The University of Ciego de Ávila "Máximo Gómez Báez" (Spanish: Universidad de Ciego de Ávila "Máximo Gómez Báez", UNICA) is a public university located in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. It was founded in 1978 and is organized in 7 Faculties..
Pineapple (Ananas comosus var. comosus) is the most economically important species within the Bromeliaceae family. Cuba currently exports fresh ´MD-2´ pineapple to Europe, exports that increase every year. However, during summer, sunburn damage significantly increases. This study evaluated the effectiveness of sunscreens on sunburn incidence and fruit quality of MD-2 pineapple under production conditions. Four treatments (Shade net, Protecsol®, Biobras-16®, and Protecsol® + Biobras-16®) were compared with an unprotected control. All treatments significantly reduced sunburn compared to the control (26
Crude oil is a source of energy, but its use in thermoelectric power plants generates deposits in the heaters and reheaters of the convective axis, decreasing thermal efficiency and increasing fuel consumption. The study aimed to analyze the pressure drop dynamics in the heaters and reheaters of the convective axis of a regenerative steam generator using heavy crude oil. The research was conducted at Unit 6 of the 10 de octubre Thermoelectric Power Plant in Cuba, where the pressure drop dynamics of a 125 MW steam generator were analyzed using real-time monitoring and predictive models based on operational data. Theoretical and actual values were compared within the power ranges of 60–125 MW, with measurements taken using inline sensors and equations to determine path losses. The results showed an exponential increase in pressure drop, particularly at 90–95 MW and 120–125 MW due to the accumulation of deposits, affecting gas circulation and operational stability. The models obtained presented determination coefficients of more than 0.9, validating their predictive accuracy. The accumulation of deposits on heat transfer surfaces increases pressure drop, reduces power, and raises fuel consumption. Continuous monitoring and predictive models optimize cleaning intervals.
Capsicum annuum L. comprises several cultivars, including True Heart, whose fruit quality is influenced by the organic matter incorporated into the substrate. This study evaluated the fruits of C. annuum (True Heart cultivar) grown in Red Ferralitic Soil from Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, amended with organic matter derived from the invasive aquatic plants Pistia stratiotes L. and Pontederia crassipes Mart. Twenty-five experimental units were established: five with a simple substrate (Red Ferralitic Soil), five units each with mixed substrates containing 0.5
Wildfire severity assessment and vegetation recovery monitoring are essential for sustainable forest management, particularly in Mediterranean mountain ecosystems increasingly affected by climate change. This study evaluates the severity and short-term regeneration of vegetation following the July 2022 fire in Montes de Valdueza (Ponferrada, Spain), using Landsat 8 OLI imagery and two spectral indices: differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and differenced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (dNDVI). Burn severity was classified into four categories, validated against PlanetScope high-resolution imagery as ground truth. The classification achieved an overall accuracy of 87.2% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.83, indicating strong agreement. Moderate severity dominated the burned area (69.4%), followed by low severity (22.8%). Vegetation recovery analysis conducted eight months after the fire revealed that 49.0% of the area showed low vegetation loss, 26.8% remained unchanged, and 7.8% experienced moderate loss. These findings highlight the resilience of shrub-dominated Mediterranean mountain landscapes and demonstrate the viability of low-cost remote sensing approaches for post-fire monitoring. The methodology provides replicable tools for managers to design long-term protocols that integrate vulnerability and resilience assessments in fire-prone regions.
