Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a prevalent and debilitating inflammatory disease that significantly impairs functional capacity and quality of life.RA accelerates musculoskeletal aging,leading to complications such as mus...Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a prevalent and debilitating inflammatory disease that significantly impairs functional capacity and quality of life.RA accelerates musculoskeletal aging,leading to complications such as muscle degeneration and sarcopenia.Recent research has identified myopenia as a condition of significant muscle loss associated with illness,distinct from the muscle wasting seen in other chronic diseases like cancer cachexia or heart failure.In RA,myopenia is characterized by muscle depletion without concurrent significant fat loss,and it can affect individuals of all ages.While inflammation plays a central role,it is not the sole factor contributing to the high incidence of muscle wasting in RA.In subsequent discussions,secondary sarcopenia will be considered alongside myopenia,as both involve muscle wasting decline primarily due to disease.This review summarizes recent findings on the impact of RA-related myopenia and secondary sarcopenia on functional capacity,explores its underlying mechanisms,and discusses contemporary strategies to mitigate the process of musculoskeletal aging in RA patients.展开更多
Vocal individuality is essential for social discrimination but has been poorly studied in animals that produce communal signals(duets or choruses).Song overlapping and temporal coordination make the assessment of indi...Vocal individuality is essential for social discrimination but has been poorly studied in animals that produce communal signals(duets or choruses).Song overlapping and temporal coordination make the assessment of individuality in communal signals more complex.In addition,selection may favor the accurate identifcation of pairs over individuals by receivers in year-round territorial species with duetting and long-term pair bonding.Here,we studied pair and individual vocal signatures in the polyphonal duets of rufous horneros Furnarius rufus,a Neotropical bird known for its long-term pair bonds.Hornero partners engage in duets to deter territorial intruders and protect their partnership year-round and can discern duets from neighbors versus strangers.Using a dataset of 471 duets from 43 pairs in 2 populations,we measured fne-scale acoustic features across different duet levels(e.g.,complete duets to non-overlapping syllable parts)and analysis levels(pair or individual).Permuted linear discriminant function analyses classifed pairs and individuals more accurately than expected by chance(means:45%and 47%vs.4 and 2%).Pair identity explained more variance in the multivariate acoustic features of duets than individual or population identities.The initial frequency of the duet showed strong potential for encoding pair identity.The acoustic traits contributing most to individual vocal signatures varied between sexes,which might facilitate the simultaneous assessment of duetters’identities by receivers.Our study indicates that vocal individuality may exist even in species with intricate and innate communal signals and elucidates the mechanisms employed by horneros in their social discrimination ability.展开更多
Acoustic signals in birds are often influenced by body and beak size(the morphological constraint hypothesis)and may also reflect the sender's condition(the condition dependence hypothesis).However,these ideas hav...Acoustic signals in birds are often influenced by body and beak size(the morphological constraint hypothesis)and may also reflect the sender's condition(the condition dependence hypothesis).However,these ideas have seldom been tested in duetting species,where the acoustics of the combined signal could relate to the morphology of both vocalizing individuals.In this study,we investigated whether specific morphological traits—scaled mass index,wing length,and bill surface area—could predict individual and pair-level characteristics of Rufous Hornero(Furnarius rufus) duets.In this species,partners partially overlap their songs,with males producing faster-paced,lower-pitched songs compared to females.Morphology was most closely associated with the timing of syllables within duets,though different traits were linked to timing in each sex.Females in better condition(indicated by a higher scaled mass index) and with longer wings produced duet phrases with greater variation in syllable duration.In contrast,males with larger bills showed greater variation in both syllable duration and gaps between syllables.The degree of temporal overlap in syllables increased with female condition,but not male condition,suggesting that overlap may signal female quality.Additionally,minimum duet frequency was negatively associated with male condition,indicating that lower-frequency duets may serve as an honest signal of male quality.These findings indicate that the timing of syllables and minimum duet frequency are both condition-dependent and constrained by morphology,allowing receivers to gain multiple insights into the morphology of duetting partners in Rufous Horneros.展开更多
Captive breeding and stocking are commonly employed strategies for enhancing fisheries and conserving endangered fish species.However,hatchery-raised fish often exhibit reduced performance in the wild,displaying alter...Captive breeding and stocking are commonly employed strategies for enhancing fisheries and conserving endangered fish species.However,hatchery-raised fish often exhibit reduced performance in the wild,displaying alterations in physiological,morphological,and behavioral traits.We tested for differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals of the Spanish toothcarp(Aphanius iberus)from 2 different populations.Furthermore,we experimentally tested if these changes translated into fitness differences after their stocking into the wild.There were significant differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals and also between the 2 populations.Captive-bred individuals displayed consistently lower metabolic rates than wild individuals from the same population(30-76% lower).Critical swimming speed rather differed between the 2 populations.Sex-specific differences were observed in maximum and standard metabolic rates,with wild individuals and females generally exhibiting higher values but with some exceptions.During a 3-month experiment,survival rates did not significantly differ between wild and captive-bred fish.Captive-bred individuals started smaller but exhibited rapid growth during the experiment.Initially,larger captive-bred fish had lower body conditions than their wild counterparts,but these differences progressively diminished.In summary,captive-bred individuals of this fish species showed lower metabolic rates,although the differences with wild individuals slightly depended on sex and size.展开更多
Tropical mountain peatlands in Brazil’s Southern Espinhaço Range are vital ecosystems,acting as carbon reservoirs,hydrological buffers,and biodiversity hotspots while sustaining traditional livelihoods and prese...Tropical mountain peatlands in Brazil’s Southern Espinhaço Range are vital ecosystems,acting as carbon reservoirs,hydrological buffers,and biodiversity hotspots while sustaining traditional livelihoods and preserving paleoenvironmental records.Despite their importance,peatlands outside protected areas face degradation by grazing and fires,threatening their ability to regulate ecosystem processes sensitive to temperature,such as greenhouse gas emissions,water cycling,biological activity,and organic matter decomposition.Since 2016,we have monitored peat temperatures in two contrasting peatlands–one preserved(within a protected area)and one disturbed(outside the protected area)–to understand how anthropogenic disturbances and climate variability impact these fragile ecosystems.Seasonal patterns dominated temperature variation,accounting for 60% of air and 81%–92% of peatland temperature variation.However,average temperatures and amplitudes differed between peatlands and depths.Interannual variability revealed stronger trends in the disturbed peatland,where a 1℃ increase in air temperature caused the trend to increase 0.70℃–0.87℃ on average at depths of 0.85 m–0.92 m.By contrast,the preserved peatland showed smaller increases(0.20℃–0.24℃)at comparable depths(1.06 m–1.24 m),suggesting a greater resilience.Temperature variation in the monitored peatlands was majorly driven by seasonal patterns,as revealed by time series decomposition and sinewave fit.Average temperature and amplitude varied between the two peatlands and among sampling sites,reflecting differences in environmental conditions and measurement depth.Interannual variability also exhibited distinct effects between peatlands and monitoring sites.The time series trend component showed more pronounced fluctuations at shallower depths and in the disturbed peatland.For every 1℃ increase in the trend component of the air temperature,the trend component of the peatland time series increased by 0.70℃ and 0.87℃on average at depths of 0.85 m and 0.92 m,respectively,in the disturbed peatland.In contrast,the preserved peatland exhibited smaller increases of 0.20℃ and 0.24℃ at comparable depths(1.06 m and 1.24 m).These findings highlight the potential for feedback responses between peatland disturbance and climate change,threatening their critical role in regulating carbon and water cycles.Expanding long-term monitoring,strengthening conservation efforts,and raising public awareness are essential to safeguard the ecosystem services provided by tropical mountain peatlands.展开更多
Anthropogenic disturbances are causing significant impacts on plant distribution worldwide,and many of these effects are driven by changes in the recruitment patterns of plant species.Global warming and land-use chang...Anthropogenic disturbances are causing significant impacts on plant distribution worldwide,and many of these effects are driven by changes in the recruitment patterns of plant species.Global warming and land-use change are two major disturbances leading to changes in germination strategies by changing both soil temperature regimes and light quality reaching the seeds due to soil disturbance.Investigating the range,overlap,and redundancy of niche germination of co-occurring plant species allows us to understand whether endemic species are threatened either by native non-endemic or by alien species,especially in an ecosystem of restricted distribution such as the campo rupestre.Employing a systematic review,this study aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature increase and seed burial on the germination of endemic and non-endemic species in the campo rupestre in Brazil.We performed a metaanalysis using increased temperature and darkness as proxies for the impact of disturbance on germination patterns.In this context,we hypothesized that:increased temperature and darkness negatively influence the germination of native species and positively influence the germination of alien species in the campo rupestre.Specifically,we expect the negative effect to be more pronounced in endemic species than in native non-endemic species.Moreover,we intend to describe the role of seed size in the germination of native and alien species from campo rupestre in the context of increased temperature and darkness.Our analysis showed that increased temperature influenced the germination of alien species by ca.55%,while it did not influence the germination of endemic or native non-endemic species.Furthermore,the germination of alien species under higher temperatures was promoted by increasing seed size.Darkness negatively influenced seed germination of native species,independent of their distribution.Moreover,under darkness conditions,the germination of endemic seeds decreased with seed size.Through their direct effects on germination strategies,we conclude that warming temperatures and land-use change can lead to a long-term displacement of endemic species by native non-endemic and alien species in campo rupestre,thus compromising ecosystem services and conservation of these fragile physiognomies in the near future.展开更多
Fish constitutes the main protein source for the Amazonian population.However,the impact of different anthropogenic activities on trace element and metal accumulation in fish and their risks for human health at a regi...Fish constitutes the main protein source for the Amazonian population.However,the impact of different anthropogenic activities on trace element and metal accumulation in fish and their risks for human health at a regional scale remain largely unexplored.Here we assessed exposure levels of 10 trace elements andmetals(Cr,Mn,Fe,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Cd,Pb,and Hg)in 56 samples belonging to 11 different species of fish from the Brazilian Amazon.We studied the relationship between exposure levels,fish origin,and fish feeding habits,and assessed toxicological and carcinogenic risks for the Amazonian population.No significant correlation was found between sampling site and exposure levels to the studied elements,but a significant difference was found between the accumulation of some metals and the position of the fish species in the food chain.The concentrations of Cr and Hg in fish flesh were found to exceed the Brazilian limits for human consumption.This study shows that current fish consumption patterns can lead to estimated daily intakes of Hg,As and Cr that exceed the oral reference dose,thus posing a toxicological concern.Furthermore,carcinogenic risks may be expected due to the continued exposure to Cr and As.The results of this study show that the consumption of wild caught fish in the Amazon region should be controlled.Moreover,continued monitoring of trace element and metal contamination in fish and on the health of the Amazonian population is recommended,particularly for riverine and indigenous communities.展开更多
AIM：To evaluate the methylation status of CDH1, FHIT, MTAP and PLAGL1 promoters and the association of these findings with clinico-pathological characteristics.METHODS： Methylation-specific PCR （MSP） assay was per...AIM：To evaluate the methylation status of CDH1, FHIT, MTAP and PLAGL1 promoters and the association of these findings with clinico-pathological characteristics.METHODS： Methylation-specific PCR （MSP） assay was performed in 13 nonneoplastic gastric adenocarcinorna, 30 intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinorna and 35 diffuse-type gastric adenocarcinorna samples from individuals in Northern Brazil. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square or Fisher＇s exact test to assess associations between rnethylation status and clinico-pathological characteristics.RESULTS： Hypermethylation frequencies of CDH1, FHIT, MTAPand PLAGL1 promoter were 98.7%, 53.9%, 23.1% and 29.5%, respectively. Hyperrnethylation of three or four genes revealed a significant association with diffuse-type gastric cancer compared with nonneoplastic cancer. A higher hyperrnethylation frequency was significantly associated with H pylori infection in gastric cancers, especially with diffuse-type. Cancer samples without lymph node metastasis showed a higher FHIT hypermethylation frequency. MTAP hypermethylation was associated with H pylori in gastric cancer samples, as well as with diffuse-type compared with intestinal-type. In diffuse-type, MTAP hypermethylation was associated with female gender.CONCLUSION： Our findings show differential gene methylation in tumoral tissue, which allows us to conclude that hypermethylation is associated with gastric carcinogenesis. MTAP promoter hypermethylation can be characterized as a marker of diffuse-type gastric cancer, especially in women and may help in diagnosis, prognosis and therapies. The H pylori infectious agent was present in 44.9% of the samples. This infection may be correlated with the carcinogenic process through the gene promoter hypermethylation, especially the MTAP promoter in diffuse-type. A higher H pylori infection in diffuse-type may be due to greater genetic predisposition.展开更多
Depth variations of total mercury （Hg） and methylmercury （MeHg） concentrations were studied in cores from non-colonized sediments, sediments colonized by Halimione portulacoides, Sarcocornia fruticosa and Spartina...Depth variations of total mercury （Hg） and methylmercury （MeHg） concentrations were studied in cores from non-colonized sediments, sediments colonized by Halimione portulacoides, Sarcocornia fruticosa and Spartina maritima and belowground biomass, in a moderately contaminated salt marsh （Tagus Estuary, Portugal）. Concentrations in belowground biomass exceeded up to 3 （Hg） and 15 （MeHg） times the levels in sediments, and up to 198 （Hg） and 308 （MeHg） times those found in aboveground parts. Methylmercury in colonized sediments reached 3% of the total Hg, 50 times above the maximum values found in non-colonized sediments. The absence of correlations between total Hg concentrations in sediments and the corresponding MeHg levels suggested that methylation was only dependent on the environmental and microbiological factors. The analysis of belowground biomass at high-depth resolution （2 cm） provided evidence that Hg and MeHg were actively absorbed from sediments, with higher enrichment factors at layers where higher microbial activity was probably occurring. The results obtained in this study indicated that the biotransformation of Hg to the toxic MeHg could increase the toxicity of plant-colonized sediments.展开更多
We report a rare case of extramedullary plasmocytoma associated with a massive deposit of amyloid in the duodenum. A 72-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital presenting with a 3-mo history of epigastric p...We report a rare case of extramedullary plasmocytoma associated with a massive deposit of amyloid in the duodenum. A 72-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital presenting with a 3-mo history of epigastric pain, vomiting and weight loss. On computed tomography （CT） a wall thickening of the fourth part of the duodenum was observed. Multiple biopsies obtained from the lesion showed infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes, but they were not conclusive. The patient underwent resection of the lesion and, on histopathological examination, the lesion consisted of a dense and diffuse infiltrate of plasma cells and a few admixed lymphocytes with reactive follicles extending to the muscular propria. An extensive deposition of amyloid was also observed. Immunohistochemical stains revealed that a few plasmacytoid cells showed λ light chain staining, though most were κ： light chain positive. These cells also were positive for CD138 and CD56 but negative for CD20 and CD79. The findings were consistent with extramedullary plasmocytoma associated with a massive deposit of amyloid in duodenum. A subsequent workup for multiple myeloma was completely negative. The patient showed no signs of local recurrence or dissemination of the disease after 12 mo follow-up. Because of the association of plasmocytoma and amyloidosis, the patient must be followed up because of the possible systemic involvement of the neoplasm and amyloidosis in future.展开更多
Duplications of the alimentary tract are uncommon congenital malformations that can present diagnostic difficulties. We report a rare case of a cystic colonic duplication in a female adult. Preoperative investigations...Duplications of the alimentary tract are uncommon congenital malformations that can present diagnostic difficulties. We report a rare case of a cystic colonic duplication in a female adult. Preoperative investigations were suggestive of pancreatic tumor. The diagnosis was established based on the histopathological examination of the resected specimen. We concluded that, though uncommon, intestinal duplication should be considered in differential diagnosis of abdominal mass.展开更多
This paper deals with the synthesis of fuzzy controller applied to the induction motor with a guaranteed model reference tracking performance. First, the Takagi-Sugeno （T-S） fuzzy model is used to approximate the no...This paper deals with the synthesis of fuzzy controller applied to the induction motor with a guaranteed model reference tracking performance. First, the Takagi-Sugeno （T-S） fuzzy model is used to approximate the nonlinear system in the synchronous d-q frame rotating with field-oriented control strategy. Then, a fuzzy state feedback controller is designed to reduce the tracking error by minimizing the disturbance level. The proposed controller is based on a T-S reference model in which the desired trajectory has been specified. The inaccessible rotor flux is estimated by a T-S fuzzy observer. The developed approach for the controller design is based on the synthesis of an augmented fuzzy model which regroups the model of induction machine, fuzzy observer, and reference model. The gains of the observer and controller are obtained by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities （LMIs）. Finally, simulation and experimental results are given to show the performance of the observer-based tracking controller.展开更多
The literature has shown the efficiency of exercise in the control of type 2 diabetes(T2D), being suggested as one of the best kinds of non-pharmacological treatments for its population. Thus, the scientific productio...The literature has shown the efficiency of exercise in the control of type 2 diabetes(T2D), being suggested as one of the best kinds of non-pharmacological treatments for its population. Thus, the scientific production related to this phenomenon has growing exponentially. However, despite its advances, still there is a lack of studies that have carried out a review on the acute effects of physical exercise on metabolic and hemodynamic markers and possible control mechanisms of these indicators in individuals with T2 D, not to mention that in a related way, these themes have been very little studied today. Therefore, the aim of this study was to organize and analyze the current scientific production about the acute effects of physical exercise on metabolic and hemodynamic markers and possible control mechanisms of these indicators in T2 D individuals. For such, a research with the following keywords was performed:-exercise; diabetes and post-exercise hypotension; diabetes and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption; diabetes and acute effects in PUBMED, SCIELO and HIGHWIRE databases. From the analyzed studies, it is possible to conclude that, a single exercise session can promote an increase in the bioavailability of nitric oxide and elicit decreases in postexercise blood pressure. Furthermore, the metabolic stress from physical exercise can increase the oxidation of carbohydrate during the exercise and keep it, in high levels, the post exercise consumption of O2, this phenomenon increases the rate of fat oxidation during recovery periods after exercise, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and reduces glycemia between 2-72 h, which seems to be dependent on the exercise intensity and duration of the effort.展开更多
Soft clays are problematic soils as they present high compressibility and low shear strength.There are several methods for improving in situ conditions of soft clays.Based on the geotechnical problem’s geometry and c...Soft clays are problematic soils as they present high compressibility and low shear strength.There are several methods for improving in situ conditions of soft clays.Based on the geotechnical problem’s geometry and characteristics,the in situ conditions may require reinforcement to restrain instability and construction settlements.Granular columns reinforced by geosynthetic material are widely used to reduce settlements of embankments on soft clays.They also accelerate the consolidation rate by reducing the drainage path’s length and increasing the foundation soil’s bearing capacity.In this study,the performance of encased and layered granular columns in soft clay is investigated and discussed.The numerical results show the significance of geosynthetic stiffness and the column length on the embankment settlements.Furthermore,the results show that granular columns may play an important role in dissipating the excess pore water pressures and accelerating the consolidation settlements of embankments on soft clays.展开更多
Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) has long been found to cause gastric diseases such as gastritis, gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. The transmission medium of this bacterium has yet to be determined, though several stu...Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) has long been found to cause gastric diseases such as gastritis, gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. The transmission medium of this bacterium has yet to be determined, though several studies have speculated that the oral cavity is a reservoir for H. pylori. Others have also reported that the oral cavity may be a source of both transmission and gastric reinfection; however, such results are controversial. We reviewed the literature and selected studies that report an association among H. pylori detections in the oral cavity(dental plaque, saliva, tongue, tonsil tissue, root canals, oral mucosa) in humans and in animals, as well as in the human stomach. The oral cavity may be considered the main reservoir for H. pylori. There are a correlations between H. pylori infection in the oral cavity and periodontal disease, oral tissue inflammation, H. pylori transmission, and gastric reinfection. We believe that the mouth is a reservoir and that it plays a crucial role in both H. pylori transmission and gastric infection.展开更多
Currently, there is a growing belief that putting an IEEE 802.11-like radio into road vehicles can help the drivers to travel more safely. Message dissemination protocols are primordial for safety vehicular applicatio...Currently, there is a growing belief that putting an IEEE 802.11-like radio into road vehicles can help the drivers to travel more safely. Message dissemination protocols are primordial for safety vehicular applications. There are two types of safety messages which may be exchanged between vehicles: alarm and beacon. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of deploying safety applications based on beacon message dissemination through extensive simulation study and pay special attention to the safety requirements. Vehicles are supposed to issue these messages periodically to announce to other vehicles their current situation and use received messages for preventing possible unsafe situations. We evaluate the performance of a single-hop dissemination protocol while taking into account the quality of service (QoS) metrics like delivery rate and delay. We realize that reliability is the main concern in beacon message dissemination. Thus, a new metric named effective range is defined which gives us more accurate facility for evaluating QoS in safety applications specifically. Then, in order to improve the performance, the effects of three parameters including vehicle's transmission range, message transmission's interval time and message payload size are studied. Due to special characteristics of the safety applications, we model the relationship between communication-level QoS and application-level QoS and evaluate them for different classes of safety applications. As a conclusion, the current technology of IEEE 802.11 MAC layer has still some challenges for automatic safety applications but it can provide acceptable QoS to driver assistance safety applications.展开更多
This paper presents a proposal for an experimental salt cavern in offshore ultra-deep water for CO2 abatement,including the instrumentation plan and well conceptual design evaluated for carbon capture and storage(CCS)...This paper presents a proposal for an experimental salt cavern in offshore ultra-deep water for CO2 abatement,including the instrumentation plan and well conceptual design evaluated for carbon capture and storage(CCS)application.These studies are based on applied computational mechanics associated with field experimentation that has contributed to the technical feasibility of the underground potash mine at the State of Sergipe in Brazil.This knowhow allowed the stability analysis of several salt caverns for brine production at the State of Alagoas in Brazil and to the drilling through stratified thick layers of salt of the pre-salt reservoirs in Santos Basin.Now,this knowledge has been applied in the design of onshore and offshore salt caverns opened by dissolution for storage of natural gas and CO2.The geomechanical study,through the application of computational mechanics,of offshore giant salt caverns of 450 m high by 150 m in diameter,shows that one cavern can store about 4 billion Sm3 or 7.2 million tons of CO2.Before the construction of the giant cavern,which will be the first gas storage offshore in the world,it has been decided to develop an experimental one,with smaller size,to obtained field parameters.The experimental cavern will allow the calibration of parameters to be used in the structural integrity analysis of the cavern and well for storage of natural gas which is rich in CO2 under high pressure.展开更多
In this paper,we investigated the profitability of technical analysis as applied to the stock markets of the BRICS member nations.In addition,we searched for evidence that technical analysis and fundamental analysis c...In this paper,we investigated the profitability of technical analysis as applied to the stock markets of the BRICS member nations.In addition,we searched for evidence that technical analysis and fundamental analysis can complement each other in these markets.To implement this research,we created a comprehensive portfolio containing the assets traded in the markets of each BRICS member.We developed an automated trading system that simulated transactions in this portfolio using technical analysis techniques.Our assessment updated the findings of previous research by including more recent data and adding South Africa,the latest member included in BRICS.Our results showed that the returns obtained by the automated system,on average,exceeded the value invested.There were groups of assets from each country that performed well above the portfolio average,surpassing the returns obtained using a buy and hold strategy.The returns from the sample portfolio were very strong in Russia and India.We also found that technical analysis can help fundamental analysis identify the most dynamic companies in the stock market.展开更多
Individual tree models(ITMs)are classified as growth and production models for projecting current and future forest stands.ITMs are more complex than other growth and production models,show a higher level of detail an...Individual tree models(ITMs)are classified as growth and production models for projecting current and future forest stands.ITMs are more complex than other growth and production models,show a higher level of detail and,consequently,produce a better modeling resolution.However,the accuracy and efficiency of ITMs have not been properly assessed to date.In this study,we estimated the growth in height,diameter,and individual tree volume of a Eucalyptus urophylla plantation by applying an ITM.We used a continuing forest inventory dataset in which 1554 individual trees within 29 permanent plots were measured in the field over a 6-year period(24 to 72 months).Each individual tree volume was estimated for future tree age.To achieve this,we adjusted the model to predict the height and diameter growth,and the probability of mortality as a function of the competition index.The ITM accuracy was assessed based on the analysis of variance results and,subsequently,the multiple mean comparison test at the 5%significance level.The tree volumes predicted by the ITM for the forest stand aged 72 months,beginning at ages 24,36,48,and 60 months,were compared to the field measured tree volume acquired from the 72-month forest inventory that was used as the reference age.Estimated and observed tree volumes were similar when the estimation was based on the 48-month forest plots.These results might help to reduce financial costs of forest inventory because the ITM produces accurate future predictions of forest stand stocks.Our estimated ITM for Eucalyptus plantations using measurement intervals up to 2 years is recommended because it significantly reduced the projected volume discrepancy compared to the field measurements.展开更多
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.82350710800,82374470,82202757)Shenzhen Medical Research Fund B2302005,and NHMRC,APP1163933.
文摘Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a prevalent and debilitating inflammatory disease that significantly impairs functional capacity and quality of life.RA accelerates musculoskeletal aging,leading to complications such as muscle degeneration and sarcopenia.Recent research has identified myopenia as a condition of significant muscle loss associated with illness,distinct from the muscle wasting seen in other chronic diseases like cancer cachexia or heart failure.In RA,myopenia is characterized by muscle depletion without concurrent significant fat loss,and it can affect individuals of all ages.While inflammation plays a central role,it is not the sole factor contributing to the high incidence of muscle wasting in RA.In subsequent discussions,secondary sarcopenia will be considered alongside myopenia,as both involve muscle wasting decline primarily due to disease.This review summarizes recent findings on the impact of RA-related myopenia and secondary sarcopenia on functional capacity,explores its underlying mechanisms,and discusses contemporary strategies to mitigate the process of musculoskeletal aging in RA patients.
基金P.D.and P.S.A.received Ph.D.scholarships from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior(CAPES)(Finance Code 001)P.D.received a Postdoctoral fellowship from CAPES(grant number:88887.469218/2019-00)+4 种基金R.H.M.received a fellowship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científco e Tecnológico(CNPq)for the duration of the study.Funding was also provided by Animal Behavior Society[ABS Student Research Grant to P.S.A.]Association of Field Ornithologists[E.Alexander Bergstrom Memorial Research Award to P.S.A.]American Ornithological Society[Postdoctoral Research Award to P.D.]the logistic and fnancial support provided by Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia from Universidade de Brasília in association with Programa de Excelência Acadêmica PROEX/CAPES(1789/2015)the fnancial support provided by CNPq(471945/2013-7).
文摘Vocal individuality is essential for social discrimination but has been poorly studied in animals that produce communal signals(duets or choruses).Song overlapping and temporal coordination make the assessment of individuality in communal signals more complex.In addition,selection may favor the accurate identifcation of pairs over individuals by receivers in year-round territorial species with duetting and long-term pair bonding.Here,we studied pair and individual vocal signatures in the polyphonal duets of rufous horneros Furnarius rufus,a Neotropical bird known for its long-term pair bonds.Hornero partners engage in duets to deter territorial intruders and protect their partnership year-round and can discern duets from neighbors versus strangers.Using a dataset of 471 duets from 43 pairs in 2 populations,we measured fne-scale acoustic features across different duet levels(e.g.,complete duets to non-overlapping syllable parts)and analysis levels(pair or individual).Permuted linear discriminant function analyses classifed pairs and individuals more accurately than expected by chance(means:45%and 47%vs.4 and 2%).Pair identity explained more variance in the multivariate acoustic features of duets than individual or population identities.The initial frequency of the duet showed strong potential for encoding pair identity.The acoustic traits contributing most to individual vocal signatures varied between sexes,which might facilitate the simultaneous assessment of duetters’identities by receivers.Our study indicates that vocal individuality may exist even in species with intricate and innate communal signals and elucidates the mechanisms employed by horneros in their social discrimination ability.
基金Ph.D.scholarships by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education(CAPES)(Finance Code 001)a CAPES postdoctoral fellowship (grant 88887.469218/2019-00)+4 种基金in part,by the So Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP),Brazil.Process Number#2024/13237-3funding was provided by the Animal Behavior Society (ABS Student Research Grant to P.S.A.)the Association of Field Ornithologists (E.Alexander Bergstrom Memorial Research Award to P.S.A.)the American Ornithological Society(Postdoctoral Research Award to P.D.)logistical and financial support from the Universidade de Brasília's Graduate Program in Ecology,in collaboration with the Programa de Excelência Academica (PROEX/CAPES 1789/2015)。
文摘Acoustic signals in birds are often influenced by body and beak size(the morphological constraint hypothesis)and may also reflect the sender's condition(the condition dependence hypothesis).However,these ideas have seldom been tested in duetting species,where the acoustics of the combined signal could relate to the morphology of both vocalizing individuals.In this study,we investigated whether specific morphological traits—scaled mass index,wing length,and bill surface area—could predict individual and pair-level characteristics of Rufous Hornero(Furnarius rufus) duets.In this species,partners partially overlap their songs,with males producing faster-paced,lower-pitched songs compared to females.Morphology was most closely associated with the timing of syllables within duets,though different traits were linked to timing in each sex.Females in better condition(indicated by a higher scaled mass index) and with longer wings produced duet phrases with greater variation in syllable duration.In contrast,males with larger bills showed greater variation in both syllable duration and gaps between syllables.The degree of temporal overlap in syllables increased with female condition,but not male condition,suggesting that overlap may signal female quality.Additionally,minimum duet frequency was negatively associated with male condition,indicating that lower-frequency duets may serve as an honest signal of male quality.These findings indicate that the timing of syllables and minimum duet frequency are both condition-dependent and constrained by morphology,allowing receivers to gain multiple insights into the morphology of duetting partners in Rufous Horneros.
基金supported by the supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science,Innovation and Universities(MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)the European Union(NextGenerationEU/PRTR)through projects CGL2016-80820-R,PID2019-103936GB-C21,TED2021-129889B-I00,and RED2022-134338-T.
文摘Captive breeding and stocking are commonly employed strategies for enhancing fisheries and conserving endangered fish species.However,hatchery-raised fish often exhibit reduced performance in the wild,displaying alterations in physiological,morphological,and behavioral traits.We tested for differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals of the Spanish toothcarp(Aphanius iberus)from 2 different populations.Furthermore,we experimentally tested if these changes translated into fitness differences after their stocking into the wild.There were significant differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals and also between the 2 populations.Captive-bred individuals displayed consistently lower metabolic rates than wild individuals from the same population(30-76% lower).Critical swimming speed rather differed between the 2 populations.Sex-specific differences were observed in maximum and standard metabolic rates,with wild individuals and females generally exhibiting higher values but with some exceptions.During a 3-month experiment,survival rates did not significantly differ between wild and captive-bred fish.Captive-bred individuals started smaller but exhibited rapid growth during the experiment.Initially,larger captive-bred fish had lower body conditions than their wild counterparts,but these differences progressively diminished.In summary,captive-bred individuals of this fish species showed lower metabolic rates,although the differences with wild individuals slightly depended on sex and size.
基金This study was financed in part by the Coordenacao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior-Brasil(CAPES)-Finance Code 001the Brazilian Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa-CNPq(study and research grants and research funding-Process 303666/2018-8,408162/2018-0,441335/2020-9,302969/2021-7,and 50484/2022-4)Fundacao de ApoioaPesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais-FAPEMIG(study grants and research funding-Process CRA/APQ 0100-18,APQ-03364-21 and CAG/PPM 00568-16).
文摘Tropical mountain peatlands in Brazil’s Southern Espinhaço Range are vital ecosystems,acting as carbon reservoirs,hydrological buffers,and biodiversity hotspots while sustaining traditional livelihoods and preserving paleoenvironmental records.Despite their importance,peatlands outside protected areas face degradation by grazing and fires,threatening their ability to regulate ecosystem processes sensitive to temperature,such as greenhouse gas emissions,water cycling,biological activity,and organic matter decomposition.Since 2016,we have monitored peat temperatures in two contrasting peatlands–one preserved(within a protected area)and one disturbed(outside the protected area)–to understand how anthropogenic disturbances and climate variability impact these fragile ecosystems.Seasonal patterns dominated temperature variation,accounting for 60% of air and 81%–92% of peatland temperature variation.However,average temperatures and amplitudes differed between peatlands and depths.Interannual variability revealed stronger trends in the disturbed peatland,where a 1℃ increase in air temperature caused the trend to increase 0.70℃–0.87℃ on average at depths of 0.85 m–0.92 m.By contrast,the preserved peatland showed smaller increases(0.20℃–0.24℃)at comparable depths(1.06 m–1.24 m),suggesting a greater resilience.Temperature variation in the monitored peatlands was majorly driven by seasonal patterns,as revealed by time series decomposition and sinewave fit.Average temperature and amplitude varied between the two peatlands and among sampling sites,reflecting differences in environmental conditions and measurement depth.Interannual variability also exhibited distinct effects between peatlands and monitoring sites.The time series trend component showed more pronounced fluctuations at shallower depths and in the disturbed peatland.For every 1℃ increase in the trend component of the air temperature,the trend component of the peatland time series increased by 0.70℃ and 0.87℃on average at depths of 0.85 m and 0.92 m,respectively,in the disturbed peatland.In contrast,the preserved peatland exhibited smaller increases of 0.20℃ and 0.24℃ at comparable depths(1.06 m and 1.24 m).These findings highlight the potential for feedback responses between peatland disturbance and climate change,threatening their critical role in regulating carbon and water cycles.Expanding long-term monitoring,strengthening conservation efforts,and raising public awareness are essential to safeguard the ecosystem services provided by tropical mountain peatlands.
基金financial support from CNPq/Peld CRSC,Fapemig,CAPES,Anglo American,and Vale.
文摘Anthropogenic disturbances are causing significant impacts on plant distribution worldwide,and many of these effects are driven by changes in the recruitment patterns of plant species.Global warming and land-use change are two major disturbances leading to changes in germination strategies by changing both soil temperature regimes and light quality reaching the seeds due to soil disturbance.Investigating the range,overlap,and redundancy of niche germination of co-occurring plant species allows us to understand whether endemic species are threatened either by native non-endemic or by alien species,especially in an ecosystem of restricted distribution such as the campo rupestre.Employing a systematic review,this study aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature increase and seed burial on the germination of endemic and non-endemic species in the campo rupestre in Brazil.We performed a metaanalysis using increased temperature and darkness as proxies for the impact of disturbance on germination patterns.In this context,we hypothesized that:increased temperature and darkness negatively influence the germination of native species and positively influence the germination of alien species in the campo rupestre.Specifically,we expect the negative effect to be more pronounced in endemic species than in native non-endemic species.Moreover,we intend to describe the role of seed size in the germination of native and alien species from campo rupestre in the context of increased temperature and darkness.Our analysis showed that increased temperature influenced the germination of alien species by ca.55%,while it did not influence the germination of endemic or native non-endemic species.Furthermore,the germination of alien species under higher temperatures was promoted by increasing seed size.Darkness negatively influenced seed germination of native species,independent of their distribution.Moreover,under darkness conditions,the germination of endemic seeds decreased with seed size.Through their direct effects on germination strategies,we conclude that warming temperatures and land-use change can lead to a long-term displacement of endemic species by native non-endemic and alien species in campo rupestre,thus compromising ecosystem services and conservation of these fragile physiognomies in the near future.
基金supported by the National Geographic Society through an early career grant to A.Rico (EC-59809C-19)Support Programme-PlanGenT (CIDEGENT/2020/043)of the Generalitat ValencianaR.Oliveira acknowledges"Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo"-FAPESP (Project 2018/03108-0).
文摘Fish constitutes the main protein source for the Amazonian population.However,the impact of different anthropogenic activities on trace element and metal accumulation in fish and their risks for human health at a regional scale remain largely unexplored.Here we assessed exposure levels of 10 trace elements andmetals(Cr,Mn,Fe,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Cd,Pb,and Hg)in 56 samples belonging to 11 different species of fish from the Brazilian Amazon.We studied the relationship between exposure levels,fish origin,and fish feeding habits,and assessed toxicological and carcinogenic risks for the Amazonian population.No significant correlation was found between sampling site and exposure levels to the studied elements,but a significant difference was found between the accumulation of some metals and the position of the fish species in the food chain.The concentrations of Cr and Hg in fish flesh were found to exceed the Brazilian limits for human consumption.This study shows that current fish consumption patterns can lead to estimated daily intakes of Hg,As and Cr that exceed the oral reference dose,thus posing a toxicological concern.Furthermore,carcinogenic risks may be expected due to the continued exposure to Cr and As.The results of this study show that the consumption of wild caught fish in the Amazon region should be controlled.Moreover,continued monitoring of trace element and metal contamination in fish and on the health of the Amazonian population is recommended,particularly for riverine and indigenous communities.
