Umidade ponderal em tecidos de pereira durante o período de dormência sob condições de inverno ameno

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a umidade ponderal (UP) em diferentes tecidos das cultivares de pereira Kieffer (Pyrus communis) e Housui (Pyrus pyrifolia), durante a dormência, em condições de inverno ameno. Foram avaliadas plantas do pomar experimental da Embrapa Clima Temperado, Pelotas, RS. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3x4x5, que consistiu em três tecidos (gema, casca e lenho), quatro porções de ramos (terminal, mediana, axial e esporões) e cinco datas de coleta, em 2005 (1/7, 3/8, 6/9, 23/9 e 13/10), com parcelas subdivididas e três repetições. Houve aumento na UP do lenho na cultivar Kieffer até a metade da dormência, com subsequente redução a partir desta fase, o que pode ser atribuído ao aumento na UP observado nas gemas após satisfação da exigência em frio e superação de dormência. Na cultivar Housui, a insatisfação da exigência em frio, associada à ocorrência de altas temperaturas durante o inverno, refletiu-se na redução da UP e na desidratação das gemas durante a dormência. A dinâmica da água em tecidos de pereira é diretamente influenciada pelo acúmulo de frio hibernal e depende da exigência em frio de cada cultivar.

Detection and chemical profiling of medicine counterfeits by Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics

Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometrics has recently become a widespread technique for the analysis of pharmaceutical solid forms. The application presented in this paper is the investigation of counterfeit medicines. This increasingly serious issue involves networks that are an integral part of industrialized organized crime. Efficient analytical tools are consequently required to fight against it. Quick and reliable authentication means are needed to allow the deployment of measures from the company and the authorities. For this purpose a method in two steps has been implemented here. The first step enables the identification of pharmaceutical tablets and capsules and the detection of their counterfeits. A nonlinear classification method, the Support Vector Machines (SVM), is computed together with a correlation with the database and the detection of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) peaks in the suspect product. If a counterfeit is detected, the second step allows its chemical profiling among former counterfeits in a forensic intelligence perspective. For this second step a classification based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and correlation distance measurements is applied to the Raman spectra of the counterfeits.

A novel semi-fragile forensic watermarking scheme for remote sensing images

Peer-reviewed

A Secure and Anonymous Cooperative Sensing Protocol for Cognitive Radio Networks

Spectrum is an essential resource for the provision of mobile services. In order to control and delimit its use, governmental agencies set up regulatory policies. Unfortunately, such policies have led to a deficiency of spectrum as only few frequency bands are left unlicensed, and these are used for the majority of new emerging wireless applications. One promising way to alleviate the spectrum shortage problem is adopting a spectrum sharing paradigm in which frequency bands are used opportunistically. Cognitive radio is the key technology to enable this shift of paradigm.Cognitive radio networks are self-organized systems in which devices cooperate to use those spectrum ranges that are not occupied by licensed users. They carry out spectrum sensing in order to detect vacant channels that can be used for communication. Even though spectrum sensing is an active area of research, an important issue remains unsolved: the secure authentication of sensing reports. Not providing security enables the input of false data in the system thus empowering false results. This paper presents a distributed protocol based on wireless physical layer security, symmetric cryptography and one-way functions that allows determining a final sensing decision from multiple sources in a quick and secure way, as well as it preserves users¿ privacy.

Visualizing key authenticity: turning your face into your public key

La informació biomètrica s'ha convertit en una tecnologia complementària a la criptografia que permet administrar còmodament les dades criptogràfiques. Són útils dues necessitats importants: en primer lloc, posar aquestes dades sempre a mà i, a més, fent fàcilment identificable el seu legítim propietari. En aquest article es proposa un sistema que integra la signatura biomètrica de reconeixement facial amb un esquema de signatura basat en la identitat, de manera que la cara de l'usuari esdevé la seva clau pública i la ID del sistema. D'aquesta manera, altres usuaris poden verificar els missatges utilitzant fotos del remitent, proporcionant un intercanvi raonable entre la seguretat del sistema i la usabilitat, així com una manera molt més senzilla d'autenticar claus públiques i processos de distribució.

