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The iterative vortex identification method originally proposed by Holmén was modified to improve its performance and to add the ability to distinguish between counter-rotating vortices. Then, the resulting modified Holmén method (MHM) was evaluated using experimental data from five different experiments, including planar and three-dimensional flowfield data. The 𝑄, 𝜆2, and Γ2 criteria were used for comparison. No currently available vortex identification method is perfect (otherwise, proposing a new scheme would be a pointless exercise), and the MHM is no exception; however, the MHM was found to accurately identify vortical structures when the number of passes is chosen correctly while minimizing the experimental noise. In particular, it was found to be useful in capturing large vortical structures occurring in a noisy or high-shear region, cases where the 𝑄 and Γ2 criteria sometimes fail. On the other hand, the method is limited by the spatial resolution of the experimental data with respect to the structure's size and its inability to resolve rotating structures near the edges of the measurement domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-contact methods are useful to improve the quality control of particle filtration media. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the correlation between the filtration efficiency of a porous sheet and its ultrasonic properties obtained using a non-contact technique. An air-coupled ultrasonic technique is used to obtain rapid measurements without affecting the integrity of the material. High frequencies (from 0.1 to 2.5 MHz) are used to improve technique sensitivity, and transmitted waves are measured to probe the internal properties of the material. Measurements of transmission coefficient spectra (amplitude and phase) and the corresponding ultrasound velocity and attenuation coefficient at different frequencies are obtained for a set of filtration media with well-characterized properties. Results show that the ultrasonic properties of filtration media vary as a function of basis weight, and therefore filtration efficiency, for a given charge state. However, the effect of electrostatic charge on ultrasonic propagation is almost negligible, as expected. We conclude that ultrasonic transmission may provide a valuable tool for the continuous online monitoring of material quality during fabrication and as a method to tease apart mechanical and electrostatic contributions to particle filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to establish safe, accessible, and inclusive pedestrian routes is considered one of the European Union's main priorities. We have developed a method of assessing pedestrian mobility in the surroundings of urban public buildings to evaluate the level of accessibility and inclusion, especially for people with reduced mobility. In the first stage of assessment, artificial intelligence algorithms were used to identify pedestrian crossings and the precise geographical location was determined by deep learning-based object detection with satellite or aerial orthoimagery. In the second stage, Geographic Information System techniques were used to create network models. This approach enabled the verification of the level of accessibility for wheelchair users in the selected study area and the identification of the most suitable route for wheelchair transit between two points of interest. The data obtained were verified using inertial sensors to corroborate the horizontal continuity of the routes. The study findings are of direct benefit to the users of these routes and are also valuable for the entities responsible for ensuring and maintaining the accessibility of pedestrian routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flowfield over a model having a chined forebody and a simple delta wing was investigated experimentally using oil flow visualizations and stereoscopic particle image velocimetry at a mean chord-based Reynolds number of 2.3×105, angles of attack of 20 and 30 deg, and yaw angles of 0 and 5 deg. The flowfield over the model exhibited pairs of leading-edge vortices similar to those around a double-delta wing, except for the influence of the fuselage, where the chine vortex followed the curvature. The development and interaction of the two vortices were measured and analyzed. It was found that increasing the angle of attack resulted in wakelike vortices, whereas increasing the yaw angle yielded a wakelike vortex on the windward side and a jetlike vortex on the leeward side. The interaction of the windward side vortex with the physical barrier of the forebody surface was observed to greatly affect its behavior and the interaction downstream. In some configurations, the merged vortex exhibited a breakdown. The flowfield and the vortex dynamics under various conditions are discussed in detail to provide insight into manipulating the flowfield using physics-based flow control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present PEANUTS (Propagation and Evolution of Active NeUTrinoS), an open-source Python package for the automatic computation of solar neutrino spectra and active neutrino propagation through Earth. PEANUTS is designed to be fast, by employing analytic formulae for the neutrino propagation through varying matter density, and flexible, by allowing the user to input arbitrary solar models, custom Earth density profiles and general detector locations. It provides functionalities for a fully automated simulation of solar neutrino fluxes at a detector, as well as access to individual routines to perform more specialised computations. The software has been extensively tested against the results of the SNO experiment, providing excellent agreement with their results. In addition, the present text contains a pedagogical derivation of the relations needed to compute the oscillated solar neutrino spectra, neutrino propagation through Earth and nadir exposure of an experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inclusive use of urban spaces necessitates detailed knowledge of the accessibility of public buildings or places where educational, health or administrative services are provided. Despite the improvements already made in many cities regarding architectural work, further changes to public buildings and other spaces, such as old buildings or areas of historical importance, are still required. To study this problem, we developed a model based on photogrammetric techniques and the use of inertial and optical sensors. The model allowed us to perform a detailed analysis of urban routes in the surroundings of an administrative building, by means of mathematical analysis of pedestrian routes. It was applied to the specific case of people with reduced mobility and included analysis of the building accessibility as well as detection of suitable transit routes, deterioration of the road surfaces and the presence of architectural obstacles on the route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To study the agronomic behavior when grazing outstanding materials of Tithonia diversifolia, this research was carried out for three years (2016, 2017 and 2018). Material and methods. The experiment was designed and processed using a randomized block design with four repetitions, where the treatments were four outstanding Tithonia diversifolia materials called: IcaCuba Oc-10, IcaCuba Oc-23, IcaCuba Oc-24 and IcaCuba Oc-25 associated with Cynodon dactylon. The research was carried out without fertilization or irrigation. Results. The information analyzed corresponds to the rainy, dry and total periods. In the rainy season, the Oc-25 material reached higher height and lower leaf yield, Oc-23 