Study on the anatomy of young coffee plants coming from micro-cuttings and induced to sprout.

Micro-cuttings coming from Catucaí coffee plants were established in the greenhouse and treated to sprout by decapitation and application of 600 mg/l triiodobenzoic acid. The morphology and the anatomy of treated and control plants were compared. Treated plants produced only orthotropic sprouts, useful for micro-cutting, while control plants produced only plagiotropic sprouts. Direct connections between the orthotropic sprouts and the petiole accessory veins were observed only in treated plants. All together, these results were interpreted as consequences of disturbances in the auxin transport systems, which shape apical dominance and bud dormancy

Decoherence induced by a phase-damping reservoir

A phase damping reservoir composed by $N$-bosons coupled to a system of interest through a cross-Kerr interaction is proposed and its effects on quantum superpo sitions are investigated. By means of analytical calculations we show that: i-) the reservoir induces a Gaussian decay of quantum coherences, and ii-) the inher ent incommensurate character of the spectral distribution yields irreversibility . A state-independent decoherence time and a master equation are both derived an alytically. These results, which have been extended for the thermodynamic limit, show that nondissipative decoherence can be suitably contemplated within the EI D approach. Finally, it is shown that the same mechanism yielding decoherence ar e also responsible for inducing dynamical disentanglement.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Requirements and costs for scaling up comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care in health centres in Tanzania

The objective of this study was to identify and determine the costs of essential components of a resource package and strategies for scaling up comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care services in Tanzania. Essential components were identified through lessons learned during implementation of comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care and regular discussions with key stakeholders. The related costs were collected from the health centres, Tanzania Medical Store Department and non-governmental organizations that had upgraded health centres for comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care services provision. The results showed that the estimated costs of upgrading a health centre to provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care services was $256,650 (USD) for infrastructure and equipment,$4,463 per person for upgrading skills in either in comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care or anaesthesia for three months and $43,500 per year for medicines and supplies. The total cost for all components per health centre was estimated at$560,802. Scale up required many complementary strategies at all health system levels. Scale up of comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care services in health ccentres in underserved areas is feasible and urgently needed in resource-limited countries.   L'objectif de cette étude était d'identifier et de déterminer les coûts des composants essentiels d'un ensemble de ressources et de stratégies pour étendre les services complets de soins obstétricaux et néonatals d'urgence en Tanzanie. Les éléments essentiels ont été identifiés grâce aux enseignements tirés lors de la mise en oeuvre de soins obstétricaux et néonatals d'urgence complets et de discussions régulières avec les principales parties prenantes. Les coûts correspondants ont été collectés auprès des centres de santé, du département de pharmacie de Tanzanie et d'organisations non gouvernementales qui avaient modernisé les centres de santé pour une prestation complète de services de soins obstétricaux et néonatals d'urgence. Les résultats ont montré que les coûts estimés de la modernisation d'un centre de santé pour fournir des services complets de soins obstétricaux et néonatals d'urgence étaient de 256 650 $(USD) pour l'infrastructure et l'équipement, 4 463$ par personne pour la mise à niveau des compétences en soins obstétricaux et néonatals d'urgence complets ou en anesthésie pour mois et 43 500 $par an pour les médicaments et les fournitures. Le coût total de toutes les composantes par centre de santé a été estimé à 560 802$. La mise à l'échelle a nécessité de nombreuses stratégies complémentaires à tous les niveaux du système de santé. L'extension des services complets de soins obstétricaux et néonatals d'urgence dans les centres de santé des zones mal desservies est faisable et urgente dans les pays à ressources limitées &nbsp

Post-Newtonian Parameters from Alternative Theories of Gravity

Alternative theories of gravity have been recently studied in connection with their cosmological applications, both in the Palatini and in the metric formalism. The aim of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework (in the Palatini formalism) to test these theories at the solar system level and possibly at the galactic scales. We exactly solve field equations in vacuum and find the corresponding corrections to the standard general relativistic gravitational field. On the other hand, approximate solutions are found in matter cases starting from a Lagrangian which depends on a phenomenological parameter. Both in the vacuum case and in the matter case the deviations from General Relativity are controlled by parameters that provide the Post-Newtonian corrections which prove to be in good agreement with solar system experiments.Comment: 17 pages, no figure

Dynamical Reduction Models with General Gaussian Noises

We consider the effect of replacing in stochastic differential equations leading to the dynamical collapse of the statevector, white noise stochastic processes with non white ones. We prove that such a modification can be consistently performed without altering the most interesting features of the previous models. One of the reasons to discuss this matter derives from the desire of being allowed to deal with physical stochastic fields, such as the gravitational one, which cannot give rise to white noises. From our point of view the most relevant motivation for the approach we propose here derives from the fact that in relativistic models the occurrence of white noises is the main responsible for the appearance of untractable divergences. Therefore, one can hope that resorting to non white noises one can overcome such a difficulty. We investigate stochastic equations with non white noises, we discuss their reduction properties and their physical implications. Our analysis has a precise interest not only for the above mentioned subject but also for the general study of dissipative systems and decoherence.Comment: 22 pages, Late