MODELING URBAN METEOROLOGY OVER IDEALISED CITIES. COMPARISON BETWEEN RESULTS OF URBAN PARAMETERIZATION IMPLEMENTED IN MESOSCALE MODEL AND HORIZONTAL SPATIAL AVERAGE PROPERTIES OBTAINED USING CFD SIMULATIONS

Air quality inside the urban canopy layer (UCL) is important because here is where people live and a significant part of the emissions are located. In this way, the modeling of UCL is also important. Different factors such as the increase of urban population and the improvement of computational power, has produced an increasing interest on urban mesoscale modeling since mid 1990s. However, the modeling of urban boundary layer is difficult because it is influenced by the complex morphology of a city (buildings, cars, gardens) with different mechanical and thermal/radiative properties. In addition, the domain of mesoscale models has a horizontal extension of several tens of kilometers (the whole city and its surrounding area) and, for computational reasons, it is not possible to solve explicitly the flow around buildings. Therefore, urban parameterizations are necessary for high resolution mesoscale simulations. On the other hand, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models can solve explicitly the flow around buildings but their simulation domains cannot cover the whole city. In this work, focused on mechanical effects produced by buildings, CFD simulations and the horizontal spatial average of the different flow properties are used to assess the performance of an urban parameterization implemented on a mesoscale model and find its strengths and weaknesses. Horizontal spatial average of the CFD results around the buildings are made in order to compare with similar mesoscale variables corresponding to a column of computational cells over a urban zone with the same characteristics as the CFD configuration. In this case, the city is represented by an array of cubes

Promoción de raigrás anual naturalizado (Lolium multiflorum L.) en la cuenca del río Salado. Evaluación de la producción invernal de forraje en pastoreo

Effective operation of grazing production systems needs control the production of forage at farm level. A nine year old stand of enhanced tame native ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) (RGE) and an annual crop of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L. cv Tama) (RGT) were monitored to test the hypothesis that: (i) herbage biomass in such pastures can be assessed by Ration Calculation methodology as accurately as by more exhaustive procedures, and (ii) enhancement increases amount and quality of forage winter supply. Enhancement includes fertilization with NH4 NO3 and (NH4 ) 2 HPO4, and weed control with Glyphosate (N- (phosphonomethyl glycine)). The Ration Calculation method estimates available herbage dry matter assuming that «one herbage ration» equal to one cow equivalent (CE), consisting of 10 kg DM day-1 with 77.57 MJ of ME. Herbage samples were taken from each paddock, representing harvestable biomass. Grazing harvest efficiency and herbage DM intake (HDMI) were estimated through difference between initial (IHA) and final (FHA) herbage available (kg DM ha-1), before and after grazing, corrected by losses due to grazing. Eight grazing cycles of RGE produced 16 041 kg DM/ha year-1, (2 001 ± 79.3 rations/ha year-1) while ration calculation estimates 9 775 kg DM/ha year-1. The RGT allowed seven grazing cycles, yielded 12 269 kg DM/ha year-1 or 1 144 ± 87.1 rations/ha year-1 compared to 8 688 kg DM/ha year-1 estimated by calculating ration. The ration calculation method did not accurately assess the enhanced cumulative herbage DM produced. Enhancement technology improved production and quality of tame ryegrass in winter time.El manejo de sistemas ganaderos de producción requiere controlar la producción de forraje a nivel de unidad de pastoreo. Con una pastura naturalizada y promocionada durante nueve años de raigras (Lolium multiflorum L.) (RGE) y un cultivo de raigras anual (Lolium multiflorum L. cv. Tama) (RGT) se probaron las hipótesis de que la biomasa forrajera aerea puede ser estimada correctamente por el método del cálculo de raciones como mediante los atributos del forraje, y que la promoción permite aumentar la producción invernal de forraje. La promoción involucra fertilizaciones con NH4 NO3 y (NH4 )2 HPO4 y control de malezas con Glifosato (N- (phosphonomethyl glycine). La estimación de materia seca disponible mediante el calculo de raciones asume que «una ración de forraje» son 10 kg MS día-1 que contienen 77.57 MJ de EM que representan un equivalente vaca (CE). La eficiencia de cosecha y consumo en pastoreo (HDMI) fueron estimados por diferencia entre disponibilidad forrajera inicial (IHA) y final (FHA) antes y después del pastoreo, corregido por pérdidas debidas al pastoreo. El período de crecimiento de la RGE permitió ocho pastoreos produciendo 16 041 kg MS/ha año-1 ó 2 001± 79.3 raciones/ha año-1 comparado con 9 775 kg MS/ha año-1 estimados por cálculo de raciones. En siete pastoreos el RGT produjo 12 269 kg MS/ha año-1 ó 1 144 raciones/ha año-1, comparado con 8 688 kg MS/ha año-1 estimados por el cálculo de raciones. Se concluye que el cálculo de raciones no estima correctamente la biomasa producida por una promoción y que, efectivamente, la tecnología de promoción aumenta la producción y calidad invernal del pastizal natural.Fil: Danelon, Jose Luis. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Magaz, Santiago Horacio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Magaz, Hernan Miguel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Colombatto, Dario. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

CFD modelling: The most useful tool for developing mesoscale urban canopy parameterizations

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Human Orf: An Under-recognized Entity

Orf, also called contagious ecthyma, contagious pustular dermatitis, sore mouth, or scabby mouth, is a highly contagious zoonotic disease which is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, ORFV (Parapoxvirus genus of the family Poxviridae) (1). The infection is endemic to sheep and goats, and humans are infected either through direct transmission from active lesions on infected animals or through contact with fomites (2). Orf is an occupational hazard and the population at risk includes shepherds, butchers, farmers, wool shearers, and veterinarians (2,3). Professionals rarely seek medical attention as they are aware of its benign nature (4)

Assessment of Socioeconomic Impacts Through Physical Multipliers: The Case of Fishing Activity in Galicia (Spain)

In the context of fishery management based on the ecosystem-based approach, it is necessary to develop methods and tools in order to facilitate the decision making and balance the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. The goal of this document consists of providing an assessment tool of the possible socioeconomic impacts arising from the variation in the fishing opportunities. After defining what we call input-output physical multipliers, an application for the case of fishing in Galicia (Spain) was developed. The results show that this method is valid for obtaining a more accurate assessment of the possible socioeconomic impacts arising from a fishing supply shock, considering in equal measure the backward and forward linkages of fishing activity with other sectors. The defined multipliers permit the assessment and comparison ex ante of different management scenarios for fisheries. As a consequence, this is a method with the capacity to provide support for a better decision making to the fishery regulators and other decision-makers, facilitating the implementation of more holistic management frameworks

Reducing the dimensionality effect in importance sampling simulations

The dimensionality effect is avoided by the use of sufficient statistics in event probability estimators realised by importance sampling. If the system function is not a sufficient statistic, an approach is proposed to reduce the dimensionality effect in the estimators. Simulation results of false-alarm probability estimations, applied to radar detection, confirm a clear concordance with the theoretical result

Earth gravity and magnetic field anomalies in the Sierra of Socoscora, San Luis province

La sierra de Socoscora se ubica en forma meridiana y se manifiesta como un escalón al noroeste de la Sierra Grande de San Luis. En la sierra de Socoscora las rocas del basamento están representadas por metamorfitas de alto grado con escasos afloramientos de metabasitas. Las mediciones del campo gravitatorio y magnético indican la presencia de un volumen mayor de estas rocas en su subsuelo. Los excesos de masa en esta sierra se hallan definidas por anomalías gravimétricas de Bouguer (resi duales positivas) similares a las encontradas en la Sierra Grande de San Luis. La magnetometría indica, a partir de las respuestas pos itivas, la existencia de rocas máficas con concentraciones anómalas de minerales magnéticos.The Sierra de Socoscora is a north – south trending mountain range, located nortwest of the Sierra Grande of San Luis. The basament is constituted by high grade metamorphic rocks with few associated metabasites. Earth gravity and magnetic field measurements are indicative of the presence of bigger volumes of mafic rocks below the surface, which carry anomalous concentrations of ferromagnetic and/or paramagnetic minerals (magnetite and/or sulfides). An excess of mass below this Sierra is shown by Bouguer gravimetric anomalie s with magnitudes similar to those measured in the Sierra Grande de San Luis. Positive magnetic anomalies are indicative of the presence of mafic rocks with anomalous concentrations of magnetic minerals.Fil: Kostadinoff, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Geológico del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología. Instituto Geológico del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Bjerg, Ernesto Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Geológico del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología. Instituto Geológico del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Raniolo, Luis Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Santiago, Emiliano. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentin

Reactive oxygen species generated in chloroplasts contribute to tobacco leaf infection by the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play fundamental roles in plant responses to pathogen infection, including modulation of cell death processes and defense-related gene expression. Cell death triggered as part of the hypersensitive response enhances resistance to biotrophic pathogens, but favors the virulence of necrotrophs. Even though the involvement of ROS in the orchestration of defense responses is well established, the relative contribution of specific subcellular ROS sources to plant resistance against microorganisms with different pathogenesis strategies is not completely known. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of chloroplastic ROS in plant defense against a typical necrotrophic fungus, Botrytis cinerea. For this purpose, we used transgenic Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) lines expressing a plastid-targeted cyanobacterial flavodoxin (pfld lines), which accumulate lower chloroplastic ROS in response to different stresses. Tissue damage and fungal growth were significantly reduced in infected leaves of pfld plants, as compared with infected wild-type (WT) counterparts. ROS build-up triggered by Botrytis infection and associated with chloroplasts was significantly decreased (70–80%) in pfld leaves relative to the wild type. Phytoalexin accumulation and expression of pathogenesis-related genes were induced to a lower degree in pfld plants than in WT siblings. The impact of fungal infection on photosynthetic activity was also lower in pfld leaves. The results indicate that chloroplast-generated ROS play a major role in lesion development during Botrytis infection. This work demonstrates that the modulation of chloroplastic ROS levels by the expression of a heterologous antioxidant protein can provide a significant degree of protection against a canonical necrotrophic fungus.Fil: Rossi, Franco Rubén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Krapp, Adriana del Rosario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Bisaro, Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentina. The Queens University of Belfast; IrlandaFil: Maiale, Santiago Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Pieckenstain, Fernando Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Carrillo, Nestor Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin