Abstract In this paper, a new methodology is applied to optimize the geometry of conductors of overhead transmission lines (TL) with high precision and low computational cost. This methodology is based on the sensitivity analysis of the electrical charge of the transmission lines using the adjoint method. This information is used with the gradient method and the golden section algorithm to minimize the electric field at the ground level of three-phase TL with two cables per phase. The approximation using central finite differences to obtain sensitivity is adopted for validation and comparisons. The TL's with high surge impedance loading is obtained after the optimization process.

RESUMEN Introducción: La administración de un fármaco agonista de un alfa- 2-adrenérgicos asociado con la técnica del cateterismo uretral, es un método de desarrollo reciente en la recolección seminal en felinos, ofreciendo las ventajas sobre la recolecta por electroeyaculación y la recolecta epididimaria. La técnica se ha probado en Panthera onca y felinos de pequeño porte. Objetivos: Realizar la recolección seminal en felinos neotropicales utilizando la técnica de cateterización uretral. Determinar los parámetros testiculares y seminales de muestras recolectadas por la técnica de cateterización uretral. Metodología: En este estudio se utilizó un individuo por especie de Panthera onca, Puma yagouaroundi yLeopardus wedii localizados en el parque Zoobotánico Getúlio Vargas, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. El semen fue recolectado por medio del cateterismo uretral y se utilizaron los farmácos: clorhidrato de medetomidina (0.1 mg /kg) y ketamina (5.0 mg /kg). Durante el desarrollo del procedimiento, se realizó la recolecta de los datos biométricos corporales y testiculares, así como la ultrasonografía de los testículos. Mediante microscopia óptica, en las muestras seminales se determinó: el vigor espermático, motilidad total, motilidad progresiva, la integridad estructural y funcional de la membrana plasmática y la morfología espermática. Las muestras se sometieron al proceso de congelación - descongelación utilizando tres diferentes crioprotectores. Las muestras descongeladas fueron evaluadas por microscopía convencional, análisis seminal computarizado y citometría de flujo. Resultados: En este estudio fue realizado con éxito la técnica de recolección seminal en las tres especies, siendo el primer estudio que informa de los parámetros seminales deP. yagouaroundiy el primero que reporta la recolección seminal uretral en L. wiedii. Los datos presentados describen de forma pionera la morfocinética espermática de las especies incluidas. No hubo diferencias (P > 0.05) en la calidad seminal evaluando por grupo de crioprotector, ni diferencias en la integridad de las membranas pré e post-congelamento. Fue posible solamente la comparación con otras técnicas de recolección seminal o con resultados de calidad seminal obtenidos de muestras de gato doméstico. Conclusión: La cateterización uretral asociada al fármaco alfa- 2-adrenérgicos es una técnica eficiente para la recolección seminal en felinos neotropicales. El establecimiento de una potencial asociación de las características físicas del animal y la calidad seminal, es información de suma importancia en la aplicabilidad para la elección de reproductores en los programas de reproducción asistida.

Abstract Introduction: The urethral catheterization associated with the application of alfa- 2 adrenergic agonist drug is a recent development and application technique for the collection of feline semen, with advantages over electro-ejaculation harvesting and epididymal harvesting. Objetives: Seminal collection in neotropical felines using the urethral catheterization technique. Determine the testicular and seminal parameters of samples collected by the urethral cataterization technique. Methods: The technique has been tested on Panthera onca and others small cats. In this study, individuals of Panthera onca, Puma yagouaroundi and Leopardus wiedii were used in captivity at Getulio Vargas Zoobotanical Park, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Medetomidine hydrochloride (0.1 mg/kg) and ketamine (5.0 mg/kg) were used as sedatives, the semen was collected by urethral catheterization. In the process were checked the testicular biometry was performed with percutaner and ultrasonography technique. The fresh samples were evaluated for conventional microscopy in the parameters of volume, sperm vigor, total motility, progressive motility, structural and functional integrity of the plasmatic membrane and sperm morphology. The samples were subjected to a freeze - thaw process using three different extenders. The thawed samples were tested using conventional microscopy, automated system analysis and flow cytometry. Results: In this study, the urethral harvest technique was successfully used in the three species. In the literature used don’t have report about seminal parameters in P. yagouaroundi and urethral seminal collection in L. wiedii. The data presented describe the spermatic morphocinetics of the included species in a pioneer study. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the seminal quality evaluating the extender, nor differences in the integrity of pre and post-freeze membranes of the samples. Conclusion: The urethral catheterization associated with the application of alfa- 2 adrenergic agonist drug it’s an efficient technique for semen collection in neotropical cats. The establishment of a potential association of physical characteristics with seminal quality is extremely important information on the applicability of reproductive traits in assisted reproduction programs.

Resumo Triatoma lecticularia (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) (Stal, 1859) é um potencial vetor da doença de Chagas e a compreensão de sua biologia reprodutiva é um importante fator para seu controle populacional. No aparelho reprodutor feminino dos insetos, a espermateca desempenha a importante funcão de armazenar os espermatozoides após cópula. Nos insetos, a espermateca apresenta uma ampla diversidade morfológica e a análise destas características pode contribuir com o entendimento da biologia reprodutiva das espécies. Este estudo descreve histológica e histoquimicamente a espermateca de T. lecticularia. As fêmeas tem um par de espermatecas alongadas sem glândulas acessórias associadas. O reservatório conecta-se ao oviduto comum através de um ducto muscular curto que controla a liberação dos espermatozoides. O epitélio do reservatório possui uma camada de células secretoras colunares. As características anatômicas da espermateca de T. lecticularia são semelhantes às encontradas em outros Reduviidae. Entretanto, as características histológicas e histoquímicas observadas na espermateca são importantes para explicar a manutenção da viabilidade dos espermatozoides armazenados.

