Boletim Agrometeorológico ano 2002 para a sub-região da Nhecolândia, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil.

Este boletim tem o intuito de difundir as informações agroclimáticas coletadas no Pantanal da Nhecolândia, visando subsidiar a pesquisa agropecuária da região, além de atender todos àqueles que necessitam de informações dessa natureza.bitstream/CPAP/55971/1/DOC76.pdfFormato Eletrônic

Remarks on Bootstrap Percolation in Metric Networks

We examine bootstrap percolation in d-dimensional, directed metric graphs in the context of recent measurements of firing dynamics in 2D neuronal cultures. There are two regimes, depending on the graph size N. Large metric graphs are ignited by the occurrence of critical nuclei, which initially occupy an infinitesimal fraction, f_* -> 0, of the graph and then explode throughout a finite fraction. Smaller metric graphs are effectively random in the sense that their ignition requires the initial ignition of a finite, unlocalized fraction of the graph, f_* >0. The crossover between the two regimes is at a size N_* which scales exponentially with the connectivity range \lambda like_* \sim \exp\lambda^d. The neuronal cultures are finite metric graphs of size N \simeq 10^5-10^6, which, for the parameters of the experiment, is effectively random since N<< N_*. This explains the seeming contradiction in the observed finite f_* in these cultures. Finally, we discuss the dynamics of the firing front

Hydraulic transient in residential buildings with a direct pump connection

This paper consists of an experimental and numerical study into transient behaviour in a residential building. The analysed effects occur by centrifugal pumps when they start with a direct supply (fixed-speed pumps are connected to the service pipe without an atmospheric tank). Direct supply increases the transient effect and places higher demands on the water main. The properties of such an installation were analysed using a hydraulic model in order to detect the most unfavourable scenario. The results were compared to experimental data. Basic hydraulics demonstrates that a pressure drop occurs during the startup. The magnitude mainly depends on the pump capacity. But, numerical and field results show that other variables related to service pipe design could also negatively affect the pressure surge. The study provides water utilities with information about the influence of the different variables on pressure surge magnitude and basic design criteria to minimize these effects.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia of the Spanish Government under Grant No CGL2005-03666.Soriano Olivares, J.; Arregui De La Cruz, F.; Espert Alemany, VB.; García-Serra García, J. (2014). Hydraulic transient in residential buildings with a direct pump connection. Urban Water Journal. 2014:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2014.989860S1132014Basupi, I., Kapelan, Z., & Butler, D. (2013). Reducing life-cycle carbon footprint in the (re)design of water distribution systems using water demand management interventions. Urban Water Journal, 11(2), 91-107. doi:10.1080/1573062x.2012.750374Bergant, A., Tijsseling, A. S., Vítkovský, J. P., Covas, D. I. C., Simpson, A. R., & Lambert, M. F. (2008). Parameters affecting water-hammer wave attenuation, shape and timing—Part 1: Mathematical tools. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 46(3), 373-381. doi:10.3826/jhr.2008.2848Cantor, K. P., Lynch, C. F., Hildesheim, M., Dosemeci, M., Lubin, J., Alavanja, M., & Craun, G. (1998). Drinking Water Source and Chlorination Byproducts I. Risk of Bladder Cancer. Epidemiology, 9(1), 21-28. doi:10.1097/00001648-199801000-00007Clark, R. M., Sivaganesan, M., Selvakumar, A., & Sethi, V. (2002). Cost Models for Water Supply Distribution Systems. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 128(5), 312-321. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9496(2002)128:5(312)Colombo, A. F., Lee, P., & Karney, B. W. (2009). A selective literature review of transient-based leak detection methods. Journal of Hydro-environment Research, 2(4), 212-227. doi:10.1016/j.jher.2009.02.003Courtis, B. J., West, J. R., & Bridgeman, J. (2009). Chlorine demand-based predictive modeling of THM formation in water distribution networks. Urban Water Journal, 6(6), 407-415. doi:10.1080/15730620903038461Covas, D., Stoianov, I., Ramos, H., Graham, N., Maksimović, Č., & Butler, D. (2004). Water hammer in pressurized polyethylene pipes: conceptual model and experimental analysis. Urban Water Journal, 1(2), 177-197. doi:10.1080/15730620412331289977Criminisi, A., Fontanazza, C. M., Freni, G., & Loggia, G. L. (2009). Evaluation of the apparent losses caused by water meter under-registration in intermittent water supply. Water Science and Technology, 60(9), 2373-2382. doi:10.2166/wst.2009.423Davis, A. (2004). Hydraulic transients in transmission and distribution systems. Urban Water Journal, 1(2), 157-166. doi:10.1080/15730620412331289968De Marchis, M., Fontanazza, C. M., Freni, G., La Loggia, G., Napoli, E., & Notaro, V. (2010). A model of the filling process of an intermittent distribution network. Urban Water Journal, 7(6), 321-333. doi:10.1080/1573062x.2010.519776Fontanazza, C. M., Notaro, V., Puleo, V., & Freni, G. (2014). The apparent losses due to metering errors: a proactive approach to predict losses and schedule maintenance. Urban Water Journal, 12(3), 229-239. doi:10.1080/1573062x.2014.882363Golfinopoulos, S. K. (2000). The occurrence of trihalomethanes in the drinking water in Greece. Chemosphere, 41(11), 1761-1767. doi:10.1016/s0045-6535(00)00062-xHua, F., West, J. ., Barker, R. ., & Forster, C. . (1999). Modelling of chlorine decay in municipal water supplies. Water Research, 33(12), 2735-2746. doi:10.1016/s0043-1354(98)00519-3Jung, B. S., & Karney, B. (2004). Fluid transients and pipeline optimization using GA and PSO: the diameter connection. Urban Water Journal, 1(2), 167-176. doi:10.1080/15730620412331289995Kanakoudis, V., & Muhammetoglu, H. (2013). Urban Water Pipe Networks Management Towards Non-Revenue Water Reduction: Two Case Studies from Greece and Turkey. CLEAN - Soil, Air, Water, 42(7), 880-892. doi:10.1002/clen.201300138Kanakoudis, V., & Papadopoulou, A. (2014). Allocating the cost of the carbon footprint produced along a supply chain, among the stakeholders involved. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 5(4), 556-568. doi:10.2166/wcc.2014.101Kanakoudis, V., & Tsitsifli, S. (2010). Results of an urban water distribution network performance evaluation attempt in Greece. Urban Water Journal, 7(5), 267-285. doi:10.1080/1573062x.2010.509436Kirmeyer, G.J., Richards, W., and Dery-Smith, C., 1994. An assessment of water distribution systems and associated needs.Report of the American Water Work. Denver, CO: Association Research Foundation.Kitis, M., Yigita, N. O., Harmana, B. I., Muhammetoglu, H., Muhammetoglu, A., Karadirek, I. E., … Palancic, I. (2010). Occurrence of Trihalomethanes in Chlorinated Groundwaters with Very Low Natural Organic Matter and Bromide Concentrations. Environmental Forensics, 11(3), 264-274. doi:10.1080/15275922.2010.495935Levesque, S., Rodriguez, M. J., Serodes, J., Beaulieu, C., & Proulx, F. (2006). Effects of indoor drinking water handling on trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. Water Research, 40(15), 2921-2930. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2006.06.004Mohamed, H. I., & Gad, A. A. M. (2011). Effect of Cold-Water Storage Cisterns on Drinking-Water Quality. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 137(5), 448-455. doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000132Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J. (2000). Chlorination disinfection byproducts in water and their association with adverse reproductive outcomes: a review. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 57(2), 73-85. doi:10.1136/oem.57.2.73Pezzinga, G. (2000). Evaluation of Unsteady Flow Resistances by Quasi-2D or 1D Models. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 126(10), 778-785. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9429(2000)126:10(778)Rodriguez, M. J., Sérodes, J.-B., & Levallois, P. (2004). Behavior of trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids in a drinking water distribution system. Water Research, 38(20), 4367-4382. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2004.08.018Rossman, L. A., Clark, R. M., & Grayman, W. M. (1994). Modeling Chlorine Residuals in Drinking‐Water Distribution Systems. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 120(4), 803-820. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9372(1994)120:4(803)Schafer, C. A., & Mihelcic, J. R. (2012). Effect of storage tank material and maintenance on household water quality. Journal - American Water Works Association, 104(9), E521-E529. doi:10.5942/jawwa.2012.104.0125Soyupak, S., Kilic, H., Karadirek, I. E., & Muhammetoglu, H. (2011). On the usage of artificial neural networks in chlorine control applications for water distribution networks with high quality water. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua, 60(1), 51-60. doi:10.2166/aqua.2011.086Tamari, S., & Ploquet, J. (2012). Determination of leakage inside buildings with a roof tank. Urban Water Journal, 9(5), 287-303. doi:10.1080/1573062x.2012.660959Thorley, A.R.D., 2004. Fluid Transients in Pipeline Systems. London: Professional Engineering Publishing.Tsukamoto, H., & Ohashi, H. (1982). Transient Characteristics of a Centrifugal Pump During Starting Period. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 104(1), 6-13. doi:10.1115/1.3240859Villanueva, C. ., Kogevinas, M., & Grimalt, J. . (2003). Haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes in finished drinking waters from heterogeneous sources. Water Research, 37(4), 953-958. doi:10.1016/s0043-1354(02)00411-6Wilo, A. (2007). Intelligent pumps for building automation systems. World Pumps, 2007(490), 26-32. doi:10.1016/s0262-1762(07)70252-3Woolschlager, J., Rittmann, B., & Piriou, P. (2005). Water quality decay in distribution systems – problems, causes, and new modeling tools. Urban Water Journal, 2(2), 69-79. doi:10.1080/15730620500144027Wylie, E.B. and Streeter, V.L., 1993. Fluid Transients in Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall

Life below excellence: exploring the links between top-ranked universities and regional competitiveness

[EN] This paper examines interactions between the presence of top-ranked universities and other conditions that encourage regional competitiveness. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was conducted to assess the combined effect of the conditions. The analysis yields several noteworthy conclusions. First, no single condition is necessary for a region to be competitive. Second, R&D expenditure is important for regional competitiveness. Third, different configurations of conditions are sufficient for high competitiveness in different regional clusters. Furthermore, some of these configurations do not include the presence of top-ranked universities. A 'magic recipe' consists of the combination of a private research system, an inter-firm collaboration network and high levels of human capital. The analysis shows that university excellence is valuable. However, in terms of its contribution to regional development, it is not crucial and must always be contextualised. This conclusion is important for smart strategic planning of local knowledge systems.Jose-Maria Garcia-Alvarez-Coque and Francisco Mas-Verdu wish to thank Project RTI2018-093791-B-C22, funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spain), for supporting this research.García Alvarez-Coque, JM.; Mas Verdú, F.; Roig Tierno, H. (2021). Life below excellence: exploring the links between top-ranked universities and regional competitiveness. Studies in Higher Education. 46(2):369-384. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1637843S369384462Alamá-Sabater, L., Budí, V., García-Álvarez-Coque, J. M., & Roig-Tierno, N. (2019). Using mixed research approaches to understand rural depopulation. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales, 19(1), 99. doi:10.7201/earn.2019.01.06Baldacci, E., Clements, B., Gupta, S., & Cui, Q. (2008). Social Spending, Human Capital, and Growth in Developing Countries. World Development, 36(8), 1317-1341. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.08.003Bathelt, H., Malmberg, A., & Maskell, P. (2004). Clusters and knowledge: local buzz, global pipelines and the process of knowledge creation. Progress in Human Geography, 28(1), 31-56. doi:10.1191/0309132504ph469oaBaumann, C., & Winzar, H. (2014). The role of secondary education in explaining competitiveness. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 36(1), 13-30. doi:10.1080/02188791.2014.924387Berger, E. S. C. (2016). Is Qualitative Comparative Analysis an Emerging Method?—Structured Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis of QCA Applications in Business and Management Research. FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 287-308. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-27108-8_14Bjerke, L., & Johansson, S. (2015). Patterns of innovation and collaboration in small and large firms. The Annals of Regional Science, 55(1), 221-247. doi:10.1007/s00168-015-0712-yBoucher, G., Conway, C., & Van Der Meer, E. (2003). Tiers of Engagement by Universities in their Region’s Development. Regional Studies, 37(9), 887-897. doi:10.1080/0034340032000143896Bramwell, A., & Wolfe, D. A. (2008). Universities and regional economic development: The entrepreneurial University of Waterloo. Research Policy, 37(8), 1175-1187. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2008.04.016Breschi, S., & Lissoni, F. (2009). Mobility of skilled workers and co-invention networks: an anatomy of localized knowledge flows. Journal of Economic Geography, 9(4), 439-468. doi:10.1093/jeg/lbp008Camagni, R. (2017). Regional Competitiveness: Towards a Concept of Territorial Capital. Seminal Studies in Regional and Urban Economics, 115-131. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-57807-1_6Camagni, R., & Capello, R. (2013). Regional Competitiveness and Territorial Capital: A Conceptual Approach and Empirical Evidence from the European Union. Regional Studies, 47(9), 1383-1402. doi:10.1080/00343404.2012.681640Choi, J., & Lee, J. (2017). Repairing the R&D market failure: Public R&D subsidy and the composition of private R&D. Research Policy, 46(8), 1465-1478. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2017.06.009Cowan, R. (2000). The explicit economics of knowledge codification and tacitness. Industrial and Corporate Change, 9(2), 211-253. doi:10.1093/icc/9.2.211Cowan, R., & Zinovyeva, N. (2013). University effects on regional innovation. Research Policy, 42(3), 788-800. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2012.10.001Crilly, D. (2010). Predicting stakeholder orientation in the multinational enterprise: A mid-range theory. Journal of International Business Studies, 42(5), 694-717. doi:10.1057/jibs.2010.57Domenech, J., Escamilla, R., & Roig-Tierno, N. (2016). Explaining knowledge-intensive activities from a regional perspective. Journal of Business Research, 69(4), 1301-1306. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.10.096Duşa, A. (2008). A mathematical approach to the boolean minimization problem. Quality & Quantity, 44(1), 99-113. doi:10.1007/s11135-008-9183-xDuvivier, C., Polèse, M., & Apparicio, P. (2017). The location of information technology-led new economy jobs in cities: office parks or cool neighbourhoods? Regional Studies, 52(6), 756-767. doi:10.1080/00343404.2017.1322686European Commission. 2016a. European Regional Competitiveness Index. Brussels: Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy. Accessed June 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/maps/regional_competitiveness/.European Commission. 2016b. Regional Innovation Scoreboard (RIS). Brussels: Publications Office of the EU. Accessed June 2018. https://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/693eaaba-de16-11e6-ad7c-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-31233711.Fan, D., Li, Y., & Chen, L. (2017). Configuring innovative societies: The crossvergent role of cultural and institutional varieties. Technovation, 66-67, 43-56. doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2017.05.003Fiss, P. C. (2011). Building Better Causal Theories: A Fuzzy Set Approach to Typologies in Organization Research. Academy of Management Journal, 54(2), 393-420. doi:10.5465/amj.2011.60263120Garcia-Alvarez-Coque, J.-M., Mas-Verdu, F., & Sanchez García, M. (2014). Determinants of Agri-food Firms’ Participation in Public Funded Research and Development. Agribusiness, 31(3), 314-329. doi:10.1002/agr.21407García Álvarez-Coque, J. M., Mas-Verdú, F., & Roig-Tierno, N. (2016). Technological innovation versus non-technological innovation: different conditions in different regional contexts? Quality & Quantity, 51(5), 1955-1967. doi:10.1007/s11135-016-0394-2Grossman, J. H., Reid, P. P., & Morgan, R. P. (2001). The Journal of Technology Transfer, 26(1/2), 143-152. doi:10.1023/a:1007848631448Harrison, R. T., & Leitch, C. M. (2005). Entrepreneurial Learning: Researching the Interface between Learning and the Entrepreneurial Context. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 29(4), 351-371. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6520.2005.00089.xHarrison, J., & Turok, I. (2017). Universities, knowledge and regional development. Regional Studies, 51(7), 977-981. doi:10.1080/00343404.2017.1328189Hazelkorn, E. (2008). Learning to Live with League Tables and Ranking: The Experience of Institutional Leaders. Higher Education Policy, 21(2), 193-215. doi:10.1057/hep.2008.1Hewitt-Dundas, N., & Roper, S. (2011). Creating advantage in peripheral regions: The role of publicly funded R&D centres. Research Policy, 40(6), 832-841. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2011.03.005Hicks, D., Wouters, P., Waltman, L., de Rijcke, S., & Rafols, I. (2015). Bibliometrics: The Leiden Manifesto for research metrics. Nature, 520(7548), 429-431. doi:10.1038/520429aJaffe, A. B., Trajtenberg, M., & Henderson, R. (1993). Geographic Localization of Knowledge Spillovers as Evidenced by Patent Citations. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 108(3), 577-598. doi:10.2307/2118401Jaumotte, F., and N. Pain. 2005. “From Ideas to Development: The Determinants of R&D and Patenting.” OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No. 457, OECD Publishing (NJ1).Kitson, M., Martin, R., & Tyler, P. (2004). Regional Competitiveness: An Elusive yet Key Concept? Regional Studies, 38(9), 991-999. doi:10.1080/0034340042000320816Lasagni, A. (2012). How Can External Relationships Enhance Innovation in SMEs? New Evidence for Europe*. Journal of Small Business Management, 50(2), 310-339. doi:10.1111/j.1540-627x.2012.00355.xLee, S., Park, G., Yoon, B., & Park, J. (2010). Open innovation in SMEs—An intermediated network model. Research Policy, 39(2), 290-300. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2009.12.009Lilles, A., & Rõigas, K. (2015). How higher education institutions contribute to the growth in regions of Europe? Studies in Higher Education, 42(1), 65-78. doi:10.1080/03075079.2015.1034264Lim, M. A. (2017). The building of weak expertise: the work of global university rankers. Higher Education, 75(3), 415-430. doi:10.1007/s10734-017-0147-8Mairesse, J., & Mohnen, P. (2010). Using Innovation Surveys for Econometric Analysis. Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, 1129-1155. doi:10.1016/s0169-7218(10)02010-1Isabel Maria, B. F., Rossi, F., & Geuna, A. (2013). Collaboration objectives and the location of the university partner: Evidence from the Piedmont region in Italy. Papers in Regional Science, 93, S203-S226. doi:10.1111/pirs.12054Marino, M., Lhuillery, S., Parrotta, P., & Sala, D. (2016). Additionality or crowding-out? An overall evaluation of public R&D subsidy on private R&D expenditure. Research Policy, 45(9), 1715-1730. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2016.04.009Medzihorsky, J., I. Oana, M. Quaranta, and C. Schneider. 2016. “SetMethods: Functions for Set-theoretic Multi-method Research and Advanced QCA.” R package version 2.1.Miozzo, M., Desyllas, P., Lee, H., & Miles, I. (2016). Innovation collaboration and appropriability by knowledge-intensive business services firms. Research Policy, 45(7), 1337-1351. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2016.03.018Olcay, G. A., & Bulu, M. (2017). Is measuring the knowledge creation of universities possible?: A review of university rankings. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 123, 153-160. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2016.03.029Paruolo, P., Saisana, M., & Saltelli, A. (2012). Ratings and rankings: voodoo or science? Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 176(3), 609-634. doi:10.1111/j.1467-985x.2012.01059.xPinch, S., Henry, N., Jenkins, M., & Tallman, S. (2003). From «industrial districts» to «knowledge clusters»: a model of knowledge dissemination and competitive advantage in industrial agglomerations. Journal of Economic Geography, 3(4), 373-388. doi:10.1093/jeg/lbg019Pinheiro, R., Benneworth, P., & Jones, G. A. (Eds.). (2012). Universities and Regional Development. doi:10.4324/9780203112298Ragin, C. C. (2008). Redesigning Social Inquiry. doi:10.7208/chicago/9780226702797.001.0001Ragin, C. C. (2014). The Comparative Method. doi:10.1525/9780520957350Roig-Tierno, N., Gonzalez-Cruz, T. F., & Llopis-Martinez, J. (2017). An overview of qualitative comparative analysis: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 2(1), 15-23. doi:10.1016/j.jik.2016.12.002Schneider, M. R., Schulze-Bentrop, C., & Paunescu, M. (2009). Mapping the institutional capital of high-tech firms: A fuzzy-set analysis of capitalist variety and export performance. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(2), 246-266. doi:10.1057/jibs.2009.36Schneider, C. Q., & Wagemann, C. (2012). Set-Theoretic Methods for the Social Sciences. doi:10.1017/cbo9781139004244SCImago. 2016. Scimago Institutions Ranking. Accessed June 2018. https://www.scimagoir.com.Shapira, P., & Youtie, J. (2008). Learning to Innovate: Building Regional Technology Development Learning Networks in Midsized Cities. European Planning Studies, 16(9), 1207-1228. doi:10.1080/09654310802401631Soete, L., B. Verspagen, and T. Ziesemer. 2017. “The Productivity Effect of Public R&D in the Netherlands (No. 021).” United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).Suri, T., Boozer, M. A., Ranis, G., & Stewart, F. (2011). Paths to Success: The Relationship Between Human Development and Economic Growth. World Development, 39(4), 506-522. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2010.08.020Thiem, A. (2014). Analyzing multilevel data with QCA: yet another straightforward procedure. Quality & Quantity, 50(1), 121-128. doi:10.1007/s11135-014-0140-6Tobiassen, A. E., & Pettersen, I. B. (2017). Exploring open innovation collaboration between SMEs and larger customers. Baltic Journal of Management, 13(1), 65-83. doi:10.1108/bjm-01-2017-0018Van Raan, A. F. J. (2005). Fatal attraction: Conceptual and methodological problems in the ranking of universities by bibliometric methods. Scientometrics, 62(1), 133-143. doi:10.1007/s11192-005-0008-6Vis, B. (2012). The Comparative Advantages of fsQCA and Regression Analysis for Moderately Large-N Analyses. Sociological Methods & Research, 41(1), 168-198. doi:10.1177/0049124112442142Wolfe, D. A. (2005). 10. The Role of Universities in Regional Development and Cluster Formation. Creating Knowledge, Strengthening Nations, 167-194. doi:10.3138/9781442673564-013World Bank. (2017). GDP Per Capita in US Dollars. World Bank National Accounts Data, and OECD National Accounts Data Files. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ny.gdp.pcap.cd.Youtie, J., & Shapira, P. (2008). Building an innovation hub: A case study of the transformation of university roles in regional technological and economic development. Research Policy, 37(8), 1188-1204. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2008.04.01

Testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin in COPD in outpatient respiratory clinics in Spain: A multilevel, cross-sectional analysis of the EPOCONSUL study

Background Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is the most common hereditary disorder in adults, but is under-recognized. In Spain, the number of patients diagnosed with AATD is much lower than expected according to epidemiologic studies. The objectives of this study were to assess the frequency and determinants of testing serum α1-antitrypsin (AAT) levels in COPD patients, and to describe factors associated with testing. Methods EPOCONSUL is a cross-sectional clinical audit, recruiting consecutive COPD cases over one year. The study evaluated serum AAT level determination in COPD patients and associations between individual, disease-related, and hospital characteristics. Results A total of 4,405 clinical records for COPD patients from 57 Spanish hospitals were evaluated. Only 995 (22.5%) patients had serum AAT tested on some occasion. A number of patient characteristics (being male [OR 0.5, p < 0.001], ≤55 years old [OR 2.38, p<0.001], BMI≤21 kg/m2 [OR 1.71, p<0.001], FEV1(%)<50% [OR 1.35, p<0.001], chronic bronchitis [OR 0.79, p < 0.001], Charlson index ≥ 3 [OR 0.66, p < 0.001], or history or symptoms of asthma [OR 1.32, p<0.001]), and management at a specialized COPD outpatient clinic [OR 2.73,p<0.001] were identified as factors independently associated with ever testing COPD patients for AATD. Overall, 114 COPD patients (11.5% of those tested) had AATD. Of them, 26 (22.8%) patients had severe deficiency. Patients with AATD were younger, with a low pack-year index, and were more likely to have emphysema (p<0.05). Conclusion Testing of AAT blood levels in COPD patients treated at outpatient respiratory clinics in Spain is infrequent. However, when tested, AATD (based on the serum AAT levels ≤100 mg/dL) is detected in one in five COPD patients. Efforts to optimize AATD case detection in COPD are needed.SEPA

Improved Iterative Coordinated Beamforming Based on Singular Value Decomposition for Multiuser Mimo Systems With Limited Feedforward

Coordinated beamforming based on singular value decomposition is an iterative method to jointly optimize thetransmit beamformers and receive combiners, to achieve high levels of sum rates in the downlink of multiusersystems, by exploiting the multi-dimensional wireless channel created by multiple transmit and receive antennas. The optimization is done at the base station and the quantized beamformers are sent to the users through a low rate link.In this work, we propose to optimize this algorithm by reducing the number of iterations and improving its uncoded bit error rate performance. Simulation results show that our proposal achieves a better bit error rate with a lower number of iterations than the original algorithm

