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Abstract Background In Brazil, despite advances in public health policies aimed at eliminating and controlling infectious and parasitic diseases, the incidence of neglected diseases is still high. The epidemiological scenario in Brazil of diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy evidences a public policy agenda that has not been resolute in terms of control, nor in terms of elimination. Objective To analyze the actions of diagnosis and treatment of leprosy and tuberculosis in the context of primary health care. Methods In this ecological study, data from the third cycle of the Program for the Improvement of Access and Quality of Primary Care were extracted from electronic address of the Primary Health Care Secretariat of Brazil in the area of Actions, Programs and Strategies. A total of 37,350 primary health care teams were that answered the questionnaire were eligible, with variables extracted from leprosy and tuberculosis control actions. The municipalities were grouped according to the characteristic of the Brazilian municipality. The partition chi-square and the Residuals Test were used to assess whether there was a difference in the proportion of tuberculosis and leprosy actions between types of municipalities. Statistics were carried out using Minitab 20 and Bioestat 5.3. Results Regarding the leprosy treatment location, there is a higher proportion of people referred to be treated at the reference in adjacent rural (p = 0.0097) and urban (p

A lack of control over blood loss can have catastrophic implications, including death. Although several hemostatic medications have been employed to reduce bleeding, a vast majority of them are ineffective, expensive, or pose health risks to the patient. To overcome these constraints, chitosan-polyethylene glycol (CS-PEG) hemostatic gels loaded with ethanolic extract of Jatropha mollissima sap (EES) were prepared and their hemostatic, physicochemical, and cytotoxic properties were evaluated. The gels were produced by mixing CS with PEG (an external plasticizer) and EES. The phytochemical analysis revealed a significant concentration of total polyphenols and tannins content in the extract and catechin was identified as one of the key compounds of EES. Infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of EES in the gels, as well as the chemical interaction between CS and PEG. The gels were thermally stable between 25 and 37 °C (ambient and human body temperature range), had pseudoplastic deformation behavior (rheological properties preserved after shearing), were simple to inject (compression force 30 N), and were biocompatible. In vivo experiments showed that both CS-PEG-EES gels exhibited greater hemostatic action in preventing tail hemorrhage in Wistar rats, with decreased bleeding time and blood weight compared with unloaded CS-PEG gels (control groups) and Hemostank, a commercial product. However, the gel prepared with acetic acid was more efficient in controlling bleeding. These findings reveal that CS-PEG-EES gels can reduce hemorrhages and are a potent, simple, and safe hemostatic agent.

An electric vehicle (EV) battery charging station (EV-BCS) based on a bipolar dc power grid is presented in this paper, which is capable of delivering power to the grid (vehicle-to-grid – V2G mode), and directly exchange power between different EVs connected to the EV-BCS (vehicle-to-vehicle – V2V mode), besides the traditional battery charging operation (grid-to-vehicle – G2V mode). The presented EV-BCS is based on three-level bidirectional buck-boost dc-dc converters and has a modular structure. Simulation results are presented with the aim of validating the aforementioned operation modes, being considered two EVs for simplicity reasons, since it is enough to validate the proposed operation modes. The presented results comprise both balanced and unbalanced operation in terms of power from the EVs viewpoint, with the purpose of considering a real scenario of operation, where a balanced consumption or power injection from the bipolar dc power grid side is always guaranteed.

This paper addresses the comparison and validation of different modulations for an isolated dc-dc dual active bridge converter (DAB), namely, Duty-Cycle Modulation, Single Phase Shift (SPS), Dual Phase Shift (DPS), Extended Phase Shift (EPS) and Triple Phase Shift (TPS). Given the DAB’s applicability in a wide variety of power electronics branches, several control strategies are being studied to improve its efficiency, by mitigating circulating currents and reactive power. Regardless of the chosen architecture, appropriate modulations must be adopted, assessing which one presents the better cost-benefit ratio. This simulation-based analysis aims to investigate the DAB performance when controlled by the above-mentioned modulations and operating with a nominal power of 3.6 kW. Thus, simulation results show that only SPS, DPS, and TPS are considered suitable, while Duty-Cycle Modulation has time limitations during power transfer and EPS is more appropriate for dynamic power applications.

The post-compression technique based on self-phase modulation of high-energy pulses leads to an increase in achievable peak power and intensity. Typically, the pulses considered in experiments have been less than 100 fs in duration. Here, the method is applied to the ELFIE laser system at the LULI facility, for a pulse of 7 J energy and an initial measured duration of 350 fs. A 5-mm-thick fused silica window and a 2 mm cyclic-olefin polymer were used as optical nonlinear materials. The 9 cm diameter beam was spectrally broadened to a bandwidth corresponding to 124 fs Fourier-limited pulse duration, and then it was partly post-compressed to 200 fs. After measuring the spatial spectra of the beam fluence, a uniform gain factor of 4 increase in the fluctuations over the studied range of frequencies is observed, due to small-scale self-focusing.

A growing number of studies have found that the gut microbiota is involved in a variety of psychological processes and neuropsychiatric disorders, which include mood and anxiety disorders. Consumption of dairy products may contain bioactive compounds and probiotic bacteria with various therapeutic benefits. The aim of the study was to investigate possible associations between the frequency of consumption of different types of dairy products and the state of anxiety in university students. The subjects were 311 Azorean university students, 231 women and 80 men, with an average age of 20.5 years. Subjects completed a quantitative questionnaire on the frequency of dairy product consumption and a short version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test. Among dairy products, semi-skimmed milk was the most commonly consumed, followed by cheese (ripened), drinking yogurt, skim milk, and set yogurt, while fresh cheese, whole milk, and dairy ice cream were the least common. Discriminant analysis showed that consumption of fermented products (yogurt and cheese) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the group with low anxiety level (score

Abstract Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a legume widely cultivated by small, medium and large producers in several Brazilian regions. However, one of the concerns for the production of cowpea in Brazil in recent years is the low rainfall activity in these regions, which generates the accumulation of salts on the surface. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of salt stress on growth parameters and enzyme activity in cowpea plants at different concentrations of brassinosteroids. Experiment was developed in a greenhouse using a completely randomized experimental design in a 3 x 3 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of three levels of brassinosteroids (0, 3 and 6 µM EBL) and three levels of salt stress (0, 50 and 100 mM NaCl). Growth factors (height, diameter and number of leaves) decreased in the saline condition. With the presence of brassinosteroid the height did not increase, but the number of leaves did, mainly in the saline dosage of 100 mM NaCl. In the variable membrane integrity, brassinosteroid was efficient in both salinity dosages, the same not happening with the relative water content, where the saline condition did not affect the amount of water in the vegetable, with the application of brassino it remained high, decreasing only at dosage 100 mM NaCl. The nitrate reductase enzyme was greatly affected in the root system even with the application of increasing doses of brassino. Therefore, brassinosteroids as a promoter of saline tolerance in cowpea seedlings was positive. The concentration of 3µM of EBL provided the most satisfactory effect in tolerating the deleterious effects of the saline condition. The same cannot be concluded for the concentration of 6µM of EBL that did not promote tolerance to some variables.

Abstract Virola surinamensis is a forest species widely distributed in the estuaries of the Amazon. These ecosystems are susceptible to contamination by Cadmium (Cd), indicating that the plant has strategies for tolerating this metal. The aim of this study was to assess the nitrogen and carbon metabolism of young plants of Ucuúba (Virola surinamensis) in the presence of cadmium with the perspective of the phytoremediation of contaminated environments. The used experimental design was a completely randomized design with five Cd concentrations (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg L− 1), for 60 days. In general, Cd did not affect nitrate concentration in the root but had a positive effect on leaves. The reduction of nitrate reductase (NR) in plants exposed to Cd was followed by a decrease in ammonia, total soluble amino acids (TSA), and total soluble proteins (TSP). Cd promoted an increase in the concentration of total soluble carbohydrates (TSC), proline, sucrose, and reducing sugars in the plants. The increase in TSC, sucrose and proline, suggests a metabolic regulatory mechanism of V. surinamensis against Cd stress.

We report an electrochemical oxidative intramolecular cyclization reaction between 2-alkynylphenol derivatives and different diselenides species to generate a wide variety of substituted-benzo[b]furans. Driven by the galvanostatic electrolysis assembled in an undivided cell, it provided efficient transformation into oxidant-, base-, and metal-free conditions in an open system at room temperature. With satisfactory functional group compatibility, the products were obtained in good to excellent yields.

The fluvial dynamics corresponds to the natural changes of river channels that can influence the water energy, type and morphology of the gutter, geological structure and soil types. In this context, the type of soil present on the banks of the rivers stands out, which due to their morphological, physical and chemical characteristics, will offer greater or less resistance to marginal erosive processes. Whit this study, we aim to verify the contribution of soil morphological, physical and chemical attributes in the natural dynamics of the right bank of the Paraguay River. The studied area is located in the Pantanal Matogrossense, sub-region of Cáceres, and comprises the right bank of the Paraguay River, in the region of Baia da Campina, approximately 10 km away from the municipality of Cáceres, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We carry out morphological, granulometric and chemical description of the soil. The data were tabulated in a spreadsheet, being subsequently analyzed and discussed. The vegetation occurring in the study area is of the seasonal / cerrado and alluvial forests type, with the presence of low and semi-shrub vegetation. We classified the soil profile in the section studied as Fluvic Tb Endoeutrophic Neosol, presenting medium texture and, in general, high levels of sand and low levels of clay. The values referring to the effective cation exchange capacity (CTC) obtained in this study, were classified from low to very good, a characteristic that allows the existence of low and semi-shrubby vegetation, which contributes to the resistance to erosive processes, even that the soil has a low presenting resistance physical structure.

Abstract A metallurgical process using a very high temperature Mo-Ru brazing filler alloy to join a controlled porous tungsten cathode button and a single-crystalline molybdenum cathode body for microwave tubes manufacture was developed†. The Mo-Ru brazing alloy was obtained by mixing and milling powders in the eutectic composition with a binder, and a braze paste was applied on the surface cathode parts. Brazing was performed in two temperatures by using a resistive dry hydrogen cold wall furnace for 10 minutes: at 1890 °C and 1967 °C. It was observed a fillability by the Mo-Ru system only in the tests performed in temperatures above 1967°C. The brazed samples were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled to Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. It was observed absence of microstructural defects in the interface between the tungsten porous and dense molybdenum joint. Stress-strain tests, followed by SEM analysis were performed to determine the mechanical behavior of the brazing joining. The results indicate the origin region of the cracking and show an intergranular propagation; some evidence as grain cleavage indicates a brittle failure behavior.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to study the rat brain. Here, the authors provide standardized MRI brain templates and descriptive atlases for the rat, incorporating both structural and functional MRI data, along with associated resources.

Abstract Among several fruits, mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomes), it aroused the interest of producers and consumers due to its attractive sensory characteristics and health beneficial properties (high nutritional value and presence of bioactive substances), thus, this work evaluates the nutritional factors of the flour residue of mangaba processing that is despised by the food industry, and the influence of temperature on its production. The mangaba processing residue was splited in two main groups: in natura sample (control), and other for preparation of flour that was dried at 50 °C and divided into two other groups: treatment A (flour with roasts at 110 °C and 130 °C) and treatment B (flour from drying at 50 °C). The nutritional characteristics of flours were analyzed considering the chemical parameters: pH, titratable total acidity and soluble solids, in addition to the determination of moisture content, total lipids, total dietary fiber and ash, total energy value, antioxidant activity, phytochemical screening, quantification of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as technological functional properties (water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), milk absorption index (MAI) and milk solubility index (MSI) and oil absorption index (OAI). The results showed that the bioactive compounds present in the extracts do not have significant properties of acting as free radical kidnappers. The heat treatment, performed in the flour of mangaba processing residues, influenced the nutritional factors and properties of absorption and solubility, which showed statistical differences. These results show that the flour is a viable alternative for the energy enrichment of diets, contributing to the development of new products, the reduction of the disposal of these residues and consequently to the minimization of the environmental impact.

This paper deals with the development and experimental validation of a unified power converter for application in dc microgrids, contemplating the inclusion of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage systems (ESS), namely batteries. Considering the limitations presented by the current structure of the power grid, mostly highlighted by the accentuated integration of emerging technologies (ESS, renewables, electric vehicles, and electrical appliances that natively operate in dc), it is extremely pertinent to adopt new topologies, architectures, and paradigms. In particular, decentralized power systems, unified topologies, and correspondent control algorithms are representative of a new trend towards a reduction in the number of power converters. Thus, the developed solution is designed to operaSAVE-15te at a nominal power of 3.6 kW, with a switching frequency of 100 kHz, and in four operation modes concerning power flow: (i) solar PV panels to batteries (PV2B); (ii) solar PV panels to dc grid (PV2G); (iii) batteries to dc grid (B2G); (iv) dc grid to batteries (G2B). Moreover, a dual active bridge converter guarantees galvanic isolation, while two back-end dc–dc converters are responsible for interfacing solar PV panels and batteries. The experimental validation of the proposed unified power converter proves its application value to self-consumption production units.

In recent years unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been used in several applications and research studies related to environmental monitoring. The works performed have demonstrated the suitability of UAVs to be employed in different scenarios, taking advantage of its capacity to acquire high-resolution data from different sensing payloads, in a timely and flexible manner. In forestry ecosystems, UAVs can be used with accuracies comparable with traditional methods to retrieve different forest properties, to monitor forest disturbances and to support disaster monitoring in fire and post-fire scenarios. In this study an area recently affected by a wildfire was surveyed using two UAVs to acquire multi-spectral data and RGB imagery at different resolutions. By analysing the surveyed area, it was possible to detect trees, that were able to survive to the fire. By comparing the ground-truth data and the measurements estimated from the UAV-imagery, it was found a positive correlation between burned height and a high correlation for tree height. The mean NDVI value was extracted used to create a three classes map. Higher NDVI values were mostly located in trees that survived that were not/barely affected by the fire. The results achieved by this study reiterate the effectiveness of UAVs to be used as a timely, efficient and cost-effective data acquisition tool, helping for forestry management planning and for monitoring forest rehabilitation in post-fire scenarios.

Vine culture is influenced by many factors, such as the weather, soil or topography, which are triggers to phytosanitary issues. Among them are some diseases, that are responsible for major economic losses that can, however, be managed with timely interventions in the field, viable of leading to effective results by preventing damage propagation. While not all symptoms might present a visible evidence, hyperspectral sensors can tackle this aspect with their ability for measuring hundreds of continuously sparse bands that range beyond the eye-perceptible spectrum. Having such research line in mind in this work, a hyperspectral sensor was applied to analyse the spectral status of vine leaves samples, collected in three chronologically distinct campaigns, while costly and destructive laboratory methods were used to track Flavescence Dorée (FD) in the same samples, for a ground truth information. Regarding data processing, machine learning approaches were used, in which several classifiers were selected to detect FD in vine leaves hyperspectral images. The goal was to evaluate and find most suitable classifier for this task.

Today’s climatic proneness to extreme conditions together with human activity have been triggering a series of wildfire-related events that put at risk ecosystems, as well as animal and vegetal patrimony, while threatening dwellers nearby rural or urban areas. When intervention teams - firefighters, civil protection, police - acknowledge these events, usually they have already escalated to proportions hardly controllable mainly due wind gusts, fuel-like solo conditions, among other conditions that propitiate fire spreading. Currently, there is a wide range of camera-capable sensing systems that can be complemented with useful location data - for example, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integrated cameras and IMU/GPS sensors, stationary surveillance systems - and processing components capable of fostering wildfire events detection and monitoring, thus providing accurate and faithful data for decision support. Precisely in what concerns to detection and monitoring, Deep Learning (DL) has been successfully applied to perform tasks involving classification and/or segmentation of objects of interest in several fields, such as Agriculture, Forestry and other similar areas. Usually, for an effective DL application, more specifically, based on imagery, datasets must rely on heavy and burdensome logistics to gather a representative problem formulation. What if putting together a dataset could be supported in customizable virtual environments, representing faithful situations to train machines, as it already occurs for human training in what regards some particular tasks (rescue operations, surgeries, industry assembling, etc.)? This work intends to propose not only a system to produce faithful virtual environments to complement and/or even supplant the need for dataset gathering logistics while eventually dealing with hypothetical proposals considering climate change events, but also to create tools for synthesizing wildfire environments for DL application. It will therefore enable to extend existing fire datasets with new data generated by human interaction and supervision, viable for training a computational entity. To that end, a study is presented to assess at which extent data virtually generated data can contribute to an effective DL system aiming to identify and segment fire, bearing in mind future developments of active monitoring systems to timely detect fire events and hopefully provide decision support systems to operational teams.

In the early 1980′s, the European chestnut tree (Castanea sativa, Mill.) assumed an important role in the Portuguese economy. Currently, the Trás-os-Montes region (Northeast of Portugal) concentrates the highest chestnuts production in Portugal, representing the major source of income in the region (€50M-€60M). The recognition of the quality of the Portuguese chestnut varieties has increasing the international demand for both industry and consumer-grade segments. As result, chestnut cultivation intensification has been witnessed, in such a way that widely disseminated monoculture practices are currently increasing environmental disaster risks. Depending on the dynamics of the location of interest, monocultures may lead to desertification and soil degradation even if it encompasses multiple causes and a whole range of consequences or impacts. In Trás-os-Montes, despite the strong increase in the cultivation area, phytosanitary problems, such as the chestnut ink disease (Phytophthora cinnamomi) and the chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica), along with other threats, e.g. chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) and nutritional deficiencies, are responsible for a significant decline of chestnut trees, with a real impact on production. The intensification of inappropriate agricultural practices also favours the onset of phytosanitary problems. Moreover, chestnut trees management and monitoring generally rely on in-field time-consuming and laborious observation campaigns. To mitigate the associated risks, it is crucial to establish an effective management and monitoring process to ensure crop cultivation sustainability, preventing at the same time risks of desertification and land degradation. Therefore, this study presents an automatic method that allows to perform chestnut clusters identification, a key-enabling task towards the achievement of important goals such as production estimation and multi-temporal crop evaluation. The proposed methodology consists in the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to classify and segment the chestnut fruits, considering a small dataset acquired based on digital terrestrial camera.

Few topical products have been developed specifically to treat acute and chronic arthritis and inflammation, using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The lack of dosing accuracy commonly found in locally applied semisolid products for cutaneous use is a critical issue that leads to treatment failure. The aim of the present work is to develop a differentiated and innovative topical patch based on a monolithic hydrogel for ibuprofen skin delivery, in order to provide a safer and accurate way of drug administration along with improved treatment compliance. Topical patches based on hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) were optimized in composition, in terms of enhancer and adhesive, supported on a systematic assessment of in vitro release and permeation behavior and adhesion properties. Several mathematical models were used to scrutinize the release mechanisms from the patches. In vitro release kinetics was shown to be mainly driven by diffusion. However, other mechanisms seemed to be also present, supporting the feasibility of using patches for sustained drug delivery. PEG 200 provided the best permeation rate, with a permeation enhancement ratio of ca. 3 times higher, than the commercial reference. The addition of Eudragit L30D 55 to the formulation led to the best adhesion profile, thus achieving a successful development based on a safe-by-design concept.

Electric vehicles (EVs) contain two main power electronics systems, namely, the traction system and the battery charging system, which are not used simultaneously since traction occurs when the EV is travelling and battery charging when the EV is parked. By taking advantage of this interchangeability, a single set of power converters that can perform the functions of both traction and battery charging can be assembled, classified in the literature as integrated battery chargers (IBCs). Several IBC topologies have been proposed in the literature, and the aim of this paper is to present a literature review of IBCs for EVs. In order to better organize the information presented in this paper, the analyzed topologies are divided into classical IBCs, IBCs for switched reluctance machines (SRMs), IBCs with galvanic isolation, IBCs based on multiple traction converters and IBCs based on multiphase machines. A comparison between all these IBCs is subsequently presented, based on both requirements and possible functionalities.

With the objective of minimizing environment and energy issues, distributed renewable-energy sources have reached remarkable advancements along the last decades, with special emphasis on wind and solar photovoltaic installations, which are deemed as the future of power generation in modern power systems. The integration of renewable-energy sources into the power system requires the use of advanced power electronic converters, representing a challenge within the paradigm of smart grids, e.g., to improve efficiency, to obtain high power density, to guarantee fault tolerance, to reduce the control complexity, and to mitigate power-quality problems. This paper presents a specific review about front-end converters for renewable-energy applications (more specifically the power inverter that interfaces the renewable-energy source with the power grid). It is important to note that the objective of this paper is not to cover all types of front-end converters; the focus is only on single-phase multilevel structures limited to five voltage levels, based on a voltage-source arrangement and allowing current or voltage feedback control. The established review is presented considering the following main classifications: (a) number of passive and active power semiconductors; (b) fault tolerance features; (c) control complexity; (d) requirements of specific passive components as capacitor or inductors; and (e) number of independent or split dc-link voltages. Throughout the paper, several specific five-level front-end topologies are presented and comparisons are made between them, highlighting the pros and cons of each one of them as a candidate for the interface of renewable-energy sources with the power grid.

Nowadays, new challenges arise relating to the compensation of power quality problems, where the introduction of innovative solutions based on power electronics is of paramount importance. The evolution from conventional electrical power grids to smart grids requires the use of a large number of power electronics converters, indispensable for the integration of key technologies, such as renewable energies, electric mobility and energy storage systems, which adds importance to power quality issues. Addressing these topics, this paper presents an extensive review on power electronics technologies applied to power quality improvement, highlighting, and explaining the main phenomena associated with the occurrence of power quality problems in smart grids, their cause and effects for different activity sectors, and the main power electronics topologies for each technological solution. More specifically, the paper presents a review and classification of the main power quality problems and the respective context with the standards, a review of power quality problems related to the power production from renewables, the contextualization with solid-state transformers, electric mobility and electrical railway systems, a review of power electronics solutions to compensate the main power quality problems, as well as power electronics solutions to guarantee high levels of power quality. Relevant experimental results and exemplificative developed power electronics prototypes are also presented throughout the paper.

An electric vehicle (EV) usually has two main power converters, namely one for the motor drive system and another for the battery-charging system. Considering the similarities between both converters, a new unified power converter for motor drive and battery charging of EVs is propounded in this paper. By using a single unified power converter, the cost, volume, and weight of the power electronics are reduced, thus also making possible a reduction in the final price of the EV. Moreover, the proposed unified power converter has the capability of bidirectional power flow. During operation in traction mode, the unified power converter controls motor driving and regenerative braking. Additionally, during operation in battery-charging mode, with the EV plugged into the electrical power grid, the unified power converter controls the power flow for slow or fast battery charging (grid-to-vehicle (G2V) mode), or for discharging of the batteries (vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mode). Specifically, this paper presents computer simulations and experimental validations for operation in both motor-driving and slow battery-charging mode (in G2V and V2G modes). It is demonstrated that the field-oriented control used in the traction system presents good performance for different values of mechanical load and that the battery-charging system operates with high levels of power quality, both in G2V and in V2G mode.

Movement is one of the most important characteristics of glaciers which can cause serious natural disasters. For this reason, monitoring this massive blocks is a crucial task. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can operate all day in any weather conditions and the images acquired by SAR contain intensity and phase information, which are irreplaceable advantages in monitoring the surface movement of glaciers. Moreover, a variety of techniques like DInSAR and offset tracking, based on the information of SAR images, could be applied to measure the movement. Sangwang lake, a glacial lake in the Himalayas, has great potentially danger of outburst. Shie glacier is situated at the upstream of the Sangwang lake. Hence, it is significant to monitor Shie glacier surface movement to assess the risk of outburst. In this paper, 6 high resolution COSMO-SkyMed images spanning from August to December, 2016 are applied with offset tracking technique to estimate the surface movement of Shie glacier. The maximum velocity of Shie glacier surface movement is 51 cm/d, which was observed at the end of glacier tongue, and the velocity is correlated with the change of elevation. Moreover, the glacier surface movement in summer is faster than in winter and the velocity decreases as the local temperature decreases. Based on the above conclusions, the glacier may break off at the end of tongue in the near future. The movement results extracted in this paper also illustrate the advantages of high resolution SAR images in monitoring the surface movement of small glaciers.

Varronia multispicata (Cham.) Borhidi (Cordiaceae), an herbaceous plant distributed in tropical and subtropical regions is native of Brazil and widely used in folk medicine to treat respiratory and digestive diseases, inflammation, and some types of infections. Thus, this study aimed to investigate acute oral toxicity, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory activities of dry aqueous extract of V. multispicata (AEVm) and to identify its compounds. Extract was obtained by lyophilized leaf infusion and its composition was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Acute oral toxicity was evaluated in female rats treated with AEVm (2,000 mg/kg) in a single oral dose. Mortality, body weight changes, feed and water intake, organ weights, histological and biochemical parameters were screened for 14 days. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated by writhing (WT), formalin (FT), and hot plate (HP) tests in male mice while anti-inflammatory activity was performed by carrageenan (CPE) and dextran (DPE)-induced paw edema tests and carrageenan-induced peritonitis (CP) test in male rats. Additionally, spontaneous open-field (OF) locomotion was evaluated. LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids with biological activity. In toxicity evaluation, extract did not cause deaths in dose of 2,000 mg/kg, and there were no significant behavioral or biochemical alterations. Additionally, evidence of hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity was observed. In pharmacological evaluation AEVm showed dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in WT, with a median effective dose of 146.89 mg/kg, which showed selectivity by inflammatory base processes (FT first phase; p < 0.001), showing no activity in neuropathic nociception components (FT second phase and HP) or about consciousness and locomotion in OF. AEVm also showed significant anti-inflammatory activity, inhibiting CPE (p < 0.001) and cell migration (p < 0.05) and nitric oxide (NO) production (p < 0,01) in CP test. These data demonstrate that AEVm has low oral toxicity—with evidence of hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties—antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity, supporting V. multispicata traditional use, possibly related to flavonoids present in its constitution.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Concerns about greenhouse gas emissions are a key topic addressed by modern societies worldwide. As a contribution to mitigate such effects caused by the transportation sector, the full adoption of electric mobility is increasingly being seen as the main alternative to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which is supported by positive industry indicators, despite some identified hurdles. For such objective, power electronics technologies play an essential role and can be contextualized in different purposes to support the full adoption of electric mobility, including on-board and off-board battery charging systems, inductive wireless charging systems, unified traction and charging systems, new topologies with innovative operation modes for supporting the electrical power grid, and innovative solutions for electrified railways. Embracing all of these aspects, this paper presents a review on power electronics technologies for electric mobility where some of the main technologies and power electronics topologies are presented and explained. In order to address a broad scope of technologies, this paper covers road vehicles, lightweight vehicles and railway vehicles, among other electric vehicles.

This paper proposes a novel multifunctional isolated microinverter which is able to extract the maximum available power from a solar photovoltaic module and inject it into the power grid, while simultaneously charging a battery energy storage system (BESS). The proposed microinverter integrates a novel DC–DC power converter and a conventional DC–AC power converter. The DC–DC power converter is able to send electrical energy to the secondary side of a high-frequency transformer and to the BESS, using only two power switches. Throughout this paper, the converter topology, the operation modes, the control algorithms, and the development of a laboratory prototype of the proposed microinverter are described in detail. Moreover, simulation and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution.

This paper presents the analysis and experimental validation of a single-phase off-board multi-functional electric vehicle (EV) charging station (MF-EVCS), which has a single ac interface and two dc interfaces. As innovative aspects, the proposed MF-EVCS handles the interface of the ac power grid, the dc interface of a renewable energy source (RES), as well as the dc interface of an EV to perform dc charging or discharging of the batteries (in off-board grid-to-vehicle (G2V) or vehicle-to-grid (V2G) modes). Considering the power grid, the individual operation modes of the RES and the EV interfaces can be considered. Moreover, a combination of these modes is also possible. Besides, the MF-EVCS has as key innovative aspect the possibility of operating as an active power filter (APF), supporting the operation with reactive power and/or selected current harmonics. This possibility can be associated with any of the previous mentioned modes. These new features are framed in two distinct scenarios: in a smart home, where the ac-side current can be determined as a function of the other electrical appliances; in a smart grid, where the ac-side current can be determined as a requisite of the power grid. The proposed power theory, as well as the current control strategies for both ac-side and dc-side of the MF-EVCS, are presented in the paper for all the possible operation scenarios. A laboratory prototype was developed to validate the proposed MF-EVCS and the experimental results confirm its suitability for smart homes.

Abstract Background: The impact of paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains uncertain. Objective: To evaluate the impact of PVR on mortality and hospital readmission one year after TAVI. Methods: Between January 2009 and June 2015, a total of 251 patients underwent TAVI with three different prostheses at two cardiology centers. Patients were assessed according to PVR severity after the procedure. Results: PVR was classified as absent/trace or mild in 92.0% (n = 242) and moderate/severe in 7.1% (n = 18). The moderate/severe PVR group showed higher levels of aortic calcification (22% vs. 6%, p = 0.03), higher serum creatinine (1.5 ± 0.7 vs. 1.2 ± 0.4 mg/dL, p = 0.014), lower aortic valve area (0.6 ± 0.1 vs. 0.7 ± 0.2 cm2, p = 0.05), and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (49.2 ± 14.8% vs. 58.8 ± 12.1%, p = 0.009). Patients with moderate/severe PVR had more need for post-dilatation (p = 0.025) and use of larger-diameter balloons (p = 0.043). At one year, all-cause mortality was similar in both groups (16.7% vs. 12%, p = 0.08), as well as rehospitalization (11.1% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.915). PVR grade significantly reduced throughout the first year after the procedure (p < 0.01). The presence of moderate/severe PVR was not associated with higher one-year mortality rates (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.27-2.13, p = 0.864), rehospitalization (HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.25-4.69, p=0.915), or composite outcome (HR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.28-2.13, p = 0.613). Conclusion: In this sample, moderate/severe PVR was not a predictor of long-term mortality or rehospitalization. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2017; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

Fundamento: O implante de prótese aórtica transcateter é uma alternativa efetiva para o tratamento cirúrgico para a correção de estenose aórtica grave em pacientes inoperáveis ou de alto risco cirúrgico. Objetivos: Apresentar os resultados clínicos e ecocardiográficos imediatos e no médio prazo da experiência inicial do implante de prótese aórtica transcateter. Métodos: Entre junho de 2009 e fevereiro de 2013, 112 pacientes foram submetidos a implante de prótese aórtica transcateter. Resultados: A idade média foi 82,5 ± 6,5 anos e o Euro SCORE logístico foi 23,6 ± 13,5. O sucesso do procedimento foi de 84%. Após o implante, houve queda do gradiente sistólico médio (pré = 54,7 ± 15,3 mmHg vs. pós = 11,7 ± 4,0 mmHg; p < 0,01). Acidente vascular cerebral ocorreu em 3,6% dos pacientes, complicações vasculares em 19%, e foi necessário o implante de marca-passo definitivo em 13% dos pacientes nos primeiros 30 dias pós-implante. A mortalidade aos 30 dias e no seguimento médio de 16 ± 11 meses foi, respectivamente, de 14 e de 8,9%. A presença de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica foi o único preditor de mortalidade em 30 dias e no seguimento. A área valvar aórtica e o gradiente sistólico médio não apresentaram variações significativas durante o seguimento. Conclusões: O implante de prótese aórtica transcateter é um procedimento eficaz e seguro para o tratamento da estenose aórtica em pacientes de alto risco cirúrgico ou inoperáveis. A presença de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica foi o único preditor independente de mortalidade identificado, tanto no primeiro mês pós-intervenção quanto no seguimento mais tardio.

Fundamento: A hipertensão arterial sistêmica constitui importante problema de saúde pública e significativa causa de mortalidade cardiovascular. A elevada prevalência e as reduzidas taxas de controle tensional despertaram o interesse por estratégias terapêuticas alternativas. A denervação simpática renal percutânea surgiu como perspectiva no tratamento de hipertensos resistentes. Objetivo: Avaliar a factibilidade e a segurança da denervação renal com cateter irrigado. Métodos: Dez hipertensos resistentes foram submetidos ao procedimento. O desfecho primário foi a segurança, avaliada por eventos adversos periprocedimento, função renal e anormalidade vascular renal aos 6 meses. Os desfechos secundários constituíram mudanças na pressão arterial (consultório e monitorização ambulatorial) e no número de anti-hipertensivos aos 6 meses. Resultados: A média de idade foi de 47,3 (± 12) anos, 90% eram mulheres. No primeiro caso, houve dissecção de artéria renal causada por trauma da bainha, fato que não se repetiu após ajuste técnico, demonstrando efeito da curva de aprendizado. Nenhum caso de trombose/infarto renal ou óbito foi reportado. Não se observou elevação dos níveis séricos de creatinina durante o seguimento. Aos 6 meses, diagnosticou-se um caso de estenose significativa de artéria renal, sem repercussão clínica. A denervação renal reduziu a pressão arterial de consultório, em média, em 14,6/6,6 mmHg (p = 0,4 tanto para pressão arterial sistólica como para a diastólica). A redução média da pressão arterial pela monitorização ambulatorial foi de 28/17,6 mmHg (p = 0,02 e p = 0,07 para pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica, respectivamente). Houve redução média de 2,1 anti-hipertensivos. Conclusão: A denervação renal é factível e segura no tratamento da hipertensão arterial sistêmica resistente. Estudos maiores são necessários para confirmar nossos resultados.

FUNDAMENTO: Na angioplastia coronária percutânea (ACP), os vasos de fino calibre representam um fator de risco para reestenose. O stent farmacológico (SF) autoexpansível Sparrow®, de perfil menor que os sistemas atuais, nunca foi testado nesse cenário. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a eficácia tardia do SF Sparrow®, com relação à perda luminal tardia intrastent (PLT intrastent) aos oito meses. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo, randomizado, em P com doença arterial coronária (DAC) sintomática ou com isquemia documentada, submetido à ACP em vasos de calibre < 2,75 mm, dividido em dois grupos quanto ao tipo de stent Sparrow®: grupo 1, SF; grupo 2, stent não farmacológico (SNF). O seguimento clínico foi de 12 meses. De imediato e aos oito meses, avaliação pela angiografia coronária quantitativa (ACQ). Para o cálculo da amostra estimou-se diminuição de mais de 65% de PLT intrastent com o SF. Para análise estatística utilizou-se o programa IBM SPSS Statistics® versão 19 (Chicago, Illinois, EUA). RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 24 p, 12 em cada grupo. Os grupos SF e SNF foram semelhantes quanto à idade (63,25 ± 10,01 versus 64,58 ± 11,54, p = 0,765), sexo masculino (58,3% versus 33,3%, p = 0,412), fatores de risco e todos os aspectos angiográficos. Os resultados imediatos foram satisfatórios em ambos os grupos. Aos oito meses, a PLT intrastent foi significativamente menor no SF do que no SNF (SF 0,25 ± 0,16 versus SNF 0,97 ± 0,76, p = 0,008). CONCLUSÃO: Em ACP de vasos de calibre < 2,75 mm, o SF Sparrow® determinou significativa redução da PLT intrastent, em comparação ao SNF Sparrow®.

On the night of 4 March 2001, at Entre-os-Rios (Northern Portugal), the Hintze Ribeiro centennial bridge collapsed killing 59 people traveling in a bus and three cars that were crossing the Douro River. According to the national authorities, the collapse was due to two decades of uncontrolled sand extraction which compromised the stability of the bridge's pillars, together with underestimating the warnings from divers and technicians. In this work we do not intend to corroborate or contradict the official version of the accident's causes, but only demonstrate the potential of Multi-Temporal Interferometric techniques for detection and monitoring of deformations in structures such as bridges, and consequently the usefulness of the derived information in some type of early warning system to help prevent new catastrophic events. Based on the analysis of 52 ERS-1/2 covering the period from May 1995 to the fatal occurrence, we were able to detect significant movements, reaching rates of 20 mm yr−1, in the section of the bridge that fell into the Douro River, which are obvious signs of the bridge's instability. These promising results demonstrate that with the new high-resolution synthetic aperture radar satellite scenes it is possible to develop interferometric based methodologies for structural health monitoring.

Neste trabalho é feita uma avaliação frente à precisão e exatidão de diversas técnicas analíticas para a quantificação da matéria orgânica em efluentes de características tóxicas e biodegradáveis, de origem carbonácea. O trabalho consistiu no desenvolvimento de soluções sintéticas de sacarose (componente presente em efluentes de industriais de alimentos) e de fenol (componente tóxico presente em efluentes petroquímicos). Foram realizadas avaliações destas soluções quanto aos níveis de repetibilidade e reprodutibilidade das técnicas para determinação de matéria orgânica, por meio dos seguintes métodos: teor de sólidos totais - ST, teor de sólidos voláteis - SV, determinação direta de fenóis, determinação direta do teor de açúcares totais - AT, teor de carbono orgânico total - COT, demanda bioquímica de oxigênio - DBO, demanda química de oxigênio - DQO e a cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência - (HPLC). Os resultados apontam para erros substanciais na medição desses constituintes pela técnica da DBO em função do mecanismo de determinação indireta de consumo de oxigênio, que acarreta em erros e dependência da cinética de reação, bem como, uma boa representatividade por meio da técnica gravimétrica de determinação do teor de sólidos voláteis.

In this work the use of "thin" red clay from south-eastern Brazil (Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ) as raw material for the manufacture of wall tile was investigated. A wide range of characterization techniques was employed, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), grain-size analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The wall tile body was prepared by the dry process. The tile pieces were uniaxially pressed and fired between 1080 - 1180 ºC using a fast-firing cycle. The following technological properties were determined: linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent density, and flexural strength. The development of the microstructure was followed by SEM and XRD analyses. It was found that the "thin" red clay is kaolinitic type containing a substantial amount of quartz. The results also showed that the "thin" red clay could be used in the manufacture of wall tiles, as they present properties compatible with those specified for class BIII of ISO 13006 standard.Neste trabalho foi investigada a utilização de argila vermelha "magra" do sudeste do Brasil (Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ) como matéria-prima para a fabricação de revestimento poroso. Uma vasta gama de técnicas de caracterização foi utilizada, incluindo difração de raios X (DRX), fluorescência de raios X (FRX), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), análise granulométrica e análise termogravimétrica. A massa cerâmica para revestimento poroso (azulejo) foi preparada por via seca. As peças de revestimento poroso foram preparadas por prensagem uniaxial e queimadas entre 1080 - 1180 ºC usando um ciclo de queima rápido. As seguintes propriedades tecnológicas foram determinadas: retração linear, absorção de água, densidade aparente e tensão de ruptura à flexão. O desenvolvimento da microestrutura foi acompanhado por MEV e DRX. Verificou-se que a argila vermelha "magra" é tipicamente caulinítica contendo uma quantidade substancial de quartzo. Os resultados também mostraram que a argila vermelha "magra" pode ser usada na fabricação de revestimento poroso, cujas propriedades obtidas são compatíveis com as especificadas para a classe BIII da norma ISO 13006.

This work presents the results of a study about on the compaction behavior of a dry granulated red wall tile paste. The ceramic paste was formulated using raw materials of the Rio de Janeiro state. The raw materials were dry-ground and then microgranulated using a mixer of high intensity. The produced powder was characterized regarding X-ray diffraction, chemical composition, granule size analysis and morphology. The moisture content of the granulated powder (moisture mass/dry mass) varied between 0 and 10%. The granulated powder with different moisture contents was submitted to cold compaction process using a uniaxial die-pressing technique with compaction pressure up to 60 MPa. The compaction behavior of the wall tile powder was evaluated through compaction response and compaction rate diagrams. The development of the microstructure during compaction process was followed by scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results show that the green density of the tile compacts behaves as a function of moisture content. It was also found that the compaction process is ruled, at the applied pressure range, by two dominant mechanisms including granule rearrangement and plastic deformation. The rate of densification is high initially, but then decreases rapidly for pressures above apparent yield pressure (2.44 - 5.38 MPa). In addition, the better compaction efficiency was found to be influenced by the moisture content.Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de um estudo sobre o comportamento de compactação de uma massa de revestimento cerâmico poroso base vermelha granulada pelo processo via seca. A massa cerâmica foi formulada usando matérias-primas do estado do Rio de Janeiro. As matérias-primas foram moídas a seco e em seguida microgranuladas usando um microgranulador de alta intensidade. O pó obtido foi caracterizado em termos de difração de raios X, composição química, análise de tamanho de grânulos e morfologia. O conteúdo de umidade do pó granulado (massa de umidade/massa seca) variou entre 0 e 10%. O pó granulado com diferentes conteúdos de umidade foi submetido a processo de compactação a frio usando a técnica de prensagem uniaxial com pressão de compactação máxima de 60 MPa. O comportamento de compactação do pó de revestimento poroso foi avaliado através de diagramas de resposta de compactação e taxa de compactação. A microestrutura dos compactos foi avaliada por microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Os resultados experimentais mostram que a densidade verde dos compactos se comporta como uma função do conteúdo de umidade. Os resultados também mostram que o processo de compactação é governado, na faixa de pressão aplicada, por dois mecanismos dominantes, incluindo rearranjo de grânulos e deformação plástica. A taxa de densificação é inicialmente alta, mas depois diminui rapidamente para pressões acima da pressão de escoamento aparente do pó (2,44 - 5,38 MPa). Além disso, a melhor eficiência de compactação do pó de revestimento poroso estudado é influenciada pelo conteúdo de umidade.

Objectivos: O tratamento consensual na doença articular avançada da metacarpofalângica é a artroplastia com interposição de prótese. O objectivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o resultado das artroplastias de silicone realizadas em mãos reumatóides, no serviço de Ortopedia do Hospital de Santo António, nos últimos 15 anos. Material e método: foram revistas 124 próteses de 26 doentes operados nos últimos 15 anos, avaliando-os clínica e radiologicamente, com aplicação de escalas e algoritmos de avaliação de dor, função pré e pós operatória, resultado estético e satisfação global. Resultados: A maioria dos doentes apresentava artrite reumatóide, atingimento bilateral sendo avaliado o follow-up entre 18 meses e 13 anos. A indicação cirúrgica predominante foi a dor seguida e acompanhada pelo défice de função. Utilizou-se a prótese de Swanson em 82% dos doentes, com correcção do desvio cubital associado em 47%. Houve uma recuperação média de 28 graus do arco de mobilidade articular e 4 graus na escala decimal de dor. Registaram-se 10 complicações (seis fracturas e quatro luxações de prótese). A satisfação global dos doentes foi positiva (67%) com melhoria das actividades da vida diária e deformidade das mãos. Conclusão: A prótese de silicone demonstrou ser uma boa opção de tratamento para a doença articular reumatóide das MCF com excelentes resultados funcionais, estéticos e dor.

As propriedades cicatrizantes da jaqueira (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) são atribuídas a uma proteína encontrada na semente de sua fruta que, em casos de queimaduras de pele, proporciona a regeneração do tecido danificado em vez da substituição por tecido conjuntivo fibroso. Objetivando avaliar macro e microscopicamente o efeito da pomada formulada com o pó obtido a partir de sementes de jaca na cicatrização, por segunda intenção, de feridas cutâneas em camundongos, limpas e infectadas experimentalmente por Staphylococcus aureus, realizou-se o estudo em 96 camundongos nos quais foram feitas feridas experimentais na região dorso-lateral. Cada grupo, com 12 animais, recebeu um tipo de tratamento. O grupo GI serviu como controle para feridas limpas, o grupo GII foi o controle para feridas infectadas e os demais foram tratados topicamente com pomada à base de semente de jaca em diferentes esquemas de administração. Os animais foram avaliados diariamente e sacrificados cinco, 10 e 13 dias após a cirurgia, sendo removido o tecido cicatricial e circunjacente para avaliação histológica. Os resultados mostraram que não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os tratamentos. Palavras-chave: camundongos; cicatrização; feridas; jaca; Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam; lectina.

Amostras de caulinita oriundas da região do Rio Capim, estado do Pará, Brasil, foram intercaladas com dimetilsulfóxido - DMSO. As amostras de caulinita naturais e intercaladas foram utilizadas em processo de adsorção com Zn(II) em meio aquoso em pH 5,0 e temperatura controlada de 298 ± 1K. As propriedades físico-químicas das amostras de caulinita foram otimizadas pelo processo de intercalação, como: área superficial de 14,74 para 91,72 m²g-1 (A1) e diâmetro de poros de 2,79 para 10,72 nm (A1). A análise dos resultados experimentais de adsorção foi feita pelos modelos de Langmuir, Temkin e Freundlich. O modelo de Langmuir apresentou melhor aproximação com os dados experimentais de adsorção. Estes resultados foram bem representados pelo modelo cinético de segunda ordem de Lagergren, com a taxa constante K2 no intervalo de 4,76x10-3 a 11,81x10-3 g(mmol.min)-1 (A2). O processo de adsorção foi considerado rápido alcançando o equilíbrio em 180 min.The kaolinite clay samples from Capim River region, Pará state, Brazil, were intercalated with dimethylsulfoxide - DMSO. The natural and intercalated kaolinite were used in adsorption process with Zn(II) in aqueous medium at pH 5.0 and controlled temperature of 298 ± 1K. The physical-chemical properties of kaolinite samples were optimized for the intercalation process, such as: specific area of 14.74 to 91.72 m²g-1 (A1) and pore diameter of 2.79 to 10.72 nm (A1). The adsorption experimental results were analyzed for Langmuir, Temkin and Freundlich models, the Langmuir model has been presented best approximation with experimental adsorption isotherms data. These results best fitted the second order kinetic of Lagergren model with rate constant K2, in the range of 4.76x10-3 to 11.81x10-3 g(mmol.min)-1 (A2). The adsorption process was very fast and equilibrium was approached within 180 min.

