Do mediterranean genera not included in Tachet et al. (2002) have mediterranean trait characteristics?

Do mediterranean genera not included in Tachet et al. 2002 have mediterranean trait characteristics? Multiple-trait databases are increasingly used in community ecology in different regions of the world. In Europe, Tachet et al.(2002) compiled an aquatic macroinvertebrate database for 473 taxa using information on 11 biological traits described by 63 categories. However, less studied regions, at the time of the compilation of the database, such as the mediterranean Basin, can harbour exclusive genera, which were not included in Tachet"s database. In a large-scale study across the mediterranean Basin, we found 44 genera that were not included in Tachet"s database (NEW genera). Our main aim was to compile trait information for these NEW genera and assess whether these genera had speci���c traits that could explain their exclusivity to the Mediterranean region. We compared the trait characteristics of NEW genera to those of genera only found in Mediterranean or temperate regions that were included in the Tachet"s database (MED and TEM genera, respectively). We found that NEW genera had more mediterranean characteristics than TEM genera and that some trait categories of NEW genera were even more mediterranean-like than the traits of MED genera (e.g., diapause). Therefore, our results suggest that the speci���c biological traits of these NEW genera allow them to cope successfully and exclusively with the harsh environmental conditions of the mediterranean climate rivers, which could partially explain their absence in Tachet"s database. Other explanations, such as the limited dispersal ability of these NEW genera to reach and colonize temperate Europe or the rarity of these NEW genera, should also be considered. We provide biological traits of the NEW genera to be used in future studies on the mediterranean river ecology.

Characteristics of 2D convective structures in Catalonia (NE Spain): an analysis using radar data and GIS

Flood simulation studies use spatial-temporal rainfall data input into distributed hydrological models. A correct description of rainfall in space and in time contributes to improvements on hydrological modelling and design. This work is focused on the analysis of 2-D convective structures (rain cells), whose contribution is especially significant in most flood events. The objective of this paper is to provide statistical descriptors and distribution functions for convective structure characteristics of precipitation systems producing floods in Catalonia (NE Spain). To achieve this purpose heavy rainfall events recorded between 1996 and 2000 have been analysed. By means of weather radar, and applying 2-D radar algorithms a distinction between convective and stratiform precipitation is made. These data are introduced and analyzed with a GIS. In a first step different groups of connected pixels with convective precipitation are identified. Only convective structures with an area greater than 32 km2 are selected. Then, geometric characteristics (area, perimeter, orientation and dimensions of the ellipse), and rainfall statistics (maximum, mean, minimum, range, standard deviation, and sum) of these structures are obtained and stored in a database. Finally, descriptive statistics for selected characteristics are calculated and statistical distributions are fitted to the observed frequency distributions. Statistical analyses reveal that the Generalized Pareto distribution for the area and the Generalized Extreme Value distribution for the perimeter, dimensions, orientation and mean areal precipitation are the statistical distributions that best fit the observed ones of these parameters. The statistical descriptors and the probability distribution functions obtained are of direct use as an input in spatial rainfall generators.

The contribution of individual and professional characteristics to general and work-related well-being

Cette th��se porte sur la contribution des caract��ristiques individuelles et des situations professionnelles au bien-��tre. En combinant diff��rentes perspectives th��oriques, notamment la th��orie de la construction de la carri��re, la th��orie de la justice organisationnelle, les mod��les du bien-��tre au travail, et les conceptualisations de l'incivilit�� au travail, un certain nombre d'hypoth��ses sont propos��es concernant le lien entre certaines caract��ristiques individuelles et situationnelles et le bien-��tre g��n��ral et professionnel. Les deux premi��res ��tudes se focalisent sur la validation d'une ��chelle d'adaptabilit��s de carri��re et sur le r��le m��diateur de cette adaptabilit�� dans la relation entre des dispositions et le bien-��tre. La troisi��me ��tude ��volue l'hypoth��se d'un possible effet de m��diation de l'adaptabilit�� mais cette fois de la relation entre ins��curit�� professionnelle et charge de travail d'une part et le bien-��tre d'autre part. La quatri��me ��tude adopte une perspective longitudinale et analyse les associations entre les dimensions de la personnalit��, l'adaptabilit�� de carri��re et le bien-��tre dans quatre parcours professionnels diff��rents. La cinqui��me ��tude porte sur une autre caract��ristique individuelle, �� savoir la croyance en un monde juste. Cette ��tude illustre comment la croyance en un monde juste influence les perceptions de justice organisationnelle une ann��e apr��s, qui ont une incidence importante sur le bien-��tre. Enfin, la derni��re ��tude se concentre sur une population sp��cifique, les immigrants en Suisse, et souligne qu'��tre la cible d'incivilit�� sur le lieu de travail est g��n��ralement li��e au pays d'origine. Globalement, cette th��se met en ��vidence que les caract��ristiques individuelles ont des effets tant directs qu'indirects sur le bien-��tre et que ces m��mes caract��ristiques explique en partie, les relations entre la situation professionnelle et le bien-��tre. Plus sp��cifiquement, des situations professionnelles peuvent influencer l'expression de certaines caract��ristiques individuelles, soit en contribuant �� leurs activations ou �� leurs inhibitions. De plus, l'impact des caract��ristiques individuelles sur le bien-��tre semble d��pendre de la situation professionnelle. Il est donc important de consid��rer les influences simultan��es et r��ciproques des caract��ristiques individuelles et de la situation contextuelle et professionnelle pour rendre compte du bien-��tre g��n��ral et professionnel. -- This thesis explores how individual characteristics and professional situations correspond to well-being. Drawing from various theoretical backgrounds, such as career construction theory, justice theory, models of job strain, and theories on subtle discrimination, a number of specific hypotheses are put forward pertaining to a selection of individual and professional aspects as well as general and work-related well-being. The six studies presented in this thesis focus on specific aspects and adopt different methodological and theoretical approaches. The first two studies concern the validation of the career adapt-abilities scale and test the potential of career adapt-abilities to mediate the relationship between dispositions and outcomes. The third study extends the hypothesis of career adapt-abilities as a mediator and finds that it mediates the effects of job insecurity and job strain on general and professional well-being. The fourth study adopts a longitudinal approach and tests the associations between personality traits and career adaptability and well-being in four different professional situations. Study five concerns another individual characteristic, belief in a just world, and illustrates how justice beliefs drive perceptions of organizational justice, which in turn impact, on well-being outcomes one year later. The final study focuses on the professional experiences of a specific population, immigrants in Switzerland, and confirms that being a target of incivilities is related to national origin. Globally, this thesis finds that individual characteristics have direct and indirect influences on well-being and that these characteristics may also mediate the associations between professional situations and outcomes. In particular, the professional situation may alter the display of individual characteristics, either by contributing to their activation or their depletion, and the ways in which individual factors influence well-being does seem to depend on the professional situation. It is thus necessary to adopt a "both...and" perspective when studying the impact of individual and professional characteristics as these factors mutually influence each other.

Repeatability, correlation and path analysis of physical and chemical characteristics of peach fruits

This study aimed to determine the number of measurements necessary to evaluate physical and chemical characteristics of peach fruits, study the relationships between them and their direct and indirect effects on the content of ascorbic acid and total carotenoids. The characteristics skin and pulp color, fruit weight, suture, equatorial and polar diameters, firmness, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, ascorbic acid and total carotenoids were evaluated in 39 cultivars of peach and 3 cultivars of nectarine from the orchard of the Universidade Federal de Vi��osa. The repeatability coefficient was estimated by ANOVA and CPCOR. Phenotypic correlation coefficients (rf) were estimated and, after the multicollinearity diagnostics, they were unfolded to direct and indirect effects of the explanatory variables on the response variable using path analysis. There was agreement on the magnitude of repeatability coefficients obtained by the two methods; however, they varied among the 14 characteristics. The highest correlations were found between FW, SD, ED and PD. Seven fruits are sufficient to evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics of peach with a correlation coefficient of 90%. The characteristics considered in the path diagrams (b* skin, h�� skin, b* pulp, h�� pulp, ED, PD, FIR, SS, SS/AT and TC) are not the main determinants of the ascorbic acid. The yellow hue of the pulp (h�� pulp) has the potential to be used in indirect selection for total carotenoids.

Using music as a signal for biofeedback

Studies on the potential benefits of conveying biofeedback stimulus using a musical signal have appeared in recent years with the intent of harnessing the strong effects that music listening may have on subjects. While results are encouraging, the fundamental question has yet to be addressed, of how combined music and biofeedback compares to the already established use of either of these elements separately. This experiment, involving young adults (N = 24), compared the effectiveness at modulating participants' states of physiological arousal of each of the following conditions: A) listening to pre-recorded music, B) sonification biofeedback of the heart rate, and C) an algorithmically modulated musical feedback signal conveying the subject's heart rate. Our hypothesis was that each of the conditions (A), (B) and (C) would differ from the other two in the extent to which it enables participants to increase and decrease their state of physiological arousal, with (C) being more effective than (B), and both more than (A). Several physiological measures and qualitative responses were recorded and analyzed. Results show that using musical biofeedback allowed participants to modulate their state of physiological arousal at least equally well as sonification biofeedback, and much better than just listening to music, as reflected in their heart rate measurements, controlling for respiration-rate. Our findings indicate that the known effects of music in modulating arousal can therefore be beneficially harnessed when designing a biofeedback protocol.

Single cell tuning of Myc expression by antigen receptor signal strength and interleukin-2 in T lymphocytes.

Myc controls the metabolic reprogramming that supports effector T cell differentiation. The expression of Myc is regulated by the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-2 (IL-2). We now show that the TCR is a digital switch for Myc mRNA and protein expression that allows the strength of the antigen stimulus to determine the frequency of T��cells that express Myc. IL-2 signalling strength also directs Myc expression but in an analogue process that fine-tunes Myc quantity in individual cells via post-transcriptional control of Myc protein. Fine-tuning Myc matters and is possible as Myc protein has a very short half-life in T cells due to its constant phosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and subsequent proteasomal degradation. We show that Myc only accumulates in T cells exhibiting high levels of amino acid uptake allowing T cells to match Myc expression to biosynthetic demands. The combination of digital and analogue processes allows tight control of Myc expression at the population and single cell level during immune responses.

Pathomorphological and CT-angiographical characteristics of coronary atherosclerotic plaques in cases of sudden cardiac death.

The goal of this study was to assess the localization and types of thrombosed plaques in cases of sudden cardiac death attributed to coronary artery disease and to evaluate possible correlations with body mass index (BMI) and increased heart weight. This retrospective study was performed on forensic cases for which the cause of death was attributed to coronary artery disease. A complete autopsy and a multi-phase postmortem computed tomography (CT) angiography (MPMCTA) were performed in all cases. Eighty-five cases were selected (mean age, 55.18&#8201;��&#8201;11.04��years; 72 men and 13 women). MPMCTA performed prior to autopsy enabled an evaluation of coronary artery perfusion before dissection of the body and helped therefore to guide sampling for histology. An acute coronary thrombosis was found in 57 cases, which included plaque erosion in 26 cases (mean age, 46.73&#8201;��&#8201;8.33��years) and rupture or intra-plaque hemorrhage in 31 cases (mean age, 58.23&#8201;��&#8201;10.62��years). Erosions were most frequently found in the left anterior descending artery (61.5��%), while only 35.48��% of ruptures were observed in this artery. Chronic coronary pathology was considered as the main cause of death in 28 cases (mean age, 59.64&#8201;��&#8201;9.47��years). Sixty-two of the cases (72.94��%) had a BMI in the overweight category (BMI &#8805;25), with the highest mean BMI in patients with chronic coronary pathology without acute thrombosis found at autopsy. The heart weight was above the predicted reference values in 52 cases (61.18��%). Our results are in accordance with previously published studies on the spatial distribution of vulnerable plaques. We observed a higher percentage of eroded plaques than previously reported. Patients with coronary erosions were significantly younger than those with plaque rupture or those without an acute coronary thrombosis (p values <0.0001). BMI and heart weight were significantly higher for cases without thrombosis in comparison with those with plaque rupture (p values 0.028 and 0.003, respectively). Our results indicating that increased BMI and overweight hearts are associated with chronic ischemic heart disease are compatible with clinical studies. Performing more postmortem studies on forensic autopsies, including modern radiological examinations with MPMCTA, can enhance the detection of vulnerable plaques in living patients and prevent sudden cardiac death.

GPS-signal Source Based on Direct Digital Synthesis

This thesis presents the design and implementation of a GPS-signal source suitable for receiver measurements. The developed signal source is based on direct digital synthesis which generates the intermediate frequency. The intermediate frequency is transfered to the final frequency with the aid of an Inphase/Quadrature modulator. The modulating GPS-data was generated with MATLAB. The signal source was duplicated to form a multi channel source. It was shown that, GPS-signals ment for civil navigation are easy to generate in the laboratory. The hardware does not need to be technically advanced if navigation with high level of accuracy is not needed. It was also shown that, the Inphase/Quadrature modulator can function as a single side band upconverter even with a high intermediate frequency. This concept reduces the demands required for output filtering.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus in people with pharmacoresistant epilepsy: Prevalence and clinical characteristics.

BACKGROUND: There have been inconsistent reports on the potential association between diabetes mellitus and epilepsy. METHODS: We examined a consecutive cohort of 2016 people with pharmacoresistant epilepsy admitted to a tertiary medical centre. RESULTS: We identified 20 individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM); a point prevalence of 9.9 (95% CI: 6.4, 15.3) cases per 1000 individuals. This represents a more than two-fold increase relative to published prevalence estimates of T1DM in the general population. The onset of T1DM preceded that of epilepsy in 80% of individuals, by a median of 1.5 years. Individuals with T1DM were significantly more likely to have cryptogenic/unknown epilepsy relative to those with type 2 diabetes mellitus or without diabetes (85% versus 35% and 49%, p=0.045). All individuals with T1DM had focal epilepsy, the majority of which were temporal lobe in origin, although there was no evidence that this proportion was any different from those without T1DM (p&gt;0.999). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of T1DM appears to be increased in people with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and is associated with cryptogenic/unknown epilepsy. These findings may have pathophysiological implications, especially in the context of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies.

The high-speed induction motor: calculating the effects of solid-rotor material on machine characteristics

A method for the analysis of high-speed solid-rotor induction motors in presented. The analysis is based on a new combination of the three dimensional linear method and the transfer matrix method. Both saturation and finite length effects are taken into account. The active region of the solid rotor is divided into saturated and unsaturated parts. The time dependence is assumed to be sinusoidal and phasor quantities are used in the solution. The method is applied to the calculation of smooth solid rotors manufactured of different materials. Six rotor materials are tested: three construction steels, pure iron, a cobaltiron alloy and an aluminium alloy. The results obtained by the method agree fairly well with the measurement quantities.

Patients' characteristics associated with the decision of "do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation" order in a Swiss hospital

Pr��sentation En accord avec la loi suisse, seul le patient peut d��cider de la notification, dans son dossier, d'un ordre de ��non r��animation �� (DNACPR) en cas d'arr��t cardio-respiratoire. L'��quipe m��dicale peut exceptionnellement prendre une telle d��cision, si elle juge qu'une r��animation n'a aucune chance d'aboutir. Les m��canismes menant �� ce processus de d��cision n'ont pas encore ��t�� compl��tement investigu��s, en particulier en Suisse. Enjeu Notre ��tude vise �� d��terminer la pr��valence de l'ordre de ��non r��animation�� apr��s l'admission, l'auteur de cette d��cision, ainsi que son association avec certaines caract��ristiques propres aux patients : le sexe, l'��ge, la situation familiale, la nationalit��, la religion, le nombre et le type de comorbidit��s. Nous cherchons ainsi �� mieux d��finir quels sont les facteurs importants dans ce processus d��cisionnel complexe o�� le jugement m��dical, ainsi que l'information apport��e aux patients sont primordiaux. Contexte de recherche Nous avons effectu�� une ��tude observationnelle sur une dur��e de 6 semaines, en analysant les formulaires d'admission de 194 patients hospitalis��s dans le service de m��decine interne du CHUV, dans les 72 heures apr��s leur admission. R��sultats L'��tude montre que plus de la moiti�� des 194 dossiers de patients analys��s ont un ordre de �� non r��animation �� (DNACPR) (53%). 27% de ces d��cisions ont ��t�� prises par les patients eux-m��mes, 12% par leur repr��sentant th��rapeutique/famille et 61% par les ��quipes m��dicales. Nous trouvons une association statistiquement significative entre l'ordre DNACPR et l'��ge, avec un ��ge moyen de 80.7 +-10.8 ans dans le groupe �� non r��animation �� versus 67.5 +- 15.1 ans dans le groupe �� r��animation ��, entre l'ordre DNACPR et une pathologie oncologique, quel que soit le stade de cette derni��re, ainsi qu'entre l'ordre DNACPR et la religion protestante. Une analyse de sous-groupe montre que l'��ge, ainsi que la pathologie oncologique sont statistiquement significatifs lors de l'analyse des d��cisions prises par les ��quipes m��dicales. La religion protestante est, quant �� elle, significative lors de l'analyse des d��cisions prises par le patient ou son repr��sentant. Perspectives Contrairement aux publications pass��es, cette ��tude montre une pr��dominance de l'ordre de ��non r��animation �� (DNACPR) �� l'admission dans un service de m��decine interne, principalement sur d��cision m��dicale. La plupart des patients ont ��t�� jug��s incapables de discernement sur la question ou n'ont tout simplement pas ��t�� impliqu��s dans le processus d��cisionnel. Une r��flexion doit avoir lieu afin de prendre des mesures de sensibilisation aupr��s des ��quipes m��dicales et d'approfondir la formation m��dicale et ��thique sur le sujet de la d��termination de l'attitude de r��animation. D'autres ��tudes qualitatives permettraient de mieux comprendre les motivations ayant men�� �� ces nombreuses d��cisions m��dicales, ainsi que les crit��res importants pour les patients.

Evolving characteristics and outcome of secondary acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL): A prospective analysis by the French-Belgian-Swiss APL group.

BACKGROUND: Reports of patients with secondary acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) have increased in recent years, particularly for those who received treatment with mitoxantrone, and retrospective studies have suggested that their characteristics and outcomes were similar to those of patients with de novo APL. METHODS: The authors investigated patients with de novo and secondary APL who were included in the ongoing APL-2006 trial. Patients with secondary APL who were included in that trial also were compared with a previous retrospective cohort of patients with secondary APL. RESULTS: In the APL-2006 trial, 42 of 280 patients (15%) had secondary APL. Compared with the retrospective cohort, patients with secondary APL in the APL-2006 trial had a lower incidence of prior breast carcinoma (35.7% vs 57%; P&#8201;=&#8201;.03) and a higher incidence of prior prostate carcinoma (26.2% vs 4.7%; P&#8201;<&#8201;.001). Treatment of the primary tumor in the APL-2006 trial less frequently included combined radiochemotherapy (28.6% vs 47.2%; P&#8201;=&#8201;.044) and no mitoxantrone (0% vs 46.7%; P&#8201;=&#8201;.016) but more frequently included anthracyclines (53.3% vs 38.3%; P&#8201;=&#8201;.015). In the APL-2006 trial, patients who had secondary APL, compared with those who had de novo APL, were older (mean, 60.2 years vs 48.7 years, respectively; P&#8201;<&#8201;.0001) but had a similar complete response rate (97.6% vs 90.3%, respectively), cumulative incidence of relapse (0% vs 1.8%, respectively), and overall survival (92.3% vs 90.9%, respectively) at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of secondary APL appears to be stable over time, evolving strategies for the treatment of primary cancers have reduced its occurrence among breast cancer patients but have increased its incidence among patients with prostate cancer. The current results confirm prospectively that patients with secondary APL have characteristics and outcomes similar to those of patients with de novo APL. Cancer 2015;121:2393-2399. �� 2015 American Cancer Society.

Characteristics of non-responders to self-reported questionnaires in a large inflammatory bowel disease cohort study.

BACKGROUND: A major threat to the validity of longitudinal cohort studies is non-response to follow-up, which can lead to erroneous conclusions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the profile of non-responders to self-reported questionnaires in the Swiss inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Cohort. METHODS: We used data from adult patients enrolled between November 2006 and June 2011. Responders versus non-responders were compared according to socio-demographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics. Odds ratio for non-response to initial patient questionnaire (IPQ) compared to 1-year follow-up questionnaire (FPQ) were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 1943 patients received IPQ, in which 331 (17%) did not respond. Factors inversely associated with non-response to IPQ were age &gt;50 and female gender (OR = 0.37; p &lt; 0.001 respectively OR = 0.63; p = 0.003) among Crohn's disease (CD) patients, and disease duration &gt;16 years (OR = 0.48; p = 0.025) among patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). FPQ was sent to 1586 patients who had completed the IPQ; 263 (17%) did not respond. Risk factors of non-response to FPQ were mild depression (OR = 2.17; p = 0.003) for CD, and mild anxiety (OR = 1.83; p = 0.024) for UC. Factors inversely associated with non-response to FPQ were: age &gt;30 years, colonic only disease location, higher education and higher IBD-related quality of life for CD, and age &gt;50 years or having a positive social support for UC. CONCLUSIONS: Characteristics of non-responders differed between UC and CD. The risk of non-response to repetitive solicitations (longitudinal versus transversal study) seemed to decrease with age. Assessing non-respondents' characteristics is important to document potential bias in longitudinal studies.