Resumo: Handroanthus spongiosus (Rizzini) S. Grose é uma espécie arbórea ameaçada. No entanto, a qualidade de suas sementes, o armazenamento e as estratégias de conservação ainda são questões inexploradas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resposta temporal a diferentes embalagens e ambientes de armazenamento na conservação da qualidade fisiológica das sementes de H. spongiosus. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial duplo com tratamento adicional (sementes recém-colhidas), considerando cinco períodos de armazenamento (até 24 meses) e seis condições de armazenamento, combinando embalagens (permeável ou impermeável) e ambientes (laboratório, câmara fria, freezer e nitrogênio líquido). Germinação, plântulas normais, comprimento da parte aérea e raiz e relação entre a massa seca de raiz e parte aérea foram avaliadas. As sementes de H. spongiosus mantidas em ambiente de laboratório apresentaram decréscimo na porcentagem de germinação e de plântulas normais ao longo do armazenamento. A porcentagem de plântulas normais diminuiu apenas a partir de 12 meses de armazenamento. Temperaturas baixas e ultrabaixas podem ser indicadas para a conservação da qualidade das sementes em armazenamento a curto e médio prazo, uma vez que o crescimento de plântulas não foi afetado.

Abstract: Handroanthus spongiosus (Rizzini) S. Grose is an endangered tree species. However, its seed quality, storage, and conservation strategies are issues still unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of H. spongiosus seeds subjected to different storage times, packaging, and environments for their conservation. A completely randomized experimental design was used, in a double factorial arrangement with an additional treatment (recently-harvested seeds), consisted of five storage times (up to 24 months) and six storage conditions, combining packaging types (permeable and impermeable) and environments (room, cold chamber, freezer, and liquid nitrogen conditions). Seed germination percentage and normal seedling percentage, shoot length, root length, and root to shoot dry weight ratio were evaluated. The seed germination and normal seedling percentages of H. spongiosus seeds conserved under room conditions decreased over the storage time. Normal seedling percentages decreased from the 12th month of storage onwards. Low and ultralow temperatures are recommended for short and medium-term conservation of H. spongiosus seeds, since they did not affect the growth of seedlings.

Abstract Aluminum alloys are the state-of-art materials for structural components of aircrafts. As they are susceptible to localized corrosion, this kind of damage can become a major threat for its safe use in aircraft components. Therefore, surface protection of aluminum alloys against corrosion is a core issue in these applications. In this work, an alternative eco-friendly cerium-based surface pretreatment was developed and applied on the AA1230 clad of the AA2024-T3 alloy for corrosion protection. The corrosion resistance evaluation of this modified surface was evaluated by several techniques. The results were compared to chromium based conventional treatments and revealed that the coating layer, composed of spherical nodular nanostructures of cerium, obtained with the proposed eco-friendly treatment, improved the corrosion resistance of the alloy. Moreover, it was comparable to the corrosion behavior of chromate-treated alloy, showing that this treatment is a promising alternative to replace chromate based surface treatments.

Abstract Slope stability is one of the biggest concerns for mining practices and to consider the rock mass response over blasting is fundamental to achieve pit geometry. This study consists in developing a methodology which connects the dynamic behavior of one lithological domain to blast designs applied at a copper mine. The central element of this study was the construction of vibration attenuation and seed wave model which, in conjunction with geomechanical properties, has allowed the characterization of this particular rock mass and the vibration attenuation phenomena. The new blast design was developed from the model simulations, once it was possible to recognize which parameters of the blast design affect most of the damage induced by blasting. To guarantee model representativeness, two blast tests were conducted: one with the usual blast design and another using the new one. Furthermore, holes were drilled behind the blasts, which were inspected before and after each blast to compare the produced fracturing with the fracturing expected by the model. The results obtained in these blast tests show a strong correlation between the modeled and the real. The modeling proved to be a useful tool providing manners to stablish a blast design, which generates stable walls.

A general kinetic equation to simulate differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data was employed along this work. Random noises are used to generate a thousand data, which are considered to evaluate the performance of Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) and a Hopfield neural network (HNN) based algorithm in the fitting process. The HNN-based algorithm showed better results for two different initial conditions: exact and approximated values. After this statistical analysis, DSC experimental data at three heating rates for losartan potassium, an antihypertensive drug, was adjusted by the HNN method using different initial conditions to obtain the activation energy and frequency factor. Additionally, it was possible to recover the parameters for the kinetic model with accuracy, showing that the conversion is described by a complex process, once these values do not correspond to any ideal models described in the literature.

RESUMOA limitação ao acesso e a escassez de água de boa qualidade para a agricultura são alguns dos principais problemas enfrentados em áreas agrícolas principalmente em regiões áridas e semiáridas. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar a qualidade das mudas de melancia cv. Crimson Sweet, irrigadas com diferentes concentrações de água biossalina de cultivo de peixe. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos correspondendo a soluções de água biossalina em diferentes concentrações (0, 33, 50, 67 e 100%) e quatro repetições, de 108 mudas. As sementes de melancia cv. Crimson Sweet foram semeadas em bandejas plásticas preenchidas com substrato comercial e irrigadas com as diferentes soluções de água biossalina. As mudas foram coletadas para realização das análises biométricas aos 14,21 e 28 dias após a semeadura. O uso de água biossalina não afetou a emergência nem o estabelecimento das plântulas até os 14 dias após a semeadura, período recomendado para o transplantio; entretanto, a utilização de água biossalina afetou o desenvolvimento de mudas com maior período de exposição.

