Intercomparison of methods of coupling between convection and large-scale circulation: 1. Comparison over uniform surface conditions

As part of an international intercomparison project, a set of single column models (SCMs) and cloud-resolving models (CRMs) are run under the weak temperature gradient (WTG) method and the damped gravity wave (DGW) method. For each model, the implementation of the WTG or DGW method involves a simulated column which is coupled to a reference state defined with profiles obtained from the same model in radiative-convective equilibrium. The simulated column has the same surface conditions as the reference state and is initialized with profiles from the reference state. We performed systematic comparison of the behavior of different models under a consistent implementation of the WTG method and the DGW method and systematic comparison of the WTG and DGW methods in models with different physics and numerics. CRMs and SCMs produce a variety of behaviors under both WTG and DGW methods. Some of the models reproduce the reference state while others sustain a large-scale circulation which results in either substantially lower or higher precipitation compared to the value of the reference state. CRMs show a fairly linear relationship between precipitation and circulation strength. SCMs display a wider range of behaviors than CRMs. Some SCMs under the WTG method produce zero precipitation. Within an individual SCM, a DGW simulation and a corresponding WTG simulation can produce different signed circulation. When initialized with a dry troposphere, DGW simulations always result in a precipitating equilibrium state. The greatest sensitivities to the initial moisture conditions occur for multiple stable equilibria in some WTG simulations, corresponding to either a dry equilibrium state when initialized as dry or a precipitating equilibrium state when initialized as moist. Multiple equilibria are seen in more WTG simulations for higher SST. In some models, the existence of multiple equilibria is sensitive to some parameters in the WTG calculations.

Evaluation of methods of detecting cell reactive oxygen species production for drug screening and cell cycle studies

Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is essential to normal cell function. However, excessive ROS production causes oxidative damage and cell death. Many pharmacological compounds exert their effects on cell cycle progression by changing intracellular redox state and in many cases cause oxidative damage leading to drug cytotoxicity. Appropriate measurement of intracellular ROS levels during cell cycle progression is therefore crucial in understanding redox-regulation of cell function and drug toxicity and for the development of new drugs. However, due to the extremely short half-life of ROS, measuring the changes in intracellular ROS levels during a particular phase of cell cycle for drug intervention can be challenging. In this article, we have provided updated information on the rationale, the applications, the advantages and limitations of common methods for screening drug effects on intracellular ROS production linked to cell cycle study. Our aim is to facilitate biomedical scientists and researchers in the pharmaceutical industry in choosing or developing specific experimental regimens to suit their research needs.

Methods of Estimation in Multiple Linear Regression: Application to Clinical Data

Nesse artigo, tem-se o interesse em avaliar diferentes estratégias de estimação de parâmetros para um modelo de regressão linear múltipla. Para a estimação dos parâmetros do modelo foram utilizados dados de um ensaio clínico em que o interesse foi verificar se o ensaio mecânico da propriedade de força máxima (EM-FM) está associada com a massa femoral, com o diâmetro femoral e com o grupo experimental de ratas ovariectomizadas da raça Rattus norvegicus albinus, variedade Wistar. Para a estimação dos parâmetros do modelo serão comparadas três metodologias: a metodologia clássica, baseada no método dos mínimos quadrados; a metodologia Bayesiana, baseada no teorema de Bayes; e o método Bootstrap, baseado em processos de reamostragem.

Investigation by Combined Solid-State NMR and SAXS Methods of the Morphology and Domain Size in Polystyrene-b-Polyethylene Oxide-b-Polystyrene Triblock Copolymers

The microphase structure of a series of polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide-b-polystyrene (SEOS) triblock copolymers with different compositions and molecular weights has been studied by solid-state NMR, DSC, wide and small angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS). WAXS and DSC measurements were used to detect the presence of crystalline domains of polyethyleneoxide (PEO) blocks at room temperature as a function of the copolymer chemical composition. Furthermore, DSC experiments allowed the determination of the melting temperatures of the crystalline part of the PEO blocks. SAXS measurements, performed above and below the melting temperature of the PEO blocks, revealed the formation of periodic structures, but the absence or the weakness of high order reflections peaks did not allow a clear assessment of the morphological structure of the copolymers. This information was inferred by combining the results obtained by SAXS and (1)H NMR spin diffusion experiments, which also provided an estimation of the size of the dispersed phases of the nanostructured copolymers. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48:55-64,2010

