Emergy analysis of oil production from microalgae

The use of microalgae and cyanobacteria for the production of biofuels and other raw materials is considered a very promising sustainable technology due to the high areal productivity, potential for CO2 fixation and use of non-arable land. The production of oil by microalgae in a large scale plant was studied using emergy analysis. The joint transformity calculated for the base scenario was 1.32E + 5 sej/J, the oil transformity was 3.51E + 5 sej/J, the emergy yield ratio (EYR) was 1.09 and environmental loading ratio was 11.10 and the emergy sustainability index (ESI) was 0.10, highlighting some of the key challenges for the technology such as high energy consumption during harvesting, raw material consumption and high capital and operation costs. Alternatives scenarios and the sensitivity to process improvements were also assessed, helping prioritize further research based on sustainability impact. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liquid-liquid equilibria for systems composed of rice bran oil and alcohol-rich solvents: Application to extraction and deacidification of oil

The liquid-liquid equilibria of systems composed of rice bran oil, free fatty acids, ethanol and water were investigated at temperatures ranging from 10 to 60 degrees C. The results of the present study indicated that the mutual solubility of the compounds decreased with an increase in the water content of the solvent and a decrease in the temperature of the solution. The experimental data set was correlated by applying the UNIQUAC model. The average variance between the experimental and calculated compositions was 0.35%, indicating that the model can accurately predict behavior of the compounds at different temperatures and degrees of hydration. The adjustment of interaction parameters enables both the simulation of liquid-liquid extractors for deacidification of vegetable oil and the prediction of phase compositions for the oil and alcohol-rich phases that are generated during cooling of the stream exiting the extractor (when using ethanol as the solvent). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semantic information extraction from images of complex documents

Even though the digital processing of documents is increasingly widespread in industry, printed documents are still largely in use. In order to process electronically the contents of printed documents, information must be extracted from digital images of documents. When dealing with complex documents, in which the contents of different regions and fields can be highly heterogeneous with respect to layout, printing quality and the utilization of fonts and typing standards, the reconstruction of the contents of documents from digital images can be a difficult problem. In the present article we present an efficient solution for this problem, in which the semantic contents of fields in a complex document are extracted from a digital image.

Semiotics of Communication: From Semiosis of Nature to Culture

Communication Studies currently undergoes a crisis of paradigms that requires an ontological review that must begin with a debate about the conditions of possibility of every communicational phenomena. In this article we argue that semiosis offers a conceptual framework that allows for the study of communication as qualitative action. Semiosis, or the action of the sign, is here defined as a fundamental process based on perception that models the world of species, creating cognition and culture. At the core of semiosis are dynamic structures that the authors have defined as 'ontological diagrams'. The first purpose of Semiotics of Communication is to understand how these modeling systems evolve ontologically and phylogenically, producing, in the case of human culture, means of communication ever more varied and technologically advanced.

Capsule Locus Polymorphism among Distinct Lineages of Enterococcus faecalis Isolated from Canals of Root-filled Teeth with Periapical Lesions

Introduction: Although Enterococcus faecalis is a member of the normal microbiota, it is also a major cause of nosocomial infections. Some strains of E. faecalis produce capsule, which contributes to pathogenesis through evasion of host defenses, and its production is dependent on the capsule (cps) operon polymorphism. This study investigated cps locus polymorphism in distinct lineages of E. faecalis isolated from canals of root-filled teeth with periapical lesions. Methods: Twenty-two E. faecalis isolates were evaluated regarding the cps operon polymorphism and genetic diversity. The 3 known CPS types were determined by polymerase chain reaction. This information was correlated with multilocus sequence typing data, which were used to define genetic lineages. Results: cpsA and cpsB were the only detected genes within the cps operon in 62.5% of E. faecalis strains (14/22), indicative of genotype CPS 1, which lacks capsule expression. The essential genes in the cps operon for capsule production were detected in the remaining strains, whereas 3 belonged to genotype CPS 5 and 5 strains to genotype CPS 2. A total of 14 sequence types (STs) were resolved in 22 E. faecalis isolates. Comparison with the E. faecalis international multilocus sequence typing database revealed that 9 STs were previously found, and that the 5 STs were novel. Conclusions: Certain E. faecalis genotypes from canals of root-filled teeth with periapical lesions belong to lineages associated with capsule expression and production of multiple virulence factors, which might account for their increased pathogenic potential. (J Endod 2012;38:58-61)

Long-term effects of oil pollution in mangrove forests (Baixada Santista, Southeast Brazil) detected using a GIS-based multitemporal analysis of aerial photographs

Oil spills are potential threats to the integrity of highly productive coastal wetlands, such as mangrove forests. In October 1983, a mangrove area of nearly 300 ha located on the southeastern coast of Brazil was impacted by a 3.5 million liter crude oil spill released by a broken pipeline. In order to assess the long-term effects of oil pollution on mangrove vegetation, we carried out a GIS-based multitemporal analysis of aerial photographs of the years 1962, 1994, 2000 and 2003. Photointerpretation, visual classification, class quantification, ground-truth and vegetation structure data were combined to evaluate the oil impact. Before the spill, the mangroves exhibited a homogeneous canopy and well-developed stands. More than ten years after the spill, the mangrove vegetation exhibited three distinct zones reflecting the long-term effects of the oil pollution. The most impacted zone (10.5 ha) presented dead trees, exposed substrate and recovering stands with reduced structural development. We suggest that the distinct impact and recovery zones reflect the spatial variability of oil removal rates in the mangrove forest. This study identifies the multitemporal analysis of aerial photographs as a useful tool for assessing a system's capacity for recovery and monitoring the long-term residual effects of pollutants on vegetation dynamics, thus giving support to mangrove forest management and conservation.

Molecular Analysis of the Differentiation Potential of Murine Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Tissues of Endodermal or Mesodermal Origin

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received great attention due to their remarkable regenerative, angiogenic, antiapoptotic, and immunosuppressive properties. Although conventionally isolated from the bone marrow, they are known to exist in all tissues and organs, raising the question on whether they are identical cell populations or have important differences at the molecular level. To better understand the relationship between MSCs residing in different tissues, we analyzed the expression of genes related to pluripotency (SOX2 and OCT-4) and to adipogenic (C/EBP and ADIPOR1), osteogenic (OMD and ALP), and chondrogenic (COL10A1 and TRPV4) differentiation in cultures derived from murine endodermal (lung) and mesodermal (adipose) tissue maintained in different conditions. MSCs were isolated from lungs (L-MSCs) and inguinal adipose tissue (A-MSCs) and cultured in normal conditions, in overconfluence or in inductive medium for osteogenic, adipogenic, or chondrogenic differentiation. Cultures were characterized for morphology, immunophenotype, and by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for expression of pluripotency genes or markers of differentiation. Bone marrow-derived MSCs were also analyzed for comparison of these parameters. L-MSCs and A-MSCs exhibited the typical morphology, immunophenotype, and proliferation and differentiation pattern of MSCs. The analysis of gene expression showed a higher potential of adipose tissue-derived MSCs toward the osteogenic pathway and of lung-derived MSCs to chondrogenic differentiation, representing an important contribution for the definition of the type of cell to be used in clinical trials of cell therapy and tissue engineering.

Possible tropical lakes on Titan from observations of dark terrain

Titan has clouds, rain and lakes-like Earth-but composed of methane rather than water. Unlike Earth, most of the condensable methane (the equivalent of 5 m depth globally averaged(1)) lies in the atmosphere. Liquid detected on the surface (about 2 m deep) has been found by radar images only poleward of 50 degrees latitude(2,3), while dune fields pervade the tropics(4). General circulation models explain this dichotomy, predicting that methane efficiently migrates to the poles from these lower latitudes(5-7). Here we report an analysis of near-infrared spectral images(8) of the region between 20 degrees N and 20 degrees S latitude. The data reveal that the lowest fluxes in seven wavelength bands that probe Titan's surface occur in an oval region of about 60 x 40 km(2), which has been observed repeatedly since 2004. Radiative transfer analyses demonstrate that the resulting spectrum is consistent with a black surface, indicative of liquid methane on the surface. Enduring low-latitude lakes are best explained as supplied by subterranean sources (within the last 10,000 years), which may be responsible for Titan's methane, the continual photochemical depletion of which furnishes Titan's organic chemistry(9).

Genetic transformation of three sweet orange cultivars from explants of adult plants

The difficulty in adult tissue genetic transformation in woody species is still an obstacle to be overcome, including in most sweet orange cultivars of the Brazilian citrus industry. This work reports that, after in vitro culture adjustments, transgenic adventitious buds of 'Hamlin', 'Pra', and 'Valencia' sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) were recovered using adult material as explant source, in genetic transformation experiments via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The transgenic buds were identified by the GUS histochemical analysis and confirmed by PCR analysis, which indicated the presence of an amplified fragment of 817 bp corresponding to the uidA gene sequence. The efficiencies of genetic transformation for 'Hamlin', 'Pra', and 'Valencia' sweet orange cultivars were 2.5, 1.4, and 3.7%, respectively. Media supplemented with auxins and cytokinins during co-culture, and media with high concentrations of cytokinins (3 mg L-1) during transgenic selection led to the transformation and, consequently, the regeneration of adequate number of adventitious buds for the three cultivars. The use of sonication during the explant disinfection was not effective to reduce endophytic contamination and reduced transformation efficiency.

Differential Proteomic Analysis of Noncardia Gastric Cancer from Individuals of Northern Brazil

Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The identification of new cancer biomarkers is necessary to reduce the mortality rates through the development of new screening assays and early diagnosis, as well as new target therapies. In this study, we performed a proteomic analysis of noncardia gastric neoplasias of individuals from Northern Brazil. The proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. For the identification of differentially expressed proteins, we used statistical tests with bootstrapping resampling to control the type I error in the multiple comparison analyses. We identified 111 proteins involved in gastric carcinogenesis. The computational analysis revealed several proteins involved in the energy production processes and reinforced the Warburg effect in gastric cancer. ENO1 and HSPB1 expression were further evaluated. ENO1 was selected due to its role in aerobic glycolysis that may contribute to the Warburg effect. Although we observed two up-regulated spots of ENO1 in the proteomic analysis, the mean expression of ENO1 was reduced in gastric tumors by western blot. However, mean ENO1 expression seems to increase in more invasive tumors. This lack of correlation between proteomic and western blot analyses may be due to the presence of other ENO1 spots that present a slightly reduced expression, but with a high impact in the mean protein expression. In neoplasias, HSPB1 is induced by cellular stress to protect cells against apoptosis. In the present study, HSPB1 presented an elevated protein and mRNA expression in a subset of gastric cancer samples. However, no association was observed between HSPB1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics. Here, we identified several possible biomarkers of gastric cancer in individuals from Northern Brazil. These biomarkers may be useful for the assessment of prognosis and stratification for therapy if validated in larger clinical study sets.

Osteosarcoma arising from osteochondroma of the tibia: case report and cytogenetic findings

Osteochondroma is a cartilage capped benign tumor developing mainly at the juxta-epiphyseal region of long bones. The rate of malignant transformation, mainly into chondrosarcoma, is estimated to be less than 1-3%. Transformation into osteosarcoma is very rare and has been reported only thirteen times. There is little information on treatment and outcome. We report the case of a secondary osteosarcoma arising in the left tibia of a 23-year-old male, 10 years after the initial diagnosis of osteochondroma and after two partial resections. Malignant transformation occurred at the stalk and not at the cartilage cap, as would normally be expected. Chromosome banding analysis revealed the karyotype: 46,XY, t(3;13)(q21;q34) [2]/46,XY [18]. Records from additional cases will help determine the parameters that define these rare secondary bone lesions.

Serologic and molecular diagnostic and bioassay in mice for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in free ranges chickens from Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul

Holsback L., Pena H.F.J., Ragozo A., Lopes E. G., Gennari S. M. & Soares R. M. 2012. Serologic and molecular diagnostic and bioassay in mice for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in free range chickens from Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(8): 721-726. Setor de Veterinaria e Producao Animal, Universidade Estadual do Norte do Parana, Campus Luiz Meneghel, Rodovia BR 369 Km 54, Bandeirantes, PR 86360-000, Brazil. E-mail: lhsfertonani@uenp.edu.br The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and compare the results obtained in the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT), Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and bioassay in mice. In order to accomplish this, 40 free-range chickens from eight farms in neighboring areas to the Pantanal in Nhecolandia, Mato Grosso do Sul, were euthanized and blood samples, brain and heart were collected. The occurrence of anti-T. gondii antibodies found in chickens was 67.5% (27 samples), considering as a cutoff point the dilution 1:5. Among the samples analyzed, 7 (25.9%) were positive in the dilution 1: 5, 3 (11.1%) in 1: 10, 2 (7.4%) in 1: 20, 3 (11.1%) in 1: 320, 1 (3.7%) in 1: 640, 3 (11.1%) in 1: 1280, 2 (7.4%) in 1: 2560, 4 (14.8%) in 1: 5120 and 2 (7.4%) in 1: 10.240. From the mixture of tissue samples (brain and heart) from the chickens analyzed, 16 (40%) presented electrophoretic bands compatible with T. gondii by PCR (gene B1). In the comparison of techniques, 59.26% positivity in PCR was revealed among animals that were seropositive in MAT (cutoff 1: 5). From 141 inoculated mice, six (4.44%) died of acute toxoplasmosis between 15 and 23 days after inoculation. Surviving mice were sacrificed at 74 days after inoculation, and a total of 28 cysts were found in the brains of 10 distinct groups. From the seropositive hens, 27 bioassays were performed and 11 (40.7%) isolates were obtained. A greater number of isolations happened in mice that were inoculated with tissues from chickens that had high titers for anti-T. gondii antibodies. Chronic infection in mice was observed in nine groups (33.3%) from five different properties. Among the surviving mice, 25.6% were positive for T. gondii in MAT (1: 25). From mice positive in PCR, 87.5% were also positive in MAT. Among the PCR-negative mice, 5.2% were positive for T. gondii in MAT. It can be concluded through this study that the occurrence of infecton by T. gondii in the rural properties studied was high, that PCR directed to gene B1 does not confirm the viability of the parasite, but it can be used as a screening method for the selection of chickens infected by T. gondii, that the animals with titer greater than 10 must be prioritized for the selection of animals for bioassay, since for them, the chances of isolating the parasite are greater and that seroconversion in experimentally infected mice is not a good indicator for isolating the agent.

