Integration of solar thermal energy in a conventionaf power plant: The Colon solar project

This paper reports on the first phase of the Colón Solar Project, originally conceived as the hybrid repowering of an existing thermal power plant, with the addition of a gas turbine in a topping configuration integrating thermal energy (steam) produced by a solar system. However, the project developed in a changing economic environment, in which a new legal structure, still incomplete, as of January, 1998 has liberalized the electricity generation market. This forced the original configuration to be modified, resulting in an all-new combined cycle with solar energy integrated into a Heat Recovery Boiler. Basic plant engineering placed special emphasis on the most important solar components (heliostat and receiver), and an economic analysis showed that the plant is profitable under the assumptions of the analysis. Nevertheless, the relatively low IRR, as well as the uncertainty of realization of some of those assumptions, made the utility postpone its decision to build the plant

Food Antimicrobials Nanocarriers

Natural food antimicrobials are bioactive compounds that inhibit the growth of microorganisms involved in food spoilage or food-borne illness. However, stability issues result in degradation and loss of antimicrobial activity. Nanoencapsulation allows protection of antimicrobial food agents from unfavorable environmental conditions and incompatibilities. Encapsulation of food antimicrobials control delivery increasing the concentration of the antimicrobials in specific areas and the improvement of passive cellular absorption mechanisms resulted in higher antimicrobial activity. This paper reviews the present state of the art of the nanostructures used as food antimicrobial carriers including nanoemulsions, nanoliposomes, nanoparticles, and nanofibers

Three-dimensional volume rendering in computed tomography for evaluation of the temporomandibular joint in dogs

Based on computed tomography (CT) images, volume rendering was used to obtain a three-dimensional representation of data (3DVR). The aims of this study included: describing the bone anatomy of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of dogs; comparing the TMJs of each dog by skull type and age; comparing 3DVR images with three-standard-plane CTs; assessing soft tissues adjacent to the TMJ and assessing pathological cases. Multidetector computed tomography scans of bilateral TMJs of 410 dogs were observed. From a ventral view, slight displacements in the positions of the skulls were seen, whereas from a caudal view, differences in amplitude of the articular space were observed. Dolichocephalic and mesaticephalic dogs showed more similar TMJ features than brachycephalic dogs. The shape of the TMJ bones were irregular in dogs under 1 year old. The 3DVR images related to the three-standard-plane CT improved the overall comprehension of the changes in the articular space amplitude and condylar process morphology. The fovea pterygoidea, mandibular fossa and retroarticular process were perfectly shown. A better spatial situation of adjacent soft tissues was obtained. The 3DVR represents an ancillary method to the standard-plane CT that could help in the understanding of the anatomy and diagnoses of different pathologies of the TMJ in dogs

Non-destructive evaluation of carcass and ham traits and meat quality assessment applied to early and late immunocastrated Iberian pigs

Castration is a common practice in Iberian pigs due to their advanced age and high weight at slaughter. Immunocastration (IC) is an alternative to surgical castration that influences carcass and cut fatness. These traits need to be evaluated in vivo and postmortem. The aims of the present work were (a) to determine the relationship between ham composition measured with computed tomography (CT) and in vivo ultrasound (US) and carcass fat thickness measurements, (b) to apply these technologies to early (EIP) and late (LIP) immunocastrated Iberian pigs in order to evaluate carcass fatness and ham tissue composition and (c) to assess meat quality on these animals and to find the relationships between meat quality traits (namely, intramuscular fat (IMF)) and fat depot thicknesses. For this purpose, 20 purebred Iberian pigs were immunocastrated with three doses of Improvac (R), at either 4.5, 5.5 and 9 or 11, 12 and 14 months of age (EIP or LIP; respectively; n = 10 each) and slaughtered at 17 months of age. Fat depots were evaluated in vivo by US, in carcass with a ruler and in hams by CT. Carcass and cut yields, loin meat quality and loin acceptability by consumers were determined. Also, IMF was determined in the loin and three muscles of the ham. Carcass weight was 14.9 kg heavier in EIP vs LIP, and loin backfat thickness (US- and ruler-measured) was also greater in EIP. Similarly, CT-evaluated ham bone and fat contents were greater and smaller for EIP vs LIP, respectively. Loin and ham IMF were also greater in EIP, but the other meat quality parameters were similar. The acceptability of meat by consumers was high and it did not differ between IC protocols. Correlations between several fat depots measured with the different technologies were high. In conclusion, all these technologies allowed fat depot measurements, which were highly correlated despite being obtained at different anatomical locations. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of The Animal Consortium

Análise da inclusão dos fatores universais de atividades físicas na natureza na legislação da EF na Andalucia

