Advertisement call of Scinax littoralis and S. angrensis (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae), with notes on the reproductive activity of S. littoralis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The reproductive biology of Cybistax antisyphilitica (Bignoniaceae), a characteristic tree of the South American savannah-like "Cerrado" vegetation

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

Territorial hypothesis predicts the trade-off between reproductive opportunities and parental care in three species of damselfishes (Pomacentridae: Actinopterygii)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A cooperative game theory analysis for transmission loss allocation

This paper presents an analysis and discussion, based on cooperative game theory, for the allocation of the cost of losses to generators and demands in transmission systems. We construct a cooperative game theory model in which the players are represented by equivalent bilateral exchanges and we search for a unique loss allocation solution, the Core. Other solution concepts, such as the Shapley Value, the Bilateral Shapley Value and the Kernel are also explored. Our main objective is to illustrate why is not possible to find an optimal solution for allocating the cost of losses to the users of a network. Results and relevant conclusions are presented for a 4-bus system and a 14-bus system. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An overview on network cost allocation methods

This work is devoted to Study and discuss the main methods to solve the network cost allocation problem both for generators and demands. From the presented, compared and discussed methods, the first one is based on power injections, the second deals with proportional sharing factors, the third is based upon Equivalent Bilateral Exchanges, the fourth analyzes the power How sensitivity in relation to the power injected, and the last one is based on Z(bus) network matrix. All the methods are initially illustrated using a 4-bus system. In addition, the IEEE 24-bus RTS system is presented for further comparisons and analysis. Appropriate conclusions are finally drawn. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive cycles in Bos indicus cattle

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Productive and reproductive performance of heifers fed different levels of urea in the diet

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the nutrient intake, blood parameters, follicular diameter and performance of pre-puberty crossbred heifers fed isoproteic diets (14.1%CP) containing 0.0; 0.44; 0.88 and 1.32% urea on the total dry matter (DM) of the diet, with a 77:23 roughage:concentrate ratio. Twenty-four 18- month old heifers (Holstein x Zebu), 277.9 kg mean live weight (LW) were used, distributed in four treatments and six replications in a randomized complete design. The following were evaluated: dry matter intake (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ether extract (EE), hemicellulose (HEM), plasmatic ureic nitrogen (PUN), plasmatic glucose, plasmatic total cholesterol, follicular diameter and daily weight gain (DWG). No influence of the urea levels in the diet was observed on NDF and HEM intake. A maximum intake was obtained of DM (8.75 kg day(-1)), CP (0.88 kg day(-1)), ADF (2.5 kg day(-1)) and EE (0.17 kg day(-1)) respectively for the levels 0.7, 0.8, 0.7 and 0.7% urea in total DM. The 0.6%; 0.77% and 0.6% urea levels in diet were the critical points for obtaining maximum response for the PUN (10.96 mg dL(-1)) and plasmatic glucose (84.97 mg dL(-1)) concentrations and, for follicular diameter (11.08 mm) on the 40(th); 24(th) and 31(st) day, respectively. The plasmatic total cholesterol concentration and DWG were not influenced by the urea added to the diet, with averages of 119.39 mg dL(-1) and 1.66 kg day(-1), respectively. It was concluded that urea can be added up to 1.32% on the total DM of the diet for pre-puberty crossbred heifers.

Effects of timing of induced luteolysis in embryo donor mares on reproductive performance and pregnancy rate in recipient mares

The objective was to evaluate the effects of giving prostaglandin F(2 alpha) (PGF) to donor mares 48 h prior to embryo collection. Non-lactating donor mares (n = 20 estrous cycles in 10 mares), ranging from 2.5 to 10 y of age and 400 to 500 kg of body weight were used from September 2004 to February 2005 in the southern hemisphere (Brazil). Donor mares were randomly assigned in a cross-over design study. During a Treated cycle, 7.5 mg PGF was given 48 h prior to embryo collection, whereas in the Control cycle, 7.5 mg PGF was given at embryo collection. In Treated Cycles, serum progesterone concentrations decreased between the day of PGF treatment and the day of embryo collection (13.9 +/- 5.4 and 0.5 +/- 0.3 ng/mL, respectively; P < 0.05). In Treated versus Control cycles, the interovulatory interval was shorter (14.9 +/- 0.9 vs 17.5 +/- 1.1 d, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between these groups for the interval from PGF to ovulation (average, 9.8 d), embryo recovery rate (average, 75%), embryo quality, uterine protein concentration, and pregnancy rate in recipient mares (average, 87% at 15 d after ovulation, with no pregnancy loss detected by 60 d). In conclusion, giving donor mares PGF 48 h prior to embryo collection reduced the average interovulatory interval by approximately 2.5 d, thereby potentially increasing the numbers of embryos that could be collected during a breeding season, with no deleterious effects on embryo recovery rate, embryo quality, or pregnancy rate in recipient mares. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimized Allocation of Control and Protective Devices in Electric Distribution Systems

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

REPRODUCTIVE DYNAMICS of THE MAIN SPECIES of FISH IN THE MUNICIPAL RESERVOIR of SAO JOSE do RIO PRETO

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)