The potential of geospatial technology for monitoring peatland environments

There have been significant advances in the spectral and spatial resolution of data collected from spaceborne, airborne and terrestrial based geospatial technologies over the past 20 years. In sensitive peatland ecosystems, the non-intrusive application of these technologies offers great potential to improve vegetation monitoring and topographical mapping. This paper discusses the potential of geospatial technologies for monitoring vegetation, mapping natural erosion features and assessing artificial drainage with reference to two peatland sites in England. Earth Observation (EO) data can now provide colour imagery with spatial resolution comparable to conventional aerial photography. Enhanced spectral resolution of spaceborne sensors has also increased the accuracy of automated image classification for bog vegetation and EO data may challenge the relevance of conventional aerial photography in landscape-scale assessment. Ultra-high resolution data achievable from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) technologies are providing unprecedented levels of detail from remote sensing. UAV imagery now provides the possibility of identifying individual plants which greatly increases a researcher’s ability to map vegetation from aerial imagery. UAV derived elevation data, combined with the capability of TLS, provide enhanced resolution of gully and artificial drain morphology compared to airborne LiDAR and allow a new approach for quantifying erosion. These technologies provide opportunities to extend traditional surveys over far larger areas than was previously possible and can assist both in targeting areas for future restoration and in monitoring of subsequent change. Traditional survey methods will however maintain an important role in assessing many aspects of peatlands, as they not only provide information to verify remotely sensed data, but are currently the only method that can ‘see’ underneath peatland vegetation

Enhanced quench propagation in 2G-HTS coils co-wound with stainless steel or anodised aluminium tapes

Early quench detection and thermal stability of superconducting coils are of great relevance for practical applications. Magnets made with second generation high temperature superconducting (2G-HTS) tapes present low quench propagation velocities and therefore slow voltage development and high local temperature rises, which may cause irreversible damage. Since quench propagation depends on the anisotropy of the thermal conductivity, this may be used to achieve an improvement of the thermal stability and robustness of 2G-HTS coils. On pancake type coils, the thermal conductivity along the tapes (coil's azimuthal direction) is mostly fixed by the 2G-HTS tape characteristics, so that the reduction of anisotropy relies on the improvement of the radial thermal conductivity, which depends on the used materials between superconducting tapes, as well as on the winding and impregnation processes. In this contribution, we have explored two possibilities for such anisotropy reduction: by using anodised aluminium or stainless steel tapes co-wound with the 2G-HTS tapes. For all the analysed coils, critical current distribution, minimum quench energy values and both tangential and radial quench propagation velocities at different temperatures and currents are reported and compared with the results of similar coils co-wound with polyimide (Kapton®) tapes.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and the European FEDER Program (Projects MAT2011-22719 and ENE-2014-52105-R), and by the Gobierno de Aragón (research group T12).Peer reviewe

Socio-Economic Status, Territory and Political Participation in Twenty-First-Century Mexico

This article is built on the reflections that the authors have had during their latest research on political participation in several municipalities of Mexico. Thus, based on the ethnographies conducted between 2006 and 2016, mainly in the town of Xico (Veracruz state), we set up as analyzing unities specific political interactions (including patronizing) among Mexican citizens within the five types recognized by Social Sciences: voting, campaigning, contacting political officials, working on public affairs and talking about politics. On this basis, we explore the articulation of the aforementioned interactions and, more specifically, of the roles adopted by the interacting citizens as identity markers linking these people in a highlighted way with a series of socio?economic and socio?territorial features, dimensions that, ultimately, turn out inseparable from the existing power relations in the local societies. In conclusion, we are of the opinion that, together with indicators of income, education, professional category or living nearby territory, it can be affirmed that the political behavior in Mexico is shown as both socio?economic indicator and socio?territorial belonging not because parties represent interests of class, but because there are well defined spheres of political behavior depending on the socio?economic stratum and the socio?territorial belonging of the individual

Transglutaminase-catalyzed preparation of chitosan-ovalbumin films

Microbial transglutaminase was employed as catalyst for preparing chitosan–ovalbumin films. The films showed low solubility at a wide range of pH and underwent to a good enzymatic hydrolysis with trypsin. The degree of swelling was reduced and the mechanical resistance of the chitosan–ovalbumin films increased from 24 to 35MPa after enzymatic treatment with transglutaminase. The barrier efficiency toward water vapour was slightly improved for the films prepared by transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking

Putrescine-polysaccharide conjugate as transglutaminase substrates and their possible use in producing crosslinked films

Putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane) was covalently linked to alginate and low-methoxyl pectin to synthesize new aminated polysaccharides. Both putrescine-pectin and -alginate conjugates, although the latter at higher concentrations, were found to be able to act as effective acyl acceptor transglutaminase substrates in vitro using both dimethylated casein and soy flour proteins as acyl donors. Monodansylcadaverine, a well known acyl acceptor transglutaminase substrate, dose-dependently counteracted the covalent binding of the aminated polysaccharides to the proteins. Putrescine-pectin conjugate was also tested to prepare, in combination with soy flour proteins, edible films in the presence of purified microbial transglutaminase. Characterization of the enzymatically crosslinked films showed a significant decreased water vapor permeability, with respect to the ones obtained with non-aminated pectin in the presence of transglutaminase, as well as improved mechanical properties, such as high extensibility. Possible biotechnological applications of hydrocolloid films containing putrescine-polysaccharide derivatives enzymatically crosslinked to proteins were suggested

Atmospheric corrosion of reference metals in Antarctic sites

This paper presents the results obtained at three Antarctic test sites participating in the >Ibero-American Map of Atmospheric Corrosiveness> (MICAT), a project on atmospheric corrosion carried out during the period 1988-1994 at some 70 sites distributed across 12 countries of the Latin-American region, Spain and Portugal. The three Antarctic sites are located near the coastline. The singular climatic characteristics of Antarctic regions are related with the purity of the air, the absence of rainfall and the formation of ice on the metallic surface during an important part of the exposure time. However, electrochemical activity is possible below ice layers. This situation affects the structure and morphology of corrosion product films and the resulting corrosion rates of metallic surfaces. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer Reviewe

Chitosan-whey protein edible films produced in the absence or presence of transglutaminase: Analysis of their mechanical and barrier properties

Chitosan-whey protein edible films with different protein concentrations were prepared in the absence or presence of microbial transglutaminase as cross-linking agent. The films prepared in the presence of the enzyme showed low solubility at a wide range of pH, a lower degree of swelling, and good biodegradability following protease treatments. The presence of transglutaminase induced also an enhancement in film mechanical resistance and a reduction in their deformability. Finally, the barrier efficiency toward oxygen and carbon dioxide was found to be markedly improved in the cross-linked films which showed also a lower permeability to water vapor. Some potential practical applications of transglutaminase-treated chitosan-whey protein films are suggested