Existence of continuous utility functions for arbitrary binary relations: some sufficient conditions

We present new sufficient conditions for the existence of a continuous utility function for an arbitrary binary relation on a topological space. Such conditions are basically obtained by using both the concept of a weakly continuous binary relation on a topological space and the concept of a countable network weight. In particular, we are concerned with suitable topological notions which generalize the concept of compactness and do not imply second countability or local compactness.hereditarily Lindeloef space; weakly continuous binary relation; countable network weight; hemicompactness; submetrizability

Fast dynamic control for a boost DC/DC converter in hybrid-electric powertrain with PEM fuel cell and battery pack

When working with hybrid-electric powertrain with a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) along with a battery pack, to increase the life of the PEMFC and avoid a drop of performance it needs to be periodically short circuited. The periodic short circuit of the PEMFC requires the DC/DC converter to be decoupled from the PEMFC. This behaviour leads the converter to undergo several start-up transients, and for an optimal energy management, the converter must reach its reference steady-state condition as quickly as possible. In this frame, this paper presents an innovative dynamic control for current mode operations of a boost DC/DC converter for managing the power exchange between the fuel cell and the battery pack, which could be easily implemented in industrial applications. With the proposed control system, the converter achieves faster step response when turned on, reducing the time required by the controlled current to reach its set point. To support theoretical considerations and simulations results, an experimental validation has been performed with a real system prototype

A sensitive detection method for MPLW515L or MPLW515K mutation in chronic myeloproliferative disorders with locked nucleic acid-modified probes and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Acquired mutations in the juxtamembrane region of MPL (W515K or W515L), the receptor for thrombopoietin, have been described in patients with primary myelofibrosis or essential thrombocythemia, which are chronic myeloproliferative disorders. We have developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection and quantification of MPL mutations that is based on locked nucleic acid fluorescent probes. Mutational analysis was performed using DNA from granulocytes. Reference curves were obtained using cloned fragments of MPL containing either the wild-type or mutated sequence; the predicted sensitivity level was at least 0.1% mutant allele in a wild-type background. None of the 60 control subjects presented with a MPLW515L/K mutation. Of 217 patients with myelofibrosis, 19 (8.7%) harbored the MPLW515 mutation, 10 (52.6%) with the W515L allele. In one case, both the W515L and W515K alleles were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. By comparing results obtained with conventional sequencing, no erroneous genotype attribution using real-time polymerase chain reaction was found, whereas one patient considered wild type according to sequence analysis actually harbored a low W515L allele burden. This is a simple, sensitive, and cost-effective procedure for large-scale screening of the MPLW515L/K mutation in patients suspected to have a myeloproliferative disorder. It can also provide a quantitative estimate of mutant allele burden that might be useful for both patient prognosis and monitoring response to therapy

Avaliação do efeito da natureza do substrato em comunidades intertidais

Dissertação de Mestrado, Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia Vegetal, 10 de Fevereiro de 2014, Universidade dos Açores.Hoje em dia a degradação da zona litoral em todo o mundo é cada vez mais visível. As zonas costeiras naturais estão a ser progressivamente substituídas por estruturas artificiais construídas pelo homem para diversos fins, e.g abrandamento da erosão marinha, protecção de estruturas ligadas a actividades marítimas, etc.. Nos países mais desenvolvidos a costa natural está visivelmente a desaparecer e cada vez mais se observam estruturas artificiais que, por sua vez, podem causar distúrbios na biodiversidade costeira de cada zona. Na Ilha de São Miguel, a mais desenvolvida do arquipélago, existe já um número considerável de estruturas artificiais. De alguns anos a esta parte, a investigação sobre o efeito do urbanismo costeiro no sistema natural tem aumentado. Apesar desta tendência, poucos estudos têm‐se centrado nas mudanças na distribuição e abundância de organismos, causadas pela introdução de estruturas feitas pelo homem. Nos Açores só se conhece um estudo realizado na ilha do Pico e que teve por objectivo avaliar o efeito de uma estrutura artificial, construída para diminuir a exposição da costa à acção das ondas, sobre a organização e o funcionamento das comunidades adjacentes. O presente estudo teve como objectivo geral avaliar o efeito da natureza do substrato na composição e estrutura de comunidades do intertidal rochoso da ilha de São Miguel. Contemplou um desenho experimental que envolveu investigar molhes de basalto e molhes de cimento em diferentes locais do litoral da ilha, comparando as comunidades maduras de ambos e investigando a colonização de placas de substrato natural e artificial colocadas em ambos. Os resultados obtidos para a caracterização das comunidades maduras revelaram que não existem diferenças significativas ao nível das associações epibióticas que habitam nos diferentes substratos (basalto/cimento) para nenhum dos níveis de costa estudados (infra e mediolitoral). Por outro lado, encontraram‐se diferenças significativas ao nível da colonização das placas colocadas nos dois tipos de molhes. Os resultados sugerem que, embora a natureza do substrato não pareça ser factor condicionante das comunidades maduras, tem influência ao nível do recrutamento das placas, de acordo com o tipo placa, altura de costa e natureza dos molhes.ABSTRACT: Degradation of the littoral ecosystems is increasing worldwide. The natural coastline is being replaced by artificial structures built either for land protection, or for protection of activities related to the sea. In most developed countries the natural shore is visibly disappearing and progressively being replaced by artificial structures that can impair coastal biodiversity. On the island of São Miguel, the most developed of the archipelago, there is already a considerable number of artificial structures on the coast. Research on the effect of urbanization on coastal natural systems has increased recently. Despite this trend, few studies have focused on changes in the distribution and abundance of organisms, caused by the introduction of man‐made structures. In the Azores only one study developed on the island of Pico is known. It was aimed to evaluate the effect of an artificial structure, built to minimize the influence of wave‐action of the coast, on the organization and functioning of adjacent communities. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the nature of the substrate on the composition and structure of rocky intertidal communities of the island of São Miguel. The experimental design adopted involved the characterization of established mature communities on seawalls made of basalt and cement, and to experimentally examine the effects of substrate nature on the colonization of assemblages on seawalls. The structure of established mature communities was similar on seawalls made of the different substrates (basalt / cement) for any level of the coastline studied (infra/eulittoral). However, significant differences were found in the structure of early successional assemblages colonizing experimental plates of different substrate types (basalt vs cement), and which was also influenced by the nature of the surrounding habitat. The results suggest that the nature of the substrate does not seem to influence the mature communities but it influences the recruitment, depending on the type of plate, the level of the coast and the nature of the seawalls

Qualidade de vida da população adulta brasileira através do questionário SF-8

The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life in the Brazilian adult population, based on the U.S. standard population. It involved a cross-sectional population-based study with probabilistic sampling of 2,420 individuals (725 men and 1695 women) aged 40 or more in different geographic regions of Brazil. A socio-demographic questionnaire and the SF-8 (Short Form-8) were administered in interview form. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, the Mann-Whitney test and Tukey's test were used in the analysis. Females, populations in the northeastern region, the population of the regions of Brasília (Distrito Federal), Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul State) and Goiania (Goiás State), Brazil, demonstrated worse quality of life. Age, education and income had influence over quality of life domains. This study presents quality of life estimates for the Brazilian adult population, based on the SF-8 questionnaire. The mean values on the subscales and components of the SF-8 appeared to be influenced by gender, geographic region, family income, age and schooling.Avaliar a qualidade de vida da população adulta brasileira, com base em normas populacionais norte-americanas. Estudo transversal de base populacional, por amostragem probabilística. Dois mil, quatrocentos e vinte indivíduos (725 homens e 1.695 mulheres) com idade de 40 anos ou mais foram avaliados em diferentes regiões geográficas brasileiras. Um questionário sociodemográfico e o SF-8 (Short Form-8) foram aplicados através de entrevista. Estatísticas descritivas, a análise de variância (ANOVA), o teste de Mann-Whitney e o teste de Tukey foram utilizados. O sexo feminino, a população da Região Nordeste e de Brasília (Distrito Federal), Goiânia (Goiás) e Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul) apresentaram os piores níveis de qualidade de vida. A idade, a escolaridade e a renda familiar influenciaram negativamente vários domínios de qualidade de vida. O presente estudo apresenta estimativas de qualidade de vida, baseadas no SF-8, para a população adulta brasileira. As médias dos domínios e componentes sumários do SF-8 parecem sofrer influência do sexo, da região geográfica, da renda familiar, da idade e da escolaridade dos participantes.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Existence of continuous utility functions for arbitrary binary relations: some sufficient conditions

We present new sufficient conditions for the existence of a continuous utility function for an arbitrary binary relation on a topological space. Such conditions are basically obtained by using both the concept of a weakly continuous binary relation on a topological space and the concept of a countable network weight. In particular, we are concerned with suitable topological notions which generalize the concept of compactness and do not imply second countability or local compactness

Existence of continuous utility functions for arbitrary binary relations: some sufficient conditions

We present new sufficient conditions for the existence of a continuous utility function for an arbitrary binary relation on a topological space. Such conditions are basically obtained by using both the concept of a weakly continuous binary relation on a topological space and the concept of a countable network weight. In particular, we are concerned with suitable topological notions which generalize the concept of compactness and do not imply second countability or local compactness

Normally preordered spaces and continuous multi-utilities

[EN] We study regular, normal and perfectly normal preorders by referring to suitable assumptions concerning the preorder and the topology of the space. We also present conditions for the existence of a countable continuous multi-utility representation, hence a Richter-Peleg multi-utility representation, by assuming the existence of a countable net weight.This research was carried out within the Gruppo Nazionale per l’Analisi Matematica, la Probabilit`a e le loro Applicazioni, Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica (Italy).Bosi, G.; Caterino, A.; Ceppitelli, R. (2016). Normally preordered spaces and continuous multi-utilities. Applied General Topology. 17(1):71-81. doi:10.4995/agt.2016.4561.SWORD7181171Alcantud, J. C. R., Bosi, G., & Zuanon, M. (2015). Richter–Peleg multi-utility representations of preorders. Theory and Decision, 80(3), 443-450. doi:10.1007/s11238-015-9506-zAlcantud, J. C. R., Bosi, G., Campión, M. J., Candeal, J. C., Induráin, E., & Rodríguez-Palmero, C. (2007). Continuous Utility Functions Through Scales. Theory and Decision, 64(4), 479-494. doi:10.1007/s11238-007-9025-7Bosi, G., & Herden, G. (2012). Continuous multi-utility representations of preorders. Journal of Mathematical Economics, 48(4), 212-218. doi:10.1016/j.jmateco.2012.05.001Bosi, G., & Herden, G. (2016). On continuous multi-utility representations of semi-closed and closed preorders. Mathematical Social Sciences, 79, 20-29. doi:10.1016/j.mathsocsci.2015.10.006Bosi, G., & Isler, R. (2000). Separation axioms in topological preordered spaces and the existence of continuous order-preserving functions. Applied General Topology, 1(1), 93. doi:10.4995/agt.2000.3026Bosi, G., & Mehta, G. B. (2002). Existence of a semicontinuous or continuous utility function: a unified approach and an elementary proof. Journal of Mathematical Economics, 38(3), 311-328. doi:10.1016/s0304-4068(02)00058-7Caterino, A., & Ceppitelli, R. (2015). Jointly continuous utility functions on submetrizable kω-spaces. Topology and its Applications, 190, 109-118. doi:10.1016/j.topol.2015.04.012Caterino, A., Ceppitelli, R., & Holá, Ľ. (2013). Some generalizations of Backʼs Theorem. Topology and its Applications, 160(18), 2386-2395. doi:10.1016/j.topol.2013.07.033Caterino, A., Ceppitelli, R., & Maccarino, F. (2009). Continuous utility functions on submetrizable hemicompact k-spaces. Applied General Topology, 10(2), 187-195. doi:10.4995/agt.2009.1732Evren, Ö., & Ok, E. A. (2011). On the multi-utility representation of preference relations. Journal of Mathematical Economics, 47(4-5), 554-563. doi:10.1016/j.jmateco.2011.07.003K�nzi, H.-P. A. (1990). Completely regular ordered spaces. Order, 7(3), 283-293. doi:10.1007/bf00418656Minguzzi, E. (2011). Normally Preordered Spaces and Utilities. Order, 30(1), 137-150. doi:10.1007/s11083-011-9230-

Impact of calreticulin mutations on clinical and hematological phenotype and outcome in essential thrombocythemia

Key Points CALR mutations occur in half of JAK2 and MPL wt patients with ET and associate with some distinctive phenotypic traits. Patients with ET harboring CALR mutations are at significantly lower risk of thrombosis compared with JAK2- and MPL-mutated patients