11,011 research outputs found
Context aware Q-Learning-based model for decision support in the negotiation of energy contracts
[EN] Automated negotiation plays a crucial role in the decision support for bilateral energy transactions. In fact, an adequate analysis of past actions of opposing negotiators can improve the decision-making process of market players, allowing them to choose the most appropriate parties to negotiate with in order to increase their outcomes. This paper proposes a new model to estimate the expected prices that can be achieved in bilateral contracts under a specific context, enabling adequate risk management in the negotiation process. The proposed approach is based on an adaptation of the Q-Learning reinforcement learning algorithm to choose the best scenario (set of forecast contract prices) from a set of possible scenarios that are determined using several forecasting and estimation methods. The learning process assesses the probability of occurrence of each scenario, by comparing each expected scenario with the real scenario. The final chosen scenario is the one that presents the higher expected utility value. Besides, the learning method can determine which is the best scenario for each context, since the behaviour of players can change according to the negotiation environment. Consequently, these conditions influence the final contract price of negotiations. This approach allows the supported player to be prepared for the negotiation scenario that is the most probable to represent a reliable approximation of the actual negotiation environme
Yellow tails in the Red Sea: phylogeography of the Indo-Pacific goatfish Mulloidichthys flavolineatus reveals isolation in peripheral provinces and cryptic evolutionary lineages
Aim: Broadly distributed reef fishes tend to have high gene flow mediated by a pelagic larval phase. Here, we survey a reef-associated fish distributed across half the tropical oceans, from the Red Sea to the central Pacific. Our goal is to determine whether genetic structure of the broadly distributed Yellowstripe Goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus) is defined by biogeographical barriers, or facilitated via larval dispersal. Location: Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean. Methods: Specimens were obtained at 19 locations from the Red Sea to Hawai'i. Genetic data include mtDNA cytochrome b (n = 217) and 12 microsatellite loci (n = 185). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), structure, a parsimony network and coalescence analyses were used to resolve recent population history and connectivity. Results: Population structure was significant (mtDNA ϕST = 0.68, P < 0.001; microsatellite FST = 0.08, P < 0.001), but mostly driven by samples from the North-western (NW) Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea) and Hawai'i. There was little population structure across the Indian Ocean to the central Pacific. Hawai'i was distinguished as an isolated population (mtDNA ϕST = 0.03–0.08, P = n.s.; microsatellites FST = 0.05–0.10, P < 0.001). Specimens from the NW Indian Ocean clustered as a distinct phylogenetic lineage that diverged approximately 493 ka (d = 1.7%), which indicates that these fish persisted in isolation through several Pleistocene glacial cycles. Main conclusions: These data reinforce the emerging themes that: (1) phylogeographical breaks within species often coincide with biogeographical breaks based on species distributions, and (2) populations on the periphery of the range (NW Indian Ocean and Hawai'i) are isolated and may be evolutionary incubators producing new species
Depression and Oral FTC/TDF Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex With Men (MSM/TGW).
We conducted a longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of depressive symptomology in iPrEx, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of daily, oral FTC/TDF HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in men and transgender women who have sex with men. Depression-related adverse events (AEs) were the most frequently reported severe or life-threatening AEs and were not associated with being randomized to the FTC/TDF arm (152 vs. 144 respectively OR 0.66 95 % CI 0.35-1.25). Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) and a four questions suicidal ideation scale scores did not differ by arm. Participants reporting forced sex at anal sexual debut had higher CES-D scores (coeff: 3.23; 95 % CI 1.24-5.23) and were more likely to have suicidal ideation (OR 2.2; 95 % CI 1.09-4.26). CES-D scores were higher among people reporting non-condom receptive anal intercourse (ncRAI) (OR 1.46; 95 % CI 1.09-1.94). We recommend continuing PrEP during periods of depression in conjunction with provision of mental health services
The impact of category, cytopathology and cytogenetics on development and progression of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation in inherited bone marrow failure syndromes
Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes are a group of rare, heterogeneous genetic disorders with a risk of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation including clonal marrow cytogenetic abnormalities, myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. The clinical characteristics, risk classification, prognostic factors and outcome of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation associated with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes are largely unknown. The aims of this study were to determine the impact of category, cytopathology and cytogenetics, the three components of the “Category Cytology Cytogenetics” classification of pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome, on the outcome of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation associated with inherited bone marrow failure. We used data from the Canadian Inherited Marrow Failure Registry. Among 327 patients with inherited bone marrow failure syndrome enrolled in the registry, the estimated risk of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation by the age of 18 years was 37%. The risk of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation varied according to the type of inherited bone marrow failure syndrome but was highest in Fanconi anemia. The development of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation significantly affected overall survival. Mortality varied based on cytopathological group. The largest group of patients had refractory cytopenia. Clonal marrow cytogenetic abnormalities were identified in 87% of patients with clonal and malignant myeloid transformation, and different cytogenetic groups had different impacts on disease progression. We conclude that category, cytopathology and cytogenetics in cases of clonal and malignant myeloid transformation associated with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes have an important impact on outcome and that the classification of such cases should incorporate these factors
Deteção remota aplicada à rega dos espaços verdes urbanos
A nova cultura da água visa a conservação dos recursos naturais e o aumento do rendimento
produtivo da água nos espaços verdes públicos e privados. Estes espaços assumem uma
relevância no bem-estar e na qualidade de vida das populações urbanas. No entanto, o aumento
da área verde em climas mediterrâneos estará inevitavelmente associado ao aumento do
consumo em água. A rega surge com a finalidade de fazer face às necessidades hídricas das
plantas em função das caraterísticas climáticas da região. Esta situação é mais relevante quando a
escolha das plantas não recai sobre as autóctones e a água para a rega tem origem na rede de
distribuição de água potável. Nos últimos anos, alguns municípios em Portugal têm vindo a
implementar a instalação de dois tipos distintos de contadores de água: consumo doméstico e
rega. Assim, garante-se água para rega com tarifário de menor custo, visto não incluir tratamento
de água residual. Desde 2012, que a vila de São Brás de Alportel implementou este sistema de
rega para os jardins privados. O presente trabalho tem como objetivos o estudo da evolução dos
consumos de água na rega dos espaços verdes privados que aderiram a este sistema e a monitorização da rega nos espaços verdes públicos, para uma gestão sustentável da água. A
monitorização será realizada pela avaliação da qualidade dos espaços verdes através da deteção
remota, integrada com a informação dos dados climáticos e dos consumos de água.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Khuri-Treiman equations for 3π decays of particles with spin
Khuri-Treiman equations have proven to be a useful theoretical tool in the analysis of three-body decays, especially into the 3π final state. In this work we present in full detail the necessary generalization of the formalism to study the decays of particles with arbitrary spin, parity, and charge conjugation. To this extent, we find it most convenient to work with helicity amplitudes instead of the so-called invariant amplitudes, especially when dealing with the unitarity relations. The isobar expansions in the three possible (s-, t-, and u-) final channels are related with the appropriate crossing matrices. We pay special attention to the kinematical singularities and constraints of the helicity amplitudes, showing that these can be derived by means of the crossing matrix
Fostering international collaboration in marine biodiversity sciences in the Asia-Pacific region
published_or_final_versio
Classical and Quantum Solitons in the Symmetric Space Sine-Gordon Theories
We construct the soliton solutions in the symmetric space sine-Gordon
theories. The latter are a series of integrable field theories in
1+1-dimensions which are associated to a symmetric space F/G, and are related
via the Pohlmeyer reduction to theories of strings moving on symmetric spaces.
We show that the solitons are kinks that carry an internal moduli space that
can be identified with a particular co-adjoint orbit of the unbroken subgroup H
of G. Classically the solitons come in a continuous spectrum which encompasses
the perturbative fluctuations of the theory as the kink charge becomes small.
We show that the solitons can be quantized by allowing the collective
coordinates to be time-dependent to yield a form of quantum mechanics on the
co-adjoint orbit. The quantum states correspond to symmetric tensor
representations of the symmetry group H and have the interpretation of a fuzzy
geometric version of the co-adjoint orbit. The quantized finite tower of
soliton states includes the perturbative modes at the base.Comment: 53 pages, additional comments and small errors corrected, final
journal versio
An ISOCAM survey through gravitationally lensing galaxy clusters. III. New results from mid-infrared observations of th e cluster Abell 2219
The massive cluster of galaxies Abell 2219 (z = 0.228) was observed at 14.3
m with the Infrared Space Observatory and results were published by
Barvainis et al. (1999). These observations have been reanalyzed using a method
specifically designed for the detection of faint sources that had been applied
to other clusters. Five new sources were detected and the resulting cumulative
total of ten sources all have optical counterparts. The mid-infrared sources
are identified with three cluster members, three foreground galaxies, an
Extremely Red Object, a star and two galaxies of unknown redshift. The spectral
energy distributions (SEDs) of the galaxies are fit with models from a
selection, using the program GRASIL. Best-fits are obtained, in general, with
models of galaxies with ongoing star formation. For three cluster members the
infrared luminosities derived from the model SEDs are between ~5.7x10^10 Lsun
and 1.4x10^11 Lsun, corresponding to infrared star formation rates between 10
and 24 Msun yr^-1. The two cluster galaxies that have optical classifications
are in the Butcher-Oemler region of the color-magnitude diagramme. The three
foreground galaxies have infrared luminosities between 1.5x10^10 Lsun and
9.4x10^10 Lsun yielding infrared star formation rates between 3 and 16 Msun
yr^-1. Two of the foreground galaxies are located in two foreground galaxy
enhancements (Boschin et al. 2004). Including Abell 2219, six distant clusters
of galaxies have been mapped with ISOCAM and luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs)
have been found in three of them. The presence of LIRGs in Abell 2219
strengthens the association between luminous infrared galaxies in clusters and
recent or ongoing cluster merger activity.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, A&A accepted, full paper with high-resolution
figures available at http://bermuda.ucd.ie/~dcoia/papers/. Reference adde
The Right to Code and Share Arms
Glycerol is, to date, the most widely used cryoprotectant to freeze stallion spermatozoa at concentrations between 2% and 5%. Cryoprotectant toxicity has been claimed to be the single most limiting factor for the success of cryopreservation. In order to evaluate the toxic effects of the concentrations of glycerol used in practice, stallion spermatozoa were incubated in Biggers Whitten and Whittingham (BWW) media supplemented with 0%, 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 3.5%, and 5% glycerol. In two additional experiments, a hyposmotic (75 mOsm/kg) and a hyperosmotic (900 mOsm/kg) control media were included. Sperm parameters evaluated included cell volume, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, caspase 3, 7, and 8 activation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and integrity of the cytoskeleton. Glycerol exerted toxicity at concentrations 3.5% and the maximal toxicity was observed at 5%. The actin cytoskeleton was especially sensitive to glycerol presence, inducing rapid F actin depolymerization at concentrations over 1.5%. The sperm membrane and the mitochondria were other structures affected. The toxicity of glycerol is apparently related to osmotic and nonosmotic effects. In view of our results the concentration of glycerol in the freezing media for stallion spermatozoa should not surpass 2.5%.Funding Agencies|Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion-FEDER Madrid, Spain|AGL 2010 20758 (GAN)|Inia|RZ2008-00018-00-00|Junta de Extremadura FEDER GR|10010
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