Resistance inducing agents on the biology and probing behaviour of the greenbug in wheat

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Laboratory essays on solid residues from an area of sand mining activities at Analandia, São Paulo, Brazil, and implications to the water resources quality

This investigation reports the results of tests performed in a laboratory with solid waste samples from an area belonging to Sibelco Mineracao Ltd., which is located around Analandia municipality, nearly in the center of São Paulo State, Brazil. Dissolution and leaching essays were realized under different experimental conditions in four samples collected from the mining front and decantation pool, with the aim of evaluating the possibility of release of several constituents to the liquid phase.

DYNAMICAL SCALING IN FRAGMENTATION

The dynamics of a fragmentation model is examined from the point of view of numerical simulation and rate equations. The model includes effects of temperature. The number n (s,t) of fragments of size s at time t is obtained and is found to obey the scaling form n(s,t) approximately s(-tau)t(omegasgamma e(-rhot) f(s/t(z)) where f(x) is a crossover function satisfying f(x) congruent-to 1 for x much less than and f(x) much less than 1 for x much greater than 1. The dependence of the critical exponents tau, omega, gamma and z on space dimensionality d is studied from d = 1 to 5. The result of the dynamics on fractal and nonfractal objects as well as on square and triangular lattices is also examined.

Anisotropic Lifshitz point at O(epsilon(2)(L))

We present the critical exponents nu (L2), eta (L2) and gamma (L) for an m-axial Lifshitz point at second order in an epsilon (L) expansion. We introduce a constraint involving the loop momenta along the m-dimensional subspace in order to perform two- and three-loop integrals. The results are valid in the range 0 less than or equal to m less than or equal to d. The case m = 0 corresponds to the usual Ising-like critical behaviour.

Maternal antibody transfer to broiler progeny varies among strains and is affected by grain source and cage density

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of broiler breeder dietary grain source and cage density on maternal antibody (MatAb) transfer to progeny in 2 genetic strains (A and B). Broiler breeders were assigned to 16 litter floor pens and fed either corn- or wheat-based diets. Breeders were administered 4 live vaccines against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). At 23 wk of age, pullets and cocks, which reflected the full BW distribution from each treatment, were moved to a cage breeder house and placed at 1 or 2 hens/cage. Breeders were artificially inseminated at 44 wk (experiment 1) and 52 wk of age (experiment 2). Eggs were collected for 8 d, incubated, and placed in individual pedigree bags at d 19 of incubation. Blood samples from 5 chicks per treatment combination were collected at hatch in both experiments. Spleen and bursa were collected from the same chicks for histomorphometry analyses in experiment 2. In the second experiment, 12 chicks per treatment were placed in cages. Progeny were provided diets based on the same grain (corn or wheat) as their parents. Serum samples were collected at 5, 9, and 13 d of age and analyzed for anti-NDV MatAb. Data were analyzed as a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design considering strain, dietary grain source, and cage density as main factors. Interaction effects were observed in breeders and progeny. Experiment 1 showed that strain A chicks had lower levels of MatAb when hens were housed at 2 hens/cage rather than 1 hen/cage. The MatAb levels of strain B chickens were not affected by cage density in either experiment. Experiment 2 demonstrated similar effects of cage density on MatAb levels and the area of bursa follicles for both strains. Progeny of breeders fed corn-based diets had smaller spleen white pulp only when hens were housed at 2 hens/cage compared with 1 hen/cage. The results of these experiments suggest that breeder strain and cage-density conditions affected MatAb transfer to progeny and embryo development of spleen and bursa.

Electrical and Magnetic Characterization of BSCCO and YBCO HTS Tapes for Fault Current Limiter Application

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

Scaling investigation of Fermi acceleration on a dissipative bouncer model

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Lightning characteristics observed by a VLF/LF lightning detection network (LINET) in Brazil, Australia, Africa and Germany

This paper describes lightning characteristics as obtained in four sets of lightning measurements during recent field campaigns in different parts of the world from mid-latitudes to the tropics by the novel VLF/LF (very low frequency/low frequency) lightning detection network (LINET). The paper gives a general overview on the approach, and a synopsis of the statistical results for the observation periods as a whole and for one special day in each region. The focus is on the characteristics of lightning which can specifically be observed by this system like intra-cloud and cloud-to-ground stroke statistics, vertical distributions of intra-cloud strokes or peak current distributions. Some conclusions regarding lightning produced NOx are also presented as this was one of the aims of the tropical field campaigns TROCCINOX (Tropical Convection, Cirrus and Nitrogen Oxides Experiment) and TroCCiBras (Tropical Convection and Cirrus Experiment Brazil) in Brazil during January/February 2005, SCOUT-O3 (Stratospheric-Climate Links with Emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere) and TWP-ICE (Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment) during November/December 2005 and January/February 2006, respectively, in the Darwin area in N-Australia, and of AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses) in W-Africa during June-November 2006.

A new approach to the experimental determination of the critical temperature of metamagnets

A new approach to the experimental determination of the critical temperature of metamagnetic samples with non-zero demagnetizing factors is presented. The method is applied to metamagnetic Ni(NO3)2·2H2O, allowing the conclusion that this salt exhibits a tricritical point. Pressure dependence of the critical temperature, and the existence of a pressure-induced metamagnetic transition are also reported. © 1986.

