RESUMO

Terminalia argentea Mart. (Combretaceae), native to Brazil, is used in habitat restoration programs. Arthropods are bioindicators because their populations reflect changes in the environment. We evaluated the recovery of a degraded area by using ecological indices and analyzing arthropod interactions on T. argentea plants. The richness and diversity of sap-sucking Hemiptera and the abundance of tending ants and Sternorrhyncha predators increased with the number of T. argentea leaves. The correlation of the abundance of tending ants and Sternorrhyncha predators was positive with that of the sap-sucking Hemiptera, and the abundance of Sternorrhyncha predators was negative with that of tending ants and sap-sucking Hemiptera. The positive correlation between the abundance, richness, and diversity of insect groups and numbers of T. argentea leaves is an example of the bottom-up regulation mechanism, with the population dynamics of the lower trophic levels dictating those of higher trophic levels. The contribution of T. argentea, a host plant of many arthropods, to the recovery of ecological relationships between organisms in degraded ecosystems is important.

Assuntos

RESUMO

In the last decades, the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been growing fast to attend the markets of electric and hybrid vehicles and of electric portable devices. As scarce metals like cobalt and lithium are employed in their manufacturing the recycling of spent LIBs is a strategic solution for the sustainability of these minerals and also the maintenance of the LIBs production. Therefore, efforts should be driven to produce low cost, environment-friendly and industrially scalable recycling processes. In this study, a closed-loop process with these characteristics was developed to recover cobalt and lithium compounds from LiCoO2 cathodes of spent cell phone lithium-ion batteries. The process employs citric acid as green leaching agent to recover cobalt as CoC2O4.2H2O and Co3O4 and lithium as Li2CO3. Lithium compound was recovered from a proposed new and original method based on simple chemical procedures as evaporation-calcination and water dissolution. The developed process also allows the resynthesis of LiCoO2 as a stoichiometric, well crystallized and structurally ordered compound from the recovered Co and Li compounds, in a closed-loop recycling process. The obtained results indicate that the developed process has great potential to be scaled up to a recycling industrial plant of spent lithium-ion batteries.

RESUMO

ABSTRACT The genus Aconitum has strong toxicity, but the acute toxicity of baked Aconitum flavum Hand.-Mazz., Ranunculaceae, was reduced significantly on the premise of keeping anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities. However, the risk associated with long-term use is unknown. In a sub-chronic toxicity study, rats were orally administered A. flavum at doses of 0.76–3.03 g/kg for 90 days and further recovered for 14 days. Our results showed that oral treatment with A. flavum for 90 days caused significant changes in some hematological indicators at doses of 3.03 and 1.52 g/kg, such as red blood cell, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. These results indicated that the A. flavum affects the structure and function of red blood cell. Furthermore, significant changes were observed in the white blood cell at dose of 3.03 g/kg in male rats, which confirmed tissue damage or toxicity. The liver function tests exhibited non-significant alterations in aspertate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and avenin-like storage proteinsgene. But other parameters, such as total protein and albumin were obviously decreased at all doses. A. flavum also caused a significant decrease in glucose, cholesterol and triacylglyceride at all doses. For kidney function, there were significant elevations in urea and creatinine at doses of 3.03 and 1.52 g/kg. The levels of certain electrolytes (Na+, K+ and Cl-) were significantly different after 90 days of treatment with A. flavum (3.03 and 1.52 g/kg). Organs were observed by light microscopy after hematoxylin-eosin staining. Hemosiderin depositions in the spleen were observed in the A. flavum group. These data demonstrated that the subtoxicity of A. flavum was reduced considerably by baked, but the subchronic toxicity effects on the liver, kidney and spleen should not be ignored.

