As valsas para piano de Chiquinha Gonzaga: um panorama pedagógico

This paper aims to investigate the waltzes for piano by Francisca Gonzaga to identify their main characteristics and the musical, technical, and reading challenges that piano students will encounter when practicing her pieces. All waltzes were performed, analyzed, and compared to pieces graded by Jane Magrath (1995) in order to be classified in a level of difficulty from one to ten. Here, their main characteristics are discussed and one waltz of each level is presented and analyzed as an example. It was observed that the levels of difficulty of Gonzaga’s waltzes range from six to ten and that they feature various technical and musical demands that can prepare students for a more advanced repertoire, such as pieces by Romantic composers. Chiquinha was an important female personality and her output deserves more recognition, not only for its historical importance and intrinsic quality but also for its pedagogical value. This paper intends to promote her works and stimulate piano teachers to include her pieces in the repertoire of their students.Este artigo procura investigar as valsas para piano de Chiquinha Gonzaga e as dificuldades musicais, técnicas e de leitura que alunos de piano encontrarão ao estudar suas peças. Todas as obras foram executadas, analisadas e comparadas a peças niveladas por Jane Magrath (1995) para serem classificadas em um nível de dificuldade de um a dez. Aqui, as principais características encontradas são discutidas e uma valsa de cada nível é apresentada e analisada como exemplo. Foi observado que os níveis de dificuldade das valsas de Gonzaga variam entre seis e dez e elas apresentam diversas demandas técnicas e musicais que podem preparar os alunos para um repertório mais avançado, como peças de compositores românticos. Chiquinha foi uma importante personalidade feminina e sua obra merece mais reconhecimento, não apenas por sua importância histórica e qualidade intrínseca, mas também pelo seu valor didático. Este trabalho pretende divulgar suas peças e estimular professores de piano a incluí-las no repertório de seus alunos

Ability of Cistus L. shrubs to promote soil rehabilitation in extensive oak woodlands of Mediterranean areas

To assess the ecological function of Cistus salviifolius (CS) and C. ladanifer (CL) shrubs in evergreen oak woodlands, a study was conducted over a 4-year period in southern Portugal. Annual potential return of bio-elements to the soil through litterfall and throughfall, and necromass on soil surface under shrub canopies were assessed along with the dynamics of leaf litter decomposition. Soil bulk density and soil-water retention at different soil matric potential were measured at 0–5 and 5–10 cm depth, and soil chemical properties were determined at 0–5, 5–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm depth beneath canopies and at barren spaces. Litterfall was higher for CL (4.4–4.6 Mg DM ha−1 year−1) than for CS (3.3–3.8 Mg DM ha−1 year−1). Annual amount of N returned to the soil through litterfall of CS (22.9 kg N ha−1 year−1) was higher than by that of CL (17.2 kg N ha−1 year−1), whereas the return of P in CL (4.1 kg P ha−1 year−1) was higher than in CS (2.1 kg P ha−1 year−1). Leaf decomposition was faster for CS (k= −0.87) than for CL (k=−0.44). N release was also faster for CS than for CL, while that of P was much faster for CL than for CS. Throughfall proportions were 61% of bulk rainfall for CS and 79% for CL. Annual return of Cl−, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ by throughfall was more pronounced for CL than for CS. Shrubs improved soil quality, especially in the 0–5 cm top soil layer, by enhancement of organic matter and nutrient content beneath shrub canopies. Therefore, shrubs may promote the invasion of more demanding species, since local areas of high fertility are likely to be favoured sites for vegetation regeneration

The effects of glutaraldehyde on the control of single and dual biofilms of Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas fluorescens

Glutaraldehyde (GLUT) was evaluated for control of single and dual species biofilms of Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas fluorescens on stainless steel surfaces using a chemostat system. The biofilms were characterized in terms of mass, cell density, total and matrix proteins and polysaccharides. The control action of GLUT was assessed in terms of inactivation and removal of biofilm. Post-biocide action was characterized 3, 7, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment. Tests with planktonic cells were also performed for comparison. The results demonstrated that in dual species biofilms the metabolic activity, cell density and the content of matrix proteins were higher than those of either single species. Planktonic B. cereus was more susceptible to GLUT than P. fluorescens. The biocide susceptibility of dual species planktonic cultures was an average of each single species. Planktonic cells were more susceptible to GLUT than their biofilm counterparts. Biofilm inactivation was similar for both of the single biofilms while dual biofilms were more resistant than single species biofilms. GLUT at 200 mg l71 caused low biofilm removal (510%). Analysis of the post-biocide treatment data revealed the ability of biofilms to recover their activity over time. However, 12 h after biocide application, sloughing events were detected for both single and dual species biofilms, but were more marked for those formed by P. fluorescens (removal 440% of the total biofilm). The overall results suggest that GLUT exerts significant antimicrobial activity against planktonic bacteria and a partial and reversible activity against B. cereus and P. fluorescens single and dual species biofilms. The biocide had low antifouling effects when analysed immediately after treatment. However, GLUT had significant long-term effects on biofilm removal, inducing significant sloughing events (recovery in terms of mass 72 h after treatment for single biofilms and 42 h later for dual biofilms). In general, dual species biofilms demonstrated higher resistance and resilience to GLUT exposure than either of the single species biofilms. P. fluorescens biofilms were more susceptible to the biocide than B. cereus biofilms.The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors - COMPETE and by FCT - the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through Project Bioresist - PTDC/EBB-EBI/105085/2008 and the PhD grant awarded to Lucia C. Simoes (SFRH/BD/31661/2006). Filipe Mergulhao (LEPAE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto) is acknowledged for revision of the manuscript

The immune mechanisms of severe equine asthma : current understanding and what Is missing

Research Areas: Agriculture ; Veterinary Sciences ; ZoologySevere equine asthma is a chronic respiratory disease of adult horses, occurring when genetically susceptible individuals are exposed to environmental aeroallergens. This results in airway inflammation, mucus accumulation and bronchial constriction. Although several studies aimed at evaluating the genetic and immune pathways associated with the disease, the results reported are inconsistent. Furthermore, the complexity and heterogeneity of this disease bears great similarity to what is described for human asthma. Currently available studies identified two chromosome regions (ECA13 and ECA15) and several genes associated with the disease. The inflammatory response appears to be mediated by T helper cells (Th1, Th2, Th17) and neutrophilic inflammation significantly contributes to the persistence of airway inflammatory status. This review evaluates the reported findings pertaining to the genetical and immunological background of severe equine asthma and reflects on their implications in the pathophysiology of the disease whilst discussing further areas of research interest aiming at advancing treatment and prognosis of affected individualsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Morfologia vegetal - órgãos vegetativos das espermatófitas

INTRODUÇÃO O observador casual da vida vegetal fica frequentemente impressionado com a variedade e diversidade com que é confrontado. Contudo, esta diversidade é aparente, visto todas as plantas desempenharem as mesmas actividades básicas, obedecendo a sua estrutura a um padrão comum. A MORFOLOGIA tem como objectivos: - determinar o que existe de regular e geral na grande multiplicidade de formas e estruturas apresentadas pelos vegetais; - compreender e descrever esta riqueza de formas. Estes objectivos são alcançados através do exame comparativo de muitas formas individuais, de modo a encontrar o plano fundamental de um grupo de formas. Estabelecido este plano, podem--se então determinar os desvios à estrutura geral. Sendo essencial ao estudo da taxonomia botânica, o conhecimento da morfologia é também imprescindível em muitos outros domínios, como por exemplo, em agronomia, silvicultura, horticultura, floricultura, jardinagem, farmacognosia, utilização de material vegetal vivo em sistemas construtivos, entre outros

Regeneration patterns of Quercus suber according to montado management systems

Traditional management of montado (dehesa) is an example of integration of sustainable land-use and biodiversity conservation. The whole system sustainability is currently threatened by the intensification of soil tilling to control shrub invasion and promote pastureland, the absence of tree natural regeneration being one of the most outstanding threats. A study to assess effects of management on tree regeneration at early stages was developed in a cork oak montado grazed by cattle, in southern Portugal. We specifically compared the effects of harrowing every 3–4 years with those of shrub clearing with a shredder every 5–7 years. We hypothesized that extending shrub maintenance may facilitate cork oak regeneration at early stages in grazed montado. Fenced cork oak paddocks under the same management system for at least the last 40 years were surveyed for cork oak seedling, juvenile and sapling density; shrub cover percentage was also estimated. Recruitment bottleneck was observed after the seedling stage under harrowing, while in shredded areas all stages were well represented and often associated with shrub patches. Overall, the highest cork oak recruitment occurred at intermediate shrub cover (40–60 %). By maintaining shrub patches and their protective effect against direct radiation and grazing impact, while preventing shrub encroachment, shredding every 7 years seems to create an important temporal window for effective oak regeneration. This management practice might thus be suitable to favour successful tree regeneration in grazed cork oak montado, assuring the persistence of this system

Wild flowers in urban spaces

Research into wild flowers with a view to their use in urban spaces has not been undertaken in Portugal, considering their importance in ecological design. The Mediterranean climate involves the seasonally of air temperature and precipitation, which leads to a hot drought period in summer and wet period in winter. The reintroduction of native plants reduces the cost of establishing and maintaining as the sustainability green spaces. So, the aim of this work focuses on the behaviour of the native meadow in a young olive orchard, evaluating the floristic composition and its variation along the study. Three years of field experiment were performed comprising two treatments: the mobilized, in which the management of the plants was controlled through the mobilization, and the native meadowland covering until the beginning of the dry period. After that, the plants were cut off by a rotary mower. The observation of the development of the land covering was made with the help of floristical survey during the spring. The results observed in green cover, show a tendency to the increase of monocotyledonae in relation to dicotyledons

