Efeitos agudos do alongamento estático no desempenho da força dinâmica em homens jovens

Introdução: O alongamento muscular é frequentemente utilizado nas práticas desportivas, com o objetivo de aumentar a flexibilidade muscular e amplitude articular, assim como diminuir o risco de lesões e melhorar o desempenho atlético. Objetivo: Analisar o efeito agudo do alongamento com diferentes tempos no desempenho da força dinâmica de membros superiores e inferiores em homens jovens. Métodos: Participaram da amostra 14 voluntários do sexo masculino com idade de 23 ± 2 anos, peso corporal de 84 ± 10kg, estatura de178 ± 7cm, IMC de 26 ± 2kg/m2 e percentual de gordura de 11 ± 3%. Eles foram avaliados com o teste de 10RM em três situações distintas: condição sem alongamento (SA), aquecimento especifico seguido do teste de 10-RM; condição com oito minutos de alongamento (AL-8), uma sessão de alongamento estático com oito minutos de duração, seguido do aquecimento e teste de 10RM; e a condição alongamento 16 minutos (AL-16), 16 minutos de alongamento seguidos dos procedimentos descritos anteriormente. Os testes foram feitos no supino reto e leg-press 45º; os alongamentos foram selecionados de forma a atingir as musculaturas solicitadas nos respectivos exercícios. Resultados: Houve redução de 9,2% da força muscular dinâmica de membros superiores em comparação dos grupos SA e AL16, e entre os grupos AL8 e AL16 (p < 0,001). Em membros inferiores essa redução de força (p < 0,001) foi de 4,8% para AL-8 e de 14,3% para AL-16 em comparação com o grupo SA. Conclusão: Sessões de alongamentos estáticos efetuados antes de atividades que envolvam força dinâmica possuem a capacidade de alterar negativamente o desempenho dessa qualidade física, acarretando pior rendimento em longos períodos de alongamento.

Role of the wider Azores region as a nursery ground for North Atlantic blue shark (Prionace glauca)

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências do Mar (Ecologia Marinha)

Another color morph of Sporophila Seedeater from the capuchinos group (Aves, Emberizidae)

The genus Sporophila (Cabanis, 1844) unites about 30 species of small seedeaters that predominantly inhabit open or semi-open areas in the Neotropical region. The taxonomy of this group is based on morphological studies from collected male specimens. The dynamic spatial and temporal variation in the male plumage and lack of knowledge of their vocalizations make it difficult to properly diagnose some species even today, so these two aspects account for the existing taxonomic dilemmas involving Sporophila. During a four-year field study, we investigated the natural history of a breeding population of Sporophila melanogaster (Pelzeln, 1870). This is an endemic species in Brazil, which reproduces in the high-altitude grasslands of the Atlantic Forest biome. We found four male specimens with clearly diagnosable plumage, distinct from the typical form of the species. Here we describe this previously unreported plumage form. Based on the evaluation of habitat use, vocalization, and reproductive behavior, we tested two hypotheses regarding its taxonomic status. We concluded that this is another case of an intra-specific color morph within the seedeaters of the "capuchinos" group.

Auditory cues support place navigation in rats when associated with a visual cue.

Rats, like other crepuscular animals, have excellent auditory capacities and they discriminate well between different sounds [Heffner HE, Heffner RS, Hearing in two cricetid rodents: wood rats (Neotoma floridana) and grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster). J Comp Psychol 1985;99(3):275-88]. However, most experimental literature concerning spatial orientation almost exclusively emphasizes the use of visual landmarks [Cressant A, Muller RU, Poucet B. Failure of centrally placed objects to control the firing fields of hippocampal place cells. J Neurosci 1997;17(7):2531-42; and Goodridge JP, Taube JS. Preferential use of the landmark navigational system by head direction cells in rats. Behav Neurosci 1995;109(1):49-61]. To address the important issue of whether rats are able to achieve a place navigation task relative to auditory beacons, we designed a place learning task in the water maze. We controlled cue availability by conducting the experiment in total darkness. Three auditory cues did not allow place navigation whereas three visual cues in the same positions did support place navigation. One auditory beacon directly associated with the goal location did not support taxon navigation (a beacon strategy allowing the animal to find the goal just by swimming toward the cue). Replacing the auditory beacons by one single visual beacon did support taxon navigation. A multimodal configuration of two auditory cues and one visual cue allowed correct place navigation. The deletion of the two auditory or of the one visual cue did disrupt the spatial performance. Thus rats can combine information from different sensory modalities to achieve a place navigation task. In particular, auditory cues support place navigation when associated with a visual one.

