Uses and lumber potential of jacatirão-açú (Miconia cinnamomifolia (De Candolle) Naudin) in the atlantic coast region of Santa Catarina State, Brazil

This work aimed at evaluating the potential and yield of Miconia cinnamomifolia for lumber production. They were measured 36 trees to estimate the commercial form factor (ffc) and the bark factor (fc). They were also estimated the sawn timber yield from eight logs. The acceptance of the timber of this species in the local market was evaluated through the application of 30 semi-structured interviews to owners of sawmills and furniture and frame factories. Among them, 70% would accept the timber of M. cinnamomifolia in their business. Among the main uses listed for the timber, building material is the most important one, for which the market price is equivalent to the price of Eucalyptus timber. A volume equation (Commercial Volume = 0.000462.DAP2 + 0.00418.Hc, (R2 0.97) was adjusted to estimate the solid volume of timber. The sawing yield was 42%, and there was also an additional utilization of 25% of the residues.Este trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar o potencial madeireiro e o rendimento de madeira do jacatirão-açu (Miconia cinnamomifolia (De Candolle) Naudin). Foram medidas 36 árvores para as estimativas de fator de forma comercial (ffc) e fator de casca (fc). Foi também estimado o rendimento de madeira serrada comercial a partir do desdobro de oito toras. A aceitação da espécie no mercado madeireiro da região foi avaliada através de 30 entrevistas semi-estruturadas em serrarias e fábricas de móveis e esquadrias. Dos estabelecimentos visitados, 70% manifestaram a aceitação em trabalhar com M. cinnamomifolia. Entre os usos da madeira, destacou-se o emprego na construção civil, com um valor pago para a madeira semelhante ao eucalipto. Através dos valores obtidos do ffc (0,92) e fc (0,91), foi estabelecida a equação Volume comercial = 0,000462.DAP2 + 0,00418.Hc (R2 0,97) para o cálculo do volume sólido de madeira. O rendimento no desdobro foi de 42%, e adicionalmente houve o aproveitamento de 25% dos resíduos

NOVAS TECNOLOGIAS DIRECIONADAS PARA O ENSINO DA MATEMÁTICA

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a aplicação das novas tecnologias no ensino da matemática, partindo-se da seguinte questão-problema: Qual a importância de utilizar-se as novas tecnologias disponíveis para o ensino da matemática? Tendo aplicado ao estudo a metodologiade pesquisa bibliográfica, estudou-se o que os autores têm publicado com relação ao tema e constatou-se que, após a chamada sociedade industrial, iniciou-se uma nova fase de desenvolvimento que deu ênfase à computação e à telemática, a qual rapidamente se denominou de sociedade da informação, cujo desenvolvimento parece ter se dado a uma velocidade surpreendentemente maior que qualquer outra fase de desenvolvimento tecnológico. Em apenas algumas décadas, muitos conceitos mudaram radicalmente, afetandoo ensino e o aprendizado. A aplicação dessas tecnologias se deu em âmbito mundiale em todos os setores de atividade humana, atingindo, portanto, o ensino da Matemática. Assim, o professor de Matemática precisa acompanhar essa rápida evolução e buscar as ferramentas que as novas tecnologias dispõem para o ensino

Degree of conversion and microhardness of resin cements photoactivated through glass ceramic

To assess whether glass-ceramic shade, thickness and translucency affect degree of conversion (DC) and Knoop microhardness (KHN) of resin cements photoactivated using light-emitting diode (LED) or quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH) units. Glass-ceramic bloc

Probing carbon isotope effects on the Raman spectra of graphene with different C-13 concentrations

A resonance Raman study of graphene samples with different C-13 isotopic concentrations and using different laser excitation energies is presented. The main Raman peaks (D, G, G*, and 2D) of graphene were measured and the dependence of their frequencies on the isotope atomic mass follows a simple harmonic oscillator relation. The G* and 2D double-resonance peak positions were measured as a function of the laser energy, and we observed that the slopes of the laser energy dependence are the same independently of isotope concentration. This result shows that isotopic substitution does not alter the electron and phonon dispersions near the K point of the graphene Brillouin zone. From the linewidth of G and 2D Raman peaks, we have also obtained a dependence of the phonon lifetime on the C-13 isotope concentrationopen

Properties of a new poly-ether-glycol copolymer.

