Ingested insecticide to control Aedes aegypti: developing a novel dried attractive toxic sugar bait device for intra-domiciliary control

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: Illnesses transmitted by Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika comprise a considerable global burden; mosquito control is the primary public health tool to reduce disease transmission. Current interventions are inadequate and insecticide resistance threatens the effectiveness of these options. Dried attractive bait stations (DABS) are a novel mechanism to deliver insecticide to Ae. aegypti. The DABS are a high-contrast 28 inch2 surface coated with dried sugar-boric acid solution. Aedes aegypti are attracted to DABS by visual cues only, and the dried sugar solution elicits an ingestion response from Ae. aegypti landing on the surface. The study presents the development of the DABS and tests of their impact on Ae. aegypti mortality in the laboratory and a series of semi-field trials. Methods: We conducted multiple series of laboratory and semi-field trials to assess the survivability of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes exposed to the DABS. In the laboratory experiments, we assessed the lethality, the killing mechanism, and the shelf life of the device through controlled experiments. In the semi-field trials, we released laboratory-reared female Ae. aegypti into experimental houses typical of peri-urban tropical communities in South America in three trial series with six replicates each. Laboratory experiments were conducted in Quito, Ecuador, and semi-field experiments were conducted in Machala, Ecuador, an area with abundant wild populations of Ae. aegypti and endemic arboviral transmission. Results: In the laboratory, complete lethality was observed after 48 hours regardless of physiological status of the mosquito. The killing mechanism was determined to be through ingestion, as the boric acid disrupted the gut of the mosquito. In experimental houses, total mosquito mortality was greater in the treatment house for all series of experiments (P \u3c 0.0001). Conclusions: The DABS devices were effective at killing female Ae. aegypti under a variety of laboratory and semi-field conditions. DABS are a promising intervention for interdomiciliary control of Ae. aegypti and arboviral disease prevention.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Recognition of speaking in a phone channel with a neural network backpropagation

In this paper we propose an algorithm for identification of speaking in the phone channel. The investigation is based on the behavior of the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Backpropagation. The analysed voice is captured with format *.wav. We introduce the procedure for the speaking identification in the phone channel which offered the best results in several tests that we carry out with our method

Recognition of speaking in a phone channel with a neural network backpropagation

In this paper we propose an algorithm for identification of speaking in the phone channel. The investigation is based on the behavior of the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Backpropagation. The analysed voice is captured with format *.wav. We introduce the procedure for the speaking identification in the phone channel which offered the best results in several tests that we carry out with our method

Annihilation of Dipolar Dark Matter to Photons

In this work we study the annihilation of fermionic dark matter, considering it as a neutral particle with nonvanishing magnetic ($M$) and electric ($D$) dipole moments. Effective cross-section of the process $\chi \overline{\chi} \rightarrow \gamma \gamma$ is computed starting from a general form of coupling $\chi \overline{\chi} \gamma$ in the framework of an extension of the Standard Model. By taking into account annihilation of DM pairs into mono-energetic photons, we found that for small masses, $m_\chi \leq 10\,\textrm{GeV}$, an electric dipole moment $\sim 10^{-16}\, \textrm{e cm}$ is required to satisfy the current residual density inferences. Additionally, in order to pin down models viable to describe the physics of dark matter at the early Universe we also constrain our model according to recent measurements of the temperature anisotropies of the cosmic background radiation, we report constraints to the electric and magnetic dipole moments for a range of masses within our model.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

One-Pot Cu/TiO2 Nanoparticles Synthesis for Trans-Ferulic Acid Conversion into Vanillin

In this study, the co-synthesis of TiO2 and Cu metallic nanoparticles obtained via one-pot cost-efficient hydrothermal process has been addressed. Different nanocatalysts with Cu contents were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The TiO2 and Cu metallic nanoparticles were synthesized with copper loading up to one (Cu/Ti atomic ratio). Synthesized catalysts exhibited pore sizes in the mesoporous range and high surface areas above 150 m2/g. The particle size for TiO2 presented a homogeneous distribution of approximately 8 nm, moreover, Cu nanoparticles varied from 12 to >100 nm depending on the metal loading. The nanostructured materials were successfully tested in the conversion of trans-ferulic acid into vanillin under sustainable conditions, achieving the best performance for 0.3 Cu/Ti atomic ratio (70% vanillin yield)

Review of Current Developments on High Strength Pipeline Steels for HIC Inducing Service

Nowadays, an increasing number of oil and gas transmission pipes are constructed with high-strength low alloy steels (HSLA); however, many of these pipelines suffer from different types of hydrogen damages, such as hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC). So many research efforts are being carried out to reduce the detrimental effects of hydrogen damage in HSLA steel pipes. The thermomechanical control process (TMCP) is a microstructural control technique that is able to eliminate the conventional heat treatment after hot rolling. Recent research demonstrated that TMCP provides high HIC resistance without adding high amounts of alloying elements or expensive heat treatments. However, once these HSLA steel pipes are put into service, they experience HIC damage, and the prediction of its kinetics is a necessary condition to perform Fitness-For-Service assessments. To develop a reliable predictive model for the kinetics of HIC, the relations among the microstructural features, environmental parameters, and mechanical properties have to be fully understood. This paper presents a review of the key metallurgical and processing factors to develop HSLA steel pipes, as well as a review of the phenomenological and empirical models of HIC kinetics in order to identify specific research directions for further investigations aimed to establish a reliable and sound model of HIC kinetics. &nbsp

A cytoplasmic Slo3 isoform is expressed in somatic tissues

Slo3 is a pH-sensitive and weakly voltage-sensitive potassium channel that is essential for male fertility in mouse and whose expression is regarded as sperm-specific. These properties have proposed Slo3 as a candidate target for male contraceptive drugs. Nonetheless, the tissue distribution of Slo3 expression has not been rigorously studied yet. Applying computational and RT-PCR approaches, we identified expression of two short Slo3 isoforms in somatic mouse tissues such as brain, kidney and eye. These isoforms, which seem to result of transcription starting sites between exons 20 and 21, have an identical open reading frame, both encoding the terminal 381 amino acids of the cytosolic Slo3 domain. We corroborated the expression of these isoforms in mouse brain and testis by Western-blot. The complete isoform encoding the Slo3 ion channel was uniquely detected in testis, both at transcript and protein level. Although the functional role of the cytosolic Slo3 isoforms remains to be established, we propose that they may have a functional effect by modulating Slo channels trafficking and/or activity. This study confirms that expression of full-length Slo3 is sperm-specific but warns against developing contraceptive drugs targeting the C-terminal tail of Slo3 channels

Collision of protostellar jets in the star-forming region IC 1396N: Analysis of knot proper motions

Context. The bright-rimmed cloud IC 1396N is believed to host one of the few known cases where two bipolar CO outflows driven by young stellar objects collide. The CO outflows are traced by chains of knots of H2 emission, with enhanced emission at the position of the possible collision. Aims. The aim of this work is to use the proper motions of the H2 knots to confirm the collision scenario. Methods. A second-epoch H2 image was obtained, and the proper motions of the knots were determined with a time baseline of ∼11 yr. We also performed differential photometry on the images to check the flux variability of the knots. Results. For each outflow (N and S), we classified the knots as pre-collision or post-collision. The axes of the pre-collision knots, the position of the possible collision point, and the axes of the post-collision knots were estimated. The difference between the proper motion direction of the post-collision knots and the position angle from the collision point was also calculated. For some of the knots, we obtained the 3D velocity using the radial velocity derived from H2 spectra. Conclusions. The velocity pattern of the H2 knots in the area of interaction (post-collision knots) shows a deviation from that of the pre-collision knots, consistent with being a consequence of the interaction between the two outflows. This favours the interpretation of the IC 1396N outflows as a true collision between two protostellar jets instead of a projection effect

Collaborative working: understanding mobile applications requirements

1 archivo PDF (4 páginas)The Rational Unified Process (RUP) as well as the related work embrace the importance of collaborative working teams during software development; but, user-interface designers and system analysts work in parallel or in sequential mode. However, this kind of relationship may not be effective, resulting on functional software but not meeting usability issues. Our proposal is that in order to understand mobile applications requirements work should be made collaboratively between analysts and user-interface designers through sharing artifacts like use-case scenarios, sketching and mock-up. In this paper, we propose a collaborative work framework to meet mobile applications requirements. Also, we show preliminary results of a case study to assess this approach. Results suggest that the collaborative team got a common understanding about system limits and functional and usability requirements.Universidad Autónoma Metropolitan