RESUMO

Insect cells are largely used for industrial production of vaccines, viral vectors and recombinant proteins as well as in research and development as an important tool for biology and bioprocess studies. They grow in suspension and are semi-adherent cells. Among the cell culture systems enabling scalable bioprocess the single-use fixed-bed iCELLis(®) bioreactors offer great advantages. We have established the conditions for Drosophila melanogaster Schneider 2 (S2) and Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells entrapment into the fixed-bed, cell growth and recover from the fixed-bed once high cell densities were attained. Our established protocol allowed these cells, at a cell seeding of 2×1E5 cells/microfiber carriers (MC) (3.5×1E6cells/mL; 1.7×1E4cells/cm(2)), to grow inside a 4m(2)/200mL fixed-bed attaining a concentration of 5.3×1E6 cells/MC (9.5×1E7cells/mL; 4.7×1E5 cells/cm(2)) for S2 cells or 4.6×1E6 cells/MC (8×1E7cells/mL; 4.1×1E5cells/cm(2)) for Sf9 cells. By washing the fixed-bed, entrapped cells could then be recovered from the fixed-bed at a high rate (>85%) with high viability (>95%) by increasing the agitation to 1200/1500rpm. Although the cell yields in the fixed-bed bioreactor were comparable to those obtained in a stirred tank (respectively, 1.3×1E10 and 2.5×1E10 total cells), S2 cells stably transfected with a cDNA coding for the rabies virus glycoprotein (RVGP) showed a 30% higher preserved rRVGP production (2.5±0.1 and 1.9±0.1µg/1E7 cells), as evidenced by a conformational ELISA evaluation. These findings demonstrate not only the possibility to entrap, cultivate to high densities and recover insect cells using a single-use fixed-bed bioreactor, but also that this system provides suitable physiological conditions for the entrapped cells to produce a cell membrane associated recombinant protein with higher specific biological activity as compared to classical suspension cell cultures.

Assuntos

RESUMO

El trabajo presenta figuras de intervención de los modelos mentales situacionales construidas por agentes psicoeducativos que ejercen su práctica profesional abordando problemas de violencias en escuelas. El objetivo es comprender los diferentes enfoques, agencialidades e implicaciones en interacciones entre sujetos y problemas en sistemas de actividad de contextos educativos. Categorías del marco socio-histórico-cultural se interrelacionan con la perspectiva contextualista del cambio cognitivo. Se administró el Cuestionario sobre Situaciones-Problema de Violencia en Escuelas a 114 agentes y para su análisis se aplicó al procesamiento de datos la Matriz Multidimensional de Profesionalización Psicoeducativa. El análisis factorial evidencia confiabilidad de los instrumentos de recolección de datos e identifica sistemas representacionales de cada figura. En la co-construcción estratégica de la intervención y el desarrollo del "aprendizaje por expansión", se hallan fracturas de la memoria social y desafíos para la historización del sistema de actividad distribuidos de manera diferente en las tres figuras.

The work presents the figures of intervention of the situational mental models that are built by psycho-educational agents who develop their professional practice facing violence problems at school .The aim is to understand the different focus, agencies and involvements in interactions between subjects and problems in activity systems of educational contexts. Categories from socio-historical-cultural framework are related to contextualist perspective of cognitive change. The Questionnaire about Problem-Situations of Violence at School was administered to 114 agents and for its analysis it was appl ied the Mult idimensional Matrix of Psycho-Educational Professional Modeling. The factorial analysis demonstrates confiability of instruments of data collection and identifies representational systems of each igure. In the strategic co-construction of intervention and the development of "expansive learning", fractures in the social memory and challenges for the process of recovering the history of activity systems are found, distributed in different ways in the three Figures.

