Survey vs Scraped Data: Comparing Time Series Properties of Web and Survey Vacancy Data

This paper studies the relationship between a vacancy population obtained from web crawling and vacancies in the economy inferred by a National Statistics Office (NSO) using a traditional method. We compare the time series properties of samples obtained between 2007 and 2014 by Statistics Netherlands and by a web scraping company. We find that the web and NSO vacancy data present similar time series properties, suggesting that both time series are generated by the same underlying phenomenon: the real number of new vacancies in the economy. We conclude that, in our case study, web-sourced data are able to capture aggregate economic activity in the labor market

An additive subfamily of enlargements of a maximally monotone operator

We introduce a subfamily of additive enlargements of a maximally monotone operator. Our definition is inspired by the early work of Simon Fitzpatrick. These enlargements constitute a subfamily of the family of enlargements introduced by Svaiter. When the operator under consideration is the subdifferential of a convex lower semicontinuous proper function, we prove that some members of the subfamily are smaller than the classical $\epsilon$-subdifferential enlargement widely used in convex analysis. We also recover the epsilon-subdifferential within the subfamily. Since they are all additive, the enlargements in our subfamily can be seen as structurally closer to the $\epsilon$-subdifferential enlargement

Improving cuff-less continuous blood pressure estimation with linear regression analysis

In this work, the authors investigate the cuff-less estimation of continuous BP through pulse transit time (PTT) and heart rate (HR) using regression techniques, which is intended as a first step towards continuous BP estimation with a low error, according to AAMI guidelines. Hypertension (the 'silent killer') is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are the main cause of death worldwide. Its continuous monitoring can offer a valid tool for patient care, as blood pressure (BP) is a significant indicator of health and, using it together with other parameters, such as heart and breath rates, could strongly improve prevention of CVDs. The novelties introduced in this work are represented by the implementation of pre-processing and by the innovative method for features research and features processing to continuously monitor blood pressure in a non-invasive way. Currently, invasive methods are the only reliable methods for continuous monitoring, while non-invasive techniques measure the values every few minutes. The proposed approach can be considered the first step for the integration of these types of algorithms on wearable devices, in particular on those developed for the SINTEC project

Gene expression response of the alga Fucus virsoides (Fucales, Ochrophyta) to glyphosate solution exposure

Fucus virsoides is an ecologically important canopy-forming brown algae endemic to the Adriatic Sea. Once widespread in marine coastal areas, this species underwent a rapid population decline and is now confined to small residual areas. Although the reasons behind this progressive disappearance are still a matter of debate, F. virsoides may suffer, like other macroalgae, from the potential toxic effects of glyphosate-based herbicides. Here, through a transcriptomic approach, we investigate the molecular basis of the high susceptibility of this species to glyphosate solution, previously observed at the morphological and eco-physiological levels. By simulating runoff event in a factorial experiment, we exposed F. virsoides to glyphosate (Roundup\uae 2.0), either alone or in association with nutrient enrichment, highlighting significant alterations of gene expression profiles that were already visible after three days of exposure. In particular, glyphosate exposure determined the near-complete expression shutdown of several genes involved in photosynthesis, protein synthesis and stress response molecular pathways. Curiously, these detrimental effects were partially mitigated by nutrient supplementation, which may explain the survival of relict population in confined areas with high nutrient inputs. Our results show that glyphosate impairs the expression of genes involved in photosynthesis and protein synthesis in F. virsoides

Adhesion molecules in gamete transport, fertilization, early embryonic development, and implantation—role in establishing a pregnancy in cattle: A review

Cell–cell adhesion molecules have critically important roles in the early events of reproduction including gamete transport, sperm–oocyte interaction, embryonic development, and implantation. Major adhesion molecules involved in reproduction include cadherins, integrins, and disintegrin and metalloprotease domain-containing (ADAM) proteins. ADAMs on the surface of sperm adhere to integrins on the oocyte in the initial stages of sperm–oocyte interaction and fusion. Cadherins act in early embryos to organize the inner cell mass and trophectoderm. The trophoblast and uterine endometrial epithelium variously express cadherins, integrins, trophinin, and selectin, which achieve apposition and attachment between the elongating conceptus and uterine epithelium before implantation. An overview of the major cell–cell adhesion molecules is presented and this is followed by examples of how adhesion molecules help shape early reproductive events. The argument is made that a deeper understanding of adhesion molecules and reproduction will inform new strategies that improve embryo survival and increase the efficiency of natural mating and assisted breeding in cattle

Presence and distribution of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Friuli Venezia Giulia, from 2004 to 2011, through the non-invasive genetic monitoring ad conservation implications

After having disappeared at the beginning of 1900, the brown bear has started in a late 1960s a slow process of recolonization of the north-eastern Alps, through an expansion of Dinaric population. At the end of the 1990s the University of Udine began the occasional monitoring of the species and from 2004 non-invasive genetic monitoring became systematic. In the last 8 years 217 hair traps have been activated in the region to monitore: Natisone Valleys, the Julian and Carnic Alps and Prealps. Twenty-six hair traps were monitored in all years, whereas 40 were observed only in 2004, 2007 and 2011. The 26 hair traps constantly monitored from 2004 to 2011 showed 17% of average success of hair’s collecting (brown bear samples collected/day control: BBSD). The 40 hair traps, monitored in the window period, showed 12% of BBSD. The BBSD value varied in relation to both season (highest in spring) and year, with a dramatic decline from 2008, and interaction between year and area. From 2004, 13 genotypes, through systematic hair traps monitoring, were identified, while only 2 genotypes were sampled opportunistically. It was observed a high turnover of the genotypes: only 7 genotypes were sampled for more than 2 years (47% of total), 4 genotypes (27% of the total) were sampled for 3 years or more. The annual attendance of bear have been constant from 2004 to 2007, with 5-6 genotypes present every year. In the period between 2008 and 2010 there was a drastic decrease in the successful collection at the hair traps, with and average of 1-2 animals genotyped per year. However, opportunistic samples have increased in the recent times, probably due to the arrivals of 3 genotypes from Trentino (KJ2G2 in 2009 and DG2 and MJ4 in 2011). The year 2011 showed a further increase in the presence of bears with 5 animals genotyped in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Three of these animals belonged to the Slovenian population, while the other 2 genotypes were from the Trentino population. The results seem to confirm the exchange of some individuals between the Dinaric and central alpine population. As an example, the dinaric bear M5 was genotyped in Friuli Venezia Giulia in 2008 and then sampled in 2009 and captured in 2010 in Trentino and finally slot in Slovenia in 2011. The distribution in the alpine and prealpine areas has changed year by year: from the 2004 to 2007 the Natisone Valley and the Julian prealpine areas along the border with Slovenia were the areas more used, whilst from 2009 there was an apparent higher presence of bears in the Carnian Prealps and Alps, and in the Julian Alps. This shift could be due to human disturbance (i.e hunting management), control of the species carried out in neighbouring Slovenia, with a decreasing of immigrant from dinaric populations, and new immigration of bears from the central Alps. The present work has highlighted the necessity for a trans-regional and cross-border management of the species, especially in consideration to the population control applied in Slovenia, which seem to limit the Dinaric population expansion in the Alps, and furthermore the philopatry behaviour of bear females, which implies the absence of females in Friuli Venezia Giulia and induces a movement bach to Slovenia (at least 3 bears genotyped in Italy were shot in Slovenia). All these elements seem to exert important limitations to the consolidation and stabilization of the population of brown bears in north-eastern Alps. From the methodological point of view the protocol of systematic non-invasive genetic monitoring, shared at the trans-regional and trans-boundary level, is fundamental to monitore the dynamics and distribution of bear; the protocol should follow a systematic experimental design and should be integrated with a efficient opportunistic data collection

Comparison of predictive and descriptive models in order to plan the monitoring and research on the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca) in the North Eastern Alps

Within the implementation of the Management Plan for the Alpi Carniche region (SPA IT3321001, SCI IT3320001, SCI IT3320002, SCI IT3320003, SCI IT3320004) and the realization of the monitoring plan referred to art. 8 of RL No. 7/2008 (Friuli Venezia Giulia) some predictive and descriptive models for the presence and abundance of rock partridge Alectoris graeca saxatilis have been developed and tested. During 2010 the monitoring plan has been carried out during the spring (play-back censuses) and the summer (pointing dog censuses) in 10 sample areas to assess the presence, abundance and reproductive success of the species. These areas have been identified through expert knowledge and predictive models developed by the superimposition on regional UTM 1x1 kilometer grid quadrants of some CORINE Biotopes habitat parameters (open vegetation coverage >50% and open + transitional vegetation coverage >80%) and slope (>10%) and elevation (1000-2200 m above sea level), subsequently ranked from 0 to 4 for a suitability index. The census results related to UTM quadrants (n = 46, 40% with the presence of partridges) and buffer areas (100 meters of radius) created from the locations of the observed animals and the transect points of the censuses (n = 89) have been described by linear selection models that contain habitat classes from the Habitat Map of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Map of the Nature at the scale 1:50.000, ISPRA 2009) and morphological characteristics such as slope, elevation and aspect. The descriptive models have selected different variables according to the season (reproductive and post-reproductive), identifying the presence of Eastern Alpine calcicolous larch with moorland as one of the most important variables to define habitat suitability. Moreover, the descriptive models that use the lesser spatial scale (100 m buffer) seemed to describe better the presence and abundance of this species. The predictive models however were inappropriate to describe the presence of this species and should be used with caution to plan the monitoring activities. The research was supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region

CDK-dependent nuclear localization of B-Cyclin Clb1 promotes FEAR activation during meiosis I in budding yeast

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) are master regulators of the cell cycle in eukaryotes. CDK activity is regulated by the presence, post-translational modification and spatial localization of its regulatory subunit cyclin. In budding yeast, the B-cyclin Clb1 is phosphorylated and localizes to the nucleus during meiosis I. However the functional significance of Clb1's phosphorylation and nuclear localization and their mutual dependency is unknown. In this paper, we demonstrate that meiosis-specific phosphorylation of Clb1 requires its import to the nucleus but not vice versa. While Clb1 phosphorylation is dependent on activity of both CDK and polo-like kinase Cdc5, its nuclear localization requires CDK but not Cdc5 activity. Furthermore we show that increased nuclear localization of Clb1 during meiosis enhances activation of FEAR (Cdc Fourteen Early Anaphase Release) pathway. We discuss the significance of our results in relation to regulation of exit from meiosis I