A preliminary characterization of the mutagenicity of atmospheric particulate matter collected during sugar cane harvesting using the Salmonella/microsome microsuspension assay

During sugar cane harvesting season, which occurs from May to November of each year, the crops are burnt, cut, and transported to the mills. There are reports showing that mutagenic activity and PAH content increase during harvesting season in some areas of Sao Paulo State in comparison with nonharvesting periods. The objective of this work was to preliminarily characterize the mutagenic activity of the total organic extracts as well as corresponding organic fractions of airborne particulate matter (PM) collected twice from two cities, Araraquara (ARQ) and Piracicaba (PRB), during sugar cane harvesting season using the Salmonella/microsome microssuspension assay. One sample collected in Sao Paulo metropolitan area was also included. The mutagenicity of the total extracts ranged from 55 to 320 revertants per cubic meter without the addition of S9 and from not detected to 57 revertants per cubic meter in the presence of S9 in areas with sugar cane plantations. Of the three fractions analyzed, the most polar ones (nitro and oxy) were the most potent. A comparison of the response of TA98 with YG1041 and the increased potencies without S9 indicated that nitro compounds are causing the observed effect. More studies are necessary to verify the sources of the mutagenic activity such as burning of vegetal biomass and combustion of heavy duty vehicles used to transport the sugar cane to the mills. The Salmonella/microsome assay can be an important tool to monitor the atmosphere for mutagenicity during sugar cane harvesting season.

Development Of Water Pollution Early Warning System For Oyster Harvesting Areas

The objective of this study is to develop a Pollution Early Warning System (PEWS) for efficient management of water quality in oyster harvesting areas. To that end, this paper presents a web-enabled, user-friendly PEWS for managing water quality in oyster harvesting areas along Louisiana Gulf Coast, USA. The PEWS consists of (1) an Integrated Space-Ground Sensing System (ISGSS) gathering data for environmental factors influencing water quality, (2) an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model for predicting the level of fecal coliform bacteria, and (3) a web-enabled, user-friendly Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for issuing water pollution advisories and managing oyster harvesting waters. The ISGSS (data acquisition system) collects near real-time environmental data from various sources, including NASA MODIS Terra and Aqua satellites and in-situ sensing stations managed by the USGS and the NOAA. The ANN model is developed using the ANN program in MATLAB Toolbox. The ANN model involves a total of 6 independent environmental variables, including rainfall, tide, wind, salinity, temperature, and weather type along with 8 different combinations of the independent variables. The ANN model is constructed and tested using environmental and bacteriological data collected monthly from 2001 – 2011 by Louisiana Molluscan Shellfish Program at seven oyster harvesting areas in Louisiana Coast, USA. The ANN model is capable of explaining about 76% of variation in fecal coliform levels for model training data and 44% for independent data. The web-based GIS platform is developed using ArcView GIS and ArcIMS. The web-based GIS system can be employed for mapping fecal coliform levels, predicted by the ANN model, and potential risks of norovirus outbreaks in oyster harvesting waters. The PEWS is able to inform decision-makers of potential risks of fecal pollution and virus outbreak on a daily basis, greatly reducing the risk of contaminated oysters to human health.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS of AMAZON RIVER PRAWN FARMING TO THE MARKETS FOR LIVE BAIT and JUVENILES IN PANTANAL, BRAZIL

The implementation of a hypothetical aquaculture facility with hatchery, nursery and grow-out earthen ponds for raising the Amazon River Prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum in the Pantanal was considered. Eight larviculture cycles per year were projected: four to produce post-larvae for stocking in grow-out bait ponds, and four to stock nursery tanks to sell juveniles as seed to grow-out farms, which produce prawns for human consumption. Annual production would be 146,880 dozen bait prawns and 2,938 thousand juveniles. The assumed sale prices were US$ 1.38 per dozen baits and US$ 15.39 per thousand juveniles. The net present value was US$ 555,890.79, internal rate of return was 48% per year, payback period was 2.4 years and benefit-cost ratio was 3.90. The breakeven price to cover total costs per dozen baits was US$ 0.70 and per thousand juveniles was US$ 17.00, indicating that the selling price assumed for juveniles in base scenario is not realistic. Net return was US$ 84,773.80. The results indicate that this activity would be a lucrative and attractive investment in the Pantanal.

Population structure of pond-raised Macrobrachium amazonicum with different stocking and harvesting strategies

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

On the performance of a dual-mode non-linear vibration energy harvesting device

The research trend for harvesting energy from the ambient vibration sources has moved from using a linear resonant generator to a non-linear generator in order to improve on the performance of a linear generator; for example, the relatively small bandwidth, intolerance to mistune and the suitability of the device for low-frequency applications. This article presents experimental results to illustrate the dynamic behaviour of a dual-mode non-linear energy-harvesting device operating in hardening and bi-stable modes under harmonic excitation. The device is able to change from one mode to another by altering the negative magnetic stiffness by adjusting the separation gap between the magnets and the iron core. Results for the device operating in both modes are presented. They show that there is a larger bandwidth for the device operating in the hardening mode compared to the equivalent linear device. However, the maximum power transfer theory is less applicable for the hardening mode due to occurrence of the maximum power at different frequencies, which depends on the non-linearity and the damping in the system. The results for the bi-stable mode show that the device is insensitive to a range of excitation frequencies depending upon the input level, damping and non-linearity.

On the optimum parameters of a device for harvesting energy from running and walking

This paper investigates the feasibility of using an energy harvesting device tuned such that its natural frequency coincides with higher harmonics of the input to capture energy from walking or running human motion more efficiently. The paper starts by reviewing the concept of a linear resonant generator for a tonal frequency input and then derives an expression for the power harvested for an input with several harmonics. The amount of power harvested is estimated numerically using measured data from human subjects. Assuming that the input is periodic, the signal is reconstructed using a Fourier series before being used in the simulation. It is found that although the power output depends on the input frequency, the choice of tuning the natural frequency of the device to coincide with a particular higher harmonic is restricted by the amount of damping that is needed to maximize the amount of power harvested, as well as to comply with the size limit of the device. It is also found that it is not feasible to tune the device to match the first few harmonics when the size of the device is small, because a large amount of damping is required to limit the motion of the mass.

Vibration energy harvesting using piezoelectric transducer and non-controlled rectifiers circuits

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Hartman-Grobman decomposition when in presence of jumps in the relative degree of the dynamics in an energy harvesting device

This work deals with the nonlinear piezoelectric coupling in vibration-based energy harvesting, done by A. Triplett and D.D. Quinn in J. of Intelligent Material Syst. and Structures (2009). In that paper the first order nonlinear fundamental equation has a three dimensional state variable. Introducing both observable and control variables in such a way the controlled system became a SISO system, we can obtain as a corollary that for a particular choice of the observable variable it is possible to present an explicit functional relation between this variable one, and the variable representing the charge harvested. After-by observing that the structure in the Input-Output decomposition essentially changes depending on the relative degree changes, presenting bifurcation branches in its zero dynamics-we are able in to identify this type of bifurcation indicating its close relation with the Hartman - Grobman theorem telling about decomposition into stable and the unstable manifolds for hyperbolic points.

An alternative technique to the harvesting of a connective tissue graft from a thin palate: Enhanced wound healing

This article describes an alternative surgical approach to the harvesting of subepithelial connective tissue grafts from thin palates. A partial-thickness flap is raised, and a graft composed of epithelium and connective tissue is removed from the palate. The superficial layer ( epithelium and a thin zone of connective tissue) is then dissected from the graft and replaced at the donor site to facilitate faster healing. The subjacent layer of connective tissue is placed as needed to obtain root coverage. The clinical application of this technique is described in two patients with multiple gingival recessions.

Evaluation of Patients' Perceptions of Alterations After Chin Bone Graft Harvesting

Objective: To evaluate patients' perceptions of alterations occurring after chin bone harvesting.Materials and Methods: Thirty patients were evaluated subjectively by visual analog scale-related sensitivity, facial aesthetics, eating, speaking, and lower lip movement, during 12 months. Objective analysis used the static light touch neurosensorial test. The statistical analysis was executed with Friedman test with P < 0.05 for both samples.Results: Subjective analysis revealed no alterations (1) to facial aesthetics, eating, speaking or lower lip movement but sensitivity of the mental region went from a lot of alteration initially (5) to little at the end of the study (3). Objective analysis results showed normal sensitivity (1) in the region after 12 months.Conclusion: The discrepancy between subjective and objective analyses may be indicative of the limited precision of clinical testing for subjective impressions assessment. (Implant Dent 2012;21:411-414)

Prospective study of soft tissue contour changes following chin bone graft harvesting

This study sought to evaluate changes in the soft tissue contour after chin bone graft harvesting. Thirty selected patients underwent chin bone graft harvesting and evaluations were made using lateral cephalograms preoperatively and postoperatively at 30 and 180 days. Fixed points and lines were established on cephalometric tracings and used to measure the selected vertical and sagittal parameters. Results showed statistically significant alterations to the vertical position values of the vermilion (V-VPV) which increased from 9.70 to 11.01 and the exposure of lower incisors (V-ELI) which increased from 1.85 to 3.5, showing an increase in their distance from the plane of reference and a lowering of their position, the clinical equivalent of a labial ptosis condition. None of the sagittal parameters analysed showed any statistically significant variation in the final evaluation. The study concluded that the alterations to patients' soft tissue contours resulted mainly from failure to ensure precise reattachment of the mentalis muscles and identified the need for further investigation of that aspect.

Filamentous fungi found in Atta sexdens rubropilosa colonies after treatment with different toxic bait formulations

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

An improved bait method for collecting Hymenoptera, especially social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae)

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

Contribution of sugar-cane harvesting season to atmospheric contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Araraquara city, Southeast Brazil

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

Burnt sugarcane harvesting: Particulate matter exposure and the effects on lung function, oxidative stress, and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)