基金Supported by Fundao de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de So Paulo, Coordenao de Aperfeioamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
文摘AIM：To evaluate the methylation status of CDH1, FHIT, MTAP and PLAGL1 promoters and the association of these findings with clinico-pathological characteristics.METHODS： Methylation-specific PCR （MSP） assay was performed in 13 nonneoplastic gastric adenocarcinorna, 30 intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinorna and 35 diffuse-type gastric adenocarcinorna samples from individuals in Northern Brazil. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square or Fisher＇s exact test to assess associations between rnethylation status and clinico-pathological characteristics.RESULTS： Hypermethylation frequencies of CDH1, FHIT, MTAPand PLAGL1 promoter were 98.7%, 53.9%, 23.1% and 29.5%, respectively. Hyperrnethylation of three or four genes revealed a significant association with diffuse-type gastric cancer compared with nonneoplastic cancer. A higher hyperrnethylation frequency was significantly associated with H pylori infection in gastric cancers, especially with diffuse-type. Cancer samples without lymph node metastasis showed a higher FHIT hypermethylation frequency. MTAP hypermethylation was associated with H pylori in gastric cancer samples, as well as with diffuse-type compared with intestinal-type. In diffuse-type, MTAP hypermethylation was associated with female gender.CONCLUSION： Our findings show differential gene methylation in tumoral tissue, which allows us to conclude that hypermethylation is associated with gastric carcinogenesis. MTAP promoter hypermethylation can be characterized as a marker of diffuse-type gastric cancer, especially in women and may help in diagnosis, prognosis and therapies. The H pylori infectious agent was present in 44.9% of the samples. This infection may be correlated with the carcinogenic process through the gene promoter hypermethylation, especially the MTAP promoter in diffuse-type. A higher H pylori infection in diffuse-type may be due to greater genetic predisposition.
基金supports providing by IPIMAR, Environment Canada and Reserva Natural do Estuário do Tejo Joo Canrio wish to thanks Fundaco para a Ciência e Tecnologia for his PDF grant(SFRH/BPD/26324/2006)
文摘Depth variations of total mercury （Hg） and methylmercury （MeHg） concentrations were studied in cores from non-colonized sediments, sediments colonized by Halimione portulacoides, Sarcocornia fruticosa and Spartina maritima and belowground biomass, in a moderately contaminated salt marsh （Tagus Estuary, Portugal）. Concentrations in belowground biomass exceeded up to 3 （Hg） and 15 （MeHg） times the levels in sediments, and up to 198 （Hg） and 308 （MeHg） times those found in aboveground parts. Methylmercury in colonized sediments reached 3% of the total Hg, 50 times above the maximum values found in non-colonized sediments. The absence of correlations between total Hg concentrations in sediments and the corresponding MeHg levels suggested that methylation was only dependent on the environmental and microbiological factors. The analysis of belowground biomass at high-depth resolution （2 cm） provided evidence that Hg and MeHg were actively absorbed from sediments, with higher enrichment factors at layers where higher microbial activity was probably occurring. The results obtained in this study indicated that the biotransformation of Hg to the toxic MeHg could increase the toxicity of plant-colonized sediments.
文摘We report a rare case of extramedullary plasmocytoma associated with a massive deposit of amyloid in the duodenum. A 72-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital presenting with a 3-mo history of epigastric pain, vomiting and weight loss. On computed tomography （CT） a wall thickening of the fourth part of the duodenum was observed. Multiple biopsies obtained from the lesion showed infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes, but they were not conclusive. The patient underwent resection of the lesion and, on histopathological examination, the lesion consisted of a dense and diffuse infiltrate of plasma cells and a few admixed lymphocytes with reactive follicles extending to the muscular propria. An extensive deposition of amyloid was also observed. Immunohistochemical stains revealed that a few plasmacytoid cells showed λ light chain staining, though most were κ： light chain positive. These cells also were positive for CD138 and CD56 but negative for CD20 and CD79. The findings were consistent with extramedullary plasmocytoma associated with a massive deposit of amyloid in duodenum. A subsequent workup for multiple myeloma was completely negative. The patient showed no signs of local recurrence or dissemination of the disease after 12 mo follow-up. Because of the association of plasmocytoma and amyloidosis, the patient must be followed up because of the possible systemic involvement of the neoplasm and amyloidosis in future.
文摘Duplications of the alimentary tract are uncommon congenital malformations that can present diagnostic difficulties. We report a rare case of a cystic colonic duplication in a female adult. Preoperative investigations were suggestive of pancreatic tumor. The diagnosis was established based on the histopathological examination of the resected specimen. We concluded that, though uncommon, intestinal duplication should be considered in differential diagnosis of abdominal mass.
基金supported by AECID Projects(Nos. A/023792/09,A/030410/10 and AP/034911/11)
文摘This paper deals with the synthesis of fuzzy controller applied to the induction motor with a guaranteed model reference tracking performance. First, the Takagi-Sugeno （T-S） fuzzy model is used to approximate the nonlinear system in the synchronous d-q frame rotating with field-oriented control strategy. Then, a fuzzy state feedback controller is designed to reduce the tracking error by minimizing the disturbance level. The proposed controller is based on a T-S reference model in which the desired trajectory has been specified. The inaccessible rotor flux is estimated by a T-S fuzzy observer. The developed approach for the controller design is based on the synthesis of an augmented fuzzy model which regroups the model of induction machine, fuzzy observer, and reference model. The gains of the observer and controller are obtained by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities （LMIs）. Finally, simulation and experimental results are given to show the performance of the observer-based tracking controller.
基金Supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPq)and Coordenaāo de Aperfeioamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior(CAPES)
文摘The literature has shown the efficiency of exercise in the control of type 2 diabetes(T2D), being suggested as one of the best kinds of non-pharmacological treatments for its population. Thus, the scientific production related to this phenomenon has growing exponentially. However, despite its advances, still there is a lack of studies that have carried out a review on the acute effects of physical exercise on metabolic and hemodynamic markers and possible control mechanisms of these indicators in individuals with T2 D, not to mention that in a related way, these themes have been very little studied today. Therefore, the aim of this study was to organize and analyze the current scientific production about the acute effects of physical exercise on metabolic and hemodynamic markers and possible control mechanisms of these indicators in T2 D individuals. For such, a research with the following keywords was performed:-exercise; diabetes and post-exercise hypotension; diabetes and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption; diabetes and acute effects in PUBMED, SCIELO and HIGHWIRE databases. From the analyzed studies, it is possible to conclude that, a single exercise session can promote an increase in the bioavailability of nitric oxide and elicit decreases in postexercise blood pressure. Furthermore, the metabolic stress from physical exercise can increase the oxidation of carbohydrate during the exercise and keep it, in high levels, the post exercise consumption of O2, this phenomenon increases the rate of fat oxidation during recovery periods after exercise, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and reduces glycemia between 2-72 h, which seems to be dependent on the exercise intensity and duration of the effort.
文摘Soft clays are problematic soils as they present high compressibility and low shear strength.There are several methods for improving in situ conditions of soft clays.Based on the geotechnical problem’s geometry and characteristics,the in situ conditions may require reinforcement to restrain instability and construction settlements.Granular columns reinforced by geosynthetic material are widely used to reduce settlements of embankments on soft clays.They also accelerate the consolidation rate by reducing the drainage path’s length and increasing the foundation soil’s bearing capacity.In this study,the performance of encased and layered granular columns in soft clay is investigated and discussed.The numerical results show the significance of geosynthetic stiffness and the column length on the embankment settlements.Furthermore,the results show that granular columns may play an important role in dissipating the excess pore water pressures and accelerating the consolidation settlements of embankments on soft clays.
基金Supported by Sao Paulo Research Foundation(FAPESP)Sacred Heart University of Bauru Marília School of Medicine,No.2012/18333-3
文摘Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) has long been found to cause gastric diseases such as gastritis, gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. The transmission medium of this bacterium has yet to be determined, though several studies have speculated that the oral cavity is a reservoir for H. pylori. Others have also reported that the oral cavity may be a source of both transmission and gastric reinfection; however, such results are controversial. We reviewed the literature and selected studies that report an association among H. pylori detections in the oral cavity(dental plaque, saliva, tongue, tonsil tissue, root canals, oral mucosa) in humans and in animals, as well as in the human stomach. The oral cavity may be considered the main reservoir for H. pylori. There are a correlations between H. pylori infection in the oral cavity and periodontal disease, oral tissue inflammation, H. pylori transmission, and gastric reinfection. We believe that the mouth is a reservoir and that it plays a crucial role in both H. pylori transmission and gastric infection.
基金the Iran Telecommunication Research Center (ITRC)
文摘Currently, there is a growing belief that putting an IEEE 802.11-like radio into road vehicles can help the drivers to travel more safely. Message dissemination protocols are primordial for safety vehicular applications. There are two types of safety messages which may be exchanged between vehicles: alarm and beacon. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of deploying safety applications based on beacon message dissemination through extensive simulation study and pay special attention to the safety requirements. Vehicles are supposed to issue these messages periodically to announce to other vehicles their current situation and use received messages for preventing possible unsafe situations. We evaluate the performance of a single-hop dissemination protocol while taking into account the quality of service (QoS) metrics like delivery rate and delay. We realize that reliability is the main concern in beacon message dissemination. Thus, a new metric named effective range is defined which gives us more accurate facility for evaluating QoS in safety applications specifically. Then, in order to improve the performance, the effects of three parameters including vehicle's transmission range, message transmission's interval time and message payload size are studied. Due to special characteristics of the safety applications, we model the relationship between communication-level QoS and application-level QoS and evaluate them for different classes of safety applications. As a conclusion, the current technology of IEEE 802.11 MAC layer has still some challenges for automatic safety applications but it can provide acceptable QoS to driver assistance safety applications.
基金the support from the company Shell Brasil Petroleo and FAPESP through the “Reserch Centre for Gas Innovation-RCGI”(Fapesp Proc.2014/50279-4),hosted by the University of Sao Paulo,and the strategic importance of the support given by ANP(Brazil’s National Oil,Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency)through the R&D levy regulation.
文摘This paper presents a proposal for an experimental salt cavern in offshore ultra-deep water for CO2 abatement,including the instrumentation plan and well conceptual design evaluated for carbon capture and storage(CCS)application.These studies are based on applied computational mechanics associated with field experimentation that has contributed to the technical feasibility of the underground potash mine at the State of Sergipe in Brazil.This knowhow allowed the stability analysis of several salt caverns for brine production at the State of Alagoas in Brazil and to the drilling through stratified thick layers of salt of the pre-salt reservoirs in Santos Basin.Now,this knowledge has been applied in the design of onshore and offshore salt caverns opened by dissolution for storage of natural gas and CO2.The geomechanical study,through the application of computational mechanics,of offshore giant salt caverns of 450 m high by 150 m in diameter,shows that one cavern can store about 4 billion Sm3 or 7.2 million tons of CO2.Before the construction of the giant cavern,which will be the first gas storage offshore in the world,it has been decided to develop an experimental one,with smaller size,to obtained field parameters.The experimental cavern will allow the calibration of parameters to be used in the structural integrity analysis of the cavern and well for storage of natural gas which is rich in CO2 under high pressure.
文摘In this paper,we investigated the profitability of technical analysis as applied to the stock markets of the BRICS member nations.In addition,we searched for evidence that technical analysis and fundamental analysis can complement each other in these markets.To implement this research,we created a comprehensive portfolio containing the assets traded in the markets of each BRICS member.We developed an automated trading system that simulated transactions in this portfolio using technical analysis techniques.Our assessment updated the findings of previous research by including more recent data and adding South Africa,the latest member included in BRICS.Our results showed that the returns obtained by the automated system,on average,exceeded the value invested.There were groups of assets from each country that performed well above the portfolio average,surpassing the returns obtained using a buy and hold strategy.The returns from the sample portfolio were very strong in Russia and India.We also found that technical analysis can help fundamental analysis identify the most dynamic companies in the stock market.
基金supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel(CAPES)the Brazilian National Council of Science and Technology(CNPQ)。
文摘Individual tree models(ITMs)are classified as growth and production models for projecting current and future forest stands.ITMs are more complex than other growth and production models,show a higher level of detail and,consequently,produce a better modeling resolution.However,the accuracy and efficiency of ITMs have not been properly assessed to date.In this study,we estimated the growth in height,diameter,and individual tree volume of a Eucalyptus urophylla plantation by applying an ITM.We used a continuing forest inventory dataset in which 1554 individual trees within 29 permanent plots were measured in the field over a 6-year period(24 to 72 months).Each individual tree volume was estimated for future tree age.To achieve this,we adjusted the model to predict the height and diameter growth,and the probability of mortality as a function of the competition index.The ITM accuracy was assessed based on the analysis of variance results and,subsequently,the multiple mean comparison test at the 5%significance level.The tree volumes predicted by the ITM for the forest stand aged 72 months,beginning at ages 24,36,48,and 60 months,were compared to the field measured tree volume acquired from the 72-month forest inventory that was used as the reference age.Estimated and observed tree volumes were similar when the estimation was based on the 48-month forest plots.These results might help to reduce financial costs of forest inventory because the ITM produces accurate future predictions of forest stand stocks.Our estimated ITM for Eucalyptus plantations using measurement intervals up to 2 years is recommended because it significantly reduced the projected volume discrepancy compared to the field measurements.
