Matched filter for multi-transducers resonant GW antennas

We analyze two kinds of matched filters for data output of a spherical resonant GW detector. In order to filter the data of a real sphere, a strategy is proposed, firstly using an omnidirectional in-line filter, which is supposed to select periodograms with excitations, secondly by performing a directional filter on such selected periodograms, finding the wave arrival time, direction and polarization. We point out that, as the analytical simplifications occurring in the ideal 6 transducers TIGA sphere do not hold for a real sphere, using a 5 transducers configuration could be a more convenient choice.Comment: 15 pages and 4 figures, version accepted for publication in PR

Influenza (AH1N1v) Pandemic 2009: an update

no abstrac

Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae, <i>Dendropsophus ruschii</i> (Weygoldt & Peixoto, 1987): Rediscovery of Ruschi’s treefrog in an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in Espírito Santo, Brazil

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Male Genital Morphology and Its Influence on Female Mating Preferences and Paternity Success in Guppies

In internally fertilizing species male genitalia often show a higher degree of elaboration than required for simply transferring sperm to females. Among the hypotheses proposed to explain such diversity, sexual selection has received the most empirical support, with studies revealing that genital morphology can be targeted by both pre-and postcopulatory sexual selection. Until now, most studies have focused on these two episodes of selection independently. Here, we take an alternative approach by considering both components simultaneously in the livebearing fish, Poecilia reticulata. We allowed females to mate successively (and cooperatively) with two males and determined whether male genital length influenced the female's propensity to mate with a male (precopulatory selection, via female choice) and whether male genital size and shape predicted the relative paternity share of subsequent broods (postcopulatory selection, via sperm competition/cryptic female choice). We found no evidence that either episode of sexual selection targets male genital size or shape. These findings, in conjunction with our recent work exposing a role of genital morphology in mediating unsolicited (forced) matings in guppies, further supports our prior speculation that sexual conflict may be an important broker of genital evolution in this species

Mechanical Systems: Symmetry and Reduction

Reduction theory is concerned with mechanical systems with symmetries. It constructs a lower dimensional reduced space in which associated conservation laws are taken out and symmetries are \factored out" and studies the relation between the dynamics of the given system with the dynamics on the reduced space. This subject is important in many areas, such as stability of relative equilibria, geometric phases and integrable systems

Growth and lipid class composition of the Arctic pelagic amphipod Themisto libellula

Carnivorous zooplankton is a key element to the energy transfer through the arctic food web, linking lipid rich herbivores to the top predators. We investigated the growth and lipid dynamic of the Arctic pelagic amphipod Themisto libellula in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard, 79°N) from May to October 2007. Additional samplings were performed in spring and summer 2006 and further north in Rijpfjorden (80°N), in September 2006 and 2007. In Kongsfjorden, the first free-swimming stages (3 mm) appeared early May and reached their adult length (25 mm), in October. During their first year, they grew according to a Von Bertalanffy model and most probably constituted a single cohort. Juveniles had the highest growth rate (0.19 mm day−1) and revealed relatively low total lipid (TL) content (about 2.5% wet weight (WW)) with phospholipids as the major lipid class. Sub-adults showed a distinct decrease of growth rates which coincided with the increase of neutral lipid storage, reflecting a switch in energy allocation, from somatic growth to lipid storage. Indeed wax esters (WE) increased up to 48.5% TL on average in adults in 2006 while triacylglycerols (TAG) remained almost constant below 25.2% TL. The absence of lipid accumulation (in disproportion of the weight) in 2007 could be explained by a higher metabolism of T. libellula or preys of lower quality. In Rijpfjorden, adults in their second year continued accumulating lipid (up to 10% WW) with high and similar proportions of both lipid classes, WE and TAG. We highlighted that T. libellula exhibited a variable lipid metabolism along its life cycle depending on its physiological needs and environmental conditions

Genetics, odor perception and food liking: The intriguing role of cinnamon

Humans use a repertoire of > 400 olfactory receptors (ORs) to perceive odorants. The sense of smell is a complex trait whereby genetics and environmental factors interplay. To date, still little is known regarding the genetics of smell, even though the high genetic variability of ORs genes has already been demonstrated. Recently a significant association between cinnamon odorant recognition and the rs317787 polymorphism, located in a cluster of OR genes, has been described. Based on this data, here, we replicated the effect of the same variant (rs317787) on cinnamon odorant identification as well as looked at any possible association with liking for wine whose bouquet frequently smells of cinnamon. Our analysis in a cohort of individuals from two Italian genetic isolates confirmed that rs317787-T allele is associated with an improved cinnamon detection (p-value 5.18 7 10 1206, n = 971) but also with a greater liking for red wine (p-value 0.017, n = 2374). Present results further confirm the association of rs31778 SNP and cinnamon odorants detection and provide additional details about the role of the ORs genes in food liking. Overall, our work contributes to better deciphering the genetic basis of smell and food liking aimed at a more in-depth elucidation of the role of the ORs genes

Northern Sicily, September 6, 2002earthquake: investigation on peculiarmacroseismic effects

The Northern Sicily, September 6, 2002 earthquake (Ml = 5.6, MW = 5.9) is investigated under macroseismic aspect: peculiar effects are collected besides standard effects normally used to define Mercalli-Cancani-Sieberg (MCS) intensity. They include sound heard during the quake, fear felt and a simple qualitative description of ground movement felt. Spatial coverage of such information is dense enough to be statistically processed, to give an interpolated, smoothed field for each data type. Sound heard is compared with theoretical sound field produced considering source geometry and transmission of waves to air, it also confirms the Southern Sicily amplification disclosed by macroseismic intensity values. Fear felt is also in agreement with macroseismic intensity field while type of ground motion is a partly independent aspect