Classification of red grapes according to their state of ripeness using a low-cost multispectral device

[ES] El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la idoneidad de un sensor multiespectral de bajo costo para la determinación del estado de maduración de uvas tintas. El dispositivo propuesto se basa en un sensor multiespectral, con 18 bandas de detección en el rango entre los 410 y los 940 nm. La recogida de muestras se llevó a cabo en un viñedo comercial situado en Rociana del Condado, Huelva. El dispositivo propuesto se utilizó para adquirir la respuesta espectral de 80 racimos de uva en condiciones de laboratorio. Tras esto, cada una de las muestras fue analizada mediante métodos estándar de laboratorio para obtener indicadores objetivos de su estado de maduración (sólidos solubles totales y acidez). Los 18 valores de reflectancia ofrecidos por el sensor fueron usados como datos de entrada para entrenar redes neuronales artificiales para la clasificación de las muestras de uva en función de los parámetros objetivo. Los resultados obtenidos fueron prometedores, lo cual allana el camino hacia la implementación de un sistema para la monitorización del estado de maduración de uvas asequible para los vinicultores.[EN] The present work aims to evaluate a low-cost multispectral device for non-destructive grape ripening status assessment. The proposed device is based on a multispectral sensor, with a spectral response of 18 channels in a range from 410 to 940 nm. The experimental validation was carried out in a commercial vineyard in Rociana del Condado, Huelva. The proposed device was used to analyze 80 grape samples under laboratory conditions. After being processed with the proposed device the grape samples were analyzed with standard chemical methods to generate ground truth values of ripening status indicators (solid soluble content, and acidity). The 18-reflectance data corresponding to the spectral channels of the employed sensor, were used as input variables for developing artificial neural network models to classify the berries samples based on the mentioned ripeness indicators. The obtained results were promising, which paves the way for the implementation of a portable grape ripening appraisal system affordable for grape growers

Genetic components for fodder yield and agronomic characters in maize lines

In maize hybrid development, it is essential to know the parent’s performance per se in different environments as well as the genetic base in populations in order to facilitate selection of superior lines. The objective of this work was to estimate the genetic variance and heritability while assessing agronomic behavior in 237 maize fodder lines featuring different inbred levels and origin in two different locations. Traits such as plant height, cob height, stem diameter, and fodder yield were taken. A combined variance analysis was carried out using this information. The variable mean squares showing significant differences were used to estimate the genetic variance components. Significant differences were observed (p ≤ 0.01) for the line variation source and location × line interaction in all assessed characteristics. The genetic parameter estimation provided information on the existing genetic variance and heritability among the population which is important for the progress of the selection process. Lines CLWN701, CLWN345, CML476, CML216, CLWQ232, and CML 528 measured 74.8, 72.2, 67.7, 65.8, 63.8 and 62.5 t ha-1 , respectively showed the highest yield potential for green fodder

Ground/space, passive/active remote sensing observations coupled with particle dispersion modelling to understand the inter-continental transport of wildfire smoke plumes

During the 2017 record-breaking burning season in Canada/United States, intense wild fires raged during the first week of September in the Pacific northwestern region (British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and northern California) burning mostly temperate coniferous forests. The heavy loads of smoke particles emitted in the atmosphere reached the Iberian Peninsula (IP) a few days later on 7 and 8 September. Satellite imagery allows to identify two main smoke clouds emitted during two different periods that were injected and transported in the atmosphere at several altitude levels. Columnar properties on 7 and 8 September at two Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) mid-altitude, background sites in northern and southern Spain are: aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 440 nm up to 0.62, Ångström exponent of 1.6–1.7, large dominance of small particles (fine mode fraction >0.88), low absorption AOD at 440 nm (0.98). Profiles from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) show the presence of smoke particles in the stratosphere during the transport, whereas the smoke is only observed in the troposphere at its arrival over the IP. Portuguese and Spanish ground lidar stations from the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network/Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network (EARLINET/ACTRIS) and the Micro-Pulse Lidar NETwork (MPLNET) reveal smoke plumes with different properties: particle depolarization ratio and color ratio, respectively, of 0.05 and 2.5 in the mid troposphere (5–9 km) and of 0.10 and 3.0 in the upper troposphere (10–13 km). In the mid troposphere the particle depolarization ratio does not seem time-dependent during the transport whereas the color ratio seems to increase (larger particles sediment first). To analyze the horizontal and vertical transport of the smoke from its origin to the IP, particle dispersion modelling is performed with the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT) parameterized with satellite-derived biomass burning emission estimates from the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). Three compounds are simulated: carbon monoxide, black carbon and organic carbon. The results show that the first smoke plume which travels slowly reaches rapidly (~1 day) the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) but also shows evidence of large scale horizontal dispersion, while the second plume, entrained by strong subtropical jets, reaches the upper troposphere much slower (~2.5 days). Observations and dispersion modelling all together suggest that particle depolarization properties are enhanced during their vertical transport from the mid to the upper troposphere.Spanish groups acknowledge the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) (ref. CGL2013-45410-R, CGL2014-52877-R, CGL2014-55230-R, TEC2015-63832-P, CGL2015-73250-JIN, CGL2016-81092-R and CGL2017-85344-R)European Union through H2020 programme ACTRIS-2, grant 654109European Union through H2020 programme EUNADICS-AV, grant 723986European Union through H2020 programme GRASP-ACE, grant 77834

Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

Control borroso multivariable basado en heurística. un caso práctico: grúa porta contenedores

Resumen: En este trabajo se presenta el diseño de un controlador borroso basado en heurística: conocimiento de la planta e incorporación del conocimiento de un experto (gruísta), que permite automatizar el proceso de carga de contenedores hacia barcos. La planta (grúa porta-contenedores) es un sistema no lineal complejo que, respecto de su control borroso, se configura como un sistema multivariable con 2 variables de entrada y 5 de salida. La ventaja de esta metodología de diseño es que no se necesita disponer del modelo de la planta. Las simulaciones muestran que el funcionamiento del sistema en lazo cerrado es satisfactorio. Palabras clave: control borroso, grúa porta-contenedores, heurística, experto, sistema no linea

A high-flexibility DC load for fuel cell and solar arrays power sources based on DC-DC converters

In this paper, a flexible DC load to test and evaluate current-voltage characteristics of fuel cells stacks and photovoltaic modules based on DC-DC converters is proposed. The load features are simple structure, scalability, low cost, and its possibility to emulate an arbitrary load profile. The measure of the desired characteristics of fuel cells and photovoltaic modules further includes high speed of response and high fidelity. A comparison between conventional methods and the proposed one is also provided. Experimental results show the usefulness of the DC load proposed.Fuel cell Photovoltaic generator V-I characteristics DC-DC converters

Los jóvenes del norte y sur de México en inactividad laboral y educativa: niveles y factores asociados

Los objetivos de este trabajo son comparar el nivel y la composición de la población joven que no estudia ni trabaja en el norte y el pacífico sur de México, así como analizar los principales factores sociodemográficos y contextuales asociados al estado de completa inactividad entre los jóvenes o a la opción de dedicarse al hogar entre las adolescentes.Como fuentes se utilizaron los microdatos de los censos de población 2000 y 2010 de México. Entre los hallazgos del análisis descriptivo destacó la disminución relativa de los jóvenes en completa inactividad , a la par que se registró un drástico aumento del desempleo en los hombres y un incremento del trabajo doméstico en las mujeres, en particular en la frontera norte. El análisis multivariado de la inactividad juvenil y de la actividad doméstica femenina en la adolescencia confirmó la desigualdad de oportunidades que enfrentan los jóvenes del norte y el pacífico sur, no solo en lo referente al capital humano, económico y cultural de sus familias, sino en cuanto a la estructura de oportunidades laborales y educativas de los municipios de origen

Pathology in practice

4 páginas.Funded by CEU Universidad Cardenal Herrera (IDOC-1610). Analyses were performed with a slide scanner purchased with European Union funds (FEDER Programme: PO FEDER 2007-2013)

Specific nanoprobe design for MRI: targeting laminin in the blood-brain barrier to follow alteration due to neuroinflammation

Chronic neuroinflammation is characterized by increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, leading to molecular changes in the central nervous system that can be explored with biomarkers of active neuroinflammatory processes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has contributed to detecting lesions and permeability of the BBB. Ultra-small superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO) are used as contrast agents to improve MRI observations. Therefore, we validate the interaction of peptide-88 with laminin, vectorized on USPIO, to explore BBB molecular alterations occurring during neuroinflammation as a potential tool for use in MRI. The specific labeling of NPS-P88 was verified in endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) and astrocytes (T98G) under inflammation induced by interleukin 1β (IL-1β) for 3 and 24 hours. IL-1β for 3 hours in hCMEC/D3 cells increased their co-localization with NPS-P88, compared with controls. At 24 hours, no significant differences were observed between groups. In T98G cells, NPS-P88 showed similar nonspecific labeling among treatments. These results indicate that NPS-P88 has a higher affinity towards brain endothelial cells than astrocytes under inflammation. This affinity decreases over time with reduced laminin expression. In vivo results suggest that following a 30-minute post-injection, there is an increased presence of NPS-P88 in the blood and brain, diminishing over time. Lastly, EAE animals displayed a significant accumulation of NPS-P88 in MRI, primarily in the cortex, attributed to inflammation and disruption of the BBB. Altogether, these results revealed NPS-P88 as a biomarker to evaluate changes in the BBB due to neuroinflammation by MRI in biological models targeting laminin