Fiber optic civil structure monitoring system

A civil structure monitoring system based on fiber Bragg grating technology is presented. A complete set of new transducers, both for concrete and steel monitoring, is designed, fabricated, and successfully checked both in laboratory and in-field conditions

A metabolic view of the diversity-stability relationship

Abstract A theoretical analysis of the ''portfolio effect'' expressed in metabolic terms indicates that the coefficient of variation of total biomass in the ecosystem is influenced by three factors: metabolic diversity, total population size and organism biomass (body mass). The contribution of these factors to ecosystem stability depends on the power scaling of population size to its temporal variance: the Tilman's z. In natural populations, 1ozo2 both from a theoretical and an empirical background, and so a higher metabolic diversity, a larger population size and a bigger body mass are expected to increase ecosystem stability. The maximization of any of these factors will enhance ecosystem stability both at ecological (successional) and evolutionary timescales, which could explain a number of trends observed in ecosystems and in the history of life.

Pilot study assessing the influence of skin type on the heart rate measurements obtained by photoplethysmography with the Apple Watch

Photoplethysmographic imaging (PPG) is currently used to measure heart rate (HR) and the accuracy of PPG can be influenced by pigmentation of the skin; however, the effects of skin color-related artifacts on PPG during exercise remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the agreement between the Apple Watch photoplethysmography sensor and a criterion, for measuring heart rate across a range of intensities during exercise and to determine the influence of skin type on the accuracy of the measure. Forty-five males (20–43 y) completed the Fitzpatrick Skin Scale and were classified into three different skin type groups: a) types II (n = 15), III (n = 15) and IV (n = 15). Participants performed a graded incremental cycle-ergometer test while simultaneously wearing the Apple Watch and a Polar monitor as a criterion measure. Data from both devices were collected in 5-s epochs. Correlations between devices were very good (0.96–0.99 [95%CI: 0.94 to 0.99]). Significant differences were observed between skin types II and III when the intensity of the exercise was increased, albeit with trivial to small effect sizes (ES: 0.05 to 0.28). All significant differences corresponded t

Safety and efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 42150 as a silage additive for all animal species

The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a specific strain of Lactobacillus plantarum when used as a technological additive intended to improve ensiling at a proposed application rate of 1 9 108 colony forming unit (CFU)/kg fresh material. L. plantarum is considered by EFSA to be suitable for the qualified presumption of safety approach to safety assessment and not to require specific demonstration of safety other than demonstrating the absence of resistance to antibiotics of human and veterinary significance. As the identity of the strain was clearly established and as no antibiotic resistance was detected, the use of the strain in the production of silage is presumed safe for livestock species, consumers of products from animals fed treated silage and the environment. In the absence of data, no conclusion can be drawn on the skin and eye irritancy or skin sensitisation of the additive. The additive should be considered as a potential respiratory sensitiser. Five studies with laboratory-scale silos were made using forage of differing water-soluble carbohydrate content. Replicate silos containing forages treated at the proposed application rate were compared to identical silos containing the same but untreated forage. In addition, in four studies, formic acid was included as positive control. The mini-silos were then stored for 90\u2013103 days at 20\u201324\ub0C. After opening, the contents of the silos were analysed. Results showed that this strain of L. plantarum has the potential to improve the production of silage from easy, moderately difficult and difficult to ensile forage species by increasing the production of lactic acid, reducing the pH and increasing the preservation of dry matter when used at an application rate of 1 9 108 CFU/kg

On the Mechanism of the Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective 1,4-Addition of Grignard Reagents to α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

The mechanism of the enantioselective 1,4-addition of Grignard reagents to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds promoted by copper complexes of chiral ferrocenyl diphosphines is explored through kinetic, spectroscopic, and electrochemical analysis. On the basis of these studies, a structure of the active catalyst is proposed. The roles of the solvent, copper halide, and the Grignard reagent have been examined. Kinetic studies support a reductive elimination as the rate-limiting step in which the chiral catalyst, the substrate, and the Grignard reagent are involved. The thermodynamic activation parameters were determined from the temperature dependence of the reaction rate. The putative active species and the catalytic cycle of the reaction are discussed.

Safety and efficacy of BIOSTRONG® 510 (essential oil of thyme and star anise) for chickens and minor avian species for fattening and rearing to point of lay

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of the product BIOSTRONG\uae 510 (essential oil from thyme and star anise, crushed dried spices and crushed dried herbs), when used as a feed additive for chickens for fattening and rearing to point of lay and minor avian species for fattening and rearing to point of lay. BIOSTRONG\uae 510 is a preparation of partially microencapsulated essential oils from thyme and star anise, dried herbs and dried spices. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that BIOSTRONG\uae 510 is safe for chickens for fattening at the proposed conditions of use and that this conclusion can be extended to chickens reared for laying and extrapolated to all minor poultry species for fattening and reared to point of lay. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that the use of BIOSTRONG\uae 510 as an additive in the feed for chickens for fattening does not present risk for the consumer of meat and meat products. Irritancy studies have not been provided, however, because of the content of saponins, the FEEDAP Panel assumes that the additive is highly irritant to mucous membranes, and considers that measures to minimise exposure by all routes are necessary for the handling of this product. The use of BIOSTRONG\uae 510 at the recommended levels is not considered to be a risk for the environment. The FEEDAP Panel considers that BIOSTRONG\uae 510 has the potential to be efficacious in improving performance of chickens for fattening. This conclusion can be extended to chickens reared for laying and extrapolated to all minor poultry species for fattening and reared to point of lay at the same dose

Millenial-scale climatic and vegetation changes in a northern Cerrado (Northeast, Brazil) since the Last Glacial Maximum.

Abstract In the Southern Hemisphere, lacustrine sediments started to be deposited with the beginning of the deglaciation at ca 19,000 cal yr BP. At this time the region of Lake Cac -o was dominated by sparse and shrubby vegetation with dominance of steppic grasses in a poor sandy soil. The landscape did not present any ecological characteristics of a modern Cerrado. However single pollen grains of two Cerrado indicators, Byrsonima and Mimosa, suggest that some Cerrado species were able to survive under the prevailing arid climate, probably as small shrubs. After 15,500 cal yr BP, a sudden increase in the moisture rates is evidenced with the progressive expansion of rainforest showing successive dominance of various associations of taxa. The development of the forest stopped abruptly at the end of the Pleistocene between 12,800 and 11,000 cal yr BP, as attested by strong fires and the expansion of Poaceae. In the early Holocene an open landscape with a relatively high level of water in the lake preceded the progressive expansion of Cerrado species towards a denser forested landscape; fires are recorded from then on, resulting in the physiognomy of the Cerrado we know today. Late Pleistocene paleoenvironmental records from northern Brazil reflect the interplay between insolation forcing of two hemispheres with the local components represented by the interannual shift of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone and the influence of seasonal equatorwards polar air incursions.

Safety and efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 29025 as a silage additive for all animal species

Lactobacillus plantarum is a technological additive intended to improve the ensiling process at a minimum proposed dose of 5.0 9 107 colony-forming units (CFU)/kg fresh material. The bacterial species L. plantarum is considered by EFSA to be suitable for the qualified presumption of safety approach to safety assessment. As the identity of the strain has been clearly established and as no antibiotic resistance of concern was detected, the use of the strain as a silage additive is considered safe for livestock species, for consumers of products from animals fed the treated silage and for the environment. In the absence of data, no conclusion can be drawn on the skin and eye irritancy of the additive. The additive should be considered to have the potential to be a respiratory sensitiser. Three studies with laboratory-scale silos were made using samples of forage of differing dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrate content. In each case, replicate silos containing treated forage were compared with identical silos containing the same but untreated forage. The results showed that the additive has the potential to improve the production of silage from easy, moderately difficult and difficult to ensile material by improving the preservation of nutrients. This was shown at the proposed application rate of 5 9 107 CFU/kg forage

Safety and efficacy of Lavipan® (Lactococcus lactis B/00039, Carnobacterium divergens KKP 2012p, Lactobacillus casei B/00080, Lactobacillus plantarum B/00081 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae KKP 2059p) for weaned piglets, chickens for fattening and turkeys for fattening

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of Lavipan\uae (Lactococcus lactis B/00039, Carnobacterium divergens KKP 2012p, Lactobacillus casei B/00080, Lactobacillus plantarum B/00081 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae KKP 2059p) when used as a zootechnical additive for weaned piglets, chickens and turkeys for fattening at the minimum dose of 5 x 108 colony forming unit (CFU) lactic acid bacteria (LAB)/kg feed and 5 x 106 CFU S. cerevisiae/kg feed. The species Lc. lactis, C. divergens, Lb. casei, Lb. plantarum and S. cerevisiae are considered by EFSA to be suitable for the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach to safety assessment and not to require specific demonstration of safety other than demonstrating the absence of resistance to antibiotics of human and veterinary significance. The identity of all strains has been established and no antibiotic resistance of concern detected. Following the QPS approach to safety assessment, these strains are presumed safe for the target species, consumers of products from animals fed the additive and the environment. Lavipan\uae is not toxic by inhalation or a dermal/ocular irritant, but should be considered as a potential respiratory sensitiser. In the absence of data, no conclusion can be drawn on the skin sensitisation potential. Lavipan\uae has the potential to improve the performance of chickens for fattening when supplemented at the recommended dose of 5 x 108 CFU LAB/kg feed and 5 x 106 CFU S. cerevisiae/kg feed. No conclusions can be drawn on the efficacy of Lavipan\uae when added to feed for weaned piglets or turkeys for fattening. Lavipan\uae is compatible with diclazuril, salinomycin sodium, decoquinate, maduramicin and narasin+nicarbazin

Safety and efficacy of iron oxide black, red and yellow for all animal species

Iron oxides black, red and yellow are intended to be used as colourings to add and restore colour to feedingstuffs at a recommended concentration between 500 and 1,200 mg/kg. No data on the tolerance of target animals were provided. The iron oxides black, red and yellow are excreted essentially unchanged in the faeces of the target animals. Iron absorption from these water insoluble iron oxides is low. However, no conclusion on the safety of the iron oxides under assessment for the target animals could be made as a sufficient biological and toxicological database, particularly genotoxicity data, was not available. The use of the iron oxides in animal nutrition is unlikely to result in a direct exposure of the consumer and would not influence the iron content of edible tissues and products from animals treated with iron oxides. Consequently, the supplementation of feed for food-producing animals with the iron oxides under assessment would not provide a risk to consumers. Iron oxide black, red and yellow should be considered as irritant to skin and eyes. In the absence of any information, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed FEEDAP cannot conclude on the potential of the additives to be a skin sensitiser. As the inhalation of iron oxides could cause unspecific lung inflammation, inhalation exposure of users should be considered to be a hazard. As there is concern about the possible genotoxicity of iron oxides, any route of exposure should be considered as hazardous. The use of iron oxide black, red and yellow in animal nutrition does not pose a risk to the environment. The iron oxides are effective in colouring feedingstuffs