Interleukin-15 antagonizes muscle protein waste in tumour-bearing rats

Tissue protein hypercatabolism (TPH) is an important feature in cancer cachexia, particularly with regard to the skeletal muscle. The Yoshida AH-130 rat ascites hepatoma is a model system for studying the mechanisms involved in the processes that lead to tissue depletion, since it induces in the host a rapid and progressive muscle wasting, primarily due to TPH. The present study was aimed at investigating if IL-15, which is known to favour muscle fibre hypertrophy, could antagonize the enhanced muscle protein breakdown in this cancer cachexia model. Indeed, IL-15 treatment partly inhibited skeletal muscle wasting in AH-130-bearing rats by decreasing (8-fold) protein degradative rates (as measured by14C-bicarbonate pre-loading of muscle proteins) to values even lower than those observed in non-tumour-bearing animals. These alterations in protein breakdown rates were associated with an inhibition of the ATP-ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway (35% and 41% for 2.4 and 1.2 kb ubiquitin mRNA, and 57% for the C8 proteasome subunit, respectively). The cytokine did not modify the plasma levels of corticosterone and insulin in the tumour hosts. The present data give new insights into the mechanisms by which IL-15 exerts its preventive effect on muscle protein wasting and seem to warrant the implementation of experimental protocols involving the use of the cytokine in the treatment of pathological states characterized by TPH, particularly in skeletal muscle, such as in the present model of cancer cachexia. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Treatment recommendations for psoriatic arthritis

Objective: To develop comprehensive recommendations for the treatment of the various clinical manifestations of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) based on evidence obtained from a systematic review of the literature and from consensus opinion. Methods: Formal literature reviews of treatment for the most significant discrete clinical manifestations of PsA (skin and nails, peripheral arthritis, axial disease, dactylitis and enthesitis) were performed and published by members of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA). Treatment recommendations were drafted for each of the clinical manifestations by rheumatologists, dermatologists and PsA patients based on the literature reviews and consensus opinion. The level of agreement for the individual treatment recommendations among GRAPPA members was assessed with an online questionnaire. Results: Treatment recommendations were developed for peripheral arthritis, axial disease, psoriasis, nail disease, dactylitis and enthesitis in the setting of PsA. In rotal, 19 recommendations were drafted, and over 80% agreement was obtained on 16 of them. In addition, a grid that factors disease severity into each of the different disease manifestations was developed to help the clinician with treatment decisions for the individual patient from an evidenced-based perspective. Conclusions: Treatment recommendations for the cardinal physical manifestations of PsA were developed based on a literature review and consensus between rheumatologists and dermatologists. In addition, a grid was established to assist in therapeutic reasoning and decision making for individual patients. It is anticipated that periodic updates will take place using this framework as new data become available

Influência de variáveis climáticas sobre o comportamento ingestivo de vacas de corte no Pantanal.

Estudos sobre o comportamento animal em condições naturais são fundamentais para definição de critérios de bem-estar animal. Este teve como objetivo avaliar a influência de variáveis climáticas sobre o comportamento ingestivo de vacas de cria criadas em pastagens nativa na sub-região da Nhecolândia, Pantanal, no período de 2002 a 2004

Novel efficient genome-wide SNP panels for the conservation of the highly endangered Iberian lynx

Background: The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has been acknowledged as the most endangered felid species in the world. An intense contraction and fragmentation during the twentieth century left less than 100 individuals split in two isolated and genetically eroded populations by 2002. Genetic monitoring and management so far have been based on 36 STRs, but their limited variability and the more complex situation of current populations demand more efficient molecular markers. The recent characterization of the Iberian lynx genome identified more than 1.6 million SNPs, of which 1536 were selected and genotyped in an extended Iberian lynx sample. Methods: We validated 1492 SNPs and analysed their heterozygosity, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and linkage disequilibrium. We then selected a panel of 343 minimally linked autosomal SNPs from which we extracted subsets optimized for four different typical tasks in conservation applications: individual identification, parentage assignment, relatedness estimation, and admixture classification, and compared their power to currently used STR panels. Results: We ascribed 21 SNPs to chromosome X based on their segregation patterns, and identified one additional marker that showed significant differentiation between sexes. For all applications considered, panels of autosomal SNPs showed higher power than the currently used STR set with only a very modest increase in the number of markers. Conclusions: These novel panels of highly informative genome-wide SNPs provide more powerful, efficient, and flexible tools for the genetic management and non-invasive monitoring of Iberian lynx populations. This example highlights an important outcome of whole-genome studies in genetically threatened species