Anxiolytic-like effects produced by bilateral lesion of the periaqueductal gray in mice: Influence of concurrent nociceptive stimulation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

NDACC/SAOZ UV-visible total ozone measurements: improved retrieval and comparison with correlative ground-based and satellite observations

Accurate long-term monitoring of total ozone is one of the most important requirements for identifying possible natural or anthropogenic changes in the composition of the stratosphere. For this purpose, the NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change) UV-visible Working Group has made recommendations for improving and homogenizing the retrieval of total ozone columns from twilight zenith-sky visible spectrometers. These instruments, deployed all over the world in about 35 stations, allow measuring total ozone twice daily with limited sensitivity to stratospheric temperature and cloud cover. The NDACC recommendations address both the DOAS spectral parameters and the calculation of air mass factors (AMF) needed for the conversion of O-3 slant column densities into vertical column amounts. The most important improvement is the use of O-3 AMF look-up tables calculated using the TOMS V8 (TV8) O-3 profile climatology, that allows accounting for the dependence of the O-3 AMF on the seasonal and latitudinal variations of the O-3 vertical distribution. To investigate their impact on the retrieved ozone columns, the recommendations have been applied to measurements from the NDACC/SAOZ (Systeme d'Analyse par Observation Zenithale) network. The revised SAOZ ozone data from eight stations deployed at all latitudes have been compared to TOMS, GOMEGDP4, SCIAMACHY-TOSOMI, SCIAMACHY-OL3, OMI-TOMS, and OMI-DOAS satellite overpass observations, as well as to those of collocated Dobson and Brewer instruments at Observatoire de Haute Provence (44 degrees N, 5.5 degrees E) and Sodankyla (67 degrees N, 27 degrees E), respectively. A significantly better agreement is obtained between SAOZ and correlative reference ground-based measurements after applying the new O-3 AMFs. However, systematic seasonal differences between SAOZ and satellite instruments remain. These are shown to mainly originate from (i) a possible problem in the satellite retrieval algorithms in dealing with the temperature dependence of the ozone cross-sections in the UV and the solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence, (ii) zonal modulations and seasonal variations of tropospheric ozone columns not accounted for in the TV8 profile climatology, and (iii) uncertainty on the stratospheric ozone profiles at high latitude in the winter in the TV8 climatology. For those measurements mostly sensitive to stratospheric temperature like TOMS, OMI-TOMS, Dobson and Brewer, or to SZA like SCIAMACHY-TOSOMI, the application of temperature and SZA corrections results in the almost complete removal of the seasonal difference with SAOZ, improving significantly the consistency between all ground-based and satellite total ozone observations.

Small-scale method for the determination of selected organochlorine pesticides in soil

A small-scale method was developed for the simultaneous determination of γ-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, dicofol, mirex, endosulfan I, endosulfan II and endosulfan sulphate in soil. The extraction and clean-up steps were combined into one step by transferring soil samples to chromatographic columns prepacked with neutral alumina. The pesticides elution was processed with n-hexane : dichloromethane (7:3) and the concentrated eluate was analysed using gas-liquid chromatography with electron capture detection. Analyses of the in vitro fortified samples with the selected pesticides were performed at three different levels. Mean recoveries for aldrin, γ-HCH and heptachlor, at levels of 2, 10 and 20 ng/g, ranged from 71 to 87%; for dicofol, at levels of 8, 40 and 80 ng/g, ranged from 97 to 103%; for endosulfan I and II, at levels of 5, 25 and 50 ng/g, ranged from 88 to 96%; for mirex, at levels of 6, 30 and 60 ng/g, ranged from 86 to 110%; and for endosulfan sulphate, at levels of 15, 75 and 150 ng/g, ranged from 93 to 104%. The method can be used for rapid determination of these pesticides in soil. © Springer-Verlag 1996.

Recalques de tubuloes na cidade de Bauru

This paper presents results of settlements measurement and analysis of column building, which are in construction in the city of Bauru - SP, using optical level. The foundation of the columns is in drilled caissons. The local soil is a fine clayey sand, and the phreatic water level is deep. When the latest measurement were performed it was assumed that 75% of the final load were acting in the column. The paper presents local soil parameters, dimension of foundation, total and differential settlements which were measured.

Mapeamento do contorno estrutural do embasamento da bacia sedimentar de Curitiba - PR

The sedimentary Curitiba basin is located in the Central-Southern part of the first Parananense plateau, and comprises Curitiba (PR), and part of the neighbour Municipalities (fig.1). It is supposed to be of Plio-Pleistocene age. It has a shallow sedimentary fulfillment, represented by the Guabirotuba formation (BIGARELLA and SALAMUNI, 1962) which is dristributed over a large area of about 3.000km2. The internal geometry, not entirely known yet, is actually object of detailed research, that shows its geological evolution to Cenozoic tectonic movements. For the purpose of this study the definition of the structural contour of the basement and their depo-centers is fundamental. This paper presents the results of the integration of surface and subsurface data, processed by statistical methods, which allowed a more precise definition of the morphostructural framework of the basement. For the analysis of the geological spacial data, specific softwares were used for statistical processing for trend surfaces analysis. The data used in this study are of following types: a) drilling logs for ground water; b) description of surface points of geological maps (CRPM, 1977); c) description of points of geotechnical drillings and down geological survey. The data of 223 drilling logs for ground water were selected out of 770 wells. The description files of 700 outcrops, as well as planialtimetric field data, were used for the localization of the basement outcrop. Thus, a matrix with five columns was set up: utm E-W (x) and utm N-S (y); surface altitude (z); altimetric cote of the contact between sedimentary rocks and the basement (k); isopachs (l). For the study of the basement limits, the analysis of surface trends of 2(nd) and 3(rd) degree polinomial for the altimetric data (figs. 2 and 3) were used. For the residuals the method of the inverse of the square of the distance (fig.4) was used. The adjustments and the explanations of the surfaces were made with the aid of multiple linear regressions. The analysis of 3rd degree polinomial trend surface (fig.3) confirmed that the basement tends to be more exposed towards NNW-SSE explaining better the data trend through an ellipse, which striking NE-SW and dipping SW axis coincides with the trough of the basin observed in the trending surface of the basement. The performed analysis and the respective images offer a good degree of certainty of the geometric model of the Curitiba Basin and of the morphostructure of its basement. The surface trend allows to sketch with a greater degree of confidence the structural contour of the topgraphic surface (figs. 5 and 6) and of the basement (figs. 7 and 8), as well as the delimitation of intermediate structural heights, which were responsible for isolated and assymmetric depocenters. These details are shown in the map of figures 9 and 10. Thus, the Curitiba Basin is made up by a structural trough stretching NE-SW, with maximum preserved depths of about 80m, which are separated by heights and depocenters striking NW-SE (fig. 11). These structural features seems to have been controlled by tectonic reactivation during the Tertiary (HASUI, 1990) and which younger dissection was conditioned by neotectonic processes (SALAMUNI and EBERT, 1994).

Preconcentration of heavy metals ions from aqueous solutions by means of cellulose phosphate: An application in water analysis

Cellulose phosphate (CELLPHOS) was studied as a collector for analytical preconcentration of traces of Cd(II), Cr(III), Cu(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous sample solution. It has been proved that using chromatographic columns packed with CELLPHOS for preconcentration and 1.0 mol 1 -1 HCl for elution the adsorbed analytes are quantitatively enriched. An enrichment factor of 20 (100 ml sample, 5 ml concentrate) was achieved by this separation procedure, which was applied to a series of water analyses (river, sea, bog water).

Treatment of developmental defect of upper lip with carbon dioxide laser radiation (CO2): First surgical time

With the exception of the cleft lip, developmental defects (DD) of the lip are rare. The upper lip originates from the ectomesenchyme and is formed by the merging of the nasal medial and lateral processes with the maxillary process. Disturbances during this formation period can cause DD with functional and/or esthetic repercussions. We present a case of DD of the upper lip in a patient with a history of progressive growth of the left lateral portion of the upper lip that occurred from the time of birth until the age of 22 years. Clinical examination revealed hypertrophy of the area from the left philtral columns to the left commissure of the lip, extending the portion of the surface mucosa creating a flaccid and asymptomatic tissue mass. All other buccal structures appeared to be within normal limits and without any evidence of defects or deformities. In the surgical planning we decided to carry out corrective surgery in two phases. The first phase accomplished a conservative excision of the total abnormal labial tissue mass with a CO2 laser radiation (5 W in continuous mode, bunch diameter φ = 0.6 mm with a power density of 768 W/cm2 and fluency of 0.231 J/cm2) being careful to preserve the vermilion portion of the lip. Postsurgical clinical evaluations were done every three days until the skin sutures were removed and then every seven days until two months post surgery. While the entire mass of excessive tissue could not be completely removed, the removal of the excessive mucosal tissue produced a very good outcome relative to lip function, with a good esthetic result without scarring, and good tissue mobility. The results showed that the CO2 laser is an extremely useful instrument that can provide excellent control of the surgical field and allow for healing that produces excellent functional and esthetic results. © 2005 Taylor & Francis.

Efeito da calagem e sulfato de amônio no algodão. I - Transporte de cátions e ânions no solo

Applying lime on the soil surface in soils managed under no-tillage has caused an excess of basic cations in the most superficial layers of the soil profile. On the other hand, subsoil acidity is considered a constraint to the development of deep plant roots. The objective of this study was to evaluate Ca 2+, Mg 2+, NO 3- and SO 4 2- leaching in the soil profile as affected by liming and top dressing nitrogen fertilization in cotton, grown with straw cover on the soil surface. Cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum) were grown for 60 days in PVC columns filled with a Distroferric Red Latosol (sand loam Rhodic Oxisol) with liming applied over the straw on the soil surface, incorporated liming 0-20 cm deep, or without liming. Nitrogen was applied at rates of 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha -1 as ammonium sulfate. The PVC columns were set up in layers of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-30 cm, totaling 15.71 dm 3. The ammonium sulfate application caused intense leaching of SO 4 2- in the soil, irrespective of the lime application method. Liming increased the concentration of NO 3 in the 0-20 cm soil layer, whereas the correction of the soil acidity did not affect the NO 3- concentration in the 30-50 cm soil layer. The influence of ammonium sulfate on Ca 2+ leaching below 20 cm was only observed in the soil with incorporated lime. Nitrogen application resulted in extensive Mg 2+ leaching from the soil, regardless of the lime application method. In the soil layer below 30 cm, SO 4 2- presented a higher correlation than NO 3- in the formation of ionic pairs with Ca 2+ and Mg 2+.

Ten years of NO2 comparisons between ground-based SAOZ and satellite instruments (GOME, SCIAMACHY, OMI)

SAOZ (Systeme d'Analyse par Observations Zenithales) is a ground-based UV-Visible zenith-sky spectrometer installed between 1988 and 1995 at a number of NDSC stations at various latitudes on the globe. The instrument is providing ozone and NO2 vertical columns at sunrise and sunset using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) technique in the visible spectral range. The ERS-2 GOME Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) in 1995 was the first satellite mission to provide a global picture of atmospheric NO 2 with reasonable spatial and temporal resolution. It was then followed by SCanning ImAging spectroMeter for Atmospheric ChartographY (SCIAMACHY) onboard ENVISAT in 2002, and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard EOS-AURA in 2004, with a similar capacity to monitor total NO 2. All these instruments are nadir viewing mapping spectrometers, applying the DOAS technique in the visible for deriving the NO2 total column. Here we present the results of NO2 long-term comparisons between GOME and SAOZ for the whole period of GOME operation since 1995 at all latitudes - tropics, mid-latitudes and polar regions - in both hemispheres. Comparisons are also shown with the most recently available SCIAMACHY and OMI data in 2004-2005. Overall, the daytime satellite measurements (around noon) are found consistent with sunrise ground-based data, with an average smaller difference at the tropics and mid-latitudes than in the polar areas in the summer. The agreement is even improved after correcting for the NO2 photochemical change between sunrise and the satellite overpass using a box model. However, some seasonal dependence of the difference between ground-based and satellite total NO2 still remains, related to the accuracy of photochemical simulations and the set of NO2 air mass factors used in the retrievals of both systems.

