A conceptual model for assessing the level of development of pilgrimage routes

This paper proposes an innovative conceptual model based on a hierarchical structure for the assessment of pilgrimage routes, establishing and weighting the different associated elements. Based on a holistic approach, a Diagnostic Matrix was created which structures the surveying of predefined variables and enables the evaluation of pilgrimage routes. This tool allows an understanding of both, material and immaterial elements that comprise part of pilgrimage experiences, and of the respective routes as tourism products. Based on the case of the Portuguese Camino de Santiago, the proposed matrix enables the diagnosis of the entire route, as well as partial analysis, which can be sector specific (e.g. accommodation), or region / locality specific (e.g. municipality level). From the diagnosis, intervention plans can emerge, identifying the needs and actions to be implemented. The Conceptual Model and subsequent Diagnostic Matrix allows the public, private and voluntary sectors, such as local authorities, associations and economic agents, to better comprehend what role to play in the overall improvement and development of the Route based on existing good practices. Although this study is based on a specific route, it is expected that the same methodology can be applied to other pilgrimage routes, after proceeding with necessary adjustments to the specificities of the respective context.8014-1B5A-933A | Goretti SilvaN/

Leaf trichomes and foliar chemistry mediate defence against glasshouse thrips; Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché) in Rhododendron simsii

Herbivore defence mechanisms are a costly diversion of resources away from growth and reproduction. Thus time-limited and tissue specific expression in critical plant parts is more efficient as defined by optimal defence theory. Surprisingly little is known about Rhododendron herbivore defence but it may be mediated by combined chemical and physical mechanisms. Rhododendron simsii Planch. survives cyclic infestations of a leaf-feeding thrips, Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, which severely damage mature leaves but avoid terminal young leaves suggesting specific, localised defence expression. We examined correlations between the distribution of thrips and feeding damage with density of trichomes and the concentration of the diterpenoid, grayanotoxin I, a compound implicated in but not previously reported to meditate invertebrate defence in Rhododendron. Our data show that as leaves matured the number of thrips and area of feeding damage increased as trichome density and grayanotoxin I concentration decreased, this inverse correlation 10 suggesting trichomes and grayanotoxin I mediate defence in younger leaf tissue. Grayanotoxin I was tested against H. haemorrhoidalis and was toxic to immature life stages and repellent to the adult thrips, reducing numbers of first instars emerging on leaves when applied at ecologically relevant concentrations. This work demonstrates that the pattern of defensive traits in foliage of a species of Rhododendron is key to its ability to tolerate cyclic infestations of a generalist herbivore, effectively conserving vital tissues required for growth and reproduction

Rela??es interpessoais no ensino de ci?ncias

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-14T14:13:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 389890.pdf: 466350 bytes, checksum: ab1a721f5ebb8c6a9ad0068611aecd7b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-01-15No presente trabalho, apresentam-se os resultados de uma pesquisa que objetivou descobrir o grau de influ?ncia das rela??es interpessoais no ensino de Ci?ncias. Ao longo da trajet?ria de quarenta anos nas lides do Magist?rio, tornou-se poss?vel perceber o quanto ? importante o componente relacionamento no processo ensinoaprendizagem. Os dados foram levantados pela constata??o dos fatos marcantes da atividade docente e aqui assinalados sob a forma de autobiografia profissional em que se procurou relatar todas as importantes etapas cumpridas no decorrer desse procedimento pedag?gico. No percurso foi poss?vel verificar a import?ncia das rela??es interpessoais praticadas pelo professor em sala de aula no desempenho das suas fun??es, como forma eficiente e eficaz de facilitar a comunica??o entre ele e os alunos. Isto serviu de motivo ? investiga??o ora apresentada. Para tanto, procurou-se embasamento na leitura de autores, todos ligados ? Educa??o e ao tema, dos quais extra?ram-se ensinamentos, dando sustenta??o ?s conclus?es estabelecidas na pesquisa com alunos da Universidade Cat?lica de Pelotas. Um fato mostrou-se significativo no contexto geral do desempenho docente: a comunica??o verbal do professor, como a maneira apropriada para promover a aprendizagem. Nessa investiga??o, os depoimentos colhidos demonstraram ter sido fundamental a exposi??o clara, vibrante, concisa e convincente dos assuntos de aula, bem como o estreitamento dos la?os de amizade, entre o professor e os alunos, para o bom desenvolvimento dos trabalhos te?ricos e pr?ticos e por conseq??ncia, para resultados satisfat?rios de aproveitamento final. Desta forma, neste trabalho procurou-se evidenciar o valor das rela??es interpessoais na forma??o do professor que, juntamente com a bagagem de conhecimentos espec?ficos da disciplina, postura pessoal, sentimentos e atitudes ?ticas, constituem instrumentos colocados ? mostra no desempenho da atividade professoral e referenciais seguros da firmeza com que ? exercido o processo educativ

ESTUDO DA ESTAT�STICA DE AN�LISE TEMPORAL COM INTELIG�NCIA ARTIFICIAL PARA APLICA��O EM ROB�S DE INVESTIMENTO NO AUX�LIO DOS INVESTIDORES PARA OTIMIZA��O DE GANHOS NA BOLSA DE VALORES DE S�O PAULO

Verifica-se que o baixo n�mero de investidores na Bolsa de Valores em S�o Paulo deve-se tanto � falta de conhecimento quanto � complica��o que encontram na hora de investir e at� mesmo no baixo rendimento esperado. �Neste artigo, a solu��o � o estudo para a cria��o de um algoritmo que possa auxiliar na cria��o de um rob� que auxiliar� aos investidores a obter um melhor lucro. Para o desenvolvimento do mesmo, foram feitos estudos em busca de ferramentas e t�cnicas espec�ficas, para a obten��o de resultados atrav�s do uso da estat�stica, machine learning, redes neurais e apresentando os resultados em um navegador. �Ent�o resulta-se em um artigo fundamentado com �timas t�cnicas para aplicabilidade, servindo para a cria��o do rob� de investimento e at� mesmo ser utilizado como base para cria��o de outros algoritmos que fa�am uso de redes neurais e estat�stica.</jats:p

Phenology and nutritive value of the foliage of some forage trees of Caatinga

2 ilus. 5 tab. 8 ref.Los ?rboles forrajeros presentan diferencias estacionales en sus valores nutritivos que est?n asociados con variaciones en sus ciclos fenol?gicos. Se determinaron las fluctuaciones en el contenido de nutrientes y digestibilidad in vitro de la materia seca del follaje de siete especies arb?reas de la Caatinga y c?mo se relacionan estas variables con su fenolog?a. El contenido de nutrientes y la digestibilidad fueron altos en la fase de crecimiento vegetativo y disminuyeron fuertemente entre las estaciones lluviosas y secas p.ej., el promedio de digestibilidad de todas las especies decreci? de 48 a 28 por ciento. Adem?s, las diferencias en los constituyentes principales entre las especies fueron marcadas p.ej., en estaci?n lluviosa, las concentraciones de prote?na cruda eran 15-21 por ciento, lignina 7-12 por ciento y taninos 0,1 - 21 por ciento. Bauhinia cheilantha y Caesalpinia bracteosa fueron consideradas las mejores especies forrajeras para producir heno. Seasonal differences in the nutritive values of forage trees are associated with variations in their phenological cycles. Fluctuations in the nutrient content and of dry matter in vitro digestibility of the foliage of seven tree species of the Caatinga, and how these are related to their phenology, was determined. The nutrient content and digestibility were high during the vegetative growth phase, decreasing strongly from the rainy to the dry season p. ej., average digestibility of all the species decreased from 48 to 28 percent. Moreover, the differences between the species in the principal constituents were striking p. ej., during the rainy season, the concentrations of crude protein were 15-21 percent, lignin 7-21 percent and tannin 0,1 - 21 percent. Bauhinia cheilantha and Caesalpinia bracteosa were considered to be the best forage species for the production of hay

Differential postreceptor signaling events triggered by excitotoxic stimulation of different ionotropic glutamate receptors in retinal neurons

The aim of this work was to investigate whether excitotoxicity induced by overstimulation of different ionotropic glutamate receptors could trigger different intracellular signaling cascades. Cultured chick neuronal retina cells, essentially amacrine-like, were particularly sensitive to the toxicity induced by non-NMDA glutamate receptor agonists. One hour stimulation with 100 muM kainate induced a reduction of cell viability of about 44%, as assessed by the MTT test 24 hr after stimulation. Kainate-induced toxicity was mediated through AMPA receptors. Glutamate (100 muM, 1 hr) reduced cell viability by 26%, essentially acting through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Five hours after stimulation, neuronal retina cells had an apoptotic-like nuclear morphology. In retinal neurons, the excitotoxic stimulation, with either glutamate or kainate, induced a calcium-dependent enhancement of the DNA-binding activity of the activating protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor, which was maximal 2 hr after stimulation. Glutamate induced a greater increase in the AP-1 DNA-binding activity than did kainate. Supershift assays using antibodies directed against different members of the Fos and Jun protein families showed that the AP-1 complex in retinal neurons includes proteins of the Fos family, namely, Fra-2, c-Jun, and Jun D. The DNA-binding activity of the nuclear factor-kappaB transcription factor was not significantly changed upon excitotoxic stimulation with any agonist. Stimulation of glutamate receptors with 100 muM kainate or 100 muM glutamate for 2 min was sufficient to induce the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Inhibition of the ERK activation with the MEK inhibitors U 0126 and PD 98059 increased the toxicity induced by kainate but was without effect on the toxicity induced by glutamate. These results indicate that, although stimulation with both glutamate receptor agonists increased ERK phosphorylation, only kainate-induced ERK activation correlates with the activation of a survival signaling pathway. Our results suggest that, in chick embryo retinal neurons, the signaling pathways that mediate excitotoxic cell death and neuroprotection are stimulus specific. J. Neurosci. Res. 66:643-655, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc

The influence of anti-predator training, personality and sex in the behavior, dispersion and survival rates of translocated captive-raised parrots.

Predation is one of the main factors responsible for the failure of reintroduction/translocation programs. Animal's personality and sex can also influence key behaviors for survival and reproduction. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of anti-predator training, personality and sex on the survival and behaviors of translocated blue-fronted Amazon parrots. Thirty-one captive-raised parrots were translocated to a Cerrado area in Brazil. Parrots were separated into two groups: anti-predator trained group (ATG) and control group (CG). Personality tests were performed with individuals of the ATG group. Data were collected using focal sampling with instantaneous recording of behavior every minute. Anti-predator training, personality and sex did not influenced parrots' survival after release. However, anti-predator training proved to be efficient in eliciting more natural behaviors in parrots after release. Shy individuals and males showed to be more sociable than bold individuals and females. Personality and sex did not influence behavior exhibition. Parrots interacted more, positively or negatively, with individuals of its own group. Training session closer to the release date should be tried. Behavioral data and not just survival rates should be used to evaluate the efficiency of the techniques, because behavior can give clues about the adaptation of the individuals to the new habitat, increasing the success of the conservation program