OGSA/Globus Evaluation for Data Intensive Applications

We present an architecture of Globus Toolkit 3 based testbed intended for evaluation of applicability of the Open Grid Service Architecture (OGSA) for Data Intensive Applications.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the XIX International Symposium on Nuclear Electronics and Computing (NEC'2003), Bulgaria, Varna, 15-20 September, 200

Effects of Supersymmetric Threshold Corrections on High-Scale Flavor Textures

Integration of superpartners out of the spectrum induces potentially large contributions to Yukawa couplings. These corrections, the supersymmetric threshold corrections, therefore influence the CKM matrix prediction in a non-trivial way. We study effects of threshold corrections on high-scale flavor structures specified at the gauge coupling unification scale in supersymmetry. In our analysis, we first consider high-scale Yukawa textures which qualify phenomenologically viable at tree level, and find that they get completely disqualified after incorporating the threshold corrections. Next, we consider Yukawa couplings, such as those with five texture zeroes, which are incapable of explaining flavor-changing proceses. Incorporation of threshold corrections, however, makes them phenomenologically viable textures. Therefore, supersymmetric threshold corrections are found to leave observable impact on Yukawa couplings of quarks, and any confrontation of high-scale textures with experiments at the weak scale must take into account such corrections.Comment: 25 pages, submitted to JHE

Efficiency of chemical pesticides to control Spodoptera frugiperda and validation of pheromone trap as a pest management tool in maize crop.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)is a key pest of maize (Zea maysL.) crop, and invariably demand control measures. However, the time of insecticide application has not been properly defined, leading to an inefficiency in the control and, therefore, without getting the maximum from the treatment procedure. Many times the pest has been reaching population density that would demand control measure very early in the season. To detect such populations and, therefore, to decide about the time of the insecticide application, the experiment was conducted installing soon after the plant emergency, a delta type Pherocon 1C trap with a commercial synthetic sexual pheromone (Bio spodoptera® Chem Tica International, S.A.). Insecticide first application was made ten days after the capture of three adults per trap/ha. A second application was accomplished when was again captured a minimum of three moths, but initiating the counting four-days after the previous insecticide application. This same procedure was adopted for a third application. The evaluated insecticides provided a significant reduction in the infestation level, for variable periods, depending on the chemical suggesting that the pheromone trap can be a useful tool in integrated pest management program in maize crop in Brazil. A lagarta-do-cartucho, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), é uma praga chave da cultura do milho (Zea mays L.), demandando invariavelmente medidas de controle. No entanto, a época de aplicação de inseticidas não tem sido propriamente definida, ocasionando, muitas vezes, a ineficiência do controle e, portanto, sem obter o aproveitamento máximo da medida utilizada. A praga tem atingido, em alguns casos, populações que exigem medidas de controle logo após a emergência da planta. Para detectar tais populações e, portanto, decidir sobre a época mais adequada para a aplicação de inseticidas, foi utilizada, logo após a emergência da planta, uma armadilha tipo delta, Ferocon 1C, contendo feromônio sexual sintético da praga (Bio spodoptera® Chem Tica Internacional, S.A.). O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e oito repetições. A pulverização dos inseticidas foi realizada dez dias após a captura de três mariposas da praga por armadilha/ha. Uma segunda aplicação foi realizada quando novamente foi coletado o mínimo de três mariposas, em contagens consideradas quatro dias após a aplicação anterior dos inseticidas. Esse mesmo procedimento foi adotado para uma terceira aplicação. Os inseticidas avaliados proporcionaram redução significativa no nível de infestação, por períodos variáveis, dependendo do produto químico, sugerindo que a armadilha de feromônio pode ser uma ferramenta útil em programa de manejo integrado da praga na cultura do milho, no Brasil

EDUCAÇÃO E RELAÇÕES RACIAIS NA TESSITURA DAS MEMÓRIAS E NARRAÇÕES AMAPAENSES: CONTRIBUIÇÕES NOS DEZ ANOS DO PPGMDR/UNIFAP

Este texto pretende fazer uma breve incursão sobre as contribuições do tema de pesquisa Educação, Relações Étnico-Raciais e Interculturais na tessitura dos dez anos do Programa de Pós-Graduação Mestrado em Desenvolvimento Regional da UNIFAP- PPGMDR, no momento em que se acirram os debates sobre a premência de repensarmos a escola e a universidade, urgência em recriá-las, pluralizá-las, desatrelando-as das amarras históricas que as têm caracterizado como homogeneizadoras, racistas e excludentes. As ideias aqui tecidas são resultados de algumas reflexões que venho realizando juntamente com meus orientandos durante dez anos em que tenho atuado na graduação e na pós-graduação. O artigo procura, inicialmente, apresentar alguns aspectos da minha trajetória no PPGMDR, desde o ano de 2006, buscando refazer um pouco dessa memória. Em seguida procuro fornecer algumas evidências empíricas e teóricas da nossa efetiva participação no Programa, de modo a colaborar na construção de um Mestrado em Desenvolvimento Regional que contemple a discussão da diversidade e das diferenças étnicas, raciais e interculturais. Em seguida procuro fazer uma breve análise da questão racial no Brasil tecendo algumas considerações sobre a questão racial no Amapá, em seus entrelaces com as possíveis contribuições trazidas pelas dissertações defendidas no âmbito do Programa e sob nossa orientação. Por fim, avalio algumas dimensões dessa participação, aquilatando seus avanços, dificuldades e as possibilidades que se abrem para a consolidação dessa linha dentro do PPGMDR e da Pós-Graduação da UNFAP como um tod

Biological control with Trichogramma pretiosum increases organic maize productivity by 19.4%.

Spodoptera frugiperda is a major pest causing maize yield loss in Brazil. There is therefore a need for control methods, notably for organic farming because classical pesticides are not allowed.A potential solution for organicmaize is to apply the biological control agent Trichogramma pretiosum to reduce S. frugiperda populations. Here, we tested the application of one, two, or three releases of T. pretiosum. We measured plant damage ratings, egg masses parasitized, and grain yield. Results show that 79.2 % of egg masses were parasited. Maize yields for parasited plots increased of 701 kg/ha versus control plots. This result equals a 19.4 % gain of productivity and US$96.5 gain per hectare. Therefore, biological control with egg parasitoids is a promising alternative to control S. frugiperda in organic maiz

Does a modified STarT Back Tool predict outcome with a broader group of musculoskeletal patients than back pain? A secondary analysis of cohort data.

OBJECTIVES: The STarT Back Tool has good predictive performance for non-specific low back pain in primary care. We therefore aimed to investigate whether a modified STarT Back Tool predicted outcome with a broader group of musculoskeletal patients, and assessed the consequences of using existing risk-group cut-points across different pain regions. SETTING: Secondary analysis of prospective data from 2 cohorts: (1) outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy services (PhysioDirect trial n=1887) and (2) musculoskeletal primary-secondary care interface services (SAMBA study n=1082). PARTICIPANTS: Patients with back, neck, upper limb, lower limb or multisite pain with a completed modified STarT Back Tool (baseline) and 6-month physical health outcome (Short Form 36 (SF-36)). OUTCOMES: Area under the receiving operator curve (AUCs) tested discriminative abilities of the tool's baseline score for identifying poor 6-month outcome (SF-36 lower tertile Physical Component Score). Risk-group cut-points were tested using sensitivity and specificity for identifying poor outcome using (1) Youden's J statistic and (2) a clinically determined rule that specificity should not fall below 0.7 (false-positive rate <30%). RESULTS: In PhysioDirect and SAMBA, poor 6-month physical health was 18.5% and 28.2%, respectively. Modified STarT Back Tool score AUCs for predicting outcome in back pain were 0.72 and 0.79, neck 0.82 and 0.88, upper limb 0.79 and 0.86, lower limb 0.77 and 0.83, and multisite pain 0.83 and 0.82 in PhysioDirect and SAMBA, respectively. Differences between pain region AUCs were non-significant. Optimal cut-points to discriminate low-risk and medium-risk/high-risk groups depended on pain region and clinical services. CONCLUSIONS: A modified STarT Back Tool similarly predicts 6-month physical health outcome across 5 musculoskeletal pain regions. However, the use of consistent risk-group cut-points was not possible and resulted in poor sensitivity (too many with long-term disability being missed) or specificity (too many with good outcome inaccurately classified as 'at risk') for some pain regions. The draft tool is now being refined and validated within a new programme of research for a broader musculoskeletal population. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN55666618; Post results