A Secure Cooperative Sensing Protocol for Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive radio networks sense spectrum occupancyand manage themselves to operate in unused bands without disturbing licensed users. Spectrum sensing is more accurate if jointly performed by several reliable nodes. Even though cooperative sensing is an active area of research, the secureauthentication of local sensing reports remains unsolved, thus empowering false results. This paper presents a distributed protocol based on digital signatures and hash functions, and ananalysis of its security features. The system allows determining a final sensing decision from multiple sources in a quick and secure way.

Investigating the relationship between pollination strategies and the size-advantage model in zoophilous plants using the reproductive biology of Arum cylindraceum and other European Arum species as case studies

The size-advantage model (SAM) explains the temporal variation of energetic investment on reproductive structures (i.e. male and female gametes and reproductive organs) in long-lived hermaphroditic plants and animals. It proposes that an increase in the resources available to an organism induces a higher relative investment on the most energetically costly sexual structures. In plants, pollination interactions are known to play an important role in the evolution of floral features. Because the SAM directly concerns flower characters, pollinators are expected to have a strong influence on the application of the model. This hypothesis, however, has never been tested. Here, we investigate whether the identity and diversity of pollinators can be used as a proxy to predict the application of the SAM in exclusive zoophilous plants. We present a new approach to unravel the dynamics of the model and test it on several widespread Arum (Araceae) species. By identifying the species composition, abundance and spatial variation of arthropods trapped in inflorescences, we show that some species (i.e. A. cylindraceum and A. italicum) display a generalist reproductive strategy, relying on the exploitation of a low number of dipterans, in contrast to the pattern seen in the specialist A. maculatum (pollinated specifically by two fly species only). Based on the model presented here, the application of the SAM is predicted for the first two and not expected in the latter species, those predictions being further confirmed by allometric measures. We here demonstrate that while an increase in the female zone occurs in larger inflorescences of generalist species, this does not happen in species demonstrating specific pollinators. This is the first time that this theory is both proposed and empirically tested in zoophilous plants. Its overall biological importance is discussed through its application in other non-Arum systems.

Biologia de ninfas e adultos do percevejo-verde em estruturas reprodutivas de algodoeiro

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a biologia de ninfas e adultos do percevejo-verde em estruturas reprodutivas do algodoeiro. Os alimentos testados foram: dieta padrão, contendo vagem de feijão, amendoim cru e frutos de ligustro; vagem verde de soja; semente de soja; botão floral de algodoeiro; e maçãs e sementes de algodoeiro. Foram avaliados os parâmetros biológicos: período de desenvolvimento e sobrevivência ninfal; longevidade de fêmeas e machos; percentagem de fêmeas em oviposição; períodos de pré-oviposição e oviposição; número total de ovos por fêmea; e viabilidade dos ovos. Ninfas alimentadas com estruturas reprodutivas do algodoeiro morreram no segundo ou no terceiro ínstar. Adultos alimentados com botão floral e semente de algodoeiro não se reproduzem; porém, há reprodução quando adultos os de percevejo-verde são alimentados com maçã de algodoeiro, o que indica a capacidade de adaptação da espécie na fase reprodutiva do algodoeiro.

Aplicabilidade do termo antocrono para representar a velocidade de abertura de flores em inflorescência

O objetivo deste trabalho foi propor um termo para representar o intervalo de tempo de abertura entre flores sucessivas em inflorescências, e verificar a aplicabilidade deste termo a gladíolo de corte. O termo foi construído pela junção dos radicais gregos anto- (antos = flor) e crono- (cronos = tempo), para corresponder ao tempo necessário para a abertura de flores sucessivas em ramos florais (inflorescências), tendo-se como unidade o tempo por flor. Para testar o conceito e a aplicabilidade do termo, dados do número acumulado de floretes abertos em espigas de gladíolo foram coletados em dois experimentos de campo, em Santa Maria, RS, de agosto de 2011 a novembro de 2013. Para cada parcela de seis plantas, realizou-se uma regressão linear simples entre o número acumulado de floretes abertos na haste floral e os dias após a emergência das plantas. O termo foi denominado "antocrono" e, em gladíolo, foi estimado como sendo o inverso do coeficiente angular da regressão linear, com a unidade dias por florete. O antocrono em gladíolo depende da cultivar e decresce com o aumento da temperatura do ar, durante o período de florescimento da espiga.