Introducción: Las actividades físicas en la naturelza (AFN), independientemente de la finalidad (educativa, recreativa, turística, deportiva), del medio en el que se lleven a cabo (terrestre, acuático o aéreo), o del perfil de los practicantes, etc., presentan factores comunes que las definen y les confieren su carácter especial, genuino. Objetivos: el objetivo del presente trabajo es conocer en qué grado aparecen los doce factores universales propuestos en la legislación sobre Educación Física (EF) en la etapa de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, especialmente en el contexto de Andalucía.Métodos: se ha realizado un análisis cualitativo del contenido semántico de una serie de legislaciones educativas seleccionadas (Conde, 2009).Resultados y discusión: los resultados han indicado una alta presencia de los factores universales de las AFN, especialmente el fin ecológico, la actividad física como vehículo de interacción, la naturaleza como espacio de acción, la promoción del desarrollo personal y social y el carácterlúdico-recreativo.Conclusiones: los doce factores universales de las AFN están presentes en la legislaci´pon eductaiva de EF de Andalucía, indicando la necesidad de tenerlos en cuenta para el diseño de las intervenciones educativas.Introduction: physical Activities in Natural Environment (AFN), independent of their goal (education, recreation, tourism, sports), the environment where they are practiced (land, water or air) or their practitioners profile, etc., show off commun factors that define them and give them a special character, genuine. Object: the aim of this paper is to know to what extent the twelve universal factors proposed in the legislation on Physical Education (PE) appear in the stage of Secondary Education and Baccalaureate, especially in the context of Andalusia. Methods: A qualitative analysis of the semantic content of a series of selected educational legislations has been carried out (Conde, 2009). Results & discussion: the results have indicated a high presence of the AFN’s universal factors, especially the ecological purpose, physical activity as a vehicle of interaction, nature as space of action, the promotion of personal and social development and the playful-recreational character. Conclusions: the twelve AFN’s universal factors are present in the Andalusia’s legislation about PE, indicating that the is necessary to take them into account for design educational interventions.Introdução: atividades físicas em natureza (AFN), independentemente da finalidade (educacionais, lazer, turísticas e esportivas), o meio em que são realizadas (terra, água ou ar), ou praticantes, etc. , apresentam fatores comuns que os definem e conferem seu caráter especial e genuíno. Objectivos: o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar em que medida aparecer os doze fatores universais proposto na legislação sobre Educação Física (EF) na fase de Ensino Secundário Obrigatório, especialmente no contexto da Andaluzia. Métodos: uma análise qualitativa do conteúdo semântico de uma série de legislações educacionais selecionadas foi realizada (Conde, 2009). Resultados e discussão: Os resultados indicaram uma alta presença de fatores universais da AFN, especialmente atividade física com finalidade eco, la actividdade física como um meio de interação, a natureza eo âmbito da acção, promovendo o desenvolvimento pessoal e social e de lazer e natureza lazer. Conclusões: Os doze fatores universais das AFNs estão presentes na legislação da EF da Andaluzia, indicando a necessidade de levá-los em conta para o desenho de intervenções educativas

Academic self-efficacy in first year students college of health sciences

Self-efficacy learning is an important component of learning for college. Academic self-efficacy refers to the degree of confidence that health sciences students could successfully complete on college-task. The purpose of this research lies on the specific characteristics of health sciences students according to their academic self-efficacy by comparing their profiles with students that chose a different discipline. The Academic self-efficacy sample was done to 2089 subjects: 902 women and 1187 men, all of them freshmen students from the different careers at the Autonomous University of Chihuahua who responded to a survey questionnaire, with an average age of 18.23 years (SD = 0.74). This is a quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design type. The results obtained by comparing students of health sciences, with students from other disciplines show that perceived self-efficacy in academic behaviors is very similar each other

Las revistas científicas en el ámbito de la Actividad Fisica y el Deporte en Journal Citation Reports (JCR)

El factor de impacto mide la repercusión que ha tenido una revista en la literatura científica mediante el recuento de las citas que ha recibido. A pesar de sus limitaciones, las agencias de evaluación de algunos países, entre ellos España, lo utilizan en la valoración de la actividad investigadora. El propósito del presente ha sido examinar el factor de impacto de las revistas de Ciencias del Deporte y su posición en su área. También se han analizado las revistas españolas en las que se publican trabajos relacionados con las Ciencias del Deporte

Polarized cortical tension drives zebrafish epiboly movements

The principles underlying the biomechanics of morphogenesis are largely unknown. Epiboly is an essential embryonic event in which three tissues coordinate to direct the expansion of the blastoderm. How and where forces are generated during epiboly, and how these are globally coupled remains elusive. Here we developed a method, hydrodynamic regression (HR), to infer 3D pressure fields, mechanical power, and cortical surface tension profiles. HR is based on velocity measurements retrieved from 2D+T microscopy and their hydrodynamic modeling. We applied HR to identify biomechanically active structures and changes in cortex local tension during epiboly in zebrafish. Based on our results, we propose a novel physical description for epiboly, where tissue movements are directed by a polarized gradient of cortical tension. We found that this gradient relies on local contractile forces at the cortex, differences in elastic properties between cortex components and the passive transmission of forces within the yolk cell. All in all, our work identifies a novel way to physically regulate concerted cellular movements that might be instrumental for the mechanical control of many morphogenetic processes.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft