184 research outputs found
EXPO-AGRI: Smart Automatic Greenhouse Control
Predicting and controlling plant behavior in con- trolled environments is a growing requirement in precision agri- culture. In this context sensor networks and artificial intelligence methods represent key aspects for optimizing the processes of data acquisition, mathematical modeling and decision making. In this paper we present a general architecture for automatic greenhouse control. In particular, we focus on a preliminary model for predicting the risk of new infections of downy mildew of basil (Peronospora belbahrii) on sweet basil. The architecture has three main elements of innovation: new kinds of sensors are used to extract information about the state of the plants, model predictors are generated from this information by non-trivial processing methods, and informative predictors are automatically selected using regularization techniques
Basal and Frontal Accretion Processes versus BSR Characteristics along the Chilean Margin
Multichannel seismic reflection data recorded between Itata (36°S) and Coyhaique offshores (43°S) were processed to obtain seismic images. Analysis of the seismic profiles revealed that weak and discontinuous bottom simulating reflectors were associated to basal accretion processes, while strong and continuous bottom simulating reflectors were associated to frontal accretion processes. This can be explained considering that during basal accretion processes, extensional tectonic movements due to uplifting can favour fluid escapes giving origin to weaker and most discontinuous bottom simulating reflectors. During frontal accretion processes (folding and thrusting), high fluid circulation and stable tectonic conditions however can be responsible of stronger and most continuous bottom simulating reflectors. Along the Arauco-Valdivia offshores, steep accretionary prisms, normal faults, slope basins, and thicker underplated sediment bed were associated to basal accretion, while along the Itata, Chiloe and Coyhaique offshores, small accretionary prisms, folding, and thinner underplated sediment bed were associated to frontal accretion
Evaluation of non-chemical seed treatment methods for the control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina on carrot seeds
The current study was initiated to evaluate the efficacy of physical methods (hot water, aerated steam, electron treatment) and agents of natural origin (resistance inducers, plant derived products, micro-organisms) as seed treatments of carrots for control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina. Control of both Alternaria species by seed treatment with the resistance inducers was generally poor. Results were also not satisfactory with most of the formulated commercial micro-organism preparations. Based on the average of five field trials, one of these, BA 2552 (Pseudomonas chlororaphis), provided a low but significant increase in plant stand. Among the experimental micro-organisms, the best results were obtained with Pseudomonas sp. strain MF 416 and Clonostachys rosea strain IK726. A similar level of efficacy was provided by seed treatment with an emulsion (1%) of thyme oil in water. Good and consistent control was generally achieved with the physical methods aerated steam, hot water and electron treatment. Aerated steam treatment was, apart from the thiram-containing chemical standard, the best single treatment, and its performance may at least partially be due to extensive pre-testing, resulting in dosages optimally adapted to the respective seed lot. In some of the experiments the effect of the hot water treatment, which was tested at a fixed, not specifically adapted dosage, was significantly improved when combined with a Pseudomonas sp. MF 416 or C. rosea IK726 treatment. The results are discussed in relation to the outcome of experiments in which the same seed treatment methods and agents were tested in other seed-borne vegetable pathosystems
STOVE: Seed treatments for organic vegetable production
The aim of the EU-financed research project „STOVE“ (Seed Treatments for Organic Vegetable Production) is to evaluate different methods potentially suited for seed treatment of vegetables in organic farming regarding their efficacy, to optimise these methods, and where feasible to combine them with each other. Scientists from seven European research institutions and a producer of organic vegetable seeds carry out the project
A crustal seismic profile across Sicily
A crustal reflection seismic profile, more than 100 km long, was recorded across central Sicily, from the
Tyrrhenian shore to the Sicily Channel, to understand the deep structures and the collision mechanisms
between Europe and Africa and the subsequent geodynamic evolution. The profile was acquired using
explosive sources and 240 active channels recorded by a Sercel 408-XL, 24 bits A/D converter, with a 12 km
spread and a 24-fold coverage.
The data were processed following a non-conventional procedure in order to preserve the relative
amplitudes of the reflections and to better investigate the Sicily deep structures down to the Moho. The main
highlighted structures are the dramatic flexure of the Iblean crust, the huge, deeper than expected, trough of
Caltanissetta consisting of deep seated thrusts and nappes, and the imbricate thrust system of rigid bodies
characterizing the northern Maghrebian chain. We designed an ad hoc acquisition and processing in order to
highlight these main geological features in the seismic stacked section. Moreover, the deepest parts of the
Caltanissetta trough are imaged for the first time, and its bottom is now fixed at more than 7 s TWT. The
giant crustal wedge flexuring the Iblean foreland and the Moho geometries are examinated
The prognosis of incurable cachectic cancer patients on home parenteral nutrition: a multi-centre observational study with prospective follow-up of 414 patients.
Gamma-ray flaring activity from the gravitationally lensed blazar PKS 1830-211 observed by Fermi LAT
The Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
routinely detects the highly dust-absorbed, reddened, and MeV-peaked flat
spectrum radio quasar PKS 1830-211 (z=2.507). Its apparent isotropic gamma-ray
luminosity (E>100 MeV) averaged over 3 years of observations and peaking
on 2010 October 14/15 at 2.9 X 10^{50} erg s^{-1}, makes it among the brightest
high-redshift Fermi blazars. No published model with a single lens can account
for all of the observed characteristics of this complex system. Based on radio
observations, one expects time delayed variability to follow about 25 days
after a primary flare, with flux about a factor 1.5 less. Two large gamma-ray
flares of PKS 1830-211 have been detected by the LAT in the considered period
and no substantial evidence for such a delayed activity was found. This allows
us to place a lower limit of about 6 on the gamma rays flux ratio between the
two lensed images. Swift XRT observations from a dedicated Target of
Opportunity program indicate a hard spectrum and with no significant
correlation of X-ray flux with the gamma-ray variability. The spectral energy
distribution can be modeled with inverse Compton scattering of thermal photons
from the dusty torus. The implications of the LAT data in terms of variability,
the lack of evident delayed flare events, and different radio and gamma-ray
flux ratios are discussed. Microlensing effects, absorption, size and location
of the emitting regions, the complex mass distribution of the system, an
energy-dependent inner structure of the source, and flux suppression by the
lens galaxy for one image path may be considered as hypotheses for
understanding our results.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Accepted by the The Astrophysical
Journal. Corresponding authors: S. Ciprini (ASI ASDC & INAF OAR, Rome,
Italy), S. Buson (INAF Padova & Univ. of Padova, Padova, Italy), J. Finke
(NRL, Washington, DC, USA), F. D'Ammando (INAF IRA, Bologna, Italy
Deep Broadband Observations of the Distant Gamma-ray Blazar PKS 1424+240
We present deep VERITAS observations of the blazar PKS 1424+240, along with
contemporaneous Fermi Large Area Telescope, Swift X-ray Telescope and Swift UV
Optical Telescope data between 2009 February 19 and 2013 June 8. This blazar
resides at a redshift of , displaying a significantly attenuated
gamma-ray flux above 100 GeV due to photon absorption via pair-production with
the extragalactic background light. We present more than 100 hours of VERITAS
observations from three years, a multiwavelength light curve and the
contemporaneous spectral energy distributions. The source shows a higher flux
of (2.1) ph ms above 120 GeV in 2009 and
2011 as compared to the flux measured in 2013, corresponding to
(1.02) ph ms above 120 GeV. The measured
differential very high energy (VHE; GeV) spectral indices are
3.80.3, 4.30.6 and 4.50.2 in 2009, 2011 and 2013,
respectively. No significant spectral change across the observation epochs is
detected. We find no evidence for variability at gamma-ray opacities of greater
than , where it is postulated that any variability would be small and
occur on longer than year timescales if hadronic cosmic-ray interactions with
extragalactic photon fields provide a secondary VHE photon flux. The data
cannot rule out such variability due to low statistics.Comment: ApJL accepted March 17, 201
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