Genetics and telemetry indicate unexpected movements among structured populations for Brachyplatystoma platynemum in the Amazon

The genetic analysis of Brachyplatystoma platynemum individuals sampled from the lower Madeira River reinforces the existence of two structured populations in the Amazon Basin (Madeira and Amazon populations). However, the recapture of an individual from the Amazon population in the Solimões River, which was telemetry‐tagged in the Madeira River after the damming, indicates that fish from the Amazon population move between the two river systems. This has not been observed, however, in the Madeira River population, which is currently divided and isolated in the lower and upper Madeira River by the construction of two dams

A new species of Rhamdella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888 (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the coastal basins of southern Brazil

Rhamdella zelimai, new species, is described from the coastal river drainages in northeastern Rio Grande do Sul and southern Santa Catarina States, Brazil. The new species is readily distinguished from its congeners by the hypertrophy of the rictal fold, mainly its lower portion, consisting of a large and fleshy lobe that bends ventrally on itself. The phylogenetic relationships of the new species are assessed and it was recovered as belonging to the clade composed of R. eriarcha (from the laguna dos Patos basin), R. longiuscula (from the rio Uruguai), and R. cainguae (from the lower rio Paraná)

Riverine habitat specificity constrains dispersion in a Neotropical fish (Characidae) along Southern Brazilian drainages

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111903/1/zsc12106.pd

Demonstrating a smart controller in a hospital integrated energy system

Integrated energy systems have recently gained primary importance in clean energy transition. The combination of the electricity, heating and gas sectors can improve the overall system efficiency and integration of renewables by exploiting the synergies among the energy vectors. In particular, real-time optimization tools based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) can considerably improve the performance of systems with several conversion units and distribution networks by automatically coordinating all interacting technologies. Despite the relevance of several simulation studies on the topic, however, it is significantly harder to have an experimental demonstration of this improvement. This work presents a methodology for the real-world implementation of a novel smart control strategy for integrated energy systems, based on two coordinated MPC levels, which optimize the operation of all conversion units and all energy vectors in the short- and long-term, respectively, to account also for economic incentives on critical units. The strategy that was previously developed and evaluated in a simulation environment has now been implemented, as a supervisory controller, in the integrated energy system of a hospital in Italy. The optimal control logic is easily actuated by dynamically communicating the optimal set-points to the existing Building Management System, without having to alter the system configuration. Field data collected over a two-year period, firstly when it was business as usual and when the new operation was introduced, show that the MPC increased the economic margin and revenues from yearly incentives and lowered the amount of electricity purchased, reducing dependency on the power grid

A new species of Bryconops (Teleostei: Characidae) from the rio Madeira basin, Northern Brazil

Uma nova espécie de Bryconops é descrita para um tributário do rio Madeira na bacia do rio Amazonas, Brasil. Bryconops piracolina pertence ao subgênero Bryconops por não possuir dentes ou raramente apresentar apenas um dente na maxila, e por possuir uma área nua na face entre o segundo e terceiro infraorbitais. A espécie nova se distingue de todas as espécies do subgênero Bryconops pela presença de uma grande mancha negra na base da nadadeira dorsal. Além disto, difere de todas as espécies do gênero, exceto B. inpai, por possuir a nadadeira adiposa inteiramente preta. Difere de B. inpai pela ausência de manchas umerais. Difere de todas as espécies de Bryconops, exceto B. caudomaculatus, por possuir as últimas escamas da série longitudinal de escamas da linha lateral sem poros além da terminação da placa hipural e difere de B. caudomaculatus pelo menor número de escamas com poros da linha lateral (31-36, média 34,6 vs. 37-43 média, 40,6; respectivamente).A new species of Bryconops is described from a tributary to the rio Madeira in the Amazon basin, State of Rondônia, Brazil. Bryconops piracolina belongs to the subgenus Bryconops by having no teeth or rarely one tooth in the maxilla, and a naked area on cheek between the second and third infraorbitals. The new species is distinguished from all species of this subgenus by the presence of a large black blotch on dorsal-fin base. Furthermore, it is distinguished from all congeners, except B. inpai, by possessing the adipose fin entirely black. It differs from B. inpai by the lack of humeral spots. It further differs from all species of the subgenus Bryconops, except B. caudomaculatus, by having the last scales of the longitudinal series of scales that bears the lateral line series not pored beyond the end of the hypural plate, and differs from B. caudomaculatus by the smaller number of pored lateral line scales (31-36, mean 34.6, vs. 37-43, mean = 40.6, respectively)