Estimation of time since death is an important variable when investigating legal cases involving decomposing human remains; however it has been sparsely studied in controlled environments. Decomposition rates are largely influenced by external factors with temperature being the most critical factor. The decomposition rates can also be influenced by insect infestation, chemical residues, and burial, yet little research has been conducted to document how various factors alter the rate and process of decomposition. A common occurrence at human remains recovery sites is the deposit of residues from criminal activities such as gunpowder and explosives. This experiment will look at gunpowder residue’s effects on porcine remains and the insect infestation after exposure. This study was conducted in two phases: the 1st experiment being conducted in the late spring and the 2nd in the early fall. For each experiment two carcasses were covered with gunpowder residue while one carcass served as a control (no residue). The physical decomposition processes as well as ambient temperature were documented for each carcass. The results for the study showed variable findings between the control and experimental subjects. The insect infestation of the remains was consistent with the data from previous entomological studies conducted from areas of similar climate and terrain. Factors that may have influenced the results are discussed in reference to the effects of the gunpowder residue on the decomposing remains.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a commercial soil conditioner, Superbio, can improve crop yield, and if the "advertised" soil improvement might be due to an increase in the activity and numbers of aerobic cellulose decomposing bacteria following treatment.

Orientador: Márcia Marinho / Coorientador: Luzia Helena Queiroz / Banca: Sergio Diniz Garcia / Banca: Fernanda Bovino / Resumo: As espécies de Cryptococcus neoformans e Cryptococcus gattii são os agentes etiológicos da criptococose, que se caracteriza por ser uma infecção sistêmica de caráter crônico e com potencial zoonótico. São micro-organismos oportunistas, encontrados em substratos de origem animal e vegetal amplamente distribuídos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar a presença de microfocos de C. neoformans e C. gattii, a partir de amostras ambientais da cidade de Penápolis - SP. Foram coletadas 100 amostras provenientes de praças e locais públicos, escolhidos de forma aleatória, de cobertura abrangente à área da cidade. Após a coleta as amostras foram devidamente acondicionadas e encaminhadas ao laboratório de microbiologia da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (Unesp/FMVA), onde foram processadas e semeadas em meios de ágares semente de Níger e Sabouraud dextrose acrescido de cloranfenicol e incubadas a 30ºC em estufa microbiológica por um período não inferior a cinco dias e monitoradas diariamente. As colônias que apresentaram crescimento macromorfológico sugestivo para Cryptococcus spp. foram coradas com tinta nanquim e lactofenol azul de algodão para análise micromorfológica e posteriormente submetidas aos testes bioquímicos: Hidrólise da ureia, Termotolerância e Ágar CGB (L-canavanina-glicina-azul de bromotimol). Os resultados demonstraram a presença de 14% (14/100) de C. gattii sendo negativo para cultivo e isolamento de C. neoformans. As amostras que apresentaram crescimento positi... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The species of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are the etiological agents of cryptococcosis, which is characterized as a chronic systemic infection with zoonotic potential. They are opportunistic microorganisms, found in widely distributed substrates of animal and vegetal origin. The objective of this work was to identify the presence of microfocus of C. neoformans and C. gattii, from environmental samples in the city of Penápolis - SP. We collected 100 samples from public squares and public places, randomly chosen to cover the city area. After collection, the samples were duly conditioned and sent to the microbiology laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Unesp / FMVA), where they were processed and seeded in media of Niger seed agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar plus, chloramphenicol and incubated at 30ºC in a microbiological oven for a period of not less than 5 days and monitored daily. The colonies that presented macromorphological growth suggestive of Cryptococcus spp. were stained with nanquim ink and blue cotton lactophenol for micromorphological analysis and subsequently submitted to biochemical tests: Urea hydrolysis, Thermotolerance and Agar CGB (L-canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue). The results demonstrated the presence of 14% (14/100) of C. gattii being negative for cultivation and isolation of C. neoformans. The samples that showed positive growth were from the species Ficus benjamina, Syzygium cumini, Caesalpinia pluviosa, Licania tome... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The set cover problem is a well studied problem in computer science. The problem cannot be approximated to better than an log n-factor in polynomial time unless P = NP and has an O(log n)-factor approximation algorithm. We consider several special cases of the set cover problem in which geometry plays a key role. With geometric structure introduced to the problem, it may be possible to construct approximation algorithms with approximation ratios asymptotically better than log n. The first problem we consider is the decomposing coverings problem. Here, we consider a combinatorial problem: given a collection of points in the plane and a collection of objects in the plane such that each point is contained in at least k objects, partition the objects into as many sets as possible so that each set covers all of the points. We show that if the objects are translates of a convex polygon, then it is possible to partition the translates into Ω(k) covers. The second problem we consider is the planar sensor cover problem. This problem is a generalization of the decomposing coverings problem. We are given a collection of points in the plane and a collection of objects in the plane. Each of the objects can be thought of as a sensor. The sensors have a duration which can be thought of as the battery life of the sensor. The planar sensor cover problem is to schedule a start time to each of the sensors so that the points are covered by a sensor for as long as possible. We give a constant factor approximation for this problem. The key contribution to this result is a constant factor approximation to a one-dimensional version of the problem called the restricted strip cover (RSC) problem. Our result for RSC improves upon the previous best O(log log log n)-approximation, and our result for the planar sensor cover problem improves upon the previous best O(log n)-approximation. The next problem we consider is the metric clustering to minimize the sum of radii problem. Here, we are given an n-point metric (P,d) and an integer k > 0. We are interested in covering the points in P with at most k balls so that the sum of the radii of the balls is minimized. We give a randomized algorithm which solves the problem exactly in nO(log n log Δ) time, where Δ is the ratio of the maximum interpoint distance to the minimum interpoint distance. We also show that the problem is NP-hard, even in metrics induced by weighted planar graphs and when the metric has constant doubling dimension. The last problem we consider is the minimum dominating set problem for disk graphs. In this problem, we are given a set of disks in the plane, and we want to choose a minimum-cardinality subset of disks such that every disk is either in the set or intersects a disk in the set. For any ε > 0, we show that a simple local search algorithm is a (1+ ε)-approximation for the problem which improves upon the previous best O(log n)-approximation algorithm.

Antioxidants are widely used to protect organic materials from damages caused by autoxidation, an oxidation process that occurs under normal aerobic conditions. In this thesis, novel multifunctional organoselenium and organotellurium antioxidants were designed, synthesized, and evaluated in search for compounds with better radical-trapping capacity, regenerability, and hydroperoxide-decomposing ability. Selenium was incorporated into ebselenols and hydroxy-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]selenophenes and tellurium into diaryl disulfides and aryltellurophenols. All newly developed antioxidants were evaluated in a chlorobenzene/water two-phase lipid peroxidation system containing suitable co-antioxidants in the aqueous phase. Ebselenol carrying a hydroxyl group (OH) ortho to selenium showed a two-fold longer inhibition time than the reference α-tocopherol in the presence of aqueous-phase ascorbic acid. 2,3-Dihydrobenzo[b]selenophenes carrying a 5- or 7-OH outperformed α-tocopherol both when it comes to radical-trapping capacity and regenerability. Alkyltellurothiophenols, in situ formed from their corresponding disulfides by tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, were also efficient regenerable radical-trapping antioxidants. The consumption of N-acetylcysteine in the water phase was followed and found to be limiting for the duration of the inhibition. The hydroperoxide-decomposing ability of all organoselenium antioxidants was evaluated. Ebselenols were often better glutathione peroxidase mimics than the parent. In an effort to find out more about antioxidant mechanisms, aryltellurophenols carrying electron donating and electron withdrawing groups in the phenolic or aryltelluro parts were synthesized and OH bond dissociation enthalpies, BDEO-Hs, were calculated. Compounds carrying electron donating groups in the phenolic or aryltelluro part of the molecule showed the best radical-trapping capacity. Deuterium labelling experiments suggested that hydrogen atom transfer could be the rate-limiting step in the antioxidant mechanism.

The Southern Appalachian hardwood forests contain a wide diversity of flora and fauna. Understanding processes that affect nutrient availability in these forests is essential for sound forest management. Three interconnected research projects regarding soil resource heterogeneity were designed to increase our understanding of this ecosystem. The objective of these projects were as follows: 1) to examine and quantify the role of decaying stumps in regards to total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and fine-root dynamics, 2) compare and contrast the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) vs. a soil auger for estimating soil depth and site quality and 3) to evaluate how eastern red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) affect N-availability. For the stump study, results show that decomposing stumps occupy approximately 1.2% of the total soil volume and constitute 4% and 10% of total soil N and C pools. Significant differences in N (p = 0.0114), C (p = 0.0172), microbial biomass C (p = 0.0004), potentially mineralizable N (p = 0.0042), and extractable NH4+ (p = 0.0312) concentrations were observed when compared to mineral soil horizons. In particular, potentially mineralizable N was 2.5 times greater in stump soil than the A-horizon (103 vs. 39 mg kg-1), 2.7 times greater for extractable NH4+ (16 vs. 6 mg kg-1) and almost 4 times greater for MBC (1528 vs. 397 mg kg-1). These measured properties suggest higher N-availability, organic matter turnover and N uptake in stump soil versus the bulk soil. 19% of the total fine root length and 14% of fine root surface area also occurred in the stump soil. The increased fine root length suggests higher concentrations of labile nutrient in the stumps since roots often proliferate in areas with higher nutrient availability. Significant differences occurred in N and C concentrations between all four decay classes and the A-horizon, which validated the use of this system and the need to calculate weighted averages based on the frequency and soil volume influenced by each decay class. In the GPR Study, depth estimations were shallower using a soil auger compared to estimates obtained using GPR across all plots (p = 0.0002; Figure 3.4). On a soil volume basis, this was equivalent to about 3500 m3 of soil per hectare unaccounted for using traditional methods. In regards to using soil depth as a predictor for site quality, no significant relationships were observed with soil depth estimations obtained from the auger (Table 3.3). On the other hand, depth measurements from GPR explained significant amounts of variation across all sites and by physiographic region. Across all sites, soil depth estimates from GPR explained 45.5% of the residual variation (p = 0.001; Table 3.3). When the data were stratified by physiographic region, a higher amount of variation was explained by the regression equations; 85% for the Cumberland Plateau (p = 0.009), 86.7% for the Allegheny Plateau (0.007) and 66.7% for the Ridge and Valley (p = 0.013), respectively (Table 4.2). Results from this study demonstrate how inaccurate current methods can be for estimating soil depth rocky forests soils. Furthermore, depth estimations from GPR can be used to increase the accuracy of site quality in the southern Appalachians. In the salamander study, no significant salamander density treatment or treatment by time effects were observed over the entire study period (p < 0.05). However, when the data were separated by individual sampling periods a few significant treatment by time interactions occurred: 1) during August 2006 for available NH4+ under the forest floor (i.e. horizontal cation membranes; p = 0.001), 2) August and 3) September 2006 for available NH4+ in the A-horizon (p = 0.026), and 4) May 2007 for available NO3- under the forest floor (p = 0.011). As a result of these trends, an index of cumulative N-availability (i.e. NH4+ and NO3-) under the forest floor and in the A-horizon was examined through the entire study period. Cumulative N-availability under the forest floor was consistently higher in the low- and medium-density salamander treatments compared to the high-density treatment. For cumulative N-availability in the A-horizon, a gradient of high to low N-availability existed as salamander density increased. Factors such as a prolonged drought in 2007 may have affected our ability to accurately assess the effects of salamanders on N-availability. We concluded that higher salamander densities do not increase N-availability. Implementing methodologies that accurately account for soil nutrient pools such as stump soil, physical properties such as depth and fauna such as salamanders, increase our understanding of factors that regulate site productivity in these ecosystems. As a result, landscape-level and stand-level management decisions can be conducted more effectively. / Ph. D.

År 2045 ska Sverige uppnå territoriella nettonollutsläpp och till år 2030 ska utsläppen från transportsektorn ha minskat med 70 % jämfört med år 2010. Sveriges vägtrafik står för en tredjedel av de totala växthusgasutsläppen. För att uppnå klimatmålen bör de mest lämpade styrmedlen och åtgärderna prioriteras. En systematisk undersökning av de faktorer som påverkat utsläppsutvecklingen kan vägleda beslutsfattare att fördela resurserna där de gör mest nytta. Dekomponeringsanalys är en potentiell metod för detta syfte då flera olika faktorers effekter kan särskiljs och mätas. Fem additiva LMDI-I dekomponeringsanalyser genomfördes på utsläppsutvecklingen av fossilt CO2 inom personbilstrafiken mellan åren 1990–2015. De faktorer som undersöktes var befolkning, bil per capita, bränsleteknologier, motorstorlekar, trafikarbete per bil, emissioner och biobränsle. Data från emissionsmodellen HBEFA, Trafikverket och SCB användes i analyserna. Under hela perioden 1990–2015 minskade CO2-utsläppen och dekomponeringsanalyserna visade att alla de ingående faktorerna påverkat utvecklingen. Sett över hela tidsperioden 1990–2015 hade faktorerna påverkat utvecklingen mest i storleksordningen trafikarbete per bil (35 %), bränsleteknologier (15 %), befolkning (15 %), bil per capita (13 %), emissioner (11 %), biobränsle (7 %) samt motorstorlekar (5 %). Procenten anger andelen som faktorn utgjorde av effekternas absoluta summa. Trafikarbete per bil, emissioner, biobränsle och motorstorlekar minskade utsläppen. Bränsleteknologier, befolkning och bil per capita ökade utsläppen. Resultaten kan användas som en indikation för vilka faktorer som kan påverka den framtida utsläppsutvecklingen mest och för vilka åtgärder bör vidtas. Åtgärderförslag är incitament för att välja mer hållbara transportsätt, öka andelen av bilar med lägre utsläpp i fordonsflottan och använda mer biobränsle. / By year 2045 Sweden shall reach zero territorial net emissions and by year 2030 the emissions from the transport sector shall be reduced by 70% compared to year 2010. In Sweden the road traffic stands for a third of the total greenhouse gas emissions. In order to achieve the climate targets, the most suited policies and actions should be prioritized. A systematic investigation into the factors that affect the change in emissions can guide decision makers to distribute resources where they contribute the most. A decomposition analysis is a potential method for this purpose since the effect of different factors can be separated and measured. Five additive LMDI-I decomposition analyses were made on the change in fossil CO2 emission from passenger cars in Sweden between year 1990–2015. The factors that were investigated were: population, vehicle per capita, fuel technologies, engine sizes, distance travelled per vehicle, emissions and biofuel share. Data from the emissions model HBEFA, the Swedish Transport Administration and Statistics Sweden were used in the analyses. During the period of year 1990–2015 the CO2 emissions were reduced, and the decomposition analyses showed that all ingoing factors affected the change. Throughout the period the factors that contributed the most were in order of size: distance travelled per vehicle (35%), fuel technologies (15%), population (15%), car per capita (13%), emissions (11%), biofuel (7%) and engine size (5%). The percentage is the share of the factor’s effect of the absolute sum of all the different effects. Distance travelled per vehicle, emissions, bio fuels and engine size reduced the emissions. Fuel technologies, population and car per capita increased the emissions. The suggestions of actions are incentive for people to use more sustainable means for transportation, increase the share of cars with lower emissions in the fleet and use more biofuel.

Orientador: Arício Xavier Linhares / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T21:53:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Proencio_VanessaMinhoto_M.pdf: 2983676 bytes, checksum: c8bd0965eae3ffccfd30f8656cf54e04 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Para estimar o intervalo pós-morte (IPM) e determinar a provável causa mortis, a ciência forense pode utilizar várias técnicas, sendo um exemplo a avaliação das fases de decomposição de um corpo. Estas fases podem ser influenciadas por fatores extrínsecos como o clima (temperatura e umidade), injúrias no corpo e por fatores intrínsecos, isto é, condições fisiológicas e metabólicas do próprio organismo e também pelo modo como ocorreu a morte. Além desta técnica a ciência forense pode utilizar a Entomologia Forense, através do estudo da fauna cadavérica e sua possível sucessão, para auxiliar nas estimativas de IPM e determinar a causa mortis. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da carbonização na evolução das fases de decomposição, atratividade e possível padrão sucessional dos insetos. Foram utilizadas quatro carcaças de suínos (Sus scrofa L.), sendo duas no período mais quente e úmido do ano e duas no período mais frio e seco. Para cada período uma carcaça foi queimada com gasolina até o nível 2 da escala de carbonização de Crow-Glassman, sem que fosse totalmente destruída, e a outra, utilizada como controle. As carcaças foram expostas em área natural de mata e protegidas por gaiolas para evitar a ação de predadores. Imagens das fases de decomposição foram obtidas diariamente. Insetos imaturos foram coletados das carcaças e levados ao laboratório para posterior emergência dos adultos, contagem e identificação. Insetos adultos foram coletados utilizando uma rede entomológica e identificados no laboratório. Embora em alguns momentos ambas as carcaças estivessem na mesma fase de decomposição, houve um retardo na decomposição da carcaça carbonizada de 3 dias a partir do 5º estágio de decomposição em relação à carcaça controle na estação quente. Na estação fria este fato foi observado a partir do 3º estágio de decomposição, com uma média de atraso de 9 dias, sugerindo que a carbonização influencia no tempo de decomposição. Foi observada uma sucessão entomológica em ambas as carcaças (carbonizada e controle), apresentando um padrão diferente em cada estação do ano e relacionado ao modo de morte. A colonização por artrópodes mostrou-se diferente em ambas as carcaças demonstrando a influência da carbonização na atratividade e frequência de insetos, sugerindo que a espécie Hemilucilia semidiaphana pode ser considerada indicador forense para modo de morte, para região de mata e na estimativa de IPM, enquanto que a espécie Hemilucilia segmentaria pode ser usada como indicador forense para região de mata e na estimativa de IPM. Foi observado também que Chrysomya albiceps pode ser usada para a estimativa de IPM. Chrysomya putoria e Lucilia eximia podem ser utilizadas como indicadores forenses para modo de morte e estimativa de IPM. Espécies da família Sarcophagidae podem ser usadas como indicadores forenses para modo de morte e para a estimativa de IPM. Temperatura e umidade relativa do ar exerceram influência na atividade dos insetos e sobre a decomposição, retardando ou acelerando o processo. Este estudo mostra a importância da causa mortis, dos fatores abióticos, do tempo de decomposição e da entomofauna para o auxílio na estimativa do IPM / Abstract: To estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) and to determine the probable cause of death in forensic science several techniques can be used, such as the assessment of the stage of decomposition of a body. These stages may be affected by extrinsic factors such as meteorological conditions (temperature and humidity) and injuries on the body, and by intrinsic factors related to physiological and metabolic conditions of the body, and also by the circumstances of death. In addition, the study of the cadaveric arthropod fauna as well as its successional pattern may help to estimate the PMI and to determine the cause of death. The aim of this study was to assess: 1) the influence of carbonization in the carcass decomposition process; 2) the attractiveness exerted by the burned carcass to necrophagous insects, and 3) the successional pattern of necrophagous insects in the carcasses. Four pig (Sus scrofa L.), carcasses were used in the experiments: two in the hot and humid period of the year (summer) and two during the cold and dry period of the year (winter). For each period, one carcass was burned with gasoline up to level 2 of Crow-Glassman scale (CGS) and another, was used as control. The carcasses were exposed in a natural wooded area, and placed in wire cages tp prevent the access of large scavengers. Pictures of the stages of decomposition were taken daily. Maggots were collected daily from the carcasses and brought to the laboratory and kept until adult emergence, counted and identified. Adults were collected by using an entomological net and identified in the laboratory. Although both, control and burned carcasses, were at the same decomposition stage, there was a delay in the decomposition of the burned carcass of 3 days from the 5th stage of decomposition in relation to the carcass control in the hot season. In this cold season was observed from the 3rd stage of decomposition, with an average delay of 9 days suggesting that the carbonization influence the time of decomposition. Insect sucession was observed in both carcasses (burned and control), showing a different pattern in each season and related to the mode of death.The colonization by arthropods was different in both carcasses, showing an influence of burning in the attractiveness and occurrence of some insects, suggesting that the blowfly Hemilucilia semidiaphana, may be used as forensic indicator for the mode of death, wooded areas and estimates of PMI, while Hemilucilia segmentaria may be used as forensic indicator for wooded areas and estimates of PMI. It was also observed that Chrysomya albiceps may be used as forensic indicator to estimates of PMI. Chrysomya putoria and Lucilia eximia may be used as forensic indicators for mode of death and estimates of IPM. Species of the family Sarcophagidae may be used as forensic indicators for mode of death and to estimate of PMI. Temperature and relative humidity also had an important influence on the decomposition process, slowing or accelerating the process on both substrates, as well as influencing the activity of insects. This study reported the important influence exerted by the cause of death and the abiotic factors, on the time of decay and on the insect fauna. Therefore, these factors have to be taken into consideration for the determination of the PMI / Mestrado / Parasitologia / Mestre em Parasitologia

Après plus de cent ans de recherche sur les inscriptions gravées sur os et écailles de tortue datant de la fin de la dynastie Shāng, ce matériel graphique réévalue la paléographie chinoise qui est née au fur et à mesure de l’évolution de l’étude des inscriptions sur bronze entamée par les lettrés Sòng. Cette discipline à part entière qui est désormais inscrite dans l’étude de l’écriture chinoise, est marquée par le caractère interdisciplinaire qu’implique une approche multilatérale au vu de l’emploi de cette écriture en Chine antique du XIIIème au XIème siècle av. J.-C. dans un contexte de divination de la maison royale Shāng. Le présent travail se concentre sur l’identification et la compréhension de cette écriture, dont le déchiffrement constitue la tâche principale. Le déchiffrement graphique est soumis à l’épreuve visant à le définir et, tout particulièrement, à le systématiser dans un contexte philologique et culturel spécifique. La présente thèse se consacre à la tâche de repérer une méthodologie de base du déchiffrement de l’écriture sur os et écailles dans le cadre de l’avancement de son étude tout au long du XXème siècle et jusqu’à nos jours. / The inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells of the late Shāng dynasty have been studied for more than one hundred years. These graphical materials have given a new value to Chinese palaeography which was developed gradually from the studies of bronze inscriptions by Sòng scholars. This independent discipline has now become part of the science of Chinese writing and is marked by its interdisciplinary character and multilateral approach. Such an approach is required in the investigation of a writing system that goes back to the 13th-11th centuries BC period, when it was used for divinatory purposes in China during the rule of the Shāng royal dynasty. This paper focuses on the identification and comprehension of this script with the ultimate objective of deciphering it. Graphical deciphering is tested in order to define and systematize it in a specific philological and cultural background. The main thrust of the paper is the search for a fundamental methodology of the deciphering process of oracle bone inscriptions in the framework of the advancement of this process in the course of the 20th century and until now.

Dead wood is one of the most important reservoirs associated with forest ecosystems. In natural forests, its volume is counted in hundreds of m3 ha-1 , whereas it reaches only tens of m3 ha-1 in productive commercial forests. In contrast to soil and plant litter, deadwood is unevenly distributed on the forest floor. The specific physicochemical properties such as high content of recalcitrant polymers, low nitrogen level and impermeability negatively affect the rate of decomposition especially in the initial stages of wood deconstruction. The deadwood decomposition is very slow in comparisons with other substrates, it accumulates and thus it represents the important reservoir of nutrients. This thesis is focused on the structure, development and function of microbial (fungal) community in decomposing deadwood in unmanaged forest. Functional screening of fungi isolated from fruit bodies collected from coarse deadwood was set aside. Physico-chemical properties of deadwood including pH, carbon and nitrogen content and microbial biomass were estimated for four wood decomposition stages and three different tree species. New generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq platform) was applied for fungal community structure analysis based on ITS2 fragment. Fungal functional screening was based on physico-chemical...