Nonlinear Schrodinger equation with chaotic, random, and nonperiodic nonlinearity

In this paper we deal with a nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation with chaotic, random, and nonperiodic cubic nonlinearity. Our goal is to study the soliton evolution, with the strength of the nonlinearity perturbed in the space and time coordinates and to check its robustness under these conditions. Comparing with a real system, the perturbation can be related to, e.g., impurities in crystalline structures, or coupling to a thermal reservoir which, on the average, enhances the nonlinearity. We also discuss the relevance of such random perturbations to the dynamics of Bose-Einstein Condensates and their collective excitations and transport.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

Avaliação sensorial de uvas de mesa produzidas na região do Vale do São Francisco.

Com o objetivo de apoiar as pesquisas da Embrapa, que visam a seleção e adaptação de novas cultivares de videira para consumo in natura no Submédio do Vale do São Francisco, este trabalho avaliou a aceitação junto híbridos potenciais e de variedades de uvas com semente que não são comumente comercializadas na região

Practical method for table grape selevtion using multicriteria decision analysis.

The São Francisco Valley (Pernambuco-PE, Brazil) is of great importance for the local economy, since the region represents a large portion of Brazilian production and export of fresh grapes. Traditional methods of feasibility analysis involve only cost or productivity analyses, but for the grape growers there must be techniques and methods that assist decision making involving other criteria with characteristics of the grape. Yet, there is a noticeable lack of multi-criteria methods that assist the grower in making decisions for selection of commercial table grape cultivars for the feasibility analysis. Thus, the aim of the present study is to select table grape cultivars through multiple criteria, using a new method for eliciting scale constants: the Flexible and Interactive Tradeoff (FITradeoff), for the purpose of assisting a rural producer to expand production while minimizing inconsistencies in the decision-making process. With the assistance of a decision maker, the Decision Matrix and Consequence Table were constructed on Microsoft Excel® – composed by 11 criteria and 3 alternatives, all closed source grape cultivars (with patents). Then, the data were applied on the FITradeoff software for the ranking problematic. Thus, it was possible to arrive at a ranking of the best alternatives, where the cultivar Timpson (SNFL) (U2) was found to be the optimal solution proposed for the rural producer. The application of FITradeoff provided a satisfactory result with little time and effort spent, leading to a final suggestion for the decision maker. In addition, at the end of the process, it provided graphical visualization of the performance and dominance of each criterion selected, as well as a ranking of the grape cultivars through the Hasse Diagram, with the order of the best alternatives. Ordering the grape genotypes considering Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis methods is crucial to selection of commercial table grape cultivars. The method can be applied to other segments of agriculture that require multi-criteria evaluations

Multi-criteria decision analysis applied to Brazilian grapevine genotype selection.

Developing new table grape cultivars that exhibit high yield and superior fruit quality is imperative to meet the escalating demands of the consumer market in the Lower-Middle S˜ao Francisco River Valley. The primary objective of Embrapa Semi´arido’s Active Germplasm Banks (AGB) for grapes is the conservation of Vitis sp. germplasm under semi-arid climatic conditions to make it available for research, particularly for the breeding and development of novel grape cultivars. This study aims to use Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), specifically the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (Promethee) II, to rank the grape genotypes of the Embrapa Semi´arido’s AGB, considering multiple criteria to define the primary grape varieties for the breeding program. The decision maker (DM) participated in all process stages, from validating qualitative and quantitative criteria to evaluating the criteria weights, and the decision matrix had 106 seeded and 50 seedless grape genotypes with 14 criteria. For visual analysis, we generated the GAIA Plane using the Visual Promethee Software. In the group of seeded grape cultivars, the three top- ranked genotypes were ’Italia Clone I′, ’Dona Maria’, and ’Italia Muscat’, while in the seedless group, the best-rated were ’BRS ´Isis’, ’BRS Linda’, and ’BRS Morena’. Our research demonstrated, for the first time, the evaluation of grape genotypes using MCDA method with qualitative and quantitative criteria

Oral Complications of HIV Disease

Oral lesions are among the early signs of HIV infection and can predict its progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A better understanding of the oral manifestations of AIDS in both adults and children has implications for all health care professionals. The knowledge of such alterations would allow for early recognition of HIV-infected patients. The present paper reviews epidemiology, relevant aspects of HIV infection related to the mouth in both adults and children, as well as current trends in antiretroviral therapy and its connection with orofacial manifestations related to AIDS

Distinct fos-expressing neuronal ensembles in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex mediate food reward and extinction memories

In operant learning, initial reward-associated memories are thought to be distinct from subsequent extinction-associated memories. Memories formed during operant learning are thought to be stored in “neuronal ensembles.” Thus, we hypothesize that different neuronal ensembles encode reward- and extinction-associated memories. Here, we examined prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles involved in the recall of reward and extinction memories of food self-administration.Wefirst trained rats to lever press for palatable food pellets for 7 d (1 h/d) and then exposed them to 0, 2, or 7 daily extinction sessions in which lever presses were not reinforced. Twenty-four hours after the last training or extinction session, we exposed the rats to either a short 15 min extinction test session or left them in their homecage (a control condition). We found maximal Fos (a neuronal activity marker) immunoreactivity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex of rats that previously received 2 extinction sessions, suggesting that neuronal ensembles in this area encode extinction memories. We then used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to selectively disrupt ventral medial prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles that were activated during the 15 min extinction session following 0 (no extinction) or 2 prior extinction sessions to determine the effects of inactivating the putative food reward and extinction ensembles, respectively, on subsequent nonreinforced food seeking 2 d later. Inactivation of the food reward ensembles decreased food seeking, whereas inactivation of the extinction ensembles increased food seeking. Our results indicate that distinct neuronal ensembles encoding operant reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same cortical area

Efeitos da desfolha e desponte de ramos sobre a composição físico química de Syrah elaborados em dois ciclos de produção no Vale do São Francisco.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência de diferentes tratamentos de despontes de ramos e desfolha sobre a composição físico-química do vinho da variedade Syrah produzidos no Submédio do Vale do São Francisco com uvas colhidas em diferentes épocas do ano

Trocas gasosas em videira Syrah sobre dois sistemas de condução.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as trocas gasosas em videira Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivada em dois sistemas de condução no Submédio do São Francisco