ABSTRACT Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are a promising tool for technology development and transfer and for the economic success of the agricultural sector. The objective of this study is to assess the validity of biomass estimation in a commercial maize plantation using aerial images obtained by a UAV. The proposed methodology involved analyzing images acquired in scheduled flights, processing orthophoto (georeferenced image) data, evaluating digital terrain elevation models, and assessing the quality of dense point clouds. Data were collected using two cameras, one with a 16-megapixel flat lens and the other with a 12-megapixel fish-eye lens coupled to a UAV, at two flight altitudes (30 and 60 meters) over hybrid maize (AG1051) crop irrigated by center pivot in the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil. Crop biomass was estimated in 1 m2 plots sampled randomly, and data were validated by interpreting aerial images of target areas. The measurements of biomass using UAV-based aerial images were promising. The estimated values were more accurate using the fish-eye lens at 30 m altitude, corresponding to 2.97 kg m-2, which is very close to the values measured in the field (2.92 kg m-2).

RESUMO Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a produtividade e a viabilidade econômica em três ciclos da bananeira cv. Prata Anã em associação com leguminosas herbáceas perenes, vegetação nativa ou comparadas com o manejo convencional. A pesquisa foi conduzida utilizando-se delineamento em blocos casualizados com parcelas subsubdivididas com quatro repetições. As parcelas foram formadas por quatro lâminas de irrigação: 50, 75, 100 e 125% da evapotranspiração da cultura e as subparcelas por plantas de cobertura (Calopogonium mucunoides, Pueraria phaseoloides e vegetação espontânea sem adição de N) ou tratamento com adubação nitrogenada sem plantas de cobertura (manejo convencional). As subsubparcelas foram representadas pelos segundo, terceiro e quarto ciclos de produção da bananeira. Foram estimadas a produtividade e a viabilidade econômica do cultivo para um período de sete anos. O manejo convencional proporcionou maior produtividade e viabilidade econômica no cultivo da bananeira Prata Anã em função da adubação nitrogenada. Manejos com plantas de cobertura leguminosas também foram viáveis economicamente mas devem ser investigados em combinação com a adubação nitrogenada e comparada com o método convencional.

ABSTRACT This research aimed to evaluate the yield and economic viability of three crop cycles of the banana cv. ‘Prata Anã’ in association with perennial herbaceous legumes, natural vegetation, or compared with the conventional management. The research was conducted using a complete randomized block design with split-split plots and four replicates. The plots were formed by four irrigation depths: 50, 75, 100 and 125% of crop evapotranspiration, and the subplots by cover crops (Calopogonium muconoides, Pueraria phaseoloides, and natural cover without N addition) or no cover crops with addition of N fertilization (conventional management). The subsubplots were formed by the second, third and fourth banana production cycles. Yield and economic viability of the cultivation were estimated for a period of seven years. The conventional management promoted greater yield and economic viability in the cultivation of ‘Prata Anã’ banana, due to the N fertilization. Managements with leguminous cover crops were also economically viable, but they should be investigated in combination with N fertilization and compared with the conventional method.

Treatment of vitreoretinal diseases comprises a range of options that has increased in the past several years, allowing more individuals to benefit from new therapeutic approaches. The use of lasers in the retina, new surgical techniques, and intravitreal drug administration constitute common treatment options. These retinal and vitreal procedures have both benefits and drawbacks. Among the drawbacks is discomfort associated with the procedure, constituting a relevant issue because it can compromise adherence to treatment. We reviewed aspects of pain associated with vitreoretinal procedures and the available options for its control. With regard to vitreoretinal procedures, laser photocoagulation is associated with a higher pain score compared with vitrectomy and intravitreal injection using traditional anesthesia methods, suggesting that laser photocoagulation still needs to be improved with regard to comfort during the procedure. In some cases, a combination of analgesic options may be the best choice for pain-sensitive individuals. Individual differences and the specific condition that is treated should be considered when deciding the best treatment option.

Muitas pesquisas têm buscado investigar a interferência do ruído na percepção de fala de ouvintes. OBJETIVO: Este estudo foi realizado com a finalidade de pesquisar os efeitos da perda auditiva e da idade no reconhecimento de fala na presença de ruído, utilizando-se dois tipos de ruído. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Clínico prospectivo. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Três grupos experimentais foram organizados, sendo um composto por adultos sem alteração auditiva, outro por sujeitos adultos com perda auditiva em freqüências altas e, por último, um grupo de idosos, com configuração audiométrica semelhante ao grupo de adultos com perda. Todos os sujeitos realizaram tarefas de reconhecimento de fala em silêncio, na presença de ruído branco de espectro ampliado e ruído "cocktail party", na mesma relação sinal/ruído (0 dB), em ambas as orelhas. RESULTADO: Os resultados mostraram que o ruído interfere negativamente no reconhecimento de fala em todos os grupos. O desempenho dos sujeitos com audição normal foi superior aos grupos com perda auditiva. Contudo, o grupo de idosos teve pior desempenho, sendo mais evidente com o ruído "coktail party". Observou-se também que todos os sujeitos apresentaram melhores resultados na segunda orelha testada, mostrando o efeito de aprendizagem. CONCLUSÃO: Estes achados apontam que a idade, além da perda auditiva contribui para o baixo desempenho de idosos na percepção de fala na presença de ruído e que o ruído "cocktail party" se mostrou adequado para esta investigação.

Research has been done to investigate the interference of background noise in speech perception of listeners. AIM: The purpose of this was to study the effects of hearing loss and aging on the speech recognition ability with noisy backgrounds by using two kinds of noise. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical prospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Three groups were organized: one with adult listeners with normal hearing, another with adults with hearing loss in high frequencies, and the third one with elderly listeners with hearing loss in high frequencies. All subjects performed speech recognition tasks without noise, with wide spectrum white noise and "cocktail party" noise in the same signal to noise ratio (0 dB) in both ears. RESULTS: The results showed that noise interfered negatively in speech recognition ability in all groups. The adult listeners with normal hearing had better performance compared with the other two groups. However, the elderly group had the worst performance, more evident with "cocktail party" noise. All subjects showed better performance in the second ear tested, indicating a learning effect. CONCLUSION: These findings show that age related factors along with hearing loss contribute to the low performance of elderly people in speech perception with background noise and that the "cocktail party" noise was adequate for this investigation.