Cathepsin X cleaves the beta 2 cytoplasmic tail of LFA-1 inducing the intermediate affinity form of LFA-1 and alpha-actinin-1 binding

The motility of T cells depends on the dynamic spatial regulation of integrin-mediated adhesion and de-adhesion. Cathepsin X, a cysteine protease, has been shown to regulate T-cell migration by interaction with lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1). LFA-1 adhesion to the ICAM-1 is controlled by the association of actin-binding proteins with the cytoplasmic tail of the beta(2) chain of LFA-1. Cleavage by cathepsin X of the amino acid residues S(769), E(768) and A(767) from the C-terminal of the beta(2) cytoplasmic tail of LFA-1 is shown to promote binding of the actin-binding protein alpha-actinin-1. Furthermore, cathepsin X overexpression reduced LFA-1 clustering and induced an intermediate affinity LFA-1 conformation that is known to associate with a-actinin-1. increased levels of intermediate affinity LFA-1 resulted in augmented cell spreading due to reduced attachment of T cells to the ICAM-1-coated surface. Gradual cleavage of LFA-1 by cathepsin X enables the transition between intermediate and high affinity LFA-1, an event that is crucial for effective T-cell migration.

Recursos intangíveis de um destino turístico: um estudo de desempenho da cidade de Natal tendo como base a teoria das capacidades dinâmicas

O objetivo desta tese foi analisar os recursos intangíveis de um destino turístico. Foi feito um estudo de desempenho da cidade de Natal tendo como base a teoria das capacidades dinâmicas. Inicialmente, foi desenvolvido um instrumento de pesquisa para oportunizar a construção de um modelo de medida com vistas à captação de variáveis latentes para os recursos intangíveis existentes no setor do turismo em Natal-RN. Em seguida, foi realizada uma análise dos recursos intangíveis que são evidenciados pelos turistas acerca da cidade. Finalmente, foi feita a investigação de um modelo de estrutura que estabeleceu as relações entre as variáveis latentes dos recursos intangíveis e a percepção de desempenho do turismo na cidade de Natal. Procedeu-se uma revisão de literatura para construção de um modelo inicial acerca dos ativos intangíveis dentro da teoria das capacidades e foram relacionados dez recursos, quais sejam: recursos humanos prestadores de serviços; recursos humanos como gestores; cultura local; conservação do meio ambiente; know-how empresarial; inovação empresarial; tecnologia; marca; preço; e promoção. Estes dez recursos, em conjunto, seriam responsáveis pelo desempenho do destino turístico. Após ser realizada uma análise de equações estruturais, apenas quatro recursos manifestaram relações com o desempenho: marca; cultura; conservação do meio ambiente; e preço. Análisando dos dados, verificou-se que a variável desempenho positivo da cidade na ótica do turista se manifestou fortemente e foi influenciada de forma forte pela cultura local, marca e conservação do meio ambiente em conjunto. O preço foi influenciado pelo desempenho positivo mostrando que o turista sente que o preço pago foi satisfatório diante dos atributos do destino Provavelmente, isso seja um ponto positivo muito forte para o destino turístico de Natal, pois, em termos de recursos intangíveis e de juntos formarem capacidades, eles são inimitáveis, raros e são capazes de se ajustarem às mudanças organizacionais e ambientais, para reconfigurar os ativos e as estruturas de um destino, corroborando, assim, com a teoria das capacidades dinâmicas. Esses recursos da cidade de Natal, como destino turístico, são únicos e provavelmente têm um peso muito maior para o desempenho da cidade do que problemas existentes na localidade. Logo, esses atributos devem ser estimulados a continuar crescendo e se modificando de acordo com as exigências atuais e futuras de consumo

Métricas de sistemas de middleware orientado a aspectos e Aplicação em um sistema de monitoramento de Poços de Petróleo

Nowadays, there are many aspect-oriented middleware implementations that take advantage of the modularity provided by the aspect oriented paradigm. Although the works always present an assessment of the middleware according to some quality attribute, there is not a specific set of metrics to assess them in a comprehensive way, following various quality attributes. This work aims to propose a suite of metrics for the assessment of aspect-oriented middleware systems at different development stages: design, refactoring, implementation and runtime. The work presents the metrics and how they are applied at each development stage. The suite is composed of metrics associated to static properties (modularity, maintainability, reusability, exibility, complexity, stability, and size) and dynamic properties (performance and memory consumption). Such metrics are based on existing assessment approaches of object-oriented and aspect-oriented systems. The proposed metrics are used in the context of OiL (Orb in Lua), a middleware based on CORBA and implemented in Lua, and AO-OiL, the refactoring of OIL that follows a reference architecture for aspect-oriented middleware systems. The case study performed in OiL and AO-OiL is a system for monitoring of oil wells. This work also presents the CoMeTA-Lua tool to automate the collection of coupling and size metrics in Lua source code

Rio Grande do Norte: interações urbanas e os centros de gestão do território

The state of Rio Grande do Norte has been undergoing transformations in their territory, they are promoted by the installation of new infrastructure equipment, which in turn cause changes in the dynamic spatial and social hour set, causing new arrangements and new dynamics between cities. The overall goal of the research is to understand, at present, the urban network of the Rio Grande do Norte, from the centers of territory management. The picture presented in the paper reveals a network of cities that has gained a material basis urban, with the installation of new objects macro state structures (roads, ports, wind farms, banks, pipelines, internet access) that enable a relationship more intense between the urban centers of the state and other cities in the world, that the current structure characteristic of the urban network, its global nature, since the possibility of relations between the centers is greater. Such a relationship is indeed possible because the characteristics of the current historical period, with the high density of the tripod technique, science and information controlled by the market. In Rio Grande do Norte intentionality of the new arrangement that is configured is not other but meet market demands

Estudo do efeito dos transformadores de relação de transformação variável sobre a capacidade de sincronização intermáquinas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Determinação do rendimento na barra de tração de tratores agrícolas com tração dianteira auxiliar (4x2 Tda)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Método analítico para análise da estabilidade do gerador assíncrono através do monitoramento da tensão

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Determinação do rendimento na barra de tração de tratores agrícolas com tração dianteira auxiliar (4X2 TDA)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Dynamics of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Local Use and Conservation of Native Trees and Shrubs in the Bolivian Andes

Native trees and shrubs are essential components of rural landscapes in the semi-arid inner-Andean valleys of Bolivia. They can be found as hedges and bushes in various agroecosystems such as terrace walls, slopes, field boundaries and fallow land. Their distribution and floristic composition are the result of dynamic spatial and temporal interactions between local farmers and the environment. Local uses of natural resources and biodiversity reflect the constantly evolving Andean culture, which can be generally characterised as an intertwining of the human, natural, and spiritual worlds. The aim of the present ethnobotanical study was to analyse the dynamics of traditional ecological knowledge, to ascertain local farmers’ perceptions and uses of native woody species in Andean communities and to associate the results with local conservation activities for the trees and shrubs concerned. Our case study was carried out within two communities of the Tunari National Park (Dept. Cochabamba) in Bolivia. For data collection, research methods from social science (semi-structured interviews, participative observation, participatory mapping) as well as vegetation surveys were combined. Local actors included women and men of all ages as well as families from different social categories and altitudinal levels of permanent residence. Our study indicates that, due to a multitude of socio-economic pressures (e.g. migration of young people) as well as changes in use of biodiversity (e.g. replacement of native by exotic introduced species), the traditional ecological knowledge base of native trees and shrubs and their respective uses has become diminished over time. In many cases it has led to a decline in people’s awareness of native species and as a consequence their practical, emotional and spiritual relationships with them have been lost. However, results also show that applied traditional ecological knowledge has led to local conservation strategies, which have succeeded in protecting those tree and shrub species which are most widely regarded for their multifunctional, constant and exclusive uses (e.g. Schinus molle, Prosopis laevigata, Baccharis dracunculifolia). The presentation will discuss the question if and how applied traditional ecological knowledge positively contributes to local initiatives of sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity in rural areas.

Simulation modelling applied to runoff modelling using mapscript

Dynamic spatial analysis addresses computational aspects of space–time processing. This paper describes the development of a spatial analysis tool and modelling framework that together offer a solution for simulating landscape processes. A better approach to integrating landscape spatial analysis with Geographical Information Systems is advocated in this paper. Enhancements include special spatial operators and map algebra language constructs to handle dispersal and advective flows over landscape surfaces. These functional components to landscape modelling are developed in a modular way and are linked together in a modelling framework that performs dynamic simulation. The concepts and modelling framework are demonstrated using a hydrological modelling example. The approach provides a modelling environment for scientists and land resource managers to write and to visualize spatial process models with ease.

A new approach to control of MIMO processes with static nonlinearities using an extended IMC framework

In this paper, a new control design method is proposed for stable processes which can be described using Hammerstein-Wiener models. The internal model control (IMC) framework is extended to accommodate multiple IMC controllers, one for each subsystem. The concept of passive systems is used to construct the IMC controllers which approximate the inverses of the subsystems to achieve dynamic control performance. The Passivity Theorem is used to ensure the closed-loop stability. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.