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Inconel ®625 alloy (IN625) has been used extensively in aerospace, petrochemical, chemical, and marine applications due to its attractive combination of high tensile strength and excellent corrosion resistance. However, manufacturing components of IN625 is still challenging given the shape complexity and the high associated production costs ascribed to the excess metal removal in subtractive manufacturing techniques. Therefore, wire arc additive manufacturing through the direct energy deposition (DED-WA) technique had a growing interest due to gas metal arc welding with regulated metal deposition (GMAW—RMD™) of IN625. In this work, a computer numerical control (CNC) device was developed to perform the deposition of layers of an ErNiCrMo-3 wire to produce rectangular geometries with external dimensions of 210 × 100 × 60 mm and 10 mm thickness walls. Samples were sectioned and had their microstructural and corrosion resistance assessed. Other samples were heat treated and mechanically and electrochemically tested in two conditions: (i) stress relief (SR) and ii) SR followed by solubilization (SR + S), aiming to mitigate the harmful effects of phases formed during DED-WA or heat treatments, such as δ-phase. Thin-walled components, 210 × 100 × 60 mm, and 10 mm, were successfully fabricated by wire arc additive manufacturing through the direct energy deposition (DED-WA) technique. The as-build conditions presented ultimate tensile strength (716 MPa), large elongation fracture (≥ 35%), and intermediate fracture toughness (> 1.25 mm). The stress relief (SR) heat treatment improved mechanical properties (YS of ~ 450 MPa and UTS of ~ 750 MPa). However, the lowest elongation and fracture toughness (≥ 30% and > 0.5 mm) were presented. On the other hand, the additional solution treatment (SR + S) improved the elongation and fracture toughness (≥ 30% and > 1.5 mm) regarding the AB and SR conditions. The corrosion resistance of all the conditions was higher than the one shown by the wire and comparable to the wrought IN625 alloy at the SR and SR + S conditions.

ABSTRACT The carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) is a chemical compound that can be present at subsurface, inside the porous of reservoir rocks containing oil or natural gas, dissolved or free. Being [...]

ABSTRACT When Portland cement slurries comes in contact with carbon dioxide at the subsurface, can suffer serious problems by carbonation. The contact between the hydrated cement products and C[O.sub.2] occurs [...]

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogynespp.; RKN) are among the most destructive plant parasites in sugarcane. In Brazil, they are known to cause yield losses as high as 50%. However, in São Paulo State the identification, prevalence, distribution, and occurrence of Meloidogynespecies are poorly documented. Aim of this study was elucidate the etiology of RKN in sugarcane planting areas of São Paulo to develop integrated disease control strategies. For that, a survey was conducted based on soil and root samples collected across 36 fields in 10 municipalities. The nematode identification was carried out using a polyphasic approach based on esterase isoenzyme phenotypes, Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCAR) markers, ribosomal (D2/D3 segment of 28S), and mitochondrial genes (cytochrome oxidase I - COI, cytochrome oxidase II - COII and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 - NADH5). Meloidogyne javanicawas observed in all sampled fields and in one-third of the sampled areas in combination with M. incognita. Furthermore, the esterase phenotypes profiles J2 and J3 of M. javanicaand I1 and I2 of M. incognitawere found. This is the first description of M. javanicaprofile J2 infecting sugarcane. Overall, M. javanicaoccurred in all sampled sites, and M. incognitawas detected only in mix-species population. While the three methods were successful in identifying both Meloidogynespecies, only molecular barcoding and SCAR-PCR could detect in mix-species population in samples of sugarcane.

This paper addresses the distributed control of delayed interconnected nonlinear systems with time-varying delays in both the local subsystems' dynamics and the physical interconnections among the subsystems. The Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model with nonlinear consequent parts (N-TS), which is capable to provide less complex representations than standard T–S fuzzy models, is considered to efficiently deal with this class of complex systems. Then, based on Lyapunov–Krasovskii stability arguments, a synthesis condition is proposed to design a distributed control law such that the origin of the closed-loop interconnected system is locally asymptotically stable together with a guaranteed set of admissible initial conditions for which the validity of the N-TS fuzzy model is ensured. Moreover, a quasi-convex optimization procedure is formulated to enlarge the set of admissible initial conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed synthesis condition is validated in two numerical examples, including an interconnected power network with seven generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Two Portland cement slurries were intentionally formulated with characteristic and distinct behaviors. The slurries have in their composition conventional chemical additives that are frequently used in the cementing of [...]

Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, is a legume adapted to regions with a tropical climate and limited water resources, and it has become a basic food source and income generator. Root‐knot nematodes (Meloidogynespp.) cause substantial damage to the root system, resulting in yield losses. Genetic resistance is one of the most efficient management methods. The objective of this study was to generate information on genetic resistance to Meloidogyne incognitaand Meloidogyne javanicaof Brazilian cowpea genotypes. For this, 18 accessions of cowpea from the collection of Embrapa Meio‐Norte and six control accessions of cowpea were tested in completely randomized design with six replications, evaluated 60 days after inoculation, and carried out twice in time. To assess root penetration of nematodes and root gall formation in NIL‐CB3‐isoline, which allows reproduction but limits gall formation, nematodes inside the roots were stained with acid fuchsin, after inoculation with 5000 J2, with estimates at 72 h time‐points up to 28 days. None of the 18 accessions from Embrapa showed resistance to M. javanica, but accessions MNC06‐895‐1, MNC04‐14, MNC06‐909‐6, 98, MNCO4‐907‐35, and Am60‐15 showed resistance to M. incognita. There was a reduction in the number and size of galls in the NIL‐CB3 egg isoline, and an increase in formation of males, which are not important for parasitism. Given the importance and prospects for expansion of the cowpea crop throughout Brazil, the results of this study contribute to the knowledge on the reaction of Brazilian cowpea genotypes to the root‐knot nematode. There are sources of resistance in Brazilian germplasm banks for the management of Meloidogyne.Six accessions were considered resistant to M. incognita.No accession was resistant to M. javanica, thus, requiring a continuous search for resistance in cowpea genotypes.The life cycle of M. incognitain cowpea roots was 24 days.The NIL‐CB3‐egg isoline genotype affected the development of females in the root.

Graphical Abstract:

We determined the accumulation, agronomic efficiency (AE), and recovery efficiency (RE) of N, K, Ca, Mg, and S in the first broccoli crop, as well as the RE of N (NRE) and the soil solution (SS) characteristics in two subsequent crops, using different ratios (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) of Jack beans (JB) and pearl millet (PM). The treatments control, 100JB, 75JB25PM, 50JB50PM, 25JB75PM, and 100PM were applied only at the first broccoli crop. After the harvest, the treatment residual effect was measured in a second broccoli crop and the brachiaria grass (in four cuts). Greater nutrient accumulation, AE, and RE were detected with 100JB and 75JB25PM. Static differences in SS pH were detected in five of the 10 sampling dates, although the effect of treatments changed over time. In the SS, a higher concentration of N and K and a lower concentration of Ca, Mg, and S were detected with 100JB compared to the control. Increasing the proportion of JB in the mixture results in higher accumulation, AE, and RE of K, Ca, Mg, and S in the first broccoli crop and higher NRE in successive crops. As the proportion of PM in the mixture increases, the need for inputs that promote the mineralization process increases. Changes in SS are mainly crop-driven, except in the case of pH, EC, and nutrient concentrations which decrease as plant age and the number of established crops increase.

This work designs a low-cost wireless HR monitoring device, WeECG, that also stores the data for subsequent analysis. Additional important design requirements include ease of use, baby comfort, support for mobility while insuring also a high level of signal integrity. We first developed a client server architecture using off-the-shelf components and a smartphone running the Android operating system. During the development of the communication module, we tested and compared two separate communication technologies: a popular ultra-low power wireless transceiver with embedded base-band protocols and a BLE communication module. WeECG presented a smaller measurement error when compared with the palpation method and a standard deviation of 0.4069 BPM when the peak interval algorithm was applied. We also examined packet loss and developed strategies to mitigate its effect, making it possible to safely transmit ECG signals. Finally, we also analyse the solution in terms of cost, size and energy consumption.

This technical article investigates the problem of event-triggered gain-scheduling control of nonlinear systems. The considered class of nonlinear systems is such that an equivalent local polytopic model is obtained. By following the codesign approach, it is performed the simultaneous design of the dynamic event-triggering mechanism (ETM) and the gain-scheduled controller parameterized in terms of state-dependent scheduling functions. As the state information is only available to the controller at specific instants determined by the ETM, the scheduling functions of controller and plant polytopic model are asynchronous. To cope with this drawback, the trigger function of the dynamic ETM is appropriately defined to mitigate the influence of asynchronous scheduling functions in the Lyapunov stability-based analysis, allowing to derive a less conservative codesign condition. A convex optimization problem with linear matrix inequality constraints is proposed to perform the codesign and to enlarge the interevent times. Also, it is shown that there exists a lower bound for the interevent times, which prevents Zeno behavior. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the advantages of the proposed dynamic event-triggered control codesign approach over emulation-based approach and its static counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simplified system (SS) is a new method of selecting families in the first experimentation phase used in some sugarcane (Saccharum officinarumL.) breeding programs in Brazil. In the SS, clones are obtained from families whose genotypes are not individualized in the field. Such selected clones are used to compose the cloned family trial. In the conventional method (CM) of breeding, each genotype is individualized to form part of the family evaluation experiment. This work aimed to compare and verify if the SS provides genetic information at least similar to the CM. Two experiments were conducted, one for the CM and the other for the SS. Sixty full‐sib families were evaluated in each experiment. The characteristics evaluated were average stalk height, average stalk diameter, the content of total soluble solids (BRIX), the number of stalks per meter, average stalk mass, tonnes of stalks per hectare, and tonnes of BRIX per hectare. The mixed model methodology was used to estimate the genetic parameters and predict the families' genotypic values. Both methods enabled high precision in the evaluation of families and similar average genetic gains (10.1% for CM and 9.6% for SS). The SS makes it possible to select families with high genotypic value, high accuracy, and genetic gains comparable to the CM. Therefore, although the SS presents similar results as the CM, its simplicity and ease of being installed in the field in a smaller experimental area make it a promising methodology for selecting cloned families in a sugarcane breeding program. The simplified system is a new method of selecting genotypes in a sugarcane breeding program.The simplified system is time and labor‐efficient compared to the conventional method.The simplified system enables the early selection of clones at 6 mo of age.The selective accuracy and genetic gains are similar to the conventional method.The simplified system is a promising method to be used in sugarcane breeding programs.

The objective of this research was to examine how the same amount of N provided by pure or mixture composition of legume and grass affects the growth and yield of the first following crop (broccoli) and two more subsequent crops (broccoli and brachiaria grass). The first broccoli crop was fertilized with jack bean (JB) and pearl millet (PM) in the following proportions (%): control, 100JB, 75JB25PM, 50JB50PM, 25JB75M, and 100PM. The treatment residual effect was measured on a second broccoli crop and brachiaria grass, with no addition of fertilizer. Biochemical metabolism, canopy area, dry matter production, fresh matter yield, and nitrogen (N) accumulation were evaluated. In broccoli crops (first and residual), higher canopy area, fresh matter yield, dry matter, N accumulation, protein, and amino acid concentrations were detected with 100JB and 75JP25PM compared to the control. In the third crop (brachiaria grass), a greater residual effect on the dry matter and N accumulation were obtained with 25JB75PM and 100PM compared to the control. Protein, amino acids, growth, yield, dry matter production, and N accumulation reached the highest values in two successive broccoli crops when fertilized with mixtures with a higher proportion of JB. A higher residual effect is obtained in brachiaria grass fertilized with higher proportion of pearl millet.

This work proposes an ac–ac converter based on interleaved transformers associated with the dual active bridge (DAB) converter. The resulting symmetrical full-bridge converter (SFBC) can achieve high efficiency over a wide range of the output power and bidirectional power flow, as well as high power density owing to the possible integration of magnetics. The voltage waveforms on the high-frequency transformer (HFT) present five levels, resulting in filter elements with reduced dimensions. A detailed mathematical analysis of the SFBC comprising the operating stages, modulation technique, and soft-switching range is derived. An experimental prototype rated at 1 kW is implemented to validate the theoretical assumptions, thus demonstrating that the SFBC is capable of providing input power factor correction (PFC) and a load voltage waveform with low harmonic content.

Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurologic disorder in the world, affecting 1-2% of the population. Besides, 30% of epilepsy patients are drug-resistant. Genomic mutations seem to play a key role in its etiology and knowledge of strong effect mutations in protein structures might improve prediction and the development of efficacious drugs to treat epilepsy. Several genetic association studies have been undertaken to examine the effect of a range of candidate genes for resistance. Although, few studies have explored the effect of the mutations into protein structure and biophysics in the epilepsy field. Much work remains to be done, but the plans made for exciting developments will hold therapeutic potential for patients with drug-resistance. In summary, we provide a critical review of the perspectives for the development of individualized medicine for epilepsy based on genetic polymorphisms/mutations in light of core elements such as transcriptomics, structural biology, disease model, pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics in a manner to improve the success of trial designs of antiepileptic drugs.

Are motivation and overtraining reliable predictors of burnout in male professional soccer athletes over the course of the season? To answer this question, 32 Brazilian athletes from the same team (age: 24.16 ± 4.58 years) participated in this study and completed the following questionnaires during different periods of the season (n = 1 baseline, n = 2 preparatory, and n = 5 competitive): the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS I), the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport 76), and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ). The results indicated positive and negative as well as moderate and strong associations among the dimensions of motivation, overtraining and burnout. Regression analysis was used to estimate three models during the season (baseline/preparatory, baseline/competitive, and preparatory/competitive). Model 1 showed that the amotivation dimension predicts emotional and physical exhaustion (SEE = 0.39; p = 0.001;  = 0.38) and total burnout (SEE = 0.25; p = 0.001;  = 0.32). Model 2 indicated that amotivation predicts emotional and physical exhaustion (SEE = 0.32; p = 0.002;  = 0.24) and total burnout (SEE = 0.40; p = 0.001;  = 0.35). Model 3 evidenced that amotivation and sport-specific stress predict emotional and physical exhaustion (SEE = 0.19; p = 0.001;  = 0.73) and total burnout (SEE = 0.27; p = 0.001;  = 0.72). In conclusion, it was verified that the dimensions of amotivation and sport-specific stress are effective markers to predict burnout in the preparatory and competitive periods.

•Low- and high-frequency TENS is effective in controlling cancer pain in mice.•Cannabinoid CB1 receptor participates in the TENS-induced antinociception.•TENS increases the Anandamide levels at the peripheral and central levels.

Normally, CaO is used in steel desulfurization in slags from the systems: CaO–CaF2, CaO–Al2O3, and CaO–SiO2. Among these, the CaO–CaF2slags are more efficient. This paper uses computational thermodynamics to study the influence of solid and liquid phases in the efficiency of desulfurizing slags in the CaO–Al2O3system. Desulfurizing slags were prepared to produce steels with sulfur levels below 20ppm. Simulations using computational thermodynamics were made to determine the properties of the slags at 1600°C. The experimental tests were carried out in an induction furnace at 1600°C. The experimental results showed that slags from CaO–Al2O3system can be as efficient as slags from CaO–CaF2system, reaching final sulfur contents lower than 10ppm. The conclusion was that slags containing higher quantities of liquid phase are more efficient. However, the presence of some amount of solid CaO is necessary to keep the liquid phase of slag always saturated in CaO and its activity equal to unity. A Steel Desulfurization Factorwas proposed as an easy way to estimate the desulfurization efficiency.

The crop response and characteristics of soil solution (SS) change depending on the dose and fertilizer type used. This research determined the growth and yield of the broccoli and changes of the SS to identify the effect of the dose and fertilizer type used for the crop nutrition. Mineral fertilizer (MF) in 200% of the recommended dose (MF200), 10 t ha−1of the green manure velvet bean (GM10), MF similar to that supplied with GM10 (MF=GM10), GM10 + MF to supply a dose similar to that applied with MF200 (GM10+MF=MF200), and a control treatment were applied to broccoli. GM10 promoted growth, yield, and dry matter (DM) similar to the control but promoted less electrical conductivity (EC) in SS in the first 21 days after transplanting (TF21DAT). Less yield, harvest index (HI), DM, accumulation of nutrients, recovery efficiency (RE) of Ca and Mg, EC, and macronutrient concentration of SS in TF21DAT were obtained with GM10 compared with MF=GM10. The GM10+MF=MF200 promoted less accumulation of N, P, and Mg and EC in the SS in TF21DAT compared with MF200. A negative correlation was observed between the canopy area with the EC and concentration of N, K, Ca, Mg, and S of the SS. The GM10 did not alter the growth, yield, and DM of broccoli. Higher yield, DM, and RE were obtained with MF=GM10 compared with GM10. The combined fertilization allowed to obtain similar growth, yield, DM, and RE to the obtained with MF200. The characteristics of SS changed depending on fertilization dose, fertilizer type, and broccoli growth.

Green manure (GM) of jack bean can improve the quality of soil organic matter and increase soil fertility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the residual contributions of fertilisation with jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) to (i) organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in the soil and in the humic fractions, (ii) the percentages of nitrogen (N) derived from GM (NdGM) applied at different seasons and rates and (iii) the chemical attributes of the soil at different depths. The treatments consisted of two rates of GM required by the coffee tree (146 and 584 g pot−1of the dry mass of jack bean), two application seasons and one control. Seasons refer to fertilisations with enrichment of 15N for each rate, applied in 2009 and 2010. Soil samples were collected at four depths for analysis of humic substances (HSs), NdGM and chemical attributes. In general, the organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in the soil and in the humic fractions increased with green manure fertilisation. We found higher percentages of residual nitrogen for the highest rate applied in 2010, 1 year after the first season in 2009. The humic substances, organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in the soil and organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in the humic fractions increased to a depth of 0.40 m in soil fertilised with jack bean. The residual nitrogen from jack bean in the soil is dependent on the rate and seasons of application. The residual contributions of the fertilisation with jack bean in the chemical attributes of the soil are dependent on the applied rate and the soil depth.

Metallocompounds have emerged as promising new anticancer agents, which can also exhibit properties to be used in photodynamic therapy. Here, we prepared two ruthenium-based compounds with a 2,2′-bipyridine ligand conjugated to an anthracenyl moiety. These compounds coded GRBAand GRPAcontain 2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenathroline as auxiliary ligands, respectively, which provide quite a distinct behavior. Notably, compound GRPAexhibited remarkably high photoproduction of singlet oxygen even in water (ϕΔ= 0.96), almost twice that of GRBA(ϕΔ= 0.52). On the other hand, this latter produced twice more superoxide and hydroxyl radical species than GRPA, which may be due to the modulation of their excited state. Interestingly, GRPAexhibited a modest binding to DNA (Kb= 4.51 × 104), while GRBAdid not show a measurable interaction only noticed by circular dichroism measurements. Studies with bacteria showed a great antimicrobial effect, including a synergistic effect in combination with commercial antibiotics. Besides that, GRBAshowed very low or no cytotoxicity against four mammalian cells, including a hard-to-treat MDA-MB-231, triple-negative human breast cancer. Potent activities were measured for GRBAupon blue light irradiation, where IC50of 43 and 13 nmol L–1were seen against hard-to-treat triple-negative human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) and ovarian cancer cells (A2780), respectively. These promising results are an interesting case of a simple modification with expressive enhancement of biological activity that deserves further biological studies.

The objective of this work was to investigate the use of Biogran® functionalized with parathyroid hormone (PTH) 1–34 by sonochemistry for the local delivery of this anabolic agent to the implant site. The effects of Biogran® and topical administration of PTH 1–34 on peri-implant bone regeneration were evaluated from the microscale to ultrastructural levels in healthy (SHAM) and orchiectomized (ORQ). While some animals only received a titanium implant in their tibial metaphyses (CLOT group), in others the peri-implant defect was first filled with Biogran® either without or with PTH 1–34 functionalization (BG and BGPTH groups, respectively) prior to implant installation. Osseointegration was characterized from a biomechanical perspective by measuring the removal torque with the counter-torque technique. Micro-CT was used to evaluate the percentage of bone volume, trabecular thickness, number and separation, and bone-implant contact (BIC). Dynamics of new bone formation were assessed by measuring fluorochrome area, daily mineral apposition rate, and neoformed bone area using confocal laser microscopy. RT-PCR was performed to evaluate ALP and osteocalcin expression. The interface between newly formed bone and Biogran® was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) at the micro-and nanoscale, respectively, while elemental analyses were completed in SEM with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). STEM imaging demonstrated the intimate attachment of bone to Biogran® (nanoscale level). Overall, the results suggest that the effectiveness of the topical administration of PTH 1–34 at the implant site seems enhanced in osteoporotic bone, promoting peri-implant bone regeneration to comparable levels in healthy conditions.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting is still a common complication. Serotonin receptor antagonists are commonly used in clinical practice for antiemetic prophylaxis. Interindividual variations in drug response, including single nucleotide polymorphisms, are related to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes in these drugs and may lead to a poor therapeutic response. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of CYP2D6 isoenzyme and ABCB1 gene polymorphisms on the frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting with the use of ondansetron or palonosetron.

This paper deals with the asynchronous distributed event-triggered control of continuous-time nonlinear interconnected systems. The nonlinear dynamics of the subsystems are represented by Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy models via the sector nonlinearity approach. Moreover, the nonlinear interconnections among the subsystems are assumed to be known and sector-bounded. In the event-triggered control setup, where the state information is asynchronously available to the local controllers only in specific time instants, it is necessary to deal with the asynchronous premise variables because they introduce extra difficulties to derive suitable co-design conditions. To deal with this issue, we propose a new triggering strategy such that the local event-triggering mechanisms (ETMs) counteract the effects of asynchronous premise variables. With this new distributed ETM, a co-design condition is proposed, and the existence of a strictly positive minimum inter-event time is proved to exclude Zeno behaviour. Moreover, a multi-objective optimization procedure is introduced to enlarge the estimate of the domain of attraction of the closed-loop equilibrium and minimize the number of transmissions provided by the ETMs. Finally, the approach is validated through the synchronization of interconnected oscillators. • A distributed event-triggered control strategy for nonlinear interconnected systems. • The strategy counteracts the effects of asynchronous premise variables. • An optimization to enlarge the estimate of the DoA and minimize transmissions. • The approach is validated through the synchronization of interconnected oscillators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has been conducted on sugarcane genomes. The authors have investigated the genome complexity of sugarcane via the use of large-scale expressed sequence tag program, and they report that a vast number of unique genes has been identified, and that 90% of sugarcane expressed genes have been tagged.

O esporte tem tanto uma função integradora, sobretudo por meio das políticas sociais esportivas, quanto uma função econômica de garantir as condições gerais de produção, que se evidenciou no Brasil a partir dos grandes eventos esportivos. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar a configuração do gasto orçamentário com esporte no governo Dilma. Esta é uma pesquisa documental feita com base no Plano Plurianual – 2012/2015 e dados da execução orçamentária extraídos do Portal Siga Brasil, em que foram analisados os indicadores magnitude e direção do gasto. Identificamos que há limites à efetivação dos gastos planejados, bem como privilégio do gasto com grandes eventos e infraestrutura em detrimento dos gastos diretos com a prática esportiva.

Considering the importance of silicon (Si) to increase rice resistance to blast, this study investigated the nutritional status of rice plants supplied with this element in response to Pyricularia oryzae infection. Plants were grown in nutrient solutions containing 0 and 2 mmol·L-1 of Si (referred to -Si and +Si plants, respectively). The area under blast progress curve decreased for +Si plants due to a significant increase of 714% on the foliar Si concentration in contrast to -Si plants. For +Si plants, the foliar N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, and B concentrations were significantly lower in comparison to -Si plants. On infected plants, the foliar N, K, and Cu concentrations were significantly lower in comparison to noninfected ones. The foliar Zn, Fe, and Mn concentrations were significantly lower for -Si inoculated plants in comparison to -Si noninoculated ones. The foliar Mn and S concentrations were significantly lower for +Si inoculated plants in comparison to +Si noninoculated ones. The foliar Fe concentration was significantly lower for +Si inoculated plants in comparison to +Si noninoculated ones. Foliar Zn and Mn concentrations were significantly lower for +Si plants in comparison to -Si plants regardless of their inoculation with P. oryzae. Foliar Fe and S concentrations were significantly lower for +Si plants in comparison to -Si plants, respectively, for noninoculated and inoculated plants. Taken together, Si stood for itself in reducing blast symptoms without the need of high foliar concentrations of either macro or micronutrients that could affect plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel desulfurization mixtures of the CaO-Al2O3system are the most industrially used. These mixtures require an amount of solid CaO to keep them always saturated in CaO. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of adding CaF2and Na2O on the desulfurization efficiency of CaO-Al2O3system mixtures. Desulfurizing steel mixtures capable of producing steels with sulfur content of less than 0.0020% were formulated. Desulfurizing mixtures based on CaO-Al2O3-flux were prepared with fluxes CaF2and Na2O. All mixtures presented 95% of liquid phase and 5% of solid CaO, which, according to the literature, are the most efficient slags of this system. The equilibrium conditions were simulated using the composition of the mixtures and the steel by means of computational thermodynamic software. In these simulations, the activities of the slag components, the percentage of solids and liquids, the slag viscosity, and the equilibrium sulfur content were determined. The experimental tests were carried out in an induction furnace at 1600 °C. In addition, data on sulfide capacity (Cs), sulfur partition (Ls) and optical basicity (ʌ) of the initial mixtures, were calculated. The results of the simulations show that all mixtures have thermodynamic potential to reach the target of sulfur content set for this work. The mixtures with CaF2proved to be the most efficient. However, it is possible to obtain sulfur contents of 0.0020% using mixtures without CaF2.

•The structure, functionality and reliability of a custom-made vibratory system were fully described.•This custom-made vibratory system (RCVibro System) is highly reliable.•RCVibro System can be useful in clinical and research basis.

Ruthenium polypyridine complexes have shown promise as agents for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and tools for molecular biology (chromophore-assisted light inactivation). To accomplish these tasks, it is important to have at least target selectivity and great reactive oxygen species (ROS) photogeneration: two properties that are not easily found in the same molecule. To prepare such new agents, we synthesized two new ruthenium complexes that combine an efficient DNA binding moiety (dppz ligand) together with naphthyl-modified (1) and anthracenyl-modified (2) bipyridine as a strong ROS generator bound to a ruthenium complex. The compounds were fully characterized and their photophysical and photochemical properties investigated. Compound 2showed one of the highest quantum yields for singlet oxygen production ever reported (ΦΔ= 0.96), along with very high DNA binding (log Kb= 6.78). Such photochemical behavior could be ascribed to the lower triplet state involving the anthracenyl-modified bipyridine, which is associated with easier oxygen quenching. In addition, the compounds exhibited moderate selectivity toward G-quadruplex DNA and binding to the minor groove of DNA, most likely driven by the pendant ligands. Interestingly, they also showed DNA photocleavage activity even upon exposure to a yellow light-emitting diode (LED). Regarding their biological activity, the compounds exhibited an exciting antibacterial action, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, which was enhanced upon blue LED irradiation. Altogether, these results showed that our strategy succeeded in producing light-triggered DNA binding agents with pharmacological and biotechnological potential.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been identified as a promising material for biomedical applications. These include as contrast agents for medical imaging, drug delivery and/or cancer cell treatment. The nanotoxicological profile of SPIONs has been investigated in different studies and the distribution of SPIONs in the human body has not been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to develop a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict the pharmacokinetics of SPIONs. The distribution and accumulation of SPIONs in organs were simulated taking into consideration their penetration through capillary walls and their active uptake by specialized macrophages in the liver, spleen and lungs. To estimate the kinetics of SPION uptake, a novel experimental approach using primary macrophages was developed. The murine PBPK model was validated against in vivo pharmacokinetic data, and accurately described accumulation in liver, spleen and lungs. After validation of the murine model, a similar PBPK approach was developed to simulate the distribution of SPIONs in humans. These data demonstrate the utility of PBPK modeling for estimating biodistribution of inorganic nanoparticles and represents an initial platform to provide computational prediction of nanoparticle pharmacokinetics.

Taking the perspective of brand priming theory, this study proposes that brands associated with an audacious personality trait may influence consumers to be take more risks in making subsequent decisions. Two experiments, run in sport brands contexts, showed that individuals exposed to brands with high (vs. low) audacity traits demonstrated a higher rate of risk taking in financial decisions. The studies also showed that this effect is moderated by individuals’ experience with the financial market. This moderation suggests that there was an activation of a goal not just semantic activation, but through the brand priming. This research provides insights into how today's consumers deal with brand priming effects in risky choice settings. From a managerial perspective, it can help managers to understand the likely effects of brand priming on behavior and better predict the probability of risk aversion or risk seeking outcomes.

Water is a key element for the human survival but unsustainable patterns of water consumption are still evident. Many factors influence water conservation but the existing literature investigating psychological determinants of water conservation have so far focused on cognitive or motivational factors. However, there is growing evidence for the important role of emotions as predictors of environmental engagement in general and water conservation in particular. The present article contributes to this recognition of the role of emotions by reporting two studies on the development and validation of a measure to access negative emotions regarding water wastage, the Rating Scale of Emotions towards Water Wastage (RSEWW). Results confirmed that this 12-item scale form a unidimensional measure that reliably predict participants’ behavioral intention to participate in activities for the water conservation. Theoretical and practical implications from the findings are discussed in relation to the extant literature.

This study assesses the association between disease onset side (dominant or non-dominant) and vision on postural control of Parkinson's disease patients. Patient volunteers composed two groups, according to the onset side affected: Dominant group (n= 9; Mage = 66.1 yr., SD= 7.2; 6 women, 3 men) and Non-dominant group (n= 9; Mage = 67.4yr., SD= 6.4; 6 women, 3 men). The groups' postural control was assessed by posturography during quiet upright stance in two conditions, Eyes open and Eyes closed. Two-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs; group × condition) with repeated measures for the second factor assessed the differences associated with affected hemibody and vision on postural control. Analyses indicated that patients with the dominant side affected also presented significantly greater variation in center of pressure than those with the non-dominant side affected, mainly in the Eyes closed condition. The results demonstrate a higher reliance on vision in the dominant side, possibly to compensate somatosensory system impairments. These results also highlight the importance of analyzing the hemibody affected by the disease when postural control is assessed in this population.

A tarefa de levantar e andar (LEA) é muito usada no dia a dia e há a necessidade de conhecer o comportamento de idosos nesse tipo de ação. Diante disso, o objetivo foi avaliar jovens (GJ) e idosos (GI) na tarefa de LEA. Foram realizadas avaliações cinéticas e cinemáticas e do desempenho da tarefa entre os grupos. Após a análise estatística, foi observada apenas diferença estatística para a variável de máxima força vertical durante a fase perda de contato com o assento ao término do levantar, assim como o tempo de desempenho dessa fase foi menor para o GJ. O envelhecimento causa um impacto significativo na força e contribui, assim, para um maior dispêndio de tempo ao levantar da cadeira. Com isso, maior atenção deve ser dada à fase de transição da LEA.

Searches on the state of the art in environmental costs are relevant for envisioning the panorama of research on the topic. This study searches the Brazilian and international vision regarding the concept of 'environmental costs' in journals and proceedings, in English and Portuguese, from Jan/2001 to Mar/2013. We expanded the literature review with a summarised analysis, incorporating articles from journals in Latin American countries: Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Based on the analysis of these articles, we obtained: definitions and classifications of the environmental costs used by the authors, published articles per year, per number of authors, and the most cited authors, among other results. We concluded that in articles in Portuguese there is a tendency to divide the environmental costs from the classification of quality costs, and multiple costing methods were discussed but predominantly the activity–based costing (ABC). In articles from English, we found discussions on the relations between environmental costs, environmental management accounting, and externalities. In articles from Latin America, we identified the tendency to approach the study of environmental costs related to agribusiness. The development of this article contributed to understanding the panorama of scientific research regarding environmental costs, and it showed the importance of studying this subject.

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