Zero-inflated-censored Weibull and gamma regression models to estimate wild boar population dispersal distance

The dynamics of the wild boar population has become a pressing issue not only for ecological purposes, but also for agricultural and livestock production. The data related to the wild boar dispersal distance can have a complex structure, including excess of zeros and right-censored observations, thus being challenging for modeling. In this sense, we propose two different zero-inflated-right-censored regression models, assuming Weibull and gamma distributions. First, we present the construction of the likelihood function, and then, we apply both models to simulated datasets, demonstrating that both regression models behave well. The simulation results point to the consistency and asymptotic unbiasedness of the developed methods. Afterwards, we adjusted both models to a simulated dataset of wild boar dispersal, including excess of zeros, right-censored observations, and two covariates: age and sex. We showed that the models were useful to extract inferences about the wild boar dispersal, correctly describing the data mimicking a situation where males disperse more than females, and age has a positive effect on the dispersal of the wild boars. These results are useful to overcome some limitations regarding inferences in zero-inflated-right-censored datasets, especially concerning the wild boar’s population. Users will be provided with an R function to run the proposed models

MORPHOLOGICAL and ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES of PYRAMIDAL-LIKE NEURONS in the STRATUM ORIENS of CORNU AMMONIS 1 and CORNU AMMONIS 2 AREA of PROECHIMYS

Proechimys (Rodentia: Echimyidae) is a neotropical rodent of the Amazon region that has been successfully colonized in the laboratory and used for experimental medicine. Preliminary studies indicated that Proechimys (casiragua) rodents express an atypical resistance to developing a chronic epileptic condition in common models of temporal lobe epilepsy. Moreover, previous investigation of our laboratory described a remarkably different Proechimy's cytoarchitecture organization of the hippocampal CA2 subfield. in the present study, we investigated the intrinsic neuronal properties and morphological characteristics of the Proechimys's hippocampal pyramidal neurons of the CA1 and CA2 areas. A comparative approach was performed using neurons recorded in Wistar rats. A striking finding in Proechimys rodents was the presence of large pyramidal-like neurons throughout the stratum oriens from CA2 to CA1 area. in order to confirm such distinctive feature of the Proechimys's hippocampus, we performed Nissl staining and immunohistochemistry for neurofilament protein SM311. CA2 pyramidal neurons in the stratum pyramidale of Proechimys exhibited a significantly higher input resistance and lower time constant when compared to corresponding cell groups in the same area of the Wistar rat's. This newly identified population of pyramidal-shaped neurons in stratum oriens of Proechimys exhibited distinct electrophysiological and morphological properties. This included larger capacitance, lower input resistance, larger rheobase, long latency to first action potential and slower firing frequency. in addition, the apical dendrites of these neurons were oriented in parallel to apical dendrites of regular pyramidal neurons in stratum pyramidale. Moreover, these neurons were immunoreactive to SM311 as the majority of the neurons of the pyramidal layer. the functional role of these hippocampal neurons of the rodent Proechimys deserves further investigation. (C) 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)INCT-Instituto Nacional de Neurociencia Translacional, BrazilNIH/NCMHDNIH/NIGMS/MBRSUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Discipline Neurol Expt, Escola Paulista Med, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilCtr Nacl Primates, Inst Evandro Chagas, Belem, Para, BrazilUniv Texas Brownsville, Dept Biol Sci, Brownsville, TX 78520 USACtr Biomed Studies, Brownsville, TX 78520 USAUniv Fed Santa Maria, Ctr Ciencias Saude, Dept Fisiol & Farmacol, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Discipline Neurol Expt, Escola Paulista Med, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 07/52916-8NIH/NCMHD: P20MD001091NIH/NIGMS/MBRS: 5SC1NS063950-04: 3SC1NS063950-03S1Web of Scienc

The influence of different PAG polymer cooling rates on distortions in SAE 1050 steel parts on induction heat treatment

