Bud dormancy in apple trees after thermal fluctuations

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of heat waves on the evolution of bud dormancy, in apple trees with contrasting chilling requirements. Twigs of 'Castel Gala' and 'Royal Gala' were collected in orchards in Papanduva, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and were exposed to constant (3°C) or alternating (3 and 15°C for 12/12 hours) temperature, combined with zero, one or two days a week at 25°C. Two additional treatments were evaluated: constant temperature (3°C), with a heat wave of seven days at 25°C, in the beginning or in the middle of the experimental period. Periodically, part of the twigs was transferred to 25°C for daily budburst evaluation of apical and lateral buds. Endodormancy (dormancy induced by cold) was overcome with less than 330 chilling hours (CH) of constant cold in 'Castel Gala' and less than 618 CH in 'Royal Gala'. A daily 15°C-temperature cycle did not affect the endodormancy process. Heat waves during endodormancy resulted in an increased CH to achieve bud requirements. The negative effect of high temperature depended on the lasting of this condition. Chilling was partly cancelled during dormancy when the heat wave lasted 36 continuous hours or more. Therefore, budburst prediction models need adjustments, mainly for regions with mild and irregular winters, such as those of Southern Brazil.

Ydinvoimalan paineakun mallinnus

Tässä työssä on käytetty VTT:n ja Fortumin kehittämääAPROS simulaatio-ohjelmistoa vesi-ilma -täytteisen paineakun käyttäytymisen tutkimiseen. Tavoitteena oli tarkastella APROSin paineakkumallin käyttäytymistä alhaisessa lämpötilassa käyttäen 6-yhtälömallia sekä rakentaa vaihtoehtoiseksi laskentamenetelmäksi kaksi analyyttistä laskentamallia korvaamaan APROSin sisäinen laskenta. Kyseiset analyyttiset mallit ovat isentrooppinen ja isoterminen ja ne on rakennettu kokonaan käyttäen APROSin omia moduuleja. Työ sisältää APROSin version 5.06 sekä työn aikana kehitetyn kehitysversion vertailut eri alkulämpötiloista alkaneissa paisunnoissa, vertailun Pactelin purkaus¬kokeesta saadulla massavirralla sekä osion, jossa analyyttiset mallit on yhdistetty kokonaiseen Pactelin APROS-malliin. Myös purkauksen kulkeutumista primääripiirissä on tarkasteltu. Simulaatiot vahvistavat, että versiolla 5.06 on vaikeuksia paineen laskennassa, kun paisunnan alkulämpötila on alle 30 ºC. Kehitysversiossa painekäyttäytyminen on selvästi parantunut, mutta versio kärsii ongelmista, jotka liittyvät kaasun lämpötilan painumiseen APROSin sisäisten rajoitusten alapuolelleja tätä kautta ongelmiin materiaali¬ominaisuuksien ennustamisessa. Tämän johdosta APROSin kehitysversio päätyy erilaisiin tuloksiin myös tilanteissa, joissa alkuperäinen 5.06 ei kärsi alhaisen lämpötilan ongelmista. Analyyttisistä malleista isentrooppinen malli päätyy antamaan säännönmukaisesti muita malleja ja versioita alempia paineita. Isoterminen malli sen sijaan näyttää päätyvän version 5.06 kanssa melko samankaltaisiin tuloksiin. On kuitenkin muistettava, että kummatkin analyyttiset mallit olettavat kaasun olevan kuivaa ja jättävät massasiirron faasien välillä kokonaan huomiotta.

Modelos de crescimento animal para tempos irregulares

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi propor modelos que considerem estrutura irregular dos dados e avaliá-los em relação a modelos utilizados com tempos regulares. Foram considerados os modelos de crescimento Gompertz, Logístico e Von Bertalanffy com estruturas regular e irregular para os erros. A metodologia foi exemplificada com o uso de dados reais e simulados. Foram utilizados 16 pesos médios de 160 animais da raça Hereford, com pesagens do nascimento até aproximadamente 2 anos de idade. Para cada modelo, os parâmetros do melhor ajuste foram utilizados para simulação. O ajuste dos modelos melhora quando a estrutura original dos dados é levada em consideração, com redução na soma de quadrados dos resíduos e no valor do critério de Akaike.

