3,931 research outputs found
Identifying the rotation rate and the presence of dynamic weather on extrasolar Earth-like planets from photometric observations
With the recent discoveries of hundreds of extrasolar planets, the search for
planets like Earth and life in the universe, is quickly gaining momentum. In
the future, large space observatories could directly detect the light scattered
from rocky planets, but they would not be able to spatially resolve a planet's
surface. Using reflectance models and real cloud data from satellite
observations, here we show that, despite Earth's dynamic weather patterns, the
light scattered by the Earth to a hypothetical distant observer as a function
of time contains sufficient information to accurately measure Earth's rotation
period. This is because ocean currents and continents result in relatively
stable averaged global cloud patterns. The accuracy of these measurements will
vary with the viewing geometry and other observational constraints. If the
rotation period can be measured with accuracy, data spanning several months
could be coherently combined to obtain spectroscopic information about
individual regions of the planetary surface. Moreover, deviations from a
periodic signal can be used to infer the presence of relatively short-live
structures in its atmosphere (i.e., clouds). This could provide a useful
technique for recognizing exoplanets that have active weather systems, changing
on a timescale comparable to their rotation. Such variability is likely to be
related to the atmospheric temperature and pressure being near a phase
transition and could support the possibility of liquid water on the planet's
surface
EFFECTS OF REINTUBATION ON VENTILATOR ASSOCIATED NOSOCOMIAL PNEUMONIAS INCIDENCE IN ICU PATIENTS WITH VERSUS WITHOUT SELECTIVE DIGESTIVE DECONTAMINATION
Técnica de pronóstico de la demanda basada en Business Intelligence y Machine Leaming
Pronosticar ciertos eventos constituye una actividad por la cual el ser humano siempre sintió fascinación y necesidad de realizarlo. En la actualidad, uno de esos eventos se relacionan con las empresas y consiste en pronosticar la demanda de ventas para un período futuro, a su vez representa uno de los más importantes retos con que se enfrenta una organización. Este pronóstico de demanda disminuirá la incertidumbre del Gerente de Compras en el momento de tomar decisiones acerca del volumen de productos a adquirir para la reposición de stock. Este trabajo propone una nueva técnica de pronósticos basada en la integración de herramientas de Business Intelligence y Machine Leaming. Los experimentos indican que el modelo propuesto alcanza resultados prometedores y esta nueva técnica puede transformarse en una sólida herramienta de apoyo para la toma de decisionesSociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO
Nonuniversality of front fluctuations for compact colonies of nonmotile bacteria
The front of a compact bacterial colony growing on a Petri dish is a paradigmatic instance of non-equilibrium f luctuations in the celebrated Eden, or Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ), universality class. While in many experiments the scaling exponents crucially differ from the expected KPZ values, the source of this disagreement has remained poorly understood. We have performed growth experiments with B. subtilis 168 and E. coli ATCC 25922 under conditions leading to compact colonies in the classically alleged Eden regime, where individual motility is suppressed. Non-KPZ scaling is indeed observed for all accessible times, KPZ asymptotics being ruled out for our experiments due to the monotonic increase of front branching with time. Simulations of an effective model suggest the occurrence of transient nonuniversal scaling due to diffusive morphological instabilities, agreeing with expectations from detailed models of the relevant biological reaction-diffusion processe
Direct observation of transverse and vortex metastable magnetic domains in cylindrical nanowires
We present experimental evidence of transverse magnetic domains, previously observed only in nanostrips, in CoNi cylindrical nanowires with designed crystal symmetry and tailored magnetic anisotropy. The transverse domains are found together with more conventional vortex domains along the same cylindrical nanowire, denoting a bistable system with similar energies. The surface and the inner magnetization distribution in both types of domains are analyzed by photoemission electron microscopy with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism contrast, and hysteresis loop in individual nanowires are measured by magneto-optical Kerr effect. These experimental data are understood and compared with complementary micromagnetic simulations
NPS pollution analysis in groundwater and streams of rural watersheds in western and southeastern Pampas, Argentina
Non-point source water pollution is a key question in rural watersheds and it needs to be studied in order to prevent damages to ground and surface water quality. The main goal of this study is to analyze nutrient and chemical loads in groundwater and streams in Pampa region, Argentina. For studying groundwater loads, a set of 19 observation wells were installed in 2011, in western Buenos Aires. The wells were located at three landscape positions (upper, middle and lower hill) in seven agricultural fields and groundwater samples were monthly collected. As for surface water, two watersheds located in southeastern Buenos Aires, were chosen: Napaleofu creek Watershed (34.000 hectares) and Quequen Grande River watershed (938.000 hectares). Daily water samples were taken from the main stream from October 2011 to May 2013, at both watersheds. Water Samples collected from wells and streams, were analyzed to determine N, and chemical loads. A group of 11 herbicides and one insecticide frequently used by farmers in the watershed were chosen for the study. Nitrogen and chemical concentrations were analyzed considering rainfall events and also compared to critical limits. Preliminary results are presented from a subset of samples since remaining samples are currently being processed in laboratory. As for NO3-N concentration, most of wells presented variable concentration depending on monthly precipitation and landscape position. Considering 10 mg/L NO3-N as a standard limit, 52% of the observations exceed this value mostly related to unusual precipitations events at winter 2012. Nitrate-Nconcentration in streamflow at Quequen Grande River and Napaleofu creek were on average 5 ppm. NPS Pollution modeling is a second goal of this on-going research. SWAT validation results are also presented for one of the watersheds under study
