Jarosite pseudomorph formation from arsenopyrite oxidation using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

In this work, the oxidizing action of a native strain type A. ferrooxidans on a sulphide containing a predominance of arsenopyrite and pyrite has been evaluated. Incubation of the A. ferrooxidans strain in flasks containing 200 mL of T&K medium with the ore (particle size of 106 mu m) at pulp density 8% (w/v) at 35 degrees C on a rotary shaker at 200 rpm resulted in preferential oxidation of the arsenopyrite and the mobilization of 88% of the arsenic in 25 days. Mineralogical characterization of the residue after biooxidation was carried out with FTIR. XRD and SEM/XEDS techniques. An in situ oxidation of the arsenopyrite is suggested on the basis of the frequent appearance of jarosite pseudomorph replacing arsenopyrite, in which the transformations Fe(2+) -> Fe(3+), S(-2) -> S(+6) and As(-1) -> As(+3) -> As(+5) occur for the most part without formation of soluble intermediates, resulting in a type of jarosite that typically contains high concentrations of arsenic (type A-jarosite). However, during pyrite oxidation, dissolution of the constituent Fe and S predominates, which is evidenced by corrosion of pyrite particles with formation of pits, generating a type of jarosite with high quantities of K (type B-jarosite). Lastly, a third type of jarosite (type C-jarosite) also precipitated forming a thin film that covered the grains of pyrite principally. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Technology assessment for power quality mitigation devices - Micro-DVR case study

This work presents a case study on technology assessment for power quality improvement devices. A system compatibility test protocol for power quality mitigation devices was developed in order to evaluate the functionality of three-phase voltage restoration devices. In order to validate this test protocol, the micro-DVR, a reduced power development platform for DVR (dynamic voltage restorer) devices, was tested and the results are discussed based on voltage disturbances standards. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased Levels of NOTCH1, NF-kappa B, and Other Interconnected Transcription Factors Characterize Primitive Sets of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

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

Determinação da relação central. Estudo sobre as posições laterais da mandíbula, em relação à linha mediana facial, em função de dois métodos para esta determinação.

The authors studied the lateral positional desviations of the mandible, in relation to the facial median line in 30 (thirty) full edentulous patients, with the purpose to verify the influence of the unstrained guided (chinpoint guidance) and deglutition methods for the determination of centric relation. According the results obtained they conclude that the unstrained guided method produced a mandibular lateral desviation with a mean value of the 0.752 mm and in the deglutition method the mean value observed was 1.109 mm. The statistical analysis of the results revealed for the unstrained guided method a proportion of the points to the right and left of the median line not statistically significant, while for the deglutition method the difference was statistically significant at a level of 5%.

Cryopreservation of equine embryos with glycerol plus sucrose and glycerol plus 1,2-propanediol.

Six or 7-day-old equine embryos were divided into 4 groups; Group 1, n = 15, Day 7 embryos destined for immediate transfer; Group 2, n = 15, Day 6 embryos destined for deep-freezing with glycerol plus sucrose as cryoprotectant; Group 3, n = 10, Day 6 embryos destined for deep-freezing with glycerol plus 1,2-propanediol as cryoprotectant and Group 4, n = 3, fresh embryos destined for ultrastructural analysis. All the frozen/thawed embryos were transferred to recipient mares, except 3 embryos in Group 3 that were subjected to ultrastructural analysis. After thawing the cryoprotectants were removed by successive dilutions in PBS + 15% v:v fetal calf serum (FCS) containing decreasing concentrations of the cryoprotectants. Pregnancy was diagnosed ultrasonographically in 53.3%, 13.3% and 0% of the mares in Groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Ultrastructural analysis showed differences between frozen/thawed and fresh embryos. In the former, embryonic cells were deformed and showed dilation of the intercellular and perivitelline spaces, a decrease of desmosome number in the junctional complexes, few microvilli on the apical surface of the trophectoderm and an almost total absence of pinocytotic vesicles. Most of the mitochondria showed regions containing dilation and irregularities on the cristae, which appeared electron-dense. The results obtained with Groups 2 and 3 embryos showed that the cryoprotectants employed were not effective in protecting the embryos against damage during freezing and thawing. Indeed, the ultrastructural changes observed in the Group 3 embryos explained the absence of any established pregnancies in this group of mares.