has a lower number of regrowth and lower height of the grass lawn. Grass yield was lower for Oc-23 and Oc-25 materials, with less presence of the species for Oc-25. The lowest height of the tithonia plant was for Oc-24 without differing from Oc-10 and Oc-23, but with higher leaf yield. The height of the grass lawn reached its highest value for Oc-10 and the highest presence of the species. In the dry season Oc-24 had lower height and Oc-25 higher. The highest yield of tithonia leaf was for Oc-24 and Oc-25, with lower grass yield and presence for the Oc-25 material. The highest yield was obtained in Oc-10, followed by Oc-24 and the highest presence of the grass was in Oc-10 and Oc-23. The height of the grass grass presented the highest values for Oc-10 and Oc-24 and the lowest for Oc-23. In the annual accumulated, the lowest leaf production was in the material Oc-25. While the highest grass yield was found for Oc-10 followed by Oc-24. Conclusions. All the tithonia materials evaluated under grazing (IcaCuba Oc-10, IcaCuba Oc-23, IcaCuba Oc-24 and IcaCuba Oc-25) had an integrally good behavior, as well as stability of the tithonia-grass system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forthcoming time-domain surveys, such as the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time, will vastly increase samples of supernovae (SNe) and other optical transients, requiring new data-driven techniques to analyse their photometric light curves. Here, we present the 'Python for Intelligent Supernova-COsmology Light-curve Analysis' (PISCOLA ), an open source data-driven light-curve fitter using Gaussian Processes that can estimate rest-frame light curves of transients without the need for an underlying light-curve template. We test PISCOLA  on large-scale simulations of type Ia SNe (SNe Ia) to validate its performance, and show it successfully retrieves rest-frame peak magnitudes for average survey cadences of up to 7 d. We also compare to the existing SN Ia light-curve fitter SALT2 on real data, and find only small (but significant) disagreements for different light-curve parameters. As a proof-of-concept of an application of PISCOLA , we decomposed and analysed the PISCOLA rest-frame light curves of SNe Ia from the Pantheon SN Ia sample with Non-Negative Matrix Factorization. Our new parametrization provides a similar performance to existing light-curve fitters such as SALT2. We further derived a SN Ia colour law from PISCOLA fits over ∼3500–7000 Å, and find agreement with the SALT2 colour law and with reddening laws with total-to-selective extinction ratio RV ≲ 3.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the GAMBIT Universal Model Machine (GUM), a tool for automatically generating code for the global fitting software framework GAMBIT, based on Lagrangian-level inputs. GUM accepts models written symbolically in FeynRules and SARAH formats, and can use either tool along with MadGraph and CalcHEP to generate GAMBIT model, collider, dark matter, decay and spectrum code, as well as GAMBIT interfaces to corresponding versions of SPheno, micrOMEGAs, Pythia and Vevacious (C). In this paper we describe the features, methods, usage, pathways, assumptions and current limitations of GUM. We also give a fully worked example, consisting of the addition of a Majorana fermion simplified dark matter model with a scalar mediator to GAMBIT via GUM, and carry out a corresponding fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we analyse sexual dimorphism in size and shape of morphological attributes in a population of Abronia taeniata in central Mexico. The variables analysed were snout–vent length (SVL), head length (HL), head width (HW), head height (HH), tibia length (TL) and femur length (FL). In the size attributes, males and females had similar SVL, and males were larger in the rest of the variables analysed (HL, HW, HH and FL), except TL. In the case of shape, the females had larger dimensions in the relative logSVL variable, and the males were larger in the relative logHL, relative logHW and relative logHH variables. The variables relative logFL and relative logTL showed no sexual shape dimorphism. The similarity in the sizes and the sexual dimorphism between sexes in attributes of the head and extremities are explained by the hypothesis of sexual selection directed to the structures of the head in males, and in the case of shape in females, to the fecundity hypothesis. Comparative studies that analyse a greater number of morphological variables are necessary to determine the factors that promote the different patterns of sexual dimorphism in the group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-luminosity Type II supernovae (LL SNe II) make up the low explosion energy end of core-collapse SNe, but their study and physical understanding remain limited. We present SN 2016aqf, an LL SN II with extensive spectral and photometric coverage. We measure a V -band peak magnitude of −14.58 mag, a plateau duration of ∼100 d, and an inferred 56Ni mass of 0.008 ± 0.002 M⊙. The peak bolometric luminosity, Lbol ≈ 1041.4 erg s−1, and its spectral evolution are typical of other SNe in the class. Using our late-time spectra, we measure the [O  i ] λλ6300, 6364 lines, which we compare against SN II spectral synthesis models to constrain the progenitor zero-age main-sequence mass. We find this to be 12 ± 3 M⊙. Our extensive late-time spectral coverage of the [Fe  ii ] λ7155 and [Ni  ii ] λ7378 lines permits a measurement of the Ni/Fe abundance ratio, a parameter sensitive to the inner progenitor structure and explosion mechanism dynamics. We measure a constant abundance ratio evolution of |$0.081^{+0.009}_{-0.010}$| and argue that the best epochs to measure the ratio are at ∼200–300 d after explosion. We place this measurement in the context of a large sample of SNe II and compare against various physical, light-curve, and spectral parameters, in search of trends that might allow indirect ways of constraining this ratio. We do not find correlations predicted by theoretical models; however, this may be the result of the exact choice of parameters and explosion mechanism in the models, the simplicity of them, and/or primordial contamination in the measured abundance ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed size (snout-vent length, SVL), body mass, reproductive cycles, and reproductive characteristics (litter size) of a population of the viviparous lizard Abronia taeniata in the central part of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. Sizes and weights were similar between sexes. The males reach sexual maturity (SVL = 74.6 mm) at a smaller size than females (SVL = 81.7 mm). In males, testicular volumes varied with the month; it was small during November, and began to increase in volume in December, continued to increase in January, February, and March, to a plateau from April to August, peaking in September and October, and decreasing in November. The increase in testicular volume is correlated with precipitation, but not with temperature or photoperiod. In females, early vitellogenic follicles were found in August and September, and embryonic development occurred from November to June, with a period of high embryonic development from January to June, i.e., during the birthing period. Mean monthly gonad volume was positively correlated with precipitation, but not with temperature or photoperiod. Mean litter size was 6.4 ± 0.31, which was not correlated with female SVL, but was correlated with female body mass. Mean SVL of neonates was 54.0 ± 3.7 mm. Abronia taeniata showed the typical reproductive pattern of viviparous species inhabiting temperate environments at high altitudes, with asynchronous gonad activity between males and