Annual vegetation burns across the northern savanna region of Ghana: period of occurrence, area burns, nutrient losses and emissions

This study has assessed the seasonal occurrence of annual vegetation fires and defined inter-seasonally burned area for the different vegetation cover types across Ghana and the northern region of Ghana using 10-year (2001?C2010) remote sensing data. These values were used with fire induced elemental losses to estimate greenhouse gas emissions and net plant nutrient loss due to gross bush fire nutrient transfers and annual atmospheric nutrient depositions. About 21, 68, 10 and 1?% of annual burns across the northern region of Ghana take place in the months of November, December, January and February respectively. As much as 68?±?4 thousand km² (25?C32?%) and 37?±?2.6 thousand km² (46?C60?%) of dry land are annually burned across Ghana and the northern region of Ghana respectively, with 53?C56?% of the total annual burns across the country taking place in the northern region. About 10,100?C28,400 Gg of C, comprising 215?C4,700 thousand Gg of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂, CH₄) potential global warming green house gases and 48?C324 thousand Gg of local pollutants (CO, NO_x) are estimated to be released annually through bush fire occurrence across Ghana. Net negative balance for P between fire-induced nutrient transfers and, annual wet and dry nutrient deposits is of concern given the high P-sorbing mineral content of the soils. The temporal loss of P suggest an input source than wet and dry atmospheric P depositions for the sustenance of the ecosystem or predict a long term threat to regional food production.     

An LMI approach for H ∞ analysis and control of discrete-time piecewise affine systems

In this paper we investigate some analysis and control problems for discrete-time hybrid systems in the piece-wise affine form. By using arguments from the dissipativity theory for non-linear systems, we show that H X analysis and synthesis problems can be formulated and solved via linear matrix inequalities by taking into account the switching structure of the considered system. In this paper we address the generalized problem of controlling hybrid systems whose switching structure does not depend only on the state but also on the control input.     

Aktuelle Aktivitäten zu den europäischen Rohstoff-Initiativen

The European Initiatives manifested in the Communications of the European Commission on Raw Materials, in the Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials and in the 2014 Call of the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT) for a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on Raw Materials lead to manifold Austrian activities on Government level and on level of the Montanuniversitaet Leoben. The ESEE Region, thus East- and Southeast Europe has a special role.     

Nicotinic Acid Increases Adiponectin Secretion from Differentiated Bovine Preadipocytes through G-Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling

The transition period in dairy cows (3 weeks prepartum until 3 weeks postpartum) is associated with substantial mobilization of energy stores, which is often associated with metabolic diseases. Nicotinic acid (NA) is an antilipolytic and lipid-lowering compound used to treat dyslipidaemia in humans, and it also reduces non-esterified fatty acids in cattle. In mice the G-protein coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A) ligand NA positively affects the secretion of adiponectin, an important modulator of glucose and fat metabolism. In cattle, the corresponding data linking NA to adiponectin are missing. Our objective was to examine the effects of NA on adiponectin and AMPK protein abundance and the expression of mRNAs of related genes such as chemerin, an adipokine that enhances adiponectin secretion in vitro. Differentiated bovine adipocytes were incubated with pertussis toxin (PTX) to verify the involvement of GPR signaling, and treated with 10 or 15 µM NA for 12 or 24 h. NA increased adiponectin concentrations (p ≤ 0.001) and the mRNA abundances of GPR109A (p ≤ 0.05) and chemerin (p ≤ 0.01). Pre-incubation with PTX reduced the adiponectin response to NA (p ≤ 0.001). The NA-stimulated secretion of adiponectin and the mRNA expression of chemerin in the bovine adipocytes were suggestive of GPR signaling-dependent improved insulin sensitivity and/or adipocyte metabolism in dairy cows.     

TIME'S ARROW IN PARTICLE PHYSICS

This article gives an introduction into the current understanding of time invariance and evidence of its violation in experimental particle physics. The connection between time invariance and other discrete symmetries, particularly, CP-invariance, is explained. The first experimental determination of CP-violation is explained, and recent experiments on CP-violation and on T-violation are discussed.     

The Internal Pressure Test in Experiment and Simulation—Influence of the Wall Thickness Variation and the Change of the Packaging Behavior after the Impact of Standard Liquids

The effect of the wall thickness variation of blow‐moulded bodies made of high‐density polyethylene on an internal pressure test after prestoring the packaging with standard liquids was evaluated in experiments and simulations. The objects of the investigation were jerrycans used for the transportation and storage of dangerous goods. The wall thickness was determined using two alternative methods to the magnetostatic measurement. These alternative methods are used for research purpose to get a volumetric model of the jerrycan wall as a geometric model for the simulation. The comparison of the experiments and the simulations of the internal pressure test were performed using the digital image correlation method. The integral strain and deformation of the whole jerrycan was detected by measuring the total mass of the jerrycan being filled with water during the internal pressure test. This is a suitable alternative to the optical measurements of local deformation by the digital image correlation method. Prestorage at 40 °C without the influence of chemicals strengthens the jerrycan, whereas the swelling effect of butyl acetate and hydrocarbon mixture softens the jerrycan. The comparison with the experiment is necessary to verify the accuracy of the simulation. It shows that the deformation can be simulated more precisely by using the actual measured geometry. The weakening of the high‐density polyethylene caused by a hydrocarbon mixture can be simulated using the Arrhenius equation. The aim of the simulation was to discover whether it is possible to use specimens to predict the behaviour of a packaging both after the influence of standard liquids. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low-cost direct writing lithography system for the sub-micron range

Abstract

We have developed a fixed beam direct writing laser lithography system with a minimum feature size of 400nm at 457nm wavelength and a writing speed of 4·2mm/s with total system costs of less than 100 000 US$.     

Experimentelle Untersuchung zur Tropfenbildung in kontinuierlich betriebenen Rotor‐Stator‐Maschinen

Rotor‐stator‐machinery is characterized in continuous operation by a homogeneous power input and a defined residence time. The influence of the equipment configuration and process design in the laminar flow regime was considered little till now. In order to fill this knowledge gap, the process behavior of this type of device was systematically investigated experimentally under axial flow conditions, as well as an energetic optimization of the machine configuration was performed.