Fold-Saddle Bifurcation in Non-Smooth Vector Fields on the Plane

This paper presents results concerning bifurcations of 2D piecewise-smooth dynamical systems governed by vector fields. Generic three parameter families of a class of Non-Smooth Vector Fields are studied and its bifurcation diagrams are exhibited. Our main result describes the unfolding of the so called Fold-Saddle singularity

THE EFFECTS OF COMPRESSION TIGHTS ON DYNAMIC KNEE MOTION DURING A DROP VERTICAL JUMP IN FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETES

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of compression tights to influence knee motion during a drop vertical jump (DVJ) in healthy college-aged female athletes. 23 athletes participating in jumping sports (volleyball, basketball, and soccer) were tested. A standard Helen-Hayes 29-marker set was applied to the subjects and recorded using 8 visible-red cameras and 2 force plates. Average hip internal rotation was reduced by 1.9° (p= 0.005), hip abduction range of motion was 2.4° less (p= 0.002), hip abduction angle at initial contact was reduced by 2.7° (p= 0.018), and knee valgus angle at initial contact was also reduced by 1.7° (p= 0.029). These changes support the idea that compression tights may aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation. In the future EMG could be use to identify differences in muscle activation patterns

Modeling Empirical Stock Market Behavior Using a Hybrid Agent-Based Dynamical Systems Model

We describe the development and calibration of a hybrid agent-based dynamical systems model of the stock market that is capable of reproducing empirical market behavior. The model consists of two types of trader agents, fundamentalists and noise traders, as well as an opinion dynamic for the latter (optimistic vs. pessimistic). The trader agents switch types stochastically over time based on simple behavioral rules. A system of ordinary differential equations is used to model the stock price as a function of the states of the trader agents. We show that the model can reproduce key stylized facts (e.g., volatility clustering and fat tails) while providing a behavioral interpretation of how the stock market itself can cause periods of high volatility and large price movements, even when the economic value of the stock grows at a constant rate

Design for sustainability in the footwear sector: survey on strategies and impacts mitigation

The environmental costs related to the production processes, the ex- posure of workers to inadequate conditions, the high competitiveness and the accelerated growth of the footwear sector, are results of the current production and consumption model, which also reverberates on the premature disposal of footwear and the lack of management of waste from its production process. Given these facts, this article seeks to understand which Design for Sustainabil- ity (DfS) approaches are being implemented in the sector. Through a literature review, the most used DfS approaches were identified and with a desktop re- search, a survey on examples was carried out, in order to mitigate the impacts through the concepts of Circular and Distributed Economy, models can enable greater resilience for small businesses in the sector, through local production and consumption. 16 examples of companies in the footwear sector were select- ed and analyzed, the study made it possible to carry out a critical analysis re- garding the use of isolated strategies and a reflection on the incorporation of different DfS approaches. In addition, the study provides a wide repertoire of solutions and good practices for other designers in the sector.This work was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brasil (CAPES). Finance Code 001

Potential conservation of circadian clock proteins in the phylum Nematoda as revealed by bioinformatic searches

Although several circadian rhythms have been described in C. elegans, its molecular clock remains elusive. In this work we employed a novel bioinformatic approach, applying probabilistic methodologies, to search for circadian clock proteins of several of the best studied circadian model organisms of different taxa (Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, Neurospora crassa, Arabidopsis thaliana and Synechoccocus elongatus) in the proteomes of C. elegans and other members of the phylum Nematoda. With this approach we found that the Nematoda contain proteins most related to the core and accessory proteins of the insect and mammalian clocks, which provide new insights into the nematode clock and the evolution of the circadian system.Fil: Romanowski, Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; ArgentinaFil: Garavaglia, Matías Javier. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Ing.genética y Biolog.molecular y Celular. Area Virus de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Goya, María Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ghiringhelli, Pablo Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Ing.genética y Biolog.molecular y Celular. Area Virus de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Golombek, Diego Andres. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Validación y reproducibilidad de un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo alimentario para valorar la ingesta de lípidos y fitoquímicos.

Background: epidemiological studies have been related food intake with the incidence of nontransmissible chronic diseases. Objective: the purpose of the present study was to analyze the validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) aimed at assessing lipid and phytochemical intake. Material and Methods: FFQ was administered to 45 people of both sexes, aged between 20 and 72 years old and resident in Cordoba, Argentina. The FFQ included 257 questions referring to foods, their consumption frequency and portion size. Regarding consumption of fruit and vegetables, the season was also taken into account. The questionnaire was applied at two different periods (FFQ1 and FFQ2) with a break of six months in between. As a reference, the 24-hour dietary recall was used (24HDR) three times. The mid intake of FFQ1-FFQ2, the 24HDR-FFQ2 median intake, median difference, Mean Absolute Deviation from the median differences (MAD), Wilcoxon signed rank sum test and Spearman rank order correlation coefficients were calculated to analyze the accuracy of the FFQ data. Results: the correlation coefficients for FFQ1-FFQ2 varied from 0.52 for 20:5 n3 eicosapentanoic (EPA) fatty acid to 0.89 for 4:0 butyric fatty acid (p<0.05). For 24HDR-FFQ2, the values ranged from 0.19 for lycopene to 0.93 for EPA fatty acid (p<0.05). Conclusion: the analysis carried out showed an acceptable validity and reproducibility of the FFQ, thus enabling it to be used in research relating the intake of lipids and phytochemicals and the risk of non-transmissible diseases.publishedVersio

Acoelomorpha: earliest branching bilaterians or deuterostomes?

The Acoelomorpha is an animal group comprised by nearly 400 species of misleadingly inconspicuous flatworms. Despite this, acoelomorphs have been at the centre of a heated debate about the origin of bilaterian animals for 150 years. The animal tree of life has undergone major changes during the last decades, thanks largely to the advent of molecular data together with the development of more rigorous phylogenetic methods. There is now a relatively robust backbone of the animal tree of life. However, some crucial nodes remain contentious, especially the node defining the root of Bilateria. Some studies situate Acoelomorpha (and Xenoturbellida) as the sister group of all other bilaterians, while other analyses group them within the deuterostomes which instead suggests that the last common bilaterian ancestor directly gave rise to deuterostomes and protostomes. The resolution of this node will have a profound impact on our understanding of animal/bilaterian evolution. In particular, if acoelomorphs are the sister group to Bilateria, it will point to a simple nature for the first bilaterian. Alternatively, if acoelomorphs are deuterostomes, this will imply that they are the result of secondary simplification. Here, we review the state of this question and provide potential ways to solve this long-standing issue. Specifically, we argue for the benefits of (1) obtaining additional genomic data from acoelomorphs, in particular from taxa with slower evolutionary rates; (2) the development of new tools to analyse the data; and (3) the use of metagenomics or metatranscriptomics data. We believe the combination of these three approaches will provide a definitive answer as to the position of the acoelomorphs in the animal tree of life

Willingness to Pay for Certified Safe Vegetables Among Consumers in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

Nowadays, consumers are becoming more health conscious. The demand for vegetables that are “certified safe” is expected to increase in proportion to the products with “certified safe” labels. Hence, the development of such products may improve the economic condition of smallholder farmers who will adopt safe vegetable production. In this study, we explored the various factors that may significantly affect consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for certified safe vegetables in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, using the Tobit model. The factors considered were socio-demographic details, purchase patterns for the supermarket and wet market, attitudinal factors, and food safety concerns. A mall intercept survey of 110 respondents buying vegetables from the grocery was conducted. The study focused on the following vegetables: tomato, eggplant, sweet pepper, bitter gourd, and cabbage. Results showed that respondents are moderately concerned regarding the preharvest and postharvest production practices, while they are extremely concerned with retail-related attributes. Appearance, type of market outlet, and label were found to be the main determinants of the respondents’ perceptions on whether the vegetables they purchase are safe or not. Majority agree that unsafe vegetables could cause immediate health problems and strongly agree that it could cause long-term health problems. In measuring the consumers’ WTP, majority of the respondents were willing to pay more, by as much as 14% higher, for vegetables that are “certified safe.” In conclusion, the demand for certified safe vegetables is reflected in the respondents’ positive perceptions on the quality, environmental advantages, and benefits of consuming certified safe vegetables manifested by higher WTP

Vegetable Purchase Patterns of Consumers in Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

The goal to increase farm productivity, attain food security and safety, and alleviate poverty among smallholder farmers has urged government and nongovernment organizations in the Philippines to develop and promote organic and safe vegetables. While these products are healthier and safer, previous studies have proven that these are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. A mall intercept using a structured questionnaire was conducted to survey 240 respondents in Davao City and 110 respondents in Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) in Southern Philippines. This is a qualitative research that aims to provide information about the current vegetable purchase patterns of consumers in both study areas and to identify its implications and opportunities for organic and safe vegetable producers. Results show that more than 50% of the respondents in both cities purchase vegetables in wet markets and supermarkets on a weekly basis. In terms of expenditure on vegetables, 85% of the respondents in CDO and 74% of the respondents in Davao City have expenditure on vegetables of at most PhP500 per week. The majority of consumers in both cities buy vegetables mostly from wet markets because vegetables are sold at a lower price, are fresher, and there is wider product assortment. Consumers in Davao City and CDO buy vegetables from supermarkets because of convenience and cleanliness, respectively. They purchase mostly tomatoes, eggplants, and cabbages. Based on previous studies, these vegetable purchase patterns of consumers have not changed for over ten years. Thus, this challenges organic and safe vegetable producers, as well as other vegetable industry stakeholders, to produce cheap but high-quality vegetables

Factors Affecting the Perception of Farmer-Beneficiaries on the Implementation of CARP Support Services: The Case of Macarimbang Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Maguindanao, Southern Philippines

Several impact assessment studies were done to evaluate the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) where they reported positive socio-economic outcome. However, some experts claim that the program, despite its gains, has a backward effect. This study evaluates the implementation of CARP support services based on the perception of the farmer-beneficiaries in Macarimbang Agrarian Reform Cooperative of Maguindanao, Southern Philippines. A total of 73 farmers who are beneficiaries of the CARP projects were selected through random sampling and interviewed. Tobit model was used to analyze the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of the farmer-beneficiaries and their perception on the implementation of the programs’ usefulness, which was measured using a 5-point Likert scale, under each project component of CARP: Social Infrastructure Local Capacity Building (SILCAB), Sustainable Area-based Rural Enterprise Development (SARED), and Access Facilitation and Access Enhancement (AFAE). Results revealed that the socio-economic factors significantly affect the perception of the respondents towards CARP support services. Farmers with larger household size, farm size, and farm income tend to be more satisfied of the said programs while the opposite is true for respondents who are members of an organization. By substituting the mean of each variable to the Tobit model, it generated a result of 4.271, 4.400, and 0.604 for SILCAB, AFAES, and SARED, respectively. The farmer-beneficiaries believe that SILCAB and AFAES programs are useful to them, while SARED is not. Hence, SILCAB and SARED, whose main objectives are to capacitate and empower the farmer-beneficiaries and to introduce various alternative livelihood activities, respectively, should be given priority by CARP