ABSTRACTThe limited access and the scarcity of good quality water for agriculture are some of the major problems faced in agricultural areas, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of watermelon seedlings (cv. Crimson Sweet), irrigated with different concentrations of biosaline water of fish culture. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments, corresponding to biosaline water at different concentrations (0, 33, 50, 67 and 100%), and four replicates of 108 seedlings. Watermelon seeds were sown in plastic trays filled with commercial substrate and irrigated with different solutions of biosaline water. Seedlings were harvested for biometric analysis at 14, 21 and 28 days after sowing. The use of biosaline water did not affect emergence and establishment of seedlings until 14 days after sowing, the period recommended for transplantation. However, the use of biosaline water affected the development of seedlings with longer exposure time.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o perfil e a produção científica de pesquisadores de Pediatria, cadastrados como bolsistas de produtividade científica do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. MÉTODOS: O currículo Lattes de 34 pesquisadores em Pediatria, com bolsas ativas no triênio 2006 a 2008, foram incluídos na análise. As variáveis de interesse foram: sexo, instituição, tempo de doutoramento, orientação de alunos de graduação, mestres e doutores, artigos publicados e impacto da publicação. RESULTADOS: De um total de 411 pesquisadores em Medicina, 34 (8%) foram identificados como da área de Pediatria. Houve uma predominância do gênero masculino (77%) e de bolsistas na categoria 2 (62%). Três estados foram responsáveis por aproximadamente 90% dos pesquisadores: São Paulo (53%), Minas Gerais (21%) e Rio Grande do Sul (15%). No total da carreira acadêmica, os pesquisadores em Pediatria publicaram 3.122 artigos, sendo a mediana de 89 artigos por pesquisador (intervalo interquartil - IQ=51-119). Desse total, 40 e 58,5% foram artigos indexados nas bases de dados Web of Science e Scopus, respectivamente. Os pesquisadores em Pediatria publicaram em 599 periódicos, com mediana de fator de impacto de 2,35 (IQ=1,37-3,73) para os 323 periódicos indexados. CONCLUSÕES: Na presente investigação, observou-se que os pesquisadores na área de Pediatria apresentam uma produção científica relevante do ponto de vista quantitativo, mas há necessidade de aprimoramento qualitativo das publicações.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the profile and the scientific production of researchers in Pediatrics with scholarship from the National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development. METHODS: The Lattes curricula of 34 researchers in Pediatrics with active scholarships, from 2006 to 2008 were included in the analysis. The variables of interest were: gender, affiliation, time since PHD, tutoring of undergraduate students, mentorship of masters and doctors, scientific production and the papers' impact. RESULTS: In a total of 411 researchers in Medicine, 34 (8%) belonged to Pediatrics. Males (77%) and scholars in the category 2 of productivity (62%) prevailed. Three states of Brazil were responsible for approximately 90% of the researchers: São Paulo (53%), Minas Gerais (21%), and Rio Grande do Sul (15%). During their academic career, the Pediatrics researchers have published 3,122 articles with a median of 89 articles per researcher (interquartile range - IQ=51-119). Of the total, 40 and 59% articles were indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, respectively. The Pediatrics researchers have published papers in 599 journals with a median impact factor of 2.35 (IQ=1.37-3.73) for the 323 indexed journals. CONCLUSIONS: The Pediatrics researchers have a relevant scientific output from the quantity point of the view, but there is a need to improve quality.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el perfil y la producción científica de los investigadores en Pediatría catastrados como becarios de productividad científica del Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico. MÉTODOS: Se incluyó en el análisis el currículo Lattes de 34 investigadores en Pediatría con becas activas en el trienio 2006 a 2008. Las variables de interés fueron: sexo, institución, tiempo de doctoramiento, orientación de alumnos de la carrera, maestros y doctores, artículos publicados e impacto de la publicación. RESULTADOS: De un total de 411 investigadores en Medicina, 34 (8%) fueron identificados como del área de Pediatría. Hubo una predominancia del género masculino (77%) y de becarios en la categoría 2 (62%). Tres provincias fueron responsables por un 90% de los investigadores: São Paulo (53%), Minas Gerais (21%) y Rio Grande do Sul (15%). En el total de la carrera académica, los investigadores en Pediatría publicaron 3.122 artículos, siendo la mediana de 89 artículos por investigador (intervalo intercuartil - IQ=51-119). De ese total, 40 y 58,5% fueron artículos indexados en las bases de datos Web of Science y Scopus, respectivamente. Los investigadores en Pediatría publicaron en 599 periódicos, con mediana de factor de impacto de 2,35 (IQ=1,37-3,73) para los 323 periódicos indexados. CONCLUSIONES: En la presente investigación, se observó que los investigadores en el área de Pediatría presentan una producción científica relevante desde la mirada cuantitativa, pero hay necesidad de perfeccionamiento cualitativo de las publicaciones.