Kulla, a container-centric construction model for building infrastructure-agnostic distributed and parallel applications

This paper presents the design, development, and implementation of Kulla, a virtual container-centric construction model that mixes loosely coupled structures with a parallel programming model for building infrastructure-agnostic distributed and parallel applications. In Kulla, applications, dependencies and environment settings, are mapped with construction units called Kulla-Blocks. A parallel programming model enables developers to couple those interoperable structures for creating constructive structures named Kulla-Bricks. In these structures, continuous dataflow and parallel patterns can be created without modifying the code of applications. Methods such as Divide&Containerize (data parallelism), Pipe&Blocks (streaming), and Manager/Block (task parallelism) were developed to create Kulla-Bricks. Recursive combinations of Kulla instances can be grouped in deployment structures called Kulla-Boxes, which are encapsulated into VCs to create infrastructure-agnostic parallel and/or distributed applications. Deployment strategies were created for Kulla-Boxes to improve the IT resource profitability. To show the feasibility and flexibility of this model, solutions combining real-world applications were implemented by using Kulla instances to compose parallel and/or distributed system deployed on different IT infrastructures. An experimental evaluation based on use cases solving satellite and medical image processing problems revealed the efficiency of Kulla model in comparison with some traditional state-of-the-art solutions.This work has been partially supported by the EU project "ASPIDE: Exascale Programing Models for Extreme Data Processing" under grant 801091 and the project "CABAHLA-CM: Convergencia Big data-Hpc: de los sensores a las Aplicaciones" S2018/TCS-4423 from Madrid Regional Government

Aktivnost feruloil esteraze proizvedene fermentacijom na čvrstoj podlozi od otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HAs) have a potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industry because they are rich in phenolics. Feruloyl esterases release phenolic compounds from plant cell walls. Coffee pulp is rich in HAs linked to polysaccharides. A solvent extraction of free HAs was performed with aqueous methanol (80 %). A response surface methodology was applied to optimise the extraction of these compounds from coffee pulp, and the best results were obtained at 56 °C for 34 min. Alkaline and acid hydrolyses were performed to evaluate the content of linked HAs. Treated (extracted) coffee pulp was used to produce feruloyl esterases in solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus tamarii V12307, previously selected by a hydrolysis plate assay. Different dilutions of a culture medium were added to the coffee pulp, and the diluted medium with half the nutrients allowed for higher CO2 production. A specific growth rate (μCO2 ) of 0.25 h^–1 and a lag phase (tlag) of 14.3 h were observed under the selected conditions. Finally, enzymatic activities were 14.0 and 10.8 nkat per g of dried matter when methyl and ethyl ferulate were used as substrates, respectively. Productivities (9.3 and 7.2 nkat per g of dried matter per day, respectively) were higher when compared to other studies carried out in solid-state fermentation. Utilisation of coffee pulp for enzyme production improves the added value of this abundant by-product of the coffee industry.Hidroksicinamične se kiseline mogu upotrijebiti u prehrambenoj i farmaceutskoj industriji, jer su bogate fenolima, koje enzim feruloil esteraza oslobađa iz staničnih stijenki biljaka. Otpad koji nastaje pri proizvodnji kave bogat je hidroksicinamičnim kiselinama vezanim za polisaharide. Ekstrakcija tih spojeva vodenom otopinom metanola (80 %) optimirana je pomoću metode odzivnih površina, a najbolji su rezultati postignuti pri 56 °C tijekom 34 minute. Alkalnom je i kiselom hidrolizom procijenjen udio vezanih hidroksicinamičnih kiselina. Pomoću odabranoga soja Aspergillus tamarii V12307 proizvedena je feruloil esteraza fermentacijom na čvrstoj podlozi od otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave. Otpadu su dodana različita razrjeđenja podloge za uzgoj, pri čemu je proizvedeno više CO2 primjenom podloge koja sadržava 50 % hranjiva. Pritom je specifična brzina rasta (μCO2) bila 0,25 h-1, a lag je faza (tlag) iznosila 14,3 h. Uporabom metil ferulata kao supstrata postignuta je aktivnost enzima od 14 nkat/g suhe tvari i produktivnost od 9,3 nkat/g suhe tvari po danu, dok je pomoću etil ferulata dobivena aktivnost enzima od 10,8 nkat/g suhe tvari i produktivnost od 7,2 nkat/g suhe tvari po danu. Produktivnost je procesa bila veća nego u prijašnjim istraživanjima. Primjenom otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave u proizvodnji enzima povećala se dodana vrijednost tog nusproizvoda

Forage Yield and Nutritive Value of 30 Cultivars of Maize for Silage in the Highland Valleys of Central Mexico

In Mexico, the selection of maize cultivars for forage has mainly been based on dry matter (DM) yields, not considering nutritional quality as an important evaluation parameter. The objective of this study was to assess forage yield and nutritive value of Highland and Subtropical maize cultivars for silage in the Highland Valleys of Central México

Primer análisis filogenético de Ehrlichia canis en perros y garrapatas de México. Estudio preliminar

RESUMEN Objetivos. Caracterizar filogenéticamente Ehrlichia canis a partir de perros naturalmente infectados y sus garrapatas, mediante PCR y secuenciación del gene 16SrRNA para compararlos con diferentes aislados encontrados en el continente Americano. Material y métodos. Se colectaron muestras sanguíneas de 139 perros con manifestaciones clínicas sugestivas a Ehrlichiosis, y que estuvieran infestados con garrapatas; una parte del gene 16SrRNA, fue secuenciada y alineada junto con las 17 secuencias reportadas en los países de América. Se construyeron dos árboles filogenéticos utilizando el método de Máxima verosimilitud compuesta, y Máxima parsimonia. Resultados. Fueron positivos  a E. canis 25/139 (18.0%) perros y 29/139 (20.9%) garrapatas colectadas sobre los perros. Las manifestaciones clínicas presentadas fueron fiebre, astenia, depresión y vómito. Las garrapatas Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Dermacentor variabilis y Haemaphysalis leporis-palustris fueron positivas para E. canis. El análisis filogenético mostró que las secuencias 16SrRNA de Ehrlichia canis aisladas de perros y garrapatas en este estudio forman un tercer grupo que diverge de las secuencias de Sudamérica y EUA. Conclusiones. Es el primer análisis filogenético de E. canis en México. Hay diferencias entre las secuencias de este estudio, con las reportadas en otros países de Sudamérica y en EUA. Esta investigación sienta las bases para profundizar en el estudio de la variabilidad genética

Whole sequence of the mitochondrial DNA genome of Kearns Sayre Syndrome patients: Identification of deletions and variants

Mitochondria both produce the energy of the cell as ATP via respiration and regulate cellular metabolism. Accordingly, any deletion or mutation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) may result in a disease. One of these diseases is Kearns Sayre syndrome (KSS), described for the first time in 1958, where different large-scale deletions of different sizes and at different positions have been reported in the mitochondrial genome of patients with similar clinical symptoms. In this study, sequences of the mitochondrial genome of three patients with clinic features of KSS were analyzed. Our results revealed the position, heteroplasmy percentage, size of deletions, and their haplogroups. Two patients contained deletions reported previously and one patient showed a new deletion not reported previously. These results display for the first time a systematic analysis of mtDNA variants in the whole mtDNA genome of patients with KSS to help to understand their association with the disease

Nonconventional Wastewater Treatment for the Degradation of Fuel Oxygenated (MTBE, ETBE, and TAME)

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) is a nonconventional wastewater treatment, consisting of oxygen pressure releasing inside a reactor in order to degrade organic compounds dissolved in water, using a solid catalyst in the presence of an activated O2 species, usually at temperatures ranges of 125–250°C and pressures of 10–50 bar. CWAO can reduce operating costs of conventional treatment due to the use of ideal catalyst that is able to improve reaction conditions at temperatures and pressures as mild as possible, simultaneously setting high catalytic activity and long-term stability of heterogeneous catalysts. Oxygenated fuels are gasoline additives in reformulated gasoline and oxyfuels. In the beginning, they provided an alternative solution of environmental problems, such as greenhouse gas emissions and octane enhancement, caused by fossil fuel use. The oxygenated fuels frequently used are methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME). However, there is environmental impact from oxygenated fuel hydrocarbons related to widespread contamination of groundwater and other natural waters. Our research group developed a wide study in order to evaluate several catalysts (Ru, Au, Cu, and Ag supported on Al2O3, Al2O3-CeO2, and TiO2-CeO2) and to obtain the best for the efficiency of the oxidation process

PM speciation and sources in Mexico during the MILAGRO-2006 Campaign

International audienceLevels of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 and chemical speciation of PM10 and PM2.5 were measured during the MILAGRO campaign (1st to 31st March 2006, but extended in some cases until 6th April) at four urban, one suburban, two rural background and two rural sites, with different degree of industrial influence, in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and adjacent regions. PM10 and PM2.5 daily levels varied between 50?56?g/m3 and 24?46?g/m3 at the urban sites, 22?35?g/m3 and 13?25?g/m3 at the rural sites, and 75?g/m3 and 31?g/m3 at the industrial hotspot, lower than those recorded at some Asian mega-cities and similar to those recorded at other Latin American cities. At the urban sites, hourly PM2.5 and PM1 concentrations showed a marked impact of road traffic emissions (at rush hours), with levels of coarse PM remaining elevated during daytime. At the suburban and rural sites different PM daily patterns were registered according to the influence of the pollution plume from MCMA, and also of local soil resuspension. The speciation studies showed that mineral matter accounted for 25?27% of bulk PM10 at the urban sites and a higher proportion (up to 43%) at the suburban and rural sites. This pattern is repeated in PM2.5, with 15% at urban and 28% at suburban and rural sites. Carbonaceous compounds accounted for a significant proportion at the urban and industrial sites (32?46% in PM10, and 51?55% in PM2.5), markedly reduced at the suburban and rural sites (16?23% in PM10, and 30% in PM2.5). The secondary inorganic aerosols accounted for 10?20% of bulk PM10 at urban, suburban, rural and industrial sites, with a higher proportion (40%) at the industrial background site. A relatively high proportion of nitrate in rural sites was present in the coarse fraction. Typically anthropogenic elements (As, Cr, Zn, Cu, Pb, Sn, Sb, Ba, among others) showed considerably high levels at the urban sites; however levels of particulate Hg and crustal trace elements (Rb, Ti, La, Sc, Ga) were generally higher at the suburban site. Principal component analysis identified three major common factors: crustal, regional background and road traffic. Moreover, some specific factors were obtained for each site

Application of Silver Nanoparticles for Water Treatment

In recent past development of silver nanoparticles and their application in the treatment of wastewaters is becoming a major area of research. It is mainly applicable to the removal of three major pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals, and microorganisms. Variety of synthesis techniques have been reported for preparation and characterization of silver nanoparticles. In our research, we synthesized Ag nanoparticles supported on ZrO2 and ZrO2-CeO2 by a “deposit-precipitation method” as the first step and later sequentially synthesized Ag-Au supported on ZrO2 and ZrO2-CeO2 by Redox method. Catalysts were evaluated in catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of methyl tert-butyl ether and phenol. The CWAO is a liquid phase process for the treatment of organic pollutants operating at temperatures in the range of 100–325°C at 5–200 bar pressures. The selectivity and efficient of catalysts were evaluated by total organic carbon (TOC) and high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC). Ideally, the total mineralization of pollutants into CO2 and H2O is preferred

Effect of immunocastration on behaviour and blood parameters (cortisol and testosterone) of Holstein bulls

To evaluate the effect that immunocastration has on behaviour, testosterone and cortisol levels of feedlot Holstein bulls, 720 intact animals aged between 7 and 8 months, weighing 232±1.19 kg were randomly assigned to two treatments: immunocastration using the Bopriva vaccine and a placebo (360 animals per treatment). The bulls were slaughtered at day 239 of treatment. Animals were vaccinated on days 1, 21, 101, and 181, and on those same days testosterone levels were measured; while cortisol, glucose and creatin kinase measurements were done on day 181 and during exanguination at slaughter. Sexual, aggressive and social behaviours were evaluated and it was found that intact bulls showed a higher average of head butts, mounting, threats, flehmen sign and sniffing (P<0.05), no differences were found for vocalisations, lowering of the head and grooming (P>0.05). Testosterone levels in intact bulls remained at 0.47ng/mL throughout the study, however, by day 181 differences (P<0.05) were observed in immunised bulls, with values of 0.22ng/mL. At slaughter, testosterone levels were 0.21 ± 0.06 ng/mL in immunocastrated bulls and 0.54 ± 0.06 ng/mL in the placebo group. The use of immunocastration with Bopriva has shown to be effective to reduce testosterone, sexual and aggressive behaviours on Holstein bulls