Associations of physical activity with driving-related cognitive abilities in older drivers: an exploratory study

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between physical activity and driving-related cognitive abilities of older drivers. Thirty-eight female and male drivers ages 61 to 81 years (M = 70.2, SD = 5.0) responded to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and were assessed on a battery of neuropsychological tests, which included measures of visual attention, executive functioning, mental status, visuospatial ability, and memory. A higher amount of reported physical activity was significantly correlated with better scores on tests of visual processing speed and divided visual attention. Higher amounts of physical activity was significantly associated with a better composite score for visual attention, but its correlation with the composite score for executive functioning was not significant. These findings support the hypothesis that physical activity is associated with preservation of specific driving-related cognitive abilities of older adults

Cyclic behavior of a two-span RC beam built with plain reinforcing bars

Reinforced concrete structural elements lacking appropriate seismic detailing and built with plain reinforcing bars, and subjected to cyclic loads like the ones induced by earthquakes, are particularly sensitive to the bond-slip mechanism. Though, existing studies on the cyclic behavior of RC structures generally refer to elements with deformed bars. As a result, the behavior of elements with plain bars is not yet fully understood. In this framework, the cyclic behavior of a two-span RC beam built with plain reinforcing bars, collected from an ancient building structure, was investigated. The support and loading conditions observed in-situ were simulated in the test setup. The beam displayed a flexural failure and the damage was concentrated in three short plastic hinges. The poor damage distribution evidences the effects of the bar slippage mechanism on the beam behaviorFCT - SFRH/BD/27406/2006FCT - SFRH/BD/62110/200

Soil microbial biomass in organic farming system.

Agricultural production systems have to combine management practices in order to sustain soil's profitability and quality. Organic farming is gaining worldwide acceptance and has been expanding at an annual rate of 20% in the last decade, accounting for over 24 million hectares worldwide. Organic practices avoid applications of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, rely on organic inputs and recycling for nutrient supply, and emphasize cropping system design and biological processes for pest management, as defined by organic farming regulation in the world. In comparison with conventional farming, organic farming has potential benefits in improving food quality and safety. Plant production in organic farming mainly depends on nutrient release as a function of mineralization processes in soils. The build-up of a large and active soil microbial biomass is important pool of accessible nutrients, therefore, is an important priority in organic farming. In organic farming, there is positive effect of quantity and quality of inputs of organic residues on soil microbial biomass. In this way, the organic systems are extremely important for the increase of the soil fertility and the maintenance of the environmental sustainability

Guidance and control of an ASV in AUV tracking operations

The following addresses the control of an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) to follow the trajectory made by an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) when the last is performing any given pre-programmed mission. In fact, it has been proved to be of great interest to have an ASV that could follow on the surface and even catch up the trajectory performed by the AUV, when executing a given mission. In order to achieve this desired coordinated motion between AUV and ASV, it would make sense just to program each of the vehicles with the same mission. However, due to the nature of vehicles, missions and also due to the localization system used, with this kind of solution some problems would arise, namely related with timings and synchronization, which are indeed difficult to overcome. The solution proposed here tries to estimate the AUV position, by tapping the signals exchanged between the former and each of the beacons of the acoustic localization network, and control and actuate the ASV in accordance

Aspectos da biologia reprodutiva da oliveira (Olea europaea L.): variedades Arbequina, Arbosana e Koroneiki em Rancho Queimado – Santa Catarina

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciências Agrárias. Curso de Agronomia.O conhecimento da biologia floral da oliveira é de grande importância para desenvolver métodos e técnicas de polinização e selecionar variedades adaptadas a determinadas regiões. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a biologia flora, de três variedades de oliveira sob as condições climáticas de Rancho Queimado-SC, visando dar suporte aos trabalhos de seleção de variedades e estabelecer estratégias de manejo para a cultura. As flores foram previamente ensacadas e depois coletadas para a contagem do número de óvulos, estigmas, carpelos, anteras e grãos de pólen por flor, além da razão pólen/óluvo, receptividade do estigma com peróxido de hidrogênio, viabilidade do pólen pelo método colorimétrico e germinação in vitro. Para o teste de germinação in vitro realizou-se um ensaio preliminar afim de determinar o melhor meio de cultura para cada variedade. Os resultados observados para as três variedades mostraram padrão similar a outros trabalhos referente ao número de óvulos, estigmas, carpelos e anteras, porém o número de grãos de pólen por flor foi superior, resultando em uma elevada razão pólen/óvulo, o que caracterizou as três variedades como xenogâmicas. Os estigmas mostraram-se viáveis, assim como o pólen no teste colorimétrico. Porém resultados inferiores foram encontrados no teste de germinação in vitro, onde a variedade Arbosana demonstrou melhor adaptação para a região.The knowledge of the floral biology of the olive tree is of great importance to develop methods and techniques of pollination and to select varieties adapted to certain regions. The goal of this work to characterize the floral biology of three olive varieties under the Rancho Queimado climatic conditions, in order to support the work of variety selection and establish management strategies for the crop. The flowers were previously bagged and then collected to count the number of ovule, stigmas, carpels, anthers and pollen grains per flower, as well as the pollen / ovivo ratio, stigma receptivity with hydrogen peroxide, pollen viability by colorimetric method and Germination. For the in vitro germination test a preliminary test was carried out in order to determine the best culture medium for each variety. The observed result for the three varieties was normal for the specie referring to number of ovule, stigmas, carpels and anthers counts, but the number of pollen grains per flower was high, resulting in a high pollen/ovule ratio, which characterized the three varieties as xenogamous. The stigmas were found to be viable, as were pollen in the colorimetric test. However, low values were found in the in vitro germination test, where the Arbosana variety had better adaptation to the region

