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Assessing the contribution of multiple air pollutant sources is essential to effective emission control policy design, towards which numerical air quality modelling can provide fundamental guidance. In Piracicaba, an industrial municipality in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a straightforward control strategy focusing on local direct and precursor emission reduction has been proposed, as part of a state-wide program following the update of state Air Quality Standards in 2013. The WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ modelling system was used to investigate the effectiveness of the control scenario proposed in achieving expected air quality levels. Meteorological fields were modelled using the WRF model, for two 7-day periods (January 11–17 in summer and July 26 to Aug 01 in winter) during 2015. Emission scenarios were prepared using the SMOKE pre-processor, by combining a local industrial emission inventory with global emissions from the EDGAR HTAP_V2 database, for input in CMAQ modelling system. EDGAR industrial PM emission rate was similar to local inventory rate: 14% and 22% overestimated in summer and winter, respectively, albeit poorly spatially distributed, hindering its applicability in local studies. A 20% reduction in PM emissions improves average PM ambient levels in up to 15.5%, but a 20% reduction in O3 precursors emissions hardly impacts average O3 concentration levels ( more...

The assistive robotics field works with technologies aimed at assisting people with physical impairments. Simple tasks like passing through doorways can be a significant challenge for motored wheelchairs users. Besides, depending on the disability degree, the task may be impossible to complete without help. Therefore, mobile robotics technologies have been implemented in wheelchairs to give them intelligence, and a supervisory interface inserts the user in the control loop to complete the objectives. Thus, this research proposes an innovative method to assist the user to cross narrow passages automatically. The methodology works in known and unknown environments. Besides, it does not require mapping and global localization algorithms. In this technique, a depth camera recognizes the edges between a narrow path. A Kalman filter method is used to improve the precision of these points even when the passage leaves the camera field of view. Finally, a nonlinear controller performs the narrow passage crossing. This methodology was analyzed using a MATLAB model, Gazebo simulation platform, and a real mobile robot Pioneer-P3DX. The results demonstrated promising applicability. more...

The objective of this study was to characterize the vaginal bacterial flora and their antibiotic susceptibility in vitro after, application, and the reuse of an intravaginal progesterone device (CIDR) in controlling the estrous cycle in sheep. Thirty Texel ewe lambs were used, after carefully assessed on their health and body condition. Experimental groups were formed by new CIDR (CIDRn, n = 15) and CIDR reused (CIDRu, n = 15). Treatment with progesterone lasted 6 days. Sterile swabs were used for vaginal sample collection, a procedure performed previously of CIDR insertion and on the moment of CIDR removing. The predominant flora prior to insertion of intravaginal devices proved to be 93.3% (14/15) and 80.0% (12/15) of gram-positive agents, especially of the genera Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus sp. in CIDRn CIDRu groups, respectively. Upon removal of the devices, however, it was observed that the emergence of gram-negative agents in 100% of the samples CIDRn, most of them belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae genus. In CIDRu group, there was a balance between negative- and gram-positive agents on the removal of the devices. Regarding to susceptibility, our findings revelated some degree of resistance in all samples. Therefore, our conclusions pointed out that intravaginal devices (CIDR), when employed in the first use, or reuse, for a period of 6 days, promote a change in vaginal flora of sheep, highlighting the predominance of gram-negative agents during its removal. more...

Jasmonates are signaling molecules that play key roles in wound response and regulate the biosynthesis of many defensive proteins, including proteases. In this study, we investigate the effects of wounding and methyl jasmonate (MJ) application on the protein expression pattern of Ricinus communis L. leaves and on proteolytic activity. Gelatin zymography demonstrated that both MJ and mechanical wounding induce alterations in the proteolytic pattern of castor bean leaves (R. communis L.). Expression of two cysteine proteases (38 and 29 kDa) was induced by the treatments employed; however, MJ induced a higher protease level than mechanical wounding during the stress period (24, 48, and 72 h). The increase in protease activity mirrors the decline in soluble protein content and rubisco degradation that may indicate initiation of senescence in castor plants. The 29 kDa protease has an acidic optimal pH; whereas the 38 kDa protease has a neutral optimum activity. Both proteases were almost completely inhibited by E-64 and cystatin. The significant induction of these proteins by MJ suggests a possible role of cysteine proteases in leaf senescence as well as their involvement in regulating both the wound response and MJ in castor bean plants. more...

Elastic and inelastic scattering differential cross sections were measured in the energy range 30 MeV ≤ E lab ≤ 55 MeV, for the 14N +59Co system. Ambiguities of the optical potential derived from the analysis of the elastic scattering data were removed by performing calculations at the radius of sensitivity and by comparison with the available fusion cross section data. A simultaneous analysis of the three mechanisms was performed by coupled channel calculations, and a unique energy independent nuclear potential was found to be able to fit the data. Discussions and comparisons concerning the optical model, the threshold anomaly, full and approximated coupled channel calculations are presented. more...

In order to isolate novel delta-endotoxins fromBacillus thuringiensis Berliner, a total of 426 native isolates (in varying numbers for each pest) were screened against four major maize pests: corn earworm,Helicoverpa zea; fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda; southwestern corn borer,Diatraea graridiosella, and sugarcane borer,Diatraea saccharalis. Spore-crystal complexes from the isolates were integrated into semi-artificial diets of each pest and mortality was assessed 7 days after treatment. A total of 25 isolates were selected on the basis of highest larval mortality against at least one insect species. There was no correspondence of the most toxic isolates when tested against the four different insect species. Most of the 25 selected isolates caused higher toxicities against all four pests than the standard strain HD-1, regardless of not achieving 100% mortality in any bioassay.H. zea demonstrated the highest level of mortality (96%) and was susceptible to the largest number of isolates (98). None of the other insect species were found susceptible at levels greater than 60%. All the selected active strains were isolated from stored grain dusts (except for LBIT-167), and had bipyramidal crystals with Cry I-like proteins. Most isolates also formed an associated square (cubic) inclusion, with Cry Il-like proteins according to SDS-PAGE analysis of their parasporal bodies. The most active isolates will be subjected to further studies, in order to identify putative novel genes to be expressed in transgenic maize more...