New species of Ischnocnema (Anura, Brachycephalidae) from the atlantic rainforest of the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil.

We describe a new species of Ischnocnema from Santa Teresa, in the Atlantic Rainforest of the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Ischnocnema abdita sp. nov. is a member of the Ischnocnema lactea species series; it differs from other Ischnocnema mainly by presenting small size (adult male SVL 15.7 [plus or minus] 0.49 mm; range 15.0-16.8 mm); small discs on fingers I and II, and elliptical, wider than long, moderate sized discs on fingers III and IV; and finger I slightly smaller than finger II. The new species closely resembles Ischnocnema bolbodactyla, differing from it by presenting upper and lower margins of iris red in life; inguinal region with many yellow blotches in life; posterior region of belly and ventral surfaces of thighs, shanks, and feet roughly marbled with large pale yellow blotches; and hidden dorsal area of thighs dark brown with few large pale yellow blotches.

A new species of Ischnocnema from highlands of the Atlantic Forest, Southeastern Brazil (Terrarana, Brachycephalidae)

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

Redescription of Physalaemus barrioi (Anura: Leiuperidae)

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

Nebular gas drag and co-orbital system dynamics

Aims. We study trajectories of planetesimals whose orbits decay due to gas drag in a primordial solar nebula and are perturbed by the gravity of the secondary body on an eccentric orbit whose mass ratio takes values from mu(2) = 10(-7) to mu(2) = 10(-3) increasing ten times at each step. Each planetesimal ultimately suffers one of the three possible fates: (1) trapping in a mean motion resonance with the secondary body; (2) collision with the secondary body and consequent increase of its mass; or (3) diffusion after crossing the orbit of the secondary body.Methods. We take the Burlirsh-Stoer numerical algorithm in order to integrate the Newtonian equations of the planar, elliptical restricted three-body problem with the secondary body and the planetesimal orbiting the primary. It is assumed that there is no interaction among planetesimals, and also that the gas does not affect the orbit of the secondary body.Results. The results show that the optimal value of the gas drag constant k for the 1: 1 resonance is between 0.9 and 1.25, representing a meter size planetesimal for each AU of orbital radius. In this study, the conditions of the gas drag are such that in theory, L4 no longer exists in the circular case for a critical value of k that defines a limit size of the planetesimal, but for a secondary body with an eccentricity larger than 0.05 when mu(2) = 10(-6), it reappears. The decrease of the cutoff collision radius increase the difusions but does not affect the distribution of trapping. The contribution to the mass accretion of the secondary body is over 40% with a collision radius 0.05R(Hill) and less than 15% with 0.005R(Hill) for mu(2) = 10(-7). The trappings no longer occur when the drag constant k reachs 30. That means that the size limit of planetesimal trapping is 0.2 m per AU of orbital radius. In most cases, this accretion occurs for a weak gas drag and small secondary eccentricity. The diffusions represent most of the simulations showing that gas drag is an efficient process in scattering planetesimals and that the trapping of planetesimals in the 1: 1 resonance is a less probable fate. These results depend on the specific drag force chosen.

Variabilidade espacial da emissão de CO2 em Latossolos sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em diferentes sistemas de manejo

Neste trabalho, foi determinada a estrutura da variabilidade espacial da emissão de CO2, temperatura e umidade de solos desprovidos de vegetação em duas localidades sob cultivo da cana-de-açúcar, em sistemas de manejos de cana crua e de cana queimada, no nordeste do Estado de São Paulo. A emissão de CO2 e a temperatura do solo foram registradas utilizando-se de câmara de fluxo portátil e sensor de temperatura do sistema LI-6400. A umidade foi avaliada utilizando sistema portátil TDR. A maior emissão foi observada no local sob manejo de cana queimada, com valor médio de 2,05 μmol m-2 s-1, porém a dependência espacial na emissão de CO2 foi encontrada somente na área sob manejo de cana crua. Os mapas de krigagem da emissão de CO2, temperatura e umidade do solo sob manejo de cana queimada mostraram correspondência à declividade do terreno, com as maiores emissões e temperaturas localizadas na parte mais alta, sendo as maiores umidades do solo encontradas na parte mais baixa do local estudado. Os resultados indicam correlação linear positiva da emissão de CO2 com a temperatura, e negativa com a umidade do solo somente no local com manejo de cana queimada, e não no sistema de cana crua, onde a presença de palhada certamente impede a ação direta da radiação solar e o escoamento de chuvas.

Dinâmica de populações e fitossociologia de plantas daninhas no cultivo do feijão-caupi e mandioca no sistema corte e queima com o uso de arado

Este estudo investigou a composição florística das plantas daninhas em área queimada durante três anos agrícolas. A pesquisa foi conduzida no município de Zé Doca, Maranhão. O preparo da área no primeiro ano agrícola (2006/2007) foi realizado com corte e queima da vegetação para o cultivo de milho seguido do feijão-caupi. No segundo e no terceiro ano agrícola, o preparo da área consistiu de aração para o cultivo do milho seguido de mandioca (2007/2008) e depois para o feijão-caupi em sucessão à cultura de mandioca (2008/2009). A coleta das plantas daninhas ocorreu nas culturas de feijão-caupi e mandioca aos 30 e 60 dias após a semeadura (DAS), no primeiro e no segundo ano agrícola, respectivamente, e no feijão-caupi aos 30 DAS do terceiro ano agrícola, com retângulo (0,5 x 0,3 m) lançado 10 vezes ao acaso na área cultivada. A cada lançamento, as plantas daninhas foram colhidas, para contagem, identificação, secagem e, assim, obter os índices fitossociológicos. O fogo reduziu a diversidade e o número das plantas daninhas. As espécies com maior valor de IVI foram Imperata brasiliensis, Sida glomerata e Corchorus argutus, após o fogo na cultura do feijãocaupi; e Juncus sp., Spermacoce verticillata, Aeschynomene americana e Cyperus sp., após preparo da área com aração nas culturas de mandioca e feijão-caupi. As plantas de capoeira ocorreram depois da queima, porém sua importância foi reduzida com o passar do tempo.

Embriologia do siri Arenaeus cribrarius (Lamarck) (Crustacea, Brachyura, Portunidae)

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

Caracterização morfológica de frutos, de sementes e do desenvolvimento pós-seminal de Licania tomentosa (Benth.) Fritsch

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo descrever a morfologia do fruto, da semente e do desenvolvimento pós-seminal de oiti (Licania tomentosa (Benth.) Fritsch.). As sementes e os frutos foram avaliados quanto às dimensões e forma por meio de mensurações com paquímetro digital e observações realizadas em microscópio estereoscópico e microscópio eletrônico de varredura. Os frutos de oiti são drupáceos, elípticos, monospérmicos, carnosos, indeiscentes, com pedúnculos não articulados, epicarpo liso, glabro, de coloração amarela a alaranjada, mesocarpo carnoso, fibroso, coloração amarela a laranja e endocarpo membranáceo, de coloração branca a creme, medindo aproximadamente 6,19cm de comprimento, 3,3cm de largura, 39,5g de massa fresca e 17,3g de massa seca. As sementes são exalbuminosas, de forma elíptica, com tegumento liso, de coloração marrom, de cartáceo a coriáceo, com rafe visível longitudinalmente, micrópila inconspícua e hilo pouco aparente, com cotilédones crassos, elípticos e plano-convexos, de coloração creme a levemente rósea. O embrião é diminuto, reto, central, com eixo embrionário diferenciado em plúmula e eixo hipocótilo-radicular. O comprimento, largura e massa fresca e seca das sementes são cerca de 4,07, 2,18cm, 12,7 e 7,2g, respectivamente. A germinação é criptocotiledonar hipógea, com eófilos alterno-dísticos e lanosos, com estômatos paracíticos e duas glândulas na base do limbo ou, raramente no ápice, na face abaxial da folha.

Effects of varying curvature and width on the electronic states of GaAs quantum rings

Stationary states of an electron in thin GaAs elliptical quantum rings are calculated within the effective-mass approximation. The width of the ring varies smoothly along the centerline, which is an ellipse. The solutions of the Schrödinger equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions are approximated by a product of longitudinal and transversal wave functions. The ground-state probability density shows peaks: (i) where the curvature is larger in a constant-with ring, and (ii) in thicker parts of a circular ring. For rings of typical dimensions, it is shown that the effects of a varying width may be stronger than those of the varying curvature. Also, a width profile which compensates the main localization effects of the varying curvature is obtained.

A tunable triode-MOSFET transconductor and its application to g(m)-C filters

A linear, tunable CMOS transconductance stage is introduced. Drain voltage of the input transistor operating in triode region is settled by a regulation loop and a first-order linear relationship between g(m) and a de bias voltage is achieved. In addition to easy tuning, this technique offers circuit simplicity, wide dynamic range, high input and output impedances and low consumption. The transconductor is presented on both single-ended and fully-differential versions. A 3rd-order elliptical low-pass g(m)-C filter with a nominal roll-off frequency of 2MHz is used as one example for the many applications of the proposed transconductor. SPICE data describe circuits performances and filter tunabilily Passband is tuned at a rate of 2.36KHz/mV and good linearity is indicated by a 0.89% THD for an 800mV(p-p) balanced-driven input.

Optimal space manoeuvres in a non-Keplerian force field

In this work the problem of a spacecraft bi-impulsive transfer between two given non coplanar elliptical orbits, with minimum fuel consumption, is solved considering a non-Keplerian force field (the perturbing forces include Earth gravity harmonics and atmospheric drag). The problem is transformed in the Two Point Boundary Value Problem. It is developed and implemented a new algorithm, that uses the analytical expressions developed here. A dynamics that considered a Keplerian force field was used to produce an initial guess to solve the Two Point Boundary Value Problem. Several simulations were performed to observe the spacecraft orbital behaviour by different kind of perturbations and constraints, on a fuel consumption optimization point of view. (C) 2002 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light and scanning electron microscopic study of the palatine mucosa of nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

The three-dimensional structure of the lamina propria of the hard and soft palatine mucosa of the nine-banded armadillo was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Sodium hydroxide cell maceration method was applied to demonstrate the architecture of the connective tissue papillae. The palatine mucosa of the armadillo had a triangular shape and measured appr. 6.5 cm length. The hard palate showed 9 transverse palatine plicae while the soft palate was smooth. In the 10% NaOH treated specimens, the lamina propria of the hard palatine mucosa showed numerous connective tissue papillae with a general finger-like shape. These structures were composed by a meshwork of collagen fibers arranged in several directions. on the other hand, the connective tissue papillae of the soft palate mucosa were scattered and small. Numerous openings of glandular ducts with circular or elliptical shape were located in the interplicae area and in the soft palate.

Bayesian longitudinal data analysis with mixed models and thick-tailed distributions using MCMC

Linear mixed effects models are frequently used to analyse longitudinal data, due to their flexibility in modelling the covariance structure between and within observations. Further, it is easy to deal with unbalanced data, either with respect to the number of observations per subject or per time period, and with varying time intervals between observations. In most applications of mixed models to biological sciences, a normal distribution is assumed both for the random effects and for the residuals. This, however, makes inferences vulnerable to the presence of outliers. Here, linear mixed models employing thick-tailed distributions for robust inferences in longitudinal data analysis are described. Specific distributions discussed include the Student-t, the slash and the contaminated normal. A Bayesian framework is adopted, and the Gibbs sampler and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithms are used to carry out the posterior analyses. An example with data on orthodontic distance growth in children is discussed to illustrate the methodology. Analyses based on either the Student-t distribution or on the usual Gaussian assumption are contrasted. The thick-tailed distributions provide an appealing robust alternative to the Gaussian process for modelling distributions of the random effects and of residuals in linear mixed models, and the MCMC implementation allows the computations to be performed in a flexible manner.

Analytical attitude propagation with non-singular variables and gravity gradient torque for spin stabilized satellite

An analytical approach for the spin stabilized satellite attitude propagation is presented using the non-singular canonical variables to describe the rotational motion. Two sets of variables were introduced for Fukushima in 1994 by a canonical transformation and they are useful when the angle between z-satellite axis of a coordinate system fixed in artificial satellite and the rotational angular momentum vector is zero or when the angle between Z-equatorial axis and rotation angular momentum vector is zero. Analytical solutions for rotational motion equations and torque-free motion are discussed in terms of the elliptic functions and by the application of some simplification to get an approximated solution. These solutions are compared with a numerical solution and the results show a good agreement for many rotation periods. When the mean Hamiltonian associated with the gravity gradient torque is included, an analytical solution is obtained by the application of the successive approximations' method for the satellite in an elliptical orbit. These solutions show that the magnitude of the rotation angular moment is not affected by the gravity gradient torque but this torque causes linear and periodic variations in the angular variables, long and short periodic variations in Z-equatorial component of the rotation angular moment and short periodic variations in x-satellite component of the rotation angular moment. The goal of this analysis is to emphasize the geometrical and physical meaning of the non-singular variables and to validate the approximated analytical solution for the rotational motion without elliptic functions for a non-symmetrical satellite. The analysis can be applied for spin stabilized satellite and in this case the general solution and the approximated solution are coincidence. Then the results can be used in analysis of the space mission of the Brazilian Satellites. (C) 2007 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flow-through cell based on an array of gold microelectrodes obtained from modified integrated circuit chips

The construction of a flow-through cell incorporating an array of gold microelectrodes is described and its application to flow injection analysis with amperometric detection is presented, Simple modification of almost any conventional integrated circuit chip, used as an inexpensive source of pre-assembled gold micro-wires, leads to the rapid and successful preparation of arrays of 8-48 elements, the polymeric encapsulation material from the top face of the chip is removed by abrasion until the gold micro-mires (used to interconnect the silicon circuit to the external contact pins of the chip) are disrupted and their transversal (elliptical) sections become exposed. Once polished, the flat and smooth top surface of the gold microelectrode-array chip (MEAC) is provided with a spacer and fitted under pressure against an acrylic block with the reference and auxiliary electrodes, to form the electrochemical (thin-layer) flow cell, while the contact pins are plugged into a standard IC socket, This design ensures autonomous electric contact with each electrode and allows fast dismantling for polishing or substitution, the performance of flow cells with MEACs was investigated utilizing the technique of reverse pulse amperometry without oxygen removal, A method was established for the determination of the copper concentration in sugar cane spirit, regulated by law for beverages, Samples from industrial producers and small-scale (alembic) brewers were compared, With a 24 MEAC, a detection limit of 30 mu g I-l of copper (4.7 x 10(-7) mol l(-1) of Cu-II for 100 mu l injections) was calculated, Routine operation was established at a frequency of 60-90 determinations per hour, Intercomparison with atomic absorption spectrometric determinations resulted in excellent agreement.