Fatores abióticos condicionantes da distribuição de espécies arbóreas em quatro formações florestais do Estado de São Paulo

No estudo das comunidades florestais, estabelecer a importância relativa dos fatores que definem a composição e a distribuição das espécies é um desafio. Em termos de gradientes ambientais o estudo das respostas das espécies arbóreas são essenciais para a compreensão dos processos ecológicos e decisões de conservação. Neste sentido, para contribuir com a elucidação dos processos ecológicos nas principais formações florestais do Estado de São Paulo (Floresta Ombrófila Densa de Terras Baixas, Floresta Ombrófila Densa Submontana, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual e Savana Florestada) este trabalho objetivou responder as seguintes questões: (I) a composição florística e a abundância das espécies arbóreas, em cada unidade fitogeográfica, variam conforme o gradiente edáfico e topográfico?; (II) características do solo e topografia podem influenciar na previsibilidade de ocorrência de espécies arbóreas de ampla distribuição em diferentes tipos vegetacionais? (III) existe relação entre o padrão de distribuição espacial de espécies arbóreas e os parâmetros do solo e topografia? O trabalho foi realizado em parcelas alocadas em unidades de conservação (UC) que apresentaram trechos representativos, em termos de conservação e tamanho, das quatro principais formações florestais presentes no Estado de São Paulo. Em cada UC foram contabilizados os indivíduos arbóreos (CAP ≥ 15 cm), topografia, dados de textura e atributos químicos dos solos em uma parcela de 10,24 ha, subdividida em 256 subparcelas. Análises de correspodência canônica foram aplicadas para estabelecer a correspondência entre a abundância das espécies e o gradiente ambiental (solo e topografia). O método TWINSPAN modificado foi aplicado ao diagrama de ordenação da CCA para avaliar a influência das variáveis ambientais (solo e topografia) na composição de espécies. Árvores de regressão \"ampliadas\" (BRT) foram ajustadas para a predição da ocorrência das espécies segundo as variáveis de solo e topografia. O índice de Getis-Ord (G) foi utilizado para determinar a autocorrelação espacial das variáveis ambientais utilizadas nos modelos de predição da ocorrência das espécies. Nas unidades fitogeográficas analisadas, a correspondência entre o gradiente ambiental (solo e topografia) e a abundância das espécies foi significativa, especialmente na Savana Florestada onde observou-se a maior relação. O solo e a topografia também se relacionaram com a semelhança na composição florística das subparcelas, com exceção da Floresta Estacional Semicidual (EEC). As principais variáveis de solo e topografia relacionadas a flora em cada UC foram: (1) Na Floresta Ombrófila Densa de Terras Baixas (PEIC) - teor de alumínio na camada profunda (Al (80-100 cm)) que pode refletir os teor de Al na superfície, acidez do solo (pH(H2O) (5-25 cm)) e altitude, que delimitou as áreas alagadas; (2) Na Floresta Ombrófila Densa Submontana (PECB) - altitude, fator que, devido ao relevo acidentado, influencia a temperatura e incidência de sol no sub-bosque; (3) Na Savana Florestada (EEA) - fertilidade, tolerância ao alumínio e acidez do solo. Nos modelos de predição BRT, as variáveis químicas dos solos foram mais importantes do que a textura, devido à pequena variação deste atributo no solo nas áreas amostradas. Dentre as variáveis químicas dos solos, a capacidade de troca catiônica foi utilizada para prever a ocorrência das espécies nas quatro formações florestais, sendo particularmente importante na camada mais profunda do solo da Floresta Ombrófila Densa de Terras Baixas (PEIC). Quanto à topografia, a altitude foi inserida na maioria dos modelos e apresentou diferentes influências sobre as áreas de estudo. De modo geral, para presença das espécies de ampla distribuição observou-se uma mesma tendência quando à associação com os atributos dos solos, porém com amplitudes dos descritores edáficos que variaram de acordo com a área de estudo. A ocorrência de Guapira opposita e Syagrus romanzoffiana, cujo padrão variou conforme a escala, foi explicada por variáveis com padrões espaciais agregados que somaram entre 30% e 50% de importância relativa no modelo BRT. A presença de A. anthelmia, cujo padrão também apresentou certo nível de agregação, foi associada apenas a uma variável com padrão agregado, a altitude (21%), que pode ter exercido grande influência na distribuição da espécie ao delimitar áreas alagadas. T. guianensis se associou a variáveis ambientais preditoras com padrão espacial agregado que somaram cerca de 70% de importância relativa, o que deve ter sido suficiente para estabelecer o padrão agregado em todas as escalas. No entanto, a influência dos fatores ambientais no padrão de distribuição da espécie não depende apenas do ótimo ambiental da espécie, mas um resultado da interação espécie-ambiente. Concluiu-se que: (I) características edáficas e topográficas explicaram uma pequena parcela da composição florística, em cada unidade fitogeográfica, embora a ocorrência de algumas espécies tenha se associado ao gradiente edáfico e topográfico; (II) a partir de características dos solos e da topografia foi possível prever a presença de espécies arbóreas, que apresentaram particularidades em relação a sua associação com o solo de cada fitofisionomia; (III) a partir de associações descritivas o solo e a topografia influenciam o padrão de distribuição espacial das espécies, na proporção em que contribuem para a presença das mesmas.

Aptidão musical : inata ou adquirida?

Relatório de Estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ensino de Música – Formação Musical e Música de Conjunto.

Reflections on the statistical analysis of personality and norms in war, peace, and prejudice: Are deviant minorities the problem?

The compelling quality of the Global Change simulation study (Altemeyer, 2003), in which high RWA (right-wing authoritarianism)/high SDO (social dominance orientation) individuals produced poor outcomes for the planet, rests on the inference that the link between high RWA/SDO scores and disaster in the simulation can be generalized to real environmental and social situations. However, we argue that studies of the Person × Situation interaction are biased to overestimate the role of the individual variability. When variables are operationalized, strongly normative items are excluded because they are skewed and kurtotic. This occurs both in the measurement of predictor constructs, such as RWA, and in the outcome constructs, such as prejudice and war. Analyses of normal linear statistics highlight personality variables such as RWA, which produce variance, and overlook the role of norms, which produce invariance. Where both normative and personality forces are operating, as in intergroup contexts, the linear analysis generates statistics for the sample that disproportionately reflect the behavior of the deviant, antinormative minority and direct attention away from the baseline, normative position. The implications of these findings for the link between high RWA and disaster are discussed.

The effects of density on the growth and survival of different families of juvenile Penaeus japonicus Bate

Variations in the growth and survival of six families of juvenile (initial mean weight = 4.16 g) Penaeus japonicus were examined at two densities (48 and 144 individuals m(-2)) in a controlled laboratory experiment. Survival was very high throughout the experiment (95.4%), but differed significantly between densities and rearing tanks. Family, sex and family x density interaction did not significantly affect survival. Mean specific growth rate (SGR) of the shrimp was 18% faster at the low density (1.93 +/- 0.05% day(-1)) than at high density (1.64 +/- 0.03% day(-1)). However, there was a small but significant interaction between family and density indicating that growth of the families was not consistent at both densities. The inconsistent growth of the families across the two densities resulted in a change in the relative performance (ranking) of families at each density. Sex, rearing tank and rearing cage also affected growth of the shrimp. Mean SGR of the females (1.79 +/- 0.03% day(-1)) was 5% faster than males (1.70 +/- 0.03% day(-1)) when averaged across both densities. Shrimp grew significantly faster in rearing tank 3 than rearing tank 1 or 2 at both densities. Results of the present study suggest that family x density interaction could affect the efficiency of selection for growth if shrimp stocks produced from shrimp breeding programs are to be grown across a wide range of densities. Crown Copyright (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Challenges to environmental toxicology and epidemiology: where do we stand and which way do we go?

