Verticillarone: a new seco-fusicoccane diterpenoid ketonepoxide from Hypoestes verticillaris.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Rehaily, Adnan J; Al-Yahya, M A; Mirza, Humayun H; Ahmed, Bahar

2002-06-01

The aerial parts of Hypoestes verticillaris (L.F.) Sol. (Acanthaceae) has afforded a new seco-fusicoccane diterpenoid ketonepoxide, which was characterized as 1(10) seco-fusicocc-3 (4)-ene-5, 11, 14-trione-8 (9), 1 (7)-diepoxide (1) on the basis of spectral analysis and named as verticillarone, along with earlier reported diterpenoid, i.e. 13-hydroxy-7-oxo-labda-8, 14-diene (2).

Effects of seco-steroids purified from Physalis angulata L., Solanaceae, on the viability of Leishmania sp Efeitos de seco-esteróides purificados de Physalis angulata L., Solanaceae na viabilidade de Leishmania sp

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Elisalva T. Guimarães

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Physalis angulata L., Solanaceae, is an annual herb commonly used in popular medicine in many tropical and subtropical countries. P. angulata extracts contain a variety of substances, but little is known about their pharmacological activities. In this work we investigated the in vitro antileishmanial activity of seco-steroids (physalins purified from P. angulata. Addition of physalins B, F, and G caused a concentration-dependent inhibition in the growth of L. amazonensis promastigotes, being the IC50 values were 6.8, 1.4, and 9.2 μM, respectively. Physalin D was less active and had an IC50 value of 30.5 μM. Physalins were also active in cultures of other Leishmania species (L. major, L. braziliensis, and L. chagasi. Our results demonstrate the potent antileishmanial activity of physalins in cultures of Leishmania species of the New and Old Worlds and suggest the therapeutic potential of these seco-steroids in leishmaniasis.Physalis angulata L., Solanaceae, é uma erva anual utilizada na medicina popular em muitos países tropicais e subtropicais. Apesar dos extratos da P. angulata apresentarem uma grande variedade de substâncias, pouco é conhecido sobre a sua atividade farmacológica. Neste trabalho foi investigado a atividade antileishmania in vitro de seco-esteroides (fisalinas purificados da P. angulata. O tratamento com as fisalinas B, F e G causou uma inibição concentração-dependente do crescimento de promastigotas de Leishmania amazonensis em cultura axênica, com valores de IC50 de 6,8, 1,4, e 9,2 μM respectivamente. A fisalina D foi menos ativa, com valores de IC50 de 30,5 μM. Foi também observada uma atividade leishmanicida em culturas de outras espécies de Leishmania (L. major, L. braziliensis e L. chagasi. Nossos resultados demonstram que as fisalinas inibem o crescimento dos promastigotas com o tratamento de espécies de Leishmania do Velho e do Novo Mundos e sugerem o potencial terapêutico destas moléculas na

SELECCIÓN DE “CABEZAS DE CLON” EN CAFÉ ROBUSTA (Coffea canephora EN EL TRÓPICO SECO, ECUADOR

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Luis Alberto Duicela Guambi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available La investigación se ejecutó de junio 2007 a diciembre 2012, en el Centro Experimental de café robusta ubicado en el Recinto Las Mercedes, cantón Isidro Ayora, provincia del Guayas, donde prevalece la zona de vida “Bosque muy seco tropical”. El objetivo fue seleccionar árboles “Cabezas de clon” de alto valor genético para impulsar la caficultura en el trópico seco del litoral ecuatoriano. Se evaluaron 32 accesiones de distinto origen, cada una conformada de 20 cafetos. En una primera etapa, se evaluaron los caracteres morfológicos y productivos de las accesiones y en una segunda etapa se incluyeron los atributos organolépticos e industriales de los árboles promisorios. El análisis estadístico incluyó el cálculo de estadígrafos, análisis de varianza, componentes principales y conglomerados jerárquicos. Los resultados permitieron identificar y seleccionar dos accesiones tipo conilón y siete tipo robusta. Las “cabezas de clon” seleccionadas fueron: CONERB-01-Planta 13-14-17-20, CON-ETP-01-Planta 11, COF-01-Plantas 02 y 04, COF-02-Plantas 15 y 17, COF-04-Planta 18, COF-05-Planta 2, COF-06-Plantas 3-15-17, NP-4024-Planta 15 y NP-2024-Planta 10. El potencial productivo de los árboles seleccionados varía de 2,5 a 3,9 t ha-1, por tanto, se infiere que existen genotipos de alta productividad, adaptados al trópico seco y al manejo intensivo con riego.

Protozoários ruminais de novilhos de corte criados em pastagem tropical durante o período seco

OpenAIRE

Silva,Kellerson Luiz da; Duarte,Eduardo Robson; Freitas,Claudio Eduardo Silva; Abrão,Flávia Oliveira; Geraseev,Luciana Castro

2014-01-01

Protozoários do rúmen podem representar 40% do nitrogênio total e 60% do produto final da fermentação e apresentam atividade celulolítica. Neste estudo, objetivou-se quantificar e identificar as populações de protozoários no rúmen de novilhos, criados exclusivamente em pastagem, durante o período seco do ano, no Norte de Minas Gerais. Amostras do suco ruminal de 36 novilhos mestiços Nelore foram coletadas diretamente do rúmen, após o abate, durante o inicio, meio ou fim do período de estiagem...

The seco-iridoid pathway from Catharanthus roseus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miettinen, K.; Dong, L.; Navrot, N.; Burlat, V.; Schneider, T.; Pollier, J.; Woittiez, L.S.; Krol, van der A.R.; Lugan, R.; Llc, T.; Verpoorte, R.; Oksman-Caldentey, K.M.; Martinoia, E.; Bouwmeester, H.J.

2014-01-01

The (seco)iridoids and their derivatives, the monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), form two large families of plant-derived bioactive compounds with a wide spectrum of high-value pharmacological and insect-repellent activities. Vinblastine and vincristine, MIAs used as anticancer drugs, are

Ingeniería básica de una planta de gasificación de lodos de EDAR para el tratamiento de 14.000 Mg/año de lodo seco

OpenAIRE

Muniesa Bastida , Blanca

2005-01-01

Actualmente dos plantas de secado de fango de EDAR deshidratado (80% de humedad) gestionadas por la empresa SGT S.A. y localizadas una en el término municipal de Rubí y la otra en Mataró producen, conjuntamente, 14.000 Mg/año de fango seco (menos del 20% de humedad). El secado se realiza a partir de los gases de escape de unos motores que consumen gas natural. Se plantea la revalorización de este fango seco, que actualmente se conduce al vertedero como residuo, mediante un proc...

Síndrome seco - Síndrome de Sjögren

OpenAIRE

Cañas Dávila, Carlos Alberto

2002-01-01

¿Qué es el "síndrome seco"?/ ¿Qué es el síndrome Sjögren?/ ¿Qué es un síndrome de Sjögren primario y qué es un síndrome de Sjögren secundario?/ ¿Cuáles son las causas del síndrome de Sjögren?/ ¿Qué otras manifestaciones distintas a los síntomas secos puede ocasionar el síndrome de Sjögren?/ ¿Cómo se diagnostica un síndrome de Sjögren?/ ¿Cuál es el tratamiento del síndrome de Sjögren?/ ¿Qué tan frecuente es el síndrome de Sjögren?

Caracterización de las Diatomitas de Río Seco (Piura, Perú

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Rodríguez Lichtenheldt, J.

1998-10-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of diatomites on the area of Rio Seco (Piura, Peru, has led the authors to study their physical, chemical and mineralogical properties with the aim to determinate their principal uses and applications. Conventional methods were applied besides of optical and electronical microscopy, difraction of X rays and thermal differential and gravimetric analysis. It is a medium quality material because of their silica and alumina contents, then the applications should be limited to fabrication of puzzolanic and ceramic materials for construction.

La existencia de diatomita en la zona de Río Seco (Piura, Perú, ha llevado a los autores a realizar un estudio de sus propiedades físicas, químicas y mineralógicas, con el objeto de determinar sus principales usos y aplicaciones. Para ello se han utilizado las técnicas de análisis convencional, así como microscopia óptica y electrónica, difracción de rayos X y análisis térmico diferencial y gravimétrico. Tratándose de un material de calidad media, por los contenidos en sílice y alúmina que presenta, su aplicación quedaría restringida a la fabricación de materiales puzolánicos y cerámicos para la construcción.

Respuesta del chile mirasol a la labranza reducida, enmiendas al suelo y acolchado plástico

OpenAIRE

Amador-Ramírez, Mario Domingo; Velásquez-Valle, Rodolfo; Sánchez-Toledano, Blanca Isabel; Acosta-Díaz, Efraín

2013-01-01

El interés por la sostenibilidad de algunos sistemas de chile seco (Capsicum annuum L.) proviene de la producción intensiva a la que es sometida este cultivo, lo cual es causada por el uso excesivo de actividades agrícolas. El objetivo de este estudio fue: 1) evaluar los efectos de la labranza reducida, incorporación de abono verde, incorporación de abono seco y la asociación riego por goteo + acolchado plástico en el crecimiento y rendimiento de chile seco, al comparar estos efectos con aque...

Spectroscopical analysis and molecular mechanics calculation of 8,9-Seco-lanostane; Analise espectroscopica e calculos de mecanica molecular de 8,9-seco-lanostanos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rehder, Vera G; Fujiwara, Fred Y; Marsaioli, Anita J [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

1992-12-31

8.9-Seco-lanostane derivatives have been synthesized visualizing their application as intermediates in chiral building block syntheses and we are here presenting their spectroscopy analyses and MM2 molecular mechanic calculations. (author) 5 refs., 4 figs.

Estimación in vitro de gases con efecto invernadero en frutos y follaje de árboles de un bosque seco tropical de Venezuela In vitro estimation of greenhouse gases in tree fruits and foliage from a tropical dry forest of Venezuela

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R Ramírez¹

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Con el objetivo de estimar la producción de gases con efecto invernadero (GEI en el follaje y los frutos de Calliandra cruegeri, Guazuma ulmifolia, Vachellia macracantha, Senna robiniifolia, Samanea saman, Lonchocarpus sp., Fagara sp., Senna espectabilis, Mangifera indica y Oyedaea verbesinoides, de un bosque seco tropical de Venezuela, se evaluaron estas especies a través de la técnica in vitro de producción de gas; se cuantificó la producción de ácidos grasos volátiles (AGV y se estimaron los GEI. Los sustratos que registraron una mayor producción (P<0,05 de metano (CH4 y dióxido de carbono (CO2 correspondieron a los frutos de S. saman (4,0 y 8,5, Fagara sp. (3,2 y 6,9 y G. ulmifolia (2,9 y 7,2, y al follaje de S. saman (3,6 y 8,2, S. robiniifolia (4,0 y 9,9 y V. macracantha (2,8 y 5,8. La menor cantidad (P<0,05 de CH4 y CO2 la produjeron los frutos de S. espectabilis (2,3 y 5,0 y Lonchocarpus sp. (2,3 y 5,9, y el follaje de: Fagara sp. (1,5 y 3,7, G. ulmifolia (1,4 y 3,5, C. cruegeri (1,6 y 4,0, M. indica (1,7 y 4,1, O. verbesinoides (1,8 y 4,2 y Cassia sp. (1,9 y 4,6. La producción de GEI y el tiempo de incubación estuvieron correlacionados con la producción de metano (r= 0,458; P<0,05. Se concluye que, de todas las especies, S. saman registró los mayores valores (P<0,05 de producción de GEI en los frutos y el follaje. Asimismo, entre las tres y ocho horas de incubación de los sustratos, la tasa de producción de GEI fue alta.

78 FR 16705 - Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/Fish Screen Facility Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-18

...-FF08RSRC00] Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/ Fish Screen Facility Protection... removal and management of invasive plant species would occur at the Riparian Sanctuary. No active... impact statement and environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit...

77 FR 26569 - Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/Fish Screen Facility Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-04

...-FF08RSRC00] Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/ Fish Screen Facility Protection... would occur at the Riparian Sanctuary. No active restoration of native plants would occur. Maintenance... statement and environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration...

Anfibios de un bosque seco tropical: Reserva Ecológica Arenillas, Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Szekely, József Paul

2016-01-01

Arenillas Ecological Reserve (Reserva Ecológica Arenillas - REA) is located in southwestern Ecuador, close to the Peruvian border, and belongs to the Tumbesian Endemism Region and is one of the last remnants of tropical dry forests at altitudes below 100 m a.s.l. Climate is characterized by a rainy season extending from January to May and a dry season extending from June to December. Few studies on the amphibians from the reserve have been made so far. Over a period of twelve months, from 201...

78 FR 76317 - Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/Fish Screen Facility Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-17

...-FF08RSRC00] Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/ Fish Screen Facility Protection... and Wildlife (CDFW), announce that the record of decision (ROD) for the Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary...: www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento river/ and http://www.riverpartners.org/where-we-work/sanctuary...

Efecto antiinflamatorio preclínico del polvo seco de Caléndula officinalis

OpenAIRE

Núñez Figueredo, Yanier; Montero Alarcón, Claudia; Agüero Fernández, Sara; Muñoz Cernuda, Adriana

2007-01-01

Para demostrar la actividad antiinflamatoria del polvo seco Caléndula officinalis secado por atomización se emplearon dosis de 50, 150 y 450 mg/Kg y se evaluó el efecto sobre la inflamación aguda provocada por carragenina, dextrán, histamina y serotonina y granuloma inducido por discos de algodón en ratas y edema auricular inducido por aceite de crotón en ratones. El polvo seco mostró efecto inhibitorio sobre los diferentes modelos empleados sin afectar el peso del timo y las glándulas suprar...

Consumo de frutos secos y aceites vegetales en personas con diabetes mellitus tipo 1

OpenAIRE

Ferrer-García, Juan Carlos; Granell Vidal, Lina; Muñoz Izquierdo, Amparo; Sánchez Juan, Carlos

2015-01-01

Introducción: estudios recientes han demostrado los beneficios cardiovasculares de la dieta mediterránea enriquecida con aceite de oliva y frutos secos. Las personas con diabetes, que tienen un mayor riesgo de complicaciones cardiovasculares, podrían beneficiarse en gran medida de seguir ese tipo de patrón alimentario. Objetivos: análisis de la ingesta de grasas vegetales procedentes de frutos secos y aceites vegetales en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1). Métodos: estudio transver...

INTERACCIÓN COLIBRÍ-FLOR EN TRES REMANENTES DE BOSQUE TROPICAL SECO (BST DEL MUNICIPIO DE CHIMICHAGUA (CESAR, COLOMBIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DANIEL LEÓN-CAMARGO

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Se caracterizó la interacción colibrí-planta en tres remanentes de bosque tropical seco (BsT, ubicados en el municipio de Chimichagua (Cesar, Colombia con base en la observación de las visitas a los recursos florales y en los análisis de las cargas de polen en el pico y en otras partes del cuerpo de las aves. Se registró la época de floración y la abundancia de flores producidas por las plantas utilizadas por los colibríes y se midió la cantidad y calidad del néctar. En cinco muestreos que cubrieron la variabilidad de la precipitación en la zona de estudio, se capturaron a 17 individuos. Se realizaron 218 observaciones (visitas de dos especies de colibríes Lepidopyga goudoti y Phaethornis anthophilus, los cuales visitaron a 31 especies de plantas. Para el caso de las observaciones sobre visitas de los colibríes a las plantas, Arrabidaea cf. corallina fue la más importante (IVIR=0.14840 en los tres remanentes de vegetación estudiados, seguida por Aphelandra pulcherrima (IVIR=0.05356 y Pogonopus speciosus (IVIR=0.02773. Otra especie importante pero con valores bajos fue Cochlospermum vitifolium. De acuerdo con los análisis de cargas de polen, el recurso más importante fue Pogonopus speciosus con un valor de IVIR=0.29643, seguido por Aphelandra pulcherrima (IVIR=0.09286 y Hemistylus cf. odontophylla (IVIR=0.03294. En el análisis general para los tres sitios (Tabla 3, los recursos más importantes para los colibríes fueron Pogonopus speciosus (IVIR=0.06207, Aphelandra pulcherrima (IVIR=0.06021 y Cochlospermum vitifolium (IVIR=0.01095. Lepidopyga goudoti utiliza 22 especies de plantas, mientras que P. anthophilus solamente utiliza siete. Las flores visitadas fueron en su mayoría tubulares con colores brillantes y contrastantes como el rojo, el morado y el violeta y se encontró buen ajuste entre su tamaño y la longitud y la forma del pico de los colibríes. También se presentaron visitas a flores de color blanco y amarillo como

Methodology and application of surrogate plant PRA analysis to the Rancho Seco Power Plant: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gore, B.F.; Huenefeld, J.C.

1987-07-01

This report presents the development and the first application of generic probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) information for identifying systems and components important to public risk at nuclear power plants lacking plant-specific PRAs. A methodology is presented for using the results of PRAs for similar (surrogate) plants, along with plant-specific information about the plant of interest and the surrogate plants, to infer important failure modes for systems of the plant of interest. This methodology, and the rationale on which it is based, is presented in the context of its application to the Rancho Seco plant. The Rancho Seco plant has been analyzed using PRA information from two surrogate plants. This analysis has been used to guide development of considerable plant-specific information about Rancho Seco systems and components important to minimizing public risk, which is also presented herein

Diseño del proceso de obtención de trozos secos de carambola (averroha carambola l.) tratados osmóticamente

OpenAIRE

Castillo Ortiz, Maria Eugenia; Cornejo Z., Fabiola

2009-01-01

En el presente trabajo se diseñó la línea de proceso para obtener trozos secos de carambola tratados osmóticamente, mostrando la utilidad industrial que posee la carambola para la elaboración de productos que puedan ser exportados al mercado extranjero con excelentes características organolépticas y condiciones de estabilidad en percha óptimas. Los experimentos realizados sirvieron para establecer la cinética de deshidratación osmótica, analizada a 3 concentraciones de sacarosa (40 ºBrix,...

"2por km2" chozos, estructuras y corrales de piedra en seco en la superficie del término de Tebar, Cuenca

OpenAIRE

Ruiz Checa, José Ramón; Cristini, Valentina

2011-01-01

[ES] Tanto en la península Ibérica (Maestrazgo... Islas Baleares...), como en Europa (Provenza... Liguria...) aparecen «paisajes construidos» con piedra en seco. Se trata realmente de parajes antropizados prácticamente en toda su totalidad, resultado de un afán milenario de domesticación del territorio, a través de estructuras hidráulicas, pistas, cañadas...caminos, bancales, construcciones o recintos. El caso de Tébar, un municipio a 94 km al sur oeste de Cuenca, e...

Influencia de enmiendas químicas en la recuperación de suelos salinos y sódicos del bosque seco tropical colombiano

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González M. Adel E.

1995-06-01

Full Text Available

This work was carried out at the greenhouse with de purpose of analyzing the influence of some chemical rectifications on the chemical and agronomic behavior of twelve samples of soils from the Colombian Tropical dry forest; some of these showed high levels of salinity of sodium and magnesium; another organic soil was highley acid-aluminium and magnesium, and other with a very low fertility. The trials were based upon an experimental desing completely at random. Each soil was given three chemical rectifications at two levels or doses, and leaching; a control was just given the leaching. All of the treatments were given two leachings during the essay and two productions of dry matter of sorghum - as the reference plant- were evaluated. At the first essay was proposed to lower until 10 and 5 % of sodium saturation or 20 and 10% of magnesium saturation; in a second essay were applied 50 and 25 t/ha of each chemical rectification; for the third essay the applied doses were 20, 10 and 5 t/ha organic rectifications, such manure and poultry bedding, With the leaching was lowered the salinity in all the soils, below 3 dSm ^-1; the chemical rectifications, below 4 dS^-1; in the majority of the soils. The magnesium and sodium saturation were satisfied in the majority of the treatments using gypsum and sulfuric acid. The pHs were reduced in 95 % in all the soils, but this occurred with most intensity with the sulfuric acid and sulfur than using gypsum. The best physical properties of the soils do not implied that they respond as well in their dry matter productions. Acidic or magnesic soils are best rectified with gypsum. The highest doses of organic rectifications favored the dry matter production.

El trabajo se realizó en el invernadero de la Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias de Palmira, con 12 suelos del Bosque Seco Tropical Colombiano que presentaban problemas de salinidad, sodio y magnesio; un suelo orgánico fuertemente

Actualización clínica en OJO seco para el médico no oftalmólogo

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Dr. P. Arturo Kantor

2010-11-01

Full Text Available La presente revisión de tema ojo seco está orientada a médicos no oftalmólogos. Se realiza un repaso de la anatomía del sistema lagrimal y fisiología básica de la película lagrimal. Se define el concepto de ojo seco, su importancia epidemiológica y su sintomatología. Se realiza un detallado análisis de la clasificación etiológica definiendo las diferencias entre hipolacrimea asociada o no a síndrome de Sjögren y ojo seco evaporativo de causa intrínseca y extríniseca, con énfasis en los mecanismos fisiopatológicos subyacentes. Se entrega una visión que da cuenta de la complejidad, envergadura y condición multifactorial de este problema de salud visual y se hace énfasis en la necesidad de identificar de manera integral el tipo de ojo seco para poder instalar un tratamiento basado en la corrección del mecanismo subyacente y no a través de aproximación sintomática de la terapia.

Cronología de la regeneración del bosque tropical seco en Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica: I. Características edáficas

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Jorge A Leiva

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Se caracterizaron las propiedades químicas y físicas de los suelos a lo largo de una cronosecuencia de ocho fragmentos de bosque tropical estacionalmente seco (BTS en Santa Rosa, Costa Rica, y se relacionaron con el estado sucesional de los sitios (10, 15, 20, 40, 60 y >100 años de regeneración. Se encontró una alta diversidad edáfica a escalas pequeñas (0.5-1 ha y se describieron 17 clases dominantes de suelos, clasificados en seis órdenes. La mayoría de los suelos fueron clasificados como Entisoles y Vertisoles, pero los Mollisoles, Alfisoles, Inceptisoles y Ultisoles estuvieron representados también. Todos los suelos presentaron buenos índices de fertilidad que no restringieron la riqueza de las especies. La alta heterogeneidad edáfica pareció ser el resultado de la interacción entre el origen piroclástico de la meseta ignimbrítica de Santa Rosa, la composición litológica y la acidez de las rocas del material parental, la marcada estacionalidad de la lluvia, intensos procesos de erosión hídrica y eólica, variaciones topográficas locales, y la historia de intervención humana. Correlaciones efectuadas en los Entisoles (Chronology of tropical dry forest regeneration in Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. I. Edaphic characteristics. We characterized soil chemical and physical properties in eight tropical dry forest (TDF successional sites along a time sequence (10, 15, 20, 40, 60 and >100 years in Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. Seventeen soils were identified, described, and classified in six orders. Most soils were classified as Entisols and Vertisols, but Mollisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols and Ultisols were also present. All soils showed good fertility that did not constrain species richness. High edaphic variation seemed the result of complex interactions among the pyroclastic origin of Santa Rosa ignimbritic plateau (SRIP, the lithological composition and acidity of ignimbritic rocks, the strong seasonality in rainfall, intense

Abundancia, diversidad y categoría ecológica de los peces en estero damas y estero palo seco, Costa Rica

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Hubert Araya

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Se trabajó de junio de 1986 a febrero de 1987 en una estación de muestreo en el estero Palo Seco y en dos en el estero Damas (Damas y San Bosco, Pacífico Central, Costa Rica. La temperatura del agua no presentó diferencias significativas entre las estaciones Damas y San Bosco, pero sí entre Damas-Palo Seco y San Bosco-Palo Seco. La salinidad varió significativamente entre las tres estaciones y el pH no mostró diferencias significativas. Se recolectaron representantes de 25 familias, 39 géneros y 54 especies. De las especies, 18 comparten los tres sitios de muestreo, siete se hallaron únicamente en Palo Seco, cinco en Damas y seis en San Bosco. De las especies recolectadas, el 7,41% es compartido entre Palo Seco y Damas; el 3,70% entre Palo Seco y San Bosco y el 22,22% entre Damas y San Bosco. El análisis de similitud determinó que las estaciones Damas y San Bosco comparten un 41,40% de las especies; mientras que Palo Seco solamente presento un 9,9% de especies comunes con el grupo Damas-San Bosco. La mayoría de las especies encontradas fueron de origen marino que utilizan estos dos esteros como área de crianza (42,59% y alimentación (40,74%; mientras que las de agua dulce, estuarinas y visitantes ocasionales están poco representadas. La mayor diversidad se encontró en San Bosco y se detectaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los valores de H' entre las estaciones. La mayor similitud de especies se presentó entre las estaciones Damas y San Bosco, lo que sugiere que estas áreas están bajo una mayor influencia de aguas continentales; lo que propicia que los peces estén más ampliamente distribuidos. Se deduce que la ictiofauna de los esteros estudiados es transitoria en los sitios de muestreo y que la misma se distribuye heterogéneamente.

Phenological patterns and reproductive success of Ceiba pentandra (Bombacaceae in tropical dry and wet forests of Costa Rica Patrones fenológicos y éxito reproductivo de Ceiba pentandra (Bombacaceae en el bosque tropical seco y húmedo de Costa Rica

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JULISSA ROJAS-SANDOVAL

2008-12-01

Full Text Available We studied the phenological patterns and the reproductive success of 103 Ceiba pentandra trees, located in the tropical dry and wet forests of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. To determine the phenological patterns of this species we recorded leaf fall, flower and fruit production of marked trees every two-weeks from December through March over three years (2001, 2002 and 2003. We also recorded the flowering and fruiting frequencies for two more years (2000 and 2004. Our data suggest that phenological patterns of C. pentandra trees behave as irregular cycles rather than cycles fixed at supra-annual intervals, and the forest type in which the trees are located does not have a decisive effect on either the probability or the frequency of the reproductive cycles. The absence of a pattern of negative autocorrelations in qualitative reproductive success (e.g., no reproduction, only flowers and fruits among successive years suggests that the flowering or fruiting cycles of this species do not correspond to a simple model of resource limitation. Our results show that there is no relationship between the reproductive success and the periodicity of the reproductive cycles in this species.Estudiamos los patrones fenológicos y el éxito reproductivo de 103 árboles de Ceiba pentandra, localizados en el bosque tropical seco y en el bosque tropical húmedo de la costa del Pacífico de Costa Rica. Para determinar los patrones fenológicos se anotó la caída de hojas y la producción de flores y frutos cada dos semanas desde diciembre hasta marzo para todos los árboles marcados por un periodo de tres años (2001, 2002 y 2003. También se tomaron datos de la frecuencia de floración y fructificación para dos años más (2000 y 2004. Nuestros datos sugieren que los patrones fenológicos de árboles de C. pentandra se comportan como ciclos irregulares más que como ciclos fijos de intervalos supraanuales y el tipo de bosque en el cual los árboles se ubican

COMPOSICIÓN DEL ENSAMBLE DE INSECTOS DEL DOSEL DE BOSQUES SUBTROPICALES SECOS DEL CHACO SEMIÁRIDO, ARGENTINA

OpenAIRE

Liliana Diodato; Andrea Fuster

2016-01-01

El dosel arbóreo constituye un complejo hábitat con gran diversidad de insectos. Los estudios sobre insectos del dosel están mayormente concentrados en bosques húmedos tropicales y son escasos en bosques secos subtropicales. El propósito de este trabajo fue caracterizar la entomofauna del dosel de bosques secos subtropicales, analizando su diversidad regional y localmente. Para ello se muestrearon cinco sitios localizados en la región fitogeográfica del Chaco Semiárido Argentino. Las recolecc...

Contribución al conocimiento de las interacciones entre plantas, hormigas y homópteros en bosques secos de Colombia

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Ramírez Mónica

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Las interacciones entre plantas y hormigas y entre plantas, hormigas y homópteros se estudiaron en 248 estaciones de muestreo situadas en nueve fragmentos de bosque seco del valle geográfico del río Cauca, entre enero y junio de 1997. Se registraron 352 interacciones que involucran 91 especies vegetales, hormigas de 67 especies y homópteros pertenecientes a nueve familias. El 4 7% de las asociaciones registradas implica el uso por parte de las hormigas de diferentes estructuras de las plantas (p. e. raíces de las epífitas, domacios en los tallos, hojarasca acumulada entre ramas y hojas, brácteas y peciolos de Heliconia spp. como refugios temporales o sitios de anidamiento. El restante 53% involucra la recolección de miel de homópteros y de sustancias azucaradas en nectarios extraflorales. asmannia auropunctata (17%, Dolichoderus bispinosus (11% Y Brachymyrmex heeri (7% fueron las especies de hormigas registradas con mayor frecuencia. Las plantas más utilizadas fueron Heliconia stricta (8%, Philodendron sp. nov. (7% y Passiflora coriacea (5%. Entre las relaciones observadas, predominan las de tipo generalista, en que las hormigas explotan diferentes recursos aparentemente en forma oportunista y las plantas pueden encontrarse en buen estado a pesar de la ausencia de las hormigas.Interactions between ants and plants and those involving homopterans were studied in 248 sampling points located within nine tropical decidous forest fragments in the Cauca river Valley, between january and june, 1997. A total of 352 interactions were recorded involving 91 plant species, 67 ant species and Homoptera belonging to nine families. 47% ofthe interactions involved ants using different plant structures (such as epiphyte roots, domacia, litter collected in branches and leaves, bracts and petioles of Heliconia spp. as nesting sites or temporary refugia. The remaining 53% involved the collection of homopteran honeydew and sugary substances from extrafloral

Caracterización de jamones adicionados con pastas residuales de la extracción mecánica de aceite de frutos secos

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Juan José Luna Guevara

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Los frutos secos contienen en su composición nutrientes y compuestos bioactivos que al ser consumidos en cantidades suficientes aportan beneficios a la salud. En este estudio se evaluó la influencia de la adición de pastas residuales (10 %, obtenidas de la extracción de aceite de nuez de Castilla (Juglans regia L., nuez pecanera (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh. K. Koch, variedad Western Shley, y cacahuate (Arachis hypogaea, sobre la modificación de algunas características de textura, composición proximal, fisicoquímicas, microbiológicas y sensoriales en jamones cocidos. Los jamones estudiados fueron almacenados a 4 °C durante 21 días. Las pastas adicionadas a los jamones aumentaron de manera significativa (P≤0,05 el contenido de proteína, grasa y fibra total. Los jamones adicionados con pasta presentaron estructuras menos rígidas (P≤0,05. Los parámetros de color (L*, a* y b* de los jamones mostraron una ligera disminución durante el tiempo de almacenamiento, a excepción de los adicionados con nuez de Castilla que mostraron un mayor oscurecimiento. Las pastas de frutos secos contribuyeron significativamente (P≤ 0,05 a disminuir la vida de anaquel de los jamones. Sin embargo, el recuento de mohos y levaduras en los jamones fue menor a 10 UFC/g a los 21 días de almacenamiento. La aw y el pH disminuyeron significativamente (P≤0,05 y la sinéresis aumentó durante el almacenamiento. Los jamones adicionados con pastas residuales fueron sensorialmente bien aceptados con respecto al color, olor, sabor, apariencia y aceptabilidad general.

El uso de granos secos de destilería con solubles (DDGS) en dietas sorgo-soya para pollos de engorda y gallinas de postura

OpenAIRE

Arturo Cortes Cuevas; César A. Esparza Carrillo; Gonzalo Sanabria Elizalde; Jorge Miguel Iriarte; Manuel Ornelas Roac; Ernesto Ávila González

2012-01-01

Para estudiar el comportamiento productivo en pollos y gallinas con dietas adicionadass con granos secos de destilería con solubles (DDGS), se realizaron dos experimentos. En el primero se emplearon 704 pollos Ross de 1 a 49 días de edad, distribuidos en cuatro tratamientos con ocho repeticiones de 22 pollos cada uno. Se empleó un diseño completamente al azar. Los tratamientos fueron: 1) dieta basal sorgo-soya, T2) como 1+7% DDGS, T3) como 1+14% de DDGS, T4) como 1+21% de DDGS. En el segundo ...

Estudios de la comunidad de coleópteros coprófagos (Scarabaeidae en un remaente de bosque seco al norte del Tolima, Colombia

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Escobar S. Federico

1997-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents information about the dung beetle community in altered landscapes in northern Tolima, Colombia. The studies were carried out in hill forest, creek forest, forest edge and pastures in the dry season, and in hill forest and creek forest in the rainy season. 3538 inividuals of 30 species in 4 subfamilies were captured. Changes in the species abundance between sampling periods were found. Differences in species composition between zones with forest cover and pasture were recorded, as well as changes in the guild structure, with endocoprids prevailing in pasture and edge habitats.Se presenta información sobre la comunidad de coleópteros coprófagos en un remanente de bosque seco al norte del Tolima, caracterizado por una alta transformación del paisaje. Se realizó un muestreo en la época seca y otro en época lluviosa; en la época seca se realizaron colecciones en bosque de cerro, bosque de cañada, borde de bosque y potrero, en la época lluviosa en bosque de cañada y bosque de cerro. Se capturaron un total de 3538 individuos pertenecientes a 30 especies en 4 subfamilias. Se registraron cambios en la abundancia de las especies entre los períodos de muestreo y en la composición de especies entre zonas con cobertura boscosa y potreros. También se detectaron cambios en la estructura de los gremios, observándose un incremento de las especies de hábitos endocópridos en el borde de bosque y en potrero.

Structural Necessity of Indole C5-O-Substitution of seco-Duocarmycin Analogs for Their Cytotoxic Activity

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Taeyoung Choi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A series of racemic indole C5-O-substituted seco-cyclopropylindole (seco-CI compounds 1-5 were prepared by coupling in the presence of EDCI of 1-(tert-butyloxycarbonyl-3-(chloromethylindoline (seg-A with 5-hydroxy-, 5-O-methylsulfonyl, 5-O-aminosulfonyl, 5-O-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl- and 5-O-benzyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid as seg-B. Compounds 1-5 were tested for cytotoxic activity against four human cancer cell lines (COLO 205, SK-MEL-2, A549, and JEG-3 using a MTT assay. Compounds 2 and 3 with small sized sulfonyl substituents like 5-O-methylsulfonyl and 5-O-aminosulfonyl exhibit a similar level of activity as doxorubicin against all cell lines tested.

Síndrome de ojo seco Dry eye syndrome

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Rafael Balbona Brito

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica sobre el síndrome de ojo seco, que abarcó su clasificación, diagnóstico y tratamiento. Se tuvo en cuenta que constituye una entidad frecuente en la Oftalmología; se presenta con la finalidad de mostrar el síndrome de manera actualizada y con el objetivo de facilitar su manejoA bibliographic review of the dry eye syndrome that included its classification, diagnosis and treatment is made. Taking into account that it is a frequent entity in Ophthalmology, it is presented in order to provide an updating of the syndrome and to facilitate its management

Interannual variability of the tropical Indian Ocean mixed layer depth

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Keerthi, M.G.; Lengaigne, M.; Vialard, J.; Montegut, C.deB.; Muraleedharan, P.M.

, shoaling the MLD (Masson et al. 2002, Qu and Meyers 2005, Du et al. 2005). The seasonal cycle in the southern tropical Indian Ocean has been less 3 investigated. Seasonal shoaling and deepening of the mixed layer in the south-western Tropical Indian...

Safety Evaluation Report related to the restart of Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1, following the event of December 26, 1985 (Docket No. 50-312)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-10-01

On December 26, 1985, the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, owned and operated by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), experienced a loss of dc power within the integrated control system (ICS) while the plant was at 76% power. The ensuing reactor trip was followed by a rapid overcooling transient and automatic initiation of the safety features actuation system (SFAS). The overcooling transient continued until ICS dc power was restored 26 minutes after its loss. Two letters from the NRC Region V Administrator (dated December 26, 1985) confirmed that the Rancho Seco plant would not be returned to power operation until SMUD (the licensee) had provided the NRC with an assessment of the root cause of the transient and a justification as to why the Rancho Seco facility is ready to resume power operation. In response, the licensee submitted the ''Rancho Seco Action Plan for Performance Improvement'' on July 3, 1986; revisions to that action plan were submitted on December 15, 1986 and February 28, 1987. The NRC staff has reviewed the action plan and numerous other supporting documents submitted by the licensee. The staff's evaluation of the information supporting restart of Rancho Seco is presented in this safety evaluation report

Temperatura y rangos de confort térmico en viviendas de bajo costo en clima árido seco

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Luis Herrera Sosa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Este documento presenta los resultados de un estudio de campo para determinar la temperatura de confort de habitantes de viviendas de bajo costo en dos ciudades de clima cálido-seco al norte de México: Chihuahua (28º LN, 106º LO y Ciudad Juárez (31ºLN, 106ºLO. El estudio de campo se realizó con el enfoque adaptativo de confort térmico y de acuerdo con los requerimientos de la ISO 10551. El estudio fue aplicado a 531 habitantes de viviendas construidas por el Instituto de Vivienda de Chihuahua, durante dos periodos: temporada de invierno (febrero y temporada de verano (julio. Como el clima de la región tiene características de climas "asimétricos", llamado así por Nicol (1993, los datos obtenidos en el estudio de campo se analizaron mediante el Método Intervalos de los Promedios de Sensación Térmica (IPST (Gómez-Azpeitia, et. al, 2009. La investigación tiene como objetivos evaluar este tipo de viviendas que ofrece el gobierno local y proponer recomendaciones para el diseño de nuevas viviendas.

Quaternary geologic map of the north-central part of the Salinas River Valley and Arroyo Seco, Monterey County, California

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Emily M.; Sweetkind, Donald S.

2014-01-01

Arroyo Seco, a perennial drainage in the central Coast Range of California, records a sequence of strath terraces. These terraces preserve an erosional and depositional history, controlled by both climate change and regional tectonics. These deposits have been mapped and correlated on the basis of field investigations, digital terrain analysis, stream gradient profiles, evaluation of published regional soil maps, and satellite imagery. Seven of the strath terraces and associated alluvial fans have been dated by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) or infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL). The OSL and IRSL dates on seven of the strath terraces and associated alluvial fans in Arroyo Seco are approximately >120 ka, >65 ka, 51–46 ka, 36–35 ka, 9 ka, and 2–1 ka. These dates generally fall within the range of ages reported from many well-dated marine terraces on the California coast that are formed during sea-level high stands. Tectonic movements, consistently upward, result in a constantly and slowly emerging coastline, however, the regional effects of climate change and resulting eustatic sea-level rises are interpreted as the driving mechanism for erosion and aggradation in Arroyo Seco.

Análise da transição entre dias secos e chuvosos por meio da cadeia de Markov de terceira ordem Analysis of the transition between dry and wet days through third-order Markov chains

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Thadeu Keller Filho

2006-09-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se as ocorrências de dias secos e chuvosos são condicionalmente dependentes da seqüência dos três dias secos e chuvosos anteriores, numa zona pluviometricamente homogênea, por meio da cadeia não-homogênea de Markov de terceira ordem. Os resultados mostraram que as probabilidades diárias de transição podem ser adequadamente estimadas, com base em dados agregados bimestralmente, seguidas de interpolação por meio de funções sinusoidais. Além disso, evidenciou-se que, naquela zona, as ocorrências diárias de chuva são condicionalmente dependentes da seqüência de dias secos e chuvosos nos três dias anteriores. A cadeia não-homogênea de Markov de terceira ordem é um importante instrumento para a análise da dependência entre as seqüências de dias secos e chuvosos em determinadas regiões.The aim of this work was to verify if the occurrence of dry and wet days are conditionally dependent on the sequences of the dry and wet three preceding days, in a rainfall homogeneous area, using the nonhomogeneous third-order Markov chains. The results showed that daily transition probabilities can be properly estimated from two-month aggregate data, and then adjusted by means of sinusoidal functions. Besides, it was evidenced that everyday rain events in that area are conditionally dependent on the sequences of the dry and wet three days previous to occurrences. The third-order nonhomogeneous Markov chains are an important instrument for the analysis of the dependence between sequences of dry and wet days in certain areas.

Cronología de la regeneración del bosque tropical seco en Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica: II. La vegetación en relación con el suelo

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Jorge A Leiva

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la sucesión del bosque tropical seco (BTS de Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, en cinco sitios boscosos secundarios y tres bosques maduros. Se analizó el efecto de la clase de suelo sobre la estructura del bosque y la diversidad de especies arbóreas. Los ocho sitios sucesionales estaban localizados a lo largo de una cronosecuencia de regeneración (10, 15, 20, 40, 60 and >100 años en la que se identificaron 17 pedones y seis órdenes de suelos con moderada a alta fertilidad, clasificados como Entisoles y Vertisoles, aunque los Mollisoles, Alfisoles, Inceptisoles y Ultisoles estuvieron presentes también. Se establecieron 130 parcelas de 10 por 50 m (0.05 ha, 20 en cada bosque secundario y 10 en cada bosque antiguo (6.5 ha en total, de acuerdo con la topografía. Se midió el diámetro a la altura de pecho (dap de todos los individuos presentes en cada parcela, la altura dominante y el área basal (m2ha-1, usando dos poblaciones: latizales (dap ≥ 1 y Chronology of tropical dry forest regeneration in Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. II. Vegetation in relation to the soil. Tropical dry forest (TDF succession was monitored in Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. We analyzed the effect of soil type on forest structure and diversity. Eight seasonally-dry TDF sites located along a successional chrono-sequence (10, 15, 20, 40, 60 and >100 years were examined in relation to 17 soil pedons and six soil orders. Soils had moderate to high fertility and were classified as Entisols and Vertisols, although Mollisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols and Ultisols were also present. One-hundred and thirty 500 m2 plots were established, 20 plots in secondary and 10 plots in mature TDFsites. Diameter at breast height (dbh and total tree height were measured for saplings (dbh ≥1 and <5 cm, shrubs and trees (dbh ≥5 cm. With the exception of two sites (40 and 60 years, soil type did not have significant effects on forest structure. However, tree diversity measured

Patrones de distribución espacial de árboles en un bosque estacionalmente seco del Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape en el noroeste peruano

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Reynaldo Linares-Palomino

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio de los patrones de distribución espacial de cuatro especies de árboles características de los bosques secos del Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape en el noroeste peruano, inventariando seis parcelas de una hectárea cada una. Para ello se utilizó la versión modificada de la estadística K de Ripley. Eriotheca ruizii (K. Schum. A. Robyns (Bombacaceae, Bursera graveolens (Kunth Triana & Planch. (Burseraceae, Caesalpinia glabrata Kunth (Leguminosae y Cochlospermum vitifolium (Willd. Spreng. (Cochlospermaceae presentan patrones que no son significantemente diferentes de un patrón completamente al azar en 11 de los 17 casos analizados. Al nivel de la escala espacial analizada, esto está en desacuerdo con el postulado general para bosques tropicales de que las especies vegetales tienden a encontrarse agrupadas. Estos resultados se analizan y discuten a la luz de los diversos factores que influyen en producirlos.

Identification and functional characterization of a flax UDP-glycosyltransferase glucosylating secoisolariciresinol (SECO) into secoisolariciresinol monoglucoside (SMG) and diglucoside (SDG).

Science.gov (United States)

Ghose, Kaushik; Selvaraj, Kumarakurubaran; McCallum, Jason; Kirby, Chris W; Sweeney-Nixon, Marva; Cloutier, Sylvie J; Deyholos, Michael; Datla, Raju; Fofana, Bourlaye

2014-03-28

Lignans are a class of diphenolic nonsteroidal phytoestrogens often found glycosylated in planta. Flax seeds are a rich source of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) lignans. Glycosylation is a process by which a glycosyl group is covalently attached to an aglycone substrate and is catalyzed by uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs). Until now, very little information was available on UGT genes that may play a role in flax SDG biosynthesis. Here we report on the identification, structural and functional characterization of 5 putative UGTs potentially involved in secoisolariciresinol (SECO) glucosylation in flax. Five UGT genes belonging to the glycosyltransferases' family 1 (EC 2.4.x.y) were cloned and characterized. They fall under four UGT families corresponding to five sub-families referred to as UGT74S1, UGT74T1, UGT89B3, UGT94H1, UGT712B1 that all display the characteristic plant secondary product glycosyltransferase (PSPG) conserved motif. However, diversity was observed within this 44 amino acid sequence, especially in the two peptide sequences WAPQV and HCGWNS known to play a key role in the recognition and binding of diverse aglycone substrates and in the sugar donor specificity. In developing flax seeds, UGT74S1 and UGT94H1 showed a coordinated gene expression with that of pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase (PLR) and their gene expression patterns correlated with SDG biosynthesis. Enzyme assays of the five heterologously expressed UGTs identified UGT74S1 as the only one using SECO as substrate, forming SECO monoglucoside (SMG) and then SDG in a sequential manner. We have cloned and characterized five flax UGTs and provided evidence that UGT74S1 uses SECO as substrate to form SDG in vitro. This study allowed us to propose a model for the missing step in SDG lignan biosynthesis.

Rumphellaones B and C, New 4,5-Seco-Caryophyllane Sesquiterpenoids from Rumphella

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Hsu-Ming Chung

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Two new 4,5-seco-caryophyllane sesquiterpenoids, rumphellaones B (1 and C (2, which were found to possess unprecedented γ-lactone moieties, were obtained from the gorgonian coral Rumphella antipathies. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and compound 2 was found to display modest inhibitory effects on the generation of superoxide anions and the release of elastase by human neutrophils at a concentration of 10 μg/mL

D-seco-Vitamin D analogs having reversed configurations at C-13 and C-14: Synthesis, docking studies and biological evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Szybinski, Marcin; Sokolowska, Katarzyna; Sicinski, Rafal R; Plum, Lori A; DeLuca, Hector F

2017-10-01

Prompted by results of molecular modeling performed on the seco-d-ring-vitamins D, we turned our attention to such analogs, having reversed configurations at C-13 and C-14, as the next goals of our studies on the structure-activity relationship for vitamin D compounds. First, we developed an efficient total synthesis of the "upper" C/seco-d-ring fragment with a 7-carbon side chain. Then, we coupled it with A-ring fragments using Sonogashira or Wittig-Horner protocol, providing the targeted D-seco analogs of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 and 1α,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D 3 possessing a vinyl substituent at C-14 and a double bond between C-17 and C-20. The affinities of the synthesized vitamin D analogs to the full-length recombinant rat VDR were examined, as well as their differentiating and transcriptional activities. In these in vitro tests, they were significantly less active compared to 1α,25-(OH) 2 D 3 . Moreover, it was established that the analogs tested in vivo in rats showed no calcemic potency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A stable isotope-based approach to tropical dendroclimatology

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Michael N.; Schrag, Daniel P.

2004-08-01

We describe a strategy for development of chronological control in tropical trees lacking demonstrably annual ring formation, using high resolution δ 18O measurements in tropical wood. The approach applies existing models of the oxygen isotopic composition of alpha-cellulose (Roden et al., 2000), a rapid method for cellulose extraction from raw wood (Brendel et al., 2000), and continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (Brenna et al., 1998) to develop proxy chronological, rainfall and growth rate estimates from tropical trees lacking visible annual ring structure. Consistent with model predictions, pilot datasets from the temperate US and Costa Rica having independent chronological control suggest that observed cyclic isotopic signatures of several permil (SMOW) represent the annual cycle of local rainfall and relative humidity. Additional data from a plantation tree of known age from ENSO-sensitive northwestern coastal Peru suggests that the 1997-8 ENSO warm phase event was recorded as an 8‰ anomaly in the δ 18O of α-cellulose. The results demonstrate reproducibility of the stable isotopic chronometer over decades, two different climatic zones, and three tropical tree genera, and point to future applications in paleoclimatology.

Diversidad preliminar de Artrópodos en los remanentes de bosques secos andinos del Valle del Chota en el norte del Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Troya, Adrián; Bersosa, Fabián; Vega, Mauricio

2012-01-01

En este artículo se da a conocer sobre los bosques secos que representan el 42% de todos los bosques tropicales y se encuentran en peligro de destrucción. Las investigaciones en los bosques secos de Ecuador son puntuales en aspectos botánicos y ecológicos. Durante la época seca se muestreó dos localidades en el Valle del Chota con el objetivo de conocer la diversidad de artrópodos terrestres. Se colectaron 282 morfo-especies pertenecientes a 128 familias de artrópodos correspondientes a 22 ór...

Soil phosphorus cycling in tropical soils: An ultisol and oxisol perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Sasha C.; Wood, Tana E

2016-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is essential for life. It is the backbone of our DNA, provides energy for biological reactions, and is an integral component of cell membranes. As such, it is no surprise that P availability plays a strong role in regulating ecosystem structure and function (Wassen et al. 2005, Elser et al. 2007, Condit et al. 2013), and in determining our capacity to grow food for a burgeoning human population (Sharpley et al. 1997, Sims and Sharpley 2005, Lal 2009). Concerns that P supplies are insufficient to meet our species’ growing demands are on the rise (Richardson and Simpson 2011) and scientific and media outlets increasingly discuss P as an element worthy of our attention and concern (e.g., Cordell et al. 2009, Lougheed 2011, Edixhoven et al. 2013, Ulrich et al. 2013). Indeed, a number of groups are calling for the explicit stewardship of our planet’s P stocks (Schipper 2014, Withers et al. 2015). Yet a focus on P as a vital and limited resource is not new in the tropics, where an abundance of soils characterized by low P has resulted in a substantial, longstanding reliance on P inputs for tropical ecosystem function in both unmanaged and agriculture settings (Table 1, Figure 2; Sanchez 1976, Swap et al. 1992, Chadwick et al. 1999, Okin et al. 2004, Lal 2009). Indeed, there is a long history of cultivation in the tropics, where for thousands of years land management practices have included methods that effectively modify P availability for plant growth (e.g., Giardina et al. 2000, Lawrence and Schlesinger 2001, Vitousek et al. 2004, Lewis et al. 2015). Nevertheless, low soil fertility in tropical systems where fertilizer is scarce has enduringly been recognized as a major source of hunger and starvation (Sanchez and Buol 1975, Sanchez 2002, Sanchez and Swaminathan 2005).

Tropical wetlands, climate, and land-use change: adaptation and mitigation opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Randy Kolka; D. Murdiyarso; J. B. Kauffman; Richard Birdsey

2016-01-01

Tropical wetland ecosystems, especially mangroves and peatlands, are carbon (C) rich ecosystems. Globally, tropical mangroves store about 20 PgC, however, deforestation has contributed 10 % of the total global emissions from tropical deforestation, even though mangroves account for only about 0.7 % of the world’s tropical forest area (Donato et al. 2011). Meanwhile,...

Utilización de lodo seco de depuradora de aguas residuales como adición en adoquines de hormigón prefabricado

OpenAIRE

Yagüe, A.; Valls, S.; Vázquez, E.; Kuchinow, V.

2002-01-01

El estudio ha consistido en la utilización de lodo seco de origen biológico de la depuradora de aguas residuales de Sabadell (Riu Sec), como adición en la preparación de adoquines de hormigón prefabricado. Después de caracterizar los lodos y el proceso de fabricación de los adoquines que utilizaremos, definimos las condiciones de adición de los lodos en esta fabricación. Se prepararon muestras de referencia, sin adición, y muestras con el 2 % de lodo seco sobrepeso de cemento. Se determina...

Rancho Seco building wake effects on atmospheric diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Start, G.E.; Cate, J.H.; Dickson, C.R.; Ricks, N.R.; Ackerman, G.R.; Sagendorf, J.F.

1977-11-01

A series of 23 paired gaseous tracer releases at the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Station in 1975 was the third of several tests designed to investigate the diffusion characteristics of the atmosphere under conditions of low windspeed and temperature inversion. This test also evaluated the effects of flow around buildings upon dilution of pollutants. Gaseous tracers were laterally dispersed about six times more than the expected amounts from Pasquill--Gifford curves of sigma-y. Most of this increase could be related to observed variance of the horizontal wind direction (meandering). For ground-level releases the effective sigma-z values were 16 times greater than the corresponding values from the Pasquill--Gifford curves. Measured ground-level axial concentrations were about 75 times smaller than predicted by the Gaussian diffusion equation for a ground-level release when Pasquill--Gifford values of sigma-y and sigma-z were used

Utilización de la leucaena leucocephala como suplemento en cabras en crecimiento

OpenAIRE

Clavero, Tyrone; Razz, Rosa

2009-01-01

Con el objeto de evaluar el crecimiento de cabras mestizas (Nubian x Criollo) suplementadas con Leucaena leucocephala, se realizó un ensayo en el Occidente de Venezuela en una zona caracterizada como Bosque muy Seco Tropical. Se evaluaron tres raciones: T1 (pastoreo en gramínea-Cenchrus cillaris), T2 (pastoreo en gramínea + 2 h/día en Leucaena), T3 (pastoreo en gramínea + alimento concentrado comercial, 300 g/animal/día). El diseño experimental fue de bloques completamente al azar. El peso de...

Rancho Seco--Decommissioning Update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newey, J. M.; Ronningen, E. T.; Snyder, M. W.

2003-01-01

The Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station ceased operation in June of 1989 and entered an extended period of SAFSTOR to allow funds to accumulate for dismantlement. Incremental dismantlement was begun in 1997 of steam systems and based on the successful completion of work, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) board of directors approved full decommissioning in July 1999. A schedule has been developed for completion of decommissioning by 2008, allowing decommissioning funds to accumulate until they are needed. Systems removal began in the Auxiliary Building in October of 1999 and in the Reactor Building in January of 2000. Systems dismantlement continues in the Reactor Building and should be completed by the end of 2003. System removal is near completion in the Auxiliary Building with removal of the final liquid waste tanks in progress. The spent fuel has been moved to dry storage in an onsite ISFSI, with completion on August 21, 2002. The spent fuel racks are currently being removed from the pool, packaged and shipped, and then the pool will be cleaned. Also in the last year the reactor coolant pumps and primary piping were removed and shipped. Characterization and planning work for the reactor vessel and internals is also in progress with various cut-up and/or disposal options being evaluated. In the year ahead the remaining systems in the Reactor Building will be removed, packaged and sent for disposal, including the pressurizer. Work will be started on embedded and underground piping and the large outdoor tanks. Building survey and decontamination will begin. RFP's for removal of the vessel and internals and the steam generators are planned to fix the cost of those components. If the costs are consistent with current estimates the work will go forward. If they are not, hardened SAFSTOR/entombment may be considered

Environmental radiological studies downstream from Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Wong, K.M.; Eagle, R.J.; Dawson, J.W.; Brunk, J.L.; Jokela, T.A.

1985-01-01

This report summarizes the information compiled in 1984 while assessing the environmental impact of radionuclides in aquatic releases from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station. Gamma-emitting radionuclides discharged since 1981 are found in many of the dietary components derived from the creeks receiving the effluent wastewater. Some soils and crops are found to contain radionuclides that originate from the contaminated water that was transferred to land during the irrigation season. 134 Cs and 137 Cs are the primary gamma-emitting radionuclides detected in the edible flesh of fish from the creeks. Concentrations in the flesh of fish decreased exponentially with distance from the plant. No significant differences in the 137 Cs activity were found between male and female fish of equal size, but concentrations may vary in fish of different size, with the season and diet. 21% of the total 137 Cs and 134 Cs discharged between 1981 and 1984 is associated with the creek sediments to a distance of 27 km from the plant. Fractions of the missing inventory have been transferred to land during the irrigation season or to downstream regions more distant than 27 km from the plant. The radiocesium content of the sediments in 1984 decreased significantly in a downstream direction, much in the same manner as concentrations decreased in fish. Radioactivity originating from the plant was not above detection limits in any terrestrial food item sampled beyond 6.5 km from the plant. Based on the usage factors provided by individuals interviewed in a 1984 survey, the fish and aquatic-organism ingestion pathway contributed the largest radiological dose to humans utilizing products contaminated with the radionuclides in the liquid wastes discharged from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station in 1984

Environmental radiological studies conducted during 1986 in the vicinity of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Wong, K.M.; Eagle, R.J.; Brunk, J.L.; Jokela, T.A.

1987-03-01

This report summarizes the information compiled in 1986 for our assessment of the environmental impact of radionuclides discharged with aqueous releases from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Plant. In October 1984, a liquid-effluent control program was initiated that significantly reduced the quantities of radionuclides discharged with liquid waste from the plant. However, results from our sampling program in 1986 indicate that previously discharged radionuclides persist in the downstream environment and are found in many aquatic dietary components although at concentrations much lower than those measured in 1984 and 1985. The greatly reduced activities in the dietary components from the aquatic environment attest to the effectiveness of the liquid-effluent control program. Concentrations in the flesh of fish from the creeks have decreased over time and with distance from the plant outfall. The mean concentration of 137 Cs in fish collected from Laguna Creek at locations more than 7.5 km from Rancho Seco is now comparable to the concentration determined in fresh-water fish randomly selected from Chicago, Illinois, markets. By August 1986, the mean concentration of 137 Cs in the flesh of bluegill had fallen to 7% of the concentration measured in fish from comparable locations in 1984 and was 30% of the mean concentration measured in these fish during August 1985. Stable potassium in the water plays a major role in the accumulation of 137 Cs by fish. Concentrations of 137 Cs in the surface sections of creek sediments also declined between the end of 1984 and 1986 with an effective half-life of approximately 2 y. Surface soils collected around a perimeter 11 km from Rancho Seco and from ranchlands closer to the plant showed only concentrations of 137 Cs originating from global fallout. Soils previously irrigated with Clay Creek water retain levels of both 134 Cs and 137 Cs

Composição química do óleo fixo obtido dos frutos secos da [Chamomilla recutita (L. Rauschert] produzida no município de Mandirituba, PR.

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N.P. Pereira

Full Text Available A camomila [Chamomilla recutita (L. Rauschert], é uma planta empregada na indústria de medicamentos, cosméticos e alimentos. Os frutos secos da camomila conhecidos por "sementes" são provenientes dos capítulos florais, dos quais pode-se extrair um óleo fixo rico em ácidos graxos insaturados. Através da técnica de extração com hexano em dispositivo de soxhlet, foi obtido o óleo bruto dos frutos secos da camomila em 19% de rendimento. O óleo foi caracterizado pela técnica de CG-EM, revelando um elevado teor de ácido linoleico na sua composição. Portanto, o óleo oriundo dos frutos secos da camomila vem a ser uma matéria-prima potencialmente útil na dermo-farmácia.

Analysis of Tropical Cyclone Tracks in the North Indian Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Patwardhan, A.; Paliwal, M.; Mohapatra, M.

2011-12-01

Cyclones are regarded as one of the most dangerous meteorological phenomena of the tropical region. The probability of landfall of a tropical cyclone depends on its movement (trajectory). Analysis of trajectories of tropical cyclones could be useful for identifying potentially predictable characteristics. There is long history of analysis of tropical cyclones tracks. A common approach is using different clustering techniques to group the cyclone tracks on the basis of certain characteristics. Various clustering method have been used to study the tropical cyclones in different ocean basins like western North Pacific ocean (Elsner and Liu, 2003; Camargo et al., 2007), North Atlantic Ocean (Elsner, 2003; Gaffney et al. 2007; Nakamura et al., 2009). In this study, tropical cyclone tracks in the North Indian Ocean basin, for the period 1961-2010 have been analyzed and grouped into clusters based on their spatial characteristics. A tropical cyclone trajectory is approximated as an open curve and described by its first two moments. The resulting clusters have different centroid locations and also differently shaped variance ellipses. These track characteristics are then used in the standard clustering algorithms which allow the whole track shape, length, and location to be incorporated into the clustering methodology. The resulting clusters have different genesis locations and trajectory shapes. We have also examined characteristics such as life span, maximum sustained wind speed, landfall, seasonality, many of which are significantly different across the identified clusters. The clustering approach groups cyclones with higher maximum wind speed and longest life span in to one cluster. Another cluster includes short duration cyclonic events that are mostly deep depressions and significant for rainfall over Eastern and Central India. The clustering approach is likely to prove useful for analysis of events of significance with regard to impacts.

Peepo: inodoro seco para países en vías de desarrollo

OpenAIRE

Gómez Tuya, Alejandra

2017-01-01

Peepo es un inodoro seco para países en vías de desarrollo y situaciones de emergencia. Es un objeto que pretende enmarcarse en un programa de educación sobre la higiene para prevenir todos los problemas derivados de los malos hábitos, convirtiendo como incentivo un desecho (las heces y la orina) en recurso, los fertilizantes. Departamento de Teoría de la Arquitectura y Proyectos Arquitectónicos Grado en Ingeniería en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo de Producto

Influência do processo de secagem e condição de armazenamento de extratos secos de Bauhinia forficata e Passiflora alata sobre seu perfil de dissolução

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C.R.F. SOUZA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available No Brasil, os produtos fitoterápicos são considerados medicamentos, sendo necessário o estabelecimento de estudos que assegurem a manutenção dos requisitos de qualidade durante o processamento e o armazenamento. Testes de dissolução podem ser empregados para se estimar a biodisponibilidade de um fármaco, sendo uma análise rotineira no desenvolvimento e controle de qualidade de medicamentos alopáticos. A determinação do perfil de dissolução de fitoterápicos também pode ser um importante critério para avaliação da sua qualidade lote-a-lote, bem como para os estudos de desenvolvimento e de estabilidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a influência dos métodos de secagem e da condição de armazenagem sobre os perfis de dissolução dos flavonoides totais de extratos secos de duas plantas medicinais bastante difundidas no Brasil, a Bauhinia forficata e a Passiflora alata. Os extratos secos foram produzidos pelo processo de secagem em leito de jorro e em spray drying, sendo submetidos a condições de armazenagem aceleradas (temperatura de 40 ± 2ºC e umidade relativa de 75 ± 5%, por um período de 90 dias. Os perfis de dissolução foram obtidos para amostras de extratos secos antes e após o período de armazenamento. O teor de flavonoides totais foi quantificado por espectrofotometria. Os extratos secos de B. forficata e P. alata apresentaram adequada liberação de flavonoides nos ensaios de dissolução. Os extratos secos de Passiflora alata apresentaram completa dissolução dos flavonoides, 92% e 98% dos teores originais após 60 minutos de ensaio, respectivamente para o extrato seco em leito de jorro e em spray drying.

Aerial radiological survey of the creeks and tributaries near the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generation Station, Clay Station, California. Date of survey: December 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-06-01

Radiological contamination due to man-made radionuclides was detected using hand-held instruments in the summer of 1984 in the creeks and tributaries near the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station at Clay Station, California. To help determine the extent of the contamination an aerial radiological survey centered over the creeks and tributaries and including the Rancho Seco facility was conducted during the period 3 to 15 December 1984. Radiological contaminants were detected along a 9-mile segment of the system of creeks in the area. These contaminants included cesium-134, cesium-137, and cobalt-60. Radiation measurements away from the contaminated areas were the same as those made during the aerial radiological survey conducted in 1980

Diversity and aboveground biomass of lianas in the tropical seasonal rain forests of Xishuangbanna, SW China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Tao Lü

2009-06-01

riqueza de especies, abundancia, clases de tamaño y patrones espaciales de distribución de las lianas fueron investigados en tres parcelas de una hectárea de bosque tropical estacional lluvioso, en Xishuangbanna, SW China. Todas las lianas con = 2 cm de diámetro a la altura del pecho (DAP fueron medidas, etiquetadas e identificadas. Un total de 458 tallos de lianas pertenecientes a 95 especies (que van de 38 a 50 especies/ha, 59 géneros y 32 familias se registraron en las tres parcelas. Las familias mejor representadas fueron Loganiaceae, Annonceae, Papilionaceae, Apocynaceae y Rhamnaceae. Papilionaceae (14 especies registradas fue la de mayor importancia. La densidad de población, área basal y el índice de valor de importancia (IVI varió mucho a través de las tres parcelas. Strychnos cathayensis, Byttneria grandifolia y Bousigonia mekongensis fueron las especies dominantes en términos de IVI en las tres parcelas. La media de la biomasa aérea de lianas (3 396 kg/ha representó el 1.4% de la biomasa aérea total de la comunidad. La abundancia, biomasa y diversidad de lianas en bosques tropicales estacionales de Xishuangbanna son inferiores a los de zonas tropicales y bosques húmedos, pero superiores a los de los bosques tropicales secos. Este estudio proporciona nuevos datos sobre las lianas de una región geográfica que ha sido poco estudiada. Los resultados enfatizan que otros factores, además de la cantidad y la estacionalidad de la precipitación, deben ser considerados al examinar los patrones de la abundancia de lianas.

Estimación del agua corporal total y del peso seco usando impedancia bioeléctrica tetrapolar de multifrecuencia en pacientes en hemodiálisis. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Unidad Renal Fundación Hospital San Carlos, Cruz Roja y Centro de Investigación

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Doris Ramirez de Peña

2015-01-01

Full Text Available En la búsqueda de métodos confiables y sencillos para la medición de la composición corporal de los pacientes renales en hemodiálisis (HD y, particularmente, del agua total corporal (TBW, se ha utilizado la bioimpedancia tetrapolar de unifrecuencia (BIA-1 y, más recientemente, la bioimpedancia tetrapolar de multifrecuencia, (BIA-4 como métodos confiables a utilizar en pacientes renales. Es necesario conocer el agua total corporal y el peso seco lo más acertadamente posible, puesto que con ellos se determina el tratamiento dialítico, farmacológico y nutricional de los pacientes renales en hemodiálisis. Por esta razón, se realizó un estudio clínico controlado no aleatorizado en seis fases, desde el año 2001 al 2010, en el que participaron estudiantes de pregrado del Programa de Nutrición y Dietética de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, profesores de la Facultad de Medicina de la misma Universidad y el equipo de nefrólogos y nutricionistas de las unidades renales de la Fundación Hospital San Carlos, de la Cruz Roja y del Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Crónicas de Bogotá, con el fin de establecer la confiabilidad del método, determinar una ecuación para conocer el agua total corporal de pacientes renales en HD colombianos, determinar un punto de corte utilizando la resistencia de la BIA para monitorear la cantidad de agua aumentada  interdiálisis de los pacientes, la presencia de síntomas, y conocer la utilidad de la normovolemia en la obtención del peso seco. Se encontró -al igual que en otros estudios- que la BIA-4 multifrecuencia es un método que ofrece enormes posibilidades en el estudio del paciente renal, al ser sensible a los cambios de la composición corporal del individuo, además de ser un método sencillo, indoloro, no invasivo y de fácil ejecución que permite establecer el peso seco, el estado nutricional, el agua extra e intracelular, la masa magra, la masa grasa, etc. También se logr

Sequence-specific DNA alkylation targeting for Kras codon 13 mutation by pyrrole-imidazole polyamide seco-CBI conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Rhys Dylan; Asamitsu, Sefan; Takenaka, Tomohiro; Yamamoto, Makoto; Hashiya, Kaori; Kawamoto, Yusuke; Bando, Toshikazu; Nagase, Hiroki; Sugiyama, Hiroshi

2014-01-27

Hairpin N-methylpyrrole-N-methylimidazole polyamide seco-CBI conjugates 2-6 were designed for synthesis by Fmoc solid-phase synthesis, and their DNA-alkylating activities against the Kras codon 13 mutation were compared by high-resolution denaturing gel electrophoresis with 225 base pair (bp) DNA fragments. Conjugate 5 had high reactivity towards the Kras codon 13 mutation site, with alkylation occurring at the A of the sequence 5'-ACGTCACCA-3' (site 2), including minor 1 bp-mismatch alkylation against wild type 5'-ACGCCACCA-3' (site 3). Conjugate 6, which differs from conjugate 5 by exchanging one Py unit with a β unit, showed high selectivity but only weakly alkylated the A of 5'-ACGTCACCA-3' (site 2). The hairpin polyamide seco-CBI conjugate 5 thus alkylates according to Dervan's pairing rule with the pairing recognition which β/β pair targets T-A and A-T pairs. SPR and a computer-minimized model suggest that 5 binds to the target sequence with high affinity in a hairpin conformation, allowing for efficient DNA alkylation. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Transplante de glândulas salivares labiais no tratamento de olho seco em cães pela autoenxertia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leticia Séra Castanho

2013-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar os efeitos clínicos da secreção das glândulas salivares labiais como alternativa de lubrificação ocular para alívio do olho seco, em casos moderados, severos e refratários ao tratamento clínico, através da técnica de transposição de glândulas salivares labiais para o fórnice conjuntival pela autoenxertia. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 17 cães os quais apresentavam olho seco autoimune sem reposta satisfatória ao tratamento clínico. O teste lacrimal de Schirmer e o tempo de ruptura do filme lacrimal foram realizados no pré-operatório para avaliar a quantidade e a qualidade da lágrima produzida. Os pacientes foram submetidos aos exames oftálmicos completos no pré-operatório, a cada 15 dias por dois meses e a cada 30 dias por mais dois meses, totalizando seis retornos pós-operatórios. No pré-operatório e em todos os pós-operatórios fotografias digitais foram tiradas para o arquivo fotográfico. Utilizou-se o programa photoshop para avaliação e marcação dos neovasos corneanos em todos os retornos. RESULTADOS: Houve redução em todos os casos da secreção mucopurulenta, hiperemia conjuntival e blefarospasmo, bem como estabilização de lesões pré-existentes e redução importante do número de neovasos corneanos. A transposição resultou na melhora do tempo de ruptura do filme lacrimal, porém sem alterações significativas no teste de Schirmer. CONCLUSÃO: O transplante das glândulas salivares labiais para o fórnice conjuntival é um procedimento de fácil execução, rápido, eficaz, acessível a qualquer cirurgião veterinário oftalmologista e de grande valia para casos moderados e severos de ceratoconjuntivite seca não responsivos às medicações existentes.