The Application of 3D Reconstruction Techniques in the Analysis of Ancient Tarraco’s Urban Topography

The widespread implementation of GIS-based 3D topographical models has been a great aid in the development and testing of archaeological hypotheses. In this paper, a topographical reconstruction of the ancient city of Tarraco, the Roman capital of the Tarraconensis province, is presented. This model is based on topographical data obtained through archaeological excavations, old photographic documentation, georeferenced archive maps depicting the pre-modern city topography, modern detailed topographical maps and differential GPS measurements. The addition of the Roman urban architectural features to the model offers the possibility to test hypotheses concerning the ideological background manifested in the city shape. This is accomplished mainly through the use of 3D views from the main city accesses. These techniques ultimately demonstrate the ‘theatre-shaped’ layout of the city (to quote Vitrubius) as well as its southwest oriented architecture, whose monumental character was conceived to present a striking aspect to visitors, particularly those arriving from the sea.

Característiques epidemiològiques i topogràfiques de les lesions patides per un col•lectiu d’esportistes d’alt rendiment durant un període de 45 mesos

En els darrers anys s’han publicat diversos articles que descriuen l’epidemiologia de les malalties i lesions patides per persones que practiquen diferents esports. Aquestes investigacions s’han fet a partir de les dades reco· llides durant períodes d’entrenament de diversa durada o bé durant unes competicions concretes, com poden ser uns Jocs Olímpics. L’objectiu del present estudi va ser el de recollir i analitzar les dades epidemiològiques de les lesions patides per una població d’esportistes del nostre país, durant un període de temps determinat que inclou tant el temps d’entrenament com el de competició. La informació va ser recollida en el servei mèdic d’un centre d’entrenament esportiu, a partir de les dades de les visites mèdiques recollides en l’historial clínic de cada espor· tista. Es van revisar 16.925 visites mèdiques, realitzades en 45 mesos, d’esportistes d’ambdós gèneres i de 29 esports diferents. Les variables que es van analitzar van ser el tipus de lesió, les circumstàncies de producció de la lesió i la topografia de la lesió.Es va veure que el 90 % de totes les lesions es van produir durant l’entrenament. Les més freqüents van ser les agudes (75 %). Les parts del cos més afectades van ser el genoll (17 %), el turmell (12 %), el peu (11%), la cintura escapular (10 %) i la regió lumbar (10 %).

A case of acute retinal pigment epithelitis: spectral domain optical coherence tomography time course and physiopathologic hypothesis.

PURPOSE: To report the time course of retinal morphologic changes in a patient with acute retinal pigment epithelitis (ARPE) using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS: A 30-year old man was referred for blurred vision of his right eye after five days that appeared suddenly 15 days after recovery from a flu-like syndrome. SD-OCT was performed immediately, followed by fluorescein and infracyanine angiography at eight days and then at three weeks. RESULTS: At presentation, a bubble of sub-macular deposit was observed on the right macula with central golden micronodules in a honeycomb pattern. SD-OCT showed an "anterior dislocation" of all the retinal layers up to the inner/outer segment (IS/OS) line and irregular deposits at the OS level together with thickening of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer. As visual acuity increased, eight days later, the OCT showed reduction of the sub-retinal deposits and an abnormal hyperflectivity of the sub-retinal and RPE layers was observed. The patient showed a positive serology for picornavirus. DISCUSSION: The acute SD-OCT sections of this patient with ARPE were compared with histological sections of a 35 day old Royal College of Surgeons rat. Similar findings could be observed, with preservation of the IS/OS line and accumulation of debris at the OS level, suggesting that ARPE symptoms could result from a transient phagocytic dysfunction of the RPE at the fovea, inducing reversible accumulation of undigested OS. Picornaviruses comprising enterovirus and coxsachievirus described as being associated with acute chorioretinitis. In this case, it was responsible for ARPE. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that ARPE syndrome results from a transient dysfunction of RPE, which can occur as a post viral reaction.