Modern toxicology investigates a wide array of both old and new health hazards. Priority setting is needed to select agents for research from the plethora of exposure circumstances. The changing societies and a growing fraction of the aged have to be taken into consideration. A precise exposure assessment is of importance for risk estimation and regulation. Toxicology contributes to the exploration of pathomechanisms to specify the exposure metrics for risk estimation. Combined effects of co-existing agents are not yet sufficiently understood. Animal experiments allow a separate administration of agents which can not be disentangled by epidemiological means, but their value is limited for low exposure levels in many of today's settings. As an experimental science, toxicology has to keep pace with the rapidly growing knowledge about the language of the genome and the changing paradigms in cancer development. During the pioneer era of assembling a working draft of the human genome, toxicogenomics has been developed. Gene and pathway complexity have to be considered when investigating gene-environment interactions. For a best conduct of studies, modem toxicology needs a close liaison with many other disciplines like epidemiology and bioinformatics. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trait physiology and crop modelling as a framework to link phenotypic complexity to underlying genetic systems

New tools derived from advances in molecular biology have not been widely adopted in plant breeding for complex traits because of the inability to connect information at gene level to the phenotype in a manner that is useful for selection. In this study, we explored whether physiological dissection and integrative modelling of complex traits could link phenotype complexity to underlying genetic systems in a way that enhanced the power of molecular breeding strategies. A crop and breeding system simulation study on sorghum, which involved variation in 4 key adaptive traits-phenology, osmotic adjustment, transpiration efficiency, stay-green-and a broad range of production environments in north-eastern Australia, was used. The full matrix of simulated phenotypes, which consisted of 547 location-season combinations and 4235 genotypic expression states, was analysed for genetic and environmental effects. The analysis was conducted in stages assuming gradually increased understanding of gene-to-phenotype relationships, which would arise from physiological dissection and modelling. It was found that environmental characterisation and physiological knowledge helped to explain and unravel gene and environment context dependencies in the data. Based on the analyses of gene effects, a range of marker-assisted selection breeding strategies was simulated. It was shown that the inclusion of knowledge resulting from trait physiology and modelling generated an enhanced rate of yield advance over cycles of selection. This occurred because the knowledge associated with component trait physiology and extrapolation to the target population of environments by modelling removed confounding effects associated with environment and gene context dependencies for the markers used. Developing and implementing this gene-to-phenotype capability in crop improvement requires enhanced attention to phenotyping, ecophysiological modelling, and validation studies to test the stability of candidate genetic regions.

Milling quality and protein properties of autumn-sown Chinese wheats evaluated through multi-location trials

Eight milling quality and protein properties of autumn-sown Chinese wheats were investigated using 59 cultivars and advanced lines grown in 14 locations in China from 1995 to 1998. Wide ranges of variability for all traits were observed across genotypes and locations. Genotype, location, year, and their interactions all significantly influenced most of the quality parameters. Kernel hardness, Zeleny sedimentation value, and mixograph development time were predominantly influenced by the effects of genotype. Genotype, location and genotype x location interaction were all important sources of variation for thousand kernel weight, test weight, protein content, and falling number, whereas genotype x location interaction had the largest effect on flour yield. Most of the genotypes were characterized by weak gluten strength with Zeleny sedimentation values less than 40 ml and mixograph development time shorter than 3 min. Eight groups of genotypes were recognized based on the average quality performance, grain hardness and gluten strength were the two parameters that determined the grouping, with contributions from protein content. Genotypes such as Zhongyou 16 and Annong 8903 displayed good milling quality, high grain hardness, protein content and strong gluten strength with high sedimentation value and long mixograph development time. Genotypes such as Lumai 15 and Yumai 18 were characterized by low grain hardness, protein content and weak gluten strength. Genotypes such as Yannong 15 and Chuanmai 24 were characterized by strong gluten strength with high sedimentation value and long mixograph development time, but low grain hardness and protein content lower than 12.3%. Genotypes such as Jingdong 6 and Xi'an 8 had weak gluten strength, but with high grain hardness and protein content higher than 12.2%. Five groups of locations were identified, and protein content and gluten strength were the two parameters that determined the grouping. Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Nanyang, Zhumadian and Nanjing produced wheats with medium to strong gluten strength and medium protein content, although there was still a large variation for most of the traits investigated between the locations. Wheat produced in Yantai was characterized by strong gluten strength, but with low protein content. Jinan, Anyang and Linfen locations produced wheats with medium to weak gluten strength and medium to high protein content. Wheats produced in Yangling, Zhenzhou, and Chengdu were characterized by weak gluten strength with medium to low protein content, whereas wheats produced in Xuzhou and Wuhan were characterized by weak gluten strength with low protein content. Industrial grain quality could be substantially improved through integrating knowledge of geographic genotype distribution with key location variables that affected end-use quality.