Tracking ENSO with tropical trees: Progress in stable isotope dendroclimatology

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, M. N.; Poussart, P. F.; Saleska, S. R.; Schrag, D. P.

2002-12-01

The terrestrial tropics remain an important gap in the growing proxy network used to characterize past ENSO behavior. Here we describe a strategy for development of proxy estimates of paleo-ENSO, via proxy rainfall estimates derived from stable isotope (δ18O) measurements made on tropical trees. The approach applies a new model of oxygen isotopic composition of alpha-cellulose (Roden et al., 2000), a rapid method for cellulose extraction from raw wood (Brendel et al., 2000), and continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (Brand, 1996) to develop proxy chronological, rainfall and growth rate estimates from tropical trees, even those lacking annual rings. The promise and pitfalls of the approach are illustrated in pilot datasets from the US, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Peru, which show isotopic cycles of 4-6 per mil, and interannual anomalies of up to 8 per mil. Together with the mature ENSO proxies (corals, extratropical tree-rings, varved sediments, and ice cores), replicated and well-dated stable isotope chronologies from tropical trees may eventually improve our understanding of ENSO history over the past several hundred years.

Teleconexiones atmosféricas-oceánicas (océanos Pacífico y Atlántico moduladoras de veranos húmedos y secos en el Núcleo del Monzón de Norte América

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Omar Llanes-Cárdenas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available En décadas recientes, la irregularidad de las precipitaciones ha tenido diversos efectos ambientales y socioeconómicos adversos a nivel mundial. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la resolución de cuatro Modelos Climáticos Regionales (MCR’s forzados por ERA - Interim para capturar los monzones extremos húmedos y secos en el Núcleo del Monzón de Norte América (NMNA, considerando los mecanismos oceánicos del Pacífico y del Atlántico. De las bases de datos disponibles en la red y para el período 1990 - 2008, se obtuvo: (1 promedio de las observaciones (obs media después de haber obtenido 4 conjuntos de datos de precipitación observados: UDel, CLICOM, GPCP y CRU, (2 d el Experimento Regional Coordinado de Reducción de Escala (COR DEX - de Norte América (NA se obtuvieron cuatro MCR’s forzados por ERA - Interim : RegCM4 ( Reg1 y Reg2, HadGEM3 - RA, RCA3.5 y REMO, (3 número e intensidad de los huracanes del Pacífico y (4 cálculo de las anomalías del Jet de Niveles Bajos del Caribe (CLLJ , Varianza Filtrada (VF, Oscilación Decadal del Pacífico (PDO y Oscilación Multidecadal del Atlántico (AMO. Se seleccionaron dos monzones extremos: uno húmedo (1990 y otro seco (2005. Se aplicó una prueba de normalidad de Shapiro Wilk a los datos a es tudiar. Se calculó una correlación de Pearson y una prueba de hipótesis con nivel de confianza de 95 % (P < 0.05 y 99 % (P < 0.01 entre los modelos, Era - Interim, las observaciones y los índices oceánicos. Sin considerar los índices oceánicos, HadGEM3 - RA y ERA - Interim capturan de mejor manera la precipitación en los monzones húmedos, en tanto que ERA - Interim y Reg1 resultaron ser mejores para capturar la precipitación para monzones secos. El monzón de 1990 presentó casi el doble de precipitación que el 200 5. Esta anomalía húmeda al parecer se asocia con la ocurrencia de 16 huracanes cerca del Golfo de California en 1990, lo que contrasta con el 2005, cuando solo se

Arquitectura tropical y educación musical: pautas de confort ambiental

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Milena Valverde-López

2014-12-01

En esta investigación se busca encontrar un balance entre el diseño de un espacio tropical, y las pautas acústicas necesarias para el estudio musical, aprovechando al máximo la energía natural del ambiente y el clima tropical de la zona. Para ello, se analizan casos a nivel nacional e internacional, se estudia al usuario y se genera una discusión con base en los resultados obtenidos y la información bibliográfica obtenida en la investigación.

Avaliação da qualidade de tomate seco em conserva Evaluation of quality of dried tomato

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Gisele A. Camargo

2007-10-01

Full Text Available O tomate seco em conserva é alvo de crescente aceitação no mercado brasileiro; sua utilização é comum em aperitivos e na culinária como ingrediente de molhos e pizzas. Avaliou-se, neste trabalho o efeito dos seguintes fatores na qualidade do tomate seco: variedade de tomate (Rio Grande e Débora Plus, geometria de corte (pedaços de ½ e ¼ com relação ao eixo maior do fruto, presença ou ausência de sementes e teor de umidade final (25 e 35%, mediante análises instrumentais de cor e textura e testes sensoriais afetivos. Os resultados mostraram que a variedade Rio Grande apresentou melhor mastigabilidade e dureza, porém maior suscetibilidade ao escurecimento após o processo de secagem. De forma geral, a preferência dos consumidores foi por tomates secos com 35% de umidade final, enquanto a melhor qualidade final foi obtida a partir do tratamento com a variedade Rio Grande e umidade final de 35%.Preserved dried tomato has been gaining increasing acceptance in the Brazilian market, its use being common in appetizers and also in the cooking, as an ingredient of sauces and pizzas. The effect of the following factors on the quality of dried tomato was evaluated: variety of tomato (Rio Grande and Débora Plus, geometry of pieces (½ and ¼ to the fruit major axis, presence or absence of seeds and final moisture content (25 and 35% by means of instrumental texture, and color analysis and sensorial affective tests. The results showed that the variety Rio Grande presented better physical parameters but was more susceptible to darkness. Generally, the consumers preferred dried tomatoes at 35% moisture content. The best final quality of dried tomato was obtained from the treatment performed with Rio Grande variety and 35% final moisture content.

Rancho Seco liquid effluent pathway aquatic and terrestrial dietary survey report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eagle, R.J.; Wong, K.M.; Noshkin, V.E.

1984-01-01

This report is a detailed summary of a survey conducted to identify all environmental pathways that may lead to any potential radiological dose to individuals utilizing aquatic and terrestrial components possibly contaminated with radionuclides contained in the liquid effluents that have been routinely discharged since 1980 to Clay Creek from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station. All land users and identified residents who obtain food from the creeks or use the creek water for irrigation or recreation were interviewed. Site specific usage parameters for the consumption of different food products and for direct exposure to individuals at downstream locations were identified and are discussed in this report. These usage parameters will be used with appropriate radionuclide concentration data to estimate radiological dose to man from the identified liquid effluent pathways

Lista comentada de las plantas vasculares del enclave seco interandino de la tatacoa (huila, colombia)

OpenAIRE

FIGUEROA-C., YISELA; GALEANO, GLORIA

2012-01-01

Se presenta el inventario florístico del enclave seco interandino de La Tatacoa (vallede la parte alta del río Magdalena, Huila, Colombia). Se encontraron 223 especies,distribuidas en 170 géneros y 60 familias. A nivel florístico, la familia Leguminosaees la más diversificada con 36 especies y 28 géneros, seguida por Poaceae (20/15),Euphorbiaceae (13/6), Asteraceae (10/10) y Cactaceae (8/7). El hábito de crecimientopredominante en términos de riqueza de especies fue el de las hierbas, seguido...

Rationale for anti-inflammatory therapy in dry eye syndrome Bases da terapia antiinflamatória em síndrome do olho seco

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CS De Paiva

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Dry eye is a multifactorial condition that results in a dysfunctional lacrimal functional unit. Evidence suggests that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Changes in tear composition including increased cytokines, chemokines, metalloproteinases and the number of T cells in the conjunctiva are found in dry eye patients and in animal models. This inflammation is responsible in part for the irritation symptoms, ocular surface epithelial disease, and altered corneal epithelial barrier function in dry eye. There are several anti-inflammatory therapies for dry eye that target one or more of the inflammatory mediators/pathways that have been identified and are discussed in detail.Olho seco é uma doença multifatorial que resulta em disfunção da unidade lacrimal glandular. Evidências sugerem que inflamação está involvida na patogênese da doença. Mudanças na composição das lágrimas, incluindo aumento de citocinas, quimiocinas, metaloproteinases e o número de células T na conjuntiva são encontrados em pacientes com olho seco e em modelos animais. Esta inflamação é responsável em parte pelos sintomas de irritação, doença epitelial de surperfície ocular e função epitelial de barreira alterada em olho seco. Existem várias terapias antiinflamatórias que se direcionam para um ou mais mediadores/vias que foram identificados e são discutidos em detalhe.

The synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of (±-2,3-seco-fentanyl analogues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LJ. DOSEN-MICOVIC

2004-11-01

Full Text Available An efficient, five-step synthetic approach to various acyclic 1,3-diamines has been developed and applied to the preparation of a novel class of open-chained fentanyl analogues. The acyclic derivatives 5.1–5.5 (all new compounds were synthesized with the aim of estimating the significance of the piperidine ring for the opioid analgesic activity of anilido-piperidines. The starting b-keto-amide 1.1, prepared by the aminolysis of methyl acetoacetate with methylphenethylamine, (93 % yield, was successively reacted with NaH and BuLi, to form the highly reactive a,g-dienolate anion 1.1a. Regio and chemoselective g-alkylation of the dienolate with various primary and secondary alkyl halides furnished the b-keto-amides 1.2–1.5 (76–91 %. Reductive amination of the keto-amides 1.1–1.5 with aniline and Zn powder in acetic acid, via the enamine intermediates 2.1–2.5, afforded the b-anilino amides 3.1–3.5 (74–85 %. After reductive deoxygenation of the tertiary amide group, using in situ generated diborane, the corresponding 1,3-diamines 4.1–4.5 were obtained (87–97 %. The synthesis of (±-2,3-seco-fentanyls 5.1–5.5 was completed by N-acylation of the diamines 4.1–4.5 with propionyl chloride, followed by precipitation of the monooxalate salts (86–95 %. The parent compound, 2,3-seco-fentanyl 5.1, was found to be a 40 times less potent narcotic analgesic than fentanyl but still 5–6 times more active than morphine in rats, while i-Pr derivative 5.3 was inactive. Apart from the pharmacological significance, the general procedure described herein may afford various functionalized, 1,3-diamines as potential complexing agents and building blocks for the synthesis of aza-crown ethers.

Mechanism of Early Stage Corrosion for Boric-sulfuric Acid Anodized 2A97 Al-Cu-Li Alloy Under Tropical Marine Atmosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LUO Chen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Optical microscopy(OM, scanning electron microscopy(SEM, EDX and EIS combined with ultramicrotomy were employed to investigate the micro morphology, chemical composition and electrochemical properties of anodized 2A97 Al-Cu-Li alloy before and after atmospheric corrosion. The results show that when electrolytes containing combinations of tartaric-sulfuric or boric-sulfuric acid are used to grow the films at different temperatures, boric acid addition and higher temperature allow for higher current density that speeds up the film growth. The pore geometry and structure is similar for different electrolytes. Dispersive dark rusty spots composed of O, Al, Cl, Cu are present on the boric-sulfuric acid anodized specimen after exposure in tropical marine atmosphere for 1 month. Deposition of white corrosion product is found on the specimen surface as well. Severe pitting occurs and develops deeply into the alloy substrate after elongated outdoor exposure. Corrosion propagation is associated with θ-phase particles.

NOAA TIFF Image - .75m Multibeam Backscatter, US Virgin Islands - Vieques Island (El Seco) - Project NF-09-01 - (2009), UTM 20N WGS 84

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a GeoTIFF with .75x.75 meter cell size representing the backscatter or intensity of sound returned from the seafloor in "El Seco" east of...

NOAA TIFF Image - 1m Multibeam Bathymetry, US Virgin Islands - Vieques Island (El Seco) - Project NF-09-01 - (2009), UTM 20N NAD83

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a unified ESRI Geotiff with 1x1 meter cell size representing the bathymetry of El Seco, a selected portion of seafloor east of Vieques Island,...

Comportamento higroscópico do extrato seco de urucum (Bixa Orellana L Hygroscopic behavior of annatto (Bixa Orellana L dried extract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Carlos dos Santos Anselmo

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Neste trabalho, objetivou-se determinar a higroscopicidade do urucum na forma de extrato seco. Neste estudo foram obtidas as atividades de água do extrato seco de urucum para as temperaturas de 10 a 50ºC e teores de água entre 6 e 22% base úmida. A metodologia empregada para as determinações foi o método dinâmico em que se utilizou o equipamento Thermoconstanter Novasina TH-2. Para os resultados experimentais aplicaram-se as equações propostas por Henderson modificada por Thompson e Henderson modificada por Cavalcanti Mata e Peleg. Por meio das análises dos parâmetros encontrados concluiu-se que a equação que melhor se ajusta aos dados experimentais é a equação de Henderson modificada por Cavalcanti Mata e que as isotermas de adsorção de água do extrato de urucum seco se comportaram sigmoidalmente, sendo consideradas do tipo II.The objective of this work was to verify the higroscopicity of annatto seeds in the dry extract form. The isotherms were determined by the dynamic method with the Thermoconstanter Novasina TH-2 equipment. The equilibrium temperatures were 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 ºC to range of moisture content between 6 and 22%, wet basis. The equations proposed by Henderson modified by Thompson and Henderson modified by Cavalcanti Mata and Peleg were applied to the experimental data. Through the gotten parameters found concluded that the best equation to represent the experimental data is the Henderson equations modified by Cavalcanti Mata. It was also concluded that hygroscopic equilibrium isotherms of annatto seeds presented sigmoid forms, considered type II.

A key to the adult Costa Rican "helicopter" damselflies (Odonata: Pseudostigmatidae with notes on their phenology and life zone preferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingemar Hedström

2001-12-01

, Mecistogaster linearis, M. modesta, M. ornata y Pseudostigma aberrans. Se incluye también a Pseudostigma accedens, como probable en esta área. Se presenta un resumen breve de la morfología, fenología y preferencia de zona de vida de cada especie, incluyendo mapas de distribución basados en más de 270 registros. Esto no incluye todos los ejemplares conocidos en Costa Rica pero proporciona una buena perspectiva de la distribución y estatus de cada especie. Se encontró que M. caerulatus volaba en bosque tropical seco solamente durante la primera mitad del año, pero durante todo el año en bosque tropical húmedo premontano, en bosque tropical húmedo y en bosque tropical muy húmedo, sin estación seca. Mecistogaster linearis volaba todo el año en bosque tropical húmedo y en bosque tropical muy húmedo, ambos sin estación seca. Mecistogaster modesta también volaba durante todo el año en bosque tropical muy húmedo y en bosque tropical húmedo, sin estación seca, como también en bosque tropical húmedo premontano, pero hubieron pocas observaciones de esta especie dentro del bosque tropical seco. Mecistogaster ornata estaba ausente completamente del bosque tropical muy húmedo y bosque tropical húmedo, ambos sin estación seca. Sin embargo, esta última especie volaba durante todo el año en bosque tropical seco, en bosque tropical húmedo premontano, en bosque tropical semi-seco y en bosque tropical húmedo, todos estos sin estación seca. Pseudostigma aberrans se ha observado tan pocas veces en Costa Rica que no es posible saber la preferencia del tiempo de su vuelo

Características do sêmen de carneiros Dorper, Santa Inês e sem padrão racial definido, pré e pós-congelação, nos períodos chuvoso e seco

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.M. Frazão Sobrinho

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Avaliaram-se as características espermáticas de carneiros Dorper, Santa Inês e sem padrão racial definido, nos períodos chuvoso e seco. Após ser colhido por vagina artificial, o sêmen foi avaliado quanto ao volume, ao turbilhonamento, à motilidade, ao vigor, à morfologia e à concentração, congelado e armazenado em botijão criogênico. Depois de descongelado, foram avaliadas a cinemática espermática, a integridade da membrana plasmática, a integridade do acrossoma e a atividade mitocondrial. Vigor espermático, motilidade total, motilidade progressiva, velocidade em linha reta e defeitos maiores não diferiram entre os períodos chuvoso e seco, porém volume, turbilhonamento, linearidade, retilinearidade e frequência de batimentos de cauda foram mais baixos (P<0,05 no período seco; já concentração espermática e defeitos totais apresentaram valores mais baixos no período chuvoso. Valores de integridade do acrossoma e da membrana plasmática, bem como o potencial de membrana mitocondrial, foram mais baixos (P<0,05 no período seco. Conclui-se que os períodos chuvoso e seco influenciam na qualidade espermática de ovinos criados na região Meio-Norte do Brasil e que esses animais têm uma qualidade espermática superior no período chuvoso, quando, portanto, deve ocorrer a criopreservação. Também se observou que, em relação à qualidade espermática, o melhor grupo de carneiros foi o Santa Inês.

Paradigms for Tropical-Cyclone Intensification

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Hurricane Opal (1995) using the Geo- physical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory hurricane prediction model, Möller and Shapiro (2002) found unbalanced flow...al. (2008) calculations on an f -plane, described in section 6.1. A specific aim was to deter- mine the separate contributions of diabatic heating and... Opal as diagnosed from a GFDL model forecast. Mon. Wea. Rev., 130, 1866-1881. Marks FD Shay LK. 1998: Landfalling tropical cyclones: Forecast

Sistemas agroforestales como estrategia para el manejo de ecosistemas de Bosque seco Tropical en el suroccidente colombiano utilizando los SIG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathaly de los Ángeles Mazo

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The agro-forestry systems are an alternative in the management of dry tropical forest zones of intervened or degraded edges. Their benefits are based on the efficient use of resources, productivity and food security for the rural communities. To locate the most appropriate sites for these systems is a requirement in the process of agricultural extension. With this proposal, the utilization of probabilistic models integrated with geographic information systems (GIS allows identifying those potential areas in need of new technologies, similar to the identification of niches of species in biodiversity studies. In keeping with this focus, evidence and logistic regression were used to generate surfaces indicative of adequate areas to implement agro-forestry in Colombia’s southwest.

Loss of integrated control system power and overcooling transient at Rancho Seco on December 26, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-02-01

On December 26, 1985, Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, located in Clay, California, about 25 miles southeast of Sacramento, experienced a loss of dc power within the integrated control system (ICS) while the plant was operating at 76% power. The plant is owned by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Following the loss of ICS dc power, the reactor tripped on high reactor coolant system (RCS) pressure followed by a rapid overcooling transient and automatic initiation of the safety features actuation system on low RCS pressure. The overcooling transient continued until ICS dc power was restored 26 minutes after its loss. The fundamental causes for this transient were design weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the ICS and in the equipment controlled by that system. These weaknesses and vulnerabilities were not adequately compensated by other design features, plant procedures or operator training. These weaknesses and vulnerabilities were largely known to SMUD and the NRC staff by virtue of a number of precursor events and through related analyses and studies. Yet, adequate plant modifications were not made so that this event would be improbable, or so that its course or consequences would be altered significantly. The information was available and known which could have prevented this overcooling transient; but in the absence of adequate plant modifications, the incident should have been expected. The report includes findings and conclusions of the NRC Incident Investigation Team sent to Rancho Seco by the NRC Executive Director for Operations in conformance with NRC's recently established Incident Investigation Program. 33 figs

AVALIAÇÃO DE PROPRIEDADES MECÂNICAS DA MADEIRA DE Eucalyptus urograndis SECOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Marcelo Soares Pereira

2017-04-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as propriedades mecânicas de cisalhamento e compressão de corpos de prova de Eucalyptus urograndis secos. Os seis corpos de prova utilizados no estudo foram retirados de peças de calços com quatorze anos de idade, para cada ensaio mecânico: cisalhamento (fv0, compressão paralela às fibras (fc0 e normal às fibras (fc90. Os valores médios de resistência obtidos nos ensaios de cisalhamento, compressão paralela às fibras e normal às fibras foram 10,30 MPa, 59,17 MPa e 9,20 MPa, respectivamente. Todos os valores obtidos alcançaram valores médios acima da referência estabelecidos pela NBR 7190 (1997.

Inhibidores de la germinación en el residuo seco del tallo del amaranto (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)

OpenAIRE

Tejeda-Sartorius, Olga; Escalante-Estrada, J. Alberto; Soto-Hernández, Marcos; Rodríguez-González, Ma. Teresa; Vibrans, Heike; Ramírez-Guzmán, Martha E.

2004-01-01

Se evaluó el efecto del extracto acuoso del residuo seco del tallo del amaranto (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. var. Azteca) a diferentes concentraciones, en la germinación y longitud de radícula y vástago de Amaranthus hybridus L. Dicho extracto, a 108 y 54 ppm inhibió la germinación de la especie en 100% y 68.42%, respectivamente, disminuyendo significativamente la longitud del vástago y la radícula, cuando la inhibición de la germinación no fue total. Se identificaron los ácidos ferúlico (A...

Crustaceans from a tropical estuarine sand-mud flat, Pacific, Costa Rica, (1984-1988 revisited

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José A. Vargas-Zamora

2012-12-01

. nicoyenis.La disponibilidad de grupos de datos recolectados por periodos mayores a un año es escasa para ambientes marinos tropicales. Avances en hardware y software pueden acelerar el re-análisis de grupos antiguos de datos y facilitar la descripción de oscilaciones poblacionales ocultas. Mediante el uso de literatura taxonómica y programas de cómputo recientes actualizamos y re-analizamos la información sobre diversidad de crustáceos y oscilaciones poblacionales en un grupo muestras recolectadas con barreno en una planicie arenoso-fangosa en la región media superior del estuario del Golfo de Nicoya, costa Pacífica de Costa Rica (1984-1988. Se encontró un total de 112 morfo-especies de macro-invertebrados, de las que 29 fueron crustáceos. Problemas taxonómicos, especialmente con los peracáridos, impidieron la identificación completa de un grupo de especies. Las oscilaciones en la abundancia del cangrejo Pinnixa valerii, el ostrácodo Cyprideis pacifica, y el cumáceo Coricuma nicoyensis fueron analizadas con los Modelos Generales Aditivos (GAM del programa de cómputo R de acceso libre. Los modelos evidenciaron una variedad de oscilaciones poblacionales durante el periodo de toma de muestras. Estas oscilaciones probablemente incluyen perturbaciones inducidas por factores externos, como los fuertes eventos de mareas rojas de 1985. Además, al inicio de 1984 las poblaciones podrían haber estado alteradas debido al impacto de El Niño 1982-83. Entonces, las oscilaciones observadas durante el estudio se alejan del patrón estacional (seco vs lluvioso y son consideradas atípicas para esta planicie tropical estuarina arenoso-fangosa. La diversidad de crustáceos y las oscilaciones poblacionales fueron similares a las publicadas en la literatura mundial. Sin embargo, la abundancias del cumáceo Coricuma nicoyensis, una especie endémica, son las más altas informadas para un estuario tropical. Datos comparativos sobre planicies arenoso-fangosas en el tr

Evaluación del peso seco y el agua corporal según bioimpedancia vectorial frente al método tradicional Assessing dry weight and body water using bioimpedance vector analysis compared to the traditional method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Teresa Centellas Tristán

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Introducción: La bioimpedancia eléctrica se puede utilizar para establecer el estado de hidratación y nutrición en hemodiálisis. La valoración del estado de hidratación de los pacientes se hace habitualmente a modo de "arte clínico" mediante el concepto de "peso seco". Existen pocos trabajos que estudien la concordancia entre el peso seco estimado de forma clínica y el deducido post-bioimpedancia. Material y métodos: Se estudiaron 36 pacientes (26 varones y 10 mujeres. Se realizó bioimpedancia eléctrica vectorial antes y 30' después de diálisis de mitad de semana midiendo, el peso, el agua total y su distribución, el ángulo de fase, la relación de Na/K, y la posición del vector de cada paciente en el normograma de esferas: percentiles 50,75 y 95. El peso-seco se estimó según la valoración subjetiva del nefrólogo, enfermera y paciente. Además en 12 pacientes estables se continuó el análisis por bioimpedancia durante 4 semanas. Resultados: La edad fue de 69.6±12.5 (r=29-89. Prediálisis el peso fue de 73.1±14.1, y postdiálisis de 70.4±13.6. El agua corporal total fue de 24.7±2.8 L/m (53.7±8.2% del peso; 22.1±3.0 L (56.2±5.9% del peso correspondían a agua extracelular y 17.4±3.8 L/m a intracelular. post-hemodiálisis, el agua total se redujo a 22.8±2.4 L/m (51.8±8.6% del peso (23.5±2.2 L en varones; y 21,5±3 L en mujeres de los que 19.6±2.5 L (54,3±5.8% del peso correspondían a agua extracelular y 16.7±3.3 a agua intracelular. Un varón y 5 mujeres sobrepasaron el valor de referencia más alto. El peso post-hemodiálisis fue de 70,4±13,6 ligeramente superior al peso seco establecido: 70,2±13,4 (p=0,02. El ángulo de fase fue 1.2, indicando malnutrición. El estudio de las elipses mostró en el percentil 50 el 58.3% (21 pacientes. El resto se repartían en el 75% de sobrehidratación: 9 (25% y en el 95%, 5 (13,8%. En los 12 pacientes en los que se efectuaron las bioimpedancias seriadas durante 4 semanas

Ecología de la dispersión de plantas en los bosques secos del suroccidente Ecuatoriano

OpenAIRE

Jara Guerrero, Andrea Katherine

2014-01-01

La importancia del proceso de dispersión de semillas en la estructura y dinámica de los ecosistemas es ampliamente reconocida. Sin embargo, para los bosques tropicales estacionalmente secos los estudios relacionados con este proceso son aún escasos y dispersos en comparación con los bosques tropicales lluviosos. En este trabajo se estudió la importancia de los síndromes de dispersión de semillas en la estructuración de comunidades, mediante el análisis de los patrones de dispersión de semilla...

An economic evaluation of the economics of the Rancho Seco nuclear reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Craig, P P [California Univ., Davis, CA (USA). Dept. of Applied Science; Marcus, W B [JBS Energy, Inc., Broderick, CA (USA)

1991-03-01

Escalating costs of operating reactors may make it economically advantageous to close them down and purchase small, cheap technologies such as combined-cycle systems. We examine the arguments pro and con for the Rancho Seco nuclear reactor, owned by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and now permanently shut-down. We conclude that if the reactor could be run no better than it has run in the past, there was no clear advantage to continued operation. Optimistic scenarios show a net advantage to running it, and pessimistic scenarios show a net disadvantage. The total range of plausible costs is narrow; the financial impact of either choice on consumers would have been small. The analysis suggests that decisions on whether to close down existing reactors are highly case specific, but that strong economic arguments for shut-down can exist if reactor performance is poor and/or if maintenance expenses are high. (author).

An economic evaluation of the economics of the Rancho Seco nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, P.P.

1991-01-01

Escalating costs of operating reactors may make it economically advantageous to close them down and purchase small, cheap technologies such as combined-cycle systems. We examine the arguments pro and con for the Rancho Seco nuclear reactor, owned by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and now permanently shut-down. We conclude that if the reactor could be run no better than it has run in the past, there was no clear advantage to continued operation. Optimistic scenarios show a net advantage to running it, and pessimistic scenarios show a net disadvantage. The total range of plausible costs is narrow; the financial impact of either choice on consumers would have been small. The analysis suggests that decisions on whether to close down existing reactors are highly case specific, but that strong economic arguments for shut-down can exist if reactor performance is poor and/or if maintenance expenses are high. (author)

The 3-D Tropical Convective Cloud Spectrum in AMIE Radar Observations and Global Climate Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumacher, Courtney [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences

2015-08-31

During the three years of this grant performance, the PI and her research group have made a number of significant contributions towards determining properties of tropical deep convective clouds and how models depict and respond to the heating associated with tropical convective systems. The PI has also been an active ARM/ASR science team member, including playing a significant role in AMIE and GoAmazon2014/5. She served on the DOE ASR radar science steering committee and was a joint chair of the Mesoscale Convective Organization group under the Cloud Life Cycle working group. This grant has funded a number of graduate students, many of them women, and the PI and her group have presented their DOE-supported work at various universities and national meetings. The PI and her group participated in the AMIE (2011-12) and GoAmazon2014/5 (2014-15) DOE field deployments that occurred in the tropical Indian Ocean and Brazilian Amazon, respectively. AMIE observational results (DePasquale et al. 2014, Feng et al. 2014, Ahmed and Schumacher 2015) focus on the variation and possible importance of Kelvin waves in various phases of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), on the synergy of the different wavelength radars deployed on Addu Atoll, and on the importance of humidity thresholds in the tropics on stratiform rain production. Much of the PIs GoAmazon2014/5 results to date relate to overviews of the observations made during the field campaign (Martin et al. 2015, 2016; Fuentes et al. 2016), but also include the introduction of the descending arm and its link to ozone transport from the mid-troposphere to the surface (Gerken et al. 2016). Vertical motion and mass flux profiles from GoAmazon (Giangrande et al. 2016) also show interesting patterns between seasons and provide targets for model simulations. Results from TWP-ICE (Schumacher et al. 2015), which took place in Darwin, Australia in 2006 show that vertical velocity retrievals from the profilers provide structure to

Tropical Cyclone Signatures in Atmospheric Convective Available Potential Energy

Science.gov (United States)

Studholme, Joshua; Gulev, Sergey

2016-04-01

Tropical cyclones play an important role in the climate system providing transports of energy and water vapor, forcing the ocean, and also affecting mid-latitude circulation phenomena. Tropical cyclone tracks experience strong interannual variability and in addition, longer term trend-like changes in all ocean basins. Analysis of recent historical data reveal a poleward shift in the locations of tropical cyclone tracks in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (Kossin et al. 2014, Nature, 509, 349-352). The physical consequences of these alterations are largely unconstrained. For example, the increasing encroachment of tropical cyclone activity into the extra-tropical environment presents a novel and still poorly understood paradigm for tropical-extratropical interactions. In this respect, the role that the atmospheric convective available potential energy (CAPE) plays in the dynamics of tropical cyclones is highly interesting. The two characteristic global-scale spatial patterns in CAPE are identified using EOF analysis. The first pattern shows an abundance of CAPE in the centre of the Pacific and corresponds to the El Nino Southern Oscillation. The second one is capturing positive CAPE anomalies in the oceanic tropics and negative anomalies over equatorial Africa. Associated with these buoyancy patterns, alterations in tropical cyclone activity occur in all basins forming both zonal and meridional patterns. Atmospheric buoyancy is the trigger for deep convection, and subsequently cyclone genesis. This is the mechanism of impact upon location at the start of cyclone tracks. It is found to have less impact upon where cyclones subsequently move, whether or not they undergo extratropical transition and when and where they experience lysis. It is shown that CAPE plays a critical role in the general circulation in the tropics which in turn is the larger steering context for embedded systems within the Walker and Hadley cells. So this lack of `latter life' impact

Dique seco de carena. Génova

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gai, Luigi

1965-02-01

Full Text Available After elaborate planning, the building, towing and sinking of the ship repairing dry dock at Genoa has now been completed. The dock is 260x52x21.5 m in size. Its structure is cellular and it is made of reinforced and prestressed concrete. A special feature of this dock is that it rests on a flexible bed of sand, dredged from the sea bed. To prepare this, the following operations were carried out: mud was first dredged away, the stony outcrops were levelled off, the spaces in between the rocks were filled with concrete, then the layer of sand was placed, and finally a surface of larger aggregate was prepared on top. The method of attaching the dock to the sea bed to ensure its stability is also noteworthy. After much thought, it was decided that once the dock was sunk at its final emplacement, if its cellular compartments were filled with sand ballast, its own weight would ensure its permanent stability in the face of rough seas. The maneuvers for floating the dock, and sinking it, were also complex, since it was essential to take carefully into account the state of the weather. Any storm might have severely damaged the dock's cellular structure. The prefabrication of the caissons, the jointing of them into a large structure, the construction of enclosing walls, the provision of galleries, companionways, and housing facilities inside the dock, and the towing, sinking and ballasting of this large and heavy structure, constitute a series of building and navigational operations of great complexity, which have tested the ability of the firm Fincosit, who specialise in hydraulic projects.Después de profundos estudios se ha terminado recientemente la construcción, remolque y hundimiento del dique seco de carena del puerto de Génova, cuyas dimensiones son: 260x52x21,5 metros. Es de estructura celular, y de hormigón armado y pretensado. La particularidad de la obra estriba en el apoyo de la plataforma sobre un lecho flexible de arena dragada del mar

Socio-economic impacts of nuclear generating stations: Rancho Seco case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergmann, P.A.

1982-07-01

This report documents a case study of the socio-economic impacts of the construction and operation of the Rancho Seco nuclear power station. It is part of a major post-licensing study of the socio-economic impacts at twelve nuclear power stations. The case study covers the period beginning with the announcement of plans to construct the reactor and ending in the period 1980 to 1981. The case study deals with changes in the economy, population, settlement patterns and housing, local government and public services, social structure, and public response in the study area during the construction/operation of the reactor. A regional modeling approach is used to trace the impact of the construction/operation on the local economy, labor market, and housing market. Emphasis in the study is on the attribution of socio-economic impacts to the reactor or other causal factors. As part of the study of local public response to the construction/operation of the reactor, the effects of the Three Mile Island accident are examined

RESPUESTA DIFERENCIAL A LA SALINIDAD DE GENOTIPOS DE TOMATE (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. EN PRIMERAS ETAPAS FENOLÓGICAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Higinio Ruiz Espinoza

2014-10-01

Full Text Available La salinidad afecta tanto el crecimiento vegetativo como el desarrollo reproductivo de las plantas: puede reducir el número de flores, incrementar la esterilidad y alterar la duración de la floración y la maduración. En México, el tomate es una de las especies hortícolas de mayor importancia económica y social, en virtud del valor de su producción y por la demanda de mano de obra que genera, por lo que el objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la salinidad en variables morfológicas, en dos etapas fenológicas (germinación y crecimiento vegetativo inicial, de ocho genotipos de tomate, “Tropic, Feroz, Ace, Super Río Grande, Yaqui, Missouri, Vita y Floradade”, los cuales fueron expuestos a estrés salino mediante la adición de NaCl en concentraciones de 0, 50, 100, 150 y 200 mM, en un diseño experimental completamente al azar con cuatro repeticiones. En la etapa de germinación se midieron las variables morfométricas: porcentaje de germinación, peso fresco y seco de parte aérea, peso fresco de raíces. En la etapa de crecimiento vegetativo inicial se midieron: longitud de tallo, peso fresco de tallo, numero de hojas y área foliar. Los resultados de la etapa de germinación muestran que conforme se incrementó la concentración salina, el porcentaje de germinación disminuyó, siendo “Tropic y Yaqui” los que mostraron valores superiores. Por su parte, “Tropic y Missouri” mostraron el mayor peso fresco y seco de parte aérea, mientras que los genotipos con menor tolerancia en esta etapa fueron “Feroz, Vita y Ace”. En la etapa de crecimiento vegetativo inicial se determinó que los cultivares que presentaron mejor respuesta o mayor tolerancia al estrés salino fueron “Missouri, Tropic, Feroz y Vita”, mientras que los genotipos con menor tolerancia a la salinidad en esta etapa fueron “Floradade y Ace”. Se concluye que en ambas etapas fenológicas existe un diferencial potencial entre los

NOAA TIFF Image - 1m Multibeam Bathymetry, US Virgin Islands - Vieques Island (El Seco) - Project NF-09-01 - (2009), UTM 20N NAD83 (NCEI Accession 0131857)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a unified ESRI Grid with 1x1 meter cell size representing the bathymetry of El Seco, a selected portion of seafloor east of Vieques Island,...

NOAA TIFF Image - .75m Multibeam Backscatter, US Virgin Islands - Vieques Island (El Seco) - Project NF-09-01 - (2009), UTM 20N WGS 84 (NCEI Accession 0131857)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a GeoTIFF with .75x.75 meter cell size representing the backscatter or intensity of sound returned from the seafloor in "El Seco" east of...

Technical evaluation of RETS-required reports for Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 for 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magleby, E.H.; Young, T.E.

1985-01-01

A review of the reports required by Federal regulations and the plant-specific Radiological Effluent Technical Specifications (RETS) for operations conducted during 1983 was performed. The periodic reports reviewed for the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 were the Semiannual Effluent Release Report, January 1, 1983 to June 30, 1983 and the Radiation Exposure, Environmental Protection, Effluent and Waste Disposal Report. The principal review guidelines were the plant's specific RETS which were based on NRC guidance given in NUREG-0133, ''Preparation of Radiological Effluent Technical Specifications for Nuclear Power Plants.'' The Licensee's submitted reports were found to be reasonably complete and consistent with the review guidelines

Reação entre a performance em natação e variáveis de força em seco. Um estudo piloto em nadadoras de nível nacional.

OpenAIRE

Amaro, Nuno

2012-01-01

Este trabalho apresenta uma revisão em torno das questões das manifestações de força em seco e sua relação com a performance de nado. Adicionalmente, foi realizado um estudo piloto para avaliação de procedimentos e metodologias a utilizar em situação de avaliação e controlo de treino. Da revisão da literatura é possível verificar que poucos são os estudos existentes que demonstrem a importância de um programa de treino em seco como complementar ao treino em água. São detetadas ...

A relação entre performance em natação e variáveis de força em seco : um estudo piloto em nadadoras de nível nacional

OpenAIRE

Amaro, Nuno Miguel Pires Alves

2012-01-01

Este trabalho apresenta uma revisão em torno das questões das manifestações de força em seco e sua relação com a performance de nado. Adicionalmente, foi realizado um estudo piloto para avaliação de procedimentos e metodologias a utilizar em situação de avaliação e controlo de treino. Da revisão da literatura é possível verificar que poucos são os estudos existentes que demonstrem a importância de um programa de treino em seco como complementar ao treino em água. São detetadas ...

Tropical Glaciers

Science.gov (United States)

Fountain, Andrew

The term "tropical glacier" calls to mind balmy nights and palm trees on one hand and cold, blue ice on the other. Certainly author Gabriel Garcia Marqez exploited this contrast in One Hundred Years of Solitude. We know that tropical fish live in warm, Sun-kissed waters and tropical plants provide lush, dense foliage populated by colorful tropical birds. So how do tropical glaciers fit into this scene? Like glaciers everywhere, tropical glaciers form where mass accumulation—usually winter snow—exceeds mass loss, which is generally summer melt. Thus, tropical glaciers exist at high elevations where precipitation can occur as snowfall exceeds melt and sublimation losses, such as the Rwenzori Mountains in east Africa and the Maoke Range of Irian Jaya.

Copepod carcasses in a tropical estuary during different hydrographical settings

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jyothibabu, R.; Jagadeesan, L.; Lallu, K.R.

at the other end determines the salinity and other physicochemical characteristics of the Cochin backwaters (Madhupratap 1987; Jyothibabu et al. 2006; Balachandran et al. 2008). Since the CBW is geographically located in the tropical region, seasonal...-interval locations were sampled along the salinity gradients in the Cochin backwaters (Fig. 1). First sampling was conducted on May 26, 2011 (Pre-Monsoon) to represent typical stratified/high saline conditions of the Pre-Southwest Monsoon. The second sampling...

Evaluación de agentes de coagulación para la producción de láminas de caucho seco a partir de Látex multiclonal de “Hevea Brasiliensis”

OpenAIRE

Giraldo Díaz, Alejandra María; López Aristizábal, Paulina

2016-01-01

El presente trabajo consiste en la evaluación de tres agentes de coagulación, uno convencional (ácido acético) y dos alternativos (ácido cítrico y limoneno) para la producción de láminas de caucho seco a partir del látex de Hevea brasiliensis, extraído del Nordeste Antioqueño en el corregimiento San José del Nus -- Se realizó una caracterización del látex, en la que se obtuvo una densidad de 0,97 gr/ml, un porcentaje de solidos de 31,14%, un porcentaje de caucho seco de 29,4%, un TGA con la p...

Assessing of biotic integrity of the fish community in a heavily impacted segment of a tropical river in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Carvalho Teixeira Pinto

2007-05-01

Full Text Available A index of biotic integrity (IBI was applied to assess the ecological health at seven sites of ca. 338 km extension of the Paraíba do Sul river, in bracketing a large urban-industrial complex. The aim was to evaluate the index response to changes in environmental quality during two seasons (winter/dry versus. summer/wet. Eight metrics were selected to IBI in three categories: 1 species richness and habitat composition; 2 indicator species; and 3 trophic structure. The IBI, based on the least impacted regional condition, showed the highest value at the most upstream site (Queluz=km 0 - Acceptable, then decreasing downstream and reaching the lowest record at Volta Redonda (km 125 - Impacted; afterwards there was an increasing quality toward the most downstream sites until reaching better scores at Além Paraíba (km 338 - Moderate Impacted/ Acceptable. During the winter/dry seasons a clearer spatial trend was detected when compared with oscillations in summer/wet. The IBI proved to be a suitable tool to evaluate environmental quality in this tropical and very altered large river, since it was sensitive to non-source point pollution changes, which occurred all over the studied area.O Índice de Integridade Biótica (IBI foi aplicado em sete locais do rio Paraíba do Sul, cobrindo uma extensão de 338 km, e incorporando um trecho de grande densidade industrial. O objetivo foi avaliar a resposta do índice às mudanças na qualidade ambiental durante dois períodos (inverno/seco versus verão/úmido. O IBI foi determinado através de oito métricas compreendidas em três categorias da comunidade de peixes: 1 riqueza de espécies e composição de habitats; 2 espécies indicadoras; e 3 estrutura trófica. Utilizou-se a condição menos impactada da região como abordagem para a comparação dos locais, com os mais altos valores ocorrendo nos locais mais a montante (Queluz=km 0 - Aceitável, diminuindo mais abaixo e atingindo os piores valores em

Aerial radiological survey of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, Clay Station, California, 18 January 1980 to 1 February 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-11-01

An airborne radiological survey of 260 km 2 area centered over the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station was made 18 January through 1 February 1980. Detected radioisotopes and their associated gamma ray exposure rates were consistent with that expected from normal background emitters, except directly over the station. Count rates observed at 90 m altitude were converted to exposure rates at 1 m above the ground and are presented in the form of an isopleth map

Interannual variability of the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones striking the California coast

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, F. J.; Rueda, A.; Barnard, P.; Mori, N.; Nakajo, S.; Albuquerque, J.

2016-12-01

Hurricanes hitting California have a very low ocurrence probability due to typically cool ocean temperature and westward tracks. However, damages associated to these improbable events would be dramatic in Southern California and understanding the oceanographic and atmospheric drivers is of paramount importance for coastal risk management for present and future climates. A statistical analysis of the historical events is very difficult due to the limited resolution of atmospheric and oceanographic forcing data available. In this work, we propose a combination of: (a) climate-based statistical downscaling methods (Espejo et al, 2015); and (b) a synthetic stochastic tropical cyclone (TC) model (Nakajo et al, 2014). To build the statistical downscaling model, Y=f(X), we apply a combination of principal component analysis and the k-means classification algorithm to find representative patterns from large-scale may-to-november averaged monthly anomalies of SST and thermocline depth fields in Tropical Pacific (predictor X) and the associated historical tropical cyclones in Eastern North Pacific basin (predictand Y). As data for the historical occurrence and paths of tropical cyclones are scarce, we apply a stochastic TC model which is based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the joint distribution of track, minimum sea level pressure and translation speed of the historical events in the Eastern Central Pacific Ocean. Results will show the ability of the approach to explain the interannual variability of the frequency and intensity of TCs in Southern California, which is clearly related to post El Niño Eastern Pacific and El Niño Central Pacific. References Espejo, A., Méndez, F.J., Diez, J., Medina, R., Al-Yahyai, S. (2015) Seasonal probabilistic forecasting of tropical cyclone activity in the North Indian Ocean, Journal of Flood Risk Management, DOI: 10.1111/jfr3.12197 Nakajo, S., N. Mori, T. Yasuda, and H. Mase (2014) Global Stochastic Tropical Cyclone Model Based on

The influence of biogenic emissions from Africa on tropical tropospheric ozone during 2006: a global modeling study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. E. Williams

2009-08-01

Full Text Available We have performed simulations using a 3-D global chemistry-transport model to investigate the influence that biogenic emissions from the African continent exert on the composition of the troposphere in the tropical region. For this purpose we have applied two recently developed biogenic emission inventories provided for use in large-scale global models (Granier et al., 2005; Lathière et al., 2006 whose seasonality and temporal distribution for biogenic emissions of isoprene, other volatile organic compounds and NO is markedly different. The use of the 12 year average values for biogenic emissions provided by Lathière et al. (2006 results in an increase in the amount of nitrogen sequestrated into longer lived reservoir compounds which contributes to the reduction in the tropospheric ozone burden in the tropics. The associated re-partitioning of nitrogen between PAN, HNO₃ and organic nitrates also results in a ~5% increase in the loss of nitrogen by wet deposition. At a global scale there is a reduction in the oxidizing capacity of the model atmosphere which increases the atmospheric lifetimes of CH₄ and CO by ~1.5% and ~4%, respectively. Comparisons against a range of different measurements indicate that applying the 12 year average of Lathière et al. (2006 improves the performance of TM4_AMMA for 2006 in the tropics. By the use of sensitivity studies we show that the release of NO from soils in Africa accounts for between ~2–45% of tropospheric ozone in the African troposphere, ~10% in the upper troposphere and between ~5–20% of the tropical tropospheric ozone column over the tropical Atlantic Ocean. The subsequent reduction in OH over the source regions allows enhanced transport of CO out of the region. For biogenic volatile organic C1 to C3 species released from Africa, the effects on tropical tropospheric ozone are rather limited, although this source contributes to the global burden of VOC by between ~2–4% and

Reparación de un dique seco en el Ferrol/España

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Navas Gutiérrez, Mariano

1981-06-01

Full Text Available El dique seco de El Ferrol, construido como dique de gravedad según la técnica de la época (1913, ha sufrido una serie de averías como consecuencia de su envejecimiento, que ha obligado a emprender una obra de reparación según las modernas técnicas de soleras ancladas y drenadas, y pantallas de bentonita-cemento. Se ha construido una losa de 30 cm en el antedique, anclada con armaduras activas, formado cada anclaje por diez cables según una malla de 3 x 3 m. Para aliviar la subpresión se ha colocado un dren entre la solera permeable actualmente existente y la losa. Con la pantalla de bentonita-cemento se pretende cerrar la entrada de agua por el relleno permeable del antiguo dique. El terreno natural es prácticamente impermeable.

Ocean climate coupling in the tropical Pacific Ocean over the past fifty years: implications and feedbacks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiujun; Murtugudde, Ragu; Busalacchi, Antonio J.

2007-01-01

Full text: The tropical Pacific plays an important role in climate because of its significant air-sea exchanges of heat, freshwater, and carbon dioxide (C02), and because of its direct linkage to climate variability. There are two dominant modes of climate variability in the Tropics: the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). There has been strong evidence of ENSO and PDO impacts on tropical Pacific physics and biogeochemistry, including heat content, ocean circulation (McPhaden and Zhang 2002), and carbon fluxes (Feely ef al. 2006; Wang ef al. 2006). In this study, we apply a basin-scale ocean circulation-ecosystem-carbon model (Wang ef al. 2006) to study the responses of the tropical Pacific ecosystem, biogeochemistry and carbon cycle to climate forcing over the past 50 years. The model produces strong spatial and temporal variability in surface nutrient concentration, phytoplankton biomass, carbon uptake, and sea-to-air C02 flux, which are largely associated with the ENSO phenomenon. In particular, the size of the tropical Pacific C02 source is large during the ENSO cold phase but small during the ENSO warm phase. There are significant decadal variations in tropical Pacific carbon fluxes, reflecting physical and biogeochemical changes associated with the 1977 and 1997/98 PDO shifts. The 1977 regime shift caused 1 0 C warming in sea surface temperature and -50% reduction in surface iron concentration in the Niho3.4 area, leading to decreased biological activity. While there is a large decrease in phytoplankton growth and biomass, reduction in carbon uptake is smaller than expected, due to phytoplankton photoadaption, which increases the carbon to chlorophyll ratio in the upper euphotic zone and enhances sub-surface production. Photoadaption also results in clearer water near the surface, leading to less heating near the ocean surface and allowing more solar radiation to penetrate the subsurface. Our studies

Tropical radioecology

CERN Document Server

Baxter, M

2012-01-01

Tropical Radioecology is a guide to the wide range of scientific practices and principles of this multidisciplinary field. It brings together past and present studies in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the planet, highlighting the unique aspects of tropical systems. Until recently, radioecological models for tropical environments have depended upon data derived from temperate environments, despite the differences of these regions in terms of biota and abiotic conditions. Since radioactivity can be used to trace environmental processes in humans and other biota, this book offers examples of studies in which radiotracers have been used to assess biokinetics in tropical biota. Features chapters, co-authored by world experts, that explain the origins, inputs, distribution, behaviour, and consequences of radioactivity in tropical and subtropical systems. Provides comprehensive lists of relevant data and identifies current knowledge gaps to allow for targeted radioecological research in the future. Integrate...

Decadal and long-term sea level variability in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nidheesh, A.G.; Lengaigne, M.; Vialard, J.; Unnikrishnan, A.S.; Dayan, H.

(Shankar and Shetye 1999, Unnikrishnan and Shankar 2007) as well as in the basin scale (Lee and McPhaden 2008, Cheng et al. 2008, Han et al. 2010) have been previously investigated, the picture of decadal/multi-decadal variability in the tropical Indo... dynamics along the rim of the northern Indian Ocean (McCreary et al. 1993, McCreary et al. 1996). At intra- seasonal timescales, the Indo-Pacific warm pool region is home to the Madden-Julian Oscillation, an eastward moving energetic fluctuation of deep...

Changes in composition and structure of a tropical dry forest following intermittent Cattle grazing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret Stern

2002-12-01

manejo" para reducir la cantidad de material combustible, principalmente Hyparrhenia rufa, un zacate que proviene de Africa. Este proyecto se desarrolla dentro del Parque Nacional Palo Verde y la Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal, ambos forman parte de los últimos remanentes de bosque tropical seco de Mesoamérica. Con el fin de determinar los efectos a corto plazo del pastoreo de ganado vacuno sobre la vegetación natural, realizamos un muestreo dentro de Palo Verde para comparar la composición florística de un área de pastoreo intermitente con un área sin pastoreo. Encontramos significativamente menos especies de plantas en el área con pastoreo intermitente comparado con el área sin pastoreo. La composición florística de estos dos hábitats fue significativamente diferente basada en una comparación del alfa de Fisher y el índice de Shannon de diversidad; ambos fueron significativamente más altos en el área sin pastoreo. El área no pastoreado tuvo mayor número de especies y mayor semejanza con bosque maduro. La estructura de la vegetación fue significativamente diferente entre las dos áreas pastoreadas y no pastoreadas, con mayor número de individuos de diámetros pequeños (1-2.5 cm y menor número de individuos de diámetros grandes (>5 cm en el área con pastoreo intermitente. Estos resultados sugieren que el ganado reduce la abundancia relativa y la densidad de las especies de árboles y cambia la composición florística y estructura del bosque tropical seco. El plan de manejo actual de Palo Verde y Lomas Barbudal no es apropriado debido al impacto que el ganado tiene sobre la estructura de la vegetación natural y no debe ser considerado como una alternativa viable para otras áreas protegidas del neotropico. Sugirimos que se evalúen métodos alternativos para prevenir incendios, como el corte de jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa con machetes, la creación de rompefuegos en mayor cantidad y magnitud, y rompefuegos verdes.

Length-weight regressions of the microcrustacean species from a tropical floodplain Regressões peso-comprimento das espécies de microcrustáceos em uma planície de inundação tropical

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio de Azevedo

2012-03-01

Full Text Available AIM: This study presents length-weight regressions adjusted for the most representative microcrustacean species and young stages of copepods from tropical lakes, together with a comparison of these results with estimates from the literature for tropical and temperate regions; METHODS: Samples were taken from six isolated lakes, in summer and winter, using a motorized pump and plankton net. The dry weight of each size class (for cladocerans or developmental stage (for copepods was measured using an electronic microbalance; RESULTS: Adjusted regressions were significant. We observed a trend of under-estimating the weights of smaller species and overestimating those of larger species, when using regressions obtained from temperate regions; CONCLUSION: We must be cautious about using pooled regressions from the literature, preferring models of similar species, or weighing the organisms and building new models.OBJETIVO: Este estudo apresenta as regressões peso-comprimento elaboradas para as espécies mais representativas de microcrustáceos e formas jovens de copépodes em lagos tropicais, bem como a comparação desses resultados com as estimativas da literatura para as regiões tropical e temperada; MÉTODOS: As amostragens foram realizadas em seis lagoas isoladas, no verão e no inverno, usando moto-bomba e rede de plâncton. O peso seco de cada classe de tamanho (para cladóceros e estágio de desenvolvimento (copépodes foi medido em microbalança eletrônica; RESULTADOS: As regressões ajustadas foram significativas. Observamos uma tendência em subestimar o peso das espécies de menor porte e superestimar as espécies de maior porte, quando se utiliza regressões peso-comprimento obtidas para a região de clima temperado; CONCLUSÃO: Devemos ter cautela no uso de regressões peso-comprimento existentes na literatura, preferindo modelos para as mesmas espécies, ou pesar os organismos e construir os próprios modelos.

The Role of Overpopulation and Agricultural Methods in the Destruction of Tropical Ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Croat, Thomas B.

1972-01-01

The conflict between increasing population and decreasing agricultural land results in the destruction of tropical forest ecosystems. Research on the utilization and natural conditions of such ecosystems is needed now. (AL)

How can tropical cyclones survive?

Science.gov (United States)

Smedman, Ann-Sofi

2013-04-01

How can tropical cyclones survive? It is important for understanding the development of tropical cyclones to be able to quantify the exchange of enthalpy and momentum between air and water. Air-sea fluxes are often formulated as drag CD and enthalpy CK exchange coefficients. Emanuel, 1986, derived an expression for potential intensity that depends on local environment parameters and is proportional to the ratio of enthalpy and drag coefficients. This ratio should be larger than 0.75 for a cyclone to develop. There are no direct surface measurements of CK/ CD under hurricane conditions and extrapolation from most open-ocean measurements at 25 m/s gives values of CK/ CD0.75 is in accordance with Emanuel's prediction. The high CK values are observed during situations when there is a regime shift of the structure of turbulence in the boundary layer. From spectral analysis it was found that as the boundary layer approaches neutral stratification, smaller-scale eddies become increasingly important in the turbulent transport of humidity and sensible heat and thus enhance the exchange coefficient CK. This turbulence regime is called the UVCN regime and require high wind speed, small temperature difference between air and water, sufficiently strong wind gradients and growing sea condition ( Smedman et al., 2007, Sahlee et al., 2008). What is the difference between world oceans and enclosed seas? The answer is the waves. The wave field over the open oceans is swell dominated but in enclosed seas and coastal areas swell is restricted mainly to low wind speed conditions, and swell is short lived because of short distances to the shores. When swell is present the MABL will be dominated by large eddies of zi size creating weak gradients of wind, temperature and humidity and thus small scale eddies cannot be formed leading to reduced CK-values. However, during hurricane condition the waves are expected to be young, stratification is close to neutral and gradients are sufficiently

Predation by Corallus annulatus (Boidae on Rhynchonycteris naso (Emballonuridae in a lowland tropical wet forest, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lewis, Todd R.

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Corallus annulatus (Northern Annulated Tree-boa is a little-studied tropical Boid occurring disjunctively throughout Central America and tropical South America in mostly lowland tropical moist and wet forests (Holdridge, 1967; Stafford & Henderson, 1996; Smith & Acevedo, 1997; Henderson et al., 2001. Prior to this report and to the best of our knowledge, small rodents were the only documented prey for wild specimens of C. annulatus (Henderson et al., 1995. Caño Palma Biological Station is situated on the northeast coast of Costa Rica approximately 8 km north of Tortuguero. C. annulatus has previously been recorded from Manicaria forest at Caño Palma (Myers, 1990; Burger, 2001. On 12th January 2002 and 15th July 2003 we found two separate C. annulatus specimens with Rhynchonycteris naso (Proboscis bat in their stomachs.

Una breve descripción de la vegetación, con especial énfasis en las pioneras intermedias de los bosques secos de la Jagua, en la cuenca alta del Rio Magdalena en el Huila

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Gerardo Vargas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Se revisó la información existente sobre la flora de los bosques secos del sur del departamento del Huila, con especial interés en la de La Jagua y sus alrededores con el fin de identificar especies pioneras intermedias que puedan apoyar procesos de restauración ecológica y conservación de la biodiversidad. Para los bosques secos del departamento se identificaron 203 especies pioneras intermedias distribuidas en 123 géneros y 45 familias botánicas, mientras que para La Jagua 153 especies agrupadas en 109 géneros y 42 familias, entre las que sobresalen Fabaceae,  Rubiaceae, Malvaceae, Moraceae y Anacardiaceae. Se proponen 85 especies consideradas claves para procesos de conservación, la restauración de los ecosistemas secos de la región dirigida a la generación de hábitat y de conectividad, la producción de recursos para la fauna, así como la producción de leña y madera para las comunidades dentro de un modelo de herramientas de manejo del paisaje.

Aluminium tolerance of Mucuna : A tropical leguminous cover crop

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hairiah, Kurniatun

1992-01-01

In the humid tropics leaching of N and other nutrients to the subsoil may occur throughout the growing season. Typically, soils in this zone have a low soil pH, a high Al saturation of the cation exchange complex and low levels of Ca and P in the subsoil. Efficiency of N-use under such conditions

Multiannual tropical tropospheric ozone columns and the case of the 2015 el Niño event

Science.gov (United States)

Leventidou, Elpida; Eichmann, Kai-Uwe; Weber, Mark; Burrows, John P.

2016-04-01

Stratospheric ozone is well known for protecting the surface from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation whereas ozone in the troposphere plays a more complex role. In the lower troposphere ozone can be extremely harmful for human health as it can oxidize biological tissues and causes respiratory problems. Several studies have shown that the tropospheric ozone burden (300±30Tg (IPCC, 2007)) increases by 1-7% per decade in the tropics (Beig and Singh, 2007; Cooper et al., 2014) which makes the need to monitor it on a global scale crucial. Remote sensing from satellites has been proven to be very useful in providing consistent information of tropospheric ozone concentrations over large areas. Tropical tropospheric ozone columns can be retrieved with the Convective Cloud Differential (CCD) technique (Ziemke et al. 1998) using retrieved total ozone columns and cloud parameters from space-borne observations. We have developed a CCD-IUP algorithm which was applied to GOME/ ERS-2 (1995-2003), SCIAMACHY/ Envisat (2002-2012), and GOME-2/ MetOpA (2007-2012) weighting function DOAS (Coldewey-Egbers et al., 2005, Weber et al., 2005) total ozone data. A unique long-term record of monthly averaged tropical tropospheric ozone columns (20°S - 20°N) was created starting in 1996. This dataset has been extensively validated by comparisons with SHADOZ (Thompson et al., 2003) ozonesonde data and limb-nadir Matching (Ebojie et al. 2014) tropospheric ozone data. The comparison shows good agreement with respect to range, inter-annual variation, and variance. Biases where found to be within 5DU and the RMS errors less than 10 DU. This 17-years dataset has been harmonized into one consistent time series, taking into account the three instruments' difference in ground pixel size. The harmonised dataset is used to determine tropical tropospheric ozone trends and climatological values. The 2015 el Niño event has been characterised as one of the top three strongest el Niños since 1950. El Ni

The importance of vegetation change in the prediction of future tropical cyclone flood statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Irish, J. L.; Resio, D.; Bilskie, M. V.; Hagen, S. C.; Weiss, R.

2015-12-01

Global sea level rise is a near certainty over the next century (e.g., Stocker et al. 2013 [IPCC] and references therein). With sea level rise, coastal topography and land cover (hereafter "landscape") is expected to change and tropical cyclone flood hazard is expected to accelerate (e.g., Irish et al. 2010 [Ocean Eng], Woodruff et al. 2013 [Nature], Bilskie et al. 2014 [Geophys Res Lett], Ferreira et al. 2014 [Coast Eng], Passeri et al. 2015 [Nat Hazards]). Yet, the relative importance of sea-level rise induced landscape change on future tropical cyclone flood hazard assessment is not known. In this paper, idealized scenarios are used to evaluate the relative impact of one class of landscape change on future tropical cyclone extreme-value statistics in back-barrier regions: sea level rise induced vegetation migration and loss. The joint probability method with optimal sampling (JPM-OS) (Resio et al. 2009 [Nat Hazards]) with idealized surge response functions (e.g., Irish et al. 2009 [Nat Hazards]) is used to quantify the present-day and future flood hazard under various sea level rise scenarios. Results are evaluated in terms of their impact on the flood statistics (a) when projected flood elevations are included directly in the JPM analysis (Figure 1) and (b) when represented as additional uncertainty within the JPM integral (Resio et al. 2013 [Nat Hazards]), i.e., as random error. Findings are expected to aid in determining the level of effort required to reasonably account for future landscape change in hazard assessments, namely in determining when such processes are sufficiently captured by added uncertainty and when sea level rise induced vegetation changes must be considered dynamically, via detailed modeling initiatives. Acknowledgements: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CMMI-1206271 and by the National Sea Grant College Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and

Propuesta de mejoramiento tecnológico de techos verdes para el clima tropical andino

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Alejandro Gómez Cubillos

2018-01-01

Full Text Available La gestión de riesgos por el aumento de la escorrentía superficial en zonas urbanas requiere intervención desde múltiples enfoques, ambientales, sanitarios, sociales y económicas. La infraestructura verde aporta soluciones de creciente interés por sus beneficios ambientales y potencial aprovechamiento económico. Este artículo propone un mejoramiento tecnológi-co para la adaptación de los techos verdes al clima tropical andino, en términos de su com-portamiento hidrológico, para lo cual se desarrolló un montaje experimental con seis módu-los de techos verdes extensivos y un módulo testigo (solo cubierta. El montaje experimental permitió la obtención de datos de 21 eventos de precipitación, modificando la configuración de dos factores experimentales, tipo de planta con seis variaciones y altura de sustrato con tres variaciones y tres eventos más para verificar el efecto de la variación de la pendiente de la cubierta, como tercer factor. Los datos obtenidos se procesaron para el cálculo de las va-riables hidrológicas de interés (precipitación, escorrentía, duración del evento, tiempo ante-rior seco, que expresan las características del evento y los indicadores del comportamiento hidrológico (coeficientes de escorrentía basado en volumen Cv y en el caudal pico Cp y tiem-po de retraso K y su análisis estadístico permitió identificar cuáles factores experimentales tienen o no influencia significativa en dichos indicadores. Finalmente, se desarrollaron herramientas para la simulación de variables e indicadores hidrológicos a partir de series de precipitación externas y su implementación en una herramienta de diseño que seleccione las configuraciones de techos verdes que presenten el mejor comportamiento hidrológico.

Influência da temperatura de secagem e da concentração de Aerosil®200 nas características dos extratos secos por aspersão da Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae

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E.A.F. Vasconcelos

Full Text Available A Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi é muito usada na medicina popular e atualmente como fitomedicamento pelas propriedades antimicrobiana, cicatrizante e antiinflamatória. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da temperatura de entrada e a concentração de Aerosil®200 nas características de extratos secos por aspersão da Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi. Os extratos preparados com etanol 70 °GL foram secos em Mini-spray dryer, Buchi B191, com adição do adjuvante tecnológico numa proporção de 20:80; 25:75 e 30:70 (p/p Aerosil®200: resíduo seco, variando a temperatura de entrada de 120 °C a 160 °C. A umidade residual, o rendimento final do produto e o aumento da massa frente à umidade relativa controlada de 90 % foram usados como critério de avaliação. A análise de superfície de resposta revelou que à medida que a temperatura e a concentração de Aerosil aumentam, diminui a umidade residual dos extratos, bem como sua higroscopicidade. As melhores condições de secagem foram a temperatura de entrada de 140 °C e 30 % do adjuvante, resultando em rendimento acima de 80 %.

Factores ambientales asociados con la preferencia de hábitat de larvas de tricópteros en cuencas con bosque seco tropical (Tolima, Colombia

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Jesús M. Vásquez-Ramos

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Los ríos de bosques secos tropicales están amenazados en todo el mundo, y en Suramérica son una de las prioridades en términos de conservación. En este estudio se determinó la influencia de variables ambientales (por ejemplo precipitación y la vegetación ribereña sobre las comunidades del orden Trichoptera en cuatro sustratos (roca, grava, arena y hojarasca en las cuencas Opia y Venadillo (Tolima, Colombia. En cada río, en dos segmentos de 100m (uno a ~550 y otro a ~250msnm, fueron evaluados los sustratos mencionados anteriormente. Se realizaron análisis físico-químicos, y se aplicó el índice QBR (calidad del bosque de ribera en ambos ríos. Se recolectaron 6 282 larvas, pertenecientes a 11 familias y 22 géneros, que representan el 73.30% y 43.13% de la fauna Trichoptera registrada en Colombia, respectivamente. Las familias más abundantes fueron Hydropsychidae (49.86% y Philopotamidae (25.44%. Los géneros Smicridea, Chimarra, Protoptila, Neotrichia y Leptonema fueron comunes en periodos de baja y alta precipitación. Las asociaciones de tricópteros no mostraron diferencias significativas a nivel de sustrato. Los principales factores que determinaron la composición, riqueza y abundancia de tricópteros fueron la estacionalidad y la vegetación de ribera. Sin embargo, las localidades situadas a mayor altitud y no urbanizadas, ofrecen mayor variedad de sustratos y mayor riqueza de géneros. Nuestros resultados indican que a futuro las larvas de Trichoptera constituyen un elemento biótico relevante en los ecosistemas dulceacuícolas, debido a que son sensibles a disturbios ambientales. Por ende, sugerimos el uso de los tricópteros para biomonitoreo en ríos tropicales. La implementación de estos estudios es urgente, teniendo en cuenta que la degradación de los ecosistemas dulceacuícolas tiende a ser intensa y persistente.

Seasonal and spatial distribution of Bacterioplankton in a fluvial-lagunar system of a tropical region: density, biomass, cellular volume and morphologic variation

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Magnólia Fernandes Florêncio de Araújo

2008-02-01

Full Text Available The temporal and spatial fluctuations of Bacterioplankton in a fluvial-lagunar system of a tropical region (Pitimbu River and Jiqui Lake, RN were studied during the dry and the rainy periods. The bacterial abundance varied from 2.67 to 5.1 Cells10(7mL-1 and did not show a typical temporal variation, presenting only small oscillations between the rainy and the dry periods. The bacterial biomass varied from 123 µgC L-1 to 269 µgC L-1 in the sampling sites and the average cellular volume varied from 0.12 to 0.54µm³, showing a predominance of the rods. The temperature showed a positive correlation with the cellular volume of the rods (R=0.55; p=0.02 and vibrio (R=0.53; p=0.03. Significant spatial differences of biomass (Mann Whitney: p=0.01 and cellular volume of the morphotypes (Mann Whitney: p=0.003 were found between the sampling sites. The strong positive correlations of the water temperature and oxygen with bacterioplankton showed a probable high bacterial activity in this system.A variação temporal e espacial do bacterioplâncton em um sistema fluvial-lagunar de região tropical foi estudada em períodos seco e chuvoso. As médias da abundância bacteriana variaram de 2,67 a 5,1 x 10(7 e não exibiram uma variação temporal marcante, tendo apresentado apenas pequenas oscilações entre os períodos chuvoso e seco. A biomassa bacteriana variou de 123 µg C L-1 a 269 µg C L-1 entre os locais de coleta e o volume celular médio de 0,12µm³ a 0,54µm³, ocorrendo predominância de bacilos. A temperatura mostrou correlação positiva com o volume celular de bacilos (R=0,55; p=0,02 e de vibriões (R=0,53; p=0,03. Foram encontradas diferenças espaciais significativas de biomassa (Mann Whitney: p=0,01 e volume celular dos morfotipos (Mann Whitney: p= 0,003, entre os locais de coleta. As fortes correlações positivas da temperatura da água e do oxigênio, com o bacterioplâncton, são sugestivas de uma provavelmente elevada atividade

Lability of soil organic carbon in tropical soils with different clay minerals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, Thilde Bech; Elberling, Bo; Christensen, Bent Tolstrup

2010-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and turnover is influenced by interactions between organic matter and the mineral soil fraction. However, the influence of clay content and type on SOC turnover rates remains unclear, particularly in tropical soils under natural vegetation. We examined the lability...... of SOC in tropical soils with contrasting clay mineralogy (kaolinite, smectite, allophane and Al-rich chlorite). Soil was sampled from A horizons at six sites in humid tropical areas of Ghana, Malaysian Borneo and the Solomon Islands and separated into fractions above and below 250 µm by wet sieving....... Basal soil respiration rates were determined from bulk soils and soil fractions. Substrate induced respiration rates were determined from soil fractions. SOC lability was significantly influenced by clay mineralogy, but not by clay content when compared across contrasting clay minerals. The lability...

USO DE PLANTAS EM PÓ SECO COM PROPRIEDADES TERMITICIDA SOBRE A MORTALIDADE DE CUPINS ARBÓREOS

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Chistopher Stallone Cruz

2012-09-01

Full Text Available 1024x768 Normal 0 21 false false false PT-BR X-NONE X-NONE Os térmitas são insetos de grande importância ecológica, com mais de 2.750 espécies catalogadas em todo o mundo. Pequeno número de espécies são conhecidos por provocarem grandes danos econômicos ao homem, sendo considerado como praga urbana ou agrícola, são destruidores de madeira seca, pastagens e outros materiais composto de celulose. A vasta gama de uso indiscriminado de produtos químicos contra o controle deste inseto vem trazendo ao longo do tempo resultados negativos, por apresentarem sérios riscos a saúde humana e dar surgimento a cupins com resistência. Avaliou-se nove espécies vegetais que possivelmente apresentem poder cupinicida em substituição aos tratamentos convencionais, de modo a preservar o meio ambiente. Foram avaliados os seguintes vegetais: caule e folha de Aspidosperma pyrifolium, raiz de Mimosa tenuiflora, raiz de Cnidoscolus urens, gema apical de Syzygium aromaticum, semente de Azadirachta indica, fruto de Piper nigrum, folhas de Eucalyptus sp., raiz de Zingiber officinale e fruto de Punica granatum. Foram coletados 550 espécimes de cupins, 275 operários e 275 soldados, logo em seguida foram distribuídos 10 indivíduos dentro de um cativeiro de polipropileno com capacidade de 250mL, juntamente com 3g do pó seco, 5g de fragmentos de cupinzeiro macerado, verificando a viabilidade dos pós secos durante 5 dias consecutivos, sendo realizado uma leitura de mortalidade a cada 24 horas. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado e os dados foram avaliados pelos testes Student e Henderson & Tilton. Verificou-se que a utilização dos pós vegetais é  alternativa eficaz e barata no controle de Nasutitermes sp., destacando-se como mais letais folhas e galhos de A. indica,Eucalyptus sp., S. aromaticum, Z. officinale, C. urens e P. nigrum.

Connecting tropical river DOM and POM to the landscape with lignin

Science.gov (United States)

Hernes, Peter J.; Dyda, Rachael Y.; McDowell, William H.

2017-12-01

Tropical rivers account for two thirds of global fluxes of terrigenous organic matter to the oceans, yet because of their remote locations relative to most industrialized countries, they are poorly studied compared to temperate and even Arctic rivers. Further, most tropical river research has focused on large rivers like the Amazon or Congo, yet more than half of organic matter fluxes from tropical rivers comes from much smaller rivers. This study focuses on two such rivers in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico, namely the Rio Mameyes and Rio Icacos, and uses time-series measurements of lignin biomarkers to put them in context with much bigger tropical rivers in the literature. Although lignin concentrations and carbon-normalized yields offer some distinction between mountainous vs. floodplain tropical river reaches, compositional differences appear to offer greater potential, including S:V vs. C:V plots that may capture the poorly-studied influence of palm trees, and (Ad:Al)s vs. (Ad:Al)v plots that may reflect differences in underlying mineralogy and degradation in soils. Even though dissolved and particulate lignin ultimately come from the same vegetation sources, comparison of dissolved and particulate lignin parameters within the two Puerto Rican rivers indicate that the pathways by which they end up in the same parcel of river water are largely decoupled. Across several particulate lignin studies in tropical rivers, mineral composition and concentration appears to exert a strong control on particulate lignin compositions and concentrations. Finally, the time-series nature of this study allows for new ways of analyzing dissolved lignin endmember compositions and degradation within the catchment. Plots of dissolved lignin parameters vs. lignin concentration reveal both the composition of "fresh" DOM that is likely mobilized from organic-rich soil surface layers along with the extent and trajectory of degradation of that signature that is possible

Interaction between Tropical Atlantic Variability and El Niño-Southern Oscillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanan, R.; Chang, Ping

2000-07-01

The interaction between tropical Atlantic variability and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is investigated using three ensembles of atmospheric general circulation model integrations. The integrations are forced by specifying observed sea surface temperature (SST) variability over a forcing domain. The forcing domain is the global ocean for the first ensemble, limited to the tropical ocean for the second ensemble, and further limited to the tropical Atlantic region for the third ensemble. The ensemble integrations show that extratropical SST anomalies have little impact on tropical variability, but the effect of ENSO is pervasive in the Tropics. Consistent with previous studies, the most significant influence of ENSO is found during the boreal spring season and is associated with an anomalous Walker circulation. Two important aspects of ENSO's influence on tropical Atlantic variability are noted. First, the ENSO signal contributes significantly to the `dipole' correlation structure between tropical Atlantic SST and rainfall in the Nordeste Brazil region. In the absence of the ENSO signal, the correlations are dominated by SST variability in the southern tropical Atlantic, resulting in less of a dipole structure. Second, the remote influence of ENSO also contributes to positive correlations between SST anomalies and downward surface heat flux in the tropical Atlantic during the boreal spring season. However, even when ENSO forcing is absent, the model integrations provide evidence for a positive surface heat flux feedback in the deep Tropics, which is analyzed in a companion study by Chang et al. The analysis of model simulations shows that interannual atmospheric variability in the tropical Pacific-Atlantic system is dominated by the interaction between two distinct sources of tropical heating: (i) an equatorial heat source in the eastern Pacific associated with ENSO and (ii) an off-equatorial heat source associated with SST anomalies near the Caribbean

Seco-B-Ring Steroidal Dienynes with Aromatic D Ring: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

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Marcin Szybinski

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Continuing our structure-activity studies on the vitamin D analogs with the altered intercyclic seco-B-ring fragment, we designed compounds possessing dienyne system conjugated with the benzene D ring. Analysis of the literature data and the docking experiments seemed to indicate that the target compounds could mimic the ligands with a good affinity to the vitamin D receptor (VDR. Multi-step synthesis of the C/D-ring building block of the tetralone structure was achieved and its enol triflate was coupled with the known A-ring fragments, possessing conjugated enyne moiety, using Sonogashira protocol. The structures of the final products were confirmed by NMR, UV and mass spectroscopy. Their binding affinities for the full-length human VDR were determined and it was established that compound substituted at C-2 with exomethylene group showed significant binding to the receptor. This analog was also able to induce monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells.

Ganoboninketals A-C, Antiplasmodial 3,4-seco-27-Norlanostane Triterpenes from Ganoderma boninense Pat.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ke; Ren, Jinwei; Han, Junjie; Bao, Li; Li, Li; Yao, Yijian; Sun, Chen; Zhou, Bing; Liu, Hongwei

2014-08-22

Three new nortriterpenes, ganoboninketals A-C (1-3), featuring rearranged 3,4-seco-27-norlanostane skeletons and highly complex polycyclic systems were isolated from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma boninense. The structures of the new metabolites were established by spectroscopic methods. The absolute configurations in 1-3 were assigned by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1-3 showed antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 values of 4.0, 7.9, and 1.7 μM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 3 also displayed weak cytotoxicity against A549 cell line with IC50 values of 47.6 and 35.8 μM, respectively. Compound 2 showed weak cytotoxicity toward HeLa cell line with an IC50 value of 65.5 μM. Compounds 1-3 also presented NO inhibitory activity in the LPS-induced macrophages with IC50 values of 98.3, 24.3, and 60.9 μM, respectively.

Environmental radiological studies downstream from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Wong, K.M.; Eagle, R.J.; Brunk, J.L.; Jokela, T.A.

1986-01-01

Information compiled in 1985 while assessing the environmental impact of radionuclides previously discharged with aqueous releases from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Plant is presented. In October 1984, the quantities of gamma-emitting radionuclides in water discharged to Clay Creek from the plant were reduced below operationally defined detection limits for liquid effluents. However, radionuclides previously discharged persist in the downstream environment and are found in many aquatic dietary components. 134 Cs and 137 Cs are the primary gamma-emitting radionuclides detected in the edible flesh of different fish, crayfish, and frogs. Coefficients for exponential equations are generated, from a least square analysis, that relate the change in concentration of 137 Cs in fish to distance downstream and time between March and October 1985. Concentrations of 137 Cs in surface creek sediments also decreased in the downstream direction much in the same manner as concentrations decreased in fish. However, there was no significant difference in the radiocesium concentrations in surface sediements collected from comparable locations during both 1984 and 1985

Comparación temporal de la riqueza y composición de insectos inductores de agallas en el dosel de un bosque tropical Temporal comparison in richness and composition of gall-inducing insects in the rainforest canopy

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Enrique Medianero

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Se compara, entre 2 periodos de muestreos con 9 años de distancia entre sí, la riqueza y composición de especies que forman la comunidad de insectos inductores de agallas en el dosel del Parque Natural Metropolitano (PNM, un bosque seco tropical en la costa del Pacífico de Panamá. Los datos corresponden a muestreos realizados de enero de 1997 a marzo de 1998, y de agosto de 2005 a junio de 2006. Para tener acceso al dosel del bosque se utilizó una grúa instalada en el sitio por el Instituto Smithsonian de Investigaciones Tropicales. Los resultados indican que no existen diferencias significativas en el número de especies de insectos inductores de agallas (29 y 30 respectivamente, en los 2 periodos de muestreo; sin embargo, la comunidad de hace 9 años presenta un reemplazo del 16 % de las especies y se asemeja a la actual en 55%. Variaciones ambientales y actividades antropogénicas favorecieron la proliferación de lianas y de cecidógenos relacionados con esas plantas. En los 2 periodos de muestreo, tanto árboles como lianas, albergaron un número semejante de insectos inductores de agallas.A comparison (richness and composition of the galls inducing insects at canopy forest, in the Parque Natural Metropolitano (PNM, a tropical dry forest of the Pacific coast of Panama was done, in a difference period of 9 years. Sampling was carried out from January 1997 to March 1998 and from August 2005 to June 2006. The crane from the Smithsonian Institution for Tropical Research (STRI was used in order to access to the canopy. After the results, there are not significant differences in the number of insects which induce the production of galls (29 and 30 respectively, nevertheless the community from 9 years before, presents the replacement of 16% of the species and is similar in 55% to the present fauna. Environmental changes and anthropogenic activities have produced the proliferation of vines and cecidogens. In both periods of time, the trees

LISTA COMENTADA DE LAS PLANTAS VASCULARES DEL ENCLAVE SECO INTERANDINO DE LA TATACOA (HUILA, COLOMBIA

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FIGUEROA-C. YISELA

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Se presenta el inventario florístico del enclave seco interandino de La Tatacoa (vallede la parte alta del río Magdalena, Huila, Colombia. Se encontraron 223 especies,distribuidas en 170 géneros y 60 familias. A nivel florístico, la familia Leguminosaees la más diversificada con 36 especies y 28 géneros, seguida por Poaceae (20/15,Euphorbiaceae (13/6, Asteraceae (10/10 y Cactaceae (8/7. El hábito de crecimientopredominante en términos de riqueza de especies fue el de las hierbas, seguido porlos hábitos leñosos (árboles, arbustos y sufrútices, y el mayor número de especiesse encontró en las zonas de áreas abiertas y en las riberas de quebradas. Se registrancuatro hallazgos corológicos interesantes, incluyendo el primer registro de Sennauniflora para Colombia.

Investigation of metal toxicity to tropical biota. Recommendations for revision of Australian water quality guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchich, S.

1997-01-01

The specific objectives of this study were to: review available data on the toxicity of metals to aquatic biota in tropical Australia; identify metals considered to be priority toxicants to aquatic biota in tropical Australia; and employ previously developed toxicity testing protocols for two tropical freshwater species to obtain preliminary toxicity data for two priority metals. From the literature review, it was concluded that insufficient metal toxicity data exist for Australian tropical species. Data were absent for a range of metals (eg Ag, As, Al, Cr, Hg, Ni, Sb and Se) listed in the current Australian water quality guidelines. Aluminium, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb, U, V and Zn were identified as priority metals of potential ecotoxicological concern in aquatic ecosystems of tropical Australia, largely as a consequence of mining activities, but also from urban impacts. Instead of testing the toxicity of the priority metals for which data do not currently exist (ie Al, Co, Ni and V), it was deemed more important to conduct further experimental work on Cu and U, in the context of elucidating the relatively high variability in the toxic response of these two metals. As a result, Cu and U were selected and toxicity tests conducted using two tropical freshwater species (green hydra (Hydra viridissima) and gudgeon fish (Mogurnda mogurnda)) from the Australian wet/dry tropics using test protocols designed to maximise the greatest sensitivity of metal response in the shortest period of time. Hydra viridissima was about eight times more sensitive to Cu than U, whereas M. mogurnda was about twenty times more sensitive. Once differences between the sublethal and lethal endpoints of the two organisms were corrected by statistical extrapolation, H. viridissima was approximately seven times more sensitive than M. mogurnda to U, but only about three times more sensitive to Cu. Both species were more sensitive to Cu than U. These results are generally consistent with those from

Interannual Variability of the Tropical Water Cycle: Capabilities in the TRMM Era and Challenges for GPM

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Franklin R.

2003-01-01

Considerable uncertainty surrounds the issue of whether precipitation over the tropical oceans (30" NE) systematically changes with interannual sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies that accompany El Nino (warm) and La Nina (cold) events. Although it is well documented that El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events with marked SST changes over the tropical oceans, produce significant regional changes in precipitation, water vapor, and radiative fluxes in the tropics, we still cannot yet adequately quantify the associated net integrated changes to water and heat balance over the entire tropical oceanic or land sectors. Robertson et al., [2001 GRL] for example, showed that substantial disagreement exists among contemporary satellite estimates of interannual variations in tropical rainfall that are associated with SST changes. Berg et al., [2002 J. Climate] have documented the distinct differences between precipitation structure over the eastern and western Pacific ITCZ and noted how various satellite precipitation algorithms may respond quite differently to ENSO modulations of these precipitation regimes. Resolving this uncertainty is important since precipitation and latent heat release variations over land and ocean sectors are key components of the tropical heat balance in its most aggregated form. Rainfall estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) averaged over the tropical oceans have not solved this issue and, in fact, show marked differences with estimates from two TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) passive microwave algorithms. In this paper we will focus on findings that uncertainties in microphysical assumptions necessitated by the single-frequency PR measurement pose difficulties for detecting climate-related precipitation signals. Recent work has shown that path-integrated attenuation derived from the effects of precipitation on the radar return from the ocean surface exhibits interannual variability that agrees

Influence of tropical atmospheric variability on Weddell Sea deep water convection

Science.gov (United States)

Kleppin, H.

2016-02-01

Climate reconstructions from ice core records in Greenland and Antarctica have revealed a series of abrupt climate transitions, showing a distinct relationship between northern and southern hemisphere climate during the last glacial period. The recent ice core records from West Antarctica (WAIS) point towards an atmospheric teleconnection as a possible trigger for the interhemispheric climate variability (Markle et al., 2015). An unforced simulation of the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4) reveals Greenland warming and cooling events, caused by stochastic atmospheric forcing, that resemble Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles in pattern and magnitude (Kleppin et al., 2015). Anti-phased temperature changes in the Southern Hemisphere are small in magnitude and have a spatially varying pattern. We argue that both north and south high latitude climate variability is triggered by changes in tropical atmospheric deep convection in the western tropical Pacific. The atmospheric wave guide provides a fast communication pathway connecting the deep tropics and the polar regions. In the Southern Hemisphere this is manifested as a distinct pressure pattern over West Antarctica. These altered atmospheric surface conditions over the convective region can lead to destabilization of the water column and thus to convective overturning in the Weddell Sea. However, opposed to what is seen in the Northern Hemisphere no centennial scale variability can establish, due to the absence of a strong feedback mechanism between ocean, atmosphere and sea ice. Kleppin, H., Jochum, M., Otto-Bliesner, B., Shields, C. A., & Yeager, S. (2015). Stochastic Atmospheric Forcing as a Cause of Greenland Climate Transitions. Journal of Climate, (2015). Markle, B. and Coauthors (2015, April). Atmospheric teleconnections between the tropics and high southern latitudes during millennial climate change. In EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts (Vol. 17, p. 2569).

Tropical Soil Chemistry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borggaard, Ole K.

and environmental protection. Tropical Soil Chemistry by Ole K. Borggaard provides an overview of the composition, occurrence, properties, processes, formation, and environmental vulnerability of various tropical soil types (using American Soil Taxonomy for classification). The processes and the external factors...... soil chemical issues are also presented to assess when, why, and how tropical soils differ from soils in other regions. This knowledge can help agricultural specialists in the tropics establish sustainable crop production. Readers are assumed to be familiar with basic chemistry, physics...

Analysis of the interannual variability of tropical cyclones striking the California coast based on statistical downscaling

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, F. J.; Rueda, A.; Barnard, P.; Mori, N.; Nakajo, S.; Espejo, A.; del Jesus, M.; Diez Sierra, J.; Cofino, A. S.; Camus, P.

2016-02-01

Hurricanes hitting California have a very low ocurrence probability due to typically cool ocean temperature and westward tracks. However, damages associated to these improbable events would be dramatic in Southern California and understanding the oceanographic and atmospheric drivers is of paramount importance for coastal risk management for present and future climates. A statistical analysis of the historical events is very difficult due to the limited resolution of atmospheric and oceanographic forcing data available. In this work, we propose a combination of: (a) statistical downscaling methods (Espejo et al, 2015); and (b) a synthetic stochastic tropical cyclone (TC) model (Nakajo et al, 2014). To build the statistical downscaling model, Y=f(X), we apply a combination of principal component analysis and the k-means classification algorithm to find representative patterns from a potential TC index derived from large-scale SST fields in Eastern Central Pacific (predictor X) and the associated tropical cyclone ocurrence (predictand Y). SST data comes from NOAA Extended Reconstructed SST V3b providing information from 1854 to 2013 on a 2.0 degree x 2.0 degree global grid. As data for the historical occurrence and paths of tropical cycloneas are scarce, we apply a stochastic TC model which is based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the joint distribution of track, minimum sea level pressure and translation speed of the historical events in the Eastern Central Pacific Ocean. Results will show the ability of the approach to explain seasonal-to-interannual variability of the predictor X, which is clearly related to El Niño Southern Oscillation. References Espejo, A., Méndez, F.J., Diez, J., Medina, R., Al-Yahyai, S. (2015) Seasonal probabilistic forecasting of tropical cyclone activity in the North Indian Ocean, Journal of Flood Risk Management, DOI: 10.1111/jfr3.12197 Nakajo, S., N. Mori, T. Yasuda, and H. Mase (2014) Global Stochastic Tropical Cyclone Model Based on

Medición de la concentración de sedimentos en suspensión mediante dispositivos ópticos y acústicos: aplicación en sistemas tropicales (Delta del río Mira, Colombia Measurement of suspended sediment concentration using optical and acoustic devices: application in tropical systems (Mira River Delta, Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Camilo Restrepo

2012-03-01

Full Text Available En los últimos años, la utilización de dispositivos ópticos (e.g. Optical Backscatter Sensor, OBS y acústicos (e.g. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler-ADCP ha permitido monitorear con mayor resolución la variabilidad temporal y espacial de la concentración de sedimentos en suspensión (CSS en ambientes costeros y estuarinos. Sin embargo, la aplicación de estas técnicas en ambientes tropicales ha tenido un desarrollo incipiente. En el presente trabajo se implementó un procedimiento de calibración para un dispositivo OBS-3A, tomando como patrón de calibración sedimento seco y desagregado de la zona de estudio. Además, se presentan las correcciones a las que se debe someter la señal de respuesta del ADCP, debido a la dispersión geométrica, la atenuación del sonido por el agua y las partículas en suspensión, para que sea útil en la estimación de CSS. El ADCP y el OBS-3A se utilizaron para realizar mediciones de CSS en el sistema deltaico del río Mira (isla del Morro y desembocadura principal, ubicado sobre la costa del Pacífico colombiano, un ambiente costero tropical donde algunos factores oceanográficos y estuarinos son determinantes en la señal de respuesta de los equipos.In recent years, the use of optical (Optical Backscatter Sensor, OBS and acoustic (Acoustic Current Doppler Profiler, ADCP instruments has allowed monitoring the temporal and spatial variation of the suspended sediment concentration (SSC in coastal and estuarine environments with greater resolution. However, the development of the application of those techniques in tropical environments is incipient. For this study, an OBS-3A calibration procedure was implemented, taking dry and desegregated sediment from the study zone as a calibrating pattern. Moreover, we present the corrections required for the ADCP signal to be useful in the estimation of SSC due to geometrical spreading, the attenuation of sound by water, and the particles in suspension. The ADCP

Tropical Freshwater Biology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Tropical Freshwater Biology promotes the publication of scientific contributions in the field of freshwater biology in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. One issue is published annually but this number may be increased. Original research papers and short communications on any aspect of tropical freshwater ...

Proxies of Tropical Cyclone Isotope Spikes in Precipitation: Landfall Site Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, J. R.; Maddocks, R.

2011-12-01

The human experience of climate change is not one of gradual changes in seasonal or yearly changes in temperature or rainfall. Despite that most paleoclimatic reconstructions attempt to provide just such information. Humans experience climate change on much shorter time scales. We remember hurricanes, weeks of drought or overwhelming rainy periods. Tropical cyclones produce very low isotope ratios in both rainfall and in atmospheric water vapor. Thus, climate proxies that potentially record these low isotope ratios offer the most concrete record of climate change to which humans can relate. The oxygen isotopic composition of tropical cyclone rainfall has the potential to be recorded in fresh water carbonate fossil material, cave deposits and corals. The hydrogen isotopic composition of tropical cyclone rainfall has the potential to be recorded in tree ring cellulose and organic matter in fresh water bodies. The Class of carbonate organisms known as Ostracoda form their carapaces very rapidly. Thus fresh water ephemeral ponds in the subtropics are ideal locations for isotopic studies because they commonly are totally dry when tropical cyclones make landfall. The other proxies suffer primarily from a dilution effect. The water from tropical cyclones is mixed with pre-existing water. In cave deposits tropical cyclone rains mix with soil and ground waters. In the near shore coral environment the rain mixes with seawater. For tree rings there are three sources of water: soil water, atmospheric water vapor that exchanges with leaf water and tropical cyclone rain. In lakes because of their large size rainfall runoff mixes with ground water and preexisting water in the lake. A region that shows considerable promise is Texas / Northeast Mexico. In a study of surface waters that developed from the passage of Tropical Storm Allison (2001) in SE Texas both the pond water and Ostracoda that bloomed recorded the low oxygen isotope signal of that storm (Lawrence et al, 2008). In

El uso de granos secos de destilería con solubles (DDGS en dietas sorgo-soya para pollos de engorda y gallinas de postura

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Arturo Cortes Cuevas

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Para estudiar el comportamiento productivo en pollos y gallinas con dietas adicionadass con granos secos de destilería con solubles (DDGS, se realizaron dos experimentos. En el primero se emplearon 704 pollos Ross de 1 a 49 días de edad, distribuidos en cuatro tratamientos con ocho repeticiones de 22 pollos cada uno. Se empleó un diseño completamente al azar. Los tratamientos fueron: 1 dieta basal sorgo-soya, T2 como 1+7% DDGS, T3 como 1+14% de DDGS, T4 como 1+21% de DDGS. En el segundo experimento, se utilizaron 288 gallinas Bovans White de 35 semanas de edad, alojadas en jaulas durante 56 días de experimentación. Se usó un diseño completamente al azar de cuatro tratamientos con tres repeticiones de 12 gallinas cada una. Los tratamientos fueron: 1 dieta basal sorgo-soya, 2 como 1+3% DDGS, 3 como 1+6 % de DDGS, 4 como 1+9% de DDGS. Los resultados del Exp 1, indicaron que la adición del 7% de DDGS, no afectó el comportamiento productivo y de la canal (P>0.05. Los resultados en el Exp 2, mostraron que el empleo de 3, 6 y 9 % de DDGS no afectó el comportamiento productivo (P>0.05. Hubo un efecto benéfico (P<0.05 en la pigmentación de la yema del huevo, siendo mayor en los tratamientos con DDGS. Con los resultados obtenidos en este estudio, se puede concluir que la adición de DDGS en dietas sorgo-soya de hasta el 7 % en pollos de engorda y hasta 9 % en gallinas de postura, es una fuente alternativa de proteína y energía.

Applications of NASA TROPICS Data for Tropical Cyclone Analysis, Nowcasting, and Impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Zavodsky, B.; Dunion, J. P.; Blackwell, W. J.; Braun, S. A.; Green, D. S.; Velden, C.; Adler, R. F.; Cossuth, J.; Murray, J. J.; Brennan, M. J.

2017-12-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission is a constellation of state-of-the-science observing platforms that will measure temperature and humidity soundings and precipitation with spatial resolution comparable to current operational passive microwave sounders but with unprecedented temporal resolution. TROPICS is a cost-capped ($30M) Venture-class mission funded by the NASA Earth Science Division. The mission is comprised of a constellation of 3 unit (3U) SmallSats, each hosting a 12-channel passive microwave spectrometer based on the Micro-sized Microwave Atmospheric Satellite 2 (MicroMAS-2) developed at MIT LL. TROPICS will provide imagery near 91 and 205 GHz, temperature sounding near 118 GHz, and moisture sounding near 183 GHz. Spatial resolution at nadir will be around 27 km for temperature and 17 km for moisture and precipitation. The swath width is approximately 2000 km. TROPICS enables temporal resolution similar to geostationary orbit but at a much lower cost, demonstrating a technology that could impact the design of future Earth-observing missions. The TROPICS satellites for the mission are slated for delivery to NASA in 2019 with potential launch opportunities in 2020. The primary mission objective of TROPICS is to relate temperature, humidity, and precipitation structure to the evolution of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity. This abstract summarizes the outcomes of the 1st TROPICS Applications Workshop, held from May 8-10, 2017 at the University of Miami. At this meeting, a series of presentations and breakout discussions in the topical areas of Tropical Cyclone Dynamics, Tropical Cyclone Analysis and Nowcasting, Tropical Cyclone Modeling and Data Assimilation, and Terrestrial Impacts were convened to identify applications of the mission data and to begin to establish a community of end-users who will be able to

Neglected tropical diseases

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David Molyneux

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Seventeen neglected tropical diseases (NTDs have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO. It is estimated that over 1 billion people are infected with NTDs, with a further 1 billion at risk. The majority of NTDs occur in the tropics and sub-tropics and have particular characteristics in common.

REPTILES DEL VALLE SECO DEL RÍO MAGDALENA (HUILA, COLOMBIA

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RAFAEL MORENO-ARIAS

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Se presenta una caracterización de la fauna de reptiles del valle seco del río Magdalena en el departamento del Huila, así como la comparación faunística entre unidades de cobertura vegetal y épocas climáticas. Se registraron 31 especies pertenecientes a 30 géneros, 17 familias y dos órdenes. En el orden Squamata, la familia más diversa fue Teiidae (lagartijas con tres especies y Colubridae (serpientes con nueve. Para el orden Testudines se registró una especie. Con base en curvas de acumulación de especies y los estimadores no paramétricos Jackknife 2 y Bootstrap, para las lagartijas se obtuvo una alta representatividad en el muestreo (83% y 92% respectivamente, mientras que para las serpientes fue menor (75% y 82% respectivamente. La estructura y composición de los ensambles de reptiles en cada unidad de cobertura vegetal no fue significativamente diferente, en general se caracterizaron por presentar pocas especies con muchos individuos y numerosas especies raras. El arbustal presentó la mayor riqueza de especies seguido del bosque de ribera y los cultivos de cacao. En general la abundancia de reptiles fue mayor en la época de lluvias que en la época seca, sin embargo la manera en que responden las especies a las épocas climáticas está dada por sus características ecológicas, fisiológicas y comportamentales.

Detection of tropical landslides using airborne lidar data and multi imagery: A case study in genting highland, pahang

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khamsin, I; Zulkarnain, M; Razak, K A; Rizal, S

2014-01-01

The landslide geomorphological system in a tropical region is complex, and its understanding often depends on the completeness and correctness of landslide inventorization. In mountainous regions, landslides pose a significant impact and are known as an important geomorphic process in shaping major landscape in the tropics. A modern remote sensing based approach has revolutionized the landslide investigation in a forested terrain. Optical satellite imagery, aerial photographs and synthetic aperture radar images are less effective to create reliable tropical DTMs for landslide recognition, and even so in the forested equatorial regions. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have been used to construct the digital terrain model (DTM) under dense vegetation, but its reliability for landslide recognition in the tropics remains surprisingly unknown. The present study aims at providing better insight into the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. For the bare-earth extraction, several prominent filtering algorithms and surface interpolation methods, i.e. progressive TIN densitification, morphological, and command prompt from Lastool are evaluated in a qualitative analysis, aiming at removing non-ground points while preserving important landslide features. As a result, a large landslide can be detected using OOA. Small landslides remain unrecognized. Three out of five landslides can be detected, with a 60 percent overall accuracy

Tropical Rainforests.

Science.gov (United States)

Nigh, Ronald B.; Nations, James D.

1980-01-01

Presented is a summary of scientific knowledge about the rainforest environment, a tropical ecosystem in danger of extermination. Topics include the current state of tropical rainforests, the causes of rainforest destruction, and alternatives of rainforest destruction. (BT)

Identificación e implementación de paquetes tecnológicos en ganadería vacuna de doble propósito. Caso Manabí-Ecuador

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Yenny Torres

2014-01-01

Full Text Available El avance en los sistemas ganaderos se asocia a la implementación de tecnologías en la producción y a la mejora de sus ingresos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue la identificación e implementación de paquetes te cnológicos y su relación con los resultados productivos en vacuno de doble propósito de la provincia de Manabí, Ecua dor en dos zonas climáticas: el Bosque seco tropical y el húmedo tropical. Se agrupan 25 tecnologías en seis paquetes tecnológicos (PT seleccionadas mediante una metodología cualitativa y participativa. Se realizaron entrevistas en una muestra de 41 explotaciones para evaluar la implementación de los paquetes tecnológicos, mediante estadística desc riptiva, correlaciones de Sperman y regresiones múltiples. Se obtienen los mayores niveles de implementación en los paquetes de salud animal (76 %, uso de la tierra y alimentación (55 %. El PT de alimentación se correlacion a ( P <0.01 con el PT de instalaciones (0.711 y de reproducción (0.774. Los PT explican 30 % de la variabilidad de la producción de leche, que es debida al uso de la tierra en el Bosque seco y a la salud animal en el Bosque húmed o. Esta investigación genera resultados preliminares respecto a la idententificación e implementación de los principales paquetes tecnológicos en la ganadería vacuna de doble propósito de Manabí – Ecuador, que están en pr oceso de mejora aunque sin perder los atri butos que lo caracterizan.

Mapping tropical dry forest habitats integrating Landsat NDVI, Ikonos imagery, and topographic information in the Caribbean Island of Mona

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Sebastián Martinuzzi

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Assessing the status of tropical dry forest habitats using remote sensing technologies is one of the research priorities for Neotropical forests. We developed a simple method for mapping vegetation and habitats in a tropical dry forest reserve, Mona Island, Puerto Rico, by integrating the Normalized Difference vegetation Index (NDvI from Landsat, topographic information, and high-resolution Ikonos imagery. The method was practical for identifying vegetation types in areas with a great variety of plant communities and complex relief, and can be adapted to other dry forest habitats of the Caribbean Islands. NDvI was useful for identifying the distribution of forests, woodlands, and shrubland, providing a natural representation of the vegetation patterns on the island. The use of Ikonos imagery allowed increasing the number of land cover classes. As a result, sixteen land-cover types were mapped over the 5 500 ha area, with a kappa coefficient of accuracy equal to 79 %. This map is a central piece for modeling vertebrate species distribution and biodiversity patterns by the Puerto Rico Gap Analysis Project, and it is of great value for assisting research and management actions in the island. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2: 625-639. Epub 2008 June 30.El estudio y evaluación de los bosques tropicales secos mediante herramientas de teledetección es una de las prioridades de investigación en los ambientes neotropicales. Desarrollamos una metodología simple para mapear la vegetación de la isla de Mona, Puerto Rico, mediante el uso del índice de vegetación normalizado (NDVI por sus siglas en inglés de Landsat, información topográfica, e imágenes auxiliares de alta resolución Ikonos. La metodología fue útil para identificar las clases de vegetación en un área de gran variedad de comunidades vegetales y relieve complejo, y puede ser adaptada a otras regiones de bosque seco de las islas del Caribe. El NDVI permitió identificar la distribución de

Southern Ocean Convection and tropical telleconnections

Science.gov (United States)

Marinov, I.; Cabre, A.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2014-12-01

We show that Southern Ocean (SO) temperatures in the latest generation of Earth System Models exhibit two major modes of variation, one driven by deep convection, the other by tropical variability. We perform a CMIP5 model intercomparison to understand why different climate models represent SO variability so differently in long, control simulations. We show that multiyear variability in Southern Ocean sea surface temperatures (SSTs) can in turn influence oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the tropics on short (atmospheric) time-scales. We argue that the strength and pattern of SO-tropical teleconnections depends on the intensity of SO deep convection. Periodic convection in the SO is a feature of most CMIP5 models under preindustrial forcing (deLavergne et al., 2014). Models show a wide distribution in the spatial extent, periodicity and intensity of their SO convection, with some models convecting most of the time, and some showing very little convection. In a highly convective coupled model, we find that multidecadal variability in SO and global SSTs, as well as SO heat storage are driven by Weddell Sea convective variability, with convective decades relatively warm due to the heat released from the deep southern ocean and non-convective decades cold due to the subsurface storage of heat. Furthermore, pulses of SO convection drive SST and sea ice variations, influencing absorbed shortwave and emitted longwave radiation, wind, cloud and precipitation patterns, with climatic implications for the low latitudes via fast atmospheric teleconnections. We suggest that these high-low latitude teleconnection mechanisms are relevant for understanding hiatus decades. Additionally, Southern Ocean deep convection varied significantly during past, natural climate changes such as during the last deglaciation. Weddell Sea open convection was recently weakened, likely as a consequence of anthropogenic forcing and the resulting surface freshening. Our study opens up the

W Photoprotection in Tropical Marine Organisms

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Roy A.

1997-01-01

Increasing levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the earth's surface which results from stratospheric ozone depletions could have serious implications for terrestrial plants and for aquatic organisms within the euphotic zone. A documented 9% decline in ozone at mid-latitudes is considered to produce a 12% increase in harmful UV radiation. The biologically damaging effects of higher UV levels, particularly W-B (280-320 rim), could manifest earlier in the tropics because of the relative thinness of the earth's equatorial ozone layer. Tropical marine organisms are also living close to their upper tolerance levels of water temperature, However, despite the large potential effects on plants and animals, little is known about UV effects on tropical ecosystems. Long-term ecological studies are needed to quantify the effects of increased UV radiation on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and to produce reliable data for prediction. Plants have developed several mechanisms to protect themselves from harmful UV radiation, one of which is the production of secondary leaf pigments that absorb W-B radiation (screening pigments). A higher concentration of screening pigments (e.g. flavonoids) in leaves may be interpreted as a natural response to increased W radiation. If higher concentrations of flavonoids filter out the excessive W radiation, no damage will occur, as suggested by Caldwell et al. (1989) and Tevini (1993). Failure to screen all W-B may result in deleterious effects on photosynthesis, plant genetic material, and plant and leaf morphology and growth. Eventually this will have an impact on ecosystem processes, structure, species composition, and productivity. This paper describes an ongoing project that is assessing the responses of mangroves, seagrasses and corals to W radiation by studying pigment concentrations, biophysical parameters, and variations in spectral reflectance in the field and in W-reduction experiments. Preliminary results on the distribution

Uncertainties of the rainfall regime in a tropical semi-arid region: the case of the State of Ceará. = Incertezas do regime pluviométrico no semiárido tropical: o caso do estado do Ceará

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Eunice Maia de Andrade

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The rural population of a tropical semi-arid region such as the northeast of Brazil is directly dependent on rainfall for agricultural production, pasture for livestock, and the storage of drinking water for human consumption. The region is characterised by the frequent occurrence of dry years and consecutive dry days (CDD during the rainy season, demonstrating the vulnerability of rainfed agriculture. The aim of this study therefore, was to identify homogeneous regions of the State of Ceará where there is greater or lesser uncertainty of the rainfall regime. Accordingly, the occurrence of dry and very dry years were investigated as uncertainties between years, together with the occurrence of two classes of CDD (10-20 and 21-30 days during the rainy season. To define similar regions as to the uncertainty of the rainfall regime, the technique of Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA was used. The study considered time series of least 30 years, from 77 rain gauge stations around the state of Ceará. The use of HCA resulted in the formation of seven homogenous groups in both of the phenomena being investigated. Municipalities in the Central Backlands, the Inhamuns Backlands and the Jaguaribana Region displayed a higher frequency of both inter-annual (dry years and intra-annual (CDD uncertainty, demonstrating the greater vulnerability of rainfed agriculture. The occurrence of a CDD event is not dependent on the total annual rainfall, as several stations with an average rainfall higher than that of the state showed potential for the occurrence of CDD. The number of CDD events recorded in the 11-20 day class was higher than in the 21-30 day class. = A população rural das regiões semiáridas tropicais como o Nordeste brasileiro é diretamente dependente das chuvas para a produção agrícola, pasto para os animais domésticos e armazenamento de água potável para consumo humano. A região se caracteriza pela frequente ocorrência de anos secos e de

Surface freshwater from Bay of Bengal runoff and Indonesian throughflow in the tropical Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sengupta, D.; Raj, B.; Shenoi, S.S.C.

]); monthly evaporation from the Southampton Oceanography Centre (SOC) data (Josey et al. [1998]), and monthly 2openbulletby 2openbulletsurface currents in the tropical Indian Ocean, based on 1985-2002 trajecto- ries of drogued WOCE drifters (Shenoi et al..., Deep-Sea Re- search II, 50, 2111?2127, 2003. Josey, S. A., E. C. Kent, and P. K. Taylor, The Southampton Oceanography Centre (SOC) Ocean - Atmosphere Heat, Mo- mentum and Freshwater Flux Atlas, Tech. Rep. 6, Southamp- ton Oceanography Centre, 1998...

The fate of chromium during tropical weathering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berger, Alfons; Frei, Robert

2014-01-01

We performed a mineral, geochemical and Cr–Sr–Pb isotope study on a laterite profile developed on ca. 540 Ma old tonalitic bedrock in Madagascar with special emphasis on the behavior of chromium during tropical weathering. The observed strong depletions of Ca, Si, and P, and enrichment of Fe and Al...... of a former, positively fractionated and mobile chromium pool has been experimentally constrained in circumneutral and basic leachates of powdered tonalite bedrock where δ53Cr of + 0.21 to + 0.48‰ was measured. Our results show that mobilization of chromium is effective under highly oxidative conditions...

Linking plant hydraulics and beta diversity in tropical forests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christoffersen, Bradley [Earth and Environmental Sciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos NM 87545 USA; Meir, Patrick [School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FE UK; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601 Australia; McDowell, Nate G. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA

2017-05-31

In tropical forests, studies of xylem traits governing water transport through plants, or ‘hydraulic architecture’ (Tyree et al., 1991), and changes in species composition across environmental gradients, or ‘beta diversity’ (Gentry, 1988; Ackerly & Cornwell, 2007), have progressedmostly in parallel until recently (Hao et al., 2008; Bartlett et al., 2016). In this issue of New Phytologist, Cosme et al. (pp. 000–5 000) present a timely contribution to the intersection of plant hydraulic architecture (HA) with trait-based community ecology. Building on previous biogeographical work that demonstrated shifts in species composition (beta diversity) across a gradient from valleys to plateaus in central Amazonia (Schietti et al., 2014), Cosme et al. explore how variation in HA might underpin this sorting, sampling pairs of congeneric species restrictedmostly to either plateau or valley habitats. Valley species had significantly lower wood density and higher hydraulically-weighted vessel diameter and vessel area. By contrast, trees with some of the largest hydraulically-weighted vessel diameters existed in tall, deciduous plateau species, while the leaf: sapwood area ratio decreased with height in valley but not plateau species. These intriguing results suggest that species differentiation in water transport traits mediate edaphic filtering along the valley-toplateau gradient, in contrast to previous work where wood mechanical support mediated valley-to-plateau environmental filtering (Fortunel et al., 2014).

DETERMINATION OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL TO ESTIMATE THE AREA AND DRY WEIGHT OF THE LEAF LIMBO OF Prunus persica CV. Jarillo DETERMINACIÓN DE UN MODELO MATEMÁTICO PARA LA ESTIMACIÓN DEL ÁREA FOLIAR Y PESO SECO DEL LIMBO DE Prunus persica CV. Jarillo

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Enrique Quevedo García

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract. A study was conducted to determine the variables that estimated the leaf limbo area and the leaf limbo dry weight of peach Prunus persica (L. Batsch cv. Jarillo. Fifty leaves, aged 2.5 months, were selected and measured: leaf limbo length and width, petiole length, leaf length, petiole diameter, leaf limbo fresh weight, petiole fresh weight, leaf fresh weight, leaf limbo dry weight, petiole dry weight, leaf dry weight, length/width limbo, petiole length/limbo length and leaf limbo area. The results allowed to obtain regression equations for estimating the leaf area and the limbo dry weight. Using the lineal models LA = b1 + b2 (LLL x LLW and LA= b1+ b2LLL + b3LLW a leaf area equation was determined. Alternative models to calculate limbo dry weight were evaluated LLDW = -b1+ b2 LLFW and LLDW= - b1 + b2LLL + b3PL. The best equations found with an R2 of 0.99 were LA = 1.572 + 0.65169(LLL x LLW, LA=-23.106+2.8064LLW + 3.6761LLL and LLDW = -0.002+0.401(LLFW.Resumen. Se realizó un estudio para determinar las variables que estimaran el área del limbo foliar y el peso seco del limbo de durazno Prunus persica (L. Batsch cv. Jarillo. Se seleccionaron cincuenta hojas con 2,5 meses de edad, fueron medidos: ancho del limbo, longitud del limbo, longitud del peciolo, longitud hoja, diámetro peciolo, peso fresco del limbo, peso fresco del peciolo, peso fresco de la hoja, peso seco del limbo, peso seco peciolo, peso seco de la hoja, longitud /ancho limbo, longitud del peciolo/longitud del limbo, área foliar del limbo. Los resultados alcanzados permitieron obtener ecuaciones de regresión para estimar el área foliar del limbo y el peso seco del limbo. Se halló una ecuación para la determinación del área foliar del limbo con los modelos lineales LA = b1 + b2 (LLL x LLW y LA= b1 + b2LLL + b3LLW. También se evaluaron modelos alternativas para calcular el peso seco del limbo, LLDW = -b1+ b2LLFW y LLDW= - b1 + b2LLL + b3PL. Las mejores ecuaciones

LOS SISTEMAS SILVOPASTORILES INTENSIVOS SSPI, HERRAMIENTA DE MITIGACIÓN Y ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrique Murgueitio Restrepo

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Los sistemas silvopastoriles intensivos SSPi empiezan a considerarse como una herramienta de mitigación y adaptación al cambio climático (CC en la medida que logren expandirse. El SSPi pueden producir 12 veces más carne que el pastoreo extensivo y 4.5 veces más que los pastos mejorados sin árboles pero las emisiones de metano (CH4 no se incrementan en igual proporción siendo 6.8 y 2.8 veces mayores en el SSPi respectivamente, razón por la cual las emisiones del mismo gas por tonelada de carne son 1.8 veces menores en el SSPi que en el pastoreo extensivo. En pastoreo extensivo, para producir 10,000 toneladas de carne se requieren casi 150,000 hectáreas de tierra, que además tienen un balance negativo de emisiones de CO2 eq (más de 48,000 ton. Por el contrario, si la misma cantidad de carne se produce con SSPi, se requieren tan solo algo más de doce mil hectáreas que además tienen un balance de GEI positivo, reduciendo las emisiones de CO2eq en más de 3,000 toneladas. En cuanto a adaptación al CC, los SSPi la favorecen porque mantienen la humedad del suelo, reducen las altas temperaturas ambientales en los potreros mejorando también la productividad y calidad de los forrajes, además de reducir la estacionalidad de la producción de carne y leche. En condiciones de la región del Caribe seco de Colombia, los SSPi reducen la temperatura promedio anual (2 a 3 ºC; en los días más calientes las diferencias llegan a ser hasta de 13ºC; incrementan la humedad relativa en las regiones secas (entre 10 y 20% y reducen la evapotranspiración (1.8 mm/día. Se concluye que es los SSPi aportan a la mitigación y la adaptación de la ganadería tropical al CC.

Análisis comparativo de la situación actual de los puertos secos en tres contextos diferentes: Colombia, México, España

OpenAIRE

Rozo Alvarado, Jonathan Efrain

2013-01-01

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad analizar y comparar Puertos Secos en tres países diferentes: Colombia, México y España; y con ello determinar las claves o herramientas para el éxito de estos. Para esto, la investigación se llevó a cabo a nivel documental y teórico, abarcando desde documentos de investigación académicos y de entidades supranacionales, hasta documentos de carácter legislativo de diferente orden, para los tres países de estudio, incluyendo estudios privados y herramient...

levadura Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

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B. Aguilar Uscanga

2005-01-01

Full Text Available La pared celular de levaduras representa entre 20 a 30 % de la célula en peso seco. Está compuesta de polisacáridos complejos de β-glucanos, manoproteínas y quitina. Se estudió la composición de los polisacáridos contenidos en la pared celular de la Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PK 113 y se observó el efecto de la variación de la fuente carbono (glucosa, sacarosa, galactosa, maltosa, manosa, etanol y pH (3, 4, 5, 6 en un medio mineral “cell factory”. Las células fueron recolectadas en fase exponencial y se extrajo la pared celular. Los extractos de pared se hidrolizaron con H2SO4 al 72% y las muestras fueron analizadas por cromatografía HPLC. Se realizó una prueba de resistencia al rompimiento celular con una β(1,3-glucanasa, y las células cultivadas a diferentes fuentes carbono y pH. Los resultados del análisis por HPLC, mostraron que la composición de los polisacáridos en la pared celular, varía considerablemente con las modificaciones del medio de cultivo. Se observó que las levaduras cultivadas en sacarosa tienen mayor porcentaje de pared celular (25% y mayor cantidad de glucanos (115µg/mg peso seco y mananos (131µg/mg peso seco, que aquellas levaduras cultivadas en etanol (13% en peso seco. Las levaduras cultivadas a pH 5 presentaron 19% de pared celular en peso seco, mientras que a pH 6 el porcentaje fue menor (14%. El análisis de resistencia al rompimiento celular, mostró que las células cultivadas en etanol y galactosa fueron resistentes al rompimiento enzimático. Se comparó este resultado con el contenido de polisacáridos en la pared celular y concluimos que la resistencia de la célula al rompimiento, no está ligada con la cantidad de β-glucanos contenidos en la pared celular, sino que va a depender del número de enlaces β(1,3 y β(1,6-glucanos, los cuales juegan un rol importante durante el ensamblaje de la pared

Solubilisation of inorganic phosphates by inoculant strains from tropical legumes

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Leandro Marciano Marra

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Microbial solubilisation of low soluble inorganic phosphates is an important process contributing for the phosphorus available to plants in tropical soils. This study evaluates the ability of inoculant strains for tropical legumes to solubilise inorganic phosphates of low solubility that are found in tropical soils. Seven strains of Leguminosae nodulating bacteria (LNB were compared with one another and with a non-nodulating positive control, Burkholderia cepacia (LMG 1222T. Four of the strains are used as inoculants for cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata (Bradyrhizobium sp. UFLA 03-84; Bradyrhizobium elkani INPA 03-11B and Bradyrhizobium japonicum BR3267 or for common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris (Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899T. Rhizobium etli UFLA 02-100 and Rhizobium leguminosarum 316C10a are also efficient nodulators of beans and Cupriavidus taiwanensis LMG 19424T nodulates on Mimosa pudica. Two experiments, with solid and liquid media, were performed to determine whether the strains were able to solubilise CaHPO4, Al(H2PO43 or FePO4.2H2O. On solid GELP medium none of the strains dissolved FePO4.2H2O, but LMG 1222, UFLA 03-84 and CIAT 899 solubilised CaHPO4 particularly well. These strains, along with LMG 19424 and BR 3267, were also able to increase the solubility of Al(H2PO43. In liquid GELP medium, LMG 1222 solubilised all phosphate sources, but no legume nodulating strain could increase the solubility of Al(H2PO43. The strains CIAT 899 and UFLA 02-100 were the only legume nodulating bacteria able to solubilise the other phosphate sources in liquid media, dissolving both CaHPO4 and FePO4.2H2O. There was a negative correlation between the pH of the culture medium and the concentration of soluble phosphate when the phosphorus source was CaHPO4 or FePO4.2H2O. The contribution of these strains to increasing the phosphorus nutrition of legumes and non-legume plant species should be investigated further by in vivo experiments.

Old carbon efflux from tropical peat swamp drainage waters

Science.gov (United States)

Vihermaa, Leena; Waldron, Susan; Evers, Stephanie; Garnett, Mark; Newton, Jason

2014-05-01

Tropical peatlands constitute ~12% of the global peatland carbon pool, and of this 10% is in Malaysia1. Due to rising demand for food and biofuels, large areas of peat swamp forest ecosystems have been converted to plantation in Southeast Asia and are being subjected to degradation, drainage and fire, changing their carbon fluxes eg.2,3. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) lost from disturbed tropical peat can be derived from deep within the peat column and be aged from centuries to millennia4 contributing to aquatic release and cycling of old carbon. Here we present the results of a field campaign to the Raja Musa Peat Swamp Forest Reserve in N. Selangor Malaysia, which has been selectively logged for 80 years before being granted timber reserve status. We measured CO2 and CH4efflux rates from drainage systems with different treatment history, and radiocarbon dated the evasion CO2 and associated [DOC]. We also collected water chemistry and stable isotope data from the sites. During our sampling in the dry season CO2 efflux rates ranged from 0.8 - 13.6 μmol m-2 s-1. Sediments in the channel bottom contained CH4 that appeared to be primarily lost by ebullition, leading to sporadic CH4 efflux. However, dissolved CH4 was also observed in water samples collected from these systems. The CO2 efflux was aged up to 582±37 years BP (0 BP = AD 1950) with the associated DOC aged 495±35 years BP. Both DOC and evasion CO2 were most 14C-enriched (i.e. younger) at the least disturbed site, and implied a substantial component of recently fixed carbon. In contrast, CO2 and DOC from the other sites had older 14C ages, indicating disturbance as the trigger for the loss of old carbon. 1Page et al., 2010 2Hooijer et al., 2010 3Kimberly et al., 2012 4Moore et al., 2013

Objetivación en el diagnóstico del síndrome de ojo seco. Correlación entre pruebas clínicas

OpenAIRE

Pena Verdeal, Hugo

2016-01-01

Mantener la estructura y función de la película lagrimal es esencial para que pueda existir una correcta visión y confort ocular. El Síndrome de Ojo Seco (SOS) es una enfermedad de la unidad funcional lagrimal con un diagnóstico controvertido cuya prevalencia ha aumentado mucho en los últimos años, influyendo a la calidad visual y calidad de vida de las personas. La principal finalidad del presente trabajo es objetivizar tests clínicos de diagnóstico de SOS mediante técnicas semiautomática...

Evaluación bajo microscopio electrónico de barrido de sellantes de fosas y fisuras hidrófobos e hidrófilos, bajo diferentes condiciones de humedad: Un estudio in vitro

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Eyra Elvyra Rangel Padilla

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de diferentes marcas de selladores de fosas y fisuras hidrófobos e hidrófilos en Microscopio electrónico de barrido de emisión de campo (MEB-EC expuestos a humedad relativa. Materiales y Métodos: Se utilizaron 40 premolares extraídos con fines ortodóncicos, se dividieron al azar en 8 grupos: Grupo 1: sellador Clinpro® (ambiente seco, Grupo 2: sellador Clinpro® (ambiente húmedo, Grupo 3: sellador Embrace WetBond® (ambiente seco, Grupo 4: sellador Embrace Wet-Bond® (ambiente húmedo, Grupo 5: sellador UltraSeal XT Hydro® (ambiente seco, Grupo 6: sellador UltraSeal XT Hydro® (ambiente húmedo, Grupo 7: sellador UltraSeal XT Plus® (ambiente seco y el Grupo 8 sellador UltraSeal XT Plus® (ambiente húmedo. Resultados: El Grupo 1 (Clinpro®/ambiente seco Mostró valores de adhesión al esmalte superiores, de forma estadísticamente significativa, en relación a los demás grupos y mejor calidad en la formación de “tags” en comparación con los otros grupos, independientemente si el ambiente era seco o húmedo. Conclusiones: Los selladores Clinpro 3M®, utilizados en condiciones secas o de relativa humedad demostró tener buenos resultados. La resina fluida UltraSeal XT Plus® utilizada en condiciones húmedas no proporcionó buenos resultados observándose poca formación de tags; los selladores hidrófilos (Embrace Wetbond ® y UltraSeal XT Hydro® utilizados en un ambiente húmedo tenían una capacidad de adaptación, observándose buena formación de tags; Los selladores hidrófilos usados en ambientes secos no se adaptan a la superficie y tienen una tendencia a fallar en lo que respecta a la adhesión.

De la especie al ecosistema; del ecosistema a la sociedad: revalorizando el algarrobo (ProsoPis Pallida) y el reto de su conservación en Lambayeque y en la costa norte del Perú

OpenAIRE

Cuentas Romero, María Alejandra; Salazar Toledo, Arturo Ítalo

2017-01-01

El artículo muestra la relevancia de una especie clave —Prosopis pallida— en el desarrollo ecológico del bosque seco costero, y cómo dicha importancia también influye en el desarrollo humano, pues con el tiempo se ha ido fortaleciendo el vínculo social con los ecosistemas forestales. Mediante el método de muestreo por transectos (punto-centro-cuadrado) y el valor obtenido por medio del Índice de Valor de Importancia (IVI) aplicados al Área de Conservación Regional (ACR) Huacrupe La Calera (Ol...

Tropical Peatland Geomorphology and Hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, A.; Harvey, C. F.

2017-12-01

Tropical peatlands cover many low-lying areas in the tropics. In tropical peatlands, a feedback between hydrology, landscape morphology, and carbon storage causes waterlogged organic matter to accumulate into gently mounded land forms called peat domes over thousands of years. Peat domes have a stable morphology in which peat production is balanced by loss and net precipitation is balanced by lateral flow, creating a link between peatland morphology, rainfall patterns and drainage networks. We show how landscape morphology can be used to make inferences about hydrologic processes in tropical peatlands. In particular, we show that approaches using simple storage-discharge relationships for catchments are especially well suited to tropical peatlands, allowing river forecasting based on peatland morphology in catchments with tropical peatland subcatchments.

Identificación e implementación de paquetes tecnológicos en ganadería vacuna de doble propósito: Caso Manabí-Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Torres, Yenny; Rivas, José; De Pablos-Heredero, Carmen; Perea, José; Toro-Mujica, Paula; Angón, Elena; García, Antón

2014-01-01

El avance en los sistemas ganaderos se asocia a la implementación de tecnologías en la producción y a la mejora de sus ingresos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue la identificación e implementación de paquetes tecnológicos y su relación con los resultados productivos en vacuno de doble propósito de la provincia de Manabí, Ecuador en dos zonas climáticas: el Bosque seco tropical y el húmedo tropical. Se agrupan 25 tecnologías en seis paquetes tecnológicos (PT) seleccionadas mediante una met...

Exérese do segmento vertical do canalículo lacrimal na síndrome do olho seco: estudo preliminar Removal of the vertical portion of the lacrimal canaliculus in dry eye syndrome

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Eliana Forno

2005-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a eficácia e possíveis complicações da remoção do segmento vertical do canalículo lacrimal, em pacientes com síndrome do olho seco grave. MÉTODOS: Seis canalículos de quatro pacientes, 3 dos quais tinham o diagnóstico de olho seco associado à síndrome de Sjögren primária e o quarto, ceratoconjuntivite sicca por remoção completa de glândula lacrimal, foram submetidos a exérese do segmento vertical do canalículo lacrimal. Os critérios de inclusão foram: sinais e sintomas de olho seco que não melhoraram com tratamento clínico, Schirmer menor que 5 mm, rosa bengala corando córnea e conjuntiva e casos de recanalização após eletrocauterização dos pontos. Os pontos lacrimais foram avaliados por exame biomicroscópico após 7, 15, 30, 90 e 180 dias da cirurgia. RESULTADOS: No período de seguimento, nenhum canalículo sofreu recanalização. Em cinco olhos, houve diminuição da ceratite ponteada difusa e dos filamentos corneanos e melhora nos valores do teste de Schirmer e rosa bengala. No olho submetido à remoção completa da glândula lacrimal, a córnea ainda apresentava ceratite ponteada difusa, mesmo após dois meses de cirurgia. Não houve alterações da margem palpebral. CONCLUSÃO: Esta técnica, além de mostrar-se efetiva e simples para oclusão permanente do canalículo lacrimal, não cursou com complicações observadas em outros procedimentos.PURPOSE: To demonstrate the efficacy and possible complications of a surgical technique that includes the removal of the vertical portion of the lacrimal canaliculus in patients with dry eye syndrome. METHODS: A study was performed on six canaliculi of six eyes (four patients. Three patients had dry eye, associated with primary Sjögren syndrome. One of the four patients developed keratoconjuntivitis sicca due to lacrimal gland removal. The criteria included: patients with symptoms of dry eye that did not improve even with the continuous use of

Tropical teleconnections via the ocean and atmosphere induced by Southern Ocean deep convective events

Science.gov (United States)

Marinov, I.; Cabre, A.; Gunn, A.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2016-12-01

The current generation (CMIP5) of Earth System Models (ESMs) shows a huge variability in their ability to represent Southern Ocean (SO) deep-ocean convection and Antarctic Bottom Water, with a preference for open-sea convection in the Weddell and Ross gyres. A long control simulation in a coarse 3o resolution ESM (the GFDL CM2Mc model) shows a highly regular multi-decadal oscillation between periods of SO open sea convection and non-convective periods. This process also happens naturally, with different frequencies and durations of convection across most CMIP5 models under preindustrial forcing (deLavergne et al, 2014). Here we assess the impact of SO deep convection and resulting sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies on the tropical atmosphere and ocean via teleconnections, with a focus on interannual to multi-decadal timescales. We combine analysis of our low-resolution coupled model with inter-model analysis across historical CMIP5 simulations. SST cooling south of 60S during non-convective decades triggers a stronger, northward shifted SH Hadley cell, which results in intensified northward cross-equatorial moist heat transport and a poleward shift in the ITCZ. Resulting correlations between the cross-equatorial atmospheric heat transport and ITCZ location are in good agreement with recent theories (e.g. Frierson et al. 2013; Donohoe et al. 2014). Lagged correlations between a SO convective index and cross-equatorial heat transports (in the atmosphere and ocean), as well as various tropical (and ENSO) climate indices are analyzed. In the ocean realm, we find that non-convective decades result in weaker AABW formation and weaker ACC but stronger Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) formation, likely as a result of stronger SO westerlies (more positive SAM). The signals of AABW and AAIW are seen in the tropics on short timescales of years to decades in the temperature, heat storage and heat transport anomalies and also in deep and intermediate ocean oxygen. Most

Reseña del Primer Encuentro Internacional de Institutos de Medicina Tropical 2013

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Jorge O Alarcón

2014-04-01

Full Text Available El Primer Encuentro Internacional de Institutos de Medicina Tropical, llevado a cabo en Lima, fue la actividad principal del cincuentenario de la fundación del Instituto de Medicina Tropical Daniel A. Carrión (1963-2013, de la Facultad de Medicina de la UNMSM. Participaron en su organización las principales instituciones científicas del país relacionadas a la investigación y atención de los problemas de salud que afectan a las regiones tropicales y subtropicales. Asistieron alrededor de mil personas. Los temas tratados fueron salud infantil en los trópicos, salud internacional, VIH/sida, dengue, malaria, leishmaniosis, tuberculosis, enfermedad de Carrión y enfermedades emergentes y reemergentes. Los representantes de los nueve institutos de Medicina Tropical de la región, asistentes al evento, suscribieron una declaración, en la que acordaron, entre otros puntos, promover en sus países las recomendaciones adoptadas en la Asamblea Mundial de la Salud y Organización Panamericana de la Salud en relación a enfermedades desatendidas, investigación en salud y recursos humanos en salud; desarrollar programas de posgrado regionales en medicina tropical, epidemiología y salud pública; articular las acciones de este encuentro con otras iniciativas regionales y subregionales, y realizar el Segundo Encuentro Internacional de Institutos de Medicina Tropical en dos años.

Tropical myeloneuropathies: the hidden endemias.

Science.gov (United States)

Román, G C; Spencer, P S; Schoenberg, B S

1985-08-01

Tropical myeloneuropathies include tropical ataxic neuropathy and tropical spastic paraparesis. These disorders occur in geographic isolates in several developing countries and are associated with malnutrition, cyanide intoxication from cassava consumption, tropical malabsorption (TM), vegetarian diets, and lathyrism. TM-malnutrition was a probable cause of myeloneuropathies among Far East prisoners of war in World War II. Clusters of unknown etiology occur in India, Africa, the Seychelles, several Caribbean islands, Jamaica, and Colombia. Treponemal infection (yaws) could be an etiologic factor in the last two. Tropical myeloneuropathies, a serious health problem, are multifactorial conditions that provide unsurpassed opportunities for international cooperation and neurologic research.

Quality maintenance Tropical Plants

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Gláucia Moraes Dias

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The climatic characteristics of the country favor the cultivation of tropical flowers. The continued expansion of this market is due the beauty, exoticit nature and postharvest longevity of flower. However, little is known about the postharvest of tropical plants. Therefore, this paper provides information on harvest, handling and storage of cut tropical plantspostharvest, storage temperature, conditioning solution.

The Next-Generation Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating Algorithm: New Retrievals for Tropical and Extra-tropical Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, S. E.; Tao, W. K.; Iguchi, T.

2017-12-01

The Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating (or CSH) algorithm has been used to estimate cloud heating over the global Tropics using TRMM rainfall data and a set of look-up-tables (LUTs) derived from a series of multi-week cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations using the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE). These simulations link satellite observables (i.e., surface rainfall and stratiform fraction) with cloud heating profiles, which are not directly observable. However, with the launch of GPM in 2014, the range over which such algorithms can be applied has been extended from the Tropics into higher latitudes, including cold season and synoptic weather systems. In response, the CSH algorithm and its LUTs have been revised both to improve the retrievals in the Tropics as well as expand retrievals to higher latitudes. For the Tropics, the GCE simulations used to build the LUTs were upgraded using larger 2D model domains (512 vs 256 km) and a new, improved Goddard 4-ice scheme as well as expanded with additional cases (4 land and 6 ocean in total). The new tropical LUTs are also re-built using additional metrics. Besides surface type, conditional rain intensity and stratiform fraction, the new LUTs incorporate echo top heights and low-level (0-2 km) vertical reflectivity gradients. CSH retrievals in the Tropics based on the new LUTs show significant differences from previous iterations using TRMM data or the old LUT metrics. For the Extra-tropics, 6 NU-WRF simulations of synoptic events (3 East Coast and 3 West Coast), including snow, were used to build new extra-tropical CSH LUTs. The LUT metrics for the extra-tropics are based on radar characteristics and freezing level height. The extra-tropical retrievals are evaluated with a self-consistency check approach using the model heating as `truth,' and freezing level height is used to transition CSH retrievals from the Tropics to Extra-tropics. Retrieved zonal average heating structures in the Extra-tropics are

Dose to man from a hypothetical loss-of-coolant accident at the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, K.R.; Greenly, G.D.

1981-02-01

At the request of the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, we used our computer codes, MATHEW and ADPIC, to assess the environmental impact of a loss-of-coolant accident at the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant, about 40 kilometres southeast of Sacramento, California. Meteorological input was selected so that the effluent released by the accident would be transported over the Sacramento metropolitan area. With the release rates provided by the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, we calculated the largest total dose for a 24-hour release as 70 rem about one kilometre northwest of the reactor. The largest total dose in the Sacramento metropolitan area is 780 millirem. Both doses are from iodine-131, via the forage-cow-milk pathway to an infant's thyroid. The largest dose near the nuclear plant can be minimized by replacing contaminated milk and by giving the cows dry feed. To our knowledge, there are no milk cows within the Sacramento metropolitan area

Pneumonia in the tropics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Tow Keang; Siow, Wen Ting

2018-01-01

Pneumonia in the tropics poses a heavy disease burden. The complex interplay of climate change, human migration influences and socio-economic factors lead to changing patterns of respiratory infections in tropical climate but also increasingly in temperate countries. Tropical and poorer countries, especially South East Asia, also bear the brunt of the global tuberculosis (TB) pandemic, accounting for almost one-third of the burden. But, as human migration patterns evolve, we expect to see more TB cases in higher income as well as temperate countries, and rise in infections like scrub typhus from ecotourism activities. Fuelled by the ease of air travel, novel zoonotic infections originating from the tropics have led to global respiratory pandemics. As such, clinicians worldwide should be aware of these new conditions as well as classical tropical bacterial pneumonias such as melioidosis. Rarer entities such as co-infections of leptospirosis and chikungunya or dengue will need careful consideration as well. In this review, we highlight aetiologies of pneumonia seen more commonly in the tropics compared with temperate regions, their disease burden, variable clinical presentations as well as impact on healthcare delivery. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Tropical Veterinarian: Submissions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Author Guidelines. 2012 Author Guidelines: Instructions to Authors: TROPICAL VETERINARIAN welcomes original work on all aspects of veterinary science as practiced in the Tropics, including livestock production and management, animal disease (domestic and wild), various aspects of preventive medicine and public ...

Análisis y diseño de un esquema de control para aplicación en baño seco portátil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leobardo Hernández González

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Actualmente, la industria aplica rigurosos estándares de calidad en sus procesos de producción, obligándose a contar con instrumentos de medición cada vez más exactos. Lo que exige que para obtener una certificación, en muchos casos se tenga que calibrar sus instrumentos fuera de las propias instalaciones, generando diversas dificultades debido a la imposibilidad de parar los procesos de producción. En algunos casos, se contrata a empresas especializadas para realizar la calibración dentro de la planta, pero generalmente resulta una operación parcial, costosa e incómoda. Como una solución práctica se propone un baño de bloque seco portátil basado en las Celdas Peltier, que permita la calibración de sensores de temperatura, con las características de fácil transportación y manejo, para realizar dicha calibración en la propia planta de producción. El prototipo experimental de baño de bloque seco permite alcanzar un rango de temperatura que va de los 0°C hasta los 150°C (273,2°k a 423,2°k, recurrente en muchos procesos industriales. Para asegurar un correcto control de temperatura se propone un algoritmo de control digital PID, implantado en un micro controlador tipo PiC. El sistema de control de temperatura se validó con simulaciones y pruebas experimentales para todo el sistema en funcionamiento, obteniéndose resultados bastantes satisfactorios.

Validação de método analítico para doseamento de flavonoides totais em cápsulas contendo extrato seco de Passiflora incarnata L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Ziliotto

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver e validar metodologia analítica por espectrofotometria no UV para a quantificação de flavonóides totais, expressos em vitexina, em cápsulas contendo extrato seco de Passiflora incarnata L. O método foi desenvolvido a partir da metodologia de doseamento de flavonóides totais descrita na monografia do extrato seco de P. incarnata L, disponível na Farmacopeia Britânica (2010. A validação da metodologia analítica de doseamento foi realizada de acordo com a Anvisa RE N° 899/2003 e diretrizes da International Conference on Harmonization. O método mostrou-se seletivo, pois não houve interferência dos adjuvantes na leitura das absorbâncias nas soluções analisadas. Apresentou coeficiente de correlação linear (r de 0,9999, confirmando a linearidade do método. Os valores de desvio padrão relativo, obtidos tanto para precisão, nos níveis de repetibilidade e precisão intermediária, quanto para exatidão não excederam o máximo de 15% determinado nos critérios de aceitação para métodos bioanalíticos, considerando a complexidade da matéria-prima vegetal.