females, but with a longer period of reproductive activity in both sexes with respect to other viviparous species from high altitudes and related species. This study is the first to describe the reproductive cycle of Abronia taeniata, as well as the reproductive characteristics of minimum size at sexual maturity and litter size. Studies that analyse aspects of diet, sexual dimorphism, behaviour, and demography are necessary to increase our knowledge of this endemic species, in order to design informed strategies for the maintenance and conservation of its populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the commercial potential of mussel populations along the Patagonian coast of Argentina, studies on mussel farming and fisheries to the south of parallel 42° S are clearly insufficient thus far. In this study, variations in mussel settlement (between sites and across depths) were monitored for 12 months at two contrasting sites in San Jorge Gulf, Argentina. The effect of depth on spat density was evaluated through monthly samples taken from artificial collectors at three depths (3, 7 and 11 m). The temporal settlement pattern was consistent at both sites, with the maximum spatfall recorded in early March (late summer), coinciding with the peak of sea water temperature. Settlement also correlated with Chl a and particulate organic carbon peak values, typically manifesting 2–3 months later and followed the initial decline in mussel condition during late spring and early summer. Significant differences between localities were detected in settlement abundance. The optimal temporal gap for mussel settlement was observed in mid / late summer, suggesting that this is the optimal time to deploy spat collectors in the field. Settlement was uniform between depths, thereby implying that the specific depth of collector placement did not appear to emerge as a key factor of settlement success. • Two mussel potential spawning events occurred, in early summer (January-February) and autumn (May). • Maximum mussel settlement occurred in mid-late summer and is the optimal time to deploy spat collectors. • Settlement was uniform among depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety and depression are debilitating, costly psychological disorders that account for more than $133 billion annually in direct medical expenses in the United States. Finding alternative treatments to reduce the personal and financial burden for patients with these disorders, while maintaining patient safety, is vital. The purposes of this study were to determine if crocin, a compound from saffron (Crocus sativus L), produces anxiolytic and/or antidepressant effects using rat models for anxiety and behavioral despair and to determine the effects of crocin at the benzodiazepine site on the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor. Fifty-five male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups: vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide), crocin, midazolam, flumazenil plus crocin, and midazolam plus crocin. Behavioral analyses were conducted in the elevated plus-maze and the forced swim test. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and a least significant difference post hoc test. Data from the elevated plus-maze suggested crocin may attenuate the anxiolytic effects of midazolam, while not affecting psychomotor activity. Data from the forced swim test showed a significant increase in mean time mobile in the midazolam plus crocin group, suggesting a decrease in behavioral despair because of the interaction between crocin and midazolam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication describes the first records of byssal hairs on the postlarvae shells of Mytilus edulis platensis d'Orbigny, 1842. The postlarvae used in this study were sampled on artificial collectors used for mussel culture in San Jorge Gulf, Sudoccidental Atlantic Ocean. A general description of the hairs is made as well as an exploratory analysis of their spatial distribution on the shell surface. The presence of these byssal hairs is suggested as a criterion to differentiate M. edulis platensis from other mytilids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highbush blueberries require sufficient water throughout the growing season, especially during fruit development. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) has been used in many fruit crops to save water and potentially increase fruit quality without reducing yield. Our aim was to determine the effects of RDI on yield, plant-water relations, and fruit quality at harvest. Three irrigation treatments based on actual evapotranspiration (ETa) were applied: 50, 75 and 100% (control) to six-year-old 'Brigitta' highbush blueberries in Colbún, Maule Region, Chile, for seasons 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 and to 26-year-old 'Brigitta' plants in South Haven, Michigan, USA, during the 2014 season. Severe water deficit treatment (50% ETa) decreased photosynthetic rate, vegetative growth (second season in Colbún and South Haven's trial), and fruit quality (berry size, titratable acidity, soluble solids, weight), and increased oxidative stress during both seasons in Colbún. The 50% ETa treatment also had the highest yield reduction during Colbún's second season. In contrast, mild water stress (75% ETa) resulted in similar fruit yields and quality (firmness, fruit size, titratable acidity, soluble solids and berry weight) but with higher water productivity than the 100% ETa treatment, while it achieved intermediate values for antioxidant capacity compared to the 50% ETa treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption is the most common approach to immobilize biorecognition elements on the surface of paper-based devices. Adsorption is also the route selected to coat the substrate with albumin, therefore minimizing the interaction of other proteins. While similar in nature, the structure of the selected proteins as well as the conditions selected from the immobilization have a significant effect on the amount and distribution of the resulting composites. To illustrate these differences and provide general guidelines to efficiently prepare these devices, this article explores the interaction (adsorption and desorption) of BSA with 3MM chromatography paper. The experimental conditions investigated were the protein concentration, the interaction time, the number of times the protein was spotted, the pH of buffer solution, and the ionic strength of the buffer solution. The proposed approach mimics the steps involved in the fabrication (adsorption) and use (rinsing induced by the sample) of paper-based microfluidic devices. To identify the protein location following the rinsing step, the protein was fixed by dehydration in a convection oven and then stained using Coomassie Blue. The color intensity, which was found to be proportional to the amount of protein immobilized, was determined using a desktop scanner. To highlight the importance of understanding the adsorption process to the rational development of μPADs, results were complemented by experiments performed with lysozyme and immunoglobulin G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the growth of nine Tithonia diversifolia materials, collected in central-eastern Cuba, an experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design, with ten replicates and under rainfed conditions. The indicators height of the plant (cm), number of leaves and branches, diameter of the stem (mm) and monitoring of pests and diseases were determined. All were taken every fortnight, for 12 weeks. The multivariate analysis showed that in the rainy season 89.41% of the variability was explained, and in the dry 95.58%. The variables of greatest preponderance in the rain were height, number of leaves and branches, and diameter of the stem, in the dry the height of the plant was emphasized, number of branches and diameter of the stem in the first component and in the other number of leaves all in positive relation. During the rain, materials 1, 5, 6 and 7 presented slow recovery after the cut and started with positive values from the fourth sampling. While 3, 8 and 9 do so markedly from the third sampling, the rest more paused. In dry, the structure indicator reached the highest values with materials 8 and 9 followed by 3, 4 and 5, and the minor ones 1 and 6. For the leaf indicator, the same behavior was observed. All materials reached negative values after the fifth sampling. It is concluded that the materials that exhibit more stable growth both in the rainy season and in dry season are 3, 8 and 9, and lower 1 and 6. It is recommended to develop other works with them in order to evaluate their growth curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety and depression are debilitating, costly psychological disorders that account for $133 billion in direct medical expenses per year in the United States. Finding alternative means of treatment to reduce the personal and financial burden for patients with these disorders, while maintaining patient safety, is vital for overall patient wellness. The purposes of this study were 2-fold: (1) to determine if pure eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) produces anxiolytic and/or antidepressant effects using rat models for anxiety and behavioral despair and (2) to determine the effects of eucalyptol at the benzodiazepine site on the y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor in the rat central nervous system. Fifty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups: vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide), eucalyptol, midazolam, flumazenil plus eucalyptol, and midazolam plus eucalyptol. Behavioral analyses were conducted on the elevated plus-maze and in the forced swim test. Data were analyzed using a 2-tailed multivariate analysis of variance and a least significant difference post hoc test. Data from the maze suggested eucalyptol may produce anxiolytic effects by acting at the benzodiazepine site on the GABAA receptor while not affecting psychomotor activity. However, no effects on behavioral despair were demonstrated in the Forced Swim test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-step approach for the synthesis and integration of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) onto paper-based carbon electrodes is herein reported. The method is based on the pyrolysis (1000 °C under a mixture of 95% Ar/5% H 2 for 1 h) of paper strips modified with a saturated solution of CuSO 4 and yields to the formation of abundant CuNPs on the surface of carbonized cellulose fibers. The resulting substrates were characterized by a combination of scanning electron microscopy, EDX, Raman spectroscopy as well as electrical and electrochemical techniques. Their potential application, as working electrodes for non-enzymatic amperometric determination of glucose, was then demonstrated (linear response up to 3 mM and a sensitivity of 460 ± 8 μA cm −2 mM −1 ). Besides being a simple and inexpensive process for the development of electrochemically-active substrates, this approach opens new possibilities for the in-situ synthesis of metallic nanoparticles without the traditional requirements of solutions and adjuvants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel passive focusing system for Air-Coupled Ultrasonic (ACU) piezoelectric transducers which is inspired by the Newtonian–Cassegrain (NC) telescope concept. It consist of a primary spherical mirror with an output hole and a flat secondary mirror, normal to the propagation axis, that is the transducer surface itself. The device is modeled and acoustic field is calculated showing a collimated beam with a symmetrical focus. A prototype according to this design is built and tested with an ACU piezoelectric transducer with center frequency at 400 kHz, high-sensitivity, wideband and 25 mm diameter flat aperture. The acoustic field is measured and compared with calculations. The presented prototype exhibit a 1.5 mm focus width and a collimated beam up to 15 mm off the output hole. In addition, the performance of this novel design is compared, both theoretically and experimentally, with two techniques used before for electrostatic transducers: the Fresnel Zone Plate – FZP and the off-axis parabolic or spherical mirror. The proposed NC arrangement has a coaxial design, which eases the transducers positioning and use in many applications, and is less bulky than off-axis mirrors. Unlike in off-axis mirrors, it is now possible to use a spherical primary mirror with minimum aberrations. FZP provides a more compact solution and is easy to build, but presents some background noise due to interference of waves diffracted at out of focus regions. By contrast, off-axis parabolic mirrors provide a well defined focus and are free from background noise, although they are bulky and more difficult to build. Spherical mirrors are more easily built, but this yields a non symmetric beam and a poorly defined focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article details the study of electrochemical behavior of new carbon electrodes based on pyrolysis of different paper sources to be used in biosensor applications. The resistivity of the pyrolyzed papers was initially used as screening parameters to select the best three paper samples (imaging card paper, multipurpose printing paper, and 3MM chromatography paper) and assemble working electrodes that were further characterized by a combination of microscopy, electrochemistry, and spectroscopy. Although slight differences in performance were observed, all carbon substrates fabricated from pyrolysis of paper allowed the development of competitive biosensors for uric acid. The presented results demonstrate the potential of these electrodes for sensing applications and highlight the potential advantages of 3MM chromatography paper as a substrate to fabricate electrodes by pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work a novel methodology for fracture toughness characterization by means of the small punch test (SPT) is presented. Notched specimens are employed and fracture resistance is assessed through a critical value of the notch mouth displacement δ SPT . Finite element simulations and interrupted experiments are used to track the evolution of δ SPT as a function of the punch displacement. The onset of crack propagation is identified by means of a ductile damage model and the outcome is compared to the crack tip opening displacement estimated from conventional tests at crack initiation. The proposed numerical–experimental scheme is examined with two different grades of CrMoV steel and the differences in material toughness captured. Limitations and uncertainties arising from the different damage phenomena observed in the lowest toughness material examined are thoroughly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injection of optimized chemistry water in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has gained much interest in the past few years. Crude oil-water interfaces can have a viscoelastic character affected by the adsorption of amphiphilic molecules. The brine concentration as well as surfactants may strongly affect the fluid-fluid interfacial viscoelasticity. In this work we investigate interfacial viscoelasticity of two different oils in terms of brine concentration and a nonionic surfactant. We correlate these measurements with oil recovery in a glass-etched flow microchannel. Interfacial viscoelasticity develops relatively fast in both oils, stabilizing at about 48 h. The interfaces are found to be more elastic than viscous. The interfacial elastic (G) and viscous (G) moduli increase as the salt concentration decreases until a maximum in viscoelasticity is observed around 0.01 wt % of salt. Monovalent (Na+) and divalent (Mg2+) cations are used to investigate the effect of ion type; no difference is observed at low salinity. The introduction of a small amount of a surfactant (100 ppm) increases the elasticity of the crude oil-water interface at high salt concentration. Aqueous solutions that give the maximum interface viscoelasticity and high salinity brines are used to displace oil in a glass-etched "porous media" micromodel. Pressure fluctuations after breakthrough are observed in systems with high salt concentration while at low salt concentration there are no appreciable pressure fluctuations. Oil recovery increases by 5-10% in low salinity brines. By using a small amount of a nonionic surfactant with high salinity brine, oil recovery is enhanced 10% with no pressure fluctuations. Interface elasticity reduces the snap-off of the oil phase, leading to reduced pressure fluctuations. This study sheds light on significance of interface viscoelasticity in oil recovery by change in salt concentration and by addition of a small amount of a nonionic surfactant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted in the Pastaza province, Ecuador, its aim was identify the main species used for human consumption on farms of Pastaza, Mera and Santa Clara cantons, comparing their reporting frequency depending on the canton and producer ethnia, for which a survey, consisting of aspects of identification of farmers, plants used in human food and ways of uses, which was applied to 214 producers in the province, corresponding to 30 % of producers identified was developed. Globally, 59 species were reported by canton bearing 32 species in Pastaza, 16 in Mera and 56 in Santa Clara, depending on the ethnia of the producer 44 species used by half-breeds and 46 species used by Kichwas were reported. 33 botanical families was obtained, Solanaceae and Arecaceae the highest number of species reported, frequency analysis reports through contingency tables with respect to the canton and producer ethnia, presented significant differences in the value of P for Pearson Chi Square statistics and Chi square MV-G2. The proportion comparison analysis showed nine species, being the highlights: Musa sp Schott, Manihot esculenta Crantz L. and Colocasia esculenta (L.), which are the most reported. It concludes that there is diversity in the use of plants for human consumption, in which variability is influenced by the canton components and the producer ethnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption behavior of hard andsoft proteins under the effectof an external electric field was investigated by a combination ofspectroscopic ellipsometry and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.Optically transparent carbon electrodes (OTCE) were used as conductive,sorbent substrates. Lysozyme (LSZ) and ribonuclease A (RNase A) wereselected as representative hard proteins, whereas myoglobin (Mb),α-lactalbumin (α-LAC), bovine serum albumin (BSA), glucoseoxidase (GOx), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were selected to representsoft proteins. In line with recent publications from our group, theexperimental results revealed that while the adsorption of all investigatedproteins can be enhanced by the potential applied to the electrode,the effect is more pronounced for hard proteins. In contrast withthe incomplete monolayers formed at open-circuit potential, the applicationof +800 mV to the sorbent surface induced the formation of multiplelayers of protein. These results suggest that this effect can be relatedto the intrinsic polarizability of the protein (induction of dipoles),the resulting surface accessible solvent area (SASA), and structuralrearrangements induced upon the incorporation on the protein layer.The described experiments are critical to understand the relationshipbetween the structure of proteins and their tendency to form (underelectric stimulation) layers with thicknesses that greatly surpassthose obtained at open-circuit conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparisons were undertaken to investigate cost-effective methods of implementing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) for sporozoite determination in anophelines when large numbers require processing. Comparisons between ELISA plate reader and visual assessments were performed with Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae s.l. ( Diptera: Culicidae), as were comparisons between whole-body mosquito samples, heads and thoraces, and abdomens alone. Rates obtained from pools of five or 10 mosquitoes were compared with those for individual mosquitoes, as were rates obtained using different sampling methods. A total of 41 792 An. funestus and 9431 An. gambiae s.l. collected in light traps, and 22 323 An. funestus and 6860 An. gambiae s.l . from exit collections were analysed. Visual assessments gave results similar to those of machine readings. Sporozoite rates were similar in both species, as were rates by collection method. The use of whole mosquitoes increased estimates of infection rate by 0.6%. Pool size did not affect infection rates of An. gambiae s.l., but rates were higher among individually tested An. funestus than among those tested in pools. For large-scale surveys, the use of whole mosquitoes in pools of 10 mosquitoes, with correction for overestimation, and the noting of results according to a simple three-stage visual assessment of positivity is the most cost-effective approach and is sufficient to obtain reliable data for comparative purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global fits explore different parameter regions of a given model and apply constraints obtained at many energy scales. This makes it challenging to perform global fits of simplified models, which may not be valid at high energies. In this study, we derive a unitarity bound for a simplified vector dark matter model with an s-channel vector mediator and apply it to global fits of this model with GAMBIT in order to correctly interpret missing energy searches at the LHC. Two parameter space regions emerge as consistent with all experimental constraints, corresponding to different annihilation modes of the dark matter. We show that although these models are subject to strong validity constraints, they are currently most strongly constrained by measurements less sensitive to the high-energy behaviour of the theory. Understanding when these models cannot be consistently studied will become increasingly relevant as they are applied to LHC Run 3 data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the adsorption of glucose oxidase (GOx) onto optically transparent carbon electrodes (OTCE) under the effect of applied potential and the analysis of the enzymatic activity of the resulting GOx/OTCE substrates. In order to avoid electrochemical interferences with the enzyme redox center, control electrochemical experiments were performed using flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and GOx/OTCE substrates. Then, the enzyme adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of the potential applied (ranged from the open circuit potential to +950 mV), the pH solution, the concentration of enzyme, and the ionic strength on the environment. The experimental results demonstrated that an increase in the adsorbed amount of GOx on the OTCE can be achieved when the potential was applied. Although the increase in the adsorbed amount was examined as a function of the potential, a maximum enzymatic activity was observed in the GOx/OTCE substrate achieved at +800 mV. These experiments suggest that although an increase in the amount of enzyme adsorbed can be obtained by the application of an external potential to the electrode, the magnitude of such potential can produce detrimental effects in the conformation of the adsorbed protein and should be carefully considered. As such, the article describes a simple and rational approach to increase the amount of enzyme adsorbed on a surface and can be applied to improve the sensitivity of a variety of biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Tests for different flow conditions to determine effect of flow on copper release. [•] Abiotic: influence of the flow on the rate of copper release not on total mass. [•] Biotic: the total mass of Cu released was 10times higher than abiotic conditions. [•] Higher flow velocities enhance the presence of larger size copper particles released. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the design, construction and characterization of air-coupled piezoelectric transducers using 1-3 connectivity piezocomposite disks with a stack of matching layers being the outer one an active quarter wavelength layer made of polypropylene foam ferroelectret film. This kind of material has shown a stable piezoelectric response together with a very low acoustic impedance (<0.1 MRayl). These features make them a suitable candidate for the dual use or function proposed here: impedance matching layer and active material for air-coupled transduction. The transducer centre frequency is determined by the ƛ/4 resonance of the polypropylene foam ferroelectret film (0.35 MHz), then, the rest of the transducer components (piezocomposite disk and passive intermediate matching layers) are all tuned to this frequency. The transducer has been tested in several working modes including pulse-echo and pitch-catch as well as wide and narrow band excitation. The performance of the proposed novel transducer is compared with that of a conventional air-coupled transducers operating in a similar frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describesa simple, versatile, and inexpensive procedureto prepare optically transparent carbon electrodes, using proteinsas precursors. Upon adsorption, the protein-coated substrates werepyrolyzed under reductive conditions (5% H2) to form ultrathin,conductive electrodes. Because proteins spontaneously adsorb to interfacesforming uniform layers, the proposed method does not require a precisecontrol of the preparation conditions, specialized instrumentation,or expensive precursors. The resulting electrodes were characterizedby a combination of electrochemical, optical, and spectroscopic means.As a proof-of-concept, the optically transparent electrodes were alsoused as substrate for the development of an electrochemical glucosebiosensor. The proposed films represent a convenient alternative tomore sophisticated, and less available, carbon-based nanomaterials.Furthermore, these films could be formed on a variety of substrates,without classical limitations of size or shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Worldwide, wild bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are experiencing marked declines, with potentially up to 11% of species currently under threat. Recent studies from North America suggest that disease transmission from commercially reared bumble bees to wild populations has led to marked range contractions in some species. In Europe, data on the prevalence of pathogen spillover from commercial to wild bumble bee populations is lacking, despite the widespread production and transport of hives within the EU since the early 1980s. We determined the permeability of cropping systems to commercial bumble bees, and quantified the prevalence of four pathogens in commercial Bombus terrestris hives and adjacent conspecific populations at increasing distances from greenhouses in Ireland. Commercial bumble bees collected from 31% to 97% of non-crop pollen, depending on the cropping system, and hives had markedly higher frequencies of two gut parasites, Crithidia spp. and Nosema bombi, compared to adjacent populations, but were free of tracheal mites. The highest prevalence of Crithida was observed within 2km of greenhouses and the probability of infection declined in a host sex- and pathogen-specific manner up to 10km. We suggest implementing measures that prevent the interaction of commercially reared and wild bumble bees by integrating the enforcement of national best management practices for users of commercial pollinators with international legislation that regulates the sanitation of commercial hives in production facilities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the current context of global habitat loss, a fundamental challenge is to understand how ecological processes interact to determine community composition. Despite the accumulating evidence base for global declines in bee populations, few studies have addressed the relative importance of local environmental and large-scale spatial factors in maintaining diverse bee communities outside of agricultural habitats, and particularly in areas protected for nature conservation., We analysed bee community data that we collected from 40 Special Areas of Conservation representing five distinct European Natura 2000 priority habitats in Ireland, quantifying local habitat features within each site and surrounding land-use. Species data were collected in a nested sampling design composed of three hierarchical levels such as 'site', 'habitat' and 'region' and analysed using diversity partitioning. The species-environment relationship was also decomposed into regional-, landscape- and local-scales by variance partitioning using partial canonical correspondence analysis., Wild bee species richness and abundance were highly dependent on habitat type, but the majority of regional diversity was contained within sites, as opposed to species turnover across sites and regions. Bee communities were primarily structured by local-scale factors associated with nesting resources and grazing regime, with non- Bombus taxa being more sensitive to landscape-scale differences in adjacent habitats than Bombus taxa. Regional-scale processes, such as species sorting along longitudinal gradients, were of minor importance in structuring bee communities in this system., Synthesis and applications. Within habitats, local species richness, rather than species turnover at higher spatial scales, accounted for the majority of regional bee diversity. Local environmental factors were powerful determinants of community composition. Therefore, management effort prioritising the maintenance of a diversity of high-quality habitats within a broad network of protected areas best facilitates bee conservation in this system. At a regional level, schemes for conserving and restoring important bee habitats must be habitat- and taxon-specific, as the impact of individual local-scale factors and surrounding land-use on community composition is highly habitat- and taxon-dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mortality rates, determined by dissection, of predominantly M form female Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) were estimated. Mosquitoes were collected in tent traps and light traps in an irrigation project village in Ghana in June and July 2010, when much of the area was flooded. Both M and S form larvae were collected from rice fields (74 of 80 specimens were M form). Adults were collected in equal proportions from the two traps (90 of 107 specimens from the light