A numerical study of Penrose-like inequalities in a family of axially symmetric initial data

Our current picture of black hole gravitational collapse relies on two assumptions: i) the resulting singularity is hidden behind an event horizon -- weak cosmic censorship conjecture -- and ii) spacetime eventually settles down to a stationarity state. In this setting, it follows that the minimal area containing an apparent horizon is bound by the square of the total ADM mass (Penrose inequality conjecture). Following Dain et al. 2002, we construct numerically a family of axisymmetric initial data with one or several marginally trapped surfaces. Penrose and related geometric inequalities are discused for these data. As a by-product, it is shown how Penrose inequality can be used as a diagnosis for an apparent horizon finder numerical routine.Comment: Contribution to the "Encuentros Relativistas Espanoles - Spanish Relativity Meeting ERE07" Proceedings, Tenerife, Spain (September 2007

EVALUACIÓN AGRONÓMICA Y SENSORIAL DE OCHO GENOTIPOS DE MAÍZ (Zea mays L.) PARA LA PRODUCCIÓN DE ELOTE

In Chiapas, México, diverse maize varieties (Zea mays) are cultivated to produce corn on the cob, even when they were not formed for this purpose. Producers sow native or improved varieties, although studies have not yet been performed to determine whether the quality of the biological materials directed at grain production is appropriate for corncob; and whether there is acceptance by consumers. Eight maize materials were evaluated in agronomical terms, in order to identify the genotypes that fulfill the market characteristics to produce corncob with consumer satisfaction, applying a sensory evaluation. A completely random block design with four repetitions was used in Úrsulo Galván, Villaflores, Chiapas, sowing on May 2013 and performing the sensory evaluation in August of the same year. The samples were evaluated through a hedonic scale of nine points, recording highly significant differences (P ? 0.01). The V-526 variety showed the best agronomic characteristics in length (20.5 cm) and diameter (5.0 cm), while the Cristani Burkad variety showed the highest content of total soluble solids (12.5 °Bx). All the genotypes  were evaluated positively by the consumers, with a grade of +2 (like it); however, those of highest acceptance were H-520, A7573 and V-526, with 78.7, 73.7 and 72.3%.En Chiapas, México, se cultivan diversas variedades de maíz (Zea mays) para producir elote, aun cuando no fueron formadas para ese fin. Los productores siembran variedades nativas o mejoradas, sin embargo no se han realizado trabajos para determinar si la calidad de los materiales biológicos orientados a la producción de grano son apropiados para elote; y si existe aceptación por parte de los consumidores. Se evaluaron agronómicamente ocho materiales de maíz, para identificar los genotipos que reúnen las características de mercado para producir elote con satisfacción del consumidor, aplicando una evaluación sensorial. Se estableció un diseño en bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones, sembrando en mayo 2013 en Úrsulo Galván, Villaflores, Chiapas, y su evaluación sensorial en agosto del mismo año. Las muestras se evaluaron mediante una escala hedónica de nueve puntos, registrando diferencias altamente significativas (P? 0.01). La variedad V-526 registró las mejores características agronómicas en longitud (20.5 cm) y diámetro (5.0 cm) mientras que la variedad Cristiani Burkad registró el mayor contenido de sólidos solubles totales (12.5 °Bx). Todos los genotipos fueron evaluados positivamente por los consumidores, con una calificación de +2 (me gusta), sin embargo, los de mayor aceptación fueron el H-520, A7573 y V-526, con 78.7, 73.7 y 72.3%

INNOVACIÓN Y RENTABILIDAD EN LA PRODUCCION DE ROSA (Rosa hybrida L.) DE CORTE EN INVERNADERO

Rose (Rosa hybrida) for cutting, grown under greenhouse conditions, is the ornamental species of greatest economic importance in the state of Puebla, México. The objective of this study was to estimate the economic profitability of the production of rose for cutting, and to determine the factors that explain the economic gain with an emphasis in the relationship: profitability, technological innovation, and size of the greenhouse. A survey was applied to producers using simple random sampling. The size of the sample was n=88 production units, with reliability of 95 % and precision of 7.5 %. To measure profitability of the production, the following indicators were used: Benefit-Cost Relationship and Economic Gain. It was determined that rose production has a Benefit-Cost Relationship of 2.5. There is a positive and significant (p?0.05) relationship between profitability and the use of innovations, as well as between profitability and size of the greenhouse. The producers with high values in investment for innovation obtain higher gain (40 %), in comparison to those that have low levels of investment.La rosa (Rosa hybrida) de corte bajo invernadero es la especie ornamental económicamente más importante en el estado de Puebla, México. El objetivo de esta investigación fue estimar la rentabilidad económica de la producción de rosa de corte y determinar los factores que explican la ganancia económica con énfasis en la relación: rentabilidad, innovación tecnológica y tamaño del invernadero. Se aplicó una encuesta a productores usando un muestreo aleatorio simple. El tamaño de muestra fue n=88 unidades de producción, con confiabilidad de 95% y precisión de 7.5%. Para la medición de la rentabilidad de la producción se utilizaron los indicadores: Relación Beneficio-Costo y Ganancia Económica. Se determinó que la producción de rosa tiene Relación beneficio/costo de 2.5. Existe una relación positiva y significativa (p?0.05) entre rentabilidad y uso de Innovaciones, así como entre rentabilidad y tamaño del Invernadero. Los productores con valores altos en inversión en innovación obtienen mayor ganancia (40%) en comparación con los que tienen bajos niveles de inversión

IMPORTANCIA ECONÓMICA DEL TRASPATIO Y SU RELACIÓN CON LA SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA EN COMUNIDADES DE ALTA MARGINACIÓN EN PUEBLA, MÉXICO

Backyard agriculture is of great importance for food security of rural families that practice family agriculture, because it generates foods, savings and income. This research has the objective of valuing the products generated in the backyard and their relation with food security. The data were obtained by monitoring a statistical sample of rural households. The interviews were carried out from August to November 2014. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, X2 (chi2), and a test of mean differences. The results indicated that the backyard generates 9.3 % of the family economicincome, and that it takes on higher importance in households where the main source of income are agricultural and livestock activities versus non-agricultural and livestock ones. A significant relation was found (p?0.05) between using the backyard productively and food insecurity and dietary poverty.La agricultura de traspatio es de gran importancia para la seguridad alimentaria de las familias rurales que practican la agricultura familiar, debido a que genera alimentos, ahorro, e ingresos. Esta investigación tiene el objetivo de valorar los productos que genera el traspatio y su relación con la seguridad alimentaria. Los datos se obtuvieron por seguimiento a una muestra estadística de hogares rurales. Las entrevistas se realizaron de agosto a noviembre del 2014. Los datos se analizaron con estadística descriptiva, X2 (chi2), y prueba de diferencias de la media. Los resultados indicaron queel traspatio genera 9.3% del ingreso económico familiar, y que cobra mayor importancia en hogares en los que su principal fuente de ingresos son las actividades agropecuarias contra las no agropecuarias. Se registró una relación significativa (p?0.05) entre utilizar productivamente el traspatio e inseguridad alimentaria y pobreza alimentaria

RENTABILIDAD ECONÓMICA Y AGREGACIÓN DE VALOR DEL CULTIVO DE AMARANTO (Amaranthus spp.) EN TOCHIMILCO, PUEBLA, MÉXICO

The production of amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), in Tochimilco, Puebla, Mexico, is the basis of the municipal economy. Although it is practiced under peasant agriculture conditions, it is market oriented. The above, because there is no culture of consumption among producers, despite the nutritional properties that this grain has. Two cultivation systems are practiced: conventional and organic. In both systems, the crop is financially profitable for the producer, when depreciation of equipment and family labor are not considered. In general, the income obtained is higher than the costs. However, the results of the VAN, TIR and RBC profitability indicators through an eight-year projection, with an update rate of 12%, indicate that the practice of the conventional system is not profitable with a NPV of -$22,818, an IRR of -11$2,765, IRR of 15% and RBC of 1.5. When value is added to production through trapping, the profitability of both systems increases; RBC of 1.5 for the traditional system with trapping, and RBC of 2.10 for the organic system with trapping.La producción de amaranto (Amaranthus spp.), en Tochimilco, Puebla, México, es la base de la economía municipal. A pesar de que se practica en condiciones de agricultura campesina, está orientada al mercado. Lo anterior, debido a que no existe la cultura de su consumo entre los productores, pese a las propiedades nutricionales que este grano posee. Se practican dos sistemas de cultivo: el convencional y el orgánico. En ambos sistemas, el cultivo es rentable financieramente para el productor, cuando no se consideran la depreciación de equipo y la mano de obra familiar. En general, los ingresos obtenidos son superiores a los costos. No obstante, los resultados de los indicadores de rentabilidad VAN, TIR y RBC a través de una proyección a ocho años, con una tasa de actualización de 12%, indican que la práctica del sistema convencional no es rentable con una VAN de -$22,818, una TIRde -11$2,765, TIR de 15% y RBC de 1.5. Cuando se agrega valor a la producción a través del reventado, la rentabilidad de ambos sistemas aumenta; RBC de 1.5 para el sistema tradicional con reventado, y a RBC de 2.10 para el sistema orgánico con reventado

Dynamical content of quantum diffeomorphisms in two-dimensional quantum gravity

A model for 2D-quantum gravity from the Virasoro symmetry is studied. The notion of space-time naturally arises as a homogeneous space associated with the kinematical (non-dynamical) SL(2,R) symmetry in the kernel of the Lie-algebra central extension for the critical values of the conformal anomaly. The rest of the generators in the group, L_n (n>1, n<-1), mix space-times with different constant curvature. Only in the classical limit all space-times can be identified, defining a unique Minkowski space-time, and the operators L_n (n<1, n<-1) gauged away. This process entails a restriction to SL(2,R) subrepresentations, which creates a non-trivial two-dimensional symplectic classical phase space. The present model thus suggests that the role of general covariance in quantum gravity is different from that played in the classical limit.Comment: 4 pages, LaTeX, no figures; uses espcrc2.sty (twocolumn). Contribution to the "Third Meeting on Constrained Dynamics and Quantum Gravity QG99" held in Sardinia, Italy, on Sept. 1999. To appear in Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.

Fasting enhances pyroglutamyl peptidase II activity in tanycytes of the mediobasal hypothalamus of male adult rats

Fasting down-regulates the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis activity through a reduction of TRH synthesis in neurons of the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). These TRH neurons project to the median eminence (ME), where TRH terminals are close to the cytoplasmic extensions of β2 tanycytes. Tanycytes express pyroglutamyl peptidase II (PPII), the TRH-degrading ectoenzyme that controls the amount of TRH that reaches the anterior pituitary. We tested the hypothesis that regulation of ME PPII activity is another mechanism by which fasting affects the activity of the HPT axis. Semiquantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry data indicated that PPII and deiodinase 2 mRNA levels increased in tanycytes after 48 hours of fasting. This increase was transitory, followed by an increase of PPII activity in the ME, and a partial reversion of the reduction in PVN pro-TRH mRNA levels and the number of TRH neurons detected by immunohistochemistry. In fed animals, adrenalectomy and corticosterone treatment did not change ME PPII activity 72 hours later. Methimazole-induced hypothyroidism produced a profound drop in tanycytes PPII mRNA levels, which was reverted by 3 days of treatment with T4. The activity of thyroliberinase, the serum isoform of PPII, was increased at most fasting time points studied. We conclude that delayed increases in both the ME PPII as well as the thyroliberinase activities in fasted male rats may facilitate the maintenance of the deep down-regulation of the HPT axis function, despite a partial reactivation of TRH expression in the PVN

Global surveillance of cancer survival 1995-2009: analysis of individual data for 25,676,887 patients from 279 population-based registries in 67 countries (CONCORD-2)

BACKGROUND: Worldwide data for cancer survival are scarce. We aimed to initiate worldwide surveillance of cancer survival by central analysis of population-based registry data, as a metric of the effectiveness of health systems, and to inform global policy on cancer control. METHODS: Individual tumour records were submitted by 279 population-based cancer registries in 67 countries for 25·7 million adults (age 15-99 years) and 75,000 children (age 0-14 years) diagnosed with cancer during 1995-2009 and followed up to Dec 31, 2009, or later. We looked at cancers of the stomach, colon, rectum, liver, lung, breast (women), cervix, ovary, and prostate in adults, and adult and childhood leukaemia. Standardised quality control procedures were applied; errors were corrected by the registry concerned. We estimated 5-year net survival, adjusted for background mortality in every country or region by age (single year), sex, and calendar year, and by race or ethnic origin in some countries. Estimates were age-standardised with the International Cancer Survival Standard weights. FINDINGS: 5-year survival from colon, rectal, and breast cancers has increased steadily in most developed countries. For patients diagnosed during 2005-09, survival for colon and rectal cancer reached 60% or more in 22 countries around the world; for breast cancer, 5-year survival rose to 85% or higher in 17 countries worldwide. Liver and lung cancer remain lethal in all nations: for both cancers, 5-year survival is below 20% everywhere in Europe, in the range 15-19% in North America, and as low as 7-9% in Mongolia and Thailand. Striking rises in 5-year survival from prostate cancer have occurred in many countries: survival rose by 10-20% between 1995-99 and 2005-09 in 22 countries in South America, Asia, and Europe, but survival still varies widely around the world, from less than 60% in Bulgaria and Thailand to 95% or more in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the USA. For cervical cancer, national estimates of 5-year survival range from less than 50% to more than 70%; regional variations are much wider, and improvements between 1995-99 and 2005-09 have generally been slight. For women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005-09, 5-year survival was 40% or higher only in Ecuador, the USA, and 17 countries in Asia and Europe. 5-year survival for stomach cancer in 2005-09 was high (54-58%) in Japan and South Korea, compared with less than 40% in other countries. By contrast, 5-year survival from adult leukaemia in Japan and South Korea (18-23%) is lower than in most other countries. 5-year survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is less than 60% in several countries, but as high as 90% in Canada and four European countries, which suggests major deficiencies in the management of a largely curable disease. INTERPRETATION: International comparison of survival trends reveals very wide differences that are likely to be attributable to differences in access to early diagnosis and optimum treatment. Continuous worldwide surveillance of cancer survival should become an indispensable source of information for cancer patients and researchers and a stimulus for politicians to improve health policy and health-care systems