Calcium nitrate addition to control the internal load of phosphorus from sediments of a tropical eutrophic reservoir: Microcosm experiments

The main objective of this study was to perform laboratory experiments on calcium nitrate addition to sediments of a tropical eutrophic urban reservoir (Ibirite reservoir, SE Brazil) to immobilize the reactive soluble phosphorus (RSP) and to evaluate possible geochemical changes and toxic effects caused by this treatment. Reductions of 75 and 89% in the concentration of RSP were observed in the water column and interstitial water, respectively, after 145 days of nitrate addition. The nitrate application increased the rate of autotrophic denitrification, causing a consumption of 98% of the added nitrate and oxidation of 99% of the acid volatile sulfide. As a consequence, there were increases in the sulfate and iron (II) concentrations in the sediment interstitial water and water column, as well as changes in the copper speciation in the sediments. Toxicity tests initially indicated that the high concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in the sediment interstitial water (up to 2300 mg L-1 and 260 mg L-1, respectively) were the major cause of mortality of Ceriodaphnia silvestrii and Chironomus xanthus. However, at the end of the experiment, the sediment toxicity was completely removed and a reduction in the 48 h-EC50 of the water was also observed. Based on these results we can say that calcium nitrate treatment proved to be a valuable tool in remediation of eutrophic aquatic ecosystems leading to conditions that can support a great diversity of organisms after a restoration period. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activation pattern of neutrophils from blood of elderly individuals with -related denture stomatitis

We have identified impaired neutrophils in elderly individuals which could be involved with -related denture stomatitis (DS), an oral infection predominantly caused by , affecting especially elderly individuals using dental prosthesis. However, specific mechanisms performed by neutrophil contributing to the susceptibility of the elderly to DS are not fully understood. This study evaluated activation features of blood neutrophils from elderly and young individuals with DS. Blood neutrophils cultured with . from elderly subjects secreted decreased levels of CXCL8. However, . challenged-neutrophils from DS patients produced high IL-4 and IL-10, and low GM-CSF levels, regardless of age. Additional elastase activity of neutrophils from both elderly groups was detected after incubation with . , but only neutrophils from elderly DS demonstrated high myeloperoxidase activity. Therefore, DS patients have affected neutrophils, and the advance of age intensifies these damages. In sumamry, individuals with -related denture stomatitis presented variation in the neutrophil phenotype and activation. Such alterations were more intense in neutrophils from infected elderly individuals.

Somatic embryogenesis from ovaries of sweet orange cv. Tobias

Callogenesis, somatic embryogenesis, and regeneration were obtained from tissues of unfertilized ovaries of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck.) cv. Tobias. The influence of two modified basal media, woody plant medium (WPM) and N6 medium, to induce callus formation from pistils was determined. Overall, high frequencies of callogenesis were observed when either medium was used. However, initial culture of explants in WPM medium followed by transfer of callus to N6 medium resulted in higher frequency of callus induction (of 2.30 callus per explant that were larger than 0.5 cm in size), and of subsequent development of embryogenic callus (10%). A total of 125 somatic embryos were obtained. After 6 months of culture, 72% of somatic embryos germinated into plantlets. These plantlets were subsequently micrografted in vitro, and then acclimatized. Ploidy of these plants were determined using flow cytometry and TRAPS molecular markers were used to confirm their maternal origin.