Argilas: composição mineralógica, distribuição granulométrica e consistência de pastas

As argilas vermelhas, utilizadas para cerâmica estrutural e de revestimentos, apresentam variações significativas que se refletem no comportamento apresentado durante o uso, para obtenção de determinado produto. Dentro de cada segmento industrial há requisitos básicos para que uma determinada argila ou mistura tenha capacidade de dar produtos que se encaixem dentro das respectivas Normas. Um dos parâmetros básicos para sua classificação é a absorção de água das peças cerâmicas, que resulta da presença de poros abertos. Esta depende, tanto das matérias primas utilizadas, quanto dos processos aplicados durante a fabricação (moagem, umidificação, conformação e queima, principalmente). Neste trabalho foram estudadas argilas vermelhas provenientes da Formação Corumbataí na região do Pólo Cerâmico de Santa Gertrudes (SP) e da Formação Tatuí na região de Cesário Lange (SP) procurando parâmetros indicativos que permitam uma seleção apropriada de matérias primas para realizar combinações adequadas das mesmas, para revestimentos via seca no primeiro caso, e blocos estruturais no segundo. Foram amostradas argilas com características diferentes, estudando a evolução da sinterização com o aumento da temperatura visando analisar a influencia da distribuição granulométrica e da mineralogia no comportamento apresentado. Com as mesmas amostras foram preparadas misturas calculando a contribuição de cada matéria-prima baseado na absorção de água de cada componente, prefixando a temperatura de queima e o valor de absorção de água. As diferenças entre os valores experimentais e os esperados foram analisadas visando entender as causas das variações. A distribuição de partículas resultante da moagem das matérias primas é influenciada fortemente por processos de intemperismo, sendo que, em termos gerais, as mais intemperizadas...

Arbitrariedade e Iconicidade na constituição dos Itens Lexicais da Libras

O presente artigo evidencia a questão da relação dos fenômenos linguísticos de arbitrariedade e iconicidade na constituição dos itens lexicais da Libras, buscando refletir possíveis mudanças, variações ou evoluções considerando o primeiro registro do dicionário iconográfico no século XIX. O registro histórico da Língua Brasileira de Sinais, doravante Libras, data do século XIX, com o dicionário iconográfico, reproduzido por Flausino José da Gama, como sendo um meio de divulgar e disseminar a língua de sinais. Após este primeiro registro outros dicionários e manuários foram elaborados visando atender distintos objetivos, ora para ensinar uma língua para os surdos, ora para estabelecer a comunicação e ora visando a integração na sociedade.  O reconhecimento da Língua Brasileira de Sinais como uma língua natural e a sua regulamentação a nível nacional é fruto do século XXI, portanto a Libras ainda tem um longo percurso investigativo nas diversas áreas a ser explorada. Na área da linguística o que nos instiga a pesquisar são os conceitos linguísticos de arbitrariedade e iconicidade, uma vez que para muitos o fato de alguns itens lexicais remeter a forma provoca uma ilusória interpretação de que todo e qualquer sinal em libras é icônico. Estes conceitos são objeto de investigação em várias línguas de sinais, tanto no oriente como no ocidente, visando uma melhor compreensão da estrutura e formação das línguas de sinais. Assim, o debate sobre iconicidade e arbitrariedade serão norteadores para nossa discussão sobre a relação destes fenômenos linguísticos na constituição da Libras.

Tafonomia dos Pygocephalomorpha (Crustacea, Peracarida), subgrupo Irati, Permiano, Bacia do Paraná, Brasil: implicações paleoecológicas e paleambientais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Electronic states of trans-polyacetylene, poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and sp-hybridised carbon species in amorphous hydrogenated carbon probed by resonant Raman scattering

Inclusions of sp-hybridised, trans-polyacetylene [trans-(CH)x] and poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) chains are revealed using resonant Raman scattering (RRS) investigation of amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films in the near IR – UV range. The RRS spectra of trans-(CH)x core Ag modes and the PPV CC-H phenylene mode are found to transform and disperse as the laser excitation energy ћωL is increased from near IR through visible to UV, whereas sp-bonded inclusions only become evident in UV. This is attributed to ћωL probing of trans-(CH)x chain inhomogeneity and the distribution of chains with varying conjugation length; for PPV to the resonant probing of phelynene ring disorder; and for sp segments, to ћωL probing of a local band gap of end-terminated polyynes. The IR spectra analysis confirmed the presence of sp, trans-(CH)x and PPV inclusions. The obtained RRS results for a-C:H denote differentiation between the core Ag trans-(CH)x modes and the PPV phenylene mode. Furthermore, it was found that at various laser excitation energies the changes in Raman spectra features for trans-(CH)x segments included in an amorphous carbon matrix are the same as in bulk trans-polyacetylene. The latter finding can be used to facilitate identification of trans-(CH)x in the spectra of complex carbonaceous materials.

Direct and indirect effects of egg parasitism by Neopolyscystus Girault sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract Neopolycystus sp. is the only primary egg parasitoid associated with the pest beetle Paropsis atomaria in subtropical eucalypt plantations, but its impact on its host populations is unknown. The simplified ecosystem represented by the plantation habitat, lack of interspecific competition for host and parasitoid, and the multivoltinism of the host population makes this an ideal system for quantifying the direct and indirect effects of egg parasitism, and hence, effects on host population dynamics. Within-, between- and overall-egg-batch parasitism rates were determined at three field sites over two field seasons, and up to seven host generations. The effect of exposure time (egg batch age), host density proximity to native forest and water sources on egg parasitism rates was also tested. Neopolycystus sp. exerts a significant influence on P. atomaria populations in Eucalyptus cloeziana. plantations in south-eastern Queensland, causing the direct (13%) and indirect (15%) mortality of almost one-third of all eggs in the field. Across seasons and generations, 45% of egg batches were parasitised, with a within-batch parasitism rate of around 30%. Between-batch parasitism increased up to 5–6 days after oviposition in the field, although within-batch parasitism rates generally did not. However, there were few apparent patterns to egg parasitism, with rates often varying significantly between sites and seasons.

A new dasyurid marsupial from eastern Queensland, Australia : the buff-footed Antechinus, Antechinus mysticus sp. nov. (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)

Antechinus mysticus sp. nov. occurs in coastal Australia, ranging from just north of the Queensland (Qld)/New South Wales (NSW) border to Mackay (mid-east Qld), and is sympatric with A. flavipes (Waterhouse) and A. subtropicus Van Dyck & Crowther in south-east Qld. The new species can be distinguished in the field, having paler feet and tail base than A. flavipes and a greyish head that merges to buff-yellow on the rump and flanks, compared with the more uniform brown head and body of A. subtropicus and A. stuartii Macleay. Features of the dentary can also be used for identification: A. mysticus differs from A. flavipes in having smaller molar teeth, from A. subtropicus in having a larger gap between front and rear palatal vacuities, and from A. stuartii in having a generally broader snout. Here, we present a morphological analysis of the new species in comparison with every member of the genus, including a discussion of genetic structure and broader evolutionary trends, as well as an identification key to species based on dental characters. It seems likely that the known geographic range of A. mysticus will expand as taxonomic focus on the genus is concentrated in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales.

Molecular characterization of "Candidatus Similichlamydia latridicola" gen. nov., sp. nov. (Chlamydiales: "Candidatus Parilichlamydiaceae"), a novel Chlamydia-like epitheliocystis agent in the striped trumpeter, Latris lineata (Forster)

Histological analysis of gill samples taken from individuals of Latris lineata reared in aquaculture in Tasmania, Australia, and those sampled from the wild revealed the presence of epitheliocystis-like basophilic inclusions. Subsequent morphological, in situ hybridization, and molecular analyses were performed to confirm the presence of this disease and discovered a Chlamydia-like organism associated with this condition, and the criteria set by Fredericks and Relman's postulates were used to establish disease causation. Three distinct 16S rRNA genotypes were sequenced from 16 fish, and phylogenetic analyses of the nearly full-length 16S rRNA sequences generated for this bacterial agent indicated that they were nearly identical novel members of the order Chlamydiales. This new taxon formed a well-supported clade with "Candidatus Parilichlamydia carangidicola" from the yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). On the basis of sequence divergence over the 16S rRNA region relative to all other members of the order Chlamydiales, a new genus and species are proposed here for the Chlamydia-like bacterium from L. lineata, i.e., "Candidatus Similichlamydia latridicola" gen. nov., sp. nov.

The Black-tailed Antechinus, Antechinus arktos sp. nov.: a new species of carnivorous marsupial from montane regions of the Tweed Volcano caldera, eastern Australia

We describe a new species of dasyurid marsupial within the genus Antechinus that was previously known as a northern outlier of Dusky Antechinus (A. swainsonii). The Black-tailed Antechinus, Antechinus arktos sp. nov., is known only from areas of high altitude and high rainfall on the Tweed Volcano caldera of far south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales, Australia. Antechinus arktos formerly sheltered under the taxonomic umbrella of A. swainsonii mimetes, the widespread mainland form of Dusky Antechinus. With the benefit of genetic hindsight, some striking morphological differences are herein resolved: A. s. mimetes is more uniformly deep brown-black to grizzled grey-brown from head to rump, with brownish (clove brown—raw umber) hair on the upper surface of the hindfoot and tail, whereas A. arktos is more vibrantly coloured, with a marked change from greyish-brown head to orange-brown rump, fuscous black on the upper surface of the hindfoot and dense, short fur on the evenly black tail. Further, A. arktos has marked orange-brown fur on the upper and lower eyelid, cheek and in front of the ear and very long guard hairs all over the body; these characters are more subtle in A. s. mimetes. There are striking genetic differences between the two species: at mtDNA, A. s. mimetes from north-east New South Wales is 10% divergent to A. arktos from its type locality at Springbrook NP, Queensland. In contrast, the Ebor A. s. mimetes clades closely with conspecifics from ACT and Victoria. A. arktos skulls are strikingly different to all subspecies of A. swainsonii. A. arktos are markedly larger than A. s. mimetes and A. s. swainsonii (Tasmania) for a range of craniodental measures. Antechinus arktos were historically found at a few proximate mountainous sites in south-east Queensland, and have only recently been recorded from or near the type locality. Even there, the species is likely in low abundance. The Black-tailed Antechinus has plausibly been detrimentally affected by climate change in recent decades, and will be at further risk with increasing warming trends.