Effects of vineyard agricultural practices on the diversity of macroinvertebrates

In Europe, agriculture represents the dominant land use and there is a substantial part of biodiversity associated with those habitats. Therefore, conservation studies should direct to agriculture fields aiming to minimize the biodiversity losses. Vineyards could play a key role in producing win-win solutions for agriculture and biodiversity conservation, as an entrance point of sustainable practices in agriculture management. This study aims to evaluate the influence of different agriculture practices on macroinvertebrate diversity and in the productivity of the vineyards. Comparing these variables, we hope to determine the most sustainable agriculture practices, to suggest conservation measures to enhance sustainability and improve biodiversity in the vineyards. We are comparing Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera diversity and levels of productivity in three differently managed vineyards: conventional, organic and integrated production with controlled doses of chemicals (optidose). Macroinvertebrates will be sampled by pitfalls and colour plates. Study area is Herdade dos Pinheiros of Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, in Évora (Alentejo, Portugal). We expect to find higher macroinvertebrates diversity where there is less disturbance, as in the organic vineyard. And the contrary for the conventional. Also, we are expecting to find little diversity of Hemiptera when there are higher levels of Coleoptera and Hymenoptera diversity, because that means biological control is acting. Finally, we hope to find the best agriculture measures to enhance sustainability and improve biodiversity in vineyards and surrounding areas

Xanthan Gum–Konjac Glucomannan Blend Hydrogel for Wound Healing

Hydrogels are considered to be the most ideal materials for the production of wound dressings since they display a three-dimensional structure that mimics the native extracellular matrix of skin as well as a high-water content, which confers a moist environment at the wound site. Until now, different polymers have been used, alone or blended, for the production of hydrogels aimed for this biomedical application. From the best of our knowledge, the application of a xanthan gum-konjac glucomannan blend has not been used for the production of wound dressings. Herein, a thermo-reversible hydrogel composed of xanthan gum-konjac glucomannan (at different concentrations (1% and 2% w/v) and ratios (50/50 and 60/40)) was produced and characterized. The obtained data emphasize the excellent physicochemical and biological properties of the produced hydrogels, which are suitable for their future application as wound dressings.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Field-based tests for the assessment of physical fitness in children and adolescents practicing sport: A systematic review within the ESA program

High levels of physical fitness (PF) can positively affect both health and cognitive function, thus monitoring its levels in youth can help increase health and quality of life in adult populations later on. This systematic review aims to identify PF field-based tests used in young European populations practicing sport to find tools that are adequate for the considered target involving a new battery within the Enriched Sport Activities (ESA) project. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed. In the 83 identified articles, the main tests used were: vertical/horizontal jumps (for muscular strength/power); push-ups, running at maximum effort, sit-ups (for muscular strength/endurance); multistage non-intermittent and intermittent tests (for aerobic endurance); sit and reach (for flexibility); sprinting and agility T-tests (for speed and agility, respectively); 10 x 5 m shuttle run (SR) (for both speed and agility). Few studies assessed coordination, reaction time, power, and balance. Although the selected tests are widely used and validated, they do not determine all PF aspects and do not reflect sport-specific features. A final decision was made for the inclusion of the following tests: standing broad jump, seated medicine ball throw, 20 m SR test, 30 m sprint, Illinois test, and a new test, i.e., the crunning test, to assess different skill-related components at once. The use of this combination of tests allows for the assessment of all PF components and can help planning eective training programs and cultivate sporting talent

A EXPERIÊNCIA DE HOSPITALIZAÇÃO EXPLICADA PELA PRÓPRIA CRIANÇA

O presente estudo foi realizado com 20 crianças, em idade escolar, internadas em unidades pediátricas. Teve como objetivos identificar: como as crianças expressam a percepção de sua doença e hospitalização; os recursos de 'que elas dispõem para obter conhecimento sobre sua experiência de doença e hospitalização; e seus interesses e preocupações

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b, leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W' boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe

Measurement of isolated photon production in pp and PbPb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV

Isolated photon production is measured in proton-proton and lead-lead collisions at nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energies of 2.76 TeV in the pseudorapidity range |eta|<1.44 and transverse energies ET between 20 and 80 GeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. The measured ET spectra are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD predictions. The ratio of PbPb to pp isolated photon ET-differential yields, scaled by the number of incoherent nucleon-nucleon collisions, is consistent with unity for all PbPb reaction centralities.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of the Lambda(b) cross section and the anti-Lambda(b) to Lambda(b) ratio with Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda decays in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The Lambda(b) differential production cross section and the cross section ratio anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) are measured as functions of transverse momentum pt(Lambda(b)) and rapidity abs(y(Lambda(b))) in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are based on Lambda(b) decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/Psi Lambda, with the subsequent decays J/Psi to an opposite-sign muon pair and Lambda to proton pion, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 inverse femtobarns. The product of the cross section times the branching ratio for Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda versus pt(Lambda(b)) falls faster than that of b mesons. The measured value of the cross section times the branching ratio for pt(Lambda(b)) > 10 GeV and abs(y(Lambda(b))) < 2.0 is 1.06 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.12 nb, and the integrated cross section ratio for anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) is 1.02 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.09, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for new physics in events with opposite-sign leptons, jets, and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search is presented for physics beyond the standard model (BSM) in final states with a pair of opposite-sign isolated leptons accompanied by jets and missing transverse energy. The search uses LHC data recorded at a center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the CMS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 5 inverse femtobarns. Two complementary search strategies are employed. The first probes models with a specific dilepton production mechanism that leads to a characteristic kinematic edge in the dilepton mass distribution. The second strategy probes models of dilepton production with heavy, colored objects that decay to final states including invisible particles, leading to very large hadronic activity and missing transverse energy. No evidence for an event yield in excess of the standard model expectations is found. Upper limits on the BSM contributions to the signal regions are deduced from the results, which are used to exclude a region of the parameter space of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Additional information related to detector efficiencies and response is provided to allow testing specific models of BSM physics not considered in this paper.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO