Time-dependent properties in two-dimensional and Hamiltonian mappings

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evolutionary History of the PER3 Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR): Idiosyncratic Aspect of Primate Molecular Circadian Clock

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hisonotus acuen, a new and phenotypically variable cascudinho (Siluriformes, Loricariidae, Hypoptopomatinae) from the upper rio Xingu basin, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

GASTROPOD SHELLS USED BY Dardanus insignis (Decapoda, Anomura) NEAR ISLANDS IN THE UBATUBA REGION, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

The use of gastropod shells by hermit crabs is determined by the availability of shells in the environment or through selection for size and volume. This study analyzed patterns in the use of shells by Dardanus insignis (Saussure, 1858). From January 1998 to December 1999, 386 individuals were collected from two islands at Ubatuba, Sao Paulo. The crabs were measured for cephalothoracic shield length (CSL) and wet weight (CWW). The gastropod shells occupied by hermit crabs were identified, and the shell aperture width (SAW), dry weight (SDW) and internal volume (STY) were measured. The relationships between the dimensions of the gastropod shell and the hermit crabs were evaluated by linear regression analysis. Among the 11 species of gastropod shells used by D. insignis, the most often used was Olivancillaria urceus (31%), followed by Strombus pugilis (22%) and Siratus tenuivaricosus (18%). The shell of O. urceus was used most probably due to its high availability on Couves and Mar Virado islands. The most significant biometric parameter was shell aperture width (F=18.231; p<0.0001), highlighting the importance of this variable for the shell choice by D. insignis at both sites.

O controle de preensão em pinça em adultos jovens: efeito da posição do punho

The human hand is the focus of inumerous research studies. Human individuals are capable of performing manual tasks beyond the ability of any other animal. Such large motor ability is due in part to contact surface of the pulp thumb in opposition to the other fingers. Evidences in the literature show that the position of the upper limb influences the ability of hand strength and control. Specifically, the position of the wrist has great influence on the production of pinch strength. The main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of wrist position on the pinch grip with the thumb in opposition to the index finger. Participants of the present study were 21 undergraduate students, 10 men and 11 women. Participants performed a pinch grip task in three wrist positions - maximum flexion, maximum extension and neutral - on two force conditions - 20% and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). MVC was measured in two attempts in each of the three positions of the wrist for a period of three seconds, and the trial of the best result was used as the parameter for task performance. In each trial participants maintained the force production at position for 10 seconds. All participants performed each test condition four times, and the first was used as a familiarization trial and discarded from further analysis. In all trials visual feedback online was provided. Results of both group gender showed variability was similar for force production. Men were stronger than women, but this difference was not significant and both produced on the average more strength in the neutral wrist position than in flexion or extension. In the extended position participants were significantly less variable than in the flexion and neutral positions. We obtained a significant positive correlation between weight and pinch force...(Complete abstracts click electronic access below)

Preposições em textos do gênero notícia na imprensa paulista: norma e uso no ínicio do século XX

This paper proposes a reflection on processes of variation and change that occurred with the portuguese prepositions a, ate, em and para, taken as a parameter for answers in a broader context, the confrontation between the norm and use and between standard and linguistic variation. We conducted the study based on a corpus composed of all occurrences of the prepositions in question removed news of the newspaper O Combate and O Estado de Sao Paulo. Whereas the main objective of the study is to present and describe the use of these particles in newspaper articles of the Imprensa Paulista, data were collected and quantified by using the statistical package GOLDVARB, and interpretation of results relied (i) assumptions regarding the process variation in the use of prepositions and prepositions replace weak, as the preposition to, for strong prepositions (para, em, até), (ii) in comparison with the grammatical rule in effect at the time, (iii) and in the search for the existence of some historical factor that justifies the selection of a preposition rather than another. Among the hypotheses, we investigate the relationship between these prepositions and whose kind of preachers they introduce supplements: the direction of motion (abstract or concrete) or transfer (material and verbal / perceptual). This theoretical perspective was the Labovian sociolinguistics (Labov, 1972, 1994), which defines the linguistic variable as a representation of two or more different ways to convey a certain information content, being necessary to define it the following criteria set exact number of variants to establish all the multiplicity of contexts in which it appears; develop a quantitative index for measuring the values of variables

Resistividade elétrica em aterro sanitário e relações com a produção de biogás

The landfill biogas can be an alternative energetic resource as a fuel to electrical energy generators, although, there are not too many techniques to prospect the gas. Usually, landfills receive home waste, which in most are constituted by organic matter whose degradation by anaerobic activity produces the biogas. Geophysics is an important tool in environmental studies and the electrorresistivity, an important method employed in contaminated areas by slurry or necroslurry, including a monitoring for each contaminator flow. The electrorresistivity has not too much application in finding biogas. For this work, two biogas drains in Rio Claro-SP landfill were selected: one whose waste disposition correspond to the initial activities in the landfill and another drain whose disposition started more recently. The result consists in a higher biogas production if compared to the biogas from the older drain. The present paper consists in a monitoring along one year, with dates collection in each fifteen days. These dates were tabled in Excel 2010 program and graphics of resistivity x depth were generated. Hereafter, most variable resistivity values depth were chosen, to further graphics pluviosity x resistivity generation in Grapher 8 program and the biogas output (m³/h) in monitoring period. The use of pluviosity parameter can be justified by its influence above resistivity. The results show that there is a horizon with possibly biogas accumulation. Lastly, the method was effective, although, for any application of geophysical methods, the knowledge about its limitations is necessary; in this case the influence of pluviosity and also that the measurements were made in one single point, it will not show any side variation

Diagnóstico ambiental da bacia hidrográfica do córrego do Bugre em Alumínio - SP

Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais - Sorocaba

Use of uniform designs in combination with neural networks for viral infection process development

This work aimed to compare the predictive capacity of empirical models, based on the uniform design utilization combined to artificial neural networks with respect to classical factorial designs in bioprocess, using as example the rabies virus replication in BHK-21 cells. The viral infection process parameters under study were temperature (34°C, 37°C), multiplicity of infection (0.04, 0.07, 0.1), times of infection, and harvest (24, 48, 72 hours) and the monitored output parameter was viral production. A multilevel factorial experimental design was performed for the study of this system. Fractions of this experimental approach (18, 24, 30, 36 and 42 runs), defined according uniform designs, were used as alternative for modelling through artificial neural network and thereafter an output variable optimization was carried out by means of genetic algorithm methodology. Model prediction capacities for all uniform design approaches under study were better than that found for classical factorial design approach. It was demonstrated that uniform design in combination with artificial neural network could be an efficient experimental approach for modelling complex bioprocess like viral production. For the present study case, 67% of experimental resources were saved when compared to a classical factorial design approach. In the near future, this strategy could replace the established factorial designs used in the bioprocess development activities performed within biopharmaceutical organizations because of the improvements gained in the economics of experimentation that do not sacrifice the quality of decisions.

Variable assessment of wing colouration in aerial contests of the red-winged damselfly Mnesarete pudica (Zygoptera, Calopterygidae)

Wing pigmentation is a trait that predicts the outcome of male contests in some damselflies. Thus, it is reasonable to suppose that males would have the ability to assess wing pigmentation and adjust investment in a fight according to the costs that the rival may potentially impose. Males of the damselfly Mnesarete pudica exhibit red-coloured wings and complex courtship behaviour and engage in striking male– male fights. In this study, we investigated male assessment behaviour during aerial contests. Theory suggests that the relationship between male resource-holding potential (RHP) and contest duration describes the kind of assessment adopted by males: self-assessment, opponent-only assessment or mutual assessment. A recent theory also suggests that weak and strong males exhibit variations in the assessment strategies adopted. We estimated male RHP through male body size and wing colouration (i.e. pigmentation, wing reflectance spectra and transmission spectra) and studied the relationship between male RHP and contest duration from videodocumented behavioural observations of naturally occurring individual contests in the field. The results showed that males with more opaque wings and larger red spots were more likely to win contests. The relationships between RHP and contest durations partly supported the self-assessment and the mutual assessment models. We then experimentally augmented the pigmented area of the wings, in order to evaluate whether strong and weak males assess rivals’ RHP through wing pigmentation. Our experimental manipulation, however, clearly demonstrated that strong males assess rivals’ wing pigmentation. We finally suggest that there is a variation in the assessment strategy adopted by males

Produtividade em espécies de Drosophila do subgrupo saltans (grupo saltans, subgênero Sophophora): efeitos da infecção por Wolbachia em linhagens normais e introgredidas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Short communication: Variable number of tandem repeat polymorphisms in DGAT1 gene of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) is associated with milk constituents

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Variable assessment of wing colouration in aerial contests of the red-winged damselfly Mnesarete pudica (Zygoptera, Calopterygidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Searches for supersymmetry using the M-T2 variable in hadronic events produced in pp collisions at 8 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic parameter estimates and principal component analysis on performance and carcass traits of a terminal pig sire line

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)