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This paper presents a search for the t-channel exchange of an R-parity violating scalar top quark (t) in the e ± µ ∓ continuum using 2.1 fb −1 of data collected by the ATLAS detector in √ s = 7 TeV pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Data are found to be consistent with the expectation from the Standard Model backgrounds. Limits on R-parity-violating couplings at 95% C.L. are calculated as a function of the scalar top mass (mt). The upper limits on the production cross section for pp → eµX, through the t-channel exchange of a scalar top quark, ranges from 170 fb for mt = 95 GeV to 30 fb for mt = 1000 GeV.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the recruitment of patients, assessment instruments, implementation, methods and preliminary results of The Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, which includes seven university sites. METHOD: This cross-sectional study included a comprehensive clinical assessment including semi-structured interviews (sociodemographic data, medical and psychiatric history, disease course and comorbid psychiatric diagnoses), and instruments to assess obsessive-compulsive (Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale), depressive (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxious (Beck Anxiety Inventory) symptoms, sensory phenomena (Universidade de São Paulo Sensory Phenomena Scale), insight (Brown Assessment Beliefs Scale), tics (Yale Global Tics Severity Scale) and quality of life (Medical Outcome Quality of Life Scale Short-form-36 and Social Assessment Scale). The raters' training consisted of watching at least five videotaped interviews and interviewing five patients with an expert researcher before interviewing patients alone. The reliability between all leaders for the most important instruments (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Universidade de São Paulo Sensory Phenomena Scale) was measured after six complete interviews. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability was 96%. By March 2008, 630 obsessive-compulsive disorder patients had been systematically evaluated. Mean age (±SE) was 34.7 (±0.51), 56.3% were female, and 84.6% Caucasian. The most prevalent obsessive compulsive symptom dimensions were symmetry and contamination. The most common comorbidities were major depression, generalized anxiety and social anxiety disorder. The most common DSM-IV impulsive control disorder was skin picking. CONCLUSION: The sample was composed mainly by Caucasian individuals, unmarried, with some kind of occupational activity, mean age of 35 years, onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms at 13 years of age, mild to moderate severity, mostly of symmetry, contamination/cleaning and comorbidity with depressive disorders. The Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders has established an important network for standardized collaborative clinical research in obsessive-compulsive disorder and may pave the way to similar projects aimed at integrating other research groups in Brazil and throughout the world.

Mechanical mixing of solid dicarboxylic acids of variable chain length HOOC(CH2)nCOOH (n = 1–7) with solid 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane generates the corresponding salts or co-crystals of the formula [N(CH2CH2)3N]-H-[OOC(CH2)nCOOH] (n=1–7). Preparation of the same systems from solution has been instrumental for a full characterization of the mechanochemical products by means of single-crystal and powder-diffraction X-ray analyses, as well as by solid-state NMR. The acid–base adducts, whether involving proton transfer from the COOH group to the N-acceptor, that is having (−)O⋅⋅⋅HN(+) interactions, or the formation of neutral OH⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonds, show a melting point alternation phenomenon analogous to that shown by the neutral carboxylic acids. The carbon chemical shift tensors of the COOH group obtained from the sideband intensity of low speed spinning NMR spectra provide a reliable criterion for assigning the protonation state of the adducts.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the results obtained with 12 sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy with obsessive-compulsive patients were maintained after two years, and whether the degree of symptom remission was associated with relapse. METHOD: Forty-two patients were followed. The severity of symptoms was measured at the end of cognitive-behavioral group therapy and at 18 and 24 months of follow-up. The assessment scales used were the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Clinical Global Impression, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: The reduction in symptom severity observed at the end of treatment was maintained during the two-year follow-up period (F = 57.881; p < 0.001). At the end of the treatment, 9 (21.4%) patients presented full remission, 22 (52.4%) presented partial remission, and 11 (26.2%) had unchanged scores in the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. After two years, 13 patients (31.0%) presented full remission, 20 (47.6%) had partial remission, and 9 (21.4%) had unchanged Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scalescores. The full remission of symptoms at the end of the treatment was a protective factor against relapse (χ2 = 4,962; df = 1; p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore the importance of attaining full remission of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during treatment and the need for new therapeutic strategies to achieve this.

Over the last decades, the presence of methylmercury (MeHg) in the Amazon region of Brazil and its adverse human health effects have given rise to much concern. The biotransformation of MeHg occurs mainly through glutathione (GSH) in the bile mediated by conjugation with glutathione S-transferases (GST). Epidemiological evidence has shown that genetic polymorphisms may affect the metabolism of MeHg. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between GST polymorphisms, GSH, and Hg levels in blood (B-Hg) and in hair (H-Hg) of an Amazon population chronically exposed to the metal through fish consumption. Blood and hair samples were collected from 144 volunteers (71 men, 73 women). B-Hg and H-Hg levels were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, and GSH levels were evaluated by a spectrophotometric method. GSTM1 and T1 genotyping evaluation were carried out by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mean levels of B-Hg and H-Hg were 37.7 ± 24.5 μg/L and 10.4 ± 7.4 μg/g, respectively; GSH concentrations ranged from 0.52 to 2.89 μ M/ml of total blood. Distributions for GSTM1/T1, GSTM1/GSTT1*0, GSTM1*0/T1, and GSTM1*0/GSTT1*0 genotypes were 35.4, 22.2, 25.0, and 17.4%, respectively. GSTT1 genotype carriers presented lower levels of B-Hg and H-Hg when compared to other genotypes carriers. In addition, GSTM1*0/GSTT1*0 individuals presented higher Hg levels in blood and hair than subjects presenting any other genotypes. There appeared to be no evidence of an effect of polymorphisms on GSH levels. Therefore, our data suggest that GST polymorphisms may be associated with MeHg detoxification.

RESUMO: Para avaliar o efeito do comportamento de três espécies de abelhas na polinização e produção de morangos, flores primárias dos cultivares Oso Grande (OS) e Sweet Charlie (SC) foram expostas a diferentes tratamentos de polinização: OS -uma e quatro visitas por Trigona spinipes (Apidae), uma visita por Dialictus sp (Halictidae) e quatro visitas mistas (Apis mellifera e T. spinipes); OS e SC -uma e quatro visitas por A. mellifera (Apidae). As variáveis avaliadas foram: peso fresco, número de aquênios dos frutos, taxa de fecundação e tempo de permanência da abelha na flor. Os tratamentos revelaram que T. spinipes pode ser considerada uma polinizadora tão eficiente das flores de OS quanto A. mellifera, pois seus resultados não apresentaram diferença significativa e ambas polinizaram de forma mais adequada a região apical dos frutos. Dialictus sp permaneceu mais tempo junto aos estames e polinizou mais adequadamente a região lateral do receptáculo que as outras espécies resultando, entretanto, em frutos com uma taxa de fecundação inferior e deformados, sem valor para o mercado in natura. O comportamento dessas três espécies de abelha sugere que deve haver um efeito complementar na polinização natural do cultivar OS, que pode levar os frutos ao seu potencial máximo de desenvolvimento. Sugere-se que o produtor de morango não elimine os ninhos de irapuá (T. spinipes) das proximidades, maneje as floradas do entorno e mantenha faixas de vegetação natural próximas a cultura, visando obter uma maior variedade de espécies de abelhas, garantindo assim, uma melhora na polinização e, conseqüentemente, na produção de frutos.

This research aimed to evaluate the briquettes made with residues from processing of coffee grain submitted to carbonization and torrefaction. The briquettes were carbonized at a heating rate of 1.67 ºC min-1 with initial temperature of 50 ºC and final of 450 ºC, which was kept during 30 min. The torrefaction of the briquettes was made in a muffle furnace at two heating rates: 1.5 and 3.0 ºC min-1 until 250 ºC, temperature kept during 60 min. The yields in torrefied and carbonized briquettes, pyroligneous liquor, non-condensable gases and fixed carbon were determined. For all briquettes the fixed carbon, ash, volatile and elemental components (C, H, N, S, O) contents and higher heating value, apparent and energetic density and resistance to diametric compression were quantified. The carbonized briquette presented high energetic potential due to higher fixed and elemental carbon content and heating value, but had low mechanical resistance. The briquettes torrified at the two consider...

This paper analyzes real-time intrusion response systems in order to mitigate attacks that compromise integrity, confidentiality and availability in cloud computing platforms. Our work proposes an autonomic intrusion response technique enabling self-awareness, self-optimization and self-healing prop-erties. To achieve this goal, we propose IRAS, an Intrusion Response Autonomic System, using Big Data techniques for data analytics and expected utility function for decision taking.