On the simultaneous approximation of derivatives by Lagrange and Hermite interpolation

AbstractWe investigate here, for a positive integer q, simultaneous approximation of the first q derivatives of a function by the derivatives of its Lagrange interpolant, and then we augment this procedure by Hermite interpolation at the endpoints of the interval, obtaining a great improvement in the quality of approximation. In both cases, we estimate the quality of simultaneous approximation in terms of the norm of an associated Lagrange interpolation, and the estimates are thus valid for any sequence of interpolations by polynomials of successively higher degree. This communication continues work begun by K. Balázs and generalizes a recent work of Muneer Yousif Elnour, who treats simultaneous approximation with nodes at the zeroes of the Tchebycheff polynomials. Our efforts to obtain results which are independent of the choice of nodes have also led to some interesting consequences of a theorem of Gopengauz on simultaneous approximation

Global transpiration data from sap flow measurements : the SAPFLUXNET database

Plant transpiration links physiological responses of vegetation to water supply and demand with hydrological, energy, and carbon budgets at the land-atmosphere interface. However, despite being the main land evaporative flux at the global scale, transpiration and its response to environmental drivers are currently not well constrained by observations. Here we introduce the first global compilation of whole-plant transpiration data from sap flow measurements (SAPFLUXNET, https://sapfluxnet.creaf.cat/, last access: 8 June 2021). We harmonized and quality-controlled individual datasets supplied by contributors worldwide in a semi-automatic data workflow implemented in the R programming language. Datasets include sub-daily time series of sap flow and hydrometeorological drivers for one or more growing seasons, as well as metadata on the stand characteristics, plant attributes, and technical details of the measurements. SAPFLUXNET contains 202 globally distributed datasets with sap flow time series for 2714 plants, mostly trees, of 174 species. SAPFLUXNET has a broad bioclimatic coverage, with woodland/shrubland and temperate forest biomes especially well represented (80 % of the datasets). The measurements cover a wide variety of stand structural characteristics and plant sizes. The datasets encompass the period between 1995 and 2018, with 50 % of the datasets being at least 3 years long. Accompanying radiation and vapour pressure deficit data are available for most of the datasets, while on-site soil water content is available for 56 % of the datasets. Many datasets contain data for species that make up 90 % or more of the total stand basal area, allowing the estimation of stand transpiration in diverse ecological settings. SAPFLUXNET adds to existing plant trait datasets, ecosystem flux networks, and remote sensing products to help increase our understanding of plant water use, plant responses to drought, and ecohydrological processes. SAPFLUXNET version 0.1.5 is freely available from the Zenodo repository (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3971689; Poyatos et al., 2020a). The "sapfluxnetr" R package - designed to access, visualize, and process SAPFLUXNET data - is available from CRAN.Peer reviewe

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Abstracts from the 8th International Conference on cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications

This work was supported by a restricted research grant of Bayer AG

Peritonitis in horses: 55 cases (2004–2007)

Factors associated with the outcome of peritonitis in horses are seldom described. The objectives of this study were to determine the common clinical signs and clinicopathologic findings and to reveal prognostic factors associated with the outcome of peritonitis in equine patients. Data were examined in a retrospective manner in 55 horses diagnosed with and treated for peritonitis. The most common clinical and clinicopathologic findings were tachycardia (94%), increased amount of peritoneal fluid on ultrasound (84%), altered mucous membranes (82%), bacteria noted on the direct smear (67%), hyperfibrinogenaemia (58%) and left shift (40%). The most commonly isolated organism was E. coli (37%). Survival rates were as follow: 78% in the whole study, 81% in the abdominal lavage group, 93% in the medically and 46% in the surgically managed groups. Complications were more common in the non-survivor group (P < 0.001). Initial haematocrit and surgical interventions were strongly associated with non-survival in the multivariate logistic regression model (P = 0.049, OR: 1.07 and P = 0.01, OR: 9.87, respectively). Prognosis of peritonitis without gastrointestinal rupture depends on the initial hydration status, surgical interventions and development of secondary complications, while other clinical and clinicopathologic findings do not appear to correlate with survival. Prospective evaluation of hydration and perfusion parameters and abdominal lavage warrants further investigation