Efeito da intensidade do frio no tempo e percentagem de gemas brotadas em macieira

A macieira necessita de períodos de baixas temperaturas (4º a 10ºC) no outono e inverno, caso contrário a planta continuará em dormência ou apresentará uma brotação e floração irregular. Sem a ocorrência de baixas temperaturas no outono e inverno, as gemas da macieira continuam em dormência por um maior período. Para mensurar a quantidade de frio necessária para superar a dormência, o método utilizado foi o número de unidades de frio baseado no Modelo Carolina do Norte Modificado. Estacas de 20 a 25 cm de comprimento e estacas de nós isolados receberam zero, 530, 1060 e 1590 unidades de frio durante a dormência. As cultivares testadas foram 'Condessa', 'Baronesa', 'Daiane', 'Imperatriz', 'Gala' e 'Fuji'. As cultivares se diferenciaram quanto ao número de dias para a brotação das gemas, ocorrendo o menor tempo para a brotação quando receberam 1590 unidades de frio, para todas as cultivares, mostrando que há uma relação entre o tempo médio da brotação e a profundidade da dormência. A porcentagem de brotação das gemas foi maior quando as estacas foram submetidas a 1590 unidades de frio, sendo que a cultivar Condessa apresentou o maior percentual de brotação, confirmando as referências que indicam ser esta a cultivar de menor exigência em frio, dentre as estudadas.

Measuring irregularities and surface defects from printed patterns

Quality inspection and assurance is a veryimportant step when today's products are sold to markets. As products are produced in vast quantities, the interest to automate quality inspection tasks has increased correspondingly. Quality inspection tasks usuallyrequire the detection of deficiencies, defined as irregularities in this thesis. Objects containing regular patterns appear quite frequently on certain industries and science, e.g. half-tone raster patterns in the printing industry, crystal lattice structures in solid state physics and solder joints and components in the electronics industry. In this thesis, the problem of regular patterns and irregularities is described in analytical form and three different detection methods are proposed. All the methods are based on characteristics of Fourier transform to represent regular information compactly. Fourier transform enables the separation of regular and irregular parts of an image but the three methods presented are shown to differ in generality and computational complexity. Need to detect fine and sparse details is common in quality inspection tasks, e.g., locating smallfractures in components in the electronics industry or detecting tearing from paper samples in the printing industry. In this thesis, a general definition of such details is given by defining sufficient statistical properties in the histogram domain. The analytical definition allowsa quantitative comparison of methods designed for detail detection. Based on the definition, the utilisation of existing thresholding methodsis shown to be well motivated. Comparison of thresholding methods shows that minimum error thresholding outperforms other standard methods. The results are successfully applied to a paper printability and runnability inspection setup. Missing dots from a repeating raster pattern are detected from Heliotest strips and small surface defects from IGT picking papers.

Aixecament topogràfic en tres dimensions de l'Arborètum Dr. Pius Font i Quer de Lleida

Amb el nou jardí botànic de Lleida, l’Arborètum, s’ha aconseguit un gran jardí botànic amb gran variabilitat d’espècies, ja que en 7ha de terreny hi podem trobar fins a 16 ambients amb diferents biodiversitats. En total hi ha uns 1.500 arbres de 225 espècies diferents i 90.000 arbustos de 300 espècies repartits en el territori. Tenint en compte la importància d’aquest jardí botànic, i relacionant-lo amb la topografia, volem aconseguir veure’l en tres dimensions. A través de la visió 3D intentarem donar un tomb virtual dins d’aquest Arborètum, intentant plasmar amb exactitud el seu relleu i recorregut, així com cada un dels seus biomes.

Característica da germinação e morfologia do endocarpo e plântula de taperebá (Spondias mombin L.) - Anacardiaceae

O taperebá (Spondias mombin L.) é uma espécie frutífera bastante apreciada no Norte e Nordeste do País. Porém, alguns problemas fitotécnicos ainda persistem, dentre os quais a germinação irregular e distribuída ao longo do tempo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as características de germinação das sementes, indicando algumas causas que contribuem para a baixa germinação das sementes, além de contribuir com a produção de mudas de boa qualidade. O trabalho foi desenvolvido sob condições ambientais no Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal do Amazonas. Os endocarpos foram colocados para secar ao ambiente e, após 24 horas, foram determinadas as massas de 20 endocarpos e, posteriormente, colocados para germinar; a cada cinco dias, este procedimento foi repetido por um período de 135 dias. As sementes de taperebá não perdem a viabilidade quando colocadas para secar ao ambiente por 135 dias. O período de dessecamento das sementes diminuiu o tempo médio de germinação. Os endocarpos de taperebá são euricárpicos, cada endocarpo contém 1 a 4 sementes viáveis. A germinação do taperebá é do tipo epígeo fanerocotiledonar. A protrusão da raiz primária e do hipocótilo ocorre na parte truncada do endocarpo. De cada endocarpo, pode germinar mais de uma semente ao mesmo tempo, porém apenas uma raiz principal se desenvolve.

Dissemination of periodic mammography and patterns of use, by birth cohort, in Catalonia (Spain)

Background: In Catalonia (Spain) breast cancer mortality has declined since the beginning of the 1990s. The dissemination of early detection by mammography and the introduction of adjuvant treatments are among the possible causes of this decrease, and both were almost coincident in time. Thus, understanding how these procedures were incorporated into use in the general population and in women diagnosed with breast cancer is very important for assessing their contribution to the reduction in breast cancer mortality. In this work we have modeled the dissemination of periodic mammography and described repeat mammography behavior in Catalonia from 1975 to 2006. Methods: Cross-sectional data from three Catalan Health Surveys for the calendar years 1994, 2002 and 2006 was used. The dissemination of mammography by birth cohort was modeled using a mixed effects model and repeat mammography behavior was described by age and survey year. Results: For women born from 1938 to 1952, mammography clearly had a period effect, meaning that they started to have periodic mammograms at the same calendar years but at different ages. The age at which approximately 50% of the women were receiving periodic mammograms went from 57.8 years of age for women born in 1938–1942 to 37.3 years of age for women born in 1963–1967. Women in all age groups experienced an increase in periodic mammography use over time, although women in the 50–69 age group have experienced the highest increase. Currently, the target population of the Catalan Breast Cancer Screening Program, 50–69 years of age, is the group that self-reports the highest utilization of periodic mammograms, followed by the 40–49 age group. A higher proportion of women of all age groups have annual mammograms rather than biennial or irregular ones. Conclusion: Mammography in Catalonia became more widely implemented during the 1990s. We estimated when cohorts initiated periodic mammograms and how frequently women are receiving them. These two pieces of information will be entered into a cost-effectiveness model of early detection in Catalonia.

Cultural control of herbicide-resistant Lolium rigidum Gaud. populations in winter cereal in Northeastern Spain

Lolium rigidum Gaud. is one of the most common weed species in winter cereals in Northeastern Spain. Herbicide resistance has been growing since the mid 90's and exclusive herbicide use is not enough in many cases, so that it is necessary to combine as many control tools as possible. Six field trials have been conducted during the cropping seasons 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 on winter cereal infested with herbicide resistant L. rigidum in Northeastern Spain testing different cultural control strategies. Sowing delay was conducted at five fields, mouldboard ploughing at four fields, the combination of sowing delay and ploughing at two fields, increasing the cereal sowing density and combined with sowing delay at one field. Sowing delay was confirmed to have an irregular efficacy depending on the L. rigidum emergence during the delay period. In the trials, weed emergence was reduced up to 88% in the best case but there was no effect in two cases. Ploughing had a more constant efficacy and reduced weed emergence between 50 and 80% although stoniness impeded in one occasion a correct soil inversion causing a very low efficacy. Increasing the cereal sowing rate did not reduce the weed population. The combination of the different methods did not increase significantly the individual efficacy, and one method was clearly more effective than the other, depending on the trial. In fields with high L. rigidum density, these methods are not effective enough and need to be combined with other methods, which are discussed in the text.

Acción de algunos acaricidas sobre los fítoseídos y la araña roja Panonychus ulmi (Koch) en manzano

Se han realizado 5 ensayos en manzanos para evaluar la acción de algunos acarici­das sobre la araña roja Panonychus ulmi (Koch) y sus depredadores los fitoseidos. En 4 ensayos la especie era Amblyseius andersoni (Chant) y en la otra A. californicus (McGregor). En total se han ensayado 14 materias activas. Se observa una mayor toxicidad de los productos sobre A. californicus que sobre A. andersoni, y en esta última especie la toxicidad suele ser mayor cuando el nivel de P. ulmi es más elevado. Las materias activas que son mas tóxicas para los fitoseidos son: amitraz, bifentrin y fenpropatrin. En el caso del amitraz se observa incluso una proliferación de P. ulmi. Los productos que son menos tóxicos para los fitoseidos y que dan una mayor relación depredador/presa, a pesar de su baja eficacia sobre P. ulmi, son: benzoximato, dioctil-sulfosuccinato-sodico y fenbutestan. Los acaricidas: cihexaestan, dinobuton, hexitiazox y propargita son medianamente tóxicos para los fitoseidos, pero su poca eficacia sobre P. ulmi provoca como resultado una relación depredador/ presa más baja que el testigo. Los que dan una mayor eficacia sobre P. ulmi, pero son más tóxicos para los fi­toseidos que los productos anteriores, por lo que dan como resultado unas relaciones de­ predador/presa más irregulares son: fenazaquin, fenpiroximato, piridaben y tebufenpirad. Deben realizarse más estudios sobre las dosis, mezclas y momentos de aplicación de todos estos productos para su utilización en el control integrado de la araña roja.

Investigaciones sobre la detección, difusión natural y control del enrollamiento clorótico del albaricoquero

Se ha aplicado la técnica de la tinción con el fluorocromo DAPI (4'-6- diamidino- 2-fenilindol) a la detección de organismos del tipo micoplasma («mycoplasma-like organisms» o MLOs) y al seguimiento, a lo largo de un año, de la distribución de MLOs en albaricoqueros enfermos de enrollamiento clorótico («apricot chloroiic leaf roll» o ACLR). Los resultados obtenidos confirman la poca fiabilidad de esta técnica para la detección precoz de micoplasmosis en árboles frutales, a causa de la baja concentración e irregular distribución de MLOs dentro de los árboles enfermos. Én cambio, la tinción con DAPI es útil para la observación a lo largo del año de la distribución de MLOs en diferentes partes de los árboles infectados por ACLR. A lo largo del invierno y la primavera, los MLOs fueron detectados solamente en las raíces y en los ramos formados el año anterior. La presencia de MLOs en los nuevos brotes no pudo ser detectada hasta el principio del verano. En trabajos previos se observaron grandes variaciones en la difusión natural del ACLR, incluso entre áreas próximas de la misma provincia de Valencia. Las investigaciones efectuadas ahora sobre las poblaciones de cicadélidos han mostrado que tanto el número de especies como el de individuos capturados son superiores en un área con una importante difusión natural del ACLR que en otra zona donde la difusión de la enfermedad es prácticamente nula. Las diferencias entre los cicadélidos capturados en estas dos áreas han proporcionado indicaciones acerca de las especies que tienen más probabilidades de ser vectores del ACLR. Se ha estudiado también, durante tres años, la influencia de tratamientos insecticidas y herbicidas sobre la difusión natural del ACLR en una plantación de albaricoqueros. En la mitad de la plantación que se dejó sin tratar, el número de cicadélidos capturados, así como el de nuevos árboles con síntomas de ACLR fue mayor que en la parte de la plantación que había sido tratada.

Caracterización de rodales irregulares de Abies alba Mill. capitalizados en existencias del Valle de Arán (Pirineos, España) y de las cortas de entresaca practicadas

Se describe, en una zona de la vertiente norte de los Pirineos españoles, la estructura dasocrática de rodales irregulares de abeto excesivamente capitalizados en existencias volumétricas, así como la naturaleza de las intervenciones de entresaca que se les aplican al objeto de contrarrestar la tendencia hacia una indeseable uniformidad de la masa. La situación inicial revela una elevada espesura, con importantes excedentes de individuos pertenecientes a las clases diamétricas de madera gruesa, y que conduce a formas selvícolas tipológicas en avanzado proceso de regularización. Empero, la estabilidad mecánica de los pies se manifiesta alejada de sus umbrales críticos en todos los estratos, y la capacidad de regeneración del sistema resulta aceptable. El tratamiento de entresaca realizado, cuya severidad se centró fundamentalmente sobre los pies de diámetro superior a 30 cm, mantiene todavía una situación de espesura excesiva que impide la adscripción de los rodales a estructuras equilibradas, pero ha permitido la liberación de la competencia vertical de los pies en edad de latizal.