Posição da folha e estádio fenológico do ramo para análise foliar do pinhão-manso

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Bagaço de cana-de-açúcar tratado com hidróxido de sódio

O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a composição química e a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (MS) do bagaço de cana-de-açúcar contendo 60% de MS submetido a doses crescentes de hidróxido de sódio (NaOH) (0; 2,5; 5 e 7,5% de uma solução 2:1 de água:NaOH na MS) em diferentes períodos de tratamento (1, 3, 5 e 7 dias). Foram utilizados baldes plásticos com capacidade de 10 L, mantidos em uma câmara climática à temperatura constante de 25ºC. Não foi verificado efeito dos tratamentos (dose de NaOH e dias de tratamento) sobre os teores de PB, que apresentaram valor médio de 1,6%. A MS aumentou com os dias de tratamento, não sendo observadas alterações para essa variável em relação às doses crescentes de NaOH. Foi observada redução das frações de FDN, FDA, celulose (CEL), hemicelulose (HEM) e lignina (LIG). A digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS) e o teor de sódio aumentaram quando o bagaço de cana foi submetido a doses crescentes de NaOH, mas não foi observado efeito do período de tratamento sobre essas variáveis. O valor nutritivo do bagaço de cana é melhorado com a adição de NaOH, comprovado pela redução nos constituintes da parede celular e pelo aumento na DIVMS.

Generalized linear mixed models for the genetic evaluation of binary reproductive traits: a simulation study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of probit and logit link functions for the genetic evaluation of early pregnancy using simulated data. The following simulation/analysis structures were constructed: logit/logit, logit/probit, probit/logit, and probit/probit. The percentages of precocious females were 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% and were adjusted based on a change in the mean of the latent variable. The parametric heritability (h²) was 0.40. Simulation and genetic evaluation were implemented in the R software. Heritability estimates (ĥ²) were compared with h² using the mean squared error. Pearson correlations between predicted and true breeding values and the percentage of coincidence between true and predicted ranking, considering the 10% of bulls with the highest breeding values (TOP10) were calculated. The mean ĥ² values were under- and overestimated for all percentages of precocious females when logit/probit and probit/logit models used. In addition, the mean squared errors of these models were high when compared with those obtained with the probit/probit and logit/logit models. Considering ĥ², probit/probit and logit/logit were also superior to logit/probit and probit/logit, providing values close to the parametric heritability. Logit/probit and probit/logit presented low Pearson correlations, whereas the correlations obtained with probit/probit and logit/logit ranged from moderate to high. With respect to the TOP10 bulls, logit/probit and probit/logit presented much lower percentages than probit/probit and logit/logit. The genetic parameter estimates and predictions of breeding values of the animals obtained with the logit/logit and probit/probit models were similar. In contrast, the results obtained with probit/logit and logit/probit were not satisfactory. There is need to compare the estimation and prediction ability of logit and probit link functions.

Taxa de passagem e parâmetros ruminais em bovinos suplementados com enzimas fibrolíticas

Avaliou-se o efeito da adição de enzimas fibrolíticas (celulase e xilanase) sobre as taxas de passagem de partículas e de diluição e os parâmetros ruminais (pH e nitrogênio amoniacal) em animais consumindo dietas contendo silagem de milho e feno de tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) como volumoso. Oito bovinos com fístulas no rúmen e no duodeno foram distribuídos em dois quadrados latinos 4 x 4, com os tratamentos distribuídos em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 (duas fontes de volumoso e adição ou não de enzimas). O complexo enzimático foi proveniente de fonte comercial e extraído dos fungos Aspergillus niger e Trichoderma longibrachiatum, sendo fornecido na proporção de 12 g/animal/dia, misturado à ração total. Para as taxas de passagem, foram utilizados como marcadores das fases sólida e líquida o cromo-mordente e o cobalto-EDTA, respectivamente. Não houve efeito das enzimas sobre o pH e as concentrações de N-NH3, que apresentaram médias de 6,5 e 22,10 mg/100 mL, respectivamente. A taxa de passagem de partículas no rúmen não foi influenciada pela suplementação enzimática, com médias de 3,4 e 3,0%/h para as dietas contendo silagem de milho e feno de tifton, respectivamente. A taxa de diluição aumentou de 10,07 para 11,84%/h com a adição de enzimas. A suplementação com enzimas fibrolíticas em dietas formuladas com silagem de milho e feno de tifton como volumoso praticamente não alterou os parâmetros avaliados.

Comparison of non-linear growth models to describe the growth curve in West African Dwarf sheep

The objectives of this study were to compare the goodness of fit of four non-linear growth models, i.e. Brody, Gompertz, Logistic and Von Bertalanffy, in West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep. A total of 5274 monthly weight records from birth up to 180 days of age from 889 lambs, collected during 2001 to 2004 in Betecoucou breeding farm in Benin were used. In the preliminary analysis, the General Linear Model Procedure of the Statistical Analysis Systems Institute was applied to the dataset to identify the significant effects of the sex of lamb (male and female), type of birth (single and twin), season of birth (rainy season and dry season), parity of dam (1, 2 and 3) and year of birth (2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004) on the observed birth weight and monthly weight up to 6 months of age. The models parameters (A, B and k), coefficient of determination (112), mean square error (MSE) were calculated using language of technical computing package Matlab(R), 2006. The mean values of A, B and k were substituted into each model to calculate the corresponding Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). Among the four growth functions, the Brody model has been selected for its accuracy of fit according to the higher R(2), lower MSE and A/C Finally, the parameters A, B and k were adjusted in Matlab(R) 2006 for the sex of lamb, year of birth, season of birth, birth type and the parity of ewe, providing a specific slope of the Brody growth curve. The results of this study suggest that Brody model can be useful for WAD sheep breeding in Betecoucou farm conditions through growth monitoring.

Propriedades físicas e mecânicas de painéis LVL de Eucalyptus grandis

This paper mainly aimed to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of LVL panels made from Eucalyptus grandis, from reforestation at the region of Senges, in Parana state, Brazil. LVL panels were manufactured using 23 veneers (2,4mm thick each one) in commercial dimension of 2.500 mm long and 1,200 mm wide. The properties of static bending were analyzed (strength and rigidity) in beams of the LVL, in the flatwise and edgewise positions. The properties of compression parallel to grain and shear parallel in the plans L-X and L-Y and density in this LVL panels were also analyzed according to ASTM-D 5456/4761 and ASTM-D 198 codes. The mean values to flatwise bending MOE and MOR were 13114 MPa and 88.76 MPa, respectively, and for edgewise bending MOE and MOR were 15871 MPa and 88.63 MPa, respectively. The density (12%) of the LVL panels and of the veneers were 690 kg/m(3) and 649 kg/m(3). The mean values to parallel compression MOE and MOR were 16856 MPa and 58.05 MPa, respectively. The mean values of the maximum resistance to shear parallel in the plans L-X and L-Y were 5.96 MPa and 591 MPa, respectively. All these values reached partially or they passed the medium limits of reference (normative codes, researches and commercial catalogs) established for LVL panels and original solid wood, attesting overall the quality of those panels produced with this wood.

Inbreeding depression in castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) progenies

O objetivo do trabalho foi investigar a depressão endogâmica (DE) na mamoneira, espécie de reprodução sexuada mista. de uma população derivada da cultivar Guarani, amostraram-se 60 plantas-mãe. de cada uma foram obtidos três tipos de progênies: de autofecundação (AU), de cruzamentos obrigatórios (CR) e de polinização livre (PL). A produtividade de grãos das progênies for avaliada por meio de experimentos em blocos incompletos em dois locais. Houve forte interação de progênies x locais o que levou a obter estimativas dentro de cada local. Verificou-se ampla variação na depressão endogâmica, com médias de 6,7% e 13,4%, comparando-se as progênies AU com as PL. Verificou-se que a população tem alto potencial para selecionar linhagens promissoras. Foi baixa a freqüência de plantas-mãe gerando progênies com alta capacidade geral de combinação e baixa depressão endogâmica, simultaneamente. Seleção recorrente aumentará a ocorrência de genitoras associando essas duas propriedades, necessárias para obtenção de variedades sintéticas superiores.

