Postflight hardware evaluation 360T025 (RSRM-25, STS-46)

The final report for the Clearfield disassembly evaluation and a continuation of the KSC postflight assessment for the 360T025 (STS-46) Redesign Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) flight set is presented. All observed hardware conditions were documented on PFOR's and are included in Appendices A through C. Appendices D and E contain the measurements and safety factor data for the nozzle and insulation components. Along with the KSC Ten-Day Postflight Hardware Evaluation Report (TWR-60687), a summary of the 360T025 hardware evaluation is provided. The as-flown hardware configuration is documented in TWR-60470. Disassembly evaluation photograph numbers are logged in TWA-1986. The 360T025 flight set disassembly evaluations described were performed at the RSRM Refurbishment Facility in Clearfield, Utah. The final factory joint demate occurred on 16 Mar. 1993. Detailed evaluations were performed in accordance with the Clearfield PEEP, TWR-50051, Revision A. All observations were compared against limits that are also defined in the PEEP. These limits outline the criteria for categorizing the observations as acceptable, reportable, or critical. Hardware conditions that were unexpected and/or determined to be reportable or critical were evaluated by the applicable CPT and tracked through the PFAR system

Estimation and Inference in Social Experiments

This paper develops a framework for analyzing the outcome of experiments carried out on forward-looking subjects. Natural experiments, unexpected policy changes, and true experiments are all included in the framework as special cases. These concepts are defined in conjunction with explicit notions of controlled and randomized experiments. The persistent issues of sample-selection bias and heterogeneous impacts that surround interpretations of experiments are endogenous to the model. Special attention is given to interpreting empirical impact of the treatment within the model. The environments in which estimated mean impacts correspond to mean subjective impacts are specified, and they are found to be a small, uninteresting subset of environments contained within the framework.Treatment Effects, Impact Analysis, Dynamic Programming, Policy Experiments

Wastewater and Mixed Microbial Consortia: a metastudy analysis of Optimal Microbial Fuel Cell configuration

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are an area of increasing research for use as an alternative energy source, due to their ability to produce electricity while simultaneously treating organic waste. This meta-study determines the optimal MFC configuration for electricity production, through consideration of the biocatalyst and substrate used. This study focuses primarily on comparing the use of mixed microbial consortia to pure strains of biocatalyst, and the use of waste water in contrast to simple substrates such as; acetate, glucose, and lactate. The use of algae as a substrate, and as a biocatalyst, is also investigated. In this study, only single and dual chamber MFCs are compared, and power density standardised to anode surface area (mW/m2) is used as a metric to facilitate the comparison of different experimental setups. This meta-study shows that dual chamber MFCs, using simple substrates, when catalysed by mixed culture biocatalysts, produce greater power densities, than algae, and complex substrates, with average power densities of 280, 70 and 30 (mW/m2) observed respectively. In single chamber MFC configurations, mixed culture biocatalysts have been observed to yield approximately double the power output of pure culture biocatalysts

On the brink: Viktor Yanukovych's decisions and the Ukrainian retreat from Europe

This thesis examines and explains the decision-making process and reasons behind former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's rejection of an Association Agreement with the European Union, more than four years in the making. Yanukovych was pressured by Russia both politically and economically to turn away from Europe and instead grow closer to the Kremlin. Ukraine's desperate economy on the verge of bankruptcy, and Yanukovch's political ties to Russia made him more vulnerable to blackmail. To help explain why Yanukovych spurned the deal, which ultimately led to mass protests and his ousting in 2013, this thesis draws upon interviews, government and academic research reports and news articles. The EU's structural and institutional weakness in its foreign policy towards its Eastern neighbors also hindered its ability to gain a geopolitical edge in incentivizing Ukraine to modernize and reform, and ultimately get on an on-ramp to closer ties with the Western world.Master of Art

Herança da resistência à toxina Cry1Ac de bacillus thuringiensis em anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: erebidae)

