Evaluation of the effect of irrigation on biometric growth, physiological response and essential oil of Mentha spicata (L.)

A field experiment was performed on spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) under different irrigation regimes in a hilly area of Southern Italy. Objectives of the study include evaluating the physiological and biometrical response of mint from plant establishment up to its complete maturation, as well as the yield composition in essential oil at two different dates. Increasing levels of water stress affected later developing leaves and plant’s water status and net photosynthesis (from the beginning of stress (DAT 63), while affecting negatively the biometric response very soon and significantly from 35 DAT. Photosynthesis limitation played a critical role from DAT 53 on, namely later, in the harvest period (DAT 35–70). Under severe water stress, crop restricted water losses by modulating stomatal closure and, at harvest, showing lowered mesophyll conductance. Irrigation treatments did not affect the concentration of organic compounds, while the yield of essential oils was negatively affected by water stress due to reduced crop growth, in terms of total and leaf biomass, leaf area index (LAI) and crop heightinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Weak decay processes in pre-supernova core evolution within the gross theory

The beta decay and electron capture rates are of fundamental importance in the evolution of massive stars in a pre-supernova core. The beta decay process gives its contribution by emitting electrons in the plasma of the stellar core, thereby increasing pressure, which in turn increases the temperature. From the other side, the electron capture removes free electrons from the plasma of the star core contributing to the reduction of pressure and temperature. In this work we calculate the beta decay and electron capture rates in stellar conditions for 63 nuclei of relevance in the pre-supernova stage, employing Gross Theory as the nuclear model. We use the abundances calculated with the Saha equations in the hypothesis of nuclear statistical equilibrium to evaluate the time derivative of the fraction of electrons. Our results are compared with other evaluations available in the literature. They have shown to be one order less or equal than the calculated within other models. Our results indicate that these differences may influence the evolution of the star in the later stages of pre-supernova. © 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..Fil: Ferreira, R. C.. Universidade Estadual Do Sudoeste Da Bahía; BrasilFil: Dimarco, A. J.. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Bahía, Brasil; BrasilFil: Samana, Arturo Rodolfo. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Bahía, Brasil; BrasilFil: Barbero, César Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; Argentin

Redescription of Coryphopterus tortugae (Jordan) (Osteichthyes: Gobiidae), A Valid Species of Goby from the Western Atlantic

New descriptive and ecological information obtained from western Atlantic (mainly Colombian Caribbean) material has led to the recognition of Coryphopterus tortugae (Jordan) as a valid species of gobiid fish. It is distinguished from Coryphopterus glaucofraenum Gill, the species with which it was previously confused, by its more elongated shape, its pigmentation characteristics, and its more restricted habitats

A meta-analysis of drought effects on litter decomposition in streams

Droughts, or severe reductions of water flow, are expected to become more frequent and intense in rivers in many regions under the ongoing climate change scenario. It is therefore important to understand stream ecosystem functioning under drought conditions. We performed a meta-analysis of studies addressing drought effects on litter decomposition in streams (50 studies contributing 261 effect sizes) to quantify overall drought effects on this key ecosystem process and to identify the main moderators controlling these effects. Drought reduced litter decomposition by 43% overall, which can impact energy and matter fluxes along heterotrophic food webs. The magnitude of drought effects on litter decomposition depended on the type of drought (natural drought > human-induced drought), type of decomposer community (microbes + macroinvertebrates > microbes) under natural drought, climate (warm and humid > temperate and Mediterranean) under human-induced drought, and on litter identity. The magnitude of drought effects on litter decomposition also increased with the severity of the drought. The effects of ongoing climate change will likely be strongest in streams with abundant shredders undergoing natural drought, especially if the streams become temporary. The composition of the riparian vegetation may modulate the magnitude of drought effects on litter decomposition, which may have management applications.Open access funding provided by FCT|FCCN (b-on). This study was financed by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the research project STREAMECO (SFRH/BD/140761/2018) and the strategic projects UIDP/04292/2020 and UIDB/04292/2020 granted to MARE and project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET, and by the Basque Government (IT1471-22). VF was financially supported by the FCT (CEECIND/02484/2018)

Non-simultaneous quenching in a system of heat equations coupled at the boundary

We study the solutions of a parabolic system of heat equations coupled at the boundary through a nonlinear flux. We characterize in terms of the parameters involved when nonsimultaneous quenching may appear. Moreover, if quenching is non-simultaneous we find the quenching rate, which surprisingly depends on the flux associated to the other component.Fil: Ferreira, Raúl. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; EspañaFil: de Pablo, Arturo. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; EspañaFil: Quirós, Fernando. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Rossi, Julio Daniel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Matemática; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Sustainable management, balanced scorecard and small business: a systematic review and state of the art

The Balanced Scorecard - BSC is a widely used tool in business management that allows implementing and controlling strategies. Today, in a context that demands efforts from all organizations for sustainable development, the BSC has become an excellent alternative to include sustainability in business management. However, when it comes to small business organizations, management tools like BSC and business sustainability face the greatest difficulties, barriers and limitations. Therefore, the objective is to map the frontier of knowledge that brings together sustainable management and BSC to small companies, allowing visualization of the paths covered and the ones to be taken through science. A systematic bibliographical research was developed identifying and analyzing the main scientific publications that intersect the themes mentioned above. The results show the need to increase research towards understanding and monitoring the transformation of small business management in terms of sustainable development. The importance of the use of management tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the whole process has been confirmed, as well as that the BSC can play a relevant role. Thus, with this, researchers are expected to be more interested in the subject and more studies applied in small companies will come to be

Estudio Descriptivo De La Autonomía Motivacional En El Alumnado De Educación Secundaria De La Provincia De Benguela (Angola)

The study of motivation has a very important role in understanding of school success. The teachers and the education of parents and tutors are the key elements that influence the motivational dynamics for student learning, which is a crucial aspect to self-regulate the learning process in a positive way. This research aims to analyze the influence of the school context on the development of the motivational autonomy of Secondary Education students in the municipality of Baía Farta, Benguela province, Angola. For this purpose, a quantitative descriptive methodology was developed through a Likert scale questionnaire administered to teachers and students. The total sample of the study consisted of 650 students (60.1% men and 39.9% women) and 72 teachers (54.2% men and 45.8% women). The main results point to the commitment and active participation of students through motivational strategies that are implemented through the activities planned by the school. Creating a supportive environment for the student to be motivated requires the development of a role of the guiding teacher, guide and support in the teaching and learning process, as opposed to a traditional conception of teaching more closed and hierarchical