Effect of Hevea brasiliensis latex sap gel on healing of acute skin wounds induced on the back of rats

Objective : to evaluate the effect of topical delivery of latex cream-gel in acute cutaneous wounds induced on the back of rats. Methods : we subjected sixteen rats to dermo-epidermal excision of a round dorsal skin flap, with 2.5cm diameter. We divided the animals into two groups: Latex Group: application of cream-gel-based latex throughout the wound bed on postoperative days zero, three, six and nine; Control group: no treatment on the wound. Photographs of the lesions were taken on the procedure day and on the 6th and 14th postoperative days, for analyzing the area and the larger diameter of the wound. We carried out euthanasia of all animals on the 14th postoperative day, when we resected he dorsal skin and the underlying muscle layer supporting the wound for histopathological study. Results : there was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of wound closure, in the histopathological findings or in the reduction of the area and of the largest diameter of the wounds among the groups studied on the 14th postoperative day. Conclusion : according to the experimental conditions in which the study was conducted, latex cream-gel did not interfere in the healing of acute cutaneous wounds in rats.

Analysis and validation of space averaged drag model for numerical simulations of gas-solid flows in fluidized beds

This thesis presents an approach for formulating and validating a space averaged drag model for coarse mesh simulations of gas-solid flows in fluidized beds using the two-fluid model. Proper modeling for fluid dynamics is central in understanding any industrial multiphase flow. The gas-solid flows in fluidized beds are heterogeneous and usually simulated with the Eulerian description of phases. Such a description requires the usage of fine meshes and small time steps for the proper prediction of its hydrodynamics. Such constraint on the mesh and time step size results in a large number of control volumes and long computational times which are unaffordable for simulations of large scale fluidized beds. If proper closure models are not included, coarse mesh simulations for fluidized beds do not give reasonable results. The coarse mesh simulation fails to resolve the mesoscale structures and results in uniform solids concentration profiles. For a circulating fluidized bed riser, such predicted profiles result in a higher drag force between the gas and solid phase and also overestimated solids mass flux at the outlet. Thus, there is a need to formulate the closure correlations which can accurately predict the hydrodynamics using coarse meshes. This thesis uses the space averaging modeling approach in the formulation of closure models for coarse mesh simulations of the gas-solid flow in fluidized beds using Geldart group B particles. In the analysis of formulating the closure correlation for space averaged drag model, the main parameters for the modeling were found to be the averaging size, solid volume fraction, and distance from the wall. The closure model for the gas-solid drag force was formulated and validated for coarse mesh simulations of the riser, which showed the verification of this modeling approach. Coarse mesh simulations using the corrected drag model resulted in lowered values of solids mass flux. Such an approach is a promising tool in the formulation of appropriate closure models which can be used in coarse mesh simulations of large scale fluidized beds.

Foot rot and other foot diseases of goat and sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

This paper reports the occurrence and epidemiology of outbreaks of foot rot and other foot diseases in goats and sheep in the semiarid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Four farms were inspected for the presence of foot lesion in sheep and goats and for environmental conditions, general hygiene, pastures, and disease control measures. The prevalence of foot lesions was 19.41% (170/876) in sheep and 17.99% (52/289) in goats, ranging between 5.77% and 33.85% in different farms. Foot rot was the most common disease, affecting 12.1% of the animals examined (141/1165), but with significantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence in sheep (13.69%) than in goats (7.27%). The frequency of malignant foot rot was also significantly lower (p<0.05) in goats (9.53%) than in the sheep (40.83%). On one farm, Dorper sheep showed significantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence of foot rot (17.5%) than Santa Inês sheep (6.79%), and the number of digits affected was also higher in the former. Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum were isolated from cases of foot rot. White line disease was found in 3.95% of the animals, sole ulcers in 1.29%, foot abscess in 1.03% and hoof overgrowth in 0.5%. The high rainfall at the time of occurrence, grazing in wetlands, clay soils with poor drainage, presence of numerous stony grounds, closure of the flocks in pens at night, and introduction of affected animals were considered predisposing factors for the occurrence of foot diseases.

Tertiary Treatment and Re-use of Kraft Pulp Mill Effluent

The efficient use of materials and natural recourses, for ecological and economic reasons, has become more and more important in all industries. In the forest industries this means higher levels of closure in the material circulations of the mills. One possibility to reduce wastewater discharge is to re-use part of the 2nd clarifier effluent as process water. The main target of this thesis was to evaluate the technical suitability of several mechanical and chemical tertiary treatment methods for water re-use. Some of the tested methods seemed to have high potential for the removal of some specific constituents from the wastewater. Tertiary treatment is needed because higher levels of closure may cause problems with increasing amounts of non-process elements in different points of kraft pulp process. The aspect of sustainable development was taken into account by evaluating positive and negative environmental effects of the treatment processes. Environmental benefits can be gained by using some of the tertiary treatment methods tested. These methods should still be researched more for system optimization.

Characterization of the estrous cycle in Galea spixii(Wagler, 1831)

The Galea spixii inhabits semiarid vegetation of Caatinga in the Brazilian Northeast. They are bred in captivity for the development of researches on the biology of reproduction. Therefore, the aim of this study is characterize the estrous cycle of G. spixii, in order to provide information to a better knowledge of captive breeding of the species. The estrous cycle was monitored by vaginal exfoliative cytology in 12 adult females. After the detection of two complete cycles in each animal, the same were euthanized. Then, histological study of the vaginal epithelium, with three females in each phase of the estrous cycle was performed; five were paired with males for performing the control group for estrous cycle phases, and three other were used to monitor the formation and rupture of vaginal closure membrane. By vaginal exfoliative cytology, predominance of superficial cells in estrus, large intermediate cells in proestrus, intermediate and parabasal cells, with neutrophils, in diestrus and metestrus respectively was found. Estrus was detected by the presence of spermatozoa in the control group. By histology, greater proliferation of the vaginal epithelium in proestrus was observed. We conclude that the estrous cycle of G. spixii lasts 15.8 ± 1.4 days and that the vaginal closure membrane develops until complete occlusion of the vaginal ostium, breaking after few days. Future studies may reveal the importance of this fact for the reproductive success of this animal.

Metsäteollisuuden ympäristöstrategia hallinnon näkökulmasta : Metsäteollisuuden kehitysskenaariot vuoteen 2020

Suomen metsäteollisuus elää voimakasta uusiutumis- ja murrosvaihetta, joka ilmenee muutoksina yksittäisten tehtaiden ja tehdasintegraattien toiminnassa. Monia yksikköjä on poistunut tuotannosta ja tuotannon painotusta on muutettu. Toisaalta metsäteollisuus on suuntaamassa uusille aloille, jolloin tuotteina voivat olla esimerkiksi erilaiset biopolttoaineet, kemianteollisuuden raaka-aineet ja uuden sukupolven paperi- ja kartonkituotteet. Metsäteollisuuden muuttuminen ja laitosten monimutkaistuminen sekä jatkuvasti lisääntyvä tiedontarve asettavat yhä suurempia vaatimuksia sekä toiminnanharjoittajien ympäristövastaaville että viranomaisille. Hallinnon jatkuva muutos ja niukkenevat voimavarat voivat johtaa siihen, että käytännön lupa- ja valvontatyöhön jää yhä vähemmän aikaa. Kaakkois-Suomen ELY-keskuksen koordinoima hanke ”Metsäteollisuuden ympäristöstrategia vuoteen 2020 – hallinnon näkökulma” pyrkii vastaamaan edellä mainittuihin haasteisiin strategiatyön avulla. Hankkeen tarkoituksena oli tarkastella metsäteollisuuden ympäristönäkökohtia niistä lähtökohdista, joihin yritys voi vaikuttaa raaka-aineen tulosta tehtaalle ja tuotteen lähdöstä tehtaalta sekä tehtaan perustamisesta sulkemiseen ja jälkihoitoon asti. Tavoitteena oli määritellä toiminnoille toimiva ympäristöstrategia. Strategiassa pyrittiin löytämään yhteisymmärrys toiminnanharjoittajan ja viranomaisen kanssa mm. siitä, miten otetaan käyttöön parhaat käytännöt niin teollisuudessa kuin hallinnossakin, toimitaan uusien BAT-, IED- ja vesienhoitoperiaatteiden mukaisesti sekä edistetään kestävän kehityksen mukaisten tuotteiden markkinoille tuloa ja otetaan ennakointi tavaksi -lähtökohta käyttöön kaikessa toiminnassa. Hanketyössä esille nousseet haasteet ryhmiteltiin aihealueittain kolmeksi pääkohdaksi tärkeysjärjestyksessä: viranomaisen ja teollisuuden tiedonkulun ja tietämyksen parantaminen, lupa-, valvonta- ja hallintoprosessien parantaminen sekä uusien haasteiden kartoittaminen ja niihin reagointi. Haasteiden ratkaisukeinoiksi etsittiin käytännön toimenpiteitä sekä määriteltiin niille vastuutahot. Toimenpiteiksi esitettiin mm. viranomaisen ja teollisuuden yhteisiä koulutuspäiviä, asiantuntijapaneelin perustamista sekä lupamääräysten antamista myös tehtaan tai tuotantoyksikön sulkemisen tai muuttamisen varalle. Riittävien resurssien ja tietotaidon turvaaminen niin hallinnossa kuin teollisuudessa on ehdoton edellytys toimenpiteiden onnistumiselle.

On state and parameter estimation in chaotic systems

State-of-the-art predictions of atmospheric states rely on large-scale numerical models of chaotic systems. This dissertation studies numerical methods for state and parameter estimation in such systems. The motivation comes from weather and climate models and a methodological perspective is adopted. The dissertation comprises three sections: state estimation, parameter estimation and chemical data assimilation with real atmospheric satellite data. In the state estimation part of this dissertation, a new filtering technique based on a combination of ensemble and variational Kalman filtering approaches, is presented, experimented and discussed. This new filter is developed for large-scale Kalman filtering applications. In the parameter estimation part, three different techniques for parameter estimation in chaotic systems are considered. The methods are studied using the parameterized Lorenz 95 system, which is a benchmark model for data assimilation. In addition, a dilemma related to the uniqueness of weather and climate model closure parameters is discussed. In the data-oriented part of this dissertation, data from the Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS) satellite instrument are considered and an alternative algorithm to retrieve atmospheric parameters from the measurements is presented. The validation study presents first global comparisons between two unique satellite-borne datasets of vertical profiles of nitrogen trioxide (NO3), retrieved using GOMOS and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III (SAGE III) satellite instruments. The GOMOS NO3 observations are also considered in a chemical state estimation study in order to retrieve stratospheric temperature profiles. The main result of this dissertation is the consideration of likelihood calculations via Kalman filtering outputs. The concept has previously been used together with stochastic differential equations and in time series analysis. In this work, the concept is applied to chaotic dynamical systems and used together with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods for statistical analysis. In particular, this methodology is advocated for use in numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate model applications. In addition, the concept is shown to be useful in estimating the filter-specific parameters related, e.g., to model error covariance matrix parameters.

Selectivity of glyphosate tank mixtures for RR soybean

An active ingredients mixture of different action mechanisms is an essential tool to prevent or manage areas with resistant weeds. However, it is important that such a mixture provides adequate selectivity to the crop. The aim of this work was to evaluate glyphosate selectivity to glyphosate-resistant (RR) soybean, and also verify if there is selectivity in mixtures with other active ingredients applied postemergence aimed at new control strategies, which might be used in RR soybean cultivation. The herbicides and respective rates (g ha-1) evaluated were: glyphosate (720, 960, 1,200, and 1,440), and the mixtures of glyphosate (960) with cloransulam-methyl (30.24), fomesafen (125), lactofen (72), chlorimuron-ethyl (12.5), flumiclorac-pentyl (30), bentazon (480), or imazethapyr (80). All treatments were applied in postemergence when the soybean crop was at V2 to V3 stage. Treatments with glyphosate or in mixtures with postemergent herbicides showed visual effects of phytotoxicity when applied to the glyphosate-resistant soybean. Effects such as reduction in plant height, crop closure, number of pods per plant, and hundred grain weight could be observed. However, the effects related to plant development were mostly transient and did not persist during the crop cycle. Among the studied treatments, only the mixture of glyphosate and lactofen was not selective to the crop, promoting negative effects on most characteristics analyzed and consequently reducing grain yield.

Water relations of tree species growing on a rock outcrop in the "Parque Estadual de Itapuã", RS

Water relations of the tree species Myrsine umbellata Mart. ex A. DC., Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. and Erythroxylum argentinum O. E. Schulz, growing on a rock outcrop in the "Parque Estadual de Itapuã" (RS), were studied. Environmental (precipitation, temperature, soil water) and plant (water potential, vapor pressure deficit, stomatal conductance, transpiration, leaf specific hydraulic conductance, osmotic potential and cell wall elasticity) parameters were collected in five periods and pooled into two sets of data: wet and dry periods. Myrsine umbellata showed great stability of the plant parameters, including the maintenance of high pre-dawn (psiwpd) and mid-day (psiwmd) water potentials in the dry period (-0.48 and -1.12 MPa, respectively), suggesting the presence of a deep root system. Dodonaea viscosa and E. argentinum reached lower psiwpd (-1.41 and -1.97 MPa, respectively) and a greater degree of stomatal closure in the dry period, suggesting a shallower root system. Differential exposure to soil drought was also corroborated by differential drought effects on the whole-plant leaf specific hydraulic conductance (Gt). Correlation analysis pointed to weak correlations between psiwpd and g s. Erythroxylum argentinum was the only species to show osmotic adjustment in response to drought. It is suggested that M. umbellata has low tolerance to water deficits, adopting an avoidance behavior. The much lower values of psiw reached by D. viscosa and E. argentinum suggest a greater tolerance to drought by these species.

The Effect of Plant Closures on Market Value: Empirical Evidence from Pulp and Paper Industry 2004-2012

The aim of this study was to research how plant closure announcements affect the market value of the largest pulp and paper industry companies in the world. Also the effect of announcements on competitors was researched and whether the location of plants, timing, reasons for the closures, and characteristics of the closing firms and competitors have an impact on the results. The overall sample included 57 events in the years 2004-2012 and event study was used as a research method. Main theories were signaling theory and spillover effect. According to empirical results, investors consider plant closure announcements as a positive signal for market value. The spillover effect on competitors was, on average, positive and characteristics of the firms and closures had an effect on the results. Furthermore, the market generally predicted the closures and overreacted to them on the announcement day and after it. It is possible for corporate management and investors to learn from the results and use them as support for their decision making.

Connexin hemichannels and cell-cell channels: comparison of properties

Connexin46 (Cx46) forms functional hemichannels in the absence of contact by an apposed hemichannel and we have used these hemichannels to study gating and permeation at the single channel level with high time resolution. Using both cell-attached and -excised patch configurations, we find that single Cx46 hemichannels exhibit some properties expected of half of a gap junction channel, as well as novel properties. Cx46 hemichannels have a large unitary conductance (~300 pS) and a relatively large pore as inferred from permeability to TEA. Both monovalent cations and anions can permeate, but cations are substantially more permeable. The open channel conductance shows marked inward rectification in symmetric salts. We find that the conductance and permeability properties of Cx46 cell-cell channels can be explained by the series addition of two hemichannels. These data suggest that the pore structures of unapposed hemichannels and cell-cell channels are conserved. Also like cell-cell channels, unapposed Cx46 hemichannels are closed by elevated levels of H+ or Ca2+ ions on the cytoplasmic face. Closure occurs in excised patches indicating that the actions of these agents do not require a soluble cytoplasmic factor. Fast (<0.5 ms) application of H+ to either side of the open hemichannel causes an immediate small reduction in unitary conductance followed by complete closure with latencies that are dependent on H+ concentration and side of application; sensitivity is much greater to H+ on the cytoplasmic side. Closure by cytoplasmic H+ does not require that the hemichannel be open. Thus, H+ ions readily permeate Cx46 hemichannels, but at high enough concentration close them by acting at a cytoplasmic site(s) that causes a conformational change resulting in complete closure. Extracellular H+ may permeate to act on the cytoplasmic site or act on a lower affinity extracellular site. Thus, the unapposed hemichannel is a valuable tool in addressing fundamental questions concerning the operation of gap junction channels that are difficult to answer by existing methods. The ability of Cx46, and perhaps other connexins, to form functional unapposed hemichannels that are opened by moderate depolarization may represent an unexplored role of connexins as mediators of transport across the plasma membrane.

Myosin V and iNOS expression is enhanced in J774 murine macrophages treated with IFN-gamma

Actin-based motor protein requirements and nitric oxide (NO) production are important features of macrophage activity during phagocytosis or microbicidal processes. Different classes of myosins contribute directly or indirectly to phagocytosis by providing mechanical force for phagosome closure or organelle movement. Recent data have shown the presence of myosins IC, II, V and IXb in phagosomes of bone marrow-derived murine macrophages. In our investigation we demonstrated the presence of different classes of myosins in J774 macrophages. We also analyzed the effect of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), with or without calcium ionophore or cytochalasin B, on myosins as well as on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and NO production. Myosins IC, II, Va, VI and IXb were identified in J774 macrophages. There was an increase of myosin V expression in IFN-gamma-treated cells. iNOS expression was increased by IFN-gamma treatment, while calcium ionophore and cytochalasin B had a negative influence on both myosin and iNOS expression, which was decreased. The increases in NO synthesis were reflected by increased iNOS expression. Macrophages activated by IFN-gamma released significant amounts of NO when compared to control groups. In contrast, NO production by calcium ionophore- and cytochalasin B-treated cells was similar to that of control cells. These results suggest that IFN-gamma is involved in macrophage activation by stimulating protein production to permit both phagocytosis and microbicidal activity.

The conservative physiology of the immune system

Current immunological opinion disdains the necessity to define global interconnections between lymphocytes and regards natural autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells as intrinsically pathogenic. Immunological theories address the recognition of foreignness by independent clones of lymphocytes, not the relations among lymphocytes or between lymphocytes and the organism. However, although extremely variable in cellular/molecular composition, the immune system preserves as invariant a set of essential relations among its components and constantly enacts contacts with the organism of which it is a component. These invariant relations are reflected, for example, in the life-long stability of profiles of reactivity of immunoglobulins formed by normal organisms (natural antibodies). Oral contacts with dietary proteins and the intestinal microbiota also result in steady states that lack the progressive quality of secondary-type reactivity. Autoreactivity (natural autoantibody and autoreactive T cell formation) is also stable and lacks the progressive quality of clonal expansion. Specific immune responses, currently regarded as the fundament of the operation of the immune system, may actually result from transient interruptions in this stable connectivity among lymphocytes. More permanent deficits in interconnectivity result in oligoclonal expansions of T lymphocytes, as seen in Omenn's syndrome and in the experimental transplantation of a suboptimal diversity of syngeneic T cells to immunodeficient hosts, which also have pathogenic consequences. Contrary to theories that forbid autoreactivity as potentially pathogenic, the physiology of the immune system is conservative and autoreactive. Pathology derives from failures of these conservative mechanisms.

