Optimización evolutiva del contenido armónico de un inversor

Este artículo trata sobre la optimización distorsión armónica total (THD) de un convertidor multinivel trifásico con fuentes independientes. Mediante la programación de un algoritmo genético que localice el punto de menor distorsión armónica. Como función objetivo se toma el THD de la tensión de fase, entérminos de los ángulos de conmutación en la modulación. De esta manera el problema se resuelve mediante un enfoque netamente numérico y evitando los problemas asociados a las técnicas de modulación convencionales que utilizan comparaciones con ondas portadoras para obtener una modulación. Los resultados de la optimización fueron probados y validados mediante simulación

Dictyota chalchicueyecanensis sp. nov. (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) en el Golfo de México: evidencias moleculares y morfológicas

Background. Species of the Dictyota genus have a high phenotypic plasticity that contrasts with their limited morphological diagnostic characteristics, which has led to some uncertainty in identifying species in the Gulf of Mexico. Recent studies worldwide have focused on Dictyota species phylogenies, which are the basis for contrasting and interpreting the results of this study. Goals. In our research, we found evidence of a new species belonging to the Dictyota genus in three localities in the state of Veracruz, Mexico (Playa Hermosa, Punta Puntillas y Villa Rica). Methods. Phylogenetic andmolecular analyses of partial sequences of the psbA and cox1 genes were performed, complemented by morphological analysis. Results. In phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of psbA and cox1, we established that samples of the new species form a well-supported monophyletic clade. In addition, the genetic divergence values that were obtained are within the interspecific values for the genus, allowing us to segregate the Dictyota chalchicueyecanensis sp. nov. from therest of the species of this genus. Morphologically this new species is characterized by an erect thallus, light brown and lacking iridescence, stiff to the touch, with a discoid holdfast, rounded apices, dichotomous branching, dentated margins, with minute teeth, triangular to spinose in shape that are directed toward the apices. Sporangia are isolated or grouped on both sides of the thallus and germinate regularly in interdichotomous basal portions. Conclusion. These results allow us to expand the diversity of the genus Dictyota worldwide, incorporating D. chalchicueyecanensis as a probable newspecies endemic to Mexico.Antecedentes. Las especies del género Dictyota presentan una alta plasticidad fenotípica que contrasta con escasos caracteres morfológicos diagnósticos, lo cual ha llevado a identificar especies con cierta incertidumbre en el Golfo de México. Estudios recientes a nivel mundial refieren filogenias de especies de Dictyota, los que serán la base para contrastar e interpretar los resultados de este estudio. Objetivos. En este trabajo se determina la presencia de una nueva especie para la ciencia del género Dictyota, encontrada en tres localidades del estado de Veracruz, México (Playa Hermosa, Punta Puntillas y Villa Rica). Métodos. Se realizaron análisis filogenéticos y moleculares de secuencias parciales de los genes psbA y cox1, que fueron complementados con análisis morfológicos. Resultados. En los análisis filogenéticos de las secuencias parciales de los genes psbA y cox1, se obtuvo que las muestras de la nueva especie forman un clado monofilético bien soportado. Además, los índices de divergencia genética obtenidos, se encuentran dentro de los valores interespecíficos para el género, lo que permite segregar a Dictyota chalchicueyecanensis sp. nov. de las demás especies del género. Morfológicamente esta nueva especie se caracteriza por presentar un talo erecto, sin iridiscencia, de consistencia rígida al tacto, con pie de fijación al sustrato de forma discoide, de color café claro in situ, ápices redondeados, amificación dicotómica, con márgenes dentados de forma triangular a espinosa dirigidos hacia los ápices. Esporangios aislados o agrupados en ambas superficies del talo que regularmente germinan en las porciones interdicotómicas basales del mismo. Conclusiones. Los resultados anteriores amplían la diversidad del género Dictyota a nivel mundial, incorporando a D. chalchicueyecanensis como una nueva especie probablemente endémica de México

Hazard-consistent response spectra in the Region of Murcia (Southeast Spain): comparison to earthquake-resistant provisions

Hazard-consistent ground-motion characterisations of three representative sites located in the Region of Murcia (southeast Spain) are presented. This is the area where the last three damaging events in Spain occurred and there is a significant amount of data for comparing them with seismic hazard estimates and earthquake-resistant provisions. Results of a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis are used to derive uniform hazard spectra (UHS) for the 475-year return period, on rock and soil conditions. Hazard deaggregation shows that the largest hazard contributions are due to small, local events for short-period target motions and to moderate, more distant events for long-period target motions. For each target motion and site considered, the associated specific response spectra (SRS) are obtained. It is shown that the combination of two SRS, for short- and long-period ground motions respectively, provides a good approximation to the UHS at each site. The UHS are compared to design response spectra contained in current Spanish and European seismic codes for the 475-year return period. For the three sites analysed, only the Eurocode 8 (EC8) type 2 spectrum captures the basic shape of the UHS (and not the EC8 type 1, as could be expected a priori). An alternative response spectrum, anchored at short- and long-period accelerations, is tested, providing a close match to the UHS spectra at the three sites. Results underline the important contribution of the frequent, low-to-moderate earthquakes that characterize the seismicity of this area to seismic hazard (at the 475-year return period)

Research priorities for maintaining biodiversity’s contributions to people in Latin America

Maintaining biodiversity is crucial for ensuring human well-being. The authors participated in a workshop held in Palenque, Mexico, in August 2018, that brought together 30 mostly early-career scientists working in different disciplines (natural, social and economic sciences) with the aim of identifying research priorities for studying the contributions of biodiversity to people and how these contributions might be impacted by environmental change. Five main groups of questions emerged: (1) Enhancing the quantity, quality, and availability of biodiversity data; (2) Integrating different knowledge systems; (3) Improved methods for integrating diverse data; (4) Fundamental questions in ecology and evolution; and (5) Multi-level governance across boundaries. We discuss the need for increased capacity building and investment in research programmes to address these challenges

Certificação de produtos orgânicos: obstáculos à implantação de um sistema participativo de garantia na Andaluzia, Espanha.

O trabalho analisa o processo de organização de produtores orgânicos da Andaluzia que estiveram envolvidos em uma tentativa de implantação de um sistema participativo de garantia. Esta iniciativa foi liderada pela administração dessa comunidade autônoma espanhola entre 2006 e 2008. O estudo baseia-se em entrevistas realizadas com atores sociais que estiveram implicados nesse processo, identificando os obstáculos políticos e organizativos que impediram que essa proposta pudesse avançar

Marine Biodiversity in the Caribbean: Regional Estimates and Distribution Patterns

This paper provides an analysis of the distribution patterns of marine biodiversity and summarizes the major activities of the Census of Marine Life program in the Caribbean region. The coastal Caribbean region is a large marine ecosystem (LME) characterized by coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses, but including other environments, such as sandy beaches and rocky shores. These tropical ecosystems incorporate a high diversity of associated flora and fauna, and the nations that border the Caribbean collectively encompass a major global marine biodiversity hot spot. We analyze the state of knowledge of marine biodiversity based on the geographic distribution of georeferenced species records and regional taxonomic lists. A total of 12,046 marine species are reported in this paper for the Caribbean region. These include representatives from 31 animal phyla, two plant phyla, one group of Chromista, and three groups of Protoctista. Sampling effort has been greatest in shallow, nearshore waters, where there is relatively good coverage of species records; offshore and deep environments have been less studied. Additionally, we found that the currently accepted classification of marine ecoregions of the Caribbean did not apply for the benthic distributions of five relatively well known taxonomic groups. Coastal species richness tends to concentrate along the Antillean arc (Cuba to the southernmost Antilles) and the northern coast of South America (Venezuela – Colombia), while no pattern can be observed in the deep sea with the available data. Several factors make it impossible to determine the extent to which these distribution patterns accurately reflect the true situation for marine biodiversity in general: (1) highly localized concentrations of collecting effort and a lack of collecting in many areas and ecosystems, (2) high variability among collecting methods, (3) limited taxonomic expertise for many groups, and (4) differing levels of activity in the study of different taxa

Diplopia is frequent and associated with motor and non-motor severity in parkinson's disease : Results from the COPPADIS cohort at 2-year follow-up

Background and objective: Diplopia is relatively common in Parkinson's disease (PD) but is still understudied. Our aim was to analyze the frequency of diplopia in PD patients from a multicenter Spanish cohort, to compare the frequency with a control group, and to identify factors associated with it. Patients and Methods: PD patients who were recruited from January 2016 to November 2017 (baseline visit; V0) and evaluated again at a 2-year ± 30 days follow-up (V2) from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort were included in this longitudinal prospective study. The patients and controls were classified as "with diplopia" or "without diplopia" according to item 15 of the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) at V0, V1 (1-year ± 15 days), and V2 for the patients and at V0 and V2 for the controls. Results: The frequency of diplopia in the PD patients was 13.6% (94/691) at V0 (1.9% in controls [4/206]; p < 0.0001), 14.2% (86/604) at V1, and 17.1% (86/502) at V2 (0.8% in controls [1/124]; p < 0.0001), with a period prevalence of 24.9% (120/481). Visual hallucinations at any visit from V0 to V2 (OR = 2.264; 95%CI, 1.269-4.039; p = 0.006), a higher score on the NMSS at V0 (OR = 1.009; 95%CI, 1.012-1.024; p = 0.015), and a greater increase from V0 to V2 on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (OR = 1.039; 95%CI, 1.023-1.083; p < 0.0001) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (OR = 1.028; 95%CI, 1.001-1.057; p = 0.049) scores were independent factors associated with diplopia (R = 0.25; Hosmer and Lemeshow test, p = 0.716). Conclusions: Diplopia represents a frequent symptom in PD patients and is associated with motor and non-motor severity