Tropical Cyclone Propagation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gray, William

1994-01-01

This paper discusses the question of tropical cyclone propagation or why the average tropical cyclone moves 1-2 m/s faster and usually 10-20 deg to the left of its surrounding (or 5-7 deg radius) deep layer (850-300 mb) steering current...

Enfriamiento de café pergamino seco a granel utilizando aireación mecánica controlada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio E. Ospina M.

1992-05-01

Full Text Available Con el fin de garantizar que el café almacenado a granel conserve su calidad durante el tiempo necesario de almacenamiento, se estudió el enfriamiento del café pergamino seco en silos experimentales de dimensiones: 0.5m x 0.5m y 2.8 m de altura, utilizando aire enfriado mecánicamente. Los rangos estudiados fueron: temperatura de 10 a 220C humedad relativa de 66 a 98%y contenido de humedad del grano de 8 a 13.57% b.h. Durante la etapa de almacenamiento se evaluó la variación de la calidad del café según los criterios de coloración de la almendra, población de microorganismos y prueba de taza; paralelamente se dejaron muestras almacenadas en sacosa las condiciones de Chinchiná, como muestra testigo buscando determinar la bondad del almacenamiento a granel, también se dejó un silo sin aireación para determinar el efecto de la aireación controlada en la calidad del café.

Neglected tropical diseases outside the tropics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca F Norman

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Due to the growth in international travel and immigration, NTDs may be diagnosed in countries of the western world, but there has been no specific focus in the literature on imported NTDs. METHODS: Retrospective study of a cohort of immigrants and travelers diagnosed with one of the 13 core NTDs at a Tropical Medicine Referral Unit in Spain during the period April 1989-December 2007. Area of origin or travel was recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 6168 patients (2634 immigrants, 3277 travelers and 257 VFR travelers in the cohort. NTDs occurred more frequently in immigrants, followed by VFR travelers and then by other travelers (p<0.001 for trend. The main NTDs diagnosed in immigrants were onchocerciasis (n = 240, 9.1% acquired mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, Chagas disease (n = 95, 3.6% in immigrants from South America, and ascariasis (n = 86, 3.3% found mainly in immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Most frequent NTDs in travelers were: schistosomiasis (n = 43, 1.3%, onchocerciasis (n = 17, 0.5% and ascariasis (n = 16, 0.5%, and all were mainly acquired in sub-Saharan Africa. The main NTDs diagnosed in VFR travelers were onchocerciasis (n = 14, 5.4%, and schistosomiasis (n = 2, 0.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of imported NTDs is emerging as these infections acquire a more public profile. Specific issues such as the possibility of non-vectorial transmission outside endemic areas and how some eradication programmes in endemic countries may have an impact even in non-tropical western countries are addressed. Recognising NTDs even outside tropical settings would allow specific prevention and control measures to be implemented and may create unique opportunities for research in future.

Spatial δ18Osw-SSS relationship across the western tropical Pacific Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, D. M.; Conroy, J. L.; Wyman, A.; Read, D.

2017-12-01

Dynamic hydroclimate processes across the western tropical Pacific lead to strong spatial and temporal variability in δ18Osw and sea-surface salinity (SSS) across the western Pacific. Corals in this region have therefore provided key information about past SSS variability, as δ18Osw contributes strongly to coral δ18O across this region. However, uncertainties in the δ18Osw-SSS relationship across space and time often limit quantitative SSS reconstructions from such coral records. Recent work demonstrates considerable variability in the δ18Osw-SSS relationship across the Pacific, which may lead to over- or under-estimation of the contribution of SSS to coral δ18O, particularly across the western tropical Pacific (Conroy et al. 2017). Here we assess the spatial δ18Osw-SSS relationship across the dynamic western tropical Pacific, capitalizing on a transit between Subic Bay, Philippines and Townsville, Australia aboard the International Ocean Discovery program's JOIDES Resolution. Water samples and weather conditions were collected 3 times daily (6:00, 12:00, 18:00) en route, resulting in a network of 47 samples spaced at semi-regular 130-260 km intervals across the western Pacific from 14°N to 18°S. The route also crossed near long-term δ18Osw monitoring sites at Papua New Guinea and Palau (Conroy et al. 2017), allowing us to compare the spatial and temporal δ18Osw-SSS relationships at these sites and test the space-for-time assumption. We present the δ18Osw-SSS relationship across this region, compare the relationship across space and time, and discuss the implications of our results for SSS reconstructions from coral δ18O.

Tropical Cyclogenesis in a Tropical Wave Critical Layer: Easterly Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Dunkerton, T. J.; Montgomery, M. T.; Wang, Z.

2009-01-01

The development of tropical depressions within tropical waves over the Atlantic and eastern Pacific is usually preceded by a "surface low along the wave" as if to suggest a hybrid wave-vortex structure in which flow streamlines not only undulate with the waves, but form a closed circulation in the lower troposphere surrounding the low. This structure, equatorward of the easterly jet axis, is identified herein as the familiar critical layer of waves in shear flow, a flow configuration which arguably provides the simplest conceptual framework for tropical cyclogenesis resulting from tropical waves, their interaction with the mean flow, and with diabatic processes associated with deep moist convection. The recirculating Kelvin cat's eye within the critical layer represents a sweet spot for tropical cyclogenesis in which a proto-vortex may form and grow within its parent wave. A common location for storm development is given by the intersection of the wave's critical latitude and trough axis at the center of the cat's eye, with analyzed vorticity centroid nearby. The wave and vortex live together for a time, and initially propagate at approximately the same speed. In most cases this coupled propagation continues for a few days after a tropical depression is identified. For easterly waves, as the name suggests, the propagation is westward. It is shown that in order to visualize optimally the associated Lagrangian motions, one should view the flow streamlines, or stream function, in a frame of reference translating horizontally with the phase propagation of the parent wave. In this co-moving frame, streamlines are approximately equivalent to particle trajectories. The closed circulation is quasi-stationary, and a dividing streamline separates air within the cat's eye from air outside.

Glacial recession in the Tropical Andes from the Little Ice Age: the case of Ampato Volcanic Complex (Southern Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalá, J.; Palacios, D.; Zamorano, J. J.

2010-03-01

Data published over the last decade reveal substantial glacial recession in the tropical Andes since the Little Ice Age (LIA), (Ramirez, et al., 2001; Rabatel, et al., 2005; Rabatel, et al., 2008; Vuille, et al., 2008; Hastenrath, 2009; Jomelli, et al., 2009), and a growing rate of recession since the 1980’s caused by global warming (Ramirez, et al., 2001; Vuille, et al., 2008). Today there is great interest in the evolution of these ice masses due to heightened awareness of climate change and of the strategic importance that glaciers have as a hydrologic resource for communities in arid climate zones in the tropical Andes (Mark, 2008; Vuille et al., 2008). Cordillera Blanca forms part of the Andes Mountains of northern Peru, and is a chosen site for many studies on glacier evolution. Vuille et al. 2008 determined that a considerable area of ice mass was lost at Huascarán-Chopicalqui glacier (18% from 1920-1970) and Astesonraju glacier (20% from 1962-2003). Studies at Coropuna volcano, which has the most extensive glacier field in the western range of southern Peru, also report a strong melting trend that began with only minimal recession from 1955-1986 (4%), but increased to 14% from 1986-2007 (Úbeda et al., 2009). Only a few of the Andes glaciers are consistently monitored, and the most comprehensive data are for Chacaltaya and Zongo glaciers (16º S) in Bolivia. Since the maximum LIA, Chacaltaya has lost 89% of its surface area, particularly in recent years. By 1983, the totaled loss was five times the shrinkage for the period 1940-1963 (Ramirez, et al., 2001). Zongo glacier maintained equilibrium from 1956-1975, but later experienced a period dominated by continuous recession (Soruco, et al., 2009). This study expands current knowledge of glacier evolution since the LIA in the Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ; 14º - 27º S) (Stern, 2004) of the Andes. The study site was chosen in an area that had never been used for preliminary research of this type, concretely

Introduction to tropical geometry

CERN Document Server

Maclagan, Diane

2015-01-01

Tropical geometry is a combinatorial shadow of algebraic geometry, offering new polyhedral tools to compute invariants of algebraic varieties. It is based on tropical algebra, where the sum of two numbers is their minimum and the product is their sum. This turns polynomials into piecewise-linear functions, and their zero sets into polyhedral complexes. These tropical varieties retain a surprising amount of information about their classical counterparts. Tropical geometry is a young subject that has undergone a rapid development since the beginning of the 21st century. While establishing itself as an area in its own right, deep connections have been made to many branches of pure and applied mathematics. This book offers a self-contained introduction to tropical geometry, suitable as a course text for beginning graduate students. Proofs are provided for the main results, such as the Fundamental Theorem and the Structure Theorem. Numerous examples and explicit computations illustrate the main concepts. Each of t...

Computing Tropical Varieties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Speyer, D.; Jensen, Anders Nedergaard; Bogart, T.

2005-01-01

The tropical variety of a d-dimensional prime ideal in a polynomial ring with complex coefficients is a pure d-dimensional polyhedral fan. This fan is shown to be connected in codimension one. We present algorithmic tools for computing the tropical variety, and we discuss our implementation...

Effects of alumina refinery wastewater and signature metal constituents at the upper thermal tolerance of: 1. The tropical diatom Nitzschia closterium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harford, A.J.; Hogan, A.C.; Tsang, J.J.; Parry, D.L.; Negri, A.P.; Adams, M.S.; Stauber, J.L.; Dam, R.A. van

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Methodology to assess relevant toxicants to a tropical marine diatom are described. → Thermal sensitivity of N. closterium was close to the regional annual maximum SST. → First to derive EC50s for Al, Ga and V in N. closterium under tropical conditions. → N. closterium is one of the most sensitive organisms to Al reported to-date. → Environmental chemistry shows that the discharge is a low risk to this species. - Abstract: Ecotoxicological studies, using the tropical marine diatom, Nitzschia closterium (72-h growth rate), were undertaken to assess potential issues relating to the discharge from an alumina refinery in northern Australia. The studies assessed: (i) the species' upper thermal tolerance; (ii) the effects of three signature metals, aluminium (Al), vanadium (V) and gallium (Ga) (at 32 o C); and (iii) the effects of wastewater (at 27 and 32 o C). The critical thermal maximum and median inhibition temperature for N. closterium were 32.7 o C and 33.1 o C, respectively. Single metal toxicity tests found that N. closterium was more sensitive to Al compared to Ga and V, with IC 50 s (95% confidence limits) of 190 (140-280), 19,640 (11,600-25,200) and 42,000 (32,770-56,000) μg L -1 , respectively. The undiluted wastewater samples were of low toxicity to N. closterium (IC 50 s > 100% wastewater). Environmental chemistry data suggested that the key metals and discharge are a very low risk to this species.

Herencia de la resistencia al complejo Cercospora spp. en líneas de maíz tropical

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Narro L. Luis

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Se evaluó un diseño dialélico (Griffing Modelo 1 entre 10 líneas endogámicas de maíz tropical contrastantes en su reacción a Cercospora spp. (5 tolerantes y 5 susceptibles, en tres localidades en lotes bajo siembra directa, con presencia natural del patógeno e inoculación artificial, para la variable índice de enfermedad (escala 1 a 5. En el análisis de varianza, por localidad y combinado, los efectos de habilidad combinatoria general (hcg, habilidad combinatoria específica (hce, y recíprocos resultaron altamente significativos; siendo >10 veces mayor los efectos de la hcg que los de hce, indicando predominio de la acción genética aditiva. Resultados también sugieren que la resistencia está controlada por efectos maternos o de citoplasma. La acumulación de genes de resistencia y la conformación de variedades sintéticas tolerantes es una alternativa a implementar en programas del mejoramiento de resistencia a Cercospora de maíces tropicales. ABSTRACT Inheritance of resistance to Cercospora Complex in tropical maize (zea mays inbred lines. Inheritance of resistance to the maize disease complex caused by Cercospora spp on tropical maize was studied by generating and evaluating a diallel mating model (Griffing model I using ten corn inbred lines with contrasting levels of disease reaction (5 tolerant and 5 susceptible. Parental lines and their crosses, both direct and reciprocal, were evaluated in three locations using conservation tillage and inoculated artificially with inoculum prepared using a mixture of foliar maize diseases collected from several farmer’s fields. Analysis of variance for the variable index of disease (scale 1 to 5, both locality and combined, the general combining ability (hcg, specific combining ability (hce, and reciprocal effects were highly significant, with the hcg portion being >10 times greater than the hce component, indicating that the genetic action is predominantly additive. Data

FORESTERÍA TROPICAL AL FINAL DEL CAMINO? REVISIÓN DEL MANEJO SOSTENIBLE DE BOSQUES NATIVOS TROPICALES

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Álvaro Gustavo Cañadas López

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Este documento desglosa algunos de los mayores esfuerzos desarrollados para el manejo de los bosques naturales tropicales en el Ecuador y el mundo. En especial, están siendo revisados, el desempeño de la certificación de manejo forestal sostenible y los productos no maderables del bosque. Existen algunos ejemplos en que, bajo ciertas condiciones, el manejo de los bosques tropicales nativos es una opción viable como uso del suelo. La certificación forestal ha probado ser un instrumento que ha permitido el manejo forestal en forma sostenible. Este instrumento está trabajando en la dirección correcta, pero todavía es muy débil. Naturalmente, la certificación como único instrumento, no puede reorientar el manejo hacia la sostenibilidad y particularmente no, en términos mundiales. Se ha hablado de una fase de acercamiento de la certificación del manejo del bosque, la cual sería aceptada si ella está adaptada sobre todo, al nivel de los estándares locales, gobiernos y estructuras de participación en las iniciativas de la certificación. Fundamental es el papel de los gobiernos y de la aplicabilidad en regiones específicas (zonas tropicales, bajo condiciones concretas (por ejemplo, con una carencia de la supervisión del bosque por parte del gobierno o tipos determinados de negociaciones (intermediarios, micro-negocios. Solamente, si los consumidores dominantes del recurso y los gobiernos (especialmente políticas de gobierno, apoyan activamente el proceso y sus resultados. Entonces, los sistemas de certificación pueden entregar una solución técnica. Por otro lado, la perspectiva de los Productos no Maderables del Bosque (PNMDB, ha contribuido muy poco para la conservación del bosque tropical nativo.

Tropical varieties, maps and gossip

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frenk, B.J.

2013-01-01

Tropical geometry is a relatively new field of mathematics that studies the tropicalization map: a map that assigns a certain type of polyhedral complex, called a tropical variety, to an embedded algebraic variety. In a sense, it translates algebraic geometric statements into combinatorial ones. An

Comparative study of the wear resistance of Al₂O₃-coated MA956 superalloy

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Canahua Loza, Hugo

2000-10-01

Full Text Available Preoxidation of the MA956 superalloy, proposed as a prosthetic biomaterial, generates a compact and inert a-alumina surface layer. The aim of this study is to assess the wear resistance provided by this alumina layer on the MA956 alloy in comparison with the same coated alloy and versus high density polyethylene. Comparative wear tests were carried out in both dry and wet conditions using the couples MA956/MA956, MA956/UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and 316LVM/UHMWPE. The results corresponding to the couples MA956/MA956, with and without alumina layer, show that the load has more significant effect than the rotation speed on the weight loss and on the roughness. On the other hand the alumina surface layer provides a clear wear protection. The weight losses of the MA956 specimen in this couple are ten times lower when testing under wet conditions than under dry conditions. The MA956/UHMWPE couple behaves much better than the 316LVM/UHMWPE, as it presents the lowest values of friction coefíicient and weight losses of the MA956 specimen. These are only detectable after 70,000 cycles under a 70 MPa contact pressure. This couple offers the best guarantee of a prolonged service life for articulated parts in a prosthesis.

La superaleación MA956, que se ha propuesto como biomaterial para prótesis osteoarticulares genera, mediante un adecuado tratamiento de preoxidación, una capa superficial, compacta e inerte, de alúmina alfa. El objetivo del presente trabajo es el estudio de la resistencia al desgaste de esta capa de alúmina, cuando se encuentra en contacto con la propia aleación recubierta y con polietileno de alta densidad. Se realizaron ensayos comparativos de desgaste, tanto en seco como en húmedo, con los pares MA956/MA956, MA956/UHMWPE (polietileno de muy elevado peso molecular y 316LVM/UHMWPE. Los resultados obtenidos con el par MA956/MA956, con y sin capa de alúmina, indican que la carga es el factor de mayor

Desempenho de cordeiros terminados em confinamento, consumindo silagens de milho de grãos com alta umidade ou grãos de milho hidratados em substituição aos grãos de milho seco da dieta

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Reis Wagner dos

2001-01-01

Full Text Available O experimento foi conduzido para avaliar o uso dos grãos de milho em diferentes formas (grãos de milho secos, silagem de grãos de milho hidratado e silagem de grãos de milho úmido sobre o desempenho de cordeiros terminados em confinamento. Foram usados 60 cordeiros (machos e fêmeas, distribuídos aleatoriamente em cinco tratamentos com doze repetições e alimentados com dietas isoprotéicas e isoenergéticas, em diferentes tratamentos: T1 (silagem de grãos de milho hidratados - SMGH, T2 (Grãos de milho seco - GMS, T3 (50% SGMH + 50% GMS, T4 (silagem de grãos de milho úmidos - SGMU e T5 (50% SGMU + 50% GMS. O volumoso utilizado foi feno de aveia. Foram avaliados ganho de peso diário e conversão alimentar aos 28, 56 e 73 dias de confinamento. A dieta com substituição total dos grãos de milho seco por silagem de grãos de milho úmidos apresentou maior ganho de peso aos 73 dias em relação àqueles obtidos aos 56 e 28 dias de confinamento. Este fato pode ser explicado pela melhor digestibilidade apresentada pelas silagens, atribuída à gelatinização que o amido sofre durante o processo. Assim, a silagem de grãos úmidos pode ser usada com eficácia em dietas para cordeiros.

Interannual Weakening of the Tropical Pacific Walker Circulation Due to Strong Tropical Volcanism

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Jiapeng; Wang, Tao; Wang, Huijun; Sun, Jianqi

2018-06-01

In order to examine the response of the tropical Pacific Walker circulation (PWC) to strong tropical volcanic eruptions (SVEs), we analyzed a three-member long-term simulation performed with HadCM3, and carried out four additional CAM4 experiments. We found that the PWC shows a significant interannual weakening after SVEs. The cooling effect from SVEs is able to cool the entire tropics. However, cooling over the Maritime Continent is stronger than that over the central-eastern tropical Pacific. Thus, non-uniform zonal temperature anomalies can be seen following SVEs. As a result, the sea level pressure gradient between the tropical Pacific and the Maritime Continent is reduced, which weakens trade winds over the tropical Pacific. Therefore, the PWC is weakened during this period. At the same time, due to the cooling subtropical and midlatitude Pacific, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ) are weakened and shift to the equator. These changes also contribute to the weakened PWC. Meanwhile, through the positive Bjerknes feedback, weakened trade winds cause El Niño-like SST anomalies over the tropical Pacific, which in turn further influence the PWC. Therefore, the PWC significantly weakens after SVEs. The CAM4 experiments further confirm the influences from surface cooling over the Maritime Continent and subtropical/midlatitude Pacific on the PWC. Moreover, they indicate that the stronger cooling over the Maritime Continent plays a dominant role in weakening the PWC after SVEs. In the observations, a weakened PWC and a related El Niño-like SST pattern can be found following SVEs.

European cloth and "tropical" skin: clothing material and British ideas of health and hygiene in tropical climates.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Ryan

2009-01-01

As Britain's imperial and colonial ambitions intensified toward the end of the nineteenth century, the preservation of white European health in tropical climates became an increasingly important concern. Since at least the seventeenth century, the "tropics" had been seen as spaces holding vast potential wealth but also death and disease. To combat these deadly but desirable landscapes, the British built a considerable commodity culture around the preservation of white European health, and for many, tropical clothing was one of the most important and essential items in their "kits." This article investigates the composition and use of such clothing in relation to British ideas of health and hygiene in tropical climates. First, it considers debates that ensued over the best material--wool, cotton, linen, silk, or a combination of these materials--and the role of "black" skin and local practice in the development of tropical clothing. Second, it demonstrates the importance of location in any discussion of tropical medicine and hygiene, and the tension and ambiguity that still surrounded British ideas of health and hygiene in the tropical colonies. Third, it argues that tropical clothing was important in the maintenance of climatic etiologies despite advances in parasitology and sanitary science. Finally, it considers the relationship of tropical clothing to the formation of a unique colonial identity. To British men and women embarking for any number of tropical destinations, proper clothing was not a banal and mundane component of their outfitting. For many, the clothing signified a departure from the safe and "civil" climes of Britain for adventure in the expanding tropical empire.

Socioeconomic impacts of nuclear generating stations: Rancho Seco case study. Technical report 1 Oct 78-4 Jan 82

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergmann, P.A.

1982-07-01

The report documents a case study of the socioeconomic impacts of the construction and operation of the Rancho Seco nuclear power station. It is part of a major post-licensing study of the socioeconomic impacts at twelve nuclear power stations. The case study covers the period beginning with the announcement of plans to construct the reactor and ending in the period, 1980-81. The case study deals with changes in the economy, population, settlement patterns and housing, local government and public services, social structure, and public response in the study area during the construction/operation of the reactor. A regional modeling approach is used to trace the impact of construction/operation on the local economy, labor market, and housing market. Emphasis in the study is on the attribution of socioeconomic impacts to the reactor or other causal factors. As part of the study of local public response to the construction/operation of the reactor, the effects of the Three Mile Island accident are examined

Efectos de extractos acuosos de la maleza Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae sobre la germinación de semillas y crecimiento de plántulas de maíz ( Zea mays L. cv. Pioneer 3031

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José A. Laynez Garsaball

2013-04-01

Full Text Available La investigación tuvo por fi nalidad determinar los efectos de extractos acuosos del follaje de Cyperus rotundus L. sobre la germinación de semillas y el crecimiento de plántulas de maíz ( Zea mays L. cv. Pioneer 3031. Un primer extracto al 15% p/v fue preparado con el follaje de plantas mays L. cv . Pioneer 3031. Un primer extracto al 15% p/v fue preparado con el follaje de plantas mays de C. rotundus de 15 días, se dejó reposar por 48 h y luego se obtuvo por dilución extractos al 0; 2,0; 4,0 y 6,0% p/v evaluándoseles pH y conductividad eléctrica (S.cm -1 . Para la siembra se utilizaron bandejas cubiertas con una doble capa de papel absorbente sobre la que se colocó 20 semillas/bandeja, tapadas con dos hojas más de papel y regadas tres veces al día con los extrac- tos foliares. El tratamiento control recibió agua corriente. El diseño estadístico fue bloques al azar con cuatro concentraciones de extracto y cinco repeticiones. A los 12 días después de la siembra se determinaron los diferentes parámetros de germinación y crecimiento. Se práctico un análisis de varianza y regresión para los parámetros estudiados. El pH disminuyó y la CE incrementó al aumentar la concentración del extracto. La germinación, altura de las plántulas, longitud de las radículas, peso seco del vástago y relación peso seco del vástago/peso seco de la radícula dismi- nuyeron proporcionalmente al aumento de la concentración de extracto, contrariamente, el peso seco de la radícula incrementó. La relación altura de la plántula/longitud de la radícula no presentó diferencias signifi cativas en las fuentes de variación.

Análisis de vulnerabilidad mediante modelamiento hidrodinámico del cauce del río seco del Cono Sur de la ciudad de Tacna

OpenAIRE

Frisancho Camero, Felix Ladislao

2015-01-01

La cuenca del río Seco tiene un área de 1 106,49 Km2 y una cuenca húmeda de 344,74 Km2, contando con el aporte de tres sub cuencas: Caplina , Palca y Vilavilani Yungane. Se analizó las variables del estudio, siendo la población que habita en la zona, infraestructura urbana y la hidrología y geología de la cuenca. Mediante el análisis de frecuencias se estimaron las precipitaciones, intensidades o caudales máximos, para diferentes períodos de retorno, mediante la aplicación de modelos probabil...

Cuantificacion de huevo en fideos secos según metodo electroforético (SDS PAGUE) Quantification of egg in dried noodles by electrophoretic methods (SDS PAGE)

OpenAIRE

LB López; K Cellerino; MJ Binaghi; MS Giacomino; ME Valencia

2011-01-01

La cuantificación de huevo en fideos secos elaborados con harina y agregado de huevo. Se analizaron 6 sistemas modelos (SM) de fideos que contenían 0,0; 1,0; 2,5; 4,0; 6,0 y 8,0% de huevo en polvo. Se extrajeron proteínas totales con un buffer que contiene dodecilsulfato de sodio (SDS) y 2-Mercaptoetanol y se realizó electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida con SDS. Se establecieron las relaciones de las áreas de los picos de los densitogramas (de huevo y de trigo) que permiten una correcta cu...

FAQ HURRICANES, TYPHOONS, AND TROPICAL CYCLONES

Science.gov (United States)

? A6) What is a sub-tropical cyclone? A7) What is an extratropical cyclone ? A8) What is storm surge easterly wave and what causes them? A5) What is a tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm and how is it different from storm tide ? A9) What is a "CDO" ? A10) What is a TUTT ? A11

First record of the blacktip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae from the Tropical Eastern Pacific

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Andrés López-Garro

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The blacktip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus, is one of the most common Indo-Pacific reef sharks. On April 29, 2012, a juvenile male blacktip reef shark measuring 89 cm total length (TL, was incidentally caught during a research expedition in Chatham Bay, Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica, located in the Tropical Eastern Pacific. This is the first record of the species from Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica, and from the Tropical Eastern Pacific.El tiburón punta negra de arrecife, Carcharhinus melanopterus, es uno de los tiburones de arrecife más comunes del Indo-Pacífico. Durante una expedición científica al Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, Pacífico Tropical Oriental, un tiburón punta negra de arrecife fue capturado en Bahía Chatham, Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, el 29 de abril 2012. El espécimen capturado era un macho juvenil de 89 cm. Este es el primer informe de esta especie para el Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica y para el Pacífico Tropical Oriental.

Desenvolvimento e migração de larvas infectantes de ciatostomíneos (Nematoda: Cyathostominae em gramínea coast cross (Cynodon dactylon em clima tropical, na Baixada Fluminense, RJ, Brasil Development and migration of cyathostome infective larvae (Nematoda: Cyathostominae in bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon in tropical climate, in Baixada Fluminense, RJ, Brazil

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Melissa C. M. do Couto

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Esse estudo foi realizado no período de julho de 2003 a novembro de 2004, para avaliar o desenvolvimento, a sobrevivência, a migração das larvas infectantes em gramínea "coast cross" (Cynodon dactylon e o horário de maior disponibilidade, em condições de clima tropical, na Baixada Fluminense, RJ, Brasil. De julho de 2003 a setembro de 2004, massas fecais de equinos naturalmente infectados foram depositadas mensalmente sobre a gramínea. Sete dias após, amostras de fezes e gramínea foram coletadas semanalmente em diferentes horários (8, 13 e 17 horas, pesadas e processadas pela técnica de Baermann. O desenvolvimento, a sobrevivência e a migração das larvas infectantes nas fezes e na gramínea foram observados durante todo o período. A sobrevivência das L3 foi de até 15 semanas nas fezes e 12 semanas na gramínea no período seco e de nove e oito semanas, respectivamente, para o período chuvoso. No período chuvoso, maior número de L3 foi recuperado nas fezes e, no período seco, na gramínea. Condições climáticas influenciaram diretamente o número larvas infectantes. Pela análise multivariada, ficou demonstrado uma forte relação entre o tempo e o número de L3 nas fezes, sendo esta relação menos acentuada para a gramínea. Não se observou diferença significativa entre os horários de coleta.A study following the development and migration of Cyathostominae infective larvae was conducted from July 2003 to November 2004 in tropical climate, Baixada Fluminense, RJ, Brazil. Samples of naturally infected feces were placed on 12 m² plot each month on a cyathostomin-free "Bermuda grass" pasture (Cynodon dactylon. After Seven days, samples of feces and grass were collected every week at 8 a.m, 1 and 5 p.m., weighed and processed by Baermann technique. Higher survival of L3 was found at dry season, 15 and 12 weeks on feces and sward respectively, at rainy season the survival was smaller. The multivariable analysis of main

Identificación e implementación de paquetes tecnológicos en ganadería vacuna de doble propósito. Caso Manabí-Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Yenny Torres; José Rivas; Carmen De Pablos-Heredero; José Perea; Paula Toro-Mujica; Elena Angón; Antón García García

2014-01-01

El avance en los sistemas ganaderos se asocia a la implementación de tecnologías en la producción y a la mejora de sus ingresos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue la identificación e implementación de paquetes te cnológicos y su relación con los resultados productivos en vacuno de doble propósito de la provincia de Manabí, Ecua dor en dos zonas climáticas: el Bosque seco tropical y el húmedo tropical. Se agrupan 25 tecnologías en seis paquetes tecnológicos (PT) seleccionadas mediante una m...

Dust and Erosion Control Methods for US Army Construction Projects in Honduras

Science.gov (United States)

1989-06-01

sano TomT&S *15 14t Ar,,&Ws A.1 141 SanS5 Ivotor 1"M aLa IA. ,.. s-. 8t YOU LA~, Coo O / A 17 I1 (a de Guana~aISLAS SAWrANILLA 30,I i3 2 5...parte del ano; prornedlo de ’H nori above 18’C, temperatura del mes nias fresco, arriba de .ainf c ilTROPICAL WET AND DRY CLIMATE-Dis. CLIMA TROPICAL...temperature del mes mas te :3 tefresco arriba do 18~’C. b1 abH mo [4 WARM TEMPERATE CLIMATE-Winter dry; CL ’MA TEMPLADO HUMEDO-Invierno seco; at least

Harnessing Big Data for Communicable Tropical and Sub-Tropical Disorders: Implications From a Systematic Review of the Literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenza Gianfredi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available AimAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO, communicable tropical and sub-tropical diseases occur solely, or mainly in the tropics, thriving in hot, and humid conditions. Some of these disorders termed as neglected tropical diseases are particularly overlooked. Communicable tropical/sub-tropical diseases represent a diverse group of communicable disorders occurring in 149 countries, favored by tropical and sub-tropical conditions, affecting more than one billion people and imposing a dramatic societal and economic burden.MethodsA systematic review of the extant scholarly literature was carried out, searching in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus. The search string used included proper keywords, like big data, nontraditional data sources, social media, social networks, infodemiology, infoveillance, novel data streams (NDS, digital epidemiology, digital behavior, Google Trends, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Ebola, Zika, dengue, Chikungunya, Chagas, and the other neglected tropical diseases.Results47 original, observational studies were included in the current systematic review: 1 focused on Chikungunya, 6 on dengue, 19 on Ebola, 2 on Malaria, 1 on Mayaro virus, 2 on West Nile virus, and 16 on Zika. Fifteen were dedicated on developing and validating forecasting techniques for real-time monitoring of neglected tropical diseases, while the remaining studies investigated public reaction to infectious outbreaks. Most studies explored a single nontraditional data source, with Twitter being the most exploited tool (25 studies.ConclusionEven though some studies have shown the feasibility of utilizing NDS as an effective tool for predicting epidemic outbreaks and disseminating accurate, high-quality information concerning neglected tropical diseases, some gaps should be properly underlined. Out of the 47 articles included, only 7 were focusing on neglected tropical diseases, while all the other covered communicable tropical/sub-tropical

Harnessing Big Data for Communicable Tropical and Sub-Tropical Disorders: Implications From a Systematic Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Gianfredi, Vincenza; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Nucci, Daniele; Martini, Mariano; Rosselli, Roberto; Minelli, Liliana; Moretti, Massimo

2018-01-01

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), communicable tropical and sub-tropical diseases occur solely, or mainly in the tropics, thriving in hot, and humid conditions. Some of these disorders termed as neglected tropical diseases are particularly overlooked. Communicable tropical/sub-tropical diseases represent a diverse group of communicable disorders occurring in 149 countries, favored by tropical and sub-tropical conditions, affecting more than one billion people and imposing a dramatic societal and economic burden. A systematic review of the extant scholarly literature was carried out, searching in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus. The search string used included proper keywords, like big data, nontraditional data sources, social media, social networks, infodemiology, infoveillance, novel data streams (NDS), digital epidemiology, digital behavior, Google Trends, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Ebola, Zika, dengue, Chikungunya, Chagas, and the other neglected tropical diseases. 47 original, observational studies were included in the current systematic review: 1 focused on Chikungunya, 6 on dengue, 19 on Ebola, 2 on Malaria, 1 on Mayaro virus, 2 on West Nile virus, and 16 on Zika. Fifteen were dedicated on developing and validating forecasting techniques for real-time monitoring of neglected tropical diseases, while the remaining studies investigated public reaction to infectious outbreaks. Most studies explored a single nontraditional data source, with Twitter being the most exploited tool (25 studies). Even though some studies have shown the feasibility of utilizing NDS as an effective tool for predicting epidemic outbreaks and disseminating accurate, high-quality information concerning neglected tropical diseases, some gaps should be properly underlined. Out of the 47 articles included, only 7 were focusing on neglected tropical diseases, while all the other covered communicable tropical/sub-tropical diseases, and the main determinant of

Strong carbon sink of monsoon tropical seasonal forest in Southern Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Deshcherevskaya, Olga; Anichkin, Alexandr; Avilov, Vitaly; Duy Dinh, Ba; Luu Do, Phong; Huan Tran, Cong; Kurbatova, Julia

2014-05-01

Comparison between anthropogenic emission of carbon dioxide and atmospheric carbon pool change displays that only half of emitted CO2 remains in air, leaving so-called 'missing sink' of carbon. Terrestrial biosphere and ocean accumulate each about a half of this value (Gifford, 1994). Forest biomes play the decisive role in 'missing sink' because of high primary production flux and large carbon pool. Almost all the sink belongs to boreal forests, because warming and wetting coupled with increasing CO2 concentration and N deposition gives more favorable conditions for boreal ecosystems. On the contrary, tropical climate changes effect on forests is not obvious, probably cause more drought conditions; tropical forests suffer from 1.2 % per year area reduction and disturbance. Whether primary tropical forests act as carbon sink is still unclear. Biomass inventories at 146 forest plots across all the tropics in 1987-1997 revealed low carbon sink in humid forests biomass of 49 (29-66; 95% C.I.) g C m-2 year-1 on average (Malhi, 2010). Estimates for undisturbed African forests are close to global (Ciais et al., 2008). Eddy covariance (EC) observations with weak-turbulence correction in Amazonia reveal near-zero or small negative (i.e. sink) balance (Clark, 2004). Three EC sites in SE Asia primary forests give near-zero balance again (Saigusa et al., 2008; Kosugi et al., 2012). There are two main groups of explanations of moderate tropical carbon sink: (a) recovering of large-disturbance in the past or (b) response to current atmospheric changes: increase of CO2 concentration and/or climate change. So, strong carbon accumulation is not common for primary tropical forests. In this context sink of 402 g C m-2 in 2012 at EC station of Nam Cat Tien (NCT), Southern Vietnam (N 11°27', E 107°24', 134 m a.s.l.) in primary monsoon tropical forest looks questionably. EC instrument set at NCT consists of CSAT3 sonic anemometer and LI-7500A open-path gas analyzer. All the standard

Prevalência de olho seco em portadores de hanseníase de um hospital-colônia em Goiânia Prevalence of dry eye in Hansen's disease patients from a colony hospital in Goiânia, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karys Carvalho Frazão

2005-08-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Determinar a prevalência de olho seco em hansenianos do Hospital de Dermatologia Sanitária de Goiânia. MÉTODOS: A amostra do presente estudo incluiu 70 hansenianos, do Hospital de Dermatologia Sanitária de Goiânia, e 30 controles, da Fundação Banco de Olhos de Goiás, ambos localizados em Goiânia-GO. Foram realizados exame oftalmológico e testes de Schirmer I, "break-up time" (BUT e rosa bengala em todos estes indivíduos em uma única avaliação. Para o diagnóstico de olho seco foi considerado o teste de Schirmer I menor ou igual a 5 mm e o rosa bengala grau II ou III, em pelo menos um olho. RESULTADOS: Quarenta e quatro (63,0% hansenianos eram do sexo masculino e 22 (73,3% controles, do sexo feminino (p=0,001. A idade média dos hansenianos foi de 61,1±12,5 anos e no grupo controle, 55,7±9,6 anos. Quinze (21,4% hansenianos e quatro (13,3% controles apresentaram diagnóstico de olho seco (p=0,429. A forma virchowiana (HV (74,2% da hanseníase foi a mais prevalente e o olho seco (66,7% foi mais freqüente nesta forma clínica da doença. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência de olho seco foi maior no grupo de hansenianos, apesar de não ter havido diferença significativa.PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of dry eye in Hansen's disease patients from the "Hospital de Dermatologia Sanitária de Goiânia". METHODS: The sample of the present study included 70 patients with Hansen's disease, from the "Hospital de Dermatologia Sanitária de Goiânia", and 30 controls, from the "Fundação Banco de Olhos de Goiás", both located in Goiânia-GO, Brazil. Ophthalmologic examination and Schirmer I, break-up time (BUT and rose Bengal staining tests were carried out for all patients in a single evaluation. For the diagnosis of dry eye the Schirmer I equal or less than 5 mm and rose Bengal grade II or III, in at least one eye were considered. RESULTS: Forty-four (63.0% patients with Hansen's disease were male and 22 (73.3% controls were female

Precise U-Pb dating of Cenozoic tropical reef carbonates: Linking the evolution of Cenozoic Caribbean reef carbonates to climatic and environmental changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva-Tamayo, J. C.; Ducea, M.; Cardona, A.; Montes, C.; Rincon, D.; Machado, A.; Flores, A.; Sial, A.; Pardo, A.; Niño, H.; Ramirez, V.; Jaramillo, C.; Zapata, P.; Barrios, L.; Rosero, S.; Bayona, G.; Zapata, V.

2012-04-01

rapid anthropogenic CO2 release to the atmosphere on reef areas. Here we report precise U-Pb ages of several Cenozoic Caribbean-tropical reef carbonate successions along the SE Circum-Caribbean Region from which major temporal variations in the reef carbonate factories, structure and ecology are related to major climate/environmental changes. Calcareous algae are the principal calcifying reef builders along the SE Circum-Caribbean during the Paleocene-middle Oligocene interval, a period of predominant high atmospheric pCO2 and OA. Calcareous algae persisted as the main calcifying reef builders until the late Oligocene when atmospheric pCO2 levels dropped, allowing the onset of global icehouse conditions and the appearance of corals as the main calcifying reef builders along the SE Circum-Caribbean. Coral reefs would have dominated until the middle Miocene, when a new period of calcareous algae reefs occurred along the Caribbean, coinciding with the Miocene thermal optimum in mid-latitude areas (i.e. the Mediterranean). Coral reef carbonates dominated since the Pliocene. From the data presented here we suggest that calcareous algae dominated were the main calcifying reef builders during periods of warm temperatures and pronounced environmental change in the tropical seas (i.e. OA). Corals would have conversely dominated as main calcifying reef builders during periods of optimal tropical climatic/environmental conditions. Comparisons between this geologic conditions and data for the period 1984-2006 in the Caribbean11 suggest that the transition from corals towards calcareous algae is repeating again. 1.Zachos et al., Science Mag. 292 (2001) 2.Zachos et al., Science Mag. 308 (2005) 3.Haug et al., Geology 29 (2001) 4.Jain and Collins, Marine Micropaleo. 62 (2007) 5.Merinco et al., Nature 452 (2008) 6.O'Dea et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 104 (2007) 7.Jhonson et al., Palaios 24(2009) 8.Pagani et al., Nature 460 (2007) 9.Cohen et al., Journ. Geolog. Society 164 (2009) 10

Isotopes in tropical agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1962-04-15

Ways in which the use of radioisotopes and radiation can help to improve the agriculture of tropical Africa were discussed by a panel of experts. The panel included scientists from Africa, Europe, and the United States, most of whom had had actual experience dealing with agricultural problems in various parts of tropical Africa. The experts agreed that radioisotopes and radiation might now be employed to particular advantage in tropical Africa to improve crop nutrition and combat insect pests. Other applications discussed were in the fields of hydrology, plant breeding and food preservation

Isotopes in tropical agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1962-01-01

Ways in which the use of radioisotopes and radiation can help to improve the agriculture of tropical Africa were discussed by a panel of experts. The panel included scientists from Africa, Europe, and the United States, most of whom had had actual experience dealing with agricultural problems in various parts of tropical Africa. The experts agreed that radioisotopes and radiation might now be employed to particular advantage in tropical Africa to improve crop nutrition and combat insect pests. Other applications discussed were in the fields of hydrology, plant breeding and food preservation

TEMPERATURE AND HEAT FLOW WHEN TAPPING OF THE HARDENED STEEL USING DIFFERENT COOLING SYSTEMS TEMPERATURA Y FLUJO DE CALOR AL ROSCAR CON MACHOS ACERO ENDURECIDO UTILIZANDO DIVERSOS SISTEMAS DE LUBRICACIÓN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lincoln Cardoso Brandão

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Machining hardened steels has always been a great challenge in metal cutting, particularly for tapping operations. In the present paper, temperature was assessed when tapping hardened AISI H13. Dry machining and two cooling/lubrication systems were used: flooded and minimum quantity of fluid (MQF with 20ml/h, both using mineral oil. The tapping operation was performed on 100 x 40 mm, 14 mm thick workpieces with 55 HRc. An implanted thermocouple technique was used for temperature measurement at distances very close to the highest thread diameter (at 0.1, 2.5 and 5.0 mm. Three thermocouples were used for each distance along the workpiece diameter at 3.0, 7.0 and 11.0 mm from the tap entrance. Measurements were replicated twice for each condition tested. An analytical theoretical heat conduction model was used to evaluate the temperature at the tool-workpiece interface and determine the heat flow and convection coefficient. The smallest temperature increase and heat flow were observed when using the flooded system, followed by the MQF, compared to the dry condition. The effect was directly proportional to the amount of lubricant applied, as well as with the MQF system, when compared to dry cutting.Trabajar los aceros endurecidos siempre ha sido un desafío para el corte de metales, particularmente en las operaciones de roscado. En el presente trabajo se mide la temperatura del acero AISI H13 endurecido, realizándose ensayos sin lubricación (seco y dos sistemas con lubricación: aceite lubricante en grandes cantidades y mínima cantidad de líquido (minimum quantity of fluid MQF a 20 ml/h, en ambos casos se utilizó aceite integral mineral. El roscado se realiza sobre probetas de prueba de 100 x 40 mm con 14mm de espesor y dureza de 55 HRc. Para medir la temperatura se utiliza la técnica de termocuplas situadas muy próximas al diámetro mayor del hilo de rosca (a 0.1, 2.5 y 5 mm de distancia. Se utiliza tres termocuplas a lo largo del espesor de

Concentration of radionuclides in fresh water fish downstream of Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Eagle, R.J.; Dawson, J.M.; Brunk, J.L.; Wong, X.M.

1984-01-01

Fish were collected for radionuclide analysis over a 5-month period in 1984 from creeks downstream of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Plant, which has been discharging quantities of some fission and activation products to the waterway since 1981. Among the fish, the bluegill was selected for intensive study because it is very territorial and the radionuclide concentrations detected should be representative of the levels in the local environment at the downstream locations sampled. Among the gamma-emitting radionuclides routinely released, only 134 Cs and 137 Cs were detected in the edible flesh of fish. Concentrations in the flesh of fish decreased with distance from the plant. The relationship between concentration and distance was determined to be exponential. Exponential equations were generated to estimate concentrations in fish at downstream locations where no site-specific information was available. Mean concentrations of 137 Cs in bluegill collected during April, May, July and August from specific downstream stations were not significantly different in spite of the release of 131 mCi to the creeks between April and August. The concentrations in fish are not responding to changes in water concentrations brought about by plant discharges. Diet appears to be a more significant factor than size or weight or water concentration in regulating body burdens of 137 Cs in these fish

Reconstruction of the North Atlantic tropical cyclones in Azores for the last 800 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Ingles, Maria Jesus; Sánchez, Guiomar; Trigo, Ricardo; Francus, Pierre; Gonçalves, Vitor; Raposeiro, Pedro; Freitas, Conceiçao; Borges, Paolo; Hernández, Armand; Bao, Roberto; Vázquez-Loureiro, David; Andrade, Cesar; Sáez, Alberto; Giralt, Santiago

2014-05-01

The variability of North Atlantic tropical storms has been the focus of several studies. Duration and seasonality has been attributed to a number of climate patterns and processes such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Atlantic Meridional Mode, African easterly waves, and atmospheric Rossby waves, but their tracks have been widely related to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Several authors have pointed out an increase and track shifting of North Atlantic tropical cyclones since 1995 with increased probability of these turning north far away from the North American continent. However, this cannot be regarded as an infrequent phenomenon as most proxy records from the Atlantic North have shown the existence of similar patterns in the past. Sao Miguel Island (Azores archipelago, Portugal) is settled in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This location makes this island an excellent natural laboratory to record shifts on North Atlantic tropical storms tracks that can reach the archipelago as low intensity hurricanes (e.g. Nadine in 2012) or downgraded to tropical storm (e.g. Grace in 2009). In the present work, lake sediment records have been used as a proxy sensor of tropical storms. Lagoa Azul is located inside Sete Cidades volcanic caldera and its catchment is characterized by stepped and forested caldera walls. Tropical storms and heavy rainfalls produce a flashy and substantial enhancement in the erosion of the catchment, increasing the sediments reaching the lake by rockfalls deposits (in littoral zones) and flood events deposits (in offshore zones). These flood events can be recognized in the sedimentary record as lobe deposits dominated by terrestrial components. It can be found in the sedimentary record and the bathymetry. Instrumental meteorological data and historical records have been compiled to reconstruct the most recent history of the North Atlantic tropical storms that have landed or affected the Sao Miguel Island (Andrade et al., 2008). In addition, a 1

Stability and instability on Maya Lowlands tropical hillslope soils

Science.gov (United States)

Beach, Timothy; Luzzadder-Beach, Sheryl; Cook, Duncan; Krause, Samantha; Doyle, Colin; Eshleman, Sara; Wells, Greta; Dunning, Nicholas; Brennan, Michael L.; Brokaw, Nicholas; Cortes-Rincon, Marisol; Hammond, Gail; Terry, Richard; Trein, Debora; Ward, Sheila

2018-03-01

Substantial lake core and other evidence shows accelerated soil erosion occurred in the Maya Lowlands of Central America over ancient Maya history from 3000 to 1000 years ago. But we have little evidence of the wider network of the sources and sinks of that eroded sediment cascade. This study begins to solve the mystery of missing soil with new research and a synthesis of existing studies of tropical forest soils along slopes in NW Belize. The research aim is to understand soil formation, long-term human impacts on slopes, and slope stability over time, and explore ecological implications. We studied soils on seven slopes in tropical forest areas that have experienced intensive ancient human impacts and those with little ancient impacts. All of our soil catenas, except for one deforested from old growth two years before, contain evidence for about 1000 years of stable, tropical forest cover since Maya abandonment. We characterized the physical, chemical, and taxonomic characteristics of soils at crest-shoulder, backslopes, footslopes, and depression locations, analyzing typical soil parameters, chemical elements, and carbon isotopes (δ13C) in dated and undated sequences. Four footslopes or depressions in areas of high ancient occupation preserved evidence of buried, clay-textured soils covered by coarser sediment dating from the Maya Classic period. Three footslopes from areas with scant evidence of ancient occupation had little discernable deposition. These findings add to a growing corpus of soil toposequences with similar facies changes in footslopes and depressions that date to the Maya period. Using major elemental concentrations across a range of catenas, we derived a measure (Ca + Mg) / (Al + Fe + Mn) of the relative contributions of autochthonous and allochthonous materials and the relative age of soil catenas. We found very low ratios in clearly older, buried soils in footslopes and depressions and on slopes that had not undergone ancient Maya erosion. We

El Hotel Burj Al Arab. Consideraciones de su desempeño sostenible.

OpenAIRE

Avila Higuera, Luis Fernando; Caicedo Lemus, José Fabio; Reyes Gaona, Javier Andrés; Tibaquirá Quintero, Carlos Alberto; Villamizar Bermúdez, María Clara

2013-01-01

El Hotel Burj Al Arab, ubicado en Dubai, Emiratos Árabes Unidos fue concebi-do y construido debido a la necesidad económica de convertir al emirato en un destino turís-tico, considerando que la actividad petrolera predominante en la región, no perdurará. Con un clima bastante exigente (Tropical húmedo), el edificio ha debido ser diseñado teniendo en cuenta consideraciones bioclimáticas y sostenibles. El artículo presenta un análisis bioclimático y de automatización del edificio considera...

Tropical cyclogenesis in a tropical wave critical layer: easterly waves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. J. Dunkerton

2009-08-01

Full Text Available The development of tropical depressions within tropical waves over the Atlantic and eastern Pacific is usually preceded by a "surface low along the wave" as if to suggest a hybrid wave-vortex structure in which flow streamlines not only undulate with the waves, but form a closed circulation in the lower troposphere surrounding the low. This structure, equatorward of the easterly jet axis, is identified herein as the familiar critical layer of waves in shear flow, a flow configuration which arguably provides the simplest conceptual framework for tropical cyclogenesis resulting from tropical waves, their interaction with the mean flow, and with diabatic processes associated with deep moist convection. The recirculating Kelvin cat's eye within the critical layer represents a sweet spot for tropical cyclogenesis in which a proto-vortex may form and grow within its parent wave. A common location for storm development is given by the intersection of the wave's critical latitude and trough axis at the center of the cat's eye, with analyzed vorticity centroid nearby. The wave and vortex live together for a time, and initially propagate at approximately the same speed. In most cases this coupled propagation continues for a few days after a tropical depression is identified. For easterly waves, as the name suggests, the propagation is westward. It is shown that in order to visualize optimally the associated Lagrangian motions, one should view the flow streamlines, or stream function, in a frame of reference translating horizontally with the phase propagation of the parent wave. In this co-moving frame, streamlines are approximately equivalent to particle trajectories. The closed circulation is quasi-stationary, and a dividing streamline separates air within the cat's eye from air outside. The critical layer equatorward of the easterly jet axis is important to tropical cyclogenesis because its cat's eye provides (i a region of

Estudio del desgaste del flanco de carburos recubiertos y cermet durante el torneado de alta velocidad en seco del acero AISI 1045

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hernández-González, L. W.

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This work deals with the experimental study of the flank wear evolution of two coating carbide inserts and a cermet insert during the dry finishing turning of AISI 1045 steel with 400, 500 and 600 m/min cutting speeds. The results were analyzed using the variance analysis and lineal regression analysis in order to describe the relationship between the flank wear and machining time, obtaining the adjusted model equation. The investigation demonstrated a significant effect of cutting speed and machining time on the flank wear at high speed machining. The three coating layers insert showed the best performance while the two layers insert had the worst behaviour of the cutting tool wear at high cutting speeds.

El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio experimental de la evolución del desgaste del flanco respecto al tiempo de dos insertos de carburo recubiertos y un cermet durante el torneado de acabado en seco del acero AISI 1045 con velocidades de corte de 400, 500 y 600 m/min. Los resultados fueron comparados utilizando el análisis de varianza y el análisis de regresión lineal para describir la relación entre el desgaste del flanco y el tiempo de maquinado, obteniéndose la ecuación del modelo ajustado. La investigación demostró un efecto significativo de la velocidad de corte y del tiempo de maquinado en el desgaste del flanco en el maquinado de alta velocidad. El mejor desempeño se obtuvo para el carburo recubierto con tres capas, mientras que el carburo con dos capas sufrió el mayor desgaste a elevadas velocidades de corte.

Sensitivity of South American tropical climate to Last Glacial Maximum boundary conditions: focus on teleconnections with tropics and extratropics (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Khodri, M.; Kageyama, M.; Roche, D. M.

2009-12-01

Proxy data over tropical latitudes for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) has been interpreted as a southward shift of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and so far linked to a mechanism analogous to the modern day “meridional-mode” in the Atlantic Ocean. Here we have explored alternative mechanisms, related to the direct impact of the LGM global changes in the dry static stability on tropical moist deep convection. We have used a coupled ocean-atmosphere model capable of capturing the thermodynamical structure of the atmosphere and the tropical component of the Hadley and Walker circulations. In each experiment, we have applied either all the LGM forcings, or the individual contributions of greenhouse gases (GHG) concentrations, ice sheet topography and/or albedo to explore the hydrological response over tropical latitudes with a focus on South America. The dominant forcing for the LGM tropical temperature and precipitation changes is found to be due to the reduced GHG, through the direct effect of reduced radiative heating (Clausius-Clapeyron relationship). The LGM GHG is also responsible for increased extra-tropical static stability which strengthens the Hadley Cell. Stronger subsidence over northern tropics then produces an amplification of the northern tropics drying initially due to the direct cooling effect. The land ice sheet is also able to promote the Hadley cell feedback mostly via the topographic effect on the extra-tropical dry static stability and on the position of the subtropical jets. Our results therefore suggest that the communication between the extratropics and the tropics is tighter during LGM and does not necessarily rely on the “meridional-mode” mechanism. The Hadley cell response is constrained by the requirement that diabatic heating in the tropics balances cooling in subtropics. We show that such extratropics-tropics dependence is stronger at the LGM because of the stronger perturbation of northern extra tropical thermal and

Old tropical botanical collections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Ib

2017-01-01

The early history of botanical collections is reviewed, with particular emphasis on old collections from the tropics. The information available about older and newer botanical collections from the tropics was much improved after World War Two, including better lists of validly published names, more...

Air-sea coupling during the tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean: A case study using satellite observations

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Subrahmanyam, B.; Murty, V.S.N.; Sharp, R.J.; O'Brien, J.J.

by HILBURN et al. (2003). Daily OLR data on 2.5 C176C22.5 C176 grids were obtained for the periods of cyclones (October 1999 and May 2001) from Climate Diagnostics Center (CDC), Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. MURTY et al. (2000, 2002, 2003) reported that intense...-sea Coupling During the Tropical Cyclones 1669 Acknowledgements The interpolated OLR data is provided by the NOAA-CIRES CDC. We thank Dr. Harley Hurlburt and Dr. Birol Kara for providing the NLOM MLD simulations and Dr. Charlie Barron for providing the MODAS...

Ultraviolet radiation modelling from ground-based and satellite measurements on Reunion Island, southern tropics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Lamy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Surface ultraviolet radiation (SUR is not an increasing concern after the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and the recovery of the ozone layer Morgenstern et al.(2008. However, large uncertainties remain in the prediction of future changes of SUR Bais et al.(2015. Several studies pointed out that UV-B impacts the biosphere Erickson et al.(2015, especially the aquatic system, which plays a central part in the biogeochemical cycle Hader et al.(2007. It can affect phytoplankton productivity Smith and Cullen(1995. This influence can result in either positive or negative feedback on climate (Zepp et al., 2007. Global circulation model simulations predict an acceleration of the Brewer-Dobson circulation over the next century (Butchart, 2014, which would lead to a decrease in ozone levels in the tropics and an enhancement at higher latitudes (Hegglin and Shepherd, 2009. Reunion Island is located in the tropics (21° S, 55° E, in a part of the world where the amount of ozone in the ozone column is naturally low. In addition, this island is mountainous and the marine atmosphere is often clean with low aerosol concentrations. Thus, measurements show much higher SUR than at other sites at the same latitude or at midlatitudes. Ground-based measurements of SUR have been taken on Reunion Island by a Bentham DTMc300 spectroradiometer since 2009. This instrument is affiliated with the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC. In order to quantify the future evolution of SUR in the tropics, it is necessary to validate a model against present observations. This study is designed to be a preliminary parametric and sensitivity study of SUR modelling in the tropics. We developed a local parameterisation using the Tropospheric Ultraviolet and Visible Model (TUV; Madronich, 1993 and compared the output of TUV to multiple years of Bentham spectral measurements. This comparison started in early 2009 and continued until 2016

Ultraviolet radiation modelling from ground-based and satellite measurements on Reunion Island, southern tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Lamy, Kévin; Portafaix, Thierry; Brogniez, Colette; Godin-Beekmann, Sophie; Bencherif, Hassan; Morel, Béatrice; Pazmino, Andrea; Metzger, Jean Marc; Auriol, Frédérique; Deroo, Christine; Duflot, Valentin; Goloub, Philippe; Long, Charles N.

2018-01-01

Surface ultraviolet radiation (SUR) is not an increasing concern after the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and the recovery of the ozone layer (Morgenstern et al., 2008). However, large uncertainties remain in the prediction of future changes of SUR (Bais et al., 2015). Several studies pointed out that UV-B impacts the biosphere (Erickson et al., 2015), especially the aquatic system, which plays a central part in the biogeochemical cycle (Hader et al., 2007). It can affect phytoplankton productivity (Smith and Cullen, 1995). This influence can result in either positive or negative feedback on climate (Zepp et al., 2007). Global circulation model simulations predict an acceleration of the Brewer-Dobson circulation over the next century (Butchart, 2014), which would lead to a decrease in ozone levels in the tropics and an enhancement at higher latitudes (Hegglin and Shepherd, 2009). Reunion Island is located in the tropics (21° S, 55° E), in a part of the world where the amount of ozone in the ozone column is naturally low. In addition, this island is mountainous and the marine atmosphere is often clean with low aerosol concentrations. Thus, measurements show much higher SUR than at other sites at the same latitude or at midlatitudes. Ground-based measurements of SUR have been taken on Reunion Island by a Bentham DTMc300 spectroradiometer since 2009. This instrument is affiliated with the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). In order to quantify the future evolution of SUR in the tropics, it is necessary to validate a model against present observations. This study is designed to be a preliminary parametric and sensitivity study of SUR modelling in the tropics. We developed a local parameterisation using the Tropospheric Ultraviolet and Visible Model (TUV; Madronich, 1993) and compared the output of TUV to multiple years of Bentham spectral measurements. This comparison started in early 2009 and continued until 2016. Only

Possible climatic impact of tropical deforestation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Potter, G L; Ellsaesser, H W; MacCracken, M C; Luther, F M

1975-12-25

A computer model of climate changes resulting from removal of tropical rain forests to increase arable acreage is described. A chain of consequences is deduced from the model which begins with deforestation and ends with overall global cooling and a reduction in precipitation. A model of the global water budget shows that the reduction in precipitation is accompanied by cooling in the upper tropical troposphere, a lowering of the tropical tropopause, and a warming of the lower tropical stratosphere. (HLW)

Tropical forests. Nettai no shinrin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, I [Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan)

1991-11-05

It was in 1950s when felling of tropical forests started in earnest, in 1970s felling of forest trees in Southeast Asia reached its peak and the destnation of exportation of most of them was Japan. Besides, among the present overseas development assistance projects (ODA) of Japan, her role to be played in connection with tropical forests is not small and its funds, which surpass by far the budget for forestry of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), are aiding cooperation projects on forestry in many places in the world. Nevertheless, in Japan, the understanding of tropical forests is insufficient and its realities have not been known. In this article, based on the experience and knowledge of the author who stayed in Kalimantan, various kinds of problems concerning tropical forests are explained, the realities are introduced on information, well trained people, funds and philosophy which are far short in pursuance of the problems of tropical forests. Furthermore, as the issues hereafter, such proposals on tropical forests are made as protection of natural forests, planned operation in respecting self renewal ability of the secondary forests and afforestation of alang-alang grassy plains resulted from the failure of burning felled trees and grasses for making the land arable. 1 ref..

COMPORTAMIENTO DE LA VEGETACIÓN DE UN HUMEDAL (MALLÍN ENTRE PERÍODOS HÚMEDOS Y SECOS MEDIANTE ANÁLISIS METEOROLÓGICOS Y ESPECTRAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Peña

2008-12-01

Full Text Available En este estudio se analiza el comportamiento meteorológico y espectral de un humedal (mallín localizado en la cuenca media del Río Catan Lil, en la provincia de Neuquén, (Argentina, en una serie de diez años que abarcan períodos hidrológicos secos-medios y húmedos. Los mallines son importantes ecosistemas naturales que históricamente se han utilizado como recurso forrajero para la ganadería extensiva en la Patagonia Argentina y que han sufrido, en la mayoría de los casos, intensos procesos de degradación. . Para evaluar el comportamiento meteorológico, se caracterizaron los años teniendo en cuenta la lluvia y la nieve caída, considerando valores totales mensuales, desde 1996/97 hasta 2005/06. El análisis espectral se realizó mediante el uso de imágenes satelitales de la serie Landsat Tm (path 232 row 087 de las series de años mencionadas. Del análisis resulta que existe una relación bastante directa entre años secos o con adelantamiento de la fusión nival y la disminución de la actividad fotosintética de la vegetación, respecto a períodos medios ó húmedos. Esto queda reflejado en los índices obtenidos mediante el proceso digital de las imágenes. La utilización de información satelital y su correlación con información meteorológica es una buena herramienta para planificar el uso de estos recursos sin causar problemas que afecten la dinámica del mallin.

Volatile sulfur compounds in tropical fruits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert J. Cannon

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Global production and demand for tropical fruits continues to grow each year as consumers are enticed by the exotic flavors and potential health benefits that these fruits possess. Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs are often responsible for the juicy, fresh aroma of tropical fruits. This poses a challenge for analytical chemists to identify these compounds as most often VSCs are found at low concentrations in most tropical fruits. The aim of this review is to discuss the extraction methods, enrichment techniques, and instrumentation utilized to identify and quantify VSCs in natural products. This will be followed by a discussion of the VSCs reported in tropical and subtropical fruits, with particular attention to the odor and taste attributes of each compound. Finally, the biogenesis and enzymatic formation of specific VSCs in tropical fruits will be highlighted along with the contribution each possesses to the aroma of their respective fruit. Keywords: Tropical fruits, Volatile sulfur compounds, Extraction methods

[Tropical sprue (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Gras, C; Chapoy, P; Aubry, P

1981-01-01

Tropical sprue is a disease of the small intestine characterized by a malabsorption syndrome with a subtotal or partial mucosal atrophy. It is observed in Asia and Central America. It appears to be rare in Africa but its real frequency is unknown as small bowel biopsys are not routinely done. Bacterial overgrowth as well as giardiasis may be trigger factors of the disease the pathogenesis of which is still incompletely understood. The disease beginning as chronic diarrhea is later on characterized by an aphtoïd stomatitis and a macrocytic anemia. Treatment with antibiotics and folic acid is efficient and has a diagnostic value. If treatment is started lately, vitamin B 12 is then also necessary. In any intestinal syndrome observed in tropical areas without an ascertained etiologic diagnosis, peroral biopsie of the small intestine is requested. However, with the use of pediatric endoscope it will be possible to appreciate the respective incidence of tropical sprue and asymptomatic tropical sprue in Africa South of the Sahara.

Securing tropical forest carbon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scharlemann, Jörn P. W.; Kapos, Valerie; Campbell, Alison

2010-01-01

Forest loss and degradation in the tropics contribute 6-17% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Protected areas cover 217.2 million ha (19.6%) of the world's humid tropical forests and contain c. 70.3 petagrams of carbon (Pg C) in biomass and soil to 1 m depth. Between 2000 and 2005, we estimate...... that 1.75 million ha of forest were lost from protected areas in humid tropical forests, causing the emission of 0.25-0.33 Pg C. Protected areas lost about half as much carbon as the same area of unprotected forest. We estimate that the reduction of these carbon emissions from ongoing deforestation...... in protected sites in humid tropical forests could be valued at USD 6,200-7,400 million depending on the land use after clearance. This is >1.5 times the estimated spending on protected area management in these regions. Improving management of protected areas to retain forest cover better may be an important...

Soil mineralogy and microbes determine forest life history strategy and carbon cycling in humid tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Soong, J.; Verbruggen, E.; Peñuelas, J.; Janssens, I. A.; Grau, O.

2017-12-01

Tropical forests account for over one third of global terrestrial gross primary productivity and cycle more C than any other ecosystem on Earth. However, we still lack a mechanistic understanding of how such high productivity is maintained on the old, highly weathered and phosphorus depleted soils in the tropics. We hypothesized that heterogeneity in soil texture, mineralogy and microbial community composition may be the major drivers of differences in soil C storage and P limitation across tropical forests. We sampled 12 forest sites across a 200 km transect in the humid neo-tropics of French Guiana that varied in soil texture, precipitation and mineralogy. We found that soil texture was a major driver of soil carbon stocks and forest life history strategy, where sandy forests have lower soil C stocks, slower turnover and decomposition and a more closed nutrient cycle while clayey forests have higher soil C stocks, faster turnover and a more leaky nutrient cycle (using natural abundance stable isotope evidence). We found that although the presence of Al and Fe oxides in the clayey soils occludes soil organic matter and P, a greater abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi help forests to access occluded P in clayey soils fueling higher turnover and faster decomposition rates. Evidence from a laboratory incubation of tropical soils with nutrient additions further demonstrates the de-coupling of microbial P demands from C:N limitations providing further evidence for the need to examine microbial stoichiometry to explain C cycling in the P-limited tropics. We argue that microbial community composition and physiological demands, constrained within the limitations of soil mineralogical reactivity, largely controls nutrient and C cycling in tropical forest soils. Together our observational field study and laboratory incubation provide a unique dataset to shed light on the mineralogical and microbial controls on C and nutrient cycling in tropical soils. By integrating

Structural and successional variability of periphytic algal community in a Amazonian lake during the dry and rainy season (Rio Branco, Acre Variação estrutural e sucessional da comunidade de algas perifíticas em lago amazônico durante o período seco e chuvoso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel C.S França

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The colonization process and successional patterns of a periphytic algal community were evaluated in a Amazonian Viveiro Lake (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. Sampling was performed over a period of 35 days; at four-day intervals for 20 days, and then at five-day intervals. Water sampling for physical, chemical and biological analyses was done during the dry and rainy season. Glass slides were used as artificial substrates for periphyton colonization. The structural community was evaluated through population density, algae class, diversity indices and descriptive species. Species richness, diversity and evenness increased as succession progressed. While density of Bacillariophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Zygnemaphyceae increased with succession, Cyanobacteria remained dominant. Synechocystis aquatilis, Synechocystis diplococcus and Navicula pseudolanceolata were the main descriptive species in both the dry and rainy season. Cymbela tumida, Frustulia rhomboides, Trachelomonas lacustris and Closterium acicularis was correlated with an increase in hydrologic level during the rainy season. Conversely, the density of Chlamydomonas sp., Chroomonas nordstedtii, Trachelomonas volvocinopsis, Trachelomonas volvocina and Synechococcus linearis was correlated with an increase in water transparency during the dry season. In general, the periphytic algal community showed high diversity and species richness independent of season. Season also had little influence on representation of algae class and main descriptive species. However, successional patterns varied by season, and changes in hydrologic levels acted directly on the succession path of periphytic algae. More research on periphyton dynamics is needed to improve our understanding of tropical lake ecosystems, especially in Amazonian.A colonização e o modelo sucessional da comunidade de algas perifíticas foram avaliados no amazônico Lago do Viveiro (Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil. Amostragens foram realizadas no per

RELACIÓN ENTRE VARIABLES CLIMÁTICAS CON LA MORFOLOGÍA Y CONTENIDO DE ACEITE DE SEMILLAS DE HIGUERILLA (Ricinus communis L. DE CHIAPAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Antonieta Goytia-Jiménez

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ciento cincuenta y un accesiones de higuerilla (Ricinus communis L., colectadas en el estado de Chiapas, México, fueron caracterizadas por contenido de aceite, forma, tamaño y peso de la semilla, con el objetivo de generar información que pueda servir de base en un programa de mejoramiento para esta especie, que podría ser una opción rentable para la producción de biodiesel y bioturbosina. De acuerdo con su distribución, se establecieron las cuatro siguientes zonas climáticas: Región 1 clima Lluvioso tropical sin estación seca; Región 2 Sabana tropical con inviernos secos; Región 3 Sabana tropical con inviernos menos secos que la Región 2, y Región 4 Lluvioso Tropical. Se encontró una amplia variación en tamaño (de 0.05 a 2.49 cm2, color, peso (desde 7 hasta 123.9 g por cada 100 semillas y contenido de aceite (desde 12.20 a 64.84 %. Las asociaciones que se establecieron entre el tamaño y peso de 100 semillas con temperatura y precipitación fueron negativas, y significativas sólo en las regiones 3 y 4. No hubo significancia para las asociaciones del contenido de aceite con temperatura y precipitación, pero la tendencia fue a ser positivas en las regiones 1 y 4, las de mayor humedad de las cuatro regiones, y negativas en las regiones 2 y 3. Se concluye que los individuos de esta especie presentan una gran adaptación a diferentes entornos y crean fenotipos especiales para cada lugar en donde se desarrollan.

Potential impacts of global warming on Australia's unique tropical biodiversity and implications for tropical biodiversity in general

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilbert, David W

2007-01-01

Full text: Full text: Globally, forest clearing is often thought to be the greatest threat to biodiversity in the tropics, and rates of clearing are certainly highest there, particularly in tropical South-East Asia. Climate change in the tropics has been less studied in tropical regions than in temperate, boreal or arctic ecosystems. However, modelling studies in Australian rainforests indicate that climate change may be a particularly significant threat to the long-term preservation of the biodiversity of tropical, rainforest biodiversity. Our research has shown that global warming can have a particularly strong impact on the biodiversity of mountainous tropical regions, including the Wet Tropics of north-east Queensland. Here, the mountain tops and higher tablelands are relatively cool islands in a sea of warmer climates. These species-rich islands, mostly limited in their biodiversity by warm interglacial periods, are separated from each other by the warmer valleys and form a scattered archipelago of habitat for organisms that are unable to survive and reproduce in warmer climates. Many of the endemic Australian Wet Tropics species live only in these cooler regions. Similar situations occur throughout south-east Asia and in the highlands of the Neotropics. Unfortunately, these upland and highland areas represent the majority of biodiversity conservation areas because they are less suitable for clearing for agriculture. This presentation will summarise research about the potential impacts of climate change on the biodiversity in Australia's rainforests, the potential implications for tropical biodiversity in general and discuss the limitations of these projections and the need for further research that could reduce uncertainties and inform effective adaptation strategies

Pan-tropical monitoring of deforestation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achard, F; DeFries, R; Eva, H; Hansen, M; Mayaux, P; Stibig, H-J

2007-01-01

This paper reviews the technical capabilities for monitoring deforestation from a pan-tropical perspective in response to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, which is studying the technical issues surrounding the ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation in developing countries. The successful implementation of such policies requires effective forest monitoring systems that are reproducible, provide consistent results, meet standards for mapping accuracy, and can be implemented from national to pan-tropical levels. Remotely sensed data, supported by ground observations, are crucial to such efforts. Recent developments in global to regional monitoring of forests can contribute to reducing the uncertainties in estimates of emissions from deforestation. Monitoring systems at national levels in developing countries can also benefit from pan-tropical and regional observations, mainly by identifying hot spots of change and prioritizing areas for monitoring at finer spatial scales. A pan-tropical perspective is also required to ensure consistency between different national monitoring systems. Data sources already exist to determine baseline periods in the 1990s as historical reference points. Key requirements for implementing such monitoring programs, both at pan-tropical and at national scales, are international commitment of resources to increase capacity, coordination of observations to ensure pan-tropical coverage, access to free or low-cost data, and standardized, consensus protocols for data interpretation and analysis

An Intercomparison of GPS RO Retrievals with Colocated Analysis and In Situ Observations within Tropical Cyclones

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Henry R. Winterbottom

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Observations from four Global Position System (GPS Radio Occultation (RO missions: Global Positioning System/Meteorology, CHAallenging Minisatellite Payload, Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C, and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate and Taiwan's FORMOsa SATellite Mission #3 (COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 are collected within a 600 km radius and ±180 minute temporal window of all observed tropical cyclones (TCs from 1995 to 2006 that were recorded in the global hurricane best-track reanalysis data set (Jarvinen et al. (1984; Davis et al. (1984. A composite analysis of tropical cyclone radial mean temperature and water vapor profiles is carried out using the GPS RO retrievals which are colocated with global analysis profiles and available in situ radiosonde observations. The differences between the respective observations and analysis profiles are quantified and the preliminary results show that the observations collected within TCs correspond favorably with both the analysis and radiosonde profiles which are colocated. It is concluded that GPS RO observations will contribute significantly to the understanding and modeling of TC structures, especially those related to vertical variability of the atmospheric state within TCs.

Parvalbumin--the major tropical fish allergen.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Dawn Li-Chern; Neo, Keng Hwee; Yi, Fong Cheng; Chua, Kaw Yan; Goh, Denise Li-Meng; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi; Giam, Yoke Chin; Van Bever, Hugo P S; Lee, Bee Wah

2008-08-01

Fish allergy is common in countries where consumption is high. Asian nations are amongst the world's largest consumers of fish but the allergen profiles of tropical fish are unknown. This study sought to evaluate the allergenicity of four commonly consumed tropical fish, the threadfin (Polynemus indicus), Indian anchovy (Stolephorus indicus), pomfret (Pampus chinensis) and tengirri (Scomberomorus guttatus). Immunoglobulin E (IgE) cross-reactivity with parvalbumin of cod fish (Gad c 1), the major fish allergen, was also studied. Detection of tropical fish and cod specific-IgE was performed by UniCap assay, and skin prick tests were also carried out. The IgE-binding components of tropical fish were identified using IgE immunoblot techniques, and cross-reactivity with Gad c 1 was assessed by ELISA inhibition and IgE immunoblot inhibition. Clinically, nine of 10 patients studied were allergic to multiple fish. All patients exhibited detectable specific-IgE to cod fish (10 of 10 skin prick test positive, eight of 10 UniCap assay positive) despite lack of previous exposure. The major allergen of the four tropical fish was the 12-kDa parvalbumin. IgE cross-reactivity of these allergens to Gad c 1 was observed to be moderate to high in the tropical fish studied. Parvalbumins are the major allergens in commonly consumed tropical fish. They are cross-reactive with each other as well as with Gad c 1. Commercial tests for cod fish appear to be sufficient for the detection of tropical fish specific-IgE.

1997 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Dillon, C

1997-01-01

.... Separate bulletins are issued for the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT - Defines a specific area when synoptic, satellite, or other germane data indicate development of a significant tropical cyclone (TC...

Is the poleward migration of tropical cyclone maximum intensity associated with a poleward migration of tropical cyclone genesis?

Science.gov (United States)

Daloz, Anne Sophie; Camargo, Suzana J.

2018-01-01

A recent study showed that the global average latitude where tropical cyclones achieve their lifetime-maximum intensity has been migrating poleward at a rate of about one-half degree of latitude per decade over the last 30 years in each hemisphere. However, it does not answer a critical question: is the poleward migration of tropical cyclone lifetime-maximum intensity associated with a poleward migration of tropical cyclone genesis? In this study we will examine this question. First we analyze changes in the environmental variables associated with tropical cyclone genesis, namely entropy deficit, potential intensity, vertical wind shear, vorticity, skin temperature and specific humidity at 500 hPa in reanalysis datasets between 1980 and 2013. Then, a selection of these variables is combined into two tropical cyclone genesis indices that empirically relate tropical cyclone genesis to large-scale variables. We find a shift toward greater (smaller) average potential number of genesis at higher (lower) latitudes over most regions of the Pacific Ocean, which is consistent with a migration of tropical cyclone genesis towards higher latitudes. We then examine the global best track archive and find coherent and significant poleward shifts in mean genesis position over the Pacific Ocean basins.

Disaggregating Tropical Disease Prevalence by Climatic and Vegetative Zones within Tropical West Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckley, Carl S; Shaban, Salisu; Palmer, Guy H; Hudak, Andrew T; Noh, Susan M; Futse, James E

2016-01-01

Tropical infectious disease prevalence is dependent on many socio-cultural determinants. However, rainfall and temperature frequently underlie overall prevalence, particularly for vector-borne diseases. As a result these diseases have increased prevalence in tropical as compared to temperate regions. Specific to tropical Africa, the tendency to incorrectly infer that tropical diseases are uniformly prevalent has been partially overcome with solid epidemiologic data. This finer resolution data is important in multiple contexts, including understanding risk, predictive value in disease diagnosis, and population immunity. We hypothesized that within the context of a tropical climate, vector-borne pathogen prevalence would significantly differ according to zonal differences in rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and vegetation condition. We then determined if these environmental data were predictive of pathogen prevalence. First we determined the prevalence of three major pathogens of cattle, Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina and Theileria spp, in the three vegetation zones where cattle are predominantly raised in Ghana: Guinea savannah, semi-deciduous forest, and coastal savannah. The prevalence of A. marginale was 63%, 26% for Theileria spp and 2% for B. bigemina. A. marginale and Theileria spp. were significantly more prevalent in the coastal savannah as compared to either the Guinea savanna or the semi-deciduous forest, supporting acceptance of the first hypothesis. To test the predictive power of environmental variables, the data over a three year period were considered in best subsets multiple linear regression models predicting prevalence of each pathogen. Corrected Akaike Information Criteria (AICc) were assigned to the alternative models to compare their utility. Competitive models for each response were averaged using AICc weights. Rainfall was most predictive of pathogen prevalence, and EVI also contributed to A. marginale and B. bigemina prevalence

Disaggregating Tropical Disease Prevalence by Climatic and Vegetative Zones within Tropical West Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carl S Beckley

Full Text Available Tropical infectious disease prevalence is dependent on many socio-cultural determinants. However, rainfall and temperature frequently underlie overall prevalence, particularly for vector-borne diseases. As a result these diseases have increased prevalence in tropical as compared to temperate regions. Specific to tropical Africa, the tendency to incorrectly infer that tropical diseases are uniformly prevalent has been partially overcome with solid epidemiologic data. This finer resolution data is important in multiple contexts, including understanding risk, predictive value in disease diagnosis, and population immunity. We hypothesized that within the context of a tropical climate, vector-borne pathogen prevalence would significantly differ according to zonal differences in rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and vegetation condition. We then determined if these environmental data were predictive of pathogen prevalence. First we determined the prevalence of three major pathogens of cattle, Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina and Theileria spp, in the three vegetation zones where cattle are predominantly raised in Ghana: Guinea savannah, semi-deciduous forest, and coastal savannah. The prevalence of A. marginale was 63%, 26% for Theileria spp and 2% for B. bigemina. A. marginale and Theileria spp. were significantly more prevalent in the coastal savannah as compared to either the Guinea savanna or the semi-deciduous forest, supporting acceptance of the first hypothesis. To test the predictive power of environmental variables, the data over a three year period were considered in best subsets multiple linear regression models predicting prevalence of each pathogen. Corrected Akaike Information Criteria (AICc were assigned to the alternative models to compare their utility. Competitive models for each response were averaged using AICc weights. Rainfall was most predictive of pathogen prevalence, and EVI also contributed to A. marginale and B

Application of Deep Learning to Detect Precursors of Tropical Cyclone

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuoka, D.; Nakano, M.; Sugiyama, D.; Uchida, S.

2017-12-01

Tropical cyclones (TCs) affect significant damage to human society. Predicting TC generation as soon as possible is important issue in both academic and social perspectives. In the present work, we investigate the probability of predicting TCs seven days prior using deep neural networks. The training data is produced from 30-year cloud resolving global atmospheric simulation (NICAM) with 14 km horizontal resolution (Kodama et al., 2015). We employed a TCs tracking algorithm (Sugi et al., 2002; Nakano et al., 2015) to NICAM simulation data in order to generate supervised cloud images (horizontal sizes are 800-1,000km). We generate approximately one million images of "TCs (include their precursors)" and "not TCs (low pressure clouds)". We generate ten types of image classifier based on 2-dimensional convolutional neural network, includes four convolutional layers, three pooling layers and two fully connected layers. The final predicted results are obtained by these ensemble mean values. Generated classifiers are applied to untrained global simulation data (four million test images). As a result, we succeeded in predicting the precursors of TCs seven and five days before their formation with a Recall of 88.6% and 89.6% (Precision is 11.4%), respectively.

Patrones de distribución de felinos silvestres (Carnívora: Felidae en el trópico seco del Centro-Occidente de México

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Felipe Charre-Medellín

2015-09-01

Full Text Available El estado de Michoacán se caracteriza por presentar una importante heterogeneidad ambiental, en términos de clima, topografía y tipos de vegetación, que incluyen al bosque tropical seco que se encuentra en peligro de extinción a nivel mundial. Algunos trabajos mencionan la presencia de las seis especies de felinos que habitan en México, para la región; sin embargo, la evidencia para apoyar estos trabajos es escasa, por lo que llenar esta falta de información es especialmente crítico en el caso de especies o hábitats amenazados. El objetivo de este estudio fue sistematizar la información y analizar los patrones de distribución de los felinos en el estado de Michoacán, dentro del centro-occidente de México. Realizamos una revisión de la información bibliográfica y contenida en bases de datos sobre la presencia de felinos en esta región. Asimismo, realizamos trabajo de campo que en el curso de diez años donde se aplicaron distintos métodos para detectar la presencia de especies de felinos (recorrido de senderos para obtener evidencia directa e indirecta de la presencia de las especies, trampas cámara y entrevistas. Localizamos 29 registros de presencia en literatura y bases de datos. Por otra parte acumulamos un total de 1 107.5 km de transectos recorridos y 8 699 días/cámara-trampa. A través de este esfuerzo de muestreo, generamos 672 registros de presencia de las seis especies. Lynx rufusfue la especie con menos registros totales (n = 3 y cuya distribución contrastó más con la del resto de las especies. La especie con más registros fue Leopardus pardalis(n = 343. En general, el 89% de los registros de felinos se obtuvieron por debajo de los 1 000 msnm. En promedio, la temperatura media anual y la precipitación anual donde se ubicaron los registros fue de 24 °C y 1 040 mm respectivamente. La especie que mostro un patrón más claro en términos de temperatura y precipitación fue L. rufus(15.8 ± 1.3°C y 941 ± 171

Productive vegetation: relationships between net primary productivity, vegetation types and climate change in the Wet Tropics bioregion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, Vanessa Valdez; Williams, Stephen E.; VanDerWal, Jeremy

2007-01-01

Full text: Full text: There is now ample evidence demonstrating the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and human society (Walther ef a/. 2002). Numerous studies have shown climate change is one of the most significant threats to tropical forests, such as the Wet Tropics Heritage Area, due to their high biodiversity and endemism (Pounds ef al. 1999; Hughes 2000; Parmesan and Yohe 2003). Williams ef al. (2003) suggested that small shifts in net primary productivity (NPP) as a result of climate change could lead to potentially massive follow-on effects for the extremely diverse and vulnerable rainforest flora and fauna. It is therefore crucial to explore the relationships between NPP and local biodiversity, especially to create models for different climate change scenarios. Nevertheless, NPP in the Wet Tropics has yet to be estimated. This is the first study to provide a general NPP estimate for the Wet Tropics bioregion using climate surrogates (Schuur 2003). This technique estimates NPP in an accurate, repeatable, and cost-effective way. NPP values were linked to vegetation types and examined under various climatic and environmental conditions. Results show a significant difference in productivity according to vegetation types and climatic variables, with temperature and rainfall seasonality as the most important determining variables. Additionally, lowland and upland vegetations showed a significant difference in productivity patterns throughout the year. Vegetation types located above 1000 metres in altitude had the lowest values of mean annual productivity due to their high rainfall and low temperatures; vegetation types located below 600 metres showed increased productivity values during the wet season (December-March). Net primary productivity will certainly be impacted by changes in temperature and rainfall, due to climate change. Although an increase in NPP values can be predicted for upland areas, the more widely distributed lowlands will drastically

Teleconnections of the tropical Atlantic to the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. A review of recent findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Chunzai [NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab., Miami, FL (United States); Kucharski, Fred; Barimalala, Rondrotiana [The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Earth System Physics, Section Trieste (Italy); Bracco, Annalisa [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Georgia, Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States)

2009-08-15

Recent studies found that tropical Atlantic variability may affect the climate in both the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean basins, possibly modulating the Indian summer monsoon and Pacific ENSO events. A warm tropical Atlantic Ocean forces a Gill-Matsuno-type quadrupole response with a low-level anticyclone located over India that weakens the Indian monsoon circulation, and vice versa for a cold tropical Atlantic Ocean. The tropical Atlantic Ocean can also induce changes in the Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures (SSTs). especially along the coast of Africa and in the western side of the Indian basin. Additionally, it can influence the tropical Pacific Ocean via an atmospheric teleconnection that is associated with the Atlantic Walker circulation. Although the Pacific El Nino does not contemporaneously correlate with the Atlantic Nino, anomalous warming or cooling of the two equatorial oceans can form an inter-basin SST gradient that induces surface zonal wind anomalies over equatorial South America and other regions in both ocean basins. The zonal wind anomalies act as a bridge linking the two ocean basins, and in turn reinforce the inter-basin SST gradient through the atmospheric Walker circulation and oceanic processes. Thus, a positive feedback seems to exist for climate variability of the tropical Pacific-Atlantic Oceans and atmospheric system, in which the inter-basin SST gradient is coupled to the overlying atmospheric wind. (orig.)

EFFECT OF DRY COW THERAPY DRUGS ON PHAGOCYTOSIS RATES EFEITO DE MEDICAMENTOS INDICADOS PARA O TRATAMENTO DE MASTITE BOVINA NO PERÍODO SECO SOBRE OS ÍNDICES DE FAGOCITOSE

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Alice Maria Melville Paiva Della Libera

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The dry period is considered to be a phase when cows are very vulnerable to mastitis and phagocytosis mechanisms are specially important at this moment. The objective of the present trial was to evaluate the influence of dry cow therapy drugs available in the market on the phagocytic function of leukocytes obtained from cow milk. In order to do that, paired milk samples negative in bacteriological examination were submitted to in vitro phagocytosis test, after they were exposed to solutions of the following drugs: anhydrous cephalonium (M1, Gentamicin (M2, Benzylpenicillin procaine associated with Nafcillin and Dihydrostreptomycin (M3 and Cloxacillin benzathine (M4. Mean phagocytosis rates of control samples and of cells submitted to treatments M1 and M3 were, respectively, (58.88% ± 12.04, (64.87% ± 15.36 and (65.14% ± 17.96 there were no differences among these samples, as well as in the comparison with the control group. Mean phagocytosis rate obtained in cells submitted to treatment M4 (46.90% ± 22.08 was lower than that of the control group, and than that of cells submitted to treatments M1 and M3. On the other hand, mean phagocytosis rate of cells submitted to treatment M2 (0.68% ± 1.63 was lower than that observed in the control group, and than that of all other treatments. These results show that the use of drugs available for dry cow therapy may no be totally innocuous for the host.

KEY WORDS: Dry period, mastitis, phagocytosis, treatment.
O período seco é considerado uma fase da lactação muito vulnerável à mastite, e os mecanismos de fagocitose são especialmente importantes nessa etapa. Para avaliar a influência de medicamentos indicados para o tratamento de mastite no período seco sobre a função fagocítica de leucócitos obtidos do leite de vacas, foram utilizadas amostras pareadas de leite de vacas, negativas ao exame bacteriológico. Submeteram-se essas células à prova de fagocitose in vitro, ap

Tropical Agro-Sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

The Tropical Agro-Sciences Division has two functions: conduct research on the impact of air pollution on tropical agricultural and to provide training to UPR graduate students and visiting scientists. Since the reorientation of the Center's interests under ERDA, the Division has directed its research activities, with particular emphasis on the effects of atmospheric pollution on tropical agriculture in the Guayanilla-Penuelas region, which has a fossil-fuel power plant, petroleum refineries, and associated industries. This new area of research is important to ERDA because the knowledge gained regarding the effects of air pollution related to energy technology on the agricultural environment and productivity will be useful in planning future energy developments. Information about the potential harm of air pollutants to man through the food chain and about ways of alleviating their impact on agriculture are of practical importance. Studies of the mechanisms involved in pollution injury, protection, and tolerance are of basic significance

A Mestizo and Tropical Country: The Creation of the Official Image of Independent Brazil

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Lilia Moritz Schwarcz

2006-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this article is to consider how  Brazil, in the first official images of it as a nation,  was characterized by symbols that reflected its  singularity and universality: a tropical monarchy  with representations of indigenous peoples, flora  and fauna mixed with the traditional elements of European monarchies. This makes use of original iconographic sources and texts emblematic of the  Brazilian imperial period, which stretched from  1822 to 1889. There are hundreds of images,  texts, coins, coats of arms, etc., that picture the country from the standpoint of miscegenation,  while at the same time exposing a hierarchy of  peoples: in a nation where 90 per cent of the  population were African slaves, the selected national representation emphasized the environment  of Brazil and its indigenous peoples.  Resumen: Un País Mestizo y Tropical: La Creación de la Imagen Oficial del Brasil IndependienteEl objetivo de este artículo es examinar cómo  Brasil, en sus primeras imágenes oficiales como  nación, fue caracterizado por símbolos que reflejaban al mismo tiempo su singularidad y su universalidad: una monarquía tropical con representación de pueblos indígenas, y la flora y la fauna  mezcladas con elementos tradicionales de las  monarquías europeas. Estos símbolos hacen uso  de fuentes iconográficas originales y textos emblemáticos del período imperial brasileño, que se extendió de 1822 a 1889. Hay cientos de imágenes, textos, monedas, escudos de armas, etc., que  muestran al país desde el punto de vista de la  mezcla racial, mientras que al mismo tiempo  expone una jerarquía de pueblos: en un país donde  el 90 por ciento de la población estaba constituida  por esclavos africanos, la representación nacional  elegida enfatizaba el paisaje de Brasil y sus pueblos indígenas.

Ocean barrier layers' effect on tropical cyclone intensification.

Science.gov (United States)

Balaguru, Karthik; Chang, Ping; Saravanan, R; Leung, L Ruby; Xu, Zhao; Li, Mingkui; Hsieh, Jen-Shan

2012-09-04

Improving a tropical cyclone's forecast and mitigating its destructive potential requires knowledge of various environmental factors that influence the cyclone's path and intensity. Herein, using a combination of observations and model simulations, we systematically demonstrate that tropical cyclone intensification is significantly affected by salinity-induced barrier layers, which are "quasi-permanent" features in the upper tropical oceans. When tropical cyclones pass over regions with barrier layers, the increased stratification and stability within the layer reduce storm-induced vertical mixing and sea surface temperature cooling. This causes an increase in enthalpy flux from the ocean to the atmosphere and, consequently, an intensification of tropical cyclones. On average, the tropical cyclone intensification rate is nearly 50% higher over regions with barrier layers, compared to regions without. Our finding, which underscores the importance of observing not only the upper-ocean thermal structure but also the salinity structure in deep tropical barrier layer regions, may be a key to more skillful predictions of tropical cyclone intensities through improved ocean state estimates and simulations of barrier layer processes. As the hydrological cycle responds to global warming, any associated changes in the barrier layer distribution must be considered in projecting future tropical cyclone activity.

Mycorrhizas and tropical soil fertility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cardoso, I.M.; Kuyper, T.W.

2006-01-01

Major factors that constrain tropical soil fertility and sustainable agriculture are low nutrient capital, moisture stress, erosion, high P fixation, high acidity with aluminium toxicity, and low soil biodiversity. The fragility of many tropical soils limits food production in annual cropping

Characterizing forest carbon stocks at tropical biome and landscape level in Mount Apo National Park, Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

Rubas, L. C.

2012-12-01

Forest resources sequester and store carbon, and serve as a natural brake on climate change. In the tropics, the largest source of greenhouse emission is from deforestation and forest degradation (Gibbs et al 2007). This paper attempts to compile sixty (60) existing studies on using remote sensing to measure key environmental forest indicators at two levels of scales: biome and landscape level. At the tropical forest biome level, there is not as much remote sensing studies that have been done as compared to other forest biomes. Also, existing studies on tropical Asia is still sparse compared to other tropical regions in Latin America and Africa. Biomass map is also produced for the tropical biome using keyhole macro language (KML) which is projected on Google Earth. The compiled studies showed there are four indicators being measured using remote sensors in tropical forest. These are biomass, landcover classification, deforestation and cloud cover. The landscape level will focus on Mount Apo National Park in the Philippines which is encompassing a total area of 54,974.87 hectares. It is one of the ten priority sites targeted in the World Bank-assisted Biodiversity Conservation Program. This park serves as the major watershed for the three provinces with 19 major rivers emanating from the montane formations. Only a small fraction of the natural forest that once covered the country remains. In spite of different policies that aim to reduce logging recent commercial deforestation, illegal logging and agricultural expansion pose an important threat to the remaining forest areas. In some locations in the country, these hotspots of deforestation overlap with the protected areas (Verburg et al 2006). The study site was clipped using ArcGIS from the forest biomass carbon density map produced by Gibbs and Brown (2007). Characterization on this national park using vegetation density, elevation, slope, land cover and precipitation will be conducted to determine factors that

Rhodomollacetals A-C, PTP1B Inhibitory Diterpenoids with a 2,3:5,6-Di-seco-grayanane Skeleton from the Leaves of Rhododendron molle.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Junfei; Sun, Na; Zhang, Hanqi; Zheng, Guijuan; Liu, Junjun; Yao, Guangmin

2017-10-06

Three novel diterpenoids with an unprecedented 2,3:5,6-di-seco-grayanane carbon skeleton, rhodomollacetals A-C (1-3), are isolated from the leaves of Rhododendron molle. Their structures are elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic techniques and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Rhodomollacetal A (1) possesses a novel cis/cis/cis/cis-fused 6/6/6/6/5 pentacyclic ring system, featuring an unprecedented 11,13,18-trioxa-pentacyclo [8.7.1.1 5,8 .0 2,8 .0 12,17 ]nonadecane scaffold. Compounds 2 and 3 have a rare 4-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.0 1,6 ]dodecane moiety and a 2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one unit. Compounds 1-3 showed moderate PTP1B inhibitory activities, and their molecular dockings were investigated.

Geotechnical behavior of a tropical residual soil contaminated with gasoline

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Óscar Echeverri-Ramírez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available La infraestructura para transporte de hidrocarburos ha crecido de manera importante debido a la necesidad de abastecer la mayo r cantidad de poblaciones; sin embargo por pro blemas en las redes de sumin istro, se presentan derrames accidentales que contaminan los su elos bajo los cuales se apoyan estas estructuras. Los suelos contaminados , en este caso particular con gasolina, son la motivación del p resente artículo, el cual pretende analizar los cambios que ocurren en un suelo d e origen residual tropical al ser contaminado con éste; mediant e pruebas de laboratorio específicos para caracterizar este tipo de suelos (Clasificación Miniatura Compactado Tropical, Succión, Pinhole Test, Índice de Colapso, Difracción de rayos “X”, Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido, determinación de pH y de ensayos tradicionales (hume dad natural, gravedad específica, granulometría, límites de Atterbe rg, corte directo, etc, tanto con muestras en estado natural c omo contaminadas que permitan percibir las posibles variaciones en las características mecánicas del material.

Fresh water influence on nutrient stoichiometry in a tropical estuary, Southwest coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Martin, G.D.; Vijay, J.G.; Laluraj, C.M.; Madhu, N.V.; Joseph, T.; Nair, M.; Gupta, G.V.M.; Balachandran, K.K.

et al.: Fresh water influence on nutrient stoichiometry in a tropical estuary, Southwest coast of India - 57 - APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 6(1): 57-64. http://www.ecology.uni-corvinus.hu ● ISSN 1589 1623  2008, Penkala Bt... estuary, Southwest coast of India - 58 - APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 6(1): 57-64. http://www.ecology.uni-corvinus.hu ● ISSN 1589 1623  2008, Penkala Bt., Budapest, Hungary natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the geochemistry...

Calibration of cosmogenic 3He and 10Be production rates in the High Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Blard, Pierre-Henri; Martin, Léo; Lavé, Jérôme; Charreau, Julien; Condom, Thomas; Lupker, Maarten; Braucher, Régis; Bourlès, Didier

2014-05-01

production rate recently calibrated in Southern Peru, 1000 km north from the bolivian sites [6]. These new refinements of the cosmogenic dating tool significantly improve both the accuracy and the precision of paleoglaciers chronologies in the Tropical Andes. It is now theoretically possible to reach precisions better than 5% (at 1σ) for dating glacial landforms deposited during the last 20 ka. [1] Amidon et al. (2009) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 280, 194-204. [2] Blard et al., (2013) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 382, 140-149. [3] Putnam et al. (2010) Quat. Geochron. 5, 392-409. [4] Goehring et al. (2010) Quat. Geochron. 5, 410-418. [5] Blard et al., (2013) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 377-378, 260-275. [6] Kelly et al. (in press) Quat. Geochron.

Current status of tropical fruit breeding and genetics for three tropical fruit species cultivated in Japan: pineapple, mango, and papaya

Science.gov (United States)

Ogata, Tatsushi; Yamanaka, Shinsuke; Shoda, Moriyuki; Urasaki, Naoya; Yamamoto, Toshiya

2016-01-01

Tropical fruit crops are predominantly produced in tropical and subtropical developing countries, but some are now grown in southern Japan. Pineapple (Ananas comosus), mango (Mangifera indica) and papaya (Carica papaya) are major tropical fruits cultivated in Japan. Modern, well-organized breeding systems have not yet been developed for most tropical fruit species. Most parts of Japan are in the temperate climate zone, but some southern areas such as the Ryukyu Islands, which stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan, are at the northern limits for tropical fruit production without artificial heating. In this review, we describe the current status of tropical fruit breeding, genetics, genomics, and biotechnology of three main tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, and papaya) that are cultivated and consumed in Japan. More than ten new elite cultivars of pineapple have been released with improved fruit quality and suitability for consumption as fresh fruit. New challenges and perspectives for obtaining high fruit quality are discussed in the context of breeding programs for pineapple. PMID:27069392

Avaliação do olho seco no pré e pós-operatório da blefaroplastia Evaluation of dry eye in the preoperative and postoperative period of blepharoplasty

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Carlos Gustavo de Melo Gonçalves de Lima

2006-06-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a importância dos exames objetivos, da história ocular, além da anatomia orbitária e periorbitária, na identificação dos pacientes com risco de desenvolver olho seco no pós-operatório da blefaroplastia. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo prospectivo em 29 pacientes com dermatocálase, que foram avaliados antes e três meses após a blefaroplastia. Mudanças nos sintomas oculares, no exame físico e nos testes objetivos (teste de Schirmer, tempo de quebra do filme lacrimal e coloração com rosa bengala, foram avaliadas. RESULTADOS: Não foram encontradas alterações estatisticamente significativas nos resultados dos testes objetivos, à exceção do teste de Schirmer II, entre o pré e o pós-operatório. Em relação às modificações na anatomia palpebral, foram observadas alterações na fenda palpebral e na excursão do músculo levantador da pálpebra superior, que foram estatisticamente significativas no pós-operatório. CONCLUSÕES: Podemos afirmar que as modificações da fenda palpebral acontecem com elevada freqüência nos pacientes submetidos à blefaroplastia estética. Pode-se concluir ainda que, no presente estudo, os exames objetivos para a avaliação do olho seco não demonstraram alterações significativas no pós-operatório, à exceção do teste de Schirmer II.PURPOSES: To evaluate the importance of objective examinations in conjunction with ocular history and orbital and periorbital anatomy, to identify patients at risk of developing a post-blepharoplasty dry eye complication. METHODS: A prospective study was peformed on 29 patients with dermatochalasis who were studied before and three months after blepharoplasty. Changes in ocular symptoms, physical examination and in objective tests, like Schirmer's test, tear film break-up time and rose Bengal coloration were evaluated. RESULTS: No statistically significant alteration in results of objective tests, except Schirmer II test, was found between

Propiedades mecánicas bajo compresión y resistencia al desgaste abrasivo de piezas gruesas de caucho acrilonitrilo

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Sandra Milena Velásquez-Restrepo

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la variación de las propiedades mecánicas bajo compresión uniaxial y el desgaste abrasivo en la sección transversal de piezas gruesas de caucho acrilonitrilo (NBR reforzadas con negro de humo, teniendo en consideración que en este tipo de piezas las propiedades obtenidas durante la vulcanización no son homogéneas, debido a la baja difusividad térmica de los cauchos. Se realizaron ensayos de desgaste abrasivo en seco, buscando identificar la relación entre la resistencia al desgaste abrasivo y las propiedades mecánicas en compresión, como el módulo elástico y la dureza. Se evaluaron muestras en estado de entrega tras el proceso de vulcanización, luego expuestas al ambiente durante tres meses y, posteriormente, envejecidas en una cámara UV. El envejecimiento ambiental rigidiza los materiales estudiados, pero disminuye la resistencia al desgaste del material proveniente del núcleo de las piezas. El envejecimiento UV disminuyó el módulo elástico, pero su efecto sobre la resistencia al desgaste depende del estado de envejecimiento previo. La dureza no presentó una relación directa ni con el módulo elástico ni con la resistencia al desgaste, por lo cual no puede usarse como propiedad para la selección de cauchos NBR sometidos a desgaste abrasivo. La información obtenida permite generar criterios para el diseño de componentes basados en este tipo de cauchos.

Biological Particle Emissions From a South-East Asian Tropical Rainforest Using a Real- Time Dual Channel UV Fluorescence Bio-Aerosol Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Gabey, A.; Coe, H.; Gallagher, M.; McFiggans, G.; Kaye, P.; Stanley, W.; Foot, V.

2008-12-01

Primary biogenic aerosols (PBA) contribute typically up to half of coarse mode particulate loading in tropical regions (e.g. Elbert et al. 2007). PBA contribute to the spread of genetic material and hence biodiversity within the biosphere either directly by transport of the organisms or their reproductive components. This spread via various vectors contributes to disease both animal and plant. Many studies have suggested PBA might be important for initiation of cloud formation and subsequent precipitation evolution by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or possibly as ice nuclei (IN). This link is inferred from laboratory studies demonstrating the high activation efficiency of PBA at warm temperatures, coupled with observations that biological particles are ubiquitous in the atmosphere. Despite more than two hundred years of research, e.g. Ehrenberg (1830), information on the abundance, composition and more importantly the sources and heterogeneity of PBA on global scales are still poorly understood. The first realistic estimates of global average emission rates of PBA based on observations (mainly in Amazonia) and budget calculations, were provided by Elbert et al. (2007). They demonstrate that fungi, which have evolved many passive and active spore dispersal mechanisms, contribute a major fraction of the observed PBA and coarse particulate mass (particles with diameters between 1-10 μ m) in many, but in particular, tropical regions. Two major classes of fungal spores are commonly identified, these being AAM and ABM, Acomycota and Basidiomycota respectively (we will adopt the nomenclature used by Elbert et al. 2007, in this study). These species discharge their spores via wet spore active discharge mechanisms. Elbert et al. (2007) estimate a global average spore emission rate for ABM of ~17-50 Tg yr-1. This is consistent with observed typical concentrations of ABS which range from ~103 to 104 m- 3; and ~0.1-1 μ g m-3 by mass. The global average abundance

Unprecedented drought over tropical South America in 2016: significantly under-predicted by tropical SST.

Science.gov (United States)

Erfanian, Amir; Wang, Guiling; Fomenko, Lori

2017-07-19

Tropical and sub-tropical South America are highly susceptible to extreme droughts. Recent events include two droughts (2005 and 2010) exceeding the 100-year return value in the Amazon and recurrent extreme droughts in the Nordeste region, with profound eco-hydrological and socioeconomic impacts. In 2015-2016, both regions were hit by another drought. Here, we show that the severity of the 2015-2016 drought ("2016 drought" hereafter) is unprecedented based on multiple precipitation products (since 1900), satellite-derived data on terrestrial water storage (since 2002) and two vegetation indices (since 2004). The ecohydrological consequences from the 2016 drought are more severe and extensive than the 2005 and 2010 droughts. Empirical relationships between rainfall and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the tropical Pacific and Atlantic are used to assess the role of tropical oceanic variability in the observed precipitation anomalies. Our results indicate that warmer-than-usual SSTs in the Tropical Pacific (including El Niño events) and Atlantic were the main drivers of extreme droughts in South America, but are unable to explain the severity of the 2016 observed rainfall deficits for a substantial portion of the Amazonia and Nordeste regions. This strongly suggests potential contribution of non-oceanic factors (e.g., land cover change and CO2-induced warming) to the 2016 drought.

Utilización de especies nativas del bosque seco para la recuperación del paisaje en el proceso de cierre del botadero a cielo abierto del distrito Las Lomas-Piura

OpenAIRE

Montoro Negrón, Barbara Elizabeth; Montoro Negrón, Barbara Elizabeth; Montoro Negrón, Barbara Elizabeth

2011-01-01

La presente investigación estudia la fragmentación del paisaje del distrito de Las Lomas en Piura, afectado por la existencia de un botadero a cielo abierto, y la posible restauración del paisaje durante el proceso de clausura. Para lo cual se estudiaron las especies vegetales nativas del bosque seco piurano seleccionando las más resistentes y útiles en el proceso de recuperación, las mismas que fueron colocadas paisajísticamente sobre la cobertura final. Este proceso denominado Fitorremediac...

Maize, tropical (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Assem, Shireen K

2015-01-01

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important food crop globally after wheat and rice. In sub-Saharan Africa, tropical maize has traditionally been the main staple of the diet; 95 % of the maize grown is consumed directly as human food and as an important source of income for the resource-poor rural population. The biotechnological approach to engineer biotic and abiotic traits implies the availability of an efficient plant transformation method. The production of genetically transformed plants depends both on the ability to integrate foreign genes into target cells and the efficiency with which plants are regenerated. Maize transformation and regeneration through immature embryo culture is the most efficient system to regenerate normal transgenic plants. However, this system is highly genotype dependent. Genotypes adapted to tropic areas are difficult to regenerate. Therefore, transformation methods used with model genotypes adapted to temperate areas are not necessarily efficient with tropical lines. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is the method of choice since it has been first achieved in 1996. In this report, we describe a transformation method used successfully with several tropical maize lines. All the steps of transformation and regeneration are described in details. This protocol can be used with a wide variety of tropical lines. However, some modifications may be needed with recalcitrant lines.

Hardening of Pinus oaxacana Mirov seedlings under irrigation management in nursery

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María L. Ávila-Angulo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introducción: Las plantas deben someterse a un proceso de endurecimiento en el vivero para mejorar la supervivencia de las plantaciones forestales en áreas degradadas. Objetivo: El efecto de tres niveles de riego se evaluó en la etapa de endurecimiento sobre algunas variables morfológicas y fisiológicas de Pinus oaxacana . Materiales y métodos: Los tratamientos evaluados fueron tres niveles de riego más un testigo. El riego se realizó cuando los tubetes reducían su peso de saturación 30 % (frecuente, 40 a 45 % (medio y 45 a 50 % (escaso; en el testigo, el riego se aplicó cada dos o tres d ías . El experimento se estableció en un diseño de bloques completos al azar; cada tratamiento constó de 100 plantas. Resultados y discusión: Los indicadores morfológicos con diferencias significativas ( P ≤ 0.05 entre tratamientos fueron diámetro del cuello de la raíz, peso seco de vástago y peso seco total. Los indicadores fisiológicos mediante la prueba de potencial de crecimiento de raíz no presentaron diferencias significativas. Las plantas con riego frecuente obtuvieron el mayor diámetro, peso seco del vástago y peso seco total. Conclusión: Una reducción del riego entre 30 a 45 % en P. oaxacana permite la producción de plantas endurecidas, con mayor posibilidad de éxito al momento de su trasplante en campo.

Tropical rain forest: a wider perspective

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Goldsmith, F. B

1998-01-01

.... Barbier -- Can non-market values save the tropical forests? / D. Pearce -- The role of policy and institutions / James Mayers and Stephen Bass -- Modelling tropical land use change and deforestation...

Efeito do salbutamol liberado através de inalador de pó seco sobre o broncoespasmo induzido por metacolina Effects of salbutamol delivered by dry-powder inhaler on methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adalberto Sperb Rubin

2004-06-01

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: Os beta2-agonistas de curta duração sob a forma de nebulímetro pressurizado são os fármacos utilizados rotineiramente na reversão do broncoespasmo induzido pela metacolina. A administração desses fármacos na forma de pó seco, liberados por inaladores de pó seco pode ser uma alternativa eficaz. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a efetividade e rapidez de ação do salbutamol liberado através de inalador de pó seco pulvinal (Butovent® na reversão do broncoespasmo induzido por metacolina, comparando-o com o salbutamol liberado por nebulímetro pressurizado. MÉTODO: Foram avaliados prospectivamente 60 pacientes sucessivos com broncoespasmo induzido por metacolina, cuja queda do volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1 foi de, no mínimo, 20%. Foram randomizados 30 pacientes para receber 200 mcg de salbutamol liberado por nebulímetro pressurizado e 30 pacientes para receber 200 mcg de salbutamol através de inalador de pó seco (pulvinal, na etapa final do teste de broncoprovocação, com o objetivo de reverter o broncoespasmo induzido pela metacolina. Foram avaliados os VEF1 obtidos 1 minuto e 5 minutos após a administração do broncodilatador. RESULTADOS: Os grupos foram pareados por sexo, idade, peso, altura, dose provocativa causadora de queda de 20% no VEF1 (primeiro grupo: 1,3 mg ; segundo grupo: 1,19 mg; p = 0,79 e VEF1 pós-metacolina (primeiro grupo: 2,03 l; segundo grupo: 1,99 l; p = 0,87, sem diferença significativa entre eles. O incremento médio do VEF1 foi de 16,2% (1 minuto e 22,2% (5 minutos no primeiro grupo e de 17% (1 minuto e 23,6% (5 minutos no segundo grupo, não havendo diferença estatística entre eles (p = 0,8. CONCLUSÕES: Os beta2-agonistas administrados através de inalador de pó seco (pulvinal apresentam a mesma eficácia broncodilatadora e rapidez de ação que no tradicional método por nebulímetro pressurizado.BACKGROUND: Short-acting beta2 agonists delivered by metered-dose inhaler

What was tropical about tropical neurasthenia? The utility of the diagnosis in the management of British East Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Crozier, Anna

2009-10-01

During the first quarter of the twentieth century, tropical neurasthenia was a popular diagnosis for a nervous condition experienced by Europeans in the topics. Tropical neurasthenia was not psychosis or madness, but was rather an ennui or loss of "edge" brought about by the strains of tropical life, especially the unfamiliar, hot climate. A catch-all for a wide range of symptoms, many missionaries, colonial staff, and settlers throughout Empire were repatriated because of it, although this article concentrates on Colonial Service employees working in British East Africa. While histories of tropical neurasthenia have usefully (and correctly) explained this diagnosis as an expression of the anxieties of the colonial regime, this article adds a new dimension to the historiography by arguing that tropical neurasthenia can only be properly understood as a hybrid form, dependent not only upon the peculiarities of the colonial situation, but also descended from British and American clinical understandings of neurasthenia. Moreover, once tropical neurasthenia is properly acknowledged as being typical of clinical understandings of the time, other reasons for its comparatively long endurance in the colonial situation emerge. This article shows that tropical neurasthenia remained a popular diagnosis in East Africa not only because (as historians have argued previously) it dovetailed with prevalent ideas of colonial acclimatization, but also because it was a practically useful tool in the management and regulation of colonial personnel.

Archives: Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Tree height and tropical forest biomass estimation

Science.gov (United States)

M.O. Hunter; M. Keller; D. Vitoria; D.C. Morton

2013-01-01

Tropical forests account for approximately half of above-ground carbon stored in global vegetation. However, uncertainties in tropical forest carbon stocks remain high because it is costly and laborious to quantify standing carbon stocks. Carbon stocks of tropical forests are determined using allometric relations between tree stem diameter and height and biomass....

[Profile of tropical diseases in Portugal].

Science.gov (United States)

Ventura, F A

1996-01-01

The increased incidence of Imported Tropical Diseases in Portugal is correlated to a recent higher standard of living, influence of media and a consequent expansion of tourism, and above all to the close relationship existing between Portugal and Africa. The number and pathology (parasitic diarrhoeas, protozoal and helminthic infections) of in-patients with Tropical Diseases at the Unidade de Doenças Infecciosas, Parasitárias e de Medicina Tropical (UDIP-MT) were described, with special emphasis on Malaria (155 in-patients during the period from 1989 to 1993) and on Sleeping Sickness, where Eflornitin (DFMO) was for the first time used in Portugal. Finally, the impact of HIV epidemic on incidence and different clinical presentations of parasitic and other tropical pathology was also evaluated.

Re-examining the Non-Linear Moisture-Precipitation Relationship over the Tropical Oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushley, S S; Kim, D; Bretherton, C S; Ahn, M-S

2018-01-28

Bretherton et al. (2004) used the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) version 5 product to derive an exponential curve that describes the relationship between precipitation and column relative humidity (CRH) over the tropical oceans. The curve, which features a precipitation pickup at a CRH of about 0.75 and a rapid increase of precipitation with CRH after the pickup, has been widely used in the studies of the tropical atmosphere. This study re-examines the moisture-precipitation relationship by using the version 7 SSM/I data, in which several biases in the previous version are corrected, and evaluates the relationship in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) models. In the revised exponential curve derived using the updated satellite data, the precipitation pick-up occurs at a higher CRH (~0.8), and precipitation increases more slowly with CRH than in the previous curve. In most CMIP5 models, the precipitation pickup is too early due to the common model bias of overestimated (underestimated) precipitation in the dry (wet) regime.

[Tropical chronic pancreatitis in a young patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, J; Ginard, D; Barranco, L; Riera, J; Obrador, A

2001-11-01

Tropical chronic pancreatitis is a form of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis that has not previously been described in Spain. Typically it is related to dietary factors and malnutrition, although genetic factors may also play a significant role in the development of the disease. We report a case of chronic tropical pancreatitis in a 27-year-old woman from the Dominican Republic domiciled in Spain since 1992. The patient was admitted to our hospital for acute pancreatitis that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria (clinical and radiological) for chronic tropical pancreatitis. This case has led us to review this uncommon entity. Because of the increasing number of immigrants from tropical countries, chronic tropical pancreatitis will probably need to be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis in our patients.

SIEMBRA CON LABRANZA TRADICIONAL Y CERO LABRANZA, MEDIANTE LA ADAPTACIÓN DE UNA SEMBRADORA DE CEREALES Y DOS DISTANCIAS ENTRE HILERAS EN CULTIVARES DE FREJOL PARA VERDE Y SECO

OpenAIRE

Luchsinger, A; Villa, R; Ocqueteau, G; Suter, F

2006-01-01

El objetivo de esta investigación fue la comparación del desarrollo y rendimiento de los cultivares Apolo-Inia (para verde) y Torcaza-Inia (para seco), bajo dos sistemas de labranza del suelo (tradicional y cero) y dos distancias entre hileras (52,5 y 70,0 cm). El estudio se realizó en la Estación Experimental Agronómica Antumapu, de la Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas de la Universidad de Chile, ubicada en la Comuna de La Pintana, Área Metropolitana, en la temporada 1996/97. Se utilizó una s...

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation use efficiency in stands of regenerating tropical dry forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Waring, Bonnie G; Becknell, Justin M; Powers, Jennifer S

2015-07-01

Plants on infertile soils exhibit physiological and morphological traits that support conservative internal nutrient cycling. However, potential trade-offs among use efficiencies for N, P, and cations are not well explored in species-rich habitats where multiple elements may limit plant production. We examined uptake efficiency and use efficiency of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, and Na in plots of regenerating tropical dry forests spanning a gradient of soil fertility. Our aim was to determine whether plant responses to multiple elements are correlated, or whether there are trade-offs among exploitation strategies across stands varying in community composition, soil quality, and successional stage. For all elements, both uptake efficiency and use efficiency decreased as availability of the corresponding element increased. Plant responses to N, Na, and Al were uncoupled from uptake and use efficiencies for P and essential base cations, which were tightly correlated. N and P use efficiencies were associated with shifts in plant species composition along the soil fertility gradient, and there was also a trend towards increasing N use efficiency with stand age. N uptake efficiency was positively correlated with the abundance of tree species that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi. Taken together, our results suggest that successional processes and local species composition interact to regulate plant responses to availability of multiple resources. Successional tropical dry forests appear to employ different strategies to maximize response to N vs. P and K.

Natural and near natural tropical forest values

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel H. Henning

2011-01-01

This paper identifies and describes some of the values associated with tropical rain forests in their natural and near-natural conditions. Tropical rain forests are moist forests in the humid tropics where temperature and rainfall are high and the dry season is short. These closed (non-logged) and broad-leaved forests are a global resource. Located almost entirely in...

Height-diameter allometry of tropical forest trees

Science.gov (United States)

T.R. Feldpausch; L. Banin; O.L. Phillips; T.R. Baker; S.L. Lewis; C.A. Quesada; K. Affum-Baffoe; E.J.M.M. Arets; N.J. Berry; M. Bird; E.S. Brondizio; P de Camargo; J. Chave; G. Djagbletey; T.F. Domingues; M. Drescher; P.M. Fearnside; M.B. Franca; N.M. Fyllas; G. Lopez-Gonzalez; A. Hladik; N. Higuchi; M.O. Hunter; Y. Iida; K.A. Salim; A.R. Kassim; M. Keller; J. Kemp; D.A. King; J.C. Lovett; B.S. Marimon; B.H. Marimon-Junior; E. Lenza; A.R. Marshall; D.J. Metcalfe; E.T.A. Mitchard; E.F. Moran; B.W. Nelson; R. Nilus; E.M. Nogueira; M. Palace; S. Patiño; K.S.-H. Peh; M.T. Raventos; J.M. Reitsma; G. Saiz; F. Schrodt; B. Sonke; H.E. Taedoumg; S. Tan; L. White; H. Woll; J. Lloyd

2011-01-01

Tropical tree height-diameter (H:D) relationships may vary by forest type and region making large-scale estimates of above-ground biomass subject to bias if they ignore these differences in stem allometry. We have therefore developed a new global tropical forest database consisting of 39 955 concurrent H and D measurements encompassing 283 sites in 22 tropical...

Tropical Rainforest Education. ERIC Digest.

Science.gov (United States)

Rillero, Peter

This digest provides four guideposts for tropical rainforest education: (1) structure; (2) location and climate; (3) importance; and (4) conservation of resources. Research is cited and background information provided about the layers of life and the adaptations of life within the tropical rain forest. Aspects of life within and near rain forests…

Human Influence on Tropical Cyclone Intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Sobel, Adam H.; Camargo, Suzana J.; Hall, Timothy M.; Lee, Chia-Ying; Tippett, Michael K.; Wing, Allison A.

2016-01-01

Recent assessments agree that tropical cyclone intensity should increase as the climate warms. Less agreement exists on the detection of recent historical trends in tropical cyclone intensity.We interpret future and recent historical trends by using the theory of potential intensity, which predicts the maximum intensity achievable by a tropical cyclone in a given local environment. Although greenhouse gas-driven warming increases potential intensity, climate model simulations suggest that aerosol cooling has largely canceled that effect over the historical record. Large natural variability complicates analysis of trends, as do poleward shifts in the latitude of maximum intensity. In the absence of strong reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, future greenhouse gas forcing of potential intensity will increasingly dominate over aerosol forcing, leading to substantially larger increases in tropical cyclone intensities.

Global Warming Attenuates the Tropical Atlantic-Pacific Teleconnection

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Fan; Wu, Lixin; Gan, Bolan; Cai, Wenju

2016-01-01

Changes in global sea surface temperature (SST) since the end of last century display a pattern of widespread warming intercepted by cooling in the eastern equatorial Pacific and western coasts of the American continent. Studies have suggested that the cooling in the eastern equatorial Pacific may be partly induced by warming in the North Atlantic. However, it remains unknown how stable this inter-tropical teleconnection will be under global warming. Here we show that the inter-tropical teleconnection from the tropical Atlantic to Pacific weakens substantially as the CO2 concentration increases. This reduced impact is related to the El Niño-like warming of the tropical Pacific mean state, which leads to limited seasonal migration of the Pacific inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and weakened ocean heat transport. A fast decay of the tropical Atlantic SST anomalies in a warmer climate also contributes to the weakened teleconnection. Our study suggests that as greenhouse warming continues, the trend in the tropical Pacific as well as the development of ENSO will be less frequently interrupted by the Atlantic because of this attenuation. The weakened teleconnection is also supported by CMIP5 models, although only a few of these models can capture this inter-tropical teleconnection. PMID:26838053

Global Warming Attenuates the Tropical Atlantic-Pacific Teleconnection.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Fan; Wu, Lixin; Gan, Bolan; Cai, Wenju

2016-02-03

Changes in global sea surface temperature (SST) since the end of last century display a pattern of widespread warming intercepted by cooling in the eastern equatorial Pacific and western coasts of the American continent. Studies have suggested that the cooling in the eastern equatorial Pacific may be partly induced by warming in the North Atlantic. However, it remains unknown how stable this inter-tropical teleconnection will be under global warming. Here we show that the inter-tropical teleconnection from the tropical Atlantic to Pacific weakens substantially as the CO2 concentration increases. This reduced impact is related to the El Niño-like warming of the tropical Pacific mean state, which leads to limited seasonal migration of the Pacific inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and weakened ocean heat transport. A fast decay of the tropical Atlantic SST anomalies in a warmer climate also contributes to the weakened teleconnection. Our study suggests that as greenhouse warming continues, the trend in the tropical Pacific as well as the development of ENSO will be less frequently interrupted by the Atlantic because of this attenuation. The weakened teleconnection is also supported by CMIP5 models, although only a few of these models can capture this inter-tropical teleconnection.

Transplante de glândulas salivares labiais no tratamento do olho seco grave Transplantation of labial salivary glands for severe dry eye treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Jorge Carneiro Soares

2005-08-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Estudar os efeitos clínicos da secreção das glândulas labiais como alternativa de lubrificação ocular para alívio do olho seco, avaliar a durabilidade dos resultados e simplificar a técnica. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo de 37 cirurgias de enxerto glândulo-mucoso, composto pela mucosa labial e glândulas salivares subjacentes, colocado no fórnice conjuntival de 21 pacientes. Todas as cirurgias foram realizadas em olhos com grave xeroftalmia, sendo a técnica do procedimento descrita em todos os detalhes. Os parâmetros que serviram para a análise comparativa dos resultados foram o quadro clínico, o brilho ocular, o quadro biomicroscópico, a visão e o uso de colírios lubrificantes. RESULTADOS: A integração do enxerto ocorreu em 97,2% das cirurgias que foram realizadas durante o período de julho/2000 a janeiro/2004. Foi observado que em 91,9 % dos casos houve melhora dos parâmetros avaliados e a evolução (acompanhamento médio de 19,7 meses mostrou persistência e estabilidade dos resultados. As complicações observadas foram: um olho com infecção hospitalar e três pálpebras com ptose. CONCLUSÃO: A melhora clínica do olho seco grave observada após o enxerto das glândulas salivares labiais foi estatisticamente significativa. A lubrificação da superfície ocular produzida pela secreção salivar mostrou ser eficiente, bem tolerada e constante. O transplante das glândulas salivares labiais para o fórnice conjuntival demonstrou ser procedimento de fácil execução, acessível a qualquer cirurgião oftalmologista.PURPOSE: To study the clinical effects of the secretion of transplanted labial glands used as ocular lubricant to treat severe dry-eye cases, to evaluate the duration of the results and to simplify the surgical technique. METHODS: Thirty-seven surgeries were performed in twenty-one patients during the period of July 2000 to January 2004. The graft, consisting of labial mucosa and underlying salivary

Physical and meteorological data from the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array in the tropical Pacific Ocean

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) Array of 55 moored buoys spans the tropical Pacific from longitudes 165°E to 95°W between latitudes of approximately 8°S and...

Multiple successional pathways in human-modified tropical landscapes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Melo, Felipe P.L.; Martínez-Ramos, Miguel; Bongers, Frans; Chazdon, Robin L.; Meave, Jorge A.; Norden, Natalia; Santos, Bráulio A.; Leal, Inara R.; Tabarelli, Marcelo

2017-01-01

Old-growth tropical forests are being extensively deforested and fragmented worldwide. Yet forest recovery through succession has led to an expansion of secondary forests in human-modified tropical landscapes (HMTLs). Secondary forests thus emerge as a potential repository for tropical

Efectos de la fertilización con nitrógeno en la producción de papaya (Carica papaya L. y en la incidencia de virosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vallejo G. Gladys

1999-06-01

Full Text Available En un suelo Vertic Aplustoll arcilloso sobre franco esmetítico, isohipertérmico, del Centro de Producción Agropecuaria ACotové@, ubicado en el municipio de Santafé de Antioquia, en la zona de vida bosque seco Tropical (bs-T, se realizó un trabajo para determinar la respuesta de la variedad de papaya AU.N. Cotové@ (Carica papaya L. a la fertilización con N en dosis de 0, 183 y 366 kg/ha, equivalentes a dosis individuales de 5, 5, 10, 15, 25, 25, 25 y 10,10, 20, 30, 50, 50, 50 g de N/planta, respectivamente, fertilizando cada mes durante los primeros 4 meses después del transplante y cada 2 meses posteriormente, durante un período de 9 meses. Se suministraron además dosis constantes de P, K, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, y B. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques al azar con cuatro repeticiones y 10 plantas por unidad experimental, con distancias entre plantas de 2 m y entre surcos de 3m.

Estudio comparativo in vitro de estrategias adaptativas en especies de Hylocereus, Cactaceae, con distribución ecológica contrastada

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Máximo Moreira-Palacios

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Hylocereus ocamponis e Hylocereus triangularis son dos especies de cactáceas estrechamente relacionadas filogenéticamente pero que muestran hábitos de crecimiento completamente contrastados. La primera abunda en ecosistemas secos y la segunda en bosque tropical lluvioso, en bosques secos occidentales y la región amazónica del Ecuador, respectivamente. En el presente trabajo se empleó el cultivo in vitro como plataforma para el estudio de adaptaciones en ambas especies. El cultivo in vitro ofrece la posibilidad de estudiar de forma comparada la respuesta de explantes a reguladores del crecimiento en condiciones altamente controladas. Se evaluaron combinaciones de reguladores de crecimiento thidiazuron (TDZ, bencil amino purina (BAP, ácido naftalenacético (NAA, ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético (2,4-D y Kinetina (KIN en diferentes tipos de explantes para estudiar sus respuestas morfogenéticas y hacer una relación con la tolerancia al estrés y capacidad adaptativa (plasticidad fenotípica en H. ocamponis y H. triangularis. Los explantes de H. triangularis mostraron un mayor rango dinámico de respuesta a los tratamientos, especialmente durante la formación de cladodios y callos; la mejor formación de brotes (1,5 por explante y callos (0,75 por explante fue al aplicar 0,5 µl de TDZ con 0,5 µl de NAA. Los explantes de H. ocamponis mostraron casi siempre una inhibición ante los tratamientos y la mejor respuesta fue a la formación de raíces (1,43 por explante con 5 µl de BAP lo que puede estar directamente relacionado con su hábitat de procedencia. El cultivo in vitro resultó ser una metodología útil para el estudio de adaptaciones en especies con distribución ecológica contrastada y reveló una gran plasticidad en H. triangularis lo que concuerda con su capacidad de expansión de hábitat.

Efecto de la edad al trasplante y de la concentración de azúcar in vitro sobre la adaptación y el crecimiento de vitroplantas de papa (Solanum tuberosum L. vars. atlantic y 1625 frito lay en invernadero.

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Rafael Orozco

2016-03-01

Full Text Available La aclimatización y posterior crecimiento y desarrollo in vivo de plantas propagadas in vitro constituye una de las etapas culminantes del proceso de micropropagación de una especie. Esta investigación se desarrolló con el objetivo de determinar el efecto de diferentes edades al trasplante (15, 20 y 25 días de cultivo y el preacondicionamiento in vitro con tres niveles de azúcar comercial (15, 30 y 45 g L-1 sobre el crecimiento y desarrollo en invernadero de vitroplantas de papa (Solanum tuberosum L. vars. Atlantic y 1625 Frito Lay. En el primer caso se usó el medio de cultivo MS (1962 suministrado por laboratorios Gibco, a razón de 17 g L-1 y suplementado con vitaminas y aminoácidos del mismo medio. En el segundo caso se usó el medio Hyponex a razón de 2.25 g L-1 suplementado con las vitaminas y aminoácidos del medio MS. Los resultados indican que es posible trasplantar a suelo plantas de ambas variedades en cualquiera de las tres edades, sin afectar el rendimiento de minitubérculos. Sin embargo, la tasa de fotosíntesis aparente (TFA se vio favorecida al incrementarse la edad. Respecto a la influencia del preacondicionamiento in vitro con diferentes concentraciones de azúcar, las plantas de la variedad Atlantic ganaron altura, peso seco de raíz y peso fresco y seco de minitubérculos con 15 g L-1 de azúcar, mientras que en plantas de la variedad 1625, este efecto se dio en la concentración de 30 g L-1; el número de minitubérculos no fue favorecido con las concentraciones de azúcar empleadas en el medio Hyponex, pero sí en el medio MS (1962. En este último caso, la TFA sufrió una ganancia gradual al aumentar la concentración de azúcar.

Which statistics should tropical biologists learn?

Science.gov (United States)

Loaiza Velásquez, Natalia; González Lutz, María Isabel; Monge-Nájera, Julián

2011-09-01

Tropical biologists study the richest and most endangered biodiversity in the planet, and in these times of climate change and mega-extinctions, the need for efficient, good quality research is more pressing than in the past. However, the statistical component in research published by tropical authors sometimes suffers from poor quality in data collection; mediocre or bad experimental design and a rigid and outdated view of data analysis. To suggest improvements in their statistical education, we listed all the statistical tests and other quantitative analyses used in two leading tropical journals, the Revista de Biología Tropical and Biotropica, during a year. The 12 most frequent tests in the articles were: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Chi-Square Test, Student's T Test, Linear Regression, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, Shannon's Diversity Index, Tukey's Test, Cluster Analysis, Spearman's Rank Correlation Test and Principal Component Analysis. We conclude that statistical education for tropical biologists must abandon the old syllabus based on the mathematical side of statistics and concentrate on the correct selection of these and other procedures and tests, on their biological interpretation and on the use of reliable and friendly freeware. We think that their time will be better spent understanding and protecting tropical ecosystems than trying to learn the mathematical foundations of statistics: in most cases, a well designed one-semester course should be enough for their basic requirements.

Insight into the Pacific Sea Surface Temperature- North American Hydroclimate Connection from an Eastern Tropical North Pacific Coral Record

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, S. C.; Charles, C. D.; Carriquiry, J. D.

2015-12-01

The last few years of record-breaking climate anomalies across North America--a resilient atmospheric ridge and extreme drought over the West Coast, and severe winters across the Midwest and East Coast regions--have been linked to anomalous Pacific sea surface temperatures (Seager et al. 2014, Wang et al. 2014, Hartmann 2015). The synoptic associations prompt important questions on the relation between these unusual phenomena and extreme expressions of known Pacific decadal modes, such as the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO). These questions motivate our pursuit to document multiple realizations of decadal variability in the Pacific-North American region through periods of varied radiative forcing. Here we introduce a 178 year, seasonally resolved Porites coral record from Clarion Island (18N, 115W), the westernmost island of the Revillagigedo Archipelago, a region both highly influenced by NPGO SST and SSS variability and critical for NPGO tropical-extratropical communication via the Seasonal Footprinting Mechanism (Vimont et al. 2003). When coupled with tree ring records from the western United States (Griffin and Anchukaitis 2014, MacDonald and Case 2005) and coral records from the central tropical Pacific (Cobb et al. 2001), the δ18O signal from the Clarion coral offers an extended framework of coherent continental hydroclimate and oceanic variability across the Pacific basin beyond the instrumental record. Over the last 200 years, we find clear commonality in the timing, magnitude and spatial expression of variability (illustrated through the NADA Atlas, Cook et al. 2004) amongst the proxy records. The strong relationship between Northeastern Pacific Clarion and the Central Pacific Palmyra record with the North American hydroclimate records can be viewed within the mechanistic framework of the NPGO; this framework is then explored over the last millennium across intervals of varied radiative forcing.

Pinus tropical com potencial para uso em plantios comerciais no Brasil. Tropical pine for commercial planting in Brazil.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Silveira WREGE

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Entre os pinus tropicais, Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis é uma variedade natural, oriunda de região com clima tropical na América Central. A espécie se aclimatou bem em várias partes do mundo, em regiões com alta pluviosidade e temperaturas elevadas. Embora não tolere geadas severas, pode ser plantada em partes da região Sul do Brasil onde o clima é mais quente e a frequência de geadas é menor e é indicado para plantio em boa parte do Brasil, em mais de 3,5 milhões de km2 . Essa é uma variedade que apresenta alto rendimento em madeira de boa qualidade, além de possibilitar a exploração da resina. Neste trabalho, são apresentadas as regiões no Brasil que apresentam potencial para cultivo dessa variedade em regime de silvicultura intensiva, tomando como base sua região de origem no mundo. São indicadas para plantio comercial as zonas com os menores riscos de geada nos estados da região Sul, no Estado de São Paulo e nas demais regiões que oferecem condições climáticas favoráveis, principalmente de disponibilidade hídrica para o desenvolvimento dessa variedade de pinus. – Among tropical pines, Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis is a natural variation from the tropical regions of Central America. The species has adapted well in various parts of the world, in regions with high rainfall and high temperatures. Although intolerance to severe frosts, it can be grown in parts of southern Brazil, where the climate is hot, with infrequent frosts and even can be used for commercial planting in over 3.5 million square kilometers.This variety presents high yield in quality wood as well as resin. This work shows regions in Brazil where environmental conditions are favorable for commercial plantations with this variety, by making comparisons with the conditions in its origin. Climatic zones within the Southern Region, as well as in the state of São Paulo and elsewhere with the lowest risks of frost and plenty of water for the

Diversity of Genetic Resources and Genetic Association Analyses of Green and Dry Chillies of Eastern India Diversidad de Recursos Genéticos y Análisis de Asociación Genética de Ajíes Verdes y Secos del Este de India

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Arup Chattopadhyay

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Chilli (Capsicum annuum L. is regarded as one of the main commercial vegetable and spice crops at the global level. Maximum diversity can be noted among the cultivars/landraces available in India with respect to shape, size, yield, quality, and other traits. The present experiment was conducted to identify the most promising chilli variety suited for green and dry purposes, to study the genetic variability for different traits and to assess the association of different yield attributing traits with the green and dry yield of chilli. Thirty four genotypes were characterized during a 2-yr period. Most of the genotypes possessed the character constellation of C. annuum. Two genotypes, ‘Chaitali Pointed’ and ‘BC CH Sel-4’ were found most promising with respect to green fruit yield (272.79 g, 221.10 g per plant and dry fruit yield (54.56 g, 44.44 g per plant. Phenotypic and Genotypic Coefficient of Variation values for green fruit weight (119.95%, 111.26%, green fruit girth (89.76%, 48.93%, weight of red ripe fruit (112.02%, 111.93%, weight of dry fruit (111.63%, 110.97% and number of fruits per plant (86.05%, 85.02% were recorded to be high. Green fruit yield per plant, ascorbic acid content, and number of fruits per plant also showed very high broad-sense heritability and genetic advance. From the study of correlation and path coefficient analyses, the number of fruits per plant, green fruit length for green chilli, weight of dry fruit and the number of fruits per plant for dry chilli were found to the most important selection indices.El ají (Capsicum annuum L. es considerado como uno de los principales cultivos comerciales de vegetales y especias a nivel mundial. La máxima diversidad puede ser observada entre los cultivares y razas disponibles en India con respecto a forma, tamaño, producción, calidad, y otros rasgos. Este experimento se realizó para identificar la variedad de ají más promisoria y apropiada para fruto verde y seco

Trace element uptake by Eleocharis equisetina (spike rush) in an abandoned acid mine tailings pond, northeastern Australia: Implications for land and water reclamation in tropical regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lottermoser, Bernd G.; Ashley, Paul M.

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the uptake of trace elements by the emergent wetland plant species Eleocharis equisetina at the historic Jumna tin processing plant, tropical Australia. The perennial emergent sedge was found growing in acid waters (pH 2.45) and metal-rich tailings (SnAsCuPbZn). E. equisetina displayed a pronounced acid tolerance and tendency to exclude environmentally significant elements (Al, As, Cd, Ce, Co, Cu, Fe, La, Ni, Pb, Se, Th, U, Y, Zn) from its above-substrate biomass. This study demonstrates that geobotanical and biogeochemical examinations of wetland plants at abandoned mined lands of tropical areas can reveal pioneering, metal-excluding macrophytes. Such aquatic macrophytes are of potential use in the remediation of acid mine waters and sulfidic tailings and the reclamation of disturbed acid sulfate soils in subtropical and tropical regions. - Highlights: → In tropical Australia, Eleocharis equisetina grows in an acid mine tailings pond. → Eleocharis equisetina excludes environmentally significant elements from its biomass. → Inspections of equatorial mined lands can reveal metal-excluding aquatic macrophytes. → Such plants are of use in land and water remediation in tropical regions. - The metal-excluding aquatic macrophyte Eleocharis equisetina is of use in land and water remediation in tropical regions.

Trace element uptake by Eleocharis equisetina (spike rush) in an abandoned acid mine tailings pond, northeastern Australia: Implications for land and water reclamation in tropical regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lottermoser, Bernd G., E-mail: Bernd.Lottermoser@utas.edu.au [School of Earth Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 79, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 (Australia); Ashley, Paul M. [Earth Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351 (Australia)

2011-10-15

This study was conducted to determine the uptake of trace elements by the emergent wetland plant species Eleocharis equisetina at the historic Jumna tin processing plant, tropical Australia. The perennial emergent sedge was found growing in acid waters (pH 2.45) and metal-rich tailings (SnAsCuPbZn). E. equisetina displayed a pronounced acid tolerance and tendency to exclude environmentally significant elements (Al, As, Cd, Ce, Co, Cu, Fe, La, Ni, Pb, Se, Th, U, Y, Zn) from its above-substrate biomass. This study demonstrates that geobotanical and biogeochemical examinations of wetland plants at abandoned mined lands of tropical areas can reveal pioneering, metal-excluding macrophytes. Such aquatic macrophytes are of potential use in the remediation of acid mine waters and sulfidic tailings and the reclamation of disturbed acid sulfate soils in subtropical and tropical regions. - Highlights: > In tropical Australia, Eleocharis equisetina grows in an acid mine tailings pond. > Eleocharis equisetina excludes environmentally significant elements from its biomass. > Inspections of equatorial mined lands can reveal metal-excluding aquatic macrophytes. > Such plants are of use in land and water remediation in tropical regions. - The metal-excluding aquatic macrophyte Eleocharis equisetina is of use in land and water remediation in tropical regions.

'Combating' tropical diseases in the German colonial press.

Science.gov (United States)

Correa, Sílvio Marcus de Souza

2013-03-01

This article shows how much certain German language newspapers were a vehicule for reporting to the lay public on 'combating' tropical diseases. Through the press, immigrants and their descendents in Brazil were informed not only about the diseases which afflicted German colonists in Africa, but also about measures concerning sanitation, prophylaxis and experiments with tropical medicine, etc. Based on hemerographic sources, it shows how successful the overseas German communities were in sharing their experiences regarding health in tropical and/or sub-tropical regions.

Diversity and carbon storage across the tropical forest biome

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Martin J. P.; Talbot, Joey; Lewis, Simon L.; Phillips, Oliver L.; Qie, Lan; Begne, Serge K.; Chave, Jerôme; Cuni-Sanchez, Aida; Hubau, Wannes; Lopez-Gonzalez, Gabriela; Miles, Lera; Monteagudo-Mendoza, Abel; Sonké, Bonaventure; Sunderland, Terry; Ter Steege, Hans; White, Lee J. T.; Affum-Baffoe, Kofi; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; de Almeida, Everton Cristo; de Oliveira, Edmar Almeida; Alvarez-Loayza, Patricia; Dávila, Esteban Álvarez; Andrade, Ana; Aragão, Luiz E. O. C.; Ashton, Peter; Aymard C., Gerardo A.; Baker, Timothy R.; Balinga, Michael; Banin, Lindsay F.; Baraloto, Christopher; Bastin, Jean-Francois; Berry, Nicholas; Bogaert, Jan; Bonal, Damien; Bongers, Frans; Brienen, Roel; Camargo, José Luís C.; Cerón, Carlos; Moscoso, Victor Chama; Chezeaux, Eric; Clark, Connie J.; Pacheco, Álvaro Cogollo; Comiskey, James A.; Valverde, Fernando Cornejo; Coronado, Eurídice N. Honorio; Dargie, Greta; Davies, Stuart J.; de Canniere, Charles; Djuikouo K., Marie Noel; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Erwin, Terry L.; Espejo, Javier Silva; Ewango, Corneille E. N.; Fauset, Sophie; Feldpausch, Ted R.; Herrera, Rafael; Gilpin, Martin; Gloor, Emanuel; Hall, Jefferson S.; Harris, David J.; Hart, Terese B.; Kartawinata, Kuswata; Kho, Lip Khoon; Kitayama, Kanehiro; Laurance, Susan G. W.; Laurance, William F.; Leal, Miguel E.; Lovejoy, Thomas; Lovett, Jon C.; Lukasu, Faustin Mpanya; Makana, Jean-Remy; Malhi, Yadvinder; Maracahipes, Leandro; Marimon, Beatriz S.; Junior, Ben Hur Marimon; Marshall, Andrew R.; Morandi, Paulo S.; Mukendi, John Tshibamba; Mukinzi, Jaques; Nilus, Reuben; Vargas, Percy Núñez; Camacho, Nadir C. Pallqui; Pardo, Guido; Peña-Claros, Marielos; Pétronelli, Pascal; Pickavance, Georgia C.; Poulsen, Axel Dalberg; Poulsen, John R.; Primack, Richard B.; Priyadi, Hari; Quesada, Carlos A.; Reitsma, Jan; Réjou-Méchain, Maxime; Restrepo, Zorayda; Rutishauser, Ervan; Salim, Kamariah Abu; Salomão, Rafael P.; Samsoedin, Ismayadi; Sheil, Douglas; Sierra, Rodrigo; Silveira, Marcos; Slik, J. W. Ferry; Steel, Lisa; Taedoumg, Hermann; Tan, Sylvester; Terborgh, John W.; Thomas, Sean C.; Toledo, Marisol; Umunay, Peter M.; Gamarra, Luis Valenzuela; Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães; Vos, Vincent A.; Wang, Ophelia; Willcock, Simon; Zemagho, Lise

2017-01-01

Tropical forests are global centres of biodiversity and carbon storage. Many tropical countries aspire to protect forest to fulfil biodiversity and climate mitigation policy targets, but the conservation strategies needed to achieve these two functions depend critically on the tropical forest tree diversity-carbon storage relationship. Assessing this relationship is challenging due to the scarcity of inventories where carbon stocks in aboveground biomass and species identifications have been simultaneously and robustly quantified. Here, we compile a unique pan-tropical dataset of 360 plots located in structurally intact old-growth closed-canopy forest, surveyed using standardised methods, allowing a multi-scale evaluation of diversity-carbon relationships in tropical forests. Diversity-carbon relationships among all plots at 1 ha scale across the tropics are absent, and within continents are either weak (Asia) or absent (Amazonia, Africa). A weak positive relationship is detectable within 1 ha plots, indicating that diversity effects in tropical forests may be scale dependent. The absence of clear diversity-carbon relationships at scales relevant to conservation planning means that carbon-centred conservation strategies will inevitably miss many high diversity ecosystems. As tropical forests can have any combination of tree diversity and carbon stocks both require explicit consideration when optimising policies to manage tropical carbon and biodiversity.

Diversity and carbon storage across the tropical forest biome.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Martin J P; Talbot, Joey; Lewis, Simon L; Phillips, Oliver L; Qie, Lan; Begne, Serge K; Chave, Jerôme; Cuni-Sanchez, Aida; Hubau, Wannes; Lopez-Gonzalez, Gabriela; Miles, Lera; Monteagudo-Mendoza, Abel; Sonké, Bonaventure; Sunderland, Terry; Ter Steege, Hans; White, Lee J T; Affum-Baffoe, Kofi; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; de Almeida, Everton Cristo; de Oliveira, Edmar Almeida; Alvarez-Loayza, Patricia; Dávila, Esteban Álvarez; Andrade, Ana; Aragão, Luiz E O C; Ashton, Peter; Aymard C, Gerardo A; Baker, Timothy R; Balinga, Michael; Banin, Lindsay F; Baraloto, Christopher; Bastin, Jean-Francois; Berry, Nicholas; Bogaert, Jan; Bonal, Damien; Bongers, Frans; Brienen, Roel; Camargo, José Luís C; Cerón, Carlos; Moscoso, Victor Chama; Chezeaux, Eric; Clark, Connie J; Pacheco, Álvaro Cogollo; Comiskey, James A; Valverde, Fernando Cornejo; Coronado, Eurídice N Honorio; Dargie, Greta; Davies, Stuart J; De Canniere, Charles; Djuikouo K, Marie Noel; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Erwin, Terry L; Espejo, Javier Silva; Ewango, Corneille E N; Fauset, Sophie; Feldpausch, Ted R; Herrera, Rafael; Gilpin, Martin; Gloor, Emanuel; Hall, Jefferson S; Harris, David J; Hart, Terese B; Kartawinata, Kuswata; Kho, Lip Khoon; Kitayama, Kanehiro; Laurance, Susan G W; Laurance, William F; Leal, Miguel E; Lovejoy, Thomas; Lovett, Jon C; Lukasu, Faustin Mpanya; Makana, Jean-Remy; Malhi, Yadvinder; Maracahipes, Leandro; Marimon, Beatriz S; Junior, Ben Hur Marimon; Marshall, Andrew R; Morandi, Paulo S; Mukendi, John Tshibamba; Mukinzi, Jaques; Nilus, Reuben; Vargas, Percy Núñez; Camacho, Nadir C Pallqui; Pardo, Guido; Peña-Claros, Marielos; Pétronelli, Pascal; Pickavance, Georgia C; Poulsen, Axel Dalberg; Poulsen, John R; Primack, Richard B; Priyadi, Hari; Quesada, Carlos A; Reitsma, Jan; Réjou-Méchain, Maxime; Restrepo, Zorayda; Rutishauser, Ervan; Salim, Kamariah Abu; Salomão, Rafael P; Samsoedin, Ismayadi; Sheil, Douglas; Sierra, Rodrigo; Silveira, Marcos; Slik, J W Ferry; Steel, Lisa; Taedoumg, Hermann; Tan, Sylvester; Terborgh, John W; Thomas, Sean C; Toledo, Marisol; Umunay, Peter M; Gamarra, Luis Valenzuela; Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães; Vos, Vincent A; Wang, Ophelia; Willcock, Simon; Zemagho, Lise

2017-01-17

Tropical forests are global centres of biodiversity and carbon storage. Many tropical countries aspire to protect forest to fulfil biodiversity and climate mitigation policy targets, but the conservation strategies needed to achieve these two functions depend critically on the tropical forest tree diversity-carbon storage relationship. Assessing this relationship is challenging due to the scarcity of inventories where carbon stocks in aboveground biomass and species identifications have been simultaneously and robustly quantified. Here, we compile a unique pan-tropical dataset of 360 plots located in structurally intact old-growth closed-canopy forest, surveyed using standardised methods, allowing a multi-scale evaluation of diversity-carbon relationships in tropical forests. Diversity-carbon relationships among all plots at 1 ha scale across the tropics are absent, and within continents are either weak (Asia) or absent (Amazonia, Africa). A weak positive relationship is detectable within 1 ha plots, indicating that diversity effects in tropical forests may be scale dependent. The absence of clear diversity-carbon relationships at scales relevant to conservation planning means that carbon-centred conservation strategies will inevitably miss many high diversity ecosystems. As tropical forests can have any combination of tree diversity and carbon stocks both require explicit consideration when optimising policies to manage tropical carbon and biodiversity.

International Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases (IJMTD)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The International Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases (IJMTD) (formally known was the Journal of Malaria in Africa and the Tropics (JMAT) is a publication of the malariologists and researchers in tropical diseases. Its aim is to educate, improved the practice of malaria treatment, stimulate research, encourage academic ...

Homological mirror symmetry and tropical geometry

CERN Document Server

Catanese, Fabrizio; Kontsevich, Maxim; Pantev, Tony; Soibelman, Yan; Zharkov, Ilia

2014-01-01

The relationship between Tropical Geometry and Mirror Symmetry goes back to the work of Kontsevich and Y. Soibelman (2000), who applied methods of non-archimedean geometry (in particular, tropical curves) to Homological Mirror Symmetry. In combination with the subsequent work of Mikhalkin on the “tropical” approach to Gromov-Witten theory, and the work of Gross and Siebert, Tropical Geometry has now become a powerful tool. Homological Mirror Symmetry is the area of mathematics concentrated around several categorical equivalences connecting symplectic and holomorphic (or algebraic) geometry. The central ideas first appeared in the work of Maxim Kontsevich (1993). Roughly speaking, the subject can be approached in two ways: either one uses Lagrangian torus fibrations of Calabi-Yau manifolds (the so-called Strominger-Yau-Zaslow picture, further developed by Kontsevich and Soibelman) or one uses Lefschetz fibrations of symplectic manifolds (suggested by Kontsevich and further developed by Seidel). Tropical Ge...

Landscape-scale changes in forest canopy structure across a partially logged tropical peat swamp

Science.gov (United States)

Wedeux, B. M. M.; Coomes, D. A.

2015-11-01

Forest canopy structure is strongly influenced by environmental factors and disturbance, and in turn influences key ecosystem processes including productivity, evapotranspiration and habitat availability. In tropical forests increasingly modified by human activities, the interplay between environmental factors and disturbance legacies on forest canopy structure across landscapes is practically unexplored. We used airborne laser scanning (ALS) data to measure the canopy of old-growth and selectively logged peat swamp forest across a peat dome in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, and quantified how canopy structure metrics varied with peat depth and under logging. Several million canopy gaps in different height cross-sections of the canopy were measured in 100 plots of 1 km2 spanning the peat dome, allowing us to describe canopy structure with seven metrics. Old-growth forest became shorter and had simpler vertical canopy profiles on deeper peat, consistent with previous work linking deep peat to stunted tree growth. Gap size frequency distributions (GSFDs) indicated fewer and smaller canopy gaps on the deeper peat (i.e. the scaling exponent of Pareto functions increased from 1.76 to 3.76 with peat depth). Areas subjected to concessionary logging until 2000, and illegal logging since then, had the same canopy top height as old-growth forest, indicating the persistence of some large trees, but mean canopy height was significantly reduced. With logging, the total area of canopy gaps increased and the GSFD scaling exponent was reduced. Logging effects were most evident on the deepest peat, where nutrient depletion and waterlogged conditions restrain tree growth and recovery. A tight relationship exists between canopy structure and peat depth gradient within the old-growth tropical peat swamp forest. This relationship breaks down after selective logging, with canopy structural recovery, as observed by ALS, modulated by environmental conditions. These findings improve our

Guaianolides and a seco-eudesmane from the resinous exudates of cushion bush (Leucophyta brownii) and evaluation of their cytostatic and anti-inflammatory activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gade Hyldgaard, Mette; Purup, Stig; Bond, Andrew David

2015-01-01

A detailed phytochemical investigation of a dichloromethane extract of the resinous exudates of the cushion bush plant (Leucophyta brownii) resulted in the isolation of the new 8,12-guaianolides leucophytalins A (5) and B (6), the new 1,10-seco-eudesmane leucophytalin C (10), six rare 8......,12-guaianolides (1–4, 7, and 8), and the xanthanolide tomentosin (9). The structures of all isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses. The structures of compounds isolated in crystalline form, including leucophytalins A and C, were further confirmed by X....../mL for thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin E2 production, respectively. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytostatic activity against MCF-7 and HT-29 cells (1, 3–10) and their anti-inflammatory activity against RAW 264.7 cells (1–10). All isolated compounds are most likely derived from (+)-germacrene A...

Lightning and 85-GHz MCSs in the Global Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Toracinta, E. Richard; Zipser, E. J.

1999-01-01

Numerous observations of tropical convection show that tropical continental mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are much more prolific lightning producers than their oceanic counterparts. Satellite-based climatologies using 85-GHz passive microwave ice-scattering signatures from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) indicate that MCSs of various size and intensity are found throughout the global tropics. In contrast, global lightning distributions show a strong land bias with an order of magnitude difference between land and ocean lightning. This is somewhat puzzling, since 85-GHz ice-scattering and the charge separation processes that lead to lightning are both thought to depend upon the existence of large graupel particles. The fact that low 85-GHz brightness temperatures are observed in tropical oceanic MCSs containing virtually no lightning leads to the postulate that tropical oceanic and tropical continental MCSs have fundamentally different hydrometeor profiles through the mixed phase region of the cloud (0 C Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), and the first space-borne radar, facilitates high-resolution case studies of MCS structure throughout the global tropics. An important precursor, however, is to better understand the distribution of MCSs and lightning in the tropics. With that objective in mind, this research undertakes a systematic comparison of 85-GHz-defined MCSs and lightning over the global tropics for a full year, as an initial step toward quantifying differences between land and ocean convective systems.

Tropical Agroecosystems: These habitats are misunderstood by the temperate zones, mismanaged by the tropics.

Science.gov (United States)

Janzen, D H

1973-12-21

I have listed some of the ways in which the lowland tropics are not such a warm and wonderful place for the farmer, some of the reasons why it may be unreasonable to expect him to cope with the problems, and some of the ways in which the temperate zones make his task more difficult. The tropics are very close to being a tragedy of the commons on a global scale (69, 103), and it is the temperate zone's shepherds and sheep who are among the greatest offenders (31). Given that the temperate zones have some limited amount of resources with which they are willing to repay the tropics, how can these resources best be spent? The first answer, without doubt, is education, and the incorporation of what is already known about the tropics into that education. Second should be the generation of secure psychological and physical resources for governments that show they are enthusiastic about the development of an SYTA. Third should be support of intensive research needed to generate the set of site-specific rules for specific, clearly identified SYTA's. The subject matter of youths' cultural programming is presumably determined by what they will need during the rest of their lives. A major component of this programming should be the teaching of the socioeconomic rules of a sustained-yield, nonexpanding economy, tuned to the concept of living within the carrying capacity of the country's or region's resources. Incorporating such a process into tropical school systems will cause a major upheaval, if for no other reason than that it will involve an evaluation of the country's resources, what standard of living is to be accepted by those living on them, and who is presently harvesting them. Of even greater impact, it will have to evaluate resources in terms of their ability to raise the standard of living by Y amount for X proportion of the people in the region, rather than in terms of their cash value on the world market. For such a change to be technologically successful, it will

Tropical Deforestation.

Science.gov (United States)

Raven, Peter H.

1988-01-01

Outlines the deforestation problem and some efforts for solving the problem. Considers the impact of population growth, poverty, and ignorance. Includes a discussion of the current rapid decline in tropical forests, the consequences of destruction, and an outlook for the future. (YP)

Journal of Tropical Microbiology and Biotechnology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Journal of Tropical Microbiology and Biotechnology (JTMB) formerly Journal of Tropical Microbiology gives preeminence to the central role of modern biotechnology and microorganisms as tools and targets in current research, which is largely multidisciplinary. JTMB covers a broad range of topics, such as disease ...

A Fractal Interpretation of Controlled-Source Helicopter Electromagnetic Survey Data: Seco Creek, Edwards Aquifer, TX

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, K. T.; Everett, M. E.

2009-12-01

The Edwards aquifer lies in the structurally complex Balcones fault zone and supplies water to the growing city of San Antonio. To ensure that future demands for water are met, the hydrological and geophysical properties of the aquifer must be well-understood. In most settings, fracture lengths and displacements occur in power-law distributions. Fracture distribution plays an important role in determining electrical and hydraulic current flowpaths. 1-D synthetic models of the controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) response for layered models with a fractured layer at depth described by the roughness parameter βV, such that 0≤βVlaw length-scale dependence of electrical conductivity are developed. A value of βV = 0 represents homogeneous, continuous media, while a value of 0<βV<1 shows that roughness exists. The Seco Creek frequency-domain helicopter electromagnetic survey data set is analyzed by introducing the similarly defined roughness parameter βH to detect lateral roughness along survey lines. Fourier transforming the apparent resistivity as a function of position along flight line into wavenumber domain using a 256-point sliding window gives the power spectral density (PSD) plot for each line. The value of βH is the slope of the least squares regression for the PSD in each 256-point window. Changes in βH with distance along the flight line are plotted. Large values of βH are found near well-known large fractures and maps of βH produced by interpolating values of βH along survey lines suggest previously undetected structure at depth.

The Role of the Tropics in Abrupt Climate Changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fedorov, Alexey [Yale University

2013-12-07

Topics addressed include: abrupt climate changes and ocean circulation in the tropics; what controls the ocean thermal structure in the tropics; a permanent El Niño in paleoclimates; the energetics of the tropical ocean.

Urgent need for warming experiments in tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Calaveri, Molly A.; Reed, Sasha C.; Smith, W. Kolby; Wood, Tana E.

2015-01-01

Although tropical forests account for only a fraction of the planet's terrestrial surface, they exchange more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other biome on Earth, and thus play a disproportionate role in the global climate. In the next 20 years, the tropics will experience unprecedented warming, yet there is exceedingly high uncertainty about their potential responses to this imminent climatic change. Here, we prioritize research approaches given both funding and logistical constraints in order to resolve major uncertainties about how tropical forests function and also to improve predictive capacity of earth system models. We investigate overall model uncertainty of tropical latitudes and explore the scientific benefits and inevitable trade-offs inherent in large-scale manipulative field experiments. With a Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 analysis, we found that model variability in projected net ecosystem production was nearly 3 times greater in the tropics than for any other latitude. Through a review of the most current literature, we concluded that manipulative warming experiments are vital to accurately predict future tropical forest carbon balance, and we further recommend the establishment of a network of comparable studies spanning gradients of precipitation, edaphic qualities, plant types, and/or land use change. We provide arguments for long-term, single-factor warming experiments that incorporate warming of the most biogeochemically active ecosystem components (i.e. leaves, roots, soil microbes). Hypothesis testing of underlying mechanisms should be a priority, along with improving model parameterization and constraints. No single tropical forest is representative of all tropical forests; therefore logistical feasibility should be the most important consideration for locating large-scale manipulative experiments. Above all, we advocate for multi-faceted research programs, and we offer arguments for what we consider the most

Abiotic factors influencing tropical dry forests regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ceccon Eliane

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Tropical dry forests represent nearly half the tropical forests in the world and are the ecosystems registering the greatest deterioration from the anthropogenic exploitation of the land. This paper presents a review on the dynamics of tropical dry forests regeneration and the main abiotic factors influencing this regeneration, such as seasonal nature, soil fertility and humidity, and natural and anthropic disturbances. The main purpose is to clearly understand an important part of TDF succession dynamics.

Baseline trace metals in water and sediment of the Baleh River-a tropical river in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sim, Siong Fong; Chai, Hui Ping; Nyanti, Lee; Ling, Teck Yee; Grinang, Jongkar

2016-09-01

Quantitative indices are classically employed to evaluate the contamination status of metals with reference to the baseline concentrations. The baselines vary considerably across different geographical zones. It is imperative to determine the local geochemical baseline to evaluate the contamination status. No study has been done to establish the background concentrations in tropical rivers of this region. This paper reports the background concentrations of metals in water and sediment of the Baleh River, Sarawak, derived based on the statistical methods where the areas possibly disturbed are distinguished from the undisturbed area. The baseline levels of six elements in water determined were Al (0.34 mg/L), Fe (0.51 mg/L), Mn (0.12 mg/L), Cu (0.01 mg/L), Pb (0.03 mg/L), and Zn (0.05 mg/L). Arsenic and selenium were below the detection limit. For sediment, the background values were established according to statistical methods including (mean + 2σ), iterative 2σ, cumulative distribution frequency, interquartile, and calculation distribution function. The background values derived using the iterative 2σ algorithm and calculated distribution function were relatively lower. The baseline levels calculated were within the range reported in the literatures mainly from tropical and sub-tropical regions. The upper limits proposed for nine elements in sediment were Al (100,879 mg/kg), Cr (75.45 mg/kg), Cu (34.59 mg/kg), Fe (37,823 mg/kg), Mn (793 mg/kg), Ni (22.88 mg/kg), Pb (27.26 mg/kg), Zn (70.64 mg/kg), and Hg (0.33 mg/kg). Quantitative indices calculated suggest low risk of contamination at the Baleh River.

IMPACTO DE LOS EVENTOS DE SEQUÍA EN LA REGIÓN DE LA CUENCA HIDROGRÁFICA DE LA LAGUNA SAUCE GRANDE (PROVINCIA DE BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María E. Carbone

2015-01-01

Full Text Available La distribución e intensidad de los extremos hídricos provoca un impacto directo sobre las actividades humanas. Las características particulares de los eventos secos y húmedos ocurridos en la región de la cuenca hidrográfica de la laguna Sauce Grande, durante el período 1971- 2010, se analizan mediante la aplicación del Índice de severidad de sequía de Palmer. El 49% de los casos analizados correspondieron a sequías débiles, e incipientes. Los valores más extremos de eventos secos (-4.31 ocasionaron daños irreparables en los rendimientos de granos, que disminuyeron un 19% respecto al promedio actual. Durante los meses estivales se observaron los casos secos severos y extremos (12%. Se identificaron los períodos secos que mayor injerencia tuvieron sobre la producción agrícola ganadera de la región, sucedidas durante los años 2008 y 2009, la relación existente entre los valores de los índices severos y extremos en la morfometría de la laguna y estuario del río Sauce Grande.

Physically-based Assessment of Tropical Cyclone Damage and Economic Losses

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, N.

2012-12-01

Estimating damage and economic losses caused by tropical cyclones (TC) is a topic of considerable research interest in many scientific fields, including meteorology, structural and coastal engineering, and actuarial sciences. One approach is based on the empirical relationship between TC characteristics and loss data. Another is to model the physical mechanism of TC-induced damage. In this talk we discuss about the physically-based approach to predict TC damage and losses due to extreme wind and storm surge. We first present an integrated vulnerability model, which, for the first time, explicitly models the essential mechanisms causing wind damage to residential areas during storm passage, including windborne-debris impact and the pressure-debris interaction that may lead, in a chain reaction, to structural failures (Lin and Vanmarcke 2010; Lin et al. 2010a). This model can be used to predict the economic losses in a residential neighborhood (with hundreds of buildings) during a specific TC (Yau et al. 2011) or applied jointly with a TC risk model (e.g., Emanuel et al 2008) to estimate the expected losses over long time periods. Then we present a TC storm surge risk model that has been applied to New York City (Lin et al. 2010b; Lin et al. 2012; Aerts et al. 2012), Miami-Dade County, Florida (Klima et al. 2011), Galveston, Texas (Lickley, 2012), and other coastal areas around the world (e.g., Tampa, Florida; Persian Gulf; Darwin, Australia; Shanghai, China). These physically-based models are applicable to various coastal areas and have the capability to account for the change of the climate and coastal exposure over time. We also point out that, although made computationally efficient for risk assessment, these models are not suitable for regional or global analysis, which has been a focus of the empirically-based economic analysis (e.g., Hsiang and Narita 2012). A future research direction is to simplify the physically-based models, possibly through

The role of tropical cyclones in precipitation over the tropical and subtropical North America

Science.gov (United States)

Dominguez, Christian; Magaña, Victor

2018-03-01

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are essential elements of the hydrological cycle in tropical and subtropical regions. In the present study, the contribution of TCs to seasonal precipitation around the tropical and subtropical North America is examined. When TC activity over the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP) or the Intra Americas Seas (IAS) is below (above-normal), regional precipitation may be below (above-normal). However, it is not only the number of TCs what may change seasonal precipitation, but the trajectory of the systems. TCs induce intense precipitation over continental regions if they are close enough to shorelines, for instance, if the TC center is located, on average, less than 500 km-distant from the coast. However, if TCs are more remote than this threshold distance, the chances of rain over continental regions decrease, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In addition, a distant TC may induce subsidence or produce moisture divergence that inhibits, at least for a few days, convective activity farther away than the threshold distance. An analysis of interannual variability in the TCs that produce precipitation over the tropical and subtropical North America shows that some regions in northern Mexico, which mostly depend on this effect to undergo wet years, may experience seasonal negative anomalies in precipitation if TCs trajectories are remote. Therefore, TCs (activity and trajectories) are important modulators of climate variability on various time scales, either by producing intense rainfall or by inhibiting convection at distant regions from their trajectory. The impact of such variations on water availability in northern Mexico may be relevant, since water availability in dams recovers under the effects of TC rainfall. Seasonal precipitation forecasts or climate change scenarios for these regions should take into account the effect of TCs, if regional adaptation strategies are implemented.

Strategies for Improving Enterprise Standardization Management of Tropical Crop Machinery

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

@@ There are two categories of tropical crop machinery. One comprises operation machinery that is used for planting, managing and harvesting tropical crops, while the other comprises process machinery for processing tropical crops. Tropical crop machinery is distinguished from other agricultural machinery by the special crops that such machinery cultivates and processes.

Air-sea interaction in the tropical Pacific Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, L. J.; Steranka, J.; Holub, R. J.; Hansen, J.; Godshall, F. A.; Prabhakara, C.

1972-01-01

Charts of 3-month sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean were produced for the period 1949 to 1970. The anomalies along the United States and South American west coasts and in the eastern tropical Pacific appeared to be oscillating in phase during this period. Similarly, the satellite-derived cloudiness for each of four quadrants of the Pacific Ocean (130 deg E to 100 deg W, 30 deg N to 25 deg S) appeared to be oscillating in phase. In addition, a global tropical cloudiness oscillation from 30 deg N to 30 deg S was noted from 1965 to 1970, by using monthly satellite television nephanalyses. The SST anomalies were found to have a good degree of correlation both positive and negative with the following monthly geophysical parameters: (1) satellite-derived cloudiness, (2) strength of the North and South Pacific semipermanent anticyclones, (3) tropical Pacific island rainfall, and (4) Darwin surface pressure. Several strong direct local and crossequatorial relationships were noted. In particular, the high degree of correlation between the tropical island rainfall and the SST anomalies (r = +0.93) permitted the derivation of SST's for the tropical Pacific back to 1905. The close occurrence of cold tropical SST and North Pacific 700-mb positive height anomalies with central United States drought conditions was noted.

Phylogenetic classification of the world’s tropical forests

OpenAIRE

Slik, J. W. Ferry; Franklin, Janet; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Field, Richard; Aguilar, Salomon; Aguirre, Nikolay; Ahumada, Jorge; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; Alves, Luciana F.; K, Anitha; Avella, Andres; Mora, Francisco; Aymard C., Gerardo A.; Báez, Selene; Balvanera, Patricia

2018-01-01

Identifying and explaining regional differences in tropical forest dynamics, structure, diversity, and composition are critical for anticipating region-specific responses to global environmental change. Floristic classifications are of fundamental importance for these efforts. Here we provide a global tropical forest classification that is explicitly based on community evolutionary similarity, resulting in identification of five major tropical forest regions and their relationships: (i) Indo-...

Year 2001 Tropical Cyclones of the World

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Year 2001 Tropical Cyclones of the World poster. During calendar year 2001, fifty tropical cyclones with sustained surface winds of at least 64 knots were observed...

Year 2000 Tropical Cyclones of the World

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Year 2000 Tropical Cyclones of the World poster. During calendar year 2000, forty-five tropical cyclones with sustained surface winds of at least 64 knots were...

A sensitivity study of radiative-convective equilibrium in the tropics with a convection-resolving model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, K.M.; Randall, D.A.

1999-10-01

Statistical-equilibrium (SE) states of radiative-convective systems in tropical oceanic conditions are simulated with a cloud ensemble model (CEM) in this study. Typical large-scale conditions from the Marshall Islands and the eastern tropical Atlantic regions are used to drive the CEM. The simulated SE precipitable water, column temperature, and relative humidity are only slightly higher than those of the observed mean states in both regions when time-invariant large-scale total advective cooling and moistening effects are imposed from observations. They are much higher than the observed if time-invariant observed large-scale ascent is imposed for the Marshall Islands region (i.e., ignoring horizontal advective effects). Compared with results from two similar studies, this SE state is somewhere between the cold/dry regime by Sui et al. and the warm/humid regime by Grabowski et al. Temporal variations of the imposed large-scale vertical motion that allows for subsidence make the SE state colder and drier. It remains about the same, however, if the magnitude of the imposed large-scale vertical motion is halved. The SE state is also colder and drier if solar radiation is absent. In general, all the SE states show that wet columns are thermally more stable (unstable) and dry columns are thermally more unstable (stable) in the lower (upper) troposphere. Column budget analyses are performed to explore the differences among the simulations performed in this study and among the different studies.

The role of transients in the Mid Summer Drought over the Tropical Americas

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, E.; Magaña Rueda, V.; Caetano, E.

2013-05-01

The Mid Summer Drought (MSD) has raised the interested of those interested in regional climate dynamics since it appears to be a unique characteristic of the tropical Americas climate. The MSD corresponds to a relative minimum in summer precipitation between July and August in the Mesoamerican region. Several theories have been posed to explain its origin including the annual cycle march of the ITCZ, a teleconnection from the Asian monsoon region, or an air sea interaction process that relates the warm pools over the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. However, none of them has addressed the various characteristics of the MSD described by Magaña et al (1999) and Magaña and Caetano (2005). In the present paper, the role of the transient mean flow interaction over the Caribbean Sea is explored. The Caribbean Low Level Jet (CLLJ) and the transients interact in such a way that the CLLJ reaches maximum intensity when the MSD occurs. This is a period of minimum Perturbation Kinetic Energy in the region, suggesting that a CLLJ stronger than approximately 15 m/s tends to inhibit the amplification of eddies. Transients are crucial dynamic elements to produce precipitation over the Mexico and Central American region. Over the eastern Pacific warm pool, tropical convection and sea surface temperature are related by a sort of Clausius Clapeyron exponential equation. However, there are two branches for the relationship, one for the first maximum in tropical convection during June, and a second one during September, with a relative minimum corresponding to the MSD in July - August. The most interesting aspect of such patterns is that while the June exponential curves occurs at SST larger than 28°C, the curve corresponding to September takes place at lower SSTs, suggesting that transient activity in this period is necessary to enhance tropical convective activity during the latter part of the summer rains in the region. This is exactly the period when PKE increases over the

Forests to fields. Restoring tropical lands to agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, D

1993-04-01

In discussing land use in tropical forest regions, there is an emphasis on the following topics: the need for the expansion of cropping areas, the precedent for use of the tropical forest for cropping based on past use patterns, the pressure from conservationists against cropping, debunking the mythology that forests are "natural" and refuting the claims that forest clearance is not reversible, the archeological evidence of past forest use for agricultural purposes, abandonment of tropical land to forest, and rotation of forest and field. The assumption is that the way to stop food importation is to increase crop production in the tropics. Crop production can be increased through 1) land intensification or clearing new land, 2) output per unit of land increases, or 3) reallocation to agriculture land previously cleared and overgrown with tropical forest. "Temporary" reuse of land, which reverted back to tropical forest, is recommended. This reuse would ease population pressure, and benefit bioconservation, while populations stabilize and further progress is made in international plant breeding. The land would eventually be returned to a forest state. Conservation of tropical forest areas should be accomplished, after an assessment has been made of its former uses. Primary forests need to identified and conversion to farming ceased. Research needs to be directed to understanding the process of past forest regeneration, and to devising cropping systems with longterm viability. The green revolution is unsuitable for traditional cropping systems, is contrary to demands of international funding agencies for sustainability, and is not affordable by most poor farmers. Only .48 million sq. km of closed forest loss was in tropical rainforests; 6.53 million sq. km was lost from temperate forests cleared for intensive small-scale peasant farming. The use of tropical forest land for farming has some benefits; crops in the wetter tropics are perennial, which would "reduce

Relationships Between Tropical Deep Convection, Tropospheric Mean Temperature and Cloud-Induced Radiative Fluxes on Intraseasonal Time Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Ramey, Holly S.; Robertson, Franklin R.

2010-01-01

Intraseasonal variability of deep convection represents a fundamental mode of variability in the organization of tropical convection. While most studies of intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) have focused on the spatial propagation and dynamics of convectively coupled circulations, we examine the projection of ISOs on the tropically-averaged temperature and energy budget. The area of interest is the global oceans between 20degN/S. Our analysis then focuses on these questions: (i) How is tropospheric temperature related to tropical deep convection and the associated ice cloud fractional amount (ICF) and ice water path (IWP)? (ii) What is the source of moisture sustaining the convection and what role does deep convection play in mediating the PBL - free atmospheric temperature equilibration? (iii) What affect do convectively generated upper-tropospheric clouds have on the TOA radiation budget? Our methodology is similar to that of Spencer et al., (2007) with some modifications and some additional diagnostics of both clouds and boundary layer thermodynamics. A composite ISO time series of cloud, precipitation and radiation quantities built from nearly 40 events during a six-year period is referenced to the atmospheric temperature signal. The increase of convective precipitation cannot be sustained by evaporation within the domain, implying strong moisture transports into the tropical ocean area. While there is a decrease in net TOA radiation that develops after the peak in deep convective rainfall, there seems little evidence that an "Infrared Iris"- like mechanism is dominant. Rather, the cloud-induced OLR increase seems largely produced by weakened convection with warmer cloud tops. Tropical ISO events offer an accessible target for studying ISOs not just in terms of propagation mechanisms, but on their global signals of heat, moisture and radiative flux feedback processes.

No signs of soil organic matter accumulation and of changes in nutrient (N-P) limitation during tropical secondary forest succession in the wet tropics of Southwest Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Wanek, Wolfgang; Oberdorfer, Sarah; Oberleitner, Florian; Hietz, Peter; Dullinger, Stefan; Zehetner, Franz

2017-04-01

high microbial N:P ratios and very low Olsen P, indicating P limitation across the whole chronosequence due to strong chemical soil weathering and P fixation to Fe and Al oxides. In contrast we found an intermittent decrease in soil pH and in base saturation from pastures to young secondary forests and later increases towards old-growth forests. This dip in base saturation is most likely related to the high demand for base cations during rapid biomass build-up (particularly Ca-rich wood) during early secondary succession which is later counterbalanced by cation pumping by deep rooting trees from cation-rich deep soil layers and redistribution to the topsoils through litterfall and root turnover. The presented results on SOM and nutrient dynamics will be set in relation to aboveground biomass recovery at the same sites, and compared to other forest chronosequences in the tropics, to better understand climate and nutrient effects on the recovery of tropical forests after abandonment of agricultural land.

Distribution of tropical tropospheric water vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, De-Zheng; Lindzen, Richard S.

1993-01-01

Utilizing a conceptual model for tropical convection and observational data for water vapor, the maintenance of the vertical distribution of the tropical tropospheric water vapor is discussed. While deep convection induces large-scale subsidence that constrains the turbulent downgradient mixing to within the convective boundary layer and effectively dries the troposphere through downward advection, it also pumps hydrometeors into the upper troposphere, whose subsequent evaporation appears to be the major source of moisture for the large-scale subsiding motion. The development of upper-level clouds and precipitation from these clouds may also act to dry the outflow, thus explaining the low relative humidity near the tropopause. A one-dimensional model is developed to simulate the mean vertical structure of water vapor in the tropical troposphere. It is also shown that the horizontal variation of water vapor in the tropical troposphere above the trade-wind boundary layer can be explained by the variation of a moisture source that is proportional to the amount of upper-level clouds. Implications for the nature of water vapor feedback in global warming are discussed.

Mediterranean climate and some tropical teleconnections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alpert, P.; Price, C.; Krichak, S.; Saaroni, H.; Osetinsky, I.; Barkan, J.; Kishcha, P.; Ziv, B.

2006-01-01

Some strong natural fluctuations of climate in the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) region are shown to be connected to the major tropical systems, e.g., El Ni no Southern Oscillation, South Asian Monsoon and hurricanes. Modelling of the severe floods suggests a relation to tropical hurricanes. For a specific event, high-resolution modelling of the severe flood on December 3-5, 2001 in Israel suggests a relation to hurricane Olga. In order to understand the factors governing the Eastern Mediterranean climate variability in the summer season, the relationship between extreme summer temperatures and the South Asian Monsoon was examined. Other tropical factors, like the Red Sea Trough system and the Saharan dust, also contribute to the Mediterranean climate variability

Respuesta de frijol al Endospor 33® a dosis 50% de fertilizante nitrogenado/fosfatado en agricultura protegida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Manuel Sanchez-Yañez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available El frijol requiere fertilización nitrogenada y fosfatada (FNP, cuya indiscriminada aplicación causa pérdida de productividad del suelo, una alternativa de solución para este problema es reducir y optimizar la dosis de FNP con un inoculante mixto con bacterias promotoras de crecimiento vegetal (BPCV y hongos micorricicos vesículo arbusculares (HMA. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la respuesta del frijol al inoculante mixto Endospor 33® a dosis reducida al 50% del FNP. En un suelo ferralítico rojo pobre de Nitrógeno (N y materia orgánica. Con un diseño experimental de bloques al azar con 5 tratamientos y 6 repeticiones. Los resultados indican que el porcentaje de germinación del frijol con Endospor 33® a la dosis 20 mg/semilla fue de 100%. A plántula con 10 mg/planta, tuvo 6,13g de peso fresco total (PFT y de 0,66g de peso seco total (PST comparado con el frijol control relativo (CR con 0,28g de PST con el 100% del FNP. A floración con 30 mg/planta Endospore 33® tuvo 1,5g de PST comparado con 1,07g de PST del frijol CR. A madurez fisiológica con 30mg/planta registro 34,83g/100 semillas, en contraste a su homologo CR con 20,39g/100 semillas. Lo anterior indica que este inoculante mixto es una opción en la producción del frijol a dosis reducida del FNP, sin afectar negativamente su crecimiento y/o rendimiento.

Tropical Pacific Observing for the Next Decade

Science.gov (United States)

Legler, David M.; Hill, Katherine

2014-06-01

More than 60 scientists and program officials from 13 countries met at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for the Tropical Pacific Observing System (TPOS) 2020 Workshop. The workshop, although motivated in part by the dramatic decline of NOAA's Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) buoy reporting from mid-2012 to early 2014 (see http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-07/aging-el-nino-buoys-getting-fixed-as-weather-forecasts-at-risk.html), evaluated the needs for tropical Pacific observing and initiated efforts to develop a more resilient and integrative observing system for the future.

Compendium of NASA Data Base for the Global Tropospheric Experiment's Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics B (PEM-Tropics B). Volume 1; DC-8

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, A. Donald, Jr.; Kleb, Mary M.; Raper, James L.

2000-01-01

This report provides a compendium of NASA aircraft data that are available from NASA's Global Tropospheric Experiment's (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics B (PEM-Tropics B) conducted in March and April 1999. PEM-Tropics B was conducted during the southern-tropical wet season when the influence from biomass burning observed in PEM-Tropics A was minimal. Major deployment sites were Hawaii, Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Tahiti, Fiji, and Easter Island. The broad goals of PEM-Tropics B were to improved understanding of the oxidizing power of the atmosphere and the processes controlling sulfur aerosol formation and to establish baseline values for chemical species that are directly coupled to the oxidizing power and aerosol loading of the troposphere. The purpose of this document is to provide a representation of aircraft data that will be available in archived format via NASA Langley's Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) or are available through the GTE Project Office archive. The data format is not intended to support original research/analysis, but to assist the reader in identifying data that are of interest.

Planeamiento estratégico del algarrobo

OpenAIRE

Aguirre Quintana, Cintya Bedith; Tacza Rojas, Armando Efraín; Valderrama Timaná, Walter Martín; Vilca Cárdenas, Karen Guissella

2016-01-01

xix, 131 h. : il. ; 30 cm Este documento constituye un plan estratégico para el algarrobo en el Perú, que cubre a las regiones de Lambayeque, Piura y Tumbes, dentro de los cuales se encuentra el bosque seco tropical. Dicha zona cuenta con las condiciones climáticas ideales para el cultivo de este árbol, sin embargo, esta actividad recién se está organizando en los últimos años gracias a la conformación de cooperativas o asociaciones. Las cuales no solo se encargan de producir, compaginando...

Establecimiento de la línea base de productos formulados con silicio y estudio de los efectos de los parámetros de desarrollo y sanitarío de plantas de banano cavendish (aaa), variedad williams

OpenAIRE

Moyano Del Pezo, Byron Edison; Jimenez Feijoo, Maria Isabel

2009-01-01

La presente investigación se realizó en el laboratorio de Fitopatología del Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas del Ecuador (CIBE), de la Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL). La ESPOL se encuentra ubicada en el Km 30.5 de la vía Perimetral a 80 m.s.n.m. dentro de un clima seco tropical en la ciudad de Guayaquil. Durante el periodo comprendido entre febrero y noviembre del 2008 se realizaron los ensayos correspondientes a la investigación cuyo objetivo fue el establecimiento...

Características nutritivas del ensilaje de Leucaena leucocephala con diferentes aditivos

OpenAIRE

Betancourt de Flores, M.; Clavero, Tyrone; Razz, Rosa

2009-01-01

Para estudiar la influencia de la melaza y ácido fórmico sobre las características nutritivas del ensilaje de Leucaena leucocephala, se realizó un estudio en una zona caracterizada como Bosque muy seco tropical, estado Zulia, Venezuela. Tres niveles de melaza (0, 2.5 y 5%) y ácido fórmico (0, 0.25 y 0.5%) fueron evaluados, utilizándose un diseño experimental completamente aleatorizado con arreglo factorial 3x3. Se evaluaron los contenidos de materia seca total (MST), proteína cruda (PC)...

Novedades en la distribución geográfica del grupo verrucarum (Diptera: Psychodidae) en Colombia.

OpenAIRE

Eduar Elías Bejarano; Diana Sierra; Iván Darío Vélez

2003-01-01

La incriminación de especies de Lutzomyia del grupo verrucarum Theodor, 1965, en la transmisión de leishmaniosis en Colombia ha puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de conocer en detalle su distribución geográfica. Este trabajo pretende contribuir a su conocimiento mediante la incorporación de 34 registros nuevos, entre los que sobresalen el hallazgo de Lutzomyia spinicrassa en un bosque seco tropical de la Costa Atlántica, la presencia de Lutzomyia ovallesi en la Orinoquia y Amazonia y la simpa...

Spatial and temporal distribution of tropical biomass burning

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Wei Min; Liu, Mei-Huey

1994-12-01

A database for the spatial and temporal distribution of the amount of biomass burned in tropical America, Africa, and Asia during the late 1970s is presented with a resolution of 5° latitude × 5° longitude. The sources of burning in each grid cell have been quantified. Savanna fires, shifting cultivation, deforestation, fuel wood use, and burning of agricultural residues contribute about 50, 24, 10, 11, and 5%, respectively, of total biomass burned in the tropics. Savanna fires dominate in tropical Africa, and forest fires dominate in tropical Asia. A similar amount of biomass is burned from forest and savanna fires in tropical America. The distribution of biomass burned monthly during the dry season has been derived for each grid cell using the seasonal cycles of surface ozone concentrations. Land use changes during the last decade could have a profound impact on the amount of biomass burned and the amount of trace gases and aerosol particles emitted.

Extinction risk escalates in the tropics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana C Vamosi

Full Text Available The latitudinal biodiversity gradient remains one of the most widely recognized yet puzzling patterns in nature. Presently, the high level of extinction of tropical species, referred to as the "tropical biodiversity crisis", has the potential to erode this pattern. While the connection between species richness, extinction, and speciation has long intrigued biologists, these interactions have experienced increased poignancy due to their relevancy to where we should concentrate our conservation efforts. Natural extinction is a phenomenon thought to have its own latitudinal gradient, with lower extinction rates in the tropics being reported in beetles, birds, mammals, and bivalves. Processes that have buffered ecosystems from high extinction rates in the past may also buffer ecosystems against disturbance of anthropogenic origin. While potential parallels between historical and present-day extinction patterns have been acknowledged, they remain only superficially explored and plant extinction patterns have been particularly neglected. Studies on the disappearances of animal species have reached conflicting conclusions, with the rate of extinction appearing either higher or lower in species richness hotspots. Our global study of extinction risk in vascular plants finds disproportionately higher extinction risk in tropical countries, even when indicators of human pressure (GDP, population density, forest cover change are taken into account. Our results are at odds with the notion that the tropics represent a museum of plant biodiversity (places of historically lowered extinction and we discuss mechanisms that may reconcile this apparent contradiction.

Extinction risk escalates in the tropics.

Science.gov (United States)

Vamosi, Jana C; Vamosi, Steven M

2008-01-01

The latitudinal biodiversity gradient remains one of the most widely recognized yet puzzling patterns in nature. Presently, the high level of extinction of tropical species, referred to as the "tropical biodiversity crisis", has the potential to erode this pattern. While the connection between species richness, extinction, and speciation has long intrigued biologists, these interactions have experienced increased poignancy due to their relevancy to where we should concentrate our conservation efforts. Natural extinction is a phenomenon thought to have its own latitudinal gradient, with lower extinction rates in the tropics being reported in beetles, birds, mammals, and bivalves. Processes that have buffered ecosystems from high extinction rates in the past may also buffer ecosystems against disturbance of anthropogenic origin. While potential parallels between historical and present-day extinction patterns have been acknowledged, they remain only superficially explored and plant extinction patterns have been particularly neglected. Studies on the disappearances of animal species have reached conflicting conclusions, with the rate of extinction appearing either higher or lower in species richness hotspots. Our global study of extinction risk in vascular plants finds disproportionately higher extinction risk in tropical countries, even when indicators of human pressure (GDP, population density, forest cover change) are taken into account. Our results are at odds with the notion that the tropics represent a museum of plant biodiversity (places of historically lowered extinction) and we discuss mechanisms that may reconcile this apparent contradiction.

Interpretation of TOMS Observations of Tropical Tropospheric Ozone with a Global Model and In Situ Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Randall V.; Jacob, Daniel J.; Logan, Jennifer A.; Bey, Isabelle; Yantosca, Robert M.; Staudt, Amanda C.; Fiore, Arlene M.; Duncan, Bryan N.; Liu, Hongyu; Ginoux, Paul

2004-01-01

We interpret the distribution of tropical tropospheric ozone columns (TTOCs) from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) by using a global three-dimensional model of tropospheric chemistry (GEOS-CHEM) and additional information from in situ observations. The GEOS-CHEM TTOCs capture 44% of the variance of monthly mean TOMS TTOCs from the convective cloud differential method (CCD) with no global bias. Major discrepancies are found over northern Africa and south Asia where the TOMS TTOCs do not capture the seasonal enhancements from biomass burning found in the model and in aircraft observations. A characteristic feature of these northern topical enhancements, in contrast to southern tropical enhancements, is that they are driven by the lower troposphere where the sensitivity of TOMS is poor due to Rayleigh scattering. We develop an efficiency correction to the TOMS retrieval algorithm that accounts for the variability of ozone in the lower troposphere. This efficiency correction increases TTOC's over biomass burning regions by 3-5 Dobson units (DU) and decreases them by 2-5 DU over oceanic regions, improving the agreement between CCD TTOCs and in situ observations. Applying the correction to CCD TTOCs reduces by approximately DU the magnitude of the "tropical Atlantic paradox" [Thompson et al, 2000], i.e. the presence of a TTOC enhancement over the southern tropical Atlantic during the northern African biomass burning season in December-February. We reproduce the remainder of the paradox in the model and explain it by the combination of upper tropospheric ozone production from lightning NOx, peristent subsidence over the southern tropical Atlantic as part of the Walker circulation, and cross-equatorial transport of upper tropospheric ozone from northern midlatitudes in the African "westerly duct." These processes in the model can also account for the observed 13-17 DU persistent wave-1 pattern in TTOCs with a maximum above the tropical Atlantic and a minimum

Reciclando a Tropicália: Tom Zé e o lixo lógico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Oliveira Campos Augusto

2015-06-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2176-8552.2016n20p111 Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar e analisar a tese de Tom Zé sobre a Tropicália, presente em seu disco Tropicália lixo lógico, lançado em 2012. Primeiramente, destacam-se duas características importantes da música popular brasileira, que ajudam a entender a possibilidade de um disco--tese: além de ser definida como um “campo dialogal” (1, a música popular brasileira é dotada de uma “malha de permeabilidades”, pelo modo como a alta cultura se cruza com produções populares, tendo como resultado a “leveza” (2. Em seu álbum, Tom Zé não apenas assume o protagonismo da interpretação da Tropicália, mas, também, desloca a antropofagia do centro interpretativo dessa manifestação artística e cultural brasileira. Nesse sentido, o disco é compreendido, levando-se em conta tanto seus aspectos físicos quanto simbólicos, a partir do que Walter Moser denomina de reciclagem cultural, uma vez que Tom Zé processa a inclusão de “restos” e “dejetos” no espaço cultural e artístico. Ademais, com a reciclagem do lixo lógico, o espaço hegemônico incorpora materiais culturais de outras procedências, colocando-os em diálogo.

Progress in tropical isotope dendroclimatology

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, M. N.; Schrag, D. P.; Poussart, P. F.; Anchukaitis, K. J.

2005-12-01

The terrestrial tropics remain an important gap in the growing high resolution proxy network used to characterize the mean state and variability of the hydrological cycle. Here we review early efforts to develop a new class of proxy paleorainfall/humidity indicators using intraseasonal to interannual-resolution stable isotope data from tropical trees. The approach invokes a recently published model of oxygen isotopic composition of alpha-cellulose, rapid methods for cellulose extraction from raw wood, and continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry to develop proxy chronological, rainfall and growth rate estimates from tropical trees, even those lacking annual rings. Isotopically-derived age models may be confirmed for modern intervals using trees of known age, radiocarbon measurements, direct measurements of tree diameter, and time series replication. Studies are now underway at a number of laboratories on samples from Costa Rica, northwestern coastal Peru, Indonesia, Thailand, New Guinea, Paraguay, Brazil, India, and the South American Altiplano. Improved sample extraction chemistry and online pyrolysis techniques should increase sample throughput, precision, and time series replication. Statistical calibration together with simple forward modeling based on the well-observed modern period can provide for objective interpretation of the data. Ultimately, replicated data series with well-defined uncertainties can be entered into multiproxy efforts to define aspects of tropical hydrological variability associated with ENSO, the meridional overturning circulation, and the monsoon systems.

The future of tropical forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, S Joseph

2010-05-01

Five anthropogenic drivers--land use change, wood extraction, hunting, atmospheric change, climate change--will largely determine the future of tropical forests. The geographic scope and intensity of these five drivers are in flux. Contemporary land use change includes deforestation (approximately 64,000 km(2) yr(-1) for the entire tropical forest biome) and natural forests regenerating on abandoned land (approximately 21,500 km(2) yr(-1) with just 29% of the biome evaluated). Commercial logging is shifting rapidly from Southeast Asia to Africa and South America, but local fuelwood consumption continues to constitute 71% of all wood production. Pantropical rates of net deforestation are declining even as secondary and logged forests increasingly replace old-growth forests. Hunters reduce frugivore, granivore and browser abundances in most forests. This alters seed dispersal, seed and seedling survival, and hence the species composition and spatial template of plant regeneration. Tropical governments have responded to these local threats by protecting 7% of all land for the strict conservation of nature--a commitment that is only matched poleward of 40 degrees S and 70 degrees N. Protected status often fails to stop hunters and is impotent against atmospheric and climate change. There are increasing reports of stark changes in the structure and dynamics of protected tropical forests. Four broad classes of mechanisms might contribute to these changes. Predictions are developed to distinguish among these mechanisms.

A global historical data set of tropical cyclone exposure (TCE-DAT)

Science.gov (United States)

Geiger, Tobias; Frieler, Katja; Bresch, David N.

2018-01-01

Tropical cyclones pose a major risk to societies worldwide, with about 22 million directly affected people and damages of USD 29 billion on average per year over the last 20 years. While data on observed cyclones tracks (location of the center) and wind speeds are publicly available, these data sets do not contain information about the spatial extent of the storm and people or assets exposed. Here, we apply a simplified wind field model to estimate the areas exposed to wind speeds above 34, 64, and 96 knots (kn). Based on available spatially explicit data on population densities and gross domestic product (GDP) we estimate (1) the number of people and (2) the sum of assets exposed to wind speeds above these thresholds accounting for temporal changes in historical distribution of population and assets (TCE-hist) and assuming fixed 2015 patterns (TCE-2015). The associated spatially explicit and aggregated country-event-level exposure data (TCE-DAT) cover the period 1950 to 2015 and are freely available at https://doi.org/10.5880/pik.2017.011 (Geiger at al., 2017c). It is considered key information to (1) assess the contribution of climatological versus socioeconomic drivers of changes in exposure to tropical cyclones, (2) estimate changes in vulnerability from the difference in exposure and reported damages and calibrate associated damage functions, and (3) build improved exposure-based predictors to estimate higher-level societal impacts such as long-term effects on GDP, employment, or migration. We validate the adequateness of our methodology by comparing our exposure estimate to estimated exposure obtained from reported wind fields available since 1988 for the United States. We expect that the free availability of the underlying model and TCE-DAT will make research on tropical cyclone risks more accessible to non-experts and stakeholders.

Evaluación del potencial de mejoramiento genético en el crecimiento en altura de Acacia mangium Willd.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iván Javier Pastrana-Vargas

2012-04-01

Full Text Available En el periodo 2009-2010, en Ayapel, Planeta Rica y Tierralta, departamento de Córdoba (Colombia se evaluó el desempeño en crecimiento en altura total de 90 familias de polinización abierta de Acacia mangium. En estos municipios el clima se clasifica, de acuerdo con Holdridge, como bosque seco tropical (Bs-T, excepto Tierralta que es bosque húmedo tropical (Bh-T. Durante el primer año de crecimiento, las plantas en cada familia fueron evaluadas en ensayos de progenie mediante un diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar, con seis bloques en cada una de las tres localidades. La parcela o unidad experimental consistió en seis plantas de polinización abierta por familia, distribuidas aleatoriamente en tres parejas espacialmente separadas dentro de cada bloque. La predicción de parámetros genéticos individuales y de familias se efectuó por medio del procedimiento BLUP y los componentes de varianza por medio del procedimiento REML utilizando el software SELEGEN. Las estimaciones de heredabilidad variaron entre <1 y 13%, y entre 6 y 68%, para heredabilidad individual en sentido estricto (h²a y heredabilidad media de familias (h²mp, respectivamente. El ranking genético en altura de las 15 mejores familias indica que las de mayor crecimiento fueron también las más estables y de mayor adaptabilidad a los ambientes. Los resultados sugieren un alto potencial de mejoramiento al nivel de familia en crecimiento y productividad de plantaciones de A. mangium en el departamento de Córdoba, Colombia. Son necesarios nuevos estudios a fin de lograr una mejor selección genética.

Particular characteristics of atopic eczema in tropical environments. The Tropical Environment Control for Chronic Eczema and Molecular Assessment (TECCEMA) cohort study

OpenAIRE

Sánchez, Jorge; Sánchez, Andrés; Cardona, Ricardo

2017-01-01

Abstract: Background: Atopic dermatitis is a prevalent health problem in the world. Allergic sensitization is an important risk factor, but the roles of other factors, inherent in tropic region, are unknown. Objective: A cohort study was designed in a tropical city to investigate molecular and environmental risk factors for eczema, considering as particular features perennial exposure to mites, poor living conditions and others tropical characteristics. Methods: 433 patients were included ...

Floristics and biogeography of vegetation in seasonally dry tropical regions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dexter, K.G.; Smart, B.; Baldauf, C.

2015-01-01

To provide an inter-continental overview of the floristics and biogeography of drought-adapted tropical vegetation formations, we compiled a dataset of inventory plots in South America (n=93), Africa (n=84), and Asia (n=92) from savannas (subject to fire), seasonally dry tropical forests (not...... similar vegetation formations (e.g. savannas) are floristically highly dissimilar. Neotropical moist forest, savanna and seasonally dry tropical forest are floristically distinct, but elsewhere there is no clear floristic division of savanna and seasonally dry tropical forest, though moist and dry...... of the ecology, biology and conservation of savannas and seasonally dry tropical forests may be difficult....

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal. Journal Home > Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

An empirical framework for tropical cyclone climatology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Nam-Young [Korea Meteorological Administration, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States); Elsner, James B. [Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States)

2012-08-15

An empirical approach for analyzing tropical cyclone climate is presented. The approach uses lifetime-maximum wind speed and cyclone frequency to induce two orthogonal variables labeled ''activity'' and ''efficiency of intensity''. The paired variations of activity and efficiency of intensity along with the opponent variations of frequency and intensity configure a framework for evaluating tropical cyclone climate. Although cyclone activity as defined in this framework is highly correlated with the commonly used exponent indices like accumulated cyclone energy, it does not contain cyclone duration. Empirical quantiles are used to determine threshold intensity levels, and variant year ranges are used to find consistent trends in tropical cyclone climatology. In the western North Pacific, cyclone activity is decreasing despite increases in lifetime-maximum intensity. This is due to overwhelming decreases in cyclone frequency. These changes are also explained by an increasing efficiency of intensity. The North Atlantic shows different behavior. Cyclone activity is increasing due to increasing frequency and, to a lesser extent, increasing intensity. These changes are also explained by a decreasing efficiency of intensity. Tropical cyclone trends over the North Atlantic basin are more consistent over different year ranges than tropical cyclone trends over the western North Pacific. (orig.)

7 CFR 1437.505 - Application for payment for the tropical region.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Application for payment for the tropical region. 1437... DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Determining Coverage in the Tropical Region § 1437.505 Application for payment for the tropical region. (a) For producers of covered tropical crops in Guam, Virgin Islands, American...

Evaluación de la asociación bacterias fijadoras de nitrógeno - líneas interespecíficas de arroz-nitrógeno, en Typic haplustalf. Ibagué, Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margarita M Vallejo

2008-01-01

Full Text Available El estudio se llevó a cabo en la hacienda Cauchitos, municipio de Ibagué, departamento del Tolima (Norte 4° 23' 51" y Oeste 75° 9' 7", 979 msnm, 24.3°C, bosque seco tropical (bs-T, con el objetivo de evaluar las asociaciones entre bacterias fijadoras de nitrógeno con inóculo y sin él en diez líneas interespecíficas de arroz, con tres dosis de nitrógeno (0%, 50% y 100% de 250 kg/ha-1 y tres repeticiones por tratamiento. La inoculación se realizó con 1 cm³ de unidades formadoras de colonias por 250 g de semilla de cada cultivar. Se aislaron 2.260 bacterias de los géneros Azotobacter spp y Azospirillum spp, se identificaron las especies A. brasilense, A. lipoferum, A. amazonense y del género Azotobacter las especies A. chroococcum, A. vinelandii, A. paspali y A. beijerinckii. Respecto al inóculo no se encontraron diferencias significativas al realizar su aplicación, se determinó que Azotobacter spp y Azospirillum spp fueron géneros típicos de la flora bacteriana en el cultivo del arroz y en condiciones de campo hubo efecto de los tratamientos en la flora bacteriana, y Azotobacter spp fue el predominante en cada uno de los tratamientos.

Chapter 50: history of tropical neurology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogunniyi, Adesola

2010-01-01

Tropical neurology began less than two centuries ago. Consumption of dietary toxins predominated at the beginning and gave birth to the geographic entity. The story moved from lathyrism through Jamaican neuropathy to cassava-induced epidemic neuropathy, which was contrasted with Konzo, also associated with cassava. Other tropical diseases enumerated with chronological details include: Chaga's diseases, kwashiorkor, Madras type of motor neuron disease, atlanto-axial dislocation, Burkitt's lymphoma and Kuru, associated with cannibalism among the Fore linguistic group in New Guinea. More recent documentation includes the Cuban neuropathy in 1991 with an epidemic of visual loss and neuropathy, Anaphe venata entomophagy in Nigeria presenting as seasonal ataxia, and neurological aspects of the human immunodeficiency virus infection complete the picture. With time, professional associations were formed and the pioneers were given prominence. The World Federation of Neurology featured Geographic Neurology as a theme in 1977 and Tropical Neurology was given prominence at its 1989 meeting in New Delhi, India. The situation remains unchanged with regards to rare diseases like Meniere's, multiple sclerosis, hereditary disorders. However, with westernization and continued urbanization, changing disease patterns are being observed and tropical neurology may depart from dietary toxins to more western world-type disorders.

Regionalización de los días secos en Argentina: Un enfoque metodológico Regionalization of dry days in Argentina: A methodological approach

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María L Bettolli

2010-12-01

Full Text Available La regionalización de diferentes variables climáticas ha sido llevada a cabo en diversas zonas del mundo, dado que para distintos propósitos es conveniente dividir espacialmente la climatología de una variable en un número de áreas cuasi-homogéneas. El objetivo de este trabajo es la obtención de una regionalización objetiva de las distintas variabilidades temporales de las cantidades de días secos en la República Argentina durante el trimestre de verano. Con el fin de lograr regiones con similar variabilidad temporal en las cantidades de días secos se exploraron dos métodos: Análisis de Componentes Principales (ACP y el algoritmo de agrupamiento no-jerárquico de k-means. En base a una evaluación de los patrones espaciales, la regionalización obtenida mediante el método de k-means aplicado sobre las componentes principales rotadas más importantes, es más apropiada en comparación con la determinada por el método de ACP rotadas. Mediante este método, el territorio nacional presenta seis regiones principales: las regiones Centro- Este; Noreste; Centro y Sur Bonaerense; Noroeste; Centro-Oeste y Patagónica, las cuales son climáticamente coherentes.Objective regionalizations of different climatic variables have been performed in many regions of the World. For different purposes is convenient to make a spatial regionalization to find quasi-homogeneous climatic regions. The main objective of this work is to identify spatially homogeneous regions of dry days in Argentina with different temporal variabilities during summer season. In order to achieve regions with similar temporal variability in the amount of dry days, two methods are explored: principal component analysis (PCA and k-means nonhierarchical cluster method. By means of a spatial patterns examination, the regionalization derived by k-means on the most important rotated principal components extracted is more adequate in comparison with the proposed by PCA method. Through

Tropics accelerate the evolution of hybrid male sterility in Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Yukilevich, Roman

2013-06-01

Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms that facilitate speciation and explain global patterns of species diversity has remained a challenge for decades. The most general pattern of species biodiversity is the latitudinal gradient, whereby species richness increases toward the tropics. Although such a global pattern probably has a multitude of causes, recent attention has focused on the hypothesis that speciation and the evolution of reproductive isolation occur faster in the tropics. Here, I tested this prediction using a dataset on premating and postzygotic isolation between recently diverged Drosophila species. Results showed that while the evolution of premating isolation was not greater between tropical Drosophila relative to nontropical species, postzygotic isolation evolved faster in the tropics. In particular, hybrid male sterility was much greater among tropical Drosophila compared to nontropical species pairs of similar genetic age. Several testable explanations for the novel pattern are discussed, including greater role for sterility-inducing bacterial endosymbionts in the tropics and more intense sperm-sperm competition or sperm-egg sexual conflict in the tropics. The results imply that processes of speciation in the tropics may evolve at different rates or may even be somewhat different from those at higher latitudes. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

A biogeographical study on tropical flora of southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hua

2017-12-01

The tropical climate in China exists in southeastern Xizang (Tibet), southwestern to southeastern Yunnan, southwestern Guangxi, southern Guangdon, southern Taiwan, and Hainan, and these southern Chinese areas contain tropical floras. I checked and synonymized native seed plants from these tropical areas in China and recognized 12,844 species of seed plants included in 2,181 genera and 227 families. In the tropical flora of southern China, the families are mainly distributed in tropical areas and extend into temperate zones and contribute to the majority of the taxa present. The genera with tropical distributions also make up the most of the total flora. In terms of geographical elements, the genera with tropical Asian distribution constitute the highest proportion, which implies tropical Asian or Indo-Malaysia affinity. Floristic composition and geographical elements are conspicuous from region to region due to different geological history and ecological environments, although floristic similarities from these regions are more than 90% and 64% at the family and generic levels, respectively, but lower than 50% at specific level. These differences in the regional floras could be influenced by historical events associated with the uplift of the Himalayas, such as the southeastward extrusion of the Indochina geoblock, clockwise rotation and southeastward movement of Lanping-Simao geoblock, and southeastward movement of Hainan Island. The similarity coefficients between the flora of southern China and those of Indochina countries are more than 96% and 80% at family and generic levels, indicating their close floristic affinity and inclusion in the same biogeographically floristic unit.

Biogenic VOC Emissions from Tropical Landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Guenther, A.; Greenberg, J.; Harley, P.; Otter, L.; Vanni Gatti, L.; Baker, B.