O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a atratividade de diferentes aromas adicionados a alimentação artificial energética de abelhas Apis mellifera. O delineamento experimental usado foi DIC no qual constou de 11 tratamentos e quatro repetições, sendo os tratamentos os aromas tutti-frutte, erva-doce, maracujá, café, baunilha, morango, amarula, menta, cereja, coco e testemunha (sem aroma) e as repetições foram considerados os dias de coleta de dados. Foram feitas observações do fluxo de abelhas a cada cinco minutos fazendo o registro fotográfico para contagem das mesmas. O período de observação ao longo do dia foi de 20 minutos sendo realizado no horário da manhã. Observamos que no decorrer do trabalho o fluxo das abelhas foi aumentando gradativamente em todas as essências a cada repetição sendo que essência que mais atraiu as abelhas foi a amarula (em media 147 abelhas), não deferindo da essência da baunilha, porém a baunilha não diferiu das demais essências. Influence of essences in energy artificial food the bees attractiveness Apis mellifera Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the attractiveness of Apis mellifera by energy added artificial feeding of different aromas. The experimental design used was DIC in which consisted of 11 treatments and four replications, and the treatments the tutti-frutte aromas, fennel, passion fruit, coffee, vanilla, strawberry, amarula, mint, cherry, coconut and control (without aroma) and repetitions were considered the days of data collection. Observations of bees stream samples were collected every five minutes making the photographic record to count them. The observation period throughout the day was 20 minutes being held in the morning hours. We note that during the work flow of bees has been increasing gradually in all essences with each repetition being that essence that attracted the bees was amarula (on average 147 bees), not deferring the essence of vanilla, but vanilla did not differ the other essences.

The aim of the present work was to produce vegetable oils enriched with long-chain n-3 fatty acids of nutraceutical interest, through an enzyme-catalyzed interesterification with a new lipase, from physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.). The Vegetable Lipase Powder (biocatalyst) called VLP, which has never been applied in functional foods, was obtained from the physic nut seed, and efficiently hydrolyzed the 95% of waste fish oil in 24 h. Urea precipitation was used to concentrate polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and was further interesterified with oils of different sources by means of enzymatic catalysis. After the interesterification reaction, which was also catalyzed by the VLP, the PUFA content in coconut oil increased almost ten-fold from 1.8% to 17.7%. In palm oil, the PUFA content increased two-fold from 10.5% to 21.8%, while in olive oil the level of PUFA increased from 8.6% to 21.3%. The mixture of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (3.7% to 3.9%) was incorporated into the triacylglycerol fraction of each of the coconut, palm and olive oils. Through the hydroesterification (hydrolysis followed by interesterification) all the interesterified vegetable oils tested presented sufficient EPA and DHA levels to satisfy the levels recommended for intake by human adults in one tablespoon.

Mo-CBP3 is a chitin-binding protein from M. oleifera seeds that inhibits the germination and mycelial growth of phytopathogenic fungi. This protein is highly thermostable and resistant to pH changes, and therefore may be useful in the development of new antifungal drugs. However, the relationship of MoCBP3 with the known families of carbohydrate-binding domains has not been established. In the present study, full-length cDNAs encoding 4 isoforms of Mo-CBP3 (Mo-CBP3-1, Mo-CBP3-2, Mo-CBP3-3 and Mo-CBP3-4) were cloned from developing seeds. The polypeptides encoded by the Mo-CBP3 cDNAs were predicted to contain 160 (Mo-CBP3-3) and 163 amino acid residues (Mo-CBP3-1, Mo-CBP3-2 and Mo-CBP3-4) with a signal peptide of 20-residues at the N-terminal region. A comparative analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed that Mo-CBP3 is a typical member of the 2S albumin family, as shown by the presence of an eight-cysteine motif, which is a characteristic feature of the prolamin superfamily. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that Mo-CBP3 is a mixture of isoforms that correspond to different mRNA products. The identification of Mo-CBP3 as a genuine member of the 2S albumin family reinforces the hypothesis that these seed storage proteins are involved in plant defense. Moreover, the chitin-binding ability of Mo-CBP3 reveals a novel functionality for a typical 2S albumin.

The present work focuses on the mineralogical analysis of sedimentary clay material samples collected from deposits located in the Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ (Brazil) region. These samples are representative and widely used by the ceramic plants in production of bricks and roofing tiles. The samples were selected with the objective of analyzing their characteristics regarding chemical composition, loss on ignition, X-ray diffraction, morphology, particle size, plasticity and thermal analysis. The sedimentary red clays have low amount of SiO2, high amount of Al2O3, and high loss on ignition. In addition, it was found that the character of the clays is typically kaolinitic.O presente trabalho é focado sobre a análise mineralógica de amostras de argilas sedimentares coletadas de depósitos localizados na região de Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ (Brasil). Estas amostras são representativas e largamente usadas na produção de blocos cerâmicos e telhas. As amostras foram selecionadas com o intuito de analisar suas características com respeito à composição química, perda ao fogo, difração de raios X, morfologia, análise de tamanho de partícula, plasticidade e análise térmica. As argilas vermelhas sedimentares têm baixa quantidade de SiO2, alta quantidade de Al2O3 e alta perda ao fogo. Além disso, foi determinado que o caráter das argilas é tipicamente caulinítico.

No presente trabalho foi feita uma análise comparativa das propriedades tecnológicas de uma massa cerâmica vermelha para revestimento poroso queimada em dois distintos ciclos de queima, sendo um ciclo de queima lento tradicional e um ciclo de queima rápido. Os corpos cerâmicos foram queimados entre 1080 e 1160 ºC. As seguintes propriedades tecnológicas foram determinadas: retração linear, absorção de água, massa específica aparente e tensão de ruptura à flexão. Análise microestrutural foi realizada por meio de difração de raios X e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Os resultados experimentais mostraram claramente que o emprego de um ciclo de queima lento resultou em melhores propriedades dos corpos cerâmicos sinterizados.In this work was done a comparative analysis of the technological properties of a red wall tile ceramic paste fired in two different firing cycles, being a traditional slow-firing cycle and a fast-firing cycle. The ceramic pieces were fired between 1080 and 1160 ºC. The following technological properties were determined: linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent density and flexural strength. Microstructural analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results indicated clearly that the use of a slow-firing cycle resulted in enhanced properties of the red wall tiles.