Terrestrial laser scanning technology for measuring streambank retreat along East Fork Poplar Creek and calculating the effect on mercury release.

Mercury (Hg) is a globally distributed inorganic pollutants of human concern. The high toxicity is mainly related to the capacity of Hg species to accumulate and biomagnify along aquatic food webs. Along East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC), erosion represents the principal mercury input into the local waters, eventually reaching humans through the food chain. This research project aimed to monitor streambank erosion along a mercury-contaminated creek using Light Detention and Ranging (Lidar) technology and erosion pins. A Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) was used to generate high-resolution point clouds from August 2020 to January 2021 across nine streambank locations to detect changes in soil volumes. These volumes were simultaneously monitored using erosion pins, and with the results, estimates of soil input into the creek from streambank erosion were obtained. For all the sites, the volumes of soil introduced into the EFPC for the erosion pins ranged between 0-6.29 m³ and 3.93-14.18m³ for the TLS. Using erosion estimates, bulk density measurements, and known concentrations of Hg in bank soils, estimates for the mass of Hg entering EFPC were obtained. Estimates of Hg released into the EFPC ranged between 0-11.84 kg and 0-0.4 kg for the erosion pins and TLS, respectively. Erosion pin estimates of Hg and soil introduced into EFPC were both on average of 64 times greater than those given by the TLS. Measurements obtained with the TLS can be considered more reliable than those given by the erosion pins since this new technique has more spatial coverage, higher resolution and can account for irregularities and changes within the whole streambank, compared to erosion pins which interrogate only a tiny fraction of the volume of a streambank. This assessment identified locations in EFPC where soil erosion and mercury release are highest, thereby targeting specific locations for possible future remediation actions to prevent mercury mobilization

Filtenna Integration Achieving Ideal Chebyshev Return Losses

This paper demonstrates that it is possible to find an ideal filter response (Chebyshew, Butterworth,..) considering the antenna as the last resonator of a filter under certain circumstances related with the antenna performance and the bandwidth of the filtenna device. If these circumstances are not accomplished, we can achieve excellent performance as well, by means of an iterative process the goal of which is defined by either a filter mask or a classical filter function itself. The methodology is based on the conventional coupling matrix technique for filter design and has been validated by fabricating a microstrip prototype using hairpin resonators and a rectangular patch antenna

Diffusion and Inhibition Processes in a Hollow-fiber Membrane Bioreactor for Hybridoma Culture. Development of a Mathematical Model

The performance of a hollow-fiber membrane bioreactor (HFBR) (molecular weight cut-off 30 kD, fiber surface area 2050 cm2) containing a culture of hybridoma cells has been investigated. Experimental data were used as basis to develop a model of general application. Concentrations of fundamental nutrients (glucose and glutamine), inhibitory products (ammonium and lactate), and monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against bovine lactoferrin (IgG1) were monitored over time. Exchange of nutrients and products occurred across the capillary surface, whereas cells and MAb remained in the extra-capillary space (ECS). A protein-free culture medium (Hybrimax) with and without antibiotics was used. In both cases, the final MAb concentration was the same; however, antibiotic presence slowed down the time to achieve this concentration. Diffusion assays have been carried out in order to support the development of a mathematical model that describes the performance of the HFBR, including mass transfer and reaction terms. Inhibition by ammonium and lactate has been considered in the kinetics, providing model results consistent with experimental data. Further research with other cell lines and/or culture media will allow to broaden the field of application of this model for general use in HFBR systems

Interactive effects of herbivory and substrate orientation on algal community dynamics on a coral reef

Herbivory is a significant driver of algal community dynamics on coral reefs. However, abiotic factors such as the complexity and orientation of the benthos often mediate the impact of herbivores on benthic communities. We experimentally evaluated the independent and interactive effects of substrate orientation and herbivorous fishes on algal community dynamics on a coral reef in the Florida Keys, USA. We created horizontal and vertical substrates, mimicking the trend in the reduction of vertical surfaces of coral reefs, to assess how algal communities developed either with herbivory (open areas) or without herbivory (herbivore exclosures). We found that substrate orientation was the dominant influence on macroalgal community composition. Herbivores had little impact on community development of vertical substrates as crustose algae dominated these substrates regardless of being in exclosures or open areas. In contrast, herbivores strongly impacted communities on horizontal substrates, with upright macroalgae (e.g., Dictyota spp., articulated coralline algae) dominating herbivore exclosures, while filamentous turf algae and sediment dominated open areas. Outside of exclosures, differences between vertical and horizontal substrates exposed to herbivores persisted despite similar intensity of herbivory. Our results suggest that the orientation of the reef benthos has an important impact on benthic communities. On vertical surfaces, abiotic factors may be more important for structuring algal communities while herbivory may be more important for controlling algal dynamics in flatter areas. Thus, the decline in structural complexity of Caribbean coral reefs and the flattening of reef substrates may fundamentally alter the impact that herbivores have on benthic community dynamics

Autonomy and sustainability: an integrated analysis of the development of new approaches to agrosystem management in family-based farming in carnaubais territory, Piauí, Brazil.

