Live weight (LW) is an important piece of information within production systems, as it is related to several other economic characteristics. However, in the main buffalo-producing regions in the world, it is not common to periodically weigh the animals. We develop and evaluate linear, quadratic, and allometric mathematical models to predict LW using the body volume (BV) formula in lactating water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) reared in southeastern Mexico. The LW (391.5 ± 138.9 kg) and BV (333.62 ± 58.51 dm3) were measured in 165 lactating Murrah buffalo aged between 3 and 10 years. The goodness-of-fit of the models was evaluated using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), coefficient of determination (R2), mean-squared error (MSE) and root MSE (RMSE). In addition, the developed models were evaluated through cross-validation (k-folds). The ability of the fitted models to predict the observed values was evaluated based on the RMSEP, R2, and mean absolute error (MAE). LW and BV were significantly positively and strongly correlated (r = 0.81; P < 0.001). The quadratic model had the lowest values of MSE (2788.12) and RMSE (52.80). On the other hand, the allometric model showed the lowest values of BIC (1319.24) and AIC (1313.07). The Quadratic and allometric models had lower values of MSEP and MAE. We recommend the quadratic and allometric models to predict the LW of lactating Murrah buffalo using BV as a predictor.

The molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and indium tin oxide (ITO) interface were studied by atom probe tomography (APT). Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction measurements were performed as complementary characterization. Results confirm that nanowires plated shape with the 〈110〉-orientation are aligned perpendicular to the ITO film with principal reflections at (002), (100), (101), (201), and Raman spectroscopy vibrational modes at E12g at 378 cm−1 and A1g at 407 cm−1 correspond to 2H-MoS2. APT reveals MoS+2, MoS+3 as predominant evaporated molecular ions on the sample, indicating no significant diffusion/segregation of Mo or S species within the ITO layer.

Tubular pottery comprises certain peculiar artifacts that were produced by late Holocene complex hunter-gatherer societies in southeastern South America for unknown purposes. Some authors have related them to mortuary behaviour which has also been suggested by historical sources, while others have considered domestic use. In this paper, the technical, compositional and functional properties of these artifacts are explored in order to contrast both hypotheses, given an example of how technical analysis allows the identification of special pottery within archeological contexts. This analysis includes a study of the fabrics involved using low and high magnification, thin sections, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, Mössbauer Spectroscopy, Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and fatty acid profiles. The results show that these tubular artifacts are not fit structurally for utilitarian purposes and show no evidence of domestic use. Based on these results and on historical data, it can be postulated that they were used as part of mortuary rituals, thus becoming part of the select global group of pottery manufactured exclusively for mortuary purposes.

Combining density functional theory calculations and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) experiments, the adsorption behavior of various sulfur containing compounds, including C2H5SH, CH3SCH3, tetrahydrothiophene, thiophene, benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene, and their derivatives on the coordinately unsaturated sites of Mo27Sx model nanoparticles, are studied systematically. Sulfur molecules with aromaticity prefer flat adsorption than perpendicular adsorption. The adsorption of nonaromatic molecules is stronger than the perpendicular adsorption of aromatic molecules, but weaker than the flat adsorption of them. With gradual hydrogenation (HYD), the binding affinity in the perpendicular adsorption modes increases, while in flat adsorption modes it increases first, then decreases. Significant steric effects on the adsorption of dimethyldibenzothiophene were revealed in perpendicular adsorption modes. The steric effect, besides weakening adsorption, could also activate the S–C bonds through a compensation effect. Finally, by comparing the theoretical adsorption energies with the TPD results, we suggest that HYD and direct-desulfurization path may happen simultaneously, but on different active sites.

The island of Gran Canaria is regularly affected by dust falls due to its proximity to the Saharan desert. Climatic oscillations may affect the Saharan dust input to the island. Geochemical, mineralogical, and textural analysis was performed on a well-developed and representative early Pleistocene paleosol to examine Saharan dust contribution to Gran Canaria. Significant and variable Saharan dust content was identified in addition to weathering products such as iron oxides and clay minerals. Variations in quartz and iron oxide concentrations in the paleosol likely reflect different Saharan dust input in more/less-contrasted rhexistasic/biostatic climatic conditions. Linking the quartz content in Canarian soils, the Ingenio paleosol, and two Canarian loess-like deposits to different ages from the Quaternary, we hypothesized that the dust input should be lower (about 33–38%) throughout the early to middle Pleistocene than during the late Quaternary. The Saharan dust input to the Gran Canaria profile in the Pleistocene persisted in spite of climatic variations.

Gorgona National Park (GNP) protects the only known feeding aggregation of juvenile green turtles Chelonia mydas on the Pacific coast of Colombia. This study was undertaken to compare the diet of the two known C. mydas morphotypes (black and yellow), and to determine availability, selectivity, and quality of food resources at GNP. Oesophageal lavages and isotopic analysis of epidermal tissue were performed on turtles captured between February and December 2012. Food quantity was estimated by determining per cent cover in quadrats randomly placed on the reefs. Food quality of algae species was estimated by proximate analysis. Food selection was estimated using Ivlev's electivity index, and the trophic level of sea turtles at GNP was calculated. A total of 30 black (mean = 63.9 cm SCL) and 47 yellow (mean = 54.3 cm SCL) morphotype turtles were lavaged. Eight invertebrate and nine algae food items were identified in oesophageal contents. The most frequently found and abundant items in lavages were terrestrial plants, plastic fibres, invertebrates and algae. A total of 27 items, including 15 algae species, were identified on the reefs, of which Cladophora sp. was selected by black turtles, and Hypnea pannosa and Dictyota sp. were selected by both morphotypes; the latter species had the highest protein and lipid content, and low lignin content. A trophic level of 3.5 for black and 3.4 for yellow turtles was calculated. No significant difference in diet between the two morphotypes could be determined through lavage or isotopic analysis.

We present an exceptional data set acquired with the Vacuum Tower Telescope (Tenerife, Spain) covering the pre-flare, flare, and post-flare stages of an M3.2 flare. The full Stokes spectropolarimetric observations were recorded with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter in the He i 1083.0 nm spectral region. The object under study was active region NOAA 11748 on 2013 May 17. During the flare the chomospheric He i 1083.0 nm intensity goes strongly into emission. However, the nearby photospheric Si i 1082.7 nm spectral line profile only gets shallower and stays in absorption. Linear polarization (Stokes Q and U) is detected in all lines of the He i triplet during the flare. Moreover, the circular polarization (Stokes V) is dominant during the flare, being the blue component of the He i triplet much stronger than the red component, and both are stronger than the Si i Stokes V profile. The Si i inversions reveal enormous changes of the photospheric magnetic field during the flare. Before the flare magnetic field concentrations of up to ~1500 G are inferred. During the flare the magnetic field strength globally decreases and in some cases it is even absent. After the flare the magnetic field recovers its strength and initial configuration.

Diffusion bonding of TiAl alloys can be enhanced by the use of reactive nanolayer thin films as interlayers. Using these interlayers, it is possible to reduce the conventional bonding conditions (temperature, time, and pressure) and obtain sound and reliable joints. The microstructural characterization of the diffusion bond interfaces is a fundamental step toward understanding and identifying the bonding mechanisms and relating them to the strength of the joints. The interface of TiAl samples joined using Ni/Al nanolayers was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Microstructural characterization of the bond revealed that the interfaces consist of several thin layers of different composition and grain size (nanometric and micrometric). The bonding temperature (800, 900, or 1,000°C) determines the grain size and thickness of the layers present at the interface. Phase identification by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with fast Fourier transform and electron energy-loss spectroscopy analyses reveals the presence of several intermetallic compounds: AlTiNi, NiAl, and Al2TiNi. For bonds produced at 800 and 900°C, nanometric grains of Ti were detected at the center of the interface.

The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) in Spain. The AQ is a 29-item instrument designed to measure the different dimensions of the hostility/anger/aggression construct. It consists of 4 subscales that assess: (a) anger, (b) hostility, (c) verbal aggression, and (d) physical aggression. In Study 1, reliability, construct validity, and convergent validity were evaluated in a group of 384 male and female university students. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using a group of 154 male and female university students. The results of the factor analysis were similar to the scale structure claimed for this instrument. The subscales also showed internal consistency and stability over time. The AQ and its subscales were also compared with the scales and subscales of the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (Ho), the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI), and the Jenkins Activity Survey-Form H (JASE-H). The results show that the AQ evaluates some aspects of anger, such as Anger-Trait and Anger-Out, rather than other elements, such as Anger-In or Anger-State. In Study 2, two new male groups were used to evaluate the criterion validity of the AQ: 57 prison inmates and 93 university students, finding that this instrument discriminated between the scores obtained by common offenders and university students.

Understanding the morphology of catalytically active materials has been approached successfully in past decades using field electron microscopy in scanning and transmission modes. In this respect, some simulated TEM measurements for unsupported promoted molybdenum di-sulfide (MoS2/Co) provided some insights about molecular structure in those catalytic layered transition metal sulfides (LTMS). However, due to poor resolution, lack of color enhancement, and other factors, sections of those materials observed under TEM do not resolve the structure by itself; in particular about the localization of cobalt atoms for promoted MoS2 unsupported catalyst. This work concludes an epitaxial growth of MoS2 slabs over (111)-Co9S8 crystallographic plane, with a stacking degree size of 6 slabs. Results presented in here are obtained using experimental HRTEM and TEM simulations using the multi-slice method with a slice thickness of 25 Å and projected potential, where ai and bi are coefficients to be determined.

The determination of the correct integer number of carrier cycles (integer ambiguity) is the key to high accuracy positioning with carrier phase measurements from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). There are a number of current methods for resolving ambiguities including the Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment (LAMBDA) method, which is a combination of least-squares and a transformation to reduce the search space. The current techniques to determine the level of confidence (integrity) of the resolved ambiguities (i.e. ambiguity validation), usually involve the construction of test statistics, characterisation of their distribution and definition of thresholds. Example tests applied include ratio, F-distribution, t-distribution and Chi-square distribution. However, the assumptions that underpin these tests have weaknesses. These include the application of a fixed threshold for all scenarios, and therefore, not always able to provide an acceptable integrity level in the computed ambiguities. A relatively recent technique referred to as Integer Aperture (IA) based on the ratio test with a large number of simulated samples of float ambiguities requires significant computational resources. This precludes the application of IA in real time.

This paper proposes and demonstrates the power of an integrity monitoring technique that is applied at the ambiguity resolution and positioning stages. The technique has the important benefit of facilitating early detection of any potential threat to the position solution, originating in the ambiguity space, while at the same time giving overall protection in the position domain based on the required navigation performance. The proposed method uses the conventional test statistic for ratio testing together with a doubly non-central F distribution to compute the level of confidence (integrity) of the ambiguities. Specifically, this is determined as a function of geometry and the ambiguity residuals from least squares based ambiguity resolution algorithms including LAMBDA. A numerical method is implemented to compute the level of confidence in real time.

The results for Precise Point Positioning (PPP) with simulated and real data demonstrate the power and efficiency of the proposed method in monitoring both the integrity of the ambiguity computation and position solution processes. Furthermore, due to the fact that the method only requires information from least squares based ambiguity resolution algorithms, it is easily transferable to conventional Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning.