Galhas De Insetos Da Serra Geral, Caetité, Bahia, Brasil

We inventoried and characterized the kinds of gall, gall-inducing insects and host plants from Serra Geral between August 2013 and July 2014. Two phytophysiognomies, cerrado sensu stricto and caatinga-cerrado, were examined monthly along transects during ca. 4 hours per visit, totaling 48 hours of sampling effort. A total of 49 gall morphotypes were found on 14 species of host plants in 18 genera and 13 families. Fabaceae and Malpighiaceae were the families with the most galls, with 22 and 10 gall morphotypes, respectively. The genera of host plant with the greatest richness of galls were Copaifera L. (n=10), Bauhinia Benth. (n=6), and Mimosa L. (n=5). Galls were found on leaves, buds and stems. The majority of the galls were globoid, glabrous, isolated, and one-chambered. The inducers belong to Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera, Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) being the most frequent and diverse gall-inducers. The associated fauna included parasitoids (Hymenoptera), successors (Formicidae), and predators (Pseudoscorpiones), obtained from 13, 2, and 1 gall morphotypes, respectively. Five plant taxa are recorded as hosts of gall-inducing insects for the first time. © 2016, Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP. All rights reserved.16111

Chemical and antioxidative assessment of dietary turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa L.)

The phenolic compounds and organic acids of turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa L.) edible parts (leaves and stems, flower buds and roots) were determined by HPLC–DAD and HPLC–UV, respectively. The results revealed a profile composed of 14 phenolics (3-p-coumaroylquinic, caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside-7-O-sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-(feruloyl/caffeoyl)-sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3,7-O-diglucoside, isorhamnetin 3,7-O-diglucoside, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside, 1,2-disinapoylgentiobiose, 1,20-disinapoyl-2-feruloylgentiobiose, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside) and six organic acids (aconitic, citric, ketoglutaric, malic, shikimic and fumaric acids). The quantification of the identified compounds showed kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-(feruloyl/caffeoyl)-sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, isorhamnetin 3,7-O-diglucoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside as the main phenolics, and malic acid as the organic acid present in highest amounts. A screening of the antioxidative potential was also performed by means of the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Turnip flower buds exhibited the strongest antioxidant capacity

Estimation of transported pollutant load in Ardila catchment using the SWAT model

Excess of organic matter and nutrients in the water body promotes algae blooms, which can accelerate the eutrophication process, situation often observed in the Ardila river. This river was identified as very polluted and classified as critical for Alqueva-Pedrogão System. The aim of this study was to estimate the transported nutrients load in a transboundary catchment using the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model and to determine the contribution off nutrients load in the entire catchment. Ardila catchment is about 3711 Km2 and is located in the East part of Portugal (22%) and Badajoz province on Spanish soil (78%). It was discretized into 32 sub-basins using automated delineation routine, and 174 hydrologic response unit. Monthly average meteorological data (time period from 1947 to 1998) were used to generate daily values through the Weather Generator Model incorporated in SWAT. Real daily precipitation series data (1931 to 2003) were introduced. The model was calibrated and verified using: flow data (1950 to 2000) and nutrients (1981 to 1999). Model performance was evaluated using statistical parameters, such as Nach-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and root mean square error (R2). Calibration and verification flow results showed a satisfactory agreement between simulated and measured monthly date from 1962 to 1972 (NSE=0.8; R2 = 0.9). The results showed that the most important diffuse pollution comes from the two main tributary off Spain. The estimated nitrogen load contribution per year was about 71% (Spain) and 29% (Portugal). The SWAT model application reveals a useful tool for integrated water management

Metabolic profiling and biological capacity of Pieris brassicae fed with kale (Brassica oleracea L. Var. Acephala).

Vegetables of the Brassica group are the most commonly grown and consumed worldwide. Food plants with apparent cancer and cardiovascular di sease-preventing properties include several varieties of Brassica oleraceae. The majority of the herbivorous insect species are specialized feeders, for which the behavioral decision to accept a plant as food or oviposition substrate is mainly related with sensory information. Pieris insects (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) are specialist herbivores of cruciferous plants

Evaluation of composts and liming materials in the phytostabilization of a mine soil using perennial ryegrass

A microcosm experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) or garden waste compost (GWC), and liming materials in the rehabilitation of a soil affected by mining activities, and to study the use of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) for phystostabilization. The performance of the amendments was assessed by soil chemical parameters, total and bioavailable metals (Cu, Pb and Zn), soil enzymatic activities, and plant relative growth and mineral composition. In general, both composts corrected soil acidity and increased the total organic matter content of the soil, although with a better performance in the case of MSWC, especially when considering total N and available P and K levels in the amended soil. The application of both composts and liming materials led to a decrease in the mobile fractions of Cu, Pb and Zn, but mobilisable fractions of Cu and Zn increased with MSWC application. Plant biomass increased more than three times in the presence of 50 Mg MSWC ha−1 and with the combined use of 25 or 50 Mg MSWC ha−1 and CaO, but no significant differences were observed when GWC was applied. Plant tissue analysis showed that the treatments did not significantly reduce Cu, Pb and Zn uptake by the plant. Dehydrogenase, and the enzymes related to the N-cycle, urease and protease, had increased activities with increasing MSWC application rate. Conversely, the enzymatic activities of both enzymes related to the C-cycle, cellulase and β-glucosidase, were only positively affected by GWC application, a compost obtained from raw materials rich in C. Principal component analyses evidenced this clear separation between the effect of MSWC on soil enzymes related to the N-cycle and of GWC on soil enzymes related to the C-cycle. This study indicates that MSWC (50 Mg ha−1, limed or unlimed) can be used successfully in the remediation of a highly acidic metal-contaminated soil, allowing the establishment of perennial ryegrass

Organic residues as immobilizing agents in aided phytostabilization: (I) Effects on soil chemical characteristics

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of three different organic residues, sewage sludge (SS), municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), and garden waste compost (GWC), as immobilizing agents in aided phytostabilization of a highly acidic metal-contaminated soil, affected by mining activities, using perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The organic residues were applied at 25, 50 and 100 Mg ha 1 (dry weight basis), and their effects on soil chemical characteristics and on relative plant growth and metal concentrations were assessed. All the organic residues tested immobilized Cu, Pb and Zn, decreasing their mobile fractions. This was corroborated by negative correlations obtained between mobile Cu, Pb and Zn and other soil chemical characteristics, which rose as a consequence of the amendments applied (i.e., pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nitrogen content, available P and available K), and by the multivariate exploratory techniques performed that showed an inverse correlation between these groups of variables. The greatest increase in ryegrass relative growth (more than three times) was obtained in the presence of 50 Mg MSWC ha 1, followed by SS at the same application dosage. GWC did not contribute to an increase in shoot growth, due to its small capacity to correct soil acidity and to supply essential macronutrients (N, P, K). No extractant was able of demonstrating by a linear correlation the uptake of Cu, Pb and Zn by ryegrass. This plant was therefore not a good ‘‘indicator” of Cu, Pb and Zn availability in the soil. The results obtained in this study suggest that ryegrass can be used in aided phytostabilization for this type of mine contaminated soils and that MSWC, and to a minor extent SS, applied at 50 Mg ha 1, were effective in the in situ immobilization of metals, improving soil chemical properties and leading to a large increase in plant biomas

The Starburst-AGN connection: The role of stellar clusters in AGNs

Nuclear stellar clusters are a common phenomenon in spirals and in starbursts galaxies, and they may be a natural consequence of the star formation processes in the central regions of galaxies. HST UV imaging of a few Seyfert 2 galaxies have resolved nuclear starbursts in Seyfert 2 revealing stellar clusters as the main building blocks of the extended emission. However, we do not know whether stellar clusters are always associated with all types of nuclear activity. We present NUV and optical images provided by HST to find out the role that stellar clusters play in different types of AGNs (Seyferts and LLAGNs). Also with these images, we study the circumnuclear dust morphology as a probe of the circumnuclear environment of AGNs. Here we present a summary of the the first results obtained for the sample of Seyferts and LLAGN galaxies.Comment: Contribution to the conference proceedings "Space Astronomy: The UV window to the Universe", El Escorial (Spain), May 28-June 1 2007, submitted to Ap&SS, invited ed. Gomes de Castro, A.I. Further explanations are in Mu\~noz Marin, et al (2007) and Gonzalez Delgado et al (2007); and the full collection of figures are at the ULR: http://www.iaa.es/~rosa/research/LLAGNs2007/LLAGNs-HSTIma1.html http://www.iaa.es/~manuel/publications/paper01.htm

Evaluation of tests to assess the quality of mine-contaminated soils

An acid metal-contaminated soil from the Aljustrel mining area (a pyrite mine located in SW Portugal in the Iberian Pyrite Belt) was subjected to chemical characterisation and total metal quantiWcation (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn). Water-soluble metals were determined and a sequential extraction procedure was used to investigate metal speciation. Two bioavailable metal fractions were determined: a mobile fraction and a mobilisable fraction. Soil ecotoxicity was studied using a battery of bioassays: plant growth test and seed germination with cress (Lepidium sativum L.), earthworm (Eisenia fetida) mortality, E. fetida avoidance behaviour, luminescent inhibition of Vibrio Wscheri and Daphnia magna immobilisation. Although the total content of Cu, Zn and Pb in the soil was large (362, 245 and 1,250 mg/ kg dry matter, respectively), these metals were mostly structurally bound (87% for Cu, 81% for Zn and 89% for Pb) and, therefore, scarcely bioavailable. Nonetheless, the D. magna immobilization test using soil leachate showed an EC50 (48 h) of 36.3% (v/v), and the luminescent inhibition of V. Wscheri presented an EC20 (15 min) of 45.2% and an EC20 (30 min) of 10.7% (v/v), suggesting a considerable toxic eVect. In the direct exposure bioassays, E. fetida avoided the mine soil at the highest concentrations (50%, 75% and 100% v/v). At the same soil concentrations, cress showed negligible growth. The results suggest the need to use a battery of toxicity tests, in conjunction with chemical methods, in order to assess the quality of mine-contaminated soils correctly

Stochastic Model for QoS Assessment in Multi-tier Web Services

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are used to guarantee quality of service (QoS) between customers and service providers. In an SLA, parties establish a common set of rules and responsibilities. In this paper we propose a practical stochastic modeling of a multi-tier architecture considering SLAs for specific transactions. The model is parameterized with available performance testing data for a real web service, and with a testing environment having unpredictable and unknown external workloads of simultaneous execution. In addition, we present multiple scenarios of external applications impacting on the SLAs in our target architecture. Having a previous knowledge about the average time demanded by some external applications, our model results can provide evidences when the system under test will not respect the agreed-upon SLAs. Finally, we discuss possible model extensions towards further unknown workload characterizations and considerations about application execution profiling

PERFIL NUTRICIONAL DE HIPERTENSOS EM ACOMPANHAMENTO EM UNIDADES BÁSICAS DE SAÚDE DO MUNICÍPIO DE SÃO LUÍS – MA

A Hipertensão Arterial (HA) é considerada um problema de saúde pública, muitas vezes assintomática e de difícil controle, que pode levar a seqüelas irreversíveis.  O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o estado nutricional e o consumo alimentar de pacientes hipertensos. Realizou-se um estudo transversal, com pacientes hipertensos cadastrados no programa HiperDia (MS), em acompanhamento em duas Unidades Básicas de Saúde, em São Luis – MA, no período de fevereiro de 2010 a janeiro de 2011. Foram analisados dados socioeconômicos, demográfcos, estilo de vida, antropométricos e dietéticos. Para avaliar o estado nutricional foram utilizados o Índice de Massa Corpórea (IMC) e a Circunferência da Cintura (CC), segundo as recomendações propostas pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS). Para avaliar o consumo energético e de nutrientes foi utilizado o método do registro alimentar de três dias, transformados posteriormente em recordatório alimentar de 24 horas (R24h). Foram avaliados 184 pacientes, com média de idade de 60,8 ± 12,9 anos, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino (76,6%), de cor não branca (85,9%), com menos de oito anos de escolaridade (75%) e com renda familiar inferior a quatro salários mínimos (53,3%). Quanto ao estilo de vida, 94,6% não fumavam, 80,4% não ingeriam bebida alcoólica e 77,6% eram sedentários. Houve prevalência de excesso de peso entre a amostra estudada (69,0%). A proporção de pacientes com obesidade abdominal foi de 54,3%, com maior frequência entre as mulheres (64,5%). Os percentuais de macronutrientes encontraram-se adequados, entretanto, o consumo energético e de fbra encontraram-se abaixo do recomendado, segundo as DRI’s (2002). Assim, houve predomínio de excesso de peso e de obesidade abdominal e o consumo energético foi inadequado para ambos os sexos.Descritores: Hipertensão Arterial; Estado Nutricional; Consumo Alimentar; Macronutrientes. Abstract:   Arterial Hypertension (AH) is considered a problem of public health, often asymptomatic and diffcult to control, which can lead to irreversible sequels. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status and dietary intake of hypertensive patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study with hypertensive patients enrolled in the program HiperDia (MS), followed in two Basic Health Units in São Luis - MA, from February 2010 to January 2011. We analyzed the data on socioeconomic, demographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and dietary factors. To evaluate the nutritional status, it was used the body mass index (BMI) and also the waist circumference (WC), according to the recommendations proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The energy and nutrients evaluation was evaluated by using the method of three-day food record, subsequently processed into 24-hour dietary recall (24HR). We appraised 184 patients with a mean age of 60.8 ± 12.9 years, mostly female (76.6%), non-Caucasian (85.9%), with less than eight years of schooling (75%) and household income less than four minimum salaries (53.3%). About the  lifestyle, 94.6% did not smoke, 80.4% did not drink alcohol and 77.6% were sedentary. There was a prevalence of overweight among the study sample (69.0%), no statistically signifcant difference between sexes. Regarding the distribution of body fat, the proportion of patients with abdominal obesity was 54.3%, according to waist circumference, more frequently among women (64.5%). The percentages of macronutrients found to be adequate, but, energy consumption and fber were under the recommended ones, according to DRI’s (2002). Thus, there was a predominance of overweight and abdominal obesity and caloric intake was inadequate for both sexes.Descriptors: Hypertension; Nutritional Status; Food Consumption; Macronutrients