Sustainable Environment: Nexus project

Arequipa region is locaed in Southwestern Peru. The Arequipa Nexus Institute for food, energy, water and the environment aims to address the key challenges to a sustainable furture for the people in the region. This roundtable discusses about the sustainable water management, geosaptial analysis and environment sharing, long range sensor network solution for soil health monitoring and data management and sharing in this Nexus project

Efeito da irrigação de pastagens na rentabilidade de sistemas de produção de leite participantes do programa “Balde Cheio”

This research sought to analyze the effect of irrigation of grasslands on the profitability of dairy production by 20 demonstration units (UDs) that participate in the dairy improvement program called “Balde Cheio”. Understudy were the components that exerted the greatest influence on total and effective (cash flow) operating costs and the impact of each one on economic return. The data were processed using PASW 18.0 software and multiple linear regression incorporating the stepwise method to determine the relative effect of each component of production costs on the criteria liquid margin, profitability and investment yield. Pasture irrigation was found to affect the total cost of milk production and, thus, profitability and yield. The stratum of non-irrigating producers had the lowest total cost and effective operating costs. The liquid margins were positive, but the net margins were negative in both strata, thus, the dairy operation is not viable in the long run, due to decapitalization of the producers. The items of effective operating costs with most efforts on the dairy business (in decreasing order) were: in the non-irrigating stratum, feed, sundry expenses and labor, and in the irrigating stratum, feed, labor and energy. In both strata, the most influential components of total cost followed in order: feed, family labor and remuneration of capital invested.Objetivou-se analisar o efeito da irrigaçãode pastagens na rentabilidade de 20 unidades demonstrativas (UD) participantes do programa “Balde Cheio”, no estado do RJ, no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2011. Pretendeu-se, ainda, identificar os componentes que exerceram maior influência sobre os custos total e operacional efetivo e o impacto de cada um deles na receita.Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se o software PASW 18.0. Utilizou-se o modelo de regressão linear múltipla com o método stepwise, para identificar os componentes do custo de produção que mais influenciaram na margem líquida, na lucratividade e na rentabilidade.A irrigação das pastagens influenciou o custo total de produção do leite e, portanto, a lucratividade e rentabilidade. O estrato dos produtores que não irrigam apresentou os menores custos totais e menores custos operacionais efetivos unitários. Por apresentar margem líquida positiva e resultado negativo, nos dois estratos, a atividade leiteira nãoteve condições de produzir no longo prazo, com descapitalização, dos pecuaristas. Os itens componentes do custo operacional efetivo que exerceram maiores representatividades sobre os custos da atividade leiteira, no estrato dos produtores que não irrigam, em ordem decrescente, foram a alimentação, despesas diversas e mão de obra. No estrato daqueles produtores que utilizavam a irrigação, foram a alimentação, mão de obra e energia. Nos dois estratos, os itens componentes do custo total que exerceram maiores representatividades sobre os custos da atividade leiteira, em ordem decrescente, foram a alimentação, mão de obra familiar e remuneração do capital investido

Effect of technical and management indexes on profitability of dairy production with different types of labour

The effect of some technical and management indexes on economic efficiency was studied in 20 demonstration units (UD), with different types of labour, participants in the «Balde Cheio» program, in Rio de Janeiro State from January to December 2011. The analysis was based on gross margin, liquid margin, net result (profit or loss), rentability and profitability. Data analysis made use of SPSS 18.0 software. Multiple linear regression incorporating the stepwise method was used to identify the technical and management indexes most influential in profitability and rentability. The indexes cows were found to differ among the types of labour and influenced the economic efficiency. The family labour stratum gave the highest percentages of lactating cows/all cows, cows/all animals in the herd, lactating cows/all animals, greatest daily productivity per animal and per hectare-year, but this was not enough to obtain profit. The mixed labour stratum resulted in the highest number of lactating cows/ha and the lowest total labour input, and although it showed a positive net margin, the net result was negative. The contracted labour stratum yielded the best ratios of herd animals to labour and milk production, in addition to being the only one to achieve both positive liquid margin and positive net result

Avaliação do potencial econômico e energético de geração de energia fotovoltaica residencial em Belém – PA / Economic and energy potential evaluation of residential photovoltaic power generation in Belém – PA

A matriz energética elétrica brasileira possui baixa diversificação e um grande potencial para energia renovável pouco explorado. A crescente demanda energética no país tem ocasionado a procura de alternativas mais sustentáveis. Dentre as energias mais abundantes no meio ambiente está a energia emitida pelo sol, que pode ser convertida em energia elétrica através de painéis fotovoltaicos. Locais como o norte do Brasil se apresentam como grandes potenciais pela proximidade a linha do equador. Este trabalho tem como objetivo verificar o potencial de geração de energia solar fotovoltaica no município de Belém, no Estado do Pará, e dimensionar um sistema de microgeração residencial, avaliando o custo de implantação e o payback (retorno do investimento). A metodologia utilizada foi feita em quatro etapas, a primeira foi o levantamento de dados de radiação solar na região metropolitana de Belém-PA, a segunda etapa foi a seleção de uma residência como ponto amostral, em seguida foi feito o cálculo para estimar a energia produzida por um painel com bom custo-benefício, e, por fim, o cálculo do número de painéis necessários para que a residência alcance a média de energia consumida mensalmente. Os resultados foram obtidos através da análise dos dados de incidência solar na localidade, área demandada, eficiência do módulo e consumo energético da residência. O estudo permitiu verificar que a região metropolitana de Belém possui um grande potencial, tanto para geração de energia fotovoltaica, quanto a rentabilidade do investimento no sistema

Moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer: Preferences amongst radiation oncologists from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

Background: The safety and effectiveness of moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer were demonstrated by several trials. This study aimed to evaluate the current patterns of practice and prescription preference about moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy to assess possible aspects that affect the decision-making process regarding the use of fractionation in breast cancer patients in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). We also aimed to identify factors that can restrain the utilization of moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer. Materials an methods: Radiation oncologists from LAC were invited to contribute to this study. A 38-question survey was used to evaluate their opinions. Results: A total of 173 radiation oncologists from 13 countries answered the questionnaire. The majority of respondents (84.9%) preferred moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy as their first choice in cases of whole breast irradiation. Whole breast plus regional nodal irradiation, post-mastectomy (chest wall and regional nodal irradiation) without reconstruction, and post-mastectomy (chest wall and regional node irradiation) with reconstruction hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy was preferred by 72.2% 71.1%, and 53.7% of respondents, respectively. Breast cancer stage, and flap-based breast reconstruction were the factors associated with absolute contraindications for the use of hypofractionated schedules. Conclusion: Even though moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer is considered a new standard to the vast majority of the patients, its unrestricted application in clinical practice across LAC still faces reluctance

Novel insights into the genomic basis of citrus canker based on the genome sequences of two strains of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii

Background: Citrus canker is a disease that has severe economic impact on the citrus industry worldwide. There are three types of canker, called A, B, and C. The three types have different phenotypes and affect different citrus species. The causative agent for type A is Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, whose genome sequence was made available in 2002. Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain B causes canker B and Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain C causes canker C. Results: We have sequenced the genomes of strains B and C to draft status. We have compared their genomic content to X. citri subsp. citri and to other Xanthomonas genomes, with special emphasis on type III secreted effector repertoires. In addition to pthA, already known to be present in all three citrus canker strains, two additional effector genes, xopE3 and xopAI, are also present in all three strains and are both located on the same putative genomic island. These two effector genes, along with one other effector-like gene in the same region, are thus good candidates for being pathogenicity factors on citrus. Numerous gene content differences also exist between the three cankers strains, which can be correlated with their different virulence and host range. Particular attention was placed on the analysis of genes involved in biofilm formation and quorum sensing, type IV secretion, flagellum synthesis and motility, lipopolysacharide synthesis, and on the gene xacPNP, which codes for a natriuretic protein. Conclusion: We have uncovered numerous commonalities and differences in gene content between the genomes of the pathogenic agents causing citrus canker A, B, and C and other Xanthomonas genomes. Molecular genetics can now be employed to determine the role of these genes in plant-microbe interactions. The gained knowledge will be instrumental for improving citrus canker control.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientIfico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Coordenacao para Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (CAPES)Fundo de Defesa da Citricultura (FUNDECITRUS

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Electroweak production of two jets in association with a Z boson in proton-proton collisions root s =13 TeV

A measurement of the electroweak (EW) production of two jets in association with a Z boson in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV is presented, based on data recorded in 2016 by the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1). The measurement is performed in the lljj final state with l including electrons and muons, and the jets j corresponding to the quarks produced in the hard interaction. The measured cross section in a kinematic region defined by invariant masses m(ll) > 50 GeV, m(jj) > 120 GeV, and transverse momenta P-Tj > 25 GeV is sigma(EW) (lljj) = 534 +/- 20 (stat) fb (syst) fb, in agreement with leading-order standard model predictions. The final state is also used to perform a search for anomalous trilinear gauge couplings. No evidence is found and limits on anomalous trilinear gauge couplings associated with dimension-six operators are given in the framework of an effective field theory. The corresponding 95% confidence level intervals are -2.6 <cwww/Lambda(2) <2.6 TeV-2 and -8.4 <cw/Lambda(2) <10.1 TeV-2. The additional jet activity of events in a signal-enriched region is also studied, and the measurements are in agreement with predictions.Peer reviewe

Measurement of nuclear modification factors of gamma(1S)), gamma(2S), and gamma(3S) mesons in PbPb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

The cross sections for ϒ(1S), ϒ(2S), and ϒ(3S) production in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV have been measured using the CMS detector at the LHC. The nuclear modification factors, RAA, derived from the PbPb-to-pp ratio of yields for each state, are studied as functions of meson rapidity and transverse momentum, as well as PbPb collision centrality. The yields of all three states are found to be significantly suppressed, and compatible with a sequential ordering of the suppression, RAA(ϒ(1S)) > RAA(ϒ(2S)) > RAA(ϒ(3S)). The suppression of ϒ(1S) is larger than that seen at √sNN = 2.76 TeV, although the two are compatible within uncertainties. The upper limit on the RAA of ϒ(3S) integrated over pT, rapidity and centrality is 0.096 at 95% confidence level, which is the strongest suppression observed for a quarkonium state in heavy ion collisions to date. © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Funded by SCOAP3.Peer reviewe