Selection of native trees for intercropping with coffee in the Atlantic Rainforest biome

A challenge in establishing agroforestry systems is ensuring that farmers are interested in the tree species, and are aware of how to adequately manage these species. This challenge was tackled in the Atlantic Rainforest biome (Brazil), where a participatory trial with agroforestry coffee systems was carried out, followed by a participatory systematisation of the farmers experiences. Our objective was to identify the main tree species used by farmers as well as their criteria for selecting or rejecting tree species. Furthermore, we aimed to present a specific inventory of trees of the Leguminosae family. In order to collect the data, we reviewed the bibliography of the participatory trial, visited and interviewed the farmers and organised workshops with them. The main farmers' criteria for selecting tree species were compatibility with coffee, amount of biomass, production and the labour needed for tree management. The farmers listed 85 tree species; we recorded 28 tree species of the Leguminosae family. Most trees were either native to the biome or exotic fruit trees. In order to design and manage complex agroforestry systems, family farmers need sufficient knowledge and autonomy, which can be reinforced when a participatory methodology is used for developing on-farm agroforestry systems. In the case presented, the farmers learned how to manage, reclaim and conserve their land. The diversification of production, especially with fruit, contributes to food security and to a low cost/benefit ratio of agroforestry systems. The investigated agroforestry systems showed potential to restore the degraded landscape of the Atlantic Rainforest biome

Perceived cognitive functioning in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy compared to matched healthy women: Evidence from a Portuguese study

Aim: Cognitive concerns are one of the most frequently reported symptoms by breast cancer survivors. This study aimed to evaluate perceived cognitive functioning in Portuguese women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolling 146 women (73 with breast cancer and 73 healthy) was conducted from August to October 2017, invited to participate through online dissemination. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires to collect sociodemographic and clinical data and assess perceived cognitive functioning and psychological adjustment variables (anxiety and depression). Results: Compared to healthy women, women with breast cancer showed significantly lower scores on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) subscales and higher levels of depression. Both groups showed significant negative correlations between perceived cognitive functioning and anxiety and depression. Health status and depression seem to better explain perceived cognitive functioning, with health status adding significantly more explained variance beyond sociodemographic and psychological adjustment variables. Conclusion: The current findings provide evidence for the existence of more cognitive complaints among Portuguese women with breast cancer, compared to healthy individuals. Anxiety, depression, age and education also explain perceived cognitive functioning. Considering that health status and psychological adjustment seem to significantly explain perceived cognitive functioning, special attention should be given by health-care professionals, including nurses, to designing clinical interventions for breast cancer patients to help manage cognitive impairment

Searching for star-planet magnetic interaction in CoRoT observations

Close-in massive planets interact with their host stars through tidal and magnetic mechanisms. In this paper, we review circumstantial evidence for star-planet interaction as revealed by the photospheric magnetic activity in some of the CoRoT planet-hosting stars, notably CoRoT-2, CoRoT-4, and CoRoT-6. The phenomena are discussed in the general framework of activity-induced features in stars accompanied by hot Jupiters. The theoretical mechanisms proposed to explain the activity enhancements possibly related with hot Jupiter are also briefly reviewed with an emphasis on the possible effects at photospheric level. The unique advantages of CoRoT and Kepler observations to test these models are pointed out.Comment: Invited review paper accepted by Astrophysics and Space Science, 13 pages, 5 figure

Forests as promoters of water ecosystem services: insights from Portugal

Forests provide multiple ecosystem services, with relevance for the ones related to water. It is widely accepted that forests greatly influence the water cycle, promoting evapotranspiration, improving infiltration, reducing surface runoff and consequently soil erosion, although sometimes at expenses of a reduction in total water yield. In fact, forests are targeted for several measures to restore freshwater and land ecosystems, conserving biodiversity and at the same time improving the revenues of landowners, especially if Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are in place. However, the environmental effectiveness of these measures is not always acknowledged, especially due to the lack of local studies. Therefore, the objective of this presentation is to gather information based on modelling exercises applied to case-studies in Portugal, in which forests influence the provision of ecosystem services related to water in terms of quantity and quality. First, the results from an econometric model based on spatial variables applied to continental Portugal will be presented. Results suggested the existence of a positive and significant effect of local forest cover on water treatment cost savings of 0.056%. Secondly, scenarios of afforestation were simulated in SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) for two watersheds of northern Portugal. Results revealed that forests have a positive role on the regulation of water, in particular for the scenario of native deciduous type of trees, such as oak. Moreover, forests influence water quality, in terms of less nitrates in the river, and less soil erosion, when compared to a scenario of agricultural expansion. Lastly, a SWAT application in a small watershed in Central Portugal with scenarios of afforestation vs. fires, showed that soil erosion protection and water quality regulation provided by forests might be negatively affected by fire occurrence. Overall, further work should be done to consider fire risk over PES schemes applied to the Mediterranean forest.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Linear Formulation To Avoid Adjacent Channel Interference In Ltd Of Optical Networks

A strategy is implemented for solving the Logical Topology Design (LTD) based on a Linear Formulation (LP) with channel interference constraints. The formulation is able to provide excellent solutions. In traditional LTD Problem there is no a-priori knowledge of channel use and once the solution has been implemented the interference cannot be avoided. Taking into consideration the effects of adjacent channel interference, we extend the traditional formulation as a set of analytical formulas as additional constraints on LTD. © 2010 COPYRIGHT SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering.7959The Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)Dutta, R., Rouskas, G., A Survey of Virtual Topology Design Algorithms for Wavelength Routed Networks (2000) Optical Networks (SPIE), 1 (1), pp. 73-89. , JanuaryZang, H., Jue, J.P., Mukherjee, B., A Review of Routing and Wavelength Assignment Approaches for Wavelength-Routed optical WDM Networks (2000) Optical Networks Magazine, 1, pp. 47-60. , JanDeng, T., Subbramaniam, S., Xu, J., Crosstalk-Aware are Wavelength Assignment in Dynamic Wavelength Routed Optical Networks Pr Proc. Broadn Dnets, 2004Manousakis, K., Christodoulopolos, K., Varvarigos, E., Avoiding Adjacent Channel Interference in Static RWA CSNDSP08He, J., Brandt-Pearce, M., QoT-Aware are Routing in Impairment-Constrained Optical Networks (2007) IEEE GLOBECOM, pp. 2269-2274. , NovKrishn Shnaswamy, R., Sivara Arajan, K., Design of Logical Topologies: A Linear Formulation for Wavelength Routed Optical Networks with No Wavelength Changers (2001) IEEE Trans. Networking, 9 (2), pp. 186-198Ramaswami, R., Sivarajan, K.N., Design of Logical Topologies for Wavelength-Routed All Optical Networks (1996) IEEE/JSAC, 14, pp. 840-851. , JuneRamaswami, R., Optical Networking Technologies: What Worked and What Didn't (2006) IEEE Communications Magazine, pp. 132-139. , Septembe

Sharp upper estimates for the first eigenvalue of a Jacobi type operator

Our purpose in this article is to obtain sharp upper estimates for the first positive eigenvalue of a Jacobi type operator, which is a suitable extension of the linearized operators of the higher order mean curvatures of a closed hypersurface immersed either in the Euclidean space or in the Euclidean sphere.Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq): grant 303977/2015-9 y grant 308757/2015-7.peerReviewe

Sharp upper estimates for the first eigenvalue of a Jacobi type operator

Our purpose in this article is to obtain sharp upper estimates for the first positive eigenvalue of a Jacobi type operator, which is a suitable extension of the linearized operators of the higher order mean curvatures of a closed hypersurface immersed either in the Euclidean space or in the Euclidean sphere.Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq): grant 303977/2015-9 y grant 308757/2015-7.peerReviewe

Dynamical Chern-Simons modified gravity, Godel Universe and variable cosmological constant

We study the condition for the consistency of the G\"{o}del metric with the dynamical Chern-Simons modified gravity. It turns out to be that this compatibility can be achieved only if the cosmological constant is variable in the space.Comment: 8 pages, references adde

Small Animals Gut Microbiome and Its Relationship with Cancer

This chapter aims to discuss recent developments in understanding the small animal gut microbiome’s relationship with cancer, focusing on animals as well as a model for studying humans. Based on multidirectional interactions between the microbiome, the environment and the epigenetically/genetically vulnerable host, it intends to address the mechanisms by which microorganisms can contribute to carcinogenesis describing the roles of the microbiome directly in the pathogenesis of the disease through complex interactions between the microbiome and the host’s metabolic and immune systems. The feasibility for developing new cancer diagnostic and prognostic methodologies plus treatments based on small animals’ microbiome profiles are reviewed