Economic valuation of collecting water to billing in the aspersion irrigated bean in the no tillage system and conventional crop

The law's project n.676/2000 approved the collecting of billing water for farmers in a maximum foreseen value of US$ 0.01 m(-3) of extracted water in the São Paulo State. As the irrigated agriculture is the activity that consumes more water, the farmers profitability can be affected. This work was to analyze the economic impact of billing water in the aspersion irrigated bean crop to consider the system of conventional production and no tillage system in the Paranapanema municipal district, São Paulo State, Brazil. The indicators used to analyze the economic results were unit variable cost, market price and unit profitability. The results showed that for the aspersion irrigated bean crop in conventional system, the participation of cost to the recourse water in cost variable totality was of 2.5% and in no tillage system the participation was of 2.2%. The fall of profitability just the billing water in conventional crop system and in no tillage system was US$ 0.01 kg(-1).

A fully adaptive multiresolution scheme for shock computations

The scheme is based on Ami Harten's ideas (Harten, 1994), the main tools coming from wavelet theory, in the framework of multiresolution analysis for cell averages. But instead of evolving cell averages on the finest uniform level, we propose to evolve just the cell averages on the grid determined by the significant wavelet coefficients. Typically, there are few cells in each time step, big cells on smooth regions, and smaller ones close to irregularities of the solution. For the numerical flux, we use a simple uniform central finite difference scheme, adapted to the size of each cell. If any of the required neighboring cell averages is not present, it is interpolated from coarser scales. But we switch to ENO scheme in the finest part of the grids. To show the feasibility and efficiency of the method, it is applied to a system arising in polymer-flooding of an oil reservoir. In terms of CPU time and memory requirements, it outperforms Harten's multiresolution algorithm.The proposed method applies to systems of conservation laws in 1Dpartial derivative(t)u(x, t) + partial derivative(x)f(u(x, t)) = 0, u(x, t) is an element of R-m. (1)In the spirit of finite volume methods, we shall consider the explicit schemeupsilon(mu)(n+1) = upsilon(mu)(n) - Deltat/hmu ((f) over bar (mu) - (f) over bar (mu)-) = [Dupsilon(n)](mu), (2)where mu is a point of an irregular grid Gamma, mu(-) is the left neighbor of A in Gamma, upsilon(mu)(n) approximate to 1/mu-mu(-) integral(mu-)(mu) u(x, t(n))dx are approximated cell averages of the solution, (f) over bar (mu) = (f) over bar (mu)(upsilon(n)) are the numerical fluxes, and D is the numerical evolution operator of the scheme.According to the definition of (f) over bar (mu), several schemes of this type have been proposed and successfully applied (LeVeque, 1990). Godunov, Lax-Wendroff, and ENO are some of the popular names. Godunov scheme resolves well the shocks, but accuracy (of first order) is poor in smooth regions. Lax-Wendroff is of second order, but produces dangerous oscillations close to shocks. ENO schemes are good alternatives, with high order and without serious oscillations. But the price is high computational cost.Ami Harten proposed in (Harten, 1994) a simple strategy to save expensive ENO flux calculations. The basic tools come from multiresolution analysis for cell averages on uniform grids, and the principle is that wavelet coefficients can be used for the characterization of local smoothness.. Typically, only few wavelet coefficients are significant. At the finest level, they indicate discontinuity points, where ENO numerical fluxes are computed exactly. Elsewhere, cheaper fluxes can be safely used, or just interpolated from coarser scales. Different applications of this principle have been explored by several authors, see for example (G-Muller and Muller, 1998).Our scheme also uses Ami Harten's ideas. But instead of evolving the cell averages on the finest uniform level, we propose to evolve the cell averages on sparse grids associated with the significant wavelet coefficients. This means that the total number of cells is small, with big cells in smooth regions and smaller ones close to irregularities. This task requires improved new tools, which are described next.

A branch-and-price approach to p-median location problems

This paper describes a branch-and-price algorithm for the p-median location problem. The objective is to locate p facilities (medians) such as the sum of the distances from each demand point to its nearest facility is minimized. The traditional column generation process is compared with a stabilized approach that combines the column generation and Lagrangean/surrogate relaxation. The Lagrangean/surrogate multiplier modifies; the reduced cost criterion, providing the selection of new productive columns at the search tree. Computational experiments are conducted considering especially difficult instances to the traditional column generation and also with some large-scale instances. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learedius learedi Price 1934 (Digenea, Spirorchiidae) in Chelonia mydas Linnaeus 1758 (Testudines, Chelonidae) in Brazil: case report

Relata-se a ocorrência de Learedius learedi Price 1934 (Digenea, Spirorchiidae) em Chelonia mydas Linnaeus 1758 (Testudines, Chelonidae) no Brasil. Onze animais foram examinados e destes, 54,6% estavam parasitados. Duzentos e cinqüenta e cinco exemplares de L. learedi foram recuperados de órgãos (coração, fígado, baço, pulmões, rins, mesentério) e do lavado corporal dos animais. Os resultados contribuem para o conhecimento da helmintofauna de quelônios marinhos e sua distribuição geográfica. Este é o primeiro registro da ocorrência de L. learedi na região do Atlântico Sul Ocidental.

Effects of sire breed-grazing system and environmental parameters on the behaviour of beef calves just after birth

Effects of sire breed-grazing system and environmental factors on the first activities of high grade Nellore and crossbred Canchim x Nellore, Angus x Nellore, and Simmental x Nellore calves raised in intensive production systems and high grade Nellore calves raised in an extensive production system, after birth, were studied. During 2 years, 185 calves were observed from birth until the end of first suckling, and the following variables were estimated: duration of maternal attention (cow to calf) during the first 15 min after calving, latency to first attempt to stand up, latency to stand up, latency to first suckling, duration of first suckling and the interval from standing to suckling. Data were analyzed by least squares methods, with models that included fixed effects of year and time of the year of birth (March-April (early autumn) and May-June (late autumn)), sire breed-grazing system (Sy), sex of calf (Se), category of cow (primiparous and pluriparous), time of birth, Sy x Se, year x Sy and year x time of the year interactions and the covariates weight of calf, rainfall, air temperature and relative humidity in the day of birth. Calves born from 6:00 to 8:00 h presented the longest latencies to first stand up (40.3 +/- 5.1 min) and the shortest occur from 14:00 to 16:00 h (15.8 +/- 2.7 min) (P < 0.01). Primiparous cows provided longer attention toward the calf in the first 15 min after birth than pluriparous cows (13.0 +/- 0.7 min versus 11.1 +/- 0.5 min; P < 0.05). This attention was also shorter in earlier autumn (11.0 +/- 0.5 min) and longer in late autumn (13.1 +/- 0.8 min) (P < 0.05). Relative to sire breed-grazing system, Nellore calves raised intensively did take longer to stand and to suckle after birth as compared to crossbred calves also raised intensively (P < 0.01). However, grazing system did not affect (P > 0.05) any behaviour variable studied. As regard to sex differences, female calves did take less (P < 0.01) time to suckle after standing than male calves. Results showed that even purebred or crossbred Bos indicus calves in subtropical environmental need extra care when born on rainy days, especially during the first hours of the day. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Underlying dynamics of typical fluctuations of an emerging market price index: the Heston model from minutes to months

We investigate the Heston model with stochastic volatility and exponential tails as a model for the typical price fluctuations of the Brazilian São Paulo Stock Exchange Index (IBOVESPA). Raw prices are first corrected for inflation and a period spanning 15 years characterized by memoryless returns is chosen for the analysis. Model parameters are estimated by observing volatility scaling and correlation properties. We show that the Heston model with at least two time scales for the volatility mean reverting dynamics satisfactorily describes price fluctuations ranging from time scales larger than 20min to 160 days. At time scales shorter than 20 min we observe autocorrelated returns and power law tails incompatible with the Heston model. Despite major regulatory changes, hyperinflation and currency crises experienced by the Brazilian market in the period studied, the general success of the description provided may be regarded as an evidence for a general underlying dynamics of price fluctuations at intermediate mesoeconomic time scales well approximated by the Heston model. We also notice that the connection between the Heston model and Ehrenfest urn models could be exploited for bringing new insights into the microeconomic market mechanics. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Taxa de câmbio e estratégia de crescimento econômico de longo prazo da China

Pós-graduação em Economia - FCLAR

O modo de vida just-in-time do novo perfil metalúrgico jovem-adulto flexivel do ABC: antigos dilemas, novas contradições e possibilidades

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ivabradine: Just another New Pharmacological Option for Heart Rate Control?

Ivabradine (IVB) is a heart rate lowering agent that acts via selective inhibition of the pacemaker funny current in sinoatrial nodal P cells, thus, reducing heart rate at rest and during exercise with minimal effect on myocardial contractility, blood pressure, and intracardiac conduction. IVB exerts no effect on external respiratory function parameters and it may also play a role in patients with concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This property constitutes an important advantage over β-blockers. IVB acts by reducing the heart rate in a mechanism different from β-blockers, calcium channel blockers or late sodium channel blockers, three commonly prescribed antianginal drugs. As clinical trials have shown, it is remarkably well-tolerated and offers an alternative for patients who cannot take β-blockers. The combination of IVB and atenolol at commonly used doses in patients with chronic stable angina produced additional efficacy with no untoward effect on safety or tolerability. Additionally, side effects are rare and largely limited to a luminous phenomenon or phosphenes. This sensation is thought to be due to a block of Ih in the retina, a current very similar to cardiac If channels. IVB is contraindicated in patients with sick sinus syndrome or sinus node dysfunction and in patients taking hepatic inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 family 3, subfamily A, polypeptide 4 (abbreviated CYP3A4), with exception of omeprazole or lansoprazole. This review briefly summarizes the main studies regarding this drug.

Ecological and toxicological responses in a multistressor scenario: are monitoring programs showing the stressors or just showing stress? A case study in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The use of nonlinear programming as a tool for maximum profit feed formulation of broilers

The purpose of this study was to compare linear and nonlinear programming models for feed formulation, for maximum profit, considering the real variation in the prices of the corn, soybean meal and broilers during the period from January of 2008 to October of 2009, in the São Paulo State, Brazil. For the nonlinear formulation model, it was considered the following scenarios of prices: a) the minimum broiler price and the maximum prices of the corn and soybean meal during the period, b) the mean prices of the broiler, corn and soybean meal in the period and c) the maximum broiler price and the minimum prices of the corn and soybean meal, in the considered period; while for the linear formulation model, it was considered just the prices of the corn and the soybean. It was used the Practical Program for Feed Formulation 2.0 for the diets establishment. A total of 300 Cobb male chicks were randomly assigned to the 4 dietary treatments with 5 replicate pens of 15 chicks each. The birds were fed with a starter diet until 21 d and a grower diet from 22 to 42 d of age, and they had ad libitum access to feed and water, on floor with wood shavings as litter. The broilers were raised in an environmentally-controlled house. Body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and profitability (related to the prices variation of the broilers and ingredients) were obtained at 42 d of age. It was found that the broilers fed with the diet formulated with the linear model presented the lowest feed intake and feed conversion ratio as compared with the broilers fed with diets from nonlinear formulation models. There were no significant differences in body weight and body weight gain among the treatments. Nevertheless, the profitabilities of the diets from the nonlinear model were significantly higher than that one from the linear formulation model, when the corn and soybean meal prices were near or below their average values for the studied period, for any broiler chicken price.

Bio-energy conversion cost: a new index to evaluate the bioeconomic eficiency

This study evaluated a nonlinear programming excel workbook PPFR (http://www.fmva.unesp.br/ppfr) for determining the optimum nutrient density and maximize margins. Two experiments were conducted with 240 one-day-old female chicks and 240 one-day-old male chicks distributed in 48 pens (10 chicks per pen, 4 replicates) in a completely randomized design. The treatments include the average price history (2009s and 2010s) for broiler increased and decreased by 25% or 50% (5 treatments to nonlinear feed formulation) and 1 linear feed formulation. Body gain, feed intake, feed conversion were measured at 21, 42 and 56 d of age. Chicks had ad libitum access to feed and water in floor pens with wood shavings as litter. The bio-economic Energy Conversion [BEC= (Total energy intake*Feed weighted cost per kg)/ (Weight gain*kg live chicken cost)] was more sensitive for measuring the bio-economic performance for broilers, and especially with better magnitude. This allowed a better assessment of profitability, the rate of growth and not just energy consumption, the production of broilers, by incorporating energy consumption, allowing for more sensitivity to the new index (BEC). The BEC was demonstrated that the principle of nonlinear formulation minimizes losses significantly (P<0.05), especially under unfavorable conditions the price of chicken in the market. Thus, when considering that a diet of energy supply shows up as the most expensive item of a formulation, it should compose necessarily the formula proposed for a bio-economic index. Thus, there is need to evaluate more accurately, not only the ingredients of a ration, but the impact of nutrients on the stability of a solution, mainly due to the energy requirement. This strategy promotes better accuracy for decision making under conditions of uncertainty, to find alternative post-formulation. From the above, both weight gain and feed conversion, as traditional performance indicators, cannot finalize or predict a performance evaluation of an economic system creating increasingly intense and competitive. Thus, the energy concentration of the diet becomes more important definition to feed formulator, by directly impact profit activity by interactions with the density of nutrients. This allowed a better evaluation of profitability, the rate of energy performance for broilers, by incorporating the energy consumption formula, allowing more sensitivity to the new index (BEC). These data show that nonlinear feed formulation is a toll to offer new opportunities for poultry production to improved profitability.