This dissertation studies a class of path-dependent stochastic control problems with applications to Finance. In particular, we solve the open problem of the continuous time expected utility maximization with addictive consumption habit formation in incomplete markets under two independent scenarios. In the first project, we study the continuous time utility optimization problem with consumption habit formation in general incomplete semimartingale financial markets. Introducing the set of auxiliary state processes and the modified dual space, we embed our original problem into an abstract time-separable utility maximization problem with a shadow random endowment on the product space. We establish existence and uniqueness of the optimal solution using convex duality by defining the primal value function as depending on two variables, i.e., the initial wealth and the initial standard of living. We also provide market independent sufficient conditions both on the stochastic discounting processes of the habit formation process and on the utility function for the well-posedness of our original optimization problem. Under the same assumptions, we can carefully modify the classical proofs in the approach of convex duality analysis when the auxiliary dual process is not necessarily integrable. In the second project, we examine an example of the optimal investment and consumption problem with both habit-formation and partial observations in incomplete markets driven by It\^{o} processes. The individual investor develops addictive consumption habits gradually while only observing the market stock prices but not the instantaneous rates of return, which follow an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Applying the Kalman-Bucy filtering theorem and Dynamic Programming arguments, we solve the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman(HJB) equation fully explicitly for this path dependent stochastic control problem in the case of power utility preferences. We provide the optimal investment and consumption policy in explicit feedback form using rigorous verification arguments. / text

This study aimed to use the Transtheoretical Model of behaviour change (Prochaska and DiClemente, 1983) to investigate the process of smoking initiation in a cross-section of high school adolescents in urban KwaZulu-Natal. This aim was informed by the increase in incidence of smoking among adolescents, who represent a particularly vulnerable population to smoking (Orlandi and Dalton, 1998). The Transtheoretical Model has proved successful in changing problem health behaviours (prochaska and DiClemente, 1983) and lends itself to be a suitable framework for investigating smoking acquisition in adolescents (Werch and DiClemente, 1994). An extensive review of the causes and correlates of smoking uptake and past intervention evaluations suggests that the core constructs of the TTM (Decisional Balance, Temptation and Stage of Acquisition) can be complemented by other another variable, Perceived Social Norms (informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975, as cited in Pitts, 1996), to provide a more holistic explanation of smoking acquisition. Alcohol use, parental smoking and certain demographic factors are also found to be salient factors in this process. Findings showed that the perceived cons of smoking were constant across stages and seemed to have no effect on stage membership. Stage differences were explained almost entirely in terms of pros, which increased drastically with later stages. Perceived social norms increased with a later stage, confirming a tentative theoretical relationship between the Transtheoretical Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour. Lack of expressed intention to smoke by participants questions the validity of using the rational decision-making Transtheoretical Model to investigate a process not informed by decision-making. European language speakers were found to be a particularly vulnerable group to smoking, while African language speaking girls show very low rates of smoking. High religiosity was found to be a protective factor, while alcohol use was strongly associated with smoking. Maternal smoking was strongly associated with smoking, but only in girls. No difference in stage was found between schools and grades. The study should be replicated using a longitudinal design to determine the causal relationship between factors and smoking and to further investigate the applicability of the Transtheoretical Model in smoking acquisition. / Thesis (M.A.)- University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008. / Typescript.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2002Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:09:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 pires_jlvpb_me_mar.pdf: 430754 bytes, checksum: 9b1599cc204827e12400aab6063f9fb6 (MD5) / O presente trabalho propõe uma discussão a respeito da fisiologia do músculo esquelético humano como um processo de caráter sígnico. Trata-se de uma abordagem interdisciplinar para se estudar as relações biológicas baseada no pensamento de Charles S. Peirce. Diferente das aproximações mecanicistas e reducionistas, que entendem o ser vivo como uma máquina cartesiana, a tendência semiótica busca uma abordagem mais ampla sobre as fundações da biologia, liberando o pensamento e lançando nova luz nas investigações dos seres vivos. Tal estudo poderá contribuir no entendimento das relações psicofísicas do corpo por considerar os músculos uma ampla esfera de processos mentais. Este texto inicia-se com uma discussão a respeito da natureza da conduta muscular. Na segunda parte do texto, examinar-se-á a conduta muscular como um hábito baseado na experiência. Na terceira parte, a relação entre causação final e eficiente na conduta muscular será examinada a seguir, e na quarta parte, o fenômeno da indeterminação na contração muscular. Na quinta parte, será discutida a relação entre o hábito autocontrolado do músculo e os três tipos de raciocínio proposto por Peirce: Abdução, Dedução e Indução. O modelo triádico do signo permite-nos observar na conduta muscular uma ampla esfera de atividades racionais, mostrando-nos que o músculo possui as mais elevadas e refinadas propriedades de uma mente que aprende com a experiência. Assim não há motivos suficientemente fortes ou logicamente sustentados para reivindicar qualquer privilégio à racionalidade humana. / This contribution proposes an analysis the human skeletal muscle physiology as a sign process, based on Charles S. Peirce's thought. It contributes to understand the psychophysical relations in the human body by considering muscles an including sphere of mental processes. This paper first discusses the nature of muscular conducts. Following Peirce's Objective Idealism, it is argued that muscle contraction is a typically mental process. It is general and eidetic. In the second part, the muscular physiological conduct is discussed as experience based habits, anticipated by Peirce. In the third part, the relation between final and efficient causation in muscular conduct is examined, and in the fourth part, the phenomena of indeterminacy in muscular contraction. It is argued that objective chance is the only responsible for originating spontaneous and original muscular conducts. In a fifth part, one discusses the relation between the acquired auto-controlled muscular habit and the three different types of reasoning proposed by Peirce: Abduction, Deduction and Induction. One concludes raising the hypothesis that the basis of all muscular cell conduct is evolutionary rationality. The triadic model of Sign proposed by Peirce allows us to observe a wider rationality in muscular conduct. It shows us the higher and refined properties of a Mind that learns by experience.

Fundamento e objetivo: Mudanças na ingestão de fibra e água podem influenciar a fisiologia intestinal. Este conceito simplista fundamenta a recomendação médica popular de aumentar o consumo de fibras e ingerir 2 litros de água por dia para o tratamento da constipação intestinal. O nosso objetivo foi avaliar o que há de verdadeiro nesta recomendação, primeiramente em indivíduos saudáveis. Métodos: Neste ensaio clínico randomizado, não cego, de grupos paralelos, 20 voluntários sadios tiveram suas variáveis basais determinadas (dieta, hábito intestinal, qualidade de vida e microbiota intestinal), seguido de randomização para tratamentos de 14 dias com aumento na ingestão de fibras (grupo F) ou aumento de fibras acompanhado da ingestão de 2 litros de água por dia (grupo FA), repetindo-se a aferição das variáveis ao final. Resultados: Dezenove participantes foram analisados, sendo 10 no grupo F e 9 no grupo FA. A maioria dos participantes (68,4%) desenvolveu um ou mais sintomas abdominais, particularmente os do grupo F, em comparação ao FA (90% vs. 44%; P = 0,034). Participantes de ambos os grupos aumentaram significativamente o número de evacuações/semana (grupo F: 6,8 antes vs. 8,8 depois; grupo FA: 8,4 antes vs. 9,9 depois; P < 0,05), enquanto que apenas os participantes do grupo FA apresentaram aumento no peso bruto fecal (71,5 g vs. 126 g; P = 0,020) e no percentual de água nas fezes (74,5% vs. 78,4%; P = 0,038). A qualidade de vida mensurada pelo WHOQOL-Bref não diferiu em nenhuma intervenção. O tratamento com FA aumentou significativamente a população de bactérias do gênero Bacteroides e Prevotella, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii e Bifidobacteriums sp, enquanto que ambos FA e F reduziram a contagem das bactérias do gênero Desulfofibrio. Conclusões: Em voluntários sadios, o aumento no consumo de fibras e água melhorou o hábito intestinal, mas foi acompanhado de sintomas abdominais, particularmente quando o aumento na ingestão de fibras não foi acompanhado por aumento no consumo de água. O efeito na microbiota também foi superior no grupo tratado com fibra e água. / Background and aims: Intestinal physiology can be influenced by changes in fiber and water intake. This simple concept supports the recommendation of increasing fiber and water ingestion for treatment of bowel constipation. The aim of our study was to test whether such recommendation is true in healthy volunteers. Methods: In this open label clinical trial, 20 healthy participants had their basal characteristics determined (diet, bowel function, quality of life and intestinal microbiota), followed by randomization for 14 days treatment with increased fiber consumption (group F) or increased fiber and water intake (group FW), with reassessment of the variables at the end. Results: Nineteen participants were analyzed (10 F and 9 FW). The majority of them (68.4%) developed one or more abdominal symptoms during the treatments, particularly the group F as compared to FW (90% vs. 44%; P = 0.034). Both groups showed increased number of evacuations per week (group F: 6.8 before vs. 8.8 after; group FA: 8.4 vs. 9.9; P < 0.05), whereas group FW presented an increase in both fecal weight (71.5 g vs. 126 g; P = 0.020) and water percentage in feces (74.5% vs. 78.4%; P = 0.038). Quality of life measured by WHOQOL-Bref did not differ in any intervention. Participants receiving FW had a significant increase in bacteria from the Bacteroides and Prevotella genus, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bifidobacterium, whereas both FW and F had a reduced number of Desulfofibrio. Conclusions: In healthy volunteers, a higher intake of fiber and water improved the bowel function but was accompanied by abdominal symptoms, particularly when the dietary fiber was introduced without changes in water intake. The effect on fecal microbiota was superior in participants treated with fiber and water.

The thesis anatomizes issues of habit-forming substances using among secondary school students who have tendencies to behave dangerous in relation to drugs and content of their leisure time. The thesis is divided into practical and theoretical part. The aim of the theoretical part is to describe the views on the sense and role of leisure time, the forms of spending leisure time and the risk behaviour at this age group. The attention is also paid to the ways of prevention. The practical part contains the description and analysis of spending leisure time among secondary school pupils and the risk behaviour of this age group in the relation to the habit-forming substances using. The author tries to prove potential connection between spending leisure time and the usage of habit-forming substances. On the basis of gained experience the author can recommend possible ways of organization of free time activities and related prevention to secondary schools where the research was provided.

Submitted by Daniella Santos (daniella.santos@fgv.br) on 2009-08-07T12:32:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Jivago_Vasconcelos.pdf: 444244 bytes, checksum: a4ae0c0f31d2c2371cb0e5b822e7da78 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Antoanne Pontes(antoanne.pontes@fgv.br) on 2009-08-07T17:37:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Jivago_Vasconcelos.pdf: 444244 bytes, checksum: a4ae0c0f31d2c2371cb0e5b822e7da78 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2009-08-07T17:37:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Jivago_Vasconcelos.pdf: 444244 bytes, checksum: a4ae0c0f31d2c2371cb0e5b822e7da78 (MD5) / Verdelhan (2009) shows that if one is to explain the foreign ex- change forward premium behavior using Campbell and Cochrane (1999) s habit formation model one must specify it in such a way to generate pro-cyclical short term risk free rates. At the calibration procedure, we show that this is only possible in Campbell and Cochrane s framework under implausible parameters speci cations given that the priceconsumption ratio diverges in almost all parameters sets. We, then, adopt Verdelhan s shortcut of xing the sensivity function (st) at its steady state level to attain a nite value for the price-consumption ratio and release it in the simulation stage to ensure pro-cyclical risk free rates. Beyond the potential inconsistencies that such procedure may generate, as suggested by Wachter (2006), with pro-cyclical risk free rates the model generates a downward sloped real yield curve, which is at odds with the data. / Verdelhan (2009) mostra que desejando-se explicar o comporta- mento do prêmio de risco nos mercados de títulos estrangeiros usando- se o modelo de formação externa de hábitos proposto por Campbell e Cochrane (1999) será necessário especificar o retorno livre de risco de equilíbrio de maneira pró-cíclica. Mostramos que esta especificação só é possível sobre parâmetros de calibração implausíveis. Ainda no processo de calibração, para a maioria dos parâmetros razoáveis, a razão preço-consumo diverge. Entretanto, adotando a sugestão proposta por Verdelhan (2009) - de xara função sensibilidade (st) no seu valor de steady-state durante a calibração e liberá-la apenas durante a simulação dos dados para se garantir taxas livre de risco prócíclicas - conseguimos encontrar um valor nito e bem comportado para a razão preço-consumo de equilíbrio e replicar o foward premium anomaly. Desconsiderando possíveis inconsistências deste procedimento, sobre retornos livres de risco pró-cíclicos, conforme sugerido por Wachter (2006), o modelo utilizado gera curvas de yields reais decrescentes na maturidade, independentemente do estado da economia - resultado que se opõe à literatura subjacente e aos dados reais sobre yields.

Fundamento e objetivo: Mudanças na ingestão de fibra e água podem influenciar a fisiologia intestinal. Este conceito simplista fundamenta a recomendação médica popular de aumentar o consumo de fibras e ingerir 2 litros de água por dia para o tratamento da constipação intestinal. O nosso objetivo foi avaliar o que há de verdadeiro nesta recomendação, primeiramente em indivíduos saudáveis. Métodos: Neste ensaio clínico randomizado, não cego, de grupos paralelos, 20 voluntários sadios tiveram suas variáveis basais determinadas (dieta, hábito intestinal, qualidade de vida e microbiota intestinal), seguido de randomização para tratamentos de 14 dias com aumento na ingestão de fibras (grupo F) ou aumento de fibras acompanhado da ingestão de 2 litros de água por dia (grupo FA), repetindo-se a aferição das variáveis ao final. Resultados: Dezenove participantes foram analisados, sendo 10 no grupo F e 9 no grupo FA. A maioria dos participantes (68,4%) desenvolveu um ou mais sintomas abdominais, particularmente os do grupo F, em comparação ao FA (90% vs. 44%; P = 0,034). Participantes de ambos os grupos aumentaram significativamente o número de evacuações/semana (grupo F: 6,8 antes vs. 8,8 depois; grupo FA: 8,4 antes vs. 9,9 depois; P < 0,05), enquanto que apenas os participantes do grupo FA apresentaram aumento no peso bruto fecal (71,5 g vs. 126 g; P = 0,020) e no percentual de água nas fezes (74,5% vs. 78,4%; P = 0,038). A qualidade de vida mensurada pelo WHOQOL-Bref não diferiu em nenhuma intervenção. O tratamento com FA aumentou significativamente a população de bactérias do gênero Bacteroides e Prevotella, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii e Bifidobacteriums sp, enquanto que ambos FA e F reduziram a contagem das bactérias do gênero Desulfofibrio. Conclusões: Em voluntários sadios, o aumento no consumo de fibras e água melhorou o hábito intestinal, mas foi acompanhado de sintomas abdominais, particularmente quando o aumento na ingestão de fibras não foi acompanhado por aumento no consumo de água. O efeito na microbiota também foi superior no grupo tratado com fibra e água. / Background and aims: Intestinal physiology can be influenced by changes in fiber and water intake. This simple concept supports the recommendation of increasing fiber and water ingestion for treatment of bowel constipation. The aim of our study was to test whether such recommendation is true in healthy volunteers. Methods: In this open label clinical trial, 20 healthy participants had their basal characteristics determined (diet, bowel function, quality of life and intestinal microbiota), followed by randomization for 14 days treatment with increased fiber consumption (group F) or increased fiber and water intake (group FW), with reassessment of the variables at the end. Results: Nineteen participants were analyzed (10 F and 9 FW). The majority of them (68.4%) developed one or more abdominal symptoms during the treatments, particularly the group F as compared to FW (90% vs. 44%; P = 0.034). Both groups showed increased number of evacuations per week (group F: 6.8 before vs. 8.8 after; group FA: 8.4 vs. 9.9; P < 0.05), whereas group FW presented an increase in both fecal weight (71.5 g vs. 126 g; P = 0.020) and water percentage in feces (74.5% vs. 78.4%; P = 0.038). Quality of life measured by WHOQOL-Bref did not differ in any intervention. Participants receiving FW had a significant increase in bacteria from the Bacteroides and Prevotella genus, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bifidobacterium, whereas both FW and F had a reduced number of Desulfofibrio. Conclusions: In healthy volunteers, a higher intake of fiber and water improved the bowel function but was accompanied by abdominal symptoms, particularly when the dietary fiber was introduced without changes in water intake. The effect on fecal microbiota was superior in participants treated with fiber and water.

The present research was developed with the purpose of studying the habit and level of reading comprehension that the administrator professional postgraduated in courses of specialization in Administration present, considering the variants that influence the learning and teaching process. The reading is a complex activity, plural, which is developed in a lot of directions. Ruled by the constructivism learning orientation related to the process of learning manifest in adults, with the worry of studying the habits and the reading comprehension, while a phenomenon inherent in the human condition in the current situation, the study is justified by the moment which is marked by paradigmatic changes in science, in the values, in the organizations. It requires, by one hand, a wider comprehension of the environment, which is in constant transformation and, by the other hand, a permanent individual, collective and organizational learning, trying to search for the human being s self achievement. 12 subjects postgraduated in Administration took part in this study, 6 of them graduated in Administration and the 6 of them graduated in the most different areas of knowledge. The university environment of the postgraduate course lato sensu is taken as a space for the research, it is studied with the qualitative method of analysis and the technique of analysis of the content for the data treatment; the model proposed by Witter (1997) for the validation of the results related to the reading habits and Cloze s technique for the analysis of the level of reading comprehension. The results point out that the model proposed by Witter (1997) does not fit the reality of the students postgraduated in Administration, the ones who have a universe as readers constituted by the life history as readers, familiar contingences, academic contingences, personal characteristics and future perspectives of the clinic form, differently from the model proposed, the one which highlights the availability of material as one of the influencing variants in the process of learning through the reading. The evaluation of the level of text comprehension revealed that the most significant part of the responding subjects (41,67%) possess an instructional reading level, that is, they present difficulties of comprehension in some parts of the text, but they are able to understand the thematic. Compared to other professionals, the administrators are not in the same level of text comprehension. It is suggested that other works, aiming to identify the specific difficulties that are present in the text comprehension, can be carried out with a wider sample than the one used in this study, involving the teachers too / A presente pesquisa foi desenvolvida com o propósito de estudar o hábito e o nível de compreensão de leitura que o profissional administrador pós-graduado em cursos de especialização em administração apresenta, considerando as variáveis que o influenciam no processo ensino-aprendizagem. A leitura é uma atividade complexa, plural, que se desenvolve em várias direções. Pautado na orientação construtivista da aprendizagem em relação ao processo de aprendizagem manifestada em adultos, na preocupação em estudar os hábitos e a compreensão da leitura, enquanto fenômeno inerente à condição humana na situação atual, o estudo justifica-se pelo momento marcado por mudanças paradigmáticas na ciência, nos valores, nas organizações. Isso requer, por um lado, uma maior compreensão do ambiente, que está em constante transformação, e, por outro, um aprendizado permanente em nível individual, grupal e organizacional, como meio de buscar a auto-realização do ser humano. Participaram do estudo doze sujeitos pós-graduados em Administração, sendo seis formados em Administração e seis nas mais diversas áreas do conhecimento. Toma-se como espaço da pesquisa o ambiente universitário em nível de pós-graduação lato sensu, estudado com o método qualitativo de análise e a técnica análise de conteúdo para tratamento dos dados; o modelo proposto por Witter (1997) para validação dos resultados relativos aos hábitos de leitura e a técnica de Cloze para análise do nível de compreensão de leitura. Os resultados apontam que o modelo proposto por Witter (1997) não se identifica com a realidade dos pós-graduados em Administração, os quais possuem um universo como leitor constituído pela história de vida como leitor, contingências familiares, contingências acadêmicas, características pessoais e perspectivas futuras de forma cíclica, diferentemente do modelo proposto, o qual destaca a disponibilidade de material como uma das variáveis influenciadoras do processo de aprendizagem pela leitura. A avaliação do nível de compreensão de leitura revelou que a maior (42%) parte dos sujeitos respondentes possui nível instrucional em relação à leitura, ou seja, apresentam dificuldades de compreensão em alguns trechos do texto, mas conseguem abordar a temática. Comparativamente a outros profissionais, os administradores não se apresentam no mesmo nível de compreensão de textos. Sugere-se que sejam desenvolvidos outros trabalhos com uma amostra maior que a utilizada neste estudo com o objetivo de identificar as dificuldades específicas que se apresentam na compreensão de textos

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:34:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-11-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:25:39Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 leitaolima_ps_dr_botfca.pdf: 306635 bytes, checksum: 4f6181eca68c4922d73158dcb45f9363 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A preferência de Cornitermes cumulans a diferentes substratos foi avaliada em condições de laboratório e em túnel plástico. No laboratório, foram preparados ninhos artificiais, com estrutura de plástico, contendo 300 operários, 50 ninfas e 50 soldados. Cada ninho foi colocado em uma arena, na qual foram oferecidos aleatoriamente os materiais testados, acondicionados em tubos de vidro. Os substratos foram oferecidos por período de 30 dias e, ao final, foi medido o volume carregado. Os tratamentos dos sete experimentos foram: 1 (bagaço de cana, serragem de Pinus, papelão ondulado, Multiplant, folhas secas de Brachiaria brizantha, feno de Cynodon sp. e vermiculita); 2 (esfagno, Plantmax estaca, Plantmax sementes, VCP 60%, Multiplant e vermiculita); 3 (esfagno, VCP 60%, VCP 20%, casca de arroz carbonizada e vermiculita); 4 (bagaço de cana, esfagno, VCP 60%, VCP 20%, Plantmax estaca, feno e vermiculita); 5 (esfagno, casca de arroz, vermiculita, VCP 60% e raízes do clone de eucalipto); 6 (Aracruz, Multiplant, Plantmax estaca, VCP 60%, VCP 20% e vermiculita). 7 (bagaço de cana, Cynodon, Plantmax estaca, esfagno, raízes de eucalipto, raízes de eucalipto + substrato VCP20% e vermiculita). Em túnel plástico, 10 colônias inteiras foram mantidas em vasos de 30 L, conectadas com as arenas com 20 mL de cada material. Os tratamentos foram os mesmos realizados no laboratório. O delineamento experimental, nas duas condições, foi o de blocos ao acaso com 10 repetições com 7 tratamentos nos experimentos 1, 4 e 7; 6 nos experimentos 2 e 6; 5 nos experimentos 3 e 5. A determinação dos danos de cupins, foi com a utilização de 10 colônias de cupins, cada colônia mantida em vasos de 30 L foi conectada a 4 mudas de eucalipto, outras 4 mudas não foram conectadas às colônias de cupins (testemunhas). As avaliações dos danos foram aos 15, 30, 60 e 90 dias após... / The preference of Cornitermes cumulans was evaluated in the laboratory and in a plastic tunnel in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. In laboratory, 300 workers, 50 nymphs, and 50 soldiers were maintained in arenas containing holes to fit glass vials filled with 7 mL of each treatment. The final volume was measured after 30 days. The treatments in the seven experiments consisted of: 1 (sugarcane bagasse, Pinus sawdust, corrugated cardboard, Multiplant, dry Brachiaria brizantha and Cynodon leaves, and vermiculite). 2 (sphagnum, Plantmax cuttings, Plantmax seeds, VCP 60%, Multiplant, and vermiculite). 3 (sphagnum, VCP 60%, VCP 20%, carbonized rice hulls, and vermiculite. 4 (sugarcane bagasse, sphagnum, VCP 60%, VCP 20%, Plantmax cutting, Cynodon, and vermiculite). 5 (sphagnum, rice hulls, vermiculite, VCP 60%, and roots of the VR 3748 clone). 6 (Aracruz, Multiplant, Plantmax cutting, VCP 60%, VCP 20%, and vermiculite. 7 (sugarcane bagasse, Cynodon, Plantmax cutting, sphagnum, eucalyptus roots, eucalyptus roots + VCP20% substrate, and vermiculite). In a plastic tunnel, 10 whole colonies were maintained in 30 L pots, connected with arenas containing 20 mL of each material. Treatments were the same as used in the laboratory. In both conditions, a random block experimental design was used, with 10 replicates, and 7 treatments in experiments 1, 4, and 7; 6 treatments in experiments 2 and 6; and 5 treatments in experiments 3 and 5. Termite damage was determined by using ten termite colonies; each colony, maintained in 30 L pots, was connected to four eucalyptus seedlings; another four seedlings were not connected to the termite colonies (control). Damage evaluations were done at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting, with determinations for epigeal and root dry matter, height, leaf area, as well as eucalyptus root length, surface, volume, and diameter. The experimental...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)