Abstract: Background and Aims: The species of algae that integrate the genus Cephaleuros induce diseases in more than 300 plant species worldwide. In Mexico, only Cephaleuros virescens has been identified infecting avocado, guava, lemon and mango leaves. In blackberry cultivation, only have been reported in the United States of America. This work aimed to identify the causal agent of the disease "orange spot" that affects blackberry plants (Rubus sp. cv. Tupy) in two areas of Michoacán, which represents a phytosanitary and ecological problem due to the agrochemicals used to combat it. Methods: To identify the causal agent, tissue from infected stems was examined for structures. Measurements were compared with data from related species: C. diffusus, C. parasiticus, and C. virescens. In addition, molecular data were integrated by extracting DNA from tissue of orange spots collected in the field at two sampling sites, amplification of the ITS and 18S DNA regions was performed and the sequences obtained, together with sequences of Cephaleuros from America, South Africa, and Asia from GenBank, were integrated into a data matrix for phylogenetic analyses. Key results: Following morphological and molecular analyses, C. virescens sensu lato (s.l.) was identified as the causal agent of the spots spreading along blackberry stems, mainly on third- and fourth-year plants. To date, C. virescens had only been reported on blackberry stems in the southeastern United States of America. Conclusions: Orange spotting on blackberry canes is caused by the alga Cephaleuros virescens (s.l.). This represents the first report of this species affecting blackberry in Mexico. Following phylogenetic analyses, it has been concluded that this is the same species that causes the disease on blackberries in the United States of America.

Resumen: Antecedentes y Objetivos: Las especies de algas que conforman el género Cephaleuros inducen enfermedades en más de 300 especies de plantas en todo el mundo. En México se ha identificado que Cephaleuros virescens infecta hojas de aguacate, guayaba, limón y mango. En el cultivo de zarzamora solo se ha reportado en los Estados Unidos de América. En este trabajo se planteó identificar, en plantas de zarzamora (Rubus sp. cv. Tupy), al agente causal de la enfermedad “mancha naranja”que afecta las plantas de ese fruto en dos áreas del estado de Michoacán. Esta representa un problema fitosanitario y ecológico por los agroquímicos utilizados para combatirla. Métodos: Para identificar al agente causal, se examinó el tejido de los tallos de zarzamora infectados caracterizando estructuras y comparando con los datos de especies relacionadas: C. diffusus, C. parasiticus y C. virescens. Adicionalmente, se integraron datos moleculares al extraer el ADN de tejido de manchas naranjas colectadas en campo en dos sitios de muestreo, se realizó la amplificación de las regiones ITS y 18S del ADN y las secuencias obtenidas, junto con secuencias de Cephaleuros de América, Sudáfrica y Asia de GenBank, se integraron en una matriz de datos para la realización de los análisis filogenéticos. Resultados clave: Con análisis morfológicos y moleculares, se identificó a C. virescens sensu lato (s.l.) como el agente causal de las manchas que se propagan a lo largo de los tallos de zarzamora, principalmente en plantas de tercer y cuarto año. Hasta la fecha, C. virescens afectaba exclusivamente al cultivo de zarzamora en el sureste de los Estados Unidos de América. Conclusiones: El manchado naranja en los tallos de zarzamora es causado por el alga Cephaleuros virescens (s.l.). El presente estudio representa el primer reporte de esta especie afectando zarzamora en México. Los análisis filogenéticos permiten concluir que se trata de la misma especie que provoca la enfermedad en zarzamora en los Estados Unidos de América.

ABSTRACT Male euglossine bees (Euglossine: Apidae) pollinate flowers of as many as 1,000 Neotropical plant species and there is evidence that blooming in these plants is synchronized with the seasonality of euglossine pollinators. The present study aimed to monitor for two years the phenology of Sarcoglottis acaulis (Orchidaceae - Spiranthinae subtribe) and the seasonality of its pollinators at three Atlantic Forest fragments, two of which surrounded by urban anthropized areas. Phenologies in the three areas were related to abiotic factors, suggesting that precipitation on months prior to the beginning of the flowering period influenced the fructification rates of S. acaulis. Additionally, water shortage during the driest months resulted in vegetative dormancy. Sarcoglottis acaulis sets only a low number of fruits by self-pollination, and the plant’s reproductive success depended on the frequency of its main pollinator, i.e., the male euglossine bees Eulaema atleticana. Lower rates of pollinia removal were observed in areas where this bee is less frequent and, consequently, less fruits were formed, suggesting a high dependency on this pollinator.

ABSTRACT These work was carried out in the Plant Protection Laboratory of the Agronomy Faculty in the Agrarian University of La Habana, to determinate the in vitro effectivity of the isolate Ma-005 of Metarhizium anisopliae s.l (Metsch.) Sorokin on eggs and neolarvae of Rhipicephalus microplus Canestrini. Eggs, with five to seven days old, and neolarvae with seven to 10 days old, were inoculated by immersion during one minute in suspensions with different conidial concentration of the isolate. It was evaluated the hatching of larvae from eggs after 30 days and neolarval mortality after seven and 14 days. It was observed a high effect of the conidia concentration on hatching of larvae from eggs, less than 10% at the highest of the concentrations evaluated, and the mortality of the tick neolarvae, more than 80% at the concentration of 108 conidia mL-1.

RESUMEN El trabajo se realizó en el Laboratorio de Sanidad Vegetal de la Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Agraria de la Habana, con el objetivo de determinar la eficacia in vitro del aislado Ma-005 de Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. (Metsch.) Sorokin sobre huevos y neolarvas de Rhipicephalus microplus Canestrini. Huevos de cinco a siete días y neolarvas de siete a 10 días, fueron inoculados por inmersión durante un minuto en suspensiones con diferentes concentraciones de conidios del aislado y se evaluó la eclosión de los huevos a los 30 días y la mortalidad de las neolarvas a los siete y 14 días. Se evidenció un marcado efecto de la concentración de conidios en la suspensión sobre la eclosión de huevos, que resultó muy baja (menos del 10 %) en la mayor de las concentraciones utilizadas. La mortalidad de las neolarvas de la garrapata fue superior al 80% en la concentración de 108 conidios mL-1.

Abstract In offshore oil wells it is very common to perform seawater injection through injection wells for hydrocarbon recovery. When seawater, rich in sulfate ion, mixes with formation water, whose composition can contain divalent cations such as barium and calcium, it often leads to sulfate salts formation due to their chemical incompatibility. These salts can cause serious damage in production wells. The barium sulfate (BaSO4) is the most problematic scale and may cause many complications. In order to solve this issue, polycarboxylic acids, such as diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid, are used. Thus, the primary focus of this work was to develop an experimental procedure to study the BaSO4 dissolution. Initially, through static tests to understand the relationship between dissolver concentration, temperature and dissolution time, and then through dynamic tests in sandstone reservoirs. Based on the results obtained, in the static tests the best condition for barite to dissolve was at high temperatures (80 ºC) and contact time of 48 hours, since from 50 °C there is an increase in dissolution rate, associated with a long contact time between dissolver and barite. In the dynamic tests, after scale formation, barite could be removed, but the high DTPA concentration should be avoided.

The aim of this work was to microencapsulate beetroot juice (BJ) (Beta vulgaris L.) by spray-drying using as protective colloid gum Arabic. The adsorption isotherms of the microcapsules and the minimum integral entropy (ΔSint)T were determined at 25, 35 and 40 °C. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was measured by differential scanning calorimetry and modeled by Gordon-Taylor equation. The water contents-water activity (M-aW) sets obtained from (ΔSint)T, and critical water content (CWC) and critical water activity (CWA) from the Tg were similar, being in the range of water content of 5.11-7.5 kg H2O/100 kg d.s. and in the water activity range of 0.532-0.590. These critical storage conditions were considered as the best conditions for increase the stability of the microcapsules, where the percentage of retention Betanin in the microcapsules was higher compared with other storage conditions in the temperature and a w range studied.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue microencapsular jugo de betabel (BJ) (Beta vulgaris L.) mediante secado por aspersión empleando goma Arábiga como agente encapsulante. Las isotermas de adsorción y la entropía mínima integral (ΔSint)T fueron determinadas a 25, 35 y 40 °C. La temperatura de transición vítrea (Tg) se midió por calorimetría diferencial de barrido y modelada con la ecuación de Gordon-Taylor. El conjunto de valores contenido de humedad-actividad de agua (M-aW) obtenidos a partir de la entropía mínima integral, así como el conjunto de valores de contenido de humedad crítico (CWC)-actividad de agua crítico (CWA) obtenidos a partir de la Tg resultaron ser similares, teniendo valores en el intervalo de 5.11 a 7.5 kg H2O/100 kg d.s. para el contenido de humedad y de 0.532 a 0.590 en el intervalo de aW. Estas condiciones críticas de almacenamiento fueron considerados como las mejores para incrementar la estabilidad de las microcápsulas, donde el porcentaje de retención de betanina en las microcápsulas fue más alto, comparado con otras condiciones de almacenamiento en el intervalo de temperaturas y actividad de agua estudiados.

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a magnitude e tendência da Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana (LTA) no Estado de São Paulo entre 1975 e 2008. Foi conduzido um estudo ecológico que categorizou os municípios segundo a magnitude da transmissão. No período de 1975 a 1985, 45 municípios foram responsáveis pelo registro de 1.281 casos de LTA, passando a 258 municípios e 4.093 casos entre 1986 e 1995, e a 385 municípios e 7.604 casos entre 1996 a 2008. O vetor Lutzomyia intermedia s.l. foi coletado na maioria das pesquisas entomológicas. Na classificação dos municípios segundo a magnitude pode-se verificar que 67,5% possuíam "pequena magnitude", 19,2% "média magnitude" e 13,3% "grande magnitude". As maiores incidências de LTA permanecem restritas a algumas áreas carentes e próximas à Mata Atlântica. Houve aumento no número de municípios com pequena ocorrência de casos e ampliação da área de risco.

The aim of this study was to analyze the magnitude and trend of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) in the State of São Paulo from 1975 to 2008. An ecological study that classified municipalities according to the magnitude of transmission was performed. From 1975 to 1985, 1,281 cases of ATL were registered in 45 municipalities, rising to 258 municipalities and 4,093 cases from 1986 to 1995; and reaching 385 municipalities and 7,604 cases from 1996 to 2008. Lutzomyia intermedia s.l. was collected in most of the entomological surveys. In the classification of municipalities according to magnitude, 67.5% were observed to have a "small magnitude," 19.2% "moderate magnitude" and 13.3% "high magnitude." The highest incidences of ATL have been restricted to underserved areas close to the Atlantic fo-rest. There was an increase in the number of municipalities with small occurrence of cases and expansion in the area of risk.

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a magnitude e tendência da Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana (LTA) no Estado de São Paulo entre 1975 e 2008. Foi conduzido um estudo ecológico que categorizou os municípios segundo a magnitude da transmissão. No período de 1975 a 1985, 45 municípios foram responsáveis pelo registro de 1.281 casos de LTA, passando a 258 municípios e 4.093 casos entre 1986 e 1995, e a 385 municípios e 7.604 casos entre 1996 a 2008. O vetor Lutzomyia intermedia s.l. foi coletado na maioria das pesquisas entomológicas. Na classificação dos municípios segundo a magnitude pode-se verificar que 67,5% possuíam "pequena magnitude", 19,2% "média magnitude" e 13,3% "grande magnitude". As maiores incidências de LTA permanecem restritas a algumas áreas carentes e próximas à Mata Atlântica. Houve aumento no número de municípios com pequena ocorrência de casos e ampliação da área de risco.

The aim of this study was to analyze the magnitude and trend of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) in the State of São Paulo from 1975 to 2008. An ecological study that classified municipalities according to the magnitude of transmission was performed. From 1975 to 1985, 1,281 cases of ATL were registered in 45 municipalities, rising to 258 municipalities and 4,093 cases from 1986 to 1995; and reaching 385 municipalities and 7,604 cases from 1996 to 2008. Lutzomyia intermedia s.l. was collected in most of the entomological surveys. In the classification of municipalities according to magnitude, 67.5% were observed to have a "small magnitude," 19.2% "moderate magnitude" and 13.3% "high magnitude." The highest incidences of ATL have been restricted to underserved areas close to the Atlantic fo-rest. There was an increase in the number of municipalities with small occurrence of cases and expansion in the area of risk.

Foram estudados os grãos de pólen de 14 gêneros e 27 espécies de Euphorbiaceae s.l., ocorrentes na "Reserva do Parque Estadual da Fontes do Ipiranga: Actinostemon klotzschii (Didr.) Pax, Alchornea sidifolia Müll. Arg., A. triplinervia (Spreng.) Müll. Arg., Croton floribundus Spreng., C. fuscescens Spreng., C. glandulosus L., C. lundianus (Didr.) Müll. Arg., C. organensis Baill., C. salutaris Casar., C. vulnerarius Baill., Dalechampia triphylla Lam., Euphorbia heterophylla L., E. hirta (L.) Millsp., E. hyssopifolia (L.) Small, E. peplus L., Gonatogyne brasiliensis Müll. Arg., Hieronyma alchorneoides Allemão, Maprounea guianensis Aubl., Pera obovata (Klotzsch) Baill., Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walt., P. niruri L., P. tenellus Roxb., Plukenetia serrata (Vell.) L.J. Gillespie, Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong, Savia dictyocarpa Müll. Arg., Sebastiania klotzschiana (Müll. Arg.) Müll. Arg., S. serrata (Baill.) Müll. Arg. Para todos os táxons estudados, são apresentadas descrições, ilustrações, e observações adicionais, bem como chaves polínicas para a identificação das espécies de alguns gêneros.

Pollen grains morphology of 14 genera and 27 species of Euphorbiaceae (Actinostemon klotzschii (Didr.) Pax, Alchornea sidifolia Müll. Arg., A. triplinervia (Spreng.) Müll. Arg., Croton floribundus Spreng., C. fuscescens Spreng., C. glandulosus L., C. lundianus ( Didr.) Müll. Arg., C. organensis Baill., C. salutaris Casar., C. vulnerarius Baill., Dalechampia triphylla Lam., Euphorbia heterophylla L., E. hirta L., E. hyssopifolia L., E. peplus L., Gonatogyne brasiliensis Müll. Arg., Hieronyma alchorneoides Allemão, Maprounea guianensis Aubl., Pera obovata (Klotzsch) Baill., Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walt., P. niruri L., P. tenellus Roxb., Plukenetia serrata (Vell.) L.J. Gillespie, Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong, Savia dictyocarpa Müll. Arg., Sebastiania klotzschiana (Müll. Arg.) Müll. Arg. and S. serrata (Baill.) Müll. Arg., ocurring in the "Reserva do Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga" was studied. Descriptions, illustrations, and additional observations are presented for all species studied, as well as keys for some taxa only.

The development and test of a technique for leak detection in pipelines is presented. The technique is based on the spectral analysis of pressure signals measured in pipeline sections where the formation of stationary waves is favoured, allowing leakage detection during the start/stop of pumps. Experimental tests were performed in a 1250 m long pipeline for various operational conditions of the pipeline (liquid flow rate and leakage configuration). Pressure transients were obtained by four transducers connected to a PC computer. The obtained results show that the spectral analysis of pressure transients, together with the knowledge of reflection points provide a simple and efficient way of identifying leaks during the start/stop of pumps in pipelines.

The influence of the sensor locations on the composition control of high-purity batch distillation columns has been investigated. Using concepts of the nonlinear control theory, an input-output linearizing controller was implemented to keep the distillate composition constant at a desired value by varying the reflux ratio. An Extended Kalman Filter was developed to estimate the compositions required in the control algorithm using temperature measurements. In the presence of measurement noise, the control performance depended greatly on the sensor locations. Placing the sensors further from the top stages reduced the detrimental effects of noise but increased the inference error. To achieve accurate composition control, both noise reduction and composition estimate accuracy should be considered in the selection of the sensor locations.