Predicting present and future intra-specific genetic structure through niche hindcasting across 24 millennia.

Paleoclimatic reconstructions coupled with species distribution models and identification of extant spatial genetic structure have the potential to provide insights into the demographic events that shape the distribution of intra-specific genetic variation across time. Using the globeflower Trollius europaeus as a case-study, we combined (1) Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms, (2) suites of 1000-years stepwise hindcasted species distributions and (3) a model of diffusion through time over the last 24,000 years, to trace the spatial dynamics that most likely fits the species' current genetic structure. We show that the globeflower comprises four gene pools in Europe which, from the dry period preceding the Last Glacial Maximum, dispersed while tracking the conditions fitting its climatic niche. Among these four gene pools, two are predicted to experience drastic range retraction in the near future. Our interdisciplinary approach, applicable to virtually any taxon, is an advance in inferring how climate change impacts species' genetic structures.

Sociodemographic, behavioral and genetic determinants of allostatic load in a Swiss population-based study.

Allostatic load (AL) is a marker of physiological dysregulation which reflects exposure to chronic stress. High AL has been related to poorer health outcomes including mortality. We examine here the association of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors with AL. Additionally, we investigate the extent to which AL is genetically determined. We included 803 participants (52% women, mean age 48��16years) from a population and family-based Swiss study. We computed an AL index aggregating 14 markers from cardiovascular, metabolic, lipidic, oxidative, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal and inflammatory homeostatic axes. Education and occupational position were used as indicators of socioeconomic status. Marital status, stress, alcohol intake, smoking, dietary patterns and physical activity were considered as lifestyle factors. Heritability of AL was estimated by maximum likelihood. Women with a low occupational position had higher AL (low vs. high OR=3.99, 95%CI [1.22;13.05]), while the opposite was observed for men (middle vs. high OR=0.48, 95%CI [0.23;0.99]). Education tended to be inversely associated with AL in both sexes(low vs. high OR=3.54, 95%CI [1.69;7.4]/OR=1.59, 95%CI [0.88;2.90] in women/men). Heavy drinking men as well as women abstaining from alcohol had higher AL than moderate drinkers. Physical activity was protective against AL while high salt intake was related to increased AL risk. The heritability of AL was estimated to be 29.5% ��7.9%. Our results suggest that generalized physiological dysregulation, as measured by AL, is determined by both environmental and genetic factors. The genetic contribution to AL remains modest when compared to the environmental component, which explains approximately 70% of the phenotypic variance.

Uma revis��o sobre o efeito Toms: o fen��meno onde macromol��culas atenuam a turbul��ncia em um l��quido

It is very well known that the addition of polymers to a liquid increases the shear viscosity of the solution. In other words, the polymer increases the dissipation of the flow energy. Contrarily, in turbulent flow, some particular macromolecules in very low concentration are able to produce large attenuation in the turbulence and thus, decreasing the dissipation of the energy. This article present a brief revision about macroscopic and molecular models used to explain this dynamic effect. Some of the experimental techniques used to quantify the attenuation of the turbulence and the main active substances are also discussed.

Sellutehtaiden h��yrytasojen optimaaliset paineet

Sellutehtaiden kannattavuutta pyrit����n lis����m����n parantamalla tehtaiden energiatehokkuutta ja tehostamalla tuotantoa. Yksi keino tehtaan s��hk��n tuotannon lis����miseksi on h��yrytasojen paineiden alentaminen tehtaan tuotantoprosesseissa. T��ll��in h��yry voidaan paisuttaa turbiinissa matalampaan paineeseen. H��yryn painetasojen alentaminen kuitenkin lis���� tehtaan investointikustannuksia siirtoputkistojen kokojen ja l��mm��nsiirtopinta-alojen kasvaessa. T��m�� diplomity�� on tehty Lappeenrannan teknillisess�� yliopistossa osana Suomen Soodakattilayhdistyksen projektia ���Skyrec ��� Soodakattilan s��hk��energiatehokkuuden nostaminen uudelle tasolle���. T��ss�� diplomity��ss�� m����ritet����n 600 000 tonnia sellua vuodessa tuottaville Suomeen sopiville sellutehdastyypeille taloudellisesti optimaaliset h��yryn painetasot. Optimaaliset h��yryn painetasot m����ritettiin painetasojen mukaisten energiataseiden sek�� investointiarvioiden perusteella. Ty��n taselaskennat tehtiin Lappeenrannan teknillisen yliopiston Millflow-laskentasovelluksella. Matalapainetason mukaisia investointikustannuksia arvioitiin tehtaiden putkiston, haihduttamon ja kuivauskoneen osalta. Tulosten mukaan h��yrytasojen paineet on taloudellisesti kannattavaa valita tehtaan laitteiston ja prosessien mukaan alhaisimmiksi mahdollisiksi. Lis��ksi ty��ss�� tarkastellaan v��lipaineh��yryn ja nuohoush��yryn paineiden alentamisen vaikutuksia tehtaan s��hk��n tuotantoon sek�� joillekkin tehtaan prosesseille rakennettavan oman matala- tai v��lipainelinjan k��yt��n kannattavuutta. Diplomity��h��n ker��ttiin tietoa suomalaisilla sellutehtailla k��yt��ss�� olevista h��yryn paineista sek�� syist�� painetasojen valintaan.

Food consumption by young adults living in Ribeir��o Preto, SP, 2002/2004

There is evidence showing a close relationship between diet and the occurrence of non-communicable chronic diseases. The present study assessed food consumption in a 2002/2004 cohort of young adults born in 1978/79 in Ribeir��o Preto, SP, Brazil. The composition of the habitual diet consumed by a sample of 2063 individuals aged 23-25 years was analyzed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire based on studies of prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases. The Dietsys software was used for dietary calculations. In terms of WHO/2003 recommendations, there was a high mean daily consumption of energy from fat (consumption: 35.4%; recommendation: 15-30%), a low mean intake of energy from carbohydrates (47.5%; 55-75%) and a low mean consumption of total fibers (15.2 g; >25 g). Mean intake of energy from fatty acids (10%; <10%) and protein (15.6%; 10-15%) was within recommended limits. When compared to the recommendations of the food pyramid adapted to the Brazilian population, adequate intake was observed only regarding the meat group (consumption: 1.9 portions; recommended: 1-2). There was a low consumption of vegetables (2.9; 4-5), fruits (1.2; 3-5), breads (3.6; 6-9), and dairy products (1.7; 3), with excessive fat and sugar intake (5.7; 1-2). We conclude that the inadequate food consumption observed in this young population may be associated with the development of excess weight and may contribute to the triggering of non-communicable chronic diseases.

Acute effect of alcohol intake on sine-wave Cartesian and polar contrast sensitivity functions

The aim of this study was to assess contrast sensitivity for angular frequency stimuli as well as for sine-wave gratings in adults under the effect of acute ingestion of alcohol. We measured the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) for gratings of 0.25, 1.25, 2.5, 4, 10, and 20 cycles per degree of visual angle (cpd) as well as for angular frequency stimuli of 1, 2, 4, 24, 48, and 96 cycles/360��. Twenty adults free of ocular diseases, with normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity, and no history of alcoholism were enrolled in two experimental groups: 1) no alcohol intake (control group) and 2) alcohol ingestion (experimental group). The average concentration of alcohol in the experimental group was set to about 0.08%. We used a paradigm involving a forced-choice method. Maximum sensitivity to contrast for sine-wave gratings in the two groups occurred at 4 cpd sine-wave gratings and at 24 and 48 cycles/360�� for angular frequency stimuli. Significant changes in contrast sensitivity were observed after alcohol intake compared with the control condition at spatial frequency of 4 cpd and 1, 24, and 48 cycles/360�� for angular frequency stimuli. Alcohol intake seems to affect the processing of sine-wave gratings at maximum sensitivity and at the low and high frequency ends for angular frequency stimuli, both under photopic luminance conditions.

Specific heat of UPd�� Si��

The specific heat of single-crystal U Pd2 Si2 has been studied using both the step heating and continious heating methods for the temperature range 2 to 250 K. Successive phase transitions at Tl = 136I< and T2 = 108I< are reported, which are consistent with current publications. The transition at 40K, which was previously reported, has not been detected. Recent published elastic neutron scattering data, magnetic susceptibility and resistivity results suggest that U Pd2 Si2 may be a heavy fermion compound, however, the electronic specific heat coefficient I (= 18.97 ;~), obtained from the specific heat Cv measurements, is smaller than that of the conventional heavy fermion system. The Debye temperature of U Pd2Si2 is found to be 116.55K. The possibility is discussed that the maximum in CIT in the low-temperature range 2 to 4K corresponds to Schottky anomaly induced by localized magnetic impurities .

Theoretical study of magnetism, structure and chemical order in transition-metal alloy clusters

Research on transition-metal nanoalloy clusters composed of a few atoms is fascinating by their unusual properties due to the interplay among the structure, chemical order and magnetism. Such nanoalloy clusters, can be used to construct nanometer devices for technological applications by manipulating their remarkable magnetic, chemical and optical properties. Determining the nanoscopic features exhibited by the magnetic alloy clusters signifies the need for a systematic global and local exploration of their potential-energy surface in order to identify all the relevant energetically low-lying magnetic isomers. In this thesis the sampling of the potential-energy surface has been performed by employing the state-of-the-art spin-polarized density-functional theory in combination with graph theory and the basin-hopping global optimization techniques. This combination is vital for a quantitative analysis of the quantum mechanical energetics. The first approach, i.e., spin-polarized density-functional theory together with the graph theory method, is applied to study the Fe$_m$Rh$_n$ and Co$_m$Pd$_n$ clusters having $N = m+n \leq 8$ atoms. We carried out a thorough and systematic sampling of the potential-energy surface by taking into account all possible initial cluster topologies, all different distributions of the two kinds of atoms within the cluster, the entire concentration range between the pure limits, and different initial magnetic configurations such as ferro- and anti-ferromagnetic coupling. The remarkable magnetic properties shown by FeRh and CoPd nanoclusters are attributed to the extremely reduced coordination number together with the charge transfer from 3$d$ to 4$d$ elements. The second approach, i.e., spin-polarized density-functional theory together with the basin-hopping method is applied to study the small Fe$_6$, Fe$_3$Rh$_3$ and Rh$_6$ and the larger Fe$_{13}$, Fe$_6$Rh$_7$ and Rh$_{13}$ clusters as illustrative benchmark systems. This method is able to identify the true ground-state structures of Fe$_6$ and Fe$_3$Rh$_3$ which were not obtained by using the first approach. However, both approaches predict a similar cluster for the ground-state of Rh$_6$. Moreover, the computational time taken by this approach is found to be significantly lower than the first approach. The ground-state structure of Fe$_{13}$ cluster is found to be an icosahedral structure, whereas Rh$_{13}$ and Fe$_6$Rh$_7$ isomers relax into cage-like and layered-like structures, respectively. All the clusters display a remarkable variety of structural and magnetic behaviors. It is observed that the isomers having similar shape with small distortion with respect to each other can exhibit quite different magnetic moments. This has been interpreted as a probable artifact of spin-rotational symmetry breaking introduced by the spin-polarized GGA. The possibility of combining the spin-polarized density-functional theory with some other global optimization techniques such as minima-hopping method could be the next step in this direction. This combination is expected to be an ideal sampling approach having the advantage of avoiding efficiently the search over irrelevant regions of the potential energy surface.

La sabidur��a como competencia gerencial

Aunque el concepto de sabidur��a ha sido ampliamente estudiado por expertos de ��reas como la filosof��a, la religi��n y la psicolog��a, a��n enfrenta limitaciones en cuanto a su definici��n y evaluaci��n. Por esto, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo, formular una definici��n del concepto de sabidur��a que permita realizar una propuesta de evaluaci��n del concepto como competencia en los gerentes. Para esto, se realiz�� un an��lisis documental de tipo cualitativo. De esta manera, se analizaron diversos textos sobre la historia, las definiciones y las metodolog��as para evaluar tanto la sabidur��a como las competencias; diferenciando la sabidur��a de otros constructos y analizando la diferencia entre las competencias generales y las gerenciales para posteriormente, definir la sabidur��a como una competencia gerencial. Como resultado de este an��lisis se gener�� un prototipo de prueba denominado SAPIENS-O, a trav��s del cu��l se busca evaluar la sabidur��a como competencia gerencial. Como alcances del instrumento se pueden identificar la posibilidad de medir la sabidur��a como competencia en los gerentes, la posibilidad de dar un nuevo panorama a las dificultades te��ricas y emp��ricas sobre la sabidur��a y la posibilidad de facilitar el estudio de la sabidur��a en ambientes reales, m��s espec��ficamente en ambientes organizacionales.

