Background Literature focusing on youth has reported limited evidence and non-conclusive associations between neighborhood walkability measures and active commuting to and from school (ACS). Moreover, there is a lack of studies evaluating both macro- and micro-scale environmental factors of the neighborhood when ACS is analyzed. Likewise, most studies on built environment attributes and ACS focus on urban areas, whereas there is a lack of studies analyzing rural residential locations. Moreover, the relationship between built environment attributes and ACS may differ in children and adolescents. Hence, this study aimed to develop walkability indexes in relation to ACS for urban and rural children and adolescents, including both macro- and micro-scale school-neighborhood factors. Methods A cross-sectional study of 4593 participants from Spain with a mean age of 12.2 (SD 3.6) years was carried out. Macro-scale environmental factors were evaluated using geographic information system data, and micro-scale factors were measured using observational procedures. Socio-demographic characteristics and ACS were assessed with a questionnaire. Several linear regression models were conducted, including all the possible combinations of six or less built environment factors in order to find the best walkability index. Results Analyses showed that intersection density, number of four-way intersections, and residential density were positively related to ACS in urban participants, but negatively in rural participants. In rural children, positive streetscape characteristics, number of regulated crossings, traffic calming features, traffic lanes, and parking street buffers were also negatively related to ACS. In urban participants, other different factors were positively related to ACS: number of regulated crossings, positive streetscape characteristics, or crossing quality. Land use mix acted as a positive predictor only in urban adolescents. Distance to the school was a negative predictor on all the walkability indexes. However, aesthetic and social characteristics were not included in any of the indexes. Conclusions Interventions focusing on improving built environments to increase ACS behavior need to have a better understanding of the walkability components that are specifically relevant to urban or rural samples.

Productivity of maize genotypes in response to sowing timeThe objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of four sowing times on the yield of three maize cultivars with different phenological stages. Field experiments were carried out in the FCA/UNESP-Campus, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The experiments were arranged in a randomized block design with six repetitions, considering maize genetic composition and sowing times as causes of variation. The treatments were arranged in a 3x4 factorial design, with three cultivars AL 34 (late cycle), AG 9010 (early cycle) and DKB 333B (medium-early cycle) planted in 4 sowing times, August, October and December 2003 and February 2004. Data were examined by analysis of variance and means were compared by the Tukey test at 5% probability level. Sowing in February provided a more rapid emergence, differing from the other times regardless of cultivar. The number of leaves above and below the ear and the initial and final population were influenced by sowing time. For plant height, genetics and physiology of cultivars predominated. Sowing in February allowed the identification of differences in productivity resulted from the integration of production components. Yield of cultivars AL 34, AG 9010 and DKB 333B depends on sowing time and vegetative cycle of each cultivar. Produtividade de genótipos de milho em resposta à época de semeaduraCom o objetivo de avaliar a interferência da época de semeadura de três cultivares de milho, com estádios fenológicos distintos, semeados em quatro épocas, foi desenvolvida a presente pesquisa. O experimento foi conduzido em condições de campo na Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas da Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso com seis repetições, sendo consideradas causa de variação a composição genética dos cultivares de milho e épocas de semeadura. O experimento foi instalado segundo um modelo fatorial 3x4, com AL 34, ciclo normal, AG 9010, ciclo hiperprecoce e DKB 333B, ciclo semiprecoce e as épocas de semeadura agosto, outubro e dezembro de 2003 e fevereiro de 2004. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. A semeadura feita em fevereiro possibilitou uma emergência mais rápida, diferindo das demais épocas, independentemente, do cultivar. O número de folhas abaixo e acima da espiga, a população inicial e final são influenciados pela época de semeadura. Para a altura de plantas, a genética e a fisiologia dos cultivares preponderaram. A semeadura de fevereiro possibilitou encontrar diferenças significativas na produtividade, resultante da integração dos componentes de produção. Os cultivares de milho AL 34, AG 9010 e DKB 333B são dependentes da época de semeadura e do ciclo vegetativo de cada cultivar.

Graphical expression through mapping can be an essential tool to conduct urban analysis, capable of expressing contextual spatial distribution and providing complementary information to numerical analysis. Although urban analytics are central for most issues in cities, mobility and transportation have traditionally been disciplines very tightly related with quantitative analysis. Mobility in urban areas has become a central issue due to its high impact in environmental, social and economic concerns. Multiple studies consider that walking presents social, health, economic and environmental benefits as a short distance transportation mode. As pedestrian displacements are characterized by presenting great adherence, the features of the environment where they are performed is key to guarantee their success and promote their use. To be able to design appropriate walking city conditions, it is necessary to undergo extensive analysis of existing urban areas and their walkability impact. In order to illustrate this, this study takes as a basis the Transit Orientated Development Standard (TOD Standard), a scoring instrument defined by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), to evaluate the area of Saint-Lazare multimodal station in Paris. The aim of this work is to compare its quantitative and graphical results through georeferenced mapping and TOD Standard score based numerical data, in order to identify the complementary information provided by the mapping. The conclusions display the importance of using graphical analysis to be able to spot singular spatial distributions and influencing relations within the urban environment, often imperceptible in numerical values.

Results of the Inter-american Metrology System (SIM) international energy comparison are presented. Participating countries were Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and the United States.Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the SIM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Objetiva-se, com este trabalho, obter curvas de nível a partir de fotografias aéreas verticais, utilizando-se de gráfico linear de correção, em áreas com diferentes classes de declividade. A análise estatística dos dados foi efetuada por meio de regressões múltiplas das variáveis, erro horizontal e erro vertical, em função das variáveis independentes: altitude; altitude e declividade. Os erros médios horizontais e verticais pouco dependem da altitude, bem como da altitude e declividade, induzindo à conclusão de que não há necessidade de se levar em conta compartimentos de relevo com declividades uniformes e constantes para o traçado das curvas de nível em aerofotos.