Artificial neural networks reveal efficiency in genetic value prediction

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for predicting genetic value in experiments carried out in randomized blocks. Sixteen scenarios were simulated with different values of heritability (10, 20, 30, and 40%), coefficient of variation (5 and 10%), and the number of genotypes per block (150 and 200 for validation, and 5000 for neural network training). One hundred validation populations were used in each scenario. Accuracy of ANNs was evaluated by comparing the correlation of network value with genetic value, and of phenotypic value with genetic value. Neural networks were efficient in predicting genetic value with a 0.64 to 10.3% gain compared to the phenotypic value, regardless the simulated population size, heritability, or coefficient of variation. Thus, the artificial neural network is a promising technique for predicting genetic value in balanced experiments

A multisite microcanonical updating method

We have made a study of several update algorithms using the XY model. We find that sequential local overrelaxation is not ergodic at the scale of typical Monte Carlo simulation time. We have introduced a new multisite microcanonical update method, which yields results compatible with those of random overrelaxation and the microcanonical demon algorithm, which are very much slower, all being incompatible with the sequential overrelaxation results.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Feeding Habits of Dwarf Goatfish (Upeneus parvus: Mullidae) on the Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico

Feeding habits of dwarf goatfish on the continental shelf off Alvarado, Veracruz, Mexico, were analyzed to determine seasonal variation and size-class changes in diet composition and trophic overlap between size classes. Food was found in 63% of the 1,437 dwarf goatfish guts analyzed. The 52 dietary items identified consisted mainly of crustaceans, with Solenocera vioscai being the most important prey. Dwarf goatfish exhibited seasonal and size-class changes in prey consumption. Despite the high number of prey items, low values of diversity and diet breadth were found in the trophic spectrum. A high trophic overlap between size classes was observed in the north-winds season between length classes (92-111 vs 112-130 mm) (λ = 0.81) and (92-111 vs 131-150 mm) (λ = 0.80), and (112-131 vs 131-150 mm) (λ = 0.67). In the rainy season high overlaps were obtained between (92-111 vs 112-131 min) (λ = 0.73) and (112-131 vs 131-150 mm) (λ = 0.84) length classes. Dwarf goatfish appear to be opportunistic carnivorous predators that impact benthic and epibenthic invertebrates

Estresse Salino Na Qualidade Fisiológica De Sementes De Cryptostegia Madagascariensis Bojer Ex Decne

The Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer ex Decne. species was introduced in Brazil with ornamental purposes, but currently, it is invasive in the Caatinga biome. Despite its high level of occupancy of altered areas of Caatinga, there is lack of information about this species, particularly in relation to the capacity of its seeds to germinate in adverse conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate seed germination and the initial seedling growth of Cryptostegia madagascariensis in function of salinity at different temperatures. The experiment was conducted following a completely randomized design, with treatments arranged in a 6 × 3 factorial design with six salinity levels promoted by sodium chloride (NaCl): 0.0 (control); 2.0; 4.0; 6.0; 8.0 and 10.0 dS m-1 and three temperatures: 25 and 30°C constant and alternating 20-35°C. The physiological quality of seeds was evaluated using the following variables: germination, first count and the speed of germination index, length and dry weight of roots and hypocotyl. The results indicate that there is high probability of seed germination of Cryptostegia madagascariensis subjected to salt stress at constant temperature of 30°C and alternating 20-35°C, which enhances its invasive character. © 2016, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. All rights reserved.2641189119

Simulating spin systems on IANUS, an FPGA-based computer

We describe the hardwired implementation of algorithms for Monte Carlo simulations of a large class of spin models. We have implemented these algorithms as VHDL codes and we have mapped them onto a dedicated processor based on a large FPGA device. The measured performance on one such processor is comparable to O(100) carefully programmed high-end PCs: it turns out to be even better for some selected spin models. We describe here codes that we are currently executing on the IANUS massively parallel FPGA-based system.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures; submitted to Computer Physics Communication

Two-photon Absorption In Direct Bandgap Semiconductors Quantum Dots

We present degenerate and nondegenerate two-photon absorption spectra in a series of CdSe and CdTe quantum dots. The measurements show that the two-photon absorption (2PA) spectrum is strongly dependent on the quantum dot size and that the 2PA coefficient decreases as the quantum dot size decreases, and it is larger for the frequency nondegenerate process. Previously we had shown a theoretical analysis of these results based on a simple model using the effective mass approximation. Although this model works well for larger quantum dots, it fails for the smaller ones. Here we use the more realistic k→ p→ model for the band structure and consider the hole band mixing in quantum dots to describe our data. This theory better describes the spectral structures for smaller quantum dots and also predicts the decrease of the 2PA coefficient with the decrease of quantum dot size. This is due to the reduction of the number of possible transitions and the blue shift of the optical bandgap from quantum confinement. This theory predicts the reduction of the 2PA coefficient with size, although our experimental results show an even stronger reduction.6327Larson, D.R., Zipfel, W.R., Willians, R.M., Clark, S.W., Bruchez, M.P., Wise, F.W., Webb, W.W., (2003) Science, 300, pp. 1434-1436Sargent, E.H., (2005) Adv. Matt., 17, pp. 515-522Padilha, L.A., Neves, A.A.R., Rodriguez, E., Cesar, C.L., Barobosa, L.C., Cruz, C.H.B., (2005) Appl. Phys. Lett., 86, pp. 1611111-1611113Uskov, A.V., O'Reilly, E.P., Manning, R.J., Webb, R.P., Cotter, D., Laemmlin, M., Ledentsov, N.N., Bimberg, D., (2004) IEEE Phot. Tech. Lett, 16, pp. 1265-1267Cerletti, V., Coish, W.A., Gywat, O., Loss, D., (2005) Nanotech., 16, pp. R27-R49Sercel, P.C., Vahala, K.J., (1990) Phys. Rev. B, 42, pp. 3690-3710Cotter, D., Burt, M.G., Manning, R.J., (1992) Phys. Rev. Lett., 68, pp. 1200-1203Seo, J.T., Yang, Q., Creekmore, S., Temple, D., Qu, L., Yu, W., Wang, A., Kim, J.H., (2003) Phys. E, 17, pp. 101-103Banfi, G.P., Degiorgio, V., Ricard, D., (1998) Adv. Phys., 47, pp. 447-510Padilha, L.A., Fu, J., Hagan, D.J., Van Stryland, E.W., Cesar, C.L., Barbosa, L.C., Cruz, C.H.B., (2005) Opt. Exp., 13, pp. 6460-6467Padilha, L.A., Fu, J., Hagan, D.J., Van Stryland, E.W., Cesar, C.L., Barbosa, L.C., Cruz, C.H.B., (2005) Proc. SPIE, 5931, pp. 226-235Fedorov, A.V., Baranv, A.V., Inoue, K., (1996) Phys. Rev. B, 54, pp. 8627-8632Sheik-Bahae, M., Said, A.A., Wei, T.H., Hagan, D.J., Van Stryland, E.W., (1990) IEEE J. of Quantum Electron., 26, pp. 760-769Negres, R.A., Hales, J.M., Kobyakov, A., Hagan, D.J., Van Stryland, E.W., (2002) IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 38, pp. 1205-1216Hales, J.M., Hagan, D.J., Van Stryland, E.W., Schafer, K.J., Morales, A.R., Belfield, K.D., Pacher, P., Bredas, J.L., (2004) J. Chem. Phys., 121, pp. 3152-3160Barbosa, L.C., Reynoso, V.C.S., De Paula, A.M., De Oliveira, C.R.M., Alves, O.L., Craievich, A.F., Marotti, R.E., Cesar, C.L., (1997) J. Non-cryst. Solids, 219, pp. 205-211Yu, W.W., Qu, L.H., Guo, W.Z., Peng, X.G., (2003) Chem. Mater., 15, p. 2854Bunge, S.D., Krueger, K.M., Boyle, T.J., Rodriguez, M.A., Headley, T.J., Colvin, V.L., (2003) J. Mater. Chem., 13, p. 1705Qu, L.H., Peng, X.G., (2002) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124, p. 2049L.A. Padilha, J. Fu, D.J. Hagan, E.W. Van Stryland, C.L. Cesar, L.C. Barbosa, C.H.B. Cruz, D. Buso, and A. Martucci, to be published (2006)Kane, E.O., Semiconductors & Semimetals, 1. , Cap. 3Ekimov, A.I., Hache, F., Schanne-Klein, M.C., Richard, D., Flytzanis, C., Kudryavtsev, I.A., Yazeva, T.V., Efros, Al.L., (1993) J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 10, pp. 100-10

Poor disability outcomes in the management of Low Back Pain patients in Portugal

Trabalho apresentado em 10th Interdisciplinary World Congress on Low Back & Pelvic Girdle Pain, 28-31 de outubro 2019, Antuérpia, BélgicaN/

Janus II: a new generation application-driven computer for spin-system simulations

This paper describes the architecture, the development and the implementation of Janus II, a new generation application-driven number cruncher optimized for Monte Carlo simulations of spin systems (mainly spin glasses). This domain of computational physics is a recognized grand challenge of high-performance computing: the resources necessary to study in detail theoretical models that can make contact with experimental data are by far beyond those available using commodity computer systems. On the other hand, several specific features of the associated algorithms suggest that unconventional computer architectures, which can be implemented with available electronics technologies, may lead to order of magnitude increases in performance, reducing to acceptable values on human scales the time needed to carry out simulation campaigns that would take centuries on commercially available machines. Janus II is one such machine, recently developed and commissioned, that builds upon and improves on the successful JANUS machine, which has been used for physics since 2008 and is still in operation today. This paper describes in detail the motivations behind the project, the computational requirements, the architecture and the implementation of this new machine and compares its expected performances with those of currently available commercial systems.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figure

Nature of the spin-glass phase at experimental length scales

We present a massive equilibrium simulation of the three-dimensional Ising spin glass at low temperatures. The Janus special-purpose computer has allowed us to equilibrate, using parallel tempering, L=32 lattices down to T=0.64 Tc. We demonstrate the relevance of equilibrium finite-size simulations to understand experimental non-equilibrium spin glasses in the thermodynamical limit by establishing a time-length dictionary. We conclude that non-equilibrium experiments performed on a time scale of one hour can be matched with equilibrium results on L=110 lattices. A detailed investigation of the probability distribution functions of the spin and link overlap, as well as of their correlation functions, shows that Replica Symmetry Breaking is the appropriate theoretical framework for the physically relevant length scales. Besides, we improve over existing methodologies to ensure equilibration in parallel tempering simulations.Comment: 48 pages, 19 postscript figures, 9 tables. Version accepted for publication in the Journal of Statistical Mechanic

Constraining scalar fields with stellar kinematics and collisional dark matter

The existence and detection of scalar fields could provide solutions to long-standing puzzles about the nature of dark matter, the dark compact objects at the centre of most galaxies, and other phenomena. Yet, self-interacting scalar fields are very poorly constrained by astronomical observations, leading to great uncertainties in estimates of the mass $m_\phi$ and the self-interacting coupling constant $\lambda$ of these fields. To counter this, we have systematically employed available astronomical observations to develop new constraints, considerably restricting this parameter space. In particular, by exploiting precise observations of stellar dynamics at the centre of our Galaxy and assuming that these dynamics can be explained by a single boson star, we determine an upper limit for the boson star compactness and impose significant limits on the values of the properties of possible scalar fields. Requiring the scalar field particle to follow a collisional dark matter model further narrows these constraints. Most importantly, we find that if a scalar dark matter particle does exist, then it cannot account for both the dark-matter halos and the existence of dark compact objects in galactic nucleiComment: 23 pages, 8 figures; accepted for publication by JCAP after minor change