Ampliación del rango de distribución de Rhipidomys leucodactylus (Rodentia: Cricetidae): una nueva localidad para el Ecuador

La distribución del género Rhipidomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae) comprende desde bosques húmedos de tierras bajas hasta bosques montanos altos en el neotrópico. En el Ecuador la presencia de Rhipidomys leucodactylus está reportada para las estibaciones nororiental, noroccidental y sur suroccidental de la cordillera de los Andes. El registro de un espécimen macho adulto de R. leucodactylus en un bosque montano a una altura de 2164 metros de elevación se convierte en una ampliación del rango de distribución altitudinal para la especie a manera general, además de ser una nueva localidad de registro en el suroriente del Ecuador

Aportes sobre la dieta y distribución del Ocelote Leopardus pardalis (Linné 1758) en los altos Andes de Ecuador

The Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis is a carnivore with wide distribution in South America. In Ecuador, most of the records come from lowland tropical forests and foothills of the Andes (<900 m at sea level), where this species has a variety of prey, particularly small mammals. However, in the high Andean regions, neither their occurrence nor their diet is known. On November 8, 2016 an adult male of L. pardalis was collected dead in the Usho locality, province of Cañar; the record is located in the high-Andean region in south of Ecuador at 2818 meters to sea level. During the evaluation of the specimen, several digested barbs were found and these were associated with the species of short-tailed porcupine, Coendou rufescens. This record shows that L. pardalis occurs at least seasonally in the high-Andean region of Ecuador; It also shows predation on the high-Andean species in their eating habits.El Ocelote, Leopardus pardalis es un carnívoro con amplia distribución en América del sur. En Ecuador, los registros se concentran en bosques tropicales de tierras bajas y en estribaciones de los Andes (< 900 m de elevación), en donde disponen de una variedad de preseas, particularmente de pequeños mamíferos. Sin embargo, en las regiones alto-Andinas no se conoce sobre su presencia ni tampoco sobre su dieta. El 8 de noviembre de 2016 un macho adulto de L. pardalis que fue colectado muerto en la localidad de Usho, provincia del Cañar; el registro está localizado en la región alto-Andina al sur del Ecuador a 2818 m de elevación. Durante la evaluación del espécimen se encontraron varias púas digeridas y asociadas a la especie de Puerco espín de cola corta, Coendou rufescens. Este registro demuestra que L. pardalis ocurre al menos estacionalmente en la región alto-Andina del Ecuador; además demuestra la predación de especies alto-Andinas dentro de sus hábitos alimenticios

Parallel evolutionary biclustering of short-term electric energy consumption

Presentación realizada en el marco del Proyecto PINV18-661: Análisis de la eficiencia energética en edificios no residenciales mediante técnicas metaheurísticas y de inteligencia artificial.CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Fodder, Nitrogen, and Energy Balances in Grasslands with Algarroba Trees (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC.) under Dairy Cow Grazing

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of algarroba (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC.) on fodder, nitrogen and energy contents in Ecuadoran dairy farm grasslands. The study was made at ESPAM bovine facility, 15 meters above sea level, in Manabí, 00º49’23’’, south latitude, and 80º11’01” west longitude, with 962.4 mm of annual precipitation, between September 2011 and December 2014. The stocking rate was 1.09 LU/ha. The areas were populated with 1-4 algarroba trees/ha by 2011, and 8-35 trees/ha, in 2014. Fodder, nitrogen, and energy balances depended on the arborization degree. As a result, 52 t of DM were estimated in 2014, in comparison to the 21 t produced in 2011. Nitrogen was higher with increased arborization between 2011 (60.9 kg/ha), greater nutrient intake from external sources, and 2014 (39.3 kg/ha), with less use of supplements and mineral fertilizers, and greater N2 contribution by arborization. The energy values were higher in 2014, with an increase in algarroba population/ha. The rise in trees/ha in 2014 favored forage yields, with improved N2 and energy efficiency, which was linked to the benefits acquired by the grassland, the contribution of nitrogen to the ecosystem, and the reduction in feed and fertilizer consumption, which led to energy savings

