Caracterização do óleo de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L.).

O pinhão manso (Jatropha curcas L.), pertencente a familia Euphorbiaceae, e uma planta nativa da America tropical, naturalizada em partes tropicais e subtropicais da Africa e Asia. Sua distribuição geografica e bastante vasta devido a sua rusticidade, resistencia a longas estiagens, bem como a pragas e doencas, sendo adaptavel a condicoes edafoclimaticas muito variaveis. O fruto de J.curcas contem oleo viscoso que pode ser usado na industria de cosmeticos, como substituto do querosene, e na fabricacao de sabao e combustivel para motores diesel. Este trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar o oleo de pinhao manso segundo sua composicao quimica e parâmetros fisico-quimicos, tendo em vista sua utilizacao para a producao de biocombustivel..

Avaliação fenológica do pinhão manso (Jatropha curcas L.) no Município de Teresina-PI.

O pinhão manso (Jatropha curcas L.), também conhecido como pinhão do paraguai, pinhão-de-cerca ou pinhão bravo é uma planta arbórea de pequeno porte, da família das Euphorbiaceae, originária do México e América Central e que apresenta potencial como uma fonte de óleo não comestível. O conhecimento da fenologia de uma planta possibilita prever a época de reprodução, deciduidade, ciclos de crescimento vegetativo e sua relação com os fatores climáticos, auxiliando operações agrícolas como poda, colheita, etc. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido no Campo Experimental da Embrapa Meio Norte, município de Teresina-PI. Sortearam-se 21 plantas de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L.) para o acompanhamento mensal da fenologia no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2007. A intensidade dos eventos fenológicos foi estimada para cada planta, seguindo-se os métodos de Fournier (Fournier, 1976) e o índice de atividade. A queda foliar ocorreu ao longo do ano, com picos no período seco e chuvoso. Os picos de emissão de flores em Jatropha curcas foi observada nos meses de julho, outubro e novembro. De acordo com o percentual de Fournier os picos de ocorrência de frutos verdes e maduros foram observados nos meses de março a setembro e março a outubro, respectivamente

Gravitational Waves from Wobbling Pulsars

The prospects for detection of gravitational waves from precessing pulsars have been considered by constructing fully relativistic rotating neutron star models and evaluating the expected wave amplitude $h$ from a galactic source. For a "typical" neutron matter equation of state and observed rotation rates, it is shown that moderate wobble angles may render an observable signal from a nearby source once the present generation of interferometric antennas becomes operative.Comment: PlainTex, 7 pp. , no figures, IAG/USP Rep. 6

Language education at the University of Aveiro before and after Bologna: practices and discourses

Higher education plays a fundamental role in the construction of a European citizenship that demands the development of plurilingual competences. Although the Bologna Process highlights that development (relating it to mobility, employability and lifelong learning), language education does not seem to be a priority in the agenda of higher education institutions (Tudor 2006).In the context of curricular restructuring required by the Bologna Process, this article presents a case study of the University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal, which set out to describe institutional practices and discourses concerning the use and function of languages in undergraduate and postgraduate education in two academic years (2002–2003 and 2007–2008, before and after the restructuring). In order to identify practices, we analysed the programmes of all language courses.This allowed us to identify the languages and language courses offered, as well as the degree programmes into which they are integrated. In order to access institutional discourses, we interviewed seven actors responsible for training and management at the UA (Rectors, Vice-Rectors, the Head of the Department of Languages and Cultures, The Erasmus Programme Coordinator, and the President of the Students’ Union). The results show that the Bologna Process has had a limiting effect on language education: fewer language courses are offered and fewer degree programmes include them. This converges with the institutional actors’ discourses, since they do not recognize the institution’s responsibility to develop students’ plurilingual competences and tend to value only the instrumental role of English

As línguas na investigação científica: práticas e discursos na Universidade de Aveiro

Considerando que Instituições de Ensino Superior são espaços onde o conhecimento científico é produzido e disseminado, apresenta-se um estudo de caso da Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal, que pretende descrever práticas e discursos institucionais relativamente à utilização das línguas na investigação científica. Para descrição das práticas, foram recolhidos e analisados Relatórios Anuais das Unidades de Investigação da Universidade de Aveiro. Para acesso aos discursos institucionais, foram entrevistados oito atores institucionais, responsáveis pela investigação científica e pelo governo e coordenação da instituição. Os resultados apontam para uma convergência entre as práticas investigativas e os discursos institucionais relativamente ao papel e estatuto que as diferentes línguas adquirem na investigação científica: a língua inglesa surge, tanto nas práticas como nos discursos, como primordial para o processo de internacionalização da ciência; por outro lado, as outras línguas são percecionadas enquanto barreiras a essa internacionalização e ao sucesso científico-profissional do investigador.Considering Higher Education Institutions as settings where scientific knowledge is produced and disseminated, a case study with the University of Aveiro, Portugal, will be presented which aimed at describing institutional practices and discourses concerning the use of languages in scientific research. In order to identify practices within scientific research, documentary analysis of the Annual Reports of the Research Units of the University of Aveiro was carried out. In order to access institutional discourses, eight actors responsible for scientific research and management at the University of Aveiro were interviewed. The results underline that there is a convergence between research practices and the institutional discourses concerning the role and status that different languages have in scientific research: English is, both in practices and discourses, a primordial asset in science internationalisation process; on the other hand, other languages are perceived as barriers to that internationalisation and to researchers’ scientific acknowledgement.Considérant les institutions d’enseignement supérieur comme des espaces où les connaissances scientifiques sont produites et diffusées, on présentera une étude de cas au sein de l’Université de Aveiro, Portugal, qui vise à décrire les discours et les pratiques institutionnels concernant l’utilisation des langues dans la recherche scientifique. Pour une description des pratiques nous avons recueilli et analysé des rapports annuels des unités de recherche de l’Université d’Aveiro. Pour accéder aux discours institutionnels nous avons interrogé huit acteurs institutionnels, responsables de la recherche scientifique et du gouvernement et de l’institution de coordination. Les résultats montrent une convergence entre les pratiques d’enquête et les discours institutionnels concernant le rôle et le statut qu’ acquièrent différentes langues dans la recherche scientifique: la langue anglaise se positionne, à la fois dans la pratique et dans le discours comme un élément central dans le processus d’internationalisation de la science; en revanche, les autres langues sont perçues comme des obstacles à cette internationalisation et au succès scientifique et professionnel du chercheur

As línguas na internacionalização da Universidade de Aveiro

Partindo da análise de documentos que revelam a missão, objectivos e vectores estratégicos da Universidade de Aveiro, apresentamos um estudo com o qual se pretende compreender o papel que as línguas desempenham nas estratégias de internacionalização definidas pela instituição

Two Kerr black holes with axisymmetric spins: An improved Newtonian model for the head-on collision and gravitational radiation

We present a semi-analytical approach to the interaction of two (originally) Kerr black holes through a head-on collision process. An expression for the rate of emission of gravitational radiation is derived from an exact solution to the Einstein's field equations. The total amount of gravitational radiation emitted in the process is calculated and compared to current numerical investigations. We find that the spin-spin interaction increases the emission of gravitational wave energy up to 0.2% of the total rest mass. We discuss also the possibility of spin-exchange between the holes.Comment: 8 pages, RevTeX, 2 figures, psbox macro include

Life course path analysis of total and central adiposity throughout adolescence on adult blood pressure and insulin resistance

Background and aim: We aimed to study whether the effect of adolescent adiposity on adult blood pressure and insulin resistance was mediated by adult adiposity. Methods and results: Data from the EPITeen cohort at 13, 17 and 21 years was used (n = 2211). Sex- and age-specific body mass index z-scores (BMIz) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were used as indicators of total and central adiposity, respectively. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), glucose and insulin were assessed at 21 years and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) was used as a marker of insulin resistance. Path analysis was applied to evaluate direct and indirect effects of adiposity (13, 17 and 21y) on adult SBP and HOMA-IR, separately for total and central adiposity and for each outcome. Results are presented as standardized regression coefficients [β (95%CI)]. The total effect of BMIz at 13 years on SBP at 21 years was 0.211 (0.178; 0.244), totally mediated by adult BMIz. Total effect of BMIz 13y on HOMA-IR was 0.248 (0.196; 0.299). Although this effect was mostly mediated by BMIz 21y, an additional direct effect from BMIz 17y was found [β = −0.240 (−0.315; −0.164)]. Central adiposity was also positively associated with SBP and HOMA-IR at 21 years, and the effect of adolescent WHR was totally mediated by adult WHR for both outcomes. Conclusions: The effect of adolescent adiposity on adult SBP and HOMA-IR was mostly mediated by adult adiposity. However, for HOMA-IR an additional direct effect from total adiposity at 17 years was found.This study was supported by national funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) within the Epidemiology Research Unit e Institute of Public Health, University of Porto (UID/DTP/047507/2013). Individual grants to JA (SFRH/BD/78153/2011) and to SS (SFRH/BD/81123/2011) by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology e FCT are gratefully acknowledged

Watersheds are Schramm-Loewner Evolution curves

We show that in the continuum limit watersheds dividing drainage basins are Schramm-Loewner Evolution (SLE) curves, being described by one single parameter $\kappa$. Several numerical evaluations are applied to ascertain this. All calculations are consistent with SLE$_\kappa$, with $\kappa=1.734\pm0.005$, being the only known physical example of an SLE with $\kappa<2$. This lies outside the well-known duality conjecture, bringing up new questions regarding the existence and reversibility of dual models. Furthermore it constitutes a strong indication for conformal invariance in random landscapes and suggests that watersheds likely correspond to a logarithmic Conformal Field Theory (CFT) with central charge $c\approx-7/2$.Comment: 5 pages and 4 figure