Thermal circulation on a rotating sphere; with application to the oceanic thermocline

We consider the thermal boundary layer beneath the surface of a differentially heated fluid portion of a rotating sphere, i.e., a region in which thermal conductivity is important but viscosity is negligible. A general three-dimensional similarity transformation is performed, and features of the related temperature and flow fields are studied. It is found that an upwelling of cold water into the boundary layer region from below is always necessary, that horizontal advection of heat is relatively negligible, and that a strong relation exists between boundary layer depth and surface-forcing function. The solutions are examined for numbers characteristic of the main oceanic thermocline

A conceptual framework for creating brand management strategies

Branding has become a business priority over the past few decades due to the growing awareness that brands are one of the companies' most valuable intangible assets. Academics and practitioners have proposed models of components to simplify brands into a small number of parts, or dimensions. Nonetheless, there is a lack of specific approaches to brand management models that fit specific business scenarios. The objective of this study was to propose a general framework to create custom brand management strategies that fit specific business scenarios through a set of independent brand dimensions. The framework was applied to the specific case of SME alliance in a B2B export environment as an example of use. This study reviews the most cited brand management models in literature and classified them into 12 independent brand dimensions. The results suggest that regardless of the brand management model, all of them converge on the fact that creating a highquality brand relationship with the customer is crucial for the branding process. Findings suggest non-evident relationships between dimensions. The findings also suggest that brand dimensions' and brand dimension relationships' importance in specific business scenarios shape brand management models in unique ways

Paralelismo de inversores de tensão controlados pelo valor médio instanâneo da tensão de saída

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica

Le Fonds d'investissement de Montréal

monographi

La Coopérative d’habitation des Cantons de l’Est

Recherche réalisée grâce aux contributions de la Chaire de coopération Guy-Bernier et du Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada

Neutropenia as an adverse event following vaccination : results from randomized clinical trials in healthy adults and systematic review

Background : In the context of early vaccine trials aimed at evaluating the safety profile of novel vaccines, abnormal haematological values, such as neutropenia, are often reported. It is therefore important to evaluate how these trials should be planned not to miss potentially important safety signals, but also to understand the implications and the clinical relevance. Methodology : We report and discuss the results from five clinical trials (two with a new Shigella vaccine in the early stage of clinical development and three with licensed vaccines) where the absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) were evaluated before and after vaccination. Additionally, we have performed a systematic review of the literature on cases of neutropenia reported during vaccine trials to discuss our results in a more general context. Principal Findings : Both in our clinical trials and in the literature review, several cases of neutropenia have been reported, in the first two weeks after vaccination. However, neutropenia was generally transient and had a benign clinical outcome, after vaccination with either multiple novel candidates or well-known licensed vaccines. Additionally, the vaccine recipients with neutropenia frequently had lower baseline ANC than non-neutropenic vaccinees. In many instances neutropenia occurred in subjects of African descent, known to have lower ANC compared to western populations. Conclusions : It is important to include ANC and other haematological tests in early vaccine trials to identify potential safety signals. Post-vaccination neutropenia is not uncommon, generally transient and clinically benign, but many vaccine trials do not have a sampling schedule that allows its detection. Given ethnic variability in the level of circulating neutrophils, normal ranges taking into account ethnicity should be used for determination of trial inclusion/exclusion criteria and classification of neutropenia related adverse events

Effects of temperature and salinity on the standard metabolic rate (SMR) of the caridean shrimp Palaemon peringueyi

The standard metabolic rate (SMR) of the caridean shrimp Palaemon peringueyi to changes in temperature (15–30 °C), salinity (0–45‰) and a combination thereof was investigated. The rate of oxygen consumption of the shrimp was determined using a YSI oxygen meter. At a constant salinity of 35‰ the respiration rate of P. peringueyi increased with an increase in temperature and ranged between 0.260 and 0.982 μl O[subscript 2] mg wwt[superscript −1] h[superscript −1]. The Q[subscript 10] value over the temperature range 15–25 °C was estimated at 3.13. At a constant temperature of 15 °C the respiration rate of P. peringueyi also increased with an increase in salinity and ranged between 0.231 and 0.860 μl O[subscript 2] mg wwt[superscript −1] h[superscript −1]. For combination experiments the absence of any significant difference in the respiration rate of P. peringueyi at the four temperatures over the salinity range 15–35‰ suggests that the shrimp is well adapted to inhabiting environments characterised by variations in salinity and temperature such as those encountered within the middle and lower reaches of permanently open estuaries with substantial freshwater inflow. On the other hand, the total mortality of the shrimp recorded at salinities 35‰ suggests that the shrimp may experience osmotic stress in freshwater deprived permanently open and intermittently open estuaries where hypersaline conditions may develop

Specification of Neuropeptide Cell Identity by the Integration of Retrograde BMP Signaling and a Combinatorial Transcription Factor Code

AbstractIndividual neurons express only one or a few of the many identified neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, but the molecular mechanisms controlling their selection are poorly understood. In the Drosophila ventral nerve cord, the six Tv neurons express the neuropeptide gene FMRFamide. Each Tv neuron resides within a neuronal cell group specified by the LIM-homeodomain gene apterous. We find that the zinc-finger gene squeeze acts in Tv cells to promote their unique axon pathfinding to a peripheral target. There, the BMP ligand Glass bottom boat activates the Wishful thinking receptor, initiating a retrograde BMP signal in the Tv neuron. This signal acts together with apterous and squeeze to activate FMRFamide expression. Reconstituting this “code,” by combined BMP activation and apterous/squeeze misexpression, triggers ectopic FMRFamide expression in peptidergic neurons. Thus, an intrinsic transcription factor code integrates with an extrinsic retrograde signal to select a specific neuropeptide identity within peptidergic cells

Spatio-temporal variations of Anopheles coluzzii and An. gambiae and their Plasmodium infectivity rates in Lobito, Angola

From 2003 to 2007, entomological surveys were conducted in Lobito town (Benguela Province, Angola) to determine which Anopheles species were present and to identify the vectors responsible for malaria transmission in areas where workers of the Sonamet Company live. Two types of surveys were conducted: (1) time and space surveys in the low and upper parts of Lobito during the rainy and dry periods; (2) a two-year longitudinal study in Sonamet workers' houses provided with long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN), "PermaNet," along with the neighboring community. Both species, An. coluzzii (M molecular form) and An. gambiae (S molecular form), were collected. Anopheles coluzzii was predominant during the dry season in the low part of Lobito where larvae develop in natural ponds and temporary pools. However, during the rainy season, An. gambiae was found in higher proportions in the upper part of the town where larvae were collected in domestic water tanks built near houses. Anopheles melas and An. listeri were captured in higher numbers during the dry season and in the low part of Lobito where larvae develop in stagnant brackish water pools. The infectivity rates of An. gambiae s.l. varied from 0.90% to 3.41%