Oviposition of Quesada gigas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in coffee plants

Branches of coffee-plant were collected in Sao Sebastiao do Paraiso County, Minas Gerais State, at the Experimental Station of the Agricultural Research Company (Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuaria de Minas Gerais - EPAMIG), with the aim of studying various aspects of oviposition by Quesada gigas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). The number of branches with Q. gigas egg nests was analyzed, as well as the number of nests per branch, the eggs per nest and the diameter of the egg nest location on the branch. The preference for oviposition either on alive or dry branches and the size of the egg were assessed. Egg-laying occurred only on dry branches. The mean of the branch diameter on which the egg nests occurred was 2.5 +/- 0.53 mm. The number of eggs per nest averaged 13.2 +/- 4.9, and the number of egg nests per branch was 2.2 +/- 1.74. The eggs were 1.9 +/- 0.08 mm long by 0.5 +/- 0.04 mm wide. The largest diameters of the branches containing egg nests were found on the upper third of the trees, as well as the greatest amount of branches with egg nests, of egg nests per branch and of eggs per nest. The correlation relationship between all of the experiment variables was positive.

Eficiência de diferentes ramais de pulverização e volumes de calda no controle de Brevipalpus phoenicis na cultura do café

Efficiency of different spraying lances and spraying volumes on the control of Brevipalpus phoenicis in coffee crops. The mite Brevipalpus phoenicis is found on coffee plantations in Brazil since the 1950's. Responsible for indirect losses due to its role as vector of a virus disease, this mite species often requires control measures, the most common based on mitecide spraying. It was evaluated the mortality of B. phoenicis due the coverage of spraying liquid applied on coffee plants, with two types of lances used in air assisted sprayers and four spraying. volumes. Treatments were applied with mitecide abamectin (Vertimec 18 CE (R) at 0.4 L per hectare), in volumes of 250, 400, 550 and 700 L per hectare, with two types of lances for the nozzles. The control efficiency against B. phoenicis, deposition and coverage by spray liquid on coffee plants was evaluated. Experimental delineation was in randomized blocks, with eight treatments plus a check plot in four replications. The statistical analysis was carried in a factorial scheme 2x4+1. No significant differences in the number of mites were found between treatments. As regards spraying liquid deposition, it was observed an increment with increasing spraying volumes, with the plant tops showing the best deposition of spraying liquid. The duplication of the lances (nozzle branches) resulted in a significant increase in control efficiency for B. phoenicis compared with conventional branch and with check plot, without dependence of spraying volume.

Efeito do ethephon sobre a brotação e vigor dos ramos da videira 'Niagara Rosada' (Vitis labrusca L.)

A produção da videira 'Niagara Rosada' em regiões tropicais e subtropicais do Brasil tem sido freqüentemente prejudicada, principalmente devido à dificuldade de emissão e desenvolvimento das brotações após a poda de produção, realizada nos meses de ocorrência de temperaturas mais baixas, o que tem causado redução nas produções e desestímulo aos viticultores. Para solucionar esse problema, foram conduzidos três experimentos, em pomares comerciais localizados na região Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, com o objetivo de estudar o efeito do Ethephon, aplicado antes da poda de produção, na emissão e desenvolvimento das novas brotações e na duração do período da poda até a floração. Foram testadas quatro doses de ethephon (0 mg.L-1; 720 mg.L-1; 1.440 mg.L-1; 2.160 mg.L-1) aplicadas via foliar antes da poda de produção, nos meses de junho e julho de 2002. Observou-se que a aplicação de Ethephon proporcionou maior número de gemas brotadas, maior comprimento e diâmetro do ramo e não alterou o período da poda à floração. Especialmente quando da ocorrência de condições climáticas desfavoráveis e quando as plantas apresentaram satisfatório grau de enfolhamento, a aplicação de ethephon, na dose de 2.160 mg.L-1, foi a mais efetiva.

Busca heurística através de algoritmo genético e memético com construção de vocábulos para o problema de atribuição de localidades a anéis Sonet

Telecommunications play a key role in contemporary society. However, as new technologies are put into the market, it also grows the demanding for new products and services that depend on the offered infrastructure, making the problems of planning telecommunications networks, despite the advances in technology, increasingly larger and complex. However, many of these problems can be formulated as models of combinatorial optimization, and the use of heuristic algorithms can help solving these issues in the planning phase. In this project it was developed two pure metaheuristic implementations Genetic algorithm (GA) and Memetic Algorithm (MA) plus a third hybrid implementation Memetic Algorithm with Vocabulary Building (MA+VB) for a problem in telecommunications that is known in the literature as Problem SONET Ring Assignment Problem or SRAP. The SRAP arises during the planning stage of the physical network and it consists in the selection of connections between a number of locations (customers) in order to meet a series of restrictions on the lowest possible cost. This problem is NP-hard, so efficient exact algorithms (in polynomial complexity ) are not known and may, indeed, even exist

Algoritmo Q-learning como estratégia de exploração e/ou explotação para metaheurísticas GRASP e algoritmo genético

Techniques of optimization known as metaheuristics have achieved success in the resolution of many problems classified as NP-Hard. These methods use non deterministic approaches that reach very good solutions which, however, don t guarantee the determination of the global optimum. Beyond the inherent difficulties related to the complexity that characterizes the optimization problems, the metaheuristics still face the dilemma of xploration/exploitation, which consists of choosing between a greedy search and a wider exploration of the solution space. A way to guide such algorithms during the searching of better solutions is supplying them with more knowledge of the problem through the use of a intelligent agent, able to recognize promising regions and also identify when they should diversify the direction of the search. This way, this work proposes the use of Reinforcement Learning technique - Q-learning Algorithm - as exploration/exploitation strategy for the metaheuristics GRASP (Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure) and Genetic Algorithm. The GRASP metaheuristic uses Q-learning instead of the traditional greedy-random algorithm in the construction phase. This replacement has the purpose of improving the quality of the initial solutions that are used in the local search phase of the GRASP, and also provides for the metaheuristic an adaptive memory mechanism that allows the reuse of good previous decisions and also avoids the repetition of bad decisions. In the Genetic Algorithm, the Q-learning algorithm was used to generate an initial population of high fitness, and after a determined number of generations, where the rate of diversity of the population is less than a certain limit L, it also was applied to supply one of the parents to be used in the genetic crossover operator. Another significant change in the hybrid genetic algorithm is the proposal of a mutually interactive cooperation process between the genetic operators and the Q-learning algorithm. In this interactive/cooperative process, the Q-learning algorithm receives an additional update in the matrix of Q-values based on the current best solution of the Genetic Algorithm. The computational experiments presented in this thesis compares the results obtained with the implementation of traditional versions of GRASP metaheuristic and Genetic Algorithm, with those obtained using the proposed hybrid methods. Both algorithms had been applied successfully to the symmetrical Traveling Salesman Problem, which was modeled as a Markov decision process

Avaliação de robustez, desempenho e aplicação do controlador adaptativo por posicionamento de pólos e estrutura variável

In this work, the variable structure adaptive pole placement controller (VS-APPC) robustness and performance are evaluated and this algorithm is applied in a motor control system. The controller robustness evaluation will be done through simulations, where will be introduced in the system the following adversities: time delay, actuator response boundeds, disturbances, parametric variation and unmodeled dynamics. The VS-APPC will be compared with PI control, pole placement control (PPC) and adaptive pole placement controller (APPC). The VS-APPC will be simulated to track a step and a sine reference. It will be applied in a three-phase induction motor control system to track a sine signal in the stator reference frame. Simulation and experimental results will prove the efficiency and robustness of this control strategy

Um algoritmo para estimação de estado em alimentadores de distribuição de energia elétrica com base no método da soma de potências

Most algorithms for state estimation based on the classical model are just adequate for use in transmission networks. Few algorithms were developed specifically for distribution systems, probably because of the little amount of data available in real time. Most overhead feeders possess just current and voltage measurements at the middle voltage bus-bar at the substation. In this way, classical algorithms are of difficult implementation, even considering off-line acquired data as pseudo-measurements. However, the necessity of automating the operation of distribution networks, mainly in regard to the selectivity of protection systems, as well to implement possibilities of load transfer maneuvers, is changing the network planning policy. In this way, some equipments incorporating telemetry and command modules have been installed in order to improve operational features, and so increasing the amount of measurement data available in real-time in the System Operation Center (SOC). This encourages the development of a state estimator model, involving real-time information and pseudo-measurements of loads, that are built from typical power factors and utilization factors (demand factors) of distribution transformers. This work reports about the development of a new state estimation method, specific for radial distribution systems. The main algorithm of the method is based on the power summation load flow. The estimation is carried out piecewise, section by section of the feeder, going from the substation to the terminal nodes. For each section, a measurement model is built, resulting in a nonlinear overdetermined equations set, whose solution is achieved by the Gaussian normal equation. The estimated variables of a section are used as pseudo-measurements for the next section. In general, a measurement set for a generic section consists of pseudo-measurements of power flows and nodal voltages obtained from the previous section or measurements in real-time, if they exist -, besides pseudomeasurements of injected powers for the power summations, whose functions are the load flow equations, assuming that the network can be represented by its single-phase equivalent. The great advantage of the algorithm is its simplicity and low computational effort. Moreover, the algorithm is very efficient, in regard to the accuracy of the estimated values. Besides the power summation state estimator, this work shows how other algorithms could be adapted to provide state estimation of middle voltage substations and networks, namely Schweppes method and an algorithm based on current proportionality, that is usually adopted for network planning tasks. Both estimators were implemented not only as alternatives for the proposed method, but also looking for getting results that give support for its validation. Once in most cases no power measurement is performed at beginning of the feeder and this is required for implementing the power summation estimations method, a new algorithm for estimating the network variables at the middle voltage bus-bar was also developed

Otimização de superfícies seletivas de frequência com elementos pré-fractais utilizando rede neural MLP e algoritmos de busca populacional

This thesis describes design methodologies for frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) composed of periodic arrays of pre-fractals metallic patches on single-layer dielectrics (FR4, RT/duroid). Shapes presented by Sierpinski island and T fractal geometries are exploited to the simple design of efficient band-stop spatial filters with applications in the range of microwaves. Initial results are discussed in terms of the electromagnetic effect resulting from the variation of parameters such as, fractal iteration number (or fractal level), fractal iteration factor, and periodicity of FSS, depending on the used pre-fractal element (Sierpinski island or T fractal). The transmission properties of these proposed periodic arrays are investigated through simulations performed by Ansoft DesignerTM and Ansoft HFSSTM commercial softwares that run full-wave methods. To validate the employed methodology, FSS prototypes are selected for fabrication and measurement. The obtained results point to interesting features for FSS spatial filters: compactness, with high values of frequency compression factor; as well as stable frequency responses at oblique incidence of plane waves. This thesis also approaches, as it main focus, the application of an alternative electromagnetic (EM) optimization technique for analysis and synthesis of FSSs with fractal motifs. In application examples of this technique, Vicsek and Sierpinski pre-fractal elements are used in the optimal design of FSS structures. Based on computational intelligence tools, the proposed technique overcomes the high computational cost associated to the full-wave parametric analyzes. To this end, fast and accurate multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network models are developed using different parameters as design input variables. These neural network models aim to calculate the cost function in the iterations of population-based search algorithms. Continuous genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and bees algorithm (BA) are used for FSSs optimization with specific resonant frequency and bandwidth. The performance of these algorithms is compared in terms of computational cost and numerical convergence. Consistent results can be verified by the excellent agreement obtained between simulations and measurements related to FSS prototypes built with a given fractal iteration

Interferência de plantas daninhas no cultivo da melancia

A cultura da melancia é uma atividade explorada regionalmente, sendo uma das mais importantes fontes de renda familiar de pequenos municípios do médio Paranapanema, onde mudanças significativas no processo produtivo são atualmente constatadas, passando de mão-de-obra intensiva para uso de tecnologias promissoras, como é o caso do manejo de plantas daninhas. Um experimento foi conduzido no município de Oscar Bressani (SP), em área de produção comercial, com objetivo de estudar a interferência de plantas daninhas, no cultivo da melancia, na safra 2002/2003. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com dez tratamentos e quatro repetições, representadas por parcelas com área útil de 18 m², contendo quatro plantas de melancia e infestação prevalecente das espécies Sidaspp, Brachiaria humidicola, Commelina benghalensise Portulaca oleracea. A infestação das plantas daninhas foi estimada através de amostragens aleatórias das parcelas utilizando-se quadro vazado de ferro com 0,5 m de lado. Os tratamentos constaram de testemunhas capinadas e sem capina e diferentes épocas de controle da infestação, de forma que a cultura foi mantida na presença ou ausência das plantas daninhas até 7; 14; 28; 56 e 63 dias após a sua emergência (DAE). A ocorrência do período inicial de convivência possível maior que o período final estabeleceu o Período Crítico de Prevenção da Interferência do 9º ao 13º dias (PCPI= 9-13 DAE). A redução média da produtividade em função da interferência das plantas daninhas durante todo o ciclo da melancia foi de 41,4%. As características diâmetro e espessura da casca dos frutos também foram influenciadas pela convivência com a infestação durante todo o ciclo com decréscimos, de 7,9% e 23,3%, respectivamente, em média, ao contrário do comprimento e diâmetro de ramas e do ºBrix da polpa dos frutos, onde não foram constatadas diferenças significativas.

Características da pulverização em citros em função do volume de calda aplicado com turbopulverizador

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do volume de calda aplicado por um turbopulverizador sobre a deposição e a cobertura em folhas, ramos e frutos de citros. A pulverização foi realizada com um pulverizador tratorizado Arbus 2000/Valência em pomar de laranja 'Natal', com porte médio de 4,0 m, sendo avaliados seis volumes de calda (50; 70; 85; 100; 150 e 200% do volume-padrão utilizado pelo produtor, de 28 L planta-1). Após a pulverização de plantas uniformes com calda contendo cobre e o traçador fluorescente Poliglow 830 YLSS, amostras foram coletadas em nove setores da planta, sendo a avaliação da deposição feita usando-se análise do íon cobre por espectrofotômetro de absorção atômica, e a da cobertura, por meio de imagens digitalizadas analisadas pelo programa para computador IDRISI. A análise estatística mostrou que, na avaliação da cobertura e deposição em citros, a utilização de frutos como estrutura de amostragem tendeu a evidenciar melhor o efeito dos tratamentos. Tanto a deposição quanto a cobertura tenderam a ser maiores nos setores frontal e saia da planta. Tanto a deposição quanto a cobertura não foram prejudicadas pela utilização do volume de 70% (19,6 L planta-1), indicando que tal volume pode substituir o volume de 100% (28 L planta-1) sem prejuízos ao controle de pragas.

Análise e comparação entre algoritmos de percolação

In this work, we study and compare two percolation algorithms, one of then elaborated by Elias, and the other one by Newman and Ziff, using theorical tools of algorithms complexity and another algorithm that makes an experimental comparation. This work is divided in three chapters. The first one approaches some necessary definitions and theorems to a more formal mathematical study of percolation. The second presents technics that were used for the estimative calculation of the algorithms complexity, are they: worse case, better case e average case. We use the technique of the worse case to estimate the complexity of both algorithms and thus we can compare them. The last chapter shows several characteristics of each one of the algorithms and through the theoretical estimate of the complexity and the comparison between the execution time of the most important part of each one, we can compare these important algorithms that simulate the percolation.

A DOE based approach for the design of RBF artificial neural networks applied to prediction of surface roughness in AISI 52100 hardened Steel turning

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A Bilevel Approach to Transmission Expansion Planning Within a Market Environment

We present a bilevel model for transmission expansion planning within a market environment, where producers and consumers trade freely electric energy through a pool. The target of the transmission planner, modeled through the upper-level problem, is to minimize network investment cost while facilitating energy trading. This upper-level problem is constrained by a collection of lower-level market clearing problems representing pool trading, and whose individual objective functions correspond to social welfare. Using the duality theory the proposed bilevel model is recast as a mixed-integer linear programming problem, which is solvable using branch-and-cut solvers. Detailed results from an illustrative example and a case study are presented and discussed. Finally, some relevant conclusions are drawn.

A mineração artesanal e de pequena escala em pegmatitos e cerâmica no município de Parelhas, região do Seridó/Rio Grande do Norte

The working conditions, occupational health, occupational illness and workers quality of life, usually referring to the artisanal activities and the workers with a poor professional support. Because this reality is still present in locals without good infrastructure of social and economic attention, there is a need for a broad knowledge of problems related to the productive processes that include features of unsanitary and unhealthy. Despite the intense process of industrialization promoted by globalization and the growth of developing nations like Brazil, the activities of artisanal and small-scale mining are still suffering from the marginalization of their production processes and their workers. This dissertation deals with the description of mineral-based activities (MBA), especially the activities related to production processes of extraction and processing of red pottery and minerals in pegmatites in Parelhas city, Seridó, Rio Grande do Norte, which are conducted by small mining companies or artisanal miners. The study of the work process was based on direct observation, photographic documentation, ergonomics, health and occupational safety analysis, interviews and structured questionnaire with workers of the two activities. The results indicate the need for improvement in both workplaces (red pottery and pegmatites), adaptation of workers to safety standards specific to the workplace, more attention and care related to ergonomics and occupational safety, greater importance to economic and social relations among performed activities, workers and firms of mineral branch and better and greater integration of social policies, supported by different sectors of society with the intention of transforming the current social, cultural, labor and education situation

Veias do sistema porta-hepático em gansos domésticos

A distribuição intraparenquimal das veias porta-hepáticas foi estudada em 30 gansos domésticos. Latex Neoprene corado foi injetado pela veia isquiática e os animais forma fixados por imersão e injeção intramuscular com formol a 10% e dissecados. O fígado esteve composto por um grande lobo hepático direito e por um lobo hepático esquerdo menor, os quais estiveram conectados por uma ponte de parênquima. O lobo direito do fígado teve exclusivamente vasos do sistema porta-hepático formados pela distribuição intraparenquimal da veia porta-hepática direita, enquanto que no lobo esquerdo estes originaram-se da veia porta-hepática direita e de pequenas veias porta-hepáticas esquerdas. A veia porta-hepática direita emitiu o ramo caudal direito, que emitiu um pequeno ramo caudolateral direito e um grande ramo caudomedial direito. Cranialmente esta veia emitiu os ramos craniais direito e ramos lateral direito. A porção transversa da veia porta-hepática direita cruzou para o lobo hepático esquerdo, emitindo de 1 a 6 pequenos ramos craniais e caudais para a região média do fígado. No lobo esquerdo, o ramo esquerdo da veia porta-hepática direita emitiu o ramo cranial esquerdo, o ramo lateral esquerdo e o ramo medial. de 1 a 6 veias porta-hepáticas esquerdas foram identificadas desembocando ou no ramo esquerdo da veia porta-hepática direita ou em sua porção transversa, oriundos do ventrículo gástrico e do pró-ventrículo. em 40% dos gansos uma veia porta-hepática própria oriunda da confluência de vasos venosos da face esquerda do ventrículo distribuiu-se na extremidade caudal do lobo esquerdo isoladamente.