1,817 research outputs found
Fire risk modeling: an integrated and data-driven approach applied to Sicily
Wildfires are key not only to landscape transformation and vegetation succession, but also to socio-ecological values loss. Fire risk mapping can help to manage the most vulnerable and relevant ecosystems impacted by wildfires. However, few studies provide accessible daily dynamic results at different spatio-temporal scales. We develop a fire risk model for Sicily (Italy), an iconic case of the Mediterranean Basin, integrating a fire hazard model with an exposure and vulnerability analysis under present and future conditions. The integrated model is data-driven but can run dynamically at a daily time step, providing spatially and temporally explicit results through the k.LAB (Knowledge Laboratory) software. This software provides an environment for input data integration, combining methods and data such as geographic information systems, remote sensing and Bayesian network algorithms. All data and models are semantically annotated, open and downloadable in agreement with the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable). The fire risk analysis reveals that 45 % of vulnerable areas of Sicily have a high probability of fire occurrence in 2050. The risk model outputs also
include qualitative risk indexes, which can make the results more understandable for non-technical stakeholders. We argue that this approach
is well suited to aiding in landscape and fire risk management, under both
current and climate change conditions.</p
Carotenoid-based skin ornaments reflect foraging propensity in a seabird, Sula leucogaster
Carotenoid-based ornaments are common signalling features in animals. It has long been proposed that such ornaments communicate information about foraging abilities to potential mates. However, evidence linking foraging with ornamentation is largely missing from unmanipulated, free-ranging populations. To investigate this relationship, we studied a coastal population of brown booby (Sula leucogaster brewsteri), a seabird with a carotenoid-based gular skin ornament. δ13C values from both feathers and blood plasma were negatively correlated with male gular colour, indicating birds that consumed more pelagic prey in offshore locations had more ornamented skin than those that fed on nearshore, benthic prey. This relationship was supported by our GPS tracking results, which revealed longer, more offshore foraging trips among highly ornamented males. Our data show that brown booby ornaments are honest indicators of foraging propensity; a link consistent with the rarity hypothesis and potentially driven by the concentration of carotenoids found in phytoplankton versus benthic algae. Carotenoid-based ornaments may reflect foraging tendencies in animals such as coastal predators that use food webs with distinct carotenoid profiles
Presencia de Doryopteris lomariacea (Pteridaceae, Pteridophyta) en Argentina
The occurrence of Doryopteris lomariacea Kunze ex Klotzsch (Pteridaceae) is confirmed forthe first time from the province of Misiones, Argentina. The species is described and illustrated,the spores are analyzed and its ecological observations are also providedLa presencia de Doryopteris lomariacea Kunze ex Klotzsch (Pteridaceae) se confirma por primera vez para Argentina, restringida a la provincia de Misiones. La especie se describe e ilustra la misma, se analizan las esporas y se aportan observaciones ecológicas
SCG0018-4854: a young and dynamic compact group I. Kinematical analysis
Compact groups of galaxies are in particular good laboratories for studying
galaxy interactions and their effects on the evolution of galaxies due to their
high density and low velocity dispersion. SCG0018-4854 is a remarkably high
galaxy density and low velocity dispersion group with evidence of a recent
interaction. We obtained VLT FORS2 optical observations and we present
spectroscopic and photometric evidence of how dramatically galaxy interactions
have affected each of the four member galaxies. We found peculiar kinematics
for each galaxy and evidence of recent star formation. In particular, the gas
and stellar radial velocity curves of two galaxies are irregular with a level
of asymmetry similar to that of other interacting galaxies. We discovered the
presence of a bar for NGC 92 therefore revising a previous morphological
classification and we obtained spectroscopic confirmation of a galactic-scale
outflow of NGC 89. Peculiar kinematics and dynamic consideration lead to a
rough estimate of the age of the latest interaction: 0.2-0.7 Gyr, suggesting
that SCG0018-4854 is a young and dynamical group.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, to be published in A&
Knowledge, attitudes and preventive practices of primary health care professionals towards alcohol use: A national, cross-sectional study
Introduction Primary care (PC) professionals' knowledge about alcohol use has been identified as one of the barriers PC providers face in their clinic. Both PC professionals' level of training and attitude are crucial in the clinical practice regarding alcohol use. Objective To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices of Spanish PC physicians and nurses towards alcohol use. Design An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, multi-center study. Methodology Location: PC centers of the Spanish National Health System (NHS). Participants: PC physicians and nurses selected randomly from health care centers, and by sending an e-mail to semFYC and SEMERGEN members. Healthcare providers completed an online survey on knowledge, attitude, and follow-up recommendations for reducing alcohol intake. A descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analysis was conducted (p<0.05). Results Participants: 1, 760 healthcare providers completed the survey (75.6% [95% CI 73.5-77.6] family physicians; 11.4% [95% CI 9.9-12.9] medical residents; and 12.5% [95% CI 10.9-14.1] nurses), with a mean age of 44.7 (SD 11.24, range: 26-64, 95% CI: 47.2-48.2). Knowledge was higher in family physicians (p<0.001), older professionals (Spearman's r = 0.11, p<0.001), and resident trainers (p<0.001). The PC professional most likely to provide advice for reducing alcohol use was: a nurse (p<0.001), female (p = 0.010), between 46 and 55 years old (p <0.001). Conclusions PC providers' knowledge and preventive practices regarding alcohol use are scarce, hence specific training strategies to increase their knowledge and improve their attitude and skills with regard to this health problem should be considered a healthcare policy priority
12mm line survey of the dense molecular gas towards the W28 field TeV gamma-ray sources
We present 12mm Mopra observations of dense molecular gas towards the W28
supernova remnant (SNR) field. The focus is on the dense molecular gas towards
the TeV gamma-ray sources detected by the H.E.S.S. telescopes, which likely
trace the cosmic-rays from W28 and possibly other sources in the region. Using
the NH3 inversion transitions we reveal several dense cores inside the
molecular clouds, the majority of which coincide with high-mass star formation
and HII regions, including the energetic ultra-compact HII region G5.89-0.39. A
key exception to this is the cloud north east of W28, which is well-known to be
disrupted as evidenced by clusters of 1720MHz OH masers and broad CO line
emission. Here we detect broad NH3, up to the (9,9) transition, with linewidths
up to 16 km/s. This broad NH3 emission spatially matches well with the TeV
source HESS J1801-233 and CO emission, and its velocity dispersion distribution
suggests external disruption from the W28 SNR direction. Other lines are
detected, such as HC3N and HC5N, H2O masers, and many radio recombination
lines, all of which are primarily found towards the southern high-mass star
formation regions. These observations provide a new view onto the internal
structures and dynamics of the dense molecular gas towards the W28 SNR field,
and in tandem with future higher resolution TeV gamma-ray observations will
offer the chance to probe the transport of cosmic-rays into molecular clouds.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS.
Online appendices containing additional molecular line: fit parameters, maps,
PV plots & spectra, will be available through MNRA
Epidemiology of human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer in a classically low-burden region of southern Europe
The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal cancer is increasing in some regions. Nevertheless, the epidemiology of this disease has not been extensively investigated in southern Europe. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with primary oropharyngeal cancer from 1991 to 2016. Cancer tissues underwent histopathological evaluation, DNA quality control, HPV-DNA detection and p16 immunohistochemistry. Data were collected from medical records. Factors associated with HPV positivity and time trends were evaluated with multivariable Bayesian models. The adjusted prevalence of HPV-related cases in 864 patients with a valid HPV-DNA result was 9.7%, with HPV-DNA/p16 double positivity being considered. HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer was likely to occur in non-smokers and non-drinkers, to be located in the tonsil or diagnosed at advanced stages. Time-trend analysis showed an increasing risk of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in the most recent periods (5-year period increase of 30%). This increase was highest and with a clear increasing trend only in the most recent years (2012-2016). The prevalence of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer started to sharply increase in the most recent years in our setting, as occurred two decades ago in areas where most oropharyngeal cancer cases are currently HPV-related. Our results provide a comprehensive assessment of the epidemiological landscape of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in a region of southern Europe
Operations of and Future Plans for the Pierre Auger Observatory
Technical reports on operations and features of the Pierre Auger Observatory,
including ongoing and planned enhancements and the status of the future
northern hemisphere portion of the Observatory. Contributions to the 31st
International Cosmic Ray Conference, Lodz, Poland, July 2009.Comment: Contributions to the 31st ICRC, Lodz, Poland, July 200
Highlights from the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory.
Our current exposure reaches nearly 40,000 km str and provides us with an
unprecedented quality data set. The performance and stability of the detectors
and their enhancements are described. Data analyses have led to a number of
major breakthroughs. Among these we discuss the energy spectrum and the
searches for large-scale anisotropies. We present analyses of our X
data and show how it can be interpreted in terms of mass composition. We also
describe some new analyses that extract mass sensitive parameters from the 100%
duty cycle SD data. A coherent interpretation of all these recent results opens
new directions. The consequences regarding the cosmic ray composition and the
properties of UHECR sources are briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, talk given at the 33rd International Cosmic Ray
Conference, Rio de Janeiro 201
- …