Triblock copolymers are made of monomer segments, being the central part usually hydrophobic and the outer parts hydrophilic. By varying sizes, molecular weights and monomer types of the segments one obtains different final molecules, with different physico-chemical properties, which are directly related to the performance of the final product. Looking for new products to be used, among other possibilities, in biological applications, a new polymer (Figure 1) was synthesized by the Dow Chemical and studied by Size Exclusion Chromatography, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrometry, Small-angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and its cloud point was determined by measuring light transmittance. The studies showed low molecular polydispersivety, but different polarities in the macromolecules fractions. Due to the low solubility of Diol in water, a mixture of water/butyl diglycol was used as solvent. An extensive analysis by SAXS was performed for concentrations from 50 wt% to 80 wt% of Diol in solution. Small concentrations showed very low signal to noise ratio, making it impossible to be analysed. The scattering intensity including the form factor of polydisperse non-homogeneous spheres, and the structure factor of interacting hard spheres was fitted to the curves. As the polymer concentration is high, the fitting of form factors of direct and reverse micelles were compared. The results for direct micelles were better up to 80 wt%, whereas at 90 wt% and 95 wt% the curves were better fitted by reverse micelles. It might seem odd that direct micelles are present up to such high concentrations, but it might have been caused by the presence of butyl diglycol, which increases the solubility of Diol in water. The inner and outer radius of the micelles, electron density distribution, and interaction radius of the micelles were obtained. The polydispersivety increases with Diol concentration. Besides, the interaction radius increases with solvent concentration, even when reversed micelles are present. In the last case, accompanied by an increase of inner radius (water content), as there are fewer Diol molecules to involve the water nuclei, which become larger, further apart, and in less number

Papillomavirus Capsid Binding and Uptake by Cells From Different Tissues and Species

The inability of papillomaviruses (PV) to replicate in tissue culture cells has hampered the study of the PV life cycle. We investigated virus-cell interactions by the following two methods: (i) using purified bovine PV virions or human PV type 11 (HPV type 11) virus-like particles (VLP) to test the binding to eukaryotic cells and (ii) using different VLP-reporter plasmid complexes of HPV6b, HPV11 L1 or HPV11 L1/L2, and HPV16 L1 or HPV16 L1/L2 to study uptake of particles into different cell lines. Our studies showed that PV capsids bind to a broad range of cells in culture in a dose-dependent manner. Binding of PV capsids to cells can be blocked by pretreating the cells with the protease trypsin. Penetration of PV into cells was monitored by using complexes in which the purified PV capsids were physically linked to DNA containing the gene for beta-galactosidase driven by the human cytomegalovirus promoter. Expression of beta-galactosidase occurred in < 1% of the cells, and the efficiency of PV receptor-mediated gene delivery was greatly enhanced (up to 10 to 20% positive cells) by the use of a replication-defective adenovirus which promotes endosomal lysis. The data generated by this approach further confirmed the results obtained from the binding assays, showing that PV enter a wide range of cells and that these cells have all functions required for the uptake of PV. Binding and uptake of PV particles can be blocked by PV-specific antisera, and different PV particles compete for particle uptake. Our results suggest that the PV receptor is a conserved cell surface molecule(s) used by different PV and that the tropism of infection by different PV is controlled by events downstream of the initial binding and uptake

Uso de nanobast?es de ouro para o desenvolvimento de aulas pr?ticas de nanotecnologia.

Use of gold nanoparticles functionalization experiment was conducted in a biotechnology summer course at UFOP as a model for the introduction of the laboratory practice in nanotechnology for postgraduate courses in the areas of chemistry and biotechnology. The gold nanorods were synthesized by the seed method and then, functionalized with anti-IL-6 antibodies using the reagents EDAC/NHS and polyethyleneimine (PEI). This nanocompound was tested against the binding with the specific antigen (IL-6) and changes in the longitudinal plasmon absorption spectrum showed the coupling efficiency, which was also verified by the decrease in zeta potential. The experiment was satisfactory, with a positive feedback from participants, and could be implemented in nanotechnology practical classes from postgraduate courses, as a way for improve education in the emergent area of nanobiotechnology

Developing in vitro expanded CD45RA⁺ regulatory T cells as an adoptive cell therapy for Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Thymus-derived regulatory T cells (T(regs)) mediate dominant peripheral tolerance and treat experimental colitis. T(regs) can be expanded from patient blood and were safely used in recent phase 1 studies in graft versus host disease and type 1 diabetes. T(reg) cell therapy is also conceptually attractive for Crohn's disease (CD). However, barriers exist to this approach. The stability of T(regs) expanded from Crohn's blood is unknown. The potential for adoptively transferred T(regs) to express interleukin-17 and exacerbate Crohn's lesions is of concern. Mucosal T cells are resistant to T(reg)-mediated suppression in active CD. The capacity for expanded T(regs) to home to gut and lymphoid tissue is unknown. METHODS: To define the optimum population for T(reg) cell therapy in CD, CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(lo)CD45RA(+) and CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(lo)CD45RA(−) T(reg) subsets were isolated from patients’ blood and expanded in vitro using a workflow that can be readily transferred to a good manufacturing practice background. RESULTS: T(regs) can be expanded from the blood of patients with CD to potential target dose within 22–24 days. Expanded CD45RA(+) T(regs) have an epigenetically stable FOXP3 locus and do not convert to a Th17 phenotype in vitro, in contrast to CD45RA(−) T(regs). CD45RA(+) T(regs) highly express α(4)β(7) integrin, CD62L and CC motif receptor 7 (CCR7). CD45RA(+) T(regs) also home to human small bowel in a C.B-17 severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) xenotransplant model. Importantly, in vitro expansion enhances the suppressive ability of CD45RA(+) T(regs). These cells also suppress activation of lamina propria and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes isolated from inflamed Crohn's mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(lo)CD45RA(+) T(regs) may be the most appropriate population from which to expand T(regs) for autologous T(reg) therapy for CD, paving the way for future clinical trials

Small-scale Management of Secondary Forests in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

ABSTRACT Sustainable management of tropical and subtropical secondary forests for multiple purposes, including timber, may encourage farmers to promote regeneration of native forest. We studied the population structures and commercial timber production in two adjacent 33 years-old Brazilian Atlantic Forest stands: a 26 ha forest managed through enrichment with three fast-growing commercial timber species, and a 10 ha naturally regenerated unmanaged forest. The tree species presented basal area of 26.9 m2 ha–1 and 23.8 m2 ha–1 in the enriched and the unmanaged forest, respectively. Timber volume (DBH ≥ 15 cm) in the enriched forest was 104 m3 ha–1 (3.7 m3 ha–1 year–1 rate of increment), 67% of which from the species planted in the enrichment process. The unmanaged forest presented 78.4 m3 ha–1 of timber (2.4 m3 ha–1 year–1 rate of increment) (45% from the planted species). Timber volumes and DBH distributions of both stands suggest that selective harvesting could produce valuable timber now, while stimulating growth of the next cycle

Single step vacuum-free and hydrogen-free synthesis of graphene

We report a modified method to grow graphene in a single-step process. It is based on chemical vapor deposition and considers the use of methane under extremely adverse synthesis conditions, namely in an open chamber without requiring the addition of gaseous hydrogen in any of the synthesis stages. The synthesis occurs between two parallel Cu plates, heated up via electromagnetic induction. The inductive heating yields a strong thermal gradient between the catalytic substrates and the surrounding environment, promoting the enrichment of hydrogen generated as fragments of the methane molecules within the volume confined by the Cu foils. This induced density gradient is due to thermo-diffusion, also known as the Soret effect. Hydrogen and other low mass molecular fractions produced during the process inhibit oxidative effects and simultaneously reduce the native oxide on the Cu surface. As a result, high quality graphene is obtained on the inner surfaces of the Cu sheets as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy