Briquetting of steel grit recovered from the ornamental rocks cutting waste

This paper presents the results obtained with the production of briquettes from the steel grit found in the residue of ornamental rocks. The grit recovered by magnetic separation was characterized by titrimetric analysis, EDS (Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy) and X-ray diffraction for the analysis of iron concentration in the residue. The size and distribution of particles were obtained by the granulometric analysis method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The process resulted in a concentrate containing 93% metallic iron. The maximum load before fracture of the green briquettes was 1.02kN and of the dry briquettes was 3.59kN.

Dose de exposição radiométrica de granitos do estado de Rondônia, Brasil

Este trabalho avaliou a concentração dos radioelementos K, eU e eTh em amostras de granitos do Estado de Rondônia, Brasil. A análise estatística dos dados obtidos indicou que eles seguem distribuições lognormais. Os valores modais encontrados correspondem a cerca de 11% para K, 29 ppm para eU e 85 ppm para eTh. Correlações diretas significativas foram determinadas entre as concentrações dos três radioelementos, isto é, r = 0,71 (entre K e eU), r = 0,72 (entre K e eTh)e r = 0,72 (entre eU e eTh), sugerindo que são congruentes os processos de seu acúmulo nos minerais das rochas analisadas. Os dados de concentração permitiram estimar a taxa de dose absorvida de radiação no ar acima de 1 m do nível do terreno, a qual também segue uma distribuição lognormal, com valor modal de 2,7 mSv/ano, que é ligeiramente superior à média global de 2,4 mSv/ano. Os resultados obtidos também permitiram avaliar, do ponto de vista radiométrico, se os granitos analisados são adequados para emprego como revestimento em construção civil.

Biologia reprodutiva de Heros efasciatus Heckel, 1840 (Pisces, Cichlidae) na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Amanã-AM, visando seu manejo sustentável

Com o principal objetivo de fornecer ferramentas para auxiliar na implementação do manejo sustentável de peixes ornamentais na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Amanã, Amazonas, foi realizado o estudo da biologia reprodutiva de Heros efasciatus Heckel, 1840, um ciclídeo com potencial ornamental e com poucos trabalhos sobre a sua biologia e ecologia, apesar de já ser comercializado em algumas regiões amazônicas. Coletas bimestrais foram realizadas de fevereiro de 2006 a janeiro de 2007 em dez igarapés contribuintes do Lago Amanã e Urini, sendo utilizados três aparelhos de pesca (rede de arrasto, rapiché e armadilha tipo matapi) e ainda galhadas artificiais nas amostragens realizadas próximas aos lagos. Foram capturados 140 exemplares de H. efasciatus, sendo 50 fêmeas, 42 machos, e 46 indivíduos cujo sexo não foi identificado devido ao pequeno tamanho. O tipo de crescimento encontrado foi isométrico, sendo que o maior indivíduo observado apresentava 174 mm e o menor 14 mm. Os resultados encontrados auxiliarão na adoção de medidas de manejo, como a determinação de tamanhos mínimos de captura, superiores aos tamanhos médios de maturação (97 mm para as fêmeas) e o estabelecimento de períodos de defeso durante a época de sua reprodução (outubro a janeiro). A pequena abundância de indivíduos da espécie, quando comparada com o total de exemplares capturados (apenas 0,07%) e a baixa fecundidade média, de 2502 ovócitos, indica que se deve trabalhar anualmente apenas com um pequeno número de indivíduos, a fim de garantir a continuidade do estoque.

Liberibacters associated with orange jasmine in Brazil: incidence in urban areas and relatedness to citrus liberibacters

Two surveys (2005/2006 and 2009) were conducted in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to investigate the incidence of `Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus` and `Ca. L. americanus`, two liberibacters associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB) disease and both transmitted by Diaphorina citri, in orange jasmine (Murraya exotica), a widespread ornamental tree in cities and villages. The graft-transmissibility of the two species, and their DNA relatedness to citrus-associated liberibacters, were also investigated. Quantitative PCR was applied to PCR-positive orange jasmine and HLB-positive citrus growing in backyards and orchards to assess their inoculum source potentials. Liberibacters were detected in 91 of 786 sampled orange jasmine plants in 10 of 76 sampled locations. PCR-positive trees exhibited yellow shoots and/or dieback symptoms indistinguishable from those on PCR-negative trees. `Candidatus Liberibacter americanus` was more common in 2005/2006 (96 center dot 6%) and `Ca. L. asiaticus` in 2009 (84 center dot 8%). rplJ nucleotide sequences were identical within all populations of either species. Graft transmission succeeded only in homologous host combinations, including `Ca. L. americanus` (2/10) from/to orange jasmine and `Ca. L. americanus` (5/18) and `Ca. L. asiaticus` (5/9) from/to citrus. Symptoms were mild and developed less rapidly in orange jasmine than in citrus, probably as a result of lower liberibacter multiplication rates. Respective titres of `Ca. L. americanus` and `Ca. L. asiaticus` in orange jasmine averaged 4 center dot 3 and 3 center dot 0 log cells g-1 tissue, compared with 5 center dot 5 and 7 center dot 3 in citrus. The results indicate that orange jasmine does not favour liberibacter multiplication as much as citrus. However, its importance in HLB epidemics should not be underestimated as it is a preferred host of D. citri and is not under any strict tree-eradication programme or measures for insect control.

Overwintering of Sclerotium rolfsii and S-rolfsii var. delphinii in different latitudes of the United States

Previously known only from the southern United States, hosta petiole rot recently appeared in the northern United States. Sclerotium rolfsii var. delphinii is believed to be the predominant petiole rot pathogen in the northern United States, whereas S. rolfsii is most prevalent in the southern United States. In order to test the hypothesis that different tolerance to climate extremes affects the geographic distribution of these fungi, the survival of S. rolfsii and S. rolfsii var. delphinii in the northern and southeastern United States was investigated. At each of four locations, nylon screen bags containing sclerotia were placed on the surface of bare soil and at 20-cm depth. Sclerotia were recovered six times from November 2005 to July 2006 in North Dakota and Iowa, and from December 2005 to August 2006 in North Carolina and Georgia. Survival was estimated by quantifying percentage of sclerotium survival on carrot agar. Sclerotia of S. rolfsii var. delphinii survived until at least late July in all four states. In contrast, no S. rolfsii sclerotia survived until June in North Dakota or Iowa, whereas 18.5% survived until August in North Carolina and 10.3% survived in Georgia. The results suggest that inability to tolerate low temperature extremes limits the northern range of S. rolfsii.

The oscillatory bioelectrical signal from plants explained by a simulated electrical model and tested using Lempel-Ziv complexity

This paper demonstrates the oscillatory characteristics of electrical signals acquired from two ornamental plant types (Epipremnum pinnatum and Philodendron scandens - Family Araceae), using a noninvasive acquisition system. The electrical signal was recorded using Ag/AgCl superficial electrodes inside a Faraday cage. The presence of the oscillatory electric generator was shown using a classical power spectral density. The Lempel and Ziv complexity measurement showed that the plant signal was not noise despite its nonlinear behavior. The oscillatory characteristics of the signal were explained using a simulated electrical model that establishes that for a frequency range from 5 to 15 Hz, the oscillatory characteristic is higher than for other frequency ranges. All results show that non-invasive electrical plant signals can be acquired with improvement of signal-to-noise ratio using a Faraday cage, and a simple electrical model is able to explain the electrical signal being generated. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alcantarea (Bromeliaceae) leaf anatomical characterization and its systematic implications

Alcantarea (Bromeliaceae) has 26 species that are endemic to eastern Brazil, occurring mainly on gneiss-granitic rock outcrops (`inselbergs`). Alcantarea has great ornamental potential and several species are cultivated in gardens. Limited data is available in the literature regarding the leaf anatomical features of the genus, though it has been shown that it may provide valuable information for characterizing of Bromeliaceae taxa. In the present work, we employed leaf anatomy to better characterize the genus and understand its radiation into harsh environments, such as inselbergs. We also searched for characteristics potentially useful in phylogenetic analyses and in delimiting Alcantarea and Vriesea. The anatomical features of the leaves, observed for various Alcantarea species, are in accordance with the general pattern shown by other Bromeliaceae members. However, some features are notable for their importance for sustaining life on rock outcrops, such as: small epidermal thick-walled cells, uneven sinuous epidermal walls, hypodermis often differentiated into lignified layers with thick-walled cells, aquiferous hypodermis bearing collapsible cells, and the presence of well developed epicuticular stratum. Alcantarea leaves tend to show different shapes in the spongy parenchyma, and have chlorenchymatous palisade parenchyma arranged in more well-defined arches, when compared to Vriesea species from the same habitat.

Gene Mapping of 18S and 5S rDNA Genes in the Karyotype of the Three-Spot Gourami Trichogaster trichopterus (Perciformes, Osphronemidae)

Ornamental fish culture is important as an economic activity and for biodiversity conservation as well. The species of the genus Trichogaster (Perciformes, Osphronemidae), popularly known as three-spot gourami, are among the several commercial species raised around the world. In the present work, eight specimens of Thrichogaster trichopterus from aquarium trade facilities were analyzed. The karyotype was composed of 23 pairs of subtelo/acrocentric chromosomes. Fluorescent in situ hybridization allowed identifying the 18S ribosomal gene at telomeric region on long arms of the largest acrocentric pair. On the other hand, the 5S rRNA gene is located at a proximal region on a pair of medium-sized chromosomes. Such information is extremely useful in face of the risks of introduction and the development of ornamental fish trade, once many fish species can be identified only by genetic studies.

Scale architecture of the palmar and plantar epidermis of Polychrus acutirostris Spix, 1825 (Iguania, Polychrotidae) and its relationship to arboreal locomotion

In tetrapod squamates, the diversity of micro-ornamentations of the epidermis of the contact areas of hands and feet is generally associated with constraints and modalities related to locomotion. Polychrus acutirostris is a medium-sized lizard that occurs in open heterogeneous habitats in South America, such as the cerrados, caatingas, and fallow lands. It progresses slowly on branches of various diameters in its arboreal environment. It can also move more rapidly on the ground. The hands and feet are prehensile and may be considered an adaptation for grasping and climbing. Epidermal surfaces from the palmar and plantar areas of the hands and feet of P. acutirostris were prepared for SEM examination, and studied at various magnifications. They show three major levels of complexity: (1) scale types, organized in gradients of size and imbrication, (2) scalar ornamentations, organized by increasing complexity and polarity, and (3) presence of Oberhautchen showing typically iguanian honeycomb micro-ornamentations. The shape and surface structure of the scales with their pattern of micro-ornamental peaks, which improve grip, and the grasping hands and feet indicate that P. acutirostris is morpho-functionally specialized for arboreality. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.