427 research outputs found
Metazoários Parasitos De Lambari Astyanax Altiparanae, Coletados Do Rio Do Peixe, São Paulo, Sudeste Do Brasil
In March 2010, 44 specimens of Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski, 2000, commonly known as “lambari do rabo amarelo”, collected from the Peixe river in the state of São Paulo, Brazil were analyzed. Out of these 44 fishes, 38 had at least one species of metazoan parasite. Fifteen metazoan parasites species were collected and identified: Urocleidoides trinidadensis, Diaphorocleidus kabatai, Diaphorocleidus orthodusus, Diaphorocleidus sp., Urocleidoides sp., Trinibaculum altiparanae, Gyrodactylus sp., Jainus hexops, Contracaecum sp., Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) inopinatus, Vaigamus sp., Amplexibranchius bryconis, Ergasilus sp., Zonocotyloides haroltravassossi and Henneguya sp. Six species of parasites presented a prevalence of over 10%. Weight and length of fishes didn’t influence the parasitism. All parasites presented an aggregated distribution. The parasite community of Astyanax altiparanae from the Peixe river was characterized as having high richness and low uniformity. © 2016, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. All rights reserved.46587688
Technical challenges and approaches to transfer building information models to building energy
The complex data exchange between architectural design and building energy simulation constitutes the main challenge in the use of energy performance analyses in the early design stage. The enhancement of BIM model data with additional specific energy-related information and the subsequent mapping to the input of an energy analysis or simulation tool is yet an open issue. This paper examines three approaches for the data transfer from 3D CAD applications to building performance simulations using BIM as central data repository and points out their current and envisaged use in practice. The first approach addresses design scenarios. It focuses on the supporting tools needed to achieve interoperability given a 74 wide-spread commercial BIM model (Autodesk Revit) and a dedicated pre-processing tool (DesignBuilder) for EnergyPlus. The second approach is similar but addresses retrofitting scenarios. In both workflows gbXML is used as the transformation format. In the third approach a standard BIM model, IFC is used as basis for the transfer process for any relevant lifecycle phase
The Crossing Statistic: Dealing with Unknown Errors in the Dispersion of Type Ia Supernovae
We propose a new statistic that has been designed to be used in situations
where the intrinsic dispersion of a data set is not well known: The Crossing
Statistic. This statistic is in general less sensitive than `chi^2' to the
intrinsic dispersion of the data, and hence allows us to make progress in
distinguishing between different models using goodness of fit to the data even
when the errors involved are poorly understood. The proposed statistic makes
use of the shape and trends of a model's predictions in a quantifiable manner.
It is applicable to a variety of circumstances, although we consider it to be
especially well suited to the task of distinguishing between different
cosmological models using type Ia supernovae. We show that this statistic can
easily distinguish between different models in cases where the `chi^2'
statistic fails. We also show that the last mode of the Crossing Statistic is
identical to `chi^2', so that it can be considered as a generalization of
`chi^2'.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures. Paper restructured and extended and new
interpretation of the method presented. New results concerning model
selection. Treatment and error-analysis made fully model independent.
References added. Accepted for publication in JCA
Mesoscopic mean-field theory for spin-boson chains in quantum optical systems
We present a theoretical description of a system of many spins strongly coupled to a bosonic chain. We rely on the use of a spin-wave theory describing the Gaussian fluctuations around the mean-field solution, and focus on spin-boson chains arising as a generalization of the Dicke Hamiltonian. Our model is motivated by experimental setups such as trapped ions, or atoms/qubits coupled to cavity arrays. This situation corresponds to the cooperative (E⊗β) Jahn-Teller distortion studied in solid-state physics. However, the ability to tune the parameters of the model in quantum optical setups opens up a variety of novel intriguing situations. The main focus of this paper is to review the spin-wave theoretical description of this problem as well as to test the validity of mean-field theory. Our main result is that deviations from mean-field effects are determined by the interplay between magnetic order and mesoscopic cooperativity effects, being the latter strongly size-dependent
Development of a Fixed-Wing Drone System for Aerial Insect Sampling
Most current insect research techniques are ground-based and provide scarce information about flying insects in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), which remains a poorly studied ecological niche. To address this gap, we developed a new insect-sampling method consisting of a fixed-wing drone platform with net traps attached to the fuselage, a mobile design that has optimal aerodynamic characteristics for insect capture in the PBL. We tested the proposed device on 16 flights in Doñana National Park (Spain) with two different trap designs fitted on the fuselage nose and wing. We collected 34 insect specimens belonging to four orders with a representation of twelve families at mean altitudes below 23 m above ground level and sampling altitudes between 9 and 365 m. This drone insect-sampling design constitutes a low-cost and low-impact method for insect monitoring in the PBL, especially in combination with other remote sensing technologies that directly quantify aerial insect abundance but do not provide taxonomic information, opening interesting possibilities for ecology and entomological research, with the possibility of transfer to economically important sectors, such as agriculture and health
Prevalence, predictors, and prognostic implications of residual impairment of functional capacity after transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Background: Patients with degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) typically have advanced cardiac and vascular adverse remodeling and multiple comorbidities and, therefore, might not recover a normal functional capacity after valve replacement. We sought to investigate the prevalence, the predictors, and the prognostic impact of residual impairment of functional capacity after TAVI.
Methods and results: Out of 790 patients undergoing TAVI with impaired functional capacity (NYHA II–IV
Theory of Raman Scattering by Phonons in Germanium Nanostructures
Within the linear response theory, a local bond-polarization model based on the displacement–displacement Green’s function and the Born potential including central and non-central interatomic forces is used to investigate the Raman response and the phonon band structure of Ge nanostructures. In particular, a supercell model is employed, in which along the [001] direction empty-column pores and nanowires are constructed preserving the crystalline Ge atomic structure. An advantage of this model is the interconnection between Ge nanocrystals in porous Ge and then, all the phonon states are delocalized. The results of both porous Ge and nanowires show a shift of the highest-energy Raman peak toward lower frequencies with respect to the Raman response of bulk crystalline Ge. This fact could be related to the confinement of phonons and is in good agreement with the experimental data. Finally, a detailed discussion of the dynamical matrix is given in the appendix section
Spinal cord compression in cattle after the use of an oily vaccine
An outbreak of compressive myelopathy in cattle associated with the improper use of an oil vaccine is described. Neurological signs were observed in 25 out of 3,000 cattle after 60 days of being vaccinated against foot and mouth disease. The clinical picture was characterized by progressive paralysis of the hind limbs, difficulty in standing up, and sternal recumbency during the course of 2-5 months. A filling defect between the L1 and L3 vertebrae was seen through myelography performed in one of the affected animals. A yellow-gray, granular and irregular mass was observed in four necropsied animals involving the spinal nerve roots and epidural space of the lumbar (L1-L4) spinal cord; the mass was associated with a whitish oily fluid. This fluid was also found in association with necrosis of the longissimus dorsi muscle. Microscopic changes in the epidural space, nerve roots, and spinal musculature were similar and consisted of granulomas or pyogranulomas around circular unstained spaces (vacuoles). These spaces were located between areas of severe diffuse hyaline necrosis of muscle fibers and resembled the drops of oil present in the vaccine
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