Intermediate Sequence Research Articles

Split G-Quadruplex Programmed Recyclable AIE-Biosensor for Label-Free Detection of miRNA in Acute Kidney Injury.

We herein rationally designed a target-recyclable AIE-biosensor based on a split G-quadruplex for label-free detection of miRNA in acute kidney injury. Initially, the PG was in an "OFF" state, and the two split segments (G4-a and G4-b) of G4 were tethered at the two terminals of P1 and far away from each other due to the rigid duplex structure formed by the partially complementary intermediate sequences of P2 and P1, bringing MG with quenched fluorescence. In the presence of target, the 5'-PO4 P2 was displaced from PG probe and competitively hybridized with target, which led to G4-a and G4-b tending to form an intact intermolecular G-quadruplex, providing sites for MG intercalation, thus generating an activated "ON" fluorescence signal due to the restriction of intermolecular motion. Successively, relying on the λ-exonuclease (λ-Exo) cleavage reaction-assisted target recycling, more amounts of targets will be liberated, accompanied by forming more G-quadruplex and binding more MG, resulting in a strong fluorescence signal, further realizing the sensitive detection of the targets. As a proof of concept, miRNA-21 was chosen as the model target. Endowing with the precise target recognition and efficient cleavage activity of λ-Exo, the AIE-biosensor exhibited excellent detection sensitivity and specificity, which could quantitatively detect miRNA-21 down to 10.36 fM with a single mismatch specificity. The results revealed that the distinctive attributes of noninvasive, simple, and efficient in this G-quadruplex-based AIE-biosensor offered promising prospects for extensive applications in AKI screening and early clinical diagnosis.

Structural determination of a carbocation-derived rearrangement product observed during Thiele cage opening: insight into the mechanism of an alkyl-extended pinacol reaction

A substituted bishomocubane structure colloquially known as a Thiele cage was previously observed to undergo an alkyl-extended pinacol-type rearrangement, wherein 1,2-aryl migration and ketone formation occurred together with (or at least in close succession to) opening of a strained cyclobutane bond. While there was some indication that the rearrangement reaction might proceed via a stepwise process involving a sequence of carbocation intermediates, previous studies did not uncover any direct evidence for the formation of carbocations, and did not fully explain the regio- and stereospecificity of the reaction. Here we describe the isolation and detailed characterization of a second rearrangement product formed under the pinacol reaction conditions, the existence of which implicates the formation of discrete carbocation intermediates along the reaction pathway. Observation of this new product also finally explains the fate of any Thiele cage material that is converted to a carbocation, but which is not geometrically predisposed to react through a facile 1,2-aryl migration. As such, our findings resolve previous questions surrounding the origin of regio- and stereospecificity in the alkyl-extended pinacol rearrangement.

Evolution of the substrate specificity of an RNA ligase ribozyme from phosphorimidazole to triphosphate activation

The acquisition of new RNA functions through evolutionary processes was essential for the diversification of RNA-based primordial biology and its subsequent transition to modern biology. However, the mechanisms by which RNAs access new functions remain unclear. Do RNA enzymes need completely new folds to support new but related functions, or is reoptimization of the active site sufficient? What are the roles of neutral and adaptive mutations in evolutionary innovation? Here, we address these questions experimentally by focusing on the evolution of substrate specificity in RNA-catalyzed RNA assembly. We use directed in vitro evolution to show that a ligase ribozyme that uses prebiotically relevant 5'-phosphorimidazole-activated substrates can be evolved to catalyze ligation with substrates that are 5'-activated with the biologically relevant triphosphate group. Interestingly, despite catalyzing a related reaction, the new ribozyme folds into a completely new structure and exhibits promiscuity by catalyzing RNA ligation with both triphosphate and phosphorimidazole-activated substrates. Although distinct in sequence and structure, the parent phosphorimidazolide ligase and the evolved triphosphate ligase ribozymes can be connected by a series of point mutations where the intermediate sequences retain at least some ligase activity. The existence of a quasi-neutral pathway between these distinct ligase ribozymes suggests that neutral drift is sufficient to enable the acquisition of new substrate specificity, thereby providing opportunities for subsequent adaptive optimization. The transition from RNA-catalyzed RNA assembly using phosphorimidazole-activated substrates to triphosphate-activated substrates may have foreshadowed the later evolution of the protein enzymes that use monomeric triphosphates (nucleoside triphosphates, NTPs) for RNA synthesis.

Smooth joint motion planning for redundant fiber placement manipulator based on improved RRT*

In automated fiber placement (AFP), addressing the continuous motion planning challenge of redundant layup manipulators in complex environments, this paper proposes an offline redundancy optimization algorithm based on improved RRT* (Rapidly-exploring Random Trees). This algorithm maximizes the utilization of kinematic redundancy to derive smooth joint trajectories devoid of collisions and singularities. Firstly, the algorithm entails constructing a search map by eliminating joint configurations that violate constraints, and subsequently planning and optimizing the joint path by minimizing a multi-objective cost under the map constraint. Furthermore, several strategies are introduced to enhance RRT* for redundancy optimization. These strategies include a piecewise Gaussian sampling strategy (PGSS) to guide efficient tree growth within complex channels and enable joint sampling constrained by task coordinates. Additionally, the improved Steering and Local Optimization method are proposed to plan joint motion while considering intermediate task sequences. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated in handling complex motion planning scenarios, such as layup involving complex path curves or dense obstacles. Experimental results validate the algorithm's capability to find feasible collision-free and singularity-free paths in relevant scenarios, provided such paths exist. Moreover, trajectory smoothness is optimized with increasing iterations.

Role of Interfacial Water Structure in the Electroreduction of NO over Cu2O.

The electrochemical nitric oxide reduction reaction (NORR), which utilizes water as the sole hydrogen source, has the potential to facilitate ammonia production while concurrently mitigating pollutants. However, limited research has been dedicated to characterizing the structure of interfacial water due to the challenges associated with probing this intricate system, impeding the development of more efficient catalysts for the NORR process. Herein, the Cu2O microcrystals with distinct exposed facets, including {100}, {110}, and {111}, are employed for the model catalysts to investigate interfacial water structure and intermediate species in the NORR process. The results from shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) indicated that the NORR performance in 0.1 M Na2SO4 (with heavy water as the solvent) was positively correlated to the proportion of hydrated Na+ ion water. In addition, a sequence of intermediates from the NORR, including *NOH, *NH, *NH2, and *NH3, was detected by employing a combination of multiple in situ characterization methods. Furthermore, in conjunction with experimental results and theoretical calculations, we revealed the potential reaction pathway of NORR. This study offers novel insights into the NORR mechanism and valuable guidance for the design of high-performance catalysts for ammonia production.

Tillage and crop sequences for organic Cirsium arvense management in the Northern Great Plains

AbstractThe perennial rhizomatous weed Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. is difficult to manage on semiarid organic farms. Our objective was to quantify the impact of eight 4‐year crop sequences crossed with standard‐ and reduced‐tillage on C. arvense occurrence (presence/absence), stem density, and aboveground biomass at two semiarid sites in Montana. The sequences represented a range of crop competition from high (multiple years of perennial forage [alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.]) to low (2 years of continuous fallow), with intermediate sequences consisting of different annual species. Final‐year spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.) was planted in all sequences to determine impacts on subsequent cash crop production. Through time, alfalfa and double fallow sequences reduced C. arvense density and biomass where it was established, although its invasion into new areas increased in the double fallow. Final‐year C. arvense occurrence and stem density were lower in the alfalfa sequence compared with six and four annual crop sequences, respectively (p < 0.05). Final year C. arvense biomass was higher at one site than the other, although not in the double fallow sequence. Wheat grain yields differed in response to crop sequences at the two sites: at one site, grain yield was lowest in the alfalfa sequence, especially when standard‐tillage was used, while yields were highest in the alfalfa and double fallow sequences at the other site. Using perennial forages in semiarid organic systems can be effective for managing C. arvense, but subsequent cash crop yield may be depressed.

The role of heating in the formation and the dynamics of YSO jets

Context. Theoretical arguments as well as observations of young stellar objects (YSOs) support the presence of a diversified circumstellar environment. A stellar jet is thought to account for most of the stellar spin down and disk wind outflow for the observed high mass-loss rate, thus playing a major role in the launching of powerful jets. RY Tau, for instance, is an extensively studied intermediate mass pre-main sequence star. Observational data reveal a small-scale jet called micro-jet. Nevertheless, it is not clear how the micro-jet shapes the jet observed at a large scale. Aims. The goal is to investigate the spatial stability and structure of the central jet at a large scale by mixing the stellar and disk components. Methods. Two existing analytical self-similar models for the disk and the stellar winds to build the initial setups. Instead of using a polytropic equation of state, we mapped the heating and cooling sources from the analytical solutions. The heating exchange rate was controlled by two parameters, its spatial extent and its intensity. Results. The central jet and the surrounding disk are strongly affected by these two parameters. We separate the results into three categories, which show different emissivity, temperature, and velocity maps. We reached this categorization by looking at the opening angle of the stellar solution. For cylindrically, well-collimated jets, we have opening angles as low as 10° between 8 − 10 au, and for the wider jets, we can reach 30° with a morphology closer to radial solar winds. Conclusions. Our parametric study shows that the less heated the outflow is, the more collimated it appears. We also show that recollimation shocks appear consistently with UV observations in terms of temperature but not density.

Robust Soliton Distribution-Based Zero-Watermarking for Semi-Structured Power Data

To ensure the security of online-shared power data, this paper adopts a robust soliton distribution-based zero-watermarking approach for tracing semi-structured power data. The method involves extracting partial key-value pairs to generate a feature sequence, processing the watermark into an equivalent number of blocks. Robust soliton distribution from erasure codes and redundant error correction codes is utilized to generate an intermediate sequence. Subsequently, the error-corrected watermark information is embedded into the feature sequence, creating a zero-watermark for semi-structured power data. In the tracking process, the extraction and analysis of the robust zero-watermark associated with the tracked data facilitate the effective identification and localization of data anomalies. Experimental and simulation validation demonstrates that this method, while ensuring data security, achieves a zero-watermark extraction success rate exceeding 98%. The proposed approach holds significant application value for data monitoring and anomaly tracking in power systems.

Constraining the gas mass of Herbig disks using CO isotopologues

Context. The total disk mass sets the formation potential for exoplanets. Obtaining the disk mass is however not an easy feat, as one needs to consider the optical thickness, temperature, photodissociation, and freeze-out of potential mass tracers. Carbon-monoxide (CO) has been used as a gas mass tracer in T Tauri disks, but was found to be less abundant than expected due to the freeze-out and chemical conversion of CO on the surfaces of cold dust grains. The disks around more massive intermediate mass pre-main sequence stars called Herbig disks are likely to be warmer, allowing for the possibility of using CO as a more effective total gas mass tracer. Aims. This work aims to obtain the gas mass and size of Herbig disks observed with ALMA and compare these to previous works on T Tauri disks and debris disks. Methods. Using ALMA archival data and new NOEMA data of 12CO, 13CO, and C 18O transitions of 35 Herbig disks within 450 pc, the masses were determined using the thermo-chemical code Dust And Lines (DALI). A grid of models was run spanning five orders of magnitude in disk mass, for which the model CO line luminosities could be linked to the observed luminosities. Survival analysis was used to obtain cumulative distributions of the resulting disk masses. These were compared with dust masses from previous work to obtain gas-to-dust ratios for each disk. In addition, radii for all three isotopologues were obtained. Results. The majority of Herbig disks for which 13CO and C18O were detected are optically thick in both. For these disks, the line flux essentially only traces the disk size and only lower limits to the mass can be obtained. Computing the gas mass using a simple optically thin relation between line flux and column density results in an underestimate of the gas mass of at least an order of magnitude compared to the masses obtained with DALI. The inferred gas masses with DALI are consistent with a gas-to-dust ratio of at least 100. These gas-to-dust ratios are two orders of magnitude higher compared to those found for T Tauri disks using similar techniques, even over multiple orders of magnitude in dust mass, illustrating the importance of the chemical conversion of CO in colder T Tauri disks. Similar high gas-to-dust ratios are found for Herbig group I and II disks. Since group II disks have dust masses comparable to T Tauri disks, their higher CO gas masses illustrate the determining role of temperature. Compared to debris disks, Herbig disks have gas masses higher by four orders of magnitude. At least one Herbig disk, HD 163296, has a detected molecular disk wind, but our investigation has not turned up other detections of the CO disk wind in spite of similar sensitivities. Conclusions. Herbig disks are consistent with a gas-to-dust ratio of at least 100 over multiple orders of magnitude in dust mass. This indicates a fundamental difference between CO emission from Herbig disks and T Tauri disks, which is likely linked to the warmer temperature of the Herbig disks.

ANALYSIS OF APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF LIMITS OF SEQUENCES AND FUNCTIONS AND THE USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Article analyzes approaches to the study of limits of sequences and functions and the use of information technologies. The theorem on the limit of an intermediate sequence is of great importance when investigating the convergence of sequences and when calculating the limits of sequences. It is developed an algorithm for applying this theorem that is illustrated with examples. An example of calculating the limit of a function with a geometric interpretation of the obtained result is considered. The possibility of completing the calculation of limits at infinity, using the program code written by the author in the LaTeX programming language, is considered.

Mammalian autophagosomes form from finger-like phagophores

The sequence of morphological intermediates that leads to mammalian autophagosome formation and closure is a crucial yet poorly understood issue. Previous studies have shown that yeast autophagosomes evolve from cup-shaped phagophores with only one closure point, and mammalian studies have inferred that mammalian phagophores also have single openings. Our superresolution microscopy studies in different human cell lines in conditions of basal and nutrient-deprivation-induced autophagy identified autophagosome precursors with multifocal origins that evolved into unexpected finger-like phagophores with multiple openings before becoming more spherical structures. Compatible phagophore structures were observed with whole-mount and conventional electron microscopy. This sequence of events was visualized using advanced SIM2 superresolution live microscopy. The finger-shaped phagophore apertures remained open when ESCRT function was compromised. The efficient closure of autophagic structures is important for their release from the recycling endosome. This has important implications for understanding how autophagosomes form and capture various cargoes.

Transient 2D IR Spectroscopy and Multiscale Simulations Reveal Vibrational Couplings in the Cyanobacteriochrome Slr1393-g3.

Cyanobacteriochromes are bistable photoreceptor proteins with desirable photochemical properties for biotechnological applications, such as optogenetics or fluorescence microscopy. Here, we investigate Slr1393-g3, a cyanobacteriochrome that reversibly photoswitches between a red-absorbing (Pr) and green-absorbing (Pg) form. We applied advanced IR spectroscopic methods to track the sequence of intermediates during the photocycle over many orders of magnitude in time. In the conversion from Pg to Pr, we have revealed a new intermediate with distinct spectroscopic features in the IR, which precedes Pr formation using transient IR spectroscopy. In addition, stationary and transient 2D IR experiments measured the vibrational couplings between different groups of the chromophore and the protein in these intermediate states, as well as their structural disorder. Anharmonic QM/MM calculations predict spectra in good agreement with experimental 2D IR spectra of the initial and final states of the photocycle. They facilitate the assignment of the IR spectra that serve as a basis for the interpretation of the spectroscopic results and suggest structural changes of the intermediates along the photocycle.

Layout Generation as Intermediate Action Sequence Prediction

Layout Generation as Intermediate Action Sequence Prediction

Computational and Experimental Determination of the Properties, Structure, and Stability of Peptoid Nanosheets and Nanotubes.

Peptoids (N-substituted glycines) are a group of highly controllable peptidomimetic polymers. Amphiphilic diblock peptoids have been engineered to assemble crystalline nanospheres, nanofibrils, nanosheets, and nanotubes with biochemical, biomedical, and bioengineering applications. The mechanical properties of peptoid nanoaggregates and their relationship to the emergent self-assembled morphologies have been relatively unexplored and are critical for the rational design of peptoid nanomaterials. In this work, we consider a family of amphiphilic diblock peptoids consisting of a prototypical tube-former (Nbrpm6Nc6, a NH2-capped hydrophobic block of six N-((4-bromophenyl)methyl)glycine residues conjugated to a polar NH3(CH2)5CO tail), a prototypical sheet-former (Nbrpe6Nc6, where the hydrophobic block comprises six N-((4-bromophenyl)ethyl)glycine residues), and an intermediate sequence that forms mixed structures ((NbrpeNbrpm)3Nc6). We combine all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and atomic force microscopy to determine the mechanical properties of the self-assembled 2D crystalline nanosheets and relate these properties to the observed self-assembled morphologies. We find good agreement between our computational predictions and experimental measurements of Young's modulus of crystalline nanosheets. A computational analysis of the bending modulus along the two axes of the planar crystalline nanosheets reveals bending to be more favorable along the axis in which the peptoids stack by interdigitation of the side chains compared to that in which they form columnar crystals with π-stacked side chains. We construct molecular models of nanotubes of the Nbrpm6Nc6 tube-forming peptoid and predict a stability optimum in good agreement with experimental measurements. A theoretical model of nanotube stability suggests that this optimum is a free energy minimum corresponding to a "Goldilocks" tube radius at which capillary wave fluctuations in the tube wall are minimized.

Alternative oxidase 1a and 1d enable metabolic flexibility during Ala catabolism in Arabidopsis.

Ala is a central metabolite in leaf cells whose abundance is related to pyruvate (Pyr) metabolism and nocturnal respiration rates. Exposure of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaf disks to certain exogenous amino acids including Ala led to substantial increases in nighttime respiration rates as well as increases in alternative oxidase (AOX) 1d transcript and protein levels. During Ala treatment, AOX1d accumulation, but not AOX1a accumulation, was dependent upon the catabolism of Ala. Complete loss of AOX expression in aox1a aox1d leaf disks did not significantly affect oxygen consumption rates (OCR) under Ala treatment, indicating that AOX capacity per se was not essential for respiratory stimulation by Ala. Rather, Ala treatments caused induction of select antioxidant mechanisms in leaf disks, including a large increase of the ascorbate pool, which was substantially more oxidized in aox1a aox1d leaf disks. Furthermore, we observed differences in the accumulation of a sequence of TCA cycle intermediates from Pyr to 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) in wild type (WT) upon Ala treatment that did not occur in aox1a aox1d leaf disks. The results indicate that AOX induction during enhanced Ala catabolism in leaves mediates mitochondrial redox status, allowing greater metabolic flexibility in mitochondrial organic acid metabolism.

Parallel symbolic aggregate approximation and its application in intelligent fault diagnosis

Fault diagnosis is of great significance for industrial equipment maintenance, and feature extraction is a key step of the entire diagnosis scheme. The symbolic aggregate approximation (SAX) is a popular feature extraction approach with great potential recently. In spite of the achievements the SAX has made, the adverse information aliasing still exists in its calculation procedure, and it may make the SAX fail to guarantee the information correctness. This work focuses on analyzing the information aliasing phenomenon of the SAX, followed by developing a novel alternative method, i.e. parallel symbolic aggregate approximation (PSAX). In the proposed PSAX, the information aliasing is suppressed by designing anti-aliasing procedure, and the average of the symbolic results of several intermediate sequence is adopted to replace the final symbolic result. The Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) rolling bearing data together with the gas valve data of an actual reciprocating compressor assist in verifying the superiority exhibited by the suggested method. The experimental results show that, compared with other methods, the accuracy advantage of the PSAX on the 2 datasets can reach 1% –5%, indicating it is capable of providing high-quality feature vector for intelligent fault diagnosis.

Teaching Diversity and Inclusion: Examples from a French-Speaking Classroom by E. Nicole Meyer, and Eilene Hoft-March

Reviewed by: Teaching Diversity and Inclusion: Examples from a French-Speaking Classroom by E. Nicole Meyer, and Eilene Hoft-March Jessica L. Sturm Meyer, E. Nicole, and Eilene Hoft-March. Teaching Diversity and Inclusion: Examples from a French-Speaking Classroom. Routledge, 2022. Pp. 199. ISBN: 978-0-367-64827-5. Diversity and inclusion are essential to education, particularly language and culture, both as policy and as course content. I am not certain it is possible to cover all aspects of diversity and inclusion in one text, but I believe the editors and the authors of the included chapters have done a remarkable job in the attempt (and I cannot imagine what they might have omitted). The 17 chapters of the three sections of Teaching Diversity and Inclusion work to de-center the traditional White, male, cis-gender, heterosexual, neurotypical, physically able experience that has dominated society (and education) for so long. Section I, "Unscripting and Claiming Identities," focuses on creating a classroom atmosphere where students can learn safely regardless of their personal characteristics. As Kris Aric Knisely writes in chapter 2, "we cannot separate language from the people using, doing, and continually (re)shaping the language" (22). The four chapters of Section I provide guidance for the language teacher to consider queerness, gender identity, differences of physical ability, and race in the classroom. Section II, "Inclusively Speaking," gives concrete suggestions for building course curricula that are inclusive of sex, gender identity, learning differences, la Francophonie, and French language culture beyond France. For example, in chapter 8, Jessica S. Miller describes the process of re-designing the beginning and intermediate French language sequence at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to "transform the way […] students view the French-speaking world from a singular entity to a complex amalgam" (88). In Section III, "Embracing Cultures/Extending Contexts," the spotlight shifts from the language classroom to literature and culture courses. These seven chapters document courses on topics such as the Francospheres of Latin America, global foodways, hip-hop culture, and post-Holocaust writing. Each chapter of this important text provides teachers with tools for creating an inclusive classroom as well as plenty of food for thought on the vast dimensions of diversity and inclusions that are so crucial to a 21st century education. Teaching Diversity and Inclusion is an important reference that should be on every teacher's shelf (French or other languages) and should serve as a reference point for those developing new language textbooks and curricula. The text could be an excellent supplementary material for methodology classes but is equally useful for the veteran instructor at any level. As the world changes and we become more aware of previously-ignored needs for inclusivity, the authors and editors of this text have provided us a clear roadmap into the future of French (or any language) classrooms. [End Page 260] Jessica L. Sturm Purdue University (IN) Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French

Taxonomically Restricted Genes in Bacillus may Form Clusters of Homologs and Can be Traced to a Large Reservoir of Noncoding Sequences.

Taxonomically restricted genes (TRGs) are unique for a defined group of organisms and may act as potential genetic determinants of lineage-specific, biological properties. Here, we explore the TRGs of highly diverse and economically important Bacillus bacteria by examining commonly used TRG identification parameters and data sources. We show the significant effects of sequence similarity thresholds, composition, and the size of the reference database in the identification process. Subsequently, we applied stringent TRG search parameters and expanded the identification procedure by incorporating an analysis of noncoding and non-syntenic regions of non-Bacillus genomes. A multiplex annotation procedure minimized the number of false-positive TRG predictions and showed nearly one-third of the alleged TRGs could be mapped to genes missed in genome annotations. We traced the putative origin of TRGs by identifying homologous, noncoding genomic regions in non-Bacillus species and detected sequence changes that could transform these regions into protein-coding genes. In addition, our analysis indicated that Bacillus TRGs represent a specific group of genes mostly showing intermediate sequence properties between genes that are conserved across multiple taxa and nonannotated peptides encoded by open reading frames.

Remote Sensing for Analyzing Forested Landscape Structure and Land-Use Histories in Guyana’s Bauxite Mining Landscapes

Monitoring secondary forest regrowth is a priority in forest restoration strategies. A site history helps in understanding the present status of natural regeneration in the three landscapes impacted by bauxite mining. Nonetheless, high rainfall in bauxite residue storage areas can facilitate natural regeneration of forest. This research analyzed the natural regeneration of forest after thirty years of different land use histories at three bauxite mining areas of the Upper Demerara—Berbice region of Guyana. There are no man made forest plantations in the three landscapes being reviewed. The methodology included: 1) the selection of three sampling landscapes with different land use histories 2) the generation Land Use/Land Cover maps using KMeans unsupervised classification of satellite images in each landscape and 3) the assessment of landscape structure of the land cover classes for year 2020 at class and landscape level using landscape metrics. The assessment of landscape structure of the land cover classes was carried-out with landscape metrics for the comparisons at class and landscape level. Principal component analysis enables the identification of main patterns among landscape-level metrics and land cover classes. Discriminant classification of the landscape classes was analyzed with the different metrics. The results suggest that Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and KMeans unsupervised classification can be used to evaluate the difference in natural forest regeneration among landscapes with differing land use histories. The landscape metrics revealed secondary stages of forest succession. The Landscape Shape Index and Edge Density were the most significant for landscape differentiation. The result of the various land uses reveals a mosaic of early, intermediate, and late successional sequences.

A refined Weissman estimator for extreme quantiles

Weissman extrapolation methodology for estimating extreme quantiles from heavy-tailed distributions is based on two estimators: an order statistic to estimate an intermediate quantile and an estimator of the tail-index. The common practice is to select the same intermediate sequence for both estimators. In this work, we show how an adapted choice of two different intermediate sequences leads to a reduction of the asymptotic bias associated with the resulting refined Weissman estimator. The asymptotic normality of the latter estimator is established and a data-driven method is introduced for the practical selection of the intermediate sequences. Our approach is compared to the Weissman estimator and to six bias reduced estimators of extreme quantiles on a large scale simulation study. It appears that the refined Weissman estimator outperforms its competitors in a wide variety of situations, especially in the challenging high bias cases. Finally, an illustration on an actuarial real data set is provided.