RESUMO

El trabajo presenta figuras de intervención de los modelos mentales situacionales construidas por agentes psicoeducativos que ejercen su práctica profesional abordando problemas de violencias en escuelas. El objetivo es comprender los diferentes enfoques, agencialidades e implicaciones en interacciones entre sujetos y problemas en sistemas de actividad de contextos educativos. Categorías del marco socio-histórico-cultural se interrelacionan con la perspectiva contextualista del cambio cognitivo. Se administró el Cuestionario sobre Situaciones-Problema de Violencia en Escuelas a 114 agentes y para su análisis se aplicó al procesamiento de datos la Matriz Multidimensional de Profesionalización Psicoeducativa. El análisis factorial evidencia confiabilidad de los instrumentos de recolección de datos e identifica sistemas representacionales de cada figura. En la co-construcción estratégica de la intervención y el desarrollo del "aprendizaje por expansión", se hallan fracturas de la memoria social y desafíos para la historización del sistema de actividad distribuidos de manera diferente en las tres figuras.(AU)

The work presents the figures of intervention of the situational mental models that are built by psycho-educational agents who develop their professional practice facing violence problems at school .The aim is to understand the different focus, agencies and involvements in interactions between subjects and problems in activity systems of educational contexts. Categories from socio-historical-cultural framework are related to contextualist perspective of cognitive change. The Questionnaire about Problem-Situations of Violence at School was administered to 114 agents and for its analysis it was appl ied the Mult idimensional Matrix of Psycho-Educational Professional Modeling. The factorial analysis demonstrates confiability of instruments of data collection and identifies representational systems of each igure. In the strategic co-construction of intervention and the development of "expansive learning", fractures in the social memory and challenges for the process of recovering the history of activity systems are found, distributed in different ways in the three Figures.(AU)

RESUMO

Objetivo: Realizar um levantamento dos pinos intracanais utilizados nos procedimentos de reconstrução dentária, na Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Pelotas, e verificar sua relação com a técnica restauradora e localização no arco dentário. Metodologia: Os prontuários arquivados no Serviço de Triagem, no período entre 2005 e 2008, foram analisados quanto ao tipo de pino intracanal, técnica restauradora e localização no arco dentário. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente (teste Qui-quadrado), considerando p < 0,05. Resultados: De um total de 5.566 registros, 192 (4,7%) procedimentos restauradores utilizaram os seguintes tipos de retontores: 107 (55.7%) metálicos fundidos, 38 (19,7%) fibra de vidro, 27 (14,1%) metálicos, 14 (7,2%) fibra de carbono e 6 (3,1%) fio de aço. Restaurações indiretas e diretas foram realizadas em 51% e 49% dos casos, respectivamente. Pinos metálicos fundidos foram mais associados a restaurações indiretas (p < 0,001). Considerando a sua localização na arcada, não houve diferença significativa entre os pinos utilizados na região anterior e posterior (p = 0,457).Conclusões: Durante o período de estudo, a maioria dos procedimentos de reconstrução dentária em dentes tratados endodonticamente foram realizados sem utilização de retentores intracanais. Porém, pinos metálicos fundidos foram mais frequentemente associados a coroas unitárias protéticas.

Purpose: To accomplish a rising of posts used in dental reconstruction procedures, at the School of Dentistry of Federal University of Pelotas, and verify it relationship with the restoring technique and location in the dental arch.Methods: The handbooks filed in the Service of Patient Selection, in the period understood between 2005 and 2008, it were appreised as for the post type, recovering technique and location in the dental arch. The data were submitted to the statistical analysis (test Qui-square), considering p<0,05. Results: From the total of 5.566 handbooks filed, 192 (4,7%) recovering procedures were accomplished using the following types of posts: 107 (55,7%) melted metallic, 38 (19,7%) glass fiber, 27 (14,1%) metallic, 14 (7,2%) carbon fiber and 6 (3,1%) posts of steel. Prosthetic crowns (indirects) and direct recovering were accomplished in 51% and 36,9% of the cases, respectively. Melted metallic posts were more associated to indirect restorations (p<0,001) . Considering the position of the tooth in the arcade, there was not statistic significant differences among the types of posts used in the anterior and posterior area (p=0,457). Conclusions: During the period of this study, the majority of recovering procedures of endodontically treated teeth was accomplished without the use of posts. However, melted metallic posts were more associated to indirect restorations.

