Accurate Evolutions of Orbiting Binary Black Holes

We present a detailed analysis of binary black hole evolutions in the last orbit and demonstrate consistent and convergent results for the trajectories of the individual bodies. The gauge choice can significantly affect the overall accuracy of the evolution. It is possible to reconcile certain gauge-dependent discrepancies by examining the convergence limit. We illustrate these results using an initial data set recently evolved by Brügmann et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 211101 (2004)]. For our highest resolution and most accurate gauge, we estimate the duration of this data set's last orbit to be approximately 59MADM

Influence of age and seasonality on boar seminal plasma steroids quantification: A preliminary study

Background and Aim: Seasonal changes, especially temperature and photoperiod, are well-known determining factors of swine reproductive capacity, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of age and seasonal variations on boar seminal plasma steroids (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], cortisol [CORT], and testosterone [TEST]) over 1 year.Materials and Methods: Four commercial hybrid adult boars (Large White x Duroc), aged between 12 and 44 months, were repeatedly evaluated at the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences of the University of Bologna. Daily temperature and light hours relating to the collection date were considered for each observation within the four astronomical seasons: Winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Hormones were quantified using radioimmunoassay. The association between seasonal factors and hormone concentrations was evaluated using linear regression models. Univariate models were estimated for each hormone to assess the influence of the independent variables; two multivariate models were assessed to evaluate the effect of temperature and daylight hours, including boar and season factors.Results: Age significantly affected all analyzed hormones (CORT p < 0.0001; DHEA p < 0.0001; and TEST p < 0.0001). The highest average levels were found for each hormone during summertime, suggesting a positive correlation between steroid concentrations with temperature and light hours.Conclusion: The results of this study support the hypothesis that the increase in external temperature and light hours is somehow associated with higher levels of steroid concentrations in the seminal plasma of in-housed boars. These findings may help further investigate seasonal fluctuations in reproductive outcomes, which are well-known for porcine species

Low-Protein Diets in Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients: Are They Feasible and Worth the Effort?

Low-protein diets (LPDs) are often considered as contraindicated in diabetic patients, and are seldom studied. The aim of this observational study was to provide new data on this issue. It involved 149 diabetic and 300 non-diabetic patients who followed a LPD, with a personalized approach aimed at moderate protein restriction (0.6 g/day). Survival analysis was performed according to Kaplan–Meier, and multivariate analysis with Cox model. Diabetic versus non-diabetic patients were of similar age (median 70 years) and creatinine levels at the start of the diet (2.78 mg/dL vs. 2.80 mg/dL). There was higher prevalence of nephrotic proteinuria in diabetic patients (27.52% vs. 13.67%, p = 0.002) as well as comorbidity (median Charlson index 8 vs. 6 p = 0.002). Patient survival was lower in diabetic patients, but differences levelled off considering only cases with Charlson index > 7, the only relevant covariate in Cox analysis. Dialysis-free survival was superimposable in the setting of good compliance (Mitch formula: 0.47 g/kg/day in both groups): about 50% of the cases remained dialysis-free 2 years after the first finding of e-GFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) < 15 mL/min, and 1 year after reaching e-GFR < 10 mL/min. In patients with type 2 diabetes, higher proteinuria was associated with mortality and initiation of dialysis. In conclusion, moderately restricted LPDs allow similar results in diabetic and non non-diabetic patients with similar comorbidity

Gamma-Knife Radiosurgery in Acromegaly: A 4-Year Follow-Up Study

Stereotactic radiosurgery by gamma-knife (GK) is an attractive therapeutic option after failure of microsurgical removal in patients with pituitary adenoma. In these tumors or remnants of them, it aims to obtain the arrest of cell proliferation and hormone hypersecretion using a single precise high dose of ionizing radiation, sparing surrounding structures. The long-term efficacy and toxicity of GK in acromegaly are only partially known. Thirty acromegalic patients (14 women and 16 men) entered a prospective study of GK treatment. Most were surgical failures, whereas in 3 GK was the primary treatment. Imaging of the adenoma and target coordinates identification were obtained by high resolution magnetic resonance imaging. All patients were treated with multiple isocenters (mean, 8; range, 3\u201311). The 50% isodose was used in 27 patients (90%). The mean margin dose was 20 Gy (range, 15\u201335), and the dose to the visual pathways was always less than 8 Gy. After a median follow-up of 46 months (range, 9\u201396), IGF-I fell from 805 \u3bcg/liter (median; interquartile range, 640\u2013994) to 460 \u3bcg/liter (interquartile range, 217\u2013654; P = 0.0002), and normal age-matched IGF-I levels were reached in 7 patients (23%). Mean GH levels decreased from 10 \u3bcg/liter (interquartile range, 6.4\u201315) to 2.9 \u3bcg/liter (interquartile range, 2\u20135.3; P < 0.0001), reaching levels below 2.5 \u3bcg/liter in 11 (37%). The rate of persistently pathological hormonal levels was still 70% at 5 yr by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The median volume was 1.43 ml (range, 0.20\u20133.7). Tumor shrinkage (at least 25% of basal volume) occurred after 24 months (range, 12\u201336) in 11 of 19 patients (58% of assessable patients). The rate of shrinkage was 79% at 4 yr. In no case was further growth observed. Only 1 patient complained of side-effects (severe headache and nausea immediately after the procedure, with full recovery in a few days with steroid therapy). Anterior pituitary failures were observed in 2 patients, who already had partial hypopituitarism, after 2 and 6 yr, respectively. No patient developed visual deficits. GK is a valid adjunctive tool in the management of acromegaly that controls GH/IGF-I hypersecretion and tumor growth, with shrinkage of adenoma and no recurrence of the disease in the considered observation period and with low acute and chronic toxicit

Local power outages, heat, and community characteristics in New York City

Electrical power outages are of increasing interest to US urban scholars, government officials and stakeholders, as they have increased in number and duration with significant health and economic, among other, impacts. This analysis examines reports of power outages in New York City in relation to socioeconomic and health characteristics of neighborhoods. Using the city’s 311-call database we examine complaint calls for power outages from 2014 to 2022. While 311-calls for power outages occur all year long, volume trended higher during the warmer months (June, July and August), and as minimum daily temperatures exceeded 20 °C (68°F), the number of calls increased dramatically. Spatial clusters of high call areas were in Census tracts with high energy burdens, lower-income households, and high percentages of people of color. Furthermore, we found the higher call areas were associated with higher vulnerability to heat-exacerbated deaths. As climate change is expected to raise temperatures and increase the frequency and intensity of heat waves around the world, and as power outages are becoming more common, these findings will help to provide guidance for adaptation and energy reliability policies in New York City and have implications for other cities globally

Mobilização de reservas durante a germinação das sementes e crescimento das plântulas de Caesalpinia peltophoroides Benth. (Leguminosae-Caesalpinoideae)

Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a mobilização de reservas de sementes de Caesalpinia peltophoroides Benth. durante a germinação e crescimento inicial das plântulas. As variações nas reservas de carbiodratos, lipídios e proteínas foram analisadas desde o período pré-germinativo (0 a 5 dias após a semeadura – DAS) até a total senescência e abscisão dos cotilédones, aos 35 DAS, por meio de testes bioquímicos nos cotilédones das sementes. Os resultados indicaram que os lipídios constituem o principal composto de reserva nos cotilédones, contribuindo com cerca de 50% de massa seca. Carboidratos solúveis representaram 32%, as proteínas solúveis 7,7% e o amido 6,8% de massa seca dos cotilédones. Os lipídios sofreram marcante decréscimo entre 5 e 10 dias após a semeadura, período em que se observou elevada taxa de crescimento das plântulas. Carboidratos e proteínas solúveis exibiram tendência gradativa de queda, enquanto no amido, isso quase não foi detectado. A redução do peso de massa seca dos cotilédones foi bem correlacionada com o aumento da biomassa da plântula.This work aimed at studying the mobilization seed reserves during germination and initial growth of seedlings of Caesalpinia peltophoroides Benth. The variations in carbohydrate, lipid and protein reserves were analyzed from the pre-sprouting period (0 to 5 days after sowing -DAS) to the total senescence and abscission of seeds. The results showed that lipids constitute the main reserve compound in the cotyledon, contributing with almost 50 % of its dry mass weight. Soluble carbohydrates represent 32 %, the soluble proteins 7.7 % and starch 6.8 % of the dry mass weight of cotyledons. Lipids showed a marked decrease between 5 and 10 days after sowing, period of a high seedling growth rate. Carbohydrates and soluble proteins showed a gradual tendency to decrease, while starch was almost non-detectable. The reduction in cotyledon dry mass of weight was well correlated with the increase in the seedling biomass

Performance of 13 crop simulation models and their ensemble for simulating four field crops in Central Europe

The main aim of the current study was to present the abilities of widely used crop models to simulate four different field crops (winter wheat, spring barley, silage maize and winter oilseed rape). The 13 models were tested under Central European conditions represented by three locations in the Czech Republic, selected using temperature and precipitation gradients for the target crops in this region. Based on observed crop phenology and yield from 1991 to 2010, performances of individual models and their ensemble were analyzed. Modelling of anthesis and maturity was generally best simulated by the ensemble median (EnsMED) compared to the ensemble mean and individual models. The yield was better simulated by the best models than estimated by an ensemble. Higher accuracy was achieved for spring crops, with the best results for silage maize, while the lowest accuracy was for winter oilseed rape according to the index of agreement (IA). Based on EnsMED, the root mean square errors (RMSEs) for yield was 1365 kg/ha for winter wheat, 1105 kg/ha for spring barley, 1861 kg/ha for silage maize and 969 kg/ha for winter oilseed rape. The AQUACROP and EPIC models performed best in terms of spread around the line of best fit (RMSE, IA). In some cases, the individual models failed. For crop rotation simulations, only models with reasonable accuracy (i.e. without failures) across all included crops within the target environment should be selected. Application crop models ensemble is one way to increase the accuracy of predictions, but lower variability of ensemble outputs was confirmed.OA-hybri

Crop rotational diversity can mitigate climate-induced grain yield losses

Diversified crop rotations have been suggested to reduce grain yield losses from the adverse climatic conditions increasingly common under climate change. Nevertheless, the potential for climate change adaptation of different crop rotational diversity (CRD) remains undetermined. We quantified how climatic conditions affect small grain and maize yields under different CRDs in 32 long-term (10-63 years) field experiments across Europe and North America. Species-diverse and functionally rich rotations more than compensated yield losses from anomalous warm conditions, long and warm dry spells, as well as from anomalous wet (for small grains) or dry (for maize) conditions. Adding a single functional group or crop species to monocultures counteracted yield losses from substantial changes in climatic conditions. The benefits of a further increase in CRD are comparable with those of improved climatic conditions. For instance, the maize yield benefits of adding three crop species to monocultures under detrimental climatic conditions exceeded the average yield of monocultures by up to 553 kg/ha under non-detrimental climatic conditions. Increased crop functional richness improved yields under high temperature, irrespective of precipitation. Conversely, yield benefits peaked at between two and four crop species in the rotation, depending on climatic conditions and crop, and declined at higher species diversity. Thus, crop species diversity could be adjusted to maximize yield benefits. Diversifying rotations with functionally distinct crops is an adaptation of cropping systems to global warming and changes in precipitation.</p