The Effect of Convection on Disorder in Primary Cellular and Dendritic Arrays

Directional solidification studies have been carried out to characterize the spatial disorder in the arrays of cells and dendrites. Different factors that cause array disorder are investigated experimentally and analyzed numerically. In addition to the disorder resulting from the fundamental selection of a range of primary spacings under given experimental conditions, a significant variation in primary spacings is shown to occur in bulk samples due to convection effects, especially at low growth velocities. The effect of convection on array disorder is examined through directional solidification studies in two different alloy systems, Pb-Sn and Al-Cu. A detailed analysis of the spacing distribution is carried out, which shows that the disorder in the spacing distribution is greater in the Al-Cu system than in Pb-Sn system. Numerical models are developed which show that fluid motion can occur in both these systems due to the negative axial density gradient or due the radial temperature gradient which is always present in Bridgman growth. The modes of convection have been found to be significantly different in these systems, due to the solute being heavier than the solvent in the Al-Cu system and lighter than it in the Pb-Sn system. The results of the model have been shown to explain experimental observations of higher disorder and greater solute segregation in a weakly convective Al-Cu system than those in a highly convective Pb-Sn system

Decomposing metabolomic isotope patterns

Böcker S, Pervukhin A, Lipták Z, Letzel M. Decomposing metabolomic isotope patterns. In: Bücher P, ed. Proc. WABI. Lecture notes in computer science ; 4175 : Lecture notes in bioinformatics. Vol 4175. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 2006: 12-23

Teores de Ca e variáveis meteorológicas: relações com a incidência da mancha fisiológica do mamão no Norte Fluminense Ca concetration and meteorological variables: relationships with skin freckles in papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruits

No Brasil e no mundo, o mamoeiro (Carica papaya L.) tem apresentado um distúrbio fisiológico no fruto denominado de Mancha Fisiológica do Mamão (MFM). Na literatura, pouco se conhece sobre as causas desta anomalia que afeta sensivelmente a comercialização dos frutos da espécie. Com o objetivo de se buscar informações relacionadas às causas da MFM, foi realizado um estudo, durante um ano, em um plantio comercial localizado em São Franscisco do Itabapoana (RJ), no norte fluminense. Foram feitas relações entre algumas variáveis do clima (temperatura, déficit de pressão de vapor, precipitação pluvial e radiação solar global) e os teores de Ca na planta [limbo, pecíolo, pedúnculo, epicarpo não-exposto (face do fruto próxima ao tronco) e epicarpo exposto (face do fruto oposta ao tronco)] com a incidência da MFM. Observou-se que a maior incidência de MFM foi durante setembro/2000. Em janeiro/2001, a incidência da MFM foi praticamente nula. A amplitude térmica, nos três meses que antecederam a setembro/2000, foi a variável do clima que mais se relacionou com a incidência da MFM. Em setembro, os teores de Ca em todas as partes do fruto (pedúnculo, epicarpo exposto e não-exposto) estudadas foram maiores. Na época que antecedeu o mês de setembro, as relações Ca/K e Ca/Mg foram estatisticamente maiores no epicarpo exposto e não-exposto e, nesta época, a relação Ca/P foi estatisticamente maior no pedúnculo e no epicarpo não-exposto. Os efeitos da amplitude térmica sobre a incidência da MFM são discutidos e a hipótese de que os teores baixos de Ca no fruto poderiam causar desestabilização na parede celular, o que facilitaria o extravasamento do látex e provocaria a MFM, deve ser reavaliada.<br>In Brazil and other parts of the world, papaya fruit suffer with a physiological disruption, known as skin freckles (SF). There is very little information available concerning the causes of this disruption that seriously affects the commercialization of the papaya fruit. In an attempt to discover the possible cause of SF, experiments were carried out during 12 months in a commercial plantation located in São Franscisco do Itabapoana, North of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, to measure the effect of climate on SF, such as air temperature, air vapor pressure deficit, rainfall and incoming solar radiation, as well as levels of Ca in the plants [blade, petiole, pedicel, epicarp (peel) not-exposed to sunlight (part of the fruit facing the stem) and the part o the fruit exposed to direct sunlight, related to the incidence of SF. A high incidence of SF was observed during the month of September 2000, however during the month of January 2001 no SF was detected. Thermal temperature during the three months before September was the variable that was most closely correlated to the incidence of SF. In September the levels of Ca in all parts of the fruit (exposed and non-exposed epicarp and pedicel) were higher than during other periods of evaluation. During the period before September, the ratios of Ca:K and Ca:Mg were higher in the exposed and non-exposed epicarp. Also at this time the ratio of Ca:P were higher in the non-exposed epicarp and pedicel. The effect of thermal amplitude on the incidence of SF are discussed and the hypothesis that low levels of Ca in the fruit could destabilize the cell walls, facilitating leaking of latex, provoking the symptoms of SF, will be reevaluated