Demand for fisheries products in Brazil

Fish consumption per capita in Brazil is relatively modest when compared to other animal proteins. This study analyses the influence of protein prices, other food prices and population income on the fish demand in Brazil. First, the problem of fish supply in Brazil is characterized. It is followed by reviews of the relevant economic theory and methods of Almost Ideal Demand System - AIDS and their elasticity calculations. A descriptive analysis of fish demand in Brazil using the microdata called "Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar" (Familiar Budget Research) - POF 2002-2003 is presented. Finally, demand functions and their elasticities are calculated for two different cases: one considering five groups of animal proteins (Chicken; Milk and Eggs; Fish; Processed Proteins and Red Meat) and other with seven groups of food categories (Cereals; Vegetables and Fruits; Milky and Eggs; Oils and Condiments; Fish; Other processed foods; and Meats). The main results are: per capita consumption of fish (4.6 kg per inhabitant per year) is low in Brazil because few households consume fish. When only households with fish consumption are considered, the per capita consumption would be higher: 27.2 kg per inhabitant per year. The fish consumption in the North-East Region is concentrated in the low-income class. In the Center-South Region, the fish consumption is lower and concentrated in the intermediate income classes. The main substitutes for fish are the processed proteins and not the traditional types of meat, such as chicken and red meat

Curved Tails in Polymerization-Based Bacterial Motility

The curved actin ``comet-tail'' of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a visually striking signature of actin polymerization-based motility. Similar actin tails are associated with Shigella flexneri, spotted-fever Rickettsiae, the Vaccinia virus, and vesicles and microspheres in related in vitro systems. We show that the torque required to produce the curvature in the tail can arise from randomly placed actin filaments pushing the bacterium or particle. We find that the curvature magnitude determines the number of actively pushing filaments, independent of viscosity and of the molecular details of force generation. The variation of the curvature with time can be used to infer the dynamics of actin filaments at the bacterial surface.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Latex2

Complementarity of information sent via different bases

We discuss quantitatively the complementarity of information transmitted by a quantum system prepared in a basis state in one out of several different mutually unbiased bases (MUBs). We obtain upper bounds on the information available to a receiver who has no knowledge of which MUB was chosen by the sender. These upper bounds imply a complementarity of information encoded via different MUBs and ultimately ensure the security in quantum key distribution protocols.Comment: 9 pages, references adde

Understanding the Potential Impact of Multiple Robots in Odor Source Localization

We investigate the performance of three bio-inspired odor source localization algorithms used in non-cooperating multi-robot systems. Our performance metric is the distance overhead of the first robot to reach the source, which is a good measure for the speed of an odor source localization algorithm. Using the performance distribution of single-robot experiments, we calculate an ideal performance for multi-robot teams. We carry out simulations in a realistic robotic simulator and provide quantitative evidence of the differences between ideal and realistic performances of a given algorithm. A closer analysis of the results show that these differences are mainly due to physical interference among robots

Endocrine Therapy Nonadherence and Discontinuation in Black and White Women

Background: Differential use of endocrine therapy (ET) by race may contribute to breast cancer outcome disparities, but racial differences in ET behaviors are poorly understood. Methods: Women aged 20-74 years with a first primary, stage I-III, hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer were included. At 2 years postdiagnosis, we assessed nonadherence, defined as not taking ET every day or missing more than two pills in the past 14 days, discontinuation, and a composite measure of underuse, defined as either missing pills or discontinuing completely. Using logistic regression, we evaluated the relationship between race and nonadherence, discontinuation, and overall underuse in unadjusted, clinically adjusted, and socioeconomically adjusted models. Results: A total of 1280 women were included; 43.2% self-identified as black. Compared to white women, black women more often reported nonadherence (13.7% vs 5.2%) but not discontinuation (10.0% vs 10.7%). Black women also more often reported the following: hot flashes, night sweats, breast sensitivity, and joint pain; believing that their recurrence risk would not change if they stopped ET; forgetting to take ET; and cost-related barriers. In multivariable analysis, black race remained statistically significantly associated with nonadherence after adjusting for clinical characteristics (adjusted odds ratio = 2.72, 95% confidence interval = 1.75 to 4.24) and after adding socioeconomic to clinical characteristics (adjusted odds ratio = 2.44, 95% confidence interval = 1.50 to 3.97) but was not independently associated with discontinuation after adjustment. Low recurrence risk perception and lack of a shared decision making were strongly predictive of ET underuse across races. Conclusions: Our results highlight important racial differences in ET-Adherence behaviors, perceptions of benefits/harms, and shared decision making that may be targeted with culturally tailored interventions

Contribution of humic substances from different composts to the synthesis of humin in a tropical soil

The contribution of humic substances of different composts to the synthesis of humin in a tropical soil was evaluated. Increasing doses (0, 13, 26, 52, and 104 Mg ha-1) of five different composts consisting of agroinpowderrial residues were applied to a Red-Yellow Latosol. These composts were chemically characterized and 13C NMR determined and the quantity of the functional alkyl groups of humic acids applied to the soil as compost was estimated. Thirty days after application of the treatments, organic matter samples were collected for fractionation of humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA) and humin (HU), from which the ratios HA/FA and (HA + FA)/HU were calculated. The application of the composts based on castor cake resulted in the highest HU levels in the soil; alkyl groups of the HA fraction of the composts were predominant in the organic components added to the HU soil fraction.Avaliou-se a contribuição de substâncias húmicas provenientes de diferentes compostos orgânicos na síntese de humina em um solo tropical. Para isso, foram adicionadas doses crescentes (0, 13, 26, 52 e 104 Mg ha-1) de cinco diferentes compostos orgânicos formulados com resíduos orgânicos agroindustriais em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo. As substâncias húmicas desses compostos foram caracterizadas quimicamente e por ressonância nuclear magnética do 13C, sendo estimados os quantitativos dos grupos funcionais alquil dos ácidos húmicos aplicados no solo via composto. Trinta dias após aplicação dos tratamentos, coletaram-se amostras de solo para fracionamento da matéria orgânica em ácidos húmicos (AH), ácidos fúlvicos (FA) e humina (HU), a partir dos quais foram calculadas as relações AH/FA e (AH + FA)/HU. A aplicação do composto à base de torta de mamona contribuiu para obtenção de teores mais elevados de HU no solo; a incorporação de componentes orgânicos à fração HU do solo foi regida pelo conteúdo de grupos alquil da fração AH dos compostos

An Integrated TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource to Drive High-Quality Survival Outcome Analytics

For a decade, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program collected clinicopathologic annotation data along with multi-platform molecular profiles of more than 11,000 human tumors across 33 different cancer types. TCGA clinical data contain key features representing the democratized nature of the data collection process. To ensure proper use of this large clinical dataset associated with genomic features, we developed a standardized dataset named the TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource (TCGA-CDR), which includes four major clinical outcome endpoints. In addition to detailing major challenges and statistical limitations encountered during the effort of integrating the acquired clinical data, we present a summary that includes endpoint usage recommendations for each cancer type. These TCGA-CDR findings appear to be consistent with cancer genomics studies independent of the TCGA effort and provide opportunities for investigating cancer biology using clinical correlates at an unprecedented scale. Analysis of clinicopathologic annotations for over 11,000 cancer patients in the TCGA program leads to the generation of TCGA Clinical Data Resource, which provides recommendations of clinical outcome endpoint usage for 33 cancer types

Onshore carboniferous basins : third review report

focussed on achieving a better understanding of the Bowland Shale in northern England. The broad aim is to understand the geological variability of the formation from a basin- through to microscale, and assess the impact of variability on hydrocarbon generation, storage and production (for example, the co-incidence or otherwise of factors including organic content and kerogen type; mineralogy; and engineering behaviour). This report is the third summary report describing activities of the consortium, covering the period October 2015 – June 2016. A series of 3 inter-related work packages are designed to improve understanding of the Bowland Shale of northern England. The original numbering of these is retained to allow continuity between previous progress reports. Specifically, these work packages address: 1. Work Package 1,2: Basin analysis of the Pennine Basin; Characterization of shale facies; 2. Work Package 3: Development of chemical stratigraphies through prospective parts of the stratigraphic column; 3. Work Package 4: Hydromechanical behaviour of shales. Two work packages outside the consortium are also considered, namely 4. Retrieval of new materials to test 5. Reprocessing of 3D seismic data to assess rock properties Descriptions of previous activities have been released, covering the period July 2014 to March 2015 (Hough et al., 2015a), and the period April 2015 to September 2015 (Hough et al., 2015b). The consortium currently has 4 sponsors who each contribute £25 000 per year; BGS contributes around £200 000 annually, which results in an annual budget of approximately £300 000. The consortium is planned to last 3 years initially, and started in July 2014 with a scheduled end date of June 2017