Microscopic study of neutron-rich Dysprosium isotopes

Microscopic studies in heavy nuclei are very scarce due to large valence spaces involved. This computational problem can be avoided by means of the use of symmetry based models. Ground-state, gamma and beta-bands, and their B(E2) transition strengths in 160-168Dy isotopes, are studied in the framework of the pseudo-SU(3) model which includes the preserving symmetry Q.Q term and the symmetry-breaking Nilsson and pairing terms, systematically parametrized. Additionally, three rotor-like terms are considered whose free parameters, fixed for all members of the chain are used to fine tune the moment of inertia of rotational bands and the band-head of gamma and beta-bands. The model succesfully describes in a systematic way rotational features in these nuclei and allows to extrapolate toward the midshell nucleus 170Dy. The results presented show that it is possible to study full chain of isotopes or isotones in the region with the present model

Market channels and marketing infrastructures of the bangos industry

This paper dwells on the catching and handling of bangos fry from the fishing ground to the market. It also includes the harvesting of bangos, handling and final marketing of the product. The problems of market channels and marketing infrastructures inherent in the bangos industry have also been discussed with recommendations for their possible improvement

A discussion concerning active infrared thermography in the evaluation of buildings air infiltration

[EN] The EU is strongly committed to energy saving in buildings. Air leaks through the building envelope represent a significant percentage of buildings energy consumption. Locating and minimizing air leaks is thus necessary to optimize energy efficiency. This work presents the results of an experimental campaign that aimed to promote a discussion concerning the opportunities and constraints of using active IRT to detect air leakage points. The potential of active IRT was evaluated both in a qualitative approach, by comparing the thermograms with the ones obtained with passive IRT, and in a quantitative one, by testing methods of numerically interpret the thermograms. The results allowed concluding that active IRT increases the thermal contrast and the affected area, proving that active IRT combined with pressure differences is an effective methodology for detecting air infiltrations. In the quantitative approach different numerical methods can be used. Their selection depends on the aims of the study, as they can highlight different perspectives of the phenomenon. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work was financially supported by: Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007457 - CONSTRUCT - Institute of R&D In Structures and Construction funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI) - and by national funds through FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia.Lerma Elvira, C.; Barreira, E.; Almeida, R. (2018). A discussion concerning active infrared thermography in the evaluation of buildings air infiltration. Energy and Buildings. 168:56-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.02.050S566616

Quantitative Analysis Procedure for Building Materials in Historic Buildings by Applying Infrared Thermography

[EN] Historic buildings have a great cultural and architectural value. It is necessary to analyze their state of conservation, but sometimes it is difficult to perform laboratory tests without damaging this heritage. In the field of architecture, infrared thermography is usually used to provide descriptive information about the surface temperature of building materials. This current research presents a methodology widely applicable to historic buildings. As an example of application, the study is focused in the Seminary-School of Corpus Christi of Valencia (Spain), a very outstanding building from the 16th Century. This research presents an analytical study to be able to differentiate the temperature distribution of all pixels of a thermographic image. Thermal images are a matrix of data and their study helps us in decision-making based on objective data.Lerma Elvira, C.; Mas Tomas, MDLA.; Gil Benso, E.; Vercher Sanchis, JM.; Torner-Feltrer, MEM. (2018). Quantitative Analysis Procedure for Building Materials in Historic Buildings by Applying Infrared Thermography. Russian Journal of Nondestructive Testing. 54(8):601-609. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1061830918080065S601609548Avdelidis, N.P. and Moropoulou, A., Applications of infrared thermography for the investigation of historic structures, J. Cult. Heritage, 2004, no. 5, pp. 119–127. doi 10.1016/j.culher.2003.07.002Barreira, E. and Freitas, V., Evaluation of building materials using infrared thermography, Constr. Build. Mater., 2007, vol. 21, pp. 218–224. doi 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2005.06.049Bauer, E., Pavón, E., Barreira, E., and Kraus, E., Analysis of building façade defects using infrared thermography: Laboratory studies, J. Build. Eng., 2016, no. 6, pp. 93–104. doi /doi 10.1016/j.jobe.2016.02.012Binda, L., Cardani, G., and Zanzi, L., Nondestructive testing evaluation of drying process in flooded full-scale masonry walls, J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 2010, pp. 473–483. doi 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000097Cañas, I., Martín, S., and González, I., Thermal-physical aspects of materials used for the construction of rural buildings in Soria (Spain), Construct. Build. Mater., 2005, vol. 19, pp. 197–211. doi 10.1016/j.conbuildmat. 2004.05.016Carlomagno, G.M., Maio, R., Fedi, M., Meola, C., Integration of infrared thermography and high-frequency electromagnetic methods in archaeological surveys, J. Geophys. Eng., 2011, vol. 8, pp. 93–105. doi 10.1088/1742-2132/8/3/S09Cerdeira, F., Vázquez, ME, Collado, J., and Granada, E., Applicability of infrared thermography to the study of the behavior of Stone panels as building envelopes, Energy Build., 2011, vol. 43, pp. 1845–1851. doi 10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.03.029EN 13187:1998. Thermal performance of buildings. Qualitative detection of thermal irregularities in building envelopes. Infrared method (ISO 6781:1983 modified).Galarza Tortajada, M., La tapia valenciana: una técnica constructiva poco conocida, Proc. First Natl. Congr. Construct. Hist., Madrid, 1996.Grinzato, E., Bison, P.G., and Marinetti, S., Monitoring of ancient buildings by the thermal method, J. Cult. Heritage, 2002, vol. 3, pp. 21–29. doi 10.1016/S1296-2074(02)01159-7Ibarra-Castanedo C., Sfarra, S., Ambrosini, D., Paoletti, D., Bendada, A, and Maldague, X., Diagnostics of panel paintings using holographic interferometry and pulsed thermography, Quant. Infrared Thermogr. J., 2010, vol. 7, no. 1. doi 10.3166/qirt.7.85-114Lagüela, S., Martínez, J., Armesto, J., and Arias, P., Energy efficiency studies through 3D laser scanning and thermographic technologies, Energy Build., 2011, vol. 43, pp. 1216–1221. doi 10.1016/j.enbuild.2010.12.031Lerma, C., Mas, Á., Gil, E., and Galiana, M., An analytical procedure for the study of the documented construction process of the Seminary-School of Corpus Christi in Valencia (Spain), Inf. Constr., 2014, vol. 66 (533), e007. doi 10.3989/ic.12.117Lerma, C., Mas, A., Gil, E., Vercher, J., and Penalver, M.J., Pathology of building materials in historic buildings. Relationship between laboratory testing and infrared thermography, Mater. Constr., 2014, vol. 64 (313), e009. doi 10.3989/mc.2013.06612Lerma, J.L., Cabrelles, M., and Portalés, C., Multitemporal thermal analysis to detect moisture on a building façade, Construct. Build. Mater., 2011, vol. 25, pp. 2190–2197. doi 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2010.10.007Madruga, F.J., Ibarra-Castanedo, C., Conde, O., López-Higuera, J.M., and Maldague, X., Infrared thermography processing based on higher-order statistics, NDT&E Int., 2010, vol. 43, pp. 661–666. doi 10.1016/j.ndteint.2010.07.002Meola, C., Infrared thermography of masonry structures, Infrared Phys. Technol., 2007, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 228–33. doi 10.1016/j.infraredPosta, J., Dolejs, J., Non-destructive assessment of timber elements with an emphasis on radiometry., Intern. J. Arch. Herit., 2015, vol. 9, no.6.Válek, J., Kruschwitz, S., Wöstmann, J., Kind, T., Valach, J., Köpp, C., and Lesák, J., Nondestructive investigation of wet building material: Multimethodological approach, J. of performance of Constructed Facilities, pp. 462–472. doi 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.000005

Chingasos y Putasos : Examining Cultural and Structural Violence among Mexican American Youth

In this thesis, I examine Johan Galtung’s theory of violence and discuss how his concepts of cultural and structural violence helps explain the problem of direct violence among Mexican American youth. I argue that cultural violence, mainly dominant narratives of colonialism and masculinity, cause some Mexican American youth to act violently. Additionally, structural violence ensures that inequality is systemically built into society, limiting the life choices of many Mexican American youth. These forces combined can result in rebellion and aggressive behavior. Using the methodology of verse, my testimonio, and theory on violence, prisons, and Mexican cultural identity, I demonstrate how overcoming violent behavior does not occur within a punitive penal system, but by becoming conscious of cultural and structural phenomena. This transformation would allow Mexican American youth the opportunity to embrace new forms of cultural identity such as peace, love, dignity, respect for self and others

First Data from the Prehistoric Site Complex of Cueva del Arco (Murcia, Spain)

The southern Iberian Peninsula is a key area for understanding the timing and patterns of the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition. Recently, the excavation and study of new sites have provided new insights on this topic. The aim of this paper is to introduce Cueva del Arco, a site complex featuring distinct caves and rock shelters. Cueva del Arco is located at a short distance from the Almadenes gorge (Cieza, Spain) and preserves both Middle and Upper Palaeolithic deposits and assemblages, as well as rock art. Despite being known since the 1990s for its Palaeolithic rock art, systematic fieldwork was never undertaken at the site until recently. We here report the first results of a research programme that includes the systematic excavation of several cavities belonging to the Cueva del Arco complex, focusing on the location and context of the site, its stratigraphy and chronology, and site formation. Research at the site is still ongoing, but preliminary results suggest that the data from Cueva del Arco will provide new clues to the current debate on the transition from Neanderthals to anatomically modern humans in southern Europe

In Flight MiRNA Isolation and Recovery on the ISS Using the Wetlab-2 System

Due to advancements in RNA research, mi (micro) RNAs and other small nucleotide RNAs have become a major research field in biology including spaceflight research. The regulation of RNA transcription and processing by miRNAs makes miRNAs an appealing topic for genetics and molecular research. It has been estimated that over 60% of human gene transcripts are targets of miRNA regulation. In fact, this is true for all organisms, including plants and insects. Small nucleotide RNAs can also play a role in regulating gene expression, meaning that gene expression alone is not a complete picture of the potential genetic changes that occur in an organism during spaceflight. The goal of the WetLab-2 project is to isolate and recover miRNAs from various tissue sources on the International Space Station (ISS). No system currently exists that can isolate and recover small nucleotide RNA in space. However, the WetLab-2 system that was validated on the ISS in 2016 can be adapted to fit this purpose. We are currently testing the new modified protocols by running plant and mouse blood experiments in parallel, allowing us to demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure on different sample types. We expect to be able to optimize and implement the modified miRNA protocols for use on future ISS flights

In Flight miRNA Isolation and Recovery on the ISS

Due to advancements in RNA research, mi (micro) RNAs and other small nucleotide RNAs have become a major research field in biology including spaceflight research. The regulation of RNA transcription and processing by miRNAs makes miRNAs an appealing topic for genetics and molecular research. It has been estimated that over 60% of human gene transcripts are targets of miRNA regulation. In fact, this is true for all organisms, including plants and insects. Small nucleotide RNAs can also play a role in regulating gene expression, meaning that gene expression alone is not a complete picture of the potential genetic changes that occur in an organism during spaceflight. The goal of the WetLab-2 project is to isolate and recover miRNAs from various tissue sources on the International Space Station (ISS). No system currently exists that can isolate and recover small nucleotide RNA in space. However, the WetLab-2 system that was validated on the ISS in 2016 can be adapted to fit this purpose. We are currently testing the new modified protocols by running plant and mouse blood experiments in parallel, allowing us to demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure on different sample types. We expect to be able to optimize and implement the modified miRNA protocols for use on future ISS flights