Performance of 19-year-old provenances of Liquidambar styraciflua in Paraguaçu Paulista, São Paulo

The genetic variation in the growth of seven 19-year-old Liquidambar styraciflua provenances was studied in Paraguaçu Paulista, São Paulo State, Brazil. The trial was established in a complete randomized block design with seven provenances, four replications and twelve-tree square plots. Significant differences among provenances were detected for diameter at breast height, height and volume, indicating the possibility of increasing timber yield through selection of the most productive provenances. Genetic correlations between growth traits were high and statistically significant. The provenance from Finca las Victorias, Guatemala had the best and the provenance from Franklin, Virginia, United States the poorest performance for all traits. A growth comparison of Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis with the best provenance at the same site indicated that the potential of L. styraciflua for silviculture in the region of Paraguaçu Paulista is high.

Analysis of direct and indirect selection and indices in soybean segregating populations

Estimates of gain with selection are very useful in breeding programs to predict the success of selection. Index-based simultaneous selection makes breeding more successful. The objective of this report was to estimate and compare the genetic gain obtained by direct and indirect selection and using the classical and based on desired gain indices. The experiment was set up in the design of families with intercalated checks with 293 F3 soybean genotypes, distributed in 32 families derived from five crosses. Individual gains obtained with direct selection among and within families and mass selection were similar and in most cases higher than selection by indices. On the other hand, the highest total gains were obtained with selection indices and distributed across all traits. The classical index obtained the highest genetic gains.

Environment mapping for mobile robots navigation using hierarchical neural network and omnivision

Autonomous robots must be able to learn and maintain models of their environments. In this context, the present work considers techniques for the classification and extraction of features from images in joined with artificial neural networks in order to use them in the system of mapping and localization of the mobile robot of Laboratory of Automation and Evolutive Computer (LACE). To do this, the robot uses a sensorial system composed for ultrasound sensors and a catadioptric vision system formed by a camera and a conical mirror. The mapping system is composed by three modules. Two of them will be presented in this paper: the classifier and the characterizer module. The first module uses a hierarchical neural network to do the classification; the second uses techiniques of extraction of attributes of images and recognition of invariant patterns extracted from the places images set. The neural network of the classifier module is structured in two layers, reason and intuition, and is trained to classify each place explored for the robot amongst four predefine classes. The final result of the exploration is the construction of a topological map of the explored environment. Results gotten through the simulation of the both modules of the mapping system will be presented in this paper. © 2008 IEEE.

Structural reforms, productivity and technological change in Latin America

Includes bibliography

Alignment of the CMS silicon tracker during commissioning with cosmic rays

The CMS silicon tracker, consisting of 1440 silicon pixel and 15 148 silicon strip detector modules, has been aligned using more than three million cosmic ray charged particles, with additional information from optical surveys. The positions of the modules were determined with respect to cosmic ray trajectories to an average precision of 3-4 microns RMS in the barrel and 3-14 microns RMS in the endcap in the most sensitive coordinate. The results have been validated by several studies, including laser beam cross-checks, track fit self-consistency, track residuals in overlapping module regions, and track parameter resolution, and are compared with predictions obtained from simulation. Correlated systematic effects have been investigated. The track parameter resolutions obtained with this alignment are close to the design performance. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd and SISSA.

Methodology proposal for acquisition of biotelemetric data in a real time

This work presents a methodological proposal for acquisition of biometric data through telemetry basing its development on a research-action and a case study. Nowadays, the qualified professionals of physical evaluation have to use specific devices to obtain biometric signals and data. These devices in the most of the time are high cost and difficult to use and handling. Therefore, the methodological proposal was elaborate in order to develop, conceptually, a bio telemetric device which could acquire the desirable biometric signals: oxymetry, biometrics, corporal temperature and pedometry which are essential for the area of physical evaluation. It was researched the existent biometrics sensors, the possible ways for the remote transmission of signals and the computer systems available so that the acquisition of data could be possible. This methodological proposal of remote acquisition of biometrical signals is structured in four modules: Acquisitor of biometrics data; Converser and transmitter of biometric signals; Receiver and Processor of biometrics signals and Generator of Interpretative Graphs. The modules aim the obtention of interpretative graphics of human biometric signals. In order to validate this proposal a functional prototype was developed and it is presented in the development of this work.

TORP: An open standard framework for humanoid robots

Humanoid robots are an extremely complex interdisciplinary research field. Particularly, the development of high size humanoid robots usually requires joint efforts and skills from groups that are in many different research centers around the world. However, there are serious constraints in this kind of collaborative development. Some efforts have been made in order to propose new software frameworks that can allow distributed development with also some degree of hardware abstraction, allowing software reuse in successive projects. However, computation represents only one of the dimensions in robotics tasks, and the need for reuse and exchange of full robot modules between groups are growing. Large advances could be reached if physical parts of a robot could be reused in a different robot constructed with other technologies by other researcher or group. This paper proposes a new robot framework, from now on called TORP (The Open Robot Project), that aims to provide a standard architecture in all dimensions (electrical, mechanical and computational) for this collaborative development. This methodology also represents an open project that is fully shared. In this paper, the first robot constructed following the TORP specification set is presented as well as the advances proposed for its improvement. © 2010 IEEE.

SIG - SPRING aplicado na determinação da capacidade de uso das terras da microbacia do Ribeirão Pouso Alegre - Jaú (SP)

A população mundial vem sofrendo, cada vez mais, as conseqüências das agressões efetuadas pelo homem ao meio ambiente, principalmente quanto à ocupação e uso inadequado das terras, o que ocasiona empobrecimento e depauperamento do solo, influenciando na qualidade e disponibilidade de água, levando à destruição das reservas florestais. Assim, é necessária a implantação de políticas públicas, que contemplem o desenvolvimento econômico, urbano, rural e social de uma região, preservando os recursos naturais para futuras gerações. A bacia em estudo está localizada entre as coordenadas UTM 764942; 7546214 e 741816; 7534759, com uma área de 14699,7ha. Este trabalho visou definir as classes de capacidade de uso de terra da microbacia do Ribeirão Pouso Alegre - Jaú (SP) através do Sistema de Informações Geográficas - SPRING. A carta de capacidade de uso da terra foi elaborada a partir do cruzamento das cartas clinográfica e de solo, que foram elaboradas pelo SIG Spring, e o cruzamento de dados foi feito através do LEGAL - Linguagem Espacial para Geoprocessamento Algébrico. Os resultados mostraram que a microbacia é constituída essencialmente pelas classes II e III e o SIG-SPRING permitiu através dos seus módulos discriminarem e quantificar as áreas das classes de terras, declive e capacidade de uso da terra rapidamente.

Violencia de género: un problema de derechos humanos

Incluye Bibliografía

Single stage converters for low power stand-alone and grid-connected PV systems

This work presents the evaluation of different power electronic integrated converters suitable for photovoltaic applications, in order to reduce complexity and improve reliability. The rated voltages available in Photovoltaic (PV) modules have usually low values for applications such as regulated output voltages in stand-alone or grid-connected configurations. In these cases, a boost stage or a transformer will be necessary. Transformers have low efficiencies, heavy weights and have been used only when galvanic isolation is mandatory. Furthermore, high-frequency transformers increase the converter complexity. Therefore, the most usual topologies use a boost stage and one inverter stage cascaded. However, the complexity, size, weight, cost and lifetime might be improved considering the integration of both stages. In this context, some integrated converters are analyzed and compared in this paper in order to support future evaluations and trends for low power single-phase inverters for PV systems. Power decoupling, MPPT and Tri-State modulations are also considered. Finally, simulation and experimental results are presented and compared for the analyzed topologies. © 2011 IEEE.

Evaluation of integrated inverter topologies for low power PV systems

This work presents the stage integration in power electronics converters as a suitable solution for solar photovoltaic inverters. The rated voltages available in Photovoltaic (PV) modules have usually low values for applications such as regulated output voltages in stand-alone or grid-connected configurations. In these cases, a boost stage or a transformer will be necessary. Transformers have low efficiencies, heavy weights and have been used only when galvanic isolation is mandatory. Furthermore, high-frequency transformers increase the converter complexity. Therefore, the most usual topologies use a boost stage and one inverter stage cascaded. However, the complexity, size, weight, cost and lifetime might be improved considering the integration of both stages. These are the expected features to turn attractive this kind of integrated structures. Therefore, some integrated converters are analyzed and compared in this paper in order to support future evaluations and trends for low power single-phase inverters for PV systems. © 2011 IEEE.

Development of heterogeneous node network using microcontroller with protocols CAN and Zigbee

In this paper was proposed the development of an heterogeneous system using the microcontroller (AT90CANI28) where the protocol model CAN and the standard IEEE 802.15.4 are connected. This module is able to manage and monitor sensors and actuators using CAN and, through the wireless standard 802.15.4, communicate with the other network modules. © 2011 IEEE.

Design of microprogrammed controllers with address converter implemented on programmable systems with embedded memories

In the paper the improvement of a traditional structure of a microprogrammed controller with sharing codes is discussed. The idea is based on the modification of internal modules and connections of the device. Such a solution permits to reduce the number of embedded memories needed for implementation of the microprogrammed controller on programmable structures, especially FPGAs. © 2011 IEEE.

Reduction of the memory size in the microprogrammed controllers

In the paper the method of reduction of the memory size in the microprogrammed controllers with sharing codes is discussed. The idea is based on the modification of internal modules and connections of the device. Next, the reduction of the microinstruction length based on the hypergraph theory is performed, thus the total size of the memory is highly reduced. © 2011 IEEE.

Avaliação das propriedades químicas em solo de cerrado SOB reflorestamento ciliar

The rapid growth of agriculture, promoted by public government initiatives, favored an out of control deforestation of our forests; today, reforestation of permanent preservation areas are necessary for the conservation of our natural resources, and recovery of such areas are required by public laws. In an area of 5.26 acres of riparian reforestation in the savanna soil chemical properties were evaluated after twenty years of planting. It was analyzed the following variables: (P, organic matter (MO), pH, K, Ca, Mg, H+Al, Al and S) in 13 modules, with three replicas in two depths (0 - 20 and 20 - 40 cm) in a randomized block design in hierarchical scheme. Reforestation with tree species on the edge of Parana river in Selvíria (MS) contributes to chemical soil attributes, under riparian reforestation, as similar as a soil without human disturbance in this region; it is also possible to verify that forestry plantation promotes deposition of organic material which is essential for nutrient cycling, which keep the chemical properties of such soil in good condition for the establishment of riparian vegetation.