Use of precipitation forecasts from WRF, GFS and GEFS atmospheric models at river Ave basin (Portugal) for operational management of a drainage system

Os sistemas de previsão e alerta utilizados na gestão de recursos hídricos e operação de sistemas de drenagem tiveram desenvolvimentos significativos nos últimos anos. Esses desenvolvimentos resultaram da disponibilidade de informações meteorológicas em tempo real, em particular de medições por sensores em satélites, medição através de radar meteorológico e de previsões de modelos atmosféricos para diferentes horizontes temporais. Todos os modelos de previsão ambiental são incertos e essa incerteza é variável no tempo e no espaço. Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar os resultados da avaliação da evolução do erro associado a diferentes previsões de curto prazo. A plataforma Delft-FEWS (Flood Early Warning System) foi utilizada para proceder à importação e processamento de dados de observações e previsões disponíveis para a bacia do rio Ave, localizada no norte de Portugal. Os dados meteorológicos medidos foram obtidos no Sistema Nacional de Informações de Recursos Hídricos (SNIRH), em quatro estações meteorológicas instaladas na bacia em estudo e dados de refletividade medidos pelo radar meteorológico operado pela Meteogalicia. As previsões avaliadas correspondem às precipitações simuladas por modelos atmosféricos desenvolvidos pela National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) e Meteogalicia, nomeadamente os modelos Global Forecast System (GFS), Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) e Weather Research and Forecasting, (WRF) operado pela Meteogalicia. A incerteza associada às precipitações previstas foi avaliada considerando horizontes de previsão de um a quatro dias. Os melhores resultados foram obtidos para o modelo WRF durante eventos de precipitação ocorridos entre janeiro de 2017 e maio de 2018 e apresentaram médias de erros relativos que variaram entre 7% (um dia de previsão) e 29% (quatro dias). O sistema implementado permite, assim, do ponto de vista operacional, antecipar com antecedência de dois dias eventos extremos.The forecasting and warning systems used in water resources management and drainage systems operation have had significant developments in recent years. These developments resulted from the availability of meteorological information in real time, in particular from measurements by sensors in satellites, measurement through meteorological radar and forecasts of atmospheric models for different time horizons. All environmental forecasting models are uncertain and this uncertainty varies over time and space. This work aims to present the results of the evaluation of the evolution of the error associated with different short-term forecasts. The Delft-FEWS (Flood Early Warning System) platform was used to import and process observation and forecast data available for the river Ave basin, located in northern Portugal. The measured meteorological data were obtained from the National Water Resources Information System (SNIRH), at four new meteorological stations installed in the basin and radar reflectivity data measured by the meteorological radar operated by Meteogalicia. The forecasts evaluated correspond to the rainfall simulated by atmospheric models developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Meteogalicia, namely the Global Forecast System (GFS), Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) and Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model operated by Meteogalicia. The uncertainty associated with the predicted rainfall was evaluated considering forecast horizons of one to four days. The best results were obtained for the WRF model during precipitation events that occurred between January 2017 and May 2018 and presented average relative errors that varied between 7% (one forecast day) and 29% (four days). The implemented system thus allows, from an operational point of view, to forecast extreme events in advance of two days.TRATAVE S.

Priming effect depending on land use and soil types in a typical semi-arid landscape in Kenya

Addition of labile carbon (C) inputs to soil can accelerate or slow down the decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM), a phenomenon known as priming effect (PE). However, the magnitude and direction of PE is often difficult to predict, consequently making its relationship with labile C inputs and nutrient availability elusive. To assess this relationship, we added 13C labelled glucose (corresponding to 50% of initial soil microbial biomass C) to two soil types (Vertisol and Acrisol) with different concentrations of available N and from four land use systems (agricultural, pasture, grassland and shrubland). Parallel laboratory incubations i.e. short-term (6 days) and long-term (6 months), were set up to determine the effect of land use and soil type (N availability) on PE. Addition of labelled glucose in solution led to the retardation of SOM mineralization (negative PE) in both soil types and across all land use systems. This is attributed to preferential substrate utilization characterized by the higher mineralization of added glucose. Land use systems and soil types with higher N-availability displayed weaker negative PE, which is in line with the stoichiometric decomposition theory. In conclusion, our study demonstrate that N-availability plays a major role in determining mineralization of labile C inputs, magnitude and direction of PE in the studied dryland soils and land use systems. The fact that 15–27% of the added 13C remained in the soil at the end of the 6 months incubation and PE was negative, indicates that continuous labile C inputs could contribute to C immobilization and stabilization in these semiarid soils. Moreover, 13C glucose remaining in soils after 6 months in semi-natural pastures was comparable to those under natural grassland and shrubland systems especially in Acrisols. This demonstrates that incorporation and maintaining a perennial cover of native pastures has the potential to increase C sequestration in African semi-arid agricultural soils and landscapes

