Characterization of maturity and quality of Brazilian apirenic grapes in the São Francisco river Valley

The objective of this study was to characterize and correlate maturity and quality of the first varieties of Brazilian seedless grapes 'BRS Clara', 'BRS Linda', 'BRS Morena', and 'Advanced Selection 8' compared with the American variety 'Crimson Seedless' in compliance with the Brazilian Normative/2002 and export standards Advanced Selection 8' is dark reddish, has large clusters, and is a very large ellipsoid berry; 'BRS Morena' is black with medium sized clusters and large berry shaped as ellipsoid to globoid; 'BRS Linda' is light green and has large sized clusters; 'Crimson' is pink and has small clusters with berries varying from medium to large sizes and ellipsoid shaped; and 'BRS Clara' is green yellowish has medium sized clusters and small berry of elongated ellipsoid shape. All varieties evaluated meet the standard for domestic market established as berry size minimum diameter 12 mm. 'BRS Clara' does not meet the export requirements of diameter. Berries of the red grapes 'BRS Morena' and 'Crimson Seedless' are firmer. The pH, titratable acidity, and soluble solids meet the official standards. Larger clusters are less acidic and present higher soluble solids/titratable acidity ratios implying that they are the sweetest type when ripe.

Plantability and moisture content of naked and pelleted seeds of supersweet (Sh2) corn during cold storage conditions

The supersweet (Sh2) corn seeds have a thin tegument and an irregular shape, which hinder the sowing procedure. As a function of those factors, the significance of using the pelleting process to improve sowing and standardize the stand of plants in the field without the need of thinning within the row is emphasized. Although this technique has already been known for many years, little has been studied on the effect of such procedure on the plantability and on the moisture content of the supersweet corn seeds. Therefore, this research work aimed at evaluating the effects of pelleting on the moisture content of the seeds along the storing process, on the occurrence of gaps on seed deposition and on the dropping of double seeds, with the aid of a testing seeder. Other physical attributes of seeds and pellets were also evaluated through tests of fragmentation, screen retention, mass of a thousand seeds and apparent volume. Results have shown an increase on the mass and on the volume of the pelleted seeds that presented highly resistance to cracks and breaking. The pelleting was efficient on the reduction of gaps and on the deposition of double seeds at sowing, thus providing highly satisfactory results for these attributes. An increase on the seed moisture content was also observed as a function of storage with a significant reduction on this factor after the pelleting procedure. Results allow concluding that the pelleting process reduces seed moisture content and improves plantability, positively affecting the efficiency of the sowing process.

Secretory immunity in overweight and obese versus normal-weight early-and late-pubertal females

Obesity is a condition associated with a wide variety of health problems including hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, certain forms of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and gallstones (157). TTiere is growing evidence that obesity may also be related to compromised immune function due to altered metabolic, psychological, and physical attributes (93). The aim of this study was to compare: a) immunity-related variables such as frequency of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels between overweight/obese (OB) and normal weight (NW) early-pubertal and late-pubertal girls, and b) stress-related variables such as Cortisol, melatonin, the melatonin/cortisol ratio, testosterone and the testosterone/cortisol ratio. Physical activity levels, stress indicators, and fatigue were used to explain potential differences in the dependent variables. It was hypothesized that the OB females would have lower melatonin (M) and higher Cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) levels compared with NW girls, regardless of maturity status. The altered levels of melatonin, Cortisol, and testosterone, would result in decreased M/C and T/C ratios, despite the increase in testosterone in OB females. It was hypothesized that this altered hormonal status results in a compromised immunity marked by higher frequency of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and decreased levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). It was also hypothesized that OB girls would participate in less hours of physical activity than their NW counterparts and that this would relate to their stress and immunity levels. Forty (16 early- and 24 late-pubertal) overweight and obese females were compared to fifty-three (27 eariy- and 26 late-pubertal) age-matched normal-weight control subjects. Participants were categorized as early-pubertal (EP) or late-pubertal (LP) using Tanner self-staging of secondary sex characteristics. Subjects were classified into the two adiposity groups according to relative body fat (%BF), where normal weight (NW) subjects had a %BF less than 25%, and overweight and obese (OB) subjects had a %BF greater than 27.5%. Participants completed a number of questionnaires and information was collected on menstrual history, smoking history, alcohol and caffeine consumption, and medical history. Following the determination of maturity status, a complete anthropometric assessment was made including height, body mass, and body composition. All questionnaires and measurements were completed during a one-hour visit between 1 500 and 1900 hours Relative body fat was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Resting saliva samples were obtained and assayed (ELISA) for testosterone, Cortisol, melatonin and secretory immunoglobulin A. Physical activity was self-reported using the Godin- Shephard Leisure time questionnaire, and quantified using Actigraph GTIM accelerometers, which participants wore for seven consecutive days from the time they woke up in the morning, until the time they went to bed. Late-pubertal girls also completed questionnaires on their perceived stress and fatigue. Finally, all participants also filled out a one-month health log to record frequency of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). Significant age effects were found for testosterone, Cortisol, incidence of sickness, and sIgA when controlling for physical activity, however there were no significant effects of adiposity on any of the variables. There was a trend which neared-significance for an effect of adiposity on sIgA (p=0.01). There were no significant differences between the groups on the total selfreported leisure-time physical activity in METs per week, however EP girls recorded significantly greater levels of moderate, hard, and very hard physical activity from accelerometers. Results of the perceived stress and fatigue questionnaires in late-pubertal girls demonstrated that contrary to what was hypothesized, NW girls reported more stress and more fatigue than OB girls. Results of the present study suggest that excess adiposity in early- and latepubescent girls may not have a negative impact on immunity as hypothesized.

L'expérience esthétique et quotidienne du parc en ville : le cas d'étude du parc La Fontaine à Montréal

Ce mémoire s’inscrit dans le domaine de l’architecture du paysage et du design urbain. La recherche se construit autour d’un questionnement sur le sens pouvant être attribué au parc La Fontaine par ses usagers en tant que cadre de vie urbain montréalais. Ce parc est un lieu emblématique de la ville par le caractère historique de son aménagement. Il est aussi un lieu populaire par sa situation géographique centrale au sein de l’arrondissement du Plateau-Mont-Royal. Par l’analyse de ce parc, nous cherchons à porter un regard sur la manière dont se construit l’expérience d’un parc urbain dans les particularités de son aménagement, de son contexte social et culturel. Notre étude semble pertinente dans la mesure où cet espace n’a jamais été abordé selon l’analyse de l’expérience paysagère. Notre réflexion se construit à partir d’un modèle socioculturel soutenu par une revue de littérature en architecture de paysage. Les travaux menés à la Chaire en paysage et environnement de l’Université de Montréal ont particulièrement été sollicités. Ce modèle considère le paysage comme une qualification sociale et culturelle d’un territoire. Il engage l’analyse vers des perspectives pluridimensionnelle, expérientielle et polysensorielle, tout en considérant le caractère formel (attributs physiques) du paysage. Nous avons également joint à ce cadre théorique les recherches menées en design et en anthropologie des sens. Ces axes de recherche éclairent les notions de l’expérience esthétique et sensorielle particulièrement en regard de la compréhension du vécu d’un espace ordinaire et quotidien. Selon ce cadre conceptuel, notre recherche fait appel à une approche compréhensive. Ainsi, nous abordons l’expérience du parc par un modèle d’analyse mettant l’emphase sur les usages, l’interprétation et la représentation de l’aménagement du parc La Fontaine. La méthodologie s’appuie sur une démarche de recherche qualitative. Elle se fonde sur une observation non participante des usagers du parc, sur des entretiens semi-dirigés et sur une étude physico-spatiale du lieu. Ce mémoire a pour finalité de conduire une première lecture du parc La Fontaine en abordant les dimensions composant le vécu de ses usagers. Nous espérons pouvoir contribuer à notre échelle à l’avancée des connaissances de cet espace du point de vue expérientiel et de la perspective paysagère sur la compréhension des parcs urbains.