Quantum tunneling fragmentation model

A nonthermal quantum mechanical statistical fragmentation model based on tunneling of particles through potential barriers is studied in compact two- and three-dimensional systems. It is shown that this fragmentation dynamics gives origin to several static and dynamic scaling relations. The critical exponents are found and compared with those obtained in classical statistical models of fragmentation of general interest, in particular with thermal fragmentation involving classical processes over potential barriers. Besides its general theoretical interest, the fragmentation dynamics discussed here is complementary to classical fragmentation dynamics of interest in chemical kinetics and can be useful in the study of a number of other dynamic processes such as nuclear fragmentation. ©2000 The American Physical Society.

Comparison of manual versus sonic and ultrasonic toothbrushes: a review.

PURPOSE: This review of the literature intends to evaluate the effect of brushes with high frequency motion when compared with manual toothbrushes regarding the indices of plaque and gingival bleeding. METHODS: Patients presenting gingivitis and/or chronic periodontitis were evaluated in addition to patients having osseointegrated implants and fixed orthodontic appliances. Pertinent literature was reviewed to select articles according to previously defined inclusion criteria. RESULTS: In the assessed studies results showed significant decreases in plaque and gingival indices by utilization of both types of brushes. However, in the selected studies where sonic brushes were tested in orthodontic and dental implant patients there was a more significant decrease in the indices. Furthermore, there was no indication of gingival recession attributed to product use. CONCLUSION: Future studies with a more homogeneous methodology and better experiment designs will be needed.

Planning nursing teaching: Educational purposes and clinical competence

Thinking about nursing education implies articulating this issue with the expressions of theoretical frameworks, from the perspective of a pedagogical aspect that includes both constructivism and competencies. The objective was to characterize, from a longitudinal view, the construction of care competencies that exist in the teaching plans of nursing undergraduate programs. This exploratory-descriptive study used a qualitative approach. Documentary analysis was performed on the nine teaching plans of undergraduate care subjects. The ethical-legal aspects were guaranteed, so that data was collected only after the study had been approved by the Research Ethics Committee. The data evidenced a curriculum organization centered on subjects, maintaining internal rationales that seem to resist summative organizations. Signs emerge of hardly substantial links between any previous knowledge and the strengthening of critical judgment and clinical reasoning. As proposed, the study contributed with reconsiderations for the teachinglearning process and showed the influence of constructivism on the proposal of clinical competencies.

Locating invariant tori for a family of two-dimensional Hamiltonian mappings

The location of invariant tori for a two-dimensional Hamiltonian mapping exhibiting mixed phase space is discussed. The phase space of the mapping shows a large chaotic sea surrounding periodic islands and limited by a set of invariant tori. Given the mapping considered is parameterised by an exponent γ in one of the dynamical variables, a connection with the standard mapping near a transition from local to global chaos is used to estimate the position of the invariant tori limiting the size of the chaotic sea for different values of the parameter γ. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ammonia volatilization losses from surface-applied urea with urease and nitrification inhibitors

Urease inhibitor (UI) and nitrification inhibitor (NI) have the potential to improve N-use efficiency of applied urea and minimize N losses via gaseous emissions of ammonia (NH 3) to the atmosphere and nitrate (NO3-) leaching into surface and ground water bodies. There is a growing interest in the formulations of coating chemical fertilizers with both UI and NI. However, limited information is available on the combined use of UI and NI applied with urea fertilizer. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of treating urea with both UI and NI to minimize NH 3 volatilization. Two experiments were set up in volatilization chambers under controlled conditions to examine this process. In the first experiment, UR was treated with the urease inhibitor NBPT [N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric acid triamide] at a rate of 1060 mg kg -1 urea and/or with the nitrification inhibitor DCD (dicyandiamide) at rates equivalent to 5 or 10% of the urea N. A randomized experimental design with five treatments and five replicates was used: 1) UR, 2) UR + NBPT, 3) UR + DCD 10%, 4) UR + NBPT + DCD 5%, and 5) UR + NBPT + DCD 10%. The fertilizer treatments were applied to the surface of an acidic Red Latosol soil moistened to 60% of the maximum water retention and placed inside volatilization chambers. Controls chambers were added to allow for NH 3 volatilized from unfertilized soil or contained in the air that swept over the soil surface. The second experiment had an additional treatment with surface-applied DCD. The chambers were glass vessels (1.5 L) fit with air inlet and outlet tubings to allow air to pass over the soil. Ammonia volatilized was swept and carried to a flask containing a boric acid solution to trap the gas and then measured daily by titration with a standardized H 2SO 4 solution. Continuous measurements were recorded for 19 and 23 days for the first and second experiment, respectively. The soil samples were then analyzed for UR-, NH4+-, and NO3--N. Losses of NH 3 by volatilization with unamended UR ranged from 28 to 37% of the applied N, with peak of losses observed the third day after fertilization. NBPT delayed the peak of NH 3 losses due to urease inhibition and reduced NH 3 volatilization between 54 and 78% when compared with untreated UR. Up to 10 days after the fertilizer application, NH 3 losses had not been affected by DCD in the UR or the UR + NBPT treatments; thereafter, NH 3 volatilization tended to decrease, but not when DCD was present. As a consequence, the addition of DCD caused a 5-16% increase in NH 3 volatilization losses of the fertilizer N applied as UR from both the UR and the UR + NBPT treatments. Because the effectiveness of NBPT to inhibit soil urease activity was strong only in the first week, it could be concluded that DCD did not affect the action of NBPT but rather, enhanced volatilization losses by maintaining higher soil NH4+ concentration and pH for a longer time. Depending on the combination of factors influencing NH 3 volatilization, DCD could even offset the beneficial effect of NBPT in reducing NH 3 volatilization losses. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

An evaluative study of the implementation of domestic violence legislation: Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitss

Includes bibliography