Genetic variation of zinc and iron concentration in normal, provitamin A and quality protein maize under stress and non-stress conditions

Nakai Matongera THOKOZILE NDHLELA Angeline van Biljon Casper Nyaradzai Kamutando Jill Cairns Frédéric Baudron Maryke Labuschagne (2023, [Artículo])

Micronutrient Variability Trait Correlations CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MAIZE ZINC IRON BIOFORTIFICATION TRACE ELEMENTS CORRELATION

Universal fixation system for pad printing of plastic parts

JOSE ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ RAMIREZ (2023, [Artículo])

Pad printing is used in automotive, medical, electrical and other industries, employing diverse materials to transfer a 2D image onto a 3D object with different sizes and geometries. This work presents a universal fixation system for pad printing of plastic parts (UFSP4) in response to the needs of small companies that cannot afford to invest in the latest technological advances. The UFSP4 comprises two main subsystems: a mechanical support system (i.e., support structure, jig matrix and braking system) and a control system (i.e., an electronic system and an electric-hydraulic system). A relevant feature is the combination of a jig matrix and jig pins to fixate complex workpieces with different sizes. Using finite element analysis (FEA), in the mesh convergence, the total displacement converges to 0.00028781 m after 12,000 elements. The maximum equivalent stress value is 1.22 MPa for the polycarbonate plate in compliance with the safety factor. In a functionality test of the prototype performed in a production environment for one hour, the jigs fixed by the plate did not loosen, maintaining the satisfactory operation of the device. This is consistent with the displacement distribution of the creep analysis and shows the absence of the creep phenomenon. Based on FEA that underpinned the structural health computation of the braking system, the prototype was designed and built, seeking to ensure a reliable and safe device to fixate plastic parts, showing portability, low-cost maintenance and adaptability to the requirements of pad printing of automotive plastic parts.

Use of AI tools declaration: The authors declare they have not used Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the creation of this article.

Acknowledgments: To the company Plásticos Decorados and Centro de Tecnología Avanzada (CIATEQ A.C.) for the facilities and support to carry out this work. To the Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT) for a Ph.D. scholarship support number 500839 and CONAHCYT SNI.

Conflict of interest: The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.

Modular fixtures Jig matrix Prototype design Pad printing Fixture methods INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS OTRAS

On-farm storage loss estimates of maize in Kenya using community survey methods

Hugo De Groote Anani Bruce (2023, [Artículo])

Maize is the most important staple in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with highly seasonal production. High storage losses affect food security, but good estimations are lacking. A new method using focus group discussions (FGDs) was tested with 121 communities (1439 farmers, 52% women) in Kenya's six maize-growing zones, to estimate the maize losses to storage pests and analyze farmer practices. As control strategies, half of the farmers used chemical pesticides (49%), while hermetic bags (16%) and botanicals (15%) were also popular. Relative loss from weevils in the long rains was estimated at 23%, in the short rains 18%, and annually 21%. Fewer farmers were affected by the larger grain borer (LGB) than by maize weevils: 42% in the long rainy season and 32% in the short rainy season; losses from LGB were also smaller: 19% in the long season, 17% in the short season, and 18% over the year. Total storage loss, from both species combined, was estimated at 36%, or 671,000 tonnes per year. The greatest losses occur in the humid areas, especially the moist mid-altitudes (56%), and with smaller loss in the drylands (20–23%). Extrapolating the point data and overlaying with the maize production map shows the geographic distribution of the losses, with the most important area found around Lake Victoria. FGDs provide convenient and cheap tools to estimate storage losses in representative communities, but a total loss estimate of 36% is higher than is found in other studies, so its accuracy and framing effects need to be assessed. We conclude that storage pests remain a major problem, especially in western Kenya, and that the use of environmentally friendly technologies such as hermetic storage and botanicals needs more attention, both by the public extension service and private agrodealers.

Larger Grain Borer Maize Weevil CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MAIZE STORAGE LOSSES PESTS SURVEY METHODS

Autotrophic denitrification of nitrate rich wastewater in fluidized bed reactors using pyrite and elemental sulfur as electron donors

Maria Federica Carboni Simon Mills SONIA LORENA ARRIAGA GARCIA Gavin Collins Umer Zeeshan Ijaz Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens (2022, [Artículo])

"This study compared denitrification performances and microbial communities in fluidized bed reactors (FBRs) carrying out autotrophic denitrification using elemental sulfur (S0) and pyrite (FeS2) as electron donors. The reactors were operated for 220 days with nitrate loading rates varying between 23 and 200 mg N-NO-3 /Lmiddotd and HRT between 48 and 4 h. The highest denitrification rates achieved were 142.2 and 184.4 mg NNO-3 /Lmiddotd in pyrite and sulfur FBRs, respectively. Pyrite-driven denitrification produced less SO2- 4 and no buffer addition was needed to regulate the pH. The sulfur FBR needed instead CaCO3 to maintain the pH neutral and consequentially more sludge was produced (CaSO4 precipitation). The active community of pyrite-based systems was investigated and Azospira sp., Ferruginibacter sp., Rhodococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. were the predominant genera, while Thiobacillus sp. and Sulfurovum sp. dominated the active community in the sulfur FBR. However, Thiobacillus sp. became more dominant when operating at elevated nitrogen loading rate. Patterns of diversity and microbial community assembly were assessed and revealed three distinct stages of microbial community succession which corresponded with the operation of a period of high influent nitrate concentration (135 mg N-NO-3 /L). It is proposed that a high degree of functional redundancy in the initial microbial communities may have helped both reactors to respond better to such high influent nitrate concentration."

Pyrite Elemental sulfur Fluidized bed rector Nitrogen removal 16S rRNA Community assembly CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA

Localisation of iron and zinc in grain of biofortified wheat

Theodora Stewart Paul Anthony Sharp Govindan Velu Malcolm Hawkesford (2022, [Artículo])

Wheat Grain Micronutrients LA-ICP-MS Localization CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA BIOFORTIFICATION IRON TRACE ELEMENTS WHEAT ZINC

Strategies steering intensification pathways of farmers in central Malawi

Carl Timler Jeroen Groot Sieglinde Snapp Pablo Tittonell (2023, [Artículo])

Smallholder farmers face many challenges to improve their livelihoods and food security. Intensification of agricultural production can help to achieve these goals. Yet farmers are highly heterogenous in their strategies towards intensification, potentially following unsustainable intensification pathways. Using Q Methodology, we ascertain different strategies regarding farm improvement and intensification of smallholder farmers in the Dedza and Ntcheu Extension Planning Areas in Central Malawi. These strategies were associated to coherent sequential choices as expressed in “managerial intensification pathways” (MIPs). Three main strategies emerged: Seed Saving Peasants, Aspirant Modern Farmers and Entrepreneurial Business(wo)men. These were subsequently linked to four MIPs. Seed Saving Peasants focus strongly on local seed systems and post-harvest protection of grains, but also allocate more labour to improving crop residue use and manure quality, thus pointing to a labour-oriented MIP. Aspirant Modern Farmers willingly adopt hybrid seeds and inorganic fertilizers but require more extension support; these farmers follow a technology-oriented MIP. Entrepreneurial Business(wo)men are early adopters of new technologies and benefit from improved access to market information and suppliers of new technologies and follow a sustainable technology-based or techno-ecological intensification pathway. This study shows that strongly contrasting perspectives on intensification exist among smallholders and it is expected that their preferred intensification choices will have diverging impacts on the sustainability of their farms. A diversity of extension, advice and incentive instruments will be needed to support farmer decision making towards sustainably intensified farms.

Smallholder Farmers Q Methodology CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA SMALLHOLDERS STRATEGIES SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION

Simulación del movimiento del aire en un invernadero tipo Venlo

Simulation of air movement in a Venlo-Type greenhouse

JORGE VICTOR PRADO HERNANDEZ ABRAHAM ROJANO AGUILAR FELIPE BENJAMIN DE LEON MOJARRO MAURICIO CARRILLO GARCIA LAURA ALICIA IBAÑEZ CASTILLO VICENTE ANGELES MONTIEL IRINEO LORENZO LOPEZ CRUZ (2013, [Artículo])

En años recientes se ha observado que los modelos matemáticos basados en las ecuaciones completas de Navier-Stokes representan adecuadamente la ventilación en invernaderos y ofrecen información detallada de la distribución espacial de la masa de aire; sin embargo, resulta muy costosa la adquisición de los permisos de uso de los paquetes de cómputo comerciales por lo que es necesario investigar sobre modelos simplificados con el fin de reducir los costos de los estudios. En este trabajo se simuló la circulación de aire en un invernadero tipo Venlo en diferentes condiciones de ventilación, mediante dos modelos: uno de ellos considera las ecuaciones completas de Navier-Stokes, y el otro resuelve un modelo simplificado de Navier-Stokes en el que no se considera la aceleración convectiva en la ecuación de cantidad de movimiento.

