Moderate effectiveness of multiple-use protected areas as a policy tool for land conservation in Atlantic Spain in the past 30 years

Protected areas (PAs) are the main global policy instrument to avert the current biodiversity crisis by conserving important species and habitats on site. Yet important pressures around PAs and in PAs, notably land use-land cover (LULC) changes, jeopardise the conservation role of these tools. In Spain, as well as in most developed countries, land development is the main pressure on its rich biodiversity. Here, we used a semi-experimental Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) research design with covariates to ascertain whether three categories of multiple-use PAs including Nature Parks, Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have been effective to prevent land development in Atlantic Spain between 1987 and 2017 using CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data. We split our census sample of PAs according to two geographic zones: coastal zone and inland zone, and four administrative sub-zones (regions with distinctive governance systems): Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country. We created and tested the validity of three types of controls specific to each PA category: standard 5-km buffer controls, bio-physically adjusted standard controls, and bio-physically adjusted random controls across zones. Multiple-use PAs reduced, though not completely avoided, land development in all zones and sub-zones compared with controls. An effectiveness gradient among PA categories was apparent: NPs ≥ SCIs > SPAs. Coastal areas, both protected and unprotected, experienced greater land development rates than inland areas, with coastal SPAs showing poor effectiveness results. The Basque Country was the best-performing region regarding PA effectiveness, with the remaining regions showing similar PA performance results regardless of the prevailing political party in power for most of the study period. Random controls had the greatest bio-physical similarity to their cases and produced larger control areas than standard buffer controls

Reliability and measurement error of tensiomyography to assess mechanical muscle function: A systematic review

Interest in studying mechanical skeletal muscle function through tensiomyography (TMG) has increased in recent years. This systematic review aimed to (a) report the reliability and measurement error of all TMG parameters [i.e., maximum radial displacement of the muscle belly (Dm), contraction time (Tc), delay time (Td), half-relaxation time (1/2 Tr), and sustained contraction time (Ts)] and (b) to provide critical reflection on how to perform accurate and appropriate measurements for informing clinicians, exercise professionals, and researchers. A comprehensive literature search was performed of the Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct and Cochrane databases up to July 2017. Eight studies were included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis could not be carried out due to the low quality of the evidence of some studies evaluated. Overall, the review of the nine studies involving 158 participants revealed high relative reliability [intra-class correlation (ICC)] for Dm (0.91-0.99); moderate to high ICC for Ts (0.80-0.96), Tc (0.70-0.98), and 1/2 Tr (0.77-0.93); and low to high ICC for Td (0.60-0.98), independently of the evaluated muscles. Additionally, absolute reliability [coefficient of variation (CV)] was low for all TMG parameters except for 1/2 Tr (CV = >20%) while measurement error indexes were high for this parameter. In conclusion, this study indicates that three of the TMG parameters (Dm, Td and Tc) are highly reliable, whereas 1/2 Tr demonstrate insufficient reliability, and thus should not be used in future studies

Influencia del tereftalato de polietileno (PET) en las propiedades del bloque de concreto para muros no portantes Trujillo 2023

En esta investigación tuvo como propósito elaborar bloques de concreto con sustitución de escamas de tereftalato de polietileno (PET) en su composición; con la finalidad de determinar su influencia de en las propiedades de este material, para lo cual, se elaboraron 60 unidades, conformado por el grupo de patrón y grupo de bloques de concreto, con dosificaciones de 0%, 1.5% 2.5% y 3.5% de PET. El desarrollo fue usando 3 muestras por cada clasificación de grupo, las cuales pasaron por ensayos de Variación dimensional, Alabeo, Absorción y Resistencia a la compresión, mientras fueron curados hasta los 28 días. En los resultados, se observó que el PET no presenta complicaciones en la trabajabilidad. Así mismo, el grupo con 1.5% de PET ofrece resultados significativos en las propiedades del bloque de concreto, cumpliendo con los requerimientos de la norma E.070. Por lo que estos bloques modificados con PET aportan ventajas significativas a los trabajos de mampostería no portante

O&M Models for Ocean Energy Converters: Calibrating through Real Sea Data

Of the cost centres that combine to result in Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE), O&M costs play a significant part. Several developers have calculated component costs, demonstrating how they can become commercially competitive with other forms of renewable energy. However, there are uncertainties relating to the O&M figures that can only be reduced through lessons learned at sea. This work presents an O&M model calibrated with data from real sea experience of a wave energy device deployed at the Biscay Marine energy Platform (BiMEP): the OPERA O&M Model. Two additional case studies, utilising two other O&M calculation methodologies, are presented for comparison with the OPERA O&M Model. The second case study assumes the inexistence of an O&M model, utilising a Simplified Approach. The third case study applies DTOcean’s (a design tool for ocean energy arrays) O&M module. The results illustrate the potential advantages of utilising real sea data for the calibration and development of an O&M model. The Simplified Approach was observed to overestimate LCOE when compared to the OPERA O&M Model. This work also shows that O&M models can be used for the definition of optimal maintenance plans to assist with OPEX reduction.The authors are grateful to the European commission for funding the OPERA and EnFAIT projects as part of the Horizon 2020 framework. The authors also thankful to Oceantec-Idom for providing feedback to OPERA model’s inputs. A special thanks to Shona Pennock and Donald Noble for their diligent proofreading of this paper

