A simple and cost-effective method for cable root detection and extension measurement in estuary wetland forests

This work presents the development of a low-cost method to measure the length cable roots of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) trees to define the boundaries of central part of the anchoring root system (CPRS) without the need to fully expose root systems. The method was tested to locate and measure the length shallow woody root systems. An ultrasonic Doppler fetal monitor (UD) and a stock of steel rods (SR) were used to probe root locations without removing sediments from the surface, measure their length and estimate root-soil plate dimensions. The method was validated by comparing measurements with root lengths taken through direct measurement of excavated cable roots and from root-soil plate radii (exposed root-soil material when a tree tips over) of five up-rooted trees with stem diameters (D130) ranging between 10 and 50 cm. The mean CPRS radius estimated with the use of the Doppler was directly correlated with tree stem diameter and was not significantly different from the root-soil plate mean radius measured from up-rooted trees or from CPRS approximated by digging trenches. Our method proved to be effective and reliable in following cable roots for large amounts of trees of both black and white mangrove trees. In a period of 40 days of work, three people were capable of measuring 648 roots belonging to 81 trees, out of which 37% were found grafted to other tree roots. This simple method can be helpful in following shallow root systems with minimal impact and help map root connection networks of grafted trees

Environmental factors affecting lactation curve parameters in the United Kingdom’s commercial dairy herds

Environmental factors affecting lactation curve parameters in the United Kingdom's commercial dairy herds Factores ambientales que determinan los parámetros de la curva de lactación usando un modelo biológico en rebaños lecheros comerciales en el Reino Unido RESUMEN El objetivo del trabajo fue determinar los factores ambientales que determinan los parámetros de la curva de lactación utilizando un modelo biológico de ajuste de curva. El modelo propuesto ajusta dos curvas logísticas que simulan el incremento inicial en el número de células secretoras de leche en la lactación temprana, y la progresión de la apoptosis en la lactación tardía. Se analizaron lactaciones de 182.987 vacas Holstein-Friesian. Los factores vaca, rebaño y número de lactación explican el 74% de la suma total de cuadrados (P < 0,001). La edad promedio a primer parto fue de 28 meses, teniendo un efecto significativo sobre la mayoría de los parámetros de la curva. Incrementos en la edad a primer de parto (20-40 meses) fueron asociados con incrementos lineales en los rendimientos totales de leche. Los parámetros tasa máxima de secreción y máximo de lactación estuvieron altamente correlacionados entre sí, indicando que son virtualmente los mismos. Adicionalmente, altos valores de estos dos parámetros indican altos rendimientos totales de leche. El día del máximo de lactación se correlacionó negativamente (0,64) con persistencia de la lactación. Los factores vaca, rebaño número de lactación y edad a primer parto fueron los factores más determinantes sobre los parámetros de la curva de lactación de vacas de primera lactancia así como de lactaciones múltiples

The “Good,” the “Bad,” and the Queer Invisible: The Los Angeles May Day Queer Contingent

This article explores the evolution of the May Day Queer Contingent (MDQC) as a part of the annual Los Angeles May Day march. The MDQC is a notable example of the political mobilization led by queer women and transgender activists of color of the LGBTQ community, as it relates to the struggle for immigrant rights. Offering reflections from founders and key organizers, this paper considers the development of the MDQC; its engagement with other groups; intersectionality and queer women of color feminisms as a political project to confront a heteropatriarchal immigration reform movement

A Materials Screening Test of Corrosion Monitoring in LiNO3 Containing Molten Salts as a Thermal Energy Storage Material for CSP Plants

Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, in the context of thermal energy storage (TES) upgrades, need to provide a timely and effective response to the corrosion process that occurs due to the effect of high temperatures, where one of the main challenges is to control its effect, and thus the costs related to the materials used. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear polarization resistance (LPR) were applied in this study as a corrosion monitoring technique. The electrochemical tests were carried out on the materials AISI304, AISI430, and HR-224 immersed in a mixture of ternary salt composed of 57 wt.% KNO3 + 13 wt.% NaNO3 + 30 wt.% LiNO3 at 550 °C during 100 h of exposure and subsequently compared with solar salt. The test was also carried out on the VM12 alloy in the ternary salt with lithium content at 100 and 1000 h of exposure at 550 °C. The corrosion tests show that the materials conform to a model of protective layer in which the same results were contrasted with the chemical corrosion mechanism of nitrate mixture. According to the results obtained in this research, electrochemical techniques could be an interesting option to control corrosion in CSP plants and reduce operational risks during operation.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by CONICYT/FONDAP 15110019 “Solar Energy Research Center” SERC-Chile and FONDEQUIP EQM170111

Cell wall proteomics reveals a strong association of acta to the peptidoglycan promoting listeria monocytogenes invasiveness

Comunicaciones a congreso

Multivariate analysis of the reliability, availability, and maintainability characterizations of a Spar–Buoy wave energy converter farm

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer via the DOI in this record.Quantitative reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) assessments are of fundamental importance at the early design stages, as well as planning and operation of marine renewable energy systems. This paper presents an RAM framework adaptable to different offshore renewable technologies, conceived to provide support in the choice of the device components and subsequent planning of the O&M strategies. A case study, characterizing a pilot farm of oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converters (WECs), is illustrated together with the method used to obtain reliable estimate of its key performance indicators (KPIs). Based on a fixed feed-in-tariff for the project, economic figures are estimated, showing a direct relationship with the availability of the farm and the cost of maintenance interventions. Consequently, the probability distributions of the most relevant output variables are presented, and the mutual correlations between them investigated using principal components analysis (PCA) with the aim of discovering the relationships influencing the performance of the offshore farm. In this way, the contributions of the individual factors on the profitability of the project are quantified, and generic guidelines to support the decision-making process are derived. It is shown how this type of analysis provides important insights not only to ocean energy farm operators after the deployment of the devices, but also to device developers at the early design stage of wave energy concepts.The first and second authors were partially funded by the Marie Curie Actions of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013/ under REA grant agreement number 607656 (OceaNet project). The fourth author was funded by FCT researcher grant No. IF/01457/2014. This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 654444 (OPERA Project) and from the FCT project PTDC/MAR-TEC/0914/2014

Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Redispersing Additive in Magnetorheological Fluid

Unwanted agglomeration of micro particles in magnetorheological fluid is an important problem for many technological applications. Furthermore, the stability of this kind of fluid is also studied as an important property in many research papers. Prior to use, a redispersion of agglomerated or aggregated (connected by solid phase) particles is often necessary. The objective of this study is to evaluate the dispersibility effect of magnetic nanoparticles as a carrier, while keeping the magnetorheological (MR) effect as high as possible. A simple device based on the estimation of the penetration force of a standard needle is presented. The needle moves across the sample vertically with a constant velocity and it is attached to a scale which registers the force displaced by the needle during the dynamic test. The effect with and without other additives was also studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) reveal a protective behavior of nanoparticles around the micro particles. We conclude that addition of magnetic nanoparticles improves the dispersibility characteristic compared with common dispersing additives without affecting the MR effect

G and P genotypes of rotavirus circulating among children with diarrhea in the Colombian northern coast

A study on the prevalence of rotavirus G and P genotypes was carried out based on 253 stool specimens obtained from children living in the Colombia northern coast region who were less than 3-years-old and who suffered from acute diarrhea. A previous study had detected the presence of rotavirus A in 90 (36.5%) of the 246 samples tested by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and these strains were investigated in the present study. Of these, 50 strains yielded an RNA electropherotype, most of which (80.0%) had long profiles and 20.0% of which had short profiles. Genotyping of 84 positive samples indicated that 67.9% of the strains could be typed. G1 (57.9%), was the most predominant VP7 genotype, followed by G3 (21.1%), G9 (15.8%) and G2 (5.3%). Among the VP4 genotypes, P[4] (49.1%) was the most prevalent, followed by P[6] 36.4% and P[8] (14.5%). Neither G4 nor G8 nor P[9] types were detected. The most common G-P combinations were G3 P[4] (8.8%) and G9 P[6] (7.0%), followed by G1 P[4] and G1 P[8] (5.3% each). All G1 P[8] strains showed long RNA profiles, whereas G3 P[4] and G9 P[6] displayed both long and short patterns. Mixed infections involved 21.0% of strains. There was a marked diversity among strains collected, and novel strains, including G9, as well as other atypical combinations of G and P genotypes, such as G9 P[6] and G3 P[4], were found. [Int Microbiol 2004; 7(2):113-120