Agronomic performance of 27 cocoa progenies and plant selection based on productivity, self-compatibility and disease resistance

The objective of the present work was to evaluate 27 progenies of cocoa crosses considering the agronomic traits and select F1 plants within superior crosses. The experiment was installed in March 2005, in the Experimental Station Joaquim Bahiana (ESJOB), in Itajuipe, Bahia. The area of the experiment is of approximately 3 ha, with a total of 3240 plants. Thirteen evaluations of vegetative brooms, five of cushion brooms and 15 of number of pods per plant were accomplished. Thirty pollinations were made for each selected plant to test for self-compatibility. The production, based on the number of pods per plant, and resistance to witches´ broom indicated CEPEC 94 x CCN 10, RB 39 x CCN 51 and CCN 10 x VB 1151 as superior progenies. All selections tested were self-compatible. The analyses of progenies and individual tree data, associated to visual field observations, allowed the selection of 17 plants which were included in a network of regional tests to determine the phenotypic stability.

Application of GA3 and girdling of branches on the production of extemporaneous fruits of 'Tahiti' acid lime

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of girdling of branches and the application of GA3, still in the main crop flowering on the formation of reproductive structures, the fruit set of the following extemporaneous flowering of 'Tahiti' acid lime. This work used a randomized block design with five replications in a 4x3 factorial design. The first factor was the foliar application of GA3, 88 days before extemporaneous flowering at five concentrations (0, 7, 14 and 21 mg.L-1). The second factor was the girdling times, 108 days before flowering onset (A108AF), 78 days before flowering (A78AF) plus no-girdling control (NG). In extemporaneous flowering, the proportion of buds, flowers and fruits that abscised was 38.75, 31.25 and 18.64% respectively and 11.34% of all reproductive structures formed were collected. GA3 did not affect fruit set. Girdling increased fruit set by 229 and 256% at A108DAF and A78DAF respectively, in relation to NG plants. The GA3 reduced the formation of floral structures, which resulted in a quadratic increase in field production by reducing the competition for photoassimilates among fruits. The concentration of 21 mg.L-1 was the most productive, with 15.97 fruit.plant-1.

VISUAL ART AND REGULATORY FIT MESSAGES ON CONSUMER EVALUATIONS

ABSTRACT In this study, we demonstrate that the art infusion effect, in which the presence of visual art causes a positive impact on consumers' perceptions of products and advertising messages, might have a moderation effect on regulatory fit and non-fit messages. We investigate the impact of visual art on advertisement evaluations in regulatory (non-) fit conditions. Regulatory focus theory suggests that consumers rely on their motivational focus (prevention vs. promotion) for their evaluations and decisions. Usually, consumers prefer products that fit with their personal motivational focus. In the present study, the results of three experiments indicate that using visual art with a promotion or prevention fit message is recommended, while non-art images increase message persuasiveness when non-fit messages are presented. Therefore, not all information compatible with the consumer's motivational focus are best evaluated. When non-art images are presented, non-fit messages might be more persuasive.

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term success. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of feedback information and systems thinking facilitation on mental models and management performance. We explore, under controlled conditions, the role of mental models in terms of structure and behaviour. A test based on a simulation experiment with a system dynamics model was performed. Three out of the four hypotheses were confirmed. Causal diagramming positively influences mental model structure similarity, mental model structure similarity positively influences mental model behaviour similarity, and mental model behaviour similarity positively influences the quality of the decision.

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term success. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of feedback information and systems thinking facilitation on mental models and management performance. We explore, under controlled conditions, the role of mental models in terms of structure and behaviour. A test based on a simulation experiment with a system dynamics model was performed. Three out of the four hypotheses were confirmed. Causal diagramming positively influences mental model structure similarity, mental model structure similarity positively influences mental model behaviour similarity, and mental model behaviour similarity positively influences the quality of the decision

Solutions of second-order and fourth-order ODEs on the half-line

We start by studying the existence of positive solutions for the differential equation u '' = a(x)u - g(u), with u ''(0) = u(+infinity) = 0, where a is a positive function, and g is a power or a bounded function. In other words, we are concerned with even positive homoclinics of the differential equation. The main motivation is to check that some well-known results concerning the existence of homoclinics for the autonomous case (where a is constant) are also true for the non-autonomous equation. This also motivates us to study the analogous fourth-order boundary value problem {u((4)) - cu '' + a(x)u = vertical bar u vertical bar(p-1)u u'(0) = u'''(0) = 0, u(+infinity) = u'(+infinity) = 0 for which we also find nontrivial (and, in some instances, positive) solutions.