Fatiga Lar��ngea: efectos del uso prolongado de la voz

La voz como herramienta de trabajo de los docentes, puede afectarse por su uso prolongado, abuso o conductas de mal uso, que desencadenan limitaciones funcionales de origen laboral. Uno de los s��ntomas m��s frecuentes de quienes usan masivamente su voz con fines ocupacionales es la fatiga lar��ngea (FL), o cansancio vocal por debilitamiento muscular. El presente estudio quasiexperimental longitudinal pre- postest evalu�� el efecto que el uso de la voz, analizando variables sociodemogr��ficas, de salud y trabajo, los estilos de vida y los factores de riesgo ocupacionales, pero principalmente el efecto que produce el uso prolongado de la voz sobre las variables f��sico ac��sticas despu��s de un d��a de trabajo, en 99 docentes de una instituci��n de educaci��n superior en Colombia, en comparaci��n con trabajadores con menor uso vocal. Se aplic�� un cuestionario de sintomatolog��a vocal para controlar los sesgos, se le tomaron grabaciones pre y post jornada a cada trabajador con el software Speech Analizer�� y se reportaron los cambios subjetivos tras un d��a de trabajo a cada trabajador. Fueron hallados cambios en las variables f��sico ��� ac��sticas como efecto del uso prolongado de la voz despu��s de un d��a de trabajo en los dos grupos de participantes, en cuyo caso el efecto fue m��s significativo en los docentes que en los administrativos ��� no docentes. El riesgo de presentar trastornos de la voz se asoci�� directamente con la exposici��n a factores de riesgo ocupacionales y aquellos asociados a condiciones de salud y al estilo de vida de los individuos, cuyas consecuencias fueron mayores para el grupo de docentes; dado que al ser la voz su principal herramienta de trabajo, el uso fue mayor y asimismo la probabilidad de desencadenar sintomatolog��a vocal, derivada de la fatiga lar��ngea. La variable de fo promedio para la fonaci��n sostenida de la vocal /a/, que representa una sonido neutro en tonalidad o el tono habitual, mostr�� diferencias significativas entre grupos (p=0,048). Para este caso, el grupo de docentes registr�� un aumento de la fo en el postest en comparaci��n con un cambio no significativo para el grupo de administrativos luego del uso prolongado de la voz. En consecuencia, hubo diferencias en el valor registrado para la m��xima fo (p =0,025), m��nima fo (p=0,011) y el rango de fo (p=0,012) en la emisi��n sostenida de la vocal /a/. Para el caso del grupo de administrativos, las diferencias significativas estuvieron dadas por la disminuci��n de la fo, rango y m��xima y m��nima frecuencia en las tres vocales (/a/, /i/, /o/) en contraste con lo ocurrido para el grupo de docentes. En la intensidad de la voz fueron encontradas tambi��n diferencias significativas entre grupos (p=0,001) con un decrecimiento del volumen en el postest, tanto promedio como m��nimo, m��ximo y rango de la intensidad, en la fonaci��n sostenida de la vocal /a/ para el grupo de docentes; ninguna significancia estad��stica fue hallada en el grupo de administrativos para estas variables. Se demostr�� a trav��s de mediciones objetivas y resultados verificables, el fen��meno de la fatiga lar��ngea, asociados a los efectos que se presentan tras la demanda vocal continua, discriminando el impacto, entre las variables de cargo y g��nero.

Evaluation of two hybrid metric-conceptual models, for simulating phosphorus transfer from agricultural land in the river enborne, a lowland UK catchment

Across Europe, elevated phosphorus (P) concentrations in lowland rivers have made them particularly susceptible to eutrophication. This is compounded in southern and central UK by increasing pressures on water resources, which may be further enhanced by the potential effects of climate change. The EU Water Framework Directive requires an integrated approach to water resources management at the catchment scale and highlights the need for modelling tools that can distinguish relative contributions from multiple nutrient sources and are consistent with the information content of the available data. Two such models are introduced and evaluated within a stochastic framework using daily flow and total phosphorus concentrations recorded in a clay catchment typical of many areas of the lowland UK. Both models disaggregate empirical annual load estimates, derived from land use data, as a function of surface/near surface runoff, generated using a simple conceptual rainfall-runoff model. Estimates of the daily load from agricultural land, together with those from baseflow and point sources, feed into an in-stream routing algorithm. The first model assumes constant concentrations in runoff via surface/near surface pathways and incorporates an additional P store in the river-bed sediments, depleted above a critical discharge, to explicitly simulate resuspension. The second model, which is simpler, simulates P concentrations as a function of surface/near surface runoff, thus emphasising the influence of non-point source loads during flow peaks and mixing of baseflow and point sources during low flows. The temporal consistency of parameter estimates and thus the suitability of each approach is assessed dynamically following a new approach based on Monte-Carlo analysis. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon suboxide: the vibrational dependence of the v7 bending potential function

Data on the vibrational energy levels and rotational constants of carbon suboxide for the low-wavenumber bending mode ��7 are reviewed, in the ground-state manifold, and in the ��2-, ��3-, ��4-, and ��2 + ��4-state manifolds. Following the procedure developed by Duckett, Mills, and Robiette [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 63, 249 (1976)] the data have been inverted to give the effective bending potential in ��7 for each of these five states. Values are obtained for various other parameters in the effective vibration-rotation Hamiltonian. The potential and rotational constants in ��2 + ��4 are given to a close approximation by linear extrapolation from the ground state through the ��2 and ��4 states.

Low-level mixing height detection in coastal locations with a scanning Doppler lidar

Mixing layer height (MLH) is one of the key parameters in describing lower tropospheric dynamics and capturing its diurnal variability is crucial, especially for interpreting surface observations. In this paper we introduce a method for identifying MLH below the minimum range of a scanning Doppler lidar when operated at vertical. The method we propose is based on velocity variance in low-elevation-angle conical scanning and is applied to measurements in two very different coastal environments: Limassol, Cyprus, during summer and Loviisa, Finland, during winter. At both locations, the new method agrees well with MLH derived from turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate profiles obtained from vertically pointing measurements. The low-level scanning routine frequently indicated non-zero MLH less than 100 m above the surface. Such low MLHs were more common in wintertime Loviisa on the Baltic Sea coast than during summertime in Mediterranean Limassol.

The Predation of Artemia Nauplii by the Larvae of the Amazon River Prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller, 1862), is Affected by Prey Density, Time of Day, and Ontogenetic Development

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Influ��ncia das ��guas da Bacia Hidrogr��fica Pirangi na balneabilidade das praias de Pirangi, nos munic��pios de N��sia Floresta e Parnamirim Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

The Pirangi beach is located in the eastern coastline of Rio Grande do Norte state, in the municipality of Parnamirim and N��sia Floresta. In it flow into Pirangi Watershed (PW), whose water receives large amounts of pollutants, mainly domestic and industrial sewage from districts where pass the rivers that consist it, compromising, thus, the bathing water quality of the Pirangi beach. Bearing in mind the importance of water sanitary quality to ensure an environment that no present risk to the bathers s health, this work had as main objective to assess the influence of the PW s waters in the bathing water quality of the Pirangi beaches. To that end, were made collections of water in the beaches and in the rivers with the intention of quantify the fecal contamination indicators thermotolerant coliforms and enterococci, to then classify the conditions of bathing water quality according with the CONAMA Resolution number 274 of 2000. For the purposes greater knowledge about the health conditions of the Beaches Pirangi and about the influence the PW s waters exert on it, was done parallely to the study of the water quality, an investigation of the sand sanitary quality. Furthermore, it was made an evaluation of the PW s Water Quality through Water Quality Index (WQI). Starting from the results obtained in the research present was possible to verify, among other aspects, that the entry of the PW s waters in the Pirangi beaches exerts direct influence in the bathing water quality of the same ones, being the North Pirangi beach (point tracking PA-02) the most influenced. There was noticed also a significant reduction in the conditions of bathing water quality of the beaches in the rainy season. However, the precariousness do sewerage system of the Natal metropolitan region and the absence of a right system of treatment an final disposal of domestic sewage and industrial are the main factors responsi le for deterioration of the PW s Water Quality, and as a consequence, compromising the bathing water quality of the Pirangi beaches