The fascination of a shallow-water theory for the formation of megaflood-scale dunes and antidunes

T1 Q1 (2/200 Multidisciplinary Geoscience, IF 2019 = 9.7)Exceptional megaflood-scale bedforms on Earth are commonly associated with the catastrophic draining of glacial lakes in the late Pleistocene. The widest studied events have been the Missoula and Altai floods with 300–700 m flow depth, 1–20 m bedform height and 10–300 m wavelength. Nowadays, the Saint-Venant equations have succeeded at simulating the catastrophic glacial-lake drainage process numerically, but we still lack a depth-averaged morphodynamic theory able to predict the growth of dunes and antidunes. The disparity of spatial scales in megafloods prevents the use of non-depth-averaged rotational flow equations, motivating the present shallow-water theory for the formation of megaflood-scale bedforms. We adopt a non-equilibrium sediment transport equation rooted in Einstein's pioneering work. Here we prove that the bed instability triggers to form dunes and antidunes simply by lagging the entrainment term for sediment mass conservation, or the bottom shear stress, with respect to the depth-averaged flow velocity. We formalise this result using a linear stability theory that captures the existence regions of dune and antidune in addition to the roll wave instability. Furthermore, in the spirit of Kennedy (Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech., vol. 1, 1969, pp. 147–168), we derive a closed-form solution of growth rate and wave speed of the bedform. The nondimensional groups controlling the linear instabilities are the Froude number, ℱr, the Shields parameter, Sh, and the grain roughness relative to flow depth, Subsequently, we simulate the drainage of the largest Missoula flood numerically to explain the formation of giant antidunes in the Camas Prairie (Montana, US) during the late stage of the megaflood. Also considered are large fields of gravel dunes in the Kuray-Chuja Lake Basin (Altai Mountains, Siberia). The simulated hydraulic conditions over bedforms in both basins yield values of the nondimensional parameters that lie in the theoretical region of dunes and antidunes according to the proposed theory and in situ measurements in sandy rivers and flume experiments.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICINN/FEDER, UE) under Grant SEDRETO CGL2015-70736-R. P.C.P. and P.R.J. were supported by the European Social Fund and the University of Jaén. J.D.d.M.E. was supported by the PhD scholarship BES-2016-079117 (MICINN/FSE, UE) from the Spanish National Programme for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability (call 2016)

Microelectronic cmos implementation of a machine learning technique for sensor calibration

An integrated machine-learning based adaptive circuit for sensor calibration implemented in standard 0.18μm CMOS technology with 1.8V power supply is presented in this paper. In addition to linearizing the device response, the proposed system is also capable to correct offset and gain errors. The building blocks conforming the adaptive system are designed and experimentally characterized to generate numerical high-level models which are used to verify the proper performance of each analog block within a defined multilayer perceptron architecture. The network weights, obtained from the learning phase, are stored in a microcontroller EEPROM memory, and then loaded into each of the registers of the proposed integrated prototype. In order to verify the proposed system performance, the non-linear characteristic of a thermistor is compensated as an application example, achieving a relative error er below 3% within an input span of 130°C, which is almost 6 times less than the uncorrected response. The power consumption of the whole system is 1.4mW and it has an active area of 0.86mm 2 . The digital programmability of the network weights provides flexibility when a sensor change is required

Rapid ultrasensitive chemometrics-fluorescence methodology to quantifyfluoroquinolones antibiotics residues in surface water

A sensitive method for the determination of fluoroquinolones in surface waters at trace concentration level is presented. The proposed two-step methodology consists in a solid-phase extraction using C-18 membranes followed measurement of the emission molecular fluorescence spectra over extracted membrane without elution of the analytes. Membrane background signal was removed by the used of chemometrics calculations, in addition chemometrics was as well used for the direct and simultaneous determination of the studied compounds. The method was optimized for the analysis of three fluoroquinolones: enoxacin (ENO), norfloxacin (NOR) and ofloxacin (OFLO). The fluorescence of these compounds increase drastically when they are into the membrane, thus with this method low concentrations are possible to be determined, as the concentration in which these compounds appear in surface water. Limits of detection at the ng • L⁻¹ level were estimated for ENO, NOR and OFLO

The interaction of La3+ complexes of DOTA/DTPA-glycoconjugates with the RCA120 lectin : a saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopic study

The study of ligand-receptor interactions using high resolution NMR techniques, namely the Saturation Transfer Difference (STD), is presented for the recognition process between La(III) complexes of DOTA mono(amide) and DTPA bis(amide) glycoconjugates and the galactose specific lectin Ricinus Communis agglutinin (RCA120). This new class of Gd(III)-based potential targeted MRI contrast agents (CAs), bearing one or two terminal sugar (galactosyl or lactosyl) moieties, has been designed for in vivo binding to ASGPR (the asialoglycoprotein receptor), which is specifically expressed at the surface of liver hepatocytes, with the aim of leading to a new possible diagnosis of liver pathologies. The in vitro affinity constants of the divalent La(III)- glycoconjugate complexes to RCA120, used as a simple, water soluble receptor model, were higher than those of the monovalent analogues. The combination of the experimental data obtained from the STD NMR experiments with molecular modelling protocols (Autodock 4.1) allowed us to predict the binding mode of mono and divalent forms of these CAs to the galactose 1 binding sites of RCA120. The atomic details of the molecular interactions allowed corroborating and supporting the interaction of both the sugar moieties and the linkers with the surface of the protein and thus, their contribution to the observed interaction stabilities.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Characterization of a jelly of Calendula officinalis L. at 1% for stomatological use

Introducción: La Calendula officinalis L. es una de las especies vegetales más utilizadas en el tratamiento de enfermedades periodontales. Objetivo: Determinar preliminarmente los parámetros de calidad de la jalea de Calendula officinalis L. al 1% para uso estomatológico. Métodos: Se elaboraron 18 formulaciones utilizando como agente gelificante carboximetilcelulosa (CMC) e hidroxipropilmetilcelulosa (HPMC), empleando el método de incorporación. A las mismas se le determinaron los parámetros de calidad y se seleccionaron las cuatro con mejores parámetros tecnológicos para evaluar el grado de aceptación sensorial por parte de un comité de expertos. Resultados: Las formulaciones con HPMC fueron las que presentaron mejores características organolépticas y pH aceptable para su aplicación sobre la mucosa bucal; así como un área de extensibilidad óptimo, lo que permitió que fueran seleccionadas para realizar el análisis sensorial. Conclusión: Se establecieron preliminarmente los parámetros de calidad de la jalea Calendula officinalis L. al 1% siendo seleccionada la formulación codificada como HPMC 6 por presentar olor característico al extracto blando, color ámbar tenue, homogéneo y con brillo, sabor agradable, no presentar grumos ni arenosidad, área de extensibilidad de 66.96±0.91cm2, pH de 4.9 y mayor aceptabilidad sensorial.Introduction: Calendula officinalis L. is one of the plant species most used in the treatment of periodontal diseases. Objective: To determine preliminarily the quality parameters of Calendula officinalis L. jelly at 1% for stomatological use. Methods: 18 formulations were prepared using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) as the gelling agent, using the incorporation method. The quality parameters were determined selecting the four formulations with better technological parameters to evaluate sensory acceptance by a committee of experts. Results: The HPMC formulations presented better organoleptic characteristics and acceptable pH for its application on the buccal mucosa; as well as an area of optimal extensibility, which allowed them to be selected to carry out the sensory analysis. Conclusion: The quality parameters of the Calendula officinalis L. 1% jelly were preliminarily established the formulation encoded as HPMC 6 is selected for presenting characteristic odor to the soft extract, amber color subdued, homogeneous and glossy, pleasant taste, no lumps or grit, area of extensibility of 66.96 ± 0.91cm2, pH of 4.9 and greater sensory acceptability

On the possibility of magneto-structural correlations: detailed studies of di-nickel carboxylate complexes

A series of water-bridged dinickel complexes of the general formula [Ni<sub>2</sub>(μ<sub>2</sub>-OH<sub>2</sub>)(μ2- O<sub>2</sub>C<sup>t</sup>Bu)<sub>2</sub>(O<sub>2</sub>C<sup>t</sup>Bu)2(L)(L0)] (L = HO<sub>2</sub>C<sup>t</sup>Bu, L0 = HO<sub>2</sub>C<sup>t</sup>Bu (1), pyridine (2), 3-methylpyridine (4); L = L0 = pyridine (3), 3-methylpyridine (5)) has been synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. The magnetic properties have been probed by magnetometry and EPR spectroscopy, and detailed measurements show that the axial zero-field splitting, D, of the nickel(ii) ions is on the same order as the isotropic exchange interaction, J, between the nickel sites. The isotropic exchange interaction can be related to the angle between the nickel centers and the bridging water molecule, while the magnitude of D can be related to the coordination sphere at the nickel sites

Cable-driven parallel robot for curtain wall module installation

A cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) was developed for the installation of curtain wall modules (CWM). The research addressed the question of whether the CDPR was capable installing CWMs with sufficient accuracy while being competitive compared to conventional manual methods. In order to develop and test such a system, a conceptual framework that consisted of three sub-systems was defined. The tests, carried out in two close-to-real demonstration buildings, revealed an absolute accuracy of the CWM installation of 4 to 23 mm. The working time for installing a CWM was reduced to 0.51 h. The results also show that the system is competitive for a workspace greater than 96 m2 compared to conventional manual methods. However, improvements such as reducing the hours for setting up the CDPR on the one hand and achieving a faster and more robust MEE on the other hand will be still necessary in the future.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 73251

“Tourism, water, and gender”—An international review of an unexplored nexus

This international literature review of the tourism–water nexus identifies a gender gap. Tourism development can affect water supply both quantitatively and qualitatively. Many regions will face considerable problems of water availability and quality, affecting their tourism sector and increasing competition with local residents, and other industries especially agriculture. This international review of literature explores the tourism–water nexus, comparing and contrasting literature published in English, Chinese, and Spanish. Securing access to safe water for continued tourism development is a common theme and the vast majority of work has focused on hotels including water pricing, water-saving practices and innovative management methods. In all continents, struggles are apparent, and the unsustainability of tourism is having impacts on water quantity and quality. This article identifies significant gaps in the literature including climate change, the energy-water nexus, and the links with the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, studies from a gendered perspective are minimal and the potential for areas of further gendered studies within the tourism–water nexus are highlighted including intersectionality, water insecurity and sanitation, tourism and gender based violence, and additional unpaid care work

Next-generation sequencing improves precision medicine in hearing loss

Background: An early etiological diagnosis of hearing loss positively impacts children’s quality of life including language and cognitive development. Even though hearing loss associates with extremely high genetic and allelic heterogeneity, several studies have proven that Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based gene panel testing significantly reduces the time between onset and diagnosis.Methods: In order to assess the clinical utility of our custom NGS GHELP panel, the prevalence of pathogenic single nucleotide variants, indels or copy number variants was assessed by sequencing 171 nuclear and 8 mitochondrial genes in 155 Spanish individuals with hearing loss.Results: A genetic diagnosis of hearing loss was achieved in 34% (52/155) of the individuals (5 out of 52 were syndromic). Among the diagnosed cases, 87% (45/52) and 12% (6/52) associated with autosomal recessive and dominant inheritance patterns respectively; remarkably, 2% (1/52) associated with mitochondrial inheritance pattern. Although the most frequently mutated genes in this cohort were consistent with those described in the literature (GJB2, OTOF or MYO7A), causative variants in less frequent genes such as TMC1, FGF3 or mitCOX1 were also identified. Moreover, 5% of the diagnosed cases (3/52) were associated with pathogenic copy number variants.Conclusion: The clinical utility of NGS panels that allows identification of different types of pathogenic variants–not only single nucleotide variants/indels in both nuclear and mitochondrial genes but also copy number variants–has been demonstrated to reduce the clinical diagnostic odyssey in hearing loss. Thus, clinical implementation of genomic strategies within the regular clinical practice, and, more significantly, within the newborn screening protocols, is warranted