•Spatial mismatches between ecosystem services supply and demand increase over time due to urban sprawl and population growth.•Maps of supply-demand mismatches provide insights for land-use planning ...beyond administrative boundaries.•High-resolution quantitative methods of ecosystem services mapping facilitate multiscale land-use planning.
Global trends in land-use changes, including urbanization and abandonment of rural areas, have important repercussions for the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ES). In this study, we assessed and mapped the supply and demand of three ES (water provision, climate regulation, and outdoor recreation) along an urban-rural gradient in the Madrid region (Spain) from 1990 to 2012. We mapped ES supply, based on land use/land cover (LULC) data, using InVEST models and complementary methods, and ES demand, using population density and demand indicators. Then, we explored spatial supply-demand mismatches at a municipality spatial scale. Despite an increase in ES supply in some areas, a general increase in ES demand led to increasing dependence by the Madrid metropolitan area on outlying areas. We found that the number of municipalities that exhibited mismatches between the supply and demand in ES increased throughout the study period, due mainly to urban sprawl. Our results suggest the need for comprehensive land-use planning at the regional scale, taking into account that many ES flows reach beyond municipality boundaries. Finally, we discuss the utility of analyzing spatial mismatches in the supply and demand of ES for land-use planning and decision-making.
We tested whether periconceptional nutrition with cladodes from the cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica, with or without protein-enrichment, improved the metabolomic profile and reproductive outcomes of ...adult female sheep. Sixty Rambouillet ewes of similar body weight were randomly allocated among three nutritional treatments that were fed during the breeding period (34 days): Control (Control; n = 20), Opuntia (Opuntia; n = 20) and protein-enriched Opuntia (E-Opuntia; n = 20). There were no effects of treatment on body weight but assessment of urine samples indicated that, for 76 metabolites, the Control and Opuntia groups differed completely (P < 0.05), whereas there was overlap between the Control and E-Opuntia groups. It appears that, in Opuntia-fed and Control-fed sheep, different functional groups are activated leading to changes in the metabolism of glucose, tyrosine, methane, and glycerolipids. Fertility and reproductive rate tended to be higher in the Opuntia (70% and 95%) and E-Opuntia (90% and 110%) groups than in the Control (55% and 65%), and an orthogonal contrast revealed the difference between Control and Opuntia to be significant for both reproductive variables (P < 0.05). We conclude that nutritional supplementation with Opuntia cladodes, with or without protein enrichment, increased fertility rate and reproductive rate of female sheep, without any accompanying increases in body weight. Our observations suggest that the reproductive responses to Opuntia do not simply reflect a response to good nutrition, but might be caused by specific metabolites/metabolomic pathways, perhaps by an activation of the metabolism of glucose, methane, tyrosine and glycerolipids. There are few reports relating these metabolomic compounds with the metabolism of the sheep, let alone with reproductive efficiency. The novelty of these discoveries suggests that we need further research into the mechanisms through which nutrition affects the reproductive system.
Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in varied applications, which are morphology dependent. Consequently, a morphology-controlled synthesis is mandatory. Although there are ...several studies focused on the plant extract-based biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles, the use of extracts obtained from agro-wastes is scant. Furthermore, information regarding morphology modification through the use of additional agents is even more scarce. Thus, in this study, AgNPs were synthesized using a malt extract (ME) obtained from an artisanal beer brewing process residue. Additionally, sodium chloride (NaCl), gum arabic (GA), and talc (T) were used in an attempt to modify the morphology of AgNPs. XRD, DLS, SEM, and TEM results demonstrate that stable AgNPs of different sizes and shapes were synthesized. FTIR, HPLC analysis, and the quantification of total proteins, free amino acids, reducing sugars, and total polyphenols before and after AgNPs synthesis showed that ME biomolecules allowed them to act as a source of reducing and stabilizing agents. Therefore, this study provides evidence that ME can be successfully used to biosynthesize AgNPs. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of AgNPs against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria was evaluated. Results indicate that AgNPs show a higher antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria.
A numerical study of interactions and stellar bars Martinez-Valpuesta, Inma; Aguerri, J Alfonso L; Gonzalez-Garcia, A Cesar ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
01/2017, Letnik:
464, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
For several decades, it has been known that stellar bars in disc galaxies can be triggered by interactions, or by internal processes such as dynamical instabilities. In this work, we explore the ...differences between these two mechanisms using numerical simulations. We perform two groups of simulations based on isolated galaxies, one group in which a bar develops naturally, and another group in which the bar could not develop in isolation. The rest of the simulations recreate 1:1 coplanar fly-by interactions computed with the impulse approximation. The orbits we use for the interactions represent the fly-bys in groups or clusters of different masses accordingly to the velocity of the encounter. In the analysis, we focus on bars' amplitude, size, pattern speed and their rotation parameter, R=R sub( CR)/R sub( bar). The latter is used to define fast (R<1.4) and slow rotation (R>1.4). Compared with equivalent isolated galaxies, we find that bars affected or triggered by interactions: (i) remain in the slow regime for longer, (ii) are more boxy in face-on views and (iii) they host kinematically hotter discs. Within this set of simulations, we do not see strong differences between retrograde or prograde fly-bys. We also show that slow interactions can trigger bar formation.
Context. Numerical studies have shown that the properties of the S0 galaxies with kinematics intermediate between fast and slow rotators are difficult to explain by a scenario of major mergers. Aims. ...We investigate whether the smoother perturbation induced by minor mergers can reproduce these systems. Methods. We analysed collisionless N-body simulations of intermediate and minor dry mergers onto S0s to determine the structural and kinematic evolution induced by the encounters. The original primary galaxies represent gas-poor fast-rotator S0b and S0c galaxies with high intrinsic ellipticities. The original bulges are intrinsically spherical and have low rotation. Different mass ratios, parent bulges, density ratios, and orbits were studied. Results. Minor mergers induce a lower decrease of the global rotational support (as provided by λe) than encounters of lower mass ratios, which results in S0s with properties intermediate between fast and slow rotators. The resulting remnants are intrinsically more triaxial, less flattened, and span the whole range of apparent ellipticities up to ϵe ~ 0.8. They do not show lower apparent ellipticities in random projections than initially; on the contrary, the formation of oval distortions and the disc thickening increase the percentage of projections at 0.4 < ϵe < 0.7. In the experiments with S0b progenitor galaxies, minor mergers tend to spin up the bulge and to slightly decrease its intrinsic ellipticity, whereas in the cases of primary S0c galaxies they keep the rotational support of the bulge nearly constant and significantly decrease its intrinsic ellipticity. The remnant bulges remain nearly spherical (B/A ~ C/A> 0.9), but exhibit a wide range of triaxialities (0.20 < T < 1.00). In the plane of global anisotropy of velocities (δ) vs. intrinsic ellipticity (ϵe,intr), some of our models extend the linear trend found in previous major merger simulations towards higher ϵe,intr values, while others clearly depart from it (depending on the progenitor S0). This is consistent with the wide dispersion exhibited by real S0s in this diagram compared with ellipticals, which follow the linear trend drawn by major merger simulations. Conclusions. The smoother changes induced by minor mergers can explain the existence of S0s with intermediate kinematic properties between fast and slow rotators that are difficult to explain with major mergers. The different trends exhibited by ellipticals and S0 galaxies in the δ – ϵe diagram may be pointing to the different role played by major mergers in the build-up of each morphological type.
SignificanceNew imaging-based approaches are incorporating new concepts to our knowledge of biological processes. The analysis of receptor dynamics involved in cell movement using single-particle ...tracking demonstrates that cells require chemokine-mediated receptor clustering to sense appropriately chemoattractant gradients. Here, we report that this process does not occur in T cells expressing CXCR4
, a mutant form of CXCR4 linked to WHIM syndrome (warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, myelokathexis). The underlaying molecular mechanism involves inappropriate actin cytoskeleton remodeling due to the inadequate β-arrestin1 activation by CXCR4
, which alters its lateral mobility and spatial organization. These defects, associated to CXCR4
expression, contribute to the retention of hematopoietic precursors in bone marrow niches and explain the severe immunological symptoms associated with WHIM syndrome.
•Ecosystem Services (ES) maps allow management units to be created within campus boundaries.•ES maps allow the inclusion of multi-scale analyses in the planning design process.•Stakeholders must ...perceive the ES framework positively for its inclusion in the spatial planning process.•Stakeholder perspectives should be incorporated to define strategies based on social-ecological units.•Applying the principles of knowledge co-production enhances planning process robustness.
In the context of global change, social-ecological perspectives for organisations and territorial planning schemes are key to facilitate a transition towards sustainability. Consequently, Ecosystem Services (ES) assessment and mapping are being increasingly used to enhance knowledge co-production for more sustainable territorial management. Higher education organizations have the potential to catalyse the sustainability transition of society, but there is a lack of studies integrating novel and current sustainable development approaches in spatial planning at university campuses. Here, we proposed an integrated approach for developing an ecosystem services-based plan to manage the campus of the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain). We developed a participatory process integrating all the various actors and the decision making-bodies of the university. This participatory process involved meetings with different groups and 2,126 surveys administrated to students, professors, researchers and administration/services staff. We also developed a technical process for assessing ES including eight ES maps (four regulating, one provisioning and three cultural), consulted with the experts and stakeholders involved, and built the final version of the planning guide integrating all perspectives to promote ES-based strategic lines. Our results showed that ES maps are useful for creating management units and for multi-scale analysis. ES maps highlighted important values of the campus, allowing the integration of more social actors that allow a stronger participative process and the creation of a long-term planning scheme. However, we identified certain aspects of the ES approach that hinder real-world application, including inherent problems associated with shifting politics.
Guiding Sky Cornax Gómez, Carolina; González García, A César; De Torres Rodríguez, Jorge
Journal of skyscape archaeology (Online),
08/2022, Letnik:
8, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This paper presents an astronomical study of a sample of ancient cairns, stelae and burials at the cairnfield of Xiis (Heis) in Somaliland, a historic centre of long-distance trade between different ...cultures. The analyses reveal a set of significant orientations that the paper relates to the seasonal movements of the region’s nomads, which are believed to have remained unchanged for millennia. The structures, which date from the first to the third century AD, are also contextualised within the broader astronomical traditions of the Somali and other Cushitic peoples, many aspects of which predate the arrival of Islam to the Horn of Africa and constitute some of the most distinctive and complex aspects of Somali culture.
Chitosan-based film with and without antagonistic yeast was prepared and its effect against
was evaluated. The biocompatibility of yeast cells in the developed films was assessed in terms of ...population dynamics. Furthermore, the impact on physicochemical properties of the prepared films with and without yeast cells incorporated were evaluated in terms of thickness, mechanical properties, color and opacity. Chitosan films with the antagonistic yeast entrapped exhibited strong antifungal activity by inhibiting the mycelial development (55%), germination (45%) and reducing the sporulation process (87%). Chitosan matrix at 0.5% and 1.0% was maintained over 9 days of cell viability. However, at 1.5% of chitosan the population dynamics was strongly affected. The addition of yeast cells only impacted color values such as a*, b*, chroma and hue angle when 1.0% of chitosan concentration was used. Conversely, luminosity was not affected in the presence of yeast cells as well as the opacity. Besides, the addition of antagonistic yeast improved the mechanical resistance of the films. The addition of
in chitosan films improve their efficacy for controlling
and besides showed desirable characteristics for future use as packaging for citrus products.
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