Effect of mixed organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth, leaf macronutrient contents and yield of pitaya(Hylocereus undatus) under field conditions / Efeito da combinação de fertilizantes orgânicos e inorgânicos no crescimento, conteúdo de macronutrientes nas folhase rendimento de pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) emcondições de campo

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the pitayas Hylocereus undatusperformance under field conditions. The experimental design used was Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD). Five treatments consisting of the four different fertilizer dosages were included in this study, namely T1 (00-120-320-120); T2 (04-080-160-080); T3 (06-060-100-060); T4 (08-000-000-000) and T5 (Control: 00-000-000-000) of bovine manure (kg pit-1), urea (g pit-1), super simple (g pit-1) and potassium chloride (g pit-1), respectively. Parameters such as height, number, length, width, area, and volume of the cladodes were assessed at 20 and 320 days after planting. The number of fruits produced and mineral composition (N, K, Ca, Mg, P, and S) of H. undatusplants were also assessed. The results on morphometric characteristics of the cladodes, macronutrient composition and fruit yield have been recorded with higher values in treatments 3 and 4. However, according to the principal component analysis performed, treatment 3 was the one that correlated with the evaluated characteristics. The results have clearly indicatedthe importance of combination of adequate dose of mineral and organic fertilizer for better vegetative performance and yield of pitaya crop.(AU)

Este estudo tevepor objetivoavaliar o efeito defertilizantes orgânicos e inorgânicos sobre o desempenho da pitayaHylocereus undatusem condições de campo.O delineamento experimental utilizado foi Delineamento emBlocos Completamente Casualizados (DBC).Foram incluídos neste estudo cinco tratamentos constituídos por quatro diferentes dosagens de fertilizantes, nomeadamente T1 (00-120-320-120); T2 (04-080-160-080); T3 (06-060-100-060); T4 (08-000-000-000) e T5 (Controle: 00-000-000-000) de estercobovino (kg cova-1), ureia (g cova-1), super simples (g cova-1) e cloreto de potássio (g cova-1), respectivamente. Parâmetros como altura, número, comprimento, largura, área e volume dos cladódios foram avaliados aos 20 e 320 dias após oplantio.O número de frutos produzidos e a composição mineral (N, K, Ca, Mg, P, e S) das plantas H. undatusforam também avaliados. Os resultados sobre as características morfométricas dos cladódios, composição de macronutrientes e rendimento de frutos foram registados com valores mais elevados nos tratamentos 3 e 4. No entanto, de acordo com a análise dos componentes principais (PCA) realizada, o tratamento 3 foi o que mais se correlacionou com as características avaliadas. Os resultados indicaram claramente a importância da combinação de doses adequadas de fertilizante mineral e orgânico para um melhor desempenho vegetativo e rendimento da cultura da pitaya.(AU)

Effect of mixed organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth, leaf macronutrient contents and yield of pitaya(Hylocereus undatus) under field conditions / Efeito da combinação de fertilizantes orgânicos e inorgânicos no crescimento, conteúdo de macronutrientes nas folhase rendimento de pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) emcondições de campo

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the pitaya’s Hylocereus undatusperformance under field conditions. The experimental design used was Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD). Five treatments consisting of the four different fertilizer dosages were included in this study, namely T1 (00-120-320-120); T2 (04-080-160-080); T3 (06-060-100-060); T4 (08-000-000-000) and T5 (Control: 00-000-000-000) of bovine manure (kg pit-1), urea (g pit-1), super simple (g pit-1) and potassium chloride (g pit-1), respectively. Parameters such as height, number, length, width, area, and volume of the cladodes were assessed at 20 and 320 days after planting. The number of fruits produced and mineral composition (N, K, Ca, Mg, P, and S) of H. undatusplants were also assessed. The results on morphometric characteristics of the cladodes, macronutrient composition and fruit yield have been recorded with higher values in treatments 3 and 4. However, according to the principal component analysis performed, treatment 3 was the one that correlated with the evaluated characteristics. The results have clearly indicatedthe importance of combination of adequate dose of mineral and organic fertilizer for better vegetative performance and yield of pitaya crop.

Este estudo tevepor objetivoavaliar o efeito defertilizantes orgânicos e inorgânicos sobre o desempenho da pitayaHylocereus undatusem condições de campo.O delineamento experimental utilizado foi Delineamento emBlocos Completamente Casualizados (DBC).Foram incluídos neste estudo cinco tratamentos constituídos por quatro diferentes dosagens de fertilizantes, nomeadamente T1 (00-120-320-120); T2 (04-080-160-080); T3 (06-060-100-060); T4 (08-000-000-000) e T5 (Controle: 00-000-000-000) de estercobovino (kg cova-1), ureia (g cova-1), super simples (g cova-1) e cloreto de potássio (g cova-1), respectivamente. Parâmetros como altura, número, comprimento, largura, área e volume dos cladódios foram avaliados aos 20 e 320 dias após oplantio.O número de frutos produzidos e a composição mineral (N, K, Ca, Mg, P, e S) das plantas H. undatusforam também avaliados. Os resultados sobre as características morfométricas dos cladódios, composição de macronutrientes e rendimento de frutos foram registados com valores mais elevados nos tratamentos 3 e 4. No entanto, de acordo com a análise dos componentes principais (PCA) realizada, o tratamento 3 foi o que mais se correlacionou com as características avaliadas. Os resultados indicaram claramente a importância da combinação de doses adequadas de fertilizante mineral e orgânico para um melhor desempenho vegetativo e rendimento da cultura da pitaya.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Inorganic Nanoparticles.

Antibiotics are being less effective, which leads to high mortality in patients with infections and a high cost for the recovery of health, and the projections that are had for the future are not very encouraging which has led to consider antimicrobial resistance as a global health problem and to be the object of study by researchers. Although resistance to antibiotics occurs naturally, its appearance and spread have been increasing rapidly due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in recent decades. A bacterium becomes resistant due to the transfer of genes encoding antibiotic resistance. Bacteria constantly mutate; therefore, their defense mechanisms mutate, as well. Nanotechnology plays a key role in antimicrobial resistance due to materials modified at the nanometer scale, allowing large numbers of molecules to assemble to have a dynamic interface. These nanomaterials act as carriers, and their design is mainly focused on introducing the temporal and spatial release of the payload of antibiotics. In addition, they generate new antimicrobial modalities for the bacteria, which are not capable of protecting themselves. So, nanoparticles are an adjunct mechanism to improve drug potency by reducing overall antibiotic exposure. These nanostructures can overcome cell barriers and deliver antibiotics to the cytoplasm to inhibit bacteria. This work aims to give a general vision between the antibiotics, the nanoparticles used as carriers, bacteria resistance, and the possible mechanisms that occur between them.

Hemi-Synthesis and Anti-Oomycete Activity of Analogues of Isocordoin.

An efficient synthesis of a series of 4'-oxyalkyl-isocordoin analogues (2-8) is reported for the first time. Their structures were confirmed by ¹H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and HRMS. Their anti-oomycete activity was evaluated by mycelium and spores inhibition assay against two selected pathogenic oomycetes strains: Saprolegnia parasitica and Saprolegnia australis. The entire series of isocordoin derivatives (except compound 7) showed high inhibitory activity against these oomycete strains. Among them, compound 2 exhibited strong activity, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum oomyceticidal concentration (MOC) values of 50 µg/mL and 75 µg/mL, respectively. The results showed that 4'-oxyalkylated analogues of isocordoin could be potential anti-oomycete agents.

Characterization of morphology and composition of inorganic fillers in dental alginates.

Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Archimedes' Principle were used to determine the characteristics of inorganic filler particles in five dental alginates, including Cavex ColorChange (C), Hydrogum 5 (H5), Hydrogum (H), Orthoprint (O), and Jeltrate Plus (JP). The different alginate powders (0.5 mg) were fixed on plastic stubs (n = 5) and sputter coated with carbon for EDX analysis, then coated with gold, and observed using SEM. Volume fractions were determined by weighing a sample of each material in water before and after calcining at 450(°)C for 3 h. The alginate materials were mainly composed of silicon (Si) by weight (C-81.59%, H-79.89%, O-78.87%, H5-77.95%, JP-66.88%, wt). The filler fractions in volume (vt) were as follows: H5-84.85%, JP-74.76%, H-70.03%, O-68.31%, and C-56.10%. The tested materials demonstrated important differences in the inorganic elemental composition, filler fraction, and particle morphology.

Migration of inorganic ions from the leachate of the Rio das Ostras landfill: a comparison of three different configurations of protective barriers.

Batch tests and diffusion tests were performed to analyze the efficiency of a protective barrier in a landfill consisting of compacted soil with 10% bentonite compared to the results obtained for only compacted soil and for compacted soil covered with a 1-mm-thick HDPE geomembrane; the soil and leachate were collected from the Rio das Ostras Landfill in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The diffusion tests were performed for periods of 3, 10 and 60 days. After the test period, the soil pore water was analyzed and the profiles for chloride, potassium and ammonium were determined along a 6-cm soil depth. The results of the batch tests performed to define sorption parameters were used to adjust the profiles obtained in the diffusion cell experiment by applying an ion transfer model between the interstitial solution and the soil particles. The MPHMTP model (Multi Phase Heat and Mass Transfer Program), which is based upon the solution of the transport equations of the ionic contaminants, was used to solve the inverse problem of simultaneously determining the effective diffusion coefficients. The results of the experimental tests and of the model simulation confirmed that the compacted soil with 10% bentonite was moderately efficient in the retention of chloride, potassium and ammonium ions compared to the configurations of compacted soil with a geomembrane and compacted soil alone, representing a solution that is technically feasible and requires potentially lower costs for implementation in landfills.

Theoretical models for surface forces and adhesion and their measurement using atomic force microscopy.

The increasing importance of studies on soft matter and their impact on new technologies, including those associated with nanotechnology, has brought intermolecular and surface forces to the forefront of physics and materials science, for these are the prevailing forces in micro and nanosystems. With experimental methods such as the atomic force spectroscopy (AFS), it is now possible to measure these forces accurately, in addition to providing information on local material properties such as elasticity, hardness and adhesion. This review provides the theoretical and experimental background of afs, adhesion forces, intermolecular interactions and surface forces in air, vacuum and in solution.

Bioindication of volatile elements emission by the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle (North Patagonia) volcanic event in 2011.

The emission of volatile pollutants from the volcanic eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex (North Patagonia Andean Range) that started in June 4th, 2011, was investigated by bioindication means with the epyphytic fruticose lichen Usnea sp. The elemental composition of pooled samples made up with 10 lichen thalli were analysed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Eleven sampling sites were selected within the impacted region at different distance from the volcanic source. Five sites were selected as they were already sampled in a previous study prior to the eruption. Two other new sampling sites were selected from outside the impacted zone to provide non-impacted baseline sites. The elements associated with the lichen incorporation of particulate matter (PM) of geological origin were identified by linear correlation with a geochemical tracer (Sm concentrations). The elements associated with PM uptake were Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Na, Nd, Sb, Sc, Se, Ta, Tb, Th, U, and Yb. Arsenic and Cs concentrations showed contributions exceeding the PM fraction in sites near the volcanic centre, also higher than the baseline concentrations, which could be associated with permanent emissions from the geothermal system of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex. The lichen concentrations of Ba, Ca, Co, Hg, K, Rb, Sr, and Zn were not associated with the PM, not showing higher concentrations in the sites nearby the volcanic source or respect to the baseline values either. Therefore, there is no indication of the emission of volatile forms of these elements in the lichen records. The lichen records only identified Br volatile emissions associated with the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex eruption in 2011.

Performing organic chemistry with inorganic compounds: electrophilic reactivity of selected nitrosyl complexes.

The inorganic nitrosyl (NO(+)) complexes [Fe(CN) 5NO](2-), [Ru(bpy)2(NO)Cl](2+), and [IrCl 5(NO)](-) are useful reagents for the nitrosation of a variety of organic compounds, ranging from amines to the relatively inert alkenes. Regarding [IrCl 5(NO)](-), its high electrophilicity and inertness define it as a unique reagent and provide a powerful synthetic route for the isolation and stabilization of coordinated nitroso compounds that are unstable in free form, such as S-nitrosothiols and primary nitrosamines. Related to the high electrophilicity of [IrCl 5(NO)](-), an unusual behavior is described for its PPh 4(+) salt in the solid state, showing an electronic distribution represented by Ir(IV)-NO(*) instead of Ir (III)-NO(+) (as for the K(+) and Na(+) salts).

Mesoporous hybrid thin films: the physics and chemistry beneath.

Mesoporous films containing organic or biological functions within an organised array of cavities are produced by combining sol-gel, self-assembly of supramolecular templates and surface chemistry. This paper reviews the essential physics and chemical concepts behind the synthesis of these complex multifunctional materials.

Design of novel hybrid organic-inorganic nanostructured biomaterials for immunoassay applications.

The purpose of this study was to develop novel hybrid organic-inorganic materials based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer chemically crosslinked network to be tested as solid support on bovine herpesvirus immunoassay. Hybrids were synthesized by reacting PVA with three different alkoxysilanes modifying chemical groups: tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS). PVA-derived hybrids were also modified by chemically crosslinking with glutaraldehyde (GA) during the synthesis reaction. In order to investigate the structure in the nanometer-scale, PVA-derived hybrids were characterized by using small-angle x-ray scattering synchrotron radiation (SAXS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). PVA hybrids' chemical functionalities and their interaction with herpesviruses were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The bioactivity assays were tested through enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SAXS results have indicated nano-ordered disperse domains for PVA hybrids with different x-ray scattering patterns for PVA polymer and PVA-derived hybrids. FTIR spectra have shown major vibration bands associated with organic-inorganic chemical groups present in the PVA, PVA-derived by silane modifier and PVA chemically crosslinked by GA. The immunoassay results have shown that PVA hybrids with chemically functionalized structures regulated to some extent the specific bioimmobilization of herpesvirus onto solid phase. We think that it is due to the overall balance of forces associated with van der Waals interaction, hydrophilic and hydrophobic forces and steric hindrance acting at the surface. PVA and PVA-derived hybrid materials were successfully produced with GA crosslinking in a nanometer-scale network. Also, such a PVA-based material could be advantageously used in immunoassays with enhanced specificity for diagnosis.

Avaliação da espessura e contaminantes de camada de óxido de diferentes implantes dentais / Evaluation of the thisckness and contaminants of the oxide layer in different implants

A proposta deste trabalho foi identificar e qualificar os elementos químicos presentes na camada de óxido de titânio bem como a espessura de cinco marcas de implantes dentais osseointegráveis. Foram submetidos à espectroscopia de fotoelétrons, excitados por raios X, implantes lisos de 3,75 x 10 mm das seguintes marcas: Nobel Biocare (Grupo A), 3I (Grupo B), Conexão (Grupo C), AS Thechnology (Grupo D) e Napio (Grupo E). As amostras relativas aos implantes dos Grupos A, B, C, D e E apresentaram espessuras médias de 15 +/- 3; 6,3 +/- 0,5; 6,0 +/- 0,2; 6,3 +/- 0,4 e 11 +/- 3 nm respectivamente. Em termos de contaminantes, os implantes do Grupo A apresentaram apenas carbono e em menor concentração que nos demais grupos. Na superfície dos implantes dos Grupos B, C, D e E, além de Carbono, também se observou a presença de comtaminantes orgânicos.

The volumetric fraction of inorganic particles and the flexural strength of composites for posterior teeth.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the content of inorganic particles and the flexural strength of new condensable composites for posterior teeth in comparison to hybrid conventional composites. METHOD: The determination of the content of inorganic particles was performed by mass weighing of a polymerized composite before and after the elimination of the organic phase. The volumetric particle content was determined by a practical method based on Archimedes' principle, which calculates the volume of the composite and their particles by differential mass measured in the air and in water. The flexural strength of three points was evaluated according to the norm ISO 4049:1988. RESULTS: The results showed the following filler content: Alert, 67.26%; Z-100, 65.27%; Filtek P 60, 62.34%; Ariston pHc, 64.07%; Tetric Ceram, 57.22%; Definite, 54.42%; Solitaire, 47.76%. In the flexural strength test, the materials presented the following decreasing order of resistance: Filtek P 60 (170.02 MPa)>Z-100 (151.34 MPa)>Tetric Ceram (126.14 MPa)=Alert (124.89 MPa)>Ariston pHc (102.00 MPa)=Definite (93.63 MPa)>Solitaire (56.71 MPa). CONCLUSION: New condensable composites for posterior teeth present a concentration of inorganic particles similar to those of hybrid composites but do not necessarily present higher flexural strength.

Supramolecular chemistry and technology

Supramolecular chemistry deals with the association of several chemical species, in an organized way and according to well defined purposes. Based on a molecular engineering approach, supramolecular structures can be designed from pre-formed building blocks, providing a promising route from chemistry to molecular nanotechnology. New supramolecular systems have been assembled in our laboratory with the use of bridging unities such as tetrapyridylporphyrins, porphyrazines and polypyrazines, connecting transition metal complexes and clusters. These systems display a very exciting electrochemical and catalytic behavior, and interact with DNA, generating 1O2 and leading to efficient oxidative clivage for photodynamic terapy applications. Molecular interfaces have been developed, exhibiting photocurrent response in the presence of visible-UV light, and rectifying properties in the presence of electroactive species. Successful applications of the supramolecular species in chemical and bio-sensors have been developed.

Intercalation compounds involving inorganic

Two-dimensional inorganic networks can shown intracrystalline reactivity, i.e., simple ions, large species as Keggin ions, organic species, coordination compounds or organometallics can be incorporated in the interlayer region. The host-guest interaction usually causes changes in their chemical, catalytic, electronic and optical properties. The isolation of materials with interesting properties and making use of soft chemistry routes have given rise the possibility of industrial and technological applications of these compounds. We have been using several synthetic approaches to intercalate porphyrins and phthalocyanines into inorganic materials: smectite clays, layered double hydroxides and layered niobates. The isolated materials have been characterized by elemental and thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, surface area measurements, scanning electronic microscopy, electronic and resonance Raman spectroscopies and EPR. The degree of layer stacking and the charge density of the matrices as well their acid-base nature were considered in our studies on the interaction between the macrocycles and inorganic hosts.