Reviewing the relationship between thermal reservoir parameters and geothermal energy output

This meta-study draws upon contemporary literature to examine parameters of thermal reservoirs and their relationships to geothermal power station output metrics. The objectives of the meta-study are to identify trends and quantify the influence of each parameter on the system as a whole. This study provides a framework for industry and researchers exploring new potential geothermal fields. Six reservoir parameters – well depth, temperature, enthalpy, mass flow rate, thermal gradient and crust thickness – were plotted against the net electrical output per production well (Enet/well) and exergy efficiency (ηB) of 64 geothermal facilities. The meta-study identified that reservoir temperature has the greatest proportionality to power output, with yields above 10MWe exhibited only for high enthalpy reservoirs exceeding 500K. Well depth has the greatest inverse proportionality to exergy efficiency, with upper limit values declining below 80% for wells deeper than 3000m. Well depth has a similar trend line, though lesser correlation, as reservoir temperature to power output. Crust thickness has an inverse correlation to exergy efficiency, with upper limit values dropping from 100% to 65% as thickness increased from 30 to 45km. There was significant clustering of data points in most trendless plots, suggesting a considerable degree of homogeneity between currently tapped reservoirs and turbine efficiencies. The low number of well-defined data trends implies a high degree of complexity arising from the relationships between reservoir parameters that make quantification problematic. Despite this difficulty, examination of the aforementioned parameters suggests that although hotter reservoirs are usually found at greater depths, the hottest and shallowest reservoirs should be prioritized for use in order to return maximal power outputs and reduce exergy losses that occur along large lengths of piping

Geology of the Lucea Inlier, Western Jamaica

The Lucea Inlier exposes a Santonian to Campanian 4 km + thick sequence of shale-siltstone, resedimented volcaniclastics, lenses of shallow-water limestone, micritic limestone, pebbly mudstone and sandy pebble to boulder conglomerate. Clastics were deposited by a variety of gravity flow mechanisms. Petrographically sandstones are lithic or feldspathic arenites and contain only very small amounts of detrital quartz. Structurally the inlier is characterized by simple, open, east-west trending folds. A spaced, vertical axial-planar cleavage is developed in shales and fine siltstones. Two major east-west trending left-lateral fault zones, the Fat Hog Quarter and Maryland faults, cut the inlier into three blocks, northern, central and southern. The basal part of the sequence has been subjected to a prehnite-pumpellyite metamorphism. The rocks of the Lucea Inlier are interpreted to represent a shelf to basin sequence within an upper slope basin of a Cretaceous intraoceanic arc trench system. Detritus shed from the arc was funneled down submarine canyons feeding a submarine fan complex. Between canyon heads, shoal areas fringing volcanic islands locally accumulated bioclastic, reef-type limestone. The geology of the northern Caribbean plate boundary records a complex array of Cretaceous to Eocene arc-trench systems that has been modified by Cenozoic left-lateral slip along the Oriente and Swan transforms. Ridge related north-south lineated topography of the Cayman Trough suggests that a minimum of 720 km of left-lateral movement has occurred between the North American and Caribbean plate since approximately Oligocene times. Presently active northwest, northeast and east-west trending structures within Jamaica are interpreted as being of compressional, extensional and strike-slip origin, respectively, and are thought to be related to Recent left-lateral slip along the northern Caribbean plate boundary

TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN PERIPHERIC CITY NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH HOLISTIC SOCIETAL TRANSITION: A DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE GOVERNANCE APPROACH An application to the cities of Palermo and Baltimore

The main goal of this research is to address the wicked problem of social exclusion by means of fostering collaborative initiatives involving different stakeholders (e.g., citizens, nonprofit organizations, public sector entities, and businesses) to enhance holistic societal transition. By engaging in collective action and pooling resources, stakeholders may tackle the multifaceted challenges associated with social exclusion, thereby fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. Also, this study additionally examines the concept of social exclusion within the framework of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Indeed, the Agenda places a high value on inclusivity and equality, with a strong commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind. It acknowledges that social exclusion not only perpetuates poverty but also has far-reaching implications for several interconnected problems, such as access to employment opportunities and education. From this perspective, it is possible to see how social inclusion is integrated into multiple Sustainable Development Goals. In this sense, social exclusion can be viewed as a barrier to sustainable development, which aims to build a more equitable and inclusive world for all. This research aims to undertake an in-depth parallel analysis of two distinct neighborhoods, namely San Filippo Neri in Palermo (Italy) and the Middle East in Baltimore (United States of America). Such neighborhoods are currently struggling with the multifaceted issues of social exclusion and gentrification. By delving into the intricate dynamics and socio-economic and cultural complexities of these neighborhoods, this research seeks to shed light on the various factors contributing to the residents’ marginalization. It frames the intricate interplay of socio-economic factors, urban planning policies, and historical contexts driving social exclusion to foster a holistic transition under a socio-economic and cultural perspective through collaborative governance. Such an approach fosters coordination, cooperation, and collaboration among different stakeholders and therefore brings a wider range of perspectives and expertise to be taken into consideration while dealing with wicked problems such as the one at hand. Furthermore, this research highlights the important role played by active citizenship in collaborative settings. Active citizenship refers to the active involvement of residents in their communities, beyond mere passive participation. It entails citizens taking on proactive roles VI in decision-making processes, contributing with their knowledge, skills, and experiences to shape policies and initiatives. It adopts a mixed-method research design, which encompasses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This methodological approach has been chosen to ensure a holistic and nuanced understanding of the research topic at hand. By integrating diverse data collection techniques, such as interviews with a wide range of stakeholders, the study aims to capture different and nuanced perspectives and insights. A Dynamic Performance Governance approach was adopted to frame the main cause-andeffect relationships driving social exclusion. This approach considers various intangible resources, such as trust, collaboration, and governance capacity, which play pivotal roles in achieving sustainable outcomes. By incorporating these critical elements, the DPG approach provides a robust and holistic perspective on performance governance at local level to foster an outcome-oriented view toward resilience. Following the presentation of the two DPG charts for both neighborhoods, causal loop diagrams were constructed to visually represent the feedback system's structure. It highlighted how these characteristics and contextual elements were used to build an outcome-oriented and dynamic performance perspective of social exclusion in peripheric city neighborhoods. Then, this research concludes by resuming the main findings and looking at the role that place-based collaborative platforms may have in fostering holistic resilience towards wicked and super-wicked problems by enhancing a socio-economic, cultural, and ecological transition

Design, fabrication, and testing of the applications technology satellite apogee motor nozzle

Design and test performance of apogee motor nozzle on applications technology satellit

Relationship between oxygen supply and cerebral blood flow assessed by transcranial Doppler and near – infrared spectroscopy in healthy subjects during breath – holding

BACKGROUND: Breath – holding (BH) is a suitable method for inducing cerebral vasomotor reactivity (VMR). The assessment of VMR is of clinical importance for the early detection of risk conditions and for the follow-up of disabled patients. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) is used to measure cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) during BH, whereas near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measures the concentrations of the oxygenated (O(2)Hb) and reduced (CO(2)Hb) hemoglobin. The two techniques provide circulatory and functional-related parameters. The aim of the study is the analysis of the relationship between oxygen supply and CBFV as detected by TCD and NIRS in healthy subjects performing BH. METHODS: 20 healthy subjects (15 males and 5 females, age 33 ± 4.5 years) underwent TCD and NIRS examination during voluntary breath – holding. VMR was quantified by means of the breath-holding index (BHI). We evaluated the BHI based on mean CBFV, O(2)Hb and CO(2)Hb concentrations, relating the baseline to post-stimulus values. To quantify VMR we also computed the slope of the linear regression line of the concentration signals during BH. From the NIRS signals we also derived the bidimensional representation of VMR, plotting the instantaneous O(2)Hb concentration vs the CO(2)Hb concentration during the BH phase. Two subjects, a 30 years old current smoker female and a 63 years old male with a ischemic stroke event at the left middle cerebral artery, were tested as case studies. RESULTS: The BHI for the CBFV was equal to 1.28 ± 0.71 %/s, the BHI for the O(2)Hb to 0.055 ± 0.037 μmol/l/s and the BHI for CO(2)Hb to 0.0006 ± 0.0019 μmol/l/s, the O(2)Hb slope was equal to 0.15 ± 0.09 μmol/l/s and the CO(2)Hb slope to 0.09 ± 0.04 μmol/l/s. There was a positive correlation between the CBFV and the O(2)Hb increments during BH (r = 0.865). The bidimensional VMR pattern shows common features among healthy subjects that are lost in the control studies. CONCLUSION: We show that healthy subjects present a common VMR pattern when counteracting cerebral blood flow perturbations induced by voluntary BH. The proposed methodology allows for the monitoring of changes in the VMR pattern, hence it could be used for assessing the efficacy of neurorehabilitation protocols

Avaliação de genótipos de girassol em ambientes no Cerrado do Distrito Federal

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, 2016.O girassol (Helianthus annuus L.) é uma importante espécie que oferece óleo de alta qualidade. Originário da América do Norte, hoje é cultivado em diversos países, fato que se deve à evolução dos programas de melhoramento. Esta cultura é também caracterizada pela sua adaptabilidade, apresentando-se como uma opção factível para o cultivo em safrinha. No Brasil, buscam-se materiais com alto teor de óleo, boa produtividade e resistência a condições abióticas e bióticas. O girassol é uma cultura de potencial para o Cerrado brasileiro, em virtude da viabilidade de seu uso em sistemas de rotação ou sucessão de cultivos em regiões produtoras de grãos. Nesse sentido, são necessários estudos e ações de pesquisa que forneçam informações quanto ao desempenho dos genótipos de girassol em diferentes locais e épocas de plantio, possibilitando o sucesso de programas de melhoramento. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar e caracterizar o comportamento de genótipos de girassol em ambientes no Cerrado do Distrito Federal, levando em consideração parâmetros genéticos, características morfoagronômicas, severidade da Mancha-de-alternária e qualidade de sementes. Foram avaliados 16 genótipos de girassol, no ano de 2014, em áreas experimentais da Embrapa – Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária dos Cerrados, em Planaltina, DF, situada a 15⁰ 35' 30" de latitude Sul, 47⁰ 42' 30" de longitude Oeste e a altitude de 1.007 m e da Embrapa Produtos e Mercado, no Recanto das Emas, DF, a 15⁰ 54' 53" de latitude Sul, 48⁰ 02' 14" de longitude Oeste e a altitude de 1.254 m. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Análises de variância evidenciaram diferenças significativas entre os genótipos. O ambiente influenciou o desempenho dos genótipos e a severidade da Mancha-de-alternária. GNZ NEON, M734, SYN 3950HO, AGUARÁ 06, SYN 045, MG 360 e HELIO 251 obtiveram melhor desempenho no teste de condutividade elétrica. Houve maior presença de sintomas no terço inferior das plantas. Os genótipos CF 101, ADV 5504, BRS G42, HELIO 250, SYN 3950HO, BRS 323, HELIO 251, AGUARÁ 06 e AGUARÁ 04 expressaram menores valores de AACPD no terço inferior. Os valores de AACPD encontrados foram baixos. As condições ambientais não favoreceram a Mancha-de-alternária. HELIO 251, MG 305 e SYN 045 obtiveram os maiores rendimentos. BRS G42, CF 101 e BRS 323 apresentaram plantas mais baixas e ciclo mais precoce.Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important crop because provides high-quality oil. Originally from North America, it is now grown in many countries, a fact that is due to the positive results of breeding programs. It is also characterized by its adaptability, being used as a second crop. In Brazil, materials with high oil content, high productivity and resistance to abiotic and biotic stress are the main goal. Sunflower has a great potential in the Brazilian Savannah, because it can be used in crop rotation. In this sense, it is necessary to have more studies and research activities that provide information about the performance of sunflower genotypes in different locations, enabling the success of breeding programs. This study aimed to characterize sunflower genotypes in different environments of the Brazilian Savannah in the Federal District, taking into account genetic parameters, agro-morphological characteristics, severity of alternaria leaf spot and seed quality. Sixteen sunflower genotypes were evaluated in 2014, at experimental areas of Embrapa Cerrados (Federal District - Brazil) located at 15º 35' 30" S latitude, 47º 42' 30" W longitude and 1.007 m above sea level, and of Embrapa Produtos e Mercado (Federal District – Brazil), located at 15º 54' 53" S latitude, 48º 02' 14" W longitude and 1.254 m above sea level. A complete randomized block design was used. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among genotypes. The environment influenced the performance of the genotypes and the severity of alternaria. GNZ NEON, M734, SYN 3950HO, AGUARÁ 06, SYN 045, MG 360 and HELIO 251 detained best results at electrical conductivity test. There were more symptoms of alternaria leaf spot in the lower third of the plants. The genotypes CF 101, ADV 5504, BRS G42, HELIO 250, SYN 3950HO, BRS 323, HELIO 251, AGUARÁ 06 and AGUARÁ 04 expressed lower AUDPC values in the lower third. The AUDPC values were low, indicating little disease. Environmental conditions did not favor alternaria leaf spot. The genotypes HELIO 251, MG 305 and SYN 045 had the best results for grain yield. BRS G42, CF 101 and BRS 323 detained lower values for height and days to flowering

Plan de negocios para un restaurant en el departamento de Godoy Cruz

El presente trabajo desarrolla un plan de negocios que evalúa los aspectos críticos en la inversión para instalar un restaurante. Se evalúan técnicamente las operaciones requeridas para el éxito financiero del negocio, que abarcan el estudio del mercado, la definición del cliente objetivo, la administración de riesgos, la administración de personal, el análisis económico financiero, y finalmente las conclusiones.Fil: Rabines Grippi, Darío. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas

Recuperação da coleção viva de plantas ornamentais tóxicas da FAV-UnB

Monografia (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, 2013.Plantas ornamentais tóxicas tem sido um assunto sempre recorrente na mídia, principalmente em virtude dos frequêntes acidentes ocorridos. Alguns cursos universitários relacionados ao tema necessitam do suporte de uma coleção viva das espécies mais frequentes nas ocorrências, para auxiliar os estudiosos e apoiar as aulas práticas das diferentes especialidades. Nessa perspectiva foi instalada uma coleção viva de plantas ornamentais tóxicas da Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, na Estação Experimental de Biologia da UnB. O presente trabalho foi conduzido na Estação Experimental de Biologia (EEB) da Universidade de Brasília situada na cidade de Brasília, na Asa Norte, às margens do Lago Paranoá com vistas a recuperação da coleção de plantas ornamentais tóxicas do curso de Agronomia em vasos e em casa de vegetação do tipo Glasshouse, com observações ao longo de seis meses. A coleção viva de plantas ornamentais tóxicas da FAV-UnB, mantida em condição de vaso e casa de vegetação apresentou condições de viabilidade e longevidade, tendo a maioria das espécies apresentado boa adaptação ao ambiente. Recomenda-se manter o manejo usual realizado para plantas mantidas em casa de vegetação, ou seja, fertllização do substrato, complementação de terra nos vasos e eventual transplante para vasos maiores ou poda das raízes, mesmo se mantendo o mesmo vaso, a critério do viveirista, analisada a situação da planta

The role of neuromedin U in adiposity regulation. Haplotype analysis in European children from the IDEFICS Cohort

Background and aims: Neuromedin U (NMU) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide with important roles in several metabolic processes, recently suggested as potential therapeutic target for obesity. We analysed the associations between NMU gene variants and haplotypes and body mass index (BMI) in a large sample of European children. Methods and results: From a large European multi-center study on childhood obesity, 4,528 children (2.0–9.9 years, mean age 6.0±1.8 SD; boys 52.2%) were randomly selected, stratifying by age, sex and country, and genotyped for tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs6827359, T:C; rs12500837, T:C; rs9999653,C:T) of NMU gene, then haplotypes were inferred. Regression models were applied to estimate the associations between SNPs or haplotypes and BMI as well as other anthropometric measures. BMI was associated with all NMU SNPs (p<0.05). Among five haplotypes inferred, the haplotype carrying the minor alleles (CCT, frequency = 22.3%) was the only associated with lower BMI values (beta = -0.16, 95%CI:-0.28,-0.04, p = 0.006; z-score, beta = -0.08, 95%CI:-0.14,-0.01, p = 0.019) and decreased risk of overweight/obesity (OR = 0.81, 95%CI:0.68,0.97, p = 0.020) when compared to the most prevalent haplotype (codominant model). Similar significant associations were also observed using the same variables collected after two years’ time (BMI, beta = -0.25, 95%CI:-0.41,-0.08, p = 0.004; z-score, beta = -0.10, 95%CI:-0.18,-0.03, p = 0.009; overweight/obesity OR = 0.81, 95%CI:0.66,0.99, p = 0.036). The association was age-dependent in girls (interaction between CCT haplotypes and age, p = 0.008), more evident between 7 and 9 years of age. The CCT haplotype was consistently associated with lower levels of fat mass, skinfold thickness, hip and arm circumferences both at T0 and at T1, after adjustment for multiple testing (FDR-adjusted p<0.05). Conclusions: This study shows an association between a NMU haplotype and anthropometric indices, mainly linked to fat mass, which appears to be age- and sex-specific in children. Genetic variations within or in linkage with this haplotype should be investigated to identify functional variants responsible for the observed phenotypic variation

Zoonotic infectious diseases in transplanted immunocompromised patients

Background. Immunocompromised patients, like transplant recipients, are a particularly vulnerable group being at higher risk of developing several infectious diseases. Among them, zoonotic diseases, such as visceral leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, Q fever and leptospirosis are a growing concern in immunosuppressed patients as they are more susceptible to develop severe symptoms of the diseases. Objectives. The study aimed at the detection of Leishmania infantum, Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp. and Coxiella burnetii DNA in immunocompromised hosts through molecular methods