Differential efficiency of the endocytic machinery in tonic and phasic synapses

Efficient synaptic vesicle membrane recycling is one of the key factors required to sustain neurotransmission. We investigated potential differences in the compensatory endocytic machineries in two glutamatergic synapses with phasic and tonic patterns of activity in the lamprey spinal cord. Post-embedding immunocytochemistry demonstrated that proteins involved in synaptic vesicle recycling, including dynamin, intersectin, and synapsin, occur at higher levels (labeling per vesicle) in tonic dorsal column synapses than in phasic reticulospinal synapses. Synaptic vesicle protein 2 occurred at similar levels in the two types of synapse. After challenging the synapses with high potassium stimulation for 30 min the vesicle pool in the tonic synapse was maintained at a normal level, while that in the phasic synapse was partly depleted along with expansion of the plasma membrane and accumulation of clathrin-coated intermediates at the periactive zone. Thus, our results indicate that an increased efficiency of the endocytic machinery in a synapse may be one of the factors underlying the ability to sustain neurotransmission at high rates.

Farm animal welfare:Assessing risks attributable to the prenatal environment

An ever-expanding scientific literature highlights the impact of the prenatal environment on many areas of biology. Across all major farmed species, experimental studies have clearly shown that prenatal experiences can have a substantial impact on outcomes relevant to later health, welfare and productivity. In particular, stress or sub-optimal nutrition experienced by the mother during pregnancy has been shown to have wide-ranging and important effects on how her offspring cope with their social, physical and infectious environment. Variation in the conditions for development provided by the reproductive tract or egg, for instance by altered nutritional supply or hormonal exposure, may therefore explain a large degree of variation in many welfare- and productivity-relevant traits. The scientific literature suggests a number of management practices for pre-birth/hatch individuals that could compromise their later welfare. Such studies may have relevance for the welfare of animals under human care, depending on the extent to which real life conditions involve exposure to these practices. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of extending the focus on animal welfare to include the prenatal period, an aspect which until recently has been largely neglected. © 2012 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare The Old School.

Adoption of farm-based irrigation water-saving techniques in the Guanzhong Plain, China

This article analyses adoption of farm-based irrigation water saving techniques, based on a cross-sectional data set of 357 farmers in the Guanzhong Plain, China. Approximately 83% of the farmers use at least one farm-based water-saving technique. However, the traditional, inefficient techniques border and furrow irrigation are still prevalent whereas the use of advanced, more efficient techniques is still rather rare. We develop and estimate an adoption model consisting of two stages: awareness of water scarcity and intensity of adoption. We find that awareness of water scarcity and financial status enhance adoption of more advanced techniques whereas access to better community-based irrigation infrastructure discourages it. We furthermore find both community-based irrigation infrastructure and farm-based irrigation water-saving techniques have mitigating effects on production risk. From the results it follows that adoption can be stimulated via financial support and via extension aimed at enhancing awareness of water scarcity.

Investigating Tools used to Analyse the Impact of a Wave Farm on the surrounding Wave Field

For wave energy to become commercially viable, it is predicted that wave energy converters (WECs) will need to be installed in large wave farms. This will required an extensive environmental impact study. Assessments of impacts of these sites requires prior numerical modelling however the available tools have not been fully validated.
This project investigates the area surrounding an array of five scaled WEC models using experimental techniques. It then assesses the suitability of numerical tools to be validated with this experimental data. Validated numerical tools could then be used to predict parameters relating to the models such as reflection and transmission coefficients.
The physical aspect of this project was conducted in the Portaferry wave basin owned by Queen’s University Belfast. The device studied was a bottom hinged oscillating wave surge converter (OWSC) which penetrates the surface (similar to the Oyster device). The models were tested at 40th scale.

Pee Dee food & farm guide

This is an annual guide to local food producers, farmers markets and local food businesses in the Pee Dee Region.

Nuclear and mitochondrial control of the apoptosis machinery regulates neural stem cell fate

Tese de doutoramento, Farmácia (Bioquímica), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, 2014

Investigation on the development of bidding strategies for a wind farm owner

In this paper, the development of bidding strategies is investigated for a wind farm owner. The optimization model is characterized by making the analysis of scenarios. The proposed approach allows evaluating alternative production strategies in order to submit bids to the electricity market with the goal of maximizing profits. The problem is formulated as a linear programming problem. An application to a case study is presented

A new wind farm in Santiago Island, cape verde - simulation and economic studies

Ensuring sustainable development conditions is presently world widely recognized as a critically important goal. This makes the use of electricity generation technologies based on renewable energy sources very relevant. Developing countries depend on an adequate availability of electrical energy to assure economic progress and are usually characterized by a high increase in electricity consumption. This makes sustainable development a huge challenge but it can also be taken as an opportunity, especially for countries which do not have fossil resources. This paper presents a study concerning the expansion of an already existent wind farm, located in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde Republic. The paper includes results from simulation studies that have been undertaken using PSCAD software and some economic considerations.

Promoting Portuguese exports to Germany: An export promotion plan for the machinery & equipment sector

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

International volunteers at a Costa Rican organic farm : sheepish volunteers, proud tourists and unwitting developers

This thesis analyzes the practices and experiences of two groups of Canadian volunteers who visited the organic fanning and "alternative development" project ofFinca la Flor (FLF) in central Costa Rica. Using both participant observation and in-depth interviews with volunteers and other people involved with FLF, I examine volunteers' understandings of their involvement with the fann. I argue that three discursive fonnations are instrumental in shaping this particular volunteering encounter. Specifically, interpretation of these Canadian volunteers' experiences inspires the argument that the emerging practice of international volunteering (or voluntourism) exists at the intersection of discourses of development, volunteering and tourism, all of which both reflect and maintain problematic North-South relationships. The analysis shows that in spite ofFLF's construction as an (alternative / sustainable) international-development project, and in spite of volunteers' initial conceptualization of their trip as "volunteering," volunteers tend to act and describe their time at FLF in ways that look more like tourism than like volunteer labor or international development. Likewise, although FLF claims to principally be focused on alternative development, and merely to open up this authentic development space to volunteers for their participation, the organization in both practice and discourse seems primarily to construct a tourist experience and cater to the needs of foreigners as tourists. Discourses of development and volunteering do infonn the practices offann personnel and volunteers at FLF, but they become subordinated to the more dominant discourse of tourism as the volunteers' and fann management's ideals of development and volunteering capitulate to become focused on satisfying volunteers' (perceived or "real") touristic desires. The FLF participants I studied may have entered the encounter as volunteers, but they departed the site having been tourists.

Rittermere Farm Craft Studio Fonds, 1951-2006

During the 1950’s, the Rittenhouse family of Vineland in the Niagara Peninsula opened a craft store and studio. Within a short period of time, they realized that resources for the craft of rug hooking were in demand and they began to build their business around this niche. Edna Rittenhouse, the mother, was the wool dyer; Margaret Rowan, the daughter, was the pattern designer; Ted Rowan, the son-in-law, changed careers and became the manager of the family business. The 1960’s were a prosperous time, not only in the Niagara Peninsula, but also for the Rittenhouse business. Edna Rittenhouse had been hooking rugs for decades but she and her family worked at developing and sharing newer techniques with newer materials. Shading manuals were authored and published; students became teachers; creativity abounded in the demand for and the creation of new designs. Instead of using woolen yarn, they were using pure woolen fabric; instead of using a standard cutter, they began using a uniquely designed cutter; instead of using frames, they employed a table top method. The new material and technique resulted in a rug with a smooth, uniform texture and a soft nap. Since many crafters belonged to crafters guilds, Margaret and Ted Rowan began promoting the idea of a guild for rug hookers and in time the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild was also a reality. A joint project between Chatelaine magazine and the Rittermere studio for Canada’s centennial year of 1967 was extremely well received within the circle of hooking crafters and the Rittermere Farm Craft Studio became a North American landmark for crafters. From this point onward the studio had a large customer base not only in North America but also overseas. The studio remained popular until 1984 when Margaret and Ted Rowan decided to retire. The Rittermere name has been preserved in the name of Rittermere-Hurst-Field which is a similar business located in Aurora which is just north of Toronto.