Balance forrajero, de energía y nitrógeno en pastizales arborizados con Algarrobo (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC.) bajo pastoreo de vacas lecheras

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el efecto de la arborización de pastizales con Algarrobo (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC. en los balances forrajero, de nitrógeno y energía en fincas ganaderas con vacas lecheras en Ecuador. El trabajo se hizo en el Hato bovino de la ESPAM, situado a 15 msnm en Manabí, a los 00º49’23’’ de Latitud Sur y 80º11’01” de Longitud Oeste y 962,4 mm de lluvia anual, entre septiembre de 2011 y diciembre de 2014. La carga fue de 1,09 UGM/ha. Las áreas tenían arborización de 1-4 árboles de Algarrobo/ha en 2011 y 8-35 árboles/ha en 2014. Se realizaron balances forrajeros, de nitrógeno y energía en función de la arborización. Los balances fueron de 21 t de MS en 2011 frente a 52 t en 2014. Los balances de N2, fueron favorables con el incremento de la arborización entre el año 2011 con 60,9 kg/ha con mayores ingresos del nutriente por insumos extras y 39,3 kg/ha en 2014 con menos ingresos de N2 por balanceados y fertilizantes minerales y dependió más del aporte de N2 por la arborización. El balance de energía fue mejor en 2014 con incremento en las poblaciones/ha de Algarrobo. El incremento de árboles/ha en 2014, favoreció los rendimientos de forrajes del sistema con mejoras en la eficiencia de uso del N2 y la energía, lo que está ligado a beneficios en el pastizal, los aportes de nitrógeno al ecosistema ganadero y reducción de alimentos y fertilizantes que favoreció su economía energética.AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Algarroba (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC.) trees on nitrogen-energy forage contents, on Ecuadorian dairy farms grasslands. The study was made at ESPAM bovine facility, 15 meters above sea level, in Manabí, 00º49’23’’, south latitude, and 80º11’01” west longitude, with 962.4 mm annual precipitation, between September 2011 and December 2014. The stocking rate was 1.09 LU/ha. There were 1-4 algarroba trees/ha by 2011, and 8-35 trees/ha, in 2014. Evaluations of forage nitrogen and energy were based on the effects of arborization. As a result, 52 t of DM were estimated in 2014, in comparison to the 21 t of 2011. Nitrogen was higher with increased arborization between 2011 (60.9 kg/ha), with greater nutrient intake from external sources, and 2014 (39.3 kg/ha), with less input of supplements and mineral fertilizers, and greater N2 contribution by arborization. Energy was higher in 2014, with an increase in algarroba population/ha. The increase of trees/ha favored forage yields, with improved N2 and energy efficiency, which was linked to the benefits acquired by the grassland, the contribution of livestock to the ecosystem, and the reduction in feeds and fertilizers

Survival in Southern European patients waitlisted for kidney transplant after graft failure: A competing risk analysis

Background Whether patients waitlisted for a second transplant after failure of a previous kidney graft have higher mortality than transplant-näive waitlisted patients is uncertain. Methods We assessed the relationship between a failed transplant and mortality in 3851 adult KT candidates, listed between 1984–2012, using a competing risk analysis in the total population and in a propensity score-matched cohort. Mortality was also modeled by inverse probability weighting (IPTW) competing risk regression. Results At waitlist entry 225 (5.8%) patients had experienced transplant failure. All-cause mortality was higher in the post-graft failure group (16% vs. 11%; P = 0.033). Most deaths occurred within three years after listing. Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death (25.3%), followed by infections (19.3%). Multivariate competing risk regression showed that prior transplant failure was associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk of mortality (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–2.2). After propensity score matching (1:5), the competing risk regression model revealed a subhazard ratio (SHR) of 1.6 (95% CI, 1.01–2.5). A similar mortality risk was observed after the IPTW analysis (SHR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1–2.6). Conclusions Previous transplant failure is associated with increased mortality among KT candidates after relisting. This information is important in daily clinical practice when assessing relisted patients for a retransplant.This study was supported in part by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) (grant ICI14/00016) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III co-funded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional±FEDER, RETICS (REDINREN RD16/0009/0006, RD16/0009/0031

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file