Investigating The Sources Of Fresh Water Affecting The Hydrological Balance Of Lakes Enriquillo And Azuei (Hispaniola) – Data Analysis

The Enriquillo and Azuei are saltwater lakes located in a closed water basin in the southwestern region of the island of La Hispaniola, these have been experiencing dramatic changes in total lake-surface area coverage during the period 1980-2012. The size of Lake Enriquillo presented a surface area of approximately 276 km2 in 1984, gradually decreasing to 172 km2 in 1996. The surface area of the lake reached its lowest point in the satellite observation record in 2004, at 165 km2. Then the recent growth of the lake began reaching its 1984 size by 2006. Based on surface area measurement for June and July 2013, Lake Enriquillo has a surface area of ~358 km2. Sumatra sizes at both ends of the record are 116 km2 in 1984 and 134 km2in 2013, an overall 15.8% increase in 30 years. Determining the causes of lake surface area changes is of extreme importance due to its environmental, social, and economic impacts. The overall goal of this study is to quantify the changing water balance in these lakes and their catchment area using satellite and ground observations and a regional atmospheric-hydrologic modeling approach. Data analyses of environmental variables in the region reflect a hydrological unbalance of the lakes due to changing regional hydro-climatic conditions. Historical data show precipitation, land surface temperature and humidity, and sea surface temperature (SST), increasing over region during the past decades. Salinity levels have also been decreasing by more than 30% from previously reported baseline levels. Here we present a summary of the historical data obtained, new sensors deployed in the sourrounding sierras and the lakes, and the integrated modeling exercises. As well as the challenges of gathering, storing, sharing, and analyzing this large volumen of data in a remote location from such a diverse number of sources.

Non-durable consumption and real-estate prices in Brazil: panel-data analysis at the state level

Housing is an important component of wealth for a typical household in many countries. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of real-estate price variation on welfare, trying to close a gap between the welfare literature in Brazil and that in the U.S., the U.K., and other developed countries. Our first motivation relates to the fact that real estate is probably more important here than elsewhere as a proportion of wealth, which potentially makes the impact of a price change bigger here. Our second motivation relates to the fact that real-estate prices boomed in Brazil in the last five years. Prime real estate in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo have tripled in value in that period, and a smaller but generalized increase has been observed throughout the country. Third, we have also seen a recent consumption boom in Brazil in the last five years. Indeed, the recent rise of some of the poor to middle-income status is well documented not only for Brazil but for other emerging countries as well. Regarding consumption and real-estate prices in Brazil, one cannot imply causality from correlation, but one can do causal inference with an appropriate structural model and proper inference, or with a proper inference in a reduced-form setup. Our last motivation is related to the complete absence of studies of this kind in Brazil, which makes ours a pioneering study. We assemble a panel-data set for the determinants of non-durable consumption growth by Brazilian states, merging the techniques and ideas in Campbell and Cocco (2007) and in Case, Quigley and Shiller (2005). With appropriate controls, and panel-data methods, we investigate whether house-price variation has a positive effect on non-durable consumption. The results show a non-negligible significant impact of the change in the price of real estate on welfare consumption), although smaller then what Campbell and Cocco have found. Our findings support the view that the channel through which house prices affect consumption is a financial one.

Factors affecting the technical efficiency of production of the Brazilian banking system : a comparison of four statistical models in the context of data envelopment analysis

This paper uses an output oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) measure of technical efficiency to assess the technical efficiencies of the Brazilian banking system. Four approaches to estimation are compared in order to assess the significance of factors affecting inefficiency. These are nonparametric Analysis of Covariance, maximum likelihood using a family of exponential distributions, maximum likelihood using a family of truncated normal distributions, and the normal Tobit model. The sole focus of the paper is on a combined measure of output and the data analyzed refers to the year 2001. The factors of interest in the analysis and likely to affect efficiency are bank nature (multiple and commercial), bank type (credit, business, bursary and retail), bank size (large, medium, small and micro), bank control (private and public), bank origin (domestic and foreign), and non-performing loans. The latter is a measure of bank risk. All quantitative variables, including non-performing loans, are measured on a per employee basis. The best fits to the data are provided by the exponential family and the nonparametric Analysis of Covariance. The significance of a factor however varies according to the model fit although it can be said that there is some agreements between the best models. A highly significant association in all models fitted is observed only for nonperforming loans. The nonparametric Analysis of Covariance is more consistent with the inefficiency median responses observed for the qualitative factors. The findings of the analysis reinforce the significant association of the level of bank inefficiency, measured by DEA residuals, with the risk of bank failure.

Aggregate vs disaggregate data analysis: a paradox in the estimation of money demand function of Japan under the low interest rate policy

We investigate the issue of whether there was a stable money demand function for Japan in 1990's using both aggregate and disaggregate time series data. The aggregate data appears to support the contention that there was no stable money demand function. The disaggregate data shows that there was a stable money demand function. Neither was there any indication of the presence of liquidity trapo Possible sources of discrepancy are explored and the diametrically opposite results between the aggregate and disaggregate analysis are attributed to the neglected heterogeneity among micro units. We also conduct simulation analysis to show that when heterogeneity among micro units is present. The prediction of aggregate outcomes, using aggregate data is less accurate than the prediction based on micro equations. Moreover. policy evaluation based on aggregate data can be grossly misleading.

Comparison of different analysis techniques for the determination of muscle onset in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Techniques of digital image analysis for histological quantification of melanin

A análise morfométrica da melanina tecidual pode subsidiar quantitativamente a pesquisa em discromias. Os autores demonstram três técnicas de análise de imagem digital que permitem a identificação dos pixels equivalentes à melanina na epiderme pela coloração de Fontana-Masson, possibilitando o cálculo da sua porcentagem nas diferentes camadas da epiderme, e discutem os principais elementos relacionados à análise e a necessidade de rigorosa padronização do processo.

Screening Brazilian automotive gasoline quality through quantification of saturated hydrocarbons and anhydrous ethanol by gas chromatography and exploratory data analysis

In this paper a set of Brazilian commercial gasoline representative samples from São Paulo State, selected by HCA, plus six samples obtained directly from refineries were analysed by a high-sensitive gas chromatographic (GC) method ASTM D6733. The levels of saturated hydrocarbons and anhydrous ethanol obtained by GC were correlated with the quality obtained from Brazilian Government Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) specifications through exploratory analysis (HCA and PCA). This correlation showed that the GC method, together with HCA and PCA, could be employed as a screening technique to determine compliance with the prescribed legal standards of Brazilian gasoline.

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction data analysis of human deoxyhaemoglobin A(0) fully stripped of any anions

In this work, initial crystallographic studies of human haemoglobin (Hb) crystallized in isoionic and oxygen-free PEG solution are presented. Under these conditions, functional measurements of the O-2-linked binding of water molecules and release of protons have evidenced that Hb assumes an unforeseen new allosteric conformation. The determination of the high-resolution structure of the crystal of human deoxy-Hb fully stripped of anions may provide a structural explanation for the role of anions in the allosteric properties of Hb and, particularly, for the influence of chloride on the Bohr effect, the mechanism by which Hb oxygen affinity is regulated by pH. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.87 Angstrom resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. Crystals belong to the space group P2(1)2(1)2 and preliminary analysis revealed the presence of one tetramer in the asymmetric unit. The structure is currently being refined using maximum-likelihood protocols.

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction data analysis of oxyhemoglobin-I from the catfish Liposarcus anisitsi (pisces)

Hemoglobin remains, despite the enormous amount of research involving this molecule, as a prototype for allosteric models and new conformations. Functional studies carried out on Hemoglobin-I from the South-American Catfish Liposarcus anisitsi [1] suggest the existence of conformational states beyond those already described for human hemoglobin, which could be confirmed crystallographically. The present work represents the initial steps towards that goal.

Comparative Analysis of 2 Techniques of Double-Gloving Protection During Arch Bar Placement for Intermaxillary Fixation

Purpose: This study was conducted to comparatively evaluate, in a prospective and randomized manner, 2 techniques for providing double-gloving protection during arch bar placement for intermaxillary fixation. Materials and Methods: A total of 42 consecutive patients in whom application of an Erich bar was indicated for intermaxillary fixation were equally divided into 2 groups. In group 1, 2 sterile surgical gloves were used; in group 2, a nonsterile disposable inner glove was used under a sterile surgical glove. Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and binomial statistical tests were used to analyze the findings. Results: A total of 103 perforations were found in the outer gloves (47 in group 1 and 56 in group 2), along with 5 perforations in inner gloves in both groups (α = .01). No significant statistical difference was found between groups in terms of inner glove perforations (α = .05). The nondominant hand presented with 70.9% of the perforations, statistically significant to 1%. Conclusions: Both double-gloving techniques were found to provide effective clinician protection. The use of a nonsterile disposable glove under the surgical glove is possible for less-invasive procedures, offering the same safety as using 2 sterile surgical gloves while decreasing operational costs. This method does not eliminate the need to change gloves when a perforation is suspected or noted during the surgery, however. © 2007 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Determination of disease biomarkers in Eucalyptus by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and multivariate data analysis

In this paper is reported the use of the chromatographic profiles of volatiles to determine disease markers in plants - in this case, leaves of Eucalyptus globulus contaminated by the necrotroph fungus Teratosphaeria nubilosa. The volatile fraction was isolated by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-fast quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC. ×. GC-qMS). For the correlation between the metabolic profile described by the chromatograms and the presence of the infection, unfolded-partial least squares discriminant analysis (U-PLS-DA) with orthogonal signal correction (OSC) were employed. The proposed method was checked to be independent of factors such as the age of the harvested plants. The manipulation of the mathematical model obtained also resulted in graphic representations similar to real chromatograms, which allowed the tentative identification of more than 40 compounds potentially useful as disease biomarkers for this plant/pathogen pair. The proposed methodology can be considered as highly reliable, since the diagnosis is based on the whole chromatographic profile rather than in the detection of a single analyte. © 2013 Elsevier B.V..

Latin America: availability of data for demographic estimates on the basis of indirect techniques

Includes bibliography