Compactação do solo de diferentes classes texturais em áreas de produção de cana-de-açúcar

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a existência de camadas compactadas, em três diferentes classes texturais de solos. O estudo foi desenvolvido em áreas, sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar, da Fazenda Guanabara, localizada no município de Nova Olímpia, Mato Grosso, Brasil. Para coleta dos dados, foi utilizado um penetrômetro de impacto, modelo IAA/Planalsucar, para avaliação da resistência à penetração (RP), em três diferentes classes texturais (Areia Franca, Franco - Argilo- Arenosa e Muito Argilosa). O solo de classe textural franco-argilo-arenosa apresentou os maiores valores de resistência à penetração, entre as três classes. As classes texturais franco-arenosa e muito argilosa comportaram-se de forma semelhante, em todas as camadas. Houve semelhança na resistência à penetração das três classes texturais na camada 0,3-0,4 m.

Loneliness in Middle and Old Age

Purpose of the research: (a) To identify the degree of much loneliness reported in the Portuguese population over 50 years of age and (b) test whether loneliness can be predicted by socio-demographic, health related or social characteristic of the sample other than age. Materials and methods: 1174 late middle age and older adults were interviewed face to face by different interviewers across the country; after the informed consent was signed, we asked the participants several socio-demographic and health-related questions; finally we asked ‘‘How often do you feel lonely?’’ and participants responded according to a five point Likert scale. Principal results: The results showed that 12% of participants reporting feeling lonely often or always, whereas 40% reporting never feeling lonely. The remaining 48% self-reported they felt lonely seldom or sometimes. Additionally, results show that, when taken together, variables such as marital status, type of housing, residence settings, health conditions, social satisfaction, social isolation, lack of interest, transportation, and age were predictors of loneliness. Major conclusions: (1) The association of loneliness with advanced age has been greatly exaggerated by mass media and common sense; (2) But although our findings did not confirm the most alarmist views, the 12% of older adults reporting that they are feeling lonely always or often should be cause for attention and concern. It is necessary to understand the meaning, reasons and level of suffering implied on those feelings of loneliness. (3) Our findings suggest that it makes no sense to construe age as a singular feature or cause for feelings of loneliness. Instead, age and also a number of other features combine to predict feelings of loneliness. But even with our predictor variables there was a substantial of variance left unexplained. Therefore it is necessary to continue exploring how feelings of loneliness arise from the experience of living and how they can be changed.

Efeito de doses de boro no crescimento vegetativo de girassol em diferentes classes de solos

A baixa disponibilidade de boro (B) no solo é um dos fatores que mais limita a produção do girassol, planta oleaginosa caracterizada por ampla adaptabilidade climática. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a influência de doses de boro, aplicadas em distintas classes de solos, no desenvolvimento do girassol cultivar Hélio 863. As amostras foram coletadas na camada de 0-20 cm dos solos: Argissolo Acinzentado (PAC); Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo (PVA); Neossolo Litólico (RL); Argissolo Vermelho eutrófico (PVe); Neossolo Flúvico (RY) e Vertissolo Háplico (VX). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 6 x 4 (solos x doses), com quatro repetições. A unidade experimental foi representada por uma planta por vaso. Os solos apresentaram efeito significativo (p < 0,01) sobre todos os parâmetros de crescimento estudados. As plantas de girassol cultivadas nos solos RY, VX, PAC e RL apresentaram a maior área foliar, os maiores capítulos, o maior teor de boro foliar e maior número de folhas e altura de plantas, respectivamente. A adubação com boro não influenciou a produção de fitomassa seca do girassol cv. Hélio 863.

The impact of size and age of the company on assessing financial risk

Textiles and tourism sectors are two important sectors in Portuguese economy. Its high exposure to both internal and international economy volatility transform the companies operating in these economic sectors especially vulnerable to recent economic crises in Portugal and European Union. The objective of this paper is to evaluate and understand the impact of size and age on the financial health of textile and tourism companies, measured by economic indices. An empirical based model is proposed. Its implications are derived and tested on a sample of 4061 Portuguese companies from textile and tourism sector, during the period 2005-2009. The results conclude that age has a stronger impact on the risk of failure than size. Whereas the effect of age is generally positive regarding the financial health of the company, the effect of size is less clear and depends on the age of the company.

Effects of age on histological parameters of the sweat glands of Nellore cattle

The sweat glands are important in thermoregulation of cattle in a warm environment as they help dissipate heat through evaporation. Studies on gland histology are important to define its secretion potential and the capacity of perspiration and heat removal. The objective of this study was to determine, by histomorphometry, glandular epithelium height, the depth of the gland, length of the glandular portion and number of glands per cm2 of the sweat glands of the three age groups of Nellore cattle. Thirty females were used in this study. They were equally divided into calves, heifers and cows. Histological sections were obtained and analyzed by digital images in Trinocular BX40 Olympus microscope coupled to an Oly - 200 camera, connected to a computer. The images were obtained with microscope with 2x, 4x, 10x and 40x magnification objectives. The measurements were performed using HL Image 97 program. The height of glandular epithelium, depth of the glands, length and density of the glandular portion per cm2 , were all analyzed. The calves showed greater height of the glandular epithelium than heifers (P = 0.0024), and cows (P = 0.0191). The depth of the gland was not influenced by age. Cows had higher length of secretory portion than heifers (P = 0.0379) and calves (P = 0.0077). Heifers had a greater number of sweat glands per cm2 of skin than cows (P = 0.023). In cattle, the height of glandular epithelium and the density decreases as animals get older. On the other hand, the length of the secretor portion increases but with no changes in the depth of the sweat glands

Is the pollination efficiency of long-lived orchid flowers affected by age?

The long-lived flowers of orchids increase the chances of pollination and thus the reproductive success of the species. However, a question arises: does the efficiency of pollination, expressed by fruit set, vary with the flower age? The objective of this study was to verify whether the flower age of Corymborkis flava(Sw.) Kuntze affects pollination efficiency. The following hypotheses were tested: 1) the fruit set of older flowers is lower than that of younger ones; 2) morphological observations (perianth and stigmatic area), stigma receptivity test by using a solution of hydrogen peroxide and hand-pollination tests are equally effective in defining the period of stigmatic receptivity. Flowers were found to be receptive from the first to the fourth day of anthesis. Fruit set of older flowers (third and fourth day) was lower than that of younger flowers. Morphological observations, the stigma receptivity test and hand-pollinations were equally effective in defining the period of stigmatic receptivity. However, to evaluate the maximum degree of stigma receptivity of orchid species with long-lived flowers, we recommend hand-pollinations, beyond the period of receptivity.

Produção de massa seca e teores de nutrientes do feijoeiro comum submetido à deriva de glyphosate em duas classes de solo

O glyphosate é o principal herbicida em utilização no mundo, sendo recomendado para o controle de plantas daninhas em diversas culturas. Em pulverizações com ventos de 2 m s-1, a deriva de glyphosate pode atingir até 160 m além do local considerado alvo colocando em risco as culturas vizinhas. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a matéria seca e os teores de nutrientes do feijoeiro comum (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) cv. Pérola submetido à deriva de glyphosate. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação na Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes - RJ, utilizando o feijoeiro comum. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 4 x 2 com quatro repetições, sendo o primeiro fator constituído pelas subdoses de 0; 14,4; 43,2 e 86,4g ha-1 de equivalente ácido (e.a.) de glyphosate na forma de sal de amônio aplicado aos 25 dias após a semeadura (estádio V4) e o segundo fator constituído por dois tipos de solos: Neossolo Quartzarênico Órtico típico e Argissolo Vermelho Amarelo distrófico Tb. A deriva de glyphosate reduziu a massa seca de ramos e da parte aérea aos 20 dias após a aplicação (DAA), os teores de nitrogênio (N), fósforo (P), potássio (K), magnésio (Mg) e enxofre (S) aos 10 DAA e de N, P, Ca e Mg aos 20 DAA do feijoeiro cv. Pérola.

The impact of size and age of the company on assessing financial risk.

Textiles and tourism sectors are two important sectors in Portuguese economy. Its high exposure to both internal and international economy volatility transform the companies operating in these economic sectors especially vulnerable to recent economic crises in Portugal and European Union. The objective of this paper is to evaluate and understand the impact of size and age on the financial health of textile and tourism companies, measured by economic indices. An empirical based model is proposed. Its implications are derived and tested on a sample of 4061 Portuguese companies from textile and tourism sector, during the period 2005-2009. The results conclude that age has a stronger impact on the risk of failure than size. Whereas the effect of age is generally positive regarding the financial health of the company, the effect of size is less clear and depends on the age of the company.

Albert-László Barabási, Linked – The New Science of Networks, Perseus, Cambridge, 2002. Duncan J. Watts, Six Degrees – The Science of a Connected Age, William Heinemann, Londres, 2003.

Com a criação da teoria das redes, assistiu-se nos últimos anos a uma revolução científica de carácter interdisciplinar Não é uma teoria inteiramente nova, tendo sido precedida pela criação por P. Erdvos, nos anos sessenta, da teoria dos grafos aleatórios. Esta última é uma teoria puramente matemática, donde termos escrito “grafo” em lugar de “rede”. Apenas recentemente podemos falar de uma efectiva teoria das redes reais, e isso devido ao abandono de algumas das ideias essenciais avançadas por Erdvos, em especial a ideia de partir de um conjunto previamente dado de nós, os quais de seguida vão sendo conectados aleatoriamente com probabilidade p. Este quadro geral começou a ser modificado pelo chamado modelo dos “mundo-pequenos” proposto em 1998 por Duncan Watts e Steve Strogatz, modificação que se tornou ainda mais radical quando, em 1999, Albert Barabási e colaboradores propuseram um modelo no qual os nós vão progressivamente nascendo e conectados por uma função de preferência: um nó conecta-se em proporção às ligações que os outros nós já possuem, pelo que quantas mais ligações um nó possui maior a probabilidade de receber ulteriores ligações.