Integrated Approach for Supporting Sustainable Water Resources Management of Irrigation Based on the WEFN Framework

Irrigated agriculture plays a vital role for the socio-economic development of the Mediterranean area, although it has significant impacts on both water and energy resources. Therefore, in a context in which water resources are also experiencing increasing pressures, there is an urgent need for supporting their sustainable management. This may be an extremely challenging task, especially at the local scale, due to the several interconnected dynamics affecting the state of a complex irrigation system. In fact, multiple actors are involved in decision-making processes, and the use of natural resources (and their mutual interactions) strongly depends on their behaviors, which affect the system as a whole. In this context, the present study proposes an integrated methodology, based on the Water Energy Food Nexus (WEFN), specifically focused on the sustainable management of water resources for irrigation. Firstly, a model based on Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD) is developed in order to get a deep insight into the key dynamics behind a complex irrigation system. Secondly, three indices based on the “footprint” concept are identified, in order to synthesize such dynamics. The integration of these two approaches support investigating the whole system and, particularly, understanding the influence of multiple decisional actors on it, as well as the role of a set of key drivers and constraints. This might also allow drawing some relevant conclusions, useful for supporting effective decisions oriented to a sustainable water resources management. Specific reference is made to a case study, the Capitanata irrigation system, located in the Southern Italy.

     

Structural development of sucrose-sweetened and sucrose-free sponge cakes during baking

The influence of sucrose, wheat starch and sorbitol upon the heat- and mass-exchanging processes forming the structure of sponge cake was studied. Under the influence of wheat starch and sorbitol the structure of the sucrose-free sponge cake was formed at more uniform total moisture release. This process was done at lower temperatures and smoother change of the sponge cake height with respect to the sucrose-sweetened sponge cake. The porous and steady structure of both cakes was finally formed at identical time--between 18th and 19th minute, at the applied conditions for baking of each batter (metal pan with diameter 15.4 cm and depth 6.2 cm containing 300 g of batter and placed in an electric oven "Rahovetz-02", Bulgaria for 30 min at 180 degrees C). The water-losses at the end of baking (10.30% and 10.40% for the sucrose-sweetened cake and sucrose-free cake, respectively) and the final temperatures reached in the crumb central layers (96.6 degrees C and 96.3 degrees C for the sucrose-sweetened cake and sucrose-free cake, respectively) during baking of both samples were not statistically different. The addition of wheat starch and sorbitol in sucrose-free sponge cake lead to the statistically different values for the porosity (76.15% and 72.98%) and the volume (1014.17 cm3 and 984.25 cm3) of the sucrose-sweetened and sucrose-free sponge cakes, respectively. As a result, the sucrose-free sponge cake formed during baking had a more homogeneous and finer microstructure with respect to that ofthe sucrose-sweetened one.     

Density,production, and survival of walleye (Sander vitreus) eggs in the Muskegon River,Michigan

Walleye (Sander vitreus) is an important sport fish in the Great Lakes that is experiencing low reproductive success after severe population declines starting in the late 1940s. In the Muskegon River, Michigan, natural reproduction of walleyes remains low and is largely supplemented by stocking. To determine factors influencing walleye reproductive success in the Muskegon River, we estimated walleye egg survival using insitu egg incubators covered with nitex screening (2003–2004) and estimated density and survival of fertilized eggs caught on furnace filter traps across different substrate types (2005–2006). We compared physical habitat suitability for walleye eggs under high and low flow scenarios. Density of walleye eggs was highest in regions of gravel/cobble substrates. Egg survival was higher in egg incubators (24–49.5%) than on furnace filter traps (2.0%), suggesting predation is an important source of walleye egg mortality in the Muskegon River. Cold water temperatures that extended developmental stage durations may also be an important source of egg mortality. The dynamic habitat suitability model predicted low suitability for eggs due to poor temperature and velocity conditions. Despite low egg survival rates, 40 million to 1 billion eggs were estimated to hatch. The low natural reproduction of walleyes in the Muskegon River is likely due to a combination of low walleye egg survival and failure of walleye larvae to reach their nursery grounds in Muskegon Lake.     

Origin and early evolution of vertebrate skeletonization

Data from living and extinct faunas of primitive vertebrates imply very different scenarios for the origin and evolution of the dermal and oral skeletal developmental system. A direct reading of the evolutionary relationships of living primitive vertebrates implies that the dermal scales, teeth, and jaws arose synchronously with a cohort of other characters that could be considered unique to jawed vertebrates: the dermoskeleton is primitively composed of numerous scales, each derived from an individual dental papilla; teeth are primitively patterned such that they are replaced in a classical conveyor-belt system. The paleontological record provides a unique but complementary perspective in that: 1) the organisms in which the skeletal system evolved are extinct and we have no recourse but to fossils if we aim to address this problem; 2) extinct organisms can be classified among, and in the same way as, living relatives; 3) a holistic approach to the incorporation of all data provides a more complete perspective on early vertebrate evolution. This combined approach is of no greater significance than in dealing with the origin of the skeleton and, combined with recent discoveries and new phylogenetic analyses, we have been able to test and reject existing hypotheses for the origin of the skeleton and erect a new model in their place.     

Information retrieval with FROM: The fuzzy relational ontological model

This paper presents FROM, the fuzzy relational ontological model, a novel approach to encode knowledge for information retrieval applications based upon a fuzzy set framework that consider more generic concepts differently from specific terms. Besides the model itself, the paper also presents a retrieval algorithm that exploits FROM features through the application of fuzzy operations that uses this knowledge to extend a user's query based on these fuzzy associations. Experimental results have shown that retrieval with FROM presented better overall performance than other fuzzy‐based approaches for information retrieval. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

STW resonator with organo-functionalized metallic nanoparticle film for vapor sensing

A 1 GHz surface transverse wave resonator on 36° Y-cut quartz plate coated with organothiol-functionalized gold nanoparticle film has been studied as a chemical gas sensor. Considerable sensitivity of the resonant frequency to vapors of ethanol, methanol, chloroform, and acetic acid has been found. Owing to the high short-term stability of the oscillator built, the detection limit is in the low ppm range. The results qualitatively confirm previous results on the same film type obtained by conductivity measurements. In the present case, the conductivity effect resulting from variable separation of nanoparticles is accompanied with surface-attached mass of the absorbed gas. The film matrix exhibits considerable capacity to absorb large amounts of molecules at high gas concentrations.     

Effect of dopants on alumina grain boundary sliding: implications for creep inhibition

We investigate by means of periodic density functional theory the mechanism of grain boundary sliding along the α-alumina Σ11 tilt grain boundary. We identify minimum and maximum energy structures along a preferential sliding pathway for the pure grain boundary, as well as for grain boundaries doped with a series of early transition metals, as well as barium, gadolinium, and neodymium. We predict that the segregation of those dopants results in a considerable increase in the grain boundary sliding barrier. Grain boundary sliding occurs by a series of bond breaking and forming across the grain boundary. Our results suggest that the presence of large cations inhibits the regeneration of bonds during sliding, which results in a decrease in total number of bonds across the grain boundary interface, thereby raising the barrier to sliding. Trends in predicted grain boundary sliding energies are in good agreement with recently measured creep activation energies in polycrystalline alumina, lending further credence to the notion that grain boundary sliding plays a dominant role in alumina creep.     

Surprise, memory, and retrospective judgment making: Testing cognitive reconstruction theories of the hindsight bias effect.

Hindsight bias has been shown to be a pervasive and potentially harmful decision-making bias. A review of 4 competing cognitive reconstruction theories of hindsight bias revealed conflicting predictions about the role and effect of expectation or surprise in retrospective judgment formation. Two experiments tested these predictions examining the effects of manipulating the information presented in a text-based scenario and its congruency with the given outcome on surprise, hindsight bias, and recall. The results of Experiment 1 revealed evidence of hindsight bias after exposure to incongruent and ambivalent outcomes but not after exposure to congruent outcomes. Experiment 2 replicated the hindsight bias results and found that the ratio of outcome consistent information recalled was higher than expected in the incongruent and ambivalent conditions but equaled the ratio presented to participants in the congruent condition. The results were interpreted as supporting the general predictions of sense-making models of the hindsight bias. A refined version of this model is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)