Decomposition of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis litter at two depths

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Acoustic repertory of Hypsiboas exastis (Caramaschi and Rodgrigues, 2003) (Amphibia, Hylidae).

Advertisement, territorial, and distress calls of Hypsiboas exastis, a species of the Hypsiboas faker group, are described for the first time. Acoustic records were obtained of one specimen found at the Municipality of Urucuca, state of Bahia, Brazilian eastern cost. We compared the advertisement calls of H. exastis with those of H. lundii and H. pardalis (the closest related species) and suggested a closer similarity with H. lundii.

Metabolic acidosis in healthy mules under general anaesthesia with halothane

Objective To report the severe metabolic acidosis identified in a group of 11 healthy mules anaesthetized with halothane for castration.Study design Data generated from a prospective study.Animals Eleven mules aged 2.5-8 years, weighing 230-315 kg and 11 horses aged 1.5-3.5 years, weighing 315-480 kg.Methods Animals were anaesthetized for castration as part of an electroencephalographic study. Preanaesthetic medication was acepromazine (0.03 mg kg(-1)) administered through a preplaced jugular venous catheter. Anaesthesia was induced 30-90 minutes later with intravenous thiopental (10 mg kg(-1)). After orotracheal intubation, anaesthesia was maintained with halothane vaporised in oxygen. The animals' lungs were ventilated to maintain the end-tidal CO(2) concentration between 3.9 and 4.5 kPa (29-34 mmHg). Anaesthetic monitoring included invasive blood pressure measurement via the auricular artery (mules) and submandibular branch of the facial artery (horses). Arterial blood gas samples were drawn from these catheters at three time points during surgery and pH, PaCO(2), base excess (ecf) and HCO(3)(-) were measured. Values were compared between groups using a Mann-Whitney test. p was taken as <0.05. Results are reported as median (range).Results PaCO(2) did not differ between groups but pH was significantly lower in mules [7.178 (7.00-7.29)] compared to horses [7.367 (7.24-7.43)] (p = 0.0002). HCO(3)(-) values were significantly lower in the mules [16.6 (13.0-22.3) mM] compared to horses [23.7 (20.9-23.7) mM] (p = 0.0001), whilst base excess (ecf) was significantly more negative in the mules [-11.4 (-1.27 to -16) mM] compared to horses [-1.3 (-5.8 to +2.4) mM] (p = 0.0004).Conclusion and clinical relevance This study demonstrated severe metabolic acidosis in healthy mules, which may have prompted intervention with drug therapies in a clinical arena. It is probable that the acidosis existed prior to anaesthesia and caused by diet, but other possible causes are considered.

Calcium polyphosphate coacervates: effects of thermal treatment

The addition of calcium chloride eletrolyte to sodium polyphosphate solutions lead to Calcium polyphosphate coacervates. The effects of a thermal treatment were investigated with the objective to increase the relative stability of the obtained material. Thermogravimetry analysis indicates that coacervates became less hydrophilic and more thermally stable after the thermal treatment. Crystallization was identified through differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Morphological changes were observed after the thermal treatment by scanning electron microscopy. N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms suggest that both materials, thermally treated or not, display type IV isotherms, low superficial area and mesoporous structure. Stability experiments in solutions at different pH values show that the thermally treated calcium polyphosphate is relatively more stable than the non-treated coacervate.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) within various phytophysiognomies of a Cerrado reserve in UberlA cent ndia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Morphology and topography analysis of mesoporous titania templated by micrometric latex sphere arrays

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

Effect of the surfactant nature on the thermo-stability of surface modified SnO2 nanoparticles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Roadside vegetation: estimation and potential for carbon sequestration

The present paper reports the assessment of the vegetation occupancy rate of the roadside, through analysis of aerial photographs. Using such value the potential of these areas to be employed as carbon (C) sinks was also assessed. Moreover, for the areas suitable for afforestation, the potential for carbon sequestration was estimated considering different species of vegetation, both native (scenario 1) and exotic (formed by Pinus sp. and Eucalyptus sp. - scenario 2). The study was carried out through GIS techniques and two regions were considered. A set of equations was used to estimate the rate of occupancy over the study areas, as well as amounts of fixed C under the above scenarios. The average occupancy rate was 0.06%. The simulation showed a higher potential for C sequestration in scenario 2, being the estimated amounts of CO(2) sequestered from the atmosphere per km of roadside: 131 tons of CO(2) km(-1) of highway to native species and 655 tons of CO(2) km(-1) of highway for exotic species (over period of 10 years for both estimates). If we consider the whole road network of the São Paulo State (approximately 190 000 km) and that a considerable part of this road work is suitable to receive this kind of service, it is possible to predict the very high potential for C sequestration if managers and planners consider roadside as area for afforestation.

Extracellular tannase from Emericella nidulans showing hypertolerance to temperature and organic solvents

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

A new species of Galendromus (Acari : Phytoseiidae): A case of intraspecific variation and redefinition of carinulatus species group

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

ENERGY GENERATION EXPANSION PLANNING MODEL CONSIDERING EMISSIONS CONSTRAINTS

The generation expansion planning (GEP) problem consists in determining the type of technology, size, location and time at which new generation units must be integrated to the system, over a given planning horizon, to satisfy the forecasted energy demand. Over the past few years, due to an increasing awareness of environmental issues, different approaches to solve the GEP problem have included some sort of environmental policy, typically based on emission constraints. This paper presents a linear model in a dynamic version to solve the GEP problem. The main difference between the proposed model and most of the works presented in the specialized literature is the way the environmental policy is envisaged. Such policy includes: i) the taxation of CO(2) emissions, ii) an annual Emissions Reduction Rate (ERR) in the overall system, and iii) the gradual retirement of old inefficient generation plants. The proposed model is applied in an 11-region to design the most cost-effective and sustainable 10-technology US energy portfolio for the next 20 years.

Cytoplasmic bridges, intercellular junctions, and individualization of germ cells during spermatogenesis in Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Cuterebridae)

During mitotic and meiotic divisions in Dermatobia hominis spermatogenesis, the germ cells stay interlinked by cytoplasm, bridges as a result of incomplete cytokinesis. By the end of each division, cytoplasmic bridges flow to the center of the cyst, forming a complex, called the fusoma. During meiotic prophase I, spermatocytes I present desmosome-like junctions and meiotic cytoplasmic bridges. At the beginning of spermiogenesis, the fusoma moves to the future caudal end of the cyst, and at this time the early spermatids are linked by desmosome-like junctions. Throughout spermiogensis, new and sometimes broad cytoplasmic bridges are formed among spermatids at times making them share cytoplasm. In this case the individualization of cells is assured by the presence of smooth cisternae that outline then structures The more differentiated spermatids have in addition to narrow cytoplasmic bridges, plasmic membranes junctions. By the end of spermiogenesis the excess cytoplasmic mass is eliminated leading to spermatid individualization. Desmosome-like junctions of spermatocytes I and early spermatids appear during the fusoma readjustment and segregations; on the other hand, plasmic membrane junctions appear in differentiating spermatids and are eliminated along with the cytoplasmic excess. These circumstances suggest that belt desmosome-like and plasmic membrane junctions are involved in the maintenance of the relative positions of male germ cells in D. hominis while they are inside the cysts. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A case study of the 9 August 1988 South Atlantic storm: Numerical simulations of the wave activity

During 9-11 August 1988, a cyclone developed over Uruguay in the lee of the Andes Mountains and moved over the South Atlantic Ocean, where it redeveloped into an intense storm. This storm was responsible for unusual wave activity along the Brazilian shoreline from 22° to 32°S. The Brazilian news media reported the loss of at least one life, waves of 3 m and higher, and the disappearance of a drainage pipe, which weighed 8000 kg, off the shores of Rio de Janeiro. In this paper, the evolution of this intense storm and the associated ocean wave response is studied through European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts analyses, a hydrostatic limited-area meteorological model, and a second-generation prognostic wave model. The atmospheric model results indicated the presence of a long-lived and large fetch with surface wind velocities higher than 12 m s -1 directed toward the coast. Some areas with velocities of 20 m s -1 were embedded in the fetch. The wave model forced by this wind field was able to simulate waves with a significant height of 8 m far from the coast and about 4 m in regions very close to the Brazilian coast in agreement with the occurrence reported at Rio de Janeiro. The swell propagation toward the coast of Rio de Janeiro was obstructed by a northeastward 10-m wind during the first 24-h period of the model's integration. During the second 24-h period, the fetch was still large and strong, but the obstacle was removed by a counterclockwise rotation of wind direction favoring the swell and windsea propagation toward the Rio de Janeiro coast.

Ultrastructural study of the coagulating gland of Wistar rats submitted to experimental chronic alcohol ingestion

Morphological changes of coagulating gland of Wistar rats submitted to the experimental chronic alcoholism were noted. Ultrastructurally, it was observed reduction of the granular endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and nuclei with basal position and irregular shape. The epithelial cells presented pycnotic nuclei and the mitochondrial cristae disappeared, characteristic of cellular degeneration.

Syntheses and luminescent properties of tetrahedral nickel(0) complexes

Tetrahedral nickel(0) complexes [NiL4], [Ni(dppe)2] and [Ni(CO)2(SbPh3)2] (L=AsPh3, SbPh3, P(OPh)3, dppe=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) were prepared by reduction of NiCl2·6H2O with NaBH4 under N2 or CO atmosphere in the presence of the ligand. The complex [Ni(SbPh3)4] was also obtained by electrolysis at -1.3 V (Ag/Ag+), under a platinum gauze, of the system NiCl2·6H2O/SbPh3 (molar ratio=1:4). These complexes, both in the solid state and in solution, show an orange emission at room temperature, when excited with UV radiation. A qualitative molecular orbital diagram for the [NiL4] complexes is proposed. Electronic absorption spectra of the complexes show bands near 400 nm assigned as MLCT π*2e←d2t2. A 1A1←3T1 transition is suggested for the emission observed in these systems. Lifetimes in microsecond range were estimated from time-resolved emission spectra. Spectroscopic properties of the free ligands have also been investigated.