Contrasting patterns of RUNX2 repeat variations are associated with palate shape in phyllostomid bats and New World primates

Establishing the genetic basis that underlies craniofacial variability in natural populations is one of the main topics of evolutionary and developmental studies. One of the genes associated with mammal craniofacial variability is RUNX2, and in the present study we investigated the association between craniofacial length and width and RUNX2 across New World bats (Phyllostomidae) and primates (Catarrhini and Platyrrhini). Our results showed contrasting patterns of association between the glutamate/alanine ratios (Q/A ratio) and palate shape in these highly diverse groups. In phyllostomid bats, we found an association between shorter/broader faces and increase of the Q/A ratio. In New World monkeys (NWM) there was a positive correlation of increasing Q/A ratios to more elongated faces. Our findings reinforced the role of the Q/A ratio as a flexible genetic mechanism that would rapidly change the time of skull ossification throughout development. However, we propose a scenario in which the influence of this genetic adjustment system is indirect. The Q/A ratio would not lead to a specific phenotype, but throughout the history of a lineage, would act along with evolutionary constraints, as well as other genes, as a facilitator for adaptive morphological changes.Fil: Ferraz, Tiago. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Rossoni, Daniela M.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Althoff, Sérgio L.. Universidade Regional de Blumenau; BrasilFil: Pissinatti, Alcides. Universidade Federal da Bahia; BrasilFil: Paixão Cortês, Vanessa R.. Centro de Primatologia do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Bortolini, María Cátira. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: González José, Rolando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas; ArgentinaFil: Marroig, Gabriel. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Salzano, Francisco M.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Gonçalves, Gislene L.. Universidad de Tarapacá de Arica; Chile. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Hünemeier, Tábita. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Estudio clínico epidemiológico de la endocarditis infecciosa subaguda. Decenio 1992-2002. Clinical epidemiological study of contagious sub-acute endocarditis. 1992-2002

Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo y descriptivo para definir las características clínico epidemiológicas de la endocarditis infecciosa en el Hospital Universitario "Abel Santamaría Cuadrado", de Pinar del Río, del 1ro de enero de 1992 al 31 de diciembre de 2002. La muestra total quedó constituida por 39 pacientes que ingresaron en dicho período y que tuvieron diagnóstico positivo de endocarditis infecciosa, obtenido por la presencia de dos o más hemocultivos positivos a un mismo germen. Se analizaron de cada paciente las siguientes variables: edad, sexo, gérmenes aislados, factores predisponentes y/o precipitantes, síntomas y signos y complicaciones. El sexo más afectado fue el masculino; los grupos de edad que mayor número de casos aportaron estuvieron por encima de 60 años. Los gérmenes más frecuentemente aislados fueron el Estreptococo viridans, el Estafilococo aureus coagulasa positivo y el Estafilococo aureus coagulasa negativo. Los principales factores precipitantes y/o predisponentes resultaron ser las alteraciones orgánicas de válvula mitral y aórtica, así como lesiones sépticas en piel. Las manifestaciones clínicas que más aparecieron fueron fiebre, astenia, esplenomegalia y soplos cardíacos. Las complicaciones de mayor reporte resultaron ser la bronconeumonía, la disfunción sistólica del ventrículo izquierdo y los embolismos a diferentes niveles. DeCS: COAGULASA, ENDOCARDITIS BACTERIANA/diagnosis, EPIDEMIOLOGÍAABSTRACT A retrospective and descriptive study was carried out in order to determine the clinical and epidemiological features of infectious endocarditis at Abel Santamaría Cuadrado University Hospital belonging to Pinar del Rio, between January 1st 1992 and December 31st 2002. The overall sample consisted of 39 patients who were admitted in such period and had positive diagnosis of infectious endocarditis, obtained in the presence of two or more positives blood cultures of the same germs, predisposing and/or precipitating causes, symptoms, signs and complications. The most affected sex was masculine; the age groups, which represented most cases, were over 60 years of age. The most frequently isolated germs represented Streptococcus vividans, positive coagulase Staphylococcus aureus and negative coagulase Staphylococcus aureus. The main precipitating and/or predisposing causes turned out to be organic alterations of the mitral and aortic valve as well as septic lesions in skin. Clinical manifestations were mostly fever, astemia, splenomegaly and hart murmurs. Most complications turned out to be brochopneumonia, left ventricular systolic dysfunction and strokes at different levels. DeCS: COAGULASE, ENDOCHARDITIS BACTERIAL/diagnosis, EPIDEMIOLOGY

Estudio clínico epidemiológico de la endocarditis infecciosa subaguda. Decenio 1992-2002. Clinical epidemiological study of contagious sub-acute endocarditis. 1992-2002

Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo y descriptivo para definir las características clínico epidemiológicas de la endocarditis infecciosa en el Hospital Universitario "Abel Santamaría Cuadrado", de Pinar del Río, del 1ro de enero de 1992 al 31 de diciembre de 2002. La muestra total quedó constituida por 39 pacientes que ingresaron en dicho período y que tuvieron diagnóstico positivo de endocarditis infecciosa, obtenido por la presencia de dos o más hemocultivos positivos a un mismo germen. Se analizaron de cada paciente las siguientes variables: edad, sexo, gérmenes aislados, factores predisponentes y/o precipitantes, síntomas y signos y complicaciones. El sexo más afectado fue el masculino; los grupos de edad que mayor número de casos aportaron estuvieron por encima de 60 años. Los gérmenes más frecuentemente aislados fueron el Estreptococo viridans, el Estafilococo aureus coagulasa positivo y el Estafilococo aureus coagulasa negativo. Los principales factores precipitantes y/o predisponentes resultaron ser las alteraciones orgánicas de válvula mitral y aórtica, así como lesiones sépticas en piel. Las manifestaciones clínicas que más aparecieron fueron fiebre, astenia, esplenomegalia y soplos cardíacos. Las complicaciones de mayor reporte resultaron ser la bronconeumonía, la disfunción sistólica del ventrículo izquierdo y los embolismos a diferentes niveles. DeCS: COAGULASA, ENDOCARDITIS BACTERIANA/diagnosis, EPIDEMIOLOGÍAABSTRACT A retrospective and descriptive study was carried out in order to determine the clinical and epidemiological features of infectious endocarditis at Abel Santamaría Cuadrado University Hospital belonging to Pinar del Rio, between January 1st 1992 and December 31st 2002. The overall sample consisted of 39 patients who were admitted in such period and had positive diagnosis of infectious endocarditis, obtained in the presence of two or more positives blood cultures of the same germs, predisposing and/or precipitating causes, symptoms, signs and complications. The most affected sex was masculine; the age groups, which represented most cases, were over 60 years of age. The most frequently isolated germs represented Streptococcus vividans, positive coagulase Staphylococcus aureus and negative coagulase Staphylococcus aureus. The main precipitating and/or predisposing causes turned out to be organic alterations of the mitral and aortic valve as well as septic lesions in skin. Clinical manifestations were mostly fever, astemia, splenomegaly and hart murmurs. Most complications turned out to be brochopneumonia, left ventricular systolic dysfunction and strokes at different levels. DeCS: COAGULASE, ENDOCHARDITIS BACTERIAL/diagnosis, EPIDEMIOLOGY

Individualschutz durch Wirtschaftsgrundrechte im Gesellschaftsrecht

Los procesos de diseño, fabricación y explotación de la maquinaria agrícola están estrechamente relacionados con el aumento de los niveles de productividad, consumo de combustible y mejoramiento de las cosechas de caña. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo realizar un análisis comparativo de los indicadores técnicos explotativos en las cosechadoras de caña KTP-2M y KTP-3000S. En el análisis se demostró que el desempeño de la cosechadora KTP-3000S es superior a la KTP-2M, alcanzando valores significativos en cuanto a tiempo, eficiencia en el campo, coeficiente de seguridad técnica, materias extrañas durante el corte y valores de producción total, no teniendo este mismo comportamiento con los indicadores de consumo de combustible y valores de las pérdidas en cosecha de todo el período.Por lo que se puede afirmar que la cosechadora cañera KTP-3000S presentó un mejor desempeño durante el cumplimiento de su destino de servicio. // The processes of design, manufacture and operation of agricultural machinery are closely related to increased levels of productivity, fuel consumption and improving cane crops. This research aims to make a comparative analysis of the exploitative technical indicators cane harvesters KTP-2M and KTP-3000S. In the analysis it was demonstrated that the performance of the KTP-3000S harvester exceeds the KTP 2M, achieving significant values in terms of time, field efficiency, coefficient of technical safety, foreign matter field during cutting and values of total production not having this same behavior with fuel consumption indicators and values of crop losses throughout the period.So we can say that the KTP-3000S sugar cane harvester, presented a better performance during the fulfillment of its service destiny

Effects of mowing frequency and nitrogen fertilization on the structure of a Festuca arundinacea Schreb

La estructura y la dinámica de las poblaciones vegetales de los sistemas pastoriles están principalmente controladas por la competencia intra e interespecífica y por la herbivoría, en el marco impuesto por el ambiente edáfico y el clima. Las defoliaciones producidas por los herbívoros impactan directamente sobre las poblaciones vegetales, pero también indirectamente, mediante el control de la intensidad de la competencia. En este trabajo evaluamos los efectos de la frecuencia de defoliaciones mecánicas y de la fertilización con nitrógeno sobre la estructura poblacional de Festuca arundinacea Schreb. sembrada en una pastura mixta y discutimos los efectos de estas prácticas agronómicas sobre la competencia intraespecífica. Sobre una pastura compuesta por F. arundinacea y Lotus glaber Mill. instalamos un experimento factorial que combina dos niveles de frecuencia de cortes (uno y cuatro cortes anuales) y dos de fertilización nitrogenada (0 y 50 kg N/ha/año) en cuatro bloques. Los cortes frecuentes resultaron en mayor densidad y menor jerarquización de tamaños y no modificaron la cobertura total en comparación con los cortes poco frecuentes. En cambio, la fertilización nitrogenada disminuyó la densidad, generó mayor jerarquización de tamaños y aumentó la cobertura total. El log10 del tamaño promedio estuvo negativamente asociado con el log10 de la densidad; la pendiente estimada de la relación lineal fue más cercana a –3/2 para las parcelas fertilizadas que para las no fertilizadas. El apiñamiento de individuos (medido en una escala de 0.25 m2) disminuyó significativamente con el aumento del tamaño individual. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la dinámica de F. arundinacea estuvo fuertemente controlada por la competencia intraespecífica en condiciones de baja frecuencia de disturbios y alta disponibilidad de nitrógeno. Además, indican que la adición de un recurso posiblemente limitante puede intensificar la competencia intraespecífica en lugar de relajarla.Structure and dynamics of plant populations in pastoral systems are mainly controlled by inter and intraspecific competition and herbivory within the constraints imposed by soil characteristics and climate. Defoliations caused by herbivores have a direct impact on plant populations, but also an indirect effect through changes in the intensity of competition. We evaluated the effects of mechanic defoliations and nitrogen fertilization on the structure of a Festuca arundinacea Schreb. population in a mixed pasture, and discussed the effects of these two agronomic tools on the intensity of intraspecific competition. A four-block factorial experiment combining two regimes of mowing frequency (1 and 4 mowings/year) and two levels of nitrogen fertilization (0 and 50 kg N/ha/year), was installed on a mixed pasture composed of F. arundinacea and Lotus glaber Mill. Data was obtained from eight subplots randomly arranged inside each plot. High frequency mowed plots had higher density and lower size asymmetry than the low frequency ones, whereas total cover did not differ between treatments. On the contrary, nitrogen fertilization diminished population density, increased size asymmetry and augmented total cover. Overall, there was a negative association between log10 mean size and log10 density; the estimated slope of the linear relation was closer to –3/2 in fertilized than in non-fertilized plots. Finally, crowding decreased significantly with plant size. These results suggest that the dynamics of F. arundinacea in the experimental plots were strongly controlled by intraspecific competition when nitrogen availability was high and mowing frequency was low. Lack of fertilization and frequent mows would limit individual growth and hence intensity of competition. Furthermore, the intensity of competition seems to have been more closely related to nitrogen availability than to mowing frequency. Additional data showed that the abundance of companion species was precluded in fertilized plots and in low frequency mowed plots, suggesting that F. arundinacea is a highly competitive species, which maximizes vegetative growth in productive, relatively undisturbed conditions. Overall, our results indicate that resource supply could intensify plant competition instead of relax it

Epidemiologic classification of human papillomavirus types associated with cervical cancer.

Background: Infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer, but the risk associated with the various HPV types has not been adequately assessed. Methods: We pooled data from 11 case-control studies from nine countries involving 1918 women with histologically confirmed squamous-cell cervical cancer and 1928 control women. A common protocol and questionnaire were used. Information on risk factors was obtained by personal interviews, and cervical cells were collected for detection of HPV DNA and typing in a central laboratory by polymerase-chain-reaction-based assays (with MY09/MY11 and GP5+/6+ primers). Results: HPV DNA was detected in 1739 of the 1918 patients with cervical cancer (90.7 percent) and in 259 of the 1928 control women (13.4 percent). With the GP5+/6+ primer, HPV DNA was detected in 96.6 percent of the patients and 15.6 percent of the controls. The most common HPV types in patients, in descending order of frequency, were types 16, 18, 45, 31, 33, 52, 58, and 35. Among control women, types 16, 18, 45, 31, 6, 58, 35, and 33 were the most common. For studies using the GP5+/6+ primer, the pooled odds ratio for cervical cancer associated with the presence of any HPV was 158.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 113.4 to 220.6). The odds ratios were over 45 for the most common and least common HPV types. Fifteen HPV types were classified as high-risk types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, and 82); 3 were classified as probable high-risk types (26, 53, and 66); and 12 were classified as low-risk types (6, 11, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 70, 72, 81, and CP6108). There was good agreement between our epidemiologic classification and the classification based on phylogenetic grouping. Conclusions: In addition to HPV types 16 and 18, types 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, and 82 should be considered carcinogenic, or high-risk, types, and types 26, 53, and 66 should be considered probably carcinogenic