CPS Energy 2014 Annual Permit: Final Report For Eight CPS Energy Projects Under Antiquities Permit Number 6851, Bexar County, Texas

On behalf of CPS Energy, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted cultural resources investigations of eight CPS Energy projects within Bexar County, Texas. The eight cultural resources investigations conducted under the annual permit include background records review and file searches, archaeological investigations such as surface reconnaissance and intensive cultural resources surveys and construction monitoring. The investigations were conducted to identify all historic or prehistoric cultural resources located within CPS Energy projects, establish vertical and horizontal site boundaries as appropriate within the project areas, and evaluate the significance and eligibility of all sites recorded for designation as a State Antiquities Landmark. All work was done in accordance with the standards and guidelines of the Antiquities Code of Texas under CPS Energy’s annual permit 6851. In coordination with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and the San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation (SA-OHP), CPS Energy and SWCA applied existing Categorical Exclusions (CEs) from the THC regulations and developed new CEs specific to CPS Energy projects. Projects were reviewed under the defined CEs and some CEs are conditional upon their location within or outside of the original 36-square-mile city limit (herein referred to as City Limit) for the City of San Antonio. CPS Energy’s projects were primarily within an urban setting in downtown San Antonio and surrounding suburbs. Most of the projects occurred within the existing rights-of-way of previous utilities and roads. The CPS Energy projects consisted of new electric and gas transmission and distribution projects; upgrading and maintaining existing electric and gas infrastructure; and a variety of construction and maintenance activities for substations. The investigations consisted of two intensive pedestrian surveys and six monitoring investigations. Of the eight, five were within City Limit as defined by the CEs. The remaining three were outside of the City Limit but did not qualify under a CE. Overall, none of the projects encountered significant cultural resources and no further work was recommended. SWCA made a reasonable and good faith effort to identify cultural resource properties within the project areas. Based on the results of these investigations, the undertaking did not have any effect on any significant cultural resources. SWCA recommended no further archaeological investigations within the APEs and the THC/SA-OHP concurred with each of the project’s findings. No artifacts were collected; thus, only field records and photographs will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Research at The University of Texas at San Antonio

Variacions en el procés de la retenció de nutrients associades al desenvolupament algal en el riu de Perles (vall d'Alinyà, Alt Urgell)

La capacitat d?autodepuració s?ha estudiat en tres trams del riu de Perles (vall d?Alinyà, Alt Urgell), un riu d?ordre quart que drena una conca calcària on hi ha una aportació de nutrients d?origen antropogènic a la part alta de la conca i una disminució progressiva en la concentració de nutrients al llarg del riu. Els trams estudiats eren similars quant a hidrologia i geomorfologia, però diferents quant a concentracions de nutrients i comunitats biològiques. L?objectiu d?aquest treball ha estat contrastar la capacitat d?autodepuració segons les diferències en la composició de la comunitat biològica. Els resultats indiquen que comunitats amb major abundància d?algues filamentoses pròpies de trams amb concentracions moderades de nutrients tenen un poder autodepuratiu major que comunitats amb menor abundància d?algues filamentoses pròpies de trams pobres en nutrients.Self-depuration capacity was studied in three reaches of Perles river (Alinyà Valley, Alt Urgell), a fourth order stream that drains a calcareous watershed where there is a focussal nutrient input of antropic origin in the headwaters and a progressive decrease in nutrient concentration downstream. The studied reaches were similar in hidrology and geomorphology but showing differences in nutrient concentration and biologic communities. The objective of this study was to contrast the self-depuration capacity in relation to biologycal community differences. Results showed that communities with higher recovery values of filamentous algaes from reaches with a moderate nutrient concentration, had a higher self-depuration capacity than communities with smaller recovery values of filamentous algaes from poor nutrient reaches.La capacidad de autodepuración se ha estudiado en 3 tramos del río de Perles, (Valle de Alinyà, Alt Urgell), un río de cuarto orden que drena una cuenca calcárea en la que hay una aportación de nutrientes de origen antropogénico en la parte alta de la cuenca y una progresiva disminución en la concentración de nutrientes a lo largo del río. Los tramos estudiados eran similares en cuando a hidrología y geomorfología pero distintos en cuanto a concentración de nutrientes y comunidad biológica. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido contrastar la capacidad de autodepuración en función de las diferencias en la composición de la comunidad biológica. Los resultados indican que comunidades con mayor abundancia de algas filamentosas propias de tramos con concentraciones moderadas de nutrientes tienen un poder de autodepuración mayor que comunidades con menor abundancia de algas filamentosas propias de tramos pobres en nutrientes

A novel programmable lysozyme-based lysis system in Pseudomonas putida for biopolymer production

Indexación: Scopus; Web of Science.Cell lysis is crucial for the microbial production of industrial fatty acids, proteins, biofuels, and biopolymers. In this work, we developed a novel programmable lysis system based on the heterologous expression of lysozyme. The inducible lytic system was tested in two Gram-negative bacterial strains, namely Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Before induction, the lytic system did not significantly arrest essential physiological parameters in the recombinant E. coli (ECPi) and P. putida (JBOi) strain such as specific growth rate and biomass yield under standard growth conditions. A different scenario was observed in the recombinant JBOi strain when subjected to PHA-producing conditions, where biomass production was reduced by 25% but the mcl-PHA content was maintained at about 30% of the cell dry weight. Importantly, the genetic construct worked well under PHA-producing conditions (nitrogen-limiting phase), where more than 95% of the cell population presented membrane disruption 16 h post induction, with 75% of the total synthesized biopolymer recovered at the end of the fermentation period. In conclusion, this new lysis system circumvents traditional, costly mechanical and enzymatic cell-disrupting procedures.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-04741-2.pd

Contrasting human perceptions of and attitudes towards two threatened small carnivores, Lycalopex fulvipes and Leopardus guigna, in rural communities adjacent to protected areas in Chile

Indexación: Scopus.The interaction between humans and small carnivores is a phenomenon especially frequent in rural fringes, as is the case of communities surrounding natural areas. In Chile, two species of threatened carnivores, the Darwin's Fox and the Guigna, have increased their contact with humans due to human-induced changes in their habitat. The objective of this study was to characterize the interactions of these species with humans by assessing human perceptions and attitudes toward them, and to assess livestock and poultry ownership and management practices in local communities to evaluate their possible roles in the phenomenon. We conducted semi-structured interviews in rural communities adjacent to natural protected areas of two different regions in southern Chile. We found that people have a more positive perception of Darwin's Foxes than Guignas, but both species are considered damaging due to poultry attacks. Livestock and poultry management was generally deficient. Improvements in animal management and education programs could lead to a significant decrease in negative interactions. © Sacristan et al. 2018.https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/4030/442

Cultural Resources Investigations for the Gregory Haul Road Project, San Patricio County, Texas

On behalf of Gulf Coast Growth Venture Asset Holding, LLC (GCGV LLC), Atkins North America, Inc. (Atkins) conducted an intensive cultural resources survey of a 2.37-kilometer (km; 1.47 miles [mi]) haul road and 0.32-km (0.20 mi) duct bank location near Gregory, Texas, in San Patricio County, Texas. The proposed haul road is located southwest of the town of Gregory, between Farm-to-Market (FM) Road 2986 and U.S. Highway (US) 181 (Figure 1). The property is owned by the Port of Corpus Christi Authority (POCCA), a political-subdivision of the state, which requires the proposed work to comply with the Antiquities Code of Texas under Permit No. 8112. In addition, in the event that a Section 404 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permit is required for the man-made drainage ditch, the work also was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, and its implementing regulations under the Procedures of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, as amended in 2004 (Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 800 [36 CFR 800]). The investigations consisted of a thorough background review and an intensive pedestrian survey with shovel testing focused around the drainage ditch. The direct Area of Potential Effect (APE) for the project is approximately 2.69 km (1.67 mi) in length, which includes the proposed 2.37-km (1.47-mi) long haul road and the 0.32-km (0.20 mi) long American Electric Power relocation impacts for a proposed duct bank that is part of the project (Figure 2). The width of the APE will include associated temporary and permanent construction impacts within a 61-meter (m; 200-foot [ft]) wide corridor for the road, and a 33- m (100-ft) wide corridor for the duct bank. Thus, the APE will be approximately 38.1 acres in size with depths of impacts ranging from 0.6 m (2 ft) to 6 m (20 ft) to account for the road grade, proposed bridge pilons, and duct bank, respectively. The APE for indirect effects is a 150-ft buffer around the direct APE. The results of the background review determined that no previously recorded cultural sites were within or adjacent to the APE, and a small section had been surveyed previously for cultural resources. In addition, a review of historic maps revealed that the drainage ditch was historic in age, dating to the early 20th century. The APE for direct effects was approximately 38.1 acres in size, with shovel testing focused within the 3-acre USACE jurisdictional area, specifically 300 m (984 ft) on either side of the drainage ditch. A total of six shovel tests were excavated within the USACE jurisdictional area and the entire 38.1 acres was inspected visually due to the existing disturbances. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) survey standards require two shovel tests per acre for projects 3 acres to 10 acres in size, or six shovel tests for the USACE jurisdictional area . Thus, the shovel test investigations within the USACE jurisdictional area met the survey standards, and the shovel tests were all negative for cultural materials. The APE consisted of harvested and fallow agricultural fields with ground surface visibility ranging from 20 percent to 100 percent. The investigations recorded the historic-age drainage ditch as Resource 01. Resource 01 is a historic-age drainage ditch dating to the early-twentieth century. The drainage ditch was possibly part of a large company farm associated with the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company. The site extends outside of the APE and has no evidence of significant cultural features or diagnostic artifacts. Atkins determined that Resource 01 within the APE is not eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The site does not meet eligibility under Criteria A, B, C, or D, as defined by the evaluation criteria set in the National Register (36 CRF 60.4). Based on the investigations, Atkins made a reasonable and good-faith effort to identify historic properties within the APE. Since no properties were identified that meet criteria for listing on the NRHP under 36 CFR 60.04, Atkins recommends no further work is needed and a finding of no historic properties present within the project area is mad

Cultural Resources Investigations of the Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply Project in Burleson, Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal and Bexar Counties, Texas

On behalf of VRRSP Consultants, LLC and Central Texas Regional Water Supply Corporation (CTRWSC), SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted cultural resources investigations of the Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply (Vista Ridge) Project in Burleson, Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal, and Bexar Counties. The work will involve installation of a 139.45-mile-long, 60-inch-diameter water pipeline from northcentral San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, to Deanville, Burleson County, Texas. The report details the findings of investigations from June 2015 to December 2015, on the alignment dated December 8, 2015 (December 8th). The Vista Ridge Project is subject to review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 USC 306108) and its implementing regulations (36 CFR 800), in anticipation of a Nationwide Permit 12 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in accordance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. In addition, the work is subject to compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas under Permit Number 7295, as the Vista Ridge Project will be ultimately owned by a political subdivision of the State of Texas. The cultural resources investigations included a background review and intensive field survey. The background review identified previous investigations, recorded archaeological sites, National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) properties, cemeteries, standing structures, and other known cultural resources within a 0.50-mile radius of the project area. The field investigations conducted from June 2015 through December 2015 assessed all accessible portions of the proposed December 8th alignment as of December 25, 2015. Approximately 101.8 miles of the 139.45-mile alignment has been surveyed. Approximately 24.42 miles were not surveyed based on the results of the background review and extensive disturbances as confirmed by vehicular survey. The remaining 13.23 miles that require survey were either unavailable due to landowner restrictions or part of a newly adopted reroute. SWCA also surveyed additional mileage, which includes rerouted areas that are no longer part of the December 8th alignment. The inventory identified 59 cultural resources, including 52 archaeological sites and seven isolated finds. In addition to newly recorded resources, two previously recorded archaeological sites were revisited, and two cemeteries were documented. Of the 52 newly recorded archaeological sites, seven are recommended for further work or avoidance. Of the two revisited archeological sites, one is recommended for further work or avoidance within the project area. Avoidance is recommended for both documented cemeteries. The resources with undetermined eligibility require additional testing or other avenues of research before SWCA can make a firm recommendation about their eligibility for nomination to the NRHP and designation as State Antiquities Landmarks (SALs). As part of a management strategy, the resources with undetermined eligibility may also be avoided by reroute or boring beneath. The remaining 45 cultural resources are recommended not eligible for inclusion to the NRHP or for designation as SALs and no further cultural resources investigations or avoidance strategies are recommended

Influence of hydrodynamics on many-particle diffusion in 2D colloidal suspensions

We study many-particle diffusion in 2D colloidal suspensions with full hydrodynamic interactions through a novel mesoscopic simulation technique. We focus on the behaviour of the effective scaled tracer and collective diffusion coefficients $D_T(\rho) / D_0$ and $D_C(\rho) / D_0$, where $D_0$ is the single-particle diffusion coefficient, as a function of the density of the colloids $\rho$. At low Schmidt numbers $Sc={\cal O}(1)$, we find that hydrodynamics has essentially no effect on the behaviour of $D_T(\rho)/D_0$. At larger $Sc$, $D_T(\rho)/D_0$ is enhanced at all densities, although the differences compared to the case without hydrodynamics are minor. The collective diffusion coefficient, on the other hand, is much more strongly coupled to hydrodynamical conservation laws and is distinctly different from the purely dissipative case

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 at the Central Nervous System

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1) is a ubiquitous and neurotropic pathogen and is the most common cause of acute sporadic encephalitis in humans. This virus is characterized by establishing a persistent latent infection in neurons of its hosts for life. The pathogenic mechanisms of HSV‐1 at the central nervous system (CNS) are not completely elucidated. Besides, evidences suggest that HSV‐1 establish latency in the CNS in humans and that this condition would not be harmless, especially in people whose immune system is declined. This trait has been strongly suggested as a risk factor for the development of neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer\u27s disease. Currently, it is unclear whether a neuron, which undergoes viral reactivation and produces infectious particles, survives and resumes latency, loses functionality, or is killed. These data highlight the need for more studies at cellular and molecular levels to understand the strategies used by the virus and the host cells during both productive and latent infection. The present chapter discusses the current investigations about HSV‐1 infection at the CNS and the potential risk of neuronal dysfunction and chronic neurological diseases

A Review of Primary Mine Ventilation System Optimization

Within the mining industry, a safe and economical mine ventilation system is an essential component of all underground mines. In recent years, research scientists and engineers have explored operations research methods to assist in the design and safe operation of primary mine ventilation systems. The main objective of these studies is to develop algorithms to identify the primary mine ventilation systems that minimize the fan power costs, including their working performance. The principal task is to identify the number, location, and duty of fans and regulators for installation within a defined ventilation network to distribute the required fresh airflow at minimum cost. The successful implementation of these methods may produce a computational design tool to aid mine planning and ventilation engineers. This paper presents a review of the results of a series of recent research studies that have explored the use of mathematical methods to determine the optimum design of primary mine ventilation systems relative to fan power costs