Assuntos

RESUMO

This study reviewed the theory of estimation/prediction of treatment means, in randomized block designs, emphasizing aspects of interest to plant breeders. Comparisons were made between analyses based on fixed (intrablock) and mixed (with random treatments effects - recovering intergenotypic information) linear models for identifying the determining factors that may affect the classification of genotypes. The mixed model approach, in comparison with the traditional analyses (marginal means and intrablock analysis), in general, leads to: i) more uniformly distributed treatment means; and ii) selection of different genetic treatments when the genetic variance is small relative to the environmental variance, as well as designs being non-orthogonal and unbalanced. In addition, if treatments of distinct reference populations are evaluated in the same experiment, BLUP prediction can lead to different ranking of means, in comparison with the intrablock analysis, even if designs are balanced and orthogonal.

O presente artigo propôs-se a refletir teoricamente o processo de estimação/predição de médias de tratamentos, nos delineamentos em blocos, com ênfase nas suas aplicações em testes de genótipos, no melhoramento vegetal. Neste sentido, procurou-se comparar as análises baseadas no modelo linear fixo (análise intrablocos) e no modelo linear misto com genótipos aleatórios (análise recuperando informação intertratamentos), buscando identificar os fatores que podem determinar diferentes classificações genotípicas. A análise teórica permitiu constatar que a abordagem de modelo misto (com tratamentos aleatórios), comparativamente às análises tradicionais (médias marginais e análise intrablocos), em geral, leva a: i) maior homogeneidade das médias de tratamentos; e ii) seleção de diferentes tratamentos genéticos, quando a variância genotípica for baixa em relação à variância do erro e os ensaios forem não ortogonais e desbalanceados. Ademais, se os tratamentos forem oriundos de várias populações, a predição BLUP poderá determinar diferente classificação das médias de tratamentos, em relação à análise intrablocos, mesmo sob ortogonalidade e balanceamento.

RESUMO

This study reviewed the theory of estimation/prediction of treatment means, in randomized block designs, emphasizing aspects of interest to plant breeders. Comparisons were made between analyses based on fixed (intrablock) and mixed (with random treatments effects - recovering intergenotypic information) linear models for identifying the determining factors that may affect the classification of genotypes. The mixed model approach, in comparison with the traditional analyses (marginal means and intrablock analysis), in general, leads to: i) more uniformly distributed treatment means; and ii) selection of different genetic treatments when the genetic variance is small relative to the environmental variance, as well as designs being non-orthogonal and unbalanced. In addition, if treatments of distinct reference populations are evaluated in the same experiment, BLUP prediction can lead to different ranking of means, in comparison with the intrablock analysis, even if designs are balanced and orthogonal.

O presente artigo propôs-se a refletir teoricamente o processo de estimação/predição de médias de tratamentos, nos delineamentos em blocos, com ênfase nas suas aplicações em testes de genótipos, no melhoramento vegetal. Neste sentido, procurou-se comparar as análises baseadas no modelo linear fixo (análise intrablocos) e no modelo linear misto com genótipos aleatórios (análise recuperando informação intertratamentos), buscando identificar os fatores que podem determinar diferentes classificações genotípicas. A análise teórica permitiu constatar que a abordagem de modelo misto (com tratamentos aleatórios), comparativamente às análises tradicionais (médias marginais e análise intrablocos), em geral, leva a: i) maior homogeneidade das médias de tratamentos; e ii) seleção de diferentes tratamentos genéticos, quando a variância genotípica for baixa em relação à variância do erro e os ensaios forem não ortogonais e desbalanceados. Ademais, se os tratamentos forem oriundos de várias populações, a predição BLUP poderá determinar diferente classificação das médias de tratamentos, em relação à análise intrablocos, mesmo sob ortogonalidade e balanceamento.