Hydrology-oriented (adaptive) silviculture in a semiarid pine plantation: How much can be modified the water cycle through forest management?

[EN] Hydrology-oriented silviculture might adapt Mediterranean forests to climatic changes, although its implementation demands a better understanding and quantification on the water fluxes. The influence of thinning intensity (high, medium, low and a control) and its effect on the mid-term (thinned plots in 1998 and 2008) on the water cycle (transpiration, soil water and interception) and growth [basal area increment (BAI)] were investigated in 55-year-old Aleppo pine trees. Thinning enhanced a lower dependence of growth on climate fluctuations. The high-intensity treatment showed significant increases in the mean annual BAI (from 4.1 to 17.3 cm(2)) that was maintained in the mid-term. Thinning intensity progressively increased the sap flow velocity (v (s)) in all cases with respect to the control. In the mid-term, an increased functionality of the inner sapwood was also observed. Mean daily tree water use ranged from 5 (control) to 18 (high intensity) l tree(-1). However, when expressed on an area basis, daily transpiration ranged from 0.18 (medium) to 0.30 mm (control), meaning that in spite of the higher transpiration rates in the remaining trees, stand transpiration was reduced with thinning. Deep infiltration of water was also enhanced with thinning (about 30 % of rainfall) and did not compete with transpiration, as both presented opposite seasonal patterns. The changes in the stand water relationships after 10 years were well explained by the forest cover metric. The blue to green water ratio changed from 0.15 in the control to 0.72 in the high-intensity treatment, with the remaining treatments in the 0.34-0.48 range.This study is a component of two research projects: ‘‘CGL2011-28776-C02-02, Hydrological characterisation of forest structures at plot scale for an adaptive management, HYDROSIL’’, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and FEDER funds, and ‘‘Determination of hydrological and forest recovery factors in Mediterranean forests and their social perception’’, led by Dr. E. Rojas and supported by the Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs. The authors are grateful to the Valencia Regional Government (CMAAUV, Generalitat Valenciana) and the VAERSA staff for their support in allowing the use of the La Hunde experimental forest and for their assistance in carrying out the fieldwork. The second author thanks the Mundus 17 Program, coordinated by the University of Porto—Portugal.Campo García, ADD.; Gualberto Fernandes, TJ.; Molina Herrera, A. (2014). Hydrology-oriented (adaptive) silviculture in a semiarid pine plantation: How much can be modified the water cycle through forest management?. European Journal of Forest Research. 133(55):879-894. https://doi.org/10.1007//s10342-014-0805-7S8798941335

Use of bioinformatics tools to find new genes involved in rare diseases

Motivation: Rare diseases are a big challenge of our community and it is important to find answers and put forward a cure in the medicine field. Thanks to the huge amount of data that transcriptomic researches provide to public databases, we can use bioinformatics tools to analyse and seek new paths to understand better their molecular mechanisms and find new molecules that are related to the disease in order to make a future drug discovery process to this kind of research.Methods: We use transcriptomic data from the Expression Atlas repository, searching for experiments where the gene related to rare diseases is differently expressed.. We use the fold change data to choose those proteins that the expression are correlated to the expression of our gene of interest (R2>= 0.95). Using enrichment tools from Reactome database, or DAVID computational tool, we can stablish a Gene Ontology (GO) study among which we we can choose those that belong to the same biological process and path. This first step means an approach to select from thousands of genes a few gene cluster that may be highly related with the gene that cause the disease. The use of analysis tool R with bioinformatics packages, such as Bioconductor, CompGo, RDavidWebService or Clusterprofiler, allow us to keep improving the methodology making a deep analysis of Gene Ontology of our gene cluster, crafting relationships between them.Results: The current status of this research consists in the analysis of all GO terms that are belonged to our genes of interest that were crossed with the terms of the gene related to the studied disease. This step is crucial in order to find genes that are also affected by rare diseases in their metabolic path. This methodology could discover new biomarkers or, in another case, new strategies to understand the correct operation of the biological process of rare diseases and most importantly, the possibility to find a possible cure for these conditions

Simultaneous assessment, through sap flow and stable isotopes, of water use efficiency (WUE) in thinned pines shows improvement in growth, tree-climate sensitivity and WUE, but not in WUEi

[EN] In water-limited regions, adaptive management of forest and water relationships has been put forward, to implement hydrology-oriented silviculture to reduce stand evapotranspiration and, at the tree level, to improve growth and water use efficiency (WUE). The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of thinning in the short and medium term on tree growth, climate (drought) sensitivity, WUE performed using growth and sap flow measurements and WUEi performed using delta C-13 and delta O-18 isotopes, in a typical semiarid forest. This approach also evaluated the reliability of isotopes as indicators of the effects of adaptive forest management. A stagnated Aleppo pine plantation was experimentally thinned at high intensity (H98) in 1998 and at High (H), Medium (M) and Low (L) intensities in 2008, along with a control (C). Substantial limitation of tree growth was observed in C. Thinning not only increased growth, but also changed the.tree growth-precipitation relationships, with C trees depending more on precipitation than thinned trees did. WUEi after thinning was significantly affected only in the medium term, with C trees being more efficient (94.4 mu molCO(2)/molH(2)O) than H98 trees (88.7), especially in dry spells (100.7). WUEi was found to increase when precipitation decreased, regardless of the treatment. However, WUE increased sharply from C (1.26 g biomass/L H2O) to H (3.20 WO, showing a clear difference with WUEi observed in the same years. Thinning caused an increase in 8180 in the short term, but no relationship was found between 8180 and tree water use. It can be concluded that forest management improved WUE in spite of higher tree transpiration, but WUEi remained unchanged, probably due to an underestimate of photosynthetic capacity. The dual isotope (delta C-13 and delta O-18) conceptual model was not consistent with our experimental data. Thus, the question of whether stable isotopes can be used as a tool for addressing the ecophysiological impacts of thinning remains open. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This study is part of the research projects "CGL2011-28776-C02-02, HYDROSIL", "CGL2014-58127-C3-2, SILWAMED," funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and FEDER funds, and "Determination of hydrologic and forest recovery factors in Mediterranean forests and their social perception," supported by the Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs. The authors are grateful to the Valencia Regional Government (CMAAUV, Generalitat Valenciana) and the VAERSA staff for their support in allowing the use of the La Hunde experimental forest and for their assistance in carrying out the fieldwork. We express our gratitude to Professor R. Montes for constructive criticism and suggestions on an earlier version of the paper. The first author thanks the Mundus 17 Programme, coordinated by the University of Porto (Portugal).The authors are grateful to the Valencia Regional Government (CMAAUV, Generalitat Valenciana) and the VAERSA staff for their support in allowing the use of the La Hunde experimental forest and for their assistance in carrying out the fieldwork. We express our gratitude to Professor R. Montes for constructive criticism and suggestions on an earlier version of the paper. The first author thanks the Mundus 17 Programme, coordinated by the University of Porto (Portugal).Gualberto-Fernandes, TJ.; Campo García, ADD.; Herrera Fernandez, R.; Molina Herrera, A. (2016). Simultaneous assessment, through sap flow and stable isotopes, of water use efficiency (WUE) in thinned pines shows improvement in growth, tree-climate sensitivity and WUE, but not in WUEi. Forest Ecology and Management. 361:298-308. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2015.11.029S29830836