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Daniel Ricardo Sosa-GómezTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Entomologia). Defesa: Curitiba, 06/09/2016Inclui referências : f.40-59;79-83;95-97;101-121Área de concentração : EntomologiaResumo: Uma das principais culturas é a soja Glycine max (L.), com 118,135 milhões de hectares plantados no mundo. No continente Americano esta cultura pode ser alvo de ataques da lagarta-da-soja, Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Para seu controle são utilizadas diversas estratégias, dentre elas, o uso da soja transgênica com a toxina Cry1Ac. Entretanto, a disponibilidade de grandes áreas com soja Bt é um cenário favorável para a seleção de populações resistentes desse inseto. O conhecimento que tem por base os estudos sobre a herança da resistência de cada espécie é essencial para a melhor compreensão da evolução da resistência e posterior elaboração e refinamento de estratégias para atrasar a evolução da resistência de pragas aos cultivos transgênicos são combinadas diversas estratégias, entre elas o uso da alta dose, área de refúgio e, monitoramento das alterações de suscetibilidade. No presente trabalho foram avaliados o impacto da variedade de soja Bt (BR283 Bt RR) que expressa a toxina Cry1Ac sobre uma raça resistente de A. gemmatalis á Cry1Ac. Além disso, foram determinados aspectos relacionados à herança da resistência, tais como, recessividade ou dominância dos alelos de resistência; foi verificada se a resistência se deve a um ou vários genes e constatou-se a possibilidade de ocorrer resistência cruzada com as toxinas Cry1F e Cry1Ab. Adicionalmente, foram determinadas alterações morfológicas do intestino médio (IM) das raças resistente (RR) e suscetível (SS) à Cry1Ac. O intestino médio das lagartas de A. gemmatalis suscetíveis e resistentes á Cry1Ac, apresentaram alterações morfológicas em toda sua arquitetura, tanto epitelial quanto muscular, quando tratadas com a toxina Cry1Ac, no terceiro e quinto ínstares. Estas alterações mais evidentes foram observadas no terceiro instar da população suscetível. Estas alterações foram pontuais e ocorreram principalmente nas células colunares, que apresentaram intensa vacuolização citoplasmática, presença de vazios citoplasmáticos, aumento nas protrusões liberadas em direção ao lúmen. A raça resistente a Cry1Ac não apresentou mortalidade quando o tecido da soja Bt foi diluído 25 vezes, por outro lado, a raça suscetível apresentou mortalidade de 96,49 % em média. Lagartas neonatas, do 3º e 5º instar da raça resistente e suscetível, alimentadas com folíolos de soja, apresentaram mortalidade total quando alimentadas com folíolos de soja Bt no estádio V5. No entanto, os tempos médios de sobrevivência foram diferentes, as neonatas suscetíveis apresentaram tempo médio de sobrevivência de 1,05 dias, as neonatas resistentes foram de 1,73 dias. Lagartas suscetíveis 3º instar tiveram um TS de 1,23 dias e as lagartas resistentes do mesmo estágio foi de 2,57 dias. Lagartas de quinto instar suscetíveis tiveram TS de 1,56 dias e 3,26 dias na raça resistente. Insetos com razão de resistência de 81 a 111,15 vezes podem ser controladas pela soja Bt durante a fase vegetativa. Resultados dos cruzamentos recíprocos entre as raças RR e SS à Cry1Ac revelaram que a resistência é de caráter autossômica e incompletamente recessiva. Estudos de retrocruzamentos da F1 (RS e SR) com o parental resistente para determinar o número de genes envolvidos na resistência, mediante o teste qui-quadrado (????) das respostas das progênies dos retrocruzamentos ou F2 (RRRS, RRSR, SRRR e RSRR), observou-se que a resistência é determinada por um gene principal. A determinação da suscetibilidade as toxinas Cry1F e Cry1Ab com as raças de Anticarsia gemmatalis resistente à