A Deep Learning-Based Multimodal Architecture to predict Signs of Dementia

This paper proposes a multimodal deep learning architecture combining text and audio information to predict dementia, a disease which affects around 55 million people all over the world and makes them in some cases dependent people. The system was evaluated on the DementiaBank Pitt Corpus dataset, which includes audio recordings as well as their transcriptions for healthy people and people with dementia. Different models have been used and tested, including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for audio classification, Transformers for text classification, and a combination of both in a multimodal ensemble. These models have been evaluated on a test set, obtaining the best results by using the text modality, achieving 90.36% accuracy on the task of detecting dementia. Additionally, an analysis of the corpus has been conducted for the sake of explainability, aiming to obtain more information about how the models generate their predictions and identify patterns in the data.We would like to thank “A way of making Europe” European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 for supporting this work under the MoDeaAS project (grant PID2019-104818RB-I00) and AICARE project (grant SPID202200X139779IV0). Furthermore, we would like to thank Nvidia for their generous hardware donation that made these experiments possible

The ALMA Early Science View of FUor/EXor objects. IV. Misaligned Outflows in the Complex Star-forming Environment of V1647 Ori and McNeil's Nebula

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the star-forming environment surrounding V1647 Ori, an outbursting FUor/EXor pre-MS star. Dust continuum and the (J = 2 - 1) $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO, C$^{18}$O molecular emission lines were observed to characterize the V1647 Ori circumstellar disc and any large scale molecular features present. We detect continuum emission from the circumstellar disc and determine a radius r = 40 au, inclination i = 17$^{\circ}$$^{+6}_{-9}$ and total disc mass of M$_{\mathrm{disk}}$ of ~0.1 M$_{\odot}$. We do not identify any disc structures associated with nearby companions, massive planets or fragmentation. The molecular cloud environment surrounding V1647 Ori is both structured and complex. We confirm the presence of an excavated cavity north of V1647 Ori and have identified dense material at the base of the optical reflection nebula (McNeil's Nebula) that is actively shaping its surrounding environment. Two distinct outflows have been detected with dynamical ages of ~11,700 and 17,200 years. These outflows are misaligned suggesting disc precession over ~5500 years as a result of anisotropic accretion events is responsible. The collimated outflows exhibit velocities of ~2 km s$^{-1}$, similar in velocity to that of other FUor objects presented in this series but significantly slower than previous observations and model predictions. The V1647 Ori system is seemingly connected by an "arm" of material to a large unresolved structure located ~20$"$ to the west. The complex environment surrounding V1647 Ori suggests it is in the early stages of star formation which may relate to its classification as both an FUor and EXor type object.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables; accepted for publication in MNRA

The ALMA Early Science View of FUor/EXor Objects - V. Continuum Disc Masses and Sizes

Low-mass stars build a significant fraction of their total mass during short outbursts of enhanced accretion known as FUor and EXor outbursts. FUor objects are characterized by a sudden brightening of ∼5 mag at visible wavelengths within 1 yr and remain bright for decades. EXor objects have lower amplitude outbursts on shorter time-scales. Here we discuss a 1.3 mm Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) mini-survey of eight outbursting sources (three FUors, four EXors, and the borderline object V1647 Ori) in the Orion Molecular Cloud. While previous papers in this series discuss the remarkable molecular outflows observed in the three FUor objects and V1647 Ori, here we focus on the continuum data and the differences and similarities between the FUor and EXor populations. We find that FUor discs are significantly more massive (∼80–600 MJup) than the EXor objects (∼0.5–40 MJup). We also report that the EXor sources lack the prominent outflows seen in the FUor population. Even though our sample is small, the large differences in disc masses and outflow activity suggest that the two types of objects represent different evolutionary stages. The FUor sources seem to be rather compact (Rc \u3c 20–40 au) and to have a smaller characteristic radius for a given disc mass when compared to T Tauri stars. V1118 Ori, the only known close binary system in our sample, is shown to host a disc around each one of the stellar components. The disc around HBC 494 is asymmetric, hinting at a structure in the outer disc or the presence of a second disc

Integration of the components of Integrated Pest Management in the cultivation of Pisum sativum in the Huánuco region, Peru

The investigation was carried out in two sowing periods of Pisum sativum L, agricultural campaign 2019 and 2021, the registered data correspond to the period 2021 because similar responses to the previous test were obtained. The objective was to comparatively integrate more than one control strategy to regulate pests in the crop. In a completely randomized block design with 3 treatments, 4 replications. Being the treatments: (T0) Without applications, (T1) Zea mays live barriers + color traps + Ruta chalepensis extract + toxic baits, (T2) Lupinus mutabilis live barriers + color traps + Bacillius thuringiensis + toxic baits. Weekly evaluations were carried out to identify the insects and determine the density of each pest species in the crop. All plots share the same pests. In T2, the lowest averages of each species were recorded, being Agrotis sp with 0.67 to 2.33 larvae/plot, Aphis sp between 1.33 to 4 aphids per bud, Bemisia sp with 5 to 7 per leaf, Epitrix sp between 4 to 0/plant and Liriomyza trifolii between 3 to 4 larvae/leaf. It is concluded that the integration of the T2 components are the most efficient in the regulation of pests in bean crops