Cytogenetic and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of Leptodactylus species from rural and urban environments (Anura, Amphibia)

Cytogenetic and random amplified polymorphic DNA analyses carried out in the species Leptodactylus podicipinus, L. ocellatus, L. labyrinthicus, and L. fuscus from rural and urban habitats of the northwest region of São Paulo State, Brazil, showed that the karyotypes (2n = 22), constitutive heterochromatin distribution and nucleolus organizer region (NOR) location did not differ between the populations from the two environments. The in situ hybridization with an rDNA probe confirmed the location of the NORs on chromosome 8 revealing an in tandem duplication of that region in one of the chromosomes of L. fuscus. DAPI showed that part of the C-band-positive heterochromatin is rich in AT, including that in the proximity the NORs in L. podicipinus and L. ocellatus. The molecular analyses showed that the two populations (urban and rural) of L. podicipinus and L. fuscus are similar from a genetic point of view. The urban and rural populations of species L. ocellatus and L. labyrinthicus showed differences in genetic structures, probably due to urbanization which interferes with the dispersion of those frogs. The marked differences observed between the two populations of L. ocellatus can be representing the cryptic condition of the species. Unweighted pair-group method of analysis and genetic distance analysis detected the genetic proximity between L. ocellatus and L. fuscus. The results indicate that there was no reduction in the genetic diversity in the populations from the urban environment; however, the survival of these frogs would not be guaranteed in the case of an increase in human impact especially for populations of L. labyrinthicus and L. ocellatus. ©FUNPEC-RP.

Microeconomic behavior in high uncertainty environments: the case of Argentina

Includes bibliography

Using virtual worlds in distance learning environments

This paper presents two tools developed to facilitate the use and automate the process of using Virtual Worlds for educational purposes. The first tool has been developed to automatically create the classroom space, usually called region in the virtual world, which means, a region in the virtual world used to develop educational activities between professors, students and interactive objects. The second tool helps the process of creating 3D interactive objects in a virtual world. With these tools educators will be able to produce 3D interactive learning objects and use them in virtual classrooms improving the quality and appeal, for students, of their classes. © 2011 IEEE.

Treatments to optimize the use of artificial insemination and reproductive efficiency in beef cattle under tropical environments

Bos indicus cattle, the preferred genetic group in tropical climates, are characterized by having a lower reproductive efficiency than Bos taurus. The reasons for the poorer reproductive efficiency of the Bos indicus cows include longer lengths of gestation and postpartum anestrus, a short length of estrous behavior with a high incidence of estrus occurring during the dark hours, and puberty at older age and at a higher percentage of body weight relative to mature body weight. Moreover, geography, environment, economics, and social traditions are factors contributing for a lower use of reproductive biotechnologies in tropical environments. Hormonal protocols have been developed to resolve some of the reproductive challenges of the Bos indicus cattle and allow artificial insemination, which is the main strategy to hasten genetic improvement in commercial beef ranches. Most of these treatments use exogenous sources of progesterone associated with strategies to improve the final maturation of the dominant follicle, such as temporary weaning and exogenous gonadotropins. These treatments have caused large impacts on reproductive performance of beef cattle reared under tropical areas. Copyright © 2011 O. G. Sá Filho and J. L. M. Vasconcelos.

Creating capabilities in local environments and production networks

Includes bibliography

Engaging environments: Tacit knowledge sharing on the shop floor

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that facilitate tacit knowledge sharing in unstructured work environments, such as those found in automated production lines. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on a qualitative approach, and it draws data from a four-month field study at a blown-molded glass factory. Data collection techniques included interviews, informal conversations and on-site observations, and data were interpreted using content analysis. Findings: The results indicated that sharing of tacit knowledge is facilitated by an engaging environment. An engaging environment is supported by shared language and knowledge, which are developed through intense communication and a strong sense of collegiality and a social climate that is dominated by openness and trust. Other factors that contribute to the creation of an engaging environment include managerial efforts to provide appropriate work conditions and to communicate company goals, and HRM practices such as the provision of formal training, on-the-job training and incentives. Practical implications: This paper clarifies the scope of managerial actions that impact knowledge creation and sharing among blue-collar workers. Originality/value: Despite the acknowledgement of the importance of blue-collar workers' knowledge, both the knowledge management and operations management literatures have devoted limited attention to it. Studies related to knowledge management in unstructured working environments are also not abundant. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Probing the degree of non-Markovianity for independent and common environments

