Situational-Context for Virtually Modeling the Elderly

The generalized aging of the population is incrementing the pressure over, frequently overextended, healthcare systems. This situations is even worse in underdeveloped, sparsely populated regions like Extremadura in Spain or Alentejo in Portugal. In this paper we propose an initial approach to use the Situational-Context, a technique to seamlessly adapt Internet of Things systems to the needs and preferences of their users, for virtually modeling the elderly. These models could be used to enhance the elderly experience when using those kind of systems without raising the need for technical skills. The proposed virtual models will also be the basis for further eldercare innovations in sparsely populated regions

Nonstationary spatiotemporal Bayesian data fusion for pollutants in the near‐road environment

Concentrations of near‐road air pollutants (NRAPs) have increased to very high levels in many urban centers around the world, particularly in developing countries. The adverse health effects of exposure to NRAPs are greater when the exposure occurs in the near‐road environment as compared to background levels of pollutant concentration. Therefore, there is increasing interest in monitoring pollutant concentrations in the near‐road environment. However, due to various practical limitations, monitoring pollutant concentrations near roadways and traffic sources is generally rather difficult and expensive. As an alternative, various deterministic computer models that provide predictions of pollutant concentrations in the near‐road environment, such as the research line‐source dispersion model (RLINE), have been developed. A common feature of these models is that their outputs typically display systematic biases and need to be calibrated in space and time using observed pollutant data. In this paper, we present a nonstationary Bayesian data fusion model that uses a novel data set on monitored pollutant concentrations (nitrogen oxides or NOx and fine particulate matter or PM2.5) in the near‐road environment and, combining it with the RLINE model output, provides predictions at unsampled locations. The model can also be used to evaluate whether including the RLINE model output leads to improved pollutant concentration predictions and whether the RLINE model output captures the spatial dependence structure of NRAP concentrations in the near‐road environment. A defining characteristic of the proposed model is that we model the nonstationarity in the pollutant concentrations by using a recently developed approach that includes covariates, postulated to be the driving force behind the nonstationary behavior, in the covariance function.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151876/1/env2581.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151876/2/env2581_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151876/3/ENV_2581-Supp-0001-BDF_supp_material.pd

Variación radial de la anatomía, densidad y durabilidad de la madera de teca (Tectona grandis) procedente de dos calidades de sitio y dos regiones climáticas de Costa Rica

The objective of this study was to show the radial variation of some anatomic characteristics, wood density and natural durability of teak (Tectona grandis L.F.) growing in Costa Rica. Samples of trees 13 years old were obtained from two growing sites (high and low growing) of plantations established in a humid tropical climate (CHT) and dry tropical climate (CST). The variables measured of the fibers as well as for the rays were not affected by the climate or the type of growing site, except for the length of the fibers. The fibers of teak wood from the best growing site were significantly larger. Vessels were found with a greater frequency for the CST but mostly solitary in comparison with the CHAverage density, maximum density and the variation within the ring presented a light higher magnitude for the CSThe quality of the growing site did not affect these variables. The resistance of fungus attack was similar in the area of heartwood near the pith compared to the heartwood near the sapwood for all the conditions evaluated. Nevertheless, it was observed in some trees a similar resistance of fungus attack for areas of sapwood compared to similar areas of heartwood.Con el objetivo de mostrar la variación radial de las características anatómicas, de densidad normal y de durabilidad natural de la madera de Tectona grandis L.f. creciendo en Costa Rica, se muestrearon plantaciones de 13 años procedentes de dos regiones con clima diferente: clima húmedo tropical (CHT) y clima seco tropical (CST). En cada una de ellas se analizaron dos tipos de sitios con diferente fertilidad: bueno (SB) y malo (SM). Se encontró que las fibras y los radios no fueran afectados por el tipo de clima o calidad de sitio, a excepción de la longitud de la fibra que sí fue afectada. Se encontró que CST produce mayor frecuencia de vasos, pero en su mayoría solitarios en relación al CHT, la densidad normal promedio, máxima y su variación dentro del anillo, presentan magnitudes mayores en CST que CSH. La calidad de sitio no afectó estas variables. La resistencia al ataque de hongos fue similar en el duramen próximo a la médula y el duramen próximo a la albura para los dos tipos de clima y las calidades de sitio. No obstante, se observó que en algunos árboles la resistencia al ataque de los hongos del duramen fue similar a la albura

Desarrollo y aplicacion de PCR multiple para la deteccion simultanea de tres virus de ADN en camote (Ipomoea batatas L.)

El virus colusivo del camote (SPCV, genero Cavemovirus), el virus del aclaramiento de venas del camote (SPVC, genero Solendovirus) y el virus del enrollamiento de hojas del camote (SPLCV, genero Begomovirus) son virus con genoma de ADN, presentes en el camote en infecciones virales simples o multliples. La identificacion y deteccion de estos virus es complicada, ya que con frecuencia son asintomaticos y estan en concentraciones bajas en las plantas de camote. Se desarrollo una PCR multiple (mPCR) con el objetivo de lograr la deteccion simultanea de SPVC, SPVCV y SPLCV (y Begomovirus relacionados); para ellos se seleccionaron cebadores especificos para SPCV y SPVCV, y se utilizaron cebadores degenerados para Begomovirus (desarrollados por Li et al. 2004). Para la optimizacion de parametros se usaron plantas de camote con infecciones simples y mixtas. Se optimizo la concentracion de cebadores (0,1-0, 3uM), MgCl2 (2,5-8,0mM), dNTPs (0.2-0.8 mM), Taq-polimerasa (2-4U), parametros en el termociclador (temperatura de hibridacion de 48-62 oC y el numero de ciclos de 29-35), y la cantidad de acidos nucleidos (50-300 ng). Para validar le mPCR se uso plantas de camote de una coleccion de germplasma in vitro que estaban infectados con los virus en estudio y fueron confirmados por clonacion y secuenciamiento de las amplificaciones obtenidas. Los pares de cebadores especificos seleccionados para cada virus pudieron amplificar fragmentos de ADN en tamanos esperados, a una concentracion final de 0.16 uM para cebadores de SPCV y SPVCV, y 0.2uM para SPLCV. Ademas la concentracion de ADN adecuada esta entre 50-100 ng, con 30 ciclos termicos y 53 oC de temperatura de hibridacion. Este ensayo demostro ser simple, sensible y confiable para el diagnostico de rutina de SPCV, SPVCV y SPLCV (y Begomovirus relacionados). El ensayo de mPCR sera util para programas de cuarentena, como un metodos rapido y rentable para un gran numero de muestras

Mejoramiento en la eficiencia del proceso de secado convencional y homogenización en el color de la Albura y el Duramen en madera de Teca (Tectona grandis L.) (Documento I)

Informe final de Proyecto de Investigación. Código: 5401-1401-1030Different drying schedules were investigated to decrease drying time of Tectona grandis L. wood from juvenile plantations, using the drying rate (DR) to reduce time. The DR value was 20% per day during the first stages and by the time the wood reached 30% of moisture content (MC), the DR remained in 8% per day until the end of drying. The initial moisture content (MCi) ranged between 92 and 115%, MCi was affected by grain pattern and heartwood percentage. The final moisture content (MCf) differed in 2.0% in relation to the MC targeted for this study. Drying time can be reduced from 140 hours to 105 hours, maintaining DR conditions and saving 33% of energy consumption. DR is affected by moisture content and drying time and this behavior can be modeled mathematically by the equation Y = a*t + b. In these relations, the factors with greatest influence were dry-bulb temperature and wet-bulb depression. Both relations show an inflexion point in the relation DR-MC, 80% in fast drying schedule and 40% in slow drying schedule. This MC indicates the point where the DR must be changed

Discordant Supramolecular Fibres Reversibly Depolymerised by Temperature and Light

Synthetic stimuli responsive supramolecular polymers attract increasing interest for their ability to mimic the unique properties of natural assemblies. Here we focus on the well-studied benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) motif, and substitute it with two (S)-3,7-dimethyloctyl groups and an azobenzene photoswitch. We demonstrate the UV (λ=365 nm) induced depolymerisation of the helical hydrogen-bonded polymers in methylcyclohexane (MCH) through circular dichroism and UV-vis spectroscopy in dilute solution (15 μm), and NMR and iPAINT super-resolution microscopy in concentrated solution (300 μm). The superstructure can be regenerated after thermal depolymerization, whilst repeated depolymerisation can be reversed without degradation by irradiating at λ=455 nm. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the most energetically favourable configuration for these polymers in MCH is a left-handed helical network of hydrogen-bonds between the BTA cores surrounded by two right-handed helices of azobenzenes. The responsiveness to two orthogonal triggers across a broad concentration range holds promise for use in, for example, photo-responsive gelation

Simultaneous laser-driven x-ray and two-photon fluorescence imaging of atomizing sprays

In this Letter, we report for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the possibility of visualizing an atomizing spray by simultaneously recording x-ray absorption and two-photon laser-induced fluorescence imaging. This unique illumination/detection scheme is made possible due to the use of soft x rays emitted from a laser-driven x-ray source. An 800 mJ laser pulse of 38 fs duration is used to generate an x-ray beam with up to 4 × 108 photons ranging from 1 to 10 keV, allowing projection radiography of water jets generated by an automotive port fuel injector. In addition, a fraction of the laser pulse (∼10mJ) is employed to form a light sheet and to induce two-photon fluorescence in a dye added to the water. The resulting high-contrast fluorescence images provide fine details of the spray structure, with reduced blur from multiple light scattering, while the integrated liquid mass is extracted from the x-ray radiography. In this proof of principle, we show that the combination of these two highly complementary techniques, in both the visible and soft x-ray regimes, is very promising for future characterization of challenging spray, as well as for further understanding of the physics of liquid atomization