Different tools to trace geographic origin and seasonality of croaker (Micropogonias furnieri)

The aim of this study was to use proximate chemical composition, macro and trace elements, fatty acid profile and stable isotopes as traceability tools to assess geographic origin and seasonality of croaker (Micropogonicts fumieri). Croaker from Parnaiba contained higher ash in July and lower fat content than croaker from Santos. In contrast, croaker from Santos had statistically higher proportion of 16:1n-9+16:1n-7, 20:1n-11, 20:1n-9, MUFA and n-3/n-6 ratio than croaker from Parnaiba. Concerning seasonality, croaker caught in July had significantly higher amounts of 14:0, 15:0, 16:1n-9+16:1n-7 and saturated fatty acids than fish caught in December. Concerning elements, significant differences were also detected between seasons for Cl, Ca, Fe, Sr and S, whereas differences between geographic origins were only observed with K. delta C-13 and delta N-15 were statistically different between geographic origins, whereas differences between seasons were only detected in delta N-15 ratio of croaker from Santos. Fatty acids, minerals and stable isotope are effective methods to trace geographic origin and seasonality of croaker. Nonetheless, further investigation is still required with larger samples of croaker to enable the implementation of fatty acids, elements or stable isotope as authenticity tools by food control agencies. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution, composition and seasonality of aquatic birds in the Nhecolandia sub-region of South Pantanal, Brazil

Despite remarkable significance of Pantanal for the conservation of aquatic birds, the status of their populations, the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution and habitat use and structure of communities are little known. Thus, we studied three aquatic environments (Negro river, bays and salines) from 2007 to 2009 in the Nhecolandia Pantanal to verify the distribution and composition of aquatic birds and also if there is significant seasonal influence on these aspects. We adopted the transect method (288 hours of sampling) and recorded 135 species (7.834 individuals). The Negro river showed the highest diversity, while the salines the lowest. The similarity of aquatic bird communities was higher between bays and salines, followed by Negro river and bays and lower between salines and Negro river. The equidistribution is more variable in the salines and more stable in the Negro river. The environments strongly differ from each other in aquatic bird composition in space (habitat use and distribution) and time (seasonal water fluctuations). The diversity of bird community in the dry season varies significantly in the salines, followed by the bays and more stable in the Negro river. The Negro river, regardless of large annual amplitude of flow, is more seasonally stable since its riparian vegetation is continuous (not isolated) and constant. These aspects provide better conditions to stay all year, contributing to decrease the seasonal nomadic tendencies of aquatic birds. Finally, all these data provide strong arguments to the preservation of all phytophysiognomies in the Nhecolandia sub-region of Pantanal, but with special attention to the salines widely used by many flocks of aquatic birds (mainly in the dry season) and migrant and/or rare species restricted to this habitat.

Influence of seasonality and production method on the antibacterial activity of propolis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Seasonality of tuberculosis in India: is it real and what does it tell us?

India has a third of the world’s tuberculosis cases. Large-scale expansion of a national program in 1998 has allowed for population-based analyses of data from tuberculosis registries. We assessed seasonal trends using quarterly reports from districts with stable tuberculosis control programs (population 115 million). In northern India, tuberculosis diagnoses peaked between April and June, and reached a nadir between October and December, whereas no seasonality was reported in the south. Overall, rates of new smear-positive tuberculosis cases were 57 per 100 000 population in peak seasons versus 46 per 100 000 in trough seasons. General health-seeking behavior artifact was ruled out. Seasonality was highest in paediatric cases, suggesting variation in recent transmission.

SEASONALITY OF VIRAL RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN SOUTHEAST OF BRAZIL: THE INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE AND AIR HUMIDITY

Viruses are the major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in childhood and the main viruses involved are Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV), Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Influenzavirus A and B (FLUA and FLUB), Human Parainfluenza Virus 1, 2 and 3 (HPIV1, 2 and 3) and Human Rhinovirus (HRV). The purposes of this study were to detect respiratory viruses in hospitalized children younger than six years and identify the influence of temperature and relative air humidity on the detected viruses. Samples of nasopharyngeal washes were collected from hospitalized children between May/2004 and September/2005. Methods of viral detection were RT-PCR, PCR and HRV amplicons were confirmed by hybridization. Results showed 54% (148/272) of viral positivity. HRSV was detected in 29% (79/272) of the samples; HRV in 23.1% (63/272); HPIV3 in 5.1% (14/272); HMPV in 3.3% (9/272); HPIV1 in 2.9% (8/272); FLUB in 1.4% (4/272), FLUA in 1.1% (3/272), and HPIV2 in 0.3% (1/272). The highest detection rates occurred mainly in the spring 2004 and in the autumn 2005. It was observed that viral respiratory infections tend to increase as the relative air humidity decreases, showing significant association with monthly averages of minimal temperature and minimal relative air humidity. In conclusion, viral respiratory infections vary according to temperature and relative air humidity and viral respiratory infections present major incidences it coldest and driest periods.

Seasonality of viral respiratory infections in Southeast of Brazil: the influence of temperature and air humidity

Viruses are the major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in childhood and the main viruses involved are Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV), Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Influenzavirus A and B (FLUA and FLUB), Human Parainfluenza Virus 1, 2 and 3 (HPIV1, 2 and 3) and Human Rhinovirus (HRV). The purposes of this study were to detect respiratory viruses in hospitalized children younger than six years and identify the influence of temperature and relative air humidity on the detected viruses. Samples of nasopharyngeal washes were collected from hospitalized children between May/2004 and September/2005. Methods of viral detection were RT-PCR, PCR and HRV amplicons were confirmed by hybridization. Results showed 54% (148/272) of viral positivity. HRSV was detected in 29% (79/272) of the samples; HRV in 23.1% (63/272); HPIV3 in 5.1% (14/272); HMPV in 3.3% (9/272); HPIV1 in 2.9% (8/272); FLUB in 1.4% (4/272), FLUA in 1.1% (3/272), and HPIV2 in 0.3% (1/272). The highest detection rates occurred mainly in the spring 2004 and in the autumn 2005. It was observed that viral respiratory infections tend to increase as the relative air humidity decreases, showing significant association with monthly averages of minimal temperature and minimal relative air humidity. In conclusion, viral respiratory infections vary according to temperature and relative air humidity and viral respiratory infections present major incidences it coldest and driest periods.

What drives the seasonality of photosynthesis across the Amazon basin? A cross-site analysis of eddy flux tower measurements from the Brasil flux network

We investigated the seasonal patterns of Amazonian forest photosynthetic activity, and the effects thereon of variations in climate and land-use, by integrating data from a network of ground-based eddy flux towers in Brazil established as part of the ‘Large-Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia’ project. We found that degree of water limitation, as indicated by the seasonality of the ratio of sensible to latent heat flux (Bowen ratio) predicts seasonal patterns of photosynthesis. In equatorial Amazonian forests (5◦ N–5◦ S), water limitation is absent, and photosynthetic fluxes (or gross ecosystem productivity, GEP) exhibit high or increasing levels of photosynthetic activity as the dry season progresses, likely a consequence of allocation to growth of new leaves. In contrast, forests along the southern flank of the Amazon, pastures converted from forest, and mixed forest-grass savanna, exhibit dry-season declines in GEP, consistent with increasing degrees of water limitation. Although previous work showed tropical ecosystem evapotranspiration (ET) is driven by incoming radiation, GEP observations reported here surprisingly show no or negative relationships with photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Instead, GEP fluxes largely followed the phenology of canopy photosynthetic capacity (Pc), with only deviations from this primary pattern driven by variations in PAR. Estimates of leaf flush at three

Il mercato e-MID: intraday e crisi finanziaria

Il lavoro di tesi ha l’obiettivo di dare seguito e profondità alle verifiche già condotte negli anni scorsi da Monticini e Baglioni, da Angelini e da Vento e La Ganga. Nel dettaglio nella serie storica dei tassi scambiati, sul comparto ON, del mercato e-Mid, riscontrano empiricamente che i tassi scambiati nelle prime ore del mattino sono in media superiori rispetto a quelli del pomeriggio. In pratica emerge un costo orario positivo. Il campione è costituito da 196.571 contratti eseguiti tra il 1 gennaio 2007 ed il 31 marzo 2009, sul comparto ON. Le analisi si sono concentrate sull’intensità del reversal patttern, oltre che su base giornaliera anche su base settimanale (day of the week) e su base mensile (month of the year effect). Le medesime analisi sono state condotte sull’ultimo giorno del periodo di mantenimento, e su particolari giorni che hanno scandito la crisi finanziaria. Per osservare la dinamica del reversal pattern prima e durante la crisi, le medesime verifiche sono condotte su tre sub campioni. Il primo considera tutti i contratti dall’inizio e fino all’8 agosto compreso; il secondo da quest’ultimo e fino al 12 settembre 2008 compreso; l’ultimo dal fallimento della Lehman e fino al 31 marzo 2009. I risultati confermano la presenza del reversal, per tutti i giorni e per tutti i mesi. Tuttavia quando il campione è suddiviso, le stime del primo campione, perdono di significatività, in particolare il giovedì ed il mese di febbraio. Sel medesimo periodo di campionamento al fine di verificare se il reversal pattern sia attribuire in parte anche alla liquidità del mercato, si è indagato su tutte le proposte in bid ed in offer, e dei relativi volumi, ovvero sul bid ask spread, il relativo prezzo medio ed i volumi. Anche in questo caso le analisi si sono concentrate oltre che sul campione originario, anche sui tre sub campioni in cui è stato successivamente suddiviso. . Quando infine si analizzano volumi e proposte, si nota innanzitutto che, al mattino, quando i prezzi scambiati sono maggiori il bid ask spread è minimo. Viceversa il pomeriggio quando il BAS è minore. La stessa dinamica si osserva per lo spread effettivo (SE), il quale è pari alla differenza tra prezzo medio delle contrattazioni e prezzo medio delle proposte. Infine i volumi sia delle proposte che delle contrattazioni, sono maggiori al mattino rispetto al pomeriggio e tendono a decrescere con l’intensificarsi della crisi. Inoltre i volumi in bid sono sempre maggiori rispetto a quelli in offer al mattino piuttosto che al pomeriggio.

Seasonality and diel variation in blue whale D calls recorded in the Southern California Bight

Passive acoustic data have been collected using HARPs (High-frequency Acoustic Recording Packages) and were used to assess (1) the seasonality of blue whale D calls in the Southern California Bight, (2) their interannual abundance during 2007-2012 and (3) their diel variation. This goal has been achieved running the GPL (Generalized Power-Law) automated detector. (1) Blue whale D calls were detected in the Southern California Bight from May through November with a peak in July, even though few detections were from December to April as well. A key predictor for blue whale distribution and movement in the California Current region has been identified with zooplankton aggregations, paying a particular attention to those euphausiid species, such as E. pacifica and T. spinifera, which are blue whale favorite krill. The Southern California Bight experiences seasonal upwelling, resulting in an increase of productivity and prey availability. The summer and early fall have been marked as the most favorable periods. This supports the presence of blue whales in the area at that time, supposing these marine mammals exploit the region as a feeding ground. (2) As to the interannual abundance during 2007-2012, I found a large variability. I observed a great increase of vocalizations in 2007 and 2010, whereas a decrease was shown in the other years, which is well marked in 2009. It is my belief that these fluctuations in abundance of D calls detections through the deployed period are due to the alternation of El Nino and La Nina events, which occurred in those years. (3) The assessment of the daily timing of D calls production shows that D calls are more abundant during the day than during the night with a peak at 12:00 and 13:00. Assuming that D calling is associated with feeding, the daily pattern of D calls may be linked to the prey availability. E. pacifica and T. spinifera are among those species of krill which undertake daily vertical migrations, remaining at depth during the day and slowly coming up towards the surface at night. Because of some anatomical arrangements, these euphausiids are very sensitive to the light. Given that we believe D calls have a social function, I hypothesize that blue whales may recognize the hours at the highest solar incidence as the best moment of the day in terms of prey availability, exploiting this time window to advert their conspecifics.

Antibiotic use in adult outpatients in Switzerland in relation to regions, seasonality and point of care tests

The use of antibiotics is highest in primary care and directly associated with antibiotic resistance in the community. We assessed regional variations in antibiotic use in primary care in Switzerland and explored prescription patterns in relation to the use of point of care tests. Defined daily doses of antibiotics per 1000 inhabitants (DDD(1000pd) ) were calculated for the year 2007 from reimbursement data of the largest Swiss health insurer, based on the anatomic therapeutic chemical classification and the DDD methodology recommended by WHO. We present ecological associations by use of descriptive and regression analysis. We analysed data from 1 067 934 adults, representing 17.1% of the Swiss population. The rate of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions in the entire population was 8.5 DDD(1000pd) , and varied between 7.28 and 11.33 DDD(1000pd) for northwest Switzerland and the Lake Geneva region. DDD(1000pd) for the three most prescribed antibiotics were 2.90 for amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate, 1.77 for fluoroquinolones, and 1.34 for macrolides. Regions with higher DDD(1000pd) showed higher seasonal variability in antibiotic use and lower use of all point of care tests. In regression analysis for each class of antibiotics, the use of any point of care test was consistently associated with fewer antibiotic prescriptions. Prescription rates of primary care physicians showed variations between Swiss regions and were lower in northwest Switzerland and in physicians using point of care tests. Ecological studies are prone to bias and whether point of care tests reduce antibiotic use has to be investigated in pragmatic primary care trials.

Seasonality as a core business of phenology

The best characteristics of phenological observations are their description of seasons and seasonal patterns. Specific phenological phases are used to define the beginning and the end of seasons that form phenological calendars. Phenological observations more closely capture the integrated seasonal rhythm than statistically derived means or thresholds from climate elements. They only provide approximate indicators of seasonal changes and cannot replace visible or directly measurable phenomena. Including abiotic observations such as the timing of frost, thawing, icing, snow and fog even provides seasonality descriptions beyond the vegetation period. The length and position of seasons within the year is a foundation for an integrated description of seasonality presented as a phenological season diagram. Phenological observations are the indispensable basis for an integral description of a seasonal classification and seasonality. A well designed phenological diagram could offer a comprehensive picture of the rhythm and amplitude of seasons.