Estudo da radiação ultravioleta na Cidade de Natal-RN

There were studied the variation of the solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in four wavelengths (305 nm, 320 nm, 340 nm e 380 nm) and erythemic dose, measured in Natal RN Brazil, from January 2001 until December 2007, using the ground ultraviolet radiometer of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais / Centro Regional do Nordeste INPE-CRN, fixed on the roof of the Laboratório de Variáveis Ambientais Tropiciais LAVAT-INPE-CRN. It was verified that the mean value of the UVR in the city reachs the HIGH index before 09h00 a.m. and VERY HIGH before 09h40 a.m.; it was also verified that, except in the months of June and July, in the other months of the year the UVR reachs the HIGH index before 10h00 a.m., despite of the recommendations broadcasting in the media about the safe time to people stay ashore on the beaches of the city. After 14h30 p.m., the UVR reachs the MODERATE index in any month of the year. These evidence are valid to all years of the period studied, i.e., 2001 to 2007. The year of 2004 presented the lower mean values of UVR indices, and the year of 2007 presented the higher mean values of UVR index. It was prove, by means of the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the variation in the four wavelengths and in the erythemic dose. Considering that the city has high indices of skin cancer and cataract, the results of the research may be use as a data source to studies that intend to support programs of public health. At the same time, the results of the research may be applied to material science and agriculture studies

Caracterização da qualidade de água e sedimento na UHE Americana relacionados à ocorrência de plantas aquáticas

Este trabalho foi realizado na UHE Americana, pertencente à Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz, e faz parte de um projeto de pesquisa e desenvolvimento realizado em conjunto com a Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (UNESP) de Botucatu. Foram realizadas amostragens de água e sedimento nos meses de outubro e dezembro de 2003 e fevereiro, abril e junho de 2004. Selecionaram-se seis pontos de coleta no reservatório, sendo cinco a montante da barragem e um a jusante. Levantamentos de flora foram realizados nos meses de dezembro de 2003 e abril e julho de 2004, sendo constatados elevados teores de nitrogênio e fósforo nas amostras de água, com valores médios de 3,867 mg L-1 para nitrato, 0,706 mg L-1 para amônia, 1,372 mg L-1 para nitrito e 151,979 µg L-1 para fosfato dissolvido na água. O sedimento apresentou elevado nível de fertilidade, com médias de 32,18 g kg-1 para matéria orgânica, 68,87 mg dm-3 para P, 36,96 mmol dm-3 para Ca e 11,88 mmol dm-3 para Mg. Espécies marginais e flutuantes foram as principais infestantes do reservatório, destacando-se Brachiaria subquadripara, Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes e Salvinia auriculata.

Effects of irradiance and spectral composition on the establishment of macroalgae in streams in southern Brazil

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

Indicadores de alteração hidrológica no Alto Rio Paraná: intervenções humanas e implicações na dinâmica do ambiente fluvial

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vivo CYP2E1 phenotyping as a new potential biomarker of occupational and experimental exposure to benzene

