Dew condensation on desert beetle skin Guadarrama-Cetina, J.; Mongruel, A.; Medici, M. -G. ...
The European physical journal. E, Soft matter and biological physics,
11/2014, Letnik:
37, Številka:
11
Journal Article
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Some tenebrionind beetles inhabiting the Namib desert are known for using their body to collect water droplets from wind-blown fogs. We aim to determine whether dew water collection is also possible ...for desert insects. For this purpose, we investigated the infra-red emissivity, and the wetting and structural properties, of the surface of the elytra of a preserved specimen of
Physasterna cribripes
(Tenebrionidæ) beetle, where the macro-structure appears as a series of “bumps”, with “valleys” between them. Dew formation experiments were carried out in a condensation chamber. The surface properties (infra-red emissivity, wetting properties) were dominated by the wax at the elytra surface and, to a lower extent, its micro-structure. We performed scanning electron microscope on histological sections and determined the infra-red emissivity using a scanning pyrometer. The emissivity measured (0.95±0.07 between 8–14μm) was close to the black body value. Dew formation occurred on the insect’s elytra, which can be explained by these surface properties. From the surface coverage of the condensed drops it was found that dew forms primarily in the valleys between the bumps. The difference in droplet nucleation rate between bumps and valleys can be attributed to the hexagonal microstructure on the surface of the valleys, whereas the surface of the bumps is smooth. The drops can slide when they reach a critical size, and be collected at the insect's mouth.
Graphical abstract
•A new web-based tool for the cost-benefit analysis of precision farming technologies is described.•The tool provides guidance for farmers on decisions to invest in new precision farming ...technology.•The tool is characterized by open access and high adaptability.
To develop precision agriculture (PA) to its full potential and make agriculture progress toward sustainability and resilience, appropriate criteria for the economic assessment are recognised as being one of the most significant issues requiring urgent and ongoing attention. In this work, we develop a web-tool supporting the assessment of the net economic benefits of integrating precision farming technologies in different contexts. The methodological approach of the tool is accessible to any agricultural stakeholder through a guided process that allows to evaluate and compare precision agriculture technologies with conventional systems, leading the final user to assess the financial viability and environmental impact resulting from the potential implementation of various precision agriculture technologies in his farm. The web-tool is designed to provide guidelines for farmers over their decisions to invest in selected PA technologies, by increasing the knowledge level about novel technologies characteristics and the related benefits. Possible input reduction also offers the possibility to investigate the mitigation of environmental impacts.
METHODS, DATA AND TOOLS FOR FACILITATING A 3D CULTURAL HERITAGE SPACE Farella, E. M.; Rigon, S.; Remondino, F. ...
International archives of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences.,
02/2024, Letnik:
XLVIII-2/W4-2024
Journal Article, Conference Proceeding
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In recent years, the cultural heritage (CH) sector has experienced a rapid evolution due to the introduction of increasingly powerful digital technologies and ICT (Information and Communication ...Technologies) solutions. As for many other domains, digital data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Extended Reality (XR) are opening up extraordinary opportunities for expanding heritage knowledge capabilities while boosting the research on innovative solutions for its valorisation and preservation. Being aware of the fundamental and strategic role of CH in the history and identity of the European countries, the European Commission has assumed a central role in fuelling the policy debate and putting together stakeholders to take a step forward in CH digitization and use, primarily through initiatives, programs, and recommendations. Within this framework, the ongoing European 5DCulture project (https://www.5dculture.eu/) has been funded to enrich the offer of 3D CH digital assets in the common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage by creating high-quality 3D contents and to foster their re-use in several sectors, from tourism to education. Through 8 re-use scenarios around historic buildings and cityscapes, archaeology, and fashion, the project aims to deliver a set of digital tools and increase the capacity of CH institutions to more effectively re-use their 3D digital assets.
Background: To reduce side-effects of corticosteroid-containing antiemetic regimens, tailoring antiemetic schedules to specific requirements of different patients could be of benefit. We evaluated ...the possibility to reduce the total dose of corticosteroids when palonosetron, a long-acting second-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist, is used.
Materials and methods: Double-blind, multicentre, noninferiority study of chemotherapy-naive breast cancer patients receiving 0.25mg palonosetron and 8mg dexamethasone on day 1, randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 151) or 4mg b.i.d. dexamethasone (n = 149) on days 2 and 3. Primary end point was complete response (CR) rate (no emesis, no rescue medication) in the overall (days 1–5) period. Secondary end points were CR rates in the acute (day 1) and delayed (days 2–5) periods, rates of no emesis and no nausea and impact on daily functioning (Functional Living Index-Emesis).
Results: Noninferiority between the two treatments was demonstrated by similar CR rates (P = 0.487) in the overall period. Most parameters showed that palonosetron and dexamethasone on day 1 only offer chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting protection similar to multiple-day dexamethasone administration.
Conclusion: In patients treated with a single injection of palonosetron on day 1, reducing dexamethasone is an option that is not associated with significant reduction in antiemetic control during the 5-day period or an impact on patient functioning.
The generation of high quality 3D models can be still very time-consuming and expensive, and the outcome of digital reconstructions is frequently provided in formats that are not interoperable, and ...therefore cannot be easily accessed. This challenge is even more crucial for complex architectures and large heritage sites, which involve a large amount of data to be acquired, managed and enriched by metadata. In this framework, the ongoing EU funded project INCEPTION – Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe through 3D semantic modelling proposes a workflow aimed at the achievements of efficient 3D digitization methods, post-processing tools for an enriched semantic modelling, web-based solutions and applications to ensure a wide access to experts and non-experts. In order to face these challenges and to start solving the issue of the large amount of captured data and time-consuming processes in the production of 3D digital models, an Optimized Data Acquisition Protocol (DAP) has been set up. The purpose is to guide the processes of digitization of cultural heritage, respecting needs, requirements and specificities of cultural assets.
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