toxina Cry1Ac, indicaram resistência cruzada à toxina Cry1Ab e ausência de resistência cruzada em relação á Cry1F. Palavras-chave: Anticarsia gemmatalis, Cry1Ac, morfologia, intestino médio, alterações celulares, soja Bt, herança, resistência cruzada.Abstract: One of the cultures princiais is Glycine soja max (L.) with 118,135,000 hectares planted in the world. In the Americas this culture can be the target attacks of the caterpillar of soybean, Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). For their control are use various strategies, among them, the use of transgenic soybean with the Cry1Ac toxin. However, the availability of large areas with Bt soy is a favorable scenario for the selection of resistant populations of this insect. The knowledge is based on studies on the inheritance of resistance of each species are essential for better understanding of the evolution of resistance and further development and refinement of resistance management strategies to delay the evolution of pest resistance to transgenic crops are combined several strategies, including the use of high dose refuge area and monitoring of susceptibility changes. In the present study we evaluated the impact of the variety of Bt soybean (BR283 Bt RR) expressing Cry1Ac toxin on a tough race A. gemmatalis to Cry1Ac. Besides diso were certain aspects of the inheritance of resistance, such as recessividad or dominance of resistance alleles; It was recorded if the resistance is due to one or several genes and found out the possibility of cross resistance with Cry1F and Cry1Ab toxin. Adicionalemente were determined morphological changes of the medium intestine (IM) of resistant breeds (RR) and susceptible (SS) to the Cry1Ac. The average instetino the crawler A. gemmatalis susceptible and resistant to Cry1Ac, showed morphological changes throughout its architecture, both as epithelial muscle when treated with Cry1Ac toxin, the third and fifth instars. These changes were punctual and occurred mainly in the columnar cells, which showed intense vacuolation, presence of cytoplasmic empty, increase in protrusions released into the lumen, being more visible in the third instar of the susceptible population. The Cry1Ac resistant race does not show mortality when tissue Bt soybeans was diluted 25 times, on the other hand susceptible animals showed mortality on average 96.49%. Caterpillars neonate, 3rd and 5th instar of resistant and susceptible race, fed soybean leaflets showed total mortality when fed with Bt soybean leaflets at V5 stage. However, the average survival time were different, the neonate susceptible presented median survival time (ST) of 1.05 days, the resistant neonate was 1.73 days. Caterpillars susceptible 3rd instar had a TS of 1.23 days and resistant caterpillars same stage was 2.57 days. Largartas of fifth instar were susceptible TS 1.56 days and 3.26 days in the tough race. Insects with resistance ratio from 81 to 111.15 times can be controlled by Bt soybean during the vegetative stage. Results of reciprocal crosses between the RR and SS to Cry1Ac races have shown that resistance is autosomal incompletely recessive character. Studies with F1 backcross (RS and SR) with the resistant parent to determine the number of genes involved in resistance by analysis of the chi-square test (????) the responses of the progenies of retro crossings or F2 (RRRS, RRSR, SRRR and RSRR) it was observed that the resistance is determined by a single major gene. The determination of the susceptibility of Cry1F and Cry1Ab toxin with Anticarsia gemmatalis strain resistant to Cry1Ac toxin showed cross-resistance to Cry1Ab toxin and no cross-resistance to Cry1F. Keywords: Anticarsia gemmatalis, Cry1Ac, morphology, midgut, cellular changes, Bt soy, inheritance of resistance, cross-resistance

Factors Influencing the Thermodynamic Efficiency of Stirling Engines

This meta-study examines the factors which contribute to Stirling engine efficiency. Working fluids should have high specific heat capacity, low viscosity and low density making noble gases the most suitable. Each different working fluid has its own optimum power output at varying pressures and temperatures. The best being Helium at 4.14 MPa and 922K. Dead volume also affects the power output of Stirling engines. Theoretical engines with zero dead volume are ideal but dead volume can occupy over 50% of the engine. Engine configuration also impacts on the efficiency of a Stirling engine. The layout of pistons and cylinders about each other can also have drastic effects on these efficiencies. Currently the most effective engine layout is the ‘gamma’ configuration, which measures 30%-32% efficient. Future research is required to produce a more efficient Stirling engines, based on the factors considered above to determine the viability of these engines as a replacement for coal and fossil fuel powered combustion engines

Flooded-area satellite monitoring within a Ramsar wetland Nature Reserve in Argentina

The protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems is one of the goals to be achieved by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this framework and requested by government Argentine institutions concerned with water, biodiversity and territorial management, this study analyzes the evolution of the flooded area within the Dulce River wetlands and Mar Chiquita Lake Nature Reserve (centered around 30.6°S, 62.6°W, 70 m above sea level) in Argentina since 2003, when the historical maximum extent was reached, until 2017. The Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) was calculated on atmospherically corrected NASA Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (L5-TM) and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (L8-OLI) reflectance data over two-scene cloudless-sky mosaics to cover the whole Reserve. Mixed-water pixels constituted an important fraction of the total-water covered area, particularly during years of minimum water level in Mar Chiquita Lake. So, MNDWI values were analyzed along transects crossing two stable regional water bodies to determine precise thresholds for detection of non-water (MNDWI < −0.15 for L5-TM, MNDWI < −0.35 for L8-OLI), mixed-water (−0.15 < MNDWI < 0.4 for L5-TM, −0.35 < MNDWI < 0.5 for L8-OLI) and open-water (0.4 < MNDWI for L5-TM, 0.5 < MNDWI for L8-OLI) pixels. A higher spatial resolution image, SPOT5-HGR2, was used to validate the classification method. A confusion matrix was built which resulted in an overall accuracy of 99.2% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.98. In-situ Geo-referenced photographic registers were also taken simultaneously to a Landsat 8 overpass to confirm the classification thresholds. The analysis of simulated MNDWI response, by using the assumption of the linear mixture model, showed that mixed pixels should present from 9% to 76% of detectable open-water area. Maximum total flooded area extensions of about 3600 km 2 by 2003–2005 and a minimum one of 2050 km 2 by the end of 2011 were established, followed by a recent trend to the recovering with a total flooded area of about 3400 km 2 in the period 2015–2017. Open-water covered area follows closely the behavior of in-situ water level measurements of Mar Chiquita Lake, showing a maximum in year 2003 and a minimum towards the end of 2013, in a significant linear relation from which a topographical slope of the terrain of about 0.012% is inferred that agrees with previous bathymetric studies. Results show the powerful complement between a reliable water satellite monitoring tool and locally-measured parameters in so dynamic wetland regions.Fil: Ferral, Anabella. Universidad Blas Pascal; Argentina. Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales. Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales "Mario Gulich"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Luccini, Eduardo Alfredo. Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro de Excelencia en Productos y Procesos de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aleksinkó, Alejandro. Secretaría de Recursos Hídricos y Coordinación de la Provincia de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Scavuzzo, Carlos Matias. Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales. Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales "Mario Gulich"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Multitemporal spectral analysis for algae detection in an eutrophic lake using Sentinel 2 images

Eutrophication is characterized by excessive plant and algal growth due to the increased of organic matter, carbon dioxide and nutrients in water body. Although eutrophication naturally occurs over centuries as lakes age, human activities have accelerated it processes and caused dramatic changes to the aquatic ecosystems including elevated algae blooms and risk for hypoxia as well as degradation in the quality of drinking water and fisheries. Monitoring eutrophic processes is therefore highly important to human health and to the aquatic environment. However, the spatial and seasonal distribution of the phenomena and its dynamic are difficult to be resolved using conventional methods as water sampling or sparse acquisition of remote sensing data. This research work proposes a methodology that takes advantage of the high temporal resolution of Sentinel-2 (S2) for monitoring eutrophic reservoir. Specifically, it uses large temporal series of S2 images and advanced temporal unmixing model to estimate the abundance of [Chl-a] and algae species in San Roque reservoir, Argentina, in the period August 2016 to August 2019. The spatial patterns and the temporal tendencies of these aquatic indicators, that have a direct link to Eutrophication, were analysed and evaluated using in situ data in order to assess their contribution to the local water management.Fil: German, Alba. Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales. Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales "Mario Gulich"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Ferral, Anabella. Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales. Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales "Mario Gulich"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Scavuzzo, Carlos Matias. Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales. Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales "Mario Gulich"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Shimoni, M.. Belgian Royal Military Academy; Bélgic

Heterogeneous Activity Causes a Nonlinear Increase in the Group Energy Use of Ant Workers Isolated from Queen and Brood

Increasing evidence has shown that the energy use of ant colonies increases sublinearly with colony size so that large colonies consume less per capita energy than small colonies. It has been postulated that social environment (e.g., in the presence of queen and brood) is critical for the sublinear group energetics, and a few studies of ant workers isolated from queens and brood observed linear relationships between group energetics and size. In this paper, we hypothesize that the sublinear energetics arise from the heterogeneity of activity in ant groups, that is, large groups have relatively more inactive members than small groups. We further hypothesize that the energy use of ant worker groups that are allowed to move freely increases more slowly than the group size even if they are isolated from queen and brood. Previous studies only provided indirect evidence for these hypotheses due to technical difficulties. In this study, we applied the automated behavioral monitoring and respirometry simultaneously on isolated worker groups for long time periods, and analyzed the image with the state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. Our results show that when activity was not confined, large groups had lower per capita energy use, a lower percentage of active members, and lower average walking speed than small groups; while locomotion was confined, however, the per capita energy use was a constant regardless of the group size. The quantitative analysis shows a direct link between variation in group energy use and the activity level of ant workers when isolated from queen and brood