Comparison of common tests performance for Mycobacterium bovis infection diagnosis in low prevalence dairy cattle herds of southern Chile

The aim of the present study was to assess the performance of routinely used diagnostic tests to detect M. bovis infection in cattle populations with very low infection prevalence. A cross-sectional study was performed using 609 animals from 17 herds that were sampled for blood interferon, and tested with the caudal fold tuberculin test (CFT). It was planned that animals which showed CFT positive results were sent to the slaughterhouse for post mortem confirmation testing. However, not all the animals considered in the initial sampling were culled. Paired population proportions of positive results for the different diagnostic tools were compared. Apparent sensitivity and specificity was also estimated. Overall, intradermal tuberculin based diagnostics showed better performance in comparison to interferon based test, even though interferon was slightly more specific. From these results, it may be suggested that specific cut-off lines for interferon based techniques for certain areas with particular low bTB prevalence should be considered, as well as the modification of more specific antigens and the use of better combinations of PPDs if in vitro testing is intended must be taken into consideration. The uncertain role of interference bacteria that could be affecting the results of the in vitro analysis must be considered, and perhaps this could explain the apparent lack of consensus of the results obtained in Chile versus the ones obtained elsewhere. More studies must be performed in order to assess this issue

Introducción de Fhb1-Sr2 para incrementar la resistencia a fusariosis de espiga y roya de tallo de trigo

Tribunal: Castro, Ariel; Pritsch, Clara; Pereyra, SilviaLa fusariosis de la espiga (FE) y la roya de tallo (RT) amenazan la sustentabilidad del cultivo de trigo en el mundo. Fhb1 es un QTL que confiere alto nivel de resistencia a FE, pero está presente en muy baja proporción del germoplasma del Programa de Mejoramiento Genético de Trigo de INIA-Uruguay. Sr2 es un gen extensamente utilizado que confiere resistencia parcial duradera a RT. Fhb1 y Sr2 están ligados en repulsión, aproximadamente a 3cM en el cromosoma 3B. Recientemente en la Universidad de Minnesota, EUA, se desarrollaron líneas de trigo con Fhb1 y Sr2 acoplados. Para incorporar Fhb1-Sr2 en cultivares uruguayos elite, una línea donante fue cruzada y retrocruzada tres veces con cuatro cultivares que no portan ambos genes y que expresan un nivel de resistencia a FE y RT de intermedio a bajo: Génesis 2375, Génesis 6.87, INIA Madrugador e INIA Don Alberto. Los genotipos portadores de Fhb1-Sr2 fueron seleccionados de la descendencia de cada cruza utilizando el marcador molecular UMN10 para Fhb1 durante el proceso de retrocruzamiento. En la descendencia de la última retrocruza, se utilizaron UMN10 y SNP-3BS-8 para Fhb1, y Sr2-ger9 para Sr2, para seleccionar líneas homocigotas de los cuatro cruzamientos. El efecto de Fhb1 sobre la resistencia a FE en los cuatro diferentes backgrounds genéticos fue cuantificado en experimentos de invernáculo, comparando la severidad de infección entre líneas homocigotas con y sin los marcadores para Fhb1 y Sr2. Los resultados del ANOVA mostraron que Fhb1 tuvo un efecto significativo aumentando el nivel de resistencia Tipo II en las cuatro poblaciones (disminución promedio de N_AUDPC de 18,4 %) y que su efecto fue independiente de la población. Un experimento preliminar de RT de campo indicó que las líneas portadoras de Sr2 tuvieron una disminución en el coeficiente de infección de 54,5 y 76,5 % en las poblaciones derivadas de Génesis 2375 y Génesis 6.87, respectivamente. La introducción de Fhb1-Sr2 en estas líneas y su utilización en programas de mejoramiento permitirá aumentar y diversificar la resistencia a FE y RT, y reducir el riesgo de epidemias

Aplicaciones computacionales de las ecuaciones diferenciales estocásticas

Numeric methods are effective tools to solve science or engineering problems , which use deterministic differential equations. We have Euler’s and Heun’s methods and Runge- Kutta’s schemes. Unfortunately, these algorithms don’t work with stochastic differential equations. The main application is referred to the utilization of stochastic calculus in the financial area. The Black-Scholes and Merton model of the price values option in the financial markets is expressed by the Brownian movement and the stochastic differential equation, proposing the financial derivatives valorization by means of the stochastic calculus.Los mètodos numèricos son herramientas efectivas para resolver los problemas de ingenierìa o ciencias, que utilizan ecuaciones diferenciales determinìsticas. Asì tenemos los mètodos de Euler, Heun y los esquemas de Runge-Kutta. Estos algorìtmos desafortunadamente no trabajan con ecuaciones diferenciales estocàsticas. La aplicación central se refiere a la utilización del cálculo estocástico en el campo financiero. El modelo de Black-Scholes y Merton para la opción del precio de los valores en mercados financieros, viene expresado mediante el movimiento browniano y las ecuaciones diferenciales estocásticas, proponiendo la valoración de los derivados financieros mediante el cálculo estocástico

Towards an optimum design of wave energy converter arrays through an integrated approach of life cycle performance and operational capacity

Premio ETSI al mejor artículo científico del trimestre. 3a ed. Junio 2018 -Artículo subido a idUS con permiso de su primer autor (López-Ruiz, Alejandro), que proporciona las versiones preprint y postprint.Over the last few decades, several efforts have been made to develop an alternative and sustainable energy source from wind waves. To achieve financial sustainability of this technology, most of the research has focused on analyzing facilities composed of several wave energy converters (WECs) arrays instead of isolated ones. Although the interaction between devices and its implications on the performance of the facilities have been studied previously, these works considered only certain combinations of sea states, limiting the applicability of the results. This work applies a new methodology based on statistical methods to assess the performance of different WEC array distributions during their entire life-cycle in an efficient way, using downscaling techniques and advanced numerical modeling to propagate the wave climate. The results obtained during the hindcasting life-cycle are used to analyze the maintenance and operation capabilities of the different alternatives of arrays defined for the WEC facility. The interactions between devices and their efficiency considering the associated impact are also quantified. The assessment of these efficiencies during the complete life-cycle of the devices is highly valuable tool for promoters and coastal managers to evaluate different WEC array alternatives. The entire process was applied to a hypothetical array location in the Gulf of Cádiz (southwestern Spain), where three different array distributions were defined. The results show that the distance between WECs is a key parameter that controls the potential energy production, the efficiency of the facility and the interactions between several devices.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BES-2013-062617Universidad de Sevill

Towards an optimum design of wave energy converter arrays through an integrated approach of life cycle performance and operational capacity

Premio ETSI al mejor artículo científico del trimestre. 3a ed. Junio 2018 -Artículo subido a idUS con permiso de su primer autor (López-Ruiz, Alejandro), que proporciona las versiones preprint y postprint.Over the last few decades, several efforts have been made to develop an alternative and sustainable energy source from wind waves. To achieve financial sustainability of this technology, most of the research has focused on analyzing facilities composed of several wave energy converters (WECs) arrays instead of isolated ones. Although the interaction between devices and its implications on the performance of the facilities have been studied previously, these works considered only certain combinations of sea states, limiting the applicability of the results. This work applies a new methodology based on statistical methods to assess the performance of different WEC array distributions during their entire life-cycle in an efficient way, using downscaling techniques and advanced numerical modeling to propagate the wave climate. The results obtained during the hindcasting life-cycle are used to analyze the maintenance and operation capabilities of the different alternatives of arrays defined for the WEC facility. The interactions between devices and their efficiency considering the associated impact are also quantified. The assessment of these efficiencies during the complete life-cycle of the devices is highly valuable tool for promoters and coastal managers to evaluate different WEC array alternatives. The entire process was applied to a hypothetical array location in the Gulf of Cádiz (southwestern Spain), where three different array distributions were defined. The results show that the distance between WECs is a key parameter that controls the potential energy production, the efficiency of the facility and the interactions between several devices.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BES-2013-062617Universidad de Sevill

La doble perspectiva técnica y filosófica de Leibniz acerca de los infinitesimales: un camino hacia la idealidad de lo matemático

This paper examines the question regarding the fictionality of infiniteand infinitely small quantities from the point of view of the ideality of the mathematicalobjects. It maintains the hypothesis that already around 1676 Leibniz deployedarguments for establishing a separation between the fields of mathematics and that ofconcrete reality, and that this split especially affects the status of mathematical fictions.Thus begins a line of development begins that culminates later in Leibniz’s conceptionabout the distinction between what is ideal and what is real.En este trabajo trataremos de mostrar que la concepción de la ficcionalidad de las cantidades infinitas e infinitamente pequeñas sostenida por Leibniz al menos desde 1676 está enmarcada en una consideración más amplia, aunque todavía incipiente, acerca de la naturaleza de lo matemático en general, cuya consecuencia es que en la realidad no hay nada que posea, en sentido estricto, las propiedades de los objetos matemáticos. En este sentido, a partir del año señalado, Leibniz desarrolla argumentaciones que tienen la finalidad de probar que lo físico y lo matemático, dentro de lo cual incluimos también las ficciones matemáticas, pertenecen en cada caso a dominios de objetos con propiedades muy distintas. De esta manera, podría decirse que comienza en este período un camino en el pensamiento leibniziano que años más tarde, tras ulteriores reflexiones, desembocará en la distinción entre el ámbito de lo real y el de lo ideal

Integrating a growth degree-days based reaction norm methodology and multi-trait modeling for genomic prediction in wheat

Multi-trait and multi-environment analyses can improve genomic prediction by exploiting between-trait correlations and genotype-by-environment interactions. In the context of reaction norm models, genotype-by-environment interactions can be described as functions of high-dimensional sets of markers and environmental covariates. However, comprehensive multi-trait reaction norm models accounting for marker x environmental covariates interactions are lacking. In this article, we propose to extend a reaction norm model incorporating genotype-by-environment interactions through (co)variance structures of markers and environmental covariates to a multi-trait reaction norm case. To do that, we propose a novel methodology for characterizing the environment at different growth stages based on growth degree-days (GDD). The proposed models were evaluated by variance components estimation and predictive performance for winter wheat grain yield and protein content in a set of 2,015 F6-lines. Cross-validation analyses were performed using leave-one-year-location-out (CV1) and leave-one-breeding-cycle-out (CV2) strategies. The modeling of genomic [SNPs] x environmental covariates interactions significantly improved predictive ability and reduced the variance inflation of predicted genetic values for grain yield and protein content in both cross-validation schemes. Trait-assisted genomic prediction was carried out for multi-trait models, and it significantly enhanced predictive ability and reduced variance inflation in all scenarios. The genotype by environment interaction modeling via genomic [SNPs] x environmental covariates interactions, combined with trait-assisted genomic prediction, boosted the benefits in predictive performance. The proposed multi-trait reaction norm methodology is a comprehensive approach that allows capitalizing on the benefits of multi-trait models accounting for between-trait correlations and reaction norm models exploiting high-dimensional genomic and environmental information

Conferencia de filosofía y derecho en homenaje Carlos Cossio Werner Goldschmidt

In this lecture, César Raffo talks about the works and the life of Carlos Cossio. He divides his presentation into three parts: how he discovered and met this philosopher, some key concepts in the thought of Cossio, and lastly he finishes by considering some aspects of the academic life of Cossio in the Law School. Then, Miguel Ángel Ciuro Caldani presents the biography of Werner Goldschmidt and analyzes his contribution to the modern timesFil: Raffo, Julio César. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Derecho; ArgentinaFil: Ciuro Caldani, Miguel Ángel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Derecho. Departamento de Postgrado; ArgentinaEn la presente conferencia de Filosofía y Derecho, el Dr. César Raffo habla de la obra y de la vida de Carlos Cossio; en vista de ello, divide su exposición en tres partes: cómo conoció y descubrió al mencionado iusfilósofo algunos ejes de las ideas centrales de Cossio y, por último, finaliza su exposición mediante algunas reflexiones de la vida académica de Cossio en la Facultad. Posteriormente, el Dr. Miguel Ángel Ciuro Caldani expone la biografía de Werner Goldschmidt y analiza el aporte del referido maestro a la vida histórica actua

Elaboração e aplicação do jogo de tabuleiro ‘caminhando pelo sus’: relato de experiência

Programa de Iniciação à Docência (PID) stimulates the development of new active learning methodologies, integrating both teachers and students. In health literature, researchers have questioned traditional pedagogical models, since them can make the students passive to their own learning process. The purpose of this article is to report the development process of a board game, named ‘Caminhando pelo SUS’, to be used as a learning method. The game contains one board, 55 cards, 4 pins and one manual, and the main purpose is to reach the final house on the board. In order to advance in the game, the player must answer correctly the questions related to its content. The game has been proving to be a helpful active learning methodology, since its dynamics can stimulate the students in a autonomous and proactive way through their learning process.El Programa de Iniciación a la Docencia (PID) de la UFCSPA busca el desarrollo de metodologías activas de enseñanza-aprendizaje, integrando docentes y discentes. En el área de la salud, estudios cuestionan los modelos pedagógicos tradicionales, una vez que hacen al sujeto pasivo en relación al conocimiento. El objetivo de este artículo es relatar la experiencia de desarrollo de un juego de tablero denominado 'Caminhando pelo SUS', a ser utilizado como herramienta de aprendizaje. El juego contiene un tablero, 55 tarjetas, 4 pines y un manual de respuestas, y su objetivo es llegar a la última casa del tablero. Para avanzar en el juego, los participantes deberán responder correctamente preguntas relacionadas con la temática propuesta. El contenido demostró ser abordado de forma positiva y relajada a partir de la aplicación del juego, además de desarrollar en el alumno una postura autónoma y proactiva en clase al centrarlo como protagonista en la construcción y compartir su conocimiento.O Programa de Iniciação à Docência (PID) da UFCSPA visa o desenvolvimento de metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem, integrando docentes e discentes. Na área da saúde, estudos contestam os modelos pedagógicos tradicionais, uma vez que tornam o sujeito passivo em relação ao conhecimento. O objetivo deste artigo é relatar a experiência de desenvolvimento de um jogo de tabuleiro denominado ‘Caminhando pelo SUS’, para ser utilizado como ferramenta de aprendizagem. O jogo contém um tabuleiro, 55 cartões, 4 pinos e um manual de respostas e seu objetivo é chegar à última casa do tabuleiro. Para avançarem no jogo, os participantes deverão responder corretamente perguntas relacionadas à temática proposta. O conteúdo demonstrou ser abordado de forma inédita e descontraída a partir da aplicação do jogo, além de desenvolver no aluno uma postura autônoma e proativa em sala de aula ao centrá-lo como protagonista na construção e compartilhamento de seu conhecimento

Improvement of genomic prediction in advanced wheat breeding lines by including additive-by-additive epistasis

Key message Including additive and additive-by-additive epistasis in a NOIA parametrization did not yield orthogonal partitioning of genetic variances, nevertheless, it improved predictive ability in a leave-one-out cross-validation for wheat grain yield. Additive-by-additive epistasis is the principal non-additive genetic effect in inbred wheat lines and is potentially useful for developing cultivars based on total genetic merit; nevertheless, its practical benefits have been highly debated. In this article, we aimed to (i) evaluate the performance of models including additive and additive-by-additive epistatic effects for variance components (VC) estimation of grain yield in a wheat-breeding population, and (ii) to investigate whether including additive-by-additive epistasis in genomic prediction enhance wheat grain yield predictive ability (PA). In total, 2060 sixth-generation (F-6) lines from Nordic Seed A/S breeding company were phenotyped in 21 year-location combinations in Denmark, and genotyped using a 15 K-Illumina-BeadChip. Three models were used to estimate VC and heritability at plot level: (i) "I-model" (baseline), (ii) "I + G(A)-model", extending I-model with an additive genomic effect, and (iii) "I + G(A) + G(AA)-model", extending I + G(A)-model with an additive-by-additive genomic effects. The I + G(A)-model and I + G(A) + G(AA)-model were based on the Natural and Orthogonal Interactions Approach (NOIA) parametrization. The I + G(A) + G(AA)-model failed to achieve orthogonal partition of genetic variances, as revealed by a change in estimated additive variance of I + G(A)-model when epistasis was included in the I + G(A) + G(AA)-model. The PA was studied using leave-one-line-out and leave-one-breeding-cycle-out cross-validations. The I + G(A) + G(AA)-model increased PA significantly (16.5%) compared to the I + G(A)-model in leave-one-line-out cross-validation. However, the improvement due to including epistasis was not observed in leave-one-breeding-cycle-out cross-validation. We conclude that epistatic models can be useful to enhance predictions of total genetic merit. However, even though we used the NOIA parameterization, the variance partition into orthogonal genetic effects was not possible