Intuição, preferências Intertemporais e orçamento

This study examined how the intuitive aspects of humans impact on the intertemporal allocation of resources in organizational activities. Making use of a survey, scenarios were arranged to measure the cognitive ability of respondents and to identify their preferences related to resource allocation in budget decisions. A scale of six items was used to investigate how the intervening variable “participation in the budgeting process” was manifested in the relationship between cognitive classification of individuals and their intertemporal preferences. The survey was conducted among a sample comprised of 125 graduate students in Salvador, Bahia, enrolled in different courses. Multiple logistic regression was used for the main analysis of the data and additionally, we used a non-parametric analysis. The findings obtained by main analysis using multiple logistic regression suggest that the classification of individuals as intuitive or non-intuitive does not contribute to the explanation of intertemporal choices. However, additional analysis, by applying the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test suggested the existence of an association between cognitive classification of individuals and intertemporal choices. The results also indicated that participation in the budget process does not influence significantly the relation between intuition, defined from the cognitive classification of the respondents, and the intertemporal choices of individuals.Keywords: intuition, intertemporal preferences, cognitive classification, resources allocation.Este trabalho verificou de que forma os aspectos intuitivos dos seres humanos impactam as preferências intertemporais na elaboração do orçamento. Por meio de uma pesquisa de campo, cenários foram delineados para mensurar a capacidade cognitiva dos respondentes e para identificar suas preferências relacionadas à alocação de recursos em decisões orçamentárias. Uma escala de seis itens foi empregada para captar como a variável interveniente “participação no processo orçamentário” se manifestou presente na relação entre a classificação cognitiva dos indivíduos e suas preferências intertemporais. A pesquisa foi realizada junto a uma amostra formada por 125 estudantes de pós-graduação em Salvador, Bahia, inscritos em diferentes cursos. A regressão logística múltipla foi utilizada para a análise principal dos dados e, de forma adicional, empregou-se uma análise não paramétrica. Os achados da análise principal, por meio da regressão logística, sugerem que a classificação dos indivíduos como intuitivos ou não intuitivos não contribui para a explicação das escolhas intertemporais. Entretanto, uma análise adicional, por meio da aplicação do teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney, sugeriu a existência de uma associação entre a classificação cognitiva dos indivíduos e as escolhas intertemporais. Os resultados indicaram, ainda, que a participação no processo orçamentário não influencia significativamente na relação entre a intuição, definida a partir da classificação cognitiva dos respondentes, e as escolhas intertemporais dos indivíduos.Palavras-chave: intuição, preferências intertemporais, classificação cognitiva, orçamento

Intuition, intertemporal preferences and budget

Este trabalho verificou de que forma os aspectos intuitivos dos seres humanos impactam as preferências intertemporais na elaboração do orçamento. Por meio de uma pesquisa de campo, cenários foram delineados para mensurar a capacidade cognitiva dos respondentes e para identificar suas preferências relacionadas à alocação de recursos em decisões orçamentárias. Uma escala de seis itens foi empregada para captar como a variável interveniente “participação no processo orçamentário” se manifestou presente na relação entre a classificação cognitiva dos indivíduos e suas preferências intertemporais. A pesquisa foi realizada junto a uma amostra formada por 125 estudantes de pós-graduação em Salvador, Bahia, inscritos em diferentes cursos. A regressão logística múltipla foi utilizada para a análise principal dos dados e, de forma adicional, empregou-se uma análise não paramétrica. Os achados da análise principal, por meio da regressão logística, sugerem que a classificação dos indivíduos como intuitivos ou não intuitivos não contribui para a explicação das escolhas intertemporais. Entretanto, uma análise adicional, por meio da aplicação do teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney, sugeriu a existência de uma associação entre a classificação cognitiva dos indivíduos e as escolhas intertemporais. Os resultados indicaram, ainda, que a participação no processo orçamentário não influencia significativamente na relação entre a intuição, definida a partir da classificação cognitiva dos respondentes, e as escolhas intertemporais dos indivíduos.Palavras-chave: intuição, preferências intertemporais, classificação cognitiva, orçamento.This study examined how the intuitive aspects of humans impact on the intertemporal allocation of resources in organizational activities. Making use of a survey, scenarios were arranged to measure the cognitive ability of respondents and to identify their preferences related to resource allocation in budget decisions. A scale of six items was used to investigate how the intervening variable “participation in the budgeting process” was manifested in the relationship between cognitive classification of individuals and their intertemporal preferences. The survey was conducted among a sample comprised of 125 graduate students in Salvador, Bahia, enrolled in different courses. Multiple logistic regression was used for the main analysis of the data and additionally, we used a non-parametric analysis. The findings obtained by main analysis using multiple logistic regression suggest that the classification of individuals as intuitive or non-intuitive does not contribute to the explanation of intertemporal choices. However, additional analysis, by applying the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test suggested the existence of an association between cognitive classification of individuals and intertemporal choices. The results also indicated that participation in the budget process does not influence significantly the relation between intuition, defined from the cognitive classification of the respondents, and the intertemporal choices of individuals.Keywords: intuition, intertemporal preferences, cognitive classification, resources allocation