Abstract Triatoma lecticularia (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) (Stal, 1859) is a potential vector of Chagas’s disease and the comprehension of its reproductive biology is an important tool to control this insect. In the reproductive tract of female insects, the spermatheca plays a crucial role storing male spermatozoa after mating. Whithin insects the spermatheca shows a wide morphological diversity and the analysis of this characteristic can contribute to understand the reproductive biology of the species. This study describes the histology and histochemistry of the spermatheca of T. lecticularia. Females have a pair of elongated spermathecal reservoirs without associated accessory gland. The reservoir opens into the common oviduct via a narrow muscular duct. The reservoir epithelium has single layer of columnar secretory cells. The control of the release of spermatozoa from the spermatheca occurs via the muscular duct. The anatomical features of the spermatheca of T. lecticularia resemble those described of other Reduviidae. However, the histological and histochemical features of spermatheca observed in T. lecticularia were important to explain the maintenance of the viability of the spermatozoa stored.

ABSTRACT When the level of water reservoirs from Brazilian hydroelectric stations is low, additional thermal plants are turned on to complement the power of the national electric system. The fuels used in these plants are generally natural gas, fuel oil and coal. The objective of this work is to analyze energetically and exergetically a fuel oil thermal plant in operation in Brazil. Real industrial data were used in this analysis. The calculated total work of the turbine is 120.73 MW, which is close to the real value of 120 MW. The cycle energetic efficiency is 36.8% and the exergetic efficiency is 34.4%. The highest exergy destruction was found to be in the boiler (177.11 MW), followed by the high pressure turbine (13.37 MW), due to larger irreversibilities in the processes of these equipment. The exergetic analysis functioned as a complement to the energetic analysis, pointing out where the greatest irreversibilities and improvement potential are: in the boiler.

Resumo As sensilas antenais são órgãos sensoriais formados por um conjunto de neurônios que captam estímulos ambientais e células acessórias, desempenhando as funções de mecanorreceptores e quimiorrecepterores. Este trabalho descreve o desenvolvimento pós-embrionário das sensilas antenais de operárias das abelhas sem ferrão Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera: Meliponini). O desenvolvimento das sensilas tem início na transição de pré-pupa para pupa de olho branco e estão completamente desenvolvidas no estágio de pupa de olho preto, mas ainda estão cobertas pela cutícula velha. As sensilas estão completamente expostas em operárias recém-emergidas de T. angustula, mas é possível que estímulos ambientais sejam percebidos em estágios anteriores devido aos poros presentes na cutícula velha.

Abstract The antennal sensilla are sensory organs formed by a group of neurons and accessory cells, which allow perception of environmental cues, which play a role as mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors. This study describes the post-embryonic development of the antennal sensilla of the stingless Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) workers. The development of the antennal sensilla begins in the transition stage of the pre-pupae to white-eyed pupae. The sensilla are completely developed at the black-eyed pupae stage, but they are covered by the old cuticle. The sensilla are exposed to the environment only in newly emerged workers of T. angustula, but it is possible that environmental stimuli can be recognized due to the pores in the old cuticle.

Eucalyptus plantations cover approximately 5.1 million hectares of Brazil, an area that will likely increase given the demand for natural products from planted forests. In recent years, anthracnose diseases have been frequently found on eucalyptus in Brazilian nurseries. In 2012, rooted mini-cuttings of clones of E. urophylla x E. grandis ("urograndis") exhibiting leaf spot and stem girdling symptoms were collected from nurseries in the Brazilian states of Pará and Minas Gerais, and cultures of Colletotrichum were obtained from the lesions. The isolates were initially identified to species of the C. gloeosporioides species complex, according to searches of the Q-bank Fungi database with the DNA sequences of their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis of the β-tubulin (TUB2) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) regions, combined with morphological characterization, allowed us to conclude that the fungus belongs to C. theobromicola. Conidial suspension sprayed on "urograndis" clone plants induced similar symptoms as those found under natural conditions. Re-isolation of the fungus from symptomatic plants fulfilled the Koch´s postulate. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. theobromicola in Brazil.

Cryptococcal infection had an increased incidence in last years due to the explosion of acquired immune deficiency syndrome epidemic and by using new and effective immunosuppressive agents. The currently antifungal therapies used such as amphotericin B, fluconazole, and itraconazole have certain limitations due to side effects and emergence of resistant strains. So, a permanent search to find new drugs for cryptococcosis treatment is essential. Ocimum gratissimum, plant known as alfavaca (Labiatae family), has been reported earlier with in vitro activity against some bacteria and dermatophytes. In our work, we study the in vitro activity of the ethanolic crude extract, ethyl acetate, hexane, and chloroformic fractions, essential oil, and eugenol of O. gratissimum using an agar dilution susceptibility method towards 25 isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. All the extracts of O. gratissimum studied showed activity in vitro towards C. neoformans. Based on the minimal inhibitory concentration values the most significant results were obtained with chloroformic fraction and eugenol. It was observed that chloroformic fraction inhibited 23 isolates (92%) of C. neoformans at a concentration of 62.5 µg/ml and eugenol inhibited 4 isolates (16%) at a concentration of 0.9 µg/ml. This screening may be the basis for the study of O. gratissimum as a possible antifungal agent.