Characterization of wind-blown sediment transport with height in a highly mobile dune (SW Spain)

The Valdevaqueros dune is located at one of the windiest points of Europe, where the frequent occurrence of strong easterly winds has generated a highly mobile dune. Several rotating cup anemometers in vertical array and a self-designed vertical sand trap, were placed to retain the drift sands at different heights over the surface in order to determine theoretical and actual sand transport rates in the Valdevaqueros dune system. General results show that 90% of the wind-blown sand is transported within the first 20cm above the dune crest surface. Theoretical transport rates based on different empirical formulae were 0.33 to 0.78 times the in-situ sand transport rate detected, which was 2.08·10-2kgm-1s-1 under moderate wind power (mean speed ranging from 8.4 to 17.9ms-1). Analysis of different statistical grain-size parameters helped to understand sand transport distribution at different heights

Uso eficiente de agua de riego en arroz - Perú

This document is intended to serve as policy guidance for the agricultural sector, specifically for the use of water in irrigated rice in Peru, the information presented was obtained from data capture with sensors and data analysis. The document has been received and accepted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation of this Country

Software architecture for customized physical exercise prescription

En la actualidad existe una gran cantidad de aplicaciones para la realización de ejercicio físico. En este artículo se presenta una arquitectura software para una aplicación que permite la prescripción de ejercicios físicos personalizados. Esta arquitectura incluye dos funcionalidades, la funcionalidad para el especialista que prescribe el ejercicio y la funcionalidad para el usuario que debe seguir esta prescripción. La interacción entre el especialista y el usuario se realiza mediante el envío de eventos. Especialistas (médicos/fisioterapeutas/educadores físicos) pueden indicar los ejercicios adecuados en cada caso. Esta aplicación permitirá a los usuarios con demanda de atención personalizada mejorar la condición física y la calidad de vida. Los usuarios podrán realizar el ejercicio físico de forma autónoma, sin tener que realizar desplazamientos y en un horario flexible.Currently there is a lot of available applications to do physical exercise. This article describes the software architecture for an application that allows customized exercise prescription. This architecture includes two functionalities, the functionality that allows specialists to prescribe physical exercises and the functionality for users who must follow this prescription. Interactions between specialists and users are allowed by means of sending events. Specialists (doctors, physiotherapists and physical educators) can indicate appropriate exercises in each case. This application will allow users with demand for personalized attention to improve their fitness and quality of life. Users can perform physical exercise autonomously, without having to travel and in a flexible schedule

Properties of Non-Structural Concrete Made with Mixed Recycled Aggregates and Low Cement Content

In spite of not being legally accepted in most countries, mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) could be a suitable raw material for concrete manufacturing. The aims of this research were as follows: (i) to analyze the effect of the replacement ratio of natural coarse aggregates with MRA, the amount of ceramic particles in MRA, and the amount of cement, on the mechanical and physical properties of a non-structural concrete made with a low cement content; and (ii) to verify if it is possible to achieve a low-strength concrete that replaces a greater amount of natural aggregate with MRA and that has a low cement content. Two series of concrete mixes were manufactured using 180 and 200 kg/m3 of CEM II/A-V 42.5 R type Portland cement. Each series included seven concrete mixes: one with natural aggregates; two MRA with different ceramic particle contents; and one for each coarse aggregate replacement ratio (20%, 40%, and 100%). To study their properties, compressive and splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, density, porosity, water penetration, and sorptivity, tests were performed. The results confirmed that the main factors affecting the properties analyzed in this research are the amount of cement and the replacement ratio; the two MRAs used in this work presented a similar influence on the properties. A non-structural, low-strength concrete (15 MPa) with an MRA replacement ratio of up to 100% for 200 kg/m3 of cement was obtained. This type of concrete could be applied in the construction of ditches, sidewalks, and other similar civil works

Estimación de parámetros genéticos para producción de leche en búfalas (Bubalus bubalis) de segundo y tercer parto mediante modelos de regresión aleatoria

ABSTRACT: Genetic parameters and covariance functions for test day (TD) of milk yield in buffaloes in Colombia by random regression models (MRA) with orthogonal Legendre polynomials (LP) were estimated. Records of 16738 and 14275 TD of 2284 and 1987 animals of second (L2) and third (L3) lactation were used, respectively. The average lactation curve of the population fixed effect and additive genetic and permanent environment random effect were estimated by MRA using third to sixth LP order and the residuals variances were modeled using homogeneous and heterogeneous structures. The best model was obtained with a third, fifth and fourth LP order for fixed curve of the population, genetic and permanent environment effects, respectively and fourth heterogeneous residual variances for L2 and L3 lactation. The estimated heritabilities varied between 0.05 and 0.24. The estimates of genetic correlations were highest between adjacent days. It is concluded that the application of MRA in L2 and L3 lactation described properly genetic parameters for milk yield in buffaloes.RESUMEN: Se estimaron los parámetros genéticos y las funciones de covarianzas para la producción de leche en el día de control (PDCL) en búfalas de Colombia, mediante análisis de regresión aleatoria con polinomios ortogonales de Legendre (LP). Se utilizaron registros de 16,738 y 14,275 PDCL de 2,284 y 1,987 animales de segunda (L2) y tercera (L3) lactancia, respectivamente. La media de la curva lactancia fija de la población y los efectos aleatorios ambiente genético y permanente aditivo se estimaron por MRA utilizando LP de tercer a sexto orden y varianzas residuales de estructuras homogéneas y heterogéneas. El mejor modelo se obtuvo por tercera, quinta y cuarta orden de LP para estimar la curva fija de la población, el efecto genético y de ambiente permanente, respectivamente, y cuarto varianzas residuales heterogéneos para las lactancias L2 y L3. Las heredabilidades estimadas variaron entre 0.05 y 0.24. Las estimaciones de las correlaciones genéticas fueron más altas entre los días adyacentes. Se concluye que la aplicación de los modelos de regresión aleatoria en L2 y L3 lactancia describen correctamente los parámetros genéticos para la producción de leche en los búfalos

