Microclimate under different shading screens in greenhouses cultivated with bromeliads

This study had as its objective the evaluation of the influence of shading screens of different colors on the different microclimate variables in a greenhouse covered with transparent low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The experiment was conducted with five treatments: thermo-reflective screen (T1); a control - without screen (T2); red screen (T3); blue screen (T4); and black screen (T5), all of them with 70% of shading. An automatic micrometeorological station was installed in each treatment, measuring air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), incoming solar radiation (Rg), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and net radiation (Rn) continuously. The control (T2) and red screen (T3) treatments promoted the highest solar radiation transmissivity, respectively 56.3 and 27%. The black screen (T5) had the lowest solar radiation transmissivity (10.4%). For PAR and Rn the same tendency was observed. The highest temperature was observed under blue screen (T4) treatment, which was 1.3 °C higher than external condition. Blue screen (T4) treatment also presented the highest relative humidity difference between inside and outside conditions.

Utilization of fringe projection technique for evaluation of wound dimensions and of healing progress.

Background: The methods used for evaluating wound dimensions, especially the chronic ones, are invasive and inaccurate. The fringe projection technique with phase shift is a non-invasive, accurate and low-cost optical method. Objective: The aim is to validate the technique through the determination of dimensions of objects of known topography and with different geometries and colors to simulate the wounds and tones of skin color. Taking into account the influence of skin wound optical factors, the technique will be used to evaluate actual patients’ wound dimensions and to study its limitations in this application. Methods: Four sinusoidal fringe patterns, displaced ¼ of period each, were projected onto the objects surface. The object dimensions were obtained from the unwrapped phase map through the observation of the fringe deformations caused by the object topography and using phase shift analysis. An object with simple geometry was used for dimensional calibration and the topographic dimensions of the others were determined from it. After observing the compatibility with the data and validating the method, it was used for measuring the dimensions of real patients’ wounds. Results and Conclusions: The discrepancies between actual topography and dimensions determined with Fringe Projection Technique and for the known object were lower than 0.50 cm. The method was successful in obtaining the topography of real patient’s wounds. Objects and wounds with sharp topographies or causing shadow or reflection are difficult to be evaluated with this technique.