Optimal predictive control of water transport systems: Arrêt-Darré/Arros case study

This paper proposes the use of predictive optimal control as a suitable methodology to manage efficiently transport water networks. The predictive optimal controller is implemented using MPC control techniques. The Arrêt-Darré/Arros dam-river system located in the Southwest region of France is proposed as case study. A high-fidelity dynamic simulator based on the full Saint-Venant equations and able to reproduce this system is developed in MATLAB/SIMULINK to validate the performance of the developed predictive optimal control system. The control objective in the Arrêt-Darré/Arros dam-river system is to guarantee an ecological flow rate at a control point downstream of the Arrêt-Darré dam by controlling the outflow of this dam in spite of the unmeasured disturbances introduced by rainfalls incomings and farmer withdrawals

A METAMORFOSE DO SISTEMA DE RECURSOS DE LICENCIANDOS EM MATEMÁTICA NA FORMAÇÃO INICIAL

Neste artigo apresentamos parte de um estudo desenvolvido durante o Estágio de Pós-Doutorado da autora sob supervisão dos coautores entre os anos de 2017 e 2018. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar aspectos do desenvolvimento profissional de licenciandos em matemática através da análise do seu trabalho com recursos. Como referencial teórico e metodológico nós nos apoiamos na Abordagem Documental do Didático. Realizamos uma Investigação Reflexiva e um Estudo de Caso com uma licencianda cujos dados coletados foram analisados numa perspectiva qualitativa. A pesquisa compreendeu quatro fases: estudo e representação da Trajetória Documental da licencianda; coleta e análise de tarefas matemáticas em situações de estudo e de ensino; entrevistas com a licencianda; análise da atividade da licencianda durante a implementação de uma aula em uma escola. Podemos afirmar que a constituição do sistema de recursos para ensinar da licencianda pode ser compreendido através de um processo que denominamos de metamorfose. Em síntese, o caso estudado contribuiu para identificar recursos de transição e profissionais como aspectos importantes da formação da licencianda além de uma percepção diferenciada para os recursos e seus usos, quer sejam pelos licenciandos ou pelos professores dos cursos de formação ou da escola. A Trajetória Documental trouxe um panorama geral da formação do estudante e do próprio curso, assim como a necessidade do acompanhamento do processo de Metamorfose dos licenciandos e suas especificidades pela equipe de professores envolvidos na formação

Melt Extrusion Encapsulation of Flavors: A Review

Encapsulation of flavor and aroma compounds has been largely explored in order to meet appraisal demands from consumers by improving the impact of flavor during the consumption of food products. Even though several techniques have been used for encapsulating volatile compounds, i.e., spray drying, fluidized bed coating, coacervation, and melt extrusion, those most frequently used in the food industry are spray drying and melt extrusion. In this article, the different techniques of encapsulation of flavors and fragrances in polymer-based matrices by extrusion are reviewed and partly re-defined, emphasizing the differences between the various techniques reported so far and the role of matrix types, additives, and operative conditions. Also, the role of water as a key parameter for controlled release and shelf stability of the delivery system will be discussed

Microstructure and thermal analysis of Cu-Cu2O eutectic – Can we mimic archeological remains?

An attempt was performed to reproduce in laboratory the microstructure observed in ancient artefacts and metallurgical remains made of nearly pure copper cast under ambient atmosphere. Two samples of pure Cu were prepared for thermal analysis, then heated and held for various times in the liquid state under ambient air for oxidizing, and finally cooled down at given rate. It was observed that a thick Cu2O oxide layer developed around the samples which gives the metal the same outer appearance than reported for metallurgical remains, namely a highly oxidized surface with large voids. Further, the microstructure of the metal consisted of (Cu) or Cu2O dendrites and a (Cu)-Cu2O eutectic showing strong similarity with the observations made on remains and artefacts

Pooling for SARS-CoV-2 control in care institutions

BACKGROUND: Workers and residents in Care Homes are considered at special risk for the acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection, due to the infectivity and high mortality rate in the case of residents, compared to other containment areas. The role of presymptomatic people in transmission has been shown to be important and the early detection of these people is critical for the control of new outbreaks. Pooling strategies have proven to preserve SARS-CoV-2 testing resources. The aims of the present study, based in our local experience, were (a) to describe SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in institutionalized people in Galicia (Spain) during the Coronavirus pandemic and (b) to evaluate the expected performance of a pooling strategy using RT-PCR for the next rounds of screening of institutionalized people. METHODS: A total of 25,386 Nasopharyngeal swab samples from the total of the residents and workers at Care Homes in Galicia (March to May 2020) were individually tested using RT-PCR. Prevalence and quantification cycle (Cq) value distribution of positives was calculated. Besides, 26 pools of 20 samples and 14 pools of 5 samples were tested using RT-PCR as well (1 positive/pool). Pooling proof of concept was performed in two populations with 1.7 and 2% prevalence. RESULTS: Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection at Care Homes was uneven (0-60%). As the virus circulation global rate was low in our area (3.32%), the number of people at risk of acquiring the infection continues to be very high. In this work, we have successfully demonstrated that pooling of different groups of samples at low prevalence clusters, can be done with a small average delay on Cq values (5 and 2.85 cycles for pools of 20 and 5 samples, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A new screening system with guaranteed protection is required for small clusters, previously covered with individual testing. Our proposal for Care Homes, once prevalence zero is achieved, would include successive rounds of testing using a pooling solution for transmission control preserving testing resources. Scale-up of this method may be of utility to confront larger clusters to avoid the viral circulation and keeping them operative

El análisis transcriptómico de embriones somáticos y cigóticos de pino revela diferencias de expresión en diferentes rutas metabólicas

La embriogénesis es un proceso complejo en las plantas, pero comprenderlo en las coníferas es especialmente crítico no sólo para poder hacer estudios comparativos con angiospermas sino también para producir embriones viables y de calidad con diferentes propósitos. Actualmente falta una visión comparativa global de los genes implicados en la embriogénesis somática y cigótica del pino. En este trabajo presentamos un análisis del transcriptoma en tres etapas del desarrollo de los embriones, identificando procesos biológicos conservados y funciones genéticas activas durante el proceso de embriogénesis somática y cigótica. La mayoria de las diferencias son más significativas a medida que avanza el desarrollo. Cuando comparamos etapas de desasrrollo similares, como es el estadio embrión maduro encontramos 1640 genes sobreexpresados en embriones cigóticos frente a 4814 genes en embriones somáticos.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Inhibition of connexin hemichannels alleviates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice

While gap junctions mediate intercellular communication and support liver homeostasis, connexin hemichannels are preferentially opened by pathological stimuli, including inflammation and oxidative stress. The latter are essential features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In this study, it was investigated whether connexin32 and connexin43 hemichannels play a role in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Mice were fed a choline-deficient high-fat diet or normal diet for 8 weeks. Thereafter, TAT-Gap24 or TAT-Gap19, specific inhibitors of hemichannels composed of connexin32 and connexin43, respectively, were administered for 2 weeks. Subsequently, histopathological examination was carried out and various indicators of inflammation, liver damage and oxidative stress were tested. In addition, whole transcriptome microarray analysis of liver tissue was performed. Channel specificity of TAT-Gap24 and TAT-Gap19 was examined in vitro by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis and measurement of extracellular release of adenosine triphosphate. TAT-Gap24 and TAT-Gap19 were shown to be hemichannel-specific in cultured primary hepatocytes. Diet-fed animals treated with TAT-Gap24 or TAT-Gap19 displayed decreased amounts of liver lipids and inflammatory markers, and augmented levels of superoxide dismutase, which was supported by the microarray results. These findings show the involvement of connexin32 and connexin43 hemichannels in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and, simultaneously, suggest a role as potential drug targets in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

A global database for metacommunity ecology, integrating species, traits, environment and space

The use of functional information in the form of species traits plays an important role in explaining biodiversity patterns and responses to environmental changes. Although relationships between species composition, their traits, and the environment have been extensively studied on a case-by-case basis, results are variable, and it remains unclear how generalizable these relationships are across ecosystems, taxa and spatial scales. To address this gap, we collated 80 datasets from trait-based studies into a global database for metaCommunity Ecology: Species, Traits, Environment and Space; “CESTES”. Each dataset includes four matrices: species community abundances or presences/absences across multiple sites, species trait information, environmental variables and spatial coordinates of the sampling sites. The CESTES database is a live database: it will be maintained and expanded in the future as new datasets become available. By its harmonized structure, and the diversity of ecosystem types, taxonomic groups, and spatial scales it covers, the CESTES database provides an important opportunity for synthetic trait-based research in community ecology