Deposição de filmes finos de SnO2 e GaAs, visando confecção de dispositivos baseados na heterojunção SnO2/GaAs

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

Estudo das propriedades estímulo responsivas dos polímeros escovas

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

A sazonalidade ambiental afeta a composição faunística de Ephemeroptera e Trichoptera em um riacho de Cerrado do Sudeste do Brasil?

In this paper, data on the fauna of Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera (ET) from a Cerrado stream was analysed in order to test the hypothesis that the high seasonality of this biome can influence the composition of ET between the wet and dry seasons. The community structure was evaluated using Detrended Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis (Morisita Horn-UPGMA). Environmental factors were analyzed using the Principal Components Analysis. In order to test the effect of abiotic variables on the fauna, It was applied the Procrustean Randomization Test (Protest) and Mantel Test. The environmental factors recorded for this study had a significant effect on the ET fauna from Córrego do Pedregulho. Faunal similarity was high throughout the year, indicating that although there was density of fluctuation, due to rainfall variation, the faunal composition showed little temporal variability. On the other hand, it was possible to observe that the genus Lachlania (Ephemeroptera) occurred preferably during the rainy months and that the faunal composition during the dry season was less variable than those from other seasons. Therefore, environmental seasonality had a partial effect on the faunal composition of ET from Córrego do Pedregulho.

Aplicação da análise de séries temporais para detecção e prognóstico de danos em estruturas inteligentes

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEIS

A comparative analysis reveals weak relationships between ecological factors and beta diversity of stream insect metacommunities at two spatial levels

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Partitioning the relative contribution of one-phase and two-phase seed dispersal when evaluating seed dispersal effectiveness

Seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) is a conceptual framework that aims at quantifying the contribution of seed dispersal vectors to plant fitness. While it is well recognized that diplochorous dispersal systems, characterized by two successive dispersal steps performed by two different vectors (Phase I=primary seed dispersal and Phase II=secondary seed dispersal) which are common in temperate and tropical regions, little attention has been given to distinguishing the relative contribution of one-phase and two-phase dispersal to overall SDE. This conceptual gap probably results from the lack of a clear methodology to include Phase II dispersal into the calculation of SDE and to quantify its relative contribution. We propose a method to evaluate the relative contribution of one-phase and two-phase dispersal to SDE and determine whether two seed dispersers are better than one. To do so, we used the SDE landscape and an extension of the SDE landscape, the Phase II effect landscape, which measures the direction and magnitude of the Phase II dispersal effect on overall SDE. We used simulated and empirical data from a diplochorous dispersal system in the Peruvian Amazon to illustrate this new approach. Our approach provides the relative contribution of one-phase SDE (SDE1) and two-phase SDE (SDE2) to overall SDE and quantifies how much SDE changes with the addition of Phase II dispersal. Considering that the seed dispersal process is context dependent so that Phase II depends on Phase I, we predict the possible range of variation of SDE according to the variation of the probability of Phase II dispersal. In our specific study system composed of two primate species as primary dispersal vectors and different species of dung beetles as secondary dispersal vectors, the relative contribution of SDE1 and SDE2 to overall SDE varied between plant species. We discuss the context dependency of the Phase II dispersal and the potential applications of our approach. This extension to the conceptual framework of SDE enables quantitative evaluation of the effect of Phase II dispersal on plant fitness and can be easily adapted to other biotic and/or abiotic diplochorous dispersal systems.

NDVI and vegetation phenology dynamics under the influence of sunshine duration on the Tibetan plateau

Climate change has significantly influenced vegetation dynamics on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Past research mainly focused on vegetation responses to temperature variation and water stress, but the influence of sunshine duration on NDVI and vegetation phenology on the TP is not well understood. In this study, NDVI time series from 1982-2008 were used to retrieve spatiotemporal vegetation dynamics on the TP. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was conducted to understand the spatiotemporal variations of NDVI. The Start of Season (SOS) was estimated from NDVI time series with a local threshold method. The first EOF, accounting for 35.1% of NDVI variations on the TP, indicates that NDVI variations are larger in areas with shorter sunshine duration. The needle-leaved forest and shrub in the southeastern TP are more sensitive to sunshine duration anomalies (p < 0.01) than broad-leaved forest, steppe, and meadow due to spatial and altitudinal distribution of sunshine duration and vegetation types. The decrease in sunshine duration for the growing season on the TP has resulted in a decreased NDVI trend in some areas of southeastern TP (p ranging from 0.32-0.05 with threshold ranging from 0.05 to 0.25) in spite of the overall NDVI increase. SOS dynamics in most parts of the TP were mainly related to temperature variability, with precipitation and sunshine duration playing a role in a few regions. This study enhances our understanding of vegetation responses to climatic change on the TP.

Genome-wide association study and ancestral origins of the slick-hair coat in tropically adapted cattle

The slick hair coat (SLICK) is a dominantly inherited trait typically associated with tropically adapted cattle that are from Criollo descent through Spanish colonization of cattle into the New World. The trait is of interest relative to climate change, due to its association with improved thermo-tolerance and subsequent increased productivity. Previous studies localized the SLICK locus to a 4 cM region on chromosome (BTA) 20 and identified signatures of selection in this region derived from Senepol cattle. The current study compares three slick-haired Criollo-derived breeds including Senepol, Carora, and Romosinuano and three additional slick-haired cross-bred lineages to non-slick ancestral breeds. Genome-wide association (GWA), haplotype analysis, signatures of selection, runs of homozygosity (ROH), and identity by state (IBS) calculations were used to identify a 0.8 Mb (37.7-38.5 Mb) consensus region for the SLICK locus on BTA20 in which contains SKP2 and SPEF2 as possible candidate genes. Three specific haplotype patterns are identified in slick individuals, all with zero frequency in non-slick individuals. Admixture analysis identified common genetic patterns between the three slick breeds at the SLICK locus. Principal component analysis (PCA) and admixture results show Senepol and Romosinuano sharing a higher degree of genetic similarity to one another with a much lesser degree of similarity to Carora. Variation in GWA, haplotype analysis, and IBS calculations with accompanying population structure information supports potentially two mutations, one common to Senepol and Romosinuano and another in Carora, effecting genes contained within our refined location for the SLICK locus.

Shared Escovopsis parasites between leaf-cutting and non-leaf-cutting ants in the higher attine fungus-growing ant symbiosis

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

Greenhouse gas emissions and N2o mitigation in beef cattle production on tropical pasture

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

Investigação das propriedades ópticas de ZnO e ZnO:Al

Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais - FC

Avaliação de um sensor de resistencia eletrica e sua correlação com atributos do solo

The electrical measures of the soil have been used as variables that correlate with its characteristics. This study aimed at developing an electrical capacitance sensor of low cost, to evaluate its performance on the field and verify the correlation between the measurements of electrical capacitance with physical properties (sand, silt and clay) and chemical properties of soil (pH, MO, P resin, H + Al, K, Ca, Mg, SB, CTC and V%) and the moisture content. The data sampling was performed at the farm named "Capão da Onça" which belongs to the State University of Ponta Grossa. The samples collection was conducted in an area of approximately 13 hectares, totalizing 81 samples. In each sampling the electrical capacitance of the soil was measured. After the sensor withdrawal, soil samples were collected and sent to be analysed in the laboratory of the College of Agronomics Science of the Paulista State University. The measuring instrument used to collect data on electric capacitance of the soil a digital multimeter was used. The data were submitted to the analysis of correlation and regression. The developed system presented a low cost and it was capable to measuring variation of the electrical capacitance of the soil. The obtained measures satisfactorily correlated with the levels of clay and sand, and weakly with the moisture content. This had demonstrated the possibility to use a sensor to verify the soil texture in not homogeneous areas. The measures of the electrical capacitance of the soil obtained by the sensor had significantly correlated with the soil attributes: calcium, magnesium, pH, SB and CTC. These results had demonstrated the possibility to use a sensor for soil fertility control.

Influência da cultura organizacional na implementação de um programa de melhoria contínua de uma empresa de grande porte

The objective of this study was to identify the facilitators and restrictive factors promoted by the organizational culture on the implementation of a continuous improvement program in a company. The influence of organizational culture on tools used to improve processes and results demonstrate critical factors for international competitiveness, reflecting a company's strategy. Depending on how new working methods are implemented, organizational changes to reduce variation and waste, such as lean production, can affect the employee experience in the workplace and their learning conditions. Changes and formalization of the work process can be coercive, characterized by forced compliance, introduction of rules, and focus on technical and financial methods; or may be favorable, encouraging employee involvement in problem solving and stressing learning and innovation. The basis of the analysis lies with two models for assessing organizational culture - Denison Model and Competing Values Framework. The methodology used was: conducting interviews, a questionnaire, literature review and documentary analysis of a large company equipment industry. Results suggest that organizational culture plays an important role in the adoption of Lean practices. It can contribute to its effectiveness and job satisfaction, but it is not decisive feature of their success. The conclusion is that the organizational culture becomes a driving factor when aligned to the proposed practices and when taken into consideration for planning, acting as a limitation when it does not promote development and a participative environment

Influência da cultura organizacional na implementação de um programa de melhoria contínua de uma empresa de grande porte

The objective of this study was to identify the facilitators and restrictive factors promoted by the organizational culture on the implementation of a continuous improvement program in a company. The influence of organizational culture on tools used to improve processes and results demonstrate critical factors for international competitiveness, reflecting a company's strategy. Depending on how new working methods are implemented, organizational changes to reduce variation and waste, such as lean production, can affect the employee experience in the workplace and their learning conditions. Changes and formalization of the work process can be coercive, characterized by forced compliance, introduction of rules, and focus on technical and financial methods; or may be favorable, encouraging employee involvement in problem solving and stressing learning and innovation. The basis of the analysis lies with two models for assessing organizational culture - Denison Model and Competing Values Framework. The methodology used was: conducting interviews, a questionnaire, literature review and documentary analysis of a large company equipment industry. Results suggest that organizational culture plays an important role in the adoption of Lean practices. It can contribute to its effectiveness and job satisfaction, but it is not decisive feature of their success. The conclusion is that the organizational culture becomes a driving factor when aligned to the proposed practices and when taken into consideration for planning, acting as a limitation when it does not promote development and a participative environment

Genetic characterization of fig tree mutants with molecular markers

The fig (Ficus carica L.) is a fruit tree of great world importance and, therefore, the genetic improvement becomes an important field of research for better crops, being necessary to gather information on this species, mainly regarding its genetic variability so that appropriate propagation projects and management are made. The improvement programs of fig trees using conventional procedures in order to obtain new cultivars are rare in many countries, such as Brazil, especially due to the little genetic variability and to the difficulties in obtaining plants from gamete fusion once the wasp Blastophaga psenes, responsible for the natural pollinating, is not found in Brazil. In this way, the mutagenic genetic improvement becomes a solution of it. For this reason, in an experiment conducted earlier, fig plants formed by cuttings treated with gamma ray were selected based on their agronomic characteristics of interest. We determined the genetic variability in these fig tree selections, using RAPD and AFLP molecular markers, comparing them to each other and to the Roxo-de-Valinhos, used as the standard. For the reactions of DNA amplification, 140 RAPD primers and 12 primer combinations for AFLP analysis were used. The selections did not differ genetically between themselves and between them and the Roxo-de-Valinhos cultivar. Techniques that can detect polymorphism between treatments, such as DNA sequencing, must be tested. The phenotypic variation of plants may be due to epigenetic variation, necessitating the use of techniques with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes.