Development of technologies and methods for monitoring the spatial variability of air temperature in greenhouse environment

Climatic factors directly influence growth and productivity of plants inside greenhouses, where temperature can be considered one of the major parameter in this context. Thus, the aim of this research was to develop a low cost device for thermal sensing and data acquisition, and use it in data collection and analysis of spatial variability of temperature inside a greenhouse with tropical climate. The developed equipment for thermal measurements showed a high degree of accuracy and fast responses in measurements, proving its efficiency. The data analysis interpretations were made from the elaborations of variograms and of tridimensional maps generated by a geostatistical software. The processed data analysis presented that a greenhouse without thermal control has spatial variations of air temperature, both in the sampled horizontals layers as in the three analyzed vertical columns, presenting variations of up to 3.6 ºC in certain times.

The role of social skills in social anxiety of university students

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

Locus Amoenus vs. Locus Terribilis: The Spatial Dynamics of the Pastoral and the Urban in La Ceppède’s Théorèmes

The opening sonnets of Jean de La Ceppède’s Théorèmes (1613, 1622) present an urban vs. rural conflict that mirrors the dialectic between sin and salvation running throughout the work. La Ceppède’s focus for this struggle becomes the stark contrast between Jerusalem and the garden at the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem, as the place where Christ is persecuted and eventually tried, represents a Babylon-like enclave of transgression, while the garden is portrayed as a site of purity and tranquil reflection. From a literary standpoint, La Ceppède’s emphasis on the clash between dystopian and utopian settings comprises part of his adaptation of the pastoral, where this particular struggle becomes one of the genre’s principal motifs. In general, the contrast between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives emerges as the point of departure for the poet’s figuration of nature, both human and physical. A human construct, the city of Jerusalem becomes a metaphor for human corruption. In view of humanity’s fall in paradise and the denaturation it symbolizes, the poet’s goal, on both intellectual and affective levels, is to place the reader/dévot in a position to lift her/himself from the depravity of human nature to the grace of divine nature.

Improved Measurement of Muon Antineutrino Disappearance in MINOS

We report an improved measurement of (nu) over bar (mu) disappearance over a distance of 735 km using the MINOS detectors and the Fermilab Main Injector neutrino beam in a (nu) over bar (mu)-enhanced configuration. From a total exposure of 2.95 x 10(20) protons on target, of which 42% have not been previously analyzed, we make the most precise measurement of Delta(m) over bar (2) = [2.62(-0.28)(+0.31)(stat) +/- 0.09(syst)] x 10(-3) eV(2) and constrain the (nu) over bar (mu) mixing angle sin(2)(2 (theta) over bar) > 0.75 (90% C.L.). These values are in agreement with Delta m(2) and sin(2)(2 theta) measured for nu(mu), removing the tension reported in [P. Adamson et al. (MINOS), Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 021801 (2011).].

PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING IN THE CITY OF SERRANA, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

The objective of this cross-sectional and quantitative study was to identify the prevalence and determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among infants less than six months of age in the city of Serrana, Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2009. A validated semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the guardians of the children less than six months of age who attended the second phase of a Brazilian vaccination campaign against polio. Univariate and multivariate analysis presented in odds ratios and confidence intervals was accomplished. Of the total of 275 infant participants, only 29.8% were exclusively breastfed. Univariate analysis revealed that mothers who work outside the home without maternity leave, mothers who did not work outside the home, adolescent mothers, and the use of pacifiers have a greater chance of interrupting exclusive breastfeeding. In the multivariate analysis, mothers who work outside the home without maternity leave are three times more likely to wean their children early. Results provide suggestions for the redirection and planning of interventions targeting breastfeeding.

Biomechanical in vitro evaluation of three stable internal fixation techniques used in sagittal osteotomy of the mandibular ramus: a study in sheep mandibles

Among the osteotomies performed in orthognathic surgery, the sagittal osteotomy of the mandibular ramus (SOMR) is the most common, allowing a great range of movements and stable internal fixation (SIF), therefore eliminating the need of maxillomandibular block in the postoperative period. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical resistance of three national systems used for SIF in SOMR in sheep mandibles. Material and methods: The study was performed in 30 sheep hemi-mandibles randomly divided into 3 experimental groups, each containing 10 hemi-mandibles. The samples were measured to avoid discrepancies and then subjected to SOMR with 5-mm advancement. In group I, 2.0x12 mm screws were used for fixation, inserted in an inverted "L" pattern (inverted "L" group). In group II, fixation was performed with two 2.0x12 mm screws, positioned in a linear pattern and a 4-hole straight miniplate and four 2.0x6.0 mm monocortical screws (hybrid group). In group III, fixation was performed with two-hole straight miniplates and eight 2.0x6.0 mm monocortical screws (mini plate group). All materials used for SIF were supplied by Osteosin - SIN. The hemimandibles were subjected to vertical linear load test by Kratos K2000MP mechanical testing unit for loading registration and displacement. Results: All groups showed similar resistance during mechanical test for loading and displacement, with no statistically significant differences between groups according to analysis of variance. Conclusion: These results indicate that the three techniques of fixation are equally effective for clinical fixation of SOMR.

Combining accelerator and reactor measurements of theta(13): the first result

The lepton mixing angle theta(13), the only unknown angle in the standard three-flavor neutrino mixing scheme, is finally measured by the recent reactor and accelerator neutrino experiments. We perform a combined analysis of the data coming from T2K, MINOS, Double Chooz, Daya Bay and RENO experiments and find sin(2)2 theta(13) = 0.096 +/- 0.013(+/- 0.040) at 1 sigma (3 sigma) CL and that the hypothesis theta(13) = 0 is now rejected at a significance level of 7.7 sigma. We also discuss the near future expectation on the precision of the theta(13) determination by using expected data from these ongoing experiments.

Measurements of atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos in the MINOS far detector

This paper reports measurements of atmospheric neutrino and antineutrino interactions in the MINOS Far Detector, based on 2553 live-days (37.9 kton-years) of data. A total of 2072 candidate events are observed. These are separated into 905 contained-vertex muons and 466 neutrino-induced rock-muons, both produced by charged-current nu(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) interactions, and 701 contained-vertex showers, composed mainly of charged-current nu(e) and (nu) over bar (e) interactions and neutral-current interactions. The curvature of muon tracks in the magnetic field of the MINOS Far Detector is used to select separate samples of nu(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) events. The observed ratio of (nu) over bar (mu) to v(mu) events is compared with the Monte Carlo ( MC) simulation, giving a double ratio of R((nu) over bar/nu)data/R(nu) over bar/nu MC = 1.03 +/- 0.08(stat) +/- 0.08(syst). The v(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) data are separated into bins of L/E resolution, based on the reconstructed energy and direction of each event, and a maximum likelihood fit to the observed L/E distributions is used to determine the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters. This fit returns 90% confidence limits of |Delta m(2)| = (1.9 +/- 0.4) x 10(-3) eV(2) and sin(2)2 theta > 0.86. The fit is extended to incorporate separate nu(mu) and (nu) over bar mu oscillation parameters, returning 90% confidence limits of |Delta m(2)| - |Delta(m) over bar (2)| = 0.6(-0.8)(+2.4) x 10(-3) eV(2) on the difference between the squared-mass splittings for neutrinos and antineutrinos.

Connecting accuracy of interchanged prosthetic abutments to different dental implants using scanning electron microscopy

The present study evaluated the interchangeability of prosthetic components for external hexagon implants by measuring the precision of the implant/abutment (I/A) interface with scanning electron microscopy. Ten implants for each of three brands (SIN, Conexão, Neodent) were tested with their respective abutments (milled CoCr collar rotational and non-rotational) and another of an alternative manufacturer (Microplant) in randomly arranged I/A combinations. The degree of interchangeability between the various brands of components was defined using the original abutment interface gap with its respective implant as the benchmark dimension. Accordingly, when the result for a given component placed on an implant was equal to or smaller then that gap measured when the original component of the same brand as the implant was positioned, interchangeability was considered valid. Data were compared with the Kruskal-Wallis test at 5% significance level. Some degree of misfit was observed in all specimens. Generally, the non-rotational component was more accurate than its rotational counterpart. The latter samples ranged from 0.6-16.9 µm, with a 4.6 µm median; and the former from 0.3-12.9 µm, with a 3.4 µm median. Specimens with the abutment and fixture from Conexão had larger microgap than the original set for SIN and Neodent (p<0.05). Even though the latter systems had similar results with their respective components, their interchanged abutments did not reproduce the original accuracy. The results suggest that the alternative brand abutment would have compatibility with all systems while the other brands were not completely interchangeable.

Frequency and precision of feedback and the adaptive process of learning a dual motor task

This work investigated the effects of frequency and precision of feedback on the learning of a dual-motor task. One hundred and twenty adults were randomly assigned to six groups of different knowledge of results (KR), frequency (100%, 66% or 33%) and precision (specific or general) levels. In the stabilization phase, participants performed the dual task (combination of linear positioning and manual force control) with the provision of KR. Ten non-KR adaptation trials were performed for the same task, but with the introduction of an electromagnetic opposite traction force. The analysis showed a significant main effect for frequency of KR. The participants who received KR in 66% of the stabilization trials showed superior adaptation performance than those who received 100% or 33%. This finding reinforces that there is an optimal level of information, neither too high nor too low, for motor learning to be effective.

Temporal and spatial distribution of the ichthyoplankton in the Canary Islands

A pesar del creciente interés en el estudio de las primeras fases de desarrollo de los peces, aún existen zonas donde esta comunidad es relativamente desconocida. Este es el caso de las Islas Canarias. En la presente tesis, gracias a una serie de muestreos semanales en la región costera de la isla de Gran Canaria durante más de dos años, se ha caracterizado de manera precisa la composición, estructura y variabilidad del ictioplancton presente en esta región subtropical. Clupeidos, Espáridos y Góbidos dominaron la comunidad neríticas, mientras que Mictófidos, Gonostomátidos y Photíctidos prevalecieron dentro de las familias oceánicas. La variabilidad temporal de la comunidad larvaria parece estar más relacionada con la temperatura y efectos a pequeña escala (hidrografía, productividad local, ciclo lunar), que con el aumento de productividad anual durante el bloom de finales de invierno. Se definieron dos asociaciones estacionales de larvas estrechamente ligadas a las características de la columna de agua: (1) invierno-primavera, en la que dominan Sardinella aurita, Boops boops y Cyclothone braueri, y son características especies como Pomacentridae sp1, Trachurus picturatus o Scomber colias; y (2) verano-otoño, donde Góbidos y Cyclothone braueri dominan, pero cuyas especies características son Ceratoscopelus warmingii, Pomacentridae sp2 y Anthias anthias, entre otras. Respecto a la variabilidad horizontal, se confirmó la presencia de dos zonas de retención para los huevos y larvas neríticas a barlovento y sotavento (estela cálida) de la isla. Sin embargo, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en la composición de la comunidad larvaria entre las diferentes zonas de la plataforma de la isla. La Zona de Transición Costera Canario-Africana se caracteriza por una gran actividad de mesoscala, que afectará a la distribución de las larvas neríticas de las costas africanas. Esta interacción resulta especialmente evidente en el caso de las larvas, principalmente sardina y anchoa, transportadas en filamentos de afloramiento generados en la región de Cabo Juby-Cabo Bojador. Estos filamentos pueden ser atrapados por remolinos ciclónicos situados al sur de Gran Canaria. Este sistema remolino-filamento podrá, en función de su evolución, actuar como un mecanismo de retención o dispersión para las larvas de especies neríticas africanas. Parte de estas larvas pueden llegar a las costas de Gran Canaria, suponiendo un aporte para las poblaciones larvarias locales, al menos durante el verano. A pesar de la gran cantidad de información obtenida a partir de esta tesis, es necesario continuar con este tipo de estudios para evaluar la importancia de este transporte larvario y su aplicación a la gestión pesquera.

Importance of the proportions of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxoidants in larval development of marine fish

La acuicultura es uno de los sectores con mayor crecimiento en la producción animal mundial, con una tasa superior al 5% anual en la última década (Izquierdo et al., 2008). En la acuicultura, el éxito del cultivo de cualquier especie de peces marinos está limitado por la cantidad y la calidad de la producción en masa de sus alevines (Izquierdo y Fernández - Palacios, 1997). Por lo tanto, para cubrir las crecientes demandas de la producción de semillas, es necesario mejorar la calidad nutritiva de sus larvas, lo cual todavía constituye una de las principales limitaciones para el desarrollo del cultivo de especies de peces marinos (Watanabe et al., 1983; Yúfera y Pascual, 1984; Sargent et al. 1997; Izquierdo et al., 2000). Aunque la producción Mediterránea del cultivo de peces marinos se ha incrementado en varias especies, la dorada Sparus aurata continúa siendo la especie mas cultivada (Izquierdo, 2005), con una producción anual de alevines que supera los 120 millones/ año. La demanda de alevines de buena calidad está aumentando a un ritmo del 10% anual, pero el éxito de la producción de los juveniles se ve muy afectado por la eficacia de la primera alimentación y la calidad nutricional de la dieta de arranque (Kolkovski et al., 1993; Sargent et al., 1997; Izquierdo et al., 2000). En general, la dorada y la lubina europea (Dicentrarchus labrax) son las especies más importantes de peces marinos criados en la región mediterránea y han caracterizado el desarrollo de la acuicultura marina en esta región en las últimas tres décadas (FAO, 1999). Además, en la producción, de ambas especies, se prevee una mayor expansión (Basurco y Abellán, 1999). Sin embargo, a pesar de que el engorde de estas especies está bien controlado, el conocimiento de sus necesidades nutricionales, en comparación con otras especies como salmónidos y carpas, sigue siendo incompleto (NRC, 1993). Por lo tanto, para obtener un mejor crecimiento y una mayor tasa de supervivencia, es esencial una dieta que responda a las necesidades nutricionales de las larvas, tanto cualitativas como cuantitativas (Kolkovski et al., 1993; Sargent et al., 1997). Además, incluso antes de que comience el desarrollo larvario, los huevos de los peces deben contener todos los nutrientes que cubran los requerimientos adecuados para el desarrollo del embrión (Izquierdo y Fernández - Palacios, 1997). En los últimos años, las investigaciones han prestado gran atención a la importancia de los lípidos dietéticos para larvas de peces marinos (Izquierdo et al., 2003), puesto que son esenciales para el crecimiento y el desarrollo de los mismos (Watanabe, 1982; Sargent et al., 1999a). Como reflejo de esta importancia, la dieta para dorada y lubina se ha convertido en una dieta altamente energética (25% de lípidos) en comparación con la década anterior (12% de lípidos) (Izquierdo et al., 2003). Los lípidos dietéticos proporcionan una fuente rica de energía y fosfolípidos y son fundamentales para la estructura de las biomembranas. Los lípidos dietéticos también sirven como vehículos para la absorción de otros nutrientes, como las vitaminas liposolubles A, D, E, y K, y pigmentos naturales o sintéticos. Los lípidos son componentes de las hormonas y precursores para la síntesis de diversos metabolitos funcionales, como las prostaglandinas y otros eicosonoides. Además, los lípidos dietéticos son reconocidos como uno de los factores nutricionales más importantes que afectan el crecimiento y la supervivencia de las larvas (Watanabe et al., 1983), porque constituyen materiales esenciales para la formación normal de célula, las membranas de los tejidos y el desarrollo de órganos (Izquierdo et al., 1998, 2003; Pousaò et al., 2003). Sin embargo, la utilización de los lípidos dietéticos por las larvas puede verse afectada directa o indirectamente por varios cambios morfológicos y fisiológicos que ocurren durante el desarrollo larvario. En los últimos años ha habido más interés en todos estos aspectos nutricionales de los lípidos en las larvas de peces, debido a la importancia de utilización de los lípidos dieteticos para el óptimo crecimiento y supervivencia larvaria (Izquierdo et al., 2000).

Recent and historical climate variability effects on the population dynamics of several marine species

Eliminadas las páginas en blanco

Biophysical 3D modeling approach of the Canary Current System: a ROMS-PISCES coupling study

Máster Universitario en Oceanografía

Effect of organic exudates of Phaeodactylum tricornutum on the Fe(II) oxidation rate constant

[EN] Fe(II) oxidation kinetics were studied in seawater and in seawater enriched with exudates excreted by Phaeodactylum tricornutum as an organic ligand model. The exudates produced after 2, 4, and 8 days of culture at 6.21 .. 107, 2.29 .. 108, and 4.98 .. 108 cell L?1 were selected. The effects of pH (7.2?8.2), temperature (5?35 ºC), and salinity (10?36.72) on the Fe(II) oxidation rate were studied. All the data were compared with the results for seawater without exudates (control). The Fe(II) rate constant decreased as a function of culture time and cell concentration in the culture at different pH, temperature, and salinity. All the experimental data obtained in this study were fitted to a polynomial function in order to quantify the fractional contribution of the organic exudates from the diatoms to the Fe(II) oxidation rate in natural seawater. Experimental results showed that the organic exudates excreted by P. tricornutum affect Fe(II) oxidation, increasing the lifetime of Fe(II) in seawater. A kinetic model approach was carried out to account for the speciation of each Fe(II) type together with its contribution to the overall rate.