Envelhecimento acelerado como teste de vigor para sementes de milho e soja

A avaliação do vigor de sementes tem sido ferramenta fundamental dentro do programa de controle de qualidade, sendo o teste de envelhecimento acelerado (EA) parte importante do processo. O trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de confirmar metodologia específica para avaliação do vigor de sementes, em laboratório, tendo como base o EA. Utilizou sementes de milho e soja, seis lotes para cada espécie, com padrões de qualidade (germinação) comercialmente aceitas. As condições de envelhecimento préestabelecidas foram 42ºC/96h e 45ºC/72h para milho e 41ºC/48 e 72h e 42ºC/48 e 72h para soja. Para cada combinação de temperatura e período de envelhecimento, as sementes foram colocadas em caixas plásticas, sobre tela, com 40mL de água destilada, distribuídas em camada única e com base no peso das mesmas. O envelhecimento foi feito usando-se dois tipos de câmara, BOD e jaquetada de água (CJ). Foi determinado o teor de água (TA) e a germinação das sementes antes e após o EA. A absorção de água pelas sementes considerando-se todas as combinações de período de exposição e temperatura, as duas câmaras e as duas formas de determinação do TA, foi maior quando as sementes foram acondicionadas em camada única em relação aquelas pesadas (massa constante), usando-se a câmara jaquetada. Para o milho, a combinação de 45ºC/72h com o acondicionamento das sementes em camada única foi o método mais eficiente para a separação dos lotes quanto ao vigor. Para soja, a combinação 42ºC/48h foi mais eficiente na separação dos lotes, não havendo interferência do método de acondicionamento das sementes, na tela. Conclui-se que a camada única e a câmara tipo BOD devem ser preferencialmente utilizadas no teste EA face aos menores custos de aquisição e manutenção da BOD, visando à separação de lotes quanto aos níveis de vigor, para milho e soja.

Análise e projeto de superfícies seletivas de frequência com elementos pré-fractais para aplicações em comunicações indoor

In this thesis, a frequency selective surface (FSS) consists of a two-dimensional periodic structure mounted on a dielectric substrate, which is capable of selecting signals in one or more frequency bands of interest. In search of better performance, more compact dimensions, low cost manufacturing, among other characteristics, these periodic structures have been continually optimized over time. Due to its spectral characteristics, which are similar to band-stop or band-pass filters, the FSSs have been studied and used in several applications for more than four decades. The design of an FSS with a periodic structure composed by pre-fractal elements facilitates the tuning of these spatial filters and the adjustment of its electromagnetic parameters, enabling a compact design which generally has a stable frequency response and superior performance relative to its euclidean counterpart. The unique properties of geometric fractals have shown to be useful, mainly in the production of antennas and frequency selective surfaces, enabling innovative solutions and commercial applications in microwave range. In recent applications, the FSSs modify the indoor propagation environments (emerging concept called wireless building ). In this context, the use of pre-fractal elements has also shown promising results, allowing a more effective filtering of more than one frequency band with a single-layer structure. This thesis approaches the design of FSSs using pre-fractal elements based on Vicsek, Peano and teragons geometries, which act as band-stop spatial filters. The transmission properties of the periodic surfaces are analyzed to design compact and efficient devices with stable frequency responses, applicable to microwave frequency range and suitable for use in indoor communications. The results are discussed in terms of the electromagnetic effect resulting from the variation of parameters such as: fractal iteration number (or fractal level), scale factor, fractal dimension and periodicity of FSS, according the pre-fractal element applied on the surface. The analysis of the fractal dimension s influence on the resonant properties of a FSS is a new contribution in relation to researches about microwave devices that use fractal geometry. Due to its own characteristics and the geometric shape of the Peano pre-fractal elements, the reconfiguration possibility of these structures is also investigated and discussed. This thesis also approaches, the construction of efficient selective filters with new configurations of teragons pre-fractal patches, proposed to control the WLAN coverage in indoor environments by rejecting the signals in the bands of 2.4~2.5 GHz (IEEE 802.11 b) and 5.0~6.0 GHz (IEEE 802.11a). The FSSs are initially analyzed through simulations performed by commercial software s: Ansoft DesignerTM and HFSSTM. The fractal design methodology is validated by experimental characterization of the built prototypes, using alternatively, different measurement setups, with commercial horn antennas and microstrip monopoles fabricated for low cost measurements

Otimização de superfícies seletivas de frequência com elementos pré-fractais utilizando rede neural MLP e algoritmos de busca populacional

This thesis describes design methodologies for frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) composed of periodic arrays of pre-fractals metallic patches on single-layer dielectrics (FR4, RT/duroid). Shapes presented by Sierpinski island and T fractal geometries are exploited to the simple design of efficient band-stop spatial filters with applications in the range of microwaves. Initial results are discussed in terms of the electromagnetic effect resulting from the variation of parameters such as, fractal iteration number (or fractal level), fractal iteration factor, and periodicity of FSS, depending on the used pre-fractal element (Sierpinski island or T fractal). The transmission properties of these proposed periodic arrays are investigated through simulations performed by Ansoft DesignerTM and Ansoft HFSSTM commercial softwares that run full-wave methods. To validate the employed methodology, FSS prototypes are selected for fabrication and measurement. The obtained results point to interesting features for FSS spatial filters: compactness, with high values of frequency compression factor; as well as stable frequency responses at oblique incidence of plane waves. This thesis also approaches, as it main focus, the application of an alternative electromagnetic (EM) optimization technique for analysis and synthesis of FSSs with fractal motifs. In application examples of this technique, Vicsek and Sierpinski pre-fractal elements are used in the optimal design of FSS structures. Based on computational intelligence tools, the proposed technique overcomes the high computational cost associated to the full-wave parametric analyzes. To this end, fast and accurate multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network models are developed using different parameters as design input variables. These neural network models aim to calculate the cost function in the iterations of population-based search algorithms. Continuous genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and bees algorithm (BA) are used for FSSs optimization with specific resonant frequency and bandwidth. The performance of these algorithms is compared in terms of computational cost and numerical convergence. Consistent results can be verified by the excellent agreement obtained between simulations and measurements related to FSS prototypes built with a given fractal iteration

Aplicação do método LTT às estruturas retangulares e triangulares em multicamadas e empilhadas em substratos PBG para comunicações móveis

Recently the planar antennas have been studied due to their characteristics as well as the advantages that they offers when compared with another types of antennas. In the mobile communications area, the need for this kind of antennas have became each time bigger due to the intense increase of the mobile communications that needs of antennas which operate in multifrequency and wide bandwidth. The microstrip antennas presents narrow bandwidth due the loss in the dielectric generated by radiation. Another limitation is the radiation pattern degradation due the generation of surface waves in the substrate. In this work some used techniques to minimize the disadvantages (previously mentioned) of the use of microstrip antennas are presented, those are: substrates with PBG material - Photonic Bandgap, multilayer antennas and with stacked patches. The developed analysis in this work used the TTL - Transverse Transmission Line method in the domain of Fourier transform, that uses a component of propagation in the y direction (transverse to the direction real of propagation z), treating the general equations of electric and magnetic field as functions of y and y . This work has as objective the application of the TTL method to microstrip structures with single and multilayers of rectangular and triangular patches, to obtaining the resonance frequency and radiation pattern of each structure. This method is applied for the treatment of the fields in stacked structures. The Homogenization theory will be applied to obtaining the effective permittivity for s and p polarizations of the substrate composed of PBG material. Numerical results for the triangular and rectangular antennas with single layer, multilayers resonators with triangular and rectangular patches are presented (in photonic and isotropic substrates). Conclusions and suggestions for continuity of this work are presented

Fibras de licuri: um reforço vegetal alternativo de compósitos poliméricos

This research is based, at first, on the seeking of alternatives naturals reinforced in place of polymeric composites, also named reinforced plastics. Therein, this work starts with a whole licuri fiber micro structural characterization, as alternative proposal to polymeric composites. Licuri fiber is abundant on the Bahia state flora, native from a palm tree called Syagrus Coronata (Martius) Beccari. After, it was done only licuri fiber laminar composite developing studies, in order to know its behavior when impregnated with thermofix resin. The composite was developed in laminar structure shape (plate with a single layer of reinforcement) and produced industrially. The layer of reinforcement is a fabric-fiber unidirectional of licuri up in a manual loom. Their structure was made of polyester resin ortofitálica (unsaturated) only reinforced with licuri fibers. Fiber characterization studies were based on physical chemistry properties and their constitution. It was made by tension, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (RDX) and thermal analyses (TG and DTA) tests, besides fiber chemistry analyses. Relating their mechanical properties of strength and hardness testing, they were determined through unit axial tension test and flexion in three points. A study in order to know fiber/matrix interface effects, in the final composites results, was required. To better understand the mechanical behavior of the composite, macroscopic and microscopic optical analysis of the fracture was performed

Utilização do teste de raios - x na avaliação dos efeitos da dessecação e infestação em diásporos de Canela-Batalha - Cryptocarya aschersoniana Mez (Lauraceae)

No presente trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da dessecação e identificar lesões por predação por insetos, em diásporos de canela-batalha (Cryptocarya aschersoniana Mez.), utilizando-se testes de raios X. Os danos provocados pela dessecação foram dimensionados nas imagens e associados à formação de plântulas. Diásporos recém-beneficiados (45 % de umidade e 37 % de germinação) foram colocados para secar em sala climatizada (20 ºC e 60 % UR), dentro de bandejas plásticas em camada única. Posteriormente, com o intuito de acelerar o processo de secagem, foram colocados em caixas de secagem com solução saturada de hidróxido de sódio (28 % UR) e amostrados com 45, 37, 35, 31 e 26 % de umidade. Para as radiografias, utilizou-se a intensidade de radiação de 40 kVp e tempo de exposição de 1,5 minutos. Posteriormente, as radiografias foram fotografadas e as imagens analisadas em computador, sendo medido o afastamento entre o endocarpo e a semente. As sementes foram classificadas em sementes intactas, sementes com afastamento parcial, sementes com afastamento total e sementes predadas. Os testes de germinação foram realizados sobre areia, em germinadores tipo Mangelsdorf a 25 ºC e luz branca constante. Pelos resultados, observa-se que a germinação é comprometida quando o teor de água das sementes fica abaixo de 26 %. Nesse ponto, o afastamento entre o endocarpo e a semente é de 0,65 mm. Houve uma correlação positiva entre a viabilidade das sementes, avaliada pelo teste de germinação, e o afastamento entre o endocarpo e a semente observado nas radiografias. A análise radiográfica possibilita identificar danos provocados por predação após infestação por insetos.

Electrical properties of polymer/metal interface in polymer light-emitting devices: electron injection barrier suppression

The electrical characterization of a high efficient multilayer polymer light emitting diode using poly[(2-methoxy-5-hexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene] as the emissive layer and an anionic fluorinated surfactant as the electron transport layer was performed. For the sake of comparison, a conventional single layer device was fabricated. The density current vs. voltage measurements revealed that the conventional device has a higher threshold voltage and lower current compared to the surfactant modified device. The effective barrier height for electron injection was suppressed. The influence of the interfaces and bulk contributions to the dc and high frequencies conductivities of the devices was also discussed. (c) 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Taking Advantage of Electrostatic Interactions To Grow Langmuir-Blodgett Films Containing Multilayers of the Phospholipid Dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol

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

Critérios histopatológicos para diagnóstico de melanoma maligno cutâneo: análise comparativa de sua freqüência em lesões benignas e melanomas de pequena espessura (< 2 mm)

INTRODUÇÃO: A histopatologia convencional continua sendo o padrão-ouro no diagnóstico dos melanomas cutâneos, apesar do progresso da imuno-histoquímica e da biologia molecular. Os critérios microscópicos existentes para esse diagnóstico são numerosos, porém nenhum deles é específico para se afirmar que uma determinada lesão é maligna quando ele está presente, ou é benigna na sua ausência. Alguns critérios têm uma relevância maior para o diagnóstico em relação a outros. OBJETIVO: Este estudo propõe uma análise daqueles critérios considerados mais importantes, comparando sua presença em lesões melanocíticas benignas e melanomas. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas 33 lesões melanocíticas benignas (nevo de Spitz: 13; nevo de Reed: 6; nevo displásico: 6; nevo congênito: 3; nevo adquirido: 3; nevo combinado: 1; nevo recorrente: 1), bem como 101 casos de melanomas extensivo/superficiais: 25 intra-epidérmicos e 76 invasivos de pequena espessura (< 2 mm). RESULTADOS: Alguns critérios mostraram alta freqüência em lesões benignas, apresentando pouca especificidade, enquanto outros tiveram menor positividade nas benignas, e alta freqüência nas malignas, mostrando sua maior especificidade e importância no diagnóstico dos melanomas. CONCLUSÃO: Os cinco critérios que mostraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas na comparação com as lesões benignas foram (em ordem decrescente de freqüência): 1. proliferação linear de células isoladas na camada basal; 2. início e fim da lesão com células isoladas; 3. melanócitos na camada granular; 4. disseminação pagetóide extensa; 5. nucléolos grandes, irregulares ou múltiplos. Os melanomas de pequena espessura não apresentam parte dos critérios considerados mais importantes, como falta de maturação, necrose e mitoses profundas.

Placentation in the paca (Agouti paca L)

Background: the paca is a South American rodent with potential as a commercial food animal. We examined paca placenta as part of a wider effort to understand the reproductive biology of this species.Methods: Thirteen specimens between midgestation and term of pregnancy were studied by light and transmission electron microscopy.Results: the placenta is divided into several lobes separated by interlobular trophoblast. Maternal arterial channels and fetal veins are found at the centre of each lobe. In the labyrinth, maternal blood flows through trophoblast-lined lacunae in close proximity to the fetal capillaries. The interhaemal barrier is of the haemomonochorial type with a single layer of syncytiotrophoblast. Caveolae occur in the apical membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast and recesses in the basal membrane, but there is no evidence of transtrophoblastic channels. The interlobular areas consist of cords of syncytiotrophoblast defining maternal blood channels that drain the labyrinth. Yolk sac endoderm covers much of the fetal surface of the placenta. The subplacenta comprises cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast. There are dilated intercellular spaces between the cytotrophoblasts and lacunae lined by syncytiotrophoblast. In the junctional zone between subplacenta and decidua, there are nests of multinucleated giant cells with vacuolated cytoplasm. The entire placenta rests on a pedicle of maternal tissue. An inverted yolk sac placenta is also present. The presence of small vesicles and tubules in the apical membrane of the yolk sac endoderm and larger vesicles in the supranuclear region suggest that the yolk sac placenta participates in maternal-fetal transfer of protein.Conclusion: the paca placenta closely resembles that of other hystricomorph rodents. The lobulated structure allows for a larger exchange area and the development of precocial young.

Synthesis and Photoluminescence Behavior of the Eu3+ Ions as a Nanocoating over a Silica Stober Matrix

In this work, a SiO2 spherical were prepared by the Stober Method and then recovered with a single layer of Eu2O3 oxide (SiO2@Eu2O3) obtained by the Polymeric Precursor Method. The SiO2@Eu2O3 powder was heated treated at 100, 300, 400, 500 and 800 A degrees C. The samples were characterized by the Scanning Electonic Microscopy (SEM), Thermal Analysis (TGA/DTA), and the luminescent properties of the SiO2@Eu2O3 powders were studied by their emission and excitation spectra as well as by the lifetime measurements of the Eu3+ D-5(0) -> aEuro parts per thousand F-7(2) transition. The SEM analysis shows that the silica prepared by the Stober Method is spherical with a particle size of 460 nm. The emission spectra of the SiO2@Eu2O3 powders presented the Eu3+ characteristics bands related to the D-5(0) -> aEuro parts per thousand F-7(J) (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions at 577, 591, 616, 649 and 695 nm, respectively. The band related to the D-5(0) -> aEuro parts per thousand F-7(2) transition is the most intense in the spectra, and its intensity decreases with the temperature enhancement. The decay curves of the SiO2@Eu2O3 samples presented monoexponential features, and the obtained lifetime values were higher than the Eu2O3 oxide. It was possible to conclude that the D-5(0) -> aEuro parts per thousand F-7(2) hypersensitive transition is strongly dependent on the Eu3+ surrounding.

Calculo de reserva de uma jazida de carvao por metodologia geoestatistica

A coal deposit was studied at Sapopema (PR) in the upper part of the Tubarao Group. The eliptical deposit is made up by a single layer of 1.2 m mean thickness and lies at a depth of 380 to 700 m. The semi-variogram, using the spherical model, revealed a range of 1.5 km and no nugget effect. Area kriging estimation for a grid of 0.5 × 0.5 km showed a value of 50.121.750 ton, very close to the real reserve one. -from English summary

Morfologia da micrópila e da superfície dos ovócitos de piracanjuba, Brycon orbignyanus (Osteichthyes, Characidae), sob microscopia eletrônica de varredura

This paper studied the morphology of oocytes of Brycon orbignyanus, (Osteichthyes, Characidae), through observation in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Fragments of the ovaries from adult females were collected. During the reproductive period, a hormonal induction in females was carried out to collect the oocytes after extrusion. The samples were fixed and processed for observation in SEM. Results showed that the oocytes of B. orbignyanus had a follicular epithelium formed by a single layer of cells with compressed shape, covering the whole radiatta zone that showed a smooth and regular surface with innumerable pores. The micropyle had a funnel-shaped, containing several furrows. The oocyte surface around the micropyle presented pores closer of each other than the other surface areas of radiatta zone.

An ellipsometric study of manganese oxide films: In situ characterization of the deposition and electroreduction of MnO2

The electrodeposition of manganese oxide films onto a platinum substrate was investigated by means of in situ ellipsometry. In the thickness range from 0 to 150 nm, the anodic oxide behaves as an Isotropic single layer with optical constants that are independent of thickness. Deviations at higher thickness are explained in terms of anisotropic properties of the film. The electroreduction of thin films (up to ca. 150 nm) in an alkaline electrolyte leads to a decrease in both the refractive index and the extinction coefficient and is accompanied by a thickness increase of ca. 10%. The Mn(IV) to Mn(III) conversion takes place from the oxide/electrolyte interface inwards. © 2004 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.

Morfologia do intestino delgado de capivara - Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, 1766)

The high potential for the exploitation of capybara requires information about its digestory morphophysiology, to improve nutritional handling. In the present study, gross anatomy, light microscopy and body and intestine lengths of 25 capybaras were evaluated. The minimum and maximum small intestine lengths for females and males were, respectively, 441 cm and 1734 cm, and 355 cm and 1123 cm. These values position the capybara between canine and swine intestinal lengths. The ratio between small intestine and body length was 12:1, without differences between sexes. There were no statistically significant differences between sexes for each part of small intestine. Correlation between length of each small intestine segment and body length was positive, and statistically significant only for the duodenum. The small intestine wall was formed by mucosa, submucosa, muscular and serosa. The mucosa presented intestinal and duodenal glands, of mucosal and serosal types, respectively. The mucosa muscular layer consisted of two distinct layers in the jejunum and ileum, and a thin and single layer in the duodenum. The submucosa, formed by moderate dense connective tissue, didn't show glands. The fiber bundles of the internal layer of muscular tunic were helicoidally arranged. The gross anatomy of the capybara small intestine was similar to canine and swine intestines. Microscopically, however, subtle differences can be identified in the submucosa and internal muscular tunics.