A Lady's visit to Manilla and Japan: intercultural representations on a journey to the east

Numa primeira abordagem a A Lady’s Visit to Manilla and Japan (1863), de Anna D’Almeida, os leitores não deverão esperar encontrar a narrativa de uma experiência que poderia ter sido produzida por um desses “Etonnants voyageurs! Quelles nobles histoires / Nous lisons dans vos yeux profonds comme les mers!”, citando o último poema de Les Fleurs du Mal de Baudelaire. Nem deverão esperar ser confrontados com o relato superficial de uma turista indolente sobre a diversão convencional ou o previsível choque moral experimentados durante as várias etapas do seu grand tour pessoal, tão em voga, e que são característicos deste tipo de literatura, particularmente popular no campo emergente do turismo do final do século xix. Neste artigo, proponho-me analisar a escrita feminina occidental no contexto dos encontros culturais, mais precisamente, as imagens que uma viajante ocidental do século xix cria a partir da sua breve exposição a vários espaços e práticas da Ásia. A família D’Almeida viajou pelo Extremo Oriente entre Março e Julho de 1862. O título A Lady’s Visit to Manilla and Japan induz em erro, pois a narrativa começa em Singapura e termina em Hong Kong, mas a família visitou também Macau, Xangai, Nagasáqui, Yokohama, Xiamen (Hokkien) e Cantão, entre outros lugares, atestando assim o profundo desejo dos D’Almeida de explorar in loco todas as potencialidades dos países visitados Neste estudo tenciono demonstrar as complexidades que existem dentro de / entre as histórias, experiências e actividades interculturais de mulheres, e como estas alargam o âmbito do estudo dos sistemas sociais e culturais. Ao examinar as diferenças e semelhanças de género, podemos elaborar construções teóricas que analisam as variações entre mulheres; como elas são influenciadas pela classe, raça, etnia e religião; e como estas moldam a forma como entendemos a posição da mulher na cultura e na sociedade. O preconceito de classe da elite ocidental considera a mulher não-ocidental como sendo ‘a outra’, alguém que representa aquilo que o escritor ocasional não é. A questão da representação feminina das suas congéneres como ‘mulheres-outras’, com base numa ampla variedade de diferenças, é definitivamente um desafio para os estudos interculturais e de género.

Culture, politics and identity: critical readings on gender in southeast Asia

Indian Journal of Gender Studies October 2012 vol. 19 no. 3 437-467

Seller, buyer and VPP agents behavior on a simulated electricity market

Competitive electricity markets are complex environments, involving a large number of different entities, playing in a dynamic scene to obtain the best advantages and profits. MASCEM is an electricity market simulator able to model market players and simulate their operation in the market. As market players are complex entities, having their characteristics and objectives, making their decisions and interacting with other players, a multi-agent architecture is used and proved to be adequate. MASCEM players have learning capabilities and different risk preferences. They are able to refine their strategies according to their past experience (both real and simulated) and considering other agents’ behavior. Agents’ behavior is also subject to its risk preferences.

Arrow Plot: a new graphical tool for selecting up and down regulated genes and genes differentially expressed on samples subgroups

Background: A common task in analyzing microarray data is to determine which genes are differentially expressed across two (or more) kind of tissue samples or samples submitted under experimental conditions. Several statistical methods have been proposed to accomplish this goal, generally based on measures of distance between classes. It is well known that biological samples are heterogeneous because of factors such as molecular subtypes or genetic background that are often unknown to the experimenter. For instance, in experiments which involve molecular classification of tumors it is important to identify significant subtypes of cancer. Bimodal or multimodal distributions often reflect the presence of subsamples mixtures. Consequently, there can be genes differentially expressed on sample subgroups which are missed if usual statistical approaches are used. In this paper we propose a new graphical tool which not only identifies genes with up and down regulations, but also genes with differential expression in different subclasses, that are usually missed if current statistical methods are used. This tool is based on two measures of distance between samples, namely the overlapping coefficient (OVL) between two densities and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The methodology proposed here was implemented in the open-source R software. Results: This method was applied to a publicly available dataset, as well as to a simulated dataset. We compared our results with the ones obtained using some of the standard methods for detecting differentially expressed genes, namely Welch t-statistic, fold change (FC), rank products (RP), average difference (AD), weighted average difference (WAD), moderated t-statistic (modT), intensity-based moderated t-statistic (ibmT), significance analysis of microarrays (samT) and area under the ROC curve (AUC). On both datasets all differentially expressed genes with bimodal or multimodal distributions were not selected by all standard selection procedures. We also compared our results with (i) area between ROC curve and rising area (ABCR) and (ii) the test for not proper ROC curves (TNRC). We found our methodology more comprehensive, because it detects both bimodal and multimodal distributions and different variances can be considered on both samples. Another advantage of our method is that we can analyze graphically the behavior of different kinds of differentially expressed genes. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the arrow plot represents a new flexible and useful tool for the analysis of gene expression profiles from microarrays.

Family and non-family businesses on internal factors of entrepreneurship

Small firms are a major player in development. Thus, entrepreneurship is frequently attached to these rms and it must be present in daily management of factors such as planning and cooperation. We intend to analyze these factors, comparing familiar and non-familiar businesses. This study was conducted in a Portuguese region in the north of Portugal - Vale do Sousa . The results allow us to conclude that even with some managerial di erences it was not possible to identify distinct patterns between them. The main goal of this paper is to open research lines on important issues to distinguish familiar from non-familiar businesses.

Direct Color Sensor, Optical Amplifier and Demux Device Integrated on a Single Monolithic SiC Photodetector

A pi'n/pin a-SiC:H voltage and optical bias controlled device is presented and its behavior as image and color sensor, optical amplifier and demux device is discussed. The design and the light source properties are correlated with the sensor output characteristics. Different readout techniques are used. When a low power monochromatic scanner readout the generated carriers the transducer recognizes a color pattern projected on it acting as a direct color and image sensor. Scan speeds up to 10(4) lines per second are achieved without degradation in the resolution. If the photocurrent generated by different monochromatic pulsed channels is readout directly, the information is demultiplexed. Results show that it is possible to decode the information from three simultaneous color channels without bit errors at bit rates per channel higher than 4000 bps. Finally, when triggered by light of appropriated wavelength, it can amplify or suppress the generated photocurrent working as an optical amplifier (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The adjusted effect of maternal body mass index, energy and macronutrient intakes during pregnancy, and gestational weight gain on body composition of full-term neonates

Objective - To evaluate the effect of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), energy and macronutrient intakes during pregnancy, and gestational weight gain (GWG) on the body composition of full-term appropriate-for-gestational age neonates. Study Design - This is a cross-sectional study of a systematically recruited convenience sample of mother-infant pairs. Food intake during pregnancy was assessed by food frequency questionnaire and its nutritional value by the Food Processor Plus (ESHA Research Inc, Salem, OR). Neonatal body composition was assessed both by anthropometry and air displacement plethysmography. Explanatory models for neonatal body composition were tested by multiple linear regression analysis. Results - A total of 100 mother-infant pairs were included. Prepregnancy overweight was positively associated with offspring weight, weight/length, BMI, and fat-free mass in the whole sample; in males, it was also positively associated with midarm circumference, ponderal index, and fat mass. Higher energy intake from carbohydrate was positively associated with midarm circumference and weight/length in the whole sample. Higher GWG was positively associated with weight, length, and midarm circumference in females. Conclusion - Positive adjusted associations were found between both prepregnancy BMI and energy intake from carbohydrate and offspring body size in the whole sample. Positive adjusted associations were also found between prepregnancy overweight and adiposity in males, and between GWG and body size in females.

Records of predatory, con-specific and human induced mauls on fish from the Northeast Atlantic and Black Sea

Present study aims to describe records of mauled and con-specific injures in various fish inhabiting different environment and to discuss possible impacts on fish behavior and ontogenesis. The fish specimens were collected from the Black Sea and Azores Islands (NE Atlantic). Individuals of European flounder, Pleuronectes flesus, common stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca and turbot, Scophthalmus maximus with missing dorsal and caudal fins and flesh, were found in the Black Sea. Specimens with severe mauls of the ocean sunfish, Mola mola, almaco jack, Seriola rivoliana and sargo, Diplodus sargus were recorded from the Azores Islands. All of them were caught alive and survived severe mauls caused by predators or by accidents with propellers, fishing nets. The NE Atlantic records, although possibly caused by natural predation, are more probably than not the result of negative interactions with human activity. Numerous records of mauled fish species from both regions show that the problem with adverse effects of fisheries is quite important. Predatory and con-specific injuries obviously are compatible with basic fish vital functions of described cases. The problem with negative anthropogenic interactions seems to be insufficiently investigated and need more attention by responsible managers and decision makers.

Influence of mixtures of acenaphthylene and benzo[a] anthracene on their degradation by Pleurotus ostreatus in sandy soil

Purpose Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic compounds commonly found as soil contaminants. Fungal degradation is considered as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to remove PAHs from soil. Acenaphthylene (Ace) and Benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) are two PAHs that can coexist in soils; however, the influence of the presence of each other on their biodegradation has not been studied. The biodegradation of Ace and BaA, alone and in mixtures, by the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus was studied in a sandy soil. Materials and methods Experimental microcosms containing soil spiked with different concentrations of Ace and BaAwere inoculated with P. ostreatus. Initial (t 0) and final (after 15 days of incubation) soil concentrations of Ace and BaA were determined after extraction of the PAHs. Results and discussion P. ostreatus was able to degrade 57.7% of the Ace in soil spiked at 30 mg kg−1 dry soil and 65.8% of Ace in soil spiked at 60 mg kg−1 dry soil. The degradation efficiency of BaA by P. ostreatus was 86.7 and 77.4% in soil spiked with Ace at 30 and 60 mg kg−1 dry soil, respectively. After 15 days of incubation, there were no significant differences in Ace concentration between soil spiked with Ace and soil spiked with Ace + BaA, irrespective of the initial soil concentration of both PAHs. There were also no differences in BaA concentration between soil spiked with BaA and soil spiked with BaA + Ace. Conclusions The results indicate that the fungal degradation of Ace and BaA was not influenced by the presence of each other’s PAH in sandy soil. Bioremediation of soils contaminated with Ace and BaA using P. ostreatus is a promising approach to eliminate these PAHs from the environment.