Forecasting financial weather - can we foresee market sentiment? Spectrum of stock price behavior - NYSE case study

The desire to create a statistical or mathematical model, which would allow predicting the future changes in stock prices, was born many years ago. Economists and mathematicians are trying to solve this task by applying statistical analysis and physical laws, but there are still no satisfactory results. The main reason for this is that a stock exchange is a non-stationary, unstable and complex system, which is influenced by many factors. In this thesis the New York Stock Exchange was considered as the system to be explored. A topological analysis, basic statistical tools and singular value decomposition were conducted for understanding the behavior of the market. Two methods for normalization of initial daily closure prices by Dow Jones and S&P500 were introduced and applied for further analysis. As a result, some unexpected features were identified, such as a shape of distribution of correlation matrix, a bulk of which is shifted to the right hand side with respect to zero. Also non-ergodicity of NYSE was confirmed graphically. It was shown, that singular vectors differ from each other by a constant factor. There are for certain results no clear conclusions from this work, but it creates a good basis for the further analysis of market topology.

Lauhdevoimakapasiteetin ennenaikaisen poistumisen energiataloudelliset vaikutukset

Tässä diplomityössä on tutkittu lauhdekapasiteetin ennenaikaisen markkinoilta poistumisen energiataloudellisia vaikutuksia. Tarkastelu toteutettiin sähkömarkkinamallinnuksen avulla luomalla kaksi erilaista lauhdekapasiteettiskenaariota perustuen arvioituun lauhdekapasiteetin poistumiseen sekä vastavuoroisesti sen säilymiseen markkinoilla. Skenaarioiden vaikutuksia tutkittiin myös herkkyystarkasteluin ja tuloksia analysoitiin energiataloudellisesta näkökulmasta. Työn tavoitteena oli selvittää lauhdekapasiteetin ennenaikaisen poistumisen energiataloudellista kustannusta. Viime vuosien pitkittynyt talouden taantuma on hillinnyt kysynnän ennakoitua kehitystä johtaen alhaiseen sähkön markkinahintatasoon. Samalla tiukentuneet energiatuotannon ympäristövaatimukset asettavat investointirasitteita perinteisille voimalaitoksille heikentäen niiden taloudellisen kannattavuuden edellytyksiä. Markkinasähkön alhainen hintataso yhdessä investointirasitteiden kanssa asettaa haasteita etenkin usein rajatuotantomuotona toimiville lauhdelaitoksille. Alhaisen kannattavuuden seurauksena lauhdekapasiteettia arvioidaan poistuvan ennen teknisen käyttöiän täyttymistä markkinoilta merkittävästi lähivuosina. Kapasiteetin poistuminen kasvattaa oman tuotannon ja kysynnän välistä tehovajetta, minkä vuoksi sähköjärjestelmän nähdään tiukentuvan merkittävästi ennen rakenteilla olevan ydinvoimalaitoksen valmistumista. Työssä toteutettujen mallinnusten perusteella lauhdekapasiteetin väheneminen nostaa sähkön hintatasoa sekä lisää korkeiden hintapiikkien esiintymistä merkittävästi suhteessa korkeamman kapasiteetin tuloksiin. Sähköjärjestelmä on hyvin tiukka ennen rakenteilla olevan ydinvoimalaitoksen käyttöönottoa, minkä vuoksi lauhdekapasiteetin eroavaisuuksien vaikutukset ovat merkittävä etenkin poikkeuksellisen kylmänä vuotena. Lauhdekapasiteetin merkitys pienenee selvästi 2020-luvulla, kun oma tuotantokapasiteetti kasvaa. Työn tulosten perusteella lähivuosina alhaisemman lauhdekapasiteetin aiheuttama vuotuinen energiataloudellinen kustannus on huomattavasti korkeampi kuin laitosten kannattavan ylläpidon vaatima kustannus.