We study the non-Markovianity of the dynamics of open quantum systems, focusing on the cases of independent and common environmental interactions. We investigate the degree of non-Markovianity quantified by two distinct measures proposed by Luo, Fu, and Song and Breuer, Laine, and Pillo. We show that the amount of non-Markovianity, for a single qubit and a pair of qubits, depends on the quantum process, the proposed measure, and whether the environmental interaction is collective or independent. In particular, we demonstrate that while the degree of non-Markovianity generally increases with the number of qubits in the system for independent environments, the same behavior is not always observed for common environments. In the latter case, our analysis suggests that the amount of non-Markovianity could increase or decrease depending on the properties of the considered quantum process. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Partitioning of net primary production in Eucalyptus and Acacia stands and in mixed-species plantations: Two case-studies in contrasting tropical environments

The introduction of nitrogen fixing species (NFS) in fast-growing tree plantations is an alternative option to reduce fertilizer inputs. However, the success of mixed-species plantations depends on the balance between positive interactions among species (resulting from facilitation and/or complementarity) and the negative effects of interspecific competition.Using a carbon budget approach and coupling measurements of standing biomass, aboveground litterfall and soil CO2 efflux, we assessed the influence of replacing half of eucalypt trees by Acacia mangium on total belowground carbon flux (TBCF), net primary production (NPP) and its partitioning between above- and belowground growth at two tropical sites in Brazil (Itatinga) and in Congo (Kissoko) exhibiting contrasting climates, edaphic conditions and wood productions.Annual soil CO2 efflux (FS) was significantly lower in the acacia monocultures than in eucalypt monocultures and mixed-species stands at both sites. Annual FS was significantly lower at Itatinga compared to Kissoko for all stands while TBCF was significantly lower in the eucalypt stands only. In the eucalypt monocultures we found a significantly lower aboveground NPP (ANPP) and wood production (wood NPP) at Kissoko compared to Itatinga that was almost fully balanced by a significantly higher belowground NPP (BNPP), leading to similar NPP. Similarly, acacia monocultures exhibited significantly higher ANPP and wood NPP at Itatinga than at Kissoko. The mixed-species stands exhibited a significantly lower wood NPP and ANPP than the eucalypt monocultures at the Brazilian site while NPP of the mixture was not significantly different than the average NPP of the two monocultures. At the Congolese site, NPP of the mixture was significantly higher than the average NPP of the two monocultures. NPP was similar in the mixed-species stand and the eucalypt monoculture with a significantly lower partitioning of NPP to belowground production, leading to a one third higher wood biomass at harvest in the mixed-species stand.A positive effect of growing eucalypts with the nitrogen fixing acacia trees on stand wood production occurred at Kissoko but not at Itatinga. Mixed-species plantations with NFS can be advocated at sites where the productive gains resulting from nitrogen fixation are not compromised by other resource limitations. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Diversity of Chromobacterium violaceum isolates from aquatic environments of state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon

ABSTRACT: The present study intended to characterize the phenotypic and genetic diversity of Brazilian isolates of Chromobacterium violaceum from aquatic environments within the Amazon region. Nineteen isolates showed morphological properties of C. violaceum and the majority grew at 44°C. Low temperatures, in contrast, showed to be inhibitory to their growth, as eleven isolates did not grow at 10ºC and nine did not produce pigmentation, clearly indicating an inhibition of their metabolism. The largest variation among isolates was observed in the citrate test (Simmons), in which 12 isolates were positive, and in the oxidation/fermentation of sucrose, with six positives isolates. Chloramphenicol, gentamicin and sulfonamides efficiently inhibited bacterial growth. Amplified products of the recA gene were digested with HindII or PstI, which produced three or four restriction fragments patterns, respectively. The combined analysis arranged the isolates into six genospecies. The higher diversity observed in Belém (genotypes C, D, E and F) may be a consequence of intense human occupation, pollution of the aquatic environment or due to the higher diversity of the environments sampled in that region. In conclusion, a high level of genetic and phenotypic diversity was observed, and four new genospecies were described.

Novel technique for locating an intruder in 3D environments by using a cooperative system of multistatic radars

The aim of this work is to present a new methodology, based on vector and geometrical techniques, for determining the position of an intruder in a residence (3D problem). Initially, modifications in the electromagnetic responses of the environment, caused by movements of the trespasser, are detected. It is worth mentioning that slight movements are detected by high frequency components of the used pulse. The differences between the signals (before and after any movement) are used to define a sphere and ellipsoids, which are used for estimating the position of the invader. In this work, multiple radars are used in a cooperative manner. The multiple estimates obtained are used to determine a mean position and its standard deviation, introducing the concept of sphere of estimates. The electromagnetic simulations were performed by using the FDTD method. Results were obtained for single and double floor residences.

Information flows and environments in business contexts: the meat sector case of Salmanca/Spain

Organizational environments are related to hierarchic levels existing in a determined organization, and they influence in the formal and informal flows origin and in their monitoring and/or extinction. Informational environments are a result of organizational environments, of which focus is information and knowledge. Information flows are a fundamental element to informational environments, in a way that there´s no informational environments if there´s no information flows. Informational flows are natural reflections from their environments, in terms of content and in the way they occur. This qualitative and quantitative research was developed in three stages, in a way to allow the comprehension of the phenomena related to information and knowledge environments and information flows that occur in the meat sector from the Province of Salamanca, Spain. We used Laurence Bardin´s ‘Analysis of Content’, more specifically the ‘Categorical Analysis’ technique to data analysis. As data collection procedure we accomplished a field research, applying a questionnaire as an intentional sample of the meat industries segment from the Province of Salamanca, Spain. From data tabulation and analysis, we infer that information environments and flows are relevant to these companies business development, as well as we emphasized the need of information and knowledge management deployment, in a way to insure organizational processes quality, industrial chain production and companies competition to conquer potential markets.

Corrosion-fatigue life of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloys in different storage environments

Statement of problem. Removable partial dentures are affected by fatigue because of the cyclic mechanism of the masticatory system ansi frequent insertion and removal. Titanium and its alloys have been used in the manufacture of denture frameworks; however, preventive agents with fluorides are thought to attack titanium alloy surfaces.Purpose. This study evaluated, compared, analyzed the corrosion-fatigue life of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloy in different storage environments.Material and methods. For each metal, 33 dumbbell rods, 2.3 mm in diameter at the central segment, were cast in the Rematitan system. Corrosion-fatigue strength test was carried out through a universal testing machine with a load 30% lon er than the 0.2% offset yield strength and a combined influence of different: environments: in air at room temperature, with synthetic saliva, and with fluoride synthetic saliva. After failure, the number of cycles were recorded, and fracture surfaces were examined with on SEM.Results. ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison rest indicated that Ti-6Al-4V alloy achieved 21,269 cycles (SD = 8,355) against 19,157 cycles (SD = 3,624) for the commercially purr Ti. There were no significant differences between either metal in the corrosion-fatigue life for dry specimens, but when the solutions were present, the fatigue life was significantly reduced, probably because of the product-ion of corrosion pits caused by superficial reactions.

An Informatics Technical Note on Interaction of DNA - Graphene Chemical Sensor System as Reaction-Diffusion Wave-Based Computing System in Ionised Gaseous environments and their Applications Using Theoretical Studies and Scientific Computation Overview

The physics of plasmas encompasses basic problems from the universe and has assured us of promises in diverse applications to be implemented in a wider range of scientific and engineering domains, linked to most of the evolved and evolving fundamental problems. Substantial part of this domain could be described by R–D mechanisms involving two or more species (reaction–diffusion mechanisms). These could further account for the simultaneous non-linear effects of heating, diffusion and other related losses. We mention here that in laboratory scale experiments, a suitable combination of these processes is of vital importance and very much decisive to investigate and compute the net behaviour of plasmas under consideration. Plasmas are being used in the revolution of information processing, so we considered in this technical note a simple framework to discuss and pave the way for better formalisms and Informatics, dealing with diverse domains of science and technologies. The challenging and fascinating aspects of plasma physics is that it requires a great deal of insight in formulating the relevant design problems, which in turn require ingenuity and flexibility in choosing a particular set of mathematical (and/or experimental) tools to implement them.

Life-history strategies associated to reproduction of three Hyphessobrycon species (Characidae) in lentic environments of upper Paraná River basin

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assessing land use by cattle in heterogeneous environments

The aim of this note is to describe preliminary results on assessment of land use by cattle, obtained in a pilot study using Geographic Information System (GIS). The research was carried out on a semi-natural pasture in Sweden, where the geographic positions of one cow were recorded during 25 consecutive days during summer. The cow, wearing a GPS collar, was integrated in a herd of 53 Hereford cattle. Each location point registered for the animal was considered as a sampling unit (N=3,097). The spatial distribution of ground declivity, water sources, cattle tracks, and classes of woody vegetation cover (forest, grassland with trees and open grassland) were recorded. The storage, processing and data analysis were carried out using the Idrisi and GS+ softwares. Three occupation zones were identified in function of the variation in the space used by the animal, which were occupied in a cyclical pattern; with the animal moving from one zone to another in cycles of five days. It was also clear that the cattle distribution in the area was neither random nor uniform, and it was affected by environmental characteristics that act as conditioners on its distribution. These preliminary results suggest that definition of zones of occupation and the environmental conditioners are promising tools to understand the land use by cattle