Cachaça Classification Using Chemical Features and Computer Vision

Cacha¸ca is a type of distilled drink from sugarcane with great economic importance. Its classification includes three types: aged, premium and extra premium. These three classifications are related to the aging time of the drink in wooden casks. Besides the aging time, it is important to know what the wood used in the barrel storage in order the properties of each drink are properly informed consumer. This paper shows a method for automatic recognition of the type of wood and the aging time using information from a computer vision system and chemical information. Two algorithms for pattern recognition are used: artificial neural networks and k-NN (k-Nearest Neighbor). In the case study, 144 cacha¸ca samples were used. The results showed 97% accuracy for the problem of the aging time classification and 100% for the problem of woods classification.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A feasibility cachaca type recognition using computer vision and pattern recognition

Brazilian rum (also known as cachaça) is the third most commonly consumed distilled alcoholic drink in the world, with approximately 2.5 billion liters produced each year. It is a traditional drink with refined features and a delicate aroma that is produced mainly in Brazil but consumed in many countries. It can be aged in various types of wood for 1-3 years, which adds aroma and a distinctive flavor with different characteristics that affect the price. A research challenge is to develop a cheap automatic recognition system that inspects the finished product for the wood type and the aging time of its production. Some classical methods use chemical analysis, but this approach requires relatively expensive laboratory equipment. By contrast, the system proposed in this paper captures image signals from samples and uses an intelligent classification technique to recognize the wood type and the aging time. The classification system uses an ensemble of classifiers obtained from different wavelet decompositions. Each classifier is obtained with different wavelet transform settings. We compared the proposed approach with classical methods based on chemical features. We analyzed 105 samples that had been aged for 3 years and we showed that the proposed solution could automatically recognize wood types and the aging time with an accuracy up to 100.00% and 85.71% respectively, and our method is also cheaper.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Taking the pulse of Earth's tropical forests using networks of highly distributed plots

Tropical forests are the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. While better understanding of these forests is critical for our collective future, until quite recently efforts to measure and monitor them have been largely disconnected. Networking is essential to discover the answers to questions that transcend borders and the horizons of funding agencies. Here we show how a global community is responding to the challenges of tropical ecosystem research with diverse teams measuring forests tree-by-tree in thousands of long-term plots. We review the major scientific discoveries of this work and show how this process is changing tropical forest science. Our core approach involves linking long-term grassroots initiatives with standardized protocols and data management to generate robust scaled-up results. By connecting tropical researchers and elevating their status, our Social Research Network model recognises the key role of the data originator in scientific discovery. Conceived in 1999 with RAINFOR (South America), our permanent plot networks have been adapted to Africa (AfriTRON) and Southeast Asia (T-FORCES) and widely emulated worldwide. Now these multiple initiatives are integrated via ForestPlots.net cyber-infrastructure, linking colleagues from 54 countries across 24 plot networks. Collectively these are transforming understanding of tropical forests and their biospheric role. Together we have discovered how, where and why forest carbon and biodiversity are responding to climate change, and how they feedback on it. This long-term pan-tropical collaboration has revealed a large long-term carbon sink and its trends, as well as making clear which drivers are most important, which forest processes are affected, where they are changing, what the lags are, and the likely future responses of tropical forests as the climate continues to change. By leveraging a remarkably old technology, plot networks are sparking a very modern revolution in tropical forest science. In the future, humanity can benefit greatly by nurturing the grassroots communities now collectively capable of generating unique, long-term understanding of Earth's most precious forests. Resumen Los bosques tropicales son los ecosistemas más diversos y productivos del mundo y entender su funcionamiento es crítico para nuestro futuro colectivo. Sin embargo, hasta hace muy poco, los esfuerzos para medirlos y monitorearlos han estado muy desconectados. El trabajo en redes es esencial para descubrir las respuestas a preguntas que trascienden las fronteras y los plazos de las agencias de financiamiento. Aquí mostramos cómo una comunidad global está respondiendo a los desafíos de la investigación en ecosistemas tropicales a través de diversos equipos realizando mediciones árbol por árbol en miles de parcelas permanentes de largo plazo. Revisamos los descubrimientos más importantes de este trabajo y discutimos cómo este proceso está cambiando la ciencia relacionada a los bosques tropicales. El enfoque central de nuestro esfuerzo implica la conexión de iniciativas locales de largo plazo con protocolos estandarizados y manejo de datos para producir resultados que se puedan trasladar a múltiples escalas. Conectando investigadores tropicales, elevando su posición y estatus, nuestro modelo de Red Social de Investigación reconoce el rol fundamental que tienen, para el descubrimiento científico, quienes generan o producen los datos. Concebida en 1999 con RAINFOR (Suramérica), nuestras redes de parcelas permanentes han sido adaptadas en África (AfriTRON) y el sureste asiático (T-FORCES) y ampliamente replicadas en el mundo. Actualmente todas estas iniciativas están integradas a través de la ciber-infraestructura de ForestPlots.net, conectando colegas de 54 países en 24 redes diferentes de parcelas. Colectivamente, estas redes están transformando nuestro conocimiento sobre los bosques tropicales y el rol de éstos en la biósfera. Juntos hemos descubierto cómo, dónde y porqué el carbono y la biodiversidad de los bosques tropicales está respondiendo al cambio climático y cómo se retroalimentan. Esta colaboración pan-tropical de largo plazo ha expuesto un gran sumidero de carbono y sus tendencias, mostrando claramente cuáles son los factores más importantes, qué procesos se ven afectados, dónde ocurren los cambios, los tiempos de reacción y las probables respuestas futuras mientras el clima continúa cambiando. Apalancando lo que realmente es una tecnología antigua, las redes de parcelas están generando una verdadera y moderna revolución en la ciencia tropical. En el futuro, la humanidad puede beneficiarse enormemente si se nutren y cultivan comunidades de investigadores de base, actualmente con la capacidad de generar información única y de largo plazo para entender los que probablemente son los bosques más preciados de la tierra. Resumo Florestas tropicais são os ecossistemas mais diversos e produtivos da Terra. Embora uma boa compreensão destas florestas seja crucial para o nosso futuro coletivo, até muito recentemente os esforços de medições e monitoramento foram amplamente desconexos. É essencial formarmos redes para obtermos respostas que transcendem fronteiras e horizontes de agências financiadoras. Neste estudo nós mostramos como uma comunidade global está respondendo aos desafios da pesquisa de ecossistemas tropicais, com equipes diversas medindo florestas, árvore por árvore, em milhares de parcelas monitoradas à longo prazo. Nós revisamos as maiores descobertas científicas deste trabalho, e mostramos também como este processo está mudando a ciência de florestas tropicais. Nossa abordagem principal envolve unir iniciativas de base a protocolos padronizados e gerenciamento de dados a fim de gerar resultados robustos em escalas ampliadas. Ao conectar pesquisadores tropicais e elevar seus status, nosso modelo de Rede de Pesquisa Social reconhece o papel-chave do produtor dos dados na descoberta científica. Concebida em 1999 com o RAINFOR (América do Sul), nossa rede de parcelas permanentes foi adaptada para África (AfriTRON) e Sudeste asiático (T-FORCES), e tem sido extensamente reproduzida em todo o mundo. Agora estas múltiplas iniciativas estão integradas através de uma infraestrutura cibernética do ForestPlots.net, conectando colegas de 54 países de 24 redes de parcelas. Estas iniciativas estão transformando coletivamente o entendimento das florestas tropicais e seus papéis na biosfera. Juntos nós descobrimos como, onde e por que o carbono e a biodiversidade da floresta estão respondendo às mudanças climáticas, e seus efeitos de retroalimentação. Esta duradoura colaboração pantropical revelou um grande sumidouro de carbono persistente e suas tendências, assim como tem evidenciado quais direcionadores são mais importantes, quais processos florestais são mais afetados, onde eles estão mudando, seus atrasos no tempo de resposta, e as prováveis respostas das florestas tropicais conforme o clima continua a mudar. Dessa forma, aproveitando uma notável tecnologia antiga, redes de parcelas acendem faíscas de uma moderna revolução na ciência das florestas tropicais. No futuro a humanidade pode se beneficiar incentivando estas comunidades basais que agora são coletivamente capazes de gerar conhecimentos únicos e duradouros sobre as florestas mais preciosas da Terra. Résume Les forêts tropicales sont les écosystèmes les plus diversifiés et les plus productifs de la planète. Si une meilleure compréhension de ces forêts est essentielle pour notre avenir collectif, jusqu'à tout récemment, les efforts déployés pour les mesurer et les surveiller ont été largement déconnectés. La mise en réseau est essentielle pour découvrir les réponses à des questions qui dépassent les frontières et les horizons des organismes de financement. Nous montrons ici comment une communauté mondiale relève les défis de la recherche sur les écosystèmes tropicaux avec diverses équipes qui mesurent les forêts arbre après arbre dans de milliers de parcelles permanentes. Nous passons en revue les principales découvertes scientifiques de ces travaux et montrons comment ce processus modifie la science des forêts tropicales. Notre approche principale consiste à relier les initiatives de base à long terme à des protocoles standardisés et une gestion de données afin de générer des résultats solides à grande échelle. En reliant les chercheurs tropicaux et en élevant leur statut, notre modèle de réseau de recherche sociale reconnaît le rôle clé de l'auteur des données dans la découverte scientifique. Conçus en 1999 avec RAINFOR (Amérique du Sud), nos réseaux de parcelles permanentes ont été adaptés à l'Afrique (AfriTRON) et à l'Asie du Sud-Est (T-FORCES) et largement imités dans le monde entier. Ces multiples initiatives sont désormais intégrées via l'infrastructure ForestPlots.net, qui relie des collègues de 54 pays à travers 24 réseaux de parcelles. Ensemble, elles transforment la compréhension des forêts tropicales et de leur rôle biosphérique. Ensemble, nous avons découvert comment, où et pourquoi le carbone forestier et la biodiversité réagissent au changement climatique, et comment ils y réagissent. Cette collaboration pan-tropicale à long terme a révélé un important puits de carbone à long terme et ses tendances, tout en mettant en évidence les facteurs les plus importants, les processus forestiers qui sont affectés, les endroits où ils changent, les décalages et les réactions futures probables des forêts tropicales à mesure que le climat continue de changer. En tirant parti d'une technologie remarquablement ancienne, les réseaux de parcelles déclenchent une révolution très moderne dans la science des forêts tropicales. À l'avenir, l'humanité pourra grandement bénéficier du soutien des communautés de base qui sont maintenant collectivement capables de générer une compréhension unique et à long terme des forêts les plus précieuses de la Terre. Abstrak Hutan tropika adalah di antara ekosistem yang paling produktif dan mempunyai kepelbagaian biodiversiti yang tinggi di seluruh dunia. Walaupun pemahaman mengenai hutan tropika amat penting untuk masa depan kita, usaha-usaha untuk mengkaji dan mengawas hutah-hutan tersebut baru sekarang menjadi lebih diperhubungkan. Perangkaian adalah sangat penting untuk mencari jawapan kepada soalan-soalan yang menjangkaui sempadan dan batasan agensi pendanaan. Di sini kami menunjukkan bagaimana sebuah komuniti global bertindak balas terhadap cabaran penyelidikan ekosistem tropika melalui penglibatan pelbagai kumpulan yang mengukur hutan secara pokok demi pokok dalam beribu-ribu plot jangka panjang. Kami meninjau semula penemuan saintifik utama daripada kerja ini dan menunjukkan bagaimana proses ini sedang mengubah bidang sains hutan tropika. Teras pendekatan kami memberi tumpuan terhadap penghubungan inisiatif akar umbi jangka panjang dengan protokol standar serta pengurusan data untuk mendapatkan hasil skala besar yang kukuh. Dengan menghubungkan penyelidik-penyelidik tropika dan meningkatkan status mereka, model Rangkaian Penyelidikan Sosial kami mengiktiraf kepentingan peranan pengasas data dalam penemuan saintifik. Bermula dengan pengasasan RAINFOR (Amerika Selatan) pada tahun 1999, rangkaian-rangkaian plot kekal kami kemudian disesuaikan untuk Afrika (AfriTRON) dan Asia Tenggara (T-FORCES) dan selanjutnya telah banyak dicontohi di seluruh dunia. Kini, inisiatif-inisiatif tersebut disepadukan melalui infrastruktur siber ForestPlots.net yang menghubungkan rakan sekerja dari 54 negara di 24 buah rangkaian plot. Secara kolektif, rangkaian ini sedang mengubah pemahaman tentang hutan tropika dan peranannya dalam biosfera. Kami telah bekerjasama untuk menemukan bagaimana, di mana dan mengapa karbon serta biodiversiti hutan bertindak balas terhadap perubahan iklim dan juga bagaimana mereka saling bermaklum balas. Kolaborasi pan-tropika jangka panjang ini telah mendedahkan sebuah sinki karbon jangka panjang serta arah alirannya dan juga menjelaskan pemandu-pemandu perubahan yang terpenting, di mana dan bagaimana proses hutan terjejas, masa susul yang ada dan kemungkinan tindakbalas hutan tropika pada perubahan iklim secara berterusan di masa depan. Dengan memanfaatkan pendekatan lama, rangkaian plot sedang menyalakan revolusi yang amat moden dalam sains hutan tropika. Pada masa akan datang, manusia sejagat akan banyak mendapat manfaat jika memupuk komuniti-komuniti akar umbi yang kini berkemampuan secara kolektif menghasilkan pemahaman unik dan jangka panjang mengenai hutan-hutan yang paling berharga di dunia

Qualidade física e química de mini-tomates Sweet Grape produzidos em cultivo orgânico e convencional

This study aimed to compare parameters used for determining quality, such as height, diameter, mass, peduncle scar, instrumental color (L*, a* and b*), pH, soluble solids, total acidity, soluble solids/total acidity ratio, chemical composition (moisture, ash, lipids, protein, carbohydrates), total energy value and lycopene content in mini- tomato fruits of Sweet Grape cultivar obtained from organic and conventional cultivation. We used fully randomized design with three treatments and five replicates. Analyses were performed by official methods in triplicate. The dimensions and color of mini-tomatoes were not affected by the cultivation system. Organic mini-tomatoes, despite having higher moisture content (93.68 g 100 g-1 ) compared to those cultivated in a conventional system, showed higher contents of ash (0.43 g 100 g-1 ), protein (2.16 g 100 g-1 ), lipid (0.38 g 100 g-1 ), and lycopene (3.22 g 100 g-1 ), higher soluble solids/acidity ratio (2.17), and lower total acidity (3.2 g citric acid 100 g-1 ), carbohydrate (3.34 g 100 g-1 ) and energy value (24.5 kcal 100 g-1 ), which is advantage for the consumer in terms of nutritional, sensory and functional perspectives.O presente trabalho teve por objetivo comparar os parâmetros utilizados na determinação da qualidade, como altura, diâmetro, massa, cicatriz peduncular, parâmetros instrumentais de cor (L*, a* e b*), pH, teor de sólidos solúveis, acidez total, relação entre o teor de sólidos solúveis e a acidez total, composição centesimal (umidade, cinzas, lipídios, proteína, carboidratos), valor energético total e teor de licopeno de frutos de mini-tomates do cultivar Sweet Grape obtidos em cultivo orgânico e convencional. Utilizou-se delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com três tratamentos e cinco repetições. As análises foram realizadas por métodos oficias e em triplicata. As dimensões e a cor dos mini-tomates não foram afetadas pelo sistema de cultivo. Os mini-tomates orgânicos do cultivar Sweet Grape, apesar de possuírem teor de umidade (93,68 g 100 g-1 ) mais elevado em relação aos cultivados em sistema convencional, apresentam maiores teores de cinzas (0,43 g 100 g-1 ), de proteína (2,16 g 100 g-1 ), de lipídios (0,38 g 100 g -1 ), de licopeno (3,22 g 100 g-1 ) e relação entre os sólidos solúveis totais e a acidez total (2,17), e menor acidez total (3,2 gácido cítrico 100 g-1 ), teor de carboidratos (3,34 g 100 g-1 ) e valor energético (24,5 kcal 100 g-1 ), o que representa para o consumidor vantagem do ponto de vista nutricional, sensorial e funcional

Qualidade física e química de mini-tomates Sweet Grape produzidos em cultivo orgânico e convencional

This study aimed to compare parameters used for determining quality, such as height, diameter, mass, peduncle scar, instrumental color (L*, a* and b*), pH, soluble solids, total acidity, soluble solids/total acidity ratio, chemical composition (moisture, ash, lipids, protein, carbohydrates), total energy value and lycopene content in mini- tomato fruits of Sweet Grape cultivar obtained from organic and conventional cultivation. We used fully randomized design with three treatments and five replicates. Analyses were performed by official methods in triplicate. The dimensions and color of mini-tomatoes were not affected by the cultivation system. Organic mini-tomatoes, despite having higher moisture content (93.68 g 100 g-1 ) compared to those cultivated in a conventional system, showed higher contents of ash (0.43 g 100 g-1 ), protein (2.16 g 100 g-1 ), lipid (0.38 g 100 g-1 ), and lycopene (3.22 g 100 g-1 ), higher soluble solids/acidity ratio (2.17), and lower total acidity (3.2 g citric acid 100 g-1 ), carbohydrate (3.34 g 100 g-1 ) and energy value (24.5 kcal 100 g-1 ), which is advantage for the consumer in terms of nutritional, sensory and functional perspectives.O presente trabalho teve por objetivo comparar os parâmetros utilizados na determinação da qualidade, como altura, diâmetro, massa, cicatriz peduncular, parâmetros instrumentais de cor (L*, a* e b*), pH, teor de sólidos solúveis, acidez total, relação entre o teor de sólidos solúveis e a acidez total, composição centesimal (umidade, cinzas, lipídios, proteína, carboidratos), valor energético total e teor de licopeno de frutos de mini-tomates do cultivar Sweet Grape obtidos em cultivo orgânico e convencional. Utilizou-se delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com três tratamentos e cinco repetições. As análises foram realizadas por métodos oficias e em triplicata. As dimensões e a cor dos mini-tomates não foram afetadas pelo sistema de cultivo. Os mini-tomates orgânicos do cultivar Sweet Grape, apesar de possuírem teor de umidade (93,68 g 100 g-1 ) mais elevado em relação aos cultivados em sistema convencional, apresentam maiores teores de cinzas (0,43 g 100 g-1 ), de proteína (2,16 g 100 g-1 ), de lipídios (0,38 g 100 g -1 ), de licopeno (3,22 g 100 g-1 ) e relação entre os sólidos solúveis totais e a acidez total (2,17), e menor acidez total (3,2 gácido cítrico 100 g-1 ), teor de carboidratos (3,34 g 100 g-1 ) e valor energético (24,5 kcal 100 g-1 ), o que representa para o consumidor vantagem do ponto de vista nutricional, sensorial e funcional

Molecular Characterization of Mycobacterium massiliense and Mycobacterium bolletii in Isolates Collected from Outbreaks of Infections after Laparoscopic Surgeries and Cosmetic Procedures▿

An outbreak of infections affecting 311 patients who had undergone different invasive procedures occurred in 2004 and 2005 in the city of Belém, in the northern region of Brazil. Sixty-seven isolates were studied; 58 were from patients who had undergone laparoscopic surgeries, 1 was from a patient with a postinjection abscess, and 8 were from patients who had undergone mesotherapy. All isolates were rapidly growing nonpigmented mycobacteria and presented a pattern by PCR-restriction enzyme analysis of the hsp65 gene with BstEII of bands of 235 and 210 bp and with HaeIII of bands of 200, 70, 60, and 50 bp, which is common to Mycobacterium abscessus type 2, Mycobacterium bolletii, and Mycobacterium massiliense. hsp65 and rpoB gene sequencing of a subset of 20 isolates was used to discriminate between these three species. hsp65 and rpoB sequences chosen at random from 11 of the 58 isolates from surgical patients and the postinjection abscess isolate presented the highest degrees of similarity with the corresponding sequences of M. massiliense. In the same way, the eight mesotherapy isolates were identified as M. bolletii. Molecular typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) grouped all 58 surgical isolates, while the mesotherapy isolates presented three different PFGE patterns and the postinjection abscess isolate showed a unique PFGE pattern. In conclusion, molecular techniques for identification and typing were essential for the discrimination of two concomitant outbreaks and one case, the postinjection abscess, not related to either outbreak, all of which were originally attributed to a single strain of M. abscessus

Yellow fever outbreak in a rural-urban mixed community of Espírito Santo, Brazil: epidemiological aspects

Objective. To describe the epidemiological aspects of an outbreak of yellow fever (YF) that occurred in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, from 1 January 2017 – 31 July 2017. Methods. A descriptive, quantitative, retrospective approach analyzed secondary data obtained from the national notification systems, Information System of Diseases Notifications (SINAN), Laboratory Environment Manager (GAL), and the Espírito Santo Health Secretariat (SESA). Results. From 1 January 2017 – 8 July 2017, a total of 824 cases were reported in Espírito Santo, 307 (37%) of which were confirmed as YF. Of these, 95 (30.9%) died from the disease. Men were those most affected, corresponding to 244 (79.5%) cases, and women to 63 (20.5%) cases. The greatest incidence rate registered was in the city of Santa Leopoldina (380.2 cases/100 000 inhabitants). The outbreak evolved rapidly and a response was possible due to a multidisciplinary group created specifically to tackle the YF outbreak. Conclusions. The data were received and analyzed quickly and the response, consisting of immediate treatment of the cases and a blocking vaccination strategy, was developed to halt the progression of this fatal disease. In spite of these efforts, the case fatality rate of yellow fever remained high