Influence of Baculovirus anticarsia on the growth rate and survival of some nontarget aquatic organisms.

Recently, microbial pest control agents (MPCAs) have been worldwide used to reduce chemical pesticide use and to diminish the high risk of those compounds in the environment. Among various MPCAs, the nuclear polyhedrosis virus Baculovirus anticarsia is widely used in Brazil in the biological control of the velvet bean caterpillar. Although literature data do not show adverse effects of baculoviruses to nontarget organisms, it is necessary to evaluate their toxicity or patogenicity in order to study th environmental risk of those products and to register the formulations in the Brazilian Environmental Regularory Agency - IBAMA. In the presente work, the influence of a Baculovirus anticarsia formulation was evaluted to measure the consequences in the growth rateof the green algae Selenastrum capricornutum, the duckweed Lemna valdiviana and the microcrustacean Daphnia similis. The survival of the fish Hyphessobrycon scholzei exposed during 28 days was also evaluated. No significative adverse effects (P > 0.05) were observed in the test organisms which were exposed to 1-1000 times the maximum calculated pesticide concentration following a direct application to 15 cm layer of water.

Geodetic strain rate and seismicity rates along the Apennines

Gli Appennini sono una regione tettonicamente attiva che è stata luogo di forti terremoti storici in passato, tra i quali il recente L’Aquila (2009) e le sequenze di Amatrice-Visso-Norcia (2016-2017). Una densità di stazioni GPS sempre maggiore permette di stimare il tasso di deformazione orizzontale con più risoluzione spaziale che in passato. In questa tesi studio la correlazione tra tassi di deformazione geodetica orizzontale e tassi di sismicità negli Appennini, esaminando possibili implicazioni per valutazioni del potenziale sismogenico. Uso un nuovo dataset di velocità GPS analizzando lo stato di deformazione attraverso il calcolo dello strain rate geodetico. Per questo calcolo utilizzo tre algoritmi, tra quelli presenti in letteratura scientifica, e discuto punti di forza e limitazioni di ciascuno. Seleziono poi una mappa di strain rate tra le altre e sviluppo un’analisi seguendo l’approccio di uno studio recente per investigare la relazione tra tassi di sismicità e tassi di deformazione lungo la catena Appenninica. Per farlo, verifico se le ipotesi che sostengono l’approccio sono verificate. Calcolo la sismicità di background a partire da un nuovo catalogo sismico per l’Italia e testo se gli eventi indipendenti seguono un processo di Poisson nel tempo. Infine, divido la regione di studio in aree a diversa deformazione sulla base dei tassi di deformazionee analizzado la distribuzione della sismicità di background in questi eventi e analizzando la relazione tra tassi di deformazione e tassi sismicità. Mostro che vi è una relazione è approssimativamente lineare ma con una dipendenza importante dalla risoluzione della mappa di strain rate. Descrivo poi alcune implicazioni che questa relazione avrebbe su stime di due quantità che concorrono a definire il potenziale sismogenico analizzando quali sono i parametri all’interno dell’approccio che possono influenzare maggiormente dette stime.

Comparative analysis of drills for composite laminates

The characteristics of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics allow a very broad range of uses. Drilling is often necessary to assemble different components, but this can lead to various forms of damage, such as delamination which is the most severe. However, a reduced thrust force can decrease the risk of delamination. In this work, two variables of the drilling process were compared: tool material and geometry, as well as the effect of feed rate and cutting speed. The parameters that were analyzed include: thrust force, delamination extension and mechanical strength through open-hole tensile test, bearing test, and flexural test on drilled plates. The present work shows that a proper combination of all the factors involved in drilling operations, like tool material, tool geometry and cutting parameters, such as feed rate or cutting speed, can lead to the reduction of delamination damage and, consequently, to the enhancement of the mechanical properties of laminated parts in complex structures, evaluated by open-hole, bearing, or flexural tests.

Nanocomposites: the contribution of multiscale modelling to improve the dispersion levels

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciência e Engenharia de Polímeros e Compósitos

Synteesikaasun liukoisuus ja aineensiirto fermentointiliuokseen

Työssä tutkittiin synteesikaasun komponenttien: hiilimonoksidin, vedyn ja hiilidioksidin liukoisuutta ja aineensiirtonopeutta fermentointiliuokseen. Kirjallisuusosassa käsitellään kaasujen liukoisuuksiin ja kaasu-nesteaineensiirtoon vaikuttavia tekijöitä ja esitellään korrelaatioita, jotka on kehitetty volumetrisen aineensiirtokertoimen ennustamiseen sekoitetussa fermentorissa. Kirjallisuus-osassa esitetään myös synteesikaasun komponenttien liukoisuudet veteen, etanoliin ja etikkahappoon 37 ºC lämpötilassa ja esitellään Flowbat-simulointiohjelman MHV2-mallin käyttöä kaasu-neste tasapainojen mallin-nuksessa. Työn kokeellisessa osassa tutkittiin synteesikaasun komponenttien liukoisuuksia veteen ja kasvatusalustaan sekä kehitettiin mittausmenetelmä kaasu-neste tasapainojen mittaukseen. Tasapainomittauksissa tutkittiin etanolin ja etikkahapon konsentraatioiden vaikutusta synteesikaasun liukoisuuteen. Lisäksi mallinnettiin kaasu-neste tasapainoja monikomponenttisysteemeissä MHV2-mallin avulla. Kokeellisen osan aineensiirtomittauksissa tutkittiin sekoitusnopeuden ja kaasun volumetrisen syöttönopeuden vaikutusta hiilimonoksidin ja vedyn volumetriseen aineensiirtokertoimeen kLa kahden litran tilavuuksisessa laboratoriofermentorissa. Mittaustulosten perusteella kasvatusalustan komponentit vaikuttavat merkittävästi hiilidioksidin liukoisuuteen. Lisäys etanolin ja etikkahapon konsentraatioissa parantaa hiilimonoksidin liukoisuutta kasvatusalustaan. Kaasun volumetrinen syöttönopeus ja sekoitusnopeus vaikuttavat voimakkaasti volumetrisen aineensiirtokertoimen arvoon. Tutkitussa systeemissä korkein teoreettinen solutiheys, joka voitiin saavuttaa suurimmalla hiilimonoksidin aineensiirto-nopeudella, oli 3 g/L. Tämä on kaksinkertainen verrattuna aiemmissa VTT:n kokeissa saavutettuihin solutiheyksiin.

Produção, purificação e aumento da performance de ciclodextrina glicosiltransferases para produção de ciclodextrinas

Biospecific affinity chromatography was used to purify three cyclodextrin glycosyl transferases (CGTases) obtained from microorganisms isolated of soil. The cyclodextrins (CDs) production by CGTases was evaluated using starches from different sources. CDs were measured through the Complexation Theory and by HPLC. CGTase from Bacillus firmus strain 7B showed the best production (30 mmol/L of β-CD and 4.3 mmol/L of γ-CD), and its cultivation conditions were optimized. The maximum enzymatic activity was achieved using lung peptone, soluble starch and agitation speed of 160 rpm. Studied CGTases were shown quite interesting for the industrial production of CDs.

Development of a simple analytical method for determining trihalomethanes in beer using a headspace solid-phase microextraction technique

We developed a simple, rapid, and solventless method for analyzing trihalomethanes in beer samples using headspace solid-phase microextraction. The effects of varying experimental parameters, such as extraction temperature and time, addition of sodium chloride, and agitation speed, on extraction yield were studied using a univariate experimental design. Limits of detection between 0.22 and 0.46 µg L- 1 and wide linear ranges were achieved for trihalomethanes. We measured the trihalomethane recoveries and precision (as the standard deviation of repeat measurements) and demonstrated the applicability of the proposed method by analyzing 32 beer samples.

Influence of spray drying conditions on the physical properties of dried pulp tomato

A complet factorial experimental design was applied to determinate the influence of the variable inlet air temperature, feed flow rate, and atomizer speed on the physical properties of the tomato pulp powder. Results showed that these variables had a significant positive effect on the moisture content, apparent density, and particle size and no significant effects on the porosity and true density. The best spray drying conditions to produce lower moisture content and higher apparent density tomato powder were inlet air temperature of 200 °C, feed flow rate of 276 g/min, and atomizer speed of 30000 rpm.

Planejamento do controle estatístico de processos com baixa fração não conforme restrito a amostras pequenas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Germinação de sementes in vitro e desenvolvimento de plantas ex vitro de algodãozinho-do-campo

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

Keratinase production by new strain of Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens: Application of statistical experimental design for optimization of keratinase production

Feathers are rich in amino acids and can be employed as a dietary protein supplement for animal feed. Microbial degradation is an alternative technology for improving the nutritional value of feathers. Other potential applications of keratinase include use in the leather industry, detergents and medicine as well as the pharmaceutical for the treatment of acne, psoriasis and calluses. A new keratinolytic enzyme production bacterium was isolated from a poultry processing plant. To improve keratinase yield, statistically based experimental designs were applied to optimize three significant variables: temperature, substrate concentration (feathers) and agitation speed. Response surface methodology demonstrated an increase in keratinolytic activity at temperature, agitation speed and substrate concentration of 26.6°C, 150 rpm and 2%, respectively. Liquid chromatography revealed the release of amino acids in the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens culture broth, thereby demonstrating the potential of feather meal in the animal feed industry. © Global Science Publications.

Produção e caracterização da protease coagulante obtida por fermentação submersa a partir do fungo termofílico Thermomucor indicae-seudaticae N31

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Germination of Roystonea borinquena OF Cook (Arecaceae) Seeds

This work aimed to study the effect of the temperature on the seed germination and to describe the morphology and germination process of disseminules (seeds with stucked endocarp) of R. borinquena species. The fruits were harvested and had their pulp (exocarp and mesocarp) removed and the disseminules were shade dried. The experimental design was entirely randomized and six treatments were performed (temperature conditions: constant at 25, 30 and 35 degrees C; alternated at 25-35 and 20-30 degrees C; and room temperature) with four replications with 25 disseminules per plot, placed in plastic boxes (gerbox) containing vermiculite. The germination rate and germination speed index were calculated, and the data were submitted to the variance analysis, and the means compared by the Tukey test. For the morphological studies, the external and internal sides of the disseminules, the embryo and the representative germination stages were sketched. The samples were fixed in FAA (formalin - acetic acid - ethyl alcohol). It was concluded that the highest germination rate and faster germination were at the constant temperature of 35 degrees C and alternated of 25-35 degrees C. The seeds are albuminous, with a hard endosperm that takes almost the entire interior of the disseminules; the embryo is lateral, peripheral and poorly differentiated; the germination is adjacent.

Approach toward an efficient inoculum preparation stage for suspension BHK-21 cell culture

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

Effect of pulsatility on the mathematical modeling of rotary blood pumps

In this study, the effect of time derivatives of flow rate and rotational speed was investigated on the mathematical modeling of a rotary blood pump (RBP). The basic model estimates the pressure head of the pump as a dependent variable using measured flow and speed as predictive variables. Performance of the model was evaluated by adding time derivative terms for flow and speed. First, to create a realistic working condition, the Levitronix CentriMag RBP was implanted in a sheep. All parameters from the model were physically measured and digitally acquired over a wide range of conditions, including pulsatile speed. Second, a statistical analysis of the different variables (flow, speed, and their time derivatives) based on multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the significant variables for pressure head estimation. Finally, different mathematical models were used to show the effect of time derivative terms on the performance of the models. In order to evaluate how well the estimated pressure head using different models fits the measured pressure head, root mean square error and correlation coefficient were used. The results indicate that inclusion of time derivatives of flow and speed can improve model accuracy, but only minimally.