Analysis of seismic bidirectionality on response of reinforced concrete structures with irregularities of l-shaped plan and soft story

The seismic design of buildings is usually performed using one-way analysis for each of main axes independently. However, seismic events have fairly random behaviour and impose bidirectional solicitations on structures. In this work, the study of the response in structures subjects to earthquake loads with irregularity of l-shaped plan and soft story is carried out. For this, the linear time-story analysis (LTHA) of these has been carried out imposing seismic solicitations in two orthogonal directions. Thus, the structural response with incidence angle variations of 10 is obtained and compared with the response derived from the unidirectional analysis. Variations of up to 50% and 72% are obtained for model structures with l-shaped plan and soft story respectively

Borreria (Rubiaceae) from Paraguay: occurrences, richness, geographical distribution, and nomenclatural novelties

Borreria is a genus into the Spermacoce clade with ca 80 native species in the Americas, from southem EE.UU. to center of Argentina. In South America, taxonomic and floristic contributions were performed in the genus to Bolivian, Brazilian, and Argentinian floras. In this context, nomenclatural changes, new records, and new species have been published in the last decades for Paraguay, but until now there is no comprehensive taxonomic treatment. In addition, this country has a great diversity of ecoregions as the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, “Cordillera de los Altos”, Dry and Humid Chaco, Pantanal, and “Sabanas Mesopotámicas”. Our goal is to present an overview of Borreria in Paraguay, its geographical distribution, and the association of its occurrences in diíferent ecoregions. We studied collections deposited in BM, CTES, F, FACEN, FCQ, G, HUEFS, MO, P, SI, and SP. Coordinates were taken from the labels on each specimen, and when these were absent, the point was georeferenced using Google Earth according the locality ñames. A total of 503 datapoints were obtained corresponding to 21 species of Borreria. Each occurrence and ecoregions were mapped using QGIS. A map o f known richness was generated with this information and was quantified with 5 x 5 km cells using the Biodiverse software. As result, B. verticillata is the widest distribution species, whereas B. viridiflora is the only endemic species for Paraguay. Besides that, the ecoregion with the higher richness is the Atlantic Forest since it has 20 species, with B. diacrodonta, B. remota, and/i. runkii exclusive for it. In contrast, Pantanal and Dry Chaco have only one species each, B. cupularis and B. spinosa, respectively. Borreria alata is registered as a new record for the country, lectotypes for three varietal ñames are chosen, and five new synonyms for B. argéntea, B. orinocensis, and B. verticillata are proposed

There and back again: molecular phylogenetics of the Brazilian endemic Psyllocarpus (Rubiaceae: Spermacoceae) supports a circumscription of the genus based on its original concept

The Spermacoce clade (tribe Spermacoceae) is one of the most taxonomically complex groups in Rubiaceae due to the unclear delimitation of Borreria and Spermacoce, in which several smaller genera are phylogenetically intermingled. One of these genera is the Brazilian endemic Psyllocarpus, whose circumscription was broadened, thereby including two sections. Psyllocarpus sect. Psyllocarpus, being based on the original genus delineation, includes nine species, distributed in the Cerrado and campo rupestre of eastern Brazil, whereas P. sect. Amazonica comprises three species, occurring in the Amazonian campinas. Furthermore, P. intermedius was not classified in any of these sections when it was later described. In order to test the monophyly of Psyllocarpus and assess its relationships to other genera, we conducted phylogenetic analyses, sampling across the whole Spermacoce clade, including nearly all Psyllocarpus species. A combined nuclear ribosomal (ETS and ITS) and plastid (rps16 and trnLtrnF) dataset was generated, representing 124 species (ca 25% of the species in the clade) in 15 genera (ca 65%). Various methodologies were applied to investigate the degree of incongruence among markers and address the lack of resolution and low support values for some branches. Our results revealed that Psyllocarpus is not monophyletic. Psyllocarpus campinorum (from P . sect. Amazonica) and P intermedius are situated as distinct lineages in the Spermacoce clade, yet do not belong to Psyllocarpus. Members of section Psyllocarpus form a strongly supported clade sister to Staelia and was recovered with high to maximum support across different datasets and inference methods. Therefore, Psyllocarpus has to be circumscribed based on its original concept, excluding P. sect. Amazonica and P. intermedius. This establishes the genus as a monophyletic and easily diagnosable taxon, characterized by terete leaves, homostylous flowers, a bilobate calyx, included stamens and style, and compressed, septifragally dehiscent capsules with a persistent septum

Acciones interinstitucionales de vinculación y transferencia en el sector apícola y en la comunidad de Chaco y Corrientes

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo mostrar una serie de acciones de vinculación y trasferencia realizadas por un grupo interdisciplinario de profesionales. Estos pertenecen a FaCENA y FCA (UNNE), CONICET, INTA, e INTI. Incluye también una componente docente que busca formar, en tareas extensionistas, a los estudiantes de grado involucrados en los Proyectos del Programa “La Universidad en el Medio”. Tiene como finalidad dar a conocer la calidad de las mieles chaqueñas, principalmente las producidas en el Sitio Ramsar y localidades cercanas, asociada al origen floral para generar estrategias de implementación de valor agregado. Con el abordaje de diferentes problemáticas en la producción de miel, las acciones se realizaron con un grupo apicultores del Chaco, que pertenecen a dos cooperativas (COPAP [Margarita Belén] y Los Palmares [Basail]) y a una asociación apícola (Asociación de Productores Apícolas [Charadai]). Esta última no está incluida dentro del Sitio Ramsar. Todas las intervenciones apostaron al fortalecimiento del sector apícola de la región, mejorar la producción y aumentar el consumo de miel principalmente. Durante las jornadas de la “Semana de Miel”, se difundió sobre las propiedades naturales de los productos apícolas, además de fomentar el consumo de los productos primarios de las abejas y sus derivados. Se realizaron acciones con niños del nivel inicial promoviendo el consumo de miel, el cuidado y protección de las abejas como agentes polinizadores y conservadores de la biodiversidad

Acciones interinstitucionales de vinculación y transferencia en el sector apícola y en la comunidad de Chaco y Corrientes

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo mostrar una serie de acciones de vinculación y trasferencia realizadas por un grupo interdisciplinario de profesionales. Estos pertenecen a FaCENA y FCA (UNNE), CONICET, INTA, e INTI. Incluye también una componente docente que busca formar, en tareas extensionistas, a los estudiantes de grado involucrados en los Proyectos del Programa “La Universidad en el Medio”. Tiene como finalidad dar a conocer la calidad de las mieles chaqueñas, principalmente las producidas en el Sitio Ramsar y localidades cercanas, asociada al origen floral para generar estrategias de implementación de valor agregado. Con el abordaje de diferentes problemáticas en la producción de miel, las acciones se realizaron con un grupo apicultores del Chaco, que pertenecen a dos cooperativas (COPAP [Margarita Belén] y Los Palmares [Basail]) y a una asociación apícola (Asociación de Productores Apícolas [Charadai]). Esta última no está incluida dentro del Sitio Ramsar. Todas las intervenciones apostaron al fortalecimiento del sector apícola de la región, mejorar la producción y aumentar el consumo de miel principalmente. Durante las jornadas de la “Semana de Miel”, se difundió sobre las propiedades naturales de los productos apícolas, además de fomentar el consumo de los productos primarios de las abejas y sus derivados. Se realizaron acciones con niños del nivel inicial promoviendo el consumo de miel, el cuidado y protección de las abejas como agentes polinizadores y conservadores de la biodiversidad.The aim of this work is to show a set of actions of correlation and transfer carried out by an interdis-ciplinary group of professionals. They belong to FaCENA and FCA (UNNE), CONICET, INTA, and INTI. It also includes a teaching component that attempts to train, in extensionist tasks, the undergra-duate students involved in the Projects of the Program “La Universidad en el Medio”. It looks to raise the quality of different types of honeys from Chaco, mainly those produced in Ramsar Site and nearby villages, associated with the floral origin to generate value-added implementation strategies. In order to approach different problems in honey production, the actions were carried out with a group of beekee-pers from Chaco, who belong to two cooperatives (COPAP [Margarita Belén] and “Los Palma-res” [Basail]) and a beekeeping association (Asociación de Productores Apícolas [Charadai]). The latter is not included within the Ramsar Site. All the interventions were focused on strengthening the region's beekeeping sector, improving production and increasing the consumption of honey in particular. During the events “Semana de la Miel”, the natural properties of beekeeping products were made public, as well as promoting the consumption of primary bee products and their derivatives. The actions were per-formed with children of the initial level promoting the consumption of honey, the care and protection of the bees as pollinating agents and biodiversity keepers.EEA Colonia BenitezFil: Salgado Laurenti, Cristina R. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Sobrado, Sandra V. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Ruiz Díaz, Juan D. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. LABAPI; ArgentinaFil: Rusas, Victor Alberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Colonia Benitez; Argentin

Using radio astronomical receivers for molecular spectroscopic characterization in astrochemical laboratory simulations: A proof of concept

We present a proof of concept on the coupling of radio astronomical receivers and spectrometers with chemical reactorsand the performances of the resulting setup for spectroscopy and chemical simulations in laboratory astrophysics. Several experiments including cold plasma generation and UV photochemistry were performed in a 40\,cm long gas cell placed in the beam path of the Aries 40\,m radio telescope receivers operating in the 41-49 GHz frequency range interfaced with fast Fourier transform spectrometers providing 2 GHz bandwidth and 38 kHz resolution. The impedance matching of the cell windows has been studied using different materials. The choice of the material and its thickness was critical to obtain a sensitivity identical to that of standard radio astronomical observations. Spectroscopic signals arising from very low partial pressures of CH3OH, CH3CH2OH, HCOOH, OCS,CS, SO2 (<1E-03 mbar) were detected in a few seconds. Fast data acquisition was achieved allowing for kinetic measurements in fragmentation experiments using electron impact or UV irradiation. Time evolution of chemical reactions involving OCS, O2 and CS2 was also observed demonstrating that reactive species, such as CS, can be maintained with high abundance in the gas phase during these experiments.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics in September 21, 2017. 16 pages, 18 figure

Social-ecological features of set nets small-scale fisheries in the context of Mediterranean marine protected areas

The small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector has attracted considerable attention over the last decade due to its major importance in sustaining the livelihoods of coastal communities worldwide, poverty alleviation, food security, social wealth and traditions. Despite this importance, quantitative and qualitative information on SSF is still largely lacking and when available, it tends to be scattered or very localized. SSF are also among the very few professional extractive activities generally allowed within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and are therefore expected to acquire further momentum in the near future in light of the projected increase of protected marine surface area due to international commitments. However, SSF associated with areas including MPAs may differ from those operating in unprotected contexts with regard to a range of socio-ecological aspects, thus potentially making management strategies currently in force unsuitable, and requiring the development of ad hoc local and regional policies. Here, we assessed the socio-ecological dimension of SSF operating within and around 11 Mediterranean MPAs, in six EU countries, with the aim of identifying relevant patterns that could inform policy and management relative to this fishing sector in view of the forthcoming increase of the marine surface area under protection. To do so, we have adopted a collaborative approach with fishers and combined a photo-sampling survey of 1,292 set net (mainly trammel-nets) fishing operations at landing with 149 semi-structured interviews with fishers, to gather information on features and catches of SSF fleets (e.g. vessel characteristics, gears, catch composition, catch and revenue per unit of effort). Overall, results highlighted: 1) multiple shared features emerging at regional level (i.e. among the 11 study areas), such as the predominant use of set nets, the major contribution of a limited number of species to the overall catch and revenue, the occurrence in the catch of threatened species and/or undersized individuals; 2) a variety of distinctive socio-ecological features differentiating local SSF communities such as the species mainly contributing to catch and revenue, species size distribution and fleet characteristics. In addition to presenting elements to inform common policies and strategies for SSF management in the context of MPAs, our study provides guidance for the development of a standard methodology for the full documentation of SSF in the Mediterranean Sea