Invernaderos Ventilación natural Método del elemento finito Simulación INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA

Análisis cuantitativo con diagrama de precedencias de condiciones productivas actuales de 5 líneas de ensamble de amortiguadores mediante el método de balanceo peso posicional

José Humberto Vergara García (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

En este trabajo de investigación se empleó el método de Helgeson & Birnie para realizar el balanceo por peso posicional de cinco líneas de ensamble modular de amortiguadores de la empresa ZF Suspension Technology Guadalajara S.A. de C.V. La metodología empleada permitió establecer las condiciones actuales de operación de las cinco líneas. Mediante el uso del método mencionado se encontró que en la mayoría de las líneas de ensamble analizadas sus tareas se encuentran correctamente balanceadas y ordenadas, corroborando así el buen trabajo realizado al momento de su instalación y puesta en marcha. Si bien en cualquier proceso de ensamble siempre hay oportunidades de mejora, contar con líneas de ensamble bien balanceadas permite a la empresa tener una base sólida para la producción de este tipo de componentes automotrices.

The Helgeson & Birnie method was employed in this research for balancing, by positional weight, five modular strut assembly production lines at ZF Suspension Technology Guadalajara S.A. De C.V. The proposed methodology allowed to know the current operating conditions of the production lines. It was found that most of the analyzed production lines are correctly balanced suggesting a correct commissioning and start up procedure performed when the lines were initially installed. Although every assembling line always can be improved, having well-balanced assembly lines provides a solid base line for any automotive manufacturing company.

Líneas de ensamble modular Método de Helgeson & Birnie Peso posicional Final assembly lines Helgeson & Birnie method Positional weight INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS OTRAS

Balancing quality with quantity: a case study of UK bread wheat

Nick Fradgley Keith Gardner Stéphanie M. Swarbreck Alison Bentley (2023, [Artículo])

Grain Protein Content Environmental Sustainability End-Use Quality Modern Bread Baking Methods CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT HISTORY QUALITY WHEAT YIELDS

Diseño de productos vs. diseño de conceptos (una nueva perspectiva del diseño industrial basada en innovación)

José Humberto Jacobo Solís (2023, [Capítulo de libro])

Este trabajo tiene por objetivo presentar una visión alternativa para el diseño industrial, la cual se centra en el desarrollo de conceptos de negocio en lugar de únicamente centrarse en el desarrollo de productos. Asimismo, esta visión intenta romper con ciertos paradigmas que se enfocan en el rechazo hacia a la innovación y hacia la comercialización de los conceptos resultantes del proceso de diseño, a través de la exposición de las posturas de diversos autores quienes consideran que la innovación es el camino para lograr enfrentar los grandes desafíos sociales y ambientales que aquejan a la sociedad actual. Finalmente, este documento presenta únicamente las bases para la realización de un trabajo de investigación mucho más profundo, el cual permita darle mayor validez a la idea central de que el diseño debe evolucionar de una disciplina enfocada en el desarrollo de productos hacia una enfocada en el desarrollo de conceptos de negocio.

This work aims to present an alternative vision for industrial design, which focuses on the development of business concepts instead of only focusing on product development. Likewise, this vision tries to break with certain paradigms that focus on the rejection of innovation and the commercialization of the concepts resulting from the design process, through the exposition of the positions of various authors who consider that innovation is the way to face the great social and environmental challenges that afflict today’s society. Finally, this document only presents the bases for carrying out a much deeper research work, which allows giving greater validity to the central idea that design must evolve from a discipline focused on product development to one focused on the development of business concepts.

Diseño conceptual, innovación, conceptualización, concepto de diseño. Conceptual design, innovation, conceptualization, design concept. Product design. Industrial design. Creative ability. Product design--Methodology. Diseño de producto. Diseño industrial. Aptitud creadora. TS171.4 HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTA CIENCIAS DE LAS ARTES Y LAS LETRAS