An Analysis of the Influence of Flight Parameters in the Generation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Orthomosaicks to Survey Archaeological Areas

This article describes the configuration and technical specifications of a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using a red–green–blue (RGB) sensor for the acquisition of images needed for the production of orthomosaics to be used in archaeological applications. Several flight missions were programmed as follows: flight altitudes at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 m above ground level; two forward and side overlap settings (80%–50% and 70%–40%); and the use, or lack thereof, of ground control points. These settings were chosen to analyze their influence on the spatial quality of orthomosaicked images processed by Inpho UASMaster (Trimble, CA, USA). Changes in illumination over the study area, its impact on flight duration, and how it relates to these settings is also considered. The combined effect of these parameters on spatial quality is presented as well, defining a ratio between ground sample distance of UAV images and expected root mean square of a UAV orthomosaick. The results indicate that a balance between all the proposed parameters is useful for optimizing mission planning and image processing, altitude above ground level (AGL) being main parameter because of its influence on root mean square error (RMSE)

Governing landraces and associated knowledge as a commons. From theory to practice

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552We examine the governance of landraces and associated knowledge in Spain focusing on actions to maintain them in the public domain and to manage them as commons. We first examine the international mechanisms promoting conservation of landraces and associated knowledge in the public domain and the actions by the Spanish state to apply such regulations. We then explore the efforts of the Spanish seed network and a group of scientists to manage them as commons. The analysis of the interactions between the public and the commons regimes led us to conclude that landraces and associated knowledge would be better managed under a combination of governance regimes

Relación entre la producción y los niveles plasmáticos de nefa en conejas / Relationship between production and nefa plasma levels in rabbits

El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer la relación entre los niveles plasmáticos de NEFA en conejas reproductoras y su nivel productivo. Los niveles de NEFA en plasma son superiores en el primer día de lactación que en el momento de la monta o a los 12 días de gestación. Los niveles de NEFA presentan una relación lineal con la tasa de la ovulación de la coneja y los niveles son más elevados si la coneja se encuentra lactante en el momento de la monta que si no está lactante (0,463 mmol/L vs 0,304 mmol/L). La relación entre los niveles de NEFA en el primer día de lactación y la producción de leche es lineal, obteniéndose diferentes rectas de regresión en función del tamaño de camada

Evaluación de la calidad seminal y la longevidad de líneas de conejos gestionadas en un centro de inseminación / Semen quality and longevity of maternal and paternal rabbit lines in an artificial insemination center

El objetivo de este trabajo es la comparación de la calidad seminal y la longevidad de 4 líneas genéticas en un centro de inseminación artificial (CIA). Para ello, se evaluaron un total de 50.993 muestras de semen de 688 machos. Las líneas maternales A y L son seleccionadas por tamaño de camada al destete. Las líneas paternales R y C son seleccionadas por velocidad de crecimiento postdestete. Se registró el volumen del eyaculado y la motilidad en una escala de 0 a 5. También se evaluó la edad de eliminación o muerte de los machos en el centro de inseminación artificial. Los análisis estadísticos se realizaron con metodología bayesiana. La línea paternal C presentó mayor volumen de semen y motilidad (1,24 ml y 3,69) que la línea R (1,07 ml y 3,55) y las líneas maternales (A, 0,92 ml y 3,33; L, 1,01 ml y 3,62) siendo la diferencia relevante (Pr = 1,00). La longevidad de los machos es superior en las líneas maternas (25 y 20 meses para la línea A y L, respectivamente) que en las líneas paternas (16 y 14 meses para la línea C y R, respectivamente), siendo relevante la diferencia entre la línea A y las líneas paternas (Pr = 1,00). En conclusión, la línea paterna C presentó los mejores parámetros de calidad espermática y las líneas maternas son más longevas en los CIA que las líneas paternas debido al mayor intervalo generacional

Mejora agroecológica participativa (MAP) y biodiversidad agrícola. Aplicación de la investigación-acción participativa al manejo de las variedades tradicionales en Andalucía

In recent years activities on traditional knowledge about agricultural biodiversity have been carried on in Andalusia. This activity is based on the joint work of farmers, consumers, scientists, and other people interested in the use, conservation, production and exchange of local crop varieties. Participatory Action Research techniques and the new knowledge developed in Agroecology can enhance stakeholder participation in research activities. This local experience can be useful to learn about agricultural biodiversity management through Participatory and Agroecológical Breeding (P&AB).En Andalucía se han desarrollado en los últimos años una importante labor en torno al conocimiento local relacionado con la biodiversidad agrícola basada en el trabajo conjunto de agricultores, consumidores, investigadores y otras personas interesadas en el uso, conservación, producción e intercambio de variedades locales de cultivo. Los nuevos conocimientos desarrollados en el campo de la agroecológia y la utilización de técnicas de Investigación Acción Participativa pueden facilitar la incorporación al proceso de investigación de los diferentes actores implicados. Como resultado de estas experiencias locales se pueden extraer conocimientos que ayuden a la puesta en marcha de procesos de manejo de la biodiversidad agrícola mediante Mejora Agroecológica Participativa (MAP)

Effect of Lockdown Measures on Atmospheric Nitrogen Dioxide during SARS-CoV-2 in Spain

The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 has affected many countries and regions. In order to contain the spread of infection, many countries have adopted lockdown measures. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 has negatively influenced economies on a global scale and has caused a significant impact on the environment. In this study, changes in the concentration of the pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) within the lockdown period were examined as well as how these changes relate to the Spanish population. NO2 is one of the reactive nitrogen oxides gases resulting from both anthropogenic and natural processes. One major source in urban areas is the combustion of fossil fuels from vehicles and industrial plants, both of which significantly contribute to air pollution. The long-term exposure to NO2 can also cause severe health problems. Remote sensing is a useful tool to analyze spatial variability of air quality. For this purpose, Sentinel-5P images registered from January to April of 2019 and 2020 were used to analyze spatial distribution of NO2 and its evolution under the lockdown measures in Spain. The results indicate a significant correlation between the population’s activity level and the reduction of NO2 values

Project-Based Learning Applied to Unmanned Aerial Systems and Remote Sensing

The development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and the miniaturization of sensors have changed the way remote sensing (RS) is used, popularizing this geoscientific discipline in other fields, such as precision agriculture. This makes it necessary to implement the use of these technologies in teaching RS alongside the classical platforms (satellite and manned aircraft). This manuscript describes how The Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Córdoba (Spain) has introduced UAV RS into the academic program by way of project-based learning (PBL). It also presents the basic characteristics of PBL, the design of the subject, the description of the teacher-guided and self-directed activities, as well as the degree of student satisfaction. The teaching and learning objectives of the subject are to learn how to determine the vigor, temperature, and water stress of a crop through the use of RGB, multispectral, and thermographic sensors onboard a UAV platform. From the onset, students are motivated, actively participate in the tasks related to the realization of UAV flights, and subsequent processing and analysis of the registered images. Students report that PBL is more engaging and allows them to develop a better understanding of RS

Machine Learning Methods and Synthetic Data Generation to Predict Large Wildfires

Wildfires are becoming more frequent in different parts of the globe, and the ability to predict when and where they will occur is a complex process. Identifying wildfire events with high probability of becoming a large wildfire is an important task for supporting initial attack planning. Different methods, including those that are physics-based, statistical, and based on machine learning (ML) are used in wildfire analysis. Among the whole, those based on machine learning are relatively novel. In addition, because the number of wildfires is much greater than the number of large wildfires, the dataset to be used in a ML model is imbalanced, resulting in overfitting or underfitting the results. In this manuscript, we propose to generate synthetic data from variables of interest together with ML models for the prediction of large wildfires. Specifically, five synthetic data generation methods have been evaluated, and their results are analyzed with four ML methods. The results yield an improvement in the prediction power when synthetic data are used, offering a new method to be taken into account in Decision Support Systems (DSS) when managing wildfires

Aplicación del código COBAYA3 al análisis multiescala con acoplamiento neutrónico-termohidráulico en reactores PWR

El desarrollo de la tecnología Nuclear ha permitido una visión cada vez más realista de los fenómenos que se producen en un reactor nuclear, y concretamente en los aspectos neutrónicos y termohidráulicos. Para ello es necesario, por un lado, el aumento del refinamiento de las mallas de cálculo utilizadas, que hasta el momento implicaban la homogeneización de grandes regiones del núcleo del reactor y, por otro, la resolución de forma acoplada de las ecuaciones correspondiente

Sesión científica celebrada el 30 de noviembre de 2017 para conmemorar los premios Nobel 2017 en Fisiología o Medicina y en Química

Un año más, la Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia se reúne en Sesión Científica para conmemorar los Premios Nobel correspondientes a las especialidades de Fisiología o Medicin