Preliminary study

The concept of Precision Agriculture is usually associated with the usage of high-end technology equipment (hardware or software) to evaluate or monitor the conditions of a determined portion of land, adjusting afterwards the production factors, like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, growing regulators, water, according to differential detected characteristics. This paper describes an algorithm developed to analyze and process images to recognize fruits, particularly peaches, and calculate it dimensions, like volume and weight. The recognition of peaches on their natural conditions on trees depends on several spatial- and time-variable parameters and requires complex segmentation algorithms. The proposed algorithm applies image segmentation for extraction of characteristics such as color and shape. These characteristics were used to train a classification method through a Support Vector Machine (SVM) to improve the recognition rate of fruits. The algorithm is designed to acquire images with a high-resolution camera installed in a drone that will fly between the tree lines. The production prediction of 29.3 tons per hectare was obtained based on volume and relation weight/volume calculated for the recognized peaches. An overall precision of 72% was achieved for the prediction rate of peaches in orchards (808 trees/ha). This is the first study regarding the application of these concepts under orchard trees aiming the production prediction along the fruit maturation. Other useful future applications are foreseen in orchard trees, related not only to production prediction, for this type of algorithm.Project "PrunusBOT – Sistema robótico aéreo autónomo de pulverização controlada e previsão de produção frutícola", n.º PDR2020-101-031358, funded by Rural Development Program of the Portuguese Government - Programa de Desenvolvimento Rural (PDR 2020), Portugal 2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Glutaraldehyde exposed Pseudomonas fluorescens: a case of biofilm persistence?

From the assessment of the recovery capability of pseudomonas fluorescens atcc 13525t after exposure to several glutaraldehyde (gta) concentrations (100, 200 and 400 mg/l) and exposure times (1 and 2 hours), it was found that, for gta concentrations above 100 mg/l, whatever the exposure time, bacterial cells presented different growth patterns in solid media. after this statement, the recovered cells were initially characterized using api ne20 strips and species identification was obtained using the api database. the type culture and the cells obtained after treatment with concentrations below 200 mg/l were identified as p. fluorescens. conversely, the identification of cells exposed to higher concentrations of gta failed. the electrophoretic profiles of both the type culture and the cells exposed to gta were obtained by pcr, using the primer t3b. the results showed identical profiles for the type culture and the cells exposed to low gta concentrations, and a totally different pattern for cells exposed to gta concentrations above 200 mg/l. sequencing of the 16s rdna gene is under way in order to further clarify the differences observed. the p. fluorescens atcc 13525 (used as control) and the cells treated with 200 mg/l of gta during 2 hours were selected for further studies. a comparative study was carried out between the above referred cells in terms of morphological structure, surface properties, respiratory activity, biofilm formation ability and susceptibility to gta. the results showed that the cells treated with 200 mg/l of gta presented an elongated structure, were about 30 times less active in terms of respiratory activity and were more hydrophilic. concerning biofilm formation, both tested cells presented biofilm formation ability, but the gta treated cells produced about 2 times more mass of biofilm. however, this biofilm had a specific respiratory activity 3 times less than the one formed by the control culture. the biofilm behaviour immediately after exposure to 200 mg/l of gta during 2 hours, was similar for both situations studied, since a low biofilm removal and inactivation was achieved. however, 7 hours after gta exposure, only 55% of the biofilm formed by the control culture remained attached to the surface, while for the biofilms formed by the treated cells all the deposit remained attached to the surface. the results obtained in this work indicate that cells submitted to gta treatment may give rise to biofilms harder to remove and consequently more persistent, than non-treated cells. therefore, care must be taken in the selection and application of biocides in industrial biofilms

Seasonal and spatial variation of biomass and nutrient allocation in Cistus salviifolius L.

Estudou-se bimestralmente, de Janeiro a Dezembro de 1995, a estrutura da copa de Cistus salviifolius L., através do método do corte estratificado. A fitomassa foi separada em biomassa e necromassa e os pesos secos de todos os componentes obtidos individualmente. O índice de área foliar (LAI) e a área foliar específica (SLA) foram determinadas em cada um dos estratos considerados. Nas mesmas datas de amostragem foram colhidas folhas jovens, maduras e senescentes. A folhada foi colhida quinzenalmente, tendo os seus componentes sido separados. As concentrações de N, P, K, Ca e Mg foram determinadas em subamostras dos componentes da biomassa e da folhada. A biomassa aérea foi de 920 g m-2 (15% de folhas). A biomassa foliar, o LAI e a SLA máximos foram obtidos no final do inverno e início da primavera, diminuindo significativamente durante o período estival (cerca de 85% o LAI e de 50% a SLA). O coberto caracteriza-se por uma estrutura em “camadas”, prevalecendo os caules e ramos lenhosos nos estratos inferiores e as folhas nos superiores, principalmente durante o verão. As concentrações foliares de nutrientes foram mais elevadas no inverno e na primavera do que no verão, tendo as concentrações de N por unidade de massa aumentado no sentido do topo da copa, enquanto as de K, Ca e Mg aumentaram no sentido da base. As concentrações de todos esses nutrientes, por unidade de área foliar, aumentaram da base para o topo da copa, o que se correlaciona com o decréscimo da SLA verificado no mesmo sentido. As concentrações foliares de N, P e K foram mais elevadas nas folhas vivas do que nas da folhada, indicando translocação destes nutrientes para outros tecidos, durante o processo de senescência das folhas