Impact of germanium on the growth of Pseudonitzschia pungens f. multiseries and the production of algal toxin

The impacts of germanic acid Ge(OH)(4) on the growth of Psuedonitzschia pungens f. multiseries and on the production of the algal toxin, domoic acid, were studied. The results showed that germanic acid in the range of concentrations could inhibit the growth of the algal cells and the inhibition was enhancing with the concentrations of germanic acid increasing. Germanic acid also could inhibit the production of the algal toxin, domoic acid in cells and the inhibition reached up to 100% at Ge/Si = 35. Based on the results, the mechanism was discussed.

Impact of astaxanthin-enriched algal powder of Haematococcus pluvialis on memory improvement in BALB/c mice

The impact of astaxanthin-enriched algal powder on auxiliary memory improvement was assessed in BALB/c mice pre-supplemented with different dosages of cracked green algal (Haematococcus pluvialis) powder daily for 30 days. The supplemented mice were first tested over 8 days to find a hidden platform by swimming in a Morris water maze. Then, for 5 days, the mice were used to search for a visible platform in a Morris water maze. After that, the mice practised finding a safe place-an insulated platform in a chamber-for 2 days. During these animal experimental periods, similar algal meals containing astaxanthin at 0, 0.26, 1.3 and 6.4 mg/kg body weight were continuously fed to each group of tested mice. Profiles of latency, distance, speed and the direction angle to the platforms as well as the diving frequency in each group were measured and analyzed. The process of mice jumping up onto the insulated platform and diving down to the copper-shuttered bottom with a 36 V electrical charge were also monitored by automatic video recording. The results of the Morris maze experiment showed that middle dosage of H. pluvialis meals (1.3 mg astaxanthin/kg body weight) significantly shortened the latency and distance required for mice to find a hidden platform. However, there was no obvious change in swim velocity in any of the supplemented groups. In contrast, the visible platform test showed a significant increase in latency and swim distance, and a significant decrease in swim speed for all groups of mice orally supplemented with H. pluvialis powder compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Mice supplemented with the algal meal hesitantly turned around the original hidden platform, in contract to mice supplemented with placebo, who easily forgot the original location and accepted the visible platform as a new safe place. These results illustrate that astaxanthin-enriched H. pluvialis powder has the auxiliary property of memory improvement. The results from the platform diving test showed that the low and middle dosage of H. pluvialis powder, rather that the high dosage, increased the latency and reduced the frequency of diving from the safe insulated platform to the electrically stimulated copper shutter, especially in the low treatment group (P < 0.05). These results indicate that H. pluvialis powder is associated with dose-dependent memory improvement and that a low dosage of algal powder (<= middle treatment group) is really good for improving the memory.

Corrosion of steel structures in sea-bed sediment

Seabed sediment (SBS) is a special soil that is covered by seawater. With the developments in marine oil exploitation and engineering, more and more steel structures have been buried in SBS. SBS corrosion has now become a serious problem in marine environment and an important issue in corrosion science. In this paper, approach in the field of SBS corrosion is reviewed. Electrochemical and microbial corrosion factors, corrosion mechanism, measurement of metal corrosion rate, corrosion evaluation and prediction of corrosion are also discussed here.

A study of carbon deposition on catalysts during the catalytic partial oxidation of methane to syngas in a fluidized bed

The deposition of carbon on catalysts during the partial oxidation of methane to syngas has been investigated in a fluidized bed. It was found that the relative rate of carbon deposition follows the order NiP > >d > Pt, Rh. Although the rate of carbon deposition in the fluidized bed was much lower than that in the fixed bed, carbon deposition could still be detected in the fluidized bed if a CH4/O-2 ratio in greater than 2.3 was used.

Heterogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate on chirally modified Pt/Al2O3 catalyst with fixed-bed reactor

The enantioselective hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate on the cinchonidine modified Pt/Al2O3 catalyst was investigated using a high-pressure reaction system with a fixed-bed reactor for the purpose to produce the,chiral product without separating the catalyst from the reaction system. The reaction was also investigated in a batch reactor for comparison. About 60% e. e. and 90% e. e. were obtained with the fixed-bed reactor and the batch reactor respectively, demonstrating the possibility for the heterogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation in the fixed-bed reactor. Some adsorbed chiral modifier, cinchonidine, can be slowly removed from the surface of Pt/Al2O3 under the continuous flow reaction, as a result, the e, e, values drops with the reaction time in the fixed-bed reactor. The enantio-selectivity is higher in the fixed-bed reactor, but lower in the batch reactor when ethanol was used as solvent than that when acetic acid as solvent. CO was used as molecular probe to characterize the adsorption of cinchonidine an the catalyst surface by IR spectroscopy, A red shift observed in IR spectra of coadsorbed CO with cinchonidine suggests that the cinchonidine adsorption is mainly through the pi -interaction with platinum surface and donating electron to the platinum surface.

Planejamento da exploração em uma unidade de produção de floresta tropical no Estado do Amazonas.

2010

Evolução da produtividade agrícola em floresta tropical úmida, entre 1986 e 1999: o caso de Machadinho d´Oeste-RO.

Este trabalho analisa a evolução da produtividade agrícola em relação à tipologia dos solos de cerca de 455 produtores rurais, que vêm sendo acompanhados anualmente por imagens de satélites a cada três anos, através da aplicação de questionários com informações agroambientais e socioeconômicas em campo, desde 1986, na floresta tropical úmida em Machadinho d´Oeste, Rondônia. Em 1999, dando continuidade ao trabalho de monitoramento da pequena agricultura nesta região, um novo levantamento foi realizado, sobre os sistemas de produção agrícolas praticados, aliado ao levantamento e tratamento dos solos agrícolas das propriedades pesquisadas quanto às características químicas, físicas e morfológicas dos mesmos.

Uso de lodo de esgoto como fertilizante orgânico: disponibilização de nitrogênio em solo tropical.

2004

Propriedade intelectual: núcleo de inovação tecnológica Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura Tropical.

Propriedade Intelectual é uma expressão genérica que visa garantir a inventores ou responsáveis por qualquer produção do intelecto (seja nos domínios industrial, literário, artístico ou científico) o direito de aproproiação. De acordo com a definição da Organização Mundial de Propriedade Intelectual (OMPI) constituem Propriedade Intelectual as invenções, obras literárias, artísticas e científicas, simbolos, nomes, imagens, desenhos e modelos utilizados pelos comércios.

Banco ativo de germoplasma de citros da Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura Tropical: passado, presente e futuro.

A introdução, preservação e caracterização de germoplasma de citros são atividades prioritárias, não somente pela possibilidade de contribuir para a diversificação no uso de cultivares, mas principalmente pela necessidade de se estudar o comportamento das espécies cítricas em diferentes ecossistemas. Os estudos com citros na EMBRAPA - Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Mandioca e Fruticultura Tropical (CNPMF), também denominada Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura Tropical, sediada no município de Cruz das Almas, BA, procedem do início dos anos 50 quando foi criado o Instituto Agronômico do Leste - IAL pelo atual Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento - MAPA. A partir dos anos 80, tendo como base o Banco Ativo de Germoplasma (BAG) de Citros dessa unidade da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - Embrapa, iniciou-se um trabalho de melhoramento genético dirigido especialmente à obtenção de porta-enxertos híbridos adaptados às condições regionais. A avaliação global desse trabalho é positiva, tendo em vista estar sendo conduzido em condições tipicamente tropicais (paralelo 12o, latitude sul), sendo, talvez, a única experiência no mundo nesse tipo de ambiente, além do BAG Citros ser a principal fonte de material botânico desse grupo de fruteiras no Norte e Nordeste brasileiros, este último destacando-se como a segunda região maior produtora nacional de cítricos.