Estudos estruturais de uma lectina presente em sementes de Lotus tetragonolobus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Separação do calcário e do folhelho pirobetuminoso da formação irati para utilização como corretivo e como aditivo na indústria cerâmica

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

Estudo de pluma de contaminação por combustível com o método GPR e desenvolvimento de simulador geofísico para fins educativos

Este trabalho consistiu na investigação geofísica da possível contaminação de um posto de combustíveis em Belém-PA, bem como no desenvolvimento de um simulador geofísico para fins educativos. A investigação consistiu no levantamento de 13 perfis com o método geofísico eletromagnético Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Os radargramas obtidos, conjuntamente com os dados pré-existentes de sondagens mecânicas, Volatile Organics Compounds (VOC) e Benzeno-Tolueno-Etil-benzeno-Xileno (BTEX), permitiram identificar zonas de baixa reflexão do sinal eletromagnético (zonas atenuadas) em áreas com predominância de areia, o que indicaria contaminação. Como as medidas de GPR foram repetidas no período chuvoso, foi possível observar a redução da atenuação em perfil rico em areia, indicando a lixiviação dos ácidos graxos oriundos da biodegradação dos hidrocarbonetos, bem como o aumento da atenuação provocada pela argila, devido a sua elevada porosidade, e também, possivelmente, pelo aumento da biodegradação dos hidrocarbonetos que ficam retidos na argila. Este resultado constitui o primeiro caso inserido no simulador geofísico, experimento que permite mostrar o uso de diferentes métodos geofísicos. O simulador possui duas telas computacionais, a debaixo para simulação do modelo de subsuperfície escolhido e, a tela de cima, para representação da resposta geofísica obtida com o auxílio de uma unidade ótica que percorre o perfil representado na tela debaixo. Trata-se de uma modelagem analógica com recursos computacionais ainda não reportada na literatura, que permitirá mostrar diversos casos investigados constantes em dissertações e teses. O simulador poderá ser deslocado para empresas, universidades e secretarias, que fazem ou podem fazer uso da Geofísica, além de praças, escolas, etc., contribuindo de forma incisiva para a difusão da Geofísica como ferramenta na gestão de áreas contaminadas bem como para chamar a atenção da população para diferentes tipos de problemas, de modo a instruí-la sobre os mesmos.

Wolf presence in the ranch of origin: Impacts on temperament and physiological responses of beef cattle following a simulated wolf encounter

This experiment evaluated temperament, vaginal temperature, and plasma cortisol in beef cows from wolf-naive and wolf-experienced origins that were subjected to a simulated wolf encounter. Multiparous, pregnant, nonlactating Angus-crossbreed cows from the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center located near Burns, OR (CON; n = 50), and from a commercial operation near Council, ID (WLF; n = 50), were used. To date, grey wolves are not present around Burns, OR, and thus CON were naive to wolves. Conversely, wolves are present around Council, ID, and WLF cows were selected from a herd that had experienced multiple confirmed wolf-predation episodes from 2008 to 2012. Following a 50-d commingling and adaptation period, CON and WLF cows were ranked by temperament, BW, and BCS and allocated to 5 groups (d 0; 10 CON and 10 WLF cows/group). Groups were individually subjected to the experimental procedures on d 2 (n = 3) and d 3 (n = 2). Before the simulated wolf encounter, cow temperament was assessed and blood samples and vaginal temperatures (using intravaginal data loggers) were collected (presimulation assessments). Cows were then sorted by origin, moved to 2 adjacent drylot pens (10 WLF and 10 CON cows/pen), and subjected to a simulated wolf encounter event for 20 min, which consisted of 1) cotton plugs saturated with wolf urine attached to the drylot fence, 2) continuous reproduction of wolf howls, and 3) 3 leashed dogs that were walked along the fence perimeter. Thereafter, WLF and CON cows were commingled and returned to the handling facility for postsimulation assessments, which were conducted immediately after exposure to wolf-urine-saturated cotton plugs, wolf howl reproduction, and 20-s exposure to the 3 dogs while being restrained in a squeeze chute. Chute score, temperament score, and plasma cortisol concentration increased (P <= 0.01) from pre- to postsimulation assessment in WLF but did not change in CON cows (P >= 0.19). Exit velocity decreased (P = 0.01) from pre-to postsimulation assessment in CON but did not change (P = 0.79) in WLF cows. In addition, WLF cows had a greater (P = 0.03) increase in temperature from pre-to postsimulation assessments compared with CON cows. In conclusion, the simulated wolf encounter increased excitability and fear-related physiological stress responses in cows that originated from a wolf-experienced herd but not in cows that originated from a wolf-naive herd.

Flexible feeding kinematics of a tropical carnivorous anuran tadpole

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF THREE DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS OF ISOFLURANE ANESTHESIA IN CAPTIVE BROWN BROCKET DEER (MAZAMA GOUAZOUBIRA)

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

Two-stage rumenostomy in buffaloes

Background: Rumenostomy may be performed for therapeutic and digestibility research purposes in bovines, small ruminants and camelids. Several studies requires romenostomy in buffaloes in order to sample ruminal content for laboratorial assays. However, complications and outcome of rumenostomy was poorly studied in buffaloes. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to describe a two-stage rumenostomy technique in buffaloes, focused on intra and post-operative period.Materials, Methods & Results: Nine Murrah buffaloes were submitted to a 36-h and 12-h of food and water fastening. The animals were given acepromazine and maintained in standing position. Flank local anesthesia was carried out. A circular skin incision was carried out in the center of the left flank, followed by divulsion of the external and internal obliques and transversus abdominus muscles, and incision of the peritoneum. Subsequently, a segment of the dorsal aspect of the rumen was grasped and pulled through the flank incision. The rumen was attached to the peritoneum and skin incision margins in four points (dorsal, ventral, cranial and caudal). Additional simple interrupted sutures attaching the rumen serosa to the skin were applied subsequently. Four additional interrupted horizontal mattress sutures were applied equidistantly, taking bites only in the skin and rumen serosa. Following 12 h, the second stage was carried out. The buffaloes were prepared and restrained as performed for the first stage. A circular flap was excised from the exteriorized rumen and the silicone romenostomy cannula was placed. Clinical parameters, postoperative recovery, weight and behavioral pain scale were assessed. Positioning and anesthesia regimen were adequate for the achievement of the procedure. However, two animals fell in the restraint chute during the first surgical stage. Mild ischemia of the exteriorized rumen segment was observed on the second surgical stage, which resulted in less hemorrhage and enhanced cannula positioning. Complete cicatrization and permanent adhesion of the rumen to the skin were achieved. No ruminal leakage to the abdominal cavity occurred. No signs of pain were reported. There were few cases of laxity of the romenostomy opening leading to drop of cannula, myiasis on the margin of the stoma site and few cases of mild ruminal content leakage on the long-term assessment.Discussion: Restraint in standing position was considered adequate, although lateral recumbence constitutes another option. However, higher risk of contamination and technical difficulties in placing the cannulas are expected if lateral recumbence is considered. In other trials using acepromazine, no accidental recumbence occurred. Xylazine was also indicated for chemical restraint of buffaloes. It is known that flexible cannulas provide better anatomic adjustment and adaptation as well as being effective for sampling ruminal content, as seen in the current study. Ruminal leakage is one of the most frequent complications of romenostomy, which may affect animal's welfare. The animals in the current study presented no variations on the body score, even though on those presenting cannula loosening or ruminal content leakage. Moreover, no significant changes of the ruminal content parameters were noticed. Myiasis was also reported following ruminal surgical interventions, which were mainly attributed to extensive breeding. Loss of the cannula, subcutaneous emphysema and suture dehiscence are common complications of romenostomy. Nonetheless, none of those complications were found on the current study. Thus, romenostomy was feasible and efficient for sampling and performing assays of the ruminal content in buffaloes.

Estudo de cargas térmicas de uma aeronave e dimensionamento de um sistema de ar condicionado

This work deals with the thermal load study of a fictitious aircraft as well as scaling, in terms of the airflow and temperature of the air conditioning system, for heating and cooling of the its internal environment, aiming the thermal comfort of occupants. The first part is presented the techniques and methods utilized for modeling different heat exchanges that occur in the aircraft and then allowed to calculate the total heat load and the airflow and temperature necessary to comply with the requirements of the thermal comfort. Techniques to determine the basic parameters, as convection coefficient and global coefficient of heat exchange, are also presented. The work aims to develop a program, using a computational tool, to automate the calculations so that facilitate this study. It also allows to be used for other airplanes just changing parameters and the control variables related to the specific project. Finally the program performs calculations for a fictitious airplane, to analyze its functionality and the influence of parameters involved in the temperature controls. The program allowed analyzing the sensitivity of portions of the thermal load and the corresponding parameters of influence, as well as the scaling of the air conditioning in terms of airflow and temperature. It was considered, despite the simplifications, a good approximation to the actual values and then can be used in development of the other airplanes

A profanação como possibilidade para a educação em filosofia no ensino médio: análise dos programas de filosofia entre 1940 e 1961

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

Amplification of neuromuscular transmission by methylprednisolone involves activation of presynaptic facilitatory adenosine A(2A) receptors and redistribution of synaptic vesicles

The mechanisms underlying improvement of neuromuscular transmission deficits by glucocorticoids are still a matter of debate despite these compounds have been used for decades in the treatment of autoimmune myasthenic syndromes. Besides their immunosuppressive action, corticosteroids may directly facilitate transmitter release during high-frequency motor nerve activity. This effect coincides with the predominant adenosine A(2A) receptor tonus, which coordinates the interplay with other receptors (e.g. muscarinic) on motor nerve endings to sustain acetylcholine (ACh) release that is required to overcome tetanic neuromuscular depression in myasthenics. Using myographic recordings, measurements of evoked [H-3]ACh release and real-time video microscopy with the FM4-64 fluorescent dye, results show that tonic activation of facilitatory A(2A) receptors by endogenous adenosine accumulated during 50 Hz bursts delivered to the rat phrenic nerve is essential for methylprednisolone (03 mM)-induced transmitter release facilitation, because its effect was prevented by the A(2A) receptor antagonist, ZM 241385 (10 nM). Concurrent activation of the positive feedback loop operated by pirenzepine-sensitive muscarinic M-1 autoreceptors may also play a role, whereas the corticosteroid action is restrained by the activation of co-expressed inhibitory M-2 and Al receptors blocked by methoctramine (0.1 mu M) and DPCPX (2.5 nM), respectively. Inhibition of FM4-64 loading (endocytosis) by methylprednisolone following a brief tetanic stimulus (50 Hz for 5 s) suggests that it may negatively modulate synaptic vesicle turnover, thus increasing the release probability of newly recycled vesicles. Interestingly, bulk endocytosis was rehabilitated when methylprednisolone was co-applied with ZM241385. Data suggest that amplification of neuromuscular transmission by methylprednisolone may involve activation of presynaptic facilitatory adenosine A(2A) receptors by endogenous adenosine leading to synaptic vesicle redistribution. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-spotted spider mite and its natural enemies on strawberry grown as protected and unprotected crops in Norway and Brazil

Cultivation of strawberry in plastic tunnels has increased considerably in Norway and in southeastern Brazil, mainly in an attempt to protect the crop from unsuitable climatic factors and some diseases as well as to allow growers to expand the traditional production season. It has been hypothesized that cultivation under tunnels could increase the incidence of one of its major pests in many countries where strawberry is cultivated, including Norway and Brazil, the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of tunnels on the incidence of T. urticae and on its natural enemies on strawberry in two ecologically contrasting regions, Norway (temperate) and southeastern Brazil (subtropical). In both countries, peak densities of T. urticae in tunnels and in the open fields were lower than economic thresholds reported in the literature. Factors determining that systematically seem to be the prevailing relatively low temperature in Norway and high relative humidity in both countries. The levels of occurrence in Norway and Brazil in 2010 were so low that regardless of any potential effect of the use of tunnel, no major differences were observed between the two cropping systems in relation to T. urticae densities. In 2009 in Norway and in 2011 in Brazil, increase in T. urticae population seemed to have been restrained mainly by rainfall in the open field and by predatory mites in the tunnels. Phytoseiids were the most numerous predatory mite group of natural occurrence on strawberry, and the prevalence was higher in Brazil, where the most abundant species on strawberry leaves were Neoseiulus anonymus and Phytoseiulus macropilis. In Norway, the most abundant naturally occurring phytoseiids on strawberry leaves were Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanus and Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) pyri. Predatory mites were very rare in the litter samples collected in Norway. Infection rate of the pest by the fungus Neozygites floridana (Neozygitaceae) was low. The results of this work suggest that in Norway the use of tunnels might not affect the population densities of T. urticae on strawberry in years of lower temperatures. When temperature is not a limiting factor for the development of T. urticae in that country (apparently always the case in southern Brazil), strawberry cultivation in the tunnels may allow T. urticae to reach higher population levels than in open fields (because of the provided protection from the direct impact of rainfall), but natural enemies may prevent higher levels from being reached.

Beyond species loss: the extinction of ecological interactions in a changing world

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The effect of simvastatin treatment on bone repair of femoral fracture in animal model

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

Reatividade e tolerância ao calor de fêmeas ovinas de diferentes grupos genéticos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeitos cardiorrespiratórios promovidos pelo posicionamento trendelenburg reverso a cinco e dez graus em bezerros anestesiados pelo sevofluorano: Marcelo Augusto de Araújo. -

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