The Transmission of the \u3cem\u3eSomniale Danielis\u3c/em\u3e, from Latin to Vernacular Italian (Laurenziano Martelli 12 and Riccardiano 859)

The Somniale Danielis is a dream manual widely circulated in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is structured through dream symbols and their concise explanation. Medieval manuscripts of the Somniale—from the ninth century to the end of the fifteenth century—generally bear the same dreams, but show changes in the structure of their entries. The coherence of its symbology throughout several centuries allows for a linguistic analysis across these dream manuals that situates them in specific cultural contexts. This article focuses on two manuscripts, each containing a Latin and an Italian version of the Somniale, and aims to show how the Italian versions develop, and vary from, the Latin texts, as the vernacular versions simplify the language of their source text in order to create shorter entries

A robust approach to model-based classification based on trimming and constraints

In a standard classification framework a set of trustworthy learning data are employed to build a decision rule, with the final aim of classifying unlabelled units belonging to the test set. Therefore, unreliable labelled observations, namely outliers and data with incorrect labels, can strongly undermine the classifier performance, especially if the training size is small. The present work introduces a robust modification to the Model-Based Classification framework, employing impartial trimming and constraints on the ratio between the maximum and the minimum eigenvalue of the group scatter matrices. The proposed method effectively handles noise presence in both response and exploratory variables, providing reliable classification even when dealing with contaminated datasets. A robust information criterion is proposed for model selection. Experiments on real and simulated data, artificially adulterated, are provided to underline the benefits of the proposed method

Comportamiento reproductivo del lobo marino sudamericano

En la evolución de los lobos sudamericanos, son varios los factores que modelaran sus comportamientos reproductivos y las diferencias entre los sexos que podemos observar en la naturaleza. Una de las principales características es la capacidad de desarrollar un comportamiento reproductivo plástico y cambiante. La influencia de las variaciones ecológicas sobre los sistemas reproductivos modelan las características de las estrategias reproductivas en los pinnípedos, y el lobo marino sudamericano es un ejemplo de ello. Se describen estrategias reproductivas y del comportamiento de la especie Otaria flavescens que ha sido estudiada en detalle en la peníncula de Valdés, Argentina (océano Atlántico sudoccidental)

Mamíferos en el mar : entre lobos y delfínes

Fil: Cappozzo, Humberto Luis. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina.Desde siempre los mamíferos marinos fascinaron al hombre, ya sea por su condición de mamíferos\nadaptados a vivir en el mar, por su condición de importante fuente proteica, o como fuente de\nleyendas; principalmente para el hombre costero del pasado y para algunas culturas actuales que los\nincluyen en sus platos tradicionales y codiciados. Lo cierto es que resultan un modelo de importancia\npara estudiar ecología marina, incluso cuando tenemos en cuenta que en numerosos ecosistemas\npueden competir, potencialmente, con el hombre por el resto de las proteínas de origen marino. Lo\nadecuado sería que pudiéramos coexistir con los mamíferos marinos, extrayendo racionalmente\nalimentos o recursos de los océanos preservando la biodiversidad marina en el proceso

Trunk Inclination Estimate During the Sprint Start Using an Inertial Measurement Unit: A Validation Study

The proper execution of the sprint start is crucial in determining the performance during a sprint race. In this respect, when moving from the crouch to the upright position, trunk kinematics is a key element. The purpose of this study was to validate the use of a trunk-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) in estimating the trunk inclination and angular velocity in the sagittal plane during the sprint start. In-laboratory sprint starts were performed by five sprinters. The local acceleration and angular velocity components provided by the IMU were processed using an adaptive Kalman filter. The accuracy of the IMU inclination estimate and its consistency with trunk inclination were assessed using reference stereophotogrammetric measurements. A Bland-Altman analysis, carried out using parameters (minimum, maximum, and mean values) extracted from the time histories of the estimated variables, and curve similarity analysis (correlation coefficient > 0.99, root mean square difference < 7 deg) indicated the agreement between reference and IMU estimates, opening a promising scenario for an accurate in-field use of IMUs for sprint start performance assessment

Fusión de suturas craneales en el delfín franciscana, Pontoporia blainvillei (Gervais and D'Orbigny, 1844)

Se estudió la fusión de suturas craneales y su asimetría bilateral en el delfín franciscana, Pontoporia blainvillei. Nuestros resultados mostraron que el cierre de suturas presenta baja variabilidad asociada a la longitud corporal total, exceptuando la sutura premaxilar-maxilar, cuyo estado de fusión mostró cierta asociación con el tamaño. Las suturas no mostraron asimetría direccional en su patrón de cierre, en concordancia con los resultados encontrados para las especies de delfines estudiadas hasta ahora. Nuestros resultados apoyan la idea de que diferentes especies de delfines exhiben distintos patrones de cierre de suturas asociados con su historia evolutiva y sus demandas funcionales específicas, y que no hay un patrón común general.Cranial suture closure and its bilateral asymmetry in the franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, were studied. Our results showed that the closure of cranial sutures exhibit low variability associated to total body size, with the exception of the premaxilla-maxilla suture which showed some correlation with body size. The cranial sutures of franciscana dolphins showed closure with no directional asymmetry, in accordance with the results found in dolphin species studied to date. Our results support the idea that different species of dolphins exhibit distinct patterns of suture closure, associated with their specific evolutionary histories and functional demands, and that there is no general common pattern.Fil: del Castillo, Daniela Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Flores, David Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo. San Miguel de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Cappozzo, Humberto Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentin

A mathematical model of interleukin-6 dynamics during exercise

Physical exercise is known to reduce the chronic inflammatory status that leads to Type 2 Diabetes. Its beneficial effects seem to be exerted trough a primary production of the cytokine Interleukin-6 (IL-6) which triggers a cascade of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Consequently, IL-6 has a central role in the description of the metabolic effects of exercise. The aim of this study was to develop a model of IL-6 dynamics during exercise. A model constituted by two non-linear differential equations is proposed. Since IL-6 production seems to be dependent not only on exercise duration but also on exercise intensity, input to the model is represented by heart rate, which is known to correlate well with exercise intensity. Model implementation in a Matlab-based parametric identification procedure allowed optimization of adjustable characteristic coefficients of IL-6 dynamics during exercise. From the reported results, it can be concluded that this model is a suitable tool to reproduce IL-6 time course during the execution of a physical exercise. This model was the first step of a project aimed at describing the complete immune system response to exercise and at giving a comprehensive sight of the effects that exercise has on the metabolic system

Variação na composição isotópica do Cynoscion guatucupa no Oceano Atlântico Sul

The aim of this study was to analyze the isotopic composition in muscle of striped weakfish Cynoscion guatucupa from Southwest Atlantic Ocean in order to evaluate a possible variation in δ13C and δ15N in response to dietary shifts that occur as animals grow. We also explored for isotopic evidence of differences between sample locations. The results showed an agreement between isotope analysis and previous conventional studies. Differences in the isotope composition between sampling location were not observed. A positive relation exists between isotope values and total body length of the animals. The Cluster analysis defined three groups of size classes, validated by the MDS. Differences in the relative consumption of prey species in each size class were also observed performing isotope mixing models (SIAR). Variation in δ15N among size classes would be associated with the consumption of a different type of prey as animals grow. Small striped weakfish feed on small crustaceans and progressively increase their consumption of fish (anchovy, Engraulis anchoita), increasing by this way their isotope values. On the other hand, differences in δ13C values seemed to be related to age-class specific spatial distribution patterns. Therefore, large and small striped weakfish remain specialized but feeding on different prey at different trophic levels. These results contribute to the study of the diet of striped weakfish, improve the isotopic ecology models and highlight on the importance of accounting for variation in the isotopic composition in response to dietary shifts with the size of one of the most important fishery resources in the region.O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a composição isotópica no músculo de Cynoscion guatucupa no Oceano Atlântico Sul Ocidental, a fim de avaliar uma possível variação de δ13C e δ15N como resposta às mudanças ontogenéticas na dieta. Foram também exploradas evidências isotópicas de diferenças entre os locais de amostragem. Os resultados mostraram uma concordância entre a análise de isótopos e os estudos convencionais prévios. Diferenças na composição isotópica entre locais de amostragem não foram observadas. Uma relação positiva existe entre valores isotópicos e comprimento total dos animais. A análise de cluster definiu três grupos de classes de tamanho, validados pelo MDS. Foram também observadas, através de modelos isotópicos mistos (SIAR), diferenças no consumo relativo de espécies de presas para cada classe de tamanho. Variações em δ15N entre as classes de tamanho estariam associadas ao consumo de diferentes tipos de presas ao longo do crescimento dos animais. Indivíduos pequenos alimentam-se de pequenos crustáceos e progressivamente aumentam seu consumo de peixes (Engraulis anchoita), aumentando assim os seus valores isotópicos. Por outro lado, as diferenças nos valores de δ13C parecem estar relacionadas com variações no padrão de distribuição espacial específico de cada classe idade. Desta maneira, tanto C. guatucupa grandes como pequenos permanecem especializados, porém alimentando-se de presas diferentes, em diferentes níveis tróficos e em diferentes áreas. Estes resultados contribuem para o estudo da dieta de C. guatucupa, melhoram os modelos de ecologia isotópica e ressaltam a importância de se considerar a variação na composição isotópica na resposta às mudanças de dieta relacionadas ao tamanho de um dos principais recursos pesqueiros da região.Fil: Paso Viola, María Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; ArgentinaFil: Riccialdelli, Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Jaureguizar, Andrés Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Panarello, Hector Osvaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; ArgentinaFil: Cappozzo, Humberto Luis. Universidad Maimónides; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; Argentina. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentin

Direct and indirect orthotic management of medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful condition and affects approximately 80% of individuals by the age of 55 [1], with knee OA occurring two times more frequently than OA of the hand or hip [2].The condition is more prevalent in the medial compartment and restricts the daily lives of individuals due to pain and a lack of functional independence. Patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis often have a varus alignment, with the mechanical axis and load bearing passing through this compartment with a greater adduction moment leading to greater pain and progression of osteoarthritis [3]. Surgery for the condition is possible although in some cases, particularly younger patients or those not yet requiring surgery, clinical management remains a challenge. Before surgery is considered, however, conservative management is advocated, though no one treatment has been shown to be most effective, and there are few quality biomechanical or clinical studies. Of the conservative approaches the principal orthotic treatments are valgus knee braces and laterally wedged foot inlays. Studies of knee valgus bracing have consistently demonstrated an associated decreased pain and improved function [4], and greater confidence [5]. A laterally wedged foot inlay has a thicker lateral border and applies a valgus moment to the heel. It is theorised that by changing the position of the ankle and subtalar joints during weight-bearing [6] the lateral wedges may apply a valgus moment across the knee as well as the rearfoot, with the assumed reduction on load in the medial knee compartment [7]. However, there has been no study to directly compare these orthotic treatments in the same study. The aim of this research is to investigate the efficacy of valgus knee braces and laterally wedged foot inlays in reducing the varus knee moment

Knee Kinematics Estimation Using Multi-Body Optimisation Embedding a Knee Joint Stiffness Matrix: A Feasibility Study

The use of multi-body optimisation (MBO) to estimate joint kinematics from stereophotogrammetric data while compensating for soft tissue artefact is still open to debate. Presently used joint models embedded in MBO, such as mechanical linkages, constitute a considerable simplification of joint function, preventing a detailed understanding of it. The present study proposes a knee joint model where femur and tibia are represented as rigid bodies connected through an elastic element the behaviour of which is described by a single stiffness matrix. The deformation energy, computed from the stiffness matrix and joint angles and displacements, is minimised within the MBO. Implemented as a “soft” constraint using a penalty-based method, this elastic joint description challenges the strictness of “hard” constraints. In this study, estimates of knee kinematics obtained using MBO embedding four different knee joint models (i.e., no constraints, spherical joint, parallel mechanism, and elastic joint) were compared against reference kinematics measured using bi-planar fluoroscopy on two healthy subjects ascending stairs. Bland-Altman analysis and sensitivity analysis investigating the influence of variations in the stiffness matrix terms on the estimated kinematics substantiate the conclusions. The difference between the reference knee joint angles and displacements and the corresponding estimates obtained using MBO embedding the stiffness matrix showed an average bias and standard deviation for kinematics of 0.9±3.2° and 1.6±2.3 mm. These values were lower than when no joint constraints (1.1±3.8°, 2.4±4.1 mm) or a parallel mechanism (7.7±3.6°, 1.6±1.7 mm) were used and were comparable to the values obtained with a spherical joint (1.0±3.2°, 1.3±1.9 mm). The study demonstrated the feasibility of substituting an elastic joint for more classic joint constraints in MBO