Assessing impacts of Common Agricultural Policy changes on regional use patterns with a decision support system. An application in Southern Portugal

This paper discusses research aiming at assessing Common Agricultural Policy impacts on agriculture and forestry. For this purpose an approach is developed that includes a linear programming model to estimate the Positive Mathematical Programming production cost function coefficients of current agricultural– forestry activities. It further includes a heuristic — simulated annealing — to generate solutions for each policy scenario. This model base approach is integrated within a decision support system (DSS) for testing purposes. The DSS further encompasses a relational database that stores agricultural–forestry technical and economic data and a geographic information system that stores topological data of regional farm-type land units. The DSS Graphical User Interface provides tabular and geographical reporting capabilities. Results are discussed for an application to the Alentejo region in Southern Portugal. Results demonstrate the usefulness and relevance of the proposed approach to assess the impact of changes in prices and in agricultural policy on land use patterns and on forestr

Scattering from supramacromolecular structures

We study theoretically the scattering imprint of a number of branched supramacromolecular architectures, namely, polydisperse stars and dendrimeric, hyperbranched structures. We show that polydispersity and nature of branching highly influence the intermediate wavevector region of the scattering structure factor, thus providing insight into the morphology of different aggregates formed in polymer solutions.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures To appear in PR

The role of acetylcholinesterase in Alzheimer’s disease: Enzymatic inhibition studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and causes a progressive and irreversible neurodegeneration. It is related with loss of cholinergic function, which affects memory, learning and behavior [1]. Neurophathologically, AD is characterized by the presence of beta-amyloid plaques (A ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) [2] and consequent degeneration of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons [3]. The loss of cholinergic neurons leads to the progressive reduction of acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain and resulting cognitive impairment in AD [3]. As such, the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) has been one of the prime targets in search for a treatment for AD, which uses reversible inhibitors of AChE, in order to increase levels of acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain [4]. In the present study a small library of quinolinone and indole derivatives was screened for their eeAChE inhibitory activity using the Ellman method

VARIABILIDADE ESPACIAL E TEMPORAL DA MATURAÇÃO DE UVA PARA VINHO - VARIEDADES: ARAGONÊS, TRINCADEIRA.

O conceito de terroir no vinho é baseado na observação de que diferentes regiões, vinhas ou mesmo secções diferentes dentro da mesma vinha, podem produzir vinhos com uma identidade muito própria e bem diferente uns dos outros. Os franceses começaram a cristalizar este conceito como uma maneira de descrever os aspectos originais de um determinado lugar (solo, topografia e clima), que influencia e molda o vinho feito a partir dele. Para uma determinada posição geográfica, podemos considerar que o solo e a topografia são fixos no espaço e no tempo, mas não o clima. Na verdade, dentro da mesma vinha, várias regiões microclimáticas podem ser definidas. Os microclimas de uma determinada vinha afectam diferenciadamente a maturação das uvas, criando dessa forma uma variabilidade espacial e temporal da qualidade da uva. Foram analisadas duas variedades de uva, Aragonês e Trincadeira, e para cada variedade foram estudados, respectivamente, 7 e 6 talhões dentro da vinha do CASITO, pertencente à Fundação Eugénio de Almeida. Nestes talhões e nestas variedades, foi acompanhada a maturação das uvas em três anos consecutivos. Como resultado constatou-se que existe uma variabilidade espacial e temporal da maturação da uva entre castas e dentro da mesma casta, abrindo desta forma, a possibilidade de gerir diferenciadamente cada parcela

Novel criticality in a model with absorbing states

We study a one-dimensional model which undergoes a transition between an active and an absorbing phase. Monte Carlo simulations supported by some additional arguments prompted as to predict the exact location of the critical point and critical exponents in this model. The exponents $\delta=0.5$ and $z=2$ follows from random-walk-type arguments. The exponents $\beta = \nu_{\perp}$ are found to be non-universal and encoded in the singular part of reactivation probability, as recently discussed by H. Hinrichsen (cond-mat/0008179). A related model with quenched randomness is also studied.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, generalized version with the continuously changing exponent bet

Physiological quality, content and activity of antioxidants in soybean seeds artificially aged.

ABSTRACT - The objective of this study was to evaluate physiological quality, content, and activity of antioxidants, in soybean seeds subjected to accelerated aging during different periods. Seeds of cultivars BRS 258, BRS 262 and BRS 268, subjected to accelerated aging during 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours and non-aged seeds were used. After each aging period, the seed were evaluated by tests of: germination; first count and tetrazolium. The total of phenolic compounds, total flavonoides, total of isoflavones, and activity for eliminating ABTS°+ radicals were quantified. There were differences among cultivars according to vigor and viability only after seeds were aged. Cultivars BRS 158 and BRS 268 have shown better seed physiological quality in each aging period; however, not presenting higher amounts of isoflavones and efficiency in removing free radicals. For all cultivars, the values for total of phenolic compounds, as well as total of flavonoids have shown quadratic positive behavior; the values for isoflavones remained constant and the vigor and viability showed contrary trend to activity of antioxidant agents. RESUMO: Qualidade fisiológica, conteúdo e atividade de antioxidantes presentes em sementes de soja envelhecidas artificialmente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade fisiológica, o conteúdo e a atividade de agentes antioxidantes presentes em sementes de soja envelhecidas durante diferentes períodos. Foram utilizadas sementes das cultivares BRS 258, BRS 262 e BRS 268, envelhecidas durante 12, 24, 36 e 48 h e sementes não envelhecidas. Após cada período de envelhecimento, as sementes foram avaliadas pelo testes de: germinação; primeira contagem e tetrazólio. Foram quantificados: compostos fenólicos totais; flavonóides totais; total de isoflavonas e atividade eliminadora do radical ABTS°+. Houve diferença entre as cultivares em relação ao vigor e viabilidade somente quando foram envelhecidas. BRS 158 e BRS 268 apresentaram melhor qualidade fisiológica de sementes em cada período de envelhecimento, porém, não apresentaram maior quantidade de isoflavonas e eficiência no sequestro dos radicais livres. Para todas as cultivares, os valores de compostos fenólicos totais, assim como os flavonóides totais, apresentaram comportamento quadrático positivo; os valores das isoflavonas permaneceram constantes e o vigor e a viabilidade apresentaram tendência contrária à atividade dos agentes antioxidantes

Power transformers winding fault diagnosis by the on-load exciting current extended Park's vector approach

This paper presents the application of the on-load exciting current Extended Park's Vector Approach to diagnose incipient turn-to-turn winding faults in operating power transformers. Experimental and simulation test results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique, which is based on the spectral analysis of the AC component of the on-load exciting current Park's Vector modulus

Dermatophylosis in Santa Inês sheep from Distrito Federal

Relataram-se quatro casos de dermatofilose em ovinos da raça Santa Inês, no período de um ano. Microscopicamente observaram-se filamentos na forma de "trilho de bonde" e zoósporos nos quatro casos. A tentativa do isolamento do microrganismo foi realizada por meio do método de Haalstra e em apenas um caso obteve-se sucesso, observando-se colônias de aparência lisa, formato circular, cor amarelada e hemolítica em ágar sangue. O exame direto com coloração de Gram mostrou-se um método bastante eficiente na confirmação da presença do microrganismo afetando a epiderme em razão da morfologia típica do agente.Four cases of dermatophylosis were reported in Santa Inês sheep in a study period of one year. Microscopically, septate filaments and coccoid forms zoospores were observed. Attempts to isolate the microorganisms were accomplished using Haastra's method and it was successful in only one case. Dermatophilus congolensis samples have grown on blood agar, colonies where hemolytic, small, round and pigmentation vary from yellow to orange. The gram staining method was efficient to confirm the presence of the microorganism affecting the epidermis due to typical morphology of the agent