Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as a Reinforcing Filler in Thermoplastic Elastomers: Structural and Mechanical Characterizations

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

Natural rubber/leather waste composite foam: A new eco-friendly material and recycling approach

This article describes a new approach of recycling the leather waste (shavings) using it as filler in natural rubber foams composites. The foams were prepared using different amounts of leather waste (0-60 parts per hundred of rubber) and submitted to morphological (SEM microscopy) and mechanical analyses (cyclic stress-strain compression). The increase of leather shavings on the composite causes an increase of viscosity in the mixture, which reflects in the foaming process. This results in smaller and fairly uniform cells. Furthermore, expanded rubber has the biggest cell size, with more than 70% of cell with 1000 mu m, while the composite with the higher concentration of leather has around 80% of total number of cells with 100-400 mu m. The mechanical parameters were found to depend on the leather dust concentration. Moreover, the stiffness rises with the increase of leather shavings; consequently, the compression force for expanded rubber was 0.126 MPa as well as the composite with higher concentration of leather was 7.55 MPa. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41636.

The putative Leishmania telomerase RNA (leishTER) undergoes trans-splicing and contains a conserved template sequence

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

Sugarcane bagasse ash: new filler to natural rubber composite

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

Physical properties of self-polarized PZT thin films at compositions around the morphotropic phase boundary

The physical properties of self-polarized PbZr1-xTixO3 thin films with no preferential orientation in a range of compositions 0.46 <= x <= 0.50 were investigated. Structural analysis revealed the coexistence of monoclinic-tetragonal and monoclinic-rhombohedral phases at compositions 0.46 <= x <= 0.49, where the monoclinic phase was in the majority and both the tetragonal and the rhombohedral phases in the minority. The dielectric permittivity (epsilon'= 447) reached its maximum at around composition x = 0.48. Asymmetries in the macroscopic and local hysteresis loops confirmed the existence of the self-polarization effect in the studied films.

Cytotoxic effects of neem oil in the midgut of the predator Ceraeochrysa claveri

Studies of morphological and ultrastructural alterations in target organs have been useful for evaluating the sublethal effects of biopesticides regarded as safe for non-target organisms in ecotoxicological analyses. One of the most widely used biopesticides is neem oil, and its safety and compatibility with natural enemies have been further clarified through bioassays performed to analyze the effects of indirect exposure by the intake of poisoned prey. Thus, this study examined the cellular response of midgut epithelial cells of the adult lacewing, Ceraeochrysa claveri, to neem oil exposure via intake of neem oil-contaminated prey during the larval stage. C. claveri larvae were fed Diatraea saccharalis eggs treated with neem oil at concentrations of 0.5%, 1% and 2% throughout the larval stage. The adult females obtained from these treatments were used at two ages (newly emerged and at the start of oviposition) in morphological and ultrastructural analyses. Neem oil was found to cause pronounced cytotoxic effects in the adult midgut, such as cell dilation, emission of cytoplasmic protrusions, cell lysis, loss of integrity of the cell cortex, dilation of cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, swollen mitochondria, vesiculated appearance of the Golgi complex and dilated invaginations of the basal labyrinth. Epithelial cells responded to those injuries with various cytoprotective and detoxification mechanisms, including increases in cell proliferation, the number of calcium-containing cytoplasmic granules, and HSP 70 expression, autophagic processes and the development of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, but these mechanisms were insufficient for recovery from all of the cellular damage to the midgut. This study demonstrates that neem oil exposure impairs the midgut by causing sublethal effects that may affect the physiological functions of this organ, indicating the importance of studies of different life stages of this species and similar species to evaluate the safe and compatible integrated use of biopesticides.

Compósitos preparados a partir de resíduo industrial de couro com elastômeros termoplásticos obtidos através de blendas de polietileno de baixa densidade e borracha natural

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

Soil greenhouse gas emissions and their relations to soil attributes in a sugarcane area

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

Avaliação da capacidade de renovação do epitélio do mesêntero e seus efeitos no potencial reprodutivo de fêmeas adultas de Ceraeochrysa claveri (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) alimentadas durante a fase larval com óleo de nim (azadirachta indica A. JUSS)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Nolan Pliny Jacobson Papers - Accession 24

The Nolan Pliny Jacobson Papers consist of biographical data, professional and personal correspondence, and other papers relating to Dr. Jacobson’s research; his relationship with other philosophers, and his interest in oriental religion, philosophy, and the effects of science on the culture of the modern world. Correspondents include Prince Sihanouk, Charles Morris, John and Roberta Dewey, Henry and Laura Weiman, Charles and Dorothy Hartshorne, Kenneth Inada, Haljme Nakamusa, T.I. Dow, Nyanaponika Mahathera, and many other distinguished philosophers of the Western World.

The impact of the alkali cation on the mechanism of the electro-oxidation of ethylene glycol on Pt

By means of in situ IR spectroscopy we investigate the effect of dissolved alkali cations on the electro-oxidation of ethylene glycol on platinum in alkaline media. The results revealed that the increase in the oxidation currents (Li(+) < Na(+) < K(+)) is reflected in the increase in the ratio between carbonate and oxalate produced.

On the Limit of Frequency of Electrochemical Oscillators and Its Relationship to Kinetic Parameters

The class of electrochemical oscillators characterized by a partially hidden negative differential resistance in an N-shaped current potential curve encompasses a myriad of experimental examples. We present a comprehensive methodological analysis of the oscillation frequency of this class of systems and discuss its dependence on electrical and kinetic parameters. The analysis is developed from a skeleton ordinary differential equation model, and an equation for the oscillation frequency is obtained. Simulations are carried out for a model system, namely, the nickel electrodissolution, and the numerical results are confirmed by experimental data on this system. In addition, the treatment is further applied to the electro-oxidation of ethylene glycol where unusually large oscillation frequencies have been reported. Despite the distinct chemistry underlying the oscillatory dynamics of these systems, a very good agreement between experiments and theoretical predictions is observed. The application of the developed theory is suggested as an important step for primary kinetic characterization.

Parasitoids (Braconidae) associated with Anastrepha (Tephritidae) in host fruits on the Southern coast of Bahia, Brazil

Among the organisms acting in the natural biological control of tephritids, members of the family Braconidae are the most active form of natural parasite, and in Neotropical regions, members of Opiinae are the main control agents of Anastrepha. The objective of this work was to discover the percentage of parasitism and the species of braconid associated with fruit trees growing in cities on the southern coast of Bahia. During the period of August, 2005 to March, 2008, hosts fruits of fruit flies from several plant species were collected and from the fruits the following species of Anastrepha were obtained: A. fraterculus, A. obliqua, A. bahiensis, A. serpentina, A. sororcula and A. zenildae. Of the total of 838 specimens of braconids, 21.36% were of the species Utetes anastrephae (Viereck), obtained from yellow mombin, carambola, guava, mango and pitanga; 4.42% were of the species Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck) obtained from the fruits of the yellow mombin, carambola and guava, and only one example of Opius bellus Gahan (0.12%) that came from a guava sample. The species Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti) (74.10%) was predominant and emerged from puparia from all the host fruits collected, probably due to the greater efficiency of this species in locating tephritid larvae. The mean percentage of parasitism by Anastrepha spp. was 4.45%.

Kinin B1 Receptor in Adipocytes Regulates Glucose Tolerance and Predisposition to Obesity

Background: Kinins participate in the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes by mechanisms which are not fully understood. Kinin B-1 receptor knockout mice (B-1(-/-)) are leaner and exhibit improved insulin sensitivity. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we show that kinin B-1 receptors in adipocytes play a role in controlling whole body insulin action and glucose homeostasis. Adipocytes isolated from mouse white adipose tissue (WAT) constitutively express kinin B-1 receptors. In these cells, treatment with the B-1 receptor agonist des-Arg(9)-bradykinin improved insulin signaling, GLUT4 translocation, and glucose uptake. Adipocytes from B-1(-/-) mice showed reduced GLUT4 expression and impaired glucose uptake at both basal and insulin-stimulated states. To investigate the consequences of these phenomena to whole body metabolism, we generated mice where the expression of the kinin B-1 receptor was limited to cells of the adipose tissue (aP2-B-1/B-1(-/-)). Similarly to B-1(-/-) mice, aP2-B-1/B-1(-/-) mice were leaner than wild type controls. However, exclusive expression of the kinin B1 receptor in adipose tissue completely rescued the improved systemic insulin sensitivity phenotype of B-1(-/-) mice. Adipose tissue gene expression analysis also revealed that genes involved in insulin signaling were significantly affected by the presence of the kinin B-1 receptor in adipose tissue. In agreement, GLUT4 expression and glucose uptake were increased in fat tissue of aP2-B-1/B-1(-/-) when compared to B-1(-/-) mice. When subjected to high fat diet, aP2-B-1/B-1(-/-) mice gained more weight than B-1(-/-) littermates, becoming as obese as the wild types. Conclusions/Significance: Thus, kinin B-1 receptor participates in the modulation of insulin action in adipocytes, contributing to systemic insulin sensitivity and predisposition to obesity.

Open circuit interaction of borohydride with oxidized platinum surfaces

An interesting method to investigate the effect of fuel crossover in low temperature fuel cells consists of studying the open circuit interaction between the reducing fuel and an oxide-covered catalyst. Herein we report the experimental study of the open circuit interaction between borohydride and oxidized platinum surfaces in alkaline media. When compared to the case of hydrogen and other small organic molecules, two remarkable new features were observed. Firstly, the interaction with borohydride resulted in a very-fast reduction process with transient times about two to three orders of magnitude smaller. The second peculiarity was that the decrease of the open circuit potential was found to occur in two-stages and this, previously unseen, feature was correlated with the two-hump profile found in the backward sweep in the cyclic voltammogram The consequences of our findings are discussed in connection with fundamental and applied aspects. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.