Sensitivity of seed to desiccation in cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng.) K. Schum. - Sterculiaceae.

A resposta das sementes à redução do grau de umidade determinará se as mesmas poderão ser armazenadas pelos métodos convencionais. Verificou-se o efeito do dessecamento na germinação e no vigor de sementes de cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng.) K. Schum.), uma espécie frutífera tropical. Os seguintes teores de água foram avaliados: 57,1%, 53,7%, 49,8%, 46,5%, 41,4%, 35,4%, 28,3%, 23,2%, 17,4%, 15,5% e 14,6%. A secagem das sementes até 41,4% de água não afeta a germinação e o vigor, porém, a velocidade de emergência foi reduzida quando o teor de água das sementes atinge 41,4%. Abaixo de 35,4% uma redução na qualidade das sementes foi detectada, a qual foi mais acentuada abaixo de 28,3%. Quando o teor de água das sementes foi de 14,6% a deterioração foi máxima. A sensibilidade de sementes de cupuaçu a redução do grau de umidade sugere que no armazenamento o teor de água das sementes deve ser mantido em valor superior a 41%

Application and validation of the notch master curve in medium and high strength structural steels

This paper applies and validates the Notch master curve in two ferritic steels with medium (steel S460M) and high (steel S690Q) strength. The Notch master curve is an engineering tool that allows the fracture resistance of notched ferritic steels operating within their corresponding ductile-to-brittle transition zone to be estimated. It combines the Master curve and the Theory of critical distances in order to take into account the temperature and the notch effect respectively, assuming that both effects are independent. The results, derived from 168 fracture tests on notched specimens, demonstrate the capability of the Notch master curve for the prediction of the fracture resistance of medium and high strength ferritic steels operating within their ductile-to-brittle transition zone and containing notches

Virtual reality for the analysis and visualization of scientific numerical models

The complexity of the data generated by (magneto)-hydrodynamic (HD/MHD) simulations requires advanced tools for their analysis and visualization. The dramatic improvements in virtual reality (VR) technologies have inspired us to seek the long-term goal of creating VR tools for scientific model analysis and visualization that would allow researchers to study and perform data analysis on their models within an immersive environment. Here, we report the results obtained at INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo in the development of these tools, which would allow for the exploration of 3D models interactively, resulting in highly detailed analysis that cannot be performed with traditional data visualization and analysis platforms. Additionally, these VR-based tools offer the ability to produce high-impact VR content for efficient audience engagement and awareness.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, proceedings of the conference "Virtual and augmented reality for public outreach". Accepted for publication on Mem. SAI

Active shape correction of a thin glass/plastic X-ray mirror

Optics for future X-ray telescopes will be characterized by very large aperture and focal length, and will be made of lightweight materials like glass or plastic in order to keep the total mass within acceptable limits. Optics based on thin slumped glass foils are currently in use in the NuSTAR telescope and are being developed at various institutes like INAF/OAB, aiming at improving the angular resolution to a few arcsec HEW. Another possibility would be the use of thin plastic foils, being developed at SAO and the Palermo University. Even if relevant progresses in the achieved angular resolution were recently made, a viable possibility to further improve the mirror figure would be the application of piezoelectric actuators onto the non-optical side of the mirrors. In fact, thin mirrors are prone to deform, so they require a careful integration to avoid deformations and even correct forming errors. This however offers the possibility to actively correct the residual deformation. Even if other groups are already at work on this idea, we are pursuing the concept of active integration of thin glass or plastic foils with piezoelectric patches, fed by voltages driven by the feedback provided by X-rays, in intra-focal setup at the XACT facility at INAF/OAPA. In this work, we show the preliminary simulations and the first steps taken in this project

Ventricular remodelling in rabbits with sustained high‐fat diet

Aim Excess weight gain and obesity are one of the most serious health problems in the western societies. These conditions enhance risk of cardiac disease and have been linked with increased prevalence for cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. Our goal was to study the ventricular remodelling occurring in rabbits fed with high‐fat diet ( HFD ) and its potential arrhythmogenic mechanisms. Methods We used 15 NZW rabbits that were randomly assigned to a control ( n  = 7) or HFD group ( n  = 8) for 18 weeks. In vivo studies included blood glucose, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic measurements. Optical mapping was performed in Langendorff‐perfused isolated hearts. Results Body weight (3.69 ± 0.31 vs. 2.94 ± 0.18 kg, P  < 0.001) and blood glucose levels (230 ± 61 vs. 141 ± 14 mg dL −1 , P  < 0.05) were higher in the HFD group vs. controls. The rate‐corrected QT interval and its dispersion were increased in HFD rabbits vs. controls (169 ± 10 vs. 146 ± 13 ms and 37 ± 11 vs. 9 ± 2 ms, respectively; P  < 0.05). Echocardiographic analysis showed morphological and functional alterations in HFD rabbits indicative of left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy. Isolated heart studies revealed no changes in repolarization and propagation properties under conditions of normal extracellular K + , suggesting that extrinsic factors could underlie those electrocardiographic modifications. There were no differences in the dynamics of ventricular fibrillation (frequency, wave breaks) in the presence of isoproterenol. However, HFD rabbits showed a small reduction in action potential duration and an increased incidence of arrhythmias during hyperkalaemia. Conclusion High‐fat feeding during 18 weeks in rabbits induced a type II diabetes phenotype, LV hypertrophy, abnormalities in repolarization and susceptibility to arrhythmias during hyperkalaemia.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106944/1/apha12185.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106944/2/apha12185-sup-0001-FigS1-S4TableS1-S3.pd

Ab initio Study of Misfit Dislocations at the SiC/Si(001) Interface

The high lattice mismatched SiC/Si(001) interface was investigated by means of combined classical and ab initio molecular dynamics. Among the several configurations analyzed, a dislocation network pinned at the interface was found to be the most efficient mechanism for strain relief. A detailed description of the dislocation core is given, and the related electronic properties are discussed for the most stable geometry: we found interface states localized in the gap that may be a source of failure of electronic devices

Consequências fisiológicas da dessecação em sementes de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.).

O presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de verificar os efeitos imediatos da desidratação sobre a qualidade fisiológica de sementes de açaí. Anteriormente à secagem das sementes da cultivar BRS Pará foi determinado o teor de água das mesmas e selecionado o lote daquelas que apresentavam o maior teor de água, que foi de 43,4%. As sementes foram submetidas à secagem, em equipamento com circulação forçada de ar (30±2ºC), até atingirem o teor de água de 37,4%, 30,3% 26,1%, 21,0%, 15,% e 11,9%, constituindo os demais tratamentos. O efeito da secagem sobre a qualidade das sementes foi avaliado por meio das determinações de germinação, tempo médio de germinação, velocidade de emergência, comprimento e massa da matéria seca de plântulas. A secagem até 37,4% de água não produz efeitos fisiológicos prejudiciais imediatos sobre as sementes de açaí, contudo, abaixo de 30,3% há redução progressiva da germinação e do vigor das sementes e ao atingirem 15,1% de teor de água, o desempenho fisiológico é anulado.Título em inglês: Physiological consequences of desiccation in Euterpe oleracea Mart. seeds. Disponível também on-line

Conservação de sementes de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.).

Sementes de Euterpe oleracea são consideradas recalcitrantes e demandam ampliação do conhecimento sobre os fatores que interferem na sua conservação. Diante disso, o presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de verificar os efeitos do teor de água da semente e da temperatura do ambiente na manutenção da qualidade das mesmas. Sementes da cultivar BRS Pará, com diferentes teores de água (43,4; 37,4; 30,3; 26,1; 21,0; 15,1 e 11,9%) e acondicionadas em sacos de polietileno foram armazenadas sob temperaturas de 20, 15 e 10 ºC durante 360 dias e submetidas a avaliações periódicas do teor de água, da germinação e do vigor. A secagem parcial até 37,4% de água não produz efeitos imediatos sobre a germinação e o vigor das sementes, a partir daí a secagem favorece, progressivamente, a deterioração das sementes e, ao atingirem 15,1% as sementes não germinam. Após o armazenamento, sementes com 21,0% de água ou menos não germinam independentemente da temperatura. A associação de 43,4% de água na semente e o armazenamento em ambiente a 20 ºC favorece a conservação das sementes por até 270 dias

Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Eufortyn® Colesterolo Plus on Serum Lipids, Endothelial Reactivity, Indexes of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Systemic Inflammation in Healthy Subjects with Polygenic Hypercholesterolemia: The ANEMONE Study. Nutrients. 2022 May 18;14(10):209

We aimed to evaluate if dietary supplementation with a nutraceutical compound (Eufortyn® Colesterolo Plus) containing standardized bergamot polyphenolic fraction phytosome (Vazguard®), artichoke extract (Pycrinil®), artichoke dry extract. (Cynara scolymus L.), Q10 phytosome(Ubiqosome®) and zinc, could positively affect serum lipids concentration, systemic inflammation and indexes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in 60 healthy subjects with polygenic hypercholesterolemia. Participants were adhering to a low-fat, low-sodium Mediterranean diet for a month before being randomly allocated to 8-week treatment with 1 pill each day of either Eufortyn® Colesterolo Plus or placebo. Dietary supplementation with Eufortyn® Colesterolo Plus was associated with significant improvement in total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and endothelial reactivity (ER) in comparison with baseline, and with significant reductions in waist circumference, TC, LDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, lipid accumulation product and fatty liver index compared to placebo. The study shows that dietary supplementation with standardized bergamot polyphenolic fraction phytosome, artichoke extracts, Q10 phytosome and zinc safely exerts significant improvements in serum lipids, systemic inflammation, indexes of NAFLD and endothelial reactivity in healthy subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia