A Real Time Vision System for Autonomous Systems: Characterization during a Middle Size Match

in RoboCup 2007: Robot Soccer World Cup XIThis paper propose a real-time vision framework for mobile robotics and describes the current implementation. The pipeline structure further reduces latency and allows a paralleled hardware implementation. A dedicated hardware vision sensor was developed in order to take advantage of the proposed architecture. The real-time characteristics and hardware partial implementation, coupled with low energy consumption address typical autonomous systems applications. A characterization of the implemented system in the Robocup scenario, during competition matches, is presented

Underwater energy harvesting to extend operation time of submersible sensors

A linear electromagnetic energy harvesting device for underwater applications, fabricated with a simple manufacturing process, was developed to operate with movement frequencies from 0.1 to 0.4 Hz. The generator has two coils, and the effect of the combination of the two coils was investigated. The experimental study has shown that the energy capture system was able to supply energy to several ocean sensors, producing 7.77 mJ per second with wave movements at 0.4 Hz. This study shows that this energy is enough to restore the energy used by the battery or the capacitor and continue supplying energy to the sensors used in the experimental work. For an ocean wave frequency of 0.4 Hz, the generator can supply power to 8 sensors or 48 sensors, depending on the energy consumed and its optimization.This work is co-funded by the project K2D-Knowledge and Data from the Deep to Space with reference POCI-01-0247-FEDER-045941, co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization (COMPETE2020) and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology-FCT under MIT-Portugal Program. This work is also co-financed by Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (NORTE2020), through Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER000032–NextSea, and by national funds through FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P. under project SONDA (PTDC/EME-SIS/1960/2020)

Modelagem da erosão como subsídio a implantação do Programa Produtor de Águas na Bacia do Ribeirão Pipiripau.

Abstract: Payment for Environmental Services (PES) has assumed increasing importance in discussions about sustainable development strategies. Many of the PES programs are based on water erosion control and the corresponding environmental and economic benefits generated in the basins where they are implemented. The main objective of this study was to show how erosion susceptibility models can support PES programs. The application of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) in the Pipiripau River Basin was used as study case. The USLE application in a spatially distributed form proved to be an important support tool for land management and the implementation of PSE policies. The results show that a large part of the studied basin presents 'Low' susceptibility to erosion, what is great in terms of use and conservation of ecosystem services, as well as a limitation regarding the need for implantation of PES programs for erosion control. Incentives for maintaining the natural vegetation in areas with higher erosion susceptibility and conserving rural roads justify PES programs in the basin. Soil and water conservation practices should be implemented in agricultural areas, but, as they occupy, in general, regions with low susceptibility to erosion, it is expected that their impacts will be realized mainly because of the high percentage of the area under this use

New insights on the roles of bacteria and protozoa in activated-sludge processes

Wastewater treatment is one of the most important biotechnological processes in the world. Nevertheless, the highly complex microbial communities in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are barely understood, remaining, most of the time, as a “black box”. Even though many microbiological methods are available to study the activated-sludge communities, many recent questions on the role of a significant number of microorganisms are kept unanswered. The current model and design concepts of activated-sludge consider bacteria as the sole active biomass. The activities of all other microbial community members (protozoa, metazoa, phages, etc.) are hidden in a simple decay process responsible for the reduction of active biomass and there is an assumed difficulty in establishing the way of how the interactions between the bacterial and the eukaryotic populations can affect the performance of the treatment system. PROTOFILWW project (PTDC/AMB/68393/2006) aimed at the study of 37 WWTP during 2 years, allowing for the identification of the little metazoa, protozoa and filamentous bacteria in 296 samples and enabling the correlation of these communities with physical-chemical and operational parameters. Furthermore, several studies on related subjects were and are being carried on to enlighten the roles of the different organisms in the depurating process, on how they interact with each other and on methods to identify certain filamentous and floc-forming bacteria with relevant functions in these artificial ecosystems. Simultaneously, a web-based platform was conceived to ensure the dissemination of knowledge and the communication of results between the project team and the WWTP technicians and managers

