Resumen La utilización de productos sintéticos en el control de mosquitos Aedes aegypti ha inducido en sus poblaciones la resistencia e impone riesgos a la fauna y flora. En este estudio fueron evaluados el efecto del extracto del fruto de Melia azedarach (Meliaceae) obtenido a través del método de extracción con dióxido de carbono supercrítico y el potencial larvicida del Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) sobre los inmaduros de A. aegypti en condiciones de laboratorio. Los ensayos fueron realizados en vasos desechables con 100, 250, 500, 750, 1.000 and 2.000 μg/ml de concentración de extracto de M. azedarach, y 0,0005, 0,001, 0,0015, 0,002 y 0,0025 g/L de VectoBac WG®, y como controles, agua. Para cada vaso fueron adicionadas 10 larvas activas. Los resultados fueron comparados considerando el número de larvas vivas contadas a diario durante 72 h. La eficiencia de los tratamientos probados fue calculada por la ecuación de Abbott. El extracto supercrítico de M. azedarach presentó acción positiva para las concentraciones de 1.000 y 2.000 μg/mL. Para el Bti la eficiencia fue del 100 % en las primeras 24 h. Los resultados indican la posibilidad del control poblacional del A. aegypti a partir del extracto supercrítico de M. azedarach.

Abstract The intense use of synthetic products for the control of Aedes aegypti has led to the development of resistance and imposes health risks to other flora and fauna. This study assessed the larvicidal potential of Melia azedarach (Meliaceae) fruit extract obtained by the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction method and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) on second and third instar A. aegypti larvae under laboratory conditions. The assays were performed in disposable cups containing 100 250, 500, 750, 1,000 and 2,000 μg/ml extracts of M. azedarach, and 0.0005, 0.001, 0.0015, 0.002, and 0.0025 g/L of VectoBac WG®; the controls contained only water. Ten active larvae were added to each well, and the number of living larvae was counted each day for 72 h. Treatment efficiency was calculated using Abbott's equation. Insecticidal efficiency increased with M. azedarach extract concentration, with significant effects in the 1,000 and 2,000 μg/mL concentration range. Bti efficiency was 100 % in the first 24 h. The results indicate the possibility of A. aegypti population control using supercritical extracts of M. azedarach.

O trigo representa 30% da produção mundial de cereais e no Brasil ocupou a quinta maior área semeada na safra 2012/2013. A produtividade agrícola no mundo pode ser limitada pelos efeitos da salinidade em torno de 50% das áreas regadas usadas na agricultura. O silício pode conferir tolerância das plantas ao sal convertendo-se em alternativa de gestão contra esse stresse. O ensaio foi realizado em baldes numa estufa-de-vegetação sob um esquema fatorial 3 x 4 com quatro repetições em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, sendo o stresse salino o primeiro fator, causado pela rega realizada durante toda a cultura com cloreto de sódio (NaCl), em doses de 0 (controlo); 8 e 16 mM e o segundo fator, a fertilização com doses de SiO2 de 0 (controlo); 1000; 2000 e 3000 kg ha-1,usando como fonte a cinza de casca de arroz. Doses até 2000 kg ha-1, conduziram a um aumento do número de espigas e do peso de sementes por planta. A aplicação de cinza de casca de arroz aumentou o peso de mil sementes e não afetou a germinação das sementes produzidas nem a massa da matéria seca das plântulas oriundas das ditas sementes.

Wheat grain represents about 30% of world cereal production and in Brazil it occupied the fifth largest area sown in 2012/2013. Crops productivity can be limited by the effect of salinity in about 50% of the irrigated land used in the agriculture. Silicon may confer plant tolerance to salts, becoming a management alternative against this stress. The experiment was carried in buckets in a greenhouse, a 3x4 factorial design was used with four replicates in a completely randomized design, being the first factor the saline stress, caused by irrigation with water enriched with sodium chloride (NaCl), in doses of 0 (control); 8 and 16 mM, and the second factor, the fertilization with SiO2, at doses of 0 (control); 1000; 2000 and 3000 kg ha-1, using rice husk ash as SiO2 source. SiO2 doses of up to 2000 kg ha-1 led to an increase of the number of ears and seed weight per plant. The application of rice husk ash increased the weight of thousand seeds and did not affect the germination of the seeds obtained, neither the seedlings dry weight.

Due to recent population declines in tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus), a greater understanding of its population structure is needed. A key step in gaining this understanding is the development of microsatellite loci for use in this species. For this purpose, 33 microsatellite loci from alligator gar (A. spatula) were screened in 52 individuals from a population in Zanjón del Chino, El Salvador. Twenty-five of these loci successfully amplified in this species, and 9 of those loci were polymorphic in this population. These loci should provide a useful tool for genotyping A. tropicus, both in studying existing wild populations and in monitoring genetic diversity in aquaculture.

Debido al reciente declive en las poblaciones del pejelagarto (Atractosteus tropicus), es necesario un mayor conocimiento de la estructura de sus poblaciones. En este sentido, el desarrollo de microsatélites para esta especie sería un paso fundamental. Con este propósito, se examinaron 33 microsatélites de A. spatula en 52 individuos de A. tropicus provenientes de una población del Zanjón del Chino, El Salvador. Veinticinco de estos loci amplificaron exitosamente y 9 de ellos fueron polimórficos. Estos loci pueden convertirse en una herramienta útil en el reconocimiento del genotipo de poblaciones naturales de A. tropicus, así como también para el monitoreo de la diversidad genética en proyectos de acuicultura.

Within this paper the combination of several methods, developed and used in Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 805 - "Control of Uncertainties in Load Carrying Systems in Mechanical Engineering" of the DFG (German Research Foundation), is used to demonstrate the development of a load carrying system under uncertainty. The development starts with the identification of relevant uncertainties, followed by a conceptual design and a mathematical robust optimization approach. The optimized structure is used for the layout of a 3D-CAD-model which is used to print a real rapid-prototyping-model. Throughout the whole design process uncertainties are considered. To demonstrate the symbiosis of these methods an example is chosen. Usually, CRC 805 deals with load carrying systems in mechanical engineering. To let this topic become more vivid and to show that the methods can be transferred to other fields, the design of a robust high heel is taken as an example. At the end of the work three high heels are developed and evaluated regarding their robustness against uncertainties.