliças com impactos positivos nesta cadeia e pela motivação da equipe em realizar estudos prospectivos para identificar demandas reais e potenciais de pesquisa à cultura. A aplicação do TRM obedeceu a seguinte ordem cronológica: 1) definição do escopo do estudo prospectivo; 2) entedimento do contexto da cadeia de valor da cenoura para facilitar o processo de adaptação do TRM; 3) estabelecimento do modelo conceitual do roadmapping adaptado da representação gráfica básica com quatro macrocamadas indicadoras: mercado, negócio, linhas de pesquisa e recursos (físico, financeiro, humano e competências); 4) realização de pesquisas em fontes primárias e secundárias com produtores, atacadistas, empresas de semente, supermercados, processadoras, consumidores e pesquisadores; e 5) realização de workshop com parceiros externos e colaboradores e reuniões posteriores com os grupos temáticos para a construção do mapa da rota tecnológica. A aplicação do TRM, do ponto de vista gerencial, possibilitou um levantamento atualizado da realidade da cadeia produtiva de cenoura no Brasil e a explicitação clara de ações de pesquisa visando a atender as demandas priorizadas desta cadeia. Contemplou ainda a verificação dos recursos humanos e materiais necessários para atender as ações de pesquisa distribuídas no tempo. Na esfera científica, constatou-se a flexibilidade do método ao ser aplicado com sucesso no setor olerícola, podendo se extender para as demais cadeias de hortaliças bem como do agronegócio.

This study aimed to present the application of Technology Roadmapping (TRM) method for the definition of the carrot research program at Embrapa Hortaliças in the next 15 years. The carrot production chain was chosen because this vegetable crop is one of the most important in Brazil. Moreover, the related projects from Embrapa Hortaliças have had significant impacts on the vegetable sector and the team was motivated to conduct prospective studies for identifying real and potential demands to support the projects planning related to this species. The steps of the TRM application were as follow: (1) to define the scope of the prospective study; (2) to understand the context of the carrot value chain in order to facilitate the process of TRM adaptation; (3) to establish the conceptual model of the roadmapping based on the basic graphic representation, with four layers: market, business, research areas and resources (physical, financial, human and expertise); (4) to collect data from primary and secondary sources, such as growers, wholesalers, seed companies, supermarkets, processors, consumers, and researchers, in order to support market and business layers; and (5) to carry out a workshop with external partners and collaborators, and subsequent workshops with the thematic groups to elaborate the roadmapping. The application of TRM from the managerial perspective allowed a robust data collection plan of the current status of the carrot production chain in Brazil and a clear action-plan of research activities aiming to reach the prioritized demands in this chain. Furthermore, it allowed the identification of the human and material resources needed to fulfill the research actions in a time perspective. In the scientific dimensions, the method showed significant degree of flexibility, therefore being recommended to be extended to other vegetable chains and to other agribusiness sectors.

Cryopreservation is a long-term storage technique to preserve the biological material without deterioration for extended period of time at least several thousands of years. The ability to preserve and store both maternal and paternal gametes provides a reliable source of fish genetic material for scientific and aquaculture purposes as well as for conservation of biodiversity. Successful cryopreservation of fish sperm have been achieved for more than 200 fish species and many fish species have been adequated for the purpose of cryobanking. Cryopreservation of fish embryo is not viable, mainly because of the same limitations as in fish oocytes, i.e., high chilling sensitivity and low membrane permeability. However, cryopreservation of isolated embryonic cells is another option for preserving both maternal and paternal genome. In this paper, an overview of the current state of aquatic species is followed by a discussion on the sperm, embryos, oocytes and embryonic cells - blastomeres.

We report a 52-year-old male with no family history of colonic cancer, who was found to have advanced colonic cancer with metastases two months post renal transplantation. With this case, we highlight the possibility of acute fulminant cancer metastases within short period after renal transplantation and the importance of periodic colorectal cancer screening pre-transplant. To our knowledge, this case is not yet reported in the literature, especially with such presentation of acute fulminant colonic cancer metastases post renal transplantation.