GRP94 Is Involved in the Lipid Phenotype of Brain Metastatic Cells

Metabolic adaptation may happen in response to the pressure exerted by the microenvironment and is a key step in survival of metastatic cells. Brain metastasis occurs as a consequence of the systemic dissemination of tumor cells, a fact that correlates with poor prognosis and high morbidity due to the difficulty in identifying biomarkers that allow a more targeted therapy. Previously, we performed transcriptomic analysis of human breast cancer patient samples and evaluated the differential expression of genes in brain metastasis (BrM) compared to lung, bone and liver metastasis. Our network approach identified upregulation of glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94) as well as proteins related to synthesis of fatty acids (FA) in BrM. Here we report that BrM cells show an increase in FA content and decreased saturation with regard to parental cells measured by Raman spectroscopy that differentiate BrM from other metastases. Moreover, BrM cells exerted a high ability to oxidize FA and compensate hypoglycemic stress due to an overexpression of proteins involved in FA synthesis and degradation (SREBP-1, LXR alpha, ACOT7). GRP94 ablation restored glucose dependence, down-regulated ACOT7 and SREBP-1 and decreased tumorigenicity in vivo. In conclusion, GRP94 is required for the metabolic stress survival of BrM cells, and it might act as a modulator of lipid metabolism to favor BrM progression

Computer labs on virtual environments: A flexible, portable and multidisciplinary model

Teaching of computer-aided practical subjects in engineering education creates new challenges. Computers have to be configured to support particular requirements of each subject. Virtual Environments allows the building of a Virtual Machine (VM) tailored to requirements of each subject, allowing flexible, versatile and low cost laboratories. However, the use of multiple VM at a shared computing facility creates new problems, both technical and related to the performance of the class sessions. To solve these challenges, we have developed the Virtual Machine on-Demand (VMoD) tool. It automates the adaptation of each VM to the environment in which it is deployed and simplifies its use to students. As a result, the creation of computer-aided engineering laboratories on a shared computing facility using VM is possible and profitable

Cuantificando el desequilibrio latitudinal de las áreas de distribución de las especies como consecuencia del cambio climático

La reciente modificación de la distribución de las especies en respuesta a un clima cada vez más cálido supone un cambio biogeográfico importante y generalizado. El objetivo de este estudio es desarrollar una metodología capaz de medir la dinámica de la distribución de las especies bajo el contexto del cambio climático, permitiendo detectar el desequilibrio entre las condiciones climáticas óptimas para la especie y su distribución actual, así como calcular la tasa del desplazamiento. Combinando la modelación biogeográfica mediante la Función de Favorabilidad con análisis de baricentro de las distribuciones, se evalúa la respuesta al cambio climático de dos especies típicamente africanas, el Busardo Moro del Atlas y el Colirrojo Diademado. Este enfoque revela el desequilibrio latitudinal existente entre las distribuciones de las dos especies y el clima, que se cuantifica en 4 y 2.8 km al norte, a una velocidad de 1.3 y 3.4 km/año respectivamente. Es el primer estudio que desarrolla una metodología capaz de detectar dicho desequilibrio y medirlo.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Different behaviour and management of two littoral dunes in southern Spain

The north-western coast of Cadiz (Spain) presents a variety of coastal engineering and coastal management problems whose solution is not an easy task due to the complexity of the parameters involved. Two cases of dune zone management in this a rea are described in this paper. Punta Candor beach, a very popular recreational area in Rota municipality, experiences one of the highest dune erosion rates in Spain of more than 1 m/yr. In order to address this coastal degradation, the Atlantic Andalusian Coastal District has performed beach and dune restoration planning, described in this paper as an example of sustainable coastal management. The Valdevaqueros dune area also represents animportant recreational zone. However, after the Spanish Shore Act was approved in 1988, sand extraction was prohibited, and the system began to lose stability resulting in landward dune invasion. As in the previous case, an integrated study of the management alternatives is also presented for the Valdevaqueros dune area, considering all of the problems involved: dune degradation, invasion of the Punta Paloma road by the mobile dunes, excessive recreational pressure on the dune area and adjacent lagoon, parking lot resettlements, and undesirable land use in the surroundings. In particular, a cost-benefit analysis for the different alternatives was carried out regarding the road-dune interaction

The potential of local food, energy, and water production systems on urban rooftops considering consumption patterns and urban morphology

The external resource dependency of urban areas results in the externalization of environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Implementing food, energy and water production systems on urban rooftops (roof mosaics) can potentially help cities become more self-sufficient but depends on the city's urban morphology. We studied the supply potential and impacts of four roof mosaic scenarios for different urban forms in Cerdanyola, a 58 thousand-inhabitant town in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. We combined spatial analysis of potential rooftops, metabolism analysis, and social and environmental impacts. The municipality has an average rooftop/household potential of 31 m2 on which to implement any of the mosaic scenarios, with the highest potential in the single-family housing typology. The highest level of vegetable self-sufficiency was found in housing estates (32%), and the lowest in originary fabrics (28%). Regarding electricity and water self-sufficiency, the highest self-sufficiency level was found in the single-family housing typology (51% and 14%, respectively) and the lowest in housing estates (26% and 8%, respectively). Regarding impacts, the implementation of the electricity and rainwater harvesting systems depicts the most positive indicators in single-family housing areas. However, for housing estates and originary fabrics typologies, the best performance is shown to be in the implementation of rooftop farming systems