A genetically informed study of the processes underlying the association between parental marital instability and offspring adjustment

Parental divorce is associated with problematic offspring adjustment, but the relation may be due to shared genetic or environmental factors. One way to test for these confounds is to study offspring of twins discordant for divorce. The current analyses used this design to separate the mechanisms responsible for the association between parental divorce, experienced either before or after the age of 16, and offspring well-being. The results were consistent with a causal role of divorce in earlier initiation of sexual intercourse and emotional difficulties, in addition to a greater probability of educational problems, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation. In contrast, the increased risk for cohabitation and earlier initiation of drug use was explained by selection factors, including genetic confounds.

Improving drought tolerance in rainfed lowland rice: An example from Thailand

A large portion of the world's poor farm in rainfed systems where the water supply is unpredictable and droughts are common. In Thailand there are approximately 6.2 million ha of rain fed lowland rice, which account for 67% of the country's total rice-growing area. This rice system is often characterised by too much and too little water in the same season. Farmers' estimates of their annual losses to drought are as high as 45% in the upper parts of the toposequence. In contrast to irrigated rice systems, gains from crop improvement of rainfed rice have been modest, in part because there has been little effort to breed and select for drought tolerance for the target rainfed environments. The crop improvement strategy being used in Thailand considers three mechanisms that influence yield in the drought prone targets: yield potential as an important mechanism for mild drought (where yield loss is less than 50%), drought escape (appropriate phenology) and drought tolerance traits of leaf water potential, sterility, flower delay and drought response index for more severe drought conditions. Genotypes are exposed to managed drought environments for selection of drought tolerant genotypes. A marker assisted selection (MAS) scheme has been developed and applied for selection of progenies in the backcrossing program. The plant breeding program uses rapid generation advance techniques that enable early yield testing in the target population of environments (TPE) through inter-station (multi-location yield testing) and on-farm trials. A farmer participatory approach has been used to identify the TPE for the breeding program. Four terrace paddy levels have been identified, upper (drought), middle (drought prone to favorable) and lower (flooded). This paper reports the change in the breeding program for the drought prone tainted lowland rice environments of North and Northeast Thailand by incorporating our knowledge on adaptation and on response of rice to drought. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is cannabis use a contributory cause of psychosis?

Objective: To assess whether cannabis use in adolescence and young adulthood is a contributory cause of schizophreniform psychosis in that it may precipitate psychosis in vulnerable individuals. Method: We reviewed longitudinal studies of adolescents and young adults that examined the relations between self-reported cannabis use and the risk of diagnosis with a psychosis or of reporting psychotic symptoms. We also reviewed studies that controlled for potential confounders, such as other forms of drug use and personal characteristics that predict an increased risk of psychosis. We assessed evidence for the biological plausibility of a contributory causal relation. Results: Evidence from 6 longitudinal studies in 5 countries shows that regular cannabis use predicts an increased risk of a schizophrenia diagnosis or of reporting symptoms of psychosis. These relations persisted after controlling for confounding variables, such as personal characteristics and other drug use. The relation did not seem to be a result of cannabis use to self-medicate symptoms of psychosis. A contributory causal relation is biologically plausible because psychotic disorders involve disturbances in the dopamine neurotransmitter systems with which the cannabinoid system interacts, as demonstrated by animal studies and one human provocation study. Conclusion: It is most plausible that cannabis use precipitates schizophrenia in individuals who are vulnerable because of a personal or family history of schizophrenia.

Pattern analysis on grain yield performance of Chinese and CIMMYT spring wheat cultivars sown in China and CIMMYT

Understanding the relationships among testing environments is essential for better targeting cultivars to production environments. To identify patterns of cultivar, environment, cultivar-by-environment interactions, and opportunities for indirect selection for grain yield, a set of 25 spring wheat cultivars from China and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) was evaluated in nine environments in China and four management environments at CIMMYT in Cd. Obregon, Mexico, during two wheat seasons. Genetic background and original environment were the main factors influencing grain yield performance of the cultivars. Baviacora M 92, Xinchun 2 and Xinchun 6 showed relatively more stable and higher grain yields, whereas highly photoperiod sensitive cultivars Xinkehan 9, Kefeng 6 and Longmai 19 proved consistently inferior across environments, except in Harbin and Keshan, the two high latitude environments. Longmai 26, also from high latitude environments in the northeastern Heilongjiang province, was however probably not as photoperiodicly sensitive as other cultivars; from that region, and produced much higher grain yield and expressed a broader adaptation. None of the environments reported major diseases. Pattern analyses revealed that photoperiod response and planting option on beds were the two main factors underlying the observed interactions for grain yield. The production environment of planting on the flat in Mexico grouped together with Huhhot and Urumqi in both wheat seasons, indicating an indirect response to selection for grain yield in this CIMMYT managed environment could benefit the two Chinese environments. Both the environment of planting on the flat with Chinese Hejin and Yongning, and the three CIMMYT enviromnents planting on raised beds with Chinese Yongning grouped together only in one season, showing that repeatability may not be stable in this case.

Pattern analysis on protein properties of Chinese and CIMMYT spring wheat cultivars sown in China and CIMMYT

Improvement of processing quality is a very important objective for Chinese wheat breeding programs. Twenty-five CIMMYT and Chinese spring wheat cultivars were grown at four managed conditions by CIMMYT in Cd. Obregon, Sonora, Mexico and in nine environments in China, over two successive wheat seasons from 2000 to 2002. These trials were used to identify patterns of cultivar, environment and cultivar x environment interactions, and to determine opportunities for indirect selection for protein content and the protein-quality related parameter, SDS sedimentation (SDSS) value. The cultivar Inqalab 91 showed low levels of interaction with environments in the 2000-01 crop cycle for protein content, and expressed intermediate levels for both protein content and SDSS value, across most of the environments in both years. Longmai 26 had consistently high protein content and SDSS value across environments in both years, indicating that it is possible to breed cultivars expressing high yields with good protein properties. Cluster analyses revealed that cultivars grouped differently for protein content and SDSS value. Besides photoperiod, water availability appeared to influence the ranking of cultivars for protein content and SDSS value. Temperature and soil type may underlie the observed interactions for protein content, while temperature may also be a factor associated with interactions for SDSS value. The full irrigation managed environment in Mexico, with the cultivars sown on raised beds two months later than optimum and exposing them to late heat, clustered together with the Chinese environments Huhhot, Yongning, and Hejin in the 2000-01 season for SDSS value. This indicates that there is an opportunity to exploit indirect responses to selection in the CIMMYT management environments for SDSS value with relevance for China's spring wheat regions. However, there seemed little chance for positive indirect selection in CIMMYT's managed environments for China in regard to protein content, as environments clustered distinctly. Pattern analyses permitted a sensible and useful summary for this multi environment experiment, helping in understanding natural relationships and variations in cultivar performance among the various environment groups, and assisting in the structuring of environments.

A INFLUÊNCIA DA COMPATIBILIDADE PESSOA-TRABALHO SOBRE O ENGAJAMENTO NO TRABALHO SÃO BERNARDO DO CAMPO 2015

O engajamento no trabalho é um dos objetivos dos gestores de pessoas. Este trabalho se propõe a analisar se a compatibilidade da pessoa com o ambiente de trabalho tem relação com o seu engajamento. Há três fatores na compatibilidade com o ambiente de trabalho (person-environment fit): person-job fit, que aborda a compatibilidade entre as habilidades da pessoa e o trabalho que ela realiza; person-organization fit, que está relacionado com os valores da pessoa frente os valores organizacionais; e needs-supply, que aborda a percepção do indivíduo quanto a ter suas necessidades atendidas pelo seu trabalho e pela organização em que trabalha. Construtos do comportamento organizacional, tais como satisfação no trabalho, comprometimento organizacional e intenções de rotatividade são comumente utilizados como variáveis sucessoras nos estudos de compatibilidade (fit), porém não foram encontrados estudos da relação entre a compatibilidade com o ambiente de trabalho (person-environment fit) e o engajamento no trabalho. Esta pesquisa de abordagem quantitativa baseou-se no instrumento Perceptions Fit, proposto por Cable e DeRue, em 2002; e no instrumento UWES Ultrech Work Engagement Scale, de Schaufelli e colaboradores, de 2006. Participaram da pesquisa 114 respondentes com no mínimo seis meses na atividade atual e pelo menos há cinco anos no mercado de trabalho. As análises por Modelagem de Equações Estruturais pelo método PLS (Partial Least Squares) comprovaram a hipótese de que quanto maior a compatibilidade entre a pessoa e seu trabalho, maior é seu engajamento. Além da hipótese central do trabalho de que a compatibilidade pessoa-trabalho influencia o engajamento no trabalho, a influência das dimensões de fit sobre o engajamento foi testada e os resultados mostraram que a dimensão necessidades atendidas (needs-supply) é a que mais influência tem sobre o engajamento. Este estudo inicia a discussão sobre a relação entre a compatibilidade da pessoa com o ambiente de trabalho e o seu engajamento, sugerindo reaplicação do método em públicos diferenciados, a fim de que os resultados possam ser utilizados para uma melhor eficácia da gestão de pessoas.

The neural correlates of reading impairment in adults with developmental dyslexia:evidence from fMRI between group analyses and an fMRI multiple-case study

The goal of this project was to investigate the neural correlates of reading impairment in dyslexia as hypothesised by the main theories – the phonological deficit, visual magnocellular deficit and cerebellar deficit theories, with emphasis on individual differences. This research took a novel approach by: 1) contrasting the predictions in one sample of participants with dyslexia (DPs); 2) using a multiple-case study (and between-group comparisons) to investigate differences in BOLD between each DP and the controls (CPs); 3) demonstrating a possible relationship between reading impairment and its hypothesised neural correlates by using fMRI and a reading task. The multiple-case study revealed that the neural correlates of reading in dyslexia in all cases are not in agreement with the predictions of a single theory. The results show striking individual differences - even, where the neural correlates of reading in two DPs are consistent with the same theory, the areas can differ. A DP can exhibit under-engagement in an area in word, but not in pseudoword reading and vice versa, demonstrating that underactivation in that area cannot be interpreted as a ‘developmental lesion’. Additional analyses revealed complex results. Within-group analyses between behavioural measures and BOLD showed correlations in the predicted regions, areas outside ROI, and lack of correlations in some predicted areas. Comparisons of subgroups which differed on Orthography Composite supported the MDT, but only for Words. The results suggest that phonological scores are not a sufficient predictor of the under-engagement of phonological areas during reading. DPs and CPs exhibited correlations between Purdue Pegboard Composite and BOLD in cerebellar areas only for Pseudowords. Future research into reading in dyslexia should use a more holistic approach, involving genetic and environmental factors, gene by environment interaction, and comorbidity with other disorders. It is argued that multidisciplinary research, within the multiple-deficit model holds significant promise here.

Salutogenesis: a new paradigm for pervasive computing in healthcare environments?

Salutogenesis is now accepted as a part of the contemporary model of disease: an individual is not only affected by pathogenic factors in the environment, but those that promote well-being or salutogenesis. Given that "environment" extends to include the built environment, promotion of salutogenesis has become part of the architectural brief for contemporary healthcare facilities, drawing on an increasing evidence-base. Salutogenesis is inextricably linked with the notion of person-environment "fit". MyRoom is a proposal for an integrated architectural and pervasive computing model, which enhances psychosocial congruence by using real-time data indicative of the individual's physical status to enable the environment of his/her room (colour, light, temperature) to adapt on an on-going basis in response to bio-signals. This work is part of the PRTLI-IV funded programme NEMBES, investigating the use of embedded technologies in the built environment. Different care contexts require variations in the model, and iterative prototyping investigating use in different contexts will progressively lead to the development of a fully-integrated adaptive salutogenic single-room prototype.