trap and 106 of 116 specimens from the tent trap were M form). During the study, collection numbers rose from 105 to 972 per night. A total of 1787 of the 15 431 An. gambiae collected were dissected. Of these, 953 (53%) were found to have taken their first bloodmeal, either as virgins or following mating. The age profiles of mosquitoes collected alive and dead, respectively, were similar. Eighteen of 2933 (0.61 ± 0.49%) specimens were found to be positive for sporozoites in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lagged cross correlations among the different age groups implied that the mosquitoes fed on days 2 and 4 following emergence prior to oviposition and every 2.65 ± 0.17 days thereafter. The best model to describe the observed population patterns implied a daily mortality of 84%. The results are discussed in relation to possible mosquito control measures for the village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The analytical response of amperometric glucose electrodes was explained in the framework of the properties of hydrogels with different muc/chit ratio at pH = 7.00 used as immobilization matrix for glucose oxidase. The continuous increase in the sensitivity of the electrodes with the amount of chitosan was attributed to a more efficient crosslinking without affecting the enzyme activity. The results were compared with those obtained using the same matrices to immobilize Oxalate Oxidase at pH = 2.85 where it has the highest activity. A maximum sensitivity at muc/chit 70/30 ratio for these oxalate electrodes was observed. Decrease in permeability of negatively charged oxalate with the chitosan content in the matrices, in spite of the high partition coefficient, explains the analytical differences with glucose electrodes. Swelling and viscoelasticity of the hydrogels allowed to asses the importance of a hydrophilic environment for the enzyme in both cases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cryptic diversity within bumblebees (Bombus) has the potential to undermine crucial conservation efforts designed to reverse the observed decline in many bumblebee species worldwide. Central to such efforts is the ability to correctly recognise and diagnose species. The B. lucorum complex (Bombus lucorum, B. cryptarum and B. magnus) comprises one of the most abundant and important group of wild plant and crop pollinators in northern Europe. Although the workers of these species are notoriously difficult to diagnose morphologically, it has been claimed that queens are readily diagnosable from morphological characters. Here we assess the value of colour-pattern characters in species identification of DNA-barcoded queens from the B. lucorum complex. Three distinct molecular operational taxonomic units were identified each representing one species. However, no uniquely diagnostic colour-pattern character state was found for any of these three molecular units and most colour-pattern characters showed continuous variation among the units. All characters previously deemed to be unique and diagnostic for one species were displayed by specimens molecularly identified as a different species. These results presented here raise questions on the reliability of species determinations in previous studies and highlights the benefits of implementing DNA barcoding prior to ecological, taxonomic and conservation studies of these important key pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Using a hybrid method that combines non-radiative hydrodynamical simulations with a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation, we determine the ram pressure experienced by galaxies in haloes with virial masses 12.5 ≤ log ( M200/ h−1 M⊙) < 15.35 as a function of the halocentric distance, for redshifts 0 ≤ z≤ 3. The ram pressure is calculated with a self-consistent method that uses the simulation gas particles to obtain the properties of the intergalactic medium. The ram pressure profiles obtained can be well described by beta profile models, with parameters that depend on redshift and halo virial mass in a simple fashion. The fitting formulae provided here will prove useful to include ram pressure effects into semi-analytic models based on methods that lack gas physics, such as dark-matter-only simulations or the Press-Schechter formalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, there is concern over the decline of bees, an ecologically important group of pollinating insects. Genetic studies provide insights into population structure that are crucial for conservation management but that would be impossible to obtain by conventional ecological methods. Yet conservation genetic studies of bees have primarily focussed on social species rather than the more species-rich solitary bees. Here, we investigate the population structure of Colletes floralis, a rare and threatened solitary mining bee, in Ireland and Scotland using nine microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity was surprisingly as high in Scottish (Hebridean island) populations at the extreme northwestern edge of the species range as in mainland Irish populations further south. Extremely high genetic differentiation among populations was detected; multilocus F was up to 0.53, and and D were even higher (maximum: 0.85 and 1.00, respectively). A pattern of isolation by distance was evident for sites separated by land. Water appears to act as a substantial barrier to gene flow yet sites separated by sea did not exhibit isolation by distance. C. floralis populations are extremely isolated and probably not in regional migration-drift equilibrium. GIS-based landscape genetic analysis reveals urban areas as a potential and substantial barrier to gene flow. Our results highlight the need for urgent site-specific management action to halt the decline of this and potentially other rare solitary bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a new numerical approach to describe the action of ram pressure stripping (RPS) within a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation and evolution which works in combination with non-radiative hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters. The new feature in our method is the use of the gas particles to obtain the kinematical and thermodynamical properties of the intragroup and intracluster medium (ICM). This allows a self-consistent estimation of the RPS experienced by satellite galaxies. We find that the ram pressure in the central regions of clusters increases approximately one order of magnitude between and 0, consistent with the increase in the density of the ICM. The mean ram pressure experienced by galaxies within the virial radius increases with decreasing redshift. In clusters with virial masses , over 50 per cent of satellite galaxies have experienced ram pressures dyn cm or higher for . In smaller clusters () the mean ram pressures are approximately one order of magnitude lower at all redshifts. RPS has a strong effect on the cold gas content of galaxies for all cluster masses. At , over 70 per cent of satellite galaxies within the virial radius are completely depleted of cold gas. For the more massive clusters the fraction of depleted galaxies is already established at , whereas for the smaller clusters this fraction increases appreciably between and 0. This indicates that the rate at which the cold gas is stripped depends on the virial mass of the host cluster. Compared to our new approach, the use of an analytic profile to describe the ICM results in an overestimation of the ram pressure larger than 50 per cent for . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A method that combines transmission of air-coupled ultrasound pulses through solid plates and amplitude and phase spectral analysis is presented. In particular, the method analyzes the first thickness resonance of the plates. The purpose is to determine, simultaneously, velocity and attenuation coefficient of the ultrasounds in the material and the thickness of the plate. This is especially useful when thickness can not be measured independently. The method is successfully applied to soft membranes, biological samples and FRP composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Immobilization conditions of biomolecules play an important role in a biosensor performance. In this paper the response of amperometric electrodes for oxalate is related with some physicochemical properties of the matrices where oxalate oxidase was immobilized. Swelling indexes, partition coefficients and permeability of oxalate in mucin/chitosan matrices in a pH=2.85 succinic acid solution were measured. These properties were also determined in the 70/30 mucin/chitosan matrix in solutions containing succinic acid and sulfate or chloride anions at the same pH value. The results indicate that the sensitivity of the biosensors is mainly determined by the swelling index of the matrix. High slopes of the calibration curves of the electrodes were obtained with highly swollen matrices indicating the importance of a hydrophilic environment for a good enzymatic response. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The propagation of ultrasonic waves in the cylindrical micro-pores (pore diam. <1 μm) of ion-track membranes (ITMs) is studied. This membrane fabrication technique provides unique possibilities to obtain cylindrical micro-pores with a very high degree of accuracy in pore shape, size, and orientation. Several ITMs were specially produced having the same pore diameter, orientation, and geometry, but different thickness. Porosity, pore diameter, and shape were determined using scanning electron microscopy, and then the coefficient of ultrasound transmission was measured using air coupling and spectral analysis. These experimental conditions permit us to eliminate the influence of the boundary conditions and to achieve a strong decoupling between the fluid filling the pores and the solid constituent of the membrane. Hence, the velocity and the attenuation coefficient for ultrasound propagation in the pores can be measured. These parameters are compared with the predictions made by conventional theories for sound propagation in porous media and in cylindrical channels. The conclusions of this work provide a better understanding of wave propagation in micro-pores and establish the basis of an ultrasonic porometry technique for ITMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se presentan los temas abordados en este número de la revista que enfocan en aspectos de la bioética como su relación con la ética,la filosofía y la naturaleza humana.

Firewalls and network intrusion detection systems (NIDSs) are widely used to secure computer networks. Given a network that deploys multiple firewalls and NIDSs, ensuring that these security components are correctly configured is a challenging problem. Although models have been developed to reason independently about the effectiveness of firewalls and NIDSs, there is no common framework to analyze their interaction. This paper presents an integrated, constraint-based approach for modeling and reasoning about these configurations. Our approach considers the dependencies among the two types of components, and can reason automatically about their combined behavior. We have developed a tool for the specification and verification of networks that include multiple firewalls and NIDSs, based on this approach. This tool can also be used to automatically generate NIDS configurations that are optimal relative to a given cost function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A World Conservation Union (IUCN) regional red list is an objective assessment of regional extinction risk and is not the same as a list of conservation priority species. Recent research reveals the widespread, but incorrect, assumption that IUCN Red List categories represent a hierarchical list of priorities for conservation action. We developed a simple eight-step priority-setting process and applied it to the conservation of bees in Ireland. Our model is based on the national red list but also considers the global significance of the national population; the conservation status at global, continental, and regional levels; key biological, economic, and societal factors; and is compatible with existing conservation agreements and legislation. Throughout Ireland, almost one-third of the bee fauna is threatened (30 of 100 species), but our methodology resulted in a reduced list of only 17 priority species. We did not use the priority species list to broadly categorize species to the conservation action required; instead, we indicated the individual action required for all threatened, near-threatened, and data-deficient species on the national red list based on the IUCN's conservation-actions template file. Priority species lists will strongly influence prioritization of conservation actions at national levels, but action should not be exclusive to listed species. In addition, all species on this list will not necessarily require immediate action. Our method is transparent, reproducible, and readily applicable to other taxa and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bees are believed to be in decline across many of the world’s ecosystems. Recent studies on British bumblebees proposed alternative theories to explain declines. One study suggested that greater dietary specialization among the rarer bumblebee species makes them more susceptible to decline. A second study disputed this theory and found that declines in British bumblebees were correlated with the size of species’ European ranges, leading to the suggestion that climate and habitat specialization may be better indicators of the risk of decline. Here we use a new and independent dataset based on Irish bumblebees to test the generality of these theories. We found that most of the same bumblebee species are declining across the British Isles, but that, within Ireland, a simple food-plant specialization model is inadequate to explain these declines. Furthermore, we found no evidence of a relationship between declines in Irish bumblebees and the size of species’ European ranges. However, we demonstrate that the late emerging species have declined in Ireland (and in Britain), and that these species show a statistically significant westward shift to the extremity of their range, probably as a result of changing land use. Irish data support the finding that rare and declining bumblebees are later nesting species, associated with open grassy habitats. We suggest that the widespread replacement of hay with silage in the agricultural landscape, which results in earlier and more frequent mowing and a reduction in late summer wildflowers, has played a major role in bumblebee declines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

El texto reflexiona sobre el sentido de los verbos creer y confiar, y responde a la pregunta de por qué estamos dispuestos a creer y a confiar en lo que alguien nos dice. Para tales fines, se analizan las dos acciones paradigmáticas en las que creencia y confianza son requeridas de la manera más extrema: el testimonio de fe y la promesa mesiánica, desde los cuales podrá comprenderse lo que significa la confianza entre los seres humanos. Mediante esta reflexión se mostrarán las raíces del acto de confiar, el origen de la confianza, que está más acá de la experiencia religiosa y que en realidad la funda en su posibilidad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]