Simulating maize phenology as a function of air temperature with a linear and a nonlinear model

The objective of this study was to adapt a nonlinear model (Wang and Engel - WE) for simulating the phenology of maize (Zea mays L.), and to evaluate this model and a linear one (thermal time), in order to predict developmental stages of a field-grown maize variety. A field experiment, during 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 was conducted in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, in two growing seasons, with seven sowing dates each. Dates of emergence, silking, and physiological maturity of the maize variety BRS Missões were recorded in six replications in each sowing date. Data collected in 2005/2006 growing season were used to estimate the coefficients of the two models, and data collected in the 2006/2007 growing season were used as independent data set for model evaluations. The nonlinear WE model accurately predicted the date of silking and physiological maturity, and had a lower root mean square error (RMSE) than the linear (thermal time) model. The overall RMSE for silking and physiological maturity was 2.7 and 4.8 days with WE model, and 5.6 and 8.3 days with thermal time model, respectively.

Modelagem da emissão de folhas em arroz cultivado e em arroz-vermelho

O objetivo deste trabalho foi simular o aparecimento de folhas em genótipos de arroz cultivados e em biótipos de arroz-vermelho por meio da adaptação do modelo de Wang e Engel, modificado por Streck et al. Dois experimentos foram conduzidos em Santa Maria, RS, em 2004/2005 e 2005/2006. Foram utilizadas as cultivares IRGA 417 e EEA 406, um híbrido e dois biótipos de arroz-vermelho. O modelo de aparecimento de folhas foi ajustado para os genótipos usando-se dados de estágio de Haun (HS), de cinco épocas de semeadura, em 2004/2005, e a avaliação do modelo foi feita com dados de HS medidos em três épocas de semeadura, em 2005/2006. Realizou-se também um experimento numérico utilizando-se dados de temperatura de 2003/2004 e de 2006/2007, e comparou-se o HS simulado dos genótipos cultivados em relação aos biótipos de arroz-vermelho. O modelo apresentou bom desempenho para simular o HS com raiz do quadrado médio do erro geralmente menor do que uma folha. A emissão de folhas na haste principal foi maior nos genótipos modernos - IRGA 417 e híbrido - do que no genótipo tradicional EEA 406. A emissão de folhas é diferente em distintos biótipos de arroz-vermelho.

Maize leaf development under climate change scenarios

The objective of this work was to simulate maize leaf development in climate change scenarios at Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, considering symmetric and asymmetric increases in air temperature. The model of Wang & Engel for leaf appearance rate (LAR), with genotype-specific coefficients for the maize variety BRS Missões, was used to simulate tip and expanded leaf accumulated number from emergence to flag leaf appearance and expansion, for nine emergence dates from August 15 to April 15. LAR model was run for each emergence date in 100-year climate scenarios: current climate, and +1, +2, +3, +4 and +5°C increase in mean air temperature, with symmetric and asymmetric increase in daily minimum and maximum air temperature. Maize crop failure due to frost decreased in elevated temperature scenarios, in the very early and very late emergence dates, indicating a lengthening in the maize growing season in warmer climates. The leaf development period in maize was shorter in elevated temperature scenarios, with greater shortening in asymmetric temperature increases, indicating that warmer nights accelerate vegetative development in maize.

STUDY ON THE SUGAR-ACID RATIO AND RELEVANT METABOLIZING ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN NAVEL ORANGE FRUITS FROM DIFFERENT ECO-REGIONS

ABSTRACT The flavor quality of citrus fruits is largely determined by the sugar-acid ratio, but it remains uncertain how sugar- and/or acid-metabolizing enzymes regulate the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges and further affect the fruit quality. In the present study, Robertson navel oranges (Citrus sinesis Osb.) were collected from six representative habitats in three eco-regions of Sichuan, China. The changes in the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SS), cytosolic cio-aconitase (ACO), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) were examined in navel oranges during fruit development. The results indicated that the sugar-acid ratio of fruits in different eco-regions changed significantly from 150 days after full bloom. The SPS and cytosolic ACO fruit activities had minor changes among different ecoregions throughout the experimental periods, whereas the activities of SS and IDH changed significantly in fruits among three eco-regions. Furthermore, the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were the highest in south subtropics and the lowest in north mid-subtropics, probably due to the effects of climate conditions and/or other relevant eco-factors. It demonstrated that SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were of greater importance in regulating the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges in different eco-regions, which provided new insights into the factors that determine the flavor quality of navel oranges and valuable data for guiding relevant agricultural practices.

Contribuição da ultrassonografia para o diagnóstico das alterações histopatológicas presentes na hepatite C crônica, com ênfase na esteatose hepática: Parte I

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a contribuição da ultrassonografia no estudo das alterações histopatológicas encontradas na hepatite crônica pelo vírus C, com ênfase para a esteatose hepática. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram comparados os resultados dos exames ultrassonográficos do fígado de 192 pacientes portadores de hepatite crônica pelo vírus C, com os achados histopatológicos dos fragmentos obtidos por biópsia hepática. Todos os exames ultrassonográficos obedeceram a um mesmo protocolo, sendo analisados os seguintes critérios: ecogenicidade, ecotextura e atenuação. Os pacientes foram agrupados considerando-se os com alterações ultrassonográficas e os sem alterações ultrassonográficas, sendo comparados com as alterações histopatológicas presentes. RESULTADOS: Entre as alterações histopatológicas presentes, apenas os graus 0 e 3 de alteração arquitetural e a esteatose hepática apresentaram diferença estatística significante entre os dois grupos. Dentre os critérios ultrassonográficos avaliados, a atenuação foi o que apresentou melhor correlação com a esteatose hepática. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados do trabalho demonstraram que, em pacientes com hepatite crônica pelo vírus C, a ultrassonografia apresentou limitações à caracterização das alterações histopatológicas, apresentando concordância regular com o diagnóstico de esteatose hepática. Destaca-se a capacidade do método em mostrar a probabilidade de inexistência de esteatose hepática, tendo em vista a especificidade de 77,9% e o valor preditivo negativo de 95,5%.

Determinação de resíduos de cloranfenicol em amostras de leite e mel industrializados utilizando a técnica de espectrometria de massas em "tandem" (CLAE-EM/EM)

The present work shows a method for the determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) antibiotic in milk, powder milk and honey. The solid phase extraction and liquid-liquid extraction were applied as a clean-up and pre-concentration strategies followed by LC-ESI/MS/MS analysis. The recovery was studied for different fortification levels from 0.05 to 1.00 µg L-1 in milk, showing values between 91 101% and RSD bellow 8.0%, while honey was spiked with a concentration of 0.20 µg kg-1 yelding a mean recovery of 83% and RSD of 6.5%. The quantification transition 321>152 showed a LOD of 0.52 ng kg-1 and LOQ of 1.85 ng kg-1.

Reator de UV-Ozônio com lâmpada a vapor de mercúrio a alta pressão modificada para tratamento superficial de óxidos transparentes condutivos utilizados em dispositivos poliméricos eletroluminescentes

An UV-Ozone reactor was developed with an ignition tube extracted into HID mercury lamp used to irradiation on zinc oxide (ZnO) and fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) films for PLEDs devices. Different exposures times were used. In contact angle measurements revealed better results for ZnO and FTO by 15 and 5 min, respectively. In Diffuse Reflectance Infra-red Fourier Transformed (DRIFT) spectroscopy allowed the observation of water, hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide adsorbed on the untreated TCO surfaces. After the UV-Ozone treatment the contaminants were significantly reduced or eliminated and the PLEDs devices decreased threshold voltages in comparison with respectively untreated TCOs.

Preparative separation and purification of sesquiterpenoids from tussilago farfara l. by high-speed counter-current chromatography

Preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully applied for separation and purification of sesquiterpenoids from an extract of Tussilago farfara L. with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate- methanol-water (1:0.5:1.1:0.3, v/v/v/v). The separation produced a total of 32 mg of tussilagone, 18 mg of 14-acetoxy-7β-(3'-ethyl cis-crotonoyloxy)-lα-(2'-methyl butyryloxy)-notonipetranone and 21 mg of 7β-(3'-ethyl cis-crotonoyloxy)-lα-(2'- methyl butyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranone from 500 mg of the crude extract in one step separation with the purity of 99.5, 99.4 and 99.1%, respectively, as determined by HPLC. The structures of these compounds were identified by ESI-MS, ¹H-NMR and 13C-NMR.