As distorções dimensionais podem manifestar-se de forma expressiva em componentes de aço carbono, como o aço SAE 1050, após tratamentos térmicos de têmpera, devido à baixa temperabilidade dos mesmos. A taxa de resfriamento é um parâmetro do processo de têmpera que pode ser controlado para minimizar este inconveniente. Soluções contendo PAG (polialquilenoglicol) podem ser empregadas para resfriamento no processo de têmpera, permitindo controlar a severidade do resfriamento em função da quantidade de PAG na solução. O componente automotivo estudado, se localiza em uma das extremidades da junta homocinética, a qual é montada junto ao cubo de rodas do veículo. A região de montagem no cubo de rodas tem especificações dimensionais extremamente justas, o que torna ainda mais desafiador atender os requerimentos do projeto, quando é um aço ao carbono sem adição de elementos de liga. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as diferentes concentrações de PAG como meio de resfriamento, e a influência nas distorções dimensionais de uma ponta de eixo em aço SAE 1050 temperada por indução. Para isso, foram utilizadas concentrações de 5%, 10% e 15% de PAG, e avaliadas as distorções dimensionais por medições do diâmetro em três pontos da peça alinhados no sentido longitudinal após a têmpera por indução, bem como as medições da camada endurecida (dureza Vickers) e microestrutura.Dimensional distortions can manifest themselves significantly in carbon steel components, such as SAE 1050 steel, after quenching heat treatment, due to their low hardenability. The cooling rate is a quenching process parameter that can be controlled to minimize this inconvenience. Solutions containing PAG (polyalkylene glycol) can be used for cooling in the quenching process, allowing to control the severity of the cooling as a function of the amount of PAG in the solution. The studied automotive component is located at one end of the CV joint, which is mounted next to the vehicle’s wheel hub. The assembly region on the wheel hub has extremely tight dimensional specifications, which makes it even more challenging to meet the design requirements, when it is a carbon steel without the addition of alloying elements. The present study target to evaluate the different concentrations of PAG as a cooling means, and the influence on the dimensional distortions of an induction-hardened SAE 1050 steel shaft end. For this, concentrations of 5%, 10% and 15% of PAG were used, and dimensional distortions were evaluated by measuring the diameter at three points of the piece aligned in the longitudinal direction after induction hardening, as well as measurements of the hardened case depth (Vickers hardness) and microstructure

Metabolic constituents of grapevine and grape-derived products

The numerous uses of the grapevine fruit, especially for wine and beverages, have made it one of the most important plants worldwide. The phytochemistry of grapevine is rich in a wide range of compounds. Many of them are renowned for their numerous medicinal uses. The production of grapevine metabolites is highly conditioned by many factors like environment or pathogen attack. Some grapevine phytoalexins have gained a great deal of attention due to their antimicrobial activities, being also involved in the induction of resistance in grapevine against those pathogens. Meanwhile grapevine biotechnology is still evolving, thanks to the technological advance of modern science, and biotechnologists are making huge efforts to produce grapevine cultivars of desired characteristics. In this paper, important metabolites from grapevine and grape derived products like wine will be reviewed with their health promoting effects and their role against certain stress factors in grapevine physiology

The FLUXNET2015 dataset and the ONEFlux processing pipeline for eddy covariance data

The FLUXNET2015 dataset provides ecosystem-scale data on CO2, water, and energy exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and other meteorological and biological measurements, from 212 sites around the globe (over 1500 site-years, up to and including year 2014). These sites, independently managed and operated, voluntarily contributed their data to create global datasets. Data were quality controlled and processed using uniform methods, to improve consistency and intercomparability across sites. The dataset is already being used in a number of applications, including ecophysiology studies, remote sensing studies, and development of ecosystem and Earth system models. FLUXNET2015 includes derived-data products, such as gap-filled time series, ecosystem respiration and photosynthetic uptake estimates, estimation of uncertainties, and metadata about the measurements, presented for the first time in this paper. In addition, 206 of these sites are for the first time distributed under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) license. This paper details this enhanced dataset and the processing methods, now made available as open-source codes, making the dataset more accessible, transparent, and reproducible.Peer reviewe

Update on the Combined Analysis of Muon Measurements from Nine Air Shower Experiments

Over the last two decades, various experiments have measured muon densities in extensive air showers over several orders of magnitude in primary energy. While some experiments observed differences in the muon densities between simulated and experimentally measured air showers, others reported no discrepancies. We will present an update of the meta-analysis of muon measurements from nine air shower experiments, covering shower energies between a few PeV and tens of EeV and muon threshold energies from a few 100 MeV to about 10GeV. In order to compare measurements from different experiments, their energy scale was cross-calibrated and the experimental data has been compared using a universal reference scale based on air shower simulations. Above 10 PeV, we find a muon excess with respect to simulations for all hadronic interaction models, which is increasing with shower energy. For EPOS-LHC and QGSJet-II.04 the significance of the slope of the increase is analyzed in detail under different assumptions of the individual experimental uncertainties

Les droits disciplinaires des fonctions publiques : « unification », « harmonisation » ou « distanciation ». A propos de la loi du 26 avril 2016 relative à la déontologie et aux droits et obligations des fonctionnaires

The production of tt‾ , W+bb‾ and W+cc‾ is studied in the forward region of proton–proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98±0.02 fb−1 . The W bosons are reconstructed in the decays W→ℓν , where ℓ denotes muon or electron, while the b and c quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions.The production of $t\overline{t}$, $W+b\overline{b}$ and $W+c\overline{c}$ is studied in the forward region of proton-proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98 $\pm$ 0.02 \mbox{fb}^{-1}. The $W$ bosons are reconstructed in the decays $W\rightarrow\ell\nu$, where $\ell$ denotes muon or electron, while the $b$ and $c$ quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta