Extropy: Complementary Dual of Entropy

This article provides a completion to theories of information based on entropy, resolving a longstanding question in its axiomatization as proposed by Shannon and pursued by Jaynes. We show that Shannon's entropy function has a complementary dual function which we call "extropy." The entropy and the extropy of a binary distribution are identical. However, the measure bifurcates into a pair of distinct measures for any quantity that is not merely an event indicator. As with entropy, the maximum extropy distribution is also the uniform distribution, and both measures are invariant with respect to permutations of their mass functions. However, they behave quite differently in their assessments of the refinement of a distribution, the axiom which concerned Shannon and Jaynes. Their duality is specified via the relationship among the entropies and extropies of course and fine partitions. We also analyze the extropy function for densities, showing that relative extropy constitutes a dual to the Kullback-Leibler divergence, widely recognized as the continuous entropy measure. These results are unified within the general structure of Bregman divergences. In this context they identify half the $L_2$ metric as the extropic dual to the entropic directed distance. We describe a statistical application to the scoring of sequential forecast distributions which provoked the discovery.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/14-STS430 in the Statistical Science (http://www.imstat.org/sts/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Investigations on Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): larval infestation on the tomato cultivated in open field and evaluation of five essential oils against larvae in laboratory

Abstract The tomato miner Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a Neotropical species, which cause serious damages to tomato in spread areas. It appeared in 2008 in Italy, where it seriously threatened tomato production both in greenhouse and open field cultivations. In this work a study on infestation by this leafminer on leaves was conducted in an organic cultivation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) "Pizzutello" variety in Sicily (Italy), and the insecticidal activity of 5 essential oils (EOs) on T. absoluta was evaluated in laboratory. EOs of basil, cypress, laurel, peppermint and Spanish oregano were used against 3rd- and 4th-instar larvae to assess contact effects and, only for oregano and laurel, inhalation effects. Results showed that the infestation in field had a variable trend showing peaks in two periods, in the months of July and October. Larvae of T. absoluta developed on leaves for most of the growing season of tomato showing a peak of 1.5 larva per leaf in the first part of July decreasing in the subsequent months. Results on the use of essential oils against the leafminer showed a good larvicidal effects confirming their use as potential alternative for pest control. Basil, cypress and laurel oils showed major contact efficacy. Inhalation effects of the oils of oregano and laurel increased with increasing their doses with a positive correlation. Oregano oil was effective at lower doses than laurel

Functional characterization of Frataxin isoforms and mechanisms of regulation of frataxin expression

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología Molecular. Fecha de Lectura: 04-07-2019Esta tesis tiene embargado el acceso al texto completo hasta el 04-01-202

Recent finding and new technologies in nephrolithiasis: a review of the recent literature

This review summarizes recent literature on advances regarding renal and ureteral calculi, with particular focus in areas of recent advances in the overall field of urolithiasis. Clinical management in everyday practice requires a complete understanding of the issues regarding metabolic evaluation and subgrouping of stone-forming patients, diagnostic procedures, effective treatment regime in acute stone colic, medical expulsive therapy, and active stone removal. In this review we focus on new perspectives in managing nephrolitihiasis and discuss recentadvances, including medical expulsive therapy, new technologies, and refinements of classical therapy such as shock wave lithotripsy, give a fundamental modification of nephrolithiasis management. Overall, this field appears to be the most promising, capable of new developments in ureterorenoscopy and percutaneous approaches. Further improvements are expected from robotic-assisted procedures, such as flexible robotics in ureterorenoscopy

Quantification of anandamide content in animal cells and tissues: the normalization makes the difference

Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine, AEA) is an endogenous lipid that binds to cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system and in peripheral cells. Quantitative analysis of AEA is generally based on the normalization to the fresh weight of the samples. Here, we show that the normalization procedure of AEA content is such a critical factor, that it might introduce per se significant discrepancies in the quantification of AEA even in the same sample. We suggest that a rapid, accurate and most reliable reference to quantify AEA and congeners from different sources is the protein content, a common parameter to cells and tissues

Dati sulla circolazione della ceramica e sulle rotte del medioevo occidentale attraverso i contesti tardoantichi e medievali di Marettimo

In this paper will be described the ceramic found in the site Contrada Case Romane in the island of Marettimo. On this site a monastic community was founded in the end of the 5th century. This settlement was destroyed in the 8th century and a new one founded in the same location under Norman rule (end of 11th century). The items discovered prove that between the 5th and the 7th century the island was part of a Mediterranean route linking Africa with Rome and the main locations of the western Mediterranean sea. The findings of amphorae produced in the central-southern Tyrrhenian sea between the end of the 7th century and the beginning of the 8th century reveal the close relationship of this monastic settlement with the great ecclesiastic praesidia of the Campi Flegrei. Ceramic belonging to the Norman period and to the 13th century does not differ from the one found in other Sicilian sites; this fact confirms the dependency from mainland of the tiny community living in the island

Anandamide uptake by synaptosomes from human, mouse and rat brain: inhibition by glutamine and glutamate

Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine, AEA) belongs to an emerging class of endogenous lipids, called "endocannabinoids". A specific AEA membrane transporter (AMT) allows the import of this lipid and its degradation by the intracellular enzyme AEA hydrolase. Here, we show that synaptosomes from human, mouse and rat brain might be an ideal ex vivo system for the study of: i) the accumulation of AEA in brain, and ii) the pharmacological properties of AMT inhibitors. Using this ex vivo system, we demonstrate for the first time that glutamine and glutamate act as non-competitive inhibitors of AEA uptake by human, mouse and rat brain AMT

Airway control via the Cobrapla™ during percutaneous dilatational tracheotomy in five patients

n/

A (im)possível resposta - Clarice Lispector e a obrigação ao testemunho

What can this impossibility of writing mean? This neglect, or rather, this refusal of literary discourse, accompanied, soon after, by the affirmation that only through it can perhaps what really matters be manifested?O que pode significar esta impossibilidade da escrita? Este descaso, ou melhor, esta recusa do discurso literário, acompanhada, logo depois, pela afirmação que apenas através dele poderá talvez manifestar-se aquilo que realmente importa

Amor, humor e terror na ficção de Lygia Fagundes Telles

This article intends to analyze the narrative work of Lygia Fagundes Telles through the use of the fantastic as a device present in most of her literary production. Without choosing between political engagement (especially during and after the period of military dictatorship) and the investigation of the unconscious, Fagundes Telles retains both as constitutive elements of her work. This duality is studied in the story “Seminário dos ratos”, where irony is combined with ideological critique, identifying within the story one of the main characteristics of her literature.El artículo pretende analizar el trabajo narrativo de Lygia Fagundes Telles a partir del dispositivo fantástico presente en la mayor parte de su producción. Entre el compromiso político (especialmente durante y después del período de la dictadura militar) y la investigación del inconsciente, la escritora parece no querer elegir, conservando ambos como elementos constitutivos de su escritura. Esta duplicidad se estudia a partir de la historia “Seminário dos ratos”, en la que la ironía se combina con la crítica ideológica, identificando en ella una de las principales características de su literatura.O artigo pretende investigar a obra narrativa de Lygia Fagundes Telles a partir do dispositivo fantástico presente em boa parte da sua produção. Entre o engajamento político (sobretudo durante e depois do período da ditadura militar) e a sondagem do inconsciente, de fato, a escritora parece não quer escolher, mantendo ambos os elementos como constitutivos da sua ficção. Esta duplicidade é investigada a partir do conto “Seminário dos ratos”, onde a ironia se cruza com a crítica ideológica, identificando nele uma das características principais da sua escrita literária.&nbsp