Wake interaction and power production of variable height model wind farms

Understanding wake dynamics is an ongoing research topic in wind energy, since wakes have considerable effects on the power production when wind turbines are placed in a wind farm. Wind tunnel experiments have been conducted to study the wake to wake interaction in a model wind farm in tandem with measurements of the extracted power. The aim is to investigate how alternating mast height influences the interaction of the wakes and the power production. Via the use of stereo-particle image velocimetry, the flow field was obtained in the first and last rows of the wind turbine array as a basis of comparison. It was found that downstream of the exit row wind turbine, the power was increased by 25% in the case of a staggered height configuration. This is partly due to the fact that the taller turbines reach into a flow area with a softened velocity gradient. Another aspect is that the wake downstream of a tall wind turbine to some extent passes above the standard height wind turbine. Overall the experiments show that the velocity field downstream of the exit row changes considerably when the mast height is alternating

Enantiospecific antitrypanosomal in vitro activity of eflornithine

The polyamine synthesis inhibitor eflornithine is a recommended treatment for the neglected tropical disease Gambian human African trypanosomiasis in late stage. This parasitic disease, transmitted by the tsetse fly, is lethal unless treated. Eflornithine is administered by repeated intravenous infusions as a racemic mixture of L-eflornithine and D-eflornithine. The study compared the in vitro antitrypanosomal activity of the two enantiomers with the racemic mixture against three Trypanosoma brucei gambiense strains. Antitrypanosomal in vitro activity at varying drug concentrations was analysed by non-linear mixed effects modelling. For all three strains, L-eflornithine was more potent than D-eflornithine. Estimated 50% inhibitory concentrations of the three strains combined were 9.1 muM (95% confidence interval [8.1; 10]), 5.5 muM [4.5; 6.6], and 50 muM [42; 57] for racemic eflornithine, L-eflornithine and D-eflornithine, respectively. The higher in vitro potency of L-eflornithine warrants further studies to assess its potential for improving the treatment of late-stage Gambian human African trypanosomiasis

Upwelling and outwelling effects on the benthic regime of the continental shelf off Galicia, NW Spain

The benthic regime off the Galician coast of NW Spain was surveyed to assess biogenic enrichment from coastal upwelling and detritus outwelling from the rías, large coastal embayments: the Rías Altas along the northern and the Rías Bajas along the western coast, which have intense mussel aquaculture. Sediment samples were collected from 1984 to 1986 and used for geological, microbiological, and macrofaunal studies. Sub-bottom acoustic profiler records and grab and core samples identified two main mud deposits on the western shelf that were aligned north to south and parallel with the coastline. The major axis of the mud deposit, which extended south to the Portuguese border, is associated with the three most southern rías (Arosa, Pontevedra and Vigo) along the western shelf. Sediment particle size analysis showed that sediments on the western shelf were heterogeneous, and grain size increased from the inner shelf to the shelf break. On the northern shelf, sediments exhibited a more homogeneous textural distribution. Sediment organic matter followed a similar pattern with that of particle size. The highest organic matter values, 10%, occurred on the western shelf nearest the Rías Bajas, but these values decreased offshore to between 2 and 4%. On the northern shelf organic matter content was generally less than 4% but with patches of higher organic content. The composition and structure of macroinfauna on the northern shelf, where seasonal coastal upwelling results in benthic enrichment, showed mainly small, surface feeding, and fast growing polychaetes. In contrast, macroinfauna on the western shelf showed more subsurface, deposit-feeding polychaetes. A main difference between the two shelves is that off the rías Bajas, besides coastal upwelling, outwelling from the highly productive rías Bajas, with their intense mussel aquaculture, also enriches the coastal sediment regime with a steady source of organic matter. Although seasonal and interannual variations occurred in the benthic bacteria, their general density distribution followed the pattern of organic matter content and particle grain size seasonally and interannually. The highest numbers of bacteria occurred in the upwelling region off the northern shelf and nearest the Rías Bajas on the western shelf. Both coastal upwelling and organic outwelling from the rías Bajas support benthic production alongthe western Galician shelf. The main commercialdemersal finfishalongthis coast is hake, Merluccius merluccius and blue-whiting, Micomesistius poutassou. The norwegian lobster, Nephrops norvegicus is also an important crop, and is more abundant off the rías Bajas in the finer and organic-richsediments where there are abundant prey resources of benthic infauna

Growth under laboratory conditions of wild juvenile black-spot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo B.)

As an alternative to the culture of traditional fish, experiments have been started with black-spot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo) and are summarized here. Two groups of bream (B-1 and B-2) with 63 fish of mean weight 173 g and 67fish of mean weight 217 g, respectively, were captured on the NW coast of Spain between September and December 1991, transported to the laboratory, and maintained in 12 m tanks. After about 30 days acclimation, lengths and weights of all fish were measured. These measurements were repeated at 2 month intervals,for 14 months in the first group and 10 months in the second. The mean weights reached at the end of these periods were 462 g and 383 s. respectively. Fish were fed with laboratory prepared moist food. and the amount eaten daily was controlled. Survival rate at the end of the experiment was 90.5% in group B-1 and95.5% in group B-2. Temperature, measured daily, ranged from 12ºC to 20°C. This paper provides information on the capture, transport, acclimation and maintenance of the fish throughout the experiment.Versión del editor0,000

Lasting temperature effects on the muscle tissue, body growth and fillet texture of adult turbots, Scophthalmus maximus, L.

In the teleosts, several factors can influence the muscle growth patterns of fish by a modulation of the hypertrophy and hyperplasia. The temperature (T) is one of the most important environmental factors. Thus, the T history of fish influences on their potential growth, as it has been observed in Salmon, Salmo salar (Johnston et al., 2003) and other species. The T imprinting can influence on the muscle cellularity throughout the advanced stages of life due to the lasting T effects on myogenic cells precursors (MPC) (Steinbacher et al., 2011). In different teleost species, a correlation between texture and muscle fibre size has been demonstrated (Hatae et al., 1990). Hence, the thermal history can also influence in the flesh texture. In the present work we study the lasting T effects in adult turbots reared at different Ts during the early phases. This species reaches ≈ 1.5 kg at 18-20 months of age and the first sexual maturity takes place at ≈ 24 month

Thymol and Thymus vulgaris extract protects human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) from UVA and UVB damage

Objective: The aims of our study were to characterize ultraviolet (UV)A- and UVB-induced damages in a keratinocytes cell line (HaCaT), and to evaluate the protective capacities two plant-derivative compounds, namely Thymus vulgaris L leaf extract and thymol, its major component. A polyphenol rich diet has gained wide attention and it is now considered to be a protective agent for human skin, which can be over-exposed to environmental factors and in particular UV light. Methods: Cells were pretreated for 1 h, in serum-free medium, with thymol (1 \u3bcg/ml) or Thymus vulgaris L (1.82 \u3bcg/ml) then exposed to different UVA (8-24 J/cm2) or UVB doses (0.016-0.72 J/cm2). Immediately after the UV exposure the intracellular redox status was evaluated by reactive oxygen species quantification and apoptotic events. Genotoxic aspects were evaluated 24 h after the end of irradiations using the alkaline comet assay and the immunostaining of phosphorylated H2AX histone protein (detected 1 h after the end of UV exposure). Results: The pre-treatment of our experimental model with the two substances confirmed an antioxidant action and anti-apoptotic effect by reducing the cells percentage (sub-G1 phase). Furthermore, thymol and extract of Thymus vulgaris L were able to reduce genotoxic damage. The alkaline comet assay showed that the two substances were capable to decrease DNA damage. Also in this case, Thymus vulgaris L extract is more effective than thymol in decreasing genotoxicity markers. Conclusions: Our results confirmed the more oxidant UVA and more genotoxic UVB effects. Regarding the protective effect of thymol and Thymus vulgaris L extract, data obtained proved their antioxidant and free-radical scavenging ability as known for phenolic (which our compounds belong to) and polyphenolic compounds. Thymol and mainly Thymus vulgaris L extract were also able to reduce the direct genotoxic damage

Usefulness of glycated albumin as a biomarker for glucose control and prognostic factor in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis (CKD-G5D)

In chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis (CKD-G5D) accurate assessment of glycemic control is vital to improve their outcome and survival. The best glycemic marker for glucose control in these patients is still debated because several clinical and pharmacological factors may affect the ability of the available biomarkers to reflect the patient's glycemic status properly. This review discusses the role of glycated albumin (GA) both as a biomarker for glucose control and as a prognostic factor in CKD-G5D; it also looks at the pros and cons of GA in comparison to the other markers and its usefulness in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Combination with tomatidine improves the potency of posaconazole against Trypanosoma cruzi

Azoles such as posaconazole (Posa) are highly potent against Trypanosoma cruzi. However, when tested in chronic Chagas disease patients, a high rate of relapse after Posa treatment was observed. It appears that inhibition of T. cruzi cytochrome CYP51, the target of azoles, does not deliver sterile cure in monotherapy. Looking for suitable combination partners of azoles, we have selected a set of inhibitors of sterol and sphingolipid biosynthetic enzymes. A small-scale phenotypic screening was conducted in vitro against the proliferative forms of T. cruzi, extracellular epimastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. Against the intracellular, clinically relevant forms, four out of 15 tested compounds presented higher or equal activity as benznidazole (Bz), with EC50 values </=2.2 muM. Ro48-8071, an inhibitor of lanosterol synthase (ERG7), and the steroidal alkaloid tomatidine (TH), an inhibitor of C-24 sterol methyltransferase (ERG6), exhibited the highest potency and selectivity indices (SI = 12 and 115, respectively). Both were directed to combinatory assays using fixed-ratio protocols with Posa, Bz, and fexinidazole. The combination of TH with Posa displayed a synergistic profile against amastigotes, with a mean SigmaFICI value of 0.2. In vivo assays using an acute mouse model of T. cruzi infection demonstrated lack of antiparasitic activity of TH alone in doses ranging from 0.5 to 5 mg/kg. As observed in vitro, the best combo proportion in vivo was the ratio 3 TH:1 Posa. The combination of Posa at 1.25 mpk plus TH at 3.75 mpk displayed suppression of peak parasitemia of 80% and a survival rate of 60% in the acute infection model, as compared to 20% survival for Posa at 1.25 mpk alone and 40% for Posa at 10 mpk alone. These initial results indicate a potential for the combination of posaconazole with tomatidine against T. cruzi

Fisheries and Oceanography off Galicia, NW Spain: Mesoscale Spatial and Temporal Changes in Physical Processes and Resultant Patterns of Biological Productivity

The Galician shelf off NW Spain (43N degrees 9W degrees) exhibits mesoscale spatial and temporal changes in biological productivity associated with upwelling. Spatial heterogeneity results from local geomorphic and land-sea interactions superimposed on the large scale atmospheric processes that produce upwelling. Wind-induced upwelling events, commonly of short (i.e., week) duration, are more common in the summer than in the winter. A Series of cruises, including some time series sampling, and satellite imagery analysis showed that surface upwelling was more common and persistent on the northern coast compared with the western coast off the coastal embayments, the Rias Bajas. Nearshore off the rias, coastal runoff, which is greater in the rainy winter/spring versus the dry summer, affected upwelling. In early summer, upwelling less often reaches the surface because of increased water column stratification associated with lower surface salinities and thus upwelling is not detected by satellite imagery. Conversely, in late summer, upwelling more often reaches the surface because coastal runoff is reduced during the dry summer months and the water column tends to be less stratified. Plankton biomass and rate processes along the Galician shelf reflected both ambient hydrographic conditions as well as prior history of upwelling or downwelling. Phytoplankton and bacterioplankton were in greatest abundance during upwelling conditions (June through August); in contrast, both zooplankton and fish larvae exhibited highest abundances in March, when there were upwelling conditions prior to our cruise. Spatial differences in the duration and frequency of upwelling events, in combination with advection of water masses, are critical to the patterns of water column productivity and sardine fisheries production off the Galician coast. More persistent upwelling at this NW corner of the Iberian peninsula Supports large sardine fisheries because zooplankton and larval fish populations have time to respond to the higher primary production. Farther down the western Galician coast, the episodic upwelling and resultant intermittent primary production does not support a stable food supply needed to support fisheries. Times series sampling revealed mean response times of bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton to be on the order of a day, days, and weeks, respectively. Sardines showed no spawning response in the relatively short time series sampling. The observed distributional patterns of fish eggs and larvae showed some offshore transport of fish larvae that were spawned inshore during upwelling periods and aggregation of larvae in a convergence zone northwest of Cabo Villano