Periodic inspection of sprayers: diagnostic to the northern of Paraná

To optimize the use of pesticides, several countries have carried out periodic inspections in agricultural sprayers. In Brazil, knowing the conditions of this machinery canguide researches and investments in guidelines for its use and maintenance. The objective of this study was to verify the state of sprayer maintenance used in the North of the state of Paraná, in Brazil. Several sprayer items were evaluated, such as: presence, status and scale of the manometer, status of the hose, status of the anti-drip component, presence of leaks, status of the bar, status of the filters, state of the spraying nozzles and errors in the targeted flow rate. Machines were named as approved when there was no failure in any item evaluated. The factor that caused the biggest level of reprove among the machines was incorrect scale of manometers, which reproved 84.55% of the machines evaluated. Other outstanding factor was the incorrect flow rate in 75.5% of the tested machines. Only one unit was approved from the total of 110 evaluated sprayers.

Production of a product similar to gelatin from chicken feet collagen

Chicken feet can be used as an alternative source of collagen for the development of new products. In this sense, the aim of this study was the production of a product similar to gelatin from collagen extracted from chicken feet and the evaluation of sensory quality. The products were produced in two distinct flavors, with grape flavor called GU and pineapple flavor called GA. Subsequently, we compared these formulations with gelatin of a trademark established in the market. We used in the verification of sensory acceptability of products a hedonic scale of 9 points and the availability of consuming the product by 30 untrained tasters. According to the results, all formulations showed good levels of acceptability, indicating the collagen from chicken feet as an alternative source of high quality in the production of gelatin.

Evaluation of prognostic factors of decompressive craniectomy in the treatment of severe traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: to determine predictive factors for prognosis of decompressive craniectomy in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), describing epidemiological findings and the major complications of this procedure.METHODS: we conducted a retrospective study based on analysis of clinical and neurological outcome, using the extended Glasgow outcome in 56 consecutive patients diagnosed with severe TBI scale treated in the emergency department from February 2004 to July 2012. The variables assessed were age, mechanism of injury, presence of pupillary changes, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score on admission, CT scan findings (volume, type and association of intracranial lesions, deviation from the midline structures and classification in the scale of Marshall and Rotterdam).RESULTS: we observed that 96.4% of patients underwent unilateral decompressive craniectomy (DC) with expansion duraplasty, and the remainder to bilateral DC, 53.6% of cases being on the right 42.9% on the left, and 3.6% bilaterally, with predominance of the fourth decade of life and males (83.9%). Complications were described as transcalvarial herniation (17.9%), increased volume of brain contusions (16.1%) higroma (16.1%), hydrocephalus (10.7%), swelling of the contralateral lesions (5.3%) and CSF leak (3.6%).CONCLUSION: among the factors studied, only the presence of mydriasis with absence of pupillary reflex, scoring 4 and 5 in the Glasgow Coma Scale, association of intracranial lesions and diversion of midline structures (DML) exceeding 15mm correlated statistically as predictors of poor prognosis.

Use of growth retardants in wheat

In general, lodging has been controlled by restricting nitrogen fertilizer application and/or using short cultivars. Growth retardants can also be used to solve this problem.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rates and application times of three growth retardants on Pioneiro wheat cultivar. The trial was carried out in Viçosa-MG, from May to September 2005, in a factorial and hierarchical scheme, in a randomized block design with four replications and a control treatment. The treatments consisted of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 g ha-1 of chlormequat; 62.5, 125 and 187.5 g ha-1 of trinexapac-ethyl and 40, 80 and 120 g ha-1 of paclobutrazol applied at growth stages 6 or 8, growth stage used on the scale of Feeks and Large, and a control treatment without growth retardant application. Only trinexapac-ethyl and chlormequat were efficient in reducing plant height; the effect of chlormequat and paclobutrazol on plant height was independent of the application time, but the trinexapac-ethyl at growth stage 8 produced shorter plant height than at stage 6. Increasing growth retardant rates produced shorter plant heights; chlormequat and paclobutrazol did not affect grain yield. However, the highest trinexapac-ethyl rates reduced wheat yield.

Initial growth and development of southern sandbur based on thermal units

Availability of basic information on weed biology is an essential tool for designing integrated management programs for agricultural systems. Thus, this study was carried out in order to calculate the base temperature (Tb) of southern sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus), as well as fit the initial growth and development of the species to accumulated thermal units (growing degree days - GDD). For that purpose, experimental populations were sown six times in summer/autumn conditions (decreasing photoperiod) and six times in winter/spring condition (increasing photoperiod). Southern sandbur phenological evaluations were carried out, on alternate days, and total dry matter was measured when plants reached the flowering stage. All the growth and development fits were performed based on thermal units by assessing five base temperatures, as well as the absence of it. Southern sandbur development was best fit with Tb = 12 ºC, with equation y = 0,0993x, where y is the scale of phenological stage and x is the GDD. On average, flowering was reached at 518 GDD. Southern sandbur phenology may be predicted by using mathematical models based on accumulated thermal units, adopting Tb = 12 ºC. However, other environmental variables may also interfere with species development, particularly photoperiod.

Effectiveness of Diquat, Copper Hydroxide, Copper Oxychloride and their Association in Control of Submerged Macrophytes Ceratophyllum demersum

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of diquat, copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride and their associations diquat + 0.1% copper oxychloride and diquat + 0.1% copper hydroxide to control Cerathophyllum demersum. Therefore, the concentrations used were 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 and 1.5 mg L-1 oxychloride and copper hydroxide and 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 mg L-1 diquat and their associations with 0.1% copper oxychloride and 0.1% copper and a control hydroxide. The experimental design was completely randomized with ten replications for 45 days. For evaluation we used a scale of 0-100% control of notes and rated the weight (g) and length (cm) of pointers at the end of the trial period. Diquat showed 100% efficacy at 30 DAA, associations in 21 DAA and copper sources promoted regrowth of C. demersum. Diquat and its associations were more effective in controlling C. demersum. The use of herbicide in combination with a copper source is more efficient for the control of submerged weeds because it potentiates the effect of the herbicide in weed control

Translation into Brazilian Portuguese, cultural adaptation and evaluation of the reliability of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire

The objective of the present study was to translate, adapt and validate a Brazilian Portuguese version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire. The study was carried out in two steps. The first was to translate the DASH into Portuguese and to perform cultural adaptation and the second involved the determination of the reliability and validity of the DASH for the Brazilian population. For this purpose, 65 rheumatoid arthritis patients of either sex (according to the classification criteria of the American College of Rheumatology), ranging in age from 18 to 60 years and presenting no other diseases involving the upper limbs, were interviewed. The patients were selected consecutively at the rheumatology outpatient clinic of UNIFESP. The following results were obtained: in the first step (translation and cultural adaptation), all patients answered the questions. In the second step, Spearman's correlation coefficients for interobserver evaluation ranged from 0.762 to 0.995, values considered to be highly reliable. In addition, intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.97 to 0.99, also highly reliable values. Spearman's correlation coefficients and the intraclass correlation coefficients obtained during intra-observer evaluation ranged from 0.731 to 0.937 and from 0.90 to 0.96, respectively, being highly reliable values. The Ritchie Index showed a weak correlation with Brazilian DASH scores, while the visual analog scale of pain showed a good correlation with DASH score. We conclude that the Portuguese version of the DASH is a reliable instrument.

Development of gluten-free cookie from medicinal plants (Guaraná - Paullinea cupana and Catuaba - Anemopaegma mirandum) aiming at copper, iron, and zinc supplementation

Two flavors of cookies were developed (savory and peppery) containing a mixture of plants such as "guaraná" (Paullinia cupana) and "catuaba" (Anemopaegma mirandum). A test of acceptance and buying intention was applied to 48 consumers through a structured hedonic scale of 9 points. Afterwards, the centesimal compositions of these cookies were obtained as well as their total contents of copper, iron, and zinc through the method of atomic absorption spectrometry with flame. Sensorial tests indicated that the cookies presented good acceptance with potential to sensorial growth. The amount of fibers in the samples, 3 g/100 g, surpassed expectations since the product was not invented with the intention of being a source of this nutrient. The total amount of copper (0.41 mg.100 g-1), iron (4.50 mg.100 g-1), and zinc (1.32 mg.100 g-1) was considered good. The cookies produced can be considered good sources of fibers, copper, iron, and zinc. Furthermore, they are beneficial to people affected by celiac disease because they lack gluten. They also present functional properties. In addition, the medicinal plants used are considered energetic.

Sensory evaluation and nutritional value of cakes prepared with whole flaxseed flour

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value, the oxidative stabilitiy, and consumer acceptance of cakes containing four different concentrations of flaxseed flour (5, 15, 30 and 45%) as partial replacement for wheat flour. The oxidative stability of polyunsaturated fatty acids was evaluated through the lipid peroxidation test (TBARS) in the flour and cakes. Linolenic acid was determined by gas chromatography as well as contents of protein, lipid, ash, and dietary fiber. Consumer acceptance was assessed using a structured hedonic scale of nine points. The oxidative stability of lipid flaxseeds was not affected by the heat treatment during flour processing and cake baking. Cakes made with 5, 15, and 30% of flaxseed flour, the most accepted by consumers, had dietary fiber levels ranging from 3.5 to 6.2 g and linolenic acid ranging from 445 to 2,500 mg.100 g-1 of the product. The cakes received claims of good and excellent source of dietary fiber and linolenic acid, respectively, both are bioactive compounds. The use of up to 30% of flaxseed flour in the preparation of cakes is a useful strategy to optimize the consumption of food rich in functional ingredients.

Stability of volatile profile and sensory properties of passion fruit juice during storage in glass bottles

This study aimed at assessing the stability of passion fruit juice in glass bottles during a 120-day storage period, regarding its volatile compounds profile and sensory properties (aroma and flavor). Samples were obtained from a Brazilian tropical juice industry (Fortaleza, Brazil) and submitted to sensory and chromatographic analyses. The characteristic aroma and flavor of passion fruit were evaluated by a trained panel with a non-structured scale of 9 cm. The headspace volatile compounds were isolated from the product by suction and trapped in Porapak Q, analyzed through high-resolution gas chromatography and identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twelve odoriferous compounds were monitored: ethyl butanoate, ethyl propanoate, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-2-butenol, (E)-3-hexenol, (Z)-3-hexenol, 3-methylbutyl acetate, benzaldehyde, ethyl hexanoate, hexyl acetate, limonene and furfural. The slight variations observed in the volatile profile were not enough to provoke significant changes in the characteristic aroma and flavor of the passion fruit juice.

Construção de modelos para ilustração de estruturas moleculares em aulas de química

This paper describes the construction of a kit of molecular model for illustration of molecular structure in chemical class using cheap materials. The atoms were represented by plastic spheres and the bonds between the atoms were made from plastic straws which were cut in the required length using a scale of 1.6 cm corresponding to 100 pm. Examples of adaptations made in this kit for didactical application are given.

Surface Tension Implementation for Gensmac2d

In the present work we describe a method which allows the incorporation of surface tension into the GENSMAC2D code. This is achieved on two scales. First on the scale of a cell, the surface tension effects are incorporated into the free surface boundary conditions through the computation of the capillary pressure. The required curvature is estimated by fitting a least square circle to the free surface using the tracking particles in the cell and in its close neighbors. On a sub-cell scale, short wavelength perturbations are filtered out using a local 4-point stencil which is mass conservative. An efficient implementation is obtained through a dual representation of the cell data, using both a matrix representation, for ease at identifying neighbouring cells, and also a tree data structure, which permits the representation of specific groups of cells with additional information pertaining to that group. The resulting code is shown to be robust, and to produce accurate results when compared with exact solutions of selected fluid dynamic problems involving surface tension.

Immune and hormonal activity in adults suffering from depression

An association between depression and altered immune and hormonal systems has been suggested by the results of many studies. In the present study we carried out immune and hormonal measurements in 40 non-medicated, ambulatory adult patients with depression determined by CID-10 criteria and compared with 34 healthy nondepressed subjects. The severity of the condition was determined with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Of 40 depressed patients, 31 had very severe and 9 severe or moderate depression, 29 (72.5%) were females and 11 (27.5%) were males (2.6:1 ratio). The results revealed a significant reduction of albumin and elevation of alpha-1, alpha-2 and ß-globulins, and soluble IL-2 receptor in patients with depression compared to the values obtained for nondepressed subjects (P<0.05). The decrease lymphocyte proliferation in response to a mitogen was significantly lower in severely or moderately depressed patients when compared to control (P<0.05). These data confirm the immunological disturbance of acute phase proteins and cellular immune response in patients with depression. Other results may be explained by a variety of interacting factors such as number of patients, age, sex, and the nature, severity and/or duration of depression. Thus, the data obtained should be interpreted with caution and the precise clinical relevance of these findings requires further investigation.

Transitory increased blood pressure after upper airway surgery for snoring and sleep apnea correlates with the apnea-hypopnea respiratory disturbance index

A transitory increase in blood pressure (BP) is observed following upper airway surgery for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome but the mechanisms implicated are not yet well understood. The objective of the present study was to evaluate changes in BP and heart rate (HR) and putative factors after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and septoplasty in normotensive snorers. Patients (N = 10) were instrumented for 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, nocturnal respiratory monitoring and urinary catecholamine level evaluation one day before surgery and on the day of surgery. The influence of postsurgery pain was prevented by analgesic therapy as confirmed using a visual analog scale of pain. Compared with preoperative values, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in nighttime but not daytime systolic BP (119 ± 5 vs 107 ± 3 mmHg), diastolic BP (72 ± 4 vs 67 ± 2 mmHg), HR (67 ± 4 vs 57 ± 2 bpm), respiratory disturbance index (RDI) characterized by apnea-hypopnea (30 ± 10 vs 13 ± 4 events/h of sleep) and norepinephrine levels (22.0 ± 4.7 vs 11.0 ± 1.3 µg l-1 12 h-1) after surgery. A positive correlation was found between individual variations of BP and individual variations of RDI (r = 0.81, P < 0.01) but not between BP or RDI and catecholamines. The visual analog scale of pain showed similar stress levels on the day before and after surgery (6.0 ± 0.8 vs 5.0 ± 0.9 cm, respectively). These data strongly suggest that the cardiovascular changes observed in patients who underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and septoplasty were due to the increased postoperative RDI.