1,033 research outputs found

    The Role of Large and Small Scale Hydropower for Energy and Water Security in the Spanish Duero Basin

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    Hydropower has been increasingly seen as a two-fold solution to the provision of renewable energy and water storage. However, the massive deployment of both large and small scale hydropower projects has been reported to cause important environmental impacts at the basin scale. This study assesses the differential contributions to regional energy and water security of large (LHP) and small (SHP) scale hydropower deployment in the Spanish Duero basin, as well as associated cumulative environmental impacts. This is performed through a selection of indicators measured in absolute and relative terms. The results suggest that LHP deployment contributes more to energy and water security, performing better in 10 of the 12 indicators. It also shows higher absolute environmental impacts on flow regime and habitat loss. Meanwhile, when analyzed in relative terms, SHP shows greater impacts in all categories as a result of cumulative effects cascading along the rivers system. These findings suggest that optimizing the use of existing hydropower infrastructure would be beneficial for energy, water and environmental security. This could be implemented by substantially reducing the number of low capacity plants with almost no impact on final energy generation, while enhancing the pumping and storage potential of higher capacity plants

    Presence of Appendix Fibrosa Hepatitis: Study of Bioanthropological and Structure Correlation

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    Indexacion: ScieloRESUMEN: El apéndice fibroso hepático es una estructura anatómica del espacio subfrénico, poco descrita en la literatura universal y de importancia clínica. Se diseñó un protocolo para ser realizado en cadáveres donde se determina su presencia, características y correlación estadística con factores antropométricos. En 24 cadáveres se determina que el apéndice fibroso hepático siempre está presente, y que no existe correlación estadísticamente significativa, pero sí se observa variabilidad entre las dimensiones biométricas analizadas. SUMMARY: The hepatic fibrous appendix is an anatomical structure of the subfrenic space scarcely described in the universal literature and of vital clinical importance. For their study a protocol was designed to be carried out in cadavers where its presence is determined, characteristic and statistical correlation with anthropometric factors. In 24 cadavers it is determined that the hepatic fibrous appendix is always present, and that correlation doesn't exist statistically significant among the analyzed anthropological factors, but it's possible to observe variability in it's dimensions

    Functional and bioactive properties of collagen and gelatin from alternative sources: A review

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    The rising interest in the valorisation of industrial by-products is one of the main reasons why exploring different species and optimizing the extracting conditions of collagen and gelatin has attracted the attention of researchers in the last decade. The most abundant sources of gelatin are pig skin, bovine hide and, pork and cattle bones, however, the industrial use of collagen or gelatin obtained from non-mammalian species is growing in importance. The classical food, photographic, cosmetic and pharmaceutical application of gelatin is based mainly on its gel-forming properties. Recently, and especially in the food industry, an increasing number of new applications have been found for gelatin in products such as emulsifiers, foaming agents, colloid stabilizers, biodegradable film-forming materials and micro-encapsulating agents, in line with the growing trend to replace synthetic agents with more natural ones. In the last decade, a large number of studies have dealt with the enzymatic hydrolysis of collagen or gelatin for the production of bioactive peptides. Besides exploring diverse types of bioactivities, of an antimicrobial, antioxidant or antihypertensive nature, studies have also focused on the effect of oral intake in both animal and human models, revealing the excellent absorption and metabolism of Hyp-containing peptides. The present work is a compilation of recent information on collagen and gelatin extraction from new sources, as well as new processing conditions and potential novel or improved applications, many of which are largely based on induced cross-linking, blending with other biopolymers or enzymatic hydrolysis. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.Peer Reviewe

    Functional and bioactive properties of collagen and gelatin from alternative sources: A review

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    The rising interest in the valorisation of industrial by-products is one of the main reasons why exploring different species and optimizing the extracting conditions of collagen and gelatin has attracted the attention of researchers in the last decade. The most abundant sources of gelatin are pig skin, bovine hide and, pork and cattle bones, however, the industrial use of collagen or gelatin obtained from non-mammalian species is growing in importance. The classical food, photographic, cosmetic and pharmaceutical application of gelatin is based mainly on its gel-forming properties. Recently, and especially in the food industry, an increasing number of new applications have been found for gelatin in products such as emulsifiers, foaming agents, colloid stabilizers, biodegradable film-forming materials and micro-encapsulating agents, in line with the growing trend to replace synthetic agents with more natural ones. In the last decade, a large number of studies have dealt with the enzymatic hydrolysis of collagen or gelatin for the production of bioactive peptides. Besides exploring diverse types of bioactivities, of an antimicrobial, antioxidant or antihypertensive nature, studies have also focused on the effect of oral intake in both animal and human models, revealing the excellent absorption and metabolism of Hyp-containing peptides. The present work is a compilation of recent information on collagen and gelatin extraction from new sources, as well as new processing conditions and potential novel or improved applications, many of which are largely based on induced cross-linking, blending with other biopolymers or enzymatic hydrolysis. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.Peer Reviewe

    Quality of thawed deepwater pink shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) treated with melanosis-inhibiting formulations during chilled storage

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    This work investigates how the treatment of thawed deepwater pink shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) with several melanosis-inhibiting formulations, affects the quality of the shrimp during chilled storage. Formulations were as follows: a formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol (0.1 and 0.05%), in combination with organic acids and chelating agents, a commercial formula based on sulphites, and a mixture of gluconic acid and commercial sulphites. No noticeable differences were observed for both trimethylamine and total volatile bases during chilled storage. pH evolution was irrespective of the treatment condition. Microbial load enlarged after the sixth day of chilled storage. Higher total bacteria counts were associated with the control and sulphite treatment conditions, while lactic acid bacteria growth seemed to be favoured under formulations based on 4-hexylresorcinol. The appearance of melanosis occurred more rapidly in control shrimp or in shrimp treated with commercial sulphites. 4-hexylresorcinol formulations preserved the quality of thawed shrimp and could replace traditional sulphites. © 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation 2007 Institute of Food Science and Technology Trust Fund.Peer Reviewe

    Chitosán más clorhexidina (Bexident®Post) en el control del dolor y la inflamación posoperatoria en implantología oral: estudio piloto

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    Objetivos: Evaluación de la eficacia del chitosán más la clorhexidina en el control del dolor y la inflamación posoperatoria en cirugía implantológica oral. Material y métodos: Es un estudio clínico piloto prospectivo en pacientes a los que se les colocan implantes. A todos los pacientes se les pauta después de la cirugía Bexident®Post en gel, tres veces al día durante siete días. Se valora la inflamación, la apertura bucal, el nivel de dolor, el grado de cicatrización y la opinión sobre el producto. Resultados: Se han colocado 138 implantes en 54 pacientes. El 64% eran varones y la media de tiempo quirúrgico fue de 76 minutos. La inflamación y apertura bucal pre y postoperatoria no es significativa con una p= 0,000. Se han consumido 11 unidades analgésicas de media en los 7 días del posoperatorio. El EVA ha sido de 3,0 (DS= 2,0) a las 6 horas, 2,0 (DS= 2,0) a las 24 horas, 2,02 (DS= 1,0) el segundo día, 1,0 (DS= 1,0) el tercer y cuarto día y 0,0 el quinto, sexto y séptimo día. El grado de cicatrización es bueno en el 88,9% (48 pacientes); regular, en el 7,4% (4 pacientes) y malo, en el 3,7% (2 pacientes). 45 pacientes (83,3%) responden positivamente a todas las preguntas referentes al producto. Conclusiones: El producto se muestra fácil de usar, el sabor es adecuado y en este estudio la inflamación, el dolor y el consumo de medicamentos han sido mínimo

    A Middle Miocene (13.5–12 Ma) deformational event constrained by volcanism along the Puna-Eastern Cordillera border, NW Argentina

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    The features of Middle Miocene deposits in the Puna-Eastern Cordillera transition (Valles Calchaquíes) indicate that Cenozoic deformation, sedimentation and volcanism follow a complex spatiotemporal relationship. The intense volcanic activity recorded in the eastern Puna border between 14 and 11.5 Ma coincides with the occurrence of one of the most important deformation events of the Neogene tectonic evolution in the region. Studies performed across the Puna-Eastern Cordillera transition show different relationships between volcanic deposits of ca. 13.5–12.1 Ma and the Oligocene-Miocene Angastaco Formation. In this paper we describe the ash-flow tuff deposits which are the first of this type found concordant in the sedimentary fill of Valles Calchaquíes. Several analyses performed on these pyroclastic deposits allow a correlation to be made with the Alto de Las Lagunas Ignimbrite (ca. 13.5 Ma) of the Pucarilla-Cerro Tipillas Volcanic Complex located in the Puna. Outcrops of the ca. 13.5 Ma pyroclastic deposits are recognised within the Puna and the Valle Calchaquí. However, in the southern prolongation of the Valle de Hualfín (Tiopampa-Pucarilla depression) that separates the Puna from the Valle Calchaquí at these latitudes, these deposits are partially eroded and buried, and thus their occurrence is recorded only by abundant volcanic clasts included in conglomerates of the Angastaco Formation. The sedimentation of the Angastaco Formation was aborted at ca. 12 Ma in the Tiopampa-Pucarilla depression by the Pucarilla Ignimbrite, which unconformably covers the synorogenic units. On the contrary, in the Valle Calchaquí the sedimentation of the Angastaco Formation continued until the Late Miocene. The different relationships between the Miocene Angastaco Formation and the ignimbrites with ages of ca. 13.5 and ca. 12 Ma reveal that in this short period (~ 1.5 m.y.) a significant deformation event took place and resulted in marked palaeogeographic changes, as evidenced by stratigraphic-sedimentological and chronological records in the Angastaco Formation. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.This work was funded by ANPCyT (PICT 2012-0419, PICT 2011-0407 and PICT 2015-0432), CONICET (PIP 489) and CIUNSa (N°2027).Peer reviewe

    Integral field spectroscopy of nitrogen overabundant blue compact dwarf galaxies

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    We study the spatial distribution of the physical properties and of oxygen and nitrogen abundances in three Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxiess (HS 0128+2832, HS 0837+4717 and Mrk 930) with a reported excess of N/O in order to investigate the nature of this excess and, particularly, if it is associated with Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars We have observed these BCDs by using PMAS integral field spectroscopy in the optical spectral range (3700 - 6900 {\AA}), mapping their physical-chemical properties, using both the direct method and appropriate strong-line methods. We make a statistical analysis of the resulting distributions and we compare them with the integrated properties of the galaxies. Our results indicate that outer parts of the three galaxies are placed on the "AGN-zone" of the [NII]/H{\alpha} vs. [OIII]/H{\beta} diagnostic diagram most likely due to a high N/O combined with the excitation structure in these regions. From the statistical analysis, it is assumed that a certain property can be considered as spatially homogeneous (or uniform) if a normal gaussian function fits its distribution in several regions of the galaxy. Moreover, a disagreement between the integrated properties and the mean values of the distribution usually appears when a gaussian does not fit the corresponding distribution. We find that for Mrk 930, the uniformity is found for all parameters, except for electron density and reddening. The rotation curve together with the H{\alpha} map and UV images, reveal a perturbed morphology and possible interacting processes. The N/O is found to be constant in the three studied objects at spatial scales of the order of several kpc so we conclude that the number of WR stars estimated from spectroscopy is not sufficient to pollute the ISM and to produce the observed N/O excess in these objectsComment: 17 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

    Vortex-lattice dynamics with channeled pinning potential landscapes

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    We have studied vortex-lattice dynamics as a function of driving force direction, in superconducting Nb films with periodic pinning arrays of magnetic dots. Square and rectangular symmetry arrays define channels that guide the vortex-lattice motion. We investigated the effect of the driving force direction on the commensurability between the vortex-lattice and dots array. We also studied the transverse depinning of the vortex-lattice as is moving longitudinally along channels. We found that transverse depinning forces are enhanced with respect to the static situation. The results are discussed in terms of the dynamical evolution of order in the vortex-lattice
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