Impacts of COVID-19 on the value chain of the hake small scale fishery in northern Peru

The supply chain mapping and analysis of secondary sources was supported by The Walton Family Foundation (Grant 2019-319) and the estimation of COVID-19 impacts by a 2019–20 SFC-ODA GCRF (University of St Andrews) Grant.All aspects of fish supply chains have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with jobs, income and food security at risk. In Peru, small scale fisheries are fundamental for food security, contributing to about 2/3 of all fish consumed nationally. One of the most important resources which is more affordable for local and regional consumption is hake (Merluccius gayi peruanus). This study is a first attempt to describe the small-scale hake fishery value chain and to quantify the impact of COVID-19 from March to August 2020 in two fishing communities in northern Peru. The levels of fishing and primary buying were the most affected, and we estimate that ~ 23,000 fishing trips were not conducted, ~ 1680 t of hake was not landed (83% decrease), and 620 jobs were negatively impacted during this period. The gross income of vessel owners and primary buyers decreased by ~ $US 913,000. Marked differences were observed in the way each community responded to the pandemic and in their resilience to cope with COVID-19, despite being located less than 10 km away. In El Ñuro, which relied more heavily on the international market for hake trade, the value chain was affected for longer, while in Los Órganos which supplied national markets, the chain was restored after an initial period of adjustment. Our study suggests that government efforts should focus on facilitating a formalisation process in all levels of the chain, develop indicators to monitor the resumption of activities and the inclusion of a value chain approach to small-scale fisheries management.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Precision machining, polishing and measurement of mechanical and toxicological properties of lead tungstate crystals for the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

We have developed new machining and polishing techniques that have previously been applied to large scintillating crystal arrays for high energy physics experiments such as the Barium Fluoride Electromagnetic Calorimeter for the GEM Detector at SSCL, the LCsI Electromagnetic Calorimeter for the BaBar Detector at PEP-II B Factory at SLAC and the 110,000 crystal CMS Lead Tungstate Electromagnetic Calorimeter at LHC at CERN. We discuss earlier results achieved with diamond machining and polishing methods and present new results on diamond machining of lead tungstate crystals. Additionally we present new results on mechanical properties of lead tungstate including toxicological data important for the safe handling and processing of this material

Minimising discards while taking revenue into account : spatio-temporal assessment of catches in an artisanal shrimp trawl fishery in Peru

Funding: Newton Fund (414695818); University of St Andrews Impact and Innovation 2021; Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico Tecno 2018-222.Around 4.2 million tonnes of fish and other species, some of which are of conservation concern, are discarded every year in bottom trawl fisheries. This study focusses on a small-scale shrimp trawl fishery located in northern Peru that operates with high level of discards which causes conflict with other local fishers. Despite trawling being an illegal activity within the 5NM off the coast, this fishery has been operating in these inshore areas for over 40 years because it sustains the well-being of hundreds of fishers. This study aimed to identify the factors that affect the spatio-temporal variation in catches in order to propose recommendations that can be adopted by fishers to minimise their impact on the ecosystem while still providing economic opportunities. The spatial distributions of shrimp, main commercial species and discards were modelled over time using hierarchical generalised additive models. Strong spatio-temporal variation was observed for all catch components and moon phase affected commercial species and discards differently. The results show that, to reduce the environmental impacts of this fishery in the short-term, the fishing area could be divided into north and south and that fishing activities should be limited to the southern area in the autumn. Other recommendations rely on temporal closures during the week of the first quarter of the moon phase. Finally, considering the institutional weaknesses in monitoring, control and surveillance, we suggest that the only realistic approach to reduce the fishery's environmental impacts in the short-term is to foster the willingness of fishers to adopt responsible fishing practices. Yet, long-term solutions will require comprehensive co-management efforts.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Effect of fiber orientation and specimen thickness on the tensile response of strain hardening UHPFRC mixes with reduced Embodied Energy

Ultra-High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concretes (UHPFRC) have demonstrated their potential to contain the explosion of maintenance costs (Economy and Environment) for civil engineering structures, due to their extremely low permeability associated with the outstanding mechanical properties. Substitution of Embodied- Energy (EE)-costly components of UHPFRC such as clinker and steel fibers, is the next step towards sustainability, to make it even more efficient and more environment- friendly. In this study, a strain hardening UHPFRC mix with two main modifications has been developed in which (1) 75% of steel fibers have been replaced by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, henceforth referred to as PE) fibers and (2) 50% volume of cement type CEM I have been replaced with limestone filler. The effect of the fiber orientation and the specimen thickness on the mechanical properties of such mixes have been investigated. The mechanical properties have been investigated using direct tensile test, and 4-point bending test. Finally, the dramatic effect of fiber orientation on the ultimate strength and deformability has been demonstrated. Moreover, the results confirm that the specimen thickness affects the deformation capacity of the specimens. Finally, improvements in terms of reduction of EE of the proposed mixes are highlighted

Carbon contamination topography analysis of EUV masks

The impact of carbon contamination on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks is significant due to throughput loss and potential effects on imaging performance. Current carbon contamination research primarily focuses on the lifetime of the multilayer surfaces, determined by reflectivity loss and reduced throughput in EUV exposure tools. However, contamination on patterned EUV masks can cause additional effects on absorbing features and the printed images, as well as impacting the efficiency of cleaning process. In this work, several different techniques were used to determine possible contamination topography. Lithographic simulations were also performed and the results compared with the experimental data

An agent-based industrial cyber-physical system deployed in an automobile multi-stage production system

Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are promoting the development of smart machines and products, leading to the next generation of intelligent production systems. In this context, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is posed as a key enabler for the realization of CPS requirements, supporting the data analysis and the system dynamic adaptation. However, the centralized Cloud-based AI approaches are not suitable to handle many industrial scenarios, constrained by responsiveness and data sensitivity. Edge Computing can address the new challenges, enabling the decentralization of data analysis along the cyber-physical components. In this context, distributed AI approaches such as those based on Multi-agent Systems (MAS) are essential to handle the distribution and interaction of the components. Based on that, this work uses a MAS approach to design cyber-physical agents that can embed different data analysis capabilities, supporting the decentralization of intelligence. These concepts were applied to an industrial automobile multi-stage production system, where different kinds of data analysis were performed in autonomous and cooperative agents disposed along Edge, Fog and Cloud computing layers. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Transactivator Infected Cell Protein-4 Drives VEGF-A Dependent Neovascularization

Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) causes lifelong infection affecting between 50 and 90% of the global population. In addition to causing dermal lesions, HSV-1 is a leading cause of blindness resulting from recurrent corneal infection. Corneal disease is characterized by loss of corneal immunologic privilege and extensive neovascularization driven by vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). In the current study, we identify HSV-1 infected cells as the dominant source of VEGF-A during acute infection, and VEGF-A transcription did not require TLR signaling or MAP kinase activation. Rather than being an innate response to the pathogen, VEGF-A transcription was directly activated by the HSV-1 encoded immediate early transcription factor, ICP4. ICP4 bound the proximal human VEGF-A promoter and was sufficient to promote transcription. Transcriptional activation also required cis GC-box elements common to the VEGF-A promoter and HSV-1 early genes. Our results suggest that the neovascularization characteristic of ocular HSV-1 disease is a direct result of HSV-1's major transcriptional regulator, ICP4, and similarities between the VEGF-A promoter and those of HSV-1 early genes