Measuring the vulnerability of the Uruguayan population to vector-borne diseases via spatially hierarchical factor models

We propose a model-based vulnerability index of the population from Uruguay to vector-borne diseases. We have available measurements of a set of variables in the census tract level of the 19 Departmental capitals of Uruguay. In particular, we propose an index that combines different sources of information via a set of micro-environmental indicators and geographical location in the country. Our index is based on a new class of spatially hierarchical factor models that explicitly account for the different levels of hierarchy in the country, such as census tracts within the city level, and cities in the country level. We compare our approach with that obtained when data are aggregated in the city level. We show that our proposal outperforms current and standard approaches, which fail to properly account for discrepancies in the region sizes, for example, number of census tracts. We also show that data aggregation can seriously affect the estimation of the cities vulnerability rankings under benchmark models.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/11-AOAS497 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Experimental Study of Slug Flow for Condensation in a Square Cross-Section Micro-Channel at Low Mass Velocities

This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.In this paper, condensation flows in a cross-flow air-cooled micro-condenser were investigated for mass velocities (representing the mass flow rates over the micro-condenser cross-section area) lower than 12 kg.m (−2).s(−1), with n-pentane used as the working fluid. This micro-condenser consisted of a transparent square cross-section micro-channel placed horizontally, having inner and outer edges of 553 and 675 μm, respectively, and a real length exposed to the coolant of 196 mm. One of the specificities of the experimental bench was the choice of the air as a coolant so that the external heat transfer is limiting. Three main flow zones were identified: annular zone, intermittent (i.e. elongated bubbles or slug) zone and spherical bubbles zone. A specific experimental procedure based on bubbles tracking was developed in order to determine the hydraulic and thermal parameters in the intermittent zone. The mean displacement and condensation velocities of the elongated bubbles were determined according to their mean length for different mass velocities of the n-pentane. Besides, the mean latent heat flux density released by the condensation of the elongated bubbles was determined according to their mean surface for different mass velocities of the n-pentane, and compared to the imposed heat flux density

Neutrino Oscillations at Reactors: What Next?

We shortly review past and future experiments at reactors aimed at searches for neutrino masses and mixing. We also consider new idea to search at Krasnoyarsk for small mixing angle oscillations in the atmosheric neutrino mass parameter region.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX 2.09, 6 Postscript figures. Talk given at Non-Accelerator New Physics Conference, Dubna, 28.06-03.07.199

Three-Flavour Neutrino-Mixing Implications of the LSND Result

The LSND result is shown to fit into a minimal three-flavour neutrino-mixing scenario capable of describing all known experimental facts provided the large Delta M^2 = m_3^2 - m_2^2 \sim m_3^2 - m_1^2 lies in the range 2.5 x 10^{-1} < Delta M^2 < 3.0 eV^2. In this range the value of P_{\mu\tau} is expected to be about 5% or larger.Comment: 10 pages, 2 eps figures, LaTeX 2.09, revised for Physics Letters

Flow patterns and heat transfer in a square cross-section micro condenser working at low mass fluxes

This paper was presented at the 3rd Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2011), which was held at the Makedonia Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki in Greece. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Thessaly, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute.Flow patterns and heat transfer in an air-cooled square cross-section micro condenser were investigated. The test section consisted of a borosilicate square micro channel, of inner and outer hydraulic diameters of 0.49 mm and 0.6 mm respectively, and a length of 100 mm. The transparent material of the micro channel allowed the visualization of the different condensation flow patterns. The imposed mass velocities were ranging between 1 and 10 kg m-2 s-1. In this range of mass fluxes, three main flow regimes were identified: Annular regime, intermittent regime, and spherical bubbles regime. Then, the isolated bubbles zone (the end of the intermittent zone + the spherical bubbles zone) was particularly studied. A specific experimental procedure was developed, basing on bubble tracking, in order to determine accurately the hydraulic and thermal parameters profiles in this zone according to the axial position in the micro channel, such as the vapour quality profile x(z). Thanks to energy balance, the liquid temperature profile Tl(z) in the isolated bubbles zone was determined for different initial values. A thermal non-equilibrium between the liquid and vapour phases was identified. Therefore, the latent heat flux was then quantified and compared to the total heat flux in this zone.FNRAE (MATRAS) and the Microgravity Application Program of the European Space Agenc

Immunofluorescence laser micro-dissection of specific nephron segments in the mouse kidney allows targeted downstream proteomic analysis

Laser micro-dissection (LMD) is a very useful tool that allows the isolation of finite areas from tissue specimens for downstream analysis of RNA and protein. Although LMD has been adapted for use in kidney tissue, the use of this powerful tool has been limited by the diminished ability to identify specific tubular segments in the kidney. In this study, we describe a major improvement in the methodology to isolate specific cells in the mouse kidney using immunofluorescence LMD (IF-LMD). Using IF-LMD, we can reproducibly isolate not only glomeruli, but also S1-S2 proximal segments, S3 tubules, and thick ascending limbs. We also demonstrate the utility of a novel rapid immunofluorescence staining technique, and provide downstream applications for IF-LMD such as real-time PCR and cutting-edge proteomic studies. This technical breakthrough may become an invaluable tool for understanding cellular and molecular events in the heterogeneous kidney milieu

Lane Discovery in Traffic Video

Video sensing has become very important in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) due to its relative low cost and non-invasive deployment. An effective ITS requires detailed traffic information, including vehicle volume counts for each lane in surveillance video of a highway or an intersection. The multiple-target, vehicle-tracking and counting problem is most reliably solved in a reduced space defined by the constraints of the vehicles driving within lanes. This requires lanes to be pre-specified. An off-line pre-processing method is presented which automatically discovers traffic lanes from vehicle motion in uncalibrated video from a stationary camera. A moving vehicle density map is constructed, then multiple lane curves are fitted. Traffic lanes are found without relying on possibly noisy tracked vehicle trajectories

Low Energy Neutrino Physics after SNO and KamLAND

In the recent years important discoveries in the field of low energy neutrino physics (E$_\nu$ in the $\approx$ MeV range) have been achieved. Results of the solar neutrino experiment SNO show clearly flavor transitions from $\nu_e$ to $\nu_{\mu,\tau}$. In addition, the long standing solar neutrino problem is basically solved. With KamLAND, an experiment measuring neutrinos emitted from nuclear reactors at large distances, evidence for neutrino oscillations has been found. The values for the oscillation parameters, amplitude and phase, have been restricted. In this paper the potential of future projects in low energy neutrino physics is discussed. This encompasses future solar and reactor experiments as well as the direct search for neutrino masses. Finally the potential of a large liquid scintillator detector in an underground laboratory for supernova neutrino detection, solar neutrino detection, and the search for proton decay $p \to K^+ \nu$ is discussed.Comment: Invited brief review, World Scientific Publishing Compan

Monitoring the Paraguayan epidemiological dengue surveillance system (2009-2011) using Benford's law

Introduction: Dengue is the most widespread arbovirus worldwide. In Paraguay, it reappeared in 1988-1989, with one of the largest epidemic outbreaks occurring in 2011. Objective: To evaluate the performance of the dengue epidemiological surveillance system in Paraguay between 2009 and 2011. Materials and methods: We conducted an ecological study with secondary epidemiological surveillance data. We analyzed notified cases of the disease based on the distribution expected by Benford's law. To this end, we used the first and second digits from the global records stratified by region, season, population density, indicators of housing conditions and heads of cattle. Results: The epidemiological surveillance system performed better during non-epidemic periods and in the states with better housing conditions and fewer heads of cattle. Conclusion: Given that a difference in the performance existed, we recommended that the system remains operating at the same high alert level even during periods when fewer cases are expected. The technology used by the method proposed to monitor the notification of cases is easy to transfer to operational staff