Ser estudante de doutoramento: A relação de orientação e a perceção de desenvolvimento pessoal

O presente estudo procurou analisar o impacto da relação de orientação doutoral (ao nível do tipo de relação e qualidade percebida da relação) na perceção de desenvolvimento pessoal (em termos de ganhos e perdas). Participaram neste estudo 308 estudantes de doutoramento de três universidades portuguesas. Foram utilizados três questionários: Questionário de Interação Estudante-Orientador/a (QIEO, acerca do tipo de relação; adaptado de Mainhard, van der Rijst, van Tartwijk, & Wubbels, 2009); Questionário de Relação com o/a Orientador/a (QRO, acerca da qualidade da relação; Melo, 2000) e o Questionário Processo de Doutoramento: Ganhos e Perdas (PDGP, sobre a perceção de ganhos e perdas desenvolvimentais; adaptado de Melo, 2000). Foram encontradas relações de influência entre a qualidade da relação e o tipo de relação sobre a perceção de ganhos e perdas

Justiça emperrada : desobediência às determinações judiciais no estado de direito

Tece uma análise crítica sobre a administração da justiça em âmbito nacional e aponta a obrigação, por parte do Judiciário, em prover o acesso à justiça para todos. Em seguida, apresenta as medidas que o Poder Judiciário cearense adotou para que a justiça fosse ao encontro dos cidadãos

Indústria cultural lusòfona. Les perspectives del flux comunicacional lusoafrobrasiler

El flux comunicatiu entre els països de llengua portuguesa situats en els territoris d'Europa, Àfrica i Amèrica, s'intensificà en les decades del 1980 i 1990. Els processos recents de democratització de la vida política i la privatització de les indústries culturals estan motivant l'intercanvi entre Brasil i Portugal, que s'estén als cinc països africans la llengua oficial dels quals és el portuguès: Angola, Moçambic, Guinea Bissau, Cap Verd, Sao Tomé i Príncipe. S'estima avui l'existència d'un mercat potencial de lusoparlants de prop de dos-cents milions de persones, incloent-hi la diàspora dels portuguesos, brasilers i africans que constitueixen la Comunitat dels Països de Llengua Portuguesa (CPLP), així com les perspectives per a l'articulació d'un mercat comunicatiu capaç de preservar les identitats culturals lusitanes i alhora recolzar-les en els nous espais multiculturals creats per la globalització de l'economia contemporània.Communication between the Portuguese-speaking countries of Europe, Africa and Latin America intensified in the 1980s and 1990s. The recent advent of democracy and the privatization of cultural and communications industries have stimulated links between Brasil and Portugal, and these links have also been extended to the five African countries where Portuguese is an official language: Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde Islands, St Thomas and Principe. Today there is an estimated potential market of two hundred million Portuguese speakers, including the diaspora of Portuguese, Brazilian and African immigrants who make up Portuguese-speaking communities all over the world. This article examines the setting up of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), and the prospects for the consolidation of a communications market capable of preserving Portuguese-speaking cultures, and finding a niche for them in the new multicultural media created by economic globalization

Indústria cultural lusòfona. Les perspectives del flux comunicacional lusoafrobrasiler

L'article analitza els esdeveniments que van conduir a la creació de la Comunitat dels Països de Llengua Portuguesa (CPLP), així com les perspectives per a l'articulació d'un mercat comunicatiu capaç de preservar les identitars culturals lusitanes i alhora recolzar-les en els nous espais multiculturals creats per la globalització de 1'economia contemporània

Contributos para o estudo do processo de doutoramento: relação de orientação e perceção de desenvolvimento pessoal

Apesar do estudo dos processos educativos no ensino superior ser um tópico bastante explorado pela psicologia, o estudo do processo de doutoramento parece ter sido relegado para segundo plano ao longo dos anos. Assim, a análise dos processos inerentes ao percurso do/a estudante de doutoramento, revela-se um dos tópicos cuja necessidade de investigação futura é mais premente. Para este estudo podemos admitir duas variáveis fundamentais, derivadas da análise da literatura existente: o desenvolvimento do/a estudante de doutoramento (em termos de ganhos e perdas) e a qualidade da relação entre orientador/a e orientando/a. Para estudar este tema pretende-se analisar o tipo e a qualidade da relação entre o/a estudante e o/a seu/sua orientador/a, e, posteriormente, perceber qual a importância desta relação para a perceção de desenvolvimento do/a estudante. Nesta comunicação será apresentada uma breve revisão da literatura sobre a temática, bem como os procedimentos preliminares deste estudo com estudantes de doutoramento portugueses. / The study of educational processes in higher education seems to be a topic extensively explored by psychology. However, the study of the doctoral process seems to have been relegated to the background over the years. Thus, the analysis of the processes inherent to the PhD student course proves to be one of the topics on which further research is necessary. For this study, we can assume two basic factors deriving from the analysis of the existing literature: the development of the PhD student (in terms of gains and losses) and the quality of the relationship between supervisor and student. To study this issue we intend to analyse the type and quality of the relationship between the student and his/her supervisor, and then realize how important this relationship is for the perception of development. In this communication we will present a brief revision of the literature on the subject, as well as the preliminary procedures of this study with Portuguese PhD students