Uso da adubação foliar nitrogenada e potássica no algodoeiro

The present work was conducted in Selvíria county (MS-Brazil), in the agricultural year of 1998/99, for evaluating nitrogen and potassium foliar application to supplement sowing fertilization on cotton (IAC 22) crop. A randomized complete block design with 13 treatments and four replications was used. The treatments were constituted by a control (without foliar application) and nitrogen and/or potassium foliar applications two, four, six or eight weeks after beginning of flowering. The urea was used as source of N and potassium chloride as source of K. Urea in the concentration of 10% and potassium chloride at 4% were applied at a rate of 250 L.ha-1. Height of plants, nodule number, number of reproductive branches, boll per plant, 30 boll mass, yield and fiber percentage were evaluated. It is concluded that the N doses increased the yield and decreased the fiber percentage. There was no evaluated response to the application of K or NK.

Effect of ceramic surface treatment on the microtensile bond strength between a resin cement and an alumina-based ceramic

Purpose: The objective of this study was to test the following hypothesis: the silica coating on ceramic surface increases the bond strength of resin cement to a ceramic. Materials and Methods: In-Ceram Alumina blocks were made and the ceramic surface was treated: G1 - sandblasting with 110-μm aluminum oxide particles; G2 - Rocatec System: tribochemicai silica coating (Rocatec-Pre powder + Rocatec-Plus powder + Rocatec-Sil); G3 - CoJet System: silica coating (CoJet-Sand) + ESPE-Sil. The ceramic blocks were cemented to composite blocks with Panavia F resin cement (under a load of 750 g/1 min). The cemented blocks were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 7 days and sectioned along the x and y axes with a diamond disk. Samples with an adhesive area of ca 0.8 mm 2 (n = 45) were obtained. The samples were attached to an adapted device for the microtensile test, which was performed in a universal testing machine (EMIC) at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Results: The obtained results were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test. Mean values of tensile strength (MPa) and standard deviation values were: (G1) 16.8 ± 3.2; (G2) 30.6 ± 4.5; (G3) 33.0 ± 5.0. G2 and 63 presented greater tensile strength than G1. There was no significant difference between G2 and G3. All the failures took place at the ceramic/resin cement interface. Conclusion: The silica coating (Rocatec or CoJet systems) of the ceramic surface increased the bond strength between the Panavia F resin cement and alumina-based ceramic.

Evaluation of the flexural strength of carbon fiber-, quartz fiber-, and glass fiber-based posts

This study investigated the flexural strength of eight fiber posts (one carbon fiber, one carbon/quartz fiber, one opaque quartz fiber, two translucent quartz fiber, and three glass fiber posts). Eighty fiber posts were used and divided into eight groups (n = 10): G1: C-POST (Bisco); G2: ÆSTHETI-POST (Bisco); G3: ÆSTHETI-PLUS (Bisco); G4: LIGHT-POST (Bisco); G5: D.T. LIGHT-POST (Bisco); G6: PARAPOST WHITE (Coltene); G7: FIBERKOR (Pentron); G8: REFORPOST (Angelus). All of the samples were tested using the three-point bending test. The averages obtained were submitted to the ANOVA and to Tukey's test (p < 0.05). The mean values (MPa) of the groups ÆSTHETI-POST - carbon/ quartz fiber post (Bisco) and ÆSTHETI-PLUS - quartz fiber post (Bisco) were statistically similar and higher than the mean values of the other groups. The mean values of the groups C-POST - carbon fiber post (Bisco), LIGHT-POST - translucent quartz fiber post (Bisco), D.T. LIGHT-POST - double tapered translucent quartz fiber post (Bisco), PARAPOST WHITE - glass fiber post (Coltene) and FIBREKOR - glass fiber post (Pentron) were similar and higher than the group REFORPOST - glass fiber post (Angelus). Copyright © 2005 by the American Association of Endodontists.

Effect of silica coating on flexural strength of fiber posts

Purpose: Fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) posts can be air-abraded to obtain good attachment to the resin cement. This study tested the effect of silica coating on the flexural strength of carbon, opaque, and translucent quartz FRC posts. Materials and Methods: Six experimental groups of FRC posts (n = 10 per group) were tested, either as received from the manufacturer or after chairside silica coating (30-μm CoJet-Sand). Results: There was no significant difference in the flexural strength of nonconditioned (504 to 525 MPa) and silica-coated (514 to 565 MPa) specimens (P > .05) (analysis of variance). The type of post did have a significant effect on flexural strength (P < .05). Conclusion: Chairside silica coating did not affect the flexural strength of both carbon and quartz FRC posts.

Microtensile bond strength between a quartz fiber post and a resin cement: Effect of post surface conditioning

Purpose: To test the bond strength between a quartz-fiber-reinforced composite post (FRC) and a resin cement. The null hypothesis was that the bond strength can be increased by using a chairside tribochemical silica-coating system. Materials and Methods: Thirty quartz-FRCs (Light-Post) were divided into 3 groups according to the post surface treatment: G1) Conditioning with 32% phosphoric acid (1 min), applying a silane coupling agent; G2) etching with 10% hydrofluoric acid (1 min), silane application; G3) chairside tribochemical silica coating method (CoJet System): air abrasion with 30-μ SiO x-modified Al2O3 particles, silane application. Thereafter, the posts were cemented into a cylinder (5 mm diameter, 15 mm height) with a resin cement (Duo-Link). After cementation, the specimens were stored in distilled water (37°C/24 h) and sectioned along the x and y axes with a diamond wheel under cooling (Lab-cut 1010) to create nontrimmed bar specimens. Each specimen was attached with cyanoacrylate to an apparatus adapted for the microtensile test. Microtensile testing was conducted on a universal testing machine (1 mm/min). The data obtained were submitted to the one-way ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05). Results: A significant influence of the conditioning methods was observed (p < 0.0001). The bond strength of G3 (15.14 ± 3.3) was significantly higher than the bond strengths of G1 (6.9 ± 2.3) and G2 (12.60 ± 2.8) (p = 0.000106 and p = 0.002631, respectively). Notwithstanding the groups, all the tested specimens showed adhesive failure between the resin cement and FRC. Conclusion: The chairside tribochemical system yielded the highest bond strength between resin cement and quartz-fiber post. The null hypothesis was accepted (p < 0.0001).

Fatigue resistance of the bond of a glass-infiltrated alumina ceramic to human dentin

Purpose: To evaluate the fatigue resistance of the bond between dentin and glass-infiltrated alumina ceramic, using different luting protocols. Materials and Methods: The null hypothesis is that the fatigue resistance varies with the luting strategy. Forty blocks of In-Ceram Alumina were prepared, and one surface of each block was abraded with 110-μm aluminum oxide particles. Then, the blocks were luted to flat dentin surfaces of 40 human third molars, using 4 different luting strategies (luting system [LS]/ceramic surface conditioning [CSC]) (n=10): (G1) [LS] RelyX-Unicem/[CSC] airborne abrasion with 110-μm Al2O3 particles; (G2) [LS] One-Step + Duo-Link (bis-GMA-based resin)/[CSC] etching with 4% hydrofluoric acid + silane agent; (G3) [LS] ED-Primer + Panavia F (MDP-based resin)/[CSC] Al2O 3; (G4) [LS] Scotchbond1+RelyX-ARC (bis-GMA-based resin)/[CSC] chairside tribochemical silica coating (air abrasion with 30-μm SiO x particles + silane). After 24 h of water storage at 37°C, the specimens were subjected to 106 fatigue cycles in shear with a sinusoidal load (0 to 21 N, 8 Hz frequency, 37°C water). A fatigue survivor score was given, considering the number of the fatigue cycles until fracture. The failure modes of failed specimens were observed in a SEM. Results: G3 (score = 5.9, 1 failure) and G4 (score = 6, no failures) were statistically similar (p = 0.33) and had significantly higher fatigue resistance than G1 (score = 3.9, 5 failures) and G2 (score = 3.7, 6 failures) (p < 0.03). SEM analysis of fractured specimens of G1 and G2 showed that almost all the failures were between ceramic and cement. Conclusion: The MDP-based resin cement + sandblasting with Al2O3 particles (G3) and bis-GMA-based resin cement + tribochemical silica coating (G4), both using the respective dentin bonding systems, were the best luting protocols for the alumina ceramic. The null hypothesis was confirmed.