Extraction methods and availability of phosphorus for soybean in soils from Parana State, Brazil

In studies on the evaluation of methodologies for the analysis of soil, phosphorus (P) has been the single most studied aspect, due to the complexity of this dynamic element in soil. However, these studies have been limited regarding soil conditions in Paranaa. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the Mehlich-1, Mehlich-3 and ion exchange resin methods in the evaluation of available P for soybean (Glycine max) in the soils of Paranaa State. Twelve soil samples collected from the upper 0-20 cm were planted with soybean for a period of 42 days in the greenhouse. The ability to extract soil P followed the order of decreasing average amount of extracted P: Mehlich-3 > resin > Mehlich-1. The correlation coefficients between the content of P extracted by Mehlich-1, Mehlich-3 and resin and the amount of P accumulated in the plants were 0.86, 0.90 and 0.93, respectively. Mehlich-1, Mehlich-3 and resin showed similar efficiency in the evaluation of P availability to plants and, under conditions of natural fertility and in soils that had received no application of poorly natural reactive phosphates, can be used to quantify the concentrations of P in the soils of Parana State.

Application methods and dosages of thiamethoxam in thrips control on tomato plants

O tripes Frankliniella schultzei Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) é um dos mais importantes vetores de tomato spotted wilt tospovirus (TSWV) na cultura do tomate no Brasil. Dois métodos de aplicação do inseticida thiamethoxam foram comparados no controle de tripes em tomate. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento de blocos ao acaso com sete tratamentos e quatro repetições. Utilizou-se um pulverizador costal manual com lança simples provida de ponta de pulverização com jato cônico vazio JD 14-2 ou modificada, com aplicador tipo esguicho, em substituição à ponta de pulverização. Dosagens de 150 e 200 g i.a. ha-1 foram usadas em única aplicação com esguicho e 50 g i.a. ha-1 em pulverizações semanais, iniciadas aos 48 dias após a semeadura. A eficiência do inseticida em teste foi comparada com diafenthiuron (400 g i.a. ha-1), profenofos + cypermethrin (320+32 g i.a. ha-1, respectivamente) e methamidophos (60 g i.a. 100 L-1 de água), aplicados em pulverização. Não houve diferença estatística entre os métodos de aplicação e doses com thiamethoxam no controle de F. schultzei aos 24 dias após a aplicação, sendo vantajosa a realização de uma única aplicação das maiores dosagens de thiamethoxam com esguicho em comparação às aplicações semanais da menor dosagem em pulverização. A eficiência de controle do tripes com o inseticida thiamethoxam variou de 93 a 95%, nos diferentes métodos e dosagens em teste. Diafenthiuron e profenofos + cypermethrin apresentaram eficiência menor (78 e 88%, respectivamente), porém foram superiores às obtidas com methamidophos (71%). Os produtos e doses utilizados não causaram fitotoxicidade às plantas de tomate.

Chemical composition of corn and sorghum grains cultivated in oxisol with different application methods and doses of zinc

A.P. Puga, R.M. Prado, B. Mattiuz, D.W. Vale, and I.M. Fonseca. 2013. Chemical composition of corn and sorghum grains cultivated in Oxisol according to different application methods and doses of zinc. Cien. Inv. Agr. 40(1):97-108. In general, tropical soils present low concentrations of zinc (Zn), and the deficiency of Zn is recognized as a world nutritional problem for cereal production and human beings. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to assess the effects of different methods of Zn application on the quality of corn and sorghum grains grown in Oxisol. Two experiments were set up in the experimental area of UNESP (campus of Jaboticabal, Brazil). The following nine treatments were applied: three doses of Zn by banded application (seed furrows), three doses of Zn by incorporation into soil (0-20 cm depth), foliar application, seed application, and control (no Zn applied). The treatments were arranged in randomized blocks with four replicates. The contents of Zn, carbohydrates and proteins were determined for corn and sorghum grains. Regardless of the method, Zn application promoted higher contents of this micronutrient in corn and sorghum grains. The banded application method of Zn in soil promoted greater contents of total carbohydrates, starch and protein in both cultures. The incorporation of Zn into the soil method provided higher contents of soluble carbohydrates in both corn and sorghum grains.

Development of diagnostic methods and study of the immunoreactivity of a mixture of recombinant core and E2 proteins fused to GST with control serum positive for hepatitis C

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

Methods and results of a search for gravitational waves associated with gamma-ray bursts using the GEO 600, LIGO, and Virgo detectors

In this paper we report on a search for short-duration gravitational wave bursts in the frequency range 64 Hz-1792 Hz associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), using data from GEO 600 and one of the LIGO or Virgo detectors. We introduce the method of a linear search grid to analyze GRB events with large sky localization uncertainties, for example the localizations provided by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM). Coherent searches for gravitational waves (GWs) can be computationally intensive when the GRB sky position is not well localized, due to the corrections required for the difference in arrival time between detectors. Using a linear search grid we are able to reduce the computational cost of the analysis by a factor of O(10) for GBM events. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our analysis pipeline can improve upon the sky localization of GRBs detected by the GBM, if a high-frequency GW signal is observed in coincidence. We use the method of the linear grid in a search for GWs associated with 129 GRBs observed satellite-based gamma-ray experiments between 2006 and 2011. The GRBs in our sample had not been previously analyzed for GW counterparts. A fraction of our GRB events are analyzed using data from GEO 600 while the detector was using squeezed-light states to improve its sensitivity; this is the first search for GWs using data from a squeezed-light interferometric observatory. We find no evidence for GW signals, either with any individual GRB in this sample or with the population as a whole. For each GRB we place lower bounds on the distance to the progenitor, under an assumption of a fixed GW emission energy of 10(-2)M circle dot c(2), with a median exclusion distance of 0.8 Mpc for emission at 500 Hz and 0.3 Mpc at 1 kHz. The reduced computational cost associated with a linear search grid will enable rapid searches for GWs associated with Fermi GBM events once the advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors begin operation.

Control Methods and Evaluation of Bacterial Growth on Fresh and Cooled Stallion Semen

The penis and prepuce of the stallion have a high bacterial load on its surface, forming a natural microbial flora that contaminates the semen during ejaculation. Bacterial growth in semen may cause a decline on sperm quality, viability, and fertility and predisposes the occurrence of endometritis in inseminated mares. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of penile wash before semen collection, the addition of different commercial skim milk-based extenders containing antibiotics (BotuSemen and INRA96), and the removal of seminal plasma by filtration on the quality, viability, and bacterial proliferation on fresh and cooled stallion semen. Animals that were never submitted to penile wash before semen collection tended to have lower bacterial contamination in the ejaculate. Semen samples extended in BotuSemen showed superiority in total motility, progressive motility, average path velocity, and rapid sperm and lower bacterial contamination in relation to semen samples extended in INRA96 after 24 hours of cooling. No difference was found in these parameters between the storage temperatures (5 degrees C and 15 degrees C). Furthermore, the removal of seminal plasma by filtration reduced the bacterial load in semen after cooling. In conclusion, the penile wash before semen collection tended to reduce the bacterial growth in fresh semen. The use of a semen extender with appropriate antibiotics and removal of seminal plasma by filtration were effective in reducing the bacterial contamination and preserved the quality of cooled stallion semen. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An approach to analyzing synthesis, structure and properties of bismuth titanate ceramics

The family of bismuth titanate, Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12) (BIT) layered-structured ferroelectrics materials is attractive from the viewpoint of such as their application as electronic materials dielectrics, piezoelectrics and pyroelectrics, because they are characterized by good stability of piezoelectric properties, a high Curie temperature and a good resistance vs temperature. Bismuth titanate (Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12)) powders can be prepared using different methods, depending if the creation will be film coating or ceramics. The structure and properties of bismuth titanate materials show a significance dependence on the applied synthesis method. In this review paper, we made an attempt to give an approach to analyszing the structure, synthesis methods and properties of bismuth titanate ferroelectrics materials.

A CASE tool for the modeling of methods and information systems

MODSI is a multi-models tool for information systems modeling. A modeling process in MODSI can be driven according to three different approaches: informal, semi-formal and formal. The MODSI tool is therefore based on the linked usage of these three modeling approaches. It can be employed at two different levels: the meta-modeling of a method and the modeling of an information system.In this paper we start presenting different types of modeling by making an analysis of their particular features. Then, we introduce the meta-model defined in our tool, as well as the tool functional architecture. Finally, we describe and illustrate the various usage levels of this tool.

Measurement systems of soil water matric potential and evaluation of soil moisture under different irrigation depths

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Use of three rapid detection systems to evaluate the prevalence and dissemination of Salmonella in a Brazilian poultry slaughterhouse

Prevalence and dissemination of Salmonella in a Brazilian poultry slaughterhouse were evaluated by three rapid detection systems (SS/SV(TM), VICAM, OSRT(TM), Unipath/Oxoid, and REVEAL(TM), Neogen), plus the conventional procedure. The carcasses were sampled after bleeding (P1), defeathering (P2), evisceration (P3), washing (P4), chilling (P5) and the packaged end-product (P6). In the first set of carcasses, the Salmonella incidence determined by the conventional method was 38.3% and 22.5% by SS/SV(TM). In the set for evaluation of OSRT(TM), the number of positive samples was the same detected by the cultural procedure (49.0%). In the third set, the positivity by the conventional procedure was 33.3%, and 5.0% by REVEAL(TM). The comparisons of positives in the first and third sets of carcasses were significantly different (P < 0.05). The positivity for Salmonella, in carcasses at P1 to P6, as determined by at least one of the methods, was 47.5%, 47.5%, 32.5%, 30.0%, 30.0% and 37.7%, respectively.

Transdentinal diffusion and cytotoxicity of self-etching adhesive systems

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mathematical modeling and control of population systems: Applications in biological pest control

The aim of this paper is to apply methods from optimal control theory, and from the theory of dynamic systems to the mathematical modeling of biological pest control. The linear feedback control problem for nonlinear systems has been formulated in order to obtain the optimal pest control strategy only through the introduction of natural enemies. Asymptotic stability of the closed-loop nonlinear Kolmogorov system is guaranteed by means of a Lyapunov function which can clearly be seen to be the solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation, thus guaranteeing both stability and optimality. Numerical simulations for three possible scenarios of biological pest control based on the Lotka-Volterra models are provided to show the effectiveness of this method. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic methods and commercial systems for the discrimination between C-albicans and C-dubliniensis

Candida dubliniensis is a recently described Candida species associated with oral candidosis that exhibits a high degree of phenotypic similarity to Candida albicans. However, these species show differences in levels of resistance to antimycotic agents and ability to cause infections. Therefore, accurate clinical identification of C. dubliniensis and C. albicans species is important in order to treat oral candidal infections. Phenotypic identification methods are easy-to-use procedures for routine discrimination of oral isolates in the clinical microbiology laboratory. However, C. dubliniensis may be so far underreported in clinical samples because most currently used identification methods fail to recognize this yeast. Phenotypic methods depend on growth temperature, carbon source assimilation, chlamydospore and hyphal growth production, positive or negative growth on special media and intracellular enzyme production, among others. In this review, some phenotypic methods are presented with a special emphasis on the discrimination of C. dubliniensis and C. albicans.

Economic viability and selection of irrigation systems using simulation and stochastic dominance

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