Silage for Cattle Feeding in Venezuela

Silage is the most economical food to guarantee animal feeding throughout the whole year. Lack of information, economic resources, and farming equipment restrain many farmers from applying this agro technology. Based on these reasons, the present research examines the current trends in animal food conservation in Venezuela. So far, si- lage is manufactured out of entire maize plants and silos store harvested pastures, forage grass independently culti- vated, and forage-legume mixture. The last feeding variant is highly profitable due to its excellent productive results and low costs. Nutrient contents in maize silage are dry matter (28 %-35 %) and raw protein (8.3 %-15.2 %). Ru- minal degradability levels range between 76 % and 82 % due to legume content and urea supplementation  to the bulk. These findings  are consistent  with average  milk production  over 3 kg/cow/day  and milk products  sales. It should be noted that the best silage for cattle feeding consists of a grass-legume mixture in which legume content is not above 30 %

Maniobrabilidad de buques: pruebas a escala real del Buque Patrullero de Apoyo Fluvial de la Armada de Colombia

Methodology and results of full scale maneuvering trials for Riverine Support Patrol Vessel “RSPV”, built by COTECMAR for the Colombian Navy are presented. This ship is equipped with a “Pump – Jet” propulsion system and the hull corresponds to a wide-hull with a high Beam – Draft ratio (B/T=9.5). Tests were based on the results of simulation of turning diameters obtained from TRIBON M3˝ design software, applying techniques of Design of Experiments “DOE”, to rationalize the number of runs in different conditions of water depth, ship speed, and rudder angle. Results validate the excellent performance of this class of ship and show that turning diameter and other maneuvering characteristics improve with decreasing water depth.En el presente trabajo se presenta la metodología y los resultados de las pruebas de maniobrabilidad a escala real del Buque Patrullero de Apoyo Fluvial Pesado “PAF-P”, construido por COTECMAR para la Armada Nacional de Colombia. El buque está equipado con un sistema de propulsión de bomba de agua tipo “Pump – Jet” y su casco corresponde a un casco con una relación Manga – Calado muy alta (B/T = 9.5). Las pruebas se basaron en los resultados de simulación de círculos evolutivos obtenidos en el software de Diseño TRIBON M3©, aplicando técnicas de Diseño de Experimentos “DOE”, para racionalizar el número de corridas en diferentes condiciones de profundidad, velocidad y ángulo de timón. Los resultados validan el excelente desempeño de esta clase de buques y muestran que el diámetro de giro y otras características de maniobrabilidad mejoran con la disminución de la profundidad

Ensilaje para la alimentación de bovinos en Venezuela.

El ensilaje es lavía más económica para garantizar la alimentación de los animales durante todo el año. Muchos productores no utilizan esta tecnología por falta de información, recursos económicos y equipos; por esto, el objetivo del trabajo fue conocer las tendencias actuales deesta conservación en Venezuela. Actualmente se fabrica ensilaje abase de maíz comoplanta entera, se elaboran si los a base de pastos de corte y se utilizan forrajeras cultivadas de manera independiente y en asociación con leguminosas; esta última variante es la más beneficiosa porlos excelentes resultados productivos y bajos costos. Los contenidos nutricionales del ensilaje de maíz son: materiaseca entre 28 y 35 %; proteína bruta de 8,3 a 15,2 %. Influidos por el nivel de leguminosas presente y de laurea añadida a la masa, los niveles de degradabilidad ruminal estánentre 76 % y 82 %; esto permitenres puestas en producción de leche de más de 3 kg/vaca/día, al igual que los concentrados comerciales. Resultan mejores los ensilajes elaborados con mezclas a base de gramíneas y leguminosas cuando las últimas no superan el 30 % de la mezcla.Silage for Cattle Feeding in Venezuela. ABSTRACTSilageis the most economical food to guarantee animal feeding through out the whole year. Lack of information, economic resources, and farming equip mentrestrain many farmers from applying this agrotechnology. Based on these reasons, the present research examines the current trends in animal food conservation in Venezuela. So far, silage is manufactured out ofentire maize plantsand silos store harvested pastures, foragegrass independently cultivated, and forage-legume mixture.The last feeding variant ishighly profitable due toits excellent productive results and low costs. Nutrient contents in maize silage are dry matter (28 %-35 %) and rawprotein (8,3 %-15,2 %). Ruminal degradability levels range between 76 % and 82 % dueto legume content and urea supplementation to the bulk. These findings are consistent with average milk production over 3 kg/cow/dayand milk products sales. It should be noted that the best silage for cattle feeding consists of a grass-legume mixture in which legume content is notabove 30 %

Assessing sea grass meadows condition at “El Río” Special Area of Conservation off “La Graciosa e Islotes del Norte de Lanzarote” Marine Reserve

Cymodosea nodosa meadows, known as ‘sebadales’ or ‘manchones’ at Canary Islands, represent EUNIS habitat type code A5.5311, called Macaronesian Cymodocea beds. As it’s described at European Union Habitats Directive (92/43/CEE) Annex 1, sea grass meadows belong to 1110 Sandbanks which are slightly covered by seawater all the time, within Natura 2000 Network. Several ‘sebadales’ throughout the archipelago are included in this Network as Special Areas of Conservation. Cymodosea nodosa is regionally included within the Canary Islands Protected Species List (Ley 4/2010), as a species ‘of interest to ecosystems of Canary Islands”, is usually found at a narrow depth range (10 to 20 m of depth) and, on the whole, best structured meadows are settled at sheltered bays, away from wave and current beating, flimsier at exposed areas. Deeper meadows are also sparser, being C. nodosa replaced by green algae Caulerpa prolifera and Caulerpa racemosa, although mixed algae-sea grass meadows are often found at different depths. The project Assessment of marine flora (‘sebadal’, ma¨erl, ‘mujo’) of ‘La Graciosa e Islotes del Norte de Lanzarote’ Marine Reserve, funded by ‘Viceconsejer´ıa de Pesca y Aguas de la Consejer´ıa de Agricultura, Ganader´ıa, Pesca y Aguas’, Canary Islands Government, has had the aim of assessing sea grass meadows condition and distribution at ‘El R´ıo’ Natura 2000 Network Special Area of Conservation, the channel between La Graciosa and Lanzarote. ‘LA GRACIOSA 1311’ cruise was performed within the framework of the project. First of all previous information on sea grass shallow distribution (up to a depth of 20 m) in the study area was reviewed. Afterwards, a tugged underwater video camera was used onboard of the Marine Reserve Surveillance Vessel to update cartographic info performing a grid of sampling stations, covering previously known distribution limits and verifying current presence/absence data and density. Furthermore, population parameters were obtained in order to assess ‘sebadal’ condition. Fixed stations were selected in regards to this process, and methodology applied on them was as follows: five radial arranged transects were performed, identifying fragmentation (it estimates meadow continuity regarding observed cover), density (mean value of several shoots number counts with 20 x 20 cm grids placed every 2 m), height (mean value in cm of 10 independent samples by transect) and fish and macroinvertebrate species richness for each transect. Graphic picture of sea grass density was made depending on two levels: low density level transects ( 10 shoots/grid ( 50 shoots/m2) and medium density level transects ( 10 shoots/grid ( 50 shoots/m2). Main study result is an estimate for the study region (‘El R´ıo’) and time of year of Cymodocea nodosa population total distribution cover which comes to 1.640.076 m2, including a higher density ‘sebadal’ of 178.256 m2

The properties of the clumpy torus and BLR in the polar-scattered Seyfert 1 galaxy ESO 323-G77 through X-ray absorption variability

We report results from multi-epoch X-ray observations of the polar-scattered Seyfert 1 galaxy ESO 323-G77. The source exhibits remarkable spectral variability from months to years timescales. The observed spectral variability is entirely due to variations of the column density of a neutral absorber towards the intrinsic nuclear continuum. The column density is generally Compton-thin ranging from a few times 10$^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ to a few times 10$^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$. However, one observation reveals a Compton-thick state with column density of the order of 1.5 $\times$ 10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$. The observed variability offers a rare opportunity to study the properties of the X-ray absorber(s) in an active galaxy. We identify variable X-ray absorption from two different components, namely (i) a clumpy torus whose individual clumps have a density of $\leq$ 1.7 $\times$ 10$^8$ cm$^{-3}$ and an average column density of $\sim$ 4 $\times$ 10$^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$, and (ii) the broad line region (BLR), comprising individual clouds with density of 0.1-8 $\times$ 10$^9$ cm$^{-3}$ and column density of 10$^{23}$-10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$. The derived properties of the clumpy torus can also be used to estimate the torus half-opening angle, which is of the order of 47 $^\circ$. We also confirm the previously reported detection of two highly ionized warm absorbers with outflow velocities of 1000-4000 km s$^{-1}$. The observed outflow velocities are consistent with the Keplerian/escape velocity at the BLR. Hence, the warm absorbers may be tentatively identified with the warm/hot inter-cloud medium which ensures that the BLR clouds are in pressure equilibrium with their surroundings. The BLR line-emitting clouds may well be the cold, dense clumps of this outflow, whose warm/hot phase is likely more homogeneous, as suggested by the lack of strong variability of the warm absorber(s) properties during our monitoring.Comment: 15 pages, 4 tables, and 9 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Effects of the anthropogenics pressures (marine litter) on the coastal ecosystems of the Marine Reserve “Isla de La Graciosa e islotes del norte de Lanzarote”

The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) considers marine litter as one of its environmental descriptors, requiring the development and standardization of criteria and methodologies for its use to test the good environmental status of marine conditions. The assessment of the impact caused by litter accumulation in the shoreline lacked specific monitoring planning and had not been systematically performed to date in Canary Islands. During the project ”Evaluation of the effect of the anthropogenic pressures (marine litter in beaches and alteration of shallow seabed by boats anchoring) on the coastal ecosystems of the “Marine Reserve of Isla de La Graciosa e islotes del norte de Lanzarote (MRLG)” developed with the financial help of the Canary Islands Government (Council of Agriculture, Ranching, Fishing and Waters), two surveys were carried out, ”LA GRACIOSA 1310” and “LA GRACIOSA 1311”, both developed at MRLG and its vicinities. The aim has been to depict MRLG shoreline and to locate marine litter accumulation points the most, contributing with some tools to assess and manage the coastal ecosystems of the marine reserve. Total shoreline sampled at both surveys together was 38326 m, 1834 m at Alegranza, 1366 m at Monta˜na Clara, 24656 m at La Graciosa Island, and the rest, 10470 m, at the Lanzarote’s shoreline portion bathed by MRLG waters. Shoreline sampling was made qualitatively sorting the sampling stations, according to litter presence and distribution, by means of a upward numerical coding related to the type of waste or garbage found. Moreover, each station was additionally depicted according to the type of substrate as well as to the prevailing type of waste, defining what we named “transects”. To validate methodology to European standards, a more exhaustive experimental sampling was made in four transects identified as high density or high concentration of marine litter, following guidelines of a method developed for OSPAR maritime area during the first half of 2000 decade (OSPAR, 2007). It involves evaluating the possibilities and needs of adjustment of this methodology to the particular conditions of our region (Gonz´alez, et al., 2013 a and b). As preliminary results, the spatial distribution of garbage coastal accumulation will be shown in a cartographic base, expressed as relative abundance by island, according to a 4 degrees scale (no litter, low, medium and high litter presence) and according to the dominant kind of garbage in each transect. An example with one of the most densely occupied with trash transects is shown to illustrate a sampling method without the requirement of trash collection. This method uses a sampling unit of 1x1 m grid, divided in 10x10 cm subgrids. This grid is set parallel to sampling direction repeatedly. Distance between grids is determined by a randomizing software. Sampling direction zigzags from sea border to beach back shore, making 45° degrees angles. Subgrids occupied by trash are counted once the grid is set. Waste is depict and identified following a guide developed for this purpose by OSPAR in 2010

Physiological and molecular implications of plant polyamine metabolism during biotic interactions

"During ontogeny, plants interact with a wide variety of microorganisms. The association with mutualistic microbes results in benefits for the plant. By contrast, pathogens may cause a remarkable impairment of plant growth and development. Both types of plant microbe interactions provoke notable changes in the polyamine (PA) metabolism of the host and/or the microbe, being each interaction a complex and dynamic process. It has been well documented that the levels of free and conjugated PAs undergo profound changes in plant tissues during the interaction with microorganisms. In general, this is correlated with a precise and coordinated regulation of PA biosynthetic and catabolic enzymes. Interestingly, some evidence suggests that the relative importance of these metabolic pathways may depend on the nature of the microorganism, a concept that stems from the fact that these amines mediate the activation of plant defense mechanisms. This effect is mediated mostly through PA oxidation, even though part of the response is activated by non-oxidized PAs. In the last years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to profile plant gene expression following microorganism recognition. In addition, the phenotypes of transgenic and mutant plants in PA metabolism genes have been assessed. In this review, we integrate the current knowledge on this field and analyze the possible roles of these amines during the interaction of plants with microbes.

Diez años de innovación docente en Filología Clásica en la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (I)

Los últimos años han sido muy fructíferos en iniciativas oficiales de innovación y mejora de la calidad docente en el ámbito de la Comunidad de Madrid. Tanto en la Universidad, a través de los PIMCD (o análogos), como en los TMFP del ICE (o análogos), como en enseñanza secundaria, se han puesto en marcha diferentes iniciativas y proyectos con el objetivo de mejorar la docencia y la recepción por parte de los estudiantes de las materias relacionadas con el riquísimo legado cultural de Grecia y Roma. La Sociedad Española de Estudios Clásicos ha sido también una institución promotora a través de la convocatoria de premios anuales que reconocen el trabajo de los docentes y estudiantes de estas materias. Sin embargo, a pesar de lo mucho y bueno realizado, se echa en falta una labor que recabe toda la información dispersa, la estructure y organice y, sobre todo, la ponga a disposición, cuando ello sea posible, de los docentes y estudiantes. Por otra parte, los filólogos clásicos se han incorporado de lleno a la profunda renovación metodológica que ha supuesto la irrupción de las TICS en el ámbito docente, sustituyendo las antiguas metodologías basadas en la repetición por otras mucho más dinámicas y polivalentes. Nuestra tarea se restringe a los últimos diez años, los más prolíficos desde el punto de vista de la innovación en Clásicas, sin que ello sea obstáculo para que en convocatorias posteriores ampliemos nuestro abanico cronológico y geográfico