Heterogeneity in the chemical composition of biofertilizers, potential agronomic use, and heavy metal contents of different agro-industrial wastes.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the chemical characteristics of agro-industrial residues used in the manufacture of an aerobic liquid biofertilizer. We analyzed the macronutrient, micronutrient, and trace metal contents of seven waste products used as raw materials to create a biofertilizer

Fresh fish degradation and advances in preservation using physical emerging technologies

Fresh fish is a highly perishable food characterized by a short shelf-life, and for this reason, it must be properly handled and stored to slow down its deterioration and to ensure microbial safety and marketable shelf-life. Modern consumers seek fresh-like, minimally processed foods due to the raising concerns regarding the use of preservatives in foods, as is the case of fresh fish. Given this, emergent preservation techniques are being evaluated as a complement or even replacement of conventional preservation methodologies, to assure food safety and extend shelf-life without compromising food safety. This paper reviews the main mechanisms responsible for fish spoilage and the use of conventional physical methodologies to preserve fresh fish, encompassing the main effects of each methodology on microbiological and chemical quality aspects of this highly perishable food. In this sense, conventional storage procedures (refrigeration and freezing) are counterpointed with more recent cold-based storage methodologies, namely chilling and superchilling. In addition, the use of novel food packaging methodologies (edible films and coatings) is also presented and discussed, along with a new storage methodology, hyperbaric storage, that states storage pressure control to hurdle microbial development and slow down organoleptic decay at subzero, refrigeration, and room temperatures

Perda de solo por erosão em decorrência da ação de adubação fosfatada corretiva sobre a estabilidade de agregados.

A aplicação de fósforo em solos brasileiros é uma prática frequente e tal operação pode afetar alguns atributos do solo. Assim, com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da fosfatagem na estabilidade de agregados e nas perdas de solo por erosão de um Latossolo Vermelho Acriférrico típico de Lavras (MG), foram aplicados, em duas parcelas de 72 m2, o equivalente a 450 kg ha-1 de P2O5 a lanço mais 180 kg ha-1 de P2O5 em linhas. A estabilidade de agregados foi determinada por ultra-som para classes de 7,93 a 4,76; 4,76 a 2,00; 2,00 a 1,00; 1,00 a 0,50; 0,50 a 0,25 e < 0,25 mm, e por peneiramento úmido para a fração de 7,93 a 4,76 mm. Também foi estimada a perda de solo por erosão com uso do sistema de pinos. A fosfatagem reduziu significativamente a estabilidade de agregados por peneiramento a úmido e por ultra-som para agregados maiores que 1 mm e aumentou as perdas de solo em 2,85 vezes. Agregados maiores que 2 mm apresentaram estabilidade 2,83 vezes menor com fosfatagem, o que pareceu influenciar as perdas de solo. A fosfatagem reduziu o ponto de efeito salino nulo e aumentou a densidade de cargas negativas, o que explicou os resultados obtidos

Stable integration and expression of a cry1la gene conferring resistance to fall armyworm and boll weevil in cotton plants.

BACKGROUND: Boll weevil is a serious pest of cotton crop. Effective control involves applications of chemical insecticides, increasing the cost of production and environmental pollution. The current genetically modified Bt crops have allowed great benefits to farmers but show activity limited to lepidopteran pests. This work reports on procedures adopted for integration and expression of a cry transgene conferring resistance to boll weevil and fall armyworm by usingmolecular tools. RESULTS: Four Brazilian cotton cultivars were microinjected with a minimal linear cassette generating 1248 putative lines. Complete gene integration was found in only one line (T0-34) containing one copy of cry1Ia detected by Southern blot. Protein was expressed in high concentration at 45 days after emergence (dae), decreasing by approximately 50% at 90 dae. Toxicity of the cry protein was demonstrated in feeding bioassays revealing 56.7% mortality to boll weevil fed buds and 88.1% mortality to fall armyworm fed leaves. A binding of cry1Ia antibody was found in the midgut of boll weevils fed on T0-34 buds in an immunodetection assay. CONCLUSION: The gene introduced into plants confers resistance to boll weevil and fall armyworm. Transmission of the transgene occurred normally to T1 progeny.All plants showed phenotypically normal growth,with fertile flowers and abundant seeds