GDP 4.0 transfer to SGP 3.0 for SCIAMACHY no2 column processing: Verification with SDOAS / GDOAS prototype algorithms and delta-validation with NDACC / UV-visible network data

Until mid 2006, SCIAMACHY data processors for the operational retrieval of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) column data were based on the historical version 2 of the GOME Data Processor (GDP). On top of known problems inherent to GDP 2, ground-based validations of SCIAMACHY NO2 data revealed issues specific to SCIAMACHY, like a large cloud-dependent offset occurring at Northern latitudes. In 2006, the GDOAS prototype algorithm of the improved GDP version 4 was transferred to the off-line SCIAMACHY Ground Processor (SGP) version 3.0. In parallel, the calibration of SCIAMACHY radiometric data was upgraded. Before operational switch-on of SGP 3.0 and public release of upgraded SCIAMACHY NO2 data, we have investigated the accuracy of the algorithm transfer: (a) by checking the consistency of SGP 3.0 with prototype algorithms; and (b) by comparing SGP 3.0 NO2 data with ground-based observations reported by the WMO/GAW NDACC network of UV-visible DOAS/SAOZ spectrometers. This delta-validation study concludes that SGP 3.0 is a significant improvement with respect to the previous processor IPF 5.04. For three particular SCIAMACHY states, the study reveals unexplained features in the slant columns and air mass factors, although the quantitative impact on SGP 3.0 vertical columns is not significant.

Including the sub-grid scale plume rise of vegetation fires in low resolution atmospheric transport models

We describe and begin to evaluate a parameterization to include the vertical transport of hot gases and particles emitted from biomass burning in low resolution atmospheric-chemistry transport models. This sub-grid transport mechanism is simulated by embedding a 1-D cloud-resolving model with appropriate lower boundary conditions in each column of the 3-D host model. Through assimilation of remote sensing fire products, we recognize which columns have fires. Using a land use dataset appropriate fire properties are selected. The host model provides the environmental conditions, allowing the plume rise to be simulated explicitly. The derived height of the plume is then used in the source emission field of the host model to determine the effective injection height, releasing the material emitted during the flaming phase at this height. Model results are compared with CO aircraft profiles from an Amazon basin field campaign and with satellite data, showing the huge impact that this mechanism has on model performance. We also show the relative role of each main vertical transport mechanisms, shallow and deep moist convection and the pyro-convection (dry or moist) induced by vegetation fires, on the distribution of biomass burning CO emissions in the troposphere.

Aplicação da metodologia de superfície de resposta na remediação de um solo arenoso contaminado artificialmente com cobre

Soil flushing is an alternative remediation technology for soils contaminated with heavy metals, which the main contaminant removing process consists in percolating an extraction solution. This work aimed to use the response surface methodology to point out combinations among the parameters of the extraction solution (Na2EDTA concentration, volume e pH) in order to reduce the concentration of copper in a sandy soil to risk levels lower than the intervention levels for exposure scenarios adopted by the Environmental Company of Sao Paulo State. Thus, a series of tests in leaching columns were carried out using a Fluvisol artificially contaminated (1257,3 mg kg-1). The tests were conducted in triplicate and setup a central composite rotatable design with 15 different parameters combinations of the extraction solution and one replicate in the center point. Using 5% significance level, the adjusted model (R2 = 0,98) indicated combinations of Na2EDTA concentration, pH and volume of the extraction solution which allow reduction of copper concentration below levels reported by environmental agency of Sao Paulo State for industrial, residential, agricultural or maximum exposure scenarios.

Production of pectate lyase by penicillium viridicatum RFC3 in solid-state and submerged fermentation

Pectate lyase (PL) was produced by the filamentous fungus Penicillium viridicatum RFC3 in solid-state cultures of a mixture of orange bagasse and wheat bran (1 : 1 w/w), or orange bagasse, wheat bran and sugarcane bagasse (1 : 1 : 0.5 w/w), and in a submerged liquid culture with orange bagasse and wheat bran (3%) as the carbon source. PL production was highest (1,500U mL -1 or 300Ug -1 of substrate) in solid-state fermentation (SSF) on wheat bran and orange bagasse at 96 hours. PL production in submerged fermentation (SmF) was influenced by the initial pH of the medium. With the initial pH adjusted to 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5, the peak activity was observed after 72, 48, and 24 hours of fermentation, respectively, when the pH of the medium reached the value 5.0. PL from SSF and SmF were loaded on Sephadex-G75 columns and six activity peaks were obtained from crude enzyme fromSSF and designated PL I, II, III, IV, V, andVI, while five peaks were obtained fromcrude enzyme fromSmF and labeled PL I', II', III', IV', and VII'. Crude enzyme and fraction III from each fermentative process were tested further. The optimum pH for crude PL from either process was 5.5, while that for PL III was 8.0. The maximum activity of enzymes from SSF was observed at 35°C, but crude enzyme was more thermotolerant than PL III, maintaining its maximum activity up to 45°C. Crude enzyme from SmF and PL III' showed thermophilic profiles of activity, with maximum activity at 60 and 55°C, respectively. In the absence of substrate, the crude enzyme from SSF was stable over the pH range 3.0-10.0 and PL III was most stable in the pH range 4.0-7.0. Crude enzyme from SmF retained 70%-80% of its maximum activity in the acid-neutral pH range (4.0-7.0), but PIII showed high stability at alkaline pH (7.5-9.5). PL from SSF was more thermolabile than that from SmF. The latter maintained 60% of its initial activity after 1 h at 55°C. The differing behavior of the enzymes with respect to pH and temperature suggests that they are different isozymes. Copyright © 2010 Viviani Ferreira et al.

Representation of transmission lines in modal domain using analytical transformation matrices

The phases of a transmission line are tightly coupled due to mutual impedances and admittances of the line. One way to accomplish the calculations of currents and voltages in multi-phase lines consists in representing them in modal domain, where its n coupled phases are represented by their n propagation modes. The separation line in their modes of propagation is through the use of a modal transformation matrix whose columns are eigenvectors associated with the parameters of the line. Usually, this matrix is achieved through numerical methods which does not allow the achievement of an analytical model for line developed directly in the phases domain. This work will show the modal transformation matrix of a hypothetical two-phase obtained with numerical and analytical procedures. It will be shown currents and voltage s at terminals of the line taking into account the use of modal transformation matrices obtained by using numerical and analytical procedures. © 2011 IEEE.

Estimativa de alguns parâmetros de transporte de contaminantes para solos Brasileiros

This paper introduces an indirect estimate for the coefficients of distribution, hydrodynamic dispersion and retardation for contaminants commonly encountered in sanitary landfills and their liners, such as Cu2+ and K+; this estimate is based on the relationship between concentration and certain physical characteristics of typical Brazilian soils. The results of previous studies investigating the migration of contaminants were used to develop mathematical expressions from multiple non-linear regressions. Using minimal squares regression, this transport was linked to various combinations of contaminant concentration and both structural and textural characteristics of the porous medium. Various combinations of characteristics and concentrations were investigated, with a mathematical expression obtained for each. The relationship between percentage of clay and the contaminant content proved to be the most closely correlated with actual transport parameters, with coefficients close to one.