FESEM and EIS Study of Sealed AA2024 T3 Anodized in Sulfuric Acid Electrolytes: Influence of Tartaric Acid

The present study investigates the effect of tartaric acid on anodic film morphology and on corrosion resistance of hydrothermally sealed anodized AA2024. Anodizing treatment was performed in dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte with or without addition of tartaric acid. Hydrothermal sealing was carried out in boiling water for each anodized specimen. The morphology of the sealed anodic films was examined using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was performed to assess sealing quality and corrosion resistance of the anodic films. It was shown that the sealing was more efficient in the case of anodic films formed in tartaric acid electrolyte mainly due to their lower porosity. It was also observed that the properties of the barrier layer were higher when sealing was performed on specimens anodized in the presence of tartaric acid. This suggests a specific role of the species on the barrier layer, which contributes to the enhancement of the performance in terms of corrosion resistance of the sealed anodic films. The present study clearly validates the beneficial role of tartaric acid in anodizing baths for the corrosion protection of AA2024

Indução de estro em cabras da raça Toggenburg com dois diferentes dispositivos intravaginais.

Doze cabras nuliparas da raça Toggenburg foram distribuidas em dois tratamentos (Tl e T2) para induçao do estro. 0 T1 (n=6) consistiu na inserçao da esponja imnpregnada com 60mg de acetato de medroxiprogesterona, associado a aplicaçao de 50mg do analogo sintetico d-cloprostenol (PGF). No quarto dia, foram aplicadas 250UI de gonadotropina corionica equina (eCG) e, no quinto, a esponja foi retirada. 0 T2 (n=6) diferiu somente quanto ao dispositivo empregado, que foi 0 CIDR-G@. Seis cabras do Tl e seis do T2 entraram em estro depois da retirada dos dispositivos, sendo que 83,3 (5/6) e 33,3% (2/6) ficaram gestantes em Tl e T2, respectivamente. 0 intervalo da retirada do dispositivo ao inicio do estro nao diferiu entre tratamentos (P>O,O5). As caracteristicas ovulatorias nao foram influenciadas pelos tratamentos. 0 intervalo da retirada do dispositivo a ovulaçao, para ambos os protocolos de induçao do estro, nao diferiu (P>O,O5) entre tratamentos. Ambos os dispositivos foram eficientes em induzir O estro. [Estrous induction in Toggenburg goats using intravaginal devices]. Abstract: Twelve Toggenburg breed nuliparous female goats were randomly assigned to two treatments intended to induce estrus. On day zero, animals on T1 (n=6) were treated with an intravaginal sponge impregnated with 60mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate plus 50µg of PGF analogue. The T1 goats received eCG (250IU) on day 4, and on day 5 the sponge was removed. The T2 goats (n=6) received CIDR-G® as intravaginal sponge plus 50mg of PGF analogue. All goats expressed behavioral estrus, and the pregnancy rates were 83.3 (5/6) and 33.3% (2/6) for T1 and T2, respectively. The interval from withdrawal of the device to onset of estrus did not differ between treatments (P>0.05). Ovulatory traits also were not affected by treatments. The interval between CIDR-G® removal and ovulation for T1 and T2 goats were similar (P>0.05). Both sponge and CIDR-G were equally efficient in inducing the estrus behavior in goats

Tratamentos de curta duração com progestagénios durante a época reprodutiva para sincronização éstrica em ovelhas da raça Churra da Terra Quente

A sincronização éstrica em ovinos é uma técnica indispensável ao maneio reprodutivo nas explorações com épocas de cobrição/parto programadas ou que utilizem a inseminação artificial. Com a realização deste trabalho pretendemos testar a eficácia da utilização de FGA em protocolos de curta duração, com ou sem administração de eCG, como método de sincronização éstrica de ovelhas da raça Churra da Terra Quente (CTQ) durante a época reprodutiva. Foram utilizadas 19 ovelhas CTQ que se dividiram em 2 grupos. Nos animais do grupo A (n=9) foi inserida, no primeiro dia do tratamento (D1), uma esponja intra-vaginal contendo 40 mg de FGA e aplicados 125 µg de cloprostenol. Cinco dias depois (D5) as esponjas foram removidas. No grupo B (n=10) foi associada a aplicação de 250 UI de eCG no momento da retirada das esponjas. Os cios foram identificados com a ajuda de carneiros providos de arnêz marcador. Foram recolhidas amostras de sangue, 2 vezes por semana (entre os dias D-15 e D25) e diariamente (entre os dias D0 e D8), para doseamento da concentração de progesterona (P4) no plasma. No dia D30 foi feito o diagnóstico de gestação por ultrasonografia em tempo real e contado o número de fetos. No total, 84% das ovelhas (16/19) apresentaram um cio, identificado pelo carneiro e confirmado pela concentração de progesterona no plasma, entre as 26 e as 54 horas após a retirada da esponja. A primeira monta foi identificada às 43,3±8,6 horas, não havendo diferenças entre os 2 grupos. Das 16 ovelhas cobertas, 12 (75%) ficaram gestantes, tendo-se identificado 1,5±0,5 fetos por animal, não havendo diferenças entre grupos. Neste trabalho, efectuado durante a época reprodutiva, a utilização de FGA durante 5 dias associada à PGF2alfa no momento da colocação das esponjas permitiu uma boa sincronização de cios. A administração de eCG no momento da retirada das esponjas não afectou nem a eficiência do tratamento nem a taxa de prolificidade encontrada

La recepción del teatro humorístico en la prensa contemporánea

A partir de los casos de Tricicle, Pepe Rubianes y Faemino y Cansado, el artículo examina las constantes que se perciben en la recepción del teatro humorístico en la prensa contemporánea. La consulta de numerosas entrevistas y reseñas publicadas durante más de veinticinco años evidencia unas reiteradas estrategias de los citados cómicos de cara a la promoción de sus espectáculos y, sobre todo, el convencionalismo y escaso compromiso crítico de los periodistas en la realización de estos trabajos. No obstante, la consulta de esta documentación resulta imprescindible porque, entre otros motivos, contamos con una escasa bibliografía académica sobre estos ejemplos del humor contemporáneo

Atividade estral de cabras Boer submetidas a dois protocolos de sincronização do estro.

O obejetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade estral de 42 cabras Boer submetidas a dois protocolos de sincronização de estro. Foram avaliadas os dois protocolos T1: Esponja com 60 mg de acetato de Medroxiprogesterona (MAP) por seis dias. No momento da colocação da esponja, foi aplicado 75 ug de cloprostenol mais 300 UI de eCG (Gonadotrofina coriônica) na retirada da esponja; T2: Esponja com 60 mg de MAP por 11 dias. Dois dias antes das retiradas das esponjas (dia9), foram aplicadas injeções intramusculares de 75 mg de cloprostenol e 300 UI de eGG. O protocolo de 6 dias mostrou ser tão eficaz quanto o de 11 dias na sincronização do estro de cabras Boer. A taxa de fertilidadeao parto deve ser avaliada na utilização do protocolo de 6 dias.Editores: Gherman Garcia Leal de Araújo, Fábio Mourer, Silvia Helena Nogueira Turco, Alex Uilamar Nascimento Cunha

Effects of hCG on progesterone concentrations and fertility in cyclic, lactating Alpine goats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hCG administration on plasma progesterone concentrations in lactating Alpine goats during the natural breeding season. After detection of estrus, 124 does were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (T1 and T2). In T1 (n = 60) and T2 (n = 64), the animals received 1 ml of saline solution or 250 IU of hCG i.m., respectively, 5 days after the first detection of estrus and breeding. Plasma progesterone concentration (ng/mL) was determined from blood sampled (T1 = 12 and T2 = 13) on Days 0 (day of estrus), 5, 7, 13, 17, 21, 28 and 45 after breeding. Two control goats with short cycles and two nymphomaniac goats (one per treatment) were detected. Plasma progesterone concentration (mean ± SEM) for T1 and T2 females differed on Days 13, 17 (P 0.05) between T1 (78.3%) and T2 (84.4%) does. The hCG administration 5 days after breeding increased plasma progesterone concentrations on Days 13 to 21 but did not increase pregnancy rate

Tree-based approaches for understanding growth patterns in the European regions

The paper describes an empirical analysis to understand the main drivers of economic growth in the European Union (EU) regions in the past decade. The analysis maintains the traditional factors of growth used in the literature on regional growth - stage of development, population agglomeration, transport infrastructure, human capital, labour market and research and innovation - and incorporates the institutional quality and two variables which aim to reflect the macroeconomic conditions in which the regions operate. Given the scarcity of reliable and comparable regional data at the EU level, large part of the analysis has been devoted to build reliable and consistent panel data on potential factors of growth. Two non-parametric, decision-tree techniques, randomized Classication and Regression Tree and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines, are employed for their ability to address data complexities such as non-linearities and interaction eects, which are generally a challenge for more traditional statistical procedures such as linear regression. Results show that the dependence of growth rates on the factors included in the analysis is clearly non-linear with important factor interactions. This means that growth is determined by the simultaneous presence of multiple stimulus factors rather than the presence of a single area of excellence. Results also conrm the critical importance of the macroeconomic framework together with human capital as major drivers of economic growth of countries and regions. This is overall in line with most of the economic literature, which has persistently underlined the major role of these factors on economic growth but with the novelty that the macroeconomic conditions are here incorporated. Human capital also has an important role, with low-skilled workforce having a higher detrimental eect on growth than high-skilled. Not surprisingly, other important factors are the quality of governance and, in line with the neoclassical growth theory, the stage of development, with less developed economies growing at a faster pace than the others. The evidence given by the model about the impact of other factors on economic growth such as those on the quality of infrastructure or the level of innovation seems to be more limited and inconclusive. The analysis conclusions support the reinforcement of the EU economic governance and the conditionality mechanisms set in the new architecture of the EU regional funds 2014-2020 whose rationale is that the eectiveness of the expenditure is conditional to good institutional quality and sound economic policies