This paper seeks to analyze an endogenous development scheme implemented by farming families, involving innovations in the organic production of watermelons; this was a novel local initiative reflecting the creative drive of the farmers themselves, against a background marked by considerable political and institutional uncertainty. The scheme was evaluated in terms of a set of systemic properties measured by multidimensional indicators for farming systems. Data on the selected indicators were collected by field observations, monitoring of production units, and direct semi-structured interviews with farmers. In general terms, the innovations prompted improvements in the various components of extensive environmental and social sustainability, enabling a more sustainable land use through chemical, physical and biological improvements to the soil in the farming systems studied, ensuring increased incomes and the maintenance of family employment, strengthening the farmers? resources and improving their control over resources, and reducing the degree of dependency in relations between the farming unit and the broader context

Environment Characterization for Non-Recontaminating Frontier-Based Robotic Exploration

This paper addresses the problem of obtaining a concise description of a physical environment for robotic exploration. We aim to determine the number of robots required to clear an environment using non-recontaminating exploration. We introduce the medial axis as a configuration space and derive a mathematical representation of a continuous environment that captures its underlying topology and geometry. We show that this representation provides a concise description of arbitrary environments, and that reasoning about points in this representation is equivalent to reasoning about robots in physical space. We leverage this to derive a lower bound on the number of required pursuers. We provide a transformation from this continuous representation into a symbolic representation. Finally, we present a generalized pursuit-evasion algorithm. Given an environment we can compute how many pursuers we need, and generate an optimal pursuit strategy that will guarantee the evaders are detected with the minimum number of pursuers.Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Center (Future Urban Mobility Project)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Award FA9550-08-1-0159)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Award CNS-0715397)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Award CCF-0726514)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 0735953

Percepción de los escolares sobre los accidentes y las lesiones accidentales

Antecedentes/Objetivos: Las lesiones no intencionales constituyen la primera causa de muerte en la población infantil española (1-14 años) con una tasa de mortalidad de 6,5 por 100.000 niñas/os. Según datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud de 2006, la incidencia acumulada de lesiones accidentales en el último año previo a la encuesta fue de 10,6% de las/os niños entrevistadas/os, más frecuente en niños (51,4%) que en niñas (48,6%). Los accidentes se produjeron con mayor frecuencia en casa (29%), en la calle (23%) y en la escuela (22%). Pocos estudios han investigado la perspectiva de las/os niñas/os sobre las lesiones accidentales que sufren. El objetivo del estudio es explorar, describir y categorizar las percepciones de las/os niñas/os sobre las lesiones accidentales y las explicaciones de los accidentes que hayan podido experimentar. Métodos: Estudio exploratorio mediante análisis cualitativo sobre la percepción de salud de la población infantil. Los datos se obtuvieron de 6 grupos de discusión de entre 8 a 10 niños/as formados en 2006 mediante muestreo teórico intencional de niños/as de edades entre 8 y 12 años de 3º y 6º curso de primaria de colegios públicos y concertados de Alicante con los criterios de inclusión: Centro público/concertado; Zona centro o residencial/zona de clase trabajadora; Niños/niñas/grupo mixto; Tercero y Sexto de primaria. Los discursos fueron grabados, transcritos y posteriormente analizados usando el programa ATLASTI.v.4.1 y aplicando los principios de la grounded theory. Dos investigadores identificaron una estructura temática y un proceso de codificación abierta revisada por un tercero para validar el proceso y determinar las categorías y subcategorías resultantes. Resultados: Los accidentes fue un tema emergente del análisis del discurso. Se identificaron las categorías y subcategorías: Conceptualización de accidente (a. Oposición a salud, “Un niño sano no se rompe nada” b. Asociado a enfermedad “Cuando te rompes la mano o la muñeca” c. Suceso inevitable “Es algo que no se puede prevenir”) Causa y tipo de lesiones (“Por mucho que me caiga sólo me he hecho moraos”) Lugares donde se producen accidentes (a. Escuela “El patio es plano y cuando juegas al futbol algún niño se cae” b. Otros “Me hice una fisura en la calle”) Sugerencias para evitar accidentes (a. Espacios escolares “Arreglar el suelo del patio” b. Conductas personales “Tener más cuidado”). Conclusiones: La población infantil sabe identificar los accidentes como problema de salud. Los percibe como inevitables aunque propone formas de evitarlos. Ayudar a los escolares a identificar las causas de los accidentes puede eliminar su percepción de inevitabilidad y fortalecer su capacidad para afrontarlos.Escuela Valenciana de Estudios en Salud. Generalitat Valenciana 044/2006

Forest therapy can prevent and treat depression: Evidence from meta-analyses

Forest therapy involves engaging in a combination of forest-based activities to improve one’s health or wellbeing. We conducted an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses of primary studies to provide the most comprehensive summary of the effect of forest therapy on depression. We included 13 primary studies that matched our eligibility criteria - all were included in four recent SRs and were conducted in the Republic of Korea. We carried out meta-analyses with data extracted directly from these 13 studies and assessed their risk of bias. Outcomes of interest were depressive symptoms, temporary recovery from depression (i.e. remission), response to treatment (i.e. ≥ 50 % reduction on depressive symptoms from baseline), adherence to treatment, and adverse effects. Considering pooled estimates from randomized controlled trials with adults, we found that compared to no intervention/usual care, forest therapy produced a greater reduction of depressive symptoms (Hedges’g = 1.18, 95 % CI [0.86, 1.50], p < .00001). Also compared to no intervention/usual care, participants in the forest therapy group were 17 times as likely to achieve remission (Risk Ratio = 17.02, 95 % CI [3.40, 85.21], p = .0006) and three times as likely to have a ≥ 50 % reduction on depressive symptoms (Risk Ratio = 3.18, 95 % CI [1.94, 5.21], p < .00001). Forest therapy, on average, reduced depressive symptoms more than engaging in similar activities in a hospital or non-forested urban area, or participating in an intervention focused on diet plus forest-based exercise. We did not find evidence that adherence to forest therapy is different from the adherence to alternative interventions and the adverse effects of forest therapy appear to be rare. These results indicate that, relative to many more conventional alternatives, forest therapy is a more effective short-term intervention for the prevention and treatment of depression in adults

Megadepth: efficient coverage quantification for BigWigs and BAMs

Motivation A common way to summarize sequencing datasets is to quantify data lying within genes or other genomic intervals. This can be slow and can require different tools for different input file types. Results Megadepth is a fast tool for quantifying alignments and coverage for BigWig and BAM/CRAM input files, using substantially less memory than the next-fastest competitor. Megadepth can summarize coverage within all disjoint intervals of the Gencode V35 gene annotation for more than 19 000 GTExV8 BigWig files in approximately 1 h using 32 threads. Megadepth is available both as a command-line tool and as an R/Bioconductor package providing much faster quantification compared to the rtracklayer package. Availability and implementation https://github.com/ChristopherWilks/megadepth, https://bioconductor.org/packages/megadepth. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online

Recursos didácticos para el aprendizaje complejo de la geometría analítica

En la asignatura geometría analítica en Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, se implementa un modelo pedagógico enmarcado dentro de la metodología de Investigación - Acción, que promueve el desarrollo de habilidades asociadas al pensamiento complejo y capacidades que aportan a competencias profesionales. El trabajo en el espacio tridimensional exige el manejo apropiado y simultáneo de aspectos gráficos y analíticos que implican grandes dificultades para los alumnos ingresantes. Se plantea así el desafío de abrir nuevas puertas al aprendizaje, que lo potencien y enriquezcan a partir de intervenciones educativas con el uso de materiales didácticos especialmente diseñados para tal fin. Se presentan en este trabajo recursos para el aprendizaje complejo de contenidos de la geometría analítica espacial, que se integran en los diferentes escenarios de interacción e interaprendizaje del mencionado modelo pedagógico. Dichos recursos se clasifican en cinco grupos en función de las intencionalidades educativas priorizadas para su utilización: recursos para el desarrollo de contenidos, para la exploración y la experimentación, para la articulación con otros espacios curriculares, para la integración de contenidos y para promover la autonomía en el aprendizaje. A partir de una apropiada selección de actividades para su empleo, se busca potenciar la comprensión profunda de conceptos y la resolución de problemas en el espacio tridimensional que involucran a los lugares geométricos en estudio.Fil: Raichman, Silvia Raquel. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería.Fil: Totter, Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería.Fil: Videla, D.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería.Fil: Collado, L.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería.Fil: Codina, F.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería.Fil: Molina, G.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería.Fil: Cascone, I.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingeniería