Out-of-sample forecast tests robust to the choice of window size

This paper proposes new methodologies for evaluating out-of-sample forecastingperformance that are robust to the choice of the estimation window size. The methodologies involve evaluating the predictive ability of forecasting models over a wide rangeof window sizes. We show that the tests proposed in the literature may lack the powerto detect predictive ability and might be subject to data snooping across differentwindow sizes if used repeatedly. An empirical application shows the usefulness of themethodologies for evaluating exchange rate models' forecasting ability.

Fertilidade de sêmen suíno avaliada pelo teste de ligação dos espermatozóides a um substrato sintético

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a fertilidade de sêmen suíno pelo teste de ligação de espermatozóides a um substrato sintético. A motilidade (MOT) e o porcentual de espermatozóides ligados (PEL) foram avaliados após 5, 24, 48 e 72 horas de armazenamento a 17ºC. O PEL foi determinado em soluções contendo 6,25 ou 12,5 milhões de espermatozóides/mL, com ou sem albumina sérica bovina (BSA), preparadas a partir de dois a cinco ejaculados de cada um dos quatro machos. Cinqüenta e oito leitoas foram inseminadas, uma vez, 24 horas após o início do estro. Houve correlação positiva (P = 0,0001; r = 0,33) entre a MOT e o PEL. O PEL foi maior com 12,5 milhões de espermatozóides/mL e na presença de BSA (P<0,05). Após 72 horas, o macho 3 apresentou PEL inferior ao dos outros três (P<0,05). As taxas de clivagem (TC) e de embriões morfologicamente normais não diferiram entre indivíduos, mas o macho 3 apresentou menos de 70,0% de TC no quartil superior, enquanto os outros tiveram mais de 75,0%. Os machos diferem quanto à capacidade de ligação de seus espermatozóides ao substrato sintético, a partir de 24 horas de armazenamento do sêmen. A ligação dos espermatozóides ao substrato sintético é maior com a inclusão de BSA e com o aumento da concentração espermática.

Els manlleus en la revista “Time Out Barcelona”

El present treball constitueix un estudi i una anàlisi sobre les dades obtingudes del buidatge dels manlleus recollits en dos números de la revista catalana Time Out Barcelona. L’objectiu és aprofundir en el tema dels préstecs i extreure algunes conclusions sobre els tipus d’unitats manllevades i el seu tractament.

Introduction. Women as angel, women as evil: interrogating the boundaries

The chapters collected in this volume are only a small sampling of the fruitwhich carne out ofthe Evil, Women and the Feminine conference held in Prague inMay 2010, hosted by the Inter-Disciplinary.Net. Our hopes are to bring togethersorne of the chapters, in expanded form, which seemed, without previous planning,to speak to each other during the conference and which, herein, more directiyengage with one another, opening up a space for dialogue and interaction. Whilewe have divided the work into four sections, they are not discrete boundaries but, we hope, they work together to elicit an interdisciplinary approach to ourunderstandings of women who push the limits of 'the feminine.'

Introduction. Women as angel, women as evil: interrogating the boundaries

The chapters collected in this volume are only a small sampling of the fruitwhich carne out ofthe Evil, Women and the Feminine conference held in Prague inMay 2010, hosted by the Inter-Disciplinary.Net. Our hopes are to bring togethersorne of the chapters, in expanded form, which seemed, without previous planning,to speak to each other during the conference and which, herein, more directiyengage with one another, opening up a space for dialogue and interaction. Whilewe have divided the work into four sections, they are not discrete boundaries but, we hope, they work together to elicit an interdisciplinary approach to ourunderstandings of women who push the limits of 'the feminine.'

Identification of Practices, Design, Construction, and Repair Using Trenchless Technology, TR-570, 2010

Trenchless technologies are methods used for the construction and rehabilitation of underground utility pipes. These methods are growing increasingly popular due to their versatility and their potential to lower project costs. However, the use of trenchless technologies in Iowa and their effects on surrounding soil and nearby structures has not been adequately documented. Surveys of and interviews with professionals working in trenchless-related industries in Iowa were conducted, and the results were analyzed and compared to survey results from the United States as a whole. The surveys focused on method familiarity, pavement distress observed, reliability of trenchless methods, and future improvements. Results indicate that the frequency of pavement distress or other trenchless-related issues are an ongoing problem in the industry. Inadequate soil information and quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) are partially to blame. Fieldwork involving the observation of trenchless construction projects was undertaken with the purpose of documenting current practices and applications of trenchless technology in the United States and Iowa. Field tests were performed in which push-in pressure cells were used to measure the soil stresses induced by trenchless construction methods. A program of laboratory soil testing was carried out in conjunction with the field testing. Soil testing showed that the installations were made in sandy clay or well-graded sand with silt and gravel. Pipes were installed primarily using horizontal directional drilling with pipe diameters from 3 to 12 inches. Pressure cell monitoring was conducted during the following construction phases: pilot bore, pre-reaming, and combined pipe pulling and reaming. The greatest increase in lateral earth pressure was 5.6 psi and was detected 2.1 feet from the centerline of the bore during a pilot hole operation in sandy lean clay. Measurements from 1.0 to 2.5 psi were common. Comparisons were made between field measurements and analytical and finite element calculation methods.

Development of LRFD Design Procedures for Bridge Piles in Iowa – Field Testing of Steel H-Piles in Clay, Sand, and Mixed Soils and Data Analysis (Volume II), TR-583, 2011

In response to the mandate on Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) implementations by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on all new bridge projects initiated after October 1, 2007, the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB) sponsored these research projects to develop regional LRFD recommendations. The LRFD development was performed using the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Pile Load Test database (PILOT). To increase the data points for LRFD development, develop LRFD recommendations for dynamic methods, and validate the results of LRFD calibration, 10 full-scale field tests on the most commonly used steel H-piles (e.g., HP 10 x 42) were conducted throughout Iowa. Detailed in situ soil investigations were carried out, push-in pressure cells were installed, and laboratory soil tests were performed. Pile responses during driving, at the end of driving (EOD), and at re-strikes were monitored using the Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA), following with the CAse Pile Wave Analysis Program (CAPWAP) analysis. The hammer blow counts were recorded for Wave Equation Analysis Program (WEAP) and dynamic formulas. Static load tests (SLTs) were performed and the pile capacities were determined based on the Davisson’s criteria. The extensive experimental research studies generated important data for analytical and computational investigations. The SLT measured load-displacements were compared with the simulated results obtained using a model of the TZPILE program and using the modified borehole shear test method. Two analytical pile setup quantification methods, in terms of soil properties, were developed and validated. A new calibration procedure was developed to incorporate pile setup into LRFD.

The knock-out of ARP3a gene affects F-actin cytoskeleton organization altering cellular tip growth, morphology and development in moss Physcomitrella patens.

The seven subunit Arp2/3 complex is a highly conserved nucleation factor of actin microfilaments. We have isolated the genomic sequence encoding a putative Arp3a protein of the moss Physcomitrella patens. The disruption of this ARP3A gene by allele replacement has generated loss-of-function mutants displaying a complex developmental phenotype. The loss-of function of ARP3A gene results in shortened, almost cubic chloronemal cells displaying affected tip growth and lacking differentiation to caulonemal cells. In moss arp3a mutants, buds differentiate directly from chloronemata to form stunted leafy shoots having differentiated leaves similar to wild type. Yet, rhizoids never differentiate from stem epidermal cells. To characterize the F-actin organization in the arp3a-mutated cells, we disrupted ARP3A gene in the previously described HGT1 strain expressing conditionally the GFP-talin marker. In vivo observation of the F-actin cytoskeleton during P. patens development demonstrated that loss-of-function of Arp3a is associated with the disappearance of specific F-actin cortical structures associated with the establishment of localized cellular growth domains. Finally, we show that constitutive expression of the P. patens Arp3a and its Arabidopsis thaliana orthologs efficiently complement the mutated phenotype indicating a high degree of evolutionary conservation of the Arp3 function in land plants.

Double incretin receptor knock-out (DIRKO) mice present with alterations of trabecular and cortical micromorphology and bone strength.

A role for gut hormone in bone physiology has been suspected. We evidenced alterations of microstructural morphology (trabecular and cortical) and bone strength (both at the whole-bone - and tissue-level) in double incretin receptor knock-out (DIRKO) mice as compared to wild-type littermates. These results support a role for gut hormones in bone physiology. INTRODUCTION: The two incretins, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), have been shown to control bone remodeling and strength. However, lessons from single incretin receptor knock-out mice highlighted a compensatory mechanism induced by elevated sensitivity to the other gut hormone. As such, it is unclear whether the bone alterations observed in GIP or GLP-1 receptor deficient animals resulted from the lack of a functional gut hormone receptor, or by higher sensitivity for the other gut hormone. The aims of the present study were to investigate the bone microstructural morphology, as well as bone tissue properties, in double incretin receptor knock-out (DIRKO) mice. METHODS: Twenty-six-week-old DIRKO mice were age- and sex-matched with wild-type (WT) littermates. Bone microstructural morphology was assessed at the femur by microCT and quantitative X-ray imaging, while tissue properties were investigated by quantitative backscattered electron imaging and Fourier-transformed infrared microscopy. Bone mechanical response was assessed at the whole-bone- and tissue-level by 3-point bending and nanoindentation, respectively. RESULTS: As compared to WT animals, DIRKO mice presented significant augmentations in trabecular bone mass and trabecular number whereas bone outer diameter, cortical thickness, and cortical area were reduced. At the whole-bone-level, yield stress, ultimate stress, and post-yield work to fracture were significantly reduced in DIRKO animals. At the tissue-level, only collagen maturity was reduced by 9 % in DIRKO mice leading to reductions in maximum load, hardness, and dissipated energy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the critical role of gut hormones in controlling bone microstructural morphology and tissue properties.

In & Out – 180 habitatges per a gent jove i gent gran Camí Antic de València al Poblenou

Estratègies d’ordenació: L’ordenació proposada vol recollir la hibridesa i complexitat d’espais típica del Poble Nou. Caracteritzat pels espais lliures de mida intermèdia –a cavall entre els dels teixits i els del eixamples – i per la riquesa en les seves articulacions (mitjançant passatges, a través d’edificis,…) ; per la permeabilitat cap a l’interior de l’illa: la connexió dels buits interiors amb els carrers i espais públics annexes o per la variabilitat del gra edificat.És per això que l’edificació no s’entén com una sèrie de blocs aïllats sinó que està concebuda com una gran peça articulada, amb una alçada constant en el volum a carrer i una lleugera variabilitat volumètrica en altura en els diferents volums interiors de igual mòdul i de gra menor, homòleg al del seu context urbà més pròxim.És essencial al projecte la definició de l’espai buit interior de l’illa en relació als habitatges, i la seva relació –a una escala major- amb els espais lliures de l’entorn. L’ordenació proposada configura dos paisatges diferents: un pati més urbà, delimitat en planta baixa per un equipament del barri i al que s’hi aboquen els habitatges per a joves i un altre més tranquil i més tou, un jardí per als més grans, accessible des del carrer i des de l’espai públic contiguEl volum més llarg afegeix una nova inflexió a les que ja té el carrer, ampliant-lo amb un espai amb funció de vestíbul i recuperant així, a partir d’una traça parcel•laria històrica, la direcció de l’Eixample.Els diferents volums es relacionen/articulen mitjançant corredors i espais col•lectius de distintes mesures i qualitats. Espais de relació, de dimensió variable, en diferents situacions relatives –respecte al ple, al sòl- i amb distints caràcters, que van del privat al públic...passant pel col•lectiu.Les galeries i els corredors d'accés als habitatges, protagonistes d'aquests espais híbrids (privats-semiprivats-col•lectius/ interiors-exteriors/ tancats-oberts), es converteixen gràcies a la flexibilitat en el tancament de la unitat d'habitació en espais d'intercanvi, on la variabilitat en l'ús permet diferents apropiacions de l'espai col•lectiu.La superposició en altura d'aquests espais funciona com una estructura lleugera adossada a la façana, és una epidermis complexa amb aparença de bastida.L’edificació té la voluntat de tancar-se a carrer amb una façana poc perforada, que llisca indiferent al carrer, i d’obrir-se a l’interior de l’illa, a sud, on es torna complexa, amb successives pells i tamisos...

Uso do teste Lercafé para a caracterização de danos em sementes de cafeeiro

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a utilização do teste Lercafé, para estimar a germinação e caracterizar diferentes tipos de danos em sementes de cafeeiro. Utilizaram-se sementes de cafeeiro arábica cultivar Catuaí IAC 44, submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: sementes sem dano, sementes com dano por secagem a 40 e 60ºC, e sementes brocadas. As sementes foram avaliadas pelos testes de germinação e Lercafé. Em relação aos dois tipos de danos, os resultados de germinação, estimada pelo Lercafé, apresentaram alta correlação com os obtidos pelo teste de germinação. O dano por secagem à alta temperatura caracterizou-se pelo aparecimento de manchas esverdeadas espalhadas, que atingiram parcial ou totalmente o endosperma da semente. O dano por broca caracterizou-se por uma depressão circundada por um anel de coloração verde. O teste Lercafé é eficiente para estimar a germinação e caracterizar os danos por secagem à alta temperatura e os causados por broca, em sementes de cafeeiro.