Search

Most aluminium (Al)‐accumulating species are found on soils with high Al saturation and low Ca availability (Ca poor). Callisthene fasciculata Mart. (Vochysiaceae), however, is an Al‐accumulating tree restricted to Ca‐rich soils with low Al saturation in the Brazilian Cerrado savanna. Here we tested its calcicole behaviour, and the possible role of organic acids in detoxification of Al during the early stages of plant development.We assessed growth, dry mass, nutrients, Al and organic acids in seedlings grown for 50 days on two contrasting Cerrado soils; one with high Ca concentrations and low Al saturation and the other with low Ca availability and high Al saturation.Relative to plants on Ca‐rich soil, plants on Ca‐poor soil had necrotic spots and bronzing of leaves. Roots and shoots contained reduced concentrations of P and Cu, but higher concentrations of Fe, Al and citrate. Despite lower concentrations in the soil, Ca and Mg increased in shoots. Shoot concentrations of oxalate were also higher.We confirmed C. fasciculata as an Al‐accumulating species with calcicole behaviour. The increased concentrations of organic acids in plants with higher Al accumulation suggest that high availability of soluble Al does not prevent occurrence of this species on soils with high Al saturation. Instead, the absence of C. fasciculata from Ca‐poor soils is probably due to imbalances in tissue Fe, Cu and Zn imposed by this soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The preschool years are a period of great developmental achievements, which impact critically on a child's interactive skills. Having valid and reliable measures to assess interactive behaviour at this stage is therefore crucial. The aim of this study was to describe the adaptation and validation of the child coding of the Coding System for Mother–Child Interactions and discuss its applications and implications in future research and practice. Methods: Two hundred twenty Portuguese preschoolers and their mothers were videotaped during a structured task. Child and mother interactive behaviours were coded based on the task. Maternal reports on the child's temperament and emotional and behaviour problems were also collected, along with family psychosocial information. Results: Interrater agreement was confirmed. The use of child Cooperation, Enthusiasm, and Negativity as subscales was supported by their correlations across tasks. Moreover, these subscales were correlated with each other, which supports the use of a global child interactive behaviour score. Convergent validity with a measure of emotional and behavioural problems (Child Behaviour Checklist 1 ½–5) was established, as well as divergent validity with a measure of temperament (Children's Behaviour Questionnaire–Short Form). Regarding associations with family variables, child interactive behaviour was only associated with maternal behaviour. Conclusions: Findings suggest that this coding system is a valid and reliable measure for assessing child interactive behaviour in preschool age children. It therefore represents an important alternative to this area of research and practice, with reduced costs and with more flexible training requirements. Attention should be given in future research to expanding this work to clinical populations and different age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dogs' teeth with apical periodontitis were treated endodontically, Dakin's solution being used in an experimental group as the irrigation solution, and camphorated paramono-chlorophenol as an intracanal dressing. For a second group of teeth, the irrigation solution used was physiologic saline, dry cotton only being placed into the pulpal chamber to take the place of an intracanal dressing. In a second visit, overinstrumentation and a new application of the same kind of dressing were performed, the root canals being then filled with gutta-percha cones and zinc oxide-eugenol cement. Other specimens were treated, in one visit, where physiologic saline or Dakin's solution were the irrigation solutions. The animals were sacrificed 6 months after the obturation of the root canals. Histologic exams showed better results for the experimental group where Dakin's solution and camphorated paramonochlorophenol had been used, with signs of repair characterized by newly formed cementum and bone tissue, as well as a marked reduction in size of the periapical lesions. No differences were seen in the results with physiologic saline or Dakin's solution as irrigants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the psychosocial adjustment of 35 Portuguese couples who conceived through Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) and 31 couples with a spontaneous conception during their transition to parenthood (pregnancy and 4 months postpartum). Couples completed self-report questionnaires regarding their perceptions of pregnancy and parenthood, psychological distress, quality of life, marital relationship, and parenting stress. Compared with parents who conceived spontaneously, parents who conceived through ART perceived pregnancy as being more risky and demanding, reported a decrease in their psychological quality of life, and ART fathers only perceived themselves as being more competent than fathers who conceived spontaneously. Healthcare professionals should be aware of need of couples in their efforts to adapt to the individual and relational challenges associated with the transition to parenthood. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 33:207-220, 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-two centres from nine European countries participated in a research programme about eating disorders. This study presents results of patients aged 17–26 years suffering from anorexia (N = 418) and bulimia nervosa (N = 650) according to DSM-IV criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Patients' personality profiles were assessed with the revised version of the Freiburger Personality Inventory (FPI-R). Compared to the comparison subjects, the eating-disordered patients showed lower life satisfaction, health concern and extraversion and higher social orientation, inhibition, irritability, strain, somatic complaints, frankness and emotionality. Anorexic patients had similar scores to the comparison group on achievement orientation and aggressiveness scales. Non-purging bulimic patients were not different from comparison subjects in aggressiveness and purging bulimic patients showed no difference for extraversion. Differences in the diagnostic subgroups are discussed in light of the literature in this area. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work studied the reaction caused in the connective tissue of rats by implantation of two brands of gutta- percha cones, and thermoplasticized gutta-percha cylinders. thirty-six rats were used, in groups of 12. for periods oil 15, 30, and 60 days. Each animal received one test implant of each material, and one implant of Teflon as control. The cylinders, and one of' the brands of gutta-percha cones, were welI tolerated by the connective tissue. The cones of the other brand elicited different reactions, of which the possible causes are herein discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new audiometric device to determine the location of the apical foramen of teeth undergoing endodontic treatment according to "the relative value method" was tested in in vitro experiments. In 96.5% of the 350 human teeth used in the experiment, the location of the apical foramen was determined within acceptable limits :0-0.5 mm. In 60 teeth, where the measurements were based on an intermittent audio signal, a point about I mm short of the apical foramen was located. The results were considered promising and a clinical evaluation of the device will be carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]