•Mn1−xCrxCoGe (x=0.04 and 0.11) melt-spun ribbons were prepared and studied.•The MT and FM transition of austenite were merged at RT by the annealing conditions.•Large MCE with broader δTFWHM and a ...higher RC than bulk alloys has been obtained.
Recently, MnNiGe and MnCoGe intermetallic compounds have received a considerable attention due to the coupled tunable martensitic and magnetic transitions as well as giant magnetocaloric effect (MCE) they exhibit. In this work, by doping with Cr and varying of the annealing regime, a merged magnetostructural transition between a ferromagnetic orthorhombic and a paramagnetic hexagonal structure was received near room temperature in Mn1−xCrxCoGe melt-spun ribbons with x=0.04 and 0.11. Structural and magnetic characterizations have been performed by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and magnetization measurements. It is found that, in ribbons with x=0.04 (0.11) annealed at 1148K, the peak value of the magnetic entropy change and the refrigerant capacity through the orthorhombic to hexagonal transition strongly increase with the annealing time from 7.3 (9.4) Jkg−1K−1 to 10.6 (13.7) Jkg−1K−1 and from 182 (235) Jkg−1 to 214 (267) Jkg−1, respectively, at 5T for the time increase from 4h to 8h. Compared to bulk alloys of similar composition, the fabricated melt-spun ribbons show much broader working temperature range and a higher cooling efficiency.
In this work, we present the implementation and verification of HiGTree-HiGFlow solver (see for numerical simulation of the KBKZ integral constitutive equation. The numerical method proposed herein ...is a finite difference technique using tree-based grids. The advantage of using hierarchical grids is that they allow us to achieve great accuracy in local mesh refinements. A moving least squares (MLS) interpolation technique is used to adapt the discretization stencil near the interfaces between grid elements of different sizes. The momentum and mass conservation equations are solved by an implicit method and the Chorin projection method is used for decoupling the velocity and pressure. The Finger tensor is calculated using the deformation fields method and a three-node quadrature formula is used to derive an expression for the integral tensor. The results of velocity and stress fields in channel and contraction-flow problems obtained in our simulations show good agreement with numerical and experimental results found in the literature.
Aims. We aim to study equatorial disks in rotation and axial outflows in post-AGB objects so as to disclose the formation and shaping mechanisms in planetary nebulae. So far, both disks and outflows ...have not been observed simultaneously. Methods. We obtained high-quality ALMA observations of 12CO and 13CO J = 3−2 and 12CO J = 6−5 line emission in the Red Rectangle, the only post-AGB/protoplanetary object for which a disk in rotation has been mapped. Results. These observations provide an unprecedented description of the complex structure of this source. Together with an equatorial disk in rotation, we find a low-velocity outflow that more or less occupies the region situated between the disk and the optical X-shaped nebula. From our observations and preliminary modeling of the data, we confirm the previously known properties of the disk and obtain a first description of the structure, dynamics, and physical conditions of the outflow.
En este estudio, basándonos en evidencias morfológicas y moleculares, describimos una nueva especie del género Pristimantis que habita en las montañas y valles áridos de la provincia del Azuay, ...incluyendo zonas urbanas y periurbanas de la ciudad de Cuenca. La nueva especie se destaca por presentar una textura dermal externa fuertemente granulada, una papilla proyectada en la punta del hocico y un canto de advertencia que consiste en series combinadas de tres y dos notas, Morfológicamente, la nueva especie es similar con P. cajamarcensis, P. ceuthospilus, P. jimenezi, P. lojanus, P. phoxocephalus y P torresi, por presentar una quilla en la punta del hocico, sin embargo, su textura dermal fuertemente granular, ausencia de tubérculos, y su coloración rosácea con reticulaciones irregulares oscuras y una características barra interorbital blanca, la distinguen de estas especies. Con P. cajamarcensis, P. ceuthopilus y otras dos especies con incertidumbre taxonómica, forma un clado distribuido en el sur de Ecuador y norte de Perú. Nuestros resultados resaltan la importancia de aumentar estudios taxonómicos a fin de documentar eficazmente la biodiversidad en la región andina, así como, la importancia de desarrollar planes de monitoreo y conservación que incluyan a especies que habitan en áreas urbanas y semiurbanas.
The worrying rise in antibiotic resistances emphasizes the need to seek new approaches for treating and preventing periodontal diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial ...and anti-biofilm activity of cranberry in a validated in vitro biofilm model. After chemical characterization of a selected phenolic-rich cranberry extract, its values for minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were calculated for the six bacteria forming the biofilm (
,
,
,
,
, and
). Antibacterial activity of the cranberry extract in the formed biofilm was evaluated by assessing the reduction in bacteria viability, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) combined with propidium monoazide (PMA), and by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and anti-biofilm activity by studying the inhibition of the incorporation of different bacteria species in biofilms formed in the presence of the cranberry extract, using qPCR and CLSM. In planktonic state, bacteria viability was significantly reduced by cranberry (
< 0.05). When growing in biofilms, a significant effect was observed against initial and early colonizers (
(
≤ 0.017),
(
= 0.006) and
(
= 0.010)) after 30 or 60 s of exposure, while no significant effects were detected against periodontal pathogens (
,
or
(
> 0.05)). Conversely, cranberry significantly (
< 0.001 in all cases) interfered with the incorporation of five of the six bacteria species during the development of 6 h-biofilms, including
,
, and
. It was concluded that cranberry had a moderate antibacterial effect against periodontal pathogens in biofilms, but relevant anti-biofilm properties, by affecting bacteria adhesion in the first 6 h of development of biofilms.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen health communication in times of crisis. This study aims to analyze the media agenda of press conferences on COVID-19 in ...Mexico during the first two phases of the pandemic, based on journalists’ questions. The study is based on framing theory. The method used was content analysis from a quantitative perspective. This method was explicitly applied to the final section of the conferences, which dealt with “questions from the press.” The results show that at the beginning of the pandemic, the press was more interested in the government’s management of the health crisis than in issues such as the prevention of the disease itself or the economic impact of the crisis on the country. Moreover, the main characteristic of the questions was that they were generally socially relevant. In conclusion, we found that in the media agenda of the Mexican conference, the frame of attribution of responsibility was prominent but in combination with the frames of conflict, human interest, morality, and economic consequences.
Land conversion is causing habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide, particularly in Africa, where the proliferation of agricultural development corridors may threaten vital areas for ecological ...connectivity and wildlife survival. To conserve connectivity, careful landscape planning is necessary, which strongly relies on remotely sensed land cover maps. Here, we present a remote sensing‐based framework that efficiently identifies priority locations for connectivity conservation. We applied the framework in the Kilombero catchment and development cluster of the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor (SAGCOT) in Tanzania, where new agricultural development projects could act as barriers for connectivity. Using satellite imagery from Sentinel‐1 and 2, we mapped the mixture of mountain and lowland land covers and habitats with an overall accuracy of 75%. Then, we assessed ecological connectivity to predict African elephant corridors and prioritize them in two ways. First, we identified elephant corridors that contribute the most to current landscape connectivity, and second, we identified those whose restoration would significantly enhance landscape functionality and improve the current connectivity level. We mapped 214 potential elephant corridors, identified 43 of them as priority for conservation, and 43 as target for restoration. Our model predicted four already known corridor areas in and around the Kilombero valley floodplain, and other important corridors not yet identified by previous studies in the south of the basin. Priority elephant corridors inside the floodplain showed narrow widths and low permeability, indicating low functionality in the connectivity network. Nevertheless, the abundance of priority corridors for restoration suggests that connectivity could be recovered if the recommended measures are applied during SAGCOT planning and implementation process. Our findings demonstrate the possibilities of combining multispectral and radar data for guiding biodiversity management in development corridors and for assessing ecological connectivity worldwide.
We present a broadly applicable approach that combines Sentinel‐1 and 2 imagery to identify priority locations to protect and restore ecological connectivity. Our approach involves the production of land cover and habitat maps with enough spatial and thematic resolution to predict wildlife corridors and prioritize them based on their current and potential importance for connectivity. We tested the approach with the African elephant in the Kilombero catchment (Tanzania), where a development corridor will bring new agricultural and infrastructure projects that could act as barriers for elephant dispersal. We found multiple elephant corridors with an unprecedented level of detail in the region. Moreover, we prioritized those that should be protected and restored to secure the functionality of the connectivity network during the development corridor implementation process. These findings demonstrate the capabilities of our approach and support the potential of combining Sentinel‐1 and 2 imagery for mapping and assessing connectivity.
Abstract
Objectives
To project future smoking prevalence rates in Spain by sex and age groups using Bayesian methods and to estimate the probability of a 30% relative reduction between 2010 and 2025.
...Methods
We used the data from the Spanish National Health Surveys (2003, 2006, and 2011) to obtain information about current and former smoking. We reconstructed annual smoking rates from 1989 through 2011 by sex and 5-year age groups. The prevalence were projected for the period 2012–2025 using a Bayesian logistic binomial model and estimated the probability to achieve the 30% relative reduction endorsed by the WHO. We calculated the 95% credible interval (CrI) of the posterior distribution, which includes a 95% of the distribution of potential smoking prevalences.
Results
In men, the projections show a decline for crude (−2.64% annually, 95% CrI: −3.32; −1.97) and adjusted (−2.50%, 95% CrI:−3.14; −1.87) prevalence. In women, the projections show a decline for crude prevalence (−0.36%, 95% CrI: −1.02; −0.30)) and the age-adjusted prevalence (−1.02%, 95% CrI: −1.61, −0.47). By age groups, the decline is greater among women aged 15–39 years (−3.92%, 95% CrI: −4.92; −2.96)) while for women aged 40–64 years an increase (1.84%, 95% CrI: 1.06; 2.58) is expected. In men, the probability to achieve the WHO target is 0.728 and in women is less than 0.001. The age group 15–39 shows the highest probability to achieve the target.
Conclusions
The results suggest smoking prevalence will decrease during 2012–2025 in all age groups for both sexes except for women aged 40–64. We found that the WHO target of a 30% reduction in prevalence is likely to be achieved overall and in the 15–39 years age groups for both sexes, but not achieved for older women and it is uncertain whether it will be achieved for older men. These results highlight the need to strengthen public health interventions that focus on reducing tobacco use in adult women aged 40–64 years old.
Implications
We project a decrease in smoking prevalence in during 2012–2025 except for women aged 40–64.
The WHO Target of a 30% relative reduction could be achieved in the population aged 15–39; but not in women and the results are inconclusive in men.
These results highlight the need to strengthen public health interventions that focus on reducing tobacco use in adult women aged 40–64 years old.
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