Memory Diagnostic in Time Series

The objectives of this thesis is to evaluate the reliability of different periodogram-based estimation techniques and their non-spectral alternatives, implemented in the free software environment for statistical computing and graphics R, in distinguishing time series sequences with different memory processes, specifically to discriminate (1) two different classes of persistent signals within fractal analysis, fractional Brownian motions (fBm) and fractional Gaussian noises (fGn) (2) nonstationary and stationary ARFIMA (p,d,q) processes as well as (3) short- and long-term memory properties of the latter, and to assess the accuracy of the corresponding estimates. After a brief introduction into time- and frequency-domain analyzes fundamental concepts such as the ARFIMA methodology and fractal analysis for modeling and estimating long-(LRD) and short-range dependence (SRD) as well as (non)stationary of time series are presented. Furthermore, empirical studies utilizing time series analysis of long memory processes as diagnostic tools within psychological research are demonstrated. Three simulation studies designed to solve the abovementioned methodological problems represent the main field of this thesis, i.e., the reliable identification of different memory as well as specific statistical properties of ARFIMA and fractal time series and the assessment of estimation accuracy of the procedures under evaluation, and thus, based on the empirical findings, recommending the most reliable procedures for the task at hand

SEISMOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE 1917 MONTERCHI EARTHQUAKE (CENTRAL APENNINES, ITALY) FOR SEISMOTECTONIC IMPLICATIONS

On April 26, 1917 at 9:35:59 (GMT) an earthquake occurred in the Sansepolcro Basin (the northernmost portion of the High Tiber Valley - Italy) producing large damages and fatalities. This event, noted as Monterchi earthquake, is well constrained in the Catalogue of Strong Italian Earthquakes (Boschi et al., 2000) by 134 felt reports locations, mainly distributed on the right side of the Tiber Valley, mostly affecting the towns of Monterchi, Citerna and surrounding localities. The maximum and epicentral intensity was determined as Io=IX-X degree of the MCS scale corresponding to an equivalent magnitude of Me=6 that define this event as the most important of the region. The Sansepolcro Basin was generated on the hanging-wall of the Altotiberina Fault (ATF) system. The ATF system is composed by an E-dipping low-angle normal fault, active at least since the Late Pliocene, that represents one of the main regional detachments of the Northern Apennines, and its antithetic W-dipping high-angle normal faults (Barchi, et al., 2009, Boncio et al., 2000). Although the southern part of the ATF was demonstrated to creep (Piccinini et al., 2003), its capability to generate strong or moderate earthquakes is still debated and the historical seismicity that affected the region was not associated to specific geologic sources. For these reasons the study of the Monterchi earthquake plays an important role in the debate. On this light, many authors tried to define the main seismic source parameters through the analysis of historical seismograms and respective bulletins. Preliminary results were presented at previous ECEES, ESC and EGU congresses (Caciagli et al., 2006, Ciaccio et al., 2008, Bernardi et al., 2009). In all these works the hypocentre of the Monterchi earthquake has been substantially unresolved, because of the absolute P and S-phases use, and, for this reason, its epicentre was located 20 km North of the macroseismic one. Concerning the focal mechanism, Bernardi et al. (2009) proposed a moment tensor solution for the Monterchi event, based on almost horizontal recordings from 4 stations situated in a very small azimuthal range. Independently of the validity of the normal fault mechanism proposed by Bernardi et al (2009) their conclusions fit perfectly in the context of the seismotectonic setting of the ATF, but do not account for the discrepancy between the instrumental and the macroseismic epicentres. Today, 49 seismograms from 19 different Euro-Mediterranean observatories are available in the database of the SISMOS Project – INGV (http://sismos.rm.ingv.it/) The BAAS (British Association for Advancement of Sciences) bulletin of 1917, although if incomplete because of the 1st World War, reports a list of 21 seismological observatories that recorded the P and S-phases for this earthquake. Additionally to this database, we included additional arrival-times deriving from further seismic bulletins not contained in the BAAS reports and from directly digitizing original historical seismograms. An incisive approach to analyse these different data allows us to obtain a new, robust and consistent hypocentral solution, coherent with the macroseismic data, in particular by using S-P travel time differences for recordings where the absolute timing is uncertain. An accurate research on the technical characteristics of the recording historical seismometers (period, damping, gain etc), including the analysis of the instrumental natural period recorded in some seismograms, allows to deconvolute the original digitized seismic traces in order to evaluate the potential of moment tensor inversion, to determine the main seismic parameters (Mo, Mw, Circular Fault Radius), and to implement the solution in the framework of the regional tectonic setting

Relationship among low T3 levels, type 3 deiodinase, oxidative stress, and mortality in sepsis and septic shock : defining patient outcomes

Low T3 syndrome occurs frequently in patients with sepsis. Type 3 deiodinase (DIO3) is present in immune cells, but there is no description of its presence in patients with sepsis. Here, we aimed to determine the prognostic impact of thyroid hormones levels (TH), measured on ICU admission, on mortality and evolution to chronic critical illness (CCI) and the presence of DIO3 in white cells. We used a prospective cohort study with a follow-up for 28 days or deceased. Low T3 levels at admission were present in 86.5% of the patients. DIO3 was induced by 55% of blood immune cells. The cutoff value of 60 pg/mL for T3 displayed a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 64% for predicting death, with an odds ratio of 4.89. Lower T3 yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.76 for mortality and 0.75 for evolution to CCI, thus displaying better performance than commonly used prognostic scores. The high expression of DIO3 in white cells provides a novel mechanism to explain the reduction in T3 levels in sepsis patients. Further, low T3 levels independently predict progression to CCI and mortality within 28 days for sepsis and septic shock patients

Tissue Sampling Guides for Porcine Biomedical Models

This article provides guidelines for organ and tissue sampling adapted to porcine animal models in translational medical research. Detailed protocols for the determination of sampling locations and numbers as well as recommendations on the orientation, size, and trimming direction of samples from approximate to 50 different porcine organs and tissues are provided in the Supplementary Material. The proposed sampling protocols include the generation of samples suitable for subsequent qualitative and quantitative analyses, including cryohistology, paraffin, and plastic histology;immunohistochemistry;in situ hybridization;electron microscopy;and quantitative stereology as well as molecular analyses of DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites, and electrolytes. With regard to the planned extent of sampling efforts, time, and personnel expenses, and dependent upon the scheduled analyses, different protocols are provided. These protocols are adjusted for (I) routine screenings, as used in general toxicity studies or in analyses of gene expression patterns or histopathological organ alterations, (II) advanced analyses of single organs/tissues, and (III) large-scale sampling procedures to be applied in biobank projects. Providing a robust reference for studies of porcine models, the described protocols will ensure the efficiency of sampling, the systematic recovery of high-quality samples representing the entire organ or tissue as well as the intra-/interstudy comparability and reproducibility of results

Adsorção de corante azul de metileno por diferentes métodos de obtenção de quitina de resíduo de camarão

A indústria têxtil, muito importante para a economia mundial, gera um efluente que contém corantes e, quando descartado em corpos hídricos sem o tratamento adequado, pode causar impactos na saúde humana e no meio ambiente. Um desses corantes amplamente utilizado é o azul de metileno, cujas características são a alta solubilidade em água e seu potencial tóxico, causando desde irritações nos olhos, náuseas e vômitos até confusão mental. Entre os potenciais adsorventes desse corante está a quitina, que é um biopolímero extraído do exoesqueleto do camarão. Objetivando o desenvolvimento de um material adsorvente de baixo custo com potencial uso na indústria de tratamento de efluentes têxteis, verificou-se a capacidade de remoção de corante azul de metileno por quitina de resíduo de camarão, obtida por onze diferentes metodologias. Os três tratamentos mais eficientes alcançaram aproximadamente 75% de remoção do corante, comprovando o alto poder de adsorção do resíduo de camarão. Além de proporcionar desenvolvimento tecnológico de materiais, a pesquisa traz benefícios socioeconômicos para a colônia de pescadores com a utilização de resíduo de camarão para a adsorção de outro resíduo proveniente da indústria têxtil, contribuindo para a sustentabilidade de ambas as atividades e reduzindo o impacto ambiental.The textile industry, very important for the world economy, generates an effluent containing dyes, and which, when discarded in water bodies without proper treatment, can cause impacts to human health and the environment. One of these widely used dyes is methylene blue, whose characteristics are high solubility in water and its toxic potential, and which effects range from eye irritations, nausea, vomiting and even mental confusion. Among the potential adsorbents of this dye is chitin, which is a biopolymer extracted from the shrimp exoskeleton. Aiming at the development of a low-cost adsorbent material with potential use in the textile effluent treatment industry, the ability to remove methylene blue dye by shrimp residue chitin, obtained by eleven different methodologies, was verified. The three most efficient treatments reached approximately 75% of dye removal, proving the high adsorption power of shrimp residue. In addition to providing technological development of materials, the research brings socioeconomic benefits to the fishermen’s colony with the use of shrimp residue for the adsorption of other waste from the textile industry, contributing to the sustainability of both activities and reducing the environmental impact

Association of telomerase activity with radio- and chemosensitivity of neuroblastomas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Telomerase activity compensates shortening of telomeres during cell division and enables cancer cells to escape senescent processes. It is also supposed, that telomerase is associated with radio- and chemoresistance. In the here described study we systematically investigated the influence of telomerase activity (TA) and telomere length on the outcome of radio- and chemotherapy in neuroblastoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied the effects on dominant negative (DN) mutant, wild type (WT) of the telomerase catalytic unit (hTERT) using neuroblastoma cell lines. The cells were irradiated with ⁶⁰Co and treated with doxorubicin, etoposide, cisplatin and ifosfamide, respectively. Viability was determined by MTS/MTT-test and the GI₅₀was calculated. Telomere length was measured by southernblot analysis and TA by Trap-Assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared to the hTERT expressing cells the dominant negative cells showed increased radiosensitivity with decreased telomere length. Independent of telomere length, telomerase negative cells are significantly more sensitive to irradiation. The effect of TA knock-down or overexpression on chemosensitivity were dependent on TA, the anticancer drug, and the chemosensitivity of the maternal cell line.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results supported the concept of telomerase inhibition as an antiproliferative treatment approach in neuroblastomas. Telomerase inhibition increases the outcome of radiotherapy while in combination with chemotherapy the outcome depends on drug- and cell line and can be additive/synergistic or antagonistic. High telomerase activity is one distinct cancer stem cell feature and the here described cellular constructs in combination with stem cell markers like CD133, Aldehyddehydrogenase-1 (ALDH-1) or Side population (SP) may help to investigate the impact of telomerase activity on cancer stem cell survival under therapy.</p