Pollination requirements of seeded and seedless mini watermelon varieties cultivated under protected environment

The objective of this work was to evaluate the floral biology and pollination requirements of seeded and seedless mini watermelon varieties, and to determine the best varieties to cultivate under protected environment. Three seedless (HA-5106, HA-5158, and HA-5161) and two seeded (Minipol and Polimore) genotypes were tested. Flowers were monitored from the pre-anthesis stage to senescence, and fruit quality was also evaluated. The evaluated treatments were hand-geitonogamous pollination (MG), cross-pollination with pollen from the Polimore variety (MCP), cross-pollination with pollen from the Minipol variety (MCM), and restricted pollination. All varieties had monoecious plants with diclinous flowers, and the stigmas remained receptive throughout anthesis. Fruit set rates of 84.62% (MG), 61.54% (MCP), 48% (MCM), and 0% (restricted) were obtained for seeded varieties, but of 0% (MG), 76.36% (MCP), 82.69% (MCM), and 0% (restricted) for seedless varieties. Fruits did not differ in quality among treatments within each genotype. Therefore, all the studied varieties require a pollination agent and diploid pollen for fruit set to occur, regardless of the donor variety; and Minipol or Polimore with HA-5106 or HA-5158 are the varieties recommended for cultivation in protected environment.

Características florais e polinizadores na qualidade de frutos de cultivares de maracujazeiro-azedo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as características florais de oito cultivares de maracujazeiro-azedo e identificar seus polinizadores, bem como avaliar a influência da polinização natural na qualidade dos frutos, na região de Tangará da Serra, MT. Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com dez repetições e uma flor por parcela para avaliar a morfometria, e com quatro repetições e cinco flores por cultivar para determinar o índice de frutificação. Avaliaram-se os seguintes parâmetros: morfologia e morfometria floral, longevidade floral, frequência de visitantes florais, índice de frutificação natural e qualidade de fruto. A morfologia e a morfometria das flores foram compatíveis com a polinização por abelhas de grande porte; também foram compatíveis com a polinização por abelhas de médio porte nas cultivares IAC-275-Maravilha, IAC-277-Jóia, BRS SC1, BRS RC e BRS GA1. A maior longevidade floral foi observada nas cultivares IAC-277-Jóia, BRS GA1, BRS RC e BRS OV1. A frequência de abelhas como Xylocopa (2,0%) e Bombus (3,9%) foi baixa, e 'BRS GA1' recebeu o maior número de visitas destas abelhas. O índice de frutificação natural foi baixo (36,67%). Os frutos de polinização natural apresentam características físicas compatíveis com as exigidas pelo mercado consumidor.

Study of isotopic variations in black powder: reflections on the use of stable isotopes in forensic science for source inference.

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) has recently made its appearance in the forensic community. This high-precision technology has already been applied to a broad range of forensic fields such as illicit drugs, explosives and flammable liquids, where current, routinely used techniques have limited powers of discrimination. The conclusions drawn from the majority of these IRMS studies appear to be very promising. Used in a comparative process, as in food or drug authentication, the measurement of stable isotope ratios is a new and remarkable analytical tool for the discrimination or the identification of a substance with a definite source or origin. However, the research consists mostly of preliminary studies. The significance of this 'new' piece of information needs to be evaluated in light of a forensic framework to assess the actual potential and validity of IRMS, considering the characteristics of each field. Through the isotopic study of black powder, this paper aims at illustrating the potential of the method and the limitations of current knowledge in stable isotopes when facing forensic problems.

Sähköisten reseptien hallinta

Sähköinen reseptijärjestelmä nykyisessä muodossaan sai alkunsa Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön aloitteesta ja Kansaneläkelaitoksen toimesta vuoden 2001 aikana. Käytössä oleva kansallinen reseptipalvelin mahdollistaa potilaiden oikeudet muun muassa apteekin vapaaseen valintaan ja lääkkeiden suorakorvausmenetelmään. Sähköinen resepti pyritään integroimaan olemassa olevien potilasrekisterijärjestelmien yhteyteen, joten semanttisen webin tuomat teknologiat kuten Web-palvelut ja XML-pohjaiset kielet ovat tärkeässä asemassa reseptien hallinnassa. Tässä työssä pyritään esittämään sähköisen reseptijärjestelmän toimintaa ja sen mahdollistavia jo olemassa olevia tekniikoita. Esille tuodaan myös uusia lisäarvoa tuovia tekniikoita, kuten RDF(S)-kuvauskielet, jotka mahdollistavat muun muassa resepteihin kohdistuvat kyselyt ja täten uudet terveyspalvelut sekä potilaille että lääkäreille. Oleellista on tietenkin myös tietoturva, sillä organisaatioiden välillä resepteissä liikkuu arkaluontoisia tietoja. Turvallisuutta pyritään edistämään muun muassa sähköisillä allekirjoituksilla ja älykorttien avulla tapahtuvalla järjestelmään tunnistautumisella. Jotta sähköinen resepti toimisi tulevaisuudessakin halutulla tavalla ja mahdollistaisi lisäarvopalveluita, on siinä panostettava sisällön lisäksi senkuvaamiseen. Sisällön ja sen suhteiden tarkka määrittely auttaa muun muassa reseptikyselyjen tekemisessä, mikä onkin olennainen osa potilasturvallisuuden ylläpitoa. Kuvauskielien ja ontologioiden käyttö voi myös auttaa lääkehoidon määrittämisessä useiden erilaisten ja jatkuvasti lisääntyvien lääkkeiden viidakossa, kun lääkkeitä voidaan etsiä tietokannoista reseptin kirjoituksen yhteydessä.

The incidence and selection of multiple mating in plants.

Mating with more than one pollen donor, or polyandry, is common in land plants. In flowering plants, polyandry occurs when the pollen from different potential sires is distributed among the fruits of a single individual, or when pollen from more than one donor is deposited on the same stigma. Because polyandry typically leads to multiple paternity among or within fruits, it can be indirectly inferred on the basis of paternity analysis using molecular markers. A review of the literature indicates that polyandry is probably ubiquitous in plants except those that habitually self-fertilize, or that disperse their pollen in pollen packages, such as polyads or pollinia. Multiple mating may increase plants' female component by alleviating pollen limitation or by promoting competition among pollen grains from different potential sires. Accordingly, a number of traits have evolved that should promote polyandry at the flower level from the female's point of view, e.g. the prolongation of stigma receptivity or increases in stigma size. However, many floral traits, such as attractiveness, the physical manipulation of pollinators and pollen-dispensing mechanisms that lead to polyandrous pollination, have probably evolved in response to selection to promote male siring success in general, so that polyandry might often best be seen as a by-product of selection to enhance outcross siring success. In this sense, polyandry in plants is similar to geitonogamy (selfing caused by pollen transfer among flowers of the same plant), because both polyandry and geitonogamy probably result from selection to promote outcross siring success, although geitonogamy is almost always deleterious while polyandry in plants will seldom be so.

FLORESCIMENTO E FRUTIFICAÇÃO DE MANGUEIRA COM USO DE PACLOBUTRAZOL, ETHEPHON E NITRATO DE CÁLCIO

Este trabalho objetivou testar diferentes doses de Paclobutrazol (PBZ), ethephon e nitrato de cálcio na indução do florescimento e na produção da mangueira (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Tommy Atkins, localizada no pomar didático da ESAM em Mossoró-RN, no ano de 1999/2000. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, no esquema fatorial 2x2x3, assim distribuídos: T1 1000 mg.L-1 de PBZ+ 2% de nitrato de cálcio; T2 1000 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 2% de nitrato de cálcio + 1,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon; T3 1000 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 2% de nitrato de cálcio + 3,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon; T4 1000 mg. L-1 de PBZ + 3% de nitrato de cálcio; T5 1000 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 3% de nitrato de cálcio + 1,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon; T6 1000 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 3% de nitrato de cálcio + 3,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon ; T7 1500 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 2% de nitrato de cálcio; T8 1500 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 2% de nitrato de cálcio + 1,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon; T9 1500 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 2% de nitrato de cálcio + 3,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon; T10 1500 mg.L-1 de PBZ+ 3% de nitrato de cálcio; T11 1500 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 3% de nitrato de cálcio + 1,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon.L; T12 1500 mg.L-1 de PBZ + 3% de nitrato de cálcio + 3,0 mL.L-1 de ethephon, com 4 repetições. A mangueira teve um maior florescimento (81,75%) com 2% de nitrato de cálcio e 1500 mg. L-1 de PBZ, o número de frutos por planta teve seu maior valor (86 frutos) com 3% de nitrato de cálcio e 1500 mg L-1 de PBZ e o peso do fruto foi maior (425,5g) na dosagem de 3mL.L-1 de ethephon. Os produtos aplicados não diferenciaram entre si em relação à produção.