Systematics and distribution of Thorea (Thoreaceae, Rhodophyta) from central Mexico and south-eastern Brazil

Thirteen populations of Thorea were analyzed from central Mexico and south-eastern Brazil. All populations were considered as belonging to a single species [Thorea hispida (Thore) Desvaux], with wide variation of morphological features. Secondary branches varying in frequency were observed in several populations with an overlapping in the range of branch density for Thorea violacea Bory and T. hispida (0-9 and 11-41 per 30 mm, respectively). As this is the most distinguishing character and on the basis of the overlapping (within a same population or even a single plant), we regarded T. violacea as a synonym of T. hispida. 'Chantransia' stage in culture, as well as gametophyte and carposporophyte were described in detail. We confirmed the coexistence of asexual monosporangia with sexual reproductive structures (carpogonia and spermatangia) and carposporangia. Size, content, arrangement and chromosome number were the most distinctive characteristics among spermatangia, carposporangia and monosporangia. Monosporangia can be promptly differentiated from spermatangia by their granulated content and larger size but they are similar to carposporangia in shape and size; however, monosporangia are not arranged in fascicles. Structures resembling bisporangia were observed in female plants of some populations. Chromosome numbers were n = 4 for spermatangia and fascicle cells, and 2n ca8 for gonimoblast filaments, carpospores and the 'Chantransia' stage cells. The populations of Thorea from central Mexico and south-eastern Brazil corroborated the known world distribution for T. hispida, consisting dominantly of tropical to subtropical rainforests, sometimes extending into warm temperate areas. Thorea hispida occurred in warm (temperature 17.6-28.0°C), neutral to alkaline (pH 7.0-8.0), high ion content (specific conductance 59-2140 μS cm-1), moderate flowing (current velocity 17-43 cm/s) and shallow waters (depth <50 cm); these data are essentially similar to previous reports.

Taxonomy and distribution of Paralemanea (Lemaneaceae, Rhodophyta) in Central Mexico

Three collections of Paralemanea from Central Mexico included two species. Paralemanea mexicana is large (length ≥ 4.0 cm; diameter > 400 μm) and generally branched (≥ 40 % of plants branched), with whorled branches, of first to second order. Paralemanea annulata is small (length < 5.0 cm ; diameter < 500 μm), generally unbranched (≤ 5 % of plants branched), with branches of first order. Spermatangial sori contained obovoid spermatangia, formed from cells of the outer cortical layers, extending above the thallus surface. Carpogonial branches are described for the first time in P. mexicana. They develop on lateral filaments at nodes or internodes and have ovoid to globular cells, abundantly branched at the basal portion, penetrating the cortex towards the thallus surface. Carposporophytes are sessile on the inner portion of the cortex and produce carpospores in chains of up to twelve. The 'Chantransia' stage was observed in P. mexicana. Paralemanea annulata is described for the first time from Mexico and P. mexicana is endemic from this country. Both species were collected in cold (temperature 12-16°C), acidic (pH 5.5-6.0), shallow (depth 1-60 cm) and moderate to fast flowing waters (> 35 cm s-1), in shaded or partly shaded river segments, on rocky substrata (mostly bedrock).

Control of amylase production and growth characteristics of Aspergillus ochraceus

The growth and the extracellular amylase production by Aspergillus ochraceus were studied in a stationary culture medium. Maximum growth rate of this fungus was found after 5 days of incubation at 30° C, but maximum amylase production was obtained after 2 days. The highest amylase production were attained with lactose, maltose, xylose and starch as carbon sources. The extracellular amylase production and mycelial growth were influenced by the concentration of starch. Other carbohydrates supported growth but did not induce amylase synthesis and glucose repressed it, indicating catabolite repression in this microorganism. The presence of both mechanisms of induction and repression suggests that at least these multiple forms of regulation are present in A. ochraceus. Of the nitrogen sources tested, casaminoacids, ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate stimulated the highest yield of amylase. Optimal amylase production was obtained at pH 5.0, but enzyme activity was found only in the 4.0-6.0 pH range. These results were probably due to the inhibitory effect of NH 4 +-N in the culture medium.

Production and evaluation of lettuce seedlings and plants in hydroponic floating system

The investigation was conducted under greenhouse conditions at UNESP, Brazil, to evaluate the effects of the commercial substrates Plantmax and Sunshine and its mixtures with charred rice hulls, and the effects of floating and conventional seedling production systems in lettuce cultivation. The experiment was a randomized block experimental design, in 4 x 4 factorial treatment arrangement with two replications. Seedlings produced in the floating system were more precocious in relation to the conventional system. From transplant to harvest, the seedling production systems had similar mean time of production.

Production and quality of melons grown in two different substrates under soilless cultivation

This investigation was conducted at UNESP, Jaboticabal campus, São Paulo, Brazil, from March 8 to June 21, 1999, to evaluate net melon yield and fruit quality, using soilless culture. 'Bônus 2' and 'Mission' cultivars were grown in a substrate of ground quartz or thick sand, in a randomized block experimental design. Leaf and stem dry matter production, leaf size and soluble solids content of the fruit, of 'Bônus 2' were superior to 'Mission'. There was a significant interaction for the evaluated characteristics of fruit dry mass production and yield. The largest accumulation of fruit dry mass and yield of the 'Bônus 2' cultivar (61,325 kg/ha) was observed when a substrate of ground quartz was used, while the yield for the 'Mission' cultivar was higher in a substrate of thick sand (42,125 kg/ha).

Production and preservation of fresh-cut 'Tommy Atkins' mango chunks

During the 1999/00 and 2000/01 seasons, sliced 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes were packaged with three different types of polymeric films; polypropylene (PP) cups, low-density polyethylene (LPDE) bags or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) clamshell trays, and stored at 3°C for 2 weeks. The mango chunks were evaluated for flavor, appearance, colour, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), ascorbic acid (AA) contents, O2 and CO 2 concentration in the packages, as well as respiration. Shelf life based on visual appearance was 14 days, with the products showing good appearance and agreeable aroma. The TTA content in chunks packaged in PP cups or PET trays were reduced during the storage, and with the color changing from light yellow to dark yellow. The chunks respiration in PP cups or LPDE bags were 64.6 and 87.9 mL CO2.kg-1.h-1, and in PP cups or PET trays were 45.86 and 43.92 mL CO2.kg-1.h -1, respectively for 1999/00 and 2000/01 seasons. The percentages of O2 and CO2 in the packages were stabilized after 2-4 hours, and the atmosphere had 11-17% and 1-10% of them. The microbiological content was lower than the allowed. No differences were observed between the seasons, and the best packages were the cups.

Double Higgs production and quadratic divergence cancellation in little Higgs models with T-parity

We analyze double Higgs boson production at the Large Hadron Collider in the context of Little Higgs models. In double Higgs production, the diagrams involved are directly related to those that cause the cancellation of the quadratic divergence of the Higgs self-energy, providing a robust prediction for this class of models. We find that in extensions of this model with the inclusion of a so-called T-parity, there is a significant enhancement in the cross sections as compared to the Standard Model. © SISSA 2006.

Production and heat treatment of cast graphitic steels with additions of niobium

The optimal combination of the mechanical characteristics of austempered spheroidal graphitic cast steel together with modern casting techniques yielded an economically promising product. The maximum potential of the usage of these steels is related to fabrication and characterization techniques, among which, one of the most important is the cooling diagram (TTT curve). In this work, 3 heats of graphitic steels with the following nominal compositions were cast: 1.0 % C, 2.3 % Si, 0.4 % Mn, and with niobium contents of. 0.0 %, 0.5 % and 1.0 %. TTT curves were determined by dilatometric testing and test specimens of these steels were austempered. The samples were then characterized by hardness testing and optical and SEM microscopy. Tensile, impact (no notch) and wear testing were also performed. The addition of niobium produced significant alterations in the TTT diagrams. Increasing niobium content moves the pearlite transformation nose to the right and the bainitic transformation nose to the left. Tensile strength of these alloys was high, in the range of 1700 MPa and impact values were around of 45 Joules for alloy with 1 % Nb, 49 Joules for alloy with 0.5 % Nb and fracture did not occur for the alloy without the addition of Nb.

Z gamma production and limits on anomalous ZZ gamma and Z gamma gamma couplings in pp collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present a study of eeγ and μμγ events using 1109 (1009) pb-1 of data in the electron (muon) channel, respectively. These data were collected with the DØ detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p over(p, ̄) collider at sqrt(s) = 1.96   TeV. Having observed 453 (515) candidates in the eeγ (μμγ) final state, we measure the Zγ production cross section for a photon with transverse energy ET > 7   GeV, separation between the photon and leptons Δ Rℓ γ > 0.7, and invariant mass of the di-lepton pair Mℓ ℓ > 30   GeV / c2, to be 4.96 ± 0.30 (stat . + syst .) ± 0.30 (lumi .)   pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction of 4.74 ± 0.22   pb. This is the most precise Zγ cross section measurement at a hadron collider. We set limits on anomalous trilinear Zγγ and ZZγ gauge boson couplings of - 0.085 < h30 γ < 0.084, - 0.0053 < h40 γ < 0.0054 and - 0.083 < h30 Z < 0.082, - 0.0053 < h40 Z < 0.0054 at the 95% C.L. for the form-factor scale Λ = 1.2   TeV.

Production and heat treatment of cast graphitic steels with additions of niobium

The optimal combination of the mechanical characteristics of austempered spheroidal graphitic cast steel together with modern casting techniques yielded an economically promising product. The maximum potentiality of the usage of these steels is related to fabrication and characterization techniques, among which, one of the most important is the cooling diagram (TTT curve). In this work, 3 heats of graphitic steels with the following nominal compositions were cast: 1.0%C, 2.3%Si, 0.4% Mn, and with niobium contents of 0.0%, 0.5% and 1.0%. TTT curves were determined by dilatometric testing and test specimens of these steels were austempered. The samples were then characterized by hardness testing and optical and SEM microscopy. Tensile, impact (no notch) and wear testing were also performed. The addition of niobium produced significant alterations in the TTT diagrams. Increasing niobium content moves the pearlite transformation nose to the right and the bainitic transformation nose to the left. Tensile strength of these alloys was high, in the range of 1700 MPa and impact values were around of 45 Joules for alloy with 1% Nb, 49 Joules for alloy with 0.5% Nb and fracture did not occur for the alloy without the addition of Nb.

Production and partial characterization of keratinase produced by a microorganism isolated from poultry processing plant wastewater

A Streptomyces was isolated from poultry plant wastewater, showed high keratinolytic activity when cultured on feather meal medium. Optimum keratinolytic activity was observed at 40°C and pH 8.0. The enzyme also showed to be stable between 40 and 60°C. The keratinolytic activity was not inhibited by EDTA, DMSO and Tween 80. On the other hand, CaCl2, ZnCl2, and BaCl2 slightly inhibited the keratinolytic activity. The Streptomyces isolated might be useful in leather, keratin waste treatment, animal feeding industry, and also cosmetic industry. © 2008 Academic Journals.

First study of the radiation-amplitude zero in W gamma production and limits on anomalous WW gamma couplings at root s=1.96 TeV

We present results from a study of pp̄→Wγ+X events utilizing data corresponding to 0.7fb-1 of integrated luminosity at s=1.96TeV collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set limits on anomalous WWγ couplings at the 95% C.L. The one-dimensional 95% C.L. limits are 0.49<κγ<1.51 and -0.12<λγ<0.13. We make the first study of the charge-signed rapidity difference between the lepton and the photon and find it to be indicative of the standard model radiation-amplitude zero in the Wγ system. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Response of rootstocks to stem canker and the production and quality of melon under protected cultivation

Two tests were performed. In the first, resistance to Didymella bryoniae was determined for the following genotypes: the pumpkins 'Ikky', 'Agroceres', 'Kirameki' and 'Shelper', watermelon progenies 1a, 2a, 3a, 5a, 1b, 2b, 3b and 5b, and 'Gherkin' (C. anguria). The plants were inoculated with the fungus during transplanting. The evaluations of the test were performed every 15 d according to a scoring scale adopted by Dusi et al. (1994). The second test examined compatibility among the rootstocks x grafts, and their effects on production. The rootstocks, 5 pumpkins including 'Ikky', 'Agroceres', 'Kirameki', 'Shelper', six watermelon progenies 1a, 2a, 5a, 1b, 2b and 5b, and one 'Gherkin', were planted one week before planting of the grafted 'Bônus No. 2' melon. The experiments were carried out with 12 treatments, including the control ('Bônus No. 2') with 3 replications with 14 grafted plants per each replication. For the first test, the first three evaluations (at 15, 30 and 45 d after inoculation) did not show characteristic lesions of stem canker, but progeny 3b was found to be susceptible in evaluations performed at 60 and 75 d after inoculation. Progeny 3a demonstrated intermediate susceptibility, while progenies 1a, 2a, 5a, 1b, 2b and 5b, the pumpkins 'Kirameki', 'Shelper', 'Ikky' and 'Agroceres', and 'Gherkin', showed resistance to Didymella bryoniae. In the second test, watermelon progenies 1a, 5a, 1b and 2b, and the pumpkins 'Kirameki', 'Shelper', 'Ikky' and 'Agroceres' showed a level of grafting success of 100%, while results with progenies 2a and 5b, and 'Gherkin' were different in grafting success, respectively 91.67, 98.33 and 43.33%. For other fruit parameters, weight, longitudinal and transverse diameters, pulp thickness and level of total soluble solids, there were no differences among the treatments.

Environment, crisis and development planning

Includes bibliography

Women and development: guidelines for programme and project planning

Includes bibliography