Qualidade fisiológica de sementes de Moringa oleifera lam. por meio da análise de imagens

Several tests that evaluate the quality of seeds are destructive and require time, which is considered long and expensive in the processes that involves the production and marketing of seed. Thus, techniques that allow reducing the time related to assess the quality of seed lots is very favorable, considering the technical, economic and scientific point of view. The techniques images of seed analyzed both by X-ray such as digital images, represent alternative for this sector, and are considered reproducible and fast, giving greater flexibility and autonomy to the activities of production systems. Summarily, the objective was to analyze the internal morphology of seeds of this species through x-rayed images and the efficiency of weed seed area increased during soaking through image analysis and compare them with the results of germination tests and force the evaluation of physiological seed quality. For X-ray tests, the seeds were exposed for 0.14 seconds at radiation 40kV and 2.0 mAs. Were analyzed images using the ImageJ program and subsequently put to germinate in B.O.D chamber at 27 ° C, in which there was the comparison of results for germination. To determine the test area increase (% IA), seeds were used with and without seed coat, maintained the B.O.D chamber at 15 ° to 20 ° C, the seeds were photographed before and after the soaking period, the results were compared to the germination rates. For the X-ray test, it was observed that seeds with empty area greater than 20%, showed a higher percentage of abnormal seedlings. And the area increment analysis showed that it is possible to rank the batch after 8 hours of imbibition at 15 ° C according to the germination and vigor tests

Padronização de testes para avaliação do estado de mania e potencial anti-maníaco de um agonista do receptor NOP

Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood impairment, alternating between mania/hypomania and depression, and its exact pathophysiology is already unknown. The treatment of bipolar disorder is based on prevention of the manic and depressive episodes using mood stabilizers. Nociceptin/orfanin FQ (N/OFQ) is an endogenous heptadecapeptide which binds as an agonist to NOP receptor, which is a G-coupled inhibitory receptor. N/OFQ and its receptor modulate a lot of functions in the organism, including emotional processes. It is known that the plasmatic concentration of N/OFQ is altered in patients in both phases depressive and manic of bipolar disorder and it is assumed that this system has a role on the etiology of this disorder. Concerning mania, the animal models used in research tend to focus in an unique aspect of the manic behavior, as hyperactivity or agressivity. In the 60’s, the hole board test was proposed, and it consists of an apparatus with holes where a behavior known as head-dippings is measured. High levels of head-dippings are suggestive of neophilia, while low levels can be characteristic of an anxious-like behavior. As the increase of exploratory and goal-directed behavior are characteristics of manic behavior, this test could help in mania research. Thus, this work was organized in 3 steps and aims to: (1) investigate the induction of a manic-like state promoted by ouabain, a Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor, in the mouse open field test; (2) set up the hole board as a test to measure manic-like behaviors; and (3) investigate the N/OFQ effects in prevention of this kind of behavior on hole board. Male Swiss mice were used in this study, and they take part of only one of the described steps. Depending on the step performed, mice received one or more of the following treatments: (1) ouabain 10-6 , 10-5 , 10-4 , 10-3 or 10-2 M, intracerebroventricular (icv); (2) sodium valproate 300 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (ip); (3) sodium valproate 400 mg/kg, ip; (4) diazepam 1 mg/kg, ip; (5) methylphenidate 10 mg/kg, ip; and (6) N/OFQ 0,1 or 1 nmol, icv. The results suggest that hole board can be used to evaluate a manic state, through analysis of different animal behaviors. However, it was not possible to standard the model of Na+ /K+ -ATPase dysfunction through ouabain administration in mice. Moreover, the data suggest that N/OFQ, at the doses tested, has not affected the methylphenidate-induced mania-like behavior. Taken together, the results point to a new approach of manic research, through the hole board using. However, more studies are necessary in order to verify the role of N/OFQ system on bipolar disorder.

Desenvolvimento e validação de testes de fluxo lateral para a detecção de cultivares geneticamente modificados e de aflatoxinas em produtos agrícolas

The expansion of cultivated areas with genetically modified crops (GM) is a worldwide phenomenon, stimulating regulatory authorities to implement strict procedures to monitor and verify the presence of GM varieties in agricultural crops. With the constant growing of plant cultivating areas all over the world, consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food also increased. Aflatoxins correspond to a class of highly toxic contaminants found in agricultural products that can have harmful effects on human and animal health. Therefore, the safety and quality evaluation of agricultural products are important issues for consumers. Lateral flow tests (strip tests) is a promising method for the detection both proteins expressed in GM crops and aflatoxins-contaminated food samples. The advantages of this technique include its simplicity, rapidity and cost-effective when compared to the conventional methods. In this study, two novel and sensitive strip tests assay were developed for the identification of: (i) Cry1Ac and Cry8Ka5 proteins expressed in GM cotton crops and; (ii) aflatoxins from agricultural products. The first strip test was developed using a sandwhich format, while the second one was developed using a competitive format. Gold colloidal nanoparticles were used as detector reagent when coated with monoclonal antibodies. An anti-species specific antibody was sprayed at the nitrocellulose membrane to be used as a control line. To validate the first strip test, GM (Bollgard I® e Planta 50- EMBRAPA) and non-GM cotton leaf (Cooker 312) were used. The results showed that the strip containing antibodies for the identification of Cry1Ac and Cry8Ka5 proteins was capable of correctly distinguishing between GM samples (positive result) and non-GM samples (negative result), in a high sensitivity manner. To validate the second strip test, artificially contaminated soybean with Aspergillus flavus (aflatoxin-producing fungus) was employed. Food samples, such as milk and soybean, were also evaluated for the presence of aflatoxins. The strip test was capable to distinguish between samples with and without aflatoxins samples, at a sensitivity concentration of 0,5 μg/Kg. Therefore, these results suggest that the strip tests developed in this study can be a potential tool as a rapid and cost-effective method for detection of insect resistant GM crops expressing Cry1Ac and Cry8Ka5 and aflatoxins from food samples.

Desenvolvimento e validação de testes de fluxo lateral para a detecção de cultivares geneticamente modificados e de aflatoxinas em produtos agrícolas

The expansion of cultivated areas with genetically modified crops (GM) is a worldwide phenomenon, stimulating regulatory authorities to implement strict procedures to monitor and verify the presence of GM varieties in agricultural crops. With the constant growing of plant cultivating areas all over the world, consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food also increased. Aflatoxins correspond to a class of highly toxic contaminants found in agricultural products that can have harmful effects on human and animal health. Therefore, the safety and quality evaluation of agricultural products are important issues for consumers. Lateral flow tests (strip tests) is a promising method for the detection both proteins expressed in GM crops and aflatoxins-contaminated food samples. The advantages of this technique include its simplicity, rapidity and cost-effective when compared to the conventional methods. In this study, two novel and sensitive strip tests assay were developed for the identification of: (i) Cry1Ac and Cry8Ka5 proteins expressed in GM cotton crops and; (ii) aflatoxins from agricultural products. The first strip test was developed using a sandwhich format, while the second one was developed using a competitive format. Gold colloidal nanoparticles were used as detector reagent when coated with monoclonal antibodies. An anti-species specific antibody was sprayed at the nitrocellulose membrane to be used as a control line. To validate the first strip test, GM (Bollgard I® e Planta 50- EMBRAPA) and non-GM cotton leaf (Cooker 312) were used. The results showed that the strip containing antibodies for the identification of Cry1Ac and Cry8Ka5 proteins was capable of correctly distinguishing between GM samples (positive result) and non-GM samples (negative result), in a high sensitivity manner. To validate the second strip test, artificially contaminated soybean with Aspergillus flavus (aflatoxin-producing fungus) was employed. Food samples, such as milk and soybean, were also evaluated for the presence of aflatoxins. The strip test was capable to distinguish between samples with and without aflatoxins samples, at a sensitivity concentration of 0,5 μg/Kg. Therefore, these results suggest that the strip tests developed in this study can be a potential tool as a rapid and cost-effective method for detection of insect resistant GM crops expressing Cry1Ac and Cry8Ka5 and aflatoxins from food samples.

Testes cosmológicos aplicados a modelos de energia escura

A significant observational effort has been directed to investigate the nature of the so-called dark energy. In this dissertation we derive constraints on dark energy models using three different observable: measurements of the Hubble rate H(z) (compiled by Meng et al. in 2015.); distance modulus of 580 Supernovae Type Ia (Union catalog Compilation 2.1, 2011); and the observations of baryon acoustic oscilations (BAO) and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) by using the so-called CMB/BAO of six peaks of BAO (a peak determined through the Survey 6dFGS data, two through the SDSS and three through WiggleZ). The statistical analysis used was the method of the χ2 minimum (marginalized or minimized over h whenever possible) to link the cosmological parameter: m, ω and δω0. These tests were applied in two parameterization of the parameter ω of the equation of state of dark energy, p = ωρ (here, p is the pressure and ρ is the component of energy density). In one, ω is considered constant and less than -1/3, known as XCDM model; in the other the parameter of state equantion varies with the redshift, where we the call model GS. This last model is based on arguments that arise from the theory of cosmological inflation. For comparison it was also made the analysis of model CDM. Comparison of cosmological models with different observations lead to different optimal settings. Thus, to classify the observational viability of different theoretical models we use two criteria information, the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and the Akaike information criteria (AIC). The Fisher matrix tool was incorporated into our testing to provide us with the uncertainty of the parameters of each theoretical model. We found that the complementarity of tests is necessary inorder we do not have degenerate parametric spaces. Making the minimization process we found (68%), for the Model XCDM the best fit parameters are m = 0.28 ± 0, 012 and ωX = −1.01 ± 0, 052. While for Model GS the best settings are m = 0.28 ± 0, 011 and δω0 = 0.00 ± 0, 059. Performing a marginalization we found (68%), for the Model XCDM the best fit parameters are m = 0.28 ± 0, 012 and ωX = −1.01 ± 0, 052. While for Model GS the best settings are M = 0.28 ± 0, 011 and δω0 = 0.00 ± 0, 059.

Testes cosmológicos aplicados a modelos de energia escura

A significant observational effort has been directed to investigate the nature of the so-called dark energy. In this dissertation we derive constraints on dark energy models using three different observable: measurements of the Hubble rate H(z) (compiled by Meng et al. in 2015.); distance modulus of 580 Supernovae Type Ia (Union catalog Compilation 2.1, 2011); and the observations of baryon acoustic oscilations (BAO) and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) by using the so-called CMB/BAO of six peaks of BAO (a peak determined through the Survey 6dFGS data, two through the SDSS and three through WiggleZ). The statistical analysis used was the method of the χ2 minimum (marginalized or minimized over h whenever possible) to link the cosmological parameter: m, ω and δω0. These tests were applied in two parameterization of the parameter ω of the equation of state of dark energy, p = ωρ (here, p is the pressure and ρ is the component of energy density). In one, ω is considered constant and less than -1/3, known as XCDM model; in the other the parameter of state equantion varies with the redshift, where we the call model GS. This last model is based on arguments that arise from the theory of cosmological inflation. For comparison it was also made the analysis of model CDM. Comparison of cosmological models with different observations lead to different optimal settings. Thus, to classify the observational viability of different theoretical models we use two criteria information, the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and the Akaike information criteria (AIC). The Fisher matrix tool was incorporated into our testing to provide us with the uncertainty of the parameters of each theoretical model. We found that the complementarity of tests is necessary inorder we do not have degenerate parametric spaces. Making the minimization process we found (68%), for the Model XCDM the best fit parameters are m = 0.28 ± 0, 012 and ωX = −1.01 ± 0, 052. While for Model GS the best settings are m = 0.28 ± 0, 011 and δω0 = 0.00 ± 0, 059. Performing a marginalization we found (68%), for the Model XCDM the best fit parameters are m = 0.28 ± 0, 012 and ωX = −1.01 ± 0, 052. While for Model GS the best settings are M = 0.28 ± 0, 011 and δω0 = 0.00 ± 0, 059.

Avaliação e correções de testes de hipóteses em modelos de sobrevivência com fração de cura

Survival models deals with the modelling of time to event data. In certain situations, a share of the population can no longer be subjected to the event occurrence. In this context, the cure fraction models emerged. Among the models that incorporate a fraction of cured one of the most known is the promotion time model. In the present study we discuss hypothesis testing in the promotion time model with Weibull distribution for the failure times of susceptible individuals. Hypothesis testing in this model may be performed based on likelihood ratio, gradient, score or Wald statistics. The critical values are obtained from asymptotic approximations, which may result in size distortions in nite sample sizes. This study proposes bootstrap corrections to the aforementioned tests and Bartlett bootstrap to the likelihood ratio statistic in Weibull promotion time model. Using Monte Carlo simulations we compared the nite sample performances of the proposed corrections in contrast with the usual tests. The numerical evidence favors the proposed corrected tests. At the end of the work an empirical application is presented.

Fuerza, vigor y consumo : El caso de Eugene Sandow en Santiago de Chile, 1900-1930

Considerado como el padre del fisicoculturismo moderno, el atleta de origen prusiano Eugene Sandow (1867-1925), desde finales del siglo XIX hasta los primeros años del siglo XX, se convirtió en una de las figuras más importantes en torno a la cultura física a nivel mundial. Sus recomendaciones y rutinas de entrenamiento lo posicionaron no solo como un sinónimo de fuerza, salud, y perfección corporal, sino que también lo potenciaron como una importante marca comercial a través de una serie de productos entre los que se incluían libros, suscripciones a revistas y equipamientos gimnásticos para su uso doméstico. Chile, no estuvo ajeno a este tipo intercambios, formando parte de la producción y distribución de sus productos en los que privilegiando exclusivamente a un público masculino, eran ofrecidos por medio de una publicidad que cubrió diversos catálogos, periódicos, magazines y ventas directas en casas comerciales De este modo, el objetivo de esta ponencia es examinar la formas y espacios en los que los productos, y el nombre de Sandow, circularon en Santiago de Chile durante las primeras tres décadas del siglo XX

