Digging effort in leaf-cutting ant queens (Atta sexdens rubropilosa) and its effects on survival and colony growth during the claustral phase

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

Nandrolone Decanoate and Physical Effort: Histological and Morphometrical Assessment in Adult Rat Uterus

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

OVARIAN HISTOLOGY and FOLLICULAR SCORE IN FEMALE RATS TREATED WITH NANDROLONE DECANOATE and SUBMITTED TO PHYSICAL EFFORT

The study was conducted to analyze the histology of the ovaries of adults rats treated with steroids, and submitted or not to physical effort. The control group consisted of females submitted to physical effort and sedentary females, both of which received a physiological solution of 0.9% saline. Treated females, sedentary or not, received 6 mg/kg of body weight of nandrolone decanoate. The steroid and physiological solution were administered intraperitoneally, with a single injection per week for 4 consecutive weeks. The applied physical effort was swimming (20 minutes daily, 5 days/week, for the 4 weeks of treatment). Serial sections (5 mu m) of ovaries were prepared for histological evaluation and follicular score. The weight of ovaries and hypophysis, the number of antral and atretic follicles, and the area of corpus luteum were all affected by the steroids. In the ovaries of the control groups, well-developed corpus luteum was observed. In the treated groups, the cortical stroma was occupied by ovarian interstitial tissue. The females treated with steroids presented estral acyclicity. The use of nandrolone decanoate, whether associated with physical effort or not, affected the morphological pattern of the ovaries.

Sensoriamento remoto hidroacústico no mapeamento de macrófitas aquáticas submersas

Macrófitas são importantes produtoras primárias do ecossistema aquático, e o desequilíbrio do ambiente pode ocasionar seu crescimento acelerado. Portanto, levantamentos de dados relacionados a macrófitas submersas são importantes para contribuir na gestão de corpos de água. Contudo, a amostragem dessa vegetação requer um enorme esforço físico. Nesse sentido, a técnica hidroacústica é apropriada para o estudo de macrófitas submersas. Assim, os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar os tipos de dados gerados pelo ecobatímetro e analisar como esses dados caracterizam a vegetação. Utilizou-se o ecobatímetro BioSonics DT-X acoplado a um GPS. A área de estudo é um trecho do Rio Uberaba, MG. A amostragem foi feita por meio de transectos, navegando de uma margem à outra. Depois de processar os dados, obteve-se informação a respeito de ocorrência de macrófitas submersas, profundidade, altura média das plantas, porcentagem da cobertura vegetal e posição. A partir desse conjunto de dados, foi possível extrair outras duas métricas: biovolume e altura efetiva do dossel. Os dados foram importados de um Sistema de Informação Geográfica e geraram-se mapas ilustrativos das variáveis estudadas. Além disso, quatro perfis foram selecionados para analisar a diferença entre as grandezas de representação de macrófitas. O ecobatímetro mostrou-se uma ferramenta eficaz no mapeamento de macrófitas submersas. Cada uma das medidas - altura do dossel, ECH ou biovolume - caracteriza de forma diferente a vegetação submersa. Dessa forma, a escolha do tipo de representação depende da aplicação desejada.

Stratified Sampling Applied to Estimation of the Volumetric Fraction of Alumina in Cast Metal Matrix Composites

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Determination of Population Size of Glass-like Carbon Sampling Used in Weibull Analysis

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

Double sampling (x)over-bar control chart for a first-order autoregressive moving average process model

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Variable parameter and double sampling (X)over-bar charts in the presence of correlation: The Markov chain approach

The general assumption under which the (X) over bar chart is designed is that the process mean has a constant in-control value. However, there are situations in which the process mean wanders. When it wanders according to a first-order autoregressive (AR (1)) model, a complex approach involving Markov chains and integral equation methods is used to evaluate the properties of the (X) over bar chart. In this paper, we propose the use of a pure Markov chain approach to study the performance of the (X) over bar chart. The performance of the chat (X) over bar with variable parameters and the (X) over bar with double sampling are compared. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bivariate control charts with double sampling

In this article, we consider the T(2) chart with double sampling to control bivariate processes (BDS chart). During the first stage of the sampling, n(1) items of the sample are inspected and two quality characteristics (x; y) are measured. If the Hotelling statistic T(1)(2) for the mean vector of (x; y) is less than w, the sampling is interrupted. If the Hotelling statistic T(1)(2) is greater than CL(1), where CL(1) > w, the control chart signals an out-of-control condition. If w < T(1)(2) <= CL(1), the sampling goes on to the second stage, where the remaining n(2) items of the sample are inspected and T(2)(2) for the mean vector of the whole sample is computed. During the second stage of the sampling, the control chart signals an out-of-control condition when the statistic T(2)(2) is larger than CL(2). A comparative study shows that the BDS chart detects process disturbances faster than the standard bivariate T(2) chart and the adaptive bivariate T(2) charts with variable sample size and/or variable sampling interval.

The double sampling and the EWMA charts based on the sample variances

We propose a new statistic to control the covariance matrix of bivariate processes. This new statistic is based on the sample variances of the two quality characteristics, in short VMAX statistic. The points plotted on the chart correspond to the maximum of the values of these two variances. The reasons to consider the VMAX statistic instead of the generalized variance vertical bar S vertical bar is its faster detection of process changes and its better diagnostic feature; that is, with the VMAX statistic it is easier to identify the out-of-control variable. We study the double sampling (DS) and the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) charts based on the VMAX statistic. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of scaled semivariograms to plan soil sampling in sugarcane fields

Spatial sampling designs used to characterize the spatial variability of soil attributes are crucial for science studies. Sample planning for the interpolation of a regionalized variable may use several criteria, which could be best selected from an estimated semivariogram from a previously established grid. The objective of this study was to optimize the procedure for scaled semivariogram use to plan soil sampling in sugarcane fields in the Alfisol and Oxisol regions of Jaboticabal Town in So Paulo State, Brazil. A scaled semivariogram for several soil chemical attributes was estimated from the data obtained from two grids positioned on a sugarcane field area, sampled at a depth of 0.0-0.5 m. The research showed that regular grids with uniform intervals did not express the real spatial variability of the soil attributes of Oxisols and Alfisols in the study area. The calculated final sampling density based on the scaled parameters of the semivariogram was one sample for each 2 ha in Area 1 (convex landscape) and one sample for each 1 ha in Area 2 (linear landscape), as indicated by SANOS 0.1 software. The combined use of the simulation programs and scaled semivariograms can be used to define sampling points. These results may help in soil fertility mapping and thereby improve nutrient management in sugarcane crops.

Influence of carrion smell and rebaiting time on the efficiency of pitfall traps to dung beetle sampling

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are very useful insects, as they improve the chemo-physical properties of soil, clean pastures from dung pads, and help control symbovine flies associated with bovine cattle. Their importance makes it fundamental to sample and survey them adequately. The objectives of the present study were to determine the influence of decaying insects trapped in pitfalls on the attractiveness of Moura pig Sus scrofa L. (Suidae) and collared peccary Tayassu tajacu (L.) (Tayassuidae) dung used as baits to lure dung beetles, and to establish how long these baits remain attractive to dung beetles when used in these traps. Some dung beetle species seemed to be able to discriminate against foul smell from decaying insects within the first 24 h, hence decreasing trap efficiency. This was more evident in peccary dung-baited traps, which proved to be the least attractive bait. Attractiveness lasted only 24 h for peccary dung, after which it became unattractive, whereas the pig dung bait was highly attractive for 48 h, after which its attractiveness diminished but was not completely lost.

Analytical procedure based on slurry sampling for determining selenium in organic vegetable samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

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

Non-destructive genetic sampling in fish. An improved method for DNA extraction from fish fins and scales

DNA-based studies have been one of the major interests in conservation biology of endangered species and in population genetics. As species and population genetic assessment requires a source of biological material, the sampling strategy can be overcome by non-destructive procedures for DNA isolation. An improved method for obtaining DNA from fish fins and scales with the use of an extraction buffer containing urea and further DNA purification with phenol-chloroform is described. The methodology combines the benefits of a non-destructive DNA sampling and its high efficiency. In addition, comparisons with other methodologies for isolating DNA from fish demonstrated that the present procedure also becomes a very attractive alternative to obtain large amounts of high-quality DNA for use in different molecular analyses. The DNA samples, isolated from different fish species, have been successfully used on random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) experiments, as well as on amplification of specific ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA sequences. The present DNA extraction procedure represents an alternative for population approaches and genetic studies on rare or endangered taxa.