Pippi - painless parsing, post-processing and plotting of posterior and likelihood samples

Interpreting samples from likelihood or posterior probability density functions is rarely as straightforward as it seems it should be. Producing publication-quality graphics of these distributions is often similarly painful. In this short note I describe pippi, a simple, publicly-available package for parsing and post-processing such samples, as well as generating high-quality PDF graphics of the results. Pippi is easily and extensively configurable and customisable, both in its options for parsing and post-processing samples, and in the visual aspects of the figures it produces. I illustrate some of these using an existing supersymmetric global fit, performed in the context of a gamma-ray search for dark matter. Pippi can be downloaded and followed at http://github.com/patscott/pippi .Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. v3: Updated for pippi 2.0. New features include hdf5 support, out-of-core processing, inline post-processing with arbitrary Python code in the input file, and observable-specific data cuts. Pippi can be downloaded from http://github.com/patscott/pipp

Seminatural propagation and rearing of roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus)

A research experiment was conducted to provide a protocol for seminatural propagation and rearing of Roach up to release size. The attempt was made to combat the declining trend in the population size and catch of the fish in the Caspian Sea. The optimum temperature for spawning brood-stocks lasts from middle March to late April when the ambient temperature range is 12-17°C. During the four months research period, brood stocks were caught in the estuary of the Gorganrood in Golestan Province, north east Iran. The stocks were released into 2 hectare earthen ponds enriched with manure and fertilizers. Artificial spawning grounds made of pine branches were placed in the ponds. Ponds were stocked with 700 female breeders with an average weight of 150 grams and around 350 male breeders weighing 100 grams on average. Spawning and fertilization of eggs occurred in the ponds of which an estimated 80-90% eyed that were observed from the fifth day onwards. The starting of hatching was observed in the 6th day and yolk sac absorption was observed in day 4 to 6. The lame were fed on natural zooplankton and artificial food. Assessment of 146 fries for ingested food indicated that the fries fed on Rotifer (Rotatoria sp. and Daphnia sp.) in the ponds. The length-weight relationship was not significantly different among the ponds and also specific growth rates (SGR) did not show any difference in the fries. The relative gut length in the fries were smaller than I (RLG<l) and fries with an average weight of 0.5 to 1 gram were released into their natural habitat

Datos adicionales sobre Haplozetes fusifer (Berlese, 1908) (Acari, Oribatida, Haplozetidae) de Irán

An oribatid mite of the family Haplozetidae, Haplozetes fusifer (Berlese, 1908) is redescribed on the basis of Iranian materials, including the first detailed descriptions of the gnathosoma and legs.Se redescribe un ácaro oribátido de la familia Haplozetidae, Haplozetes fusifer (Berlese, 1908), sobre la base de material iraní, incluyendo las primeras descripciones detalladas del gnatosoma y las patas

Nuevas especies del género Lauroppia Subías y Mínguez, 1986 (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae) de Irán

Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Oppiidae Sellnick, 1937, Lauroppia iranica sp. nov. and Lauroppia persiangulfia sp. nov., are described from Mazandaran province, Northern Iran. These two new species are characterized by their long sensillus, with a bipectinate fusiform head and seven medium long barbs in L. iranica and a pectinate head and six long barbs in L. persiangulfia. Also an identification key to the Iranian species of Lauroppia is given.Dos nuevas especies de ácaros oribátidos de la familia Oppiidae Sellnick, 1937, Lauroppia iranica sp. nov. and Lauroppia persiangulfia sp. nov., se describen de la provincia de Mazandaran, norte de Irán. Estas dos nuevas especies se caracterizan por su sensilo largo, con una cabeza fusiforme bipectinada y con siete bárbulas de longitud media en L. iranica y con una cabeza pectinada y seis bárbulas largas en L. persiangulfia

The effect of dietary dextrin levels on growth performance, body composition and hepatosomatic index in juvenile Siberian sturgeon, Acipenser baerii

The present study was carried out to determine the ability of Acipenser baerii in utilizing carbohydrate (dextrin) as a non protein energy source substituted with animal oil. A total of 65 juveniles A. baerii with an initial mean weight of 689 ± 62 g were distributed in 15 fiber glass tanks. Five diets were formulated including 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of dextrin and fed for 8 weeks. Fish were weighed monthly and growth was evaluated in each treatment. At the end of experiment, body composition and hepatosomatic index were analyzed. There was no significant differences in body weight increase (BWI) and final weight (FW) among different groups (p>0.05). Increase of dextrin levels in diets led to an increase in feed conversation ratio (FCR) in fish fed diets containing 15 and 20% dextrin as compared to that in the control group and in fish fed the diet containing 10% dextrin although the differences were not significant (p>0.05). The specific growth rate (SGR) in all treatments were the same (p>0.05). The highest body protein and lipid were observed in fish fed diets containing 10 and 20% dextrin, respectively (p0.05). In conclusion, juvenile A. baerii can be fed diets with high levels of dietary dextrin as a non protein energy source with no deleterious effects and a partial replacement of cheap carbohydrate with lipid is suggested to obtain the necessary energy in commercial diets

Towards a three-dimensional Finite Element model of the Knee Osteoarthritis

Poster P4238 presented at the 8th World Congress of BiomechanicsA three-dimensional FE model of a knee joint is presented. The main structure includes femur, tibia, ligaments (ACL, PCL, LCL and MCL), menisci (lateral and medial) and tibiofemoral cartilage. The model is validated against the literature. The main goal is to understand the distribution of stresses over the cartilage and meniscus and its relationship to Osteoarthritis (OA). This complex bio-realistic model of a knee joint was reconstructed from medical MR images of a subject with healthy knee (24 years old, with no history of lower limb extremities) having interval separation of 1.5 mm in sagittal, coronal and axial planes with 0° of knee flexion. The MRI scan data were collected on a 1.5 Tesla Phillips Intera system using T1 3D Gradient Echo sequence (TR/TE = 57 ms/21 ms, spatial resolution with voxels size of 0.7 × 0.7 × 0.7 mm3 ). The segmentation and thresholding of each part, including femur, tibia, fibula, ligaments, patella, patella tendon, menisci and cartilages were done with the SCANIP software (Synopsys, Mountain View, USA). The segmented parts were then exported and assembled to form the three-dimensional FE model of the knee joint. The model was analysed in ABAQUS software (version 2016) (DASSAULT SYSTÈMES, U.S.A). The material properties were taken from literature. For assigning the boundary conditions, the model was assumed to be fixed at the base of the tibia. The rotation was fixed on the femur and the displacements were free in all directions. A vertical force of 1150 N was applied at the top of the femur which corresponds to the force of full extension position in gait cycle [2]. Under the compressive load of 1150 N, the stresses transfer from the femur to its cartilage and menisci down to the Tibia. The results show deformation of the lateral meniscus which caused the model to curve outward forming a valgus which is one of the symptoms that can lead to OA. The maximum stress on the lateral meniscus that can be measured is 5.5 MPa which is comparable with the results presented in the literature [3]

Braided Cyclic Cocycles and Non-Associative Geometry

We use monoidal category methods to study the noncommutative geometry of nonassociative algebras obtained by a Drinfeld-type cochain twist. These are the so-called quasialgebras and include the octonions as braided-commutative but nonassociative coordinate rings, as well as quasialgebra versions \CC_{q}(G) of the standard q-deformation quantum groups. We introduce the notion of ribbon algebras in the category, which are algebras equipped with a suitable generalised automorphism $\sigma$, and obtain the required generalisation of cyclic cohomology. We show that this \emph{braided cyclic cocohomology} is invariant under a cochain twist. We also extend to our generalisation the relation between cyclic cohomology and differential calculus on the ribbon quasialgebra. The paper includes differential calculus and cyclic cocycles on the octonions as a finite nonassociative geometry, as well as the algebraic noncommutative torus as an associative example.Comment: 36 pages latex, 9 figure

Modelling of a novel Stand-Alone, Solar Driven Agriculture Greenhouse Integrated With Photo Voltaic /Thermal (PV/T) Panels

This is the author accepted manuscriptThis paper presents an analytical study of a new stand-alone agriculture greenhouse (GH) system. This system utilizes the excess solar radiation (more than that required by the plants for photosynthetic process) to generate electricity via a set of Photo Voltaic/Thermal (PV/T) units which are placed on the GH roof and south side. In addition to electricity generation, PV/Ts reduce the cooling load of the GH and help the system to be naturally ventilated. The system recovers the GH air humidity, including the plants transpiration, and uses it as irrigating water. Two coupled mathematical models are developed using MATLAB. The first model calculates the absorbed and transmitted solar radiation by/through each GH surface for a Clear Sky Day. The results of the first model are used as inputs to the second one that predicts the GH performance (GH surfaces and air temperatures, air relative humidity, air velocity, water production, electricity production and power consumption). These models are applied on climate conditions of Zagazig city, Sharqia, Egypt. The results show that the system presents a good solution for water shortage in Egypt as it has the ability to provide suitable climate conditions for plant growth (high quality and quantity) and produce enough water for irrigation purposes.British CouncilScience & Technology Development Fund (STDF), Egyp