Domestically produced food: Consumer perceptions of origin, safety and the issue of trust

It is becoming increasingly difficult for the public to attempt to assess risks using traditional methods such as smell, taste or other physical attributes of food. The existence of extrinsic cues such as the country of origin (COO) of food can help to make food purchase decisions easier for consumers. However, the use of extrinsic cues depends heavily on the extent to which consumers trust such signals to be indicative of quality or safety, which in turn depends on the credibility behind that cue. This paper aims to examine consumers association of domestically produced food with increased food safety standards and the association of COO and food safety information with socio-demographics and other aspects of consumer psychology such as attitudes, risk perception and trust. Using an ordered probit model, domestic production is examined as an extrinsic cue for food safety by looking at the relationship with trust in food safety information provided by national food standards agencies (NFSAs) and other socio-demographic characteristics, based on nationally representative data from 2725 face-to-face interviews across five European countries. Results suggest that domestic production of food is an extrinsic cue for food safety and as consumers place increasing importance on food safety they are more interested in food produced in their own country. This, coupled with consumer trust in a strong, and independent national food standards agency, suggests the potential exists for the increased consumption of domestically produced foods.

A data framework for measuring the energy consumption of the non-domestic building stock

The transition to a low-carbon economy urgently demands better information on the drivers of energy consumption. UK government policy has prioritized energy efficiency in the built stock as a means of carbon reduction, but the sector is historically information poor, particularly the non-domestic building stock. This paper presents the results of a pilot study that investigated whether and how property and energy consumption data might be combined for non-domestic energy analysis. These data were combined in a ‘Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency Database’ to describe the location and physical attributes of each property and its energy consumption. The aim was to support the generation of a range of energy-efficiency statistics for the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors of the non-domestic building stock, and to provide robust evidence for national energy-efficiency and carbon-reduction policy development and monitoring. The work has brought together non-domestic energy data, property data and mapping in a ‘data framework’ for the first time. The results show what is possible when these data are integrated and the associated difficulties. A data framework offers the potential to inform energy-efficiency policy formation and to support its monitoring at a level of detail not previously possible.

Pensionärsjävlar : revolt mot eller ett upprepande av negativa ålderskoder?

Old bastard – rebellion against or a repetition of negative age codes? In contemporary media and scientific contexts, it has become increasingly popular to launch today’s elderly as different from previous generations of older people, especially emphasized is that today’s elderly will have more attitude and set higher demands on society. The TV-series Pensionärsjävlar is based on this idea of today’s and tomorrow’s elderly as different and more rebellious than previous generations. The purpose of this article is to analyze and discuss how age and age codes are used as a prerequisite for, but also are challenged in the series. The result shows that chronological age is almost absent in the series, instead age coding is performed by physical attributes and verbal acts. Most common attributes are those connected to decreased functionality, such as walker, wheelchair, walking stick etcetera. The most common taboo joked about is sexuality, and other common themes are decreased functionality,child/youth- like behavior and traffic. In the article I discuss how these themes and attributes are negotiated in relation to age.  

Turismo cultural na ZEPH-Ribeira: possibilidades e limitações

Considering that urban interventions, planned and executed recently at Natal, RN, should put Ribeira - one of the town centers - in the new limits of the expanded center of the city, this work examines the use of this new accessibility for the benefit of the development of an infrastructure to support a type of tourism currently seen as an alternative to diversification into areas dominated by entertainment tourism (the case of Natal). A local with city's traditional cultural facilities and holder of a set built that is a synthesis of the images of the neighborhood, it fears that this increase in the potential for movement and flows of use stimulate speculation and deployment of a bulk type of activity incompatible with the preservation the architectural heritage. Important economy for the city, tourism has been showing a factor propellant processing urban related changes in accessibility. It is argued that cultural tourism, often used in plans and projects of revitalization across the country, may be factor for sustainable development and conserve the assets, and contributes to the process of revitalization of the historic cultural center as Ribeira. Intended to illustrate the need to consider other information that might help in the revitalization of the neighborhood, this research presents the offer cultural tourism of Ribeira and identifies and maps certain physical attributes that, combined with functional attributes, can stimulate or inhibit the diversity and vitality in the region

Paisagem, um patrimônio esquecido: subsídios para a construção de uma metodologia de valoração e proteção do cenário natural litorâneo

The so-called "residential tourism" came to intensify the previous occupation of the coastal zones, characterized by traditional beach houses, and brought significant consequences for their spatial configuration, and especially for its scenic value of the landscape. Although there is the intention to regulate the activities of enterprising groups by some legal instruments to control the use and occupation of land, and to contain some negative effects, the actions of government are still inefficient in trying to follow the implications on the landscape from the accelerated growth of the real estate and touristic sectors. Supported in the speech of economic development and income generation, public managers prioritize areas to attract tourists to the detriment of preserving important physical attributes of the natural environment that contribute significantly to the quality of life. The result can be noticed in the use of natural elements as one of the major components in the land valorization, and in the immediate attraction of investors and enterprising. Therefore, the objective of this work is to contribute to the debate on the landscape preservation a little detailed thematic in view of their relevance in the current context - by indicating subsidies to the creation of a methodology for the evaluation and protection of coastal zones that may assist the government in creating new instruments, and better prepare it in control of the occupation of these areas. For such, was followed two ways to analysis: the indirect method and the direct method. The first is grounded in the evaluation of landscape attributes, which is based on the work of Raquel Tardin (2008) and Eduardo Cuesta, Encarnación Algarra and Isabel Pastor (2001). The second, based on the research of Leticia and Carlos Hardt (2010) and on the concepts of phenomenology - expressed by Antonio Christofoletti (1985) and Yi-Fu Tuan (1983) - considers the population perspective on the quality of the natural scenery. Developed through cartographic materials, photographic collections and quantitative tables, this dissertation utilized as a case study the beaches of Barra de Tabatinga and Camurupim, located in the city of Nísia Floresta/RN. Despite already being sighted spaces of advanced stage of landscape degradation in these locations, areas of remarkable scenic value can still be found, what reinforce the urgency in adopting preservationists actions. The absence of laws focused on the management and protection of the landscape singularities associated with the inefficiency of the government to invigilate the land occupation in coastal zones, encourage the excessive action of the real estate-tourism, and consequently make the government the main responsible for the environmental and landscape impacts in these areas - by its omission or by their connivance. Therefore, the legislation permeates this entire process and constitutes itself as the most effective way to guarantee the right to the landscape to present and future generations. Are also pointed some important considerations to build a methodology, especially concerning possibilities of improvements and adaptations of its applicability in each case

Soil texture spatial variability of different parent material in pereira barreto, São Paulo state

The variation of soil textural characteristics is a function of the relief and parent materials. The objective of this work was to study soil texture spatial variability from different parent material in Pereira Barreto, SP. An area of 530.67 hectares was mapped through the use of Global Positioning System receivers and obtaining of Digital Elevation Models. A set of 201 soil samples was collected from every seven hectares, at three depths: 0 - 0.25 m; 0.25 - 0.50 m; and 0.80 - 1.00 m. The amounts of sand, silt and clay were obtained by the pipette method and analyzed by both descriptive statistics and geostatistics. Soil textures varied as a function of parent materials and topography.

Geoestatística e atributos do solo em áreas cultivadas com cana-de-açúcar

The intense traffic of agricultural machines in soils cultivated with sugar cane can cause soil compaction. Therefore, the objective of this research was to characterize the spatial variability of soil physical attributes and content organic matter of a eutroferric Red Latosol gibbisitic (under Basalt) and dystroferric Red Latosol caulinitic (under Sandstone) in the depths of 0.0-0.2m and 0.2-0.4m in areas cultivated with sugar cane. Soils were sampled at the crossing points of a grid at regular intervals of 10m and at depths of 0.0-0.2m and 0.2-0.4m. Bulk density, macroporosity, organic matter content and soil penetration resistance were measured for all sampling points. The physical attributes show values of soil penetration resistance, bulk density and macroporosity above average for these soils. The studied variable presented a larger range and minor variation coefficient in the eutroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol Eutrustox) when compared with the dystroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol Haplustox), in the studied depths. It is recommended a bigger number of samples to study the eutroferric Red Latosol attributes and the depth of 0.2-0.4m.

Variabilidade espacial da textura de um latossolo vermelho eutroférrico sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar

Estudos regionais mais detalhados, utilizando modelos de paisagem e geoestatística, têm demonstrado que, em áreas consideradas homogêneas, sob uma única classe de solo, existe dependência espacial de atributos granulométricos. Visando a avaliar a variabilidade espacial de atributos granulométricos em Latossolo Vermelho eutroférrico, foram feitas amostragens do solo em intervalos regulares de 50 m, em forma de malha, totalizando 306 pontos de amostragem. Foram coletadas amostras nas profundidades de 0-0,2 m e 0,6-0,8 m para a determinação da argila, silte, areia total (AT), areia grossa (AG), areia média (AM), areia fina (AF) e areia muito fina (AMF). Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística descritiva, geoestatística e interpolação por krigagem. Os valores do coeficiente de variação apresentaram-se baixos para argila, médios para silte, AT, AF, AM e AMF e altos para AG. Observou-se ocorrência de dependência espacial para todas as variáveis com grau moderado de dependência espacial, com os maiores alcances ocorrendo na profundidade de 0-0,2 m. Os latossolos, apesar de serem homogêneos, mesmo em áreas de mesma classe de solo e manejo, apresentaram variabilidade diferenciada para os atributos granulométricos.

Variabilidade espacial de atributos físicos do solo em diferentes formas do relevo sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar

A utilização intensiva de máquinas e implementos agrícolas no nordeste do estado de São Paulo tem contribuído para aumentar as áreas com problemas de compactação, provavelmente pela ausência de um cronograma de trabalho bem definido ou de modelos capazes de estimar a capacidade de suporte do solo. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em Guariba (SP), com o objetivo de avaliar a variabilidade espacial da resistência à penetração do solo, umidade e densidade do solo em um Latossolo Vermelho eutroférrico sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar. Os solos foram amostrados nos pontos de cruzamento de uma malha, com intervalos regulares de 10 m, perfazendo um total de 100 pontos, nas profundidades de 0,0-0,2 e 0,2-0,4 m. O coeficiente de variação indicou baixa variabilidade para umidade e densidade do solo nas duas profundidades e alta para resistência à penetração do solo. Observou-se um grau forte de dependência espacial para todas variáveis, exceto para densidade do solo na profundidade de 0,2-0,4 m que apresentou grau moderado de dependência espacial. Os altos valores para a resistência à penetração e densidade do solo, principalmente na profundidade de 0,2-0,4 m, indicaram compactação nesta camada. Pequenas variações nas formas do relevo condicionam variabilidade diferenciada nos atributos físicos dos solos.

Plantability and moisture content of naked and pelleted seeds of supersweet (Sh2) corn during cold storage conditions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Atributos físicos de um Latossolo Vermelho submetido a diferentes usos

The cultivation of the soil causes changes in physical attributes, depending on the intensity of preparation and management. The objective of this work was to evaluate the degree of modification of some physical properties of soil mid the S index, comparing areas of Pasture of grass Tanzania (Panicum maximum) and native forest with an area under maize (Zea mays L.) irrigated bay, a central pivot. The study was conducted in three areas within the Agency of Technology Agribusiness Paulista (APTA) Regional High Mogiana, located in Colina, SP. The experimental design was split plot in a factorial 3 x 3, with 4 replications, where the plots were installed in areas of Cultivation of corn, pasture and forest in the depths 0-0.1 m, 0.1-0.2 m 0.2-0.3 m. The physical attributes of soil were: resistance to penetration (RP), bulk density (Ds), microporosity (Micro), macroporosity (Macro), total volume of pores (VTP) and water retention in soil. The native forest had the best physical condition of soil in all parameters examined. The use of land and pasture with corn altered the physical structure of it, evidenced by the increase in penetration resistance and soil density and, reduction in macroporosity. The level of degradation of the managed soil was considered low, index S (<0035). The replacement of pasture by the corn crop in the soil tillage system provided a conventional mild improvement in soil physical characteristics.