Axioms for consensus functions on the n-cube

An elementary general result is proved that allows for simple characterizations of well-known location/consensus functions (median, mean and center) on the n-cube. In addition, alternate new characterizations are given for the median and anti-median functions on the n-cube.Comment: 12 page

Frictions, cracks and micro-resistances: physical activity and sport as strategies to dignify imprisoned women

Discipline and control are key concepts within industrial and capitalist societies. In this context, prisons are a warning tool about the consequences of non-conformity [Foucault, M., 1995. Discipline and Punish: The birth of Prison. NY: Vintage Books]. As a result, punitive power is used as a corrective technique to transform prisoners into docile and useful citizen. However, power in prison is no static and inmates can create various strategies of resistance. The aim of this research is to understand how physical activity and sport are used by incarcerated women to confront social control and negotiate power relations. Underpinned within a critical feminist epistemology, we interviewed 16 women about their prison sports experience. According to the interviewees, physical activity and sport helped them to cope with the sentence while it was a useful tool confronting and negotiating the patriarchal punitive power. The women pointed out that the prison did not fully subdue them. Also, they highlighted their abilities to minimally destabilize the prison order. This enabled them to regain some autonomy and identity, while opposing to the total institution. Engaging in physical practices enabled incarcerated women to create small spaces of freedom and frictions within a limiting a prohibitive prison environmen

Cough and dyspnea during bronchoconstriction: comparison of different stimuli

Abstract Background Bronchial challenge tests are used to evaluate bronchial responsiveness in diagnosis and follow-up of asthmatic patients. Challenge induced cough has increasingly been recognized as a valuable diagnostic tool. Various stimuli and protocols have been employed. The aim of this study was to compare cough and dyspnea intensity induced by different stimuli. Methods Twenty asthmatic patients underwent challenge tests with methacholine, bradykinin and exercise. Cough was counted during challenge tests. Dyspnea was assessed by modified Borg scale and visual analogue scale. Statistical comparisons were performed by linear mixed-effects model. Results For cough evaluation, bradykinin was the most potent trigger (p < 0.01). In terms of dyspnea measured by Borg scale, there were no differences among stimuli (p > 0.05). By visual analogue scale, bradykinin induced more dyspnea than other stimuli (p ≤ 0.04). Conclusion Bradykinin seems to be the most suitable stimulus for bronchial challenge tests intended for measuring cough in association with bronchoconstriction

Limits on excited tau leptons masses from leptonic tau decays

We study the effects induced by excited leptons on the leptonic tau decay at one loop level. Using a general effective lagrangian approach to describe the couplings of the excited leptons, we compute their contributions to the leptonic decays and use the current experimental values of the branching ratios to put limits on the mass of excited states and the substructure scale.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Artificial intelligence-based software (AID-FOREST) for tree detection: A new framework for fast and accurate forest inventorying using LiDAR point clouds

Forest inventories are essential to accurately estimate different dendrometric and forest stand parameters. However, classical forest inventories are time consuming, slow to conduct, sometimes inaccurate and costly. To address this problem, an efficient alternative approach has been sought and designed that will make this type of field work cheaper, faster, more accurate, and easier to complete. The implementation of this concept has required the development of a specifically designed software called "Artificial Intelligence for Digital Forest (AID-FOREST)", which is able to process point clouds obtained via mobile terrestrial laser scanning (MTLS) and then, to provide an array of multiple useful and accurate dendrometric and forest stand parameters. Singular characteristics of this approach are: No data pre-processing is required either pre-treatment of forest stand; fully automatic process once launched; no limitations by the size of the point cloud file and fast computations.To validate AID-FOREST, results provided by this software were compared against the obtained from in-situ classical forest inventories. To guaranty the soundness and generality of the comparison, different tree spe-cies, plot sizes, and tree densities were measured and analysed. A total of 76 plots (10,887 trees) were selected to conduct both a classic forest inventory reference method and a MTLS (ZEB-HORIZON, Geoslam, ltd.) scanning to obtain point clouds for AID-FOREST processing, known as the MTLS-AIDFOREST method. Thus, we compared the data collected by both methods estimating the average number of trees and diameter at breast height (DBH) for each plot. Moreover, 71 additional individual trees were scanned with MTLS and processed by AID-FOREST and were then felled and divided into logs measuring 1 m in length. This allowed us to accurately measure the DBH, total height, and total volume of the stems.When we compared the results obtained with each methodology, the mean detectability was 97% and ranged from 81.3 to 100%, with a bias (underestimation by MTLS-AIDFOREST method) in the number of trees per plot of 2.8% and a relative root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 9.2%. Species, plot size, and tree density did not significantly affect detectability. However, this parameter was significantly affected by the ecosystem visual complexity index (EVCI). The average DBH per plot was underestimated (but was not significantly different from 0) by the MTLS-AIDFOREST, with the average bias for pooled data being 1.8% with a RMSE of 7.5%. Similarly, there was no statistically significant differences between the two distribution functions of the DBH at the 95.0% confidence level.Regarding the individual tree parameters, MTLS-AIDFOREST underestimated DBH by 0.16 % (RMSE = 5.2 %) and overestimated the stem volume (Vt) by 1.37 % (RMSE = 14.3 %, although the BIAS was not statistically significantly different from 0). However, the MTLS-AIDFOREST method overestimated the total height (Ht) of the trees by a mean 1.33 m (5.1 %; relative RMSE = 11.5 %), because of the different height concepts measured by both methodological approaches. Finally, AID-FOREST required 30 to 66 min per ha-1 to fully automatically process the point cloud data from the *.las file corresponding to a given hectare plot. Thus, applying our MTLS-AIDFOREST methodology to make full forest inventories, required a 57.3 % of the time required to perform classical plot forest inventories (excluding the data postprocessing time in the latter case). A free trial of AID -FOREST can be requested at [email protected]

Enhancement of metabolite production in high-altitude microalgal strains by optimized C/N/P ratio

This study evaluated the role of C/N/P in the increase in the synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in two high-mountain strains of algae (Chlorella sp. UFPS019 and Desmodesmus sp. UFPS021). Three carbon sources (sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate), and the sources of nitrogen (NaNO3) and phosphate (KH2PO4 and K2HPO4) were analyzed using a surface response (3 factors, 2 levels). In Chlorella sp. UFPS019, the optimal conditions to enhance the synthesis of carbohydrates were high sodium carbonate content (3.53 g/L), high KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 content (0.06 and 0.14 g/L, respectively), and medium-high NaNO3 (0.1875 g/L). In the case of lipids, a high concentration of sodium acetate (1.19 g/L) coupled with high KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 content (0.056 and 0.131 g/L, respectively) and a low concentration of NaNO3 (0.075 g/L) drastically induced the synthesis of lipids. In the case of Desmodesmus sp. UFPS021, the protein content was increased using high sodium acetate (2 g/L), high KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 content (0.056 and 0.131 g/L, respectively), and high NaNO3 concentration (0.25 g/L). These results demonstrate that the correct adjustment of the C/N/P ratio can enhance the capacity of high-mountain strains of algae to produce high concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids

Actual and Potential Distribution of Five Regulated Avocado Pests Across Mexico, Using the Maximum Entropy Algorithm

Este trabajo representa un aporte al conocimiento de los insectos barrenadores de frutos y ramas del aguacate, considerados como plagas de tipo cuarentenario en México que limitan la comercialización de frutos de aguacate en el mercado exterior, principalmente NorteamericaMexican avocado producers face phytosanitary barriers that limit the ability to ship avocados to foreign markets due to concerns about invasion by unwanted pests. The principal regulated pests are the big avocado seed weevil, Heilipus lauri Boheman; the small avocado seed weevils Conotrachelus aguacatae Barber and C. perseae Barber; the branch borer weevil, Copturus aguacatae Kissinger (all Coleoptera: Curculionidae); and the avocado seed moth, Stenoma catenifer Walsingham (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae). In Mexico, distribution information of these pests is largely based on a slow integration of the geographic data. This study was conducted to determine the potential distribution of these 5 insect pests in Mexican avocadogrowing areas by using the maximum entropy algorithm. Distributional data of these insects were obtained from scientific literature, databases, and field collection, and incorporated into the MaxEnt model using 19 global climatic variables and elevation data. Distributional models for Mexico, and geographic interaction with avocado-growing areas of the country, were calculated. Conoctrachelus aguacatae, C. perseae, Copturus aguacatae, and H. lauri showed similar environmental suitability patterns in Mexico, with a potential distribution from central to southern Mexico. High suitability was projected principally in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and surrounding biogeographic provinces. Stenoma catenifer exhibited an irregular environmental suitability pattern, with preference for western Mexico. Altitude, isothermality, and seasonality of precipitation were the variables that most influenced potential distribution of analyzed species. Geographic interaction with avocado-growing areas ranged from wider (Conoctrachelus aguacatae, C. perseae, Copturus aguacatae, and S. catenifer) to narrow or irregular (H. lauri), but the last species has the potential to invade new geographic areas. For the first time, the geographic distribution of these 5 insect pests was determined based on environmental suitability and their geographic interaction with avocados. These data could support development of management strategies throughout the country, and help focusing surveys and control tactics

TMT-Based Proteomic Analysis of Human Spermatozoa from Unexplained Recurrent Miscarriage Patients before and after Oral Antioxidant Treatment

Recently, sperm quality and the presence of double-stranded breaks (DSB) has been pointed out as a possible cause of recurrent miscarriage, and the use of antioxidants has expanded as a treatment for male infertility. The aim of the present study was to analyze the proteomic effects of antioxidants on sperm from RM patients with high incidence of DSB. Proteomic analysis was performed using a tandem mass tag labeling technique, and subsequently compared with the PANTHER database for DEPs, and the STRING database for protein-protein interactions (PPI). Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) both before and after antioxidant oral treatment were identified. PPI involving DEPs clustered into networks related to cell metabolism, cytoskeleton, and DNA damage. Results show that the sperm proteomic profiles before and after antioxidant treatment do not significantly differ from each other. However, some DEPs found after the antioxidant treatment shifted towards a DEPs profile typical of fertile donors. This indirect measurement suggests an improvement caused by antioxidants on the expression of several proteins. Among them were proteins involved in sperm DNA remodeling (LMO7, MMP28, BNC2, H2B, and PRDM2). The results presented here represent the first approach in the analysis and repair of the proteomic change caused by antioxidants in recurrent miscarriage patients, elucidating biomarkers that may be useful for the diagnosis and further sperm selection in this type of patient. Further studies should be conducted to validate the usefulness of these biomarkers in larger study groups