2003-04-01

Biogenic VOC have an important role in determining the chemical composition of atmosphere. As a result, these compounds are important for visibility, biogeochemical cycling, climate and radiative forcing, and the health of the biosphere. Tropical landscapes are estimated to release about 80% of total global biogenic VOC emissions but have been investigated to lesser extent than temperate regions. Tropical VOC emissions are particularly important due to the strong vertical transport and the rapid landuse change that is occurring there. This presentation will provide an overview of field measurements of biogenic VOC emissions from tropical landscapes in Amazonia (Large-scale Biosphere-atmosphere experiment in Amazonia, LBA) Central (EXPRESSO) and Southern (SAFARI 2000) Africa, Asia and Central America. Flux measurement methods include leaf-scale (enclosure measurements), canopy-scale (above canopy tower measurements), landscape-scale (tethered balloon), and regional-scale (aircraft measurements) observations. Typical midday isoprene emission rates for different landscapes vary by more than a factor of 20 with the lowest emissions observed from degraded forests. Emissions of alpha-pinene vary by a similar amount with the highest emissions associated with landscapes dominated by light dependent monoterpene emitting plants. Isoprene emissions tend to be higher for neotropical forests (Amazon and Costa Rica) in comparison to Africa and Asian tropical forests but considerable differences are observed within regions. Strong seasonal variations were observed in both the Congo and the Amazon rainforests with peak emissions during the dry seasons. Substantial emissions of light dependent monoterpenes, methanol and acetone are characteristic of at least some tropical landscapes.

Compendium of NASA Data Base for the Global Tropospheric Experiment's Pacific Exploratory Mission - Tropics B (PEM-Tropics B). Volume 2; P-3B

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, A. Donald, Jr.; Kleb, Mary M.; Raper, James L.

2000-01-01

This report provides a compendium of NASA aircraft data that are available from NASA's Global Tropospheric Experiment's (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics B (PEM-Tropics B) conducted in March and April 1999. PEM-Tropics B was conducted during the southern-tropical wet season when the influence from biomass burning observed in PEM-Tropics A was minimal. Major deployment sites were Hawaii, Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Tahiti, Fiji, and Easter Island. The broad goals of PEM-Tropics B were to improved understanding of the oxidizing power of the atmosphere and the processes controlling sulfur aerosol formation and to establish baseline values for chemical species that are directly coupled to the oxidizing power and aerosol loading of the troposphere. The purpose of this document is to provide a representation of aircraft data that will be available in archived format via NASA Langley's Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) or are available through the GTE Project Office archive. The data format is not intended to support original research/analysis, but to assist the reader in identifying data that are of interest.

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission: Monitoring the Global Tropics for 3 Years and Beyond. 1.1

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Marshall; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) was launched in November 1997 as a joint U.S.-Japanese mission to advance understanding of the global energy and water cycle by providing distributions of rainfall and latent heating over the global tropics. As a part of NASA's Earth System Enterprise, TRMM seeks to understand the mechanisms through which changes in tropical rainfall influence global circulation. Additionally, a goal is to improve the ability to model these processes in order to predict global circulations and rainfall variability at monthly and longer time scales. Such understanding has implications for assessing climate processes related to El Nino/La Nina and Global Warming. TRMM has also provided unexpected and exciting new knowledge and applications in areas related to hurricane monitoring, lightning, pollution, hydrology, and other areas. This CD-ROM includes a self-contained PowerPoint presentation that provides an overview of TRMM and significant science results; a set of data movies or animation; and listings of current TRMM-related publications in the literature.

Design basis tropical cyclone for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The general characteristics of tropical cyclones are discussed in this Safety Guide, with particular emphasis on their pressure and wind structures in the light of available data. General methods are given for the evaluation of the relevant parameters of a Probable Maximum Tropical Cyclone (PMTC), which can be used as the Design Basis Tropical Cyclone (DBTC); these parameters then serve as inputs for the derivation of a design basis surge and a design basis wind. A possible method is also given for the evaluation of the PMTC pressure and wind field based on an approach valid primarily for a particular region. This method depends on the results of a theoretical study on the tropical cyclone structure and makes use of a large amount of data, including aircraft reconnaissance observations for 170 most intense tropical cyclones near the coast of Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines for the period 1960-1974, as well as detailed analyses of all the extreme storms along the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of the USA during 1900-1978, for the determination of the necessary parameters

Agro-Science Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Food, Environment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

OLUWOLE AKINNAGBE

2009-09-03

Sep 3, 2009 ... Agro-Science Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Food, Environment and Extension. Volume 8 ... 3 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, High Rainfall Station,. Onne, Rivers State ...... Biosciences proceedings. 6: 444-454.

Parâmetros biométricos do trato genital masculino de caprinos sem raça definida (SRD criados no semi-árido nordestino durante o período seco e chuvoso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Cláudia Nascimento Campos

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho teve por objetivo comparar a morfometria do trato genital masculino caprino entre a época seca e chuvosa. Foram coletados 46 e 52 genitais de machos caprinos na época seca e chuvosa, respectivamente. Testículos foram identificados em direito ou esquerdo, mensurados quanto ao comprimento, espessura e diâmetro. Os epidídimos foram pesados. Ductos deferentes e o pênis foram mensurados quanto ao comprimento. As vesículas seminais foram identificadas em direita ou esquerda, pesadas individualmente, e mensuradas quanto ao comprimento, largura e espessura. Os parâmetros de peso, largura, espessura e comprimento das diferentes estruturas foram submetidos ao teste t de Student a 5,00% de probabilidade. Os resultados demonstraram que houve diferença significativa entre os parâmetros mensurados no período seco e chuvoso (P<0,05, com exceção da vesícula seminal. Também foi demonstrado que os maiores valores foram encontrados no período seco, com exceção do ducto deferente. Concluiu-se que os parâmetros biométricos de caprinos SRD da região semi-árida do Nordeste do Brasil são inferiores aos citados na literatura internacional. Estes resultados demonstraram que o processo de adaptação de raças exóticas trazidas pelos colonizadores portugueses ao longo destes 500 anos provocou uma diminuição do porte dos mesmos, tornando-os mais rústicos, porém com características reprodutivas normais, mesmo em épocas de escassez de alimentos.

Estimation of leaf area in tropical maize

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elings, A.

2000-01-01

Leaf area development of six tropical maize cultivars grown in 1995 and 1996 in several tropical environments in Mexico (both favourable and moisture-and N-limited) was observed and analysed. First, the validity of a bell-shaped curve describing the area of individual leaves as a function of leaf

Where are the tropical plants? A call for better inclusion of tropical plants in studies investigating and predicting the effects of climate change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenneth J Feeley

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tropical plant species are systematically underrepresented in large-scale analyses or synthesis looking at the potential effects of global climate change.  The reason being that we simply don’t know enough about the distributions and ecologies of most tropical plant species to predict their fate under climate change. This gaping hole in our knowledge is extremely worrisome given the high diversity of tropical plants, the crucial roles that they play in supporting global diversity and ecosystem function, and the elevated threats that climate change may pose to tropical species in general.  

Eventos extremos de precipitação no estado do Ceará e suas relações com a temperatura dos oceanos tropicais Extreme rainfall events in Ceará state and its relationship with tropical oceans temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Antonio Costa dos Santos

2011-03-01

Full Text Available O principal objetivo deste trabalho é prover informações sobre as tendências recentes dos eventos extremos de precipitação sobre o Estado do Ceará, associando esses eventos extremos às anomalias de Temperatura da Superfície do Mar (TSM nos Oceanos Pacífico e Atlântico. Foram utilizados dados pluviométricos de 18 postos de 1971 a 2006 e o método de Mann-Kendall foi utilizado na obtenção das tendências. Os resultados mostram que existem características de aumento nas intensidades das secas e diminuição dos eventos de precipitação forte, e que o aumento nas anomalias de TSM no Pacífico e ao norte do equador, no Oceano Atlântico, acarreta em um aumento do número de dias consecutivos secos no norte do Ceará. Os índices extremos de precipitação mostraram correlações negativas com as anomalias de TSM nas regiões do Pacífico do Atlântico Tropical Norte e positivas com a região do Atlântico Tropical Sul. Entretanto, para a região sul do Ceará, o comportamento dos dias consecutivos chuvosos indica que o período chuvoso é governado por outros sistemas atmosféricos, necessitando assim, ser melhor estudado para o entendimento desse comportamento.The main objective of this study is to provide information about recent trends of extreme rainfall over Ceará State, associating these extreme events with Sea Surface Temperature (SST anomalies in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Mann-Kendall method is applied to rainfall data of 18 rain gauges from 1971 to 2006 to obtain the trends. The results show that the drought intensity is increasing and the heavy precipitation events are decreasing and that the increase in the Pacific and north of equator Atlantic Ocean SST anomalies lead to an increase in the number of consecutive dry days in northern Ceará. Rainfall extreme indices have shown negative correlations with SST anomalies on Pacific and Tropical North Atlantic regions and positive with Tropical South Atlantic region

Determination of some elements in Ageratum conyziodes, a tropical medicinal plant, using instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dim, L.A.; Funtua, I.I.; Umar, I.M.; Gwozdz, R.

2004-01-01

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was utilized for the multielemental determination of elements in the roots of Ageratum conyzoides, a tropical medicinal plant that is used locally for the cure of various diseases in Nigeria. The concentrations of Al, Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sc, Sr, V and Zn were analyzed with the 250 kW Triga Reactor at the Atominstitut, Vienna. The essential elements K, Na, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn and the non-essential elements Al, Ba, Sr and Rb are present in significant concentrations. Other elements including Co, Cr, Sc and V are present at trace levels. The likely implication of these elements in restoring and maintaining good health is discussed. Quality control on the measurements was carried out by analyzing standard reference materials alongside the samples. (author)

Mercury in tropical and subtropical coastal environments

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Monica F.; Landing, William M.; Kehrig, Helena A.; Barletta, Mário; Holmes, Christopher D.; Barrocas, Paulo R. G.; Evers, David C.; Buck, David G.; Vasconcellos, Ana Claudia; Hacon, Sandra S.; Moreira, Josino C.; Malm, Olaf

2012-01-01

Anthropogenic activities influence the biogeochemical cycles of mercury, both qualitatively and quantitatively, on a global scale from sources to sinks. Anthropogenic processes that alter the temporal and spatial patterns of sources and cycling processes are changing the impacts of mercury contamination on aquatic biota and humans. Human exposure to mercury is dominated by the consumption of fish and products from aquaculture operations. The risk to society and to ecosystems from mercury contamination is growing, and it is important to monitor these expanding risks. However, the extent and manner to which anthropogenic activities will alter mercury sources and biogeochemical cycling in tropical and sub-tropical coastal environments is poorly understood. Factors as (1) lack of reliable local/regional data; (2) rapidly changing environmental conditions; (3) governmental priorities and; (4) technical actions from supra-national institutions, are some of the obstacles to overcome in mercury cycling research and policy formulation. In the tropics and sub-tropics, research on mercury in the environment is moving from an exploratory “inventory” phase towards more process-oriented studies. Addressing biodiversity conservation and human health issues related to mercury contamination of river basins and tropical coastal environments are an integral part of paragraph 221 paragraph of the United Nations document “The Future We Want” issued in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. PMID:22901765

Impedance spectroscopy evolution upon sintering of Al-rich anodising sludge-based extruded bodies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ribeiro, M. J.

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Alumina based ceramic materials, containing Al-rich sludge as the major component, were processed by extrusion. The sludge derived from the wastewater treatment of aluminium anodising industrial process. Long rods were produced using a vacuum screw extruder, by a careful control of all relevant processing parameters. Then, thick discs were obtained by cutting dried selected rods, to be tested as probes for sintering-dependent electrical properties. The sintering process was followed by performing common dilatometric/thermal analyses but the evolution of electrical conductivity, estimated by impedance spectroscopy (IS, was also used for this purpose. Results show that sintering-dependent morphological evolution up to 1300ºC strongly affects the electrical behaviour of samples, and as a consequence IS seems to be a useful technique to follow the firing process.

Los materiales cerámicos basados en alúmina, conteniendo barros ricos en Al como componente mayoritario fueron procesados por extrusión. Los barros empleados provienen de tratamientos de lavado de residuos de un proceso industrial de anodizado de aluminio. Se produjeron varillas empleando un extrusor de tornillo en vacío con control de todos los parámetros relevantes del proceso. A partir de varillas seleccionadas, se obtuvieron por corte en seco discos cerámicos para evaluar la dependencia de la sinterización y las propiedades eléctricas. El proceso de sinterización se siguió mediante ensayos dilatométricos y análisis térmicos, junto con la evolución de la conductividad eléctrica mediante espectroscopia de impedancia. Los resultados mostraron la evolución de la sinterización y la dependencia morfológica hasta 1300ºC, que afecta fuertemente a la respuesta eléctrica y como consecuencia la espectroscopia de impedancia parece ser una técnica útil en el seguimiento de los procesos de cocción.

Microbial drivers of spatial heterogeneity of nitrous oxide pulse dynamics following drought in an experimental tropical rainforest

Science.gov (United States)

Young, J. C.; Sengupta, A.; U'Ren, J.; Van Haren, J. L. M.; Meredith, L. K.

2017-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a long-lived, potent greenhouse gas with increasing atmospheric concentrations. Soil microbes in agricultural and natural ecosystems are the dominant source of N2O, which involves complex interactions between N-cycling microbes, metabolisms, soil properties, and plants. Tropical rainforests are the largest natural source of N2O, however the microbial and environmental drivers are poorly understood as few studies have been performed in these environments. Thus, there is an urgent need for further research to fill in knowledge gaps regarding tropical N-cycling, and the response of soil microbial communities to changes in precipitation patterns, temperature, nitrogen deposition, and land use. To address this data gap, we performed a whole-forest drought in the tropical rainforest biome in Biosphere 2 (B2) and analyzed connections between soil microbes, forest heterogeneity, and N2O emissions. The B2 rainforest is the hottest tropical rainforest on Earth, and is an important model system for studying the response of tropical forests to warming with controlled experimentation. In this study, we measured microbial community abundance and diversity profiles (16S rRNA and ITS2 amplicon sequencing) along with their association with soil properties (e.g. pH, C, N) during the drought and rewetting at five locations (3 depths), including regions that have been previously characterized with high and low N2O drought pulse dynamics (van Haren et al., 2005). In this study, we present the spatial distribution of soil microbial communities within the rainforest at Biosphere 2 and their correlations with edaphic factors. In particular, we focus on microbial, soil, and plant factors that drive high and low N2O pulse zones. As in the past, we found that N2O emissions were highest in response to rewetting in a zone hypothesized to be rich in nutrients from a nearby sugar palm. We will characterize microbial indicator species and nitrogen cycling genes to better

Oclusión canalicular con tapones de silicona de Herrick en el tratamiento del ojo seco Canicular occlusion with Herrick silicone plugs in the treatment of dry eye

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Alemañy González

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Para evaluar la desaparición de síntomas y signos en el síndrome de ojo seco por deficiencia del componente acuoso de la película lagrimal, se estudiaron 15 pacientes que llevaban tratamiento con lágrimas artificiales, a pesar de lo cual presentaban síntomas por sequedad ocular. Se realizó oclusión canalicular de prueba con tapones de colágeno y luego definitiva con los de silicona de Herrick en el canalículo inferior. Se evaluaron por consulta hasta un año después del proceder. Se encontró que el 52 % de los casos tuvieron desaparición de los síntomas, el 40 % necesitaron añadir colirio de lágrimas artificiales ocasionalmente y el 8 % de los casos necesitaron oclusión del canalículo superior. Este tratamiento es un método sencillo y efectivo, que proporciona alivio a largo plazo a los pacientes con síndrome de ojo seco, mejorando su calidad de vida.To evaluate the disappearance of symptoms and signs in the dry eye syndrome due to deficiency of the aqueous component of the lacrimal film, 15 patients that were under treatment with artificial tears, although they still had symptoms resulting from ocular dryness, were studied. Canicular occlusion with collagen plugs was performed first as a test and then definitive occlusion with Herrick silicone plugs in the inferior canaliculus. These patients were evaluated at the physician’s office a year after the procedure. It was found that the symptoms dissappeared in 52 % of the cases, that 40 % needed to add occasionally collyrium of artificial tears and that 8 % of them required occlusion of the superior canaliculus. This treatment is a simple and effective method that provides long-term release to patients with dry eye syndrome and improves their quality of life.

Constrained parameterisation of photosynthetic capacity causes significant increase of modelled tropical vegetation surface temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Kattge, J.; Knorr, W.; Raddatz, T.; Wirth, C.

2009-04-01

Photosynthetic capacity is one of the most sensitive parameters of terrestrial biosphere models whose representation in global scale simulations has been severely hampered by a lack of systematic analyses using a sufficiently broad database. Due to its coupling to stomatal conductance changes in the parameterisation of photosynthetic capacity may potentially influence transpiration rates and vegetation surface temperature. Here, we provide a constrained parameterisation of photosynthetic capacity for different plant functional types in the context of the photosynthesis model proposed by Farquhar et al. (1980), based on a comprehensive compilation of leaf photosynthesis rates and leaf nitrogen content. Mean values of photosynthetic capacity were implemented into the coupled climate-vegetation model ECHAM5/JSBACH and modelled gross primary production (GPP) is compared to a compilation of independent observations on stand scale. Compared to the current standard parameterisation the root-mean-squared difference between modelled and observed GPP is substantially reduced for almost all PFTs by the new parameterisation of photosynthetic capacity. We find a systematic depression of NUE (photosynthetic capacity divided by leaf nitrogen content) on certain tropical soils that are known to be deficient in phosphorus. Photosynthetic capacity of tropical trees derived by this study is substantially lower than standard estimates currently used in terrestrial biosphere models. This causes a decrease of modelled GPP while it significantly increases modelled tropical vegetation surface temperatures, up to 0.8°C. These results emphasise the importance of a constrained parameterisation of photosynthetic capacity not only for the carbon cycle, but also for the climate system.

Rapid Cycling Genomic Selection in a Multiparental Tropical Maize Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuecai; Pérez-Rodríguez, Paulino; Burgueño, Juan; Olsen, Michael; Buckler, Edward; Atlin, Gary; Prasanna, Boddupalli M; Vargas, Mateo; San Vicente, Félix; Crossa, José

2017-07-05

Genomic selection (GS) increases genetic gain by reducing the length of the selection cycle, as has been exemplified in maize using rapid cycling recombination of biparental populations. However, no results of GS applied to maize multi-parental populations have been reported so far. This study is the first to show realized genetic gains of rapid cycling genomic selection (RCGS) for four recombination cycles in a multi-parental tropical maize population. Eighteen elite tropical maize lines were intercrossed twice, and self-pollinated once, to form the cycle 0 (C 0 ) training population. A total of 1000 ear-to-row C 0 families was genotyped with 955,690 genotyping-by-sequencing SNP markers; their testcrosses were phenotyped at four optimal locations in Mexico to form the training population. Individuals from families with the best plant types, maturity, and grain yield were selected and intermated to form RCGS cycle 1 (C 1 ). Predictions of the genotyped individuals forming cycle C 1 were made, and the best predicted grain yielders were selected as parents of C 2 ; this was repeated for more cycles (C 2 , C 3 , and C 4 ), thereby achieving two cycles per year. Multi-environment trials of individuals from populations C 0, C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , and C 4 , together with four benchmark checks were evaluated at two locations in Mexico. Results indicated that realized grain yield from C 1 to C 4 reached 0.225 ton ha -1 per cycle, which is equivalent to 0.100 ton ha -1  yr -1 over a 4.5-yr breeding period from the initial cross to the last cycle. Compared with the original 18 parents used to form cycle 0 (C 0 ), genetic diversity narrowed only slightly during the last GS cycles (C 3 and C 4 ). Results indicate that, in tropical maize multi-parental breeding populations, RCGS can be an effective breeding strategy for simultaneously conserving genetic diversity and achieving high genetic gains in a short period of time. Copyright © 2017 Zhang et al.

Topic 2.0: Tropical cyclone formation and extratropical transition

OpenAIRE

Harr, Patrick A.

2010-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited In this section, progress since ITWC-VI on research, observations and forecasting of tropical cyclone formation and extratropical transition is summarized. While tropical cyclone formation and extratropical transition are stages at opposite ends of the tropical cyclone lifecycle, significant lack of understanding remains in relation to processes associated with each stage. Formation and extratropical transition involve interactions a...

Trade, tropical deforestation and policy interventions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbier, E.B.; Rauscher, M.

1992-01-01

This paper examines several aspects of the links between the trade in tropical timber and deforestation from the perspective of an exporting country. The various versions of the model developed here have highlighted a number of important features of this linkage. First, if the producer country values its tropical forest solely as a source of timber export earnings then it will aim for a smaller forest stock in the long run than if it also considers the other values provided by the forest. Second, if importing nations want the exporting countries to conserve more of their forests, trade interventions appear to be second-best way of achieving this result. Third, increased market power by a large country exporter or group of exporters may actually lead to greater forest conservation. Finally, the existence of a foreign capital market may further ensure that the tropical timber country may conserve its forest stock in the long run. Several recent reviews of global forest sector policies have discussed implications similar to those analyzed theoretically in our model. Generally, the same conclusions have been reached. However, what is of increasing concern is that domestic market and policy failures within tropical forest countries continue to distort the incentives for more sustainable management of timber production and efficient development of processing capacity, while at the same time the international community increasingly contemplates the use of bans, tariffs and other trade measures to discourage 'unsustainable' tropical timber exploitation. As our paper has attempted to show, sometimes the more simple solutions lead neither to a straightforward, nor to the desired, results. 18 refs, 1 fig

An efficient DNA isolation method for tropical plants

African Journals Online (AJOL)

walkinnet

2013-05-08

May 8, 2013 ... 2Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, P. R. ... yielded high-quality DNA from 10 tropical plants including cassava, rubber tree, banana, etc. ..... Major Projects (GrantNo.

Quantifying the magnitude of a missing hydroxyl radical source in a tropical rainforest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. K. Whalley

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The lifetime of methane is controlled to a very large extent by the abundance of the OH radical. The tropics are a key region for methane removal, with oxidation in the lower tropical troposphere dominating the global methane removal budget (Bloss et al., 2005. In tropical forested environments where biogenic VOC emissions are high and NO_x concentrations are low, OH concentrations are assumed to be low due to rapid reactions with sink species such as isoprene. New, simultaneous measurements of OH concentrations and OH reactivity, k'_OH, in a Borneo rainforest are reported and show much higher OH than predicted, with mean peak concentrations of ~2.5×10⁶ molecule cm⁻³ (10 min average observed around solar noon. Whilst j(O¹D and humidity were high, low O₃ concentrations limited the OH production from O₃ photolysis. Measured OH reactivity was very high, peaking at a diurnal average of 29.1±8.5 s⁻¹, corresponding to an OH lifetime of only 34 ms. To maintain the observed OH concentration given the measured OH reactivity requires a rate of OH production approximately 10 times greater than calculated using all measured OH sources. A test of our current understanding of the chemistry within a tropical rainforest was made using a detailed zero-dimensional model to compare with measurements. The model over-predicted the observed HO₂ concentrations and significantly under-predicted OH concentrations. Inclusion of an additional OH source formed as a recycled product of OH initiated isoprene oxidation improved the modelled OH agreement but only served to worsen the HO₂ model/measurement agreement. To replicate levels of both OH and HO₂, a process that recycles HO₂ to OH is required; equivalent to the OH recycling effect of 0.74 ppbv of NO. This recycling step increases OH concentrations by 88 % at noon and has

Produção de nanopartículas de Al2O3 utilizando água de coco maduro (coco seco Production of Al2O3 nanoparticles employing mature coconut water (dried coconut

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. K. S. Soares

2013-03-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho propõe o emprego de uma nova rota de produção de nanopartículas para aplicação em indústria cerâmica. Esta rota, conhecida como rota sol-gel proteico, usualmente utiliza água de coco verde para dissolver os sais precursores, em substituição aos alcóxidos metálicos empregados no processo convencional. No entanto, não existem relatos da utilização da água de coco maduro, geralmente descartada pelas indústrias de processamento de coco, para fabricação de nanopartículas. Nanopartículas de Al2O3 foram produzidas através da rota sol-gel proteico utilizando água de coco maduro como fluido precursor molecular e foram caracterizadas por meio de análises termogravimétrica-térmica diferencial, difração de raios X, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e microscopia de força atômica. Amostras com água de coco verde também foram produzidas e usadas como referência. A fase γ-Al2O3 foi obtida após calcinação a 700 °C, permanecendo estável após calcinação a 1200 °C. Observou-se um aumento no tamanho das partículas à medida que a temperatura de calcinação aumentava, sendo os tamanhos estimados em ~ 400 nm para as amostras calcinadas a 1200 °C.The present work proposes a new preparation route of nanoparticles to be used in the ceramic industry. This new route, known as proteic sol-gel, usually employs green coconut water to dissolve the precursor salts, instead of conventional metal alcoxides. However there are no reports about the employment of water from mature coconut in the preparation of nanoparticles, which is usually disposed in the coconut processing industry. Al2O3 nanoparticles were produced via proteic sol-gel route using mature coconut water and were characterized through DTA/TG and XRD measurements and SEM and AFM images. The γ-Al2O3 phase was obtained after calcination at 700 °C, and was stable even after calcination at 1200 °C. An increase in particle size while the temperature

Resolving Tropical Cyclone Intensity in Models

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, C. A.

2018-02-01

In recent years, global weather forecast models and global climate models have begun to depict intense tropical cyclones, even up to category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. In light of the limitation of horizontal resolution in such models, the author performs calculations, using the extended Best Track data for Atlantic tropical cyclones, to estimate the ability of models with differing grid spacing to represent Atlantic tropical cyclone intensity statistically. Results indicate that, under optimistic assumptions, models with horizontal grid spacing of one fourth degree or coarser should not produce a realistic number of category 4 and 5 storms unless there are errors in spatial attributes of the wind field. Furthermore, the case of Irma (2017) is used to demonstrate the importance of a realistic depiction of angular momentum and to motivate the use of angular momentum in model evaluation.

Conceptualizing the role of sediment in sustaining ecosystem services: Sediment-ecosystem regional assessment (SEcoRA).

Science.gov (United States)

Apitz, Sabine E

2012-01-15

There is a growing trend to include a consideration of ecosystem services, the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, within decision frameworks. Not more than a decade ago, sediment management efforts were largely site-specific and held little attention except in terms of managing contaminant inputs and addressing sediments as a nuisance at commercial ports and harbors. Sediments figure extensively in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment; however, contaminated sediment is not the dominant concern. Rather, the focus is on land and water use and management on the landscape scale, which can profoundly affect soil and sediment quality, quantity and fate. Habitat change and loss, due to changes in sediment inputs, whether reductions (resulting in the loss of beaches, storm protection, nutrient inputs, etc.) or increases (resulting in lake, reservoir and wetland infilling, coral reef smothering, etc.); eutrophication and reductions in nutrient inputs, and disturbance due to development and fishing practices are considered major drivers, with significant consequences for biodiversity and the provision and resilience of ecosystem functions and services. As a mobile connecting medium between various parts of the ecosystem via the hydrocycle, sediments both contaminated and uncontaminated, play both positive and negative roles in the viability and sustainability of social, economic, and ecological objectives. How these roles are interpreted depends upon whether sediment status (defined in terms of sediment quality, quantity, location and transport) is appropriate to the needs of a given endpoint; understanding and managing the dynamic interactions of sediment status on a diverse range of endpoints at the landscape or watershed scale should be the focus of sediment management. This paper seeks to provide a language and conceptual framework upon which sediment-ecosystem regional assessments (SEcoRAs) can be developed in support of that goal. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B

Infectious Diseases and Tropical Cyclones in Southeast China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jietao; Han, Weixiao; Jiang, Baofa; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Ying

2017-05-07

Southeast China is frequently hit by tropical cyclones (TCs) with significant economic and health burdens each year. However, there is a lack of understanding of what infectious diseases could be affected by tropical cyclones. This study aimed to examine the impacts of tropical cyclones on notifiable infectious diseases in southeast China. Disease data between 2005 and 2011 from four coastal provinces in southeast China, including Guangdong, Hainan, Zhejiang, and Fujian province, were collected. Numbers of cases of 14 infectious diseases were compared between risk periods and reference periods for each tropical cyclone. Risk ratios (RR s ) were calculated to estimate the risks. TCs were more likely to increase the risk of bacillary dysentery, paratyphoid fever, dengue fever and acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis ( ps infectious diseases. TCs are more likely to increase the risk of intestinal and contact transmitted infectious diseases than to decrease the risk, and more likely to decrease the risk of respiratory infectious diseases than to increase the risk. Findings of this study would assist in developing public health strategies and interventions for the reduction of the adverse health impacts from tropical cyclones.

Community ecology of tropical forest snails: 30 years after Solem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schilthuizen, M.

2011-01-01

Since Solem’s provocative claim in the early 1980s that land snails in tropical forests are neither abundant nor diverse, at least 30 quantitative-ecological papers on tropical land snail communities have appeared. Jointly, these papers have shown that site diversity is, in fact, high in tropical

Prospects and Challenges in tropical isotope dendroclimatology

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, M. N.; Anchukaitis, K. J.; White, S. R.; Ektvedt, T. M.; Penniston, R. C.; Rheaume, M. M.; Bowman, D. M.

2008-12-01

We review a stable isotope-based approach to the development, modeling, interpretation, and analysis of hydrometeorological estimates from tropical trees. The strategy overcomes the common problem of missing, intermittent or non-annual ring structure in tropical trees by relying instead on the observation of the annual wet-dry seasonality typical to tropical environments as mirrored in the oxygen isotopic composition of wood-derived α-cellulose. We explore regions for which forward modeling of the proxy system would expect us to resolve hydrometeorological variations associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, rather than being limited to regions with tree species or environments producing verifiable annual ring chronologies. A modified protocol allows for rapid, simple and non-toxic micro-extraction of pure α-cellulose, which is isotopically indistinguishable from that produced by more classical means. We describe a new reactor for the pyrolysis of α-cellulose in an induction heater, which permits isotopic analysis of α-cellulose samples as small as 30μg, and as many as 100 automated sample analyses per day. A forward model adapted for tropical environments can be used to test and refine the interpretation of the isotopic data, and to predict locales for which we should be able to maximize the paleoclimatic potential of future sample collections. We have found the modeled isotopic chronometer and raingage in agreement with independent chronological controls in a variety of environments and tree species in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Brazil, Peru and Australia. Development of long hydrometeorological records from the terrestrial tropics is underway not only by our group, but by a growing number of collaborators and colleagues. Together we should be able to build a network of paleoprecipitation records and better understand the linkages between tropical surface ocean temperatures and large-scale drought.

Interactions of the tropical oceans. Rev.ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latif, M.; Barnett, T.P.

1994-01-01

We have investigated the interactions of the tropical oceans on interannual time scales by conducting a series of uncoupled atmospheric and oceanic general circulation experiments and hybrid coupled model simulations. Our results illustrate the key role of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon in generating interannual variability in all three tropical ocean basins. Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical Pacific force via a changed atmospheric circulation SST anomalies of the same sign in the Indian Ocean and SST anomalies of the opposite sign in the Atlantic. However, although air-sea interactions in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans are much weaker than those in the Pacific, they contribute significantly to the variability in these two regions. The role of these air-sea interactions is mainly that of an amplifyer by which the ENSO induced signals are enhanced in ocean and atmosphere. This process is particularly important in the tropical Atlantic region. We investigated also whether ENSO is part of a zonally propagating ''wave'' which travels around the globe with a time scale of several years. Consistent with observations, the upper ocean heat content in the various numerical simulations seems to propagate slowly around the globe. SST anomalies in the Pacific Ocean introduce a global atmospheric response which in turn forces variations in the other tropical oceans. Since the different oceans exhibit different response characteristics to low-frequency wind changes, the individual tropical ocean responses can add up coincidentally to look like a global wave, and that appears to be the situation. In particular, no evidence is found that the Indian Ocean can significantly affect the ENSO cycle in the Pacific. Finally, the potential for climate forecasts in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans appears to be enhanced if one includes, in a coupled way, remote influences from the Pacific. (orig.)

Tropical pyomyositis: imaging findings and a review of the literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pretorius, E.S.; Hruban, R.H.; Fishman, E.K.

1996-01-01

Tropical pyomyositis is a rare cause of multiple abscesses of skeletal muscle. The entity is rare in temperate climates and, as its name suggests, is more common in areas such as the tropics and South Pacific. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of infection. Therapy is aggressive, with surgical debridement and drainage followed by antibiotics. We report an unusual case of tropical myositis which simulated tumor recurrence in a patient without the typical risk factors associated with tropical pyomyositis. (orig.). With 3 figs

Tropical pyomyositis: imaging findings and a review of the literature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pretorius, E.S. [Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287 (United States); Hruban, R.H. [Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland (United States); Fishman, E.K. [Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287 (United States)

1996-08-01

Tropical pyomyositis is a rare cause of multiple abscesses of skeletal muscle. The entity is rare in temperate climates and, as its name suggests, is more common in areas such as the tropics and South Pacific. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of infection. Therapy is aggressive, with surgical debridement and drainage followed by antibiotics. We report an unusual case of tropical myositis which simulated tumor recurrence in a patient without the typical risk factors associated with tropical pyomyositis. (orig.). With 3 figs.

Agricultural expansion and its impacts on tropical nature.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurance, William F; Sayer, Jeffrey; Cassman, Kenneth G

2014-02-01

The human population is projected to reach 11 billion this century, with the greatest increases in tropical developing nations. This growth, in concert with rising per-capita consumption, will require large increases in food and biofuel production. How will these megatrends affect tropical terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity? We foresee (i) major expansion and intensification of tropical agriculture, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South America; (ii) continuing rapid loss and alteration of tropical old-growth forests, woodlands, and semi-arid environments; (iii) a pivotal role for new roadways in determining the spatial extent of agriculture; and (iv) intensified conflicts between food production and nature conservation. Key priorities are to improve technologies and policies that promote more ecologically efficient food production while optimizing the allocation of lands to conservation and agriculture. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantification of regional radiative impacts and climate effects of tropical fire aerosols

Science.gov (United States)

Tosca, M. G.; Zender, C. S.; Randerson, J. T.

2011-12-01

Regionally expansive smoke clouds originating from deforestation fires in Indonesia can modify local precipitation patterns via direct aerosol scattering and absorption of solar radiation (Tosca et al., 2010). Here we quantify the regional climate impacts of fire aerosols for three tropical burning regions that together account for about 70% of global annual fire emissions. We use the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5 (CAM5) coupled to a slab ocean model (SOM) embedded within the Community Earth System Model (CESM). In addition to direct aerosol radiative effects, CAM5 also quantifies indirect, semi-direct and cloud microphysical aerosol effects. Climate impacts are determined using regionally adjusted emissions data that produce realistic aerosol optical depths in CAM5. We first analyzed a single 12-year transient simulation (1996-2007) forced with unadjusted emissions estimates from the Global Fire Emissions Database, version 3 (GFEDv3) and compared the resulting aerosol optical depths (AODs) for 4 different burning regions (equatorial Asia, southern Africa, South America and boreal North America) to observed MISR and MODIS AODs for the same period. Based on this analysis we adjusted emissions for each burning region between 150 and 300% and forced a second simulation with the regionally adjusted emissions. Improved AODs from this simulation are compared to AERONET observations available at 15 stations throughout the tropics. We present here two transient simulations--one with the adjusted fire emissions and one without fires--to quantify the cumulative fire aerosol climate impact for three major tropical burning regions (equatorial Asia, southern Africa and South America). Specifically, we quantify smoke effects on radiation, precipitation, and temperature. References Tosca, M.G., J.T. Randerson, C.S. Zender, M.G. Flanner and P.J. Rasch (2010), Do biomass burning aerosols intensify drought in equatorial Asia during El Nino?, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 3515

[Nutrition value of tropical and subtropical fruits].

Science.gov (United States)

Dubtsov, G G; Bessonov, V V; Baĭkov, V G; Makhova, N N; Sheviakova, L V; Bogachuk, M N; Baĭgarin, E K; Iao Bru, Lazar

2013-01-01

The article is devoted to the study of the chemical composition of tropical and subtropical fruit (avocado, papaya and mango), which are now in great numbers are on the appeared on the Russian market. Due to use technology tropical and subtropical fruits can be implemented in almost all areas and regions of the country. Relatively low cost makes these products quite popular among the people. In domestic scientific literature there are no systematic data describing the chemical composition of these tropical and subtropical fruits sold in the domestic market, while the information needed to calculate food and energy value of diets and culinary products derived from tropical and subtropical fruit. Avocado fruits are sources of insoluble dietary fiber content of which was equal to 12.2%, as well as minerals. The study of the fatty acid composition of lipids avocados showed high content of oleic acid fruit, which accounts for 53.2% of total fatty acids in these fruits. Which makes them a valuable source of unsaturated fatty acids.

Interactions between tropical cyclones and mid-latitude systems in the Northeastern Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Lugo, A.; Abarca, S. F.; Raga, G. B.; Vargas, D. C.

2014-12-01

Major challenges in tropical meteorology include the short-term forecast of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity, which is defined as the maximum tangential wind. Several efforts have been made in order to reach this goal over the last decade: Among these efforts, the study of lightning in the TC inner core (the region inside a disc of 100 km radius from the center) as a proxy to deep convection, has the potential to be used as a predictor to forecast intensity (DeMaria et al, 2012, Mon. Wea. Rev., 140, 1828-1842).While most studies focus their objectives in studying the lightning flash density in the inner core, we study the probability of flash occurrence for intensifying and weakening cyclones. We have analyzed the trajectories of the observed 62 tropical cyclones that developed in the basin from 2006 to 2009, and classified them into separate clusters according to their trajectories. These clusters can broadly be described as having trajectories mostly oriented: East-West, towards the central Pacific, NW far from the Mexican coast, parallel to the Mexican coast and recurving towards the Mexican coast.We estimate that probability of inner core lightning occurrence increases as cyclones intensify but the probability rapidly decrease as the systems weaken. This is valid for cyclones in most of the clusters. However, the cyclones that exhibit trajectories that recurve towards the Mexican coast, do not present the same relationship between intensity and inner-core lightning probability, these cyclones show little or no decrease in the lightning occurrence probability as they weaken.We hypothesize that one of the reasons for this anomalous behavior is likely the fact that these cyclones interact with mid-latitude systems. Mid-latitude systems are important in determining the recurving trajectory but they may also influence the TC by advecting mid-level moisture towards the TC inner core. This additional supply of moisture as the system is approaching land may enhance deep

Biogeografía histórica de Cardiospermum y Urvillea (Sapindaceae en América: Paralelismos geográficos e históricos con los Bosques secos estacionales neotropicales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Pablo Coulleri

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Los géneros Cardiospermum y Urvillea (Paullinieae están ampliamente distribuidos en América, desde el centro de los Estados Unidos hasta el centro de la Argentina. Los registros fósiles correspondientes al Eoceno tardío de América del Norte hasta el Plioceno de América del Sur registran patrones de distribución en ambos géneros durante la Era Cenozoica. El objetivo de este trabajo es establecer las áreas de endemismo y los patrones de distribución de Cardiospermum y Urvillea mediante un análisis de simplicidad de endemismos (PAE basado en cuadrantes y un análisis panbiogeográfico basado en el algoritmo propuesto por Echeverry & Morrone (2010. El área de estudio está comprendida por las regiones Neártica y Neotropical, la Zona de transición sudamericana y la Zona de transición mexicana. La información de la distribución proviene del tratamiento taxonómico realizado por Ferrucci (2000 y especímenes de herbario de 33 especies de ambos géneros. El PAE permitió detectar y mapear seis áreas de endemismo. Los resultados del análisis panbiogeográfico y el registro fósil nos permitieron relacionar estas áreas de endemismos entre ellas, demostrando que coinciden con la actual distribución geográfica de los bosques secos estacionales neotropicales. Estos resultados sugieren un temprano evento de dispersión y una posterior serie de eventos vicariantes relacionados con la expansión y reducción de los bosques secos estacionales neotropicales que explicarían los patrones de distribución actuales de Cardiospermum y Urvillea en América.Historical biogeography of Cardiospermum and Urvillea (Sapindaceae in America: Geographic and historical parallelism with the Neotropical seasonally dry forest. The genera Cardiospermum and Urvillea (Paullinieae are widely distributed in the Americas, from central United States to central Argentina. The fossil records from the late Eocene of North America to the Pliocene of South America

Water vapor stable isotope observations from tropical Australia

KAUST Repository

Parkes, Stephen; Deutscher, Nicholas; Griffith, David; McCabe, Matthew

2015-01-01

retrievals from the co-located Total Column Carbon Observing Network (TCCON) site at Darwin in Tropical Australia. The Darwin site is interestingly placed within the tropical western pacific region and is impacted upon by a clear monsoonal climate, and key

Development Mode and Recommendations for Industrialization of Tropical Agricultural Science and Technology

OpenAIRE

QIU, Meihuan; LIN, Minxia; ZHANG, Xiaodong; ZHANG, Hongyi; WANG, Zhunian

2014-01-01

Industrialization of tropical agricultural science and technology is an essential part of tropical agricultural technological innovation. This paper firstly analyzed development mode of industrialization of tropical agricultural science and technology in Chin and then came up with recommendations for developing industrialization of tropical agricultural science and technology.

Supplementation of dairy weaners grazing tropical pastures

African Journals Online (AJOL)

tropical pastures for growth of dairy replacement heifers, and to assess the need for ... restricted by intake of digestible nutrients. Tropical pastures ... 1983, 13(l). Table 1 Effect of rnaize or maize plus cotton seed meal on the growth of weaner calves. Level. Wean wt wean ro ll0 kg ll0- 130 kg. Wean ro 130 kg. Supplements.

Phosphorus fertility recapitalization of nutrient-depleted tropical acid soils with reactive phosphate rock: An assessment using the isotopic exchange technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fardeau, J.-C.; Zapata, F.

2002-01-01

A 'soil P fertility recapitalization' initiative utilizing large rates of phosphate rocks (PRs) was proposed to improve the soil P status and increase the sustainable food production in acid and P-deficient tropical soils. Two series of experiments were carried out using five tropical acid soils treated with heavy applications of Gafsa phosphate rock (GPR). In the first series, the soils were mixed with GPR at the following application rates: 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg P·kg -1 , and incubated for one month in moist conditions. In another series, 1000 mg P kg -1 applied as GPR was added to three soils and incubated for 1.5 month; thereafter 50 mg P kg -1 as triple superphosphate (TSP) were added. The 32 P isotopic exchange method was utilized to assess the contribution of GPR to the available soil P. Changes in amounts, E, of P transferred with time as phosphate ions from the soil particles to the soil solution as well as changes in pH, calcium and phosphate concentrations in soil suspensions were determined. It was found that: (i) the contribution of P from GPR to recapitalization of soil P fertility was mainly assessed by E pool size, pH, calcium and phosphate concentrations; other variables were not significant at the 0.1 level; (ii) heavy applications of GPR did not saturate all the P sorption sites, P freshly applied as water-soluble P was still sorbed; (iii) recapitalization of soil P fertility using GPR was partly obtained in some acid tropical soils; (iv) Upon dissolution, GPR provided calcium ions to crops and to soils, thus reducing Al toxicity, but its liming effect was limited. To explain these effects with heavy application rates of GPR, it was postulated that a coating of Al and Fe compounds is formed around PR particles with time, thus reducing further dissolution. (author)

Seasonal variations of water vapor in the tropical lower statosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Mote, Philip W.; Rosenlof, Karen H.; Holton, James R.; Harwood, Robert S.; Waters, Joe W.

1995-01-01

Measurments of stratospheric water vapor by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) show that in the tropical lower statosphere, low-frequency variations are closely related to the annual cycle in tropical tropopause temperatures. Tropical stratospheric air appears to retain information about the tropopause conditions it enconters for over a year as it rises through the stratosphere. A two-dimensional Lagrangian model is used to relate MLS measurements to the temperature that tropical air parcels encounter when crossing the 100 hPa surface.

Spatial and temporal distribution of fungi and wood-borers in the coastal tropical waters of Goa, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Vishwakiran, Y.; Thakur, N.L.; Raghukumar, S.; Yennawar, P.L.; Anil, A.C.

. (Meyers) Yusoff, Read, E. B. G. Jones et S. T. Moss 2 416 4 Arenariomyces trifurcatus Höhnk 22 4 5 Bathyascus tropicalis Kohlm. 2 44 6 Bathyascus vermisporus Kohlm. 8 4 2 7 Corollospora pulchella Kohlm., I. Schmidt et Nair. 8 2 8 8 Dactylospora haliotrepha... faster growth and multiplication rate dur- ing the early stage of wood decomposition (Cooke Distribution of fungi and wood-borers in the coastal tropical waters of Goa, India 53 54 Y. Vishwakiran et al. and Rayner 1984). Such fungi face a competition from...

Efecto de metales pesados en el crecimiento de la microalga tropical Tetraselmis chuii (Prasinophyceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiudith Cordero

2005-09-01

Full Text Available El presente trabajo determina el efecto tóxico de los metales cadmio (Cd, cobre (Cu, mercurio (Hg y plomo (Pb en la microalga tropical Tetraselmis chuii (Butcher, 1959. Se expuso, por triplicado, 50 ml de cultivo (f/2 Guillard de la microalga en fase de crecimiento logarítmica ante las concentraciones de 0 (control; 0.1; 1.0; 5.0; 10.0 y 20.0 mg· l-1 durante 96 hr. La evaluación del efecto letal se realizó diariamente, mediante recuento celular con una cámara de Neubauer. En el tratamiento control, sin exposición al metal, se observó un incremento de la densidad celular, en contraste con un decrecimiento en los tratamientos con exposición a los metales, los cuales fueron acelerados hasta las 48 hr, a partir de cuando el decrecimiento se hizo menos pronunciado. Una excepción se produjo con el Cd y el Cu a las 24 h, donde no se determinó decrecimiento significativo, probablemente debido a su capacidad de actuar como micronutriente a bajas concentraciones. El metal que produjo mayor efecto fue el Pb, produciendo una letalidad al 50% de la población microalgal a 0.40 mg· l-1, la cual fue casi tres veces menor que la establecida para el Hg y más de 13 veces menor que la del Cd y Cu. Se recomienda la microalga Tetraselmis chuii como especie modelo para la utilización en pruebas en función estimar efectos tóxicos por xenobióticos en el ambiente acuático marino tropical.Efect of heavy metals on the growth of the tropical microalga Tetrasermis chuii (Prasinophyceae. We determined the toxic effect of four metals, cadmium (Cd, copper (Cu, mercury (Hg and lead (Pb, on the tropical microalga Tetraselmis Chuii (Butcher, 1959. We exposed 50 ml of cultivated microalgae (f/2 Guillard in the exponential growth phase, with three replicates, to concentrations of 0 (control, 0.1, 1.0, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg· l-1 with each metal for 96 hr. We evaluated the lethal effect daily, through the cellular count. In the control treatment (not exposed to any

Tropical diabetic hand syndrome: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeika, Eugene Vernyuy; Tchoumi Tantchou, Jacques Cabral; Foryoung, Joyce Bei; Tolefac, Paul Nkemtendong; Efie, Derrick Tembi; Choukem, Siméon Pierre

2017-02-13

Tropical diabetic hand syndrome describes a complex hand sepsis affecting patients with diabetes across the tropics and often results from a trivial hand trauma. The clinical presentation of this syndrome is variable and ranges from localised swelling and cellulitis, with or without ulceration of the hand to progressive fulminant hand sepsis, and gangrene affecting the entire limb which may be fatal. Tropical diabetic hand syndrome could lead to permanent disability and death as a result of delay in presentation, late diagnosis and late medical and surgical intervention. This indexed case acts as an eye opener for physicians to the existence of this hand sepsis. We report the case of a 57 year-old black African female diabetic who was referred to our centre for the management of a suppurating ulcer and swelling of the left hand of two weeks duration. On examination and work-up, the patient was found to have Lawal Group III left diabetic hand syndrome and was managed with parenteral antibiotics, radical debridement and the hand was eventually amputated. She died 7 days following amputation from overwhelming sepsis. Though tropical diabetic hand syndrome is a relatively rare complication of diabetes, it can be fatal as in this case report. Early diagnosis and proper management would yield better outcome. Initial management should include aggressive intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics with anaerobic coverage. Classification of tropical diabetic hand syndrome will assist physicians and surgeons in decision making, proper management and easy communication.

Calibrating the simple biosphere model for Amazonian tropical forest using field and remote sensing data. I - Average calibration with field data

Science.gov (United States)

Sellers, Piers J.; Shuttleworth, W. James; Dorman, Jeff L.; Dalcher, Amnon; Roberts, John M.

1989-01-01

Using meteorological and hydrological measurements taken in and above the central-Amazon-basin tropical forest, calibration of the Sellers et al. (1986) simple biosphere (SiB) model are described. The SiB model is a one-dimensional soil-vegetation-atmosphere model designed for use within GCMs models, representing the vegetation cover by analogy with processes operating within a single representative plant. The experimental systems and the procedures used to obtain field data are described, together with the specification of the physiological parameterization required to provide an average description of data. It was found that some of the existing literature on stomatal behavior for tropical species is inconsistent with the observed behavior of the complete canopy in Amazonia, and that the rainfall interception store of the canopy is considerably smaller than originally specified in the SiB model.

Tropical and Holarctic Ants in Late Eocene Ambers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perkovsky E. E.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Based on representative collections, the ratio of tropical and Holarctic ant species in Priabonian (Late Eocene Baltic, Bitterfeld (Saxonian, Danish and Rovno ambers is analyzed for the first time. In surveyed representative collections of Baltic amber, the ratios of Holarctic and tropical ant species are from 1.1 to 1.5; with 10 Holarctic and 9 tropical species (out of 31 in the PIN-964 collection, and 9 and 5 species (out of 29 in the Giecewicz collection; the ratio in the representative collection of Saxonian amber is 0.9, 11 Holarctic species vs. 12 tropical species (out of 55; in the representative collection of Rovno amber it is 0.65, 15 vs. 23 species (out of 79; and in the representative collection of Danish amber it is 0.64, 7 vs. 11 species (out of 36. Hence, in representative collections of Baltic amber, Holarctic species clearly prevail not just in terms of the share of their specimens (by 9.8 to 19.6 times, but also by the number of species. In Bitterfeld amber, Holarctic species are somewhat less numerous than tropical ones, but their specimens are 6 times greater. In representative collections of Rovno and Danish ambers, the number of Holarctic species is 1.5 to 1.7 times smaller than that of tropical species, but the number of their specimens is 4.9 to 6.9 times greater. The numbers of tropical and Holarctic species represented by more than one specimen is similar in Priabonian ambers, 25 versus 22, but Holarctic species include four dominants or subdominants. The abundance of temperate elements in the Priabonian amber ant fauna along with the relatively small number of tropical elements greatly distinguishes it from the Middle European Lutetian ant faunas of Messel and Eckfeld in shale, which do not have temperate elements at all. Formica phaethusa Wheeler, Glaphyromyrmex oligocenicus Wheeler, Plagiolepis squamifera Mayr, Proceratium eocenicum Dlussky, Hypoponera atavia (Mayr, Ponera lobulifera Dlussky, Aphaenogaster mersa

Empirical links between the local runaway greenhouse, super-greenhouse, and deep convection in Earth's tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Dewey, M. C.; Goldblatt, C.

2017-12-01

Energy balance requires that energy absorbed and emitted at the top of the atmosphere equal; this is maintained via the Planck feedback whereby outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) increases as surface temperature increases. There are two cases where this breaks down: the runaway greenhouse (known from planetary sciences theory) characterized by an asymptotic limit on OLR from moist atmospheres, and the super-greenhouse (known from tropical meteorology observations) where OLR decreases with surface temperature when the atmosphere is moist aloft. Here we show that the runaway greenhouse limit can be empirically observed and constrained in Earth's tropics, that the runaway and super-greenhouse occur as part of the same physical phenomenon, and that the transition through the super-greenhouse to a local runaway greenhouse is intimately linked to the onset of deep convection. A runaway greenhouse occurs when water vapour causes the troposphere to become optically thick to thermal radiation from the surface and a limit on OLR emerges as thermal emission is from a constant temperature level aloft. This limit is modelled as 282 W/m/m [Goldblatt et al, 2013]. Using satellite data from Earth's tropics, we find an empirical value of this limit of 280 W/m/m, in excellent agreement with the model.A column transitioning to a runaway greenhouse typically overshoots the runaway limit and then OLR decreases with increasing surface temperature until the runaway limit is reached after which OLR remains constant. The term super-greenhouse effect (SGE) has been used to describe OLR decreasing with surface warming, observed in these satellite measurements. We show the SGE is one and the same as the transition to a local runaway greenhouse, and represents a fundamental shift in the radiation response of the earth system, rather than simply an extension of water vapour feedback. This transition via SGE from an optically thin to optically thick troposphere is facilitated by enhanced

Dendrochronology in the dry tropics: the Ethiopian case

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wils, T.; Sass-Klaassen, U.; Eshetu, Z.; Bräuning, A.; Gebrenirstos, A.; Couralet, C.; Robertson, I.; Touchan, R.; Koprowski, M.; Conway, D.; Briffa, K.R.; Beeckman, H.

2011-01-01

Dendrochronology is developing outside temperate and boreal regions. Over the past decade substantial progress has been made in Mediterranean and wet tropical regions. However, research in dry tropical regions, notably those of sub-Saharan Africa, has remained fragmentary. Here, we try to identify

Radar remote sensing to support tropical forest management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sanden, van der J.J.

1997-01-01

This text describes an investigation into the potential of radar remote sensing for application to tropical forest management. The information content of various radar images is compared and assessed with regard to the information requirements of parties involved in tropical forest

A warming tropical central Pacific dries the lower stratosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Qinghua; Fu, Qiang

2018-04-01

The amount of water vapor in the tropical lower stratosphere (TLS), which has an important influence on the radiative energy budget of the climate system, is modulated by the temperature variability of the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The TTL temperature variability is caused by a complex combination of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), tropospheric convective processes in the tropics, and the Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC) driven by mid-latitude and subtropical atmospheric waves. In 2000, the TLS water vapor amount exhibited a stepwise transition to a dry phase, apparently caused by a change in the BDC. In this study, we present observational and modeling evidence that the epochal change of water vapor between the periods of 1992-2000 and 2001-2005 was also partly caused by a concurrent sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the tropical central Pacific. This SST warming cools the TTL above by enhancing the equatorial wave-induced upward motion near the tropopause, which consequently reduces the amount of water vapor entering the stratosphere. The QBO affects the TLS water vapor primarily on inter-annual timescales, whereas a classical El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) event has small effect on tropical mean TLS water vapor because its responses are longitudinally out of phase. This study suggests that the tropical central Pacific SST is another driver of TLS water vapor variability on inter-decadal timescales and the tropical SST changes could contribute to about 30% of the step-wise drop of the lower stratospheric water vapor from 1992-2000 to 2001-2005.

Tropical Diabetic Hand Syndrome

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015 Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow. 473. Introduction ... diabetes.[2,3] Tropical diabetic hand syndrome is a terminology .... the importance of seeking medical attention immediately.

GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) was the first major international experiment of the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP). It was conducted over...

Approach to voxel-based carbon stock quanticiation using LiDAR data in tropical rainforest, Brunei

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eunji; Piao, Dongfan; Lee, Jongyeol; Lee, Woo-Kyun; Yoon, Mihae; Moon, Jooyeon

2016-04-01

Forest is an important means to adapt climate change as the only carbon sink recognized by the international community (KFS 2009). According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report (AR5), Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sectors including forestry contributed 24% of total anthropogenic emissions in 2010 (IPCC 2014; Tubiello et al. 2015). While all sectors excluding AFOLU have increased Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, land use sectors including forestry remains similar level as before due to decreasing deforestation and increasing reforestation. In earlier researches, optical imagery has been applied for analysis (Jakubowski et al. 2013). Optical imagery collects spectral information in 2D. It is difficult to effectively quantify forest stocks, especially in dense forest (Cui et al. 2012). To detect individual trees information from remotely sensed data, Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) has been used (Hyyppäet al. 2001; Persson et al. 2002; Chen et al. 2006). Moreover, LiDAR has the ability to actively acquire vertical tree information such as tree height using geo-registered 3D points (Kwak et al. 2007). In general, however, geo-register 3D point was used with a raster format which contains only 2D information by missing all the 3D data. Therefore, this research aimed to use the volumetric pixel (referred as "voxel") approach using LiDAR data in tropical rainforest, Brunei. By comparing the parameters derived from voxel based LiDAR data and field measured data, we examined the relationships between them for the quantification of forest carbon. This study expects to be more helpful to take advantage of the strategic application of climate change adaption.

Radio Occultation Bending Angle Anomalies During Tropical Cyclones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biondi, Riccardo; Neubert, Torsten; Syndergaard, Stig

signature in radio occultation profiles in the tropical tropopause layer. Using tropical cyclone best track database and data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC), we show that the bending angle anomaly of a GPS radio occultation signal is typically larger...

Strategies for global monitoring of tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond L. Czaplewski

1994-01-01

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is conducting a global assessment of tropical forest resources, which will be accomplished by mid-1992. This assessment requires, in part, estimates of the total area of tropical forest cover in 1990 and the rate of change in forest cover between 1980 and 1990. The following are described here: (1) the...

Sawtooth forces in cutting tropical hardwoods native to South America

Science.gov (United States)

S. P. Loehnertz; I. V. Cooz

As a result of design, operation, and maintenance, sawblades used in tropical sawmills can cause many problems. Improvements in these areas are needed to reduce the waste associated with sawing of tropical species that are regarded as difficult to cut. In this study, cutting experiments that simulated bandsawing of tropical hardwoods showed the effect of chip...

Some notes on the behaviour of tropical glaciers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

1995-01-01

Full Text Available QUELQUES OBSERVATIONS SUR LE COMPORTEMENT DES GLACIERS TROPICAUX. Le fait qu’il soit possible sous les Tropiques de tirer des conclusions quasi immédiates sur le climat à partir des fluctuations des glaciers, en raison du caractère relativement homogène des masses d’air, rend les recherches glaciologiques dans ces régions particulièrement importantes. Une des caractéristiques du climat tropical est l’absence de variations thermiques saisonnières significatives. En tenant compte de ce fait, on évoque la relation climat-glacier sous deux de ses aspects : a la sensibilité de la ligne d’équilibre (ELA aux variations climatiques, et b la réponse correspondante des langues glaciaires. On discute de ces aspects par comparaison avec les conditions rencontrées dans les Alpes. La discussion est fondée sur un modèle de gradient vertical du bilan de masse (VGB. Comparée avec les glaciers des latitudes moyennes, la ELA réagit généralement de façon moins sensible, mais cependant plus fortement à un changement de température. Les langues, comme les petits glaciers réagissent de façon sensible à une ablation croissante. Les réponses à des influences dynamiques à long terme sont peu significatives. OBSERVACIONES SOBRE EL COMPORTAMIENTO DE LOS GLACIARES TROPICALES. El hecho de que se pueda llegar en los Trópicos a una conclusión casi inmediata sobre la evolución climática a partir de las fluctuaciones glaciares, debido al carácter relativamente homogéneo de las masas de aire, confiere a los estudios glaciológicos en esas regiones una grande importancia. Una de las características del clima tropical es la ausencia de variación térmica estacional significativa. Bajo este aspecto general, se trata de dos aspectos de la relación clima-glaciar: a la sensibilidad de la altitud de la línea de equilibrio glaciar (ELA a cambios climáticos y b la reacción correspondiente de las lenguas glaciares. Ambos aspectos son discutidos

Tropical Cyclone Intensity Estimation Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Maskey, Manil; Cecil, Dan; Ramachandran, Rahul; Miller, Jeffrey J.

2018-01-01

Estimating tropical cyclone intensity by just using satellite image is a challenging problem. With successful application of the Dvorak technique for more than 30 years along with some modifications and improvements, it is still used worldwide for tropical cyclone intensity estimation. A number of semi-automated techniques have been derived using the original Dvorak technique. However, these techniques suffer from subjective bias as evident from the most recent estimations on October 10, 2017 at 1500 UTC for Tropical Storm Ophelia: The Dvorak intensity estimates ranged from T2.3/33 kt (Tropical Cyclone Number 2.3/33 knots) from UW-CIMSS (University of Wisconsin-Madison - Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies) to T3.0/45 kt from TAFB (the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch) to T4.0/65 kt from SAB (NOAA/NESDIS Satellite Analysis Branch). In this particular case, two human experts at TAFB and SAB differed by 20 knots in their Dvorak analyses, and the automated version at the University of Wisconsin was 12 knots lower than either of them. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimates about 10-20 percent uncertainty in its post analysis when only satellite based estimates are available. The success of the Dvorak technique proves that spatial patterns in infrared (IR) imagery strongly relate to tropical cyclone intensity. This study aims to utilize deep learning, the current state of the art in pattern recognition and image recognition, to address the need for an automated and objective tropical cyclone intensity estimation. Deep learning is a multi-layer neural network consisting of several layers of simple computational units. It learns discriminative features without relying on a human expert to identify which features are important. Our study mainly focuses on convolutional neural network (CNN), a deep learning algorithm, to develop an objective tropical cyclone intensity estimation. CNN is a supervised learning

Tropical influence on boreal summer mid-latitude stationary waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Douville, Herve [Meteo-France/CNRM-GAME, Toulouse (France); CNRM/GMGEC/VDR, Toulouse (France); Bielli, S.; Deque, M.; Tyteca, S.; Voldoire, A. [Meteo-France/CNRM-GAME, Toulouse (France); Cassou, C. [CNRS-Cerfacs, Toulouse (France); Hall, N.M.J. [CNES/LEGOS, Toulouse (France)

2011-11-15

While organized tropical convection is a well-known source of extratropical planetary waves, state-of-the-art climate models still show serious deficiencies in simulating accurately the atmospheric response to tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and the associated teleconnections. In the present study, the remote influence of the tropical atmospheric circulation is evaluated in ensembles of global boreal summer simulations in which the Arpege-Climat atmospheric General Circulation Model (GCM) is nudged towards 6-h reanalyses. The nudging is applied either in the whole tropical band or in a regional summer monsoon domain. Sensitivity tests to the experimental design are first conducted using prescribed climatological SST. They show that the tropical relaxation does not improve the zonal mean extratropical climatology but does lead to a significantly improved representation of the mid-latitude stationary waves in both hemispheres. Low-pass filtering of the relaxation fields has no major effect on the model response, suggesting that high-frequency tropical variability is not responsible for extratropical biases. Dividing the nudging strength by a factor 10 only decreases the magnitude of the response. Model errors in each monsoon domain contribute to deficiencies in the model's mid-latitude climatology, although an exaggerated large-scale subsidence in the central equatorial Pacific appears as the main source of errors for the representation of stationary waves in the Arpege-Climat model. Case studies are then conducted using either climatological or observed SST. The focus is first on summer 2003 characterized by a strong and persistent anticyclonic anomaly over western Europe. This pattern is more realistic in nudging experiments than in simulations only driven by observed SST, especially when the nudging domain is centred over Central America. Other case studies also show a significant tropical forcing of the summer mid-latitude stationary waves

Effects of food supplementation on a tropical bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Class, Alexandra M; Moore, Ignacio T

2013-10-01

Tropical birds typically exhibit a 'slow pace of life' relative to higher latitude species. This is often manifested as slow development, low fecundity, and high survival. Following from this, it is predicted that tropical birds may be more likely to trade current reproductive effort to favor self-maintenance, thus supporting survival and future reproduction. To test this idea, we conducted two food supplementation experiments on tropical rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) in the eastern Andes of Ecuador. In the first experiment, we food-supplemented pairs during the non-breeding life-history stage, and in the second experiment, we food-supplemented pairs that were provisioning fledglings. In both experiments, a larger proportion of food-supplemented birds exhibited pre-basic molt (replacement of feathers) than in a control group. To our knowledge, this is the first study to experimentally demonstrate that a food-supplemented bird invests extra resources into molt, a form of self-maintenance, and contrasts with the majority of food supplementation studies in high latitude birds that show they typically advance the initiation of, or extend the period of, reproduction. Our results are consistent with the syndrome of the slow pace of life in the tropics and support the concept of fundamental differences between temperate-zone and tropical birds.

Thermal Transformation and Characterization of Synthetic Al-Substituted Maghemites (γ-Fe2-xAlxO3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriele Galeti Nonaka

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Burning is a common practice in tropical areas and related changes in mineralogy might affect the chemical and physical behavior of soils. Maghemite is a common iron oxide in soils formed from basic rocks in tropical regions. This mineral and hematite are the main pigments in these soils and exhibit high magnetization stemming from the precursor magnetite formed during the weathering process of primary minerals. The objective of the present study was to analyze changes in color, magnetic suceptibility values, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR spectra, and available Fe and Al contents extracted with 1 mol L-1 KCl during the process of thermal transformation of synthetic Al-maghemites into Al-hematites. Synthetic substituted maghemites with different degrees of Al-substitution (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 2.9, 3.8, 5.6, 6.7, 10.0, 12.0, and 17.1 mol% Al were subjected to a temperature of 500 ± 10 °C for 0, 5, 10, 16, 64, 128, 192, 360, 720, 2160, 3600, 5040 and 6480 min. The color of the samples was analyzed by a Munsell system in a colorimeter. Mass-specific magnetic susceptibility (χLF was measured at low-frequency. Available Fe and Al contents were estimated by a 1 mol L-1 KCl solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR spectra were obtained through use of a Bruker Vertex 70X FTIR spectrophotometer at a spectral resolution of 4 cm-1. Contents of Fe and Al extracted by 1 mol L-1 KCl in Al-hematites were not detected. All samples analyzed exhibited YR hue. Hue proportion decreased with increased heating time, and color changed from brown to red. The increase in isomorphic substitution (IS led to increased hue values from maghemite to hematite, and the latter then became yellower. The χLF values decreased with an increase in heating time, indicating transformation from a ferrimagnetic phase (maghemite to an antiferrimagnetic phase (hematite. With increasing IS, the maghemite χLF values decreased. Bands of the initial

Influence of meteorology and source variation on airborne PM 10 levels in a high relief tropical Andean city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Mario González-Duque

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El análisis de niveles de (PM 10 y su asociación con la meteorología, altura de capa de mezcla y fuentes de contaminación, se realizó en la ciudad tropical andina de Manizales durante un periodo de dos años (enero 2010 a diciembre 2012. Los mayores niveles de PM 10 se observaron en zonas con alta influencia vehicular, con valores de PM 10 en un intervalo de 18 - 69 μg m -3 . Las concentraciones de material particulado fueron influenciadas por factores meteorológicos, mostrando una asociación positiva con la temperatura (r = 0.40, y negativa con la humedad relativa (r = -0.47 y la precipitación (r = -0.38. Los efectos del fenómeno de scavenging por la precipitación fueron observados a través del análisis de concentraciones de PM 10 para periodos secos y húmedos. Los altos niveles de sulfatos observados en el PM 10 en comparación con los demás iones predominantes, fueron consistentes con la influencia de emisiones derivadas del transporte público y automóviles, los cuales utilizan diesel y gasolina como sus principales combustibles. Incrementos en la altura de capa de mezcla en la zona del centro histórico de la ciudad (de 900 m a 1600 m, explican la dilución efectiva de las emisiones provenientes del tráfico vehicular, tal como se observó mediante el monitoreo de PM 10 cada 30 segundos por periodos de 24 horas. Este análisis preliminar sugiere factores de importancia para implementar a futuro técnicas de modelización del PM 10 en ecosistemas tropicales de montaña caracterizados por su alta precipitación y alta densidad poblacional.

Tropical diseases of the myocardium: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Groom ZC

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Zoe C Groom,1 Aristotle D Protopapas,2 Vasileios Zochios3,4 1Costello Medical Consulting Limited, Cambridge, 2Department of Surgery, Division of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, 3Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, 4College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are widely distributed throughout the world. Human parasitic infections are ubiquitous. Tropical parasites are increasingly recognized as causes of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we address the most frequently reported parasites that directly infect the myocardium, including Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoal causative agent of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease, and Taenia solium, the cestode causative agent of taeniasis and cysticercosis. We also discuss tropical endomyocardial fibrosis, trichinellosis and schistosomiasis. Health systems, attitudes, the perceptions of both patients and physicians as well as socioeconomic factors should all be explored and recognized as crucial factors for improving the control of cardiovascular diseases in the tropics. Clinicians throughout the world must remain aware of imported parasites as potential causes of cardiac diseases. Keywords: cardiomyopathy, Chagas disease, myocardium, parasitic infection, tropical infections

Análise entre os pontos zigomáticos orbitais e espinha nasal anterior na investigação do sexo e idade em crânios secos de adultos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur Igor Cruz Lima

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Introdução: A Odontologia Legal exerce um papel importante no processo de identificação de indivíduos, principalmente quando é recebido para o processo de análise somente o crânio da vítima. Essa estrutura possui particularidades que podem fornecer dados para a identificação do sexo e estimar a idade de um ser humano. Objetivo: Verificar o dimorfismo sexual e a estimativa da idade através das medidas: ponto zigomático orbital direito (PZOD, ponto zigomático orbital esquerdo (PZOE, espinha nasal anterior (ENA e a área do triângulo formado por estes 3 pontos. Materiais e Métodos: Foram analisados 160 crânios secos de adultos, 80 do sexo masculino e 80 do sexo feminino, que pertenceram a indivíduos com idade entre 20 a 95 anos. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Resultados: Os resultados encontrados permitiram estabelecer metodologias para a identificação do sexo através das médias, intervalo de confiança e teste t de Student, demonstrando que as médias diferem entre si no nível de significância de 5%. Além disso, foi observada a existência de uma forte associação linear entre as medidas PZOD-ENA e PZOE-ENA (coeficiente de determinação = 80,90%. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que a análise das variáveis identificou uma diferença entre os sexos, sendo que as medidas do sexo masculino se apresentaram significativamente maiores do que as do sexo feminino.

Una aproximación al tratamiento de la terminología de la marroquinería en tres obras lexicográficas de carácter general

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María García Antuña

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo se enmarca en el Proyecto Motriz de la Junta de Andalucía (convocatoria 2010, “Comunicación integral y planificación lingüística como estrategia para el desarrollo del sector de la Piel en Andalucía” dirigido por el Prof. Dr. Miguel Casas Gómez. Con este estudio pretendemos acercarnos al tratamiento del léxico específico del lenguaje de la marroquinería en distintas obras lexicográficas de carácter general, con el fin de demostrar, mediante datos empíricos, la ausencia de sistematicidad en el tratamiento de la terminología en estas obras. Para ello, se han consultado el Diccionario de la Lengua Española (DRAE, 22ª ed. en su versión electrónica, el Diccionario de Uso del Español de Mª Moliner (DUE y el Diccionario del Español Actual (DEA, dirigido por M. Seco (1999/2008.

Glacier monitoring and glacier-climate interactions in the tropical Andes: A review

Science.gov (United States)

Veettil, Bijeesh Kozhikkodan; Wang, Shanshan; Florêncio de Souza, Sergio; Bremer, Ulisses Franz; Simões, Jefferson Cardia

2017-08-01

In this review, we summarized the evolution of glacier monitoring in the tropical Andes during the last few decades, particularly after the development of remote sensing and photogrammetry. Advantages and limitations of glacier mapping, applied so far, in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia are discussed in detail. Glacier parameters such as the equilibrium line altitude, snowline and mass balance were given special attention in understanding the complex cryosphere-climate interactions, particularly using remote sensing techniques. Glaciers in the inner and the outer tropics were considered separately based on the precipitation and temperature conditions within a new framework. The applicability of various methods to use glacier records to understand and reconstruct the tropical Andean climate between the Last Glacial Maximum (11,700 years ago) and the present is also explored in this paper. Results from various studies published recently were analyzed and we tried to understand the differences in the magnitudes of glacier responses towards the climatic perturbations in the inner tropics and the outer tropics. Inner tropical glaciers, particularly those in Venezuela and Colombia near the January Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), are more vulnerable to increase in temperature. Surface energy balance experiments show that outer tropical glaciers respond to precipitation variability very rapidly in comparison with the temperature variability, particularly when moving towards the subtropics. We also analyzed the gradients in glacier response to climate change from the Pacific coast towards the Amazon Basin as well as with the elevation. Based on the current trends synthesised from recent studies, it is hypothesized that the glaciers in the inner tropics and the southern wet outer tropics will disappear first as a response to global warming whereas glaciers in the northern wet outer tropics and dry outer tropics show resistance to warming trends due to

Contributions of Tropical Cyclones to the North Atlantic Climatological Rainfall as Observed from Satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, Edward B.; Adler, Robert F.; Pierce, Harold F.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The tropical cyclone rainfall climatology study that was performed for the North Pacific was extended to the North Atlantic. Similar to the North Pacific tropical cyclone study, mean monthly rainfall within 444 km of the center of the North Atlantic tropical cyclones (i.e., that reached storm stage and greater) was estimated from passive microwave satellite observations during, an eleven year period. These satellite-observed rainfall estimates were used to assess the impact of tropical cyclone rainfall in altering the geographical, seasonal, and inter-annual distribution of the North Atlantic total rainfall during, June-November when tropical cyclones were most abundant. The main results from this study indicate: 1) that tropical cyclones contribute, respectively, 4%, 3%, and 4% to the western, eastern, and entire North Atlantic; 2) similar to that observed in the North Pacific, the maximum in North Atlantic tropical cyclone rainfall is approximately 5 - 10 deg poleward (depending on longitude) of the maximum non-tropical cyclone rainfall; 3) tropical cyclones contribute regionally a maximum of 30% of the total rainfall 'northeast of Puerto Rico, within a region near 15 deg N 55 deg W, and off the west coast of Africa; 4) there is no lag between the months with maximum tropical cyclone rainfall and non-tropical cyclone rainfall in the western North Atlantic, while in the eastern North Atlantic, maximum tropical cyclone rainfall precedes maximum non-tropical cyclone rainfall; 5) like the North Pacific, North Atlantic tropical cyclones Of hurricane intensity generate the greatest amount of rainfall in the higher latitudes; and 6) warm ENSO events inhibit tropical cyclone rainfall.

Malaria and Tropical Travel

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Malaria is a serious mosquito-borne disease that can lead to death. This podcast discusses malaria risk when traveling to tropical areas, as well as how to protect yourself and your family from malaria infection.

The Genesis of Tropical Cyclone Bilis (2000) Associated with Cross-equatorial Surges

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

XU Yamei

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore how a tropical cyclone forms from a pre-existing large-scale depression which has been observed and associated with cross-equatorial surges in the western North Pacific. Tropical cyclone Bilis (2000) was selected as the case to study. The research data used are from the results of the non-hydrostatic mesoscale model (MM5), which has successfully simulated the transformation of a pre-existing weak large-scale tropical depression into a strong tropical storm. The scale separation technique is used to separate the synoptic-scale and sub-synoptic-scale fields from the model output fields. The scale-separated fields show that the pre-existing synoptic-scale tropical depression and the subsynoptic scale tropical cyclone formed later were different scale systems from beginning to end. It is also shown that the pre-existing synoptic-scale tropical depression did not contract to become the tropical cyclone. A series of weak, sub-synoptic-scale low and high pressure systems appeared and disappeared in the synopticscale depression, with one of the low systems near the center of the synoptic-scale depression having deepened to become the tropical cyclone. The roles of the synoptic-scale flow and the sub-synoptic scale disturbances in the formation of the tropical cyclone are investigated by diagnoses of the scale-separated vertical vorticity equation. The results show that the early development of the sub-synoptic scale vortex was fundamentally dependent on the strengthening synoptic-scale environmental depression. The depression was strengthened by cross-equatorial surges, which increased the convergence of the synoptic-scale depression at low levels and triggered the formation of the tropical cyclone.

Seasonal Scale Convective-Stratiform Pricipitation Variabilities at Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

S, Sreekanth T.

begin{center} Large Seasonal Scale Convective-Stratiform Pricipitation Variabilities at Tropics Sreekanth T S*, Suby Symon*, G. Mohan Kumar (1) and V Sasi Kumar (2) *Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram (1) D-330, Swathi Nagar, West Fort, Thiruvananthapuram 695023 (2) 32. NCC Nagar Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram ABSTRACT This study investigates the variabilities of convective and stratiform rainfall from 2011 to 2013 at a tropical coastal station in three seasons viz Pre-Monsoon (March-May), Monsoon (June-September) and Post-Monsoon (October-December). Understanding the climatological variability of these two dominant forms of precipitation and their implications in the total rainfall were the main objectives of this investigation. Variabilities in the frequency & duration of events, rain rate & total number of rain drops distribution in different events and the accumulated amount of rain water were analysed. Based on the ground & radar observations from optical & impact disdrometers, Micro Rain Radar and Atmospheric Electric Field Mill, precipitation events were classified into convective and stratiform in three seasons. Classification was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001) and as an additional information electrical behaviour of clouds from Atmospheric Electric Field Mill is also used. Events which could not be included in both types were termed as 'mixed precipitation' and were included separately. Diurnal variability of the total rainfall in each seasons were also examined. For both convective and stratiform rainfall there exist distinct day-night differences. During nocturnal hours convective rain draged more attention. In all seasons almost 70% of rain duration and 60% of rain events of convective origin were confined to nocturnal hours. But stratiform rain was not affected by diurnal variations greatly because night time occurrences of stratiform duration and events were less than 50%. Also in Monsoon above 35% of

High hydrostatic pressure processing of tropical fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, Maria Lúcia M; Valente Mesquita, Vera L; Chiaradia, Ana Cristina N; Fernandes, Antônio Alberto R; Fernandes, Patricia M B

2010-02-01

Interest in the nonthermal method of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) for food preservation has increased recently due to the possibility of inactivating microorganisms and enzymes while maintaining product sensorial and nutritional properties. This work deals with HHP use for the preservation of tropical fruit products. HHP is shown to be a practical approach to obtaining high-quality tropical fruit products that are both nutritive and safe.

An Estimate Of The Number Of Tropical Tree Species.

OpenAIRE

Slik, J W Ferry; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; Alvarez-Loayza, Patricia; Alves, Luciana F; Ashton, Peter; Balvanera, Patricia; Bastian, Meredith L; Bellingham, Peter J; van den Berg, Eduardo; Bernacci, Luis; da Conceição Bispo, Polyanna; Blanc, Lilian; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Boeckx, Pascal

2016-01-01

The high species richness of tropical forests has long been recognized, yet there remains substantial uncertainty regarding the actual number of tropical tree species. Using a pantropical tree inventory database from closed canopy forests, consisting of 657,630 trees belonging to 11,371 species, we use a fitted value of Fisher's alpha and an approximate pantropical stem total to estimate the minimum number of tropical forest tree species to fall between similar to 40,000 and similar to 53,000...

Ectomycorrhizal fungi in Amazonian tropical forests in Colombia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vasco Palacios, A.M.

2016-01-01

The ectomycorrhizal (EcM) symbiosis was assumed to be restricted to the temperate regions where forests are dominated by EcM host plants, and the tropics were supposed to be dominated by endomycorrhizal fungi. However, evidence of the presence of EcM symbiosis in tropical lowland ecosystems has been

Measuring Convective Mass Fluxes Over Tropical Oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, David

2017-04-01

Deep convection forms the upward branches of all large-scale circulations in the tropics. Understanding what controls the form and intensity of vertical convective mass fluxes is thus key to understanding tropical weather and climate. These mass fluxes and the corresponding conditions supporting them have been measured by recent field programs (TPARC/TCS08, PREDICT, HS3) in tropical disturbances considered to be possible tropical storm precursors. In reality, this encompasses most strong convection in the tropics. The measurements were made with arrays of dropsondes deployed from high altitude. In some cases Doppler radar provided additional measurements. The results are in some ways surprising. Three factors were found to control the mass flux profiles, the strength of total surface heat fluxes, the column-integrated relative humidity, and the low to mid-tropospheric moist convective instability. The first two act as expected, with larger heat fluxes and higher humidity producing more precipitation and stronger lower tropospheric mass fluxes. However, unexpectedly, smaller (but still positive) convective instability produces more precipitation as well as more bottom-heavy convective mass flux profiles. Furthermore, the column humidity and the convective instability are anti-correlated, at least in the presence of strong convection. On spatial scales of a few hundred kilometers, the virtual temperature structure appears to be in dynamic balance with the pattern of potential vorticity. Since potential vorticity typically evolves on longer time scales than convection, the potential vorticity pattern plus the surface heat fluxes then become the immediate controlling factors for average convective properties. All measurements so far have taken place in regions with relatively flat sea surface temperature (SST) distributions. We are currently seeking funding for a measurement program in the tropical east Pacific, a region that exhibits strong SST gradients and

Natural and Anthropogenically Perturbed Biogenic Aerosol over Tropical South East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Coe, H.; Robinson, N.; Allan, J. D.; Hewitt, C. N.

2014-12-01

Tropical forested regions are of interest as sources of atmospheric aerosol since they cover very large areas of the tropics and are a source of a large amount of volatile organic compounds which act as precursors for particle formation. Natural forest regions offer the potential to study the background state of the tropics and so potentially gain some insight into the pre-perturbed atmosphere. However, over the last decade in South East Asia, a considerable fraction of the native tropical deciduous forest has been deforested and replanted with palm oil plantations. This changes the range of volatile organic compounds that are emitted and act as sources of secondary organic aerosol. A suite of intensive ground and airborne measurements were made over both tropical forest and oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysia as part of the "Oxidant and Particle Photochemical Processes above a South East Asian tropical rainforest (OP3) during 2008. These data will be used together with recent improvements in our understanding of aerosol formation from biogenic compounds to discuss aerosol formation in tropical regions and the influence of human influence through widespread palm oil agriculture.

Are Mixed Tropical Tree Plantations More Resistant to Drought than Monocultures?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norbert Kunert

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Tropical tree plantations usually consist of a single exotic fast growing species, but recent research describes positive effects on ecosystem functions from mixed tropical tree plantations. In this review, we present the current knowledge of drought resistance of tropical mixed species plantations and summarize preliminary evidence from a tree biodiversity experiment in Panama. Converting mono-specific stands into mixed ones may improve stand stability and might reduce increasing abiotic and biotic disturbances due to climate change. However, little is known about the extent to which tropical tree species or tropical tree communities can resist increasing disturbances in the short term, e.g., water limitations due to increasing dry season intensity or length, or about their resilience after such disturbances and their capacity to adapt to changing conditions in the long term. Studies relating drought resistance and resilience to community diversity are missing. Further, we highlight the urgent need for a multifactorial manipulative throughfall reduction experiment in tropical environments. The outcome of such studies would greatly assist the forestry sector in tropical regions to maintain highly productive and ecologically sound forest plantations in a changing climate.

The Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (38th) Held in Honolulu, Hawaii on 10-14 December 1989

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

FOR IgG ANTIBODIES TO LEISHMANIA MEXICANA MEXICANA. M.R. Garcia*, F. Andrade, R. Esquivel, E. Simmonds, S. Canto, and A.L. Cruz. University of Yucatan ...Baltimore, MD; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; and Instituto de Investigacin Nutricional .?? 4:15 437 CHICKENPOX IN THE U.S. ARMY: A DEVELOPING... Yucatan (Mexico) Tropical Diseases Research Unit. Reference Center for Leishmaniasis Control. A total of 223 sera from human beings were processed by

Black Swan Tropical Cyclones

Science.gov (United States)

Emanuel, K.; Lin, N.

2012-12-01

Virtually all assessments of tropical cyclone risk are based on historical records, which are limited to a few hundred years at most. Yet stronger TCs may occur in the future and at places that have not been affected historically. Such events lie outside the realm of historically based expectations and may have extreme impacts. Their occurrences are also often made explainable after the fact (e.g., Hurricane Katrina). We nickname such potential future TCs, characterized by rarity, extreme impact, and retrospective predictability, "black swans" (Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2007). As, by definition, black swan TCs have yet to happen, statistical methods that solely rely on historical track data cannot predict their occurrence. Global climate models lack the capability to predict intense storms, even with a resolution as high as 14 km (Emanuel et al. 2010). Also, most dynamic downscaling methods (e.g., Bender et al. 2010) are still limited in horizontal resolution and are too expensive to implement to generate enough events to include rare ones. In this study, we apply a simpler statistical/deterministic hurricane model (Emanuel et al. 2006) to simulate large numbers of synthetic storms under a given (observed or projected) climate condition. The method has been shown to generate realistic extremes in various basins (Emanuel et al. 2008 and 2010). We also apply a hydrodynamic model (ADCIRC; Luettich et al. 1992) to simulate the storm surges generated by these storms. We then search for black swan TCs, in terms of the joint wind and surge damage potential, in the generated large databases. Heavy rainfall is another important TC hazard and will be considered in a future study. We focus on three areas: Tampa Bay in the U.S., the Persian Gulf, and Darwin in Australia. Tampa Bay is highly vulnerable to storm surge as it is surrounded by shallow water and low-lying lands, much of which may be inundated by a storm tide of 6 m. High surges are generated by storms with a broad

Biochar boosts tropical but not temperate crop yields

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffery, Simon; Abalos, Diego; Prodana, Marija; Catarina Bastos, Ana; van Groenigen, Jan Willem; Hungate, Bruce A.; Verheijen, Frank

2017-05-01

Applying biochar to soil is thought to have multiple benefits, from helping mitigate climate change [1, 2], to managing waste [3] to conserving soil [4]. Biochar is also widely assumed to boost crop yield [5, 6], but there is controversy regarding the extent and cause of any yield benefit [7]. Here we use a global-scale meta-analysis to show that biochar has, on average, no effect on crop yield in temperate latitudes, yet elicits a 25% average increase in yield in the tropics. In the tropics, biochar increased yield through liming and fertilization, consistent with the low soil pH, low fertility, and low fertilizer inputs typical of arable tropical soils. We also found that, in tropical soils, high-nutrient biochar inputs stimulated yield substantially more than low-nutrient biochar, further supporting the role of nutrient fertilization in the observed yield stimulation. In contrast, arable soils in temperate regions are moderate in pH, higher in fertility, and generally receive higher fertilizer inputs, leaving little room for additional benefits from biochar. Our findings demonstrate that the yield-stimulating effects of biochar are not universal, but may especially benefit agriculture in low-nutrient, acidic soils in the tropics. Biochar management in temperate zones should focus on potential non-yield benefits such as lime and fertilizer cost savings, greenhouse gas emissions control, and other ecosystem services.

Infectious Diseases and Tropical Cyclones in Southeast China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jietao Zheng

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Southeast China is frequently hit by tropical cyclones (TCs with significant economic and health burdens each year. However, there is a lack of understanding of what infectious diseases could be affected by tropical cyclones. This study aimed to examine the impacts of tropical cyclones on notifiable infectious diseases in southeast China. Disease data between 2005 and 2011 from four coastal provinces in southeast China, including Guangdong, Hainan, Zhejiang, and Fujian province, were collected. Numbers of cases of 14 infectious diseases were compared between risk periods and reference periods for each tropical cyclone. Risk ratios (RRs were calculated to estimate the risks. TCs were more likely to increase the risk of bacillary dysentery, paratyphoid fever, dengue fever and acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (ps < 0.05 than to decrease the risk, more likely to decrease the risk of measles, mumps, varicella and vivax malaria (ps < 0.05 than to increase the risk. In conclusion, TCs have mixed effects on the risk of infectious diseases. TCs are more likely to increase the risk of intestinal and contact transmitted infectious diseases than to decrease the risk, and more likely to decrease the risk of respiratory infectious diseases than to increase the risk. Findings of this study would assist in developing public health strategies and interventions for the reduction of the adverse health impacts from tropical cyclones.

Modelling tropical forests response to logging

Science.gov (United States)

Cazzolla Gatti, Roberto; Di Paola, Arianna; Valentini, Riccardo; Paparella, Francesco

2013-04-01

Tropical rainforests are among the most threatened ecosystems by large-scale fragmentation due to human activity such as heavy logging and agricultural clearance. Although, they provide crucial ecosystem goods and services, such as sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, protecting watersheds and conserving biodiversity. In several countries forest resource extraction has experienced a shift from clearcutting to selective logging to maintain a significant forest cover and understock of living biomass. However the knowledge on the short and long-term effects of removing selected species in tropical rainforest are scarce and need to be further investigated. One of the main effects of selective logging on forest dynamics seems to be the local disturbance which involve the invasion of open space by weed, vines and climbers at the expense of the late-successional state cenosis. We present a simple deterministic model that describes the dynamics of tropical rainforest subject to selective logging to understand how and why weeds displace native species. We argue that the selective removal of tallest tropical trees carries out gaps of light that allow weeds, vines and climbers to prevail on native species, inhibiting the possibility of recovery of the original vegetation. Our results show that different regime shifts may occur depending on the type of forest management adopted. This hypothesis is supported by a dataset of trees height and weed/vines cover that we collected from 9 plots located in Central and West Africa both in untouched and managed areas.

Impacts of Particulate Matter on Gulf of Mexico Tropical Cyclones

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, W.; Rohli, R. V.

2017-12-01

The purpose of this project is to analyze the relationship between tropical cyclones of the Gulf of Mexico-Atlantic basin and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The daily mean PM2.5 concentration values were collected from United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tropical cyclone data were collected from Tropical Prediction Center Best Track Reanalysis in Unisys Weather®. The GRIdded Binary (GRIB-formatted) data were downloaded from the Data Support Section of the Computational and Information Systems Laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Through ArcGIS®, the tropical cyclone tracks were compared with the interpolated daily mean PM2.5 concentration value. Results suggest that the tracks tend to avoid areas with higher PM2.5 concentrations, and the intensity was weakened significantly after passing the PM2.5-rich area. Through simulation using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, the pressure and vertical structure of Hurricane Lili were weakened after passing the most PM2.5-rich area in Louisiana. Also, little evidence is found for the possibility of precipitation generated by the approaching tropical cyclone to cleanse the atmosphere of PM2.5 before storm passage. These results have important implications for tropical cyclone prediction as storms approach polluted areas or other places where PM2.5 particles are abundant, not only including urban environments but also in coastal areas where proscribed burns take place during tropical cyclone season, such as during sugarcane harvesting in southern Louisiana.

Cost-effectiveness of reducing emissions from tropical deforestation, 2016-2050

Science.gov (United States)

Busch, Jonah; Engelmann, Jens

2017-12-01

Reducing tropical deforestation is potentially a large-scale and low-cost strategy for mitigating climate change. Yet previous efforts to project the cost-effectiveness of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from future deforestation across the tropics were hampered by crude available data on historical forest loss. Here we use recently available satellite-based maps of annual forest loss between 2001-2012, along with information on topography, accessibility, protected status, potential agricultural revenue, and an observed inverted-U-shaped relationship between forest cover loss and forest cover, to project tropical deforestation from 2016-2050 under alternative policy scenarios and to construct new marginal abatement cost curves for reducing emissions from tropical deforestation. We project that without new forest conservation policies 289 million hectares of tropical forest will be cleared from 2016-2050, releasing 169 GtCO2. A carbon price of US20/tCO2 (50/tCO2) across tropical countries would avoid 41 GtCO2 (77 GtCO2) from 2016-2050. By comparison, we estimate that Brazil’s restrictive policies in the Amazon between 2004-2012 successfully decoupled potential agricultural revenue from deforestation and reduced deforestation by 47% below what would have otherwise occurred, preventing the emission of 5.2 GtCO2. All tropical countries enacting restrictive anti-deforestation policies as effective as those in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004-2012 would avoid 58 GtCO2 from 2016-2050.

Biometrical applications in tropical pasture and agro-pastoral research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amézquita, M.C.

2001-01-01

"Biometrical Applications in Tropical Pasture and Agro-pastoral Research" illustrates, through selected Case Studies, the contribution of Biometry to pasture and agro-pastoral research in Tropical Latin America ( TLA ) in the last

[A case of relapsing iridocyclitis in tropical malaria].

Science.gov (United States)

Kravchinina, V V; Dushin, N V; Beliaev, V S; Barashkov, V I; Gonchar, P A; Frolov, M A

1997-01-01

An African student developed bilateral relapsing iridocyclitis with increased intraocular pressure. General examinations and parasitological studies revealed tropical malaria. Etiotropic and local therapy normalized intraocular pressure and improved vision acuity of both eyes. This case should be borne in mind by general practitioners as a possibility of transportation of various tropical diseases.

Averting biodiversity collapse in tropical forest protected areas

Science.gov (United States)

W.F. Laurance; D.C. Useche; J. Rendeiro; and others NO-VALUE; Ariel Lugo

2012-01-01

The rapid disruption of tropical forests probably imperils global biodiversity more than any other contemporary phenomenon1–3. With deforestation advancing quickly, protected areas are increasingly becoming final refuges for threatened species and natural ecosystem processes. However, many protected areas in the tropics are themselves vulnerable to human encroachment...

Impacts of tropical cyclones on Fiji and Samoa

Science.gov (United States)

Kuleshov, Yuriy; Prakash, Bipendra; Atalifo, Terry; Waqaicelua, Alipate; Seuseu, Sunny; Ausetalia Titimaea, Mulipola

2013-04-01

Weather and climate hazards have significant impacts on Pacific Island Countries. Costs of hazards such as tropical cyclones can be astronomical making enormous negative economic impacts on developing countries. We highlight examples of extreme weather events which have occurred in Fiji and Samoa in the last few decades and have caused major economic and social disruption in the countries. Destructive winds and torrential rain associated with tropical cyclones can bring the most damaging weather conditions to the region causing economic and social hardship, affecting agricultural productivity, infrastructure and economic development which can persist for many years after the initial impact. Analysing historical data, we describe the impacts of tropical cyclones Bebe and Kina on Fiji. Cyclone Bebe (October 1972) affected the whole Fiji especially the Yasawa Islands, Viti Levu and Kadavu where hurricane force winds have been recorded. Nineteen deaths were reported and damage costs caused by cyclone Bebe were estimated as exceeding F20 million (F 1972). Tropical cyclone Kina passed between Fiji's two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, and directly over Levuka on the night of 2 January 1993 with hurricane force winds causing extensive damage. Twenty three deaths have been reported making Kina one of the deadliest hurricanes in Fiji's recent history. Severe flooding on Viti Levu, combined with high tide and heavy seas led to destruction of the Sigatoka and Ba bridges, as well as almost complete loss of crops in Sigatoka and Navua deltas. Overall, damage caused by cyclone Kina was estimated as F170 million. In Samoa, we describe devastation to the country caused by tropical cyclones Ofa (February 1990) and Val (December 1991) which were considered to be the worst cyclones to affect the Samoan islands since the 1889 Apia cyclone. In Samoa, seven people were killed due to cyclone Ofa, thousands of people were left homeless and entire villages were destroyed. Damage

Water vapor stable isotope observations from tropical Australia

KAUST Repository

Parkes, Stephen

2015-04-01

The response of the tropical hydrological cycle to anthropogenically induced changes in radiative forcing is one of the largest discrepancies between climate models. Paleoclimate archives of the stable isotopic composition of precipitation in the tropics indicate a relationship with precipitation amount that could be exploited to study past hydroclimate and improve our knowledge of how this region responds to changes in climate forcing. Recently modelling studies of convective parameterizations fitted with water isotopes and remote sensing of water vapor isotopes in the tropics have illustrated uncertainty in the assumed relationship with rainfall amount. Therefore there is a need to collect water isotope data in the tropics that can be used to evaluate these models and help identify the relationships between the isotopic composition of meteoric waters and rainfall intensity. However, data in this region is almost non-existent. Here we present in-situ water vapor isotopic measurements and the HDO retrievals from the co-located Total Column Carbon Observing Network (TCCON) site at Darwin in Tropical Australia. The Darwin site is interestingly placed within the tropical western pacific region and is impacted upon by a clear monsoonal climate, and key climate cycles including ENSO and Madden Julian Oscillations. The analysis of the data illustrated relationships between water vapor isotopes and humidity which demonstrated the role of precipitation processes in the wet season and air mass mixing during the dry season. Further the wet season observations show complex relationships between humidity and isotopes. A simple Rayleigh distillation model was not obeyed, instead the importance of rainfall re-evaporation in generating the highly depleted signatures was demonstrated. These data potentially provide a useful tool for evaluating model parameterizations in monsoonal regions as they demonstrate relationships with precipitation processes that cannot be observed with

Warm Water Pools of the Western Caribbean and Eastern Tropical Pacific: Their Influence on Intraseasonal Rainfall Regimes and Tropical Storm Activity in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, A. V.; Englehart, P. J.

2007-05-01

A dipole in tropical cyclone development between the Caribbean and the eastern tropical Pacific will be examined relative to its affect on southern Mexican rainfall. With the change over in the AMO and PDO in 1994 and 1998, respectively, tropical storm genesis has been increasing in the Caribbean while declining in the tropical east Pacific. This dipole in tropical cyclone development appears to be related to changes in the pre storm season heat content of the two ocean basins (data Scripps Institution of Oceanography). Preliminary work indicates that if the Caribbean is warmer than the Pacific by late May the dipole will be accentuated with a pronounced decrease in tropical storms in the east Pacific with an early and prolonged season in the Caribbean. In recent years there appears to have been an increase in the intensity and duration of midsummer drought (Canicula) in Mexico associated with changes in the PDO and AMO. These long term ocean oscillations appear to control the dipole in the strength of the Caribbean and East Pacific warm pools. Mid summer drought is a normal occurrence in much of Mexico and Central America, but the intensified droughts of the recent period have stressed the agricultural community of the region. Based on preliminary work, it appears that the recent increased frequency of midsummer drought can be linked to a shift in the warmest pool from the East Pacific to the Caribbean.

Tropical cyclones over NIO during La-Nina Modoki years

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sumesh, K.G.; RameshKumar, M.R.

Tropical cyclones over NIO (North Indian Ocean) are highly influenced by the El-Nino and La-Nina activities over the Pacific Ocean Influences of air-sea interaction processes like El-Nino Modoki and La-Nina Modoki on tropical cyclones are less...

Bibliometry of the Revista de Biología Tropical / International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation: document types, languages, countries, institutions, citations and article lifespan.

Science.gov (United States)

Monge-Nájera, Julián; Ho, Yuh-Shan

2016-09-01

The Revista de Biología Tropical / International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation, founded in 1953, publishes feature articles about tropical nature and is considered one of the leading journals in Latin America. This article analyzes document type, language, countries, institutions, citations and for the first time article lifespan, from 1976 through 2014. We analyzed 3 978 documents from the Science Citation Index Expanded. Articles comprised 88 % of the total production and had 3.7 citations on average, lower than reviews. Spanish and English articles were nearly equal in numbers and citation for English articles was only slightly higher. Costa Rica, Mexico, and the USA are the countries with more articles, and the leading institutions were Universidad de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico and Universidad de Oriente (Venezuela). The citation lifespan of articles is long, around 37 years. It is not surprising that Costa Rica, Mexico, and Venezuela lead in productivity and cooperation, because they are mostly covered by tropical ecosystems and share a common culture and a tradition of scientific cooperation. The same applies to the leading institutions, which are among the largest Spanish language universities in the neotropical region. American output can be explained by the regional presence of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Organization for Tropical Studies. Tropical research does not have the rapid change typical of medical research, and for this reason, the impact factor misses most of citations for the Revista, which are made after the two-year window used by the Web of Science. This issue is especially damaging for the Revista because most journals that deal with tropical biology are never checked when citations are counted for by the Science Citation Index.

Tropical sprue: case report with review of literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W Robinson

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Tropical sprue is an important cause of malabsorption in adults and in children in South Asia. Investigations to exclude specific infective, immunological or inflammatory causes are important before considering tropical sprue as a diagnosis. Malabsorption disorders of the small intestine can be a source of great debilitation to the patient, and a diagnostic challenge to the pathologist. This article presents clinicopathological findings of a non coeliac tropical sprue in a 66–year-old male and discusses the histological and clinical information that can help differentiate coeliac from non coeliac sprue. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpn.v2i3.6030 JPN 2012; 2(3: 241-244

A New Tropical Cyclone Dynamic Initialization Technique Using High Temporal and Spatial Density Atmospheric Motion Vectors and Airborne Field Campaign Data

Science.gov (United States)

Hendricks, Eric A.; Bell, Michael M.; Elsberry, Russell L.; Velden, Chris S.; Cecil, Dan

2016-01-01

Background: Initialization of tropical cyclones in numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems is a great challenge: Mass-wind ?eld balance; Secondary circulation and heating; Asymmetries. There can be large adjustments in structure and intensity in the ?rst 24 hours if the initial vortex is not in balance: Spurious gravity waves; Spin-up (model and physics). Existing mesoscale NWP model TC (Tropical Cyclone) initialization strategies: Bogus vortex, cold start from global analyses; 3DVAR or 4DVAR, possibly with synthetic observations; EnKF (Ensemble Kalman Filter); Dynamic initialization. Dynamic initialization allows vortex to have improved balance and physics spin-up at the initial time (e.g., Hendricks et al. 2013, 2011; Nguyen and Chen 2011; Fiorino and Warner 1981; Hoke and Anthes 1976). Himawari-8 geostationary satellite has capability of continuous imagery (10-minutes) over the full disk: New GOES-R satellites will have same capability. This will allow for unprecedented observations of tropical cyclones. However, current data assimila1on systems are not capable of ingesting such high temporal observations (Atmospheric Mo1on Vectors - AMVs). Hourly AMVs are produced, and thinned to 100-kilometer spacing in the horizontal. An entirely new data assimilation concept is required to utilize these observations.

Promoting the confluence of tropical cyclone research.

Science.gov (United States)

Marler, Thomas E

2015-01-01

Contributions of biologists to tropical cyclone research may improve by integrating concepts from other disciplines. Employing accumulated cyclone energy into protocols may foster greater integration of ecology and meteorology research. Considering experienced ecosystems as antifragile instead of just resilient may improve cross-referencing among ecological and social scientists. Quantifying ecosystem capital as distinct from ecosystem services may improve integration of tropical cyclone ecology research into the expansive global climate change research community.

Application of DNA barcodes in wildlife conservation in Tropical East Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, John-James; Sing, Kong-Wah; Lee, Ping-Shin; Wee, Alison K S

2016-10-01

Over the past 50 years, Tropical East Asia has lost more biodiversity than any tropical region. Tropical East Asia is a megadiverse region with an acute taxonomic impediment. DNA barcodes are short standardized DNA sequences used for taxonomic purposes and have the potential to lessen the challenges of biodiversity inventory and assessments in regions where they are most needed. We reviewed DNA barcoding efforts in Tropical East Asia relative to other tropical regions. We suggest DNA barcodes (or metabarcodes from next-generation sequencers) may be especially useful for characterizing and connecting species-level biodiversity units in inventories encompassing taxa lacking formal description (particularly arthropods) and in large-scale, minimal-impact approaches to vertebrate monitoring and population assessments through secondary sources of DNA (invertebrate derived DNA and environmental DNA). We suggest interest and capacity for DNA barcoding are slowly growing in Tropical East Asia, particularly among the younger generation of researchers who can connect with the barcoding analogy and understand the need for new approaches to the conservation challenges being faced. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Tropical cyclone disasters in the Gulf of Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suphat Vongvisessomjai

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The origin of tropical cyclones in the South China Sea is over a vast deep sea, southeast of the Philippines. The severetropical cyclones in summer with northerly tracks attack the Philippines, China, Korea and Japan, while the moderate ones inthe rainy season with northwesterly tracks pass Vietnam, Laos and northern Thailand. In October, November and December, the tropical cyclones are weakened and tracks shift to a lower latitude passing the Gulf of Thailand. Tropical cyclone disasters in the Gulf of Thailand due to strong winds causing storm surges and big waves or heavy rainfall over high mountains in causing floods and land slides result in moderate damages and casualties. Analyses are made of six decades of data of tropical cyclones from 1951-2006 having averaged numbers of 3 and 13 in Thailand and the South China Sea respectively. Detailed calculation of surges and wave heights of the 5 disastrous tropical cyclones in the Gulf of Thailand reveal that the Upper Gulf of Thailand with a limited fetch length of about 100 km in north/south direction and about 100 km width in the east/west direction, resulted in a limited maximum wave height of 2.3-2.5 m and maximum storm surge height of 1.2 m generated by Typhoon Vae (1952, while the east coast, with longer fetch lengthbut still limited by the existence of its shoreline, resulted in an increased maximum wave height of 4 m and maximum storm surge height of 0.6 m in the Upper Gulf of Thailand generated by Typhoon Linda (1997. These are the Probable Maximum Cyclones here.The southern shoreline, with unlimited fetch length on the east by tropical cyclones approaching from the South China Sea, generated maximum wave height of 6-11 m by Typhoon Gay (1989, resulting in more casualties and damages. Note that storm surges on the southern shorelines with steep slopes are small due to the short distance of shallow shorelines in receiving wind stresses for piling up sea levels. These disasters can be

Tropical explosive volcanic eruptions can trigger El Niño by cooling tropical Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Khodri, Myriam; Izumo, Takeshi; Vialard, Jérôme; Janicot, Serge; Cassou, Christophe; Lengaigne, Matthieu; Mignot, Juliette; Gastineau, Guillaume; Guilyardi, Eric; Lebas, Nicolas; Robock, Alan; McPhaden, Michael J

2017-10-03

Stratospheric aerosols from large tropical explosive volcanic eruptions backscatter shortwave radiation and reduce the global mean surface temperature. Observations suggest that they also favour an El Niño within 2 years following the eruption. Modelling studies have, however, so far reached no consensus on either the sign or physical mechanism of El Niño response to volcanism. Here we show that an El Niño tends to peak during the year following large eruptions in simulations of the Fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Targeted climate model simulations further emphasize that Pinatubo-like eruptions tend to shorten La Niñas, lengthen El Niños and induce anomalous warming when occurring during neutral states. Volcanically induced cooling in tropical Africa weakens the West African monsoon, and the resulting atmospheric Kelvin wave drives equatorial westerly wind anomalies over the western Pacific. This wind anomaly is further amplified by air-sea interactions in the Pacific, favouring an El Niño-like response.El Niño tends to follow 2 years after volcanic eruptions, but the physical mechanism behind this phenomenon is unclear. Here the authors use model simulations to show that a Pinatubo-like eruption cools tropical Africa and drives westerly wind anomalies in the Pacific favouring an El Niño response.

Soil type and texture impacts on soil organic carbon accumulation in a sub-tropical agro-ecosystem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonçalves, Daniel Ruiz Potma; Sa, Joao Carlos de Moraes; Mishra, Umakant; Cerri, Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino; Ferreira, Lucimara Aparecida; Furlan, Flavia Juliana Ferreira

2016-11-02

Soil organic carbon (C) plays a fundamental role in tropical and subtropical soil fertility, agronomic productivity, and soil health. As a tool for understand ecosystems dynamics, mathematical models such as Century have been used to assess soil's capacity to store C in different environments. However, as Century was initially developed for temperate ecosystems, several authors have hypothesized that C storage may be underestimated by Century in Oxisols. We tested the hypothesis that Century model can be parameterized for tropical soils and used to reliably estimate soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. The aim of this study was to investigate SOC storage under two soil types and three textural classes and quantify the sources and magnitude of uncertainty using the Century model. The simulation for SOC storage was efficient and the mean residue was 10 Mg C ha^-1 (13%) for n = 91. However, a different simulation bias was observed for soil with <600 g kg^-1 of clay was 16.3 Mg C ha^-1 (18%) for n = 30, and at >600 g kg^-1 of clay, was 4 Mg C ha^-1 (5%) for n = 50, respectively. The results suggest a non-linear effect of clay and silt contents on C storage in Oxisols. All types of soil contain nearly 70% of Fe and Al oxides in the clay fraction and a regression analysis showed an increase in model bias with increase in oxides content. Consequently, inclusion of mineralogical control of SOC stabilization by Fe and Al (hydro) oxides may improve results of Century model simulations in soils with high oxides contents

Tropical cyclone statistics in the Northeastern Pacific

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero-Vadillo, E. [Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS), La Paz, Baja California Sur (Mexico); Zaytsev, O. [Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, La Paz, Baja California Sur (Mexico)]. E-mail: ozaytsev@ipn.mx; Morales-Perez, R. [Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua (IMTA), Jiutepec, Morelos (Mexico)

2007-04-15

The principal area of tropical cyclogenesis in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean is offshore in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, between 8 and 15 degrees Celsius N, and most of these cyclones move towards the west and northwest during their initial phase. Historical analysis of tropical cyclone data in the Northeastern (NE) Pacific over the last 38 years (from 1966 to 2004) shows a mean of 16.3 tropical cyclones per year, consisting of 8.8 hurricanes 198 and 7.4 tropical storms. The analysis shows great geographical variability of cyclone tracks, and that there were a considerable number of hurricane strikes along the Mexican coast. About 50% of the tropical cyclones formed turned north to northeast. It was rare that any passed further north than 30 degrees Celsius N in latitude because of the cold California Current. Hurricane tracks that affected the NE Pacific may be separated into 5 groups. We compared the historical record of the sea surface temperature (SST), related with the El Nino events with a data set of tropical cyclones, including frequency, intensity, trajectory, and duration. Although the statistical dependence between the frequencies of tropical cyclones of the most abundant categories, 1 and 2, over this region and SST data was not convincing, the percentage of high intensity hurricanes and hurricanes with a long life-time (greater than 12 days) was more during El Nino years than in non-El Nino years. [Spanish] La principal region de la formacion de ciclones en el oceano Pacifico Este es el Golfo de Tehuantepec, entre los 8 y los 15 grados Celsius N. En su fase inicial los ciclones se mueven hacia el oeste y el noroeste. El analisis historico de los ciclones que se han generado durante los ultimos 38 anos (de 1966 a 2004) muestra un promedio de 16.2 ciclones por ano, consistentes en 8.8 huracanes y 7.4 tormentas tropicales. El analisis muestra una gran variabilidad geografica en la trayectoria de los ciclones, de los cuales un gran numero impacta las

Infrared heater system for warming tropical forest understory plants and soils

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce A. Kimball; Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez; Molly A. Cavaleri; Sasha C. Reed; Grizelle González; Tana E. Wood

2018-01-01

The response of tropical forests to global warming is one of the largest uncertainties in predicting the future carbon balance of Earth. To determine the likely effects of elevated temperatures on tropical forest understory plants and soils, as well as other ecosystems, an infrared (IR) heater system was developed to provide in situ warming for the Tropical Responses...

Tropical rainforest response to marine sky brightening climate engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Muri, Helene; Niemeier, Ulrike; Kristjánsson, Jón Egill

2015-04-01

Tropical forests represent a major atmospheric carbon dioxide sink. Here the gross primary productivity (GPP) response of tropical rainforests to climate engineering via marine sky brightening under a future scenario is investigated in three Earth system models. The model response is diverse, and in two of the three models, the tropical GPP shows a decrease from the marine sky brightening climate engineering. Partial correlation analysis indicates precipitation to be important in one of those models, while precipitation and temperature are limiting factors in the other. One model experiences a reversal of its Amazon dieback under marine sky brightening. There, the strongest partial correlation of GPP is to temperature and incoming solar radiation at the surface. Carbon fertilization provides a higher future tropical rainforest GPP overall, both with and without climate engineering. Salt damage to plants and soils could be an important aspect of marine sky brightening.

Gigantic Jets and the Tropical Paradigm: A Satellite Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, S. M.; Splitt, M. E.

2017-12-01

While not exclusively oceanic, gigantic jets (GJ) appear to have a preference for the tropical environment. In particular, a number of GJs have been observed in conjunction with tropical disturbances (i.e., weak tropical storms, depressions, and remnant lows). Given the remote aspect of TC convection and general lack of radar coverage, we explore this subset of events via analysis of their infrared and water vapor satellite presentations. The satellite perspective is relevant given that storm top mixing (dilution) of charge associated with storm-scale turbulence in this portion of the storm is thought to be connected to GJs. The thunderstorm overshoot, upper level divergence / outflow are examined in an effort to better understand the tropical paradigm. Specifically, an analysis of cloud top temperature, anvil expansion rates and asymmetries as well as placement of the GJ events with respect to the large (storm) scale circulation will be conducted.

Tropical limit and a micro-macro correspondence in statistical physics

Science.gov (United States)

Angelelli, Mario

2017-10-01

Tropical mathematics is used to establish a correspondence between certain microscopic and macroscopic objects in statistical models. Tropical algebra gives a common framework for macrosystems (subsets) and their elementary constituents (elements) that is well-behaved with respect to composition. This kind of connection is studied with maps that preserve a monoid structure. The approach highlights an underlying order relation that is explored through the concepts of filter and ideal. Particular attention is paid to asymmetry and duality between max- and min-criteria. Physical implementations are presented through simple examples in thermodynamics and non-equilibrium physics. The phenomenon of ultrametricity, the notion of tropical equilibrium and the role of ground energy in non-equilibrium models are discussed. Tropical symmetry, i.e. idempotence, is investigated.

The Scientific Development of the Physiology of Plants in the American Tropics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco V. Gutiérrez

2002-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is a research and journalistic work that summarizes and synthesizes the scientific development of the physiology of plants in the American tropics, also known as the Neotropics. It contains the contributions of numerous biologists interested in the physiology of tropical plants. The fabulous structural and functional diversity of tropical forests is still the major driver of research in this field. Classical physiological work involving tropical plants, such as the discovery of C4 photosynthesis in sugarcane, is invoked to exemplify the historical and current importance of physiological research in the tropics, and its applications in agriculture, forestry and conservation. An historical background describing the early and more recent development of a tradition on the physiological study of tropical plants is followed by a summary of the research conducted on the physiology of tropical crops. Common areas of interest and influence between the fields of crop physiology and plant ecophysiology are identified and exemplified with problems on the environmental physiology of crops like coffee and cassava. The physiology of tropical forest plants is discussed in terms of its contributions to general plant physiological knowledge in areas such as photosynthetic metabolism and plant water relations. Despite the impressive technical advances achieved during the past decade, the importance of continuous development of appropriate instrumentation to study and measure the physiology of plants in situ is stressed. Although the basic metabolic processes that underlie the mechanisms of plant responses to the environment are probably highly conserved and qualitatively similar among tropical and temperate plants, it is also apparent that tropical plants exhibit metabolic peculiarities. These include aspects of photosynthetic metabolism, phloem transport physiology, sensitivity to low temperatures, reproduction, responses to climatic seasonality, and a

Tropical cyanobacterial blooms: a review of prevalence, problem taxa, toxins and influencing environmental factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxine A.D. Mowe

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are a major issue in freshwater systems in many countries. The potentially toxic species and their ecological causes are likely to be different in tropical zones from those in temperate water bodies; however, studies on tropical toxic cyanobacterial blooms are sporadic and currently there is no global synthesis. In this review, we examined published information on tropical cyanobacterial bloom occurrence and toxin production to investigate patterns in their growth and distribution. Microcystis was the most frequently occurring bloom genus throughout tropical Asia, Africa and Central America, while Cylindrospermopsis and Anabaena blooms occurred in various locations in tropical Australia, America and Africa. Microcystis blooms were more prevalent during the wet season while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more prevalent during the dry period. Microcystin was the most encountered toxin throughout the tropics. A meta-analysis of tropical cyanobacterial blooms showed that Microcystis blooms were more associated with higher total nitrogen concentrations, while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more associated with higher maximum temperatures. Meta-analysis also showed a positive linear relationship between levels of microcystin and N:P (nitrate:phosphate ratio. Tropical African Microcystis blooms were found to have the lowest microcystin levels in relation to biomass and N:P (nitrate:phosphate compared to tropical Asian, Australian and American blooms. There was also no significant correlation between microcystin concentration and cell concentration for tropical African blooms as opposed to tropical Asian and American blooms. Our review illustrates that some cyanobacteria and toxins are more prevalent in tropical areas. While some tropical countries have considerable information regarding toxic blooms, others have few or no reported studies. 

An estimate of the number of tropical tree species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Slik, J. W Ferry; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Aiba, Shin Ichiro

2015-01-01

The high species richness of tropical forests has long been recognized, yet there remains substantial uncertainty regarding the actual number of tropical tree species. Using a pantropical tree inventory database from closed canopy forests, consisting of 657,630 trees belonging to 11,371 species, ...

Teleconnections from Tropics to Northern Extratropics through a Southerly Conveyor

OpenAIRE

Wang, Zhuo; Chang, C.-P.; Wang, Bin; Jin, Fei-fei

2005-01-01

Rossby wave propagation theory predicts that Rossby waves in a tropical easterly flow cannot escape from the Tropics to the extratropics. Here the authors show that a southerly flow component in the basic state (a southerly conveyor) may transfer a Rossby wave source northward; thus, a forcing embedded in the deep tropical easterlies may excite a Rossby wave response in the extratropical westerlies. It is shown that the southerly conveyor determines the location of the effective R...

Damage-controlled logging in managed tropical rain forest in Suriname

OpenAIRE

Hendrison, J.

1990-01-01

Concern about worldwide deforestation and exploitation of the tropical rain forests has led to friction between national governments, wood industries and timber trade on the one hand, and scientists and environmental organizations on the other. One way to safeguard the tropical rain forests is to avoid human interference and to use forests only as nature reserves and as buffer zones of environmental protection. Some vulnerable tropical rain forests and those with unique flora and fau...

A Probabilistic Approach to Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness (TCCOR)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wallace, Kenneth A

2008-01-01

Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness (TCCOR) are set at DoD installations in the Western Pacific to convey the risk associated with the onset of destructive winds from approaching tropical cyclones...

[Tropical causes of epilepsy].

Science.gov (United States)

Carod-Artal, F J

Eighty-five percent of all epileptics live in tropical regions. Prenatal risk factors, traumatic brain injuries and different parasitic infestations of the central nervous system (CNS) are the reasons behind the high prevalence of epilepsy. This work reviews the main parasitic infestations causing epilepsy in the tropics. Neurocysticercosis is the main cause of focal epilepsy in early adulthood in endemic areas (30-50%). All the phases of cysticerci (viable, transitional and calcified) are associated with epileptic seizures. Anti-cysticercus treatment helps get rid of cysticerci faster and reduces the risk of recurrence of seizures in patients with viable cysts. Symptomatic epilepsy can be the first manifestation of neuroschistosomiasis in patients without any systemic symptoms. The pseudotumoral form can trigger seizures secondary to the presence of granulomas and oedemas in the cerebral cortex. The eggs of Schistosoma japonicum are smaller, reach the CNS more easily and trigger epileptic seizures more frequently. Toxocariasis and sparganosis are other parasitic infestations that can give rise to symptomatic seizures. The risk factors for suffering chronic epilepsy after cerebral malaria are a positive familial history of epilepsy and a history of episodes of fever and cerebral malaria that began with coma or which progressed with multiple, prolonged epileptic seizures. About 20% of patients with cerebral infarction secondary to Chagas disease present late vascular epilepsy as a complication. Very few studies have been conducted to examine the prognosis, risk of recurrence and modification of the natural course of seizures associated with tropical parasitic infestations, except for the case of neurocysticercosis.

Review of Tropical-Extratropical Teleconnections on Intraseasonal Time Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Stan, Cristiana; Straus, David M.; Frederiksen, Jorgen S.; Lin, Hai; Maloney, Eric D.; Schumacher, Courtney

2017-12-01

The interactions and teleconnections between the tropical and midlatitude regions on intraseasonal time scales are an important modulator of tropical and extratropical circulation anomalies and their associated weather patterns. These interactions arise due to the impact of the tropics on the extratropics, the impact of the midlatitudes on the tropics, and two-way interactions between the regions. Observational evidence, as well as theoretical studies with models of complexity ranging from the linear barotropic framework to intricate Earth system models, suggest the involvement of a myriad of processes and mechanisms in generating and maintaining these interconnections. At this stage, our understanding of these teleconnections is primarily a collection of concepts; a comprehensive theoretical framework has yet to be established. These intraseasonal teleconnections are increasingly recognized as an untapped source of potential subseasonal predictability. However, the complexity and diversity of mechanisms associated with these teleconnections, along with the lack of a conceptual framework to relate them, prevent this potential predictability from being translated into realized forecast skill. This review synthesizes our progress in understanding the observed characteristics of intraseasonal tropical-extratropical interactions and their associated mechanisms, identifies the significant gaps in this understanding, and recommends new research endeavors to address the remaining challenges.

Why tropical forest lizards are vulnerable to climate warming

Science.gov (United States)

Huey, Raymond B.; Deutsch, Curtis A.; Tewksbury, Joshua J.; Vitt, Laurie J.; Hertz, Paul E.; Álvarez Pérez, Héctor J.; Garland, Theodore

2009-01-01

Biological impacts of climate warming are predicted to increase with latitude, paralleling increases in warming. However, the magnitude of impacts depends not only on the degree of warming but also on the number of species at risk, their physiological sensitivity to warming and their options for behavioural and physiological compensation. Lizards are useful for evaluating risks of warming because their thermal biology is well studied. We conducted macrophysiological analyses of diurnal lizards from diverse latitudes plus focal species analyses of Puerto Rican Anolis and Sphaerodactyus. Although tropical lowland lizards live in environments that are warm all year, macrophysiological analyses indicate that some tropical lineages (thermoconformers that live in forests) are active at low body temperature and are intolerant of warm temperatures. Focal species analyses show that some tropical forest lizards were already experiencing stressful body temperatures in summer when studied several decades ago. Simulations suggest that warming will not only further depress their physiological performance in summer, but will also enable warm-adapted, open-habitat competitors and predators to invade forests. Forest lizards are key components of tropical ecosystems, but appear vulnerable to the cascading physiological and ecological effects of climate warming, even though rates of tropical warming may be relatively low. PMID:19324762

The importance of precessional signals in the tropical climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clement, A C [Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149 (United States); Hall, A [UCLA, 7955 Math Sciences Building, 405 Hilgard Ave., Box 951565, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Broccoli, A J [Rutgers University, 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8551 (United States)

2004-04-01

Past research on the climate response to orbital forcing has emphasized the glacial-interglacial variations in global ice volume, global-mean temperature, and the global hydrologic cycle. This emphasis may be inappropriate in the tropics, where the response to precessional forcing is likely to be somewhat independent of the glacial-interglacial variations, particularly in variables relating to the hydrologic cycle. To illustrate this point, we use an atmospheric general circulation model coupled to a slab ocean model, performing experiments that quantify the tropical climate's response to (1) opposite phases of precessional forcing, and (2) Last Glacial Maximum boundary conditions. While the glacially-forced tropical temperature changes are typically more than an order of magnitude larger than those arising from precessional forcing, the hydrologic signals stemming from the two forcings are comparable in magnitude. The mechanisms behind these signals are investigated and shown to be quite distinct for the precessional and glacial forcing. Because of strong dynamical linkages in the tropics, the model results illustrate the impossibility of predicting the local hydrologic response to external forcing without understanding the response at much larger spatial scales. Examples from the paleoclimate record are presented as additional evidence for the importance of precessional signals in past variations of the tropical climate. (orig.)

Tropical Atlantic-Korea teleconnection pattern during boreal summer season

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, Yoo-Geun; Chikamoto, Yoshimitsu; Kug, Jong-Seong; Kimoto, Masahide; Mochizuki, Takashi

2017-10-01

The remote impact of tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) variability on Korean summer precipitation is examined based on observational data analysis along with the idealized and hindcast model experiments. Observations show a significant correlation (i.e. 0.64) between Korean precipitation anomalies (averaged over 120-130°E, 35-40°N) and the tropical Atlantic SST index (averaged over 60°W-20°E, 30°S-30°N) during the June-July-August (JJA) season for the 1979-2010 period. Our observational analysis and partial-data assimilation experiments using the coupled general circulation model demonstrate that tropical Atlantic SST warming induces the equatorial low-level easterly over the western Pacific through a reorganization of the global Walker Circulation, causing a decreased precipitation over the off-equatorial western Pacific. As a Gill-type response to this diabatic forcing, an anomalous low-level anticyclonic circulation appears over the Philippine Sea, which transports wet air from the tropics to East Asia through low-level southerly, resulting an enhanced precipitation in the Korean peninsula. Multi-model hindcast experiments also show that predictive skills of Korean summer precipitation are improved by utilizing predictions of tropical Atlantic SST anomalies as a predictor for Korean precipitation anomalies.

Virus tropical en la clase de E/LE: cómo trabajar la narración visual, la identidad y el plurilingüismo con una novela gráfica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustín Corti

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Resumen: El presente artículo es un aporte al desarrollo de la alfabetización visual en la clase de E/LE a partir de la novela gráfica Virus tropical de Powerpaola. Parte de un enfoque narratológico a fin de fomentar las competencias socioculturales y la conciencia de la identidad de los aprendientes respecto al español como una lengua pluricéntrica. La secuencia didáctica está estructurada en dos partes que se centran en el desarrollo integrado de las competencias propuestas. Palabras clave: alfabetización visual, identidad, plurilingüismo, variedades del español.   Abstract: the paper presents an approach to the development of visual literacy in S/FL through the graphic novel Virus tropical from Powerpaola. Within a narratological approach it elaborates exercises on sociocultural competence and identity awareness of learners on behalf of Spanish as a pluricentric language. The didactic proposal is structured in two stages that integrate the proposed competences. Keywords: visual literacy, identity, plurilinguism, varieties of Spanish.

Sensitivity of tropical convection in cloud-resolving WRF simulations to model physics and forcing procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Endo, S.; Lin, W.; Jackson, R. C.; Collis, S. M.; Vogelmann, A. M.; Wang, D.; Oue, M.; Kollias, P.

2017-12-01

Tropical convection is one of the main drivers of the climate system and recognized as a major source of uncertainty in climate models. High-resolution modeling is performed with a focus on the deep convection cases during the active monsoon period of the TWP-ICE field campaign to explore ways to improve the fidelity of convection permitting tropical simulations. Cloud resolving model (CRM) simulations are performed with WRF modified to apply flexible configurations for LES/CRM simulations. We have enhanced the capability of the forcing module to test different implementations of large-scale vertical advective forcing, including a function for optional use of large-scale thermodynamic profiles and a function for the condensate advection. The baseline 3D CRM configurations are, following Fridlind et al. (2012), driven by observationally-constrained ARM forcing and tested with diagnosed surface fluxes and fixed sea-surface temperature and prescribed aerosol size distributions. After the spin-up period, the simulations follow the observed precipitation peaks associated with the passages of precipitation systems. Preliminary analysis shows that the simulation is generally not sensitive to the treatment of the large-scale vertical advection of heat and moisture, while more noticeable changes in the peak precipitation rate are produced when thermodynamic profiles above the boundary layer were nudged to the reference profiles from the forcing dataset. The presentation will explore comparisons with observationally-based metrics associated with convective characteristics and examine the model performance with a focus on model physics, doubly-periodic vs. nested configurations, and different forcing procedures/sources. A radar simulator will be used to understand possible uncertainties in radar-based retrievals of convection properties. Fridlind, A. M., et al. (2012), A comparison of TWP-ICE observational data with cloud-resolving model results, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D05204

Statistical strategies for global monitoring of tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond L. Czaplewski

1991-01-01

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is conducting a global assessment of tropical forest resources, which will be accomplished by mid-1992. This assessment requires, in part, estimates of the total area of tropical forest cover in 1990, and the rate of change in forest cover between 1980 and 1990. This paper describes: (1) the strategic...

Sherlock Holmes and tropical medicine: a centennial appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sodeman, W A

1994-01-01

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle incorporated an unidentified tropical disease as a murder weapon in the Sherlock Holmes story, "The Dying Detective," written in 1913. Documentary and circumstantial evidence suggests that the disease mentioned was melioidosis. The description of the newly identified disease occurred shortly before Doyle's death. Doyle's other works at the time reflect a consistent interest in tropical disease.

Tropical countries may be willing to pay more to protect their forests

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Jeffrey R.; Carson, Richard T.; DeShazo, J. R.; Schwabe, Kurt A.; Ahmad, Ismariah; Chong, Siew Kook; Chang, Yii Tan; Potts, Matthew D.

2014-01-01

Inadequate funding from developed countries has hampered international efforts to conserve biodiversity in tropical forests. We present two complementary research approaches that reveal a significant increase in public demand for conservation within tropical developing countries as those countries reach upper-middle-income (UMI) status. We highlight UMI tropical countries because they contain nearly four-fifths of tropical primary forests, which are rich in biodiversity and stored carbon. The first approach is a set of statistical analyses of various cross-country conservation indicators, which suggests that protective government policies have lagged behind the increase in public demand in these countries. The second approach is a case study from Malaysia, which reveals in a more integrated fashion the linkages from rising household income to increased household willingness to pay for conservation, nongovernmental organization activity, and delayed government action. Our findings suggest that domestic funding in UMI tropical countries can play a larger role in (i) closing the funding gap for tropical forest conservation, and (ii) paying for supplementary conservation actions linked to international payments for reduced greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in tropical countries. PMID:24982171

Fluvial organic carbon losses from oil palm plantations on tropical peat, Sarawak, Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Sarah; Page, Susan; Evans, Chris; Whelan, Mick; Gauci, Vincent; Lip Khoon, Kho

2017-04-01

Tropical peatlands are valuable stores of carbon. However, tropical peat swamp forests (TPSFs) in Southeast Asia have increasingly been converted to other land-uses. For example, more than 25% of TPSFs are now under oil palm plantations. This conversion - requiring felling and burning of trees and drainage of the peat - can enhance carbon mineralization, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) losses and can contribute significantly to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, changing these natural carbon sinks into carbon sources. At present, relatively few scientifically sound studies provide dependable estimates of gaseous and fluvial carbon losses from oil palm plantations or from drained tropical peat in general. Here we present an annual (54 week) estimate of the export of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in water draining two oil palm estates and nearby stands of TPSF in Sarawak, Malaysia, subjected to varying degrees of past anthropogenic disturbance. Spectrophotometric techniques including SUVA254 (Specific Ultra-Violet Absorption) were used to gain insight into the aromaticity and subsequent bioavailability of the exported DOC. Water draining plantation and deforested land had a higher proportion of labile carbon compared to water draining forested areas. Preliminary data suggest a total fluvial DOC flux from plantations of ca. 190 g C m-2 year-1; nearly three times estimates from intact TPSFs (63 g C m-2 year-1). DOC accounted for between 86 % - 94 % of the total organic carbon lost (most of which was bioavailable). Wit et al. (2015) estimates that an average of 53 % of peat-derived DOC is decomposed and emitted as CO2, on a monthly basis. Based on these estimates our data suggests an additional 101 g CO2 m-2 may be emitted indirectly from fluvial organic carbon in degraded TPSFs per year. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of including fluvial organic carbon fluxes when quantifying the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on the

Nuclear power plant risk from tropical cyclones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilmore, T.F.

1991-01-01

Tropical cyclones are considered to have a potential for contributing to the overall core-melt frequency at Turkey Point. A tropical cyclone is known to have the four main hazards associated with it: wind, tidal surge, wind-generated missiles, and precipitation. To understand the contribution to overall core-melt risk at Turkey Point, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of these hazards and their relative importance. The results are bounded by the hurricane surge scenario, where the frequency of core melt is equal to the frequency of the surge reaching 19 ft NGVD (National Geographic Vertical Datum). This could be mitigated by potential recovery actions for the tropical cyclone scenario. The probability of the storm surge reaching 19 ft NVGD is estimated to be 1 x 10 -4 . The data associated with the tropical cyclones as discussed in detail in the body of this paper are lacking in quantity and quality. By taking the conservative approach in creating the wind/frequency, wind/surge, and surge/frequency relationships, the conclusion that the results are worst case is reasonable. With this in mind, it is logical to conclude that the value of further hazard analysis to narrow down the built-in conservative margin using the existing data and technology is doubtful. Thus, a recovery approach to driving the risk level down is the most pragmatic step to be taken

Hydrological structure and biological productivity of the tropical Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Muraleedharan, U.D.; Muraleedharan, P.M.

Hydrological structure analyses of regions in the tropical Atlantic Ocean have consistently revealed the existence of a typical tropical structure characterized by a nitrate-depleted mixed layer above the thermocline. The important biological...

Tropical wetlands: A missing link in the global carbon cycle?

Science.gov (United States)

Sjögersten, Sofie; Black, Colin R; Evers, Stephanie; Hoyos-Santillan, Jorge; Wright, Emma L; Turner, Benjamin L

2014-01-01

Tropical wetlands are not included in Earth system models, despite being an important source of methane (CH4) and contributing a large fraction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from land use, land use change, and forestry in the tropics. This review identifies a remarkable lack of data on the carbon balance and gas fluxes from undisturbed tropical wetlands, which limits the ability of global change models to make accurate predictions about future climate. We show that the available data on in situ carbon gas fluxes in undisturbed forested tropical wetlands indicate marked spatial and temporal variability in CO2 and CH4 emissions, with exceptionally large fluxes in Southeast Asia and the Neotropics. By upscaling short-term measurements, we calculate that approximately 90 ± 77 Tg CH4 year−1 and 4540 ± 1480 Tg CO2 year−1 are released from tropical wetlands globally. CH4 fluxes are greater from mineral than organic soils, whereas CO2 fluxes do not differ between soil types. The high CO2 and CH4 emissions are mirrored by high rates of net primary productivity and litter decay. Net ecosystem productivity was estimated to be greater in peat-forming wetlands than on mineral soils, but the available data are insufficient to construct reliable carbon balances or estimate gas fluxes at regional scales. We conclude that there is an urgent need for systematic data on carbon dynamics in tropical wetlands to provide a robust understanding of how they differ from well-studied northern wetlands and allow incorporation of tropical wetlands into global climate change models. PMID:26074666

[Fine root dynamics and its relationship with soil fertility in tropical rainforests of Chocó].

Science.gov (United States)

Quinto, Harley; Caicedo, Haylin; Thelis Perez, May; Moreno, Flavio

2016-12-01

The fine roots play an important role in the acquisition of water and minerals from the soil, the global carbon balance and mitigation of climate change. The dynamics (productivity and turnover) of fine roots is essential for nutrient cycling and carbon balance of forest ecosystems. The availability of soil water and nutrients has significantly determined the productivity and turnover of fine roots. It has been hypothesized that fine roots dynamics increases with the availability of soil resources in tropical forest ecosystems. To test this hypothesis in tropical rainforests of Chocó (ecosystems with the highest rainfall in the world), five one-ha permanent plots were established in the localities of Opogodó and Pacurita, where the productivity and turnover of fine roots were measured at 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depth. The measurement of the fine root production was realized by the Ingrowth core method. The fine root turnover was measured like fine roots production divided mean annual biomass. In addition, soil fertility parameters (pH, nutrients, and texture) were measured and their association with productivity and turnover of fine roots was evaluated. It was found that the sites had nutrient-poor soils. The localities also differ in soil; Opogodó has sandy soils and flat topography, and Pacurita has clay soils, rich in aluminum and mountainous topography. In Opogodó fine root production was 6.50 ± 2.62 t/ha.yr (mean ± SD). In Pacurita, fine root production was 3.61 ± 0.88 t/ha.yr. Also in Opogodó, the fine root turnover was higher than in Pacurita (1.17 /y and 0.62 /y, respectively). Fine root turnover and production in the upper soil layers (10 cm upper soil) was considerably higher. Productivity and turnover of fine roots showed positive correlation with pH and contents of organic matter, total N, K, Mg, and sand; whereas correlations were negative with ECEC and contents of Al, silt, and clay. The percentage of sand was the parameter that best explained

The persistent signature of tropical cyclones in ambient seismic noise

KAUST Repository

Gualtieri, Lucia; Camargo, Suzana J.; Pascale, Salvatore; Pons, Flavio M.E.; Ekströ m, Gö ran

2017-01-01

The spectrum of ambient seismic noise shows strong signals associated with tropical cyclones, yet a detailed understanding of these signals and the relationship between them and the storms is currently lacking. Through the analysis of more than a decade of seismic data recorded at several stations located in and adjacent to the northwest Pacific Ocean, here we show that there is a persistent and frequency-dependent signature of tropical cyclones in ambient seismic noise that depends on characteristics of the storm and on the detailed location of the station relative to the storm. An adaptive statistical model shows that the spectral amplitude of ambient seismic noise, and notably of the short-period secondary microseisms, has a strong relationship with tropical cyclone intensity and can be employed to extract information on the tropical cyclones.

The persistent signature of tropical cyclones in ambient seismic noise

KAUST Repository

Gualtieri, Lucia

2017-12-28

The spectrum of ambient seismic noise shows strong signals associated with tropical cyclones, yet a detailed understanding of these signals and the relationship between them and the storms is currently lacking. Through the analysis of more than a decade of seismic data recorded at several stations located in and adjacent to the northwest Pacific Ocean, here we show that there is a persistent and frequency-dependent signature of tropical cyclones in ambient seismic noise that depends on characteristics of the storm and on the detailed location of the station relative to the storm. An adaptive statistical model shows that the spectral amplitude of ambient seismic noise, and notably of the short-period secondary microseisms, has a strong relationship with tropical cyclone intensity and can be employed to extract information on the tropical cyclones.

JPL Tropical Cyclone Information System

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The JPL Tropical Cyclone Information System (TCIS) brings together satellite and in situ data sets from various sources to help you find information for a particular...

Ducting Conditions for Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Tropical Disturbances from GPS Dropsonde Data

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-01

depression, tropical storm , hurricane, extratropical cyclone, subtropical depression, subtropical storm , a low of no category, tropical wave, disturbance or...surface-based ducts, and elevated ducts. We further separate the duct occurrence based on the location relative to their respective storms . Based...on the number of soundings in different types of tropical disturbances, we chose to further analyze duct conditions in hurricanes and tropical storms

Impacts of different grades of tropical cyclones on infectious diarrhea in Guangdong, 2005-2011.