A note on a practical relationship between filter coefficients and scaling and wavelet functions of Discrete Wavelet Transforms

In this paper, the relationship between the filter coefficients and the scaling and wavelet functions of the Discrete Wavelet Transform is presented and exemplified from a practical point-of-view. The explanations complement the wavelet theory, that is well documented in the literature, being important for researchers who work with this tool for time-frequency analysis. (c) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Manipulation in Newspaper Articles : A Political Discourse Analysis of Lexical Choice and Manipulation in Japanese Newspaper Crisis Reporting in the case of North Korea

This paper analyzes some forms of linguistic manipulation in Japanese in newspapers when reporting on North Korea and its nuclear tests. The focus lies on lexical ambiguity in headlines and journalist’s voices in the body of the articles, that results in manipulation of the minds of the readers. The study is based on a corpus of nine articles from two of Japan’s largest newspapers Yomiuri Online and Asahi Shimbun Digital. The linguistic phenomenon that contribute to create manipulation are divided into Short Term Memory impact or Long Term Memory impact and examples will be discussed under each of the categories.The main results of the study are that headlines in Japanese newspapers do not make use of an ambiguous, double grounded structure. However, the articles are filled with explicit and implied attitudes as well as attributed material from people of a high social status, which suggests that manipulation of the long term memory is a tool used in Japanese media.

The Econometric Value of Silence and Noise as Seen by a Non-practicing Marxist

A Collection of Poetry and Fiction

The two methods of economics

A Teoria Econômica Emprega Dois Métodos: o Método Hipotético-Dedutivo, Utilizado Principalmente Pelos Economistas Neoclássicos, e o Método Histórico-Dedutivo, Adotado Pelos Economistas Clássicos e Keynesianos. Ambos são Legítimos, Mas, Desde que a Economia é Substantiva, não uma Ciência Metodológica, Onde o Objeto é o Sistema Econômico, o Método Histórico-Dedutivo é o Mais Apropriado. o Método Hipotético-Dedutivo Permite que o Economista Desenvolva Ferramentas para Analisar o Sistema Econômico, Mas Falha ao Analisar o Sistema como um Todo. em Contrapartida, o Método Histórico-Dedutivo Parte da Observação Empírica da Realidade e da Busca por Regularidades e Tendências. é um Método Empírico, Apropriado para as Ciências Substantivas que Tratam de Sistemas Abertos, como é o Caso da Economia.

Chromic oxide as a digestibility marker for dogs - A comparison of methods of analysis

The study reported compared coefficients of apparent digestibility (CAD) obtained by total collection (TC) and by chromic oxide (Cr2O3) determined by visible absorption spectrometry (VIS) and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). These quantification methods were also investigated to assess their precision. Nineteen adult dogs housed in individual digestibility cages were fed three commercial diets, each test including five or seven animals. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with three among-subjects factors (foods) and three within-subject factors (methods), and the dogs were the experimental unit. Estimated CAD for all dietary components in the three diets by either chromium quantification methods did not differ and showed fair agreement with TC results (P > 0.05). Coefficients of chromic oxide recoveries in feces were 1.06 +/- 0.044 and 1.01 +/- 0.045 for VIS and FAAS, respectively, values significantly different (P < 0.05), indicating better recovery for FAAS. Significant differences (P<0.05) were found in the mean concentration of Cr2O3 for diets and feces (17 +/- 0.6 and 19 +/- 0.8g/kg for VIS and FAAS, respectively). Coefficient of variation for FAAS was 1.69% and 1.77% for VIS, which did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). Pearson's correlation coefficient (r=0.99; P < 0.01) indicated positive and significant association among the results for VIS and FASS, indicating reasonable precision and agreement of chromic oxide contents determined by these methods. Therefore, FAAS and VIS can be used successfully to determine Cr2O3 in dog foods and feces. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methods of discard ewes carcass suspension and the quality of meat

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o método de pendura da carcaça quanto à qualidade da carne ovina. Foram utilizadas 10 ovelhas de descarte com aproximadamente 62 kg de peso corporal. Após abate, esfola, evisceração e retirada da cabeça e das patas, as carcaças foram divididas longitudinalmente em duas partes. Lados alternados das meias carcaças foram pendurados pelo tendão do gastrocnêmico, tratamento 1 (T1) e suspensos pelo osso pélvico (T2) por um período de 24 horas em câmara frigorífica. Posteriormente retirou-se o músculo Semimembranosus de todas as meias carcaças para as análises de qualidade da carne. Os músculos Semimembranosus das carcaças pendurados pelo método de suspensão da pelve apresentou maior maciez que os mesmos músculos das carcaças pendurados pelo tendão do gastrocnêmico, com valores de 1,99 kgf.cm-2 e 3,15 kgf.cm-2, respectivamente. O tratamento 2 obteve menores perdas por cocção da carne que o tratamento 1, com valores médios de 32,14 e 33,44%, respectivamente. Os demais parâmetros de qualidade de carne avaliados não foram influenciados pelo método de suspensão da carcaça. Concluiu-se que o método de suspensão da carcaça, influenciou a maciez e as perdas por cocção da carne, sendo os melhores resultados para as carcaças penduras pelo osso pélvico.

Nonlinear methods of heart rate variability analysis in diabetes

Background: The autonomic dysfunction stands out among the complications associated to diabetes mellitus (DM) and may be evaluated through the heart rate variability (HRV), a noninvasive tool to investigate the autonomic nervous system that provides information of health impairments and may be analyzed by using linear and nonlinear methods. Several studies have shown that HRV measured in a linear form is altered in DM. Nevertheless, a few studies investigate the nonlinear behavior of HRV. Therefore, this study aims at gathering information regarding the autonomic changes in subjects with DM identified by nonlinear analysis of HRV.Methods: For that, searches were performed on Medline, SciELO, Lilacs and Cochrane databases using the crossing between the key-words: diabetic autonomic neuropathy, autonomic nervous system, diabetes mellitus and heart rate variability. As inclusion criteria, articles published on a period from 2000 to 2010 with DM type land type II population which assessed the autonomic nervous system by nonlinear indices HRV were considered.Results: The electronic search resulted in a total of 1873 references with the exclusion of 1623 titles and abstracts and from the 250 abstracts remaining, 8 studies were selected to the final analysis that completed the inclusion criteria.Conclusions: In general, the analysis showed that the nonlinear techniques of HRV allowed detecting autonomic changes in DM. The methods of nonlinear analysis are indicated as a possible tool to be used for early diagnosis and prognosis of autonomic dysfunction in DM.

Effect of free-choice feeding on the performance and ileal digestibility of nutrients in broilers

An experiment was conducted to study ileal digestibility of nutrients and to verify the ability of broilers to select feed in order to meet their requirements for protein and energy. The treatments consisted of six diets: R+S: free-choice feeding with rice bran (energy) and soybean meal (protein); C+G: free-choice feeding with corn (energy) and corn gluten meal (protein); R+G: free-choice feeding with rice bran (energy) and corn gluten meal (protein); C+S: free-choice feeding with corn (energy) and soybean meal (protein); R+C+G+S: free-choice feeding with rice bran and corn (energy) and corn gluten meal and soybean meal (protein); and BD: basal diet represented by a complete diet composed of 63% corn and 33% soybean meal. The results indicated that the adjustment to nutritional requirements does not depend only on the ability of birds to select feed. It might also depend on intake and ingredient quality, since some ingredients did not provide a balanced amount of nutrients. The birds were able to fulfill their requirements for maintenance, that is, they consumed the minimum amount of amino acids (g per day) for maximum growth. The free-choice group with corn gluten meal as the protein source had the worst performance, which indicated that this feed is not recommended as a primary source of amino acids for broilers. The C+G diet presented the highest digestibility coefficient of dry matter and crude protein, whereas the C+S diet resulted in the highest digestibility coefficient of ether extract and nitrogen-free extract, indicating that diet digestibility was affected by the type of feed used as energy and protein sources. In general, the high digestibility values indicate that broilers are able to efficiently digest and absorb the supplied feed.