Assessing CYP2E1 phenotype in vivo may be important to predict individual susceptibility to those chemicals, including benzene, which are metabolically activated by this isoenzyme. Chlorzoxazone (CHZ), a specific CYP2E1 substrate, is readily hydroxylated to 6-OH-chlorzoxazone (6-OH-CHZ) by liver CYP2E1 and the metabolic ratio 6-OH-CHZ/CHZ in serum (MR) is a specific and sensitive biomarker of CYP2E1 activity in vivo in humans. We used this MR as a potential biomarker of effect in benzene-treated rats and, also, in humans occupationally exposed to low levels of benzene. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (375-400 g b.w.) were treated i.p. for 3 days with either a 0.5 ml solution of benzene (5 mmol/kg b.w.) in corn oil, or 0.5 ml corn oil alone. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution of CHZ (20 mg/kg b.w.) was injected i.p. in both treated and control animals. After 2, 5.10,15, 20,30,45, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 min from injection, 0.2 ml blood was taken from the tip tail and stored at -20 degrees C until analysis. A modified reverse phase HPLC method using a 5 mu m Ultrasphere C18 column equipped with a direct-connection ODS guard column, was used to measure CHZ and its metabolite 6-OH-CHZ in serum. No statistically significant difference in the MR was observed, at any sampling time, between benzene-treated and control rats. The concentration-versus-time area under the curve (AUC), however, was lower (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test), whereas the systemic clearance was higher (p < 0.05) in treated than in control rats. Eleven petrochemical workers occupationally exposed to low levels of airborne benzene (mean +/- SD, 25.0 +/- 24.4 mu g/m(3)) and 13 non-exposed controls from the same factory (mean +/- SD, 6.7 +/- 4.0 mu g/m(3)) signed an informed consent form and were administered 500 mg CHZ p.o. Two hours later a venous blood sample was taken for CHZ and 6-OH-CHZ measurements. Despite exposed subjects showed significantly higher levels of t,t-MA and S-PMA, two biomarkers of exposure to benzene, than non-exposed workers, no difference in the MR mean values +/- SD was found between exposed (0.59 +/- 0.29) and non-exposed (0.57 +/- 0.23) subjects. So, benzene was found to modify CHZ disposition, but not CYP2E1 phenotype in benzene-treated rats, nor in workers exposed to benzene, probably due to the levels of exposure being too low. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Equacões preditivas para as pressões respiratórias estáticas máximas de adolescentes brasileiros

Introduction: The reference values and prediction equations for maximal respiratory pressures (MRP) differ significantly between the available studies. This large discrepancy can be attributed to the different methodologies proposed. Although the importance of MRP is widely recognized, there are no Brazilian studies that provide predictive equations and reference values for PRM adolescents. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide normal values and propose predictive equations for maximal static respiratory pressures of Brazilian adolescents. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study, which evaluated 182 adolescents of both sexes aged between 12 and 18 years, enrolled in schools of the state and private in the city of Natal / RN. The selection of schools and participants of the study was randomly through a lottery system. The spirometric evaluation was performed through the digital spirometer One Flow FVC prior to the assessment of respiratory muscle strength. The MICs were measured with MVD digital manometer 300. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 17.0 software STATISTICS, assigning the significance level of 5%. The normality of data distribution was verified using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS). The descriptive analysis was expressed as mean and standard deviation. We used one-way ANOVA test to verify the difference of the averages of MRPs between age and gender and comparing the averages of MRPs between levels of physical activity. The test t'Student unpaired compared the averages of MRPs being ages and sexes. The comparison of mean values obtained in this study PRM with the values predicted using the equations mentioned above was relizada by testing paired t'Student. To verify the correlation between the PRM and the independent variables (age, weight, height) was used Pearson correlation test. Levene's test evaluated the homogeneity of variance. To obtain predictive equations analysis was used stepwise multiple linear regression. Results: There was no significant difference in mean age between the PRM. The male adolescents, regardless of age, showed superiority in MRP values when compared to the opposite sex. Weight, height and sex correlated with the PRM. Regression analysis suggested in this study, pointed out that the weight and sex had an influence in MIP and MEP only in relation to sex influenced. The mean for each PRM adolescents classified as very active were superior to those observed in adolescents classified as irregularly active. Conclusion: This study provides reference values and two models of predictive equations for maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, and to establish the lower limits of normality that will serve as an indispensable condition for careful evaluation of respiratory muscle strength in Brazilian adolescents

Influences of thermal and electric load fluctuations in the cogeneration attractiveness

The use of mean values of thermal and electric demand can be justifiable for synthesising the configuration and for estimating the economic results because it simplifies the analysis in a preliminary feasibility study of a cogeneration plant. For determining the cogeneration scheme that best fits the energetic needs of a process several cycles and combinations must be considered, and those technically feasible will be analysed according to economic models. Although interesting for a first approach, this procedure do not consider that the peaks and valleys present in the load patterns will impose additional constraints relatively to the equipment capacities. In this paper, the effects of thermal and electric load fluctuation to the cogeneration plant design were considered. An approach for modelling these load variability is proposed for comparing two competing thermal and electric parity competing schemes. A gas turbine associated to a heat recovery steam generator was then proposed and analysed for thermal- and electric-following operational strategies. Thermal-following option revealed to be more attractive for the technical and economic limits defined for this analysis. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aspectos anatômicos do olho e neuroquímicos da retina do mocó (Kerodon rupestris)

The visual system is an important link between the animal and the environment, com profound influences on the habits and lifestyle in various habitats. Adaptive mechanismsto the temporal niche are present in the visual system of many vertebrates, involving changins in ocular dimensios and design, retinal cell distribution and organization of neurochemical circuits related to the retinal resolution or sensitivity. The sensory system of the eye is represented by the retina, whose organization is responsible by receipty, initial analysis, and transmission of the information to the brain. The knowledge of the position of the eyes in the head and the distribution of retinal cells allow to identify adaptive aspects of each species to its visual field, which is characteristic to the ecological niche it occupies. In this research, we study eye anatomical characteristics and retina neurochemical features of the rock cavy (Kerodon rupestris), a tipical Brazilian rodent from the suborder Hystricomorpha, family Caviidae. The rock cavy has lateral eyes well constitute bony orbit and well differentiated extrinsic muscle. The study of the descriptive and morphometric anatomy of the showed mean values of axial diameter 10.7±0,5mm and equatorial diameter 11.6±0.7mm. The pupil is slit shaped and the lens has mean axial diameter 5.4±0.03 mm, corresponding to ~45% of the axial diameter of the eye. The posterior nodal distance and the retinal magnification factor were estimated at 6.74 mm e 118 μm/grau, respectively. Flat mounts were processed for Nissl stain, and the topographic distribution of ganglion cells showed a moderate visual band, just below the optic disc, with higher density in the ventral retina. Retinal vertical sections and flat mounts were processed for immunohistochemistry to visualize tyrosine hydroxilase (TH) and thus two types of TH+ cells were detected. Type 1 cells had strong TH-immunoreactivity, the body cell varied from 120.047 to 269.373 μm2 stratifying in the sublamina 1 of the IPL. Type 2 cells were weakly TH-imunoreactive, had cell body located mostly in the IPL, varying from 54.848 to 177.142 μm2, constituting ~10% of the TH+ cells. Both cell types exhibited similar topographic distribution with higher density found in a horizontal band along of the naso-temporal axis in the dorsal retina. The total population of dopaminergic cells was 2,156±469,4 cells, occupying an average area of 198,164 μm2. The presence of cones and rods was detected by immunohistochemistry in vertical sections and flat mounts. S cones density is around 10 times smaller than L cones, with different degree of spatial organization. Other retinal neuronal populations of the rock cavy were also detected in vertical sections with specific markers. Comparative analysis of the anatomical characteristics of the rock cavy eye 12 suggest that it was designed to acquire higher sensitivity to light, at expense of image sharpness, compatible with a vision at mesopic conditions. Additionally, the distribution of the 2 subtypes of dopaminergic cells in a naso-temporal band in the dorsal retina seems suitable to a gain in sensitivity, coherent with an animal with predominantly crepuscular activity pattern