An artificial immune system for fuzzy-rule induction in data mining

This work proposes a classification-rule discovery algorithm integrating artificial immune systems and fuzzy systems. The algorithm consists of two parts: a sequential covering procedure and a rule evolution procedure. Each antibody (candidate solution) corresponds to a classification rule. The classification of new examples (antigens) considers not only the fitness of a fuzzy rule based on the entire training set, but also the affinity between the rule and the new example. This affinity must be greater than a threshold in order for the fuzzy rule to be activated, and it is proposed an adaptive procedure for computing this threshold for each rule. This paper reports results for the proposed algorithm in several data sets. Results are analyzed with respect to both predictive accuracy and rule set simplicity, and are compared with C4.5rules, a very popular data mining algorithm

A life cycle inventory of microalgae-based biofuels production in an industrial plant concept

6th International Conference on Energy and Environment Research, ICEERMicroalgae have been reported as a promising alternative for biofuels production. However, the use of microalgae for biofuels is still a challenge due to the intense energy use and the generation of a significant amount of biomass residues in the process. In order to analyze the environmental impacts of different technological processes for the production of biodiesel from microalgae, several studies have been published making use of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which allows the recognition of the process bottlenecks and supports the identification of alternatives for a more efficient use of the feedstock. Therefore, in this study, a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) is compiled, based on real pilot-scale process data, which was scaled-up to a microalgae biomass industrial plant for biofuel production. Values of energy, nutrients, water, and materials consumption are used to create an inventory of inputs and outputs for biomass cultivation and biodiesel production, in order to acquire data to conduct a complete LCA modeling in future studies. According to this model, to produce 1 kg of biodiesel it is necessary about 12 kg of dried algae biomass. This study supports the decision-making process in biofuel production to promote the development of sustainable pilot and large-scale algae-based industry, through the identification of critical factors.This work was funded by: project IF/01093/2014/CP1249/CT0003 and research grants IF/01093/2014 and SFRH/BPD/112003/2015 funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES, Portugal, and project UID/EQU/00305/2013 – Center for Innovation in Engineering and Industrial Technology – CIETI. This work was financially supported by: project UID/EQU/00511/2019 – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy – LEPABE funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES, Portugal (PIDDAC); Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006939 (Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy – LEPABE, UID/EQU/00511/2013) funded by FEDER through COMPETE2020-POCI and by national funds through FCT, Portugal ; Project “LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION” – NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000005, funded by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Program (NORTE 2020), under PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) . Authors also acknowledge the “Grupo Interdisciplinario de Biotecnología Marina (GIBMAR) and “Convenio de Desempeño Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Bioeconomía” from University of Concepción, Chile, for supporting the experimental data collection at the pilot-plant in Concepción, Chile, during the Research Visit of M. Branco-Vieira.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Growth of arabica coffee cultivars submitted to glyphosate doses

Avaliaram-se, neste trabalho, os efeitos do glyphosate sobre o crescimento de três cultivares de café arábica. Utilizou-se o esquema fatorial (3 x 5) em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições, sendo os tratamentos compostos por três cultivares de café: Catucaí Amarelo (2 SL), Oeiras (MG-6851) e Topázio (MG-1190) e cinco doses de glyphosate (0; 57,6; 115,2; 230,4; e 460,8 g ha-1). O herbicida foi aplicado quando as plantas de café se apresentavam com 21 pares de folhas e de forma que não atingisse o terço superior delas. Aos 45 e 120 dias após a aplicação do glyphosate (DAA), avaliaram-se os incrementos na altura, na área foliar, no diâmetro do caule, no número de folhas e nos ramos plagiotrópicos, sendo eles mensurados inicialmente no dia da aplicação do herbicida; aos 10, 45 e 120 DAA, avaliou-se a porcentagem de intoxicação das plantas. A massa da matéria seca de folhas, raízes e caule, a densidade e o comprimento radicular foram avaliados aos 120 DAA. Os sintomas de intoxicação das plantas de café causados pelo glyphosate foram semelhantes nos diferentes cultivares, sendo caracterizados por clorose e estreitamento do limbo foliar. Os incrementos no número de folhas e ramos plagiotrópicos e no diâmetro do caule, independentemente do cultivar, não foram alterados pelo glyphosate. O cultivar Topázio foi o mais sensível ao glyphosate quanto a acúmulo de área foliar, de massa de matéria seca e densidade radicular.This study evaluated the effects of glyphosate on the growth of three arabica coffee cultivars. A factorial (3 x 5) was arranged in a randomized block design with four replications, with treatments consisting of three coffee varieties: Catucaí Amarelo (2 SL), Oeiras (MG-6851) and Topázio (MG-1190) and five glyphosate doses (0, 57.6, 115.2, 230.4 and 460.8 g ha-1 ). The herbicide was applied when the coffee plants reached 21 pairs of leaves, before reaching their upper third ones. At 45 and 120 days after glyphosate application (DAA), increase in leaf area, stem diameter, number of leaves and plagiotropic branches was evaluated, being initially measured on the day the herbicide was applied, and plant intoxication rate at 10, 45 and 120 DAA. Dry matter of leaves, roots and stem, and root length and density were measured at 120 DAA. Symptoms of coffee plant intoxication caused by glyphosate were similar in different cultivars, being characterized by chlorosis and leaf narrowing. Increase in the number of leaves, plagiotropic branches and stem diameter, regardless of the cultivar, was not affected by glyphosate. Cultivar Topázio was the most sensitive to glyphosate, in terms of accumulation of leaf area, root dry matter and root density.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)(FAPEMIG) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerai

Distribution and abundance of Beta patula Aiton and other crop wild relatives of cultivated beets on Madeira

Auf Madeira und benachbarten Inseln sind vier mit Kulturrüben verwandte Wildarten heimisch: Beta patula, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima, Patellifolia procumbens, and Patellifolia patellaris. Alle Arten sind wertvolle genetische Ressourcen für die Zuckerrübenzüchtung. Die endemische Art Beta patula kommt nur im östlichen Teil von Madeira auf den Schären Ilhéu do Desembarcadouro und Ilhéu Chão vor. Auf beiden Schären wurde die Anzahl der Individuen dieser sehr seltenen Art sowie von zwei weiter verbreiteten Arten, B. vulgaris subsp. mari­tima und P. procumbens, ermittelt und ihr Lebensraum beschrieben. Die Einrichtung eines genetischen Schutzgebietes für Beta patula wird in diesem Beitrag vorgeschlagen, um diese Art effektiver schützen zu können.In the Archipelago of Madeira four crop wild relatives of beets are native: Beta patula, Beta vulgaris subsp. mari­tima, Patellifolia procumbens, and Patellifolia patellaris. All species are valuable genetic resources for the sugar beet breeding. Only in the very eastern part of the Madeira Island on the islet Ilhéu do Desembarcadouro and Ilhéu Chão the endemic species Beta patula can be found. On both islets the plant number of this very rare species, and of the two widely distributed species B. vulgaris subsp. maritima and P. procumbens was established and the habitat described. The results of the species census are presented. The establishment of a genetic reserve for Beta patula is suggested in this paper with the objective to protect this species more effectively

Verbreitung und Abundanz von Beta patula Aiton und anderen mit Kulturrüben verwandten Wildarten auf Madeira

In the Archipelago of Madeira four crop wild relatives of beets are native: Beta patula, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima, Patellifolia procumbens, and Patellifolia patellaris. All species are valuable genetic resources for the sugar beet breeding. Only in the very eastern part of the Madeira Island on the islet Ilhéu do Desembarcadouro and Ilhéu Chão the endemic species Beta patula can be found. On both islets the plant number of this very rare species, and of the two widely distributed species B. vulgaris subsp. maritima and P. procumbens was established and the habitat described. The results of the species census are presented. The establishment of a genetic reserve for Beta patula is suggested in this paper with the objective to protect this species more effectively.Auf Madeira und benachbarten Inseln sind vier mit Kulturrüben verwandte Wildarten heimisch: Beta patula, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima, Patellifolia procumbens, and Patellifolia patellaris. Alle Arten sind wertvolle genetische Ressourcen für die Zuckerrübenzüchtung. Die endemische Art Beta patula kommt nur im östlichen Teil von Madeira auf den Schären Ilhéu do Desembarcadouro und Ilhéu Chão vor. Auf beiden Schären wurde die Anzahl der Individuen dieser sehr seltenen Art sowie von zwei weiter verbreiteten Arten, B. vulgaris subsp. maritima und P. procumbens, ermittelt und ihr Lebensraum beschrieben. Die Einrichtung eines genetischen Schutzgebietes für Beta patula wird in diesem Beitrag vorgeschlagen, um diese Art effektiver schützen zu können.PNM (Parque Natural da Madeira), Dra. Rosa Pires, the Nature Wardens of PNM (Claudio Alves, Gil Pereira, João Paulo Mendes, Nelson Santos, Isamberto Silva and Filipe Viveiros), Paulo Costa, as well as the Portuguese Navy for the safety navigation to “Ilhéu Chão” and back to the Madeira Island. We would also like to thank DRIGOT for providing us with all the necessary maps. This work is part of Workpage 6, case study Beta, of the EU project “An integrated European in situ management work plan: implementing genetic reserves and on farm concepts”, AGRI GENRES 057, coordinated by the Julius Kühn-Institute and co-funded by the EU Commission, DG AGRI within the framework of council regulation 870/2004.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influência de práticas culturais e da resistência genética na intensidade do cancro da haste e produção de soja no Cerrado

Os efeitos de práticas culturais e resistência genética na intensidade ao cancro-da-haste da soja (Diaporthe phaseolorum f.sp. meridionalis - Dpm) foram examinados na safra 1995-96 em áreas de produção comercial, que haviam sido severamente atacadas na safra anterior (1994-95). Um experimento investigou os efeitos de cultivo mínimo (MT) e do plantio direto (NT) no desenvolvimento da doença e produtividade das cultivares FT-Cristalina e FT-Seriema. Em outro experimento, semeado em plantio direto, estudou-se o efeito da densidade de plantas (8, 15, 21 e 36 plantas/m) no desenvolvimento da doença e produtividade das cvs. FT-Cristalina (suscetivel), FT- 101 (moderadamente resistente) e FT-104 (resistente). Incidência e severidade da doença foram menores em NT do que em MT. A produtividade aumentou no sistema NT (23% para ‘FT-Cristalina’ e 14% para ‘FT-Seriema’), comparada com as produtividades em MT. As curvas de progresso da doença foram melhor descritas pelos mo- delos de Gompertz e logístico. A severidade do cancro aumentou pro- porcionalmente ao aumento das densidades de plantio nas cvs. suscetível e moderadamente resistente. No final do ciclo, 100% das plantas da cv. FT-Cristalina estavam infetadas por Dpm, em todas as densidades de plantio. Níveis intermediários de doença foram observa- dos na cv. FT-101, enquanto apenas níveis muito baixos de doença ocorreram na cv. FT-104. Estabeleceu-se uma correlação negativa entre severidade de cancro-da-haste e produção. Algumas das práticas estudadas demonstraram potential para aplicação direta no controle da doença, e poderiam ser combinadas considerando-se seus efeitos aditivos.Field experiments were conducted in the 1995-96 soybean (Glycine max) growing season to evaluate the effects of cultural practices and host genetic resistance on the intensity of soybean stem canker, caused by Diaporthe phaseolorum f.sp. meridionalis (Dpm). Experiments were conducted in a commercial field severely infected in the previous (1994-95) season. In one study, minimum tillage (MT) and no-tillage (NT) cropping systems were investigated for their effects on disease development and on plant yields in cvs. FT- Cristalina (susceptible) and FT-Seriema (moderately resistant). Another study evaluated the effects of plant densities (8, 15, 21 and 36 plants/m) on disease development in cvs. FT-Cristalina, FT-101 (moderately resistant) and FT-104 (resistant). Disease incidence and severity were consistently lower in NT than in MT, and plant yields were increased by 23% and 14% in the NT system for the susceptible and moderately resistant cultivars, respectively, compared to the yields in the MT system. The Gompertz and Logistic models described well the disease progress curves in all situations. For both susceptible and moderately resistant cultivars, disease severity increased proportionately to the increase in plant densities. At the end of the season, 100% of the plants of cv. FT-Cristalina were infected by Dpm, at all plant densities. Disease levels on cv. FT-101 were intermediate while only very low disease levels were recorded on cv. FT-104. There was a consistent negative correlation between stem canker severity and yield. Some practices demonstrated potential for direct application in disease control, and could be combined considering their additive effects