Fuerza, vigor y consumo : El caso de Eugene Sandow en Santiago de Chile, 1900-1930

Considerado como el padre del fisicoculturismo moderno, el atleta de origen prusiano Eugene Sandow (1867-1925), desde finales del siglo XIX hasta los primeros años del siglo XX, se convirtió en una de las figuras más importantes en torno a la cultura física a nivel mundial. Sus recomendaciones y rutinas de entrenamiento lo posicionaron no solo como un sinónimo de fuerza, salud, y perfección corporal, sino que también lo potenciaron como una importante marca comercial a través de una serie de productos entre los que se incluían libros, suscripciones a revistas y equipamientos gimnásticos para su uso doméstico. Chile, no estuvo ajeno a este tipo intercambios, formando parte de la producción y distribución de sus productos en los que privilegiando exclusivamente a un público masculino, eran ofrecidos por medio de una publicidad que cubrió diversos catálogos, periódicos, magazines y ventas directas en casas comerciales De este modo, el objetivo de esta ponencia es examinar la formas y espacios en los que los productos, y el nombre de Sandow, circularon en Santiago de Chile durante las primeras tres décadas del siglo XX

Fuerza, vigor y consumo : El caso de Eugene Sandow en Santiago de Chile, 1900-1930

Considerado como el padre del fisicoculturismo moderno, el atleta de origen prusiano Eugene Sandow (1867-1925), desde finales del siglo XIX hasta los primeros años del siglo XX, se convirtió en una de las figuras más importantes en torno a la cultura física a nivel mundial. Sus recomendaciones y rutinas de entrenamiento lo posicionaron no solo como un sinónimo de fuerza, salud, y perfección corporal, sino que también lo potenciaron como una importante marca comercial a través de una serie de productos entre los que se incluían libros, suscripciones a revistas y equipamientos gimnásticos para su uso doméstico. Chile, no estuvo ajeno a este tipo intercambios, formando parte de la producción y distribución de sus productos en los que privilegiando exclusivamente a un público masculino, eran ofrecidos por medio de una publicidad que cubrió diversos catálogos, periódicos, magazines y ventas directas en casas comerciales De este modo, el objetivo de esta ponencia es examinar la formas y espacios en los que los productos, y el nombre de Sandow, circularon en Santiago de Chile durante las primeras tres décadas del siglo XX

Protótipo de testes para aprendizagem com classificadores múltiplos

Os classificadores múltiplos são processos que utilizam um conjunto de modelos, cada um deles obtido pela aplicação de um processo de aprendizagem para um problema dado. Combinam vários classificadores individuais, em que para cada um deles são utilizados dados de treino para gerar limites de decisão diferentes. As decisões produzidas pelos classificadores individuais contém erros, que são combinados pelos classificadores múltiplos de forma a reduzir o erro total. Estes têm vindo a ganhar uma crescente importância devido principalmente ao facto de permitirem obter um melhor desempenho quando comparado com o obtido por qualquer um dos modelos que o compõem, principalmente quando as correlações entre os erros cometidos pelos modelos de base são baixos. A investigação nesta área tem crescido, tornando-se uma área de investigação importante. No entanto, para que o desempenho seja melhor do que o desempenho obtido por cada classificador individualmente, é necessário que cada um deles produza uma decisão diferente originando uma diversidade de classificação. Esta diversidade pode ser obtida tanto pela utilização de diferentes conjuntos de dados para o treino individual de cada classificador, como também pela utilização de diferentes parâmetros de formação de diferentes classificadores. Apesar disso, a utilização de classificadores múltiplos para aplicações no mundo real pode apresentar-se como dispendiosa e morosa. Tem-se notado nos dias de hoje que o desenvolvimento web tem vindo a crescer exponencialmente, assim como o uso de bases de dados. Desta forma, combinando a forte utilização da linguagem R para cálculos estatísticos com a crescente utilização das tecnologias web, foi implementado um protótipo que facilitasse a utilização dos classificadores múltiplos, mais precisamente, foi desenvolvida uma aplicação web que permitisse o teste para aprendizagem com classificadores múltiplos, sendo utilizadas as tecnologias PHP, R e MySQL. Com esta aplicação pretende-se que seja possível testar algoritmos independentes do software em que estejam desenvolvidos, não sendo necessariamente escritos em R. Nesta Dissertação foi utilizada a expressão “classificadores múltiplos” por ser a mais comum, apesar de ser redutora e existirem outros termos mais genéricos como por exemplo modelos múltiplos e ensemble learning.