Sugarcane: Organo-Mineral Fertilizers and Biostimulants

The combined application of organic fertilizer with mineral fertilizer increases the yield of sugarcane. It promotes greater residual beneficial effect in relation to the use of each fertilizer in isolation. The organo-mineral fertilizer presents gradual solubilization during the period of development of the crop. Thus, when compared to soluble mineral sources, its agronomic efficiency may be higher. Various types of organic material can be used, such as pig manure, poultry litter, filter cake and sewage sludge, among others. Organic matter is responsible for maintaining and increasing soil porosity to improve water retention and to ensure soil microbial balance. The efficiency in nourishing the sugarcane crops or availing the available nutrients is maximized. The use of biostimulants in world agriculture has achieved significant growth rates in the last decades. Hormone compounds ensure the sustainability of crops. It can be an alternative to improve plant nutrition, support of abiotic and biotic stresses. They act in the activation and potentiation of the metabolism of the cells, give more vigor to the immune system and help to enable the physiological processes in the different stages of development. The emergence and use of new technologies is the way to achieve greater productivity, sustainability and profitability

Valorization of Wastes for Biodiesel Production: The Brazilian Case

This chapter intends to bring an overview about the Brazilian researches and their contributions to the production of biodiesel from wastes. Currently, the main obstacles to spread the use of biodiesel are its high cost of production and the competition between biodiesel and food industries. So, the use of wastes plays an important role in reducing the biodiesel costs and reusing the materials that have no other applications, as deodorization residues, neutralization soap sticks, and animal fats, among others. Then, we present a review about Brazilian studies involving waste oils and fatty–acid-rich raw materials that helped the advancement in this field of knowledge during the last few years

Zeolites: A Theoretical and Practical Approach with Uses in (Bio)Chemical Processes

This review provides a state-of-the-art summary of distributed zeolite technology, as well as identifying strategies to further promote the absorption of these materials in various areas of study. Zeolites are materials that can be synthesized or found in natural rock deposits a with a basic composition consisting in Al, Si, and O. Zeolite’s consideration as a future material is due to many facile synthesis methods to obtain different structures with variations in pore size, surface area, pore volume and physical properties. These methods are developed using the control of relevant synthesis parameters that influences structure formation, such as crystallization temperature, time of aging and/or crystallization, stoichiometric relationships between components of synthesis gel, pH of the medium, and in some cases the type of structure-directing agent. Each method will lead to geometric changes in the framework formation, making possible the formation of typical chemical bonds that are the fingerprint of any zeolitic structure (O-Si-O and Al-O-Si), forming typical acid sites that give specificity in zeolite and allows it to act as a nanoreactor. The specificity is a characteristic that in some cases depends on selectivity, a fundamental property derived of the porosity, mostly in processes that occur inside the zeolite. In processes outside the structure, the surface area is the main factor influencing this property. Moreover, there are many natural sources with adequate chemical composition to be used as precursors. Some of these sources are waste, minimizing the deposition of potential hazardous materials that can be recalcitrant pollutants depending on the environment. Besides its uses as a catalyst, zeolite serves as a support for many bioprocesses; therefore, this review aims to explain relevant aspects in chemical nature, physical properties, main methods of synthesis, main precursors used for synthesis, and relevant applications of zeolites in chemical catalysis and biological processes

Bentonites Modified with Phosphomolybdic Heteropolyacid (HPMo) for Biowaste to Biofuel Production

Two bentonites from Paraíba (Northeastern Brazil) were impregnated with heteropoly phosphomolybdic H3PMo12O40 (HPMo). The materials produced were characterized by various techniques such as N2 adsorption-desorption (specific surface area, SSA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with Dispersive Energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), acid-base titration analysis. The catalytic activity of these materials was tested in the esterification of a waste from palm oil deodorization and the main results obtained (about 93.3% of conversion) indicated that these materials have potential to act as heterogeneous solid acid catalysts. The prepared materials exhibited satisfactory catalytic performance even after a very simple recycling process in three reuse cycles, without significant loss of their activities

Desenvolvimento de uma aplicação móvel com exercícios lúdicos para prevenção da Alzheimer / Development of a mobile application with playful exercises for Alzheimer's prevention

A Doença de Alzheimer é uma doença demencial que acomete cerca de 50 milhões de pessoas, e é caracterizada pela perda gradual de memória e outras capacidades intelectuais. Este artigo apresenta uma aplicação móvel que estimula a prática de exercícios para desenvolver aspectos cognitivos, como raciocínio lógico e memória, além de atividades físicas. A aplicação ainda em desenvolvimento terá sua eficácia testada com um grupo de pacientes voluntários e seus médicos responsáveis em uma instituição municipal de cuidados ao idoso

PLANTAS DE COBERTURA E ADUBAÇÃO COM NPK PARA MILHO EM PLANTIO DIRETO

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar plantas de cobertura em pré-safra e doses de adubo NPK sobre a produtividade do milho híbrido simples P30K75, cultivado em plantio direto, em alta densidade populacional, na região do Cerrado, em Ipameri-GO. Realizou-se um experimento de campo, em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo Distrófico. O delineamento estatístico foi blocos casualizados, em esquema experimental de parcelas subdivididas, com três repetições. Os tratamentos principais foram constituídos por três espécies utilizadas como plantas de cobertura (Crotalária juncea, Crotalária spectabilis e Brachiária decumbens) e os secundários, por cinco doses (D) de adubos NPK (D1 = 60+50+30; D2 = 120+100+60; D3 = 144+120+72; D4 = 180+150+90; e D5 = 300+250+150 kg ha-1  de N+P2O5+K2O). A matéria seca das plantas de cobertura (80 dias após a semeadura) foi de 6271, 5197 e 6383 kg ha-1, para C. juncea, C. spectabilis e B. decumbens, respectivamente. Os efeitos de doses de adubos NPK e de espécies de plantas de cobertura sobre o desenvolvimento e produtividade do milho foram independentes. As coberturas C. juncea e C. spectabilis proporcionaram melhor desenvolvimento e produtividade da cultura do milho que a braquiária. O incremento das doses de adubo NPK promoveu melhor desenvolvimento e aumento na produtividade de grãos do milho.This study aimed to evaluate the use of cover crops grown in the preharvest period and different doses of the fertilizer NPK on the yield of corn hybrid P 30K75 grown in direct plantation, in high population densities, in the Cerrado of Ipameri-GO. It was conducted a field experiment in a dystrophic red-yellow latosol. The statistical design was a randomized block in split-plot experimental scheme with three replications. The main treatments consisted of three species used as cover crops (Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria spectabilis and Brachiaria decumbens) and the secondary treatments were five different doses of the NPK fertilizer (D1 = 60 +50 +30 , D2 = 120 +100 +60; D3 = 144 +120 +72, 180 +150 +90 = D4, D5 = 300 +250 +150 kg ha-1 N + P2O5 + K2O). The dry matter of the cover crop (80 days after sowing) was 6271, 5197 and 6383 kg ha-1 for C. juncea, C. spectabilis and B. decumbens, respectively. The effects of NPK doses and coverage plant species on the development and corn yield were independent. The cover crops  C. juncea and C. spectabilis provided better development and productivity of maize than Brachiaria. The increasing in NPK levels promoted better development and increased the productivity of maize

Acetylation of Eugenol on Functionalized Mesoporous Aluminosilicates Synthesized from Amazonian Flint Kaolin

The present work was aimed to investigate the catalytic activity of a mesoporous catalyst synthesized from 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) functionalized Amazonian flint kaolin in the acetylation of eugenol with acetic anhydride. Materials were characterized by thermogravimetry (TGA), N2 adsorption (BET), X-ray dispersive energy spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and acid-base titration. The results presented proved the efficiency of flint kaolin as an alternative source in the preparation of mesoporous materials, since the material exhibited textural properties (specific surface area of 1071 m2 g−1, pore volume of 1.05 cm3 g−1 and pore diameter of 3.85 nm) and structural properties (d100 = 4.35 nm, a0 = 5.06 nm and Wt = 1.21 nm) within the required and characteristic material standards. The catalyst with the total amount of acidic sites of 4.89 mmol H+ g−1 was efficient in converting 99.9% of eugenol (eugenol to acetic anhydride molar ratio of 1:5, 2% catalyst, temperature and reaction time 80 °C and 40 min reaction). In addition, the reused catalyst could be successfully recycled with 92% conversion activity under identical reaction conditions

Acetylation of Eugenol over 12-Molybdophosphoric Acid Anchored in Mesoporous Silicate Support Synthesized from Flint Kaolin

A new prepared catalyst, 12-molybdophosphoric acid (HPMo) anchored to the mesoporous aluminosilicate AlSiM, synthesized from Amazon kaolin, was characterized and used as a heterogeneous acid catalyst for the production of eugenyl acetate by acetylation of eugenol with acetic anhydride. The effect of various reaction parameters, such as catalyst concentration, eugenol/acetic anhydride molar ratio, temperature and reaction time, was studied to optimize the conditions of maximum conversion of eugenol. The kinetics studies showed that in eugenol acetylation, the substrate concentration follows a first order kinetics. The results of activation energy was 19.96 kJ mol−1 for HPMo anchored to AlSiM. The reuse of the catalyst was also studied and there was no loss of catalytic activity after four cycles of use (from 99.9% in the first cycle to 90% in the fifth cycle was confirmed), and an excellent stability of the material was observed. Based on catalytic and kinetic studies, HPMo anchored to AlSiM is considered an excellent catalyst

U.M.E: Um jogo para despertar a conscientização ambiental em crianças do 2° ao 5° ano / U.M.E: A game to raise environmental awareness in children from the 2nd to the 5th year

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma forma divertida de conscientizar crianças do 2ª ao 5º ano a respeito da poluição ambiental e dos impactos desta, além de mostrar algumas soluções que podem ser aplicadas para combater alguns tipos de poluição. Isto poderá ser alcançado por meio de U.M.E.,  um jogo digital e interativo, no qual ajudará a criança a compreender os problemas ambientais decorrentes das atitudes humanas, mostrando caixas de diálogo como modo de comunicação. O jogo tem como personagem principal um droide, que é responsável por alertar sobre as ações de degradação do meio ambiente e como preservá-lo.

Epidemiological associations between brachycephaly and upper respiratory tract disorders in dogs attending veterinary practices in England

Background: Brachycephalic dog breeds are increasingly common. Canine brachycephaly has been associated with upper respiratory tract (URT) disorders but reliable prevalence data remain lacking. Using primary-care veterinary clinical data, this study aimed to report the prevalence and breed-type risk factors for URT disorders in dogs. Results: The sampling frame included 170,812 dogs attending 96 primary-care veterinary clinics participating within the VetCompass Programme. Two hundred dogs were randomly selected from each of three extreme brachycephalic breed types (Bulldog, French Bulldog and Pug) and three common small-to medium sized breed types (moderate brachycephalic: Yorkshire Terrier and non-brachycephalic: Border Terrier and West Highland White Terrier). Information on all URT disorders recorded was extracted from individual patient records. Disorder prevalence was compared between groups using the chi-squared test or Fisher’s test, as appropriate. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling. During the study, 83 (6.9 %) study dogs died. Extreme brachycephalic dogs (median longevity: 8.6 years, IQR: 2.4-10.8) were significantly younger at death than the moderate and non-brachycephalic group of dogs (median 12.7 years, IQR 11.1-15.0) (P \u3c 0.001). A higher proportion of deaths in extreme brachycephalic breed types were associated with URT disorders (4/24 deaths, 16.7 %) compared with the moderate and non-brachycephalic group (0/59 deaths, 0.0 %) (P = 0.001). The prevalence of having at least one URT disorder in the extreme brachycephalic group was higher (22.0 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 18.0-26.0) than in the moderate and non-brachycephalic group (9.7 %, 95 % CI: 7.1-12.3, P \u3c 0.001). The prevalence of URT disorders varied significantly by breed type: Bulldogs 19.5 %, French Bulldogs 20.0 %, Pugs 26.5 %, Border Terriers 9.0 %, West Highland White Terriers 7.0 % and Yorkshire Terriers 13.0 % (P \u3c 0.001). After accounting for the effects of age, bodyweight, sex, neutering and insurance, extreme brachycephalic dogs had 3.5 times (95 % CI: 2.4-5.0, P \u3c 0.001) the odds of at least one URT disorder compared with the moderate and non-brachycephalic group. Conclusions: In summary, this study reports that URT disorders are commonly diagnosed in Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug, Border Terrier, WHWT and Yorkshire Terrier dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in England. The three extreme brachycephalic breed types (Bulldog, French Bulldog and Pug) were relatively short-lived and predisposed to URT disorders compared with three other small-to-medium size breed types that are commonly owned (moderate brachycephalic Yorkshire Terrier and non-brachycephalic: Border Terrier and WHWT). Conclusions: In summary, this study reports that URT disorders are commonly diagnosed in Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug, Border Terrier, WHWT and Yorkshire Terrier dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in England. The three extreme brachycephalic breed types (Bulldog, French Bulldog and Pug) were relatively short-lived and predisposed to URT disorders compared with three other small-to-medium size breed types that are commonly owned (moderate brachycephalic Yorkshire Terrier and non-brachycephalic: Border Terrier and WHWT)