Genome sequence of cauliflower mosaic virus identified in earwigs (Doru luteipes) through a metagenomic approach.

Here we report the first complete genome sequence of a cauliflower mosaic virus from Brazil, obtained from the gut content of the predator earwig (Doru luteipes). This virus has a genome of 8,030 nucleotides (nt) and shares 97% genome-wide identity with an isolate from Argentina

Behavioural change box? Applying the COM-B model to understand behavioural triggers that support consumption of fruits and vegetable among subscribers of a fruit and vegetable box scheme

OBJECTIVE: To understand the key mechanisms that support healthy dietary habits promoted by fruit and vegetable (F&V) box schemes, testing relevant behaviour change triggers identified under the COM-B model in an evaluation research study of a Portuguese F&V box scheme (PROVE). DESIGN: Correlation study with a post-test-only non-equivalent group design based on survey data. The mechanisms underpinning the differences between subscribers and non-subscribers are operationalised as mediation effects. Data availability, theoretical relevance and empirical validation supported the selection and testing of four potential mediators for the effects of subscribing to the box scheme on F&V consumption. These estimations derive from the coefficients of a structural equation model combined with the product coefficient approach and Sobel test. SETTING: The study is part of a wider evaluation study on the impact of the PROVE box scheme on sustainability, health and equity. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of PROVE box subscribers (n 294) was compared with a matched subsample of non-subscribers (n 571) in a nationally representative survey. RESULTS: Subscribing to the PROVE box correlates with an increased probability of eating at least five portions of F&V, irrespective of differences in age, education and perceived economic difficulties. Diet quality perceptions, and more robustly, the strength of meal habits and household availability were identified as relevant mediators. CONCLUSIONS: The subscription to an F&V box scheme is connected with proximal context that enables the consumption of F&V by ensuring more readily available F&V and better situational conditions associated with healthier meal habits

Alternative tissue engineering scaffolds based on starch: processing methodologies, morphology, degradation and mechanical properties

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09284931An ideal tissue engineering scaffold must be designed from a polymer with an adequate degradation rate. The processing technique must allow for the preparation of 3-D scaffolds with controlled porosity and adequate pore sizes, as well as tissue matching mechanical properties and an appropriate biological response. This communication revises recent work that has been developed in our laboratories with the aim of producing 3-D polymeric structures (from starch-based blends) with adequate properties to be used as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Several processing methodologies were originally developed and optimised. Some of these methodologies were based on conventional melt-based processing routes, such as extrusion using blowing agents (BA) and compression moulding (combined with particulate leaching). Other developed technologies included solvent casting and particle leaching and an innovative in situ polymerization method. By means of using the described methodologies, it is possible to tailor the properties of the different scaffolds, namely their degradation, morphology and mechanical properties, for several applications in tissue engineering. Furthermore, the processing methodologies (including the blowing agents used in the melt-based technologies) described above do not affect the biocompatible behaviour of starch-based polymers. Therefore, scaffolds obtained from these materials by means of using one of the described methodologies may constitute an important alternative to the materials currently used in tissue engineering

A novel way to automatically plan cellular networks supported by linear programming and cloud computing

With the increasing number of mobile subscribers worldwide, there is a need for fast and reliable algorithms for planning/optimization of mobile networks, especially because, in order to maintain a network’s quality of service, an operator might need to deploy more equipment. This paper presents a quick and reliable way to automatically plan a set of frequencies in a cellular network, using both cloud technologies and linear programming. We evaluate our pattern in a realistic scenario of a Global System for Mobile communications protocol (GSM) network and compare the results to another already implemented commercial tool. Results show that even though network quality was similar, our algorithm was twelve times faster and used four times less memory. It was also able to frequency plan seventy cells simultaneously in less than three minutes. This mechanism was successfully integrated in the professional tool Metric, and is currently being used for cellular planning. Its extension for application to 3/4/5G networks is under study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Automatic coverage based neighbour estimation system: a cloud-based implementation

Over the years, mobile networks have grown exponentially due to rising demand. These networks mix different types of cells, which makes manual configuration difficult, costly and tedious. Furthermore, inefficiencies stemming from these problems can cause problems in Handover performance, since a mobile device may not always connect to the optimal cell upon switching from one to the other, potentially harming service quality and increasing Operational Costs (OPEX). Existing solutions, like Automatic Neighbour Relations (ANR), while they are valuable in estimating the best neighbouring cells through the rate of successful Handovers, fail to take into account topological coverage factors and fictional cells, therefore inefficiencies lie hidden and it isn't suited to calculate relations between planned cells and active cells. In this article, a proposal of a cloud-based, on-demand automatic coverage based neighbour estimation system is proposed, which utilises topological signal coverage data from each cell provided by the network's operations support system, in order to mitigate the aforementioned issues and provide a reliable and convenient coverage analysis paradigm.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High incidence of mixed DNA and RNA virus infections in common bean in Central Brazil.

During the winter crop season in 2016 a very high incidence of viruslike symptoms of mosaic, leaf curling and deformation, and plant dwarfing was reported by farmers in central areas of Brazil. Bean plants were collected in commercial farms in Luziânia, Cristalina and experimental plots in Goiânia and Brasília

Desempenho agronômico e estabilidade fenotípica de híbridos de sorgo granífero.

O sorgo granífero é uma das culturas que vêm apresentando significativo aumento de produtividade e área plantada no Brasil, com isso vem a importância de cultivares com rendimento estável. O trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar o rendimento de grãos e a interação entre genótipos e ambiente (GxA) de 25 híbridos simples de sorgo granífero, em distintos ambientes. Para o estudo, foram conduzidos sete experimentos: um em Acreúna-GO, um em Itumbiara-GO, três com diferentes saturações por alumínio, em Sete Lagoas-MG, um em Vilhena-RO e um em Teresina-PI. Os experimentos seguiram o delineamento de blocos casualizados, com três repetições. Os genótipos avaliados foram: 0307401; 0090061; 0307363; 0307343; 0090035; 0307509; 0307421; 0307511; 0307541; 0577393; 0144015; 0307167; 0144013; 0307689; 9920045; 0307561; 307671; 0577337; 0441347 e 0577335, esses provenientes do programa de melhoramento genético da Embrapa Milho e Sorgo e as cultivares comerciais 1G220; Dow 822; BRS 308; 1G150 e BRS 310. Para a avaliação estatística, foi realizada a análise de variância e teste F. Para a realização de comparações múltiplas de médias, foi realizado o teste de Scott & Knott (1974) e a estabilidade fenotípica foi mensurada pela análise de Annicchiarico (1992). O rendimento de grãos foi dependente do ambiente. Os híbridos 0307689, 0307671, 1G220 0307343, 1G150, 0307363, BRS 308, 0009061, 9920045, BRS 310, 0307541 0441347, 0144015, 0307421 e 0307401,obtiveram destaque, por possuírem rendimento de grãos superior à média geral (4,10 t.ha-1) e apresentaram maior estabilidade fenotípica, considerando todos os ambientes

Discovery of the first maize-infecting mastrevirus in the Americas using a vector-enabled metagenomics approach.

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