Wing and body motion during flight initiation in Drosophila revealed by automated visual tracking

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a widely used model organism in studies of genetics, developmental biology and biomechanics. One limitation for exploiting Drosophila as a model system for behavioral neurobiology is that measuring body kinematics during behavior is labor intensive and subjective. In order to quantify flight kinematics during different types of maneuvers, we have developed a visual tracking system that estimates the posture of the fly from multiple calibrated cameras. An accurate geometric fly model is designed using unit quaternions to capture complex body and wing rotations, which are automatically fitted to the images in each time frame. Our approach works across a range of flight behaviors, while also being robust to common environmental clutter. The tracking system is used in this paper to compare wing and body motion during both voluntary and escape take-offs. Using our automated algorithms, we are able to measure stroke amplitude, geometric angle of attack and other parameters important to a mechanistic understanding of flapping flight. When compared with manual tracking methods, the algorithm estimates body position within 4.4±1.3% of the body length, while body orientation is measured within 6.5±1.9 deg. (roll), 3.2±1.3 deg. (pitch) and 3.4±1.6 deg. (yaw) on average across six videos. Similarly, stroke amplitude and deviation are estimated within 3.3 deg. and 2.1 deg., while angle of attack is typically measured within 8.8 deg. comparing against a human digitizer. Using our automated tracker, we analyzed a total of eight voluntary and two escape take-offs. These sequences show that Drosophila melanogaster do not utilize clap and fling during take-off and are able to modify their wing kinematics from one wingstroke to the next. Our approach should enable biomechanists and ethologists to process much larger datasets than possible at present and, therefore, accelerate insight into the mechanisms of free-flight maneuvers of flying insects

Risks of Banking Services’ Digitalization: The Practice of Diversification and Sustainable Development Goals

The study aims to investigate threats that might occur in diversification management, operational risks of banking services in the process of digitalization, as well as the impact on customers and banks. The right choice of a risk management model for a bank plays an important role in the sustainable development of competitiveness and the transformation of banking activities in the future. This work assesses bank risks and determines information risks in relation to the total capital of Santander Bank of Spain. The authors adapted an operational risk management (ORM) model to minimize the risks of the bank’s digitalization and upcoming operational risks. The ratio of the total operational risk to the total bank’s capital was 0.65%, which is below the permissible minimum value and is acceptable. Based on this indicator, diversification of business risks can be applied. As a result of the study, the total value of operational risks was calculated and the acceptability of this indicator to the capital of Santander Bank was assessed, which allowed the authors to assess whether the value was critical. In addition, it was also revealed that the main external risk of Santander Bank in 2018 was fraud in the use of online payments. The results might help to more effectively evaluate insurance payments for identified operational risks and effectively make decisions and optimize reporting documents of banks

Mercury movement from Hg-enriched wetland soils to arboreal food webs: a weak role for folivory

Mercury (Hg) is a toxicant of concern, particularly in aquatic food webs. Mercury can move to terrestrial systems through consumption of aquatic prey or emergence of insects with aquatic larval phases. The possible movement of Hg from sediments to wetland plants and into terrestrial food webs though primary consumers has received less attention. We investigated differences and correlations in Hg in soil, wood and leaves of willows (Salix caroliniana) and folivorous beetles from a wetland with enhanced levels of Hg. Further, we compared samples from tree islands that had enriched Hg in soil through bird guano with control islands. Hg in any sample type did not correlate with Hg in any other sample type from the same island. We found higher [Hg] in soils and significantly higher [Hg] in leaves from colony islands, while [Hg] in beetles appeared to be higher in control islands. In any case, despite comparatively high [Hg] in soil and leaves, Hg in folivorous beetles was below detection levels and lower than that reported from other studies. We conclude that movement of Hg from wetland trees to terrestrial food webs through wetland vegetation is negligible in this ecosystem.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature

Vers une base de ecoethics

La ética ambiental o Ecoética, nace como respuesta a la degradación del entorno de la vida humana en nuestros tiempos, tomando como referencia los valores y principios de una ética aplicada a diferentes sectores profesionales que inciden de manera directa con su actividad en el medio. Intentamos, así, fundamentar una ética medioambiental desde los mismos presupuestos que cualquier ética aplicada, desde la propia génesis de nuestra conciencia moral individual hasta la particularidad de la pluralidad de sectores a los que debe dirigirse.Environmental or ecoethics, ethics developed in response to environmental degradation of human life in our times, with reference to the values and principles of professional ethics applied to different sectors directly affect its activity in the medium. Try, so base an environmental ethic from the same assumptions applied to any ethical, from the genesis of our individual conscience to the particularity of the plurality of sectors to be targeted.L'environnement ou ecoethics, éthique développés en réponse à la dégradation de l'environnement de la vie humaine à notre époque, en référence aux valeurs et principes de l'éthique professionnelle appliqués aux différents secteurs affecter directement son activité dans le milieu. Essayez, si fonder une éthique de l'environnement à partir des mêmes hypothèses appliquées à toute éthique, de la genèse de notre conscience individuelle à la particularité de la pluralité de secteurs à cibler

Modelación de problemas geotécnicos hidromecánicos utilizando el método del punto material

En esta tesis se trata de la adaptación del Método del Punto Material al análisis de problemas geotécnicos incluyendo el comportamiento hidromecánico de materiales en condición saturada. El Método del Punto Material ó MPM (Sulsky et al. 1994, Sulsky et al. 1996) combina ventajas del método de los elementos finitos y de los métodos de partículas. Podría describirse como una extensión del método de los elementos finitos en el que se utiliza una malla para resolver las ecuaciones de gobierno, mientras que el continuo ó el material se representan mediante "puntos materiales" ó "partículas" langrangianas de masa fija. En el MPM la información que transportan las partículas: cantidad de movimiento, tensión, deformación etc. se "proyecta" en la malla para cada paso de la solución. Esta cubre íntegramente el dominio del problema y en ella se imponen las condiciones de contorno. Luego de resolver en la malla las formas discretas de las ecuaciones de gobierno, se actualiza la posición de las partículas y la información que transportan. Así, al final de cada paso, la malla puede descartarse porque toda la información la transportan las partículas. Se evitan al mismo tiempo la distorsión de la malla para grandes desplazamientos (mesh tangling) y los problemas de convección. El método se adapta especialmente a problemas dinámicos de grandes desplazamientos y deformaciones finitas e incorpora en forma natural un algoritmo de contacto sin deslizamiento que facilita su utilización en problemas de interacción entre sólidos.El análisis de problemas geotécnicos hidromecánicos utilizando el MPM requiere del desarrollo de algoritmos para resolver el acoplamiento entre el esqueleto de suelo y las fases agua y/o aire y de la regularización del problema de localización de deformaciones para evitar que las soluciones dependan en forma patológica de la malla, que en el caso del MPM es una malla "soporte". En este trabajo se ha desarrollado un algoritmo explícito, en el marco del Método del Punto Material, que resuelve el problema acoplado presión de poros-desplazamiento. Además se ha adaptado al MPM un procedimiento numérico para la introducción de discontinuidades fuertes en la mallasoporte (Wells et al. 2001, Wells et al. 2002). Se ha continuado con el desarrollo del código Geopart (Zabala et al, 2004) que utiliza una versión explícita del MPM con un algoritmo incrementalmente objetivo para deformaciones finitas que incluye: construcción, análisis acoplado presión-desplazamiento en tensiones efectivas y modelos constitutivos sencillos.En general el colapso de presas de materiales sueltos es inadmisible. Las presas utilizadas para almacenar agua se ubican en muchos casos, aguas arriba de ciudades importantes, en zonas donde la amenaza sísmica puede ser muy alta. Por otro lado el porcentaje mayor de los colapsos ocurridos en el mundo corresponde a los de presas de residuos mineros. En particular el colapso de la presa de residuos mineros de Aznalcóllar, (Alonso et al. 2006, Alonso et al. 2006, Gens et al. 2006) que se toma en esta tesis como caso de estudio, causó un daño ambiental muy importante. Este es un caso muy interesante por sus características de rotura progresiva, que ha sido generada por la construcción extendida durante muchos años del dique y la existencia de una arcilla frágil de muy baja permeabilidad en su fundación. La simulación y explicación del mecanismo de colapso observado en Aznalcollar no es trivial. Se ha modelado la construcción de la presa y el proceso de su falla progresiva hasta el colapso.Además se ha estudiado el comportamiento dinámico con grandes deformaciones de una presa de grava con pantalla de hormigón ubicada una zona donde la amenaza sísmica es muy elevada

Sellutehtaan jätevedenkäsittelyn toimintavarmuuden parantaminen

Tarkoituksena ja toimeksiantona tässä opinnäytetyössä oli selvittää, miten sellutehtaan mekaanisen jätevedenkäsittelyn laitteiden toimintavarmuutta, erityisesti hienovälppien toimintaa voidaan parantaa. Työssä selvitetään, miksi jätevedenkäsittelylaitos ei aina toimi odotetulla tavalla ja annetaan ratkaisuehdotus siihen. Työn alussa avataan hieman työhön liittyvää käsitteistöä ja annetaan kokonaiskuva mekaanisesta jätevedenkäsittelystä keskittyen käytännönläheisesti erityisesti juuri Uimaharjun tapaukseen. Käytännön osuudessa kerrotaan, millaisia ongelmia jätevedenkäsittelyssä ilmeni, miten ongelman tutkiminen aloitettiin ja miten niitä lähdettiin ratkaisemaan. Opinnäytetyön viimeisessä osuudessa on esitetty, millä käytännön toimenpiteillä jätevedenkäsittelyn toimintaa pyrittiin saamaan varmemmaksi. Lopuksi annetaan ehdotus, millainen kustannustehokas ja toimintavarmempi ratkaisu sopisi juuri kyseiseen jäteveden puhdistamislaitokseen.The main goal and the task of this thesis was to explore how the reliability of the effluent pre screening equipment could be increased at Uimaharju pulp mill. This thesis presents why the effluent treatment plant isn’t occasionally working properly and the conclusion for the problem is also given. In the beginning of this thesis some basic information about mechanical effluent treatment is given which concentrates in case Uimaharju practically. The actual practical part of this work tells the problems which appeared at the effluent treatment plant. The practical part also gives answers for the questions how troubleshoot was started and what kinds of methods were used to solve those problems. In the last section of this thesis the practical actions to improve the operation of the effluent treatment plant are presented. More reliable and cost-effective solution is introduced in the end of this work

Phenotypic, Molecular and Symbiotic Characterization of the Rhizobial Symbionts of Desmanthus paspalaceus (Lindm.) Burkart That Grow in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina

Desmanthus paspalaceus (Lindm.) Burkart belongs to the D. virgatus complex, subfamily Mimosoidae. The known potential as livestock fodder of several of these legumes prompted us to undertake a phenotypic, molecular, and symbiotic characterization of the D. paspalaceus symbionts in the Santa Fe province, Argentina. The rhizobia collected—containing isolates with different abiotic-stress tolerances—showed a remarkable genetic diversity by PCR fingerprinting, with 11 different amplification profiles present among 20 isolates. In selected isolates 16S-rDNA sequencing detected mesorhizobia (60%) and rhizobia (40%) within the collection, in contrast to the genus of the original inoculant strain CB3126—previously isolated from Leucaena leucocephala—that we typified here through its 16S rDNA as Sinorhizobium terangae. The results revealed the establishment by diverse bacterial genera -rhizobia, sinorhizobia, and mesorhizobia- of full N2-fixing symbiotic associations with D. paspalaceus. This diversity was paralleled by the presence of at least two different nodC allelic variants. The identical nodC alleles of the Mesorhizobia sp. 10.L.4.2 and 10.L.5.3 notably failed to group within any of the currently described rhizo-/brady-/azorhizobial nodC clades. Interestingly, the nodC from S. terangae CB3126 clustered close to homologs from common bean nodulating rhizobia, but not with the nodC from S. terangae WSM1721 that nodulates Acacia. No previous data were available on nod-gene phylogeny for Desmanthus symbionts. A field assay indicated that inoculation of D. paspalaceus with the local Rhizobium sp. 10L.11.4 produced higher aerial-plant dry weights compared to S. teranga CB3126–inoculated plants. Neither the mesorhizobia 10.L.4.2 or 10.L.5.3 nor the rhizobium 10L.11.4 induced root nodules in L. leucocephala or P. vulgaris. The results show that some of the local isolates have remarkable tolerances to several abiotic stresses including acidity, salt, and temperature; while exhibiting prominent N2 fixation; thus indicating suitability as candidates for inoculation of D. paspalaceus.Fil: Fornasero, Laura Viviana. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: del Papa, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: López, José Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Albicoro, Francisco Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Zabala, Juan Marcelo. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Toniutti, Maria Antonieta. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Pensiero, Jose Francisco. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Lagares, Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentin

Variations in flowering phenology and reproductive success in Setaria lachnea

Setaria lachnea, moha perenne, is a native grass with excellent forage quality; thus, its introduction to cultivation has been recommended. Therefore, in the present study, the variability in flowering phenology and reproductive success of three Argentine populations from different places by altitudinal gradient have been analyzed, with respect to points of interest for selecting materials. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 10 genotypes per population and 3 replications per genotype. Flowering phenology was analyzed through variables of flowering start and mid-flowering; the number of panicles was quantified by observation, the number of the total of panicles and reproductive success by fruiting percentage. For flowering start only significant (p£0.05) intrapopulation variations were found. Seventy-five percent of the genotypes started flowering in November 2005. For mid-flowering, there were significant inter- and intra-population differences (p£0.05). The intrapopulation variability observed will allow selecting genotypes with prolonged vegetative period. Reproduction success, measured as mean fruiting percentage, was 41 (high for a nondomesticated species), with variation from 3 % to 80 %. In the two analyzed years (2005-2006), significant inter- and intra-population differences (p£0.05) were found. Genotypes of the population of less height stood out by their high fruiting percentage, always above 40 %; however, there was no variation pattern associated to altitude. Beginning of flowering was not correlated with fruiting percentage; therefore, it will be possible to select late-ripening materials, without altering fruiting percentage. , moha perenne, is a native grass with excellent forage quality; thus, its introduction to cultivation has been recommended. Therefore, in the present study, the variability in flowering phenology and reproductive success of three Argentine populations from different places by altitudinal gradient have been analyzed, with respect to points of interest for selecting materials. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 10 genotypes per population and 3 replications per genotype. Flowering phenology was analyzed through variables of flowering start and mid-flowering; the number of panicles was quantified by observation, the number of the total of panicles and reproductive success by fruiting percentage. For flowering start only significant (p£0.05) intrapopulation variations were found. Seventy-five percent of the genotypes started flowering in November 2005. For mid-flowering, there were significant inter- and intra-population differences (p£0.05). The intrapopulation variability observed will allow selecting genotypes with prolonged vegetative period. Reproduction success, measured as mean fruiting percentage, was 41 (high for a nondomesticated species), with variation from 3 % to 80 %. In the two analyzed years (2005-2006), significant inter- and intra-population differences (p£0.05) were found. Genotypes of the population of less height stood out by their high fruiting percentage, always above 40 %; however, there was no variation pattern associated to altitude. Beginning of flowering was not correlated with fruiting percentage; therefore, it will be possible to select late-ripening materials, without altering fruiting percentage.Fil: Exner, Eliana de Luján. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Zabala, Juan Marcelo. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Pensiero, Jose Francisco. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentin

Construcción de un modelo pedagógico para la identificación de maderas comerciales en territorios con Pos-Conflicto, el caso Colombiano.

According to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM, 2018) after the Post-Conflict generated by the signing of the peace process in Colombia with the armed groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Army of National Liberation (ELN), illegal deforestation in Colombia has been steadily increasing, in 2015 124 thousand hectares of forest were deforested, in 2016 179 thousand hectares were deforested, 44% more in relation to 2015, a figure that increased by 2017 to 219 thousand hectares deforested, 77% more than in 2015. Threatening the biodiversity of a country like Colombia that according to Rivers, Oldfield and Smith (2017) owns 9.6% of all tree species in the world, around 5776 forest species, making Colombia the second country with the greatest forest diversity on the planet. The following article presents the pedagogical model designed by the National Learning Service (SENA) for the macroscopic identification of 29 commercial forest species found in the municipalities of Bogotá and Soacha, through the construction of an innovative pedagogical model of Xiloteca, which encourages Intuitive learning, based on the information collected in 150 surveys conducted on wood deposits, integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), with the aim of training free of charge the actors of the Intersectoral Pact of Legal Wood in Colombia (PIMLC), as a strategy to reduce illegal deforestation caused by the Post-Conflict.De acuerdo con El Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM, 2018) luego del Post-Conflicto generado por la  firma del proceso de paz en Colombia con los grupos armados de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) y el Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), la deforestación ilegal en Colombia ha ido aumentando constantemente, en 2015 se deforestaron 124 mil hectáreas de bosques, en 2016 se deforestaron 179 mil hectáreas, un 44% más en relación con el año 2015, una cifra que aumentó en 2017 a 219 mil hectáreas deforestadas, 77% más que en año 2015. Amenazando la biodiversidad de un país como Colombia que según Rivers, Oldfield y Smith (2017) posee el 9.6% de todas las especies de árboles en el mundo, alrededor de 5.776 especies forestales, convirtiendo a Colombia en el segundo país con la mayor  diversidad forestal del planeta. El siguiente artículo presenta el modelo pedagógico diseñado por el Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA) para la identificación macroscópica de 29 especies forestales comerciales encontradas en los municipios de Bogotá y Soacha, a través de la construcción de un modelo pedagógico innovador de Xiloteca, que fomenta el aprendizaje intuitivo, con base en la información recolectada en 150 encuestas realizadas a depósitos de madera, integrando las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC), con el objetivo de capacitar gratuitamente a los actores del Pacto Intersectorial de la Madera Legal en Colombia (PIMLC), como estrategia para la reducción de deforestación ilegal causada por el Post-Conflicto