Efeitos do ambiente de armazenamento na qualidade de sementes de sorgo-sudão

O trabalho objetivou avaliar efeitos do ambiente de armazenamento na qualidade de sementes de sorgo-sudão (Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf) de diferentes procedências. Cinco lotes de diferentes origens foram armazenados por nove meses, acondicionados em sacos de papel unifoliado, em quatro condições ambientais: ambiente natural de laboratório (sem controle de umidade relativa e temperatura); 30 a 40% de umidade relativa e sem controle de temperatura (simulada através de câmara seca); 10 a 15% de umidade relativa e 5 a 7ºC de temperatura (simulada através de um refrigerador Frost Free); 40 a 50% de umidade relativa e -20ºC de temperatura (simulada através de freezer). As avaliações laboratoriais, realizadas em intervalos trimestrais, foram: teor de água, massa de mil sementes, germinação, crescimento de plântulas, massa seca de plântulas, envelhecimento acelerado, condutividade elétrica, emergência em campo e índice de velocidade de emergência. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições, num esquema fatorial 4 x 5, e comparação de médias pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. A origem das sementes, relacionada à qualidade das mesmas, mostrou-se como o principal fator a influenciar a conservação. Os ambientes refrigerador e freezer, seguidos da câmara seca, mostraram-se adequadas à conservação de sementes de sorgo-sudão. A capacidade de conservação de sementes dessa espécie relaciona-se com a sua qualidade inicial dependente da sua origem.

Armazenamento de sementes de aveia preta produzidas em solos de diferentes fertilidades

O trabalho objetivou estudar o comportamento de sementes de aveia preta (Avena strigosa Schreber) cv. Comum, produzidas em três condições distintas de fertilidade de solo e armazenadas em quatro ambientes diferentes. Os lotes foram armazenados por 60 meses, acondicionados em sacos de papel unifoliado, nas condições de ambiente natural de laboratório, de câmara seca (30 a 40% de U.R.), de geladeira ( 5 a 7ºC) e de freezer (-20ºC). As avaliações do teor de água e da germinação foram realizadas em intervalos trimestrais. Sementes oriundas de solo de menor fertilidade apresentaram menor capacidade de armazenamento, notadamente no ambiente natural de laboratório, com zero porcento de germinação após 48 meses. As sementes produzidas em solo de maior fertilidade apresentaram germinação superior a 90% aos 60 meses, quando conservadas em geladeira ou freezer. Os ambientes de geladeira e freezer mostraram-se mais favoráveis à conservação das sementes e o ambiente natural de laboratório o menos propício. A maior capacidade de conservação de sementes produzidas em solo de melhor fertilidade foi realçada em condições menos favoráveis de armazenagem.

Intensidade de dormência durante a maturação de sementes de mucuna-preta

A mucuna-preta é uma leguminosa empregada para adubação verde e como forrageira, cujas sementes apresentam dormência causada pela impermeabilidade do tegumento à água. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a intensidade de dormência das sementes de mucuna-preta em diferentes estádios de maturação quando submetidas à secagem no interior das vagens. Rácemos foram colhidos, semanalmente, a partir de 35 dias do início de florescimento (35 DAF) até o estádio de vagens secas (98 DAF). As sementes de cada colheita foram secadas no interior das vagens, em condições ambientais não controladas de laboratório; quando secas foram extraídas, avaliadas quando a massa de 100 sementes, espessura das sementes e submetidas ao teste de germinação. Foram analisadas as porcentagens de sementes duras, de germinação, de embebição e o índice de velocidade de embebição. Pode-se concluir que o estádio de maturação em que ocorre a secagem afeta a intensidade de dormência das sementes de mucuna-preta.

Germinação e vigor de sementes de Talisia esculenta (St. Hil) Radlk em função de diferentes períodos de fermentação

The present study had the aim of testing the effect of different fermentation periods on the germination and vigour of pitomba seeds. The experiment was carried out in the greenhouse of the Seed Section of the Agrarian Sciences Center of the Federal University of Paraiba, Areia, PB. The fruits were picked directly from maternal trees located in the same municipal district, peeled manually and fermented for 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours, in addition to seeds with pulp (without fermentation). The experiment was entirely randomized with four replications of 25 seeds per treatment. After each fermentation period, the seeds were washed in tap water and left in the laboratory environment for 24 hours on paper towels. Water content, germination and vigor (germination velocity index, seedling length and dry mass., relative frequency and medium time of germination) were measured. Less water content was shown in the seeds fermented for 96 hours (38.5%), while the largest germination percentages were observed after 76 hours of fermentation (93%). In relation to vigour, the best values occurred with 86 and 105 hours of fermentation. Fermentation is recommended for up to 105 hours as appropriate to removal of the pitomba seed aril.

Estimation of the metabolic equivalent (MET) of an exercise protocol based on indirect calorimetry

Objective: This study aimed to determine the energy expenditure (EE) in terms of caloric cost and metabolic equivalents (METs) of two sessions of an exercise protocol. Methods: Fifteen subjects (51.0 ± 5.5years) performed the exercise sessions (80min), which were composed by (warming, walking and flexibility exercises; Session A) and (warming, walking and local muscular endurance exercises; Session B). Heart hate (HR) was measured during each part of the sessions. In laboratory environment, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and oxygen uptake in rest and exercise conditions (using mean HR obtained in classes) were measured on different days, using indirect calorimetry. Exercise METs were obtained by dividing VO2 in exercise (mL.kg-1.min-1) by VO2 in rest (mL.kg-1.min-1). The EE of the exercises was calculated by the formula: MET x Weight(kg) x Time(min)/60. The results were analyzed by ANOVA with Tuckey post hoc test (p < 0.05). Results: One MET for this group was 2.7 ± 0.1mL.kg-1.min-1. The mean METs of exercises were 4,7 ± 0,8 (warming), 5,8 ± 0,9 (walking) and 3,6 ± 0,7 (flexibility) on session A, and 4,6 ± 1,2 (warming), 5,6 ± 1,0 (walking) and 4.8 ± 1,0 (local muscular endurance exercises) on Session B. The training sessions showed similar energy cost (A: 398 ± 86.72 kcal and B: 404 ± 38.85 kcal; p > 0,05). None of activities were classified into vigorous intensity (> 7 METs). There were no differences on VO2 between walking (15,6 ± 2,8 or 15,4 ± 2,6 mL.kg-1.min-1) and local muscular endurance exercises (13,2 ± 2,9 mL.kg-1.min-1), although both were higher (p > 0.05) than flexibility exercises (10.1 ± 2.2 mL.kg-1.min-1). Conclusion: The proposed protocol achieves the physical activity needed by healthy adults to improve and maintain health, by their structure, moderate intensity, duration, frequency and caloric expenditure.

Alterabilidade e caracterização tecnológica dos gnaisses enderbíticos da porção norte do estado do Ceará com aplicação no setor de rochas ornamentais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of caffeine on larval mortality of Aedes aegypti: efficiency related to solution concentration and age

In two experiments, the duration of the effect of caffeine (CAF) solutions on larval mortality (LM) of Aedes aegypti was analyzed. In the first, LM was studied using solutions at 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL aged from zero to five days in artificial breeding sites exposed to the laboratory environment (LE). In the second, the solutions aged at 1.0, 2.0 and 2.5 mg/mL closed flasks were stored in LE or in the refrigerator (R), and the effect on LM was tested in the experimental breeding sites at 30 days interval. In the first, the duration of the effect increased with the solution age in each CAF concentration. CAF at 1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL, without addition of food, produced 100% LM until 25 days after preparation; with food, at 11 and 18 days, respectively. In the second the effectiveness of CAF solutions lasted up to the seventh month, irrespective of whether they were stored in R or in LE. No adult emerged at any of the CAF concentrations used in second experiment.

Viabilidade de sementes de Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Vell.) Mattos armazenadas nos frutos

Pós-graduação em Ciência Florestal - FCA

Germination of Ocotea pulchella (Nees) Mez (Lauraceae) seeds in laboratory and natural restinga environment conditions

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

Laboratory evaluation of Amazon forest biomass burning emissions

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

Classification and characterization of places for mapping of environment using hierarchical neural network and omnivision

Mobile robots need autonomy to fulfill their tasks. Such autonomy is related whith their capacity to explorer and to recognize their navigation environments. In this context, the present work considers techniques for the classification and extraction of features from images, using artificial neural networks. This images are used in the mapping and localization system of LACE (Automation and Evolutive Computing Laboratory) mobile robot. In this direction, the robot uses a sensorial system composed by ultrasound sensors and a catadioptric vision system equipped with a camera and a conical mirror. The mapping system is composed of three modules; two of them will be presented in this paper: the classifier and the characterizer modules. Results of these modules simulations are presented in this paper.

A multimedia environment for supporting the teaching of robotics systems

This paper aims at describing an educational system for teaching and learning robotic systems. Multimedia resources were used to construct a virtual laboratory where users are able to use functionalities of a virtual robotic arm, by moving and clicking the mouse without caring about the detailed internal robot operation. Moreover through the multimedia system the user can interact with a real robot arm. The engineering students are the target public of the developed system. With its contents and interactive capabilities, it has been used as a support to the traditional face-to-face classes on the subject of robotics.. In the paper it is first introduced the metaphor of Virtual Laboratory used in the system. Next, it is described the Graphical and Multimedia Environment approach: an interactive graphic user interface with a 3D environment for simulation. Design and implementation issues of the real-time interactive multimedia learning system, which supports the W3C SMIL standard for presenting the real-time multimedia teaching material, are described. Finally, some preliminary conclusions and possible future works from this research are presented.

Laboratory essays on solid residues from an area of sand mining activities at Analandia, São Paulo, Brazil, and implications to the water resources quality

This investigation reports the results of tests performed in a laboratory with solid waste samples from an area belonging to Sibelco Mineracao Ltd., which is located around Analandia municipality, nearly in the center of São Paulo State, Brazil. Dissolution and leaching essays were realized under different experimental conditions in four samples collected from the mining front and decantation pool, with the aim of evaluating the possibility of release of several constituents to the liquid phase.

Simulation of free surface flows in a distributed memory environment

A parallel technique, for a distributed memory machine, based on domain decomposition for solving the Navier-Stokes equations in cartesian and cylindrical coordinates in two dimensions with free surfaces is described. It is based on the code by Tome and McKee (J. Comp. Phys. 110 (1994) 171-186) and Tome (Ph.D. Thesis, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 1993) which in turn is based on the SMAC method by Amsden and Harlow (Report LA-4370, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, 1971), which solves the Navier-Stokes equations in three steps: the momentum and Poisson equations and particle movement, These equations are discretized by explicit and 5-point finite differences. The parallelization is performed by splitting the computation domain into vertical panels and assigning each of these panels to a processor. All the computation can then be performed using nearest neighbour communication. Test runs comparing the performance of the parallel with the serial code, and a discussion of the load balancing question are presented. PVM is used for communication between processes. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Teaching robotics systems in a multimedia environment

This paper describes the development of a multimedia educational system to teach and learn robotic systems. Multimedia resources have been used to build a virtual laboratory where users are able to utilize functions of a robotic arm, by moving and clicking the mouse without worrying about the detailed robot internal operation. The multimedia system is integrated with a real robotic arm, which was also developed at the university. Through robotic topic presentations and interactive capabilities provided by this system and its tools, students can devote themselves on the learning process just as they do in the traditional face-to-face classes. and the target public of this system are the engineering students themselves.