Domain Wall Propagation and Pinning Induced by Current Pulses in Cylindrical Modulated Nanowires
The future developments of three-dimensional magnetic nanotechnology require
the control of domain wall dynamics by means of current pulses. While this has
been extensively studied in planar magnetic strips (planar nanowires), few
reports exist in cylindrical geometry, where Bloch point domain walls are
expected to have intriguing properties. Here we report this investigation in
cylindrical magnetic Ni nanowires with geometrical notches. Experimental work
based on synchrotron X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) combined with
photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) indicates that large current densities
induce domain wall nucleation while smaller currents move domain walls
preferably against the current direction. In the region where no pinning
centers are present we found domain wall velocity of about 1 km/s. The domain
wall motion along current was also detected in the vicinity of the notch
region. Pinning of domain walls has been observed not only at geometrical
constrictions but also outside of them. Thermal modelling indicates that large
current densities temporarily raise the temperature in the nanowire above the
Curie temperature leading to nucleation of domain walls during the system
cooling. Micromagnetic modelling with spin-torque effect shows that for
intermediate current densities Bloch point domain walls with chirality parallel
to the Oersted field propagate antiparallel to the current direction. In other
cases, domain walls can be bounced from the notches and/or get pinned outside
their positions. We thus find that current is not only responsible for the
domain wall propagation but is also a source of pinning due to the Oersted
field action
Detection of early Alzheimer's disease in MCI patients by the combination of MMSE and an episodic memory test
BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a heterogeneous clinical entity that comprises the prodromal phase of Alzheimer's disease (Pr-AD). New biomarkers are useful in detecting Pr-AD, but they are not universally available. We aimed to investigate baseline clinical and neuropsychological variables that might predict progression from MCI to AD dementia.
METHODS: All patients underwent a complete clinical and neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and every 6 months during a two-year follow-up period, with 54 out of 109 MCI patients progressing to dementia (50 of them progressed to AD dementia), and 55 remaining as stable MCI (S-MCI).
RESULTS: A combination of MMSE and California Verbal Learning Test Long Delayed Total Recall (CVLT-LDTR) constituted the best predictive model: subjects scoring above 26/30 on MMSE and 4/16 on CVLT-LDTR had a negative predictive value of 93.93% at 2 years, whereas those subjects scoring below both of these cut-off scores had a positive predictive value of 80.95%.
CONCLUSIONS: Pr-AD might be distinguished from S-MCI at baseline using the combination of MMSE and CVLT-LDTR. These two neuropsychological predictors are relatively brief and may be readily completed in non-specialist clinical settings
Are Nested Networks More Robust to Disturbance? A Test Using Epiphyte-Tree, Comensalistic Networks
Recent research on ecological networks suggests that mutualistic networks are
more nested than antagonistic ones and, as a result, they are more robust
against chains of extinctions caused by disturbances. We evaluate whether
mutualistic networks are more nested than comensalistic and antagonistic
networks, and whether highly nested, host-epiphyte comensalistic networks fit
the prediction of high robustness against disturbance. A review of 59 networks
including mutualistic, antagonistic and comensalistic relationships showed that
comensalistic networks are significantly more nested than antagonistic and
mutualistic networks, which did not differ between themselves. Epiphyte-host
networks from old-growth forests differed from those from disturbed forest in
several topological parameters based on both qualitative and quantitative
matrices. Network robustness increased with network size, but the slope of this
relationship varied with nestedness and connectance. Our results indicate that
interaction networks show complex responses to disturbances, which influence
their topology and indirectly affect their robustness against species
extinctions
Length of carotid stenosis predicts peri-procedural stroke or death and restenosis in patients randomized to endovascular treatment or endarterectomy.
BACKGROUND: The anatomy of carotid stenosis may influence the outcome of endovascular treatment or carotid endarterectomy. Whether anatomy favors one treatment over the other in terms of safety or efficacy has not been investigated in randomized trials.
METHODS: In 414 patients with mostly symptomatic carotid stenosis randomized to endovascular treatment (angioplasty or stenting; n = 213) or carotid endarterectomy (n = 211) in the Carotid and Vertebral Artery Transluminal Angioplasty Study (CAVATAS), the degree and length of stenosis and plaque surface irregularity were assessed on baseline intraarterial angiography. Outcome measures were stroke or death occurring between randomization and 30 days after treatment, and ipsilateral stroke and restenosis ≥50% during follow-up. RESULTS: Carotid stenosis longer than 0.65 times the common carotid artery diameter was associated with increased risk of peri-procedural stroke or death after both endovascular treatment [odds ratio 2.79 (1.17-6.65), P = 0.02] and carotid endarterectomy [2.43 (1.03-5.73), P = 0.04], and with increased long-term risk of restenosis in endovascular treatment [hazard ratio 1.68 (1.12-2.53), P = 0.01]. The excess in restenosis after endovascular treatment compared with carotid endarterectomy was significantly greater in patients with long stenosis than with short stenosis at baseline (interaction P = 0.003). Results remained significant after multivariate adjustment. No associations were found for degree of stenosis and plaque surface.
CONCLUSIONS: Increasing stenosis length is an independent risk factor for peri-procedural stroke or death in endovascular treatment and carotid endarterectomy, without favoring one treatment over the other. However, the excess restenosis rate after endovascular treatment compared with carotid endarterectomy increases with longer stenosis at baseline. Stenosis length merits further investigation in carotid revascularisation trials
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