Efeito de microondas na estrutura cristalina e na atividade catalítica de argilas

The effect of microwave (MW) irradiation on the crystalline structure of two natural clays and one commercial clay, Montmorillonite K10, was analyzed comparing the X-ray diffraction, N2 isotherms, NMR-MAS of 27Al and 29Si spectra of the clays before and after MW irradiation. The preparation of dioxolane ketals of isatin was used to analyze the MW effect on the catalyst activation. The yields achieved using catalysts activated by MW irradiation were lower (2 to 5%) than the yields achieved using catalysts activated by heat in a conventional oven

Evaluation of Acid Detergent Fibre, Sulphuric Acid Lignin and N-Alkanes as Markers for Estimating Ruminal Digestibility in Cattle

Most of the published studies on estimating organic matter (OM) rumen digestibility (OMRD) use research animals fitted with simple t-type cannulas and an external or inter-nal marker for estimating the duodenal digesta flow. Although there is not an ideal or standard marker, com-pared to external markers, internal markers have the advantage of occurring naturally in the diet and, conse-quently, they flow intimately associated with digesta (Titgemeyer 1997). In digestibility studies where total faec-es output is measured, duodenal digesta flow may be estimated based on both faeces output and the ratio of a marker concentration in faeces and in duodenal digesta. Sulphuric acid lignin (ADL) has been commonly used as an internal marker in this approach. However, its low concen-trations in duodenal digesta usually compromises estimate precision. The objective of this study was to evaluate acid detergent fibre (ADF) in comparison with ADL, as well as with n-alkanes, as a marker for estimating OMRD in cattle

Identification of New Genes Related to Virulence of Xanthomonas axonopodis Pv. Citri during Citrus Host Interactions

A mutant library of the bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri strain 306 pathotype A (Xac), the causative agent of most aggressive Asiatic type A citrus canker, was screened regarding altered canker symptoms after inoculations into Citrus sinensis and Citrus limonia host leaves. Twenty-six mutants have shown phenotypic virulence changes and have respectively knocked out gene identified by sequencing. In vivo growth curves were obtained for nine mutants to quantify how the mutations could affect pathogen's adaptability to growth inside and attack host plant infected tissue. Among identified genes in mutated strains, we could find those that until now had not been reported as being involved in Xac adaptation and/or virulence, such as predicted to encode for xylose repressor-like protein (XAC Delta xylR), Fe-S oxidoredutase (XAC Delta aslB), helicase IV (XAC Delta helD), ubiquinol cytochrome c oxidoreductase iron-sulfur subunit (XAC Delta petA), chromosome partitioning protein (XAC Delta parB) and cell division protein FtsB (XAC Delta ftsB), in addition to genes predicted to encode for hypothetical proteins. The new genes found in this study as being relevant to adaptation and virulence, improve the understanding of Xac fitness during citrus plant attack and canker symptoms development.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo-FAPESPCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior-CAPESCNPqFundo de Defesa da Citricultura (FUNDECITRUS)CAPESFUNDECITRUSFAPESPSao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Fac Agr Sci & Vet, Dept Technol, Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilCitriculture Res Ctr Sylvio Moreira IAC Campinas, Campinas, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Inst Exact & Biol Sci, Dept Biol Sci, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Res Ctr Biol Sci NUPEB, Inst Exact & Biol Sci, Dept Biol Sci, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilSao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Fac Agr Sci & Vet, Plant Hlth Dept, Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilFed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Biol Sci, Diadema, SP, BrazilFed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Biol Sci, Diadema, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 04/02006-7Web of Scienc

Bovine Natural Taming

Animal behavior is a function of species biology, interaction with the environment and experience previously acquired. Natural taming is a set of techniques used to tame the animals without stress and with patience and respect. They are conditioned to follow man’s commands in a quiet way, resulting in more reliable and productive animals. Cattle learning process has enabled the development of management techniques, such as the interactions between them and humans. These techniques aim to use the cattle natural behavior during the management operations, allowing gathering and moving the animals to other areas of the pasture, corrals or even outside the farm. These techniques are mainly important when cattle are raised on pasture, with less contact with people, resulting in less herd control and greater reactivity of animals to management. Many repetitive exercises are used, conditioning the animal in a gentle and progressive manner, without the use of force and pain, to obtain the desired commands. It is an activity that requires patience, bringing good results, better than those achieved through traditional taming, which can cause many traumas

TEMPTOOL - uma ferramenta para a modelagem temporal dos dados

O trabalho apresenta uma ferramenta onde o projetista ou o usuário responsável pelas informações temporais de um sistema de informação possa obter todas as estruturas necessárias para a representação do aspecto tempo em seu banco de dados. A ferramenta toma como base a definição do esquema inicial do banco de dados (após a conclusão do projeto de implementação e antes da carga no SGBD). Essa abordagem é baseada no modelo proposto por [Sim98, Rui98]. Existe um projeto (em andamento), para tratar do aperfeiçoamento da ferramenta, para que ela apoie a modelagem temporal dos dados desde o desenvolvimento do modelo conceitual do sistemaÁrea: Ingeniería de Software - Bases de DatosRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

TEMPTOOL - uma ferramenta para a modelagem temporal dos dados

O trabalho apresenta uma ferramenta onde o projetista ou o usuário responsável pelas informações temporais de um sistema de informação possa obter todas as estruturas necessárias para a representação do aspecto tempo em seu banco de dados. A ferramenta toma como base a definição do esquema inicial do banco de dados (após a conclusão do projeto de implementação e antes da carga no SGBD). Essa abordagem é baseada no modelo proposto por [Sim98, Rui98]. Existe um projeto (em andamento), para tratar do aperfeiçoamento da ferramenta, para que ela apoie a modelagem temporal dos dados desde o desenvolvimento do modelo conceitual do sistemaÁrea: Ingeniería de Software - Bases de DatosRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Proteomics-based identification of differentially abundant proteins reveals adaptation mechanisms of Xanthomonas citri subsp citri during Citrus sinensis infection

Background: Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of citrus canker. A proteomic analysis under in planta infectious and non-infectious conditions was conducted in order to increase our knowledge about the adaptive process of Xac during infection. Results: For that, a 2D-based proteomic analysis of Xac at 1, 3 and 5 days after inoculation, in comparison to Xac growth in NB media was carried out and followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF identification of 124 unique differentially abundant proteins. Among them, 79 correspond to up-regulated proteins in at least one of the three stages of infection. Our results indicate an important role of proteins related to biofilm synthesis, lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis, and iron uptake and metabolism as possible modulators of plant innate immunity, and revealed an intricate network of proteins involved in reactive oxygen species adaptation during Plants'Oxidative Burst response. We also identified proteins previously unknown to be involved in Xac-Citrus interaction, including the hypothetical protein XAC3981. A mutant strain for this gene has proved to be non-pathogenic in respect to classical symptoms of citrus canker induced in compatible plants. Conclusions: This is the first time that a protein repertoire is shown to be active and working in an integrated manner during the infection process in a compatible host, pointing to an elaborate mechanism for adaptation of Xac once inside the plant.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas GeraisBIGA grant-CAPESUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Inst Ciencias Exatas & Biol, Dept Ciencias Biol DECBI, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Nucleo Pesquisas Ciencias Biol NUPEB, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Quim, Dept Bioquim DBq, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Dept Tecnol, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet Jaboticabal, Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Inst Quim, Campinas, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Inst Quim, Dept Bioquim, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ciencias Biol, Diadema, SP, BrazilVirginia Tech, Biocomplex Inst, Blacksburg, VA USAUniv Sao Paulo, Inst Quim, Dept Bioquim, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ciencias Biol, Diadema, SP, BrazilCAPESFAPESP: 04/02006-7Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais: CBB-APQ-04425-10BIGA grant-CAPES: 3385/2013Web of Scienc

A 1.8 million year history of Amazon vegetation

During the Pleistocene, long-term trends in global climate were controlled by orbital cycles leading to high amplitude glacial-interglacial variability. The history of Amazonian vegetation during this period is largely unknown since no continuous record from the lowland basin extends significantly beyond the last glacial stage. Here we present a paleoenvironmental record spanning the last 1800 kyr based on palynological data, biome reconstructions, and biodiversity metrics from a marine sediment core that preserves a continuous archive of sediments from the Amazon River. Tropical rainforests dominated the Amazonian lowlands during the last 1800 ka interchanging with surrounding warm-temperate rainforests and tropical seasonal forests. Between 1800 and 1000 ka, rainforest biomes were present in the Amazon drainage basin, along with extensive riparian wetland vegetation. Tropical rainforest expansion occurred during the relatively warm Marine Isotope Stages 33 and 31 (ca. 1110 to 1060 ka), followed by a contraction of both forests and wetlands until ca. 800 ka. Between 800 and 400 ka, low pollen concentration and low diversity of palynological assemblages renders difficult the interpretation of Amazonian vegetation. A strong synchronicity between vegetation changes and glacial-interglacial global climate cycles was established around 400 ka. After 400 ka, interglacial vegetation was dominated by lowland tropical rainforest in association with warmer temperatures and higher CO2. During cooler temperatures and lower CO2 of glacial stages, tropical seasonal forests expanded, presumably towards eastern Amazonia. While this study provides no evidence supporting a significant expansion of savanna or steppe vegetation within the Amazonian lowlands during glacial periods, there were changes in the rainforest composition in some parts of the basin towards a higher proportion of deciduous elements, pointing to less humid conditions and/or greater seasonality of precipitation. Nevertheless, rainforest persisted during both glacial and interglacial periods. These findings confirm the sensitivity of tropical lowland vegetation to changes in CO2, temperature, and moisture availability and the most suitable conditions for tropical rainforests occurred during the warmest stages of the Mid Pleistocene Transition and during the interglacial stages of the past 400 kyr