LoRaWAN Network for Fire Monitoring in Rural Environments

The number of forest fires that occurred in recent years in different parts of the world is causing increased concern in the population, as the consequences of these fires expand beyond the destruction of the ecosystem. However, with the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) industry, solutions for early fire detection should be developed. The assessment of the fire risk of an area and the communication of this fact to the population could reduce the number of fires originated by accident or due to the carelessness of the users. This paper presents a low-cost network based on Long Range (LoRa) technology to autonomously evaluate the level of fire risk and the presence of a forest fire in rural areas. The system is comprised of several LoRa nodes with sensors to measure the temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and CO2 of the environment. The data from the nodes is stored and processed in a The Things Network (TTN) server that sends the data to a website for the graphic visualization of the collected data. The system is tested in a real environment and, the results show that it is possible to cover a circular area of a radius of 4 km with a single gateway.This work was partially supported by the “Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades” through the “Ayudas para la adquisición de equipamiento científico-técnico, Subprograma estatal de infraestructuras de investigación y equipamiento científico-técnico (plan Estatal I+D+i 2017-2020)” (project EQC2018-004988-P), by Universidad de Granada through the “Programa de Proyectos de Investigación Precompetitivos para Jóvenes Investigadores. Modalidad A jóvenes Doctores” of “Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia 2019” (PPJIA2019.10), by the Campus de Excelencia Internacional Global del Mar (CEI·Mar) through the “Ayudas Proyectos Jóvenes Investigadores CEI·Mar 2019”, (Project CEIJ-020), by the European Union through the ERANETMED (Euromediterranean Cooperation through ERANET joint activities and beyond) (Project ERANETMED3-227 SMARTWATIR)

Leucaena leucocephala introduction into a tropical pasture in the Chaco region of Argentina. Effects on soil carbon and total nitrogen = Introducción de Leucaena leucocephala en una pastura tropical en el Chaco argentino. Efectos en el carbono y nitrógeno total del suelo

The introduction of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), apart from increasing animal production, improves soil fertility through biological nitrogen (N) fixation and its deep-rooted system. There is limited information on carbon and N dynamics in hedgerow silvopastoral systems, particularly in the subsoil profile. The concentrations and vertical distribution of organic carbon (OC) and total N , and their fractions (particulate and associate forms) in the profile (0‒100 cm) of a 4-year-old leucaena stand in a Urochloa brizantha-Chloris gayana pasture were compared with those in the adjacent pure tropical grass (U. brizantha) pasture. Leucaena introduction increased the OC concentration in the subsoil (20‒100 cm) by 45%, particularly the stable form (associate OC) in the deepest horizon (50‒100 cm). This was attributed to a greater abundance of leucaena roots deeper in the profile than for grass. Leucaena also enhanced by 7.6% the N concentration (from 0.131 to 0.141%) in the topsoil (0‒20 cm) associated with an increment in the labile form (particulate organic N), due to leaf deposition, recycling of animal feces and nodule-N turnover from N fixation. Leucaena establishment has the potential to improve soil fertility and hence availability of N to companion grass growth, and can be utilized as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy.La introducción de leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), además de incrementar la producción animal, aumenta la fertilidad del suelo por fijación simbiótica de nitrógeno (N) y por sus raíces profundas. Existe poca información sobre la dinámica de carbono y N en sistemas silvopastoriles, particularmente en el subsuelo. La cantidad y distribución vertical de carbono orgánico (CO) y N total, y sus fracciones en el perfil del suelo (0‒100 cm) de una pastura de leucaena de 4 años de edad en asociación con Urochloa brizantha y Chloris gayana, fueron comparadas con una pastura adyacente de U. brizantha en monocultivo. Leucaena incrementó en un 45% la concentración de CO (0.98 a 1.42%) en el subsuelo (20‒100 cm), particularmente la forma estable (CO asociado) en el horizonte más profundo (50‒100 cm), efecto atribuido a sus raíces profundas. Leucaena también acrecentó en un 7.6% la concentración de N (de 0.131 a 0.141%) en el horizonte superficial del suelo (0‒20 cm), asociado al incremento de la forma lábil (N orgánico particulado), atribuido a deposición de hojas, reciclado de excreta animal y descomposición de nódulos. La implantación de leucaena tiene el potencial de mejorar la fertilidad del suelo, la disponibilidad de N para gramíneas asociadas, y puede ser una estrategia de mitigación de gases de efecto invernadero.Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco SemiáridoFil: Banegas, Natalia Romina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Corbella, Roberto. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Viruel, Emilce. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina.Fil: Plasencia, Adriana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Roig, Belen. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Radrizzani Bonadeo, Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina

Technology adoption and extension strategies in Mediterranean Agriculture: the case of family farms in Chile

Extension services play a crucial role by improving skills and access to information thatresult in greater farm level innovations, especially on family farms which are the predominant formof agriculture in the world. This study analyzed the connection between strategies implemented byextension services and technology adoption on family farms. Using the case of the Servicio de AsesoríaTécnica (SAT) Program, we developed a bottom-up adoption index (AI) for vegetable and berryfarmers in three regions of Central ChileThis research was funded by FONDECYT, grant number 1171122.This research was funded by FONDECYT, grant number 1171122.Postprint (published version

A cast-mold approach to iron oxide and Pt/iron oxide nanocontainers and nanoparticles with a reactive concave surface.

We report the synthesis of various iron oxide nanocontainers and Pt−iron oxide nanoparticles based on a cast-mold approach, starting from nanoparticles having a metal core (either Au or AuPt) and an iron oxide shell. Upon annealing, the particles evolve to asymmetric core−shells and then to heterodimers. If iodine is used to leach Au out of these structures, asymmetric core−shells evolve into "nanocontainers", that is, iron oxide nanoparticles enclosing a cavity accessible through nanometer-sized pores, while heterodimers evolve into particles with a concave region. When starting from a metal domain made of AuPt, selective leaching of the Au atoms yields the same iron oxide nanoparticle morphologies but now encasing Pt domains (in their concave region or in their cavity). We found that the concave nanoparticles are capable of destabilizing Au nanocrystals of sizes matching that of the concave region. In addition, for the nanocontainers, we propose two different applications: (i) we demonstrate loading of ..

Chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence causes long-lasting behavioral deficits in adult mice

Regular use of marijuana during adolescence enhances the risk of long-lasting neurobiological changes in adulthood. The present study was aimed at assessing the effect of long-term administration of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55212.2 during adolescence in young adult mice. Adolescent mice aged 5 weeks were subjected daily to the pharmacological action of WIN55212.2 for 3 weeks and were then left undisturbed in their home cage for a 5-week period and finally evaluated by behavioral testing. Mice that received the drug during adolescence showed memory impairment in the Morris water maze, as well as a dose-dependent memory impairment in fear conditioning. In addition, the administration of 3 mg/kg WIN55212.2 in adolescence increased adult hippocampal AEA levels and promoted DNA hypermethylation at the intragenic region of the intracellular signaling modulator Rgs7, which was accompanied by a lower rate of mRNA transcription of this gene, suggesting a potential causal relation. Although the concrete mechanisms underlying the behavioral observations remain to be elucidated, we demonstrate that long-term administration of 3 mg/kg of WIN during adolescence leads to increased endocannabinoid levels and altered Rgs7 expression in adulthood and establish a potential link to epigenetic changes.Beca Ramón y Caja

Maternal Phylogenetic Relationships and Genetic Variation among Rare, Phenotypically Similar Donkey Breeds

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop of endangered and critically endangered breeds has been studied to identify maternal lineages, characterize genetic inheritance, reconstruct phylogenetic relations among breeds, and develop biodiversity conservation and breeding programs. The aim of the study was to determine the variability remaining and the phylogenetic relationship of Martina Franca (MF, with total population of 160 females and 36 males), Ragusano (RG, 344 females and 30 males), Pantesco (PT, 47 females and 15 males), and Catalonian (CT) donkeys by collecting genetic data from maternal lineages. Genetic material was collected from saliva, and a 350 bp fragment of D-loop mtDNA was amplified and sequenced. Sequences were aligned and evaluated using standard bioinformatics software. A total of 56 haplotypes including 33 polymorphic sites were found in 77 samples (27 MF, 22 RG, 8 PT, 19 CT, 1 crossbred). The breed nucleotide diversity value (π) for all the breeds was 0.128 (MF: 0.162, RG: 0.132, PT: 0.025, CT: 0.038). Principal components analysis grouped most of the haplogroups into two different clusters, I (including all haplotypes from PT and CT, together with haplotypes from MF and RG) and II (including haplotypes from MF and RG only). In conclusion, we found that the primeval haplotypes, haplogroup variability, and a large number of maternal lineages were preserved in MF and RG; thus, these breeds play putative pivotal roles in the phyletic relationships of donkey breeds. Maternal inheritance is indispensable genetic information required to evaluate inheritance, variability, and breeding programs

What\u27s Next: Into a Third Decade of LatCrit Theory, Community, and Praxis

In this multi-vocal Afterword, we reflect-personally and collectively to help chart renewed agendas toward and through a third decade of LatCrit theory, community, and praxis. This personal collective exercise illustrates and reconsiders the functions, guideposts, values, and postulates for our shared programmatic work a framework for our daily work as individuals and teams through our portfolio of projects, which in turn emerged as a reflection and projection of LatCrit theory, community and praxis. These early anchors expressly encompassed (1) a call to recognize and accept the inevitable political nature of U.S. legal scholarship; (2) a concomitant call toward anti-subordination praxis to connect theory to action; (3) a commitment to build both intra-Latinx communities and inter-group coalitions; (4) a commitment to find commonalities while respecting difference; (5) a recognition of past critical outsider scholarship in new applications; (6) a commitment to ongoing self-critique, individually and collectively; and (7) a recognition of specificity and diversity in constructing LatCrit theory, praxis, and community. These early guiding commitments were rooted in substantive values, and accompanied by working postulates, that we likewise made explicit to help anchor our programmatic initiatives, and our mutual aspirations, over time and its exigencies

Energy compensation in the real world. Good compensation for small portions of chocolate and biscuits over short time periods in complicit consumers using commercially available foods.

While investigations using covert food manipulations tend to suggest that individuals are poor at adjusting for previous energy intake, in the real world adults rarely consume foods with which they are ill-informed. This study investigated the impact in fully complicit consumers of consuming commercially available dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet biscuits and fruit bars on subsequent appetite. Using a repeated measures design, participants received four small portions (4 × 10-11 g) of either dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet biscuits, fruit bars or no food throughout five separate study days (counterbalanced in order), and test meal intake, hunger, liking and acceptability were measured. Participants consumed significantly less at lunch following dark chocolate, milk chocolate and sweet biscuits compared to no food (smallest t(19) = 2.47, p = 0.02), demonstrating very good energy compensation (269-334%). No effects were found for fruit bars (t(19) = 1.76, p = 0.09), in evening meal intakes (F(4,72) = 0.62, p = 0.65) or in total intake (lunch + evening meal + food portions) (F(4,72) = 0.40, p = 0.69). No differences between conditions were found in measures of hunger (largest F(4,76) = 1.26, p = 0.29), but fruit bars were significantly less familiar than all other foods (smallest t(19) = 3.14, p = 0.01). These findings demonstrate good compensation over the short term for small portions of familiar foods in complicit consumers. Findings are most plausibly explained as a result of participant awareness and cognitions, although the nature of these cognitions cannot be discerned from this study. These findings however, also suggest that covert manipulations may have limited transfer to real world scenarios