ACA Methodology - Accessibility Conformity Assessment: update procedure

Projetar ambientes que possam dar autonomia aos idosos com mobilidade reduzida e às pessoas com deficiência é fundamental para a inclusão social do indivíduo. Assim, identificar a relação existente entre o usuário e o meio edificado para adequar o espaço às características do usuário. Nesse sentido, o projeto de arquitetura sem barreiras se justifica como uma contribuição para a inserção social. Partindo deste pressuposto o presente artigo apresenta a relação existente entre a ação projetual e a avaliação quantitativa da acessibilidade através do método de Avaliação de Conformidade da Acessibilidade (ACA) - bem como a sua adequação em face da atualização da NBR 9050 - como contribuição para o desenvolvimento de espaços acessíveis que sigam os parâmetros da ergonomia e do desenho universal.Designing environments that can give autonomy to the elderly with reduced mobility and to people with disabilities is fundamental for the social inclusion of the individual. Thus, identifying the relationship between the user and the built environment is necessary to tailor the activities to the characteristics of the user. In this sense, the project of architecture without barriers is justified as a contribution to social insertion. Based on this assumption, the present article presents the relationship between the design action and the quantitative assessment of accessibility through the Accessibility Conformity Assessment (ACA) method - aswell asits adequacy in view of the NBR 9050 update - as a contribution to the development of accessible spaces that follow the parameters of ergonomics and universal design

ECTOS INTUITIVOS E DECISÕES GERENCIAIS: CONSIDERAÇÕES ACERCA DO JULGAMENTO DE DECISÕES ENVOLVENDO PRÁTICAS ORÇAMENTÁRIAS.

A aplicação do Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), teste que é capaz de medir o nível de habilidade cognitiva dos indivíduos e a propensão para serem (ou não) influenciados pelos impulsos intuitivos, é uma das possibilidades de pesquisa em decisões gerenciais mais promissoras. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo discutir a possível aplicação do CRT em pesquisas voltadas para o entendimento da relação entre aspectos intuitivos e decisões gerenciais. Além disso, pode-se correlacionar aspectos intuitivos (baixo nível de habilidade cognitiva) com decisões intertemporais de alocação de recursos e decisões de alocação de recursos sob condições de risco. Trabalhos sob esta perspectiva podem vislumbrar possíveis melhorias na eficácia empresarial, a partir da percepção do encadeamento entre aspectos não racionais e o desempenho organizacional

DepeMed, aplicación móvil Android para la determinación del test Pearson

Introducción: los dispositivos electrónicos han evolucionado con su miniaturización y su mayor potencia. Se estima que actualmente existen más dispositivos móviles que personas en el mundo. En estos momentos el desarrollo de aplicaciones que apoyen la enseñanza se ha universalizado y el entorno médico no ha sido la excepción. Objetivo: validar una aplicación móvil para dispositivos Android que sirviera como herramienta para la determinación del test de chi-cuadrado. Método: se realizó un estudio de tipo innovación tecnológica en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Ciego de Ávila “Dr. José Assef Yara”, para la validación se diseñó un estudio no observacional pre-experimental de una sola medición sin grupo de control, se aplicaron encuestas a los expertos y a los usuarios. Resultados: según criterio de los expertos se obtuvieron resultados de excelente en cuanto a la utilidad (100 %), diseño (94 %), aplicabilidad (100 %) y eficiencia (100 %). Conclusiones: luego de la valoración por los distintos grupos y los resultados positivos obtenidos, puede considerarse que la aplicación DepeMed puede incorporarse como herramienta para apoyar las investigaciones médicas.